Connecting You to a Healthy Life!

The Wildlife Marathon

As I wrote last week, my goal for this past marathon was to make it hurt. In that regard, I was successful. I was definitely hurting for the last eight miles.

It was a small race, only 60 runners in the full. The race started in the small village of Concord, MI. We ran through the bucolic (fun word to use) burg and onto a paved rails-to-trails. The leaves had popped and the sun was shining. It was as pretty as could be.

I went a little fast on the first mile because I could still see the first place guy, but I settled in to my three-hour pace. Being a small race, I was basically alone, but there were a few folks running within sight. The first five miles were on this trail and were pretty flat. Other than nearly getting hit by a biker pacing the guy who won the half marathon, this part was pretty uneventful.

After leaving the bike path, we ran on some back roads. These roads were all rolling hills. I was feeling fine and clicking off 6:45 miles fairly easily. The small hills put a little more strain on the pace, but it was okay.

Around mile 10 or so, we left the paved back roads and started running on gravel roads. This is easier on the legs, but they also return less energy than paved roads. That means runners expend more energy running on gravel than on pavement. Also, the hills became a little more challenging.

Around half way through the race, I started straining a little more. I kept chugging along at near a three-hour pace, but I started to re-evaluate my goals. I started thinking that a 3:10 finish would be pretty good. It would give me a new Boston-Qualifier. I ran for a few minutes with a guy who was doing his 70th marathon and would do his 50th state next week.

At mile 18, I saw my wonderful Curb Crew for the third time. They couldn’t tell, but this was also when I hit the wall. I took some solace in the fact that I was only 5k from the rails-to-trails which would be blessedly flat.

Hitting the wall is not very fun. It’s even less fun when you have eight miles left to go. I wanted to stop. I wanted to walk. I wanted to lie down. I thought about my last blog, though, and I pushed through the pain.

Pushing through the pain is much easier when you’re closing in on a PR. Last June in Duluth, I was hurting the last three miles, but I knew I had a chance to break 3:00. At the Wildlife Marathon in Concord, I wasn’t going to PR. I pushed as hard as I could. I was really just trying to fall off as little as possible. Glycogen depletion meant that I wasn’t going to be anywhere close to 7:00/mile. I made it hurt, though.

I did manage to pass a guy in these last few miles. It was his first marathon, and he had been running a sub-three pace. Now he was walking. I tried to encourage him, but I was struggling mightily. I never quit. I never gave up. I fought the pain and ran as fast as my body would allow.

I finally came to the finish line. My time could’ve been faster if I would have run the first half more conservatively. I’m glad I didn’t, though. If I ran races conservatively, then I never would have broken three hours. Sometimes you have to go hard and hang on. If you do, sometimes it leads to huge breakthroughs. Other times, you blow up. It’s a fine line between racing bravely and racing foolishly. I learned I could persevere through the pain even if my time goal was shot. That was enough for this race.

15th October 2011
Events
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A Long Race Report

Last week I set a new PR in the marathon.

My training went pretty well, but (like always) I didn’t do as many miles or as much core work as I wanted to do. The workouts were encouraging, though, and I saw my efforts improving every week. I felt pretty prepared.

We drove up to Two Harbors (the starting point for Grandma’s Marathon) on Wednesday. Packet pick-up and the kids’ races were on Friday. Both went smoothly, and I got to see both my boys run a race.

Sweet swag from Grandma's Marathon.

My taper was pretty uneventful, but I wasn’t getting as much sleep as I would have liked. This made me a little nervous about the marthon, but there’s not much to be done about sleep deprivation with two small kids. I went to bed early on Friday, and set my alarm for 5:15 on race day. This seems pretty early, but Minnesota is an hour behind us, so it felt like sleeping in until 6:15.

The weather was cool and drizzly on race morning, but the rain ended before I had to leave. I had my typical toast and coffee as I dressed in several layers and gathered my vanilla Accel Gel and water. My North Face arm sleeves were really handy for this race.

Because it is a point-to-point race, everyone has to take a bus to the start. RunnerDad dropped me at the bus stop at 6:25 and said a quick prayer over me. I made some small talk with other racers. One of them said, “This isn’t a bus to the half marathon, is it?”

“I hope not,” I said. “The half starts right now.” (The half started an hour before the full.) As we rode to the start, I heard another bus driver on the radio saying that he had a half marathoner on his bus.

I was really glad to be staying in Two Harbors instead of Duluth during the bus ride. I know from previous experience that driving the full distance before running it can be really intimidating. The whole ride, all you can think is: “I have to run this far?”

When we got off the bus, I went toward the port-o-potties. I shouldn’t share this tip, but I will. Go to the toilets farthest from the entrance. Runners tend to stop at the closest ones. It’s worth the walk to go farther away. I found a short line, did my business, and got back in line.

Next came the Star Spangled Banner. A member of the Air Force sang it. I noticed she had on three-inch heels and thought my brother-in-law who is a Marine would think that was pretty funny.

As I made way toward the starting line, I was pretty calm. Everyone around me was doing the pre-race dance. Shifting from foot to foot, doing sprint outs, jogging in place, kicking their knees up. Basically boiling with nervous energy. I worried a little bit because I was content to just stand still. In fact, if there had been a chair, I would have sat down.

Both of my tune-up races predicted a 3:03 marathon, so I planned to go out at 7:00/mile pace. I figured I would hold that as long as I could. If I couldn’t hold it, I’d slow down. I wasn’t putting a lot of pressure on myself. I felt really calm and relaxed.

Even though we were lined up according to our predicted finish times, the mass of runners compressed toward the start several times. I ended up about 25 meters from the starting line. It was cool (48 degrees), but we were lucky enough not to have to stand in the rain. The half marathoners were not so lucky. A few jokes were cracked about the tailwind, jokes that only running nerds would laugh at. Then the race was rolling.

We were lucky enough to have a tailwind, always a bonus on a point-to-point course. This course is so beautiful. It follows the shore of Lake Superior for most of the race on an old scenic highway.

I was surprised at the number of spectators.The course made it almost impossible for my Curb Crew to see me before mile 25 if they wanted to see me at the finish line, so I wasn’t expecting many other cheering fans. The local communities really came out, and I didn’t feel lonely any where on the course.

My first five miles went quickly (6:48, 6:39, 6:38, 6:48, 6:43). At the 5k mark, I started playing mental games with myself. “Okay, 12% completed.” I had planned on 7:00 miles, but I felt confident about the splits I was hitting. Also, they made the miles feel really quick. The straightness of the course also helped sometimes. I think I could see the five-mile mark almost as soon as I passed mile four.

After mile five, I started looking forward to my first Accel Gel. I took it at mile seven. I also thought, “Feeling good and halfway to halfway.” Miles six through ten were a consistent 6:45, 6:46, 6:52, 6:47, 6:36.

The half marathon started at our halfway point, and I was really excited to see that spray painted starting line for some reason. At this point, some guys who looked like college students started running near me. One guy was running in some really old Nike Frees. Another guy kept zigzagging across the road. I wanted to ask if he’d ever heard the phrase “run the tangents” but didn’t bother. Miles 11-15 were 6:50, 6:47, 6:49, 6:33, 6:42. You can see how excited I was to cross the halfway point by that crazy fast mile. My half marathon split was 1:28 and change. This is only a couple minutes slower than my half PR.

After the half, I really started looking forward to entering the city of Duluth. I had driven this portion several times. The old homes on the shores of Lake Superior are beautiful. Also, crossing these lines of demarcation always make the race feel new and fresh. Without changes like this, the ending miles of the marathon can start to feel tedious. I thought entering the city would be refreshing. We started entering the city around mile 19. My miles here were 6:37, 6:41, 6:45, 6:34, 6:56.

At mile 19, when I  thought the city limit signs would perk me up, I hit a down part. I thought, “I can’t do seven more sub-seven miles.” I got kind of discouraged. This course was really nice, though. Every time I needed it, the course gave me a little downhill section. By mile 20, there was a little decline, and I thought, “Even if I only 7:30 miles, I’ll run a good time.” I rebounded a little and started looking forward to Duluth’s downtown. 6:54, 6:54, 7:03, 7:10, 7:00.

As you can see, I floated over the seven-minute mile at 23. I felt okay though. I kept the pace as hard as I could because I knew it would hurt just as much to slow down and it would take longer, too. I saw RunnerDad at mile 25. He yelled, “They’re waiting for you at the finish. Get to ‘em!” That picked me up a little, and I tossed my hat to him. In Duluth, the avenues count down to Lake Street and then start counting up again. I knew I had to go past Lake, so I was counting down but knew I had to count back up to Fifth. Then I had to run around their convention center and into Canal Park. The last mile seemed like it would never end: 7:28.

I could see the big clock above the finish, and I got there as fast as I could. The last .2 was 1:28 (about a 7:20 mile). My new PR is 2:58:50. I made my way through the chute and hugged my boys. I choked up a little when I told RunnerGirl and the rest of my Curb Crew my new PR.

I feel like I ran a really evenly-paced, smart race. I didn’t have any more to give at the finish. It was one of my best marathons.

25th June 2011
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The Joy of Running

I’m doing the Rural Rush for a Cure tonight. It’s a 5k run in the small hamlet of Hamilton. I’m more excited to see my little boy run in the kids’ race, though. He’ll be doing a mile, and there’s a rumor that the high school football team joins the kids.

When I asked him if he wanted to do the race, he asked how long it was. I said, “It’s almost as long as that race you ran last year before Daddy’s half marathon. Do you remember the race you ran with your cousin?”

He said, “Is that the race I couldn’t catch any of the other runners? The one when I was scared of the cars (the police cars at the back of the pack) behind us on the road?”

He’s almost four, but he remembered the race from eight months ago. It made me kind of sad that he remembered that he was at the back of the pack. I wanted to explain to him that he started at the back because the kids were organized according to their last names instead of their ages, so he had to start at the back even though he was only three.

I don’t care how fast he is. I just want him to have fun running and competing. He really enjoys the races he’s done so far, and he’s asked to do more races than we’ve been able to fit into our schedule. I hope to continue fostering the playful and fun side of races.

More runners should focus on the fun aspect of races.

This last statement is a tough one sometimes. I love to compete, and races are usually fun for me. However, sometimes I focus so much on the clock that it becomes stressful. Many runners put a lot of pressure on themselves. This can be exacerbated by the fact that most races post the times and places for all the world to see. Sometimes it feels like the faster I run, the less fun I have.

Don’t get me wrong. I love to run and to race. It is a lot of fun to run fast and to set PRs, too. Not every race is a goal race, though. Not every race needs to be a PR. Some races should be enjoyed for the atmosphere and community.

My goal is to have fun tonight. If you look up my time in the 5k, know that the joy can’t be measured in seconds.

3rd June 2011
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New Policies from the Boston Athletic Association

There is a new registration procedure in place for the Boston Marathon. If you’re not familiar, the Boston Marathon requires runners to run a qualifying time. For example, the current standard for males under 34 is 3:10. This standard was originally put in place to limit the number of runners tramping through Hopkinton and other small towns along the course. The time as moved up and down a few times, but it has always been a time marathoners considered challenging.

This challenge was appealing because it was achievable. It is a badge of honor to run Boston both because of its history and because of its strict standards. Amby Burfoot says, “Getting into Boston has become an honor, like qualifying for the Olympics or Olympic Trials, only at the people’s level. While only 10 percent of American marathoners are fast enough to qualify for Boston, the goal is more popular than ever.”  Also, many people as if you have run Boston as soon as they hear that you do marathons.

As more marathoners reached this standard, though, the race began filling up quickly. Last year, registration was full after only eight hours! The BAA, or Boston Athletic Association, had to do something to preserve the integrity of their race. Achieving a qualifying time is less meaningful if you aren’t able to run in the race due to a sluggish computer or a busy work schedule.

For months, hard core runners have been wondering what the BAA would do. Would they drastically alter the qualifying standards? Would they increase the number of slots available? Would they eliminate the charity runners (charity runners raise $3000-$5000 instead of running a qualifying time)?

The BAA had a few motivating principles to consider. One consideration is the elite tradition of the Boston Marathon. Its stringent qualifying criteria is a major draw. The BAA definitely wanted to maintain the tradition of honoring the fast folks among us.

Another consideration of the BAA was the towns along the course. It is a huge financial and civic commitment to stage a marathon in one city. The Boston Marathon runs through eight! These cities are already stressed with the current 25,000 runners. Increasing the field size would be a very difficult proposition.

A third issue was the issue of fairness. The BAA wanted to find a fair way to distribute the bib numbers. Last year’s biggest complaint was that runners with inflexible jobs or slow computers were frozen out. This was worsened by the fact that the BAA servers were crashed by the huge number of folks trying to register.

The BAA found a creative way to accomplish their objective. They achieved the first and third objective by instituting different waves of registration. The first wave consists only of qualifiers who beat the standard by 20 minutes or more. After two days, those who have a 10 minute cushion may register. On day five, runners who qualified by five minutes or more are allowed to register. After the first week, the registration is open to all qualifiers. This will ease the strain on the BAA servers and reward faster runners. Some have further interpreted the new standards to say that after that first week, the open registration will award bib numbers to the fastest runners first, so a runner who beat the standard by four minutes would earn a spot before a runner who beat the standard by 3:30

In 2013, the BAA will further drop the qualifying times by five minutes. This will help them limit the size of the field and accomplish their second objective. It’s wise to wait a year to lower the time because many runners shut out of this year’s race will want to apply next year. They would have been especially angry if their qualifying time was no longer valid.

The only drawback to the new policy is that there will no longer be a victorious feeling of accomplishment by a guy finishing with a 3:09 (or 3:04 next year). Only beating the qualifying standard by a significant amount will “guarantee” a bib number. My 3:07 a few years ago probably wouldn’t cut it.

The posters on the Runnersworld.com forum pointed out that it will further stratify qualifers. Now, there will be first tier, second tier, third tier, and general qualifiers. Running a 3:09 would be less prestigous for a 30 year old male than for a 28 year old female, but I guess that was probably already the case. At the race, though, qualifiers were qualifiers.

17th February 2011
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What makes a race poor?

Okay. I’m sorry. I know it has been forever since I’ve written anything here. Allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Big Daddy. I run marathons.

I recently ran in the Healthy Huntington Marathon at Marshall University. It’s a small race in West Virginia. Surprisingly, it is not hilly. It is near the Ohio River, and that keeps the elevation change to a minimum. Did I mention it is small? There were just over 500 runners in the marathon, a few more than that in the half marathon, and about that many involved in the marathon relay and a five-mile walk. The size was great for me. I didn’t have to fight any crowds to get to the start. Good thing, too. A GPS mishap turned a 20 minute drive from the hotel into a 55 minute drive. We arrived with only 20 minutes to use the port-o-potty and find the starting line. It was a cool morning, about 29 degrees, and perfect for running. I found a place near the front, and we were quickly off.

There were several things to recommend this marathon. As I mentioned earlier, it is a fast, flat course. It’s not crowded. You get to finish in the football stadium, and they even provide a football for runners to carry the last 100 yards. Despite these positives, I found myself telling my wonderful curb crew that I wouldn’t suggest this race to others. One of my wonderful supporters asked, “Why not?”

For me, a well-organized race can outweigh a lot of negatives. I felt like this race was weak in several areas.

An expo or packet pick-up is the first thing a racer experiences on the big weekend. This one was housed in a very nice building on Marshall’s campus. Unfortunately, there was hardly any way to know where it was. The buiding’s name was not easy to find on the exterior, and there were very few signs to indicate anything special was happening. Once inside, there was very little information regarding the race. We did find a small map (more on that later) with our bib number, but not much else was included in the packet.

On race day, we made our way to the start and had to ask someone where the starting line was. They pointed vaguely toward an intersection and said it was under the stop light. It was pretty easy to find, I guess, but there was no actual starting line. Not even a bit of chalk on the ground. The race was chip timed, so I told my brother-in-law, Uncle Ink, that it didn’t matter where he lined up. It wouldn’t have mattered if there had been a timing mat at the start: there wasn’t. How can a Boston Qualifying race not have starting mat?

It was cold, but I was dressed properly, so I was pretty comfortable. After the national anthem, I ditched my disposable clothes. Oops. The race director decided to give speech. It may have been interesting. He was too far away from the race start for us to hear him. I caught a few snippets of a memorial for someone, but I couldn’t make out much of it. Also, runners were now yelling about the cold. Probably not the memorial they had intended. Finally, ten minutes late, the race started.

I did see my curb crew at mile four. I may have seen them more often, but the maps included in our race pack were pretty useless. The maps were not detailed enough to include most of the street names, and they were so small that they lacked useful information. Also, the fast course made it more difficult for my curb crew to see me and Uncle Ink because we were rarely in the same location on the course.

One problem with a flat, fast course is that it is often not that scenic. This was a flat, fast course by which I mean to say that much of it was ugly. I’m sure there are beautiful areas of Huntington, WV. I just didn’t see many of them during this race. There was one beautiful park the race circed twice. Some of my fellow runners circled it more than twice because a turn was poorly marked. I would have missed the turn like the guy in front of me, but a police woman came running over to re-direct me.

Now, I’ve highlighted a lot of the negatives of this race. Please don’t think everything was negative. Like I said, it is flat and fast. I ran a PR (by six minutes) and even managed to negative split the race. The finish line in the stadium is cool. The prizes for age group winners were beautiful glass bowls from a local glass company. If you need a race in West Virginia and you want to go fast with few distractions, check it out. A few organization improvements could make it great.

11th November 2010
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These socks are tight!

Does compression help?

The socks helped me in Boston.

I’m a believer in the compression tights and socks. They are not going to produce PRs without the work, but I think they are a tool that more runners should employ. The thinking behind the compression garments is that they boost/improve blood flow to the muscles. This improved blood flow allows the muscles to receive more oxygen. It also improves the muscles’ ablitity to get rid of waste products. This allows athletes to reduce their fatigue and improve recovery. I’ve had good experience with wearing compression both while working out and post-workout as a recovery enhancer.

Dr. Stephane Perrey co-authored a study that found tights with targeted compression reduced oxygen needs (thus improving efficiency). According to this study, the tights reduced oscillation and limited unnecessary muscle motion. He had runners run in tights, tights with targeted compression, and traditional running gear. In the initial short run, both tights and targeted compression made runners more efficient than traditional shorts. In more intense running, the targeted compression made an even greater difference in improving efficiency. He stated that the compression may trim six minutes of a 3:30 marathoner’s time.

Indiana University says not so fast, though. They’ve published two studies that imply compression may be more hype than help. In one study, Chapman, Stager, et al studied the oxygen consumption of athletes wearing compression socks that extend just over the knee. Some runners were more efficient with the compression socks on and some were less efficient. This correlated pretty closely with their expectations. If they entered the study with positive notions about compression, then it they were more efficient. If they had negative ideas about the socks, then they were less efficient. In the article, the author of the study seemed to be pretty skeptical about compression. He said, “To think there is something you can just put on and immediately you are better at what you do, just seemed too good to be true.” I don’t think any makers of compression garments would argue that a sock is going to do all the work, but whatever. The authors of this study found that oxygen consumption was not improved and form was unchanged when wearing the socks.
The other study dealt with compression shorts that covered the thigh. Eckert found that these types of shorts did nothing to increase vertical jump. So they did not make the muscles more efficient at explosive exercises. This is not really applicable to long distance runners in my opinion.

Neither of these studies really addresses the fact that compression garments can help reduce injuries by improving recovery. They also don’t really test the usefulness of full tights in the field of compression. It would be ideal to see more studies done on compression garments since they are a growing trend in the running field right now. They don’t make everything easy, but I think they do help you do the work.

Anecdotally, I’ve run three races with my compression socks and a couple of races with my full tights. Each race has been successful for me. Also, I feel a lot better after a twenty-miler if I wear some compression during and afterwards. It probably falls into the category of Well-It-Worked-For-Me. I encourage you to try some compression garments and see if they work for you, too.

13th July 2010
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Grading your Workout

I teach English when I’m not running. On our essays, we usually have a few specific skills that we are evaluating. Recently, a student became very frustrated because he scored poorly on an essay. He thought it was a fine essay, but he neglected to include one of the skills I was grading. The essay called for him to correctly cite and punctuate quotations. He did not include any quotations. When I saw him melting down over his score, I went to him and asked if he had paid attention to the requirements of the paper. He was still frustrated, but I asked, “How could you earn points for quotations when you did not include any?” As runners, we also need to pay attention to the areas being evaluated in a race. Not only do we need to know the areas being evaluated, we need to train to excel in these areas and plan our workouts to improve those areas.

For example, if you’re training for a marathon, the long runs are a “focus correction area.” You are sure to be evaluated on your endurance. This is a skill that can only be honed through regular training. As you complete your long run workouts, remember that the trait of endurance is the main focus. That means that the speed of your long run is not as important as the length and consistency. Other races have different requirements.

The 5 k race is much more about speed. That means that your long run is less important than your ability to manage a faster pace. 400, 800, and 1200 meter repeats with little recovery are much more valuable while training for a 5k than a 20-mile run. The Running Times website has a great article this month about which workouts are most important for 5 k training. No matter which plan you choose, though, make sure you know the purpose of your workouts.

Even if you’re not so interested in a PR in your next race, knowing why you’re running each day (and not running the same thing every day) is important. Workouts should have variety for more than adding spice to your life. Runners who run the same workout day after day become immune to it. The body is a wonder of adaption; running for the same purpose will produce diminishing returns because the body grows accustomed to the workout. Run hard on one day and recover the next, but also vary the type of hard workout. A cruise interval on Thursday, a ladder workout on Tuesday, a progression run on Sunday: The key is to purposely change up your workouts and know what kind of skill you are developing within each workout. Knowing the reason for the workout will help you to get the most out of it.

Even easy or rest days need to be done intentionally. The purpose of an easy/rest day is to recover and re-build after a hard workout. Do this purposefully, too. If you’re supposed to be having a rest day, then rest. If it’s an easy day, take it easy even if a little old lady with a cane passes you. Know thyself, Shakespeare says, but I bet he never broke 20:00 in a 5 k. I say, know (your workout’s) purpose.

Next time you head out the door, decide what skill you’re trying to develop. Focus on correcting something specific with each workout. Grade yourself on how well you focus if that helps. If you practice intentionally, you’re sure to get an A in your next race.

14th May 2010
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Spread the Love (of Running)

I love to find words of inspiration, words that describe my running, or words that coincide with my philosophy of running. John Landy said, “Running gave me discipline and self-expression…It has all the disappointments, frustrations, lack of success and unexpected success, which reproduce themselves in the bigger play of life. It teaches you the importance of being enthusiastic, dedicated, focused.” I loved that quote so much when I read it last year that I copied it down and stuck it on my desk at work. Of course, it got buried beneath an avalanche of other paperwork, but I found it again. It screams an urgent need to share the act of running, so others can learn and grow from the art.

Of course, people around the world have been harping on the need for the youth to gain discipline since antiquity. Running can bring self-discipline and self-control. People are also hungry for self-expression, though. Running gives both. Steve Prefontaine said, “A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways they’re capable of understanding.” People run in all kinds ways and for all types of purposes. The search for the answer to the question “why?” challenges runners to express themselves. Time alone on the run and time running with others is time for introspection and expression. It is such a great way to interact with the world.

I love how Landy also recognized the parallels between running and life in the second sentence. Anyone who has ever raced at any level from the beginner 5k to the Olympics knows that sometimes there are unexpected failures and sometimes there are unexpected personal bests. This happens in running and it happens in school and it happens in parenting: it happens in every facet of life. The runner is able to recognize this fact. Set-backs are no fun, but veteran runners recognize them as part of the process.  They are easier to swallow if one remembers that there are often unexpected and undeserved joys coming, too. I love the window into life provided by running.

Finally, Landy’s recognition of the need to be enthusiastic, dedicated, and focused is a challenge to all of us. If everyone approached life with these three attributes, we would be more successful. If we could develop these traits in all of our kids, the future would be infinitely more promising. That’s why I’m calling on all runners to strive to be more enthusiastic, not only about running but about life. If you’re not enthusiastic about what you’re doing, why are you doing it? I know there are things (tax day is coming) that no one is excited about. Can you think of something positive about it? Is there anything your tax money supports that you love? Can that thought make paying taxes something that is more positive? Be dedicated to whatever is important to you. Avoid commitments to things that don’t matter. Focus on the moment and what you are accomplishing. Only by focusing on the present can we affect the future.

Finally, share this passion with others. I love to see new runners joining our sport. I know they can gain the discipline and self-expression that Landy is talking about. Running can help them deal with life better. I’m so excited to talk to new runners. Many of my colleagues have recently challenged themselves to run or to run a new distance. I love to see them joining and being active in the running community. Talk to a new runner who just ran his first mile or her first 10-miler. You’ll feel their enthusiasm, dedication, and passion. I’m challenging you to spread the joys of running to at least one new person today. Encourage them to start running. If they are already a runner, plant the seed about a new race or a new distance. Let’s spread the passion and joys of our sport.

Monday: 5
Tuesday:9 w/ 10 X 400 at 1:24 and 400 meters recovery
Wednesday: 6 am/6 pm
Thursday: 6 a.m.
Friday: 7
Saturday: Hilly 23 (meant to do 21.5 but took a wrong turn)
Sunday: Rest

Totals for the Week: 62
Totals for the Year: 473

10th March 2010
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Great lessons from Deena

Deena Kastor is the American record holder in the half marathon (1:07) and the marathon (2:19). She also brought home the bronze medal in the 2004 Olympic marathon.
Kastor’s latest blog has some awesome insights about running. She says, “Great drive is far more important than talent.” On a related note, she also blogs, “There is great joy in pursuing a goal. Whether or not you achieve what you are asking your body and mind to accomplish, it is the journey that shapes us and inspires us.” I love these quotes because they focus so much on the act of the runner challenging himself or herself. For me, part of the allure of running is the act of challenging myself to run farther or faster or better than ever before.
As I have improved as a runner, people have started to get the impression that I have always been the runner that I am today. I have not. After my first marathon (Chicago in 2003), I announced to my friends and family that I would never be running Boston; I needed to run over an hour faster to qualify. Once upon a time, my 5k PR was about a minute per mile slower than my current marathon pace. When I share this with newer runners, they often want to know “the secret.”
It all goes back to that drive that Kastor was talking about. I’ve been driven to improve my marathon time, to train harder, and to train wiser. It makes me get up earlier to start a long run, to run twice in one day, to take days off when I need to recover. That drive is what gets me to voraciously devour books like Pete Pfitzinger’s Advanced Marathoning and Jack Daniel’s The Daniel’s Running Formula. It causes me to put in ridiculous mileage over the summer to prepare for a fall marathon. That drive, not any in-born talent, is what helped me qualify for Boston.
Well, drive,awesome support from RunnerGirl and the rest of my family, and some really good luck.

Monday: 6 with stroller
Tuesday: 9 with lots of hills at 5 a.m.
Wednesday: 6 in the morning/5 in the p.m. and lifting/core workout
Thursday: 6 with hills (pulling Myles in the toboggan)
Friday: 5 and some pull-ups
Saturday: 18
Sunday: Lifing and Core Workout
Weekly Total: 55 miles
Total for the Year: 293 miles and 7 core workouts

15th February 2010
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New Goals for the New Year

New goals for the new year? A lot of people I’ve talked to lately seem to have given up on resolutions and goals. They tell me that resolutions are a waste of time because they are so quickly forgotten. Other people rattle off goals they’ve had for years but are no closer to accomplishing. I’ve written about SMART goals before, but it’s needed again.
A SMART goal meets the following criteria:
SPECIFIC: Your goal must be as specific as possible. What race do you want to run? When do you want to run it? How will you prepare?
MEASURABLE: This means that the goal must have quantifiable parameters. Instead of saying,”I want to run faster, longer, or smoother,” your goal must have something to measure. Choose a time you want to run for a specific distance, for example. This gives you a measuring stick, so you’ll know when you’ve accomplished your goal.
ATTAINABLE: Make sure your goal is attainable. Running a four-minute mile is not achievable for most of us. This isn’t to say your goal should be easy. It should be challenging enough to be worth the effort. There are some great calculators out there that can predict performances at various distances based on races you have recently run. Use one of these to figure out which PR you should attack and how fast you could possible run. This one allows you to compare times now to times when you were younger.
RELEVANT: Basically, this means that your goal must be important to you. If you don’t really care about your 8-k time, you’re not going to train for it.
TIME-BOUND: Your goal must have a deadline. For years, I said I wanted to run a marathon. It didn’t happen until I paid the registration fee and gave myself a deadline.

Follow these guidelines to create a SMART goal. It is also really helpful to make yourself accountable to someone. Share your goals with someone you know will question you. These are my smart goals for the year:
1. I will do at least 125 sessions of core workouts this year.
2. I will do at least 30 swim workouts this year.
3. I will run at least 5 new races this year.

What kinds of new goals are you going to create this year? Feel free to share them here.

6th January 2010
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