On The Run Blog

My Favorite Steve Prefontaine Quotes

2012-01-06T17:14:00.000-05:00

Steve Prefontaine was not only a great runner, he was also a bit profound with his words when talking about his passion, running. I've listed a few of those little gems below:

Steve Prefontaine Quotes

"The only good race pace is suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die"

"Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, 'I've never seen anyone run like that before.' It's more than just a race, it's a style. It's doing something better than anyone else. It's being creative."

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."

"I don't just go out there and run. I like to give people watching something exciting."

"Something inside of me just said, 'Hey, wait a minute, I want to beat him,' and I just took off."

"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started."

"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."

"How does a kid from Coos Bay, with one leg longer than the other win races? All my life people have been telling me, 'You're too small Pre', 'You're not fast enough Pre', 'Give up your foolish dream Steve'. But they forgot something, I HAVE TO WIN."

"What I want is to be number one."

"Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."

"Nobody is going to win a 5,000 meter race after running an easy two miles. Not with me. If I lose forcing the pace all the way, well, at least I can live with myself."

"I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it."

"A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways they’re capable of understanding."

"Don't let fatigue make a coward of you."

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."

"Running gives me confidence."

Staying Hydrated During Winter Training

2012-01-05T10:18:00.000-05:00

Winter training and racing feels great. The cool dry weather makes you feel like you could run for days, especially if you live in hot/humid locations where the Summer months can reach highs of 100+ degrees for months at a time!

However, there is a slight change between your Summer and Winter runs ... your clothes. The addition of clothing can increase sweat rate for the same run route you did 3 months earlier when the weather was 30 degrees warmer. Because of this, you need to pay attention to your hydration needs and one of the easiest ways to do this is to measure your sweat rate.

To measure your sweat rate, pick a route that you can do in 30 minutes to 1 hour. Weigh yourself without any clothes on just prior to your run. Then weigh yourself without clothes on after your run and take the difference between the 2 weights.

If you ran for 30 minutes, just double the number you got for your sweat rate and that will be a rough estimate for your hourly sweat rate while working out. If you ran for an hour, then you have the hourly sweat rate calculated and know how much water weight you will lose during that activity.

A good rule a pint of water weighs about one pound. If you use that logic and apply it to the total number of pounds you lost during exercise then you could drink at least one pint of water (or other sports drink) for every pound of weight you lost.

This is by no means an exact science and some people will need far more or far less fluid depending on their metabolic and electrolyte needs. Just use your best judgement, stay hydrated, drink sports drinks instead of water for exercise longer than an hour and kick butt out there!!!

101 Things To Do In 2012

2012-01-04T17:12:00.000-05:00

We are a few days into the New Year and I've already read a myriad of recent blogs related to 101 things to do in 2012. They all have the traditional: lose weight, stop smoking, quit eating McDonald's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but none of them are 100% based on things that are simply fit and healthy. Sure, writing the next great American ebook has it's place among 2012 goals, but will that get you through your next marathon or century bike ride?

So, hoping to fill an obvious void, I decided to throw together a quick list of cool things to do in 2012 if you are a swimmer, cyclist, or runner. Most items on this list are those that can be done more than once throughout the year so feel free to try it out and repeat as needed.

Your body will thank you!!! Enjoy

101 Fit and Healthy Things to do in 2012
01) Run a 5k
02) Run a 10k
03) Run a 1/2 Marathon
04) Run a Marathon
05) Run a Sprint Triathlon
06) Run an Olympic Distance Triathlon
07) Run a 1/2 Ironman
08) Participate in a group training run
09) Swim at least 1 mile non-stop
10) Join a local running club
11) Join a local triathlon club
12) Ride your bike 100 miles in one day
13) Take a yoga class
14) Take a spin class
15) See a nutritionist
16) Consult a training coach
17) Get your body fat tested
18) Get a stress test done
19) Get a physical
20) Subscribe to a running or health magazine
21) Swim an open water swim
22) Ride your bike to work
23) Workout at lunch, eat lunch at your desk
24) Run a trail race in the woods
25) Encourage a "non runner" to run a 5k
26) Tell your coworkers that you're a runner
27) Tell a stranger that you're a runner
28) Buy a race photo from your next event
29) Get fit by a professional on your bike
30) Buy and/or use a heart rate monitor
31) Map your favorite run to share with others
32) Invite a neighbor to go for a walk or run
33) Keep a training diary
34) Run a race for time
35) Run a race for fun
36) Keep current training goal by your bed
37) Stretch after every workout
38) Read an inspirational workout quote once a week
39) Come up with your own inspirational workout quote
40) Go to the Dr. at the first sign of a chest cold
41) Drink more water
42) Detox for at least a week
43) Stop drinking coffee for a week and switch with tea
44) Eat breakfast every day for at least a week
45) Achieve a healthy level of body fat percentage
46) Find a running partner in another state to email regularly
47) Run with a dog
48) Run with your significant other
49) Read a book on running
50) Clear your sinus with a Netti Pot
51) Run in the morning before work
52) Go for a night run (with lights and reflective gear!)
53) Ride a bike to a lunch destination with friends
54) Ride your bike for charity
55) Participate in a charity race/fun run
56) Run a race or ride in a state other than where you live
57) Make your own home made smoothies for a week
58) Buy your next pair of running shoes from a specialty store
59) Learn to patch a flat on your bike the right way
60) Help a fellow rider fix a flat tire on his/her bike
61) Wear sunscreen year round
62) Set a personal record on your favorite training run
63) Set a personal record at your favorite race
64) Pay for a friends race registration to get them started
65) Bake your own energy bars
66) Eat 2-3 servings of fish for at least one week per month
67) Learn what portion control means for you
68) Get 30 minutes a day of activity when not working out
69) Control your sodium intake. Know what you need.
70) Increase your antioxidant rich foods
1) Floss your teeth to fight off bacteria
72) Strength train at least 10 minutes per day
73) Wipe down your exercise equipment at the gym after use
74) Set realistic weight loss (or gain) goals
75) Donate your old running shoes to charity
76) Know when to change your old running shoes out for new ones
77) Take an ice bath after your long runs
78) Shave your legs before any distance triathlon
79) Share a swim lane with a weaker swimmer than you
80) Share a swim lane with a stronger swimmer than you
81) Swim, Bike, and Run in morning at the gym
82) Swim 1 mile before a 1 hour spin class
83) Run 3 miles after a 1 hour spin class
84) Cut your toe nails before long runs
85) Run at conversational pace with friends and talk
86) Run without a stop watch at least once a week
87) Run without an HR monitor at least once a week
88) Run with your favorite music
89) Run without music and listen to yourself breath
90) Practice breathing from both sides during the swim
91) Tape up your workout schedule in your office
92) Volunteer at a local fun run/race
93) Look both ways before crossing the street
94) Cross train
95) Count your calories not your carbs
96) Get more sleep
97) Regulate your alcohol intake
98) Quit smoking if you are a smoker!
99) Motivate yourself to stay healthy!
100) Believe in yourself to stay healty!
101) Blog about your healthy lifestyle!

Battling The 2012 Resolution Revolution

2012-01-03T23:27:00.000-05:00

To gym or not to gym, that is the question... and that question is particularly appropriate during the first couple of weeks of the year when the world decides to make a lifestyle change, join a health club, and crowd the walls that were so spacious just weeks before the New Year.

I have a couple of tactics that have helped me get to the gym during the Resolution Revolution and actually get a workout in, including treadmill AND pool sessions.

Here 5 quick tips that might help you out too:

Go at 4:00am or 5:00am (or after 9:00pm if it suits you)
Prepare an alternate workout that uses less popular gym gear
Do a circuit workout using the next available open weight machine
When in doubt, go to body weight basics (crunches, push-ups, dips, etc...)
Do pool workouts late night just before the pool closes

How To Test Your Endurance Level

2012-01-02T17:21:00.000-05:00

There are many ways to test your endurance, many mathematical equations that will give you a finite number that you then apply to your age, height, sex, and/or other parameters to estimate your current endurance level, threshold, or even V02 Max.

But if you cheated off the kid beside you in math class and if you aren't lucky enough to have a Sports Performance Lab at your disposal, then another less accurate, but informative way to get a gauge on your endurance is to do what you do best... Workout.

We all have our favorite workout. Maybe it is the 3 mile loop around your neighborhood, the 25 mile bike route that you and your friends do every Saturday, or the pool workout you throw throw together when your are pressed for time and need a quick workout to get the endorphins going.

The trick is to pick a workout that you know so well you could do it with your eyes closed. The next trick, and this is one that is a bit harder, is to make sure the workout you pick is one that you also have records of the total time it takes you to complete it and the average heart rate you performed those times at. If you don't have your heart rate info, the perceived effort information will also work (more info here)

Then, and this is probably the easiest part, go workout. Whether it is a 1000 yard swim, 24 mile bike, or 5k run, give it your best try and make a comparison to how you have performed in the past during the same exercise. Finally, take the difference in time, heart rate, or perceived effort and see how much you have improved, or declined, from your average attempts, understanding that changes in weather, diet, stress, and other factors can all negatively impact your results.

In summary, the least technical and maybe most important part to understanding your endurance levels is to pay attention to how you feel throughout your training so you can revisit various workouts to see if you have gotten faster and stronger then tweak your training if you need improvement or keep on going if you've seen an increase in your endurance!

2011: My Best Year Yet

2012-01-01T15:03:00.000-05:00

The 2011 season of training and racing was less about training and racing and more about not training and not racing. It was an interesting year with exciting life challenges and changes. My weekly training for marathons, triathlons, or shorter distance road races evolved into a day by day, touch and go, period of my wife and I bringing our twin girls into this world. It was the longest, hardest, and most fulfilling endurance event that I will ever be a part of.

That brings me to my 2011 summary of training and racing. I did not compete in one single race in 2011. It was not because I did not want to race, but with every day, week, and month that passed, my interest in putting time into something that did not directly impact my wife and kids in a positive way began to slowly fade away. I did not just sit on the couch and wait for muscle atroffy to set in. Instead, I plotted, planned, set goals, and made a conscious effort to put as much into the support of my family as I would any other training plan.

In 2011, I didn't toe a starting line, cross a finish line, receive any Age Group medals, or even put a training or race plan together... and yet, it was the most fulfilling year of my life.

Goal accomplished.

Running Away from Cramps and Mind Games

2011-07-03T12:52:00.002-04:00

Finally, a run that I wasn't completely horrified about. I took to the hills again today and instead of shooting pains through my calves I found a new stride that felt more like it did in December of last year rather than how it has been feeling the past few weeks. I actually enjoyed this run which is something else that has been missing from my training.

I'm happy to finally be running from the mind games and the cramping issues I've had. One of the big trick to overcome the Mind Games has been to re-do a run that beats me down. When I run a route that destroys me, I come back the following day and take it down with a nice slow methodical run like I had today. Yes, my pace was slower than I wanted, but I beat the hell out of those hills and my confidence has been given a healthy boost.

As for overcoming the cramps. I've made a change to my diet which includes more water and less coffee. That has actually helped quite a bit without much other tweaking needed so I'll go with it.

Overall, I'm pumped to have some good results coming my way. More miles to run and my fingers are crossed the gains keep coming.

Walking when You want to RUN!

2011-07-02T17:39:00.005-04:00

I got started a little late today which meant the sun was coming up and the heat was on. The first 10 minutes were not terrible, but I stopped to stretch my calves after hitting 10 minutes of running to avoid the cramps I had a couple of weeks ago. I could feel them coming on.

I made it another 20 minutes without stopping but once I hit the hills I ran the inclines and walked the flats. Doing this took about a 1/2 mile off the total distance because there were A LOT of hills. I made sure to keep my pace quick during the walks but it didn't stop my heart rate from falling dramatically so I guess I'm still in some sort of athletic shape, just not what I was 7 months ago before taking a long, long, long, break.

I'm not too happy with how today's run went because walking when your supposed to be running sucks. I plan on getting out on the run earlier in the morning tomorrow and will run the same route to see how I do. Should be fun!

I can't wait to get back into race form. This little experience with taking months off from running is an awakening to NEVER DO IT AGAIN!!!

Top 3 Areas for Leg Soreness from Running

2011-06-14T22:43:00.004-04:00

I always seem to write about running on sore legs. I guess it is because I always seem have sore legs at the beginning of a training cycle. Over time, you learn some tricks, how to listen to your body, and if actually running is a good or a bad idea. Long story short, the answer to the question, "Should you run on sore legs", is yes. Maybe.

I run on sore legs, but not before making sure the soreness is because of muscle fatigue rather than injury. Thankfully, the injury part is not as common for me, and the soreness is just something that occurs on a regular, seasonal basis so I've gotten pretty good at spotting the signs.

Here are the top 3 areas of muscle soreness from running that I come across on a regular basis when starting a running plan.

1) Hamstring - running to fast too soon
2) Calf Muscle - from running hills too soon
3) Shin (Tibialis anterior) - from running to far to soon

The best remedy I've found to get past the soreness and on to happy running is to always stretch and massage the muscle groups listed above before and after a run. Don't try stretching to hard while your muscles are not warmed up to avoid pulling, tearing, or ripping them. That would suck.

Oh, and do all the other stuff everyone else says to do like: drink plenty of water, increase your weekly mileage slowly, and get some rest (sleep).

Thanks for reading!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The First Run Back

2011-06-13T14:24:00.001-04:00

I laced up the shoes this morning and was out the door by 5:30am. A bit later than my early runs last summer, but at least I was up and heading for the run.

After about the first 5 minutes of running through the street lamp lit streets I remembered that, no matter what my endurance level was, the first mile was the always the toughest. I plowed through the first mile in about 8 minutes and finally started to feel normal.

My running route is a new one and seeing the different scenery helped the next couple of miles fly by. On the last mile of my run I came across a couple of hills and made sure to keep my pace consistent to finish strong.

This was a short slow run and I wrapped it up at about 8:00/mile pace. The rolling hills will likely take their toll on my legs tomorrow so my advice to anyone just starting out would be to avoid hills for at least the first week or two. The pain you will avoid on your rest days in being sore will keep you enjoying the pain and suffering of training hard!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

How to Start a Marathon Program from Scratch

2011-06-12T17:03:00.006-04:00

I'm a runner, or at least I was about 3 months ago. As a runner, you run. As a runner who takes a break for 3 months, you're still a runner... just a runner on vacation from lacing up the shoes at 5am and blazing a trail through the morning's darkness.

I've decided to come in from the cold and settle back into being a runner. I've got a goal race in December, The Dallas White Rock Marathon, and my 16 Week training plan will formally kick into action in August. I've got some work to do in order to ramp up my mileage slow enough that I don't get injured, but fast enough so I can make the most out of my training plan.

Here are the keys to my success:
1) Ramp up mileage slowly over 8 weeks
2) Stretch every day and after every run
3) Run in the mornings to shake the legs out during the day
4) Keep the diet on track
5) Keep track of my progress on Dailymile.com
6) Blog about the pleasure and pain
7) Start Marathon training in August on a high note!

I've got got about 8 weeks to ramp up and I plan on a lot of slow miles to get the juices flowing again and to work out the kinks. Here is a sample ramp up that I might use. I'm trying to keep it simple, but I think this little ramp up plan will be good to get me started and keep me going.

I feel like I'm starting over from square one, so the goal is to stay consistent, stretch a lot, and keep all of the miles at a good easy pace. I plan to document my progress and hope to PR in December!

Running Etiquette: When Slow Training Runs Go Fast

2011-03-28T23:01:00.005-04:00

Tonight I got home from work thinking I was going to have a nice run along the trail at a slow easy pace. At about the 1/2 mile marker I noticed there was an echo to each step of my running shoes and there was some sort of heavy breathing coming up behind me.

That echo and heavy breathing ended up being some runner dude crowding my space. I guess I could have just stepped to the side and let him pass, but we were on a 12 foot concrete trail through Dallas and there was plenty of room for him to make his own move. So, after about another 1/4 mile I decided to pick up the pace a bit to see what I was dealing with.

He matched my stride and pace as I dropped the second mile to just under 7:00 per mile and as we made it to the turn I realized I was either going to need to drop the pace to 6:30 per mile or go even faster to avoid the heavy breathing, wheezing, and hacking that was going on behind me. I gave it a quick thought and opted to pull up at the water station and let him blow by instead of risking a pulled hammy.

There is such a thing a running etiquette and I think if you're going to run up on someone you should pass the slower runner and smile because you are faster, run close to the person and give a look like "I see you running and I think I'm going to back off a bit to run behind you to let you pull me through this wind tunnel", or simply say "hey dude mind if I let you pace me up this hill while I draft off you through this wind tunnel?"

In the end, I had a good run. I made it home in time for dinner and I managed to save both hammys for another day. If I see that dude again there's gonna be an impromptu race to the street lamp. Smart money is on me.

A Mileage Ramp Up - Run Training Plan

2011-03-27T22:05:00.004-04:00

I've been resting, stretching, and strengthening my hamstrings and back for weeks now and I'm finally starting to get back into running. That is great news... but at times like these I always find myself pushing to hard to early and end up injuring myself and taking even more time off. Not this time.

I plan on running the 2011 Dallas White Rock Marathon this year, but that isn't until December and my training for that race won't start until September, or even August, so the focus until that starts will be to build up mileage and maybe hit a couple of 5k, 10k, and Half Marathons before that starts.

The photo above shows a sample training plan that I might follow for 8 weeks to get back into a normal running routine nice an slowly. I will likely change up some of the core workouts during the week, but I think this plan provides distances to just go run if I don't have speed work, hills, or other goals in mind.

This plan is pretty vanilla, but it is definitely what I need to stay focused on not injuring my back or hamstring. That would suck.

On the Run Again

2011-03-26T21:53:00.003-04:00

I did not feel like running this morning. It was one of those 6am wake up calls that you wish you could hit snooze and enjoy the comfortable bed, worm comforter, and general laziness. I somehow managed to pry myself off the pillow and made it out the door by 6:30.

I didn't have a big route planned for the morning, but I wanted to try my new Asics Gel-DS Sky Speeds out on a hilly route I've done a few times. Overall, I had a pretty great run. The water fountains are still turned off along miles 3 and 4 of my route which sucked but other than that, it was a good day of running.

The shoes felt great and my hamstring and back seemed to be cooperating as well. I took the time to stretch for about 15 minutes after the run which helped as well.

Happy to be on the run again. Good times.

Run Summary
Distance: 6.32 Miles
Pace: 7:46 Per mile

How much mental rest from running do you need?

2011-01-16T17:44:00.003-05:00

I ran and had a personal best at Dallas White Rock Marathon on Dec. 5th 2010 with a 3:18 time. I then ran a quick 5k just 17 days later with a personal best time of 18:50. To get both of those times it took a number of months of solid running and focus. Then Christmas and New Year's came along and my training took a serious down turn.

I ran the first day of the year like I do on every January 1st and this time I ran 7.77 miles for good luck. I then put together a great training plan the same day that would get me ready for my racing season. That was 15 days ago, and I have yet to start my new plan. I have a 1/2 Ironman coming up in 3 months and I can't seem to get myself back in gear.

From what I can tell, taking off time from running isn't a bad thing. It allows you to recover, focus on some of the things you've neglected because of your training and racing schedule, and recharge your mental batteries. However, if you're brain is playing mind games with you, the time off could do more harm than good to your running by setting you back weeks or even months from what you've achieved.

The marathon took a lot of mental stress with the long hours running and the countless mornings spent alone on the trail with only my thoughts to keep me company. Then, missing qualifying for Boston by about 2 minutes added more mental anguish to mental pain.

I have about 13 weeks to get back into running shape and add some cycling and swimming to my routine in order to be ready for the 1/2 Ironman. My mind tells me I want to train hard so I can do well, but the mental stress from not qualifying for Boston is telling me not to train to hard, it's just a race.

These next 13 weeks are going to be dedicated to squashing that mental voice that has been telling me to take it easy. Game on.

Race: 2010 Dallas Jingle Bell Run 5k

2010-12-22T23:36:00.002-05:00

I had a great race at the 2010 Dallas Jingle Bell Run 5k this year. I ran 18:50 which was a personal best. The battery on my Garmin 305 died before the race, but the timing stations at each mile were a lifesaver to keep me on pace.

I felt like I was running at a nice easy pace through the race even though I knew I was pushing it pretty good. I passed a guy who was pacing his friend and his advice was to keep the stride like a training run but at a tougher pace. I could only pick up bits and pieces of the conversation but what I did come away with helped me keep good form through the race.

By the end of the race I was ready to cross the finish line. The cheering fans from the start to finish were awesome. This was a night race and it was awesome to see all the fans along the route. My lungs were about ready to burst into flames by the finish as I watch the clock tick closer and closer to 19:00 minutes.

I crossed the finish line in 18:50 and couldn't have asked for a better race. I think all of those long slow miles I ran while training for the Marathon really paid off in speed and endurance!!!

20 Mile Long Run with Garmin 305

2010-10-30T16:06:00.008-04:00

With 36 days left until the Dallas White Rock Marathon, I was happy to get this 20 mile run logged in the books. Last weekend I put together a terrible attempt at a long run that had me stopping mid-way through and walking home. Not good.

Today was different. I bought the Garmin 305 yesterday to help me accurately calculate the distance. I could have mapped it out before running, but I thought I would have forgotten a turn or two by mile 16 so having GPS along for the run was the right idea.

The run was great. I felt very strong at mile 10 and could have easily kept the pace below 8:00/mile but I new keeping the pace easy was important, and again, the Garmin helped me keep a good steady pace throughout the run.

Next week is an easy week and then I have a 23 miler before tapering for the Dallas White Rock Marathon. I'm looking forward to more training with the Garmin and tracking my performance with the cool online software.

Training at marathon pace: Goal - Negative split each mile

2010-09-22T09:28:00.004-04:00

16 Week Marathon Training Plan - Week 6 - Day 3

Today's run was another marathon pace run. I've been trying to keep steady during those runs and to keep the pace up around 7:20 or so. The weather this morning was cool and I knew that would mean my pace would probably be a little faster than previous marathon pace runs.

I warmed up with a little over a mile run to the starting point of the main set of marathon pace miles. By the time I got to the first mile marker I was right at 7:00 minutes per mile. That was a bit faster than I wanted to go, but this morning my goal was to negative split every other mile so on the next mile I was at 6:58. The negative split the next two miles by about 10 seconds and the last 2 miles by another 5 seconds.

These marathon pace runs are fun but can be a bit boring when done on a 1 mile out and back route. To make things interesting this morning I added the goal of negative splitting every other mile. That truly helped break up the monotony of running out and back on the same route and I was able to get a little better at pacing myself as well.

How to Make the Best out of a Boring Run

2010-09-21T12:19:00.001-04:00

16 Week Marathon Training Plan - Week 6 - Day 2

I ran another route by guessing the distance based on the total time running this morning. I knew the route I wanted to go, and I decided to turn for home after 20 minutes to get a 40 minute run in. If all went according to plan, I would average an easy pace of 8:00/mile and after 40 minutes I would hit my goal of 5 miles for the morning. It was a total success… kind of. I picked up the pace on the way home to negative split the run so I knew if I followed the exact route I had gone out on I wouldn’t finish the 40 minutes, much less the 5 miles. So I altered the route home by taking the long way around the park and that turned out to be a great decision. I ended up with 5 miles exactly and the run was over before I knew it.

Heading out for a timed run and paying attention to your pace to try and guess the distance ran can take some of the monotony out of running. I wouldn’t suggest doing it on important training runs where the focus on pace is crucial, but I think it is good to do on some of the easy runs where you’re just looking to get some minutes on your legs instead of really worrying to much about the actual distance.

How to run exact distances without GPS.

2010-09-20T18:43:00.003-04:00

16 Week Marathon Training Plan - Week 6 - Day 1

Today I tried to guess my way through the scheduled training run of 7 miles. I ended up just short with 6.8 miles but it was nice not to have a planned route to run. I tried to keep the pace even during the run, but the first 16 minutes were tough because my legs felt thick, sluggish, and generally slow. I know I was slower for the first couple of miles because everything felt more efficient towards the second half of the run which normally means my pace is somewhere around 7:45 or just under 8:00

I was glad to see the weather was just as cool as it had been during the weekend. I think that is bringing more and more people out into the early hours of the morning to get their exercise in for the day. It is good not to be the only one out on the trail suffering through a few miles. I love seeing the packs of 10-15 runners that are there together. They are segmented into groups based on ability. It is all very nice and neat. They have planned routes, aid stations, and conversations about anything you can think of. I want to run with those big packs on some mornings and I plan on joining a running club here soon. I’m thinking of the Dallas Running Club or maybe a triathlon club to get heading in the right direction for multisport racing next season.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself though. Right now the goal is to complete the marathon and have a good time doing it. At least I’ll be running with the big pack that day!

How to beat the mental game of running

2010-09-19T15:52:00.012-04:00

16 Week Marathon Training Plan - Week 5 - Day 7

This has been a good week of running. I took an extra day of rest on Friday and I'm thinking I might continue to do the same thing at least the next couple of weeks. I like having the extra day off before my long run, and next week's long run is set at 16 miles so that extra day might be just what I need.

Today I ran 6 miles with 6 x 100 meter sprints. I took the sprints hard and took the recovery very easy. It was good to shake the legs out during those 6 miles, even when the first mile was very sluggish.

The 2010 Dallas White Rock Marathon is now 11 weeks away and I am happy with the way the training is going. The coming week will be packed with easy miles, some faster than others.

Just like today's run, it seems like a week of quality training can start of slow. The key to excelling is to push through the sluggishness of the first couple of weekly training days so that by the end of the week you are in good form and strong enough to go farther and faster than the training schedule dictates.

Some have said the marathon is 80% mental and 20% physical. Realizing training runs will suck from time to time is a good place to start getting past the mental aspect. Getting out there and running even when it sucks will help you get through the physical.

Image from Dailymile

Running long and recovering fast

2010-09-18T17:23:00.003-04:00

16 Week Marathon Training Plan - Week 5 - Day 6

The "Long Run" is crucial to training for long distance races, or so I've read. It makes sense though; if you want to race long, you need to train long. The goal is not only to get some serious distance under your feet and legs, but also to put some minutes and hours under them as well.

Today I set out on a 14 mile route I had run in the past. I felt like I had a faster pace than my previous time to run the route. The weather was cooler than it had been and I made sure to get started before the sun came up so I'd finish in relatively cool weather.

This long run felt good. Much better than the 10 miles I ran last Saturday. The only preparation I made sure I completed was to drink plenty of water on Thursday and Friday because my issue with dehydration last week sucked and I didn't want to go down that path again.

Another thing I think that helped with this long run was that I took both Thursday and Friday off. Thursday was a planned rest day, but Friday I had a 4 mile run scheduled. I felt like taking an extra day would mean I would be fresh enough to keep good form through the run, even if the temperature started to rise. I was right. The run felt great and I'm thinking the extra time off might be something to think about for next week.

16 Week Marathon Training Plan - Week 5 - Day 5

2010-09-17T17:43:00.002-04:00

I had 4 miles on the plan today but ended up sleeping in and getting an extra day of rest before my long run tomorrow. I feel terrible skipping workouts but I figure as long as I am consistent for 5 of the 6 days I run throughout the week I should be good. I also make sure I don’t skip a pace specific workout like a Marathon Pace training run or the all important Long Run.

This morning I laid in bed browsing the web on my iPhone reading articles and blogs written by people on the subject of skipping running workouts. It seems like a lot of people skip training runs for one reason or another but the resounding message was that unless you are sick, you should be able to skip 1 or 2 days and pick up where you left off.

However, if you let your training lapse for a week or more you need to ease back into the training where you left off and then slowly increase your mileage to where you can then skip a couple of days to get caught back up and on track. As long as you don’t make a habit of skipping multiple weeks, I don’t think it will make too much of an impact on your end result.

The key is to make sure you stick to listening to your body, take a day or two off when needed, and have fun. Once you lose the fun, well then its just work, and work sucks.

16 Week Marathon Plan - Week 1, Day 7

2010-08-22T12:38:00.005-04:00

My running has been pretty consistent this past week. I skipped the 4 miler on Thursday, but the rest of the week has been right on track. Today was no different. I got up early and hit the road before 7am. The weather was 84 degrees but there was a nice breeze that helped out.

I ran a portion of the Dallas White Rock Marathon during the run. I think I'll keep adding a couple of sections of the race in the coming weeks because this is the third time I've ran the route and I'm starting to know when the uphills are coming and when the downhills and flat lands return. That kind of knowledge should be helpful for the actual marathon.

Workout Summary
Actual Time:1:29:00
Pace: 8:14/mile
Planned Distance:10 miles
Actual Distance:10.82 miles
Calories:1305 calories

16 Week Marathon Plan - Week 1, Day 6

2010-08-21T10:44:00.004-04:00

I took Thursday and Friday off this week. Friday was the only actual planned day off. More tired from work and other stresses besides running so I thought it best to take an extra day off.

The 5 easy miles scheduled for this morning went by quickly and painlessly. Legs are feeling fresh after a couple of days off. 10 miler tomorrow should be fun!

Workout Summary
Actual Time:0:42:19
Pace: 7:55 per mile
Planned Distance:5 miles
Actual Distance:5.34 miles
Calories: 621 calories

16 Week Marathon Plan - Week 1, Day 5

2010-08-20T12:06:00.001-04:00

Rest Day!

Today was an actual rest day which was nice. I hate skipping planned workouts like I did yesterday, but when an actual rest day rolls around, I get the most out of it that I can. Time to rest.

16 Week Marathon Plan - Week 1, Day 4

2010-08-19T11:18:00.002-04:00

Rest Day

I had a run planned for today but life decided to get more busy than usual so I took the day off. The distance for today was 4 miles so missing those miles is less of an impact than skipping one of my core workouts like the long run or pace specific workouts.

My legs are feeling good but I think a day or two of rest will be good as I head into the weekend runs.

16 Week Marathon Plan - Week 1, Day 3

2010-08-18T11:03:00.003-04:00

Great run this morning. Kept the pace easy again and went out in search of a couple of hills. It was dark outside so the hills didn't seem that daunting. Not a bad strategy when looking for a couple of hills to suffer on I guess.

Tomorrow's run will be another easy one and the rest day on Friday before a couple of good runs on Saturday and Sunday to wrap up the first week of marathon specific training. Might take off tomorrow if I have car issues then pick up on Saturday. We shall see!

Workout Summary
Actual Time:0:52:00
Pace: 7:57 per mile
Planned Distance:6 miles
Actual Distance:6.54 miles
Calories:763 calories

16 Week Marathon Plan - Week 1, Day 2

2010-08-17T20:55:00.004-04:00

I found a marathon training plan that I will use until I come across something new. I'm going to use TrainingPeaks.com as the plan. It looks like a good hard plan with a lot of good run days with specific workouts. It is 16 weeks long, which is perfect and it actually follows what I was planning on doing for the first few weeks anyway! Very excited about my choice and will continue to blog my progress in hopes I can learn from the effort and come back to read my random thoughts along the way.

Dallas White Rock Marathon Training
Day: Week 1, Day 1
Time: 5:30am
Temp: 81F
Workout: Easy Pace
Distance: 4.35 Miles
AVG Pace: 7:48

Summary
Got out today at 5:30am again. Good times. It was not as hard to get up this morning because I knew what needed to get done. The first mile was very easy and I kept that pace throughout the run. I felt good, the weather was cooler than it had been so that was a nice change.

Tomorrow I've got about 6 more miles to run so I'm looking forward to a little more distance to add and a few more happy miles.

16 Week Marathon Plan - Week 1, Day 1

2010-08-16T20:45:00.004-04:00

In addition to my random posts, I am going to be tracking my marathon training as I ramp up my mileage for the Dallas White Rock Marathon. I haven't ran the marathon in a number of years nor have I ran 50-60 miles per week, but I plan on changing that over the next 16 weeks. Today's run starts that journey and there will be more to come.

Dallas White Rock Marathon Training
Day: Week 1, Day 1
Distance: 4.35 Miles
Time: 5:30am
Temp: 85F

Summary
I ran a little over 4 miles today. I didn't have a training plan put together but I knew starting out in small increments would be a great place to start. I ran the first mile at about 8:00/mile. I then picked up the pace to about 7:00/mile for the next two miles. I finished the remaining 1.35 miles at about 8:00/mile pace again.

It was a good run. I felt good and the weather was only 85 degrees. The heat index said 90, but I didn't pay much attention to that. My tempo pace felt good and my legs didn't feel too thick like they had in the past.

Happy to have day one under my belt and looking forward to many more happy miles.

Training for a marathon by running the race route

2010-08-07T17:48:00.004-04:00

My training for the Dallas White Rock Marathon has not officially started yet but I am starting to focus on some good routes to run to help prepare me for race day. The marathon is a long race and the path it takes loops around the heart of Dallas. Road closures, police escorts, and water stations make it a great day. Running the entire route without those handy helpers who make sure you don't get run over by oncoming traffic makes training for the race by running the route a bit difficult.

So, to prepare for the Dallas White Rock Marathon I am taking the route on one week at a time. Today, I ran a portion of the route that went through Uptown and Highland Park Dallas. Taking the marathon on in bite size distances like this seems like a good idea. I am able to see the topography of the race and get a feel for where I might be able to gain some ground on the flat and down hill portions.

I'm going to try to run the entire route with multiple 5-15 miles per effort before the race. I might actually end up running the route more than 1 time with all the long runs I have planned. I'll be sure to mix in a few random routes as well to make things interesting.

Running Without Direction and Finding a Great Route

2010-07-18T18:10:00.003-04:00

I got out early this morning for my run but wasn't sure how far or where I was heading. Sometimes having a plan to run but not really having a plan of where or how far to run makes for an interesting day.

Today it turned out to be a great idea. I just laced up the shoes, put on the heart rate monitor, and turned left outside my front door. The past few runs I've done have been tough. I haven't been comfortable until well into the run, sometimes 4-5 miles before I start to feel normal. So, this morning I decided to take the run easy and to keep my Heart Rate Average down.

The random route I picked had me turning left down side-streets where I knew large hills lived. I wanted to get a couple of good hills in and the random left and right turns paid out with the big hills.

The run turned out well. A little over 7 miles and my AVG HR was only 135 BPM and with my pace at only 8:00/mile the run was clearly a relaxing few miles through the rolling hills.

I've got a few more runs scheduled for this week. Might make a couple of those just as random as today to see if I can land another run as great as today's.

Running with friends is an important part of life.

2010-07-12T22:02:00.004-04:00

I had a good run today with one of my friends. I ran the 4+ mile route with him and pretty much spoke the entire time. The pace was slow and I was not feeling any suffering at all. I literally could have kept up that pace for hours. It wasn't the training run I had scheduled for today, but during the run I realized that it didn't really matter about that scheduled workout. What was more important was that I was able to spend an afternoon run with a friend.

I haven't been training with other runners for many years now. I don't know the reason, I just have strange hours that I keep at work so my running is usually while others are still sound asleep or they are sitting down to dinner with their families.

I do think, however, that it is important to take the time to run with friends. You learn a lot about them, and about yourself. When you run alone, you have many thoughts to yourself that you don't voice to anyone but your internal voice. When you run with friends, you can change it up a bit and bounce those thoughts off your friends, and they can do the same.

In the end, I think both runners gain more than good health and that makes the run, no matter the pace, very worth while.

2010 MetroPCS Dallas White Rock Marathon Route - Estimation

2010-07-11T21:23:00.003-04:00

The MetroPCS Dallas White Rock Marathon route is still not confirmed, but the the Official Website www.RunTheRock.com does have a good estimation graphic of the route. I went ahead and tried to take it a step further and map it with MapMyRun.

Click here for my estimate based on their estimate: Unofficial Route map

I'm looking forward to the route and noticed that it has a couple of good inclines over the course of the 26.2 miles. Click the image below for a larger representation of what we have to look forward to.

All Runners have Vices - Mine is Beer

2010-07-10T13:18:00.005-04:00

As runners I think we all have our little indulgences. Some like sweets, others are freaks for pizza, or chicken wings, while others like myself choose a nice cold bottle of the good stuff... beer.

Good beer goes a long way. I've drank it, cooked with it, marinated with it, and drank it while cooking and marinating.

This year, I decided to start chronicling my love of beer with my iPhone. With every new bottle I enjoy, I take a picture of it and add it to my beer album.

Here is a growing list of awesome and not so awesome choices I've made along the way.

Click this link for: My Beer Album

Some beers are great, others absolutely suck, but in the end they have one thing in common... they are all beer and I love them for that.

Running with back pain

2010-06-27T14:26:00.003-04:00

I am 7 days into my recovery from the jarring blow I received to my back last Saturday. The immediate pain was nearly unbearable and as the hours passed all I could think about was how I was going to be able to run with all this pain. Running with back pain is not easy. You use the muscles in your lower back for stabilization, power, and pretty much every other thing I can think of.

Running through the pain is mind over matter, as long as the pain is not structural. I went to the Orthopedist to find out how bad my back really was and it turns out there was no structural damage to the spine. That was the good news. The bad news was that it was muscular damage which meant "rest" was the best medicine. Since I had no intention of sitting around and letting my back pain keep me from achieving my running goals I decided to augment my training plan to make sure I kept some miles under my feet. That meant changing my routes to flatter, less hilly runs as well as backing off the pace.

I did rest for 3 days when I was scheduled to run. That was depressing, but I was still unsure about how bad the back injury really was. The day I got the all clear from the Dr. I decided to take an easy run. It turned into about 4.5 miles of running at an easy 8:15/mi pace. My heart rate was low and my only focus was on not jarring my back too much. In the end, I think that run was a great idea because it not only gave me a rise in my spirits, but my confidence also received a boost.

That short run was painful, as was the 6.5 mile run in the hills I did yesterday, but they were both important to my success in achieving the running goals I have set for myself. I am still committed to increasing my mileage over the next month to a consistent 40 miles per week. Until then, I will be running away from back pain one mile at a time.

Running 40 Miles Per Week

2010-06-18T20:36:00.006-04:00

I am one more run away from finishing my second week of my latest running goal. These days, running seems to be influencing my habits. Take tonight; I skipped Happy Hour to make sure I ate a good meal took in fluids and would get to sleep at a decent time.

What does it say about a runner when a goal becomes more important than something he loves to do. In this case, going out would completely derail my ability to wake up at 5:00am and get in a good run. I think it also means, that running is more important to me than I thought it was and that I'm able to make small sacrifices to achieve great gains of enjoyment, fitness, and hopefully hitting the goal I've made for myself.

I'm only a hand full of weeks away from when my current goal of running 40 miles per week. Once achieved and maintained, the running goal will shift into marathon training. That will take my mileage to another level which I have not seen in my running lifetime. I'm told 50 and 60 mile weeks will be my goal and I can't wait for the challenge.

So, as I take this rest day to contemplate how things are going with my training, I am reminded that I am finally taking my running seriously. More importantly, I'm setting goals that are difficult to hit but they are teaching me that, at times, pain and suffering are worth the end result.

40 miles per week, here I come.

Beat the heat by running early in the morning

2010-06-14T12:26:00.002-04:00

Great run this morning at 5:15am. It was already 75 degrees but with no sun in sight it was actually quite pleasant. I warmed up my first mile at 8:30/mi and cooled down on mile 4 at 7:30 per mile. I pushed the pace on miles 2 and 3 hovering around sub 7 minute pace.

Overall a good run through some rolling hills in the dark. A great way to start Monday morning!

Ramping up your running mileage a few miles at a time

2010-06-13T09:30:00.003-04:00

Now that I am planning on racing the marathon in December I have regrouped with the same guy who put together my previous run plan to get something on paper for the 26.2 miles. The difference this time is that I am committed to sticking to the plan and making a change in my training approach that puts it as a priority instead of some of the more trivial things I’ve been focused on recently.

Since I have so much time between now and then, it would not be a good idea to start training this soon. Instead, I am going to be ramping up my mileage to get up to about 40 miles per week by the end of July. That way, I should be able to then get my mileage and pace to where it needs to be before the race.

Here is a brief snapshot of that mileage ramp-up:

5 Miles in the dark are worth the early morning wake up call

2010-06-09T14:26:00.001-04:00

I laced up the shoes and hit the streets this morning at 5:15am. I wanted to finish by 6:00am so I figured a little over 5 miles would be easily packed into that time frame. The weather was warmer than Monday’s morning run because there was absolutely no wind.

The run took about 40 minutes with the pace hovering around 7:50 per mile. I was able to keep my HR AVG at 143 per minute which is the lowest it has been on this run. This was also the slowest I’ve ran this route by only about 20 seconds but it felt so easy I could have crushed my previous times by expending a little more effort!

I’m enjoying the early morning runs and I plan on getting another 6 miles in tomorrow morning as well!

Running before work is better than coffee for energy!

2010-06-07T08:15:00.002-04:00

For the first time in a long time I actually woke up at 5am for a run before work. It had been so long since I had done this that I had forgotten how great the feeling of waking up and pushing the pace early can feel. Sure, I wake up early on the weekends to run, but I don't go work an 8+ hour day right after that. Instead, it is off to breakfast and then time to surf the web or catch up on some shows I've got on the DVR.

This morning was different. I laced up my shoes and started off into the darkness at around 5:10am. The birds were chirping, but that was about the only activity. No cars, no pollution, no pollen.. it was great!

I ran the first mile at an warm-up pace around 8:10/mile. For the next 1.5 miles I ran at 7:00/mile which is slower than my normal tempo pace. It was a little hard to judge the pace since it was pitch black, but it felt good. The last mile I backed it off a bit to cool down.

I made it home, stretched, blended up a protein strawberry smoothie, and walked Cooper. It turned out to be a perfect way to start the morning and I plan on making this a regular occurrence throughout the week.

Running easy through the hills to build endurance

2010-06-06T14:01:00.003-04:00

I woke up this morning and made it out for my run at about 8:00am. It wasn't as early as I wanted it to be but I was happy to see it was still only 75 degrees outside so the Atlanta heat had not started to creep up just yet. I wasn't sure how far I wanted to run, I just knew I wanted to get in some miles to end a lack luster week of training.

I ended up running my 5 mile route and added a loop of additional hills to finish up with about 6.3 miles. I tried keeping the pace easy and that wasn't too hard because I was suffering a little bit toward the last half of the run. I did feel a little sore in my back after this run, but I think that was due to the total amount of time I've spent on the couch the past few day and not training!

In the end, it turned out to be a good run. I did need to push through the hills and the straights and downhills were a nice addition to what seemed to be a hard uphill effort.

Run Summary
Distance: 6.3 mile
Pace: 7:50/per mile
AVG HR: 146

Mid week run - Easy pace ... picking up the miles

2010-06-02T16:15:00.003-04:00

Another good run today after work. Next week I plan on getting back to some consistent training to ramp up the mileage. For now, I'm just going to take in some miles and keep the pace easy

Run Summary
Distance: 5.14 miles
Pace: 7:47 per mile

Dallas White Rock Marathon - Run The Rock!

2010-06-01T13:58:00.001-04:00

I woke up at 12:55am this morning and waited 5 minutes until 1:00am to register for the Dallas White Rock Marathon! It has been a number of years since I last ran a marathon and that distance hasn't really crossed my mind until recently.

So, come December I hope to be in marathon shape and ready to run long and fast!

Monday Runs are Always the Hardest

2010-05-31T13:29:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day means no work and all play so I took the time to get a run in around the Perimeter area. I decided to stick to a short route that was just about 3.5 miles. This route also included a couple of long hills. The run felt great and the pace was good.

The short run had me thinking of running longer and for some reason thoughts of running a marathon came to mind. I might just take myself up on the idea. It has been a while since the last marathon I ran and I think with a little training I might actually be able to run a personal best by December.

Run Summary
Distance: 3.5 miles
Pace: 7:45/mile

Sunday's are for resting the legs and reseting the brain

2010-05-30T08:02:00.002-04:00

I spent a good amount of time on the couch with our dog today. Not for any other reason but to try and recharge my body for the training that I want to commit to over the next 2 months. An increase in distance and pace always has me thinking of the worst case scenario like injury from too much or sickness from generally not taking care of myself as I continually beat my body down to a withered pulp.

I've got a couple of goals in mind that include running a marathon before the end of the year and seriously adding swimming and cycling back into my run routine. I think the swim and bike efforts will help with prevent injury and the marathon race, well that will just be fun.

So, until I get started down that path I'm planning on spending some time on the couch with the dog. Good times.

Missed a 5k but gained new perspective

2010-05-29T13:17:00.001-04:00

I woke up this morning at 7am to the sound of a Race Director's voice blaring over the loud speakers at the starting line of a 5k. I jumped out of bed and looked out the window to see hundreds of athletes milling around our neighborhood waiting for the starting gun to send them on their 3.1 mile journey.

I put Cooper on his leash and made my way down to the race where volunteers were setting up stations for registration, water, food, t-shirts, awards, and other various goodies. The amount of effort that they were putting into making the race run as smoothly as possible was admirable. They weren't running. They weren't there to win any award or set a personal best. They were there for one purpose: to make sure the runners, no matter how fast or slow, had a great time.

Standing there watching this unfold was a new sight for me. I can't remember ever being at a race without actually racing so this perspective shed a lot of light on the efforts that actually go into making these races a success.

I made a decision after watching the race come to an end and the volunteers packed up their stations. I plan to volunteer for an upcoming race. I want to help support the sport I love to see if I can't make others like it as much as me.

You Should Run a Race With Your Significant Other

2010-05-01T20:57:00.001-04:00

Today marks the first day I've ever had the chance to run a race with my wife. It was an awesome experience and I hope to be able to share it with her again soon. Running is something that I have come to love and to be able to share it with the person I love more than anything else... well it was pretty amazing.

She did a great job for this being her first 5k. I gave her a lot of space and upheld her request that I not run with her. I have a bad habit of talking when I'm running at a slower pace. I guess that is why they call it conversational pace. However, keeping up the chit-chat while running with my wife is not her idea of a good time, so I ended up running off the front of the pack to make sure I didn't feel the urge to start blabbing.

The great thing was that the route allowed me to run past her a couple times. I waved, smiled, and cheered as we went our separate ways. She smiled back, which was an amazing feeling. However, each time after we past each other I prayed she wasn't cursing my name since it was extremely hilly!

I crossed the finish line 7th overall and ran back on the course to finish up the last 1/4 mile with her. She smiled and thanked me for the gesture, but after the first minute of me telling her how awesome she was doing, she asked me to get the hell away from her and to let her run. So I did.

It was an amazing day and I recommend to anyone reading this that if you're contemplating doing a race with your significant other. Do it. Don't wait. If you love running as much as I do, it will take it to another level. Hopefully a good one!

Can a High Pollen Count Impact Heart Rate Training?

2010-04-05T14:34:00.000-04:00

I went for a run today after work and the heat had inched up to about 85 degrees. I am happy to run in the heat, and actually welcome it. I am somewhat accustomed to running in heat and humidity so I was shocked to see my heart rate was about 10 beats per minute higher than it would typically be in a run like I had today.

So, I started thinking about other variables that could be in play here to raise my heart rate above normal. 1) Stress? Yes, I'm stressed. 2) Lack of sleep. Well, yes I could probably use a few more hours of sleep. 3) High volumes of caffeine intake throughout the day? Yes, I'll have another double espresso please.

Okay, okay, so all of these factors are probably likely causes that raised my heart rate up a couple of ticks, but what about POLLEN??? My heart rate must have been impacted by this, right? I guess I'm just looking for an excuse that is based on something I have no control over (Mother Nature) rather than something I could simply alter in my daily life... like one less cup of double strength coffee.

I'm heading back out to the trail tomorrow after work. Less coffee, more water, and will train at a heart rate of 145-150 to see what my pace is.

Should be fun!

What word defines you as an athlete?

2010-04-04T09:58:00.008-04:00

Do you define yourself as an "athlete"? If so, do you use words like, "I'm a"... swimmer, runner, triathlete, IRONMAN, marathoner, sprinter, jogger, or cyclist in your definition? A week ago, a guy asked me, "Hey, are you some kind of athlete or something." I quickly replied without hesitation, "Yeah, I'm a runner." Seven days later I was still thinking about that question and how I answered it. Okay sure, I was obsessing, but what else is new?

So in my moment of over analysis, I wondered if the word "runner" really defined me? Is that who I am as an athlete? A runner? I mean, I swim, bike, run, lift weights, and I cross train with all sorts of crazy activities. In short, I do a ton of "athletic" things as I'm sure you do too. So if that is the case, does saying, "I'm a runner" accurately define us as athletes or should we be more creative with the definition to get closer to who we really are?

Well, I've had 7 days to think about this and I'm still not sure what word defines me best as an athlete. The deeper I looked, the less tangible the words got. They were like: Competition, Challenge, Inspiration, Adrenaline Junkie, Suffering, Winning, Losing, and "Not a Quitter". Those 7 days didn't get me any closer to a true definition and checking Webster's dictionary wasn't any help either.

As "Athletes" we do the things we do for our own personal reasons, and I think that is what defines us. You are not just a "runner". You are a competitor who hates to lose, but you don't care if you do as long as you gave your best. You're not just a triathlete, but you love the endorphins you get from the brick workout just as much as you love a short swim session. Sure, you're a "Marathoner" but you ran it to support your mom who has breast cancer and now your an inspiration, not only to your mom, but also to yourself.

So the next time some guy asks, "Hey, are you some kind of athlete or something." The reply should simply be, "Yes."

I'm an athlete.

Triathlon training plan is back on track!

2010-03-21T20:32:00.002-04:00

I've been tweaking my training plan again. For me, a good triathlon training plan has more runs than bikes and swims, and more swims than bike sessions. I do this because I love running much more than the other sports, and I'm just more comfortable lacing up the shoes and heading out at any time of day rather than planning a trip the pool or a bike ride. However, if you need more work in a particular area, the smart athlete will give that area of weakness more focus so that they will become a better, more well rounded triathlete.

The updated plan has less swims than bike efforts though. I need work on the bike and I want to at least be faster than I was when I was training back in Houston with my cycling buddies. To do that I needed to put 3 cycling sessions into the weekly plan.

My well rounded triathlon plan now has me running 4 times, biking 3 times, and swimming 2 times. I also tucked a couple of weight training sessions into the new plan for good measure.

I'm looking forward to getting started on the new focused plan. If you are putting together a plan and don't have a coach to force you to train on the sport that you hate the most, you need to be accountable to yourself and get it done. At least that is what I'm telling myself. Sounds good.

My wife makes me a better runner... and dresser.

2010-03-17T11:21:00.002-04:00

I truly believe my wife makes me a better runner. I don't have a coach right now who I am accountable to, nor do I have a running group to keep me on track. My work hours tend to keep me away from the group runs around the area so I am accountable only to myself.

After a 12 hour day at work it is sometimes tough to force myself to lace up my shoes and get out on the road. However, thanks to my wife, I have a secondary voice of encouragement telling me all the reasons why I should go run instead of sitting on the couch watching The Biggest Loser and feeling like I suck for ditching my run.

Tonight was no different. I got home from work around 7pm, exhausted and looking to get out of my suit and onto the couch. Thankfully my wife was there to remind me that I really do love running, and I love how it makes me feel. Sometimes the mental aspect of consistent training is too much to handle. It is good to have someone you respect to tell you to, "Snap out of it", "Pull yourself together", or even "Quit being a slacker."

So, my wife got me out on the streets to get my run in. In that way she has made me a better runner by keeping me true to my training. She also made me a better dresser because I almost started the run in my boxers (see picture). Did I mention I was exhausted?

Run.

You don't need a DVD to get a hardcore CORE workout!!!

2010-03-15T10:54:00.001-04:00

I thought I would use today as a rest day, but after I got home I was feeling restless and decided to give myself about 20-30 minutes of core exercise with a minor dose of cardio. My wife has all sorts of gear from her kickboxing workouts so I grabbed her jump rope and 15lb kettle bell and got busy.

Here is the quick workout I came up with. This will work for you if you have 6 minutes or 30 minutes. The shorter the time, the more intense you should make the workout. By more intense I mean... speed up, go faster, don't be a slacker!

The Workout:
Total Time for 1 Round: 6 Minutes
3 minutes - High Knees Jump Rope.
Alternate jumping rope under your left and right feet while running in place. Be sure to keep your knees coming higher than a normal running stride to work the hips and abs. If you don't have a jump rope, just run in place for 3 minutes keeping your knees coming up to waist level (or as close as you can get). Keep good form and posture. This is a good workout on the legs too!

3 Minutes - Alternating: 20 Push-ups, 20 Crunches, 20 Kettle Bell lifts
After jumping rope, drop down and do 20 good form push-ups as quickly as you can. Then do 20 crunches again at a high rate. After you do those, jump back up and complete 20 kettle bell lifts. If you don't have a kettle bell, just do 20 good form squats. If you have any time remaining of the 3 minutes, start back at the push-ups and repeat until the 3 minutes have expired.

Repeat as many rounds as desired. Each round will be 6 minutes so to get a 30 minute core workout you just do this 5 times. That's it. Not too complicated.

I'm going to keep doing this little workout over the next month to see if I get any faster in the pool or on the run. You should try it to!

Swimming can make you a better runner? Maybe.

2010-03-14T17:24:00.006-04:00

Back when I was swimming a lot more than I am now I noticed that there were some benefits that swimming offered running. Strange to say, especially since one includes a jarring amount of gravity against the body while the other leaves the athlete defying gravity and floating along the water.

Here is one of the best benefits I have found that swimming can offer running. This is a positive impact that I have personally encountered in my running that I have gotten from swimming. It might not be there for everyone, but I'm sure there is some sort of benefit for all!

Here is 1 reason why I think swimming helps runners:
Swimming requires breathing control. Running also requires breathing, but you might not have thought of breathing control before in relation to running. As in swimming, a runner should also be able to control their breathing throughout their run. This is likely one of the best benefits for runners I have seen from swimming.

Rhythmically taking in oxygen while swimming without choking to death is a good thing. Being able to take in oxygen without hyperventilating while pushing up a hill, or picking up the pace to pass an opponent and then settling into your natural stride with good efficient breathing rhythm is a great asset to any runner.

Swimming can help you get more efficient in your breathing. In turn, your efficient breathing will make you a stronger runner. Here's how I think this works. When you swim, you breath every 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.. stroke. As you become a better swimmer, you are able to breath rhythmically after every 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc... stroke while maintaining your speed and strength.

After you begin to master the controlled breathing in the pool, it easy translates to your running. For example, as you are running through a flat portion of land, you might inhale for 3 or 4 steps and then exhale for 3 to 4 steps. This rhythmic breathing can help you control your oxygen intake so that you are more efficiently transferring oxygen to your muscles and not just sucking air.

Now this is certainly not the only benefit that swimming can give a runner. Strength, stamina, injury prevention, and many others come to mind. However, I like this one because you are forced to breath with coordination to be a good swimmer and if you force yourself to breath with coordination as a runner, the benefits could mean a personal record at your next race, or just beating your running partner to the finish line of your next training run.

Food Poisoning: To Run or Not To Run - I Ran

2010-03-13T11:32:00.003-05:00

Last night I had what I would consider a light bought with food poisoning. I ate at 8:00pm was in bed by 11:00pm and puking by 2:00am. After some fluids and Pepto Bismol I was back asleep by 3:00am and ready for my run a few hours later.

Should I have ran or stayed in bed? I felt pretty good when I woke up but my stomach was still churning. I took in more fluids before heading out just for good measure.

The Ugly Truth
The first issue showed up after about the first mile. This is about the moment I thought staying in bed would have been a better idea. My lungs were burning which was new for me. My assumption was the hacking and coughing and acid from my stomach left my lungs a little raw. Disgusting thought, but sounds logical, and since I'm no doctor... I'll go with that.

The next issue was with the cramping in my stomach and in my legs. I think I was still dehydrated, even though I took in fluids. I also didn't replace any electrolytes which might have been a good idea. So, I could feel a leg cramp coming on after about 30 minutes of running. It wasn't really cramping, just twitching a bit like it wanted to seize up and leave me curled up in a ball on the sidewalk whimpering in pain.

The last issue came after I had time to start thinking about all the mounting problems that were falling like dominoes. The mental factor had me developing scenarios that not only included me hurling whatever was left in my stomach out onto the pavement in front of my fellow runners, but also hurling myself into traffic. Either way, not good.

So, I wrapped up my run earlier than expected, went home and started refueling with water, a smoothie, 4 eggs and a bagel. After that, I was good and thinking about heading up to the gym for a swim.

To make a long story short, running after food poisoning is probably not the best idea, but if you're going to do it... shorten your run, hydrate, and don't plan of feeling good.

How to Get a 25 Minute Workout in the Pool

2010-03-11T10:15:00.004-05:00

Tonight I got off work a little late and was heading up to the gym trying to think of what I needed to get done to feel like I had actually had a good workout with the limited time I had of less than 30 minutes.

I hate rushing myself through a training session, especially because I usually swim, bike, or run to hard and end up injured or nearly drowning so I pieced together a workout that I thought would give me the benefit of cardio, resistance training, and form training for racing. Based on those factors, I hopped into the pool.

So, with less than 30 minutes to get faster and stronger here is the workout I came up with. This workout was quick and painless, but I think I benefited more by doing it rather than skipping my workout entirely and heading home to eat Girl Scout Cookies and milk while sitting on the couch watching Survivor.

Swim Workout - 25 minutes - 1550yds
Set 1
500yds @ 00:07:30
Rest: 00:00:30

Set 2
400yds @ 00:06:00
Rest: 00:00:30

Set 3
300yds @ 00:04:30
Rest: 00:00:15

Set 4
200yds @ 00:03:00
Rest: 00:00:15

Set 5
100yds @ 00:01:30
Rest: 00:00:15

Set 6
50yds @ 00:00:45

Summary
Total Swim Time: 23:15
Total Rest Time: 1:45
Total Time: 25:00

Quick and painless. Give it a shot if you want and let me know what you think!

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5 Ways to Get Motivated to Swim, Bike and / or Run!

2010-03-07T20:15:00.004-05:00

This weekend I had a chance to reflect on the race training I have been doing in Atlanta. My running and swimming efforts have been more effortless than anything and I have found myself sitting on the couch watching The Biggest Loser with my wife rather than lacing up the running shoes or hitting the pool for the training sessions I know my race schedule AND my sanity needs. The picture shows the Groom wearing a pair of cycling socks as his dress socks for the wedding. All the groomsmen were wearing cycling socks as well. Motivation, here we come...

The reflection came as I visited Houston, TX to watch my good friend and racing buddy get married. I hadn't seen him in a while and these days he has his own bike shop and racing team "Shama Cycles". These guys are serious about what they do, and recently they have been sweeping podium finishes around Texas.

Just hanging out with these people can make you feel like a slacker so I came up with 5 things that I think will motivate me to get off the couch and stop being such a loser. You might find these useful too if you find yourself sucking.

1) Visit a place where you were once motivated. This could be a city, state, race venue, or even gym where you pushed yourself once or multiple times to the limits. By being in this place, you will be reminded that at one point in time, you did not suck, you were not a slacker, and you dominated someone else or the clock depending on who you are and why you race.

2) Surround yourself with people who are doing what you want to do. By doing this, you will feel like you are a slacker and that will motivate you to get off the couch and go do something with yourself before your training and racing friends make new training and racing friends.

3) Tell people about the races you have scheduled on your calendar. This is a good way to keep yourself accountable. When people ask you how your training is coming along you will either be able to say "I suck and haven't been training" or "I am ready for race day."

4)Look yourself in the mirror and call yourself a Runner, Swimmer, Triathlete, or whatever you are supposed to be. It is easy to lie, and it is easy to tell people that you are awesome and train 2 times a day 5 days a week, but you can't lie to yourself. Look in the mirror and call yourself a triathlete when you haven't been training in 2 months and the next thing out of your mouth will be, "I suck."

5)Write a blog about running. This is always a great way to stay motivated about running. Even when you aren't running, you can still write about running. You can also tell your friends how much you a slacker because you don't run. Again, this is a good public forum for you to put yourself out there and tell the world why you have been awesome and training like a machine, or why you suck and have been wasting perfectly good training time by eating Girl Scout Cookies on the couch while watching The Biggest Loser.

So, having exposed myself to this type of elite athlete element, I was able to kick start my motivation engine into overdrive. My training and racing motivational emotions where on a roller coaster the entire weekend. When I got into town wanted to wake up the next morning and power through an 85 mile bike ride even though I heard people were blowing up the entire way. I wanted to wake up with Trent to do a 3 hour run the day of the wedding even though I knew that would likely prevent me from being able to stand as one of the groomsmen.

It is amazing what being around people who are hyper aggressive about the way they train and race, but it is a great way to keep yourself in check and to quit being such a slacker.

How to deal with run training stress: Don't quit.

2010-02-28T16:11:00.004-05:00

Well, it seems that my training and racing has gotten started off to the same lack luster results as last year. I've been thinking of excuses and wondering what is going on. The only thing I can think of is that it has been cold as hell and I don't want to go outside in this hellish weather. However, when I see a 60 year old man running in shorts with gardening gloves on at 6am, I feel more and more like someone who isn't running for reasons other than it being cold.

I'm signed up for a couple of races in the coming months which means I need to start streamlining my training so I don't end up skipping the race entirely. I love training, I love racing, and I love everything leading up to the finish line and I can't help but think there is still something more than the cold keeping me from enjoying what I love.

So, as today is the last day of February, I'm going to make an effort to focus on my training to try and make something positive happen even if the weather is in the 20's and I can't seem to find warm weather to run in besides the indoor gym. It makes it even more depressing to wait 20 minutes for a treadmill only to be able to use it for 20 minutes because LA Fitness is crowded and there is a line behind each treadmill.

I'm ready for the "New Years Resolution" boomers to start to lose heart. Not because I don't want them training and staying healthy, but because I want my gym back! These are tough times and the mental aspect of training in the cold is almost too much to take!

Monday is a new day and training will likely bring me out of this funk. So, the moral of the story is, when you feel depressed because you haven't been training and racing as hard as you should be, the only thing that will snap you out of that depression is to get back out there and swim, bike, and/or run. It's just that easy.

Skipping a workout is not THAT bad, right?

2010-02-04T09:02:00.000-05:00

Today I was scheduled to run 6 miles with a few efforts of speed work tucked into the warm up and cool down. I worked 12 hours, seated at my desk, and my hamstrings were getting a little tight so I decided that taking a day off wouldn't be the end of my training.

Even though I've been training for years, I still feel strange about skipping workouts. For the longest time I really didn't know how to recalibrate my training to accommodate for the missed workouts.

Some coaches said don't let it change your training plan, just keep going on to the next workout. I guess that would work if you only missed an easy workout. However, skipping specific training runs like tempo, speed, etc. can impact the periodized training plan, especially if you skip a couple of workouts in one week, or the whole week all together!

Things like doubling up your next workout with extra distance or speed are good ways to get injured. The fact that you're competitive, in shape, and could hammer a good workout, doesn't mean you should.

These days, I just take my skipped workouts "in stride" and finish out the week with whatever is left over. If I am training for a specific race, I'll just adjust my training with a couple of tweaks that will get me back on track the following week. Because periodized training is so important you don't want to completely de-rail your plan. Knowing that missing a series of workouts could set you back a week or more is a good motivator to stick to the plan.

So, I skipped yesterday and I'm thinking I'll put in a couple of miles tomorrow and a few more on Saturday and then get back on track starting Monday. No stress. No worries. No need to freak out. Just run and get over it.

Breaking in my Netwon All Weather Trainers

2010-01-18T10:17:00.000-05:00

I am slowly trying to break in my Newton All Weather Trainers so that I can add them to my training shoe rotation to help with running form, speed, etc...

Today I ran the first mile at 8:30 in the Newton All Weather Trainers. My turnover rate felt good maybe a little faster than normal.

I ran the next two miles at 6:58/mile in my regular trainers. This felt a little labored. My legs felt a little heavy. Probably from the increase in mileage from the previous week. My heart rate was pretty average at: 148-150, so I was happy about that.

The last mile was 8:30 per mile, again in my regular trainers. Felt good. Maybe a little effort to get the pace down because I felt like my legs just wanted to RUN! That is a good thing.

Sunday: Rest Day

2010-01-17T09:32:00.002-05:00

I spent today resting my legs and sifting through my training plan to see what the next week would have in store for me. More speed, more endurance, and generally more running! I'm looking forward to the week.

My Saturday run might be broken up into 2 sets because I am thinking of running a 5k on Saturday. I might get some miles in after the run. Here is what it is going to look like:

6 Miles to help Build Endurance - "Speed with a Kick"

2010-01-14T09:11:00.008-05:00

Today's run was an intense one. I haven't done speed work in a while and when you couple that with a few miles, 6 to be exact, things tend to get interesting. I'm working through my 4 Month Training Plan from Run1Fast Coaching. You can follow the coach on Twitter at @Run1Fast. It was originally created for me back in August of 2009, but I figured this is probably the most concise training plan that I have ever had so I might as well put it to good use!

The plan had me warm up with a 1/2 mile at an easy pace so I warmed up at about 8:00/mile which was pretty boring. The next 5 miles consisted of 7:30-7:45 per mile pace with 5x200 meter pick-up accelerations at 6:40/mile. That was much more fun. The final cool down was back to 8:00/mile for another 1/2 mile.

I would sum up this workout as one of my favorites so far. The distance is about perfect for where my current level of fitness is and it also let me push myself to a level where I could feel like I was suffering without completely exhausting myself. The Coach at Run1Fast obviously knows his stuff because other plans I've tried have never had this level of accuracy when dealing with my own personal physiology.

The plan has me running a slow 6 on Saturday. I feel like I could do 10 to 12, but I'm going to be patient and stick to the plan, trusting that it will make me a better runner. I've already got my route picked out around the Ashford/Dunwoody area of Atlanta. It has hills and more hills so it should be a good leg burner.

I'm looking forward to it and will likely suck down some GU before and during the run. Not because I will need the nutrition. I mean, its not like I'm running for over an hour. I just like the stuff.

Running to Build Endurance, Again.

2010-01-13T08:42:00.001-05:00

Didn't think I was going to get on a treadmill tonight at LA Fitness, shocker, so I decided to try the gym in my building. The room was empty which tells me the people in my building don't workout, or they have already worked out and have better things to do with their lives at 7:00pm. Obviously they are better at time management then myself, or they don't work like dogs.

Seeing as I was the only one in the room, I happily snapped a quick picture of myself on the treadmill, alone, and started my run. I ran 5 miles with a basic build up starting at 8:00 per mile and ending at 8:00 per mile. In the middle I ramped up the pace a bit.

Here is how the mile splits ended up:

Mile 1 - 8:00/mile
Mile 2 - 7:45/mile
Mile 3 - 7:30/mile
Mile 4 - 7:15/mile
Mile 5 - 8:00/mile
Average Heart Rate: 145 BPM

It was a good run overall. I'm looking forward to more of these runs in the coming weeks. One thing I was told is not to skip the warm-up and cool-down portions of my workouts. I plan on keeping to that advice.

Monday - First day of my training plan: Revisited

2010-01-11T11:47:00.002-05:00

I am revisiting a training plan that I started back in August of last year. It was a pretty aggressive plan with periodized training sections. It did not have a ton of mileage involved with it, but that fit my training level and available time to train back in August. I actually have about the same fitness level and training time available now, so I thought it would be good to re-incorporate the plan back in to my world.

I worked out today and felt good throughout the run. The first and last miles were at 8:00/mile and the 1.5 miles in the middle were at 7:03/per mile. My heart rate hovered from 148 to 153 during the run so I was rather relaxed, even with the tempo pace.

Here is how the rest of the week will come together:

2.6 Miles in 20 Minutes: Treadmill time constraints!

2010-01-09T14:07:00.003-05:00

This morning I was very excited about my run. In fact, I got to the gym at around 9:00am to see if I could hop on an treadmill, get my run in, and head home before 10:00. Well, to my surprise, the LA Fitness was already packed and there was a line of people waiting on treadmills because it was so cold outside.

Now, I don't mind waiting my turn, at all. No big deal, really. I am patient. However, when I wait 20 minutes to jump on a treadmill and I am forced to get off the treadmill in 20 minutes, that's when things get a bit more bitter.

Personally, I'm not able to really get a good workout going in 20 minutes. I guess it would be a good warm-up to then go do something else in the gym, but when you go to the gym specifically to use the treadmill and you only get 20 minutes to barrel through a couple of miles, the benefits are not there.

So today, just like every other runner, walker, and jogger on a treadmill at LA Fitness, I caved and stopped my run at 20 minutes. If I had another 10 minutes I would have been VERY happy, but with 20 minutes it just didn't seem to fulfill my needs!

In conclusion, if anyone from LA Fitness is reading this, please extend the usage of exercise equipment to 30 minutes when there is a wait. You will have more healthy patrons, and less unfulfilled ones.

My 2 cents.

4.5 Miles Closer to my New Year's Resolution

2010-01-06T12:42:00.001-05:00

When I got home from work at around 6:30 tonight it was about 30 degrees outside with a wind chill of around 25.

I forced myself out the front door and away from the treadmill knowing that snow was on the way and this might be my last chance to run outdoors until the weekend.

I was able to log 4.5 miles in the dark, wearing my cool (or not so cool) looking reflective gear.

2010 Goal Update
Mileage Goal: 1010 miles in 365 days
Year to date: 12.1 miles

Race Goal: 24 Races in 12 Months
Year to date: 0 Races

Adding to New Year's Resolutions during the year is OK.

2010-01-04T15:41:00.001-05:00

I am rarely if ever satisfied with plans, goals, etc. Why should my New Year's Resolution be so perfect that I wouldn't want to tweak it the 4th day in? I've already decided that running 1010 miles in 2010 is a pretty cool and doable goal. It will require me not to procrastinate on the training and to stay consistent. Great goal.

Well, I've got this other goal on my mind and I think I should add it on top of the 1010. Now, in addition to running 1010 in 2010, I will also attempt to race in 24 races before 1/1/2011. Obviously that averages out to 2 races per month, but I think of most of them as Fun Runs and others as Races, I think I can fit them into my 1010 in 2010 goal quite nicely.

Glad I thought of it. So now by midnight 12/31/2010 I will:
1) Run 1010 miles
2) Run in 24 organized races of any distance

2010 Goal Update
Mileage Goal: 1010 miles in 365 days
Year to date: 7.6 miles

Race Goal: 24 Races in 12 Months
Year to date: 0 Races

New Years Resolution - Day 3 - Completed!

2010-01-03T20:41:00.003-05:00

So it is January 3rd, and my idea of running 1010 miles in one year is slowly coming together. I'm trying to figure out the best place to log my miles. Then I need to figure out a way to track in on this blog. As of today, I have not figured out either one, however I have not let that get in the way of me not training!

I went back up to LA Fitness today and it was packed with Resolution Hunters. Some were experienced training enthusiasts while others were obviously new to the "fitness club" scene.

I started in the pool. When I got there.. every lane was taken so I waited. Once I got started I only swam 600yds. Time was an issue so I hammered out the yardage and then hopped out and hit the treadmill.

I ran a 5k on the treadmill with an average heart rate of 147 and pace of 7:45 per mile. It was a nice easy run and I felt like I had much more to give.

So, as my quest of 1010 miles in a year continues, I look forward to training and racing and getting stronger along the way.

Goal: 1010 in 2010
Daily Mileage: 3.1
Monthly Mileage: 7.6
Year to Date: 7.6
Mileage to Goal: 1002.4

New Years Resolution 2010 - Day 2 of 365

2010-01-02T17:00:00.003-05:00

I spent today recovering from the Capital One Bowl fiasco where I watched my blessed LSU Tigers lose their bowl game. Very sad. After I shook that off, I decided to head to the gym to join the other New Years Resolution faithful for day 2 of 365. I was happy to find the gym packed with people who were young, old, over weight, and under weight. It was very motivating and helped to push me along during my workout.

I started out with 500yds in the pool. I am just now getting back into the swimming groove and did not want to over do it. I then moved on to the treadmill and did a 10 minute warm up at 8:00/mile and then ran a 5k at 7:30 per mile.

Overall, it was a good workout. I am getting more and more serious about making a lifestyle change to cater to a more healthy, consistently active lifestyle. Something more of what I had 5 years ago while in Houston, but maybe not as insane.

I'm looking forward to what 2010 will bring and will make every effort to make the most of it!

Goal: 1010 in 2010
Daily Mileage: 4.5
Monthly Mileage: 4.5
Year to Date: 4.5
Mileage to Goal: 1005.5

New Year Resolution - Run 1010 in 2010

2010-01-01T21:11:00.001-05:00

I've been mulling over this whole New Year Resolution thing and the goals keep revolving around running. One thing I know I've been lacking over the past few years is consistency in training. Some months I would take off weeks if not the entire month and then try to jump back into it.

So, I realized that my goal should include something that would force me to remain consistent through each week and each month so that I could set small goals to hit in order to reach the much larger goal by the end of the year.

This year I have decided to put together a total mileage goal to hit by the end of the year. I thought about doing 2010 miles since it would be pretty cool to hit the same number as the year, but I'm in no shape to start with they kind of mileage, so I opted for 1010 in 2010. It has a nice ring to it.

I plan to give my self monthly, quarterly, and mid year goals to make sure I am on track. If I get out ahead of the goal number, that is great. I just want to hit my goal. Who knows, next year I might go for 2011 in 2011!

Oh, How I LOVE GU. Let Me Count the Ways...

2009-12-29T12:56:00.014-05:00

I love thee for the depth and breadth and height of energy
My body can reach, when racing out of sight of my competitors.
For the ends of training and racing against the clock, and my age group.
I love thee to the energy levels you give for every day's training's
Most quiet needs of swimming, cycling or running, by sun or moon light.
I love thee freely in gel form, as I strive to perform my best;
I love thee purely in my water bottle as I compete.
I love thee with the passion put to use in my old gel flasks,
And with my childhood's faith that you make me faster.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose with my long runs.
I love thee with the breath between swim strokes, Smiling cyclists I pass,
And my silent tears as I left it all on the run, all my life!
And, if God choose;
I shall but love thee better after a race, win or lose.

New Years Resolution - New Training Goals Ahead

2009-12-26T10:34:00.002-05:00

Jordan and I are finishing up a 10 day trip that started in Houston, then went to Dallas, and now has us flying back to Atlanta. It has been a quick trip to see family and friends and it has made me appreciate the good health and wonderful lives we have both been blessed with.

As the new year approaches, I am thinking of all the training and racing goals I had planned for in 2009. Most of them were thwarted by our busy lives with work and getting married. At the time, I found myself trying to make up for those missed goals by over training or racing when I just wasn't ready. Consequently I ended up hurting myself more than helping due to sickness and injury.

This year, I am still planning some aggressive goals. They will include things like healthy eating, consistent training, and well thought out races that make sense to do over the course of the year. I will likely do a marathon or two and getting back into triathlon racing is not out of the question.

One constant reminder will be that if things don't go as planned I should not freak out and try to make up for lost time. I love training and I love racing, but I also love just being healthy so if that is all I get out of this, I should still be thankful.

I will have my resolutions on this blog by the first day of the New Year. The plan will be set, and I'm looking forward to trying to follow that plan as closely as I can for health and happiness. And if by chance my resolutions fall apart, I'll remember to stay positive and not to freak out by training 2 or 3 times a day to make up for any perceived lost time!

A missed run in Boston

2009-12-11T11:20:00.003-05:00

The weather in Boston was a chilly 20 degrees this morning with a wind chill of 7. I decided not to take to the streets since my colleagues and I spent a good bit of time in a pub last night. This trip was more for a celebration then really an opportunity to train in the cold weather but I do admit I feel like I missed out not running around the water this morning.

Not sure when I'm going to get back up to Boston. My Boston marathon qualifying time is now 3:15 since I'm a bit older then I was last year. So the marathon idea is still on. ING Georgia Marathon and then maybe another marathon in April. Good long runs would make for a great foundation for racing next season so the good out weighs the pain an suffering that will go into the training that will need to go into getting me ready for March 21st.

Looking forward to heading back to Atlanta and getting some miles in before Monday. Long slow miles will be the theme for a while. Might try getting some long distance swims in as well to keep the body healthy for next year.

How to make a come back after taking 1 month off

2009-11-10T17:48:00.002-05:00

The past 5 weeks have been a mixture of pleasure and pain. The first two weeks I was under the weather, trying to kick a severe chest cold that had me bed ridden on the weekends and hacking a lung at work throughout the week. I then spent the next 2 weeks trying to fully recover before starting back into my workout routine. I am now rounding the 5th week and feel like a relapse is creeping back into my world. Not good.

My training had been solid for months prior to this set back. Now, I find myself wondering when and where to jump back into the workout routine. Do I start now, hoping that the itch in the back of my throat is just allergies, or do I wait it out and try to start back up in a week.

The big question is how far back does this set me back? I have heard that taking 1 week off you need 2 weeks to get back to where you were. If this is true I am about 9 weeks behind where I need to be, which sucks.

If anyone reads this and wants to share any ideas, feel free to send me a message by using my contact info at the top right of this blog. I could use some help!

New Header Design for the Blog

2009-10-31T22:17:00.001-04:00

I'm thinking of a new header for the blog and this is it.

How to run hills in a race.

2009-09-21T09:43:00.003-04:00

I have always dreaded hills. I started running when I lived in Baton Rouge, LA and continued while living in Houston, TX. One of the things that these two cities have in common besides humidity is that that neither of them have really huge hills. So, until moving to Atlanta, I haven't really had to deal with any large hills. Now that I am here and racing in this town, it is probably a good idea to get some hill training in so I don't suck wind during the races.

Today's workout was great. I warmed up with 1.5 miles which lead me directly to one of the crazy steep hills that surrounds where we live. After a quick stretch I ran 8 x 400 meters up the hill and cooled down by jogging back down. My pace up the hill was about 1:45 to 1:50. This was a tough workout and I was happy to see it end. One thing I didn't count on was that my cool down had a couple of steep hills. So, I added about another half mile of hills to that workout!

Next week I have more hill training. Those hills will be twice as long but less steep. How do you run hills in a race? You train on hills before the race. I guess it is that simple.

Race Summary: Roswell Rise 'n Run 5k 2009

2009-09-19T09:23:00.004-04:00

Today's race was one of the harder 5k races that I have run. The terrain was asphalt as well as crushed granite trails. One of the terrain surprises that I didn't expect was the woods. Exposed tree roots coupled with torrential rains do not make a good combination under the racing flats!

Overall this was a technical course. There were a half dozen switch backs on the granite crushed trails as well as a few 180 turns around cones during the neighborhood run portion of the race. I tip toed through the woods trying not to break my neck on the slippery tree roots that had been washed out due to the downpour of rain.

This was my first race in my the age group 35-39. The top finisher in my age group crossed the line in just over 18:00 minutes. My time as a little slower than that at 21:49, but I was happy with the finish. I took 3rd place in my age group and 11th overall. One thing I will not forget about this race is that 2nd place in my age group finished 2 seconds ahead of me. I had no idea that runner was in my age group. To be honest, he could have been 50 years old. That won't happen again!

Upcoming Race: Roswell Rise 'n Run 5k

2009-09-17T11:40:00.004-04:00

Race Route Link
It has been a couple of months since my last race and my training seems to be coming along well enough for me to try and give a good effort for this weekend's Roswell Rise 'n Run 5k.

On Monday I ran a relatively easy 5.5 mile run with 3.5 miles at 7:00/mile. This weekend's race will an interesting watermark to see where I am now with my training and where I will be by mid December.

My last 5k was back in January and my pace was 6:30 for that run. The race after that was a 4 miler and my pace was 6:48 for that race. I'm not looking to blow those race times away, but averaging faster than 6:30 would be cool.

I guess at this point my goal will be to finish sub 20:00 for this run. That means my pace should be lower than 6:25/mile. I've had a chance to check out the race route and it covers asphalt and crushed gravel which means it should be fast. There are a few 180 turns on the course but it does not look too technical.

I have a race day plan set up for pre-race warm up and cool down from the guy who built my training schedule. I'm looking forward to following his advice and trying to put as much effort into this run as I can.

I'm looking forward to following up this post in 2 days with my race results!

Run Training Post: Building Sprint and Lactic Threshold

2009-09-10T07:55:00.002-04:00

I DID NOT feel like running this morning but pulled myself out of bed and got to the gym at 5:15am to get started on some speed work on the treadmill. I started out at 8:30 per mile for my .5 warm-up then moved up to 7:30/mile for my main 4 mile set. During that set I did 5x200 meters at 6:00/mile with full recovery after each speed session.

I felt good but a little out of control. My turn over rate felt very fast in the new Newton shoes. A bit different from my old pair of shoes. I thought I might run through the front of the treadmill if I didn't back off the pace even when I was flying at 6:00 per mile.

By the end of the run I started to feel a little pain on the right forefoot pad just behind my toes. Not sure if this is from the new shoes but coincidentally the Newton lugs are right where the pain started to form. Now, sitting at my desk, I don't feel the pain so that is good news.

I will not wear the new shoes on my long run on Saturday. I might try to work them into my training and use them as a tool to keep me running from my mid/forefoot rather than the heal strike I've been crushing my body with.

As a side note, I'm having a little lower back pain. Not sure what that is all about but I will keep an eye on that too.

Training Summary
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 37:45 Minutes
Pace: 7:33 per mile

Sets
.5 mile Warm-Up
4 Miles at 7:30/mile
5x200 Meters at 6:00/mile
.5 mile cool down

How to Run to Build Endurance

2009-09-09T08:39:00.002-04:00

Today I got out in my new Newton shoes for a little over 5 miles of rolling hills coupled with a nice easy pace. I'm trying to build endurance, so I'm not out to break any records and my pace states that loud and clear. My average per mile was at about 8:00 minutes throughout the run give or take a few seconds during uphills and downhills.

So I've read how to build endurance and everyone seems to have the same frame of mind in thinking that to build endurance, you need to put in the miles. Those miles should not be at your threshold. The opposite holds true too. You shouldn't walk or jog too slow (depending on your current level of endurance) because the gains you get won't be as beneficial as picking up the pace for a consistent amount of time throughout your workout.

I guess the moral of the building endurance story is to get out of bed and figure out a way to push just hard enough to get your heart rate pumping in the zone that will give you the most endurance gains. You increase your lungs functional capacity as the size and number of your blood vessels actually increase. That is pretty cool. That brings up your respiratory rate, lung capacity, and the size and strength of your heart increases so you can go longer before hitting the wall. Okay, and last bit of fact: You keep metabolizing carbs and fats which is good too.

Training Summary
Distance: 5.11 miles
Time: 41:01 minutes
Pace: 8:02 per mile
Average Heart Rate: 139 BPM

Run Training Post: Building My Run Endurance

2009-09-01T18:13:00.002-04:00

I made it out at 5:30 this morning with more enthusiasm because it is one of the first Tuesday's I've had a scheduled run. Today would turn out to be a good day to shake out the cobwebs from yesterday's Tempo Threshold run.

I had a great run overall. The first mile was a little sluggish but I think that was because I had just jumped out of bed and needed the warm up. My last mile was around 7:50 and that included a long uphill effort. I didn't push to hard and I am happy with the result. Tomorrow I have a 5 mile easy run on a similar route. I'm just as enthusiastic about that run as I was today!

Training Summary
Distance: 4.2 Miles
Duration: 33:12 Minutes
Pace: 7:57 per mile
AVG HR: 132 (Easy Run Pace)

Run Training Post: Tempo Threshold Run

2009-08-31T08:30:00.005-04:00

Today was one of the hardest days for me to get up and out of bed. I have a feeling that my Saturday night activities with friends took more out of me than I could tell as I recovered Sunday on the couch.

My alarm went off at 5:00am and I hit snooze. 9 minutes later it started blaring again and so I hit snooze. After another 9 minutes the madness started again and I turned the whole thing off and laid there until 5:30. I contemplated throwing the alarm clock across the room, but since I use my iPhone as my alarm, I decided against destroying my electronic portable telephone machine thingy.

I was searching for the motivation to get out of bed and nearly ditched my workout until realized if I didn't go at 5:30am, trying to get a treadmill after work to do my Tempo Threshold run would be nearly impossible. Plus the 20 minute limit they impose upon you on the Treadmill when the gym is packed totally messes with any good training you try to put in.

So after that 30 minute mental battle, I jumped out of bed and headed to the gym. The training run was great! I felt good as I warmed up and once I hit the tempo pace I honestly felt very comfortable. I ended up running at about 6:55 per mile for the 2.5 mile Tempo Threshold portion and thought I would be able to push it to 6:30/mile but I backed off and followed the training plan.

I am definitely starting to feel stronger as I come into my third week of focused, periodized run training. I plan on racing on 9/19 to get a gauge for where my pace is at in the 5k.

Between now and then I am going to come up with a goal time that I think I can hit. I think I would be happy with anything between 19:20 and 19:59.

Training Summary
Distance: 4.5 Miles
Time: 34:45
Pace: 7:43 (total set)
Tempo Threshold Pace: 2.5 miles @ 6:55/mile

Run Training Post: Long Run Done Easy

2009-08-29T16:28:00.001-04:00

Had a great long run today. I did this same hill run route on 8/8/09. Last run was 2 minutes slower and my heart rate was 4 beats faster. That doesn't mean much but I'm hoping my training is starting to add more fuel to my tank.

This route started with a hill and ended with a hill and had a few hills tucked in between. The pace felt good and I could have pushed the pace without too much difficulty but I started to feel the hills towards the end of the run so I'm glad I kept the pace steady and slow.

Run Summary
Distance: 7.2 Miles
Time: 59:04
Pace: 8:10/Mile
AVG HR: 140 BPM

Run Training Post: Tempo Threshold

2009-08-27T17:38:00.002-04:00

Great training run today at 5:00am. Did this one on the Treadmill. I have not made it to the high school track to do my speed work so the treadmill has been a good second option. Felt strong with good fast leg turnover. Had a little twinge in the back of my right leg that I will keep an eye on. Nothing too big now. Looking forward to my rest day though!

1mi WU @8:30/mi
1mi T @6:58/mi
2.5mi E @8:00/mi with 3/400m @ 6:00/mi with 400m recovery
.5mi CD @8:30/mi

Run Summary
Distance: 6.5 Miles
Time: 50:29
Pace: 7:46/Mile
AVG HR: 135 BPM

Run Training Post: Building Endurance with EZ Runs

2009-08-26T17:54:00.002-04:00

Over 2 minutes faster than my last 5 mile run last week. HR 1 beat faster on average. Felt great through the whole run. Got out on the run at 5:30am. Weather has been great this early in the morning. Speed work tomorrow! Kept my run very easy today so I don't put two hard workouts together in a row.

Run Summary:
Distance: 5.1 Miles
Time: 40:53
Pace: 8:00/Mile
AVG HR: 138 BPM

Run Training Post: Tempo Threshold Run

2009-08-24T18:13:00.002-04:00

Today was another Tempo Threshold training run. I am starting to enjoy these fast paced runs. The training plan has my distance increasing over the next couple of months. Today's tempo distance was only 2 miles, but it felt good keeping the pace at 6:58 per mile for those quick 2 miles. My warm up and cool down mileage was much slower at about 8:15 - 8:30 per mile. I stretched after the run and massaged my calves, IT Bands, and Achilles to keep any possible plantar pain away.

Training Summary
Distance: 4 Miles
Time: 31:00
Pace: 7:45/Mile
AVG HR: 127 BPM

Run Training Post: Easy Distance Run

2009-08-22T18:31:00.002-04:00

Great training run today. I have not done many long runs in the recent past so anything over 5 miles seems to be a "long run". I made sure to keep the pace steady and easy through the distance run. Felt good over the distance and probably could have doubled the distance at that pace.

I need to remind myself that as I get more serious about training, I don't want to lose focus on what my goals are. Building endurance right now is important. Speed too, but the more endurance I'm able to build up the easier it will be to keep the pace high for a longer amount of time when it counts.

Training Summary
Distance: 6 Miles
Time: 49:01
Pace: 8:07/Mile
AVG HR: 140 BPM

First Day of my New 5k Run Training Program

2009-08-17T10:42:00.003-04:00

Today is the first day of my new 5k run training program. For months I have been toying with the idea of having a personalized run training program created and I finally found a runner who not only knows how to put together a plan but he's also a totally freakishly fast athlete who competes at levels any every day Age Grouper like me dreams of being.

The cool thing about this plan is that it is a periodization based plan that takes me from week to week to the end of the year. I will race 3 times between now and then with the final race being one where I will go for a Personal Record. If I can PR under 19:00 minutes that will be the first "official" finish I have at that pace. Any 5k finish at 18:59 or faster will do!

So, I'm on the hunt for a PR race between now and the end of the year. I will then take some time to relax and regroup before getting faster next year. Maybe 18:30 or better!

Workout Summary
Week 1 - Base
1 Mile Warm-Up at 8:15/mile
1.5 Miles at 6:58/mile - Tempo Threshold
1 Mile Cool Down at 8:15/Mile

Atlanta Hill Run - 300 Feet Altitude Gain / Loss

2009-08-09T17:19:00.003-04:00

One of the great things I've discovered about running around Atlanta is that the altitude changes are very unassuming. Yesterday's run was a little over 7 miles (7.25 miles based on Map My Run) of rolling hills. Those 7.25 miles had about 300 feet of positive and negative altitude changes. I was able to keep my pace steady, slow, and EZ. My heart rate averaged 144 bpm even with all the undulation so I would call that an EZ run.

These days, I consider anything over 7 miles to be a long run. Couple those miles with hills at every turn and you've got a great workout. I will probably run the same route next weekend. I saw a couple of other side streets that had some good long slow inclines. Depending on how I feel, I might turn those 7.25 miles into 9 or 10!

Online Training Logs - Which One Should I Use?

2009-07-31T11:56:00.004-04:00

So today I am scouring the web and looking for feedback from YOU on Online Training Logs that will have the most "bang for the buck", or those that are completely free and have a huge variety of features. Here are a few that I have seen and liked the most

1) Beginner Triathlete (free or pay)
2) Buckeye Outdoor (free)
3) Active Trainer (free)

Features
Now as far as functionality, I'm looking for a few things. Graphs are important because I like to visualize my training, plus graphs are just cool. In addition, I'm thinking the option to post workouts to twitter is kind of cool too.

Public access is also good so I can have someone check out my progress without having to log into my account. Options for swimming, cycling, and running is also a must. If there is one out there that can break up multiple workouts into Tempo Runs, Long Runs, Intervals, etc... that would be good to.

The ability to embed workouts, graphs, etc... into your blog is also of importance so you can spread the word on how bad ass you are.

If anyone knows of good sites out there that are not listed above, or if you are using the sites listed above and you like them or hate them ... I want to know!

Send me a message by using the contact info at the top of this blog!

Finally... A Morning Run then Double Espresso!

2009-07-28T17:34:00.006-04:00

My morning runs have been pretty much non-existent these days, not to mention my daily runs. However, this morning I pulled myself from the clutches of the bed, laced up my shoes, and head out at 5:30am for a pretty good run.

I had forgotten how dark it is here in Atlanta. There aren't too many street lights and even fewer cars so the darkness is near black with shadows cast from the moonlight if you're lucky enough to have a clear sky.

This morning was relatively clear, with a good moon overhead so I could see enough to make my way down the deserted streets.

My day has been amazing since that run. It started off with a great double espresso and egg sandwich. Plus, my energy level has been off the charts (and it is usually pretty HIGH).

I'm sure my coworkers wish I wouldn't take to the streets again tomorrow morning, but I don't think I can help myself!

Tour de France Cyclists who Twitter

2009-07-11T15:03:00.010-04:00

This is a growing list of Tour de France cyclists, teams, and commentators who twitter. I'm following them as they make their way through the Tour and it's been pretty entertaining so far.

If you're just interested in following a couple of them, I would suggest the American riders. They all seem to be active with their Tweets and they usually send pictures from team meetings, meals, and other escapades they go through throughout the week before and after each stage.

Let me know if you have any others I can add to this list!

Commentators
Craig Hummer
Bob Roll
Phil Liggett
Paul Sherwen

Teams and Cyclist Tweets

Cervelo Test Team - Cervelo Test Team
Carlos Sastre
Brett Lancaster

Silence-Lotto
Cadel Evans
Charles Wegelius

Astana - Astana
Johan Bruyneel
Viatcheslav Ekimov
Lance Armstrong
Levi Leipheimer

Team Saxo Bank
Andy Schleck
Kurt-Asle Arvesen

Rabobank - Rabobank
Laurens ten Dam

Garmin - Slipstream - Garmin - Slipstream
Jonathan Vaughters
Christian Vande Velde
Danny Pate
Bradley Wiggins
David Zabriskie

Team Columbia - HTC - Team Columbia - HTC
George Hincapie
Mark Renshaw
Michael Rogers

Team Quick Step - Quick Step
Steven De Jongh

Team Skil-Shimano
Fumiyuki Beppu
Koen de Kort
Piet Rooijakkers

Other Teams
AG2R La Mondiale
Liquigas
Française Des Jeux
Caisse d'Epargne
Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
Lampre - N.G.C.
BBox Bouygues Telecom
Euskaltel - Euskadi
Team Katusha
Agritubel
Team Milram

Thanks to @dannyhsu for starting this list.

Rest Day = More Tour de France Time!

2009-07-06T20:19:00.003-04:00

I had a run planned for today but our weekend in Destin, FL ended up taking more out of me than I thought. I had two great runs by the coast, so thankfully my fatigue is not all party induced. However, there were some late nights that took their toll on my early morning runs.

So, today I'm calling an audible and taking a rest day. Yes, I'll get up early in the morning and get some sort of run in at the break of dawn in the pitch black morning. Until then, I plan on getting some serious Tour de France time in!

3 Mile Easy Run in Sandestin with Route Map

2009-07-03T20:32:00.003-04:00

Today in Destin we woke up to beautiful weather. Last night's storm passed through and we were happy to see not one single cloud in the sky. I woke up at 6am thinking I would get in my run but my friend said he wanted to come along for the run so I hit snooze and we ended up heading out at 8am for what turned out to be a nice 3 mile out and back run.

Our pace was a comfortable one, and true to form, I ended up talking all the way through the run which can be a bit annoying to someone who is running and can't reply because they are sucking wind. Our run wasn't hard enough to destroy either one of us so the conversation was not entirely one sided.

Tomorrow it looks like I will be heading out on my morning run on my own. Will probably get a 10k run in, in honor of the Peachtree 10k that I will be missing for the second year in a row. I think I will try to make it next year, especially if it happens to be the last year we are in Atlanta.

Twitter Motivation for My Morning Run

2009-07-01T21:48:00.004-04:00

Today I finally pulled myself out of bed and went for a run before work. It almost didn't happen. 5am and the alarm sounded, so of course I turned the alarm off and went back to bed.

Five minutes later I grabbed my iPhone and read a tweet from a really fast runner I recently met and that gave me the motivation I needed to pull myself up from the pillow and lace up the shoes. I guess it is true that motivation comes in many forms. I would have to say that this is the first time I've seen it come in the form of a twitter post.

Monday is for Running EZ

2009-06-29T16:19:00.000-04:00

Today I put together a new training plan with the help of Runners World's training coach. I think it turned out pretty well. I low-balled the mileage and pace to make sure I wouldn't blow myself up the first week and what their system came up with looked pretty comfortable.

I'm looking forward to putting in some speed work too! Today, however, is an EZ 4 miles. I'm looking forward to that too.

Runners Running in the Heat

2009-06-28T15:22:00.002-04:00

As runners we tend to run whenever we have a chance to get outdoors. Today, like many days this summer, I had a good 5 mile run in the 95 degree weather. I ended up losing about 4lbs of water weight (give or take a pound). It was pretty brutal but a great run nonetheless. Looking forward to more of that in the coming weeks.

<--Me, 4 pounds lighter. Time to eat.

Do I want or NEED a running coach?

2009-06-25T11:57:00.005-04:00

I've been toying around with the idea that I, for some insane reason, need a running coach. Maybe someone who can point me in the right direction to get some personal records on distances from the 5k to 1/2 Marathon as well as some Sprint and 1/2 Ironman advice.

I'm trying to think of why I'm so bent on getting a coach. Perhaps it is because I want to be quicker, faster and stronger as an athlete. Or, maybe its just the fact that I'm jumping up to the 35-39 age group in 12 days and there is some sort of clock ticking in the back of my head telling me this is the time to build speed so I can keep up with those 30 and 40 somethings.

So I'm 34 now and hopefully will have at least another 34 years of running ahead of me. At any rate, I guess I'm on the market for a coach until someone (like myself) convinces me I don't need one. Until then... I'm on the hunt.

When in Doubt... Run Hills

2009-06-22T11:31:00.001-04:00

I have been wondering about my race results last Saturday morning. The pace was a little slower than I had hoped even though I nailed the middle of where my goal pace was set.

That 6:45/mile pace got me thinking about my speed and if I might have slowed down due to taking a number of weeks (months) off consistent training. So, I decided to put a nice little run together that involved a pretty good incline that would last almost a mile.

It is at times like these that challenging yourself can help your psyche. I figured, if I can run strong through this training run, then things probably aren't as bad as I think. Thankfully I powered through the hill in the 90 degree weather. It was a good idea and helped to reset my mindset on my current fitness level.

Time to start training. Seriously.

Magnolia Run for Epilepsy 4 Miler - Race Result

2009-06-20T18:13:00.001-04:00

Today's race was a lot of fun. Having a race that is right outside your front door, literally, is tough to beat. The race started at 7:30am but the heat felt more like noon. The route was a bit more hilly than I expected and it took more out of my legs than I wanted.

I ended up averaging about 6:45 per mile which was a good steady pace without pushing it too hard. Somehow I managed to pull 3rd place in my age group. This race marks my last race as an age grouper in 30-34.

Looking forward to next month's race!