Hey, all y'all! I just looked at the calendar (yes, it's late in the day, but I'm slow -- I thought we knew that!) and realized Cowtown is ONE MONTH AWAY!! yee-haw! It's almost time to rock-n-roll!
Of course, Jason & Z have even less time before their day in the sun (hopefully not too sunny, but not rainy, either; perfect weather has been ordered for Austin that weekend!), but I thought I'd give a shout out to the group so we could start our countdowns!!
Have a great day and see y'all on Saturday!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The Warrior Run
Once while attending a coaching/training conference, one of the sessions in that conference was presented by the head strength coach of the Cleveland Indians. He was describing spring training, and once during spring training he puts the team through what he called the "warrior run". It was a hellacious event designed to develop mental toughness and a confidence that the players could handle some tough stuff. Well, I think we did our version of the warrior run on Saturday. I will have to admit that the last few miles of the 19 miler, once we got back on the trail and headed west, were brutal against the wind (and I am a cold weather kind of a guy!) I think it did wonders for me mentally. I hope all of you feel the same way about the training runs we have done in tough conditions and that they have developed a confidence in you that you can do what you have to do on race day! I'm looking forward to it.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
We are getting there
I was pleased to see that everyone seemed to have a good 18 miler yesterday. The group looks strong, neighborhood hills and all! If we can repeat that distance (18-20) a couple more times so that it seems fairly routine (both physically and mentally) we should all breeze through Cowtown. I like the idea of including the streets and hills in the long runs....it makes you much stronger. I also hope we have a day like yesterday for the race....conditions were very good....about the right temperature, not too humid, breezy but not a strong wind, overcast.
I also want to congratulate an ex-running partner on an unbelievable run in Houston this morning! The running gods were smiling on Texas this weekend....lets hope for another cycle on Feb 28!
I also want to congratulate an ex-running partner on an unbelievable run in Houston this morning! The running gods were smiling on Texas this weekend....lets hope for another cycle on Feb 28!
MLK Day Run
Hey everyone! I'm thinking I may do the MLK Day race out at River Legacy in Arlington tomorrow morning. It's usually a small race, with only a $10 entry fee (plus donation of school supplies for a local elementary school), and I've done it a few times in the past. The course is a loop with a small out-and-back about halfway through. Nice scenery through River Legacy, too, and a 10:00 am start time, so there's no crazy getting up early stuff.
Web registration is over, but they've got walk-up registration day of. Info is here, it's a good way to get in a quick run on a holiday and help raise money for a good cause.
Update: OK, so we finished in about 37 minutes, but my little guy did great. He was smiling and laughing, and there was only one small stretch where I had to talk him through the "I can'ts" before he got a second wind. And then we got this, which makes it all worthwhile to me.
Web registration is over, but they've got walk-up registration day of. Info is here, it's a good way to get in a quick run on a holiday and help raise money for a good cause.
Update: OK, so we finished in about 37 minutes, but my little guy did great. He was smiling and laughing, and there was only one small stretch where I had to talk him through the "I can'ts" before he got a second wind. And then we got this, which makes it all worthwhile to me.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Recent amendment to USATF headphones rule
Suh weet!!!!!!!!!!
Article from 12-22-2008
I found this link from an articled on runnersworld.com ....
http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2008_12_22_10_22_16
Jbone and I are running the Austin marathon, I went to their website and they have confirmed that because of the amendment, headphones ARE allowed for the 2009 marathon.
Article from 12-22-2008
I found this link from an articled on runnersworld.com ....
http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2008_12_22_10_22_16
Jbone and I are running the Austin marathon, I went to their website and they have confirmed that because of the amendment, headphones ARE allowed for the 2009 marathon.
Go, Read... she has something important to say
I thought I'd share a really insightful post from Kristin Armstrong on her blog today.
Many of you may recognize Kristin as Lance Armstrong's ex-wife, but I think she's overcome that initial point-of-fame and come into her own identity as a runner and an author (at least she has to me). She lives and trains in Austin, and in my mind, her perspective is more real and more compatible to me than Lance's; as much as you have to admire Lance's physical feats, I can never do what he has done. As a parent of small kids, she struggles with many of the same challenges I have, and I enjoy reading her column in Runner's World. Anyway, she talks about the importance of taking care of ourselves, and as we near our target race dates, I think it's a reminder we all should heed.
http://milemarkers.runnersworld.com/2009/01/refill.html
Many of you may recognize Kristin as Lance Armstrong's ex-wife, but I think she's overcome that initial point-of-fame and come into her own identity as a runner and an author (at least she has to me). She lives and trains in Austin, and in my mind, her perspective is more real and more compatible to me than Lance's; as much as you have to admire Lance's physical feats, I can never do what he has done. As a parent of small kids, she struggles with many of the same challenges I have, and I enjoy reading her column in Runner's World. Anyway, she talks about the importance of taking care of ourselves, and as we near our target race dates, I think it's a reminder we all should heed.
http://milemarkers.runnersworld.com/2009/01/refill.html
Monday, January 12, 2009
Hardest Part Ahead: Hang Tough
To all of you who made the run on Saturday, CONGRATULATIONS! The wind and cold was horrible, and every one of you in my group finished, with the exception of Roy, who had some really bad knee problems going on. (Roy, we hope you're okay.)
The next 2-3 weeks are mentally the toughest ones. You're slogging through some high mileage, the weather is uncooperative, and you're questioning your abilities to reach your goal. Once we reach higher mileage like this, you also start noticing aches and pains that weren't there before. This period is a bit higher in risk for injury, so you're a little panicked about that as well. It's okay. This is all normal and you're not alone.
The most important thing right now is to just keep going. These next couple of weeks are what your body will remember the most on race day. Once we peak with a couple of 20-milers, we'll drop from that point on and you're basically done getting your body ready for distance. Don't waste the opportunity to maximize your training right now by getting beat down mentally. Take the parts that hurt, that challenge you, and use them. Focus on overcoming them each week, make yourself face it head on. For me, cold and wind are the two things I really dislike. On days like last Saturday, I have to work very hard mentally to complete that run. I know from experience that an injury I have will hurt very, very much under those conditions, and I have to focus on making sure I don't allow that pain to rule the run. Our bodies have this amazing capacity to deal with severe discomfort, as long as the brain is on board. You just have to learn how to access the strength and resolve that's inside each one of us, and rely on it to pull you through. Putting in your mental miles is sometimes more important than your physical training.
Get rid of your mental crutches now. Take the gloves off and make sure you are prepared to run your race if EVERYTHING goes wrong. Stop acting like your watch is a God so when it malfunctions during your race, you're still fine because you don't need a watch to monitor what your body is doing. Quit comparing yourself to the person next to you and run your own race on your own terms. Finalize your nutrition and eating routines and do NOT change them, even if someone tells you they have a miracle pill that will make you run faster. Make sure your shoes are in good shape and you have a back-up pair. Decide what clothes you will wear in every possible weather scenario: hot, cold, wet, snow, ice, whatever. Getting all of these things out of the way will allow you to concentrate on the fun part -- running.
Last of all, try to keep the spirit of fun that attracted you to the sport in the first place. No offense, but none of us are candidates for the next Olympic team. Sometimes I see folks so wrapped up in a PR or shaving a few minutes off their time that they have lost all perspective. I'm not saying you shouldn't have goals -- I'm just saying you'll reach them alot faster if you retain a love of the sport and some purity in your own body awareness.
gijan
The next 2-3 weeks are mentally the toughest ones. You're slogging through some high mileage, the weather is uncooperative, and you're questioning your abilities to reach your goal. Once we reach higher mileage like this, you also start noticing aches and pains that weren't there before. This period is a bit higher in risk for injury, so you're a little panicked about that as well. It's okay. This is all normal and you're not alone.
The most important thing right now is to just keep going. These next couple of weeks are what your body will remember the most on race day. Once we peak with a couple of 20-milers, we'll drop from that point on and you're basically done getting your body ready for distance. Don't waste the opportunity to maximize your training right now by getting beat down mentally. Take the parts that hurt, that challenge you, and use them. Focus on overcoming them each week, make yourself face it head on. For me, cold and wind are the two things I really dislike. On days like last Saturday, I have to work very hard mentally to complete that run. I know from experience that an injury I have will hurt very, very much under those conditions, and I have to focus on making sure I don't allow that pain to rule the run. Our bodies have this amazing capacity to deal with severe discomfort, as long as the brain is on board. You just have to learn how to access the strength and resolve that's inside each one of us, and rely on it to pull you through. Putting in your mental miles is sometimes more important than your physical training.
Get rid of your mental crutches now. Take the gloves off and make sure you are prepared to run your race if EVERYTHING goes wrong. Stop acting like your watch is a God so when it malfunctions during your race, you're still fine because you don't need a watch to monitor what your body is doing. Quit comparing yourself to the person next to you and run your own race on your own terms. Finalize your nutrition and eating routines and do NOT change them, even if someone tells you they have a miracle pill that will make you run faster. Make sure your shoes are in good shape and you have a back-up pair. Decide what clothes you will wear in every possible weather scenario: hot, cold, wet, snow, ice, whatever. Getting all of these things out of the way will allow you to concentrate on the fun part -- running.
Last of all, try to keep the spirit of fun that attracted you to the sport in the first place. No offense, but none of us are candidates for the next Olympic team. Sometimes I see folks so wrapped up in a PR or shaving a few minutes off their time that they have lost all perspective. I'm not saying you shouldn't have goals -- I'm just saying you'll reach them alot faster if you retain a love of the sport and some purity in your own body awareness.
gijan
Monday, January 5, 2009
The New Year With All Its Resolutions.....
Happy 2009, everyone! I've been out of the loop, so to speak, with all the holiday hooplah. How's everyone doing?
Kudos to those of you who did our 15-miler Saturday. The humidity, warm temps, and blustery winds made it a difficult little jaunt. The folks in my group did fantastic, with everyone finishing strong!
This time of year there are lots of promises to work out more, eat better, etc., and I've noticed my gym gets really crowded -- for about a month. Once February gets here, it will go back to the "regulars," and all those good intentions will have been thrown by the wayside. The drive-thru at McDonald's will do a brisk business, and drivers with Big Mac sauce running down their triple chins will clog the freeways. Every media station known to man will run shows on new diets or pills that make the fat melt away without getting off the couch.
You probably think I sound cynical, but that's not it. My point is that a healthy lifestyle requires effort. Period. No matter how many times we ring in a New Year, that just isn't going to change. If you want to gain muscle, get your butt into the gym. If you want to lose weight, start doing some cardio. There are no pills to do it for you, and there are no immediate results. It takes focus and dedication. Those of you training right now already know this. Z-Man mentioned on Saturday's run that the longer mileage is a "good reality check," and he's absolutely right. There are no short cuts when it comes to endurance training. You simply have to gut it out. Some are more genetically gifted than others, but nobody gets a free pass. If you don't do the work, you won't get the reward. And if you think you can't or it's too hard or you aren't strong enough, try watching some true endurance events. I watched the Kona Ironman on TV a few weeks ago, and a 72-year old woman finished it. So did a guy with one leg. Did you watch the "other" Beijing Olympics?? That would be the Para Olympics -- and if you're feeling lazy or sorry for yourself, there's nothing like seeing athletes with physical disabilities compete in track and field events to make you realize you should shut up, lace up your running shoes, and be grateful you can head out the door.
2009 is here, and along with it comes new opportunities. What are your goals, and are you ready to work for them? I missed alot of bike time last year due to my schedule, and this spring you'll find me logging in road miles and being thankful I can do it even when I want to hurl. I also plan on learning how to swim, the very thought of which causes me to start hyperventilating. Wish me luck. What are you going to do?? 2009 is here and it will be gone quickly. Get busy.
GIjan
Kudos to those of you who did our 15-miler Saturday. The humidity, warm temps, and blustery winds made it a difficult little jaunt. The folks in my group did fantastic, with everyone finishing strong!
This time of year there are lots of promises to work out more, eat better, etc., and I've noticed my gym gets really crowded -- for about a month. Once February gets here, it will go back to the "regulars," and all those good intentions will have been thrown by the wayside. The drive-thru at McDonald's will do a brisk business, and drivers with Big Mac sauce running down their triple chins will clog the freeways. Every media station known to man will run shows on new diets or pills that make the fat melt away without getting off the couch.
You probably think I sound cynical, but that's not it. My point is that a healthy lifestyle requires effort. Period. No matter how many times we ring in a New Year, that just isn't going to change. If you want to gain muscle, get your butt into the gym. If you want to lose weight, start doing some cardio. There are no pills to do it for you, and there are no immediate results. It takes focus and dedication. Those of you training right now already know this. Z-Man mentioned on Saturday's run that the longer mileage is a "good reality check," and he's absolutely right. There are no short cuts when it comes to endurance training. You simply have to gut it out. Some are more genetically gifted than others, but nobody gets a free pass. If you don't do the work, you won't get the reward. And if you think you can't or it's too hard or you aren't strong enough, try watching some true endurance events. I watched the Kona Ironman on TV a few weeks ago, and a 72-year old woman finished it. So did a guy with one leg. Did you watch the "other" Beijing Olympics?? That would be the Para Olympics -- and if you're feeling lazy or sorry for yourself, there's nothing like seeing athletes with physical disabilities compete in track and field events to make you realize you should shut up, lace up your running shoes, and be grateful you can head out the door.
2009 is here, and along with it comes new opportunities. What are your goals, and are you ready to work for them? I missed alot of bike time last year due to my schedule, and this spring you'll find me logging in road miles and being thankful I can do it even when I want to hurl. I also plan on learning how to swim, the very thought of which causes me to start hyperventilating. Wish me luck. What are you going to do?? 2009 is here and it will be gone quickly. Get busy.
GIjan
Sunday, January 4, 2009
So??? How did we do yesterday?
Let's hear about how everyone's long run went yesterday -- I saw Coach Jim had us scheduled for 16. How did it go?
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