Boston Stories

I don’t know about you, but the last several weeks have worn me out. The Boston bombings were just so horrific. We were all wounded, in a sense.

I had many friends in Boston, either on the race course when the bombs exploded or nearby.

The ensuing weeks have reminded me of the incredible resilience of the running community and the goodness of 99.99% of humanity.

This post is dedicated to the people who died in the Boston bombings, those who were injured, whose lives will never be the same, to the runners who finished and those who were stopped, to the first responders, to the City of Boston, and to runners all over the world, who were all affected by this tragedy.

I will always remember where I was and what I was doing when it happened, and I’m sure you will as well.

This post will not be sad. We’ve had enough sadness. I will focus on the resilience I just spoke of and the random acts of kindness perpetrated all over that city and around this country in the hours and days since that tragic event.

One of my favorite quotes comes from David and Kelvin Bright:

"If you're trying to defeat the human spirit, marathon runners are the wrong group to target."

First, from Laura Wellington of Boston, this story:

I was 1/2 mile from the finish line when the explosion went off. I had no idea what was going on until I finally stopped and asked someone. Knowing that my family was at the finish line waiting for me, I started panicking, trying to call them. Diverted away from the finish line, I started walking down Mass Ave towards Symphony Hall still not knowing where my family was. Right before the intersection of Huntington, I was able to get in touch with Bryan and found out he was with my family and they were safe. I was just so happy to hear his voice that I sat down and started crying. Just couldn't hold it back. At that moment, a couple walking by stopped. The woman took the space tent off her husband, who had finished the marathon, and wrapped it around me. She asked me if I was okay, if I knew where my family was. I reassured her I knew where they were and I would be ok. The man then asked me if I finished to which I nodded "no." He then proceeded to take the medal off from around his neck and placed it around mine. He told me "you are a finisher in my eyes." I was barely able to choke out a "thank you" between my tears.

Odds are I will never see this couple again, but I'm reaching out with the slim chance that I will be able to express to them just what this gesture meant to me. I was so in need of a familiar face at that point in time. This couple reassured me that even though such a terrible thing had happened, everything was going to be ok.

And this from a post by Erin Gloria Ryan on the Jezebel.com site. The post is titled, "The People Who Watch Marathons." I hope you'll click the link and read the whole post.

“One of the many puzzling aspects of yesterday's attacks was the question of what, exactly, the perpetrators thought they'd accomplish by targeting what basically amounts to a celebration of human tenacity...If anything, the tragedy in Boston will further solidify the bond between runner and spectator. And when the Chicago marathon happens this October, I'll show up to run harder, and they'll show up to cheer louder. If anyone thought this attack would discourage the runners or the watchers, they've clearly never been to a marathon.” 

And from my good friend Ellen Gerth:

Having qualified for the Marathon at age 50, I was super excited to run this world renowned race.  I had run Boston three times in my early 20s and was eager to have the opportunity to run it again 30 years later!  Yet, not long after qualifying, I began suffering from IT Band Syndrome– a tendon injury that afflicts many runners and often takes months to heal.  But I didn’t have months. The Wednesday before the marathon, I decided I wasn’t physically able to run Boston – my injury was still giving me a lot of grief,  and I hadn’t been able to put in the training miles needed to run a very hilly 26.2 course.  The following morning, however, I had a change of heart. After eking out 5 miles, I decided that I’d attempt the marathon, acknowledging that I’d run cautiously...and slowly.  It was such a privilege to have qualified, and I knew that the chances of my qualifying again were pretty slim.  I told myself that if my leg gave out, I could always walk…or even hop a cab.

The morning of the race, while waiting with a friend in Hopkinton, where all the marathoners gather prior to the race start, I was feeling really good.  I knew that I had made the right decision to be there.  The exhilaration I felt at the race start kept me on the Marathon course until mile 25.5 when I was abruptly stopped – along with all of the runners in front of me.  I had definitely fallen into the runner’s ‘zone,’ oblivious to the noise and events around me, focused on one thing only: running through the finish line, and I knew I was almost there.  I never did hear the explosions that impacted so many innocent lives. Yet, I did hear sirens…lots of sirens.   While waiting on Boylston Street, the tragic news spread rapidly amongst the runners and the spectators.  We were in complete shock and disbelief.  How could this have happened, and why?  I decided then it was time to start moving.

A runner I had befriended was shaking in her sleeveless tank top.  I gave her my arm sleeves since I had a long-sleeve shirt that I had tied around my waist during the marathon.  I was grateful that I had not unloaded the shirt along the way.  I grabbed my new friend’s arm and said, “Let’s go. We need to get out of here. We need water.”

We also needed to find our runner’s bags which were supposed to be at the finish line. They carried our warm clothing and cell phones. Thankfully, I had been able to reach my husband via another runner’s cell phone – so my family knew I was OK. 

Arm in arm, my new friend and I held on to each other tightly so our bodies would warm each other against the cold. Our trek through the city looking for our baggage would turn into a three-hour odyssey in which we would meet amazingly generous people despite the heartbreaking events surrounding us. 

It began with the bouncer at the tavern who brought us two large ice-filled glasses of water to take with us on our journey. We then visited Dunkin Donuts to buy warm coffee and bagels. Here the manager was giving out free hot chocolate to the bedraggled runners entering her shop. I will never forget this woman’s face and her apparent deep concern for all of her clients…most of whom were runners trying to figure out what to do and where to go.  She kindly gave us three garbage bags to shield us from the wind, the third for another runner who joined us, also hoping to find her personal possessions. 

I soon learned that my hotel, two blocks from the finish line, was in lock-down. A policeman calmly told me, “We’ve heard there could be a 4^th bomb.”  At this point, I decided we needed to pick up the pace.  It was getting late and we were all shaking terribly from the cold.  Thankfully, runners along the way – who had finished the course early and had the good fortune of showering and being fully dressed – gave us their reflector blankets to help keep us warm as we confronted the setting sun.

Three hours after being stopped at mile 25.5 of the Boston Marathon, and 10 miles later, I was permitted to enter my hotel, having finally located my worldly goods.  More importantly, having returned to the warmth of my bedroom, I immediately thought about all of the compassionate people I had encountered that day: those that shared their cell phones as we all frantically tried to reach our loved ones, those who freely gave out food and drink, and of course, the police officers who answered our anxious questions, patiently and thoughtfully in the midst of the chaos and tragedy that had shattered so many lives that day. These vivid memories of human kindness will remain with me always and will carry me through my next Boston Marathon.

And from Frank Streine, a member of my coaching group:

Frank Streine I for one actually hope it will not change races forever...at least not in any way that it detracts from the overall experience.

I'm new to the racing thing, had never done a single one until this year and they are events that you really have to do to appreciate. There's that sense of camaraderie, that sense of accomplishment and that competitive spirit that tells you you're going to catch and pass that guy ahead of you.  Even if that person is yourself and the goal is a PR for that distance.

Letting the cowardly act of a terrorist, domestic or otherwise, change our behavior is exactly what they want. That innocent folks died is tragic. Mourn those lost, pull together and support each other but don't change what you do or why you do it.”

My thoughts:

That evil act has changed us, like it or not, in these ways: 
1. We will all run with more enthusiasm, commitment, and conviction than ever.
2. We will love each other even more, if that's possible.
3. We will appreciate every step, every spectator, and every volunteer at every race like never before.

Famous People Who Run Fast

Need a bit of inspiration? Check out these famous people who run fast - or, in some cases, ran - fast.

Oprah Winfrey - Marine Corps Marathon - 4:29:20 

George W. Bush - Houston Marathon - 3:44:52

Apolo Ohno - NYC Marathon - 3:25:12

Alanis Morissette - 4:28:45

Kyle Petty - Las Vegas Marathon - 4:18:34

David Petraeus - Omaha Marathon - 2:50:53

Bobby Flay - NYC Marathon - 4:01:37

William Baldwin - NYC Marathon - 3:24:29

Sean Combs - NYC Marathon - 4:14:54

Drew Carey - Marine Corps Marathon - 4:41:39

Will Ferrell - Boston Marathon - 3:56:12

Clarence Thomas - Marine Corps Marathon - 3:11?

Sarah Palin - Humpy's Marathon - 3:59:36

Harry Reid - Boston Marathon - 3:16:xx

Anthony Edwards - Chicago Marathon - 3:55:40

John Edwards - Marine Corps Marathon -  3:30:18

Ryan Reynolds - NYC Marathon - 3:50?

10 Days Into 2013: Your Running Resolution vs Your Life

Ten days have come and gone already. Let me save you some math time.

If your resolution was to run 1,000 miles in 2013, that's 2.84 miles x 10 = 28.4 miles. 

Check your running journal. How are you doing?

If your resolution was to run 1,500 miles in 2013, that's 4.26 miles x 10 = 42.6 miles.

Of course, you know me, I would never suggest or expect or want you to run the same distance every day. That would be a terrible training plan. (If that surprises you, listen to my earliest podcasts).

No, the point is just this question: Are you keeping up with your resolution? If you are already behind, maybe it's time to do some self evaluation. It's not too late. Ask yourself why you're already behind.

Your answer is probably that you're still getting caught up from the holidays. Maybe your houseguests were still here until a couple days ago. Maybe you were out of town, skiing for some of those ten days. Maybe - gulp - you've had or your children have had that dreadful flu that's going around.

Are these valid reasons to get behind? Well, that's for you to decide. Here is my take on it:

If you were skiing, you were getting plenty of exercise, and you were on vacation. Some things are more important than running, and taking a vacation with the family - or friends - is one. Doing something you love that you don't get to do all year round is one.

Yeah, even I would say that. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense to excuse yourself from the group activities to go off for a solo run. Most of the year you're not at Breckenridge; you're in Hoboken. If you get my drift. Haha! Pun intended.

If family members have the flu, maybe you're in nurse mode. That can be rough and scary as you try to maintain your usual responsibilities while also covering for the ill family members, trying to avoid those germs, and worrying all the while that you'll be the next one stricken. But, if you can get out for a few miles, just remember that you don't get sick from being cold; you get sick from germs, and the germs are not outside. So getting out of the house and breathing clean, germ free air, is a good thing. I can't tell you what's the right thing to do, though. It's your life.

Just take a moment to think about this. If you are already behind on your resolution, take a few minutes for introspection, and decide if you really didn't run because you made a conscious decision not to run. If so, was it a wise one? It very well may have been.

On the other hand, did your life take control and did you forego the decision-making process? Did you just realize, "Hey, I've already missed 10 miles of running"? That's not good. You have to be the boss of you. You have to keep track of whether, at any given minute, you are spending your time in the best possible way at that moment.

Say it's your daughter Angie's birthday, and you normally run on the treadmill at lunch, but you think "How much would she appreciate it if I took her to lunch? That would mean a lot to her." Deciding to do that instead of running today sounds like an awesome idea to me.

Life is full of decisions, and maintaining your running resolution for 2013 will require you to make choices regarding your busy life every day.

My message for you is to be conscious of what you are choosing to do all the time. That way you'll have no regrets.

Do what you choose to do, whether it's going for a long run on your favorite wooded trail, sitting in your Adirondack chair in the back yard, enjoying peaceful moment or taking a loved one to lunch. You be the boss. You make the decisions, and you will be happy when 2014 rolls around.

It's all about perspective. It's cliche, but look at the big picture, not just 2013. That's the small picture. Maybe your resolution for this year should be to be more careful and deliberate about your time. If you accomplish that, you'll be more likely to achieve all your resolutions.

Above all else, resolve to keep your running in perspective, letting it enhance all other parts of your life.

Overtraining: The Downfall of Many Runners

When you've run enough races, when you've read enough running books, when you've listened to enough running friends, you know that there are a couple of irrefutable rules of running training.

One of them is this: If you overtrain, you will be sorry! If you are lucky, your only consequence will be that instead of continuing to improve, you will start to feel a bit draggy, and your times will get slower. If you are not so lucky - and this is far more common - the consequence will be more tangible in the form of an injury.

So, don't do it. 

That sounds so easy, but as a coach, I'll tell you, I've told many people that they are overtraining, that they need to cut back, that they need more rest, that their bodies are not getting enough recovery time, that it will be okay to take a couple of days off, that they can skip their long run this week, that it's too close to their goal race to do yet another long run, but time and time again, they do it anyway. 

I have a name for it, training inertia.

The problem is that when runners get in their groove, when they've been sticking to their schedule, they cannot stand to disrupt their momentum. Well, that's understandable, but when they need to cut back because their body is telling them they're doing too much, they need to listen. They forget that the end result of optimal fitness is the goal - or maybe a PR is the goal. Either way, overtraining will move them away from their goal, not closer to it.

The point is that the training is not the goal, sticking perfectly to a schedule is not the end goal, running a certain number of miles per week is not the end goal. Running schedules are arbitrary. What works best for one may not work best for another, and what works best for one person one season may not work as well the next. There are too many variables.

Training is the means to the end goal. It takes great discipline to stick to a training regimen, but it is harder yet to depart from that oh-so-carefully laid out plan. Yet, optimal training requires that you perform the most appropriate quantity and intensity of running and cross training throughout training, and to do that, you almost certainly will need to depart from the plan - or more correctly - alter the plan, from time to time, based on your body's feedback. Don't think of it as cheating on the plan; think of it as personalizing the plan to your own body. Isn't that ideal?

The wise runner follows his schedule only until his body says, "Whoa, too much, back off!"

Now, that won't always happen, but it often does, and the runner who turns a deaf ear is just plain foolish. That runner has lost sight of the purpose of the training. The wisest runner, on the other hand, is a keen observer, always checking for any sign that the body needs something different. It's much easier to blindly follow a schedule, but those who quickly respond to their body's needs will be rewarded in the end.

As in virtually every facet of life, more is not necessarily better. There is a fine line between pushing your body to achieve new goals and pushing your body just a bit too hard.

In the next post, we'll look at the signs of overtraining. 

Motivation to Run

1. Make sure you're using a calendar/journal to record all your training. Don't just write down what you do, write down what you are supposed to do on each line or on each square, then make a slash and write what you actually did. You'll hate writing 0's where you should be writing a number of miles.

2. Use social media to connect with other runners. For example, anyone can write on the Mojo for Running wall. I'd like to see much more discussion there. My local group's FB group's page has over 1,000 members, and on any given day, 50 people may post or comment. They ask for advice, encourage each other, and hold each other accountable.

3. Make sure you have a schedule. It's not good enough to say, well, I try to get in _____ number of miles per week. You need a plan!

4. Your plan should have a beginning or base building phase, a middle where you're starting to do more speed work as you get closer to your goal race, and a final tapering phase. This will help motivate you because when you look at the grand scheme, you can see that it falls apart if you screw up any segment of the three.

5. Run with someone. Some parents get in the habit of getting one of the kids to come along on the bike for accompaniment. Another idea is to join a running group at a local YMCA or at a local running store. These groups are usually widely diverse, and they always welcome new members. 

Five Reasons to Have Fun With Fartleks

I love fartleks, and I recommend them to everyone. A fartlek s a workout/run which is simply divided up by segments. You vary what you do during each different segment.

1. They break up a workout, making it interesting and fun

2. They are a great way to incorporate speed work

3. Fartlek segments can be done virtually anywhere with the segments determined by mail boxes, tenths of miles, property lines, minutes, light poles, etc.

4. The possible variations are infinite.

5. They can be appropriately and effectively utilized for runners of all levels from beginning runners to veteran runners.

So get out there and do them! 

Oh, you want some ideas? Okay, you've got it. My next post will be a list of suggested fartlek workouts.

Love this anecdote from one of my runners:

You know you are a runner when you see an email that starts off "less than 24 hours until the race" and you immediately start wondering what race you signed up for and have to read the first paragraph to realize they meant the political race.....

                                                                                           -Thank you Melissa

Don't Let a Running Store Employee Ruin Your Day

I coach a large and diverse group of runners. Some have run many marathons and ultras, but just as many are new to running, and I work with some people who are still working up to running their first whole mile. I love working with these newbie runners because it is so rewarding to see their transformation from couch potato to athlete.

It's not easy to get them there, and the hardest part is the mental part. After 30 to 50 years of living an identity that is distinctly not athletic, these individuals have a hard time seeing themselves as runners, but usually by the end of the first couple of weeks, I've got them to accept the idea that they will eventually finish a 5k, that they can run, that they will be an athlete, and I love witnessing this transformation.

Imagine how disappointing it is for me, then, and especially for that person, when he visits a running specialty store, and is treated with condescension and disinterest.

This happened the other day to one of my new runners.

I have all my runners use metronomes for at least a part of the workout each week, and it has been hugely beneficial, even for the newest runners. My thinking is that it makes no sense getting them running, and then, after they can run a few miles, starting to work on their form and stride rate. No, I don't do it that way. I get them started with a high cadence from the beginning, and even my most out of shape runners take to it right away. Rather than have them strive to run as far as they can without stopping and then stumble to a walk, huffing and puffing and miserable, I have them start out with just running 10 to 20 steps at a time, but I have them do it at 180 strides per minute. Anyway, I'll talk more about this technique and how it works with new runners in another post, but the point is that we use metronomes a lot and many of my runners have purchased their own metronomes.

Well, one of my runners went into a running store recently and asked if they had metronomes. The first employee just gave him a bewildered look and said she didn't know what it was. The second employee said, "Oh, god! I hate those things! I hate it when I'm running and somebody gets near me with one of those things!"

That was all it took. The new runner left the store. He had planned on purchasing shoes as well, but the store lost his business, and he told me he won't be going back there again. No, when we next met, this new runner was totally deflated. That happens easily. He didn't say this, but I imagine he left that store thinking, "What was I thinking? I'm not a runner! Why did I think I could do it?"

That breaks my heart. Running store employees need to be especially careful not to be condescending. For example, they should assume everyone who comes in is a runner. I've had other runners, runners who didn't have a runner's body - which by the way is the case with most runners - say running store employees assumed they were walkers or that they were buying shoes for someone else. 

What a shame. I guess this happens because most of the employees at running specialty stores are experienced runners, either high school cross country runners, college cross country runners, or post collegiate elite runners. Clearly, they can't relate to the average Joe, but that is really dumb because if they would turn around and look behind them anytime they stand at the starting line, they would find that their body, what they would define as a 'runner's body' is not the norm at all. 

The fact is that newer runners will buy many pairs of shoes, expensive running watches, etc. As they get more and more serious, they'll enthusiastically buy more and more gear. Any running store should be extremely happy to attract these customers. They should, in fact, cater to them. Middle of the pack and beginner runners are their bread and butter.

If you or anyone you know is ever treated with anything but respect when you shop at a running specialty store, please, don't give up and walk out. I know the owners of many running stores, and none of them would want their employees to behave that way. Please, ask to see the manager or owner, and express your disappointment in the treatment you received, and if you have a running coach, tell her or him. 

As for me, I did have a discussion with the store manager, myself, and that manager was extremely appreciative.

Increase Your Stride Rate aka Your Running Cadence

Do you every work on your cadence. When I say cadence I’m referring to the speed of your leg turnover. It’s also known as stride rate. We measure it/refer to it as the number of strides per minute.

Have you ever given that any thought? Obviously, if you’re in a race,  you probably try to run faster by increasing your cadence, but beyond that have you ever thought much about it? About your all-the-time cadence?

It’s also often referred to as your stride rate. It’s important – at least it should be – to all runners. 

Amazingly, though, it seems that this element of running doesn‘t get much attention, and to me, that’s just crazy because it’s a way that every runner can improve. It will improve form, help to prevent injury, and increase speed. That's a lot of benefit for what most runners will discover is not an extremely difficult task to achieve.

In fact, it’s relatively easy to increase cadence. I would even go so far as to say that it is the most efficient – and by that I mean the quickest - way to improve running performance.

I have found that it’s helpful even with beginner runners because increasing leg turnover tends to improve form in a distinct way that makes any runner more efficient in several ways. I work on improving stride rate with even my most beginning beginners. After just a few minutes, my newest runners look at me with disbelief, saying something like “Wow, that’s easier.”

Of course, they didn’t expect it to be. No one does. It sounds like it would be more difficult, but because it involves simultaneously shortening your stride, it is actually, easier.

Eliminating Overstriding

When runners work on increasing their cadence, their running form improves.

Most runners overstride. In other words, they reach out too far with their feet. That’s generally because they’re trying to take big steps. The result is that this often means they strike with their heel, slowing down their forward progress because that’s a braking motion. Also, their foot is in front of their knee, not under their center of gravity. None of that is good. So, how does this all come together and what does it have to do with cadence?

Shorter Strides

Well, in order to increase your cadence, you must shorten your stride. Most people think that’s a bad idea, but it is not. Taking smaller steps causes several good things happen:

 

1. You tend to adopt a form that is a more circular motion, like pedaling a bike, which is ideal. It’s natural and efficient. 

2. With this circular motion, you’ll spend less time on the ground, a good thing. It makes you lighter on your feet. I’ve seen 250 pound men who were light on their feet and 110 pound women who pounded with every step. Ideally, your steps should sound like tap, tap, tap. I was lucky to spend an hour with Danny and Jennifer Abshire, inventors of Newton shoes. I thought I was pretty light on my feet, but Danny kept saying, "Tap, tap, tap" as I ran back and forth, from one end of the Newton Lab to the other. I learned much that day; running lightly was only the beginning. I've found that shortening my stride and using a circular motion, also recommended by Abshire, is extremely helpful. (Check out Danny's book Natural Running here.)

3. High cadence makes it virtually impossible to overstride.

4. You land on your midfoot, which I think is the best place to land for most people. Some people may not be able to get completely off the heel, but they can definitely get to the point of landing on the forward most portion of the heel, an important distinction. It demands that the knee be flexed, which is essential because then the knee joint becomes a natural shock absorber.

5. A shorter, efficient stride is much easier to maintain for distance running, too, because it requires less energy.

6. A shorter stride will help get your center of gravity over your foot when it strikes the ground, and that’s exactly what you want.

7. Longer strides will make you faster, of course. If a runner does nothing but increase his stride length but takes the same number of strides over a given distance, then he will reach the end faster IF he can take those strides as quickly as he could complete shorter strides.

On the other hand, he can also get faster by taking shorter strides by taking them faster, by increasing not the stride length but the speed at which the legs are moving. THIS is the more effective way to get faster, and it’s much better from an injury prevention, knee preservation, joint preservation standpoint. So, the shorter strides needed to achieve a higher stride rate are beneficial to your running in lots of ways.

Are there any bad results of shorter strides? As a matter of fact, no. Seriously, if you’re worried about being slower because your stride is shorter, don’t worry. It happens every time. When one of my clients works on increasing cadence, they always run faster. And I don't mean that after six months of working on improving stride rate they get faster. I mean even after only a few weeks, they start to see their time drop.

Once you start working on this, you should see your time drop in your very next race. I’ll repeat that: After you work on leg turnover for just a couple of weeks, you should drop your time in your very next race.

In my coaching group, we spend lots of time training for improved cadence, and all my runners do well with it. 

Sometimes veteran runners contact me because they are stagnating. Just the other day a woman emailed me. Her issue was that she just couldn’t seem to drop her time. She raced regularly and thought she was training hard and well, but just couldn’t seem to PR anymore. 

In cases like that, I have many ideas, but one I always check is cadence. That, alone, can often get a runner off of a running plateau.

About two months ago, Michael joined my coaching group. He had been running for years but mainly shorter distances and had never had any coaching. I immediately had him begin working on shorter strides and faster cadence.

He had been training with us for about a month when we did a local 5k. He PR’d by a good bit. After the race, Michael said that he was about a mile into the 5k when he remembered to concentrate on faster cadence. He immediately started passing people. At first he just assumed the other people were slowing down, but when he continued to pass people for the rest of the race, he realized he was running faster, and he ended up with a great PR.

I had another friend who had already done many marathons before he started working on increasing cadence and shorter strides. When he did, he stopped getting achy knees the day after a marathon, which had always been a problem, and he started running faster than ever before, setting a PR in his very next marathon.

How to Find a Running Group

One of the wisest moves any runner can make is to join the local running community. If you think you enjoy running now, just wait until you surround yourself with other likeminded people. Most towns of any size have at least one running group or club. I hope that the information below will help you connect with other runners in your town. 

1. Start with the Internet. Do a search for "your town + running," "your town + running club," and "your town + group run."
2. Check the RRCA (Road Runner Clubs of America) website.
3. Check with local YMCA's. Some host free runs; others may charge a fee, and still others will require that you be a member.
4. Do an internet search for "running coach + your city." Even if you're not looking for coaching, a running coach should be able to point you to a running group.
5. Visit local running stores. Most host weekly runs, but even if they don't, they should be able to point you in the right direction.
6. Ask the cross running coaches at local high schools and colleges.
7. Check Craigslist.
8. Ask other runners you see at local parks and trails.
9. Check the local newspaper.
10. Ask other runners at local races, and ask the race director, too.
11. Ask at local gyms. Many of them will sponsor a running group.

One caveat: Ask about the demographic of the group; mainly, find out how fast they run. The variety of running abilities, intensities, and experience mean that every group will not be right for every runner. If you find a group, run with that group, and decide that group is not for you, then move on to another one. There are plenty. My local running group includes all abilities, ages, experience levels and people training for every conceivable type of running event, but that's the way I organized it and promoted it from the beginning. Keep looking until you find a good fit.

Or, start your own running group. It's easier than you might think. 

Running Friends and Mental Health

Ideally, we are all intrinsically motivated to get out and run. For 25 years,  that was me. I ran solo 95 percent of the time, and I thought I was happy with that. Then,  my none-running life changed, driving me to seek out a running group.

• For one thing, I found myself on a running plateau. After all those years of running, I just wasn’t improving anymore. As a matter of fact – and some of you may have experienced this – I crossed the finish line of three consecutive 5k races with exactly the same time down to the second.

Group run at Bayshore, June, 2012.

• Two, I was lonely. Suddenly, several situations in my life converged. Specifically, I left the teaching profession, which meant I went from interacting with around 200 people each day to - on some days - zero. At about the same time, my youngest went off to college on the other side of the country.

• Three, my sister died, suddenly, at age 48. That sounds harsh to say she ‘died,’ but I’m not a fan of euphemisms, especially when it is something as tragic as losing my sister. I never say ‘passed away’ because it sounds too gentle. There was nothing gentle about it, for me, my family or anyone who knew Laurie. 

My runs became cathartic, healing trips through the woods, and many of them would have needed to be solo runs, anyway, as I coped with what had happened, but I also needed friends around me, lots of friends. At that point in my life, I realized that while I thought I had many friends, they were mostly more acquaintances than friends, and I needed friends.

I had never endured that kind of heartbreak. It wasn’t depression so much as a sense of crushing overwhelm.

 

Not long after that, I took an online test. I can’t remember what it was called, something like the Real Age Test. You had to answer something like 100 questions, everything from diet to exercise to number of friends to how often you spent time with close friends to family and how often you spent time with family. It even asked if I had lost a family member or close friend.

In the post test explanation, it explained that certain life factors had the psychological impact of making you physiologically older. That was the case with losing a close friend or relative. I can’t remember how many years, but the formula added a couple of years of age if you had lost a friend or relative within the past year. 

 

Conversely, it subtracted a couple of years if you had many close friends and subtracted even more years if you frequently spent time with them. That’s because research shows that having close friends and spending lots of time with them enhances our mental health.

 

Of course, as an aside to this topic, exercising and eating well also subtracted yars, the more you exerised and the better you ate, the more you got to subtract.

 

Anyway, it was several years later when I finally sought out a running group. Making new friends who shared my passion for running seemed like a wise decision. Looking back, it’s one of the smartest things I’ve ever done.

 

When I joined a running group, everything changed. As I started to do speedwork at the track, my time dropped. I was finally clear of that running plateau.

 

As the months passed, my circle of friends grew. I went to running camp with them, I shared long runs with them. We travelled to destination races, enjoyed breakfasts and dinners and lifted many glasses of wine.

 

Eventually, I became a certified coach and started organizing weekend trail runs.  I had come to cherish my time running on wooded trails and realized most runners won’t venture out into the woods unless they know the trails and are with a group, for safety reasons and for peace of mind. It was a perfect fit because I missed teaching and interacting with lots of different people.

 

Fast forward a few short years. My weekend group runs continue to grow, and every time I make new friends. Today, 52 people came out, some for their first run with my group, Run Tampa, and some for their 40th or 50th run.

 

The group is exactly what I envisioned when I started it. Today’s group ranged in age from 15 years up to people in their early 60’s, and there were representatives of every age in between. We had people who did a walk/run of 3 or 4 miles on up to quite a few who did 12 miles. Everybody benefits from the company of everyone else.

 

Before each week’s run, there is always someone planning on joining us for the first time who emails me and says, “I’m nervous about running with a group. I’ll be my first time.”  Or they’ll say, “I’m worried about keeping up with the group.”

 

After they join us once, they understand that my group runs are by design unstructured. Every time, I encourage everyone to do their own thing, not to try to keep up with faster runners, but to go their pace and just fall in with others going that pace. 

 

These newer runners don’t realize that trying to run fast isn’t the best way to, in fact get faster. They assume that since I am a running coach, I would encourage them to run fast, but, I don’t. What they don’t realize is that I’m much more interested in them building a love of running and making new friends to share in the experience. The result will be that they’ll get in the habit of running more miles, and that will be more critical to making them faster, although that's not nearly as important as the healthy benefits of just running with friends. With time, I think they all come to realize and apprecate that.

 

The best times of all for me are long hours spent running through the woods with my running friends. 

I am the luckiest person in the world. They make me laugh often and smile constantly. Even as I write this, I am thinking about the next run. 

 

I still cherish my solo runs in the woods and still find time for a long solo trail run at least once a week, but the runs I share with my running friends are every bit as valuable. 

 

It’s been 12 years since I lost my sister; sometimes it still seems like yesterday, but with the help of running and my running friends, I have healed, well, as much as anyone ever heals from such a loss. I thank my friends, my sport and Mother Nature for that.

 

Have your running friends been instrumental in help you cope with a loss? Have they enhanced your mental health? If so, send me an email telling me about it. Send it to deb@mojoforrunning.com, and maybe I’ll include it in a future post. 

How to Find a Running Coach

Have you ever considered getting a running coach? Someone recently emailed me to ask how to find a running coach in her part of the country. Since I imagine that's a common question, I thought I'd share my answer here:

• Go to the RRCA (Road Runner Clubs of America) website RRCA.org, and click the ‘Find a Coach’ link. Then you can click your state to find a list of coaches according to city. Depending on the size of your city, you may not have any options, but you may have several. If there is no coach in your immediate area, then check surrounding areas. Even though those areas might be too far away, if you find a running coach there, that coach may know of a coach in your area. The coach wouldn’t be an RRCA coach if not listed on the RRCA site, but if there is no RRCA certified coach, then at least you can get a recommendation from an RRCA coach.
• Another way to find a running coach is to check with your local running specialty stores. They may have a coaching program that operates out of the store. My one caution here is to make sure their coach is prepared and experienced to coach people of your level of ability and experience. 
• If a running store doesn’t have a coaching program, they should be able to recommend a coach in the area.
• Another option is to check with the cross country or track coaches at local high schools.
• Check for an online running coach. It’s not the same as having a coach work with you in person, but it is an option. A good online coach will likely be of greater benefit than an ‘in–person’ coach who lacks experience or knowledge. 
• I can help. Sometimes, you can get along pretty well on your own, but you need to touch base with a coach on a regular basis to check-in and ask questions regarding your training. For that reason, I offer a coaching conference via phone. This actually works very well. We can begin with a 45 minute conference, and then we can schedule a 20 minute conference every couple of weeks, once a month or on an as needed basis.
• My Mojo for Running podcasts will provide you much of the information you need. The fact is that many coaches don’t ever explain the things I teach you in my podcasts; but the first several podcasts teach you the training principles that should guide you.
• Another option is to buy my book. Even if you’ve already completed several 5k’s, this book will teach you how to train to proceed. In fact, even people training for a half marathon will find much information that will help them train correctly and ensure success. 

In the next post, I’ll explain the benefit of having a running coach.

Runners Over 50

It always kills me that in running circles, technically, I am a grand master. I won the grand master award in a race a while back, and I felt like looking around to see if there was another Debbie Voiles whose name they had called. 

What? Grand master? Are you kidding? That just knocks me out. Seriously? Come on!

When I was still a teacher, teaching 9th graders, I was in far better physical condition than most of the students in my class, and I'm just as fit now, years later.

Yeah, yeah, I'm 58, but I run only a little slower than when I was in my 30's, and I do many things better. I couldn't run a marathon then and certainly not an ultra marathon.

I feel great, too. I think 50 is the new 40, and 60 is the new 50 and so on. Actually maybe 60 is the new 40. 

I'm not even upset about turning 60. In fact, I'm looking forward to it. I try to remind myself that I'm not supposed to look forward to it, but my overwhelming thought is that it will be a cynch to qualify for Boston.

That's a runner for you. Always seeng the positive in every situation. I'll be darned if I just can't seem to get worked up over my age. The main effect it has on me is that it motivates me to take care of myself in every aspect, including eating well, getting the recommended checkups, making wise financial decisions, and, as you know, keeping very active. I am driven to do all this because I've still got an extremely lengthy bucket list, and while I'm pretty good at moving through it, I'm even better at adding to it. The longer I live, the more I realize I want to do with my life. My biggest worry is that I'll run out of time.

I am a work in progress. I wonder if all runners feel that way? 

Frequently, people tell me they're too old to start running. They think 50 is old. For most of them, I'd say it's time to start living, really living. If they can't conceive of being that active, they need a mind reset. 

Wouldn't it be great if people had a reset button? Oh, I'm not saying I want people to be like robots, but I do wish there was a way to get people to clear out cobwebs and give every part of their life a fresh look.

As I get older, I am more and more delighted to discover great stories of what older people are doing, and as a result, I've decided to start a separate page of this website devoted to master and grand master runners. Watch for it soon.

Today, I came across this video of an 86 yr. old gymnast. Love it! 

Cross Training Confusion and Mistakes

Ten years ago, most running coaches would tell you that it's a mistake to cross train, that to be a better runner, you need to run more or do more speed work. Well, starting the season with a higher mileage base is always a good idea, and speed work will be effective for virtually any runner who built up an appropriate base, but cross training will certainly improve any runner's fitness in a variety of ways.

We now know that the right cross training performed at the right time in your training cycle at the right time in your weekly schedule will help you reach your running goals:

• It will improve your form.
• It will make you run faster.
• It will build muscle endurance.
• It will help to prevent injury.
• It will make your training more interesting.

Unfortunately, there is much misinformation and miscommunication regarding cross training. Many coaches just tell their runners that cross training is good and that they should do it on their off days. I see that as a huge problem because some of those people may interpret cross training to mean a spinning class while others will hear strength training, and still others will hear "yoga." That's quite a diverse set of activities, with wide variance as regards intensity. They are all beneficial to runners, but it's critical to understand how they must be integrated into the running program in order to provide benefit rather than hinder progress or foster an environment ripe or injury.

First, the term "cross training" is comprehensive. The only general/comprehensive comment I would offer regarding cross training is that it is excellent and that some form of cross training should be practiced by all runners, but I would only say that is true with the caveat that each type of cross training be implemented appropriately. It's important to consider that what is appropriate for one activity would not necessarily be appropriate for another and that what is appropriate for one runner might not be appropriate for another.

Another consideration is that what would make perfect sense in mid cycle would be ill advised during the last couple of weeks before a goal race.

Let's start with the most gentle form of cross training, walking. Walking is excellent exercise, and it is not too easy/gentle for any runner. Sometimes runners will want to put in some more exercise but at a time of the week when they have no business doing anything intense. Walking, in that event, is a great choice. It uses some of the same muscles, but it is, by anyone's standard, low intensity.

Some people would say yoga is even more gentle, but that is not necessarily the case. If a runner has been practicing yoga for a while, then it can be gentle, I suppose, but if an individual only practices yoga on occasion, then it may be strenuous and could even cause injury. Yes, that's correct. 

How about swimming? That can be gentle, but it can also be intense. Like biking or roller blading, swimming is excellent cross training for running, but if done intensely, it is preferable to do it on a 'hard' day to leave the rest day for true rest, active rest is fine, but a swim practice wouldn't be considered active rest except perhaps for highly trained athletes. 

I often get into the conversation of when is it right to do intense cross training like a hard bike ride, swim practice, etc. The answer is a compromise. I say go ahead and do it on one of your easy days if that's the only possible way to fit it in your schedule, but be sure to keep the other 'easy' days truly devoid of any intense exercise. This will work well for most runners.

More experienced runners will be able to get by with two intense days back to back once in a while, especially if they involve two entirely different exercises, but I wouldn't do it every week.

One important consideration, though: Stop all cross training one week before any goal race, and don't do anything intense the week before that during your taper. If you do, then you will disrupt your taper, and it will be less effective. You've got nothing to gain by cross training the week before your big race, but you have lots to lose, perhaps minutes.

Five Reasons to Run a Marathon

1. You should run a marathon because you won’t have to spend the rest of your life trying to decide whether you should do one. You can cross it off the bucket list. The accomplisment will stoke your fires to drive you on to the next great adventure.
2. Every other race distance will seem much easier, and a 5k will seem like a warmup. Once you’ve done a marathon, you’ll feel like you can push hard for a whole 5k because it will seem so brief. Therefore, running a marathon will likely produce PR’s in all other distances.
3. It will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, and that is a huge character builder. Come on, you love a challenge, don’t you?
4. You can put a 26.2 magnet on the back of your car. Go ahead, admit it, you want one.
5. They run marathons on The Biggest Loser. If you do a marathon, you will feel like The Biggest Winner, today and F-O-R-E-V-E-R, and you will be right. Once you’ve done it, it will always be there as a major life accomplishment, empowering the rest of your life.

10 Reasons to Run Gasparilla

Friday starts with the 8 On Your Side Health & Fitness Expo. Then the first race of the weekend is the 15k on Saturday followed by the 5k. Sunday starts with the half marathon followed by th 5 + 3k. Details here.

1. Because the races generate enough energy to keep you going like the Energizer bunny for a good, long while.
2. Because there is an event for everyone, even walkers, wheelchairs, and strollers.
3. Because come Monday morning you’ll go to work wearing awesome bling around our neck.
4. Because sleeping in is over-rated. . . okay, no, it’s not, but just this one weekend, it’s worth it to get up and run.
5. Because you’ll have an excuse to talk like a pirate all weekend.
6. Because you’ll get to wear your sweet race t-shirt all year!
7. Because Gasparilla is at the core of running in Tampa. It’s the big daddy, the first event of its kind in this part of the state, the event that started 35 years ago.
8. Because Susan Harmeling and her crew know how to do it right.
9. Because every runner you run into for the next few weeks will ask you about Gasparilla weekend.
10. Because the 8 On Your Side Fitness Expo is to Tampa runners what the Detroit Car Show is to car fanatics, what the Dog Show is for canine lovers, what the Indy 500 is for lovers of auto racing, what St. Anthony’s is for bay area triathletes, what  . . . okay, you get the picture. Now, get registered. It’s too late to register online, BUT you can still register at the Expo. Schedule is here.

Two Reasons Why You Shouldn't Do Your First Marathon

To lose weight. The fact is that most people will gain weight when training for their first marathon unless they watch what they eat. This is true. You're going to be hungrier, and it's easy to adopt the mindset that you can't possibly overeat when you're doing all those miles. Well, guess again; it's quite possible. On the other hand, if you're sensible and healthy about your diet, then you will lose if you want to lose.

Because someone else wants you to do it. It's easy to get sucked into someone else's enthusiasm, and often that's a fine thing. All of us have committed to races just because our friends are doing them, and we don't want to miss the adventure; however, a marathon is a whole different animal. To do it safely, you must train purposefully and religiously. It requires a big commitment that will affect all the other people in your life. You need to want to do it for yourself. If you do, great, but if not, you will not have the drive to stick to the training and prepare properly.

Stretch and Strengthen to Prevent Knee Pain

Extremely helpful video for preventing and understanding knee pain in runners. This Navy physical therapist does an outstanding job of explaining how to stretch and strengthen to prevent knee pain and IT band pain. 

Runners: Grab Your Pencils - or Calculators

Pencils? Yes, I know, they seem like anachronisms. Maybe I should have said, "Grab your calculators." 

It's time to do the year end tally. That's right. Get out your running journal. It's time to calculate the details of your running year and discover whether your running training lived up to your hopes.

How many miles did you run?

How many miles did you average per month? Per week? Per day?

How many races did you do of each distance?

Now comes the hard part. Look at your totals for 2010 and your running resolutions for 2011. Did you achieve your goals for the past year? Hopefully, you had clear, defined goals for total miles per, number of races, etc. 

How did you do? If you achieved your running goals, fantastic. Pat yourself on the back. Revel in your accomplishments.

If you didn't? Don't beat yourself up. Lots of times things happen that are beyond our control. 

Maybe you're saying, "I did not achieve my goals, and it's my fault, all my fault. I could have achieved my goals, but I was a slacker. I spent too much time on the couch when I should have been running."

If that's you, I still say don't beat yourself up about it. Why not? Because running should NEVER cause you stress. Brooding about having a less than stellar year will not change anything. No, just resolve to make this the year you really get serious with your running, the year you make it a priority, the year you head for the closet to get your running shoes before you head for the couch to grab the remote. Don't dwell on last year. Keep that running journal because you will need it at the end of 2012 to compare to 2011.

Use 2011 to motivate you to stick to your running resolutions in 2012. In fact, maybe you should print out your year end totals and put them on your mirror or fridge where you'll be reminded every day that you did not meet your goals for 2011. While it's important not to beat yourself up about it, it's also important not to forget it.

Remember the definition of wisdom? It's learning from the past, not repeating mistakes. So, if you're even a little wiser now than you were a year ago, the way to prove it is to stick to your resolutions for 2012.

Consider this: 2012 is a clean slate. It will be what you make it. Every day is an opportunity for change, for improvement, for accomplishment, whether that is more running miles, faster miles or more races.

Make your running life better in 2012, and the rest of your life will likely follow suit.

Maintain Your Mileage Right Through the Year's End

We've almost polished off another year of running. Hopefully, at the start of 2011 you analyzed your running during 2010 and set new, higher, yet realistic goals for 2011. One of them, logically, would be your total mileage and average weekly mileage. As we bring 2011 to a close, don't back off. You've got only a couple more days. Make them count. On Sunday, January 1st, you'll be looking back over your running journal and adding up your miles. 

I hope you are already thinking about next year.