Whatever the Race Distance, Always Cut the Tangents

This weekend I participated in a small local 5k, and as we ran, I wondered why so many people were not cutting the tangents. They were staying right in the middle of the right lane of the street as if they were in cars, but they were racing, and the race course included the whole street.

You know how some phrases stick with you for years? Little bits and pieces, chunks of conversation from years past. Maybe this doesn't happen to other people, but it happens to me. Anyway, one time, about 20 years ago, I was running a race called the Women on the Run 5 Mile Run. It was my best race, ever. I was running along with another woman, and she said to me, "Cut the tangents." I'll never forget that. 

That's the first time I had ever heard such a thing. I've been cutting the tangents ever since.

The idea is to always take the shortest line between two points. Always look down the road and take the most direct line. For example, if you round a corner, always be looking ahead to the next corner. You want to take the shortest route to that next corner. That's cutting the tangent. Over the course of a race, even a 5k, you can save many steps that way. If you don't think that matters, think of those last steps before the finish line. Wouldn't you like to get there faster? Even if it's just a dozen steps, that's huge.

Consider this, on Saturday, I took 3rd in my age group; 2nd place beat me by just 1 second. I gave it my best shot, but I couldn't catch her, even cutting the tangents. Had I not cut the tangents, it wouldn't have been nearly that close.

When race directors measure the course, they measure according to the shortest distance between two points. Shouldn't you do that? Once you get in the habit of doing this, you'll do it automatically.

So no matter the distance of your next race, make sure you cut the tangents because there is no reason for you to run a longer race than anyone else.

Keeping Your Eye on the Target Race

Oh, man! This time of year is tough if you're like me and you love to race. Yesterday was a killer. We had a race downtown, a popular 5k along the Bayshore, but the annual John Holmes 50k Trail Race and 16 mi Fun Run was yesterday morning as well, and that one is held in the spectacular Withlacoochee National Forest an hour north of here.

I wanted sooooo badly to do both races, but alas, it was not possible.

There are so many races at this time of year, and with cool autumn temperatures, my heart wants to do them all, but my brain says, "Whoa! Wait just one minute! Don't you have a half marathon in a few weeks, and don't you have a marathon a few weeks after that? And aren't both of them goal races?"

"Well, yes," my heart says.

"Well then," says my brain, "you better stick to your training plan. You can't have your cake and eat it, too."

(I hate cliches; so my heart is now really aggravated!)

If you want to achieve your goals, then you will have to forego some of the shorter local races because you need to be doing your long runs on some of those days."

"Yeah, yeah," says my heart. "You're just ruining my fun with all that logic."

Of course, my brain is right. Sometimes we have to let go of immediate pleasures in lieu of achieving our longterm goals. That's life. Oh, how I hate cliches.

So, I'll try to refrain from racing every weekend, but it won't be easy. If you find yourself struggling with this same internal dilemma, you're not alone.

Personally, I'm currently on a one-marathon-a-year schedule, and I've been doing them in the fall, but I think next year I may switch to a spring marathon because that would make my fall planning a bit easier. We'll see.

In the big picture - yet, another cliche - there could be bigger problems, I guess.

No, I'm sure of it.

4th of July Snippets and Snapshots

Many people around the country feasted at a BBQ over the weekend and most probably enjoyed some fireworks, too, but many runners celebrated in true running style by adding a road race to the mix.

At the end of an amazing 4th of July weekend, only one word comes to my mind, "Whew!" Actually, it's more of a sigh.

I raced Saturday morning at the Lutz Independence Day 5k and then again that night at the Kiwanis Morton Plant Mease Midnight 5k in Dunedin. 

Velma Radloff, Karen Hasque, Hilda Kee, Diane Bennett, Debbie Voiles, Jackie Bernabe, Michael Kimling, and Lee Casteris at the Lutz Independence Day 5k.

The character of each race was distinct; the Lutz race was part of a very traditional, red, white, and blue, small town 4th of July celebration. The race would be followed by a parade, of course, but by the time the parade started, most of the runners were sitting down to breakfast somewhere.

My first snapshot is a snippit of conversation with a mom and her two very young runners. Both were wearing race numbers that were as wide as they were. The boy was not yet three, and his sister looked to be no older than five.Oscar Brown, age 2, finishing the one mile with gusto.

 We asked the mom if it was his first race, and she said, "No, it's his second." He was so tiny, so adorable, and so excited. Clearly, not intimidated by the race, the crowd, or anything else. This little one was ready to run. He would do the one-mile kids run. His mom said he ran the whole thing last time, and the look on his face said it wouldn't occur to him to do otherwise.

Sarah and Tommy Brown with Oscar (#500), Izzie (#2922), Emelina, and friends.

Big sister, clearly a veteran racer, was also decked out in red, white, and blue, including a whole collection of patriotic barettes in her red hair.

Turns out that is one excellent running family. Dad, Thomas, was 4th overall, 1st in age group, mom, Sarah, PR'd, and took 4th in her age group, Izzie, 11, won her age group and was 2nd overall in the 1 mi. with 8:35, Emelina, 5, won her age group with 10:06, and Oscar, on those tiny 2 yr old legs, finished in just 19:13. Impressive!

Karen Hasque and Lauren Murphy with their awards.

It had been raining for most of the last 48 hours, so we weren't surprised to feel a few drops during the race, but that cooled it off a little; although, it was still in the 90's.

At 9 seconds over my PR, I was satisfied with the race and happy to take home a unique 4th place trophy.

That was Part 1 of my 4th weekend. From there, I headed home to relax, nap, and inbibe in a couple cups of coffee before heading over to Dunedin for Part 2, the Kiwanis Morton Plant Mease Midnight Run.Linda Rush and Wendy Voiles

Wendy arrived at the race site 15 minutes before me and texted me, "Ready to run in the rain?"

I replied, "I'm a swimmer, remember?" Actually, I was thinking, only half kidding, "Maybe that will give me an edge." I pretty much grew up in a pool, and I mean that literally.

Standing at the starting line, I reached for my Nano to dial in my 'FAST' playlist, but, uh-oh, a blank screen. I had just unplugged it before leaving. It would be no big deal to run without it, but this meant my Nano was broken, and that was serious.Cynthia and Dave Parlante

One mile into this race, I was a whole minute slower than in the Lutz race, so I knew this would be a slower race, but it's not all about new PR's. This day would absolutely be a great speed workout, no matter what my time.

At around the 1 mile mark, I heard a mom running nearby call out to her son, running just in front of her, to see how he was doing. Of course, he was doing fine. He looked to be 7 or 8.

Not long after, the little boy started to pull away. This time she called out, "Want to slow down Big Guy?"

I loved his response, not because it was anything profound, but because of the classic expression, the tone, so familiar to any parent, so typical of a child responding to mom. Just a one-syllable word, but it had about three syllables the way he said it.Carl and Letty Simmons

"Nooooooo!"

That said it all. He was having fun; he was having a blast, and the only thing that could ruin it for him would be if he had to hold back.

Everyone within earshot laughed, and a few made comments. One man even intoned, "Moooooom!" in exactly the same expressive multisyballic tone the little boy had used.

Even more laughter then. That was better than the music on my Nano.

My finish time? Two minutes slower than my morning time, but, go figure, I took home a 2nd place plaque this time. The hardest part of earning it was waiting until after 1 a.m. for the awards ceremony. I was one tired girl by then, but it was great visiting with the other runners and comparing notes.

My friend Karla Turner PR'd in the 10k. Woohoo! I know that was worth staying up for.

Another friend Kevin had done the same races I did, and he had exactly the same finish time in the midnight race as he had in the morning race, 16 hours before, right down to the second.

Actually, many had done two races that day, and many, like my daughter Wendy and Linda Rush, had done two races that night, the 5k and 10k. The 10k started 50 minutes after the 5k. Wendy and Linda both PR'd in the 5k. Linda took 1st place in her age group in the 5k, breaking 21 minutes for the first time. She took 4th in the 10k, even though she ran that as more of a training run. Still, she carried home two plaques.

Wendy Voiles and Debbie VoilesCynthia Parlante and Letty Simmons were there, too. Cynthia is in the middle of intense triathlon training, and Letty did the race as part of her prep for her first half marathon, the Women's Magazine Half, in November.

Some people had even done the Lutz race that morning AND the Midnight 5k AND 10k that night, a pretty good workout, I'd say. Yes, a lot of people were doing a lot of racing and running over the weekend. I get a thrill just being around so many lovers of life, so many likeminded, outdoorsy, athletic, adventurous people. That gets my heart beating faster just like the running does.

I rolled into bed at about 3 a.m., after setting my alarm for 6 a.m. for Part 3, the Run Tampa Group Run.

At 8 a.m., Sunday, 15 of us met for the Run Tampa Group Run. Of that group, Kevin, Karla, Velma, Karen, Diane, Linda, Wendy, and I had all done a race the day before; so, for most of us it was to be an easy recovery run. However, with many people training for marathons and longer in the fall, several people still did a long run.

We set off to run our various distances in a misty rain, but a few miles later, it was pouring. No lightning, so the rain was cooling. I had planned to do just a 5 mile recovery run, but by the 5 mile mark, I felt great, so, deep into conversation with my good friend Sandy Graham, I knocked out 8.5 before heading for dry clothes, eggs, and grits.

When I got home, my husband hadn't even made my half of the bed, knowing I'd be needing a long, sweet nap, and, of course, he was right.

Endorphins: A Runner's Best Friend and Worst Enemy

Endorphins are generally a runner's best friend because they make us continue to do something that is extremely healthy and worthwhile, but just like other 'highs,' they can cause us to use poor judgment, and if that happens, they can be our worst enemy.

If you are a runner, you know about endorphins. In fact, they are what gets you out the door day after day. They are what makes you love running. It is difficult to explain their effect to anyone who has not experienced it, but if you have, you fully understand.Technically, endorphins are hormones that your body releases during exercise.  They make you feel good, even, dare I use the word, high. In addition, of course, once you have experienced that feeling, you will yearn for it again. Hence, your motivation to run miles and miles, day in and day out, year in and year out. Running keeps you healthy, so if endorphins keep you running, then endorphins can only be good, right?

Well, in the big picture, since endorphins are what keep you running, they have to be considered good, even wonderful. Still, use them with caution. Here's why:Once in a while, they may cause you to use poor judgment, and that can have drastic results. Like any other chemical that makes us feel good, sometimes endorphins make us do foolish things.

This is how it happens. You go for a run or maybe you participate in a race, and you feel good. You feel great when you finish. That's when they can become a problem. Sometimes they cause you to ignore your better judgment and do something you shouldn't do. It's not likely to be as problematic as deciding to drive drunk, but it happens the same way. While endorphins are raging in your veins, you may make a decision to run a few more miles or to do another race, or to continue with more training or cross training.

I told this story once before in a podcast, so if it sounds familiar, that's why. Feel free to skip over it.  A few years ago, I did a 5k race on the 4th of July. I had an excellent time and felt great afterwards. Oh yes, the endorphins were surging. Afterwards I went out to breakfast with my friends; then I felt even better. The camaraderie of my running buddies always enhances my mood.

When I left the restaurant I thought about the fact that I hadn't worked out at the gym in a couple of days, and happened that the gym was right across the street; so I went over and worked out my upper and lower body.

By then, the endorphins were surging even more. I felt like Super Woman.The exercise room in that gym is two stories. The cardio machines are on the second level overlooking the workout floor.

Well, I decided to do some sprints up and down the stairs to the second level. I did this about four times. Then, I decided to do a quick brick. If you've never heard that term, it refers to doing two parts of a triathlon back to back, usually biking followed by running. I got on the stationary bike and spun for 15 minutes, keeping my rpm above 90. Then, I immediately got on the treadmill and did two miles with periodic leg turnover drills. That's when you work on getting 180 foot strikes a minute.

I must have been looney toons to do all that in one morning, after a race. Oh, I felt great when I was finished, but by that evening, I felt dreadful. I felt dreadful for the next 48 hours, and I was not feeling like myself again for several days. I even had trouble sleeping. It's hard to explain how I felt. I would describe it as excited and anxious. I felt like I just couldn't relax.

I did NOT feel like Super Woman. I felt like STUPID woman. I had allowed endorphins to dictate my behavior. Rather than benefiting from that workout, rather than moving closer to my long-term goals, rather than making me fitter and faster, it interrupted my training and necessitated my taking it easy for about a week.

More importantly, while I was feeling lousy, I had to listen to that little voice in my head telling me how foolish I had been. I was very fortunate that I didn't injure myself.

Never let endorphins influence your thinking.

Here is another endorphin related problem I have seen and personally experienced. You do a race, and it's a great race. Afterwards, you're hanging out with your friends, and everyone is talking about what race they plan to do next. When they encourage you to do a race that you hadn't planned on doing, one that is only a couple of weeks away from another race that you plan to do, you can't resist and you hear yourself saying, "Yeah, I think I'll do that." And, once committed, even after the endorphins wear off, you feel you should stick to your word.

The moral of the story is that you should respect endorphins, recognize your well-earned endorphin high for what it is, and enjoy it, revel in it, but don't make any rash decisions. Always stick to your training plan. Wait a few hours until you come back down to earth. In the meantime, never continue training unless those other physical activities were on your prescribed, carefully planned training schedule.

The thing is that you don't ever want endorphins to influence your judgement and cause you to do something that might result in an injury that might derail your running. If that happens, endorphins will be your worst enemy, at least for a while.

Resolve to Run More and Train Better

Millions of people will make New Year's Resolutions. If you are reading this, you are probably a runner. Your resolution - or one of them - will likely be to train more, to train better, to do your first 5k, 10k, half marathon or marathon.

Maybe you will resolve to improve your training. Everybody can do that. That's my goal. I'll be more consistent, let fewer interruptions interfere, and do a better job of sticking to my training schedule.

However, I also resolve to keep my running in perspective, to prevent it from ever coming between me and my loved ones; rather, I will make sure that running provides me with the solace, the meditation time that I need to make me a better person. I will use that quiet, private running time to clear my mind, to de-stress, to improve my focus, and prepare me to make the most of all the other facets of my life.

Running can do that; it should do that.

I resolve to lose 10 pounds. Running is a great way to burn calories, and that will help me achieve all the other goals; so, in that sense, it's the most important one.

In 2010, I will run another marathon, and I will lower my time by ten minutes. I resolve to prepare for that marathon by building my base up to 60 miles per week.

I will also drop my 5k time 45 seconds. I will complete at least one Olympic distance triathlon, and I will spin more. Specifically, I will average one spinning class per week.

Notice that these goals are concrete and measurable. That's important because that way at the end of 2010 I will know whether I have achieved these goals.

If you have not considered what your 2010 will look like, it's time to start thinking. Here is an idea: Whatever your running accomplishments have been in the past, why not venture into another type of running? If you have been running on the road, why not plan to do an off road race? Why not try a longer distance race, a relay race, a triathlon, or an urban adventure race?

Why not resolve to join a running group? If you have not trained with a group in the past, you will be amazed at how it will improve your training, making it more consistent, but more importantly, making it a social experience that will enhance your life, perhaps even as much as the running does.

Why not resolve to mentor other, newer runners? How about resolving to volunteer at more races? There are plenty of ways to make your running life even more worthwhile. Start thinking. Make sure you set specific measurable goals. Rather than, "I will run more, determine how many miles you averaged in 2009, and set a goal for how many miles you will average in 2010. Then keep track. If you haven't kept a journal of your training in the past, that is a goal itself. Don't overdo it, but analyze your running life - well, your life - and consider what would be the most important changes and set goals regarding those changes.

Here is an idea: I will start a new page of this website where people can state their resolutions. Email them to me, and I will make it a new page for everyone to see the goal (s) you've set for yourself. Maybe that will help you stick to those goals. Have you ever noticed how when you set a new goal for yourself, it helps to say it aloud and tell your friends? That's a great idea; they will encourage you to keep your nose to the grindstone. That's what friends do :)

Whatever your resolution, whether you share it here or with friends, here's to your success. Pretend we're clicking champagne glasses - clink - and taking a drink. Cheers!

Turkey Trots, Jingle Bell Runs and Reindeer Races

I love this time of year. Thursday morning I enjoyed a local Turkey Trot event where many, many people feel compelled to dress in various outlandish costumes. Oh, there are a few dressed in traditional pilgrim garb, but I am always amazed at the number of people sporting all manner of turkey headgear. And mind you, these are people who probably dress and behave perfectly normally, even coservatively the rest of the year. I just love it. I love that they don't care how ridiculous they look, in fact, they relish it. 

But the costumes are just part of the story. Thanksgiving races bring out whole families, and for many, it is a longstanding tradition. They race in a 5k or 10k first thing Thanksgiving morning, creating a calorie debt that will be more than paid later in the day.

The extended family groups are easy to spot. They usually all dress alike, and they always take a group photo. Now, that's a tradition that deserves attention. These families are teaching the kids that fitness is important, but equally important, they're teaching the kids that fitness is fun. Imagine that. Now, all these families can easily have found an excuse not to participate. For one thing, there's a turkey to cook, sweet potato casserole to bake, green beans to snap, and pies to prepare, but these families clearly have their priorities in order. It's not just about the running, just like it's not just about the eating; it's about doing those things together, appreciating that everyone is here on this day, giving thanks for each other.

Well, sometimes everyone is not here, as is the case with my family. My son couldn't get home this year, and there are still two empty chairs where my brother and sister would be if they were still alive.  They are always missed, but never more than at this time of year. So, we give thanks for the health that we have, and we remember those who should be around the table.

In the next few weeks, the scene described above will be repeated at many holiday themed races. Tomorrow I'll be at the Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run. There are sure to be many people in reindeer ears and santa hats, all wearing jingle bells and smiles.

Eveyone's life seems extra hectic at this time of year, but  make sure to schedule at least one holiday race. Don't worry about your time or whether you've trained enough to do a PR. Just remember, it's about being fit and enjoying the fellowship of likeminded individuals. And, one more thing, take the kids. Even if they don't, won't, or can't run, they need to see you do it. The example you set by making running a daily ritual is the most valuable gift you will give them this holiday season.