Let the training begin!

I've recently got my training back on course and really getting over my last injury - which I hope will not be a recurring one. I'm encouraged with not only being able to run pain-free a few times a week, but also to be increasing the intensity of my pace.

So of course, we start to dream and aspire to greater, loftier race goals.

I even went as far as signing up for a race (more than a month in advance). Which happens to be the Superhero Half Marathon in Morristown, NJ.  In the last few years, I've been a race-day entry kinda guy-which stinks because you usually miss the swag bag 70% of the time.  So signing up so far in advance is quite an uncommon occurence for me these days.

But my lofty ideas didn't stop there---no. After reading  about the different marathons you've all signed up for and the posts on the Disney half and Elaine's rigorous race schedule (an ultra bookended with a couple of marathons) and the ultra at South Mountain, I thought--hey I used run in the woods for hours with the Hash House Harriers (H3), looking for flour & chalk marks, just to have a beer--then, maybe I can do this afterall?!

Do you think they'll mind if I'm yelling "on-on!" and "check" at each of the intersections during the race? RU?

 

Have you done this?

If you have done any of these, or countless other shameless things, just to get in a run... then consider yourself a Runner

... bought a pair of running shoes, just so you can run now - instead of waiting to run later?

... changed meetings at work so you could get in a run?

... bought clothes (socks?) from a street vendor, so you could run?

... "missed the church" of a wedding to get in a run, or travel back from a race?

... shown up "dirty" (and maybe a little smelly) at a function, because you couldn't get to a shower, post-run?

... bought all new running stuff (shoes, clothes, etc) because you didn't pack it on your business trip?

... considered the use of 'handi-wipes' equivalent to shower in order to run & make it to your next appointment
 
... changed or missed family functions to get in a run?

... scheduled a 'running meeting' with colleagues at work during lunch?
 

Now that the weather is starting to warm up and get nicer to run outdoors, you'll want to be sure to get that run in. So keep on getting creative and get that run in!


Keep running!

Amazing where inspiration and motivation can come from...

Attending our national sales conference this week, there are many team members who can be found in the gym, working out or hitting the roads for a run. In fact, it seems that after the last two meetings, there's an unspoken competitiveness we all share to be there working out, even if it means being there at 5:15 in am after flying to the West coast.

While there's no mention of distance completed or pace in our exchanges, there was sort of a turning point for me this week when the head of sales introduces me in the breakout session, not by the topic I was there to present but, "this is Jim, he runs like a gazelle and he's run, how many marathons?"

It almost parallels in experience to the first real road you committed to. Remember when you first told colleagues or family that you going to train to run your "first" 5K or half or even marathon? You hoped by telling them, you wouldn't talk your way out of it and would find the discipline to carry through.

As a result of this introduction, I now feel somewhat of an obligation to exceed my own expectations of what I can accomplish. To push myself further and to continue my discipline in training and recovery.

Strange. Funny how that happens.

Treadmill back in business?!

12 months of not working...

4 calls to Sears repairline...

20 minute service call...

and a total of 2,500 miles on the treadmill -- 

...now it's back in business!

I really didn't know what to expect when service FINALLY did get scheduled and showed up to repair my less-than-modern treadmill. Sure, it would have been easier to scrap it and just buy a new a year ago when it started to stutter and slip.

Last year, I did train outdoors leading up to the Superhero half marathon in May -- and luckily I had access to a small gym at work. With the cold weather not relenting in January and everything else that gets in the way -- it was not really conducive to getting to the gym for a run, so it was time to finally do something about it.

When do I get new shoes?

Now that the cold, cold days of winter are subsiding and we're being treated to warmer weather on the East Coast, people are starting to ramp up their miles again.

In the last couple weeks, I've now had a couple conversations with friends about when do you get new shoes. How many miles should you put on them? When will I know when it's time?

  As a general rule of thumb, you should put somewhere between 300-500 miles on a pair of shoes. Depending on hard your miles are; if your soles start getting worn -- its time to change them. But how do you remember when you started using them?

I find an easy reminder to be simply writing the date I started using the shoes on the heel. You'll need to track the total miles using your paper or online logs. And if you're rotating shoes - you'll need to remember to note which shoes you used in your training logs.

But writing the date on your shoe is a good way to have a more definitive way to track and remember so that you keep your shoes fresh and your legs healthy!