If you have read the previous post, below, you have already seen my sermon about being vigilant to avoid fluke injuries as the marathon approaches. So you know, avoid things like unicycles, rugby, frozen fish....
Read for yourself. This is from Steve "I Hate Running But I'm Training For Another Marathon" Williams. He wrote me to point out yet another way to get a fluke injury.
I was at the grocery store a couple of weeks ago, when it was hot. So I was wearing sandals (open toes)...and of course I was in a hurry. On the top shelf in the frozen foods section were the frozen juices. I needed a couple of cans. I swung the door open and quickly grabbed a couple with one hand and spun around to put them into the cart. Well, those darn cans can be pretty slippery I found out, and one slipped out of my hand and dropped from the top shelf, scoring a direct hit onto my big toe! The immediate pain was so intense that I thought I had broken my toe, and I'm sure there were a couple of kids in the aisle who learned a few new words that night! It's been about three weeks now, and that toe still has some color to it, but luckily it's not too sore anymore. Just wanted to share with you another "foot protection" story, something a guy wouldn't even think about, until it actually happens; but believe me, I am now very aware of not dropping items (slow down, firm grip).
You can go crazy trying to imagine every possible fluke injury you can get. So I guess just slowing down and being careful is the best we can do. Are there any other fluke injuries out there, that you know of, that we should be careful to avoid this week?
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Don't Be Like Mike
I want to write about some mistakes I have made. And I want you to appreciate the major editing skills this post will take. Because when I look back on my catalog of mistakes, I am impressed and a little depressed by its length. Luckily, I'm going to edit out all my past mistakes that are non-taper related.
So this leaves out all the lapses in judgment I had, well, pretty much every weekend of college. It also excludes the time when I was ten and told my dad I didn't finish raking the backyard, even though he told me to because ""I don't really want to and the Cowboys game is on." Cripes. I think I'm still grounded for that mini, short-lived rebellion. Shhhh. Don't tell my dad I'm going to Major's on Sunday night.
Even better, all non-taper related running mistakes will be left out, like going for a run on a sub-zero January afternoon in Iowa, wearing boxers and Umbro shorts.
Instead, here are the top five errors of my oh-so-humble taper ways...
Example One: Forest Tahdooahnippah I
Ain't
The Star-Tribune ran a real nice story on Forest Tahdooahnippah last week. There is a lot to admire about this athelete. And reading his story will be well worth your time. Click here for the story.
One thing the story touches on is how he is managing his first-year of law school while training for and being part of a nationally ranked division I cross country team.
My first marathon was right when I was finishing up graduate school. I turned in my thesis to my committee on Friday morning, and ran 26.2 miles on Saturday morning. What am I leaving out here. Oh yeah, I only ran twice that last week before the marathon. I was waaaaay to busy frantically putting the finishing touches on my thesis to go for a run. I did a terrible job of balancing my training demands with my school/work demands. Instead I rationalized. "What's the harm in missing these runs? They're meaningless." I was so very wrong.
I trained so well for this marathon. It was a shame that I went and blew the taper. My legs felt so very heavy for the first few miles. Plus, mentally, I just didn't feel sharp.
Solutions:
a) Do not take unscheduled days off, unless you are injured or on the mend. Follow your training calendar.
b) During taper week, minimize your workload at home and on the job as much as you can, while maintaining your responsibilities. Easier said than done, I know, but do your best.
Example Two: Paralysis by Analysis
This week it will become very easy to feel hypersensitive about every nick and ding you feel, or anytime you are out of breath. If you are like me, then your first instinct is to think, "I'm out of breath after chasing my two cats around the house. I need to sleep in an oxygen tent tonight or my marathon is going to be disaster!!!!"
Solution: To decide if you have an issue to really worry about, follow this rule of thumb: flashback to mid-July and ask yourself, "Would I have been worrying about this back then?" If the answer is "no," then you'll probably be okay. No need to stress yourself out unnecessarily. But you can always check in with one of your coaches if you do have worries, no matter how big or small.
Example Three: Don't Play Tag With Edward Scissorhands
After saying don't sweat the small stuff, I am going to suggest you take extra care to avoid things that could lead to fluke injuries. With each passing day, the stakes are higher for avoiding with stubbed toes and bruised heels, as there is less and less time to recover from them.
Two years ago, a week before my marathon, I was walking around my house barefoot and got a tiny glass splinter in my big toe. I had to go to Urgent Care to get it carved out and my toe got one little-bitty stitch. I was fine two days later, and got mocked by my fellow Finns for being lame.
Solution: Take extra care to think about keeping your feet covered. So for the next week...
a) Don't go barefoot. It would be a shame if a fluke cooking accident knocked you out of TCM.
b) Walk, don't run, everywhere (unless of course you're doing a training run).
c) Watch your step extra carefully. Those curbs and tree roots seem to move and jump out at people the week before a marathon.
Example Four: The Wafers in a Kit Kat Bar Do Not Equate To Carbo Loading.
How much sleep you get tonight and what you eat tonight is just as important as what you do Saturday night.
Going back that first marathon I ever ran. I had a great pasta dinner the night before Grandma's. I went to bed nice and early. I even got plenty of sleep the night before the night before. Why did I feel so cruddy then? Maybe it was the Payday candy bar I had for dinner three days prior (did I mention I was in grad school?). Maybe it was two straight nights of five hours of sleep I got early in the week.
Solution: Treat every night from here on out like it is race night. Get to bed by 10 p.m. Eat a healthy diet from when you first wake up until you go to bed (from can see to can't)
Example Five: Did You Get the Memo Yet?
My worst marathon can be linked to one thing: lack of a plan. My training, diet, sleep, and attitude were great going into the marathon. I was just missing one thing. I only had one plan. I only had one goal.
Here was my detailed plan: to go out with a friend of mine who was a bit faster than me, and see what happens.
I was so ill-prepared mentally. I ended up way-off pace by mile 18 and didn't know what to do next other than bleed profusely from my nipples and just try to finish. Not a fun experience, but I learned from it. Now I have policies and multiple goals.
Solution: Use taper week to come up with your plans and policies. Be flexible. Consider the wide range of weather and how you may feel that day. How do you plan to handle each scenerio you think of?
Oh, and the solution for the bloody nipple thing is simple: use Body Glide and pin your number to your shorts (not you shirt), so you can toss your shirt should Body Glide fail.
So this leaves out all the lapses in judgment I had, well, pretty much every weekend of college. It also excludes the time when I was ten and told my dad I didn't finish raking the backyard, even though he told me to because ""I don't really want to and the Cowboys game is on." Cripes. I think I'm still grounded for that mini, short-lived rebellion. Shhhh. Don't tell my dad I'm going to Major's on Sunday night.
Even better, all non-taper related running mistakes will be left out, like going for a run on a sub-zero January afternoon in Iowa, wearing boxers and Umbro shorts.
Instead, here are the top five errors of my oh-so-humble taper ways...
Example One: Forest Tahdooahnippah I
Ain't
The Star-Tribune ran a real nice story on Forest Tahdooahnippah last week. There is a lot to admire about this athelete. And reading his story will be well worth your time. Click here for the story.
One thing the story touches on is how he is managing his first-year of law school while training for and being part of a nationally ranked division I cross country team.
My first marathon was right when I was finishing up graduate school. I turned in my thesis to my committee on Friday morning, and ran 26.2 miles on Saturday morning. What am I leaving out here. Oh yeah, I only ran twice that last week before the marathon. I was waaaaay to busy frantically putting the finishing touches on my thesis to go for a run. I did a terrible job of balancing my training demands with my school/work demands. Instead I rationalized. "What's the harm in missing these runs? They're meaningless." I was so very wrong.
I trained so well for this marathon. It was a shame that I went and blew the taper. My legs felt so very heavy for the first few miles. Plus, mentally, I just didn't feel sharp.
Solutions:
a) Do not take unscheduled days off, unless you are injured or on the mend. Follow your training calendar.
b) During taper week, minimize your workload at home and on the job as much as you can, while maintaining your responsibilities. Easier said than done, I know, but do your best.
Example Two: Paralysis by Analysis
This week it will become very easy to feel hypersensitive about every nick and ding you feel, or anytime you are out of breath. If you are like me, then your first instinct is to think, "I'm out of breath after chasing my two cats around the house. I need to sleep in an oxygen tent tonight or my marathon is going to be disaster!!!!"
Solution: To decide if you have an issue to really worry about, follow this rule of thumb: flashback to mid-July and ask yourself, "Would I have been worrying about this back then?" If the answer is "no," then you'll probably be okay. No need to stress yourself out unnecessarily. But you can always check in with one of your coaches if you do have worries, no matter how big or small.
Example Three: Don't Play Tag With Edward Scissorhands
After saying don't sweat the small stuff, I am going to suggest you take extra care to avoid things that could lead to fluke injuries. With each passing day, the stakes are higher for avoiding with stubbed toes and bruised heels, as there is less and less time to recover from them.
Two years ago, a week before my marathon, I was walking around my house barefoot and got a tiny glass splinter in my big toe. I had to go to Urgent Care to get it carved out and my toe got one little-bitty stitch. I was fine two days later, and got mocked by my fellow Finns for being lame.
Solution: Take extra care to think about keeping your feet covered. So for the next week...
a) Don't go barefoot. It would be a shame if a fluke cooking accident knocked you out of TCM.
b) Walk, don't run, everywhere (unless of course you're doing a training run).
c) Watch your step extra carefully. Those curbs and tree roots seem to move and jump out at people the week before a marathon.
Example Four: The Wafers in a Kit Kat Bar Do Not Equate To Carbo Loading.
How much sleep you get tonight and what you eat tonight is just as important as what you do Saturday night.
Going back that first marathon I ever ran. I had a great pasta dinner the night before Grandma's. I went to bed nice and early. I even got plenty of sleep the night before the night before. Why did I feel so cruddy then? Maybe it was the Payday candy bar I had for dinner three days prior (did I mention I was in grad school?). Maybe it was two straight nights of five hours of sleep I got early in the week.
Solution: Treat every night from here on out like it is race night. Get to bed by 10 p.m. Eat a healthy diet from when you first wake up until you go to bed (from can see to can't)
Example Five: Did You Get the Memo Yet?
My worst marathon can be linked to one thing: lack of a plan. My training, diet, sleep, and attitude were great going into the marathon. I was just missing one thing. I only had one plan. I only had one goal.
Here was my detailed plan: to go out with a friend of mine who was a bit faster than me, and see what happens.
I was so ill-prepared mentally. I ended up way-off pace by mile 18 and didn't know what to do next other than bleed profusely from my nipples and just try to finish. Not a fun experience, but I learned from it. Now I have policies and multiple goals.
Solution: Use taper week to come up with your plans and policies. Be flexible. Consider the wide range of weather and how you may feel that day. How do you plan to handle each scenerio you think of?
Oh, and the solution for the bloody nipple thing is simple: use Body Glide and pin your number to your shorts (not you shirt), so you can toss your shirt should Body Glide fail.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Did You Get The Memo?
MDRA is putting coversheets on all its TPS reports from now on.
I realize that Office Space reference may not hit home with all of you, but I bring it up for a reason. Managing a successful marathon is a lot like running a successful business.
Running a 5k? Heck that's like running a lemonade stand. Good marathon runners have as many policies and rules as a well run small business. But like a good business these policies allow for flexibility to cope with change.
As a marathoner, the more analytical and professional you are over your first 20 miles, the more likely you are to have an enjoyable last 6.2 So I would recommend spending the final week and half of your marathon coming up with your own personal marathon policies.
Make you own memo. Below are some policies I would put into my own marathon.
I will not look at the forecast until 72 hours before the marathon.
The folks I did all my 20 milers with are my training partners. They are not my race partners. I will run my own race, no matter how good or lousy my friend feels.
The only agreement I will make with a friend is, in a marathon, neither one of us is obligated to run with one another at anytime. If we end up running together, it is more by chance and choice than obligation.
When I visualize the marathon between now and October 7, I will take the time to consider picture every possible weather condition. Just because it was cool and tonight doesn't mean it will be either of these things in ten days.
I have three goals in mind, a high goal, a medium goal, and a low goal (my low goal in every marathon is to finish). I will decide 30 minutes before the marathon starts which goal I should shoot for.
I will start out the first five miles at goal pace and then evaluate how I feel. I will adjust up or down between my three goals according to how I feel. Repeat at miles 10 and 15.
Between mile one and mile 20, every time I think "I feel awesome! I'm going to pick up the pace," I will make myself SLOW DOWN (unless I'm at miles 5, 15, or 20 and have made a policy-based decsion to go for a higher, pre-established goal).
On each hill between the Sculpture Garden and St. Thomas, I will focus on maintaining a consistent effort, not speed. At least three people should pass me on each hill.
At each mile I will remember something to be grateful for.
If you are a social person, you may make a policy to talk to a new person at every mile.
If you are like me, you may not like socializing and meeting new people in a race (races may be the only place where I finally stop talking). So my policy is if the guy running next to me wants to swap life stories or has decided his job is to "pump the crowd up," I will slow down, and let him run from me, rather than try to race away from him.
Have a policy about the water stops. Walk through them if you want to use them as a break. If you want to get in and out, make it your policy to find other places along the course to take it easy. Marty recommends taking a break every 7 miles. Take a whole mile off, and slow down about 10 sec over that one mile, and then return to your previous pace. I have tried this and it works really well for me. Again, it keeps from being tied to one pack of runners and being swayed by how they are running.
Everytime a wave of runners passes me over the first 15 miles I remind myself, "If I keep running my race plan and manage each mile well, I will pass over 75% of these people in miles 21 through 26.2."
No matter what, never forget: any day you can run is a great day for a run!
Any other policy suggestions?
I realize that Office Space reference may not hit home with all of you, but I bring it up for a reason. Managing a successful marathon is a lot like running a successful business.
Running a 5k? Heck that's like running a lemonade stand. Good marathon runners have as many policies and rules as a well run small business. But like a good business these policies allow for flexibility to cope with change.
As a marathoner, the more analytical and professional you are over your first 20 miles, the more likely you are to have an enjoyable last 6.2 So I would recommend spending the final week and half of your marathon coming up with your own personal marathon policies.
Make you own memo. Below are some policies I would put into my own marathon.
I will not look at the forecast until 72 hours before the marathon.
The folks I did all my 20 milers with are my training partners. They are not my race partners. I will run my own race, no matter how good or lousy my friend feels.
The only agreement I will make with a friend is, in a marathon, neither one of us is obligated to run with one another at anytime. If we end up running together, it is more by chance and choice than obligation.
When I visualize the marathon between now and October 7, I will take the time to consider picture every possible weather condition. Just because it was cool and tonight doesn't mean it will be either of these things in ten days.
I have three goals in mind, a high goal, a medium goal, and a low goal (my low goal in every marathon is to finish). I will decide 30 minutes before the marathon starts which goal I should shoot for.
I will start out the first five miles at goal pace and then evaluate how I feel. I will adjust up or down between my three goals according to how I feel. Repeat at miles 10 and 15.
Between mile one and mile 20, every time I think "I feel awesome! I'm going to pick up the pace," I will make myself SLOW DOWN (unless I'm at miles 5, 15, or 20 and have made a policy-based decsion to go for a higher, pre-established goal).
On each hill between the Sculpture Garden and St. Thomas, I will focus on maintaining a consistent effort, not speed. At least three people should pass me on each hill.
At each mile I will remember something to be grateful for.
If you are a social person, you may make a policy to talk to a new person at every mile.
If you are like me, you may not like socializing and meeting new people in a race (races may be the only place where I finally stop talking). So my policy is if the guy running next to me wants to swap life stories or has decided his job is to "pump the crowd up," I will slow down, and let him run from me, rather than try to race away from him.
Have a policy about the water stops. Walk through them if you want to use them as a break. If you want to get in and out, make it your policy to find other places along the course to take it easy. Marty recommends taking a break every 7 miles. Take a whole mile off, and slow down about 10 sec over that one mile, and then return to your previous pace. I have tried this and it works really well for me. Again, it keeps from being tied to one pack of runners and being swayed by how they are running.
Everytime a wave of runners passes me over the first 15 miles I remind myself, "If I keep running my race plan and manage each mile well, I will pass over 75% of these people in miles 21 through 26.2."
No matter what, never forget: any day you can run is a great day for a run!
Any other policy suggestions?
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
That's What He Said
Chris Lynch is good people, although you'll never hear that from me (you'll just read it). He's been an MDRA marathon training coach multiple times. While his work ethic is unmatched, I will say this: the dude loves tapering.
The way Chris Lynch sees it, running is hard. He savors the easy runs and curses the hills.
My point to this is Chris is an expert when it comes to tapering. It's his specialty. So below is the link he wrote for the spring marathon training class.
Click here to see what MDRA's expert on tapering has to say. You'll be glad you did. Slowly sip in his wisdom like aged Scotch. Savor it. Just keep in mind, he was writing for the spring class, so you know when he wrote "June" just act like it says "October."
The way Chris Lynch sees it, running is hard. He savors the easy runs and curses the hills.
My point to this is Chris is an expert when it comes to tapering. It's his specialty. So below is the link he wrote for the spring marathon training class.
Click here to see what MDRA's expert on tapering has to say. You'll be glad you did. Slowly sip in his wisdom like aged Scotch. Savor it. Just keep in mind, he was writing for the spring class, so you know when he wrote "June" just act like it says "October."
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