This post is a complete re-run. I will soon stop typing anything new, go to an old e-mail I wrote to last year's class about tips on hydration, and cut and paste that text onto this blog.
The information is still valid. Hydration is serious stuff, so do take the recommendations here to heart. Okay, now I'm off to cut and paste.
This information is from the Running Times e-mail Newsletter for July 2006.
“Keeping on top of your fluid intake is critical when running during the hot summer months, and RT contributor Suzanne Girard Eberle offers some excellent tips for staying hydrated in the Running Times Guide to Breakthrough Running. According to Eberle:
Many runners fail to monitor the most important nutrient of all—water. One of the quickest and simplest ways to boost your performance is to make sure you are well hydrated. Without proper hydration, you'll feel light-headed, tired, irritable, and headachy. And that's before you start running. Head out for a run in a dehydrated state, or ignore your fluid needs as you exercise, and you can quickly run into trouble. You will find it more difficult to tolerate the heat, and you risk suffering from heat cramps or, worse, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Your performance will suffer too. Even mild dehydration—a 2 percent drop in body weight due to the loss of fluid 3 pounds for a 150-pound runner)—can decrease by 20 percent your ability to perform mental and physical tasks.
Fill up before you head out the door by drinking at least two cups (16 ounces) of fluid an hour or two before exercise. Drink another cup (8 ounces) 15 minutes before you plan to run. Water, juice, milk, and sports drinks will all do the trick. Alcoholic and caffeinated drinks cause you to urinate and lose fluid, so be sure to match each glass of these beverages with an equal glass of water. Don't wait until you feel thirst to drink—that means you're already dehydrated. Keeping tabs on your urine is an easy way to monitor your hydration. You should be able to produce ample amounts of pale yellow or straw-colored urine. Producing scanty amounts of darkly colored urine indicates that you are dehydrated.
During exercise, plan to drink another 4 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes depending on what the weather is like and how well you hydrated beforehand. If you run for an hour or less, know where to locate water along your route or carry it with you. For runs lasting over an hour or during intense efforts, such as interval workouts, choose a sports drink, which replaces the water and electrolytes lost through sweating more efficiently than plain water. You'll also get a boost from the carbohydrates these beverages provide.
If you think dehydration may be slowing you down, weigh yourself before and after you run. Replace every pound lost by drinking at least two cups of fluid. Next time you run, try to drink that amount in the few hours before you exercise. Eating salty foods will also help you hold on to fluids you drink. Pay particular attention to your fluid needs on hot and humid days and on low-humidity or windy days when you may not be as conscious of sweating.”
Monday, July 30, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Week Four: Rubber, Meet My Friend the Road
It is time marathoners, one month into the class, where the proverbial rubber of running shoes begins to meet the proverbial road. The absract notion of "Hey I want to run a marathon!" has met the reality "&^%$#@!#@! I am training for a marathon."
Maybe now you get out of bed a little more slowly than you did in May. Perhaps it takes a few minutes of slow easy running to work out all the aches and pains before you can hit your normal easy tempo pace. That nagging pain in your knee is not getting worse, but it's not going away. Do you worry about this?
Well, I would. But you have to listen to your own body and make your own decisions. My rule of thumb is the sharper the pain, the more you need to be worried. But no matter how dull an ache may be, if you feel it for more than one run, it is time to take action.
Every savvy veteran marathoner is familiar with R.I.C.E. Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate. Click here for a RICE-based website that has some things you can do at home for your knocks and dings.
So you have your savvy veteran marathoners doing RICE, and you have me, your lazy marathoner who does IRD, which is different than RICE. It is Ice, Recovery Days, and Doctor. Here's how me and my posse of aches and pains roll:
Ice I have many of those crinkly icy packs like they sell at Walgreen's. I have some at work and some at home. Whenever I bust one out, I make my wife or one of my co-workers act like they're Tommy Lee Jones and I'm Harrison Ford and we're in the back of a squad car, like at the end of The Fugitive
Oops. I digress. Anyway, about three times a day at work, I ice a different sore spot on my right leg, depending on the flavor of the day, regarding dull pain. Sure the half-life of my dress socks' elasticity suffers, but it is worth it. After my run, I also do my best to ice at least one sore spot within an hour of running.
Rest or Recovery Days Recovery days are huge. If your pains are particularly sharp, take a day or two off altogether and ice your sorrows away.
But if you can run, do so. But honor the recovery day. Many injuries can be avoided by simply making sure any runs you do on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and/or Sunday are laaaaaaaaaaaaaaid back. You're putting the easy back in easy tempo on this run. Count blades of grass as you go by. See if you can see it grow. Leave your watch at home. Time your run with a sundial.
I could go into the physiology as to why recovery days are vital, but it is kind of boring. So it will be a win-win if you just believe in recovery runs with blind faith. They should be a staple of your training.
Doctor If pain persists after resting and icing, OR if any pain is sharp and accompanied by a sudden onset (think pulled muscle), I go see my doctor. I go to a sports medicine doctor because these folks understand that running is a quality of life variable for me. So they will do their best to get me back to running, rather than simply telling me to stop running so much. Sure, all this running is why my leg hurts, but all this running also keeps me sane. Sports medicine doctors appreciate this.
And of course somewhere in there should be a letter A for ask one of your coaches. None of us are doctors, of course, but we've all experienced our share of injuries. So please remember this: not only do we welcome you to ask questions about your aches and pains, we encourage it. It can be very hard to sort which pains are manageable and which ones are your body telling you to back off. Hopefully we can all work together to sort all that out.
And there is one more way our abstract notion of running a marathon is becoming reality (at least those of you running TCM). All of our long runs will contain portions of the TCM course. We will highlight those at each run.
Happy trails.
-Mike N.
Maybe now you get out of bed a little more slowly than you did in May. Perhaps it takes a few minutes of slow easy running to work out all the aches and pains before you can hit your normal easy tempo pace. That nagging pain in your knee is not getting worse, but it's not going away. Do you worry about this?
Well, I would. But you have to listen to your own body and make your own decisions. My rule of thumb is the sharper the pain, the more you need to be worried. But no matter how dull an ache may be, if you feel it for more than one run, it is time to take action.
Every savvy veteran marathoner is familiar with R.I.C.E. Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate. Click here for a RICE-based website that has some things you can do at home for your knocks and dings.
So you have your savvy veteran marathoners doing RICE, and you have me, your lazy marathoner who does IRD, which is different than RICE. It is Ice, Recovery Days, and Doctor. Here's how me and my posse of aches and pains roll:
Ice I have many of those crinkly icy packs like they sell at Walgreen's. I have some at work and some at home. Whenever I bust one out, I make my wife or one of my co-workers act like they're Tommy Lee Jones and I'm Harrison Ford and we're in the back of a squad car, like at the end of The Fugitive
Oops. I digress. Anyway, about three times a day at work, I ice a different sore spot on my right leg, depending on the flavor of the day, regarding dull pain. Sure the half-life of my dress socks' elasticity suffers, but it is worth it. After my run, I also do my best to ice at least one sore spot within an hour of running.
Rest or Recovery Days Recovery days are huge. If your pains are particularly sharp, take a day or two off altogether and ice your sorrows away.
But if you can run, do so. But honor the recovery day. Many injuries can be avoided by simply making sure any runs you do on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and/or Sunday are laaaaaaaaaaaaaaid back. You're putting the easy back in easy tempo on this run. Count blades of grass as you go by. See if you can see it grow. Leave your watch at home. Time your run with a sundial.
I could go into the physiology as to why recovery days are vital, but it is kind of boring. So it will be a win-win if you just believe in recovery runs with blind faith. They should be a staple of your training.
Doctor If pain persists after resting and icing, OR if any pain is sharp and accompanied by a sudden onset (think pulled muscle), I go see my doctor. I go to a sports medicine doctor because these folks understand that running is a quality of life variable for me. So they will do their best to get me back to running, rather than simply telling me to stop running so much. Sure, all this running is why my leg hurts, but all this running also keeps me sane. Sports medicine doctors appreciate this.
And of course somewhere in there should be a letter A for ask one of your coaches. None of us are doctors, of course, but we've all experienced our share of injuries. So please remember this: not only do we welcome you to ask questions about your aches and pains, we encourage it. It can be very hard to sort which pains are manageable and which ones are your body telling you to back off. Hopefully we can all work together to sort all that out.
And there is one more way our abstract notion of running a marathon is becoming reality (at least those of you running TCM). All of our long runs will contain portions of the TCM course. We will highlight those at each run.
Happy trails.
-Mike N.
Gear Daddy: A Shorts Is a Shorts, Of Course, Of Course
I'm so glad it's not January and we have to talk about running jackets and pants. I'm also glad we have more choices for running shorts besides cotton Adidas shorts vs. Umbro soccer shorts. Actually, as I think about it, there was a brand of running shorts back in the day. The "New Zealand" brand.
There are two big requirements I have for shorts. They need a pocket that securely closes and they need some length. Actually, the general public requires that shorts that I wear come with length. Few things are more horrifying than a bald, pale Polish guy running around with blindingly white chicken legs.
For some reason I have never bought Nike running shorts, but here the some shorts that I do like (it's a short list):
Like the Asics Gel Empire, I worry what I would do if these Adidas shorts were discontinued. What's the skinny on other shorts I missed?
There are two big requirements I have for shorts. They need a pocket that securely closes and they need some length. Actually, the general public requires that shorts that I wear come with length. Few things are more horrifying than a bald, pale Polish guy running around with blindingly white chicken legs.
For some reason I have never bought Nike running shorts, but here the some shorts that I do like (it's a short list):
Brooks
So Brooks shorts are made with a very light material and they have pockets that Velcro shut (which keeps me from stressing out the entire run about losing my keys, chalk, and/or Gu).Adidas
By far and away my favorite brand of shorts. It's not even close. They come with a pretty deep pocket in the back that zips shut. I never have to worry about my keys falling out. I have fit three Gu packs back there for a marathon. My iPod shuffle and keys go in there easily as well. Plus the shorts themselves come in varying lenghts, meaning no matter how short or tall I grow, I can always find a pair that will cover my knee caps.Like the Asics Gel Empire, I worry what I would do if these Adidas shorts were discontinued. What's the skinny on other shorts I missed?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Week Three: Plan for Worst, Hope for the Best
Man what a great week for alibis!
It's not my fault you got lost on Sunday's run, the rain washed away all the chalk.
What's that you say? I should have had the foresight to bring some extra chalk to mark the course as I ran it with the Finns?
Well my family was in town from Texas so I was too distracted hosting to think of details like that. In fact, they were here until this morning, which is why I haven't run since Saturday.
Huh, maybe those alibis are pretty flimsy afterall.
One of the things I love about running is that it is one of the few sports where your butt is entirely on the line. There are no teammates to pull you up or down. It is such a great risk to step up and devote at least four months of your life to a marathon. We all have one main goal, finish the event. And any subsequent goals are equally quantifiable. The results are almost always black and white, and yours alone to claim.
On the morning of October 8, as you limp to work (or through O'Hare Airport), you will reflect on your marathon. If you met all your goals, thank the running gods that it was your day. And if you made it to the starting line healthy but didn't meet all your goals, you still have to tip your cap to the running gods. Acknowledge that it was not your day, evaluate what changes need to be made in your training (if any), and move on.
Easier said than done, I know. I had a hard time moving past the fact that it rained last Friday night. As I drove to Fort Snelling to our run on Saturday, over the Lake Street Bridge, I had only one thing to say, "Where the &*^@*#$! did my chalk markings go?!?!? Sure, my front lawn and I prayed together each morning for rain. And NOW the only time all month you can deliver rain is the six hours before our long run?!?!?!?!?"
Say that reminds me, didn't Alannis Morrisette have some song about rain on a wedding day being ironic? Sure rain on your wedding day is crappy, but it's not ironic unless the bride and groom are farmers getting married in the middle of a ten year dought, and the only time it rains in those 120 months is on their wedding day. Then Alannis could say rain on a wedding day is ironic. She'd be better off singing about an MDRA coach who wants a green lawn and prays for rain all summer only to get it less than 24 hours after chalking a 13 mile course. I'm not sure how all that would fit the meter of her song, and even my sad tale is not true irony. But it is closer to irony than some pop singer getting rain on her wedding day.
But I digress. Back to plan A for Saturday's run being washed away by the rain. Every good runner/coach has a good plan B. And since I am a mediocre runner/coach, I had a mediocre plan B: the Friday before the run I had printed out about 12 maps for eighty people.
But you guys adpated. Remember this come October 7. Everyone looked after one another. We can't pull each other up or down, but we can support one another. But even more important than that is the fact that everyone adpated.
Someone made an arrow out of sticks at the bottom of the Ft. Snelling hill to direct runners back up to the fort (I still don't know who did that, but THANK YOU).
I owe Anne Walztoni beer for a month after she agreed to sweep the back and catch all Kenyans to make sure no one got lost.
I owe Carolyn Fletcher a car (my 88 Accord is hers for the taking) after she found my car keys lying in the middle of the East River Road running path.
And everyone needs to realize that we can adapt. There will be no guarantee the weather will be nice on October 7. Or that you will be 100% healthy. Or that you will feel great at mile five. But I guarantee you this: you do have the ability to adapt. It will up to you and you alone to exercise this adaptability.
The first rule of Fight Club is there are no... Wait, wait, wait, wait. I mean the first guarantee of Marathoning is there are no guarantees (dude that's deep). It is up to each runner to adapt.
After Saturday's run, it looks like we are a group that can do just that.
-Mike N.
It's not my fault you got lost on Sunday's run, the rain washed away all the chalk.
What's that you say? I should have had the foresight to bring some extra chalk to mark the course as I ran it with the Finns?
Well my family was in town from Texas so I was too distracted hosting to think of details like that. In fact, they were here until this morning, which is why I haven't run since Saturday.
Huh, maybe those alibis are pretty flimsy afterall.
One of the things I love about running is that it is one of the few sports where your butt is entirely on the line. There are no teammates to pull you up or down. It is such a great risk to step up and devote at least four months of your life to a marathon. We all have one main goal, finish the event. And any subsequent goals are equally quantifiable. The results are almost always black and white, and yours alone to claim.
On the morning of October 8, as you limp to work (or through O'Hare Airport), you will reflect on your marathon. If you met all your goals, thank the running gods that it was your day. And if you made it to the starting line healthy but didn't meet all your goals, you still have to tip your cap to the running gods. Acknowledge that it was not your day, evaluate what changes need to be made in your training (if any), and move on.
Easier said than done, I know. I had a hard time moving past the fact that it rained last Friday night. As I drove to Fort Snelling to our run on Saturday, over the Lake Street Bridge, I had only one thing to say, "Where the &*^@*#$! did my chalk markings go?!?!? Sure, my front lawn and I prayed together each morning for rain. And NOW the only time all month you can deliver rain is the six hours before our long run?!?!?!?!?"
Say that reminds me, didn't Alannis Morrisette have some song about rain on a wedding day being ironic? Sure rain on your wedding day is crappy, but it's not ironic unless the bride and groom are farmers getting married in the middle of a ten year dought, and the only time it rains in those 120 months is on their wedding day. Then Alannis could say rain on a wedding day is ironic. She'd be better off singing about an MDRA coach who wants a green lawn and prays for rain all summer only to get it less than 24 hours after chalking a 13 mile course. I'm not sure how all that would fit the meter of her song, and even my sad tale is not true irony. But it is closer to irony than some pop singer getting rain on her wedding day.
But I digress. Back to plan A for Saturday's run being washed away by the rain. Every good runner/coach has a good plan B. And since I am a mediocre runner/coach, I had a mediocre plan B: the Friday before the run I had printed out about 12 maps for eighty people.
But you guys adpated. Remember this come October 7. Everyone looked after one another. We can't pull each other up or down, but we can support one another. But even more important than that is the fact that everyone adpated.
Someone made an arrow out of sticks at the bottom of the Ft. Snelling hill to direct runners back up to the fort (I still don't know who did that, but THANK YOU).
I owe Anne Walztoni beer for a month after she agreed to sweep the back and catch all Kenyans to make sure no one got lost.
I owe Carolyn Fletcher a car (my 88 Accord is hers for the taking) after she found my car keys lying in the middle of the East River Road running path.
And everyone needs to realize that we can adapt. There will be no guarantee the weather will be nice on October 7. Or that you will be 100% healthy. Or that you will feel great at mile five. But I guarantee you this: you do have the ability to adapt. It will up to you and you alone to exercise this adaptability.
The first rule of Fight Club is there are no... Wait, wait, wait, wait. I mean the first guarantee of Marathoning is there are no guarantees (dude that's deep). It is up to each runner to adapt.
After Saturday's run, it looks like we are a group that can do just that.
-Mike N.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Gopher Run Race Series Press Release
It was an exciting week in the Gopher (a) Run Race Series, with everyone running fast times and more importantly everyone having fun. Only 1 person got caught up in the moment and bid faster than he could run on that day—however, a 2 second PR offset the disappoint of not scoring any points in week 1.
Grabbing the Pink Jerseys after 1 week of racing are Carolyn Fletcher and Anne Walztoni. Grabbing the Yellow Jerseys were Steve English and Kirk Walztoni
Most Importantly:
There are still plenty of opportunities to pick up points in the race series, beginning this Thursday, when 30 points are up for grabs. In addition, to be determined bonus points will be available due to the unique layout of the course. Please plan to meet us at the start-line (6:15 at the bottom of the hill just north of Franklin Ave on West River Road). For a preview of the course (and a map of where the start is), follow this link--http://www.runningmap.com?id=18384.
Rules for the remaining stages in the race series are below.
Stage 1 Results;
Women’s Division:
Carolyn Fletcher 15 Pts
Anne Walztoni 15 Pts
Deb Schneider 12 Pts
Men’s Division
Steve English 15 Pts
Kirk Walztoni 15 Pts
Mike Nawrocki 12 Pts
Chris Taylor 12 Pts
Marty Humphrey 9 Pts
Paul Mix 9 Pts
2nd Stage
Witches Hat Climb
Course Map Can Be Found at
http://www.runningmap.com?id=18384
Straight out Race
Fastest to the top wins. 30 (1st), 24 (2nd), 19 (3rd), 15 (4th), 12 (5th), 10 (6th), 9 (7th) to 1 pt (15th)
3rd Stage
Witches Hat Climb Handicapped
Handicapped Race
Slowest runners start first, releasing other runners using results from previous weeks run
First to the top wins (same scoring as 2nd stage)
4th Stage
Team Race
5K Race around Pike Island
Average Team Members recent 5K Races
Seed based on average
Run race and reorder based on average team results
Same scoring as 2nd and 3rd stages
5th Stage
Predicted Downhill Mile
No watches allowed
Scoring is; 25 points within 10 sec, 20 (10-19 sec), 15 (20-29), 10 (30-30, 5 (40-49
6th Stage - done immediately after 5th stage is complete
Storm the Fort
Steep / Short Course
No handicap
Scoring is 5 (1st), 3 (2nd), 2 (3rd), and 1 for all who finish
Post Race Dinner / Awards Place TBD
Awards:
Yellow Jersey (Man in the lead)
Pink Jersey (Woman in the lead)
1st Stage;
Guillotine Mile
Guess your time (will have a bidding option directly before the race)
Only Score if you run faster than your bid time
Score is your bid time, not what you ran
Time counts down from highest bid, and each person starts when the time hits their projected time-must finish before clock hits zero
Scoring Based on Sex/Age Group (<30, 30-50, 50+), 15 pts (for 1st), 12 pts (2nd), 9 (3rd), 6 (4th), 3 (all others who finish in time), and 0 pts (for all who don't make the cutoff)
Grabbing the Pink Jerseys after 1 week of racing are Carolyn Fletcher and Anne Walztoni. Grabbing the Yellow Jerseys were Steve English and Kirk Walztoni
Most Importantly:
There are still plenty of opportunities to pick up points in the race series, beginning this Thursday, when 30 points are up for grabs. In addition, to be determined bonus points will be available due to the unique layout of the course. Please plan to meet us at the start-line (6:15 at the bottom of the hill just north of Franklin Ave on West River Road). For a preview of the course (and a map of where the start is), follow this link--http://www.runningmap.com?id=18384.
Rules for the remaining stages in the race series are below.
Stage 1 Results;
Women’s Division:
Carolyn Fletcher 15 Pts
Anne Walztoni 15 Pts
Deb Schneider 12 Pts
Men’s Division
Steve English 15 Pts
Kirk Walztoni 15 Pts
Mike Nawrocki 12 Pts
Chris Taylor 12 Pts
Marty Humphrey 9 Pts
Paul Mix 9 Pts
2nd Stage
Witches Hat Climb
Course Map Can Be Found at
http://www.runningmap.com?id=18384
Straight out Race
Fastest to the top wins. 30 (1st), 24 (2nd), 19 (3rd), 15 (4th), 12 (5th), 10 (6th), 9 (7th) to 1 pt (15th)
3rd Stage
Witches Hat Climb Handicapped
Handicapped Race
Slowest runners start first, releasing other runners using results from previous weeks run
First to the top wins (same scoring as 2nd stage)
4th Stage
Team Race
5K Race around Pike Island
Average Team Members recent 5K Races
Seed based on average
Run race and reorder based on average team results
Same scoring as 2nd and 3rd stages
5th Stage
Predicted Downhill Mile
No watches allowed
Scoring is; 25 points within 10 sec, 20 (10-19 sec), 15 (20-29), 10 (30-30, 5 (40-49
6th Stage - done immediately after 5th stage is complete
Storm the Fort
Steep / Short Course
No handicap
Scoring is 5 (1st), 3 (2nd), 2 (3rd), and 1 for all who finish
Post Race Dinner / Awards Place TBD
Awards:
Yellow Jersey (Man in the lead)
Pink Jersey (Woman in the lead)
1st Stage;
Guillotine Mile
Guess your time (will have a bidding option directly before the race)
Only Score if you run faster than your bid time
Score is your bid time, not what you ran
Time counts down from highest bid, and each person starts when the time hits their projected time-must finish before clock hits zero
Scoring Based on Sex/Age Group (<30, 30-50, 50+), 15 pts (for 1st), 12 pts (2nd), 9 (3rd), 6 (4th), 3 (all others who finish in time), and 0 pts (for all who don't make the cutoff)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Gear Daddy: Successeries
One part of running that has exploded over the past ten years is the number of marathons out there for folks like us. There has also been a huge spike in the number of running accessories. When I leave my house for a run, or pack my bag for an MDRA run, it never ceases to amaze just how much gear I am toting along for the run. So here are my top five favorite running accessories, in order of least to most vital.
5. Heart Rate Monitor I haven't used a heart rate monitor since college, but it is the best way to guarantee you are letting your body recover on easy tempo days. It will beep when your heart is pumping too fast for a recovery day (I'm guessing, but I think that would be around 120 beats per minute for most people). Click here for more on heart rate training.
In college our coach made use heart rate monitors on our easy days, because he knew it was impossible for a bunch of 20 year-old boys to do any form of a run or jog without turning it into a race. So we still raced, of course, to see who could go the fastest and still keep their heart rate in recovery range. It was a mark of shame to have your monitor beep on you. I'm sure watching this was as exciting as watching an underwater swimming race.
4. iPod Shuffle I love my iPod shuffle. I use it for easy tempo runs to listen to podcasts and new music so that my mental focus is not on running. This keeps me from running too hard on an easy day. It's much less precise than a heart rate monitor but it works for me.
3. Running Hats Hey did you hear the news! MDRA running hats are on sale for $20.00!!! But I'm not just putting running hats on the list because MDRA is selling them. See, it turns out I'm bald. I used to just wear any old baseball cap to keep the sun off my head and the sweat out of my eyes. But those running hats are clearly superior. They are more comfortable and have that wicking quality.
2. Running Leashes Pancho would should put this #1 on his list, barely nosing out sticks and stray tennis balls he finds on the run. I used to run with a traditional leash, but now I have one of those leashes that loops around your waist.
The only reasons this dog likes me is because I feed him, exercise him, and sneak beer into his water bowl when Emily's not looking.
I was hesitant to try out these running leashes because I didn't think I'd be able to keep Pancho right next to me, like I can with a regular leash. But Pancho is highly malleable, so it didn't take long to train him. So I recommend the leash to anyone who runs with a dog. You can keep your regular running form, reducing the chance of injury.
1. Body Glide The only thing worse than seeing a guy with bloody nipples post-marathon is being the guy with bloody nipples post-marathon. With Body Glide, chafing and bleeding are things of the past, right there with the Fuller brush man and the dinosaur. Available at fine running stores everywhere.
Apply liberally before every long run on ANYWHERE that friction may occur. That is: any place where skin contacts other skin ot clothing. I have had freaking chafing where the neckline of my shirt rubbed my neck, my armpits rub, my waist meets the waistline of my shorts... You get the idea. And with that being said, it should be obvious why you don't really want to borrow someone else's Body Glide.
And beware: Body Glide comes in a container that looks a lot like a deodorant stick. I have been known to put Body Glide under my armpits and deodorant everywhere else because I wasn't paying attention.
Anyone have a list, or one or two must-have accessories?
5. Heart Rate Monitor I haven't used a heart rate monitor since college, but it is the best way to guarantee you are letting your body recover on easy tempo days. It will beep when your heart is pumping too fast for a recovery day (I'm guessing, but I think that would be around 120 beats per minute for most people). Click here for more on heart rate training.
In college our coach made use heart rate monitors on our easy days, because he knew it was impossible for a bunch of 20 year-old boys to do any form of a run or jog without turning it into a race. So we still raced, of course, to see who could go the fastest and still keep their heart rate in recovery range. It was a mark of shame to have your monitor beep on you. I'm sure watching this was as exciting as watching an underwater swimming race.
4. iPod Shuffle I love my iPod shuffle. I use it for easy tempo runs to listen to podcasts and new music so that my mental focus is not on running. This keeps me from running too hard on an easy day. It's much less precise than a heart rate monitor but it works for me.
3. Running Hats Hey did you hear the news! MDRA running hats are on sale for $20.00!!! But I'm not just putting running hats on the list because MDRA is selling them. See, it turns out I'm bald. I used to just wear any old baseball cap to keep the sun off my head and the sweat out of my eyes. But those running hats are clearly superior. They are more comfortable and have that wicking quality.
2. Running Leashes Pancho would should put this #1 on his list, barely nosing out sticks and stray tennis balls he finds on the run. I used to run with a traditional leash, but now I have one of those leashes that loops around your waist.
The only reasons this dog likes me is because I feed him, exercise him, and sneak beer into his water bowl when Emily's not looking.
I was hesitant to try out these running leashes because I didn't think I'd be able to keep Pancho right next to me, like I can with a regular leash. But Pancho is highly malleable, so it didn't take long to train him. So I recommend the leash to anyone who runs with a dog. You can keep your regular running form, reducing the chance of injury.
1. Body Glide The only thing worse than seeing a guy with bloody nipples post-marathon is being the guy with bloody nipples post-marathon. With Body Glide, chafing and bleeding are things of the past, right there with the Fuller brush man and the dinosaur. Available at fine running stores everywhere.
Apply liberally before every long run on ANYWHERE that friction may occur. That is: any place where skin contacts other skin ot clothing. I have had freaking chafing where the neckline of my shirt rubbed my neck, my armpits rub, my waist meets the waistline of my shorts... You get the idea. And with that being said, it should be obvious why you don't really want to borrow someone else's Body Glide.
And beware: Body Glide comes in a container that looks a lot like a deodorant stick. I have been known to put Body Glide under my armpits and deodorant everywhere else because I wasn't paying attention.
Anyone have a list, or one or two must-have accessories?
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Week Two: The Smart Car and the Not-So-Smart Driver
So this week I learned something new about my car and ten gallons of water. I loaded up my car with all the water jugs I had for the "M stop" for Saturday's run. I put the biggest jug, which holds ten gallons, in the passenger seat. Apparently the car sensed that anything as heavy as a jug filled with ten gallons of water, sitting shotgun, HAD to be a human. So as I'm driving down Lake Street, the car kept beeping at me because the passenger seat belt wasn't buckled.
I figured it would stop beeping after awhile. But I was wrong. It turns out cars don't have brains, so they can't get bored. The freaking car had no reason to stop beeping, no matter how much I tried to ignore it, until I actually fastened the water jug's seat belt.
It turns out cars aren't too bright.
The irony here is that I ended up buckling the seat belt, in the name of water safety, while I was driving, which is not so safe. By the time I had the freaking seat belt secured, I was veering towards the center line and was close to driving like I was in England. But the stakes were pretty low. Lake Street is pretty quiet at 6:20 am on Saturday morning, so I had both directions of traffic open to me.
But as I think about it. Maybe that car is closer to KITT (of Knight Rider fame) than I originally thought. Maybe it is actually KITT Jr. Given how freaking hot it ended up being on Saturday, that water I was transporting to Dean Parkway was clear gold, and KITT Jr. knew that.
If I had been driving the real KITT, it could have talked to me. "What are you doing Michael? That water could spill if you come to a sudden stop. Runners will get thirsty if you don't deliver this water safely to them. You need to buckle the water jug in." But of course, my car can't talk. So all it could do is beep at me annoyingly and incessantly.
Cripes. It reminds me of my cat who meows just the same way. And coinicdentally, my wife and I named that *&^%%$#@#!! cat after the old Saturday Night Live charachter, "Toonces the Driving Cat" who, like me on Saturday morning, could not drive very well.
Our cat Toonces can't drive (but I know should would love to try), can't help me look for my keys, and wouldn't want to even if she could. It turns out cats aren't too bright.
And now I am slowly realizing my car might be smarter than Toonces and, sadly, me. At the end of the run, there was some complicated logistics Marty, Deb, and I had to work out. The details are even less interesting than this blog, but in the end I had traded vehicles with Marty, and he drove my car to Marathon Sports, and I drove his to break down the M water stop.
I am good at breaking down water stops because it is an activity that really does not really involve my frontal lobes. What I'm not good at is things that require things like multi-tasking and memory. And now that Marty was driving KITT Jr. no one was around to save me from myself. After I loaded up his SUV with all the water coolers, tables, and trash, I breahted a sigh of relief, and looked forward to getting some coffee at Marathon Sports.
Except, uh, where did I put the keys? Remember what I said about being bad with multi-tasking and remembering things?
It turns out I'm not too bright.
When I was a kid I had this dirt bike, the SX-2000. I never ever had a wreck on it. And let me tell you, I did a lot of daring things on that bike. It doesn't matter if David Hasselhoff was the driver or Toonces, it's a miracle I never got hit by a car doing some of the dumb things I did on that bike. So I credit the magic of the SX-2000 to the fact that I never once got in a bike accident. Well, except one time, when I traded bikes with my friend and ended up riding his bike right into a parked car, while he crusied pass me on the divine SX-2000.
You see where I'm going here? I drive KITT Jr. and I can safely transport liquid gold through the heart of the city, while driving like Toonces. I swap vehicles with Marty, and I can't even figure out what I did with the keys once I cut the engine off.
Now if I can find a way to bottle the magic of the SX-2000 and KITT Jr. and pour it into my shoes, I will never have to think for myself while running a marathon again. Success will be mine! If a big pack of people passes me at mile two and I go with them, my shoes could suddenly become very heavy and slow me down. They would say, "What are you doing Michael? You know you are supposed to run your own pace and race in a marathon."
When I turn up Summit and my legs turn to goo and my body starts shutting down, my shoes can say, "Don't worry Michael. You relax for the next five miles. We will do the running for you."
I think I may have to ammend my top five lists of favorite shoes if Knight Rider ever becomes a brand.
So let's see. What lengths would I go to improve my marathon performance? Following the logic of this post, I can't drive any better than my cat, my shoes and car talk to me, and they're smarter than me. But, I do get to run a good marathon. Seems like a good trade-off to me.
I figured it would stop beeping after awhile. But I was wrong. It turns out cars don't have brains, so they can't get bored. The freaking car had no reason to stop beeping, no matter how much I tried to ignore it, until I actually fastened the water jug's seat belt.
It turns out cars aren't too bright.
The irony here is that I ended up buckling the seat belt, in the name of water safety, while I was driving, which is not so safe. By the time I had the freaking seat belt secured, I was veering towards the center line and was close to driving like I was in England. But the stakes were pretty low. Lake Street is pretty quiet at 6:20 am on Saturday morning, so I had both directions of traffic open to me.
But as I think about it. Maybe that car is closer to KITT (of Knight Rider fame) than I originally thought. Maybe it is actually KITT Jr. Given how freaking hot it ended up being on Saturday, that water I was transporting to Dean Parkway was clear gold, and KITT Jr. knew that.
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If I had been driving the real KITT, it could have talked to me. "What are you doing Michael? That water could spill if you come to a sudden stop. Runners will get thirsty if you don't deliver this water safely to them. You need to buckle the water jug in." But of course, my car can't talk. So all it could do is beep at me annoyingly and incessantly.
Cripes. It reminds me of my cat who meows just the same way. And coinicdentally, my wife and I named that *&^%%$#@#!! cat after the old Saturday Night Live charachter, "Toonces the Driving Cat" who, like me on Saturday morning, could not drive very well.
Our cat Toonces can't drive (but I know should would love to try), can't help me look for my keys, and wouldn't want to even if she could. It turns out cats aren't too bright.
And now I am slowly realizing my car might be smarter than Toonces and, sadly, me. At the end of the run, there was some complicated logistics Marty, Deb, and I had to work out. The details are even less interesting than this blog, but in the end I had traded vehicles with Marty, and he drove my car to Marathon Sports, and I drove his to break down the M water stop.
I am good at breaking down water stops because it is an activity that really does not really involve my frontal lobes. What I'm not good at is things that require things like multi-tasking and memory. And now that Marty was driving KITT Jr. no one was around to save me from myself. After I loaded up his SUV with all the water coolers, tables, and trash, I breahted a sigh of relief, and looked forward to getting some coffee at Marathon Sports.
Except, uh, where did I put the keys? Remember what I said about being bad with multi-tasking and remembering things?
It turns out I'm not too bright.
When I was a kid I had this dirt bike, the SX-2000. I never ever had a wreck on it. And let me tell you, I did a lot of daring things on that bike. It doesn't matter if David Hasselhoff was the driver or Toonces, it's a miracle I never got hit by a car doing some of the dumb things I did on that bike. So I credit the magic of the SX-2000 to the fact that I never once got in a bike accident. Well, except one time, when I traded bikes with my friend and ended up riding his bike right into a parked car, while he crusied pass me on the divine SX-2000.
You see where I'm going here? I drive KITT Jr. and I can safely transport liquid gold through the heart of the city, while driving like Toonces. I swap vehicles with Marty, and I can't even figure out what I did with the keys once I cut the engine off.
Now if I can find a way to bottle the magic of the SX-2000 and KITT Jr. and pour it into my shoes, I will never have to think for myself while running a marathon again. Success will be mine! If a big pack of people passes me at mile two and I go with them, my shoes could suddenly become very heavy and slow me down. They would say, "What are you doing Michael? You know you are supposed to run your own pace and race in a marathon."
When I turn up Summit and my legs turn to goo and my body starts shutting down, my shoes can say, "Don't worry Michael. You relax for the next five miles. We will do the running for you."
I think I may have to ammend my top five lists of favorite shoes if Knight Rider ever becomes a brand.
So let's see. What lengths would I go to improve my marathon performance? Following the logic of this post, I can't drive any better than my cat, my shoes and car talk to me, and they're smarter than me. But, I do get to run a good marathon. Seems like a good trade-off to me.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Gear Daddy: Shoes Make the Runner Part II
Like oops. Those that know me are aware that I am obsessed with arranging top five lists. So I meant to add a top five list to this morning's post, but ran out of time because I had to go that real job I have that takes up all my time.
So here we go...
TOP FIVE FAVORITE RUNNING SHOES
5. Nike Waffle Racer Okay so this is technically not a distance training shoe, and definitely not a marathoner's shoe. And I've never actually owned a pair of these. But I have to give a nod to Bill Bowerman, one of our founding fathers of distance running in the United States. He invented the waffle racer by pouring rubber into his wife's waffle iron and using that for the sole of his shoe. It's not altogether this simple, but in some ways, one could say this moment was part of the birth of Nike.
4. Adidas Marathon Trainers The first pair of running shoes I ever owned. The rubber sole was textured with the Adidas logo. Not a lot of ventilation or cushion with these shoes. I bought them as a freshman in high school because they had the retro 70s vibe to them. It turns out they still are retro and cool. Now they're fashion shoes, but in no way are they meant for running anymore.
3. Converse Running Shoes I can't even find a picture of these bad boys on the interwebs. But I promise, Converse used to make a running shoe. I wore them through most of high school for training. They were big, silver (or were they tan?), and absurdly supportive. This was back in the late 1980s. Converse got out of the running shoe scene, which is how I eventually ended up wearing Asics.
2. Asics 2100/2000 From the early 1990s to 2005, I wore this series. Definitely for over ten years. That is a heck of a run.
1. Asics Gel Empire I could probably still run in the 2100 series, but feet my wouldn't like it. Well, in the Empires my feet tolerate running, even if they aren't thrilled about it on occasion. Thanks to this switch in shoes I'm able to look like I'm only twice my age when I limp out of bed each morning, instead of three times my age.
Well enough about me. Anyone bold enough to submit a list?
So here we go...
TOP FIVE FAVORITE RUNNING SHOES
5. Nike Waffle Racer Okay so this is technically not a distance training shoe, and definitely not a marathoner's shoe. And I've never actually owned a pair of these. But I have to give a nod to Bill Bowerman, one of our founding fathers of distance running in the United States. He invented the waffle racer by pouring rubber into his wife's waffle iron and using that for the sole of his shoe. It's not altogether this simple, but in some ways, one could say this moment was part of the birth of Nike.
4. Adidas Marathon Trainers The first pair of running shoes I ever owned. The rubber sole was textured with the Adidas logo. Not a lot of ventilation or cushion with these shoes. I bought them as a freshman in high school because they had the retro 70s vibe to them. It turns out they still are retro and cool. Now they're fashion shoes, but in no way are they meant for running anymore.
3. Converse Running Shoes I can't even find a picture of these bad boys on the interwebs. But I promise, Converse used to make a running shoe. I wore them through most of high school for training. They were big, silver (or were they tan?), and absurdly supportive. This was back in the late 1980s. Converse got out of the running shoe scene, which is how I eventually ended up wearing Asics.
2. Asics 2100/2000 From the early 1990s to 2005, I wore this series. Definitely for over ten years. That is a heck of a run.
1. Asics Gel Empire I could probably still run in the 2100 series, but feet my wouldn't like it. Well, in the Empires my feet tolerate running, even if they aren't thrilled about it on occasion. Thanks to this switch in shoes I'm able to look like I'm only twice my age when I limp out of bed each morning, instead of three times my age.
Well enough about me. Anyone bold enough to submit a list?
Gear Daddy: Shoes Make the Runner
Over the past ten years, I have really made some changes about my views on gear and even gadgets when it comes to running. I used to be pretty adamant that all you needed to run was the right shoes, a pair of Umbros, cotton socks, and a cotton shirt. To spend any money on gear beyond that was silly. Of course I also used to swear I'd never get a cell phone because they were silly and extravagant. And the idea of putting a camera on a phone? Who would ever want that?
So, just as I have to admit that my life is made easier with these cell phone thingies, I also have to say that running in something else besides cotton has made running a lot more comfortable. Therefore, each week I hope to spend a little time talking about gear.
For those of you anticipating which GPS I reccommend, I have some bad news: I just became okay with using an iPod every now and then on runs. It will take many more moons before I am ready to try out a GPS.
But I will start out with running gear that we can all agree is important (except for a certain Kiwi who ran barefoot on Tuesday): shoes. It's a timely topic because this Saturday is shoe day at Marathon Sports for all members of the MDRA FMTP.
I will leave the insights and advice on what makes a great running shoe to the experts at Marathon Sports. But I will say this: one shoe definitely does not fit all. Once you find a shoe that works for you, latch onto it. Hope that the company never changes or drops that shoe. You have struck gold.
But sometimes the shoes don't change so much as the runner. Up until a year ago, I had always worn the Asics 2000/2100 series. They were durable and I never had an injury (at least not one caused by my shoes). But then about two years ago, I had this nagging case of plantar fasciitis. My feet were getting old, it turns out. I talked to an expert at a running store about this and he suggested I try the Asics Empire. Since I have done that, I would estimate the pain from plantar fasciitis has been reduced by 80% and I only feel it for a few minutes when I first wake up.
And I am very nervous because the Gel Empire is not a huge seller for Asics. What if they stop making them next year, or the year after that? If they do, I'll be making a trip back to a running store to see what my next option is.
So Asics work for me. I tried the Nike Air Pegasus many years ago and got an IT band injury. I switched over to Asics and the IT band pain never returned.
So am I telling you to buy Asics and not Nike? No. Not at all. Buy what works for you.
The Nike Air Pegasus is a great shoe. Like the Asics 2000/2100 series, it has been on the market for years and has a large group of loyal users. It's just not for me. And I'm sure there is someone reading this thinking, "How can you possibly wear Asics? They gave the worse shin splints ever!!"
Well, to quote the Texas troubador Guy Clark, "One man's duece is another man's ace."
Happy hunting on Saturday. Listen to the shoe experts at Marathon Sports. Your feet will be in good hands.
And for those of you who already have a shoe that you love, what works for you?
So, just as I have to admit that my life is made easier with these cell phone thingies, I also have to say that running in something else besides cotton has made running a lot more comfortable. Therefore, each week I hope to spend a little time talking about gear.
For those of you anticipating which GPS I reccommend, I have some bad news: I just became okay with using an iPod every now and then on runs. It will take many more moons before I am ready to try out a GPS.
But I will start out with running gear that we can all agree is important (except for a certain Kiwi who ran barefoot on Tuesday): shoes. It's a timely topic because this Saturday is shoe day at Marathon Sports for all members of the MDRA FMTP.
I will leave the insights and advice on what makes a great running shoe to the experts at Marathon Sports. But I will say this: one shoe definitely does not fit all. Once you find a shoe that works for you, latch onto it. Hope that the company never changes or drops that shoe. You have struck gold.
But sometimes the shoes don't change so much as the runner. Up until a year ago, I had always worn the Asics 2000/2100 series. They were durable and I never had an injury (at least not one caused by my shoes). But then about two years ago, I had this nagging case of plantar fasciitis. My feet were getting old, it turns out. I talked to an expert at a running store about this and he suggested I try the Asics Empire. Since I have done that, I would estimate the pain from plantar fasciitis has been reduced by 80% and I only feel it for a few minutes when I first wake up.
And I am very nervous because the Gel Empire is not a huge seller for Asics. What if they stop making them next year, or the year after that? If they do, I'll be making a trip back to a running store to see what my next option is.
So Asics work for me. I tried the Nike Air Pegasus many years ago and got an IT band injury. I switched over to Asics and the IT band pain never returned.
So am I telling you to buy Asics and not Nike? No. Not at all. Buy what works for you.
The Nike Air Pegasus is a great shoe. Like the Asics 2000/2100 series, it has been on the market for years and has a large group of loyal users. It's just not for me. And I'm sure there is someone reading this thinking, "How can you possibly wear Asics? They gave the worse shin splints ever!!"
Well, to quote the Texas troubador Guy Clark, "One man's duece is another man's ace."
Happy hunting on Saturday. Listen to the shoe experts at Marathon Sports. Your feet will be in good hands.
And for those of you who already have a shoe that you love, what works for you?
Sunday, July 1, 2007
WELCOME
Welcome to the MDRA coaches' blog. We will be picking up where the coaches from the MDRA Spring Marathon Training Program left off. If you had the chance to be coached by Anne, Debbie, and Chris, you know that we will have big shoes to fill this summer. They were great coaches.
I don't know how much the other coaches will use this blog. I hope to use it frequently. Those of you who took the fall marathon training class last summer know just how long my e-mails can be. And those of you who read my post below will know excactly what I am talking about.
My plan this year is to use the blog to get my rants off my chest, dispense of my advice (most of it will be, "DUDE, DON'T DO WHAT I DID"), and tell a few jokes that only I find amusing. The nice thing about this is it will keep my e-mails a little shorter and sweeter. Then you can decide if you want to venture over here for some extra reading.
In the meantime, for those of you whom I haven't met yet, I am looking forward to the chance. For those of you who I already know, welcome back. I think we'll have a lot of fun between now and October.
And to everyone: marathon rookie or savvy veteran, I hope you are proud of the fact that you have made the commitment to train for a marathon. That act alone is an accomplishment. And I hope you get everything you want out the class this year, no matter what happens on race day.
If you have run with me outside of MDRA workouts, have been to my house, or have had more than a two minute conversation with me, you should have no problem naming the dog in that picture. Here's a hint: his name sounds like a sleeveless rain jacket and is short for "Alfonso."
I don't know how much the other coaches will use this blog. I hope to use it frequently. Those of you who took the fall marathon training class last summer know just how long my e-mails can be. And those of you who read my post below will know excactly what I am talking about.
My plan this year is to use the blog to get my rants off my chest, dispense of my advice (most of it will be, "DUDE, DON'T DO WHAT I DID"), and tell a few jokes that only I find amusing. The nice thing about this is it will keep my e-mails a little shorter and sweeter. Then you can decide if you want to venture over here for some extra reading.
In the meantime, for those of you whom I haven't met yet, I am looking forward to the chance. For those of you who I already know, welcome back. I think we'll have a lot of fun between now and October.
And to everyone: marathon rookie or savvy veteran, I hope you are proud of the fact that you have made the commitment to train for a marathon. That act alone is an accomplishment. And I hope you get everything you want out the class this year, no matter what happens on race day.
If you have run with me outside of MDRA workouts, have been to my house, or have had more than a two minute conversation with me, you should have no problem naming the dog in that picture. Here's a hint: his name sounds like a sleeveless rain jacket and is short for "Alfonso."
Week One: Back to Work
I'm not sure how to start out this post. Does last week count as our first week? Or was it week zero? Do I start by waxing poetic about the challenge we are all taking part in? About how you are worthy of respect just for lacing up a pair of running shoes to train for a marathon, let alone run one? So many places to start, but I only get that one opening.
Oh wait. Maybe I should start with an introduction, since a good chunk of you haven't met me yet. My name is Mike Nawrocki and I'm the coach with the amazing foresight to plan a vacation right when this class started. Marty, Deb, and Carly haven't thanked me yet for "stepping aside" so they could do all the work early on, but I'm sure they will later. Truth be told, this past week was the only one my wife (Emily) and I both had free to go on vacation this summer.
Or another way I could have started was by asking everyone collectively, how did your first week of training go? Well thanks for asking. Oh wait. I was the one who asked that question. Well, I'll answer it, too.
My week of running was ideal. We spent a week at Emily's family cabin. It is one of my favorite places, which is odd since it's located outside of Hancock, Wisconsin, which is near Wautoma, which is near of Steven's Point, which is near, well, nowhere.
And that is why I love to go on vacation outside a town too remote to even be "in the middle of nowhere." There is nothing to do but read, run, drink some Coca-Colas, and drink some drinks that are not Coca-Cola... well and then drink some more of those not Coca-Cola drinks. Cripes. We don't even have a TV at the cabin. The biggest decision facing me each day was, "Should I enjoy a cold, refreshing Coca-Cola before I go for my run, or should I enjoy a not Coca-Cola?"
Does this sound like marathon training to you? It doesn't too me. Normally I don't run on vacation, unless I'm at the cabin. At the cabin, I savor running. While most folks are jet skiing on the lake or fishing, I spend my time running past corn and bean fields and exploring new rural roads I've never been down before. I call these random runs. And I have yet to go on a random run that did not yield a surprise.
And some surprises aren't so good. You know, like getting lost on County Road B, finding out a really big and territorrial dog lives on County Road J, or that crop dusting is no longer reserved for dusk. During one morning random run a few years ago, I felt like I was on the set of North By Northwest.
But most are really cool surprises. Like when I was running with my iPod and my dog Pancho out on Waushara County Road O. Pancho and I crossed paths with an Amish farmer. And more importantly, for Pancho, we crossed paths with the farmer's huge horses pulling a wooden flatbed trailer, with two Amish kids as cargo. My dog spooked the horses while my own cargo (an iPod and stinky running gear) spooked the farmer.
So we had to figure out who should pass first, without his horses making like bucking broncos. And while we were negotiating this, a guy driving a huge pick-up truck with a jet ski and an ATV in the back waited behind us. Talk about three cultures colliding! And all on a farm road beyond the middle of nowhere. Tell me, as diverse as the Twin Cities are, do you think you'll ever see anything like that?
And this past week, I stumbled across something very cool. On one of my random runs, I ran east on county road GG and noticed a sign indicating that the Ice Age Trail was to my left. Less than two miles from the cabin. Very cool. The trail is still in development, but it will one day bisect not just all of Wisconsin, but most of the Upper Midwest. So presently the trail near the cabin is only two miles long. While Pancho loved the trail, and the tics loved me and Pancho being on the trail, I won't get too excited until there are actually endless miles for me to run on.
If you have read this far and not given up, congratulations. You clearly have persistence, endurance, and the ability to withstand tedium and pain. In other words, you have the makings of a great marathoner. And if you have made it this far, you have to be wondering, "What the heck does this have to do with my marathon training program?"
Well, nothing. Zilch. Nada. Zero. And that is actually my long-winded point. For the last seven days running for me has been an escape. I ran to be a tourist.
But now it is back to work. I am no longer running to take in the countryside or see if I can outrun a mutt that is the size of Seabiscuit, but responds to the name "Cujo." Random runs ended with my vacation. I am back to running with a purpose. I am running to train for the Twin Cities Ten Miler. I am running to train with marathoners. The alphabet soup of Wisconsin county roads has been replaced by the MDRA alphabet: LT, PR, PW (let's hope not), TCM, MDRAFMTP, DFN, DFN II, and an alphabetized list of familiar runners, as well as a list of new names to place with new people.
And as much as I love being on vacation, I could not be more excited to be back. And to train and work with everyone.
Between now and October 7, some of us will get hurt. Some of us will finish our first marathon ever. Some will PR. And, yes, we may have a few not PRs out there.
And that is the allure of the marathon. It is no small task to devote over three months of your life to something that comes with not even a whiff of a guarantee.
So I raise a glass of not Coca-Cola to all of yall. Here's to the start of the adventure. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Oh wait. Maybe I should start with an introduction, since a good chunk of you haven't met me yet. My name is Mike Nawrocki and I'm the coach with the amazing foresight to plan a vacation right when this class started. Marty, Deb, and Carly haven't thanked me yet for "stepping aside" so they could do all the work early on, but I'm sure they will later. Truth be told, this past week was the only one my wife (Emily) and I both had free to go on vacation this summer.
Or another way I could have started was by asking everyone collectively, how did your first week of training go? Well thanks for asking. Oh wait. I was the one who asked that question. Well, I'll answer it, too.
My week of running was ideal. We spent a week at Emily's family cabin. It is one of my favorite places, which is odd since it's located outside of Hancock, Wisconsin, which is near Wautoma, which is near of Steven's Point, which is near, well, nowhere.
And that is why I love to go on vacation outside a town too remote to even be "in the middle of nowhere." There is nothing to do but read, run, drink some Coca-Colas, and drink some drinks that are not Coca-Cola... well and then drink some more of those not Coca-Cola drinks. Cripes. We don't even have a TV at the cabin. The biggest decision facing me each day was, "Should I enjoy a cold, refreshing Coca-Cola before I go for my run, or should I enjoy a not Coca-Cola?"
Does this sound like marathon training to you? It doesn't too me. Normally I don't run on vacation, unless I'm at the cabin. At the cabin, I savor running. While most folks are jet skiing on the lake or fishing, I spend my time running past corn and bean fields and exploring new rural roads I've never been down before. I call these random runs. And I have yet to go on a random run that did not yield a surprise.
And some surprises aren't so good. You know, like getting lost on County Road B, finding out a really big and territorrial dog lives on County Road J, or that crop dusting is no longer reserved for dusk. During one morning random run a few years ago, I felt like I was on the set of North By Northwest.
But most are really cool surprises. Like when I was running with my iPod and my dog Pancho out on Waushara County Road O. Pancho and I crossed paths with an Amish farmer. And more importantly, for Pancho, we crossed paths with the farmer's huge horses pulling a wooden flatbed trailer, with two Amish kids as cargo. My dog spooked the horses while my own cargo (an iPod and stinky running gear) spooked the farmer.
So we had to figure out who should pass first, without his horses making like bucking broncos. And while we were negotiating this, a guy driving a huge pick-up truck with a jet ski and an ATV in the back waited behind us. Talk about three cultures colliding! And all on a farm road beyond the middle of nowhere. Tell me, as diverse as the Twin Cities are, do you think you'll ever see anything like that?
And this past week, I stumbled across something very cool. On one of my random runs, I ran east on county road GG and noticed a sign indicating that the Ice Age Trail was to my left. Less than two miles from the cabin. Very cool. The trail is still in development, but it will one day bisect not just all of Wisconsin, but most of the Upper Midwest. So presently the trail near the cabin is only two miles long. While Pancho loved the trail, and the tics loved me and Pancho being on the trail, I won't get too excited until there are actually endless miles for me to run on.
If you have read this far and not given up, congratulations. You clearly have persistence, endurance, and the ability to withstand tedium and pain. In other words, you have the makings of a great marathoner. And if you have made it this far, you have to be wondering, "What the heck does this have to do with my marathon training program?"
Well, nothing. Zilch. Nada. Zero. And that is actually my long-winded point. For the last seven days running for me has been an escape. I ran to be a tourist.
But now it is back to work. I am no longer running to take in the countryside or see if I can outrun a mutt that is the size of Seabiscuit, but responds to the name "Cujo." Random runs ended with my vacation. I am back to running with a purpose. I am running to train for the Twin Cities Ten Miler. I am running to train with marathoners. The alphabet soup of Wisconsin county roads has been replaced by the MDRA alphabet: LT, PR, PW (let's hope not), TCM, MDRAFMTP, DFN, DFN II, and an alphabetized list of familiar runners, as well as a list of new names to place with new people.
And as much as I love being on vacation, I could not be more excited to be back. And to train and work with everyone.
Between now and October 7, some of us will get hurt. Some of us will finish our first marathon ever. Some will PR. And, yes, we may have a few not PRs out there.
And that is the allure of the marathon. It is no small task to devote over three months of your life to something that comes with not even a whiff of a guarantee.
So I raise a glass of not Coca-Cola to all of yall. Here's to the start of the adventure. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
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