What Are our Goals

A spot of tea and the new Runners World Magazine never disappoints. The article "Good Targets" reminds us that time is not the only reason we run a race.

When setting goals for your next race, remember it's not all about a PR or getting exactly or better than your quickest goal time, performance can be measured many different ways. Train to hit your time goals, but there are elements out of your control that will come into play. Set multiple goals to account for all the things you can't control.

Recovery Partner - Running with Harper the Dog

It is quite a coincidence that this month's issue of Runners World features running with your dog. 3 weeks ago my wife and I rescued a hound mix aka a mutt. I am not the biggest dog person, but Harper and I are really starting to hit it off. Our roles with each-other I believe are going to evolve over time, but I have started off as her walking trainer. I hope to soon be picking the pace up as she gets older and start to heal. She will be a great addition to the runningetc crew and I how you will all meet her.

Leaf Peepers training:
Monday - run
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday- run (Kitty Hoynes)
Thursday - run
Friday - rest
Long run Saturday or Sunday with a nice walk on the other day (I have been taking Harper to Green Lakes each weekend, and it has been great, let's do it guys)

If you need any help getting motivated, let me and Harper know.

Inspiration; the Competitors Fuel - Syracuse 70

As the first Syracuse 70.3 triathlon goes through our city this weekend, there are so many people out there that can inspire us. Men and women of all shapes and sizes went out there today for as many reasons as there are competitors. Whether it was to finish and say "I did it" to the veterans of the distance shooting for a personal best, the swarm of humans swimming, biking and running for 70.3km through our streets are so inspiring.

Let's get at it this week PEEPERS.
Monday - run
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday- run
Thursday - run
Friday - rest
Long run Saturday or Sunday with a nice walk on the other day.

PT's Healing - Go Leaf Peeper Training

This morning's long run through the pages of Runners World is a little different. With a full week of physical therapy in the bank and the continued following of my therapist's exercises to recovery, the words are jumping off the page and and into my Nikes.

I physically, feel more alive than I have in a long time. Reflecting back to earlier this week, while "on the table", being lightly worked out, I return to the standing positioned and when asked "do your feel any different?" I pause and think for a moment that there is nothing different, then a burst of energy courses through my body. It's the blood flowing warmly to the injured parts of my body. This is invigorating and almost euphoric.

I can run a marathon right now I think to myself, until the follow up question comes with the expected answer, "it doesn't hurt except when you lift your leg like this, right?" Of course she was right, but this new feeling of movement without movement has invigorated my efforts and mental state to a point of extreme optimism. We are getting closer every day to trying out the workouts in the magazine or at least getting out there with the run club. Closer and closer to enjoying time in nature with full awareness of the body and mind experience healing the physical and mental trash that potentially creeps up into every day situations.

Leaf Peeper runners. Get out there, and run this week. I want to hear about your great runs, your horrible runs, and what they feel like. If you are feeling good, throw some hills. Think about a nice place for the long run this weekend. It was great to get together at Green Lakes this week.

Let's Get Running this Week (Leaf Peepers)

Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.

Hal Higdon

Alright guys. Let's shoot for a strong 20 mile week. Walking or running will work. On Saturday or Sunday, get a long run in around 8 miles.

Doctor Appointment Today

Reading this quote of the day from Runners World:
"The great advantage of our sport over all others is that we don't need a ball or a team or a field, or even, according to some, shoes. We just need to stand someplace, imagine ourselves in the center of a circle, pick one out of the 360 degrees available to us, and head thataway. "
Peter Sagal, a 3:20 marathoner and the host of NPR's Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!

I was compelled to writer something / anything, and this is what came out:

I am very excited to goto the doctor today. I get to have someone that is qualified and professional guide me to the most effective recovery. My relationships with doctors have been very spotty over the years, except my Dentist, but I go into every encounter with optimism and pure respect.

Most of us are professionals in one way or another, and respecting and accepting those in other professions other than are own is very important.

Some time today, give your IT Guy an "ata boy," he needs it. Thank them for keeping email running or recovering your lost file or just walking by your desk, make them smile. This weekend if you get pulled over for speeding, embrace the job the law enforcement officer is doing and give him or her the respcet that you would give your Dr., your boss, your co-worker. They are doing their job, the same as you do every day.

On a side note, if you get a chance to run, drop me a note, I'd love to hear about your route, your breathing, your nutrition.

This Week's Training

This week we're going to keep it simple. Shoot for 12-15 miles of easy runs this week. If you want to do some speed, try to do it on Tuesday or Thursday.

On Saturday, shoot for an 8 mile Long Run.

Make it a great week crew.

This Weeks Workouts

Monday: Easy Run 2 – 3 Miles

Tuesday (49 min): A little speed, don't push it too hard. Warm-up for 5 minutes, run Kinda Hard for 11 minutes and Recover for 2 minutes, repeat 3 times, and then Cool-down for 5 minutes.

Wednesday: Cross Train or Walk for 30 minutes

Thursday (35min): A little more speed. Warm-up for 5 minutes, run Kinda Hard for 25, and then Cool-down for 5 minutes.

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Long Run 8.5 miles Easy

Sunday: Cross Train or Optional Rest. If the week is taking a bit of a toll on you, just Rest.

 

Glossary

Easy Run: about 75% efforts. You should be able to talk during the whole run.

Warm-up / Cool-down: A little less effort than an Easy Run.

Kinda Hard: About 80 – 85% effort. You might be able to talk for a bit but your breath should be labored a bit.

Hard: About 85-95% effort. You should be winded but not completely spent.

Recovery: About the same as Warm-up or even less effort could be a walk but do not stop moving.

Cross Train: Do some strength, stretching, or some other sporting event (swimming, biking, hiking …).

Rest: Don't do any running. If you are feeling frisky do something easy, but rest is a very important part of your workout.

Day 1 Set the Goals and the Training Schedule

Goals

13.1 miles in 2 hrs 11 mins 5 sec

Improve and maintain fitness

Have fun

Scheduling

Easy: Monday and Wednesday

Speed Workouts: Tuesdays and Thursdays (Depending on how the training progresses we will determine the intensity of our speed workouts)

Rest: Friday

Long Run: Saturday

Cross Training / Optional Rest: Sunday

Training

Today, we are going to do some strength and streaching excercises.

You and Me Together YEAH, YEAH

I have new motivation and excitement for the sport of running today. My wife asked me to coach her for her first half marathon, The Cortland Leaf Peeper Half-Marathon. My passion for the sport and my wife will meet, while we journey together through a mild yet regimented program that we both can embrace.

I believe we will both face challenges over the next 10 weeks, both physical and mental, but in the end we will have a stronger runner and marriage.

Tomorrow we set goals, and determine what week one will look like. I love you Erin, I hope you are ready for this :)

Return to Boston

This Sunday was a little different than the past few. While a nice cup of coffee is there for sipping, my copy of Runners World is missing, and my mind begins to wander. I see my self striding along the majestic Massachusetts roads I had driven through the day before.

This weekend I was in my hometown state of Massachusetts. Saturday I spent most of the day in and around my hometown, traveling the roads of the state. I had experienced these roads many times as a child, usually with a bike. As a runner, those roads have a completely different meaning. I can see each crack, placement of dirt, and the existence of a shoulder or lack there of.

What does that road feel like under a pair of running shoes after miles gliding across them? Do the trees look like they used to from the bike perspective? Is it even safe to run on this road? All these questions and more are racing through my head. My head dreaming of how the route looks, feels and smells while my muscles are yearning to be worked to a burn.

Driving on the highway, I see the sign for Hopkinton and get a little choked up. Inevitably thoughts go to the Boston Marathon and the running history of Massachusetts. The great runners and the location of one of the most, if not the most referenced race and goal for the running community. Sentiment morphs into self pity and the NEED to qualify for the great race and immediately back to sentiment.

Those roads will find my feet. Weather it be for a easy 10 or some hardcore hill repeats I look forward to the stories you will give me in the future.

For now, Mass roads, I will just bid you a due.

Another Week Without Running

As I sit down to my morning coffee I think of another week without running. This week was polluted with potential "stinkin thinkin." Why I can't run and what it's doing to the rest of my existence, and then I review, in my head, the first time I fell in love with running and how much it has meant to me over the past few years. My negative thoughts evolve into lamenting the good times and debates on how I will get there again.

Runners World Magazine again provides some guidance on the next steps to recovery. With everything from self diagnosis to methods on how to rebuild this part of your body or the other. Will it be swimming, will it be biking, will it be weights? I'm not sure, but the first step to recovery is knowing what it is you are recovering from, so the goal for this week is to get to a Dr..

Those who know me, please comment on what you think the odds of this happening.

Making Your Comeback

As I drink my coffee this morning with my Runners World Magazine, inspiration comes so easy. The writers of this magazine truly capture the essence of telling a story. Whether you are a runner or not, it does not matter.

Today the Fight to the Finish article in the Human Race series of articles jumped out at me as a friend of ours had recently got hit by a car while running in NYC. A story about a young man who had nearly been paralyzed with a neck / spinal injury went from not being able to walk, to running a marathon in one years time.

We all have it in ourselves to achieve. If it's running a marathon or walking across the street; work hard, play hard, train hard and share. Do it on your own if you like or find some people to do it with you. Strive to be more, and see where you go from there.

No Running, No Problem???

I have, with a heavy heart, come to the conclusion that I need to take a break from running. This sport that has taught me so much about me as a person will be missed immensely. In the spirit of I Get to Write this Post, I get to do something new.

Last night I hoped on the stationary bike at the gym it was great, I can do this for some time. The only issue was, it was indoors. So now I get to find a bike and then I get to ride the bike to recovery.

I will not desert my runners though as they have helped me physically and mentally.

SEE YOU OUT THERE ALL!!

I Get to Write this Post

I woke up this morning, a little groggy from the festivities the night before and was greeted by a cup of Coffee. My brother in-law had made coffee and it was on the counter ready to drink. As I sat on the couch I saw the Running World magazine in front of me and it joined me with my cup of joe.

I really enjoy the writing style of most of the writers in this magazine and then I hit a true gem. A topic a friend of mine and I had been discussing only a few mornings earlier embodied in the title "Feeling Lucky?" What made this post even more meaningful was that I got my car towed the night before, and it really helped me with my feelings about that bit of misfortune.

A lot of the times, we as human beings are annoyed or feel burdened by challenges that we face on a daily basis. I have to go to work this morning, I have to do that mundane task, I have to run 5 miles this afternoon. All of these things are gifts that we should feel blessed to have the opportunity to tackle each day. Think of all the people in the world that do not have these opportunities.

The author presents a very pleasant antidote to the "I have to" problem. How about we change the words from "I have to" to "I get to." I get to go to work this morning, I get to do that mundane task, I get to run 5 miles this afternoon.

Try the "I get to" challenge. Do it for a week and comment on what it meant to you and the effort on your daily tasks. Was it easier to get up and go to work in the morning, was conquering that hill a little more meaningful, do you feel better or worse about anything?