Marathon Training Begins!

The Marathon on schedule is the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, NY on October 3, 2010.  I am returning to my old training phylosophy that I followed prior to Green Bay.  I will be getting my mileage up to 60-70 miles a week for this 18 week program.  This is the exact program I followed when I ran my best Marathon in Traverse City, Michigan in 3:02:06.  The first two weeks of my program I will be reducing the mileage a bit due to the short time period after Green Bay.  I will be on the target mileage of the program by week 3.

The program comes from a book wrote by an elite Marathoner.  Most running books you get are more for beginner runners.  Which is fine but this one gives you a more detailed phylosophy and more information on how the body responds to this type of training.  The book is called "Advanced Marathoning" by Pete Pfitzinger.  You will find many different programs in this book.  The one I am following is the 18 week 70 mile program.  There are many other different length and mileage programs included.  Highly recommended for those that want to take their Marathon training to the next level.

National Running Day looks to get the country moving with activities from New York to San Diego

05-13-2010

Contact:

Tom Surber

Media Information Manager

USA Track & Field
317-713-4690

INDIANAPOLIS - Wednesday, June 2 has been designated the second-annual National Running Day, it was announced Thursday by a coalition of leading running organizations across the United States. Last year, in an unprecedented collective effort, the United States running industry came together to host National Running Day, and this year, activities across the country will again take place nationally and locally to promote running as a healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise-part of a healthy and active lifestyle aimed at combating some of today's most pressing health issues.

Through a grass-roots effort, the foremost road racing and track and field organizations from major U.S. cities-including New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Little Rock, Denver, Eugene, and San Diego-in addition to national running organizations USA Track & Field and Running USA, are encouraging Americans of all ages and fitness levels to get out and run by hosting a variety of National Running Day activities, including professional athlete appearances, free running events, group runs and clinics.

The goal of National Running Day is to get every American moving. Experienced runners may run to work, or invite a non-running friend for a run to see the benefits. Less-experienced runners can take part in the many group activities across the nation and enjoy the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of running.

To help participants stay connected on National Running Day, they can visit http://www.runningday.org/ for links to complete event information, as well as for "I Ran Today" Facebook buttons. The site will also provide information on local community events, running clubs and retailers, course-mapping tools, and training tips. Participants can also follow the Twitter feed and connect with it using the #runningday hashtag.

About National Running Day

National Running Day is an initiative whereby many of the major organizations within the United States running industry are joining forces in an unprecedented, unified effort to nationally and locally promote running as a healthy, easy and accessible form of exercise. The second-annual National Running Day will be Wednesday, June 2. From New York to San Diego, the day will celebrate the benefits of running as part of a healthy and active lifestyle aimed at combating some of today's most pressing health issues. For more information, visit http://www.runningday.org/.

Need a little more motivation? Find a running Partner!

Some runner's do love this sport for the sole purpose of being alone.  A time to reflect on the days events or planning how that day may go.  For the most part, other runners need more. 

Let's go above and beyond your ipod.  Find yourself a running partner.  When choosing a running partner it is best to go for someone who is in the same fitness level as yourself; depending on your reasons for running it may not be best to train with a partner who is significantly less fit than you are. You do not have to find someone trying to accomplish the same goals as you but you want someone as passionate about the sport as you are.

It is a step above having that training plan telling you what to do each day.  With a training plan you still have the ease of talking yourself out of that days workout.  Finding the right person and making that pact to keep each other going, you will not want to let that person down.  Studies show that those who exercise with a partner or group are more likely to stick with it long term.

One reason you will be less apt to quit is because, with someone counting on you, you will treat your running appointment more like an obligation, as opposed to the first thing to fall from your calendar when your schedule becomes busy or you are just not feeling it that day.

Having someone else there to talk to will motivate you; when your feeling down they will be able to help get you in the mood and remind you of why your going for the run in the first place.  Having someone to run with also gives you something to keep you occupied, keeping your mind off your tiredness and preventing boredom. Having someone to talk to will also make the time feel like its flying past, and it will hopefully feel like less of a chore doing it every week or so.
 
From another point of view, psychologists in the US have stated that the benefits of having a training partner while running also include making you smarter; as you run and talk more areas of the brain are stimulated.
 

Another great way to motivate yourself with company is your local running community.  Find out if there is a running club close to you and join.  Check out our local club in the Toledo area, The Toledo Road Runners.  This is a great group to be a part of and you may just find your perfect running partner.  Get motivated!

How do you stretch before you run?

Do you believe static stretching hinders performance?  Here is an artical from Runner's World that gives their take on the subject.  It also includes a great instructional video on a prerun routine of dynamic stretching.

www.runnersworld.com/dynamicstretching

Green Bay Marathon

Another Marathon in the bag!  No where near what I wanted but will get it in the next one.  Breaking 3hr was the goal.  Aggressive?  Maybe, guess I will find out.  Race start is 7am, it was 48 degrees and pretty much no wind.  It warmed up quickly though.  I take my first bag of sport beans while heading to the start line.  Ten minutes till start and their calling for preffered corral runners to line up.  Damn it!  I just realized I forgot my sunglasses and the sun is beating down already.  Oh, well don't have enough time.  Gun goes off at 7 am on the dot.  Thoughts start rolling through your mind.  Did you put in enough miles to run this time?  I haven't run a Marathon in a year and a half.  Will this new training program I decided to do work?  Nothing that can be answered though until the later stages of  the race.  You will find out be patient and go for it!  I come across mile marker one in 7:09.  Just what I wanted stay conservative.  At mile 3, I strike conversation with a guy that is also trying to break 3 hrs.  So, I latch on.  My normal startup conversation about how many marathons each of you have done and what is your fastest.  I find out he is from Milwaukee and when I tell him I am from the Toledo area he asks:

Milw:  Are you a Browns fan. 

TJ:  Of course! 

Milw:  I actually taught Joe Thomas (Browns Offensive Tackle) in High School. 

TJ:  Sweet! 

So, we were hitting 7 flats through 5 miles.  Still being smart but mile 6 we start picking it up a bit.

TJ:  Another hill?  This damn course sure isn't flat like they claimed! 

Milw: That's for sure... 

TJ:  Their elevation chart sucks! 

Now we are hitting 6:52 (3hr pace).  The miles are starting to pass by quickly.  Clicking 6:52 or so through the halfway point.  We are 1:30:40, awesome only 40 seconds off pace and the pace is feeling pretty comfortable.  Although, I am feeling some muscle fatigue setting in.  My thoughts, not already it is way too early!  Keep it rolling, you will find out.  That answer came quicker than expected.  We roll past mile 15 still on target.  Then we come up to a bridge at 15 1/2 miles to cross over Fox River.  This was not an extremely steep bridge but it was long and gradual for more than a quarter of a mile.  Just like many of the other upgrades on this course.  This one affected me though.  I started losing my knew found running partner.  I still ran a 7:05 that mile so not off too much but my legs never recovered.  I lose 16 more seconds the next mile.  So, I decide to stop at the next water stop for a few seconds, walk, drink, go!  That gave the legs a little rejuvination.  Ok, back at it...  I was back on pace then ahhhhhh cramp in my right calf!  Crap, it's only mile 18.  We all know once that starts it is all down hill from there.  After that the goal is to get to the finish line without destroying your legs.  On and off for the next 5 miles I could run about 7:30 pace but would get the cramp back every quarter mile or sooner.  Then of course the cramps start in other muscles as well.  At about mile 23 I have this young runner come from behind and he asks. 

YR:  So, what are you trying to run? 

TJ:  That pace is long gone man...  I was trying to break 3 flat. 

YR:  He says I know what your feeling so was I. 

There are always others sharing your pain!  It is not always your day.  Later I find out though that that kid was only 14 years old and this was his second marathon.  That is pretty impressive.  I know I would have never thought about marathon's at that age.  Same rough times through the later miles but now I can hear the crowd.  I can see Lambeau Field.  I am almost there.  About a mile away.  I turn left on to Holmgren Way.  Oh man big cramp!  Turn right towards Lambeau.  Your finally going to enter the field.  Even though my muscles are wrenching down as I pass through the tunnel that the Green Bay Packers enter the field on.  I take in the significants of this field as I do my lap around and out to the finish.  Finally, the finish line.  Oh thank god, I feel like I could pass out!  All I can think is this is the least prepared I have ever been for a marathon and I paid for it.  This was not intentionally under prepared though.  I tried a new program but obviously was not righ for me.  All in all I enjoyed seeing Green Bay and sharing this trip with my lovely wife.  It is the challenge that I love so much that keeps me coming back for more!!