The Art Of Talking To Yourself

   There's many different skills that can help you as a runner. I've managed to develop some really good ones. Some bad ones too, but we'll save those for some other time.

   One skill that I've picked up is the habit of early, adequate hydration. Every morning when wake up I immediately slam 24 ounces of plan water. Throughout the rest of the day I typically shoot for drinking at least another three of those. This keeps me well hydrated through my day and when I'm out running. It was challenging when I first started trying to drink that much water so quickly. But I've been routinely doing this for so long now that I don't get bloated anymore. Every time I go to the bathroom and see clear pee I think to myself, BINGO I'm hydrated like like a MF! 

   Another good skill that I've developed is learning how to shuffle through my iPod's running playlist through whatever running belt I happen to be wearing without looking. It can be downright aggravating to have to stop, open your running pouch, pull out your iPod, shuffle to a different song and then put it back. Being able cut all of that nonsense out of the equation makes for fewer, if any stops and allows me to call on some quick motivation to surge up those damn endless hill that my coach loves to torture me with every other week.

   Out of all of the skills I've learned, one of the best is learning to talk to myself. Many people write off the benefits of positive self-talk as hogwash. But the rewards are tangible. It's well known that running is a physical as well as mental sport. I couldn't agree more. Depending how I'm feeling mentally can greatly affect how my run goes.  If I'm feeling great, it's like I'm flying down those roads like the Flash himself. If I'm feeling like garbage, it's a battle to just get out the front door.

   I'm just like everyone else. I've got lots of things to shuffle in my day to day life. The list of responsibilities goes on and on. Because I have to be to work so early in the morning, knocking out my daily run right when I wake up just isn't a possibility. That means my run won't happen until the late afternoon when I'm done with work. By this time of day I'm pretty much exhausted. But it's my only time fit in any type of workout. So it gets done then. There's solid evidence that a runner's perceived exhaustion level is just that, perceived. Positive self-talk can help you combat the fatigue that you think you're feeling. I've come to realize that how I feel isn't a good gauge of what my body can do. Even now there's running days where I'm pleasantly surprised that I was able to run like I wanted to through my workout, despite feeling tired. 

   If you're a runner then you're most likely a "Type-A" personality. I fit the definition of "Type-A" person to a T! This mindset has allowed me to accomplish some fairly amazing stuff in my life and with my running. But that inner voice can sometimes be a demon that points out my worst faults and grinds me into the ground when I least need or expect it. By using positive self-talk I can deflect some of that negative thinking. They say that you yourself are your worst critic and that statement rings true for me. I can use positive self-talk to emphasize the things that I'm doing right and build on those, instead of destroying all of my hard work by beating myself up.

   One technique that many elite runners practice is self-visualization and positive self-talk is an aspect of this practice. If you can mentally visualize yourself overcoming that hill, running at that desired mile pace, finishing that distance and use positive self-talk to further assist those images then you're already ahead of the game. I've been doing this for a long time and it truly works. In my experiences distance running using this technique to break down the longer runs into smaller, more manageable bits allows me to focus on the immediate physical work at hand. If I started out each marathon visualizing and telling myself that it was 26.2 miles long, then I'd get tired just thinking about such a long distance!

   So next time your out there on your run try saying something nice to yourself. It may just help you run a little better and the strange looks you'll get from people are priceless! 

   As the summer closes in on the month of August, I just wanted to remind everyone that this bog was never supposed to be a stand alone project. Yes, in fact there was supposed to also be a video podcast linked to it. But, as we all know, my life can get in the way of doing anything recreational. Enough is enough! My good friend Zen Runner is sponsoring an exciting challenge for the month of August. He's calling it ZENVEDA and the idea is simple, podcast or post a video everyday for the entire month. I couldn't think of a better way to get the video podcast off the ground! I'm not sure if the blog will have many post for the month, but I'm dedicating myself to putting out an episode each day! So starting in August be on the lookout for my tired, but smiling face!

             

   

New Shoes, New Attitude

   I've always been the type of person who chooses to remember the past more fondly than I probably should. Most times this isn't a wasted effort because I'm the type of friend that you can call at 3 AM for help & I'll be there in 15. Loyalty isn't lost on some people. I'm not perfect and I'm smart enough to realize that nobody else is either. There's times when people are going to be disappointing. Those special moments may not always live up to your expectations. But ultimately it's the positive things that I seek to remember. 

   Sometimes though embracing the past isn't such a good thing. Running is a prime example of this for me. Yes, I have been what I consider a successful runner. No, I haven't won any Olympic races. The professional running community will most likely never hold the nickname of "Sandman" up there with the same reverence as "Pre". But I've ran quite a bit, seen a lot of cool things, met a ton of fine people and raced my ass off. 

   I've always been a highly motivated runner who sought out what worked and when I found with it, I stuck with it. Now this is where the trouble starts. When you first start running it's OK to rely on the things that work best for you. You've gotta build the groundwork. As the miles go by along with the years you most likely will change physically, but you may still be thinking like the old you.

   Take my back injury for example. I never thought that I would be the type of person to get that kind of injury. I was healthy. I exercised like a rock-star. Nonetheless it hit me hard and put the biggest brake on my running, personal and professional life. It wasn't fun by any means. But looking back I can now say that it was a good thing. It helped me realize that I'm not the same person that I was 13 years ago. Somewhere along all of those miles I changed. 

   Change for a runner and guy like me can be a really scary thing. Even the positive ones can sometimes terrify the shit out of you. So, I think that I built up a super sturdy wall and blocked all of those new things out running and living just like I always had. It worked really well up until when you have a lot of time on your hands and nothing to take your mind off all that stuff bouncing around between your ears.

   No matter how fast I wished my back would heal so that I could get back out there my recovery was and still is painstakingly slow. I used to think that when people with these types of injuries described the recovery process like being a toddler learning to walk again that it sounded ridiculous. Well, now that I've enjoyed it myself, I can say that analogy is spot on. It really was like starting over again. Only this time I wasn't a new runner. I had 12 years of experience and over 25,000 miles under my belt. After some initial attempts at re-starting it became clearly evident that what used to apply wasn't going to work anymore. Luckily I just happened to be friends with the amazing Coach Judy Mick. I doesn't sound like being a guinea pig is all that great idea. But it's one of the best decisions that I've ever made! 

   On December 2, 2002 I started officially recording my runs. One of the best pieces of advice that I got from a veteran runner was to go to a running store and get fitted for the right pair of shoes. One of the first things that you learn when running is that just as varied as we are as individuals, are shoes should be too. What may work for me may not work for you with regards to running shoes. Price and flashy colors aren't always good indicators that a pair of running shoes is right for you. I can still remember going to one of our local running stores and going through my first shoe fitting. Looking back I was 12 pounds heavier and while not a complete couch potato, fitness wasn't something I embraced a whole heck of a lot. The store employee fitted me into a Brooks Beast size 10.5. Since then I've owned 28 different pairs. It really is a great shoe designed for heavier runners. It's what I like to call the Cadillac of the Brooks line. It costs about a million dollars a pair. But it's so sturdy that it'll give you maximum cushion, superior motion control and may even deflect bullets in emergencies. 

   After a lot of work over the winter and spring I'm finally back to being able to comfortably run some distance. I even managed to get some really good races under my belt and the running streak is restarted. Most of this is due to Coach Judy's guidance. Yes, I've done some things the same as I have in the past. But only after bouncing them off of her. We've tweaked stuff here and there. I think that it's been a learning experience for both of us. I'm just glad that she put up with my complaining when we first started!

   So with all of this new change in mind I decided to take a leap and registered for my first marathon in two years. About three weeks ago Coach Judy started me on her marathon training plan. It's nothing like I'm used to. I now realize that I was running a lot of junk mileage back when I was self-trained. Much shorter runs (right now) coupled with some hills and speed-work are the name of the game.

   As I hone in on my birthday in late August I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a little nervous. Shortly after that I'll mark one year since I got the back thing. Just in time before my comeback marathon. Most days are good. Some a little more challenging than others. What the future holds is sometimes terrifying.   

   But re-inventing yourself is never an easy thing. I'm not saying that you should forget the past and charge blindly into the future. What I'm saying is that I've failed more times than I can remember. It's OK to restart if you have to. Every day is an opportunity to judge what you learned making your mistakes against what works. It's also important to realize that what may work now, may not always work in the future. 

   So when those terrible things happen that knock you on the ground, dust yourself off, explore some new things, keep taking those big leaps of faith and try on a new pair of shoes. Hope is powerful thing. I may never be the runner that I once was. I may never be the same person. But I'll be trying my hardest wearing my first new pair of shoes in 13 years. Somewhere along those miles I out ran who I used to be and to realize that feels good. I'm someone new, someone different and it's time for a new way of looking at things. Smile, laugh and have a great run! I'll see you out there! 

    

        

Webster Trail Classic Race Review

   In 1837 a group of Whig farmers from the town of Penfield, NY listened to a prominent statesmen of the the time, Daniel Webster speak about the economy while he was in the city of Rochester. They were so impressed by his speech that they petitioned the state legislature to separate from Penfield and name the new town after statesman Webster. In 1840 the northern part of Penfield officially seceded and my quaint little town of Webster, NY was born. The town has a total area of 35.5 miles, sits on the shores of Lake Ontario and boasts a population of 37,000. I've lived here most of my life and I agree with the town's corny motto of it being "Where Life is Worth Living." 

   One of the reasons that I like living here so much is because that it's got long, winding, hilly roads that are just perfect for distance running. A few years ago I branched out and began running the local trail system. I wasn't much of a trail runner at the time. When I first started running I always preferred running on the roads versus trails. But after some exploration I was shocked to find that my town's trail system was quite large, well maintained and just beautiful. Ever since then I've made it a habit to try to get on a trail during my training at least once a week. My town has the best of both worlds.

   On the heels of having one of the best races of my life taking third in late May at the St. Rita's inaugural 10K, I just couldn't pass up racing the inaugural Webster Trail Classic 10 Mile. It wasn't only going to be the first time the race was run, but in 13 years of running it was going to be my first trail race!

   The race was created by Andy frank owner of Flower City Race Works which mostly produces off-road running and cycling events for Western, NY. Really nice guy who was informative, thorough and did an excellent job of producing this race. The race encompassed close to 10 miles of trails running through three major parks in my hometown, Webster Park, Whiting Road Nature Preserve and the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve. The race drew me right in because like the previous month's race, it was on trails that I was somewhat familiar with and the start was practically right out my front door again.  

   On June 6th, I woke up feeling pretty darn good for a race morning. The night before was perfect sleeping weather with temps in the low 50's and thunderstorms. At the time I didn't realize how bad this really was, but I'll get to that. I ate my typical pre-running breakfast of Starbucks coffee and wheat bagel with peanut butter. I was feeling well rested after my coach putting me through a mini-taper the days leading up to the race. I hopped in my truck and anxiously drove to the lodge in Webster Park that was going to act as the starting point for the race.

   I knew from Andy's race emails that parking was going to be limited at the lodge. So I left a little early. A lot good that did! I didn't realize how appealing this race looked to everyone else other than me. The 50 car parking lot was already full with another 45 minutes to go before race start. Not a huge issue, but I had to park in an auxiliary lot and walk about a quarter mile to the lodge. The walk wasn't that long and it helped quell my nervousness. Agh! It was my first trail race! I was so excited! I was also nervous about the whole directional thing. The trails were going to be marked with flags to guide runners. But it was advertised as being 10 miles long and there were only going to be two water stops. That meant not a lot of volunteers deep into the trails. It was going to be mostly up to me to keep on the right path. Anyone who knows me knows that I've got really shitty directional sense on open roads. Putting me on trails and asking me to find my way was going to be hilarious! But you never know until you try and I really wanted to say that I tried trail racing at least once in my life!

   I got to the lodge and peeked around a bit. Not surprisingly, I didn't recognize anyone. Road runners are so different from trail runners and I just don't know as many of them as I do the road breed. So I walked over to the finishing section of the trail to see what the flags looked like and what condition the trails were in. The temps had climbed to the mid to upper 50's, the sun was shinning through moderate clouds and the rain was long gone, at least in the sky. The trails had a lot of deep standing water. I'm no sissy about getting dirty and I wore my Brooks trails shoes. So I wasn't too worried. Knowing what I know now, I should've been terrified.

   I shuffled over to the start line, slammed a gel, threw on my iPod and checked the straps on my running pack. Andy gave some additional instructions and before I knew it, me and over a hundred other runners kicked off the first Webster Trail Classic! Fairly quickly the crowd bottle necked as we transitioned from the start field to the trail system. This was a little frustrating for me because I didn't have the wiggle room in road races to maneuver around the slower runners. This was something I fought almost the entire race.

   I didn't stay clean for long. I didn't realize it at first glance, but the heavy rains had made the trails dangerously slick with mud and standing puddles. At first I tried avoid the puddles as best I could. But that was proving to be dangerous as I watched several runners go down. I decided that the best way was to go through them like a tank. It worked well for me. I thankfully never slipped, but I was far from clean and dry.

   Before this race intellectually I knew that trail running was harder than road running. There's so much more to watch out for. You trade watching for distracted drives with watching out for roots and slick mud. But throw in the mini-hills and you have something akin to waging war. I was astonished to have my Garmin read something like 14:00 for my first mile! There wasn't going to be any fast miles this race. It was going to be a long, slow battle back to the finish line. The trail widened out a bit. So I was able to maneuver around some of the slower runners. But this turned out to be a depressing exercise in futility. Every time I'd pass a runner, half a mile or mile later they would pass me. At the time it seemed like a never ending frustrating game of cat and mouse!

   The next few miles were just as challenging as the first. For a mile or two I'd been following an older female runner. This turned out to be a really good decision because she never slipped, knew where the hell she was going and looked like she glided up and down the trail with no effort at all. She stopped briefly and we struck up a conversation. Her name was Beth, a local school teacher and one hell of an experienced distance and trail runner. I could barely get words out from being winded so much. She talked like she was on a damn walk. Lots of good conditioning and skill in that woman! In fact, most of the better runners in the race were women as far as I could see. A little over half-way through the race I just couldn't keep up with her anymore. She lost me somewhere in the nature preserve. I was on my own now. Gulp! It was no road race, it had tons of challenges. But the views were spectacular in the fields and the running easier there too. I remember wanting to stop and get pics of the sun on the preserve's fields but thinking that I might not start running again if I did. There were no pics.

   I didn't have to wait long for the torture to begin anew. The transition from the preserve back to the trail was like being swallowed by a gigantic beast. The next couple of miles made me realize that I never should've put my running music back on after Beth left me. I took a wrong turn at one of the trail's forks. If it wasn't for a helpful volunteer who chased me down I'd probably still be out there trying to finish. At least that one wasn't as costly as the next time that I lost the trail and climbed a sheer hill. Only to get to the top and have another runner yell to me that the trail was down at the bottom. The hills were taking a huge toll on me and to think I just climbed all that for nothing was disheartening. It hurt just as much going freaking down as it did going freaking up!

   It's rare for me to wish a race be over. But after watching a young woman trip face first over a root in front of me, get briefly knocked out and probably break a rib I realized how dangerous this race was for me. I never factored in the rain. One bad slip and I'd potentially be looking at two back injuries in one year.

   Even with my two wrong turns I was thrilled to see the finish line earlier than the advertised 10 mile distance. I've never been so relieved to finish a race! I grabbed some water, hobbled over to a tree and tried to catch my breath. I watched that same girl that I saw trip limp through the finish line. For as bad as she looked Beth trotted up to me looking like she'd been doing nothing at all. We chatted briefly. But I didn't have much to say. I was totally exhausted! It was all I could do to get back to my truck standing.

   Overall I'd say this race was an excellent one. But that's if you're an experienced trail runner. I used to think I was a trail runner too. Looking back I now realize that the sections of trail that I routinely run on are MUCH less technical than the ones in this race. I'm no trail runner. I have nothing against the trail running breed. If anything, I can now say that I've got a ton of new found respect for people who can run 30 minutes faster than me in those conditions. I can't believe they do that for fun! Good race. Good experience. But any race less than the distance of a marathon that leaves my whole body, including individual toes, ache for four days is not in my future again! For me, I'm sticking to the roads!

   

St. Rita's 5K & 10K Fiesta Race Review

   

   St. Rita's Roman Catholic Church was founded in my quaint little town of Webster, NY all the way back in 1950. The church and school run classes for grades kindergarten up to sixth sit on an old, beautiful 23 acre farm. 

   Growing up I went to a Catholic school and I often look back fondly on those years. The teachers, priests and nuns provided the basis for who I am today. One of my favorite memories about my old school was the annual summer festival that would happen every year towards the end of the school year. These festivals are a common thing among Roman Catholic churches. Through the years in Rochester there's been a dramatic decline in the number of Roman Catholic churches and schools and these festivals help to generate revenue for those that are left. 

   While I'm not a practicing Catholic anymore I do still enjoy a good church festival! St. Rita's is one of the more successful ones in the area drawing large crowds. They have rides, raffles, games and even give away a car every year towards the end of May. This year they decided to have an inaugural 5K and 10K road race. I didn't find this out until last minute. So with a little running around I managed to register in time to race the 10K. I couldn't pass up a chance to run my first inaugural race in 13 years on the roads I routinely trainvon. The church is less than five minutes from my house. So the roll out of bed factor and having it out my front door was inviting. It didn't hurt that there was an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast after the race for the racers. I have a sore spot for pancakes!

   The morning of the race was beautiful with a 75 degree temperature and a humidity of 69%. I would've liked the humidity to be a bit lower. But beggars can't be choosers after the crushing winter we just had. Besides there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the chance of rain was non-existent. It was a good day to race! 

   After a good night's sleep I woke up and ate my standard wheat bagel with peanut butter and washed it all down with some Starbucks rocket fuel. I made it to the church well before the 7:30 AM start time. I usually don't know anyone at my races. But surprisingly another friend and fellow deputy who works for my department was there with his wife. It was good to see him. A little over a month before he dropped dead while working out with another friend at a local cross-fit gym. My friend isn't a frequent runner like me. But he is in really great shape. So this was a big shock for everybody. If it wasn't for the gym's defibrillator and another friend and fellow deputy's quick action, he wouldn't be standing there with me that morning. They both were running the 5K. I wished them luck, told him he was inspiring and headed off the start line. The races weren't heavily advertised. So I toed the line with only 23 other racers. It was the smallest race I've ever run!

   I kicked on my racing mix on my iPod, turned on my Garmin watch and before I knew it, the race had started! I was still plagued with those nagging piriformis and IT band issues on my right side. But I was feeling decent and decided to try to hang with the lead pack for as long as I could. Right away this one guy just dropped the hammer and left all of us in the dust. It still amazes me how I can be clocking a sub 7:30 mile pace and other runners can just pull away from me like is was nothing. Very talented young man! The remaining pack consisted of two women and one other guy. I did pretty darn well the first three miles and picked off one of the women and the other guy. The turns were well marked and staffed with volunteers. I knew knew where I was going and most of the roads from training on them. But after about halfway the heat and humidity started taking their toll. There were some hills in there too. I just couldn't catch the one woman in front of me and as the race went on she just increased her lead on me. No worries though. I was feeling good and having a good time. 

   I came into the finish line totally spent clocking an average 8:09 mile pace finishing in 50:39. Remember how I never see anyone I know at my races? Well, another friend of mine who's a fellow racer came up to me at the finish line. She's a really good runner who's qualified and run Boston more than once and even has a 100 miler under her racing belt. She was the other woman that I couldn't catch! After some water I was able to catch my breath and the other friend and his wife came over after they finished the 5K. Introductions were made and all of us chatted about the race and life in general all while watching other racers come into the finish line. The morning passed by quickly and everyone else was eager to dive into the pancakes. But my stomach just wasn't up for it after the good effort I gave. So I said goodbye to my friends and headed off to my car. 

   As I was walking my race results came via email on my phone. I stopped dead in my tracks. For a minute there I thought the heat and humidity were making me see things. In the overall results column I was the third name down from the top? That couldn't be right? I didn't run a fast race (my third fastest 10K)? I walked back to the finish line where the timers were disassembling the equipment and pulled one of them aside. I explained that there must be some mistake because I was third from the top. The young guy just looked at my phone and irritatingly said, "Yeah, you took third." He was hot too and wanted nothing to do with this weird old guy complaining how he took third! Suddenly an average 10K that I registered for on a whim turned into not only my first inaugural race. But the first race where I placed in the top three! As I ambled around awestruck the race director came up to me and asked how I liked the race. Um, yeah dude. I LOVE YOUR RACE! I told him how it looked like I took third and he was apologetic that there weren't any room for medals in the budget. So he handed me a bunch of bananas instead. It was perfect! They were the best bunch of bananas I've ever had. 

   The rest of the day was spent on cloud nine! I texted my coach. I called everyone who would listen. It may have been a small 10K in a quaint little town. But for me it was yet another sign that I was triumphing over my back injury and getting back to being the person that I loved, a runner. A lot of people have helped along that journey and it was nice to show them I truly appreciated what they've done by running a good race! 

   So if you aren't busy next year towards the end of May, please check out the second annual St. Rita's 5K and 10K races! It was a great race in a beautiful town. You may even place. But don't count on it because I'll be running it again (and will also be on the organizing committee)!  

So good to be back!

Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich

   Ok, what just happened? One minute there were blogs being kicked out weekly and then silence for months. Rest assured everything is just fine on my end of the world. Work and life just seemed to have collided for a minute there! 

   So what have I been doing all this time? For one thing I finished up being the lead PT instructor for the newest batch of sheriff's deputy recruits. It was an amazing experience. I learned quite a bit from them and the more experienced instructors. Most of their academy PT time was unfortunately spent running god awful stairs inside the training center and doing cross-fit type workouts due to the remnants of our brutal winter. It was cold enough for a runner like me to get some miles outside. But not them. We did manage to knock out a spectacular six miler. Most of them had never run that far. So it was a great accomplishment that day! We had some injuries. But as long as one of them passes his final test next week I'll be able to say that I had a 100% success rate. It was a little dicey in the final test for some of them. But everyone dug deep and got their required push-up, sit-up and mile and a half numbers that they needed. I'm anxiously awaiting the start of another Fall academy with an additional 40 new recruits. Our department is currently conducting entrance PT tests for that class and I shivered in the pouring rain last weekend to prove it. You know you're a dedicated instructor when you're drying your clothes under a hand dryer between sessions! Can't wait to keep my perfect record intact!

   My training has been progressing very nicely. I'm back up to about 30 plus miles a week and running almost at speeds that I like. After recording HR data for the last two months I've eased up on the 80/20 HR training. I've discovered that I'm already typically running right in my HR sweet spot. So I'm not wearing the chest strap as much and mostly running by feel. Still working hard with my coach and knocking out some solid cross-training twice a week. Last weekend I even managed to take third place in a local inaugural 10K that I registered for on a whim. I'll be posting a race review soon. But let's just say that I was extremely surprised and thrilled to have done something that I've only dreamed of! No more complaining about my coach's speed workouts! This weekend I'll be running my first trail race. It's going to also be a local 10 mile race run on some of the trails that I've run on in the past. A little nervous about it being my first one on a trail. But why do anything easy? Ten miles of dirt, rocks and roots here I come (whether I'm ready or not)!

   Another thing that I've been trying to do a lot of lately is read. So today I'm going to give you my book review of Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich. Heinrich is a biology professor out of the University of Vermont who's written mostly about nature, behavior, biology and ecology. He's also an extremely gifted distance runner who's won numerous event and set some masters ultramarathon records throughout the 80's.

   This book came highly recommended. Why We Run is half of a biology book and half a recounting of his training for and ultimately winning the Golden Gate Marathon in 1979. I'm a nerdy lover of the animal world and most things related to biology. But I have to admit that I found that section of his book challenging to get through. There were times when these sections put me to sleep almost immediately. It was all I could do to get through them. They were mainly focused on describing various animals, their endurance prowess and how that could relate to human running. It was interesting up to a point. Even though Bernd tries, I just didn't make the connections to human running.

   The latter half of the book was much more enjoyable for me. He goes into detail about his experiences while he was training. Even though I'm a techie, results driven type of guy with my running, I'm fascinated about what goes on in the running mind too. Running can be such a mental game sometimes and I think that Bernd focuses too much on the physical aspects in this book. Well, what would you expect from a biologist? If you enjoy seriously reading about that type of thing and are a runner, then I'd say give this book a go. I'll even give you my copy! It just wasn't for me.

   Today's National Running Day and I hope that you managed to get out there to enjoy this wonderful gift that we've been given! I'm so happy to be back! I've been doing it so much that time got away from me here! More to come of both, I promise!    

80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald

   I first heard of Matt Fitzgerald a few years ago from a triathlete friend of mine at the local YMCA where I train. At the time I was looking to try something new to take my distance running to the next level. I'd devoted the better part of almost 10 years to breaking the four hour time mark in the marathon distance. But just couldn't manage to put a three in front of my finishing times no matter how hard I tried. My friend suggested that I try reading his book Racing Weight. I picked up the book and was mesmerized right from page one. I've always been a numbers type of person who enjoys having a well laid out plan when I'm trying to accomplish something. Matt wrote the same way and I quickly put his suggestions from the book into practice in my lifestyle and my training. 

   The results were frankly astonishing! In roughly four months I cut over 25 lbs. making me the lightest I've been since before high school, ran some of the most consistent, fastest paces ever and took more than 15 minutes off my previous marathon. Yes I finally broke that four hour barrier. Matt's concepts in that book weren't complicated or ground breaking. They were common sense ideas and practices put into a detailed plan that taught me how to eat healthier, cross-train smarter and run better. He didn't do the work for me. But he did definitely guided me in the right direction. 

   Afterwards I reached out to him to thank him for the impact that his writing had had on my running. I never expected him to hear back from him. I just wanted to say thanks. But he did contact me back to hear my success story. He liked it so much that he wrote me into the second printing of the book. So cool!

   The concepts and principles that I learned in that book have stuck with me and while some things have slightly changed, I'm still lighter, use his cross-training concepts and have consistently broke that four hour barrier in my marathon races. 

   As you know, with the onset of my back injury last year things have drastically changed with regards to my running. I've still managed to keep the weight off. But with all of the forced time off from running my mile pace times are far from what they used to be. It's been a slow, cautious and painfully steady march back to my old self. 

   I've changed many of the ways that I used to do things. Along with getting a well versed, accomplished and inspirational coach (thanks Coach Judy) I also took an interest in the theory of heart rate training. Fortunately for me, Matt came out with a new book titled 80/20 Running which conveniently incorporates this type of training. There's been a lot written over the years about heart rate zones and pacing zones. I wanted to get to the bottom of it all and if anyone could do it Matt could. 

   Just like his past books, Matt dives right into the basic premise of 80/20 training. Basically 80/20 training means that you run 80% of your training (easy running where you can talk) below your ventilatory threshold and 20% of your training (where you can't talk) above it. Again, Matt presents a concept that isn't new. He does however present a great deal of convincing evidence that this training has worked, and not only for runners. One of the more impressive studies that he cites is one in which researchers tested the 80/20 theory against athletes running, biking and using ellipticals. Across ALL three types of exercise this theory proved to produce the best training effect. Wow!

   Matt provides easy tests to determine your training levels and guides you how to track them. Nothing overly complicated, just some easily understandable techniques. Also like all his past books, he provides training plans for various distance goals. Trust me when I say that you won't be confused or lost about anything that he writes about. 

   I've always been a firm believer in the idea that in order to run a fast race that you have to train at fast running paces. In the book Matt points out that most recreational runners train at a 50/50 ratio. I'm definitely guilty of that and have been for a long time. I'm not saying it's bad. But while doing so I did notice an increase in injuries, a decrease in enjoyment and felt tired the majority of the damn time. With my back injury forcing me to hit my restart button I thought to myself why can't I train with fewer injuries, loving every step feeling like I'm putting the right effort into each workout? Why kill myself when I don't need too to get the same end results?

   We're going on week three and as Matt hints in the book, doing 80/20 training and keeping yourself honest to the right levels is EXTREMELY challenging. It still feels like I'm shorting myself most of the time because I'm not running my old standby mile paces. My long run last week took an extra 15 minutes to complete for God's sake! That stings the ego a little. But even after training like this for such a short time I'm finding myself with less soreness after workouts, looking forward to my daily runs and relaxed because I'm not pressured to hit a certain pace goal. One of the main things that I'm using to track my training is a heart rate monitor. Apparently my heart is goofy as hell! But I'm already noticing that I can run a bit faster than before while keeping my heart rate in the right zone. I even bit the bullet and finally replaced my Fitbit One with a Charge HR to use as another tool to track my heart rate (review in the works)! 

   If you're in the market for an upgrade in your running I highly suggest you check out this book and Matt's many others at his website: Matt Fitzgerald. He's a runner, triathlete, a coach, knows what he's talking about and one hell of a nice guy! I only follow training advice that's safe, sound and backed up with research. All of Matt's is. Check it out. You won't be disappointed!

   My training is continuing on and after seven months I'm finally back up to running double digit distances. My coach and I are still taking a cautious approach even though my back seems to healing well. It's still challenging to not go back to what I'm used to. But I'm trying to continue to look at the big picture and keep everything in perspective. I've got my whole life ahead of me to use as training time. Seven months ago I couldn't get out of bed and on Saturday I almost ran a half marathon distance. Slow and steady will eventually safely turn me into a hare (although being a turtle is way more fun)! My half-marathon is quickly approaching and the next few weeks will be spent preparing for that challenge. 

   My mom's fight with lung cancer has taken a frustrating turn. The results from her recent second biopsy tested negative for cancer. Apparently this is quite common with biopsy testing. It's maddening though because it gives false hope. The doctors have suggested a third biopsy, but I'm not sure she's up to it. Watching a parent whom you once looked to for help, guidance and protection become so frail is difficult. But we're fighting on and not giving up anytime soon. 

   I hope that your running is going well! Spring actually seems to be coming to upstate NY. But in a single run I still managed to experience sunshine, high winds, rain, sleet and snow! Only in Rochester! I'm looking forward to spending more time on the roads instead of the treadmill! See you out there and let me know if I can help!

Win, Loose, Draw, Repeat

   For over two months now I've been running at least one consecutive mile each day. This is affectionately known within our community as a "streaking". I'm no stranger to this crazy concept. A couple of years ago I started out trying to run 366 consecutive days and wound up lasting all the way until 609 days! I learned a lot about myself and my running even though I thought I'd learned everything I could from the sport. One of the greatest things that I got out of the whole experience was the power of "small" goal setting. 

   When most people think of greats of our sport like Roger Banister, Bill Rodgers, Dick Hoyt, Steve Prefontaine, Meb Keflezighi, Joan Benoit, Deena Kastor, Paula Radcliff (and many others) they recall incredible athletes who far exceed what the human body is capable of with regards to running and racing. They preformed at a level during their various events that set them apart from mere amateur runners like you and me.

   I'm a marathoner and here's some numbers for you to think about: of the US population only 0.5% ever complete running a marathon. Of that percentage only 0.0005% ever qualify to run the Boston Marathon. According to the B.A.A. (Boston Athletic Association) I'd have to run a pre-qualifying marathon in 3:15 or less. That means that I'd have to take roughly more than half an hour off my current marathon PR time to earn a slot. In order to qualify for the men's US Olympic Marathon Team I'd have to run a 2:15 marathon at the trials. So add another hour to the Boston figure. That's freaking fast! I'm not saying that I couldn't do either. I'm just saying that the chances of me ever reaching each of those goals are probably nil for my future.

   Through the years I've been lucky enough to meet Mr. Rodgers, Mrs. Kastor and other extremely talented runners. Once I was able to pick my mouth up off the floor and speak in coherent sentences to them I was struck by how down to earth they were. Even though they had reached the pinnacle of our sport they still told stories of starting out like you and me. Yes they had some great genetics. Yes they had some incredible drive. Yes they had some amazing coaching and opportunities. But you just don't wake up one morning and win the Boston Marathon or win an Olympic medal. There's a process to achieving goals like that.

   Much of that process involves setting small goals. Running can be such an empowering sport. When you first start out the improvements can come quickly. Your health improves, you get stronger, you loose all your extra weight, you get faster, you run longer and you realize that racing is a hell of a lot of fun. You can feel invincible. But sometimes the running injuries start piling up. You realize that there's a limit to how much you can put into running and get out. You unfortunately can only go so fast and so far. Sometimes the timing just isn't right. If you're not ready for this transition, it can be a very painful one. But it doesn't have to be. You have to learn to set small goals.

   Everyone, no matter who they are, has had challenges to overcome in their lives. Some have had less than others. But everyone has had things that they needed to overcome. I've had a few but I don't think that I've had a hard life compared to some people. As of late I've maybe had a few more than usual. They say that most amateur runners typically experience all of those incredible improvements the first seven years of their running career. I think that's bullshit, depending on your point of view. I'm going on year 13 and while I don't see myself running a 4:30 mile, breaking three hours in a marathon or toeing the line at Boston this year, I do have goals. I'm going to try to complete a half-marathon, a marathon and work at cracking that 609 day mark on my streak.

   I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and reach these goals instantly. Whatever your goals are realize that you don't have to "eat the whole pie at once". You can eat it slice by slice. It may take you longer than you want, but you'll eventually get there. If you fail that's OK too. There's always next time and experience is just as valuable of a tool as raw talent. You peak only when you're ready. Instead of getting faster one year you could try to run more consistent mile splits. Instead of racing farther one year you could run more smaller races. Instead of trying to train harder one year you could volunteer your time and experience training new runners at a local running store. All it takes is one simple mind-shift. When you think about it there's always something else that you could improve with regards to running. It doesn't always have to be big things. 

   Instead of beating yourself up because you're injured or getting slower. Use that time to string along enough small wins. In the end you'll feel like you're accomplishing something and not go crazy during the healing process. You may even find yourself improving from all of the small changes in many big substantial ways. 

   My running is strong right now. I've just wrapped up my second week of training with the 80/20 HR principle and have almost finished the book (review forthcoming). Still not used to running so slow. It's nice though to not feel so exhausted all of the time and un-pressured to hit a certain pace. My body's really appreciated the down shift as I try to kick this ridiculous chest cold. I'm going to have to buy stock in watch batteries though! 

   My recruits today made me so proud. Some of them have had issues along the way with regards to some of the more physical workouts that we do. But they've worked hard and today it showed. As a 26 person unit they ran slightly over six miles non-stop. The entire group kept together and some of the people who've been having challenges led the pack. We even did sit-up's, push-up's, jumping jacks and burpees at mile intervals. Only three or four of them had ever gone that distance. It was amazing to see all of them succeed today doing something that some runners wish that they could do. 

   I know that this post seems a little preachy from my side of the keyboard. All that I wanted to convey is that life and running ebb and flow. This week I realized that seven months ago I couldn't get out of bed and now I can run 400M repeats at my fastest 5K pace. Enjoy the good times, learn from the tragedies and comeback stronger than before using the knowledge that you've gained through your struggles. 

   Win, Loose, Draw, Repeat and enjoy the journey!