Hi guys - Many, many years ago, when I was in High school, baseball was my game. I loved watching it, but more loved playing it. Unfortuneately, my coach, Coach Hulsey, who as far as I was concerned had a much higher aptitude as a hockey coach, had a differing opinion as to my baseball abilities. Whereas I felt I had talents that could greatly enhance the sorry state of our team, he felt that as a baseball player, I should stick with soccer. So, here I was, in my Senior year, having been cut from the River Dell HS team THREE years in a row (9th - 11th grade), and nothing to show for it. I was somewhat on the soccer squad, but never played enough to earn a school letter, so this letter became an obcession, but Spring of my Senior year put a finish-line pressure on me to earn this elusive symbol of athletic prowess. Enter the track team. Now, you have to realize, I HATED running of all sorts, and to have this be the main object of the sport was totally incomprehensible to me. But, priorites were to be put in order and my teen, peer-presured mind said cut bait & fish or shut-up. I began the season running the 440 (just to give you a tip on my age - there was no 400 yet!) which was hell-on-earth because essentially the 440 was a SPRINT around the whole daggum track. I mean, take the 100 yd dash, go as hard as you can, and then keep it up all the way around. The turn towards home is a feeling in your legs that cannot be described, but it's something like bands of steel surrounding muscles that have gone empty and you only have 100 yards to go. After doing that nonsense for half the season, Coach Babbitt, suggested that (now get this!), I move UP to the 880!!! Had Coach Babbitt lost his mind? As oppossed to Baseball Coach Hulsey, I actually felt like Coach Babbit knew what he was doing. This was 1965, and he was the ONLY person I knew that actually had run the Boston Marathon! Picture the impression this had on a sore legged teenager who thought the MILE runners were endurance athletes. So, I reluctantly moved up to the 880, and found that here, you could actually pace yourself to where you might actually have a "kick" at the end. I could slip in behind the first three or four guys, try to hold on, and usually stagger into a finish in the top 6 or 7. Ok, not exactly a success story, but I found that running was not totally terrible. I did get that letter, gave it on a sweater to some girl, and when we broke up, I asked for the sweater back even before I rememebered she also had my school ring (I got that back too). This is not meant to be "The History of Al", or how I fell in love with running. Actually, I gave it up for 13 years after High School and only tried it again when I was getting as big as a double-wide. But, I often look back at all the small things that happen that completely change your life, and while visiting my family and grandson in Boston this weekend, I was running in a light rain on Heartbreak Hill on the Boston Marathon course and of all things, Coach Babbitt came to mind. I remember how impressed I was 45 years ago (Yikes! - 45 years!!) to know he had run on this same, famous bump in the road, and what he would say to know I've actually raced Boston 5 times! Heck, he might have moved me up to run the mile if he knew I could do that! I also thought about how lucky I am in so many facets of my life. My competitive running days may be over and my long distances seem to be getting shorter, but with running, I can still "lace 'em up", hit the road, and have the time of my life. My mind wanders all over the place while I'm running, and because of that, once again I say, Thank God I'm a Runner. What other sport can you let your mind wander while you actually do the activity? So,once again, Coach Al's Chronicles have come from high above the clouds as I fly home (I love my Netbook). I had a great time with my Boston visit, and seeing our grandson grow up is an unexplainable joy. However, as he grows, I see that Grandpa is going to have to stay in shape to keep up. I never liked intervals, but Adam demands constant push, pull, lift, throw, carry, swing, etc, interspersed with periodic rest breaks. Perfect. My fitness was getting a little lax, so, my idea of "Grandpa Bootcamp", may be of mutual benefit. From somewhere above North Carolina, I hope you all have a good week and I'll see you on the roads - AL
"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"
"I admire runners older than I - they are now my heroes. I want to be like them as I grow older." - Frank Shorter
Hi guys - Reading that quote above - the way I'm running lately, I must be like a God to Frank Shorter!! Watch out what you wish for, Frank.
Once again, I'm winging my way northward to see my son Michael, daughter-in-law Joanie, and Grandson, Adam. When Adam was born 10 months ago, my wife, Wendy, and I decided to spend our son's inheritance on roundtrips flying to Boston every two months. So, this week's RWA comes to you from 35,000 feet! Whoa, and I thought 7000 feet of New Mexico was high.
Whether you're training for San Francisco, Chicago, New York, or any other fall marathon, you might want to take a quick look at the calendar - IT'S GETTING CLOSER!!! Seven weeks (Chicago) goes by pretty quickly, especially when the last three weeks are a taper. Some quick New Jersey math tells me that leaves only 4 more intense weeks of training. Now, if you're going to Tupelo, well, then looking at the calendar might give you quite a start as that's only 2 weeks away!! Training for the marathon is not Rocket Science folks, but it's not a "fall-out-of-the-bed-and-decide-to-race" thing either. Many of you will be diving into the marathon world for the first time and as with anything else, it's probably best to follow the road paved by previous divers. The schedule I put out is one of a 100 different ones you can find, all of them with their merits and criticisms. Several times in the past mine was said to not have enough 20 milers, not being specific enough about speed or not telling you how much to do each day. I aim my schedule totally towards the first timer and is based on putting miles in your legs, but can be modified any way you want. I don't think a new runner needs to get too hung up on tempo runs, intervals, or even a bunch of hill training. Put miles in your legs to build endurance, because without that foundation, your house-of-cards training program will come crashing down. If you'd like a copy, drop me an email and I'll gladly send it (262coach@gmail.com).
Being consistent with the training and knowing when to cut back to allow a little rest are by far the two most important aspects of training. I have always felt that the most important distances to do in training are in the 13-17 mile range. This will get most runners in the two and a half hour range. The 20 miler is mostly a dress rehearsal test, and most of the benefit is more psychological than physical. In doing 13-17 miles, you teach your body how to spare the stored and ingested carbohydrates, and how to burn fat much more efficiently, without beating yourself up. When you do your first 20 miler, you will cry "How will I ever go another 6?" Trust me, I wouldn't leave you unprepared to get to the finish. If you're training for a fall marathon (or half), from here on out, every run you do, whether it's 20 miles or 5 miles, you should be picturing in your mind that the marathon will feel like this. Try to picture yourself IN the race itself. Visualization teaches your mind what to expect long before you toe the starting line. The topic of visualization will be blog all by itself, but for now, just know that all this physical AND mental training will NOT make running a marathon easy, but it will make it easier (physical) and it will prepare you how to accept all the potential obstacles the marathon will throw at you (mental). If you don't try anything new on race day (ah, there's the rub), you're there. I'm not saying things won't go wrong, but when they do, it'll frustrate you, but not catch you from left field, and through your training, you'll handle it. Last week, I got caught in a thunderstorm, and it poured on poor little me, but somewhere down deep, I learned a little more about how I respond to a hard rain. Ok, I acted like a little girl when it thundered, but that's another issue. If you have a bad run, get through it and try to figure it out later. When you go into a tailspin, you're in survival mode, and you have to salvage your run somehow. Do you pick up the pace? I don't think so! Drink more? Now you're on the right track! Get some sugar in your system? The track just got righter! Try to run/walk? If you can, great! Run fast and try to get back up to your original pace? Good luck! The point is all the aspects of training will get you to the start line, but more importantly, don't treat training like it has no flexibility. The final few weeks of training before the marathon is the culmination of all the training you have done previously. I took a cooking class once, and the instructor was teaching us how to make risotto. Everyone, including me, was trying to watch his every move and measurement so we could duplicate his delicacy. The best thing I took away from that class was that by the end of it, that instructor had imprinted into our mind "Don't memorize the recipe, learn the technique!". Don't get hung up in the specifics of training - learn the principles. If you don't like Gatorade, learn that it's not the gatorade that's the key, it's the carbohydrates from the sugar. So figure out another way to get that sugar - gel, sports beans, candy. If you can't drink a lot at each aid station, learn that it's not that you have to drink a lot at once, but you have to drink, so carry a bottle or water belt and sip along the way. Learn the technique - why you do things, and then individualize.
Man, sorta feel like I've weaved all over with this week's posting, but as you know, once a week, I sit in front of the computer and type whatever comes out (thank God for the delete key!).
For those of you thinking of training for the Mercedes full or half marathon in February, I will drop some schedules off at the Homewood Trak Shak this week and we'll get them posted on the Mercedes site soon (I hope). Anyway, training begins September 19th at Brownell at 6:30am. No, you don't have to sign up. There's no fee and it's well worth the price. You won't get a training shirt, and nobody will hold your hand. But, Ken Harkless and I will answer all your questions, and provide a person each week to say "go". I'll have maps on line before the first week, put out coolers, but if you have any burning questions, email me.
Now, it's about time for "wheels down", so it's close to go into Grandpa mode. I swear, the only word Adam can say is "Grandpa", but everybody else says it's just a curdling scream. What do they know? Be back Tuesday and I'll see you all on the roads - AL
"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"
"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." - Andre Gide
Hi guys - When my dad was in the Army, he was also a boxer. That was before I was born, but when I was old enough, he used to enjoy telling me about his boxing exploits much more than he ever talked about WWII. He (like me) was only 5'6", so he didn't exactly convey fear into his opponents, but he would tell me that when they'd go out to center ring before the fight, he would say to his foe "You might beat me, but I'll keep the flies off your ass". Besides that, one thing that always stuck with me was he would wouldn't try to knock the other guy out - he would jab, jab, jab at the opponent's shoulders. He said eventually, Butterbean would wear out and couldn't lift his arms and would be ripe for the kill. What in this wide world does this have to do with running? Well, here in Birmingham, we're in our 41st straight day of 90 degrees or hotter and I feel like I've been jabbed and jabbed and I'm wearing out. I mean I got up at 4:30 the other morning to run and it was 80!! At least the humidity has plummeted to 85% and the run wasn't half bad. Oh well, like they say (whoever THEY are), if you don't like the weather, wait 30 minutes and it'll change...how 'bout 6 weeks and it'll change! Then, this morning I was 6 miles into a long run and the lightning and thunder started popping all around me. It was pretty scary. As runners do, for no good reason, I came up with a mantra to get me through...Sweat, Pray, Run. Guess I've been reading too much hype of that new Julia Roberts movie! Maybe the heat streak will now break with this rain, but until then, this is purely survival running folks. Don't get discouraged with your training. Keep jabbing at the weather and IT will wear out! Trust my dad. It works.
In October, our local TNT Chapter has a group going to San Francisco, most of those runners and walkers to do their first long distance event. When one thinks of San Fran, one immediately thinks of two things - Ghiardelli chocolate and hills. Ok, maybe not everybody thinks of the chocolate, but this is my blog and that's what I think about. But, to every runner, mention to them "San Francisco" and the first response is going to be some comment about hills. So, let's calm some nerves and look at training for a hilly long distance event.
Now, I'm a big believer in hill training to make you stronger, but I'm also a believer that if you do it every day, it will flat wear you out! You know how they say (there THEY are again) hills are speedwork in disguise? Well, there's no disguise about it...speedwork sucks and hill training sucks! THEY also say hills are your friend? Well, THEY also say "With friends like you..."! But, if you're bound for SF or any other bumpy marathon or ultra, the first thing is to learn the course.If you see bumps and lumps throughout the course, the only way to beat them down during the race is to learn to beat them down in training. The Nike Marathon website says it's a flatter course. OK, fine, but looking at the elevation chart, I see 4 significant "inclines". So, I know it's hot as blazes here in Birmingham, but we have to start taking hill training a little seriously with the marathon only 9 weeks away. You always should try to mimic the basics of the course in your training. It's called "Specificity of Training" and I think it is one of the most important aspects of putting together a solid training plan. There are two basic ways to improve your hill running - one is to train on a relatively up & down course, or you can always opt for the more "hell-on-earth" method of doing hill repeats. This blog is not going to be a training manual, so I won't go into specifics of how many reps and how long the hill should be, but I do want to emphasize that for you to be able to become the bear that went over the mountain, you better meet that mountain many times before you put your toes on that starting line. Besides getting your quads (thigh muscles) and calves stronger, it will make you lift your knees higher (or you'll trip), increase your ability to control your breathing (or you'll be wheezing and gasping) thus improving how your body utilizes the oxygen you're sucking in, and it will teach you rhythm, one of the most overlooked and crucial aspects of distance running. If you let the hills break up your rhythm, you will slow dramatically. Those of you that run with me on Sunday mornings know that I have repeatedly said that you have to keep an even cadence. That means that if someone was just listening to you run, they shouldn't be able to tell if you were going up, going down, or running on level ground. It's just that going up will shorten your stride, and going down will lengthen your stride. An even effort is the key. If the grade of the hill is really steep, then use a very short stride - I also like to use the mantra "baby steps, baby steps" all the way up the hill. Try to keep your posture upright - don't lean too far forward or back as this will affect your breathing. If you start breathing more heavily, this is a sign from God that you're going too fast, SHORTEN YOUR STRIDE! When you (eventually) get to the top, try to run "through" the top of the hill and maintain the even effort until you start cruising into the downhill. It seems, most runners want to get to the top of the hill and yell "Woooooooooo" and slow to about a 30 minute/mile pace. Stay relaxed on the downhill and don't overstride (this will pound your feet, stress your hamstrings, and overuse your quads). Keep your feet low to the ground and your stride will be dictated by the steepness of the hill. Just ask a first-time Boston Marathon runner where he hurts the most the next day - odds are better than even that he will say his quads because it is mostly downhill for the first 16 miles and the quads are used for braking! With hills, unfortuneately it will cost you at least 10% more energy to go up than you save coming down using an even effort even if the total elevation gain and loss is zero! That's a bummer, isn't it?
Yes, it might be true that hills are speed training in disguise, and hills are your friends, and they are necessary in your training, but sometimes they're just a plain necessary pain in the butt! Good luck to all you TNT'ers training for San Fran. As long as you plan and train properly, you can't fail. That goes for hills, nutrition, pace, and all else that Mother Marathon wants to throw at you.Any questions? Email me 262coach@gmail.com
Keep jabbing away and I'll see you all on the hot and sticky roads - AL
"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"
"Life is not measured by the numbers of breaths that we take, but by the moments that take our breaths away"So, as I gleefully told you all last week, I was heading to the Great Southwest, New Mexico to be precise, for a week of vacation. Now, this was NOT to be a running vacation. Goodness knows that 128 marathons and ultras have dragged my wife here, there and everywhere to watch me run (I can't understand why that's not exciting, but...). No, this was to be a touristy trip to a place we had never trekked to before. So, being tired of my rapidly declining running pace in the hot and humid Alabama summer, I was looking forward to cooler temperatures, and more importantly, a much lower humidity. Both of those did come to fruition, but there was another variable lurking in the shadows to sabatage my plans of returning to my younger running paces - altitude! Now, let's back up a few years ago when I got a crazy hankerin' to run the Pikes Peak Marathon. Not only was this 13 miles up, 13 miles down, at an average 11% incline, but Pikes Peaked out at over 14,000 feet! Hey, "I'm in shape. I can handle this". So, I got myself into a very intensive hill program, week after week, running to the top of Shackleford Point in Oak Mountain. Only problem was that Shack topped out at 1035 feet! The oxygen at 1035 feet is pretty much the same thick consistency as sea level, and the O2 at 14K is about 40% less. You should have seen Mr. Alabama hugging a boulder at 11 miles, wondering "what is wrong with me" while I prayed my heart wasn't about to explode out of my chest. I made it those other 2 miles where all I wanted to do was put my hands on my knees and "catch my breath". The volunteers at the top rip a tag off your race number and literally spin you around and give you a push to start you back down the mountain. They know you want breathe again, but they also know that ain't gonna happen till you drop about 2000 feet.
So, flash forward to the present where I'm in Albuquerque, Sante Fe, and Taos with an average elevation of 7000 feet. After my first stellar run on the perfectly flat-as-a-pancake Bosque trail, I thought "Holy Crow. What was that all about?". I couldn't figure out why my run was so pitiful. I mean the temperature was only about 60 degrees, and the humidity was certainly lower than Sweet Home Alabama. So, I decided to Google a little bit on the effects of altitude on pace and I was pretty surprised at what I found.
Performance starts to be affected at about 1000 feet. Now, we're not talking just about racing, but on running performance regardless of pace. These days my race pace and my training pace are pretty interchangeable, and even I have to smile when I say "race pace". Anyway, at the 7000 feet I was running, my VO2 max will drop about 12%. This is a measurement of how much oxygen your lungs can actually drain out of those "Help, I'm dying here" gasps you make as you stare at your stupid chronograph, sure that it's broken. You can have lungs the size of a boxcar, but it's the amount of O2 your body can tap from that volume of air that counts. Now, one thing working in your favor is that your running economy actually improves about 6% because of the thinner air. But, even my New Jersey math works out to about a 6% loss in performance - in a 10K race that would normally take you 45 minutes, you might be looking at about a 47:30. A sea-level four hour marathon would take you about 4:10 with all the other variables being equal. I was really surprised that a relatively modest raise in elevation could affect performance that much. Another thing that can work in your favor is that you do acclimate rather quickly, but even that's pretty tricky. I remember when I was getting ready for PP, they suggested to either get out there a week early or come the day before (I guess to try to surprise your body). I must say that by the 3rd morning in New Mexico I felt a ton better, but that was probably due to the 60% humidity instead of the ridiculous 90% stuff. Then again,maybe it's the chili I've been eating - I'm not sure. Maybe I'll Google the effects of chili peppers on running performance - next RWA. I don't mean for this to be any kind of dry physiology lecture, but it might give you another variable food for thought on whether to sign up for marathons in, say, Denver or Biloxi. If you sign up for Denver, fine. But, know what to expect before you stride across that start line. Every race can be a wonderful experience, but please learn the course and conditions first and then set realistic goals. Like I have always said to anyone complaining about a course to any Race Director, "C'mon, man. Did you do your homework?". Chances are they looked at the entry fee and that was it. OK, that'll be another RWA. See how easy it is to come up with with topics?
OK guys, it's time for me to pack up and get back home. Sure am looking forward to my long run on Sunday morning. Yeah, that should be a riot. Hopefully, I'll see you on the roads.
"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"
"A champion is someone bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when no one else is looking" - Unknown, but one of my favorite quotes
Well, can't say we've broken through this heat wave yet. Went out this morning at 5:30 and the "Al Scale" was at a whopping 170 (temp was 79 and the humidity was 91%). Decided to go easy and try to get through a slow 2+ hour run. Once the sun came up, I don't think there was a cloud between here and Oklahoma.Actually, if you cut your pace down to about that of a plow horse, you can get through runs like this. I went through 3 bottles of water and still lost 5#. Maybe I can peddle this..."Lose 5# in two hours! Be ready for your Class Reunion in a snap". Sorry to say guys, this is summer in Alabama. Plan for it, and you've got it more than 50% whipped. Understand that this is simply survival running and you can't put any stock in what your pace is. Getting out the door is the first great hurdle. I've always subscribed to the idea that in order to be a successful long distance runner, you can't hide indoors when the it gets hot as hades or cold as...well, a cold day in hell. Now, of course, we have to go back to a few blogs ago when I talked about common sense and listen carefully to what your body is telling you. It will do all it can to help you get through whatever level of stress you try to put it through, but it does have it's limit. You have to train, you have to acclimate, you have to prepare. You can't spend June and July at the YMCA and then in August you decide you're going to do the Hometown Marathon in September, so it's time to put in a 20 miler...on the Hometown course...in the heat... Yeah, let me know how that one goes.
I remember, about 20 years ago, anywhere from 2-6 of us would meet every lunchtime at UAB (my University) and do 5-8 miles. We would do this 12 months a year, 4-5 days during the work week. We would acclimate to the cold, to the heat, to the rain, to the snow, and everything in between. These runs were at a pretty brisk pace and the last two blocks were always a "balls-to-the-wall" sprint. Those were the days I set all my PR's.Now, all my runs are in the early morning, so I'm not acclimated to anything post 8 o'clock. I've given some slack to my runs in terms of distance and pace, mostly out of necessity, but more importantly because this is what I have to do to keep running. And I love to run. It is ingrained in me. I see a trail, and I don't just picture running it...I can feel myself running it. Physically, maybe I couldn't run that trail, but I can still feel it. I don't want to ever lose that feeling. I still see ads for marathons and say I'd like to run that one, and then I go out on a morning like today and 12 miles buries me. Maybe I could run that marathon and finish before Tuesday, but I still have that feeling that I am a runner.So, I get out there in the heat, and the humidity, and the sky-high Al Scale readings, and I accept "cold molasses uphill" pace. I am a runner. It will cool off soon, and then the real whining begins because I absolutely, positively HATE cold weather. But, my friends, I'll be out there...and hopefully, so will you.
Ok, I've sorta rambled around with this week's RWA. Tomorrow, my wife and I are headed to New Mexico for a little vacation. It's cooler there and the humidity is way low (Al Scale in the 120's). Maybe I'll see if my pitiful pace is really due to the H & H. Wait, maybe I don't want an answer to that one. Either way, I hope you all have a good and safe training week. I'll see you on the roads - AL
There comes a time to every runner when you just know this is where you're supposed to be and you thank God he allowed you to be there. This morning, I was running a a rather short, uninspiring run, in incredibly hot and humid conditions with 5-6 of my friends. We were taking turns about who could whine the most when we noticed a rainbow beginning to form in the clearing skies. It stayed in front of us and as we kept running, a second, though fainter one appeared. By the time we reached our waterstop a few minutes later, we were absolutely awed - the rainbow was one of the brightest I have ever seen and extended completely across the sky. At our waterstop, there is an open field that extends maybe a quarter of a mile, and there we
actually saw the end of that rainbow touching the ground! I have NEVER seen THE END OF THE RAINBOW until this morning. Of course, none of us had a camera, but that's ok. We all have the memory. We all ran towards the rainbow, but it quickly faded back up into the sky, and no, we didn't find the Pot of Gold. We found something much more precious. Yeah, it was hot,
it was humid, my joints ached, but for a brief time this morning, it was wonderful. Just felt like sharing it with you all.
Have a good week - AL
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 - 1944)
Hi guys - Thought I'd get up early this morning to beat the heat. Guess I had to get up a little earlier...like March! I mean, it was 81 degrees when I woke up at 4:30. Went to Oak Mountain to run on the trails and let me tell you, trees make for a nice blanket to hold all that 80% humidity in a tidy bundle. I know, summer in Alabama and all that stuff, but I'll tell you this, though. With all the experience I have with running and teaching other runners, I keep learning that you have to always pay attention to the heat. Years ago, I came up with a simple thing I call the "Al Scale". Simply, you add the temperature and humidity and if it's above 160, you better cut back and stash any quality workout (distance or speed) in your back pocket. When you have a long run planned and you're dead set to get the run in, the best chance you have to get your distance is to cut way back on the pace from the start. Make sure you drink enough (12-16oz) within an hour of starting and try to drink constantly during the run. For many years, I have carried a hand-held water bottle so I can sip along the way instead of having to hope there's a gas station around the next corner (there never is in the woods!). When I run on the trails, I'll also wear a belt that carries another water bottle. Once you're water level dips below the "uh-oh" line, you're a goner. There's no catching up and your run turns into a trance-like shuffle/walk. Yeah, that's real pretty! Back in June, somebody said to me "it could be worse", and I said to him "Yeah, it could be July". Well, here it is, and I have a feeling that August is going to be like...well, August in Alabama. RESPECT THE HEAT!
Now, about that quote above. As we get a little deeper into our schedules for the fall marathons, we have to be sure that we have a good plan spelled out, and we have confidence in that plan. You don't want to get on a plane and have the pilot say "I wonder where we'll go today". Many of you are following a schedule that me or Ken have put in front of you and you're following it on blind faith alone that we know what we're doing. Well, let's not dwell on that assumption, ok? But, it's hard in June to think that what you doing then will actually have an effect on what happens in 4 months. Your biggest concern in October is going to be "what cold weather clothes should I pack?" - that's hardly your primary concern today! But, by coming out consistently and training through the hot summer, you will adapt to the rigors of turning your body's energy system into an acclimated machine. YOU CAN'T HELP BUT IMPROVE! Your body may not be crazy about what you're doing, but it knows it better adapt because you just may continue doing this for a while (this doesn't apply to running out of fluids on a long run). Then all you have to worry about is believing you can do this. Most of you won't believe that until you're going under the balloons over the finish line, but we'll work on that. What you have to get out of your mind is negative thoughts that you CAN'T finish your race, or you CAN'T get through the training, or you CAN'T eat another one those awful Powerbars (OK, I'll cut you slack there). If you come to the start line of a training run or a race with the attitude that "I'm too slow, I'm not in shape, I'm a slug of an athlete, etc, etc" you will literally block yourself from having any kind of a positive experience. I don't think there's a run that your body doesn't learn something - it might not learn anything good, but it'll learn something. When you have a bad training run, you'll learn how to cope with it and what to do to salvage the run. You can't learn to deal with trouble if you don't experience it. But you have to keep telling yourself that you're strong just be out there and although you may not be the fastest runner out there, that doesn't matter - you have to feel good about yourself and that you did the best job you could do when all the cards have been dealt. 100% doesn't mean collapsing at the finish line - it means that you can honestly say to yourself "Well, that was all I had today". You never have to look any further than that. You NEVER, EVER have to answer to anybody else but you. I've felt better about some marathons I've done in 4:30 than others I've done in 3:30. And now I'm beginning to accept that my "comeback" marathon from ankle woes will be in the 5 hour range - and although I'm not crazy about it, I'm OK with it because I know I'm lucky as hell to be running at all! Just hang in there and (here I go again), be consistent, take planned rest days, and believe in yourself.
I recently read in the VULCAN RUNNER (the Birmingham Track Club Newsletter) that Ken & I will once again be leading the Mercedes Marathon Training Group. Came as sort of a surprise since we were actually considering not doing it this year because I was afraid I couldn't keep up with the young pups. Oh well, I'm glad we'll be doing this again because it's such a rush to see you guys train for your first marathon or half marathon and through blind faith that training actually works, you fulfill your goal. I may not run with you every step of the way, but we will provide a schedule, maps, drinks, and motivation to complete your event FEELING GOOD (yes, it's a relative term). I'll tell you the particulars of the program in a couple of weeks (or you can email me at 262coach@gmail.com) . I'll answer the first question - it's free. OK, I'll answer the second question - you don't have to sign up, just show up. OK, OK, I'll answer the third question - you don't have to be registered for Mercedes to run with us (but we encourage it!).
Alright guys, it's time to get out of this heat and put my feet up. Despite the century level temperature, it still hasn't broken my resolve that I hate cold weather. Early in the pre-dawn hours I would still rather say "Man, it's humid this morning" rather than "Holy Crap, that wind is freezing my cheeks off!". Keep reading this blog till winter and you'll see I can whine with the best of them. Until then, I'll see you on the hot and sticky Alabama roads - AL
"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"
