Week in Review

Last Week In Review: (Dec 15 - 22)

Monday 10 
Tuesday 7 
Weds 9
Thursday 0
Friday 0
Saturday 31
Sunday 0

Total: 57 miles

Monday/Tuesday and Wednesday would be my only running days prior to running the SeaShore Nature Trail 50K.  If you have followed by blog for long you know this is my third time running this event.  There's been some good, some bad and I hope some better times at First landing State Park.

Monday and Tuesday were both easy days, I ran around our housing community and did not push the pace much.  Wednesday I ran with my wife while she fast walked. We stayed on Fort Lee to take advantage of some daylight hours.  I got in a solid 9 miles and some hills with a respectable 8:30 pace.  Then we shut it down for the week tapering for the 50k.

Saturday I ran the SeaShore Nature Trail 50K. and had a good outing, but you can read about that in a future race report.  Until the race report is published, enjoy these select photos.

And I'm still winning the war against Diet Dew.

Hope you had a great week! 

Running Flaws

Fixing My Running Flaws

I stumbled across this video while searching You Tube for Ultra videos the other day.  And it perfectly put into video what I have been working to correct in my running form over the summer.



The girls list the five biggest mistakes runners make:

1.  Running Upright

2.  Overstriding 

3.  Heelstriking

4.  Arm Swing (front to back)

5.  Tightening your core

Out of these five I was in pretty good shape other then #2 and 3

I over-stride and heel strike something terrible.  I've known this for a long time but really never set out to do anything about it.  A typical trait of all my running shoes was that I wear out the heels (right more then left) faster then anywhere else.  

(Note that wear pattern)

It wasn't until I watched the DVD on the Western States 100, Unbreakable and witnessed  Anton Krupicka's, running form, that I decided to do something about this. It was during this remarkable video that I noticed how up right and free he ran.  I now had a video comparison of a nimble and light running style compared with how hard, heavy impacting, and heel first I ran.  I knew I had some areas to improve on.

Over the summer when I went out on training runs I noticed when I ran more under myself (feet landing under my hips) and on the front of my foot compared to the back, my leg turn over improved, I had more zip in my runs and my legs just felt better.

AND another benefit....I GOT FASTER!

Now I will tell you I was not sure what I really fixed, until I watched this video and these gals at The Balanced Runner put on video what small changes I made over the summer.  Without knowing it...I fixed 2 of the Biggest 5 Mistakes. 

What is your biggest running mistake?

Are you going to fix it?

Wife Repeats

It’s not Fartleks.  It’s not a Long Run.  It’s not even repeated running over Monster Hills.

It’s the newest workout sweeping across running clubs world-wide.  It’s the workout craze that has Hollywood all a buzz.  Recommended by if not the Dr. surly the Wizard of Oz.  And the workout which has achieved glowing recommendations from Doctor Phillip (for legal reasons, I changed the name here).  Wife Repeats. 

But what is a Wife Repeat Workout you ask?

(Happy Flash Couple)

The best way to spend time together, other than that “Other,” (cough cough) best way to spend time together.  A great way to burn calories and still enjoy each other’s company.  And other way to achieve your target heart rate, which does not involve looking at your credit card statement…..

The Wife Repeat workout is a way for couples with different running or walking paces to run/walk together, yet separate.  You see my wife (I’ll call her Mrs. Wonderful) had knee surgery about eight years ago (torn meniscus) and since then she has been unable to return to a running routine.  But Mrs. Wonderful, equipped with an NFL Lineman’s knee brace, is still very active/fit and can walk a blazing 12:30 mile pace.  Myself being a Ultra-runner training near a sub 8:30 mile pace for 10, 15 or 20 miles, we have had a hard time enjoying our fitness routines together.  We would normally head out on our own and meet back up at the car when we were done.  We both got our workouts in but missed out on sharing the sights, sounds and experiences along the way.

That was until the Wife Repeat workout was born.  Now we head out on the trail or open roads together.  At the start of our run/walk I’ll run in the opposite direction of Mrs. Wonderful, for say half a mile then turn 180 degrees and run a mini speed workout to catch back up with her.  Then I’ll settle into a nice running cruise speed and run out in front of her for half a mile turn 180 and do it all over again.  The Wipe Repeat loop enables me to get in my miles, allows us to run/walk together exploring a new trail, or a new city and gives my wife a sense of security knowing I am never out of sight.

This “Together but Separate” workout has enabled us to get in the miles while exploring new trails and new sites.  Have you ever tried to explain part of a trail where you had to transverse apart of a tree root while running along a mountain stream?  Where before we would struggle to describe parts of a run/walk or site we saw along the way…now we get to see the trail and new places together, yet separate.

(Wait, there's more....)

Endorsed by the American Hart Association, the Tourism Board of New Bern, NC and the makers of ShamWow you can order your Wife Repeats Workout video today for $19.95. 

But wait there’s more:

And with 5 easy payments of $9.99 I’ll also include a set of Ginsu shavers and a family of Sea Monkeys.

How do you work out with your Mr./Mrs. Wonderful?

Faith Family Fitness

The Christmas season, it is easy to get distracted…from what is really important.

Faith, Christmas and not the “holiday” season is why we celebrate.  In over 2000 years, no one has been able to prove the story of Christmas to be inaccurate. Sure some debate the dates, but the story of a Saviors birth has met all challenges.  We have proven that Santa Claus, is just a story.  The Polar Express is just a train.  And that Polar Bears don’t really like Coke.  But if anything we have proven, by historical record and with the concepts of historical proof that in fact a man named Jesus (or translation of) did in fact walk this planet.  And if we believe that, then we must belief the document which tells the story of his life, the Bible, to be true.  And finally we must believe that a creator GOD, gave his only son, so that whomever believed in him should not perish, but have ever lasting life.  To me that is what this holiday season is all about….accepting that MY Savior came to this earth, to love and save me.  Brian, the crazy ultra-running, sometimes distracted, and very imperfect human.  And likewise, you…  

Family, Who else will share a bond with you from the time you are born, until the time you die.  Even if you are not close to your family, there is still something there.  A bond, a love, a shared common history.  Tune out all the hype this holiday season and reconnect with your family….no relationship outside of a husband and wife relationship can ever be as close.  If you have lost a loved one…and were not close, you know the sting that this gap can never be bridged, if you still have family…reconnect, make the effort to get close.

And Fitness, I group all health related issues under fitness.  Take care of yourself…watch your diet, keep up with your exercise of choice, and visit the doctor when you should.  Do whatever it takes and is recommended to keep this body running the way it was meant to run.  We invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in our homes. We toil over our cars, to keep them perfect.  Yet as a society as a whole, we invest very little time or energy in the one thing that will be with us, is us, from day one until the very end.  “Our body.”   Ask anyone suffering with a health issue, if they wish they could run, walk, skip or jump…we take our fitness forgranted until it’s gone.

Nearly everything else in life can be replaced….or repaired. Bang up your car, take it to a body shop.  Water leak in your home, call the plumber.  TV or computer melts down…call the Geek Squad.

But faith, family and your fitness are hard to replace once they are gone.  And no one can do it for you.

What does running give you?

Top 5 Items

The Turkey Trots are over, Black Friday is just a memory and the shopping days until Christmas are upon us.  If you have a runner that you are buying for...then I'm here to help you.  The top five things items every runner would want to find under the tree Christmas morning.

1.  Subscription to a running magazine or marathon/ultra publication (Runners World, Marathon and Beyond, Trail Runner etc)

2.  Entry into their favorite race

3.  Gift pack of inspirational running movies (1Hundred, Unbreakable, Running on the Sun, Spirit of the Marathon, Hood to the Coast etc.)

4.  Massage gift certificates

5.  Race medal display

Bonus Ideas:  

Race shirt quilt, a collection of favorite race shirts made into a warm soft quilt.

An autographed photo, or copy of a publication from their favorite runner/athlete.

Some of the best gifts to receive are the ones you would not have thought of or would have purchased for yourself.  These sure fire ideas will warm their heart, put a bonce in their step or lengthen their stride.  Either way you will be the hero come Christmas morning.

The GREATEST GIFT of all:

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

MAY, A RUNNING LOOK BACK…

If you have been following my blog you know my goals for 2012 are as follows:

I WILL Run:

- three marathons

- 1500 miles this year

- a 20 miler once a month

- a 24 hour run with 75 miles (check)

- a race at least once each month

- all of my scheduled training runs and not have more then two days off in a row without a really good reason (i.e. marathon or ultra recovery)

And the biggest goal, get my friend Susan C. thru her first marathon. (check)

If you have not been following my blog, shame on you, but I forgive you.

So five months into the year let’s see how we are doing.

Run 3 Marathons:  One down two to go…. It has been over two months since Shamrock marathon and I’m getting the itch…the marathon itch.  As it stands right now my second marathon of 2012 will be the Marine Corp Marathon 28 Oct and my third marathon will be Norfolk’s Freedom Marathon 11 Nov.  I’ve signed up and paid for both so I have some skin in the game…the money is on the line.

Run 1500 Miles:  In May I ran 126.57 miles over 18 days, barely exceeding my goal for the month.  I was hoping for more miles this month, but after the beating my feet took from April’s Ultra, I’m happy with what I got.  With five months of the year gone I have 668.35 miles in the bank.  I’m ahead of my target, so far so good.  May’s miles got me closer to the 10,000 mile mark!

May’s Run: Just one race and one 20 miler in the month of May.  I ran in the Run for the Dream Half Marathon in Williamsburg.  And although only a half marathon, two friends and I ran an extra 7 miles prior to race start to make this a 20 Mile Run. Killing two running birds with one run, this 20 miler was my 6^th of the year.  My goal for the race portion was to finish the half in under 2 hours, I did just that coming in at 1h58m38s.  I did NOT go more then two days in a row missing a run, and I made all but one planned run.  The day I missed was along shot to begin with so I’m not going to be hard on myself.

May’s Favorite Blog Post:  Your minds eye has a picture of you, that may be a bit different then reality.  Check it out 

You can follow me on Twitter @cledawgs

PICK A RACE, ANY RACE…..

PICK A RACE, ANY RACE…..

The NBA has their official 94 feet regulation sized hard wood court, the MLB baseball diamond is measured out at 127 feet from baseline to baseline, and the NFL gridiron is 100 yards from goal line to goal line.  These sports all play on one standard sized playing surface.  With running and racing you have a selection of distances in which to compete.  No one size fits all approach here.  A runner can decide to challenge themselves in the more traditional 5 Kilometer race, step up to the 10 Kilometer, and or a Half Marathon.  And if you really want the ultimate test, fitting the Greek legend Phidippides, you can run “THE Marathon.”  Or if that is not punishment enough you may try your hand (or feet) at an Ultra event found at distances exceeding 26.2 miles. No matter what the distance, there is a run for you.  But which race is right for you?  Just as there are different lengths to run, each runner has his or her own idea of which is the best race.  I’ll do my best to give you my impressions of the different races.  I’ll explain what I liked, what I did not like and why I run the ones I do.

5 Kilometer (3.1 miles) – The 5K is normally the entry level race for most new runners and it can be a fun yet highly competitive event.  These shorter races offer a manageable distance yet provide a good test of your fitness.  One of the reasons they are so popular is that they are over in a short period of time and are planned for early in the mornings.  These races offer you a chance to get a race in and be home early in the morning.  On the training side anyone able to squeeze in 3 runs a week for 6 to 8 weeks can easily get into shape to run a 5K.  As for the race itself….there’s not much in the line of strategy.  This race will test your legs ability to weather the storm.  If you want a good time, you need to run full out from the gun.  On the plus side the effort/pain only lasts a short amount of time.  The gun goes off and away you go.  I like running 5Ks, I get a good gauge of my “true” fitness and yet the pain does not last for long…I can take anything…for a short amount of time.

10 Kilometer (6.2 miles) – The bigger brother of the 5K is the 10K….and I hate this race!  Just like the 5K if you want a good time…you pretty much have to go hard for the majority of the race.  The goal of a well planned 10K is to run negative spilt times (faster on the second half).  Although longer then the 5K, this race is not long enough to make up any lost time on the front side.  Now the reason I hate this race is because of the level of pain.  If you want a fast time, you must run hard, the pain is more intense and AND it lasts twice as long.  Can you say lactic acid….I think you can.  I’ve run a bunch of 10Ks over my 11 years and I can honestly say I’ve only run one “good” race.  I normally go out to fast and can’t carry the pace for the closing 5K.  On other occasions, I’ve gone out to conservative and can’t make up enough time at the closing bell.  Now on the plus side, like the 5K these races are normally planned for early morning and you can be home before the kiddos or the puppies are awake.

Half Marathon (13.1 miles) – You’ll get many different thoughts/opinions on this subject, but to me this is the first of the “strategy” races.  At 13.1 miles in length….unless you’re a world class runner capable of running at full performance, most recreational runners use “pace and strategy” to help achieve the desired finishing times.  I enjoy running the Half Marathon.  Compared with the previous shorter races, where you’re running all out from the gun, “the Half” offers you an opportunity to plan attacks at favorable portions of the course.  This is a race where I feel like I can attack the course and plan my run to get me into a running zone and chip away at the clock.  The training involved in jumping from the 10K to “the Half” is not that great, throw in a few long runs and you’ll be ready to run your local Half.  The little sister to “THE Marathon” is also a race when you can count on a nice bag of running swag.  I may not stand on an Olympic podium, but I can rock the local swag.  On the down side, the Half Marathon is a long run and it hurts to run long distances, can’t say it any another way. But just as it is a negative I find that I enjoy “the Half” because that pain comes on slow.  Not sure about you, but I can endure a lot of pain…as long as it comes on slow.  A caution to newbie Half runner: this is where the big race crowds begin to show up.  Even the local Half Marathon draws crowds into the thousands.  With a field this big, it is very easy to get caught up in the excitement/energy of the crowd and go out to fast.  And when you’re running with a few thousand of your closest friends, it’s very easy to burn up a lot of energy trying to work your way to some open road.  If you’re able to mange both of these distractions, this is a great, fun race.  This is also a race where your performance, pacing and smart running can get you a great time.  With 13.1 miles…it offers you a lot of miles to leverage your pacing to eat away at the clock.  

  

THE Marathon (26.2 miles) – THE Marathon, just the name of this race envisions the physical struggle of a runner vs the road.  And for years this race was reserved for the truly fit, the truly competitive and the truly dedicated runner.  But with the running boom of the 1980’s and the marathon explosion of the late 90s/early 2000s a ton of recreational runners (half million annually) are running THE Marathon.  I’ve run Five marathons and I’m still amazed that I was able to go from run/walking my first miles to running FIVE MARATHONS!  And this is my favorite of all races for three reasons.  #1 It’s a MARATHON, Hello #2 It’s an EVENT not just another race and #3 the SHOCK FACTOR when you tell someone you run Marathons.

 On the race side I enjoy the marathon because it offers you the ultimate challenge.  This race is a 4+ hour (depending on ability) war against, the course, the weather, the clock, the road (surface) and the thousands of other things that can go right or wrong over 26.2 miles.  The best advice I ever heard was “PLAN the run and RUN the plan.”  For the Marathon I feel you must have a race day plan.  You must map out your plan of attack with both short and long term goals.  And your plan must include what to do when things go wrong, because they will.  

The best warning I received about THE Marathon was “You can’t fake a marathon” 

On the negative side, the length of the race forces you to “LIVE WITH” any problems that creep into your run i.e. stones jump into your shoes, elevated heart rate from going out to fast and the always loveable “belly issues.”  And unfortunately if these issues come out early, you get to live with them for a long, long time, but you can survive.  

On the plus side the length of this race gives you plenty of time to make up any lost time early on.  If you plan your run within your abilities and manage to stick with the plan, when the wall comes and it going to come, it will not be the defeating blow of legends.  I ran two well planned runs where I stuck to my pace and did not allow anything to upset my plan.  And come wall time, I found myself passing people as their bodies gave out at a much faster pace then mine did.  I could actually feel a lift in spirit and energy knowing I was on course for my goal.  Plan the run, Run the plan….and visit the wall not go crashing into it!

Another great advantage to running THE Marathon is you get an insiders tour of the host city.  I once read “there’s no better way to see a city then to run (walk) the streets.”  Well THE Marathon offers you 26.2 miles of some of the most scenic sights the host city has to offer.  And whether it be Richmond’s Monument Ave, or the Greenbelt of Strafford-Upon-Avon, I’ve found that some of these sights I would have never experienced without running THE Marathon.

Ultra-Marathons  I tackle these events at a later date.

 My full running blog can be read here: