Something I've never really understood about running is the strange partnership it has with beer. I mean, don't get me wrong, beer is really fuckin good, which is to say I enjoy it. But I look around running culture and it would seem to be a place where perhaps you wouldn't see alcohol be so prominent. Being as though running is taking care of the body, and for the most part alcohol damages the body.
Still, you'll even see polls on running websites where there may be a question, "What is your favorite carb?" And surely enough, one of the answers is "beer has carbs." Neat. This is not to even mention the several beer sponsored marathons and races across the country. And try to find a half marathon or marathon of any significance that doesn't have a beer tent at the end. (This leads to a whole different discussion about commercialism and intention that this republicatarian isn't ready to have. Yet.) Hell, for several years the Indianapolis Mini Marathon had a beer stop (as opposed to water or Gatorade) at mile 10! And then there are hundreds of Hash Harriers clubs around the world, a self described running and beer drinking club.
I bring this up mainly because I used to drink a metric ton a night. Not to the point where I did any real damage, except for mind boggling credit card debt, and the destruction of a few romantic relationships and less romantic friendships. Truth told, at this point, looking back, I am thankful that's the only damage.
When I moved to Connecticut, after 8 years in Indy it was a bit different. I knew nobody. I couldn't call several friends and to meet me at the bar and drink, or eat pub chips. And thus, if I was drinking it was alone. Not particularly a good combination. In order to avoid this situation I decided I needed to find more hobbies. So, initially I was the only gringo at the soccer pick up games around here. But, then I realized if I am gonna run with these cats, I needed to run, and then I ran. And then I realized I was enjoying the act of running. But like so many things, less so with a hangover. Who woulda thunk it.
And of course this brings roundaboutly to today. Three weeks from today is the Philadelphia Distance Run. My second half marathon. One in which I know I have less of a base than I had for Indy. But one I desperately want to beat my Indy time for. I told myself I wouldn't sign up if this wasn't a possibility and set myself a goal of a modest goal of a 100 mile August to be the cutoff whether I would sign up or not. I had 105 miles coming into today, including one tenner and one 12er. I'm signed up but not near where I wanna be
Today was supposed to be a longer run. 12 miles give or take. Yet, after a rough week last week, I found myself at 10pm last night at the bottom of a bottle of gin and the bottom of a stack of Nick Cave cd's. Not a good place to be. If gin is poison, Nick Cave surely is not the cure, even if I love him so. Today's 12er turned into a labored sixer with only mind numbing, leg deadining 7:25 splits. Not where I need to be. At all.
I know it's obvious, and anyone with half a brain knows it's obvious that the gin and sam adams (light!!) has had it's influence. So it's an exceptionally long post to get to that. However, and holy shit does it suck to admit, as much as I want to think that so much of running is mental, and so much can be controlled mentally, brothers gotta take care of his body. And still,I laugh from time to time at the diet sections in different running magazines, knowing that in my vegetarian lifestyle I am already careful of what I put into my body. And yes, I know for the elite runners of the world the diet is helpful. But I know for me, as a runner, to get where I need to be alcohol is still the biggest obstacle.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Dream Interpretation
So, if in between snooze bar strikes today I dreamnt that I was training for the Olympics with Galen Rupp and Nick Symmonds, a 10k runner and an 800m runner, what would that mean. Should I draw anything into that? Should I try to decipher a set race distance that would be best for me? Should I stop watching Flotrack and Trackshark before bed?
What the hell?
What the hell?
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Religion and Running?
Two things. I am an unabashed Christian. I believe Jesus is who he said he was, and attempt, most the time poorly, to live according to the examples and lessons put forth in the Gospels.
Second. Long before I really gave a damn about running I wrote a blog primarily about films. I was and am a film snob. I don't apologize for that. My facebook profile lists a dozen films that most people in the world don't know if they haven't watched film before the 1980's. And in that time of my life where I watched 6-10 movies a week, I watched Chariots of Fire. And let me tell you, that film merging faith and running sucked. It was awful. It's one of the worst films I've ever seen.
I bring this up because of Ryan Hall. Ryan Hall is a runner I find inspiring. His performance at the Olympic Marathon Trials was incredible. And many believe that was just the beginning of his talent, and that his best was yet to come. In the last issue of Runners World there was a cover story on Ryan Hall and this story focused on Ryan Hall's faith. How Ryan is a devout Christian and how his faith in God is a strength he draws upon in his record setting runs.
Here's the thing, the confession. I don't get it. I respect Ryan Hall. I respect and admire his faith, or at least his presentation of it in a less abrasive manner than some of my fellow Christians. It's his drawing upon his faith for strength in his races in training that I can't wrap my head around. And truthfully, it's something that I waver back and forth on.
Sometimes I want to be that kind of person who has a strong enough faith that it translates to every part of my life. That when I run, I am thankful for it. I don't take it for granted, and I give praise for the opportunity. And when I feel week that I wouldn't only rely upon myself to pull myself through.
And other times, and more often, I think to myself that running is about ME. And that it's about ME pushing myself to my limits and making the decisions to get out there and to overcome any fatigue, pain, and self doubt.
When I am fatigued, more often than not I think any of...
A. This will pay off in the end
B. The quicker you run, the quicker your done
C. This is supposed to hurt, embrace this
D. Run to the hillllllsssss, run for your liiiiyiffffee
But it's rarely ever that I think, "God help me through this." Or, "Thank You, God."
And while I admire Ryan Hall, and others who have gotten to a point to integrate there faith and there running. It's something that I both, am unsure how to do, and unsure how and if I want to do it.
Second. Long before I really gave a damn about running I wrote a blog primarily about films. I was and am a film snob. I don't apologize for that. My facebook profile lists a dozen films that most people in the world don't know if they haven't watched film before the 1980's. And in that time of my life where I watched 6-10 movies a week, I watched Chariots of Fire. And let me tell you, that film merging faith and running sucked. It was awful. It's one of the worst films I've ever seen.
I bring this up because of Ryan Hall. Ryan Hall is a runner I find inspiring. His performance at the Olympic Marathon Trials was incredible. And many believe that was just the beginning of his talent, and that his best was yet to come. In the last issue of Runners World there was a cover story on Ryan Hall and this story focused on Ryan Hall's faith. How Ryan is a devout Christian and how his faith in God is a strength he draws upon in his record setting runs.
Here's the thing, the confession. I don't get it. I respect Ryan Hall. I respect and admire his faith, or at least his presentation of it in a less abrasive manner than some of my fellow Christians. It's his drawing upon his faith for strength in his races in training that I can't wrap my head around. And truthfully, it's something that I waver back and forth on.
Sometimes I want to be that kind of person who has a strong enough faith that it translates to every part of my life. That when I run, I am thankful for it. I don't take it for granted, and I give praise for the opportunity. And when I feel week that I wouldn't only rely upon myself to pull myself through.
And other times, and more often, I think to myself that running is about ME. And that it's about ME pushing myself to my limits and making the decisions to get out there and to overcome any fatigue, pain, and self doubt.
When I am fatigued, more often than not I think any of...
A. This will pay off in the end
B. The quicker you run, the quicker your done
C. This is supposed to hurt, embrace this
D. Run to the hillllllsssss, run for your liiiiyiffffee
But it's rarely ever that I think, "God help me through this." Or, "Thank You, God."
And while I admire Ryan Hall, and others who have gotten to a point to integrate there faith and there running. It's something that I both, am unsure how to do, and unsure how and if I want to do it.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Running and Weights
A few weeks back I spent a day in Ocean City, New Jersey with El Capitan. We went on a boardwalk run (well, he sprinted while i tried to run a respectable pace). Needless to say our hair looked incredible. Best on the boardwalk. Running or walking on the boardwalk lends itself to seeing many people. And being the elitist, judgmental, and at times inseucre jerk that I am, it also leads to judging people. The thing I remember being most upset by were not slow people running. Or fat people running. That's okay. They are out there trying to better themselves. Good for them. What upset me most was the body builders taking up the whole running lane on the boardwalk. What, with their deltoids or trapezius and whatnot. It happens sometimes on the starting lines of races too. Give me some space, Arnold.
I remember El Capitan saying at one point afterwards or maybe beforehand, "Why are weightlifters running? You don't see runners like me in there lifting their weights!" For some reason that stuck with me and still makes me laugh.
So, I am working through Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon: How to Be Your Own Best Coach by Brad Hudson and I came across a good quote...
Hill running is the only "weightlifting my runners do. They hoist no barbells or dumbells. They do some exercises to develop strength in their abdominal muscles and lower back, but thats it. Some other runners lift weights to build strength and prevent injuries. I believe short hill sprints achieve the same effect.
Fuck yeah. I think I like this guy's coaching style already.
I remember El Capitan saying at one point afterwards or maybe beforehand, "Why are weightlifters running? You don't see runners like me in there lifting their weights!" For some reason that stuck with me and still makes me laugh.
So, I am working through Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon: How to Be Your Own Best Coach by Brad Hudson and I came across a good quote...
Hill running is the only "weightlifting my runners do. They hoist no barbells or dumbells. They do some exercises to develop strength in their abdominal muscles and lower back, but thats it. Some other runners lift weights to build strength and prevent injuries. I believe short hill sprints achieve the same effect.
Fuck yeah. I think I like this guy's coaching style already.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Ritz.
Let it be stated, that on August 17th at 1:15 pm, I guessed Ritz's Marathon Finishing time to the second.
2:11:59.
Don't believe me? Check the 7th post from the bottom.
More Luego. Gotta get some sleep in before a long run tomorrow, but I am proud of our boys tonight.
2:11:59.
Don't believe me? Check the 7th post from the bottom.
More Luego. Gotta get some sleep in before a long run tomorrow, but I am proud of our boys tonight.
Friday, August 22, 2008
If you were looking for the face of ignorant journalism, look no further than Pat Forde!
I'd really like to thank ESPN for setting the bar for journalism low enough that they can send a college football reporter from Kentucky with no knowledge of track and field to report on the worlds biggest races. In his latest piece of poorly researched alarmist journalism Forde has while throwing around words like dismal and inexcusable has declared, USA track has hit rock bottom
Of course the main problem with this is that Forde has based this faulty hypothesis only on the glamour events, being the sprint events, and the sprint relays. We'll go beyond that in just one second.
But if we are really gonna analyze those events fairly can it be stated that just a few short weeks ago Tyson Gay had run the worlds fastest 100 meters. True it was wind aided, but at that time we were looking at a Gay/Bolt/Powell throwdown showdown. A race for the ages. Then a few hours later Gay pulls his hamstring while attempting to qualify for the 200. Gay never fully recovered, even if he's too modest to say so. Even if he were to recover, there would be no shame in losing to a once in generation athlete like Bolt.
Even a casual observer could notice a hitch in Allyson Felix's stride and also will see that she wasn't 100% healthy. Yet she runs under 22 in the 200 and gets silver. Not a shameful performance, unless you are Pat Forde and need a story. Then you can throw Felix into the list of American's who haven't won Gold this Olympics. Easy enough.
Had Forde spent more than the minute it would take him to run 200 meters on research perhaps he would have noticed some of the other great stories of USA track and Field that happened these Olympic Games.
20 Total Track and Field Medals through Thursday - Most of Any Country
Shalane Flanagan's American Record and Bronze in the Womens 10,000 M
Jenny Barringer seting an American Record in the Womens Steeple
Fam having what was called by another journalist, "one of the greatest ever rus by an American Distance Runner" in his Steeple heat.
A Gold Medal in Womens Discus.
A Silver in the Womens Pole Vault, behind only the world record holder.
A Silver in the Womens Heptathlon.
The Favorite in the Mens Decathlon leading after 5 events.
TWO American Men winning their heats in the 5000, and looking for glory in the final.
THREE American Women through to the Womens 5000 Final, including Shalane Flanagan who already set the American Record in her Bronze medal run in the 10k.
See, Pat. It isn't that hard. And that was just off the top of my head. I didn't even need to have airfare paid to Bejing to see these like you. All I had to do was wait to see this shit on 15 hour delay on the Networks of NBC. While you, use your press pass, and your plush surroundings, to call the team performance "dismal" from on high.
It's like this sweetheart, sometimes sports yes even Track operates in cycles. Sometimes you'll run into (Behind) a Usain Bolt. And at those moments you could focus on the Walter Dix's of the world making a name for themselves, stepping up huge from where he was 12 months ago, or you could call the entire team dismal. You could focus on what has been a mild resurgence for the US in distance running as they make strides towards greater respectability, or you could say the entire program is at "rock bottom." Of course, you being Pat Forde, you chose to go the lazy route of alarmist journalism with a side dish of hyperbole.
Dismal.
Rock Bottom.
Current Listening :: Air - Pocket Symphony
Of course the main problem with this is that Forde has based this faulty hypothesis only on the glamour events, being the sprint events, and the sprint relays. We'll go beyond that in just one second.
But if we are really gonna analyze those events fairly can it be stated that just a few short weeks ago Tyson Gay had run the worlds fastest 100 meters. True it was wind aided, but at that time we were looking at a Gay/Bolt/Powell throwdown showdown. A race for the ages. Then a few hours later Gay pulls his hamstring while attempting to qualify for the 200. Gay never fully recovered, even if he's too modest to say so. Even if he were to recover, there would be no shame in losing to a once in generation athlete like Bolt.
Even a casual observer could notice a hitch in Allyson Felix's stride and also will see that she wasn't 100% healthy. Yet she runs under 22 in the 200 and gets silver. Not a shameful performance, unless you are Pat Forde and need a story. Then you can throw Felix into the list of American's who haven't won Gold this Olympics. Easy enough.
Had Forde spent more than the minute it would take him to run 200 meters on research perhaps he would have noticed some of the other great stories of USA track and Field that happened these Olympic Games.
20 Total Track and Field Medals through Thursday - Most of Any Country
Shalane Flanagan's American Record and Bronze in the Womens 10,000 M
Jenny Barringer seting an American Record in the Womens Steeple
Fam having what was called by another journalist, "one of the greatest ever rus by an American Distance Runner" in his Steeple heat.
A Gold Medal in Womens Discus.
A Silver in the Womens Pole Vault, behind only the world record holder.
A Silver in the Womens Heptathlon.
The Favorite in the Mens Decathlon leading after 5 events.
TWO American Men winning their heats in the 5000, and looking for glory in the final.
THREE American Women through to the Womens 5000 Final, including Shalane Flanagan who already set the American Record in her Bronze medal run in the 10k.
See, Pat. It isn't that hard. And that was just off the top of my head. I didn't even need to have airfare paid to Bejing to see these like you. All I had to do was wait to see this shit on 15 hour delay on the Networks of NBC. While you, use your press pass, and your plush surroundings, to call the team performance "dismal" from on high.
It's like this sweetheart, sometimes sports yes even Track operates in cycles. Sometimes you'll run into (Behind) a Usain Bolt. And at those moments you could focus on the Walter Dix's of the world making a name for themselves, stepping up huge from where he was 12 months ago, or you could call the entire team dismal. You could focus on what has been a mild resurgence for the US in distance running as they make strides towards greater respectability, or you could say the entire program is at "rock bottom." Of course, you being Pat Forde, you chose to go the lazy route of alarmist journalism with a side dish of hyperbole.
Dismal.
Rock Bottom.
Current Listening :: Air - Pocket Symphony
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Could it be that I'm actually training smarter?
Leading up to the Indy 1/2 in May I really didn't have any sort of training plan. I just ran base mileage over and over again. Every day 6 miles. A few longer runs of 9-13 miles on the weekends leading up to the race. In my 5 and 10k's leasing up through the fall and winter prior I saw my times drop, set PR after PR but that came more from experience of racing than anything else. In the months leading up to Indy I was so afraid that I wouldn't finish the race, I only was concerned with getting in mileage every day.
Since then, my attitude has changed a bit. And I have wound up listening to my body a little more. This was more or less a neccesity after some mini breakdowns leading up to Indy and a few weeks of doing nothing afterwards. Now, it isn't always about the 6'er every day, cause really whats the point.
Take today for instance. After my 6'er yesterday I just wasn't feeling it today. I had a ten on Sunday, followed that up with a 4, a day off and then the quickest 6'er of the month which included hills. My quads today, not good. I knew it when I woke up. I knew it at work, and eve the customary 3 pm mocha did little to help my quads, (true to the science of nutrition, but not superstition.) At any rate the old me would have grounded oit a 6'er over the hills and just put in useless miles at far less than race pace. Instead, I stayed on the flat grounds, and put in 4 at 7:05 pace today. To put that in perspective my quickest 6'er earlier in the week was 7:03 pace. The thing is, the 6'er if attempted today wouldn't have been at that pace. It wouldn't have been close.
Earlier in the week I picked up a book from the library Run Faster: From the 5k to a Marathon by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald. I'm not one so much to read training books, I'm too stubborn to follow training plans rigidly. But as I read through the first few chapters of this book the whole philosophy is adaptive training, which requires a paying more attention to your body than your plan. That's extremely simplified, but I'm only two chapters in, as I said.
One mantra that's already been repeated is keep your training schedule in pencil. It's good advice. As I said, had I run 6 miles today at least 2 woulda been garbage miles. I know that from how my quad reacted to the mini inclines I had today (damn you, drawbrige!) But instead I got in 4 good miles. This is shit that I've been doing for the past few weeks and has resulted in what have been breakthroughs in my training times. We're talking 30 second drops in my splits. Not bad.
That all said, it's not an excuse not to push your body to its limits in training, and that is the delicate balance, and the difference between results and stagnation. I'll likely continue to read the book and see what I can gain from it.
Current Listening :: Studio One Soul 2
Since then, my attitude has changed a bit. And I have wound up listening to my body a little more. This was more or less a neccesity after some mini breakdowns leading up to Indy and a few weeks of doing nothing afterwards. Now, it isn't always about the 6'er every day, cause really whats the point.
Take today for instance. After my 6'er yesterday I just wasn't feeling it today. I had a ten on Sunday, followed that up with a 4, a day off and then the quickest 6'er of the month which included hills. My quads today, not good. I knew it when I woke up. I knew it at work, and eve the customary 3 pm mocha did little to help my quads, (true to the science of nutrition, but not superstition.) At any rate the old me would have grounded oit a 6'er over the hills and just put in useless miles at far less than race pace. Instead, I stayed on the flat grounds, and put in 4 at 7:05 pace today. To put that in perspective my quickest 6'er earlier in the week was 7:03 pace. The thing is, the 6'er if attempted today wouldn't have been at that pace. It wouldn't have been close.
Earlier in the week I picked up a book from the library Run Faster: From the 5k to a Marathon by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald. I'm not one so much to read training books, I'm too stubborn to follow training plans rigidly. But as I read through the first few chapters of this book the whole philosophy is adaptive training, which requires a paying more attention to your body than your plan. That's extremely simplified, but I'm only two chapters in, as I said.
One mantra that's already been repeated is keep your training schedule in pencil. It's good advice. As I said, had I run 6 miles today at least 2 woulda been garbage miles. I know that from how my quad reacted to the mini inclines I had today (damn you, drawbrige!) But instead I got in 4 good miles. This is shit that I've been doing for the past few weeks and has resulted in what have been breakthroughs in my training times. We're talking 30 second drops in my splits. Not bad.
That all said, it's not an excuse not to push your body to its limits in training, and that is the delicate balance, and the difference between results and stagnation. I'll likely continue to read the book and see what I can gain from it.
Current Listening :: Studio One Soul 2
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