Bail and Trail

Randy A. is on a quest to qualify for Boston. This is his latest blog posting. Check it out below or go to his blog page at : http://bostonorbust330.wordpress.com/

Just like the catchy song from the ‘80s band called “Europe” (insert drum roll here):  “It’s the final countdown!” in my marathon training.  Only 34 days remain until my date with destiny at the Tallahassee Marathon on Feb. 7.   I am in the midst of the most important weeks of my training program and everything is going disturbingly well.

Why do I say “disturbingly” well?  Because it all seems too easy.  I’m following Coach Paul McRae’s carefully crafted training plan, I’ve remained injury-free and illness-free for months even after significantly increasing my mileage (Did I just jinx myself?), and I’m seeing dramatic improvement in my performance.  After 30 years as a competitive runner, it’s about time that I achieved this “Duh!” moment – train properly, race smart, eat sensibly, and see the desired results – go figure!  It’s not rocket science and yet somehow I did it every way BUT that way for my entire competitive running career – relying on the invincibility of youth (for as long as it lasted up to my early 30’s), then relying on cross training (swimming, tennis, and rowing) as a substitute for proper running training through my 30’s and into my early 40’s, and then just plain struggling for the past few years with the challenge of aging, recurring job transitions, weight gain, high stress, low mileage, and little cross training.  Something had to give, so I figured I would do it the “right way” this time just to “see how the other side lives,” and now I wish I could reclaim those 30 misguided years and start from scratch.

Alek and I did some great training while we were on our family vacation on a Caribbean cruise during the last week of December.  We did all of our mileage on treadmills, but it felt great to run every day at or close to marathon race pace (and I didn’t feel worn down at all – catching up on my sleep definitely helped).  I ran a respectable 40 miles during our 8-day trip (Alek ran 68!), but I also felt a little apprehensive about what was in store at the end of the week:  my first 20-mile training run – ever!  But before I describe that training milestone, I should mention two other training milestones.  My mileage for 2009 was 1080 miles, which is my first 1000-mile year since moving to Florida in 2006 and, more significantly, my highest annual mileage since 1999 (which was the year I ran Boston).  In addition, my mileage for December was 133, which was my highest monthly mileage since 1999.  Unlike 1999, however, these miles weren’t largely “junk” miles – they were all run below, at, or slightly above marathon race pace, which really seems to have made a difference in my speed and endurance.

As for the “Big 2-0” (the 20-mile training run), I never dreamed of doing such a training run until joining this program (my previous long run was 16 miles several years ago and I hurt like hell during and after that run).  Even when I coached a charity marathon team five years ago, I supervised my runners’ 20-mile training run as part of their marathon training but still never dreamed of doing that distance myself (unless it was en route to completing a marathon race).  To add more challenge to my ambitious 20-mile undertaking on Sunday, the weather was incredibly cold – the thermometer was pinned at 33 degrees for the entire run, with a wind chill that put things in the not-so-toasty mid-20’s.  The only other time in my life that I had run close to that distance under those conditions was the Philadelphia Marathon in 2000 (it was 38 degrees and I dropped out at mile 14).

But wait – there’s more.  I ran the first 15 miles of this 20-mile training run by myself, which raised the challenge bar a little more.  My trusty Garmin watch was great company, though, as I was relieved to see how I was nailing almost all of the middle miles of the run at an 8:40 pace and it felt very comfortable (earlier this year, an 8:40 pace was a challenging pace for me for a 7-mile training run).  Even after starting slowly in this 20-miler to allow myself time to warm up in the frigid weather, and slowing down slightly with good conversation during the last 5 miles, I still managed a 2:58 for the 20 miles (8:57 pace), which put me on track to run about a 3:58 marathon that day, which is faster than 4 of my 21 marathon RACES in the past 20 years.  And this was merely a training run, without the crowds of fellow runners and spectators, and without sucking down a gel or other energy aid regularly throughout the run.  I went light on hydration and energy refueling during this training run to see how I would feel and I felt really good.  Of course, it will hurt much more to hold an 8:00 pace on race day for that distance, but that’s where the “race-day intangibles” come into play:  getting propelled by a healthy dose of good old-fashioned adrenaline from the electric “game day” atmosphere on marathon morning, ingesting copious amounts of high-octane energy drinks, gels, and chews throughout the race, and enjoying the pacing services of my relentless coach for the day, Alek (who will shout in my ear incessantly that I’m a slow, cowardly sloth while he runs next to me effortlessly for the entire second half of the race). With all that good karma on my side, the elusive Boston-qualifying time of 3:30 should be within my grasp.

Perhaps most encouraging in the wake of my 20-miler was that my legs weren’t sore later that day, or the next day, or the day after that.  Huh?  Can you say that again in my good ear?  I had to pinch myself to make sure that my muscles and nerves were still working.  How could I have run that obscene distance at that respectable pace under those nasty conditions and not feel like I had been beaten to a pulp with baseball bats by a gang of hoodlums?  To drive home my point, on the day after my 20-miler, I ran a two-mile shake-out run at an 8:26 pace and it felt great.  I could have danced all night.  So, above all else, the quality and quantity of training that I have done since August has produced one extremely valuable quality in me – the ability to recover quickly, both during and after a race, which is something that I have never experienced in my competitive running career.  Prior to this year, I always paid dearly during and after my races as a pupil of the “wing it” school of moronic distance running training.  But those 30 years of ultimate human suffering (like the torture Wesley endured on the life suction pump in the classic movie, “Princess Bride”) helped build my character, and almost killed me in the process.  If I had a dollar for every minute that I spent as a patient in a medical tent after a marathon, I would be filthy rich.

I just hope that this surreal sense of invincibility lasts for the Tallahassee Marathon.  I keep expecting to wake up from this euphoric state and see these delusions of grandeur dissolve instantaneously, just as one loses the thread of a dream as soon as the alarm clock pierces the morning silence.  As far as I can tell, though, the “signpost up ahead” bears the name of the street where I live, and is not the detour exit ramp for “The Twilight Zone.”

Like many of you I often wonder what I should eat after a run or workout. I found this great article written by Jackie Dikos, R.D. in the Running Times Publication which gives great advice. Check it out.

Eat right today to train better tomorrow

By Jackie Dikos, R.D.

“Recovery nutrition” has become a bit of a buzz phrase of late, but with all the ads and claims, it can be hard to determine whether it’s important for you. How serious of a runner do you have to be before you focus on executing your own recovery-nutrition practices?

In short, all runners can benefit from recovery-nutrition practices. The important things to know are what to eat when. Let’s take a look at some common scenarios.

Eight-Hour Rule

One of the easiest ways to decide if a post-stressor snack is to your advantage is if you’ll be working out again within the next eight hours. This is most obviously the case if you’re running twice a day. But it’s also important to account for other types of calorie-draining activities, from a weightlifting session or swim to a long hike or even an hour of vigorous yard work.

At the very least, try consuming some type of carbohydrate snack that includes a little protein within 30 minutes after your first workout. By eating something in this “recovery window,” you’ll help reduce muscle damage, you’ll get the process of glycogen replacement going at a high rate, and you’ll be more likely to go into your next run feeling physically fresh and mentally engaged.

Eat Enough Carbohydrates

Say you almost never work out more than once a day and that you almost always have a 24-hour recovery window between workouts. Does this mean recovery nutrition doesn’t apply to you?

No; your body still has a carbohydrate requirement to meet within that 24 hour timeframe to effectively recover. If your preference is a slightly lower-carbohydrate lifestyle, you may find a post-workout, carbohydrate-rich snack is essential.

For example, a lunch consisting of a large salad topped with grilled chicken and vinaigrette dressing, although a healthy choice, is unlikely to meet your carbohydrate goals, particularly after a good stressor workout. On the days you run long or hard, consider either altering your meal and/or consuming a carbohydrate-rich snack soon after you’re done working out. In altering the meal, consider having a smaller salad topped with grilled chicken, dried or fresh fruit, and dressing served with a dinner roll or two and a cup of yogurt. This previously very low-carbohydrate meal has been shifted to providing that carbohydrate punch you’ll need to lessen muscle damage and restore your glycogen supply.

Late Run

It happens to the best of us—schedules make it hard to fit a run in at an otherwise normal hour. So that stressor workout or even a late race didn’t wrap up until 10:00 p.m. Although you may have already eaten dinner and you’re ready to hit the sack, this isn’t the time to go to bed with a stomach half empty.

That long overnight fast will only slow the recovery process. Instead, try to structure the day such that you can still get in adequate carbohydrate and a little protein after the workout. Something as simple as a peanut-butter-topped bagel, glass of chocolate milk, or bowl of cereal would work great. This will help you feel recharged for another day of running, especially if you’re planning to run the next morning.

Ward off Indulgences

Maybe that stressor workout happens to fit into a regular time of day and there’s a nice long recovery window between workouts filled with a sufficient carbohydrate diet. Even so, a light snack or small meal after a workout can still be beneficial. It can help ward off the urge to cave in to the cookie monster in light of a growling stomach leading to overindulgence.

This type of post-workout snacking can be useful in maintaining better control of your diet. It can also still fit into your day without adding unwanted calories. Simply take a side item, such as yogurt you packed for lunch, and save it as a post-workout snack. Even better, structure your day such that the next main meal follows soon after any hard run.

Basic Rule of Thumb: How Much?

First and most important, something is better than nothing. Eat some sort of snack that contains carbohydrates. A general rule of thumb is to aim for half your body weight in grams of carbohydrate and 10-20 grams of protein to be eaten within 30 minutes of a hard workout. Even more specifically, a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein is ideal.

There’s more than one way to look at recovery nutrition. Structuring the day such that good nutrition follows those stressor workouts will help in reducing potential muscle damage. It will facilitate the replacement of a depleted glycogen supply and provide the necessary fuel to repair damaged muscle. Who doesn’t want an overall faster recovery in pressing on with training?

Brain Injury Doesn’t Stop Ex-Marine

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2009/10/3-runners-die-in-detroit-safety-of.html

For those who have not heard or read the news, three runners died during the Detroit Marathon/Half-marathon last weekend.  All three were running the half-marathon, and were aged 26, 36 and 65.  The three collapsed within 16 minutes of each other during the race.  The timing, the wide spread of ages, and the fact that three deaths occurred in one race (which was not hot, I might add) have given the story ‘legs’, and it was even covered on CNN.

Whenever this kind of incident happens, there is debate and discussion around the safety of running.   It’s always bad press for running.  It is a topic that pops up fairly regularly, and we’ve actually covered it in a fair amount of detail here on The Science of Sport.  I’m not going to go into enormous detail on sudden deaths during exercise again, but for those who are interested, you may like to read the following posts:

• Sudden cardiac death in runners (a post in response to Ryan Shay’s death)
• Sudden death during exercise – practical implications and perspective

So as I said, I wouldn’t ordinarily post on this topic again and in the case of the Detroit runners, I don’t know the cause or any details, and so it would be wildly speculative to discuss specifics.  However, this latest incident, and the media reporting around it, reminded me of a thought I’d had while watching the NBC coverage of the Chicago Marathon about 2 weeks ago.

You may recall that Jonathan and I were in the control area, doing real-time pacing for the race, and also spent some time in the medical tent.  But it was watching NBC’s coverage, that I was struck by the fact that the person who was interviewed the most during a 3 hour broadcast was the race doctor, George Chiampas. On no fewer than four occasions, Dr Chiampas was featured in a two -minute interview, giving his thoughts on race hydration, race safety, post-race safety, recovery, training and so forth.  And while he answered the questions very well, it was clear that the ’safety/danger’ of running was of utmost importance to the broadcaster.

It struck me that there is a very real perception among mainstream media in the USA (remembering I’m from South Africa and so normally unaware of this message) that running is a risk. That is, viewers who watched the broadcast of Chicago and who were NOT runners would be left under no illusions that attempting to run a marathon is a dangerous task.  The “shock and fear” coverage, which implies danger at every turn, sends a clear message that if you run a marathon, you are taking a chance with your life.

And this unfortunate, because it ignores the whole other side of the argument, and does so with little to back it up other than infrequent and over-hyped incidents.  A thoughtful, balanced approach would cover two additional aspects:

1. It would consider whether the risk of death during running is in fact greater than during any other activities, and;
2. It would look at whether the average  runner (from recreational to the marathon) was deriving a benefit from running, and whether this person was in fact less likely to die than someone who chose to stay on the couch because of all these “life-threatening” risks.

Millions of hours invested, but even stats don’t tell the full story

Then there is the statistical approach, which many resort to in cases like this.  I read in a report from Fox News that a total of 425,000 runners completed marathons in the USA in 2008, and another 715,000 completed half-marathons.

If you convert that to time, assuming that the average marathon and half-marathon time is 4 hours and 2 hours, respectively, then you can work out that a total of 3.1 million hours of running time goes into those races.  And this does not include the training, or the 5km and 10km races done along the way.  If you assume that the average person trains 2.5 hours a week for 3 months to run a marathon or half-marathon race, then you get a grand total of 34.2 million hours of training time per year for those runners.  The total running time for marathon and half-marathon runners in the USA per year?  37.2 million hours of running (and this is an underestimate, I must point out – it does not take into account the millions who spend an hour a week jogging in the gyms, or those who train but don’t race)

So what is the frequency of mortality for these runners?  Fox News reports that about 6 deaths per year occur during races.  How many during training?  We don’t know, unfortunately.  But the point I’m trying to make is that these deaths are rather less common than they may seem – one per million hours, perhaps?  One per three million hours?  Until that is quantified, reports that marathon running is dangerous are simply irresponsible, the result of a classic ‘media-led knee-jerk reaction’, where news reporting makes us over-estimate the prevalence of such events.  A classic example is shark attacks – they are exceedingly rare, but when they happen, they’re so dramatic that they receive hyped-up media exposure and so we think they’re more common than they are.  I suspect the same is true for running-related deaths. (What would be great is to compare this number with other activities – driving your car, flying, playing other sports.  If there are any economists or actuaries out there who know this, please speak up!)

But these stats don’t tell the whole story anyway.  What you really need to ask is whether exercise adds up to a longer, healthier life, even taking into account what I believe is a tiny risk.  In other words, you need to look at the overall benefit of being active, and ask whether those who run are less likely to die than those who do not?  There is no doubt, based on the evidence, that exercise reduces the risk of morbidity (disease) and mortality (death). One of the most famous names in exercise science and health is Ralph Paffenbarger, and he demonstrated pretty clearly that increasing exercise was associated with decreased risk of disease and death.  The most famous study is perhaps this one, his Harvard Alumni paper.

Paffenbarger went so far as to show that people who exercised AND smoked, were less at risk than those who didn’t smoke, but didn’t exercise either.  So, if you want a debate about the benefits of exercise (and I include running here), the real issue is whether those three deaths, and then dozen or so that seem to happen each year during running, outweigh the fact that those same people, if inactive, would have a lower life expectancy and health status?  I doubt it does.

And I wish that the NBC, and all the other media covering running events here in the US and the rest of the world, would acknowledge that instead of focusing on the small risk of injury or death, there is a far bigger positive outcome to being active.  Maybe in future, doctors like George Chiampas will be explaining why those sitting on their couches SHOULD be getting up to run, rather than telling those who are running how not to hurt themselves doing it!

One final point I have to make, in response to what I’ve seen is being discussed about this issue, is that people are not necessarily more likely to die from a cardiac event during exercise if they are untrained.  A lot of people have said that people who die during marathons are themselves responsible, because they’re running when they are not fit enough.  This is not true, to the best of my knowledge.

The reality is that people who die during exercise have some underlying, probably undetected condition that predisposes them to a cardiac event during exercise.  Those who are simply unfit don’t die – they just stop at the 10 mile mark (or sooner) and walk the rest of the way, because their brain does not allow them to continue running.  The fact of the matter is that there are conditions that predispose us to sudden cardiac death, and exercise can bring this out – but it could happen to the elite (Ryan Shay, a few soccer players in recent years) or to the average runner.  It’s not that they’re unfit or undertrained.

Of course, behaviours contribute to some deaths – overdrinking, for example, can lead to hyponatremia and death.  But even here, the criticism belongs with those who advocate excessive drinking, the dangers of “dehydration” and advertise sports drinks to unknowing consumers, not to the athlete who makes the mistake.

So in the light of the latest events, and until toxicology reports are in, deciding on the cause is premature.  Agreeing that it’s sad for all involved, but recognizing that it’s not running that killed them, is the way to go!

Ross

http://bostonorbust330.wordpress.com/

If you are like me then sometimes finding the motivation to just get up off the couch and take that first step is the hardest. Check these tips out that I found while looking at runnersworld.com. This list is of 101 tips to keep you motivated. If you want a daily motivational email from runners world check this link out: www.runnersworld.com/motivate

1. CREATE A BLOG where you post your daily mileage, then give out the Web address to your friends and family. Do you really want Aunt Ellen to ask why you skipped your four-miler on Wednesday?

2. MAMA, GET A NEW PAIR OF SHOES. Two-time Olympian Shayne Culpepper puts new gear she receives as an elite athlete to good use. “It’s fun to break in a new pair of shoes,” she says. “Sometimes that’s enough to get me excited.”

3. RUNNING COMMENTARY “Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp, or are you going to be strong today?’” –Peter Maher, two-time Olympic marathoner from Canada

4. GO SOFT. It’s hard to stay motivated with shinsplints, so get off the pavement for a few days and run on a cross-country course or unpaved bike paths.

5. LOOK TO THE PAST Emil Zatopek, who won four Olympic golds in his career, was a tough-as-nails athlete known for his intense training methods, such as running in work boots. Competing with a gland infection and against his doctor’s orders, the Czech won three distance events–including the marathon–at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. That stuffy nose doesn’t seem quite so bad now, does it?

6. FORGET TIME. Shane Bogan, who coaches distance runners in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area, advises leaving your watch at home once in a while. “It’s liberating not to be worried about pace,” Bogan says.

7. SIGN UP NOW for a winter marathon in a warm state. Every training mile you log takes you closer to that winter getaway in toasty Phoenix, Florida, or Las Vegas.

8. THINK FAST. The runners Christy Coughlin coaches in Wilmette, Illinois, always get a boost from this simple negative-splits workout: Run for 20 minutes as slowly as you want, then turn around and run home faster. “The long warmup helps you feel great and run faster on the way back,” says Coughlin.

9. GOOD-TO-GO PLAYLIST
Classic Rock
“Don’t Stop Me Now,” Queen
“Break on Through,” The Doors
“Gimme Shelter,” Rolling Stones
“Come Together” the Beatles
“What Do You Do for Money Honey,” AC/DC

10. BLAZE A NEW PATH. “If you do the same runs all the time, it can beat you down,” says Olympian Alan Culpepper. GPS systems work great for mapping new routes. Or check out favoriterun.com or usatf.org/routes, which use Google Maps to let you plan and save routes.

11. FILL THE TUB with hot water, then head out for a three-miler on a frigid morning. The sooner you get back, the hotter your bath is.

12. EVERY MILE YOU RUN burns roughly 100 calories. Think of that next six-miler as two slices of pizza.

13. RUNNING COMMENTARY “No one can say, ‘You must not run faster than this or jump higher than that.’ The human spirit is indomitable.” –Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run a sub-four-minute mile

14. THE BOSTON MARATHON is a year away. Think you can get there? (Go to www.baa.org for qualifying times.)

15. RACE ODD DISTANCES FOR AN INSTANT PR.
Kennedy Drive 8-K, San Francisco, May 13
Run for Alex 2-miler and 5-miler, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, June 2
Six In The Stix II, Newport, New Hampshire, June 9
Quad-City Times Bix 7-miler, Davenport, Iowa, July 28
Falmouth Road Race 7-miler, Falmouth, Massachusetts, August 12
Bigfork Valley Challenge 4.5-miler, Bigfork, Minnesota, September 8

16. READ THIS The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, a short story by Alan Sillitoe, tells the tale of a rebellious youth in a reformatory who runs in solitude and makes a stand against a system he doesn’t believe in. You’ll have new appreciation for the power of solo runs.

17. PLAY IN THE STREET. Skip a dreaded track workout for a fartlek (Swedish for “speed play”) session. After 10 minutes of easy jogging, run hard between two telephone poles, then slow down until you pass three. Then see if you can get to the traffic light before it changes, followed by a jog to the next mailbox. There are no set rules, so make it up as you go along.

18. THE PILE OF DISHES in the sink can wait till the sun goes down. Your tempo run can’t.

19. RUN AT LUNCH. Daniel Sheil, a marathon coach in Portland, Oregon, recommends lunchtime runs for two reasons: (1) You get your workout in before the day gets away from you; (2) You get a midday break from work stress.

20. RUNNING COMMENTARY “The more I run, the more I want to run, and the more I live a life conditioned and influenced and fashioned by my running. And the more I run, the more certain I am that I am heading for my real goal: to become the person I am.” –George Sheehan, M.D., beloved former RW columnist

21. THAT NEW RUNNING WATCH you want? Buy it–after timing 10 more speed sessions with your old one.

22. WATCH THIS Chariots of Fire In this stirring 1981 Oscar winner for Best Picture, two British athletes prepare for and compete in the 1924 summer Olympics. For bonus motivation, download the famous Vangelis theme to your MP3 player for tomorrow’s run.

23. WEAR A PEDOMETER on your run. Distance sounds more impressive in steps. Some tricked-out sports watches also record steps.

24. BUDDY UP. Not many people can keep up with nine-time University of Colorado all-American Sara Slattery. Luckily, two-time Olympian Shayne Culpepper happens to live down the street. Find your own version of the Olympian next door to run with regularly.

25. LOOK TO THE PAST In 1949, 9-year-old Wilma Rudolph learned to walk without leg braces after suffering from polio and spending most of her first years in bed. Rudolph went on to win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics.

26. HAVE A DAILY GOAL. Scott Jurek, seven-time champion of The Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, sets goals not just for big races but also for workouts. “Maybe it is a technique goal, maybe a pace goal, maybe a goal of running faster at the end,” he says.

27. MAKE A MASSAGE APPOINTMENT for the day after your long run.

28. WATCH THIS Baseball had Babe Ruth. Basketball had Michael Jordan. American distance running had Steve Prefontaine. Doesn’t matter that he wasn’t the best ever–he was the sport’s rock star. Prefontaine (1997) and Without Limits (1998) both capture Pre’s cocky swagger. Or check out the 1995 documentary Fire on the Track: The Steve Prefontaine Story.

29. GET YOURSELF A HEARTY DOG who needs lots of exercise. You’ll always have a reason for a daily jog.

30. GOOD-TO-GO PLAYLIST
Country
“Cocaine Blues,” Johnny Cash
“Ain’t Going Down (Til the Sun Comes Up),” Garth Brooks
“Wide Open Spaces,” Dixie Chicks
“Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” Alan Jackson
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” The Charlie Daniels Band

31. RUN THROUGH A SPRING STORM. With rain hitting you sideways and the wind whipping your face, you’ll feel alive. Just make sure you have a dry pair of shoes for tomorrow.

32. READ THIS The cult classic Once a Runner, by talented runner John L. Parker JR., captures the hard work and dedication required of fictional collegiate miler Quenton Cassidy.

33) RUNNING COMMENTARY “A lot of people run a race to see who’s fastest. I run to see who has the most guts.” –Steve Prefontaine

34. FEEL A NEED FOR SPEED. Sometimes you need the thrill of moving your legs as fast as they can go. To get the wind blowing through your hair, try six to eight 200-meter repeats at your mile race pace.

35. FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY: Consider taking a short break from running if you think you’ve got the beginning of an overuse injury or you’re truly fatigued. A couple days of rest may be the thing to reinvigorate you. Call this one instant running motivation for three days from now.

36. IT’S SPRING! Why are you even reading this? You should be motivated just by the fact that you’re not forced to run on a treadmill.

37. YOU’LL BE WEARING A BATHING SUIT in another month or so, won’t you?

38. GOOD-TO-GO PLAYLIST
Hip-Hop
“If I Should Die,” Jay-Z
“Get By,” Talib Kweli
“Let’s Get Retarded,” blackeyed peas
“Lose Yourself,” eminem
“Bombs Over Baghdad,” outkast
“Get Low,” Lil jon
“Caught Out There,” Kelis

39. EXERCISE IMPROVES SEXUAL PERFORMANCE, according to research. Nuff said.

40. IT’S NOT TOO LATE to salvage your New Year’s resolutions.

41. READ THIS Pain, by Dan Middleman. Fictional college senior Richard Dubin attempts to balance hard partying, a complicated relationship, and world-class competition.

42. GO EARLY. Two-time Olympian Shayne Culpepper says that rather than putting off a run, she’ll head out even earlier than usual when she’s not in the mood to work out. “If I have that extra cup of coffee or I wait an extra half hour, it becomes too torturous,” she says.

43. LOOK TO THE PAST Billy Mills came out of nowhere in the 1964 Olympics to become the only American to win a gold medal in the 10,000 meters. Mills’s PR at the time was nearly a minute slower than that of Australia’s Ron Clarke. With 100 meters to go, Mills sprinted ahead, improving his PR and setting a new Olympic record.

44. IF YOU’RE REALLY IN THE MOOD to change things up, or if you just have nothing to wear, check out the list of clothing-optional races at cybernude.com/nuderuns.

45. GOOD-TO-GO PLAYLIST
Alternative Rock
“Beautiful Day,” U2
“Run in Place,” The Nadas
“Seven Nation Army,” The White Stripes
“Take Me Out,” Franz Ferdinand
“Get Free,” The Vines
“Just (You Do It to Yourself),” Radiohead

46. PAY YOURSELF. Set a price for attaining a certain weekly mileage goal. When you hit it, pay up. Keep your mileage money in a jar, and once it accumulates, buy yourself that new running jacket you’ve been ogling.

47. ASK A FRIEND TO BIKE alongside you when your running partner isn’t available.

48. GET WET. When it gets hot out, Washington, D.C.-area coach Bruce Gross suggests logging your miles by running in the deep end of a pool while wearing a flotation vest. Gross tells his runners to break it up by going hard for five minutes, then resting for one minute. Work up to an hour.

49. RACE RESULTS STAY ON GOOGLE FOREVER.

50. TURN THINGS AROUND. “A poor performance is a strong motivator for me,” says elite marathoner Clint Verran. “I can’t wait to prove to myself that I’m a better runner than my last showing.” Verran also says negative comments from his coaches fire him up. “For me, proving somebody wrong is key.”

51. BEEN MARATHONING FOR YEARS? Maybe it’s time to try an ultra. Or the mile.

52. BECOME A RUNNING MENTOR. Once you get your neighbor, coworker, or significant other hooked on your favorite sport, they’ll be counting on your continued support and guidance–and company.

53. FEELING TIRED? Instead of taking the day off, throw some walk breaks into your run. Use the breaks to refuel, stretch out sore muscles, or get inspired by the scenery.

54. HEAD FOR THE HILLS. “When I need a boost, I attack a hill workout,” says Greg Meyer, winner of the 1982 Chicago Marathon and 1983 Boston Marathon. “You can’t do hills halfhearted.” Meyer believes the difficulty of the workout brings out the best in him.

55. WATCH THIS Saint Ralph In this 2005 Canadian film, a teenager sets out to win the 1954 Boston Marathon, thinking this is the “miracle” required to wake his mother from a coma.

56. RUN FOR A REASON. Do a race for charity. Helping kids with diabetes or women with breast cancer makes it much easier to get out the door.

57. DUST OFF YOUR TRACK SPIKES. Most states have Olympic-style summer games where you can compete in events like the mile or the 400-meter hurdles. If you’re really looking for a change of pace, train for a field event like the long jump.

58. RUNNING COMMENTARY “Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don’t think about it, I just do it. The decision has already been made.” –Patti Sue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

59. REMEMBER that you almost always feel better after a run than before it.

60. LOOK TO THE PAST Roger Bannister and John Landy (the only two men to have broken four minutes in the mile at the time) raced at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver in what was billed as “The Miracle Mile.” Landy led for most of the race, but Bannister passed him on the final turn–proving it ain’t over till it’s over.

61. RUNNING COMMENTARY “If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don’t spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it.” –Priscilla Welch, who won the 1987 New York City Marathon at age 42

62. KEEP A LOG. Greg Meyer, former Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon champ, says his logbook keeps him motivated. “I just can’t stand to look at my log and see a goose egg for the day,” he says.

63. MAKE A CONNECTION. www.Fitness-singles.com connects active people looking for love. Get in your run and go on a date at the same time.

64. BRING HOME SOME HARDWARE. Okay, so you’re not going to win the Chicago Marathon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t score a trophy. Find a few small local races where you might be able to compete for the top spots in your age group.

65. DON’T EXPECT EVERY DAY TO BE BETTER than the last. Some days will be slower than others, and some days might even hurt a bit. But as long as you’re on the road, it’s a good day.

66. IF YOU DON’T RUN ROAD RACES, where will you get all your T-shirts?

67. JUST START. If the thought of running your full workout is too much to bear, just suit up to run around the block. Chances are, once you’re outside, you’ll start to feel better and put in at least a few miles.

68. READ THIS Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, by Kenny Moore. Learn about Bill Bowerman, one of the most famous track and field coaches of the last century and cofounder of Nike. You’ll be surprised how the legend initiated his new runners at the University of Oregon.

69. RUN SOLO and away from the crowds on recovery days. The faster runners on popular routes will make you want to pick up the pace. Alone, you’ll be able to listen to your body and reap the recovery you deserve.

70. RUNNING COMMENTARY “Those who say that I will lose and am finished will have to run over my body to beat me.” –Said Aouita, 5000 meter Olympic gold medalist

71. YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD FOR A GOLD STAR, says Sacramento-area running coach Shauna Schultz. Plan your workouts a week in advance, then place a star sticker on the calendar for each day you meet your goal. “Visualizing your progress in this manner is very encouraging,” Schultz says.

72. THINK YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO RUN? You can probably make a list longer than this one of things you’re wasting time on today. Cut one of them out and get the run in.

73. FOCUS ON THE COMPETITION. Olympic 200-meter gold medalist Shawn Crawford says his two chief competitors–himself and his stopwatch–keep him heading out every day. “I want to break records, and you can’t break records sitting home.”

74. BECOME A RACE DIRECTOR. If you live in a small town with no road races, start your own. Most towns have some sort of yearly celebration in the summer, and you can tie the race to that. Work with local track and cross-country teams to help promote it.

75. RUN AN ERRAND–LITERALLY. Run to get cash at the ATM, buy that lottery ticket for the mega-million-dollar prize, or return the DVD to the rental store.

76. CHECK WEATHER.COM. If you know it’s going to be 110 degrees by 2 p.m., run early in the morning. Terrible thunderstorms on Saturday? There’s your day off. Proactive scheduling now will give you fewer excuses later.

77. GOOD-TO-GO PLAYLIST
Guilty Pleasures
“Good Vibrations,” Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
“Toxic,” Britney Spears
“Lovefool,” The Cardigans
“Flagpole Sitta,” Harvey Danger
“Fergalicious,” Fergie

78. QUIT RUNNING IN CIRCLES. Andy Steinfeld, who coaches marathon runners in Maryland, says group “point to point” runs are a fun way to mix things up. His runners head out for 12 to 20 miles, then refuel at a local restaurant before hopping on the subway to ride back to the starting point.

79. WATCH THIS Endurance. This 1999 docudrama shows how Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie became one of the best distance runners of all time.

80. CREATE CONFLICT. Drew Ludtke, head women’s track and cross-country coach at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, says his runners are sometimes too social. So he tells them to imagine that the runner next to them just stole their boyfriend, which amps up the competition–and the fun.

81. RUN TRAILS to challenge your body and mind. “Trails are a fantastic way to give your training a change of pace,” says Long Beach, California, coach Todd Rose. Rose advises always running trails with a partner and a cell phone to stay safe.

83. BE REALISTIC with your training. Sticking to a schedule of three workouts per week feels a lot better than quitting a more demanding plan. Go to runnersworld.com/smartcoach to customize your training program.

84. LIVE IN THE NOW. Seven-time Western States champ Scott Jurek focuses on the moment to get him through rough spots. “I tune in to my breath, technique, and my current pace, and I stay away from what lies ahead,” he says. This is especially helpful when “what lies ahead” is another 99 miles.

85. GET SOME PERSPECTIVE. Eritrean-born U.S. runner and 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi listens to songs about his former country’s struggle for independence from Ethiopia when he needs a boost. “The true heroes are the soldiers,” he says, also mentioning American troops in Iraq. “Those are the real tough guys.”

86. BUY A FULL-LENGTH MIRROR and make sure you look in it every day.

87. RUNNING COMMENTARY “If I am still standing at the end of the race, hit me with a board and knock me down, because that means I didn’t run hard enough.” –Steve Jones, former marathon world record holder

88. READ THIS Life at These Speeds, by Jeremy Jackson. When an entire track team is killed on the way home from a meet at the beginning of this novel, star Kevin Schuler, who rode home with his parents, is left to pick up the pieces. Sad but stirring.

89. GOOD-TO-GO PLAYLIST
Silence
Leave the MP3 player at home and see how you like it. Sometimes, the rhythm of your own breathing is the most inspiring thing of all.

90. BUY GOLD RACING SHOES. With those on your feet, you’d better be fast. It worked for Michael Johnson.

91. KEEP LOOKING FORWARD. It would be easy for Maurice Greene, 100-meter gold medalist at the 2000 Olympics, to rest on his laurels. “People always ask me, ‘Why do you keep on going?’ I always say, ‘I believe I haven’t reached my full potential.’” Greene’s current goals include another Olympic gold and a time of 9.67 seconds in the 100–which would currently earn him back his world record.

92. FORGET ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE every now and then. Put away your training manual and your race calendar. Quit overthinking it. Run for today.

93. TRY A TRI. Logging a chunk of your weekly miles in the pool and on the bike for a triathlon can reinvigorate your mind and body–and running.

94. SALE AWAY. When online running coach (therunningcoach.com) Christine Hinton is feeling unmotivated, she heads out for what she calls a “Garage Sale Run.” “I take some cash or my checkbook with me and run in search of garage sales,” Hinton says. “When I find one, I stop briefly to check out the goods. I tell you, I have found some good stuff that I’ve picked up later with the car.”

95. RUNNING COMMENTARY “The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare.” –Juma Ikangaa, Tanzanian marathoner

96. A HEALTHY RUNNER IS A HAPPY RUNNER. As soon as you feel like you might be coming down with something, pamper yourself: Eat more healthfully (think lots of fruits and veggies) and get extra rest. A little prevention today means you won’t be debating next week whether you’re too sick to run.

97. LISTENING TO YOUR FEET crunch gravel for an hour can erase a day’s worth of stress.

98. INVEST IN GOOD GEAR. For beginners, this may mean a good pair of running shoes to avoid injuries and technical clothes made of fabric that wicks away moisture and prevents chafing. For others, experimenting with the latest GPS unit or shoe pod can be a fun way to track training progress and stay motivated.

99. BE CREATIVE. If the idea of going on your regular four-miler just sinks you further into your recliner, remember that there are other ways to put in some miles–like a pickup game of soccer, flag football, or ultimate Frisbee. A soccer midfielder runs up to six miles in a regulation 90-minute game.

100. SURROUND YOURSELF. When Greg Meyer, former Boston and Chicago marathon champ, needs a lift, he just looks up at the wall. A clown stares back at him from a poster with the caption: “To be good is not enough when you dream of being great.”

101. LET US HELP. We’ve got more where these came from. To receive a daily motivational e-mail, go to www.runnersworld.com/motivate.

Durbin Creek Peninsula Perserve Trail

Off St. Augustine Road in Bartram Park in South Jacksonville. One of the best off-road courses in the Jacksonville Area. Map shows a six mile course, but can be 7 miles with out and back section between 3 and 4 miles as shown on map. There is also a three mile loop that you can run if you go to the next right after the two mile mark.

Northbank River Walk 5K

This is a great little course along the Riverwalk starting and finishing at the Hyatt Hotel on Coastline Drive.

Festival of Lights 5K Course

In San Marco from the Baptist Eye Institute. This is one of Jacksonville most scenic 5Ks. The race is run at night, so the runners miss the true beauty of this certified 3.1 mile course.

Downtown Bridge Loop

Nice 5 mile run starting from the YMCA on Riverside Ave. Course incorporates the new Northbank Riverwalk.

Meandering 5 Mile

Starts at 1st Place Sports on Baymeadows. This is a nice loop around the San Jose Country Club.

Loop the Loop 5 mile

Starts at 1st Place Sports on Baymeadows. Nice course along Beauclerc Road and Forest Circle. Bascially an out and back with a loop in the middle section.

Canal 5 1/2 lake loop

Starts at 1st Place Sports on Baymeadows Road. This is a great run for adventure seekers. The course cuts through Tomahawk Park and then runs the canals to Skinner Park. You can also run 7 miles by entended the run north of Skinner Park along the canals.

Canal 7

Longer version of above run.

Meandering 7

Starts at 1st Place Sports on Baymeadows Road. This is a great run along San Jose Blvd. Route takes you around San Jose Country Club.

Gate River Run Course

This is the big one in Jacksonville. This course is used as the site of the 15K national championship. Course starts on Duval Street in front of the Jacksonville Faigrounds, runs from the sports complex area, through downtown, San Marco, and back over the Hart Bridge to finish.

Jacksonville Marathon Course

This is a great course. 26.2 miles of beauty. Large oak, magnolia and Maple trees line this very scenic and flat course. Starts and finishes at Bolles School.

Jacksonville Bank 1/2 Marathon Course

1/2 marathon runs with the Jacksonville Marathon course above.

Ortega River Run Course

This 5 mile course starts and finishers at St. Mark’s Episcopal on Ortega Blvd. This is a very scenic course along the banks of the Cedar River.

Perfect 10

This ten mile course starts and finishes at the Lakewood Shopping Center at the corner of San Jose Blvd and University Blvd. West. This is the site of the orginial 1st Place Sports. The Perfect 10 gots is name not for it’s beauty or terrain, but because it was measured several times. The legend goes that every time one of the 1st Place Sports team members lowered the course record in training the course would be remeasured. John Rogerson, Bill Fisher, Pete Gambel, Jerry Oldin, Bill McCormick, Doug Alred, Mike Wachholz, and George Burns ran this course at least twice a week for several years. Rogerson held the course record with a 49:35.

RITA CASH 5K Southpoint

5K two loop course from Seven Bridges Restaurant at Tinseltown.

Outback 1/2 Marathon Course

Starts at Outback Steakhouse on San Jose Blvd just south of Baymeadows Road. Great course through some of Mandarin’s most scenic roads.

Toughest 10k in Jacksonville

This trail run starts at the Roosevelt Area trail head (off of Mt Pleasant Rd.) and winds through three parks(Roosevelt Area, Spanish Pond, & Fort Caroline) and has the steepest hills, roughest trails and best natural views in Jax. You will not be able to follow it as mapped, you’ll probably get lost (temporarily), but you’ll have a great time if you enjoy this kind of running. Definitely a run for the cooler months in FL.

Loop to Loop 10 Mile

Great ten mile course from the corner of San Jose and Baymedows Road in front of Hooters. Route runs along the recreation paths on Beauclerc and Scott Mill Roads. The route does a loop around Forest Circle on the way out and then on the way back. The route also has a 1.3 mile loop on the bottom of the course. The course gots it’s name from the type of workout that 1st Place Sports teams members ran on this course. The three loops were ran at race pace while atempting to run tempo pace betweeen the loops.

Retro River Run 5K

This course starts at “The Runner” statue on Coastline Drive and follows a route through downtown that closely follows the original River Run course. The route crosses the Main and Acosta bridges and finishes at the Jacksonville Landing.

Exploration Run

5 mile loop over the Acosta and Main Street Bridge and then out and back along the Northbank Riverwalk.

Celebration 5K

Certified 5K loop starting and finishing at 1st Place Sports, 3931 Baymedows Road. This course is used for the Celebration 5K and the 5K with the Tour de Pain.

Super Sunday 5K

This is a nice training course from the JCA located at the corner of San Jose Blvd and San Clerc Roads in the Beaulcerc section of Jacksonville.

Link to all posted Jacksonville running routes:

http://www.usatf.org/routes/search/searchResults.asp?distance_from=&distance_to=&distanceUnits=mi&startType=&startName=&facility=&city=jacksonville&state=FL&rating=&show=25&page=4

TECHNIQUE

Lie prone (face down) on the ball with your arms by your sides (picture 1). Your eyes should be looking at the floor (this keeps the neck in alignment with the spine). Lift your chest and shoulders off the floor and hold for 3-10 seconds then return to the floor. Rest and repeat

Increase the resistance of the movement by adjusting arm, hand and leg position. Options in order of difficulty are hands under the chin (picture 3), hands touching the side of the head (picture 4)

Picture 1: Start position with hands by the sides                           Picture 2: Hold position with hands by the sides

Picture 3: Hands under the chin                                 Picture 4: Legs and arms not touching the ground

EXERCISE STRUCTURE

Perform sets of 10-12 repetitions. As you become more proficient aim to first increase the duration of each repetition (up to 10 seconds) and then aim to progress the level of the exercise through the use of altered hand positions as described above. Remember to always keep the head down with the eyes looking at the ground. This exercise can be progressed by using a swiss ball and a back extension machine.

PROGRESSION OPTIONS

Swiss Ball Back Extension, Machine Back Extension

SWISS BALL LYING BRIDGE – CURL VARIANTS

TECHNIQUE

Begin this exercise by lying on the floor with your legs up on a Swiss ball. Your arms should be out to the side for improved balance with feet together, hips on the ground and eyes looking at the roof. Activate your core muscles while still in this position. All of the following variants begin with this starting sequence.

BRIDGE: When ready raise your hips off the ground so that your hips are as high as possible(But not in hyperextension)  until you are in the position shown in picture one with only your shoulders, head and arms touching the ground. Hold each repetition for 5-6 seconds and squeeze your hamstrings and glutes. Lower the body to the ground, rest for 1-2 seconds and repeat.

Picture 1:  Bridge Top position (Beginner)                      Picture 2: Bridge + curl top position (intermediate)

Picture 3: Top position, arms across chest (intermediate)           Picture 4: Top position on top of toes

These next few variants are for the more advanced and should be approached with caution and correct technique is paramount.

Hamstring curl and one legged hold

This is a hard exercise and one that is very challenging. You are to start this exercise with the normal procedure, then you proceed to contract your hamstrings to bring the ball closer to you butt. Once there and in control you are to lift one of your feet from the ball and hold the ball and your body using your core. Like that seen in picture 6.

Picture 5: starting position of one legged hold    Picture 6: end position of one legged hold

Single legged hamstring curl

This is the most advance exercise in this series. The whole exercise is done with only one leg touching the ball and in control of balance, movement and support.

Picture 7: starting position                                           Picture 8: end position

EXERCISE STRUCTURE

Perform 2 sets of 10 – 15 repetitions. As strength and balance improve use the above variants to ensure you are still challenging yourself.

SWISS BALL ISOMETRIC PRESS-UP HOLD + VARIANTS

TECHNIQUE

This is the first exercise to get you ready for the Swiss ball press-up exercise. This exercise can be done two ways and both are shown here. In Pictures one and two you can see the first of these!

Pictures 1: Starting position with feet on the ball and your knees touching the floor. The ball can be pushed into the wall to add more balance, your hands are placed on the floor approx 20cm apart. Begin with contacting your belly button up to the ceiling to brace your stomach then lift your knees from the floor like that shown in picture 2 and hold for 10seconds. Please make sure that your body is held in a straight line (do not allow the hips to sag)

Picture 1: Starting position                                                Picture 2: isometric hold position

This variant with your hands on the ball instead of your feet is more difficult! It involves you to have good shoulder stability and works very well on making you tired a lot more quickly – so caution is advised.

Picture 3: Hands on ball starting position                               Picture 4: Hands on ball end position

To make this exercise even harder still you can push the ball further away from your head like that seen in picture 5.

Picture 5: Long lever arm – hard

EXERCISE STRUCTURE

Aim when doing the hold version of this exercise to balance for 10 seconds on each repetition and complete 3-5 repetitions. When you move to the press up versions of the exercise try to work up to 15 repetitions and do 2 sets.

Additional progressions are available such as moving the ball away from the wall during the press-up. Ift one of your feet from your base of support etc.

SWISS BALL WOOD-CHOP

TECHNIQUE

Lie with your shoulders and head on the ball with your feet placed firmly on the floor and you are to keep a flat spine but contracting your glutes, and then raise your hands and link your fingers together (picture 1). Then using your external and internal oblique muscles you are to rotate your trunk onto one shoulder slow and controlled (picture 2), while also trying to maintain your hips as level as possible.

Then you are to return back to the starting position while still controlling your speed.

Picture 1: Initial starting position                      Picture 3: The end position

EXERCISE STRUCTURE

Perform 8-12 repetitions per side – 2 sets.

PROGRESSION OPTIONS

You can increase the difficulty by increasing the hand held weight, or by taking the leg on the same side you are moving towards off of the floor.

4, 3, 2, and 1 POINT BALANCE

TECHNIQUE

Start by holding the ball in front of you with your knees lightly touching the leading surface.

Slowly roll forward onto the ball keeping balanced by using your hands, and try to maintain balance with your weight evenly distributed on each of the 4 points in contact with the ball (2 hands, 2 knees)

You can make this exercise more difficult by decreasing the number of points (hands or knees) you have on the ball like those seen in pictures 2 – 5 below.

Picture 1: 4 point balance  Picture 2: 3 point balance #1                         Picture 3: 3 point balance #2

Picture 4: 2 point balance #1                            Picture 5: 2 point balance #2            Picture 6: 1 point balance

EXERCISE STRUCTURE

Aim to balance for 10 or more seconds on each repetition. Perform 3-5 repetitions, or you can work on playing for a set time of up to 2mins.

You can also make this exercise harder by taking away the use of the eyes by closing them

Ingredients

• 1/2 (5-pound) seedless watermelon
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt (specialty salt is great here, if on hand)
• 2 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
• 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled, preferably a French Chevre
• Fresh finely cracked black pepper

Directions

Stand the watermelon half cut side down on a cutting board and slice away the rind, leaving a solid block of melon. Turn the block on its side and cut it into 8 squares, roughly 3 by 3 inches and 1-inch thick.

Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to a thick syrup consistency. Set aside.

Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle just enough olive oil over watermelon slices to thinly coat and place on hot grill pan. Grill each side about 2 minutes until grill marks appear; transfer to a plate and season with salt.

To assemble the salads, put about 1/4 cup of baby arugula on a serving plate, followed by a grilled slice of watermelon in the center, and top with a tablespoon of crumbled cheese and another 1/4 cup arugula. Add another watermelon slice and another tablespoon of cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Finish each salad with a very light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic syrup. Dust with black pepper and serve immediately