Running Shorts

Apparently Mother Nature thought today was March. Nope, it's leap day...still February. It's supposed to be winter. However, it feels more like spring when it's mid-60s and sunny. I mean, I was almost too hot today! I think it's because of La Nina in the Pacific (or some meteorological mumbo-jumbo like that...that's what the weathermen keep saying). Not that I'm complaining; it's impossible to complain about perfect weather. Most of this winter has been very mild, and that's been great for training. It does make me a little nervous for May though. Cincinnati has the potential to get very warm by early May, and if it's already this warm, I can't help but worry how much warmer it could get by then. The last thing I want is the day of the Pig to be 80 degrees or something crazy like that. Even moderate heat affects the marathon more than any other race. Who knows, the weather can be fickle...especially this year. I'm just hoping it stays...

Today I ran in the morning. It was 4:45. Because of my work and class schedule, on Tuesdays I don't really have time to run. So instead of doing one longer run, I try to break it into 2 shorter ones. Getting mileage in before 5 am is unbelievably early. I wish I didn't have to do it. I used to think running at 6 was early...now I think that would feel luxurious sleeping in that late.

Two days of posts in a row...what a streak! So this go-round I've changed up the way I count my mileage a little bit. I've started implementing Badger Miles for my mileage days. Badger Miles are pretty simple: base your mileage for a run off of the time spent running, while assuming that you are running an arbitrary (and conservative pace). For me -- and I think the way these are normally done -- I assume 7 minute pace. So, for example, if I'm doing 10 miles, I'll run for 70 minutes instead of stopping the clock whenever I finish the 10 mile loop. The idea is to overestimate your pace (as in, the slowest you'll run is that pace, but typically you'll run faster) and thus underestimate mileage. For me, most of my loops aren't exactly accurate and are actually probably a little short. So this way, by overestimating pace, I know at the very least I'm running as far as I think I am; in reality it's probably actually a little longer. Like I said, I...

That's who I feel like. I know I've said it a thousand times, but this time it's for real (take that with a grain of salt, if you wish): I'm going to be more routine about my posting on here. I promise. I think... Let me just shamelessly give my excuse: working 40 hours a week and taking a couple grad classes and trying to get in marathon training does not leave much time for anything else. That said, don't let me make any more excuses. So anyway, since the last post I've had to update the schedule. I'm no longer running the Tom King Half; turns out I have to take the Praxis II that day, and it's the only day it's offered until June. Awesome. So now, in the week between the Heart Mini and the Papa John's 10, I'm going to try to fit in the Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon in Xenia, OH. That makes for a real tough 3 week stretch, but the goal is to run the half in the middle as more of a marathon-pace workout so I don't kill...

All joking aside, I got good news from Saucony earlier this week! I filled out an application in January, and here are the details: So the program (can I call it a team?) is called the Saucony Hurricanes, and they provide some gear for running-specific athletes. As a Hurricane, I get 4 pairs of shoes and a racing kit (singlet, shorts, half-tights, warmups, shirts, arm sleeves, a backpack, etc.), all for free. Anything in addition to that is 50% off. But wait! There's more! They also offered me a spot as a Hurricane Launch Rep, which means I have to host 2 events promoting the brand and also make periodical visits to 10 local Dick's Sporting Goods stores. In return for that, I get $600 in Visa pre-paid cards (for travel expenses) and $2,000 extra to spend on Saucony merchandise. Two. Thousand. Dollars. I think now the biggest problem is: what am I possibly going to spend $2,000 on? Needless to say, I just ordered a crapload of stuff. And yes, "crapload" is an of...

I'm just going to come out an say it: I don't think football players are that great of athletes. Or, to put it another way, I think the amount of athletic energy they expend playing a game is way overrated. Okay, I'm a runner; so I'm biased. But when I see a guy sucking air out of an oxygen mask after a play, what am I supposed to think? I ran a marathon and didn't need an oxygen mask. What I needed was a beer. Let me just get the token running-vs.-any-other-sport argument out of the way: no timeouts, no halftime, no substitutions, etc...we've all heard that before. But hear me out here on football specifically. An average game lasts 3 hours; only 1 of which is the play clock is running and people are actually playing. But if you figure an average play lasts 5-10 seconds, and the other 30 or so seconds on the play clock everyone is just standing around, what does that leave? On the football field, the players are actually moving (and isn't motion a pre...

One thing I've wanted to do differently this time around is get more of a schedule of races leading up to the marathon. I want to use these races as sort of a workout or a tune-up for the Pig. Heck, a competitive atmosphere is a way better than a solo workout. At least that's my logic this time, and I'm sticking to it. I've really only done two races longer than a 10k. The one was the Hudepohl 14K, and the other was...well, Chicago. I feel I need to do more than just one tune-up this time around. I think one of the big problems I had during the Chicago marathon was that my legs, body, etc. just wasn't (read: still isn't) used to these longer, almost completely aerobic races. I mean, the longest race I had done before my first marathon was 18 miles shorter than the marathon itself. And I've still never done a true half marathon. The only one I've done was the first half of a full marathon (1:09:20...that's a respectable time, right?). So I want ...

I'll do another marathon when pigs fly. Wait, what's that? They do on May 6? Oh. Well in that case, count me in. So that's the big update (and also why I'm getting back at the whole blogging thing), I'm running the Flying Pig this spring. I'll put more details in the Flying Pig page, but stay tuned for training/racing updates.