Running Shorts

See what I did there? Called this week's installment "Episode 1"? Like a TV episode? Because I'm writing about TV? Man...clever stuff. I should be writing for television. In all seriousness, this is actually a timely post (along with Episode 2, coming next week), what with the US Olympic trials on NBC these next two weekends. I'd like to say I had it all planned out that way, but let's be honest here...if you've seen my room, you know I'm not nearly organized enough to do that. This week's post, Episode 1, is about TV time slots. Where do track meets fit into time slots on the TV schedule? The short answer: nowhere. Track meets are different than the more mainstream sports (and perhaps that partly why track isn't so mainstream...hence the point of this series). Football games usually last a consistent 3 hours, so a 3 hour time slot is perfect for the NFL. Basketball games last 2-3 hours, so a similar time slot works out well, too. Basebal...

I'm slightly (read: very) ashamed to admit that I got this workout from Runner's World, but I think it's a really interesting one. I feel better knowing that this was the only thing worthwhile in the whole magazine (well, and the rave run). This workout is designed more for half marathon specificity, but since since that's sort of what I'm going for during this part of summer, it fits in with my training plan now. The general premise is: 5 repetitions of 2000s on the track, starting at goal half marathon pace and working down to 10k pace. Each interval should be 5-10 seconds faster than the previous one. For me, the long-term half marathon goal is 1:05-1:07. I feel the higher part of that range is do-able now, with some training, of course. So for me, half marathon pace is somewhere between 5:00 and 5:05 mile pace, or :75-:76 per lap. 10k pace (road 10k, not my track prs) is, well, I don't really know since I haven't really run a good one recently. I...

I just realized that I haven't posted a picture of my Saucony Hurricanes kit. So even though it's very self-serving (but then, that's a personal blog for you), here it is: So nothing too crazy, there's the shorts, racing flats, and the orange singlet (that's a little big...but then so is everything on me). Saucony calls that color orange "ViZiPro Orange," but I prefer to refer to it as "Orange Mocha Frappucino!" But anyway, if I'm coming to a race near you, that's what to look for!

Sportscenter is awful. I watch it every day, and I think, "This is awful" every day. I mean, it's the flagship sports show on TV, and it's coverage of anything besides football, baseball, and basketball couldn't be worse. (Hell, it's coverage of those sports is terrible. Everything from the anchors to the so-called experts is just...inane. But that's another story) Of course, part of the problem with Sportscenter is the focus on those three sports. I mean, it's called Sports center, and yet only three sports get any real coverage. And football...dear god, they always talk about football. Don't believe me? Watch one of the shows this June (JUNE!) and I can almost guarantee they will find a way to squeeze some football stuff in there. I may have only been in J-school for three days, but I know enough to know that it's just plain bad journalism to only cover the big three sports while calling yourself a sports show. (Of course, that probl...

Like a root beer float, only better. This is one of those new workouts I was talking about in my last post (I think it was that one?). It's your standard 800 interval workout, but instead of resting between intervals you "float" at marathon pace. I'm not really sold on Yasso 800s. I know they're popular, but they just seem too...easy (can I say that?). For marathon training, at least. Actually here's a better way of putting it: Yasso 800s are in my comfort zone. The marathon is a race that's not in my comfort zone. Therefore, I should be doing workouts out of my comfort zone. Seems logical, captain. This was the first time I've tried this workout, and it was not fun. I mean, the "float" rest felt easy, which was nice...until I started the next interval, that is. And then I realized that rest wasn't really any rest at all. Essentially, this is a continuous workout, instead of the standard interval workout which starts and stops. Th...

This time around, I'm trying something new. Training-wise, that is. I figure I'm going to train for a fall marathon, either Chicago, Columbus, or Detroit; I haven't decided which yet. But this time I'm really gung-ho about putting together my own workout calendar. Being the huge nerd that I am, it's a lot of fun researching and writing up workouts to try out. I could definitely use some help from more experienced people than me, but there's something empowering and motivating in writing your own workouts. I can't slack off, because, well... they're my workouts. I put them together. Cool, huh? And so, since I'm not accountable to anyone but myself, I'm experimenting with the training regimen. Not necessarily trying out new workouts (which I am doing, but I figure I'll blog on those as I get to them). What I'm experimenting with is the order in which I'm doing them all. Conventional training wisdom says that you start with lon...

Ok, so sorry I missed posting this one last week. But that just means that you, dear reader, get a treat this week: double posts of the On Track series! The first one looking at why track isn't popular is an easy one: doping. If you've paid any attention to sports in general, you know doping is a big deal. And especially for track (just like with cycling), doping is definitely a big black eye. Just mention names like Ben Johnson, Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin, Lasse Viren, Rashid Ramzi, etc. and any self-respecting track fan will cringe. Thanks to the media, thanks to science, whatever, the present and past doping escapades of athletes are no secret. I mean, everyone knows the Easter Bloc athletes of the '70s and '80s were all dirty. Same thing with sprinters in the '90s and early '00s. With such a track record (pun intended), how can any spectator take world records and Olympic Golds seriously? Doesn't each positive test diminish the accomplishments of ...