Running Shorts

"You're really bad at being injured," my wife has been telling me on a semi-regularly basis this summer. It turns out that she -- as wives usually are -- is absolutely, 100% correct. I'm bad at being injured. But now, for the first significant time in my running career, I'm trying to be good at being injured. What the heck does that mean? But first, let me explain the title of the post... In dealing with runners for the better part of 15 years -- as a teammate, coach, running store clerk, and internet message board lurker -- a common refrain crops up across the spectrum: how can I avoid getting hurt? The short answer: you can't. Sorry. The long answer: running is a sport, and athletes who partake in sports get hurt; that's what you sign up for. If you are training right, then you're constantly pushing your boundaries; trying to train right up to the edge without going over. The paradox is that you never really know where that edge is until ...

I'm not a cyclist. I'm not a cycling fan. I've never ridden in a cycling race, and I couldn't name many of the top cyclists in the world. I spent no more than $250 on a used road bike, which I use more for commuting than training. For 49 weeks out of the year, I could care less about cycling. But for the other three weeks, it's all I have on TV. The Tour de France is awesome, and NBC Sports Network's coverage of it is fantastic -- enough to make a fan out of me, at least for a few weeks. For four to five hours a day, for 21 straight days, they broadcast and cover each stage live. And you're telling me we can do the same thing for two-hour footraces only three times per year? (Chicago, New York, Boston) Here's what, to me, makes the Tour so compelling to watch: 1. The commentators are incredibly well researched and knowledgeable about the race course and the riders in the field. They know everyone and their results (and they let you know), not jus...

Will you be in Cincinnati this Saturday, June 28th? If so, you should experience the Hyde Park Blast , the most fun race event in the city all year. Yeah, I said it. It's better than Flying Pig weekend, better than the Thanksgiving Day Race, better than the Heart Mini 15k. Why? Simple: because it puts all levels of endurance sports (well, cycling and running) on showcase through a block-party-like atmosphere. The day starts in the morning with a 4-mile run/walk. Who doesn't like road races? Trick question: everyone loves them. Especially in Hyde Park. Everyone runs in Hyde Park, and you can bet just about everyone will be participating in the run that morning. The run is followed by a series of kids races, ranging in distance from .1 to .5 miles. Nothing like getting 'em started young. At noon the even switches gears (pun intended) as the cycling races start. From noon until 8 pm, there are a series of crits  of decreasing category (which means increasing speed ...