Running Shorts

Well, this has easily been the worst training stretch of my life. Four months of constantly off and on running, never more than 45 miles in one week. No workouts, no races; no summer or fall season at all for me. But you know what? That's okay. I've been very lucky to (prior to this) never have missed more than three weeks at a time for injury. I suppose I was due for something more serious sooner or later, and I'm at least happy that it came immediately after  the Olympic Trials instead of before . Now that I'm slowly getting healthy and returning to jogging (not quite running yet, and definitely not training), there are a few lessons I've taken from this experience that I want to share. Listen to your body. When you feel something wrong, stop running -- don't try to run through it. My threshold for something wrong is this: does it change your stride? If so, then you're injured and you should not run. If not,  then you're probably just sore or ach...

As I write this, a crisp wind blows a pre-winter chill in from the north. Roiling grey clouds cover the sky as leaves float to the ground signalling the fiery death summer. It's jacket weather. Better yet, it's distance-running weather. Training in the Midwest, you get to deal with four distinct seasons -- which all, in a way, lend themselves to a periodized schedule over the course of the year. Winter represents the hibernation, where the college athletes (and increasingly, high schoolers as well), take to the indoor track. Runs in the gusty winter chill are endured, not enjoyed, knowing they'll make for a stronger, tougher athlete come spring. Spring is the rebirth. As the flora comes back to life, so too do athletic aspirations. Rising from the winter doldrums, we step on the track once again, eager to unleash the speed that has been pent up all winter. As May comes and goes, Spring merges into Summer, and training takes different paths for different runners. F...

So now that it's mid-September (what?!), I just realized I should probably post my planned fall racing schedule. My last race of the spring was the Hyde Park Blast ( read about it here ), which ended on a bit of a downer. Trying to push through a nagging hamstring injury, my spring races didn't end as well as I hoped they would. Since then, I've taken about 2 months away from racing, instead getting in some quality training. My hamstring is fully recovered and healthy, my mileage is back up in the 90+ per week range, and I'm running regular 20 mile long runs, 60 minute aerobic threshold runs, and hill repeats. Training's going great, and I've been feeling great during it. With that said, I've actually technically started my fall season. Two weekends ago, I ran the Zero Prostate Cancer 10k here in Cincinnati. This year was the first year this race has offered prize money: $250 for both the men's and women's winner of the 5k and the 10k. I chose t...