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Let’s Talk about Track Etiquette
This morning’s workout was a little tempo run at the local high school track. It was one of those perfect mornings – already hot enough that my muscles were warmed up before I started, but just this side of too hot. (And too-hot is definitely bound to happen later today.) Running at the track has a special appeal to me (as long as I don’t overdo it). Every time I’m there, I’m reminded, whether consciously or subconsciously, of being in the 7th grade. In 7th grade, you see, I ran on the track team for the first time, and it was then that I learned the proper etiquette of running…
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Races: Traverse City Bayshore Half Marathon
It’s Monday afternoon, Memorial Day, and although I’ve just now begun to move on to those tedious and slightly depressing “end of the weekend” chores… (you know – laundry, groceries, making a decision about whether to vacuum or try to keep “not seeing” the tumbleweeds of dog fur for another few days), I am nevertheless still basking in the happy glow of what was a really phenomenal race weekend. I almost didn’t get a spot in the Traverse City Track Club’s Bayshore Half Marathon. By the time I got wind of the race, it had already filled to capacity. I was listening to the Runner’s World podcast and editor,…
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What’s Your Sub-2:00?
In the middle of my night Friday night, or early in the morning on Saturday as the case would be for the runners in Italy, some terribly talented runners took off on a quest to break the world record for the marathon AND the 2 hour barrier. Sponsored by Nike, these exceptional gentlemen were chosen from amongst the best in the world for their qualifications for this unique pursuit, and they were given every training advantage anyone could hope to have – the best trainers, doctors, coaches, nutritionists, and other fitness professionals in the world converged to optimize their health, get them to their peak fitness, and plan a race…
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My 2017 Training Goals
My competitive running history goes as follows: Full-on emotional immersion in 7th and 8th grade track and field. (Emotional involvement largely predicated on fear of failure and discomfort during a time in my life when a) it was extremely important to be well-liked and b) I was kind of wimpy.) 10th grade track season that I participated in for lack of anything better to do Participation in massive road races open to the general population with very little formal training program So here’s the thing. In 8th grade, I wasn’t terrible. I wasn’t amazing, but I was decent for an 8th grader. I showed promise. I probably didn’t work overly hard…
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The View From the Back of the Pack
I dealt with a harsh reality this week. Let me begin by acknowledging some harsh realities I’ve already been privy to. 1) I’m not the fastest runner in the world. 2) I’m not the fastest runner in Ohio. 3) I’m not the fastest runner in my own household. 4) Ok, let’s face it – I’m almost never the fastest runner in any group. I’m usually not the slowest either. Until this week. I hadn’t been to our running club in well over a year, but after bumping into a few other runners at a race, Dan and I felt inspired to rejoin the group. Let me tell you what, January…
