Year of encouraging others

2010 was the year of the bike. I have made a good transition to biking more, improving my mountain biking skills and saving my knees. 2011 brings some big goals for me. The first goal in 2011 is taking courses to receive my Personal Trainer Certification(CPT). I hope to build on my knowledge base so I can share my passion for fitness and health with others. This has been a building process. I have read thousands of articles over the years and know running inside and out. Now I want to further my knowledge of coaching methods and the body so I can help others meet their goals. I never though that during my selfish racing days I would want to give anything back. It was about hammering other people and running faster. Now that arthritis has set limitations on me, it has oddly made me want to help others experience the passion that I have found through exercise and fitness. It is not all about the end result for people. It is a journey of pushing past your limits and finding a better you. I have gotten a lot of satisfaction in helping others. Maybe all these years of running myself into the ground has been worth something. Let the New Year begin!

Wake me when Christmas is Over

Does anyone else feel this way? Having not much of a functional family, no family of my own that I have created, and my spouse's family that sets off the anxiety bells, I am glad when Christmas is over. The loneliness ovetakes me, the days wind down to Christmas Eve when I am supposed to feel something, feel the connection to family and something greater. The only thought that ovetakes me is getting past January 1st and being in a normal routine again. No more family members that could not care less when I call, write or walk in a room. I look forward to getting back to my friends, my dog clients and exercising. Feeling like an outcast on this supposed special day is enough for me to mark it off the calendar for next year. I try to help others around this time of year to allay the feelings of loneliness but, it only goes so far. No family members gathered around the warm fire for me. Give me acold day spent outside with my dog and I am much happier. Did I mention I had to board my dog Axel for the holidays?

Less than motivated

Runners live and die by the weather forecast. An accurate forecast can also forecast my mood and motivation. When the weather is sunny and crisp, I can run for miles, full of smiles and good spirits. Turn off the sun, add some rain, cloudy weather and I feel like calling off the run and crawling in bed with a good book. Some days it is better to do something rather than nothing. Today was one of those days. After looking at weather forecast and seeing that it will probably be rainy tomorrow, my expectations are properly set and the run will be a success!

Expectations

With the end of my running career in plain sight, it is nice to be able to run again. My arthritic knees cannot handle the fast running on pavement on long, fast runs. I have started running with a few friends that are getting their running feet firmly under them and it has been nice to trot along at a pace my knees can handle. Gone are the days of sub 6 minute miles, gone are the 4 hours runs at 8 min pace. They have been replaced by 2.5 hour 16 mile runs, easy days at 10 minute pace. Running is still rewarding at any pace and I enjoy the tiredness that comes from an honest effort. Maybe that was what was underneath all those fast runs anyway. It is nice to have my sights set on the experience and have that firmly in focus.

Running video

Active Spouse and Active Dog = Active Life

I think you could add Active kids in here too! Recently while I was camping in Hot Springs NC with my friends Cosmin and Simona, Simona noticed that the kids in the campground were all of normal, healthy weights. Since I grew up camping and being active I thought that was the norm for many years. Now I see many overweight kids. When I run or bike through neighborhoods I see few kids out and about. What happened? I think there is a corelation between active parents and active kids. These seems to extend to people that have active spouses and dogs too. I know that when Charlene is more active it pushes me to be even more active than usual. I have to keep up with my young wife! My cattle dog Axel also helps me be active as well. For his and my sanity. If you have an active dog your life will be hell if they don't get enough activity. Dog people seem to be more active than cat people. I know the cat people will hate me for saying this! Get out there and be active, your spouse, dog and life will thank you.

Tin Man Run

Some days the body does not cooperate. I went out to Umstead yesterday for a 6 mile run on trails. I knew my back was a little tweaky from something but,like usual I ignored my body. I will make it do what I want damnit! Company Mill trail is a little rocky to start out and when the rocks abate my body usually loosens up and flows a little. This time it felt like I was stiff and tight. Okay, stop and stretch, that will do it. Nope. Sprint to every other trail marker should do it. Nope. Walk a little. Nope. Okay, just run to the bridge for a 2 mile run, that will be acceptable. Nope, ain't gonna happen. Tuck my tail between my legs and hobble stiffly back to the car. Yeah, That is what my body wanted. Oh, to see the car again :) It was time for some beer and trashy TV. Just what my body ordered!

Encouragement and motivation

Despite 31 plus years of running and staying fit, I never felt like I truly motivated another person to run or stay fit. My motivation well is deep and fills anew each day. The first thing that runs through my mind when I awake is, "What workout can I do today?"
The thing that has slowly dawned on me is that motivating another person is actually impossible to do. It has to come from within and outside forces don't motivate very well. Sounds sorta sad, huh?
Encouraging another person is another thing entirely. It comes from a place that puts their needs and interests first. Support in helping someone attain their goals can be a wonderful thing. Who doesn't want someone to care and listen and show interest in their goals. So be it fitness, financial or life goals, I think I will just lend an open mind, heart and listen and encourage where I can.

Sports massage as torture

When one thinks of massage one thinks of a relaxing, peaceful experience or something you get on vacation in Thailand. My sports massage sessions probably bring to mind thoughts of medival torture more than pleaseure of any sort. Oh sure, the outcome is good. Increased movement, less soreness and being able to do the things I love free of pain. With all my 30 years of running, biking, climbing and all sorts of other stuff, my body is starting to rebel without some intervention on a regular basis. My therapist in named Brian Hagan and he works out of Raleigh. He also is the massage therapist for the Carolina Hurricanes. He is GOOD at his craft. He has an amazing grasp of sports related injuries and anatomy. I know some guys out there don't want a guy to touch them but, he is the consummate professional and makes everyone feel comfortable. Without his healing I would already be crippled from years of self inflicted abuse. Charlene has been to him and can vouch for his abilities. If anyone ever needs his information, just let me know.

Everthing that is old is new again

Sometimes when you have done something a thousand times over, you forget the beauty or effort or the simplicity in an activity like running. This summer I volunteered to help with the local Fleet Feet's Mud Runner program. Despite being laid up with broken ribs and damage from 2 mountain bike accidents, I went out every week and every other weekend to help out. This amounted to some easy running and directing runners around the trails of Schenck and Umstead parks. Despite the extreme heat it turned out to be a joy to watch people improve week after week and run farther than they thought they could. The staffer from the store Adam and I decided to mark some trails for the last few runs. We sent them every which a way at Umstead. Through creeks, over logs, down deer trails and through rainstorms. Their faces said it all at the end of the runs, either a tolerance of the run, a hate of it or the best result, a love of trail running.
My friend and Mud Runner Jessi has gotten stronger with each run and helped me appreciate the little bit of running I can still do. She is learning to play in running,watch the trails slip by underfoot rather than a black steam of asphalt. Another soul understanding the strength and confidence and beauty that come from this simple activity. Maybe sharing with others is what my lifetime of running has really been about. New trails await me...

Crack-up Part II

Okay, so maybe I am getting in over my head with this single track mountain biking. Every new trail seems to have a steep learning curve. I do mean steep. I started out yesterday afternoon going to the trails off 286 near Umstead State Park. On my way to park, I saw a guy with a cool bike. I asked him a little about it and he asked if I wanted to ride with him on his ride. He already had 20 miles in. No problem I thought. BIG mistake. Within the first 3 minutes I was in over my ability. I asked him how he went downhills so fast. He said he did not use his brakes. Bad idea. I was going faster than normal, especially for new trails. I was thinking how cool these trails were and caught a root and went flying. I mean flying. I hit on my left side. Thanks goodness because, my ribs are still hurt on my right side. I cut up my leg, my side and my left forearm was ragged and bleeding. My left shoulder hurt and my left hip and thigh were swelling. Okay, I thought, I will just finish up my hour ride. BAD idea in the 97 degree heat. I made it through but, when I got home to assess the damage, I was not pleased. Charlene was not pleased either. The worst injury seems to be my left shoulder as I am having a hard time lifting anything more than a coffee cup. Maybe some safe road riding with cars doing 60 is a better alternative!

When will the heat end?

It seems at this time of the year I start wishing for the heat to end. This year has been tough. In addition to my exercise routine, I have a pet sitting business that keeps me out during the high heat of the day. Combine that with a couple of broken ribs and I have really taxed myself this year. All it takes is the first low humidity day and I feel like tearing it up again. I hope for that soon...

Soon as I hit I knew

that I had messed up my ribs. That was as I caught my breath laying on the ground. While mountain biking at Umstead last Thursday morning, I took a very hard fall. I was riding along the Turkey Creek trail near the bridge. The trail was loose due to all the recent dry weather. The clay/ gravel turns powdery the longer it is dry. I was going downhill and had slowed to turn across the bridge. The front tire went left and I went right, down the hill as gravity intended. The impact knocked the breath out of me. I struggled to catch my breath, I just lay there after breathing again. A lady runner came up and asked if should could help. I asked for my cell phone and water bottle. She offered to push my bike to the top of the hill. Then I realized, I have to get back to my damn car. I mounted the bike covered in sweat and clay. I thought this is really gonna screw up my training. After getting home and still struggling to breath and move, I decided to go to the local urgent care that Charlene located. After an assessment and a few X-RAYS it was determined that I cracked one rib in front and boke the other in the back on my right side. Prognosis. 4-6 week recovery. Treatment. Pain meds and oh, don't have any trauma to your chest in the next few weeks. I will try to avoid that. So, the first bones I have ever broken have to be this? How do I sneak in a ride tomorrow without Charlene knowing?

Video of Mountain Biking in Scotland

HandI Adventures - Hans Rey, Steve Peat, Danny MacAskill from ResetFilms.co.uk on Vimeo.

Small steps back

Last Wednesday I started helping Fleet Feet of Raleigh with their beginning trail running program. The goal is for the runners to do a 5 k trail race in August. I figured this would be a good way to give back now that my knees cannot handle much running. My friend Jessi is out there as well as a client from my dog walking business. We started out with a 30 minute out and back run on non- technical trails. The first run went well enough with no pain in my knees. My quads were sore for 2 days afterwards because I had not really run since April. Today was a perfect day for running, low humidity and low temps. Lake Johnson in Raleigh has a few miles of easy trails. This time my body started responding well to the running. It seems to be made for running and my heart and lungs still get me down the trail. What a joy. If I only had good knees, the worlds I could conquer!

Passion for life

Cosmin and Simona are my neighbors and good friends. They are from Romania and seem to embody all that I think of when someone enjoy's life to the fullest. They came from Romania 5 years ago and have made their life in America. They are what I hope to always be, full of life and full of passion. Even if the passion leads to arguments or disagreements, they rebound even higher. Charlene and I were over at their house for a while last night. Cosmin was so excited about his new cheap speakers that he had to share the music. The room erupted with noise and dancing broke out. Not the kind of dancing to get you to go home with someone at a club but, a joyful celebration of movement. A smile broke out and I was happy in the moment. Music and friends are necessary to show us life. I feel lucky to share a moment of two with them.

Sluggish morning ride

Life has been a lot busier as of late. Without my usual routine of running every day, I have been struggling to find a rhythm of riding my bike every day. My training week goes something like this. 3 days of single track rides on my singlespeed, one day of riding hills at Umstead State Park and one day of a long ride at the American Tobacco Trail. Rain really throws a monkey wrench into my plans as single track trails are closed when they are wet. I was grumpy having to get out this morning at Umstead and ride hills when I really did not want to. My bike computer seemd to be lying to me as it told me how slow I was going. I was about 2 cups of coffee down of my usual consumption and I needed the caffeine. Coming home and getting in the shower was blessed relief. I realized how lucky I am to have good health. It takes a lot of work and some days suck but, like the T-shirts say, " Life IS Good".

Giving something back

Runners can be a selfish, obsessive lot. It goes with trying to run and train hard day in and day out. I was at my worst when I was competitive and racing frequently. I was a bear on race days.  Now that my knees have bid me farewell to much running, I find myself in the odd position of wanting to give something back to the sport that has given me so much. Running created my identity, shored up my confidence and helped me excel in a tough sport. Time to help out others. I have signed up to help a beginning trail running class at a local running shoe store. This is my way to share the knowledge and joy that came from 30 years of running. If it is the beginner, or the veteran racer, maybe I can help them reach their goals. Some people need the spark to help them get to the next stage. I look forward to the challenge of it all. I still love running and would not change a step. Maybe I can help others take their next step in running and life.

One of my favorite places to be

Miwok 100

Fun footage from Miwok 100K

Sleep as the best recovery

Many years ago I read where Bill Rodgers basically sat around or napped between workouts. At the time being 15, I thought that was crazy. Running was his full time job and jsut a passion for me. The lessons learned through my own body taught me that sleep is essential. Maybe more than food, water or Ibuprofen. Over the years my body has worked best on sleeping from 9pm-6am with a nap during the day. When I work out hard is becomes necessary. The sleep helps the adrenal system recover, lets your own Human Growth Hormones restore your system and lets you get the time to dream about your next workout. Now that I bike more often, the workouts don't have the skeletal stress associated with running and as a result I seem to recover quicker.
  Life and it stresses are one more reason to get sleep. My body has followed the daylight schedules and I need less sleep during the summer but, that heat really takes it out of you. Don't feel guilty about getting the sleep your body craves, your family and workouts will thank you.

skill versus fitness

After years and years of running, it has become ingrained in my mind and body that basic fitness comes before acquiring skills. To explain. WIth running you have to develop your cardio, muscular and skeletal fitness before developing the skills to hold pace, run fast, and endure. I approached running learning speed first. That is not the usual route.

  The learning curve with single track mountain biking is steep. I have to erase all the thoughts from running and fitness. With mountain biking you have to develop skill first. Learning how to ride over roots and rocks, turn corners, climb hills, ride over obstacles comes before fitness. Without this skill development you simply cannot ride fast enough to get in a workout. Momentum is your friend in mountain biking, without it you come to a stop on every root or rock or hill.

  This new sport is an opportunity for me to improve again. To feel the challenge of mastering a new sport. Will I ever be as good at biking as I was at running? No. That time has past but, I will always push myself to learn, to develop the skills. Time to go ride and develop some more skills... Later.

Singlespeed for singletrack

This is my singlespeed steed. I got it last year and so far it has only been out to Crabtree Park. I have gained confidence on the easier trails that Crabtree has to offer so, now is the time to take it to Beaver Dam and Harris Lake for some more challenging terrain. The nice thing about this singlespeed 29er is the ease of use. No gears to change which frees me up to concentrate on the terrain and line I take while biking. The 29 inch tires also have an easier angle of attack when rolling over roots, rocks and logs. That means less chance of going over the handlebars. That means less scars  and bruises for Steve. Now that is something I can get used to.

Advanced and significant

arthritis in both knees. I knew it but, having a second opinion that confirms this sucks. Went to Dr. Grant at Duke Ortho this morning for the usual routine of x-rays and consult. Over the past 2 years my running has diminished as my knees could not take what my mind and rest of my body wanted to do. I have had 3 series of injections of synthetic synovial fluid into my knees of the past year and a half with diminishing returns. Dr. Grant confirmed that at some point I will have to have a knee replacement. Since they only last about 10 years, I need to get to at least 55 before my first one. He was hopeful that I can continue to strengthen my knees to help delay the aging process of my knees. Thank goodness I have been biking more and more over the past year.
     Running has been my passion and obsession for 30 years. It helped me get through high school, run the local racing scene with some success and slay a few personal demons along the way. I have read thousands of articles on running, read dozens of books and run hundres of races. What do I do know? I am optimistic that biking will give me some outlet but, it will never match the exhausted feeling of pushing myself to the max as often as I could on my runs. My particular genetic makeup lent itself to bad knees but, I would not change a step. I would still attack races, training runs and hammer running buddies the same way. The thrill of the chase is what drove me, the perfect race and to share some laughs along the way. Will I miss it, yeah. Time to go find some cycling buddies to drop on a training ride. I can still run some and might show up for a run from time to time. The engine is still good and the drive is there but, time to take the next step. Running has always given me SO much. Time to give something back.

Games athletes play

As adults we never outgrow the need to have play in our life. It helps connect us, make us more active and helps us be happy. As athletes we still have the need for play. Setting out a training schedule and having things written down like, "10 mile run  7 minute pace"  every day would bore us to tears, even if we could do that week in and week out. We need the variety that comes with working out at a park one day, a gym the next or our our neighborhood the following. When I go out to ride  my bike or run, I usually go out to Umstead  State Park or  the American Tobacco Trail. These places inspire me and help keep me motiovated. At Umstead when I am running, I can sprint from trail marker to trail marker, jump over rocks or a bench, run through a stream or chase an imaginary foe fast down the trail. When I am biking I can hammer up a hill thinking I am dropping Lance Armstrong or speed down a hill trying to be aerodynamic. Yeah,  I am probably not any of these things but, they bring out the playful side that we need to do this year after year. We need this to be better people and athletes so, get out there and play.

Beaver Dam Mountain Biking

Competitor- time trialer or racer?

What kind of runner or racer lies within? For some it is the win or beating an age group rival that provides the necessary motivation. For others it is the perfect race, hitting a goal time or completing a distance. These are the things that motivate us daily and on race day. For me it was always about having the perfect race. I could turn myself inside out for a good time or having a great race. This also resulted in a lot of DNF's in my career. I could gladly stop if things were not going well and race another day. I had some great runs but, some disasters too. As an older athlete I am more cautious, willing to let the race or training session unfold rather than pushing every moment and hoping for something great to happen. It seems than runners in my era were willing to push themselves hard for a 26 min 8K that ended in 12th or 25th place. The median time for marathoners is about 4.5 hours these days. People tell their stories of beating cutoffs and such. It is better not to waste a race on that. Wait until you can hammer and then get out there. Maybe your inner athlete can guide your choices but, put out 100 percent whatever choice you make. It will make you strong and swift. Maybe just in our minds...

Flow on! Sweet Singletrack

Flow. That is what mountain biking seems to be about. There is effort involved but, not the effort you have to put out while running singletrack. Riding at my local trail I get a chance to improve my skills and get in a ride. I have been riding my Single Speed(SS) 29er more and more on trail rides. When I ride my geared bike, it makes the uphills a little easier but, takes away my attention from roots and rocks and such. With the SS I just get on and ride, concentrating on taking the cleanest line. Trail running is about making sure you don't fall or twist an ankle. Trail riding is about not biking into a tree! While riding yesterday I had one of those rides where everything comes together, dry trail, good weather and good choices about the lines I took while riding. When I got to the end, I wondered what made the ride so good. It was getting in the flow and going with it. Maybe that is a good lesson for life.

Projects other than running

Okay, so running and the like can be all consuming. I find to have a balanced life I have to have mutiple interests going at once. Sometimes these things move to the front burner and get more attention. They remain interests without being full fledged hobbies. I will share a few of mine. What are yours?

Spending time with Charlene
Taking care of dog walking business
Walking my dogs
Reading NY Times and doing crossword
Birdwatching
Learning more about reptiles, butterflies and moths
Planning outdoor trips- Kayaking, hiking
Rock climbing
Strength training
Keeping up with blog and motivation email
Finding new places on Gazeteer
Studying maps and using compass
Reading political history
Mountain biking
Spending time with friends
Visiting Baseball Parks
Reading about long gone car racing tracks in NC
Trying new BBQ places
Going to new places to eat in small towns
Planning day trips
Coffee roasting
Trying new beers, wines and spirits

The list goes on and life is good.

Now that hurt!

I was talking with one of my friends about the Tobacco Road Marathon that was held today. It made me remember my first marathon at Camp Lejeune. 10 miles in 65 and change, 20 in 2:11, last 10k in 54 minutes for a 3:05. Ouch! Sometimes these things just don't go right despite all the planning. There is always another race. That is why overall fitness is important as it helps you recover from the rough days and get to the next start line. Sounds sorta like the work week. Just getting to the end is enough sometimes...

Perspective

Nice ride today I was telling myself. Pushed hard for 30 miles and was feeling pleasantly tired. I had passed an older guy on his bike early in the ride and now he was coming up to me in the parking lot. He said I looked smooth out there on the bike and he asked a couple of questions about my bike, how far I went etc. He then mentioned he was 80 and still liked to ride and he had ridden with a buddy that was slower. We said our good byes and I was thinking I hope I am riding at 80, then I noticed his Korean War Vet tag. Maybe bike riding is the easy part of getting to 80...

Agression and running

Over the years of pushing hard on most runs, I have wondered what drives me? What drives other runners? For me to be on a training run or ride and get in the groove of pushing hard is propelled by agression. Anger makes you make mistakes and pushes you over the limit, agression allows you to tap into something to handle the pain. There is no greater joy than being on a training run with an equally matched partner and dropping the hammer. It does not matter who overcomes the other but, the agression has allowed me to push places I never knew I could. No Zen like state for me of the miles passing, just drop the hammer and let it rip. This how ever does not seem to work for runs over 2 hours. By that point fatigue has bled out all my aggression. I have learned over the years that if I am out front of another runner, I am very hard to catch  but, usually don't provide much of a fight once passed. I have given all I have by that point. What drives you to get out there and exercise or race?

Umstead the Muse

Since moving to the Raleigh/Durham area in January of 1994, I have run at Umstead thousands of time. A conservative estimate of 200 times per year times 16 years gets me up to 3200 visits. I have gone there many, many times twice per day. Add in all the hiking, biking, canoeing and dog walking and it probably is up to 4000 at least. Why the devotion? It takes consistency and a love of outdoors. I love being outside and Umstead is close to where I live. Others area I have run over the years have been McAlpine Greenway park in Charlotte, Duke Forest in Durham and the American Tobacco Trail in Apex. Even when my muse Umstead has hurt me through falls, heat, ticks and rainy cold, I still go in search of the inspiration. The muse has sustained me through inury, divorce, self doubt and confusion, adding clarity and peace through the connection. Some days my motivation wanes or life gets too busy but, I always go in search and Umstead never fails to help me find myself again.

Spring Flowers in Five Points

Took some photos of the spring flowers today!

This is how I feel when someone trips while trail running!

What are all these long runs for?

Being someone who has enjoyed the sustained effort of 3-4 hour long runs, I ask myself what is the actual purpose? If the benefit is mental, then have at it, run for hours. If the purpose is preparing for marathons or ultramarathons, maybe we need to take a look at the benefit.

According to most of the literature I have read over 30 plus years on running, most of the physical benefit occurs in the first 2 hours or 20 miles, whichever comes first. The benefit to ultramarathoners running longer may come with adaptation of the feet, legs and fueling for longer races. The runner needs to explore the world beyond 20 miles to see what happens. This does not need to be a regular habit. In fact longer, slow runs make you slower.

Runners get fast by running faster, not by running for hours on end. The faster runner at 10K, half marathons and marathons will be the faster ultrarunner. The people who win races are not slow. The sport is accessible by runners of all speeds and they can have a great adventure. Does anyone really want to be out there for 12 hours in a 50 miler?

When I started running in 1978, ultras were a fringe sport for marathoners who were too slow to compete on a national level. This means 2:15- 2:20 guys. Looking back I realize these guys were not slow but, found a sport where they could excel. Look back over their training logs and you will find lots of faster running. The faster athlete is stronger, fitter and can handle the demands of the long race without running 4 hour runs. Get out and improve your form, run shorter faster runs and you will enjoy your running even more. Racing hurts. Prepare for it by getting fitter and faster. Your legs and body will thank you.

Tempo,Lactate Threshold, Cruise miles How do they fit?

Speedwork. Intervals. Lactate Threshold Runs.Tempo Runs. Cruise Miles.
From all my years training with different methods, it seems that these methods are used incorrectly to achieve results. They all morph into an effort that is a little too hard for the required result. Lets start with clarifying the terms.

Speedwork: To me these fall into max effort done at a distance of less than 200 meters. They help with running economy and efficency. To stay relaxed while running at 95- 98% effort will help develop actual muscular strength. Your muscles learn to recruit and fire what muscles they need to run fast. Untrained, your muscles simply fire all at once. This is necessary as a drill for runners, it also helps with running form.

Intervals: These are simply periods of rest time between hard efforts. Most runners say they are running intervals when they are doing multiple reps at a hard effort. Such as 8 X 400 or 3 X 1 mile. It is a vague term that leads to no particular results.

Lactate Threshold Runs: Now here is where science gets involved. More information is coming out about the muscles and body's use of lactate as an energy source. For now LT( Lactate Threshold) runs mean the fastest you can run before your muscles start to produce more lactic acid than they can clear. Think of sprinters as producing much, marathoners little.
The process of progressive loads of work help your muscles adapt and produce less lactate with continued effort. The feeling you get when you drop your pace 10 seconds a mile in a 5k and start to slow after that is the body's inability to clear the lactic acid produced by more workload. LT is closely related to V02 Max. These runs also help efficency with the chemical systems in your body. I will explore LT more completely later.

Tempo runs. Ah, the salvation of every long distance runner. Since LT cannot be determined accurately without lab tests, runners use the subjective term of tempo running to approximate the LT response. Tempo runs are a steady 20 mins of an effort you feel you could maintain for an hour race. This produces a training response without overloading your system and leading to overtraining. This is where runners can dial in paces they may need for longer races. I have used 3 miles on the track as a tempo run for years.

Cruise miles. These runs are supposed to be efforts longer than 2 minutes but around 3- 4 minutes. Most runners use miles at cruise pace to simulate race effort. Think of 3-5:30 min miles with 60-90 second rests versus 3 miles in 16:30 at once. This helps manage the effort instead of having a 3 mile time trial.

Hope this helps clarify the terms so you can use the correct method to acheive your goals.

4 elements

Here are the four elements of fitness.
Cardio, Strength, Flexibility and Balance. They seem simple and I have often wished there was one exercise to combine all four. I may have found it...

Welcome back my friend fatigue

The last few days I have put on my knee braces and ventured out for some low key runs. Nothing spectacular but, I noticed how tired I was after I finished. That is the feeling I miss. That feeling of being tapped out and able to sit in one place, letting the aches of the run settle in my body. My mind settles into neutral for a while. No more miles to run for today, no more promises to keep...

How do you imagine your life?

Forget reality here. How do you imagine your life? What would you do with your time if kids, dogs, work and relatives were not a factor? Given that these things make life fully formed, how would you spend your time if you could live any life you want?
   I would spend my weeks training, motivating and my weekends going from athletic event and adventure to adventure. One weekend a mountain bike race, the next a marathon, the next kayaking at the coast.

How about you?

Steve

Ebb and Flow

It seems like we are  products of western thought. We have to keep moving forward, no standing still, achieve, conquer. This works well most of the time. Exercise and motivation are more ebb and flow. Even though we are pushing forward, motivation is more like the tide. Some times we feel our motivation flowing, ready to get up and make the most of our day. Other times we feel ourselves being pulled out with the tide and no matter how hard we try, the effort does not produce results or even movement. Each part of the ebb and flow are important. It is important to listen to your body. The mind is a strong thing. You can achieve almost any goal with your body but, the more effort you put in, the more you have to listen to your body. This seems relevant during the winter. My body tells me to hibernate no matter how much motivation I dredge up. During the longer daylight months, motivation comes easy. Learn each part and feel life pulling you along. It is amazing to feel the ebb and flow.

Athlete, motivate thyself

Okay, so this a rip off phrase from the bible of " Physican, heal thyself" but, it seems to work this week for me. I believe the first step in good health is taking care of yourself. It is up to you to come up with the motivation, willpower and strength to take better care of yourself. There are plenty of excuses to eat bad foods, be lazy and wait for the perfect moment to start. Guess what, that moment occurs about once a year and I am usually working when it happens. So, get out the door, don't eat a second helping and make it happen. No one else can do it for you.

A few pics

The first pics is of Charlene and I at Zely & Ritz. The next 2 are of me and my brother in law Ken after our wall/rock climbing adventure. The 4th is our friends Cosmin and Simona at Zely and Ritz follwed by Lev at the Foundation bar in Raleigh on New Years Eve.

Year of the Bike

To me this will be the year of the bike. With bad news from my last set of x-rays on my knees, I have decided to put biking on the front burner and reduce my running. I hope to run once a week or so to keep my legs used to running but, plan to devote 2010 to developing my cycling skills and fitness. Since my friend Ken Browndorf introduced me to mountain biking in the summer of 2008, I have been riding more and more. The riding is easy on my knees but, does not keep me trim. Time to up the mileage. In running I thought of myself as the guy always willing to hammer a run or my running buddies, maybe in biking I can become the " Punisher" on rides. You gotta have goals...