It's Coming!

Maybe I got caught up in premature spring fever.  The sun was shining, it was pretty warm, and the snow was starting to melt.  I know I said I hate speed work and rarely do it, but as I ran in the direction of the Elmhurst College track, I decided to look and see whether it was covered in snow, or clear. 

Lo and behold, there were four lanes cleared, and an open gate inviting me to try to blow out some of the winter cobwebs.  I couldn't really pass that up could I?  It was my midweek longer run day, so I was free to run as hard as I liked with little consequence for the weekend long run.  So I convinced myself to do a few mile repeats, just for fun.  Just to see how easily I could run a few of them at 7:00/mile pace.

I guess this is how it starts huh?  Even though I've felt like I've been slugging along all winter, feeling my age, and every ache and pain imaginable, once I got on the track and started running the familiar oval, it all seemed to melt away.  It felt good!  I ran three of them easily under my goal pace, with a lap recovery, and had to stop myself from doing another.  Don't want to get carried away on my first track workout in a couple years!

For me, this might be the way to do it.  Just stop by the track with no plans or expectations and let it rip.  I didn't spend the preceding couple days dreading it, because I hadn't even thought about doing it.  And once it was done, I realized (like usual), there was nothing to dread.  I wasn't even sore the next day.

And the nice weather continued through the next couple days as well, through most of the weekend, making it possible to run in shorts for the first time in months!  My friend Tom and I took full advantage on Saturday morning as we went on a brisk 14 miler in Barrington.  We thought we might appreciate this picture of us in shorts with mounds of snow behind us in July.  I don't know what got into us that morning, but we ran the course about :15 seconds a mile faster than my intended race pace for the upcoming marathon I'm training for.

I'm sure we are probably due another snow storm in the next couple weeks, and we'll be trudging through ice and now again soon.  But it was sure nice to be able to see light at the end of winter's tunnel for a couple days at least.  It helped not only lift my spirits, but also start to run a little faster.

Now the big question is whether I can find the motivation to keep it up.  Ideally you should do some sort of a speed or tempo workout at least once a week.  I'm not committing to anything right now, but I have to admit it was fun to run a little faster, and I wouldn't mind trying to run a BQ (Boston Qualifier) in Wisconsin.  Of course there are lots of factors that go into that, but you need to do the work to even give yourself a shot.

The thing about track work-outs is that it's generally easier to do them in a group.  Usually someone else is watching the clock, and directing the rest breaks.  And you have others to share the pace and settle in with, not to mention support, and commiserate with.  Usually when I have done track workouts I have found a way to run them with a group, but with my work schedule these days, that's just not possible.

So if I hit the track, it's gotta be solo.  We'll see how that goes.  In the meantime, I've got a 20 miler on tap this weekend to think about.  And I'm sure I'll worry about it more than necessary.  I'll keep you posted.

See you on the roads.... 

Confidence Game

  We were in the middle of a long weekend morning run while training for spring marathon when my ears perked up at the conversation I was overhearing.  They were all talking about how they had been half dreading the run that morning.  For them it was 22 miles.  I was going 18.  But, coincidently, I had been feeling the same way just the night before.  And after talking about it during the long run, I'm convinced it is a pretty common feeling for a lot runners.

I'm talking about the nerves many of us battle on the eve of a big race, or hard training run.  Many of the friends I was running with from the Elmhurst running club have been running for several decades.  It is not a new concept to them.  Some are former college athletes.  Yet several said they could barely sleep the night before, because they were so anxious about running the 22 miles they had planned. 

On this surface, this is fascinating, because most of them have done dozens of 20 milers in their running careers.  It is familiar territory, and they should be confident in their ability to do it.  But the funny thing to me was that I have also done plenty of 20 milers in my running career, and have logged plenty of miles in general over the last few decades, but the prospect of running that long still weighed heavily on my mind for a couple days before getting out and doing it.

I tried to think about it logically, and realized that I don't get nervous about doing weekend long runs in general, up to about 13, or 14 miles.  So I think it's only when I step out of the routine and go longer than normal.  It makes no sense.  It should be nothing to be nervous about.  The the last few miles are the only difficult part.  But it's gotten so I just try to repeat to myself that it's just running.  A couple hours of running.  Nothing more than a couple hours out of my life.  Right?

It reminds me of the feeling I had in high school and college on the days of track or cross country meets.  My stomach would be in knots all day until the starting gun went off.  It wasn't necessarily a bad thing.  It's good to be keyed up for events you have worked hard to prepare for.  I felt the same way before the first hit the day of a high school football game.  It's natural.

But it doesn't seem to go away even with years of experience.  Runner's World magazine recently had an amazingly candid story about Kara Goucher, who is arguably the best female distance runner in the U.S. right now.  She talked about the issues she has had over the years with lack of confidence, despite running some amazing races and times.

When she hooked up with runners from the Nike Oregon Project, and coach Alberto Salazar, she also started working with their sports psychologist, Dr. Darren Treasure.  Here is an excerpt from the story:

"I have a lot of negative chatter in my head," Goucher tells me in a recent interview. "If I don't rein it in, my mind will tend to obsess about what everyone else is doing in the race around me. I'll start comparing myself to everyone else." When she does that, she says, she saps the strength from her own legs. She morphs from great into okay. When she can block out the critical self-talk, she runs like a champion."

If you'd like to read the rest of the story you can find it online at: 

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--13431-0,00.html

Goucher talks about how with the help of Dr. Treasure and Salazar, she has overcome a lot of her self-doubt, and run with confidence.  It's helped her make the most of her ability, and I believe some of the methods she uses can apply to most of us regular runners also.  At the very least, it's reassuring to know that elite runners face the same human challenges as the rest of us.

Few of us are going to run in the Olympics any time soon, but many of us are training for some race in the future, whether it be a marathon or a 5k.  And our goals for those races and the workouts leading up to them are important to us, which is where the anxiety comes from.   

That's part of the reason I also try to remind myself at every turn that I run because I enjoy it.  It's supposed to be fun, not work.  That may not help us get much sleep before the next 20 miler, but once we leave the starting line, at least we can relax and make the most of it.  And after a couple hours or so of running, we'll have proven to ourselves, once again, that we can do it!

See you on the roads....

 

Run For the Hills!

They say running hills is a pretty good substitute for speed work, like intervals or tempo runs.  I don't really know whether that's true, but I hope so.  That's because I really dislike doing speed work, but I love running in Barrington.  And Barrington is nothing if not hilly! 

I've been running the roads in Barrington at least one Saturday morning a month for about the last 15 years.  I've written about it plenty in this space.  It is a different, unique experience every season.  In the fall, the changing leaves are beautiful.  In the summer you really appreciate those trees for the shade they provide.  In the spring, you really get the chance to welcome the rebirth of all the living things along the way.  Especially the horses out grazing near the fences.  And in the winter, it might be most beautiful after a fresh snowfall. 

The streets generally also provide the best footing in winter.  Most of our other 'long run' courses are on paths that freeze over in the winter, making for hazardous running.  So it seems we tend to run Barrington more often in the winter months simply from a lack of other good options.

The last couple runs out there, however, were different experiences than we have ever had out there.  Normally you get through the loop of at least 12 miles and see a few other runners, who perhaps started earlier, going by in the other direction.   You might see a handful of cars going by on the generally deserted roads.  But the secret is now out! 

IIt seems all the training groups have discovered the benefits of Barrington, and there are now large groups of runners, and lots of company on the roads.  As we left the parking lot at Barrington High School on Saturday morning, we rushed out to try to get ahead of a group of about 70 runners from Fleet Feet's Boston Bound training group. 

Some of the leaders passed us shortly into the run anyway!  But it was almost like a race atmosphere, as opposed to the isolated, quiet run we were used to.  Some of the regulars we passed along the way had the same suprised looks on their faces as we did.  We just hope the local residents don't start to take issue with us.  I am not complaining, by the way.  I have lots of friends in that and some of the othertraining groups who have been out there lately.  I ran a few miles with some of them as my small group of running partners separated along the way. 

They come out here, of course, because of the hills.  For runners training for the Boston marathon's famed hills in April, there may be no better place to run in the area than Barrington.  On the occasions when I was also training for Boston, I really appreciated the hills there all the more.  A friend of mine from the group, Dave Zaro has posted a short video on the Boston Bound Facebook page if you're interested. http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1198798062834

No one among my friends is training for Boston this year, however.  A couple of us plan to run a flat marathon in Kenosha.  But the hills are still a great benefit.  They build strength, both physically and mentally.  It's kind of like swinging a weighted bat in the on-deck circle for a baseball player.  Once you swing the bat without the weight, you are able to get around much more quickly and easily.  By the same principal, training on hills should make running on flat ground quicker and easier. 

Of course, interval training would also help.  My personal speed work of choice for a marathon is mile repeats.  I have forced myself to get to the track to do them every other week or so at about :30-:45 faster than race pace.  I believe it makes a huge difference in my fitness and confidence.  The only problem is that I really don't like doing it very much, and I'm at the stage in running where I do it because I enjoy it.  So if I don't enjoy it, there is really not much point.

Well, there is a point, but that's another discussion for another time.  For now, I'm doing what I need to do to get ready to finish a spring marathon in somewhat respectable fashion.  I'm not looking for a pr, and not expecting much other than a fun experience.  And that's what the training is like in Barrington. 

I'll see you on the roads.....

.

 

 

Spring Marathon Training

It was nearly impossible to find a parking spot within three blocks of Fleet Feet Sports in Old Town early Saturday morning.  That should have been my first clue.   By the time I parked and trekked over to Piper's Alley, I was reminded that marathon training, even in February, is a big deal these days. 

Inside the lobby there was a group of about 100 people dressed in winter running gear stretching and talking in small groups.  Then a leader took the microphone and gave them some final instructions about their planned run for the morning.  I saw some familiar faces and realized this was the group from Chicago Endurance Sports. They have different pace groups going different distances as they train for a couple of different races.

I moved on quickly though, looking for my running partner, Tom.  He and I decided to meet on this morning for a 10 miler on the lakefront path.  Since moving to the burbs a couple years ago, I have had few chances to run on the lakefront recently.  There are just too many other locations that are closer, more convenient, and more challenging.

But the lakefront is where I did most of my running for the last 15 years or so, and it sounded like fun to get back out there.  So I wandered into the store to find another group of about 70 runners getting ready for their group run.  This was the Boston-bound group sponsored by Fleet Feet.  My friends Dan Daley from CARA, and Samantha Morales from Fleet Feet run this group.  Samantha is pictured giving the group some last minute tips. She is a good person to listen to, as she has run plenty of marathons, and is a former track runner at my alma mater, Drake University.  I ran there many years before her.

Both groups are several weeks into their training programs  Boston is in mid-April, and some of the other races are in the weeks after that.  For me, however, this was a bit of a wake-up call.  I decided to run a spring marathon a couple weeks ago, but haven't really changed too much of my regular training program.  In other words, I had yet to jump in with both feet.

I really didn't feel the need or desire to train for a spring marathon this year, but as the weeks have gone by since the late last fall, I found myself lacking motivation and structure to my running.  The best way I know to solve that is to schedule a race that you have to get ready for.  And a marathon definitely requires motivation and structure.   Not to mention a lot of miles. 

It can be tough to find good places to run long in the winter.  Some of our favorites in the summer include the Prairie Path, Waterfall Glenn, and Barrington.  Ice on the frozen path makes footing treacherous on most of those routes.  'The footing is generally good in Barrington, but it's a tough workout that you don't want to do every week.  So it was back to the Lakefront this week.

Back when I used to run there more frequently, it would be relatively easy to meet up with my friends and take off.  It's much more crowded now, and that's a good thing for the sport, but a bad thing for those who prefer solitary running I suppose.

In any case, I have chosen a relatively 'low-pressure' marathon to run.  Last year I had a big build-up for

Boston and had a great experience.  But I don't need to do that every year, not to mention I don't have a qualifying time anyway this year.  So after considering the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati, and Illinois marathon in Champagne, I decided on the Wisconsin marathon in Kenosha.  It's May 1st.  Here's a link if you are interested.    http://www.wisconsinmarathon.com/

Maybe I'll see you on the Lakefront...

Born to Run?

Have you ever had an experience that makes you question everything you thought you knew?  Well, I've been running for more than three decades, and I thought I pretty much knew what I needed to know about the sport.  But after reading the book "Born to Run", I find myself questioning whether all I thought I knew is wrong.  That is the impact this book is having on lots of readers as it gets passed along, mostly by word of mouth, in the running community.

It is the story of the Tarahumara Indian tribe in the remote mountains of Mexico that may be home to the greatest ultra distance runners in the world.  Unlike the Kenyans, however, they almost never race.  They run for the joy of it, and there is much that we can all learn, or remember, from that. 

Author Christopher McDougall takes us along on his first visit to the area, and introduces us to unforgettable characters who happen to be real people.  McDougall's only link to the tribe is a runner who goes by the name Caballo Blanco (pictured on the right).  He is just about the tribe's only link to the outside world.  He is the one who sets up the race that is the central story of the book.  It's a 50 mile ultramarathon in the rugged mountains in Mexico where the Tarahumara live. 

McDougall helps recruit and arrange for the handful of American Ultramarathoners who take part in the race.  Among them are Ultra Champ Scott Jurek, and a character  known as 'Barefoot Ted' (shown on the left).  Ted McDonald is an ultramarathoner who runs really well, but is best known for his choice of footwear, or lack thereof.  As he nickname suggests, Ted usually runs without shoes, which flies in the face of common sense for many of us.  It also seems painful and dangerous!

But Ted, and just about everyone else in the book have just the opposite experience.  They find they run better, and are injury-free because they run without traditional running shoes.  When Ted wears shoes they are basically a thin rubber skin that helps protect his feet from puncture wounds.  The Vibram Five Fingers is one model he pushes.

If you are like me, you are thinking, "Um, no thanks".  About the last time I remember someone running barefoot seriously was South African middle distance runner Zola Budd in the 1984 Olympic race with Mary Decker Slaney.  We all know how that worked out for her.  But McDougall makes quite a compelling argument in favor of running without all the support we get from running shoes.  Along the way he also offers a pretty harsh indictment of Nike, which basically invented modern running shoes.

The basic idea is that the foot has more nerve endings, and bones than just about any other part of the body.  Our feet are an engineering marvel designed to support and adapt to all kinds of activities and terrain.  But when we put our feet in cushioned running shoes, we basically nullify our foot's natural ability.  We also alter our running form, because shoes heavily cushioned in the heel give us the ability to land on our heel, rather than the mid-foot, which McDougall says is the way nature intended.

Running shoes have basically been around only a little more than three decades in this country.  Custom Orthodics and other accessories for those shoes have been around an even shorter amount of time.  Before that, Americans still ran plenty. though the running booms had yet to happen.  But it can be argued that Americans were more competitive on the world stage before running shoes offered the chance to run on something other than a platform.  Certainly running shoes are worn by just about everyone around the world now, but in the case of the Kenyans, they don't generally wear them growing up.  McDougall argues they build up strength in their feet running barefoot for at least a decade before encasing them in shoes as they get out into the world more.

He also points out that injuries like Plantar Faciitis (heel pain) never existed before running shoes hit the market.  I'm not sure how relevant that really is, however, because many of these injuries are not exclusive to runners.  But his point is well taken.  He also cites studies that suggest a relationship between injuries and the price of the running shoes you wear.  Contrary to what you would expect, the more you spend on your shoes (which probably means the more cushioned and supported they are), the more likely you are to get injured!

He also says the older the shoes, and the more the cushioning wears down, the better they are for you.  Wow.  Like I said at the beginning, this is contrary to all we have learned for years.  So what should we make of it?  Well, I am certainly not likely to start running barefoot through the streets of the western suburbs, especially in the winter.  But I certainly may try running some workouts on a grassy area a couple times a month this summer.

I was curious what impact this book and the barefoot running buzz is having on the running shoe industry, so I called Dave Zimmer, who owns Fleet Feet Sports.  Dave pointed out that Nike introduced their 'Free' model as a response to all of this several years ago.  He says most of the other running shoe makers are coming out with their own similar models in the next few months.  All of them are pretty basic, neutral shoes.  And he also (correctly) points out that the introduction of running shoes had a great deal to do with so many new people taking up the sport in the first place. 

The debate will rage on for some time, and I'm sure this is just the first of many entries I will have on the subject.

Anyway, the book wraps up with a thrilling account of the race, which ends up with a close finish between Jurek and the great Tarahumara, runner Arnulfo Quiroz.  It is an epic finish, and the telling of it suffers only a little because the author wrote about it from second-hand accounts.  Most of the rest of the story is a first person account, but because he was running the race, and far from the front, he couldn't be at the finish line himself.  I won't spoil it for you, but I recommend checking it out.  "Born To Run" is a pretty quick read, but it will have you thinking for a long time afterward.

See you on the streets....

 

Step it Up!

When my alarm went off at 6:15 Sunday morning, my wife rolled over and said maybe we should rethink our plan to take all four kids to the Kohls Step Up For Kids stair climb up the AON center.  This is an annual event for me, but this year I wanted to bring the kids along.  I thought they'd enjoy the view from the top.  So as we got up and ready, we rallied to get the kids dressed and into the car.  Oh, the challenges of family life!!

The AON stair climb has always been special to us.  ABC-7 is one of the sponsors, and I have the honor of recording the public service announcements for it every year.  As you probably know, the AON building is the second tallest in Chicago (after the Willis Tower).  Five years ago, I did the climb with our then 6 week old daughter Lorna in a front carrier.  So, I wanted to bring Lorna along this year to show her what it was all about.  She is five years old now, however, so I wasn't about to carry her!  Lorna is on the far right in the silhouette picture of the four kids we took from the top. 

Of course, the family outing meant I was rushing to get to the start on time.  I made it, but without time to pin on my number and timing tag.  They were kind enough to let me go ahead with out them, but I was left to time the effort on my own watch.  And considering how I kind of took it easy on the way up, it's probably good that my time isn't public.  As a matter of fact, it isn't even private, because I forgot to stop my watch when I got to the top.  Regardless, I was happy to finish, as you can tell from the picture my wife took.

The climb itself gets better every year.  There were nearly 2000 finishers this year, and they raised several hundred thousand dollars for Children's Memorial Hospital.  I got to meet a young man this year who owes his life to the work done by doctors at Children's 14 years ago.  He and his family were among the climbers, and he finished with an impressive time.

Of course, this blog is about running, not stair climbing.  But climbing stairs seems to be a great aerobic workout.  I ran a pretty good 12 miler on Saturday, but was breathing much harder after finishing the stair climb Sunday. 

It's probably similar to intervals on the track for getting your heart rate going.  And that leads me to what I saw on my way to meeting friends for that long run Saturday morning.  The York high school track team was doing speed work on the outdoor track which was covered by snow and ice.  Now that's dedication!  If anyone questions how they develop such great distance runners every year, that is part of the answer.

It's probably good inspiration for many of us who are having a hard time getting out the door as the winter drags on.  As for me, motivation is coming in the form of a spring marathon.  More on that in the next few weeks. 

In the meantime, congratulations to all who climbed and raised money Sunday!  You can find the results here: 

 http://results.active.com/pages/displayNonGru.jsp?orgID=234623&rsID=89030

See you on the roads... or stairs!

Hill Work!

It occurred to me as we drove up the mountain to our timeshare hotel last Saturday that this might be a difficult place to run.  Heck, it was a difficult place to drive!  At night, I could barely see the narrow, hairpin turns.  If I missed a turn by a foot, we might find our car tumbling down the side of the mountain.  We were staying in the Smoky mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a place we knew little about, but thought might be a fun adventure for a family vacation.

More on that later. First, as you might imagine, one of my immediate concerns was running.  It seems we always find a place to run no matter where we are staying.  This, however, was going to be a challenge.  We could either drive 20 minutes down the mountain every morning for the chance to run on flat ground.  That, however, would take a lot of time away from our kids.  And my wife and I would have to make separate trips while one of us stayed behind to watch them.  Needless to say that was a bad option.

The other option was to simply put my head down, and run the mountain.  How bad could it be?  

Well, that was the choice.  I enjoy running hills.  It is a good way to build strength and speed as well as get your heart rate up pretty quickly.  That's why my friends and I go to Barrington for long runs many weekends.  The rolling hills there are great.

But they are nothing like the side of the mountain where we were staying.  The Smoky mountains offer the highest elevation in the United States east of the Mississippi river.  The first day I started out the door, and headed down the road, downhill.  I had gone a mile or so when I realized I'd better find a way to mix it up or I was gonna be struggling up the same roads on the way back for several miles.  There was no way to avoid running either up or down on these roads, but at least I hoped to avoid really long stretches of one or the other.

So I took a chance and turned on a road that seemed to be going in another direction, and fortunately, it wound back on a loop nearby our hotel.  And it included both steep climbs and descents every few hundred yards.  So I got really good workouts in, just not killer, virtually impossible ones.  The pictures show the roads near the hotel.  I'm not sure, however, they illustrate just how steep these hills are.

To give you an idea, we were staying across the mountain from a ski resort.  We could look across and see the base near the parking lot and the bottom of the lifts.  By the time I reached the top of some of my runs, I looked across and say the top of the ski runs, where the lifts drop off the skiers.  So I was basically running the uphill equivalent of the ski runs.

The thought occurred to me as I was running that this was really good training for running, especially when you consider the thin air from running at altitude.  But it was also great preparation for several upcoming stair climbs I am doing.  The AON building climb benefitting Children's Memorial Hospital is coming up on January 31st as a matter of fact. So I have no excuse for not trying to get a fast time in that!

Running like this, of course, is why some of the mountain areas in the west are so popular with elite athletes for training.  Albuquerque, Boulder, and Mammoth Lakes are some of the cities that come to mind where you will find the best runners in the world training these days.

As for the vacation, it went well.  After our morning runs, my wife and I enjoyed taking our daughters on some of Gatlinburg's other adventures.  We tried skiing, swimming, and my two oldest daughters even kept me up on ice skates for a time!  

Perhaps the nicest thing about Gatlinburg was the weather.  It was in the 50's much of time, and a welcome departure from the cold and snow in Chicago.  The only snow we saw in Gatlinburg was the man-made kind they used for the ski runs.

Now, however, it's back to reality.  A couple more months of dressing in layers for cold, snow, and wind. 

See you on the roads....

 

Winter Work

My wife and I were at a post-holiday party the other night with a group of mostly other runners, when one woman we know proudly announced that her husband had declared that this is her year to train for whatever she wants.  I thought, "great", now my wife is gonna want the same thing!  I know, after having four children in the last five years, and working hard to get in shape, it's only fair that she gets a chance to do what she likes.  But our family's schedules have been tailored to accommodate my running the last few years!

What she did the other morning really makes me a little envious.  She joined members of the Elmhurst Running Club for their workout on York High School's indoor track.  The group does track workouts once a week in the early morning hours.  Most of the members are training for spring marathons, or for the spring racing season.

I was envious because, as much as I enjoy running out on the roads or trails, the track has always been where I get that special feeling like I'm at home.  I ran high school and college track (many, many years ago).  And for my wife, this was her first track workout ever!  She is relatively new to running, though she has done a couple marathons.  This summer she dramatically lowered her 5k time.  She set her goal for the new year to bringing that time down a couple minutes lower still. 

I know the track workouts are the way to accomplish that goal.  Long slow distance will only get you so far, before you need to get some speed work to get faster.  I also know that because I work nights, there is really no way I'm ever going to make it to the track at 5am to join the group.  So the reality is that she is welcome to go whenever she wants.  I will stay home with the kids.

As for the workout, she tells me they did 800 meter repeats.  That sounds like a good all-purpose workout designed to get your legs turning over a little faster, and get your heart rate up a little.  She tells me it was a good workout. 

Her experience reminded me that this is the time to start getting serious if you are considering a spring marathon.  I've done a few of them, but I always wrestle with the challenge of training all through a Chicago winter, with the snow and cold making it tough to get consistent runs in, especially speed work.

In the past, I've basically ignored the speed work and run the marathon on distance training alone.  That has meant lowered expectations, but I still enjoyed the marathons.  And I found the training gave me a good head start for the summer season. 

The alternatives don't much appeal to me.  You could do speed workouts on a treadmill.  But I really hate treadmill running.  In fact, I really like the name my friend Janeth Ohst used for it the other day, "dreadmill".  And I'm not getting up at 4:30 in the morning to run indoor track workouts!  It would probably not be a great career move to go on a live shot at 10pm the night after getting up to run an early morning track workout.

I really respect those who can do it.  They are the ones I'm watching ahead of me in those spring races!  About the only real cardio workouts I get in the winter are from the two stair climb events I do annually.  The first of those, the AON building climb is coming up soon as a matter of fact.  But I digress.

As I mentioned at the start of this entry, this year should be the year my wife gets to train for whatever she wants.  So far she hasn't asked, but the answer is, yes, it is her year.  I just hope I that means I get to do a few good races!

See you on the roads....

 
 
  

 
 

Marathon. It's a Book.

He is considered one of the foremost experts in the country on marathon training.  Those in the CARA training programs recognize the name Hal Higdon because he designs the training program CARA uses as they prepare runners for the Chicago marathon every year. 

Many runners, however, may not be aware that Higdon is quite an accomplished runner himself.  Higdon ran in the U.S. Olympic trials eight times, and has run well over 100 marathons, and finished as the top American in the 1964 Boston marathon.  He has numerous masters and age group medals to his credit.  He has written for Runner's World magazine since the magazine's first issue in 1966.  He's recieved numerous awards for his writing over the years.  And oh yeah, he is also one of the founders of the Road Runners Club of America.

We in Chicago are blessed to have some of the best running trails, races, and experts in the country.  And foremost among that group of experts is Hal Higdon.  While he lives in northwest Indiana, we are happy to claim Higdon as one of our own here in Chicago. 

So it's little wonder that his latest book has quite a bit of Chicago it it.  Marathon is Hidgon's 34th book, but just his first novel.  After finishing it, I'm wondering what took him so long.  The story is entertaining, and develops characters that are interesting and we grow to care about.

The book covers covers the three day period leading up to the start of the fictional 'Lake City Marathon' then follows the race.  Among the group of fascinating characters is the race director, and a local television reporter who develop a romantic storyline.  There is a huge celebrity 'Celebrity X' who runs his first marathon in the story.  A world famous supermodel also makes her marathon debut at the race.  And there is an intriguing group of elite athletes whose stories are equally compelling. 

The story follows all of their experiences leading up to the starting gun, and through the race experience.  The race itself is one of the most exciting in history on both the men's and women's sides.  And the mid-pack runners have the most amazing marathon experience I have ever heard of. 

Obviously, I don't want to give away any of the story.  But for those who have run the Chicago marathon, the book will seem incredibly familiar.  The 'Lake City Marathon' set-up is incredibly similar to Chicago, from the race expo to the pasta dinner to the headquarters.  And as he describes the Lake City marathon course, you feel like you are on one of those virtual tours of the Chicago course.  The names, in many cases, are also variations on some of the real names of the Chicago streets and landmarks.

I checked with Marianne Caponi, who does public relations for the Bank of America Chicago marathon for her thoughts.  She says, "Hal's unique knowledge of the details behind and activities surrounding big city marathons is what allows him to paint such a colorful backdrop for his novel. It is no surprise given his involvement with the Chicago Marathon over the years that there are apparent references and similarities to the event".

As a fan of the sport of running, I would be inclined to enjoy the book under any circumstances.  But when you throw in the familiar aspects of a local television reporter covering the marathon (which I do every year), the inner workings race (which I'm pretty familiar with), and a mile by mile account of a marathon incredibly similar to the Chicago course (which I've run at least nine times), and I felt like I should have been a character in the story.

I did find the writing somewhat awkward and redundant at times, but that might be expected from such an accomplished writer venturing for the first time into the realm of fiction.  The mark of a good story, to me, is that I don't want to reach the end of the book and I really want to know what happens to the characters afterward.  Marathon passes that test for me.  I would recommend it, especially for those who have run Chicago.

By the way, I don't often do book reviews in this space, but it seems I've got a few running books lined up to read this winter.  So, there may be a couple more in the future.  Let me know what you think.  Also, you may want to check out Hal Higdon's training site, it includes training advice and plans for just any type of runner training for about any distance.  Here is the link:  http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00index.htm

I'll see you on the roads....

Look Back. Start Fresh.

I can think of no better way to start a new year, or celebrate a birthday, or mark any important event in your life, than by going out for a run.  For me, running offers a chance to clear my head, and reflect on the past, as well as focus my thoughts on the future. 

The Elmhurst Running club hosts an annual New Year's day run, that I was able to join last year.  This year, it was my wife's turn to run while I stayed home with the kids.  So she got a chance to do the group run, and take a few pictures, while I ran solo a little later.  For her, that offered a chance to talk to some of the other runners about her goals for the coming year, which include further improving her 5k time.  Track workouts are the key for that, and she found some people to run with on the track. 

As for me, I'm still considering my goals.  I gave it some thought during my run, but am still undecided.  There might be a spring marathon in my future, or I might just try to run a fast 5k.  Who knows?  I've probably gotta decide soon.  Right now, though, I'm more in the reflection mode.  The last year has been a really enjoyable one in the sport of running, and for me personally.

It was a year of memorable experiences for me.  As has been my tradition since starting this blog a few years ago, I will mention a few of mine, and invite you to comment on some of yours.

As I look back on my year in running, first I am grateful that, despite some aches and pains, I've been relatively healthy and never missed a weekend long run all year.  I managed to maintain a minimum of probably at least 25 miles a week all year.  I don't know whether that is really important for racing success, but it's definitely a plus for my mental health!

Other highlights for me included running with my friend Greg Sanchez for a really enjoyable Boston Marathon.  Our chip time was a bit better than the clock shows in the picture.  I got a chance to go on an easy run with Ryan Hall before the Rock-N-Roll Chicago half marathon, and a couple days later enjoyed the race as well.  Other memorable races included the Soldier Field 10 miler, and the Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10.  There were also at least half a dozen 5k's on the schedule this year, including a spur of the moment addition in Park Ridge that was the subject of a story by the Runners Ultimate Net that aired on Comcast Sportsnet.  I know I work on TV, but it was fun to be on the other side of the story for a change.  And it was also my fastest 5k of the year.

There were lots of other races on the schedule this year, and plenty of really enjoyable saturday group runs with some of my regular running partners as well.  I've been blessed to have running as part of my life for more than three decades now, but this year ranks among the most memorable.

Now, moving on to another topic.  I've lived in the Chicago area most of my life.  I grew up here.  So I know it snows every winter. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.  And after a couple weeks of running in the snow and cold, I've reaffirmed my dislike.  Ok, so it really is beautiful running in a winter wonderland.  And it's good for your stabilizer muscles that get little use when you aren't having to keep from sliding all over the place.  But I still have a few fleeting thoughts of moving to Florida shortly after winter arrives every year. 

Hey, I can dream right?  The reality is, I'm not going anywhere.  And I hope you had a great year in running, and an even better one next year. 

See you on the roads....