When you think of American cities that are home to this country's elite distance runners, places like Mammoth Lakes, Boulder, Albuquerque and Flagstaff come to mind. Nike's Oregon Project would also be on the list. What do these places have in common?
Well, altitude for one. Great coaches for another. And a community of great distance runners to train with and compete against.
Much as I love the running community here in Chicago, we just don't have the natural attributes of those other places to attract the world's best runners to live and train here.
So what is one of the country's best women marathoners doing here? Well, Tera Moody
just loves Chicago. So last fall, after spending years living in Boulder where she went to college, she made the move back home to Chicago. She grew up in St. Charles, and was a high school star who developed into a world class marathoner after college.
She's been on the U.S. team for the world championships, and just missed making the team in the 2008 Olympic trials. And she's running stronger than ever now.
But she'll be doing it on her own a great deal of the time. Fortunately, she is well equipped to do just that. She tells me she will be consulting with her coach often, but she is really self-coached to a great extent. And her training is different than many of the other elites in places like Boulder. For instance, she does much of her running on a Treadmill.
In fact when she takes an easy, recovery day, it's easy enough that she can run with some old, slow guy like me! Full disclosure time. Not only am I a big fan of Tera's, but I'm proud to call her my friend as well.
She has run some strong races already this year in Houston and last weekend in Florida. But she will be making a local appearance in April at the Shamrock Shuffle. So I asked her for some advice in this space to those of mortals in training for that big rite of spring race. It's especially challenging this year, given our brutal winter!
TM: I don't necessarily think the winter has to mean slower times for the shamrock shuffle although that may me the case for the majority of the field. I definitely think there are ways to keep in top shape even in bad weather. You can utlilize the treadmill or indoor track for faster paced workouts and make cardiovascular gains through cross training (swimming, stationary bike, elliptical, etc). Also I think tougher weather can actually help those that tend to overdo it avoid overtraining and injury since its not as tempting to add on in brutal conditions.JG: What about those beginners who might be running Shamrock for the first time?TM: For those that are unsure about completing the distance the big key is putting in the training. If they can slowly build up to the distance before race time that will give them the confidence they can make it. Also having the crowds and adrenaline will help a ton on race day. People need to be prepared which means getting out there for the training NOW and not waiting until the last minute.JG: What's up with your treadmill training? Like most runners I know, I only use the treadmill as a last resort.TM: I LOVE the treadmill and use it in my training all the time. Its such a great tool. One of the biggest factors is that I don't have to worry about slipping and falling on ice and I know what the weather conditions will be. I can run as early as I want to in the morning without having to worry if it is safe. I can also change shoes for faster intervals and have my water bottle and gels right there for a long run. I know there is a bathroom nearby if necessary and there isn't risk of getting lost. For hard workouts I can just set the pace and not think about it. I just have to keep up. If something feels off or starts hurting I can stop immediately without having to walk several miles home. I also find running long a good mental challenge since there is the option of just pressing stop. I think it helps especially for marathon preparation. A few times I have run on a treadmill next to a friend and it was a great way to train together even if we weren't running the same pace. As you can probably tell I am a huge fan of them but I also really enjoy the outdoors. I just love to run.And we're glad you're doing it in Chicago. Welcome home Tera!See you on the roads...........