Note: The following was composed last November (2008) at the end of the season and never saw the light of day. I think it is pertinent now, at the beginning of the running season as the group prepares for racing and meeting goals in the coming months.
Enjoy, RF
A lively discussion followed last evening’s running workout. Not unlike other lively post-workout discussions only this one was actually about running!
The question before the assembly was, “Can I run a sub-20:00 5K?” The question was posed by a member who has been riding a season of exceptional athletic endeavors including several running PRs (20:29 for 5K, I think) as well as successes in triathlons all on top of being devoted to her family.
The group’s consensus seemed to be “Sure” she can run a sub-20:00 5K given the improvements in her running throughout the year.
The conversation went back and forth and all around the table
Running/racing season has come to a close here and now it’s time to put away the racing flats and go back to base-building and aerobic-building training… the seeds for next season’s running campaign.
As a result of the discussion, I sent the following note to our running buddy.
Hey:
Just a note regarding last night’s conversation about running a sub-20:00 5K. You know, you were prepared to run that time this year. Your training was top notch, you were focused and most everything you can control was ready for it to happen. Only it didn’t.
I know, you’re shaking your head saying “Duh, I know that Rich.”
What I’m getting at is that you were in that “sweet spot” where you knew on the line that you were ready to compete at a PR or close-to-PR pace. You were prepared. No doubt about it. And that, being prepared, is the key to reaching your goal. Being prepared creates an environment for success to happen. That’s the part that you can control but there is so much else that you can’t control. You can’t control the weather, the course, or your concern for a sick child or some other anxiety. There are plenty of things that you can’t control but those things affect your performance nonetheless.
Ten years ago when I was racing, not just running, I discovered that the major improvements seemed to come all by themselves. The common thread during that time was that I was prepared so that if everything fell into place… the stars were aligned… I was ready to take advantage of it.
I know it seems whimsical and defies reason but think about it… if there weren’t all the uncontrollable factors, everyone who is physically prepared would run PRs at every race – the only limitation would be your own body.
Why do we all run faster on the track on Thursdays? Because we’ve eliminated two of the uncontrollable factors… the surface is uniform and absolutely flat.
So, the more of those factors you can control before and during the race, the better your chance for success. The more prepared for success you are, the more likely it is that success will happen!
Some of the things I learned from successful runners and coaches and from my own meager experience that you can think about…
Pre-race routine - begins at least the night before and includes things like pinning your bib # on your shirt and making sure you have everything in your bag ready to go and setting the schedule so you have plenty of time to warm up, stretch, strides, bathroom, etc.
Make sure your warm up is long enough (time wise). Use it to check out the course if it’s unfamiliar. Be sure to check out the finish…so you don’t get faked by a finish line that is around a corner or in a parking lot or somewhere else that you can’t spot it..
Don’t hesitate to start at the front! That way you’re up with faster runners who will bring you along in their wake. Not much feels better than starting at the front. Starting back farther (even if it’s a chip race) means you’re always trying to catch up…psychologically and in reality.
Be aware of surroundings before and during the race. For instance, watch others warming up especially the known fast runners you can learn from their routines. At the start, look around to know who the fast people are, who you can key off of during the race…especially those who may be in your age group. Oh, remember fast people don’t necessarily look fast during warm up and at the start… don’t be fooled. The more races you run, the more you will recognize those people you need to be running with. During the race be aware of where you are on the course so you can relate how you feel to your location on the course and how you are executing your plan. Be aware of split times (they may scare you early in the season.) For me, doing the split time math to figure out what my time should be at the next split really kept my mind off any pain or fear.
Don’t forget to use your arms especially at the end of the race. Your arms and shoulders tend to get tired (even in a 5K) and people tend to pull them up to their chests and hunch their shoulders, they become tense and slow. I used to actually talk to myself, “Drop your arms, Rich!”
I don’t know if this stuff answers the question from last night but hopefully it will give you insights to ponder over the winter (as if you didn’t have enough going on!) I was happy to break 21:00 years ago and I don’t think that 19:59 is out of reach for you if you are prepared when the opportunity presents itself and, of course, when the stars are aligned.
See ya.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Spring(?) Workouts
The grass is greening up nicely and the track is clear for the running workouts to begin. Returning to the track is like returning from a long vacation. It takes time to get back into the swing of things. Sooner than later you get your head around the situation and the fun begins.
This year (2009) the plan is to create a photo essay called "Workout" about our club's running season endeavors. Here are some images from the first couple of workouts this spring - one of the workouts was run in 18 degree weather!
Monday, December 1, 2008
A walk in the Arbo
The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois (USA) is a great place for walking, running and photography. Sunday we received our first snowfall of the season so we went for a walk in the the Arbo's woods. The snow increased during the day and we have been left with three inches of the stuff.
I took the camera along and the following are a few pics from our walk.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
To Springfield, Illinois by train
Two days after The Election, we took AMTRAK from Chicago to Springfield, Illinois to visit the Lincoln Museum and Library. Our Irish friend accompanied us and I think it was a fitting way to celebrate the election of Barack Obama, an Illinois favorite son as is Lincoln.
A grey day in central Illinois from the train heading south. This is some of the richest ground in the world. Farms generally produce corn and soybeans.
Grain elevators, parts of the rural and national economy.
The Illinois state capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Springfield is not the first or second capitol of Illinois. I believe that Vandalia was the first state capitol. And the domed capitol building here is the second capitol building in Springfield. The the first capitol building in Springfield, "Old Capitol Building" in Springfield is a museum and has been restored/reconstructed. Lincoln served as a state rep there and he also argued cases before the Illinois Supreme Court in the "Old" building.
It's not often you see reference to a "Motor Inn" anymore.
If you are interested in United States history, the Civil War, Lincoln, politics, or Illinois - a visit to this museum it a must. Of course, there are plenty of other sites relating to Lincoln in and around Springfield, but start with the museum.
A grey day in central Illinois from the train heading south. This is some of the richest ground in the world. Farms generally produce corn and soybeans. Grain elevators, parts of the rural and national economy.The Illinois state capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Springfield is not the first or second capitol of Illinois. I believe that Vandalia was the first state capitol. And the domed capitol building here is the second capitol building in Springfield. The the first capitol building in Springfield, "Old Capitol Building" in Springfield is a museum and has been restored/reconstructed. Lincoln served as a state rep there and he also argued cases before the Illinois Supreme Court in the "Old" building.It's not often you see reference to a "Motor Inn" anymore.Friday, October 10, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The Chicago Tribune new-look a vast wasteland
So, the first full week of the “new-look” Chicago Tribune newspaper is complete.
I was pretty ambivalent to the “new” Trib design and the 50/50 split of editorial and advertising during the run up to the change as well as during the first week of publication. I guess I figured that the Trib and its heritage were bigger than any change that could be wrought on the paper. Well, I think I was wrong.
The lead-in to the design change was peppered with silly ads in the paper itself as well as interviews with Tribune-ites as well as outside critics.
The paper’s new publisher, I believe, commented how the new Chicago Tribune would be true to the hallowed brand. It seems to me that the “new” Trib is to the Chica Trib brand and Chicago journalism what “new” Coke was to colas.
A Boss Comparison
Last Sunday after running a race I stopped by one of the local Starbucks for a beverage and a scone. I also picked up a copy of the Sunday New York Times to read while enjoying my petit dejune. I started reading a front-page story about the current financial crisis. It was in depth and explained the situation with Fannie Mae in a way that anyone could understand. It was an interesting story, informative and well written.
Long story short – I finished the NYT front section at home then moved to the “new” Trib.
The difference between the two newspapers was amazing. The “new” Trib had some large color photo above the fold. I’m sorry I can’t remember what the subject of the photo was. There were a couple of stories below the fold and I can’t remember those either but I do know that there was nothing like the NYT story about Fannie Mae.
Inside, the “new” Trib wasn’t much better… large photos, graphs, maps above the fold and ads generally below. With each page turn it seemed that there was no relief. The editorial jumble was competing with the advertising… except where they had positioned two full page ads on facings pages, whew! Editorial was sliced and diced into a tossed salad of type, graphics and photos without depth or seeming continuity.
Oh, and the content left much to be desired. Much of the content was picked up from other sources and seemed to be included because it fit a certain amount of space available on the page. I guess that since they’ve laid off so many reporters at the paper that original journalism is not important to the “new” Trib which really grates me since my college degree is in Journalism.
Also, as the owner of an advertising agency, circus-like page layouts grate me as well. All those little boxes, graphics and stuff are all competing with the ads! The next time we’re buying space in the Trib for a client, we’ll certainly be looking at that issue. Why would they want to compete with their bread and butter – the advertisers?
The “new” Trib is a far cry from the previous model. In that, the new management has been successful. But there’s a difference between “successful good” and “successful bad.”
To me, the “new” Chicago Tribune presents itself as a small-town daily, certainly not the icon of American journalism that it was. I understand that institutions must move forward but too often people equate appealing to the lowest common denominator as moving forward. I reality I think the “new” Trib is providing less content to fewer and fewer people. It’s all very sad.
I was pretty ambivalent to the “new” Trib design and the 50/50 split of editorial and advertising during the run up to the change as well as during the first week of publication. I guess I figured that the Trib and its heritage were bigger than any change that could be wrought on the paper. Well, I think I was wrong.
The lead-in to the design change was peppered with silly ads in the paper itself as well as interviews with Tribune-ites as well as outside critics.
The paper’s new publisher, I believe, commented how the new Chicago Tribune would be true to the hallowed brand. It seems to me that the “new” Trib is to the Chica Trib brand and Chicago journalism what “new” Coke was to colas.
A Boss Comparison
Last Sunday after running a race I stopped by one of the local Starbucks for a beverage and a scone. I also picked up a copy of the Sunday New York Times to read while enjoying my petit dejune. I started reading a front-page story about the current financial crisis. It was in depth and explained the situation with Fannie Mae in a way that anyone could understand. It was an interesting story, informative and well written.
Long story short – I finished the NYT front section at home then moved to the “new” Trib.
The difference between the two newspapers was amazing. The “new” Trib had some large color photo above the fold. I’m sorry I can’t remember what the subject of the photo was. There were a couple of stories below the fold and I can’t remember those either but I do know that there was nothing like the NYT story about Fannie Mae.
Inside, the “new” Trib wasn’t much better… large photos, graphs, maps above the fold and ads generally below. With each page turn it seemed that there was no relief. The editorial jumble was competing with the advertising… except where they had positioned two full page ads on facings pages, whew! Editorial was sliced and diced into a tossed salad of type, graphics and photos without depth or seeming continuity.
Oh, and the content left much to be desired. Much of the content was picked up from other sources and seemed to be included because it fit a certain amount of space available on the page. I guess that since they’ve laid off so many reporters at the paper that original journalism is not important to the “new” Trib which really grates me since my college degree is in Journalism.
Also, as the owner of an advertising agency, circus-like page layouts grate me as well. All those little boxes, graphics and stuff are all competing with the ads! The next time we’re buying space in the Trib for a client, we’ll certainly be looking at that issue. Why would they want to compete with their bread and butter – the advertisers?
The “new” Trib is a far cry from the previous model. In that, the new management has been successful. But there’s a difference between “successful good” and “successful bad.”
To me, the “new” Chicago Tribune presents itself as a small-town daily, certainly not the icon of American journalism that it was. I understand that institutions must move forward but too often people equate appealing to the lowest common denominator as moving forward. I reality I think the “new” Trib is providing less content to fewer and fewer people. It’s all very sad.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Hay’s in the barn… thoughts while walking with Maggie
While walking The Path this morning with Maggie the golden retriever, I was thinking of crisp and bright fall mornings past, particularly Saturday and Sunday mornings. When I wasn’t attending XC meets or soccer games I was running races and most of my best races were on those fall mornings with weather just like today.
“It’s great to be alive,” says Jim.
When “the hay is in the barn” (thanks again Jim) our Thursday eve workouts are for maintaining sharpness, everyone should be pumped for racing.
Over the years with JSRC, I learned a lot. Stuff that Jim and Ron Piro and Elizabeth already knew slowly dawned on me and with it a nifty sense of confidence and wellbeing.
Trust your coach. Trust your workouts. Trust yourself. There’s no reason for doubt.
Spring is for doubts. We’re sooo slow after slogging through the winter – enduring the dark, the cold, the wet, and the frozen. Will we ever get faster or is it lost forever? We race but there are doubts on the line and at every split. This is STUPID. I feel horrible.
Summer is for growth. All of a sudden we’re complaining about the heat. We’re getting faster… we’re feeling better. But we’re still not SURE. It takes a long time for winter to wear off!
Then it’s Fall. Time for those classic races on crisp mornings with blue sky, bright and low sun, and long shadows. Confidence is building after the initial shock of new found pace. “Be gone doubts!” you say to yourself in mile two of your first fall 5K.
Then a funny thing happens. You say to yourself (some even say it out loud), “I ran the in-and-out mile!” and “I really hung in there on the mile repeats.” Or, “Those 200s across the grass were really good.” And then it dawns on you, “I’m really ready.”
Then, your warm up becomes serious, a time for focusing not a time for socializing. You start moving up closer to the start line with each race. You can predict your finishing time within seconds. There are no more doubts. You know you will do your best and you know that you will be quietly ecstatic in each finish chute. You may be puking but you’ll be ecstatic. You will feel that little smile creeping onto your face because you did your best on the day. And you realize that is what it’s all about, doing your best on the day.
So, as the days get shorter and the sun is lower on the horizon, and you’re racing more and more, remember to trust yourself because there’s no reason for doubt…after all, “the hay is in the barn.”
“It’s great to be alive,” says Jim.
When “the hay is in the barn” (thanks again Jim) our Thursday eve workouts are for maintaining sharpness, everyone should be pumped for racing.
Over the years with JSRC, I learned a lot. Stuff that Jim and Ron Piro and Elizabeth already knew slowly dawned on me and with it a nifty sense of confidence and wellbeing.
Trust your coach. Trust your workouts. Trust yourself. There’s no reason for doubt.
Spring is for doubts. We’re sooo slow after slogging through the winter – enduring the dark, the cold, the wet, and the frozen. Will we ever get faster or is it lost forever? We race but there are doubts on the line and at every split. This is STUPID. I feel horrible.
Summer is for growth. All of a sudden we’re complaining about the heat. We’re getting faster… we’re feeling better. But we’re still not SURE. It takes a long time for winter to wear off!
Then it’s Fall. Time for those classic races on crisp mornings with blue sky, bright and low sun, and long shadows. Confidence is building after the initial shock of new found pace. “Be gone doubts!” you say to yourself in mile two of your first fall 5K.
Then a funny thing happens. You say to yourself (some even say it out loud), “I ran the in-and-out mile!” and “I really hung in there on the mile repeats.” Or, “Those 200s across the grass were really good.” And then it dawns on you, “I’m really ready.”
Then, your warm up becomes serious, a time for focusing not a time for socializing. You start moving up closer to the start line with each race. You can predict your finishing time within seconds. There are no more doubts. You know you will do your best and you know that you will be quietly ecstatic in each finish chute. You may be puking but you’ll be ecstatic. You will feel that little smile creeping onto your face because you did your best on the day. And you realize that is what it’s all about, doing your best on the day.
So, as the days get shorter and the sun is lower on the horizon, and you’re racing more and more, remember to trust yourself because there’s no reason for doubt…after all, “the hay is in the barn.”
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