Status update

I appreciate the continual stream of visitors here. I trust you are all finding something worthwhile.

I do have a doctor's appointment November 1 for my lingering ankle problem. With a little luck, they'll help to figure out what is going on and we can eventually resume running.

Until I resume running, it has been too hard to try and keep this going. Not running is one thing, but continuing to blog and podcast while I am on the sidelines, I am finding that I can not do that.

Bear with me, I will be back some day. In the meantime, there is plenty of good stuff to find here. The archive is full of running experience.


The "Ask the Coach" button for free coaching advice remains open.

May the roads and trails be kind to you all!

New priority

I gave it a new try but it is not meant to be. There is no enough time in the day. I am sorry to have picked up your spirits and now to let them down again.

----------------

Quit the wrong stuff
Stick with the right stuff
Have the guts to do one or the other

Originally posted at quiet poet

In light of the book just completed as noted above, I will continue to pursue my own running but this site and the associated podcast will be in hibernation until priorities change.

The "Ask the Coach" button for free coaching advice will remain open.


May the roads and trails be kind to you all!

PR #4 - The FIRST Plan

another in a series of podcasts on running, in particular beginning to run. This one focuses on the FIRST plan from the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training.

Time: 8 minutes, 5 seconds



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My other writing on the FIRST Plan

The FIRST Plan web site

PR #3 - The Warmup

Another in a series of podcasts on running, this one covering the Warmup. Discussion on the question to stretch before running or after you have started running that day.

Time: 6 minutes, 22 seconds



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The music at the opening and closing of this podcast features Matthew Ebel's "Every Color"

PR #2 Foot Exercises

Another in the series of podcasts covering beginning to run. This time I talk about basic foot exercises.

Time: 5 minutes, 4 seconds


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The music at the opening and closing of this podcast features Matthew Ebel's "Every Color"

PR #1 - Starting Running

A podcast covering the three basic points (goal, plan, execute) when you start running.

Time: 7 minutes, 2 seconds



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The music at the opening and closing of this podcast features Matthew Ebel's "Every Color"

New Feed Alert

I went ahead and created a new podcast feed and linked it to the prior feed.

Feedburner is happy with it.

iTunes is happy with it.

Since the problems with the feeds started on or about the 10/14/07 posting, I have submitted all those that came after that to this new feed.

If you do want to listen to the prior ones (prior to session 42), you can follow this link here to my directory and choose the ones you want.

If there is enough demand (i.e. either comments or emails) I could also repost the earlier podcasts to the new feed.

Use one of the subscription options on the right column.

If you do have any trouble please let me know.

Originally published 11/12/07
Updated 12/27/07

I heard from Curt that he is having a problem with the feed from iTunes not having any podcasts since 10/14/07. As there may be others with the same problem, I am putting this up top for a couple of weeks.

Passionate Runner: Cold, dark recap

another in a series of podcasts on running, this one referring back to two podcasts earlier in the series. One on running in winter, how to layer your clothes to stay warm. The second on running in the dark, avoiding the blacker black to be safe.

Time: 5 minutes, 0 seconds



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Session 5 - Layers for the winter
Session 7 - Running in the dark

My additional podcasts on running can be found here

Joan Nesbit Mabe can be found blogging about running at Songs of Experience
The Carrboro Athletic Club blog can be found here

Passionate Runner: Happy Feet

another in a series of podcasts on running, this one focusing on happy feet or quiet feet.

The simple tip is to listen to your foot strike; if you don't hear it, you are probably doing well.

If you can hear your feet pounding or slapping the pavement, you are probably in line for some problems.

Time: 4 minutes, 20 seconds



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Passionate Runner: Feed Logistics

another in a series of podcasts on running, this one more on the logistics of the recent feed issue. A desktop somewhere hit the podcast 18,000 times for only 45 seconds a time and thereby triggered other things that interrupted the feed. Hopefully those are resolved now.

Time: 3 minutes, 25 seconds



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Passionate Runner: Personalized Plans

another in a series of podcasts on running this one responding to a runner from Atlanta looking for a 10K plan to use for 8 weeks.

Time: 5 minutes, 11 seconds



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Passionate Runner: Reader Response - HS Pressure

another in a series of podcasts on running, this one responding to a mother of a high school freshman. He had completed cross country with some success and wants to play basketball. His cross country coach is pressuring him to run indoor track. What to do?

Time: 8 minutes, 4 seconds



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Hipcast - feed problems

For readers/listeners of Passionate Runner, apparently Hipcast, the podcast service I use is having a problem with the feed for this series. iTunes has the 10/7/07 posting but nothing since then and is returning an 8006 error when I try to update the podcast.

I have queries into them and am hopeful to get this resolved soon. In the meantime, the posts here can still be downloaded and listened to.

thanks for your patience!


Note: Feedburner is reporting this when I use the troubleshooter

Server returned HTTP Error 500: There was a problem retrieving the feed:
com.burningdoor.rsspp.resource.impl.HttpConnectionException: Error getting URL: 404 - Not Found

If anyone has any advice on how to resolve this, your help will be appreciated greatly!

Passionate Runner: PodCamp Halloween

another in a series of podcasts on running this one recounting the weekend at PodCamp Boston 2 and running on Halloween.

Time: 5 minutes, 36 seconds



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Passionate Runner: Runner Response - Mental Exercises

Another in a series of podcasts on running, this one a response to a runner who around mile 19-20 found it justifiable to walk but then found it easier to walk there after. The question is: Are there some mental exercises to help this situation? Short Answer: Yes.

Time: 8 minutes, 43 seconds



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Links:

To the foot exercises referenced in the podcast

To my other writing and podcasts on the FIRST Plan

To all the podcasts

Passionate Runner: Tale of Two Runners

Another in a series of podcasts on running, this one focusing on an observation of two runners passing on the road while my wife and I were out for our walk. This gets into good miles versus bad miles, patience and gradual progressions.

Time: 7 minutes, 11 seconds



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Passionate Runner: What is Speed?

Another in a series of podcasts on running, this one continuing a conversation with another runner from the Tupleo, Mississippi area. He has been running for three years and wants to know if he can get faster.

Time: 6 minutes, 26 seconds



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Notes:
Speed is a reflection of strength and your genes. You can improve your speed by increasing your strength so you can maintain that pace for longer and longer distances. So for conversation sake, you can run a 5K at your 8:30 pace, then increase your strength to maintain that pace for a 10K and a half marathon.

Your genes play to the other factor. Maybe 8:30 is your best. Probably not, given the length of time you have run but at some point you will hit the plateau at which you simply cannot go faster. This is due to your genes, really, what you were born with is what you will live with. These genes drive the muscle actions for your body movements. There are fast twitch fibers and slow twitch fibers in your muscles . The amount of each you were born with is your limiting factor.

Now, given that you have only run three years, you probably have not hit your max speed. There is likely some potential improvement. It will take work but it is possible. You are doing four days a week. That is good. You probably have heard me talk of the FIRST program which calls for three days of running and two days of cross training. The speed/pace workout along with the tempo run and the long distance run make for a good combination.

I have posted previously about each of the runs

speed/pace

tempo

distance

A gradual progression on the speed/pace workout should help you to run faster.
Let me know what you are currently running for your speed/pace workouts and I'll provide a plan for that gradual progression to get faster.

Passionate Runner: Reader Response, Tupelo

another in a series of podcasts on running this one responding to a high school runner from Tupelo, Mississippi who just found they have a stress fracture and is looking for help to make it through the injury period

Time: 8 minutes, 6 seconds



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Note: I think I mis-spoke during the podcast calling it Tupelo, Missouri... oops, major mistake. Tupelo, Mississippi is the birthplace of Elvis Pressley

Passionate Runner: Begin Anew 2

another in a series of podcasts on running, this one on my second run in the recovery process; with new shoes, laces tied, walking the stairs at work, etc.

Time: 5 minutes, 11 seconds



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Links referenced during the podcast:

Tying your shoe laces properly to run

Foot care basics, including alternating shoes

Passionate Runner: Beginning Anew

another in a series of podcasts on running, this one reflecting on the first run coming back from an injury, not a good run but a great one as it is the start of running again.

Time: 3 minutes, 51 seconds



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My previous writing on the FIRST program