Readability Results - what they say to me

I posted the summary of the Readability results for each of my personal blogs. I do write on blog Synergy and 100Bloggers but both of these are group blogs. The results of these 5 tests would be more instructive for my own writing.

 

Here is what I think they say:

Gunning-Fog index, which is a rough measure of how many years of schooling it would take someone to understand the content. The lower the number, the more understandable the content will be to your visitors. Results over seventeen are reported as seventeen, where seventeen is considered post-graduate level.

I have a high score of 8.67 (P4GCE) with TE close at 8.61 and a low score of 7.42 (PR). I average 8.25. My work and education related writing tends to be more formal. My running writing tends to be the least formal. Overall I write for an 8th grade level.

Flesch Reading Ease is an index number that rates the text on a 100-point scale. The higher the score, the easier it is to understand the document. Authors are encouraged to aim for a score of approximately 60 to 70.

With the target at 60-70, and only two of mine below 70, I would say most of my writing is just a bit high on the scale but not far off.

Like the Gunning-Fog index, Flesch-Kincaid Grade is a rough measure of how many years of schooling it would take someone to understand the content.

I have a low score of 4.81 for PR and the others are all within 0.05 of each other. A real tight range. This says I write for a 5th grade level.

 

So what does this say for the bottom line? I think it says to keep on what I am doing.

 

You, of course as my readers, have the final say.

 

Do I need to change anything in how I write?

 

I look to you to be bold and provide your suggestions and comments either directly on the blog, or via email. You can reach me at shersteve at gmail dot com.

 

We are in this together. As much as I write for myself, I write for it to be read.

 

I welcome your advice.

 

 

 

 

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Running Basics - Tie the shoes properly

Since I hit my 500 milestone mark for this year, had done about 150 in Nov/Dec 2005, had purchased my current shoes pair of shoes in late October 2005 and have been alternating with one pair Tue/Thu and the other for Sun run, they each had about 300 miles on them. Hence, it was time to replace.

 

Miles of use is not my only factor. I have had good success with changing them with about this amount of wear. I also factor in how the cushioning feels. The soles on this pair have worn well but the inner soles are bottoming out. I might get some new inner soles and use them for spot runs here and there.

 

I have a tradition of lacing my shoes so the lace from the right side always goes over the left, and the left goes under the right. This harks back to a day when during an interview with Coach John Wooden who had great success with the UCLA basketball team in the 60's and 70's. Coach mentioned that he started each year by reviewing the basics. He did not assume that the players on the team knew his system. He started them all from scratch with the basics.

 

One of the most basic items was shoe selection. You needed to get sized properly to avoid blisters. You also needed to tie your shoes with the right over left procedure. By getting the players to think of tying their shoes in this way, he helped to reinforce thinking about doing things right the first time and every time. They also learned to tie with double knots so they would not need to stop during the game. The time in the game was important and he did not want to loose time for something as silly as tying a shoe. Hence, before they set foot on the court to practice, they learned how to tie their shoes.

 

Silly! Maybe but look at the success record he established.

How many NCAA championships did his teams capture?

 

I think there is something to the basics even at this level.

 

How do you tie your shoes?

If you do it haphazardly, I recommend undoing your laces and doing it right over left.

 

One small step.

The right over left laces will align with doing things right the first time, all the time.

 

The rest is up to you.

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, NCPacers, shoes, laces, right

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504 Miles

Recent Running Chart
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

Peter, Paul and Mary would sing

If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles,
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

Lord I'm one, lord I'm two, lord I'm three, lord I'm four,
Lord I'm 500 miles from my home.

I am at home but the miles I have run year to date total 504 in 80 days of running. Normally three days a week, I am slightly behind plan to get to 1000 miles this year but if I continue to run healthy, I may still make it.

Ran 7 today with two Pacer buddies. It was hot and humid. Good thing we started early (7:30 AM) trying to do the same thing later would be harder. I like to have fun when I run. Running in this kind of heat is not fun.

Ran well enough to have something let to pick it up for the last half mile and close with a good finish. Still working on fluid replenishment. A small Dunkin Donut's "Strawberry Fruit Coolatta" got me some cold liquid with plenty of sweetness (290 calories for those counting).

The new Dunkin ad campaign could be an intro to get them to help sponsor the club: "America Runs on Dunkin".

Technorati Tags : run, running, weather, RBF, NCPacers, Dunkin+Donuts

A break in the rain and humidity

Caught a break in the rain and humidity to run the track workout this evening that was originally scheduled for Tuesday but due to the severe weather forecasted between 6:00 and 8:00 PM, I decided to forego.

 

Cruised through 8 x 200's. The first 6 at almost exactly the same split and then the last two coming down with the last one faster by over 5 seconds. It felt good to stride it out and finish strong.

 

One Pacer buddy was with me tonight to keep company. The Franklin High School boys cross country team had a captain's practice that was ending as we started. There was also some football (yes, real American football - not the soccer kind) on the field but other than the car on the track in lanes 3-5, they were not hindering our workout. They also left before we finished.

 

As nice a night as it turned out to be, it was also a realization that the days are noticeably getting shorter now. How quickly time flies!

 

May the roads/trails be kind to you!

 

 

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Weikert Ridge

Weikert Ridge
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

I got in a good run in Danville.PA last Sunday and then two good runs (Tuesday and Friday) in Weikert. This ridge was on the south side of the road I ran in Weikert. The road rolled up and down some good slopes as it wound its way amongst woods and farms.

Can you train low to run high?

The recent Active.com newsletter has an article by Matt Fitzgerald: Should you bonk on purpose?

 

Bonking is running out of gas either during a workout or a race. Not a good thing to do during a race but some research is indicating careful planning may turn a training bonk into a bonus.

 

Not that bad a concept. This really gets into some of the science behind the hard/easy day training concept. It does take time to recover from a run. The actual improvement from exercise is occurring during the recovery phase as the body recovers, rebuilding the muscles and glycogen stores.

In practical terms, she said, they should do some workouts within hours of having completed their last workout, such that there's not enough time to replenish muscle glycogen stores between workouts, and they should also leave their sports drinks and gels at home for some workouts (that is, intentionally under-fuel their muscles during training).

The benefits of this are more likely to be seen by endurance athletes. To me, this means more for those training to complete in triathlon or ultra long races. The average runner's training program would not call for sport drinks and gels during the workouts.

... athletes are able to perform at a higher level when they consume carbohydrate during training. Going five percent faster or farther in carbohydrate-fueled workouts will itself trigger greater training adaptations of certain kinds than going five percent slower or shorter in under-fueled workouts.

By extension, there are benefits to using this concept for the beginning runner. The challenge to the body coming from a sedentary life style to one where running is becoming a normal activity will be taxing the body. Providing moderate amounts of additional replenishment during the exercise should help the beginning runner get going. The recovery should be less painful and thereby the fun in running will be incentive to continue.

 

As with most advice

the best training recipe is probably a mixture of fully-fueled and under-fueled workouts. What constitutes the optimal balance between these two workout types is still unknown. You may need to experiment to find out what works best for you.

Do so carefully. Please don't plan to bonk frequently during your workouts. No matter how much it may benefit you, bonking takes the fun out of running.

 

 

 

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Between the showers

I managed to get a decent run in between the showers today. It was pouring early and as we had overnight guests, I did not get out to join the Pacers for the Sunday run or get to the Timlin Run in Hopkinton which had been my other options.

 

No big deal, the company at home was good. Great conversations, making connections and then cooking breakfast took most of the morning before they all headed out on the road in various directions for their return trips.

 

I watched England squeek by Ecuador with a good score by Beckham (yes, he of the "Bend it like... " fame). Finished cleaning up from yesterday's party before catching the melee called the football game between Portugal and the Netherlands. What happened to the beautiful game? No joga bonita in this one!

 

Then after the game, after the down pour took a break, I hit the roads. The first three were relatively easy/comfortable at about 9:00 pace, then the last mile and half I picked it up to close at just about 8:00 pace. Still sticky and warm. Almost wish it was raining more than the little spritz it was doing at the time. Might have been more refreshing.

 

May the roads/trails be kind to you!

 

 

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Pub Run and blueberry ale

It was a warm evening, temps in the 80's F, but the threatened thunder storms held off to let us run. One of the smaller turnouts, less than 20, showed up to run this night; two Pacers and the rest Wampanoag Road Runers.

 

It was a good run. I did a comfortable and evenly paced mile one and two. Not sure what occurred during three. I thought I was picking it up but ended up about 40 seconds for the mile slower than the first two (at 7:20).

 

The best part was the warm down back to Tom's Tavern (Wrentham) and cold frosted mugs of Wachusetts Blueberry Ale. That hit the spot! At Tom's, it is served with some frozen blueberries added to the glass before the pour. The blueberries are good for runners with anti-oxidant features!

 

May the roads/trails be kind to you!

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, Pacers, Wachusetts, blueberry

 

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Run that again!

What did I write about a year ago today?

 

On June 22, 2005 I had this posting:

From Curt Rosengren at The Occupational Adventure

Staying motivated can be one of the hardest parts of creating a career that really lights you up. It's not an overnight, push-button process. It takes time and effort for it to unfold, and it's really easy to stray off the path, especially if you're doing it alone (versus working with someone like me).

Taking a look at what motivates you and building that into your process can help. What motivates you? Is it competition? Is it somehow keeping score? Is it rewarding yourself for your efforts?

So what is your motivation to run? to run well?

Do you have a race in mind?

What is your short term goal?
What is your long term goal?

 

 

I have updated my goals for this year.

Have you?

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, Pacers, goals, archives

 

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Warmed Up Quickly, Adjust

The weather turned warm quickly last week reaching for the 90's on Sunday. So even though we started early Sunday morning, it was already 70 and humid for our distance runs.

 

The cold front was supposed to move through last night and this morning but while some thunderstorms broke yesterday, the front is still lingering this evening with more storms just starting to roll their thunder through the night sky.

 

Needless to say, the long run Sunday was warm. Especially as we did not get much of a preparation for it, it just came in. I took my shirt off after the run and it must have weighed 6-8 pounds. After a Dunkin Donuts Smoothie, a Gatorade, two 16 oz containers of water and a shower, I stepped on the scale and was still underweight by about 4 pounds.

 

Needless to say, proper hydration is required to run in the heat and humidity.

 

Adjusting the workouts to the conditions is also recommended. With nothing major on the plate right away, doing less is better than forcing it. What did Falstaff say: "Discretion is the better part of valor". Right on!

 

The track workout this evening was cut back accordingly. One had some family duties to handle. Another had run a five mile race on Sunday, in the heat, and was still recovering from that. We opted to do one set of 400's and let it go. The legs will reward us by being fresher on Thursday for the Pub Run at Tom's Tavern. At least, that is the plan.

 

So bottom line, listen to your body,

adjust to the weather,

and enjoy the run!

 

May the roads/trails be kind to you!

 

 

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New PR - Corporate Challenge

Yes, a quick update before I get to bed. The weather cooperated, the sky was blue, the temp in the 70's with a gentle breeze, hence a really nice night to run the streets of Boston.

I was fortunate to get close to the starting line and not have to deal with navigating my way through the thousands of runners on the course, just the hundreds ahead of me.

I dropped my time almost one minute over last year. I like that. It was a comfortable run in the crowd and dropping as much as I did was not expected. This bodes well for an attack on my 5K PR in some up coming races.

May the roads/trails be kind to you!


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JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge - Boston

I will be amongst the capacity crowd (12,000) of runners looking to make it safely and quickly from Charles Street along Commonwealth Ave to Kenmore Sq and back Commonwealth to Charles to finish the 3.5 mile race on Thursday.

 

May the road be kind to all runners in the race!

 

 

May the road/trail be kind to you when you run!

 

 

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Falmouth Road Race Update

Yes, the entries for Falmouth have been posted to their web site.

This list will be updated every Friday evening. Please do not call or e-mail regarding your acceptance into the race. All runners who were not accepted have been notified.

There are 95 runners from Franklin registered, and lo and behold, my name is on the listing!

 

Just booked a return trip to the Cape for August 11 - 14th.

 

If you are running, let me know and we can arrange to meet up somewhere.

 

 

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Pick it up at the end

Completed a good week of running, three days, twenty miles total: one day of speed/pace work, one tempo run and a distance run. I missed my walk with my wife by being out on some errands while she walked in the rain yesterday but I did get a day of extra non-running training in with the APECS class on Wednesday.

 

Coming to the last mile today had enough to pick it up for the finish. It is good to do this for a couple reasons:

1. Psychologically - good positive reinforcement to finish a run strong.
2. Physiologically - helps to teach the body good effort (i.e. running strong) when it is tired.

It helps when runners appear on the road ahead of you. It provides a target to go for and some extra incentive to get there.

 

What other reasons can you think of for a good finish to a good workout?

 

 

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APECS - a good choice for fitness

Along with some of the NC Pacers, I took advantage of a trial class at the Athletic Performance Enhancement Centers (APECS) located in Medway. Located off RT 109 it should be fairly easy to find for most people. Hustling from the train station to get there on time, I missed a turn and ended up a few minutes late. That did not stop me from jumping right into their "warm up". I only wish I had taken a couple of minutes to tie my shoes before getting into the warm up. But that is my fault not theirs.

 

The warm up was more than that. It was a good part of the workout. Quick one or two minute exercises; crunches, push ups, quick feet run in place, etc. You name it, we probably did it. I could hardly keep track it was so quickly paced. As a runner in good shape I was able to handle the pacing. It quickly told me something I already knew, I need to work on my upper body strength. My breathing was fine, my legs were good but my arms were quickly shown to be the weak spot.

 

With just time enough to grab the towel and water bottle, I got paired with an experienced member for the station workout. Here as well as the warm up, my arms failed me but my legs were fine. I did a resistance run (waist belted to a resistance rope), then to push ups on hanging rings, to resistance jumps (another waist belt to springs), to high knee steps on the marked floor, to a rolling climbing wall (yes, as you climb, the wall rolled down so you never reached the top, pretty slick), to pushing a 100 lb weight long the floor, to dragging some unknown (but very heavy) weight with a shoulder strap either by walking or running, to a jump rope station (the second time there I got the longer jump rope and did pretty well. I used to do that way back in high school prepping for basketball.), to the suicide runs... I think I missed a couple of the stations but you get the idea.

 

All this in just under an hour.

 

My partner was very helpful and supportive. The equipment was good. Clearly used but not abused. The room was not overly large but enough space with the stations spread around. A mirror wall on one side helped to expand the room. Most of the floor was the outdoor grasslike carpet.

 

My t-shirt was soaked but I felt okay. Supposedly I really find out tomorrow. We will see.

 

So would I recommend this?

 

If you want an indoor exercise arena, with professional support and guidance, with enthusiastic support from the other participants, then yes, you should consider this.

 

I need to spend more time on my upper body work and with the right amount of discipline I can use the weights I have and also do some simple pushups to provide the extra conditioning that I really should have.

 

If I find myself lacking in this discipline, then this would be a consideration.

 

So if you are in the Franklin/Medway area, check out APECS.

 

 

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06/06/06 - Part 2

Exercise is good for our health.

Here I write about my running and provide advice on running, training, race preparations, helping one another achieve ...

It may seem funny but a lot of my writing is drafted while I am running, especially if I am running alone.

I like to follow the train of my thought, letting it take me almost like I let my feet take me...

There goes the trail ... follow me

Joint Club Run - Group Photo

Joint Club Run #4
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

Some of the Wampanoag Road Runners and the Hopkinton Running Club joined with the Norfolk County Pacers today for a couple of runs through Franklin. Some started about 8:00 AM and did a 3 mile loop coming back to the starting point to pick up more runners for a 6.5 mile loop. The group spread out to find their own pace and had someone to run with as they went chatting along the way.

The weather was perfect for running, overcast, no rain (a little sprinkle as we finished wrapping up) and in the 50's.

Plenty of good conversations, training tips shared, and joint runs planned over coffee, Gatorade, bananas and bagels.

Double Duty Run

Trevor, my good buddy in the UK, is doing the Run for Moore 5K race this Sunday. There is still time to make a contribution to the Bobby Moore Fund for cancer research.

Running is a good thing, but of course, since you are here, you already know that.

Running for a cause like this is also a good thing to do.

Putting the two together is a great thing.

If you can contribute, it would be appreciated. The link is available on Trevor's page.

Have a great run Trevor!


Technorati Tags : run, running, cancer, cause, RBF

Rhodendron Blooming

gradweek_60530 019
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

What does it take to bloom? A good environment (balanced amounts of sunlight, nutrition and water).

Do you take care of yourself?
Do you exercise regularly?
Do you keep a balanced diet and hydrate properly?

If you do, then your workouts will allow you to bloom one day!

Quick warm-up pre-race

A few quick and good exercises to help prepare for that performance in the race or workout. Takes only a few minutes when done properly.

 

This article from Active.com by Reece Haettich provides the details and pictures to show how to do the Solder's March, walking high step, shuffle, back peddle, and 50% sprint to get you ready.

 

I like these and will add them to my routine.

 

 

Technorati Tags : warm-up, run, running, training, RBF, Active.com

 

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Progessive core training

One of the most common errors we make in the practice of core conditioning is failing to train progressively. In order to enhance the stabilizing capacity of your core muscles, you have to bring them along step by step. Too many athletes fail to divide their core training into properly ordered stages, beginning with very basic exercises that help them to simply find the right muscles and advancing a step at a time from there.

Matt Fitzgerald is right on in this statement from his article on Finding your core that he wrote for Active.com. I can come up with several examples from conversations with other runners with the overall concept of taking a step at a time but that will be another posting (maybe).

 

In the mean time, Matt develops this article to outline some key exercises to do once a week, then twice a week, then three times a week. Yes, the gradual progression to work on the core. He also refers to phases:

Conditioning your core properly requires patience and a willingness to spend a fair amount of time working on exercises that may not look like they're doing much. Your core conditioning program should proceed in three phases. In the first phase, do basic isolation exercises that train the connection between your brain and the targeted muscles without any requirement to coordinate this action with other muscle actions.

Once you're able to consistently and easily activate your stabilizers, do exercises that involve core activation in coordination with other muscles movements. And in the third phase, do exercises in which core activation is incorporated into sport-specific movements similar to those involved in running, at least some of which include a balance requirement.

Read the full article here.

The article closes with a special link to create a printed version of the exercises.

 

Then take a step at a time, a week at a time through the phases!

 

 

May the roads/trails be kind to you!

 

 

Technorati Tags : core, progressive, run, running, RBF, Active.com

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Franklin, MA Area - Local race alert

A couple of local races are coming up on the radar for June that you might want to be aware of.

 

June 10 - 9:00 AM

Norfolk Community Days 10th Annual Charity 5K Run/Walk Road Race

Norfolk Community League, ATTN: Charity Walk/Run, PO Box 134, Norfolk, MA 02056

 

 

June 22 - 7:00 PM

Tom's Tavern Summer Series
Wrentham, MA 7:00PM Toms Tavern, Shear Street (No entry fee, just a flat, fast 5K)
Contact: Roland Desrochers (Wampanoag Road Runners), USA, 30127. 1-781-307-6542 ronan262@yahoo.com

 

June 25 - 9:00 AM

Third Annual Sharon Timlin Memorial 5K Race/Walk and Family Fun Day
Hopkinton, MA 9:00AM Hopkinton High School, Hayden Rowe (5K professionally timed race/walk)

 

 

Schedule permitting, I plan to be at the Tom's Tavern series and the Timlin Run.

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF

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FIRST Plan Reflection

Some of the NC Pacers have been using the FIRST Plan for our training guide. As written about previously, it has the three basic components of any good plan: a pace/speed workout, a tempo run, and a long distance run. It is recommended that on at least two other days some cross training is done. This cross training can be anything from biking to walking to swimming. It just can't be running. The week schedules out at Tuesday (pace/speed work), Thursday (tempo run), and for the Pacers we have been running our distance on Sunday.

 

The one problem with the distance on Sunday is that you only get one day of recovery before the pace/speed workout on Tuesday. The official FIRST Plan calls for the distance run on Saturday to provide a two day recovery.

 

Why do we do Sundays?

 

It is more convenient to schedule. More of the runners have their kids activities on Saturday where they don't have that commitment on Sunday morning.

 

There have been a few times where due to holidays or other special events, we have shifted our distance from Sunday to Saturday. When we did so, those weeks were easier. I could feel the difference in my legs. Case in point is this week. We shifted from Sunday to Saturday as we worked the HMEA 5K Race. Pacers were spread out helping to set up, running the registration table, distributing the numbers, packets, etc. And then for race time, manning the water stops, cross roads, and the mile and two mile clocks to provide splits to the runners.

 

On the track last night for pace work, we did a small step ladder. 200-300-400-300-200, walk/jogging the same distance as a recovery before getting not the next step, with a full lap recovery at the end of the set before repeating the ladder. We did an easy mile to warm up and an easy half mile to warm down for about 5 miles total.

 

My legs felt really good. I think I need to run my distance on Saturday more often.

 

 

Technorati Tags : FIRST+Plan, run, running, RBF

 

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Pub Run

The NC Pacers had their first Pub Run with the Wampanoag Road Runners on Thursday over on the Crackerbarrel course with refreshments at Tom's Tavern after.

 

This was a predictive finish run. You estimated your finish time and then started in a staggered fashion. Slowest runners first, faster runners later. If it all worked out perfectly we would come into the finish line all at once.

 

Well, it did not workout exactly like that. Some did go faster, some go slower but it is an interesting concept. The train out of Boston was late and I missed this when we did it last year.

 

I wanted to take an easy run and did. I also was about 1:30 faster than I thought so I have some room to improve on my prediction for next time.

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, predictive+time, RBF

 

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Blogidarity - The Timmy Foundation

"We were not all born to be doctors or nurses, but we were all born to be healers," says Dr. Chuck.

Blogidarity is introducing The Timmy Foundation as the next organization for which we want to raise interest and to raise some funds.

Click on over to Blogidarity to read the introductory posting for the Timmy Foundation.

In each our own way, we can and should contribute to the effort that the Timmy Foundation is making.

I will do my part.

I ask you to consider what you can do to help.


Technorati Tags : Blogidarity, Timmy, contribution

Rainy run

Good run today. Knew I was going to get wet. It was unavoidable. Just accepted it. Avoided most puddles until the last stretch when it didn't much matter. Then you can become a kid again.

Splish, splash, I was running along...

Choose not to hang around at the Sunday Pacer meeting place for coffee, etc. The one Pacer buddy I ran with left as well. Thoughts of a hot shower or soaking in the tub dancing in our heads, we drove away.

I went with the shower to warm up. With dry clothes on and feeling warm, I stopped to do my stretching before eating breakfast and then sitting to read the paper.

A Mother's Day gathering with Dolores' family to look forward to this afternoon. We pick up her parents and then head to her sister's house down in RI. According to the radar, they are not getting as much rain as we are. Franklin has been on the edge of the swirl as the storm hovers around Boston. We have had periods of mist (like our walk yesterday morning) and then periods of drenching rain (like most of the run this morning). Such is New England weather! But I'll take this variety over most of the other patterns I have seen and heard of around these United States, thank you.

If you do run today, enjoy it.
Splash in a few puddles towards the end of the run.
Take the moment or two to be a kid again.

There is too much work in the world to not play when you get a chance!

May the roads/trails be kind to you!


Technorati Tags : NCPacers, run, running, RBF

Happy Mother's Day

The Union Ave tracks - Franklin, MA

Not just any old train tracks. These are the new tracks that were replaced on Thu/Fri this week and caused so much traffic in Franklin. This stretch of Union Ave happens to be one of the few routes to navigate from one side of Franklin to the other without going miles out of the way.

Well as the work crews were busy on Thu/Fri, many folks did have to go miles out of the way to get around. Or wait to move slowly along Route 140 through the center of town.

It is not normal for Franklin to have this kid of traffic so it surprised a good number of folks (myself included) when we came upon it with little or no warning.

The section of road will be under construction for some time as it gets rebuilt this summer. Hopefully, with the set of tracks replaced, the road will at least be passable albeit bumpy for most of the key drive time hours.

NCPacers Pub Run

A good group of the Pacers got together last night for an easy 3 mile run
staying mostly together like a pack of cross country runners
chatting about this and that
mixing pairs and threesomes here and there
finishing at a local watering hole for some liquid replenishment and munchies
and the rain held off

What more could we ask for?


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Catching up

Ran two loops to cover 8 miles on Sunday. It was cooler than I expected it was going to be. I had left the house with a short sleeve shirt and ended up putting on a long sleeve for the run. The temp was mid 30's F with a good breeze to create a wind chill. A small group of Pacers were out and about.

 

Tuesday night skipped the track workout that was scheduled for the Pacers due to the weather. It was raining pretty good and breezy. The track is out in the open and intervals would not have been a pleasent affair. Had some key races been fast approaching maybe I would have reconsidered but under the circumstances the Jordan Road loop had not seen my feet in awhile and the road was calling my name. I answered the call.

 

May the roads/trails be kind to you!

 

 

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Franklin Runners - Local Race Alert

Two good local races are coming up this month for those who are in the Franklin, MA area and want to do a 5K, or for those who whereever you are, want to run a 5K in Franklin.

 

The first; Saturday, May 13th for a good cause: Feed The Need

 

The second; Sunday, May 21st for another worthy cause: HMEA Independence 5K

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, NCPacers

 

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Where was I?

I have been neglecting to write. I know. I have been busy. Too much happening all at once.

 

I got to run in NYC while there last Friday morning. I left the hotel on West 50th, ran up 8th to Columbus Circle and into Central Park. I made my way along to The Tavern on the Green and then cut across on one of the paths that brought me by some of the ball fields I remembered walking along last year during the Gates exhibit. I joined one of the park roads and ended up coming out on 5th along 72st Street at which point I remained within the park to come down through the zoo and out onto Central Park West. Ran back along this to 7th Ave and then down to 50th and back to the hotel. A good waker upper for a run at around 6:30 AM in the Big Apple.

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF

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Falmouth update

Yes, the day has arrived. Falmouth race applications can be downloaded from the web site between NOW and May 8, sent to their PO Box, and then a raffle will be held to determine the entries later. According to the application I downloaded, they'll notify the entrants by June 2oth.

They do have a new sponsor this year, CIGNA.

So get an application and send it to them if you want a chance to run the race this year.

May 1

May Day!

Falmouth!

A great party race!

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, Pacers, Falmouth

Marathon Mistakes

The latest Active newsletter has a good article by Owen Anderson on Eleven Major Marathon Mistakes.

1. Most marathoners don't have the right time goal
2. Most marathon runners fail to fold goal-pace running into their long runs
3. Too many marathon runners try to carry out a long run every weekend
4. Most marathoners fail to use sports drinks properly during the race
5. Most marathon runners mix sports drinks with other things during the race
6. Many marathoners fail to standardize their pre-race meal
7. Too many marathoners try something new on race weekend
8. Marathon runners don't taper properly before the race
9. Too many marathoners emphasize volume of training over quality
10. Too many marathoners forget that fitness is the ultimate predictor of marathon success
11. Some marathoners actually think that walking during the race will improve their times

 

Read the full article here.

 

The listing is longer than I think it needs to be but it is a good start. The goal pace is key, if you do not realistically choose one that you can run for 26 miles, nothing else you do will matter. If you chose the appropriate one, that is what should drive all your training. Especially for first time marathoners, choose one that is slightly slower than realistic. Why? Trust me, you will be glad you did. For example, if you think your goal pace is 8:00, chose 8:15 (or 8:30 if you like easy to calculate round numbers).

 

To be successful, your training should be a mix of running to your max and recovery to remain fresh. There are many ways to do this. You can find any number of training programs on Runner's World, Cool Running, Jeff Galloway, etc. I like the concepts driving the FIRST Plan from the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training and would recommend that plan to start with. You are unique and should not blindly follow any standardized plan just because it works (or worked) for someone else. There are too many differences in type of runner, normal lifestyle, marathon prep stress to assume that what works for one will work for another. Don't be afraid to modify the plan to make it work for you. If you want a personalized plan, let me know. I'll help craft one for you.

 

 

Technorati Tags : Active, run, running, RBF, marathon, training

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Cool start

What a difference the season makes!

 

A few weeks ago, 38 degrees F meant putting on the running tights, hat, gloves, nice long sleeve weather top and t-shirt to go out into the run and depending upon the wind maybe a light wind breaker jacket. Today, 38 degrees F, I dared to venture forth just in running shorts, long sleeve t-shirt and short sleeve t-shirt combo. No need for hat and gloves. The sky was clear and blue. The sun shinning. As we were finishing our 8 and 10 mile runs, the temp had already moved into the mid-40's with a forecast of climbing into the 60's by mid-afternoon.

 

Yes, it will be a glorious day here in New England today!

 

A group of five NCPacers did the long run splitting into two groups, three that did about 10 miles and two that cut back to cover 8 miles. Two other Pacers started their 4 mile run early so they missed two more NCPacers who started at the regular time to do their 3 mile loop.

 

We staggered the start times on our Sunday runs to accommodate the various distances people want to run but generally all finish about the same time so we can finish with conversation over coffee and whatever at the local Dunkin Donuts.

 

If you are in the Franklin, MA area and want some company for a run on Sunday, check out the schedule at the NCPacers home page. Nothing like a little company to make the miles go by quicker.

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, NCPacers, weather

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Feed the Need 5K - May 13th, Franklin, MA

I recently received an email to post this on the Pacer's calendar and thought I share it here as well.

 

For runners in the Franklin (MA) area, this would be a good run/walk for a good cause!

 

 

Saturday, May 13th
Feed The Need 5k Walk/Run
www.feedtheneed.org

 
Feed the Need, Inc. is hosting another family 5k Walk/Run food drive for the Franklin Food Pantry. Besides the main run, we will have races for children, as well as, door prizes for all participants. Last year we collected around 1900 non-perishables for the pantry, please help us continue this tradition. The race location will be at the LDS church at 91 Jordan Road. On-site registration will be from 7-8:00 am. Or to save time, please pre-register at www.feedtheneed.org. The entry fee is 25 non-perishable food items and we will be giving race T-shirts to the first 100 people to drop-off goods.

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, 5K, feed+the+need

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Latest on Carbo Loading

The bowl of spaghetti before the race is commonplace but how did it get that way? An article from Active.com has a brief recap of the original study and brings you up to date with the latest thinking on this topic.

 

I recommend reading the whole article but for those who just want the "last word", I would summarize it as follows:

• In preparation for the race/event, do your normal training, then taper appropriately
• During your taper period, ensure that you switch to a high carb diet. Don't add calories, just switch to higher carbs, reducing fats and proteins proportionately
• During the morning on the day before the race/event perform
• a short-duration, high-intensity workout consisting of two and a half minutes at 130 percent of VO₂max (about one-mile race pace) followed by a 30-second sprint.
• During the next 24 hours consume
• 12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of lean muscle mass.

They reinforce the hard/easy training concept:

When you exercise vigorously almost every day, your body never gets a chance to fully replenish its glycogen stores before the next workout reduces them again. Only after 48 hours of very light training or complete rest are your glycogen levels fully compensated.

They also add a disclaimer that

carbo-loading in general has been shown to enhance race performance only when athletes consume little or no carbohydrate during the race itself. If you do use a sports drink or sports gels to fuel your race effort -- as you should -- prior carbo-loading probably will have no effect.

So if you don't do carbs during the race, carbo loading is the way to go. You can use the original (Ahlborg), modified (No Depletion), or latest method (Western Australia) summarized here.

 

Have a good run!

 

 

Technorati Tags : Active, run, running, RBF, carbo+loading

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Mountain biking in "Vietnam", MA

Running with the Pacers the other night we were having a post run discussion about the bike trails that can be observed along Route 495 Northbound near the Milford/Route 85 exit (Exit 20). There was an article in the Travel section of the Sunday Globe but I could not find any reference to it in the online Globe edition.

 

I could find a reference point on the New England Mountain Bike Assoc web site to what they call "Vietnam". The web site talks about how the land was purchased, is maintained, etc.

 

The calendar on the Blackstone Valley Chapter web site shows trail work is being scheduled for

 

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

Vietnam, Milford, MA—Merlin Trail Care Series Even if you don't normally ride the trails at these locations, its a great opportunity to meet those that do, lend a hand and maybe get out for a ride. Contact John Goeller for more information.

 

 

 

Technorati Tags : biking, exercise, MA, Pacers, NEMBA, BVNEMBA

 

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Dean College 10K Challenge

A good contingent of Pacers ran the first Dean College 10K Challenge today. Four of the Pacers finished with age group awards, an impressive showing for the local club. The complete results of the race can found on Cool Running.

 

I ran it as a workout and even then could have done better. Going out in the first mile at 7:00 felt good but I knew I was going to pay for it later. So it was a good workout...

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, blog, blogging, RBF, Pacers

 

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Stretching the limit

I ran into a bad spell here a couple of weeks ago. The running was terrible. It was not fun. It finally occurred to me that I had been too lackadaisical about my stretching and I was gradually tightening up. It occurred to me when I did try to stretch and my hands just about made it below my knees.

 

Duh!

 

Well, I have been a bit more regular about stretching since then and the running has improved along with this. I can now almost touch my toes.

 

Running the hill workout tonight I was able to hold steady at 2:18, 2:18 and 2:20 on the long side with 1:20, 1:20, 1:21 on the short side. Much better!

 

So Steve, gonna forget to stretch now?

Remind me please!

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, Pacers

 

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Boston's Great Day

The weather cooperated.

 

5 American men finished in the top 10.

 

Early word on the Pacers is that those who started finished.

 

To all those who ran (and those who supported the runners)

Rest and recover now... you have earned the rest and accomplished much!

 

Technorati Tags : Boston+Marathon, run, running, RBF

 

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Getting fit as one gets older

It was good to see the article in the Globe Magazine today about the numbers of older folks getting to the gym and in general attempting to get or stay fit.

 

One good reason:

THERE'S SOLID SCIENCE BEHIND WHY STRENGTH TRAINING works such rapid magic on midlife and older adults. After age 45, adults start losing about one-third to a half-pound of muscle and gain that much body fat every year, says Miriam Nelson of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. "Eventually you become so weak you can't walk up stairs or get out of a chair without assistance."

 

In the late 1980s, Dr. Irwin Rosenberg, former dean of the Friedman School, coined the term "sarcopenia" to describe this loss of muscle mass. At the time, Tufts researchers were conducting landmark strength-training studies on older sedentary men and women, including frail 90-year-olds in nursing homes using walkers and canes. Participants trained the same way younger people do -- with progressively heavier weights. (Earlier studies on older adults had shown little improvement in strength, probably because lighter weights were used to avoid injury.) This time, volunteers worked at 80 percent of their capacity, using weights heavy enough to lift eight times with good form. After weight training three times a week for eight weeks, the volunteers increased their strength an average of 175 percent. Two women dumped their canes.

 

If you have not already started an exercise program, don't wait. There is no time like today!

 

 

Technorati Tags : fitness, elder, run, running, gym, exercise

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What is love?

What is love?

 

1. Waking up when you are ready 
2. Shoes that fit
3. Weather that cooperates
4. A course that challenges
5. Companionship on the same course
6. Satisfaction at the end
7. Feeling refreshed

 

What would your list look like?

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, love, theme, variation

 

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Final Marathon Preparations

I sent a series of emails to the Boston bound Pacers with the following stories to help them in their final preparations for marathon Monday.

Boston Bound (Sometimes in order to measure up, you need to step back) RW Article

Enduring Questions - How Much Should You Drink During A Marathon? (You used to worry about not hydrating enough. But new studies say that too much could be even worse) RW Article

The Science Behind Bonking (When your body stalls mid-run, it's called bonking. When scientists debate the causes, it's called a food fight. Here's everything you need to know) RW Article

These three were from Runner's World.

The final was my own concoction of experience and wild idea from Elton John's Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting).

Good luck to all those doing Boston on Monday!


Technorati Tags : Boston+Marathon, run, running, RBF, Pacers

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Runners' bar codes help health, safety officials at big events

Caught this write up in yesterday's Boston Globe via the AP on how the bar code runner's tag will be used to track any runner who leaves the course to be treated for any medical problem. Previous years, if you left the course, you were effectively lost to the tracking of the system on the course itself.

This year, the organizers have distributed bar code scanners to the emergency personnel who will scan any one they treat and enable tracking of the runners when they are off the course.

Family and friends will appreciate knowing where their runners are.

Using the system will help prepare for a large emergency.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

Read the article here.


Technorati Tags : bar+codes, run, running, medical+help, Boston+Marathon, RBF

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Saturday Night's alright (for sleeping and eating)

The Boston Marathon is Monday, otherwise known as Patriot's Day here in Massachusetts. It is a Boston holiday but sadly not one celebrated by my workplace. We stick to the major holidays and the days the stock market is closed (like Good Friday).

 

Even though Elton John sang:

"Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)"

It's getting late have you seen my mates
Ma tell me when the boys get here
It's seven o'clock and I want to rock
Want to get a belly full of beer

Marathoners would be better off getting a spaghetti dinner and a good nights sleep.

 

The spaghetti dinner provides the carbo load the body will require.

 

A good full night of sleep will pay big dividends on race day. The night before the night before the race is more important than the night before the race. Your nerves can control the night before. It is human nature to feel this. You have trained for so long, it all comes down to this day. What will the weather be like? Will I be ready?

 

Yes, you will be. You are.

 

You have done what you could to get here. Rest the night before the night before (yes, that's Saturday night) after your good pasta dinner.

 

Relax with the family and friends on Sunday. And then Monday, turn those butterfly nerves into the tiny winged feet you have seen and use them to power your race.

 

It is your day!

 

Make it a good one!

 

 

Technorati Tags : Saturday, music, run, running, RBF, Boston+Marathon

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1st Annual Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Walk - 4/30/06

1^st Annual Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Walk

3-Mile Trail or Paved Road Walk & Family Fun Day!

Sunday, April 30th ~ 9:00 AM

Hopkinton State Park - Split Rock Site, Route 85, Hopkinton, MA

Presented by: The Hopkinton Running Club and Friends of Andy Welzel

All Proceeds Benefit PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – Tax ID 33-0841281)

A Non-profit Organization Focusing on Advocacy, Awareness & Support for Pancreatic Cancer

For additional details and entry forms, visit the Hopkinton Running Club website.

Technorati Tags : pancan, run, running, RBF, Hopkinton, Pacers

Hollis Apple Country Fast 5K - June 8th

This year's edition of the Hollis Fast 5K is coming up June 8th.

 

The course drops 224 feet in elevation from start to finish, hence it's "Fast" moniker.

 

Read more here.

 

 

Technorati Tags : 5K, race, run, running, RBF, Hollis

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Falmouth Road Race Alert

This year's Falmouth Road Race is looking for a new sponsor and will be run on August 13th. The race application can be downloaded from the web site between May 1 and May 8, sent to their PO Box, and then a raffle will be held to determine the entries later in May.

 

So mark your calendar for May 1 to get an application and send it to them!

 

May 1

 

May Day!

 

Falmouth!

 

A great party race!

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, Pacers, Falmouth

 

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The Loco Shoe Story

 

 

The running shoe market is full of established competitors: Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, Asics to list the top ones reviewed in a recent Runner’s World shoe issue.

 

So how does one try and break into this market?

 

Identify a niche

Most shoe models are changed every year so if a running likes a particular shoe, they can't keep buying it every year. It keeps changing. Some runners really serious about their shoes will go and buy several to keep them around for awhile. So what if a company comes along and guarantees to keep a model active, available and unchanged for 5 years. See the Loco promise.

 

Put together a team

Recruit some running shoe design experience. Get some marketing experience. Checkout the bios of the founders.

 

Put together a different approach

Co-sponsor of local road races. Instead of providing t-shirts to runners for the entry fee and souvenir, give them one model of the new shoe in their size.

 

Big risk.

If the runners don't like the shoe, some may not even enter the race.

If they try it out and don't like it, the word will spread.

Of course, they are hoping that by trying it out and liking it, that this good word will spread.

 

This is the Loco Shoe story.

 

If you are running in New England, consider a Loco race!

 

 

Technorati Tags : loco, run, running, shoe, niche, marketing

 

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Boston Marathon Tip

Consider the course and how everyone talks about the hills, especially Heartbreak Hill...

Consider the fact that the high point of the course is actually at the starting line in Hopkinton...

Consider the fact that overall 18 of the 26 miles are run "down hill"... (down defined as the ending elevation for the mile is lower than where it started)

If the course were laid out as an up or down map (PDF), it would look like this:

1 down

2 down

3 down

4 down

5 up

6 down

7 down

8 up

9 down

10 up

11 down

12 down

13 down

14 up

15 up/down

16 down

17 up

18 up

19 up

20 up

21 up/down

22 down

23 down

24 down

25 down

26 down

You drop 300 feet in elevation in the first 4 miles.

A controlled pace at the start is so crucial to running a good Boston.

Control yourself.
Take your time.
Enjoy the crowd.

Your body will thank you when you reach 21 miles and you have some strength left to finish the course.

Technorati Tags : run, running, pace, RBF, downhill

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Red sunset

 

Direct to red sky

When alone again tonight

Ran three quick miles

 

 

Technorati Tags : run, running, RBF, sunset, haiku

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