Eric Eagan

How am I going to get faster? Besides just running faster…. which I believe is the BEST way to race faster. Think about it, you will never run a 9 minute pace if you only ever train at a 10 minute pace. So I will of course be running faster in order to “run faster."
 
But where else can I improve?
 
Let me break down where I broke down in the race and how I plan to improve:

The Problem: Core – There were a few points that I could tell I needed muscle support for my breathing, and a few times I caught myself slouching a bit (especially on the hills). A strong core will fix this and support my back.

The Fix: P90X ab ripper x and p90x yoga are going to attack this – I have completed week 1. Yep, it’s for real.

The Problem: Hip flexors – Running, especially running up hills requires the hip flexors to really work hard. Mine are weak. I know this. I have known this. I continue to fail to address the issue. No more. I am going to work them hard (I started it this week already and I am feeling it). If I can have better, stronger, and “easier” turnover later in races, I will be well on my way to faster times.

The Fix: I will continue with my weekly hill work. I have also noticed yoga and ab work use hip flexors, so I will benefit from this.

The Problem: Upper back/shoulders – Like my core, this contributes to the slumping and slouching. When tired, I run a bit “scrunched” I need to work on relaxing, but I also need to make these  areas stronger to stand up tall. A tall runner breathes better. Oxygen is kind of important huh?

The Fix: I am in round one of p90x right now. 90 days to get stronger. If I think I am missing out, I will add muscle specific workouts. Yoga and lifting will help me with this.

The Problem: Foot strength – I love the Hattori – They require strong feet and lower legs. Weak feet and lower legs lead to a breakdown all the way up through the shoulders. A solid base is required.

The Fix: I will be doing all of my yoga and lifting in my Fila Skeletoes – That should help. I will also run more often in the Hattori. That should help. Running starts with the feet.
 
Where are you “weak” as a runner or athlete? Have you ever made a plan to fix it? Let me know. Figure it out, make some changes, and then keep in keepin on!

I  have been very public about how I am going to qualify for the Boston Marathon via the Rochester Marathon this fall. The Flower City Challenge half marathon was last weekend, and while I've prepped for this, I have been longing to run more trails.

Recently we launched TrailsROC, the Dirt Cheap series began, many of my running friends are hitting up The Segahunda Trail Marathon in a month, and my interest to run a road race has faded a bit as my passion for trails has taken off.
I have begun thinking more and more every day about running further and further. Every time I put in more miles on a long training run, it did not feel enough. I wanted more.

Last fall we ran the Mud Slog, A 12K in the woods, we also ran the Dirt Cheap Stage Races (3 races in 2 days), and it did not feel like enough. I felt ready for more. Ready to run. The trails made me just want it in a way the roads never have.
With that said, I began thinking about an Ultra. Last night we picked up hydration packs. Now we can carry food and water on long runs comfortably.

Then my brain really took off. I started to see what races were open for the fall. What would be acceptable. What could I accomplish with the base I currently have and the hard work I am willing to put in.

So. Where does this leave me?

The Western NY Ultra Series is one option. This leaves me with a lot of options (see below) and I like the choices. Some of these are roads, and while I like the ability for support, and the easy terrain. I believe ultras are meant to be run off the road. On dirt trails, climbing up and down. Getting muddy, getting wet. That removes BPAC and Can Lake.

The BPAC 6 hour distance classic
Highland Forrest 1, 2, 3 (30 miles)
The Finger Lakes Fifties
The Green Lake Endurance Runs (50K, 100K)
The Can Lake 50 Ultras
The Mendon Trail Runs (50K)

Other choices outside of the ultra series include the following:

Segahunda Trail Marathon
The Beast of Burden 100 Mile SUMMER – WINTER
The Virgil Forrest Monster Marathon
Virgil Crest Ultra 50K, 50 Mile, 100 Mile

This gives me a lot of great options. The Monster Marathon and Segahunda are considerable in terms of the challenge. They have finishing times that mirror many of the longer races.

What about Boston? I am confident I can qualify for Boston… I have the leg turn over and the lung capacity. I think I will give it a go anyway this fall at the Rochester Marathon. The great thing about goals are that they are adaptable. I am surely going to put in the work that would help me get to Boston. I just may not want to as much as I want to go crush some trails…

Have you ever run an Ultra? Do you want to run one? What do you love most about trails?

Let me know, then keep on keepin on.
 

The hay, as they say, is in the barn. The flower City Challenge is 9 days away. I have done the hard work. I have run hills, I  have run tempo runs, I have run mile repeats, I have run long runs. I have run in the heat, in the cold, in the rain and in the snow. I have run solo, and I have run with friends.

They say any workout you does not reap any aerobic benefit within 10-11 days. That means no matter what I do between now and Sunday April 29 will make me any faster. On the reverse side, I have overdone it in the past and I am not taking that risk this time.

I have stepped to the line on race day with still tired legs having been afraid to taper. I am not making that mistake this time. All my runs from here on out are going to be the easy kind that simply keep me fresh.

I will run some 400 meter pace repeats the Tuesday of race week just to keep my legs sharp but there will be no stress when doing so. I am almost 100 percent sure I will be racing in my Hattori. I will make that decision by Wednesday. Then, I will wait…

This is not my goal race, it is part of the pathway to Boston, but I still have goals. I am planning to run a 1:40:00 half marathon. I am planning to make it through the hills on pace and then see what I have left for miles 9-13.
I am planning on having a successful race.

So here we go, one more long easy run tomorrow (TrailsROC), and then the taper madness begins. I am going to need to find something to do with all my nervous energy.

Maybe yoga will help.

Barn meet hay, hay meet barn… you only need to spend a week or so together, then we burn it down out on the course.

Play nice.
 

As one of the co-founders for www.TrailsROC.org and an avid trail runner I have been making a lot of trail running posts on twitter and facebook now that trail season is in full effect.

With that said, a number of people have been telling me they have interest in running trails, but they are not exactly sure how to take them on. They are nervous, or intimidated, or just so unwilling to step out of their road comfort zone that they stare longingly at the trail heads while shuffling their feet.

Well, I am here to tell you it’s not that tough. Let’s take a look at 10 steps that beginners can use for trail running. This is by no means the end all be all guide, just some basics to get you motivated and out on the trails.

1. It’s just running; Everyone knows how to run, so just go run! Trust me, you know how to do this already.

2. You will fall; Everyone does. Heck, many of us fall on flat roads. The way to avoid this is to follow a few simple steps.

     A. Take smaller and quicker steps – This keeps your feet under you and your legs moving forward.
     B. Look where you are going – Trails bob and weave and dip and dive. Roots, rocks, and leaves are everywhere – The scenery is amazing, but if you enjoy it for too long you are bound to take a spill.
     C. If you are at the fatigue point, back it off. This is when your leg lift dies a bit, causing you to not clear obstacles as well.
     D. If you have a choice between 2 steps and 3 to get over that log, I suggest taking 4. You will save energy, and stay safe.

I was side by side a guy in my last race, he tried to jump one leg up and over a log, I took 3 steps. My cadence was fast so I hit the ground on the other side in control, and never looked back as I dropped him. A lot of that had to do with being efficient.

3. Walk the uphills; I just did this in my last race and it was a HUGE success. I find it hard to “let someone go” in a race, but on a huge hillside trail, they won’t make much ground on you and then you will be fresh at the top and will reel them in on the backside of that hill. Also, stand tall or at least keep the upper body straight while going up the hills, you don’t want to compress the lungs and diaphragm, that makes breathing harder!

4. Ignore your times: You cannot. I repeat, you cannot compare trail times to road times. They are not even remotely similar. Would you compare a pool swim time to an open water ocean swim? Run for total time or run for fun but never run to compare to roads, you will only be disappointed.

You will however be surprised at how much trail running improves your road times though. A happy side effect of trails!

5. Control those downhills – Some downhills are nasty, root and rock infested slopes. Take your time. Nothing is worse than an out of control downhill runner. Only two things stop them. Trees or the ground. I would prefer you avoid both!

6. BACK OFF! On the roads it is tempting to tuck in behind a runner and sort of “draft”. On trails that is a recipe for disaster. You won’t be able to see the trail or obstacles and when that runner jumps, jives, or ducks out of the way of something guess who falls in the hole, misses a turn, or gets smacked by a huge branch that is swinging back off that runner you were tailing? Yep. You.

7. Wildlife is wild. Remember that. Respect that. In most parts of the country your trails will only have some deer or turkey. In other areas you may have bears, moose, or even more dangerous animals. Be careful. Be respectful, and avoid skunks at all costs.

8. Gear - Trail shoes certainly help, but are not required. Before you go out and buy the latest and greatest, decide if you love the trails or not. On Wednesday I saw a LOT of runners running very well in regular road shoes. I do suggest though wearing socks that are a bit taller, keeps junk out.

9. Use the buddy system – If you have never run trails before, run a local race, ask a friend to go with you or find a trail clinic if any are in your area. If you must forge ahead alone, bring a phone with you as a “just in case”. You will see things on the trail  you will never see on the roads, it is always nice to have someone to share those with!

10. Have fun – Run down streams, jump through mud puddles, climb over that fallen tree, hug a hippie, get dirty, smile a lot and enjoy running as we were meant to run and have run for millions of years! Stop and take pictures if you want to, stop to just take in the scenery and the scents. Trail running is a different atmosphere. Soak it in, enjoy the process, but most of all remember to have fun and enjoy yourself.

That should make it easy to keep on keepin on, even when you run where the road ends.
 

The trails are still dark, there is dew on the fields and the early morning mist is just lifting. That’s when it happens, a burst of blonde energy comes around the corner and in a flash is gone. Just like that, back into the mist. If you were out hiking the Appalachian Trail that early misty morning and you blinked, you may have missed her.

Ashley Walsh spends hours each week and runs thousands of miles each year so she can be the runner blowing by you as you struggle your way over a hard uphill section of a trail.  Ashley is an ultra runner and was the top overall female (6th overall) in the Ancient Oaks 100 miler  and the top overall Female (2nd overall) in A Stroll in Central Park 12 hour race (in which she ran 70.4 miles). She has not always been an Ultra Runner though. In fact, she did not begin crushing it at the over marathon distance until just a few short years ago. It wasn’t until then that she had ever even heard of an ultra.

"My close friend, Beth McCurdy (from this blog), introduced me to the idea of ultras when she told me she was running a 100 mile race. Once I became aware of the distances past the marathon, it was an easy step to take towards the ultra direction. I was drawn to the seemingly impossible idea of her 100 miles of nonstop running. Beth inspired me to do the same. I ran my first 100 about 2 years after my first half marathon.”

We were lucky enough here at TrailsRoc to have the opportunity to interview Ashley Walsh. To give her a chance to tell us her story, and to help us figure out what it takes to become one of the top Ultra Runners around.

Not only has Walsh become the epitome of fitness and a champion distance runner, she has done so while overcoming a severe drug addiction brought on by a need to fit in and constant grade school teasing that “the new kid”  always seems to endure as her family moved from school to school while a youth. She even failed phys ed 2 times because of her inability (or disinterest) in completing the running component.
     
So just how did a woman who once called her husband “nuts” for running to the stop sign on their street, (.7 miles) become such a dominant force in the world of ultra running? Why did that woman decide to run 100 miles? She called her husband nuts, and then she realized there must be more out there for them. It was around this time that Ashley decided that to be the mom she wanted to be, and to be the wife she felt her husband deserved that she would get herself in shape. Six months later she ran a 24 minute 5K and the rest as they say, is history.

For many of us, running, and specifically trail running is a  way to kick back at the demons of our past, to pound them out on the trails and to leave them behind in a stuttering mess of mud and rock, broken and exhausted in our wake. Ashley is no different..

“Ever since I started running, I have always craved to push myself harder: faster, farther, running crazier trails and doing tougher races. No matter the way I choose to do it, I simply like to push myself past the comfort zone.”

It is leaving this comfort zone that we all can embrace what comes next, and in trail running, what comes next is typically something like a big hill or rocky creek bed to traverse. We wanted to know if what drives Ashley to run trails is the same as what drives many of us. As someone who grew up on a farm, Ashley naturally gravitates to the trails, but it’s what she says about why she does this that is the same reason many city folk do the same.

“I enjoy the sense of rawness I get when I sprint through the trees on a twisty single track. There is nothing quite like it.”

“Nothing quite like it” may be the best way to define trail running. Asphalt is asphalt. Trails are  never the same, not from one day to the next, not from one season to the next. Trails are alive and it that seems to be one thing that keeps runners like Ashley coming back time and time again.

But what does it really take? What does a mother of 2 have to do in order to accomplish what Ashley has accomplished at such an early age with toddlers running around the house? The realization as she puts it is that “Family comes first”.

Many people may roll their eyes and say “there is no way you can run that kind of mileage and still say family comes first”, Ashley disagrees (as do we at TrailsRoc ). We each find our own ways to fit in our mileage and we each have families, but the question for Ashley is how does she do it. She ran over 6,000 miles last year. How can you do that and be family focused? Some of us literally may not even drive that far this year. So what is the rule? How does it work?
.
The rule is family first “It is easy to unintentionally forget this rule when you are very focused on achieving a big goal! In the past, I have trained at well over 100 miles a week. I did almost all of my running predawn before my children (6 & 4 year olds) were awake. I will do this again when I amp up my training miles this summer. I find that it is absolutely necessary to make sure that my family knows that while I like to run, I do not value running over time that could be spent with them. My actions should always reflect these feelings”

Like many of us who love to play around and get dirty on the trails, Ashley realizes we can never do this with a proper support system and in order to have that, we have to support them as much as they support us. When speaking of her family, specifically her husband, Ashley knows these races (and even long training runs) won’t happen without him, so she makes sure to be fair to his interests. Running can often seem like a selfish sport. It can be isolating. It can take hours each day. When not done with that in mind it can be polarizing. So what can you do? How do you find the middle ground?

“It is all about balance and prioritizing the most important things. Running is great, but our loved ones are much much greater! I make sure he gets the same amount of time to enjoy his hobbies in return.”

But what about the mileage you might ask? How can you be sure to not overdo it and wind up cranky, tired, or injured all taking time away from your family and friends? Ashley admits it can be a challenge, perhaps the biggest challenge ultra runners face. Each runner is different, each runner can handle different amounts of running. It is important to roll the miles up slowly if you are new, and to listen to your body. New or old listening to your body will be the most important clue as to just how much you can handle. Trails are also a lot different from roads, so listen closely.

"The challenge for me is making sure I do not do more than my body can handle. My mind is always very willing to run fast, far, and hard, but oftentimes my body simply can’t keep up”

So what about actually getting out on the trails? What do you do? What do you need? What should you know? You  have to stay prepared and at the ready. As for gear there is a fine line between carrying what you need for a long run in the woods and having so much that is weighs you down, Ashley knows this and offers up some advice on what she does. This will be different for each runner. Her advice is sound, yet we suggest newer runners air on the side of too much over too little. Better safe than sorry. As your experience goes up, your pack list may very well go down.

“I prefer to run with a women’s Nathan Intensity pack without the bladder. I keep my food, cell phone, and first aid in the pack, and use a handheld bottle for liquids. If I am going out for a really long unsupported run, I will use the pack bladder instead. My thoughts on gear are that it is best to be prepared but not overly prepared. You don’t want to be lugging 10 extra pounds over 100 miles. Plan out exactly what you need pre race and if there are water and aid stations- take note of these and plan your gear accordingly.”

As for safety; (a big concern, especially among female runners, and especially among female trail runners). Besides clipping a knife to her bra that she runs with at all times (as a sort of last resort protection) being prepared and knowing where you are plays a huge role. Always let someone know where you are going, when you plan to be back and what  you have with you (solid advice for any runner, not just trail runners). Bring a map, bring some water, and have a plan. Even professional runners get off track and get twisted inside out when on the trails. Make sure you know where you are going and how to get back.

“In my last 100 mile attempt, I got badly off course.  Thankfully, I was with several others and we had a map, so we were able to navigate our way back to the right path.  Other than that, there really hasn’t been that many times that I’ve gotten too terribly lost.  When I explore new trails, I always hang a right any time I come to an intersection. This makes it easy to find my way back in case I get a little turned around.”

It’s not all beautiful scenery and happy thoughts out on the trails. Running mileage like this is a challenge, it takes hard work it takes preperation. With the increase in people running longer and attempting longer races it is important to figure out how to safely do it. When we asked what the key to succeeding the way she has was and Ashley agreed with us that it is indeed hard work. She then gave us some tips.

“Proper training, an unbreakable spirit, and basically a good day.  100s are becoming pretty popular, and there are many people who just dive in without putting much thought or training into it, and these people rarely have what it takes to actually complete the gig. It may look like a lot of fun, but actually finishing 100 miles hurts like heck. It takes a ton of grit, patience, and pain tolerance to push through to the finish. Yet, even for a well trained ultra athlete, 100 miles isn’t ever a guarantee. It takes so long to cover the distance that pretty much anything can happen-  a blizzard, lightening storms, a broken ankle.. ANYTHING!”

So even is you train your guts out people still do not complete the courses? How, why? I mean a DNF when you worked so hard? As we said though, rain, snow, wind, animals, stomach issues and most of all out on the trails our emoitions can get the better of us. Highs are really high, but the lows can be miserably low. Finding a support system as Ashley has is one key to her success.

This does not mean she has been without trial in her time as an ultra runner. She admits to having breakdowns, on runs, in races, and everywhere in between. What serious runner has not done this or has not taken ourselves too seriously? Ashley, like many of us trains because she loves the way it makes her feel, even the emotional lows.

"My husband and friends always have to remind me that I run for fun, and train because I love the way it feels. I am thankful to have others that support my hobby and help me keep my head on straight.”

We at TrailsRoc think Ashley has a bright future in our sport, she has a few wins under her belt already, a few burnouts to learn from (recently she was forced to take a few months off from training because she had overdone it). She has a support crew to rely on and an understanding of how all the pieces fit together. She accomplished all of this in just a few short years. While she is not currently craving the races as often as she once was, this may keep her fresh and boil her competitive spirit even more. Again, it is about balance, so Ashley sees herself crushing some 100 mile races and enjoying her “downtime” in between.

For anyone interested in getting involved in trail running, or even more intense into ultra running, Ashley is pretty clear that it takes work.  Hard work.

It takes commitment, it takes support, and it really is not a sport for everyone.  don’t feel bad if your body simply doesn’t agree with longer distances. Some of us are built for short and fast, and others for long and slow. Either way, remember to enjoy yourself and don’t get caught up in what everyone else is doing. Explore your local trails, and mentally get lost in the amazing natural world around you- because if you miss all the beauty you are missing the real rewards! Explore your local trails!

We at TrailsRoc could not agree more.

More about Ashley:
Though I am a runner, I am also known for my writing. I am the writer at www.ultrachicksunite.com, a website celebrating female ultra athletes. My writing will be featured this year at the legendary Badwater 135 race as I join the official race staff to provide media coverage for the female racers. This will be a first for me, and for the race. So I am very excited to be a part of this! I also blog daily about the ups and downs of being an obsessive and emotional trail junkie at AshWalsh.WordPress.com.

The Flower City Challenge is coming up in exactly 1 month.

If you are looking for the best endurance sport weekend you will find, come on out to Rochester April 28-29.

A duathalon, a triathalon (paddle instead of swim) a half marathon, and a 5k. It is unique, and you should put this on your bucket list.

I am starting to feel a bit more prepared and my runs have left me tired but feeling accomplished. I have really put in some hard work in the last few weeks and I feel like all of my PRs are in some real danger this year!

I recently received the most current newsletter from the Flower City Challenge Committee and they included this years pace leaders and goal times. I have made it a very public, and very ambitious goal to run a 1:40 this year. That would be about a 15 minute PR for me. I looked at the goal times, and posted on twitter asking a few questions;

1. Do you ever utilize the pace leaders?

2. If so, do you start with a more conservative approach and then pop off the final few miles to hit your goal time?

For example, the group leaders for this race are as follows:

1:30:00

1:40:00

1:45:00

1:50:00  and so on…

My initial thought was hey, lets kick butt and go with the 1:40 group and then if I feel good I will be sub 1:40.

But then I thought about it and figured that was really ambitious so let me go with the 1:45 group and run a negative split. If I feel good I could possibly motivate myself to try and catch the 1:40 group.

Then I thought, what the heck, this is all about the Failure Club isn’t it? Which would mean I start with the 1:40s and nothing they do will allow them to break me, not even the mile long uphill at mile 6.

Then I thought about how tired my legs are today and were on Tuesday during our on course tempo run and figured I better go with the 1:45 group to start and play it safe.

Then I told myself that I have been running tempos and intervals on very overworked legs. Example: 8 miles of hard trail work on Saturday followed by 8 miles of hill work on Sunday, followed by a total body workout and 5 easy miles on Monday and THEN the tempo, at pace, while chasing geese and having fun…. so go with the 1:40s.

Then I realized I am totally at a loss of what to do and decided to just go run my intervals as hard as I can tonight. I want to be sucking wind after each mile is finished, and then I want to go back for more.

So…. what do you usually do? Do you race? Do you pace? Do you do anything in between?

Let me know!

Many of you know we started a little trail resource called www.TrailsROC.org. Our goal is simple, to introduce more people to trail running, and to be a resource for people who want to know where trails are, how to find them and what they are like.

We plan to map out ALL of the local trails in the coming years, host the occasional meetup and let people meet each other and find a love for the park and trail system.

Well, for all of the trails in Monroe County Parks, any and all group “meet ups” are on hold. We caught an email letting us know about a permit policy, and even insurance requirement…. For real, Monroe County? 

• Special Use Applications - If your event is open to the public or qualifies as one of the following:festivals, benefits, corporate functions, races, runs, walks, film/photo shoots, tournaments, athletic events, church picnics, concerts, or large camping events, please download and fill out a “Special Use Application” as completely as possible, and submit this form to the Parks Department with the appropriate payment for fees.
   
• Certificate of Insurance - If your event qualifies as a “special use” noted above, please obtain a copy of your organization’s ”Certificate of Insurance” that lists Monroe County as “additional insured” and submit it to the Parks Department.
   
• Health Department Permits - If you or any vendors are providing food to the public (donated OR selling OR providing for free) fill out a Temporary Food Establishment Certification Applications completely as possible, and submit to the Health Department at Food Protection.

It is so sad to me that we live in such a society that we need a permit and insurance to introduce people to the trails. It is almost as if Monroe County does NOT want us using the trails.

TrailsROC is not an organization that is going to make money. We love trails and we want to share trails. We want to experience off road running with others and let them find the love for trails that we have found.
We have a forum page, but as Ben one of our founders says “TrailsROC is informal and for exchange of information – if people want to post “meetup” runs then that’s nothing official on behalf of TrailsROC.”

We are not about races… well, not hosting any. We love sharing what is out there so everyone else can find a trail race that fits them. Groups put on their own races together… not us. My favorite being produced by Yellow Jacket Racing with Dirt and Snow Cheap races…. but we are only here to share with them, not to compete with them… we have no plans on this.

So Monroe County Parks… You are on notice. Stop making it difficult for people to use you. Stop trying to force people into a mess of red tape…  Lots of trails are out there outside the realm of your parks… which is too bad because yours are some of the best.

Last week I read a post that talked about how negative and jealous we often get. The point was for us to celebrate the happiness of others.

What a concept.

We live in a world where we find a way to be critical of others no matter what the choice. If people decide to live frugal and are so happy doing it, we call them cheap, we say they live scared, that they "don't really live".

If people decide to spend big, and spend time keepin up with others, we mock them for that "with their big fancy cars, and unhappy lives".

We do this all the time, don't we? We judge how others, we tell each other about "them", without any real consideration to how they are doing it, or if they are happy doing it.

How about if someone you know gets a new house? A  fancy boat? Are we at first thrilled and excited for them? Or, are we looking for ways to judge them about it?

We do this in running to. I get caught doing this. I look at other runners, and if they run a certain time, I am like "YO I could do that". We get mad at other runners, then we get mad at ourselves, then we just get mad overall. We mock people who run in all cotton, we mock people who are all decked out in Tri gear for a local 5k, we talk about short shorts, and big runners, and thin runners.

I am so guilty of this. I am also really working on it. I want to celebrate the happiness of others, I think it brings us to another level if we can try to stay positive. It helps with everything we do.

I have found when we start to get negative, it surrounds us. It takes over what we are doing and why we are doing it. If someone elses happiness is driving us mad, we need to take a good long look at ourselves and see where our values and perceptions are.

Why are we MAD at someone else who is having success? The internet makes it easy to be jealous of what others have. We spend so much time thinking and complaining about others that we often forget to think about how good we have it ourselves.

Live in the now, stay happier, stay healthier. It is time to celebrate the happiness of others... If we do for them, maybe, just maybe they will for us.

It's sunny and warm out today. I will run in shorts and a t-shirt today. If you have crappy weather, be happy for me, I will be happy when it is your turn!

Give it a try, then keep on keepin on!

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is!! That was a poem I heard in my Old English Literature class at Fredonia and never forgot. Author was unknown.

This weather is nuts. I have never anything like it. As of now this is a runners dream spring. I have been running in shorts and tshirts and ending runs soaked in sweat. We have sat outside at campfires already, and this shows no signs of stopping. Flowers are actually up, my grass is actually growing. Spring has never been this early in Rochester. It makes me nervous for a really hot racing season, but I plan on adjusting as much as possible as early as possible. How do you handle temp changes? I will be in Florida the first week of April so I should be able to get some hot weather runs done while we are there.

My week:Easy Run: Sprinkled in to keep them fresh. - Even a few double days!!!

Hills: I have been working the hill hard the last few weeks. This week I decided to run 3 total at Cobbs hill (which is 6 ups and 6 downs). I had a workout planned of easy up and as hard as I could coming down. I have found that I am getting strong enough that I was also able to run hard up about half the hills.

Tempo: Twice it was turned into Yasso 800's I am ok with that as the Yassos are a killer workout, the real tempo is next week when I do a double one to see how I hold up.

Long: Round the Bay... Check out the report here - 14 miles of hills and fun. I felt so strong and so fluid there was never a problem. That is what I want my runs to feel like.

The doubts: FOOOOD. I am still making bad choices, they are just very limited now. So maybe this isn't really a doubt and more of a "concern to be fixed"

The “can do moment”:  Energy filled legs on all my workouts - Yasso 800s being hit on the numbers each and every split- Round The Bay- All these felt great, all of these boosted confidence.

The challenge moving forward: This week coming up is an at pace tempo, and pretty soon I will start incorporating longer pace runs on the weekends.

Conclusion: I have a long way to go but the good news is I have a long time to get there. The plan is in place, I had some diet mix ups but those mix ups were small in the grand scheme of things. I have really started to clean up the common messes and replace them with planned ones... now if I can cut down on the planned ones we may be on to something. I credit my improved diet with my improved recovery and energy in my legs. I am starting to feel really confident moving forward with this race plan, still not sure i'll pull it off, but ya know what? Why not? The only way to find out is to keep on keepin on

 

This weekend I had a shift in thinking about how I wanted to race. Every race I tend to enter with a plan. I enter with a goal, and I enter with expectations. That was no different this weekend. We had driven home to Buffalo, I was ready for the race, and then Mother Nature gave a big fat middle finger to my plans.
The wind…. oh man, the wind……..

I decided to run as hard as I could given the condition, I had already decided a PR was probably out of the question. I wanted to have fun though. I was going to high five people on corners. Cheer people drinking beers at the bars. I decided to take in the neighborhood, enjoy the scent of freshly made Cherios from the General Mills plant. I said screw the clock, let’s have fun.

Ya know what was the most fun though? Running with that attitude, and running EXACTLY the time I had  planned to run, even though I threw out my plan. How did this happen? What made it work? Living (running) in the now clearly helped me get there.

I started thinking about this a few weeks ago when Mcm-Mamma-Runs wrote about a race called “love the run your’e with” It was a Valentine-themed race. It got me thinking, though. If I could just get into each and every run DURING each and every run I would enjoy it more.

Saturday I found some joy in running, and because I did that, I found joy in racing. That is how I am going to try to run (race) from now on. If I put in the work, the race can be fun, if the race is fun, the results will be great regardless of the clock (and I am pretty sure the clock will look great too.) It is about enjoying the moments, in the moments!

This past Saturday was the Buffalo Shamrock Run. This took us through the Old First Ward and the neighborhood my parents grew up in before moving from South Buffalo to West Seneca. South Buffalo is one of the most proud Irish neighborhoods in the country. I love going home to visit.

The Weather: 35 degrees, snow, and the kicker… 30 mph consistent wind, gusts up to 48 mph in the time frame during the race. I am not a small guy and there were 2 or 3 times when I was actually moved by the wind. The course was actually changed from 4.97 miles to 4.55 because we were unable to run across the Buffalo River due to the high winds making it unsafe.
 
Overall time: 35:16 official

Placing: Overall 419 out our 3,646 My goal was top 500. I am happy with 419, If I had known about the short course, I am assuming it would have been 3-something.
Age group -  341 out of 2507 – Big age group

Mile reports:
Mile 1: 7:41 Wind at our backs from the left.
Mile 2: 7:45 Wind straight into face from the left
Mile 3: 7:59 Wind straight into face from the right
Mile 4: 7:51 Wind straight into face head on
Mile .55 4:09 -Wind at our backs from the left hard push at the finish. I wish I had known this was.55 and not .97, that changed the way I ran the final stretch.

The wind was so powerful the finish clock had to be taken down, and race officials had to actually lay down on the mats for the timing chips as the wind was literally lifting them and blowing them away. The wind was actually pretty dangerous. It was lifting things, ripping off some roof tiles, knocking down power lines and tree limbs… it was wiiiiiiiindy!

High Points: I ran with a plan to try out my Flower City Challenge pace. I am happy to say with pretty minimal effort I was able to run that pace. I did not really “race” this event. We ran at least 2 of the 5 miles DIRECTLY into a 30mph wind and felt like it did not even bother me that much. I felt strong, I felt fast, I felt totally under control. This is exaclty what I wanted out of this race.

I had so much fun. I did not really press hard because this was a planned pace run, but it felt awesome out there.

Low Points: I wish I had known the course ws 4.55 and not 4.97 I would have gone harder, earlier. I can’t control the weather, but man that wind was strong. There some times that the wind actually took the breath out of me. I love this race, so not so much low points…

Thoughts moving forward: More runs need to be as fun as this one was, no check that more races need to be fun like this one was. I need to get the nutrition under control, I am going to be starcing on marathon day. Ihave thoughts of seeing a nutritionist or my gastroenterologist to try to come up with some sort of food plan for race days. I guess I also have to try things.

I feel great… it’s time to just keep on keepin on.

This week has been so odd. I ran hard and long over the weekend on consecutive days. One day in a blinding blizzard with wind, the next in beautiful calm sunshine. That's Rochester for ya. This has been a week of waiting... Low miles because I raced once already and race again on Saturday. The Failure Club concept slipped a lot this week as the miles were down. I feel anxious, I feel a bit let down, almost demotivated this week.. It is odd, and not fun.

The doubts: I know I was tired, maybe a little rundown, but I ran poorly this week at the final Snow Cheap. I couldn't get my legs going up those hills, it just hurt, I was mentally bumming, it had me thinking if I am hurting like this right now, how much is it going to hurt at mile 18... my mind was not there...

The “can do moment”: Tough to find this week. I suppose it would be the way I finished the Snow Cheap, but overall that was such a poor race that I can't really hang my hat on it... I am in a low mileage week, getting ready to race tody. I am hoping my can do moment shows up, but the doubts are a lot higher today than they have been.

The challenge moving forward: My first test is this weekend at the Buffalo Shamrock Run. This is an 8k. I want to see where I am. What shape am I in. My nutrition has been horrible lately as well. I have been eating things I KNOW I should not eat... I ate tons of red meat, tons of gluten, and I am tons of sick because of it. I have to improve. I have been saying it for months, my food is holding me back. I need change. I am ready for change. Our dinners are perfect, the rest of my day sort of turns in to a disaster. I am going to be planning EVERYTHING.... I have to.

Conclusion: This week has been a disappointment. I have to remember that the name of this club is Failure Club. I have to remember I am going to fail. I have to experiment. I have to run hard and I have to fail to find out where my limits are. I look at current race results, and I see I am in front of people who have been beating me at races for the last 2 years, but my mind still says it is not enough. I have to listen to it, then I have to push on, and let it motivate me... It is the only way to get there, that and I have to keep on keepin on

The final Fleet Feet Snow Cheap winter trail race was double look course at Cobbs Hill park. The champion of the Fleet Feet Winter Warriors program was named and prizes were given out. I managed to rack up over 100 points, earning myself a nice winter warriors t-shirt.

Weather: The day was so odd. It was snowing and windy from 10 a.m. until about 2 p.m. (when it started to rain HARD). The wind picked up, and  some fog settled in as the temps settled at about 36 degrees.

It was cold enough for there to be lots of ice, and warm enough for there to be lots of mud as well. It was an interesting day I had tons of fun.

Overall time: 37:30 — 17:23 first lap 19:11 second lap. I wanted to be around 18:00 for the second lap...

Placing: Overall; 45 out of 136. I am very dissapointed after a 22nd place finish 2 weeks ago.
Age: 11 out of 24

Mile reports:
Mile 1 - 8:59
Mile 2 -9:35
Mile 3 - 10:05ish
Mile .77 - 7:11

High Points: This week when we came out of the woods three people broke off in a hard run in front of me. The last race, I was unable to reel in two of them. I was a bit upset as they pulled away this week, and then I just made a decision to go for it. Over the course of the next 400 or so I pulled them back and caught the final of the three breakouts just before the line and pulled ahead to finish.

I am glad I did this. I was not having a very good race at all and it felt good to run like that at the end.

Low Points: My microspikes broke, when I went across the pavement I stepped wrong on an angle and it cracked a chain. I stopped four times total on the second lap to try and fix them and have them in place for the climbs and decents. I probably lost about 1-2 minutes on the second lap just fixing my spikes.

I eventually gave up on them and rolled them up onto my shoe so I would not lose them. I wish I had just gone with screw shoes instead of the spikes, I will be outfitting my trail shoes with screws for the summer/mud racing season that is coming up.

Thoughts moving forward: This Saturday is the Buffalo Shamrock Run. The Snow Cheap series are amazingly fun. If you have not tried them, I will convince you by next winter. Or you can come out for Fleet Feet Dirt Cheap trail race series!! #TrailsRoc . I am excited about my running. It is feeling right, racing is feeling good, and I want to see what I can do. Thanks YellowJacketRacing for such an amazing series of races. I get 12 races for less than 100 bucks... How can you beat that?

So Shamrock run, some road prep, some trail prep, and then just keep on keepin on

My wife and I both work in education. She teaches middle school Spanish in a Charter School and I teach a school program for a non-profit. All of this means we just had the past week off. What it also meant was sleeping and running when we want. While that may sound awesome, it pretty much took me out of my routine. I love routines. This week is a chance to start it all up again.

This week for  me is exciting for a few reasons. I have a cut back week with my mileage which coincidentally is also a week with two races. The final Snow Cheap WInter Trail race (again there will be no snow.. All 6 no snow) and then on Saturday we are heading to Buffalo for the Buffalo Shamrock Run. I have not run this race since I was in high school so I am excited!

Shamrock Run 2012

Coming off a break is always a great time to evaluate yourself. Last week was my highest mileage week, making February, the shortest month, as my highest mileage month in the past 12 and it is not even over yet. So I am going to give it my all this week at the final snowcheap, and then give it my all again on Saturday at the Shamrock run.

My goal for the Flower City Half Marathon is a 1:40:00 (7:40 pace). This is my first road race I am running since the day I made that goal public. So now a plan… race strategy if you will. If I run this race in just under 38:00 that is a 7:35 pace. A bit under my goal pace for the Flower City.

How do I want to do it? I want to be conservative up front and open up with a 7:45, then mile 2 in 7:35- followed by another 7:35. Then to try to work on pacing, I am going to try to hit a 7:30 fourth mile finished off with a final .97 in 7:05 (which is only a 7:23 pace). The idea here really is not to race, it is to practice. If I feel really good at the 5k point, I will go harder than planned, but my goal is to see how this feels.

The only way to know what I can do, is to find out what I can do… simple enough, right? So I am tackling this Monday with some gusto and some freshness. I have an exciting week planned. What about you? What is on your schedule for the week?

Let me know, then keep on keepin on!

When I first made the decision to start training hard again I encountered a few weeks of “firsts”. My first hard workout, my first run when I was still sore, my first this, my first that. This week however, was normal. It is amazing how quickly your body will adapt if you let it. My body has become used to a faster than usual pace, and more than usual amount of milage. This week is a bit fluky because I ran long Sunday and will run long on Saturday as well so I will be up over 50 miles for the first time in a long time.

My week: Pretty great as I said, I began to adapt to what I was demanding my body to do. That is an encouraging feeling. Building up so many miles in a way that is pretty easy felt nice.

Easy Run: Sprinkled in to keep them fresh. We even took our cars to get the oil changed and killed the time by running. So many people need to bum rides off of others, or sit around in an uncomfortable waiting area. Running means I never have to do this.

2 birds.. 1 stone. Fun all along the way.

Hills:  8 miles this week. We ran 4 to get to the hills, a little over 2 on the hills and then 1.3  after the hills. We kept the pace pretty fast and we worked steady on the hills.

Tempo: A quad busting workout on a cardio machine. I did these with the same concept as a Yasso 800, just with more effort.

The doubts: Just a general feeling of “26.2 at 7:00 is really fast and really far”.

The “can do moment”: Oliver came over to our house and we sat and came up with some concepts. We are going to see a nutritionist at Fleet Feet on Tuesday, we are also going to develop a 6 week speed session coming out of his Marathon in New Orleans. – We’ll get this figured out!!

The challenge moving forward: My first test is next weekend at the Buffalo Shamrock Run. This is an 8k. I want to see where I am. What shape am I in. I have a plan, I will make it public next Friday.

Conclusion: I am looking forward to the nutrition talk on Tuesday. I am looking forward to a cutback of miles next week as I am running 2 races. I guess I could always “race myself into shape”. It is just not the way I want to go about it. So, big week next week, first test. Until then, keep on keepin on everyone.

I am still not convinced I will get there this year, but the needle is moving, thats for sure.