I will be out of town, but would still like to use the blog in case others are planning a run. I put down an 8:00 a.m. start, but feel free to set up any run that works for you.
Kinnie has been swimming with the Master's Swim program on Wednesdays at lunch. Mike (instructor) informed her that he was having two meetings on Friday, January 5th, at 12:00 noon and 6:00pm. These meetings are to discuss interest in the program for the up-coming months and times in which people would be most available to attend.
Are you ready for the Challenge? Patti forwarded this to me last week, and it looked like too much fun not to share. 
In 2004, NC State Sophomore Chris McCoy came up with a challenge. He would gather some friends at the NC State bell tower and begin a run toward downtown Raleigh. His jog would take him two miles downhill to the Raleigh Krispy Kreme bakery. There they would each consume 1 dozen of the legendary hot glazed doughnuts. The group would then run back to the bell tower to finish the race.
Scott, Arthur and I found an outstanding place to run last weekend. We parked at the Food Lion on 301 by Fords Colony. We ran from the parking lot into Fords Colony. We gave the guard a friendly wave on the way by, and he waved back. Once you have run for about eight to 10 minutes, you will come to two golf holes; one our your right, and one on your left. The course is far from complete, but it has sand traps, greens, spots for tee boxes, and the fairways are taking shape. Most importantly, they have paved (not cement) cart paths!
We took the hole on the right first, so we could run the course tee-to-green. At the end of the hole however it became swamp land, and the path ended. We turned around and went back the other way. By now we were about 16 minutes into the run. Once we crossed over the road, and got back on the cart path, we ran for miles on the paths. It was quiet and beautiful. Every step was paved. Running the holes in reverse, we ran back to where the driving range and club house will be, and then turned around and ran back again (the swamp land prevents from making a complete loop right now). By the time got back to the car it had been and hour and 40 minutes.Hope everyone had a great holiday! Keep up the running!
There have been several team members who are discussing doing the White Lake Triathlon this coming May. The race as you would guess is located in White Lake, North Carolina and is part of the North Carolina Triathlon series. There is a Half Iron Man, and also a Sprint Triathlon. The Half is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run. The Sprint is a 750 meter swim, 14 mile bike, and a 5k run. 
know many of you will have the same reaction that I had. . . "I can't do a triathlon!" Well, if I asked many of you about doing a marathon at this time last year, you would have said "I can't do a marathon", but you did! So don't say no too quickly. Click on the links and check it out. If you start getting butterflies in your stomach, that is a sign you should do it. I plan to run Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with Scott Wingfield. I am still trying to confirm with him, but I would like to run near Ford's Colony and get on the cart paths of the unopened course. For those that are interested in still running in the morning you can still meet at 8:00 a.m. Use the comment link below to indicate if you plan on running. Be sure to say which time.I have my dreaded 20 mile run this weekend. I will probably run from my house to the Harris Teeter and meet whoever is running at 8:30 a.m. That way I can have a few miles under my belt early. If you want to run, but would prefer to run somewhere else, I am open to any suggestions. I could actually use a change of scenery, but am most interested in just having someone to run with. Respond with comments and let everyone know how far you plan to run. Feel free to recommend a different starting place or route.
Obviously, most of you reading the blog are runners, so you may need to forward this link to your non-running spouse or friends. If you have been enjoying your running you also might enjoy reading about how to improve or just make it a better experience. There are countless running books available for purchase, but here are three that never fail to receive high marks. You can look at the reviews on Amazon and see for yourself. 
The first book is Advanced Marathoning, by Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas. The title might scare you off, but this book is not reserved just for fast or excessively experienced runners. It is designed for those who would like a solid and detailed plan to help them run their fastest marathon. A friend recommended this book to me, and the Amazon feedback echo's his high praise. As far as marathon training goes, this is suppose to be one of the best available.
The second book which also gets great feedback is The Complete Book of Running for Women: Everything You Need to Know About Training, Nutrition, Injury Prevention and Much More, by Claire Kowalchik. If the title is any indication, this book is long (only kidding). I do not know as much about this book, but it is supposed to be an outstanding resource. 39 customer reviews give it an average of a 5-star rating.
One last book which I honestly know nothing about is The Non-Runners Marathon Trainer, by David A. Whitsett, Tanjala Jo Kole, anf Forrest A Dolgener. So why did I put this on the list? If you are like me you really enjoy running, and probably have someone you would like to encourage to do the same. This book is a great tool to help get a friend off the couch and on the roads. It has more reviews then any other marathon book I looked up, and still rates 5-stars.
If you have ever wanted to do a massive race, this is one of the closest ones you can find to Rocky Mount. 24,000 people will enter the race which opens registration the day after Christmas. The race is of the the largest 10ks in the country, and attracts some of the worlds greatest runners.I will be running 12 miles this weekend. Scott Wingfield is planning to run 11. We can create any route that will encourage others to join us. I plan to start at 8:30 to allow things to warm up a bit, and to get some extra sleep and try to avoid any bad feelings from Friday night. Respond with comments and let everyone know how far you plan to run.
Many of you have probably heard that the Chase of Champions will likely end its 28 year history this year. The Rocky Mount Telegram had a story on this today. Although our small running group will not be able to pull off a miracle between now and April, I would love to see our group organize a team run that day. 
Please feel free to invite a friend out to join our group for a run. Now that the marathon has passed, lets keep things moving. The more people who want to join in for a run the better. Also, if anyone would like to organize a bike ride, let me know. I can create a "Bike RSVP" on the blog too. Although we are primarily runners, we called this the Rocky Mount Endurance Club, so we could link up with all kind of athletes. With enough involvement, we could really turn this into something positive for Rocky Mount.
I will be running 18 miles, and again would welcome anyone who wants to join for all or just a portion of the run. To maintain my sanity I will probably run a big loop down West Mount and near City Lake from the HT, but can run any route if people want to join. Respond with comments and let everyone know how far you plan to run.
Kinnie knows of two used road bikes for sale. She asked that I pass this on to anyone who might be interested: If you are interested, drop Kinnie an email, or give her a call. For those who were considering a triathlon in 2007, this is a great place to start.
I plan to run 14 miles, but would welcome a running buddy for any portion of the run. If you respond with comments, let everyone know how far you plan to run.When I know about a group run, I will post it here going forward. I will try to post several days in advance. Please use the comment feature to "RSVP" if you plan to join the run. Look for this icon to quickly identify scheduled group runs. I will give this a try and see how it works. Just email me if you want a run put on the blog. I can add maps and routes if you know what you plan to do.
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Congrats to everyone on a great marathon! Now that your wounds are healing, I thought it was a good time to bring up the topic of a Spring Marathon. I have heard lots of talk about people wanting to try again and improve on their time. Here are some marathon options.Also, if anyone is looking to take advantage of their current conditioning here are some marathons that are just around the corner. Some are driving distance, others will require airfare.
Please use the Blog to post comments if you have plans to run any of these races. Even if you were not on the Richmond Training Team, you are welcome to post here. Use the link in the bottom right of this blog entry.
Although it will not be as organized, I expect we will have some Spring Marathon training groups still meeting at the YMCA and the Harris Teeter.
If anyone is interested, I can use the same training plan we had to create one for one of the marathons above.
Recovery from the marathon will depend on many things. Each person is different. How much mileage you did in your training, your age, how well you hydrated in the race, race weather and course, how flexible you are. There are many different factors and how you recover will be different for each person. As we have said all along, you must listen to your body and it will help guide you.
With just two days to go before the Suntrust Richmond Marathon 2006, you might feel as if there is just one more thing you should do before the race. Find better running shoes? Eat a new energy food? Research a different race-day strategy? Forget it! Your task today is to get your official race number at the expo, if you have not already done so; prepare your gear for Saturday; and then relax and top off your energy reserves. At the Hotel. Get up early enough to eat the breakfast you have been eating before you long run. Move around a little to wake up your bowels. Use the bathroom at home if you can.Mental Preparation: You have done the training. You have put in the miles. There is nothing that you can do in the last two weeks that will significantly increase your physical preparation for the marathon. You are ready. You will do great in this race.Advising you to think about your race may seem obvious—you’re probably thinking of little else at this point, perhaps even dreaming about it as well. But random thoughts are rarely useful. A better strategy is to intentionally create specific mental images of what you want to happen and then rehearse them. This tool, called visualization, can truly help you in your marathon, and should be on your agenda in the coming week. You’ve been exercising, eating right, and sleeping soundly. All healthy practices, right? But, oh no, what’s that tickle in the back of your throat? Despite the cardiovascular benefits, increased strength, and overall good feeling that come with running, strenuous exercise taxes your body and can lower your immunity. Especially at this time of year, when schoolchildren bring home the bug of the day and most people spend more time indoors, your chances of catching a cold or flu rise.How sick is too sick? A short run should be OK if your symptoms are only from the neck up—runny nose, water eyes, or a mild sore throat. Do not run, however, if you have a deep cough or general body aches. Never run with a fever; heart inflammation could result.
It may be discouraging to get sick this close to the race date, but keep in mind that the bulk of your training is over, and you might even benefit from the extra rest.
Say it again: I will stay relaxed about the marathon! I will stay relaxed about the marathon! One way to calm your nerves is to have a plan for every part of the race. You have already had tips about the start and the actual race. But between the finish line and a hot shower there is a gap of time when you will be slowing down, adding a few layers of clothing, meeting friends and family, and making your way from downtown to your hotel or home. Be familiar with how that will happen, begin to visualize yourself accomplishing these tasks, and you’ll have one less thing to worry about in these final weeks before the race.
Below are some pictures from Saturday's run. Lot of great photos. Thanks Ursula for setting up the signs and taken pictures.
It’s almost overwhelming. It’s early and the sun is just coming up. There are thousands of people around you. You have trained for this day for months and here it is. You are here at the start of the Richmond Marathon. Now what?We would all love to run the ideal race. The event would be preceded by at least four months of perfect training, during which your schedule would cooperate with your need for adequate rest and nourishment. The weather on race day would be slightly overcast, cool but not cold. And during the race, the miles would peel off exactly as you’ve planned, at the pace you want, steady until the end. Where, of course, you would meet or even surpass your finish-time goal.At this point, you should be breaking in the shoes you plan to wear during the Richmond Marathon. Ideally, you wore them during your last long run. It may be tempting to buy a flashy new shoe, but now is not the time to experiment with anything. You’ll hear this advice many more times before you cross the finish line on November 11: Go with what has worked for you during your training. If you buy new shoes days before the race: If the airport lost your luggage, or you didn’t get around to buying your race shoes and your current pair is held together by duct tape, or you bought the same trusted brand you’ve always worn, but for some reason this particular pair isn’t working out, you may be forced to buy a new pair just days before the race.
If you find yourself in this position, just bear in mind that with a brand new pair of shoes, you are more likely to encounter problems during the race, such as blisters and sore feet. You will have to adjust your finish-time goal. Follow the tips above for buying shoes. Pre-race, be certain to apply a lubricant such as Vaseline to blister-prone areas. The medical aid stations along the course have adhesive bandages and the staff will be happy to help you quickly apply bandages and get back on course.
So your body is prepared for the Richmond Marathon 2006. Months of training have strengthened every beat of your heart and increased the ability of your muscles to absorb and use energy from food. You can’t really do much more in these last few weeks to make your body ready for 26.2 miles, besides pamper yourself a bit.According to running coach Mindy Solkin, owner of The Running Center, there are three types of marathon runners: participants, those who stop and take pictures with their families and have no particular finish-time goal; runners, those who train methodically and may have an ambitious goal, but who also want to enjoy the entire marathon experience; and racers, those entrants who traverse the 26.2 miles for only one reason—to achieve the best finish they possibly can. Long distance running is a delight for most runners—or you wouldn’t be doing this—but rare is the runner who can plow through a marathon season without some discomfort. “The sport is about ‘pain management,’” says Mindy Solkin, head running coach and owner of The Running Center in New York City, “not about ‘pain-free.’”
