When I participated on the running bloggers panel at the Route 66 Marathon Expo, one of the questions we were asked was what advice we had for first time marathoners and half marathoners. It is a good question, one that I would break into two parts - training tips and race day tips. It occurred … Continue reading 0 to 26.2 – Tips for New Marathoners
Training
Extending a Hand
In my high school psychology class, we learned about the bystander effect, or “Genovese Syndrome”, named for Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old woman who was stabbed to death outside her New York City apartment in the middle of the night in 1964. In the newspaper account of her murder, it was reported no one came to … Continue reading Extending a Hand
Don’t Count Me Out
I was looking at my racing statistics recently on athlinks.com and was amazed at what I have achieved. I have raced over 1,100 miles in nearly 100 races (5Ks and up to marathon distances) - all since I started running just 9 years ago, in November, 2006. I remember back then it seem inconceivable that … Continue reading Don’t Count Me Out
Last Isn’t Losing
On New Year’s Eve, I ran my last race in 2015. What better way to ring out a year of running than toeing the start line one last time? I opted for the 10K distance instead of the 5K because I am back in training for a marathon. The 10K race started about 10 minutes … Continue reading Last Isn’t Losing
Rolling, Rolling, Rolling
Every once in a while I have to ask myself why I chose a hobby that involves so much physical pain. In marathon running there is frequently pain while you are running, pain when you are done, and if things are really bad, pain the next day. I never hear people who paint or quilt … Continue reading Rolling, Rolling, Rolling
My Running Spouse
One of my dear friends was my first Team in Training coach, Rebecca. Since my first marathon back in 2007, we have trained and run many races together. We have shared all sorts of experiences over the years, the vast majority are very amusing (at least to us) but not really things I can write about … Continue reading My Running Spouse
Osteoblasting
My friend, Patsy, is a cyclist and has been since she was in high school. One night over dinner in Montana, we were talking about the Tour de France and the workout that the cyclists get when they are competing. Patsy mentioned that the bone density of professional cyclists is continually measured because cyclists can … Continue reading Osteoblasting
I Can! I Will!
During the summer, my morning runs on the trail were lonely, except for the occasional mom pushing her toddler in a stroller or a retiree out walking a dog. Now that we have hit August, I am joined on the trail by high school cross country runners and the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps … Continue reading I Can! I Will!
Vacationing Experientially
Training for a marathon requires a 4-5 month commitment of early morning runs in all weather conditions, careful eating, cross training, and lots of rest. When our family vacation falls in the middle of a training season, I have to figure out ways to fit in my training. Last week we were on vacation with … Continue reading Vacationing Experientially
Trotting Out in Compression Socks
I have mentored several runners through their first marathons. I told them all to think of training runs as “dress rehearsal” for race day. The number one rule of marathoning is you should never wear/eat anything new on race day. You don’t want to get out there and find out those snazzy new shoes you bought … Continue reading Trotting Out in Compression Socks
Adventures of a Funatical Runner 