Ego vs Ability

Today’s blog topic is not so much imparting wisdom, but rather a semi-hypocritical rant.  Please don’t judge me too harshly.  Last Monday, I was stuck running indoors again at the Lied Recreation Center.  Downstairs is a full 300m, 6-lane track but it is reserved for Iowa State athletics from 2pm-6pm.  Upstairs, they have a 3-lane track that is slightly shorter at 5.5 laps per mile. Both are really nice, but as a result, they are often crowded. ..........

LSD (long-slow distance)

The LSD workout is a staple of many running plans, especially the marathon.  It is common belief that if a runner hasn’t completed at least three 20-mile long runs prior to the marathon, then they will be in trouble.  Additionally, those long runs are encouraged to be ran at 1-2 minutes slower than goal marathon pace.  ........

NBC/USATF Drop Baton

Today was the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston.  There were at least 10 runners with Iowa ties in the race, either as prep runners, collegiate runners, or now living and training in Iowa.  The past two weeks have been filled with excitement reading up on how their training has gone and what their strategies for the race was going to be.  Additionally, I have been following several of the other top runners interviews through sites such as FloTrack, RunnersWorld, and RunningTimes.  I anxiously awaited this morning’s coverage of the race. ..........

Shoes Everywhere

The front entry at my house is filled with shoes.  If a robber walked in, they would leave quickly out of fear that one of the five grown men living there might be home.  A friend walking in for the first time might wonder if I had the cross country team over for dinner.  The reality, though, is those five pairs of shoes in the entryway are mine.  And yes, they outnumber my wife’s shoes. .........

Another Year in the Books

Yes, another year has ended, but this year was far from just another year.  For me, this was “THE” year.  It was easily the pinnacle of my running ambitions thus far.  And, I feel the best is yet to come.  I am positioning myself for an even better year in 2012. ..........