Carry these on every run

I've done long training runs in every imaginable climate and setting.  In previous posts I've talked about proper dress, nutrition and hydration among other things for long runs.  In addition to these basic things that most of us remember without thinking, there are some other less obvious things that the well equipped runner should carry.

1. Identification.  You should always carry some form of ID along with an easy to find emergency contact.

2. Phone.  Increasingly small and powerful.  I've used mine to call home for a ride in 100 degree heat when I couldn't make it home.  I can also use my iPhone to keep in touch with my office, find a route w/ GPS, listen to music, and many other things.

3. Money.  You should think about carrying $10 or $20.  I can't tell you how many times I've finished a run and been told to get milk on my way home.

4. Tissue paper.  I found out this one the hard way with a very embarrassing incident in the pre-dawn hours in downtown Chicago involving an alley, the police, and a smelly but thankfully empty elevator ride back to my hotel room.

5. Protection.  This is very important for women.  Try not to run alone in dark or desolate places.  If you do, carry some form of protection.  You just never know.  Small personal canisters of pepper spray are highly portable and can be added to your key chain.

Let me know if you can think of other essentials to share with others.

Holiday Run 2011

The Country Club Neighborhood Association is sponsoring a non-competitive, adults only fun run/walk to be held on Thursday, December 22, 2011.  The race will begin and end at the Country Club of Lincoln.  The open course will wind through the historic Country Club neighborhood.  The race will start at 7:30 p.m.  Proceeds from the race will benefit the future lighting needs of the old Rock Island Trail between South and Calvert Streets.   Click on the link below to link to an official flyer and entry form.  Entries are due by December 9th.


http://www.ccnalinc.org/docs/CCNA%20HOLIDAY%205K%202011.pdf

Doping for Runners

“Losing weight is the cheapest form of doping there is”--Dr. Mike Joyner, Mayo Clinic


Readers of Runner's World may recognize this quote from one of Peter Sagal's recent articles.  Peter was trying to see if he could stop or turn back the clock and continue to run PRs despite his advancing age.  He spoke with Dr. Joyner, a noted anesthesiologist and researcher at the Mayo Clinic.  I actually met Dr. Joyner when I was a medical student doing research at UNMC.  He is a sub 3 hour marathoner, so he has plenty of "street-cred," too.


When Peter asked Dr. Joyner how he could improve his running times, Dr. Joyner asked about his body stats and replied, "Lose some weight.  Losing weight is the cheapest form of doping there is."


The reason is VO2max.  Without going into too many boring details, VO2 max represents an individual's maximum oxygen uptake, and is considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness.  The units of measurement are ml/kg/min.  So as you see, for the same level of fitness, there is an inverse relationship between VO2max and body weight.


Obviously, there are many factors to consider, but in general, an easy rule of thumb is that losing 1 lb can shave 1 minute off the marathon time, 5 lbs=5 minutes, and so on.  Looking at my own marathon times over the years, along with my advancing waist line, I have found that the rule of thumb works pretty well in the other direction, too.  Like Peter Sagal though, I intend to take Dr. Joyner's advice and start doping and break 4 hours in 2012.

A short break

I've pretty much recovered from the NYC Marathon.  I was very sore Monday.  Each day got better until Thursday when I was basically pain free.  I had intended to take a whole week off, but the blue skies, fall colors, and crisp fall days were too much to resist.  I've eased back into training with an easy 3 mile run Friday, 6 Saturday, and 9 Sunday.  I ran at a slow, steady pace.  My legs feel a little tired, but strong enough to resume training for the next Marathon in mid January.   NYC was my fifth and final marathon in 2011.  I've signed up for 3 in the winter and spring of 2012.  I am hoping to run 6 or 7 in 2012.

Why do marathon records keep falling?

New York City marked the last of the Marathon Majors this year.  Course records were smashed in London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, and NYC.  I've talked before about the astonishing pace with which records seem to be falling.

Sports Illustrated has a great article looking at the reasons behind this trend.  One of the factors driving this seems to be the allure of the marathon as the premier event in running, with lucrative sponsorships and prize money, all of which are attracting the most gifted runners at an early age.

Read the article here:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/david_epstein/11/06/new.york.city.marathon/index.html

#30--NYC Marathon

New York, NY
November 6, 2011
4:16:39

The NYC Marathon was the fourth of the so-called "marathon majors" that I have done.  A record 47,000 runners started the tour through the five boroughs.  It was an incredible experience.  I trained hard for the race and hoped to break four hours.  For much of the race I was on track to do so.  My half marathon split was just under 1:58.  I lost my pace on the 59th Street Bridge, but quickly regained my momentum when we entered Manhattan and ran down 1st Avenue.  I still had a chance in the Bronx, but I bonked at mile 20.  That, along with my recurrent IT band issues, slowed my pace the last 6 miles.  I finished in 4:16, but the energy from the crowd dampened my disappointment.

Conditions for the race were perfect.  The sky was clear, winds calm, with temperatures in the 50s.  Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai shaved nearly 3 minutes off the previous course record, clocking an NYC record time of 2:05:06.

I'll never run on the field at Memorial Stadium or stand on stage at a rock concert, but I doubt either experience can match the energy and intensity of 2.5 million spectators cheering you on while you run through arguably the greatest city in the world.

NYC......OMG!!

I just completed the ING New York City Marathon today. 30th marathon total, 28th state.   I had hoped to come in under 4 hours, but it wasn't meant to be.  I'll have a full report this week on this spectacular race.