What I Think About When I Think About Running

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami is a pretty good book that I just read and it definitely a memoir style of book and really give a lot of insight into the authors thoughts and feels about running, which many runners can relate to.  This was not an outstanding book, but was a good read, it is not the highly inspirational book like others that I have read, but really talks about issues and experiences that more average runners experience.

New Shoes!

Today, I got some new running shoes for the Fargo Marathon and the Minneapolis Marathon.  I switch from Nike which has been my shoe for the past two races.  I went with the Mizuno Elixir 4.  They are a nice light weight neutral shoe, I haven't had Mizunos since my first year of running, but I liked them then and I like these a lot so far.

Boston Marathon 2009!

Sorry for the delayed posting, but I was a bit busy.  The 2009 Boston Marathon was amazing, I ran a new personal best of 2:51:27 and had a blast the entire time. I think that two things really helped me to have great race:

1. All of the total body strength training that I have done this past fall and winter.  This really helped me out with the hills which I did not have any troubles with.  

2. Adopting a new more economical running style.  This helped with not only more efficient running style but helped with the hills and the strong head wind that we faced.  

The whole event was well organized and really the whole city embraces the race and runners. Thanks to all of the volunteers and organizers they really help to make the race run smoothly.   As I said I felt great the entire race, the crowd definitely helped.  They were along the entire route and were cheering the whole time, especially the last few miles it was really amazing.  

Well, two weeks until the Fargo Marathon, I feel pretty good and I'm taking it pretty easy this week and next week should be a good week of training then a week to tapper, then we do it all over again.  Though, I haven't decided if I'm going to try and run Fargo hard or take it relatively easy.  I know that it is hard for me to take thing easy, when its a competition.    

Tomorrow Boston!

I guess being that this is a running blog and I'm running the Boston Marathon for the first time I should have been posting a lot more about the upcoming event.  My Dad and I got into Boston last night and went out for dinner last night and got to bed early.  

Today we got up and went for a nice  easy 3 mile run checking out the race route and how I'm going to get to the bus pick up tomorrow.  I'll will post more later, we are headed out to pick up my race packet.

Staying the Course by Dick Beardsley

I just got done reading Staying the Course by Dick Beardsley and it was a great read, very inspirational not only from a runner's point of view but also a great account of his life and the obstacles that he has overcome.  

It was especially interesting to me because he talks about running around the Twin Cities area and in the Twin Cities marathon, Grandma's marathon and of course the Boston which I will be running very shortly.  I would highly recommend this book for both runners and non-runners anyone looking for inspiration.  

Dick now lives in Detroit Lakes about an hour from were I grew up and is a professional speaker who talks about his running and overcoming his drug addiction.  

Workout: April 8th-9th

April 8th: Easy 5 miles.  Taking it easy just over one week left until Boston.

April 9th: 2x 20min runs at marathon pace.  

Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes 2nd Ed. by Monique Ryan

I just finished reading this book by Monique Ryan.  I thought that it was a really informative book that provides a lot of details for all sorts of endurance athletes.  It is more of a textbook than a novel, so I it is not the most entertaining book but again it provides a lot of good information examples and tables to suggestions.  

The book again is specific and gets down to the some of the science of nutrition and how it effects the body.  I recommend this book for serious athletes and recreational athletes that simply want to know more about the nutritional side of training and working out.  Nutrition is one area that most athletes do not pay enough attention to and can greatly improve your performance.  

I have been starting to educate myself a lot more and focusing on not only training hard but getting the right nutrients to fuel your body.

  

Workout: April 4th-7th

The countdown continues to Boston exactly 2 weeks away.  I'm feeling pretty good but I'm do not have a really good idea as to how well I will run.  I have incorporated a lot more strength training this year along with a different type of conditioning base on running at a certain tempo as opposed to at a certain heart rate.  

I definitely feel stringer and in the best condition that I've been in but this is the first time I've run a hilling marathon course.  I did really well in high school on hill cross country courses, but those were only 5k(3.2 mile) races.  Well have to see what happens, all I know is that I'm going to enjoy the race and most likely won't be getting first or last.  

April 4th:  40 minute Tempo run at about 9 mph 

April 5th: 15 miles easy about 2 hours

April 6th: 3 miles really easy

Workout: April 3rd

April 3rd: 7 miles easy pace 7.7mph avg.

I felt really good today, even though it was still a bit chilly out.  I cruised along at just under 8 mph.  

Workout: March 29-April 2nd

March 29th: Off

March 30th: Off

March 31st: 20 miles last 2 miles at marathon pace(8.6 mph)

April 1st: 30 minute easy on the bike.

April 2nd: Strength training 3 x 2000m at 10k pace (10mph)

As the Boston marathon approaches I am starting to feel like a lazy cat and quite a bit anxious for a race.  I know that my training program suggests several 10k and 1/2 marathon race to use as workouts and I think it would have been a good ides to do this.  I am starting to get sick of simple training I think that a race or to would reenergize me mentally and motivate me.  I'll have plenty of race coming up with 4 marathons in the next 3 months.