HELP!!!

Ok, I need some help.  Should I run the Afton 50K trail race on the 4th of July this year?  I would really like to run it but I would also like to enjoy the weekend and not have to worry about running 31 miles.  The registration deadline is June 15th so cast your vote on the Poll to the right and help me decide.  

Thanks,

-J

Workout: June 10th-11th

June 10th: 3miles at 10k pace 5 miles total

June 11th: 18.75mile  I am tired now.

Red Wine?

Yes, I labeled this under nutrition.  Check out this post from Dean Karnazes' blog, he states that a glass of red wine helps him recover.   Red wine is full of antioxidants and also has a chemical in it that is thought to reduce the affects of aging.  WebMD Article on Red Wine:

Read on for more info.  Makes You Feel So Fine

HELP!!

I need help in finding a Father's Day/Birthday present for my Dad, his birthday happens to be close to Father's day.  He is also a runner and has recently even started to do a few races.  He is very old school to say the least, so no ipods, camelpacks, GPS heartrate monitors for him.

But he is still a very active runner at least 3 times a week, so something running related would be nice.  I'll post a poll on the right hand side of the blog for you to vote on, but also feel free to leave suggestions in the comments portion of this post below.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Workout: June 1st -9th

It been a while since I've posted my workouts.  I guess its because I haven't been too ambitious lately.  

June 1st: off Day after Minneapolis marathon

June 2nd: 5 miles easy

June 3rd:Off (Laziness, actually felt pretty good, just didn't want to workout)

June 4th: 9 miles easy

June 5th: Off

June 6th: 6 miles easy

June 7th: Off

June 8th: Full body strength training 3 x 1 mile repeats at 10k pace 5 miles total

June 9th: 9 miles easy (very sore from the first day lifting in a long time)

Inspirational People in Strange Places

Here is a great little story from another running blog.  I myself qualified for the Boston Marathon, but I don't have a overly demanding job, a wife or kids.  I can focus a lot of time and effort on my running.  It is amazing how some runners are able to jungle there lives and still have the time and energy to run and run well.  Enjoy!

Inspirational People in Strange Place:

Quote of the Day:

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius 

Quick Tips

Calculating Your Pace:

When you are trying for a specific time whether it is during a workout or a race here is a helpful tool from Cool Running.  Their Pace Calculator allows you to calculate your Time, Distance or Pace.  Check it out.

Quote of the Day:

The greatest pleasure in life, is doing the things people say we cannot do. - Walter Bagehot 

Foam Rollers

One of the things that I find helps me a lot with soreness from a tough workout is using a foam roller.  Foam roller exercises provide the same benefits as a sports massage for quite a bit less.  You can find them in most gyms and you can buy a similar one to the one I have for about $20 at Target or Walmart.

Below is an article with some exercises the thing you have to remember is the most of these exercises will hurt a bit, again they are similar to a deep tissue massage which helps to promote blood flow and helps to reduce lactic acid levels.  But you have to put a fair amount of pressure on the target muscle to get the benefits which can be a bit painful, but these exercises really do help to reduce soreness.

Foam Roller Exercises: