Posts Tagged ‘running’

New York City Marathon: An Uphill Battle

The Montreal Half-Marathon starts with a 5.5 mile uphill climb. Photo of Montreal by Christine Scholes.

The Montreal Half-Marathon starts with a 5.5 mile uphill climb. Photo of Montreal by Christine Scholes.

Five weeks down, 11 to go…

With another solid, feel-good week of training for the 2010 ING New York City Marathon under my belt, I’ve decided to look forward to the week ahead. Namely, I’m looking forward to my big pre-marathon litmus test—the OASIS Montreal Half-Marathon on Sept. 5.

It’s going to be an uphill battle—literally. When I looked at the elevation chart, I gulped. How could I possibly prepare for this race when uphill climbs are my Kryptonite, my public enemy number one, my Newman? Read the rest of this entry →

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25

Aug 2010

New York City Marathon: In the Groove

Training for the New York City Marathon has been a roller coaster ride. Photo of New York, New York in Las Vegas by Rob Young.

Training for the New York City Marathon has been a roller coaster ride. Photo of New York, New York in Las Vegas by Rob Young.

Four weeks down, 12 to go…

When something clicks, you know it—the snap of a seatbelt, the tick of a lamp switch, the click of a camera shutter. Sure, the sound lets us know we’re locked and loaded, but there’s also a feel to it. When something is in the groove you just sense it.

In my fourth week of training for the 2010 ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 7 my training finally snapped into place. I had three great runs. Mile repeats—click. An easy-feeling tempo—click. A long run that could have gone on and on—click. It was as if I could hear a popping sound in the air as each run and I locked into step. Click, click, click. Read the rest of this entry →

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19

Aug 2010

New York City Marathon: Reality Check

The ING New York City Marathon better watch its back. I'm training with renewed vim and vigor. Photo by Christy Hourihan.

The ING New York City Marathon better watch its back. I'm training with renewed vim and vigor. Photo by Christy Hourihan.

Three weeks down, 13 to go…

In the 12th paragraph of this post, I’m going to confess something that very few runners ever admit. Something that has reinvigorated my running. Something that served as the wake-up call I needed if I’m really going to race, not just run, the 2010 ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 7.

Runners are generally a stoic bunch of achievers who will run to exhaustion or almost pass out from heat stroke. I’m often one of those runners, pushing myself to my limit for the greater glory of a personal record. And because I’m still on the cardiovascular upswing, I PR every time I race. And I mean every time. Of the 25 odd races I’ve run in earnest in the past three years (I’ve run another five at a jog for fun), I’ve set a PR in all of them.

Until last Saturday. Read the rest of this entry →

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12

Aug 2010

Why do you run? Why do any of us run?

Tune into The Marathon Show on Tuesday at noon ET for an interview with Karla. She’ll talk about elite runners, blogging and answer caller questions. After airing live, the show will be available for streaming or download on BlogTalkRadio and iTunes.

Runners in the New York City Marathon. Photo by Fergal Carr.

Runners in the New York City Marathon. Photo by Fergal Carr.

Runners, there are a lot of us out there. Almost 9.5 million Americans finished a road race in 2008 and almost 4.9 million ran on trails, according to Running USA. Millions more run without racing at all: 23.4 million Americans run 50 days per year, or roughly once a week; and about 15 million run 100 days per year, or roughly twice a week, Running USA reports.

As I set out training for my fourth marathon, I began to think about why I do it year after year. Why do I run? Why do we all run? There are probably as many reasons as there are runners.

So here goes. Here are the top 10 reasons I run, in no particular order.

I run because… Read the rest of this entry →

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26

Jul 2010

Finding Lost Motivation: A Runner’s Guide

Photo by Galyna Andrushko/© PhotoXpress.comMost of the time, I look forward to going for a run. I plot and scheme what time I’m going to head out, how long I’m going to run for, what kind of run I’m going to do. I anticipate the appointed time when I’m slipping on my shoes and stepping out the door.

But then, there are days when the motivation to run simply escapes me, when just the thought of running makes me feel drained like I need to take a long nap. What to do when your motivation runs away from you?

Losing that drive is like losing my wallet or cell phone—I feel naked and lost without it. Because I know—I know—that I will feel better if I exercise, that I always feel better after a run. I know that the run will leave me feeling invigorated and refreshed, even if a little spent. I know the run will make me feel good about myself, good about my health and will encourage me to have fish and salad for dinner instead of the burger and milkshake I might be daydreaming about. I know that going for a run will do the magical and wonderful things that going for a run always seems to do. Simply, it will make me happy.

And yet, and yet: I can’t find the motivation to put one foot in front of another. What to do? Read the rest of this entry →

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Getting Over A Bad Run

Photo by Michal Zacharzewski

Photo by Michal Zacharzewski

Bad runs, like bad things, happen to good people. More specifically, they happen to good runners; and, they happen to all of us. Bad runs can be insidious; they can infect your mind and your training, especially if you’re unable to shake them off.

After a particularly bad run, I learned that you must—to borrow a lyric from Dorothy Fields—pick yourself up, dust yourself off, start all over again.

Last Saturday, I had an especially bad run. It was the first 85-degree day, with clear skies and about 50 percent humidity. When I set out for a 10K, I knew it would be tough. The hotter it is, the slower we’re able to run—as much as 5 percent slower for every 10 degrees above 55, according to coach extraordinaire Jeff Galloway. Experts like the folks over at Endurance Science even have empirical data to prove it.

So I expected to take it easy and run a bit slower. But I didn’t expect it to be demoralizing. Read the rest of this entry →

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05

May 2010

Gebrselassie Drops Out of NYC Half-Marathon

Olympics Day 10 - Athletics

Sometimes races don’t go as planned. For Haile Gebrselassie, the world’s most decorated distance runner, yesterday’s NYC Half-Marathon certainly didn’t. He’d won nine of 10 career half-marathons and never lost on American soil—until yesterday.

It seemed like the perfect conditions for running a half—clear sunny skies, a crisp 53 degrees and a slight breeze. Another win for Gebrselassie—and maybe even a 27th world record—seemed like a forgone conclusion. Indeed, he was in first place after 8 miles, when he had an asthma attack, possibly exacerbated by a cold, and eventually dropped out of the race.

“My asthma kicked in from dust in the road,” Gebrselassie said in a statement released by New York Road Runners, who conducted the race. “What are you going to do? It happens.” Read the rest of this entry →

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01

Apr 2010

Thankful for Thanksgiving Turkey Trots

What better way to prepare for stuffing a turkey (and yourself) than a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot? Photo by Xybermatthew.

What better way to prepare for stuffing a turkey (and yourself) than a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot? Photo by Xybermatthew.

Gobble, gobble! It’s not just what a turkey says. It’s also what most of us do on Thanksgiving Day. It’s certainly what I do. Corn-broccoli casserole? Check. My mom’s super amazing stuffing? Yum. Gravy, gravy, gravy? You bet. A crescent roll or two. Of course. Apple Kuchen? Love it. With a side of ice cream? Wouldn’t be the same without. And of course, turkey? Heck, yeah!

There’s a reason Thanksgiving is possibly the most beloved national holiday. It’s really a festival of food. And one of the many reasons I love to run is because I love to eat. Thanksgiving is no exception. What better way to prepare for stuffing a turkey (and yourself) than a Turkey Trot?

From coast to coast, runners and walkers alike will give thanks for the Turkey Trot. Thanksgiving is one of the biggest, and most fun, running days of the year. Read the rest of this entry →

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25

Nov 2009


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