The weather is warm, the sun is bright - and it's still a Monday morning.
Feeling sluggish and don't wanna go to work! Going anyway because that's what big boys do.
Side note: Yesterday's 'run' included a bushwhack across Moscow Mountain. At one point, we were climbing 1200 per mile. Hang on to the nearest bush kind of steep. Totally fun.
I have a confession to make - I don't have a training plan.
These days, everybody has a training plan. Google 5K training plan and you'll get 'about 3.870,000 results.' Add in 10K, half-marathon, marathon, beginner, expert, introductory trailrunning, and all the other options you have for running and I bet the number of plans could go over 10 million.
Or you can design your own plan. Jack Daniels in his Daniels Running Formula gives you all the tools to use, how to use them and, yes, includes sample plans. I used that back when I was building plans, aiming to qualify for Boston. When I ran ultras, I followed plans, modified a bit to incorporate Daniels (and everybody else's advice) regarding the specificity of training for a particular event. (Thou shalt not run short repeats on a track four times a week - no matter how studly thou looks - if training for a trail ultrarun!)
Weekends are usually reserved for long runs but I've always cheated, at least a little bit. The training plan might be "Long run, 8:30 pace, 23 miles, on Chipman Trail to Pullman and back on Old Moscow Highway." but I would change course and often speed. Sometimes I'd wimp out on the mileage, but not often. I was just as likely to tack on another mile or so, looking for the point where I crashed. Or as my friend Colin puts it, when it turns into real work.
A fair number of our long runs, back when I ran with a group, were only lightly scheduled. The start time was a little iffy. My wife would crew the long runs, stopping every couple of miles to hand out water bottles, Gatorade, and encouragement. She also kept track of the back of our small pack and provided pick-up services for those that got a little tuckered - pick-up included dogs that were pooped.
Breakfast followed, once complete with mimosas. Very nice long run day. Very unproductive after the run and the mimosas, though, so we skip that part and focus on food.
And every once in a while, we'd skip the whole planned long run idea. This was usual at my instigation when I got bored with all our usual routes. Instead, we'd just launch, giving my wife directions to the next intersection so she could find us. We might take turns calling out the next side street to duck down, or an alleyway. If the dogwoods were blossoming, we'd head up to Normal Hill in Lewiston, slide down through Pioneer Park, and drop down to the levy.
We didn't know where we were going, didn't care. We called it a meander. My kids called it going out to play. We might log two or three hours of running but, without mile markers or GPS watches, we didn't know how far we went.
The older I get, the more I appreciate the power of those meanders.
So today, I'm doing a long run. I'm meeting Colin and we're heading up to Four Corners on Moscow Mountain. From there, we'll launch and the idea is to run for about an hour and a half since he did a hard tempo run yesterday (Colin still uses plans and his is to qualify again for Boston after a few years of dialing back his running to handle life.) We have no idea which trails we're going to run, uphill or down, to the cedar grove or past the cabin.
We're just out for a happy meander. Colin calls it running, I call it playing, and we're both right.
Gotta go get my trail shoes now. Dirt awaits, and maybe a bear or a moose. Might get a chance to incorporate a hard interval, unplanned of course, into our day.
Run gently and have some fun out there.
I had someone ask recently if I would be interested in talking to a local high school creative writing class if they could arrange it.
Duh. I love to talk, especially about stuff that I find hugely interesting. Mostly that's running, writing, grandkids, and all the weird things I find in creepy crawlspaces.
So, if you would like a guest speaker who will show up for the right price - free! - to talk to your team or your class, use the contact page and we'll see what we can do to arrange it.
I've run enough races that individual finishes don't stick as permanent life changing memories.
Some do.
In 2002, two years after I started running, I did a 5k. I don't recall the name of it, or even the time of year though I suspect the fall as there was a Santa Ana blowing and the humidity was at about six percent. It also had a downhill start. That combination of wind at my back and gravity got me out to a fast (for me) 6:25 first mile.
The real speedsters were well out in front and most of my running buddies from the San Diego Track Club were jumping into the half that was going off right after we were done. Instead, I ran with a bunch of unfamiliar folks - and a group of kids, ranging in age from about 8 to 13, part of the San Diego Road Runners club. They came decked out in fancy sweats and serious attitudes. A goodly number of those little boys and girls ended up ahead of me.
After cooking off the line and feeling very good in the first mile, I regained a little sanity and brought my middle mile into a nice, sustaining recovery mile. One by one, I was moving up and picking off runners that were more foolish than I was at the start. I didn't push hard because I was getting ready for the last mile.
It was a loop course which meant powering back up the hill, this time into the wind. Uggh. Still, it was an opportunity to prove to myself I could push through and finish strong, so I buckled down and did what I do well. Grind. And picked up more roadkills on the way up the hill.
The top flattened out for the last 75 yards or so and I went into a kick. Passed on person, then a second and saw the last person between me and the finish.
I think she was about nine, cute as could be, skinny like my little girls and a long, blond ponytail. She was clearly struggling and I was closing fast.
Twenty yards from the arch at the finish, I caught up to her. I saw her shoulders drop a little as she heard me coming.
I love to compete, at nearly everything. I hate losing. I cover it well, much better than when I was younger, but I really, really hate losing whether it's a race, a game of monopoly, or who makes the best over-easy eggs in the family.
That day, though, I slowed down behind her and started telling her, "Come on, go, go, go, you got it." She sprinted and I cheered her all the way into the chute.
That's a memory, a lesson learned on the run, that I treasure. That's the day I discovered that I was more Dad than big ferocious competitor.
It's raining outside which is great for the morning run with the cross country kids, not that I can keep up with them. My garden is enjoying the extra water. Living in a desert makes gardening slightly more difficult. Today, I don't have to worry about it.
After that, the reasons to appreciate the rain drop off. I'll admit I've never been a fan of grayness. Seattle would be a disaster for me ten months of the year. Beautiful city, like visiting, happy to leave again. I like light, lots of light, the brighter the better.
So, on dreary days, I chill and look for stuff that looks interesting to read.
Runner's World has an article on Exercise and Weight Loss: As Good for Women as Men. Kind of strikes me as one of those 'well, duh' items but the first line caught my attention and sucked me in. "The popular literature sometimes tells women that weight-loss is harder for them, especially exercise-induced weight loss." As you might expect, a food fight is breaking out in the comments section.
Running Times has a couple of fun photo essays. The first, on building balance, had me chuckling. Here is the article: Better Balance in Four Minutes. I chuckled because I help coach junior high - they're all knees and elbows. We're happy if we can keep them vertical after a growth spurt.
The other one, Attainable Dream: Training In Kenya, was interesting. I'm planning a trip to Kenya for one, maybe two books. While I intend on living there for at least a couple of months, I doubt I'll spend time in the hotels. My training might well take a hit as I find a way to contribute while I'm there, plus taking the time to learn how their society is arranged. One thing I've discovered about my writing is I can't put down a word if I'm not in the head of my characters. I don't understand Kenyans enough yet to write them in depth and authentically. Still, the photos are vey motivating.
Have a great day out there and run gently.
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Yay! Trail of Second Chances, my second book, is officially launched. Don't know if it's hit iBook yet but it's up at Amazon, print and ebook, B&N, as well as all the other retailers.
Lauren Fleshman is absolutely one of my favorite athletes, not because of what she does on the track or roads, but by her integrity. The lady tells it straight, often with a huge dollop of humor.
A case in point for integrity. This article, Why A Convicted Doper as the USA Team Coach is a Bad Idea.
Money quote:
Zero Tolerance was a big deal to me. It indicated that my governing body cared about restoring our image. It sent a strong message to an impressionable, high achieving me, and influenced my decisions to remain clean. I am part of a generation that has been tested a zillion times more than any group before me. It’s been a pain in the ass but worth it. People would still cheat, but now it would be harder and the world knew it. USATF would out you, even if you were our biggest star, and they backed it up with actions. Should I be lucky enough to win an Olympic Medal, I wanted the chance to do so without the global assumption that I was dirty and USATF was covering up for me. It meant that anyone who represented the USA would be under a microscope. That, for the sake of all of our reputations, we would not be put side to side with cheaters and look guilty by association. As a clean athlete, this meant everything to me.
Go read the whole article. Then read her blog, often.
And for fun, track down the Runner's World column she wrote on the 5K versus the marathon. It's funny, with a dash of truth.
I was drinking last night, but it was for a good cause. Honest.
Last night, the Lewis-Clark Animal Shelter held its annual fundraiser. I've gone every year except one, from the first one that was hosted by Basalt Cellars. Last night, my wife (the Director of Operations) and I were the guests of Carol and Arnie Beckman, patrons of the shelter who purchased a table.
For those not familiar with the concept, Wine, Whiskers, and Wag is a night of sampling locally crafted libations. Instead of a sit-down meal, we mingled and met friends. The food was varied and tasty - more on that later and, unlike last year, there were options other than wine as artisan beers and a hard cider were offered. For those that don't imbibe, soft drinks and water were available.
There is a silent auction - two, actually - with an assortment of items ranging for artwork to a rifle scope, jewelry to hand tools. I only bid on a couple of items this year and didn't win any. I also entered to win the booze barrel, which was stocked with a range of whiskeys, tequila, vodka, and the like. Fortunately I didn't win. Four years ago, I did and, even sharing, it was more than I could handle.
I did win a bottle of wine, from Clearwater Canyon, a 2010 Syrah. Karl and Coco, the winemakers, were there and chatting, though Karl was losing his voice. I sampled their Renaissance Red. A very nice blend, very pleasant. I tried to talk to Karl about the wine but his voice was fading fast. I'm looking forward to trying the Syrah - and visiting them to learn more.
The Cider House sponsored one of the tasting tables, driving down from Pullman. They brought their sweetest cider. Tasty and went very well with the hot wings from Zone 208. The wings were spicy hot - though not sweat-on-the-brow hot. I'm thinking I'll volunteer my services as a taste-tester for hotness.
Jollymores was there - Donna and I have visited their restaurant and enjoyed it. It was nice to see them there making a nice impression. They had the broadest spread of food, serving a pork tenderloin with raspberry sauce but having hummus (two types), fresh veggies (very welcome as no one else had fruits or veggies), pita chips, and bread.
We had dessert from Jillybean and a new-to-us cake-maker, Julie Frazey of Frazy's Crazy Cakes, while the live auction went off. Lots of great items supplied by local businesses were available and people were bidding with enthusiasm. Both desserts were tasty.
I did donate some money for new Kuranda beds - they ran an intermission where the auctioneer solicited donations. Nice guy but he needs some training on the intermission process. It's not an auction. He was dropping the price so fast to generate interest that a person sitting at our table had to ask to give more money than the current bid.
Carol Moore, one of the committee members that set up the event, had no problem taking the larger donations. She seemed to be everywhere, always with a smile. Joyce Keefer was in constant motion, too, helping where needed. Like Carol, Joyce wore a friendly smile all night. Wonderful ladies.
Speaking of the Kuranda beds - if you have an older dog, these are a neat item to ease achy bones. The beds sit above the floor and made of chew-proof materials. In a shelter environment, they keep the dogs off pads on the concrete, keeping them warmer and more comfortable. I don't know if they made enough on The Furry Fund intermission to supply each kennel with one.
The night ended with dancing to a live band, High Street. I don't dance (or, at least not well) but some of the folks that were on the floor could move. Fun to watch.
A special thanks to Lonnie Ells - he's a board member for the Shelter and ran the 'bank'. That's not the most glamorous job but Lonnie does it every year, cheerfully, even when the equipment was balky.
Mostly, a very large thank you from the people and animals of the Lewis-Clark Animal Shelter to all the people that so graciously donated time to visit, who contributed to the auctions, who volunteer at the shelter.
One of the guests made a point of coming over to my wife early in the evening. Her family adopted Payton, a border collie mix several years ago. Payton was a skinny-as-a-rail dog who had been abandoned. Donna worked with the family, looking for the right dog to fit with them. There are four kids in the family, so they wanted an active dog.
They picked Payton. This year, on a vet visit, skinny Payton weighed in 14 pounds above her normal weight. The vet cautioned them that a large weight gain could be a problem but, given her normal low weight, it was nice to see some extra meat on her bones.
Payton's owner, a wonderfully pleasant lady, said she went home and kept watch over the dog. She watched as one child played with Payton - and rewarded the dog with a cookie. Another did the same thing. Border collies love to work/play. They don't need cookies for encouragement but Payton certainly wasn't discouraging it, either.
Dinner time arrived. Three different people, including the Dad, fed Payton dinner.
Weight gain explained. I suspect that Payton will be on a slightly restricted treat schedule but the story made my wife smile. She loves to hear the success stories, of happy dogs that aren't pets any more, but part of the family.
As the guy married to the Director of Operations, it is heart-warming to see your support for the Shelter and all the people associated with it.
Thank you.
Any of you junior high or high school runners that would like to jump in for a run, there's a group run Tuesday and Thursday mornings. All runners, regardless of ability, are welcome.
Currently, there are athletes from Asotin, Clarkston, and Lewiston participating.
The runs start at Swallows Nest in Clarkston in the park along the Snake River. Distances vary - I stay short and run with the young runners - the older kids have been known to rocket off.
Fun starts at 7:30 am.
Kids are naturals for trails and the variation is good for growing bodies. Since younger athletes are focused on the fun aspects of running – kinetic movement that feels good, group play, and exploration of both the world around them and themselves.
I emphasized the feel good above for a reason. I came across an interesting study from the Loyola University Medical Center. The study demonstrated that youth athletes from high income families were 68 percent more likely to develop an overuse injury. The two biggest differentiation points? Focusing on a single athletic activity and less free play.
People do more of what makes them happy when given a chance. If we want the kids to keep running, we need to find ways to make it pleasurable. Summer running at the junior high level should not be about training for the next season. Every run should finish with the same result – a child that wants to go out and do it again.
Stack enough of these repeated play efforts together and you have a young person who, while enjoying the activity, is much fitter than when the summer started, cheerfully so. That’s also a runner that will probably show up in the fall, ready to go.
Will they be faster? It depends – did they grow longer and taller, or put on weight from natural growth, or perhaps even detrain a bit from a previous season?
In the long run, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care how brilliant the kid is as a runner, he or she isn’t going to get a scholarship in running, not at 13. And if their sole purpose is to win every race, they are (almost certainly) going to be disappointed. With a single exception, there is always somebody faster. And that one exception comes with an expiration date. Ask any of the former world record holders. . .
Which leads to the next point . . .
It’s summer. Adults may need to function on tight time schedules. It keeps the boss happy and food on the table. Kids don’t have bosses. They have friends, coaches, parents. None of those are bosses.
Telling a young runner that “it’s 7 a.m. – time to get up and run 6 miles at tempo pace and no slacking” is a great way to make a young runner think “Yeah? Make me!” You might get results for a while but eventually they’ll decide they just don’t wanna – and just how are you going to make them?
Instead, have them jump in with a group of other kids – mix in some of the coaches and any other parents that would like to go for a morning meander. Some of the kids will rip off into the distance. That’s okay, as long as it’s their choice. Others will literally meander. They’ll stop, start, sniff a few roses. That’s okay, too.
I used to run with one of my daughters on the trails in and around San Diego. One of our favorite trails was the Rose Creek trail. It was relatively flat and not too long but there were a dozen little side trails. She’d be running next to me, all 4’8” of her, and she’d look over and see an unfamiliar path.
“What’s this way?” she’d asked and bolt off. At one point or another, we hit every one of those side trails. And had a blast doing it.
Speaking of which . . .
Pavement is boring, boring, boring. Worse, it’s hard on the developing joints. American athletes spend entirely too much time on pavement.
Trails encourage you to run differently, using different little stabilizer muscles for the varied terrain. It also forces you to move forward toward your toes and to flex a bit more in the knees. And since the footing is a lot more uneven, balance improves as the neuromuscular system learns how to manage the trail. All that balance requires a strong core – which, unsurprisingly, builds in response to the new stresses. Running Times has a great article on all the good things that happen to bodies on trails.
For me, the biggest advantage of trails is playing, bombing down a really runnable hill or testing myself powering up a short, sharp incline. I’ve been known to get distracted by elk, moose, deer, bears, or just a pretty bunch of flowers.
We’re natural animals and getting back into that environment does good things for the inside of our heads. Deena Kastor had a good point about that a couple of months ago that I talked about in a blog post.
You just might have to accept it. Acknowledge it and try to find out why. Maybe they’re going to try out a different sport like football for the boys or volleyball for the girls. Take a deep breath and encourage them to stay active. Yes, they may be wonderfully talented runners but this is a time for exploration, not just of the world on trails or how their bodies react to the sport of running. Give them the freedom to explore other interests.
There’s a good chance they’ll be back but you can’t force them. What you can do is offer an environment that welcomes them into a larger community, one that understands that the journey – the adventure, for this age group – is far more important than the destination.
Running is a perfectly natural act that most children engage in. Cross country is an extension of that but - and it's a critically important but - cross country training is not a natural activity. Keep that in mind as we take a look at your junior high school runner and a summer training program.
Their bodies are still growing and developing. As adults, we tend to think of the 13 year old runner as a small, lithe version of ourselves. They are not.
While in the middle of growth spurts where bone length increases, the joints temporarily weaken. The connective tissue and the muscle react to the change in bone length to adapt but they are behind the growth cycle. It's during this period that many young athletes suffer joint injuries.
It's not just the joints that are weak. The growth plates in young runners are very susceptible to stress fractures until they ossify, or harden. The repetitive nature of running, especially when extended far past normal activity levels, enhances the risk of injury.
A longitudinal study of high school runners - not even the less physically mature junior high runner - performed by Dr., Michael Rauh, demonstrated that girls suffered injuries at a rate of nearly 17 injuries per thousand athletic events (AE refers to practices and meets, so a typical 6-8 week season included 36-48 possible events) while boys suffered about eleven. A clear finding from Ruah's study is that girls are at a much higher risk of injury, in large part due to the physiological changes that take place at the hips, increasing the stress on the knees and ankles.
Adults run for a variety of reasons - competition, weight-loss, relieve stress, pride, the runner's high - but kids run for a single reason. It's fun.
Kids don't train in the same manner that a professional marathoner does. Not only will the body not withstand the stresses for the majority of athletes, their ability to enjoy the activity will degrade.
The single most important goal of any training program must take the play aspect into account. Too often, a parent or coach, seeing an athlete with a high level of prowess, will ramp up the training regimen in an attempt to accelerate the development of the athlete and unintentionally turn running into work.
As a parent or coach, we need to be aware that the kids are often the worst judges of their current ability. Many underestimate what they can accomplish and our goal should be to patiently help them test those boundaries.
Some young athletes will overestimate their ability or be too focused on the competition aspect of running. Runners in this camp will need to have someone there to dial them back without hurting the enthusiasm they have and, when they take on too much, show them what they did correctly.
The second part of that equation is getting them to understand that it takes 6-10 years to start reaching their potential. Going slower, building progressively, and understanding that they are a unique individual that will respond to training differently than their peers - high intensity may work better for some runners, high volume for others - will yield better, long-lasting competitive results.
For runners who don't want to compete forever, it will keep it fun and injury-free. That's a winning situation for everybody.
This post is already longer than I anticipated so I'm breaking it down into a couple parts. Friday, we'll move past the cautionary section and take a look at what we, as parents or coaches, can do.
For those of you visiting the blog for the first time - which will be the majority of you - thanks! I am assuming that you found your way here from the nice little blurb that Running Times magazine put out in this month's issue. While I knew that there was the potential for a bit of exposure, I was very happy to see the way the folks there presented Finishing Kick.
They also had very nice articles on two other books by very accomplished writers. One, Rachel Toor, lives and works nearby (as we measure things out here - a couple of hours away, at most.) I've already ordered her book, On the Road to Find Out and I'm excited to read it. Runners should have more fiction to call their own.
After I'm done with Rachel Toor's book, I'll move on to Brewster: A Novel" by Mark Slouka. This book has won numerous high honors and I'm looking forward to the change in viewpoint, going from a female protagonist to male, from a contemporary story to one set in 1968.
I also have a slate of books that I'll be reading to get ready for cross country season. Just as the runners should be putting in the miles (intelligently, please) so the coaches try to get better at what they do. Speaking for myself, I have loads of room for improvement.
Up first is Pat Tyson's Coaching Cross Country Successfully. He's been one of the most successful coaches in the country and again, he's close by at Gonzaga University in Spokane. With this book, I'm looking to become a better assistant to the head coach of the junior high team and develop better skills at teaching the kids running form and good habits. At some point, I may drop. Bashful I'm not. Before I do that, I'll try to absorb everything in his book.
In that same vein, Jason Karp's 101 Developmental Concepts & Workouts for Cross Country Runners"> 101 Developmental Concepts & Workouts should provide a good foundation of material so I can correctly help the athletes to improve. The Asotin JRHS team has a wide range of experience so finding ways to individualize the workouts while maintaining a strong team concept is huge.
Which leads me to my last book as I prep for the season, Bruce Bowen's Teaching Character Through Sport: Developing a Positive Coaching Legacy. While not exclusively a running book, Coach Bowen has tremendous insights on the role of athletics in a young person's life. His organization, Proactive Coaching, has a wealth of materials. The team there travels the country lending their collective wisdom to the coaches, athletes, and parents that they meet. They are one of the few organizations I follow on Facebook. Almost daily, they see an angle or have a positive story that makes me go, "Hmm."
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get out the door for a run. I've got some youngsters who will fly away from me if I don't get my miles in. And running always makes the day go better.
Run gently and have some fun!
The proof for Trail of Second Chances is on the way and should be here in a week. Give me two days to make sure I didn't introduce any egregious errors in to the formatting process and we should be ready to put it up for sale.
June 30th publication date holds. If you would like notifications when I have new books coming out, sign up for my newsletter. Since I hate to be pestered, I won't pester you. I only send out newsletters when new stories are ready, when I have something to give away, or when I'm traveling to a different part of the country and available to speak at events.
I'm not sure that running at 10,000 feet is the appropriate recovery run but it was fun. The creek at the beginning of Pikes Trail above Breckenridge, Colorado.
Just a reminder - Mother Nature owns everything you see and, one day, she wants it all back. And Mother Nature is not inclined to say please.
There's still a bit of snow on the trail - and a lot on the peaks.
I was surprised that the trail was so runnable. Since I was in recovery, I didn't push (which is why we have pictures). Walk/run and listening to the body.
Bonus for the day - coming across a momma moose. She let me get close enough to take some pictures but I figured it would be prudent to not close in on the baby. Moose can be incredibly dangerous. Awfully cute, though.
