Are You at Your Running Pinnacle?

 

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Are You at Your Running Pinnacle? 🏃‍♂️🔥

If not, it’s time to get on the bus or step off. Each year, we must recreate ourselves, because as we age, our bodies change—there’s no avoiding it. The key is to reevaluate after every training block or race and adjust accordingly.

Rest & Recovery Matter 🛑💤
Sometimes, stepping off the bus for recovery is just as important as pushing through another 400 on the track. Downtime allows your body to rebuild, preventing injury and burnout.

Training Smarter 🏋️‍♂️🏔️
On the other hand, maybe you need that extra 400, a solid tempo run, or a hill session to gain strength and speed. The key is balance—mixing in different types of runs while also prioritizing rest.

Sleep & Strength Training 💪😴

• Proper sleep helps your body recover and rebuild after every run.
• Cross-training with weights can make you stronger and reduce injury risk.

Don’t Neglect the Basics 💧🧘
Many runners fall short in two key areas:
✅ Stretching – Keeping muscles flexible reduces injury risk.
✅ Hydration – Staying properly hydrated improves performance and recovery.

Every piece plays a role in your running success. What’s your next step? 🏃‍♀️🔥

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The Tomahawk Run

 

The Tomahawk Run

Have you ever heard of the Tomahawk Run? If not, don’t worry—we’ll take a swing at explaining it! This isn’t your typical run; it’s a strength-focused workout designed to challenge your endurance, speed, and mental toughness. It can be done on a track or the roads. If you have access to a track, this workout is straightforward. If not, you’ll need a GPS watch or a carefully marked route to measure your distances.

The Track Version

The Tomahawk Run is all about chopping down distances as you go. Let’s break it down:

1. The 3200
   Start with an eight-lap (2-mile) run at a pace slightly slower than your 5K pace. This is your warm-up, but don’t get too comfortable—you’re just getting started.
2. The First Chop: The 1600
   Cut the distance in half. Now you’re running 4 laps (1 mile) at your 5K race pace. You’ll start to feel the burn, but stay focused.
3. The Next Chop: The 800
   Half the distance again—2 laps (800 meters). This time, pick up the pace and run slightly faster than your 5K pace. The intensity is building, and your strength is being tested.
4. The 400
   Here comes the fun part: 1 lap (400 meters). Run this one 10 seconds faster than your 800 pace. It’s short, but it’ll push your limits.
5. The 200
   Another chop! Now you’re down to half a lap (200 meters). Run this segment 19 seconds faster than your 400 pace. Your legs might be on fire, but you’re almost there.
6. The Final Chop: The 100
   The last stretch: 100 meters. Run this as hard as you can while maintaining good form. Leave nothing behind!

The Reward

After all that hard work, it’s only fitting to reward yourself with a Tomahawk Steak—or your favorite post-run treat. You’ve earned it!

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Here’s to smooth, strong running, my friends. Keep chopping away!

 

What Inspires You to Run?

 

What Inspires You to Run?

It’s an intriguing question because people are so alike yet so different. For some, running isn’t about inspiration—it’s a primal call, like Buck’s in The Call of the Wild by Jack London. That instinctive pull to move, to feel alive, to answer the call of something deeper.

For others, it’s the elusive runner’s high—that exhilarating mix of endorphins and fresh air filling your lungs. Maybe it’s the pursuit of physical fitness, a vital investment in heart health and overall well-being. Running also has a unique power to clear the mind, shedding the stress that accumulates in daily life.

Sometimes, inspiration comes from others: seeing someone run faster, farther, or with unshakable determination can spark the desire to push your own limits—to become the best version of yourself. Or maybe it’s about the camaraderie: the joy of running alongside others, where the shared journey matters more than the miles, and the fitness gained is just a welcome bonus.

For most, it’s likely a combination of these things—and perhaps others we haven’t even touched on.

Whatever motivates you, hold on to it. Stoke that fire, because the rewards of running far outweigh the challenges.

Keep running, my friends.

A Few Steps More

 Earlier, we explored the good, the bad, and the ugly runs. But let’s dive into another concept: a few steps more. Striving for better fitness always involves balancing between too much and not enough. And with today’s technology, like GPS watches, tracking steps has become easier than ever. Adding just a few more steps to reach your walking or running goals may seem elementary, but there’s more to it than meets the eye.

The Challenge of Real-Time Tracking

While glancing at your GPS watch to count steps can be helpful, it’s not always practical or motivating in real time. Instead, consider adopting an old-school technique used by track runners for decades: counting steps in your mind during specific workouts.

The Benefits of Counting Steps

1. Staying on Track (Literally)
   On the track, counting your steps for each 400-meter interval can help you stay consistent. If you notice too few steps, you might be running too slow. Too many? Perhaps you’re pushing too fast. This simple habit builds awareness and helps refine your pacing.

2. Breathing Control
   Counting steps while you run can also help regulate your breathing. Syncing your steps with your breath is especially valuable during races when you’ve gone out too fast and need to regain control. With each step, you can find your rhythm, maintain your focus, and settle into your pace.

Always Room for a Few More Steps

Whether it’s adding a few extra strides to finish strong, or using steps as a tool for mental and physical alignment, every step counts. The beauty of running lies in the continuous journey—step by step, we improve, adapt, and grow.

So, with every run, remember: there’s always room for a few more steps.

Keep running, my friends!

 

Galloping into 2025

 

Galloping into 2025

As we step into a new year, let’s take a moment to celebrate your incredible journey through 2024. Every mile, every step, and every effort you’ve poured into your running deserves recognition. The passion and dedication you’ve shown are nothing short of inspiring.

Looking ahead, 2025 promises endless possibilities. Of course, there will be the good, the bad, and the ugly runs—but each of them plays a vital role in shaping your journey.

The Good

These are the days when everything just clicks. From the first stride to the last, your body feels like a finely tuned machine, and every fiber of your being radiates joy. These runs remind you why you fell in love with running in the first place.

The Bad

We’ve all been there: those workouts that should’ve felt easier, those days when running feels like a struggle. But don’t let them bring you down. The good runs are always on the horizon. Allow yourself the gift of recovery—active or inactive—and remember that every tough day is just a stepping stone to better ones ahead.

The Ugly

Ah, the ugly runs—the ones we love to hate but secretly cherish. These are the character builders: the grueling 20-milers in -15°F weather or the hill sprints in scorching 90°F heat. They challenge your resolve, demand resilience, and teach you more about yourself than any good run ever could.

Through it all, these runs—good, bad, and ugly—are what make our hearts race and keep the joy of running alive. From my perspective, there’s something to love in each one of them and you are a champion in orchestrating it.

Let the music begin!

Keep Running my Friends!

Have you run in super shoes

 

Over the years, shoe technology has continually evolved. In the last decade, the advent of super shoes has come to the forefront of this evolution. During this time, countless records have fallen to runners wearing these groundbreaking shoes.

I decided to buy my first pair in 2019 for my fall marathon. I was looking for every advantage in pursuit of a fast time and a Boston Qualifier (BQ). When I picked up the shoes, I was immediately impressed. They weighed just 5.6 ounces compared to my 11.6-ounce trainers. Once I put them on, I could hardly feel them as I walked around the house. However, they had a weird bouncy, squishy sensation that felt unusual.

The next day, I laced them up again and ventured out on a tempo run. As I ran, I felt light and springy on my feet. As I ramped up the pace, it seemed almost effortless. My GPS was tracking my pace, and I could hardly believe the numbers it displayed. When I finished the run and reflected on my first experience with the super shoes, I was all smiles.

However, the next day, my body wasn’t as happy. My calves were extremely sore. I turned to a few online resources to better understand what was happening. I learned that these shoes are designed in a way that can stress your soft tissue if your body isn’t used to them. A gradual progression was recommended to allow for proper adjustment.

Presto! Problem solved. I adhered to a slow mileage build-up in the super shoes. This was manageable for me since I always rotate shoes between runs. As I progressed in my training, the super shoes began to grow on me. They felt like an integral part of my preparation. However, as my marathon approached, the shoes started to show signs of wear. I knew the race would be my last run in this pair.

On race day, I lined up at the starting line and glanced around. There were others who, like me, had been willing to pay $300 for a pair of super shoes. I took a deep breath, and then the gun fired. The race was on. As the miles ticked by, my pace and effort remained perfectly on target for my BQ time. When I crossed the finish line, I was ecstatic—I had come in 7 minutes under the qualification time.

Pleased with the performance of my super shoes, I bought another pair shortly after. In my opinion, super shoes are an excellent tool if you’re chasing a fast time. They’re fun to run in and truly put a spring in your step. While the price tag may be steep, for serious runners, they can be a game-changer.

What about the cold

 

What about the cold

 

People have been running for thousands of years.  During that time, we have run in all kinds of temperatures and terrain.   Today we have vast amounts of high-tech running gear to help us stay warm in the cold and to manage our thermal barrier regardless how hard we work.

 

As we peer back in time the question is how did they deal with the cold?

 

In just my short time on this earth we moved from wool to cotton and maybe some things I don’t even remember to the new high-tech gear we have now. Thanks to advancement in technology, we have great running gear for the cold and warm environments.

 

Let’s drop back in time a little farther and my mind goes straight to furs.  I am sure furs were not easy to come by, but I am sure some people had them. There are a lot of questions how they wore them.  Did they wear them like we do with pants, shirts and short or capes.  Well maybe some anthropologists might have an answer for the general person of that time but what about the runner of that time?

 

Well, maybe it carries it through to everyone in that period.  I am guessing we will not know the true answer but interesting anyway.

 

Let’s move a little farther back in time.  Were people just tougher?  Maybe they were, but without being there who really knows.

 

Let’s think about what about food for the runner of that time? Did they consume more calories as they had to hunt /gather and run in the cold.  We burn more calories so to sustain adequate energy, they would need to eat more.  Did they eat more fat at the time?  My guess is they ate everything they could find regardless of what it was, and fat was highly sought after.

 

The next question is maybe they looked a little different and maybe we were all hairy.   Well, that could be the case, but the fossil record does not tell us that answer.   Maybe they migrated and I am sure that was the case for some people. We still do that today as some people just want to get out of the cold.

 

Back to the main question, what about the cold?  Well, it is cold !!

 

Stay warm runners and keep running!