We had thunderstorms overnight and woke up to cool temps and cloudy skies this morning. Following three days of maintenance runs, I did a brisk hike this morning for cross training. That moves my long run (24 miles) to Saturday morning. The weather should be cooperative. The Weather Service is calling for a cool overnight low of 42 degrees and an afternoon high of 70 under sunny skies. Winds should be light to moderate at 8-13 mph. So, if I bonk again, I can't blame the weather. Stay tuned.
I check out the Colorado Springs Gazette website most mornings. I've spent quite a bit of time in Colorado Springs and I'm considering moving there within a couple of years. I noticed a brief piece on their website this morning about the disappearance of ultrarunner Micah True while running in the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico: http://www.outtherecolorado.com/201203309667/Running/boulder-ultrarunner-missing-after-going-for-run-at-new-mexico-resort.html
He's only been missing for 24 hours so there's hope. True is best known as Caballo Blanco, the gringo who lived among the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and is featured in Chris McDougall's best-selling Born to Run.
I saw this piece about the overwhelming odds that a Kenyan will win the 2012 Olympic Marathon gold medal on competitor.com: http://running.competitor.com/2012/03/news/kenya-poised-to-dominate-olympic-marathon_50025 Short take: Of the top 20 marathons times in 2011, 20 were run by Kenyans including Patrick Makau's world record 2:03:38 at Berlin and Geoffrey Mutai's (even faster) 2:03:02 at Boston. Mutai's mark is not a world record because of technical factors: tail wind and elevation loss.
So, the American men have scant chance to win marathon goal (or any medal) at London. But, I'm already out on a proverbial limb in predicting a medal for American Shalane Flanagan, winner of the women's Olympic Trials Marathon back in January.
I also recently came upon this: http://www.trackwomenoforegon.com/
It's a documentary about the University of Oregon women's track program focusing on the 1985 and 2011 squads. The '85 team won the NCAA championship and the 2011 team was runner-up to Texas A&M. The documentary, entitled We Grew Wings, will have its world premiere in Eugene, Oregon, at the Olympic Track & Field Trials on June 30.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Running Potpourri
Our roller coaster weather this week is a clear indication that it's spring-time in Hog Heaven. Yesterday was overcast and chilly. Today is sunny, windy, and warm. For yesterday's 1 1/2 hour maintenance run, I wore two layers on top, light mittens, and a light stocking cap. For today's 1 1/2 hour maintenance run, I wore shorts and a short-sleeve top that I ditched after 4 miles. I'm not ready to predict what I'll wear for tomorrow's one-hour maintenance run.
The big news is that I've moved my long run to Saturday. So, Friday will be cross training. Saturday, I'll try to do 24 miles again. Two weeks ago, I bonked at 20 miles while attempting 24. So, the pressure is on. Right now, it looks like Saturday's weather will cooperate with sunny skies, light wind, and temps in the 50s and 60s.
POTPOURRI
I'm officially in the Pikes Peak Ascent. To qualify one must submit race results from a qualifying marathon or half marathon run within the past three years. There are time limits but I forget exactly what they are. I do know that they aren't very stringent though. Once the race staff has checked and confirmed the qualifications, then your name appears with a "Yes" on the confirmation list. Once I was officially in, I made reservations at a bed-and-breakfast in Manitou Springs, site of the Ascent and Marathon, for the weekend of August 17-19. We've stayed at this particular b&b several times in the past and it's only 1/2 mile from the race's start. So, I can walk to the start and, hopefully, walk back to the b&b from the finish.
My shoe order arrived yesterday: a pair of the New Balance MT 110. I bought them as my go-to shoe for the Ascent. They are seriously lightweight at 7.7 oz. for a men's size 9. I tried them on and they feel great on my feet. I'll check them out on the local trails soon.
I still don't know what I'll wear for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile in September. I have the Saucony Peregrines that I used last year. Now, I also have the MT 110s. I'd like to take a look at the Saucony Kinvara TR that will be available in July. I imagine that 50 miles will require more cushioning that the 13.32 miles of the Ascent. So, we'll see.
It's probably too early to make reservations for the Endurance Challenge. Last year, we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Delafield. It was the race hotel. The best thing about it is that within a one-mile radius are a Five Guys Burgers & Fries and a Cold Stone Creamery. What better incentive for running 50 miles?
The big news is that I've moved my long run to Saturday. So, Friday will be cross training. Saturday, I'll try to do 24 miles again. Two weeks ago, I bonked at 20 miles while attempting 24. So, the pressure is on. Right now, it looks like Saturday's weather will cooperate with sunny skies, light wind, and temps in the 50s and 60s.
POTPOURRI
I'm officially in the Pikes Peak Ascent. To qualify one must submit race results from a qualifying marathon or half marathon run within the past three years. There are time limits but I forget exactly what they are. I do know that they aren't very stringent though. Once the race staff has checked and confirmed the qualifications, then your name appears with a "Yes" on the confirmation list. Once I was officially in, I made reservations at a bed-and-breakfast in Manitou Springs, site of the Ascent and Marathon, for the weekend of August 17-19. We've stayed at this particular b&b several times in the past and it's only 1/2 mile from the race's start. So, I can walk to the start and, hopefully, walk back to the b&b from the finish.
My shoe order arrived yesterday: a pair of the New Balance MT 110. I bought them as my go-to shoe for the Ascent. They are seriously lightweight at 7.7 oz. for a men's size 9. I tried them on and they feel great on my feet. I'll check them out on the local trails soon.
I still don't know what I'll wear for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile in September. I have the Saucony Peregrines that I used last year. Now, I also have the MT 110s. I'd like to take a look at the Saucony Kinvara TR that will be available in July. I imagine that 50 miles will require more cushioning that the 13.32 miles of the Ascent. So, we'll see.
It's probably too early to make reservations for the Endurance Challenge. Last year, we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Delafield. It was the race hotel. The best thing about it is that within a one-mile radius are a Five Guys Burgers & Fries and a Cold Stone Creamery. What better incentive for running 50 miles?
Monday, March 26, 2012
Running Trends
After weeks of June-like weather, March returned to Hog Heaven today: 39 degrees, overcast, and blustery. No fun at all. Especially after all that warm sunshine over the past few weeks. But, March is waning fast and April promises . . . What? I'd settle for April. But, who knows anymore?
I did a one-hour maintenance run yesterday while it was still June. (O.K., June-like.) This morning, three months earlier, I did a one-hour hike for cross training. Tomorrow's schedule calls for a 1.5 hour maintenance run. Right now, Thursday looks like the best day for this week's long run. If that holds, I'll cross train on Wednesday and try to run 24 slow and easy miles on Thursday. This after bonking at 20 miles on my last long run.
I ran across this survey from Running USA recently: http://www.runningusa.org/statistics.
Here are some of the highlights: More and more runners are finishing races. I interpret that to mean that 1) more people are running, and 2) they are signing up for--and finishing--more races. For 2010, the latest year for which data is available, there were some 13 million finishers of road races. That's a 13% increase just since 2005.
And, as anyone who's been paying attention could tell you, women are responsible for much of the increase. In fact, females were 53% of all race finishers in 2010. Female race finishers almost doubled in the decade to 2010, ballooning from 3.6 million to 6.9 million. YOU GO GRL!
Even as other races have grown, the half marathon has led the way with the number of finishers increasing 200% between 2000 and 2010. Marathon finishers rose only 44% over the same period. Again, females have driven the half marathon growth.
Let's make 2012 another record year.
I did a one-hour maintenance run yesterday while it was still June. (O.K., June-like.) This morning, three months earlier, I did a one-hour hike for cross training. Tomorrow's schedule calls for a 1.5 hour maintenance run. Right now, Thursday looks like the best day for this week's long run. If that holds, I'll cross train on Wednesday and try to run 24 slow and easy miles on Thursday. This after bonking at 20 miles on my last long run.
I ran across this survey from Running USA recently: http://www.runningusa.org/statistics.
Here are some of the highlights: More and more runners are finishing races. I interpret that to mean that 1) more people are running, and 2) they are signing up for--and finishing--more races. For 2010, the latest year for which data is available, there were some 13 million finishers of road races. That's a 13% increase just since 2005.
And, as anyone who's been paying attention could tell you, women are responsible for much of the increase. In fact, females were 53% of all race finishers in 2010. Female race finishers almost doubled in the decade to 2010, ballooning from 3.6 million to 6.9 million. YOU GO GRL!
Even as other races have grown, the half marathon has led the way with the number of finishers increasing 200% between 2000 and 2010. Marathon finishers rose only 44% over the same period. Again, females have driven the half marathon growth.
Let's make 2012 another record year.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Channeling Imelda Marcos
It's been more like early spring here in Hog Heaven over the past two days with high temps in the 60s. That's still above average though. Our average temp for today is 53 and our average low is 32. But, we've been about 10 degrees above average since Dec. 1 so this feels about right.
I ran a speed workout yesterday. 3 x 1-mile at 5k pace. Add in a mile of warm-up and 3 miles of cool-down and my total run was 7 miles. Today, I did a brisk 4-mile hike and 8 sets of 25 push-ups for cross training. Tomorrow's schedule calls for a 1 1/2 mile maintenance run. Slow and easy.
Next week's schedule includes my penultimate long run in the train-up to the Colorado Marathon. After bonking on my last long run, I'm hoping to do better this time. My goal is 24 miles. I'll also do three maintenance runs (1 to 1 1/2 hours) during the week and three days of cross training.
I channeled my inner Imelda Marcos this past week and ordered two new pairs of running shoes: a pair of INOV-8 Roclite 285 and a pair of New Balance MT 110. Both are trail shoes and were purchased to celebrate my decision to register for the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Madison North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile. The NB MT 110 is a lightweight shoe and I hope to use it on Pikes Peak. If it works out over 13.32 vertical miles, I'll consider it for North Face. I plan to use the INOV-8 for training on the local trails in preparation for both Pikes Peak and North Face. I also have the Saucony Peregrines that I ran in at North Face Madison last fall to use for training this summer.
There's one other shoe that I'm seriously considering for purchase later this year: the Saucony Kinvara 3 that debuts May 1. The Kinvara 3 will replace a pair of the Kinvara 2 that won't last the summer. A trail version of the Kinvara, the Kinvara TR, will be out in July. But, I'd like to take a look at it and read a few reviews before adding it to my wish list. There's also an intriguing lightweight shoe from Salomon, the S-Lab Sense, coming out this summer that might be worth a look. I'm afraid that at 6.5 oz., it won't offer enough protection or durability. But, it's worth a look anyway.
I ran a speed workout yesterday. 3 x 1-mile at 5k pace. Add in a mile of warm-up and 3 miles of cool-down and my total run was 7 miles. Today, I did a brisk 4-mile hike and 8 sets of 25 push-ups for cross training. Tomorrow's schedule calls for a 1 1/2 mile maintenance run. Slow and easy.
Next week's schedule includes my penultimate long run in the train-up to the Colorado Marathon. After bonking on my last long run, I'm hoping to do better this time. My goal is 24 miles. I'll also do three maintenance runs (1 to 1 1/2 hours) during the week and three days of cross training.
I channeled my inner Imelda Marcos this past week and ordered two new pairs of running shoes: a pair of INOV-8 Roclite 285 and a pair of New Balance MT 110. Both are trail shoes and were purchased to celebrate my decision to register for the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Madison North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile. The NB MT 110 is a lightweight shoe and I hope to use it on Pikes Peak. If it works out over 13.32 vertical miles, I'll consider it for North Face. I plan to use the INOV-8 for training on the local trails in preparation for both Pikes Peak and North Face. I also have the Saucony Peregrines that I ran in at North Face Madison last fall to use for training this summer.
There's one other shoe that I'm seriously considering for purchase later this year: the Saucony Kinvara 3 that debuts May 1. The Kinvara 3 will replace a pair of the Kinvara 2 that won't last the summer. A trail version of the Kinvara, the Kinvara TR, will be out in July. But, I'd like to take a look at it and read a few reviews before adding it to my wish list. There's also an intriguing lightweight shoe from Salomon, the S-Lab Sense, coming out this summer that might be worth a look. I'm afraid that at 6.5 oz., it won't offer enough protection or durability. But, it's worth a look anyway.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Still dancing
Our spring-like weather continues here in Hog Heaven. Today is a bit cooler--mid-70s instead of low 80s--and there are showers and storms in the area. We've had a bit of rain already around lunch, but we could use more. The forecast is for cooler weather over the weekend but still above average.
I took a brisk 4-mile hike this morning plus some strength training exercises for my cross training day. I'm not sure how the next three days will shape up. I need a day of speed work and a one-hour maintenance run to fill out the week, but I'm still watching the weather to see which days work out best. I'd like to do the speed work tomorrow if the weather cooperates. Right now, the Weather Service is calling for rain.
With two rounds of March Madness in the books, I find myself occupying the top rung (1/8) in my son's group on ESPN's Tournament Challenge. That means little, of course. There are a couple of big holes in my bracket--the biggest being my decision to pick Vanderbilt for the Final Four. I knew it was a stretch, but it didn't seem like such a bad idea at the time. Unless everyone else has similar holes, I don't expect to be leading the only time it matters: following the national championship game. If Kentucky--my pick to win it all--wins the championship, I have a shot to retain the top spot. My closest challengers have Syracuse to win. We'll see.
The biggest surprises so far have been Lehigh (a #15 beating #2 Duke) and Norfolk State (another #15 beating another #2: Missouri). Who knew? Well, my son for one. He actually picked the Norfolk State upset. But, the problem with picking upsets is that you tend to miss more often than not. As a result, he trails in the standings.
I respect Duke coach Mike K#*%&@%z, but Duke? Not so much. Missouri is a complete cipher to me. I do know that they're moving to the SEC next year. We'll see how that works out for them in football. Can't you just imagine all those Mizzou fans: "Oh boy, we can't wait to join the SEC. Hands down, the most dominant football conference ever. Winners of the last six BCS Championships. Where's the downside?" How about a schedule that includes Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee? Do Missouri and Texas A&M--also jumping to the SEC--really hate the Longhorns that much? Now that we think about it, the answer is still, YES!"
I took a brisk 4-mile hike this morning plus some strength training exercises for my cross training day. I'm not sure how the next three days will shape up. I need a day of speed work and a one-hour maintenance run to fill out the week, but I'm still watching the weather to see which days work out best. I'd like to do the speed work tomorrow if the weather cooperates. Right now, the Weather Service is calling for rain.
With two rounds of March Madness in the books, I find myself occupying the top rung (1/8) in my son's group on ESPN's Tournament Challenge. That means little, of course. There are a couple of big holes in my bracket--the biggest being my decision to pick Vanderbilt for the Final Four. I knew it was a stretch, but it didn't seem like such a bad idea at the time. Unless everyone else has similar holes, I don't expect to be leading the only time it matters: following the national championship game. If Kentucky--my pick to win it all--wins the championship, I have a shot to retain the top spot. My closest challengers have Syracuse to win. We'll see.
The biggest surprises so far have been Lehigh (a #15 beating #2 Duke) and Norfolk State (another #15 beating another #2: Missouri). Who knew? Well, my son for one. He actually picked the Norfolk State upset. But, the problem with picking upsets is that you tend to miss more often than not. As a result, he trails in the standings.
I respect Duke coach Mike K#*%&@%z, but Duke? Not so much. Missouri is a complete cipher to me. I do know that they're moving to the SEC next year. We'll see how that works out for them in football. Can't you just imagine all those Mizzou fans: "Oh boy, we can't wait to join the SEC. Hands down, the most dominant football conference ever. Winners of the last six BCS Championships. Where's the downside?" How about a schedule that includes Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee? Do Missouri and Texas A&M--also jumping to the SEC--really hate the Longhorns that much? Now that we think about it, the answer is still, YES!"
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The rest of 2012
The calendar finally says spring, but the weather outside here in Hog Heaven has been shouting spring for some time now. Today's forecast high temp of 81 degrees will make this the sixth straight day of record highs here. It's supposed to cool down a bit later this week, but temps will remain well above average for this time of year.
Today, I did a hill workout: 6 x .5 mile hill repeats at a 5K effort. I'm pretty pleased with the result. Tomorrow will be a one-hour recovery/maintenance run, and Thursday will be cross training.
It's a good thing that I've been keeping up with my hill workouts this winter. Yesterday, I finally pulled the trigger and signed up for the Pikes Peak Ascent. See here: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
Run in Manitou Springs, Colo., on August 18, the Ascent is the little brother of the Pikes Peak Marathon that is run the following day. Both run up the east face of Pikes Peak. The Ascent stops at the summit; the Marathon returns to the start. The Ascent gains 7815 feet of vertical over 13.32 miles.
The Marathon field closed early in the first day of registration. Field 1--the competitive runners--closed in 3 hours, 27 minutes. Field 2--you and me--closed in 1 hour, 1 minute. The Ascent remains open but is filling fast. If you're interested, better get going. The Marathon is limited to 800 runners, and the Ascent is limited to 1800.
There are qualifications for both races. The Marathon requires an Ascent finish. The Ascent requires meeting a time standard in a marathon or half-marathon run in the past three years.
I completed my 2012 dance card yesterday by registering for the Madison, Wisc., North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile ultra. See here: http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/
I ran my first ultra--the 50K--at last year's Madison North Face Endurance Challenge so this will be a homecoming of sorts for me. The North Face events also have registration limits, but it's early yet for Wisconsin (races are September 15-16). If you want to join me there, you still have plenty of time.
The Pikes Peak Ascent will be the first time I've raced above tree line. North Face Madison will be 19 miles longer than I've ever run before. Life's an adventure. Stay tuned.
Today, I did a hill workout: 6 x .5 mile hill repeats at a 5K effort. I'm pretty pleased with the result. Tomorrow will be a one-hour recovery/maintenance run, and Thursday will be cross training.
It's a good thing that I've been keeping up with my hill workouts this winter. Yesterday, I finally pulled the trigger and signed up for the Pikes Peak Ascent. See here: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
Run in Manitou Springs, Colo., on August 18, the Ascent is the little brother of the Pikes Peak Marathon that is run the following day. Both run up the east face of Pikes Peak. The Ascent stops at the summit; the Marathon returns to the start. The Ascent gains 7815 feet of vertical over 13.32 miles.
The Marathon field closed early in the first day of registration. Field 1--the competitive runners--closed in 3 hours, 27 minutes. Field 2--you and me--closed in 1 hour, 1 minute. The Ascent remains open but is filling fast. If you're interested, better get going. The Marathon is limited to 800 runners, and the Ascent is limited to 1800.
There are qualifications for both races. The Marathon requires an Ascent finish. The Ascent requires meeting a time standard in a marathon or half-marathon run in the past three years.
I completed my 2012 dance card yesterday by registering for the Madison, Wisc., North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile ultra. See here: http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/
I ran my first ultra--the 50K--at last year's Madison North Face Endurance Challenge so this will be a homecoming of sorts for me. The North Face events also have registration limits, but it's early yet for Wisconsin (races are September 15-16). If you want to join me there, you still have plenty of time.
The Pikes Peak Ascent will be the first time I've raced above tree line. North Face Madison will be 19 miles longer than I've ever run before. Life's an adventure. Stay tuned.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Bonking as a nation
The early summer weather continues here in Hog Heaven with record daily highs four days running and another predicted for tomorrow. Yesterday was cross training, and I felt much better than I expected considering that I bonked so thoroughly on my long run on Thursday. Today I did a slow and easy one-hour maintenance run and felt okay. Maybe the key to a quick recovery from a long run is to bonk and cut it short! I'll do another hour-long maintenance run tomorrow before starting a new week on Monday.
Runner bonk on occasion. But, do nations? Whether national decline is inevitable as some historians insist or not, there are lots of signs that the U.S. is headed in that direction. Our decline, like that of previous world powers, likely will be gradual, but the end state will be the same. One of the signs of decline is our lack of seriousness as a people. I started following this thread a couple of years ago after reading a column by Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal. Noonan was writing about the misadventures of the Transportation Security Administration (aka airport screeners). After relating several examples of idiotic action--e.g., selecting grandmothers and children for strip searches when terrorists are almost exclusively young Arabic males--Noonan suggested that such irrational, but politically correct, behavior showed that we were not a serious people. Since then, I've been collecting further examples almost weekly.
Here's one such: Back in 1957 when the Soviets launched Sputnik--the first orbiting satellite--the U.S. saw it as evidence that we had lost our lead in science, math, and technology. Our response was to roll up our sleeves and work hard to get better. Congress quickly passed NDEA (National Defense Education Act) legislation pumping money into math and science education. The grant money was available to college students on the basis of merit and need. And, merit came before need. (NDEA money helped pay my college costs. So did Army ROTC money. I paid it back by serving in the Army, including a tour in Vietnam, and spending a lifetime teaching.)
Fast forward to recent years and an avalanche of dismal reports on U.S. educational progress vis-a-vis the rest of the world. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for example reports that U.S. students rank 27th out of 33 nations (mostly developed) in math; 22nd out of 33 in science; and 33rd out of 33 in reading. We are looking up at places like South Korea and Norway. We're also looking up at places like Mexico and Hungary.
Sputnik set off a firestorm of self-examination. Reports such as those issued by the OECD occasion little more a bit of hand-wringing and demands for more education spending. Is that serious? Well, per pupil spending in the U.S. is among the highest in the world. While we've greatly increased education funding over the past three decades, student achievement has continued to decline. A rational/serious person would say that money isn't the answer. Or, that lack of money isn't the problem.
So, what is the problem(s)? Here are some possibilities: 1) bad teachers. And, there are a lot of them and they're protected by teachers' unions and fearful administrators and politicians. 2) too much time wasted on non-academic things. Mandatory parenting classes for example. Nobody learns to be a parent in a classroom. You learn from your parents and you learn by doing. OJT. On the job training. If you acquired critical thinking skills in classes like algebra and geometry (that often aren't required), you'd be able to figure out most of the conundrums of parenting. I believe that I was a successful parent and I never had a parenting class. Back then, schools were pushing math, science, languages, and such. Remember, we were trying to get back to #1. In education.
(The truth is that the we never fell behind the Soviets in math, science, and technology. We overreacted to a single incident. But, it didn't hurt us to work harder. They put a satellite in earth orbit. We put a man on the moon. Nowadays, we hardly react at all to much worse news. That is hurting us.)
Runner bonk on occasion. But, do nations? Whether national decline is inevitable as some historians insist or not, there are lots of signs that the U.S. is headed in that direction. Our decline, like that of previous world powers, likely will be gradual, but the end state will be the same. One of the signs of decline is our lack of seriousness as a people. I started following this thread a couple of years ago after reading a column by Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal. Noonan was writing about the misadventures of the Transportation Security Administration (aka airport screeners). After relating several examples of idiotic action--e.g., selecting grandmothers and children for strip searches when terrorists are almost exclusively young Arabic males--Noonan suggested that such irrational, but politically correct, behavior showed that we were not a serious people. Since then, I've been collecting further examples almost weekly.
Here's one such: Back in 1957 when the Soviets launched Sputnik--the first orbiting satellite--the U.S. saw it as evidence that we had lost our lead in science, math, and technology. Our response was to roll up our sleeves and work hard to get better. Congress quickly passed NDEA (National Defense Education Act) legislation pumping money into math and science education. The grant money was available to college students on the basis of merit and need. And, merit came before need. (NDEA money helped pay my college costs. So did Army ROTC money. I paid it back by serving in the Army, including a tour in Vietnam, and spending a lifetime teaching.)
Fast forward to recent years and an avalanche of dismal reports on U.S. educational progress vis-a-vis the rest of the world. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for example reports that U.S. students rank 27th out of 33 nations (mostly developed) in math; 22nd out of 33 in science; and 33rd out of 33 in reading. We are looking up at places like South Korea and Norway. We're also looking up at places like Mexico and Hungary.
Sputnik set off a firestorm of self-examination. Reports such as those issued by the OECD occasion little more a bit of hand-wringing and demands for more education spending. Is that serious? Well, per pupil spending in the U.S. is among the highest in the world. While we've greatly increased education funding over the past three decades, student achievement has continued to decline. A rational/serious person would say that money isn't the answer. Or, that lack of money isn't the problem.
So, what is the problem(s)? Here are some possibilities: 1) bad teachers. And, there are a lot of them and they're protected by teachers' unions and fearful administrators and politicians. 2) too much time wasted on non-academic things. Mandatory parenting classes for example. Nobody learns to be a parent in a classroom. You learn from your parents and you learn by doing. OJT. On the job training. If you acquired critical thinking skills in classes like algebra and geometry (that often aren't required), you'd be able to figure out most of the conundrums of parenting. I believe that I was a successful parent and I never had a parenting class. Back then, schools were pushing math, science, languages, and such. Remember, we were trying to get back to #1. In education.
(The truth is that the we never fell behind the Soviets in math, science, and technology. We overreacted to a single incident. But, it didn't hurt us to work harder. They put a satellite in earth orbit. We put a man on the moon. Nowadays, we hardly react at all to much worse news. That is hurting us.)
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Grab your partner . . .
You can have too much of a good thing. In my case, early spring. It's 80 degrees outside as I write this. To put this in perspective, we don't usually have 80-degree highs here in Hog Heaven until June. It was 62 when I started on my long run this morning at 6:45. The sun had not yet put in an appearance. It was in the 70s when I finished hours later: exhausted and barely moving. Yes, I bonked. Big time. After a 24-mile long run two weeks ago, my goal today was 26. lol
I hit the wall at 18 but continued to grind along until I logged 20. The last two were not pretty. It wasn't hard to find the culprit. Or, culprits. Me and Mother Nature. When I got home and checked my Garmin watch, I saw that I ran the first 18 miles as fast as I ran the first 18 miles two weeks ago. But, looking back in my running log, I found that it was 32 degrees when I started out then. I ran too fast for the conditions. Ergo, I bonked. Pretty simple.
I know better. Among the marathon books I've read is Jeff Galloway's Marathon: You Can Do It! Galloway warns readers to slow down at least 30 seconds for every five degrees above 60. Galloway also says that almost every runner will experience a bad long run during his/her train-up. So, here's hoping that I've had mine.
I just checked the weather for Ft. Collins, Colorado, for May 6. The average low is 42 and the average high is 68. The Colorado Marathon starts at 6:30. If the weather is just average for this year's marathon, most runners should be finished before the temp reaches 60. So, no problem. I'm actually hoping for below average temps. Maybe 38 at the start and 48 at the finish. Cloudy but no rain. Westerly winds behind us all the way into town. Just saying.
Now that this week's long run disaster is over, it's time to dance. As in the Big Dance. The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The real action begins today with sixteen games around the country. Another sixteen follow tomorrow setting the stage for this weekend's slate. By Sunday evening, only a Sweet Sixteen teams will remain.
Along with everyone else in the country, I filled out a bracket and submitted it to ESPN.com. As usual, I expect to be humbled by the results. My son puts together a group on ESPN's Tournament Challenge every year that includes our family and his girlfriend's family. Two years ago, his girlfriend's mother, who knows NOTHING about college basketball won. Last year, his girlfriend who knows a bit more about roundball than her mother--by way of West Virginia University--won. Go figure.
Anyway, I know what my problem is. I pick winners with my heart, not my head. There are certain teams that I will never pick to win a game, even if it's a #1 seed vs. a #16 seed. I could name those teams but why alienate complete strangers. I like to pick teams that represent schools with high academic standards. Unless that team is Harvard. Then, no way. If it's Princeton, as has often been the case in the past, I'll pick them to win at least in the first round. In general, I avoid Big 10 teams, but Tom Izzo and Michigan State and my home-state Iowa Hawkeyes are exceptions. Iowa was banished to the NIT again this year, but I have the Spartans in the Final Four in my bracket. Only Iowa State among Iowa's four Division 1 schools made this year's dance, and I picked them to make the Sweet Sixteen. I believe Vegas has them exiting in the opening round. See what I mean? Heart, not head.
That said, my Final Four is pretty conventional (with one exception): Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan State, and (drum roll) Vanderbilt. I wish that I could say that I have Vandy winning the Championship, but the slipper seldom fits at the Final Four. Just ask Butler.
I hit the wall at 18 but continued to grind along until I logged 20. The last two were not pretty. It wasn't hard to find the culprit. Or, culprits. Me and Mother Nature. When I got home and checked my Garmin watch, I saw that I ran the first 18 miles as fast as I ran the first 18 miles two weeks ago. But, looking back in my running log, I found that it was 32 degrees when I started out then. I ran too fast for the conditions. Ergo, I bonked. Pretty simple.
I know better. Among the marathon books I've read is Jeff Galloway's Marathon: You Can Do It! Galloway warns readers to slow down at least 30 seconds for every five degrees above 60. Galloway also says that almost every runner will experience a bad long run during his/her train-up. So, here's hoping that I've had mine.
I just checked the weather for Ft. Collins, Colorado, for May 6. The average low is 42 and the average high is 68. The Colorado Marathon starts at 6:30. If the weather is just average for this year's marathon, most runners should be finished before the temp reaches 60. So, no problem. I'm actually hoping for below average temps. Maybe 38 at the start and 48 at the finish. Cloudy but no rain. Westerly winds behind us all the way into town. Just saying.
Now that this week's long run disaster is over, it's time to dance. As in the Big Dance. The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The real action begins today with sixteen games around the country. Another sixteen follow tomorrow setting the stage for this weekend's slate. By Sunday evening, only a Sweet Sixteen teams will remain.
Along with everyone else in the country, I filled out a bracket and submitted it to ESPN.com. As usual, I expect to be humbled by the results. My son puts together a group on ESPN's Tournament Challenge every year that includes our family and his girlfriend's family. Two years ago, his girlfriend's mother, who knows NOTHING about college basketball won. Last year, his girlfriend who knows a bit more about roundball than her mother--by way of West Virginia University--won. Go figure.
Anyway, I know what my problem is. I pick winners with my heart, not my head. There are certain teams that I will never pick to win a game, even if it's a #1 seed vs. a #16 seed. I could name those teams but why alienate complete strangers. I like to pick teams that represent schools with high academic standards. Unless that team is Harvard. Then, no way. If it's Princeton, as has often been the case in the past, I'll pick them to win at least in the first round. In general, I avoid Big 10 teams, but Tom Izzo and Michigan State and my home-state Iowa Hawkeyes are exceptions. Iowa was banished to the NIT again this year, but I have the Spartans in the Final Four in my bracket. Only Iowa State among Iowa's four Division 1 schools made this year's dance, and I picked them to make the Sweet Sixteen. I believe Vegas has them exiting in the opening round. See what I mean? Heart, not head.
That said, my Final Four is pretty conventional (with one exception): Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan State, and (drum roll) Vanderbilt. I wish that I could say that I have Vandy winning the Championship, but the slipper seldom fits at the Final Four. Just ask Butler.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Slouching toward Beaverton
It looks like spring has sprung for good here in Hog Heaven. Of course, this is the Upper Midwest and anything can still happen, but I'm betting that we've seen the last of ol' Man Winter, who visited only sporadically this year anyway.
Today is sunny and unseasonably mild (forecast high of 70 degrees). And, it's not just today but as far as the (meteorological) eye can see: which is about ten days. The ten-day forecast from the Weather Service for Hog Heaven calls for nothing but spring-time: highs in the mid-60s to the mid-70s under mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies.
Thus, it was with a smile that I went out for a one-hour maintenance run this morning. A run that quickly morphed into a 90-minute maintenance run. That's what spring will do. I ordered a new (3rd generation) iPad and it's scheduled to be delivered on Friday. It'll require a signature so I'll need to be home when it comes which could be any time from about 9:00 until 11:00. So, I'm rescheduling my long run from Friday to Thursday. That means cross training tomorrow.
Phil Knight and all those folks in Beaverton, Oregon, who depend on runners forking over big bucks for running shoes made in Vietnam (and other exotic locales) for pennies a day must be breathing a sigh of relief right about now. Trashed by author Christopher McDougall in the best-selling barefoot-running primer Born to Run, Nike, et.al. hurriedly added some minimalist shoes to their lineups. Now, they may have found some minimal vindication in a new study out of the University of Colorado. The full study can be read here: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
A quick summary of the study can be found here: http://sweatscience.runnersworld.com/2012/02/barefoot-versus-running-shoes-which-is-surprisingly-more-efficient/
For the time-challenged, here are the main points from the study:
1. Running in shoes takes less energy than running barefoot.
2. The heavier your shoes are, the less efficiently you run.
3. Running barefoot "offers no metabolic advantage over running in lightweight, cushioned shoes."
Today is sunny and unseasonably mild (forecast high of 70 degrees). And, it's not just today but as far as the (meteorological) eye can see: which is about ten days. The ten-day forecast from the Weather Service for Hog Heaven calls for nothing but spring-time: highs in the mid-60s to the mid-70s under mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies.
Thus, it was with a smile that I went out for a one-hour maintenance run this morning. A run that quickly morphed into a 90-minute maintenance run. That's what spring will do. I ordered a new (3rd generation) iPad and it's scheduled to be delivered on Friday. It'll require a signature so I'll need to be home when it comes which could be any time from about 9:00 until 11:00. So, I'm rescheduling my long run from Friday to Thursday. That means cross training tomorrow.
Phil Knight and all those folks in Beaverton, Oregon, who depend on runners forking over big bucks for running shoes made in Vietnam (and other exotic locales) for pennies a day must be breathing a sigh of relief right about now. Trashed by author Christopher McDougall in the best-selling barefoot-running primer Born to Run, Nike, et.al. hurriedly added some minimalist shoes to their lineups. Now, they may have found some minimal vindication in a new study out of the University of Colorado. The full study can be read here: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
A quick summary of the study can be found here: http://sweatscience.runnersworld.com/2012/02/barefoot-versus-running-shoes-which-is-surprisingly-more-efficient/
For the time-challenged, here are the main points from the study:
1. Running in shoes takes less energy than running barefoot.
2. The heavier your shoes are, the less efficiently you run.
3. Running barefoot "offers no metabolic advantage over running in lightweight, cushioned shoes."
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Time is relative
Today is another lovely spring-like day here in Hog Heaven: partly cloudy and mid-60s with a moderate southerly wind. After a day of cross training yesterday, I did a one-hour maintenance run this morning. The upcoming week includes three maintenance runs and another long run: this time 26 miles. After checking the 7-day weather forecast, I have tentatively slated the long run for Friday.
If you got up late for your run this morning, you can blame everyone who wants to fool with Mother Nature. Twice a year--for no good reason, but lots of spurious ones--we interrupt our sleep patterns by dialing the clock forward or backward. In the spring, we set our clocks one hour ahead. We call this modified time, Daylight Savings Time (DST). In the fall, we turn our clocks back to Standard Time. This toying with time began back in World War I as a putative energy-saving measure. In the U.S., DST was allowed to expire with the war only to be revived in World War II. Allowed to expire again in 1946, DST returned in the 1960s and has been around since. Those who love DST and claim all sorts of spurious advantages for it have managed to extend it until it takes up two-thirds of the year now. Standard Time has to settle for the other third. Which begs the question: Which is actually the standard time?
Those spurious claims on behalf of DST include energy conservation, improved health, and enhanced public safety. In fact, studies regarding these claims have been contradictory at best. So, why do it? First, it's helpful to remember that it's a political decision. Congress authorizes DST. Congress is bought and paid for by special interests. So, it might help to figure out which special interests benefit from DST. Let's look at some examples: Golfers love it. Fishermen do not. Lawyers and bankers love it. Farmers do not. You can do the math.
I don't really care one way or the other although I would prefer a single year-round time. Delayed dawn works for me in the summer because it keeps the heat down until after my morning run. But, I do find it disconcerting when it's still light out at 9:00 p.m. in June. Kind of takes the meaning out of the term "evening."
If you got up late for your run this morning, you can blame everyone who wants to fool with Mother Nature. Twice a year--for no good reason, but lots of spurious ones--we interrupt our sleep patterns by dialing the clock forward or backward. In the spring, we set our clocks one hour ahead. We call this modified time, Daylight Savings Time (DST). In the fall, we turn our clocks back to Standard Time. This toying with time began back in World War I as a putative energy-saving measure. In the U.S., DST was allowed to expire with the war only to be revived in World War II. Allowed to expire again in 1946, DST returned in the 1960s and has been around since. Those who love DST and claim all sorts of spurious advantages for it have managed to extend it until it takes up two-thirds of the year now. Standard Time has to settle for the other third. Which begs the question: Which is actually the standard time?
Those spurious claims on behalf of DST include energy conservation, improved health, and enhanced public safety. In fact, studies regarding these claims have been contradictory at best. So, why do it? First, it's helpful to remember that it's a political decision. Congress authorizes DST. Congress is bought and paid for by special interests. So, it might help to figure out which special interests benefit from DST. Let's look at some examples: Golfers love it. Fishermen do not. Lawyers and bankers love it. Farmers do not. You can do the math.
I don't really care one way or the other although I would prefer a single year-round time. Delayed dawn works for me in the summer because it keeps the heat down until after my morning run. But, I do find it disconcerting when it's still light out at 9:00 p.m. in June. Kind of takes the meaning out of the term "evening."
Friday, March 9, 2012
Parenting 1.0
Today's weather was more seasonal here in Hog Heaven: the temp was 30 degrees under sunny skies when I went out running this morning. And, there was a moderate northwest wind. Actually, not bad running weather. The core of today's run was a 6 x 1-mile speed workout. Add in the warm-up and cool-down, and I did right at 9 miles total. I intended to run the mile intervals at race pace, but even with my Garmin watch keeping pace, I ran over 30 seconds faster than race pace. On every interval. I need to curb my enthusiasm. Tomorrow is cross training and Sunday is a one-hour maintenance run.
I saw this bad news on msnbc.com yesterday: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46669027/ns/health-addictions/
To summarize: the Surgeon General says that teen smoking remains at an epidemic rate. One in five teens smoke: 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students. That's right, 600,000 sixth-eighth graders! After the mandatory hand-wringing, the article cites all the ways that government needs to respond. That's fine, I guess. But, what bothers me is that NOWHERE in the articles are PARENTS mentioned.
My question: Does it take a village to raise a child or does it take determined parents?
I'm old-fashioned, so I choose parents. Growing up, I knew that my parents would kill me (I don't think that they meant that literally, but I wasn't sure) if they caught me smoking. (A nod to the village here: way back then, the local village did reinforce parents. The school suspended kids caught smoking. My Sunday School teacher told us that our bodies were the temple of the Lord and smoking, among other things, desecrated the temple and displeased God. Our coaches warned us that smoking made us winded and reduced our chances of playing.) That said, the warning/threat that had the most influence on me was the one that came from my parents. Go figure.
When I became a parent, I followed the same prescription. I didn't care that times had changed. I didn't want to be my son's friend. I wanted to be the best father he could have. I wanted him to grow up healthy and wise. I hoped that the wealthy part would take care of itself. I didn't threaten to kill him, but I did make it clear that I would be very disappointed in him if he did something as foolish as smoke. He knew that I was serious and that I'd be watching. He also knew that I loved him very much and wanted the best for him. He's 29 years-old and he's never smoked. I don't think that it had anything to do with the government-mandated warnings on cigarette packs.
An aside: Remember the War on Drugs? The government declared it back in the 1970s. Talk about a long war. This one's been going on for forty years with no end in sight. Over that time, we've spent hundreds of billions of dollars in this fight. And, to what end? Approximately, none. That's why I laughed out loud when I read that Surgeon General Regina Benjamin told the AP that "We want to make our next generation tobacco-free, and I think we can." (When Benjamin said "we," it was clear that she meant the government.)
What I can't believe is that someone in a position of authority would say something so utterly preposterous. Even if the government outlawed tobacco tomorrow, the next generation wouldn't be tobacco-free. Don't they remember prohibition? Just saying.
I saw this bad news on msnbc.com yesterday: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46669027/ns/health-addictions/
To summarize: the Surgeon General says that teen smoking remains at an epidemic rate. One in five teens smoke: 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students. That's right, 600,000 sixth-eighth graders! After the mandatory hand-wringing, the article cites all the ways that government needs to respond. That's fine, I guess. But, what bothers me is that NOWHERE in the articles are PARENTS mentioned.
My question: Does it take a village to raise a child or does it take determined parents?
I'm old-fashioned, so I choose parents. Growing up, I knew that my parents would kill me (I don't think that they meant that literally, but I wasn't sure) if they caught me smoking. (A nod to the village here: way back then, the local village did reinforce parents. The school suspended kids caught smoking. My Sunday School teacher told us that our bodies were the temple of the Lord and smoking, among other things, desecrated the temple and displeased God. Our coaches warned us that smoking made us winded and reduced our chances of playing.) That said, the warning/threat that had the most influence on me was the one that came from my parents. Go figure.
When I became a parent, I followed the same prescription. I didn't care that times had changed. I didn't want to be my son's friend. I wanted to be the best father he could have. I wanted him to grow up healthy and wise. I hoped that the wealthy part would take care of itself. I didn't threaten to kill him, but I did make it clear that I would be very disappointed in him if he did something as foolish as smoke. He knew that I was serious and that I'd be watching. He also knew that I loved him very much and wanted the best for him. He's 29 years-old and he's never smoked. I don't think that it had anything to do with the government-mandated warnings on cigarette packs.
An aside: Remember the War on Drugs? The government declared it back in the 1970s. Talk about a long war. This one's been going on for forty years with no end in sight. Over that time, we've spent hundreds of billions of dollars in this fight. And, to what end? Approximately, none. That's why I laughed out loud when I read that Surgeon General Regina Benjamin told the AP that "We want to make our next generation tobacco-free, and I think we can." (When Benjamin said "we," it was clear that she meant the government.)
What I can't believe is that someone in a position of authority would say something so utterly preposterous. Even if the government outlawed tobacco tomorrow, the next generation wouldn't be tobacco-free. Don't they remember prohibition? Just saying.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Shoes R Us
It's another spring-like day here in Hog Heaven with temps near 60 under partly cloudy skies. Like yesterday, the only meteorological downside is a howling March wind: sustained winds 20-30 mph with gusts up to 40. Considering some of the possible alternatives, we'll take it.
After yesterday's hill workout, I took it easy today with a one-hour recovery/maintenance run. Tomorrow is an off-day for me. That leaves two runs to complete this week: another one-hour maintenance run, and if I'm up to it, a speed workout over the weekend: 6 x 1-mile at race pace.
The big news today is the announcement of Apple's new iPad. Of course, you can't run with an iPad. Okay, maybe you could, but it's probably not a good idea. It is a good idea, however, to find the best possible shoes to run in.
First, here's some news regarding the new Saucony Kinvara 3 that will be out on May 1 apparently. Check here for info and pix: http://blog.runningwarehouse.com/rs/saucony-kinvara-3/
I own a pair of the Kinvara 2 and like them very much. My only question concerns their durability. I understand that Saucony has improved the durability of the Kinvara 3 and without adding weight. Of course, change isn't free. At $100, the new shoe costs 10 bucks more than its predecessor.
A trail version of the Kinvara, the Kinvara TR, will be launched in July according to this piece: http://samwinebaum.blogspot.com/2012/01/introduction-saucony-kinvara-3-and.html
Right now, my go-to trail shoe is the Saucony Peregrine. I've had the Peregrines since last summer and ran the North Face Endurance Challenge 50K at Madison, Wisc., last fall in them. I had absolutely no problems. But, I'm always on the lookout for a better alternative. So, I'm anxious to try the Kinvara TR.
After yesterday's hill workout, I took it easy today with a one-hour recovery/maintenance run. Tomorrow is an off-day for me. That leaves two runs to complete this week: another one-hour maintenance run, and if I'm up to it, a speed workout over the weekend: 6 x 1-mile at race pace.
The big news today is the announcement of Apple's new iPad. Of course, you can't run with an iPad. Okay, maybe you could, but it's probably not a good idea. It is a good idea, however, to find the best possible shoes to run in.
First, here's some news regarding the new Saucony Kinvara 3 that will be out on May 1 apparently. Check here for info and pix: http://blog.runningwarehouse.com/rs/saucony-kinvara-3/
I own a pair of the Kinvara 2 and like them very much. My only question concerns their durability. I understand that Saucony has improved the durability of the Kinvara 3 and without adding weight. Of course, change isn't free. At $100, the new shoe costs 10 bucks more than its predecessor.
A trail version of the Kinvara, the Kinvara TR, will be launched in July according to this piece: http://samwinebaum.blogspot.com/2012/01/introduction-saucony-kinvara-3-and.html
Right now, my go-to trail shoe is the Saucony Peregrine. I've had the Peregrines since last summer and ran the North Face Endurance Challenge 50K at Madison, Wisc., last fall in them. I had absolutely no problems. But, I'm always on the lookout for a better alternative. So, I'm anxious to try the Kinvara TR.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Are you smarter than a marathoner?
It's spring-like in Hog Heaven today: temps in the 50s under sunny skies. The only fly-in-the-unseasonable-ointment is the March wind that's gusting up to 40 mph. I celebrated by doing a hill workout. The wind was from the south and the hill is on an east-west axis. So, the wind wasn't much of a factor. I did 6 x .5 mile hills at a 5K effort. Short of a 5K pace but not by much. So, I'm getting stronger on the hills at least. Counting my warm-up and cool-down jogs, I logged almost 9 miles. Not a bad workout. Tomorrow will be a slow-and-easy one-hour recovery/maintenance run.
Joke of the Day
How many marathon runners does it take to change a light bulb?
Marathon runners aren’t afraid of the dark.
Shoe Update: I retired a well-worn pair of ASICS GT-2150 shoes Sunday. They were still in serviceable condition but had accumulated 517 miles. That seems like a lot to me. I'm hard on shoes and they tend to wear out/break down in various ways between 300 and 400 miles. I have no idea how many miles a training shoe can safely handle, but I'd rather err on the side of caution. I'll replace the GT-2150s with a new pair of their immediate successor, the GT-2160 that I bought on sale before Christmas. The latest shoe in the series, the GT-2170 is already out, but I want to take a look at other models, the ASICS Gel-Neo 33 for example, before committing to another pair of the GT series.
Right now, I need to put more miles on the Brooks PureFlow that I picked up last Thanksgiving at the Amica Seattle Marathon expo. I've only run in them twice, but I love the fit and the feel on the road and hope that they turn out to be durable. If so, I'll keep them in my shoe rotation and perhaps add the Brooks PureGrit as a trial shoe. Before I buy the PureGrit though, I'd like to see the new Saucony Kinvara TR, a trial-running cousin of the popular Kinvara. Both the PureGrit and Kinvara TR can be classified as minimalist shoes. The PureGrit weighs in at 8.9 oz. and the Kinvara TR at 8.5 oz. (For men's size 9)
I'm not sure when the Kinvara TR is coming out, but Saucony is rolling out the new Kinvara 3 in early May. I expect that the Kinvara TR won't be far behind.
I already have a pair of the Kinvara 2 shoes in my rotation, and they're great, but I'm concerned about their durability. So far, my concern is intuitive, not concrete. As in no evidence. So, we'll see. Right now, I'm using them exclusively for speed work, but I'm considering wearing them for the Colorado Marathon. The alternative is the ASICS Speedstar 5 that I ran in for the Seattle Marathon and the Capital City (Olympia, WA) Marathon last year.
Joke of the Day
How many marathon runners does it take to change a light bulb?
Marathon runners aren’t afraid of the dark.
Shoe Update: I retired a well-worn pair of ASICS GT-2150 shoes Sunday. They were still in serviceable condition but had accumulated 517 miles. That seems like a lot to me. I'm hard on shoes and they tend to wear out/break down in various ways between 300 and 400 miles. I have no idea how many miles a training shoe can safely handle, but I'd rather err on the side of caution. I'll replace the GT-2150s with a new pair of their immediate successor, the GT-2160 that I bought on sale before Christmas. The latest shoe in the series, the GT-2170 is already out, but I want to take a look at other models, the ASICS Gel-Neo 33 for example, before committing to another pair of the GT series.
Right now, I need to put more miles on the Brooks PureFlow that I picked up last Thanksgiving at the Amica Seattle Marathon expo. I've only run in them twice, but I love the fit and the feel on the road and hope that they turn out to be durable. If so, I'll keep them in my shoe rotation and perhaps add the Brooks PureGrit as a trial shoe. Before I buy the PureGrit though, I'd like to see the new Saucony Kinvara TR, a trial-running cousin of the popular Kinvara. Both the PureGrit and Kinvara TR can be classified as minimalist shoes. The PureGrit weighs in at 8.9 oz. and the Kinvara TR at 8.5 oz. (For men's size 9)
I'm not sure when the Kinvara TR is coming out, but Saucony is rolling out the new Kinvara 3 in early May. I expect that the Kinvara TR won't be far behind.
I already have a pair of the Kinvara 2 shoes in my rotation, and they're great, but I'm concerned about their durability. So far, my concern is intuitive, not concrete. As in no evidence. So, we'll see. Right now, I'm using them exclusively for speed work, but I'm considering wearing them for the Colorado Marathon. The alternative is the ASICS Speedstar 5 that I ran in for the Seattle Marathon and the Capital City (Olympia, WA) Marathon last year.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Decisions, decisions
Today was another reminder that winter isn't over here in Hog Heaven. It is cold and brisk, if sunny. At least it was still sunny early in the day when I went out for a 7-mile maintenance run. Again, since I'm coming off a 24-mile LSD on Thursday, I took this one slow and easy. The good news is that I seem to be completely recovered from my effort on Thursday. Tomorrow is cross training.
Time's a wastin'. I still haven't decided which (long) races to schedule for later this year. I'm registered (and training) for the May 6 Colorado Marathon. After that, who knows? The problem is that several popular races that I've been considering begin (and end) registration this month. (The Colorado Marathon is capped and usually closes early too, but I knew last fall that I wanted to run it. Good thing since it closed before Dec. 31.)
The ever-popular Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. opens registration this week: March 7. The Marathon takes place on October 28 meaning that decisions have to be made almost eight months in advance. Even though it's the fourth largest U.S. marathon and the 9th largest in the world, last year's marathon sold out in just 28 hours. So, you can see the dilemma for runners: either decide within a couple of days or miss out. Since I don't see myself deciding by Wednesday, I'll likely be left out. For those who are interested, here's the site: http://www.marinemarathon.com/
One week later, the equally popular Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon opens registration: March 15. The Pikes Peak races are on August 18 (Ascent) and 19 (Marathon). Registration is capped at 1800 for the Ascent and 800 for the Marathon and usually closes within days. I'll probably miss that deadline too. But, for those who are interested and more decisive, here's the link: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
Fortunately, my other alternatives--North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc.; the Quad-Cities Marathon in my backyard; and the Amica Seattle Marathon in my son's backyard--remain options. The North Face events are capped, but registration for the Madison venue did not close last year. The other two are not capped. The North Face Endurance Challenge events can be found here: http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/ The Quad-Cities event here: http://qcmarathon.org/
I'm also waiting to see what happens with my son. Right now, he doesn't know where he'll be and what he'll be doing this fall so he can't make plans. If he's going to be out of the country over Christmas, we'll visit him for Thanksgiving. If we're going to be out in the Seattle area over Thanksgiving, we might as well run the marathon. The link for it is here: http://www.seattlemarathon.org/ I ran this race last fall and swore that I'd never run it again. But marathons are a bit like child birth. Or, so I hear. It doesn't take long to forget the bad parts and savor the good parts. The race itself is well-organized and run. The weather on race day last year was nasty: cool, rainy, and windy. (But, it was fall in Seattle.) And, there are a couple of wake-up hills in the second half.
Time's a wastin'. I still haven't decided which (long) races to schedule for later this year. I'm registered (and training) for the May 6 Colorado Marathon. After that, who knows? The problem is that several popular races that I've been considering begin (and end) registration this month. (The Colorado Marathon is capped and usually closes early too, but I knew last fall that I wanted to run it. Good thing since it closed before Dec. 31.)
The ever-popular Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. opens registration this week: March 7. The Marathon takes place on October 28 meaning that decisions have to be made almost eight months in advance. Even though it's the fourth largest U.S. marathon and the 9th largest in the world, last year's marathon sold out in just 28 hours. So, you can see the dilemma for runners: either decide within a couple of days or miss out. Since I don't see myself deciding by Wednesday, I'll likely be left out. For those who are interested, here's the site: http://www.marinemarathon.com/
One week later, the equally popular Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon opens registration: March 15. The Pikes Peak races are on August 18 (Ascent) and 19 (Marathon). Registration is capped at 1800 for the Ascent and 800 for the Marathon and usually closes within days. I'll probably miss that deadline too. But, for those who are interested and more decisive, here's the link: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
Fortunately, my other alternatives--North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc.; the Quad-Cities Marathon in my backyard; and the Amica Seattle Marathon in my son's backyard--remain options. The North Face events are capped, but registration for the Madison venue did not close last year. The other two are not capped. The North Face Endurance Challenge events can be found here: http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/ The Quad-Cities event here: http://qcmarathon.org/
I'm also waiting to see what happens with my son. Right now, he doesn't know where he'll be and what he'll be doing this fall so he can't make plans. If he's going to be out of the country over Christmas, we'll visit him for Thanksgiving. If we're going to be out in the Seattle area over Thanksgiving, we might as well run the marathon. The link for it is here: http://www.seattlemarathon.org/ I ran this race last fall and swore that I'd never run it again. But marathons are a bit like child birth. Or, so I hear. It doesn't take long to forget the bad parts and savor the good parts. The race itself is well-organized and run. The weather on race day last year was nasty: cool, rainy, and windy. (But, it was fall in Seattle.) And, there are a couple of wake-up hills in the second half.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Running thru March Madness
Yesterday: The day after . . . my long run . . . was encouraging. I had just a hint of soreness in my quads and a bit of lingering fatigue, but that was it. I celebrated with a brisk 3+ mile walk. Call it active recovery.
It was good that I got out early though. After lunch, Mother Nature showed up to remind us that it's still winter with three inches of wet snow. Considering what She visited on other parts of the Midwest and South--deadly tornadoes--I'm not going to complain (much) about a little snow. But, it did make this morning's one-hour maintenance run a bit sloppy.
The better news is that after a couple days of below average temps and gray skies (today and tomorrow), the weather is forecast to warm up considerably with a high temp in the upper 50s by Tuesday afternoon. Can you say, "Spring Fever?"
Back to today's run: I felt fine with no lingering issues from Thursday's long run. Nevertheless, I took it slow and easy. Actually, very slow and easy. Tomorrow calls for another one-hour maintenance run and maybe I'll step up the pace a bit.
March is one of my favorite months. Spring officially begins. The boys of summer are limbering up down in Florida and Arizona preparing to take center stage next month. And, the boys of winter exit the stage with the excitement that is the NCAA's March Madness. I was never much of a basketball player. In-between height: 6'0". Not enough quickness to compensate for in-between height. Weak going to my left. I'm also not much of a fan. Except, of course, at tournament time. And, then, only the NCAA. The NBA could disappear and I wouldn't notice.
The NCAA has done a great job promoting March Madness, but it helps that they have a great product. What intrigues me most is the very real possibility that almost anything can happen. "Almost" because I don't think a #16 seed has ever upset a #1 seed. Everything else has happened. That promises the possibility that it can happen again. Every year seems to elevate a Cinderella. Or, two. Last year's Final Four included Virgina Commonwealth and Butler.
I became a fan of March Madness in 1979 when upstart Indiana State, led by Larry Bird, made it to the championship game against Big Ten royalty Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Indiana State lost on the scoreboard but won in the hearts of fans. My new-found interest was confirmed once-and-for-all in 1983 when the underdog North Carolina State Wolfpack, coached by the irrepressible Jim Valvano, stunned the basketball world by winning the title. If I recall correctly, NC State only made the tournament field by winning the ACC tournament. They had finished third in the final conference standings with a mediocre 8-6 record. In the NCAA tournament, they won four of their six games by two points or less. Valvano, of course, later died of cancer following a courageous year-long battle.
Who will be this year's Cinderella? How about Iowa State from the Big 12. And, Hog Heaven. They have to be invited to the dance first, but that shouldn't be a problem for a team that's 21-9 and 11-6 in a tough conference. But, you never know. Deserving teams are passed over every year.
It was good that I got out early though. After lunch, Mother Nature showed up to remind us that it's still winter with three inches of wet snow. Considering what She visited on other parts of the Midwest and South--deadly tornadoes--I'm not going to complain (much) about a little snow. But, it did make this morning's one-hour maintenance run a bit sloppy.
The better news is that after a couple days of below average temps and gray skies (today and tomorrow), the weather is forecast to warm up considerably with a high temp in the upper 50s by Tuesday afternoon. Can you say, "Spring Fever?"
Back to today's run: I felt fine with no lingering issues from Thursday's long run. Nevertheless, I took it slow and easy. Actually, very slow and easy. Tomorrow calls for another one-hour maintenance run and maybe I'll step up the pace a bit.
March is one of my favorite months. Spring officially begins. The boys of summer are limbering up down in Florida and Arizona preparing to take center stage next month. And, the boys of winter exit the stage with the excitement that is the NCAA's March Madness. I was never much of a basketball player. In-between height: 6'0". Not enough quickness to compensate for in-between height. Weak going to my left. I'm also not much of a fan. Except, of course, at tournament time. And, then, only the NCAA. The NBA could disappear and I wouldn't notice.
The NCAA has done a great job promoting March Madness, but it helps that they have a great product. What intrigues me most is the very real possibility that almost anything can happen. "Almost" because I don't think a #16 seed has ever upset a #1 seed. Everything else has happened. That promises the possibility that it can happen again. Every year seems to elevate a Cinderella. Or, two. Last year's Final Four included Virgina Commonwealth and Butler.
I became a fan of March Madness in 1979 when upstart Indiana State, led by Larry Bird, made it to the championship game against Big Ten royalty Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Indiana State lost on the scoreboard but won in the hearts of fans. My new-found interest was confirmed once-and-for-all in 1983 when the underdog North Carolina State Wolfpack, coached by the irrepressible Jim Valvano, stunned the basketball world by winning the title. If I recall correctly, NC State only made the tournament field by winning the ACC tournament. They had finished third in the final conference standings with a mediocre 8-6 record. In the NCAA tournament, they won four of their six games by two points or less. Valvano, of course, later died of cancer following a courageous year-long battle.
Who will be this year's Cinderella? How about Iowa State from the Big 12. And, Hog Heaven. They have to be invited to the dance first, but that shouldn't be a problem for a team that's 21-9 and 11-6 in a tough conference. But, you never know. Deserving teams are passed over every year.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
More LSD
So, I did my long run today: 24 miles, LSD. The weather was neutral: temps in the mid-30s, overcast sky, and light winds. I ran strong over the first third, faltered in the middle third, and finished strong. I don't know what happened there in the middle third, but I just kept grinding it out until things improved. I guess if they hadn't improved, I'd have kept grinding to the end. What can you do? I'm sure that I stayed hydrated and I ate energy bars (cut into 30/40 calorie chunks) every two miles starting at mile six. I checked my mile splits on my Garmin watch when I got home, and the middle miles were indeed slower than either the early or late miles. As that eminent philosopher (and distance runner) Forrest Gump said, "S___ happens."
*******************************************
Here's my dilemma, and I bet it's a common one among runners: I train as if more is better even though I know that's not always the case. Of course, more is better some of the time. Worse, others. The key to injury-free training and racing is recognizing the difference. Endurance athletes tend to be obsessive. That's probably what makes them endurance athletes. It's also what makes them push the envelope. Maybe it's also what makes them overly optimistic. I suffer from all of these character flaws. I've run only one marathon that I can recall that I didn't go out too fast. And suffer the consequences later. And, every time, I swore that it'd never happen again. Until the next time.
I ran two marathons and one ultra last year and was not happy with my any of my times. When I look at each performance rationally, it's clear that I went out too fast each time. That suggests (or would to a rational person) that the solution is to restrain myself at the start of this year's races. But, I can't help thinking that if I train harder, I can race harder and that will equal faster. So, I'm fiddling with my training schedule for my first big race this season: the May 6 Colorado Marathon. Last year, I did LSD once every three weeks after my long run reached twenty miles. This year, I've been running long every two weeks even though I hit 20 miles four weeks ago. So far, I feel good. No lingering fatigue. No injuries. But, there are two months to go, and it's too early to celebrate. So, I'm out there on the edge hoping for the best. Unless and until I wander over the edge, I'll continue to run long every two weeks until April 15. Then, I'll begin a three-week taper to May 6. So, there at the end at least, I'll have three weeks between long runs.
If I run well in Colorado, there's no telling what changes I'll make in my training regimen for the summer. I've just about decided to sign up for my hometown marathon in the fall: the September 23 Quad-Cities Marathon. A solid performance--measured against age division rivals--is my goal for Colorado. And, a reasonable one I think. But, what runner worth his/her PR is ever content with solid? We're always moving the goal posts. Then, we have to think of a way to get there. And while more isn't always the answer, it's the easiest one. Stay tuned.
Let's end this with a cliche that's apropos of runners:
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL.
*******************************************
Here's my dilemma, and I bet it's a common one among runners: I train as if more is better even though I know that's not always the case. Of course, more is better some of the time. Worse, others. The key to injury-free training and racing is recognizing the difference. Endurance athletes tend to be obsessive. That's probably what makes them endurance athletes. It's also what makes them push the envelope. Maybe it's also what makes them overly optimistic. I suffer from all of these character flaws. I've run only one marathon that I can recall that I didn't go out too fast. And suffer the consequences later. And, every time, I swore that it'd never happen again. Until the next time.
I ran two marathons and one ultra last year and was not happy with my any of my times. When I look at each performance rationally, it's clear that I went out too fast each time. That suggests (or would to a rational person) that the solution is to restrain myself at the start of this year's races. But, I can't help thinking that if I train harder, I can race harder and that will equal faster. So, I'm fiddling with my training schedule for my first big race this season: the May 6 Colorado Marathon. Last year, I did LSD once every three weeks after my long run reached twenty miles. This year, I've been running long every two weeks even though I hit 20 miles four weeks ago. So far, I feel good. No lingering fatigue. No injuries. But, there are two months to go, and it's too early to celebrate. So, I'm out there on the edge hoping for the best. Unless and until I wander over the edge, I'll continue to run long every two weeks until April 15. Then, I'll begin a three-week taper to May 6. So, there at the end at least, I'll have three weeks between long runs.
If I run well in Colorado, there's no telling what changes I'll make in my training regimen for the summer. I've just about decided to sign up for my hometown marathon in the fall: the September 23 Quad-Cities Marathon. A solid performance--measured against age division rivals--is my goal for Colorado. And, a reasonable one I think. But, what runner worth his/her PR is ever content with solid? We're always moving the goal posts. Then, we have to think of a way to get there. And while more isn't always the answer, it's the easiest one. Stay tuned.
Let's end this with a cliche that's apropos of runners:
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL.
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