I remember in high school before a race I'd do anything to keep my mind off the upcoming race. Now I feel like all I can do is think about the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile.



I'm excited. My biggest concern is over sleeping!



It's going to be a great challenge to see what I can get my body to do.



Here's my strategy: Run to win the prize. OK that's a bit overzealous on the surface - and unrealistic when inspected in light of my lack of race experience since 1994. But… Continue

(A random quote someone sent me)

 

"...is willing to accept that she creates her own reality

except for some of the parts

where she can't help but wonder

what the hell was she thinking"

Maybe that's a good summary of running and my cancer survivorship.

I'll let you know more tomorrow, after the Garden of the Gods 10 miles is done.

Smile if you see me, ( I'll be the one nearer the back).

I'll do the same for you.

     My taper, part planned, part circumstantial, began last week. With the upcoming GARDEN OF THE GODS 10 MILER on June 12th, I wanted to cut my quantity of training while still maintaining quality in speed/tempo workouts. And, just in case I got a wild hare to squeeze in a big run, a weekend Neuro-Developmental Treatment continuing ed course necessitated my greatly reduced training volume.

     Ostensibly, reducing training during tapering seems like a pretty basic principle. Just…

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Hard days vs. easy days.  

 Recently I was working with a client and she mentioned that she was frustrated with her lack of progress on improving her speed up a really steep local abandoned incline railway.  I asked her how many times a week she was doing the illegal run and she replied she was trying to get up there five to six days a week.  Apparently a friend…

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It started 2 years ago at the end of August at a friends 106th birthday party, (hello Rich, lol). I saw some pictures of myself and was in shock. You can really see how big 250#'s at 6'1" is. Change was needed, move forward to the following May and I had changed my diet, was working out more and cycling more. I was getting ready for the Buena Vista Bike Festival was down to 225#'s and thought I was feeling pretty good. So I was talking to a friend, (Thanks Ann), about how I was feeling and some… Continue

I was in the middle of a quick six mile run in Stratton area,up by the Resevoires.  Not paying too much attenetion, meandering on the trail and in my thoughts. Then the stick almost under my foot moved.

 I think my scream was a little shrill. A chuckle from behind, followed by a charming Southern voice " Darlin', you just about stepped on that snake'.

"Thought it was a long stick. The dog didn't seem too interested, then it moved and....I hate snakes!"

He ambled over to…

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A lot of people ask the question. We already have road bikes, mountain bikes, tricycles, recumbent bikes, cruisers, and on and on. Why in the world do we need another type of “bike”? Well, for many of us that choose to “Stand Up And Ride”, the story is one of injury. The more people I talk to in this sport, the more I find out that we are an elite group of people who can’t do what we once loved, so we’ve explored new options to continue our love of exercise and the great outdoors. Some of us…

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So here it is, one week from the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Race ... a race I've been training for since the middle of February ... and as the time gets closer, I'm beginning to doubt myself.  So far, I've been running up to 8.6 miles, and have even clocked 9.79 miles accidentally, but with the left knee pain I've been having, I don't know if I'll be able to finish.

 

I…

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    There's a popular saying offered among athletes in the period immediately preceding a race: "They hay is in the barn." In essence, take confidence in your training because panic or last minute heroics will not help and can often hinder performance.

 

     Well last week was I was a hay-loading machine (perhaps not as good as these guys though).…

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With the beginning of the Triple Crown Series only nine days away, I was torn between working through lunch or working out at lunch. I chose working out mostly because my wife told me to work - I like to push her buttons.

 

The Garden of the Gods 10 Mile is June 12th (7 a.m.). Are you signed up? You should be. It's one of the best races in the country according to Runners…

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By MtnMama of UpaDowna.com

Actually, they are supposed to be squat thrusts as I was told while performing them wrong. Oops!

Welcome to Southside Johnny’s Running Club, run by CrossFit SoCo. Every Wednesday at 6pm, the run…

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After over eighteen years of training for endurance events I finally had my first overtraining/repetitive motion injury this year.  It is plantar fasciitis and boy does it hurt, it feels as if you have knives stuck in the bottom of your feet and when you get out of bed in the morning you can hardly step for the first few minutes.  I have always incorporated a large amount of elevation gain in my weekly training regimine, but this year I also added teaching group fitness classes that utilize…

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Scott asks, "why is it so hard to get out of bed in the morning?"

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I enjoy sleep; I’m just not very good at it.  Lucky for me, my running buds either humor the early starts or find that it is their only window to get out of the house before the daily chaos ensues, so as a result our gaggle is typically moving before the sun comes up.  It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to get anywhere from one to eight ++ others to join in the fun. …

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Back in February when I started training for the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Race coming up on June 12th, several runner friends suggested I participate in other races to prepare myself.  I took their advice and ran the St. Patrick's 5K in March.  Even though it was my first race and kind of tough, I felt exhilirated afterwards!  I was so proud of myself for finishing, I couldn't wait for the next one!  So I signed up for the Take 5 in the Garden, conquering 5 miles with my fellow running…

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...Circuit workouts improves both strength and endurance, and jump-starts metabolism.

"When those women leave the gym, they are still burning a third more calories than they did in the workout -- and this goes on for hours!" he says. "Once you build muscle, muscle burns more calories [than fat], so you continue to burn more."

read more...

 

You can try a Circuit workout…

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Somewhere during the 10 mile run today through the Garden I found myself. I really was lost for awhile. Have been waiting for the pieces to connect again. The elusive feelings that seemed to be just on the periphery, finally came through . Pure joy . Its been a bit of a struggle to let go, to give myself permission to move with the abandon that I used to have when I ran. My body had betrayed me. It could do it again. There has been a sense of fear and mistrust moving as an…

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