Keeping with the reading theme here… my old college friend Jeff recommended a very good book to me this fall that I want to share with you.  It’s titled “Born To Run”.  No, not the classic album by The Boss.  This is a national best-seller by Christopher McDougall.

It’s an entertaining story that involves some very colorful characters that are all runners like Caballo Blanco – The White Horse, Bonehead Billy, Barefoot Ted and more.  The main story is about a tribe of barefoot ultra-marathoners in Mexico but the story takes many detours to explore things like why there have been more running injuries since Nike invented the “advanced” running shoe than there were when runners wore flat canvas shoes.  Or to go down a totally ridiculous path about how running is somehow proof of evolution (nonsense). 

Overall, a fun read. Check it out.  I’ll comment more on it later.  (Maybe after I try the Vibram Five Fingers running shoes).

  This time of year it can be difficult to stay motivated to run regularly.  The prime race season is done, each day has less sunlight, and the temperature is dropping.  I find that reading about running actually helps keep me motivated.  Runners World ( www.runnersworld.com ) magazine has a great variety of articles each month.   Reading their work out advice, eating tips and feature stories about runners facing extreme challenges or with special accomplishments gets me thinking about how to take my game up.  Plus, when I see ads for races in other states I start dreaming of running Big Sur or a Rock n Roll marathon.  There are also many good blogs written by runners of all abilities from all parts of the country that can keep your mind on running even when it’s dark and cold outside.  Complete Running Network is a great source for hundreds of blogs (www.completerunning.com/running-blogs/). You can search by topic, experience level, geography and more.

So, grab a magazine or find a blog to read then start planning your Spring races while you’re pounding the pavement this winter dressed in layers with your hat and gloves. 

The changing of the seasons is a tricky time for outdoor activities of almost any kind.  It’s difficult to know what to wear when the weather is so unpredictable.  Temperatures can swing 20-30 degrees in one day.  It’s especially hard to know how to dress for running in this weather because your body will warm-up so quickly while running.  I have found that if I warm-up and stretch inside I can more easily decided what is the best gear for that day. 

A five minute walk on the treadmill followed by five minutes of stretching and I’m warmed-up.  Then I can step outside briefly and if I’m slightly cool then I know I’m dressed correctly.  If I’m comfortable, then I’m over-dressed and if I’m freezing, I need another layer.  It may take a little trial and error to find the exact combinations of shorts, Tees, long-sleeves and jackets, but just pay attention and make notes.  Eventually you’ll face all types of weather and you’ll be able to look back at what you wore in those conditions last time.  That takes the guesswork out of it and you’ll be able to dress for success.

By now you have probably heard the tragic news of the three runners that collapsed and died during the Detroit Marathon Sunday.  That has been the talk of sports call-in shows, newspaper articles and running blogs not only here in Detroit but around the country.  Everyone feels bad for those runners and their families but there are many questions about what happened.  For example, had they trained properly?  Did they change something on race day that they didn’t try in training?  Would this have happened to these men if they hadn’t run that day?  Did they have medical exams before they entered a marathon?  Obviously, we may never learn the answers to some of these questions.  But we can learn a few things from this tragedy.  As the experts say “listen to your body”, meaning if something feels wrong stop and get it investigated.  That’s not to imply that these runners did not do that.  We don’t know. Also, train properly and know your limits.  Build up your base slowly and if you train at an 8 minute mile don’t think you can race a marathon at 6 minute miles.  Don’t be a “weekend warrior” of running.  You can’t eat junk, ignore doctors and then go jump into a strenuous activity like running a marathon and be surprised if something goes wrong.  Again, we don’t know what happened in the Detroit race and maybe those three men did everything correctly.  That may be the other lesson.  You can do everything right and when your time is up that’s it.  So the other lesson is, know where you’re going after that final race is over.  And the way to know is to know Jesus Christ.   If you don’t, then start now.

6:00AM. Dark outside. Windy outside. Thermomator reads 42 degrees outside. Bed is warm. What do you do?  Don’t even think, just put your feet on the floor and grab your gear.  You are a runner!

It’s those moments that define your dedication. If you are a runner, you run.  I run.

Aid your leg recovery with an ice bath.

After a long run, like my 10-miler today, a nice hot shower sounds good.  But if you want to help your muscles recover faster try an ice bath instead.  Apparently cold therapy, known as  Cryotheraphy, constricts blood vessels which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown.  Truthfully I only do the ice bath occasionally after long runs but I know my legs feel better later in the day on days I do.  Today I cheated and ran a bag of ice up and down my legs.  It definitely was not the same but it seemed better than nothing. All I know is it was cold and my legs feel fine and strong sitting here hours later.   

If you consider yourself a “real runner” you have probably heard of the 1978 classic “Running & Being” by George Sheehan.  For decades it has been considered the book that helped launch the popular running movement.  Unfortunately, I must admit I had never read it.  I’ve heard of it and meant to read it, but never did.  So when it was mentioned in a recent Runner’s World article I decided I had to visit my local library.  I found they had the updated 20th Anniversary version titled “Running & Being: The Total Experience” which includes an updated forward.  If by chance you have not read it, let me warn you.  It isn’t exactly a “How To” book.  Yes, there are tips and suggestions but it is mostly philosophical. Sheehan appears to be an expert on the great philosophers and ancient thinkers and he quotes them often.  If you enjoy the mental benefits of running (don’t we all?) then this book helps validate that feeling and tries to explain that connection.  If for some reason you are just running for the physical health benefits then, frankly, you may find this book a bit boring or too “deep”.  It can make you think if you want but it takes some work. I read it mostly at a surface level without taking lots of time to ponder or debate his point of view and I enjoyed it at that level.  It was interesting to thnk about the community of distance runners and how we are different (which we are). This book makes that point abundantly clear.  It did make me want to keep “Running & Being”.

Ten miles in the mid-day sun.  That was tough, and great. Normally I’m an early morning runner even on Saturdays but this Saturday morning I was heading to a tailgate (Fire Up Chips!) so I couldn’t get my run in.  Then Sunday morning is church and Bible Class so it was after 11:00AM before I was ready to run.  And by then it was sunny and getting HOT.  I strapped on my water bottle belt (first time of the season) and headed out.  Slow and steady was my plan as I headed up Main Street through Royal Oak and into Clawson.  The water sure came in handy as I hit the five mile mark in my route and headed back home.  While sweating like crazy doing a cool-down walk I was thinking that was the hardest run I’ve done all season but also probably the best.  A great sense of accomplishment.

One of the things I enjoy about an early morning run is watching the rest of the world wake up.  It’s especially interesting on Saturdays.  This Saturday I was out the door before 8:00AM for an 8 mile run.  As I ran through downtown Royal Oak it was evident that much of the world sleeps in on Saturdays.  Yes, there were a few people in each of the coffee shops, a handful of cars at Holiday Market on the south end of town and also at Hollywood Market on the north end.  But other than that, not much action.  A few other runners and walkers but very light traffic and closed retail stores.  It felt good to know that I was doing something few other people would do – getting a great workout early on a Saturday.

I’ve been running at approximately the same time in the morning for several years now.  Most mornings I pass many of the same people as they run or walk their dogs.  We acknowledge each other with a head nod, or a hand wave or for some a “Good Morning”.  I’m not sure how people decide who to nod to, who to wave to and who to speak to.  But for some reason it appears that once you put the other person into one of those categories it’s rare that they move to another level.  Meaning the guy in the ball cap that runs toward me most mornings has always been a head nod and never a wave.  The guy quickly walking his two schnowzers gets a “Good Morning” every time.  The walking lady gets a “Good Morning” plus a wave.  There are many others and each has a pre-determined acknowledgement.  You may think it’s a progression, that people move from nod to wave to greeting.  But that does not appear to be the case.  Test this theory as you run and let me know what you find.