What Out Athleticism Should Be

Sometimes when we commit to achieving certain goals in running there is the possibility of becoming so preoccupied with reaching them our running turns into something it never should,a chore or a job. I've known many runners over the years who became so obsessed with performance that running was no longer an enjoyable activity. Perhaps you have known people that this has happened to. In the following quote Cerutty reminds us what athleticism should be: "Our athleticism must be, and should be, adult play. It is when we make it work---dull,routined,scheduled,treadmill work---that we depart from the natural; the joyous;the exhilarating. Those who slavishly follow the printed schedule,the daily do this coach authority, are little likely to know the joys and pleasures that true athleticism can bring us,young or old." What made Cerutty's teachings so unique and timeless is that he showed that you can achieve success in athletics without making the process rigid,regimented and unnatural. More on what he taught about this coming soon.

More Than Records

"One does not have to set world records to feel accomplished. But it is important that you have lived and strived,trained and disciplined yourself as if you had set world records. The setting of the record,or any record,even a personal one----is of no real consequence,except as evidence of something. That something is the knowledge of accomplishment: of power within us: of a job well done."(quote by Percy Cerutty from Athletics: What It Takes To Be A Champion.) There is something to be said about the benefits of setting personal goals in running, even if it is only to achieve a certain time. Doing so can invigorate and give a purpose to your running. It takes focus, committment and discipline on a continuing basis to pursue your goals. You may not win something but there is much satisfaction to be found and a sense of accomplishment in knowing that you stayed the course and made the effort.Cerutty recognized that the qualities needed to train and discipline oneself built character and had a positive impact on all aspects of an athlete's life. I have often wondered if the reason more people don't set goals is because it takes time, discipline,committment and work.

Some Thoughts on Racing: Before,During and After

I went to see a friend compete in a 5k road race recently. As I watched it I got to thinking how little has changed over the years in regards to the way most people approach racing. What follows are some thoughts on things pertaining to the time before, during and after a race.To begin: I overheard a few runners discussing what they had eaten that morning,as if it was an essential part of their pre-race preparation. I tend to go along with what many have found,that at least in the shorter distances, outside of water,juice or some electrolyte type drink,the less in your stomach the better. A good meal the night before a race will work just fine. For those who absolutely must eat something, I've found having a Powerbar with fluids works great. Obviously,if you are running long races, consideration as to what you consume before a race will be different. I also noticed that alot of people do some rather elaborate stretching routines before racing. If this is what you need and it works for you then I say that's what you should continue to do. Personally,I think that the necessity of stretching has been overplayed in recent decades. I believe how much one needs to stretch depends on the individual.The inference in many articles on stretching is that if you don't do it you are just asking for problems down the road.What's worked for many is a little walking around,then some easy jogging followed by a few basic stretches and then finishing with a little more jogging.Another thing, keep the race in its proper perspective. It's a road race, there's one every single weekend somewhere near you so don't allow yourself to get "worked up" about performance and expectations.If you don't hit the time you want then a week later you can go at it again. Stay calm and relaxed before a race. Now the race itself: while I was watching this race I noticed that the majority of people were going out way too fast which has always been the norm at road races. Except for the very fit,you will pay dearly for doing this later in the race. Again,the necessity of staying calm at the start line is essential. Begin the race in control,unless you are one of the "studs" up front,realize that everyone around you will be going out too fast.You have to control your adrenaline and pre-race anxiety. Understand that when you see people charging out ahead of you at the beginning of a race that you'll be seeing them later. There is nothing worse than planning to run 6:30 miles and then cruising through mile one in 5:25. As a runner once told me after I went out way too fast and crashed in the last several miles, "you run using this(pointing to his head) as well as your legs." Also, people tend to lose form during a race as they become tired. It is absolutely necessary to remind yourself to keep your arms and shoulders relaxed. I repeatedly tell myself to "drop" my shoulders and relax as I near the end of a race. We've all seen the runners who are clenching their fists with their shoulders kind of scrunched up as they are in the final part of a race. One last thing in respect to racing,when you are starting to feel spent,this is the time to go to your arms,use them,keep the shoulders relaxed but start moving the arms more, even if it feels a little exaggerated. Too many runners don't recognize the neccessity of using their arms while running, especially during races and when going up hills. A forgotten factor in racing is that runners should be thinking about more than just how much longer it is till they're done.Monitor and evaluate yourself as you go. After the race: walk around a little while drinking lots of water,then do a very easy warm down jog followed by some basic stretches and some more walking.This goes a long way towards preventing day after soreness and stiffness. Now,at this time, I reach for the yogurt which seems to be at every race I've ever been to, then I go to my favorite spot at the road races,the beer tent. Since beer acts more as a diuretic than a fluid replenisher,proper hydration before you hit the tent is essential. Finally,as you are kicking back thinking about the race,consider what you did right and what you did wrong during it, make a mental note to change the things that need to be changed. Appreciate the fact that you can race and have the ability to change.

One More Comeback

"All I want is just one more comeback.

Not to win races or set new p.r.'s, Nor is it from a desire to impress others.

No.........one more comeback means returning to the days when running was smooth and easy,

Feeling as if I could go on forever." (The Sage).

The sometimes forgotten aspect of being racing fit is being able to run effortlessly.

Child's Play?

Before I start today's post I want to let readers know that I have been experiencing some minor difficulties with this site. To begin with, I can't access the section that allows me to respond to reader's comments but I hope to have that fixed shortly. Also, for some reason Sunday's article was listed as being published this past Friday(July 1). Some have asked if that was me pictured above the last article entitled,Live Like An Athlete. Yes it was. I was running the Cape Cod Marathon and probably at the time this picture was being taken I was wondering, where did all the hills come from? In retrospect I recall that it was a beautiful course but surprisingly hilly. Somehow I wrongly assumed that since the race was in Cape Cod and near the ocean it would be flat. Today I am going to post a pre-Cross-Country season schedule and then ask a question after.Here goes: Monday: 12 miles at 1/2 effort--32 110's (jog 50 between). Tuesday: 13 miles at 1/4 effort (32 110's). Wednesday: 2 hours Fartlek. Thursday: 13 miles at 1/4 effort. Friday: 11 miles at 3/4 effort. Saturday: 16 miles at 1/4 effort. Sunday: 12 miles of accelerations. You are probably thinking this is a schedule from a major college team like Oregon or Arkansas. No,try the "veterans" training schedule for York High School in Elmhurst,Illinois. This schedule is from Coach Joe Newton's classic book,The Long Green Line. If you recall the May 1, 2011 post I did on Character you read about Joe and the incredible success he's had as Cross-Country coach at York.I would assume that by specifying it's a "veterans" schedule he is referring to his juniors and seniors, guys that have a few years of his kind of training under their legs. From time to time I used to think of that schedule when I thought I was training hard. Articles to follow: Thoughts For Before and After a Race, One Last Comeback.

Live Like An Athlete

As I was writing the post about Van Aaken the other day,I was struck by a statement he made in relation to those seeking running success,he used the phrase: "live like an athlete." That got me thinking about what it means "to live like an athlete." I feel there are two types of runners, the fun runner and the serious runner. As mentioned many times before, your degree of participation and committment to running does not make you any better or lesser of a runner than anyone else. It's a personal decision you've made due to a variety of reasons. So what does it mean to live like an athlete? First off, running is an integral part of your lifestyle when you are an athlete. You plan your days,weekends and months keeping in mind the kind of training or racing you will be doing. I will quickly add that this is not an excuse to neglect family obligations and relationships. Over the years I've seen guys who have left family to go off and train and race here and there, leaving behind loved ones who over time come to be resentful of what they are doing. As one who has done it in the past, you can easily involve family to the point that it becomes a kind of team effort.Living like an athlete means you not only have a training system you follow but you plan for a specific racing season. Serious athletes establish short-term and long-term goals.I'm always perplexed by athletes who say they are "serious" but basically race all year. I remember back in the 90's several Stotans trained specifically for one race,the Virgil Mountain Madness. Everything we did during the year was done while keeping that race in mind. In living like an athlete we are also very careful of being restricted in what we can or can't do because of the materialistic or financial situations WE have created. An example,do you really want that second new car if it means having to work more or taking a second job that results in you having less time for running? For those who think this is extreme let me say this again, tomorrow is guaranteed to no one! Don't think you can wait till........and then you'll........If you are living like an athlete then you are eating and drinking like one. You should eat like someone who respects their body and hopes to live and perform at an optimal level. One of the biggest fallacies that was in vogue years ago, and thankfully seems to be fading away, is that training hard gives you a license to eat and drink as much as you want, and whatever you want. Athletes have their times when they indulge and enjoy themselves but it is definitely not the same as what the "the world" does. Some may wonder why I haven't included keeping a journal as an integral part of being a serious runner. The reason for this is that over the years I've read of many elite athletes who say they never used a journal. To me, keeping a running journal boils down to whether or not you personally see a need for one. My journal is the wall calender I have where I pencil in the mileage and where I ran. Probably one other thing that comes to mind in regards to being an athlete is that we learn and draw our inspiration from the great runners of the past. We seek out books and materials about them. I also can't forget to add that we should be a help and encouragement to other runners,no matter what their level of committment is. In closing I say this, living like an athlete means we are more focused and disciplined than most people but we have such a love of running that it is by no means a sacrifice,it's a joy.

Stotan Training Exercise,pt.1

The following is something we used to do out on the hilly roads that surrounded Chesnut Ridge Park near Buffalo. It was a fun but surprisingly effective training exercise.Here's how it went, during an aerobic run over a course that has hills,when you approach a hill that is ideally 200 yards or longer,run up to the half-way point of the hill, at that time slow to where you are basically jogging in place and do so for about 5 seconds, then, resume running up the hill at your normal pace, do this exercise throughout the run. Why? The action of interrupting your rhythm and utilizing a certain amount of strength to resume running is unsettling. I have found that when racing, particularly on trail courses, there is a great deal of starting and slowing and "changing gears" as you make your way over the varying terrain.This can be potentially draining physically and mentally.This exercise will prepare you for this as well as make you stronger. I recall running up a few hills near the Orchard Park area where the inclines went on for close to a mile, we would do this exercise several times as we made our way up because the hill was so long.If you haven't incorporated hilly courses into your aerobic runs you are missing out on a great way to naturally build strength. Tomorrow's post,Live Like An Athlete.