Articles in May, 2012, Page 3

Being a Runner Makes Me Strange to ‘Normal’ Folks…But Just Normal to Runner Folks

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

Compared the the normal person I require an insane amount of miles run to retain my sanity. Though in fairness compared to other runners I’d say I’m just another of the crazy masses.

I sweat way more than you’d think possible for a person my size. I think if you were able to take a total surface area of my epidermis [Dang, look at me trying to impress with that two cent word…hehe! It’s just skin. :)] you’d find double the normal amount of sweat pores.

For a person who is only 5’5” I’m able to spew out more words than you’d consider reasonable for a person who is 10’10”. I also talk so fast you may have a hard time keeping up; I’ve got friends who get back to me after I leave them messages saying, “I see you called but have no idea what your message said, I couldn’t make out the blur or words.” It’s also been said that I talk like a chipmunk on crack.

If you were to take a scan of my brain activity I’m pretty sure it would look akin to Magic Mountain at night. Full color lighting up the night, neon sparks of flurried activity, so many things blitzing around at once you blink and you may miss it. You might try to write down these fleeting thoughts, you catch some, but then another one streaks by that’s more exciting and you lose track of the last one. The rides have you chuting around up, down, up up and up, anticipating the thrill of the descent. The biggest ride, the main attraction is the runner roller…the high is like none other, you can’t explain it. Here is where the most neon activity occurs, sort of like daily explosions of color that you can’t help but feel pulled into, mesmerized. You can’t look away. You don’t want to look away either, because if you look too far to the left you might see the black hole that is injury, so you just don’t look to the left and focus on the neon instead.

For someone who isn’t morbidly obese I can easily consume a startling amount of Pop-Tarts. I say this half-joking but actually not at all. How did that entire box wind up empty during that movie, don’t look at me.

I only have a size 8.5 foot, though the horrors of looking at my runner feet would be more blinding than Big Foot rocking a size 23 and with his toes you might actually be poked to blindness, mine would just be more like the Medusa effect.

My body is a head situated on two legs. I have no torso or waist, they packed all of my guts and intestines into the top right of my quad’s. This is my excuse to why I can’t touch my toes, my poor arms never stood a chance against the leg length ratio. Though given the choice I’d choose legs over any other body part so it works.

I fidget like mad. I have an over-abundance of energy. I shutter to imagine what this would be like if I didn’t work it out running or cross-training.

Compared the the normal person I require an insane amount of miles run to retain my sanity. Though in fairness compared to other runners I’d say I’m just another of the crazy masses.

1) What’s something unique to you? What can you pack more of than is to be expected in your epidermis package?

2) What’s something that makes you different from ‘normal’ people but probably just normal as a runner?

3) Are you a person with long legs and short torso, pretty even, or shorter legs and longer torso? Which is your favorite physical trait?

4) What’s your favorite trait about yourself overall?

A Backwards Plot to Running: Would knowing the outcome sway your decision to start?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

8:34:23 – She crosses the line, looks up at the clock. Slightly bends forward, hands on knees for just a moment before rising and looking up again, this time to the woman who beat her, then back at the track again.

8:00:02 – Crack. The starter gun goes off.

7:23:46 – She starts off on her warm-up, sweats on. Over the course of the next 45 minutes she’ll slowly strip off the layers until she’s down to just her singlet and racing shoes.

5 Days Earlier – Last tune-up workout. She finishes feeling sharp, confident, shares a laugh with her training partner as they cross through the line on the last interval just as the sunset dips below the stands of the local track. “That’ll do,” yells the coach from the sidelines…the laugh comes because she just muttered under her breath to her teammates, “That’ll do, Pig.” They all got the reference.

17 Day Earlier – It’s colder than usual, her skin pricks a bit as they all start out on their long run. Some of her training buddies, best friends, are wearing long sleeves but she’s only in a tank top…she knows she warms up fast and hates being overly hot.

45 Days Earlier – The rain is coming down hard, it burns her face as she makes a turn straight into the line of fire and she swears there has to be a little hail mixed in there. Blinking like crazy she laughs and thinks, “Only 10 more miles to go!”

53 Days Earlier – Just before shutting out the light she closes her eyes and thinks of a day in the future, not so far away, but one she’s had in the back of her mind for weeks, months, maybe years. She thinks of a time, the one burned in the back of her mind, it’s a time and a title, a finishing place that she envisions. She opens her eyes, looks to the wall on her right and the same time stares back at her, inked in black on a flimsy little post-it. It’s been hanging there for so long it’s lost it’s sticky and is taped to the wall with duct-tape.

I was watching a show last night and it was one of those backwards plot episodes and it got me thinking, “How would a backwards plot play out related to running?” What if we were able to watch our entire race play out but in rewind, we’d watch the finishers all sweaty and panting, some happy others disappointed, some puking, and ourselves mixed in there as well. We’d then see who makes which moves where, who went out too fast; our own moves, our own mistakes or smart moves. Then all of them, and us, at the starting line poised to start.

When you’ve got a certain race, time, title you want, one you’ve been focusing on for so long, I can see where having this ability to look into the future would be a little tempting. To know the outcome before you started, heck, to know the outcome before you even tried, maybe months or years prior. The question then begs to be asked, “If you did know how the race played out, would you even start? Would the end result be the deciding factor on if it was worth it to you to get to the line? Either way, would you sacrifice the journey?”

Some people may instantly say, “Yes,” if they knew they lost or fell short of their goals, maybe to them it wouldn’t be worth it to dump time and energy into the training. Maybe they would think, “Well, all that running and stuff wasn’t really worth it, I never did hit what I set out to do. The smart thing would be to invest that time elsewhere and put it to better use.” I guess I could see their point of view.

Even if you knew you were going to win, to come away with a new PR, would you just want to cut ahead to the finish? Skip all the workouts and runs along the way and just get to the good stuff? I don’t necessarily think you would if you really thought about it; no, I think you’d actually want to live in each and every second, footstep of that race, so you can relish it looking back. It would be reinforcement of all the hard work, sure, and motivation to keep striving going forward, that too. I think skipping all the hard stuff and grueling workouts to get to that point would cheapen those memories a bit too, strip down the meaning behind what you achieved.

I had a person once tell me, “You’re one of those runners who likes the training just as much as the racing, and it kills you every time you have to taper. You do it because you want to race well, but I know it drives you crazy too.” I own up to that, I’m stir crazy if I don’t work off all that energy, and I still love running even though I can’t remember when my last race was.

Every run, the crappy, the awesome, the in-between, the hilariously ridiculous due to elements, the ones you honestly have no idea how you got through because they hurt so bad, and those spent silent alongside someone but the entire time you’ve spoken with them unlike any other are all worth it in my mind. You learn, you meet people, you experience. Even if you knew how each and every workout and run was going to play out, say you were able to ‘see’ which were the ones you would crush and the others you would fall flat on, I’d still do them. Though I wouldn’t really want that magic eight ball eye for the bad ones! 😉

For racing, I think the unknowns keep us going, the quest for our goals. Sure, we fail sometimes, but we have other chances, other goals, no need to just chuck in the towel and call it all a waste. Even if you never hit something, or miss out on that title, time, team victory, the workouts and runs leading up to that point, no doubt you created lasting memories and are things I wouldn’t call a waste.

You also certainly learned about yourself too. Was that a waste?

In the end the journey is worth it too, not just the last second and ending credits. Nope, no backwards plot for this runnerchick.

1) What would a backwards plot running style look like for you, or what would you liken it to? Would it be a different take on the concept that I have?

2) If you could have the power to know the outcomes beforehand, would you take advantage of that or rather not know?

3) Would the outcome sway your decision or motivation to even start?

4) Racing aside, if you knew how every run was going to be or feel, would you decide to just not go out on certain days?

Why All the Track Hate? Overcoming Track-Phobia

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Cait — 19 Comments ↓

Don’t fear the track, embrace it. I have to admit that after yesterday’s post I was a little surprised that it seemed I was in the far minority when it came to actually liking the track. *Gasp* Now, I know that red carpet can seem a little daunting but really, there is no need to run away. Why all the track hate?

Sure, I can see it, the track doesn’t lie. There are no hills to explain away a slow mile here or there, you can’t exactly hide either. Nope, you’re full frontal on the track…exposed. It’s easy to get too wrapped up in the splits, numbers, and monotonous laps but you can do that anywhere. To be fair, the watch doesn’t lie either.

So all this track hate, or I guess track phobia, seems to be an issue begging to be addressed. There are SO many reasons to hit up the oval regardless of whether you plan on racing on it:

* Speed. I’ll pause for you to get all the shudders and groans out if you must, but I’ll say this: it is INCREDIBLY easy to get stuck in a pace rut. Guilty as charged on that one, I didn’t get the nickname ‘One-Speed Chock’ for nothing, but the only way to get out of a rut is to push and pry yourself out of it. If you don’t ever change anything nothing will ever, well, change. Pick at least one day a week and denote it as speed play day…you don’t have to make it too regimented if that scares you off at first. Start simple: warm-up and then alternate slow/fast 200’s…start with 8 laps total and for those 8×200 meters of pick-ups let your stride open up, relax, and the let speed take over. Finish with a cool-down of course. If it feels foreign at first, that’s okay, after a while it will feel a little better…then a little bit more…etc. (Racers-For those already in love with the track and racing, this 200 meter workout can be an excellent tune-up before race day, think two or three days before…the difference is for you really do hit those 200’s fast!)

Okay, I can see why the track can be intimidating for some...but it hurts in the GOOD way! 😉

* Pace says what? If you live near a track, during one of your regular runs plan your route so you can do one of those middle miles on the track. Check to see what your pace is without looking down at the splits, try and test how well your pace gauge is. This is helpful for a few reasons: 1) if it’s an easy day you can really check yourself and see if you are in fact running the right pace for you to recover 2) you want to be able to become better at ‘sensing’ what a certain pace feels like.

* Fast finish. Doing pick-up runs, or adding in a quick, up-tempo mile at the end of some of your steady runs is an excellent way to ‘sneak’ in some quality running that won’t tax your body so much that you’ll be too tired for your next hard workout. Doing just one fast mile at the end of some of your easy runs isn’t enough ‘hard’ running to really zap your legs, and if you do that enough those ‘extra’ miles of quality will add up. Pick a day, do your steady run and end so that you can finish your last mile on the track and run it close to your 10k or half-marathon race pace.

* Tempo. Yes, do your entire tempo on a track…it can seem monotonous but there are people out there doing upwards of 20 miles on a treadmill, you can’t tell me they can’t handle circles. Not only will you probably surprise yourself with a faster time than you’re doing on the roads, this can do wonders for the ego, but you can also use this time to work on that little pace recognition I was talking about. Fine tuning that inner metronome will work wonders come race day; it can help save your race if you are able to sense if you’re going out too fast, or too slow.

Tips to get you spooning with the track…still not convinced that the track is for you?

Start to love that view!

* The Right-Away: If you do a sizable amount of running on the track, do half of it running the ‘correct’ way, counter-clockwise, and then the other half running in the clockwise direction. Be mindful if others are on the track and maybe run in the outside lanes for this ‘wrong’ way running. The reason for this is that always turning left can lead to some imbalances, and it’s good to keep things even if you can. This also can help break up the run and beat boredom.

* Sans Watch: On the track it’s easy to just run for distance so you can chuck the watch. You can then make sure you’re running true recovery pace and off of feel for your easy days and it relieves the pressure if you get too stressed on hard workouts; just run hard.

* Get company: Getting faster is possible with the track AND with people for those hard days…can’t say it enough: “If you want to get better, train with someone better than you.”

* Baby Steps. Bill Murray had it right, the only way to get over a phobia is to expose yourself to it and baby steps work. Just get your bums out there and I promise once you see the improvements through speed play in your race times you’ll start loving your track time! 🙂

1) Are you at least a wee bit more convinced you could like the track? Is there a way you can go out on a limb and proclaim at least ONE way you will utilize the track more?

2) If you already do use the track, what’s your favorite workout or run on it?
Tempo runs. I’m a dork and actually looked forward to my 10 mile tempo runs on the track…no lie.

3) Are you plumb sick of me shoving track love down your throat? If so, would I make you like it more if I added in there is Track Town Pizza in Eugene, OR you should hit up…it at least has Track and Pizza together, so maybe it will work as a little subliminal message to like both as equals?? 😉

4) What’s going on for you Monday?

A Fortune For Your Cookies, A Cookie For Your Runners

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Cait — 13 Comments ↓

Track and cookies, what could be better?

When I think of track I think of speed, splits, adrenaline, excitement, nerves, tempos, intervals, and races. There is something special about spiking up and toeing the line. The process of going through your warm-up, playing the race out in your mind a million times over, those last strides that are just as much a burst of speed as a means to expel the last remnants of doubts and nerves.

Time to get to the line. You anxiously stand poised awaiting the starter pistol and just when you don’t think you can stand one more SECOND of anticipation…CRACK…all else melts away, nerves are forgotten, and it’s you, the track, and the race.

1) Do you like track? What’s your favorite part?

2) Do you dread the track? Some people even have a bit of a phobia with it when it comes to doing a workout on the track, the track shouldn’t be scary, learn to love it!

3) What’s your favorite track event to run? If you don’t run track do you watch it, and what’s your favorite event to watch?

4) What’s the best fortune you’ve even gotten in a cookie?

Are You Lonesome Tonight: Running solo, with a partner or in a group

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Cait — 15 Comments ↓

Who do you run with? Are you a solo ace, a partner in a dynamic duo or do you feel naked without a slew of other runners around you? Most likely you fall somewhere in between.

When people ask me who I run with and I respond, “Well, mostly by myself,” they either look at me like there must be something wrong with me for others not to want to run with me or they start spouting suggestions for running partners or groups for me to join up with. Sort of like I’m the misplaced kid at the cafeteria and it is their kind act to swoop in and save me from alienation.

While I certainly appreciate their kind gestures and suggestions, the thing is that sometimes I actually like just running by myself, or me and my treadmill. You see, I’m kind of picky when it comes to running partners; it’s tough to find the perfect fit, sort of like the quest for the perfect running shoe.

Now, I’ve certainly found some awesome training partners and groups, where I felt I’d found a little niche. Trust me, when it comes to hard workouts, having others there creates the ideal environment to thrive; they can push you and if you want to get faster a sure way to do that is to train with people who are better than you.

But here is why I’m picky, and it’s nothing against any runners who don’t share my same mindset, we all have different ideas of what constitutes the perfect running buddy fit and what their goals are to get out of said run.

* The stoplight dally. If I’m approaching a light I’m going to do everything within my power to NOT have to stop due to traffic if I can safely avoid it. I’ve had people running with me beg to slow down in an effort to purposely miss the light and then have to wait for the go-ahead. This is an automatic disqualification and I’ll check you later buddy, but I’m going to make this light.

* The watch negotiator. I’ve also run with people who want to keep the watch running during a break (ie: stoplight, bathroom run, etc.)…in what time zone would this be acceptable? If we aren’t moving we aren’t running and the watch won’t be either.

* The close enough. I’m outed as a bit of an OCD runner, I know that, but if the coach has the run instructed to be 45 minutes then I’m going to run the full 45…most likely at least 30 seconds more just to ‘be safe.’ Hehe. You can think I’m crazy if we come back from our planned loop and it’s only been 43 minutes and I decide to circle the parking lot for that extra 2 minutes, you can join if you like, but on some level you’ve got to understand my line of reasoning.

The thing is, it usually comes down to the motivation factor or the ‘seriousness’ of the other runner or group. I believe training and running should be fun, it can be a blast when it’s not brutally excruciating (haha), but I’m not out to pick daises either. Sure, I’m not competing, but I still like the feeling of a decent run.

That said, I’m not a social pariah and not adverse to company on a run, I’m not a runner snob, it’s hard to explain. Sometimes I’m in the mood to just keep the run as ‘me’ time and it’s nothing personal to anyone else. Other times I can’t WAIT to meet up with my favorite running buddy so we can catch-up and gab, those miles seem to fly by sometimes. If I’m going out for a hard workout 99% of the time I want some company. In high school I ran a lot with my mom, we actually didn’t talk most of the time (she actually liked to wear headphones and go the music route) and that was actually fine with me. Because even in those silences I feel I bonded more with her in those daily miles than most other kids at my school.

Some people need company to stay motivated and the thought of being stuck with just themselves and the miles isn’t all that appealing. In the end, whatever works for you is great. (I did another post onwhat makes for the best running group environment.) I guess I’m just a bit of a picky runner, I know what makes for the perfect partner fit and when I find that I am also respectful to make sure I’m able to reciprocate that same ‘running code standards’ the other person has.

1) What do most of your runs look like, are the solo, with a partner, a few people, or a group? What is your ideal running situation?

2) Pluses, you feel, of running solo?
Even in groups, I know there are some runners who like to do some of their runs by themselves for whatever reasons. Sometimes they know that doing their easy runs alone ensures they are able to keep to the pace that allows them to recover.

3) Benefits of group runs, or running with others?
I think for training purposes having others to meet up, that share your same level of commitment and goals, is tremendously beneficial for lots of reasons. One being the obvious, you can all push each other to excel.

4) What’s an automatic disqualification in your mind for a running partner?

Test Your Running Knowledge: Important Facts That Make a Big Difference

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Cait — 4 Comments ↓

“Listen up, I’m about to drop some knowledge on you.”I thought it would be fun to issue a little running test…time to school up, strip down to your skimpiest running shorts, and prove to the class just how smart you are true or false style. 🙂

Ace this running test like the champs you are! 🙂

1) Warming up will only zap my energy for the race; better to save every ounce of energy for the race, if I need to I can use the heater in my car to stay warm.
False. This is a big-time false but I always tend to forget that newer runners think that running before the gun goes off is insane…oh, us newbie runners, so cute…hehe. Just like you shouldn’t peel out in your car, your body runs its best gradually working into the faster paces. It’s surprising how much of a difference a warm-up will make on your performance actually; think about it, if you’re racing a 5k and you skip a warm-up, you’ll really only be running a 2.5k race as the first part would be your body basically trying to catch-on to the fact that you’re racing. It’s tough to make up that much ground with only a half-race distance left. You can check out some tips to perfecting your own warm-up routine HERE.

2) Treadmill running is the same as outdoor running, just sometimes it can be more boring.
False. Now, there are definitely ways to adjust those treadmill runs to best simulate conditions outside but there are still some differences between the two. Some of the big ones are: on a treadmill you don’t use your hamstrings like you typically would outside because of the way the belt drags and because the treadmill offers up an even, consistent motion your body doesn’t have to worry about turns, miss-steps and other outside ‘variables.’ The treadmill has its pluses too, it often offers a much more cushioned surface than those outside so it can be the better choice for injury-prone runners or runners coming back from an injury, it’s easier on the old body. You can check out under my Writing Page as I’ve written a few articles about treadmill running, suggestions, and the key differences between outdoor running.

3) All of my friends are in love with the Nike Free commercials but I’m a heavy pronator and don’t think they are the best shoes for me.
True. I bleed Nike and love them, but I admit to being a little torn on the whole minimalist shoe movement and barefoot running. Mostly because runners need to proceed with caution and integrate Free/barefoot running slowly into their workouts, not because I don’t think there are benefits to be gained from the Free shoes. As with many awesome marketing schemes, it’s just being an informed consumer; not every foot and person is designed the same and biomechanics play a HUGE factor with injuries. You need a shoe specific to your foot type: pronator, neutral runner, or supinator. The vast majority fall into the pronator category or supinator; the former need supportive shoes and the latter need extra cushioning, neither of these are offered in a Free/barefoot style shoe. If you’re planning on implementing Free/barefoot running into your routine, which can be beneficial when done correctly, do it slowly and start with just a mile of your cool-downs once or twice a week and then build up.

4) I know I’m not a pretty runner, but that’s just how I run, my form doesn’t really matter anyways, it’s about who makes it to the finish line the fastest that counts.
False. Well, the part about form not mattering that is; form equates to efficiency. Think about it, you want every ounce of your energy spent getting you to that finish line, wasted energy in the form of wild arm swings, clenched teeth, and over-striding is holding you back. Form is tricky and can be tough to change but it IS possible and it is worth working on. I wrote a post on tips for correcting common form mistakes HERE.

Well, she should make sure to at least add some protein to that cotton candy.

5) Eating within 30 minutes after my workout will improve my recovery rate by at least 60%.
True. It’s a short window of opportunity and it is crazy to think that eating just 31 minutes later will bite you in the bum. You work hard doing the running, why not make your food and fuel work for you too? Before you even take a shower, get your grub on, I wrote more on this topic HERE.

6) Running is paramount, it’s the only kind of working out I need to do; I don’t have time for stretching and weights anyways.
False. Okay, I’ll give you a little wiggle-room because yes, in the end, you can’t skip your running but neglecting other things that can enhance your running isn’t wise. We all have cramped schedules, but I think we all can denote 15 minutes a day to working on one area that will drastically improve our fitness and running ability: core work, pilates, stretching, yoga, weight/strength training, plyometrics, etc. Alternate doing one, even for just a quick bit, after your runs and it will be a worthwhile time investment. I’ve got a lot of suggestions on my Workouts/Training page.

How did you guys do? I’m sure all my awesome readers are super-champs and got them all right, but if not that’s okay too…now go out there and get sweaty! 🙂

1) Who got them all right? Which ones did you miss?
2) Any questions you would like to be addressed in future posts?
3) What kind of shoes do you run in and how did you get fit for them?
4) What are your weekend plans, any races scheduled?

I’m a Running Contradiction at Times and Maybe Too Sarcastic

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Cait — 19 Comments ↓

I’m a runner. That may make me seem like a bit of a contradiction at times, sarcastic mostly all of the time, an unrealistic dreamer in some instances, accredited insane by the mass majority. I’m okay with that, like I said, I’m a runner.

I don’t like monotony per-se, I guess I just really, really like doing the same, repetitive action again and again and again. I may also just have an affinity for turning left again and again too.

Come-back stories are the best in our sport. Rooting for the underdog and stories where runners have to go through years of turmoil, injuries, set-backs, criticisms and the like just for the chance to get that moment of saying, “I told you so!” Sometimes they never get that final moment, sometimes they do, but regardless, on some level they do inspire the rest of us to keep chasing after our own goals…keep on doing this running thing regardless of the outcome.

No, I’m not ‘lucky’ to have legs like these, be a slim person and be able to eat you under the table. Where were you when I was running 10 miles this morning? That’s what I thought.

I’m not lazy. I may circle the lot for the closest parking spot and not feel guilty taking a mid-day nap either, but I make up for it. I’m a lazy, runner…there is a difference.

It’s not that I discount your complaints, I’m sure that hurts, it’s just that in the back of my mind I’m thinking, “Okay, they aren’t a runner, I am, I’m sure my pain tolerance is a lot higher…so really, will they just suck it up already and stop complaining, it can’t be that bad.”

Don’t tell me, “Just skip your workout if you’re tired,” when I complain that I’m tired what I’m really asking for is the kick in the butt to get out the door…some tough love. I know that I want to go for a run, it’s just a weak moment and my venting is more like a little Bat-signal to other runners to help me do the ‘right’ thing.

It’s not that I feel entitled or like I’m better than anyone else, I do see the gym sign that reads “20 minute limit on cardio equipment”…it’s just that I think I deserve the treadmill more than Patty Plodder over there. Sorry, just saying.

I used to think social media and Facebook was kinda kooky…but now I’m sucked in. Is it weird that the vast majority of my ‘friends’ are runners. A large number of those are runners I’ve never actually physically met, even in other countries. Going further, is it strange that I seem to know more about them, their last major race/workout, when to wish them luck for their next race, and relevant injuries they have? But somehow I missed that my neighbor must have been pregnant for nine months?

Sometimes I fall into the trap of being competitive just for the sake of being competitive. The random guy I approach running on the sidewalk won’t let me pass. I turned my easy day into a run where the mission is to just dust this dude. Who says chicks aren’t competitive?

I read what celebs’ workouts are and I sort of laugh. I’m sorry, gentle stretching or Mariah doing her water-aerobics doesn’t really count, does it? Is my perception of working out a little skewed? Maybe…but I’m okay with that.

“Don’t talk to strangers.” But if I find out said stranger is a runner, in an instant I feel like they are a friend and we can engage in conversation. If I get thrown into the back of a van and am never seen again, to my credit, the stranger was another runner and I thought I could trust them.

1) If you’re a runner, what’s something you’d like to add to this list?

2) What has someone who isn’t a worker-outer/runner said to you that left you annoyed, peeved, or anything similar?
The most annoying is really just the same person asking time and time again to help them get fit; you keep offering advice but to no avail. It comes down to lack of self-motivation and this person really will never be putting anything you say to use.

3) Do you ever vent to a person, on Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere else stating that you’re not feeling like you want to run and are asking for motivation from others to get you out the door? If you do, does what others say help?

Running Interview With Ahrlin Bauman: Speedster, Hilarity, Pacer, Big Mac Destroyer– This runner’s been taking names across the greater North-West

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Cait — 4 Comments ↓

Chance are that if you live anywhere in the greater Portland or Eugene area, you’re a runner, and you like to race you’ve probably lined up next to Ahrlin Bauman. Just as likely you’ve gotten your tush beaten by him, though in all fairness his fellow Bowerman Athletic Club (BAC) teammates give him a run for his money and have beaten you too. 🙂

I first had the pleasure of meeting Bauman back in 2004 when he’d do a girl a favor, slow down, and do some pacing duties for the Nike Oregon Project. Pacing can be a tricky duty, but Ahrlin is not only a human metronome when it comes to splits he’s even better company. He’d have us laughing on the warm-ups, even a bit on those early mid-interval recovery jogs (before we were too tired to laugh back, he’d still be quick with the quips!), and be just as gregarious on the cool-downs. Pacing duties aside, he’s one heck of a competitor, has remarkable range from the 1500 to the half-marathon (he just finished last weekend’s Eugene Half in 1:08:20, placing 4th), and hasn’t been sidelined with an injury in years. What’s more, is that he balances all of his training with a job working for the USPS; trust me that job entails crazy hours and all of them on your feet. Yet he still retains a social life and is married to another stand-out runner, Annie Kawasaki. He’s the got the legs and the personality and plenty of wisdom to share, so without further adieu…Ahrlin Bauman.

Recent Races of Note:

(Track) Linfield Icebreaker 10000 meters: 4th place 31:19.55
(Roads) Race for the Roses 10K: 1st place 32:16.80
(Roads) Corvallis½ Marathon: 4th place 68:32
(Track) Pacific Relays 3000 meters: 1st place 8:51.05
(Track) Mt.Hood Open 1500 meters: 4th place 4:04.24
(Roads) Red Lizard 5 miler: 3rd place 25:43.3 (Oregon 5 mile Road Championships)

1) How did you get started in running and can you share a little about some of your running highlights? Your twin brother, Oscar, is also a runner; did you both start at the same time and did you/do you have a brother rivalry at all?
I was very active as a young kid, and in the 3rd grade we got silver stars for running a ¼ mile loop around the school yard. I thought that was pretty cool, and would show up before school and run 4 or 5 laps in the morning, that’s really how I got into running. It wasn’t until my Junior year in High School that I actually went out for Cross country and Track because everyone thought I was a decent runner in gym class. I immediately got a stress fracture though, and my whole year was done. Over the next summer my brother and I ran a little more then usual, and my senior year I was decent, but not great. Never went to state as an individual, but managed to go as a team in cross country. My brother was definitely better than me at the time, and it made me work harder to get as good as him. We were great training partners.

In college I didn’t think the school I went to;Portland State, even had a track team, so I never bothered competing. My brother on the other hand was at Clackamas Community College, and was running well. I transferred there the next year, as Portland State just wasn’t my favorite place to go because as a freshman, I couldn’t get any classes I needed, and wound up getting a bunch of worthless high priced credits. I transferred to Clackamas the following year, but also started working full time at the Post Office, so it was a lot of work to balance school, running, and a full time job; 10-12 hour days back then. I managed to be an All American in the 5000 and 10000, as well as won the Oregon Cross Country Champs. I thought my times were pretty solid for what I had been in high school, and managed to crack the top ten times at Clackamas with a 14:47 5000 #8 all time and a 30:58 10000 # 2 all time my sophomore year.

Some schools had shown interest in me after that, but I had just bought a house in Washington, and liked my job, so going away to school for something I really didn’t need kept me in the NW for good. Saved me a lot of money.

I volunteered at CCC the next year to help some runners I had started with, and wound up finding various training partners for the next 15 years. I hit most of my personal bests when I was 32. 3:52 1500—8:17 3000—14:17 5000—29:48 10000, kind of a late bloomer. Then I sort of evened out, and just maintained my fitness. It was hard trying to train at such a high level for so many years. I could never dedicate myself enough to really get to the next level, which was fine, as I thought I got to a level I was happy with.

I’m still very satisfied with how long I’ve been running so well for. I can’t win everything, but I am still quite competitive, even with the college kids. I finally managed to get better then my brother, and that’s kept him motivated to keep training. Sibling rivalry at its best.

2) I met you because you were a pacer for quite a number of years for Alberto Salazar and his Nike Oregon Project athletes; you’re one of those metronome type runners and came in to help with workouts. How did that come about?
In 2004, my college coach bumped into Alberto and was asked if he had any athletes that wouldn’t mind pacing some of his athletes. I was available, and was in great shape, so I said sure. Kara Goucher was the first elite athlete to train with, and she had a lot of success. We hit it off really well, so I was happy that I could help and get her back to the level she needed to be at. She ran amazing those years. More athletes came on board, and Julius Achon and I took turns helping many of Alberto’s group through their workouts. Julius was very fit as well, and could help the guys a lot more then I could. Aside from Kara, whom I trained with the most, I also helped her husband Adam Goucher, Galen Rupp (high school through college and post college), Josh Rohatinsky (post college), Amy Yoder Begley (post college), Alan Webb (comeback), You, Ari Lambie, Dathan Ritzinhein, and some of his current crop of ladies (Alvina Begay).

Now that Alberto’s group has grown a bunch, my pacing duties aren’t need as much, which helps my legs stay nice and fresh. But it will always be a great memory training with such great athletes and seeing them have success. Kara won a bronze medal under Alberto, Dathan set an American record in the 5000, Galen came into his own on the collegiate level and post college level, Amy made the Olympics. Alan had a nice comeback as well before leaving.

I think one of the reasons I fit so well with each of those athletes, was that I put my ego aside, and did what was asked. I never felt like crushing a workout, even though I only had to do about half, but rather being as close to pace as possible. It also helped that I could train early in the morning when most people were working.

3) You’re racing and training with the BAC; how do you plan your own training? How often do you get to meet with the other BAC guys?
As for as my own training, it is based on what has worked for me in the past. I tried high mileage, and it worked to some extent, but I was always sore. I started thinking about what worked best for me. 45-60 miles kept me fresh. I was open to workouts that fit my training, so I never set anything in stone. That way I can jump into workouts with anyone and adjust it to my training. If I need a day off, I take one. I haven’t been injured in 20 years, so I’ve developed a lot of base. I figure I don’t need to over due the heavy miles to stay in shape. Two workouts a week, a race and nice fluffy miles in between. It seems to be working.

My diet is horrendous though. I eat healthy stuff, but supplement it all with tons of junk food and soda. I drink way too much Mt.Dew, and always have a sugary candy bar some place close. People marvel at how much I eat, and why I never seem to get fat. That’s easy though; I’m hyper, and always busy. I don’t watch a lot of TV, work in the evenings, so during the day I’m outside most of the time. I wouldn’t recommend my diet to anyone but myself. Thankfully I haven’t seen any rolls developing around my gut.

4) You’ve proven to have great range; I know you’ve got some speedster wheels and not always such a fan of the longer runs and races, but you’ve just run a 1:08:31 half [4/15-Corvallis Half-Marathon] so you can’t say you aren’t good at them. What’s your favorite distance, or what you consider your forte, and how do you approach distances you’re not always so fond of?

I consider myself to have decent range as far as racing. In fact, this week I ran 1:08:32 for a ½ marathon (4th place)… Then raced a 1500 5 days later in 4:07.10 (2nd place)…Then a 5 miler the next day 25:43 (3rd place)…Then a 400 later that morning 56.60 (2nd place). I guess I just don’t think about it, but for each of those races after the ½ marathon, I figured it was a good workout to get some speed in my legs, so I didn’t think of it as a race. Sometimes you just run for fun, and don’t care about the place, although I think I placed pretty well in all of those races. They all came down to a kick. I lost.

Bauman (far left) at the Eugene 1/2

5) Let’s talk training…can you give me an example of what a typical week looks like for you running-wise? What are your favorite workouts? What do you dread the most?
A typical week for me begins on Monday. Usually its an easy 7 miles at about 6:30-7:00 pace, nothing too exciting.
Tuesdays are workout days. I tend to go with stuff I can manage on my own just in case no one wants to workout with me. This will be something like 3000-1600-800-400 (9:00 or faster) (4:35 or faster) (2:10 or faster) (60 or faster) I give myself a full recovery after each. Or if that seems a bit out of reach I’ll do 200-400’s with equal recovery, usually around 29 and 63.
Wednesday is either no running or an easy 7. Just depends on the time of year.
Thursday is a group workout day because it is my day off and I can workout with my brother in the evenings. We usually do longer strength oriented stuff like 8 X 1600 at 5:00 or faster or 6-8 X 800 repeats uphill.
Friday is another easy 7 mile day.
Saturday is either a race or 7-9 mile tempo effort every other week.
Sunday is a long run between 12-15 miles. So around 55 miles.

Now the workout days change with what I’m trying to accomplish. If it’s a base phase, there will generally be no speed workouts, just lots of strength stuff. Near the end of a taper session workouts are more speed oriented. Even on easy days, I’ll throw in 30 second surges to keep sharp.

If I’m really motivated I’ll lift weights too. Generally that entails bench press, push-ups, bar dips, pull-ups, and curls. Rarely do I do any leg work. I can’t stretch to save my life, so I usually never attempt any sort of stretching. Believe me, I’ve tried, and have never come close to touching my toes, so I just threw in the towel. If I’m sore or stiff, I’ll usually shake out a little, but nothing elaborate. I have no routine I go through to warm up; just some strides and a proper 10-15 minute warm-up jog.

6) Do you do anything outside of running for training, things like core, weights, plyo’s, stretching?
As far as things I do outside of running to keep me fit, I used to bike a lot. I guess about 25 miles a day. At work a do a lot of pushing and pulling of heavy equipment, that probably keeps my core strength in great shape. I wrestle my dogs too, but I doubt that helps my fitness any.

7) What’s your diet like; now I know you’re one of those lucky guys who actually has trouble keeping on the pounds and you’ve done some pretty incredible food feats of strength, if you will, how many Big Mac’s was it in a sitting? But for nutrition, what is your approach, and do you try and get in as much healthy things as you can or do you not really think too much about it?
Don’t ask about my diet…it’s utterly awful. Lots of Mt.Dew, candy bars, fast food, and peanut butter sandwiches when I’m too lazy too cook. I’m embarrassed to admit how sad my diet is…thankfully I’ve weighed the same since Freshman year of college. Usually I range from 129-134lbs…never more never less.

8) What advice would you give to runners who are really competitive and want to race at a high level but still have a ‘real life’ where running isn’t their job?
The best advice I’d give someone trying to be competitive is that nothing happens overnight. Training will suck sometimes, and workouts might not be indicative of how you race. There are lots of people who run well in workouts and bomb in races. Take your training in stride, and always remember that your going to have some disappoints. Weather never cooperates with your fitness. I can be in great shape, and on race day the weather is awful, there goes all that training. Instead of making your goal a certain time all of the time, how about place. Forget about time and just race. We tend to rely on splits and whether we’re on pace. Sometimes you just have to forget about plans, and take a chance on how you feel. Some of my best races I never looked at my watch, because I was afraid I’d be disappointed with the split. The times will eventually come, but you have to learn how to race sometimes.

9) What about someone who wants to take their running to the next level; what do you feel were/are some of the key things that you’ve done to continue improving and PR’ing?
The most important thing about getting to the next level is don’t get injured. That will set you back every time. Some people think getting to the next level means training like a mad man. The steps to getting better involve a slow progression, and staying injury free throughout the long haul will reap the rewards. If you’re injured, it doesn’t make any sense to come back early because you might lose fitness. You’ll just injure yourself again, and there will be no fitness at all eventually.

10) Mental toughness…what’s something that works for you in battling the pain of running and racing?
The thing that helps me most with mental toughness, is picking some of my favorite runs and thinking about them while I race and where I am at on my favorite run while I’m racing. It makes a lot of lonely miles disappear. I also like to break up a race into something like; as soon as I start feeling a little wore down, I’ll concentrate on the next distance I want to make it through, and try and forget what I’ve been through. For example; in my last half marathon, we went out pretty fast (5:02 pace) I only looked at my watch the first mile because I didn’t want to panic about the pace. At mile 5 I looked at it again. We had just run up a long hill and the mile was 5:18. I thought, well that was a pretty hard mile and 5:18 isn’t bad. I didn’t look at my watch again until mile 10. It too was a long uphill and I was at 5:18 for it as well. I was tired then, and thought that the next 3 miles would be pretty rough. So I just thought, well at the worst its only 17 minutes of running left. Next thing I know I have a mile to go and I’m not hurting anymore. You just need to find things to keep your mind off the pain long enough to forget about it.

11) Looking forward, what’s coming up next for you and what are some of your goals?
As for what’s coming up:
Eugene ½-Marathon April 29 [editor’s note, post-interview finish: 4th place, time: 1:08:20]
Oregon Road Mile Champs May 28
Portland Track Festival 5K June 14
Bowerman 5K July 14
Hood to Coast August 24-25
Cross Country !!!

I’m taking a two week break after Eugene to recharge.
Hoping to run under 4:20 for the road mile
Hope to run under 14:50 on the track and on the road for 5K
Have fun at Hood to Coast
And get a solid competitive team of BACers for Cross country.

Thanks to Ahrlin Bauman for taking the time to answer my questions and let’s all cheer for him and his fellow BAC teammates to keep kicking some butt! 🙂

The Big Three: Talent vs. Work Ethic vs. Mental Toughness- Which matters the most?

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Cait — 13 Comments ↓

What makes the most successful runners, is the talent, hard work ethic or mental toughness that matters the most? Sure, genetics come into play, one can’t overlook that as a factor, but running isn’t the kind of sport where you can make it to top off of pure talent alone. Eventually even the most talented ‘slackers’ hit their glass ceilings and get outpaced by the runners who refuse to let their genetic short-comings stand in their way and rely on dedication and perseverance.

Then there is grit. There are runners who make running look ugly, each step painful and torturous, mostly because it is, but they battle the pain, embrace it, run towards it even unlike their competitors can. There are also the types of runners who tend to rise to the occasion, when they toe the line they are able to step it up to a new level and perform even better than their workouts may have predicted. I like the term Shalane Flanagan has used, these are the ‘gamers.’

All runners possess each of these but to varying degrees; of course we’d like to be blessed with all of them to the utmost but we can’t, so let’s not get greedy. However, which would you say is the most important, which would you say should be factored in the most, and which is the hardest to make up for?

Talent. You can’t fake that, you can’t really change much of it either…you sort of have it or you don’t. Fast-twitch to slow-twitch muscle fiber ratio tends to predispose you to the event you’re best at; with certain training and exercises you can increase or build up the kind you may be lacking in, but to at a certain point you’ll max out. Your max heart rate and VO2 Max are other things you can only improve on so much before you’re tapped out. Form; some runners take to it naturally and make the act look effortless, even beautiful. Here there is a lot more ‘wiggle room’ and with diligent work and practice even the ugliest runner can improve their form.

Work ethic. Running can’t be faked…you can’t luck your way into the hole in one equivalent of a fast race. A prime example of this is when you see the young age-grouper kids tearing it up and winning off of talent, they get to high school and even there they can excel for awhile. But come senior year and college, if they are used to being able to skate by with skipped runs they get a cold slap of reality when they can’t win so easily any more. Here is where they can either learn and find the motivation to re-dedicate themselves and they gain that self-motivation if they want to continue to thrive; if they don’t then they can settle. The hard workers, these are the cases where ‘unknown’ runners hit their big coming out moment and get thrust into the spotlight. The thing is, they’ve been flying under the radar for a long time, diligently working away, taking the loses or back of pack status in stride and then all of that hard work finally pays off.

Mentality. Grit and mental toughness probably holds the most mystic as it can’t exactly be quantified or tested. There isn’t really a measuring system for it and even the ‘gamers’ can’t fully explain how they are able to step up, hone their focus, and block out the pain so well, they just do. I think that being able to block out the pain is certainly something that can continually be worked on and that our thresholds can always be pushed. I know there are times where I know for a fact I’ve hit a new level of pain. I think that comes from experience, hard workouts, races; these callous the mind. Visualization and other techniques are also at our disposal. Generally, just proving that voice in your mind telling you that you can’t is instrumental; your mind is often the biggest limiting factor but every time you ignore it and hit a new goal you reinstill that when it screams at you to stop and you can’t do something, it is only a farce. “You can’t run 10 miles without stopping,” the voice says…you do it, one point for you, a loss for the mind.

Runners fall across the spectrum on all of these; hard work and mental toughness are perhaps the two ‘easiest’ ones to manipulate and improve upon. There is always room to grow…what it often comes down to is practice, the motivation to get better, and then just getting out there and doing it day in and day out. How much do you want it?

1) Which of these do you feel is your greatest strength? Which do you feel is your weaker point?

2) Which do you think is the greatest factor in determining your running success? Which do you feel maybe matters the least?

3) Who are some runners that you feel are examples of harriers that have a strong ability in one of these traits?
For grit, Paula Radcliffe, Alberto Salazar, and Adam Goucher are just a few that instantly spring to mind.

4) Which do you wish you had the most of, admire in other runners the greatest, and what do you want to do to improve on that trait?