Good run last Saturday!  Conditions were a little chilly; 29degrees at the start, getting into the low 30’s by the end, with little wind.  Everyone is looking great!

There was the regular crew at Wednesday’s Track Session at AHS.  It is staying light later so we were able see much better. 

There are a number of us dealing with a variety of colds, flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc. etc.  Trying to recover from something like that while in the middle of a training program can be VERY challenging.  You (we) are caught between feeling anxious about “falling behind” in our training/fitness.  The feeling of atrophying before our own eyes can make us try to “tough it out” and keep working out.  BAD IDEA!  If we take a few days off, we too often try to get back training sooner than our bodies – that we have stopped listening to as closely as we should – are really ready for.   After 55 years of running, I have learned (but not always good at implementing for myself) that you have to listen to your body even closer when things like injury or illness slow us down.  Like most things in life, to do it right takes time; years of trial and error.   Getting good at it does not mean you will never get ill or injured again; but it will happen less often and with less severity.  Learning to listen – really listen – is tough because everyone is different.  You might have heard me say this once or twice before J   We are all an experiment of ONE.  Talk to others about what works for them, mentally and physically, try different approaches, remedies, alternative exercise and use your Training Log to help remember what works and does not work (or makes things worse). 

Take care of yourself; be aggressive in getting yourself better, and if you are the least hesitate about feeling well enough to workout – wait another day.  It is better to wait a little longer to start training again than to start too early and take the chance of setting yourself back – so it takes even longer to recover.  Remember – there will be other races.

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   1. Sign up for a race as soon as you feel up to it.  It will give you incentive to train.
   2. Find a committed running partner. It is much harder to skip a run when you have someone else depending on you.
   3. Remember that you will have plateaus in your progress and tough days along the way.
   4. It gets easier.
   5. Accept and appreciate the fact that not every single run can be a good one.
   6. Be prepared to remove the words “can’t” and “never” from your vocabulary.
   7. Do not compare yourself to others. Run within yourself and for yourself first.
   8. Don’t expect every run to be better than the last one; some of them will hurt.
   9. Don’t think too much about it or you won’t do it.
  10. Even a bad run is better than no run at all.
  11. If you normally run with music try skipping it and listening to your feet to hear your pace and your gait.
  12. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t experience weight loss immediately.
  13. Start a running blog or journal to go along with your training log; and read other running blogs regularly.
  14. Running is not an excuse to triple your intake of doughnuts because runners gain weight too.  Sorry L

It was a little smaller group past Saturday, mainly due to the Valentine’s 5k. The conditions were pretty nice.  Could Spring be far away?   It was a ‘drop-back’ day for most of the group; except for Steve who went 20.   Those I heard from said that the Val 5k went well.  Marcia finished 5 minutes faster than last year, and some of the New Years Beginning Runner Program successfully did their first 5k.   It was a good race to test your fitness, and see how the track work was showing results.

There was the regular crew at Wednesday’s Track Session at AHS.  It is staying light later so we were able see much better.  The Race Clock still comes in handy for splits.

Some of you asked about recovery nutrition after a long work out.  Here is an article Nancy Cooper passed on that has some great information along those lines:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-11-protein-recovery_N.htm?csp=usat.me

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There was a good group out for the Saturday run based on water used and reports. The conditions were pretty nice.  Could Spring be far away?

It was 28 degrees at the Susquehanna State park for our trail run. The trails were 80% snow covered but very runable.

There was the regular crew at Wednesday’s Track Session at AHS.  It is staying light later so we were able see much better.  The Race Clock still comes in handy for splits.

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I understand there was a good group out for the Saturday run even though it had to have been cold with a stiff wind.  I saw the trees blowing as I left for the airport around 5 am that morning.  Thanks to Jane for covering the 2 Mile Stop for me.

It was 75 degrees in Newport Beach on Sunday. I got a short run in on the beach with my grandsons and a quick dip in the ocean.  My son, Lee, proposed to his girlfriend on one knee on the beach exactly at sunset, then took her to a nearby restaurant where her family and our family were waiting. Now all of you can say “ahhhhhhh”

There was the regular crew at Wednesday’s Track Session at AHS.  These sessions are beginning to show progress.

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