Outlaw Cowboy

One thing that I am adamantly against and cannot understand why people do it, is to run with an iPod or some other listening device. One, it is unsafe and second, why do we need to pipe in noise/music/sound to every dying second of the day? One of the great joys of running is to hear the crunch of frozen leaves underfoot, bullfrogs croaking in the early evening, the cry of a hawk in flight, or to the tune that randomly plays in your head. You don't need a synthetic beat to fall into a rhythm while running. What do you think your beating heart is? What do you think that tune in your head is? Or the conversation with your training partner? I just don't get it! There is so much music and beats going on around you and in your head. Which leads to today's topic.

So while I was out on my eight mile run, I found myself singing Waylon Jennings tunes, which lead to Merle Haggard tunes, which lead to Hank Jr, which lead right back to Hos and Bocephus having a "Conversation." It all started with "Momma Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" into "Working Man Blues" to so on and so on and so on. Let me be clear, when I say I was singing, I did not literally sing out loud, it was in my head. Though, I must admit, I did sing a little bit of the chorus to "Working Man Blues" while running on the canal. As I was trying to figure out why in the world I was in an outlaw cowboy music mood, when it dawned on me, I fancy myself, as a runner, a cowboy outlaw.

Outlaw Coyboys and runners share some common traits that separate us from the rest of society. First, we make our own rules. It is not that we don't believe in truth, justice and the American way, on the contrary, it is because we believe in these ideas and the pursuit of happiness that we seek to etch out our own path to glory. Just because the mediocre majority longs for McHappiness, the runner and the outlaw cowboy would rather be out on a trail, forging his own bliss. Second, we don't care what the masses think of us. The beauty of the outlaw cowboys was that they didn't give a rip what the establishment thought of them. Likewise, I don't care what people think about my running. If I want to run in the rain, I am going to run in the rain. If I want to run at midnight and howl at the full moon, well, damn it, I don't care, I'm going to run and howl! Last but not least, we are an exclusive club. It is not that most people cannot be a part of our circle, it is just most choose not to. It requires a certain lifestyle that at times is very depressing, melancholy, and flat out hard. Yet, at the same time, it is one with benefits and highs so few ever experience. Most people don't dream of running 100 miles per week. Most don't dream of pushing themselves to the brink of that feeling that your intestines are going explode out your arse. Most don't dream of being faster than anyone else they know covering 1 mile, 5K, 10K or longer by foot. But, to a runner, these are just part of the daily grind to glory and what we live for. Yup, runners and outlaw cowboys are two cousins who share a common longing, but rather on horse or tour bus, the runner chooses to use his own two feet.

So if you pass me out on the road, trail, or country lane, tip your hat as you pass and maybe I will croon you with a little cowboy tune. As always, stay healthy, keep running and enjoy a little Waylon in your head.

Steal of a Deal!

I happen to be a very luck guy in that my in-laws live in a very cool place to visit and run, San Diego. Every time we go down to visit, I thank my lucky stars that they don't live in someplace like Modesto. (No offense to Modestians, but really, compared to San Diego, you too would rather be there than the Valley in the Wintertime.) Not only is there plenty of trails to plant my road weary feet, there is a plethora of running stores. Which means at Christmas time I get gift cards, usually to Road Runner Sports. One thing that I have noticed with age, is that I refuse to pay full retail for some nylon sewn to some blown rubber with some kind of air bag, gel cel, torsion bar or any other assorted shock absorbers. To put it in plain English, I'm a cheapskate!

So yesterday as I was spending my last day in the land of perpetual 70 degrees I made a journey to cash in my plastic for some well deserved merchandise. This way I could help stimulate the economy as I stimulate my cardio-vascular system. Once arriving at Road Runner Sports I skipped the main store and went straight to the back where there is a store room and a tent set up with all the clearance and returned items. As a size 13, it is very difficult to ever find a great deal without putting in a special online order and upon first rummaging of the wares I found nothing. However, after 15-20 minutes of disappointment I headed for the main store when out of the corner of my eye I caught the glint of bright neon yellow and lo and behold, there they were! At first I was sure it would be a mistake and read size 11.5 or some other toe pinching size on the tag, but as I lifted the Nike Lunar Elites the orange clearance tag read size 13, $30.29! My heart raced, my palms got sweaty and my vision blurred. The running gods finally smiled upon me with a gift from heaven. Clutching my find, I carefully examined the shoes to find that they had maybe been worn once, twice at most. No rips, blemishes or defects. Plus, they were this year's model and colors. Normally I would have to settle for the past year's model, but not this go around.

So after 60 straight days of pounding the pavement, trails, canals and country lanes, I will sport a new pair of Nike Elites to help carry me along on my quest to be the best old fart runner I can be.

King of the Closet

Getting new shoes is one of the great pleasures a runner has. It is almost orgasmic when you open the box, as that new shoe smell permeates your nasal cavities, lifting them ever so gently like a new born baby blinking at all the possibilities that life has in store for them. Your mind races to all the trails, routes and work-out that you and your happy feet are going to have in the upcoming days, weeks and months. Oh happy day!!! Pure heaven awaits for you outside the door.

But there is one pair of shoes that trumps them all; brand new racing flats. Training shoes are awesome, but your racers, well these puppies define who you are as a runner. That's right, a runner is not defined by how many miles he or she has ran. A runner is not defined by the places they train. A runner is defined by the times that he or she has ran over a certain distance from point A to Point B. Plain and simple, I am defined by how well I manage to cover 5000 and 10,000 meters within the parameters of time. Therefore, my racing shoes are the King of the Closet, for their task is greater than all other Nikes, Adidas and Mizunos that share space with them, for they are all working for the day that the King laces up and takes my ten little piggies to market for the ride of their life.

As the new year is about to begin, I was given a great Christmas present from my wife, a brand new pair of neon green Nike Zoom Streak XC racing flats. For the past 58 days I have sacrificed a portion of my day, some days two portions, to trod bits of this blue and green planet as fast as my two legs could carry me for that day. But I do not run to for the pure joy of running, although I do enjoy the activity, I run to cover ground fast and hopefully faster than most 43, soon to be 44 year old runners do. I train to race. Win or lose. First or last. I run because I love to race and I need a shoe that will allow me on any given day to walk away saying "wow, I gave all I had today and it was well worth it!"

So I look forward to 2011 and either passing you or you passing me, with my bright neon green Nikes pounding away from point A to point B! As for the moment, I am going to go back to the closet and admire my Zoom Streaks and dream of a 5K road race with that fresh new shoe smell.

As always, stay healthy, keep running, and make sure to run a few races this year!

Child's Play

I never understood why anyone would choose to run on a treadmill over being outside. I get it when it comes to December in Minnesota or Michigan, but California? What do we have, a chill factor of 43 degrees? Yet, as soon as a little rain or dip in the temp occurs, the bronzed tan beauties head for the great indoors with televised sun soaked trails and authentic "sounds of nature" pumping in their earbuds. But why waste your time with artificial experiences when you can experience the fountain of youth by being outdoors playing in the rain?

Phil and I had so much fun yesterday we decided to go for one more run before we head back to the realities of adulthood that await us after the holidays. It was during this morning's run that I discovered why this is so much fun; it is child's play. Here we are, two grown men, responsible pillars of our communities doing exactly what our moms' had warned us not to do when we were little boys, playing in the rain. After another night of rain, there was no way to get around the puddles on the trails, so we did what any sensible adult would do, we splashed through them with high knees in order to make even bigger splashes! We were playing in the rain, splashing in puddles, knocking soaking branches of trees and bushes back at the other person spraying them with huge droplets, scampering up slippery rocks, sliding in the mud, and jumping bushes. We were blazing new trails. We were engaged in child's play.

So as you head out today to run, skip the treadmill, hit a trail or super wet road and splash it up! It is good to be kid again, if only for a few miles.

Rain, Mud and Lattes!

Today I got an early Christmas present when I got to go for a nice 6 mile run with my former Sonoma State Teammate and Roomie, Phil. I always remember running with Phil on our Sunday morning long runs in Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa, mainly because when you ran with Phil on a trail, it was going to be an adventure. Phil was an extraordinary mountain runner who could float up hills and take narrow steep goat trails down the side of hill like he was a gazelle. If he took a sudden turn up or down some barely seen break in the main trial, hang on to your running shorts, because you were about to go for a wild ride. And this morning, nearly 20 years later, was no exception.

We are both fortunate to have married beautiful women whose parents live in the San Diego area, so while on vacation, we were able to coordinate this morning's run around one of my favorite running spots, Lake Hodges. As we headed out on the trails in the rain, it was like being transported back in time to when we were both slimmer and fleet of foot as we came upon the first big puddle and Phil barrels through sending a cascade of mud and backsplash my way, laughing the whole time. If the run would have ended right then and there, it would have been more than worth it just to experience that moment of us just being free and doing that thing we love. Although, later I did slip and slid down the side of a hill and had a little difficulty getting upright, providing some more laughs.

As we traversed the mud and yuck we chatted away about life, kids, and work forgetting that we are a couple of middle-aged adults scantily clad running around in the rain. Long gone are the discussions about winning races, classes and what career paths to take, but the connection between two former teammates, more importantly friends, is still there and strong. Even though I am still out enjoying this crazy life, I will never be able to replace certain people and when I run without them, there is a void that can only be filled with memories. But what great memories they are!

Phil, thanks for a great run and a life time of memories! Here's hoping it does not take us this long again to enjoy a rainy romp on the trails and a great cup of coffe afterwards.

Runner's Guilt

This morning I find myself putting off my run. It is still dark and the rain is falling heavily outside. Normally, I don't really care.
What needs to be done, needs to be done. Today though, more coffee sounds better. The problem is this damn runner's guilt. Even though I have just poured another cup of steamy rich French Roast with a dash of half and half, wafting the heavenly aroma of the sweet nectar of the gods, my cold, damp, muddy adidas are over in the corner giving me the puppy dog look. Uggggh.

Some days I wish I was more normal. I could curl up to my wife in our nice warm bed. I could eat a pound of bacon and not think twice about how it is going to hurt coming up later when I head out for a run. I could have man boobs and joke about needing a "bro" (man-bra) and flaunt my plumbers crack due to the fact that my big belly will not let me pull my jeans up all the way. I could even crack stupid over-used cliches such as, "the only running I do is to the 'fridge" or "I don't even drive that far."

But alas, normalcy has never been part of my DNA. There is no getting around it, there is only one way to rid myself of the guilt. Time to lace up. At least there will be a hot shower and fresh pot of hot coffee waiting for me when I get back. Besides, the coffee in my cup is cold now, so I might as well do something productive while waiting for the new pot to brew.

As always, stay healthy, dry, warm and keep running!

A Matter of Heart

It is almost 5:00 am and as I sit sipping my French Roast with a dash of half and half, the rain is coming down in the darkness that awaits me. I have not had the best of sleep over the past two nights due to the fact that my dad is in the hospital for the second time in less than six months due to his heart. Having an uncle you had a massive heart attack at 51 and my grandpa die of a heart attack at 51 and my dad in his early 60's in the hospital with a heart episode, knowing that he is going to have to make some drastic life changes, is a little unnerving.

As a coach, the number one attribute that I look for in athletes is heart. The number one thing that I hope that my teammates and my two coaches can say about me, is that I had heart. I love this sport and I love to compete. I was never the best, but better than most. If it is raining and cold, so be it. If it is over 100 and I need to wake at 4:30 in the morning to run, so be it. Nothing is more disappointing than when you coach an athlete and they give you a million excuses why they can't practice or compete. I know running is not everyone's cup of tea, and quite honestly, if you don't like this sport, it is really miserable. However, when you fall in love with it, you just can't get enough.

One athlete that I coach, Lupe, is the epitome of "heart." Although Lupe is not my most talented runner and barely made our top five, he never finished a race where he did not cross the line exhausted and spent. On several occasions, Lupe would apologize after a close, hard fought race for not placing higher or running faster. (Never mind that he just ran a pr or passed an opposing team's runner to secure the win.) Each time I would put my arm around his shoulder and tell him, "Lupe, you gave me everything you had out there. No coach could ask for more than that from his athletes."

I believe I developed this whole notion of "heart" from my dad. Throughout his whole adult life he has worked very hard, often 14-16 hours a day as an ag mechanic. My dad is a firm believer if you are going to do something, you should do it right. More importantly, he did it mainly so that my siblings and myself could experience a different type of life than what he has. If there has ever been anyone who encouraged me to stay at this crazy running life, it is my dad. If there was someone who encouraged me to do it right, it was my dad. So even though his physical heart is starting to get a little worn out, I know that his true heart is still just as strong as ever.

I'm going to head out the door now. Today, more than ever I need to run. It is who I am. A runner. It's a matter of the heart.

Return to Kenya

Yesterday morning I went for a 12 mile run with my young training partner Lino at our favorite spot, Rocky Hill. It had been many moons since I had last frolicked these hallowed grounds of the local running and cycling community and I was thrilled to be able to get back to the birthplace of the nickname that was bestowed upon me when I ran in junior college.

During my time running for College of Sequoias, my coach had given me a video to watch called the Super Milers. I remember once particular scene where the great Kenyan runner Kip Keino is running down a hillside in Eldoret, grinning the whole way, and I am thinking, "this looks just like the backside of Rocky Hill!" So the next week when we were at Rocky Hill doing a hard run I remarked to my coach, "I feel like a Kenyan today!" When asked why, I explained how the backside of Rocky Hill looked like the scene with Keino and since we are training in a place like Kenya, well, then, I need to think and run like a Kenyan. At which point, a teammate blurted out, an "Albino Kenyan!"

Over twenty years later Coach Bronzan is still telling that story to his runners and I am still trying to run like a Kenyan. I know I will never set a world record or win an Olympic medal, but what most people don't know about Kenyan runners is that the reason they are so good is because they love what they are doing. I still love dragging my butt out of bed on a cold Saturday morning to drive 20-30 minutes to my favorite local running spot and trying to put one foot in front of the other faster than I did the day before. So today as I head out the door, I feel like a Kenyan! Maybe an Albino one, but a Kenyan none the less. In Swahili, there is a saying, "Mambu Baddu," which means, the best is yet to come. Time and Mother Nature may have slowed down the ol leg turnover, but I firmly believe that each morning when I lace up, the best is yet to come and that if I keep on running, the Albino Kenyan will be one with his "Kenyan Brethren" all over the world.

As always, stay healthy, keep running, and Mambu Baddu!

Top Ten

As I am getting ready to head out the door for day 42 this morning and going through my morning ritual; coffee, check email and messages, more coffee (the original energy drink), I notice I have received a message from my good friend and former team mate Phil. Phil, next to my wife, was my favorite room mate in college and has a very quick wit. Whenever you are with Phil, whether it be running, enjoying a hot cup of coffee or an ice cold dark brown beer, your sides are going to be sore from all the laughing that takes place! So here is my first guest contributor to this humble blog from my good buddy, bringing us the top ten reasons that running is better than sex!

The 10 Reasons Running Could Be Considered Better Than Sex.

10. You’re not breaking a commandment if you do it with your neighbor’s wife.
9. You don’t have to wait for everyone to leave the house to do it alone.
8. You can do it in public and not worry about getting arrested.
7. You don’t have to wear anything besides a pair of shorts to make it safe.
6. You can’t get pregnant doing it.
5. You can do it in a group and not feel weird.
4. You can do it even if your wife has a headache. In fact, it’s recommended.
3. When you get older, you don’t have to take a drug to get yourself up to do it. (Advil is an exception)
2. You don’t have to cuddle with anyone after you’re finished.
1. It’s a good thing to be quick.

I hope you enjoyed the top ten as much as I did! I literally spat out the coffee in my mouth when I read number 9.

As always, stay healthy, keep running and remember at our age, even though running can be better than sex, it is still good to indulge in this cross training activity! Just don't pull anything that would be embarrassing to explain to the doctor!

Come Get Some!

Yesterday I ran with two college guys, Lino and Mikey, for a nice 9 mile run. It was also the NCAA DII National Cross Country Championships yesterday and having competed in this meet exactly 20 years ago I pulled out my favorite piece of memorabilia from that day, a Slippery Rock University t-shirt. Now, you might be wondering what is so special about that, especially since I did not run for Slippery Rock, well, I will tell ya!

Our coach at Sonoma State had competed in several NCAA championship meets and internationally in his days with Athletics West and he had told us that when you compete in a meet of this caliber and internationally athletes would exchange t-shirts and jerseys. Since this was our school's first and only appearance at the NCAA champs for the men, we wanted to have the full experience of competing at this level. So when we got the list of competitors, my teammate Phil and I perused the names and came across Slippery Rock. Phil, being a geology major, stated that this should be the team we exchange shirts with. So on the day of the meet we made it our mission to seek out and find a couple of "Rock" athletes to exchange swag with.

Fortunately while searching for the restroom we ran into two guys from Slippery Rock and started up a conversation that lead to "the exchange." Amazing enough, they were the same size as Phil and I! But the best part was the saying on the back of the shirt, "Come Get Some!" When you run at this level, everyone has a little swagger in their step and sometimes we let it spill over into our apparel. Wishing each other the best and commenting on the virility of the slogan, we headed off to duke it out with each other on the 10k course on a nice chilly late autumn day.

It is hard to believe that twenty years have passed since that day, but here I am after all these years, still sporting the "Come Get Some" while running with college guys. I may not be as fast as I once was, but I still have a little swagger left. To all my Sonoma State teammates, happy 20th Anniversary of the greatest achievement in our little school's cross country team's history and to the two "Rock" runners, here is hoping you are still out there in Pennsylvania tearing it up with the kids on the trails and roads.

As always, keep healthy, keep running and don't forget to have a little swagger in your stride!

p.s.. Streak update: 37 straight days and 60 miles for this past week.

Colder Than a Witch's...

Ugggh! I had been waiting for the cold weather to arrive and when it did, it showed up big time. After prying my manhood from the abyss of my bowels, I made the comment to my wife, "it is colder than a witch's t%#&*!" Now, I am not really all that familiar with the anatomy of those who practice the dark arts, but man, it was stinking cold! Which leads me to wonder, how does one determine the temperature of the mammary glands of a warty old lady? Is that even a question that should be considered? I don't think so! Ok, so where am I going with this? Well, I'm not too sure, but I do know that each morning at 5:00 am it is frigid and within three strides I lose all feeling in my face and the sweat on my forehead is starting to freeze on my eyebrows! But the streak must go on!

Today's run made it 33 days in a row and I am now 1/3 of the way through my 100 day streak! Last week I managed 50 miles and this week I have set a goal of 55-60 miles for the week. As we head deeper into the winter it gets a little harder and harder to drag myself from the comfort of the flannel sheets, down comforter and my wife to slip out the door scantily dressed in lycra blend and cotton garments into the dank and dreary darkness of early morning. However, I know it will be all worth it come July when I finally line up at the World Masters Championships in Sacramento ready to take on the challenge of flying around the track 12 1/2 times! And for this week, it will be worth it to write down in the log, 60 miles!

Until the next time, stay healthy, keep running and keep warm!

Thankful

After 26 days of running, I did something I was not quite ready for; I ran in my first race since March. This morning I ran in our local Thanksgiving 5K and ran a dismal 20:04. However, I did have a great time being back in the running community on this sunny frigid day and it made me reflect on why I am thankful I am a runner. So on this day that we pause and offer thanks for all our blessings, here is a list of my top 5 running blessings:

Number 1: I am thankful for my former high school teammate and friend Shannon. After 25 years, she still loves the sport, has passed it down to her son, Tommy, and always makes me laugh and smile with her outgoing personality. (Shannon, note that I did not mention you running with an iphone today and then stuffing it in your... oh wait, I guess I just did.)

Number 2: I am thankful for my guys that I coach! On a freezing arctic morning, they chose to get up at the crack of dawn, pay $25 and give it 110% for a good cause! Not only that, they had a great time racing some of the best open/college runners in our area. You guys are savages!

Number 3: Coach Dave Bronzan. What can I say, here is the man who introduce me to a whole new world of running with his passion for the sport and he was out this morning taking pictures and encouraging all past, current and future COS runners and more!

Number 4: Our current runners who are attending and competing for Adams State, Chico State and Humboldt State who came home and ran in our local race and provide a great example for our young runners to look up to. Through their hard work, dedication and commitment, they have taken their running to a whole new level. Keep it up fellas!

Number 5: Although it was slow, I was still able to run! I can still put one foot in front of the other, the way I love to do it best! I love this sport. It is part of who I am. I have been blessed with a healthy body and I still get to enjoy cold mornings, rainy afternoons, and sunny days out on a trail pushing my body to its limits.

So to all of my running friends, have a blessed Thanksgiving, eat well, and Thank You for being a part of my running life! As always, stay healthy and keep running!

That's All You Got?!!

"Poseidon, Poseidon! Is that All You've Got?!" You might think those words came from Odysseus from the Odyssey, however, those were the very words that dripped from my training partner Lino's mouth as we turned into the torrential downpour that occurred three miles into our afternoon eight mile run. As he conjured up the Greek mythological gods to taunt them in the midst of the deluge of Biblical proportions, we plunged forward into a whipping side wind that pelted us with liquid marbles as animals charged by us two by two! To say the least, we were having a blast splashing through puddles like little kids! It is days like these that make me glad I took up this sport. I love running in the rain!

Even though we were having fun, we were still clipping along at 6:30-6:45 pace for most of the run. It felt good to be running along at such a pace; the first time in a very, very long time. As I finished day 25 in row, I am ecstatic that I was able to do it at such a decent pace and in my favorite weather to run, wet and cold. So as I peel off my soaked tights and socks, I look forward to tomorrow's run and I hope Poseidon, Zeus, and Phidippides provide another opportunity to tempt the gods to an incredible day of running.

As always, stay healthy, stay dry, and keep running.

The Week that Was

I have now ran 23 straight days and this last week was the first week that I actually felt like a runner again. I ended up with a total of 43 miles for the week. Not too bad, considering I am fighting a cold and my wife has been sick all week, keeping me up most nights with coughing fits. As we head into Thanksgiving this week, my goal is to reach 50-55 miles. I hope by keeping this running blog-log it will help me formalize my training and give me a new tool in which to reflect on my journey as an older athlete as I record my training and racing in a new format. For those of you who read my blog, I just want to say thanks for your encouragement. I really do appreciate it. Sometimes just that simple response or word makes a world of difference on those days that "I just am not feeling it." Well, it is time to head out and make it day 24.

As always, keep healthy and keep running!

Techno Runner

My cross country runners surprised me the other night at our awards banquet with a super cool gift, a Nike+ Band. For those of you who are not familiar with this gadget, it is a sleek band that fits around your wrist with a small usb jump drive and a sensor that is placed in your shoe to keep track of how far you have ran, your pace, and how many calories you have burned! I can even log online and track my run and keep a record of all my mileage by plugging the little usb drive in my computer. So instead of a clunky Garmin on my wrist, which I do not own, I wear a device roughly the size of a Livestrong bracelet. This morning I ran 6.18 miles at 7:30 per mile pace and burned 880 calories! Melt away oh flabby flesh of man boobs!

Now, for anyone who knows me, knows that I am Mr. Old School runner, minus the tube socks and afro, and have shunned the heart rate monitor, ipod, Garmin, water belts, camel backs, and cross training. I run. I run in cotton socks and deal with blisters and take pride in my blood stained shoes. I wear cotton t-shirts and deal with bleeding nipples. If I get chub rub, vaseline works wonders. I have always said all I need is a good solid running watch, but I have to admit, this little gadget is COOL! After calibrating it yesterday, I was super excited to try it out today. The best part was that it confirmed that my internal gps is fairly accurate and I still know how to listen to my body to determine my pace. As I am falling back into the running life it is nice to have a device that allows me to accurately track my running, minus the watch. So to my guys, Thank You very much for such a cool gift. You guys are the best.

As always, stay healthy and keep running!

Bloody Nipple!

I just finished my 7-8 mile run and I noticed the weather was a little chilly, but I was not expecting this! Feeling a little sensitive in the pectoral department, I reach to examine the area only to discover an excruciating electric shock from my nipple to my toes! Owwww! Not only that, a little stream of blood flowed from the hamburger that was once part of my anatomy. Man, I am even more glad than ever that I am a man and not a woman. My hats off to you ladies and all that you have to endure. It is bad enough being out of shape, but now my man-boobs are mocking me and protesting my efforts to eliminate them. But alas, oh sensitive fatty flesh, you will soon be dissolved and will taunt me no more. However, until then, I think I need to invest into some vaseline and band-aids or else it is going to be a long, bloody winter!

As always, keep healthy, keep running, and protect those sensitive areas!

Just Didn't Feel It!

I just wasn't feeling it today! The legs were achy, students got on my nerves, I was tired, cranky and just plain ol' didn't want to drag my big fat hairy out of shape booty out the door this afternoon! Just when I thought I would settle into the easy chair, contemplating which BBQ sauce to add to the pork, and a nice cold dark brown drink...Bam! Flashback!

Back when I was finishing up my final cross country season at Sonoma State I was having a lousy work-out one afternoon. Now I normally did not complain about doing a work-out, but this particular day I was just not feeling it. My legs were sore and achy and I had just ran one of the best races of my life the weekend before at the Stanford Invitational. My legs were toast. Burnt toast to boot. I remember stumbling through an 800 meter repeat and jogging up to my coach, who was waiting for me patiently and before I could say anything he says, "Not feeling too good? Tired? Well, you will be tired in races." Ahh man, how do I respond to that? All I could do was nod my head, fall in line and finish the work out. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't one of my most memorable interval sessions. Heck, I can't even say I finished feeling good. I still felt like crap. But I learned a lesson, runners don't skip out on the daily grind just because thy are a little tired and achy! That is what separates us from joggers.

So there I am sitting in the chair, enjoying the aroma of the roasting pig meat, salivating, and I have this decision, am I a jogger or a runner? Dang! So on with the shorts, t-shirt and adidas and out the door. It was not pretty. It was not the best run I have had in the last 19 days, but I got it done. I finished. I am still a runner. Now, time to eat some pulled pork sandwiches!

As always, stay healthy and keep on running! Even if you are not feeling it!

Nine or Ten

Today marked day 18 of the streak! However, rather than an easy 30-40 minute run, I went on a 9-10 mile run. This was not in the plan for another week or two, but my competitive nature and pride got the better of me today. Not wanting to run alone this evening, I texted a younger runner I run with, Lino, to see if he wanted to run in the afternoon. His response was, sure, lets go 11 and he would pick the course.

Now I was in a dilemma! Although I have been running, I am coming off several months of very little to no running and have just gotten comfortable running 4-6 miles at a time, but not 11! How could I turn down Lino's response? I'm a runner! A former darn good runner! I can run 11! I think. Maybe? Come on now Scott! You can do this. You use to run 11 everyday! How hard can it be? Crap! So I respond back to Lino, "yeah, I'll see ya at 3:45." Damn, I'm committed to it now.

To much of my surprise the first 30 minutes felt really good, until we came to the point in the course when I could wimp out and cut it to a comfortable 45 minutes or turn onto the canal and go the full course. As my heart pounded and my head screamed don't do it, I made the turn and committed to the whole distance! What was I thinking? Dude you are 43 and have not built up to this! It is a long, long, long way home if you crash and burn. Oh well.

Now when you are 15-20 years past your prime, 30 pounds overweight and gasping for breath, each step felt like I was in a Nazi Death March! Lino on the other hand is chatting away about how light his feet feel. Geez, and mine feel like lead boots! Now I'm praying, please don't let me have a heart attack or stroke out in public with snot hanging out my nose and slobber bubbling in and out with each breath! On second thought, death might not be so bad. The running gods did not hear my prayers, so I continued to slog away to the finish.

Needless to say, I finished the run. Fortunately, since Lino ran to my house and then home, it was 11 for him and between 9-10 for me. As I staggered into my back driveway I felt a sudden rush of euphoria as my aching legs came stiffly to a halt. Rubbing my raw achy nipples, never wear a cotton shirt on you first long run, I could not believe what I blurted out, "so, we will run again on Thursday?" You would think I would have been happy to roll over and die but no, insanity once again wins the day and I am planning my next 9-10 mile run in just two days! As stated earlier, I am a runner, therefore common sense is not part of my daily routine.

So Lino, thanks for dragging my old fat butt out there today for the best run I have had in over 6 months and I am looking forward to many more this winter. Although with a lot less snot, slobber and raw nipples!

As always, stay healthy and keep running!

Bugs

I have seen and experienced a lot of weird and strange stuff while running. I have had a 'possum hiss at me, coyotes jump out of sagebrush, stepped over a rattlesnake, seen bucks rutting, wild turkeys, dog bit, stung by a bee, girls yell ( I always love that one), people yell out the weather forecast, as if I didn't know it was raining, ran over by a kid on a bike, mooned (although not by a beautiful woman, some hairy dude) and at various times told I was crazy. I am a little bummed I have never found a dead body like runners do on tv shows. I won't go into all the types of roadkill and the various discussions I have had with teammates trying to figure out the poor brute's species before meeting its demise. Yet one thing that seems to happen to me at least half a dozen times a year or more, is the ol' bug in the mouth! I hate when that happens.

Now when I get the bug in the mouth, it is never a small little bug that I could just wipe from my teeth or spit out. Oh no, I have to get the pterodactyl kamikaze bug that heads straight for the throat! This leads to the inevitable bending over mid-stride as the gag reflexes fly into full force, twisting me into a mad man convulsion, trying to cough the booger up. As I make the sound of a beaver in heat, drool flowing from my gapping mouth, the darn thing taunts me by flapping his wings making me gag all the more before I can finally manage to swallow it down into a vat of stomach acid to finally dissolve it into extra protein for muscle mass. Even then, I swear the thing is trying to crawl back up to freedom and the gagging rages again! No wonder people hurl comments at me for being "crazy." That might also explain why I don't get women honking their horns at me either. Darned bugs.

As I head out the door for day 17 of my streak, I am praying that the cold weather will keep the nasty little varmints out of the air and I can make it through the run without a third world delicacy.

As always, stay healthy, take care of your body, and eat a banana, granola bar, power bar, anything but a bug for a snack.

My Adidas

I'm about to make that maiden voyage in my brand new pair of Adidas Supernova Sequence. As a lifelong Nike fan, I do believe I am becoming a convert of the three striped vintage brand of sport footwear. Not that I had a falling out with my first running love that cushioned each strike of the pavement, dirt and track on those pillowy clouds of air bags, it is just as I have gotten older, I have noticed that my foot has changed as well as my hairline and waistline. But we will not talk about those. Besides, the hairline has made me more aerodynamic! With the changes in my foot, making the right choice of shoe is even more important than ever.

So as I prepare to head out the door to keep the streak going, the first and most important element is to make sure my feet are properly taken care. After trying on several pairs of Nikes, Asics, New Balance, Brooks and Mizunos, it was the Adidas that stole the affection of my 10 little piggies as they all want to run to the market. Having spent much of the last six months dealing with one little nagging injury after another, it finally occurred to me, I was not making the best choice in footwear for my current condition and bio-mechanical needs. As a coach, I preach the importance of choosing the best shoe for the athlete, yet, I was a brand guy and not only that, I wanted a stylish shoe! After all, the shoe says so much about the runner. Did I want to be seen in a clunky jogger shoe? Hell No! I'm a serious runner baby. I need the lightest, sleekest, fastest looking shoe there is.

Unfortunately, I am no longer the lightest, sleekest, fastest me. Geez, where did he get off to? Is he coming back? He will, but it will be a light, sleek, slower 43 year old me with a different body than that one that used to tear it up at 25. As I head out the door to chisel off the fat and work on the ol' leg turn over, my little piggies will be crying wee wee wee all the way on the run! So keep those feet healthy and happy and choose the right shoe and I hope to see you at the races!

As always, stay healthy and keep running!

Back in the Saddle

It's been a long time since I last blogged and much has happened in that time. But rather than dwell on the past, it is time to set my sights on some readjusted goals and move forward as an athlete.

Tonight I attended my 25th High School Reunion. It was a blast! And one thing is for certain, I am so glad that even though I have suffered many injuries these past few years, I am thankful that I have remained active and fairly fit for my 43 years. It was in high school that I feel in love with the sport of running as a skinny, big red afro sporting, knee high sock wearing, and clueless freshman finding his way on the varsity squad. Here I am 29 years later, still trying to push my body to new challenges. Which reminds me, I am not going to dwell on the past, especially when I wore a name tag with a picture of me that should have been burned, but what I am focusing on today.

Since my first running love is the track, it is there that I am focusing my training for the next 8-9 months. In July of 2011, the top masters track athletes from all over the world will be convening in Sacramento for the World Masters Championship. Therefore, my goal is to compete in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters on the track.

As I saddle back up, this time I am keeping the goal and focus simple; train for the World Masters Track Championships. This is my goal and the first order of business to accomplish that goal is to once again run 100 straight days to establish good, strong and healthy training habits. And, to help me obtain my goal, I will once again keep a blog about my training. So for all of those who follow and read my blog, I greatly appreciate your support as I once again challenge myself as a master athlete.

Running Naked

Well, I have decided to try running naked a few days a week! This is a big stretch for me. Not that I am ashamed of my body or that I am a little upset that I did not make the AOL list of the top 10 to bare it all for the camera, I mean, come on, I am just as pasty white as Kate Winslet, however I am not talking about leaving my singlet and shorts off and running in my birthday suit. It is time to leave the poor ol' watch at home.

Yes, that is it! Running naked means no watch. Sorry to disappoint, but if you ask some college team-mates of mine, I am sure they would be glad to tell a tale or two. Anyways, I have always felt naked without my watch. It is that one piece of gadgetry that I just can't seem to give up. Not that I have one of those watches that keep my pace, distance, heart-rate, calories burned, and comes with a compass just in case I get lost. Nope, mine is pretty simple. I just keep track of how long it takes me to run the course I have chosen to run that day. Plain and simple, how long did it take me. And here lies the problem.

Since my goal is to run fast, I have a hard time running slow and by feel. I know rest and easy running are just as important as going hard in work-outs, but if I glance at my watch and see that I am 2 seconds fast, do I slow down. Heck no! I might be able to run this loop faster than I ever have had before. Who cares if it is a recovery day! This could be a new Santa Fe Trail 5 mile morning loop pr we are talking about. Nobody will be talking about this for weeks! Come on baby, push it. Lets trim those seconds off. So much for recovery.

So, since time slows down for no man, the man has decided to leave time behind. At least on easy recovery days. I have often heard you are only uncomfortable being naked the first few times, but like in marriage, after you bare it all, you get used to it and it is just a part of life. Even to the point to where you don't even notice it. (Honey, I still notice when you are naked!) As I head out the door, no one will turn their heads and stare in amazement, but I will know that I am not fully clothed and my bare wrist will feel exposed, but naked I must go.

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy, and don't be afraid to bare the wrist!
SP

The Week Off

When I took the day off on Monday, I did not intend for it to turn into nearly a whole week off of running! Yet, that is exactly what has happened. Although I did manage a few days this past week, it was very minimal as far as mileage and effort. However, I must say that I am feeling invigorated, rested, and refocused on what lays ahead for the next 100+ days of running.

After posting my time goals the other day, I have given even more thought in how to approach the next four months before my goal races of 5000 and 10000 meters at the Masters Championships in Sacramento and have discovered that this week off of running is going to be a key and crucial element to my success later in the year. I have never put a big emphasis on long streaks of running without a break, mainly because when you are training hard, recovery is just as important as the work-outs and occasionally your body needs a full day or maybe two of non-running to recover. For most runners this is every 3-4 weeks. After 105 straight days, I needed more than a day of recovery! And not just physically, but also mentally. Sneaking in 2 mile runs on your birthday at 11:00pm is not quality training! Hardcore? Yes! Quality? No! Rest days are now going to be an integral part to my training regime as I begin to prepare for Sacramento this week.

My training is now going to revolve around three week cycles that will include two weeks at 70 miles and the third week at 50-55 with a day off and if needed two. I have discovered over the past 105 days of running that my body holds up fine for about two weeks, but then it needs to rest. I discovered that when hitting 70 miles per week, I could manage another week of 65-70, but then the following week would drop to 45-50 miles and I would developed a variety of aches and pains. Then it would take another two weeks to build back up to 70 miles. Rather than ride a roller coaster of training the next four months, I am going to anticipate that my body needs a rest and take one, even if feeling good. A tired, broken-down, worn-out, and under rested athlete cannot run fast! No matter what kind of shape they are in. And I want to run as fast as this 43 year old body can go! Besides, some of my college buddies are running the champs in July too and honestly, I want to kick their old gray butts! I'm coming for you Los, Studa and Aldge!

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy and take a well deserved nap today!
SP

Sub 5?

So on Monday I officially ended my running streak at 105 straight days. My plan was to run 100, which I did, but afterwards I was unsure of where I wanted to take it, so I kept on going a few more days. However, for the past two weeks I have been very sluggish on my runs and decided it was time to take an easy week with a few days off and re-calibrate my goals for the year.

So with just some light running a few days this week, I have given much thought to where I want to take my running next. This has caused me to take a real good hard look at my goals for 2010 and I have decided to modify a few.

The first, finishing in the top 5 overall in the Fresno Runner of the Year series in the masters division. When I was younger I never placed an emphasis on winning a bunch of races and collecting all the accolades and trinkets that go with such endeavors, my focus was on running fast. At the beginning of the year I was afraid to mention any times that I would want to shoot for, but after running 11:41 for two miles two weeks ago, I know I can go much faster. So instead of placing in the top 5 in the Fresno series, I am going to focus on getting in shape to hit the track in May. I do not want to hit the Masters Champs in July slogging through a 5000 and 10000 trying to survive, I want to compete! Soooo, here it goes, in the mile I want to run sub 5 minutes this summer, sub 17:00 for the 5000 and sub 35:00 for the 10000.

Now I know those are not blazing times, but after 8-9 years of not being on the racing scene and having ran more over the past 3 months than I have over the past 3 years, these are some pretty hefty times to shoot for! Impossible? No. Difficult and demanding? Yes. Doable? Absolutely. Can I do it? This is the goal!

Second, now until Masters Championships I want to average 65-70 miles per week. My original goal was 3000 miles for the year and it still is, but now as I approach conquering that goal, I have a deliberate plan of attack that is based on racing results rather than mileage results. I honestly believe, if you want to seriously race, you need to run some serious miles. If you look at the fastest guys in distance running, they are putting in 100-140 miles per week. As a 43 year old, with a career and family, my 100 mile week days are over for the most part, but I can still run 70 if I am disciplined. Now it is simply a matter of do I want it bad enough? We shall see.

Now time to refocus the training and get busy learning to run fast again.

Until the next time, keep running and stay healthy!
SP

Saturday Morning

It's Saturday morning and i have just finished my second cup of coffee, wondering why I'm not still in bed, cuddled up to my wife? It is windy and cloudy, so I have my tights in the dryer to get ready to head out the door for my run, while rubbing the various aches and pains that are starting to accumulate in my ol' legs. I'm tired, have a long day of coaching ahead of me and I have things I need to do with my family, so there will be no time for a good run later today. Honestly, I just don't feel like running right now! However...

Once I get out on the trail, after a few miles, as the blood begins to flow steadily over my aching muscles, as more oxygen flows to the brain, and the heart gets pumping hard, I will be glad I did not give into temptation. There is a big box of Apple Jacks just waiting for me to get done with my run. (Yes, I still eat sugary cereals.) Another pot of coffee to be brewed and a warm shower to ease the aches away, but only after the miles have been put in for the day. So off I go and in another hour or so I will pour that wonderful taste of cinnamony-apple taste into a big bowl and smile!

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy and have a big bowl of your favorite cereal from when you were a kid!
SP

Old School

One of the interesting things about older runners, especially those who take up the sport later in life, say in their late 20's, 30's and 40's, is their fascination with gadgets. Weekly I get asked about on-line running logs, Garmins, heart-rate monitors, water bottle belts, ipods, and types of tech clothing. Not that there is anything wrong with those items, but seriously, have you seen some of these people out running? They look like they just came from the science fair flea market. I kid you not, the other day I saw I guy running with 3 watches, an ipod and cell phone! Curious, I ran up behind the dude, he had no clue that I had snuck up on him, and asked him what was with all the clutter on the arms? Apparently in order to be a serious runner, one must have a Garmin in which to know your precise mileage and pace, a heart monitor in order to know your optimal pace to run, tunes to keep you relaxed while running and your cell phone so you don't miss any calls or texts. Oh yeah, and every serious runner must have a running watch! I waved and proceeded to leave the man to his serious running.

I have to admit, I am old school. What is old school? Old school is that class of runners who do not run for exercise or to raise money for charity, we are animals that know our primal urge is to move one leg in front of the other as fast as we can. We see another runner ahead of us and we automatically pick up the pace to hunt down the prey. We wear real split leg running shorts and cotton t-shirts that make our nipples bleed, because The Firecracker 10K logo looks better with sweat stains in the pits and blood streaks on the front. Old school means we tell how far we ran by how long we have been out and by the effort we put in that day, because we don't listen to i-tunes when we run, we listen to the I tune of ourselves. Old school means we don't need some device to tell us we are working hard, because when we can't hardly breath and the sweat is dripping we can feel our stinking heartbeat in our throbbing hands, feet, chest, and ears. (Have you ever had a throbbing ear? Then you are old school!) Old school is black toe-nails falling off and leaving it on the night-stand as a trophy! Old school is drinking coffee after a run and blowing snot rockets while you talk and no-one cares. Old school is knowing that the next water stop is 12 miles away and not sloshing around on your butt. Old school is looking at your watch and seeing that you are running 4 seconds faster on a loop and feeling like a champ or running 4 seconds slower and feeling like a slug. Old school is about you, the course and putting one foot in front of the other with nothing else but your shoes, bloody socks, and giving it your best effort for that most glorious time of day when you get to run!

Now, you may be a serious runner, not that there is anything wrong with that, but if you really want to experience the running life, well I suggest you try old school and then tell me which one you prefer. Don't worry, your nipples will harden up!

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy, and wash that old bloody stained t-shirt!
SP

First Race of 2010

Ugggh. Okay, now I know we slow down with old age, but my goodness, I was not prepared for what happened today. I ran my first race, a two mile, in which I ran 11:41. Not that I am totally surprised, but honestly, I thought I would have ran about 20-30 seconds faster than what I did. I guess I need to take it for what it is, my first race attempt in nearly two years and that I have only really been running consistently for the last three months. So to be too disappointed would be silly, but still, I know I can go faster. Much faster.

So rather than be disappointed and depressed, I am going to use this as motivation to structure my readjustment of my goals for 2010. As I have been following my SSU coach's running blog he continually mentions how he loves to run, run fast that is and this is what I want to do; run fast.

This coming Tuesday I will reach 100 straight days and many people have been asking, what are you going to do after you reach 100? Well, I am going to run another 100 straight days, but instead of focusing on just getting out and making sure I run, now I am going to focus on what I need to do to run fast. Now I know I will never run as fast as I once did, so I have to set some "Masters PR Goals." Losing to 4 other 40 something guys in a local road race, well, that just did not set well with me. I didn't mind David beating because he is a former teammate and I remember when he used to beat me on a regular basis, but the other three had never beaten me before and I am not about to go down quietly. Call me vain. Call me crazy. But I want to be able to get out there and mix it up with the top masters guys and let the pups know that the old dog can still get off the porch and run.

Until the next time, keep running and stay healthy.
SP

Mando

I have to brag on one of my athletes, Armando or 'Mando as all the guys call him. 'Mando has been on a tear this past winter, running pr's in almost every race and time trial we have ran. Now, 'Mando is not the fastest guy on our team, but you will be hard pressed to find a harder working kid in the world. I love this kid. Each day he comes out, rain or shine, and gives everything he has with this "I'm having a great time" attitude. Always quick with a smile and laugh, he truly enjoys his running life.

This last Friday night, 'Mando ran over a 2 minute pr in the 2 mile with a time of 11:32. When he was a freshman he could not even break 18 minutes for 2 miles, and now as a junior he is looking to break 11 this year and possibly under 5 for the mile. This kid truly knows what it means to reap what you sow, because this is all the result of his dedication and hard work. 'Mando, you are an inspiration to all who take up this sport and I am nothing but proud and honored to be your coach. Keep it up man, keep it up.

Mountain Men

When I talk to my boys about how running in college is the best experience, outside of running on an Olympic or World Championship team, you can have in this crazy running life, I don't think of my great coaches, races, and accomplishments. I think of two of the greatest guys I have ever ran with, my Sonoma State team-mates Phil and Eric. I have drank more coffee, shared laughs, and ran some of the best miles I have ever ran with these two guys.

Eric was, is and always will be quick with a witty smart-ass remark for every situation followed by a hearty laugh. A true renaissance man, Eric has traveled the world, read the great books, loves good music and hates trendy commercial dribble that is passed off as being sophisticated. Once a few years ago when we were running around Sonoma State, two girls looked and smiled at us. Now being close to 40, it had been a long time since a college girl smiled at me, but leave it to Eric to put it in proper perspective, "They are thinking, isn't that cute, those old college professors are trying to stay in shape." We laughed all the way back to my house, wondering where the years had gone.

Eric also had a way of coming up with some challenging work-outs. One in particular was 3-5 X 11/2 miles on a single track trail up in the hills of Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa. As we dodged branches, jutting rocks, hopped a brook and navigated treacherous footing, Eric would fly off yelling,"this is a mountain man work-out!" With mud flying up our legs and getting drenched with rain and sweat, we whooped and hollered along one of the best and most fun work-outs we have ever ran. Afterwards, over lattes, we would discuss everything from politics to music to literature to family.

Phil, my fist college room-mate, is the most solid guy I have ever ran with. With a quirky sense of humor and impish grin, you know you are in for a good time when you are hanging out with Phil. Now Phil is not crazy wild, he too, like Eric, is just flat out witty and knows what levers are for real and which ones are for show and has no problem telling you. Honest, hard-working and funny, he is just the kind of guy you would want for a roommate. One night while studying, I look down from my loft to see him come out of his bedroom with a Steve Martin arrow on his head, singing along to the Repo Man soundtrack doing his best Peter Garret dance moves, go the refrigerator, grab a drink and dance merrily back to his room and back to work. How can you not love a guy like that.

Running in the hills of Annadel State Park was always an adventure with Phil. He loved running hills and trails. An avid mountain bike rider as well, he knew that park better than any of us and when we would come across some obscure trail that seemed to drop off the face of the earth, hold on, he would take you on a wild ride, that kept you praying that you would not break your leg or snap off your foot. I swear he must be part mountain goat, but it did teach me to be light on my feet! The best part about Phil is that he was and is a good friend.

Running partners come and go, but some are completely irreplaceable. Phil and Eric fall into that once in a lifetime group of people that were not only good friends, but friends that make you a better person. Running is a great way of life. I love the way I feel after a good hard work-out. I love the sense of pride in a job well done after a race. But most of all, I love the fact that all the people I have gotten to know over the past 28 years have all helped shape me into the person I am today and none have had as much of impact as these two guys. In case I haven't said it in awhile, thanks Phil and Eric.

Until the next time, keep running and stay healthy! And call up an old running partner and share some laughs!
SP

Fast Company

I just could not rank my top four in an order, so I broke it down into a tie with two categories: 1) Fast Company and 2) Great Fun.
So I will start it off with Fast Company. I have two training partners who were the two fastest runners I got to train with on a day to day basis. The first being my Sonoma State team-mate Mike and then the other is a guy I got to know when I moved back home, Dean.

Mike, or Hammerhead as we would call him, was a five time DII All American at 1500, 5000 and XC, as well as participating in the 1992 Olympic Track and Field trials at 5000. The boy did not have great leg speed, but my goodness, he could hammer out work-outs and had a pain thresh-hold that I have never witnessed before or since. Focused and driven, Mike made every work-out the center of the universe and that each step was a matter of life or death. Once after trailing Matt Guisto in a local road race for several miles before having my butt handed to me on a platter, I commented on how I thought Matt was just out for a Sunday stroll, in which Mike grunted, "the good ones don't take Sunday strolls." He could be rather intense at times.

Anyway, Mike and I ran almost every mile together for two years, the fastest two years of running I ever had. We dreamed, schemed and ran fast. Sunday mornings were long runs with team-mates in Annadel State Park, followed by donuts and then watching sports. Mondays were the hardest day of the week with intense track or xc repeats, which lead to a big dinner of some kind of animal flesh and brownies and ice-cream. However, as intense of a guy as he could be, he was very unselfish. In the first race of my senior year in track, Mike paced me to my qualifying time for the NCAA's in a small tri-meet, stepping off the track on the last lap to let my savor the moment. Afterwards when celebrating, all Mike could talk about was my race, never-mind that I would not have had that performance I didn't have him to drag me along.

In 1994, when I first moved back home to Tulare, I was not prepared to encounter anyone who could even come with 2 minutes of me in a race locally. In my first local race after moving back I got a thorough butt-whipping in a small local 8K. Wondering who this red-headed stranger was I did what all distance runners do who want to know someone, "hey, you want to cool down?" I found out Dean and his family had just recently had moved to Tulare and he had just started teaching. He was also an 8:41 steeplechase runner and close to 14 flat 5k guy. Needless to say, he was one fast dude. Even better, he lived only a few blocks away from me and my family.

For the next few years we would meet afterwork and burn up the roads of Tulare and Visalia. Dean only knew two speeds, fast and faster. I actually had to make sure I would schedule two to three days when I ran on my own so my legs could recover. Unfortunately, Dean suffered several injuries, so his racing was limited, but the races we did run together were a blast. In one particular race, a guy came over from San Luis Obispo to run and he was little cocky towards the locals. Oblivious to how fast both Dean and I had ran, he went to the lead. A mile into the race, Dean went to the front with this guy and started talking to him and pushing the pace. At three miles Dean waved me up and then I went on to win as Dean continued to talk to the guy as he was dying on the road reminding him that he should treat the local runners with more respect. Which is why I loved running with Dean, as fast as a runner that he was, he was always and continues to be very humble about his accomplishments. Today, I get the great privilege of coaching his two boys, in which his oldest is my number 1 runner and his other boy, a freshman, is quickly becoming my 2nd best runner.

I sure miss having those two guys push me to faster times! Mike and Dean, thanks fellas for all the fast and good times!
SP

Midnight Runs

First up in my all time Top Five trainer partners is my COS team-mate Todd. Todd was the first philosophical runner who took a scientific approach to running. This guy was so well-versed in running, at a seminar in San Francisco, even Dr. Joe Vigil, the legendary coach who was instrumental in creating the Adams State dynasty had a hard time answering his questions. Todd approached running like he did life, it was a great mystery that one had to solve and do so in such a manner that it not only have meaning, but make a better man in the process.

The best part of running with Todd was that he was that one team-mate that always made you feel that you could accomplish anything. Not once in the many years of running together did I ever hear him say one negative thing about his team-mates. He was always encouraging everyone on the team to reach for higher goals. Todd was a runner of high goals and high standards and he freely shared these standards and expectations in order for all of us to reach higher.

During the summers, Todd introduced us to midnight runs. For several weeks during the hot months of June, July and August, we would meet at Todd's and another team-mate's, David, apartment at midnight and go for a 8-10 mile run around town. On some of those nights we would do a fartlek work-out. Since Todd had high standards he would tell us, "we are not going to do an American fartlek, we are doing a European or African fartlek! There will be no jogging. We are working hard gentlemen!" And sure enough, we would go flying through the streets of Visalia at break-neck speed. Man, I miss those summer nights.

When I decided to take running seriously, it was Todd who inspired me to go from the 13th man on our cross country to one of the top 10,000 meter runners in JC NorCal to eventually earning two All American awards. So Todd, thanks man for being the first team-mate to push me to reach for higher goals and to do it in such a way that would not only make me a better runner, but also a better person.

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy, and make sure you say thanks to those who inspire you to run!
SP

Over the past 86 days of running, I have done roughly 90% of that running all by myself. Even though I enjoy my quiet time out on the roads and trails, I am beginning to miss those days of when I used to do 90% of my running with team-mates and training partners. As I look back over the years, I have been blessed and honored to have ran with so many different runners. I have ran with aspiring Olympians, American-record holders, World Championship team members, old, young, tall, short, male, female, veteran and newbies. I have met all of my running heroes, Bill Rogers, Alberto Salazar, and Pat Porter, in which I called Porter once after one too many beers to wish him good luck on his 7th consecutive American championship title in cross country. I have shared laughs, disappointments, and the camaraderie that only comes with running with other like-minded individuals who have chosen to pound their bodies mile after mile after mile. There is nothing like hanging out with your own species and runners were not meant to run alone. So this week I pay tribute to the five most influential team-mates/running partners in this running life.

First, before starting my five part series on my favorite all time training partners, I tip my hat to the other five, those who would have made the cut if I was doing my top 10.

Coming in at number 10, Frank, a high school team-mate that knew how to push me to reach for higher goals. Although, his running life has been plagued with injuries over the past several years, I now get the privilege of coaching his son.

Number 9, the 1998 College of Sequoias Cross Country team. I got to be the assistant coach that year and had an absolute blast sharing some very good times with these guys. Who knew that college kids still loved "story time."

Number 8, David and Amador, the original McFarland High School superstars of running. These two guys had such a great sense of humor and love of running, you could not help but want to run fast. These two guys were always the first ones to congratulate you on a good job or offer a word of encouragement if you had a bad one.

Number 7, Lino, another Tulare Union grad who has fallen in love with this crazy life called running. The thing I love about running with Lino is that he is so hungry to learn about the sport, plus, at my age, to be able to run with a young 20 something pushes me to do better.

Number 6, my current high school team at Tulare Union. Although my role is coach, these guys, my boys, have reminded my of all the good reasons of why I have chosen to live my life this way. I hope as a coach I give them as much as they give me. Not only that, they are becoming an awesome group of runners.

To all of you guys, THANKS! for sharing in the journey.

Until tomorrow when I share about number 5, keep running and stay healthy,
SP

Good-Bye 42

Today was day 78 in a row with 12 miles to log for the day. It is also my last day being 42 as I get ready to start another trip around the sun. This past year was pivotal in my running life, mainly because it was the first year in many that I actually had goals and got out and ran for the majority of the year.

My 42nd year did not start off too good, as on my birthday last year I injured my left foot doing a track work-out with my high school guys that lead to a severe case of plantar fascia, which lead to my current state of having to wear orthotics. However, since that time I have slowly built up my running regimen and am now logging 65-70 miles per week, losing all the fat I gained, and more importantly, I am having the most fun with my running in over 15 years!

As I say good-bye to 42, it is with excitement that I look forward to 43 and all the racing adventures that lie ahead. I am looking forward to reconnecting with former team-mates and adversaries on the roads, track and xc courses. I am looking forward to not just revisiting our "Glory Days," but also sharing a laugh about how we just duked it out like a couple of college kids. I look forward to seeing how my high school kids improve and compete. I look forward to watching my daughter blossom on the track this season. And I look forward of sharing this running life with you.

So to everyone that I have shared this running life with, thanks for helping make 42 a phenomenal year and I anxiously await tomorrow to head into the new adventure that 43 holds in-store.

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy and enjoy each every step along the journey.
SP

New Shoes

Well, I have worn out my pair of Nike Air Structures and I am bouncing back and forth wearing those and a pair of Mizuno Wave Riders until I can get a new pair this upcoming week, trying to keep my feet happy while pounding out 70 miles. Now that I have reached a point that I am able to run 60-70 miles per week, it has both its blessings and curses. One of those curses is that I go through twice as many running shoes during the year than I would if I was just running minimal mileage. The blessing is, I get twice as many new shoes this year than I normally would! And I must confess, I do have a running shoe fetish.

When my wife and I met in college, she was amazed to have met a man with twice as many shoes in his closet as she had in hers. (You should see how many pairs of shoes she has in our closet!) I had at least 20 pairs of assorted worn out trainers, new trainers, racing flats, cross country spikes, indoor spikes, practice spikes, and racing spikes, both middle distance and longer distance for each category of shoe. It was a shoe orgy in my closet. And the colors! There was not just the customary white and blue, but orange, purple, hot pink, green, yellow, and every other color under the sun, just waiting to be slipped on my feet for a run. Ahhhh, how I miss the good ol' days when I would agonize over which pair should I wear at work out today? Oh no, it is raining and muddy at the park, which pair should I wear that I don't mind being caked in mud? Fast 400's today, hmmm, should I wear the Zoom Ultras today or the Zoom D's?

Then there were the catalogs! Eastbay, Road-Runner Sports, Nike and Adidas catalogs that I could spend hours trying to determine which shoe must join my entourage of running performance equipment. If there was a new version of a racing flat or spike, I was sure to have it and if I did not, you could bet it would not be long before it made its way to my collection. Nike was and still is my shoe of choice, but I am an equal opportunity kind of guy, so there were adidas, Asics, Saucony, Brooks, and Reebok shoes mixing it up with the assorted Nikes. All living in perfect peace and harmony. No shoe had to ask, "Can't we all just get along?"

So the time has come again and the agonizing process of choosing a new shoe is at hand. Which one should I go with? Do I buy a new pair of Nike Air Structures or do I get the new Lunar Glide? Should I try the adidas Response Cushion or the Saucony Grid? The Mizuno Wave Rider fits well, but I really like the Asics DS trainer. Oh how I wish I had Oprah's closet and I could own them all. It is a good thing I don't own a running shoe store, I would definitely eat up the profits with my appetite for new running shoes.

So it is off to shopping for new shoes and until the next time, keep running, stay healthy and enjoy those shoes that keep your feet happy!
SP

Cherry Garcia

Yesterday was my 71st day in a row of running and I managed to run a double of 5 and 9 miles. I felt pretty good! The day before was my 70th day and I totaled 70 miles for the week. That felt pretty darn good too. All in all, I have to say I am on a good roll and feeling really good about my training. I have 1 more easy week of phase 1 of my training plan and then next week when I move into phase 2, I start incorporating two up-tempo/interval work-outs into the mix. Not sure if I feel good about that yet, but at the moment, having just finished day 72 with a 7 mile run, I think I need to celebrate the moment somehow.

One of the benefits of this current streak is that I have lost between 12-15 pounds over the past two months. Part of it is the running and the other part is that I have scaled way back on my consumption of ice cream every night. In fact it has been several weeks since I last had ice cream. When my wife sent me to the store to buy an onion, I decided that walking up to the cashier with just an onion wouldn't look right. What's a guy to do? I thought about some dark draft lager, but then I went down the frozen section and there it was, my old friend, Cherry Garcia.

For those not acquainted with Vermont's finest ice cream vendors, Ben and Jerry, you should definitely splurge the extra $2.00 and get a pint of their creamy bing cherry ice cream with delicious chunks of chocolate and let your mouth take a grateful trip that will let your tongue have psychedelic flashbacks with each spoonful. Man, it is gooooood stuff. I knew right away how I was going to celebrate my recent running milestones.

I know we need to watch what we eat and drink and take care of our bodies, but every once in awhile we need to treat ourselves to something else we love besides running. So, with onion in hand and Cherry Garcia in the other, I checked out and am now enjoying over 700 calories of cherry chocolate heaven. I guess I am going to have to double tomorrow. Oh well.

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy and go get yourself some Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and live a little!
SP

Reevaluation

I have been itching to step on the track ever since I made up my mind to return to track racing this year. Now granted, my first track race will not be until either May or June, but I just wanted to jump in there and get my feet wet. According to my training plan I still have one more week of easy running after this one. So I should stay away from the track as I am building my mileage up. But I just couldn't help myself and those brand new Nike Marathon Racers were just begging me today to come out of the box and go for a run. How can you say no to those beautiful little red and blue swooshes?

So, out the door I went and warmed up 3 miles before hitting the track. I stretched and did my strides. Which felt really good. Flying down the backstretch, arms pumping, knees lifting, back straight and feeling like I could do these all day long. I was pumped. I decided I would do 12 X 400 with 200 jog recovery. A pretty easy and basic work-out. I figure I couldn't do any damage and I would just go at 85% effort. Feeling confident, lean, and ready to go, I strode off into my first repeat.

As I came through the finish, I glanced at my watch and...what?! That can't be right! Ok. It is the first repeat and I have not stepped on the track in a very, very, very long time. Plus I ran 15 miles yesterday. It will be faster on the next one. So as I jogged my recovery I hit the starting point and strode off again, this time pumping my arms a little bit more and sure enough...ugggggh, no way! I use to jog faster than this! Ok, ok, it is just the cold, rain, and the 15 from yesterday. 200 meters later I am off again and...yup, you guessed it, another 400 slower than I had expected. Now I am starting to get a little depressed.

What's a poor middle-aged runner to do? I had to reevaluate why I was even doing this work-out. While I was jogging my recovery I decided to take off my watch and run off of effort. Problem fixed. For the next 9 400 meter repeats I ran in the bliss of ignorance of not knowing my times, but knowing I was giving the right effort and focusing on what was important. Learning to go round and round again with a focus and determination that will lead to faster times down the line as I relaxed and went with the flow of my body. So even though I was headed towards a disappointing work-out, by a quick adjustment I was able to salvage the morning and get back on track of why I am out here at 42 on a rainy day with no-one else but me and the worms escaping the infield. I was out here because I still enjoy pushing myself to new limits and running hard. This is what I am, a runner. Slow, fast or in-between, I love to run and run hard regardless of what the watch says. I can say now, I had a great first track work-out for 2010 and I am looking forward to many more this spring.

So until the next time, keep running, stay healthy, and if you need to, put the old watch away.
SP

25 Again

Today I did a 10 mile run with a college kid named Lino. Lino graduated from the same high school I did and currently goes to the same junior college, running for the same coach that I ran for as well. I have gotten to know Lino over the past year as he has came out and ran with our team on several occasions. The thing that is fun about running with Lino, is that he is hungry to learn about the sport and over the past couple of months he has really started to improve and shows great potential to do very well in his next step as a collegiate runner.

As we were cruising along today it was fun to talk about the stud runners from my era (the 80's) and the great ones from the 70's and all the others up to now. I remember running with my college buddies and coach having the same conversations. The names may have changed, but it is still the same ol game. We talked about the up and coming runners from our junior college. We talked about how coach still gets excited for his athletes. Which of the young lions is going to break American records this upcoming season and what our favorite races while clipping along at 7 minute mile pace. For an hour of my day, I felt like I was 25 again. I love days like today, when the legs feel good, running in the rain and it all felt so easy.

Even though I know tomorrow I will be a little stiff and sore, it was well worth it. Thanks Lino for helping this old dog feel young again, even if it was just for a brief moment.

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy and young at heart.
SP

These Days

Yesterday I had a great run! It was not so much that I got in my second 10+ mile run for the week and it only being Wednesday, but I ran 6 of those miles with my oldest daughter. What is amazing is that I was out for a run with my guys and she was hanging tough with the big boys. I love it.

Lately, she has really stepped up her training and has been a roll. Last Friday, she tied her personal best in the mile during a work-out, running all by herself. She went out a little fast, but she adjusted and hung in there to finish it off. I have to say, I am having one of those proud daddy days. It's tough raising a 16 year old daughter, but when you share a common love, running, it opens up many doors and moments to share with on another. All I can say is, it sure is fun to run with her. I sure am going to miss days like yesterday when she is gone to college in a few short years. I don't think she fathoms just how much days like yesterday mean to me.

Each day I work with teenagers as a teacher and often I hear them complain about how their parents just don't care or spend anytime with them. I often feel sorry for them, both students and parents. I feel very fortunate that I can share this crazy lifestyle, running, with my daughter. Whether she goes on to run in college like I did or not, win or lose, I have the privilege to spend time with my daughter, laughing, talking, and just getting to know each other better. I hope, she sees how my lifestyle of running is an outward expression of the things I feel are important in life: faith, dedication, hard work and belief in yourself. I hope by our runs that I am passing down to her these values that I feel make someone a better person. But more important, I hope she realizes that as much as I love this running life, I love her, her brother and sister and mom, more than anything and that it is the time together, not the miles, the mean the most to me.

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy, and go hug your kids and tell them you love them.
SP

Goal Assessment

Alright, so in my first blog I outlined my goals for 2010 and now that the first month of the year has passed, it is time to check in on how I am doing.

Goal 1: Run 3000+ miles. So far I ran 213 miles for January and an additional 16 miles today. Grand total: 229 miles for 2010 and approximately 7% of my mileage goal.
Goal 2: Top 5 Masters of Fresno Runner of the Year Series. Although the first race of the series was ran in early January, I will not be running my first race until February 20. I will have to wait until the end of June to see how this one pans out.
Goal 3: 5,000m and 10,000m at Masters National Championships is in July.
Goal 4: Race 1500/1600. This one will have to wait, as wel,l until the summer or late spring.
Goal 5: Join Local Running Club. I have made my choice after a month of deliberation and have decided on the Visalia Runners. I just need to send in my membership form and check.
Goal 6: Run a Trail Race. Even though I have not picked a race yet, this one I am saving for late summer and to run with my new friend, Don.
Goal 7: Pace someone to a pr. I have a few athletes that I coach that I would love to do this for over the next few months.
Goal 8: Donate Used Running Shoes. I have donated 3 pairs to a local organization, Love, Inc. that provides goods at very low costs to those in need.
Goal 9: Midnight Run. This is also a summer activity.

2009 goal that has carried over: Run 100 straight days. Today was day 64 in a row.

Since most of my goals are geared towards a year of running, I will be a long process in achieving these goals, but I am well on my way. I have been asked about time goals for my race distances and all I can say at this point is, I need a few more months before I can accurately set realistic goals in this area. Nothing can discourage a runner more, than to set unrealistic goals and walk away dissatisfied with the running experience. Therefore, I want to make sure that my goals are challenging but also realistic in nature.

Until the next time, keep running and stay healthy.
SP

Hardcore

So I have this friend at work, Kelly, who has started running this past year. The thing I love about Kelly is that she is always excited when she talks about each new milestone she reaches in her new running life. As a teacher, wife, and mom of three young boys, my hat is off to you Kelly and your new found passion. The other thing I love about Kelly is she is not afraid to give me a hard time and shares my same twisted sense of humor. In our profession, as I am sure is the case with all, some people take themselves too seriously, so it is nice to have someone else to share a demented laugh with.

A few weeks ago, when it started to rain Kelly informed me that she was now "hardcore." She had made that leap from jogger to runner now, because she was not going to let some little moisture in the morning air keep her from getting out the door and pounding out some miles. To tell the truth, I was impressed. Most newbies usually ask me, what do you do when it rains? My reply, run. Kelly had already figured out, you are already dripping wet with sweat, so what is a few raindrops going to matter? So I thought, yup Kelly, you are hardcore.

Over the past week I continued to run everyday with a cold and sore throat. As many of you know, when you are running with a cold you have to learn how to gracefully shoot streams of yellow and green in such a manner as to not douse your sleeves, shoes, or sometimes the side of your face with your own snot. My high school athletes find this rather gross, but to be honest, their alternative is much nastier. They just suck it down, hock it up and then spit it out. Sorry, I'd rather not have that salty little flavor on my tongue for 10 miles. Kelly having known my predicament and a reader of my blog, (I hope you are liking it so far Kelly) asked me about this at work the other day. As I was explaining how I do not like to break stride and so forth, I asked her, "what do you do?" At which she replied, "I carry tissue."

I know many runners who carry a little emergency paper for when they need to ditch behind a bush, but not for blowing their noses. I mean, it makes sense to some degree, but what do you do with it later? Do you continue to run with your snot rags? Ewwww! Do you stop and look for a trash can? Excuse me sir, may I make a deposit into your waste container? Do you just drop it and litter? I hope not, since most runners really do care about keeping our running routes fairly clean. At least with a snot-rocket, it is biodegradable. Plus you have to stop, pull out the tissue, which is going to get all wet from your sweaty hands and fall apart when you blow and then you run the risk of blowing it in your hands. Yuck. Kelly, if you want to remain "hardcore," just stick one finger on one side of your nose, turn your head to the other and just blow hard. In the words of Nike marketing, "Just Do It!" I believe in you.

Until the next time, keep running, stay healthy, and if you need to release some nasal juices, you now know what to do.
SP

ps. Kelly, thanks for being a good sport and I hope you continue to enjoy your running life for many, many years. Keep up the good work.