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