Run, Lift, Race, Repeat

Three months ago, my friend and coach messaged me -  After spending some time thinking about it and discussing it, we settled on a race to aim for.   The Rotary Monster Dash 5k .   It is part of the Centex Race Series and the proceeds of the event go to the local Rotary Club, which supports our local community. Next, I searched the internet for 5k training programs to find something I could use.   I found one that I was able to customize for the 4 ability group levels I wanted to train and I was able to stretch it out to 10 weeks. Instead of naming the groups beginner, advanced, and so forth, I thought it would be fun to name them after vegetables that are used as ingredients in the smoothies and foods at Grabbagreen .   We went with Teams Broccoli, Beet, Kale, and Spinach.  As coach, I became Asparagus.   Coach Asparagus I created a Facebook group and with the help of our local print shop, The Ohana Ink Co. , we put together flyers and a banner at the Grab

This was the third year in a row running this race.   Two years ago, I remember being happy that I completed the race.   I was still new to distance running and hadn’t learned how to prevent cramping in my legs.   I didn’t even realize the pain I was feeling was cramping at the time, as it wasn’t a traditional charlie horse style cramp and instead was a solid pain in my leg muscles.   I finished that race in 1:32:42 and was very happy with the performance. Hard to read but that's me in the box Last year, I was peaking during my training for my upcoming marathon and I had one of my top three road race performances for the year at this race.   I’d been running a lot and made PRs at the one mile, 5k, and 10k distances during this race.   I took nearly 10 minutes off my best 10 mile time, too, and finished in 1:12:42.  2017 results 2017 - Cruising to some PRs This year, I’m in a different place as I train for a different event and recently got back

"Allow yourself to be a beginner.  No one starts at the top." A few months ago, I asked a friend if she'd recommend a trainer that was willing to work with a runner that didn't want to do non-runner things. I knew that in order to become a better runner I had to become the best possible athlete that I could be. Fortunately, I asked someone that never turns down a challenge! I spent the Summer working on learning movements and improving my overall conditioning and strength. When I had to take two months off from running for an inju red foot, it felt like salvation to be able to continue working out in ways that I never would have been able to do if it weren't for my trainers.  Four weeks ago, I started a training cycle that is focused on strength and I spent a week setting maxes in various lifts. This week, as a progression marker, I spent another week testing my maxes to see if and how I had improved. I saw the following results - Bench

A few months ago, a friend from an online running group mentioned wanting to put together a team for the Ragnar Michigan.   I commented that it was interesting, and she replied that she was saving me a place.   I said, “OK”.   I mean, it doesn’t really take any arm twisting to get me to run a race. As the months went by, the team grew and changed as runners joined up or switched out due to injuries.   The final roster for team Which Way Is North? included several folks that traveled from outside Michigan and had never met in real life.   This is part of the Ragnar spirit - Strangers coming together to share in an intense activity and coming out on the other side as friends. Ragnar Michigan was my fifth relay race but my first Ragnar.   Previously, I ran the Oahu Perimeter Relay, the Texas Independence Relay, the Capital to Coast Relay, and the Tinajas Ultra Relay.   Tinajas was the only trail relay and didn’t involve loading everyone into vans and traveling from point to p