5 Things that would make watching Marathons on TV much more entertaining.

The NYC marathon was televised live on ESPN2 live yesterday. And it was...it was really bad. Worse in some cases than your local affiliate covering your local marathon. It seemed like ESPN was actually upset to have to run it. The Race coverage had all of the feels of a fluff piece during Good Morning America. Runners are watching, and we're interested in watching, but not in what you think we are. Here are a few tips to make live marathon coverage better:

1) Find a commentator who cares: ESPN regular John Anderson did the commentary with Tim Hutchings and Carrie Tollefson, (Hutchings and Tollefson are always excellent), but Anderson who has run the NYC marathon came off as glib and annoyed, with rather less than interested commentary ("Now they're getting busy") You got the feeling he ran the NYC Marathon due to a bet he lost. He clearly has no interest in the sport, and they should find someone who actually, dare we say, like running and like to run. Clearly there has to be someone at ESPN or ABC who does. Find them.

2) The people who are watching are runners, and we like it: Imagine if ESPN were to run a football game with out the status of time left or what down it was, or we didn't know how many timeouts were left, because ESPN didn't think it was something you didn't need to know. During the coverage of the Marathon. ESPN gave us no stats, no pacing per mile or even display a map on where the runners were on the course. They didn't even give us halfway splits, but they did give us the splits of the last 6 miles, because that's the most important part. All of the information is important, and it's important to share that with us. Keep that in mind the next time ESPN runs the World Series of Poker.

3) Interview with the Elites and the favorites: ESPN clearly didn't think this event was important to talk to the participants the day before at the NYC press conference. To ESPN it was just a bunch of brown foreigners running, except Alana Headley, there was time for her story (she dropped out) In fact, ESPN interviewed favorite Sally Kipyego literally 5 seconds before she started the marathon. Not the best time for an interview, guys. You didn't even cover the first American women finishers. Who are the people fighting to win this race, where are they from, and why were they here? ESPN failed at all of those basics.

4) No one really cares about Ethan Hawke (or any other celebrity): It's great that Ethan Hawke is running and running for a cause, but Ethan Hawke is an actor and an attention whore. There are 50,000 people running the NYC marathon, for charity, for themselves to overcome and prevail. People who run and love running. People who are doing if for themselves without a camera or press every single day. And we come together on those days and we become one. Go talk to them, instead of the rich actor. And also:

5) Please don't run and interview people: It's stupid and amateurish. You literally look like someone who literally doesn't know what the hell you're doing. Love to see you try to do that during a football game. Save your energy. You look stupid.

Hopefully this will help.

Probably not.

Ummmm......What's the rush?

"You can't rush running."
"You can't rush results."
"You can't rush training."

These last few weeks, I've repeated those mantras far too many times to runners asking for advice.

I don't know what it is, but runners have approached me in various states of panic about races they are not prepared for.

And my question is always the same: "What is the rush?" And that question always makes people pause.

In running preparation is everything.  And with preparation you have to be honest with your goals and want you want to do. And preparation has plenty of flexibility in it. But you have to be honest with yourself. And you can't cram for a running event. Just like you can't cram for life. You can't cheat it. There has to be a clear plan.

When you sign up for every event, there should be a few questions you ask yourself:

1) What is my overall goal for the year: Do you want a PR in a certain race or event? Do you just want to run and have a healthy year of running? Make your goal a major event, and make that a priority. Put it on the calendar. Make sure you see the calendar. And don't take advantage of time you think you have, because, you don't have it. It's better to start early than start late. Make sure you have plenty of training time. Make that race the goal of the year. Plan the season on that major goal. Put it in your calendar. And remember, be honest. And be specific. Tell runners and coaches exactly what you want. Put it on the table.

2) Get a training plan: Ask a coach, read a book, join a running group,  or go to www.halhigdon.com and print a training plan. Put on on your refrigerator. Add it to the calendar on your phone. You need to see it, read it and understand where you are, and what you need to do.  Keep your eye on the big picture. Every runner should have a training plan, at every level. That framework is very, very important for success. The runner who succeed, have a plan.

3) Stick to the Plan: Don't plan events that will interfere with the goal: Stop trying to squeeze in races last minute.  Stick to the plan. If you want to make a half marathon a goal for the year say September, You can test your fitness in shorter events, but they should be scheduled now, not on the go and last minute. Every event you enter should be a help to your overall goal, not take away from it. Add the event to the schedule and be honest with yourself, if you can do it or not.

4) Be honest: Get injured, don't be afraid to change the plan.  If your hurt and it's not improving, then don't run it, but reevaluate and see what you an do. There is no "saving the season". Just run when you are healthy. No race is worth your overall health and injury. So don't be afraid to call it. But, learn what you can do to avoid those circumstances in the future.  Work on preventing the injuries.  Don't just avoid them, get them taken care of.  It can be done.

5) What is the rush: You've run one half marathon last year, why have you signed up for three this year? Ask yourself: What is the rush? What are you supposed to learn from the experience? What is the result? What is the plan? Why have you decided to overwhelm yourself? Running in races is not about freaking yourself out, Running about testing yourself and seeing what you can do, not about a workload you have to handle. Must handle. Running is not a job.

It's still not too late to make these changes for this year. But be clear and honest your goals and your abilities.

Why we run (not because of medals, mostly).

An article from the Wall Street Journal cross my Facebook news feed, a few hours after watching a very exciting Boston Marathon. The Article "What do runners find at finish? Seahorses, guitars."
written by Kevin Helliker, about the motivations of runners to race. For Mr, Helliker it is a very simple formula.

Medals!

Pure and simple. Bling Bling.

Mr. Helliker talks to various race directors, and medal makers to get the full pulse of what running really is about.

Not really.
Not at all.
Not even close.

See, just to the right of my desk where I'm writing this, there is my wall of medals. 13 of them or so from the last 2 years.

Before I received each and every one of them, I ran a race. A marathon or a half marathon or a 10k. And with each and every race, there is a story. A few of them, I look at and they make me smile, some remind me of disappointment. And a few I've not looked at or touched since I gotten them. The experience connected to them is so powerful, that I can't really look at them or touch them, but I keep them anyway. Those are my Chicago Marathon medals. I literally hide them. And they are mine.

The motivations of a runner are a personal one.  A runner runs for a myriad of reasons.  Could be doing it for health, for a family or friend or a loved one for a charity, people overcoming struggles such as addiction or abuse. As a memorial for a loved one. Some are trying to physically and mentally improve themselves.  And some people run just for the joy or running, and to see how close to the limits they can take themselves..

I'm pretty there are sure there are a few of them are doing it for the size of a running medal. And if they are, bless their hearts, So what? Because they are out there, too. Suffering and fighting long miles and blisters and cramping and pain. For all the reasons listed above and more. Because you have to run the race. Every entry does, to get the medal.

And the great thing about runners is that we don't judge why anyone is out there running. Or why they're doing it.  When we run, we run together, and we cheer and encourage each other. And with every race it's about crossing the finish line. And that's something the WSJ article totally forgets.
Running is not a thing. It's not a commodity, and a medal means nothing without the race before it.

That how you get the medal.

You finish.

The Fear of Running.

This last few weeks, I've decided to run a fall marathon (hopefully Chicago, we'll see), and try to attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

I haven't tried to do an attempt in a few years, and it for various reason got pushed to the side for other events. But as I realized there was a certain element of trying to qualify for Boston.

It scares me to death. Yup. To Death.

It's an all or nothing investment, really. You train and train and train, for that one day, and something can go wrong, and that's it. Sure you can try to do again, but it's very hard on the psyche and the body to try to put in another attempt a few weeks later. It's mentally and emotionally draining. Marathons have ended in tears of disappointment.

So why try again? Because as afraid of it as I am, I know that it's where I'm supposed to be. It's what I have to face in order to get what I want. And it kind of excites me that it makes me afraid. It motivates me to run and train better. Turning this fear into a reward.

In running it's easy to forget why were doing things. It's gets warm again, races sneak up on us and we're back at it again. See old friends and back into the groove. We find those very easy comfort spots in running with distance, or a certain pace, or even a certain group of runners. And those comfort points can create stagnant runners.

 Make a plan. Not just for this year, a 2 year plan or 3 year plan. Where do you really want to be? What are your weaknesses? What are your strengths?  Don't just accept them and take them for granted, CHANGE them. Invest in your fears of running. Invest in yourself  And make running yours.

For 2015, I'm facing the fear. Who is going to join me?

My thoughts on running the 2015 Shamrock Shuffle

I towed up to the start line of Shamrock Shuffle not really knowing I how I felt. There had been a lot of changes over the winter, some good and some bad. But I had run a pretty decent of 11 miles the previous weekend.

It was cold. Really cold.  I never really complain about the cold, so that's how you know it was cold. 32 degrees with 20 mph gusts. When we finally started my legs were really stiff, it was hard to get started and get into a good rhythm. Couldn't feel a thing the first mile.

After the first mile and warming up, I felt good, but unsure about pacing. This also due to loosing telemetry . on my Gps watch from running under Columbus Drive and Wacker, so don't panic, get into a groove and trust your pacing. Not much else you can really do about it.  I had no idea where I was, which is why mile 2 was at a 7:35 pace. Oops!

I had gears, meaning I could push the pace harder when I wanted. Shamrock has very loose corral standards, so you spend a lot of time bobbing an weaving and passing people. It was never a problem doing that, even on hills and inclines. And I passed a lot kids. Always good when you're not being smoked by kids.

Haven't run the race in a few years and the course had been changed. I liked it, but with the winds and the tall buildings, sometimes it was like running in a wind tunnel. That's when you run behind a big guy, which is what I did.

Really Pushed the last mile. Even up the hill at Roosevelt road. Didn't think I had anymore and I sprinted the last 100 meters. Felt like puking for a second. Just a second. Yeah, that's a good thing. Form is coming along nicely.

Finish time was 39:41.

My glutes hurt, but nothing else. That's a really good thing. My running form is coming along. Getting used to my shoes. I ran in Adidas adizero boost. Very comfortable racing flat. Very happy with the choice.

Next race, maybe a half in June. Until then, more training.

6 Things I learned running 3 marathons in 3 months

So After running the Fox Valley Marathon, the Twin Cities Marathon and the Naperville Marathon in 3 months. I am happy to report, I'm done with marathons for 2014. But I had a lot of fun, and I did learn a few things.

1) The first marathon is the hardest. Fox Valley was on Sept 21 and was a strain on the body and mind. Not because of the race, but because I hadn't run any marathons in 9 months. My mind and body were not prepared for it, and I started too fast and suffered a lot. Twin Cities Marathon was two weeks later on October 5th and It was a bit easier to deal with the mindset of marathon running. Even though the course in Minneapolis-St. Paul, was pretty hilly.   But I felt more confident of finishing. Getting to Naperville, November 9th, I was confident of finishing, and mentally relaxed, and had a lot of fun doing it, there was no pressure, and at 4:10:16, was the fastest marathon of the three. Once you mind and body understands the task at hand, then it's time to enjoy to see what you can do. It actually became fun.

2) It's not the running, but the recovery: People were curious what I did between marathons to prepare me for the next race. Answer: Not much. My runs were easy and in moderate distance. My longest run was 17 miles two weeks before Naperville. Other than that, it was slow and short in mileage. After each marathon, 2-3 days were taken completely off before going back to running. I got massages and chiropractic adjustments in those days off. The most important part was getting back to easy running as soon as possible.

3) Let's hear it for running form: After toiling on working my running form for the last three years, it really turned out to be the positive for this endeavor. Because I worked on a balanced running form and a midfoot strike, I got through the marathons with zero injuries. When I wanted to run, I ran. there was no physical issues to hold me back. I stretched and foam rolled several times a week.  And at 45 years old, that's a really good place to be. I ran in Sketchers GoMEB 2's for Fox Valley and Twin Cities Marathon, and I ran in New Balance 1400v2's for Naperville. I switched to the New Balances because of chafing of my toes in wearing the Sketchers. New Balance were way more comfortable in that distance.

4) Nutrition is important, sorta: When you run in marathons, you can't help to notice the sheer amount of gels and food people carry with them, Saw a runner in Naperville finish with six gels still around their waists. It's easier to carry what you exactly need, instead of what you think you need. And in all of these races, additional nutrition was available on the race route. So always check to see what the races offer.  In these events, my food choices were very simple to follow. Clif Gel bloks before the start, 2-3 GU gels for the rest of the race. Combination worked pretty well. I stayed away from chocolate flavors because they irritated my stomach. Huge fan of Gu's salted Caramel gel's. Simpler the better. Find choices and stick with what works.

5) I'm ready for 2015: Training well into November makes training rather easy for the rest of the winter and into the next year. Hopefully the weather will be a bit easier than last year (fingers crossed), and I can take this momentum and keep going through the winter. Why stop? It's way too hard to start up again.

6) But I'm glad I'm done: Don't know if I'll do this again, it was fun, but man, I'm really tired.

"I hope I get it!" The Marathon Lottery.

This year is the first time the Chicago Marathon 45,000 spots are being decided by lottery. A chunk of them went to multiple finishers, fast finishers, and charity participants. The Other 25,000 spots are being decided by lottery. Which means unless I run a marathon faster than 3:20, I've probably run my last Chicago Marathon. My home race.

Of course, there are other marathons with the lottery system:  NYC, Marine Corps, Houston and of course Boston, to name a few. This year, the NYC Marathon had 77,000 Lottery entrants, only 9,170 of them got picked to run the race. That's about 11%.

It's not the question of the race or it's quality, but of the effort and stress required to get in, in order to participate. Just to get to the start line. As if life wasn't hard enough. As if training wan't hard enough. I thought running was to be fun, and a way to be get rid of stress, not create more of it. There is now a dividing line here and that's not running to me. Those who get in. And those who don't.

Running is supposed to be an inclusive sport of all people, types and shapes. Everybody has a story. And that story is not only propels us to run, but defines our lives.  There should be a freedom here of what we choose to run, and what we don't. Not the other way around. This all seems rather exclusive. That's not running to me. At all. And it certainly takes the happiness out of it. It has all the fun of waiting to hear back if you got a job.

I know there is an attraction to these races, history and bit of romance, but these races are like a really good restaurant.  It's occasionally nice to have and wait for, but really I hate to wait for food. To eat. No matter how good it is. And no matter how good the food is. I'm hungry, and I want to eat.

I don't know what the answer is, so I'm going to do to other races instead. Races I can sign up for now, train and prepare for, with a piece of mind, that I don't have to worry if i'm in it or not. There are so many wonderful alternatives to Chicago, so I'm going to explore them. Fox Valley Marathon, Twin Cities Marathon, to name a few. According to the Marathonguide.com website, there are 32 marathons around the United States and Canada on the same weekend as the Chicago Marathon. And 31 are taking registrations.

The other alternative, is to simply run fast enough, so I won't have to worry about lotteries.

I'm working on that, too.

Happy Running!!!