GIVE IT A REST!

As competitive runners, we walk a tightrope. If our training goes well, if we maximize our abilities, we make it to the other side. Sometimes, however, we fall off the tightrope, and come crashing back to earth.

We've all been there. We push farther. We run our workouts faster. We become invincible. It is the perfect recipe for turning in our personal best. Like a piano wire, we are tuned perfectly. Tweak that wire a little to tightly, though, and it snaps.

Too often, we ignore that final ingredient that is so essential to our success: rest.

Most of us are not professional runners. We have families and jobs. There are days when our workouts must be sandwiched amidst our busy schedules. Sometimes, we are on the road in the predawn hours, or after dark. Many of us scramble to get back to our jobs with minimal discomfort to our coworkers, after having banged out a lunchtime workout, sometimes without time to take a decent shower.

In most of my blogs I have reminded you how remarkable we are. We do things that most normal humans don't dream of. I live in the anthracite coal region of northeast Pennsylvania. The nearest large city is Reading, located about 26 miles south of my home. When a non-runner asks me about a marathon, a common statement is, "That's like running from here to Reading!"

Yes, we do extraordinary things, therefore, we need to take extraordinary measures to keep our bodies from breaking down. The amount of calories we burn makes it necessary for us to "fuel the fire." Our bodies are burning a lot more fuel than the average couch potato. So...eat!!! Eat good stuff, but eat. Replenish those calories, and keep your body strong. Everyone has their own opinion about supplements, but we should all take a multivitamin daily. Keep that water bottle with you all day. Keep peeing clear. Yes, it's gross, but it's the best way to tell if you're dehydrated.

Sleep is essential. Make every effort to log eight hours of sleep as religiously as you log your daily workout. If you can squeeze a nap in there somewhere, go for it. Sometimes a power nap is like a jump start for your body.

Indulge those sore muscles, especially after a long run, with a whirlpool, a hot, or, a swelling-reducing cold bath.

Each week, be sure to include 'rest days.' Maybe it's a day off. Sometimes, as much as we love our sport, there is nothing we anticipate more than that day off to allow things to heal.

After a speed workout, or a long run, work out easily the next day. Take an slow jog, ride a bike, or swim. Break up the lactic acid, but give muscle fibers a chance to regenerate.

October and November are prime marathon months. Keep in mind, that, two weeks out from the race, "The money's in the bank." You will not benefit from any hard workouts you do during that time. You have done the work, now taper, relax, pray for good weather, and have confidence in your training. Toe that starting line feeling rested, and manic with energy. After your marathon, relax for the next month. Take at least three days off from running after the race, and remember that it takes at least one day to recover for each mile of the marathon. Therefore, you can build back into training approximately a month after the race.

Well, I ran 6 miles this morning. I wrote this blog, and now I'm planning on taking advantage of this beautiful fall weather to do some yard work.

Then, I'm going to take a nap.

.

A BIG TENT

A debate is raging in the running community these days involving quality versus quantity.

More people than ever are participating in races, but times at the top of races have leveled, or in many cases, slowed.

Just this week, a major road race sponsor has dropped prize money for elite athletes. An article in the New York Times, as well as in other circles, suggests that road races be classified as an 'activity' rather than a sport.

As a former politician, I can say I feel strongly...about both positions.

The depth of quality runners has, indeed, dwindled. The sport is graying, and in many local races, the 50-55 age division is more competitive than the 20-24 age group. My longevity has enabled me to look at road racing from the glory days of the late 70s and early 80s, to the latest running boom.

Our sport, and it IS a sport, is a big tent. I believe we can, and should embrace runners of all abilities, but, we should also encourage elite, gut-splitting efforts, the kind epitomized by our hero, the late Steve Prefontaine, who once declared, "Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."

We have become an "everybody gets a trophy" society, and certainly, everyone should be recognized for putting forth a good effort in any endeavor. But, in sports, like in life, there should be special kudos for those who excel above and beyond the rest. There is going to have to be a delicate balance achieved in our sport if we are to reward our elite runners, yet keep running a people's sport.

Not paying elite runners in a major road race series is just plain wrong. One of the great aspects of our sport is being able to line up in the same race with Ryan Hall, the Kenyans, and legends like Joan Benoit Samuelson. No matter how well you golf, you are NEVER going to play in the same tournament as Tiger Woods.

But...we cannot do anything to discourage even one of the 40 million plus runners who participated in road races last year. We live in the fattest society in the history of the world, yet there are more than 40 million people competing in races, and many more who choose to run without competing. We need to celebrate and applaud their efforts.

In my book, "Running Shorts: A Collection of Stories and Advice for Anyone Who Has Ever Laced Up a Pair of Running Shoes," I talk about my friend, John Ausherman. Each year, in August, in his hometown of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, he holds a memorial race in honor of his father, a former Marine, and pioneer of running in the region.. John is a running purist, who, like me, excelled during the first running boom. His race is a distance of 5 miles. He offers over $10,000 in prize money, unique pottery for age divisions, including an over-80 category, and each finisher receives a commemorative medal. He has it right. His race encourages world-class competition, (the course record is in the low 22-minute range), and he offers amenities to all runners of all abilities and ages.

Back in 1977, I once traveled from my home in eastern Pennsylvania to a race in Greensburg, at the western end of the state, a four hour drive. I finished in third place and came home with a t-shirt, and a medal the size of a half dollar. Today, I can find a half dozen races, on virtually every weekend, within an our of my home.

Being a product of the first running boom, a am completely content with this second running boom we are all a part of. Let's get as many people into this big tent as we can. Let's reward our top performers with the perks they have worked for and deserve. Let's all keep running faster and more frequently.

Who can argue with that?

NEED FOR SPEED

On these fine fall days, most of enjoy running our favorite urban routes, hitting a secluded trail, or cruising along on a windy rural road. We seem to be able to lock into a pace and feel like we can run forever. Our cadence and breathing is relaxed, and, if we're among friends, the conversation and laughter flows, as we enjoy our mobile social club.

Sometimes, however, once a week if we're not tapering for, or recovering from, a major race, we need to stretch the limits or our comfort zone.

We need speed!

I'm not talking about a tempo run, where we sustain a hard pace for a few miles, I'm talking about spittle on the mouth, lung-splitting, tendon-straining speed work.

I've been in this game for over 36 years, and I can tell you that I still get nervous when I go to the track. You're not racing, but the pain seems to be the same. You ask yourself, "What am I doing here?," and "Why am I doing this?" The answer is ridiculously simple: To become a better runner, and to race faster.

There is something about that acrid smell of a rubberized track, the heat, the bleachers, the football or soccer team practicing, participants eying you curiously, often adding a derogatory slur as you slog through the pain, that adds a special aura to speed work on the track, or as we call it, "intervals."

The middle of the week is the ideal time to subject yourself to this self-inflicted pain ritual, as most of us conduct our long runs on weekends. Jog to your local track, and make sure you are thoroughly warmed up. Your times in distances from 5K to the marathon will benefit from a weekly diet of speed work.

The secret is the heart rate. You want to get it up there. No chatting with friends during a speed workout. Barking out splits should be the only syllables uttered.

I am amused when I see high school track teams conducting their intervals, only to witness what amounts to a military field hospital as weary harriers drop to the infield after each interval, lying there until the coach commands them to return to the track.

When you run an interval workout, the key factor is to limit your rest, and to NOT allow your heart rate to drop to a resting level. I recommend you 'halve' the interval in between your hard distance. For example, if you are running an 800 meter workout, jog 400 meters in between.

Personally, I don't think you should run less than 400 meters for an interval. A 4x400 meter workout, or an 8x400 meter workout is both a terrific leg speed and endurance session. 'Ladder' workouts are fun. Try a 400, 800, 1600 (up the ladder), 800, 400 workout. Remember, with all interval workouts, your last repetition should be run around the same time as the first. Be as fast coming down the ladder as on the way up. 800 meter repeats are good strength builders as well.

If you're running a marathon, though, nothing is better than 1600 (mile) repeats. Start early in your training by running 3x1600, and by the time you are 2 to 3 weeks out from the race, do 6 to 8 repeats.

Remember, all your intervals should be run FASTER than your race pace.

At any level, you can run intervals on the track as a means of improving your times. However you slice it, 2-3 miles of hard intervals per week will, indeed, make you a better runner.

Now, I will caution you here.  You may run a race after you have done a few interval workouts, and you'll feel just as bad as you've always felt in a race. However, when you look at your watch, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see how much faster you're running.

So, don't be afraid to push your limits, at least once a week in your training. It will pay big dividends in your future races.

17?

Last Monday, at 10:01 a.m., my wife submitted my registration for the 2014 Boston Marathon.

It was, indeed a leap of faith, as, several hours later, I logged a whopping 4 miles, at a snail's pace.

Three days prior, I visited my orthopedic surgeon. His words offered me cautious optimism. The two hamstring tendons, torn from their moorings as I nosedived to the concrete on the afternoon of May 7, had scarred in nicely, and although I would suffer a permanent strength deficit in my left leg, in the twilight of my 50s, I refused to lament, secure in the fact that my personal best times are well behind me.

Dr. Phillps, who studied under the world-renowned sports surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, was the catalyst, the reason why, despite long odds, in my opinion, that I asked my wife to sign me up for my 17th Boston Marathon. I asked him, "Am I delusional, or do I have a shot at running Boston in April?" He replied, "You'll be cutting it close."

Come on, we're all runners here. That statement, to my ears, was a ringing endorsement.

And why not.

I ran my first Boston Marathon in 1978. I ran the scorching 1982 "Duel in the sun," between Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley. In 1983, with future Olympic Marathon champion Joan Benoit only 11 seconds ahead of me, I clocked my personal best marathon time of 2:22:54. I was part of the world's largest marathon, the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon in 1996. In 2012 I wilted in the 90-degree heat, and in 2013 my elation for a race well-run was tarnished by the embodiment of evil.

Last week I received texts, Facebook posts, and tweets from friends all over the country to announce that they would be part of the 36,000 running celebration of solidarity that will be the 2014 Boston Marathon.

No crowd is more supportive, no spectators are more knowledgeable than the folks that turn out along the route from Hopkinton to Boylston Street. In 2012, as the burning sun punished the runners, people piled cases of bottled water on their lawns in order to help runners they do not know, and may never see again. Police, waitresses, hotel desk clerks and folks on the street treat each runner like an Olympic champion. Walk around the city with a finisher's medal adorning your neck, and you become an honorary Bostonian.

My wife and my daughter have staked out their slice of valuable real estate along Boylston Street. They have waited and cheered, along with thousands of other wives, husbands, sons and daughters, boyfriends and girlfriends. They have been an integral part of the elation, the hyperventilating, goose-bump raising feeling their significant-other feels as they conquer that final, precious 600 yards.
Over 200 of those spectators' lives will never be the same after the events of April 15, 2013.

Congratulations to all the runners who have been accepted into the 2014 Boston Marathon. Train hard. Run your best race. Drink in the course, and the people who bring the course to life. No matter how bad you feel over the next few months; whether you must endure a winter storm or winter winds, do it. Endure the pain. Overcome the injury. Think about what you have to prove. Think about the tradition. Think about tragedy. Do it for you. Do it for them.

I know I will.

SUPER SEPTEMBER

In most parts of the country, September is, arguably, the greatest month for training.

The summer heat is fading, mornings are cool, and the "air you can wear" humidity is all but gone. On many days, you break a sweat while you run, only to be cooled by sunny, breezy, light air as you finish.

Races abound in September. This weekend, in my region of north-central Pennsylvania, one had a choice of seven races, distances from 5K to a marathon, within an hour or so from home.

September is a terrific time to dig into some quality marathon training for races that will be held in October and November. The weather conditions are usually ideal for long training runs, and those middle-of-the-week track workouts seem to become easier without gale force winter or early spring winds, or boiling summer heat.

Then there's the phenomenon of acclimatization. A 75 to 80 degree day in April may seem oppressively warm. Not so in September. The body has acclimatized itself to the soupy summer heat, so that when it's in the 70s or 80s in September, it feels quite pleasant.

The days are shorter, but not too short, and that extra darkness robs the air of thermal heat, keeping the morning

air cooler for longer.

Here in the northeast, the annual explosion of fall colors is about to begin. Part of a runner's DNA is a heightened appreciation of nature, so running on a mountain trail, where you may cross paths with a deer, surrounded by a backdrop of stunning fall foliage is an extra bonus enjoyed by those of us fortunate enough to participate in this sport.

Most of our us will stick with a wardrobe of shorts, and a mix of singlets, short-sleeved and long sleeved shirts for the next several weeks. The time for layering has not yet descended upon us.

So, enjoy this delightful time of the year. Take in those long runs, and take in the scenery. Enjoy the bright, not so strong September sun, and the daylight hours as they wane away.

Enjoy them to the max, as the cold, damp, brown and gray period of darkness will be here before we know it.

PERFORMANCES FOR THE AGES

"I'm no longer the thoroughbred stallion I was back in the day. Now, I'm more like a Clydesdale: I'm a little thicker and stronger-literally stronger. I can lift more weights."

Those words were spoken at a press conference on Tuesday by Diana Nyad, that's 64-year old Diana Nyad, who became the first person to swim the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage, a 53-hour record-setting swim.

Nyad became the latest 'aging' athlete, who has successfully expanded the age barrier, proving to us all that age is, indeed, a state of mind.

Lost in the tragedy of the 2013 Boston Marathon was, perhaps, the performance of the day. And it came 30 years to the day when a young women from Maine smashed the women's marathon world record at the 1983 Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:22:43. The first women's Olympic Women's Marathon Champion, Joan Benoit Samuelson crushed the record back in 1983, and this year she did it again. At age 55, she ran a time of 2:50:29. That placed her 47th among ALL women in the race.

Healthy Americans are living, and competing, longer. We are, indeed, breaking new ground. Endurance sports are well-suited to us as we age, as fast-twitch muscle fibers are difficult to preserve later in life. Not too long ago, many folks retired from their jobs, and retired from competition as well. Today, many retirees look forward to an empty nest at home, free from the rigors of a daily job. The reason: they now have more time to train. "Boomers," those who started competing during America's first running boom, are now in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. They are running faster, later into their lives, than any previous generation.

In my book, "Running Shorts: A Collection of Stories and Advice for Anyone Who Has Ever Laced Up a Pair of Running Shoes," I wrote a chapter, entitled, "Aging." In it, I compared aging runners to aging baseball pitchers. We can no longer rely on our fastball. Rather, we have to be smart and creative in our training. Generally, our warm up period is a little longer, and stretching becomes more important than ever. Rest days become more frequent, and working on total body fitness is essential. Lifting weights, and a moderate amount of cross training is advisable.

Diana Nyad's Tuesday press conference was right on the mark.

"It's not so much the physical," she said. "To my mind all of us...we mature emotionally...and we get stronger mentally because we have a perspective on what this life is all about."

She went on to say, "It's more emotional. I feel calmer. I feel that the world isn't going to end if I don't make it. And I'm not so ego-involved: 'What are people going to think of me.?' I'm really focused on why I want to do it."

Aging athletes need to realize that the race times of their prime years are behind them. They need to adjust and adapt. If the 5K distance is one's strength, stick with it. If the long, grinding pace of a marathon is more your style, then focus your training on that event. It is great to beat the youngsters, but, these days, one should focus more on age-division honors.

In October, I'll go on the road, speaking at marathon expos around the country. I'll appear at the Twin Cities, Atlantic City, and Niagara Falls International marathons. One of my topics will be: 'Advice for running in your 50s and 60s.'

In my speech, I stress some of the things I mentioned above, but I also talk about keeping that youth as we age. One sure-fire way to do it is to train with younger runners. Today I ran with several young runners from my Penn State Schuylkill cross country team. The young people benefit from our sage-like advice, and we benefit from their youthful exuberance. It's amazing how, even after a few miles, how we have so much in common: our aches and pains, tales from our races, irate drivers, and snarling dogs.

Recently, I read a quote from James Patterson. He was asked if, and when, he plans to retire. His response was: "You retire from work."

Indeed, there is no retirement age in our sport. If I expire on a secluded trail, on a beach, or even on a busy road, I'll be alright with that. (as long as it happens about 40 years from now)

I would be remiss if I didn't close with the running world's greatest aging hero.

At age 70, Canada's Ed Whitlock went under 3 hours in the marathon. At age 80 he ran 3:15. At age 81 he ran a 1:38 half marathon.

As we run and as we age, let's all continue to chase Ed.

HAS FREAK BECOME THE NORM?

Let's go back to the film, 'Gladiator,' which graphically depicted the violent voyeurism that became commonplace in the glory days of the Roman Empire. So many people and animals were killed for sport in the Roman Coliseum, that, eventually, Roman Emperors resorted to heightened acts of violence in order to please the bored crowd that had become immune to the mundane killing. Disabled men, women, and children were sacrificed. Little people were carved up by professional gladiators. In order to satiate the spectators' blood lust, the organizers of the games were willing to shock, surprise, and sicken the audience with brutal, tasteless displays of violence.

How far we've come.

The latest freak show to rear its ugly 'Fifteen minutes of fame' head, is Miley Cyrus. In an almost unwatchable attempt to mix pornography with Lady Gaga, Madonna, Gene Simmons, and hip-hop music, on last week's MTV Video Music Awards show, the former Hannah Montana became the latest celebrity to, like the organizers of the gladiatorial games, confuse shock value with talent in order to attract attention.

In cable TV America, "celebrities" don't do anything anymore. There used to be comedians, singers, dancers, and folks with actual talents. Today, one can tune into The Learning Channel, yes, the Learning Channel, and watch a show about the man with the 132-pound scrotum.

There's Honey Boo Boo, the Housewives of every big U.S. city, the Amish Mafia, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, and, of course, the Kardashian's.

Freak has become the norm, and it seems as though Americans both love it, and attempt to emulate it.

Have we become the Roman Empire? Do our entertainment icons reflect the values of our times?

I become frustrated at times, but I think not.

Since the beginning of time, weather catastrophes have claimed countless lives. Today, in an instant, we are made aware of a hurricane, tornado, or tidal wave. We see the graphic images, and we they become a part of us. It is the same with the world of shock entertainment. We have more cable channels, with more minutes to fill, so we see shows about conjoined twins, and people with 300-pound tumors.

The other night, however, I watched an HBO documentary about Marty Glickman, a famous New York City sportscaster for many years. I never knew that Marty, as a young Jewish athlete, participated in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, in front of Adolf Hitler. U.S. Olympic officials kept Marty, and another Jewish sprinter, Sam Stoller, from participating in the 4x100 relay, in order to not further anger Hitler. The relay, in which Jesse Owens was one of the participants, was won easily by the Americans. Bitter, but undeterred, Glickman devoted his life to helping kids of all races, colors and creeds, while becoming one of the most prolific sportscasters of the late 20th century.

On the same track, at the 1936 Olympics, young Louie Zamperini ran the 5000-meter event. His story of courage and bravery, told in the book, 'Unbroken,' is one of the most inspiring stories I've ever read.

Freak reached a despicable low late in the summer when Rolling Stone placed a picture of the Boston bomber on its front cover. Let's hear instead about Jeff Bauman, who, due to the cowardly act of the bombers, lost both of his legs while waiting for his girlfriend to finish the race.

My daughter Kelly, and her fiancé, Mike Silvestrini, are running next month's Chicago Marathon for Team in Training, but specifically for Mike's mother, who passed away from leukemia two years ago.

Across the country, runners raised millions of dollars for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Every day runners are out there getting in shape to run a race in which they are running for more than themselves.

No, freak is not the norm. Freaks are freaks, and it is our right not to celebrate them. I will boycott anything or any writer remotely related to Rolling Stone for the rest of my life. I wasn't even sure if MTV still existed, but I'll NEVER watch it. Remember the golden rule in America: "He who has the gold makes the rules." Tune in to a trash TV program, jot down the sponsors, and boycott them. Conversely, support those sponsors who donate to your local races. Note the networks and channels that cover track and field and marathons, and support those sponsors who advertise on the event.

Finally, just like the entertainers of old, we runners "do something." We don't attract publicity by displaying freakish behavior. We train, go to races, pay our entry fees, and do what we do best: run.

There are 40 million of us in America today.

The freaks don't have a chance.