TIME FOR YOUR PERSONAL BEST

Thanksgiving is upon us, the Winter Solstice is a month away, and right about now, you’re probably thinking about Christmas gift-buying.

If you're looking to purchase something for the runner on your Christmas list, I have an offer for you. You can pick up a gift for your runner for as little as $1.99!

Purchase the best stocking-stuffer ever by going to my Amazon page,   amazon.com/author/joemuldowney, where you can buy the Kindle version of my book, “Personal Best,” for only $1.99.

During my 40 years of competitive running, I have experienced the highs and lows of our sport. From a personal best marathon time of 2:22:54, to a devastating hamstring tear after the 2013 Boston Marathon, I have seen it all. I can personally guarantee you that my books will inspire you and help you to become a better runner.

Both of my books on running, “Running Shorts,” and “Personal Best,” are available at: www.amazon.com, as well as the site of my publisher, www.lulu.com. Lulu will be offering sales from now until Christmas.

And, from now until Christmas day, just drop me an email, at: runnr@hotmail.com, send me your address, and I will personally sign and send you BOTH books for the price of one: $14.99, and I’ll even pay the shipping and handling. If you want only one of the books, the price is $9.99, for books that are written by a runner, for runners.

Finally, if you, or a running friend wants to run a personal best time at any race distance from the 5K to the marathon, or if you simply want to get into shape for 2017, check out my gigs on: www.fiverr.com, where you can purchase a personalized training plan for as little as $5.00. Simply type “running training programs” into the search box, and it will take you to my gigs.

I have written training plans for runners from New Zealand to the Netherlands.

Check out reviews of my training plans, submitted by runners from all over the world at: https://www.fiverr.com/s2/bd1a006ea9.

I look forward to helping YOU achieve your personal best during the Holiday season and throughout the year.

 

 

 

GREAT DEAL-SHORT AND SWEET

Gee, if you register for a half marathon (name will not be mentioned) by a certain date (very soon), you can get in at the low, low price of $110!


Come on!


Get real.


Look, sometimes runners throw money at foolish things.


Don't do it.


I'm not a salesman.


I'm a runner, whose career has spanned 40 years, 54 marathons, over 1,200 road races, a 2:22:54 marathon, and a 3:04 marathon at age 59.


In my two books, I tried to pass along that wisdom, in an entertaining, yet informative way.


Now, by visiting www.muldowneyrunning.net, you can buy one of my books for $7.99. No gimmicks, no shipping and handling, just my signature, and this blog, where, in the true spirit of "service after the sale," you can ask me questions about training, racing, or anything running-related.


I guarantee that the $7.99 you spend will do more for your running than that $110 half marathon "bargain."

SALE INTO SPRING

Spring is right around the corner, and it's time to implement your running goals for the upcoming season.

Following is an excerpt from my latest book, Personal Best, the chapter entitled, "Was That Thunder?," my personal account of the 2013 Boston Marathon.


"A good day to run a marathon is usually a bad day to watch a marathon.

That was not the case on April 15, 2013.

 

The day broke with a deep blue sky; a chilly wind fluttered from the west, the air was dry.

An endless procession of yellow school buses departed from the Boston Common to begin the journey along the Mass Pike to the village of Hopkinton, the center of the running world on Patriot’s Day.

My morning began in an unusual manner. Preparing to run the Boston Marathon for the sixteenth time, my wife and I decided that, rather than deal with the crowds at the bus loading area, she would transport me to the athletes’ village, drive back to the train station at Riverside, and later assume her place near the finish line on Boylston Street.

At the toll plaza, buses were lined up like yellow jackets at the hive, and despite some congestion on narrow country roads, we reached the quaint “Welcome to Hopkinton, Incorporated in 1715” road sign by 7:30 a.m. In the forested area on the edge of town, placards nailed to the trees bore the warning, “No Stopping Monday.” Between the words, “Stopping,” and “Monday,” was the image of a runner breaking the finish line tape.

Within three blocks of the athletes’ village, all roads were barricaded, and as my wife and I exchanged farewells, an achy, empty feeling of loneliness enveloped me, even as I approached a small city of more than 23,000 runners. I stood, motionless, for a few moments, as her car faded to a small silver dot. On a magnificent mid-April morning, something didn’t feel quite right to me."

Both of my books, Personal Best and Running Shorts are available now, for the lowest price yet, $7.99 each, AND, we'll pay the shipping and handling.  Visit www.muldowneyrunning.net, and just click on the 'store' tab. Heck, that's about what we pay for a pair of socks today.

 

You can also go to Amazon, at: amazon.com/author/joemuldowney where you can find both books, reviews of them, and the Kindle version of Personal Best for $1.99. Try finding a pair of socks for that price these days!

 

The books are also available from my publisher's site: www.lulu.com

 

Fact is, if you plan to take you first running step, run your first marathon, or want to learn how to drop that marathon time, Personal Best will offer ways for you to achieve your goal.

 

If you want to be inspired, to laugh or cry, with stories from the road, read Running Shorts.

 

And, as my readers know, I pride myself as a "hands on" author. Having trouble with plantar fasciitis? Let me tell you about the 'donut' cure. Want to break 3 hours for the marathon? We can develop a training plan together to make that happen.

 

Spring is near. A time for new goals, hopes and aspirations.

 

Want to achieve your personal best?

 

Let me know.

 

I'll help you get there.

 

LIFT OFF

Few of us have trouble logging our daily miles. In fact, for the most part, we enjoy lacing up our shoes, confronting whatever weather conditions Mother Nature may throw our way, and completing our workout.

Today we log our workout, post it, or tweet it out. We make sure we are wearing proper footwear, we ice, and we stretch.

Too often, however, we mistakenly think that all of the above is enough to maximize our performances.

It is not.

From the waist down, most of us are finely tuned running machines.

If we neglect our upper body, however, our highly-muscled lower half will offer a stark contrast to our mashed potato-like higher half.

Look, we're not looking to become bodybuilders. In fact, when Uncle Pete tells us, "You look bad. Why are you losing so much weight?" We take that as a compliment.

It doesn't take much time, or iron to match your upper body to your below-the-waist running machine.

Two or three days a week my lifting regimen includes a workout that lasts for less than a half hour. I begin with bench presses. I do three sets of fifteen, with a two minute break between each set. (Forty years of running have hopelessly addicted me to my watch, so that two minute rest is right down to the second) Select a weight that is comfortable for you. If you are straining to complete the last rep, you have set your weight too high. Next, I do three sets of curls, twenty-five reps per set. Again, keep your weight at a comfortable level. Finally, I finish, with three sets of fifteen rows. Standing, I bend over, pick up the weights, elbows locked, and "row," straight up to my chest, dropping my elbows back to the locked position after each rep. With all the exercises, I rest for two minutes in between.

You may be a little sore next day, therefore, I never lift the day before a race, long run, or speed workout.

Each night, I do a set of crunches, for the abs. I would suggest starting out with fifty, and move up from there.

One of my closest running mates is Eric Anchorstar. He is a member of the 'Cast of Characters' in my book, Running Shorts. www.muldowneyrunning.net, amazon.com/author/joemuldowney.

Eric successfully made the transition from body builder to marathon runner, and has run a sub 3-hour marathon. His story is remarkable, and I lean on him for weightlifting advice.

So, pump it up, hit the iron, and lift off..

THE NEXT FRANK SHORTER?

There was a time when most Americans had no idea what a marathon was. Marathon runners were a weird bunch, and marathons, in fact road races in general, were few and far between.

A Yale graduate, Frank Shorter changed all that when he won the Olympic Marathon at the Munich Olympics in 1972.He helped ignite the "Running Boom" in America.

I describe and detail the Running Boom in my first book, 'Running Shorts.' www.muldowneyrunning.net , amazon.com/author/joemuldowney

Today, in his inaugural marathon appearance, 29-year old Galen Rupp, the silver medalist in the 10,000 meters at the 2012 London Olympic Games, proved that he may be the first American to earn a marathon gold medal in the Olympics since Shorter did so, 44 years ago.

Rupp endured record heat, 75 degrees at the finish line, to win in a time of 2:11:10.

Galen Rupp is the real deal and perhaps is the next Frank Shorter.

REST DAY

As winters go, this has been a pretty good one for runners. As I gaze out my window in northeastern Pennsylvania, not a speck of white dots the ground. To date, our only snow has come in the form of a dusting, which quickly vanished.

But from the Carolinas to New England, that's about to change in the next 24 hours. Unless you've been tucked under your blankets the past week, you know that blizzard conditions will grip the eastern seaboard tomorrow.

In anticipation of the 'snowmageddon,' I've already planned a day off from running tomorrow, and if you're within the storm's "bull's eye," so should you.

Little good will come out of slogging out slow miles outside during tomorrow's storm. (If you have a treadmill, then knock yourself out) You will be a danger to yourself and others, your miles will be dreadfully slow, your chances of falling will be greatly increased, and the risk of tweaking a muscle or tendon just isn't worth it.

A day off will help, not hurt you. Enjoy the beauty of the snow, and feel comfort in knowing that your aerobic activity will be satisfied by shoveling, plowing, or playing outdoors with the kids or the grandkids.

Relax, take a deep breath, and accept the fact that it is winter, and many of us are still stuck here in the frozen north.

Be safe.

And take a rest.

'TIS THE SEASON

It's been a busy week.

Marathon season is upon us. March, April and May are ideal months to run a marathon, and although a bum knee will prevent me from running a marathon this spring, this week, with the Holiday season in the rear view mirror, requests for marathon training programs have flooded my desk. Well, you know what I mean, my laptop, not my desk.

I must confess, two of those requests shot to the top of my priority list.

My daughter, Kelly, an accomplished academic, (genetics she clearly did not receive from her father) never liked to sweat. In her mid-20s, she announced that she was going to run a marathon. To her father's delight and amazement, as she had never run a 5K. Well, she did, and to date, she's run six of them. She is running the Ottawa Marathon, with her husband, Mike in May. She wants to break 5 hours and Mike wants to crack the 4-hour barrier.

Father Chris Zelonis never ran much in his youth either, but he does now. At age 39, he qualified for the 2016 Boston Marathon and is flirting with breaking the coveted 3-hour mark. Barring unusual weather conditions, he will do so at Boston.

I'm working on their training programs for April and May as we speak.

The remarkable story of Kelly is told in my book, "Running Shorts;" while the extraordinary story of Father Chris is chronicled in my book, "Personal Best." www.muldowneyrunning.net

But let's talk about you.

Hey guys, I've been running for forty years now, and one thing I've come to know: as runners, we LOVE to talk about us!

Looking for a cheap, effective running plan for races from 5K to the marathon?

Get your order in now, and I'll get started.

Go to Fiverr, www.fiverr.com, type "running" in the search box, and find me. I'll design a running program for you, starting at $5.00. Oh, and also check out the reviews. It's fun to write programs for runners from Austria to Singapore.

The desk/laptop is filling up and marathon/racing is approaching.

I'll be happy to help you get across the finish line

FIRST STEP

Following is an excerpt from my latest book, Personal Best.

 

"Your first step toward a personal best should begin right now.

There are over forty million reasons, in the United States alone, why folks have chosen running as a means of achieving personal bests. Their objectives range from weight loss to a shot at the Olympics.

It is the choice, however, not the reason, that matters. We live in a society that craves instant gratification; a drive-through world where the most exercise many people get in a given day is the movement of their thumbs and fingers over keyboards, Smartphones, and iPods. Overweight has led to obese; obese has ‘grown’ into morbidly obese. Americans are killing themselves in record numbers by mixing a lethal cocktail consisting of overeating, overindulgence, and lack of exercise."

 

Both of my books, Personal Best and Running Shorts are available now, for the lowest price yet, $7.99 each, plus $2.00 shipping and handling, at www.muldowneyrunning.net. Heck, that's about what we pay for a pair of socks today.

 

You can also go to Amazon, at: amazon.com/author/joemuldowney where you can find both books, reviews of them, and the Kindle version of Personal Best for $1.99. Try finding a pair of socks for that price these days!

 

The books are also available from my publisher's site: www.lulu.com

 

Fact is, if you plan to take you first running step, run your first marathon, or want to learn how to drop that marathon time, Personal Best will offer ways for you to achieve your goal.

 

If you want to be inspired, to laugh or cry, with stories from the road, read Running Shorts.

 

And, as my readers know, I pride myself as a "hands on" author. Having trouble with plantar fasciitis? Let me tell you about the 'donut' cure. Want to break 3 hours for the marathon? We can develop a training plan together to make that happen.

 

It's 2016. A new year, with new goals, hopes and aspirations.

 

Want to achieve your personal best?

 

Let me know.

 

I'll help you get there.

 

 

 

 

 

TURNING FORTY

Well, I turn forty this year.

Ha, I wish!

Actually, as we begin 2016, I enter my fortieth year of competitive running.

It all begin in May 1976, in the small town of Jim Thorpe, a quaint hamlet, nestled in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. The town is named after the deceased Native American Olympic champion, who, peculiarly, resides there now. If you want to read that bizarre tale, read about it in my book, Running Shorts. www.runningshorts.net It has been a long, strange trip for the Indian from Oklahoma.

Although I ran competitively in both high school and college, turning in some unremarkable performances, there was something about the freedom and the dedication it took to train independently to run all distances that captivated me then, and still does, some forty years later.

Accumulating more th 123,000 miles over those forty years, enough to circle the globe more than four times, the thousands of races, a personal best marathon time of 2:22:54, sixteen appearances at the venerable Boston Marathon, all pale in comparison to the friendships I've made, the relationships I've forged, and the experiences I've enjoyed.

A torn hamstring, suffered three weeks after the 2013 Boston Marathon, and arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus in November have forced me to reevaluate my training regimen, but have not diminished my love for the sport.

Through coaching, writing, and mentoring, I enjoy assisting others in reaching their running goals. My mantra remains that, while my best running days are behind me; yours, indeed, lie ahead.

I'm happy to be turning forty. Forty years doing something you love. Because, there is no retirement age in this sport. Just ask Ed Whitlock.

So, if you're beginning your first year of running, or if you're pushing forty, I'm with you. We are a brother/sisterhood of addicts to the most positive addiction.

Here's to another forty.

             Meeting running legend, Ed Whitlock, who is setting world records at age 83

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Right about now, at the end of another calendar year, many of you are planning your racing schedule for 2016.

With more races to choose from than ever before, you can be very selective about the races you would like to run, so now is the time to do your homework.

At this time, I must repeat my mantra that, today, many people have the tendency to overrace. By racing too frequently, you 'water down' your performances, thus earning you a place in the chapter of my first book, Running Shorts, www.muldowneyrunning.net, amazon.com/author/joemuldowney, entitled, 'Excuses, Excuses.'

You know who I mean. The runner, who after you beat him or her reminds you that he would have finished ahead of you if not for the fact that he or she had run 15 races in the past three weeks!

Be selective.

First, my recommendation is to not schedule more than two marathons in a calendar year. The marathon does some deep tissue damage, so you can expect to remain less than racing fresh for a month or so after running a marathon.

Vary your race distances. Run 5Ks up to half marathons. Sometimes, local communities offer one and two mile races during the summer.

Few things in running frost me more than rip-off races. Over-the-top entry fees, for races that offer very little, and big cities that boost hotel prices when they know a race is in town. If I find a race where my entry fee is going toward a worthy charity or cause, I'm more likely to run that race than a race that is paying a race director a six-figure salary.

Review the race course before you enter. If you want to climb hills, find a race that suits your needs. However, if your training is going better than ever and you want to run a personal best time, look for a relatively flat course.

Check out weather trends. You may find an exotic island location that also features a marathon, but tropical heat and marathon running is usually not a good combination.

Support your local races. More often than not, those races support worthy local causes. At local races, you meet other runners like you, and often you can forge relationships and gain new training partners. Mega-races are fine, but local races are the backbone of road racing.

Finally, look at the race organization. Is the course well-marked? Is it accurate? Are the amenities what you are looking for in a race?

It;s definitely a 'buyer's market' out there. Thousands upon thousands of races exist, and they are looking for you to come and run.

Be smart. Be selective. But, most of all, do your homework.

BRING IT ON!

Today is the first full day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and, as runners, it's time for us to say, "Bring it on."

Of course, that's a little easier to do this year, with record high temperatures expected to greet us here on the east coast for the next week or so.

Remain focused. Build up your base miles. If icebox conditions exist, or snow or ice hits, adjust, adapt, and relax. Dress properly, begin your workout into the wind, then keep it to your back on the way home. Race infrequently, then emerge in March, refreshed, with a solid mileage base, ready to crush personal best times at every distance.

Lastly, heed the advice of the Flying Finn.

THANKSGIVING DAY IN BERWICK

Many runners have a bucket list of races they would like to run at some point in their running lives.

Often, such a list may include an iconic, classis race, steeped in tradition. The race may be challenging, and the crowds, competitors as well as spectators, are usually large.

Some runners must plan, well in advance, in order to pay for and travel to a bucket list event.

There’s a race that fits all the requirements on any runner’s list. It’s right around the corner and it’s right up the road.

Save the turkey feast for later in the day and join more than a thousand runners in one of the running world’s most storied foot races.

 At 10:30 a.m., on Thanksgiving Day, as has been the tradition since 1908, Berwick's Run for the Diamonds will be contested.

Back in 1908, 13 runners lined up on Berwick's Market Street early Thanksgiving morning, and except for a two-year hiatus during World War I, they've been doing so ever since. In 2009, the race celebrated it's centennial anniversary. A record 1,985 runners competed in the centennial race.

More than thirty Olympians, including Boston Marathon winner, the late Johnny Kelley, have competed at Berwick, and the course record for the grueling 9-Mile race is an astounding 43 minutes, 21 seconds, set in 1980 by two-time Olympian Pete Pfitzinger.

Weather conditions in central Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving morning are unpredictable, to say the least. Sometimes, spring-like temperatures prevail; while often the air is frigid, and occasionally, like in 2010, a sleet storm reduces visibility and turns the course into a slalom run.

The course is unique, and has remained virtually the same since it was designed in 1908.

For the first two miles, runners are treated to a pleasant, relatively flat terrain, and at the 2-mile mark are running at 600 feet above sea level. From 2 to 3 miles runners ascend more than 300 feet to 900 feet above sea level at the 1/3 point in the race. By 3 1/2 miles, runners have climbed to 1000 feet, and after a brief downhill, climb to the apex, a breathtaking 1100 feet, at 4 1/4 miles into the race. From there, a fast, nearly 5 miles remains until the finish, and, after having completed a loop, runners cross the finish line in downtown Berwick.

The top seven men receive diamond rings; while the top seven women earn diamond necklaces.

Richer than diamonds, however, is the tradition and the hospitality of this race. Race Director. Margaret Livsey conducts a first-class event. Runner and former Berwick cross country coach,, Bill Bull, has been a fixture of this race for many years, and makes sure the race runs smoothly.

If you go to Berwick, (it has been a favorite race of Canadian runners since 1908), you will probably run into legendary runner/coach/author, Mark Will-Weber. One of Mark's very fine running books is entitled, "Run for the Diamonds: 100 Years of Footracing in Berwick, Pennsylvania." The book is an entertaining history of the race. Mark will be happy to sign a copy for you, and he'll be more than happy to join you for a cold, post-race Yuengling beer. His latest book, entitled “Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt,” describes the drinking habits of United States Presidents, and includes two stories about America’s Oldest Brewery.

In my first book, Running Shorts, I feature Run for the Diamonds in the chapter entitled, "Great Races. www.muldowneyrunning.net

Berwick’s Thanksgiving Day Run for the Diamonds is one of the finest running events in the country.

If you’ve never run it, you owe it to yourself to place it on your list of races you must run.

Check out their website: www.runforthediamonds.com

 

 

GO TO THE "NET"

Ah, this modern cyber world in which we live.

This morning I received a request to write a training program for a runner in Singapore, yet, when my website went down ten days ago, my requests, then demands to the webhost went virtually unheeded.

Can't these web geeks fix the problem with a couple of clicks?

Anyhow, my apologies to anyone who has attempted to visit my website, www.muldowneyrunning.com, as it is still down for "repair."

You should now go to www.muldowneyrunning.net for great Holiday deals on my books and my personalized training program that WILL improve your race times.

I'm off now to "repair" a leaky faucet.

OH, WHAT A FEELING!

I felt like blogging this morning, but a specific topic, rant, or report escaped me, so I felt it would be a good time to state the obvious.

Running makes us feel good!

I know, that's pretty much a no-brainer, so, just to remind you just in case you're having one of those periods in your running life where you feel flat, bored or in a rut, simply think about how good you feel when you run and how bad you feel when you don't.

In three weeks, I will undergo arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus in my knee. Currently, I am running on what the damaged knee will bear, and it is painful and frustrating. I curse myself for those days when, perfectly healthy, I would whine about my workout. Because, nearly always, when I finish, I feel good.

Right now, I don't feel very good.

Think about it.

You go out and run your personal best at a race.

That nagging opponent who always beats you, then brags when he or she does, fell to you in the race today.

A 20-miler is completed. You smile as you record it in your running log.

You nailed a killer speed workout.

A training run with a friend or friends glides by as you laugh, joke, and compare training ideas.

After a tough day at work, you go for a run, and it becomes the ultimate stress release.

Kids, the spouse, the laundry have you at the end of your rope. A good run cures all that.

You've just completed a run in conditions that drive most people indoors.

At a party, wedding, or class reunion, folks remark about how young and fit you look.

We are the lucky ones.

What a feeling!

Visit www.muldowneyrunning.com, amazon.com/author/joemuldowney. or www.lulu.com, and check out my books. Both books are a celebration of running, with training tips and advice that, I guarantee will make you a better runner.

COACH

The importance of paying it forward in our sport can never be overemphasized. I have written about it on several occasions.

It is gratifying to me to receive a text message or read a Facebook post from someone I've interacted with who has now become a runner and is participating in races, working toward reaching running goals.

A good friend and former colleague dropped over 100 pounds in a little over a year. He now runs his 5K races in the 22s, and recently completed his first marathon.

But, if you really want to pay it forward, using your running wisdom and experience to lead others down the running path, you should try coaching.

In August I began my 8th year as head coach of Penn State Schuylkill's Men's and Women's cross country teams.

Penn State Schuylkill is a branch campus of the Pennsylvania State University, nestled in the hills of east-central Pennsylvania. Only about 1,600 students attend classes at the campus. Many students are local, and they commute back and forth from classes daily. Other students reside on campus, and many of those young men and women are from the inner-city.

This year's team, consisting of 10 men and 7 women is a unique blend of urban and rural students, as well as a contrast of experienced and novice runners.

Several of my team members participated on local track and cross country teams; while others have never run a step.

We have participated in three invitational meets thus far, and have one more invitational and the state championship meet remaining. For the state championship, we will travel to Penn State's main campus, at University Park, and will compete against all the other campuses within our Penn State University Athletic Conference.

At yesterday's meet at Penn State Wilkes Barre, two of my runners, Nico Granito, and Casey Renninger, earned awards, as they placed 5th in their respective races.

It was, however, Keon Major, Muhammad Brown, and Muhmod Shabazz, who truly distinguished themselves at yesterday's meet. On August 24, at our first practice, these young men had never run a distance event.

Yesterday, they all completed a 5-mile race.

They are fine young men, and now they are long distance runners.

Makes a coach proud.

www.muldowneyrunning.com

EVERYBODY HAS A PLAN

"Everybody has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth."

Mike Tyson

There are a lot of philosophers out there. A lot of people who preach and pretend to be experts on human nature, but the great sage, Mike Tyson, sums it up as well as any Ivory Tower egghead.

After a 3:04 performance at the 2013 Boston Marathon, I was inspired. At an age when many runners are reduced to jogging, I was still able to focus in on the sub-3:00 standard.

Two weeks after Boston, I tripped on the sidewalk and tore two hamstring tendons.

Bam!

Punch in the mouth.

After two years of humbling rehabilitation, I began to train and race at near my pre-injury level.

In August, two days prior to the Tom Ausherman 5-Miler in Chambersburg, I felt a stiffness in my knee. I ran the race in a fairly good time. The next day I had difficulty walking, and two weeks ago I was diagnosed with a torn meniscus.

Bam and bam again.

I feel as though my jaw should be wired shut.

If you're reading this blog, you're probably serious about running. If you are, one thing's for certain. At sometime in your running career, you're going to get "punched in the mouth.

Early this summer, a very good friend was training at an extraordinary level. Father Chris Zelonis had qualified for the Boston Marathon, and was poised to smash the 3-hour mark by a lot.

While on a routine training run in San Antonio, he was hit by a car, which run over his foot, causing significant damage and requiring him to receive stitches, both on the outside and internally.

He will still be going to Boston, but he has been forced to adapt and adjust his training plans.

Before I receive arthroscopic surgery, I will try to allow my knee to heal on its own. Therefore, I can be seen in the gym, frantically pedaling on the elliptical, and lifting weights in order to strengthen leg muscles. Next, I'm afraid I'll be doing the Richard Simmons workout.

When you "Get punched in the mouth," and your training takes a hit, take a deep breath, place things into perspective, and adapt accordingly. Since my run of injuries, I look around, especially at folks near my ripe old age, and realize that, in the larger scheme of life, my injury problems are not all that bad.

When you are injured, or forced to the sidelines for any reason, do what you need to do in order to heal. You may need to walk, ride a bike, or swim. Don't make the mistake I have made by trying to run BEFORE you are fully healed.

Time, patience, and adaptability will heal most running wounds.

If you follow that formula, when you get punched in the mouth, you'll rise from the canvas and resume the fight.

www.muldowneyrunning.com

ENJOY!

The last full week of August is here, and although the first official day of Autumn is still nearly a month away, the oppressive, steamy days of summer are, for the most part, behind us.

Mornings will begin to cool, humidity will dissipate, and cool breezes will make for faster, more pleasant miles.

Get ready, because the next couple of months offer the best days to train and race.

If you have maintained your fitness level throughout the lazy, hazy days of summer, now is the time to launch your fall training.

Remember to pay attention to the two most essential components of your training regimen: speed work and long runs. I address both in my book, Personal Best, www.muldowneyrunning.com, in the chapter entitled 'Super Sevens,' and throughout my personal training programs on Fiverr, www.fiverr.com, within my Running Shorts gigs.

I have always preferred to conduct my speed workouts during the middle of the week; while I prefer to complete my long runs on the weekends.

There are many races to choose from these days, but try to resist the temptation to overrace. Select your races carefully. When you do, you won't kick yourself, or wear down your fellow competitors with the worn out phrase, "I would have run faster today, but I ran a 15-miler on Tuesday." Do yourself and everyone else a favor and run your long run on Sunday, then go out with fresh legs and run a race TWO weeks later.

Similarly, give yourself at least three days after your speed work before you race. Do your speed work no later than Wednesday if you're racing on Saturday.

Map out your fall races now. If you plan to run a marathon in November, find a half marathon to run as a barometer of your fitness level.

I believe that our best running days lie ahead of us. That is particularly true as we enter this glorious running season.

Enjoy!

KINDLE KIND

For a limited time, if you go to my author page at Amazon.com, amazon.com/author/joemuldowney, you can purchase the Kindle version of my latest book on running,  Personal Best, for the lowest price ever...$1.99. That's cheaper than a cup of coffee these days!

Personal Best begins with a day I'll never forget: April 15, 2013, the day terror struck the Boston Marathon.

Following is an excerpt of the chapter entitled, 'Was That Thunder?'

WAS THAT THUNDER?

 A good day to run a marathon is usually a bad day to watch a marathon.

That was not the case on April 15, 2013.

The day broke with a deep blue sky; a chilly wind fluttered from the west, the air was dry.

An endless procession of yellow school buses departed from the Boston Common to begin the journey along the Mass Pike to the village of Hopkinton, the center of the running world on Patriot’s Day.

My morning began in an unusual manner. Preparing to run the Boston Marathon for the sixteenth time, my wife and I decided that, rather than deal with the crowds at the bus loading area, she would transport me to the athletes’ village, drive back to the train station at Riverside, and later assume her place near the finish line on Boylston Street.

At the toll plaza, buses were lined up like yellow jackets at the hive, and despite some congestion on narrow country roads, we reached the quaint “Welcome to Hopkinton, Incorporated in 1715” road sign by 7:30 a.m. In the forested area on the edge of town, placards nailed to the trees bore the warning, “No Stopping Monday.” Between the words, “Stopping,” and “Monday,” was the image of a runner breaking the finish line tape.

Within three blocks of the athletes’ village, all roads were barricaded, and as my wife and I exchanged farewells, an achy, empty feeling of loneliness enveloped me, even as I approached a small city of more than 23,000 runners. I stood, motionless, for a few moments, as her car faded to a small silver dot. On a magnificent mid-April morning, something didn’t feel quite right to me.

Check out the Kindle special offer, or receive free eCoaching by visiting: www.muldowneyrunning.com

CAST

One of the things we love about our sport is the freedom it affords us. We can lace up the shoes and run at any time. We are not constricted by a court or a field, and, for the most part we are not even governed by weather conditions. We simply run through most of what Mother Nature throws at us.

We also appreciate the fact that we have the ability to conduct our workouts without the help of anyone. If fact, there was once a book written, entitled, 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.'

Throughout my career, however, I have considered myself somewhat of a 'social runner.'

In my first book, Running Shorts: A Collection of Stories and Advice for Anyone Who Has Ever Laced Up a Pair of Running Shoes www.,muldowneyrunning.com, www.amazon.com, I open with a chapter entitled, 'Cast of Characters,' in which I talk about the handful of runners who have guided me through my 39-year running career. That very important core group has been with me, and we have been through the good and bad times together, both in our running and our lives. Together, we have made each other better runners.

I still train frequently with 'Cast' members Brian Tonitis and Eric Anchorstar, even though their brash antics, if you've read the book, have been life-threatening on several occasions.

This past weekend I ran a 5-Mile race conducted by 'Cast' member John Ausherman. Over Labor Day, our families will vacation together at Myrtle Beach.

Make running your social club. Heck, most civilians probably get tired of us talking about running anyhow. It makes more sense to hang out with people who understand chafing, splits, and plantar fasciitis.

Running with someone who is faster than you will make a better runner. One of my 'Cast' members, Randy Haas, earned an Olympic Trials berth by running a 2:17 marathon. Randy hammered me on numerous long training runs. Those punishments paid dividends for me in future races.

Particularly on those dreaded track speed workout days, it doesn't matter if your running mate is faster or slower than you. The fact that you are out there together helps you to run faster.

On those days when you'd rather stay in bed, or when weather conditions seem unbearable, if you have a running partner(s) waiting for you, you are less likely to skip the workout.

Finally, there really is strength in numbers. Macho, aggressive drivers are less likely to flex their muscles when there is a group of runners than they are if you're running alone.

So, don't be afraid to lean on your 'Cast of Characters. Through them  you will become a faster, happier runner.

SUPER SEVENS

It's the question every runner asks of one's self.

How do I become faster?

There are many different theories out there, but the one I've practiced seems to work.

It's my "Super Sevens" program.

It has worked for me, and it can work for you...at any level. Simply apply me "Sevens" principle to your proposed pace, and you WILL race faster.

Following is an excerpt from my latest book, Personal Best. www.muldowneyrunning.com, the chapter entitled, 'Super Sevens.'

If you read the entire chapter, and for that matter, the entire book, the concrete training advice WILL guide you to your personal best times at every distance.

 'Quite simply, to race in the sixes, you should be training in the sevens, so ‘Muldowney’s Super Sevens’ is a sound, race-tested method of training.

 Super Sevens have enabled me to run a 2:58 marathon, at Philadelphia, as a 57-year old, and a 1:28 half marathon, at the Louisiana Marathon, at the ripe (or rotten) old age of 59.

 The core principle of Super Sevens is quite elementary. Train seven days a week, and keep all of your training miles in the sevens, or better. With minimal exceptions to the rule, if you are not going to run in the sevens on a given day, then don’t run. Your miles are “empty,” and you are doing yourself little good. Rather, take the day off. Rest, relax, and turn in a better workout tomorrow.

Let’s say for your sevens, you have selected a 7:30 training pace, meaning your workout is going to average 7 minutes, 30 seconds a mile. For your 7-mile run, you should run a time of 52:30.

If you are tired, sluggish, or weary from a race the previous day, take the day off, and run that 52:30, on fresh legs, the next day. Feeling guilty about that day off? Work on some upper body weightlifting instead. You’ll be resting everything from the waist down, while strengthening muscles that don’t see a lot of work on our daily runs.

You’ve raced on Saturday. It was a good one. You smashed the 20-minute mark, averaging under a 6:30 pace for a 5K. Obviously, your training methods are sound. Now it’s time to try Muldowney Super Sevens and watch your times plummet'

Now, this is just a tease.

Check out www.muldowneyrunning.com, where, this month we have a sale on a book AND a training plan for you. Or, you can go to Amazon, where you can buy the book(s) and get 'Muldowney Sevens' working for you.