Running Gear

In your repertoire of running gear, what is the one thing that you can't live without? Is it a certain brand or model of shoes? Is it that pair of sunglasses that hugs your face just right?

For me, it is my Timex BodyLink System.



Without this little jewel, I would be completely lost. Being the geek that I am, this is one of the things that motivates me the most to keep running. On those days where I feel like slacking, I think, "Oh no, my stats are going to suffer". You see, not only does this baby keep track of everything under the sun while you are running, it even saves the information to a little data recorder so you can upload it to your computer for further analysis. Believe me, I spend plenty of time comparing the statistics from one run to the next.

If you are serious about running and really want to gain some insight into the variables that make up each of your runs, you definitely need to invest in something like this. The one that I have will set you back about $350. It is worth it though - if you are a stats person.

Below is a partial feature list:

• Speed (min/max/ave)
• Distance
• Heart Rate (min/max/ave/time in each zone)
• Pace (min/max/ave)
  
• Altitude
• Elevation (ascent/descent)
  
• Duration
• GPS
• Lap/Split
• Predictive Finish Time
• Hands Free Operation

Other makers of similar products are Polar, Nike, and Garmin to name a few.

Setting Some Goals

Ok, I have set some goals for myself. Hopefully they will keep me motivated and focused...give me something to strive for. One is somewhat short-term and the other two are more long-term.

It's good to set goals, right?

Growing up, my mom, my grandparents and my teachers always preached about setting goals in order to achieve the things that you want to achieve in life.

Here they are...

Goal 1: White Rock Marathon (December 10, 2006)
Noted as one of the top marathons for course support and entertainment, this is definitely one that I don't want to miss. With more than 30 live bands out on the course and the beautiful views of White Rock Lake to be taken in, there should be plenty of distractions to keep my mind off of the pain that will be running through my body. I am looking forward to it.

Goal 2: Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon (April 29, 2007)
I will always be partial to this marathon. After all, it was the first one I ever ran. Actually, as of this writing, it is the only one I have ever ran. It's not just that though. This is such an emotional marathon - one that is run in remembrance of the 168 people who lost their lives during the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995.

Before the start of the marathon, 168 seconds of silence are observed. I was amazed at how dead silent more than 20,000 spectators and runners could be for almost 3 minutes. It was chilling. If you get the chance to run this one, you won't be disappointed. In addition to the reason behind the marathon, every detail of the entire race weekend was top-notch. This one is a "must run".

Goal 3: Pikes Peak Marathon (August 19, 2007)
Since mentioning my desire to run this marathon next year to my family and friends, I have been asked if I am "crazy", I have had people laugh at me in disbelief, and some have even offered to get me in to see a shrink. I don't understand what the big deal is! Sure, it'll take my marathon time plus 30 minutes just to reach the summit of Pikes Peak, not to mention I will then have to turn around and make my way back down, but I will be ready for it. You must remember, I have "a passion for pain" and once I set my sights on something I go after it like a cheetah chasing a gazelle. Will I catch my prey? Who knows, but I am going to give it all I have. That's all I can do.

Thanks for reading.

Partons en arrière

Translated from French to English, the title of this post is "Let's go back".

In order for you to understand where I am at today, you need to know where I came from and how I got here.

Six years ago I got hooked on cycling. Yes, I was an addict. I was riding every chance I had. I was participating in every race within a few hours driving distance from where I live. I was reading every training book, magazine, and website that I could find just so I could get a leg up on the competition. You see, I am a very competitive person by nature and when I commit to something I give it everything I've got. Not 110%, but 210%.

I don't remember the date, but I do remember being out on a training ride one day when I realized that cycling just wasn't fun anymore. But because I was addicted to cycling and to competing, I continued to ride. At that point, I had probably accomplished all that I was going to accomplish as an amateur cyclist. I had ridden many 100k races, several of which I won. I had ridden a 100 mile race. I had placed in the top 10 in enough races that I was able to "cat up" to the next level on my racing license. What more was there to do? The Tour de France? My chances of riding professionally were slimmer than my chances of winning the lottery. I knew that wasn't going to happen. So, I basically quit riding. Sure, there were times here and there where I would head out on a 15-mile leisure ride. But I wasn't competing anymore. I was simply trying to stay in some kind of shape.

As you can imagine, for those of you who are naturally competitive people, you start to miss the thrill of going up against others and pushing yourself beyond the threshold. It didn't seem to take too long before I needed my next fix. But this time, I thought that I would try something different - running a marathon.

A co-worker of mine had been running for several months in preparation for his first marathon. I couldn't believe the number of miles that he was putting into his training each week. At that time, it was hard for me to fathom running 5 or 10 miles, much less 26.2 miles (the distance of a full marathon). He had set a goal for himself and he wasn't going to stop until he achieved it.

After several months of training, his first marathon came and went - he had achieved his goal of running the daunting 26.2 miles. That's when I thought to myself, "I can do that". I approached my co-worked one day and told him that I wanted to run a marathon, but that I wasn't going to do it without him. Initially, he said that he had run a marathon and had no desire to run another one anytime soon. The next one was 4 months away, and to me that wasn't "anytime soon". After a little coaxing, he agreed to train with me and run in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.

Since it was my first marathon, I decided to follow Hal Higdon's Novice Program. For eighteen weeks, I remained dedicated and focused on the goal ahead. Then, the day finally came to see if all of the training would pay off. I had no expectations of time or pace, I just wanted to finish without having to walk any of it. For 22 miles I felt relatively strong and was on pace to finish in 3 hours and 30 minutes. Then, fatigue set in and I slowed to a near-walking jog. However, I trudged on and managed to finish in a respectable 3 hours and 45 minutes. I had reached my goal, and much like my co-worker, vowed to never do another one. Physically, it was the most demanding event I had ever put my body through. Mentally, it broke me down.

For the next four or five weeks I didn't run at all. My body was not ready to face the pounding of the pavement again. Around the sixth week post-marathon, I decided to start back with some light running but no serious tempo or miles. As the short runs turned into medium runs, that competitive monster that lives inside of me started to come alive again. I knew that it was time to start setting my sights on the next goal - another marathon.

This time I have chosen the White Rock Marathon. With more than three months to go before the marathon rolls around, I should have plenty of time to be even more prepared for this one. I still believe that I can run a 3:30 marathon, so that is the goal that I have set. We shall see. I'll keep you posted.

Now...you know where I came from, how I got here, and where I am headed.