As 2009 comes to a close, I find myself in a unique situation – I’m in a running rut. It’s not a physical rut. I don’t think I’ve ever been running better or been in as good of shape as I am now. This is all mental. I’m just not “that into it” right now. For those of you who visit this site often you can probably tell by the lack of posts recently. I consider myself “Runningcentric”. All I ever do is think, talk and dream about running. Want to go on vacation? OK, let me check the running calendar. Need help with your homework? Let’s go for a run and talk about it. But lately….NOT.

It all started on my week off after the Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon. I was overflowing with excitement for that race. Training had gone well and it was the inaugural event. Even though I didn’t finish like I had wanted, I wasn’t disappointed and spirits were high. I already had the Walt Disney World Marathon on my schedule to look forward to and the fact that I would be running with my sister (her first marathon) is even better. 10 days of vacation, a cruise, Walt Disney World AND a race thrown in? I should be on cloud nine…but I’m not.

I can’t explain it. I know we all go thru let downs after races but this is the first time I’ve hit a wall in my head. Maybe it’s the Holidays, maybe it’s work or it just may be the culmination of a series of events that are out of my control. The fact of the matter is, when we hit these low points we need to keep on keeping on. Lace up the shoes and get out the door. It wall all come back eventually.

So that’s what I’ve been trying to do this last week before the race. All my training runs have no goals. I’m heading out the door with no anticipation. I don’t know which route I’m taking. Don’t know how far I’m going to go. The only thing I do know for sure is that I’m running for the pure enjoyment of it. Taking in the scenery. Taking in other runners I meet on the way and running for the moment only. It may not happen overnight and it might even take weeks but I know if I bring things into perspective, it will all come back.

Happy New Year and RMFR!!!

Like most of you, I tear thru my Runner’s World magazine the second I pull it from the mailbox. In the January 2010 issue was a article on runner safety that you just have to read. Runner safety is one of the things we try to stress here at One Runner’s Brain and if we can influence just one runner to be safer on nations roadways, we’ll consider it a success.

In fact, our own Troy Schrenk was quoted in the article (p. 87) and you can read the post that got him quoted by clicking here.

Collision Course by Liz Robbins paints a picture of what we face as runners and many ways to Be A.W.A.R.E. of our surroundings and stay safe while running. You can read the whole article online but I wanted to stress some of the “Rules of the Road” mentioned in the article.

Rules of the Road

• Don’t assume a driver sees you. In fact, imagine that a driver can’t see you.
• Run against traffic so as to view (and react to) any mistake an advancing motorist may make.
• At a stop sign or light, wait for the driver to wave you through – then acknowledge with your own wave.
• Allow at least three feet between you and a passing vehicle.
• Be prepared to jump onto the sidewalk or shoulder of the road.
• During group runs, go single file when cars need to pass.
• Use hand signals to show which way you plan to run.
• Respect drivers’ right to the road.
• Run with proper I.D., and carry a cell phone with emergency contacts taped to the back.
• Check with the police for local traffic rules.

RMFR

Regarding the previous (2 Marathons in 36 Days) brings up a question. Should I throw in another marathon in the next 54 days to qualify as a Marathon Maniac?

For those of you who don’t know, you probably have seen them. You can’t miss them at races in their red and gold singlets – many of them declaring how many marathons they’ve run. At the Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon I saw at least 5 Maniacs and one was running his 100th marathon.

The Marathon Maniacs are exactly that. Runner’s that are maniacs about running marathons. The group was started by Steve Yee, Chris Warren and Tony Phillipi in 2003 and now boasts more than 2,000 members. Like the Boston Marathon though, there are certain criteria that need to be met. You can check out the entire list HERE but for the purposes of this post, we’ll examine the bare minimum to become a member.

BRONZE LEVEL

Now I probably don’t qualify mentally as a Marathon Maniac – maybe a Running Rube – but if the timing works out, this is definitely within my reach. What do you think, go for the gold (Bronze) or is it time to take some time off?

First off, this post in no way is meant to be bragging. I know there are plenty of runners that do much more than this and by much more, I mean WAY MORE (i.e. 50 in 50). This actually happened by accident – well O.K. not an accident but more so by circumstance.

A year ago this Christmas, I talked my sister into running her first marathon at the Walt Disney World Marathon in January. I’ve been running now for 4 years but I’d only run one marathon and that was at the end of 2006. Worried that I would fail supporting her thru 26.2 miles, I decided on running the full Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon (more so for confidence than anything else). After a great year of training and racing, it didn’t even dawn on me that the races were merely 36 days apart.

The biggest hurdle in this whole thing has been the training. The shortest training program I’d done preceding a race was 12 weeks. After a week off following the Las Vegas Marathon, that left me with only 4 weeks of training. With over 750+ miles and 3 races under my belt this year, I know I have the strength for a 4 week schedule but it still doesn’t seem like enough. Using the trusted Runner’s World SmartCoach, it whipped out this maintenance schedule:

Week     Mon.     Tues.     Wed.     Thur.     Fri.     Sat.     Sun.
1             6 mi.                   5 mi.                            10 mi.
2             6 mi.                   5 mi.                            12 mi.
3             5 mi.                   5 mi.                            14 mi.
4                          3 mi.                    5 mi.     3 mi.              RACE

The absence of a 20-miler kind of freaks me out but the last thing I want to do is be overly fatigued or worse yet get an injury before my sister’s race. This is definitely one race I wouldn’t miss for the world!!!

Have you done a short training session for a race? If so please share what you did.

RMFR

On March 21, 2010, the Fresh Air Fund-Racers will again be taking to the streets of New York City. The Fund-Racers help raise money for the Fresh Air Fund, an organization that gives thousands of inner-city children the priceless gift of fun – and opens the door to a lifetime of opportunities.

This past August, the Fund-Racers raised nearly $90,000 and over the past 3 years have raised more than $300,000. To find out how you can run or help financially in other ways, please CLICK HERE.

Now is the time of year we look back at the year that was. It’s also a great time to pay it forward and make next year better than the last.

RMFR

So many times we get caught up in our training runs that we forget how enjoyable running can be when we put all that other crap else behind us. Such was the case with me last week.

Coming off what I considered a somewhat disappointing Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon, I was entering a runner’s low. I took off the whole week before starting up training for the Walt Disney World Marathon. I needed a recharge and it came with snow.

Las Vegas occasionally gets snow every winter and this year has been no different. Instead of putting in a short easy run to get the muscles firing again, I put on the trail shoes and headed up to the white fluffy stuff. Overnight, mother nature had deposited a nice dusting of snow up in the foothills. Since running in snow is something I don’t get to do that often, this was a situation I had to take advantage of!!!

I had my Garmin but didn’t look at it once. Instead I let myself blend in with God’s creation and tried to take everything in. I stopped. I walked. I even thru a couple of snowballs. When I reached a point to turn back, I took photos. I even took the time to call my dad and share with him the beauty that surrounded me. This was running for the pure enjoyment of it. I didn’t care what my mile splits were. I didn’t have any goal except to be one with the moment. Yes, my batteries are recharged and I’m going to try and remember that running IS enjoyable. If it’s not any fun, why do it?

RMFR

Where the Party Meets the Pavement. That’s the claim offered by US Road Sports & Entertainment Group and their series of 8 half marathons spread across the U.S. On Sunday, January 10, 2010, the 13.1 Marathon® Series will launch their latest half marathon in Los Angeles.

For one week only, you have the opportunity to win free entry to this inaugural event. Simply comment on this post and remember to enter your first and last name and an email I can reach you at. On Christmas Eve no less, we’ll choose someone at random and that person will receive a comp registration code!!!

I’m seriously disappointed I won’t be able to run in this event (I’ll be at the Walt Disney World Marathon) as the Santa Monica area is one of my favorite places.

(from press release)
13.1® Los Angeles will bring a fun and unforgettable race experience to one of Los Angeles’ most popular training grounds. Beginning and ending amidst ocean views along the Santa Monica Bay, the course will head South through iconic Venice Beach before heading East to Culver City, and returning to finish on hip Main Street in Downtown Venice. (click here for course map)

Both first-timer friendly and perfect for marathoners in training, 13.1® Los Angeles will offer a scenic and festive run along a closed course with fully supported aid stations, live entertainment, and medals for all finishers. This themed race celebrating the best of Los Angeles encourages participants and spectators to wear costumes and enjoy a race “Where the Party Meets the Pavement”.

If you don’t win the free entry, don’t worry, registration is open and priced at $70 thru January 3rd, it’s not going to break your wallet.

Bring on the comments runners and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

I’d seen Mark Remy’s book on the shelves many times before I actually picked it up. I thought to myself, “great, another book telling me how I’m supposed to run” – so I avoided it like a cheeseburger. As time passed, I saw snippets here and there. Then, runner’s like Ryan Hall and Josh Cox were tweeting about it. OK, there has to be something behind that red cover that’s actually worth reading. Let me rephrase that. If you’re a runner, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!!

“The Runner’s Rule Book: Everything a Runner Needs to Know – And Then Some” is one of the funniest and most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time!!! Mark Remy also writes for Runner’s World and in the January 2010 issue (p. 75), you can get a taste of what’s in store for you in the rest of the book.

To somebody who doesn’t run, a lot of this book will go right over your head. Most of it would need some explanation or at least confirmation from a runner that this stuff is true and really happens. It’s a quick read and is laid out as a bunch of rules. I found myself going back and rereading a bunch of them over again. I don’t want to give to much away because I think every runner needs this on their bookshelf but here are a couple of my favorite examples:

Rule 1.18
Learn and Love the Farmer’s Blow
Mastering the Farmer’s Blow is a must for every runner. A good Farmer’s Blow is a wonder to behold, satisfying, efficient, and brilliant in its simplicity.

Rule 1.9
Pass Gas, Not Judgement
(the bullet points for this rule are instant classics)

Rule 2.32
Do Whatever It Takes to Finish Ahead of a Costumed Runner
Because being outkicked by Elmo is too much to bear.

Rule 3.5
Save the Race Shirt for Postrace
Wearing the official race shirt during the race is like wearing a U2 t-shirt to a U2 concert. Not cool. Don’t do it.

RMFR

Alarms ring, are you wakening,
In the street, snow is glistening
A worrisome sight,
This just isn’t right.
Running in a winter wonderland.

Gone away is the summer,
We all know, it’s a bummer,
Where’s the long sleeves,
I think I have to sneeze,
Running in a winter wonderland.

On the sidewalk we can jump a snowbank,
Then step in a puddle filled with slush.

Your socks are soaked
and feet are numb, it’s old now,
You curse and yell
When when nobody’s around.

Later on, we’ll retire,
Dry our shoes by the fire
Your clothes are all wet,
And it’s a good bet, you’ll be
Running in a winter wonderland.

In the winter we can use a treadmill,
Spend hours watching Oprah and the wall
It’s not a lot of fun using that treadmill,
Turn back time and bring back to fall.

When it snows, ain’t it thrilling,
Though your bones get a chilling
We’ll run and we’ll train and deal with the pain,
Of running in a winter wonderland.

Before I get into the review of the Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon, I would like say my thoughts and prayers go out to Eric Reitman’s family and friends. Eric collapsed shortly after finishing the half marathon and was rushed to an area hospital before passing away later that evening.

I waited all year for this event. Devine Sports that put on the previous 3 Las Vegas Marathons was mailing it in. When I heard The Competitor Group was coming in and making Las Vegas one of their Rock-n-Roll series of races I was “all in” – and they didn’t disappoint.

With temperatures in the low 30ºs I opted for wearing running pants and long sleeves (ol’ blue) with Under Armour underneath. Luckily (or not) the temperatures didn’t get any higher than the mid 40ºs and I didn’t need to worry about shedding gear.

There were nearly twice as many people (27,000+) as the year before and you could feel the excitement in the air from the minute you arrived at the starting area. For those of you running in this event in future years, duck into Mandalay Bay to stay warm before the race!!! With so many people, I was worried about crowding in the corrals but overall it wasn’t bad (at least in the back). In the future, I would hope they would monitor the corrals or at least set up barriers between them. I met a really nice couple from Canada and chatted while we struggled to stay warm. That’s one of the really cool things about races is that you can strike up a conversation with just about anybody!!!

They promised “something never seen before” at the start. For most of the crowd, I think it stayed that way!!! Parachuters drifted in the dark sky with lights on their feet and landed near the start (ummm, OK). Anyway, the local broadcast of the event was displayed on the huge Mandalay Bay video board. For us in the back who couldn’t hear anything (note to the organizers, put speakers in the back corrals) it was cool to watch the elites and first waves of runners take off.

Spanning Las Vegas Blvd. was a huge stage that housed a Blues Brothers band with showgirls and white tigers flanking each side of the start line. The wave start implemented by the race was genius. Even though it took me a half hour to start, it eliminated a lot of the crowding you usually get at the start of the race. It also helped when we reached the hairpin turn that brought us back on the other side of the strip heading north.

As with most races, runners were shedding gear along the first two miles. The funny part was that about the same amount of runners were scrambling for gear on the road to put on!!! You’ve never seen so many uncoordinated outfits in one race.

Running up the Las Vegas strip is just plain cool. I could describe each hotel and attraction but they’re all spectacles in their own way. To be honest, there was so much going on in the first 4 miles it’s sort of a blur. The one thing that stood out was all the Running Elvi and the runners getting married at the Paris Hotel. By the time I got there, the Elvi were already serenading the couples.

With both sides of the strip closed to traffic, it was fun to see the elites coming at us in the opposite direction. I had heard a lot of complaints that seeing runners coming at you would “demoralize” the other runners. It was just the opposite. As the front runners of the marathon and half marathon passed, they were cheered and encouraged by all of the back-of-the-packers. I hope they got lift from us because I saw a bunch of running forms improve in our mass of humanity – mine included!!!

Once the route entered the older downtown area things were starting to thin out a little. At this point, the marathoners and half marathoners were still running together. With 20,000 doing the half, I was eagerly awaiting for the course to thin out.

At about 10 1/2 miles, we broke from the strip and started our trek out west. Las Vegas is a valley with the strip at the bottom which meant a good part of our middle distance was slightly uphill. Once we hit Twain Ave., it didn’t take long to get used to the incline and I don’t think it bothered too many runners.

At the halfway point, I was slightly ahead of my goal pace in 2:07:23. I’ve never been “on pace” in my life and I immediately had thoughts of grandeur!!! Thoughts of a 4:15 finish were in reach – but not for long.

Miles 13-15 ran south on Decatur Blvd. Some small climbs but nothing as steep as I run in my training runs. At the beginning of this stretch, I was fine. By mile 15, I could have eaten a small child!!! I have no idea what happened but I was starving. I even thought about running into one of the many convenience stores along the route to eat something…anything!!! I had already gone thru 3 gels and was loosing energy fast. Mile 15 was the turn back up the valley on Hacienda. By this time, the fast runners were flying down the hill already, it gave me a small and short lived boost up until the Rainbow hairpin turn. BONK!!!

For me, the rest of the race was a will of putting one foot in front of the other and restraining from trying to steal food off of spectators on the street. There was a gel table after mile 18 but at that point I couldn’t eat anymore GU or Cytomax – I needed way more and it was going to come for another 8 miles.

Big props to all the bands, spectators and volunteers that came out. On more than one occasion I saw a few stages with a crowd of runners rockin’ away.

At the 20 mile turnaround, I had slowed way off my pace and was hoping just to make it in under my previous 5 hr. mark when I was stricken with every cramp known to man. At mile 24 I was able to grab a banana from a half marathoner walking towards us and a Pabst Blue Ribbon from an “uncertified” aid station. Gotta love spectators who show up on the course with beer. Seriously, those 3 people were able to snap me out of my hunger coma.

I was able to put it into high gear for the last mile and cross the line in 4:40:27 – a PR by 21 minutes. Although I had my sites set higher, I was proud to push on thru my lack of fuel and energy. The most important part was I didn’t get hurt. With the Walt Disney World Marathon 30+ days away, my sister would have killed me if I did something where I couldn’t run her first marathon at her side.

I know this is a long post so I’ll make this short. I’d just like to thank the Competitor Group for bringing a Rock-n-Roll to Las Vegas. Everything was great and I can’t wait until next year!!!

RMFR