Typically, I don’t taper. I hate the mental craziness that comes along, the taper madness. I have read many blog posts from athletes tapering. Those stories normally curse the weeks directly preceding a big race. Taper madness, triggered by inactivity following weeks of intense training, includes wild food cravings, outbursts of misdirected frustration, and sometimes the […]
Back on track — literally (time to add back speedwork)
As of last night, I’m back on track. Literally. My running in the past six months hasn’t been the best. I struggled through sickness, and my monthly mileage dropped to the lowest it’s been in three years. But for the past three months, I’ve rebuilt my base. November was a breakthrough running month in a lot […]
No running music? Make your own rhythm
I made a decision in September of last year to give up running music. I had just completed my running coach certification class, and the teacher had been adamant. “As a coach, you should be an example for the running community. That means no running music. No earbuds. Set an example of safety.” His message, […]
Answering the old question: ‘What are you running from?’
“What are you running from?” The question is jarring. My body was moving forward; my mind zoned out. Nothing changed – my cadence was regular, and I was breathing in a locked pattern I’ve practiced on hundreds of runs (exhaling on alternating foot falls in a 2-3 pattern). But when my brain woke up from my […]
Nighttime running — embrace the isolation
I’ve gone nighttime running five times in the past week. The first was a marathon event up and down the strip in Las Vegas, complete with constant loud music and strobe lights. The second was a super-moon run at Torrey Pines State Park that included some moderate trails and a steep paved hill. The third […]
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