Stay Strong - Run Long

This morning I decided to go on a different route than I normally run. I am the type of person that needs variety in my runs. Whether it be speed work, hill repeats, long runs, trail runs, treadmill, etc. I decided to go on what most people consider to be a bike trail. The Des Moines area has a very nice trail system for paved biking trails. It is primarily used for biking, but because of the straight line with no hills it does attract runners and walkers as well. I have run this trail many times. It is gorgeous this time of year because the North side of the trail is open fields of corn or beans and the South side of the trail is a highway. There is always a very nice, but sometimes tough, breeze that goes through and helps to keep you cool. I went out this morning at around 5:00 AM. I took my headlamp, as I always do on my early morning runs, for two reasons: 1) For my own safety to be able to see where I am going 2) So that others that may be using the trail at the same time will be...

Recently I started a new position with a new company which has...let's just say...set my training back a bit. While I love the company that I now work for I miss a lot of my friends that I used to run with and most certainly my mid-day run. The company that I used to work for had a great workout facility with showers. I am not as lucky with my current employer and that has caused me to shift my runs around a bit. Where I used to run in the middle of the day, shower, go back to work and "be home" when I went home, I am now forced to run at nights. 2 problems with this though. 1) It is hotter later in the day. 2) It forces me to give up some family time. I don't get to spend a lot of time with my kids and my wife so when I get home, I really want to be around for them. In shifting of my schedule I do have to spend some mornings running which means getting up REALLY early. I'm fine getting up early, but 3:30 AM is too freaking early. This morning though, I didn't...

As most runners know, we are a group that is very strict on routine. Most people have their specific long run days, a lot of people have their speed work and hill days, we wear our "lucky clothes" to races, we eat the same things before each race or run, we take specific calculated days off, we have specific playlists on our music player for certain runs, etc. There are times though when it's good to make a change. It really can benefit you. I am a person that follows trends in the running world. I love gadgets. Even though I don't own a lot of them, by a lot of peoples standards, I love them. Computers, phones, iPhones/iPod/iPads, watches, GPS's. You name it. I probably own one or know something about it. With all of the technology around us most people have either a cell phone or iPod (or equivalent) that we take with us on runs. Recently when I ran in the 20k Dam To Dam I decided not to take my iPod with me. I really hadn't been training with it so I didn...