1MILENATION.COM: Recent Comments

Comment on 2010 Predictions In The Training World

Web developer — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:08:32 GMT

Cool,

This is a good post busting some of them untruthful myths for working out...

Thanks for bringing this up

Comment on More KB Cardio & Another "Big 1"

1 Mile Nation — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:50:21 GMT

Yes, if you wanted to do it outside, why stop you? I just chose the treadmill because up in my area, its pretty much a safety issue with running outside in this part of the country. I thought more people might do it on a treadmill if they live in colder areas.

Comment on More KB Cardio & Another "Big 1"

Anna — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:05:44 GMT

Hi Rick, I'd definitely like to do this again! Does it have to be on a treadmill though? I am a complete klutz on those things.

Comment on The 2 Minute Tabata Drill

web development — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:30:55 GMT

Interesting,

This is a great drill,

Keep up the good work,

Thanks

Comment on The Misconceptions of Running

1 Mile Nation — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:44:44 GMT

I can see your points and opinion, and they have some merit. I would venture to say most of my frustrations that come to light amongst my blog posts, in regards to long distance training, is how most people view long distance races & its training as the 'superior' way to only be a runner. I have seen this image come across to me, time & time again, how you must give up so much of your free time to running and running alone, at the sacrifice of other things, if you really want to be a 'true runner'. To me, the marathon race is what feeds this, like you aren't anything until you can do a marathon, it seems. That's the vibe I get, and that even if you are a 5K or 10K specialist, you MUST follow marathon runner's methods, which is mostly slow & long training workouts. I don't think every runner, especially the shorter distance ones, do not have to follow the 'golden path' of marathon training methods.

I applaud your dad for running marathons not only at his age, but with his past conditions (the surgeries) as well. And if running marathons can make him a happier, healther person, that's wonderful. However, as with most other sports, there are some limits, and when you take into consideration what it takes to put together a marathon race, from crowd control to first aid and to other public service needs, there should be some limits. I've helped operate 5K & 10K's before, and its only maybe 90 minutes worth of time to manage. With a marathon, you're talking weeks of preparation and days of getting the course 'race-ready', plus on race day, you're talking about an almost full day's worth of race activities. These things need to be managed smoothly & efficiently. So, in regards to that, there should be some limits, in my opinion, if slower marathoners are depleting the resources needed to keep the event going. Like the article stated, 4% of the finishers finished in that last hour of the event, so things like public service & access to roads were continually tied up due to the race going that much longer. I don't think its too much to ask for in putting a limit that only affects 4% of the runners. If they still want to participate in a long distance event, then maybe they should do the 1/2 marathon and test themselves on that distance, if its taking too long to finish the race. Even high school coaches do this with the runners on a team, to help them find the right race for them. If a 2-miler is just not fast enough, there's no sense in making that athlete be the last one to finish, minutes after the rest of the field. That runner is usually moved down to the 1600 or 800 race, or perhaps put on an 4x800m relay team, because they can go much faster over a shorter distance. Even in cross-country, you will see some of the last ones who finish a 5K or even a 4K turn in some much slower times than the rest of the pack. But, in these races, you're talking minutes, not hours, being the time factor. If the top guy in a 5K is in the 15-16 minute range, and the last guy on the course comes in at 25 minutes, that isn't a big problem. If the top marathoners are getting in the 2-2:15 range, and the race continues on for well over 3 times that time frame, now we have a major time issue.
I would say when I hit my 50's, 60's and 70's, I want to be like the guys I saw at the state amateur track meet this past summer, who were racing in the 400, 800, & 1600 along with me. There was a great sense of camraderie and passion amongst them that I admired. I guess I just love going fast, and not long & slower, that's why I choose to run the distances I do of 5K & less. Through my blog, I feel if more runners took to this way of thinking, especially those in the 20's, 30's, and 40's, they would get more out of their workouts than they would by following the traditional long & slow training methods for runners.

Thank you for posting your opinion, and for responding with your insight on this topic.
-Coach Rick

Comment on The Misconceptions of Running

Marie — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:52:41 GMT

I found your post through Twitter. I can see your point that you don't want to just plod through a race or take a lunch break. However, I disagree that one should discourage slower runners from running marathons as long as they are reasonably well trained.

My opinion is obviously colored by the fact that my 70-something Dad runs marathons regularly. He's had heart and hip surgeries over the years, but he's still very fit and running even more marathons than before, albeit with a heart monitor. He's certainly not setting any speed records, but I think forcing him to stop running just because he's running slower than he did 30 years ago would kill him quicker than anything he does on a course.

The smaller races just don't cut it for him at this stage in life. He revels in the camaraderie and accomplishment of each marathon event, and the kind of sniping about slower marathoners that's recently gotten press is really unfortunate, and really counter to WHY he runs marathons. He's not running marathons to be a "real runner." He's running because he *is* a runner, whether he's running down a busy street in his own neighborhood or running the Chicago marathon.

Yes, there are more slow runners these days. It's too bad that faster runners somehow feel diminished by another's accomplishment. I'm finding it interesting that most of the anti-slow quotes I'm seeing are from runners in their 30s and 40s. What will they feel about that when they are in their 60s and 70s and 80s? Are they are going to sit down in front of a TV and say oh well, if I can't run it in 3 hours, I'm not going to run? It's not very sportsmanlike (IMHO) to snipe from a position of strength.

I realize that I am talking about more than what you covered in your article, but I wanted to throw that out there. Heh, I suppose I should write my own blog post.

Comment on Tabata's just flat-out rule...

anna — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:30:45 GMT

Everywhere says to eat a big breakfast and small dinner, I'm glad you say it works well to do the opposite. That's what I have been doing lately - good to know that's ok

Comment on Tabata's just flat-out rule...

1 Mile Nation — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:26:35 GMT

Just try to keep it clean & lean, for the most part. I tend to keep most of my meals light during the day and feast at supper time. I have read I should do it the other way around, but I do it that way to try and keep the AM fat-burning going strong throughout the morning, eating light at lunch and keeping the metabolism going (which my work does anyway with what I do), then eating more at night to help refuel my tanks and let that go to work as I rest. I feel like I at least have some energy for my AM runs and other workouts.

All in all, it seems all the conflicting diet info out there all end up saying the same stuff in the end: eat lean & clean & try to get al lthe food groups in throughout the day.

Comment on Tabata's just flat-out rule...

anna — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:23:57 GMT

Hey Rick, I'd be interested to know your opinions on diet with your training. I get your training philosophy. But if you still eat crap you will run crap too. Any thoughts?

Comment on 7 Laps + 3 Gold's = 1 Great Day!

anna — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:40:31 GMT

Sounds like a great morning out! Congrats on your bling! I laugh at a similar situation - I am one of the few females running ultras here, and at the same time one of the few females to run some of the low key 5k races so I take out some bling without really feeling like I did anything for it. It's all good though. Great times!