• It all begins with a single step Hello my 7 followers, remember me?

    So yeah, I've not been around for a while. I have to take responsibility and say I just got lazy the last six months of 2011. I can blame the heat, I can blame the rain, I can blame a lot of things but ultimately it was my decisions to stay inside that lowered my fitness level, it was my choices to indulge in too much sugar and snacks that caused me to gain so much weight again.

    And the ultimate payback to those bad habits was a really slow Marine Corps Marathon, and then my first DNF at the Philadelphia Marathon, where I suffered a hamstring injury. Not quite a full tear, but the doc said I was smart to stop when I did, else I still wouldn't be able to run.

    I got out for my first run of 2012 today, 3 miles in my Vibram Sprints. I plan on buying a pair of the Bikilas soon, primarily for the cover on the upper and slight increase in tread. Slow miles, but that's what happens when you're rebuilding your base. But it did give me some time to think about my 2012 goals.

    2012 Goals:

    • Break 1000 miles for the year
    • Get back under 210 lbs
    • Expand endurance coaching business
    • Finish 2 fall marathons (looking at Chicago and Niagara Falls)
    • Update TIR more frequently (see what I did there?)
    • Get back to the Friday Five (more daily specials as well?)
    • First Triathlon (taking suggestions!)
    So that's it for now. I need to do a refit of this blog as well, in addition to more frequent updating. Any feedback or suggestion are greatly appreciated!

    Happy running!
    ~Irish

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  • Adjustments While I am still shooting to hit the four hour mark, I realize that after the past couple of months it will probably not be this fall. Training just hasn't been there, and I feel like I've moved back a couple steps. Certainly not at square one, but each run is still a bit of a struggle.

    So instead, I'm aiming for 4:30 this year. I think that is a more practical goal. I don't want to risk an injury.

    I also want to focus more on my coaching business. Both as your Beachbody coach, and especially as a running coach. I am putting together an action plan for what I want to offer as far as one time training programs as well as continued long term coaching. Keep in tune as I roll that out, there will be discounts for early adopters!

    See you on the trails!

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  • If you were to hire a coach, what would you look for? I recently completed my certification as a running coach through the RRCA. As I am trying to get my business started, I figured I would put the question out there:

    What support would you be looking for from an online or in person running coach?
    What kind of advice and services?
    Obviously a closely monitored training plan, but what else?

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  • Friday Five #2 The Sunday Edition returns! I'm seriously considering moving this "feature" to become the Sunday Seven. Only downfall is I'll have to think of two more topics each week...but it could work.

    So, in no particular order -
    1. Yorktown Freedom Run 5k - Monday I ran what had to be the worst 5k I've run in years. 29 minutes. While I have run some slower 5ks recently, on this particular race I ran the first two miles in about 16 minutes. But the heat & humidity just ate me alive in the middle mile, and so I had nothing left for the final. I've never felt so lousy after a race so short. Seriously, I felt worse than after some of my marathons.

    2. Intervals - had a so-so day at the track this week. Two miles of warming up running/chatting with Dave, and then the usual ladder of 200-400-600-800 in pairs with an extra 200 thrown in for the heck of it. I was pretty strong until the 600s. The first went ok but then really lost it for the second. I had to tough it out for the 800s, and that final 200 was fast but sloppy, form all over the place. But, I really enjoy the running with a group, especially for a hard track workout. Seriously, I don't think I would be out there if it wasn't for all the other people and the mutual support.

    3. The previous two items have one major thing in common: HEAT! The thermostat has been turned up and its playing havoc on peoples running. Some of the other blogs and people I follow are mentioning the effects. Time to slow it down a bit, pace ourselves, and let the temperature adaption begin.

    4. I'm slowing trying to phase things out of my diet, and replace with better alternatives. I gave up all store bought pastries this week, and have been limiting my chai lattes to one a day. This week I'm planning to start replacing the latte's with chocolate milk - not much better for you but definitely a cheaper alternative. I'm also working on mindful eating. More on that one later.

    5. Finally, rest. This weekend was unique for me. I had nowhere to be, no schedule to keep, no plans to be had. Just whatever I wanted to do at the moment. It's been a long time and I'm glad to finally get some much needed rest. The only thing I would do differently is maybe get out of town. Again, not keep any kind of agenda other than to just be; however there are still a lot of the homeward distractions for now. Still, this is what I've needed for a while.

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  • Friday Five #1 - the catching up edition They say that great writers, programmers, artist, etc...steal. So, in effort to create more regular content I'm doing just that! So here is the first of my weekly "Friday Fives" (and not only that, it's two days late, coming on a Sunday!)

    The catching up edition, aka Chris hasn't posted a blog in a really long time so here's what's new, what he's up to, and what he's thinking about.

    1. Race Report - Shamrock Half Marathon goal was successful! I finished the March 21st race with a PR of 1:56:50. Ran with a steady effort which earned me my best time yet (as well as a couple of major blisters on my feet!) It felt really good to cross the finish line and see the clock leading with a "1" for the first time ever, and I look forward to improving even more.

    2. Training updates - on the flip side of things, my weekly running has really tanked since that race. I had a couple of solid 30 miles weeks, and then the "real life" schedule got the best of me and steady running just vanished. Or I should say, I *allowed* my schedule to get the best of me. Take ownership and don't make excuses!

    3. Crossfit - the past three weeks I've been attending the Takeoff! class at Crossfit Hampton Roads. While I am familiar with short, intense workouts, and whole body training, their style is still a new method of working out for me. In some areas we have a conflict of wills - Crossfit doesn't care much for long, slow, cardio, where as a marathoner I thrive on it - but I'm still liking it for cross training, and for the community it offers. I will have an end of training report in two weeks when my class has finished.

    4. Coaching - I am now a RRCA (Road Runner's Club of America) Certified Running Coach! Once I finish my goals & business objectives, I will begin offering my services as a coach, helping others achieve their running & racing goals, as I work to achieve my own.

    5. Change in mission plan - Originally, I set this site up to record my training as I promoted my business as a Team Beachbody Coach. WHile I still believe in Beachbody's products, and overall mission, I realize I am not doing enough on my own promoting the business to make much of it on my own. So, while I will occasional post things related to their products, I'm going to focus more on my RRCA Coaching business and building that.

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  • Micro-goals I've read that in pursuit of a big goal, you need to set steps, benchmarks, milestones, etc. along the way. Two areas that I need to work on as I head towads a sub-4 marathon are my bodyweight, and current race speed.

    So, my first milestone date is March 21st at the Shamrock Half Marathon.

    My goal is to run under two hours. Currently, my official half marathon PR is about a 2:13, although I ran 2:09 at the half split during the Richmond Marathon.

    Along with that, my weight goal is to be under 200 lbs again for the half. I briefly hit 199 while training for MCM and Richmond, but the holidays & my trip to Disney World (or I should say, the bad habits I maintained during those periods) put my back up to about 211.

    I will track my weight every Sunday between now and Shamrock.

    Have you set any mini goals as you progress to you big one?

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  • Sidelined After getting a couple of wet three milers in late last week, I woke Friday to a pretty nasty head cold, that has stuck with me most of the weekend. The result? A really lousy net of 6 miles for the week.

    But, I did manage to push myself out the door Wednesday & Thursday, despite unfavorable weather. Friday night & most of yesterday were pretty miserable, so I am confident that I made the right decision by not pushing it too much - today, while I'm still a little stuffed up, I'm certainly on the recovery side, feeling quite a bit better.

    Lesson learned: listen to you body, if you're sick and you think you may need some rest, take a little time now so you don't lose more time later.

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