Its seems that there are "runners" out there that think if you ever walk during a run you are not a real runner. I find that this could not be further from the truth. As I was out running with our Half Marathon training group last Saturday, I noted to myself that my body was just not feeling up to it and not really responding for whatever reason that day. Although on long runs I typically do take 1 minute walk breaks this was a 7 miler and supposed to be a short run, but I found that I needed to take multiple walk breaks just to get through it.
What I always find interesting when I take walk breaks is that it doesn't affect my time all that bad. Now if I am going out trying to qualify for Boston then I may need to re-think this, however when I am taking walk breaks and my finish time only suffers by 3 or 4 minutes, I can live with that, especially if I am having a bad day. Also as I get older (and I am not that old) I am adding to my running longevity by taking walk breaks because its easier on my legs to offer them a bit of recovery during runs.
I have never been a speed merchant while running. Don't know that I ever will be. But I do know that I have found much more enjoyment in my long runs when I am able to take a short walk break and enjoy my surroundings that much more. And yes, I still consider myself a runner.
This is a question we get at least once a week if not more. What is the best running shoe out there? The million dollar question. And the answer is.....its up to you to decide. As many of you know that have come into our store, we go through a very thorough fitting process. We look at your arches, watch you walk, and use video gait analysis to further narrow down what would be the best shoe for you. However once we get down to the final choices it really becomes about what shoe fits your foot the best and performs best for you. Some customers will come in and swear to the grave one brand over the other, but the fact is there is alot of good technology out there these days and most of the reputable shoe companies are doing good work in their research and development to put out high quality products. This is why we bring you more than one brand choice instead of just bringing one shoe out and telling you this is the one for you.
There are some stores out there that may advertise they will tell you the best shoe for you, but take that with a grain of salt. What they should be doing is putting you in the right category of shoe, but letting you choose which one you like the best on your foot. That is not to discount any input the seller has, because after all we look at alot of feet in shoes, so there is cause to listen if we watch you run or walk in a shoe and see it may not be working well for you.
The important thing to remember is first get fitted properly. But when you stand in front of the shoe wall keep an open mind to the different technologies each brand brings to the table and try on at least 3 to compare. As I said before, there are alot of really good products out there these days, more than even 5 years ago. So again, what is the best shoe out there.........you fill in the blank.
In the sport of football once the offense gets within their opponents 20 yard line driving to the end zone its referred to as the team being in the red zone. This is because you are almost there but its about to get tougher because the defense is going to step it up to stop you,,,so the question becomes can the offense get to the end.
Over the years I have notice a red zone of training. Training is relative to each person. Some people consider training for their first 5k to be difficult, while others feel the same about a marathon. Regardless I think most people enter the red zone of training. When you begin training, especially if you begin with a group of people, there is this excitement. You have set a goal, you are working with others to achieve a common goal, everything is fresh. A few weeks into training you start to see some improvement in your performance, you are feeling good about yourself. Then you enter the red zone. The red zone is that point you reach a few weeks out of the event and you are sick of training and ready to get to the start line.
This is the real test. Its time to test your mental toughness. Can you push through the red zone to get to the race. Many people will opt to quit. They get tired, think they can't do it and their done. You have to keep a positive mental attitude during this time. Think about all you have invested in yourself, your time, your efforts, and sometimes even money. Think about how far you have come and how little you have left to go.
In Ironman training, a common thought is that the training is harder than the race. I have found this to be true. If you stay committed and get through the training, race day will take care of itself. So next time you enter the red zone of training, tighten your belt, stay positive and get yourself to the race.
