Watches

I know that I have already touched down on gear and all that fun stuff; but I feel the need to speak one last time about a particular type of gear. Watches come in so many different styles nowadays. There are the fancy ones (not really too great for an active running lifestyle, unless you're James Bond of course), there are the basic athletic watches with the date, time, timer, and alarm, and then there are the TomTom style GPS watches. This is what I'm going to talk about more in depth today. GPS watches are pretty useful all around. They have the time, date, timer, alarm, how far you've run, your current and average pace, your calorie burning, and much more. The new watch that falls under this category is the new Nike+ SportWatch GPS. It is $169 and pretty awesome if I don't say so myself.

(Here's a piture for fun)

This watch does all of the above, plus it can plug into your computer to track your mileage. (as seen here)

It can also be synced with your Nike+ iPod setup for maximum awesomeness. (seen here) Pretty awesome, I know. Have fun running!

The Milk Mile

This one is pretty nasty; so heads up. Okay, so Thompson Valley High School (another school in a nearby city) has an event twice a year at their track called the “Milk Mile”. Already sounds gross, doesn’t it? Every person has to drink a half gallon of whole chocolate milk and run a mile. Sounds easy. No, it isn’t! The rules are as follows: No cheating (Pouring milk out, running 3 laps, etc…), you must keep your carton at the starting line, and you must drink all of your milk before the final lap. Easy rules to follow. So today at 6:45 pm a few friends from the Cross Country team at FCHS and I start the race. A few people start off without drinking any milk, some drink some milk, and then there’s me, I drank it all before I started. I finished the carton as the guys who were finishing their first lap were coming in. I ran and made it about ten steps before I threw up, then another 20 steps, and so on. My first lap was just under 6 minutes (including the milk drinking time). I had already thrown up about a ¼ gallon of chocolate milk at this point. My final time was 9 minutes 7 seconds. I got second on my team by 13 seconds. The top girl ran a 10:18. The top guy ran a 6:17; yes, that’s crazy! 2nd through 6th place ran in the high 7 minutes to high 8 minutes. I got 7th overall, not too bad. This is going to sound ridiculous, but I had a lot of fun with the guys, and the pretty good fan turn out, who were there. I suggest it to any high schoolers (who don’t mind throwing up chocolate milk) in the Ft. Collins, Loveland, Windsor areas to go to this, it’s a fun experience.

Photos

They say a picture is worth a thousand words; so I figured this was all that was needed. Enjoy!

Cross Training. These are just a few ways to stay in great running shape while you are injured and out from running. My personal favorite is cycling, you aren’t staying in one place for two hours but you’re moving around scenery that you enjoy.

Horsetooth. Horsetooth rock is an excellent local Fort Collins spot for runs at any time of day. At the end of the run there is a short climb to the top of Horsetooth rock. Have fun up there!

Trail Runs. These are just some trail running pictures of what I deem great quality runs that I would love to someday go on and complete. If anyone has any pictures of your trail runs that you think are good, email them to me at BErvin1341@gmail.com.

Upcoming Races

You may be wondering when some upcoming races are and where they are. Here is a link to a reliable source with all of the upcoming races in Colorado this coming year (Most races are annual so years to come as well): http://www.runningintheusa.com/race/List.aspx?State=CO. For those of you who are not Coloradans, here’s a link for you to find races every day in your state: http://www.runningintheusa.com/Default.aspx. Now all you distance runners across the country can find a date that works best with your schedule and training plan. My favorite type of race is a simple 5K. This is so the training that I am already used to from school can be carried over to my off-season and used for road races and 5K’s around the area. My two favorite 5K’s in the Fort Collins area are the Nick Seaman 5K at Fossil Ridge’s course (no profits go to FRHS) and the Rat race in Ault. Have fun planning and competing in your local races!

Gear

For every distance runner there is going to be gear to use during or surrounding the run. The most common gear is obviously running shoes, shorts, shirts, and socks. I’ll touch base on these briefly. The gear that not every distance runner needs but will definitely come in handy are watches, beanies, sleeves, gloves, water belts, and energy drinks and food. A good pair of running shoes specialized to the runner is always necessary; your best bet is to go into a store like Runner’s Roost and have an employee size your foot and determine what type of shoe is best for you. Don’t always get the “pretty” looking shoe. Running shorts come in all types, for men, I suggest mid-thigh, light-weight shorts, you can find these at Dick’s Sporting Goods or any other running store. You are going to want a thin, breathable T-shirt or none at all, to run in; you can find this with your new shorts. Socks are a little different; you don’t want to get high socks because they tend to absorb more sweat. I suggest ankle socks that come right above the ankle or the shorter ones with the heel pad so you don’t blister. Although a watch isn’t necessary for running, it is a good thing to have. You can find a good watch with multiple settings at Wal-Mart for as low as $7 or an even nicer one on the Nike website. For winter runs it’s never fun to run with lots of layers on or with none at all. This is why I wear a beanie, gloves, and arm sleeves. They are all thin but they’ll keep you warm. Your legs will stay warm if you’re running. Lastly, energy drinks and foods will always help out. I drink a Gatorade post-workout protein shake and eat a Power Bar after my runs to replenish my energy. These are some helpful hinters to the gear for distance running. Some links for reviews and gear: http://www.runningwarehouse.com/catpage-MRANIKE.html http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2011-06/gear-help-long-distance-runners-get-shape http://www.livestrong.com/running-shoe-reviews/ http://running.about.com/od/shoesapparelandgear/tp/marathontraininggear.htm

State Title #68

On Saturday, May 19, Fort Collins high school boys won the Colorado State Championship Track Meet. This is state title number 68 for the Lambkins and the second state title for the boys distance runners this school year. State title number 67 was awarded to the boys Cross Country team earlier this school year. One of the top performances leading to the track and field state title coming from distance was 18 points coming from Jeff Abbey and Griffin Hay in the 2 mile. Griffin Hay placed first with a time of 9:30.61 scoring 10 points for FCHS ad Jeff Abbey placing second with a time of 9:33.30 scoring 8 points for FCHS. These two runners are both seniors leaving a big legacy for the juniors, sophomores, and freshman of Fort Collins. It will be our goal as a boys cross country team and track team next year to create a legacy that is just as great as this year's. It will be our goal as the incoming seniors to win the state title for ourselves and our school. Go Lambkins!

Trail Runs

Trail routes in Colorado are some of the best in the United States. Below is a list of some of the top rated Colorado running trails and why according to trails.com. #1. High Line Canal – This trail is 28.6 miles in length and is located in Littleton. This trail has been rated a beginner run due to its flat surface and easy running surface by runners who have visited the area. This trail is one where the runner can turn around at any point and return to their car. #2. Mesa Trail Loop – This trail is 6.5 miles and is located just south of Boulder. For the first two miles the trail is smooth and wide. As you continue, the trail gets narrower and is rocky. As the trail gets steeper downhill it gets smoother as well. #3. Anne U. White Trail – This trail is 3.3 miles and is located along Four Mile Creek. It is a well-maintained trail. There is some sandy trail surface, as well as occasional rocks along the trail. #4. Colorado / Green Mountain Trails – This trail is 13.9 miles and is located in Denver. The trail is located on a large number of rolling hills. The downside of this trail is that it is shared by mountain bikers and it gets crowded on weekends. The trail has a sandy base and has almost 2,000 feet of vertical gain. #5. Barr Trail – This trail is 12.8 miles and is located in Colorado Springs. The downsides of this trail is that it is very popular in the community and there are typically over 100 people on the trail at one time on the summer weekends and because of the high temperatures the parking lot is usually filled up by 6 a.m. The best way to beat both of these problems would be to show up around 5 a.m. and beat the traffic and the heat. The trail has an average ten degree angle of ascent for over six miles. The gradient is 14 degrees for the first 3 miles. As you can see, trail running is a big-time activity in the state of Colorado. This is why the state spends a lot of funding on keeping the public trails for runners (and others) well-maintained and safe. Have fun on your runs on the trails!

Cross Training

In everybody’s running career there will be an injury and it will keep you as a runner off your feet. This doesn’t mean you can’t still stay in shape for when you get back to training on your feet again. The trick to this is to get an equally difficult workout off your feet as you would while running. What you need to do as the runner is take the mileage you have for that particular day, say eight (8) miles, and determine how long it will take, say roughly forty (40) minutes. Go to your local gym or weight room and use the elliptical or stationary bike on the same intensity as the run and train for the previously determined time. Try to keep the workout as similar to your typical run as possible in order to achieve the same workout. If you usually stop and stretch or activate your muscles six (6) minutes into your run, you need to do the same while training in the gym. I don’t endorse cross training if it is not necessary. This is because no matter how closely you try to get the same workout in a gym, it will never replace an actual run. Good luck!

Strategy (5k)

When you go to run a 5k (or any other race) you don’t want to go out and hope for the best. When you go out to race you want to have a strategic plan to your pacing and know how you are going to run. There are some terms that you need to know as somebody who is going to pace themselves such as: positive and negative splits, floating, and surging. A positive split is when your previous section of the race is faster than the succeeding segment. A negative split is the opposite of a positive split, for example: you run a 62 second 1st lap of a mile and a 64 second 2nd lap. Everyone has a different strategy that is best for them. A basic strategy for different level runners by Rick Morris, a running trainer, is very helpful. [ Runner Type = Recommended Pacing Strategy Beginning Runner = Even Effort Recreational Runner = Even Pacing Pacer ( Runs for a time goal) = Negative Splits Beginning Competitive Runner = Negative Splits or Middle Push/Strong Finish Experienced Competitive Runner = Strong Start/Middle Float with a Strong Finish ] Once you know what strategy is best for you, you can now successfully use it in a race.

Practices

When you start training, you want to have pretty low mileage and then work up to higher mileage as the season moves on. In the beginning of the training season: Monday: three(3) easy miles. Tuesday: five (5) easy miles. Wednesday: nine (9) easy miles. Thursday: five (5) medium miles (roughly 6:30 pace). Friday: six (6) easy miles (about 40 minutes total). Saturday: five (5) easy miles. As you progress through the season, you want to up your mileage. This is so you are getting used to the higher mileage at the same pace and being able to hold that pace for the whole run. In the midle of the training season: Monday: seven (7) miles (Aerobic intervals)(get your heart pumping). Tuesday: seven (7) easy miles. Wednesday: fourteen (14) LSD miles. Thursday: seven (7) medium miles. Friday: two (2) mile tempo run (sub 11:20)(eight (8) miles total). Saturday: sixteen (16) easy miles (break up into 2 seperate runs in the day). Take Sundays off as a way to rest your body for the week to come. Another option is to take a few miles off of Saturday's run and run them on a Sunday to get the same workout but not have a day off. This way of training is to get your body in shape for the racing season to come. When you are getting ready for the big race of the season, you want to taper for that race. You are going to train hard and then for the week of the race, cut lots of mileage. This is so your body is still in peak condition but has less stress from running high mileage. After the race, begin slowly working your mileage back up.

Determining Skill-Level

You may be wondering how to rate yourself when it comes to running. You may be asking, "How do I compare to this blogger?". Well this is how. Go on a short three (3) mile run at a medium pace and time yourself. My postings and mileage are based on what I do (ex. 5:50 - 6:10 pace = medium run). Hard runs, like tempos, will be paced at roughly a 5:30 pace; these runs shouldn't be much further that four (4) miles at this pace. The easy runs aren't really paced, they are for recovery and base mileage (ex. Long Slow Distance runs (LSD runs)). If the pace is too much, I suggest adjusting the your pace and cutting a mile or two. Keep following for more running info and tips now that you've determined your skill-level!

Introduction

Hi, Running the Distance is all about the sport of distance running. It will explain practices, strategies, cross-training, how to determine your own skill level, and the upcoming state championship track meet this coming May. It will include photos and occasional videos relating to gear, routes, maps, and more. The practices listed will be done by myself as well, I will post how far to run, at what pace, and my results of the run. Skill-level will be determined as well, the practices will be based on my own skill-level and I will explain how to determine your own. Thanks for following!