Kalamazoo Area Runners Beyond Marathon Training!

Gale Fischer Sets New PR at the Illinois Marathon

2009-04-12T04:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a rave review on the inaugural Illinois Marathon held Saturday, April 11th! This just came in from Gale Fischer.

I had a great time at the Illinois Marathon this weekend. The event was much bigger than expected with nearly 9000 participants in all events with almost 2000 in the marathon. Featured speakers for the expo and pasta dinner were Bart Yasso and Dick Beardsley. Listening to Dick Beardsely speak was worth the drive down. I finished 31 overall and was the 4th in my age group. I set a PR by over a minute and a half coming in at 2:56:52.

Beyond Boasts Martian Marathon Finishers!

2009-04-08T19:11:00.000-07:00

Huns Brown qualifies for Boston 2010 at Martian Marathon

Reports just came in from the far reaches of outer space that Beyond Marathon Results are starting to roll in. At Sunday's Martian Marathon, Angela Van Heest finished her very first 26.2 despite becoming ill with a stomach malady midrace. “It was the best first half marathon I ever ran,” reported Angela. It comes as no surprise that the super fast Huns Brown ran a Boston-qualifying 3:09:46 Martian Marathon and finished 19th overall for the men. Despite defecting to Borgess Run Camp earlier in the season, Joel Pennington reported in that he ran a 4:01 Martian as a “training run.” Congratulations to all our Beyond Marathon Training Martian Marathon finishers. Let us know if we missed anyone!

Pace It or Break It!

2009-04-01T03:24:00.000-07:00

Predicting Marathon Pace

As the spring marathon season approaches, it is important for you to nail down your best marathon pace. Improper pacing is the number one mistake that marathoners make so having a really good idea of what is a reasonable pace can make your marathon experience much more successful (and enjoyable!). During the winter training months, tune up races are few and far between, and training runs are usually slowed due to slick road conditions making marathon time prediction even more challenging. Below are some methods recommended by exercise physiologist Greg McMillan in a Running Times E-Newsletter. Thanks to Chris Crowell for passing this information along.

For those running the Boston Marathon, make your own Boston Pacing Bracelet at www.box.net/public/75o3rqgty9. You can chose from a variety of pacing strategies including even effort, fairly even effort, even pace, fairly even pace as well as customized.

Ways to Predict Your Best Marathon Pace

Runners and coaches have found several ways to estimate your best marathon pace. Here are a few good ones:

1) Race a half-marathon (if you are doing Boston or similar timed marathon, it is late for this option). Take your half-marathon time and double it then add five minutes. This has long been a quick rule of thumb for predicting marathon time. Doubling your half-marathon time and adding seven minutes is a bit more realistic for most marathoners. Of course, you can always use one of the many race time calculators and charts available online and in many running books to also gauge the marathon time predicted by your half-marathon performance.

2) Perform eight to ten 800 meter repeats. Run each repeat in the minutes and seconds of your goal hours and minutes of your upcoming marathon. Take equal recovery jog between each. For example, if you want to run three hours and thirty minutes for your marathon then run eight to ten 800 meter (2 laps of the track) repeats in 3 minutes and 30 seconds taking 3 minutes and 30 seconds jog between each. If you can perform this workout without having to strain to hit the time then this would predict that your marathon pace is reasonable. Special thanks to Bart Yasso for this “Yasso 800” workout.

3) Perform two to four marathon pace runs where you warm up then run for four to 10 miles at your goal marathon pace. If you can build up to an eight to 10 mile marathon pace run and not have to work exceedingly hard to maintain the pace, then your goal marathon pace is reasonable.

4) Run marathon pace at the end of a few long runs. If you can run the last four to eight miles of a long run at your goal marathon pace then your goal pace is reasonable. Do this on two to four long runs in the last couple of months before your marathon to get another gauge of whether your marathon pace is reasonable.

All of these methods are good but most coaches and runners find that there is no one single best predictor. Rather, it is a good idea to use several of the predictors listed above to better determine your best marathon pace. If you have a “best effort” recent race time of any distance, you can also use the McMillan Running Calculator to predict your marathon time as well as a wealth of information on your appropriate training pace.
McMillan Running Calculator

Greg McMillan is an exercise physiologist and certified USA Track and Field coach. He helps runners via his website http://www.macmillanrunning.com/.

Everything You Need to Know About Taper Time!

2009-03-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

No, that isn't what was meant by tapering.

We didn't conspire to all wear red...Promise!

Why Taper?
Rest is as important to your marathon or half marathon training as your workouts. This is especially true for the taper period, or the two to three weeks before the big event! Training provides the long term improvements necessary to successfully complete a marathon or half marathon. Training leaves athletes a bit tired most of the time. The 3-week cycles in the training schedules provide some reduction in fatigue, but it is not enough to completely eliminate it and allow your body full physiological recovery. The goal of tapering is to balance continued training and resting to allow for the best possible marathon or half marathon experience. The International Journal of Sports Medicine examined over 50 scientific studies on tapering and concluded that there is no doubt tapering works. Studies have found improvements in performance of up to 16% with most studies showing 3 – 5% improvement. At a 5% improvement, that means a 3:30 marathon can become a 3:19 marathon or a 1:40 half can become a 1:35 half through proper tapering. A single workout, on the other hand will give you less than a 1% improvement in performance!

How Long Should You Taper?
Studies show for the marathon one should taper for a minimum of 2-weeks with 3 weeks being optimal. Too short a taper will leave one tired on race day while too long will lead to a loss in fitness. For the half marathon one should taper for a minimum of 10 days. A good rule of thumb to follow for distances shorter than the marathon is to taper 1 day for every 2 kilometers of race distance. It is wise to err on the side of tapering too much than not enough. NEVER try to make up for lost time due to injury, etc during the taper weeks. By this time any gains in fitness that will impact marathon performance have already been realized and attempting to make up for lost miles or workouts will just leave you fatigued at the starting line.

How Should You Reduce Training to Improve Marathon Performance?
Evidence indicates that the key to effective tapering is to substantially reduce mileage while maintaining intensity.
Reducing mileage reduces the accumulated fatigue. High intensity effort maintains fitness level. Exactly how much to reduce training mileage depends on your current training mileage, age and health. Older runners tend to need a longer taper than younger runners.

Marathon Taper Mileage Percentage
Studies have shown as a general rule of thumb for the marathon:
3rd Week Premarathon: Taper 20 – 25%
2nd Week Premarathon: Taper 40%
Marathon Week (6 days before): Taper 60%.

Three weeks before the marathon is the most important time for a successful taper. Marathoners often do too much this week because the marathon still seems a long way off. It is much better physiologically and psychologically to allow your body to start to rebound this week, or you will find yourself feeling flat the last two weeks. Often marathoners also decrease training efforts. This can result in a small loss in fitness as well as a lack of psychological reinforcement. It is more effective to intersperse harder efforts within the recovery trend. For example, the High Intensity schedule has 3 x 1-mile intervals the 2nd week pre-marathon. Marathon week itself is all easy recovery, with the exception of Tuesday or Wednesday where it is recommended you do a 6 – 7 mile run with 2 miles at marathon pace. This is a dress rehearsal, even wear the same shoes and clothes you will wear for the marathon! By this time, if you have tapered properly starting with the 3rd week, you should feel light on your feet, like you can fly…this will provide a great psychological boost!

Carbo-loading and Hydration During the Taper
It is vitally important that your muscles and liver be stocked with glycogen at the starting line. Marathoners used to deplete glycogen stores for 3 days (sometimes even completing a long run up to 20-miles the week before), then carbo-load the 3 days prior to the marathon. This is no longer recommended since carbohydrate depletion can suppress the immune system (this is why many marathoners get a cold the week after a marathon – glycogen stores have been depleted) and the long run will leave you sore and tired. What works just as well is to eat a normal diet until the last 3 days and taper your training program. Then the last 3 days, eat a high carbohydrate diet and do a short, slow run these days. Your body will store glycogen to almost the same level as if you did the whole depletion and loading program.
Also, make sure you are well-hydrated in the days leading up to the marathon so that you don’t arrive at the starting line suffering from accumulated effects of dehydration.

What You May Experience
While many runners welcome the time of rest and decreased training during the taper period, for some it can be a challenging time both physiologically and psychologically. Physiologically, your body is repairing itself after months of hard training. It is not uncommon for runners to experience a variety of aches and pains as your body goes through this process. Rest assured this is normal during the taper. Many runners have a hard time psychologically during the taper as well. It is easy to feel like you should be doing more or to fear losing fitness. The taper is the final ingredient necessary for an enjoyable marathon experience. Consider the taper to be part of your training and instead of heading out the door for the long run, dive into a good book, get some pending projects done around the house or spend more time with family. You will be glad you did when you cross the finish line of your marathon!

Sources: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL:Human Kinetics.

Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 1999. Road Racing for Serious Runners. Champaign, IL:Human Kinetics.

Memories of an R Avenue 20 Miler!

2009-03-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Angie smiles enroute to her first 20 miler

Headed for Hell (Michigan that is) for the Dances With Dirt Registration Mud Slide

Those R Ave Rollers weren't that bad, were they?

Boston will be a piece a cake after this

There is a simple explanation for this; I fell into a Lake on the way over here

Cheers!

The week's Day Sponsor

Huns Runs

The photographer is having issues focusing

Guess who just qualified for Boston?

2009-03-03T16:50:00.001-08:00

No, it isn't Old Man Winter and rest assured he didn't have ice in his mustache when he crossed the finish line of The Bank of America Tampa Marathon on Sunday.

After several attempts at a Boston qualifying time and a long hiatus from running, S-Pace Leader Rollin Richman returned to the marathon scene with a Boston qualifier debut. Rollin ran a 4:00:05 to finish 4th in his age division. Congratulations Rollin on achieving your goal to once again qualify for Boston!

Francine Bangs has been named the Asics poster child in the most recent Gazelle Sports flyer. Check out the great picture!

Finding the Balance to Avoid Overtraining Overload!

2009-02-25T03:04:00.000-08:00

We are entering our peak mileage & intensity weeks in the Beyond Program, and along with the higher mileage and intense speed training is the increased risk of overtraining. Many of us have been there. Chronic fatigue, soreness that doesn’t seem to dissipate, trouble sleeping, and numerous other symptoms may indicate the onset of this malady. Your body responds positively to training though the breakdown of muscle proteins and other physiological responses to exercise and grows stronger through the subsequent buildup. When the rate of breakdown, however, exceeds recovery it leads to the black hole known as overtraining. Temporary soreness or fatigue is not necessarily an indication of overtraining. If cutting your mileage and intensity for a few days restores your energy and performance levels, you are not over training, but simply adapting to the stresses of normal training. That is why it is important to alternate “hard days” with easy recovery days, to allow for these natural adaptations. The April 2009 edition of Running Times Magazine has an excellent article, “The Latest in Work/Rest Balance,” which emphasizes tried and true concepts in managing training and recovery.

Overtraining is a more chronic condition that often arises out of too much high intensity training and racing. It is often linked to over stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system which regulates your body’s reaction to stress. Try combining a couple of speed sessions with a race and a long run each week, and you will most likely soon find yourself on the road to chronic overload. For some it takes more, for some less, but in all cases performance suffers, fatigue sets in, and motivation vanishes into thin air. Other factors in your life outside of training and racing can also contribute to the overload, causing your mind and body to be constantly engaged, which compounds the mental and physical exhaustion.

How do you distinguish normal fatigue and soreness from “real” overtraining? Take heed to the warning signs. The earlier you can diagnose and treat the effects of overtraining, the more quickly you can recover and return to normal training and racing. The most common symptoms are:

Trouble sleeping
Increased resting heart rate
Frequent colds
Weight loss
Poor racing and training performance
Slow recovery from training
Loss of motivation for running (and other things that normally interest you)
Soreness that doesn’t subside after a few days of rest

The most common methods of identifying overtraining involve monitoring heart rate; either your resting heart rate taken first thing in the morning, or your heart rate while running at a certain pace. For either of these methods, you need to know your normal resting and training heart rates before you become overtrained. If your resting heart rate first thing in the morning is 5 + beats per minute higher than usual, it can be an indication of overtraining. Likewise, if your heart rate increases more than 4- 5% while running at a given pace (for example, your heart rate for an 8:00 min mile goes from 150 to 160 beats per minute), it can also be an indication.

Other factors such as illness, dehydration or low carbohydrate and protein intake can also lead to similar symptoms so it is important to rule these factors out. During a 3 – 5 day period, try drinking plenty of fluids, and eating sufficient carbohydrates (60-70% of your calories) and protein. Combine this with adequate sleep and 3 – 5 days of low, easy mileage. If these don’t eliminate your fatigue and you are not ill, then most likely you are overtrained.

Recovery from overtraining can only be accomplished by cutting back on your training. Training intensity is more important than training volume in recovering from overtraining, so cut back more on speed work than distance. Most cases of overtraining can usually be remedied in 10-14 days. Long term overtraining syndrome, however, may take several months to fully recover. This is usually rare, and can often be related to additional stresses or medical conditions. If you don’t feel better after two weeks, it is recommended that you see a physician for a full evaluation.

How do you prevent overtraining? The Safari training schedules incorporate a gradual build-up in training volume and intensity to allow your body time to adapt. Everyone, however, has a different threshold of the amount of training they can positively adapt to. This depends on your genetics, your fitness level and the total stresses in your life. Galloway based training schedules may be appropriate for one person, while for another who runs the same pace, Jack Daniel’s regiment may provide the best stimulus for adapting positively without overtraining. Effective training manages your body’s ability to recover and adapt. It is possible to train very hard, as long as you allow adequate time between hard workouts for recovery. Know yourself…know where your threshold is; keep a training log, pay attention to hydration and carbohydrate replenishment, and sleep!

Reference: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 1999. Road Racing for Serious Runners. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

Extra-Terrestrial Enquiror - Chili Special!

2009-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

Chili anyone? Several of our Beyond runners were lured by Chili n’ Run combos in recent weeks. Making an appearance at the Lose the Chill Chili Party and Member Reception 5k were Teresa Fulcomer and Russ Bertch who found 3.1 miles a breeze after the rigors of winter marathon training.

On February 7, several Beyond runners played hooky from their Pace Run to run the Frost bite 5k in Vicksburg, finishing not only with a Chili cook off but some amazing results. Speedster Huns Brown finished 2nd overall with a speedy 18:35. Beyond ladies took 3 of the top 4 finishes. It comes as no surprise that Hannah Norton was leading lady with a very fast 18:58. Peggy Zeeb was second female with a 21:14 while Carole Bolthouse was 4th with a 22:42. Eric Zeeb finished in the top 30, with a 23:45.

We knew the Beyond would have a few defectors to Borgess Run Camp, and those known and unknown were caught in action when Beyond Director Bonnie Sexton paid the campers a surprise visit Saturday. The “transferees” sign up for Beyond for the first few weeks, then relocate to run camp at the end of January. Stephanie Sabin let her intentions be known from the beginning that she intended to be a transferee, but we were surprised to find Rick Motter among the run camp ranks. “I like both camps and go back and forth between the two,” stated Rick, who has been dubbed as a “camp hopper.”

Joel Pennington showed up for a few early sessions of Beyond, but what a surprise when we caught him at run camp, as a team leader. “I was drafted as a team leader and simply had to sign up,” reported Joel, who has now been dubbed a "draftee." We also caught Tim Bredahl serving among the ranks of Borgess Run Camp team leaders. He informed Beyond authorities about a year ago one of his ambitions was to work with new runners and perhaps coach campers. It comes as no surprise he still carries his cell phone on the run in his attempts to multi-task work and coaching. Andrew Vidor, making a powerful comeback from the Disney Marathon, also made an appearance at Borgess Run Camp.

Beyond S-Pace Leader Rollin Richman found a solution for the midwinter blues. Read his report and weep, “The weather is the Gulf Coast is great as you might expect. In preparation for the Tampa Marathon - 1 March I did a long run on the beach yesterday with the sound of waves to keep me calm and focused. It was a nice change from the howling of a cold winter wind in your ear and ice freezing on the facial hair,” Good luck in Tampa Rollin!

Special thanks to Day Sponsors Peggy Zeeb and Natalie Dale for providing hydration for last week’s 20 mile course. Thanks to Marty Buffenbarger for leading the Plainwell Run, and Bob Smola and Francine Bangs for making sure everyone safely return from last Saturday’s 20 mile run.

Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery to Beyond runner Sherri Defouw, who sustained a fall on February 7 which resulted in surgery. Sherri and her husband Larry train with the Beyond, but stayed home that week. Sherri was running on her own from home when she slipped and fell. Fortunately, she had her cell phone to call her husband for help. The physicians are reporting she should be able to run in 3-4 months, and according to Larry, they already have their eyes on Phoenix next year! Maybe?

Get well Sherri!

Enhancing Performance with Decline Training!

2009-02-10T16:21:00.000-08:00

Bronson Boulevard is the idea grade for decline training. Ron Reid leads the pack downhill!

This past week we added Decline Training to the Maximum Velocity Meteors Training Schedule. When doing these as indicated , it is critical to find a gentle slope. Bronson Boulevard is ideal! We have all heard of “uphill” training, but why down hills? Sprinters have used downhill training for years to improve leg turnover, but it can also be beneficial to the distance runner as well and has been incorporated into many distance training programs. Decline training not only teaches you proper downhill technique, but will also improve speed while running on the flats and can even help prevent injury and muscle soreness.

When you first begin a decline training program, it is important to start with a small dose and gradually build up. Downhill running is easy on the cardiovascular system, so it is easy to overdo the pounding on muscles, connective tissue and joints. If you train carefully, however, you can actually decrease your risk of injury because your body will adapt so that it can better handle descents. After the first couple of downhill sessions, you may notice a bit of soreness in the quadriceps; this will eventually lesson and disappear as your muscles adapt to the demands of running downhill.

Increased Leg Turnover

Downhill training will increase leg turnover which improves acceleration and speed on flat terrain. Your maximal stride rate is controlled by your neuromuscular system and downhill running teaches your nervous system to allow you to run fast. Like any other skill, this is best achieved through practice.Improved Downhill Running PerformanceBill Rodgers was a great natural downhill runner and often left his competitors behind as he ran away on the descents. He was able to make down hills his personal weapon by improving that skill during training. Anyone can gain this edge by improving skill and confidence running downhill.

Reduce Delayed-onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

If you have ever run the Boston Marathon or Borgess Half Marathon you have experienced firsthand the impact downhill running can have on your muscles. When running hard downhill, your muscles work eccentrically to resist the force of gravity, which causes microscopic damage to the muscle fibers and surrounding connective tissue. This leads to inflammation and muscle soreness. Although you will be sore after the first few workouts, training on down hills protects your muscles from future damage and soreness. The muscles not only repair, but are also better able to handle future demands because the adaptations that occur within the muscle. A session of downhill running every two to three weeks is enough to maintain those adaptations.

Gaining an Advantage When Cresting a Hill

Runners will often work hard running to the top of a hill then back off slightly to recover. By practicing downhill running, you can gain an advantage by maintaining intensity over the top of a hill and down the other side.TechniqueThe key to optimal downhill training is to allow gravity to help you flow down the hill, using minimal effort. This requires proper downhill form; you must adjust your body position forward so your body remains as close as possible to perpendicular to the hill. If you try to remain upright as you would on the flats, it will actually cause a braking effect…..a common downhill running error. As you run downhill, your leg turnover should increase as you gain speed. It is also important to prevent over striding, which will also increase the braking component of downhill running; increasing the jarring forces and slowing you down. To improve balance and stay in control, keep shoulders relaxed but allow the elbows to move out moderately from your sides.

The downhill workouts most appropriate depends on your goals and experience running downhill:

Downhill reps of 75-150 meters

Downhill reps on a gentle grass slope are a great way to learn technique and improve leg turnover while minimizing the chance of injury. This technique is often used by sprinters to improve speed. It is very important to warm up well, including a few striders on the flat before launching into these. Concentrate on correct body position and on letting your legs turnover more quickly as you gain speed. Limit yourself to three to five reps the first few sessions, particularly if you haven’t done much speed work recently.

Up and Down Intervals

Up hills and down hills can be incorporated in the same workout by doing intervals in which you run up a hill hard, than sustain the intensity over the top and down the other side. If you make these intervals two – six minutes in duration (with a one to two minute recovery jog in between), these make excellent VO2 max workouts and can replace the ones listed on your training schedule. These training sessions are time-efficient as they incorporate the benefits of several different types or workouts, and reinforce the ability to maintain effort over the top of a hill and shifting technique to pick up speed on the downhill.

Hilly Courses

Doing your regular training runs on hilly courses is an effective way to get used to running downhill without major changes to your training program. To gain the most benefit, concentrate on correct downhill running technique and increasing leg turnover as you run down the hill. Making downhill running part of your training routine allows you to gain experience so that downhill running technique becomes second nature.

Race Simulation

Declines are especially important if you are training for the Boston Marathon; you need to be able to handle the descent from Wellesley into Newton Lower Falls at 15 miles, and the plunge into Boston proper after cresting Heartbreak Hill. If you are preparing for the Borgess Run Half Marathon, likewise, your body needs to be ready for the 2 mile downhill into Kalamazoo. It is important to try to simulate the descents that you will encounter in your goals races in terms of steepness, length, and where they fall within the race.

Pfitzinger, P. 2005. “Moving Up by Going Down.” Running Times 328 (July/August): 16

Winter Running Tips

2009-02-03T14:59:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing since November, Spring is around the corner, we’re all now professionals at layering and Yak Trax, and we’re finally getting around to posting some winter running tips. After reviewing several different articles, the most comprehensive advice on winter running basics came from a Runner’s World post on Winter Racing Tips. Check it out for all kinds of advice ranging from hydration to hypothermia!

Understanding the Lingo: Making Sense of Tempo Runs, Lactate Threshold and VO2 Max Intervals

2009-01-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

Lactate Threshold Training with a smile (during the summer)

Informal Tuesday Track sessions are underway at the Western Michigan University Read Field house and provide a great venue for getting in those midweek tempo, lactate threshold and VO2 Max Sessions. We are all aware that long runs are a staple of marathon training success. Lactate Threshold training is also a key ingredient and will stimulate the physiological changes to enable you to build stamina, run faster, and feel more comfortable at marathon pace. The more aggressive VO2 Max Workouts are also important towards maximizing potential and are incorporated into the Maximum Velocity Meteor Schedule. You will notice these variations are incorporated into your training schedule on Tuesdays. Lactate Threshold training is accomplished via Tempo (T) runs and Lactate Threshold (LT) or “Cruise” intervals, and VO2 Max via VO2 Max Intervals.

Tempo Runs are steady runs at lactate threshold pace that last 20 minutes or more. You should be able to maintain this pace for up to an hour in a race. In order to maintain a steady rhythm, it is recommended that tempo runs are done in mild weather conditions on flat even terrain; the goal is to maintain an even intensity of effort for a long period of time. Hills, uneven footing and poor weather conditions all interfere. A tempo run should be sandwiched between a good warm up and a cool down. Because they involve running at lactate threshold pace for a longer, concentrated period of time, tempo runs are a better use of training time than lactate threshold runs.

Lactate Threshold or “Cruise” Intervals are repeated runs at lactate threshold pace that last anywhere from 3 – 15 minutes and are broken up by short recovery periods. The brief recovery periods, which usually last about a minute, allow blood lactate levels to remain fairly constant and extend the training session a bit longer than a tempo run. Lactate threshold intervals can be anywhere from 800 meters to 2 miles in length and should also be sandwiched between a warm-up and cool down. The advantage of lactate threshold intervals is that they provide a break from the demands of the longer tempo run while still allowing an opportunity to benefit from a full lactate threshold session. They are easier to do. Like tempo runs, these should be done on a flat, even surface in mild weather conditions.

VO2 Max (VO2) workouts increase the amount of blood your heart can pump to your muscles by increasing stroke volume and increase the amount of oxygen your muscles can extract from the blood. This is important because it determines your aerobic capacity. The higher you raise your VO2 max, the greater your ability to produce energy aerobically. The more energy you can produce aerobically, the faster pace you can maintain.

Your VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen that you can take in, process and use to provide the energy you need to run. The upper limit of your VO2 max (also known as aerobic capacity) is in large part genetically predetermined. However, most runners have not “maxed” out their functional aerobic capacities and well-designed training can have a significant impact on improving your VO2 max.

How do VO2 Max workouts differ from lactate threshold workouts? VO2 Max intervals are shorter…and faster than lactate threshold intervals. They are medium length intervals of 600 – 2000 meters at current 3k - 5k race pace. The recovery period between intervals is also longer. In between each VO2 max interval jog 50 – 90 % of the time it takes to run the repeat. These workouts will increase your aerobic capacity to its upper functional limit. Anywhere from 2 ½ to 5 miles worth of intervals should be part of every VO2 max session (for example 5 x 800 meters) At this running speed, your heart rate will generally be at 95 – 100% of maximum. VO2 Max workouts are more demanding on the body than lactate threshold workouts and usually require an additional day or two of recovery above and beyond what is required by lactate threshold workouts.

How fast should you run your Tempo, Lactate Threshold and VO2 Max runs? You can obtain a personalized report using Greg McMillan’s running calculator. All you need is a recent race time, and the tool will automatically make the calculations. It provides not only Tempo (T), Lactate Threshold (LT) (Cruise Interval), and VO2 Max (VO2) training paces, but also your Easy Long Run (E), Recovery Run and Race Time Predictions for all the most commonly raced distances. To use the Greg McMillan Running Calculator simply input a recent time for any “best effort” race distance and it will provide a personal calculation of your training paces as well as predicted race times.

If you need to reference the VDOT chart or a number of other great training articles, check out the Kalamazoo Area Runners website Training Articles Page.

Reference: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 1999. Road Racing for Serious Runners. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer - 3rd Edition

2009-01-19T06:39:00.001-08:00

Check out Andrew's Special Report on the Walt Disney World Marathon

P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon was made complete with Smash Mouth in concert, lots of tunes along the course and several KAR finishes. Natalie Dale has emerged as KAR’s ladies marathon machine by cranking out another 26.2 in 4:37:24. Watch out Bob Smola, Todd Raab, and Fred Colbert, here she comes! Sherrie Mann and Cindy Owen teamed up for a synchronized 3:53:32 finish and Bob Poznanski finished with a strong 3:41:49 finish. Congratulations to all our P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona finishers.

We bring you this special report on the Walt Disney World Marathon from Andrew Vidor! Thanks for sharing Andrew!

Walt Disney World Marathon Race Report

January 11, 2009

Race Preparation

2008 was a busy race year for me with three peak races in a five month period and other various short distance road races and triathlons in between. Glass City Marathon (3:35) in April; Steelhead Ironman 70.3 (4:39) in August; and Grand Rapids Marathon (3:43) in October. Coming off a big race season left me with a significant base, a bit of fatigue and hopes for another PR.

Running and training for a 26.2 mile race in January always has its challenges living in Michigan. The snow and cold always makes it difficult to get in those quality runs and speed work. Fortunately we had dry roads once in a while and the dreaded treadmill to fall back on. I’ve learned to “tolerate” the treadmill this winter in preparation for Disney.Mandy and I arrived in Orlando late Saturday afternoon and made our way to Disney’s Wide World of Sports after dropping our luggage off at the hotel. Bus transportation throughout Disney made getting around extremely easy since we didn’t rent a car.

After picking up our race packages we wandered around the Expo for a while. Your typical expo with lots of training and racing attire and plenty of Marathon Weekend specific merchandise. We headed back to the hotel and had a light dinner at 4 pm followed by bed time at 8 pm. We were wide awake at 2:00 am so we could begin making our way to the race site. Yes, 2:00 am, some of you were still out on the town in various parts of the country. We took a cab to the resort we were going to stay at for a few days and boarded a bus shortly after 3 am. We arrived at the staging area/gear check to find a band playing 80’s and big band swing music. Time for final mental preparation and relaxation as not to waste much energy with all the hype. 5:00 am and time to make our way to the race start.

With nearly 13,000 runners we were sectioned off into corals. Mandy and I were both in Coral A which was associated with prior marathon finish times. Temperatures at race start hovered in the mid 50’s which was great for a throwaway, shorts, race singlet and light gloves. A quick good morning from Mickey and the Gang was followed by fireworks and a 5:50 am start. We were off… Since Mandyand I were both in Coral A we didn’t have to challenge the masses of people in corals farther back. We were across the start line in less than 30 seconds where Coral H takes about 15 minutes to cross the start line.

The Course

Since Florida’s largest elevation change is the Tower of Terror is a flat course and fast. The two largest hills included running up an over pass. We passed through four parks including Epcot; around Tomorrowland and through Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom; past Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom; near Disney’s Wide World of Sports; in and around Disney’s Hollywood Studios; along the river and finally finishing back at Epcot. While not in the parks we usedthe resorts roadway system to log the extra miles. With lots to see in the parks it kept your mind off racing for short durations of time.

Aid stations were spaced every few miles with plenty of hydration. I’m glad I carried my own supplements as Cliff Products were only distributed at mile 16. There were also numerous medical stations that supplied medical staff, BioFreeze and chafing cream. I’m assuming there were so many medical stations to reduce Disney’s liability. A large number of runners were participating in the event because of the allure with Disney parks and characters. Speaking of characters, there were plenty of them in the parks giving you the opportunity to high five Goofy or get your picture with Pluto.

Crowd Support

WOW! More support than you could ask for and sometimes want. The first ten miles or so included local high school bands playing music; cheerleaders keeping you pumped up; DJs spinning music and adding energy on the course. It was great to have that much entertainment the first half of the race; however, I think that it personally wasted some energy through adrenaline that would be needed later in the race. The second half of the race included music every mile or so.Crowd support was also great. Spectator points were somewhat limited but more than the other marathons I’ve ran. Hydration stations had plenty of people cheering you on. Team in Training Coaches seemed to be everywhere giving you encouragement and an extra push. As you turn the last corner, out of nowhere you see the finish chute maybe 100 yards away. People were packed at least 10 deep and on bleachers. The noise and energy was incredible.

The Experience (the good, the bad, and the ugly)

My nutrition, rest and taper plan was about as good as I could have asked for. My goal was aggressive, sub 3:30 while shooting for a 3:20. Sometimes you have to go big. I stayed about a minute behind the 3:20 pace group until mile 13 when I closed the gap to about 30 seconds. By the time we got to the half we were right on pace with 7:38 minute miles after a somewhat fast start. My body felt incredible, legs full of energy, and the pace was easy until…

At mile 16 my race turned upside down. A few hundred yards before the hydration station my stomach cramped. It brought me to a brief walk as I grabbed a water to rinse my mouth out. I’ve had stomach cramps before during training and races and knew that they would only be brief so I only stopped for maybe 5-10 seconds and was back running again at pace. I slipped a few seconds away from the 3:20 pace ground and managed to keep moving for a few more miles. The cramps only worsened and I was hardly able to drink and GU was completely out of the question. I had a few salt tabs left so I popped those to get some electrolytes since I couldn’t get even a teaspoon of GU down.

By mile 20 I was in such severe pain it seemed like I walked more than I ran because it hurt so much. Regardless of pace or time walking it just wouldn’t go away. My pace at that point hovered between 10:00 miles. Galloway was a struggle. Every endurance athlete has good days and bad days so I kept on moving. I’d run a few hundred yards until I couldn’t tolerate the stomach cramps and then walk again with my head down in misery. Rinse and repeat.Looking back there is no rhyme or reason for the cramps. You stack as many cards on your side of the table as possible in taper and hope your body cooperates race day. The crowd support and other athletes can be your best friend and your worst enemy during these points in a race. One second you love hearing someone say “Andrew, you’re doing great and looking good”. And then the next timeI hear it I think to myself, “Is there another Andrew running by me? Because I’m walking and look like I’m about to stroke out.” By the time I realized that 3:30 was even out of question I just kept trucking making my way water stop to water stop and then a few hundred yards at a time.

The last 5k I was able to perk up knowing that soon the misery and severe stomach pain would be over. I finished with a staggering 3:49; though still a respectable time considering the suffering that I’d endured for nearly the last two hours. Despite all the stomach issues my legs never seized or tired. I headed to the medical tent for a while and then a quick massage to keep my legs fresh.

Mandy’s run was much more positive. Since she PRed Grand Rapids this wasn’t a race for her. She absolutely loves Disney World and was a fun run for her. Running through Cinderella’s Castle was probably her most exciting part of the run. She soaked in everything that Disney had to offer, especially the theme parks.The race was excellent, very well organized and run. I’d recommend it to those that want to experience a fun marathon or those that might want to beat the sub zero temperatures for an early season marathon. They also have a half marathon the day before. And for those that want to log some extra miles they offer the Goofy Challenge. 13.1 miles on Saturday and 26.2 miles on Sunday plus some pretty cool bling.

Until next time train hard to race hard.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer 2nd Edition

2009-01-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

Ron Reid (pictured here on the Kal-Haven Trail) conquered the Goofy challenge

Saturday's run featured 10 and 14 miles of slipping and sliding for the hearty Beyond souls who made the trek. Boston bound Lauren Hollis ended up running 14 miles with the group, and was caught logging several more miles with some friends according to this Kalamazoo Gazette article: http://www.mlive.com/kalamazoo/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-32/12316512404690.xml&coll=7&thispage=1. Altogether, Lauren confessed to having covered 20 miles in Saturday's wild weather.

A few of the Beyond did manage to escape to Florida just in time to escape the deep freeze and run the Disney Marathon. Andrew Vidor cranked out a very respectable 3:48:44 despite some stomach cramps and Mandy Pryor a 4:20:51. Ron Reid took on the ultimate challenge; the formidable goofy challenge by running both the Disney Full and the Disney Half. Ron finished the half marathon in 2:27:15 on Saturday, then turned around and ran a 4:49:37 performance on Sunday in the marathon. Congratulations to our Disney Mickey, Donald and Goofy finishers!

Good luck to those running through Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale next weekend at P.F. Chang's Rock and Roll Marathon!

Blast Through Space with Pace Runs!

2009-01-12T17:06:00.000-08:00

This weekend is the first pace run for the maximum velocity meteors as we charge up the turbo boosters for a marathon pace run. Long runs at marathon pace are an effective way to practice running at goal marathon pace and offer a great physiological and psychological boost. Most of our long runs are done at easy (E) pace because running too far and too often at marathon pace is very demanding on the body. The recovery time required would negate the benefits of the workout.

Instead, occasional shorter Pace Runs of 8 – 15 miles are often used to simulate marathon pace, and have been inserted into the Beyond training schedules sporadically. The intention of these is to stress your body in a similar way as a marathon or half marathon, but to limit the duration of the run to minimize recovery time.

For the marathon, pace runs are performed at approximately 20 – 30 seconds slower than lactate threshold pace or .45 – 1:30 faster than your easy runs.

Pace runs provide an excellent opportunity to practice drinking and taking energy gels at race pace. They should be done on a measured course so you can monitor your pace. If you can exercise restraint and stick to marathon pace, a race of the appropriate distance is an ideal venue for a pace run. The course is marked, there are plenty of aid stations and other runners to help you along. A marked bike trail such as the Bicentennial or Kal-Haven Trail is also a suitable place for a pace run.

It is also recommended that the course simulate your marathon or half marathon topography. If you are running a flat course such as Bayshore, it is beneficial to run some of your pace runs on level terrain. Flat courses, especially in a marathon, are not always necessarily easier as you use the same muscles in the exactly way for the entire duration of the race. By the same token, if you are running a hilly marathon such as Flying Pig or Boston, you want to perform some of your pace runs on hilly terrain.

Reference: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Ice Cleats: When they are Hot, When they are Not!

2008-12-21T05:02:00.000-08:00

The most frequently asked question at the first two Beyond Runs has been whether Yak Trax or other ice cleats were appropriate for the given course conditions. Check out this Runners World Article on Ice Cleats for a description of Yak Trax, other traction accessories, and suitable conditions for using each. At the beginning of each endeavor, we will do our best to describe the terrain which we have to admit can sometimes prove to be quite insane.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer - 1st Edition

2008-12-21T04:07:00.000-08:00

Holiday Costume Contest Winner (earlier this year of course)

Welcome to the first edition of the Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer, the Beyond’s not so serious tabloid magazine. Gazelle Sports opened their doors bright and early Saturday morning to welcome invaders from outer space. A holiday costume contest followed, with Teresa Fulcomer from Battle Creek earning top honors for her brightly lit blue lights and reindeer antlers. Tara and Sarah earned runner up honors with their reindeer antlers, as did Lisa Schreiner, who arrived decked out in her dog’s Christmas bib. Hannah Norton is the new Jennifer Shaffer and is headed for Boston in April. Other Boston bound Beyond runners include Brian Abbott, Russ Bertch, Gale Fischer, Chris Gaudard, Lauren Hollis, Bonnie Sexton, Dan Smith, possibly Heather Tanja, Karen Spaude, Mark Sigfrids, Brenda Stoddard, Scott Taylor & Peggy Zeeb.

The Difference between Tempo Runs and Lactate Threshold Workouts

2008-12-14T04:02:00.001-08:00

Our Saturday morning long runs are a staple of marathon training success. Lactate Threshold training is also a key ingredient and will stimulate the physiological changes to enable you to build stamina, run faster, and feel more comfortable at marathon pace. You will notice these are incorporated into your training schedule on Tuesdays. Lactate Threshold training is accomplished via Tempo (T) runs and Lactate Threshold (LT) or “Cruise” intervals

Tempo Runs are steady runs at lactate threshold pace that last 20 minutes or more. You should be able to maintain this pace for up to an hour in a race. In order to maintain a steady rhythm, it is recommended that tempo runs are done in mild weather conditions on flat even terrain; the goal is to maintain an even intensity of effort for a long period of time. Hills, uneven footing and poor weather conditions all interfere. A tempo run should be sandwiched between a good warm up and a cool down. Because they involve running at lactate threshold pace for a longer, concentrated period of time, tempo runs are a better use of training time than lactate threshold runs.

Lactate Threshold or “Cruise” Intervals are repeated runs at lactate threshold pace that last anywhere from 3 – 15 minutes and are broken up by short recovery periods. The brief recovery periods, which usually last about a minute, allow blood lactate levels to remain fairly constant and extend the training session a bit longer than a tempo run. Lactate threshold intervals can be anywhere from 800 meters to 2 miles in length and should also be sandwiched between a warm-up and cool down. The advantage of lactate threshold intervals is that they provide a break from the demands of the longer tempo run while still allowing an opportunity to benefit from a full lactate threshold session. They are easier to do. Like tempo runs, these should be done on a flat, even surface in mild weather conditions.

How fast should you run your Tempo and Lactate Threshold runs? A great tool to determine the appropriate pace for you is the Greg McMillan running calculator. It provides not only Tempo (T)and Lactate Threshold (LT) (Cruise Interval) training pace, but also your Easy Long Run (E), Recovery Run and VO2 Max (VO2)(Speed) workout training paces as well. To use the Greg McMillan Running Calculator simply input a recent time for any race distance run while fit and at a best effort and it will provide a personal calculation of your training paces as well as predicted race times.

If you need to reference the VDOT chart or a number of other great training articles, check out the Kalamazoo Area Runners website Training Articles Page.

Who's lurking and leading in the Beyond???

2008-12-06T14:02:00.001-08:00

E.T.
Beyond Mascot
I was stranded on planet earth back in 1982 where I befriended a boy named Elliott. After fleeing government authorities and returning to outer space, I started running to build my cardiovascular system. I am not fast, but have an extraterrestrial charm that captivates audiences. I expect to phone some of my alien friends stationed at Martian Marathon headquarters in 2009 and place them on the lookout for Beyond Half and Full Marathoners.
Brian Abbott
7:30 S-Pace Leader
I’ve been running for about 25 years and got serious about training for a marathon in 2006. After a couple of hiccups at that distance, I finally put together a relatively good marathon in Grand Rapids this past fall and qualified for Boston, which will be my next marathon. I’ve lived in Portage for a little longer than two years and have been running with KAR for the past year.

Email: bripat@wmis.net

Francine Bangs
10:30 S-Pace Leader
I started running when I moved to Kalamazoo in 1982. The Borgess 5k run was my first run and I was hooked! I have run many 5k, 10k, and half marathons since then and gained many friends through running along the way. I didn’t do my first marathon until the year that I turned 50. I just had to prove to myself that I could do it. I have been doing a marathon almost every year since that first one in Columbus. I think the number of marathons is 15. I ran Chicago last October and then did Boston Marathon in April of this year. What a thrill! I have been a member of the Kalamazoo Area Runners since the mid 80’s and I am amazed at the growth of that group over the years. It is so wonderful that there is such wonderful support and interest in running in the community. I have one married daughter who accompanies me to a lot of the marathons. She is a nurse so that comes in handy when I am feeling a little bit exhausted at the end of the run! I retired from Eaton Corporation after 30 years working in information technology and am now working part time at Gazelle Sports. This fits right in with my love of running.

Email: fbangs@maxxconnect.net

Natalie Dale
10:00 S-Pace Leader
I started running shortly after I moved to Kalamazoo in 2005. I moved from Raleigh, North Carolina where I was a nationally ranked Ultimate Frisbee player. Somehow I was talked into running the Borgess half marathon that year even though I did not train for it, and had not run more than 4 consecutive miles in my life. I did much better than I expected, and was then somehow talked into training for and running the Chicago marathon for Team Tiara that year. After the marathon was over, I was exhausted and glad to be done. I had no intention of ever doing that to myself again; it was just too much work! But, I somehow found that I missed it. I decided to run the Chicago marathon again in 2007. Even though it was brutally hot and I finished an hour and a half beyond my initial Chicago time, I was hooked. I have been running marathons ever since. Currently, I have run a total of 14 marathons + 1 ultra marathon (the Kal-Haven trail). My goal is to run one in every state. Although I have not served as a pace leader before, I am excited about the opportunity and feel that I am definitely up for the challenge. The Kalamazoo Area Runners have an amazing program, and I am super excited to be a part of it this year.

Home Phone: 765-490-3344
Email: ndale16@gmail.com
Cindi MacDonald
Mission Commander, 9:30 S-Pace Leader

Deciding to get into shape about 6 years ago, Cindi took up running with her husband (Steve). After completing both the 5k and half marathon programs at the Borgess Run camp, she talked her husband into training for just “one” marathon. Now having run Cleveland , Chicago (3 times), Disney, Toledo , and Bayshore, she has caught the bug and become a marathon addict. Cindi has three step children, two granddaughters, and one grandson, whom live in Battle Creek . Her life also encompasses two four-legged children – Marti (short for Martini) a black lab/golden retriever mix and Jasi (short for Jasmine) a collie and black dog mix.
Phone: 269-388-7313 (wk) or 269-388-7313 (home)
Email: cindim@eckert-wordell.com

Rollin Richman

9:00 S-Pace Leader

I started running 5 & 10K races in early 80's, then slowly migrated to marathons, have completed 25 marathons to date, just retired from Pfizer, have 4 grandchildren, married, enjoy running, bicycle touring and water.He enjoys running, swimming and cycling. I confesses to having a bad sense of humor, and enjoy being around people. Rollin organized the first “unofficial” marathon training program, and served on the KAR Board as Treasurer for several years.

Email: rgrdog@gmail.com

Bonnie Sexton

Beyond Director, Communications, Day Sponsors, Socials
As Beyond Program Director, I am looking forward to another spectacular season of winter running as the Beyond Marathon Training program blasts off to its third year. I grew up in a suburb outside New York City, and ran track for Liberty University as a sprinter in the late 1980’s. After my sophomore year, I “retired” from competitive running. In 2002… fourteen years, a husband (Jeff), and three wonderful children (Michael (13), Steven (11) and Paige (9)) later, I returned to the sport of my youth, this time as a distance runner. In the 6 years since, I have completed 17 marathons including Boston twice. I love to share my joy of running with others though training programs. My escapades include co-organizing the 2005 KAR/SHufflers Boston-to-Bayshore Marathon Training Program, founding with KAR friends the 2007 KAR Beyond Marathon Training Program, serving as KAR Coordinator for the 2005, 2006 & 2007 Safari, and as half marathon coach for the 2006 Borgess Run Camp. I served this fall as Head Cross Country Coach of the Heritage Christian Academy Cross Country Team, and along with two assistant coaches, had the privilege of building the program from scratch. I also serve as Kalamazoo Area Runners President and have been on the Board since 2003. My “real” job is as a Human Resources Officer for National City. I am headed for Boston 2009 and looking forward to another wild winter adventure of running, training, slipping and sliding, and encouraging each Beyond Marathon Star to achieve their marathon goal while at the same time making the journey a fun-filled and life changing experience!

Phone: 269-270-5641
Email: besrun2003@yahoo.com
Dan Smith
8:30 S-Pace Leader
I am married to Jeannette, she is a Pilates instructor at West Hills, I am one of her students! I have a son named Mason who is currently making music and hanging out in Detroit. I have been running on and off for many years, and can tell you about Achilles tendon issues, foot bone issues, hip flexor, and hamstrings, but thanks to the Sports Medicine Clinic at WMU, I am still at it. I have done 8 marathons, and this year qualified for Boston for the first time at Bayshore. So there is hope, just keep running and eventually they give us old guys a break. :) Looking forward to running with you as we challenge the frozen Michigan winter once again! Yee—haaa....
Email: daniel_b_smith@yahoo.com

Bob Smola

Mission Commander

My name is Bob Smola, 45 years old and a resident of Decatur. I started running in 1978 and have been an active member of KAR for more than 20 years. I recently completed my 101st marathon while being a pacesetter at the Grand Rapids Marathon in October. I'm also a race director (Steve's "Raider Stomp") and a member of the 50 State + DC Marathon Club. December 12th will mark the 1 year anniversary of my infamous "run-surgery" adventure to Bronson.

Email: bsmola101@yahoo.com
(269) 423 - 5081 (home)(269) 423 - 7068 Ext. 288 (work)

Brenda Stoddard

R.D.Mission Commander

Back-up 8:00 min/mile S-Pace Leader)

Running has been a part of me for all of my adult life. For many years, I stayed in my comfort zone, and enjoyed training by myself and sticking with 5 and 10k's. 2002 is when I caught the "marathon bug". Since then, I have completed 15 marathons (including 5 Boston) and let me just warn you, I'm still contagious….once you get exposed to this illness, it’s tough to find a cure! Thanks to KAR, I had the great fortune of being introduced to group running in 2004. While I still do appreciate solo running, group running introduced me to a whole new meaning, level and love of running! One of my biggest motivators to keep going is: OTHER RUNNERS! I truly appreciate and cherish the positive camaraderie, instant respect and sincere understanding that runners share! It is relationship that is a rare find! Along with my love for running I also have a vested interest in nutrition. I am a Registered Dietitian at the VA medical center in Battle Creek and love it when I get the chance to combine two of my favorite passions into ONE! So, when you see me before, during or after a run; feel free to "Ask the Dietitian" any nutritional related questions and I will be more than happy to try to help! I am married to my wonderful husband Jim and we have 3 sons; Evan, Trevor and Brendan.

Email: Brenda.stoddard@verizon.net

Scott Taylor

Mission Commander, 8:00 S-Pace Leader

What’s to know about Taylor?
I am married to Kathy and have a daughter named Erin who is working for a cardiologist in Grand Rapids. She is a recent Grand Valley graduate. I teach high school biology at Galesburg-Augusta as well as coach track and field. In the fall I can be found on the Portage Central football field coaching the JV team. I have been running pretty much most of my adult life. I have completed 18 marathons to date and have been to Boston four times. The last time was 2002. Shortly after that I had one of those foot problems (plantar fa-nasty) and had to cut way back on my running. It has just been within the last two years that I have been able to train for marathons again. May 2007 I completed the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati for my first post injury marathon. Last May, I qualified for Boston at the Bayshore Marathon and will be making my fifth trip to beantown this April.

Email: sctaylor75@verizon.net

The Countdown Begins December 2, 2008!

2008-11-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

Our 3rd annual 18 week Beyond Winter Marathon Training adventure blasts off into the vast reaches of outer space Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at the Kalamazoo Area Runners Holiday Party and Orientation!!! Come join us at the Lawrence Education Center planetarium at Borgess Hospital from 7:00 – 9:00 pm for a fun filled and informative evening featuring:

Festive Holiday Party sponsored by Prater Chiropractic for all Kalamazoo Area Runners members

Marathon Training Sign-up and Packet Pick-up
Kalamazoo Valley Orthopedics Gait Clinic & Healing Moments Chair Massage Sign-up
(Clinics to be held December 13)
Winter Apparel Clinic by Gazelle Sports
Hydration Clinic by Brenda Stoddard, R.D.
Famous KAR Yankee Swap
Meet and Greet the Mission Commanders and S-Pace Leaders
Brief Marathon Training Orientation

Please RSVP Bonnie Sexton at besrun2003@yahoo.com by November 28, 2009 if you plan on attending. This is an evening you won't want to miss! If you are unable to attend and plan on participating in the Beyond, please complete and mail in a completed Registration Form by December 6, 2008.

The countdown will begin with festive holiday appetizers, salads and desserts, a winter apparel clinic by Gazelle Sports, and a hydration clinic by Brenda Stoddard, R.D. We will hold our famous “Yankee Swap” gift exchange immediately following the clinics. This isn’t your typical white elephant as we provide the gifts and the chance to unwrap a ton of fun, surprises and running related gifts. New this year, club members not participating in the Beyond, will be dismissed after the Yankee Swap. Those enrolling in the program will stay for an introduction to our Beyond leadership team, and a brief orientation. Special thanks to Prater Chiropractic Center for their generous sponsorship of the evenings events.

The Beyond runs December 13, 2008 – April 11, 2009 and is geared towards preparing runners for early spring marathons such as Boston, Martian, Flying Pig, National Marathon, Glass City and new this year, the inaugural Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon to be held April 11.

The Beyond is absolutely FREE to members of the Kalamazoo Area Runners and features High Intensity and Moderate Intensity training schedules. Run start from a variety of locations throughout Greater Kalamazoo. Check out the Beyond Snap Shot Schedule. Runners must be able to run 8 miles comfortably at program start. Runners training for the half marathon and shorter distances are welcome to register, join the group and enjoy program perks, but technical training, schedules and course maps will be geared towards the marathon. There will be S-pace leaders for rocket speeds ranging from 7:30 – 10:30 min/miles. Runners running faster or slower paces are welcome to join the program, but there will not be formal S-pace teams.

Sign-ups for the Kalamazoo Valley Orthopedics Gait Analysis and Core/Strengthening Clinic, and the Healing Moments Chair Massage will be held at the Holiday Blast Off Party. The Clinics and massage will be held on December 13. If you are not able to attend orientation on December 2, please email Bonnie Sexton at besrun2003@yahoo.com by December 6 indicating you would like to attend the clinic to hold your spot. Spaces are limited.

The Beyond Marathon Training Program is made possible thanks to the generosity of our sponsors:

Prater Chiropractic Center
Kalamazoo Valley Orthopedics
Gazelle Sports
Healing Moments Massage
The Kalamazoo Family YMCA

Extra-Terrestial Enquirer - Boston Finishers!

2008-04-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

From Start to Finish, Congratulations to all our Boston Marathon Finishers!

Can I fit in one of these?

We'll be dancing in the streets!

Oops, Future Boston Bound Stars

Congratulations and welcome home to all of our Beyond Boston Marathon finishers! You did it! If you missed the Article in the Gazette or the link in the Rundown, check out the great write up on Julie Steeby at Kalamazoo Gazette Boston Marathon Story

Francine Bangs, Portage, 4:51:31
Carole Bolthouse, Bellevue, 3:57:36
Mark Breuer, Kalamazoo, 4:02:27
Kelli Broekema, Augusta, 4:05:32
Jeff Dattilo, Portage, 3:14:38
Brian Dobbie, Vicksburg, 3:56:11
Giti Henrie, Kalamazoo, 4:05:53
Edith Lane, Galesburg, 4:17:01
Sherrie Mann, Plainwell, It’s a long story
Pam McBride, Kalamazoo, 3:59:02
Ralph Meyer, Portage, 3:35:04
Cindy Owen, Galesburg, 4:03:14
Joel Pennington, Portage, 4:10:08
Robert Poznanski, Kalamazoo, 3:33:00
Daniel Sarkipato, Kalamazoo, 3:33:59
Mark Sigfrids, Kalamazoo, 3:45:22
Karen Spaude, Richland, 4:15:27
Julie Steeby, Schoolcraft, 4:34:30
Brenda Stoddard, Schoolcraft, 3:33:59

Best of luck to Susan Miller, Kathy Neal and Larry and Sherri Defouw at the Big Sur Marathon this weekend, and to Gale Fischer, Bonnie Sexton, Peggy Zeeb and Sherrie Mann who are participating in the Running Fit Trail Half and Full Marathons. Congratulations to all our Borgess Run for the Health of It finishers. KAR/BCRR Results (including Beyond) will be posted in the next Rundown. There are Beyond participants running many upcoming marathons including Bayshore, Flying Pig, Grandmas and others. Check out the Rundown for upcoming results.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2008-04-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Best of success to all of our Boston bound Beyond runners. Julie Steeby made the front page headlines of the Saturday, April 18 Kalamazoo Gazette with her amazing story. Check it out here.

Congratulations to Andrew Vidor and Mandy Pryor who encountered winds and rains to finish their first 26.2 at last weekend’s Glass City Marathon. Not only that, but both won age division awards (top 5 medal). Andrew ran a 3:35:39 to finish 4th in his age division while Mandy ran a 3:52:42 to take 5th. The next day they found themselves volunteering at the Boston Tea Party, where Andrew assumed the role of Wheaton Hill course entertainer.

Andrew Vidor preparing for his first marathon
Also at Glass City, the Beyond's Peggy Zeeb joined Front Line Racing Team mates Julie Winter, Andrew Radully, Jason LaFave, Greg Thomas to run the 5 person mixed relay. The quintet won the team event and set a new Glass City Mixed team record in 2:49:03.

Michael Sherrard ran a smoking, Boston qualifying 3:05:36 at the Martian Marathon, finishing 3rd in his age division. In no less incredible a feat, Natalie Dale has been nominated the Fred Colbert of women’s running after finishing the 33.5 mile Kal-Haven Trail Solo Run, then turning around and running Martian Marathon the following Saturday. If that wasn’t enough, Natalie has the Country Music Marathon on her itinerary for next weekend.

Here is Natalie’s first-hand account of her trip to Mars....
On Sunday, April 6 I drove to Dearborn, Michigan and ran the Martian Marathon. It was an out-and-back run on Edward Hines Drive, which parallels a park area with a biking/walking trail. There were about 350 participants that ran the marathon course, with ten times as many running the half marathon and 10K races. The course was hillier than I expected, and could have used more water stops (which should have been super easy to do on an out-and-back), but the weather was beautiful. My knees are still recovering from running this race and the solo Kal-Haven the weekend before, but I finished third in my age group with a time of 4:15:30. Many thanks to the Boston and Beyond group for helping me to train this winter; I could not have done it without you. I look forward to more exciting events to come this summer and fall...and beyond.

Beyond participants finishing the Martian Half Marathon were Bob Poznanski in 1:41:52 and Jim Roth in 1:41:52. Congratulations to all our Martian Finishers!

Sleep Well, Rise Early!

2008-04-06T03:51:00.000-07:00

Buses begin their departure to the starting line in Hopkinton at 6:00 am.

The anticipation of Boston Marathon morning! As the big day approaches and excitement, adrenaline and anxiety mount, it is not uncommon to lose sleep due to pre-race jitters, particularly the night before. Rest assured, the loss of one night’s sleep usually isn’t enough to sabotage your experience.Research shows that if you have slept well all week, then losing sleep the night before won’t affect performance. Most experts agree that that a good night’s sleep the period of a few nights leading up to the race, particularly 2 nights prior, is most important to arriving to the starting line well rested. If you keep a normal sleeping pattern during the days going into the event and are well rested the week of the event, lying wide awake the night before shouldn’t prove to be a detriment! That doesn’t give the green light to stay up all night at a pre-race party or dinner; the evening before should still be low-key and relaxing. Save the late night partying for the post-race festivities!

Here are some tips regarding pre-race sleep:

1. If you will be awakening on race day earlier than usual, get to bed early enough the days before to get enough rest. For those running Boston, the buses begin their staggered departures to Hopkinton at 6:00 am.

2. Taking a nap the day before is a great idea to help compensate for any sleep you might lose to nerves. Be aware, however, that napping too long or too late in the day may make it harder to go to that night. Going to bed more than an hour earlier than usual can also leave you tossing and turning rather than getting a good night’s sleep!

3. Avoid caffeine after noon, don’t eat too close to bedtime to avoid an upset stomach and minimize fluid intake the last two hours prior to bedtime so you are not getting up to sue the toilet all frequently during the night.

4. Develop a routine to promote relaxation and sleep. Eat dinner, read a magazine, sift through all the cool stuff in your race expo packet, watch television, shower or take a warm bath, go to bed.

5. Have all your questions answered before you go to bed. Know exactly where and when you need to be at the starting line in the morning and have all your pre-race logistics taken care of. Have all your race day clothing & accessories laid out, your number pinned to your shorts, your chip on your shoe. That way you won’t lie in bed thinking of things.

6. Don’t run your marathon in bed by mentally rehearsing the race. Try to think of other things to help you relax.

7. If you can’t sleep, at least lay still. Try to minimize tossing and turning. Don’t get up and work or walk around. Your goal isn’t necessarily to sleep, but to spend as much time as possible off your feet and relaxing in bed.On race day, get up at least two hours before the event. Have a wake up call requested AND set the alarm in case one fails. It doesn’t hurt to set your sports watch alarm on top of it! Don’t depend alone on the hotel wake up call or an alarm clock you are unfamiliar with; too many runners have missed the start for this reason.Remember to get plenty of sleep the week before the big day…and you will mentally know you are physically well-rested!

Glover, B., and S. Glover. 1999. The Competitive Runner’s Handbook. New York, NY. Penguin Books.

Extra-Terrestial Enquirer!

2008-04-06T03:15:00.000-07:00

Natalie Dale Begins a 33.5 mile space adventure

Five runners from the Beyond discovered what lurks behind 26.2 Miles when they completed the Kal-Haven Trail Relay 33.5 solo run. Rich Schau and Brian Campbell completed the entire trek together, synchronizing their finish to 5:45:22. Tim Bredahl was close behind, finishing in 5:50:59. Ron Reid arrived a tad late to the finish line, but used his speed over distance to catch and pass 5 other solo runners. Natalie Dale was our sole solo female, finishing in 6:12:54.

In the 2-person male team competition, Bob Poznanski and Mark Sigrids combined to form team Dynamic Duo, and the pair finished 2nd in their division. What happened to their team name? Scott Taylor and Tim Sochor formed a 2 person unit without a name. They finished in 4:33:33 before heading to Clementines for post run fun. Brenda Stoddard and Andrew Vidor combined to form co-ed team Double Trouble, finishing in 4:29:51.

The Beyond’s Gale Fischer, Jon Willard, Peggy Zeeb and Bonnie Sexton were joined by Jeff Domenico and Carl Thompson as part of defending champs and 6-person co-ed team, Six Pack to Go. The record-holding team led the competition until the last mile, when the talented anchor leg from the WMU Running Club made his move and won the competition by 32 seconds. Team Six Pack’s record from 2006 still stands.

Vicky Mergen made up a brand new 3-person team category when she combined with Matt Henry and Doug Doorn to form yet another team without a name. Congratulations to all our Beyond Kal-Haven Trail Relay finishers! Thanks to the Beyond’s Julie Wojtaszek who along with Race Director Terry Hutchins coordinated this fun event to raise money for the GOTR Girls on Track Program. Check out all the finishers at 2008 Kal-Haven Trail Relay Results. Check out the pics at http://www.kalhavenrelay.blogspot.com/.

Navigating Boston Terrain!

2008-03-31T13:18:00.000-07:00

After passing the screaming Wellesley co-eds, you will encounter a steep plunge into Wellsley Center.

Congratulations! You have persevered and trained through 18 weeks of tough winter training. Despite the trials we encountered on the journey, we will soon be boarding planes or hopping into our cars headed for our final destinations. For those headed to Boston, the city portrays great history and exudes energy like none experienced anywhere else. The entire city embraces the Boston Marathon with excitement and vigor as part of the Patriots Day celebration. Children, excused from school for the holiday, are everywhere lining the course. Amidst all the enthusiasm and hype surrounding marathon weekend, you will also encounter a rather illogical street layout, marathon activities spread out all over Boston proper and beyond, and a course that has gained legendary notoriety and fame. The tips in this article and its links should help you navigate both!

The Boston Marathon course is a legend within its own right. Heartbreak Hill’s reputation extends far beyond the ranks of the running community. Despite its fame, the final of the Newton Hills isn’t the only unique attribute to the Boston course. Rather than author a mile by mile replay, however, I have attached a link to one of the best articles I have ever read describing the course and the appropriate strategy for each section. It comes from the April 2005 issue of Runners World and offers a mile by mile breakdown. This was my guide when I ran and set my PR at the 2005 Boston Marathon. Print it out, read it, study it and commit it to memory. It will help you as you leave the starting line corrals in Hopkinton and embark on your journey ending with the finish line on Boylston Street.Boston Marathon Course Tips Boston Marathon Course Map Breakdown

Once again we are passing on this great link which can be used to generate your own special pacing bracelet based on goal time, as well as several pacing strategy options ranging from effort-based pacing to even splits. Check out the Pacing Bracelet

The most important advice for navigating the city is to leave the car at home or park it in the hotel and let it stay parked! Unlike New York and Chicago, the streets of Boston proper don’t boast a perfect grid layout. Traffic marathon weekend is horrendous. Two years ago, as we drove to our hotel near the Hynes Convention Center, it took us an hour to drive around a single city block. On the flip side, the Boston subway system, the T, is relatively easy to navigate and convenient to most marathon weekend activities.

For those staying at the Omni Parker House and other hotels near Government Plaza and the Boston Common areas, the Boylston and Government Plaza Stations are also conveniently located and part of the Green Line. To get to the Freedom Run starting at Copley Park, hop on and get off at the Copley Station, also on the Green Line (note this stop is closed race day) You can get to the pasta party via the Green line Government Center station. Race Day bus boarding is most conveniently accessed via the Boylston stop, and the finish line area can be accessed via Arlington.

The only guaranteed way to get to the start in Hopkinton race morning is by using the B.A.A buses from Boston to Hopkinton race morning. Boarding times are assigned by bib numbers which last year began at 6:00 am and ended at 7:30 am. The bib number assignments are recommended, but not enforced. Parking in Hopkinton is extremely limited. We had one runner a couple of years ago try to wait the longest possible time to board, and ended up missing the shuttle altogether. Somehow she managed to obtain a police escort to the start in Hopkinton!

Once in Hopkinton, the buses will drop you off at the entrance of Athletes Village, which is worth a visit even if you are heading to the Kalamazoo Hopkinton House. Athletes Village has plenty of free food and some interesting vendors. From Athletes Village, it is a little under a mile walk to the starting corrals. The Tracey home is about halfway there on Hayden Rowe. From there, it is a short walk to the starting corrals.Plan ahead, know where you need to go and how to get there, then have FUN!

It's Taper Time!

2008-03-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

Start of the 2007 Boston Marathon

In three short weeks our Boston bound marathoners will toe the starting line of the 112th Boston Marathon. What you do during the 3 weeks known as your taper are critical to your marathon experience. Why taper?

Training provides the long term improvements necessary to successfully complete a marathon.
Training leaves athletes a bit tired most of the time.
The 3-week cycles provide some reduction in fatigue, but it is not enough to completely eliminate it and allow your body full physiological recovery.
The goal of tapering is to balance continued training and resting to allow for the best possible marathon experience.
The International Journal of Sports Medicine examined over 50 scientific studies on tapering and concluded that there is no doubt tapering works.
Studies have found improvements in performance of up to 16% with most studies showing 3 – 5% improvement. At a 5% improvement, that means a 3:30 marathon can become a 3:19 marathon through proper tapering.
A single workout, on the other hand will give you less than a 1% improvement in performance!

How Long Should You Taper?

Studies show for the marathon one should taper for a minimum of 2-weeks with 3 weeks being optimal. Too short a taper will leave one tired on race day while too long will lead to a loss in fitness.
It is wise to err on the side of tapering too little rather than too much.
NEVER try to make up for lost time due to injury, etc during the taper weeks. By this time any gains in fitness that will impact marathon performance have already been realized and attempting to make up for lost miles or workouts will just leave you fatigued at the starting line.

How Should You Reduce Training to Improve Marathon Performance?

Evidence indicates that the key to effective tapering is to substantially reduce mileage while maintaining intensity.
Reducing mileage reduces the accumulated fatigue.
High intensity effort maintains fitness level.
Exactly how much to reduce training mileage depends on your current training mileage, age and health. Older runners tend to need a longer taper than younger runners.
Studies have shown as a general rule of thumb:
3rd Week Premarathon: Taper 20 – 25%
2nd Week Premarathon: Taper 40%
Marathon Week (6 days before): Taper 60%.
Three weeks before is the most important time for a successful taper. Marathoners often do too much this week because the marathon still seems a long way off.
It is much better physiologically and psychologically to allow your body to start to rebound this week, or you will find yourself feeling flat the last two weeks.
Often marathoners also decrease training efforts. This can result in a small loss in fitness as well as a lack of psychological reinforcement.
It is more effective to intersperse harder efforts within the recovery trend.
For example, the Comet schedule has 3 x 1-mile intervals the 2nd week pre-marathon.
Marathon week itself is all easy recovery, with the exception of Tuesday or Wednesday where it is recommended you do a 6 – 7 mile run with 2 miles at marathon pace.
This is a dress rehearsal, even wear the same shoes and clothes you will wear for the marathon!
By this time, if you have tapered properly starting with the 3rd week, you should feel light on your feet, like you can fly…this will provide a great psychological boost!

Carbo-loading and Hydration During the Taper

It is vitally important that your muscles and liver be stocked with glycogen at the starting line.
Marathoners used to deplete glycogen stores for 3 days (sometimes even completing a long run up to 20-miles the week before), then carbo-load the 3 days prior to the marathon.

This is no longer recommended since carbohydrate depletion can suppress the immune system (this is why many marathoners get a cold the week after a marathon – glycogen stores have been depleted) and the long run will leave you sore and tired.

What works just as well is to eat a normal diet until the last 3 days and taper your training program.

Then the last 3 days, eat a high carbohydrate diet and do a short, slow run these days.
Your body will store glycogen to almost the same level as if you did the whole depletion and loading program.

Also, make sure you are well-hydrated in the days leading up to the marathon so that you don’t arrive at the starting line suffering from accumulated effects of dehydration.

Source:
Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL:Human Kinetics.

Tips and Links to Predicting Marathon Pace!

2008-03-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

Yasso 800's are one of several methods that can be used to predict marathon time.

As the spring marathon season approaches, it is important for you to nail down your best marathon pace. Improper pacing is the number one mistake that marathoners make so having a really good idea of what is a reasonable pace can make your marathon experience much more successful (and enjoyable!). Proper pacing can be especially difficult when navigating the early downhills of the Boston Marathon. During the winter training months, tune up races are also few and far between, and training runs are usually slowed due to slick road conditions making marathon time prediction even more challenging. For those running the Boston Marathon, make your own Boston Pacing Bracelet here. You can chose from a variety of pacing strategies including even effort, fairly even effort, even pace, fairly even pace as well as customized.

Below are some ways to predict Your Best Marathon Pace recommended by exercise physiologist Greg McMillan in a Running Times E-Newsletter.

Runners and coaches have found several ways to estimate your best marathon pace. Here are a few good ones:

1) Race a half-marathon. Take your half-marathon time and double it then add five minutes. This has long been a quick rule of thumb for predicting marathon time. Doubling your half-marathon time and adding seven minutes is a bit more realistic for most marathoners. Of course, you can always use one of the many race time calculators and charts available online and in many running books to also gauge the marathon time predicted by your half-marathon performance.

2) Perform eight to ten 800 meter repeats. Run each repeat in the minutes and seconds of your goal hours and minutes of your upcoming marathon. Take equal recovery jog between each. For example, if you want to run three hours and thirty minutes for your marathon then run eight to ten 800 meter (2 laps of the track) repeats in 3 minutes and 30 seconds taking 3 minutes and 30 seconds jog between each. If you can perform this workout without having to strain to hit the time then this would predict that your marathon pace is reasonable. Special thanks to Bart Yasso for this “Yasso 800” workout.

3) Perform two to four marathon pace runs where you warm up then run for four to 10 miles at your goal marathon pace. If you can build up to an eight to 10 mile marathon pace run and not have to work exceedingly hard to maintain the pace, then your goal marathon pace is reasonable.

4) Run marathon pace at the end of a few long runs. If you can run the last four to eight miles of a long run at your goal marathon pace then your goal pace is reasonable. Do this on two to four long runs in the last couple of months before your marathon to get another gauge of whether your marathon pace is reasonable.All of these methods are good but most coaches and runners find that there is no one single best predictor. Rather, it is a good idea to use several of the predictors listed above to better determine your best marathon pace.

If you have a “best effort” recent race time of any distance, you can also use the McMillan Running Calculator to predict your marathon time as well as a wealth of information on your appropriate training pace. Greg McMillan is an exercise physiologist and certified USA Track and Field coach. He helps runners via his website http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/.

Thanks to Ralph Meyer for passing along the Pacing Bracelet link, Chris Crowell for the Running Times E-Newsletter, and Dan Sarkipato for the McMillan Running Calculator link.

Seek and Train with Tune Up Races!

2008-03-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

The Meteor 10k or Martian Half Marathon provides a great tune up for a spring marathon

This past Saturday a few of us made a trip to Pontiac to tackle an 11 mile training run on the trails, only to find ourselves “snow plowing” without skis through as much as a foot of white powder. It didn’t take long to figure out that this would be a very slow strength run. It was so slow, in fact, that we decided to turn around 4 miles into the run and cut it down to an 8 miler for fear of not making it on time to the day’s second running adventure scheduled at noon.

One of the most common remarks heard from runners this winter has been the difficulty of getting in quality runs due to the continuous onslaught of snow, ice and cold temperatures. Those who can tolerate treadmill or indoor track miles have sought refuge indoors and have been able to churn out faster paced runs. For many, there is nothing like the great outdoors, and lots of long slow miles building strength and endurance chugging through snow covered roads, sidewalks and trails. It also leaves you wondering if you’ll have any leg speed come spring racing season, especially if you haven’t been hitting the track or treadmill for those lactate threshold, tempo and VO2 max runs.

A tune-up race is a great way to measure your current level of conditioning. During the winter and early spring months racing opportunities are limited in Michigan, but many find racing reprieve during warm weather vacations. Closer to home, the opportunities begin later this month. March 29 is the annual Kal-Haven Trail Relay , which provides a unique opportunity to get the legs moving provided mother nature cooperates and withholds a spring snow storm. April 5 & 6 are the Martian Invasion of Races which offer a fun and fast 10k and Half Marathon in addition to the marathon.

Occasional “tune-up races” are a recommended part of any training program. They serve as benchmarks of your fitness and prepare you mentally for racing. Tune-up races are all-out races; they are not races you use merely as tempo runs or pace runs. One word of caution: when doing tune-up races while “training through them,” it is important to remember that your times will be slower due to the fatigue of training even when racing all out. It is not unusual for a 10k time raced under training fatigue to be 1 – 1 ½ minutes slower than one raced when you are tapered and rested. This can provide a false indication of true fitness level. Also, don’t run tune-up races any closer than 3 weeks prior to a marathon at which you are trying to optimize performance, PR, qualify for Boston, etc, etc.

Before running a tune up race, try the mini-taper. This is where you cut back slightly on the “hard” workouts a few days before the race. Your time will be a closer indication to your true fitness level. Just how many days rest and/or easy run days do you need? It depends on what and when your last “hard” workout was. VO2 max workouts are the most taxing workouts of all. After running these 5k race pace intervals, you should allow at least 5 days recovery to allow the fatigue to lift before racing. A 5k race can also be used to replace a scheduled VO2 Max Workout. Long runs and tempo or lactate threshold runs require 4 days of recovery in order to race without the fatigue of the workout. Keep in mind, this is the amount of time it takes for the fatigue to lift, not the amount of time it takes to reap benefit from a particular workout…..this can take as much as two weeks!

Tune up races are generally shorter than the distance you are ultimately training for. The idea is to get you used to the stresses of racing and measure fitness level without prematurely running the full distance. For the Half Marathon, an 8k – 10k is an ideal distance for a tune-up race, and for the Marathon 5 miles – 25K. Any longer than that, and the recovery required will negate the benefits of the tune-up race!

Extra-Terrestrial Enquiror!

2008-03-02T02:59:00.000-08:00

Poznanski flies through New Orleans!

The marathon results are starting to roll in! We are passing along this along from Bob Smola....

Had dinner on Bourbon St. with Bob Poznanski the night before. That was great! I don't think I would've headed down there by myself anyway. "Blazin" Bob Poznanski ran a helluva race (3:26:07). KAR/BCRR and Team Garmin were well represented. My race went OK. Not knowing what to expect, I decided to start off by putting the speed dial on 9:00/miles and see what happens. Pretty much ran that pace the whole way. Finished in 3:55:20. Weather conditions were normal for down there. 50's at the start and 60's at the finish, so it wasn't too bad. It was nice to finally run in shorts and a singlet this year. Very flat course (Chicago Type). My knee was very sore afterwards, so were my legs, back, feet, etc. Gee, Imagine That!!! You think we just ran 26.2 or somethin'? In other marathon news, Todd "the animal" Raab ran the Birmingham, AL marathon February 10! "Man was it hilly." reported Todd. This coupled with the poor training on these roads net'd a 4:07 time - which makes me angry of course as I always strive to be under 4 hours." "You simply can't get in the long runs at race pace that you need to." Todd is shooting for the National Marathon in Washington DC at the end of this month.

In other news, Beyond runners paid a visit to Hell Michigan March 1 for the annual Dances With Dirt Registration Run. Beyond Borgess Run Camp defectors Tim and Kayla Kling won the lottery and their rookie Herd of Gazelles team will be participating in the 100k Relay on September 6. Mark Sigfrids will be bailing on the 50k Ultra and has joined forces with Marty Buffenbarger, Steve Downard and several others after their newbie team made the cut. Sherrie Mann combined a shopping trip with her visit to Hell to enter her veteran We Can’t Get No Stinkin’ Signal Out Here team. Peggy Zeeb and Bonnie Sexton made a trip out to Pontiac with marathon evader Dave Walch to tackle an 11 mile turned 8 mile trail run, and then registered their seasoned Come Hell, Hills or High Water, We Can’t Say No team, and run another 4 miles on snow covered trails. All this transpired just a day after a multi-couple “leap year” marriage ceremony took place at the same locale!

Extra-terrestrial Enquirer!

2008-02-24T03:44:00.000-08:00

Beyond Runners escape frigid temps and migrate south

Natalie Dale went from a steaming 80 degrees to a freezing 8 degrees after running the AIA Marathon in Ft. Lauderdale February 17 and returning to the February 23 training run. Natalie ran a 4:22:24 and is now fully heat acclimatized. Jeff Datillo was treated to perfect temps of 53 degrees in South Carolina at the February 16 BI-LO Marathon as well as a Boston qualifying finish. Jeff ran a new PR of 3:10:17 thanks to ideal conditions and tips from personal training guru Ken Dettloff. When asked if he would visit Beantown this year, Jeff’s response was “Now, I'm tempted to run Boston this April since I'm already trained, but this is not optimal on the home front with the baby coming March 28th.” “hmmmm.” Julie Wojtaszek enjoyed 85 degree weather at an all inclusive resort in Mexico, but did not run a marathon.

Our reflective vests and blinking lights were in the news along with Cindi MacDonald’s rendition of a chilly Wednesday night run. The Beyond Marathon Training program was featured in a “Cool Running” article in the Kalamazoo Gazette’s Outdoor section on Saturday, February 23. Also featured were allied forces from the SHufflers and Borgess Run Camp.

Welcome to new Beyond participants Daniel Launt and Michele German! Welcome back Julie Steeby!

Flying Downhill with Declines

2008-02-10T04:28:00.000-08:00

Save the steep grades for skiis!

High Intensity Comets will notice “Declines” interspersed in the training schedules. This workout is particularly important for those of you training for the Boston Marathon. Decline training will help prepare your quads to handle the stress of the early downhill miles of Boston as you make your descent from Hopkinton. The trick in the winter time is to find an appropriate grade free of ice, snow and slush. A grade similar to that found on Bronson Blvd is ideal.

We have all heard of “uphill” training, but why down hills? Sprinters have used downhill training for years to improve leg turnover, but it can also be beneficial to the distance runner as well and has been incorporated into many distance training programs. Decline training not only teaches you proper downhill technique, but will also improve speed while running on the flats and can even help prevent injury and muscle soreness.

When you first begin a decline training program, it is important to start with a small dose and gradually build up. Downhill running is easy on the cardiovascular system, so it is easy to overdo the pounding on muscles, connective tissue and joints. If you train carefully, however, you can actually decrease your risk of injury because your body will adapt so that it can better handle descents. After the first couple of downhill sessions, you may notice a bit of soreness in the quadriceps; this will eventually lesson and disappear as your muscles adapt to the demands of running downhill.

Increased Leg Turnover
Downhill training will increase leg turnover which improves acceleration and speed on flat terrain. Your maximal stride rate is controlled by your neuromuscular system and downhill running teaches your nervous system to allow you to run fast. Like any other skill, this is best achieved through practice.

Improved Downhill Running Performance
Bill Rodgers was a great natural downhill runner and often left his competitors behind as he ran away on the descents. He was able to make down hills his personal weapon by improving that skill during training. Anyone can gain this edge by improving skill and confidence running downhill.

Reduce Delayed-onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
If you have ever run the Boston Marathon or Borgess/National City Half Marathon you have experienced firsthand the impact downhill running can have on your muscles. When running hard downhill, your muscles work eccentrically to resist the force of gravity, which causes microscopic damage to the muscle fibers and surrounding connective tissue. This leads to inflammation and muscle soreness. Although you will be sore after the first few workouts, training on down hills protects your muscles from future damage and soreness. The muscles not only repair, but are also better able to handle future demands because the adaptations that occur within the muscle. A session of downhill running every two to three weeks is enough to maintain those adaptations.

Gaining an Advantage When Cresting a Hill
Runners will often work hard running to the top of a hill then back off slightly to recover. By practicing downhill running, you can gain an advantage by maintaining intensity over the top of a hill and down the other side.

Technique
The key to optimal downhill training is to allow gravity to help you flow down the hill, using minimal effort. This requires proper downhill form; you must adjust your body position forward so your body remains as close as possible to perpendicular to the hill. If you try to remain upright as you would on the flats, it will actually cause a braking effect…..a common downhill running error. As you run downhill, your leg turnover should increase as you gain speed. It is also important to prevent over striding, which will also increase the braking component of downhill running; increasing the jarring forces and slowing you down. To improve balance and stay in control, keep shoulders relaxed but allow the elbows to move out moderately from your sides.

The downhill workouts most appropriate depends on your goals and experience running downhill:

Downhill reps of 75-150 meters
These are the type of workouts that are scattered within your training schedule. Downhill reps on a gentle grass slope are a great way to learn technique and improve leg turnover while minimizing the chance of injury. This technique is often used by sprinters to improve speed. It is very important to warm up well, including a few striders on the flat before launching into these. Concentrate on correct body position and on letting your legs turnover more quickly as you gain speed. Limit yourself to three to five reps the first few sessions, particularly if you haven’t done much speed work recently.

Up and Down Intervals
Up hills and down hills can be incorporated in the same workout by doing intervals in which you run up a hill hard, than sustain the intensity over the top and down the other side. If you make these intervals two – six minutes in duration (with a one to two minute recovery jog in between), these make excellent VO2 max workouts and can replace the ones listed on your training schedule. These training sessions are time-efficient as they incorporate the benefits of several different types or workouts, and reinforce the ability to maintain effort over the top of a hill and shifting technique to pick up speed on the downhill.

Hilly Courses
Doing your regular training runs on hilly courses is an effective way to get used to running downhill without major changes to your training program. To gain the most benefit, concentrate on correct downhill running technique and increasing leg turnover as you run down the hill. Making downhill running part of your training routine allows you to gain experience so that downhill running technique becomes second nature.

Race Simulation
If you are training for the Borgess/National City Half Marathon, your muscles need to be able to handle the 2 mile descent from the start into downtown Kalamazoo. If you are training for the Boston Marathon, you need to be able to handle the descent from Wellesley into Newton Lower Falls at 15 miles, and the plunge into Boston proper after cresting Heartbreak Hill. If you are preparing for the ING New York City Marathon, your body needs to be ready for the downhill into Manhattan at 16 miles. It is important to try to simulate the descents that you will encounter in your goals races in terms of steepness, length, and where they fall within the race.

Pfitzinger, P. 2005. “Moving Up by Going Down.” Running Times 328 (July/August): 16

Winter Soreness!

2008-02-04T16:36:00.000-08:00

Have your winter runs been reduced to a crawl?

Feeling a bit sore? Rest assured you are not alone and are probably feeling about as beat up as New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady. Let’s face it, the last three weeks not only saw increased mileage, but the added challenge of running high mileage in snow, ice and slush.

Slipping and sliding through snow, ice and slush like we have over the past few weeks can sabotage your running form. Your muscles tense and are not used the same way they are when you run on dry surfaces. As a result, you become sore, and your risk of injury increases. Ice cleats can help in some, but not all conditions. You can read a review of several of the most popular via this Ice Cleats Review from Runners World.

The amount of muscle soreness you experience tomorrow will always be directly proportional to how far you work your muscles beyond what they are accustomed to today. Below are some tips in dealing with muscle soreness:

Start Slow, Warm Up: Always precede any high-intensity running you do with easy jogging and stretching. These precautions warm and lubricate the muscles, making the fibers less prone to tearing during the training. On Saturdays start slower than the pace you train. On Tuesdays always do a warm up slow jog followed by stretching before your work out.

Cool Down: Circulation is the primary facilitator of the muscle repair process after intense exercise. Finishing workouts with low-intensity activity keeps circulation levels up without further damaging muscle fibers and thereby kick-starts the recovery process.
Stride Outs: The most effective way to minimize muscle soreness is actually to cause it in small amounts. Doing so results in structural adaptations in the muscle that make it more resistant to future tearing. To stimulate these adaptations, do four to six 100-yard stride-outs twice per week.

Easy Recovery Runs: Muscle soreness also has a tendency to accumulate if the muscles are not given adequate opportunity to heal between hard workouts. So you should always schedule recovery workouts (short and easy) between your harder and longer training sessions. You may not feel like a run will do any good but a short easy run will aid in your recovery.

Cross Training: Cross training such as spinning, using the elliptical trainer, swimming and water running may also be used during easy days and can aid recovery by increasing blood flow and adding to cardiovascular fitness without causing additional muscle damage.

Refuel and Hydrate: You should also consume protein immediately after your workouts. The faster you get protein into your body, the faster your body can go to work repairing muscle damage. Always consume plenty of carbohydrate, to restore energy, and fluids for hydration following workouts as well. The most convenient way to get all the nutrition your body needs for immediate post-run recovery is to simply drink a carbohydrate-protein sports drink (eg. Endurox). In one study, athletes who consumed such a drink after a hard workout exhibited 36% less muscle damage than a control group the next day.

Antioxidants: Antioxidants can also reduce muscle soreness. Oxygen radicals are believed to play a role in the cellular damage that follows the rupture of muscle fibers during exercise. By consuming a diet that is high in antioxidant vitamins and enzymes you can limit this damage.
Time: Time is the only true cure for muscle soreness. Certain treatments, however, can reduce the severity of the soreness you experience while time works its magic.

Icing: Icing is the best way to reduce inflammation and the associated soreness. Combining a cold treatment with compression of the sore muscle, for example with a neoprene sleeve, is even more effective than a standard ice massage. Although not particularly appealing during the winter months, an ice bath is even better.

Elevation: Elevation is another tried-and-true treatment for inflammation. Simply sit with your legs propped above heart level for 30 minutes or more. Or simply put your butt up against a wall and raise your legs upon the wall for 10 – 15 minutes.

Massage or Self Massage: A visit to a massage therapist (we can refer you!) for a deep tissue massage or the use of a self message device such as The Stick can do wonders in enhancing circulation and stretching muscles.

Stretching: Frequent stretching also increases circulation and speeds the return to full mobility. Always stretch a sore muscle very gently, and if it is extremely sore, do not stretch it at all. In such a case light activity is a better alternative.

Many of these concepts are from:
That Hammered FeelingSimple Steps to Soften Muscle Soreness
by Matt Fitzgerald

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer and Reflective Gear Fashion Show!

2008-01-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, there really was an aid station at mile 5!

Stick close to me and you will be safe from the cars!

January 19 only 10 runners braved slippery roads to make the trek out to Decatur, but in typical Bob Smola style he made it worthwhile with a post-run spread fit to feed an army, course maps and plentiful aid stations. Thank you Bob for planning a great run and thanks to those who made the trip!

The following Saturday skis would have been more appropriate as runners hit the slopes of R Avenue and ventured into unplowed territories. “Even my Yak Trax are no match for these conditions,” reported Peggy Zeeb. Team Garmin started their run early with a 2 mile add on before the official start. “Todd Raab started even earlier and took to the roads at 5:00 am,” reported marathon wine guru Peter Gower. “When he came back it was discovered he painted snow graffiti all over my car!” Day sponsor Mark Breuer earned extra-special recognition and the "warm hands" award for traveling slick roads to drop hydration. Edie Lane was voted as the owner of the “most stylish yak trax” after showing up in her bright red version.

We would like to extend a warm welcome back to Mark Sherrard! Mark and his wife Molly were KAR members who relocated to Indiana a couple of years ago, and have now transferred back to Kalamazoo. We learned during our adventure that Mark ran an incredible 3:00:35 at last year’s Green Bay Marathon. Here is a little bit of trivia: Mark and Molly Sherrard, Brian Dobbie and Bonnie Sexton all began their “run camping” experiences at the 2003 Borgess Run Camp.

Speaking of Borgess Run Camp, they also began their 13 week “Step Up” adventure at the Borgess Health and Fitness Center this Saturday. “We found the wiki, at http://borgessruncamp.pbwiki.com/ but can't seem to locate this year’s run camp blog,” reported Beyond commander Bonnie Sexton. This is of great concern to us as it will make it very difficult to shield ourselves against any “renegade camp” attacks. Giti Henrie paid a visit to allied SHufflers forces last weekend disquised in a ski mask.

We are happy to report that Julie Steeby arrived home last Saturday and is on the road to recovery. She even made a special guest appearance at the Spirit of the Marathon movie on Thursday with her husband and runner Jon Steeby. The Spirit of the Marathon movie, by the way, was a documentary that rocked and the theater was packed so full additional chairs were pulled in and a few late arrivals who we won't embarrass by naming had to resort to floor seating. Other Beyond participants caught live on the scene were Edie Lane, Karen Spauty, Giti Henrie, Ron Reid, Rich Schau, Jeff Datillo, Karen Arrick, Bonnie Sexton, Vicky Mergen, Peggy Zeeb, Eric Zeeb, Joel Pennington, Brian Dobbie and his wife. According to reports, there were many more Beyond runners not seen, but who were rumored to be on the scene. Get well soon Mark Chicoine! It was great finally meeting Susan Miller!

Here's a bit of trivia for you? Where do all these marathoners lurk when they work? We have representation from many of the major corporations including but not limited to Pfizer, Stryker, National City, Eaton, Duncan Aviation, Special-Lite and Kellogg. Both Bronson and Borgess are represented, as well as several fine educational institutions including Western Michigan University, KVCC, Paw Paw Public Schools, Harper Creek Public Schools, Galesburg-Augusta Public Schools and Colon Public Schools.

Travel Faster Through Space with Treadmill Training!

2008-01-23T16:43:00.001-08:00

Get faster with treadmill training!

Check out this great article we are passing along from Randy Step: Treadmill Running Will Make You Faster!

As usual, I was facing the never ending shortage of too few hours in a day and not enough days in a week. After adding to the challenge temperatures approaching the single digits, I opted to skip this week's Wednesday evening group run outdoors. Instead of jumping in my car and using up more of that precious commodity we call gasoline, I walked downstairs, turned on the television and cranked out 8 miles with 2 x 2 at lactate threshold pace while watching the 5:00 and 5:30 editions of the news.

It can be a challenge to get in those Lactate Threshold runs during the winter months. Short days, slick conditions, track surfaces covered in snow, cold temperatures and brutal winds can sabotage your efforts to maintain a steady, even pace. The treadmill can be your best friend when it comes to running lactate threshold and tempo runs during the winter. Whether you have your own personal home treadmill, or head to the health club, it is often the best answer. It is safe and easy to regulate your pace and distance.

Exercise physiologists recommend elevating the treadmill 1% in order to maintain the same effort as running outdoors. The treadmill provides a little extra help by pulling your foot under your body, and you don’t have the air resistance encountered by moving through space. This same phenomenon, however, also makes you work a bit harder on the treadmill. Running in place rather than through space creates a pocket of warm air around your body causing your heart rate to elevate. You will notice you sweat a lot more on a treadmill, and it isn’t just because you are indoors, it is because you are running in an envelop of warm air.

So hop on the treadmill...you might be surprised at the results!

Practice Makes Perfect with Pace Runs!

2008-01-13T04:48:00.000-08:00

Long runs at marathon pace are an effective way to prepare you for the demands of the event and offer a great physiological and psychological boost. Most of our long runs, however, are done at endurance/easy pace because running too far and too often at marathon pace is very demanding on the body. The recovery time required would negate the benefits of the workout.

Instead, occasional shorter Pace Runs of 8 – 15 miles are often used to simulate marathon or half marathon pace, and have been inserted into the Beyond training schedules sporadically. The intention of these is to stress your body in a similar way as a marathon, but to limit the duration of the run to minimize recovery time. For the marathon, pace runs are performed at approximately 20 – 30 seconds slower than lactate threshold pace or .45 – 1:30 faster than endurance/easy runs.

Pace runs provide an excellent opportunity to practice drinking and taking energy gels at race pace. They should be done on a measured course so you can feedback on your pace. If you can exercise restraint and stick to marathon or half marathon pace, a race of the appropriate distance is an ideal venue for a pace run. The course is marked, there are plenty of aid stations and other runners to help you along. A marked bike trail is also a suitable place for a pace run.

It is also recommended that the course simulate your marathon or half marathon topography. If you are running a flat course such as Bayshore, it is beneficial to run some of your pace runs on level terrain. Flat courses, especially in a marathon, are not always necessarily easier as you use the same muscles in the exactly way for the entire duration of the race. By the same token, if you are running a hilly marathon such as Boston, you want to perform some of your pace runs on hilly terrain.

Reference: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer 3rd Edition!

2008-01-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday’s run turned into the Great Skate Half Marathon after freezing rain made for slick surfaces and runners worked their core muscles to the max trying to maintain balance. Nevertheless, skating quartet Karen Spaude, Emily Pearson, Katie Nelson and Edie Lane found the skate an exhilarating experience and we are happy to report all remained vertical despite the treacherous space terrain. Thank you Brian Dobbie for charting a new course!

Most run a marathon at the end of their training program, but Bob Poznanski blast off into outer space with a 26.2 mile mission. Bob completed the Memphis Marathon on December 1, 2007 in a Boston qualifying 3:30:34. Congratulations Bob!

Volunteerism is alive and well in the ranks of outer space. The 2007 KAR Volunteer results are in and 8 of the top 10 volunteers of the year reside in the Milky Way. Topping the list was Mark Sigfrids, whose many, many contributions to the running community through KAR earned him 140 volunteer points. Beyond S-Pace leader Francine Bangs was close behind with 130 points. Also making the top 10 were Brian Dobbie and Pat Johnson, as well as Marty Buffenbarger, Julie Wojtaszek and Bonnie Sexton who tallied up points in between their stints serving on the KAR Board. The KAR Volunteer program awards points to members who volunteer to help out with club sponsored events and programs. At the annual banquet each year, an award is given to the top 3 volunteers with the most points. Remaining volunteers are entered in a raffle. Did you know? The Beyond is 90 participants strong and still growing!

The New Year kicked off with the One One Run, Chris Crowell’s annual rendition of “Charlie Miller’s Chainsaw,” and a snow storm!!! The original Charlie Miller himself paid a visit to Spring Valley Park, and several Beyond participants made an appearance as well. Mark Sigfrids was live on the scene manning the KAR table, and of course Francine Bangs, Dottie Sullivan, Rob Lillie and Tessa Emenheiser were pitching in as part of the Gazelle Sports crew. Giti Henrie and Pat Johnson were also among those space travelers who professed to making an appearance.

Speaking of the New Year, what a beginning it was as the first day of 2008 dawned. Tuesday morning I rose out of bed ready to savor my first run of the year. As I glanced outside my dining room window, a winter wonderland was spread before my eyes with everything covered in a blanket of white, and snowflakes still falling. I contemplated trudging downstairs to my treadmill, but finally convinced myself the first run of the year should be experienced in the quiet beauty of this outdoor painting which promised the tranquility of a Kincaid scene. The winter apparel and Yak Trax went on and out the door I went. The streets of my neighborhood were unplowed, and as I ran I followed along a narrow path of tire tracks left by the few vehicles that dared to venture out. I contemplated my goals for the coming year in many areas of my life; family, spiritual, professional, running and how I can best contribute to the running community while maintaining a balanced portrait.

The New Year is a fresh new canvass to be painted with new goals, new experiences and new challenges. The slate is wiped clean from the year before as brand new adventures lie before us and we make our resolutions for the months that lie before us. For those of us who run, it means gaining a new focus as we train for the spring racing season or a spring marathon. Maybe the goal is to complete a first marathon, set some PR’s whether they be overall or age adjusted, lose 10 pounds or just take a year off of competitive racing to enjoy running for the sheer joy of it. It may mean contemplating our priorities, and figuring out where our running fits within those priorities. It is a time to explore ways we can get involved in giving back to the running community; the opportunities are many. We have the chance to not only fill existing needs, but serve as a catalyst to discover and charter new territories as we reach out as runners to the community around us. Discover your goals, find your niche and have a Happy New Year!

Train with Rest - Recovery Day Rejuvenation!

2008-01-06T12:41:00.002-08:00

One of the most common training errors runners make is training too hard or too long on recovery days. Recovery is just as important a component of training as your workouts and it is when most of the improvements occur. Recovery “rest” and/or “cross training” days are built into your Beyond training schedules and follow the hard/easy rule. A hard workout such as your long run or Lactate Threshold runs are usually followed by an easy day, and a day of rest or cross training. The only exception is the Wednesday night 2nd long run; it is a longer distance workout, but one that should be done at an easy pace.

What exactly constitutes a recovery day? It varies from person to person depending on their physiology, age, predisposition to injury, fitness level and other factors. For some it means a complete day of rest, for others a day of cross training, and for others a day of “easy” running that is shorter in distance and lower in intensity than your “hard” or “quality” days.
If you train too hard on a scheduled recovery day, you will be tired for your next quality workout and it won’t go as well as planned. This can often lead to a vicious cycle, and the tendency is to run hard the next scheduled recovery day to make up for the lackluster “hard” day. This results in a decline in performance in racing times and in your quality workouts. Just as it takes discipline to push through a 20 miler or a taxing VO2 max or Lactate Threshold session, it also takes discipline to back off and run slow the day or two following a hard session.

If you train too long during recovery days, particularly when you start adding higher intensity workouts such as lactate threshold or VO2Max sessions, it will also compromise your training. Too many slow miles on your recovery days will leave you fatigued during your hard days, and will impede your overall progress.

On recovery days, it helps to minimize the pounding on your legs and reduce the stress to your muscles and nervous system. Running on soft surfaces during recovery days will help reduce the cumulative impact your legs and back experience over the course of the week. Since you are doing your recovery days on the days your muscles are least resilient, it makes sense to reduce the impact. It is also recommended that you avoid hilly courses on recovery days….running uphill requires more effort and running downhill increases muscle damage, which is exactly the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish.

For some folks, or after certain workouts (feeling beat up after that hilly 18-miler last Saturday), not running at all, but cross training on the elliptical, spinning, water running or swimming may provide the ideal recovery day! In these workouts, you enhance your recovery by increasing blood flow, but there is no additional pounding. For others, or after certain workouts, a complete day of rest may be necessary. I always build one day of complete rest into my training schedule, and one day of cross training in the pool swimming or water running.

For those who use a heart rate monitor to train, the device can be a great tool in preventing yourself from training too hard on recovery days. You should keep your heart rate below 75 percent of your maximal heart rate. For example, if your maximal heart rate is 185 beats per minute, you will want to keep it below 139 beats per minute during your recovery workout.
Another good rule of thumb for recovery days is to run them 2 minutes slower than your 10-mile or Half Marathon pace. For example, if your half marathon pace is 8 minutes per mile, run you recovery run at 10 minute per mile pace! Take it easy, enjoy a chat with a training partner and rejuvenate!

Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Stride Out in Outer Space

2007-12-30T05:51:00.000-08:00

Strideouts provide benefits for all distances from the 5k to the Marathon

Stride outs are a beneficial and enjoyable workout that can improve both leg speed and running form.

These should be done after a good warm up, or can be done at the end of an easy run and on the road, grass or track. During the cold winter months it can be difficult to find a safe outdoor surface to perform this workout. When the grounds are snow and ice-covered it is best to do them at an indoor track such as the one we rent at WMU. Treadmills don’t work as well for stride outs as other kinds of workouts because they are so short, and the speed adjustments don’t keep pace. As soon as the treadmill attains the desired pace, it is time to adjust back down again.

Stride outs are accelerations of approximately 100 meters each with a jog recovery of about 100 meters in between. If you heart rate train, it is not necessary to monitor heart rate for these workouts as your accelerations are short enough that your heart rate is still increasing when you slow to a jog.

The key to these is to accelerate smoothly up to full speed, then hold maximal speed for 40 – 50 meters. It is important not to run so fast, however, that you start to tighten up. This is not an all out 100 meter dash! During striders, you don’t want to strain, but practice running relaxed. The first part of each stride out will be used to gradually build to maximal speed.

During the stride out, concentrate on maintaining good running form and staying relaxed. Avoid tensing up in the neck, shoulders and arms. Since it can be difficult to concentrate on all aspects of good running form at once, focus on one element during each stride out. During one stride out, focus on keeping your jaw loose. During another, practice driving with your arms forward and backward. Practice pushing off from the balls of your feet during one, maintaining good posture during another, and keeping your shoulders relaxed during yet another.

You’ll obtain the greatest benefits from doing stride outs by performing them during a moderate training session. It is best not to do them the day after a hard track session or the day after a long run. Plan them a couple of days after your last hard workout, or at least a day before your next hard one. It is ok to do them the day before a long run; many runners feel better on their long runs when they have done a set of stride outs the day before.

Reference: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 1999. Road Racing for Serious Runners. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer 2nd Edition!

2007-12-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

A holiday spirit award winner...caught eating with chop sticks from a Pineapple!.

We’ve heard the hype and it’s finally here; THE movie for the marathon addict in us is coming to the big screen. The Spirit of the Marathon will be showing at the Kalamazoo 10 Theater on Thursday, January 24, 2008 only! More information and online tickets are available at Spirit of the Marathon.

What a spectacle to behold! The holiday spirit was alive and well at last Saturday’s Beyond Training run as runners arrived decked out in tinsel, Santa hats, blinking lights, reindeer antlers, festive ties and other holiday trimmings. The winners of the holiday dress up contest were Kayla Kling, Tim Kling and Pat Johnson! Congratulations all!

Hey, I know you from somewhere! What a small world it is indeed. Unbeknownst to either of them, Mark Breuer and Jeff Datillo both landed in outer space after completing the same MBA program. Jeff Datillo and his wife are expecting their first child and Jeff is trying to get in his spring marathon during the winter before his new arrival! Mark already has kids.

Speaking of Mark Breuer, there are many multi-sport enthusiasts lurking in the Beyond including Mark, top tri-athlete Megan James, Chris Roach, Andrew Vidor and Mandy Prior. Mark is a strong advocate of the FIRST training program from Run Less, Run Faster by Pierce et al. The FIRST program incorporates 3 quality run workouts a week, with the remaining days as rest or cross training days.

Tim Bredahl has been named the Beyond’s leading experimental guinea pig after dabbling in numerous training methodologies and goals. This time Tim is shifting his focus from faster running to longer running, and will be training to run the Kal-Haven Trail 33.6 mile run, and possibly his first ultra! Bob Poznanski and Giti Henrie are neck to neck in the in the running for the Beyond's unofficial "Most Improved Space Traveler" award. Mark Breuer will be presented with the first official "Warm Helping Hands" award for his display of cold weather volunteerism.

SHufflers leader Dan Sarkipato is Boston bound and double dipping by participating in the Beyond Marathon Training Program and leading the Galloway based SHufflers program. Rob Lillie, Julie Pomeroy and Tessa Emenheiser are exploring the reaches of outer space before heading to their posts at Borgess Run Camp.

Did you know members of a National Championship team lurk within the Beyond? S-Pace Leader Peggy Zeeb and Mission Commander Bonnie Sexton ploughed through muck and slush December 8 to compete with some of the top women’s masters runners in the country at the USATF Masters National Cross Country Championships in Westchester, Ohio. Peggy Zeeb brought home the hardware as part of the first place Front Line Racing A team, and reigning women’s masters National Champions. Bonnie was the second scoring woman as part of the 6th place Front Line Racing B Team! You can check out the ladies in action at USATF Women's National XC Championships on You Tube.

Hey Space Travelers; feel free to share your stories for the Extra-terrestrial Enquirer at any time! All stories in good taste are accepted for publication!

The Inside Story on Tempo and Lactate Threshold Training

2007-12-23T03:58:00.000-08:00

A 10k race time can be used to predict training paces as well as times for other race distances using the Greg McMillan Running Calculator.
Pictured here are Julie and Jon Steeby running the Kalamazoo Klassic.

We are all aware that long runs are a staple of marathon training success. Lactate Threshold training is also a key ingredient and will stimulate the physiological changes to enable you to build stamina, run faster, and feel more comfortable at marathon pace. You will notice these are incorporated into your training schedule on Tuesdays. Lactate Threshold training is accomplished via Tempo (T) runs and Lactate Threshold (LT) or “Cruise” intervals

Tempo Runs are steady runs at lactate threshold pace that last 20 minutes or more. You should be able to maintain this pace for up to an hour in a race. In order to maintain a steady rhythm, it is recommended that tempo runs are done in mild weather conditions on flat even terrain; the goal is to maintain an even intensity of effort for a long period of time. Hills, uneven footing and poor weather conditions all interfere. A tempo run should be sandwiched between a good warm up and a cool down. Because they involve running at lactate threshold pace for a longer, concentrated period of time, tempo runs are a better use of training time than lactate threshold runs.

Lactate Threshold or “Cruise” Intervals are repeated runs at lactate threshold pace that last anywhere from 3 – 15 minutes and are broken up by short recovery periods. The brief recovery periods, which usually last about a minute, allow blood lactate levels to remain fairly constant and extend the training session a bit longer than a tempo run. Lactate threshold intervals can be anywhere from 800 meters to 2 miles in length and should also be sandwiched between a warm-up and cool down. The advantage of lactate threshold intervals is that they provide a break from the demands of the longer tempo run while still allowing an opportunity to benefit from a full lactate threshold session. They are easier to do. Like tempo runs, these should be done on a flat, even surface in mild weather conditions.

How fast should you run your Tempo and Lactate Threshold runs? After “renegade” camp leaders conferred on best marathon training secrets, we opted to lay aside the VDOT chart of yesteryear and point you to the Greg McMillan Running Calculator suggested by Dan Sarkipato. After testing by Beyond authorities, it was determined the tool provides similar results to Jack Daniel's VDOT chart. It provides not only Tempo (T)and Lactate Threshold (LT) (Cruise Interval) training pace, but also your Easy Long Run (E), Recovery Run and VO2 Max (VO2)(Speed) workout training paces as well. To use the Greg McMillan Running Calculator simply input a recent time for any race distance run while fit, and it will provide a personal calculation of your recommended training paces as well as predicted race times.

If you need to reference the VDOT chart or a number of other great training articles, check out the Kalamazoo Area Runners website Training Articles Page.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer Volume I

2007-12-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

The Beyond's "Honorary" Mission Commander

Welcome to the Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer, the galaxy’s one and only marathon training tabloid. Read closely as you never know when you may find your name buried between the lines. Most of our tales are fact, some fiction and we always issue a huge disclaimer due to the inevitability of human error, omissions and just pure conjecture. We encourage anyone and everyone from the Beyond to share their stories (in good taste of course as this isn't your typical rag mag) Why, you ask do we publish the Enquirer? It's a great way to get to know each other!

It is fact that we welcome several relative newcomers to this corner of the Milky Way. Brian Abbot landed in Portage after taking off from the Saginaw area. We learned he has never run the near-by Carrollton Marathon, but he has ventured to Duluth to run Grandmas. Brian is also an expert in journalism and an attempt has already been made to recruit him to use his talents in the running world. Jim Murray (we think we have the right Jim) recently relocated from Cincinnatti to Kalamazoo. He reports he has never run the Flying Pig Marathon and is considering blasting off this spring to Toledo's Glass City marathon. Please extend a warm welcome to Brian and Jim! If anyone else is new to kzoo please let us know so we can welcome you!

The Beyond is now 85 participants strong and still growing. What planets are some of our other travelers targeting? We won’t hold anyone to the below as this falls under the realm of pure speculation. Plans change, people move, get injured, find a new target, a new job, a new interest, a new life, etcetera. We did think it would be fun, however, to know who is targeting where in the galaxy.

Once again we have an entourage of Boston qualifiers headed for Beantown and Heartbreak Hill, many for the very first time: Francine Bangs, Carole Bolthouse, Mark Breuer, Brian Dobbie, Giti Henrie, Angie Jonas, Edie Lane, Michelle Neel, Joel Pennington, Bob Poznanski, Ralph Meyer, Shufflers guru Dan Sarkipato, Julie Steeby, Brenda Stoddard and Mark Sigfrids. There are several other qualifiers considering the trip, but haven’t made the commitment yet. Sherri Defouw, Larry Defouw, Susan Miller and Kathy Neal are headed for destination Big Sur. Bill Barnhard, Trish Downard, Tessa Emenheiser, Rob Lillie and Cindi MacDonald are among those considering Bayshore. Katie Nelson, Steve Rice, Peggy Zeeb, Eric Zeeb are hoping to fly with the Pigs in Cincinatti, while Ron Reid is contemplating racing with the horses at Kentucky Derby. Marathon wine distributer Peter Gower is headed back for wine country at Napa Valley, Tammy Jewell for Country Music and Gale Fischer and Chris Roach the trails of Pinckney in April. Many others are undecided, half marathon training or just out there for the pure fun and cameraderie of it all.

Absent in body, with us in spirit, we have made Bob Smola an honorary Mission Commander. Bob will be missing in action from early Beyond misadventures due to recent surgery, but in typical Smola style leaves us with a story to share. This one is oh so very far out outer space but straight from the horse’s mouth....

“OK, I'll admit, I finally over did it this time! You can chew me out later, everyone else has. At the time, I didn't think it was a big deal. I unexpectedly caused quite a stir at Bronson Hospital yesterday morning (Tuesday). Let me explain. I wanted to get in one last long "easy" run prior to surgery. Sooooo! Yes, I actually "ran" to Bronson (32.7 miles). What a great workout! The only hard part was running on an empty stomach, since I had to fast the 12 hours before the procedure. No food or drink (not even water). That was a little tough. After my "Pre-Op", IV, EKG, etc, the nurses couldn't understand why my electrolytes and magnesium levels were extremely low. Also, every 5 or 6 seconds my heart was giving out a "double beat". That's when I mentioned the run. Boy! did that get the place buzzing!! After more tests, they found that everything was caused by dehydration. Needless to say, they postponed the surgery until today. As far as the operation itself, I was told everything went very well. However, my surgeon didn't think it was very funny when I asked if I could just "run" back home. Some doctors have no sense of humor! This rehab-recovery time should be interesting. He did mention something about a "straight jacket". I think he was kidding. I know now what I did was pretty silly. Live and Learn. Call me Crazy? Call me Stubborn?? Call me Dedicated??? Just never boring!! I'll be thinking of "ALL" of you while I'm "not running". Throw in a couple extra miles for me. "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" to everyone.
Take Care

Press On...

Bob (What the "HELL" were you thinking) Smola

Ease On Down, Ease On Down the Road

2007-12-16T03:58:00.000-08:00

As you drift through outer space, set the cruise control, enjoy the scenery, engage in conversation and don’t forget to crack a few good jokes. Even during a group training run the adrenaline can flow and motivate you to run much faster than you need to. The purpose of easy runs and long endurance runs is to build aerobic conditioning and train the body to conserve fuel. These runs are done at about 45 – 1:30 min/mile slower than marathon race pace, 1:00 – 2:00 slower than half marathon race pace or 1:30 – 2:30 slower than 5k race pace. This should correlate to 65 – 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. You should be able to easily carry on a conversation.

Aerobic conditioning can be any distance run (or run/walk) of 20 minutes to three hours in duration. Depending on your goal time, fitness level, experience and race distance, the distance of your aerobic conditioning runs will vary quite significantly. Regardless of what distance you are training for, aerobic conditioning represents the majority of your training program. Endurance long & easy runs will:

*Increase the number of capillaries that can bring oxygen-rich blood to your muscles

*Increase the amount of oxidative enzymes within the muscle cells that help to use oxygen more efficiently

*Train the body to conserve valuable muscle glycogen supplies and use fat as fuelStrengthen the tendons and connective tissues

*Improve pulmonary capacity

If you repeatedly run your easy runs too fast, you will soon eventually find yourself in the black hole known as overtraining or on the injury list. Not only that, but the lingering fatigue from a long run done too hard will make it more challenging to complete quality lactate threshold workouts. The best benefit of all is that you will be able to carry on a conversation, get to know your training partners, enjoy the exploration of new territories and have fun on the run!

Don't Space Out on Space Safety!

2007-12-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

Wear Winter Brights not Winter Whites!

Danger lurks everywhere and you are responsible for your own safety in life not to mention flying through outer space or along the roads of planet earth. Because we truly do care about all our running friends and the blog editor happens to be an overprotective mothership, we do serve up a few nifty safety tips as we begin our winter marathon training adventure. If you have ever dreamed of dressing up as a Christmas tree now is your chance. You will need to dress to be VISIBLE and run as though you are INVISIBLE! Runners are hit by cars and even bikes in many different settings and it is important to practice “defensive running” especially out on the roads! Here are some tips to help reduce your risk:

When running the roads, remember to run against traffic and stay far, far away from cars. When running in a herd, run one or two abreast. Don’t fill the road and certainly don’t run down the middle of the road. Whether we like it or not, the streets belong to vehicles, not runners! Watch especially for vehicles making a right hand turn and make sure you make eye contact with the driver. Most of the training program mishaps we have experienced in the past have occurred when a driver making a right hand turn is watching traffic approaching from the left. They don’t expect a runner approaching from the right. Always have an escape route planned should a vehicle appear to be at risk for hitting you.

Wear brightly colored clothing at all times and reflective clothing early in the morning or in the evening when it is dark. Lightweight reflective vests, blinking lights and even a headlamp are accessories that will help approaching vehicles see you. You will notice the difference when you wear a reflective vest or other accessories….more drivers dim their brights and move over because they see you much sooner! This is especially important during the Beyond Marathon Training Program when our runs begin before dawn.

Tune into the environment, not out! Stay alert to the sounds of approaching vehicles or cyclists. Obey traffic crossing signals. Turn off the IPOD or MP3 player. It is recommended you don’t wear headphones unless you are running in an area free of traffic. Save them for the runs on the trails! Enjoy a chat with running friends instead. After all, that is partly the rationale as to why we join a program such as the Beyond.

Whenever possible, try to stay off roads when driving conditions are slippery or visibility is poor. Avoid high speed roads, especially those with no shoulder. Evaluate weather conditions. In the case of extreme weather such as a blizzard or ice storm we may cancel the run, but it is your responsibility to evaluate conditions in your own area. As a general rule of thumb, if it is too dangerous to drive, it is usually too dangerous to run outdoors. Carry ID and money. In case of an accident you will need to be identified. Road ID is a great option. Also bring cash in case of emergencies or if you need to stop for food and drink.

Last of all, use the buddy system when you are running with a large group such as the Beyond. Have a running partner or small group of running friends hold each other accountable to make sure everyone returns. If someone gets lost or injured, please let your S-pace leader or a Mission Commander know the location the runner was last seen and the nature of the injury and if the runner was walking. Be aware of the symptoms of hypothermia as indicated in this Runner World Article. In cold, windy conditions a runner can become hypothermic very quickly, especially if they stop and walk.

Many of the Beyond runners training for earlier marathons will need to add on additional miles. Stay on course and add extra mileage on at the end of the run rather than go off the mapped course. If something happened off course it would be very difficult to locate you. Run safe, run smart and it will bring you one step closer to the finish line of your spring marathon. Take care of each other out there!

Who's Who in the Extra-Terrestrial?

2007-11-30T14:33:00.002-08:00

Aiden the Alien Mascot

Born and raised on the planet Venus, I started running after relocating to the much cooler atmosphere of the planet Mars. Since then I have run all over the Milky Way Galaxy including Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus. Mercury is too steamin hot, Pluto too freezing cold. During my extra-terrestrial endeavors, I have met many friends, especially on the lush terrain of planet earth where my Martian buddies and I land in Michigan every spring to line the course for the Martian Marathon. I look forward to running for many more light years to come. See you on planet earth!

Francine Bangs

10:00 S-Pace Leader

I started running when I moved to Kalamazoo in 1982. The Borgess 5k run was my first run and I was hooked! I have run many 5k, 10k, and half marathons since then and gained many friends through running along the way. I didn’t do my first marathon until the year that I turned 50. I just had to prove to myself that I could do it. I have been doing a marathon almost every year since that first one in Columbus. I think the number of marathons is 15. I ran Chicago last October and then did Boston Marathon in April of this year. What a thrill! I have been a member of the Kalamazoo Area Runners since the mid 80’s and I am amazed at the growth of that group over the years. It is so wonderful that there is such wonderful support and interest in running in the community. I have one married daughter who accompanies me to a lot of the marathons. She is a nurse so that comes in handy when I am feeling a little bit exhausted at the end of the run! I retired from Eaton Corporation after 30 years working in information technology and am now working part time at Gazelle Sports. This fits right in with my love of running.

Email: fbangs@maxxconnect.net

Marty Buffenbarger

Mission Commander, Course Master
There is a saying in Chariots of Fire that goes something like this, when I run I feel the pleasure of God is with me. This is the where my running has come to. I ran as a 1/2 miler in high school but believed it was a lot of work. I have run on and off as an adult but nothing steady until about 5 years ago. I got very serious into weight lifting but after five shoulder surgeries, I didn't feel the pleasure of God in that. So I began to run again so I could eat what I wanted. Now I run because as I run and train I do feel the pleasure of God in my runs and in the people He has put me in contact with thru running. I am a police officer. I am married to Carolyn and have 3 children, Bryce 21, Kelsey 19 and Forrest 13. As of this writing I have run 7 marathons with 2 being Boston and currently serve as Co-President of Kalamazoo Area Runners.

Email: k9cid@aol.com

Cindi MacDonald

Mission Commander, 9:30 S-Pace Leader
Deciding to get into shape about 5 years ago, Cindi took up running with her husband (Steve). After completing both the 5k and half marathon programs at the Borgess Run camp, she talked her husband into training for just “one” marathon. Now having run Cleveland, Chicago (3 times), Disney and Toledo, she has caught the bug and become a marathon addict.
Cindi has step children and two granddaughters, whom live in Battle Creek. Her life also encompasses two four-legged children – Kin a black lab/shepherd mix and Marti (short for Martini) a black lab/golden retriever mix.

Email: cindim@eckert-wordell.com

Vicky Mergen

9:30 S-Pace Leader

began recreational running at age 31 while living in Ohio. I was amazed at all the running groups and support I found when I moved to Kalamazoo. I ran my first marathon after training with Gazelle several years ago and I am now planning on running my 4th marathon this fall. I am a Certified Personal Trainer. I started up Stroller Strides of Kalamazoo last June and I am finishing up my third year as Girls on the Run Coach. I have two children, Jesseca 14 and Victor 12 both of which have a few 5k’s under their belts already. I look forward to a fun winter of running and cameradie!

Email: vmergen@yahoo.com

Katie Nelson
10:30 S-Pace Leader
I started running distance when I was in 8th grade. At the end of high school, I needed something to motivate me to keep running, so I signed up for the Disney Marathon. Some people say that one is enough, but for me I couldn't stop. So the following October I ran Chicago and this past October I ran Detroit. I will be a Senior at Western in the Spring. I am majoring in General Math and getting a minor in Statistics. If you ever see me in Portage gear, that is because I am from Portage, Indiana. I am a projectionist at the Kalamazoo 10, and have been working for Goodrich Quality Theaters for about 4 and a half years. I don't know what lies in my future, but I am willing to face any challenge that comes my way

Email: katie.l.nelson@wmich.edu

Bonnie Sexton
Beyond Director, Communications, Day Sponsors, Socials

I am looking forward to another white and wild season of winter running as the Beyond Marathon Training program blasts off to its second year, hopefully this time around without blizzard warnings and truck trapping snow drifts. I grew up in a suburb outside New York City, and ran track for Liberty University as a sprinter in the late 1980’s. After my sophomore year, I “retired” from competitive running. In 2002… fourteen years, a husband (Jeff, who very tries hard to comprehend my running addiction) and three wonderful children (Michael (12), Steven (10) and Paige (8)) later, I returned to the sport of my youth, this time as a distance runner. In the 5 years since, I have completed 15 marathons including Boston twice. I love to share my joy of running with others though training programs. My escapades include co-organizing the 2005 KAR/SHufflers Boston-to-Bayshore Marathon Training Program, founding with KAR friends the 2007 KAR Beyond Marathon Training Program, serving as KAR Coordinator for the 2005, 2006 & 2007 Safari, and as half marathon coach for the 2006 Borgess Run Camp. My “real” job is as a Human Resources Officer for National City. I am looking forward to a wild winter adventure of running, training, slipping and sliding, and encouraging each Beyond Shooting Star to achieve their marathon goal while at the same time making the journey a fun-filled and life changing experience!

Email: besrun2003@yahoo.com
Phone: 269-492-4192

Julie Steeby
9:00 S-Pace Leader
I began my love of recreational running 25 years ago while going through the rigors of nursing school. As fellow classmates turned to smoking to relieve their stress, I decided to become addicted to a healthier lifestyle and purchased my first pair of running shoes! I don’t consider myself to be a “competitive” runner but have always enjoyed the camaraderie of running in groups. I participated in 4 years of the Borgess Run Camp and two years ago in the Gazelles Summer Safari to prepare for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. For health reasons I was side-lined in 2006 and couldn’t run for 18 weeks which meant no return trip to Chicago Marathon that year! This past Winter I ran with the Kalamazoo SHufflers and utilized the “Galloway” method for training to run in the 2007 BayShore Marathon. I am happy to say that I completed that and qualified for the Boston Marathon! I work full-time as a nurse at K-Valley Orthopedics. I go into work early every morning to workout. It’s important to me to be a living example to my patients and I want to continue to be a role model not only to them but to my family as well. I’ve been married to Jon for 26 years and we have 2 adult children who are college students at WMU. As a family we have always enjoyed an active life-style.

Email: Julio_lpn@yahoo.com
Phone: Home (269)679-4581, Cell (269)547-0068

Brenda Stoddard, R.D.
Mission Commander 8:00 S-Pace Leader
Running has been a huge part of my life for over 25 years. For many years, I stayed in my comfort zone, and enjoyed training by myself (or pushing my sons in a jogging stroller) and running "tons" of 5 and 10k races. Then, in 2002 I caught the "marathon bug". Since then, I have completed 11 marathons (including 4 Boston) and let me just warn you, I'm still contagious….once you get exposed to this illness, it’s tough to find a cure! Thanks to KAR/BCRR I had the great fortune of being introduced to group running in 2004. While I still do appreciate solo running, group running introduced me to a whole new meaning, level and love of running! One of my biggest motivators to keep going is: OTHER RUNNERS! I truly appreciate and cherish the positive camaraderie, instant respect and sincere understanding that runners share! It is relationship that is a rare find! Along with my love for running I also have a vested interest in nutrition. I am a Registered Dietitian at the VA medical center in Battle Creek and love it when I get the chance to combine two of my favorite passions into ONE! So, when you see me before, during or after a run; feel free to "Ask the Dietitian" any nutritional related questions and I will be more than happy to try to help!

Above all, my wonderful husband Jim and our 3 very active boys: Evan (soon to be 15), Trevor (11) and Brendan (6) are truly my biggest motivation and inspiration! Many people ask me" How do you manage to run, work full time and still have quality time with your family and friends". My answer is: "Desire, determination, and hard work on my part but what is even more important is the love, understanding, support and patience that my family provides me!" Even though there are those times they think I'm a bit NUTTY, they know and appreciate that being a runner is an important part of who I am. (Plus it helps that they have experienced first hand how running cures EVERYTHING for me…not to mention it is my instant mood enhancerJ!!)

As a Mission Commander and S-Pace Leader this year, I'm looking forward to getting to know you and learning what your goals are (we will have plenty of good quality time to talk during our runs) so that I can help guide, motivate and encourage you towards reaching your personal best! Also, I've have been known to provide some comic relief from time to time (without even trying)! So, we should have a lot of fun along the way!

Email: brenda@firecracker5.com
Phone: 269-223-5387

Scott Taylor
Mission Commander, 8:30 S-Pace Leader
What’s to know about Taylor?

I am married to Kathy; we celebrated our 10th anniversary recently. I have a daughter named Erin who is working for a cardiologist in Grand Rapids. She is a recent Grand Valley graduate. I teach high school biology at Galesburg-Augusta as well as coach track and field. In the fall I can be found on the Portage Central football field coaching the JV team. I have been running pretty much most of my adult life. I have completed 18 marathons to date and have been to Boston four times. The last time was 2002. Shortly after that I had one of those foot problems (plantar fa-nasty) and had to cut way back on my running. It has just been within the last two years that I have been able to train for marathons again. Last May I completed the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati for my first post injury marathon. A little older and much slower but a return to Boston is not too far fetched. All I have to do is get 15 years older or 15 minutes faster.

Email: sctaylor75@verizon.net

Peggy Zeeb

7:30 S-Pace Leader

I've been married to Eric for just over 30 years. We have two children, Shannon and Neil, both married and living in the Grand Rapids area. Eric and I have both been running since 1996. I've ran 12 marathons and one ultra marathon (Kal-Haven trail). My fastest was Detroit (3:11). I'm plan on running the Flying Pig in the spring. I have been an assistant coach for the Colon Varsity Cross country team for 8 years. I am the Varsity girl's track coach for the last 4 years and before that I was the junior high track coach for 5 years. I helped with the Borgess Run Camp Marathon Training in 2006.

Email: pzeeb2000@yahoo.com

2007-11-30T14:33:00.001-08:00

3-2-1 Blast Off into the Beyond!!!

2007-11-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

The Countdown Begins!!! Our 18 week Winter Marathon Training adventure begins December 5, 2007 at our Holiday Blast Off Bash and Orientation!!! Come join us at the Lawrence Education Center at Borgess Hospital from 7:00 – 9:00 pm for a fun filled and informative evening featuring:

A Fun Holiday Party with Light Dinner and Refreshments
Marathon Training Sign-up and Packet Pick-up
Gait Analysis Clinic Sign-up
Meet and Greet the Captains and Pace Leaders
Brief Orientation
Winter Apparel Clinic by Rob Lillie of Gazelle Sports
Hydration Clinic by Brenda Stoddard, R.D.

This is an evening you don’t want to miss, but if you can’t attend download a Beyond Registration Form and mail it in.

We will wrap up the evening with our famous “Yankee Swap” gift exchange. This isn’t your typical white elephant as we provide the gifts and the chance to unwrap a ton of fun, surprises and running related gifts you can really use!

The Beyond Marathon Training Program runs December 15th – April 12th and is geared towards preparing runners for early spring marathons such as Boston, Kentucky Derby, Martian, Flying Pig, National Marathon, Glass City, Big Sur and others. It is absolutely FREE to members of the Kalamazoo Area Runners. The program features High Intensity and Moderate Intensity Training Schedules.

Runs begin from a variety of starting locations throughout Greater Kalamazoo. Take a sneak peek and check out the Beyond Snap Shot Schedule. Runners must be able to run 8 miles comfortably by program start. Runners training for the half marathon and shorter distances are welcome to register, join the group runs and enjoy program perks, but there will be no technical training, schedules or maps geared towards distances other than the marathon.

Sign-ups for the Kalamazoo Valley Orthopedics Gait Analysis and Core/Strengthening Clinic will also be held at the Blast Off Party. Participants may choose from December 8 or December 15, both dates at 1:00 pm. If you are not able to attend the December 5 orientation, please email Bonnie Sexton at besrun2003@yahoo.com with the date you would like to attend the KVO clinic.

Special thanks to our sponsors Gazelle Sports, Healing Moments Massage, Kalamazoo Valley Orthopedics and the Kalamazoo Family YMCA!

Boston Pictures!!!

2007-04-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

Reflective wear brainwash? Oops, some forgot this isn't a 7:00 am run in the dark!!!

Bonnie, Monica and Sherrie doing the Happy Dance !

Boston Roomies!

Brian & Russ survive the Nor' Easter and celebrate
Mug Shot of a Cop!
Who turned out the lights?

I thought there was a leak in the roof?

Glen and Patti..warm fuzzies!

Hey, just hold on a minute there, I'm the one with the camera!
Don't tell me its time to go out in the Nor' Easter!
Do we have to go up those stairs to get to the rest room? May not make it back down!

Francine, Jen and Katrina...Hopkinton bound!
Turn off the high beams!
How do we get these things on?

Don't ask me!
Bear with me Brenda, I'm still trying to wake up!
Cheryl, that was a good joke, but seriously is this weather for real?

Wait a minute...wrong game! These aren't the Red Sox!

The Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer-Final Edition!

2007-04-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

Jen Shaffer (left) wins the National City Half Marathon!

Welcome back to earth! This is our very last edition of the Extra-terrestrial Enquirer! Congratulations to all our Beyond Marathoners on persevering through one tough winter of training! For continued coverage on Beyond marathoners and other KAR/BCRR members, read the Rundown as spring racing news unfolds. For those whose earthy adventures take them to the jungle territories of the Safari (we hope to see most of you there), runner news can also be found in its tabloid, Paw Prints, Hoof Tracks and Tales.

Beyond marathoner results continue to roll in as Dan Smith conquered the Charlottsville, VA Marathon in 4:21:49. For those who have never been to Charlottsville before, the city is surrounded by mountains! Congratulations Dan on your mountain climbing marathon!

Good luck to Scott Taylor, who will be running the Cincinnatti Flying Pig Marathon next week! This is the first marathon of his comeback!

The Borgess Run for the Health of IT always seems to usher in spring and the 2007 event was no exception as Saturday morning dawned as a beautiful, sunny day. A number of Beyond marathoners came out to enjoy the fun!

The big news it that Beyond ladies set the pace and finished 1-2 in the National City Half Marathon! Jen Shaffer and Megan James both set new PR’s with a very fast 1:24:03 and 1:24:51 respectively. Jen Shaffer is very quickly moving from the sub-elite towards elite runner status, and Megan James is an elite triathlete who has made a huge comeback and is faster than ever after giving birth to her daughter Rebecca! Congratulations ladies!!!

Francine Bangs and Pat Johnson both won their age group in the half with a 2:12:27 and 1:49:31. Joel Pennington was thrilled to set a brand new PR of 1:36:57. Only a week after completing his marathon, Dan Smith ran a 1:53:22. Tim Bredahl and Michael Ryan enjoyed a 13.1 mile conversation after starting and finishing together in 1:49:17. Kim Williams ran a 1:54:19, and Rachel Wittkowski came down from Grand Rapids to finish in 2:11:12. Bob Smola ran the half in 2:15, and Mark Chicoine finished in 1:45:54. Scott Taylor confessed to holding back a little to save his energy for next week’s Flying Pig Marathon, but still finished in an awesome 1:45:19. Gordon Hare is now on his way to recovery from the Glass City Marathon and finished the half in 2:09:19.

In the 5k, Steve Downard and Bonnie Sexton were both top 10 finishers. Steve finished 1st in his age group with an 18:27and Bonnie took 2nd with a 21:16. Kayla and Tim Kling earned more Club Championship Series points with their 23:17 and 23:58, and Tim Sochor ran with his daughter Kendra, making his way back to recovery with a 23:53.

We caught some other Beyond Marathoners live on the volunteer scene as well! Thanks to the Beyond’s Mark Sigfrids, Jennifer Shaffer, Bonnie Sexton, Tim Sochor and Peggy & Eric Zeeb for staffing the KAR table at the expo, along with Teresa Xaundria (who we hope will be recovered enough to join next year’s Beyond!) Mark Sigfrids performed double duty by staffing one of the course aid stations. In the spectator stands we found Monica Lynch recovering from Boston along with her friendly puppy, and Julie Wotasjchek on crutches as she begins the road to recovery. Julie, by the way, is taking advantage of her time off from running by learning some new skills. She is learning how to swim at the YMCA, and she just recently discovered how much fun it is to drive the handicap carts at Target!

Congratulations to all on a challenging, but spectatular winter of running! See you in the much warmer, tropical lands of the Jungle this summer!

Cruising to a Smooth Landing!

2007-04-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

What an incredible experience it is to finish your first marathon…the elation felt as you cross the finish line for the first time. Or perhaps your goal was to PR or run Boston. You have been on a long journey, and enjoyed a tremendous accomplishment whether you have achieved the precise goals you set before yourself or not. As the journey comes to a culmination, and finally a close, you ask yourself, “now what?”

I often draw the analogy of preparing, running and recovering from the marathon to childbirth. Like a mother-to-be expecting a new baby, there are months of preparation leading up to the “event” itself. Then there is the culmination; the birth of a child; crossing the finish line of a marathon….and tremendous joy, and sense of accomplishment. Finally, there is the recovery…from the physical rigors of childbirth and pregnancy, and the marathon and its preparation. The child is born, the marathon or racing season is over….life changes drastically as the “big event” no longer looms ahead. Like childbirth, it is common to say “never again” after the first one, only to come back a year or two later, fresh and ready to go….to give birth to another child, another marathon!

Like the many weeks of training and tapering leading up to it, the post marathon period is an important part of your training…it is the final meso-cycle known as recovery. The first week after the marathon, take some time off. During this period, your risk of injury is unusually high due to the reduced resiliency of your muscles and connective tissues after the marathon. Even some of the best runners in the world take time off after a marathon. Not running now will enable you to return to running fresh and inspired when your body is ready to go again. Instead of running, try to do some light cross training such as walking, swimming, water running, or cycling. These activities will aid your recovery by increasing blood flow without subjecting them to further pounding. If you just have to run, keep it short and easy, with your heart rate below 75% of maximal heart rate. You are also at an increased risk, especially the first 48 hours, of catching a post marathon cold. Your immune system resistance is down and it is important to try and avoid illness as much as possible.

Psychologically, the post marathon period, like the post partum period often lends itself to a phenomenon known as the “post marathon blues.” This is especially common after a first marathon. After the many weeks of preparation and the elation of the event itself, all the hype and anticipation is over and the goal no longer in sight. It is not uncommon to feel a little depressed or a bit blue. Relax…this will soon pass as you set your sights on new goals and new challenges!

After the first week, ease back into running again over the next 4 weeks. Take advantage of the fitness base you earned and participate in some of the spring races and earn KAR/BCRR Club Championship points. You can check out the full roster of participating events at this link: KAR/BCRR Club Championship Series. Not ready to run yet? Try volunteering….its just as fun!

There are also some great charity opportunities through KAR/BCRR coming up. Run the Race for the Cure and join the Kalamazoo Area Runners team right here: Kalamazoo Area Runners Race for the Cure Team Site. The first weekend in June is the Kalamazoo Relay for Life! Join the KAR/BCRR Team here: KAR/BCRR Relay for Life Team Site

Soon it will be time to start training again, and all paths lead to the Safari Marathon and Half Marathon Training program which begins June 23. You may enter the jungle here: http://www.safaritraining.blogspot.com/.

No matter what path your journey takes you down, keep up the great running….and we hope to see you at Safari 2007, in the Beyond 2008, and hopefully many times before!

Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

The 111th Boston Marathon!!!

2007-04-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

It could have been SO much worse!

What a risk we marathoners take! After months of training and preparation, and hundreds or even thousands of dollars in travel expenses, one can only hope for ideal weather conditions to fall on marathon day. We certainly hadn’t planned on the challenges we were to face on April 17, but we were well prepared. The 2007 Boston Marathon will go down in history with its dire prediction of the worst weather ever and plenty of bragging rights. The forecast even led to rumors of canceling the 111 year old event and forced many runners to contemplate withdrawal (I have to confess being one of them). The eve of marathon day found many of us staring at our television screens, studying the Doppler radar heading up the coast. We spent hours trying to figure out what to wear, not knowing what the next morning would bring.

Despite the impending Nor’ Easter, the 2007 Boston Marathon went on, and most runners stayed the course. Weather conditions, although far from ideal with fierce headwinds of up to 30 mph coming out of the Southeast and lots of puddles to trudge through, didn’t produce the monsoon-like horizontal downpours and 50-60 mph gusts originally expected. Wave one experienced a downpour while waiting in the corrals, and wave two was showered about 5 miles into the marathon. The biggest challenge was the wind, which picked up in intensity as we migrated ever closer to Boston Proper. The overall finisher rate of 99% was actually higher than normal. Every single one of our Beyond marathoners finished, most a bit slower after adjusting expectations, but all crossed the magnificent finish line on Boylston Street. You can check out the finishers at this website Ralph Meyer passed along…just type in the runner’s clock time: Boston Finish Line!

This wasn’t the first time Kalamazoo runners have overcome severe forces of Mother Nature. In 1980, the Kalamazoo Klassic was run a month after the tornado that tore through downtown Kalamazoo. In 1997, the Klassic was run the morning after a severe storm knocked out power and downed trees canceling many events, except of course the Klassic! This winter’s training, which was one of the most challenging ever, no doubt helped to prepare us mentally for the challenge. We were most thankful for the gracious hospitality of the Tracey family as they welcomed us into their home, a warm, dry refuge from the rain, wind and flooding of Athletes Village.

The Beyond Marathoners were sent off to beantown with plenty of media hype and group support. The mock 4-mile Freedom Run held by Gazelle Sports kicked off the week leading up to Boston, along with a story highlighting some of our local Boston stars. If you haven’t seen it, check out the Kalamazoo Gazette article on Jennifer Shaffer, Marty Buffenbarger, Steve Downard, Sherrie Mann and Francine Bangs.
Kalamazoo Boston Marathon Story

Even though many runners, including the elites finished 5 to 15 minutes slower than usual due to the fierce headwinds, Jennifer Shaffer and Sherrie Mann both managed to set brand new PR’s of 3:02 and 3:41. Speaking of Jennifer, her celebrity status didn’t stop with the Kalamazoo Gazette. She was interviewed by the Running Network shortly after crossing the finish line! Marty Buffenbarger managed to befriend Kevin Hanson of the Hanson’s Distance Project, and made a referral of our Beyond elite! Could KAR lose Jen to “The Project?” After starting at the back of the more than 3000 runners in the Freedom Run Jen and Bonnie Sexton unofficially won the 2.5 mile FUN run, finishing up front with fellow Michigander and world record holder (73 marathons under 2:20) Doug Kurtis. Isolated rumors were reported that they were held back only by the orange-clad officials from B.A.A. Jen and Bonnie were also 2 of the 3 scoring members of the Women’s Open Front Line Racing Team who took 7th overall. What is even more amazing, Jen broke the Boston women’s Front Line record, formerly held by Mary Beth Reader! Brenda Stoddard was one of the scoring members of the Front Line masters team, who took 3rd place overall, and its highest finish ever!

Francine Bangs finished her first Boston at age 66, and managed to re-qualify! Sherrie Mann and Brian Dobbie ran the entire 26.2 together, as did Monica Lynch and Cindy Owen. Our other Boston stars were Russell Bertch, Timothy Bredahl, Pat Johnson, Glen Kellam, Pam McBride, Ralph Meyer, Patti Montilla, Cheryl O’Neil, Bob Poznanski, and Jon Willard.

What were they thinking? The bib numbers for the baggage drop were not waterproof…..and many wore off. Jen Shaffer, Brian Dobbie, Russ Bertch, and Bonnie Sexton were among those whose bags could not be found due to eroded numbers. Russ had to climb aboard the baggage bus and have the baggage drop workers call his cell phone to locate his bag, and Bonnie’s was found in a Ryder truck, only identifiable by the extra set of hot pink Brooks peaking through the top!

Despite the unique challenges brought on by the storm, each of the Kalamazoo Beyond Boston Marathoners returned home a star, with an extra special, very unique story to tell. Congratulations to all!

Although they didn’t fight the ravages of a Nor’Easter, our Glass City Marathoners trained through the same tough winter and covered their 26.2 closer to home in Toledo. Congratulations to Michael Ryan, Beth Gross and Gordon Hare on their excellent Glass City finishes Sunday!

Navigating Boston Terrain!!

2007-04-09T13:17:00.000-07:00

Where did the Easter Eggs Go?

Congratulations! You have persevered and trained through 18 weeks of one of the most difficult winters Mother Nature has tossed our way in recent years. The final Plainwell run on snow and ice is a testimony to the unique challenges we faced all winter long. Despite the trials we encountered on the journey, this coming weekend we will be boarding planes or hopping into our cars headed for our final destinations in Boston, Toledo or St. Louis.

For those headed to Boston, the city portrays great history and exudes energy like none experienced anywhere else. The entire city embraces the Boston Marathon with excitement and vigor as part of the Patriots Day celebration. Children, excused from school for the holiday, are everywhere lining the course. Amidst all the enthusiasm and hype surrounding marathon weekend, you will also encounter a rather illogical street layout, marathon activities spread out all over Boston proper and beyond, and a course that has gained legendary notoriety and fame. The tips in this article and its links should help you navigate both!

The Course
The Boston Marathon course is a legend within its own right. Heartbreak Hill’s reputation extends far beyond the ranks of the running community. Despite its fame, the final of the Newton Hills isn’t the only unique attribute to the Boston course. Rather than author a mile by mile replay, however, I have attached a link to one of the best articles I have ever read describing the course and the appropriate strategy for each section. It comes from the April 2005 issue of Runners World and offers a mile by mile breakdown. This was my guide when I ran and set my PR at the 2005 Boston Marathon. Print it out, read it, study it and commit it to memory. It will help you as you leave the starting line corrals in Hopkinton and embark on your journey ending with the finish line on Boylston Street.

Boston Marathon Course Tips

Boston Marathon Course Map Breakdown

Also, Sherrie Mann passed on this great link which can be used to generate your own special pacing bracelet based on goal time, as well as several pacing strategy options ranging from effort-based pacing to even splits. Check out the Pacing Bracelet

The City
The most important advice for navigating the city is to leave the car at home or park it in the hotel and let it stay parked! Unlike New York and Chicago, the streets of Boston proper don’t boast a perfect grid layout. Traffic marathon weekend is horrendous. Two years ago, as we drove to our hotel near the Hynes Convention Center, it took us an hour to drive around a single city block. On the flip side, the Boston subway system, the T, is relatively easy to navigate and convenient to most marathon weekend activities.

To get to the expo and packet pick-up, the Green Line has a stop right at the Hynes Convention Center. For those staying at the Omni Parker House and other hotels near Government Plaza and the Boston Common areas, the Boylston and Government Plaza Stations are also conveniently located and part of the Green Line. To get to the Freedom Run starting at Copley Park, hop on and get off at the Copley Station, also on the Green Line (note this stop is closed race day) You can get to the pasta party via the Green line Government Center station. Race Day bus boarding is most conveniently accessed via the Boylston stop, and the finish line area can be accessed via Arlington.

The only guaranteed way to get to the start in Hopkinton race morning is by using the B.A.A buses from Boston to Hopkinton race morning. Boarding times are assigned by bib numbers begin at 6:00 am and ending at 7:30 am. The bib number assignments are recommended, but not enforced. Parking in Hopkinton is extremely limited. We had one runner a couple of years ago try to wait the longest possible time to board, and ended up missing the shuttle altogether. Somehow she managed to obtain a police escort to the start in Hopkinton!

Once in Hopkinton, the buses will drop you off at the entrance of Athletes Village, which is worth a visit even if you are heading to the Kalamazoo Hopkinton House. Athletes Village has plenty of free food and some interesting vendors. From Athletes Village, it is a little under a mile walk to the starting corrals. The Tracey home is about halfway there on Hayden Rowe. From there, it is a short walk to the starting corrals.

Plan ahead, know where you need to go and how to get there, then have FUN! See you in Boston!

Good luck to those running Spirit of St. Louis & Glass City this weekend!

Calming the Pre-Race Jitters!

2007-04-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

No signs of anxiety amidst this group only 30 minutes before the start of the 2006 National City Half Marathon!

As we walked to the starting line of a recent event, an anxious group member asked me how I could be so calm. Aside from the fact he was running twice the distance, I have over time truly convinced myself to enjoy the experience and have fun. I am not trying to qualify for the Olympic trials. There is no $40,000 prize purse awaiting me at the finish line or college scholarship in jeopardy if I have a bad track season. I have normal pre-race routines which I follow like clockwork and try to arrive at the starting line prepared. Sure I enjoy winning the occasional local race and bringing home age group awards, but these are no longer my primary motivation. This hasn’t always been the case. I remember a running friend advising me to just take the pressure off myself and have fun. As simple as it was, it was probably the most valuable piece of advice anyone could have given to me at the time.

It is normal to be anxious, especially for a first time marathoner, about the possibility of not finishing a marathon. I have to confess I have been there, done that several times and always managed to find my way back to the start/finish area. As far as the feeling of failure, I always tell myself there is another marathon in the future where I can redeem myself, and I usually do.
As much as we do this for recreation, participating in a race, can place a huge strain on the nerves. As we approach our goal marathons, many have expressed their mounting anxiety. Most runners do experience some degree of stress prior to a key running event. It may be about their competition, goal time, the weather (but hey, I think we have been well-conditioned in this area!), the course, qualifying for Boston, or an injury or illness. This is perfectly normal.

As race time draws near, anxiety does affect the runner physiologically. The body reacts to the stimulus and prepares for action. Your brain signals for the release of adrenaline into your bloodstream which triggers a number of physical reactions. You start to sweat, your heart rate speeds up, muscles tighten, breathing can become shallow, your stomach may churn and you may develop cotton mouth. You may use the toilet, only to get back in the long line because you have to go again. This increased arousal can be an aid, particularly in shorter races, but can also serve to be a detriment in long distance running, particularly the marathon where you have to spread your mental, emotional and physical energy over a longer period of time. It is the most “fired up” runner who runs the most irrationally paced runs and goes out too fast. You want to save your mental toughness and emotions for late in the race where it is needed to help you overcome fatigue, particularly in an event like Boston.

The best way to prepare for this is to build confidence with regular workouts geared specifically for the distance and course, as well as with tune-up races, and mental training. The training regiment we have followed has our bodies well prepared physiologically. As for mental training, one expert suggests desensitizing yourself to worry. Worry in the days prior to the event and then set it aside. Worry about the weather, the course, the competitors, your lingering soreness, whatever, and then stick with it until you feel your anxiety drop. Worry systematically, intensely and humorously, and soon you will worry no more.

Focus on factors within your control and on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Think positively about yourself, about the training you have done to prepare yourself. Surround yourself with calm, positive thinking people in the final hours before a big event. Stick with a familiar pre-race routine. If you normally drink a cup of coffee and eat a bagel two hours before a race, do it. Pin your number on your shorts or shirt, stash your shorts pockets with energy gels and have your chip secured to your running shoe so you don’t forget something. One runner recently shared with me this week he sets 3 alarm clocks just to make sure he gets up on time.

Have all your pre-race logistics figured out; where the starting and finish lines are, baggage drop, a post-race meeting spot for family and friends. This is especially important for Boston, where everything is located in different spots. The Expo and packet pick-up are at Hynes convention center which is about a mile from the finish line on Boylston Street. The pasta party is at City Hall Plaza which is about 1 ½ miles from the expo. To get to the start, runners need to board buses early Monday morning on the Tremont side of Boston Common to be shuttled up to Athletes’ village in Hopkinton. Athletes then walk close to a mile to get to the corrals, which are loaded in two waves; the first at 10:00 and the second at 10:30.

Tune into the weather so you can dress properly for the conditions. Pack for every possible scenario. April in Boston can be 32 degrees and snowing or 83 degrees and humid. If it is cool out, have warm clothes packed in your baggage drop bag so you can put them on right away after finishing.

Proper preparation, positive thinking and the confidence that comes from it can do wonders in calming pre-race anxiety. Most importantly, go out there determined to enjoy the experience and have fun! Take the pressure off…you are trained and ready!

Glover, B, and S.Glover. 1999. The Competitive Runners Handbook. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2007-04-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Is this Martian feeling a bit blue?

Aliens were everywhere as the Beyond marathoners blast through space along with 3,500 other runners at the 2007 Martian Invasion of Races! Does the race have a special alien factory to crank out hundreds of these extra-terrestrial creatures? We sure do, reported Race Director Randy Step, the ET running store owner from another galaxy who has somehow managed to connect with the Kalamazoo Area Runners for the third time in the last month and gain hug status. Far fetched rumor has it that Brenda Stoddard and Bonnie Sexton returned home to their families with 4 baby alien hitchhikers. Speaking of babies, we welcome Phil Goodwin’s new son, Aiden Neil Goodwin! Aiden was born March 29, 2007, and remained nameless for 24 hours postpartum!

Now back to the Martian Marathon! We are excited to announce that Kayla and Tim Kling have now officially completed their first marathon! Kayla finished in 4:16:34 and finished 3rd in her age division, while Tim finished in 5:10:29. Congratulations to our favorite father-daughter duo on their first 26.2! Julie Wojtaszek set a brand new PR of 3:48:32 for her 2nd marathon finish, as well as a fourth place finish in her age division (top 5 receive awards). Brian Campbell finished in 4:41:15. Rumor has it Brian coerced a co-worker into running the marathon with him.

What an incredible first marathon story! Beyond satellite runner and first-time marathoner Paul Dewolf ran an amazing 2:59:11 to win his age division. Paul was a top runner from Schoolcraft High School and has been following the Beyond training schedule from his college campus in Grand Rapids!

Brenda Stoddard takes 2nd at Martian!

In the Martian Half Marathon, the team of BS Squared finished at the top of their age groups leaving the stamp of the Kalamazoo Area Runners on the extraterrestrial soil of another planet! Bonnie Sexton won her age group and finished 6th overall with a 1:34:38, finishing ahead of 81 other women in her division, and earned a Martian Marathon Duffle Bag to carry her baby aliens. Brenda Stoddard placed 2nd in her age division, out of 72, and earned a Martian Marathon baseball cap for her baby alien to wear. Mark Sigfrids mysteriously disappeared from the course for 3 minutes, before reappearing and finishing in 1:35:24. Bob Smola ran a very strong 1:36:51 and witnessed this strange incident.

Could this event possible grow to 10,000 in the next few years? Check out this article written by World Record Marathoner, Doug Kurtis. http://www.runmichigan.com/columns/dougkurtis/dougcolumn_287.php Speaking of Doug Kurtis, he became the easy target of an unsuspecting volunteer until Bonnie intervened in the tense situation. “You are NOT famous,” stated the volunteer, who was trying to escort the World Record holder away from the pizza tables. Bonnie was chatting with the humbled Doug and informed the young volunteer that he was Doug Kurtis, and he really IS famous. “Yeah,” reported another who had joined the conversation, “He is a world record holder!” As the story ends, the volunteer and Doug Kurtis became good friends. Doug also, as usual, won his age group.

In other recent marathon news, Peter Gower and Todd Raab ran the Georgia Marathon on March 25. Georgia represented Peter’s 3rd marathon of the year and he finished in 3:55:37. Todd Raab made it his 2nd with a 3:59:32!

The Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2007-03-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

A foggy start for the 2007 Kal-Haven Trail Relay

Good luck to all the Beyond marathoners running the Martian Half and Full Marathon next weekend! It will be a very first for father/daughter duo Kayla and Tim Kling as well as Beyond satellite runner from Grand Rapids Paul Dewolf! Kayla and Tim, by the way, were given a boost of confidence Saturday at the Gobles Grad Bash 5k! Kayla won women’s overall for the very first time to bring home the trophy, and both Tim and Kayla set brand new PR’s!

It was Beyond a blunder as we once again managed to mangle a name. This reprimand was issued by Steve Downard, “Just a slight correction.” “It was Chad Thompson not Steve Chapman who joined us for the run this weekend.” Welcome Chad! The country music star part was, however, true.

Thanks to Race Director Terry Hutchins, Volunteer Coordinator Cindi MacDonald and the many volunteers from Beyond, the 2007 Kal-Haven Trail Relay set a new participation record with 116 registered runners, 114 of which actually participated despite the early morning showers! Thanks to all of our volunteers from the Beyond, Jim Roth, Julie Wojtaszek, Steve Rice, Brian Campbell and wife Tammy, Marty Buffenbarger’s wife Carolyn, Eric & Peggy Zeeb, as well as sag bikers Neil Zeeb and Bob Smola!

What an exciting day of running it was with close to 200 runners hitting the trails Saturday morning; some of them coming from as far away as Alabama. Among them was our banquet guest speaker Running Fit’s Randy Step who brought his own team from the east side of the state. The legendary George Dales and Tom Coyne were live on the scene with their co-ed squad from the WMU Running Club.

By 7:00 am the Kal-Haven parking lot was already full of cars with both members of the Beyond and SHufflers marathon groups hitting the trail. Thanks once again to Pat Johnson as well as Bonnie Sexton for dropping 5 colorful balloon decorated aid stations on the trail. Soon after the marathoners set off, the Kal-Haven Run Solo and Relay Runners appeared for their 8:00 and 9:00 starts. What a spectacular showing on the part of all the Beyond Marathoners entered in the Relay with program participants taking 3 of the 5 team titles and setting 2 new records! Could it be possible we are doing something right?

In the 33.5 mile solo run, the Beyond’s Chris Roach took 2nd place overall for the men in the solo run. Congratulations Chris!

Marty Buffenbarger teamed with Jennifer Shaffer to form team Master Elite and shatter the Co-ed 2 –person team record by 20 minutes, finishing their 33.5 miles in an amazing 3:51:57! Guess who is the master and who is the elite? After averaging a 6:40 pace for nearly 17 miles, Jen Shaffer is shedding her sub-elite status. Fortunately no scouts from the Hanson’s were present.

Amanda Portis teamed with collegiate arch rival Heidi Saunders to form but what else, team Arch Rivals! The duo shattered the female two-person team record with an even greater margin of 51 minutes with a 4:19:22. The second place team of Brenda Stoddard and Trish Downard also broke the prior female two-person record with an excellent 4:33:12. The Beyond’s Kim Williams joined fellow Tri-kat Michelle Kagey to run a 2-person training run!

In the 2-person male division, Beyond teams swept 2nd, 3rd and 4th places with Steve Downard and Chad Thompson just missing 1st place by 2 minutes with a 3:53:22. They forgot to name their team. Mark Sigfrids and Bob Poznanski of team S&P took 3rd with 4:24:15. Mark Sigfrids somehow managed to run the Gobles Grad Bash 5k AND run the 2nd leg of his 2-person relay. Scott Taylor and Tim Sochor took 4th with 4:40:36. Tim magically transported himself to about 100 points along the trail.

Who even said age and the female gender were handicaps? Current 6-Person Co-ed Record-holders, team Six Pack To Go was the very first relay team to cross the finish line after their arch rivals, the all male high school stars from the Parchmont Stealthy Penguins fell out of contention due to injury. They won out over their nearest co-ed competition, the youngsters from the WMU Running Club by 20 minutes with a 3:38:13. The Beyond’s Jon Williard, Gale Fischer and Bonnie Sexton joined forces with Dave Walch, Jeff Domenico and legendary Olympic trials qualifier Anne Flynn to form this speedy team which cranked out lots of sixes and even a few subs!

Many thanks to ALL who participated & volunteered to support the Girls on the Run, Girls on Track program!

Race Day Warm-Up...or Not?

2007-03-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

Should you warm up before your race? It all depends on the distance you are racing. For races shorter than the marathon, the warm up is an important part of race day preparation. The purpose of the warm up is to prepare your body to run at race pace. It increases your metabolic rate, body temperature, circulation and prepares your aerobic system to begin performing at a high level right away. The shorter the race, the more critical it is to warm up, particularly the 5k, where you body immediately launches into VO2 max pace

The marathon is an entirely different space vehicle. The warm-up causes the body to burn a mixture of glycogen and fat, slightly reducing your glycogen stores. Since one of the challenges of the marathon is to reach the finish line before you deplete, the warm up can be more of a detriment to the marathoner then a benefit. Whether or not to do a any type of warm up at all depends on the level of the marathoner. For the majority of marathoners, it isn’t necessary to warm up…..most marathoners can warm up the first few miles of the marathon. The exception is the more serious competitive marathoner who will be running a faster pace right from the start. About 30 minutes before the race, run 5 minutes, starting slowly and then finishing about 1 min slower than marathon pace. Stretch for about 10 minutes, than run another 5 minutes again. That is all; there is no need for any further warm up.

Sometimes the conditions will limit what you can do for a warm up. In many large marathons you may be waiting in corrals for 30 – 40 minutes. This may mean running in place to warm up.

Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human

The Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2007-03-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

The color of the day was green as The Beyond celebrated St Patrick’s Day and Pat Johnson’s birthday with green leis, party hats, and Pat himself wins the prize for “Most Creative Day Sponsor” by decorating each of the aid stations with festive green balloons. Francine Bangs and her friend Sherry led the group in a rendition of “Happy Birthday”, and according to Russ Bertch, Pat is rumored to have attained the ripe old age of 32. Patti Montilla was the honorary holiday namesake and was given another course map to commemorate. Monica Lynch was the only one to turn down the offer of holiday accessories.

The Beyond also welcomed newcomer Steve Chapman to the world of group running. Rumor has it that Steve is some kind of Country Music Star and will be playing a gig the night before he run’s next week’s Kal-Haven Trail Relay! He has already been approached on providing course entertainment at the Bloomingdale exchange.

The chosen profession of the Beyond Marathoners appears to be teaching. Among the Beyond we have several college and high school teachers including Mark Sigfrids, Michael Ryan, Scott Taylor, Brian Dobbie, Peggy Zeeb and Jennifer Shaffer. Jennifer and Brenda Stoddard both gave into peer pressure, hit the post run watering hole, and learned the REAL reason why we gather for group runs! Mark Sigfrids and Bob Poznanski threw together a last minute Kal-Haven Trail Relay Team.

Julie Wojtaszek and Rachel Wittkowski have been missing in action the last couple of weeks. Upon future investigation, we learned that Julie’s excuse was a trip to Hawaii, and Rachel’s was a trip to Cancun! “It was quite an experience going from running in zero degrees to 80 degrees,” reported Julie. “I had good intentions,” confessed Rachel. “With the sun and surf, they just never panned out.” Rachel also confessed to sticking around Grand Rapids this weekend and running the Irish Jig 5k, finishing in 24:50. S-pace leader Carrie Hybels was also MIA due to the festive lure of the Irish Jig.

He did it! Bob Smola just completed his 90th marathon with flying colors! Bob finished the Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon in Virginia Beach in 3:33:48. Congratulations Bob! But look out Bob! Todd Raab and Mega Marathoner Peter Gower will be tackling their 2nd marathon of the year next weekend! Welcome back Phil Goodwin, Glenn Kellam, Steve Rice and Jim Roth. Megan James opted for a 13.1 mile pace run after contemplating Lucky Charms at Shakespeare’s.

Have a Plan with a Race Week Checklist!

2007-03-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

Left Behind!

Get your packet early at EXPO – have time to look around – it’s fun

Have your number pinned on your shirt the night before – it must be in front

If you want crowd support – iron on your name or something to your shirt – people will yell what is printed to cheer you on!

Tie the chip into your shoe the night before

Have an alarm or wake up call (not that you won’t wake up several times during the night)

Remember to Body Glide the areas needed before you put on shoes, shirt, shorts

Put your Gu in your clothing the night before.

Remember nothing new to wear today

Double tie your shoes

EAT light breakfast about 2 – 2 ½ hours before…something that won’t bother your stomach.

Hydrate – hydrate – hydrate. Take at least one bottle of water with you to start
If you are wearing something that you’ll remove at the start – make sure you have someone who can grab the items at the start.

If it’s cold - take an OLD SHIRT to put on for prerace warmth that you are willing to throw aside somewhere as the race begins or in the first mile or so (there are organizations who will pick up these shirts and give to shelter)

If it’s cold - have a pair of cheap gloves (found at Meijer Hardware or Race Expo) or socks for you hands that you can throw aside

If drizzling or raining take a garbage bag and wear it over your body until the start
Have a BATHROOM strategy for pre-race

Have a meeting place decided for afterwards – it is hard to find your family or friends if you don’t

Bring for afterwards – sandals –you’ll be glad to get out of shoes!, extra shirt (probably long sleeve), Ibuprofen, stretch or sweat pants, towel or towelette, and any personal special food/drink you like (there’s plenty at the event but some people have picky stomachs and may want that special item)

You Snooze You Lose!!!

2007-03-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

Whether putting together a training program, organizing an event, or setting up my own racing schedule, I am an obsessive pre-planner and like to have things done months in advance. But despite my inability to procrastinate and my phobia against “winging it,” the marathon mania that has swept the nation has caught me off guard at times, and no doubt has altered the plans of many an unsuspecting marathoner.

With the spectacular finish in Notre Dame Stadium, the Sunburst Races held in South Bend the first weekend in June are among my favorites. Although I haven’t settled on which of the 4 distances I am going to tackle this year, I recently decided to go ahead and make reservations figuring that 2 ½ months out I wouldn’t have a problem finding a hotel room in downtown South Bend. Wrong! I started with the host hotel. Booked solid. I then tried one 3 blocks from the starting line. Once again booked! Finally, I conducted an online search, and was able to book one 2 miles from the start at the College Football Hall of Fame.

Last year the Chicago Marathon closed in May, the earliest ever, locking many people out while training programs were still conducting their planning meetings. This year the cap was raised to 45,000, but I dare not even attempt to predict when it will close. My advice to everyone has been if your heart is set on Chicago, the time to register is now. Don’t procrastinate. Ditto on securing a hotel room Chicago weekend. With Chicago closing earlier and earlier each year, the Safari Training Program is now targeting Grand Rapids, rather than Chicago. But still, one is not safe. Grand Rapids has been gaining popularity with its gummy bears and pickle juice, has a cap of 1250 for the full marathon, and also presents a potentially high risk for closing early.

The Boston Marathon is in its 111th year, yet somehow, a city-wide convention was scheduled the same weekend that booked up to 5,000 hotel room nights. I started researching hotel rooms a year in advance, and finally over the summer, a couple of us blocked off 9 hotel rooms at the Omni Parker House for KAR members. I had called the Omni and attempted to negotiate a discounted block, but as much as they wanted to be able to accommodate us, they weren’t able to do it because of this “convention”. Their advice to me was to hang onto the rooms I booked “for dear life,” because there is soon going to be a major shortage of rooms. We held on to them, and sure enough by the time fall marathon season rolled around and the masses attained their qualifying times, affordable hotel rooms in Boston Proper were long gone, and soon after our 9 rooms were gone. My heart sank as one of our Front Line team mates, a young runner from the east side of the state emailed and mentioned she hadn’t booked a hotel room in Boston yet.

The Bayshore Half Marathon already closed 3 months out, and the Bayshore Marathon is expected to cap out by the end of this month. Of course there is always Sunburst the following weekend, but if you don’t have a hotel by booked now, expect to stay a few miles out from the starting line.

I finally attained success when I called the Intercontinental in Toronto to book one of the discounted rooms blocked for participants of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I was almost shocked to hear the words, “Yes, we have rooms available.” “How many nights would you like?” Of course it is 6 ½ months in advance, but there is no longer procrastination anymore when it comes to small city marathons, let alone big city events. When you make reservations directly through the hotel you tend to pay a little more, but most hotels do allow you to cancel your reservations without penalty if done so by their stated deadline. My advice is that if you are even contemplating a particular marathon, make hotel reservations and then cancel them if plans fall through. If you wait to see if you make it through marathon training injury free, most likely it will be too late. When it comes to signing up for a marathon, you risk losing your registration fee if something happens, but it is the chance one must take when it comes to those notorious for closing early such as Grandmas & Chicago.

By the way, the 2007 Boston Marathon is now closed! You snooze you lose!

The Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2007-03-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

Bob Smola goes for his 90th!

It was quite a phenomenon and it literally stopped traffic…runners, runners EVERYWHERE! The spring like weather drew the fleet of feet out in full force, causing the cars to finally lose control of the roads! Early Saturday morning a foot traffic advisory was issued for the vicinity of Lover’s Lane and Bicentennial trail in Northern Portage. At approximately 7:15 am southbound marathoners from The Beyond almost collided with northbound SHufflers on the Bicentennial Trail as they passed each other by. Fortunately, only a few hands were slapped as the groups passed each other by. At approximately 9:00 am as Beyond Marathoners headed northbound via Lovers Lane and Bicentennial Trail, they were overcome by a flood of Borgess Run Campers traveling southbound via the Lovers Lane Footpath.

Tim Bredahl went from running 80 miles a week to working 80 hours a week and with Boston right around the corner, has now made his reappearance! “Training for Boston in 5 weeks will be no problem,” reports Tim. Sidelined from regular training since last summer’s Safari, Steve Rice is now on the mend and has made his reentry. Steve has also been named Beyond Subject Matter Expert (BSME) on the Glass City Marathon since he reportedly ran his PR there. Beth Gross and Michael Ryan are planning on running Glass City and have consulted with Steve.

Giti Henrie is also now on the mend and was named to the Beyond Welcome Wagon Committee after bringing a newcomer from Windsor, Ontario to this Saturday’s run. Brian Campbell and Dan Wolf came back after last Saturday’s Arctic Adventure run. Julie Wojtaszek, Rachel Wittkoski, Joel Pennington and Brenda Stoddard did not come back after last Saturday’s run, at least to this Saturday’s run. As a side note, Brenda Stoddard’s husband and renowned artist Jim Stoddard had two sculptures selected for the KIA Art Fair.

Pat Johnson Ranks #5 Marathoner in the state in his age division!

The Beyond hosts some of the top age group and open runners in the state of Michigan!!! Megan James, Peggy Zeeb, Jen Shaffer, Francine Bangs, Pat Johnson & Brenda Stoddard all ranked in the top 5 in their age division or the top 15 in the open division in Michigan Runner’s 2006 Best of Times!

Did you know? Former Schoolcraft High School Cross Country and Track Star Paul Dewolf is a satellite participant of The Beyond. Paul has been following the Beyond Training Program to a T and performing his workouts solo on his college campus in Grand Rapids. Paul will be making the Martian Marathon his very first 26.2 mile adventure!

Lots of Beyond Runners won Volunteer and Runner Recognition awards at last Wednesday’s KAR/BCRR Annual Banquet. Gale Fischer won the Battle Creek Volunteer of the Year and Story Teller awards. Brenda Stoddard and Bob Smola won the Reynold G Oas Volunteer of the Year award. Jen Shaffer and Marty Buffenbarger won Women’s and Men’s Open Runner awards, Peggy Zeeb won Women’s Masters and Mega-racer awards, Peter Gower won Mega-Marathoner, Kayla Kling won Rookie Runner and Bonnie Sexton won Social Runner.

Rookie Runner of the Year
You just have to love running group dynamics. It has been less than a week since the annual KAR/BCRR Banquet and the power struggle between new KAR/BCRR Co-President Marty Buffenbarger and Training Program Director and Board Advisor Bonnie Sexton has already commenced. The first official dispute began when official timekeeper, Steve Downard reported that the group had dropped to a 6:57 pace during part of their 16 mile run. Bonnie immediately ordered the group to slow down 30 seconds per mile to stay within Pete Pfitzinger’s recommended guidelines. Marty Buffenbarger threatened to overrule this command using his new positional leadership, but did eventually heed the advice of the Advisor, and the group finished with a 7:26 average pace.

Have you ever noticed there is just way too much fun stuff to do out there, including Multi-sport! It appears that at least 2 of the Beyond have figured out how to get the best of all worlds. After finishing her 16 mile training run, grabbing sustenance to go from Panera and dashing to Kingdom to watch her boys play soccer Saturday, Bonnie zipped over to Bronson to compete in the Iron BAC Indoor Triathlon. How did she do? Despite running 3.1 miles and biking 7.4 miles each respectively in 20 minutes flat, she dropped to the middle of the pack and 5th out of 6th in her age group after finishing 2nd to last in the swim. This is despite Renee Brady’s expert coaching attempts to convert her to a fish. As a side note, Todd Raab was spotted at Bronson playing hooky from The Beyond due to child care issues and the need to spend all afternoon on a stationary bike to prepare for his multi-sport adventure, Ironman Wisconsin. Bonnie is now in recovery, not from the 16 mile/Triathlon combo, but from a 2nd grade slumber party that night.

Good luck to Bob Smola, who will be running his 90th marathon next weekend. The hoopla surrounding Bob’s 100th marathon, which will commence in fall of 2008, is already being planned by KAR/BCRR officials!

The Time Has Come for Some to Taper!!!

2007-03-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

Mallory Barry-Loken has the right idea!

With Martian Marathon a mere 3 weeks off, the time has come to ease into a time of rest, the pre-marathon taper. The taper is just as critical a component of your marathon preparation as your training runs….and no doubt it can take just as much discipline to force yourself to rest as it does to complete a 20 mile training run!!! Training provides the long term improvements necessary to successfully complete a marathon. As you have discovered by now it also tends to leave you a bit sore and tired. The 3 week cycles built into the training schedule provide some reduction in fatigue, but not enough to completely eliminate it and allow your body full recovery. The goal of tapering is to balance continued training with rest to allow for the best possible marathon experience!

Just how much can tapering improve your marathon performance? The International Journal of Sports Medicine examined over 50 scientific studies on tapering and concluded that there is no doubt tapering works! Studies have found improvements in performance of up to 16% with most studies showing 3 – 5% improvement. At a 5% improvement, that means a 3:30 marathon can become a 3:19 marathon through proper tapering. A single workout, on the other hand will give you less than a 1% improvement in performance! For some, a well-executive taper could mean the difference between qualifying for Boston, setting a PR, or just being able to finish the marathon with a greater degree of comfort!

Studies show for the marathon one should taper for a minimum of 2-weeks with 3 weeks being optimal. Too short a taper will leave one tired on race day while too long will lead to a loss in fitness. It is wise to err on the side of tapering too long rather than too short of a period. With the Martian Marathon falling four weeks out from the our last 20-miler, the most frequently asked training question recently has been if the Martian bound should try to get in another 20-miler. My answer is no, as long as they already have one or two 20-milers under their belt, a third 20-miler would actually be more detrimental to performance in the short term than helpful. Although slightly past peak performance level, I have actually run a strong marathon 6 weeks out from my last 20+ miler with less than a 1% decrease in performance. NEVER try to make up for lost time due to injury, etc during the taper weeks. By this time any gains in fitness that will impact marathon performance have already been realized and attempting to make up for lost miles or workouts will just leave you fatigued at the starting line.

How should you reduce training to improve marathon performance? Evidence indicates that the key to effective tapering is to substantially reduce mileage while maintaining intensity. Reducing mileage reduces the accumulated fatigue High intensity effort maintains fitness level. Exactly how much to reduce training mileage depends on your current training mileage, age and health. Older runners tend to need a longer taper than younger runners. Studies have shown as a general rule of thumb you should taper your mileage according to the following schedule:

3rd Week Pre-marathon: Taper 20 – 25%
2nd Week Pre-marathon: Taper 40%
Marathon Week (6 days before): Taper 60%

These decreases in mileage as well as the maintenance of intensity have been built into the marathon training schedules. Three weeks before is the most important time for a successful taper. Marathoners often do too much this week because the marathon still seems a long way off. It is much better physiologically and psychologically to allow your body to start to rebound this week, or you will find yourself feeling flat the last two weeks.

Often marathoners also decrease training efforts. This can result in a small loss in fitness as well as a lack of psychological reinforcement. It is more effective to intersperse harder efforts within the recovery trend. For example, the Comet schedule has 3 x 1-mile intervals the 2nd week pre-marathon. Marathon week itself is all easy recovery, with the exception of Tuesday or Wednesday where it is recommended you do a 6 – 7 mile run with 2 miles at marathon pace. This is a dress rehearsal; even wear the same shoes and clothes you will wear for the marathon! By this time, if you have tapered properly starting with the 3rd week, you should feel light on your feet, like you can fly…this will provide a great psychological boost!

Proper hydration and carbo-loading are also critical during the taper. It is vitally important that your muscles and liver be stocked with glycogen at the starting line. Marathoners used to deplete glycogen stores for 3 days (sometimes even completing a long run up to 20-miles the week before), then carbo-load the 3 days prior to the marathon. This is no longer recommended since carbohydrate depletion can suppress the immune system (this is why many marathoners get a cold the week after a marathon – glycogen stores have been depleted) and the long run will leave you sore and tired.

What works just as well is to eat a normal diet until the last 3 days and taper your training program. Then the last 3 days, eat a high carbohydrate diet and do a short, slow run these days. Your body will store glycogen to almost the same level as if you did the whole depletion and loading program. Also, make sure you are well-hydrated in the days leading up to the marathon so that you don’t arrive at the starting line suffering from accumulated effects of dehydration.

The taper can often be a challenge psychologically and even physiologically. Your mind and body are mentally and physically accustomed to the hard training. Take advantage of the extra free time…spend some extra time with family, take care of household projects that have been laid aside in favor of long runs (although not too strenuous!), read a good book……RELAX! Tell yourself this is part of your training….it IS! During the taper, it is also not uncommon for aches and pains to appear as the body heals itself from the months of training. Most of the time, (If you do suspect an injury make sure you have it checked out!) these will disappear. My body goes through this withdrawal cycle during every taper. My most recent marathon, a couple of joints, including on old injury, ached right up until the evening before the marathon. Once the legs got moving, however, the aches disappeared as my body remembered a familiar routine…conditioned by months of training!

Discipline yourself….to rest!

Source
Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL:Human Kinetics.

The Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2007-03-04T04:13:00.000-08:00

A Buried Love Bug for Monica Lynch!

Ridiculed earlier for having cancelled camp due to near Blizzard conditions, the Beyond run this week went on, and will forever be remembered as the Great Antarctic 20 Mile Adventure. Only the heartiest of souls appeared for this adventure, which other than beautiful tunnel of trees out R Ave, sported vast wastelands of snow drifts and ice. The course conditions were so extreme Bonnie managed to get her suburban stuck in lunar drifts at aid station 4. Despite a valiant attempt by Russ Bertch, Scott Taylor, Ralph Meyer, Mark Sigfrids, Brian Dobbie, Brenda Stoddard & Joel Pennington, it took the strength of a 10-cylander Excursion to extract the wedged vehicle out of the artic terrain. Does anyone else need any further explanation as to why the Sexton family NEEDS two monstrous gas guzzling SUV’s? Rumor has it that Bonnie was pulled out of KAR/BCRR member Frank Hui’s front yard a couple of weeks ago by another neighbor.

The changing of the guard is expected to take place this Wednesday at the KAR/BCRR Annual Banquet with Marty Buffenbarger and Jen Shaffer coming on as new board members and joining the Beyond’s Sherrie Mann, Scott Taylor, Ralph Meyer and Carrie Hybels in driving the Kalamazoo Area Runners Space Ship. Bonnie will continue on as a Board Advisor and will continue coordinating training programs. Rumor has it lots of Beyond participants will be receiving runner recognition awards.

In recent marathon racing action, Todd Raab & Peter Gower added yet another conquest to their long list of marathon completions. Spurred on by all the talk of Mardi Gras festivities taking place the week before, they both ran the Mardi Gras Marathon February 25. Peter, once again finished within 5 minutes of Boston qualifying time with a strong 3:35:38 while Todd finished in an awesome 3:48:55. Congratulations Todd & Peter on another conquest! With Todd’s penchant for extreme conditions, we are surprised he didn’t show up Saturday for the Antarctic Adventure! Rumor has it Todd used to run 20 milers at 1:00 am to the sound of coyotes when he lived in New Mexico.
Peter Gower
Sherrie Mann, Monica Lynch and Cindi Owen created their own little Arctic Adventure at 5:30 am Saturday so that Sherrie could head to Hell (MI) in time to register their Dances with Dirt team, We can’t get no Stinkin’ Signal Out Here!

Mike Ryan and Gordon Hare are looking to make the Glass City Marathon their 26.2 of choice while Julie Wojtaszek is contemplating Martian!

Simulator Training with Tune Up Races!!!

2007-03-04T03:13:00.000-08:00

Amanda Portis - Where's Spring?
During the winter months in Michigan, opportunities to race are few and far few between and those who have been able to race have found their opportunities in warmer climates. Even though we are training for mid April – early May Marathons, there still are some great opportunities coming up to get in a tune up race such as the Kal-Haven Trail Relay and the Martian Half Marathon. As you approach your spring marathon take a look at how a tune up race can be integrated! Marathon training doesn’t mean you have to abandon racing in favor of long runs and lactate threshold workouts!

Occasional “tune-up races” are a recommended part of any training program. They serve as benchmarks of your fitness and prepare you mentally for racing. Tune-up races are all-out races; they are not races you use merely as tempo runs or pace runs. One word of caution: when doing tune-up races while “training through them,” it is important to remember that your times will be slower due to the fatigue of training even when racing all out. It is not unusual for a 10k time raced under training fatigue to be 1 – 1 ½ minutes slower than one raced when you are tapered and rested. This can provide a false indication of true fitness level. Also, don’t run tune-up races any closer than 3 weeks prior to a marathon at which you are trying to optimize performance, PR, qualify for Boston, etc, etc.

Before running a tune up race, try the mini-taper. This is where you cut back slightly on the “hard” workouts a few days before the race. Your time will be a closer indication to your true fitness level. Just how many days rest and/or easy run days do you need? It depends on what and when your last “hard” workout was. VO2 max workouts are the most taxing workouts of all. After running these 5k race pace intervals, you should allow at least 5 days recovery to allow the fatigue to lift before racing. A 5k race can also be used to replace a scheduled VO2 Max Workout. Long runs and tempo or lactate threshold runs require 4 days of recovery in order to race without the fatigue of the workout. Keep in mind, this is the amount of time it takes for the fatigue to lift, not the amount of time it takes to reap benefit from a particular workout…..this can take as much as two weeks!

Tune up races are generally shorter than the distance you are ultimately training for. The idea is to get you used to the stresses of racing and measure fitness level without prematurely running the full distance. For the Half Marathon, an 8k – 10k is an ideal distance for a tune-up race, and for the Marathon 5 miles – 25K. Any longer than that, and the recovery required will negate the benefits of the tune-up race!

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2007-02-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back Teresa Xaundria!

Despite an unfulfilled promise of 50 degree temperatures and extreme conditions at the prior week’s killer tempo combo, the masses still came back for a scenic run around Gull Lake. As a matter of fact, we have such a great thing going Rachel Wittkowski drove all the way down from Grand Rapids to join the fun. Teresa Xaundria, now on the post surgery road to recovery, also made her first Beyond appearance to a round of applause!

Last Sunday Joel Pennington completed the Austin Marathon as his 3rd 26.2 and set a brand new PR of 3:43:37! This amazing feat also earned him an exclusive interview with Runners World Editor in Chief David Willey. Well, not really, but he did sit next to Mr. Willey on the plane ride down! Joel will be signing autographs at next week’s run at KVCC.

After pulling off a very well organized inaugural Steve Athey Memorial Race last year, it became quite apparent that Bob Smola doesn’t hold a clue as to how to produce anything less than a first class act. Three weeks ago Bob battled a blizzard to set out aid stations and pace signs in Plainwell. This Saturday at Gull Lake, he set out bright orange cones indicating aid stations, AND spray painted the road indicating mile markers. This years Steve Athey Memorial is scheduled for July 7, and no doubt Bob will pull off something just a little out of the ordinary. The final results are not in yet, but Bob is also in the running for Day Sponsor of the Year! Tim Sochor is first runner up.

After being offered a course map, Pat Johnson politely declined with the statement,” It might get me lost!” Patti Montilla took one…we hope she didn’t get lost. Tony Golubski played the part of a hitchhiker and joined the meteor shower someplace mid course. It IS official!!! Bob Poznanski has been inducted into the Team Varmin Hall of Fame after sticking close to the lead group out at Gull Lake Saturday. As a matter of fact, he even led for much of the way. Sorry Bob, your Team Garmin days are OVER!

The BIG news of the week is that after many months of searching, Jen Shaffer finally found Gull Lake! We are not quite sure how she managed to avoid this for so long, but Jen also, for the very first time since moving to Kalamazoo, got stuck at a rail road crossing for 10 minutes on the way over. Now she is officially “Kalamazoo” through and through. Fifteen miler down, Jon Williard’s plans for the rest of the day featured “Cookies and a Movie.” Amanda Portis is taking up a new profession, using her navigational talents to become a course designer.

Recharge the Rocket Engines and Get Motivated!

2007-02-25T05:52:00.000-08:00

Got the treadmill blues?

Lack of motivation or determination is not one of my typical shortfalls, but the last month found me looking forward to some of my runs with about as much enthusiasm as a visit to the dentist office and a shot of Novocain (sorry Charmin Mark). Let’s face it; walking out the door to single digits with wind chills below zero isn’t exactly something to get excited about. Neither is dodging vehicles while running on slick snow and ice covered surfaces. The alternatives aren’t much more appealing; two hour jaunts on the treadmill or circling the 12 laps to a mile track 150 times at the YMCA spell a recipe for boredom. Running on the snow and ice left my hamstrings sore and achy, making the runs even less pleasurable. As lousy a swimmer as I am, I began to savor my laps in the pool far beyond runs which offered a solemn choice between blustery or boredom. Add to that the dark mornings and dark evenings which have been proven to contribute to the mid-winter blues, it comes as no surprise that motivation during a tough winter may deteriorate to an all-time low.

There is no doubt that training with a group of friends such as we do in the Beyond takes the edge off and can be the source of motivation that pulls us out the door. The cameraderie, the post runs socials. Taking a vacation break to a warm weather destination can deliver a huge mental boost, but not everyone has this opportunity to recharge their batteries southern via escapes. While it is just as important to savor each day in our journey, during times like these shifting our focus to the goals or experiences we have set before our selves are often our salvation. For many of us, that will be the incredible high that comes from experiencing Boston, for others, it means the accomplishment of crossing the finish line of a first marathon or perhaps an 89th marathon. It can be the vision of spring racing season or the shear fun and excitement of getting a group of friends together for a relay.

This last week, I began to nail down our Kal-Haven Trail Relay team details, and found my mood start to lift as I thought of the sheer fun and camaraderie of sharing a relay event with friends. Three weeks later is the Boston Marathon. Just participating in the world’s most famous marathon itself makes you feel like a star, but the whole atmosphere and all the events surrounding Boston that weekend are exhilarating and something to look forward to; shopping at the expo, gathering with family and friends for the pasta party, the Freedom Run, stopping by the Tracey home which is like a visit with old friends, giving high fives to all the children lining the course and finally, crossing the finish line. Even after finishing, as you walk back to the hotel hundreds of people extend their congratulations. Not motivated yet? How about the vision of finishing the National City Half Marathon on a mild spring day, or the Riverbank Run (usually not without rain) or the all-day party atmosphere of Dances with Dirt. Perhaps the goal is to run the Chicago Marathon for the first time or to qualify for Boston. The future holds many great experiences, achievements and yes, far more pleasant conditions too.

And no doubt spring is around the corner and better days lie ahead. As I walked into the office one day last week, I was pleasantly surprised to hear birds chirping. Last Wednesday as I completed my 12 miler, I savored my first enjoyable run in weeks as the mercury pushed into the 40’s. At last Saturday’s Gull Lake Run, I took notice of the beautiful sunrise to the east only a few miles into our run. Could there possibly be a spark of motivation igniting….you bet! The days are getting better and its time to get psyched for the many experiences, achievements and surprises that lie in the year ahead!

Extra-terrestrial Enquirer!

2007-02-18T04:14:00.000-08:00

Suspicious Activities Uncovered at Run Camp!

Beyond Marathon Training organizers are now looking at the possibility of implementing a Grand Rapids Car Pool Program. We keep losing them to northern territories; first Sara Parr and now Rachel Wittkowski who sent us her greetings and an update:

“I know that I have been MIA since I moved up to GR, but luckily, I have Saturdays off again for awhile. I haven't been running like I was before, so I need to get in the higher mileage. I am planning on coming to kzoo to run on Saturday... I need to get in the higher mileage before the 20 miler!! I did run in the Heart and Sole 5K on Sat, Feb 10 and placed 2nd in F25-29. I had a pretty good time for myself considering the slush, hills and freezing temps. I hope to make it this Saturday, but if not the next one for sure...
I moved up to GR because I got a job as a Respiratory Care Assistant, plus I am doing all my clinicals up here. Right now I am in the NICU and I love it! I graduate at the end of April and will continue to work up here if they give me a job! But I am still planning on coming down for most of the rest of the runs.”

Rachel Wittkowski (front) reporting live from Grand Rapids
We’ll keep you posted on the carpool situation Rachel!

Speaking of MIA, Brenda Stoddard escaped the brutal winter weather to vacation in the warmth of San Diego. Does anyone remember Rollin Richman? Rollin was an avid marathoner and the KAR Treasurer prior to Ralph climbing on board. Recently he has shifted his athletic endeavors to cycling, but his daughter Angela has joined us in the Beyond to continue the legacy. Welcome Angela!

In other news, Space Captains Marty and Bonnie decorated the Beyond Marathoners in festive leis, sent the group off on slippery roads, and then took off to conduct their investigation into suspicious activities taking place at the Borgess Run Camp. The detective team well armed with Marty’s police force tactical expertise and Bonnie’s penchant for throwing parties, uncovered festive spirits, three Beyond defectors and lots of fun on the run. “I didn’t want to go, but THEY extradited me and made me do it,” reported Karen Arrick! “I came along just for the ride, I’m innocent,” reported Ayron Lowis. “I work for the fine organizers,” reported Susan Celestini! “The Beyond was fun, but how could I possibly get out of coaching run camp!” “It just wasn’t going to happen!” With the help of some run camp plotters, the duo threw a Mardi Gras Party for the wild bunch, decorating them in crowns, beads and masks. But hey, the Beyond Marathoners get not one, not two, but three parties before we’re through…and we won’t force you to wear masks! As a side note, Bonnie was reprimanded for talking during class and then chased off once again by the paparazzi.

The Front Line Boston Marathon woman’s teams are coming together nicely! Thank you to Brenda Stoddard, Patti Montilla, Cindi Owen, Jen Shaffer, Bonnie Sexton, Monica Lynch and Sherrie Mann for joining the teams, and of course to Fred Vanhala for organizing them. Looks like we had some birthdays and newcomers to the master’s ranks, but you’ll have to read the Front Line Newsletter to find out whom. Sherrie Mann somehow managed to get younger, but is keeping the secret to herself. Great team spirit ladies!

We always knew she was a mover and a shaker! Lindsay Land is looking at starting a 5k training program through her employer in Battle Creek. You go girl!

Welcome back Vicki Mergen and Cheryl O’Neil!

Defy Gravity and Pace Yourself!

2007-02-18T04:07:00.000-08:00

The early down hills of the Boston Marathon are notorious for sabotaging pacing strategy as gravity lures runners into a quick start. Although the corralling system helps some, many runners find themselves jack rabbiting through the masses. Perhaps they buy a little time in the short term, but waste the energy necessary to carry them up the series of hills culminating with the peak of Heartbreak. Proper race pacing can make or break your marathon experience and performance. The outcome can just as easily be determined by what happens the first few miles after the gun goes off as much as what happens during the many weeks of training and preparation. What is the best pacing strategy? Should you run hard early on while you are fresh? Run easy at the start and clock a negative split? Or how about running an even pace throughout the entire race?

In 2005 I signed up to run the Martian Marathon. Physically I was well-prepared. I had the training under my belt and was feeling fresh…perhaps a little too fresh. The gun went off, the adrenaline was flowing and I ran the first mile about a minute faster than my marathon pace. The 2nd mile I realized my mistake and pulled it in, but was still about 40 seconds ahead of goal pace. By 6 miles, my pace was 30 seconds ahead, and by 8 miles, I started to slow …to a pace slower than goal marathon pace. By 12 miles it was all over….my calves cramped up so badly from the lactic acid that had accumulated; I had to stop altogether. I dropped out and walked a 3 mile short cut back to the finish.

Three weeks later, at the Boston Marathon, I practiced an entirely different strategy. I ran the first few miles right at marathon pace. It felt very slow, but I knew I had to conserve energy for the hills that loomed beyond the 15th mile. By mid-race, I was very comfortably cruising along the slight downhill and flat sections of the course about 10 seconds faster than goal race pace, but feeling fresh. Eventually the hills, and a natural slowdown in pace came, but the slowdown wasn’t drastic and the hills did not present a difficult challenge. Because of the warm weather and hilly course, my calves started to cramp a little during the 17th mile, but it was different than the debilitating cramps that were caused by the accumulation of lactic acid 3 weeks earlier. Pretty soon I had crested Heartbreak Hill, ran down the other side and was approaching Boston proper. Before I knew it, the finish line loomed ahead of me and I crossed in PR time. My average pace per mile was 3 seconds faster than my first mile….and my time a PR on the most challenging road marathon course I had ever encountered.

The answer to proper pacing lies within the principles we learned earlier on lactate threshold. Your ideal marathon pace is about 20 – 30 seconds slower than lactate threshold pace. If you run faster than lactate threshold pace the lactate accumulates in your blood and muscles, which affects the enzymes for energy production and forces you to slow down. When you run faster than lactate threshold, you also use more glycogen, so you are depleted more quickly. This is especially detrimental to marathon performance as it can cause you to “hit the wall” sooner.

The best strategy, as evidenced by both physiology and my Boston experience, is to run relatively even pacing. If you run much faster than your average pace for any one part of the race, you will likely start to accumulate lactic acid and use more glycogen than necessarily. Proper pacing can be especially tricky for the half marathon since it is run so close to lactate threshold. It can be easy to creep above the ceiling. If you attempt to run a negative split and run much slower than your average pace, you will need to make up for it later on, again running faster than your most efficient pace for another part of the race. The best strategy, is to run nearly even splits, taking into the account the topography of the course. At Boston, my time splits weren’t dead even. The first few miles I ran on pace, the middle flat and slightly downhill portions I ran 10 seconds faster, and the up hills a bit slower. The nature of the course required some variation in pace to account for the variation in effort demanded by the terrain.

Most runners shouldn’t try to maintain dead even splits, especially in the marathon. During the marathon, your slow twitch fibers gradually become fatigued and your body begins to rely more on the less economical fast-twitch fibers. This will make both your running economy and lactate threshold pace decrease. Towards the end of the marathon, your pace will be reduced slightly. This suggests a more efficient strategy would be to run the first half just slightly (2-3%) faster to allow for the natural slowdown that occurs.

The first mile of a marathon is that you want to run right at or slightly slower than goal pace. You still won’t be completely warmed up and won’t be prepared to go much faster. Once you have run the first mile, the best strategy is to find a good rhythm; a fast but relaxed pace. For the marathon this will be about 20 -30 seconds slower than lactate threshold pace. At this stage, you should be cruising and saving your mental and emotional energy for the 2nd half.

The halfway point of the marathon to 20 miles is where the mental discipline of training really kicks in. At this point you are tired and still have a long way to go. Keep a positive attitude and watch your pace closely. This is where most runners start to let their pace drift, first 5 seconds per mile, then 10, then beyond. Concentrate on your splits…..at this point, most well-trained marathoners are still physically able to maintain goal pace. Sometimes, especially during this stage, it is not uncommon to have a bad patch, and then have it disappear. If you start feeling bad, press on, it may pass. Taking carbohydrate in the form of energy gels, etc often help with this. The last 6.2 miles is what you have ultimately prepared for during your many months of training and where your long runs will pay off. Dig deep here…you want to push as hard as you can, but not so hard your muscles tighten and you cramp up. Concentrate all the way to the finish line and cross over strongly (but don’t sprint at the end of a marathon)! Then Savor the fruit of all your labor…you did it!

Occasionally weather or racing strategy may require you to change your pacing plan. If you are running into a head wind, there is a big advantage to running with a group of runners and taking turns drafting. You save considerable energy this way, but you also may need to run slightly faster or slower to stay with the group. The most you should deviate from your goal pace, however, is about 8 – 10 seconds per mile.

Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!

2007-02-11T16:24:00.000-08:00

In case you were on another planet, the Colts won, the Bears lost, we’re not quite sure what to think of Prince or the commercial breaks…..and they are BACK! No, not the aliens from beyond but we were happy to see Beth Gross, Terri Kunkel and Marga Keizer reappeared from their extended stay in the infirmary (or at least that is where they claim they have been)

Francine Bangs is back from her recent thaw in Austin Texas and fully equipped with Yak Trax. Francine won her age division by a landslide at the 3M Half Marathon in Austin Texas in 2:04. Way to go Francine! We later learned one of our female marathoners did show up in Plainwell after all, only to turn around and head home; it comes as no surprise it was Julie Wojtascek. Dan Wolf was another polar bear we later learned showed up for the run.

The Comets completed their very first 20-miler this Saturday which included a course in orienteering. Space Captain Bonnie started losing people after about 5 minutes of explaining the course navigation plan. Scott Taylor interceded with his track voice, fearing that the marathoners would be lost in the Beyond for light years to come. Could it be that Tim Sochor is going to run a marathon? He claims to be half marathon training, but disappeared into the abyss with the rest of the 20-milers.

Our alien allies from Borgess Run Camp wanted to share their whats-a-Wiki with us. Check it out..it is pretty cool. The password is “run.” “I just can’t seem to figure out their blog.” reported Marty Buffenbarger. “It seems laden with subliminal messages with all the talk about cults and unruly children and alien mascots.” What does all this have to do with running anyway? Alien renegade forces have been attempting to crack the code but with little success. Bonnie and Marty will be heading over to Borgess Run Camp after sending the Beyond runners off this coming Saturday to do further investigation and perhaps throw a party while at it! Gordon sheds the Polar Bear Cover

Phil Goodwin is going to be a new dad at the end of March; March 29 to be exact! Wouldn’t it be nice if all stork deliveries could be planned this way! Tim and Kayla Kling received 15 demerits after showing up 45 minutes late for Saturday’s run. “Kayla was fine tuning her acceptance speech for her Runner Recognition Award.” reported dad Tim.

Is Mark ducking the camera or reading the menu!

Peggy Zeeb is slowly working her way back off the injured list and following in Renee Brady, Patti Montilla & Kim William’s footsteps by becoming an amphibious land and sea creature! Peggy and Brenda Stoddard, by the way, are putting together an all-female Kal-Haven Relay team and need one or two more ladies. E-mail Peggy at pzeeb2000@yahoo.com if interested!

Slow Down the Rocket Engines...and Recover!

2007-02-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

Beyond Marathoners Recover at Asiagos!

One of the most common training errors runners make is training too hard or too long on recovery days. I will be the first to admit that until recently, my training regiment was notorious for falling trap to this mistake. While I would cut down on the mileage during a recovery day, I would cover the distance at marathon pace or even faster, not allowing my body proper recovery after a hard effort. I wondered why I was chronically sore…and why my 10k race pace wasn’t much faster than my 6 mile training run pace. My muscles and nervous system were constantly taxed and fatigued, never having the opportunity to rebound.

Last year, I started doing some of my miles slower, particularly the recovery runs which I now run as much as 1 – 1 ½ minutes slower than marathon pace. I found that during my recovery runs, running with folks that normally train at a slower pace helps tremendously with this.....my eleven year old son makes a great recovery day partner….and provides a great reason to slow it down! One of the first things I noticed was that the chronic soreness began to dissipate. Although I would be sore a day or two after a particularly long or hard run, after a couple of days of easy running or cross training I would feel better. A chronic injury I had been battling for over 2 years also stayed under control, and with the balance of hard days and easy days, I found I was able to bring my total weekly mileage up to its highest level ever by balancing hard/easy efforts appropriately.

What exactly constitutes a recovery day? It varies from person to person depending on their physiology, age, predisposition to injury, fitness level and other factors. For some it means a complete day of rest, for others a day of cross training, and for others a day of “easy” running that is shorter in distance and lower in intensity than your “hard” or “quality” days. If you train too hard on a scheduled recovery day, you will be tired for your next quality workout and it won’t go as well as planned. This can often lead to a vicious cycle, and the tendency is to run hard the next scheduled recovery day to make up for the lackluster “hard” day. This results in a decline in performance in racing times and in your quality workouts. Just as it takes discipline to push through a 20 miler or a taxing VO2 max or Lactate Threshold session, it also takes discipline to back off and run slow the day or two following a hard session.

If you train too long during recovery days, particularly when you start adding higher intensity workouts such as lactate threshold or VO2Max sessions, it will also compromise your training. Too many slow miles on your recovery days will leave you fatigued during your hard days, and will impede your overall progress.

Proper race pacing can make or break your half marathon or marathon experience and performance. The outcome can just as easily be determined by what happens the first few miles after the gun goes off as much as what happens during the many weeks of training and preparation. What is the best pacing strategy? Should you run hard early on while you are fresh? Run easy at the start and clock a negative split? Or how about running an even pace throughout the entire race?

On recovery days, it also helps to minimize the pounding on your legs and reduce the stress to your muscles and nervous system. Running on soft surfaces during recovery days will help reduce the cumulative impact your legs and back experience over the course of the week. Since you are doing your recovery days on the days your muscles are least resilient, it makes sense to reduce the impact. It is also recommended that you avoid hilly courses on recovery days….running uphill requires more effort and running downhill increases muscle damage, which is exactly the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish. For some folks, or after certain workouts (feeling beat up after that hilly 18-miler last Saturday), not running at all, but cross training on the elliptical or in the pool water running or swimming may provide the ideal recovery day! In these workouts, you enhance your recovery by increasing blood flow, but there is no additional pounding. For others, or after certain workouts, a complete day of rest may be necessary. I always build one day of complete rest into my training schedule, and one day of cross training in the pool swimming or water running.

For those who use a heart rate monitor to train, the device can be a great tool in preventing yourself from training too hard on recovery days. You should keep your heart rate below 75 percent of your maximal heart rate. For example, if your maximal heart rate is 185 beats per minute, you will want to keep it below 139 beats per minute during your recovery workout.

Another good rule of thumb for recovery days is to run them 2 minutes slower than your 10-mile or Half Marathon pace. For example, if your half marathon pace is 8 minutes per mile, run you recovery run at 10 minute per mile pace! Take it easy, enjoy a chat with a training partner and rejuvenate!

Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!

2007-02-04T11:27:00.000-08:00

Gordon, is that YOU?
Go (Polar) Bears! Did Saturday’s Blizzard make wimps or warriors out of us? 8 or 9 or, by one isolated report, 10 extreme adventure enthusiasts risked frostbite, hypothermia, poor visibility, avalanche and just plain death, for what, a 12 mile run? Who are these people…total lunatics? Marty Buffenbarger, exercising his police force authority, issued an evacuation at Plainwell City Hall with an order to seek shelter, but several, planning an insanity plea, rebelled against the captain’s commands and good common sense. We learned that Gordon Hare, of all people, showed up in Plainwell. It comes as no surprise that Mark Sigfrids, Ralph Meyer and Bob Smola set out. But we learned that Pat Johnson has a sense of adventure and no fear of death as well…no way! Zero Beyond ladies showed up. Jen Shaffer and Bob Poznanski made like the Colts and showed up at the track Sunday morning, selecting warmth over frost bite.

Jennifer Shaffer leads (what else is new)
Always one to explore the wild side of running, here is Todd Raab reporting live from a snow drift: Bonnie…Bonnie….Bonnie. Where were you? You guy’s can’t cancel just because it was -15 degrees today! There were about 10 of us still out there this morning. It turned out to be a freaking rave run. My beard froze solid right along with my Gatorade and left hand. Beautiful. Totally Intense and even a little scary/dangerous! The Space Captain confesses to waking up and wimping out at 5:00 am, calling and waking Co-Commander Marty Buffenbarger at 5:15, sending a cancellation e-mail, then diving back into under the covers for 2 more hours!
Todd escapes the snow drift!

Want to get involved in a truly worthy community cause and fight cancer…there’s two coming up just for you…with one at the air zoo! The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is June 2 & 3 and Team Charmin’s Mark Chicoine and Team Varmin’s Peggy Zeeb will be combining toilet paper and rodent talents to Captain the Kalamazoo Area Runners Ship. Julie Wotasjek and several others will be climbing on board as space crew and no doubt they could use YOU! Each team will have a runner or walker out on the course during the 24 hours beginning 11:00 am June 2 through 11:00 am June 3, the most popular time being the luminary ceremony after Sundown. Contact Peggy Zeeb at pzeeb2000@yahoo.com if you would like to sign up for a time slot to run, or to help out with the team event site. Check it all out right here: Relay for Life
If the Komen Foundation Race for the Cure is on your agenda, Renee Brady will be organizing a KAR/BCRR team and captaining that ship. The 2007 detail isn’t out at the South West Michigan Komen Foundation website address yet, but watch for it soon and join the team in the fight against breast cancer.

Is it double dipping into two coffers of galactic fun or total defection? It appears that some of the Beyond have also made appearances, even long term commitments, to the other “B” rated camp, Borgess Run Camp. It is against our policy to expose the names of such serious violations of run camping ethics policy, but be afraid…..and know that the Alien Gods know WHO you are.

The Milestone!

2007-02-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

Brenda Stoddard builds endurance...and cameraderie!

It is a major marathon training milestone both physiologically and psychologically. For experienced marathoners, it represents an affirmation of sorts; the body is trained and ready to go. For first time marathoners its completion represents the very first exhilarating moment and the knowledge 26.2 is within reach. For all, it establishes confidence. What is IT? It is the 20-miler. With the veracity of the Bears tackling the football (or the Colts if you are an Indianapolis fan), this week the high intensity Comets will be tackling their first 20 miler in an excursion around Austin Lake.

Although there are alternative schools of thought, 20-milers are the anchor of most marathon training programs. Long runs over 90 minutes, train the body to store glycogen and utilize fat for energy. Endurance Training also increases the capillarization of your muscles. It also has psychological benefits. During a 20 miler, you simulate the stresses your body will go through during the marathon. When your legs tire, you learn how to isolate different muscle groups, shorten your stride and cope when the fatigue of 26.2 sets in. Sometimes more than anything, you want to stop, but through the experience gained through your long runs, you learn how to persevere until the end.

There is no scientific evidence that clearly establishes the longest distance to run during your training, hence the various schools of thoughts. The Hanson’s regiment eliminates 20 milers altogether for all but the most elite runners. Galloway uses a 26.2 miler to establish confidence for the marathoner. Our Daniels/Pfitzinger philosophy recommends 22 miles, with 24 being the ultimate limit for experienced marathoners who are not injury prone. Even though scientific evidence doesn’t establish a clear cut long run distance, there is clearly needs to be a balance between running far enough to stimulate the physiological adaptations needed to cover the distance while remaining injury free. Frequent runs that are too long will make you strong but slow because you won’t be able to run your other workouts such as lactate threshold runs at the proper intensity. You risk of injury will escalate because your muscles fatigue and lose their ability to absorb impact.

Experience (rather than scientific evidence) indicates that gradually building to long runs 21 – 22 miles will maximize the probability that you will arrive at the starting line in top shape while staying injury free.

It is also recommended that long runs be run 10-20% slower than goal marathon pace, with the first part of the run being close to 20% and gradually building up to 10% of goal marathon pace. If you do long runs in this intensity range, a 22 miler will take about the same amount of time as it does to run the marathon. This provides an excellent stimulus for the physiological adaptations needed to complete the marathon, and it provides psychological reinforce that you can run a steady pace for that length of time.

Reference: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Cast Out the Demons with Cross Training!

2007-02-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

We have seen them all this winter: Blizzards, ice, objects protruding from sidewalks, stress fractures, SI joint dysfunction, plantar fasciitis, tight hamstrings, IT band issues and even the flu. The marathon sabotaging demons are many, but a week or two, or even more time off running doesn’t always have to land you sitting on the sidelines. The YMCA or any other local health club or home gym offers a whole host of options to keep your cardiovascular system strong and the endorphins flowing.

Whether looking to prevent injury while building fitness, or maintain fitness and psychological well being while recovering from an injury, cross training is the answer. No form of cross training is a perfect replacement for running because our bodies adapt very specifically to the demands of running. But there are times when running is not an option, and each of us has a different tolerance level for the amount of mileage and intensity and may find cross training as the answer to increasing or maintaining fitness while staying injury free.

How quickly do we become coach potatoes? One of the most frequently asked questions by those suffering from injury is how quickly they will detrain. At 5 -7 days of inactivity, there is no loss, and there most likely will even be some running improvement because of the rest! After that, however, de-conditioning occurs at a rate of about 2 – 3% per week of inactivity. The good news, however, is that cross training can slow or even stop the loss in cardiovascular fitness.

What are the best forms of Cross Training for Runners? According to Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympic marathoner and Exercise Physiologist, the Elliptical Trainer and Water Running are the most effective methods of cross training for a runner. Benefits can be reaped, however, from a wide variety of cross training techniques and the nature of the running injury may prevent some of these from being an option. Below is a brief summary of several of the most popular:

Elliptical Trainer
The elliptical trainer kept me in tip-top marathon form for almost 2 months back in 2004. Due to an injury, I was limited to running 3 days and 25 miles a week. Two days I would supplement my running and replace my recovery runs with 45 minutes on the elliptical. Other than sneaking in one taboo 20 miler, this regiment carried me to a 3:16 marathon victory at Carrollton that summer. The elliptical trainer is the closest form of cross training to running in terms of muscles and aerobic systems used. You can do almost any workout on an elliptical that you can do while running; long runs, lactate threshold or VO2 max. When using the elliptical, to most closely simulate running, use a lower resistance and a faster turnover of 180 to 200 steps per minute. This will help maintain your leg turnover.

Water Running
Deep water running with a flotation vest or belt is one of the most effective methods of cross training for runners because it closely simulates land running, and it is safe for most running injuries. Most fitness centers with a pool make these available. Like the elliptical, you can perform almost any type of workout in the water that you can on land. It is difficult to maintain running form in the water; the most important factor is to be able to maintain proper intensity. Your stride rate will be slower in the water, and it will be even slower if you try to simulate land running exactly; try to concentrate on intensity to maintain fitness. Some runners move forward slowly in the water while others stay in place; either is ok. If you maintain a relatively upright posture, it will reduce the tendency to move forward. Also, if you heart rate train, be aware that your heart rate will be 8 – 11 beats per minute lower for the same level of oxygen uptake than it is when running on land.

Stair Climbing
Stair Climbing provides a great cardiovascular workout and also very closely approximates running. Because the stair climber stresses the body in a similar way to running, it often cannot be used as a cross training option for injury recovery. For a healthy runner, however, stair climbing makes a great substitute for recovery runs.

Cycling
Cycling is a great cross training option that works the cardiovascular system while eliminating the impact that causes most running injuries and it also opens the door to the Multi-sport world and a whole new playground. There are many options; you can ride a bike outdoors, indoors on a bike trainer, or use at exercise bike at home or at the gym. If you ride outside, you get to cover ground much like you do in running, eliminating some of the monotony. The downside is the risk of colliding with a vehicle, and to get a good workout you have to travel at high speeds on a bike which requires some skill. Because cycling uses a limited range of motion, there is also the risk of shortening your stride. You can minimize this by walking and then running (if injury permits) and then stretching your hamstrings, quadriceps and hip flexors. The bike can be used to do long endurance workouts, or lactate threshold workouts. When using the bike, be sure to keep it in an easy gear with RPM’s of at least 90.

Swimming
I find a good (but personally SLOW) swim always manages to get those endorphins flowing, sometimes even better than a good run! Swimming is a great form of cross training that works the cardiovascular system with none of the stresses of running. It does require a bit of skill to get in a good workout, but with some instruction you can build up quickly. Swimming isn’t as similar to running as some of the other cross training methods, but if most of your training primarily consists of running, that doesn’t matter. It is a great way to increase your overall general fitness and helps to promote recovery at the same time. Feeling a bit sore? A good swim in place of a recovery run is a great solution!

Cross Country Skiing
It just may be that all the snow we have been getting is good for something after all! Cross country skiing is the only form of exercise that provides cardiovascular benefits equal to or greater than running. Because it uses the entire body it works the cardiovascular system very hard: some of the highest VO2 Max values have been found in cross country skiers. The drawback is that it does require some skill (and snow!) and those without experience may not be able to go fast enough to get in a good workout. Cross Country ski machines are not as much fun, but make a great alternative.

When you are recovering and ready to work your way back to running, the smart way is to work your way back up to running slowly, and perhaps through cross training options as you heal. You may only be able to do deep water running at first, graduate to the elliptical trainer, and then finally run easy on a treadmill. When you return to running, especially on hard surfaces, you may find your cardiovascular system is strong, but your muscular fitness may be lacking since the muscles are no longer used to contracting from the payment pounding impact of running. Take it slow, gradually building up your mileage and replacing your cross training workouts. Even if you have to target a different marathon at a later date, you will back on track and on your way to crossing the marathon finish line, and no doubt the road there will be much shorter than if you chose cross training over the couch!

References:

1. Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
2. Glover, B., and S. Glover. 1999. The Competitive Runner’s Handbook. New York, NY: Penguin Group.
3. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-78-82-0-6039,00.html

The Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer!!!

2007-01-28T17:39:00.000-08:00

It’s an alien invasion in Kalamazoo….runners appearing EVERYWHERE! Borgess Run Camp kicked off with a participant roster of about 300…a number so high there were reports of gang & cult activity. Led by their angels, the Beyond marathoners fled to the country and the SHufflers to their crime free safe-haven on Bicentennial Trail. We even spied Kevin Biek, Tom Cross, Rob Nicey and a crew from the Trikats running down the mall, apparently fleeing the sinister activities taking place on Nazareth Road.

Alien’s are certainly on the menu for some traveling into the Beyond. Kayla and Tim Kling plan to make the Martian Marathon their very first 26.2 on the red planet. The father daughter duo just completed their longest run ever..... a hilly 18 miler. “We LOVE hills,” reported Tim. “We made the Great Turtle Half on Mackinaw Island our first half marathon, and now the topographically challenging Martian Marathon will be our first marathon!” Tabloid reporters also learned that Kayla is somewhat of a genius, and when she is not training she is pursuing her Advanced Placement studies at Allegan High School.

Mark Sigfrids has now bailed on Boston in favor of Martian. The 2005 Martian Marathon, by the way, was Mark’s very first marathon, which he completed in 5:08:11 and is now going back to seek his revenge. Since then he has qualified for Boston several times over. Peggy Zeeb won the Martian Marathon that very same year, in 3:18. And what about Ralph Meyer who also finished in a respectable 3:42? He managed to break his finger!

We uncovered another secret; Scott Taylor has divided loyalties. Scott is football coach for Portage Central High School….and Track Coach for Galesburg-Augusta! He is also a high school biology teacher…but dissects frogs, earthworms and guinea pigs for only one of the two!

Bob Smola Runs the ING Miami Marathon!
The warm weather vacations continue…Bob Smola has proven he has made a comeback, and completed the ING Miami Marathon this weekend in 3:46:25, drawing ever closer to his 100th marathon. Congratulations Bob on your 88th (or is it 89th) marathon! Plans for the KAR/BCRR Bob Smola Centennial Marathon Party are already underway. Snowbird Francine Bangs flew down south to Austin Texas, only to find it wasn’t so warm! Space Captain Bonnie traveled to Meijer…..and was caught red-handed by Brian Dobbie for the 2nd time escaping the premises with 2 cart-loads of groceries. Here’s a little tabloid trivia….Brian was a fellow Turtle on Bonnie’s Borgess Run Camp team back in 2003. This was back in the days when run camp had under 100 participants and ran dual camps out of Portage and Borgess, the Safari had about 60, and the Beyond, well just didn’t exist!

Please share your tabloid tales with us…anything but relationships, blatant political opinions or bathroom issues are fair game for the Extra-Terrestrial Enquirer. Disclaimer here: Team Charmin is an exception to the bathroom issue policy….this includes Mark Chicoine, Rich Schau and Brian Campbell and anyone else who claims to be Team Charmin.