Snow snow snow

Is it bad that I am looking forward to getting outside today for a run when there is blowing flurries? Well I am and I hope I can get in some good miles in today. Have to remember its not about speed when its this weather its just getting in the miles.

Merry xmas

Wow did Santa bring me lots of great running stuff for Xmas. Got the amazing Garmin 405 GPS watch!  Running socks, iPod nano, another safety light and running shorts. I also bought for myself 2 compression shirts at target yesterday to get rid of an issue I am having with bleeding on a sensitive area:(

Hill workout

I ran with the fleet feet warriors yesterday at the Brighton store and Let me tell you it was an amazing time and workout!  There was about 60 people there running the Cobb's hill workout. I ran about 6 mile's and I left there feeling like I got in an amazing run.

How to find the determination

When you get tired, sore, or just don't feel like continuing..how do you keep on going? what makes you want to continue and finish strong.

**CHANGE OF PLANS**

I went running this morning with the winter warrior team and met a guy named Bernie who after a good discussion of where I am with my training he said I should be running my Marathon sooner. I decided to run the Buffalo Marathon in may!!!!!

Flower city

I registered for my first race of 2012 at the Flower city half marathon at the end of April. I am planning on beating my previous time of 2:06, goal time of 1:50.
http://www.flowercitychallenge.com/flower-city-half-marathon

Long run..brr

Went on a nice long run on Sunday, got in 12 miles. I was an idiot and did some leg workout on Saturday and my quads after the workout and 12 miler feel like Mayweather was using them for punching practice. Today is a much needed day of rest.

Hill Workout- Treadmill

The great website runners world had a video for a hill workout on the treadmill that I tried last night. I have been reading a lot lately that doing hill workouts weekly will boost your endurance and strength so I wanted to start incorporating those. Here is the workout:

3min- Warmup, increasing speed to a steady run speed ( I did 6.5 since it was my first time trying this workout)
1 min- 2% incline
1 min- 4% incline
1 min- 0%
2 min- 4%
1 min- 0%
Repeat the 2min-4% with 1 min at 0% for as long as you can go3

I only did this for 3 miles but it was a great workout and I look forward to going further with this. Also the time flew by splitting it up into intervals so it didn't seem to take too long to get to 3 miles.

December with no snow

Its the beginning of December and we still don't have snow. I am loving that I can get out on the road in December and put in good miles still without the couple feet of snow around me...I should enjoy it now before it comes.

Salomon first run

Had my first run in the new Solomon shoes and I'll have to death I like them. They are definitely heavier than my saucony mirage but my feet didn't hurt at all.

New winter shoes

I had these shoes for winter and they hurt my feet:
So I went to Fleet Feet today and asked to do an exchange and got these instead:

Let's hope these are nicer to my feet and allow me to enjoy the snow and cold this winter while racking up the miles.

Reason why I run

"Why am I training for a marathon." I gave this question some thought today and I think I came up with a reason I believe in. 

My whole life I have been into sports. Started with baseball, football, basketball, track, soccer, volleyball, darts (Call it a sport because I competed), swimming, cycling and golf. All of these sports I was somewhat good at, or at least I could compete at a high level of competition and not look like the last guy to be picked at dodge-ball. Sure these sports took practice and training to be good at, but any of these sports you could easily just play and even if you weren't good, you could finish it. 

With running, and particularly training for a marathon, there is so much more training and dedication that you need to put in before you can even attempt a marathon. Sure, you could technically walk the marathon or just doing run/walk intervals and finish the race…but that’s not me. I am an athlete to the core, and a competitor. I don’t want to just complete a marathon; I want to do it at the best of my current ability. I will always be a runner where after the race I’ll be happy I finished it, but will look at my time and say, “I will beat that time.” This is what makes me want to run and race in a marathon. It’s the fact that not everyone can just run a marathon; it takes a certain person with dedication and hard training to run it. I am that kind of person, and that is why I am running a marathon.

Back on the saddle

After a good interval night yesterday, I am ready to hit the road. As long as the weather is decent, I am looking forward to a good 6 mile tempo after work.
I am doing some research on gels and like the sodium in Crank. Now I just need to buy a couple of each brand and test them out on a run. With so many flavors and differences its hard to decide what to choose. I am sure other runners new to this awesome sport have the same difficulty at first.
http://www.cranksports.com/products/eGel/comp/gu.asp
I am also looking at this product called http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/endurolytes.elt.html?navcat=fuels-energy-drinks
which puts back electrolytes into your system.
My issue is that I sweat a lot..like a lot on my runs. I have been dealing with hamstring tightness on longer runs and its starting to worry me. I think I need to replace my sodium and electrolytes. I am drinking fluid on my longer runs, but I don't think that is enough due to my excessive sweating.

Back from vaca

Back from vacation in Boston where I couldn't run and feel like crap today due to it. This certainly shows that I love running and hate being away from it for even 2 days. Look forward to a good interval run later after work. Need to get back into the swing of things before January 1st and my 16 week half-marathon program begins.

Maintenance Month

A month before my official half marathon training starts for the Flower city and I am working on just getting in runs when I can and trying to maintain fitness. I want to be fit when the program starts but with a lot of energy. I feel like I was pushing myself too much since Septembers half and I need to relax some before my 16 week program starts. I am trying to incorporate some cross training and core workouts so help improve overall strength and shed some much needed pounds.