Marathon: My personal journey

Water!

Staying hydrated is the #1 aspect of running a successful race. It may sound silly, but I remember Hal Higdon talking about “practicing your drinking”. OK- I am Irish, so you can see where that might lead me down a wrong path. Tee hee!

In any event, Hal did not mean Guinness like I had hoped. He meant practice drinking water or energy drinks during your training. I never thought about that before, but after running a number of long distance races…it makes a ton of sense. You have to practice to make sure you don’t take in too much, too little or too fast.

Image Source:

http://www.predatornutrition.com/en/content/six-reasons-to-stay-hydrated/

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

New Blog Design!

James Connely at 7:10 PM No comments:

This week I will be featuring a newly designed blog and I hope that you enjoy it! I have some tweaking to do, but I am off to a good start. I want to dedicate this new design to one of my running heroes. His name is Caballo Blanco.

If you don't know much about him, I suggest you read the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It is a great read and you will thoroughly enjoy it!

Christopher's website is below: http://www.chrismcdougall.com/

Image Source:
http://vanessaruns.com/2012/04/01/how-will-caballo-blancos-death-change-ultra-running/

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Your mind will win!

James Connely at 6:50 AM No comments:

This week I have been talking to a ton of people who asked me about finishing a marathon. I have been asked......what is the "secret"? During the race, you will have a ton of emotion and physical things going on. This is a given.

The most important aspect of finishing a marathon is your mind. A good friend of mine, Lynn Breithaupt once said "finishing a marathon is a state of mind". I have three full finishes and can attest for that. It's a battle of your mind for sure.

If you are curious about details, this video does a KILLER job talking about the "science" of running a marathon. It's pretty cool!

Friday, April 25, 2014

Marathon Season

James Connely at 6:55 AM No comments:

Just as we head into marathon training season, I have been talking to a bunch of friends who are running a full marathon this fall for the first time.

The training is going to be intense and the race will be just one big celebration. In the coming weeks, I will post some training perspective and race tips.

In the interim, I thought you all would love this video. It is the 8 stages of marathon running and its hilarious!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Try Something New!

James Connely at 5:27 AM No comments:

Just the other day, my dearest friend Chris Loewenberg friend recommend a new app for running. Chris is awesome with technology and knows a ton about apps. Based on his recommendation, I tried it out for the past two days and really enjoyed it. The app motivated me, challenged me and I believe it will make me a better runner. I can see myself using their program for the Marine Corps Marathon!

I have found myself looking forward to tomorrow in such a different way. It's amazing what can happen when you get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Thank you Chris Loewenberg!

If you are curious, the app is Nike +. I know many of you already use it, so I am just joining the ranks:)

Here is a cool review of the app:
http://www.technologyguide.com/softwarereview/nike-gps-running-app-review/

If you want to download the app, click this URL:
https://secure-nikeplus.nike.com/plus/products/gps_app/

Image source:
http://www.technologyguide.com/softwarereview/nike-gps-running-app-review/

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The reason for a plan

James Connely at 5:04 AM No comments:

In running a half or full marathon or any other race of significant distance, it is critical that you plan! Here are a few things to identify in your planning:

The race course- is it flat, hilly? Where are the hills?
Water stations- Hydrating during your race is mission critical. A solid plan for the water stations will help you figure out how to keep hydrated.
Aid stations/Porta potty's- Hopefully, you will only need the porta potty. However, it is good to know where the aid stations are, in the event you become injured and need help.
Weather- I map out the weather two weeks before a big race. This determines how much gear and the variety of gear.
Wind- It may not seem like it would matter much, but it does. Does your course encounter frequent wind? Accounting for the wind can help you monitor your pace.
What time does the race start? What time will you get to the start corral? I would give yourself plenty of time.
Contingency plans- Mentally get yourself prepared for the inevitable and figure out how you might deal with it. In my racing past, I have encountered the following surprises:

Rain
Snow
Extreme heat
Cramps
Injuries
Wind
iPod battery goes dead too early
I forgot to take my nutrition at the right time

In each case of contingency, I had to mentally dig deep and physically plan for an impacted race. It helped me focus on the finish!

As a finisher of three full marathons, I can say each race was unique and different. The experience helped me become a better planner and better runner! Your plan will dictate success!!!

This article/link does a great job of addressing tips for racing.
http://running.competitor.com/2014/03/training/13-1-tips-for-running-your-best-half-marathon_95975/11

Image source:
http://cargocollective.com/odette/Harcourt-Battle-of-Marathon

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

A Great Success Story

James Connely at 4:52 AM No comments:

Yesterday, I was so proud of Meb. He won the Boston Marathon and did it with pure heart!!!! The announcers were talking about his age (he is too old), the others will make a move and beat him, it's been so long since an American won at Boston, etc. In 2010, he placed fifth at Boston and hobbled to the finish line with a torn quadricep muscle.

Meb is a tremendous runner. He doesn't get the credit others in the sport do. However, he won the Boston marathon and was a gracious winner. He even quoted John Wooden! You know I love that!

Although I am older, Meb and I could be twins! Here are the similarities between us:

We both run marathons and finish them.
We both have faith (see him making the sign of the cross multiple times toward the end of the marathon).
We both have excitement (see the fist pumps toward the finish).
We both are thankful.
He quotes John Wooden.
We both work hard.
We both are bald!
We both wear Skechers Go Run 2's!
We are both FAST! OK- Meb is fast and I think that I am:)