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IronBrandon Show: Episode 151

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Newton Running

Kenyon Neuman

24 hour show giveaway and raffle list!

PLEASE click HERE to donate to Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation as I train for Ironman Canada 2011!

Email info@ironbrandon.com to find out about sponsorship for the 24 hour podcast on June 10 & 11!

IronBrandon Show: Episode 138

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PLEASE click HERE to donate to Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation as I train for Ironman Canada 2011!!

Leave a comment HERE to be enterer to win a free pair of Stuffitts!

Natural running clinic in Milwaukee THIS WEEKEND!

Structural Elements

IronBrandon Show: Episode 135

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PLEASE click HERE to donate to Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation as I train for Ironman Canada 2011!!

Reflective Runner Podcast

IronBrandon Show: Episode 134

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Newton 24 Hours of Triathlon

Boa Technology

Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)

Ironman Wisconsin

Ironman Lonestar (70.3)

ISM Saddles

PLEASE click HERE to donate to Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation as I train for Ironman Canada 2011!!


 

Natural running, NYC style!

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In less than a month, on March 11, 12 and 13 New York City athletes will get a chance to be attend some amazing natural running clinics right in the Big Apple (as well as a couple dates for those of you in CT and NJ!)! Ok, so I know that I’ve told you about these before and many of you reading this have come to these clinics and learned some great stuff, BUT for those of you that are rolling your eyes and saying, “I’m not a natural/chi/minimalist runner, Brandon”, yes, you are. If you have feet, you’re a natural runner, your shoes and such have just been telling you different for so long that you don’t know it!

These clinics are 100% free and are for ALL, and I do mean ALL runners, no matter what kind of shoes you wear, no matter how fast you are and no matter what you think you know about running, EVERYONE is welcome. This is a fantastic opportunity to get one-on-one attention from renowned natural running expert and SEVEN time World Adventure Racing Champion, Ian Adamson. Here are the details:

New York Running Company- East Side

What: Natural Running Reception & Presentation

Where: 1059 3rd Ave. | New York, NY 10065

Date: Friday, March 11, 2011

Time: 7-9:00 pm

Contact: 212.223.8109 | therunningcompany.net

 

New York Running Company- Time Warner Center

What: Natural Running Form Clinic

Where: 10 Columbus Circle | 2nd floor ste 210 | New York, NY 10023

(The group will meet at the TWC location and then head over to Central Park for the clinic)

Date: Saturday, March 12, 2011

Time: 8:30-10:15 am

Contact: 212.823.9626 | therunningcompany.net

 

New York Running Company- Time Warner Center

What: Natural Running Form Clinic

Where: 10 Columbus Circle | 2nd floor ste 210 | New York, NY 10023

(The group will meet at the TWC location and then head over to Central Park for the clinic)

Date: Sunday, March 13, 2011

Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm

Contact: 212.823.9626 | therunningcompany.net

 

Greenwich Running Company

What: Natural Running Symposium and Form Clinic

Where: 2 Greenwich Ave | Greenwich, CT 06830

Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Time: 7:00-9:00 pm

Contact: 203.861.7800 | therunningcompany.net

 

Princeton Running Company

What: Natural Running Symposium and Form Clinic

Where: 108 Nassau St | Princeton, NJ 08542

Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Time: 7:00-9:00 pm

Contact: 609.252.9110 | therunningcompany.net

 

IronBrandon Show: Episode 132

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PLEASE click HERE to donate to Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation as I train for Ironman Canada 2011!!

Leave a comment HERE to be entered to win a FREE bottle of Vidazorb!

My thoughts on swim training

Swimovate Poolmate Pro

Swimsense by Finis

Light & Motion bike lights

Tridudes

ICAN Triathlon

Challenge Triathlon Series

Tristar Triathlon Series

IronBrandon Show: Episode 131

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Click HERE to donate to Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation as I train for Ironman Canada 2011!!

Gear news and reviews at GEARIST.COM!

STUFFITTS!!

Ian Adamson

Newton Running

Newton Running Symposia

Correct Toes

Draft Legal age group racing in Florida

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Crowie and Macca to battle in Abu Dhabi!

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Much has been made in the past of the Crowie and Macca rivalry. In fact, you may have even heard some hints of it in my interview with Crowie [LINK]. Usually we have to wait until Kona to see Crowie and Macca go head to head, but this year we’ll get to see them early! Both World Champs will be in the Abu Dhabi International triathlon which takes place on Mach 12.

As many have said before (not the least of which is Macca himself), Macca is considered to be a stronger cyclist than Crowie. With that in mind, the unusual distance of the Abu Dhabi course will favore the 2010 Kona champ. The distances are: 3 km swim (approx. 1.86 mi.), 200 km bike (approx 124 mi.) and 20 k run (12.4 mi.).

TriCenter this week did a bit of a highlight on the two heavyweights as they gear up for an early season showdown.

Saucony Peregrine Review from Tridudes

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Great review of the Saucony Peregrine from Till. Check out more of the scoop from Europe at tridudes.com


IronBandon Show: Episode 126

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CALL THE SHOW! 917-675-3144

Stuffitts!

GoLite Black Mountain Thermal Wind Jacket

Craft Storm Tights

Global 5K & 10K

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 113

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Honey Stinger

Smartwool Arm Warmers

Chicago Marathon

Philadelphia Marathon

Newton Running (Come visit me at the Newton booth at the Chicago Marathon!!)

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IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 108

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LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST TO WIN A FREE PAIR OF STUFFITTS!!!

PRS Fit

Ironman Louisville

Ironman Louisville Race Report Part 1

Ironman Louisville Race Report Part 2

Part 3 coming soon!

Please help me get to the Philadelphia Marathon by donating here!!

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 105

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Team Winter

Ironman Louisville 2010

Mission Skincare

Sole (AMAZING SOCKS, and sandals….)

Smith Pivlock V90 Max Sunglasses

Smith Pivlock V90 Max with Prescription lenses

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IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 100

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To all those who have made each and every one of my first one hundred episodes possible, thank you.

Newton Running Events Calendar

Caballo Blanco’s Homepage

Caballo Blanco on Facebook

Norawas de Rarámuri (Friends of the Running People)

Born to Run

Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon on Facebook

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 99

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Win a free entry to the Salinas Valley Half Marathon!

Stuffitts (Comment on this post and win a free pair!)

Know your body’s quick-cooling spots

Jordan Rapp

Jordan’s Accident

The Education of Jordan Rapp

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 99 (player temporarily being stupid. Click here to play)

How to Calculate Your Sweat Rate

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Calculating the amount of fluid we need as individuals can often be a tricky proposition. While interviewing the founder and CEO of Infinit Nutrition, Michael Folan, a few weeks ago, he gave a great breakdown of calculating your hydration and nutrition needs. Below is a step-by-step formula for figuring out your own sweat rate and therefore, your hydration needs.

How to calculate your sweat rate:

The goal is to see exactly how much dehydration you incur during your workout and in turn,
determine your hourly fluid replacement (how much you need to drink). When you are done
with this homework, you will have a hydration target that you can use in both training and
racing.

1. Empty you bladder and record you weight (nude or swim suit)

2. Pre-exercise weight = ___________ lbs.(A)

3. Do your usual workout, and drink like you normally would.

4. Record the approximate volume of fluid consumed during exercise.
How much you drank = ___________ fluid ounces (E)

5. Towel dry, empty your bladder and then record your weight (nude or swim suit).
Post-exercise weight = ___________ lbs.(B)

6. Subtract your post-exercise weight from your pre-exercise weight to get the number of
pounds you lost during exercise.
Weight lost = _____lbs.(A) – ______lbs(B) = ________lbs.(C)

7. To find out how many fluid ounces of water you have lost,
multiply pounds x 16 _____lbs(C) x 16 = ________ fluid ounces of water you lost during
exercise (D)

8. To determine hourly fluid replacement needs, add number of fluid ounces you lost during
exercise (D) to the number of fluid ounces you consumed during exercise (E) and divide by
total number of hours spent training.
(_____fluid ounces (D) + ___fluid ounces (E)) ÷ ___hours =_____fluid ounces needed each hour

Conditions that will increase sweat rate include heat, humidity, and elevated heart rate (high
intensity training). Athletes should measure sweat rate across several workouts to determine
their fluid replacement needs in various environmental conditions.

On race day, based on the forecast, the athlete than can go back to their log and know
exactly what fluid they need to plan on ingesting to prevent performance declines associated
with dehydration. Deaths have occurred when the air temperature was less than 75 degrees
F (24 degrees C) but the relative humidity was above 95%. Humidity levels over 75% will
contribute to an increased risk of heat injury.

*Note that a factor of 1.2-1.6 can be multiplied to hourly replacement needs when heat &
humidity (>75%) are extreme.

This is a key component to any athletes performance.

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 97

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Help Support IronBrandon (Thank you!)

Garmin Forerunner 305

Salinas Valley Half Marathon (Win a free entry!)

Jordan Rapp

Craig Alexander

Newton Running

Orbea Bikes

Rev3 Triathlon Series

Gu Energy

Infinit Nutrition (Use discount code “ironbrandon” for free shipping!)

Attention NYC Area!: Natural Running Form Clinic in Central Park!

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Hey there guys! I am so excited to share some news with you all. Much has been made over the past year of what exactly defines ‘good’ running for and/or technique. Many, like myself, believe in allowing your body to do what it is meant to do naturally rather than allowing an overbuilt, over-cushioned shoe get in the way. With all that said, there is an awesome clinic on natural running form coming to New York City on June 15! See you there! Here are the details:

What: Natural Running Form Clinic with Newton Running

When: Tues., June 15 at 6:30 pm

Where: Meet at The Boat House, Central Park NYC (See map below)

Why: Join Newton Running for a free, open to the public event featuring
Newton’s co-founder and running form expert Danny Abshire, as well as
Newton’s R&D/Education Director and adventure racing world champ Ian
Adamson
. Danny and Ian will lead a clinic to demonstrate how proper running
form can improve speed and efficiency, and decrease the risk of injury.

*NOTE* Do not feel any pressure to be a Newton wearer in coming to this clinic! This is for ALL runners who want to improve their form and efficiency.


View Larger Map

Some more upcoming form clinics:

June 12th: Newton Running Form Clinic &  Symposium, Newton Running Lab, Boulder, CO 9-10am Running Form Clinic, 5:30-7:30pm Natural Running Symposium

June 16th: Newton Running Symposium, The Track and Field Store (997 Madison Avenue, NYC) 6:30-8:30pm Symposium, Q and A

June 17th: Runner’s Edge, Farmington, NY 6:30-7:30pm Symposium, Q and A 7:30-8:30pm Form Clinic

Upcoming Interview: Craig “Crowie” Alexander!

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I am so excited about my upcoming interview with the one and only Craig Alexander! The reigning King of Kona, defending his 2008 win on the big island in 2009, Crowie has been an inspiration to me and to many. His poise during grueling races, overcoming what he has called a “bad day” to win his second world championship, drives me to become a more complete racer.

My interview with Crowie will take place this coming Monday night at 9:30 PM EST, after I record my regular weekly show. I will do my best to broadcast the interview live HERE, but it will also appear on an upcoming episode of my show.

If you have any questions you would like me to ask Crowie, please send them to me at: info@ironbrandon.com and I will do my best to get them on the air.

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 95

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IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 85

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Keith and the Girl

What Do We Do Now? (Amazon)

Me and the Road

Donate to Me and the Road

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Ironman Mooseman 70.3

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IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 84

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Inwood Hill Park

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Newton Running Symposium in Boston

IronBrandon’s Garmin Connect

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Run Ride Inspire

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 82

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Donate to IronBrandon (Please!)

Me and the Road

Giro

Nytro Complete Triathlon Package

Natural Running Symposiums

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Incredible Jane

IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 81

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Help Keep IronBrandon Going!

Me and the Road

Ask IronBrandon Anything!

Sugoi: Be Incredible!

Pip Taylor!

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PacificHealth Labs

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IronBrandon’s Podcast: Episode 80

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Help Keep IronBrandon Going!

Sugoi

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Me and the Road

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Fit Soul, Fit Body

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Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 79

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All New Feedback System!

Me and the Road

Brandon on Dailymile

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Active.com

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Runner’s World

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EMAIL THE LAMINATOR ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME!

Day 39: Pip Pip!

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From Me and the Road

February 8, 2010

Date: 2/8/09

Consecutive Days Run: 39

Runner: Brandon Wood

Shoes: Newton AW Trainers

Location: New York, NY

Type of Run: Quick

Time of Day: 6:48 PM EST

Distance Run: 2.03 miles

Time Run: 00:14:29

Average Pace: 7:08 per mile

Weather Conditions: Cold (31 degrees Fahrenheit), Windy

Disposition: Good

Link to Run Detail: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/24293254

About the Run: When I was a kid, my brother and I would come out of movies like The Karate Kid and do our best imitations of the people on the screen. If we were lucky, no property or bones were broken in the process. A similar thing still happens to me these days. This evening I had an interview with the one and only Pip Taylor. Pip is an absolutely amazing professional triathlete and, as it happens, a nutritionist! After I got off the phone with her, I was so inspired and honored to speak with her that I got totally amped up to go for my run.

I left my building feel fresh legged, which was nice considering my long run yesterday, and took off. I began at a pace that was quick but comfortable and felt more like gliding than running. I hit my one mile turn around feeling good and looking forward to pushing it a bit on the return trip. I held my pace at about 7 minutes flat and for the last third of a mile, I pushed it down to around 5:40. I felt good and winded, in that really cool, “Hey, I just did that!” way.

Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 78

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Me and the Road

PRS Fit

Pip Taylor

Sarah Stanley’s Run Ride Inspire

Black Diamond Sprinter Headlamp

Newton Running’s Take on Barefoot Running


Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 77

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Charlie Engle

Charlie on Twitter!

Running the Sahara

Running America

H2O Africa Foundation

Death Valley Cup

Mission Skincare

Infinit Nutrition

Balega Socks

CW-X

The Barkley Marathons

Beast of Burden Winter 100 Miler

NYRR Manhattan Half-Marathon

Sugoi

Newton Running

Standing Start

Athlete

Day 13: Ian

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From Me and the Road

January 13, 2010

Date: 1/13/09

Consecutive Days Run: 13

Runner: Brandon Wood

Shoes: Newton AW Trainers

Location: New York, NY

Type of Run: Easy

Time of Day: 6:39 AM EST

Distance Run: 6.11 miles

Time Run: 00:50:42

Average Pace: 8:18 per mile

Weather Conditions: Cold (30 degrees Fahrenheit), clear

Disposition: Good, tired

Link to Run Detail: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/22299559

About the Run: I must admit that I was a little curious as to how my body would handle running this morning. A member of the @SirIsaac team, Ian, was in town for business and we decided to meet up to run this morning. So, at 7 AM we met in the parking lot of Tavern on the Green, and as luck would have it, today was the day that the Tavern, having gone bankrupt, was selling off it’s assets, so there were news trucks a plenty.

I ran up to the park from West 50th Street after having dropped off my stuff at my gym. We met just before 7 and off we went. Ian is a fellow Virginian, and a great runner. We both took it easy as Ian was dealing with an old skiing injury and I was less than 12 hours out from running 11 miles. You can see the actual route we took by clicking the link to the detail above. Yet again, so nice running with friends. Good conversation, good run, good times!

Running the Sahara

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I am extremely pleased and excited to announce that next Friday, January 15, 2009, I will have the privilege of interviewing Charlie Engle from the documentary Running the Sahara!

Leading up to the interview, I would love to get your input and any questions that you might have for Charlie. They can be questions specifically about Running the Sahara or about Running America or any of his other adventures! So, please let me know by clicking HERE!



Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 74

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Join me on Dailymile!

Black Diamond Sprinter Headlamp

Smartwool Performance Socks

PRS Fit Live!

Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)

Marathon des Sables

Carved by God, Cursed by the Devil by Ted Archer

Contact Ted!

Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 71

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IronBobby

Newton Momentus

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PRS Fitness

Trek 1.2

Carved by God, Created by the Devil


Recipe of the Week: From Ari: Potato Latkes

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Latkes

The Jewish holiday of Chanukah is an 8 day celebration that began last Friday night and ends on Saturday. We celebrate the victory over the Syrian-Greeks in the 2nd century BCE. Upon entering the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Jews found only one small jug of olive oil which was suitable to light the Menorah in the Temple. Miraculously, the one small jug of oil lasted 8 days. To commemorate this miracle, the Jewish sages established the holiday of Chanukah.

Brandon asked me to share a traditional Chanukah dish for his recipe of the week. In honor of the miracle of the oil, traditional Chanukah foods are usually fried in oil. I know it’s not the healthiest of foods, but even this healthy eater cannot resist. Potato Latkes, in their traditional form, are pancakes made with shredded potatoes and onions. I am sure every Jewish child says this about their mother’s cooking, but my mom makes the best latkes. Her recipe is a family secret that she inherited from her mother.  If I shared it, not only would I have to shoot you all, but my mother would disown me. Instead, here is a similar recipe:

Traditional Latkes

Ingredients:

5 large potatoes, peeled
1 large onion
3 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¾ cup oil for frying

Use: 10-inch skillet
Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Grate potatoes and onion on the fine side of a grater, or in a food processor; or put in a blender with a little water.

Strain grated potatoes and onion through a colander, pressing out excess water. Add eggs, flour, and seasoning. Mix well.
Heat ½ cup oil in skillet. Lower flame and place 1 large tablespoon batter at a time into hot sizzling oil and fry on one side for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and fry on other side 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Continue with remaining batter until used up, adding more oil when necessary.

Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream on the side.

Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 69

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Incredible Jane

Sugoi

Newton Running 2010

Pigtails Flying

Dreamcatcher Classic


Guest Blogger Ari: Should I Do a Long Run Once a Week?

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Re-posted from runanskyrun.blogspot.com

Trea, who recently completed her first half marathon, asked me an important question the other day. She wanted to know how long should her weekend long run should be now that she’s completed her goal race. This is especially pertinent for those who have recently completed or will complete their fall goal races and get ready to hunker down for the winter.

After a goal race we’ll enter the base building or maintenance phase of our running. The purpose of base building is to maintain fitness during the weeks or months before starting training for the next race. Truthfully, the distance of your long runs during base building depends on if you have any short term goals. In Trea’s case, she is really enjoying speedwork and running fast. So I suggested to her that she find a 5k about 2 months out and tailor her training towards running a fast 5k. Trea also mentioned that she could see herself running the same half marathon next and try to improve her time. I thought that a year was long time to run her next big race and that she should try and find a half marathon to run in the next few months. Even though she will be base building, having a goal race will keep her focused. It’s very easy to lose focus if there is nothing to train for.

During the winter, I will generally keep my weekend long run between 6 and 8 miles. With this base, you can do some winter 5 or 10ks and get yourself ready for a winter or early spring half marathon if needs be. This is what works for me. What do you do during your base building phase? Please chime in.

Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 61

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A Race Like No Other

Zico Coconut Water

Running Just as Fast as I Can

Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 60

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NYRR Half-Marathon Grand Prix Presented by Continental Airlines: Queens

Missing Swimmer’s Body Found In Lake Monona

Dean Karnazes

Kevin on Twitter

Sizing For Your Newtons

Free Shipping On Sir and Lady Isaac Guidance Trainers!

Completely Delicious Life

Bonkproof

A Race Like No Other

Tempo Runs

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The tempo run can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.  These short-to-medium distance training runs at or below race pace are critical for a number of reasons:

  • Increases in overall fitness and tuning of both slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers
  • Mental practice for maintaining a quick pace over distance (something that needs to be old hat on race day)
  • Physical practice and muscle memory building for goal pace(s)
  • Confidence building through just getting out and “feeling fast”

marathon yellowThe goal of a tempo run is to get these benefits without causing any unwanted harm.  When I have a tempo run on the schedule (about once a week), here is how I like to approach them in my attempt to have the most positive impact on my overall training.

  1. Choose a Distance that Fits Your Current Ability and Training Intensity.  Depending on what distance you are training for, your tempo runs could vary anywhere from one to fifteen miles.  If you are in week 2 of a marathon training plan, it’s probably not a good idea to go for a 12-15 mile tempo run.  You’re body isn’t ready, and you’ll just do some damage.  I like to start out with about 20% of the race distance, and then add about 5% per week in distance until I reach about half of the total race distance.  So, for a marathon, my longest tempo run will be about 13 miles.
  2. Choose a Pace that Makes Sense. Tempo runs should be difficult, but not damaging.  I never get more than 30 seconds under race pace, and especially at the beginning of a training plan, I try to ease into tempo runs.  You should be running just fast enough that you aren’t totally comfortable, but not so fast that you can barely maintain yourself.  Reserve the really fast paces for your shorter interval workouts.
  3. Get a Good Warmup. I can’t stress this one enough.  Don’t waste your time stretching before a tempo run, but do get a good mile or so of easy warmup runnning completed before you set off on the actual tempo run.  You need to get your heartrate elevated and your muscles warmed up.  You wouldn’t run a race without a proper warmup, would you?  Tempo runs are really the same thing.
  4. Start Quick, NOT Fast. I like to start tempo runs a little slower than the goal pace for the overall run, but with a faster leg turnover.  This helps me make sure I am really warm before I put down the hammer, lets me practice speeding up on the fly, and ensures that I don’t go out too fast and wreck the whole run.  After the first half to full mile, I speed up to slightly faster than goal pace to compensate.  I also try to practice a little “zen style” mantra – “let the run come to me, don’t force it…”
  5. Use Every Available Advantage.  Lean into the downhills a little bit, catch that other person up ahead, etc.  Practice the things that will make you faster during your race.
  6. Finish Strong, but NOT All Out.  Tempo runs are all about learning to maintain a pace, not about an all-out sprint.  If you feel the need to sprint, save it for after an easy run or on a cross-training day.
  7. COOL DOWN.  This means both a full mile or so of jogging, followed by walking, followed by stretching.  You’ll quickly find that your frame gets tight when you are pacing faster.  This is your opportunity to relieve all that stress from your system so you’ll be feeling fresh for your next training run.
  8. Don’t Worry if You Screw Up.  You’ll run tempo runs a whole mess of times before the race.  ”Off days” are both normal and to be expected.

With a little practice, these runs will make you a better racer.  If I had to choose one run to not miss in a given week, it would be my tempo run for sure.

Caleb Masland is a “serious amateur” runner who believes that ordinary people are capable of reaching their personal goals through smart training and hard work. Caleb has been running for 20 years and shares his training philosophy, which is aimed at maximizing genetic potential and overcoming the typical athletic bonk, at http://bonkproof.com.

A Race Like No Other – Interview With Author Liz Robbins!!

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This coming Saturday, I will be interviewing the author of the fantastic book, A Race Like No Other: 26.2 Miles Through the Streets of New York, Liz Robbins.

RaceLikeNoOther_PB_c

This book chronicles the lead up to the 2007 New York City Marathon as well as the race itself however the majority of this book is told around the race itself. It is told through the lives and stories of those who have touched and been touched by the race.

It is out in paperback as of yesterday and is a great, fun read, that will have you cheering and tearing up. If you have any questions for the author, please email me with them!

See the book on Amazon here!

Guest Blogger Ari: Dealing With Illnesses and Injuries

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Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor do I play one on TV. This post is based solely on my experiences. Always seek the advice of your doctor if you are sick or injured.

This is the time of year where many people start to get sick and/or injured. The weather in NYC Metro area is starting to get cooler and many of us are coming down with colds, respiratory infections, flu, and other illnesses. Runners training for fall marathons are at the peak of their training. Their mileage is high, most have already done at least one 20 miler and have at 2 or 3 left on their plans. Many are also picking up the intensity of their training, doing speedwork, tempo runs, and hill repeats at least once a week. With this increased mileage and intensity come aches and pains. Some are minor and some are more serious that could change your fall racing plans. I’d like share some thoughts (see disclaimer above) about dealing with illnesses and injuries.

Illnesses:

The rule of thumb we runners go by is if the illness is in your head it’s OK to run. If it’s in your chest, don’t run. This is usually sound advice. That means if you have a cold, it’s OK to run. Sometimes a good sweat will make you feel better. Mrs. Ansky, RD also has me take extra vitamin C when I have a cold. Vitamin C does not prevent a cold but it has been known to shorten the length of one.

If you have a fever, chills, or are coughing up stuff from your chest, chances are you have an infection and should not run. Rather you should see your doctor and get the infection treated. Ask your doctor when it OK to run again.

Injuries:

For those of you that read (and if you don’t, I suggest you do) my blog (runanskyrun.blogspot.com), you’ll know that I recently fractured a rib while out on a group run. A Rib fracture is a unique type injury since the only thing that heals it is time. It cannot be put in a sling or in a cast. My doctor also said not to tape it because the taping will constrict airflow to the lungs. If the lungs do not get enough oxygen, I could develop pneumonia or, even worse, a collapsed lung.  My doctor said that a fractured rib can take anywhere between 4 – 8 weeks to fully heal. As for running, he said to let the pain dictate what I can and cannot do.

But enough about me. I’ll write more about my plans on my blog…dealing with injuries is hard. It takes time for the injury to heal and then, depending on the injury, there might be some physical therapy involved before you’re cleared to pound the pavement again.

If you get sick or injured you’ve probably experienced all sorts of emotions. Anger, despair, etc…. how you deal with this setback will determine if you comeback weaker or stronger. Here are some other things to keep in mind while you recover:

  • Set a New Goal – if your illness or injury is bad enough that you need to cancel your goal race, pick out another one. The key here is to be realistic. If you’re out for 2 months with an injury don’t pick a marathon as your new goal race. Pick a local 5K or 10K.
  • Watch your diet – this is very important. It’s very to easy to start eating junk because you’re upset. You don’t want to come back to running 5, 10, 15 pounds heavier than you were before your injury.
  • Ask your doctor what you can do – as active people, it’s hard for us to sit around and do nothing. If you can get on a bike, elliptical, or just go for a walk, do it.
  • It’s not the end of the world – when I fractured my rib, I tell people it could have been worse. I could have hit my head, broken a leg, arm, or ankle.
  • Find something else to get involved in – Running is a very important part of our lives. But it shouldn’t be the only thing. I am very active in my synagogue. If you must be around running, volunteer at a race. You’ll still feel the energy of a racing by manning a water station or putting a medal around the neck of someone who just completed a marathon.
  • Use your recovery as an extended taper – The Running Laminator and others commented on my site that any other aches and pains that I had will appreciate the time off as well.
  • Last, but certainly not least, STAY POSITIVE – like I said above, it’s not the end of the world. Does it suck that you can’t run? Of course it does. But we all have other things in our lives to be thankful for. Use your time off from running to appreciate those other things and when it’s time to return to running, you’ll appreciate it even more.

It’s great to be back guest blogging for Brandon. Hopefully I can be more consistent. As always, if there are topics you would like me to write about or for Brandon to talk about on his show, please let us know by either leaving a comment or clicking the contact link at the top of the page.

Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 58

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Sarah Stanley Inspired

Lean Horse Ultra

Marathon de Sables

Christopher McDougall on The Daily Show!!

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Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, appeared on Comedy Central in a great interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. While it is a great interview (for being so brief), I am more than a little biased and much prefer my interview with Chris HERE.

Check out the video of Chris’ Daily Show appearance below!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Christopher McDougall
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political Humor Healthcare Protests

Bobby’s Vineman 2009 Pictures!

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[svgallery name="Bobby Ironman 2009"]

Brandon’s Marathon Podcast: Episode 52

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Ironman Wisconsin

Vineman

Vineman Results (search for bib #40)

Brandon’s Marathon on The Running Front!!

Why I wear Newtons, Part I

Why I wear Newtons, Part II

Why I wear Newtons, Part III

BMP: Episode 50

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Born to Run

7 weeks to 100 Push-Ups

Profile Design

Road ID

Watch Brandon’s Maraton Podcast Live!!

Re-inspired

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Yesterday was the Achilles Hope & Possibility 5 miler in Central Park. The famous, Ari and I had arranged to meet at the registration tent prior to the race and to run the event together. Achilles Track Club, for those who may not know, is an organization who holds as it’s mission statement: “Our mission is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics, promote personal achievement, enhance self esteem, and lower barriers.”. I am no stranger to Achilles and have been there to cheer on many of their athletes before this event and have also been passed by one of their Iraq War veterans in a race!

Now, to say that I was “re-inspired” by this event is not entirely true. I think that, to be “re” anything, one needs to have lost their initial drive. I have not. However, as I stated in my article last week entitled, “Time”, I have been struggling with the amount of my life my training must take up, but lacking the time to allow it to do so. This weekend, I found myself renewed. On Saturday, I went on a 5.5 mile run in the morning, then headed out to rehearsal. Following rehearsal, I headed home and went on a 30 mile ride down the West Side Greenway (my first time on that route in a while). Knowing that I had an event the next morning, I looked forward to that soreness that makes you feel alive, like your body is working again.

The next morning, I went to the event in Central Park. First, walking through the parking area in front of Tavern on the Green, the amount of high-tech wheelchair gear was amazing! The amount of high end wheelsets on those chairs could almost surpass the wheelsets on überbikes at a triathlon. As I walked toward the registration tent and looked around, the people there, some with mental disabilities, some missing one or both legs or arms, I began to think. What if I wasn’t sore that morning because the part of me that should be sore was missing? Would I still be there? What if I couldn’t walk to the start, but had to use my arms? Would I still be there?

These athletes were there because they are just that, athletes. No matter what, at the end of the day, they were not letting some small thing like being a double leg amputee stop them from going out and using what God gave them. The wheelchair start went off before the main pack, and it was incredible to see these athletes, some of whom were forced to go backward in their chairs, due to their condition, just smile the whole time.

As Ari and I got to about mile 4 (holding down about a 7:15/mile pace), the heat and humidity began to kick my ass a bit, I said to Ari, “I’d like to go on the record and say that I am officially no longer having fun.”. Once I got home and had the chance to reflect, it made me realize how thankful I was to have been able to toe the line with the athletes from Achilles. So, to each and every one of the member of Achilles Track Club, thank you! I would also like to say a special thank you to the veterans who were there running. You have given of yourself with an unconditional love for our country and I am eternally grateful. As long as I have breath, I will defend and honor the sacrifices you have made for our freedoms. Thank you.

Official Results:

Time 36:55
Pace 7:23/mile

2009 Patriot Triathlon – The Video

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Video: Natural Running Form

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The NYC Newton Clinic

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Yesterday evening, at 5:30 on a particularly beautiful day here in New York City, a group of runners met at The Bosthouse in Central Park. We were meeting with the common interest, not only of running, but of running smart and running healthy. The vehicle through which this took place was Newton Running.

We were met by Danny, Ian and Ian. Danny, being one of the founders of Newton was not only INCREDIBLY in touch with his product (obviously), but is one of the foremost experts on running in the world today. With the help of the Ian’s, Danny explained in very clear terms the theory and technique behind using the Newtons to further proper running technique. What was of great advantage was the fact that what Danny was explaining is not some revolutionary concept that ad piles upon piles of numbers to digest, but rather, was simply common sense and utilizes our true “natural” running technique.

After we met, we went up to a part of the park where there was a traffice turn around (fortunately with no traffic) so that we could run around the circle to nail down the technique. One of the FIRST things we did was TAKE OFF OUR SHOES! I think it is important to note, to the Newton skeptics out there, that 1. Not everyone was wearing Newtons. and 2. They explained the technique WAY before the technology.

We then went on a short group run on the bridle path (not too sure how far) and during the run, the Newton crew was taking the time to look at our strides one at a time and gives us tips and encouragement. They also were more than happy to answer any questions that we had.

I will go more into detail about some of the things we discussed on next week’s show, but for now, suffice it to say that if Newton is EVER in your area you should go talk to them. In the meantime, I will be putting up videos every day (if I can remember) that come from Newton themselves. If you would like to explore more about Newton, please visit their site, or feel free to ask me any questions if that is easier for you and I can pass them along. However, they are extremely accessible and I’m sure would be hapy to help out with anything you may want to know!!

For my part, I would like to say thank you so very, very much to everyone from Newton!! If you guys EVER want to do another thing in NYC, you can count on me to drum up as many people as I can get my hands on!!

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