The story of this race actually starts 8 days pre-race. On the Friday of the week before the race, I hit the training wall a little earlier and harder than intended. As a result, I started my cutback/taper week 3 days earlier than planned and cut back more than originally planned. I also put plans to run the race on hold. I'd only run the race if I felt like I was recovering well enough to race well and to do so without compromising my next phase of training.

Fortunately, after 3 very easy da ...

In a couple of days it will be 3 years since I last had a day without a run. I wasn't planning that; it just happened. For the past 15 years I've been nothing but consistent. Usually missing a few days a year, often going 16 or 18 months between days off.

This streak owes more to the fact that I switched my weekday runs to the early morning than to any other factor (perhaps luck, life hasn't gotten in the way either). Little stops me from going for a workout at 5 or 6 in the morning!

At 55 ...

Earlier this week, it was reported sales of minimalist shoes "plummetted" by more than 10% in the first quarter of 2013. It's being reported that the "fad" is over. People are realizing that minimalist shoes are getting them injured and going back to stability and support shoes. So is this really what's happening?

I'd argue that, in a way, ...

My week does not end until Sunday but I already got all my workouts in for the week and with a 8 or 10 mile easy run tomorrow I will be up over 60 miles for the week.

I had a good tempo run on Monday, a fast finish 15 miler in 80 degree temps on Wednesday, and a race on Saturday. The 5k was a last minute decision. It was one of those little town races that are more of a charity walk anyway. The course was flat and traffic free and it's only drawback was about 13 turns which is a tad bit exc ...

I just had to drop a quick note on how great the running community is. I was out yesterday doing some half mile repeats. Late in repeat 6 of 8, a couple of runners were approaching me and I recognized one as Dan Held. As we approached each other, he began jumping and yelling at the top of his lungs "COME ON RYAN! COME ON MAN!" You'd think he was cheering for his own kid at the state championship track meet the way he was getting into it.

Here I am, just some average Joe doing repeats at a pac ...

This week I planned to front load a 1000 meter interval workout and my long run, take Wednesday off, run easy with strides Thursday and Friday, and race the Crazy Legs Classic on Saturday, and then to take an easy day on Friday. Crazy Legs is a huge 8k with lots of great competition and I was hoping to get good insight into my current fitness. As my 1k repeats went great on Monday I was feeling very optimistic.

Of course God laughs when one plans anything (esp running) and my plan abruptly c ...

Yesterday, I donned my BTC racing kit for the first time -- first race this year and first race since October '12 -- for the Boulder Distance Classic 5K. Overall, training had seemed to be going well, though it had admittedly been diminished the past few weeks. Regardless, I was excited to finally get to race and the weather was getting really nice. My ...

My reports are not nearly as good as Ryan's are but here goes.

I made sure to get to the race early - I like being very early so I can be relaxed. After getting my race packet I went back to my car and ditched my warmer clothing. The weather was very nice and the winds very light - I was happy with the weather conditions. I pinned my bib on (glad I brought my own pins as they only provided two) and the turned on my Garmin to go for a 2 mile warm-up run.

I ran at about an 8-8:15 minute ...

For terms of this post, I'm considering anything 90 minutes and under to be a "mid-distance" race. For most of us, that would be somewhere between 15K and half marathon at the upper limit.

This is something I've often wondered about. We know our bodies can store enough glycogen for about 90 minutes of running so how useful are sports drinks in a race of less than 90 minutes? Your body already has enough fuel on board, does it rea ...

This is an uncomfortable post for me to write. But sometimes uncomfortable things should be talked about.

I live in a small town where very people run. I am known by strangers as, "The girl who runs." I am used to people asking me in the grocery store how far I run each day and that is something that I am sure you all encounter.

A few things though the last few months have started to trouble me. I have always felt safe running. My only worries for my own personal safety have only bee ...

I was looking for a race to test out my legs some but not worry about times or beat myself up too badly. When I saw this race on the calendar, I couldn't resist. Times mean nothing when running at Pike Lake due to the extremely undulating terrain so I wouldn't find myself worrying about running a certain time. No matter what time I run, it doesn't matter. Further, I figured the trail aspect would save my legs a bit and, this time of the year and with the recent large amounts of rain we have had, ...

I know everyone is writing about this and I have no doubt some are far more eloquently than I will. Still, I can't help but add my own thoughts.

Yesterday's events at Boston have shaken the running community. There is no denying that. Never, as far as I can recall, has an act of terror so directly attacked the distance running community. There have been acts of terror targeting the Olympics and that, obviously, affects the runnin ...

I'm still catching up myself on what is going on in Boston right now. It appears two bombs detonated near the finish line. Initial pictures I've seen are not looking good. I won't post pictures here for those who don't want to see them. If you do want to see what seems to be the most commonly used photo, see the link below:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/15/two-explosions-boston-marathon/

I'll update here as I'm able and as I get updates. Mixed messages now but it ...

I am excited for tomorrow morning as I get to track four friends racing Boston. This definitely brightens up what has been a very gray couple of weeks. All of them are prepared to run great races and I will be so happy to watch them do so from my computer screen. Plus I think that either Shalane or Kara will come through in a big way. Hopefully there will be lots of me cheering like a freak all morning.

Last week was a very good week of running with an excellent tempo run of 6 miles @ 6:3 ...

This Wall Street Journal article prompted a lot of discussion yesterday about whether or not our sport has a new doping problem in the form of thyroid medication.

It's always tough when medication for a genuine medical condition can also be a performance enhancing medication, as some people think this thyroid medication could. As I began reading this, I instantly thought of the fact t ...

Some of you have probably already heard about this story. In short, a woman named Maureen Mengelt from Sun Prairie was out on a training run Sunday afternoon when she was hit by a drunk driver. She was taken to a local hospital but died at the hospital.

I was informed this morning that she was a long-time runner who had run the well known Syttende Mai 20 mi ...

I think I sometimes drive the runners I coach crazy talking about efforts. Easy, 10K effort, 5K effort, half marathon effort. These are common phrases in discussions.

Just this past week, I've had discussions with three runners I coach on what exactly these efforts mean and/or why I prefer training by effort over other methods, such as pace. I may explore this topic further in a future post but I'd like to share some high level thoughts on a few key points that I believe make training by effo ...

Writing about another study (I promise this blog won't become all about reviewing studies but this will be a part of it). This time, a study of how weight loss as a proxy for dehydration and myoglobinuria as a proxy for muscle breakdown are related to reduction in muscle power. Essentially, the idea of this study is to determine what the correlation is between late race muscl ...

Yes, I have been drinking tonight and that has spurred my desire to start a running blog. I would never do this out in the blogosphere as I just don't think I have thick enough skin to take some of the negativity or drama that I sometimes see targeted at some of the bloggers I follow. I really don't want any of that in my life. As for the blog I just plan to post my weekly mileage and any random thoughts that I have about running or life in general. I am always trying to improve at both.

...

Just wanted to put it out there that this year while inconsistant is leaps and bounds over last year at this point.

Last year 1/1 through 4/3 I had only run 22 times for 83.83 miles and I still had a pretty good racing year.

This year 1/1 through 4/3 I have run 40 times for 258.63 miles.

I know I should have had nearly 500 miles so far but I have plenty of time before my goal races to step it up and work extra hard. Looking forward to the five races I have planned for the year. ...

Hill repeats will of course help if you're racing here

Well, maybe not exactly breaking but a recent study backs up what we've known for some time. It also adds to the picture a bit.

This study found that hill repeats of any kind improved a runner's 5K performance by about 2%. That's a pretty significant number. For a 20 minute 5K runner, 2% would be a 2 ...

Another study on barefoot running is out. I find this one to be of particular interest because it's asking a question I would like to see asked more often: is the benefit of barefoot running due to what you're running in (nothing or next to nothing) or how you're running (eliminating the heavy heel strike)? I have my opinion on this answer but I'd like to see science back it up ...

A less serious topic, just because (and it's not even my birthday, this was spurred by a conversation with another runner who recently celebrated a birthday).

I have often been asked why I don't celebrate my birthday with a race. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of racing in Wisconsin winters, which complicates things with an early February birthday. Maybe it's because, while I've always thought of myself as a competitive runn ...

It's been just over 6 months now since I began using my Garmin Forerunner 410. My first run with the Garmin was September 8th. As any of you who know me well know, I've long had concerns about using GPS devices for training. I have to say that some of my concerns have been proven correct through my own experience, while others have been allayed. At the same time, I've found some benefits to using GPS.

First, to go over my primary con ...

With a new team for the new year, I am once again wanting to blog more. I have committed myself to a seasonal summer focus on middle distance (800m-5000m) and leading up to that will race 5K-21K on the roads. The ideal is to be ready to compete in either 1500m or 5000m at Masters Track Nationals in mid-July in Kansas. I will likely be blogging mor ...

My feelings are a bit diametrical regarding my running so far this year.

On one end I have placed my distance goal of 2,013 miles for the year in jeopardy because of a bad Januray and bad February. As of tomorrow I should be hitting about 414 miles for the year so far to be on the correct pace. I am only going to be at 202 miles for the year. That is a differnce of 212 miles! That is a lot of ground to make up.

On the other end I am way ahead of where I was last year at this point. Last y ...

Foam rolling has become very popular for runners. As soon as I got a roller last year to attempt to rehab some hip tightness, I was convinced. Combined with stretching, it took less than a week to relieve the persistent tightness I had been experiencing for quite some time. In the intervening time, it's helped me quickly handle relapses in the hips, as well as work through calf tightness, hamstring tightness and various other minor ...

I've added some new features to the HillRunner.com Blogs over the weekend that should make it more robust as the blogs grow. Some of what you will see now:

Profiles: You can now update your profile (if you're logged in) or view profiles (here's mine). You'll also notice that, when viewing someone's profile, you will also see t ...

I have registered for a fall Half Marathon. The Chicago Monster Dash on October 20, 2013. This looks to be a very flat out and back course. I am hoping to run a PR there. My current PR in the half marathon is 1:27:00. I am aiming for 1:22:00-1:23:00 (or better of course.)

I have a lot of work to do if I am going to hit that goal. But I am willing as well as able. Hard days ahead but the prize will be worth it all.

I am glad I have Coach Ryan to guid me along! ...

Anyone that knows me, knows I have a history of being very inconsistent when it comes to solid training.

The best way to break that inconsistency is to make the daily run a habit.

I am motivated to have some great performances this summer and fall. I have two main goal races for the year and I have realized that sometimes the thought of the goals is not enough on my bad days. I am going to put up a sign by my alarm clock that simply says “Sub 30!” I am hoping that this will help with ...

Here in southeast Wisconsin, we dodged a bullet with this week's storm. We got snow but not like Minnesota, Illinois and other parts of Wisconsin did or the mid-Atlantic region is expecting. That said, we've got our fair share this year. I, for one, appreciate the reprieve this time.

For those of you in the mid-Atlantic who may not be used to running in storms like this, what should you do? Well, the easy answer is to take it inside. Hit the treadmill, find an indoor facility, whatever works. ...

I've been trying to think of the "perfect" topic for my first blog post. If I keep waiting for that, I'll never post on here so let's set the bar low.

When I first started running, I always heard that your running shoes wouldn't feel great straight out of the box. You need to break them in before they would feel great. Then, I found the perfect shoe for me. It felt great right out of the box and never lost that great feeling, even after far more miles than you're "supposed" to get on a pair o ...

I'd like to welcome everyone to the new HillRunner.com Blogs. About time we got some blogging going on over here, right?

Well, I hope I can make the wait worthwhile. As you can see, there isn't much here now. However, in the next few months, several enhancements will be added. Most notably, everyone who is a registered member will be able to have their own blog. If you ever wanted to start a running-centric blog on a running only website, you just found the place to do that!

Of course, I'l ...