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I'm a Runner Again!


Go, go, go! Back in the Spring of 2002 I set out on a mission to get back into running shape, build my miles and speed, and get racing again. I didn't really expect to get back to the form I had back in the '80s when I was running a lot, but I had great fun trying.

Over the previous dozen years I'd been aggravated that I let my running go. Back in the early and mid 80's it was a big part of who I was. The idea of how much work it would take to get back into the shape I once was in was always a negative factor. It kept me from keeping at it long enough to even have a chance to do so. I'd run for a few weeks or months, and then, for some reason or another, let it go, only to repeat the ordeal several months or a year later.

Once I started racing again, the old competitive spirit came back. I actually beat my old Half Marathon record, and ran the Chicago Marathon in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. I'm taking a break from marathoning in 2008, but I hope to return next year and run well enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

I found that the internet was a great source for information on training. I devoured all I could read. I joined the forums on Runner's World's web site. Aside from my usual "what I did today" or "my running week" postings, I occasionally have made longer posts when I feel the need to share some significant thoughts or achievements. Here are a few selected postings. I hope you enjoy them!

I'm a Runner Again! (Posted Nov 30, 2002)
Rum Village Fun Run 1 (Posted Dec 22, 2002)
Rum Village Fun Run with Scott (Posted Feb 22, 2003)
My longest Run Ever! (Posted: Mar 1, 2003)
Beautiful, Spring Run (Posted: Apr 13, 2003)
Sunburst Half Marathon Race Report (Posted: Jun 7, 2003)
Johnny Ran Great Tonight! (Posted: Jun 8, 2003)
2003 Blueberry Stomp (Posted: Sept 1, 2003)
A Marathon Dedication (Posted: Oct 11, 2003)
Race Report - Chicago Marathon (Posted: Oct 14, 2003)
A Running Fantasy (Posted: May 1, 2004)
2004 Fall Frolic 10K (Posted: Sep 18, 2004)
Race Report - 2004 Chicago Marathon (Posted: Oct 11, 2004)
Race Report - 2005 Chicago Marathon (Posted: Oct 10, 2005)
Race Report - 2006 Sunburst Half Marathon (Posted: June 3, 2006)
Race Report - 2006 Chicago Marathon (Posted: Oct 23, 2006)

Making it fun again...


After I started getting back in shape, I finally came to accept the inevitable -- it would be impossible, no matter how hard I tried, to improve upon the personal records (PRs) I had at 28 years old. Once you reach 40 or so, everyone naturally slows down due to loss of muscle mass and other aging effects. When I started running consistently again in 2002, I found that my typical pace had slowed by almost a minute and a half per mile!

Exercise physiologists have come up with conversion factors for expected performance by age. By plugging my old PRs into the formulas, I came up with comparable times for my present age. So I found that I could still beat my old PRs! I just had to accept the conversion factor as something that couldn't be overcome and aim at breaking the age-adjusted times.

My training the last few years has been much better than what I did back in my twenties. As I've continued to train and race I've been making great progress and have race performances that beat my old PRs after age-adjustment for all my race distances. With the new-found training knowledge I have found, I may be able to challenge a few of those old PRs. I actually beat my old Half Marathon PR in 2006 after several attempts. As for my other old PRs, beating them is unlikely and is no longer a goal I HAVE to achieve. I have more reasonable and nearer-term race times to chase. I'll keep you all posted on my progress!

Race Distance PR at Age 28 (1982) Current Masters PR Age Adjusted Time for
Current Masters PR 		Age Adjusted PR ?
5K (3.1 miles) 20:39 22:52 2005 Spud Run 23:40 Yes!
5 miles 34:50 39:49 2003 Rum Village Fun Run 34:49 Yes!
10K (6.2 miles) 43:20 47:49 2004 Fall Frolic 49:37 Yes!
15K (9.3 miles) 1:07:38 1:16:48 2003 Blueberry Stomp 1:17::48 Yes!
Half Marathon (13.1 miles) 1:51:30 1:48:49 2006 Sunburst 2:07:39 Yes!
Marathon (26.2 miles) Never Run 3:53:06 2006 Chicago Marathon N/A N/A

Running Resources and Tools...


I've been keeping track of my running miles and planning my future workouts with a great computer running log called RunLog. Click below to see more info and ordering information on this great program. I recommend it highly!

Pegasus Software's RunLog Program

I've also been spending a great amount of time web surfing various running sites on the internet. If I had such an enormous amount of great information at my fingertips years ago, I'm sure I would have been able to train much more intelligently. I might have even been able to break 40 minutes for a 10K race. By far, my favorite web site for running and fitness related articles is Peak Performance -- a British site with over 750 articles on running, excersize and fitness. What I like most is that the recommendations and advice given is not from personal ideas of the writers -- every opinion is backed up with clearly explained data from scientific studies. If you are into sports and fitness and all, you need a link to this great site!

Peak Performance Library

In addition to the WWW resources I've found, I've also picked up a couple of books that I've found very helpful. The first one is by Coach Jack Daniels, PhD: "Daniels'Running Formula." Jack Daniels is a coaching legend. His book provides easily understood explanations of training strategies, how to design your own running program, etc. It is a great read!

Even better, though, is the one I'm currently reading: Bob and Shelly-lynn Glover's "The Competetive Runner's Handbook." As I've been reading I have been constantly amazed at the amount of quality information that is contained in this book! Not just for elite runners, the book contains everything a runner at any level needs to know to improve race performance. I recommend this book very highly.

I hope to add more information to my running and fitness page as the year goes by. Check back regularly!


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