Runner Insight

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Once I made the commitment in January to run the full marathon in July of 2007, it was obvious I hadn’t been running enough miles. I had slacked off toward the latter part of 2006. Because of the change in seasons, and the fact that I didn’t have a specific race that I was training for, I had been just taking it easy.

Because I had sloughed off on my running, I knew I would have to increase my mileage just to get to the point where I could even begin the marathon training program. Ironically, I had to pre-train in order to be able to start training.

So again, I had to modify the running mileage chart, this time the build-up mileage chart, to coordinate with my schedule. The race wasn’t until July, so I had time to get in pre-marathon training shape, but I didn’t have to start as low as the chart suggested starting, because I wasn’t starting from zero miles of running per week. I had been running, probably about fifteen miles a week, just not enough to be prepared for the marathon training mileage that I needed to be ready to start in April.

With both a marathon training program as well as a pre-training running program lined out, the next thing I had to decide on was my goal for this race. As I mentioned, my back-up goal was to finish in the time allowed to run a full marathon. They allow 6 hours for an “official finisher” to complete the marathon.

But I also had some lofty dreams of running it in 4 hours. I didn’t really believe that was possible, as that would be a pretty fast pace for me. Not to mention that, err….well, I didn’t want to do any speed training. I run for pleasure, and that’s not fun. That’s more like work. So I’m not sure why I was even considering a four hour marathon finish, but, hey one can dream, right? However, I did think that a 4 ½ hour finish for the 26.2 mile race was do-able for me, and without having to do any of that nasty, unpleasant speed work.

So now that I had my mileage charts all planned out, week by week, and an end goal to strive for, I was excited to get started. Having those kind of specifics laid out has always been a great motivator for me.

At the end of 2003 my running had really slowed down to where it was almost non-existent. I was going through some pretty exciting changes in my life, and well, running just kind of took a back seat at that point in time…Okay maybe it wasn’t even in the backseat…I’m pretty sure it got left back there somewhere, forgotten in the dust!

But in the beginning of 2005, life was flowing wonderful and stable, and I had started feeling the void that used to be defined by the activity and endorphins of running. I decided to train for Bloomsday 2005 in Spokane, Washington. It took place the first weekend in May, so I had plenty of time to get my mileage built up. It was a 12K run with over 40,000 racers! I finished that race in what I considered to be a good time, and was glad that I had done it. But the point I’m trying to make is, that by having a targeted race and a goal to train for, I knew I would do the running it required to get there.

Oh and by the way, I finished first in my name group at Bloomsday! Okay, so there were only three running with my last name, but still, I finished first in that category! You’ve got to celebrate the victories as they come, right?

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Popularity: 3% [?]

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Imagine giving a gift that your runner will use every time they head out the door to go running. If you’re not a runner, you are probably flabbergasted at the thought of having to come up with the inspired gift idea that your runner will treasure for many runs to come. Well, you can now set aside your “flabbergastion” and confusion.  

Yes, it’s true; you can give a cherished gift that will make your runner curious as to the source of your insight, and they’ll wonder how in the world they ever lived without it! But keep them guessing. You don’t have to tell all your secrets.

Being a runner myself for more than 15 years, I can attest to how much a runner can truly appreciate a thoughtful running gift, and you don’t have to sacrifice your self-respect by giving them the ubiquitous box of cordial cherries or resorting to the brightly colored toe socks, or whatever else you happen to walk by in the drugstore in a desperate search for something even slightly appropriate.

I know, I know….it’s not quite that bad…maybe.

To help you out, I’ve written an eBook that you can get for free. It’s called “Gifts For Runners – More Than 50 Unique and Creative Gifts For The Runner In Your Life”  It’s written in an easy to read, relaxed style in a quick downloading .pdf file format.  It’s yours at absolutely no cost, just by clicking on the link above or you can more easily fill in the form just below. There’s also a link in the sidebar under “Pages” if you know someone that wants to download it later.

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In the meantime, here’s an excerpt with my Top 5 Most Appreciated Gifts For Runners….the links are active, and they should all be formatted to open in a new window. So you can click on them to see pictures or get more information or order online and not lose your place on this page…

• Road ID – Most runners don’t carry any sort of ID with them as they head out for their run. Not because they don’t want to, but primarily because it’s inconvenient. You may not have thought about it, but it’s very difficult to carry a wallet or personal ID in the flimsy little bits of wick-away fabric known as running shorts. If it crossed my mind, I might occasionally remember to take a piece of paper with some general contact information on it. After a couple of runs, it would become worn and difficult to read, and I would toss it, and then forget to make a new one.

When I received the Road ID as a gift, I was thrilled to have something so small and light weight, with all my important contact information right on it.      

The Road ID is personal identification gear with your info laser engraved on a tag that’s easy to take with you, easy to read, and it comes in many different styles and colors.  I was given both the wrist band and shoe ID style. The wrist band Velcro’s around my wrist like a sports watch, bracelet-style. The Shoe Id attaches via Velcro to my shoe laces, and it just stays there, until I change out running shoes every few hundred miles. By having both kinds, if I forget to put my wrist band on, I always have the Road ID on my running shoes. They also have an ankle style and shoe pouch style. You can even choose a cool picture or logo to put on the dog tag style (Fixx ID) that will capture your runner’s unique personality. While I hope no one will ever have to use my Road ID for its intended purpose, it’s just a good layer of protection for me and peace of mind for my loved ones.

• Flashers/Blinkers/Safety Lights – I’m a big believer in being as safe as possible. And the primary way for a runner, walker or bicyclist to be safe is to be seen. Again, this was something I had never even considered using until I was given a safety flasher as a gift.

What better way to provide your runner with a bubble of protection than a blinking light that can been seen from half-mile to a mile away? Flashers and blinkers now come in all sorts of sizes and shapes; they are lightweight and the batteries last a long time. They even have flashers that clip right to your running hat! I often wear two or more, one on the brim of my hat, and at least one on my waistband. 

• Running Pocket - Now, I know this probably wouldn’t occur to the average non-runner, but to an avid runner, this is a coveted treasure. I searched high and low, long and hard for just the right clip-on pocket to run with. I knew exactly what I wanted; I just had a hard time finding it.

Most of the pockets I found weren’t really designed for running. They were bulky and bounced around a lot. It wasn’t until I was in Illinois visiting family, that I found exactly what I wanted.      

At the local running store, there it was: the perfect running pocket.  It was made by Amphipod. This handy piece of equipment is great, because it doesn’t bounce around at all, and it’s flat so it hangs comfortably on my running shorts.  The built-in pocket in running shorts is oftentimes too small or there isn’t one at all.  There are certain things I like to carry with me when I’m out running, such as Lifesavers, Chap Stick, my house key, and an extra battery for my mp3 player; not to mention sometimes I want cash or a Starbucks gift card for my caffeine fix on the way home! I can carry gels or energy beans with the pocket, and it’s great to have for races, too. 

• Pedometer - I don’t know any runner who wouldn’t love this gift. I love to chart my running mileage, and if I take a different route, I always want to know how far I have run. Omron makes a good one with a tether on it, the HJ-112 so you don’t have to worry about losing it. And it actually works for longer than two to three months, like so many of them that we’ve tried. We’ve had the Omron HJ-112 for probably a year and a half or two years now, and it’s still working great.

Most pedometers have several different functions on them, from time and date to counting mileage and calories to counting total steps versus aerobic steps to memory functions. Although the Omron HJ-112 doesn’t have a “talking” feature, it’s nice to have one that talks, that way I can just push a button and keep my eyes on the road. 

• Subscription to a Running Magazine – My favorite is Runner’s World, but there are other choices available as well. Just imagine, every month when they get their new copy of Runner’s World they will be thinking of you! And it’s just the thing to keep your enthusiastic runner motivated all year round!

Hopefully that gets you started with some great ideas, and don’t forget to get your copy of the free eBook I wrote for you:  “Gifts For Runners – More Than 50 Unique and Creative Gifts For The Runner In Your Life” .

How ’bout it?

- Vision Runner

Popularity: 31% [?]