Good Luck, Marine Corps Marathon Runners

This Sunday, my birthday, actually, marks the running of the 41st Marine Corps Marathon.  This race is the premier marathon event in Washington, DC and its immediate vicinity.  Coach Kiprunning will be represented in this year's event, and wish our runners--and the rest of you--all the best for a successful race.

I have actually never run the MCM (though I certainly know many people who have).  For any number of reasons, my training schedule has never quite matched up with this particular race. However, in 2012, I did participate in the MCM 10K.  It was a strange day.  Apparently, a suspicious package was found somewhere on the course, so race officials stopped all of the 10K runners, mid-race, right at the Pentagon.  We were about a mile out from the finish line at that time.  As a result, many of us bunched up as we waited for the course to clear.  Given that our race clock was a common clock with the full marathon, our time kept running, while we kept standing.  Eventually, the course was cleared, and we all sprinted toward the finish.  The winner came in at a time of 46:34.  Then, Hurricane Sandy showed up just in time for the end of the full marathon.  Unusual, to say the least.

Regardless, the finish line and the finisher's festival was that day--and remains to this day--professionally run and openly welcoming to runners and spectators alike.  Though I've seen some modest quibbling about whether or not the race truly remains "the People's Marathon," now that it requires a lottery entry, I maintain that it is a much more runner friendly event than many of the larger marathons that get a little more press coverage.  I also, for whatever odd reason, enjoy seeing the annual spray painting of the MCM mile markers on Hains Point.

As has been chronicled at length, the DC Metro's SafeTrack project has caused some minor chaos for commuting to the race.  The MCM website has a good list of commuting resources available for anyone who needs them.

In the coming week or so, we'll post an update about how our runners performed in the event.  In the meantime, once again, we wish you all the best.  Take it easy in the next two days, eat good food, and have a great race.

Meb Keflezighi: Forever Young?

I'm turning 39 in just a few days, so the shadow of my forties is starting to creep ever closer to my worn running shoes and the aging feet that they contain.

Bryan Borzykowski at Forbes recently published a good short article about Meb Keflezighi and how he approaches his training at age 41.  It's an article that can imbue you with a sense of youth if you are anything like me: a person who can't help but wonder how immediately the PRs will stop coming (if they haven't already).  Meb is still doing this running thing at an incredibly high level in his early 40's, which is reassuring.

At the same time, this article will likely make the vast majority of you feel old, because Meb apparently ran a 5:20 mile when he was in the seventh grade.

So there's also that little fact to consider.

Kiprunning Sports Club Training Update: 10/16/2016

Now that we have entered autumn, and the temperatures here in Washington, DC have dropped to more reasonable levels, The Kiprunning Sports Club will return to its usual meeting time of 7:45 am on Saturday mornings for our usually scheduled long run.

As always, we will meet at Georgetown Running Company, which is located at 3401 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20007.

The New Coach Kiprunning Website Has Launched

I am pleased to announce that the revisions to the Coach Kiprunning website are officially complete. With the exception of the typical tinkering with some small appearance settings, the site is now current and stable, and it reflects the contemporary scope of the coaching services that I offer.

One of the more dramatic adjustments that I have made in recent months is tailoring my personalized coaching to offer a more streamlined--but yet dynamic--group of services.  I am still very much available to work personally in a one-on-one setting with trainees who are local to the Washington, DC area.  In addition, however, I am also available to work with runners at a distance, either online or through Skype, and I welcome the opportunity to offer coaching to domestic and international runners.  I am also able to offer customized training plans that runners from anywhere in the world can implement on their own.

As I make clear on the site, I am available to coach recreational and competitive runners alike.  No prior running and racing experience is necessary.  My goal is to help enhance your experience with the sport, and I will work with you no matter what your performance goals are--whether you are seeking to qualify for the Boston Marathon or are training for your first 5K.  If you have any questions, please contact me.

Finally, as I have been slowly advertising over the past year, the Kiprunning Sports Club is officially accepting new members.  In order to ensure quality training and racing experiences for all participants, I have set qualifying standards for club membership, and I have opened the club to competitive and elite runners.  Unlike my coaching services, the Sports Club does require prior running and road racing experience for membership.  As always, though, I welcome your questions if you are interested in joining the club but are unsure about the basic requirements.

Over time, I am hoping to develop--and to offer--additional forms of coaching assistance.  As that happens, I will update the site accordingly, and I will certainly publish updates here on this blog.  In the meantime, I invite all of you to follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.  Now that the site is complete, I will be turning my attention to my social media accounts in an effort to interact with many of you there.

As always, run safe, and run steady.

Sincerely,

Coach Wilson