There will be more about this soon, but for now, the brief announcement: I will be representing Coach Kiprunning at this coming Sunday's Jingle All the Way 5K. This will be my first race (of sorts) since my ankle surgery in November 2018.
I suppose a disclaimer is in order for any and all of my medical professionals who might be reading this post: I am not racing this race. I've merely reached the point in my rehab where it is a good idea to get out and to be around other running enthusiasts. I'm merely trying to see if I can hold down a pace that's about ten to twenty seconds faster on average than what I have been running during my training.
This is a low-stakes just-for-fun kind of thing, and I am looking forward to it.
More to come!
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Monday, December 2, 2019
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Congratulations to Tanya Senanayake, Monumental Runner
Kiprunner Tanya Senanayake was featured as the January 18, 2019 RunWashington Monumental Runner. We couldn't be happier for her.
Read the whole feature, and while you're at it, check out her race recap of the 2018 Vermont City Marathon.
#MonumentalRunner Tanya Senanayake PRed at last year’s @RunVermont Marathon despite getting a shard of glass in her foot the night before https://t.co/lNfNIoEWYy #rundc— RunWashington (@RunWashington) January 18, 2019
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Kiprunning Training Discounts: Save on the Price, Gain on Your Goals
Wilson Komen's personalized coaching services are a great holiday gift for you or for the other runner(s) in your life. Coach Komen can customize training plans for any ability level, for any distance, and for any running goal--competitive or otherwise. He is able to offer coaching support in a variety of formats, from in-person one-on-one coaching to a variety of more independent options.
Please read Coach Komen's trainee testimonials (and some of our blog posts) for additional details about his style.
Please read Coach Komen's trainee testimonials (and some of our blog posts) for additional details about his style.
TrainingPeaks 20% Discount
In addition to his personalized coaching options, Wilson Komen also offers ready-made training plans that runners can purchase and implement independently. These plans are available via Coach Komen's TrainingPeaks profile.
When purchasing a ready-made training plan through TrainingPeaks, use the coupon code usat2018 at checkout to receive a 20% discount on your order.
If you have any questions about any of these options, or if you have general inquiries about Coach Kiprunning, simply contact Wilson Komen. He will be happy to respond to you.
When purchasing a ready-made training plan through TrainingPeaks, use the coupon code usat2018 at checkout to receive a 20% discount on your order.
If you have any questions about any of these options, or if you have general inquiries about Coach Kiprunning, simply contact Wilson Komen. He will be happy to respond to you.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Kip Accomplishments, October 2018 Edition
Shyam Biswal is a new Coach Kiprunning trainee who has had a stellar year, dramatically increasing his marathon PR while looking forward to his ultimate goal: finishing the 50 States Marathn Challenge and the Abbott World Marathon Majors (races in Chicago, New York, Boston, Berlin, Tokyo, and London). He just completed the 2018 Chicago Marathon.
Shyam recently offered us his thoughts about running, and we are happy to share them with you today.
Coach Kiprunning: What inspired you to start running?
Shyam Biswal: My father had a stroke at an early age of 54, and he struggled to function normally after the stroke for rest of his life. I was a heavy smoker during my college years, and it worried me a lot after quitting that if my father got a stroke as a non-smoker, it could happen to me as well.
Furthermore, I am at a high risk for heart disease. With age, I developed prediabetes and hypertension.
I got into running initially with the belief that other healthy behaviors, such as clean eating, would follow so that I could restore my health
CK: What does running mean to you in your life?
SB: As I turned 50, running has been my greatest passion. It makes me happy, and it keeps me focused, disciplined, and positive. It reduces stress and improves brain activities.
CK: How has running changed your life?
SB: Running, particularly training for a full marathon and then completing the race, has taught me a lot about myself. On the health front, I have been able to reverse my obesity, prediabetes, hypertension, and many parameters related to blood lipids that could have increased the risk of heart disease. I no longer need medicines for hypertension and glucose control.
CK: What challenges are you going through?
SB: I am very focused on improving my running. I switched to a vegan diet and quit drinking alcohol for more than a year ago to improve my performance. I lost a lot of weight, and my BMI came down to a normal level and has now plateaued for the last several months.
I believe to perform better and remain injury free, I will need to lose additional weight. As a vegan, I feel much better and am more energetic than before, and I believe that the weight loss challenge will also work out.
Running has taught me a lot about myself. The excitement to break new boundaries and to challenge myself has been my greatest motivation.
Shyam recently offered us his thoughts about running, and we are happy to share them with you today.
Coach Kiprunning: What inspired you to start running?
Shyam Biswal: My father had a stroke at an early age of 54, and he struggled to function normally after the stroke for rest of his life. I was a heavy smoker during my college years, and it worried me a lot after quitting that if my father got a stroke as a non-smoker, it could happen to me as well.
Furthermore, I am at a high risk for heart disease. With age, I developed prediabetes and hypertension.
I got into running initially with the belief that other healthy behaviors, such as clean eating, would follow so that I could restore my health
CK: What does running mean to you in your life?
SB: As I turned 50, running has been my greatest passion. It makes me happy, and it keeps me focused, disciplined, and positive. It reduces stress and improves brain activities.
CK: How has running changed your life?
SB: Running, particularly training for a full marathon and then completing the race, has taught me a lot about myself. On the health front, I have been able to reverse my obesity, prediabetes, hypertension, and many parameters related to blood lipids that could have increased the risk of heart disease. I no longer need medicines for hypertension and glucose control.
CK: What challenges are you going through?
SB: I am very focused on improving my running. I switched to a vegan diet and quit drinking alcohol for more than a year ago to improve my performance. I lost a lot of weight, and my BMI came down to a normal level and has now plateaued for the last several months.
I believe to perform better and remain injury free, I will need to lose additional weight. As a vegan, I feel much better and am more energetic than before, and I believe that the weight loss challenge will also work out.
Running has taught me a lot about myself. The excitement to break new boundaries and to challenge myself has been my greatest motivation.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Hydration Help from RunWashington
RunWashington has just published an indispensable guide to the various water fountains and hydration systems along the DC-area running trails.
Seriously, bookmark that web page right now.
In addition, they have developed a simple Google doc that readers can use to help them keep this guide updated. If you've got info on a fountain--new, old, working, broken--make use of the form!
It is customarily very hot in Washington, DC in June (and July and August and often September and sometimes October), so hydration is a must for just about any run. Do not overestimate your abilities in the heat, and do not overestimate how far you can go without needing water or electrolytes. Run with caution and good sense . . . and in close proximity to good hydrating fluids.
Stay safe out there.
Seriously, bookmark that web page right now.
In addition, they have developed a simple Google doc that readers can use to help them keep this guide updated. If you've got info on a fountain--new, old, working, broken--make use of the form!
It is customarily very hot in Washington, DC in June (and July and August and often September and sometimes October), so hydration is a must for just about any run. Do not overestimate your abilities in the heat, and do not overestimate how far you can go without needing water or electrolytes. Run with caution and good sense . . . and in close proximity to good hydrating fluids.
Stay safe out there.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Run Comfortably, Right Where You Are
The spring racing season has historically been difficult for me. In January and February, my teaching schedule dramatically increases, and it occupies large chunks of time on most weekends and on many nights, after the conclusion of my day job.
On top of that, the weather is erratic, and if there is one old-man allowance that I have granted myself now that I am (shudder!) 40, it is complaining about, and actively avoiding, outdoor exercise in the cold. I spent my teenage years outside of Worcester, Massachusetts, where I attended a high school that had an indoor track team, but no indoor track. Therefore, all of our winter workouts were outside in the spine rattling cold New England winter. Washington, DC is admittedly much more mild than New England, but still, I spent my high school years--and the bulk of the many years between then and now--shivering in the early morning and late night dim grim cold, and I don't feel the need to do it anymore.
To the treadmill!
Which is only so helpful.
Those two complexities--my worklife and my growing aversion to cold weather--have started to sap my winter training of the strength and consistency that it had in the past. For the past few years, I have roughly scheduled my training cycles to conclude in late November or early December so that I have a little flexible time around the holidays. However, once the holidays end, I seem to have experienced increasing difficulty getting started again when I am surrounded by stacks of papers that need grading.
On a more contemporary note, this January found me launching the Kiprunning Route Report, which was a labor of love that stretched back a few years that you should totally check out, share and bookmark. Bringing that project to completion took some sacrifices, and it lead to the inevitable Bizarre Things that Happen to Websites Sometimes for No Reason at All, which always, of course, require additional time to fix.
Therefore, it was with a great sense of joy that I arose yesterday morning to run two humble miles before work. As I began my jog, I felt the usual sense of regret that I have in times when I haven't been able to keep up with my training: if only I were in the shape that I were in last month, or last year, or two years ago, or whenever. These feelings are natural for all of us, I think, and there really isn't any reason to feel additionally guilty for thinking these thoughts.
This time, however, I took a different approach to this particular sentiment. As I was completing my short jog, and light was dawning on an overcast DC day, I said, out loud: "Be happy that you ran today. This was the best that you can do right now."
Anyone who knows me at all will not believe this story. This is not--nor has it ever been--the kind of thing that I would say. I am generally not a competitive person except when I am running, which is one of the reasons that I dislike it so much when my training gets spotty: right now, I always feel, there is someone else out there who has trained better and harder and more consistently than me. The only context in which I tend to think these things is in running, likely because I have spent so much of my life on competitive teams of various kinds.
That reasoning, though, is ultimately unhelpful and can probably be damaging in certain respects. There will always be someone out there who is better, fitter, and faster than me. This is why I have a perfect record of never being in a single US Olympic race or Olympic Trial race or anything else that happens on television. All that I can ask of myself on a daily basis is to complete the best kind of workout that I can on that particular day.
That's all you should ask of yourselves, too.
If this somewhat more measured and relaxed outlook is a byproduct of aging, then I'll take it. It's a better mindset then being absolutely convinced that hammering just one more 400 repeat is the key to fitness. Those days should also be in the past, where they belong.
Tomorrow, I'm scheduled to run four miles. I'm thinking they are going to be good ones.
I hope you log some good miles tomorrow--and today!--as well.
On top of that, the weather is erratic, and if there is one old-man allowance that I have granted myself now that I am (shudder!) 40, it is complaining about, and actively avoiding, outdoor exercise in the cold. I spent my teenage years outside of Worcester, Massachusetts, where I attended a high school that had an indoor track team, but no indoor track. Therefore, all of our winter workouts were outside in the spine rattling cold New England winter. Washington, DC is admittedly much more mild than New England, but still, I spent my high school years--and the bulk of the many years between then and now--shivering in the early morning and late night dim grim cold, and I don't feel the need to do it anymore.
To the treadmill!
Which is only so helpful.
Those two complexities--my worklife and my growing aversion to cold weather--have started to sap my winter training of the strength and consistency that it had in the past. For the past few years, I have roughly scheduled my training cycles to conclude in late November or early December so that I have a little flexible time around the holidays. However, once the holidays end, I seem to have experienced increasing difficulty getting started again when I am surrounded by stacks of papers that need grading.
On a more contemporary note, this January found me launching the Kiprunning Route Report, which was a labor of love that stretched back a few years that you should totally check out, share and bookmark. Bringing that project to completion took some sacrifices, and it lead to the inevitable Bizarre Things that Happen to Websites Sometimes for No Reason at All, which always, of course, require additional time to fix.
Therefore, it was with a great sense of joy that I arose yesterday morning to run two humble miles before work. As I began my jog, I felt the usual sense of regret that I have in times when I haven't been able to keep up with my training: if only I were in the shape that I were in last month, or last year, or two years ago, or whenever. These feelings are natural for all of us, I think, and there really isn't any reason to feel additionally guilty for thinking these thoughts.
This time, however, I took a different approach to this particular sentiment. As I was completing my short jog, and light was dawning on an overcast DC day, I said, out loud: "Be happy that you ran today. This was the best that you can do right now."
Anyone who knows me at all will not believe this story. This is not--nor has it ever been--the kind of thing that I would say. I am generally not a competitive person except when I am running, which is one of the reasons that I dislike it so much when my training gets spotty: right now, I always feel, there is someone else out there who has trained better and harder and more consistently than me. The only context in which I tend to think these things is in running, likely because I have spent so much of my life on competitive teams of various kinds.
That reasoning, though, is ultimately unhelpful and can probably be damaging in certain respects. There will always be someone out there who is better, fitter, and faster than me. This is why I have a perfect record of never being in a single US Olympic race or Olympic Trial race or anything else that happens on television. All that I can ask of myself on a daily basis is to complete the best kind of workout that I can on that particular day.
That's all you should ask of yourselves, too.
If this somewhat more measured and relaxed outlook is a byproduct of aging, then I'll take it. It's a better mindset then being absolutely convinced that hammering just one more 400 repeat is the key to fitness. Those days should also be in the past, where they belong.
Tomorrow, I'm scheduled to run four miles. I'm thinking they are going to be good ones.
I hope you log some good miles tomorrow--and today!--as well.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Breezy Windy Running Post
This morning's workout did not go as I had planned, and it was a little demoralizing. As I've written before, the past two years have found me devoting a lot of time to work-related and other assorted extracurricular projects. As a result, my training has been a little wobbly--or if nothing else, has not contained as much speedwork as it usually does.
And that brings us to this morning's tempo run, which was well within a range that should have been very comfortable for me. The problem was that it wasn't very comfortable, which surprised me. Most of that discomfort is likely due to the process of getting back into shape, which is fine.
However, I also very earnestly want to believe that part of that discomfort was due to a modest headwind that blasted me straight on for the last 2.5 miles of the tempo workout. When I turned into the wind, I sighed (out loud, to myself), and I adapted, ensuring that I was still maintaining a good pace while not pushing things too hard right at the start, because I had over two miles to go.
By the end, however, I was dead tired, and I was stunned, because it really didn't seem to be that windy. Also, my overall pace was comparably slow for reasons that did not make sense to me.
So, to Google I went, and it was there that I found this informative article from Runners Connect about the effects of headwinds.
For whatever it might be worth, the calculations that John Davis offers seem to make sense for this one particular workout that bugged me enough to write this post. If I had shaved about 12 seconds off of my pace per mile, I would have been right in my prescribed range. For now, this is solace enough.
Give the whole thing a read, and always remember to use the last workout--however it goes--as fuel for the next one.
And that brings us to this morning's tempo run, which was well within a range that should have been very comfortable for me. The problem was that it wasn't very comfortable, which surprised me. Most of that discomfort is likely due to the process of getting back into shape, which is fine.
However, I also very earnestly want to believe that part of that discomfort was due to a modest headwind that blasted me straight on for the last 2.5 miles of the tempo workout. When I turned into the wind, I sighed (out loud, to myself), and I adapted, ensuring that I was still maintaining a good pace while not pushing things too hard right at the start, because I had over two miles to go.
By the end, however, I was dead tired, and I was stunned, because it really didn't seem to be that windy. Also, my overall pace was comparably slow for reasons that did not make sense to me.
So, to Google I went, and it was there that I found this informative article from Runners Connect about the effects of headwinds.
For whatever it might be worth, the calculations that John Davis offers seem to make sense for this one particular workout that bugged me enough to write this post. If I had shaved about 12 seconds off of my pace per mile, I would have been right in my prescribed range. For now, this is solace enough.
Give the whole thing a read, and always remember to use the last workout--however it goes--as fuel for the next one.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Reminder: The Kiprunning Sports Club Is Accepting New Members
The Kiprunning Sports Club, coached by Wilson Komen, is currently accepting new members. If you are a competitive-level, or an elite, runner who trains in the Washington, DC area, contact Coach Wilson to inquire about joining us.
The club meets at Georgetown Running Company at 7:00 am on Saturday mornings for weekly long runs. These runs are free and are open to prospective members. However, runners should consult the club's qualifying standards before planning to join these workouts. Upon completing your initial long run, Coach Wilson will talk with you about your training program and the expectations for club participation.
If you have any questions, please contact us. We will look forward to running with you.
 |
| Wilson Komen (right) with two members of the Kiprunning Sports Club |
If you have any questions, please contact us. We will look forward to running with you.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Announcement: The Kiprunning Route Report Has Launched
We are thrilled to announce the official launch of the Kiprunning Route Report, a guide to a variety of running trails--on and off-road--in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
This resource is free and is available to anyone who is planning a run in the DC area. We enjoyed writing the report, and we really hope you find it helpful and informative. Share it far and wide!
As is inevitably the case with projects like this, we anticipate a variety of adjustments and updates over time, so we do encourage you to bookmark the report's homepage and to check in with it in the future. The maps that we have embedded into the report represent our best current knowledge of the various routes that we have highlighted. Please monitor the trails for construction and maintenance closures, and always follow any posted on-site directions or restrictions.
Finally, as the report itself indicates, you should always run with responsible safety in mind. Bring whatever food and hydration you need on any workout. Also, always carry some form of identification, and be prepared with some spare taxi money if you need to hail a ride for any reason.
Run smart, run steady, and stay warm!
This resource is free and is available to anyone who is planning a run in the DC area. We enjoyed writing the report, and we really hope you find it helpful and informative. Share it far and wide!
As is inevitably the case with projects like this, we anticipate a variety of adjustments and updates over time, so we do encourage you to bookmark the report's homepage and to check in with it in the future. The maps that we have embedded into the report represent our best current knowledge of the various routes that we have highlighted. Please monitor the trails for construction and maintenance closures, and always follow any posted on-site directions or restrictions.
Finally, as the report itself indicates, you should always run with responsible safety in mind. Bring whatever food and hydration you need on any workout. Also, always carry some form of identification, and be prepared with some spare taxi money if you need to hail a ride for any reason.
Run smart, run steady, and stay warm!
Monday, December 18, 2017
Not All Long Runs are Run the Same
Late last week, the RRCA published a great article about the varying ways to complete a long run. (On a related note, congratulations, Jeannette Payne. Run well in Boston.)
As we inch closer to the new year, we also inevitably inch closer to many premier spring 2018 road races, not the least of which is the Boston Marathon. For so many of us, the biggest challenge that long distance running poses is a matter of time. How do we get in all of those miles and do all of the other things--work, shop, raise children, pay bills, visit family--that life demands of us?
"The Right Long Run for Your Marathon" raises a few different possibilities that recreational runners can consider when setting up their training. Not all long runs are the same, but all are important. Likewise, flexibility in a training regimen--particularly for the long, more intense distances--is vital for helping athletes navigate the months of exercise and competing demands that occur during any marathon (or even half marathon) training cycle.
Give it a read, and make whatever adjustments you need to make.
Also, have fun out there.
As we inch closer to the new year, we also inevitably inch closer to many premier spring 2018 road races, not the least of which is the Boston Marathon. For so many of us, the biggest challenge that long distance running poses is a matter of time. How do we get in all of those miles and do all of the other things--work, shop, raise children, pay bills, visit family--that life demands of us?
"The Right Long Run for Your Marathon" raises a few different possibilities that recreational runners can consider when setting up their training. Not all long runs are the same, but all are important. Likewise, flexibility in a training regimen--particularly for the long, more intense distances--is vital for helping athletes navigate the months of exercise and competing demands that occur during any marathon (or even half marathon) training cycle.
Give it a read, and make whatever adjustments you need to make.
Also, have fun out there.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Reminder: Kiprunning Sports Club Saturday Long Run Is Back On
Now that Thanksgiving is over, the Kiprunning Sports Club will be meeting as it usually does for its Saturday long run.
We'll be heading out at 7:00 am this Saturday, December 2, 2017. As usual, we will meet at Georgetown Running Company, which is located at 3401 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20007.
Please contact me if you have questions about joining the Sports Club.
Run Steady,
Coach Komen
We'll be heading out at 7:00 am this Saturday, December 2, 2017. As usual, we will meet at Georgetown Running Company, which is located at 3401 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20007.
Please contact me if you have questions about joining the Sports Club.
Run Steady,
Coach Komen
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Kiprunning Sports Club Long Run Cancellation 11/25/17
In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, we will be cancelling our usually scheduled long run on this Saturday morning, November 25.
If you are travelling for the holiday, be safe, and enjoy your time with friends and relatives.
We will return to our usual long run schedule on Saturday, December 2, 2017.
In the meantime, relax, eat, and run steady.
Coach Wilson
If you are travelling for the holiday, be safe, and enjoy your time with friends and relatives.
We will return to our usual long run schedule on Saturday, December 2, 2017.
In the meantime, relax, eat, and run steady.
Coach Wilson
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Turning 40 and Not Worrying
Yesterday, October 30, 2017, was my 40th birthday. As of right now, I have just entered the masters division for long distance running.
I’ve dropped a couple hints here and there on this blog about my slight apprehension about aging—and about witnessing my PRs fading into the distance. The process is inevitable, of course, so worrying about it is mostly fruitless. Still, I’ve officially reached the age where people offer some kind of audible grunt or gasp when they find out how old I am. I even just received my first “you’re running really well for being 40” compliment (I was still 39 at the time, by the way).
So it is here, I guess: my official foray into the territory of “old people.”
I’m not going quietly, though.
My running career has been a kind of erratic one. If I define that “career” according to the time when I was on my first team, then I began running competitively at age 11, and I did so with a fair amount of consistency through college. To be fair, there were some seasonal breaks along the way, but it is nevertheless true that I was on a competitive running team ever single year of my life from age 11 to age 21.
After that point, I entered graduate school, and I spent most of my twenties studying or working, and the only running I did with any consistency was just enough to melt off the pounds that I was gaining while eating on-the-go meals between bouts of dissertation writing.
As a result, I didn’t think seriously about returning to long distance running until late 2007, right around the time that I turned 30. And even at that point, with my terminal degree in hand, I was more concerned with finding work than I was with tempo run pacing. Looking back, then, I guess it wasn’t until about 2011—six years ago, when I was 34—that I actually started settling into a consistent training regimen. (Thankfully, I had a stable job by then.)
That return to running was slow, and it was one that found me ignoring the marathon distance altogether, because I wanted to start with much less grand running goals.
Generally speaking, I’m not one to publish my running stats, because I feel like there is no way to do that and not seem to be humblebragging (at best), but what I’m about to say is relevant, I think.
I’m not humblebragging, I promise.
Five years ago to the day, late October of 2012, when I had finally decided to go all-in on the marathon, my weekly long run was scheduled at 19 miles in the range of a 6:50-7:50 average overall pace. The next workout on my schedule was a 6-mile run in the range of 6:40-7:30.
This past weekend, I put in a 16-mile long run at a 7:22 average, followed by an 8-mile pace run on my 40th birthday, with an overall pace of 6:38.
The math is simple: I’ve actually gotten faster as I’ve gotten older.
Whenever doctors and experts and running magazines of all stripes talk about the process of aging, they trot out the horrifying and humbling V02 max chart, which shows that most people reach peak aerobic fitness before they can legally drink alcohol and then slowly decline from there, sliding into a precipitous drop-off right around the age that many of us fall in love and get married and start “doing other things” with our lives.
The result of this narrative framework is that it can make runners of my age—I can say that now—think mostly in terms of what-ifs. What if I had just decided to run a marathon at age 22? What if I didn’t go to graduate school and instead went to the track every day? What if I just jogged my commute to and from work and to and from soccer practice for the kids instead of driving and sleeping? What kind of runner would I be then?
Hogwash, I say! All of it.
From a strict physiological standpoint, yes, the evidence does show that peak running speed decreases for most of us in our early 20s. However, what this evidence doesn’t address is the decreasing relevance of that peak speed for those of us who continue with long distance running well into middle age.
To put it in simple anecdotal terms, my 200 and 400 PRs are long gone, and it’s quite likely that my 5K PR is also beyond the horizon at this point as well. Beyond that, though, there is still room for growth, because long distance road racing, particularly in the distances north of the 10K, doesn’t demand pacing at or close to V02 max. That’s a gear that most road racers don’t need, even though we might wish that we still had it. At no point during a 5K or a 10K or a half or full marathon have I ever run at my once-upon-a-time top 400 pace because doing so would be catastrophic for the race in question. No, the longer distances in which many adults compete actually tend to reward age, and slower speeds, as evidenced by the fact that last year’s New York Marathon found competitors running sub-three-hour times into their 60s.
Returning to myself, and waxing somewhat philosophically, it is true that I have lost some speed with age. However, I was losing that speed before I was old enough to know to worry about it, and now that I am that old, I know that none of that is a big deal.
Sure, I’d love to put on a pair of my 27-year-old legs again. I’m sure that would feel great. But that’s not going to happen, and it doesn’t need to happen—for any of us. (Really, you can’t have my legs.) Instead, I—you, we—are going to get older. It’s true.
It’s also true, my friends, that we can still get better.
I’ve dropped a couple hints here and there on this blog about my slight apprehension about aging—and about witnessing my PRs fading into the distance. The process is inevitable, of course, so worrying about it is mostly fruitless. Still, I’ve officially reached the age where people offer some kind of audible grunt or gasp when they find out how old I am. I even just received my first “you’re running really well for being 40” compliment (I was still 39 at the time, by the way).
So it is here, I guess: my official foray into the territory of “old people.”
I’m not going quietly, though.
My running career has been a kind of erratic one. If I define that “career” according to the time when I was on my first team, then I began running competitively at age 11, and I did so with a fair amount of consistency through college. To be fair, there were some seasonal breaks along the way, but it is nevertheless true that I was on a competitive running team ever single year of my life from age 11 to age 21.
After that point, I entered graduate school, and I spent most of my twenties studying or working, and the only running I did with any consistency was just enough to melt off the pounds that I was gaining while eating on-the-go meals between bouts of dissertation writing.
As a result, I didn’t think seriously about returning to long distance running until late 2007, right around the time that I turned 30. And even at that point, with my terminal degree in hand, I was more concerned with finding work than I was with tempo run pacing. Looking back, then, I guess it wasn’t until about 2011—six years ago, when I was 34—that I actually started settling into a consistent training regimen. (Thankfully, I had a stable job by then.)
That return to running was slow, and it was one that found me ignoring the marathon distance altogether, because I wanted to start with much less grand running goals.
Generally speaking, I’m not one to publish my running stats, because I feel like there is no way to do that and not seem to be humblebragging (at best), but what I’m about to say is relevant, I think.
I’m not humblebragging, I promise.
Five years ago to the day, late October of 2012, when I had finally decided to go all-in on the marathon, my weekly long run was scheduled at 19 miles in the range of a 6:50-7:50 average overall pace. The next workout on my schedule was a 6-mile run in the range of 6:40-7:30.
This past weekend, I put in a 16-mile long run at a 7:22 average, followed by an 8-mile pace run on my 40th birthday, with an overall pace of 6:38.
The math is simple: I’ve actually gotten faster as I’ve gotten older.
Whenever doctors and experts and running magazines of all stripes talk about the process of aging, they trot out the horrifying and humbling V02 max chart, which shows that most people reach peak aerobic fitness before they can legally drink alcohol and then slowly decline from there, sliding into a precipitous drop-off right around the age that many of us fall in love and get married and start “doing other things” with our lives.
The result of this narrative framework is that it can make runners of my age—I can say that now—think mostly in terms of what-ifs. What if I had just decided to run a marathon at age 22? What if I didn’t go to graduate school and instead went to the track every day? What if I just jogged my commute to and from work and to and from soccer practice for the kids instead of driving and sleeping? What kind of runner would I be then?
Hogwash, I say! All of it.
From a strict physiological standpoint, yes, the evidence does show that peak running speed decreases for most of us in our early 20s. However, what this evidence doesn’t address is the decreasing relevance of that peak speed for those of us who continue with long distance running well into middle age.
To put it in simple anecdotal terms, my 200 and 400 PRs are long gone, and it’s quite likely that my 5K PR is also beyond the horizon at this point as well. Beyond that, though, there is still room for growth, because long distance road racing, particularly in the distances north of the 10K, doesn’t demand pacing at or close to V02 max. That’s a gear that most road racers don’t need, even though we might wish that we still had it. At no point during a 5K or a 10K or a half or full marathon have I ever run at my once-upon-a-time top 400 pace because doing so would be catastrophic for the race in question. No, the longer distances in which many adults compete actually tend to reward age, and slower speeds, as evidenced by the fact that last year’s New York Marathon found competitors running sub-three-hour times into their 60s.
Returning to myself, and waxing somewhat philosophically, it is true that I have lost some speed with age. However, I was losing that speed before I was old enough to know to worry about it, and now that I am that old, I know that none of that is a big deal.
Sure, I’d love to put on a pair of my 27-year-old legs again. I’m sure that would feel great. But that’s not going to happen, and it doesn’t need to happen—for any of us. (Really, you can’t have my legs.) Instead, I—you, we—are going to get older. It’s true.
It’s also true, my friends, that we can still get better.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Congratulations and Good Luck, October Runners
It has been a busy month for us at Coach Kiprunning. For my part, I am reaching the end of a writing class that I have been teaching, and the grading has been piling up! Beyond that, many of us are starting to think about spring marathons--I'm possibly looking at you, New Jersey Marathon--so the inevitable preparations for serious training are underway. Also, we're starting to brainstorm additions to the Coach Kiprunning website, and that work is always really time-consuming.
The end result of all of this is that we've been a little quiet up here and therefore did not get a chance to offer formal congratulations to all of you who competed in some of the fall's premier racing events, like the Chicago Marathon, the B.A.A. Half Marathon, and the Army Ten Miler. Congratulations to all of you.
Likewise, we wish all of the competitors in this year's Marine Corps Marathon (and 10K) and the upcoming New York Marathon the best of luck. Run well, and enjoy the experience. Fall races are the best.
Last, on a somewhat sad note, we will miss you Harriette Thompson.
The end result of all of this is that we've been a little quiet up here and therefore did not get a chance to offer formal congratulations to all of you who competed in some of the fall's premier racing events, like the Chicago Marathon, the B.A.A. Half Marathon, and the Army Ten Miler. Congratulations to all of you.
Likewise, we wish all of the competitors in this year's Marine Corps Marathon (and 10K) and the upcoming New York Marathon the best of luck. Run well, and enjoy the experience. Fall races are the best.
Last, on a somewhat sad note, we will miss you Harriette Thompson.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
More Race Photoblogging: 2017 Race to Beat Cancer 5K
What follows are some pictures from the event, starting with a photo of the race's top finishers . . . and me, for some reason.
Enjoy!
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| Left to Right: Alex Archer, Craig Morgan, Clint Bell, Wilson Komen, and Joseph P. Fisher |
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| Who got the win? |
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| The finish area, looking north; post race breakfast--yes breakfast--off to the right |
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| The finish is in reaching distance! |
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Kiprunning Sports Club Long Run Cancellations 9/9/17 and 9/16/17
I'm just offering a brief update to announce that the Kiprunning Sports Club will not be meeting for its regularly scheduled Saturday long runs on September 9, 2017 and September 16, 2017. These cancellations are due to conflicts with our racing schedule.
On 9/9, I will be racing in the 2017 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (feel free to read my 2016 recap of that very same race), and on 9/16, I will be running as part of what I hope will be the first official team competition for the Kiprunning Sports Club in the Race to Beat Cancer 5K.
As always, you are welcome to contact me if you wish to join the Sports Club. I will be happy to receive your inquires.
Sincerely,
Coach Wilson
On 9/9, I will be racing in the 2017 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (feel free to read my 2016 recap of that very same race), and on 9/16, I will be running as part of what I hope will be the first official team competition for the Kiprunning Sports Club in the Race to Beat Cancer 5K.
As always, you are welcome to contact me if you wish to join the Sports Club. I will be happy to receive your inquires.
Sincerely,
Coach Wilson
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
National Capital 20-Miler--20 Miles of Racing and Training
I teach for a living, so for me, summer is over.
For you, those of you who are not teachers, summer is still here, for a few more days, at least.
Nevertheless, the fall racing season is fast approaching, and it is with that in mind that we are happy to publicize the National Capital 20-Miler and 5-Miler, organized by DC Road Runners.
The 20-Miler is scheduled perfectly for a final tune-up run for a fall marathon. It could also serve as a great training run for a fall half marathon or 10-miler.
The 5-Miler is similarly excellent for tempo run purposes or for a race event all on its own.
The details, including registration instructions and course information, are available on the race website.
Both courses run on the C&O Towpath, so they are flat and fast, allowing runners to stretch out for some good pacing work.
We wish everyone--including the event organizers--the best of luck!
For you, those of you who are not teachers, summer is still here, for a few more days, at least.
Nevertheless, the fall racing season is fast approaching, and it is with that in mind that we are happy to publicize the National Capital 20-Miler and 5-Miler, organized by DC Road Runners.
The 20-Miler is scheduled perfectly for a final tune-up run for a fall marathon. It could also serve as a great training run for a fall half marathon or 10-miler.
The 5-Miler is similarly excellent for tempo run purposes or for a race event all on its own.
The details, including registration instructions and course information, are available on the race website.
Both courses run on the C&O Towpath, so they are flat and fast, allowing runners to stretch out for some good pacing work.
We wish everyone--including the event organizers--the best of luck!
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Running Reading: Too Much Data?
I know that I'm a bit late to the game on this one, but late is better than never, as they say. As part of The Ringer's "Inefficiency Week" special feature (from just earlier this month!), Molly McHugh penned a great article that examines contemporary applified exercise routines. "Can an app make you a better runner?", she asks. It's a great read, so spend a couple of coffee breaks, or a commute or two, checking it out.
For my part, I think I've done a decent job of avoiding app intrusion on my workouts. Those who know me well know that I am very much a Luddite--still to this day not possessing a smartphone. Therefore, I don't have the means to participate in various social media workout stuff.
Beyond that, I have deliberately avoided the incessant tracking of calories burned and pounds gained (and lost) and miles logged. I have always been a bad keeper of statistics. I have a general sense of what my PR's are, but I never seem to know how many miles I've run in a fixed period of time, and I usually very quickly forget what my race performances have been. When I was in high school and college--back last century!--I had an uncanny knack for running pace-perfect 400 meter repeats without a watch. Things were so much simpler in 1996.
These days, I do use a GPS watch, and I do upload my data to my online GPS account. That's about all I do, though, and even with that meager app application, I have noticed that I'm more conscious than I should be about my daily pacing and making sure that I'm always following my scheduled workouts to the absolute letter of the law. All of that is good for discipline, but I'd argue that a hyperconsciousness about our workout details can override a more intuitive awareness of how we are feeling on any given day. Sometimes our bodies are telling us to back off; sometimes they are telling us that we can push it a little harder. We need to be able to listen to those instructions without app-assisted clutter, I think.
Again, though, read McHugh for yourselves, and weigh in down in the comments.
P.S. I spent a not insignificant amount of time wavering on "much" vs "many" in this post's title. Here's a good blog post on whether or not data is a plural count noun. It's not a simple matter at all.
For my part, I think I've done a decent job of avoiding app intrusion on my workouts. Those who know me well know that I am very much a Luddite--still to this day not possessing a smartphone. Therefore, I don't have the means to participate in various social media workout stuff.
Beyond that, I have deliberately avoided the incessant tracking of calories burned and pounds gained (and lost) and miles logged. I have always been a bad keeper of statistics. I have a general sense of what my PR's are, but I never seem to know how many miles I've run in a fixed period of time, and I usually very quickly forget what my race performances have been. When I was in high school and college--back last century!--I had an uncanny knack for running pace-perfect 400 meter repeats without a watch. Things were so much simpler in 1996.
These days, I do use a GPS watch, and I do upload my data to my online GPS account. That's about all I do, though, and even with that meager app application, I have noticed that I'm more conscious than I should be about my daily pacing and making sure that I'm always following my scheduled workouts to the absolute letter of the law. All of that is good for discipline, but I'd argue that a hyperconsciousness about our workout details can override a more intuitive awareness of how we are feeling on any given day. Sometimes our bodies are telling us to back off; sometimes they are telling us that we can push it a little harder. We need to be able to listen to those instructions without app-assisted clutter, I think.
Again, though, read McHugh for yourselves, and weigh in down in the comments.
P.S. I spent a not insignificant amount of time wavering on "much" vs "many" in this post's title. Here's a good blog post on whether or not data is a plural count noun. It's not a simple matter at all.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Race Recap: 2017 Team Gov Invitational 5K
This past weekend, my wife and I traveled to New Jersey so that she could visit her family, specifically her uncle who was taking a vacation away from his current home in Arizona. Our trip to NJ was short--we arrived there at about 10:00 pm on July 21, and we left at about 7:00 on July 23--but yet we were able to spend some good time with the family, and we squeezed in a 5K on July 22: the Team Gov Invitational 5K in Allenhurst, NJ.
The Team Gov 5K memorializes Todd McGovern, who died of cancer in the late 2000s. The race is organized by Seas It, the organization that Todd and his wife Amanda founded to help fund athletic events that, in turn, raise funds for cancer patients and their families.
The race itself was lovely--a modest-sized 5K that is timed, contains marked mile splits, two water stops, and bananas at the finish line! Remember when races gave out bananas at the finish line? Well, this race does, and it was just about the best thing on a hot Saturday morning.
The course is flat and fast, despite the many winding turns through the pretty side streets of Allenhurst. It also runs under a railroad bridge, over railroad tracks, down a main street, and on a beach boardwalk all within the span of 3.1 miles, so the scenery is great, too.
Kids, walkers, families, baby strollers, and competitive runners--all of them are welcome, so the whole event has a nice festive feel. Truly, it's a great way to start a Saturday at the shore.
For my part, I was mostly pleased with how I performed. As I wrote a few months back, I've spent the better part of the past eighteen months attending to some minor health issues and a variety of exciting work projects, and as a result, I took some time off from training. Saturday's 5K, therefore, marked my first race in 2017, as well as my first race in about nine months.
Given all of that, and including the heat, I was fine with how I ran: a respectable 20:05 at a 6:29 average clip. I used the run as a kind of tempo pickup in the midst of a seven-mile workout for the day. I kept the splits negative, and I ran at a pretty comfortable cruise pace. I finished seventh overall, and I think I was technically first in my age group (age awards were not given at the race).
As I also wrote a few months back, this getting close to being a masters-level runner has been a little challenging for me from a psychological standpoint (I only have about three months left in my thirties!). However, as we just saw, runners perform well at every age, so that 5K time can--and will--drop down to where I prefer it to be. It will just take time and more training.
In the meantime, I can, and should, enjoy the ride. And Saturday was a fun ride. If you're in the area next year, come out to run. Seas It will be happy to have you.
The Team Gov 5K memorializes Todd McGovern, who died of cancer in the late 2000s. The race is organized by Seas It, the organization that Todd and his wife Amanda founded to help fund athletic events that, in turn, raise funds for cancer patients and their families.
The race itself was lovely--a modest-sized 5K that is timed, contains marked mile splits, two water stops, and bananas at the finish line! Remember when races gave out bananas at the finish line? Well, this race does, and it was just about the best thing on a hot Saturday morning.
The course is flat and fast, despite the many winding turns through the pretty side streets of Allenhurst. It also runs under a railroad bridge, over railroad tracks, down a main street, and on a beach boardwalk all within the span of 3.1 miles, so the scenery is great, too.
Kids, walkers, families, baby strollers, and competitive runners--all of them are welcome, so the whole event has a nice festive feel. Truly, it's a great way to start a Saturday at the shore.
For my part, I was mostly pleased with how I performed. As I wrote a few months back, I've spent the better part of the past eighteen months attending to some minor health issues and a variety of exciting work projects, and as a result, I took some time off from training. Saturday's 5K, therefore, marked my first race in 2017, as well as my first race in about nine months.
Given all of that, and including the heat, I was fine with how I ran: a respectable 20:05 at a 6:29 average clip. I used the run as a kind of tempo pickup in the midst of a seven-mile workout for the day. I kept the splits negative, and I ran at a pretty comfortable cruise pace. I finished seventh overall, and I think I was technically first in my age group (age awards were not given at the race).
As I also wrote a few months back, this getting close to being a masters-level runner has been a little challenging for me from a psychological standpoint (I only have about three months left in my thirties!). However, as we just saw, runners perform well at every age, so that 5K time can--and will--drop down to where I prefer it to be. It will just take time and more training.
In the meantime, I can, and should, enjoy the ride. And Saturday was a fun ride. If you're in the area next year, come out to run. Seas It will be happy to have you.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Running, Racing, Hugging, Smiling: 2017 Masters Women 100 Meter Track Championships
By now, we're fairly certain that you have heard about Julia Hawkins, who just ran a 40.12 in the Masters Women 80-100+ 100 Meter USA Track & Field outdoor championships this past Saturday. If you haven't heard about this, watch USATF's video below. Hawkins, by the way, apparently started her running career at age 100, so it really is never too late, you know.
Also, that's Christel Donley (82) in the lead.
Even if you have already heard about this, and even if you have watched the video, watch it again. The whole thing, especially the hug at the end, really is the best thing.
Happy Wednesday!
Also, that's Christel Donley (82) in the lead.
Even if you have already heard about this, and even if you have watched the video, watch it again. The whole thing, especially the hug at the end, really is the best thing.
Happy Wednesday!
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