This week I was looking through some running websites to find races in the Athens, Ohio area when I stumbled upon Active.com. I have been to this site before but this time, I was slightly more impressed. There were a ton of interesting articles from St. Patrick day races and parties to how to make a treadmill run more fun (which I think is impossible to do, since I rarely run on one). I like turning to this site when I need a quick bit of inspiration or want to pass time reading random articles on things I probably do not need to know. Active.com often sends me an e-mail with random facts or reminders about upcoming races. This is where a lot of online registrations for marathons take place, after all, it is where the one for the Athens Marathon is… the one with the submit button I am hesitant towards hitting… However, I guess I will be visiting this site a lot in the next 50-something days, contemplating hitting submit and finding some random facts along the way about running, keeping in shape during the off season, motivating me to get up and go on a run and of course, having user generated content about races, opinions on a course and favorite races to run. It is a good site to pass time on or to get a quick burst of inspiration and motivation.
Running isn’t the only thing Active.com gives insight into. There is information for bikers, soccer players, swimming and more. It has a guide called ‘Find things to do’ and you can find things within a certain mile radius of your hometown with races and events going on. I highly recommend visiting it when you have a chance.
Active.com helps pass time
Filed under Uncategorized
To purchase the entry or not to purchase the entry…
52 days and counting… yes, I have 52 days to get myself in proper shape to run a marathon. It can be done, I’m sure. However, I don’t know if I am quite ready to hit the “submit” button on the application. The furthest I have run is 8 miles to date and I am supposed to run 14 on Sunday. I know, I know, it is all mental. I can do it. A friend of mine back from freshman year once told me the furthest he had run prior to the Columbus Marathon in 2007 was 12 miles. Just go out, run the 12 and hey…a few weeks later let’s double the milage then add 2. Great idea. Sense the sarcasm there?
I think after I complete the 14 mile run, IF I complete the 14 mile run, then I will go make the greatest impulse buy of all time- a marathon entry. This will mark marathon #2 for me. Hey- only 28 more to go and 9 years to do it! I am trying to come up with the other marathons I will run this year, I need to do at least 3. Athens,_____ and _____. Either this year or next year I am guaranteed entry to the New York City Marathon-which will be awesome. I am trying to figure out where I want to run the other two, maybe Cleveland, probably Columbus in October…I guess I will just wait and see. Does anyone have a particular marathon they would recommend?
The weather should start to warm up here pretty soon so I can finally get out there and do the runs I need to, hopefully sooner than later. I am 36 days from spring break, which means I am about 30 away from the 20-mile run. I should probably get out there sometime today….
RW Daily: talks nonsense and occasional inspiration
The RW Daily, the running blog written by the editors of Runners World is a great blog that offers lots of nonsense advice and occasionally mentions inspirational running stories that really make you want to run-or do something amazing. Recently he posted a blog about a man who ran seven marathons in seven days on seven different continents. That is inspiring and truly amazing. Another recent post was about a man who ran on a tredmill for 24-hours straight to celebrate his 30th birthday. Why? Again, this is awesome and inspiring. To non-runners this sounds awful and uncomfortable. It is uncomfortable, very much so, but the experiece derived from this has got to be worth it.
Here is the link to this blog, check it out for some advice, inspiration and maybe just a little something to brighten up your day: RW Daily
Filed under Uncategorized
8 miles and sunshine
Yesterday it was near 50 degrees here in Athens, Ohio. That makes for an excellent running day, especially when you can run in shorts while snow is still melting on the ground. Although, I’d have to say I got some pretty weird looks and I trugged through the snow on Mill Street sidewalks and tried to keep my balance on a sheet of ice on the bike path… The entire run I was so grateful for the sunshine, I had a smile on my face and did not dread my 8-mile run at all! I finally may be starting to get the motivation back to train for this marathon =)
When training for this race in Athens, a lot of people always ask me “Where do you run?” or “How do you come up with that many miles around campus?” You don’t. Ohio University’s campus, although large, is no match for a long distance run. You need to venture off campus by some distance and explore Athens County. Luckily, the smallest loop while staying relatively close to campus is 8 miles long and thats what I ran yesterday. For those of you interested in it, here it is (and remember you can always tac on some extra streets to increase the milage):
-Start off on the bike path at Peden Stadium.
-Follow it to the left towards South Green and stay on it until you hit Stimpson Ave.
-Get off the path and run up Stimpson to the first stoplight. Turn right on Campbell. Then right again on Morris.
-Run Morris Ave. to S. Shannon St. Turn left.
– Follow it to the end, cross E. State to N. Shannon. Turn right.
-Turn right on Arden.
_Turn left on N. May
-Turn right on Woodside and follow up the hill.
-Go down the hill and cross over to Harris St.
-Follow Harris to E. State and turn right.
-Take E. State St all the way to Carpenter.
-Turn right on Carpenter to Court St.
-Turn left.
-Follow Court St to Union St.
-Turn right.
-Take Union St. all the way down to the red Habitat for Humanity house.
-Turn left onto the bike path.
– Take the bike path back to Peden.
You’re done! It is a relatively simple route once you get the hang of it. Enjoy!
Running her words
This is a runner, Jenny, training for the London Marathon. Using her Garmin 205 GPS, she spelled out words while running to raise awareness and fundraising for the event. I think this is amazing and she really put the device to good use! I would love to try and do this one day with my GPS watch.
Garmin watches are amazing in their capabilities and I think we underestimate what they are actually capable of! Jenny went above and beyond by showing what the watch can do and how to do it. Thanks!
Good luck in the marathon Jenny!
I miss you, running.
It is Sunday afternoon, 21 degrees and snowing. Today I was supposed to run 8 miles in course of my training for the Athens Marathon on April 5th. In course of this training, I have realized how much I miss it. I miss training for a race and seeing the goal in front of me. For the past two years I have trained for the Athens Marathon, my freshman year I was 11 weeks into it when I broke my foot. That only made me stronger and made me 10 times more cautious last winter when training. I let my life revolve around that marathon last year. It was all I ever wanted and when I completed it, as my first marathon, I felt so alive and I am still beside myself wondering “How on Earth did I ever manage to run 26.2 miles?”
This year something is different. I have been having trouble getting into the training process and cannot seem to make my long runs last as long as they should. The race is April 5th and 6 miles is the furthest I have run continuously. I know it is not always about physical condition, because I believe I am in fine shape, but it is mental. Running a race that long requires some mental simulation. I need to know and believe I can do it.
Some of my friends are all training for the half-marathon race and I have considered doing this with them instead, but I do not think I would be able to settle for hitting the turn-around point at 6.some miles and not crossing the threshold, so to speak, to continue on to the “real” turn-around point of 13.1 miles.
Tomorrow is another day and I am going to try to hit 8 miles. It is so hard to do inside though and way below freezing outside. Oh well, no excuses. Train like a champion.
Standing on the Starting Line 