a dawn of a tradition

Runners have a tendency to be a bit eccentric, and I find myself no exception to that fact. When I began running during my sophomore year of college I had not yet embraced the joy that could come from braving the elements, so whenever the winter weather in upstate New York turned harsh, I often found myself on the indoor track that encircled our school's hockey arena. On one particular venture to the track, I found a tiny toy dog lying near the entrance. Based on where I found him it was obvious that he enjoyed running, so I named him Flash and took him along for my workout.

From there, Flash accompanied me on every single one of my runs for the next six years. Safely harbored in my pocket, he was there for countless training runs and every race I had ever participated in. He was there for my first run in actual running shoes, and he was there when I completed my first marathon. That small little pooch had run with me in every state I've ever lived: New York, Mississippi, and Virginia. But at the beginning of this past summer, Flash somehow got away from me. I searched everywhere for him, but ultimately came up empty handed.

I know Flash was just a toy, but when you spend nearly every day carrying something, regardless of what it is, you tend to get fairly attached. My wife spent hours searching in secret for a suitable replacement, but the figurines she came across were either too large or they lacked the personality that Flash had possessed. It was only when she finally conceded defeat that she told me about her search, and how she had wanted to surprise me with a new running friend for Christmas. But there comes a time to move on from any lose, whether it be small or large, and now I am about to embark on a new tradition.

Tomorrow I will open up a small package containing a Lego minifigure, and I will meet my new running buddy. I'll keep him with me, just as I had kept Flash, but when next December draws to a close, I'll retire him in exchange for a new one. I know the whole thing probably seems pretty strange, but I've always liked Legos and my time with Flash has shown me the significance of small items with sentimental value. At the end of the day there's nothing wrong with a little whimsy and imagination. 

a race at year's end

With my yearly reflection already written, it seemed that the year was quietly drawing to a close, but when I got an email about the inaugural running of the Snowflake 5K near my hometown, I obviously needed to sign up. I've always wanted to participate in the first running of a race, and to then have the opportunity to run in every one thereafter; I figured this could be my chance.

I only had about two weeks between signing up and toeing the line at this morning's race, but as a participant of the Runner's World Holiday Streak who had just come off a strong turkey trot finish, I wasn't really too worried. The out-and-back course had a downhill first half and an uphill second half, but I figured at such a short distance you might as well go for broke and really push yourself.

Already breathing heavy by the time I passed the first mile marker, I knew the pace I had set would be unsustainable for any distance longer than the one I was doing, and I questioned if I'd even make it that far without having to walk. When I reached the turn around point it was like hitting a wall; I had grown so accustomed to the ease of running downhill that the sudden change nearly brought me to a halt. I reminded myself that the race was already half over though, and dug deep to attack the incline. As I approached the final stretch, the ground began to level out, allowing me to charge forward. I began to sprint towards the finish, reeling in runners and passing them by. I ended up crossing the finish line in 27:34, easily my fastest run in a good, long while.

I had never run a 5K before, but I really enjoyed racing the shorter distance. It was perfect for going hard and gauging one's cardiovascular fitness. I'll definitely be signing up again, and maybe ten years from now I'll be one of those people getting a little recognition for streaking a race.

Review: ChiRunning

"ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running"

Danny Dreyer & Katherine Dreyer

As a student of T'ai Chi, Danny Dreyer believed that the fundamental principles of the practice could be applied to running in a way that would make the sport easier and less likely to cause injury. Once the idea was seeded, Dreyer worked to perfect the technique, dubbed it ChiRunning, and soon began teaching his unique approach to others. As his classes began to gain notoriety, his wife Katherine Dreyer, who is given coauthor credit for the book but only appears to have served in an editorial capacity, encouraged Dreyer to publish his running methodology, and in 2004 "ChiRunning" debuted to critical acclaim.

While it seems the majority of people have only the highest praises to speak of "ChiRunning," it really isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Dreyer's nonchalant delivery, offbeat references, and just plain wrong information make it tough to put a lot of faith in the book. Some of Dreyer's misconceptions are excusable since they have been perpetuated for so long, like when he says that pronation should be eliminated, but at other points the information he provides is nearly laughable. It's hard to take Dreyer seriously as he instructs runners to put emphasis into the backswing of their arm movement or when he preaches the merits of running up hills sideways.

"ChiRunning" does, however, offer a few pieces of sound advice in its pages, but they are beat to such redundancy that it's hard to find much reason to choose this book over other resources. If you're looking to decrease your risk of injury by making improvements to your form, a little bit of research will provide you with all of the same points Dreyer repeats throughout his book: relax your limbs, lean from your ankles, shorten your stride, and increase your cadence.

Aside from the above advice on improving form, "ChiRunning" concludes with sections on designing training schedules, optimizing race potential, and incorporating a healthier diet, but just like the form tips, this information is readily available online as well. Ignoring the inaccuracies and fallacies sprinkled throughout, "ChiRunning" is merely a rehashing of easily accessible knowledge dressed up with a little bit of Eastern philosophy for the sole purpose of selling more books.

Even with all of its flaws and the fact that it offers little to the advancement of fitness literature, "ChiRunning" could be considered passable if it weren't for the testimonies and self-praise incorporated into nearly every chapter. Because of this, the book ends up being more of an advertisement for Dreyer's program and brand than a reference manual for bettering your running. It seems that Dreyer has made a superficial attempt to cash in on a niche market, and this has led to a work that ultimately falls far short of being a true success.

a year in review

Around this time each year, many runners begin reflecting on their efforts and accomplishments. Some will share their thoughts online, while others will simply contemplate their past year on a solitary long run. For those who blog though, Miss Zippy has worked to standardize this annual reflection, offering six questions that serve as a template for gathering one's thoughts. Once answered, posts can be linked on Miss Zippy's blog and shared online using the #yearofrunning13 hashtag. Following the lead of Miss Zippy and a number of others, here is my year in review:

1) Best race experience?

This is an easy one, and not just because I only ran three races this past year. Every year I run the same turkey trot with my best friend on Thanksgiving morning, and each time we have finished the race just a little bit slower than the last one. This year though, we made a pact at the starting line to put an end to this, and by the time we had crossed the finish line, we had taken three minutes off of our time from last year. The streak was broken, and now we're looking to run an even faster race next November.

2) Best run?

Where I live isn't really the best place for running. You can either brave the dangers of twisting country roads or deal with the monotony of running circles around small neighborhoods; neither option is ideal. This is made even more depressing by the fact that prior to moving here I had always lived in places with a great selection of route options.

However, while talking to someone at the gym this summer about the lack of good outdoor spaces in the area, I was informed about the existence of Hickory Hollow, a nearby nature preserve with a few trails that loop around and intersect each other. I checked it out, and on my first run I immediately fell in love with the place. The terrain offered new challenges, and the wildlife and scenery quickly dispelled boredom. Ever since that first run, I've made it a point to get there at least once or twice a week, as much as daylight and scheduling will allow. Had it not been for that first run there, I'm sure I wouldn't have ended up running nearly as much as I have this year.

3) Best new piece of gear?

Tough call here. There are two items I purchased this year that have greatly impacted my running, and each as done so in a completely different way, one improving my physical well-being and the other doing wonders for my mental health. The first transformative piece of gear was a pair of Xero Shoes; these flimsy running sandals helped me transition into barefoot/minimalist running this past summer, and now that I've kicked the shoes and improved my form, this is the longest I've ever gone without some type of injury. The second item that makes the cut was a Garmin Forerunner 110. Since getting it, I'm no longer tied down to the same old routes; I'm free to wonder and explore, and I never worry about planning my runs when I visit a new place. 

4) Best piece of running advice you received?

I had struggled with iliotibial band syndrome for years, and I had just about tried everything to remedy the problem. It got to the point where the only thing I had left to try was barefoot running, but before I would take on something I was already extremely skeptical about, I made sure to read up on the subject. Pretty much all of the information out there echoes the same few points: take the transition slowly, increase your cadence, and shorten the length of your stride. It was incorporating these three things into my running that really enabled me to get back to running the distances I had when I first started running, before the nagging injuries appeared.

5) Most inspirational runner?

There's a huge pool of talented, accomplished runners to draw from, but in light of this year's events, I'm going to have to refrain from selecting a single individual, and instead choose the heroes of the Boston Marathon who ran towards danger to help those that had been injured in the bombings. From first responders to spectators and participants, when everyone else was running away, these individuals ignored their own safety and ran right into chaos and tragedy; it's hard not to find inspiration in that.

6) If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be?

It's been a year of returning to the basics and rekindling my love for running.

a month of blogging

I began this blog exactly one month ago, and while I don't yet write as often as I'd like to, I'm happy that it exists as a place to record and share my thoughts. I live in a rural area of Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay, a location best suited for retirees and summer tourists, so I don't often get the chance to interact with other like-minded individuals. Seeing other runners while out on the roads or the trails is an extremely rare occurrence, and one look around the local gym shows that there really aren't a whole lot of younger people in this area excited about fitness. However, since I began blogging and using Twitter regularly, I have been introduced to a much larger online community, a community of individuals who share my interests and who can relate to the triumphs and struggles that accompany our sport. In just one short month, I have gained and learned so much from the people who have also chosen to share their passion for running with others.

While my preference would obviously be to have running friends nearby, for the time being, I can be content with knowing that there are others out there, others who are logging miles and setting goals just like I am. On cold, rainy mornings, when the last thing I want to be doing is running in the dark, I find great solace in the fact that there are countless others toughing it out for the #RWRunStreak. When old routes grow tiresome, the #RunChatHunt is there to encourage me to try new places, and the pictures posted from those completing the scavenger hunt inspire me to make finds of my own. And when it seems like it's been forever since I've spoken with another runner, I've had the opportunity to communicate with the authors of the books I have enjoyed and reviewed.

I know this blog is young and that few people will read these words, but it's nice to have a record of one's thoughts and it's exciting to think about what still lies ahead.

Review: 4:09:43

"4:09:43: Boston 2013 Through the Eyes of the Runners"

Hal Higdon

Best known for his detailed training plans that have helped countless runners reach their goals of completing 5K's, marathons, and every distance in between, Hal Higdon is both an accomplished runner and a talented writer. Higdon proclaims that his latest release, "4:09:43," is among his greatest works yet, no small claim from an otherwise modest individual who has penned literally dozens of books, and it is hard to disagree as Higdon masterfully combines great story telling with the accurate presentation of a major historical event. While some critics have been quick to dismiss the book for not focusing enough on the bombings themselves, they clearly have missed the point; "4:09:43" is about the experience of running the Boston Marathon, and aside from the terrible tragedy that occurred on April 15, 2013, Marathon Monday in Boston has always been a day of celebration, a day when dreams are realized and the human spirit prevails. "4:09:43" is not a depressing play-by-play of the grievous events that forever changed the future of running, but instead, it is a book that captures the prestige of the Boston Marathon and the strength of the running community.

I have not run Boston, nor have I even had the chance to visit the great city, but Higdon provides such a vivid description of the events on Patriot's Day in Boston that it is easy to imagine yourself alongside fellow runners and the thousands of cheering spectators. Everything about the experience is noted, from boarding the school buses that transport runners to Hopkinton for the start of the race to sprinting the final meters down Boylston Street towards the finish. It is this description where "4:09:43" really shines, as it is not just Higdon's interpretation of running the Boston Marathon, but rather the combined experiences of nearly a hundred different runners that were in Boston this past April.

Following the events of the Boston Marathon Bombings, an abundance of blog posts and race reports were written and shared online. Fearing that these stories would eventually be neglected and lost in the infinite realm of cyberspace, Higdon made it his mission to collect and preserve these personal accounts. From there, Higdon began to weave these separate tales into a cohesive retelling of the 117th running of the Boston Marathon.

While the vast majority of "4:09:43" details the events preceding the explosions on Boylston Street, the final chapters of the book chronicle the bewilderment and panic that ensues as the bombs detonate and the news begins to spread. Even in these final chapters though, Higdon refrains form describing the graphic details of the tragedy, and instead leaves us in the heads of the runners as the day turns from celebration to confusion and despair. "4:09:43" at no point becomes a news report, and its message of hope and strength is consistent throughout, right to the very last page where a runner informs a security officer at Logan Airport that he will return for Boston 2014.

"4:09:43" is expected to hit shelves at the end of January, and Amazon is currently taking pre-orders. It is the first of what is sure to be many books about the 2013 Boston Marathon, but with its unique way of piecing together dozens of individual accounts into an inspiring singular narrative, it is sure to remain one of the best. Higdon presents an uplifting outlook on the running community as a whole, and "4:09:43" is the perfect book for those aspiring to run Boston or anyone interested in the major events of our sport.