a meeting with the new recruits

Like many of the YMCA's in Richmond and the surrounding areas, my local Y was offering to host group training runs for the upcoming Monument Avenue 10K. Based on my previous observations of the crowd that typically frequents the gym here though and the fact that we weren't listed as an official partner on the race's website, I probably shouldn't have expected too much. Nevertheless, I was longing for other people to run with and I already had an in with the Y as a spin instructor, so I volunteered to help out with the training. I was looking for the opportunity to connect with other runners, but upon meeting the ragtag group of first-time runners this morning, my thoughts on the scarcity of other runners in the area were all but confirmed.

While offering my assistance in hopes of meeting a running buddy or two didn't exactly pan out, things weren't all bad. The five individuals who signed up for the training sessions were enthusiastic and seemed more than willing to put in the work necessary to meet their goals. We did a little bit of treadmill work to see what kind of paces and fitness bases we were working with, followed up with some lounges, and then ended with the usual stretches. All in all it was a good first day, and it looks like we'll have a fun time motivating each other and getting ready for the big the race.

It's an amazing thing to take up something as transformative as running, and I'm happy to be part of that journey for them. It's been a long time since my first runs, but I remember the excitement and the mistakes I made along the way, and if I can use my experiences and knowledge to get others as excited about running as I am, then volunteering will be totally worth it. Maybe by the end of this I'll end up with someone to run with after all.

a leash rarely pulled

Other than a fish or two at various points throughout my childhood, I didn't really have pets while I was growing up. Consequently, I ended up with this notion that I didn't really like animals, and I was more than content with the idea of never having to own one. Dogs always seemed so dependent and starved for attention; cats on the other hand, while they certainly could take better care of themselves than dogs, they rarely demonstrated the capability to do much else. When I married my wife though, a bonafide lover of all animals, I knew that it was only a matter of time before some sort of four-legged creature would work its way into our lives.

Now it has been exactly two weeks since my wife and I acquired Jinny, our wonderful little rescue dog, from the local animal shelter. She's nearly three years old, unbelievably calm, and markedly shy. Given her history, it took her a bit to warm up to us, but I think my wife and I both knew that with me already on the fence about animals, getting a puppy would have meant managing a level of hyperactivity that would have turned me off of dogs forever. Jinny is amazing though: she's a great, little runner, sometimes stubborn, but generally very willing to please.

It was clear that she hadn't had much training, but rather than working on general commands, we decided to prioritize getting her house-trained and good on a leash. The first came quickly, only a couple of accidents over the first few days we had her; now she has no problem waiting while we're both away at work during the day. The second proved a little trickier though.

Since I was the one who was primarily going to be walking and running Jinny, I did most of the leash training with her. I employed a number of different strategies to get her to stop pulling. Obviously the first, and the one that I still use periodically, was rewarding her with treats whenever she walked at my side. Aside from that though, I also worked on making sure she knew that I was in control. I made a point of stopping abruptly whenever she started to pull, only resuming our walk after she had stopped and given me her full attention, and whenever she was being particularly bad at staying by my side, I switched directions quickly and repeatedly to demonstrate that she needed to be paying attention to where I was going to move.

It feels like we've had Jinny for so much longer than the two weeks it's actually been. We've gotten into a routine where we go for a run in the morning and a long walk in the afternoon. She still tends to freak out when a truck rolls by or when we explore a new trail together, but it's amazing how much progress she's made in such a short amount of time. Dogs really are the perfect fitness companions, and I can't believe I've waited so long to have one.

Review: Magical Miles

"Magical Miles: The Runner's Guide to Walt Disney World"

Krista Albrecht & Megan Biller

Destination races can be stressful, especially in a place as hectic as Disney World, but Krista Albrecht and Megan Biller have put together "Magical Miles," a travel guide with all of the information a runner would need to make the experience memorable and hassle-free. With a shared passion for running and all things Disney, the pair have completed every runDisney event at least once, and have become experts on the logistics of planning a running vacation at either of the Disney properties. Since Albrecht and Biller have always declined offers of free race entry and discounted accommodations in favor of being able to provide honest and candid reviews, you can be sure that the information contained in "Magical Miles" is not only thorough, but trustworthy as well.

"Magical Miles" reads like most other travel guides. The various options for accommodations are covered extensively, and each of the numerous restaurants throughout the resort are described in terms of their price, location, and offerings. Once you get past all of the general information though, you get to the sections that set "Magical Miles" apart from other guides, the sections that make it uniquely suited for runners. Albrecht and Biller cover everything about participating in a runDisney event, from getting to the starting line to celebrating the accomplishment afterwards.

Some of the information that the pair provide, like the transportation on race weekend and the detailed descriptions of the courses, are just reiterations of the information one would receive prior to their race, but Albrecht and Biller also provide insights that are not as readily available. "Magical Miles" does a great job explaining how to successfully navigate the expo and which of the pre-race and post-race activities are really worth the investment, and while the book is billed as "The Runner's Guide to Walt Disney World," some of its best tips and advice pertain to those spectating an event.

Despite offering a wealth of knowledge, "Magical Miles," is certainly not without its flaws. The two most obvious weaknesses are the numerous typographical errors throughout its pages and the fact that it gets fairly monotonous at times. The first is definitely easy enough to fix, and will hopefully be taken care of during the editing for future editions, but more effort will need to be put into making a few areas of the book sound more organic if the book is to become truly great. There are parts in the accommodations and dining option sections that are literally copied and pasted, making these sections read as though they were ripped straight from a brochure; the book would certainly read better if these reviews were written with as much personality as is brought forth throughout the rest of the book.

With information so readily available on the internet, travel guides appear to be on the decline, right alongside travel agents and in-flight freebies. In fact, Albrecht and Biller update an awesome blog regularly with all of the information you could ever want on runDisney happenings. Despite the odds though, the authors have put together something special. Like most guide books, "Magical Miles" is not really the kind of book you would read cover to cover, but as a resource that caters to the small percentage of people that love runDisney events and still use travel guides, it is unmatched. If for nothing else, "Magical Miles" would serve as a good book to peruse on your flight to Florida or as a convenient resource to throw in your bag while exploring the parks.

a new year begins

After sleeping in way too late and then driving three hours to get back home, I completed my last official run of the Runner's World Holiday Streak, and my first run with the lumberjack, my new Lego running companion. For me at least, this seemingly unrelated transition signifies the end of one year, and the beginning of a new one. In the past few months, my running has undergone significant growth. I overcame injuries that had plagued me for years by switching to minimalist running, I broke a long-standing streak of increasingly dismal finishing times at my annual turkey trot, and I got myself involved in the online running community by starting a blog. Now as I look ahead, it seems only right that I continue to build off of last year's accomplishments and set new goals for the new year.

I'd like to start keeping a paper log again. I've flip-flopped between computer logs and paper logs many times over the course of my running career, but the switch to digital has almost always been out of laziness more than preference. I'd like to run at least 500 miles this year. I know for some that's a very meager mileage goal over the course of a whole year, but dozens of past setbacks have given me a great deal of respect for patience and incremental progression. Finally, since things went so well with the holiday streak, I'd like to continue it and see how much further I can take it. The official streak was 35 days long and took place between Thanksgiving and New Year's, but I'd like to get to 50 days and then reassess whether or not I want to keep going.

The start of a new year always holds so much potential. Why not make this a year of aiming high and working hard to reach your goals? I know that that's going to be my plan for 2014.