Sunday Training Groups

Sunday Training Groups with Corre MAS are now in swing. Practices are FREE!!! We meet at the volleyball court area at the Surprise Recreation Center on most Sundays at 6:00AM. We offer different courses for you to train on as well as friendly advice as you prepare for your upcoming race. Hope to see you there... Please checkout our webpage for more information.
http://vulture75.tripod.com

1 Month

The IMS Arizona Marathon is just over 1 month away. Runners should be hitting their longest runs during this timespan as they prepare to taper into race day. The tapering should not be too abrupt and should still be allowing you to get your juices flowing. Cutting too much off and doing it too quickly could lead you to a race day "lull" or flat feeling as your body may go into shock from not doing enough work in recent days.

IMS Arizona Marathon

The second annual IMS Arizona Marathon is just over 3 months aways. It is important for those of you looking to participate in the event to register today as the event's cost will be increasing in the near future. The event once again will travel through the West Valley of Phoenix and conclude at the Westgate which is next to the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Segment 1: Preparation

Preparation is essential to running and life. It is often a thing that can help make or break a race for a runner and any event. Even the most experienced runners prepare for their event. The preparation for a race may be as long out as a year or more for certain individuals and it may be as simple as registering to get yourself started. A simple example would be a runner who wants to run in the Boston Marathon in a couple of years and is beginning to run more regularly. For rookie runners or what I like to call... "Green Legs," that are about to run a race for the first time. I usually recommend for them to prepare for the worse case scenario that you can imagine at least 2 days prior to the event. Here is a list of some things that are usually helpful for this scenario...

- a inexpensive warm-up or cover-up (possibly even a large trash bag) to wear prior to a race and that you aren't afraid to lose
- extra water
- some light fruit snacks for before and after
- toilet paper (often overlooked)
- running shoes (not new)
- a comfortable running outfit... shorts, singlet, socks, and even under garments (all not new)
- your racing bib number (attached if possible to your singlet)
- a hat
- knowledge of the starting and finish line areas
- keys
- a bag or place to store your bloggings during the race
- a friend or possible driver for after the race

These are just a handfull of things that runners need to consider prior to race day.

What have I gotten myself into?

This is a common fear for most people who have committed themselves to something at some point in their lives... a career, a relationship, and yes, running. The fear is natural and expected. The bad news is that it will most likely not go away, but the good news for running is that it can help be redirected to make things transition easier. The first segment of this fear to be covered explores Preparation.

Motivational Stories

In your training, find inspirational stories that allow you to stay motivated. Most runners today have read or seen the Prefontaine Story and know of his life which was ended abruptly in the mid-70s during his quest for gold. It is important for you to find something which appeals to you and makes a personal connection. I personally have enjoyed recent stories of "Team Hoyt" and "Bless the Coast."

Team Hoyt is a real-life story about a current father-son team that competes in numerous physical activities from triathalons to marathons. It demonstrates a father-son love and what they endure together.

Bless the Coast hits closer to home as it involves a former runner of mine and his running journey with his friend along the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Canada. Their journey ended just this month as they crossed the Canadian Border.

Both of these stories address challenges that athletes must overcome. To me, they allow for some of us to realize that we can.

Marathon Season is Coming...

The summer months are winding down and the racing distances are going to be increasing in length here in the Valley of the Sun. Typically, Arizona has warm months into October which is just in time for a nice November and the many turkey trots around the state. January then kicks off the new year with the P.F. Chang's events and that is followed by the IMS Arizona Marathon in February. For those of you interested in either or both events, it is essential you start your training today. Begin at the base and work your way up with your training and forget about doing much, if any, speed in these early months of training and these last months of summer.