Benefits of a Running Coach

Have you ever wondered if you needed a running coach? Many runners feel they don't need a running
coach because they don't view themselves as "real" runners. Others may feel that they can get enough from online articles, posts, or training plans or from their fellow runners. Others may think running coaches are too expensive. While others feel they just don't have time.

First of all, if you are putting on running shoes and heading out for a run on a regular basis, please most definitely consider yourself a runner. Second, periodical and online articles are great and online plans are fine, but the one thing to keep in mind, is that these plan are written for the masses, not you. Third, like any service, prices will vary. Shop around and find a running coach that's within your budget that provides what you need. Fourth, most running coaches have a variety of ways to interact to meet your busy schedule.

So, what's the answer? Do you need a running coach? Well, no, a runner doesn't have to have a running coach, but having been one for over 13 years, I can share with you some of the awesome benefits you may not have thought of.

Below are some great reasons a running coach can help you with successful training:

1. Keeping Your Accountable: Knowing that someone has crafted a plan for you and will be checking in with you ups your accountability greatly. Many running coaches also incorporate group runs into their training which ups accountability as well as build relationships with other runners. 
2. Prevent Overtraining and Possible Injury: A common mistake of self-trained runners is overtraining. When a runner starts to make progress, they'll often get excited and begin to push themselves harder. Nothing wrong with pushing yourself, but a coach can help determine when too much of a push may be detrimental to your running mojo and/or your body. A running coach is a great first line of defense in preventing running injury. Runners are notorious for letting an ache or pain go too long before seeking treatment. I always encourage my runners to share with me when they are experiencing something beyond regular delayed onset muscle soreness, especially they if it's something they've had for more than a couple days and it's not getting better. I'm not a doctor or physical therapist, but I'm often that needed push to get a runner to seek professional medical help.
3. Keep Better Perspective and Prevent Self-Doubt: When training for any race, but particularly a distance race such as a half  or full marathon, self-doubt can creep in pulling a runner down. There's a saying that running is often 90% mental and 10% physical, and in many cases that is true. We can be our own worst enemy. A coach can help put things in perspective. If you 've had a bad run, a coach, can help you evaluate that run and determine if the lackluster performance was due to improper fueling or hydration, over training, poor sleep, stress, or some other factor.
4. A Real-Time/Catered-to-You Sounding Board: When I'm in a training cycle with runners, I get emails, messages, phone calls and in-person chats all the time regarding anything and everything about my runners' training. Instead of wondering if you're on the right track, you have someone well versed in your training as a sounding board in real-time.
5. Create a Plan for You and Your Goals Not the Masses: A running coach will craft a plan geared specifically for you. Factors such as your running history, your current running, the race you've selected, your personal goals, and more will all be taken into account when crafting your plan. Often runners will use the same plan year-after-year. Most runners don't stay the same, they may have made great gains or had a set-back from the previous year. A running coach will create a plan based on your current running.
6. Adjust Your Plan During Training: As a running coach, one of the first things I tell a runner when I meet with them to talk about their training and goals, is that the plan I create is fluid. What I mean by that is, it's not set in stone. Changes can and will be made along the way. Sometimes life gets in the way and a plan needs to be revised. Sometimes a runner will make great gains during training and training paces need to be made. A runner needs to have structure and guidance with a plan, but not feel that they are completely locked in.
7. Explain Your Workouts and Why You're Doing Them: Many online plans will have a variety of runs, but with very little explanation for why you're running these different types of runs. If a runner was not involved in track or cross-country in high school or college, they may not be familiar with some types of run workouts. Many runners will avoid speed work because they think they need access to a track. A running coach will thoroughly explain everything in your plan. They'll also explain how workouts can be accomplished without access to a track. (None of my speed workouts need a track.)
8. Help Fit in Cross-Training to Support Your Running/Training: Many runners know that adding in cross-training can benefit their running, but don't know what to incorporate or how to incorporate it. While other runners are unaware of the benefits of incorporating other types of fitness. A running coach can help safely add in appropriate types and amounts of cross-training to your training regimen. 
9. Explain and Help Support You With Your Fueling and Hydration Needs: Just as important as the weekly runs, proper fueling and hydration is vital to successful training. A running coach can provide proper guidelines for fueling and hydration to support your runs.
10. Motivate and Inspire: A running coach is your biggest cheerleader. Ongoing motivation and encouragement can often be the difference in successful race training.

In the Greensboro, NC area and looking for a running coach, click here.

Self Care: A Recommittment to Fitness, Wellness, and Healthy Eating

Yes, even trainers at times need to self-evaluate and recommit to their own fitness and wellbeing. 

Six years ago I turned 50. That year I committed to focusing on my own fitness and running. It was 2015 and, that year I ran 4 marathons, I lost about 20lbs, and felt awesome. In the 6 years since, my focus shifted. I lost both of my parents (my Dad to cancer and my Mom to Alzheimer's). The pandemic hit and my business was closed for 5 months then reopened, but with a fraction of the business. Had to give up my studio and reconfigure how to work with my fitness and running clients without a dedicated space. 

The other day I saw myself in the mirror and really noticed the toll the past few years had taken. So, while staring in that mirror, I decided to recommit to my own fitness, health and wellbeing. I do a lot of workouts each week but leading workouts is different than focusing on your own fitness goals. I've set some new goals, restarted my daily pushup challenge, and I'm eating better (oh, but don't worry, I still plan on having some homemade pound cake). 

Goal 1: Get in at least 3 "me runs" each week. They don't have to be long runs. Just runs that are at my pace for physical and mental benefit.

Goal 2: Restart my pushup challenge. Each day do at least 50 pushups. Each week increase the total number by 5 pushups till I get to 100.

Goal 3: Run a Half Marathon in the fall. Hopefully there will be some to choose from, but if not, I'll make my own course and run it here at home.

Goal 4: Be even more diligent with my good eating habits. I'm not a fan of trendy diets or cutting this out or that. I've learned (at least for me), just focusing on eating a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and fat with a splurge every now an then works best for me.

Goal 5: Taking some mental breaks. Whether it's when I get up the morning, during the day at lunch, while on a run, or just before going to sleep, taking some time for me to decompress and chill.

I once heard a younger person say, a man over fifty should keep his shirt own. To me that means I must have something I'm ashamed of. I'm no muscle magazine cover model by any means, but at 56, I'm not ashamed of how I look. There's definitely work to do, and the work I have begun. This picture of me was taken on day 6 of recommitment. Looking forward to 2021 and some me focus. 

Join me with your own fitness recommitment.

Running Basics Interactive Online CEU Course

I'm excited to announce the launch of my new interactive online Running Basics CEU course available through National Personal Training Institute Global. (Earn CEU credits for NASM, AFFA, and NATIONALPTI)!

This course will help fitness professionals, personal trainers, fitness trainers, and coaches feel more confident working with runners, better meet the fitness needs of their running clients, and widen their client base by offering programs designed for runners of all levels.

Through 1/19 you can save 30% off the registration fee. Use promo code CELEBRATION30 at checkout.

For more info, go to https://www.nationalptiglobal.org/onl.../running-basics/7259

Ask the Coach: What's the Best Fuel?

As a running coach, one of the most asked questions I get (especially among my race trainees) is, "What's the best fuel, fat or carbs?"

I learned along time ago, that like politics, food can be a very emotional topic for people. So, I'm not here to say one fuel is bad and one fuel is good. I can share from personal experience and from the research which tends to be better for a runner. As an individual, you an decide what's best for you. And as always, consult with your physician and/or registered dietitian when making any dietary changes, especially if you have specific dietary needs or a physical condition dependent on a specific diet.

In my race training plans I provide my runners with basic fueling guidelines to support their pre-, during-, and post run fueling and refueling. These guidelines provide basic carbohydrate, protein, and fat recommendations based on my education from RRCA, ASCM, and NPTI. From my running coach's perspective, carbohydrates are a runners main source of fuel.

A lot of recent popular diet programs use a fat-for-fuel approach. A big draw to these programs is initial quick weight loss. Most of the fat-based diets severely restrict carb to as little as 10% while increasing fat up to 75% of calories. The bases for his shift is that this type of diet for the athlete will prevent bonking or crashing. This type of diet is supposed to provide a bigger reserve of energy sustaining activity for longer periods of time. Research has been done showing that ultra marathoners and Ironman triathletes who had a high fat diet of 70% fat and 10% carbs for 9-36 months burned fat at much greater rates during an 180-min run than those who followed a lower fat diet of 25% fat, 59% carbs. This outcome seems pretty good.

More research, however, shows that for sports where you need to kick it up a notch at times, a high-fat diet, isn't going to provide that umph you're looking for. Why? Well, as your body learns to burn fat more efficiently, it impairs your body's ability to burn carbohydrates. Your body uses fewer chemical reactions to convert carbs to energy. So, with a proper carb store and your body being able to quickly convert carbs to energy, you can get that boost you need to charge that hill, or pull out of a fatigue slump, or change gears  as you near that finish line. With conversion of fat to fuel, your body is more like, "Oh okay, you want to go faster. Wait, hang on. I'm working on it."

Idea Fitness Journal (April 2018) shares that in a review of 61 studies, the vast majority showed that diets relying on more calories from carbs than fats were optimal for athletic performance (Stellingwerff & Cox 2014). None of the studies showed that a carb-rich diet hurt performance. Most research shows that decreasing carbs in favor of fat isn't likely to get you to the finish line faster. (Burke et at. 2017; Havemann et al. 2006; Urban et al. 2017; Zinn et al. 2017).

Another thing to keep in mind if you desire to go to a high fat/low carb diet is that it takes weeks to adapt to. I do not recommend a runner who wants to try a high fat diet switch to it while at the same time starting a race training program. Start the transition several months prior to starting race training. Why? When switching to a high fat diet one can expect to experience fatigue, constipation, and mood swings none of which would be great to experience while starting up a race training plan.

Personally, I'm a proponent of eating a well balanced diet. I'm a strong believer in a good mix of complex carbs (including whole grains, fruits and veggies), healthy fats, and protein is key. Then when kicking in race training, I believe slightly increasing healthy complex carbohydrates is key in supporting your workouts.

Hitting the Training Wall?

Many half or full marathoners can attest to hitting a wall of self-doubt that smacks them in the face about halfway through their training.

For first-time half marathoners it's often around mile nine. For first-time marathoners it's often around mile 15, 16, or 17.

Things are going just dandy in their training  and then all of the sudden, they have a tough run and reality smacks them in the face. "Oh my God! That was hard!" How am I ever going to run 10 or 11 more miles!"

This experience is pretty common with new marathoners. Most have actually had a similar experience on a smaller scale, but they forget from whence they came. In talking with a struggling half marathoner the other day, I reminded her how not too long ago, she was worried about completing the 13-min run/2-min walk intervals when she was in my beginning running group. Also reminded her that she killed it.

For most individuals it's pretty common for self-doubt to creep in when we they dip their toes into the unknown. The initial response for many is, "I Can't!" But here's the thing. You can. You have to just flick-it! Flick that self doubt to the curb! Easier said than done, right?

The first step in clearing your mind of "Can't" is remove it from your vocabulary. Next step is to be "Real." It's going to be hard. Marathon training is one of the hardest things you'll ever do. It will be one of the most rewarding and life-changing things in your life too! Training for a marathon causes you to dig deep and find a you that you may never even knew existed. Once you find this new you, you'll be amazed how much you pull on new you in other areas of your life.

So, why does it happen around mile 15, 16, or 17? Well for most, that's new mileage for them. So just like when they first began to run and it was hard and they were fatigued, and they were sore, they're going through that again. Many at this point will experience an acclimation phase while their body adapts to the new demands of this new frontier.

So, what do you do? You run smart and you listen to your body not your head. If you are extremely tired and fatigued, then skip that next speed workout. When your body say's "Uncle" listen to it and take a rest day. Pull back on the pace on your long runs. You're probably running them too fast anyway and now that you're in new territory, your body isn't able to maintain that same pace (plus you need to be running slower on the long run anyway). Make sure you are hydrating and fueling properly pre-, during-, and post-run. Those two gels your  took for a half marathon probably aren't gong to hack-it for a 20-mile run. figure how how to adjust your fueling for those extra miles. Depleted levels of electrolytes like sodium and potassium can increase dehydration even if you're drinking a lot of water. So be sure you're on top of replacing them through your fueling, electrolyte tablets, or sports drink.

According to Dictionary.com, moxie is the ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage. It goes on further to say that the term was used as far back as 1876 as the name of a patent medicine advertised to "build up your nerve."

Too bad there's not a bottled "marathon moxie" that you can gulp down just before the start and then be miraculously provided with all you need to complete your training. Man, whoever invents that will become a millionaire! In reality, marathon moxie does not come from a bottle, it comes from within you.

If you're having doubts, I want you to do some reflection. Sometimes writing down and documenting all that you've done during your training can visually confirm all your hard work and the commitment you've exuded over the past several months. This doesn't have to be a long and tedious task, just use a brainstorming web like I've done here. Once you see all that you've accomplished there's no way you can doubt yourself! (See my attached pic. This is a web I did a while back when I was training for a marathon.)

Another way to clear you mind of Can't and flick that self-doubt to the curb is by finding a running mantra to help lift you up on those hard runs. The official RunnerDude mantra is Trust. Believe. Conquer! It stands for Trust in your Training, Believe in Yourself and Conquer your Goals. Here are a few more mantras to consider or make up your own!

• Can't Stop! Won't Stop!
• No regrets!
• If you don't, you rust!
• I'm a running machine, not going down without a fight!
• The pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
• Relentless forward motion
• Make Mom proud!
• Run like you're being chased!
• This too shall pass.
• Perpetual forward motion
• Not today, I will not be broken.
• Not if. When.
• I will keep on.
• Define yourself!
• Not everybody can do this!
• When the going gets tough, the tough get going. So get going!
• Do this today and you can eat your weight in chocolate tonight!
• Of course it's hard, if it was easy everyone would do it.
• I hate you Thad. I hate you Thad. :-)

If you have a coach, talk to him/her about what you're experiencing. Ask about taking rest days. Ask about fueling and hydrating. They are there to support you. They have lots of suggestions and tips to help you. (https://runnerdudesfitness.com)

Why Do You Run?

It's hard to believe I've been running for 35 years. I known so many people over the years who have tested the running waters, and have left the sport for one reason or another. Of course my job as a running coach keeps in running, but I have 25 years of running under my belt when I wasn't a coach. So what's kept me running? 

Sure, I run for the health benefits. Sure, I run to help keep my weight in check. Sure, I run to help keep my 54-year-old self in shape. But I'm not so sure those are the main reasons I run. One reason I keep running is the awesome people I've met along the way. People like Ann Singer (Grannie Annie), who at age 50, overweight, under exercised, and wondering what she was going to do with the second half of her life until age 100, decided to start walking. It wasn't long before she took up running. By age 65 she had run at least one marathon in each of the 50 states! by age 70 she had run over 70 marathons!  

And people like Mark Cooper from Scotland who in his 20s had been a 20-a-day smoker and heavy weekend-drinker. Then one day he decided without notice to stop all of the bad habits and get fit. Running appealed to him because of its low cost and the fact that he's always loved the outdoors. That was in 2007. In 2010, Mark ran 50 marathons in 56 days from Amsterdam to Barcelona in memory of his mom while raising 30,000 pounds for the Edinburgh Headway Group who provides support for people who have suffered head injuries or other acquired brain injury such as from a stroke. Mark's mom passed away in 1997 from a brain hemorrhage.

Another big reason I run is the sense of adventure I get from my runs. I know runners who run the same distance, same route several times a week and there is nothing wrong with this. I'm a big advocate for each runner getting what they need out of their own runs. For many who run the same distance/route it's due to convenience, schedule, and habit. Also, for many, running is solely for their health, so it doesn't really matter if the run is on a treadmill or on the same stretch of greenway. 

For me, I go brain dead after running the same route over and over. It's like running on a treadmill. I need to be stimulated on a run and distracted by unique surroundings. I've run 15 marathons and one ultra-marathon. All but three were out of state, because I wanted that sense of adventure. Of the two instate, only one was an adventure--Grand Father Mountain. The other two were terrible runs for me. It really had nothing to do with them being in my state. There are some awesome races in North Carolina. But the other two I chose to run in NC had no sense of adventure. The one and only ultra I ran was 4 loops around a lake. Took me two years to return to that lake after the race. LOL! The other marathon I ran in NC was a marathon in the Triangle that had two out-n-backs on a greenway. The greenway was pretty, but the EXACT SAME VIEW for 26.2 miles. After a while, I couldn't tell if I was even moving foward, because everything looked the same. LOL! Other people love that race. Just wasn't my cup of tea.

NYC (x 3), Chicago, Honolulu, Baltimore, Richmond, San Diego, San Francisco, Twin Cities, Nashville, Marine Corps, Philadelphia, and Grand Father Mountain all provided an awesome sense of adventure for me. Whether it was from crowd support, historically significant routes, scenic routes, or a challenging route, these races kept me motivated mentally throughout the run.

I apply the same sense of adventure to my weekly long runs. Even though my normal weekly long runs take place in Greensboro, I rarely ever run the same route. Most of the time, I have no idea where I'm going. After running for 35 years, I've developed a really keen sense of distance. If I need to run 10 miles, 15 miles or more, I can mentally pretty much tell where to go in order to get in the miles without mapping it out. Only occasionally do I come up short or too long. I usually start my long runs from my studio and depending on the day, I may run north, south, east, or west, or somewhere in between. As a result, I've discovered some really cool parts of Greensboro. Parts I would have never discovered in my everyday life. I've learned so much about my city from my runs.

The annual event, RunTheBoro, that I've put on for the past 4 years in part came from my desire to explore and my desire to get other runners out and explore their city. During RunTheBoro, runners traverse around 90 miles of their city exploring 5 different greenways and around 25 different neighborhoods.

A while back I asked some of my Twitter friends why they ran. Here are some of their responses....

• "because I am addicted to the post run euphoria." —npalefsky
• "because as cheesy as it sounds, it frees me—mentally, physically, spiritually." —ottovoss
• "because I like the shirt that says 'runners do it faster'." —RunnerHeidi
• "because it always makes me feel good. Even when the run doesn't. Weird huh?!?" —Lurtz
• "because it's the only time I'm truly alone with my thoughts, and I can work a lot of things out in my head." —clhennessey
• "because I love feeling fit, love burning calories, love the hi-tech clothes, love competing, and love winning the occasional age-group award!" —runner510
• "because I'm training for triathlons....IRONMAN" —SteadyState
• "because the law is after me and I gotta keep one step ahead. Oops, here comes the police now, gotta go" —itsDice
• "because it helps me realize my physical potential and I've met some amazing people through it!" —amlemus
• "because it is my peace! Listening to my breath, footsteps, music, my time. Love the challenge of adding miles. GOALS!" —tortaliz
• "because of the enjoyment, but also to try and lower my pace times to improve overall triathlon times." —kimokali
• "because it makes me a stronger person- inside and out. I run because it feels good. I run because I can." —alitherunner
• "because of the opportunity it gives me to set goals & challenge myself and hopefully to inspire others to do the same." —mawoolard

Why do you run?

Don't Forget To Shop Local

Small Business Saturday is in November, but you don't have to wait until one special day to support local businesses. Today while buying my morning coffee, I realized I was basically a small-business billboard today. Almost everything I was wearing was purchased locally and I myself am the owner of a small business. It's easy to be lured to the big box stores or the online giants, but small business is a vital part of the local economy. Many small business invest back into the local community. Be sure to check out Team Smiley Apparel, Threshold Athletic, Mindful Supply, Green Bean Golden Gate, Omega Sports and of course RunnerDude's Fitness

Team Smiley Apparel is a family run, community based, and fitness driven apparel company established in 2017 in Burlington, NC. In 2007, the family moved from the Miami Valley of Southwestern Ohio to the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, where they live today. "Team Smiley" started as a name they had given themselves. Something that united and bonded them in the adventure of living in a new state, outside of their comfort zones. With every passing year and every new sports endeavor, their bond as a "Team" grew. As they referred to themselves as "Team Smiley," other members of their fitness community would inquire what it would take to belong to the "Team Smiley" family. What they have provided through their family unit is for individuals to feel a part of something larger and bigger than themselves. "Team Smiley" provides an individual encouragement to achieve their personal goals both inside and outside of their fitness endeavors. Each purchase of a "Team Smiley" apparel item enables Team Smiley to reinvest back into the community. Be sure to check out the Team Smiley products at https://theteamsmiley.com/

Threshold Athletic was born out of their love of activity, fitness & sportswear. They are passionate

about being active, sharing experiences and motivating other individuals to achieve the best version of themselves possible. Therefore, they wanted to develop and produce products that support their customer’s experiences. Whether it’s hitting the road, hitting the trails, or hitting the gym, Threshold Athletic is dedicated to providing effective & quality products that exceed the expectations of their customers. Threshold Athletic Products are Sold and Distributed exclusively by Genesis Textiles, LLC in Gibsonville, NC. Be sure to check them out at  https://thresholdathletic.com/

Omega Sports began when two friends who dreamed of creating a new kind of sporting goods store 

founded Omega Sports in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1978. Since the very beginning, Omega has been a family-run company committed to local community, quality gear, and outstanding customer service. They are still a family-run company, and their foundational values are as important to them today as they were in 1978. Omega has grown steadily, and they are now part of 14 communities across North Carolina. They’ve helped two to three generations of North Carolinian’s. Be sure to check them out at one of their area stores and online at https://www.omegasports.com/

The Green Bean opened their doors in 2002. Now owned by Joe Van Gogh, they are still an 

awesome part of the local Greensboro community with their café at Golden Gate Shopping Center on Cornwallis Dr. and their downtown coffee shop on S. Elm St.  I’m a frequent customer at both, but I bet if you go to the Golden Gate location and ask anyone who works their if they know Thad, they’ll probably say, "He’s the Green Bean Bowl guy, right?"  If you haven’t had it, man, you need to get there quick! Delish! Be sure to check them out at http://www.gsobean.coffee/#home

The Mindful Supply Co slogan is “From Dirt to Shirt.” That’s because they literally are involved from the growing of the cotton to the finished product sold in their store or online.  The cotton for their shirts is gown in Stanley County in Richfield. The cotton is ginned in New London, it’s spun into yarn in Thomasville, and knitted into fabric in Lumberton.  Those are all NC towns!  The fabric is finished in Gaffney, SC and cut and sewn in Hemingway, SC. The graphics are created by the Mindful Supply Co owners Derek Glass and David Grubbs. TS designs in Burlington, NC take care of the dying and printing. Every step of the production process happens in NC and SC businesses employing over 700 people. Be sure to check them out at their store front location at 335 S. Davie St. in Greensboro, nc as well as online at https://www.mindfulsupply.com/

RunnerDude’s Fitness is a running coaching and fitness studio in Greensboro, NC. After I was laid off from a career in educational publishing for 
13 years back during the Great Recession in 2009, I had to reinvent myself. Being held to a non-compete contract, I was not able to work in my field for 18 months. I know, crazy, huh? So, instead of trying to fight it, I decided to pursue my passion—fitness and running--and I went back to school. I got my RRCA running coach certification, my USATF running coach certification, my American College of Sports Medicine certification, and completed a 500hr diploma program at the National Personal Training Institute in Raleigh as well as competing 100hrs of nutrition education. Then on blind faith, I opened RunnerDude’s Fitness. Almost 10 years later, I’ve worked with hundreds of runners from beginning running to ultra marathons. I’ve also worked with hundreds of clients improving their personal fitness levels. I’ve also had the awesome opportunity to work in corporate fitness, providing running and fitness classes to VF Corp, Syngenta, and Volvo Group. If you’re looking for customized fitness and/or running plans, boot camps, other group fitness classes, a in-depth video running stride analysis, running related workshops, personal training, small-group personal training, and more, be sure to check us out at http://runnerdudesfitness.com.

What Type of Race Trainee Are You?

Life can get crazy when you're training for a half or full marathon, and sometimes life and throw things at you the can affect your training. If you are working with a running coach, remember he has created a plan for you. Also remember that your training plan is a guide, a guide created specifically for you and your goals.

As a running coach for going on 10 years, I've come to realize there tends to be four types of race trainees—the "Sporadic", the "Checker-Offer", the "Ignorer" and the "Communicator."

The Sporadic trainee tends to use the plan as a suggestion. He'll keep his normal run routine and then decide to throw in some of the workouts in their plan. Or they use the plan for a few weeks, then go rogue for a while and then maybe get back to following the plan. This runner often wonders why they are not seeing the progress they expected.

The Checker-offer trainee is that runner that has to do every workout in the plan regardless of circumstances that might dictate otherwise. For example, if the runner can't get in his/her long run on Saturday and moves it to Sunday (which is fine) he/she will still do the speed workout scheduled for Monday (which isn't good), just because it's on the plan. The desire to check off every workout overrides common sense or what they're body might be telling them. This runner feels like a failure if every workout is not checked off as completed.

The Ignorer trainee is the runner that ignores the signs of injury. The Ignorer tends to use the not-so-useful sayings, "run through the pain" or "no pain no gain." This runner has trouble distinguishing the difference between regular delayed onset muscle soreness or discomfort and pain. And... sometimes they know the difference, but keep on running because of fear if they take time off, they'll lose everything they've gained. Often this runner will keep running through pain until a serious injury occurs.

The Communicator trainee is the runner that uses his/her plan as a guide. This person communicates with his/her coach when she has to miss a run and not sure if or how she should make it up. This runner will communicate with her coach when she's been sick, when she's experiencing pain that's affecting his running. This runner will ask questions about fueling and hydration. This runner will text, call, instant message, and talk in person with her coach.

Can you guess which of these four types have a higher risk of injury?

To the Sporadic trainee: Your plan has been crafted by your coach just for you and your goals. The plan is created with consistency as it's foundation. Doing the runs and workouts as prescribed on a consistent basis will help you safely reach your goals. Running hot and cold isn't going to help your reach your goals.

To the Checker-offer trainee: Your plan is a guide. Yes, it's important to get in as many of your prescribed runs as you can, but that doesn't mean doing every single run just for the sake of having a check mark on each workout. If you miss a run, sometimes it can safely be made up, but other times it's better to miss the run completely rather than squeeze it in just for the sake of completing it. For example, putting two hard runs back-to-back is not recommended. Keep in mind that long-and-slow is "hard" and short-and-fast is "hard." So, if you miss a long run, don't try to make it up by putting it the day before your speed workout. Maybe instead, you do the make-up long run, and then either rest or run easy on the speed workout day. When in doubt, consult your coach. He/she can help you figure out how/if you should make up the run.

To the Ignorer: Communicate with your coach when you're experiencing pain. He/she may have some initial suggestions for how do deal with your issue. Or he may say you need to check in with the doc. Better to be safe than sorry. Instead of putting off seeing the sports doc or physical therapist, schedule that appointment. Much better to find out it's nothing than let things linger until you have a full blown injury and you're off running for several months. You'd be surprised how many times, I'm not aware one of my runners has had in issue until I see them in a boot. Listen to our body. Taking a rest day is much better the plugging through a workout just to get it done. Use the following pain scale to help you decide what to do when feeling discomfort or pain.

1-10 Pain Scale for Runners

Mild Pain: Rating 1-3, is the type of pain you feel when you start to exercise but it usually goes away as you start to warm up and continue running. The pain may be inconsistent and moves around the body, or you feel it bilaterally (in both knees, for example). Mild pain or discomfort is common and considered safe to run through. Apply ice at any areas of concern after your run. A bag of frozen peas works really well.   

Moderate Pain: Rating 4-6, pain that doesn't cause you to limp or alter your stride, will probably respond well to a couple days of rest, pain-free cross-training, and icing as needed. If it doesn't, go see the doc.

Severe Pain: Rating 7 to 10, requires immediate doctor attention. This kind of pain you feel before, during, and after the run. It usually starts at the beginning of a run and increases until your stride altered or you stop. Don't let it get that far. 

It's not that the Communicator trainee will never get hurt, but because they are keeping in constant communication with his/her coach, they are more likely to head off possible injury. Be proactive when training. If you're in a group training program, your coach may be working with dozens of runners. Never think he/she is too busy for your questions. Also, don't assume he knows exactly what you're going through. Communicate with him. That's what he's there for.

Are You Listening?

Runners are notorious for digging a hole and jumping in. We'll push and push thinking that if we just push a little harder, we'll break through that wall and that pain we’re experiencing will just magically disappear. While sometimes a little push is just what you need, other times, REST is better. So how do you tell the difference of when to push and when to rest? The key is listening to your body, knowing the difference between, "I don't wanna" and "I can't" and know the signs of fatigue and over training.

The problem is many athletes (aerobic or anaerobic) don't give their bodies time to adapt before imposing more stress on their bodies. This creates a recovery deficit—that hole you dig and can't get out of. Often runners get stuck in the recovery period or worse, they become injured. This is called overtraining. Overtraining can lead to injury. The signs of overtraining can include any or all of the following

• persistent achiness, stiffness, or pain in the muscles and/or joints (beyond the typical delayed onset muscle soreness felt after a workout)
• elevated resting heart rate
• lack of energy
• fatigued and/or achy muscles
• frequent headaches
• feeling lethargic or sluggish
• drop in athletic performance
• not able to complete your normal workout
• depressed, moody, unmotivated
• nervousness
• lack of sleep and/or appetite, weight loss
• lowered immune system

Bullet #2 above is a great way to determine if you need a rest day. Just before getting out of bed, take your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply that by four. Do this a couple of days to get a baseline for your resting heart rate. If you’re feeling really fatigued during your training, check your resting heart rate. If your heart rate is just a few beats higher than your normal resting heart rate, it could be a sign that you’re over doing it. If you have a cold or virus, that can cause fatigue and an elevated heart rate too. But, if you’re not sick, it could be that you're overtraining and need to take a rest day. When you have a cold or virus, your heart rate will be elevated as your body fights the infection. When overtraining, your heart rate can be elevated. It’s in overdrive while your body tries to rebuild and repair, but you’re not allowing it to, resulting in fatigue.

I frequently hear a runner say, "but it's in my plan." Runners often mistake a training plan for LAW. A training plan is merely a guide to help you reach your goal. A training plan is like a travel plan...a map. Changes will most likely need to be made along the way. A plan doesn't know the factors you may be dealing with in a given week...the stress of the job, lack of sleep from a sick child, dealing with allergies, that pothole you stepped in and twisted your ankle, that unplanned work trip thrown at you. Sometimes life has a different plan for you than what your race training plan had in store. A training plan is based on an ideal world. A training plan also, does not know how long your body may need to recover after a particular workout. The plan is your map. You are the driver and your running coach is your AAA consultant. 

A good rule of thumb to use when listening to your body and following a plan is to never put two hard runs back-to-back. Short and fast (speed workouts and tempo runs) and long and slow (long runs) are considered "hard runs." If you've had to miss a hard run, don't make-it up if you have to butt it up next to another hard workout. For example, in my plans, typically runners do a speed workout on Mondays, rest or cross-train on Tuesdays then do a tempo-type run on Wednesdays, run easy Thurs or Friday, do a long run on Saturday, and have complete rest on Sunday. So, if a runner can't do his/her long run on Saturday, the runner is more than welcome to run it on Sunday, but then that means no speed work on Monday. Another scenario would be if a runner missed his/her Monday speed workout, the runner could do it on Tuesday, but then no tempo run on Wednesday. Missing a workout altogether is better than putting two hard workouts back-to-back with no recovery time, just so the box can be checked off on your plan.

One of the things a coach hears all too frequently is a runner saying, “We’ll it hurt pretty bad, but I pushed through the pain and got it done.” Unless it’s the last 100m of a 5K and you’re in the running for a cash prize, my first thought is, “Why? Why push through pain?” As a coach, I’m always thinking long term. What is going to keep you running for the long haul.

My number one rule for my runners is if you have to alter your gait (your running stride) in any way to compensate for pain, DO NOT RUN.  Altering your gait to help manage your pain will more than likely end up causing a completely different compensation injury.

Running through pain is never a good idea. If you’re experiencing pain along the shin, hip, iliotibial (IT) band, or any area of the body that’s beyond normal muscle soreness, ice it, elevate it, take your usual choice of anti-inflammatory medication, and rest. When you no longer feel any pain, ease back into your running. Use the following 10-point pain scale to help evaluate any pain you’re experiencing:

• Mild pain (rating 1–3): The type of pain you feel when you start to exercise, but it usually goes away as you start to warm up and continue running. The pain may be inconsistent and move around the body, or you may feel it bilaterally, which means you feel it in the same joints in both limbs, such as in both knees. Mild pain or discomfort is common for new runners and considered safe to run through. After your run, place ice on any sore areas. A bag of frozen peas works really well.
• Moderate pain (rating 4–6): Pain at this level is more than mild pain, but it’s not enough to cause a limp or alter your stride. Typically, a few days of rest, low-impact cross-training, and icing as needed will help. If it doesn't, go see the doc.
• Severe pain (rating 7–10): Pain at this level requires immediate medical attention. This kind of pain you feel before, during, and after the run. It usually starts at the beginning of a run and increases until your stride is altered or you stop. Don't let it get that far.

The Beauty of a Good Run

I love it when my fall race trainees who are training in the summer have a mild temp/weather run day. They finally get to see their hard work is paying off.

You see here in North Carolina, the summers can be brutal for race training. We are blessed with high temperatures June-August. We are also blessed with high dew point.

I've preached (my pastor dad would be proud) the High Dew Point sermon over and over, but for most runners, they still internalize a poor run as a reflection of their effort or lack there of.

Dew point is the temperature at which water condensates. The body's first course of action for cooling itself is through the evaporation of sweat from the skin. But on high dew point days (70° and above) the sweat will not evaporate. It just stays on your body.

The body is an amazing thing and your brain is like a super computer. When one cooling system shuts down or is working poorly, it kicks in a backup system. In this case, the brain diverts oxygenated blood to the skin to help cool the body. That's a pretty awesome backup system...unless you are training for a marathon.

More oxygenated blood at the skin means less oxygenated blood at the muscle. This is why you feel like you're running through sludge and can't seem to make your paces no matter how hard you try on a high dew point day. And this is why runners beat themselves up. Their plan says to run at X pace. They don't make that pace, so in their minds it was a crappy run.

Temperature can be deceptive. You can have a milder temp day, but if the dew point is still high, your run is going to feel labored. If you try to push yourself to run harder on a high dew point day, you can actually run the risk of heat exhaustion as well as put your heart at risk from so much demand being put on it trying to cool you off and make you move.

So, like I tell my runners, on a high dew point day, you should run by feel. This means on a high dew point day, if you feel like you're giving the same exertion as on a day that you are making pace, but your watch says otherwise, you are still reaping the benefits as if you were making pace.

Research has been done comparing running at altitude to running in high dew point. Results are very similar, because in both scenarios, runners are running in oxygen deprived situations. The problem is, if a runner goes to Denver to train at altitude, that's really cool. Just running in hot/humid NC seems normal and instead of runners realizing they are getting the same benefits as running in Denver, they get down on themselves, often pushing themselves harder, making things even worse.

Then comes a day at the end of August, like my runners had yesterday, where in the early morning, the temp and dew point is low and they had awesome runs allowing themselves to see the progress they've actually made over the past two months.

Funny part is hearing them exclaim, "Wow! That was awesome!" "Wonder why that run was so great?" "I felt better, even though that was the longest run I've ever done!" I run so much better when it's cooler."

Some have realized it, but others haven't yet made the connection that yes, the great weather allowed them to see the fruits of their labor, but that it was all that hard "smart" labor on those oppressive run days that provided the foundation for the awesome run they just had, not the milder weather.

The RunnerDude mantra is "Trust. Believe. Conquer!" It is a catchy mantra, but it's the meaning behind it that's important. Trust in your training, believe in yourself, and you'll conquer your goals.

Run to the Top Podcast: The Value of a Coach with RunnerDude Thad McLaurin

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Stephanie Atwood, the host of the Run to the Top podcast on RunnersConnect.net. Stepnice wanted to chat about the vaule of having a Run Coach. So I said sure! Stephanie is currently located in Mexico, that made the interview kind of cool too, knowing we were talking Running across two countries. 

We mainly talked about the value of a run coach, but we also hit several other running related topics. When you have a chance, I hope you'll check it out. Maybe even listen to it on your next run!

The New Normal: Running Over 50

53 And Feeling Good!

It's funny how age sneaks up on you. I've been running for almost 35 years (man that in itself makes me feel old). Started when I was a college kid in 1984.  Really didn't get serious about trying to set PRs until my early 40s. Set my 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Marathon PRs when I was 42.

When you're in your 20s, the 40s seem really old. When you're in your 40s you realize that's not really old. You actually realize that you can be pretty competitive, even if it's just with yourself. If you check out the ages of many of the really good elite endurance runners, they're not in their 20s.

Then all the sudden you reach your 50s and the 20-year-olds seem like babies and you realize you're children are grown, you're now a grandfather and you're a parent again, but not for you kids but for your own parents. I've heard it called the "sandwich years." You're sandwiched between your adult kids still needing your support and guidance and your parents who now need assistance.

The 50s, however, is a great time. But just like when you were a teenager going through a growth spurt, you often feel awkward, confused, and out of place. Sometimes I forget that the runners I work with are 15-20 years younger than me. That is until I mention something like JJ from Good Times, Luke and Laura, or that the original One Day At A Time  TV show starred, Bonnie Franklin. Bonnie Who?

While I don't know that latest "in" movie or reality stars, recording artists, or socialites, I don't feel old.

Feeling and looking old are two different things, however. After turning 50, you experience little "reality moments" like when you find yourself sitting and watching TV one day, and you look down and, "OH MY GOD!" you're the person in the crepey skin ad! When? How? Why? You start googling franticly cures for crepey skin only to find that short of surgery and spending lots of money on snake oils, it's just a part of nature and heredity (thanks Mom and Dad).

Or better yet, you get that race finish line picture back and you realize your quad looks like a wrinkly balloon that's lost its air hanging off the side of of your thigh. It's almost like you've been cursed by the old gypsy women in the Stephen King novel, Thinner and you're slowly turning into a lizard.

I was sitting with my middle child one afternoon and I noticed her looking at my face. Then she says, "Dad, your skin is like leather." Then realizing that the comment may not have been that flattering, she follows up with...."Fine Italian leather." That one still makes me chuckle.

Or how about those mutant hairs that sprout on your ears! What's up with those?

So, once you get over the shock of the "new normal," you realize that it ain't so bad. Age, while it might start to show on the surface, really is more of a state of mind. Running in your 50s, 60s and above is just like any other thing in life. If you want to be successful and injury-free you have to put your mind to it and be committed. That's true of any age but maybe a little more so as a seasoned adult. The only difference is the approach to your training. As we get older, we have to  have to listen to our bodies and respond appropriately.

While you can still run long and keep a good pace, the focus of your running may change. Runners in their 50s, 60s and above often share with me that it's more about the experience and being with other runners. That sense of community and support. Runners really are one of the most inclusive and welcoming people I know. I had client (who is also a cyclist) tell me that when you visit a new running group, more than likely someone from that group will approach you, look you in the eye, smile, say hello, introduce him/herself and then introduce you to others in the group. This same client also shared that when you come to a new cycling group, if someone approaches you, there is no eye contact or hello. Their eyes immediately go to your bike and to checking out your equipment. I'm so glad I'm a runner.

Research shows more and more that runners who run their first marathon in their 50s tend to stick with endurance running and continue to do more full marathons or endurance runs. Runners who run their first marathon in their 20s or 30s, tend look at it as "one-n-done" and have less of an urge to do more. That's one reason why the over 50 group is one of the fastest growing groups in running today.

So, if you're in your 50s and new to running, it's not too late. And to those of you who've been running for years and are now in your 50's, you've got a lot a good running years ahead.

Keep the following tips in mind to keep you healthy and injury-free.

• If you're a new runner, take it slow. Join a beginning running program. Check out the program before your sign up. Not all beginning running programs are for beginning runners. Programs for beginning runners should ease you into running, starting with short run segments of a couple of minutes mixed with walking segments and over the course of several weeks weaning you off the walking and increasing the length of the run segments. The focus should be on increasing endurance, learning good running form, and building your confidence as runner, not on pace or distance.
• If you've been running for years and you're entering your 50s and 60s, you can still have ambitious goals and run those races you have on your bucket list, but respect the "new normal." Listen to your body. If your body is saying , "Uncle" take the day off, even if  your training plan says otherwise.  Incorporate more rest between runs to allow for proper recovery. Less weekly mileage can often reflect in faster race times and less injury. No need to keep high mileage weeks if you keep being sidelined with injury.
• In addition to less weekly mileage, mix up your runs. Have a variety of runs, some short and easy, some hard and fast, some long. Research shows that runners that include a variety of runs in their weekly mix do better on race day than runners who either run all their runs easy or run all their runs hard. The reason has to do with adaptability. The bodies of runners who mix it up are better able to adapt to any situation or condition faced on race day than runners who don't mix it up.
• Hydrate and fuel properly, before, during, and after your runs.

Running Shorts Show Podcast with RunnerDude

Checkout the new The Running Shorts Show podcast! Host Eddie Wooten interviewed me about RunTheBoro. Check it out!

Yea Taper Time! Boo Taper Time!

During a past training cycle, I overheard one of my runners telling another runner (who sometimes
runs with us but isn't one of my race trainees), that he was in his marathon taper time. The other runner proceeded to tell my runner, "I never tapered before a race. It's a waist of time. You lose too much of what you've gained." My runner proceeded to say, "I don't know, I really think there is something to this taper thing. I'm going to follow what my coach has planned out for me. I mean I paid for it. Might as well, follow the plan. But, it makes sense what he's telling me."

That was a proud moment as a coach. This particular runner did not follow the plan with his previous race. Every run was a hard run. He put in extra runs on his own and didn't taper. Result? He got injured a few weeks prior to race day. He still tried to race on race day and injured himself more. This training cycle, he decided to follow the plan and he was doing great! The other runner is a fast runner. But like my race trainee's former self, he runs every run hard and never tapers. As a result he's often injured. I often kid this runner (but not really) that he's not allowed to talk to my runners trying to lure them to the dark side.

More is not better. Never a better example than with marathon taper. The marathon taper is probably THE most important part of race training. So, what is taper time? There are different approaches, but the standard taper for marathon training begins three weeks prior to race day.Typically the last long run (which is often your longest run) is three weeks from race day. The following long run is 75% of the longest run, and then the long run before race day is 50% the distance of the longest run. So, if you're longest run is 20 miles, then the following weekend the long run will be 15 miles, then the next long run will be 10 miles with the following weekend being race day. The mileage of the other weekly runs during this time can begin to decrease as well. My runners usually have a speed workout on Mondays, a tempo/progression run on Wednesdays, and easy run on Thursday or Friday and then their long run on Saturday. During Taper time, the distance of the Wednesday runs begins to decrease and usually I have them run an easy 4 miler the Wednesday the week of race day.

So what makes doing less the last three weeks help you on race day? High mileage week after week depletes a runner's glycogen levels. It also decreases levels of enzymes, hormones and antioxidants. Research has shown that these levels return to normal during taper. Even more important is the repair of muscle damage that takes place during taper. Runners that push their training up to race day also run the risk of compromising their immune system increasing the chances of catching a bug before race day. Taper allows the body time to bolster the immune system. Research has also shown that runners that heed the taper tend to have times 5 to 10 minutes faster on race day than those that do not taper in their training.

The main problem with marathon taper is what I call the Stir-Crazy Complex. You've been running, running, running, for so many months then all of the sudden, just before race day, you're not running nearly the mileage. It can play with your mind. Doubt begins to creep in. You become insecure that you've done enough. This is normal. This is where you have to Trust in your Training. Believe in Yourself. And Conquer your Goal on race day. Doing more may occupy your brain and your body, but it will only hurt you on race day.

Use taper time to relax, recover, and focus on nutrition. Also use this time to think through mental strategies for race day as well as make your race day check list. A check list is particularly important if your running a destination race involving travel.

Also use this time to reflect on and appreciate all the hard work you've put in the past several months.

A Conversation With My Camelbak

Funny how some runs are very uneventful while others become quite memorable. Today's was quite a memorable one. Besides, the loose pit bull I made friends with by turning and running in the other direction, the drug deal I witnessed, taking a picture of two cyclists (one from Colorado and one from Virgina) that asked me if I'd mind taking a pic of them (they referred to me as "Nice Guy"),  and seeing fellow runner and friend Amanda Coble at Lebauer Park and a drive-by honking from Lisa Garrison,  I had a lot going on in this run from the get go and I knew that as I started out.

First, I was trying my new Bondi 5's without my custom orthodics. I've been wearing Bondi 5s and love them, just wore out the pair I had. This time, however, I was trying the new pair with regular sports orthodics and my metatarsals pads instead of my custom orthodics. The custom orthodics seemed to be pushing my feet outward and I already tend to do that, so thought that extra outward push might be contributing to my Achilles issues.  Love my Hoka Bondi's. Took me a year to finally find a long run shoe after my previous one was discontinued. Yes, I know some don't like the Hoka. There's one professional in the area that seems to think they are the anti-christ. Ha! But for me they have been a savior and work well.

Anywho...back to the memorable run. So, first there was the possibility of shoe/foot woes on this run. Second, I was trying out a new method for hydration. I usually carry a handheld bottle. Never have liked how the hydration belts felt on my waist. The only problem with a handheld is that I have to plan my routes where there is either a water fountain on the route or a convenient store where I can get more water/Gatorade. Not too terrible of a problem, but it does limit where I can run. As my 16-year-old often tells me, "First World Problem, Dad." But even still, thought I'd try one of the hydration packs that you wear on your back. Ultra runners wear them a lot. So, the day before the run, I headed over to REI. After picking myself off the floor, upon seeing the cost of these packs, I started pilfering through to find the cheapest one that worked. Not only were they overpriced, they were all big and bulky. Finally, on a separate isle I found a smaller pack that held 50oz. I tried it on and it felt pretty good. My hand held holds about 22oz, So, I thought 50oz would be awesome. This was less than half the price of the others ($50). Pleased with my find I headed home. After getting home, I discovered why this pack was cheaper. It was a hydration pack for kids! Kind of apropos since I often buy my shirts in the kids department. Those are cheaper too! (There are a few benefits to being a small dude.)

I'm behind on my marathon training. Lots going on between work, vacation, training my runners for 21 different half and full marathons and going to visit my mom who has Alzheimer's. My training tends to take a backseat. I'm about 3 miles behind in my long runs, so today, I really wanted to get in my 12 miles so I wouldn't get even further behind. Last week's 11-miles was rough. I ended up running later in the day and the heat got to me. Another reason I was looking for a better hydration solution. So, this morning, I filled up the "Kiddie-Camelbak" with 40oz of water and added two Nuun electrolyte tabs. I've found that using plan water with the electrolyte tabs and then using the GU packs (Chocolate Outrage is my favorite) works really well with me and my tummy. Gives me what I need without that Gatorade hangover. After putting in the tabs, I let it sit for a while before closing the top, so all the effervescent bubbles could dissipate and not get trapped in the bladder of the kiddie-camelbak causing a geyser-like eruption when I first opened the hydration valve.

Finally ready, off I go. Immediately, I was not happy with all the sloshing going on behind me. Sounded like a washing machine on my back. I'm thinking..."This is going to dive me crazy!" Before even reaching the one mile mark, I'm trying to think of places I can stash the pack at the halfway point. No way I'm going to be able to tolerate this for 12 miles. I keep running. On top of the slosh, the sippy tube keeps popping me in the chest. Another annoyance and possibly a chafing catastrophe! So, in my head I'm already writing the "Dear John" letter to my new Camelbak. No way this relationship is going to last.

Mile 3 ticks by and I'm well into my mental letter. While listing all the benefits, I have an equally

long list of annoyances of why we can no longer continue this relationship. Then an odd thing. I'm at mile 6. Had the slosh disappeared? What about the chest popping sippy tube? Gone too? Hmm... maybe I need to rethink this "Dear John" letter. By this point, I've ditched the letter and I'm talking out right to the pack. Here's my conversation:

Me: It's not you it's me. You are doing a great job. I just can't take your incessant sloshing.
Kiddie-Camelbak: Think of it as a soothing ocean tide caressing your back.
Me: Are  you crazy? It's driving me nuts! Not to mentioned the hydration tube whacking me in the chest with every stride.
Kiddie-Camelbak: Well, possibly it's because you bought a kids pack which isn't designed for man-boobs.
Me: I prefer to call them pecs and I don't think the size of the pack is the problem. Maybe if I just tuck the tube here it will work better.
Kiddie-Camelbak: Maybe if you reduced the size of your man-boobs...I mean pecs that will help.
Me: You're a real comedian. Hmm...maybe if I twist this tube a little here and tuck it there, ahh, that seems to work.
Kiddie-Camelbak: Real genius here.
Me: Okay, now that I have that problem solved. I'm actually getting use to the sloshing sound.
Kiddie-Camelbak: Yeah, I believe all that sloshing is your hydration you'll need on this run. Why not take a sip?
Me: Wow, that was pretty easy.
Kiddie-Camelbak: Go figure.
Me: (around mile 8) You still there? I almost forgot you were there. You stopped riding my back. Get it? Riding my back? Ha!
Kiddie-Camelbak: Now who's the comedian
Me: (mile 11) Where's the sloshing sound?
Kiddie-Camelbak: I believe you've sucked down just about all the water.
Me: Whaaaa? You mean I drank 40oz on that run?
Kiddie-Camelbak: Well, from how soaked your clothes are I'm thinking you needed it.
Me: Man, it wasn't even that hot/humid today. I'm thinking we might be able to work this thing out.
Kiddie-Camelbak: I already knew that.

Check out my run on Strava:

RunnerDude Shoe Review: New Balance 880v7

If you've read any of my shoe reviews or posts about my own running shoes, then you know I have

pretty persnickety feet. With my job as a running coach and fitness trainer, I put in a lot of miles each week and I'm on my feet most of the day. It takes its toll. So, when I find a shoe that works for me, I love to share.

Omega Sports our local running store here in Greensboro, asked me to review the New Balance 880v7, I was excited, but a bit skeptical too. Not really in the shoe itself, but whether it would work for my finicky feet.

The first thing I noticed when I tried on 880v7s was the cushion. My feet need a lot of cushion in the forefoot and heel. That's often a hard combination to find. The 880v7 has achieved it.

The things most notable for me about the  880v7 include:

• Roomy toe box
• Lightweight feel for a cushioned shoe
• Stable platform with an ample amount of surface area to make contact with the ground
• Breathable mesh upper which appears to be seamless adding to comfort
• Great for both short and long runs

I don't have a wide foot, but many runners will like that the 880v7 comes in wide and extra wide sizes. While not a lightweight shoe (coming in around 11oz), it doesn't feel like an 11oz shoe. I was really surprised when I saw the listed weight of the shoe. Not sure how they made 11oz feel lighter, but they did.

This neutral daily trainer worked well for me on both uneven hard city sidewalks and smooth blacktop greenway. These shoes will handle most any distance. The New Balance 880v7 does have a higher heel-to-toe drop of 10mm, so if you're looking for a lower drop shoe, this may not be for you. It's slightly lower than the traditional 12mm drop, but frankly the shoe didn't have the feel of a higher traditional running shoe.

All-in-all this is a great daily trainer for short and longer distances. Highly recommend you give it a try if you're looking for a neutral, cushioned trainer with a roomy toe box. In Greensboro? Give it a test drive at Omega Sports.

Running Shorts Interviews RunnerDude

I'm usually the one doing the interview, but turnabout is fair play. This week, Eddie Wooten, the senior sports editor of the News and Record and host of the running blog, Running Shorts interviewed me for the anniversary of the blogs 5th year of the Runners Profile series where Eddie features a different local runner. Over the past 5 years, Eddie's featured 263 runners! It was great taking time to chat with another fellow runner. Eddie's blog, Running Shorts has become a great center point for the Triad's running community, be sure to check it out! Blow is Eddie's interview with me as featured on the News & Record Running Shorts Blog.

THAD McLAURIN

Age

52

Residence

Greensboro

Day job

Owner, RunnerDude's Fitness

Click Here to See Video Interview

Why I run

"Growing up, I was never into team sports. ... I was overweight, very inactive. I did play some team sports, but I just never really cared for it. The summer before high school, I decided to lose weight and lost about 40 pounds. Started to feel better about myself, what I could do, my abilities, but I still never really did anything. Back then, there wasn't much athletics that wasn't team-oriented. I just didn't have the confidence. But when I was a freshman at State, I started running on my own. Did my first 10K (Great Raleigh Road Race, 1984). I remember sitting there after the race, on the wall, and just looking at all the different people and different sizes, ages, and it was like, 'I can do this.' That's when I started getting into doing more races on my own. ..

"But it wasn't until about 10 years later, '96, '97, I got the bug into distance. I trained for my first full, New York, in '97. Got hooked from then on. Did one or two a year pretty much ever since ... I just realized that I could run for myself, I could compete with myself. In a race you might end up competing with somebody you don't know, that person in front of you you want to peg and try to get beyond. I really liked that vs. the team aspect. ...

"When we moved here in '98, I wasn't didn't know Greensboro too well. I ran around my neighborhood. I found Country Park. I found Military Park. Back then, you couldn't Google 'Greenways.' I didn't know where anything was. I remember the day I realized there was a cut-through from Military to Country Park, and I was so excited because I had a 5-mile loop. The second marathon I ran, which was also New York, I trained running in Military Park. That gets old after a while.

"Then Rick King, who started the Blueliners, ... kept bugging me to come with this group. I didn't know who they were. Finally, I thought, 'I'll go so he'll leave me alone.' That first day we ran 9 miles on the greenway; I never knew the greenway was there. ... I joined the Blueliners then and ran with them up until the time I started RunnerDude's Fitness. ... He's the reason I was able to run different areas around here and meet other people and understand about the running community."

When Thad McLaurin first joined a group of other runners,
the Blueliners welcomed him.

A typical week

"When I'm not injured (Achilles), it's hard to get in 'me' runs. I do a lot of running with clients, so there's a lot of miles in there, but they're not necessarily 'me' miles. When I get a 'me' run, it's a treat. I try to get in at least two 'me' runs and a long run on the weekends (Sundays). ... When race training season kicks in, 50, 60 miles a week (includes runs with clients). When it's not, 25 to 30."

Favorite place to run

"Downtown. I love our greenways, I love that we have so many greenways, and I run them a lot with my runners. But as far as a 'me' run, particularly a long run, I call 'em undetermined runs. I'll leave from here or my house and I'll just head downtown. I know the total mileage I want. From the Run the Boro runs, dealing with multiple routes, I've learned downtown pretty well. I can figure out in my brain as I'm running where I need to go to get the mileage. I like the diversity. I love looking at the architecture and the different neighborhoods. It keeps my mind occupied. The beauty of the greenway on the long run is great, but it's pretty much the same view. Trees, trees, maybe a lake, then some more trees. I like the terrain, it's a mix of hills and flat."

Faster, higher, stronger

"My favorite speed workout is called 90-60s (90 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy). You can do it outside, you can do it on the treadmill. It's a no-excuse speed workout. You don't have to have a track. A lot of them are time-based, some of them are distance-based. It's got two intervals, so you can program it in your watch or use an interval timer. And it doesn't take long. You can do a 1-mile warmup, two rounds of the 90-60s and a 1-mile cooldown, and you're finished in about 40 minutes."

Other athletic pursuits

"I don't have a lot of time for me for that kind of stuff. I do a lot fitness-type stuff, Tabata circuits, that kind of stuff."

Other life pursuits

"I love writing (author of Full-Body Fitness for Runners). That's how the blog started. As a career, I was a writer – more technical kind of writing, educational – editor, book development manager for 13 years with the Education Center. ... I love to read."

I love running when ...

"It's for me, because that's rare. I love it when it's a purposeless run. I'm just able to go out and run. It's freeing; that's when I do a lot of brainstorming and thinking, things come to my mind that don't at other times."

But I don't love running when ...

"I'm injured."

A key piece of gear

"My orthotics. My legs are great, my aerobic fitness is great, but my feet hurt a lot. I have metatarsal issues. The Achilles thing is new, and I know why that happened. I ran very little in December and January because of my dad passing, and my mom has Alzheimer's and we're dealing with that. So I was out of commission. When I got back, I did the Massacre Marathon Relay, and I was the first one on my team to do the leg and busted out like crazy. Felt good, but then you have to stop. That's when I strained my Achilles. ... I don't know that I can do many more relay races because of the stop-and-start. Once I start, I have to keep going."

A favorite event

Thad McLaurin at the 2007
ChicagoMarathon

"Locally, the relay races that we've done, Doggettville and Massacre. At Doggettville, we're there all day long and it's just fun. We had a bunch of teams there. Some of them are somewhat competitive, but we mainly go just to have fun and celebrate running and see how many laps we can get in. The Doggetts are great, it's very relaxed, there's food, the route is pretty. ... Personally, as far as a race, Chicago (Marathon, 2007) was my favorite – and my worst. I ran it the year they had the heat wave and they shut it down. I was trying to qualify for Boston, but I got heat exhaustion. I PR'd; it was a 3:40 or something. I was on track until about Mile 18 and just fell apart because the heat was so bad. It was still an awesome experience."

Look what I did

"Grandfather Mountain (2015). I did it in 4 1/2 hours, and that was on the tail of doing two other marathons right prior to that. That was a great experience. It was challenging, but I never felt like I did in Chicago. It felt doable. I knew it was going to be an experience run. ... There wasn't a lot of stress as far as trying to beat a previous time because I knew it was a completely different animal. Our family is Scottish heritage, so when you come in there to the Highland Games, that's pretty cool. There were some families there that I had grown up with who go to the Highland Games every year, and they yelled out my name when I passed through, so that was pretty neat. That's one of my most nondescript, plainest medals, but it probably means the most."

Thad McLaurin finishing the Grandfather Mountain Marathon at the
Highland Games.

Up next

"I think I'll be able to do one (marathon) in the fall. I'm registered for Savannah (Rock 'n' Roll Marathon). We have a big group going to the Flying Pig (Cincinnati, May 7). I'm going to do the half."

Most people don't know

"I started out thinking I wanted to be an artist. I used to do a lot of drawing: pen-and-ink, color pencil, that kind of stuff. But I never really had the confidence to do that. I never took any art classes in high school. But I did a lot of drawing. ... Just like my teaching experience, then my writing experience and my art, the little bit I had, I use it all now, whether it's on the web site or the blog or the book or just creating a video for runners. I get to use a lot of those skills."

Words to the wise

"Set realistic goals. You'd be surprised how many people come and we'll have a consultation about race training. They want to do a marathon. So my next question is, 'Which one?' 'It's two months away.' 'How much running are you doing?' 'I'm not.' That's just an injury waiting to happen. ... Rest is equally as important as a speed workout. That's hard, particularly for the more competitive runners. They think that it's a weakness if they have to take a rest, but they're just setting themselves up for injury, too. You've got to be able to recover. And the older you get, you need a little more recovery."

Final thoughts

"I truly love what I do. I love being part of the running community. I love contributing to the running community, and what they give back is twofold."

Thad McLaurin's RunTheBoro series will return starting May 6.