A dozen reasons why I run...

It's been busy lately, it's that time of year. Through it all, however, I've managed to keep up with my training schedule and even added resistance training into the mix over the past few weeks. Running during this time of year is new to me, and I must say, I'm enjoying every minute of it.

A neat thing happened a couple of days ago. A co-worker approached me and asked if we could run together in the new year, turns out he's quite interested in losing a few pounds, improving his fitness level, and becoming a runner. I was somewhat flattered and responded to him by suggesting that we put out an invitation to all of our co-workers to join a new lunchtime Running Club, targeted at beginners - he agreed.

That afternoon, I sent an email notice around the office about the new Running Club and an upcoming information session that I would be holding a couple of days later. My email was very blunt and pointed out that you can't lose weight, get in shape, and keep your hand on the remote control all at the same time. I also shot down, with scientific research, the notion that running is bad for the joints and leads to arthritis. My email explained to my co-workers that the best part of any run is stopping, but they wouldn't be able to experience this incredible feeling if they didn't first start running. I invited them to come along with their "trick knees" and their "runner's asthma" and hear about the new Running Club and how it could change their lives.

There wasn't much talk around the office over the next couple of days. Had I offended people? Was I too up front? Did I scare them away? I figured, based on the apparent interest level, or lack thereof, there wouldn't be any new members joining our newly established two-member club.

When the meeting time rolled around, I was pleasantly surprised (read "shocked") when I walked into our boardroom to find twelve people (about half of our office staff) sitting around the table, eager to hear about the club and even more excited about starting their own running careers. The group asked the questions that I would have asked if I were first starting out and they had the same concerns that I had too, just a couple of years ago. I assured them that this was a beginner's club and we would start out by walking, but would be running 5-K by April. I adjourned the meeting by announcing January 2nd, 2007 as our first training session.

As I walked out of the meeting, I realized that these twelve people represent twelve good reasons why I run, and it may take a fellow runner to understand what I mean.

Live your life to inspire others.

My friend the marathoner...

I spent some last week, talking with a marathoner. We weren't at a local running event, or even in a running store. Our paths had crossed at a work function where neither of our jobs have anything at all to do with running. How we got onto the topic of running, I can't quite recall, but I'm sure glad we did.

I was awestruck to learn that my new friend was in fact a marathoner and plans to take on the the Athens Marathon in Greece next April. He must have seen the admiration in my eyes as he told me more about his plans and how he was training to meet his goals.

But I was more impressed with the sincere interest he showed in my running career and the questions he asked of me about how I had gotten to my first starting line a couple of years ago. He asked me about my training, my diet and my inspiration. As we talked, I began to realize that it's true that the only thing that makes a runner a runner is that he goes out and he runs.

I'm not a fast runner, he is. I'm not built like a runner, he is. I have never run a marathon, he has. But one thing we do share, is a few times a week, in all kinds of weather and at different times of the day, we go out and we run, one foot-strike after another. To paraphrase The Penguin, John Bingham, when it comes to running, it matters not where you finish, but instead, whether or not you start.

Don't be afraid that you can't do it, be afraid that you won't.

Uncle Fred...

I attended a funeral for a relative last week and I have to say, the service was very moving.

The church was filled with friends and relatives who had been, in some way, touched by Uncle Fred. And as Fred was remembered for his great sense of humour and his way of reaching out to help anyone in need, through tear-filled eyes I began to wonder what the person giving my eulogy would say about me and the way I lived my life.

All of things you're supposed to be in life, Fred was. He was kind to everyone, he treated people with respect, he listened when people spoke, and he kept his mouth closed at just the right time. Fred inspired those who came in contact with him and he was there for those who needed a helping a hand. In fact, Fred had attended a friend's funeral on the morning of the same day he himself passed away - he was always thinking of others. Fred wasn't flashy, he just went about his business, never looking for accolades; he comes from a long line of siblings who are much the same way, they're all fine men and women.

And as my heart broke with the vision of Fred's daughter mourning the loss of her father, I wiped a tear away and realized I had the answer to how I want to be remembered - he was just like his Uncle Fred, that's what I would want them to say.

Now it's up to me to make that happen.

The little things excite me...

If you're a runner in my area and you were out this morning, lucky you, what a day - I was one of the lucky ones.

The air was crisp, the wind non-existent, and the sun was shining like I had never seen it shine before, making me feel a little sorry for those who chose to sleep such a morning away. Running, is perhaps one of the greatest ways a person can learn about himself, not just his physical ability, but all the other little things that make him tick. At about the two-mile mark, I had another revelation, another personal insight into what excites me in life.

It's the little things that excite me. I love running with my sunglasses on and staring into the sun as it is rises to the sky; I swear I can see it winking at me on mornings like this. And on these mornings, I love watching my breath slowly dance to the heavens as it leaves my mouth with each huff and puff; there's nothing that makes you feel more alive. And I love the feeling of my own perspiration rolling down from the top of my head onto my face just before I wipe it away with my wristband - it signals that everything is functionning well and my effort is where it should be.

I wouldn't say that I love the physical act of running, the actual foot to the pavement routine, because let's be honest, it's a tough slog on the best of days. What I do enjoy, though, is having the ability to run and experience the little things that get me going.

How could a person ask for more?

Inspired thinking...

I was asked recently about how people stay motivated and inspired when it comes to running and exercise in general. The question cropped up during a discussion of the impending holiday season and the associated, and seamingly endless onslaught of temptations to be bad, in terms of diet and regular exercise.

The timing of the discussion was perfect, because for inexplicable reasons, my running has been super-charged lately and I'm trying to figure out why; it's not that I'm performing my best, because compared to last year, I'm not, but I am enjoying it like never before. I'm excited about every impending treadmill session, and practically ecstatic about my weekly, outdoor Sunday morning jaunt. I've even mapped out my running goals for next year highlited by two half-marathons and a 10-miler, and I've made up my mind to try to be ready for my first marathon in the Fall of 2008 in Toronto.

Lofty goals? Perhaps. But contained within these goals is the answer to what inspires me - my own ability - and it's no different, better, or worse than anyone elses's ability.

What inspires me? Those who dream it, and those who then do it.

And Susan makes four...

I received an email from my oldest sister today announcing that she too has taken up running. She wrote that her reason for doing so is because she was getting tired of being left out of family gatherings that more and more have been revolving around running events.

I think it's terrific that my oldest sister has made this decision and it confirms my belief that running is about so much more than sweating, hard breathing, and pounding the pavement - leave that for the athletes. In our case, it has become a real connection point for our family. Separated by miles, schedules and other commitments, running has become a common thread, keeping us together, and a force gravitating us closer to each other.

My sister asked if there was any advice we could offer her as a newbie to running. I've given it some thought, and here are my best ideas for runners just starting out, in case she happens to read this:

1. Read John Bingham's "The Courage to Start" and then read "No Need for Speed", also by Bingham;
2. Start easy - a walk run approach is best to get your body ready for the new stresses it is about to experience;
3. Go to a good running store and get fitted for a pair of quality shoes. It's worth spending the money here - you need a comfortable ride;
4. Before getting started, accept that there will be bad days - forget about them;
5. Before getting started, accept that there will be outstanding days - remember them always; and,
6. Enjoy. Take in the sights, celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they might seem. New runners see great gains in fitness and endurance in a relatively short period of time - keep track of your workouts in a log or online so you can easily look back on how far you have come.

Most importantly, put one foot in front of the other, shut-up, and run.

Just shut up and run...

Prince Edward Island was terrific, a real great experience. It was Gloria's first running event and good for her for having the courage to get to the starting line.

Running with Gloria the past few weeks has been real learning experience for me as well. I can see Gloria struggling with the same battles I went through - trying what seemed impossibly to increase mileage, the desparately hard breathing, the aches and pains, and the wondering about my ability to finish the workout.

And as Gloria questioned her abilities aloud for the first 6-K of the 10-K race, I was at peace with myself because I could see that my running had developed beyond just exercise, way past the sweating and the panting. My running had become a collection of experiences, a chance to see the sights that would not normally grab my attention, a chance to say hello to others around me that I would not normally acknowledge. Indeed, my running had become a chance to celebrate the ability to put one foot in front of the other and this puts me at the head of the pack, no matter how far back I finish, no matter how slow I am.

We brought some wonderful memories back from P.E.I. and we also brought back the knowledge that the race is mastered by those with the courage to start and the tenacity to finish.

And this is best accomplished by those who just shut up and run.

The family that runs together...

This weekend marks another running event and the first ever race for my wife - a 10-K. Gloria is a little nervous about the event, and trying to convince her that race registration and the 8-K training runs leading up to the race are already an incredible accomplishment, is proving to be an exercise more tiring than a Sunday run.

Regardless of Gloria's lack of enthusiasm for her weekly running improvements, there will be five Chancey's participating in P.E.I. this weekend, some in the 10-K, the others in the half marathon. And while the five of us each represent a different segment of the race pack, from the back to the front, we share at least two things in common - we are runners and we are family.

This weekend isn't about splits or pace, it's about spending time together, sharing in each others accomplishments, and savoring every moment. And no matter where or how we finish, the fact remains five of us will be running.

And that's just cool no matter how you look at it.

Fall is the best time of year to run?...

Some say the Fall is the best time of year to run, and I in fact have noticed some changes in my running since the leaves started changing colour.

First, the temperatures seem to be pretty steady when I run.

I've also noticed that I can maintain a steady pace - no matter what day it is, if I run for 20 minutes, I almost always cover the same distance.

Finally, and maybe it's just me, but it almost feels like the footing has even softened up a bit - there doesn't seem to be the usual stress on my legs that comes from pounding the asphalt.

Oh, did I mention, that I have been completing most of my runs on my treadmill?

Those who say the Fall is the best time of year to run can't be morning runners. With late sunrises, the weekday morning jaunt is no longer an option and outdoor running is limited to Sunday mornings.

I prefer the spring - while the temps may be frigid, the ability to see where you're going is a nice luxury.

Where the streets have no name...

During a recent trip to Nova Scotia, I found myself running a couple of mornings in places I had never been before. As I ran along in sleepy towns, not knowing the street names, I soon realized that a great motivator for me is finding out what's around the corner.

As one wrong turn after another led to a dead end requiring a route "recalibration", the seconds kept ticking on my watch. Before too long, I had completed the required schedule for the day and I can remember thinking that the "out of town" experience was much more pleasant than the same old routes I had waddled down over the past several months.

I can confirm, that where running is concerned, variety is indeed the spice of life, and the anticipation of where my next Sunday run may take me has me looking forward to the future.

Stick with what works...

It seems every month, there's at least one new and improved training program to read about in running magazines and journals. For those just starting out, deciding on a training plan can be a workout in itself.

Here's a bit of advice - pick a program, try it, and if it works for you, stick with it; most importantly, though, from that day forward, assume every new article you read or advice you hear from fellow runners is wrong and will never work for you. Ignore me and you'll spend more time fiddling and fussing and less time training.

And don't forget if you want to run longer, you have to run longer.

I'm a techno-junkie...

Admittedly, I have a real fetish for technology, but if you believed everything you read in the running journals about leaving the gizmos behind and just going out and running, I'd never get a chance to use my latest and greatest gadgets.

Case and point. Unknown to me, the latest pair of running shoes I bought from Nike are actually part of a new line known as Nike+ allowing me to use the shoes in tandem with an Apple iPod to view things like pace and distance on the screen of the iPod while I'm running. Cool, no?

Of course, to make this happen, you first need an iPod and second you need a receiver kit that goes in your shoe and synchs with the iPod. Guess what two purchases I made recently.

I disagree with the notion about leaving the gizmos at home. For me, a self-proclaimed computer geek, a big motivator for my running is the ability to upload all my data from each session and view maps of where I ran, how fast, and how far; I just think it's a neat thing to do. These gizmos really don't distract me from the joy of running in any way; one press of the button at the beginning and one press of the button at the end is pretty much the extent of my interaction with my gadgets during a run.

But boy how I do love to press that button at the end.

The barriers to an active lifestyle...

Talk to anyone who's in shape and most often you'll hear that the road to a healthier lifestyle begins and ends with an active one.

With this in mind, on day one of my annual vacation, I recommended to my wife that we buy her a baseball glove and then head to a local park to throw the ball around - she agreed, but little did we know that most of that day's activity would come from walking into different stores trying to find her a baseball glove.

I guess, living in a somewhat remote area, we have to accept that the availability of certain products may prove to be, at times, frustrating. But honestly, not being able to purchase a baseball glove during the first week of August? Please! Luckily, in the fourth store we visited, we found one left-handed glove remaining for purchase and snapped it up.

Interestingly enough, though, had we wanted to purchase a hockey stick or ice skates, that wouldn't have been a problem in either of the four stores we visited.

Afterall, like I said, it is August.

Welcome back...

True to my word, I took ten days off from training since finishing the Tely 10 a couple of Sundays ago. One constant in my training programs is I never miss a rest period.

I was eager to get up this morning and jog for 20 minutes on the treadmill just to get my legs moving again; only the 20-minute jog turned into a five-minute jog/15-minute walk thanks to a "welcome back" shinsplint. As if my Tely 10 training wasn't injury-riddled enough.

Besides eating a few things I probably shouldn't have, the time off also allowed me to get caught up on my Runner's World reading and the lessons I'm taking forward are all about positive thinking. Accept the bad days, usurp the good ones, no matter how few and far between they may seem, but most importantly, stay in the moment - from now on, I won't be thinking about the miles ahead, but rather thinking about the next step I'm taking and then the next one after that - all of those steps combined lead to the finish.

Next up on my agenda is a half-marathon in Prince Edward Island in mid-October. I'm committed to getting in the best shape I've ever been in for a long time and participating in the event with 'Team Chancey'.

I can get there. One-step at a time.

The thrill of the race...

The gun has sounded, the times have been posted, the winners have received their medals and congratulations to them.

For me, I'm a winner too, not because I started the race, and not even because I finished it; the thrill of my race was spending time with family during the Tely 10 weekend and connecting with friends and co-workers who were also involved with the event.

I was happy to "compete" for a second straight year, but even happier to watch my sister burn up the course in 82 minutes - you could sense her pride, and rightfully so, I hope she could sense my pride in her accomplishment too.

I was thrilled to watch two co-workers enter the race for the first time after being inspired by our family only a year ago. I waited for them to finish and was honoured to be able to jog with them as they crossed the line for their first, but probably not their last, time.

I was inspired as I ran and walked along side of others, each battling with every step to reach the finish line - want to see courage and determination, spend some time at the back of the pack.

I was moved by complete strangers who stood on the sidewalks along the race course calling out my bib number and telling me "keep it going, you're almost there".

There's a lot more to these events than coming in first, second or third, and if they haven't already done so, I hope one day the "real runners" can take time to soak up what's happening behind them.

"A" for effort...

Compared to last year, this year's training program for the Tely 10 has been, well, horrific.

Today was the last 'long run' before next Sunday's 10 mile race and all told, I haven't run more than 4 miles during any training session this season. I think it's safe to say that I am ill-prepared for next week's event, and a run-walk strategy will be in place.

Looking over last year's journal, I started very weak and got a lot stronger as race day approached; this year, my journal tells the exact opposite tale. Starting in late April, I didn't miss a day for the first few weeks, completed the distances, and even worked on pace until a recurring achilles problem struck me down, just as core mileage was being built. Those few weeks have really cost me. I noted in my journal today, "...looking for divine intervention."

Still, though, I can take pride in the fact that I stuck it out and while I might not have run as often or as long as I would have liked to, the effort was there evidenced by the frequent training sessions starting soon after getting out of bed just after 5:30 on a number of mornings. While I don't expect to be faster than last year, I look forward to the event and sharing the experience once again with family and friends.

And really, my result next Sunday probably won't affect the world rankings.

In search of the perfect run...

This season, up to this point, I haven't experienced the perfect run.

Reading over my running journal from last year, I noted a few mornings where I used such terms as "amazing" and "unbelievable" to describe a particular run. Those runs were characterized by perfect weather, very little wind, brilliant sunshine, and a feeling that I could run forever, no matter how long, no matter how far.

And while I haven't experienced "perfection" yet this year, I would hate to miss it, and knowing it's still out there keeps me getting out of bed at 5:30 each morning.

Training your mind...

This has been a tough training season and with the Tely 10 Road Race just 32 days away, the hardest part of my training has become a constant battle with cerebral core.

First off, until recently, the weather has been lousy, normal for this time of year, but lousy nonetheless. But even more bothersome than the local forecasts, is the understanding that I just might be injury-prone, and according to the research I've done during my latest injury-break from training, my mechanics have quite a lot to do with it.

Turns out, I'm a supinator, or under-pronator (doesn't sound too good does it?). In layman's terms, I run on the outside of the feet causing stress on my shins and achilles tendons - so much so, that one of my achilles has knocked me out of training for the second straight year. I read that heel inserts are a fix, and I have to say that since I started using them last last week, I have gotten back on the road with no pain at all; now the training shifts to strengthening my mind.

With the time I have missed from training, and the timing of my injury, I feel that I won't be ready for the July 23rd event - the danger being that to compensate, I overtrain, and that can be dangerous, really dangerous. The battle each morning is to discipline myself to limiting my runs, and then reassure myself that I am not that far behind in my training, even though the shorter runs are taking their toll - up until this evening, I wasn't buying it.

The solution? I quick read of last year's training log tells me that with a few good runs this week, I'll be right where I was last year, and that's not so bad - afterall, I finished the race.

And as bad as the weather has been, according to my journal, it was worse last year. Maybe this will be a better year afterall.

Should have stayed in bed...

Some days are diamonds, and some were more like this morning.

Today's training called for a 20-30 minute run, which would make this the third running morning in a row. I decided to run into work, or at least run for 25 minutes and walk in from there. I managed to get two miles in before I felt a familiar discomfort in my calf. When I reached my stopping point, the discomfort grew a lot more 'discomforting'. I had been here before, experiencing the exact same pain, a little less than a year ago, and it forced me to go two weeks without so much as a jog.

A couple of nights ago I was reviewing the training schedule and was surprised to see the three day in row segment, especially following a Sunday, 'long' run. I should have let me common sense take over at that moment and make an adjustment allowing for an extra rest day. The body needs rest, almost as much as it does the running.

The good news from today, my body will get the rest it needs; it now has no choice.

When nature calls...

Today I had a wonderful run ruined completely by mother nature's persistent call; a call that could not be answered standing up.

I had been looking so forward to today's run, I even had an extra day of rest because of the horrible weather yesterday - so I was just going to move my Sunday run to this morning, the Victoria Day holiday.

My pre-run routine went pretty smooth, got up an hour before heading out the door, drank a glass of Gatorade, and made the necessary pit stops, or so I thought. Walking down my front steps, I sensed something was not perfect, but I ignored it anyway - big mistake.

About one and quarter miles in, I couldn't ignore her any long and had to slow down to a walk to "keep control of myself", this happend a few more times over the next couple of miles. There was nothing I could do. Neither the beautiful weather, U2 playing on my MP3 player, or my new GPS wrist device could take my mind off the problem at hand.

While I'm happy to say I made it back to my computer, accident-free, I'm a little disappointed with my performance. But this is one of those situations you have to keep in your head to make your next session that much better, these things will happen from time-to-time.

And besides, things could have been a lot worse.

Saved by technology...

The other a day a friend asked how my training was going and I beamed a little as I let him know that my sessions had been very strong and that I've been working on my pace to try to get a little faster. I'm a pretty steady just below 12 minute per mile kind of guy and it's something I want to improve on this year. Things were going great, or so I thought, until I was out for an 'easy' session the other morning. I could see in the distance a couple approaching me, but well before our paths crossed, my course took me down a sideroad. I was feeling strong and sure that my 'easy' pace was a little faster than last year's, that was until the couple that I had seen in the distance trotted up behind and then right on past me. Oh they were quite polite, saying 'good morning' and giving me the 'runner's wave', but as I watched them pull farther away, all the while maintaining a conversation with each other, I began to question how fast this new pace of mine really was. The answer was in the mail.

A few days earlier, I had purchased a GPS device on e-Bay. I'm a technology and data freak, and the idea of being able to upload your training sessions and see them on a map really tickled my fancy. The unit arrived on the afternoon of the same day I had my pride handed back to me by that running couple. I spent the night with it on my wrist pressing buttons and finding out all about what it could do for me; the following morning I would put it to the test.

I normally get out of bed at 5:30 on the mornings that I run, but this morning, I was up at 5:00 am, perhaps because of the excitement surrounding my new gizmo, but most likely because I had eaten pizza the night before and it was playing havoc with my stomach. Dressed and ready to go, I started my warm-up walk while the GPS unit acquired the signals it needed from the sky. After a few minutes, I pressed the start button and off I went. I finished about a minute earlier than I normally do for this particular course and I then proceeded my cool down walk back to my house. Once inside, and still sweating profusely, I attached the device to my computer, uploaded the data to motionbased.com and started the analysis. It showed me the route I ran, the elevation gain and decline over my course, and a whole bunch of other info that I would not normally know (or care) about. But the one bit of info that I was most interested in was the pace of the run, I had to know if I was getting faster, or if my mind was playing tricks on me.

I'm happy to say that all is well with me. The unit reported that I maintained a 10:57 per mile pace, about a minute per mile better than I usually do. I was impressed with myself. While these numbers would hardly catch the attention of the serious, performance runners, this little GPS unit turned out to be all I needed to ensure myself that my approach to this running season was on track. Now if I could only get this thing to take dictation.

Butting heads...

I watched a woman pay $9.75 for twenty cigarettes yesterday morning and this led me to spend time thinking about the battles we face as a human race. We struggle to lose weight, to maintain a regular fitness routine, to eat well, and to give up bad habits. All the things that are so good for us, come with, in some cases, an extremely difficult lifestyle adjustment. I've gone through it many times during my battles with the bulges, I watch my wife go through it with me, and now I notice others facing similar challenges.

In the end, it comes down to one thing, your mind; think it, then do it, and at $9.75 a pack, smoking is one battle I won't have to engage in anytime soon.

Lessons learned...

The greatest lesson I've ever learned about healthy living was recently passed on to me by my 91 year-old grandfather; today's crazed, carb-counting population would do well to learn the same lessons.

In his earlier years, Poppa, as he is affectionately known, was somewhat of an athlete and a pretty good runner. To this day, Poppa makes a point of taking his walker out every afternoon that weather permits for a one mile stroll to keep his legs moving and the pounds off. It was only within the last few years that my grandfather gave up his daily two-mile walk to a local skating rink and skating for an hour before walking back home again; a sciatic nerve problem put an abrupt end to his 'training' schedule.

Poppa remains active, eats sensibly, and indulges his sweet tooth every now and then; you won't find these lessons in the pages of Atkin's books. Just get out there and live - you can't live a healthy lifestyle sitting on your couch.

Off and running...

Today was a big day, day one of the 12-week Tely-10 training program. The program began with a 15 minute easy run which I did this morning in the rain. I felt pretty good, but I was happy to see my watch hit the fifteen minute mark. This year's race, the 79th in total, takes place on July 23rd.

I've been training indoors for the past few weeks to get myself back in shape to begin the Tely 10 training using the treadmill, recumbent cycle, and rowing machine. I've been feeling pretty good about everything and today was a little milestone along the way, the first outdoor run since last fall. My goal this year is to increase my speed and knock 20 minutes off last year's time - lofty, but doable.

Tomorrow's a rest day which should leave me some time to catch up on my writing - that's the intention, but you know what they say about intentions and the road to you know where.

The running of the dummies...

Runners are dumb. I live in an area of the world where we get snow, a lot of snow. On top of that, our city is the oldest city in North America and as you might expect, our streets are old, narrow and windy so when we receive snow, driving conditions become quite harardous due to the increased narrowness of the streets and reduced visibility due to mounting piles of the white stuff.

Without fail, however, you will see runners taking to the streets under these conditions, usually running side by side, directly impeding vehicular traffic. Now I love running, and I agree that under normal circumstances, the roads should be shared by cars, cyclists and runners; these are not normal circumstances and common sense should dictate that running in the middle of a slippery, snow-covered street is not a safe practice.

The winter season would be spent by these dummies exericing their brains so the obvious would become just that - use a treadmill or go to the gym. Just get off the roads in wintertime.

Ah, the treadmill...

It would appear, I've gotten back on the horse, so to speak. After a few months of distractions, mostly due to a major home renovation project, I have been on the treadmill with some regularity over the past couple of weeks. My sites are set on a half marathon taking place in Halifax in the Spring, so now is the time to start training. I'm pretty much starting over, as a runner, it's amazing how fast you can fall out of shape when you've worked so long and hard to get into shape.

I like the treadmill, I think, at least I like when I'm finished on the treadmill and the sense of accomplishment that I feel. It can be a little monotonous, but I've done what I can to address that by making a stereo and television available for listening/viewing pleasure while working out. I've been putting in a lot of walk-jog-walk sessions, about 30 minutes in total, walking half the time, jogging the other half. My last workout was a 20 minute session consisting of a 10 minute jog sandwiched in between a 5 minute warmup and a 5 minute cool down. There is a method to my madness - I'm first going through a 5-K training program to get me ready for the half marathon training. My results last week put me right on pace to start the 5-K training tomorrow - a lot of 1 mile easy runs for the first few sessions. I plan to complete this training at or about my usual 5 MPH pace, and then get serious about improving my speed during the half marathon training.

I've decided to throw in some abdominal work as well, on my off days from running. I found last year when I was training for the 10-miler, ab work provided some great strength improvements in my running, particularly on the longer Sunday runs, and besides, it's pretty easy to bang out a few leg raises anytime while watching television.

So that's the plan, and getting it down on paper is half the battle.