30 for 4

30for4

Running can be a huge start to leading a healthy lifestyle.  The physical and mental benefits are numerous and can positively impact various aspects of your day to day.  No matter what your level of fitness or however experienced you are, getting started is the hardest part.  It is just so easy to find an excuse or to simply sit down after work and never get up.  If you’re ready to start getting fit and you have never tried running/jogging before I want to invite everyone to try the 30 for 4 Plan. 

The plan is simple and designed for beginning runners/joggers or individuals whose activity levels have bottomed out over the winter.  With warmer weather coming….. as I look outside and see a wall of snow…… dedication to this simple concept can help you begin pursing a healthier existence. 

The Plan:  4 Days a Week – Jog/Run for 30 minutes

A 30 Minute Jog/Run at 15 minute mile pace will burn approximately 200-250 calories.
A 30 Minute Jog/Run at 7 minute mile pace will burn approximately 450-550 calories.
These numbers fluctuate based on weight and pace and you can easily determine your exact count by utilizing an online calculator. 
Running consistently can help build your confidence, improve self-image, and may even make you proud.

Run four days a week for half an hour and see how you like it.  You can go as fast or as slow as you feel is necessary(even walk) but keep moving and at the end of the week you will have 2 Hours of Activity you may not have enjoyed otherwise.  Try it with friends, family, and anyone you would like to see healthier.  I believe that if you stick to this plan you’ll see your enjoyment of running grow and you’ll find yourself wanting to go further, faster, and maybe even try a few races. 

Like any plan, be careful.  I can’t guarantee that you’ll lose a ton of weight, won’t get hurt, or even that you are even physically fit even to start a fitness regimen.  Be smart, keep it easy, keep it fun, and I hope it works well.  All we want to do is share the joys of running and this is a guideline to get you started.  Proceed at your own risk and enjoy.

If you would like to spread the joy of running and jogging please share this plan and let’s get others committing to 30 for 4.  There’s a runner in everyone, it takes the support of others and a little resiliency to get it out.  

St. Patrick's Day Parade Run 5 Mile

The St. Pat's Day 5 Mile in St. Louis is a major regional race sporting over 13,000 registrants and showcasing many of the area's best runners.  For the first time, Steady State Running had two athletes competing in the same event although both at distinctly different points in training and season.  To say the event held the spectator's interest with an exciting finish would be an understatement.  

The course was much hillier than expected and strong headwinds kept the early pace controlled and timid.  The first mile saw a group of nearly 20 runners come through in a large pack at just over 5:05 mile pace.  The second mile of the race saw strong headwinds and long hill climbs, which led many of the more experienced distance runners to continue their current paths and simply follow the train.  This is where Darwin Price took control of the race and ran with a confidence that usually sees distance runners pay the price late in the race.  The pace per mile slowed until mile 3 of the race but the effort certainly increased.  Darwin continued to lead and I was one of the many who slowly began to fall behind.  A group of five put in a strong surge up a long hill just past two and three quarter miles and I found myself trying to cover the move but reacting too late.  The front five moved on as Darwin continued to lead and I found myself in the comfortable presence of Carter Snow another local distance runner with similar strengths of my own.  Our own race developed but the real race continued to unfold up front.  

The race really broke open just after 3 miles when last year's champion and arguably St. Louis' best long distance runner Brian Lyons began to push the pace.  Lyons, a tough, talented, and race savvy runner who has seen success at nearly every distance on the roads (a super nice guy too) knew his best bet was to get away from the strong kick of Price who has seen significant improvements since training with Steady State.  So the battle began and the clash between the successful marathoner versus the track guy took place.  The two not only continued to fight the wind and the course, but now came the series of surges and covers.  They covered mile 4 in 4:40 and were alone as all other competitors had been dropped.  Price said after the race,  "I knew I had to be there with a half mile to go.  It was tough, one of the best races I've ever had but I have been training too well to let him go.  He (Lyons) is one of the toughest guys I have ever raced."  The two continued to press and with a quarter mile to go remained together.  With a bit over 100 meters to go Darwin began to press after covering another Lyon's surge and with 30 meters to go pulled slightly ahead.  The two sprinted towards the finish and with a final surge over the last meters Lyon's fell just short of repeating and St. Louis saw a new St. Pat's Champion.  The two covered the final mile in another 4:40!  

Darwin crossed the line in 25:03 with Brian less than a second behind also finishing in 25:03.  The most memorable finish in recent years and impressive times on the newer, more difficult course; these two deserve huge credit for their efforts and for the show they put on.  Simply Put:  That Was One Hell of a Run.

I finished over a minute later in 26:06 but had a view of the sprint finish as we came down Market Street.  I ran the last mile and a half with Carter and Dan Strackeljahn.  Two guys I know pretty well and it was clear we took solace in each other's presence.  Strack put in a good last 800 to finish 6th and Carter had a strong final 100 meters to take 7th.  My first race since last June left me in 8th place and feeling like I had not only busted off some rust but reignited my desire to compete.  It was fun!  I ran a bit conservative due to an Achilles issue but was pleased with the effort and finished feeling happy.  It felt good to be back and I am certain it would have been that way had it been a minute slower.  

This race marked the last major road race for Darwin as outdoor season is kicking off and his pursuit of a national qualifier in the 1500 is officially underway.  For me, this race marked a return to racing and the debut of the new Steady State Running team jersey.  The St. Pat's run left us both feeling happy with where we are at, impressed with the competition, and looking forward to the future.  Thanks for reading and stay tuned as the journey for each of us continues to unfold.  

Confidence

  Confidence and distance running do not always go hand in hand.  The sport itself is humbling as racing and injury are often quick to leave you feeling down.  This is partially due to our own expectations and the fact the there is only one winner each time we toe the line.  We may even avoid outward confidence to seem less arrogant or over the top.  The truth is that confidence is a necessary piece to your success and lacking that piece has held many potentially great distance runners back.

  The beautiful thing about having confidence is that it allows you to embrace a risk with less or no fear at all.  I’m a big proponent of running smart and believe that being smart in a race will yield the best results overall.  But to truly have a great race you should run smart for about 85-90% of the distance then let your confidence take you the rest of the way.  Confidence is what tells you to go for the win, to catch the person in front of you, or to simply drop the hammer and see what happens.  Without confidence we settle and that will only take you so far.  

 The perfect example of how confidence affects a runner is seen whenever a top high school athlete comes to college and gets handled in their first few races.  This is a kid who used to win everything so this will certainly phase them and it goes one of two ways.  They maintain confidence in themselves, their training, and their future or they begin to question everything.  The one who maintains confidence takes the losses in strides and almost all the time ends up running very well by the time they finish their collegiate career.  The one who begins to question starts develops of poor view of the sport, the team, and themselves as a runner and almost always begins to find other things more interesting.  The examples are based upon my experiences as an athlete and from the time I spent at Oklahoma State University coaching.  These examples may not take shape in all instances and it’s not to say the one who questions will not be successful.  My view is simply that a healthy confidence helps the athlete achieve success earlier and maintain healthier mental outlook.  An example of this is a good friend who is currently in his third year as a collegiate.  He left high school as one of the best 5K performers in the nation but after injury struggled in his first season as a collegiate.  He was down on himself and dug a hole that took him over a year to get out of before he believed in himself and his training again.  He doubted his ability and his decision to leave home for college all because he was not achieving the success he expected.  It took one good race to start his transition and he built confidence from there.  Now as a third year, he is competing as a top runner in the NCAA and continues to surprise people. 

How's This For Confidence?  That's A Women's Jersey

  Confidence is important, so where should we pull it from?  Short answer, everywhere.  Be proud of what you do and what you’re capable of.  Have faith in your training, your coach, your team, and yourself.  When you train, build on your weaknesses and know you are getting stronger physically and mentally.  Believe in the training plan you follow and the coaching advice you receive.  By focusing on  the way you perceive training and coaching you gain confidence in knowing that you've done everything right.  Regardless of the training itself, if you believe in it and what the coach is saying to you then you have no reason to doubt your fitness.  Remove the doubt and leave little room to freak out.  When racing with your team gain confidence in the fact that you run with these people every single day.  Be positive with yourself.  Even when things do not go as planned or as well as you had hoped try focus on the positive.  Maintaining confidence is just as important as building it.  Know that there are downs with the ups and that is more than alright.  Everyone struggles, but the strong pull themselves up quicker.  Show your confidence but don't be cocky.  Nothing is more frightening to a big talker than someone who can make a point without saying a word.  A positive outlook with yourself and your running will make your experience much more pleasant and may even give you the edge to become as great as you possibly can. 

  Be confident and have faith in yourself.  Be patient and train smart.   These two simple phrases will lead you to a steady state as a runner and if you can truly embody them in your everyday life you just may surprise yourself the next time you race.