Run Less Run Faster Book Review

I recieved a copy of the newly revised edition of, Run Less Run Faster from the gracious folks at Runner's World and was not expecting to enjoy it much.

I will be honest, I am a more is better type of runner/athelete so the concept of how one could run less and get faster caused some skepticism in me.

However, the more I read, the more intriguied I became!

I think by chapter 5 I had begun to think, hey this theory might really make sense. The basic concept is 3 plus 2. You run 3 quality runs throughout the week and do 2 strong cross training sessions. Throughout the book there were testimonials, emails, messages readers had sent with their success stories from the program. The more I read the book, and those testimonials, the more convinced I became.

The authors do a great job of mapping out training plans, they have extensive charts on timing, the quality runs and how they should be done. They even have Boston Marathon qualifying plans for all of the new 2013 times. I liked that a lot, being a Boston qualifier already, I know how helpful a strong training plan is.

The authors also do a wondeful job about explaining the cross training. I agree with their theories on this. I am a firm believer in cross training, I have always done it and I was happy to see that the methods I have been using recently were the ones suggested in the book. They also include training schedules for them and they fit right into the marathon training plan.

There is a great chapter on stretching, another on injuries, and even a chapter on nutrition. I liked the chapter on stretching they have pictures to go along with the explanations and I agree with the authors that not enough runners stretch that should. I would say only the chapter on nutrition left me wanting to read more, but I think nutrition is a huge topic and one that needs its own book anyways.

My favorite part of the book, they have GARMIN programming instructions!!!!!!!! I was sold on the plan and on the book once I read that. The authors took the time to consult an electrical engirneer who also uses the running program and his Garmin. The directions are perfect and precise and I cannot wait to program mine when I start my training cycle.

SO the verdict, I like the book, I like the plan. In fact, I hope to actually use the plan when I train for my fall marathon this year. Oh AND they have a chapter on ultra running and training for triathlons.... I will use it when I train for my first 50 Mile race :) It is on August 18th!!!!

I would reccomend the book to anyone who is new to running, the entire first few chapters are dedicated to training for 5Ks and 10Ks and even a half marathon. So this book really covers all race distances, which is harder to find now a days. Most books pick a distance and focus on that, but this one takes time to talk to new runners, and then dives into other runners, and at the end advanced ones who are chasing their faster goals.

Sometimes all we need to do is open up our perspective and take advice from others. As somone who was injured after following an advanced marathoning plan, running 50-60 miles a week, I think that I can utilize this plan for the rest of my marathons planned this year. I hope to get a faster time this fall and push that marathon time to a sub 3:20 so I will see if this plan does it for me. One thing is for sure, I will be sure to keep you posted :)

Moving Forward

Oh Yes. That motion thing...

The thing about life is, it moves forward. With or without you it keeps going.

I have had some set backs the past few months, in my relationships personally, in my running with an injury, and now losing the chance to run "one of the most prestigious races in the world". Yea all that.

It brought me some tears, it has brought inevitable heartache and heartbreak. Those are feelings I have been used to my whole life. Those are feelings I experienced a lot when I was almost 300 pounds.

But life, it shows us no mercy sometimes, however, it is all a process. And one I am working through. I have cried a lot the past week, there have been days I did not want to get out of bed, I have been there. Thanks to my friends, family, and my virtual community I have had support. And I appreciate it. I am working through it all slowly.

SO I am here.

And there is one tiny person, who inevitably keeps me moving forward, she requires me to get out of bed every single day. She requires me to be there, with a smile and take care of her.

My Peanut, she forces me forward. She always has.

I am grateful to her, for her life, it has been a gift. She has been a gift from God, of that I am certain because every single day she keeps me moving forward. No matter what her smile warms my heart and no matter what else in my world comes crashing down I know that at the end of the day I will always be her Mama and she will be my Peanut.

When Your Dream Is Stolen

For the past 5 months I have been looking forward to one day, one race, one series of moments strung together. My life has changed a lot in the last 5 months, but this is one of the rocks, one of the things that I hung on to. I knew it was coming, I knew right around the corner there it stood. And I had it. I was confident I was a fighter, and nothing would shatter it.

Last year I went to the Boston Marathon expo and I vowed I would one day run the race. After losing 120 pounds, after running a half marathon, I knew that nothing would stop me from getting to that race. It is after all one of the biggest races of the entire year. People wait years to run Boston, and after they run it, they talk about it for years. Living in the Boston area it is even worse. When you tell people you run marathons they immediatly ask, Oh so do you run Boston? It is almost like a right of passage. I have never been to a race without seeing that Unicorn logo, never been able to escape it.

After I ran the Philadelphia marathon I had even more drive and determination to do it. I trained all winter, as hard as it is to train for a marathon in the winter in New England, I did it. For me Boston was worth it. I wanted my moment. I chased it. I even qualified in Hyannis in Febraury this year, for Boston next year. I ran a marathon in 3 hours and 31 minutes. Exactly 2 years from the day I was 252 pounds and a total couch potato.

I was fortunate enough back in December to get a number from the wonder charity organization

I ran for them last year for a half marathon in Boston, it seemed almost perfect that this year I would get to do it for the full marathon. I love the DetermiNation organization portion of the American Cancer Society, for me it gives me the opportunity to run an endurance race and raise money in memory of my Grandmothers who both died from cancer. I go to their events and help out all year long, I mentor other runners during their races, and I really enjoy it.

So when I was told last week that I would not be able to run I was in disbelief. All the work I have done for the past 4 months fundraising, training hard. In that moment I felt like it was all stolen away from me. I have been looking forward to April 16th for 5 months. I have family memebers who took a vacation day that day to be there to cheer me on and support me. This was supposed to be one of the high lights of my year this year.

This card that has been hanging on my refrigerator suddenly brought tears to my eyes

Everyday now I get emails about the marathon, the logistics of it, the things I need to do and places to be on that day. I just sit and look at them and fight back the tears. I look at that card everytime I go for something in the fridge and sigh.

It has kept me from having fun on runs. I have headed out and every single time I go out to run it consumes my thoughts. I do not even like getting on twitter, blogging, I have not really figured out how to process it all and be ok enough to talk about it.

A lot of other crap is all happening in my life, and it is really weighing me down. Now that this is lost as well. I really am beginning to get depressed.

I guess for now that is all I can really say about it.

How do you overcome a defeated moment or a stolen dream?