Every Race is an Adventure!

You deserve a cool Ragnar jacket.

ah ha another race I can stalk you in wahhh wahhhhh (evil laugh)l

Josse - That alone almost kept me from running the SF half, and that Hal Amos is likely running it, too. Oh well, a life lived in fear is a life half-lived (from Strictly Ballroom). I was obviously thinking of that when I did a little "Hal's pulling away and Josse is gaining on me hang in there and don't let them beat me" mental training yesterday. I'm afraid it might not do much good.

Paul I'm excited to see that spiffy jacket, albeit with much jealousy and regret that I didn't run the relay that 1st year so I could be worthy to receive one.

Also I'm slowly coming to see that your approach to running, which has worked well for you, is something I need to try to follow. Much of the last year I've been a slave to the "schedule". Now I think for many people and with the right balance that can work just dandy (as it did for me early in the year), but I can also see it's possible to get stuck in the "high-expectations" mindset and go overboard which leads to overtraining, beat up bodies (and spirits?), fewer running "highs" and far too many running "lows".

So with this in mind I've decided to try and take a more Paul-ish ZEN approach to running, if not starting today at least after SGM is done with. So Paul when my OCD tendencies kick in and I try and revert back to the schedule-freak type of runner, I'm counting on you to call me on it and bring me back to Zen-land.

BTW I think I'm maybe more excited about the Paul-Josse-Hal showdown on Saturday than I am about my own race! I'll be watching this battle closely, hopefully from the rear-view and not from behind :)

Tom what ever keeps your mind off the race:) Just make sure you bring your bike helmet with the rear view mirror on it so if we catch you will see us coming.

Tom - Now that Hal finally beat me at Hobble Creek, I figure if Josse can finally beat me at the SF half then they can start focusing on beating each other (and maybe you next) and I can run in ZEN-land just behind them. Hal has already admitted to the fear of me overtaking him. It might be fun to have Josse begin to experience that as well. I'm tired of it being the other way around.

Paul i am actually treating this as a workout. I am doing a good 5-6 mile warmup then I will do (in the race) 4 miles @ MP with a 2 min recovery, then 3 miles @ MP w/ 2min recovery, 2 miles @ MP w/ 2m rec., 1 mile @ MP and hopefully be done or close to it.

I FEAR NO ONE!!!

Paul I'm mightily tempted to forget racing and join you in ZEN-land for this race. That is if I can keep up with your ZEN pace.

Josse it'll be interesting to see if you stay true to your plan Saturday. Whenever I've tried to do something like this in a race environment I just can't bring myself to slow down and do the recoveries. Too much pride or ego or something like that. Good luck sticking to the plan.

Don't let her fool you, Tom. She's just afraid. Making excuses already. :)

I am treating this race as a workout, too. I am doing a 1-2 mile warmup then I will do (in the race) 13.1 miles at HMP (whatever that happens to be on Saturday), with a long recovery while I eat and drink and mingle with other runners at the finish.

It should be a fun morning!

Dang, I wish I could be there! The SF Half is always a great event. I'll be anxious to read the race reports.

I also think there's a lot of merit in Paul's training approach. Instead of a rigid schedule it seems to boil down to this: 1. get out running with your buddies on a consistent basis, keeping up with the faster ones and enjoying the time with the slower ones. 2. test yourself and find adventure in every race

I love the new Ragnar jacket as well, finding an excuse to wear it whenever the temperature (indoors or out) drops below 68. Our dog seems to have gained some status among the other dogs by being seen taking morning walks by a Ragnar Warrior.

Tom-I usally don't slow down much it is more of a mental break where I just think easy to myself. In the races that i have done this in the past (like UVM) I really like it because it takes the pressure off and makes it more fun.

BTW-You all know this is all fun and games right:) I really don't care who beats me just as long as your not female;) I just think it is funny how I have only beaten Paul in one race and he always think I am going to come get him. Which I will!

Definitely fun and games for me. (Hal may feel a little differently.)

So you're planning to run the SF half like you did in the UVM...the one race where you beat me...by 15 minutes...and set a PR...and won $1000. Hmmm. I may have to consider this strategy. I like the concept of a mental break without really slowing down much. Heck, I probably already do that, which is why I have to refocus at times.

That is why I like a plan to stick to because you can't day dream for that long. In UVM my plan was to not get my heart rate up to high on the uphills and wait until the last half to do any kind of work. I think I did that very well and that ment letting McKenzie go. Races are not won in the 1st half unless you are Michelle. Another thing I have done in halfs before is a easy, medium, hard approach. Where you do a mile of each and start over. My times from the easy mile are only about 10-15 seconds slower but it helps to think relax and take it easier. Sasha was talking about this in one of his recent enteries, it tricks the brain. And it was very interesting to me on my workout yesterday I put a heart rate moniter on and only focused on my heart rate. This seemed so much easier.