Saturday Training

Another week of training for us TNTers. Another week closer to your ultimate goal. To complete a half or full marathon. A 5 or 6 mile run.walk for most of you. It wasn't as humid as last week, but for me, the pollen count most have been in the trillions.

I was hoping to go 8 and had to cut it short. I'm gonna have to start running in the desert. 

Anyway, everyone is doing great. Wednesday will be a group practice on the thrack and Harley will be there to get you to run/walk fast. I won't be there physically, but I will be thinking about all the fun you will have while I am stuck in a VMware seminar.

I'll see everyone next Saturday.

Track Practice #1

Today was the first track practice for the summer TNT session. I was there with a few alums and 4 newbies. Us alums will break them in. I'll find out all their names eventually and what they are training for. I know there are a few halfers and a few fulls. One is training for the Nike women's marathon. 

Most of the halfers are walkers which is awesome. I have tried to walk with walkers and I cannot do it. I can't walk that fast. It hurts and gets me out of breath and I am sore the next day. Walkers are awesome.

The full runners are fast. It was all I could do to keep up. I will have to do extra work to keep up. 

Harley is once again coaching for the track sessions. I have worked out under him in the past and he can be a slave driver. A polite one but still tough. I hope I (and the others) survive. 

We will be back at LOW (Lake of the Woods) on Saturday. I believe they will be doing 6/4 respectively. I will do my 8 minimum. Maybe I should do the trail twice and run 10. Hmmm...

First run since...

Saturday was my first run since the Illinois marathon. My legs feel fine. I am still tired, but starting to think that is vitamin and stress related. I had coaching duties for TNT so out to Lake of the Woods I went.

Got and and said hi to my one team member that showed and she was off on her walking way. About 15 minutes later, alumni Randy was coming up the trail so off I went with him - jogging and walking. 6.28 miles later and we were done. Legs were tired, but no pain. 

Now it is just maintenance running until the Indy half. 

2:05 here I come.

Illinois Half marathon and marathon

Thoughts and feelings.

How ya doing?

Want to do another?

Jot down your feelings for all of us to share.

Coach Darren amd Mentor Mike

Truly a good story

This weekend we will have great temperatures for running. Hopefully the rain will hold off in the C-U area. 

I was just messing around at work and read this amazing story that was in the Nov/Dec 2007 issue of "Marathon and Beyond". If you have never read this magaizine/book, you should try it. It comes out 6 times a year and has really great stories and advice.

Anyway, it is by Dean Karnazes (yes, that Dean) and it starts as he finished the 50th of 50 marathons in 50 days. As he decides to run home - home is San Francisco - Dean is in New York City.

It is a story of wwhat running is, a story of ourselves, a story of finding oneself.

Here's the link...  http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/choices/karnazes.pdf

Coach Training

I am now officially trained bythe Illinois TNT Head Coach for TNT marathoning training. 

What does this mean for you? It means my head is now so full of information that I will forget your names. Head Coach Marie filled me with knowledge that I am still trying to digest. She is a trained exercise therapist and knows her stuff. She really wants us to know our stuff as well.

I have new training tips, new stretching tips, new lots of stuff. Ask me and I will share. 

I missed being away from you for the morning, but am very glad that I went.

I hope everyone was able to get their run in on Saturday even though I think the wind was up a little bit again. Any issues or questions get back to me and look for your weekly email from me soon.

Coach Mike

C-U Runners - Special Note

The Armory is closing at 7pm on Wednesday for a University High School track meet. 

I will be there at 6 (barring a catastrophy at work) for anyone that want to come a little earlier and get in a short practice. This happens from time to time and we adjust.

If not, run  for 30 or 40 minutes on your own and I'll see you on Saturday.

Coach Mike

C-U Week 4

Another week and a few miles, congratulations to everyone. While it was extrememly windy on saturday you all persevered and completed your mileage. This week will be the same as far as mileage goes. 

Make sure you are doing your weekly workouts as well. These are important for getting in your mileage and getting your body used to the extra work. Hopefully, you feel a little difference in your breathing and your muscles. 

Is your recovery getting a little quicker? Are you able to breathe easier and quicker after your runs? It may be to early to notice these things but soon you will. 

Remember if you have any questions or concerns I am here as well as Steve and Maranna. Feel free to contact us by email or phone.

Here is the weekly schedule - 

Monday: 25 min
Tuesday: XT 30 min
Wednesday: Speed work at the Armory at 6:30pm
Thursday: R/S
Friday: 25 min
Saturday: 4 for full and 3 for half for Seattle/Chicago - 6 miles for Indy halfers.
Sunday: R/S

Run hard

Coach Mike

C-U long run Saturday

kudo to everyone that came out this morning and braved the wind. Steady at 25mph and gusts up to 40mph was a little much. Extra kudos to the Spring team that 16 miles in the wind and that fact that at 7am it was 37 degrees and by the time they were finished it 28 degrees. 

Awesome job to both the Spring and Summer teams. You gals and Kevin rock. 

Keep up the awesome good work.

C-U Wednesday Track Practice

Track practice was last night again and I had a team member show up. yea!! She (JC) was pretty quick and tireless. Practice was 

warmup - 4 laps (200 meter each)

60 seconds of fast running

2 laps jog

and repeat 4 more times

cooldown - 4 laps

She ran that and then ran another 4 or 5 laps. 

JC was awesome - go girl!!!

Go TEMA!!!!

Remember, this is your site to comment on us coaches and mentors. If you think you should have authoring rights (the ablility to create your own posts), let us know.

C-U Week 3

Hi Team!

I hope Saturday went well. We are just beginning with some small mileage runs. Just 4 or 3 (or 6 for Indy) miles depending on full or half training. We will build up like this for a few weeks. I will be going to Body n Sole this week and verifying our team discount for shoes and clothes. I will let them know that you may be stopping by soon to run on their treadmill and getting fitted for the proper shoes. 

Ladies, if you need to you may want to call ahead and find out when Beth or one of the other ladies will be working. They can assist you with questions you may have about sports bras or any other concerns you may have. Even if you are doing only a half this is important equipment for you as well. If you don't want to ask me (and I am going to refer to someone else anyway since I have no experience with the fit of sports bras), perhaps Mentor Maranna can give you some suggestions. Here is a link to Runners World sports bra homepage http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-369-470--12823-0,00.html . The first paragraph was astonishing.

Wednesday Workout: 60 second bursts. So the workout will go something like this: warm up 4 laps (1/2 mile), run all out for 60 sec. and you will note how far you got (1.25 laps or 1.5 laps or 3 laps, whatever). Then you will do 1-2 laps recovery (walk or slow jogging) then will do another all out for 60 sec trying to get further than you did the last time. You will repeat this until you've done 5 60-second bursts. Followed with a 4-lap cool down. This will total ~3 miles.

Here's your schedule for the week:
Monday: 25 min
Tuesday: XT 30 min
Wednesday: Speed work at the Armory at 6:30pm
Thursday: R/S
Friday: 25 min
Saturday: 4 for full and 3 for half for Seattle/Chicago - 6 miles for Indy halfers.
Sunday: R/S

"Run like hell and get the agony over with." - Clarence Del Mar

Happy Training!

C-U fundraiser

Come to the staley Road Christian Church on Friday, March 6 at 7pm for two great quartets in concert. This is to help Kevin Schwartz and his fund raising for the Illinois marathon.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/il/champgn09/kswartz

See the pdf here - http://drive.123-reg.co.uk/F/9025889-351359657

C-U First Workout

Well how was it? We had 4 individuals start their journey to marathon bliss. Ok, maybe some of you are on the way to half marathon bliss, but the important thing you have started a great journey. 

Remember next Saturday we will meet at Lake of the Woods. Don't arrive at 5 til 8 most of the good  parking will be taken. 

     

              

The parking lot we will meet in is just north of interstate 74 right about where the 47 is in the picture. 

Again, glad you made it and let's hear from you.

Coaches and Mentors

Trying something new here. Maybe a blog site will work to help people stay informed, find advice and give each other support in a continous way. I have invited all coaches and mentors here to be authors - meaning you can post what ever you like. You should inform all your team members of the site so that they cant rant and rave about their great training runs, or how hard you work them, or what great fund raising ideas the mentors supply to them.

This is a place for us to all come together and blog. Coaches can blog their weekly schedules and then team members can chat about how good or bad they did. Comment on aches and pains - it is pretty open ended. 

Kelly Darnell and Paul Durfee and I have talked about this a little but suggestions are always welcome. Good idea or bad? You tell us. Blog about it here. I await your comments.

Week 1 - CU group

Where - 8:00 AM at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana. 

What - short 45 minute walk or run. 

Here is an overview of the park. Do not mind the mileage numbers. The blue show most of the trail (concrete) path through the park. Mainly we would run the outside most edge.

Any questions? See you around 8.

PS - these postings will never replace the weekly emails - you still get to hear from me that way too. (happy grin goes here)

Intro...

Hey TNT Stars - 

This is your place. I have created it so that you can rave, praise or rant about yourself, each other or me. A place to put down your words, thoughts, inspirations, aches or pains. Whatever you may be feeling.

I will praise your runs, your dedication, your immortal words and maybe, photos of your hard work and dedication to TNT. I will post workouts, shedules, tips and advice (from people far more sage than I). 

Hopefully we can connect, keep in touch and reading about each other's motivation, strong workouts or even our pitfalls or setbacks (because we will only get stronger for it) and with that stay on the path we have set for ourselves. 

Talk about your running, weather (which should be great this weekend), wishes, food or drinks. It is for you!!!

I am hoping that with this place to call ours we can help other and immortalize ourselves a little in the process. From my humble personal blog I have had a lot of great advice handed to me and a lot of attaboys and praise that I could do the next workout no matter that my body was telling me otherwise. 

So, what do you think? Is this a good idea for are little group or do I can it here?

Let me know.