Marathons ARE for Slower Runner's too!

There was an article recently in the New York Times that in essence criticized the New York Road Runner's Club for not having more stringent requirements as to who they let participate in the NYC Marathon. The gist of the article was that the marathon "mystique" is being diluted by slower runners & walkers. To be fair, the article seemed to target folks who were crossing the finish line in 6 hours or more.

NYC Marathon Memories!

"The New York Marathon: a fantastic event."  Pope John Paul II, 1982

We are less than a week away from the 2009 NYC Marathon, the showcase of the sport of road running. This Sunday I'll be lining up for my 8th NYC Marathon and my 15th overall.  

At age 56, running IS my sport at this stage in my life. Running has become the "icing on the cake" as I've participated in other sports during my lifetime. I played ice hockey in college and played other sports as well but, running has left an indelible mark on my soul that no other sport can match. Running has given me many memories to be cherished. It's also given me some that are not so cherished but those experiences have presented me with opportunities to learn!

Marathons & Half Marathons are Serious Business!

Sadly, Sunday's running of the Detroit Marathon and Half Marathon saw the deaths of three runners. Autopsies listed the the cause of each of the deaths as being due to cardiac failure and also stated that each of the runners were in good physical condition. The ages of the runners were 65, 35 and 26.

Deaths from running in distance races are rare indeed - 1 out of every 50, 000 runners - yet that still doesn't quell the alarm that each of us feels personally when we hear such stories.

Brrrrrrr! It's COLD out!

It IS October out isn't it? The last several days have presented us with temps and weather conditions that we're used to seeing in December. So much for global warming eh?

While the rain, unseasonal temperatures in the high 30's, cold wind driven rain, and, dare I say it, SNOW, are hopefully short lived, it doesn't make it any less difficult to have to endure as a runner. Many of us are presently in the taper period of marathon training and, we just can't turn off the alarm and go back to sleep like we can, and oftentimes Do when we're not in training.

As a running store in New Jersey, Fleet Feet Mahwah has gotten many customer coming in as of late desperate for help in selecting running apparel to keep them warm and dry.

A "Super Run" - The Cape Cod Rail Trail

As the owner of a running specialty store, one of the many blessings I get is the opportunity to talk to runners of all sorts. Regardless of their ability, we often talk about our favorite running routes, and oftentimes those runs are on routes away from "home."

The other day, John G, a good customer of mine came in wearing  a Cape Cod t-shirt. I asked him what town on the Cape he stayed at, and as he was telling me, he added, "I just wish there were some good running routes there!"

Trail Running Shoes

Not long ago, I wrote about how autumn is a great season to add trail running to your workouts. Trail running provides a great opportunity to add scenery, and break the monotony our running can sometimes fall into. Trails also provide our bodies a respite from the hard pavement, by offering us a softer and more forgiving surface.

As a runner adds trails to his or her routine, we find them coming in to Fleet Feet Mahwah to ask about trail running shoes. Some running stores, especially those located in Colorado, or the Pacific northwest, where trail running is the norm, have as many trail shoes on their shoe wall as they do road running shoes.

Marathon Madness Begins This Sunday!

Sunday marks the running of the Chicago Marathon where approximately 45, 000 runners will line-up at the starting line to "tackle" a fast, flat 26.2 mile course. The Chicago Marathon is the first of the "big 3" fall marathons that road runners from all over the world flock to. The Marine Corps Marathon will follow on October 25th in Washington DC and the "grand-daddy of them all," the NYC Marathon, will follow on November 1st.

The marathon distance still remains a popular goal of many road runner's despite the months of grueling training, most of which is during the summer months. The summer heat and humidity can take it's toll on your body and, at times, your spirit, but it's those summer miles that toughen us for race day. For most, crossing that finish line will provide an exhilaration and sense of satisfaction that will remain with the runner a life time.

What's A "Runner"?

This spring, Olympic runner and renowned author, Jeff Galloway, made his annual visit to Fleet Feet Mahwah to help us kick-off our 2009 marathon training program. If you've seen or met Jeff in person, you know that he is one of running's biggest advocates. Years ago, Jim Fixx, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter and Joan Benoit-Samuelson helped make running popular as an athletic event to us here in America. Jeff Galloway helped make running popular to the MASSES worldwide. As you'd expect, his books are best sellers and he is a very positive minded person in his approach to life, not just athletics.

Prior to Jeffs' appearance at Fleet Feet Mahwah, an acquaintance of mine and an ex-college runner, was struggling in their training for an upcoming marathon to the point that it was very likely they would miss their race. I've never been one to give up easily so I naturally suggested to this person that they come to meet Jeff to get his take on what to do to try and "rescue" their race.

Jeff provided a host of strategies that this person could employ to remedy their situation and offered strong hope that reaching the starting line was a definite possibility. Jeff's method, which includes mixing walk breaks into running, is controversial to some, but if his advice is followed, it is ALWAYS successful.

Have Heart!

It was a beautiful day that first Sunday of November of 2005! I was lined up on the Verazzano Bridge for the running of the NYC Marathon. A few of my friends who were part our Fleet Feet marathon training program were at the line with me. After the National Anthem and the canon blast, we were literally off and running. We were heading down the bridge, and the sight of Brooklyn, the Statue of Liberty, and the NYC skyline that we saw was awe inspiring. One of my buddies, Bobby remarked, "Wow, this is great, I can't believe we're finally here after all the training! Look at the people and the sights!" It was his first NYC Marathon and my 6th. The NYC Marathon is THE event in road racing and, it's the Big Apple to boot! As anyone who's run this race more than once knows, EVERY NYC Marathon is as special as your first, so, I shared in Bobby's excitement and was privileged to be sharing it with him.

We were running through Brooklyn, almost at the 10K mark when out of the blue, Bobby exclaimed, "I'm going to quit, I don't think I can finish!" Well, to say I was shocked is putting it mildly. During training, Bobby was a runner who I had to hold back. He was energetic and never complained about a run. To hear him say he wanted to drop out so soon in the race had me dumbfounded!