RRT 120: Marathon Maniacs

Listen in as Mike, Mark, Dan, Tim and Brian have a lively discussion about Marathon Maniacs. We discuss what is a Marathon Maniac, what you need to do to qualify, what our levels are, what our maniac numbers are, why you should want to join and many other aspects of the group. Dan is a 10 star maniac, Mike is a 3 star, Mark is a 1 star, Brian is a 1 star maniac and he is also a half fanatic and Tim has done 2 marathons in a month which isn't enough to get into the Maniacs but he was close.

Click here to listen to RRT 120

Are you a Maniac, answer these questions to find out:

• Are you addicted to running marathons?
• Do your thoughts switch to the next scheduled race immediately after finishing a marathon?
• Are you signed up for more than one race right now?
• Do you know specifics about many of the marathons? Dates, courses, years run, etc.?
• Do you know the story of how the marathon got started? Also why the course is 26.2 miles?
• Do you read books on marathons like Marathon and Beyond?
• Is www.marathonguide.com book marked on your computer? Do you look at the race schedule more than once a week?
• Do you start to feel down when you haven't run a marathon in a while?
• Are your closets and dressers filled with marathon t-shirts?
• Do you have so many marathon medals that you've run out of room on the hook they hang from?
• When asked about your racing from none running people, do you find yourself talking with great passion to the point that the person that asked the question regrets ever asking?
• Have you run marathons on back to back weekends? Or better yet back to back days?
• Have you run a marathon as a training run? Or just to pace a friend?
• When asked by loved ones what your plans are for the weekend, you feel guilty telling them your running another marathon so you tell them "it's only a half this weekend"?
• Do you plan all your vacations around a marathon race?
• Well if you answered yes to any of these questions, you just may be a Marathon Maniac!!!

Pasted from <http://marathonmaniacs.com/areyouamarathonmaniac.html>

RRT 119: Fall 2011 Running Race Experiences & Lessons Learned

Join a diverse group of runners who will share their Fall 2011 race experiences and lessons learned via the Runners Round Table on Wednesday evening, November 2nd at 8:30 PM (Eastern) / 5:30 PM (Pacific) Connect via Talkshoe.com (ID# 34812) to both listen-in and to pose your questions/comments. The panel will consist of:

• Mark Ulrich (http://runinamerica.com), who will discuss his Chicago Marathon;
• Amanda (http://chemerunner.blogspot.com), who will discuss her See Jane Run Half Marathon;
• Mike Westermeier (http://mwrunfar.blogspot.com), who will talk about his latest 50k trail run, Surf the Murph;
• Brian Adkins (http://marathonbrian), who will share his recent Chicago Marathon experience;
• Craig Macfarlane (Twitter: @craigmacfarlane), who will discuss the Hartford Marathon;
• Monica Rondon, who will share her first marathon experience memories from Portland;
• and Gregory Milbourne, who will discuss his Marine Corps Marathon.

Unfortunately, Ted Beveridge (http://youdonthavetorunalone.blogspot.com), will be unable to connect with the group owing to a conflict, but we will share his recent Alaska Marathon memories and his outcome from the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon.

Click here to listen to RRT 119

RRT 118: Running Injuries - Racing, Training and Recovering

We are back with a show to discuss Running Injuries. Take a listen and plan to join us for a future show. My apologies for the few technical issues, it's been a while :-).

So join Mark Ulrich, Joe Garland, Tim Kirchner, Craig MacFarlane and Mike Westermeier for a discussion that will cover a lot of different tangents of running injuries.

We discussed continuing to run after an injury, when to see a Doctor, what happens if you try to run through an injury and various ways to recover from an injury. You will hear about torn ligaments and cartilage, stress fractures, muscle pulls and tears, sprains, strains as well as the normal overuse injuries like ITB syndrome, plantar fasciitis and probably a few more.

Have you ever had an injury? Have you ever tried to run through it? Were you successful? Has part of your decision been based on that you signed up for a race and had to do it? Could it be that you have a streak going so you just have to run the event?

If you want some additional information check out Mark's recent post: Running Injuries - Treatment and Prevention.

Click here to listen to RRT 118

RRT 117: Extreme Marathons (and Beyond!)

According to most standards running a road marathon is pretty extreme, yet some people need a different sort of challenge. A whole host of extreme races has sprung up to meet to this need, from ultramarathons to marathons held in challenging locations. Join us on April 20th, as several runners who have tackled one (or more!) of these extreme events discuss the rise in popularity of these events, what drives them personally, and what future holds. How extreme will the sport get?

The discussion will be led by Kiersten Pfeifer (http://26for25.blogspot.com/) and feature Dan McKenna who just completed the Atacama Crossing, a seven-day, six-stage, 150-mile endurance footrace across the Atacama Desert of Chile ( Conquer Atacama St. Baldrick’s Page and Conquer Atacama Facebook Page.), Phil Moneypenny who ran the first solo Marathon at the Halley base on the Brunt Ice Shelf, and Paul Both who completed a Transcontinental run from Huntington Beach, CA to the Statue of Liberty in New York (http://www.runforliberty.com)

Click here to listen to RRT 117 

RRT 116: New Boston Qualifying Standards, March 2nd, 7pm EST

This past October, registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon filled in 8 hours, shutting out many qualified runners. A few weeks ago, the Boston Athletic Association (which manages the world's oldest continuous marathon), announced a new registration policy for the 2012 race and new standards starting in 2013. The reaction from the running community has been big! Some are pleased with the changes, while others point out the major flaws in the policies. Join us on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7pm EST to discuss these changes and how they impact the entire running community. The discussion will be lead by Amanda, Mark Ulrich (http://www.runinamerica.com/), Joe Garland (https://runwestchester.wordpress.com/), & Craig Macfarlane but more are always welcome. Let us know what you think about these new standards!

[Click here to listen to RRT-116]

RRT 115: Running Form, Wed., Feb. 23 @ 8 EST

Listen to Episode 115

It wasn't so long ago that we had a show on Running Form. We thought we'd revisit the issue because it continues to get almost daily attention in the blogosphere. We'll have Pete Larson and Steve Magness (recently hired by the Oregon Track Club) on again and talk about developments since our last appearance. Joining us too will be Ian Adamson, Newton Running's Director of Research and Education. Pete interviewed Ian in December 2009.

Pete just posted about Stride Cadence -- you may recall from our initial show that the consensus was that this is an important aspect of form -- and he discusses a number of recent pieces, including one by Steve, on this very topic. Pete also attended a conference in West Virginia last month and posted a series of pieces:

• A Natural Running Community
• New Trends in Prevention and Treatment
• Gait Re-Training
• Vertical Impact Load-Rates
• Vertical Impact Load-Rates II

In that last one, Pete sends you to a nice post by Jay Dicharry on the topic. It's a complex yet simple process, this running. With a discussion of a bit more of the science, we hope to provide a bit of clarity.

Now for those discouraged by reading that Pete's shuffling-along rate is 186, one of our hosts (Joe Garland) can't break 170 and Steve's is 168 (getting north of 192 at his tempo pace).

Mark Ulrich, Craig Macfarlane, and Joe Garland will share hosting duties.

RRT Congratulates Steve Magness on his New Job as Assistant Coach to Alberto Salazar

The Runners Roundtable would like to extend a big congratulations to Steve Magness, who has provided a consistent source of excellent information both in his Science of Running blog and here at the Runners Roundtable within two excellent recent episodes (i.e. RRT-98 on Running Form and RRT-106 on Training Basics). Steve has accepted his new job as assistant coach to Alberto Salazar at the Nike Facility in Beaverton, Oregon. With the Oregon Track Club Steve will be helping to train Adam and Kara Goucher, Galen Rupp, Alan Webb and other world-class athletes!

Found below is a video from Flotrack featuring an interview with Steve about his new gig:

RRT 114 - Cross Training Can Be Fun!

Tired of yet another boring workout on the bike trainer or elliptical machine? Ever wondered what Cross Fit is, what is a TRX, what goes on in those hot yoga classes, and is Pole Dancing a legitimate workout? You'll get some answers to these questions and more when you listen in to our chat from Wednesday, February 9, 2011 with several runners who supplement their running with a variety of fun activities. We discussed what cross training and supplemental training are, why you should consider it it, and what activities you can add to your running. Hosted by Margaret Suddeth (Flutter-Bys), with Ann Brennan (Ann's Running Commentary), Tim Doiron (ICannotSitStill), and Nik Wong (4 Feet Running). Joining them will be Joe Garland (RunWestchester), who purports not to cross-train.

[Click Here to Listen to RRT-114]

• Winter Cross Training Alternatives (by RRT-host Julie Threlkeld in Running Times)
• TRX
• CrossFit

RRT 113: Mid-Winter Motivation

We're at the midpoint of this winter season, and for some, it's been a long season already, especially if you live in the northern US. The groundhog didn't see his shadow today, so maybe spring is on its way......

For some runners, this is the time when their motivation falters, when their enthusiasm for our sport succumbs to the darkness and cold of this season, and the winter is only half over.

For others though, this is a great time to be on the roads, with crisp fresh air in the North, and tolerable temperatures in the South. For these runners, motivation is just kicking in, Spring is coming, and winter is already half over.

Listen in to this discussion of getting started on those winter days (and nights), the right gear to help you succeed in less-than-perfect conditions, and how to beat those winter blues.


Mike W's Running blog: http://www.mwrunfar.blogspot.com
Russ Porter's Running blog: http://www.breakfastmiles.blogspot.com
Tim Doiron's (outdated) blog: http://www.rundervrun.blogspot.com

[Click here to Listen to RRT 113]

Click here to listen to the episode on TalkShoe!

RRT 111: Eating Disorders and Exercise Addictions

As runners, we're always looking for ways to gain a competitive advantage. Whether it's shedding those last few pounds of extra body fat or hitting triple digits on a regular basis, we tend to be a driven, determined lot.

But how do runners know when they've tipped over the edge and moved from healthy training- and eating-patterns to unhealthy ones? What causes these disorders? How are they typically treated and what's the outlook for those who are recovering from these issues? What can be done to prevent them from developing in the first place?

We discussed these topics with three runners who have been there:

• Lize Brittin is hostess of the recently revived blog Training on Empty (and author of an as-yet-unpublished memoir of the same title). Lize was a top high school and national-class mountain runner in Colorado in the 1980s, having set the Pike's Peak Marathon ascent record at just 16 -- despite battling severe eating and exercise disorder issues at the time.
• Dave Dunham currently competes for the Central Massachusetts Striders. Something of a Renaissance Man, in addition to road running Dave also competes in ultras, trail/mountain runs and on snowshoes. Among other distinctions, Dave is a two-time qualifier for US Olympic Marathon Trials and seven-time member of the US Mountain Running team. While in his thirties, Dave struggled with anorexia, reaching 110 lbs on a 5'7" frame. He blogs at DDMountainRunr
• Diane Israel, 1984 Colorado mountain-running champion, was a successful professional triathlete and runner for 15 years. She is also a recovering anorexic. Her film, Beauty Mark: Body Image and the Race for Perfection, examines how images from popular culture, familial influence and the drive for athletic perfection can all collide, resulting in dangerously disordered thinking and behavior.

Hosted by Julie Threlkeld -- RacesLikeAGirl and Running Times contributor -- for this show.

Listen to Episode 111

We need your help!

If you haven't already done so please sign-up with the Runners Round Table Google Group, which you can easily do by signing-up on the right side of this blog.  After you've done so, you'll be included in periodic RRT-related conversations (which you can limit to once per day to limit the number of RRT e-mail).  This facility allows you to easily share your ideas with other runners regarding future running related episodes, to supply your feedback to others, and if you've got a real interest in the topic to sign-up as a co-host. After you've got a bit of experience under your belt we truly hope you'll sign-up as a host/timekeeper, since it's in that area where we have the greatest need.

Don't think that the Runners Round Table is limited to "experienced" runners - it's not!  We truly want to encourage runners of all experience and backgrounds to contribute.  We're also proud of the internationally diverse community of runners and additionally hope to further grow participation outside of North America.

RRT 110: 1/5, 8pm EST: To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

On Wednesday, January 5 we spoke about the importance of recovery in any training plan. Training is all about (1) Stress, (2) Recovery, (3) Repeat. The importance of giving the body a chance to adapt to the stresses under which it is placed. And about how necessary it is for each of us to learn what our body needs on this front, and to listen to our bodies.

On board were Brenn, Craig, Mark, Mike, and TK, with Joe Garland as the host.

Our friend Flo put up a timely post on the taking-time-off issue, which is worth a read.

Listen to Episode 110