The Training Crucible

Two months ago I started P90X.  At the time I had been running quite a bit, but hadn't done much strength training since my senior year of high school.  From my experience I believe that P90X will make you a better runner.  I know there is a lot of debate about that in the Runner's World forums, but my 30 Day Results and my performance at the Music City Marathon in April indicate to me that it works.
Here are my body stats at the beginning of P90X:

Weight: 191
Chest: 36.5"
Waist: 36"
Hips: 36.5"
Right Thigh: 24.5"
Left Thigh: 24.5"
Right Arm: 13.75"
Left Arm: 13.5"

After 60 Days:
Weight: 189
Chest: 39.25"
Waist: 34.5"
Hips: 37"
Right Thigh: 24.5"
Left Thigh: 24.5"
Right Arm: 15"
Left Arm: 15"

Clearly my upper body saw the greatest benefit from using P90X. But overall my entire body has gotten stronger. My time per mile has dropped by approximately one minute, while I have only been running one or two days a week.  While certain wouldn't recommend only using P90X as a runner, I do believe that it can dramatically help improve your running.

If you have used P90X, even if you aren't a runner, what have your results been?
If you are a runner and have used it, what benefits, if any do you see in your running?

There are countless reasons why anyone might pick up running. It may simply be because you do it as a part of staying in shape for another sport. Maybe you love the simplicity of not needing tons of workout equipment or a gym membership in order to get it.  Maybe your goal is weight loss, or just getting out the house for 30 minutes a day makes a big difference in your life.
This past week I started a 31 Days to Building a Better Blog project with Church Web Trends.  The community effect of going through this together has been awesome.  I have found some great blogs that I probably would have missed had I not been involved. However, I do feel like an odd man out because the majority of the other writers involved are writing for church/ministry type blogs.  Today I wrote the guest post for the project I am hoping that many of my other writers will be stopping by here to check out my blog. So if you are a first time reader of the blogger let me recommend that you start with my About page.
When I was a minister I put on an extra 20 lbs (living in southern Louisiana didn't help much either). The why of running for me started as trying to get that weight off.  I weighed in 189 this morning which means that I have kept the weight off for a year now.  I still would like to get down to 180, but I am happy with the progress I have made.
Having been running for a year now, the focus of why has changed.  In my first half marathon my wife, Meg and I ran for Soaring Wings Ranch in Conway, AR.  Soaring Wings is a Christian group home for children in need. Then in December we ran are first marathon for St. Jude's in Memphis. As I continue to run I am finding more whys.  I recently found out about Operation Jack and I am still on the hunt for more charity runs and ways I can use my ability to help others and promote causes, especially those that help children.

First, let ask, why do you run?
Maybe another great question is, why have you stopped running?
Finally, if you know of any great causes drop it in comment section below. I love finding new causes to support.

The core of your body is essential for great running.  While many of us long for that perfect set of 6 pack abs, a strong core is more than just your abs.  The core extends from your chest all the way down to the top of your thighs, and it is essential that you focus some attention here if you want to improve your running. Just this morning I did the P90X Core Synergistics workout in order to hit all the major areas of my core: thighs, hips, glutes, abs, obliques, and chest.  If you don't have P90X, here are 10 essential Core Workouts:

1. Core Strength Workouts. There are probably 15 plans at this site, making it a great resource.  Some of the plans focus on the needs for specific sports, like hockey, while others focus on life stage, such as post-natal. Personally, I like the full body workout.
2. 8 Quick Exercises. Your busy, so get in and get it done. These 8 exercises are super quick, you just need to be sure you have a balance ball for some of them.
3. Core Values. Another full body workout that will have you using balance balls, weights and medicine balls to get in a great workout.
4. Ab Focus. As I said, abs aren't everything, but they do make up the largest section of your core.
5. Beginners. Although the site is for triathletes, I think the moves here are pretty basic.
6. Another Ab Focus. If you want that six pack you have to put in the work on those abs.
7. 5 is less than 8. If you thought it was great to only do 8 exercises, then you will really enjoy only doing 5. If you are new to working out, this may be the place to start.
8. Ladies Only. Here are some exercises for the ladies out there.
9. Workout Videos. I love being able to see the move, it helps when I am learning something new.
10. The Exercise Ball. Adding the exercise ball to your workout routine will help you work you body at different angles, forcing it to adjusting.  Also the balance required to stay on the ball works muscles in a way that no other exercise can.
I hope these help you reach your fitness goals.
Which core exercises do you do?
How often do you focus on a core workout?

I typically don't run with headphones. In fact, about the only time that do run with music is when I am going on a long run or when I run on a treadmill.  The main reason for this choice is that running is my time away from everything else. It's my time to focus, to dream, to ponder and to simply relax.  However, there are times when I feel the need to have a little music to pump me up.  In a couple of weeks I will starting on some speed work training and so I have been looking for more music that will help pump me up, before during and after my workouts.
I am sure there are several sources of great music out there (aside from the obvious iTunes store), but here are three that I wanted to share:

1. Nike+ Training.  Would you love to train with Lance Armstrong or Kara Goucher? Nike and iTunes have teamed up to provide you with some great running tracks with some of your favorite athletes. It can be encourage to hear Lance cheer you on as you are going through your workout. You can also upload your own workout playlists or search for those created by your peers.  Just go to your iTunes store and search for Nike Sport iMixes.

2. DJ Earworm. This site provides a great source of mash ups from contemporary pop artists. It's pretty simple, the music is free, and most of the stuff is upbeat enough to keep you rocking through your workout. I just wish there was more available!

3. Podrunner. The great part about PodRunner is that DJ Steve has included the bpm with each track so that you can match your music with your desired workout intensity.  If you enjoy techno/dance music, then PodRunner will work for you, if not then you may want to look somewhere else.

So do you listen to music during your workout?
If so, what songs top your current playlist?

Last weekend several members of the Cloverdale Running Club participated in the 5K and 10K events at Toad Suck Daze in Conway, AR.  At the start of the race you could tell the storm clouds were moving in and about 10 minutes into the race the rain came down.

One of the joys of running is being a part of running community.  This past weekend our family was running at a 10K in Conway, AR for Toad Suck Daze. Even in the pouring rain, runners stood out on the track to cheer others on as the came in for the finish.

The community of runners is also why I joined DailyMile.  It's like Facebook for runners and cyclist, allowing you to share your workouts. There is also a challenge function that allows you to challenge your friends to some crazy races, like the first person to run 1,000 miles!
So today I went on the hunt for some running blogs.  Having just started my own running blog I am trying to find others who are sharing their run experience with the world.  Here are a few that I found today:

1. Autism Runs. This blog is written by Chris Fales, the Director of Health and Training for Train 4 Autism.  I found his blog through Operation Jack which was featured on the blog yesterday.
2. Chris also has a personal blog for training, Trainer Chris.
3. See Jess Run. I found Jess through another blog. She seems to have a lot of great recipes. While I'll probably not find where reviews of Lucy Activewear very helpful, I think overall this good be a great blog to read.
4. Marathoning Matters. You know you are getting serious when your URL is marathonman. I actually found this blog when I was looking for a template for my blog.  Good thing. There is lots of valuable wisdom here, with a good deal of humor as well.
5. 5ks and Cabernets. For many first time runners, the first race they will do is 5k. While Kevin is certainly well beyond a first time runner, think he has some good posts for those getting into running.

This week I have regained some focus with blogging thanks to a 31 Days to Building a Better Blog tour sponsored here.  With the new found focus, I have decided that one of the things that I want to do with the blog is highlight various charities or causes that are trying to raise money through running.

The first cause to be selected for this is Operation Jack.  Operation Jack as an attempt by Sam Felsenfeld to run 60 marathons in 2010 to raise money/awareness about autism, a disorder that his 6 year old son, Jack has been diagnosed with in 2006.  While most people would be happy to run one marathon in a lifetime, and many would think it a major accomplishment to run 60, Sam is pushing his body to the limits (running 2 marathons in different states on the same weekend) in order to get his done.
Having previously worked as a therapist with families whose children I have been diagnosed with autism, I can tell you how frustrating this disorder can be.  For more information on autism you can check here.
So here is how Operation Jack works: (taken from the Operation Jack website)

There are few people who run simply to run.  Most runners are seeking to improve their performance and the only way to do that is to track your workouts.  Countless tools are available to help you track your performances, but today I am going to highlight 5 that I have used:

1. The Clipboard. This is the low tech option available to everyone.  All you need is a pen, paper and a hard surface to right down your workout.  Currently I use this work my strength training.  I am going through P90X right now and they have kindly made the workout sheets available online. The benefit here is that you can quickly  enter your data. The workout sheets also let me quickly compare this week's performance with last weeks performance, however because it is on paper I manual have to calculate my improvements over time. I take this into the digital age there is also an Excel spreadsheet available to help you track all of P90X data.

2. Nike+. Nike+ connects your running shoe with your iPod, giving you feedback as you run (mainly your distance). Certain Nike shoes have a space in the heel where you place a small sensor (which cost an extra $20) that will track your footsteps. Along with the sensor there is a piece that plugs into the bottom of your iPod nano (yes, it must be a nano, it doesn't work on the larger iPods). There are plenty of companies out that have made gadgets that allow you to attach the sensor to shoes other than your Nikes, freeing you to wear whatever shoes you want.  The only down side I have found with Nike+ is that the distance is not always accurate.  For more info on the Nike+ system check out their website.

3. Running Ahead. This is a fairly simple workout tracker. While the name implies that it only applies to running there are some built in features for cyclists, popular gym workouts like Body Pump and Body Sculpt, and yoga.  It is easy to use and syncs with many Garmin devices, making even easier to upload your runs.  I don't use this program anymore, I think any other one is better, however, for the beginner, this is a great place to start.

4. DailyMile. DailyMile is like Facebook for runners.  It allows you to upload your workout using Garmin or Nike+ devices and connect with other runners.  It tracks your weekly and total stats and provides you with fun information, such as how many donuts you have burned off or the number of TVs you have powered.  There are also some great widgets that you can attach to your website (I have two on mine). While it may not be the greatest tool in measuring your workouts, it does provide a great community and allows you to see what others are doing with their training.

5. TrainingPeaks. Training Peaks has replaced Running Ahead as my primary workout tracker. First, it tracks everything.  Not only will it track your workouts, it also tracks meals. It has an extensive library of foods so that you can get accurate counts on everything that you are eating. For the workouts, Training Peaks syncs with the vast majority of workout watches including Garmin, Polar, Suunto and Timex. It doesn't hurt that Runner's World uses it as it's tracking system. In some ways there is almost too much available.  If you new to running you may only want to use the workout function, however, as you try to improve your performance the other features become highly valuable. The great part is, you only have to use what you want. Also, the internet version is FREE!

So what have you used to track your workouts?

There are a lot of reasons that runners run: to achieve a goal, to prove they are the best, to stay in shape, to escape their demons, so they can eat that extra bowl of ice cream each night, because they feel in love with running.
I started running in middle school and then throughout high school. And I stopped.  I put on the extra weight, got married had 3 kids.  Now I run again.
This time I have a knew focus in running: helping others.  I run for those who cannot run.  I run to raise awareness about some awesome causes. I run, not because I am fast, or have something to prove.  I run because I want to help others.

So why do you run?

At the beginning of the year I registered for the Country Music Marathon with the goal of improving my time from the the St. Jude's Marathon in December of 2009.  Training was going well until I hit my 18 mile run.  18 is where I seem to hit the wall, the same was true when I was preparing for St. Jude's.  The week after the 18 mile run I received P90X for my birthday (the 30th).  At that time I made the decision to focus on weight loss and running a solid half-marathon, re-valuate after the race a plan for another marathon later in the year.  During the 6 weeks that I have been doing P90X I have run approximately 4 times: a couple of 4 milers, one 5 miler, and then the Saturday before the 1/2 I ran 6.5 in order to help me gauge my pace for the race.
My official time was 2:01:53, which was four minutes faster than my first 1/2 at Soaring Wings in Conway last year. I wish I had broken 2 hours, and I think I could have with a couple of key differences in my race. Overall though, I was happy with my results from P90X. Living in Arkansas it can be hard to get out in winter and run early in morning.  Seeing these results lets me know that if I can build up a strong base during the fall I can use P90X over the winter months to help me maintain my level of fitness.
As for the the Country Music Marathon. I am still undecided about whether I will ever do this race again.  First the swag bag was lacking.  Seriously, dog treats! I realize a lot of people run with their dogs, but wasn't running the race with me, nor did I see any other dogs on the course.
I realize that there were major storms to contend with and I appreciate the email that got sent out letting runners know that if you were expecting to complete the full marathon in less than 4:30 that you need to plan on running the half instead, however, where was the notification that you were going to start the race 15 minutes early? I was at LP by 5:30 and got straight on a bus to the start line.  After getting of the bus I went straight to the restroom and then to the start line where I noticed that the race had already started! I did a quick stretch and then hopped into one of corrals. I didn't help that I was in a later corral number than the one was suppose to be in, meaning that I spent much of the early miles trying to dodging and run around much slower runners. I didn't help that from mile 3-4 we were only running on a two-lane street. Later, around mile 6 or 7 we went from 4 lanes down to a very narrow 2 through a residential section with no shoulder or sidewalks.  With 32,000 runners we just needed more space.
I was also a little disappointed in the fan support.  Aside from this great sign from my daughter Gabie:

Thanks everyone, especially Meg, Gabie, Lexie and Lucie!
One last thing: P90X will turn you into a nut, Sunday afternoon I did my Chest, Shoulders and Triceps workout since I missed it for my rest leading up to the race.