5 reasons to join my email list

Most people follow Omni Running through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

Each week, usually on Monday, everyone gets a notice that I’ve posted something new.

Some posts take an hour to write and many take a day or more. Some bloggers write everyday or several times week. On my previous blog I posted several days a week. Most of us don’t have time to read all of those articles and I found I don’t have time to write well that frequently.

Most bloggers have an email list and most of us are on many email lists already. It could be your bank or favorite restaurant or shop sending you specials and promos.

My Email List

Few of us want to sign up for more email. Our in boxes are jam packed everyday with offers we really don’t care about. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters and many other mailing lists, so I get it.

People on my email list get an email each time I post a new article. As I said above, I usually only write one blog post a week. They get more email from CVS than they do from me.

In appreciation for the people who sign onto my email list, each week I add something extra. Subscribers get a news letter which allows me to add links to articles that I think they will be interested in.

Each week I update the links that I think runners would be interested in. I leave some links on the news letter for weeks or months depending on how relevant they are. Articles on running in the heat or running at night have stayed on my side bar for long periods of time.

My blog and newsletter do promote the “My First 5K” medal and my running medal display frames, however, I try to keep the focus on things all runners are interested in.

You have seen my lists of local races and re-caps of races I have run. I hope the re-caps are fun to read. I also hope they help you get a feel for the race and help you decide if you want to sign up for the race next year.

5 articles Omni Running Subscribers saw this summer

I include links to articles that are professionally written and that would benefit little from my efforts. Sometimes they are simply links to information that you can use such as lists or info graphics. These are easy to read and info-dense. Some links are to 500 word (or more) articles, but I try to link to quality articles on running and race management.

There is so much “content” out there that most of us cannot keep up. Many articles are what are we refer to as “click bait.” Bloggers try to get you to open their blog post so they can get paid for your clicks. I try not to link to these articles and my own blog posts are not like that at all.

When someone buys a medal or a display frame, that supports my business. I don’t make money when you visit my blog or web site, so you will never see a clutter of ads that get in the way of what interested you in the first place. I also do not make money when you click on an article that I have curated for you.

I’m trying to provide a resource of curated articles that are relevant to your interests; running, fitness, managing races and having a fun life.

Here are five articles I linked to this summer that I think are pretty cool. If you think these additional articles are interesting, join my email list and let me serve up some good reads for you!

5 reasons to join my email list

How to Beat the Heat This article from HalfMarathons.net first showed up on my newsletter on July 18^th and is still there. This article from 2015 offers five simple ideas to help you beat the heat. You probably do most of these things already. The great thing about this article is that it will probably remind you of a few other things to make your running more comfortable and safer.

Sun Safety Tips was added on June 14^th. This is a link to seven common sense ways to stay safe in the sun. Not a lengthy article but good advice from the Melanoma Foundation of New England. You probably do some of these things, but could be doing more to protect yourself and your family.

Beer Miles Runners love beer and the Beer Mile type races have become popular, if not quite mainstream yet. BEERFIT had a series of Brew Mile races across the country. It may have been one one-time series as their web site is gone and their Facebook page is dated. Google “Beer Mile” and you are sure to find a race near you.

Not every link is to a running web site or article. Boozie Ice Cream Recipes is from liquor.com, one of the newsletters I subscribe to. They send me emails all about cocktails and alcohol. It’s not always about how to make an Old Fashioned or a perfect Martini, sometimes it’s about how liquor is made and sometimes it’s a fun article about ice cream! Life isn’t just about running and beer!

You’re going to love these recipes, unless you’re trying to drop some weight for your fall marathon! Sorry.

What to Wear This article from Runnersworld showed up July 11^th in the newsletter itself. All of the above links were in the sidebar. Sometimes I write a brief article on a subject that I don’t discuss on my blog. This link is to a guide to picking the correct running gear based on your planned run and anticipated conditions.

If you’re not on my mailing list you miss out on these asides, tips and other fun stuff.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to “Join the run” and join my mailing list?

Here’s a 6th reason to join. Facebook decides what you see in your feed. So you may not see my posts at all. How about Twitter? I see well over 1,000 tweets a day. If you follow me on Twitter I’m probably getting lost in the torrent of tweets.

Some race re-caps just don’t belong on LinkedIn, so I don’t post them there. Pinterest is cool, but I don’t post a lot of photos to Pinterest.

Join the run and never miss a post.

Run well my friend!

Andy

Running your first Marathon?

Running your first marathon this year?

Besides all of the training, there are so many other things to think about. Each of us discovers over time what works best for us. Everyone is different. The gel or shoe that works for your friend may not work for you. I found this info graphic on about.com. I like infographics because they present a lot of data in an easy to consume format.

Give some of these tips a try during your long runs and see how your body reacts.

My hydration rule is to drink all I want up until 1 hour before the race, then I stop drinking everything. During this hour I try to get into the porta potty twice to make sure I’m all clear for take off. They say to slow down drinking in the half-hour before a marathon. I don’t think that tip will work well for you.

You can see what works for you, but I avoid a lot of fiber and high fat foods the 24 hours before a race.

first marathon training tips,advice

Run well my friends,

Andy

Marathon Packing

Friday I asked all the Boston Marathon runners if they have started packing yet.

Marathon Packing

When traveling long distances for a race you have to plan ahead. Fortunately, Boston is not in the sticks and the Boston Marathon Expo will have anything you need for the race. If you forget something (except your shoes!), no worries.

Advice on marathon packing

Thinking about your marathon can be nerve-wracking. It’s always difficult to know if you have prepared enough for the race. The conditions on race day are often a guess. Many runners have a check list for marathon packing and usually pack their gear several times. Part of this may be nerves and part may be the need to control something that is under your control.

If you are travelling, you may want to wear your running shoes while you travel. That way you know that you brought them. It’s also a good idea to put your running clothes and food items in your carry on. Just in case your luggage gets lost.

At a major marathon like the Boston Marathon you can buy anything that you forget or that the airline looses. However, it’s not a good idea to run in brand new clothes on marathon day. A smaller race, such as the Bay State Marathon, will have a smaller expo with fewer vendors. If you need to buy a complete running outfit you may not have many choices. This is just too much stress to put on yourself.

How I do it

This photo was taken the day before the Bay State Marathon in October, 2013. I was driving to this marathon. You can see my shoes in the bag on the left, the bag on the right has all of my nutritional items. I had clothes for a warm October run and items for a frigid autumn run.

My philosophy is – you can never over pack for a race. Not for a marathon anyway. I start collecting my items a few days before the race. I usually have some food items on hand. Starting early gives me time to head to the running store and get any last-minute items that I need. The last thing you want is to be up late the night before your marathon doing laundry. Start early and try to relax.

Running kit, marathon packing — Packed fours times, probably one more will do!

Active.com infographic on what runners pack when they travel to a race.

What are your must have items for a race?
Do you have any unique foods that you like pre-race or during a race?
How soon before your race do you start packing?

Run well my friends! See you in Boston!

10 Days and Counting!

I took this screen shot from the BAA’s site on April 10th.

Is anyone else getting nervous? I’ve run Boston five times and eleven marathons all together, and I still get nervous thinking about Marathon Monday.

With 10 days to go, there isn’t much left to do. I have one more long run this Sunday and then I’m in taper mode. I’ve been washing my hands so often to avoid getting sick that my hands are dried out. Between washing and doing a brake job on my car, my hands are a mess.

My advice to new runners

Don’t try to make up miles now. The taper is coming; go with it. Nothing you do now will enhance your finish time. Now is the time to be careful and don’t do anything stupid. Drink some beers, watch some TV. Do not buy new shoes or do a new workout routine. You are in a new state of mind. When you look back on this you will understand how altered you were in the days before The Marathon. Just try to enjoy it and don’t do anything stupid. Okay?

Now, be honest. How many times have you packed? Have you started looking at the long-range weather forecast? If this is your first marathon or first Boston don’t feel like you are crazy. This is a big deal and you have every right to be pre-occupied for the next 10 days.

My advice to new runners

Pack and pack and repack. It may help with the nerves. It is amazing the things you forget when you go to a race. Get as much of your stuff together this weekend as possible. If you are travelling, double-check everything two days before you zip your suite case closed. The Expo has everything and anything you would need for a race. But make sure the shoes and clothes you will wear on Marathon Monday are in your bag. You don’t need to break in a Cliff bar, but new shoes could ruin your race.

I feel like I am laser focused right now. I’m being careful. Last Tuesday night was the last time I will run in the dark until after the marathon. I’m locked on target. I know what I need to do. Training is essentially over. My primary focus for the next 10 days is staying healthy.

On the Glide Path

I feel like I have a permanent runners high: A serenity. I’ve done this before. I know what I need to do. Everything outside of The Marathon is a peripheral issue. It’s not that I don’t care about anything else. It’s just that I don’t care about anything else. I have a goal. 1 goal.

I often compare marathons to the Normandy Invasion. They take a lot of planning and work and they are not easy. It’s a big freakin deal. If you are a first time marathoner or Boston Marathon runner, lock and load my friend. You are in for the event of your life. Soak it in. Savor every moment. Boston can change your life.

Don’t do anything stupid for the next 10 days. Okay?

Runners get like this sometimes. Obsessed. No one wants to talk to us because all we want to talk about is The Race. It’s not just running that we bore our co-workers with. It’s down to a single event. God bless them.

Run well my friends! See you in Boston!

Andy

Long Run Wisdom

During our Sunday Long Run season, we get weekly words of wisdom from Jim.

Jim has been organizing our Sunday Long Runs for 10 years and does a great job. He creates the routes, organizes the volunteers and makes sure we have enough supplies for the water stops.

Today I am posting Jim’s words of wisdom for our 20-miler. Good advice for all runners who are training for a marathon or doing a very long training run.

marathon training, running, sunday long run wisdom

Continue reading “Long Run Wisdom”

Improve your form and avoid injury

Check out this article from Runner’s World titled “Fully Fit”. (broken link – sorry)

This 2011 article By Sarah Lorge Butler describes a series of whole body strengthening exercises that she learned from Olympic coach John Cook. There are a lot of exercises here and most can be done without equipment.

runner, cross training, improve your form — Photo by Embry Rucker

In the article Sarah says that she integrated some of the exercises into her training and managed a PR in the 5K. Coach Cook says that these exercises are designed to not only make you faster but also to help you avoid injury.

As I sit here writing with an ice pack on my knee, that sounds like a brilliant idea! Try going through all of them once and see which ones you struggle with the most. Those moves are hitting your weak areas where you are most likely to sustain an injury.

By carving out 10 minutes for a few of these exercises in your gym routine or after run cool down, you could prolong your running career and improve your performance.

Improve your form and improve your run.

Run well my Friends!

Andy