With all of the major triathlons finished for the year, now is the perfect time to put in a run focused block. The shorter, colder days are less amenable to biking making for a natural transition into running. Too many triathletes place the bulk of their training emphasis on the bike and obtaining … [Read more...]
How Should I Approach the End of the Season? (via Fast at Forty)
Get loose this off season+ACE-The end of the season is an interesting time and is approached by athletes in many different ways. No matter what, though, it is a time to rest and relax. At least a little bit. With so many races spread throughout the entire year, it is very easy to become a 12-month … [Read more...]
Joanna Zeiger’s Kona Chronicles: Part 5
And they're off+ACE-Ironman is not a spectator sport. I know I am stating the obvious, but, wow, it just isn't. Like many sports events, it is the palpable excitement of being there that draws people in, even when such an event is better watched on TV. The most action was in the first 90 minutes where … [Read more...]
Kona Chronicles: Part 3
Kona is a vortex+ADs or, perhaps, its vacation in general. My awake hours account for about 18 hours of each day in which I have been spending 90 minutes exercising and 2 hours working. I have not seen a TV, read a newspaper, browsed the internet, done housework, taken care of the dog or cooked a meal. … [Read more...]
Kona Chronicles: Part 1
I arrived in darkness. I sit here typing, overlooking the vast expanse of Kona sprawled out below, also in darkness. There is a certain sameness about it+ADs the yellow lights, the impossible stillness, the fact that I cannot sleep past 3am every time I come here. The Big Island, with all of its … [Read more...]
Twin Cities Marathon: Race Report
This is me at IM Arizona after getting a flat while winning the race.Sport is difficult+ADs it requires time, patience, a strong mind, and a sense of humor. The greatest challenge in sport comes from the fickleness that accompanies it, the fact that in a mere moment things can drastically change from … [Read more...]
Do Professional Runners Matter?
Last week the Competitor Group announced their plan to drop their elite athlete program at all of their races, including the wildly popular Rock n+ACY-rsquo+ADs Roll run series. They felt that the cost of continuing this program outweighed the benefit of bringing in top level athletes to their races. This … [Read more...]
Joanna Zeiger - Denver Double Road Race: Race Report
I never thought that running a 10k and 5k on the same day at altitude separated by an hour was a good idea. But, in the spirit of team cohesion and never one to shy away from an interesting challenge, I signed up for the Denver Double Road Race with trepidation+ADs I+ACY-rsquo+ADs-m no fool, these events are … [Read more...]
Are you mentally tough?
What is mental toughness? This concept is bandied about in the sports world, often used recklessly. Is it mentally tough to forge through a race injured, bleeding or puking? Or, is it mentally tough to train while sick or when the weather is shitty? Perhaps this is merely bad decision making, … [Read more...]
USA Half Marathon Race Report: More on Pacing
When people asked me which race I was doing yesterday in Duluth, the full or half marathon, competitors and non-competitor alike gave me a look when I told them I was running just the half. It can only be described as a look of reproach. A look that meant, +ACY-lsquo+ADs-oh, poor you, you must not be tough … [Read more...]