March 2009

It's nearing that time of year when folks start considering events for which to train. Some may be on the hunt for a 5k or 10k to walk or run. Others find ways to effectively prepare for a half or full marathon. And a few others out there see the spring and summer as a perfect time to knock out a few ultra-marathons. No matter what floats your boat, you need a vision, a plan, and a support system to put it all together. We want to help you do this.

I recently came across a photo from my first marathon and was shocked that anyone let me leave the house let alone run a race. I was living in Germany and ordered all my gear from a cheesy catalog. Apparently day-glow was still "in", or so I thought, and bright pink was going to make me run faster. Yikes - I cringe when I look at the photos. Thankfully only one snapshot exists and it's sitting at the bottom of my junk drawer at home. Nothing on You-Tube to keep me from running for mayor someday!

Anyhow, I truly had no idea what I was doing. My training consisted of a 5-mile run, which I did two or three times prior to the 26.2 mile event. Also I dressed for fashion (well...kind of), not function. And nutrition was merely a chapter in that book about running which collected dust on my shelf. But hey - I was going to run a marathon! Watch out!

I chalk up my ability to barely finish to the resilience of foolish youth - but needless to say it was a rough go at best. In the years to come I ran marathons while attending the school of hard knocks. Sure I crossed the finish line, but at the expense of using up all my sick days as I lay prone and bed-ridden while my muscles healed. Magazine articles only got me so far. It wasn't until I signed up for a training program that I started realizing how to dial it all in. I owe a lot to those folks who spoon-fed me some basic guidelines.

Now I have an opportunity to give back. Fleet Feet Sports is happy to announce the addition of two training groups this spring. One will prepare you for a 5k and the other for a 10k. We're not trying to make anyone super-speedy here, in fact we'd rather start with a group of folks who look at us like we're crazy while wondering what the heck they're doing in the first place. Our goal is to grow a community of active people. If you know someone who would benefit from such a goal then send them our way (maybe that's you!).

And remember...your pink shoes needn't match your shirt (nor your gloves, or tights, or...).

Keep on keepin' on,

tom