On December 3, 2022, the city of Memphis will a bit Extra-Ordinary. This race offers multiple distances – Full and half-marathons, a 10k and a 5k. Come and join us.
We will also be doing a ZOOM training session for those who want to train for the full or the half-marathon. Stay tuned!
Mike Romans is a teacher, firefighter and a youth sports coach. When not busy adopting children, he is busy training for two Ironman 70.3’s in 2021 and even bigger plans beyond that. He is a member of Team Ordinary and currently coached by Coach Scott.
Cycling, running, swimming, racing, riding – so many decisions involved in endurance athletics. That’s just what to do for the day… then there are things like gear, nutrition, times, routines… so many things. It’s like going to Walmart with a 4-year-old during Black Friday. There are not many sane people that can keep those things straight.
Then there is a decision that I teetered on for a long time, one I am sure many of you have thought about at one time or another, perhaps reaching the same conclusion I did, or perhaps not. That decision is hiring a coach. Now, first off, this isn’t an advertisement for Scott, though I would recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone who will listen. But this is more of a ‘Don’t think like I did if you can help it” pitch. There are many reasons people don’t hire a coach. Many of those are justified, but I will do what I can to answer some of the demons that lingered in my head all too long.
“It costs so much”
Yes. As with anything in endurance sport, coaches are not free. Many of the range in price dependent on many things such as credentials, location, services provided etc. but the bottom line is, succeeding in endurance sports is anything but cheap. True, all you really NEED is a bike, trunks and a pair of shorts. BUT, with anything, typically you get what you pay for. True, there is a cost involved. But in my case, I spent more money nickel-and-diming my way into self-training, that it was CHEAPER to hire a coach. I wish I had half of the money back on things that I bought on a whim, thinking they would shave seconds or make me look better. Fact is, those things are achieved with hard work and grit.
“I can find my own program on the internet”
Yes. There are many programs out there. Many of them constructed by reliable, knowledgeable professionals geared for the common person. But where are they when you miss a day and aren’t sure what to prioritize? Where are they when you get hurt and need to make changes in your schedule and intensity to heal? Where are they when a bonehead idea for a two-hour hill climb comes into your head at the last minute and adjustments need to be made? They are nowhere, of course. They don’t know you. They don’t know your situation, your strengths and weaknesses.
Yes, you can research the different disciplines, get to know your body and adjust. You can guide yourself and complete any race distance or discipline you chose. However, many of us, myself included, get through the first race, and have new goals in mind before getting back to the car! The question is, how do I get there? That is where coaches come into play. While many programs and cookie cutter ideas can get you to it, a qualified coach will get you through it.
“I do better when I work by myself”
True. Some people enjoy the solitude of a strong workout and use it to escape away from people telling them what to do and how to do it. This is one of the reasons I gravitate toward going to a gym. I use it as a tool to get away, and for me it seems much more productive than going to the bar on a Friday night to relieve stress.
The question isn’t about having the desire to get there. The question is what to do when you are there! There is a lot to say about just going for a run, a bike ride, a swim, without looking at your watch or meter. Heck, my coach has suggested it. But when we freelance, we tend to get complacent, or worse off, too deep. Coaches provide the right mix of accountability and reality to help us keep going without going too far. I have slipped into both at times and have needed that much appreciated kick in the pants. Perhaps my two flat tires on the trainer that day was fate’s subtle message to tone it down a bit. Yes…. a flat tire on an indoor bike trainer…. twice….
There are many more reasons to investigate hiring a quality coach – comradery, advice, friendship. There is nothing more motivating for me than to see the invites on Zwift, the workouts in Training Peaks and the many messages from the group about our next adventure. True, we get many of those benefits from the group, which I have grown to NEED. However, there is just something about a coach that makes a person feel like a team. Now, I will again state that while I am writing this on Scott’s page, for Scott’s blog, this was entirely my idea to write. It is not just so Scott will give me an easier workout. I did not receive anything in return. I am simply telling my experience and decision-making process so that maybe it will help you with your own.
Good luck training!
Allison Knott is the Official Dietitian of Team Ordinary and the founder of ANEW Well Sports Nutrition.
Changes in activity level or diet can sometimes result in unintended consequences. Unlike with exercise, it’s not as easy to pinpoint when a nutrition plan isn’t meeting your needs since there are many ways symptoms of inadequate nutrition can manifest. Poor nutrition can negatively impact your workout sessions, sleep, energy levels, and total health if maintained over the long term. If you’re experiencing any of these red flags then it’s time to reevaluate how you’re eating and make changes to better meet your energy and nutrient needs.
Increasing your activity level will result in increased energy needs. If you’re not used to the increase in activity (such is often the case when starting a new training plan) then the increased hunger may feel unfamiliar. However, feeling hungry “all of the time” is a good sign that your plan isn’t working. Sometimes this is a result of nutrient composition in a meal and other times it’s a result of inadequate energy intake. If it’s inadequate energy intake that is causing the bottomless hunger then try increasing calories incrementally. If it’s meal compositions, try combining food groups to diversify nutrients and increase satiety after a meal. Think protein + fat + carbs or a combination of two or more in each meal to help fill you up and keep you full. This problem is best solved by working with a registered dietitian.
Training is hard, but it shouldn’t be impossible. Some signs of inadequate energy intake include extreme exhaustion, dizziness, feeling lightheaded, increased injuries, and more. Be sue to follow a training plan that takes your fitness level into account as it progresses and allow yourself adequate time to recover between sessions. Stay hydrated throughout the day and eat to meet your calorie needs. Meal timing can also help with ensuring adequate energy is available during a workout and can help to speed recovery after a workout.
If weight loss is your goal then rapid weight loss may sound like a great idea, however rapid weight loss is more often a red flag than it is a positive result of a new diet. Rapid weight loss (greater than 2lb per week) is typically seen on extremely low carbohydrate diets due to water loss from reduced carbohydrate intake. Other extremely low calorie diets can also result in water loss, but may also lead to muscle loss. More importantly, if weight loss is rapid then it’s likely that the diet will not be sustainable due to the extreme change to total calorie intake. Reconsider any diet that results in extreme weight loss over a short period of time.
Any time you feel out of control around food, sound the alarm. A good nutrition plan should not leave you feeling out of control, obsessed, or preoccupied. If you feel like you’re missing out on your favorite foods then you’re unlikely to maintain the diet or eating plan over the long term. Take a critical look at the why behind the feeling. Are you eating enough calories? Do you feel deprived? Are you truly hungry?
Similar to feeling out of control, diets that restrict your intake to an extreme can often result in the “cheat day” mentality. This type of approach can damage your relationship with food and may result in a binge/restrict cycle. The idea of any eating pattern is that it can be sustained and is consistent over a long period of time. Remember, cheating in any area of our life is considered a red flag, so why is the diet an exception?
Erin Shepherd is a TeamOrdinary athlete coached by Coach Scott. She is currently training for her first Ironman 70.3 in 2021.
A while back, I had some pretty bad foot pain in my heel. Like all good endurance athletes, I totally ignored it for about two weeks. I went into the doctor at last, and was told I had likely had a stress fracture in my heel. Naturally, I was pretty let down.
After over four years of running and, more recently, triathlon, I’d never had more than a sprained ankle. I was really worried how this was going to impact my fitness. Through training, I was finally gaining speed on the run and some serious strength on the bike. I raced (albeit placing last, look for my other blog post on that), and overall felt as though I was improving.
So, I did what any good athlete does and threw myself into the one discipline that I was able to do, and that was swim. I was a good little fishy, and really improved my overall strength and time in the chlorine box. I was able to get in a few more open water swims, and work on my anxiety. I worked on my nutrition skills, focused on my day job, and did my best to keep on keeping on, despite not doing the one thing I love most: the run. I have to admit, not being able to run for weeks was not fantastic on a mental level. Even though I knew I was doing well on the swim, staying fit, and working on mental aspects of the sport, it didn’t feel like enough. It didn’t feel like I was truly present in my training.
Fast forward to my follow up appointment with a different doctor, who took much more comprehensive x-rays. They determined it was not a stress fracture. The pain was caused by a bone spur which, eventually, will need to be removed but for now we can mitigate with different shoes, insoles, anti-inflammatories and stretching.
The best part? I was cleared to run and bike!
I could get back into my training routine. Oh boy did I do so! I immediately went for a run the next day, and biked that weekend. In the month since that appointment, I have been able to meet an outside distance cycling goal (40 miles) and I ran an in-person 25K trail race. My running is back to 20 miles a week (low end for me), and I’m back on the bike regularly.
Originally, this was going to be a story of how I bounced back from injury. But, upon reflection, I never really left. I did swim. I did use yoga practice. I did work on core strength. I did work on my nutrition. My training just changed a little to meet the circumstances presented. Just like when work conflicts with my training schedule, or when I travel for holidays, it doesn’t stop or bounce back. It just changes.
When you’re presented with a change, whether its family/work obligations or injury, it’s important to understand you’re not coming back from something. You’re just changing the game. Sometimes, the game goes back to normal, sometimes it doesn’t. But, at the end of the day, as long as you’re putting in the work, you’re still in the game.
Part 3
Ronald Boos is a member of Team Ordinary and the United States Marine Corps. A whiz at trivia, he can be found frequently on our Early Morning Zwift Training Rides. This is Final Part of a 3-part series. If you missed the first two, you can see Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
3 strikes, you’re out:
18 miles down, 32 to go. I find myself leaving the drop bag area refreshed, restocked and still invigorated. I pass by the Start/Finish line heading towards the southern portion of the modified out-and-back lollypop course, immediately dropping into a single-track trail through the woods. Small shoutout to the event organizers, every trail that I found myself on during the race had been cleared of leaves and debris in the weeks before the race. A small gesture, that took them a lot of time and effort, and was greatly appreciated.
The next 5 miles were downhill on technical switchback trails, with a couple of decent climbs to keep us honest. As I ran along, I had the honor of getting to know the competitors around me. I passed some, some passed me, some played accordion along the way, but we were all in the experience together and more than a few conversations passed the time and miles nicely.
As I fell back into a rhythm, I picked up a running mate that had never even completed a marathon but signed up for the full 50 miles. And some people call me crazy!
I allowed myself the time to appreciate the environment, the views, and the oddities such as the Chattanooga skyline from the ridgeline or the waterfall right beside the trail somewhere around mile 22. Technically, this is strike 3 I think, but I wouldn’t have changed enjoying the experience, no matter what the cost.
At the marathon mark there was an aid station containing some very welcome pickles, potato and bacon soup, smores, peanut butter pretzels, and some tailwind for my bottles. If you’ve never had the pleasure of coming across an Ultra aid station, it’s a sight to behold. Everything you would never expect a runner to even eat on a cheat day is available in bulk during an actual event. This is where my race day partner and I split up. I didn’t want to spend more time than necessary to load up and go, and I knew that he had his own race to run. The next aid station was just over 6 miles away, through more narrow technical terrain, with a fresh pair of shoes and socks waiting for me in my drop bag.
The wheels began to fall off somewhere around mile 30. My feet were starting to feel like I was stepping on glass with every step, as I found myself coming out of a clearing and onto the shoulder of a sweet stretch of paved, downhill, road. Ecstatic, I began to slowly run through the pain down the hill but had to slow to a walk more times than I liked. I turned at the base of the hill at the access of a trailhead and back onto trails for another mile to the aid station. I limped my way into the corral, saw my brother waiting for me, got a much needed hug, asked him to get me a couple of quesadillas from the food point (seriously, Ultra aid stations alone are worth the pain). The I went to work on fixing my feet with some KT tape and fresh footwear.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the dry, padded, shoes made me feel like I was walking on clouds compared to my trail shoes. Maybe if I had decided to change shoes at mile 18 it would have saved my race. (Strike 2.5?) I downed some food, took some for the trail, refilled my water and nutrition and continued.
I spent 8 minutes in transition and had a 4-mile loop I had to get through to make the cutoff of 9 hours and 30 minutes back at the same aid station at mile 37. I had an hour, and I was determined that the pain wouldn’t stop me.
I began the slowest 4 miles of my life. The busted knee coming back to haunt me, and feet were just absolutely done. At this point, even the fresh shoes couldn’t keep the pain at bay for more than a few hundred feet of running at a time. My mind wandered to all the downhill portions of the course that I had covered during the last 20 miles and the realization that I would have to now go up those hills on an injured carriage to the finish line.
When my watch told me that the cutoff time had passed with just over half a mile to go, I felt defeated and limped my way the rest of the distance. I came out of the woods 1/10 of a mile from the transition point to cheers and encouragement, telling me to run. Confused, I ran through the pain up to the barn, and crossed the line at 9 hours 50 minutes and 17 seconds. I didn’t know it but at some point during the day the cut off times got extended by 20 minutes, I missed the new cut off by 17 seconds. If I hadn’t felt defeated during the last half mile, I would have made it. (Strike 4, one for good measure)
I was welcomed to the line, turned down a sly offer to continue even though I missed the time. Knowing that there was no way I would make the next cutoff if I foolishly tried, I simply asked for one of the cold beers sitting there in a cooler at the line.
My limit, that day, was 37.12 miles in 9:50:17 and 7,037 ft of elevation gain. Could I have physically continued? Yes, but I would not have made the limit and kept volunteers on the course longer than necessary, possibly even sparked a search for me when I wasn’t on time. I accepted that limit, vowed to learn from my mistakes, and come back for revenge on the mountain that claimed my spirit. I’m proud of myself for knowing when enough was enough but know that there’s more in me.
37 miles in, a half marathon away.
Where do we go from here? Finding my way forward.
Lessons learned:
-Don’t start out too fast, you’ll pay for it later.
-Train for terrain, hills with pavement and developed trails are fine but if you’re going to be running a technical trail, train on technical trails.
-Pay attention when running and pick up your feet, so you don’t bust your knee.
-Pace yourself based off a plan, not those around you.
-Change shoes way earlier than you think you need to.
-Don’t give up until you’re told it’s over.
-Do an Ultra, the food stations are worth it.
Maybe don’t try to run 50 miles less than 2 months after a 50k race? (I’ll probably ignore this one though, to be honest).
Looking forward, as I said before, I’m taking the base that I gained from my year of running and leveraging it towards expanding my endeavors. Endurance doesn’t care how you’re using at as long as you are doing something. I’ve shifted gears (pun intended) to focusing on cycling this year as a new format, and plan to branch into triathlon as a discipline. My lovely wife is starting to get into endurance sports also. I’ve found that trying to be an example and encourage without being pushy is a great way to get supplemental discipline with needed motivation.
Morning training rides with Coach Scott and other Team Ordinary members have been an incredibly helpful way to balance training with my home and work life. 5 am really comes early but sweating with friends is an awesome way to start the day. Great things are in my future, keeping it fresh and adding new goals to strive for will be key in maintaining my desire. Revenge is coming, not this year because I’m trying to balance my crazy with being smart, when called for. But the next time I find myself in Tennessee, late December, standing on frost tipped grass, waiting for that starting horn, will 37 miles be all I have?
I know the answer, but I plan to find out for sure.
Part 2
Ronald Boos is a member of Team Ordinary and the United States Marine Corps. A whiz at trivia, he can be found frequently on our Early Morning Zwift Training Rides. This is Part 2 of a 3-part series. If you missed Part 1, you can see it here.
The folly of the ignorant:
The miles were ticking off one by one. I felt good, really good. I came upon the first aid station at mile 8 feeling a little cocky. I was ahead of my goal pace but figured that if I felt good it wasn’t an issue. (Strike 1).
I grabbed some orange slices, refilled my water and continued forward. At some point in this first stretch I wasn’t paying full attention while removing warming layers and I slipped on the trail, banging and cutting my knee. I’ve run through injuries small and large before, this would be no big deal. I rinsed it off and kept moving forward, a little tenderly at first but shortly after it was as if nothing happened.
I found myself keeping pace with a group of runners that had experience on this course from years prior. What I didn’t realize at the time was that they were completing the 18 mile race, not the 50, and that they were pacing themselves accordingly. (Strike 2).
Around mile 14 I started going uphill, and kept going, and kept going. After 4 miles, and 1,110ft of climbing, I came back upon the starting line, which was also the first drop bag area. I swapped my hydration bladder, grabbed my stage 2 bag of nutrition, received encouragement from my brother-in-law / last minute crew, and pushed ahead.
The New Normal
COVID has obviously thrown a shadow across sports worldwide. How does one find the motivation to train when there’s no event to train for; worse yet when faced with the disappointment of full calendars suddenly empty?
I’ve always had the luxury of training for a monster in the distance – some big scary beast that I must prepare for. When events began falling off the horizon there wasn’t anything to keep me honest with training. I try to live by the concept that when motivation fails, discipline prevails. It’s hard to use that mantra when you feel like it’s your discipline that failed you. Faced with a lack of motivation and underlying doubt of discipline, I simply stopped.
For the first time in 3 years I missed more than 2 days in a row of training, and that snowballed into over 2 months. But there was something, the Ordinary Marathon was there to get me back into the swing of things. Sure, it’s a 10-day virtual race. There’s no starting cannon or finishing arch, but there’s a midnight madness mile, and a crazy final day (for two people this year at least). I poured everything I had into ticking off the miles, determined to exact revenge for the year prior. 163 running and 116 cycling miles later I came out on top of an epic back and forth battle that relit the pilot light of my discipline.
The Ordinary Marathon, combined with the shiny new habit of cycling, kicked me out of my funk and gave me new purpose in our crazy corner of sports. After years of wanting to attempt a triathlon but not having a bike or time, a new determination, a road bike, and being furloughed left me with no excuses to not get back at it. I committed to completing a full IronMan distance triathlon in 2021, of course (see Part 1).
The monster on the horizon has been reacquired, and it’s guiding me in towards revenge.
Stay tuned for our epic conclusion…
Part 1
Ronald Boos is a member of Team Ordinary and the United States Marine Corps. A whiz at trivia, he can be found frequently on our Early Morning Zwift Training Rides. This is Part 1 of a 3-part series.
The exuberance of inexperience:
The Lookout Mountain 50-mile Ultra is a race that weaves through the trails of Lookout Mountain surrounding Covenant College. On December 21st, 2019 I woke up at 4:30am in a little hostel in Chattanooga to get ready for the biggest single physical endeavor I had ever attempted.
The athletes took the line on frosted tipped grass as the sun’s rays began to creep into the sky. Some brief announcements were made, and the countdown began. With excited anticipation hanging in the air, the starting horn sounded.
Off I went on a grand adventure. Naturally starting a little hotter than planned, up and around the college on a paved road until eventually dropping in on a single-track trail. I got my pacing under control, found my rhythm, and settled in for the long haul. I didn’t know at the time how long, or more accurately how short, that haul would be.
“Why do you do that crazy stuff?”
2019 was a year of running for me. A few months after completing a Spartan Ultra (50k) in 2018, I began a running streak of at least 1 mile every day for a month, which turned into 100 days, and then turned into a year. I have an addictive personality, and while I have kept myself away from the trappings of life that would be negative if addicted to them, I tend to get really hooked on new things very quickly.
In 2017 when I rediscovered exercise and fitness, I made a goal to do a Spartan Race in my local area. This quickly became 3 races of longer distances within a month, which led to the 50k. Noticing a trend here?
The thing is, I’ve never failed a task that I’ve put my mind to. Last year I signed up for the Marine Corps 50k in October on a whim. Then I decided to run a mountain marathon in June as part of my training. This was my first, after which my running partner and I signed up for Lookout Mountain to cap off our year. Everything was going according to plan, goals being crushed, until Lookout Mountain. It was there where I achieved my very first DNF (Did Not Finish).
I’m often asked why I complete long endurance events, always shooting for farther or harder distances and environments. My answer has always been to find out what my personal limitations are. People often joke during a hard race that they lost part of their soul on the course; I’d always joked about it myself because it’s common in a runner’s vernacular to express pain. I thought I knew what kind of pain it was referring to. More than once I found myself hobbling across a finish line completely spent. While I didn’t lose my soul on that mountain in Tennessee, I certainly left behind part of my spirit.
I lost all desire to run after what I considered at the time to be my first failure. Along with that went some of the discipline that I had built over the previous 3 years. I thought that I could take some time off, stop being so structured with my nutrition and have plenty of time to regroup and get on back on track with my training. Certainly 37 miles wasn’t the limit that I was searching for. But that was, and currently is, the high-water mark on my running career. I was certain that I’d be back in 2020 for revenge, come hell or high water. Unless of course the race got cancelled, but that would never happen. Right?
To be continued…
By Scott Riecke
Scott Riecke is a USAT Level I Certified Triathlon Coach and helps train runners and triathletes of all skill levels reach their athletic goals and beyond. If interested in a free consultation, email him at coachscott@teamordinary.com.
With a toddler in the house now approaching 2 years old, my summer training schedule had been, let’s say, “in flux.” I would carve out time to workout during her nap, and then she wouldn’t nap. Stefany might suddenly have to work late one night and instead of compiling miles on the bike or the treadmill, I would find myself on baby-duty. As a Dad, it’s all good – that comes with the territory. As an athlete, it can throw your training into a world of uncertainty, inconsistency, and perhaps even failure.
It was beginning to become a problem desperate for a solution. There was only one that I could think of… the early morning workout. It seemed to be the only way I could get some time to myself without distraction.
During an initial trial period, I would set my alarm early (maybe 5:30) and with no real plan I would just expect to get up and run or ride – whatever I felt like doing. The alarm rang, I turned it off, went back to sleep and the whole project was a big FAIL.
I had the DESIRE to get up early, but I didn’t have DISCIPLINE to follow through. I needed to tweak the plan, but maybe the first step should be… to find one.
Zwift (the virtual bike platform a lot of us use) is loaded with different training plans to help you improve power and performance. I did some research and chose one – the 6-week Beginner FTP Builder. I decided one additional way to hold myself accountable was to livestream my rides. Who knows… maybe people would want to watch a 46-year old wake up early and struggle through and hour of sweat and tears on a daily basis.
Another thought came to mind – if it helped one other person struggling through the same early morning discipline issues I was having, then it was worth it. (I feel like that’s a little cliché, but having experienced the struggle, it certainly applied).
The first day of riding I set my alarm for 5:30AM and found myself cruising Watopia (the Zwift world) just 15 minutes later. One workout down, 29 more to go. But then a funny thing happened.
My friend Ron noticed I was riding early and offered, “Hey… if you want to ride at 5AM instead of 5:45, I’d get up and ride with you.”
I’m not sure if he really thought I might say “yes.” I, myself, had never thought of asking someone to join me. Imagining that someone else might WANT to come along this early never entered my mind. In a strange way I felt honored he would ask – and the 45 extra minutes of sleep hardly weighed on my decision-making process at all. If there was someone out there who wanted to ride with me at this God-forsaken hour, then what difference was 45 minutes?
“Let’s do it,” I said.
On Week 1, Day 2, I had company on my ride. Although it takes some time to get these 46-year old muscles warmed-up, it felt great to check that “workout” box off so early in the morning. I got something done… and anything else I could do during the day was just gravy. I felt so good about it that I posted about it on social media. And wouldn’t you know… we discovered two more takers.
Todd Seiden from Florida now joins us every day and Mike Romans from North Dakota even makes it from time-to-time. (The kicker, of course, is that North Dakota is a time-zone over, so Mike is setting the alarm for THREE THIRTY in the morning to make it. We give him a pass when he misses days.) We have now almost finished Week 6, the final week of the training plan.
These rides have been a blessing for me in many more ways than I ever thought possible. My schedule is no longer in flux. Every day I have a workout planned; every day I get a workout complete. The discipline has been locked-in and consistent. Though I’d love to say that my initial plan of riding alone would have carried on throughout the full six weeks, riding with others has added an accountability system that sometimes goes through my head at 4:30 when that alarm rings. The conversation goes like this:
“You have to get up now.”
“But I’m tired.”
“You said this was your thing… you need to do the training plan.”
“Meh… I can do the workout later today. It’s not going anywhere.”
“Yeah, but Todd and Ron are waiting, and today’s workout is supposed to be difficult. You’ll look like a total wuss if you don’t show up.”
“Alright, alright, I’m going.”
These types of battles are fought often for an athlete in-training, but they aren’t only waged in the mornings. This is where some of the benefits of riding early extend well beyond my initial thoughts. Let me explain.
Stef and I were getting into a habit of opening bottles of wine at night. And if we do that, we typically finish the bottle. This means we’re going to be up later at night and I’m going to be in no condition to get up when that alarm rings.
In fact, it turns out that early morning rides are not compatible with a slew of bad habits I hardly even knew I had.
Now I can’t open that bottle of wine… gotta get up early and ride.
Now I can’t stay up late and watch ANOTHER episode of whatever Netflix series we’re binging… gotta get up early and ride.
Now I can’t order a second beer if we are out at dinner… gotta get up early and ride.
Now I can’t sit up for hours in bed surfing through nothingness on my cellphone… gotta get up early and ride.
These morning rides have been great for me for more reasons I could have ever imagined. I’ve implemented new sleep patterns, new diet approaches, and new accountability structures. It’s a discipline I hope to hold onto for the weeks, months and years to come. We’re just about finished with our 6-week training plan, but I know there will be more productive morning workouts to come.
If you are on the Zwift platform and would like to join us on our morning rides, please let us know. Follow my Zwift account – O. Rdinary Marathoner (Ordinary), and either let me know in-game you’d like to be added, or email me at coachscott@teamordinary.com
Contributed By Stu Weiner
I have never been a blogger, but I took this opportunity to contribute to the Team Ordinary blog and talk about my running experiences the last few years.
The last three years of running has had its share of ups and downs. For those who follow the Ordinary Marathoner page, you have seen the myriad of races I have run and know how I have enjoyed the challenge of several distance races.
Up until 2017, I was running two marathons a year. Unfortunately, in recent years there have been some disappointments. I could not even get to the start line in marathons in the fall of 2017, 2018, and most recently, in the spring of 2019. While disappointing to have not reached my goals of completing marathons in each New England state and getting past the 10 marathon mark, I have stayed motivated and determined to keep running. I feel that runners never “waste our training” even if we can’t achieve our goals. All the miles we log, the cross training, and everything we put in is worth the effort, as it carries on to other races whether it is one week, one month or a few months away.
Injuries – They are part of the Journey
I have had minor injuries, but I have been fortunate in that I have always had a cross training routine to keep healthy and keep the injuries limited. This has helped keep me motivated and determined. My focus is to address the injuries by not pushing myself. I prefer resting and recovering, so it doesn’t prolong the injury.
My advice to experienced and inexperienced runners… IT IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE RUNNING. It is important to add a variety of activities that add depth to your workout routine. Whether it is cycling at the gym or outside, weight training, core workouts, boot camps, and yes STRETCHING!!! All of this plays into our overall health and reduces the probability of injury. This is what has continued to keep me motivated and determined to keep running and setting new goals for myself.
2020 – The proverbial Twilight Zone
One of the odd things during the pandemic (besides the world coming to a screeching halt, the unimaginable stories of people getting sick and, even worse, seeing all the people who have died) are the empty streets. There is one main street in my small town of Stoughton, MA where I have literally seen zero traffic at 6am. At times, I have been able to run in the middle of empty streets and keep socially distant.
In the time of COVID and the pandemic, what has kept me motivated and determined has not been training for a virtual marathon. Instead it is smaller virtual races that provide support to local causes. These races include our annual Falmouth Road Race, or the Heady Trotter 4-Mile Road Race normally held in Stowe, VT, or even the run recently completed for the #Irun4movement (I Run Solo 2020), and the two fall virtual half marathons I have on my calendar.
My big running accomplishment (or shall I say my “marathon”) was running the streets of my town of Stoughton MA. ALL 533 STREETS!!! These smaller goals have kept me focused on maintaining a schedule for training which has helped me stay motivated and determined to train for a 2021 marathon. It has kept my immune system strong, kept me mentally sound, and also kept me physically strong as I have managed to go back to the gym to do some weight training.
Seeing Friends (virtually or in person)
I have seen hardly any running friends the last 7 months. I ran with a small group on the 4th of July. I try to run with one person once a week just to mix it up. Recently, I saw two friends who were running their virtual Boston Marathon and walked with a group of people helping one of our friends finish their race. It was great seeing Lorraine Fano, and Laurie Krim who I met in person for the first time on Saturday. We even got to share a socially distant beer afterwards.
However, I have really taken to running solo and have enjoyed the “me time” and not running with people (not that I am socially awkward). The “Irunsolo2020” run pretty much sums me up now, and while I probably will on occasion run with people, I am not sure it will be easy to transition back to running with groups of people on a regular basis. This includes the group runs I would do on Saturday’s with my running club.
I look forward to 2021 in that I hope to see more in-person races and see more people out running. But if I see people out running and decide not to join them, I hope they don’t take it personally. It just feels good to run solo and, more importantly, I have enjoyed not having to drive anywhere to meet people to run and not having to adjust my schedule. It has just felt great running from my house and seeing friends while I’m out running in town.
Blog Contributor Mike Romans is a Team Ordinary athlete, firefighter and role model who often rescues people… and not just from his firefighter job.
Y. The second to last letter in the alphabet, which at times has translated to my finishing position in many races. Second to last. But that’s besides the point. I do it for a reason, I do it for a cause, I do it for my “why.”
As I was studying to become a personal trainer (and by studying I mean looking for a program) I consistently saw one common question asked by many programs and personal trainers alike. “What is your why?” This caught on to me, resonated so to speak and caused me to think long and hard about why I was doing what I was doing. I looked up to several people along my journey – Jay Cutler, Kris Gethin, Triathlon Taren, Lionel Sanders among many and they all had the same idea – discover your “why.” When I have asked people to define their ‘why’, they often balk and become timid, stating that they could never find the time, energy or the whatever to do what I do. “You’re Crazy” many will state (medically, they are not wrong, however that’s for another post).
Health. Many do it for overall health. Let’s face it, we’re not getting younger. Whether we look at family history, personal vanity or just lasting longer to spend more time with our kids, health is the ultimate and main reason many begin on a fitness journey. The age old Chinese proverb “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step” rings true in many aspects of this reason. No, it is not talking about Matt Schorer’s latest training plan of a super mega hugely awesome ultra. It’s that you can’t get started if you don’t begin. Had you told me 5 years ago I would have 3 half marathons, 1 full and 4 sprint triathlons under my belt, I would have called you crazy, but here I am.
Family. As mentioned before, many people look to their family as motivation on a fitness journey. Admittingly, and as you will read, perhaps contradictory to the basis of this post, this is one of my main reasons. My son has proclaimed he will be the youngest to do the annual sprint tri I participate in. When asked what he wants for his birthday, he has stated for 3 years now “A triathlon bike!” When a member of Team Ordinary was hurt during the Ordinary Marathon, he didn’t skip a beat. He offered to run part of her remaining miles for her so that she could reach her goal. He just turned 8. If continuing to motivate him to do his best in order to combat his mental health struggles isn’t reason enough for me to continue, nothing will be. However…..
Bling. Admit it. We have all done it – booked a race (especially now with the number of virtual races going on) based on the gear or medals that go with it. I won’t say there is anything wrong with that. Heck, it motivated my other son to run a 5k with me simply because the medal was a huge golden baseball mitt. Many of these races are meant to raise money for various charities and causes, things that are near and dear to many of our hearts. Personally, I have made my own ‘logo’ and gear based on the many causes and people I think about when racing. It’s a mental thing for me. Think of those who have suffered greatly, those who have gone through pain and those who would give anything to be able to walk again let alone do what you do. It makes the pain for whatever race you are doing more bearable. My fastest 5k time to date came in a race for a fellow firefighter’s son who was diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease and needed a transplant. Rather than sport my usual gear, I wore plain shorts and our firefighter t-shirt and told him before the race “No one will cross before me, this one’s for you brother” and I wasn’t wrong. Well, not totally. Someone did, but only because he got lost on the route and just came back. LOL! Anyway, with his son in mind, I bared through the hurt, the suck and pushed through.
There are many other reasons, some personal, some practical, some cliché, as to why we do what we do. Many ask why, many wonder what the point of getting up at 3:30am on a day off to ride 5000 feet of elevation before starting a day. Fact is, there doesn’t have to be a reason. You should be the reason. If you do not do things for yourself, for what matters to you, then all the above listed reasons are for naught. We can have our goals, our dreams, our admirers or motivators, but fact is, we cannot pour from an empty cup. I have read and stated that exercise is the most under-used antidepressant and there is no convincing me otherwise. So instead of consistently searching for “The Why” maybe ask yourself, ”Why not?”
