To Excel In Life...Run!

Shoe Review: New Balance Vongo June 25, 2016 by Brian J. Siddons      For those of us that have spent decades enjoying the passion of running, it's a blessing to have a training shoe that remains fairly constant over a period of years. Sure, tweaks happen, but a shoe that provides the basics for training and racing and is off the radar in regards to running ailments is a gold medal winner in my log book. There are plenty of non-shoe, running-related issues to worry about for those of us over 50, and shoes, while still a joy to take out on a maiden voyage, are something I prefer to keep status quo.      Don't get me wrong, I enjoy trying on a few different styles at my local running shoe stores when it's time to replace a pair and the urge for a new model rises up, although I continue to slip back into a proven shoe for me...albeit a new colorway or with slight upgrades to 'this years model'. And, I love reading about the younger runners'

     Admit it, you love walking into work knowing your morning run mileage is more than 95% of your network will run in a week. You stay humble, because you also know your running can be knocked back with the simple twist of a knee or the hyper-extension of a hamstring.      At this time of year, as dawn breaks a few minutes earlier each morning, and the sun lingers longer in the evening sky, we are anxious for the days of shirts and shorts as our only running gear, and  yet we are melancholy as we peel off the winter hat, tights and windbreaker for what may be the last run in our arsenal of layered, cold weather, tech gear running.      It isn't that we're going to miss the extra fifteen minutes of gearing up for a six mile run, or doing loads of laundry each week, or trying to remember to keep enough batteries stocked for our headlamps. What we will miss most is sharing the roads and trails with just the few other hardy souls that braved the dark side of the calendar. Wal

Spring Marathoner Runners - Top Ten Training and Race Day Do's and Don'ts It's that time of year again! Soon, the crowds will be massed and the voices will be cheering! No, I'm not talking about the next Presidential primary, this is something much more intense! It's spring marathon season! As we emerge from our winter slumber of lumbering miles and bouts with cold weather, head colds and, well, just way too much cold stuff, spring is here and we are dreaming of that one line that reels us back every time we step over it: The finish line! Parks are now being populated with runners, walkers, hikers and bikers that have dug out shoes and sprockets. Asphalt trails are filled and flowing like the avian flyways of Nebraska's wetlands. People are out and runners are gobbling up the miles, gearing their training for what may be their very first marathon, or one in a string of 26.2 jaunts that may date back years, if not decades. As the excitement builds

At my age, running is measured in decades, so I've got that going for me. Setbacks that last a few weeks, or a couple of months, don't cripple a competitive season for me as it would a younger runner. Seasons are measured in years, not weeks or months. The cumulative effect of training from year to year is my friend, and I've embraced the fact that life throws curves, sliders and knuckle balls just when you're feeling the groove and crushing down-the-pipe fastballs. It's not that things get in the way of running, there's always time for a few miles each day. My heart is comforted knowing that the ups and downs of training are as natural as the hills we encounter on our favorite trail run. Last year was a great example. It started with a nice base that culminated with a 15k trail race in early spring. Late spring brought on tempo, speedwork and endurance runs, geared toward racing some shorter distances. My brother, Al, finally got me into a couple of track