Thank you to everyone who read this Mini-Marathon blog.  I hope you enjoyed the race.  I suspect we’ll resume these entries as we enter the training season, next year.  However, if you have running questions between now and then, I’d be glad to check with my sources to help you find answers. 

Happy running!

Reviewing yesterday’s post reminded me of something else.  If you’ve never run the Mini, the water stations can be daunting.  Arms tend to jab in all around you — grabbing for cups of water as if there will be no more.  Don’t worry.  Race organizers have more than enough water to get you through the race.  Even if you miss a water station, there’s another one around the bend.

Here’s the tip: runners tend to crowd around the front end of the water station.  Try going around the crowd.  Go to the second or third table at each station and you’re likely to find volunteers with cups in hand — no waiting.

Now, here’s a look at some of the final advice NIFS offered to its runners and walkers this week.  It gets easier as race day approaches:

   Make time to go to packet pick-up and the expo downtown at the Convention Center on Thursday (4pm-8pm) or Friday (10am-9pm) – there is NO race day packet pick-up! Heather Fink will be talking about race day nutrition at 12:00pm at the expo. It would be great to see some friendly faces in the crowd! 

This week’s long mileage:

Moderate Mileage: 3 miles

High Mileage: 3 miles

Months of training will be put to the test on Saturday morning.  Finding a place to park may be one of the first challenges of the day.  It’s a good idea to have a couple of options in mind before you leave.  That’s also one reason the training programs encourage you to leave early.  It’s not unusual for people to walk blocks — if not a mile or two — to get from their cars to the starting line.  That’s  not a bad warm-up, I suppose.  To me, a little walk is preferable to all the running the fast people do before the race even starts!  I’d rather save my energy for the race itself.

Now, here are some training concepts from Ken Long and Associates and the “Bricks to Bricks” program. 

Running or walking in large crowds can be fun and exciting when prepared properly.

Being unprepared can cause frustration, anger, and cause one to self-destruct.

POSITIVE

 1.     You can pull off energy from others in the area.

2.      You can continue to get excitement and encouragement from others.

3.      You can use crowds to block wind and get some warmth.

4.      Encouraging others can develop positive emotions within your own psyche.

5.      See others going through what you are going through helps to relieve some of your discomfort.

6.      Usually, there are others that you are passing, thus you realize your progress.

REMINDERS

1.__ Know that large crowds will cause problems – expect this and be ready.

2.__ Be patient, it’s a long way.

3.__ Concentrate, be alert, be ready to react.

4.__ Plan ahead for turns, passing and water stations.

5.__ Line up so as to match your pace.

6.__ No zig-zags or quick stops and starts.

7.__ Do not yell or scream for this uses energy and distracts you.

8.__ Be ready to defend your space, but do not start problems.

9.__ Again, focus on the race and the other participants.

10._ Be a mile ahead with your thinking!  To not know what could happen ahead is being unprepared.

ETIQUETTE

1.__ Be courteous to others and let them through.

2.__ Do not form a large group of your own which will obstruct others.

3.__ Thank the volunteers and police officers as well as others helping with the race.

4.__ Defend your space with thoughtfulness of others.

5.__ Use the crowd – don’t abuse.

6.__ Everyone has the same rights as you, so share.

7.__ Cutting courses is one of the greatest abuses of etiquette.

8.__ If you are going to slow down, get out of the way of those behind you, if possible.

9.__ Take water / sports drinks and move out of the way to drink.

10._ Conduct yourself in ways that you would like to be treated.

A few days ago, I posted an item about Medals4Mettle and its plan to distribute medals in London — in coordination with the London Marathon.  Tonight on our 10 and 11 o’clock newscasts, I offer more of an explanation of Medals4Mettle.

If you haven’t seen the story, here are the basics.  Medals4Mettle is an organization that collects race medals.  Finishers at the Mini-Marathon may donate their medals, next Saturday.  Participants in some of the country’s biggest races will offer their medals in the hope that they’ll inspire a hospital patient, somewhere.  With chapters in 27 states and several countries, Medals4Mettle is able to reach a lot of people.

The founder, Dr. Steven Isenberg, says most of the recipients are children. ” But, we still have a lot of adults that get medals,” he says.  Runners are also allowed to donate their medals to a specific patient.  Isenberg says those designated medals often come with stories from the donors — “just amazing stories of what people have gone through and are willing to give up to support somebody else.

Medals4Mettle will have a tent in the Rest and Recovery area after the Mini.  But, don’t be surprised, if a volunteer finds you in the crowd.  That’s how I learned about it, last year.  I supported the program then and I will do so again, next Saturday.

Training for the Mini keeps us outside — for a long time on some days.  So, we should appreciate efforts to fight air pollution.  The Sierra Club has some ideas that might help us get in shape in an environmentally-friendly way.

Here’s a little history lesson associated with the Boston Marathon.  I found it yesterday — race day.  I just wasn’t here to post it.

Here’s what NIFS is telling its runners and walkers, this week:

Warmer weather is coming! If you have been training on a treadmill indoors throughout the week, take this opportunity to do your walks and runs outside for the remainder of the program. You need to let your body adjust to warmer, more humid conditions. Work on your hydration and test out various items of clothing to get ready for the big race on May 2 or May 16!

Training/Nutrition Tips, including our snacks for the week!

 We are now counting down the days – only 11 days left until the Mini Marathon!! Things to think about in the next two weeks:

This week’s long mileage:Fitness Walking: 50 minutes*

A local doctor, Steve Isenberg, sees a parallel between the challenges runners face and the challenges his patients face.  That led to the creation of a program called Medals4Mettle.  The program collects race medals.  Runners and walkers donate them — rather than tucking them into a drawer where they’re not seen or appreciated again.  Medals4Mettle gives the medals to people in hospitals in recognition of their race against serious illness. 

Dr. Isenberg is getting ready for an excursion to England.  He’ll run in the London Marathon, next weekend.  But, he’s already shipped 50 pounds of medals ahead of him.  He expects to distribute them at the Children’s Hospital in London.  Some are medals donated by participants in the Mini-Marathon.  But, Isenberg says there are “certain ones that are kind of geared towards kids”.  Those are medals donated by participants in the Disney Marathon.  Glittering gold images of Goofy, Mickey, or other Disney characters.  Dr. Isenberg says, to the kids, those “really are special.”

Maybe you need a mission for your a weekend run.  Consider this from Indianapolis firefighter Sue Sheperd.  She’s in charge of the “Courage and Valor 5K Run/Walk” for the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference that’s coming to Indianapolis. 

She says the Courage and Valor Foundation:

“was established after the September 11th terrorist attacks in honor of FDNY Deputy Chief Ray Downey, who lost his life that day while commanding rescue operations.  He was a decorated and experienced chief, whose dedication and passion for his profession exemplified courage and valor.  Each year since 2002 at FDIC, there is a Courage and Valor Award given to a fire fighter who demonstrated extraordinary courage in a rescue situation.  The award is monetary and it is given to that fire fighter OR to his or her family in the event that the rescuer died in their tremendous efforts to save another.  It is a VERY touching ceremony.  The money that we raise from the 5K run will go towards funding that award.”

This is the second year for the event.  So, it’s still new to the local racing calendar.  Here’s a link for more information.

If you’re training for the Mini and you think a 5K us too short, do that run and then create your own route through downtown afterwards.  We have plenty of scenic options! 

Scientific American has a new podcast that may help us appreciate our sports drinks a little more.  Here’s a link.