Fitness resolutions are part of the holiday tradition.  They are easily abandoned, if you don’t have a goal.  The Mini-Marathon offers the incentive to start a training program and then stick with it.

I don’t run because I love it.  I do like getting outside and challenging myself.  But, I run because I eat.  I allow myself a little more freedom to enjoy some treats because I plan to burn it off over the following days.  (Rationalizing is a wonderful thing!)

Knowing that every year brings new participants to the Mini, we’re resuming my Mini-Marathon training blog.  Entry #1 offers training resolutions from Heather Fink, a tremendous athlete, a registered dietitian, and the Assistant Director for Educational Services at NIFS.

Heather says:

1.) Start training in January – many people start their training for the Mini in March, once the weather begins to improve in central Indiana. However, if you wait until March, then you only have 6-8 weeks to train which is not enough time to train properly for a half marathon. I recommend at least 14 weeks of training to allow for a slow progression of long run/walks, as well as several recovery weeks throughout the training.

2.) Be consistent with your training – While individuals may have good intentions about starting their training early in January, if they are not consistent with their training on a weekly basis, then they will not be fully prepared for the race. By starting early, and being diligent with your training, you will perform better, feel better and stay safe during the Mini Marathon.

3.) Have FUN!! – Oftentimes, runners/walkers will feel like their training has become a part-time (for some, a second full-time!) job. Remember that exercise is meant to be part of your recreation time, thus it is supposed to be fun!  Enjoy the whole experience – the long walks/runs, determining your race day nutrition plan, selecting the best clothes for race day, battling the elements (weather), etc. Everyone will have ups and downs during their training, but overall, choose to make it a fantastic experience!

If you’re ready to start now, local race organizers have a couple of opportunities for you: the Race to the New Year and the Resolution Revolution.

I’ll present other training advice of my own — or suggestions from people such as Heather — between now and the day of the Mini.  If you don’t have access to an expert, feel free to send me questions and I’ll get some answers for you.

The 500 Festival just sent a press release declaring the 2010 Mini-Marathon is a sell-out.  Not only that, it’s described as the 9th consecutive sell-out.

“Each year we strive to continually improve the overall participant experience at the Mini-Marathon and 5K, and we believe this is why the event continues to be a success,” said Kirk Hendrix, President and CEO of the 500 Festival. 

The release also says race organizers will allow registration transfers for the race beginning January 11, 2010.  Rules and regulations will be posted to www.500festival.com at that time.

The 500 Festival Committee made a change in the 5K race that’s part of Mini-Marathon weekend.  The 2010 running of the 5K will be earlier than usual. 

Today,  the committee said the shorter race will begin at 7 o’clock on race morning – rather than 8:15 that morning as has been the tradition.  

In it’s press release, the committee said participants “in the 5K will have the course entirely to themselves at the start and will be able to make it through the finish line area without backups.  The change also allows volunteers to direct all of their efforts to their specific event.”

The 5K uses the same start and finish lines as the Mini.  The committee says the change will make the day better for people in both events.

The start time for the Mini-Marathon will remain at 7:30 a.m.

If you’re thinking about running the Mini-Marathon, next year, it’s time to make a decision.  The 500 Festival says the field “is now 95% full.  Fewer than 2,000 spots are available.”    

Based on current entries, the race will have runners and walkers “from 49 states and 8 countries.”

The 500 Festival sent a press release, this morning, reminding runners and walkers of its “Early Bird Special.”  That’s a lower price for entering the Mini-Marathon before the end of this month.  Here’s part of the message:

The early registration fee of $50 is set to expire on November 30.  From December 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010, registration reverts back to the regular $70. Registration will close on January 31, 2010 or the date the maximum field of 35,000 participants is reached.”

As further encouragement, the Festival office reminds all of us: the race has sold out the last eight years.

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.