Phedippidations

Today’s episode is the first to talk about the phenomenon of Ultra Marathons. There is obviously a lot more to this topic than I can fit in a single goofy little podcast, and as a homework assignment to you and myself, I recommend that we pick up a copy of the book “Ultra-Marathoning: The Next Challenge” by Tom Osler and Ed Dodd published by World Publications. The book appears to be out of print, but you can still pick up a few used copies over at Amazon.com. I’m intrigued about training for and running an ultra someday. This seems like a much different kind of race than I’m familiar with, and the idea of running 50 to 100 miles or kilometers seems to be an amazing test of the human spirit, and an accomplishment that: as a distance runner, I’d like to try. Human beings are evolved to be long distance runners; and an ultra-marathon seems like the natural next step progression for anyone who has conquered the marathon and is looking for a new adventure and challenge…out there, on the road. Show Links: http://www.snooth.com/wine/beni-di-batasiolo-barolo-2003/ http://www.ultramarathonrunning.com http://www.teamsweat.org/ Ultramarathoning: The Next Challenge “Still Walking” by Michael Gaither http://www.michaelgaither.com

In his essay, IS RUNNING A RELIGION, Dr. George Sheehan makes that point that running is a place, not a system of belief. Running gives us an opportunity to renew ourselves while we’re out there on the road: both psychologically and spiritually. I’ve heard that phrase before: “Running is your religion” and it makes about as much sense as the phrases “cooking is your politics” or “singing is your manifesto”. Every time you go out for a run, you are given an opportunity to commune with yourself, with your thoughts and with your God. The sins of yesterday are forgiven on the roads; that extra slice of pizza you couldn’t help inhale; the frustration turned outward anger you expressed at someone who didn’t deserve the outlash is suppressed, your soul is made calm, your body serves it’s good purpose…running takes you to a place that cannot be defined by latitude and longitude. As you run, you develop the deepest commitment; the most serious mind…your mind begins to focus on “where you are and what you are doing”. And it does you no good to visit this physical monastery only a few times in your life, or on random occasions when you have the time. You have to visit this place called “running” often; almost everyday if you can. In other words: If you want to take with you, through the course of your life, the positive benefits of our sport: you have to constantly renew yourself out there on the road. For those of us who believe in God, running is an opportunity for prayer. You don’t have to always pray in quiet places or on Holy Ground. When you’re out there, running at the perfect pace, feeling the sweat coat your body and moving with the breeze in your face…you are being the good animal you were meant to be; but more than that: you’re performing an act that your body was evolved to perform. This is the perfect place to have a conversation with God. When you run, you are acting more human; and as a homo sapian, or thinking man: you are in community both with God, the creator of heaven and earth and with nature and the universe all around you. Dr. Sheehan makes this point very clearly: Running is a place to commune with God and yourself, it’s a place for psychological and spiritual renewal. Running is NOT a religion. It is in its very essence: a place. Show Links: ** WARNING ** This episode ends with another angry (some might say “psychotic”) diatribe as I lash out against the babbling hate-speak of a self righteous bigot who has the audacity to call himself a Christian. As far as I’m concerned, Pat Robertson can go to hell. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-raushenbush/go-to-hell-pat-robertson_b_422397.htmlhttp://www.digtriad.com/news/national_world/article.aspx?storyid=135964&catid=175http://www.delawareliberal.net/2010/01/13/pat-robertson-haiti-deserved-it/ Please pray for the people of Haiti. The song “Hey Kate” by The Fire Apes http://www.myspace.com/fireapes

I know I’ve said this before, but I want you to understand that I read all of your email. This problem I have with answering email is somewhat embarrassing for me; and when I starting having these problems…I considered not saying anything about it here on the show. I thought that for me to tell you that my inbox was overflowing, and that I couldn’t possibly answer every email I received would be a fairly vain, narcissistic thing to do. But then, I realized that for me NOT to say anything about it, and still being unable to dedicate myself to the task of responding to every message sent to me: would be kind of arrogant and untruthful. My Grandmother, Helena Viola Walker, daughter of James and Mary MacDonald…taught me the importance of being truthful. It doesn’t matter if your filling out a job application, speaking with friends or typing something on Facebook…you have to be truthful; especially with friends: because they will always be able to see through you, and if you’re dishonest, few will ever trust what you say. So, the truth is that I won’t be able to answer all of your emails; I wish I could: but with only 118 or so waking hours available to me each week, minus 50 or so for work, 14 or so for producing this podcast, 5 or so for my running, another 5 to prepare for and document the results of my running, that leaves me with only 44 hours every week, or 6 hours a day to drive to and from work, cook dinner, walk the dog, spend time with my family…look, you get the idea because you’re in the same situation…and you probably have even less time each week to fit in the things you wish you could make a priority. So, when an opportunity arises for me to multitask, to perform more than one activity at the same time: such as producing a podcast and answering email as I’m out there getting my run in…I am going to get it done…because it’s not so much how much time we have to do the things we want to do, it’s how we use it. Show Links:http://www.amilewith.me.ukhttp://shadowcasts.blogspot.comhttp://twitter.com/snowshadowhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/humanspark “A Little Time” by Amy Ayres http://www.myspace.com/amyayresmusic

This episode begins with another ice cold swim in Boston Harbor with friends, and a stated theory that will become my “law of thermodynamic refreshment”. Because athletes prefer to run distance races in more comfortable temperatures; the Spring and Fall are often preferred seasons for marathons. Today, in January, we’re getting a couple of inches of snow, and the air temperature wind chill is 10 degrees below zero F, or minutes 23 degrees C; making it a bad day to schedule 114th running of the Boston Marathon or any other 26.2 mile road race. But come Spring, when the flora and fauna of the Northern Hemisphere begins again to flourish: marathoners around the world will toe the line at their races and run in relative comfort, for the most part. Today I want to list for some of the Spring Marathons, scheduled for the spring time: and while this will not be an all inclusive list, it should give you some ideas for races you might want to run as the March equinox draws nigh. Show Links:L Street Brownie Don Bravo:http://www.wickedlocal.com/allston/local_news/x2072785598http://www.wickedlocal.com/allston/fun/entertainment/arts/x668809333 http://www.marathonguide.comhttp://www.bataanmarch.comhttp://www.npmarathon.comhttp://www.comrades.comhttp://www.olimpo.cl “Tickle Cove Pond” by Great Big Sea http://www.greatbigsea.com

This is my first podcast episode of 2010, and my second episode regarding my intentions for running a sub Four Hour Marathon in the Autumn of this year. Endurance training and Aerobic development are critical elements in good marathon training program. You have to put in the time without worried about the mileage, and you have to develop a base from which to launch yourself at your goal. This is the year I’m going to break 4 hours in a marathon NOT because I’ll be physically fit to do so, but because I’ll have trained carefully, with patience and dedication: when my friend John Ellis tells me to go out and run for an hour up and down the hills of Oxford: I’ll do it…I may not enjoy it at first but once I’ve got a good and healthy base, once my endurance is up to the point where running 26.2 miles non-stop isn’t such a big deal anymore: I can work on my stamina and then go into a taper period in preparation for the day that I’ll run a marathon in 3 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds; or less. Show Links:http://burning2010.comhttp://science2health.orghttp://www.teampointtwo.comhttp://10in10challenge.blogspot.com “Run Away” by Natalie Brown http://www.natalie-brown.com

Personally, I’ve never really needed the changing of the calendar year as a reason to set and keep a resolution: so any promises I’m going to make are probably a continuation of what I’ve been working towards for the past few years; although I do have a few running-specific resolutions that I’ve set and intend to see through.2009 is finally over and 2010 is upon us. The phrase “Out with the old, in with the new” creates images of hope for a new year, where war and violence come to an end, where the hungry are fed, the sick are healed and the global economic crisis is resolved. Albert Einstein said it best when he said “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow”. The New Year gives us all a clean slate from which to re-create parts of our live for all the roles we play in life. Here’s a wish that the runners in us, have an injury free, PR setting 2010, and that we all enjoy the happiness of a year in motion.Happy New Year. Show Links:http://burning2010.com“Maybe You Should Drive” by Craig Cardiff http://www.craigcardiff.com

In the spirit of all those old cheesy classic television holiday variety show specials by the Osmond Brothers, Bob Hope, Donny and Marie, and the Smothers Brothers: I present for you my first Holiday PodCast Variety Show Special complete with special guests, a musical act, and comedy sketches created to make your season merry and bright. I don’t expect this episode to become a holiday classic, but it will keep you company as you get a long run in on a cold winters day! Special appearances by: John Michael Walker, Terry Higgins, Gabby Sherman, Steve Chopper, Kevin Gwin, Toni Harvey, Adam Tinkoff, Mat Chasey, Nic Wong, Dan Medeiros, John Ellis, Joe Steindl, Lynn Runner, and Gordon Scott. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from my home to yours! Show Links: “Jingle Bells” by Skid Row http://www.skidrow.com (made available by the Podsafe Music Network) “Joy to the World” by Hairy Larry http://deltaboogie.com “Joy to the World” by Two Harps http://twoharps.yolasite.com And a special gift to all by Gordon Scott: http://www.tiree.blogspot.com

Browning Ross was a talented runner, coach, spokesman, leader and proponent of distance running; at a time when there weren’t too many runners in the world who could actually finish a marathon. It was through his hard work and passion, that road races in the United States are so popular today. He made it his mission to spread the word about long distance running, and create the buzz which would lead to the Great Running Boom of the 1970’s. Also, rest in peace Larry “Legend” Olsen: coach, leader, mentor, and fellow runner. Show Links: http://www.rrcahistory.org/longdistancelog.html Please support Sharon’s run to fight blood cancer: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/napa10/skoontz http://thedevotedrunner.blogspot.com http://www.catholiclab.net http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=18305 Larry’s last race: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Nov26_21stAn_set1.shtml http://runnetcommunity.org “Go the Distance” by Danny the Multitracker (aka Danny Fong) from Ontario, Canada.

Running a race with a friend is always a good thing because the friendly rivalry will tend to push you past your own comfortable limits. When I first started running back in December of 1998, I would run every day with a good friend at work; and we would push each other to finish as fast and as strong as we possibly could. I averaged a 9:10 pace back in those days for my daily and long runs…guess what that pace run over 26.2 miles would get me? If I had run the race on my own today, I most certainly wouldn’t have pushed myself too hard: I’m still weeks away from the start of my Spring marathon training, and I just had no reason to push myself too hard, risking possible injury. I had a lot to be thankful for on this day of Thanksgiving; I had my family, my job, my health, and an ankle that was strong enough to let me run a road race. I had the gift of an entry into Boston, and a good training plan to get me there, with that goal of a sub 4 hour race in the new year not too hard to belive. And today; I was thankful that my friend Joe challenged me in this 5 mile road race; pushing me to do my best and making me feel like I really might be; once again: Steve Runner. Show Links:http://bluedawgsrunning.blogspot.com/http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Nov26_21stAn_set1.shtmlhttp://runnetcommunity.org“Changed” by Stray Palace (Paul Durham, Deej Hofer and Paul Bohak) http://straypalace.com

When you inspire someone to take to the road, to join us as runners: you are filling them with the same passion that you have for this sport, you are influencing their behavior by showing them what it means to live this lifestyle. It’s not about looking thin and healthy; although that is a cool consequence of running: it’s feeling good, having a sense of pride in being able to run for a certain distance: and if you can inspire even just one other human being to lace up their shoes and become a runner: you will have made the world just a little bit better than before they did; and like a healthy infection: that person you inspired might go on to inspire someone else, maybe a few people…and they’ll inspire others, and so on, and so forth until we have this exponential growth in the number of fellow runners AND, more importantly: healthy people who are living their lives to the top and living with a better quality of life than they did before you inspired them to run. Show Links:http://www.teampointtwo.comhttp://www.duffrunner.blogspot.comhttp://www.lachaineguitare.comhttp://runnetcommunity.org “My Generation” by The Who (presented podsafe by http://www.razorandtie.com)