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Former Preds’ coach gives hope to other Parkinson’s patients
From WKRN News 2 in Nashville: This is INCREDIBLE! An absolute MUST SEE!!! Former Nashville Predators Associate Coach Brent Peterson has been undergoing a series of treatments for Parkinson’s disease known as Deep Brain Stimulation. The results in this video are jaw dropping. Worth waiting through the Ad at the beginning. Trust me.
(Source: http://www.wkrn.com/)
Yesterday I was officially accepted into Marathon Maniacs as member number 4778. My “bronze” level qualification came from completing 3 marathons in 90 days. I wanted to be able to qualify from the first time I heard about this group, and am excited to now be a part of it.
Yesterday, Competitor.com posted preview pictures of the Saucony Kinvara 3 which is set to launch sometime in 2012. Over the past 2 years, the Saucony Kinvara has become my go-to shoe for races of all distances, speedwork, tempo runs, and some normal training runs. I was very pleased that there was very little change between the Kinvara 1 and Kinvara 2, and that nothing was altered in the sole or midsole.
Well, it looks like that is not going to be the case with the Kinvara 3. From the pictures below It appears the support structure of the upper has been extensively modified:
It is also obvious that the sole design has been altered, especially in the heel and midfoot areas. It is interesting that the rubber is now only on the outside of the heel, with EVA foam everywhere else. Looks like the forefoot is relatively similar to the previous models.
Here’s hoping that these changes are an actual improvement, and do not negatively affect the fit, weight, or ride of the earlier models.
What do you think of the new design?
My thoughts on the 35th annual Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL
Rocket City Marathon
December 10, 2011
www.runrocketcity.com
My Run: Overall, the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville was my tenth full marathon completed. I decided to run this race for three reasons: (1) The close proximity to Nashville (2) We have very dear friends that live in Huntsville (3) Recommendations from running friends who spoke very highly of the organization and the small field.
I have been very public about my “Quest for 3:15” this year, but my expectations coming into Rocket City were somewhat muted due to an inconsistent training schedule since completing the Bank of American Chicago Marathon in early October.
There are several reasons for this inconsistency in training:
- In October and November I competed in 5 races…*Shelby Bottoms Boogie 15k – Oct 2
*Bank of American Chicago Marathon – Oct 10
*Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon – Oct 16
*196-Mile Ragnar Relay – Nov 4-5
*Boulevard Bolt 5-Miler – Nov 24 - I missed 5 days of training from being sick, and it took another 5 days to get my energy back once I was able to run again. Due to fatigue from racing, and from getting sick, I was not able to get in a 20-mile run until 2-weeks before race day. I had originally planned on doing one 20-miler and one 22-miler before Rocket City.
- Just as I was getting over being sick I hurt my back (re-aggravated an old injury). This did not prevent me from running, but did impact the quality of my runs for several days.
After failing to make 3:15 at Chicago because of unexpectedly hot conditions (finished with 3:22), I had put my hopes on Rocket City thinking the smaller field and cooler temps would be conducive to faster times. But…with about a week to go before the race, I was really feeling like 3:15 was not going to be a realistic goal. However, several of my running friends convinced me that I had enough of a base built up after a year of consistent training to at least give it a shot. With this in mind I made the decision just before the race that if weather conditions were favorable I was going to go for it.
On race morning it was cloudy with temps in the low 30s and a 10 to 15mph wind which made it feel rather crisp. The sun came out around mile 10 and the temps at the finish were close to 40. I would have preferred slightly warmer conditions, but this was awesome compared to Chicago. Even with the cold conditions I still went with a sleeveless shirt and shorts (with arm warmers, gloves, and a beanie), and actually felt quite comfortable for most of the race.
Black Friday Shopping Prank! Must Watch —> Hysterical!
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
http://www.hulu.com/embed/OOXgq0YuTBXWf7Scv-l0Cw
“Spirit of the Marathon” – Full Length Movie – Even with ads, it is pretty cool that this awesome documentary is available in its entirety on Hulu for online viewing. If you are a runner and have never seen this, it is an absolute MUST WATCH!! If you are not a runner or marathoner, this might provide a little insight into the mindset of those of us who are. It gets to me every time I watch it.
Official Description – Spirit of the Marathon is the first film to capture the passion, drama and essence of the famed 26.2-mile Chicago Marathon. Intimate, fascinating portraits of six runners from all walks of life unfold as the film follows seasoned athletes and amateurs alike in their preparation for the big race. See why the Los Angeles Times said “Even if you’ve never run for anything but a bus, you’ll… get swept up in this movie’s inspiring journey.”
(Source: http://www.hulu.com/)
Quest for 3:15 – It will be chilly, but otherwise a good-looking forecast for the Rocket City Marathon on Saturday.
My training log posts for the Rocket City Marathon (December 10) have been few and far between, and my training in general has been less than ideal. There are several reasons for this:
- In October and November I have competed in 5 races…
*Shelby Bottoms Boogie 15k – Oct 2
*Bank of American Chicago Marathon – Oct 10
*Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon – Oct 16
*196-Mile Ragnar Relay – Nov 4-5
*Boulevard Bolt 5-Miler – Nov 24While all of these races have gone pretty well, they have left me tired, and not allowed for a normal training schedule for Rocket City
- I missed 5 days of training due to being sick, and it took another 5 days to get my energy back once I was able to run again. Due to fatigue from racing, and from getting sick, I was not able to get in a 20-mile run until last Saturday which is only 2-weeks from race day (That 20-miler felt pretty good though). I had originally planned on doing one 20-miler and one 22-miler before Rocket City. I have also been very limited in my ability to get in good tempo or track workouts.
- Just as I was getting over being sick I hurt my back (re-aggravated an old injury). This did not prevent me from running, but did impact the quality of my runs for several days.
So….all of this has added up to me not feeling like 3:15 is going to be a realistic goal for Rocket City. On our 9-mile tempo run today, 7:30 pace felt pretty fast. I’m not really expecting that between now and next Saturday 7:26 is magically going to feel great again.
Even though I think it is a long shot, I’m not going to make my final decision about whether or not to go for it until closer to game time. This race does have a 3:15 pace group, so that does have me thinking about going for it anyway. Is this crazy?
