Notes From The Foot Whisperer - The Perfect Gifts

The hustle and bustle of holiday shopping always has a tendency to make us all a little tense about the whole shopping experience. I, for one, place a lot of pressure on picking out the right gift for Mrs. Whisperer. And to make it all a bit more on edge, she has a birthday a few days before Santa comes visiting! Then there is the family grab bag. Now, I’m totally stressed.

While on my run this past Saturday, I started trying to think of Christmas gifts for friends and family. It dawned on me that maybe there’s a better way to celebrate such a joyous event. Why not do things like make a donation to my favorite charities, or offer to help out at some charitable event. And Mrs Whisperer had the same idea. So this year, in lieu of giving our grab bag gifts, we are making donations to charities. And it looks like the whole family is on board. Oh, we’ll still make sure there’s something under the tree. But the sense of giving, is so much more fulfilling than one could ever imagine. And all towards a good cause!

Have a wonderful, stress-free Christmas! And try to offer a little something towards a good cause!

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer - Special VIP Sales!!!

The turkey is thawing out in the fridge. The cranberries and pumpkin pie have been bought. And the potatoes are ready to be mashed! All that is needed are the family members and Thanksgiving football. And lest we forget, it is a time to be thankful. I am thankful for a wonderful family with plenty of grandchildren. I am thankful for good health, and continued prosperity. I am thankful for our fine military who are always on the front lines for our freedom. And I am thankful that I have such wonderful friends and customers!

And during this time of year, we like to show our appreciation to all of our Up-N-Running friends by offering our annual Customer Appreciation Sale. For any of you who haven’t experienced the UNR Customer Appreciation Sale, you get some great deals on just about everything. The way we do it is to provide you with UNR dollars with every purchase you make between Black Friday and Christmas Eve (See the promotion). And you can redeem those dollars after Christmas. Suppose you bought a $100 pair of shoes between November 29 and December 24. You automatically get a $20.00 gift certificate from Up-N-Running redeemable between December 26, and February 15. Additionally, if you make your purchase with an American Express card on Small Business Saturday (November 30), and are registered with AMEX at Shopsmall.com between now and November 30, you get a $10.00 credit off your AMEX bill (Minimum $10.00 purchase)! That’s a $30.00 discount! And if it is a sale item, you save even more!!!

Check out the promotion. Stop by to say hi. And take advantage of our great Seasonal offer!

And everyone, have a peaceful and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer: Cold Weather is Fast Approaching.

Well, the leaves are almost all on the ground. And the days are definitely getting shorter. And although yours truly gets goofy from Seasonal Affective Disorder and cabin fever, it is a time for me to start building up my base miles for the Spring running season. I signed up for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon which takes place this May. So my training begins!

The colder season is a nice time to run, provided you have the proper gear. My cold weather training gear consists of a good cap, preferably something to cover the ears. And in winter I like to wear my “Elmer Fudd” water-proof cap with a bill and ear covering. Keeps all of the elements out! To keep my core warm and comfortable, I wear the Mizuno Breath Thermo half zip with a visible outer wind-breaking jacket. Although many people like the form-fitting running tights, I prefer the baggy wind-proof/water-proof running pant. Generally, the Asics Storm Shelter. It’s a throw back from my days running for Penn Hills High School. And it keeps a warm layer of air between my legs and the outside. Through most of the season, except the coldest days, I wear just a half cotton/half polyester official Up-N-Running glove. We’ve got plenty at the store. I like a Merino Wool crew length sock or in colder weather, the Mizuno Breath Thermo which now comes in both quarter length and crew length. And this year, I am trying something new for running shoes. Over the many years that I have run, I have always worn a regular breathable mesh running shoe (My favorite is the Saucony Power Grid Hurricane). My theory was that I needed something breathable to help the moisture evaporate as wet feet do tend to freeze quicker. This year, I am trying one of many different Gore Tex shoes. Gore Tex has the ability to filter out the water molecules from your body without allowing any moisture to get in. And although many Gore Tex running shoes have trail outsoles, I prefer the road, and so I am using the Brooks Ghost GTX. I’ll report on its effectiveness.

Okay, now that that’s done, it’s time to get my butt out the door and running!!! See you on the road or trail!


Elmer Fudd Hat


Breath Thermo Half Zip


Reflective High Visibility Outer Shell


Storm Shelter Pant


Breathable Socks


Ghost GTX Shoe

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer: Welcome Autumn and All That Comes With It!

Is it already November? Not sure whether I hate the cold more or the darkness! I swear yours truly has Seasonal Affective Disorder. But nonetheless, it’s time to put on that extra layer of apparel, get plenty of reflective and/or light-emitting items, and head out for a cool Autumn run.

Fall is a tough time to run in many respects because of the varied temperatures throughout a given week or even a day. I’ve found that the tried and true layering still seems to work the best. With that in mind, you may still want to check with Dennis Bowman on the forecast, as cold fronts blow though quickly. And, of course, make sure someone knows where you are running, and how far you are planning to run. I also like to carry my cell phone in my SpiBelt. Just in case.

To give our cold weather runners a little break (And to provide yours truly with no more excuses for not doing evening runs!), Up-N-Running has decided to change our hours , going along with the end of Daylight Savings. So starting November 4, our new hours will be Monday Through Friday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Saturday and Sunday hours will remain the same at 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Saturday. And 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM Sunday. These hours will run until we get back to Daylight Savings in March.

Don’t forget to change your clocks this weekend. And it has always been a custom in the Foot Whisperer household to change smoke alarm batteries at that time.

See you on the run!

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer: The Joys of a Half Marathon

Half marathons are such attractive races for so many reasons. Training-wise, the time put towards a full marathon versus a half marathon seems to be exponential. Race-wise, that fatigue element, normally doesn’t even come in to play when running a half marathon. I ran three full marathons before running my first Half. It just happened that way. And it was so relieving to cross the finish line, and have no lingering fatigue or achiness. And probably the neatest thing about a half marathon, is that just about anyone who runs, can run a half. And it still has the word, “marathon” attached to it.

Last Saturday, October 19, a thousand people came out to run the 8th Annual Buffalo Creek Half Marathon. What a fun time, not only for the participants. But also for the volunteers. And yours truly got to ham it up as the MC. Just standing there and witnessing some of the most inspiring people to cross the finish line, as well as some very close friends who inspire me daily. It was a privilege!

The men’s winner, Nick Eddinger, ran a masterful race, crossing the finish line with a new course record. The women’s record was also broken by Sara Raschiatore, who held the former record. Both won cash prizes as record breakers.

We were honored with a visit at the finish line by a friend of the Butler-Freeport Rails to Trails, Rick Davanzatti. Please everyone keep Rick in your prayers as he is quite ill.

The proceeds of this event all goes towards the maintenance and extension of the rails to trails. And who knows? Maybe one day, we will have a full marathon on the Butler-Freeport Rails To Trails!! And hopefully, I’ll continue to be the “Ham behind the mike!”

Happy running!

~Ed

Guest Blog - Running For Their Lives: How a personal loss inspired Joe to run the extra mile for cancer research and treatment.

I grew up in a small town in Indiana. When I was 4 years old, I met my best friend. Ben had 2 younger sisters and a few years later, his youngest sister, Abi, was born.

Abi brightened any room she was in. With a smile from ear to ear and a wonderful singing voice, she was a truly a joy to be around. She went to school to study horses, but found she missed interacting with people. She later became a greeter at Wal-Mart. Her co-workers tell stories about how she could cheer up any customer who walked in the door with just her smile and a friendly hello. She constantly went out of her way to talk with anyone and everyone who seemed to be having a bad day. She always put her own bad days aside to help those around her.

Truly, the most selfless person I ever knew.

In June of 2011, Abi went to the doctor complaining of leg pain. At first the doctor wrote it off as a lymphedema (a condition in which fluid is not carried away from a specific part of the body). She was told to find a good physical therapist and begin treatment. After working with her therapist, she was told that a CAT scan was recommended. The CAT scan revealed what we all feared, but never spoke. A tumor. After running a biopsy, we found out it was a rare (but treatable) form of sarcoma called Extraskeletal Ewing’s Sarcoma. This was a shock because that specific form of cancer was so rare and usually attacks the very young. At 21 years old, Abi took this challenge face on and was determined not to let this get her down. She literally looked death in the face and smiled.

By November of 2011, the tumor had not responded to the chemotherapy Abi's doctors had put her on. There was talk of surgery to remove the tumor. This, however, was very risky as they had no idea if the tumor was intertwined with the surrounding blood vessels of the leg. Abi smiled and reminded us all that God gave her 2 legs. Luckily, the surgery was a success and Abi was able to keep her leg.

Though it all, Abi smiled.

In February of 2012, after several months of remission, Abi was rushed to the hospital, presumably pneumonia. The scans reveal that the cancer had returned with a vengeance and had a strong hold in both of her lungs. She was put back on chemotherapy and medication to battle the blood clots associated with the infection in her lungs. It was at this time the doctors had to tell this sweet 22 year old that she was fighting a battle she could not win. Abi, with no fear and no regrets, continued living her life. Day by day. Hour by hour.

And through it all, she smiled.

In March of 2012, Abi was rushed to the hospital for what appeared to be a stroke. Scans revealed that the cancer had spread to her brain. This, in combination with the blood thinners to battle the clots, did not bode well. When she was not in the hospital for chemotherapy, she was there to have blot clots removed, and when she was not there for that, she was there to have fluid drained from her lungs. At this point, the doctors gave her a month to live.

On March 23rd, 2012, I flew back to Indiana to visit Abi and the family I had known since I was 4. For a very brief time, we were all kids again. Laughing and playing, joking and singing. It was as if time never moved.

That Sunday I flew back to Los Angeles, and the following Tuesday, I got the call. That Thursday, I was back on a plane for the funeral.

Now Abi looks down on all of us. And she is smiling.

That May, I joined Team in Training (TNT). An amazing fundraising program with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). As a participant, you train for endurance events such as marathons and triathlons, while fundraising for new research grants.

I was never a runner. At one point, I was pushing 300 pounds. Could I run a marathon? Screw it. This is for Abi.

Originally, I was signed up to run The Disneyland Half Marathon, but ended up switching to The Nike Women Full in San Francisco. This race was being held on October 14th. This would have been Abi's 23rd birthday. I could not think of a more perfect situation for my first race.

I trained hard, made so many new friends, and learned so much about myself during that time.

The day of the race came. I was as ready as I could be. I always tell people that the only way to be prepared for running a full marathon, is to have actually already ran one. I had no idea what to expect. I met so many amazing people on the race course. Cancer survivors, runners who lost loved ones, a couple who lost their baby girl, and people who just enjoy running. I felt amazing. Then, The Wall. It hit at about mile 17. Hard. I pushed with every amount of physical and mental strength I had to keep going. I found my greatest encouragement came from encouraging the other struggling runners around me (a practice I still do to this day).

On this particular race course there was an out and back with a loop around a lake. When I got to the lake, the race officials told me I had missed the cut-off and needed to skip the lake. I was devastated. Luckily, there was a TNT coach from another chapter who ran beside me. He reminded me that this was my first ever race and that to tackle a full marathon is no small feat. I had done the training. I had fundraised close to $4,000. I was running a marathon. 26.2 miles or 23.2 miles, it was still an amazing accomplishment.

I ran the race with a picture of Abi on my back, at mile 25.5, I took it off my back and ran across the finish line with Abi's picture held high above my head.

As I ran past all the spectators, teammates, and friends, I could not not help but break down into tears. Someone I grew up with and loved, was gone. And here I was doing something incredible in her honor. It was too much. Even now (one year later) as I am writing this, I have to wipe away tears. I remember people cheering, then reading the words on Abi's picture, then smiling at me. I remember my teammate and friend, JoeAnn (who had ran the half) running out to me. All the said was "Abi is right here with you and she is so proud."

As I approached the finish line, I could hear Coach Ed's advice on what do to when you cross. "Just remember to smile" With what little emotional. mental, and physical energy I had left, and I smiled.

I crossed that finish line, full of love, joy, accomplishment, and sorrow. Once it finally dawned on me what I had just done, I felt amazing. Not physically. I mean, I just ran a freaking marathon! I felt like I could do anything! Even more marathons!! I felt alive. More alive than I have ever felt before in my life. It was then that I realized, I had done something bigger than myself. I had raised money to help save lives. I had pushed myself to a level of life that would ensure I was not wasting what little time we have. I had honored Abi in a way that made her proud.

I wanted, no, NEEDED to do it again.

In November, I took a job in Vancouver, Canada. The first thing I did was find the local TNT chapter. I became a team mentor, a way for me to help others achieve that amazing feeling I felt at the end of every race.

I continued to train. From October 14th, 2012 to October 14th 2013, I have ran a total of 2 full marathons and 7 half marathons, and raised over $12,000 towards cancer reasearch and treatment.

My story does not end there. This year, I am raising money for LLS by challenging myself even further. The Disney World Goofy Challenge. There's nothing Goofy about Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge! Its 39.3 miles and two-days of pure fun and Disney magic. Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge combines Saturday's Half Marathon – over 13.1 miles with Sunday's full Marathon which covers 26.2 miles through all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks.

I chose this race because of it's difficulty. Everyday, thousands of people suffer from their battles with cancer. Compared to this,my suffering on the course(s) of The Goofy Challenge will be next to nothing.

To help me in my fight against cancer please visit my fundraising page: http://tinyurl.com/rungoofyrun

To find a local TNT chapter near you please visit: www.teamintraining.org/

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. It means so much to know that Abi's story is being shared. I know she is looking down on all of us..... and smiling.

Notes From The Foot Whisperer - Buffalo Creek Half Marathon

Hi all! Lots to catch up on. And lots of new things at Up-N-Running. As many of you know, the Eighth Annual Buffalo Creek Half Marathon will take place on Saturday, October 19. The race starts at the Winfield Township Fire Hall, and runs mostly on the Butler-Freeport Rails to Trails into Freeport. This down hill point-to-point half marathon has really taken off! And all for a good cause. The proceeds of this event help to maintain and add onto the current Butler-Freeport Rails to Trails. This year, we have a starter mat, and an additional 250 runners. As usual, yours truly will be the Master of Ceremonies, calling out as many of your names as I can when you are crossing the finish line. It is a blast! Not only for the runners. But for the volunteers as well. And although I’ll be a bit hoarse when it is over, I still get a kick out of the entire ordeal! (One of these days, I plan on running in it! Shhhh……Don’t tell the rest of the volunteers!).

In past years, we have tried to make race packet pickup as seamless as possible. And to an extent, we have done well in that effort. But to make it even easier, we plan on having early pickup on Thursday and Friday (October 17 and 18) here at Up-N-Running. It will be from 10:00 am till 7:00 pm both days. And of course, there will be refreshments and lots of pre-race deals on shoes and apparel!

And you have to see our new L.A.B. Half Marathon shirts! Lazlo will be there to greet everyone. And check out his Breast Cancer Awareness Month bandana!

See you at Buffalo Creek!

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer - Buffalo Creek Half Marathon

Hi gang! It has been a while. Yours Truly has taken some time off to get work done at the homestead. But rest assured, we are back with a full slate of goings on. First and foremost, we have the 8th Annual Buffalo Creek Half Marathon coming up October 19. If you've run on this course in the past, you'll know why people keep coming back. Last year we had registration shut down at 1000 runners. This year, we are opening it up to 1250 runners. The volunteers for this "happening" are top-notch. The scenery is beautiful right at the peak of the autumn leaf season. The course is a fantastic point-to-point mostly down hill race on primarily rails to trails. And the post-race goodies and awards should exceed last year's. And of course there will be beautifully designed fully functional commemorative tech tees. Along with finishers' medals. And new this year is a soon-to-be more scenic, less strenuous route off the trail and into Freeport! Registration is limited, and it is filling fast, so please register immediately (http://www.active.com/running/sarver-pa/8th-annual-buffalo-creek-half-marathon-2013). Or we will have printed entry brochures in the near future at Up-N-Running and many other locations.

The Saxonburg Arts Festival is always kind of a last hurrah for Summer, or a first hurrah for Fall. It has hundreds of crafters and artists booths. And lots of goodies! And it kicks off with a beautiful 5K run through the farmland and streets of Saxonburg. The race takes place on Saturday, September 7 at 8:00 AM. Entry forms can be picked up at Up-N-Running or you can sign up on RacerSignup.com. Don't miss the fun!

With Cross Country around the bend, it is a great time to head to the local park or school and watch these young athletes run the hills of Western Pennsylvania. Or better yet, sign up for a local all-comers trail race. You can't beat the cooler, drier weather. And the autumn leaves are fantastic! Lots of local road and trail races out there. Sign up for some!

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer - Buffalo Creek Half Marathon

Hi gang! It has been a while. Yours Truly has taken some time off to get work done at the homestead. But rest assured, we are back with a full slate of goings on. First and foremost, we have the 8th Annual Buffalo Creek Half Marathon coming up October 19. If you've run on this course in the past, you'll know why people keep coming back. Last year we had registration shut down at 1000 runners. This year, we are opening it up to 1250 runners. The volunteers for this "happening" are top-notch. The scenery is beautiful right at the peak of the autumn leaf season. The course is a fantastic point-to-point mostly down hill race on primarily rails to trails. And the post-race goodies and awards should exceed last year's. And of course there will be beautifully designed fully functional commemorative tech tees. Along with finishers' medals. And new this year is a soon-to-be more scenic, less strenuous route off the trail and into Freeport! Registration is limited, and it is filling fast, so please register immediately (http://www.active.com/running/sarver-pa/8th-annual-buffalo-creek-half-marathon-2013). Or we will have printed entry brochures in the near future at Up-N-Running and many other locations.

The Saxonburg Arts Festival is always kind of a last hurrah for Summer, or a first hurrah for Fall. It has hundreds of crafters and artists booths. And lots of goodies! And it kicks off with a beautiful 5K run through the farmland and streets of Saxonburg. The race takes place on Saturday, September 7 at 8:00 AM. Entry forms can be picked up at Up-N-Running or you can sign up on RacerSignup.com. Don't miss the fun!

With Cross Country around the bend, it is a great time to head to the local park or school and watch these young athletes run the hills of Western Pennsylvania. Or better yet, sign up for a local all-comers trail race. You can't beat the cooler, drier weather. And the autumn leaves are fantastic! Lots of local road and trail races out there. Sign up for some!

~Ed

Note From The Foot Whisperer - Save Glad Run Lake

Well, May is behind us and the 2013 Pittsburgh Marathon is now history. Yours truly ran two legs of the relay for my favorite charity, The Alzheimer’s Association. And now we are all in the summer race mode. There are lots of good races out there. For several years now, we’ve been putting on the Saxonburg Distance Series, a three race series of 5K’s ending in early September with the Saxonburg Festival of the Arts 5K. Check out RacerSignup.com for more information

After the Pittsburgh Marathon ends and all of the shoes and apparel are put back in their proper location at the store, I like to take a little time out to go on vacation with my family. We generally make it to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for some of the three R’s (Rest, relaxation, and running!). This morning, while taking a walk on the beach, I saw one of the wonders of nature, I witnessed an osprey (Also called the “fish hawk”) as it hovered over the water not far from where I was standing. It was looking down at a possible meal and just hovering over that portion of the ocean for a good 3 or 4 seconds. Then all of a sudden, it folded its wings, and dove, talons fist after a fish. When it came out of the water, there was a sizeable fish securely in its talons! It flew around us a couple of times, showing off its trophy before flying off to its nest. What a sight!!!

My reason for telling you all about this wasn’t apparent until I realized there are currently displaced ospreys that used to live right in our back yard. That’s right. The former Glade Run Lake was the home to several ospreys. That lake has since been drained. And the ospreys have found a new home. And our goal is to bring the lake back! It serves as the home to many forms of wildlife, such as the ospreys or passing bald eagles. We cannot allow this beautiful piece of nature to disappear. We at Up-N-Running are taking it on our own to bring attention to the Glade Run situation. And we have created the WOW 10 K (Where’s Our Water!).to get the running community involved in this worthwhile endeavor. It takes place on Saturday, July 6 at the sight of the former lake, and runs through the beautiful countryside of Butler County. Check out RacerSignup.com for more information. Help us bring back this wonderful jewel!!

~Ed

Ed's Response to the Boston Marathon Bombing

“It is very sad that our favorite sport has been brutally attacked! Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been affected by this tragedy. Running Boston, in my opinion, has always been the pinnacle goal of many American runners, including yours truly. Just like with other tragic events in this country, this incident will strengthen our resolve as runners and Americans, to defeat the evil whose attempts are to instill fear in everyone. We will not be beaten!”

Notes From The Foot Whisperer - The Wrath of Injuries

Hi all! It’s starting to sound like a broken record. But it seems yours truly is fighting through an injury…..again! I made one of those mistakes that seem to haunt us all. I decided to ramp up my mileage and tempo runs faster than my body could handle. With a pulled sacroiliac as the result. It has been a tough recovery watching all of my friends increasing their mileage, while I am basically hiking and stretching. But injuries happen.

And Spring is almost here! At least that is what the calendar says. The robins are back, albeit a little cold and upset that they can’t find worms in frozen soil. The track teams are sweeping the snow off their tracks in preparation of a new season. And I can start to see some red buds on the maples. So for all of you marathoners and half-marathoners, the runs will get easier.

Just a little note to all of the track and field people out there: These next couple of weeks are very critical to your overall efforts for a successful season. About two weeks after the season starts, we start seeing more and more athletes coming in with shin splints. Called tibial stress syndrome, shin splints are often a harbinger of things to come, if not treated immediately. They may be caused by irritated and swollen muscles from overuse, small hairline breaks in the lower leg bones, or over-stretched muscles from overpronation. And if they develop into a stress fracture, your season will end early. Be aware of the signs, a dull aching pain in the front of the lower leg. If you feel you may be developing shin splints, there are a few items and exercises that may help. Icing the leg for 20-30 minutes will help keep the swelling down. Additionally, range of motion exercises are important. And you may want to try compression socks or sleeves. We have also found that rolling a foam roller or Stick on the painful areas will help to break up any damaged tissue that builds up in the shins. And obviously, look at the shoes. If you don’t have an arch support and/or an orthotic, it may be wise to stop at your local specialty store to see if that may help.

Here’s hoping that Spring brings success in your running, and warmer brighter days!

Happy running.

~Ed

Note From The Foot Whisperer - A Runner's Best Friend

I’ve written in the past about running with Lazlo, our store mascot, Vice President of Customer Relations, and the most loveable Black Lab you’d ever meet! And he is a joy to run with, especially on the trails. I started looking into which dogs are the most suited for the long run. And I found out some interesting facts:

- For a S.U.D. (Sport Utility Dog), you can’t beat a German Short Hair! Originally bread to assist hunters, these dogs are energetic, enthusiastic, and have the stamina to run for long stretches. - For interval training, the Whippet is the champ! They are sprinters, and so you can’t take them for very long runs. But they are fantastic for speed workouts! Not as fast as a Greyhound, they still possess tons of energy! - Siberian Husky – We’ve all seen or read about the Iditarod in the Yukon. The Husky is the champion marathoner. Not only can it run for hours on end. But it can adapt to any climate. The coat insulates both in winter as well as summer. - Smooth Fox Terrier – Another dog, first bred as a hunter, has energy, speed and endurance. - Border Collie – A quick thinker, they are one of the more intelligent canines of the work dogs. Great companions, they’ll run circles around you!

It seems every time I run with Lazlo, I always have a story to tell afterwards. It wasn’t too long ago, we were running in the mountains of south central PA along the old Forbes road on a cold sub-freezing Sunday. And being a Lab, Lazlo loves to snoop around. Well, he found a nice frozen pond, where the ice was maybe 1/8 of an inch thick. Again, being a Lab, it wasn’t too long before he was playfully swimming around in bone-chilling water like it was the first day of Summer! Needless to say, he was full of ice cycles on the run back! Gotta love those dogs!

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer: Angel vs. Devil

Here I am at the computer composing my second edition of 2013. It’s mid-January, and I opened the door to let in some warm air. What??! Yep, that’s right. Springtime in January. What a fantastic day to run! And yours truly didn’t get my long run in yesterday with the run group. So I made a point of getting up extra early, putting on all of my high visibility clothing and lights, and heading out the door for a long run. In 60 degrees!

Now admittedly, I am a “Penguin” (ala John Bingham). I’m all about enjoying the run. If I can push it a bit up hills, or on a ladder training, all the better. But today was all about enjoying the run and my surroundings. At 7:00 am on a Sunday, there isn’t a car in sight. And so I had an extra bonus of being able to listen to the birds chirp, and the snow-melt swollen streams ripple. Time to get a 90 minute run in before heading to the store. An hour into my run, and I felt great! Another 20 minutes later, and I felt even better! Time to let my intuition get the best of me, and add more miles than I planned. After all, everything was fine. And I felt fantastic. That little devil was telling me to throw common sense to the wind, and continue the run. While the more rationale section of my brain said, “Whoa! No more than 10% increase in mileage per week!”

Darn! Common sense won the argument, and I retired to the showers having gotten a grand early morning workout under my belt. One of these days, I’m going to listen to that little devil!

~Ed

Notes From The Foot Whisperer - Reaching That Runner's High

Well, today I ventured into single digit temperatures to get my morning run in. And aside from the occasional stare from passers-by, I quickly placed myself in that warm, sun-filled world in my head. I don’t know for sure. But I’ve heard often times that the pace of a run can get you into a “runner’s high.” And I’ve experienced it many times while running. Although lately it hasn’t happened nearly as often.

The mind is powerful. And the power of suggestion can take you across the finish line! I know that from first hand experience. Running my first marathon seemed unapproachable. But training helps get the mind used to the miles. And on that day, all seemed well until I hit the 18-mile mark. It was then that this dependable training tool, the mind, started playing tricks on me! I remember telling myself, “18 miles! I still have 8 miles to go!” Panic mode! Somehow, I forced myself across the finish line.

Fast forward six years to marathon number two. I felt the same through every phase and every mile. Until I reached the infamous 18-mile mark. But something quite unexpected occurred. In my mind, instead of still having 8 miles to go, I only had 8 miles to go. It carried me across the finish line as if I had wings!

Let your mind work for you, not against you!

~Ed