Running with Purpose

I started running in high school, many years ago, and at first it was simply to get into shape so that I could play field hockey.  I was a very overweight middle-schooler, and I had to do something if I wanted to play a sport.  In the off season, I decided to run indoor track, again, to keep in shape for field hockey.  I decided on the two-mile race, so clearly distance was ingrained in me from the start.  By the way, the indoor two-mile race is terrible, because indoor tracks are so small, and there are so many laps!  I guess you could say I trained for my race at practice, but really I just ran a lot.  I ran a   good pace at my first track meet, but I never really got better.  What I'm doing now, this is training.  This is running with goal in mind, specific skills to work on to help me improve,  and a clear purpose for making such a big commitment.

With Rick after finishing the 2014 Boston Mararhon

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I am lucky enough to call Rick Muhr my coach, not only for my Boston training last winter, but also for my NYC training, and likely beyond that.  Rick is the founder of the Marathon Coalition, which provides marathon coaching for charities running the Boston Marathon.  His running resume is mind-blowing, having run 31 marathons, including a couple of 2:33 PR's, and carrying the Olympic torch in 2004.  Clearly, this is a runner with experience to share, and I had the pleasure of working with him one-on-one for a Transformational Running Clinic this week to really kick-off my NYC training.

Crossing the fifty yard line at Gillette Stadium

What do you need to learn about running?  Don't you just...run?  

Yes, I actually did get this question recently when I made reference to having a marathon coach.  I can say, with 100% certainty, that there is so much more to running than just moving your legs quickly for a long time.  I spent an hour and a half talking with Rick about the psychological part of running, learning about nutrition and practicing form and transitions.  I asked about sneakers, he laced mine up the right way, and we talked about my training plan.  I left the track feeling like I will be going into this next marathon fully prepared to run the best race I can.

It is absolutely not a coincidence that, the day following this clinic, I ran my best training run so far, with a high cadence throughout the entire run and pace miles below 8:00.  I left the house with a clear mind and every single mile had purpose.  This marathon is for my nephew Mikey, for my sister and her husband, and the doctors, nurses and staff at Children's that make such a difference for our most precious gifts.  For them, I will aim to make every mile a perfect one, straight through training until I get to Central Park.