So I just finished a Running Times article written by a Mazunga (Swahili for "white guy") who trained in Kenya for 3 months.  Besides the obvious fact that Kenya has good runners, and lots of them (the author ran 31:14 in a 10k and finished 200th.  The winner of that race won a bull by the way...);  he made several other observations.   1) They ran on dirt roads almost 100% of the time. 

2) Every run started as a shuffle.  and...

3) (The focus for today) Kenyans almost always trained in groups.     

When Stephanie Pepper was named East Nasty of the Week (ENOW), she said that she ran mostly for the community aspect, saying that it was restorative.  I think that she gets it.  Running in a group spurs you on to faster times, and keep you accountable and motivated, but none of us are going to be professional runners, so that's not the important stuff.  The important stuff is the shared experience of heat, cold, hills, long runs, shin splints, IT band problems, new shoes, faster times, slower times, etc...  The fitness gains are just the icing on the cake.  

If East Nasty is anything - it's welcoming, let's keep it that way.  Introduce yourself to a new face, invite new runners, join folks for a beer afterward or organize your own weekend run and brunch!

See you all on Wednesday for the long Shelby Loop (run #4).

Mark

About a month ago, I finally bought an iPod.  I listen to it as I am lesson planning, or working outside and sometimes I will listen to a podcast as I am driving.   Last week, I took it with me on a run in Percy Warner Park.  I hated it.   Now believe me, I love music - in fact, many of the east nasties make some darn good music - so it wasn't my music selection.   I just couldn't stand not being able to listen to myself or my surroundings during a run. It reminded me of a study I read a couple of years ago.  This study surveyed two groups of runners : folks who ran for fitness, and those who ran to compete.  When asked about thoughts during a run, the fitness runners responded that they tried to distract themselves as much as possible from what they were doing.    The racers, on the other hand, were completely engaged with what they were doing and were constantly monitoring their bodies and their environment: "Am I running too fast? Too slow?"  "Damn this pavement is hard."  "It's windy, I should probably draft." "My breathing is way too fast right now" "I think Bernard Lagat just lapped me for the third time..."  You get the idea...

It made me think about how we take for granted the amazing physiological mechanisms that allow our bodies to run.  We should revel in the mystery of respiration, but instead we drown out all noise with Bon Jovi.   So take off the iPod and listen to the symphony produced by your lungs, heart, and muscles; and you'll learn what the racers know: that there is almost something spiritual about not being able to hear anything over your breathing during the last 800 meters of a race!

This Week's Run

This Wednesday when we will begin our 6 week cycle of routes.  We will start at 3 miles, build up to almost 5, then repeat the cycle.   Our runs will include treks through Lockeland Springs, forays into downtown, journeys around Shelby and even an assult on Riverside.  And as always there will be a group of runners who add two miles onto the end of the run.

This week we will start with our 3 mile run.  (Actually the starting point on the map is a bit off, so the run is almost exactly 5K.)

See you tomorrow!

Mark

Nasties - As I look outside and see a dusting of snow on the ground, it reminds me of something I love about running:  runners live through a wider swing of the pendulum than most.  Why do you care about the weather when your day consists of moving from one shelter to the next (home - car - office - car - home)?  How can you fully enjoy relaxing, if you never expend vast amounts of energy?   How fulfilling is an ice cold glass of water after a 20-mile run in August; or how sweet is a pair of dry socks after a wet tromp through Shelby Bottoms?

Runners experience the simply beauty of donning warm dry clothes after running in the rain; standing for an hour in a hot shower after a cold January run; or perhaps the best reward of all, simply stopping at the end of a hard run.   A simple, primal act such as running fights against what Neil Postman calls Technopoly:  The surrender of culture to technology - if something cannot be judged through the sterile filter of economic expediency - it's relegated to, at best, quaintness.   

So I want to encourage all of you to enjoy running for runnings' sake, and not necessarily for the external benefits derived from running.   The experience of getting out the door and running in 35 degree rain has a beauty  in and of itself, regardless of the psychological benefits achieved from that run.

This week, our run is not going to take us anywhere:  Thanks to Matt Poag, designer of this course...

See you at 6:00 on Wednesday!

Mark

Since that lawyer guy was not accosted in Shelby, but actually faked his death,we can confidently head back down into Shelby Park!  This week's run takes us down Lilian Hill, around the lake, up Eastside hills to 18th, 18th to Boscobel and back to 11th. This run totals 3.66 miles, but remember, there is always a group of folks who run the extra 2 mile loop.  

(The park is dark, so wear reflective gear, and do run with a buddy just to make sure they don't fake their own death.)

For those of you who have met Leigh Ann Polsgrove, you would know that she is a proud ambassador for the East Nasties.  She is also quite an adventurer, as you can read in her article that she wrote for women's adventure sport magazine! Great job Leigh Ann!

When?    6:00pm

Where?  11th and Holly

See you there!  

As always, bring some warm clothes and a couple dollars for a pint at 3 Crow.

Mark

We'll ease our way into the new year by running a nice easy route (Mary Thom's favorite) called "Almost exact 3...and fairly flat".  The route is almost exactly 3 miles...and it is fairly flat. Remember, East Nasties are not deterred by a little rain...or snow...or cold rain and snow!!   So rain or shine be at 11th and Holly at 6:00.  

Note:  Wet/cold weather makes dry clothes a must.  So throw a sweatshirt, jeans and a dry pair of socks in your car for after the run. 

See you Wednesday!

Mark

PS: All of these running routes are created on mapmyrun.com.  The site won't let you print, which stinks, but there are a lot of neat things that you can do.  Look in the right hand corner of the map.  You can display the elevation, or you can change the view to hybrid or satellite.   Pretty amazing stuff.

The only way I know how to print is to do a screen capture and print the map that way.  If you know how to do this, please make a couple of extra copies for runners who are new to the East Side!  Or if you can figure out another way let me know.

Nasties -  This will be our last organized run of 2008!   So for our final run of the year we will repeat our most popular run: the walking bridge.  This run takes us over the walking bridge through downtown and back on Woodland.   (This is a good one for those of us who are directionally challenged...)

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/tn/nashville/258946690351

Details:

Wednesday, 6:00pm, 11th and Holly.  

Be there to proactively work off some of those holiday cookies!

Mark

It's Christmas in East Nashville, and this Wednesday night we'll do a Christmas lights run.  This route winds around the Lockeland Springs area - down Eastland and ends with the grand finale on the 1400 block of Forrest.  (You'll see...) http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/tn/nashville/584173733567

Stick around for the post-run Christmas party at Ann Butterworth's.  205 S. 12th street.

See you on Wednesday.