Hey folks, it’s Drew. In an effort to take some of the load off of Mark Miller I have agreed to take over some of the blog duties and keep everyone in the know. So here we go -  

Training Programs

First of all let’s talk about our current training programs that are already underway. We had over 100 people at the 1/2 marathon group on Sunday morning and we also had over 100 people at the Couch to 5k group on Monday night. It is safe to say that East Nasty if off to a big start in the New Year. If you were unable to attend either group, that is not a problem. Both groups are open to anyone and everyone whenever you are able to join us. Please see the tabs above if you have any specific questions about either of our training groups.

East Nasty Training Logs

The training logs that were made by our very own Ian White and Sara Spencer will be on sale tomorrow night at the Wednesday night run so be sure to bring a check or some extra cash with you if you would like to by one. They are $10 each.

East Nasty Hoodies

Tomorrow night will also be the last night for you to pick up your hooded sweatshirt if you ordered one. We still have some that ordered one and have not picked it up. Several people who did not order one would like to buy a hoodie, SO after tomorrow night they will be sold on a first come first serve basis to the general public.

This week we return to route #1 - please scroll down the right and check out the route in order to familiarize yourself with it. We are always looking for volunteers to lead one of the pace groups and you obviously will need to know where you are going.

Thought of the week:

As many of you know I work at Fleet Feet Sports in Brentwood. There are many things that I enjoy about my job but what I probably like the most is that I get to talk to runners all day long. You certainly learn things when you meet runners of various ages and levels of experience every day. What I have  learned the most from meeting all these people is this: If you are healthy enough to be able to meet up with some of your friends on a Wednesday night and go for a three to five mile run - be THANKFUL for it. There are many people that cannot run for a variety of reasons. I think that running is the best form of exercise there is and we are very lucky to be able to enjoy it together.

East Nasty For Life --- yahhhhhhhh!

Drew

Wednesday 12-29 What a great way to close out 2010...with "the nasty".  (Run #12)   Make sure that you familiarize yourself with the route.   (Remember, that you can cut this run short if you are not quite ready for 6 hilly miles.)

The hoodies are in!  If you ordered one, please pick it up this week if possible!

2011.

Now let's look forward to 2011...

1/2 marathon training

We start this Sunday at 9 am in Shelby Park.  (meet under the train trestle, near the nature center.)   This week we are running 40, 50 or 60 minutes depending on your fitness level.  There is a google document that you can download under the "1/2 marathon training" heading if you want to see the entire schedule.

Couch to 5k

You guys don't need to be convinced that running can be life-changing, but sometimes it can be intimidating to get started.  If you have friends who are ready to get in shape, but need a little bit of help - send them our way.  The training begins Monday @ 6 pm at the corner of 11th of Holly.  (Check out the "couch to 5k" page for more details.)

RRCA

As most of you know, East Nasty is going to become an official RRCA club.  (Road Running Clubs of America)  This is going to give us many benefits and nothing is going to change, except we need to pay $5 per member.  We're going to send in our list of members in early January, so we're asking folks who want to be a part of this to pay $5.  This may bring up some questions:

1) Do I have to become a member?

No.  But by becoming a member you help us stay safe (with insurance), become a non-profit and get all the other benefits associated with being a RRCA member.

2) Can non-members train with East Nasty?

Sure.  All our training programs are still free, and anyone is welcome to come to our weekly runs.

3) I won't be able to make it to sign up before the new year.

No worries.  Just sign up when you have a chance.

4) Can I give more than $5?

East Nasty does have some operating costs ($400+ a year for gatorade for starters...), and we will incur more as we expand our shoe donation program.  So we are going to have a fund raiser later this winter/spring.  We appreciate all the kind offers of financial help, and we'll take you up on it later this spring! (And since we are now a non-profit, donation will be tax deductible.)

Alright folks Miller is gone for the week, and he has left Drew Jones in charge. Scary, I know!!! Anyway, This week it is run #11. Also,  hoodies are in and will be on sale post run!

Finally, as we said at the Christmas party, East Nasty is joining the Road Runners Club of America, and if you would like to be an “official” member of our group you must submit 5$, your name, and email address to Rod Jones before the end of the year.

Hope to see all the locals out tomorrow night for a little run and 3 Crow.

bourbon trace 2010

ArtEmbrace

Former East Nasty of the Week "The Yellow House at 11th and Holly" has formally invited us over!

Before a run several weeks ago I told someone that I lived on 17th street, and they asked: "Well...who lives here?" (referring to the house that we surround every Wednesday.)   Answer: the YMCA lives there, and they operate a program called artEmbrace out of that house.  Read more about the program at the above link - or you can just ask them this Wednesday!  Because...tomorrow (October 27) after the run, the ladies there are going to have some snacks and open up the house so we can see what they do! (Invitation below...)

YMCA artEMBRACE EAST -

CREATiVE ARTS CENTER

OPEN HOUSE

Wednesday, Oct. 27th

Special Invited ghosts…we mean (guests!) are

“The East Nashville Nasties”

We hope you will make plans to “hang around” a little longer after your run on Wednesday, Oct. 27th and enjoy some healthy snacks and tour the “little YELLOW HOUSE” where you will be “treated” to a tour of spook-ta-cu-lar artists at work and learn about our new “ART BITE” opportunities available to the community!

Choices include PAINTING, JEWELRY MAKING, DRAWING, WHEEL THROWING POTTERY WORKSHOPS, & BIRTHDAY PARTIES for ANY AGE & much more!

Explore your creative sides and sample one or all of the “ART BITES” at the OPEN HOUSE and prepare to be amazed at how much FUN you will have as you “unleash” a side of yourself you never new existed!

We look forward to seeing you Oct 27th!

Run #4.  Please take a moment and check out the map for this route.  The map that I bring every week is currently misplaced...  Weather looks good right now, but it doesn't matter because we run year round, rain or shine!

Final word:  reflective gear.

Mundy night

Tomorrow night may just be the end of era. For the past couple of years we at East Nasty have had the privilege of getting to know Mr. Hugh Mundy.  We learned about his drumming skills through his East Nasty of the Week post, we watched his now infamous final stand-up performance, and we helped cheer him on when he ran a 4:45 mile just a few short weeks ago. If you have a favorite East Nasty moment, chances are Hugh was right there with you. He has been a champion for all things East Nasty since joining, and even though he is still wavering on whether to get an ENFL tattoo or not, we all still have bared witness to his passion for our running group.

On Tuesday night, June 29th, we are gathering at The Basement on 8th Avenue, just below Grimey’s New & Pre-loved Record Store, for a send off truly worthy of his legendary status. There will be catered food, some desserts, and free entertainment from 8pm through midnight. BRING EVERYONE!!! Seriously, this one is going to be a party for the record books!

The schedule looks like this:

Tommy Keenum- 8:00 pm

Charlie Pate and Dixie's Finest:  8:30 pm

Graham Stoner: 9:00 pm

Jack Silverman Ordeal : 9:15- 9:45 pm

The Jones Brothers (comedy) 9:45-10:00 pm

Guilty Pleasures – 10:00 – 11:30 pm

As Drew Jones would say… “DON’T SING IT, BRING IT!”

June 9 -  The Taco Truck is coming!

Mas Tacos Por Favor is a 1974 Winnebago converted to become a mobile taco stand.  And this Wednesday, they are going to park at 11th and Holly to feed the nasties post-run!  The food is fantastic, but they take cash only.  So bring some $$ to grab some great post-workout recovery food!  (We are on run #10 by the way...)

Sunday Trail Runs

We had a great group show up for our Sunday morning trail running series.  If you missed it, here are the details for this Sunday:

Where: Percy Warner Park under the flags

When: Sunday, 8 a.m.

What: 4.2 or 9.2 mile trail runs followed by 15 minutes of yoga!

Really:  Yes,really!  (Check out Sunday Morning Runs for more details.)

Getting Started....

Couch to Tomato 5k

We're unashamedly addicted to running.  And for good reason, it just feels good to know that at any time you could go out and run 5+ miles.  One of East Nasty's goals is to share this passion with those who are hesitant or embarrassed to join our runs.  So this year, we are going to have a free couch to 5k program.  What's a couch-to-5k program?  It's a program that takes non-runners and gets them up to running a 5k in 8 weeks.   The program starts on June 21, and the goal race is the Tomato Festival 5k on August 14.  These workouts are for anyone who wants to start running.  Even if you have never run a mile in your life, this program is for you! Please send me an email (millema6@hotmail.com) if you or anyone you know is interested.

Getting Faster

Now from the beginner runners to the Fasty Nasties (a little tribute to Annie Parsons right there...) Tuesday, June 8 is the first summer speed session!  So while the Couch to Tomato is targeted for non-runners, summer speed sessions will make seasoned runners even faster!  Click here and look at the bottom of the page for details, or email drew at rdrewjones@hotmail.com.

Running Refs...

So we have all marveled at Andy Moss' running prowess, even as he approaches the mandatory FIFA retirement age.  Where does it come from?  Well check out this article on World Cup Soccer (sorry Andy... I mean futbol) referees and it may explain some of it...

Bring money for tacos and I'll see you on Wednesday...remember: rain or shine!

mark

The Run

Well folks, it has been since October 7^th, 2009 since we have run this ultra hilly 6 mile course. Route #12, “NASTY”, is not for the faint of heart as it takes you up and down several hills, including one that could easily be mistaken for a 100 foot wall.

Now some of you may be dreading this week, but I do not see why. This is what we have been training for people. We should now be able to look at a six mile course designed by the sinister Mark Miller and say, why don’t you bring on a “real” challenge, good sir. I know that former ENOW Will Arnold could not be any more excited about this route, he even called me today just to confirm that we were running it.

It is suppose to be great weather this Wednesday, so what better time than now to conquer this beast.

Don’t worry though, if you’re a new runner or just not feeling it this week, there’s a 3.8 mile option, known simply as “nasty light.”

6:00 pm Wednesdays at 11th and Holly. BE THERE PEOPLE!

Rod Jones

Recently I came down with a bit of an injury. Around the fourth week of my training, I began to notice pain in the back of my heel. It would start out as kind of a dull ache, but pretty quickly it became inflamed in a way that made it pretty uncomfortable to put any kind of strain on it. For a little while all I did was take a couple of ibuprofens every now and then, and I would try to stretch it out both before and after a run. But the pain kept coming. Finally I buckled down and went to see a doctor who specializes in sports medicine. They told me several things, one of which was that I upped my mileage per week too quickly (going from 7 miles to 21 miles.) They also told me that the pain stems from the way my foot lands when it hits the ground. Their remedy for me was to bring the mileage back down, have some days off in-between my running days, ice my heel after a long run, and try my best to re-orient the way my right foot lands when running. I am telling this story because many of us are starting to get into the main part of our training programs for the Country Music Half Marathon, and several other races coming up. If you are starting to feel some injury, the full recovery of said injury is important for you to carry out the rest of your training. Here is a cut down version of what most doctors recommend for recovery.

START SLOW Runners returning to action often put more stress on the body, when it is not use to it. To avoid injury caused by that stress, run no more than 20-30 consecutive minutes for several weeks.

GO AEROBIC Think of aerobic easy running as the foundation of your ultimate fitness. The more fit you want to be, the greater the foundation you must build. Just as Rome was not built in a day, re-establishing your base after a long break takes time. As you advance from 20-30 minutes a day, increase your runs by no more than one mile per workout.

RECOVER WELL Run every other day for the first few weeks. Rest days reduce the risk of causing further injuries.

CROSS-TRAIN After a month, gradually change your recovery days from rest only to cross-training days. It will help build your aerobic development without increasing your injury risk. For 30 to 60 minutes ride a bicycle, use an elliptical, or do pool running in deep water.

RACE SPARINGLY And only when the result will be encouraging. You don't have to be ready to run a new PR, but you don't want to end up being discouraged by your performance, either. Avoid comparing your results with those from before your layoff. Say to yourself: "That's the fastest I've run since I made my comeback!"

Tonight’s run will be run #4

Click on the map below to view our run tonight. See everyone out there at 6pm tonight!

MAP

Are you ready for your universe to be tilted?  And not just in a “previously on Lost” kind of way, but in a “you mean to tell me the Konami code works on Facebook?” kind of way… pure awesomeness. Well then, my little duckies.  Mark your calendars – next week will mark the triumphant return of Annie’s East Nasty of the Week profiles!

Why did they disappear in the first place?  Because Annie is a lazy bones, and has been running one time since the half-marathon.  She went 3 miles, and quit halfway up the last hill.  Instead, her evenings have been filled with things like going to the Belcourt by herself, and watching documentaries about the Amish on her laptop, and learning how to cook something called pork butt.

But never fear - Mark Miller has staged an intervention, and is pulling her back into the East Nasty fold.  She does not promise that she can still run more than a mile, and she reserves the right to skip out on nights when the temperature rises above 85 degrees.  To you Fasty Nasties, she says, “Fly - fly like those geese who followed Anna Paquin and Jeff Daniels in their homemade airplanes in the live-action Disney family feature, ‘Fly Away Home,’” and she will bring up the rear.

Not to be confused with pork butt.

So lift up your heads.  Look to the horizon.  Like a phoenix from the ashes, or Jesus from the tomb, or the sun in the east, or Chris Brown’s hand to Rihanna, the ENOW will rise again.

(All this to say… Annie - who, yes, wrote this - will be back next week, ready to pounce on some unsuspecting soul.)

Wednesday May 6 - 2009 Run #2 - Round the lake, in reverse.  Be sure to take a look at the run at the bottom of the blog.

Rain tomorrow??

Who knows, but here are a couple of tips:

1) Wear a baseball hat.  It will keep the rain out of your eyes.

2) After the run, remove the insoles of your shoes, cram your shoes full of newspaper and let them sit overnight.  They'll be dry in the morning.  It's amazing how well this works.

3) Don't be afraid of running in the rain, it's hard to get started, but it's really kind of fun once you get going!

4) Bring a change of clothes, you'll want to be dry when we go to 3 Crow!

Race Results:

East Nasty was well represented this weekend:

Alexis Hoag and Amy Dock took first and second, respectively, at the Dickson Old Timers 5K last Saturday. David Harris was fourth male overall. Alexis pocketed some cash for her victory! (Which she shared with he friends at Le Peep after the race!)
Amy Dock, Alexis Hoag, Amberlie Silva and Allison Nellis won "Most Spirited Team" award at the Lost Loon triathlon.  

Ryan Snellen ran 14:01 for 5k at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational Track Meet.  (For you track geeks like me, check out the full results...This was an incredibly competitive 5k...over 40 people ran under 14 minutes at that meet!) 

Since the half-marathon is upon us and I am having stress dreams about showing up on Saturday with no laces in my shoes, there is no East Nasty of the Week this week.  But you didn’t think I would let a week go by without posting, did you? So to begin, how about a little Chuck potpourri?

First off, check out this informative and helpful PowerPoint from Chuck Fogg.  He includes some nutritious recipes, as well as a bunch of stuff about enzymes that I didn’t really read.  It’s not that the information isn’t GOOD and TRUE – it’s more of a reflection on the fact that I am an imbecile.

Next, let’s hear it for our own Chuck Hargrove, who finished the Boston Marathon in 4:07!  If you want to see this Nasty in action, check him out at 9:16.

Or, if you prefer the photo version of Chuck, here are some still shots.  I feel compelled to include a quote from the man himself: “I am not playing with myself, ha ha.  I stashed the camera in my waistband, and spent much of race taking photos.”

Just so you know.

Finally, a few months back, I was talking to our fearless leader, Mark Miller, about training this group of runners.  He does not get paid.  It’s not his job.  And yet every week for the past 4 months, he has shown up and coached us.  He has faithfully planned routes.  He has provided challenges for the Fasty Nasties, and encouragement for the… well, the people like me.  And he does it because he loves it.

Lucky us.

Mark, we are all so grateful.  Thank you for being our coach, for all of the time and thought and effort you have put into this training season, and for being basically the coolest guy any of us know.  See you at the finish line.

-Annie P.

This Wednesday for the East Nasties is Run #4.  This Wednesday for coach Miller (that's me when I'm at school) is a track meet. Hargrove and Drew will be around to get everbody started - but you may want to check out the map before the run just in case. "Track Meet?" you ask.   I'm a high school track coach and teacher. ( I teach math; in fact I consider myself more of a teacher than a coach.)  So even though track meets occasionally disrupt my evening plans (they last forever - it probably won't end until 8:30), every fall and spring afternoon I get paid to hang out with kids and run, so I'm not complaining!

Now many of you are thinking "I couldn't be paid enough to be surrounded by 14-19 year olds all day long".  And while there are some things that are annoying about that age, there is also a lot to enjoy.  Starting with this: high school boys want to make everything fun, and that includes running.  A 10 mile run with adults may include conversations about work, the state of the economy or the most recent running injury; a 10-mile run with teenage boys includes lots of Monty Python quotes,  acting out llamas with hats and other bizarre Youtube cartoons (google Charlie the Unicorn) or quoting Star Wars while jumping through "portals" and making Chewbacca sounds.  Oh yes, and girls - there's always a lot of talk about girls.   A workout with adults includes heart rate monitors and technical clothes; at school, our workouts always end with shirts off (regardless of temperature) and the last interval is always run as hard as possible.

So in that spirit, enjoy not only this run, but the chance to make it fun!  It's not a chance to talk about the world's problems and get in better shape, it's a chance to quote Dumb and Dumber and laugh with each other for 45 minutes... Run fast if you want to, or slow down and chat with your friends.  Just have fun!

Remember, bring a change of clothes for 3 Crow -and I hope to meet you there later on to claim my winnings!

Mark