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

2011

Here are a couple of last minute reminders as we enter into the new year.

1) 1/2 Marathon Training begins January 2! This week we are meeting in Shelby Park in the parking lot near the nature center.  9 a.m.  Here is the training program.  Take a moment to look it over to see if you have any questions.

Just to clarify: our Sunday runs are organized, the Thursday interval sessions are on your own.  If you want a little more structure for your interval training, join Drew and I at Fleet Feet's Winter Speed Sessions.  Winter speed will not start until February 15th, so more details will come soon -

2) Our training logs are in...almost. Our 2011 training log looks awesome!   It's going to be a great way to record your running story (because that's what it is...just part of your story) as we travel through this year.  They'll be $10, and I'll have one to show off this Sunday.   Bottom line: don't buy some generic training log!  Ours will be available very soon.

3) Resolution to King. Do you have friends who are nervous to try running?  Or they think that they might embarrass themselves? Do those statements describe you?  Well our couch-to-5k program begins this Monday, and it is a great way to introduce yourself to the wide world of distance running. Currently there are 64 people signed up!   So encourage your friends to join - or show up yourself and become a running mentor.  6 pm at the corner of 11th and Holly.

4) Resolutions Any good ones?  I am going to try and do yoga twice a week.  We were given a Tara Stiles DVD, and even her easy stuff is crazy hard.  She basically folds herself in half... So it's going to be a long haul for me considering that I am the least flexible person in the world.  So leave a comment, and let us know what your resolutions are!

Happy New Year.

Mark

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.

It's that time of year again...

This Wednesday, December 15th is our annual Christmas Party, and we've had a little change of plans, so read on!

Below you'll see  why we had to move the party!

Lee Wilson, our original Christmas Party host, had a pretty spectacular skiing accident while he was out in Oregon.  Lee, our thoughts and prayers are with you!  We want to see you back on the roads soon, and you need to stick to running!

So the party has moved.  At our regular 6 pm meeting time, we'll start the night with a 3.2 mile run past the Griswold's.  (Every year we try and run past the most obnoxious beautiful display of Christmas lights in East Nashville.  This year's winners are on W. Eastland.  Note: this run is not one of the original 12.  Check out this route before we run.)

After the run we will head over to Stacy Andrick's house.  Stacy lives at 603 North 16th Street.  We'll actually pass her house on the run.  At the party, we'll provide the soup, sides and desserts, you provide your own bowl, spoon and something to drink. Everyone is invited, even if this is your first time joining us!   And if the weather is too cold for you to run...I understand, just come on over to Stacy's house at about 7.

Hoodies

The hoodies are in!  Bring $25 on Wednesday, or a check made out to...(get this)... East Nasty Running Club!  What??  you heard me!  More exciting details later...  Also at the Christmas Party, Drew Jones is going to have some older shirts available for sale.

1/2 Marathon Training... I wanted to start with a reminder that our 1/2 marathon training meeting is this Sunday, December 12 at the Margaret Maddox YMCA.  9 a.m.  Be prepared for a short run, some brunch and a quick 15 minute meeting.   This program is free...a gift from East Nasty to our community.

Christmas Party, December 15

After our run on Wednesday the 15th, we will have our third annual East Nasty Christmas Party.  We are going to do things a little different this year.  It will be BYOBS . Bring your own bowl & spoon.  Why?  Well, I have no idea how much trash a single Christmas Party produces (I'm sure John could tell us), but it's way too much.   And there are probably thousands of Christmas Parties going on every day for the next month.  So we are going to try and be a little friendlier to the environment by bringing our own dishes!  (Along with dishes, please grab something to drink: cider, beer, wine, etc...)

Everyone is invited, especially if you are a new.  This is a good time to become acquainted with your fellow nasties.

Speaking of the environment...

Going away from disposable cups has been a great decision, but that means that we all have a little bit more responsibility.  We used to throw away hundreds of cups every week, so we now have plastic cups...but they need to be cleaned.  And right now, we need some more folks to sign up to wash the cups.  It's easy:  take the cups home on a Wednesday night, wash them, bring them back the next Wednesday.  Simple.  Please email Leigh Ann if you are willing to help out!  lapolsgrove@gmail.com

Benji

This week's run (#10)  takes us past the family wash (you should go see their Charlie Brown Christmas performances next week), down Chapel to Benjamin, back on 14th and up the Holly Street hill!  (That's the way to end a run!)

Wednesday December 1 This week we will be heading round the Titans Stadium with Run #9.  (Check out the link on the side bar...)  6 p.m. corner of 11th and Holly.  We run year round even if it is cold (see below) and dark.  So bundle up and remember your reflective gear.

Last chance to order a hoody!   Come this week to try it on, Rod Jones will be taking orders.  If you know what size you want, just email him at rwjones97@yahoo.com.

As you are planning ahead for this busy month, just wanted to give you a couple of dates to keep in mind:

December 12:  1/2 Marathon Training Meeting.

Where: Margaret Maddox YMCA on Gallatin Road.

When: December 12, 9 a.m.

What:  Every year, East Nasty provides free 1/2 marathon training geared toward the Country Music Half.  Interested?  Come to the meeting to get all the details.  Be prepared for a 4 mile run, brunch and a short meeting (it should be over at about 10:30).  If you can't make it on the 12th but are still interested, send me (Mark) an email (millema6@hotmail.com).  Note: this year, there may be some full marathoners as a part of this group.  Nothing is going to be structured, but you my be able to find some folks to join you for longer runs if this is your plan.

Wednesday, December 15: East Nasty Christmas Party

Our third annual East Nasty Christmas party will be hosted by Lee & Angela Wilson: 817 Fatherland Street.  Margaret Jones is organizing volunteers to bring food, so email her if you are willing to (a) make a pot of chili, or (b) bring a side or dessert.  margaretejones@gmail.com  Then please grab something to drink (cider, beer, wine etc...) and come join us after the run on Wednesday the 15th!  Everyone is invited and this is a great chance to get to know the Nasties a little bit better.

Running: the gift that keeps on giving the whole year...

I am probably preaching to the choir when I extol the value of a lifestyle of fitness.   But there are lots of folks who look at our ability to run longingly...  East Nasty wants to help these folks get their foot in the door!  Starting January 3, we will start our second couch-to-5k program.  Inaugural ENOW Chuck Hargrove will be leading the charge, and we'll meet 3 times a week culminating in the March 12 Tom King 5k.  If you have any questions or interest, here are all the details, then email Chuck at cthargro@bellsouth.net.

Cold Running

Over Thanksgiving, I went for my first sub-40 degree run of the winter.  And since Channel 5 forecasted, "another cold blast" for this Wednesday, I thought I would give you some tips.

1. Your lungs will not freeze.  The only way for your lungs to freeze, is if the rest of your body is frozen as well:  for example, say you froze to death attempting to summit Everest.  When/If it ever gets below zero here in Nashville, wrapping a scarp around your mouth is a good way to prevent your throat from getting dry, which is actually what you're feeling when you think your lungs are freezing.

2. Don't over dress.  Here is a rule of thumb that I once heard: dress as if you are outside in weather that is 20 degrees warmer.  In other words, if you are running in 40 degree weather, dress as if you are hanging out in 60 degree weather.

3. Wear layers, and don't wear cotton against your skin.  "Cotton is rotten" as Drew always says.

4. Hands, feet and head.  Wear a hat, good socks ("Cotton is rotten") and keep your hands warm.  I actually wear old socks on my hands, that actually seems to work the best for me...

Finally...GOTR

Girls on the Run Nashville is Looking for Spring Coaches!! Girls on the Run Nashville (www.gotrnashville.org) is an after school program for 3rd through 8th grade girls that uses the power of running to prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.  We are looking for coaches for our spring program starting in February.  We have several programs set for the spring at a variety of schools.  Each program meets twice weekly after school for 10 weeks culminating in the Girls on the Run 5k at Shelby Bottoms in May.  If you are interested in coaching (all running abilities welcome!!!), please contact Jennifer Kimball at JenSaisPie@aol.com.

See you on Wednesday!

Mark

Do we meet the day before Thanksgiving? YES!  There's nothing better on Thanksgiving than to eat guilt free...which means that your running can't take a hiatus.  So not only should you join us this Wednesday night (rain or shine...it looks like rain right now) but you should sign up for a Thanksgiving morning run.

Now the Boulevard Bolt is cool, and Franklin hosts some sort of turkey trot, but if you are looking for a FREE Thanksgiving run (where strollers ARE allowed) you can join the up-and-coming BOOFUS Bolt. The BOOFUS is a non-race 3-mile jaunt down Belmont hosted by Matt Poag.  If you are interested, meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Bongo Java on Belmont and look for the guy with the mustache and the short shorts(don't be scared).  Seriously, this is just a fun, laid back way to start your Thanksgiving morning.  Everyone is invited!!

Temper Trap

I wonder if this is what Andy Moss's middle school cross country team was like..  (Great song/great video...enjoy.)

1/2 Marathon Training

This is the 6th year that East Nasty is offering free 1/2 marathon training for the country music half.  We meet every Sunday morning @ 9:00 starting the first Sunday in January.   There are programs for novice, intermediate and advanced runners.   But of course the best part is Zach's world famous breakfast casseroles!   If you are interested, join us at the Margaret Maddox YMCA on December 12 at 9:00am for a 4 mile run, some breakfast snacks, and a short informational meeting.  (Email mark: millema6@hotmail.com with your questions...)

Hoodies

On December 2nd, we will be placing our order for Hoodies.  This year they will be Carolina Blue.  That gives you two more Wednesdays to place your order!  They will cost $25.  If you know you want a hoody, but can't make it to a Wednesday night run, please email Rod Jones at rwjones97@yahoo.com.

Resolution to King

Our second Couch-to-5k training session will start in January.  There is information under the "Couch-to-5k" header, but if you have any friends who are looking for a great way to start running...here it is.  We meet three times a week for 10 weeks, and it's free!  Check out the information page and email Chuck if you are interested.

See you on Wednesday.

Mark

P.S. We're on run #8 this Wednesday!

Not much time to blog - so here's the deal... Tonight:  run #7.  Wear reflective gear.  Should be a beautiful night to run...

Looking ahead:

Sunday, December 12 - 1/2 marathon training meeting.   The training will start the first Sunday in January.

Wednesday, December 15 - East Nasty Christmas Party!

See you tonight.

Mark

New York City Marathon Surprisingly enough, for a running blog, I don't write very often about running.  But on the run-up to the New York City marathon (last weekend) I read some pretty interesting articles. One of them was about how Alberto Salazar (a former world-class runner and currently the coach for the Nike training project in Oregon) has become obsessed with running form.  Much in the way that many of you barefoot/Vibram 5-fingers runners have become obsessed with changing your form.  But if you read this article from the new yorker, you'll find that while Alberto is convinced that running form must be changed, several elite athletes think that messing with running form is a recipe for disaster...

The Race.  Every time I watch or read about a professional race, I am blown away by the performances that are being cranked out by Africans.  Take a moment a read through the recap of the race and pay particular attention to the fact that the 5k split for the leaders from miles 16 to miles 19.1 was 14:02!   In fact, this article lists every mile split for the leader from mile 1 to mile 26.  Kind of cool...

resolutions

Throughout the year, East Nasty offers several free training programs.  The one we have been doing for 6 (or 7, I forget) years is training for the 1/2 marathon.  But we also offer two couch-to-5k programs a year: one that goes from January to March, and one that goes from June to August.    So if you have any friends who would love to start the new year off right,  or...if you are a seasoned runner and looking for a 1/2 marathon training group,  please feel free to join us starting in January!

We'll have more information on all of our programs coming soon...

Wednesday 11/10

Be sure to check out Run #6.  It's a great one.  Now that we are on daylight savings be sure that you get yourself reflective gear - and run using the buddy system.  Don't leave anyone behind...

For you newbies, every Wednesday we meet at 11th and Holly in East nashville at 6pm  Everyone is welcome!

See you Wednesday.

Mark

Run #5...Downtown! but...

What happens if it rains?

We run.  In fact, don't let a little rain scare you away - it's hard to get started, but once you get going it's a lot of fun!  Here are a couple of rain running tips:

1) Don't overdress.  The last thing you want is two layers of wet clothes instead of one.  Dress for the temperature as if it were a dry day.

2) Be visible.  It's already dusk by 6 p.m., rain makes it worse.  Make sure that you wear reflective gear -better yet, wear something that blinks!

3) Wear a baseball hat.  This will help keep the rain out of your eyes.  It works even when it's really coming down hard.

4) After your run, have dry clothes to wear to 3 Crow and dry your shoes out by cramming them full of wadded up newspaper.

5) Show up!  Believe me, you won't run on your own, but if you show up Wednesday night, you will have people to run with.

Ragnar Relay

Good luck East Nasty Ragnar Teams!  They should be finishing around 2 p.m. on Saturday in Riverfront park.  Look for an update on the facebook page.

Shout Out

East Nasty was singled out as one of the 10 great things about East Nashville by the Nashville Forum for Architecture and Design.  Thanks for the shout out

See you guys Wednesday.

Mark

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.