Hello East Nasty - Can it really be true ? Is good weather finally here on a Wednesday ? Well I have some pretty good information from people who are in the know that have told me tomorrow night it is going to be 60 degrees at 6:00 pm. So what does that mean ? What that means is there is only one way to celebrate the return of warm weather ... by coming out to East Nashville and getting nasty with your friends. A big shout out to the 10 or so brave souls who made it out to East Nasty last Wednesday night. You guys knocked out route #6 which is not the easiest run in the world - in the snow no less. So that means we all get to enjoy one of our shorter more enjoyable runs .... " little hollywood " ( route #7 ). Please check the route down on the bottom right side of this page.

Shirt Time

Now that the nice weather is here it is time for some new east nasty gear. We will be ordering shirts over the next couple of weeks and are going to have some options for you. First off for the ladies of East Nasty we will be ordering some tank tops from Lulu Lemon that will have East Nasty on the front. There will be 2 color options ( white or black ) and Lulu Lemon will be out at all East Nasty meetings for the next 2 weeks taking orders. The tanks will be $30 each and you will need to pay for yours when you order them so bring some cash or a check with you.  What about shirts for the men ? or what about women who don't want to wear a tank top and would rather have a shirt ? No worries we have got you covered. We will also be ordering some nice race day shirts from Fleet Feet Sports. We should have some size runs for you to try on by next Wednesday so keep an eye out for those. Our goal is to get both the tanks and the shirts in as soon as possible so we can have them screen printed and ready for those running in the Tom King race in March and the Country Music Marathon in April.

Thought of the week

My thought of the week is actually a request. It is a simple one really. Please bring some dry clothes for after the run tomorrow night and join us down at 3 crow bar for some socializing. We have several new East Nasties that have joined the ranks over the past couple of months. A great way to get to meet some of our newbies is after the run. So again plan on hanging around tomorrow night and heading down the hill to 3 crow. There was a time when there was only about 15 East Nasties - now we have hundreds who come out and join us each week. One of the best things about our group is how open and friendly we are to everyone. So again my request is to just keep the East Nasty love going. Get out there and introduce yourself to some new people tomorrow night pre run then come down to 3 crow and chat it up with us post run. Ok that is enough. Let me wrap this post up before I start crying tears of joy all over this keypad.

East Nasty for LIFE !!!!!!!!!!!!

Drew

Thursday I enjoyed my 5th snow day of the year - after a great Wednesday night run with about 15 other East Nasties.  Some snow days in the south are a bit ridiculous, but this one was much deserved, as the roads were incredibly slick.  Remember - be safe, but if you can get to East Nashville, someone will be running on Wednesday nights!

The Run

Sunday looks to be great!  It should warm up into the 50 by mid-day.  Not quite in time for our run, but it should be 40 by run time. (Perfect!)

This week, everyone tacks 10 minutes onto last week's run.  Novice - 70, Intermediate - 80 and advanced - 100 minutes.   Like last week, there will be groups on the roads and groups on the trails.  Remember, keep a steady effort, not a steady pace.

Tanks

Ladies, you have been heard.  We are going to order Lululemon "cool racerback" tanks this year.  There will be several days to order, but you must pay for your tank before we order it! The tanks will be $30, and when you place your order, being cash or a check made to "East Nasty Running Club".  The days that you can try on and order tanks are Wednesday 2/16 & 2/23 and Sunday 2/20.

Guys - we will have singlets later this year, and everyone (men and women) will have an opportunity to order technical t-shirts soon.

The Brunch

Drew and Rod Jones will be hosting the brunch this week!  Hey ohhhhhh...   But we need to start signing up to bring stuff!  Here is the brunch sheet.  They live at 6015 Bradford Hills Drive.

Logs

By the way, we still have some training logs available.  You have only missed one month!  Bring $10 to the brunch if you are interested.

See you on Sunday.

Mark

Hello East Nasty -- This will probably shock everyone out there but guess what ? The weather is scheduled to be total crap tomorrow. Well go figure. Two Sundays in a row now we have had the sun shining and the temperature around 50. Then in the blink of an eye, Wednesday is here and its down to the low 20's with snow expected. Make up your mind already mother nature. Well like I said last week - even though the weather is rough outside we will press on. We will be there tomorrow night ready to tackle route #6 at 6:00 PM so come join us if you can.  

The Green Wagon

One thing that I love about East Nashville is the community feel, even within the business community.   Well, the Green Wagon is a local store that once a week, has chosen to give 5% of their proceeds to a local non-profit.  And East Nasty is one of their chosen non-profits!  Read below:

The Green Wagon is a general store which features all natural and sustainable products, 70% of which are made in Tennessee and all are made in the United States. Our vision for the East Nashville Sustainable Community Days is to draw attention and support for non-profits which are helping bring East Nashville toward a sustainable future. East Nasty represents personal/physical sustainability, helping people live healthier, more active lives. East Nashville Cooperative Ministries represents food security in the community, ensuring that everyone has access to quality, healthy food. The Martha O'Bryan Center represents community support and strengthening, providing education and opportunity people living in Cayce Homes, which holds the most extreme poverty and highest crime rate in our community. And finally, Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms represents a healthy outdoor environment in which to spend quality time and learn about the natural world. We want to show that sustainability is about more than just tree-hugging (not that there's anything wrong with that!), it's about improving the quality of life for EVERYONE. Community Days will be held every Wednesday. We'll be rotating through our core four non-profits every month. At the end of the day 5% of total sales will be given to the designated non-profit for that day.

So, the 2nd Wednesday of the month, East Nasty will receive 5% of the total sales for that day!  Johnny and Tara Shields (the owners) want to have all of the nasties over after a run once the weather turns...  But if you have a chance, check out their store.  They are located across the street from Red Door East in an old residential house.

Thought of the Week:

Seeing as how I work in the running shoe industry I get a lot of the same questions asked on a daily basis. The one I get the most when I am out in the running community is " Hey, look at my shoes, do you think it's time for me to get some new ones?  Well the answer is pretty much always yes. People normally hold off a little too long to get new running shoes. That and the fact that running shoe companies on purpose make shoes with materials that don't last long means that if you are asking .. then yes - you need new shoes.  Speaking of shoes, if over your years of running you have  been able to find a particular name brand and model that works for you then here is some advice: stick with that shoe.  You have solved a big piece of the puzzle when you find a good shoe for your foot.  Now of course shoe companies are going to continue to update those models and change them a little each year but the function and fit of the shoe will always remain the same. Why do shoe companies update shoes every year? .. that's right - to make more money. It's the same reason they make shoes that only last about 6 months or about 400 miles .. to make more money.  Here is another pretty easy thing to remember about running shoes, if the shoes you are running in ever celebrate their 1 year birthday .. its time for them to be replaced.  Running is a very simple, and often times a cheap sport but, don't go cheap when it comes to shoes as they are a pretty important piece of equipment.

See you soon nasties ----- ENFL

DREW

If you don't read anything else, remember:  for the next three Sundays we are going to meet at Percy Warner Park.  We meet by the Stone Gates and the end of Belle Meade Blvd! The Run

Percy Warner Park - 9 am

After a time trial, and a tempo run, we are back to long runs.  We are also back to running for time: 60, 70 or 90 minutes.  Why are we moving to Percy Warner Park?  Answer: to add hills, give an opportunity to run trails and just to get a change of location.

Speaking of hills (we'll be hitting some big ones...): slow down.  Distance running is about keeping the same effort level during runs, not the same pace.  Slow down at the bottom of a hill, don't wait for the hill to "hit" you.  But when you get to the top of a hill, get right back on pace.

The Brunch

Brunch is being hosted by Matt Wright, at 410 Alden Court.  (Right off White Bridge road near Nashville State.)   Check out the brunch sheet for more details and sign up to bring something!

Something to talk about...

Here is an article from the Boston Globe that should be a great conversation starter for the run tomorrow.  (There are a couple of inaccuracies...but it doesn't invalidate the point of the article...)

Speed Sessions

If you are interested in joining a group for more structured interval training, you need to join Fleet Feet's speed sessions.  It's not free, but it's a great chance to learn about speed work, and it gives you a group of people for your hard runs.  Here is more information and a place to sign up.

*Oh yes, and one more thing:  if you want to carpool from the East Side over to PWP, some Nasties will be meeting up in the East Lit parking lot at 8:15 in the morning.

ENFL  !!!! That's right - I am starting off the blog with that wonderful chant this week.  For those of you who may have been living under a rock for the past 2 years - those four letters are short for East Nasty For Life.  East Nasty continues to grow each week in both numbers and clout.  Now I may be a little biased but in my opinion East Nasty is the best running group in the continental U.S. and over the next couple of weeks and months you are going to see some proof.  There will be more time for that down the road though. For now lets focus on the present.  Tomorrow we will be running route #5 which takes us into downtown Nashville for a bit and it is a favorite route of many of the nasties.  So please plan on joining us for a run tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m. rain or shine.

KIPP donations

We are still collecting clothes for the KIPP track team.  They are looking mainly for clothes the kids can wear during practice. Any clothes that you have for running outside and are willing to donate please bring with you tomorrow night.  They will take anything they can get - shirts, shorts, pants, gloves, socks, sports bras, etc ... - This a great time to clean out your closet anyway so get to it and donate some clothes you never wear anymore.  And yes they are taking cotton clothing as well.

Speed Sessions

Would you like to improve your speed or become a more efficient runner?  Well if you can run 2 mies without stopping then this is just the thing for you.  Fleet Feet Sports has both winter and summer speed session programs.  Starting February 15th, winter speed sessions will begin.  Speed sessions are coached by THE Mark Miller and yours truly, Drew Jones.  Speed sessions last for 10 weeks and consist of interval workouts every Tuesday morning and evening.  Fleet Feet speed sessions has become very popular over the years.  Winter speed sessions are more geared towards those training for a half or full marathon.  However, speed sessions is open to all runners of all levels.  As Mark and I tell people each year, if you come out to speed sessions and do 10 weeks of interval training, it is pretty much impossible to not be a faster runner at the end.  You can sign up for Fleet Feet winter speed sessions at www.fleetfeetnashville.com Please feel free to contact Mark or myself with any questions you may have about speed sessions.

Thought of the week

To go along with last week's thought, which was try to run slower sometimes, my thought this week is this.  Make sure your running is filled with variety.  Runs can be slow, long, short, fast, flat, hilly, roads, trails, or even the occasional treadmill.  Our bodies are very smart.  If you do all your runs at the same place and at the same pace, your fitness level will plateau very quickly.  One of the best things we can do for our bodies as runners is mix it up.  The more our body is guessing, the more fitness gains we can make.  There are many east nasties that run fast every Wednesday.  There are also east nasties that run slow and easy each week.  Our routes change from week to week.  Changing our pace and effort levels we run at each week is a good idea.  In other words, try to change up your running like JP Cowan changes his blazers... plenty of options :-)

See everyone tomorrow night -

Drew

The Run 9am Shelby Park

Running a 1/2 marathon is about being able to sustain a "pretty hard" pace for 13.1 miles, so our workouts must reflect that fact.  That is why we will incorporate 3 tempo runs into our Sunday morning training sessions.  "Tempo" runs are runs of 20 minutes or longer that are done at an 85-90% effort level.  20 minute tempo runs should be done at about 25 seconds slower than 5-k pace, and you should slow down as the length of the run increases.  For us, our pace will be between 35 and 50 seconds per mile slower than your time trial from last week.  (Easy runs are 90 - 120 seconds slower than your 3-mile pace.  Check out this post from last week if you need some help developing your paces from last week's 3-mile time trial.  Or check out the MacMillan Training Calculator.)

Now it is also important that we learn to run this pace at the END of a race.  So we are going to tempo at the end of our runs this week:

Novice: 2 miles easy + 3 miles tempo + 1 mile easy

Intermediate: 3 miles easy + 4 miles tempo + 1 mile easy

Advanced: 4 miles easy + 5 miles tempo + 1 mile easy

As with every run, slowly build your speed.  Warm up very easily, and when you begin your tempo running, allow your pace to slowly increase so you can finish faster than you started.  We'll do these runs on the greenway, since every quarter mile is marked and it is easy to monitor your pace.

*** Super important - it is better to err on the side of too slow than the side of too fast!

KIPP Academy

KIPP's track team is getting ready to start.  Last year, we raised money to get them uniforms and warm-ups - but most of the kids still practiced in their school clothes.  So this year, we are having a clothing drive. We need you to search through your closets and pull out all your old running clothes, race t-shirts, sports bras, shorts etc...  Better yet, pull out all your running clothes that are too small (KIPP is a middle school...), and bring them this Sunday, or next Wednesday.

Brunch

Duane-o is hosting this week.  414 North 17th street.   (The North part is important!)  If you can, please sign up to bring something - here is the brunch sheet.

See you on Sunday!

Mark

Hello there East Nasty - Man is the winter weather getting old or what ? We have been battling the elements for most of 2011 and I am ready for some sunshine. Just in case you have not heard it before though - East Nasty runs on Wednesday night rain or shine, snow or ice, wind or thunder. No matter what the conditions are we will be out at 11th and holly every Wednesday night around 6:00 so come join the fun. This week we are running route #4. It's always good to check out the link before hand especially if you are new.

Clothing Donations for KIPP

The KIPP Academy is getting ready to start up their track season and they need our help again this year. Please see the following note below from our very own Jenny Dew who is a coach for the Kipp track team.

Calling all East Nasty’s!

KIPP Academy Nashville’s track season is just around the corner. We want to hit ‘em up with a T-shirt drive!  EN did such a great job last season with monetary donations for uniforms. This season, the KIPP runners are in need of practice attire. A lot of the kids have to work-out in their “going to school clothes”.  So, we are hoping you avid runners and gear purchasers can dig into your closets and find running garments you no longer wear or are getting tired of seeing. We get so many race shirts and order so many EN shirts each season, surely there are some extra pieces out there?!?

Details:

-KIPP has both boys and girls of all shapes and sizes

-Cotton may be rotten, but you can still work-out in it!

-KIPP needs Winter and Spring season clothes

-Bring your donations this WEDNESDAY (1/26/11)

-Any of the following (cotton or technical) would be great:

t-shirts

gloves

hats

shorts

pants

long sleeves

socks

sports bras

You can learn more about KIPP Academy Nashville’s mission go to www.kippacademynashville.org

Thought of the week:

If you have been a runner for more than 6 months you have probably already been injured. If you have been running for a while then you have probably been injured several times. Why is it that injuries just seem to be a part of running? Well there are several reasons why runners get injured. But having been around runners every day of my life for the past 3 or 4 years my opinion is that it all comes down to one word OVERUSE. Whether its running to fast, running to far, or running to many miles a week. Your body is very smart and if you do to much or more than its ready to handle you will get to enter the world known as "injured". I heard a quote once that I have remembered over the years it says  "For a runner, the hardest thing possible is not training for a marathon --- The hardest thing is being injured and NOT being able to train for a marathon."  How true that is. So my thought/suggestion of the week is this: Run slow, run short, take a day off, get more sleep, replace a run with a walk ----- when it comes to running sometimes Less truly is More :-)

ENFL !!!!!!

Drew

1/2 Marathon Training Session #4:  Time Trial Location:  Shelby Park.

Time: 9 am

Workout: 3 mile time trial

Every year, runners come up to me before the 1/2 marathon and ask, "what pace should I shoot for?"  Or they say "How fast should I be running my long runs?"  Answer: I have absolutely no idea!  One person's easy run in another's sprint.  Now, if that same runner can provide me a recent race result or time trial, then I can get pretty specific with my advice.

So that's what we are going to do this week.  We are going to run a 3 mile time trial, and that will give us a benchmark to train for the next month.

The Run:

This week we will meet at Shelby Park to run between 5 and 8 miles total, but 3 miles will be hard.

Novice: 1 mile warm up + 3 mile TT on path + 1 mile cool down

Intermediate: 2 mile warm up + 3 mile TT on path + 2 mile cool down

Advanced:   3 mile warm up + 3 mile TT on path + 2 mile cool down

How will this time trial help you?

1. Determine Training Paces. The pace at which you can run 3 miles (or a 5k) is useful in determining your training paces.  Below are some generally accepted training paces based on your 3-mile pace.  (Your 3-mile pace is called your "I")

I Pace - your 3 mile TT pace.

F Pace - 20-30 seconds per mile faster than I pace

T Pace (Tempo) - 30-40 seconds per mile slower than I pace

Long Runs - 90-150 seconds slower per mile than I pace

Easy Runs - 2 minutes or  slower per mile than I pace

"Normal" runs - 1 to 2 minutes per mile slower

2. Make Predictions.  Your 3-mile time can help you make predictions about future races.  For example, theoretically you can run a 1/2 marathon about 10% slower per mile than your 3-mile pace.  (This is for similar course profiles. For example, this time trial from Shelby Bottoms does not translate very well to the Country Music Half because of the hills.)  If you want to investigate how race results can make predictions for other race distances, check out the MacMillan Running Calculator.

The Brunch

One of the great blessings of my life recently has been to get to know so many great East Nasties.  And the best way to do that is outside of the runs.  So if you are new, try to make one of the Sunday morning brunches - it's a great place to make new friends.  If you are an old standard, check out the brunch sheet and sign up to bring something!  The brunch this week is hosted by Andy Moss & Heidi Wilson @ 1111 Forrest Ave.

See you on Sunday!

Mark

Hello everybody - all signs indicate that the weather should be clear for an East Nasty Wednesday run so we hope to see you out there. We will be running route #3 so go ahead and click on the link and check out the route.

Just a few announcements for this week.

Hoodies - we still have a couple left that are for sale to whoever wants one. We have a large, a xtra large and a 2xtra large left.

East Nasty Training Logs - we still also have several training logs left for sale. They turned out great - not only are they 100% designed by east nasties they are also perfect for recording any and all things involving your runs.

Coach to 5k group - our new couch to 5k training program is off to a great start. We had to have a few cancellations due to the weather last week but they are back into the swing of things this week. Please remember to introduce yourself to the new faces out there on Wednesday night and thank them for joining our club. East Nasty always has been and always will be a very open/welcoming group. Please do the best you can the spread the east nasty love to our rookies.

Thought of the week - this past weekend I was in Little Rock, Arkansas at a RRCA running coaches certification class and it was awesome. I learned a lot of information in a pretty small amount of time. I will be blogging about it to you nasties for many weeks to come so please hold your excitement. The lady teaching the class has been a running coach for over 30 years and she was great. One thing she said on several occasions was that if you run on a regular basis and especially if you are training for any kind of race then getting plenty of sleep is critical. Your body heals the most when you are sleeping. She also mentioned that taking aspirin or ibuprofen when you are sore from running is not good for your body because it numbs your bodies ability to naturally heal itself. Also taking pain relief medications can damage the walls in your liver. Aside from taking aspirin for the occasional headache try to avoid numbing your body every time you have some pain or soreness. Just some food for thought  :-)

See you tomorrow at 11th and Holly  ---- ENFL !!!!!!!!

Drew

The Run This week: 60, 70 or 80 minutes easy + 2,3 or 4 hill repeats.  Remember, these runs should be easy - often described as conversational.  Mt. Nasty, of course, is not easy, but remember: just get to the top, these are not sprints.  Speaking of Mt. Nasty....if you run from Barclay Ave to the Mailbox, (and if all this new mapping software is accurate), Mt. Nasty is a hill of about .2 miles that gains almost exactly 100 feet in elevation.  It averages about a 12% grade.

Remember my advice about starting every run slowly, and finishing much faster.  This is how one runner who trained in Kenya put it:

Every run I did with Kenyans started at a stumble, and most finished substantially faster. Contrast that with most recreational runners' practice of starting out the door at the pace they think they should be running that day, and maintaining roughly the same pace throughout the run.

Think of a pot of water coming to a boil-there's no one instant where you can pinpoint when it started to get hot, but the end result is undeniable. The same thing happens when you allow your muscles and cardiovascular system to ease into action-as you gradually warm up, you'll up your pace without really noticing it. Toward the end of your run, you'll be moving quickly and comfortably, and will be teaching yourself how to run fast but relaxed. Finishing faster than you start is also good practice for running negative splits in races.

Here is a great article written by an American runner who decided to train in Kenya for a couple of months.  He highlights the same fact that most runs began as a "shuffle".  I love his race experience and his description of the hill workout.  (Especially just before he was dropped when the leader turned to him and said: "You might notice the pace change a little.")

The Weather

One thing I love about running is that you get to experience the elements.  Who cares if it's cold if all you do is go from your house, to your garage, to your office and back again?  Who cares if it's hot and humid if you never leave the air conditioning.  When you run outdoors, you can't avoid the weather.  And I think that forcing yourself to run in less than ideal conditions is one of life's little victories.  Is it a really that big of a deal to run inside on a treadmill rather then running outside when it's 15 degrees outside?   Maybe not, but I am fully convinced that those seemingly insignificant little battles that we face in life, are preparing us for the big battles that one day we inevitably will face... And knowing that you have the courage to suit up and run when it's 34 degrees and raining is a small victory that will give you the confidence to face tougher challenges as they arise!

And, of course, like my buddy Gino always says, there no such thing as inclement conditions - only inadequate preparation!   So prepare for the cold and join us outside.

The Brunch

Polly is hosting.  Click on this link for details.  It's a google document, and you can sign up to bring something and then press "save" in the upper right corner.  (It will actually save automatically after a certain amount of time...)  Also...  the "North" part of N. 14th street, is really important if you want to show up to the right house!  Finally, we would love for you to bring something, but we really want YOU to come!  So if you can't bring a dish, just show up tomorrow after the run.

See you Sunday!

Mark

It is going to be brisk tomorrow night, so be sure to bundle up. Other points of interest that you might want to know:

#1: Running Logs and Hoodies will be on sale after the run to anyone who wants them.

#2: We are running route #2, which can be viewed here.

#3: DO NOT let the cold weather stop you from coming out Wednesday night!!! Your fellow runners will keep you warm with jovial conversations and sweet reflective gear!

Our second 1/2 marathon training session is tomorrow (January 9). The Run

Novice : 50 minutes + 2 hills

Intermediate: 60 minutes + 3 hills

Advanced: 70 minutes + 4 hills

At this point in our training, these runs need to be easy - conversational.  If you find that you cannot talk, you are going too fast.  For you heart rate junkies, you need to be running under 75% max heart rate.  (Preferably under 70%)  And you just need to get up the hills.  These are not hill sprints.

The Brunch

One of the most unique/enjoyable parts about the East Nasty 1/2 marathon training are the brunches.  Every week we go to a home and enjoy a pot luck brunch together.  It's the best way to get to know your fellow runners, and to refuel those muscles.  This week we are being hosted by Phil and Gretchen Zimmerman.

Here's the best part: all 1/2 marathon trainees are welcome to join us!  Zach Barnett is our brunch-master and every week he will put together a google doc where you can get all the details.  So check out this document, and remember, it is a pot-luck, so please just type in what you are going to bring and press "save" in the upper right corner.   (Note: if you can't bring something one week..no worries!  Please still join us! The food is great, but the real point of these brunches is to get to know some of your fellow East Nasties.)

P.S.  We do need hosts.  So please either find Zach, or email him (zpb@hotmail.com)  if you are willing to host!

The Weather

While it is hard to get going when it is cold, cold weather running is actually safer than hot weather running. Use your own discretion if you have a long way to travel of course, but don't let the frigid temps scare you because we will be running every Sunday.  Hints: wear a hat, gloves, don't wear cotton next to your skin.  And when the streets are slick, run in the grass as much as possible.

See you on Sunday!

Mark

P.S.  There are 9 sweatshirts left and bring $10 for your training log!!