Gear Review: Hansons Marathon Method: A Renegade Path to Your Fastest Marathon

I'm a believer in the theory of cumulative fatigue. So a couple years ago, when a friend asked for some marathon advice, I suggested de-emphasizing the long run, and instead placing a focus on consistent mileage and quality workouts. I told her that I believed that running marathon paced workouts on tired legs would serve her better than having one disproportionate workout per week that required sacrificing the next several days to recovery. Now, she really had no reason to believe me, since at that point, I had run one marathon and it had not gone that well, and all the plans by established coaches like Pete Pfitzinger and Jack Daniels had 20 mile runs in them (I did run a better one later, and trained for that race using the principle of cumulative fatigue). However, I had some ammo: a Running Times article about a method used by two brothers in Michigan who have had success using the principle of cumulative fatigue to train elite distance runners. The result? She PRed and qualified for Boston. Last year, Luke Humphrey, a Hansons athlete, exercise physiologist, and coach at Hansons Coaching Services, wrote Hansons Marathon Method, which detailed the training philosophy used by the Hansons Brooks Original Distance Project.

Life update

My apologies for disappearing the past few weeks. I had finals and was swamped with work, then I was running like crap and avoiding my blog, then I finished up track season and took a downtime, and there's nothing to write about on downtime, sooo...

Anyway, as for my life, it's back to school (honestly, what's with only getting two weeks between semesters?) and back to the road. Track season was fun, but let's face it, I'm no 5K runner. I disagree with everyone who says that marathons are harder than 5Ks, since I'm currently at 50% for good vs. bad marathons, but my good to bad 5K ratio is probably 1:10 or possibly worse, and while I've only run two marathons, I spent 8 years focused on the 5K. Not that marathons are easy, because they're not at all, but the idea that 5Ks are a beginner's distance is a load of crap. The only way you "move up" to a marathon is in distance...the challenge is no lower. So, 5K, you've won this round, but I'll be back. Eventually. For now though, it's road half time! (Well, not quite yet. I'm not about to begin training for a September half yet...I'll do a mini cycle for a mid-summer race, then take a mini-downtime, then gear up for the half.)

So, what are everyone's summer/fall racing plans? 

GIVEAWAY! The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide: The Key to Running Inspired

A little while ago, I reviewed The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide: The Key to Running Inspired by Ryan Robert. When I wrote the review, it was only available digitally, as an e-book. However, it is now available in a print paperback edition, and Robert has generously donated two books to raffle off to readers of The Middle Miles! To enter, check out the giveaway below. Contest ends 5/2/13 at midnight Eastern time, and is open to anyone in the United States, Canada, and Europe.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



For those of you who prefer books digitally, the digital version of The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide: The Key to Running Inspired has dropped in price to 99 cents and is available on Amazon. The print edition retails for $14.99 (though it's currently available for $13.49) and is also available on Amazon.

Gear Review: Brooks The Wire 2

It has finally stopped snowing here in Antarctica Central New York, and a hopeful runner can almost be tricked into thinking that spring is finally on the way! And with spring, of course, comes outdoor track season (to be fair, that's actually been underway for a couple weeks, but bear with me here, because it finally feels like outdoor season, not indoor...at least until the next snowfall). And what shoe enthusiast can think of track season without thinking of spikes? Not this shoe geek, no sir, I think I've made my love of spikes well known. This track season, my weapon of choice has been the Brooks The Wire 2.

Pray for Boston

I had a blog post planned for today, but there are more important things going on right now.

A race is the culmination of weeks and weeks of work. It's a day to test yourself, to see how your training paid off, and to hopefully revel in the glory of the realization of your goals, making those early morning speed workouts and skipped Friday nights at the bar worth it. It's a day of camaraderie, celebrating your achievement with loved ones and fellow racers, because it would be a lonely road to attempt alone. And for some, it's also a day of sorrow, of broken dreams and failed goals. But it should never be a day of terror. The ancient Greeks halted wars and laid down their weapons for the celebration of athletics. To bring violence to the athletic arena, to violate that beautiful sanctuary by launching an attack against the innocent volunteers and spectators lining the finish line, who selflessly took time out of their day to cheer on a group of athletes, whether they were loved ones or strangers, is beyond abominable. Boston, my heart is broken for you.

Picture courtesy of Running Warehouse

PRO Compression Contest Winner!

And the winner of the PRO Compression Marathon Sock giveaway is...Julie R! Julie, I have emailed you at the address you provided, so please get in contact with me. Thanks!

Gear Review: PRO Compression Marathon Socks and GIVEAWAY!

Compression is a pretty hot topic in endurance sports these days. When Paula Radcliffe made her record-setting run in 2003, few people knew what the story behind her knee-high socks. Today, you see nearly as many athletes using compression socks and sleeves as you do athletes who don't, whether it's during activity or for recovery. The medical industry figured out the benefits of compression a while ago, and it makes sense that athletes looking for an edge can take advantage of some of those same benefits. Today, there are even companies that specialize in compression for athletes. One such company is PRO Compression, who offers the PRO Compression Marathon Socks.