I heard this great story on NPR about Jamaica’s sprinters. They were trying to discover why a little country like Jamaica has produced so many world class sprinters.

There were a number of theories suggested.

1. Coaching – Not really. The primary coach at the world class training facility in Jamaica was trained in America.

2. Diet – Sprinters in Jamaica eat a lot of yams and green bananas. But so do other countries who do not have such speedy runners.

3. Genetics – Nope. There is no key genetic sequence that differentiates the fastest sprinters from the slower ones.

4. Doping – Well, there isn’t any evidence of this.

5. Attitude – Perhaps. In Jamaica, sprinting is a national sport and gets lots of attention. The entire country follows the sport. From the time they are little kids, Jamaicans are brought up to love sprinting. This might explain it.

Of course, if it is just attitude that would suggest that anyone could become a faster sprinter than they are now. I have a hard time getting faster and it is probably the result of my attitude.

Running at an 8 min per mile pace feels comfortable. A 7 min pace feels a bit painful. A 6 min pace really hurts! If I had a stronger desire to be faster, I’d be able to run through that pain.

I just don’t and I’m ok with that.

Joggle on.

Right now I’m in between races. The only race I’m signed up for is the Chicago Marathon which isn’t until October. But I would like to do a 24 hour race (there’s one in September I’m considering) and there are a couple of half marathons in Chicago that I’d like to do. But I’m finding it difficult to get motivated.  

Sure, the joggling streak keeps me going every day, but I’m not running too hard. And if you train to run slow, you end up running slow.

In a recent issue of Runner’s World they gave a list of post race Do’s and Don’ts. Let’s see whether I have followed them.

1. Debrief

Review your race and talk about whether it went well or not. I guess I did this with my race write-up. Overall the Shamrock Shuffle was ok. I felt good and didn’t have any drops but my time was not a PR. However, I didn’t train for a PR so I couldn’t really expect one right?

2. Don’t wait

According to RW you should plan a new goal right away. I haven’t done this. I’m feeling rather blase about my running. Planning a new goal just isn’t giving me the spark that I’m in need of. Perhaps the problem is that I’m wishy-washy about the 24 hour run. I want to do it but the prospect of hours of training is daunting. I guess that’s why there haven’t been many people who have done it.

3. Reward yourself

I rarely reward myself after any races or accomplishments. I did get a new pair of shoes after the race but not so much as a reward but more of a necessity. Perhaps I should come up with some reward idea and just reward myself. The problem is I don’t know what this would be.

4. Don’t slack

Once you recover from the race you need to get back out there and run. This hasn’t been a problem with me because the joggling every day streak keeps me out there every day. But I should start going farther and increase the speed a bit. It’s very easy to lose the endurance and speed you built up if you don’t keep at it.

Overall, my running and juggling are at a lower point than usual. I need to do something to get me motivated again. Any ideas?

I know I’ve mentioned it before but plantar fasciitis is awful. When you wake up in the morning and put your feet on the ground the pain is excruciating. For a streak joggler like me, it’s enough to make me consider ending the streak. Hopefully, I won’t have to.

Anyway, Joe Salter pointed me to this Runner’s World article that demonstrates that even the pros get PF. It is not just runners who are getting old or haven’t trained properly. Ryan Hall, the best marathon runner in the US, has reported that he has been suffering from plantar fasciitis since finishing the Chicago marathon (just like me). He tried to rest for three weeks but it didn’t get rid of his problem.

The most encouraging things to me about this story is…

Plantar Fasciitis will not lead to future injury
It can be cured without surgery
It takes a while to go away (even if you’re a pro)

Since I’ve been joggling in Florida this month, I’ve spent a lot of time joggling on trails and beaches. This has seemed to help my foot feel better. I still have the PF pain as I experienced it this morning, but maybe, just maybe it is getting better.

When I recently joggled a 5K race in Jupiter, FL I saw a lot of kids in the race. Since it is a short distance and relatively inexpensive, you tend to get a lot of kids running in small 5Ks. I like it because kids appreciate juggling more than most other people.  

Anyway, I was amused by the different types of kid runners I saw in the race. Here are some that I saw.

Sprinters

These are the kids that start the race going as fast as they can. They often start near the front and sometimes run as fast as the fastest runners. Of course, they don’t think about the fact that it is a three mile race and usually they are sucking wind after the first quarter mile. They are normally walking in the middle of the race but then sprint for the finish line.

Fun lovers

These are a the kids that don’t much care about their time and they are just happy to be out there doing something with their parents or their friends. They are usually smiling the whole time and looking around.

Determined

You usually notice these kids at the end of the race. They are clearly in pain but they remain focused on the finish line. Sometimes you see them racing to pass runners in front of them. You know these will be competitive people in the future.

Hang dog

There are often kids who look like they didn’t want to do the race and they were probably cajoled into doing it by their parents because their brothers and sisters were doing it. They don’t run particularly fast and don’t seem to care when they finish. Not likely future runners.

Future Runners

There are some kids out there who look like smaller versions of professional runners. They have excellent form and have a natural ability to pace themselves. If they stick with it, you know these kids will be running sub-3 hour marathons. Or they may be baseball, basketball or football stars in high school. There was one of these types of runners in the 5K in Jupiter. He was about 13 and it wasn’t until mile 2.5 that I finally passed him.

It’s encouraging for me to see kids out there running 5Ks. Because kid runners will often become adult runners and the more runners there are the healthier our society will become. And this is one of the goals of my joggling life.

This came to me in my inbox and it’s unfortunate.

Julie Maxwell, of Kasson, Minnesota, has ended her three decade old running streak after being injured in an accident on Sunday. Maxwell, who began her running streak on July 5, 1978, has the longest running streak of any female in the country (and probably the world) as certified to the United States Running Streak Association (USRSA). Her running streak lasted for 12,212 days (7/5/78-12/10/11). “It is with a heavy heart that I tell you of the end of my 33+ year streak,” said Maxwell to USRSA. “I fell Sunday morning and broke both bones in my right ankle! With my foot facing backwards, I knew I would not be lacing up my shoes for my daily run.” Maxwell plans to start another running streak when she recovers from her injury. “I assure you that when I heal, I will begin another streak.”

Wow!  She’s been running every day longer than the sport of joggling has been in existence.  (Most people say joggling started around 1979).

My favorite part of this story is her attitude.  When she heals, she’ll start another streak.  If I ever interrupt my current joggling streak, I too will just start another.

Here’s an interesting infographic. Let’s see if it fits on my blog.

Running Music

Having run 32 marathons and dozens of more races, I’ve ended up with a lot of finisher medals.  Most of them are really cool.  And when you get a medal at the end of the race, it compounds the feeling of accomplishment.  But it also raises the problem of what to do with the medal.  It is a hung of metal and not really practical for much other than a pretty paperweight.  What do you do with them?  Here are some tips of what to do with your medals.  

After the race

Wear your medal proudly.  You have just completed something that only a tiny percentage of the population will accomplish.  Be proud and show it off a little.  If you aren’t going to toot your own horn, who will?  If people ask you about the medal, tell them why you earned it and remember to smile.  The day of the race (and even the day after) you’re encouraged to wear your medal.

Hang it in sight

Your running medal will be a source of pride and will help you remember your accomplishment.  Find a place around your desk or cube and hang it where you can occasionally see it.  Take a moment every so often to remember how your race went.  Remember the good moments, the funny moments, the strange moments, and even the bad moments.  You spent all that time training, now it’s time to relive it.  Your medal can help you do it.

Use it for motivation

Your medal can be a constant reminder of the fact that you have the ability to set a goal and accomplish it.  Just finishing a marathon, half marathon or even 10-miler is an incredible accomplishment that most people in the world will never achieve.  The medal should give you confidence in all areas of your life.  It can also inspire you to find the next race and set the next goal.

Permanent display

When I worked in an office, I covered one of my walls with my marathon medals.  Admittedly, it was a bit showy but I was proud of the accomplishment and it would often prompt people to ask about them.  I like to talk about running and juggling and it’s better if someone else brings the subject up.  If you have a few medals you can put them in a nice light box and hang them on your walls.  I don’t really have room for this so at the moment most of my medals are in my closet in a box.  Not really the best use of them.

Donate your medals

When you are done with your medals and they are sitting in a closet in a box taking up space, you should consider donating them.  The non-profit organization Medals for Mettle collects marathon, half marathon, and triathlon medals and gives them to children who are fighting diseases.  I haven’t done it but it sounds like a great idea.  And you don’t even have to go through this organization.  You can bring your medals to a local day care and see if they would take them.

Bonus tips

Here are a few more ideas of what other people are doing with their medals.

1. Christmas tree ornaments
2. Toys for your kids
3. Create a wall of fame for all your medals, ribbons, and bib numbers
4. Hang on curtains to be a window treatment

Here’s a pretty clever ad.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lPyBMsjVG94#!]

They challenge people to keep up with Olympic Marathon runner Ryan Hall for just 60 ft. It seems like it would be pretty tough!

The days after a marathon can be painful, both physically and emotionally.  The physical pain is obvious (cramps, chafing, soreness, etc.) but the emotional pain is a little less evident.  You spent so much time preparing for the race, training, thinking about it, anticipating it.  Now that it’s over it feels like you’ve lost a friend.

To combat this feeling I have a few tricks that help me re-live the marathon for a few days after.

Tricks to re-live your marathon experience

1.  Write a recap – The best way to relive something is to write it down.  When you write, you generate pictures in your mind that feel just like the actual experience.

2.  Find some pictures – I like to search through Flickr.com and look at the pictures of the race.  It’s nice to find pictures of me joggling (e.g. Perry Joggling chicago 2011) but it’s also cool to see all the different costumes, signs and crazy things going on that you missed.

3.  Read reports – You can re-live the marathon by reading what the newspapers said about it and reviewing what some running bloggers have said.

4.  Tell your story – Your friends and family will ask you about the marathon and when they do, don’t hesitate to tell them your story.  Highlight some of your favorite moments but be careful not to bore people.  Unless you’re asked directly about it, stop talking about your marathon after about a week.

5.  Plan your next race – One way to stop the post-race blues is to find a new race or new challenge to do.  I’m thinking about an early year marathon or ultra marathon.  Next year I really do want to finally do the 100+ miler.  My new inclusion in the Guinness World Record book for joggling has re-inspired me to try to set a new world record.

These things work for me but it still takes me a few days to get over the post-race blues.  What do you do?

Leave a comment below

In lieu of a formal post today, I thought I’d put up this TED talk by Christopher McDougall about running. It’s pretty interesting.

The most salient points the guy makes is that there are 3 mysteries about running that no one has figured out.

1. How did ancient humans kill animals without speed & tools?
2. Why are women terrible sprinters but catch up when distances are longer?
3. Why can old people run as fast as teenagers?

I’m not sure I buy all the benefits of barefoot running that he touts but it is interesting.