The report from Stage 1 of Transrockies is up now.
Buena Vista – Railway Bridge
20.8 Miles, 2500 feet climbing
We’re tracking three members of the Run SMART family this year. Here’s where they’re at after Stage 1:
Run SMART coach Mike Smith won the 33rd Annual Whiskey Row Marathon and set a new course record this past weekend in Prescott, AZ. Smith was almost 20 minutes ahead of second place, finishing in 2:37:36 on one of the toughest courses in the country (full results).
Run SMART coach Mike Smith finished runner-up at the Chuckanut 50k in a very competitive field. Smith, a relative new comer to the sport, hung on to the lead in his first ultra marathon until mile 22 when he got passed by eventual winner, Geoff Roes. Roes (3:41:52) and Smith (3:45:22) both beat the course record of 3:49:39 set by Andy Martin. Full results here.
I copied and pasted the bios from each Run SMART coach to summarize their words in a cloud. What do you think?
My Flagstaff’s latest community profile features a Conversation with Run SMART Coach Mike Smith. Mike talks about the Project, training in Flagstaff and some of the things he likes to do in Flagstaff when he’s not running.
Heidi, pictured above, winning the Steamtown Marathon for the second time in a course record of 2:39:48 (chip time). We’re excited to introduce her as the latest addition to the Run SMART coaching staff. To date, she is the 11th coach to join the staff.
Meet Heidi Peoples:
“Staying on Task”
By Mike Smith
Fall 1998, I am a freshman, about two months into Division I collegiate running. It’s a whole new world and I’m getting a hard introduction. My team is one of the best in the country and I am trying my hardest to hang on in yet another brutal practice. A dark fall day, the older runners pull away again, leaving me behind in another interval session. What am I doing here? I feel like I am trying so hard but I just keep getting dropped. Every workout. (more…)
Question: Should I get new running shoes for the marathon, and if so – when?
Run SMART Coach Vince Sherry: This question is a good one (as well as a common one) that marathoners often ask me about one week before the big day. It is most often part of the final pre-marathon panic. In the quest to make sure everything is perfect for race day, runners will look to their shoes at some point. Unfortunately, it’s often when the race is right around the corner, which leads me to my first tip; never purchase running shoes in a pressured state. A rushed decision is not usually a very good one. Try to plan ahead and get your marathon race-day shoes at least two weeks prior to the race. You should be lining up with around 20 to 40 miles on your trainers (less if your wearing racing flats).
We’re proud to announce that Run SMART coach Blake Boldon has accepted an offer to take the reigns as head distance coach at the University of Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA – Sub four-minute miler Blake Boldon will join the University of Pennsylvania track and field staff as an assistant coach as announced by the University on Tuesday. Boldon will work primarily with Penn’s men’s and women’s distance runners. (more…)
Run SMART client John Robinson set another 5k PR this weekend winning the Bluffton 5k in 18:59 on Saturday in Bluffton, SC (full results). J Ro came to the Run S.M.A.R.T. Project just last year with a PR of 20:45. Since joining he has set eight PR’s in distances from 5k to the marathon. Robinson has worked with Run SMART coach Mike Smith since March 2009.
“John’s been able to race more frequent, shorter races this fall and it’s been a lot of fun. We were targeting a PR but hadn’t discussed the fact that he could get the win too, so that was just an added bonus. His training has been great and the frequent racing this fall has allowed him to really dial into these faster paces that we practice. He’s put it all together,” said Mike. (more…)
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"I've enjoyed a giddy three years of PR after PR as a newbie masters runner. I was initially skeptical about remote coaching (don't coaches stand at the finish line with a stopwatch?)" - Everett H.
