January - The Mental Side of Distance Running

Ask a group of veteran distance runners what it takes to finish a marathon, and most will tell you that the event is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one. Yet most, if not all of our focus in training tends to be on the physical components of running and fitness.

Attention to the mental and psychological side of distance running can go a long way toward enabling success on race day. There are proven tools and tricks that can be employed during training (and even outside of training) to help get you 'in the zone' on the big day.

First, here are some traits that help define a successful distance runner (and person, for that matter):

• They know what success is (via well defined goals), and how to achieve it.
• They make things happen (are proactive rather than reactive).
• They love challenges (and can summon the necessary motivation).They can control their energy (self control).
• They perform 'in the zone' on race day.

Having the right mental approach and attitude is key to all of the above traits. To this end, there are ways you can work to hone your mental approach.

During and after training, you can work to train your imagination (visualization). This can be accomplished by recalling successful and enjoyable runs and races and creating a personal 'highlight reel' in your mind. You can recall this 'film' at any time for motivation. The more complete the better with respect to all of the senses involved with a run (sights, sounds, the feelings in your legs and body, your breathing, etc). The sky and your imagination are the only limits. When first starting out, this can be done in the evening, when you are relaxing, or prior to falling asleep. It takes a bit of practice, but can be very effective.

Having a positive approach to your running and handling adversity are key too. To improve this, it's important to be able to detect your thoughts and understand any fears you may have. Identify negative thoughts and be proactive in replacing them with positive ones. A successful runner sees a road block as a challenge, not as an obstacle. Work on motivation to overcome these road blocks. Recall positive experiences (via the above mentioned visualization exercises).

Motivation will be discussed in more detail in an upcoming post, but in general, the motivation you find to complete your training can be a powerful ally on race day. If you can derive as much (or more) pleasure and satisfaction from training as you do from racing, then you have definitely found the right mental combination for longevity as a runner. If you can adopt the attitude of "I will prepare to the best of my ability, I will race with a smart tactical plan, and, I will take what the day will give me" then you are already a winner, and the race clock will take care of itself.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!

Coach Jack,

February - Motivation

So here we are in February. Hopefully your motivation cup runneth over. If not, don't worry, the following article will hopefully help get you fired up and ready for the first weekend in May and all the fun that will come with it.

In prior articles, I've discussed goal setting and visualization techniques. Both of these concepts can be very useful in helping with motivation. Motivation goes hand in hand with goal setting and achieving. Having realistic and achievable goals on daily, weekly, monthly time-lines set the target, and achieving them (and rewarding them) hopefully provide a good portion of your motivation. Falling short of goals should be viewed positively as well (see them as learning experiences and a means to improve). This is where the positive imagery comes in handy: To see a road block as a challenge, not an obstacle.

In addition to the overall picture, the day to day motivational drive can be enhanced as well. Training provides a great opportunity to work on mantras that can be used during the race. A short simple phrase to repeat as often as necessary to get you through any mental valleys you experience in either training or racing. One of my favorites is "Relax, power, glide". Sometimes I will just say "RPG" over and over.

Some other motivational techniques and mantras to consider:

• Find a song whose beat matches your goal-pace cadence. Memorize it. Train with it. Then on marathon day, just sing your way to a great time.
• If you start to get really tired...imagine a rubber band attached to your shoe and connected to a person in front of you...every time they pick up their feet yours go with them.
• When you get down to the last 3-4 miles of the race or training run, repeat "I can do anything for 30 minutes...I can do anything for 30 minutes..."
• Break down the long run or race into smaller "mini-runs" between each aid station, or if a training run, between landmarks. Therefore, you reach many "goals" throughout the run.

One of my favorite quotes that really sums all of this up (and unfortunately I don't have a source for it, but I love it nonetheless) is:

"The more I ran, the more I learned. I learned how to be defeated but not beaten. I learned how to admire those who were faster than me without allowing myself to believe that they were better then me. And I learned that the real high was finding my limitations and exceeding them."

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!

Coach Jack

March - Experimentation

As March comes in like a lion, most of us should be hitting the higher miles on our long runs and weekly totals.  We are also (I hope) due for increasingly better weather.  This period of higher mileage and better weather presents us with a great opportunity to begin (or continue) experimenting with many of the race day variables under our control, including: apparel, nutrition and hydration.  The golden rule of distance races (and this applies to the full and half marathons) is: "nothing new on race day".  It's much better to find out at mile 15 of a training run that the new shorts you are wearing are chafing your legs, and the gel you thought you might like in fact tastes like potting soil.  Thus it's experimentation time!

Apparel
All of your race-day apparel needs to be field-tested on at least one long training run to make sure it is comfortable and won't chafe.  Though it's nice to shop at the expo, any clothing bought race weekend needs to be washed and tested first (this also applies to the technical shirt you get with your race packet).  Use your long runs to also try anti-chafing agents like Body-glide or petroleum jelly in areas you know or suspect might chafe.

This is also a good time to purchase and break in the shoes you intend to use on race day.  Ideally you want about 50 to 100 miles on the shoes and have completed at least one of your long runs in them (again, to make sure they are comfortable and won't cause blisters).

Nutrition
Long runs are the perfect time to experiment with your race day nutrition strategy.  For the marathon and half alike, mid-flight re-fueling is important.   There are many brands and flavors of energy gels, sport beans, and the like.  Most deliver about 100 to 125 calories and 25 to 30 grams of carbohydrate.  The frequency of consumption is what you need to experiment with, along with finding the right product that you can easily digest.  Many folks can get by with 1 or 2 gels (or equivalent) over a 4 hour period.  Others may need more frequent consumption.  Experimentation is the only sure-fire way to find the right combination for you.

On an evening before a long run, it's worth trying the pre-race meal you intend to eat to make sure it agrees with you the next morning.  The next day, you can even time your long run departure to coincide with the same time of day that the race will start (9:00 AM).

Hydration
As with nutrition, you will want to work on your fluid strategy.  Gatorade-Endurance Formula (lemon lime) and water will be served on the race course. This too is worth trying on a long run.  For a first-timer you need to pay special attention to your hydration needs. A good starting point is roughly 16 to 24 ounces of fluid per hour (more if it's warmer).  It is recommended to start hydrating as soon as the run (or race) begins.  If you wait until you are thirsty to drink, it's usually too late, and you will remain dehydrated for the duration of the event (and your performance will suffer accordingly).  Again, try this first in training before race day.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!

Coach Jack

April - Bring It Home

It's April, and we're a month away from race weekend. All the miles of training, all the cold winter runs, all the 'it's too darn cold to run outside' treadmill runs... they all are about to pay off!

In prior articles I've discussed training plans, goal setting, motivation, the mental side of distance running, and the experimentation needed to prepare for race day. Now is the time to pull all of these concepts together and use them to formulate your race day tactical plan. If you have trained to the best of your ability, trust your training. Formulate a realistic plan for race day and follow it. And most importantly, take what the day will give you.

Taper
The taper is the period preceding a distance race, in which the quantity of miles is reduced, but not the quality. Use this time to rest up, eat well, and prepare for the race. Remember too that carbohydrate loading does NOT mean unrestricted gluttony. Rather, it is a shift of calories in which a higher percentage of calories are derived from carbohydrates. Chose proven foods that you know you can digest well for your pre-race meal.

Race day variables
Distance races are equal parts preparation, race day tactics, race day variables (weather, crowd, course difficulty), and wild card (it's your day, or not). Preparation and tactics are under your control, so plan wisely and you will do fine. Weather, the course, etc. are not under your control so do your best not to fret over them. If you can adopt the attitude of "I will prepare to the best of my ability, I will race with a smart tactical plan, and, I will take what the day will give me" then you are already a winner in my book, and the clock will take care of itself.

How it should feel
It's tough to put into words what a marathon or half-marathon feels like in describing it to someone who has never experienced it. However, it IS useful to describe how you 'should' be feeling at various parts of the race, and the actions to take if you are not feeling appropriately at the various points of the race.

Here is a simple scale to convey (or internally evaluate) your progress.

Great - unchallenged, all systems feel wonderful.
Good - still on the positive side, but starting to feel the effort.
OK - neutral - you're still moving forward, but it's now work.
Struggling  - still moving forward, but have slowed down considerably, and walking some.
Bad - relegated to walking. The wings of the plane have been shot off, and you are frantically looking for the 'eject' button. Remember, there are a ton of other races out there. If it's time to call it a day, do it, and live to fight another day.

For a half marathon, ideally you should progress through this as follows:
Great : Start to at least mile 5. On the ideal day, to mile 8 or even 10. If you start to feel less than great before mile 5, you need to consider slowing your pace. Conversely, if you feel great for several miles, do not use this as an excuse to increase pace beyond that which you have trained for.
Good : Miles 5 to 10.
OK : Miles 10 to 13

For a marathon, ideally you should progress through this as follows:
Great : Start to at least mile 10. On the ideal day, to mile 12 or even 15. If you start to feel less than great before mile 10, you need to consider slowing your pace.
Good : Miles 10 to 20.
OK : Miles 20 to Finish

These will vary from person to person, but at least it gives you descriptive criteria for evaluating your progress during the race.

Race Etiquette
As we prepare for race day, it's also worth discussing race etiquette. For many of you, this will be your first half or full marathon. It's good to know a few common courtesy 'rules of the road' for the big day. This is also a good refresher for seasoned runners too. The first rule of thumb, is, when in doubt, use common sense.


At the Starting Line

• Line up according to how fast you plan to run or walk. Pace signs will be at the start area to help you with this. Line up according to your expected pace/finish time.
• Listen to the pre-race instructions. What you hear will not only help guide you through the course but will also keep you safe.

During the Race

• Run or walk no more than two abreast so that other runners who want to, can easily get by you. If you are walking in a group, stay in the back of the pack.
• If you are stopping at an aid station, move all the way over to the table, grab water, and move away from the table so others may get water too. If you want to stop and drink, get past the aid stations and move to the side of the road, out of the way of other runners. If there's a trash receptacle, by all means use it. If not, don't go too far with your cup. The race volunteers will be collecting the cups and will appreciate not having to go on an extended "litter patrol."
• Move to the side if someone behind you says, "Excuse me" or "Coming through." Yes, you are about to be passed and the person behind you is giving you a heads up. It's proper race etiquette to let that person through.
• If you need to tie your shoe, or stop for any reason, please move to the side of the road. People coming up behind you are still moving and if you abruptly stop in front of them, the scene is set for a collision.
• Pay attention to what is going on around you during the race. Just as in real life, expect the unexpected.

Approaching The Finish

• Follow the instructions of the race officials at the finish. You may be told to stay to the right or to the left.
• Once you have crossed the finish line, don't stop. Keep moving to the end of the chute to keep the finish area from getting too congested. It's good for your body too, to keep moving after a half or full marathon for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
• Enjoy the post-race refreshments, but remember others want to enjoy the goodies too. Moderation is the key so there will be food for the last people finishing the race.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!
Coach Jack

May - Recovery and Maintenance

Congratulations to everyone for a great weekend in Long Branch. Despite the conditions, everyone made the most of it. Many valuable points were earned in the 'mental toughness' category, to be sure.

Now it's recovery time. Savor the accomplishment, let the aching muscles heal, and begin thinking about the next running challenge.

Take the next week or two very easy. Listen to your body and run only after the residual soreness has dissipated. Feel free to take brisk walks too. Walking is a great tool for distance race recovery.

A good rule of thumb for recovery running is to do a reverse-taper. Just as it sounds, you basically build back up your mileage in the same manner you cut back during the taper. It is also suggested that you do not run a hard effort (race or speed session) for at least 3 to 4 weeks for marathoners and 10 to 14 days for half-marathoners (or roughly 1 day for every mile raced).

Once recovered, you can begin a maintenance running program and maybe throw in a few shorter distance races. Light, easy, fun running can be the theme.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!
Coach Jack

June - Zen Running

I hope everyone is fully recovered from the New Jersey Marathon weekend.

As we approach summer, and hotter weather, be sure to keep hydrated during your runs. Morning runs make the most sense in dealing with hotter days if your schedule allows.

It can also be difficult to hold particular paces in hotter weather. Performance in the heat can be off by as much as 5 to 10% (or more).

With this in mind, why not consider the occasional 'Zen Run'. Amongst my running group, we consider a run to be 'Zen' when it is a total fun run. No watch, no Garmin, and a loosely defined distance, and the attitude of 'running for the sake of running'. Pure enjoyment.

Give it a try; it's a lot of fun!

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!
Coach Jack

July - Specificity (A Lesson Learned)

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to send in their training questions during preparations for the 2009 New Jersey Marathon and Long Branch Half Marathon weekend. You asked some great questions, and it was a pleasure 'chatting' with you all.

An important component of training for runners is "specificity". In its simplest terms, it means your training should reflect and simulate the conditions you are likely to encounter during your event. To prepare for a running event, you run in training. If the course is hilly, include some hills in training. Sounds simple, but it can often be overlooked or ignored. I've known people who decided that a 2 hour bike ride would be a sufficient substitute for that week's long training run. Those same people paid a high price during their running event. Sure, biking is a fantastic aerobic activity working many of the muscle groups used for running, but it is no substitute for running. Your body needs to become acclimated to the stresses it will encounter during a running event.

To a degree the same holds true for treadmill training. A treadmill is a great alternative to road running in inclement weather, when you can't find a baby-sitter, or you are pressed for time. But you also need to incorporate road running to best prepare for a road race (last time I checked, there are no races held on a moving belt).

The concept of specificity of training really came home to me during the week leading up to the New Jersey Marathon. The advanced weather forecast was calling for rain (and for once, the weather-guessers got it right). As those of us who ran on 3 May 2009 know, it was definitely a rainy day.

However, during the week before the race, I received dozens of emails from runners stating "I've never run in the rain, what should I do?" The lesson learned here, is that you need to train in conditions you are likely to encounter during the race. You need to know how your clothes and shoes will handle rain, as well as where you might chafe. It's far better to find out in a training run what works and what does not work, than to be blind-sided during the race.

That said, safety should always come first. If dangerous weather conditions are called for (lightening, heavy storm, icy conditions), then err on the side of caution. But if it's a nice gentle summer rain, head out and enjoy it. Most of the runners I know absolutely love a run in the rain.

A reminder: as we get into hotter weather, be sure to keep hydrated during your runs. Morning runs make the most sense in dealing with hotter days, if your schedule allows.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!
Coach Jack

August - The Marathon History

HISTORY OF THE MARATHON - The Sequel

Welcome to the monthly series of articles on running and training. We hope you find these informative and useful as you train and plan for the 2010 New Jersey Marathon and Long Branch Half-Marathon. As with last year, feel free to send in your training questions to "Ask the NJM Coach".

Last year we started the articles with a brief history of the marathon, and it seemed fitting to offer a sequel to the story and present some of the more interesting developments in marathoning over the past century. So, here, in no particular order, are some interesting marathon facts gleaned from Wikipedia:

The official distance of the marathon is 42.195 kilometers (26 miles 385 yards, or exactly 26.2188 miles). The length of a marathon was not fixed at first, since the only important factor was that all athletes competed on the same course. The marathon races in the first few Olympic Games were not of a set length, but were approximately 40 kilometers (25 mi), roughly the distance from Marathon to Athens. The exact length of the Olympic marathon varied depending on the route established for each venue.

A bit of marathon distance trivia: the length of the Boston Marathon course became progressively shorter in the 1950s despite the start and finish lines and overall course remaining fixed. The reason: as roads were converted from dirt to paved, corners were cut closer and thus the roads became a bit shorter.

Annually, more than 800 marathons are organized worldwide. The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, held since 1897. The oldest annual marathon in Europe is the Kosice Peace Marathon, held since 1924 in Kosice, Slovakia.

The Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon is the only marathon where participants run over two continents, Europe and Asia, during the course of a single event.

World records for the marathon were not officially recognized by the IAAF until January 1, 2004; previously, the best times for the marathon were referred to as the 'world best'. Typically, the fastest times are set over relatively flat courses near sea level, during good weather conditions and with the assistance of pacesetters. The current Men's World Record is 2:03:59 set by Ethiopia's Haile Gebreselassie on September 28, 2008 in Berlin. The current women's world record is held by Great Britain's Paula Radcliffe with a time of 2:15:25 set on April 13, 2003 in London.

There are other 'marathons' that are running events that are not necessarily of the official distance, but are certainly worth noting. First and foremost was the "Marathon of Hope" run in 1980 by Terry Fox, a Canadian humanitarian, athlete, and cancer treatment activist. The Marathon of Hope was a cross-Canada run to raise money for cancer research, which Fox ran with one prosthetic leg. He passed away before completing his journey but his legacy lives on. He is considered one of Canada's greatest heroes and is celebrated internationally every September as people participate in the Terry Fox Run, the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research.

Another 'marathon' of note is the Comrades Marathon, a 90-kilometer (54 mile) road race held annually in South Africa since 1921.

Interestingly, the term 'marathon' has become a popular cultural reference to a wide variety of long-lasting activities, such as a full day's broadcast of a TV series, or an overtime team sports event.

And let's not neglect our half-marathoners: The half marathon is 21,097.5 meters, or 13.1094 miles, about 13.1 miles. In 2008, Running USA reported that the half marathon is the fastest growing type of race.

September - Selecting an Appropriate Training Plan

Training for a marathon can be just as challenging as actually completing one. There are many places to find training plans: books, online, in magazines, from your running club, to name but a few. Selecting the right training plan is an important component of success on race day.

The New Jersey Marathon is on Sunday May 2, 2010. Therefore, if you wish to complete a 24-week training plan, the actual training would start in mid-November of this year. An 18-week training plan would start in the end of December of this year.

Here are a few factors to consider when selecting an appropriate training plan:

• As with any exercise activity, consult your physician and get medical clearance before attempting any training plan.
• Many training plans offer a suggested base level of conditioning before attempting the actual schedule. Make sure you can comfortably complete this base load before starting the training plan.
• A good training plan will build weekly mileage gradually (5% to 10% a week) and will focus on endurance first (while mileage is increased). Speed work during mileage buildup opens the door to injury.
• Rarely does one size fit all. Therefore, a generic training plan should be considered a template. Adjustments are to be expected. If the schedule must be modified, try not to stack back-to-back hard workouts. Your body needs rest and recovery as part of the training process.
• Missed workouts: Life can throw unexpected curve-balls at us. If a workout is missed, the best advice is to write it off. It's gone, the week.

Good luck with your training, and as always, feel free to send in your training questions!

Happy Trails!

Coach Jack

October - How to Cope with Non-Running Friends and Family

This month's article is geared primarily to those running their first marathon or half-marathon, but may also be useful to veteran distance runners.

It has been said about distance running that:

"To those who understand, no explanation is necessary. To those who don't understand, no explanation is possible".

How true it is.

Simply put, those of us devoted to distance running almost always encounter non-runners, who will label us "crazy", "delusional", "insane", to mention but a few. They often conclude with: "I just don't get it".

Training for a half or full marathon requires a tremendous amount of time and effort to properly prepare. Finding the time to train, when balanced with other life obligations can be a monumental task. Though the motivation to succeed comes from within, it also helps to get extra encouragement.

Similarly, we can prosper in our training much better without negative vibes or discouragement.

That said, here are a few pointers that may help you in recruiting your non-running family and friends to better understand your efforts, and be encouragers rather than discouragers:

• Communication. A very important step in the process is to make sure everyone important to you is aware of your plans for the next few months. Tell your family and friends as soon as possible that you are training to run a marathon or half-marathon, and that it is very important to you. Tell them that you may have to modify schedules from time to time to accommodate training runs. This means letting it be known that you will need to think twice about hitting the Friday Happy Hour if your long run is first thing Saturday morning.
• Planning. Do your best to outline your training time and convey it to your friends and family. Changes will happen, and flexibility in scheduling is definitely an advantage, but at least if it's on paper for everyone to see, you can do your best to work with it.
• Involvement. Get them involved in your training. Invite them to tag along on a bike, or better yet, join you on some of your training runs (if they are new to running, you can have them do parts of your workouts as they ease into it). Go out for breakfast together after the weekend long run.
• Quid pro quo. If others can adjust to our needs, then we need to be willing to do the same. Make time for their interests, and show equal enthusiasm. Fair's fair! Rest assured that on race day, you will be with others who have gone through months of training just like you. It is a wonderful thing, being surrounded by those who 'get it'.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you have.

Happy Trails!

Coach Jack

November - Goal Setting

November is a 'crossroads' month for many runners. The fall season is winding down and after a rest period (highly recommended to allow your mental and physical batteries to recharge), it's time to start thinking about training and race goals for 2009, including the spring racing season, and the New Jersey Marathon and Long Branch Half-Marathon.

In the simplest terms, goals are positive stepping stones to your success as a runner. They can also serve as the basis for your training and racing plans.

When it comes to goal setting, I find that all too often, we limit ourselves to a single outcome goal: To beat a particular time. If we beat that time, great, but if we don't, that particular race (or even the entire training cycle) can be erroneously deemed a failure, when in fact, many favorable improvements have taken place for the runner.

Running can be even more rewarding if we allow ourselves to be creative with goal-setting and select multiple goals that are well defined, realistic, and achievable. In so doing, we can keep tabs on our improvements and become better, and happier runners for it.

Some factors to consider with goal setting:

• Goals can be a measure of either outcome (race finish time, or finishing place) or performance (run even pace, finish strong, hydrate properly, etc.). Performance goals focus on improving the particular skills and techniques of running/training, and outcome goals focus on the finished product. Try to establish both types of goals for your training and racing.
• Goals should be short-term (per run, per week), intermediate (weekly/monthly), and long term (training cycle/year). Try to set goals for each time frame.
• Goals should be clearly defined (write them out), measurable, tailored to your abilities, and range from easy to challenging.
• Goals should be re-visited and updated routinely.
• And most importantly, goals achieved should be rewarded (I'm a big fan of any reward that involves ice cream!), and goals missed should be appreciated as learning experiences and inspire you for the next round of goal setting.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you have.

Happy Trails!

Coach Jack

December - Winter Running

As we get into the winter months, we are confronted with colder days and less daylight in which to train. With proper preparation and a bit of flexibility, winter running can be just as rewarding as any other time of year. At the very least, we don't have to worry about mosquitoes, sunburn, and all the other joys of July and August!

Dressing properly for winter running is all about layering. The following information (from Runner's World) may be helpful for winter wardrobe selection.

Temp	Apparel
70:	Lightweight, Light-colored singlet and shorts
60-69:	Tank top or singlet and shorts
50-59:	T-Shirt and shorts
40-49:	Long-sleeve shirt and tights or shorts
30-39:	Long-sleeve shirt and tights +
20-29:	Two upper-body layers and one lower-body layer +
10-19:	Two upper-body layers, one/two lower body layers +
00-09:	Two/Three upper-body layers, one/two lower body layers +
<0:	Three upper-body layers, two lower-body layers +

Notes:

• Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit
• + = gloves/hat
• On very windy days, you may need to dress warmer and don a wind shell (jacket).
• Moisture wicking material is preferred. Avoid cotton if at all possible, and definitely avoid cotton as the base layer.

Some winter conditions (snow and ice) require a bit more flexibility, and alternatives. If snow and ice are present, it's best to err on the side of caution (abandon the run or use the treadmill). Usually freshly fallen snow can be runable, much like sand, but can also be icy. Most running shops carry shoe accessories that add traction for icy or snowy running surfaces.

Treadmill running is another alternative. I try to minimize the use of the treadmill, and I tend to use it only when the ground is completely 'un-runnable', usually meaning icy. If you do opt to use the treadmill (and there's nothing wrong with that), be sure to acclimatize to the treadmill to avoid injury. By that I mean, if you're due for a 6 mile run, and you have not run on a treadmill in a while, then you need to reduce the distance and pace (since your body won't be used to running on a treadmill, or on a treadmill for that distance). Treadmill runs, if possible, can be broken up into 2 and 3 mile increments with 5 minute 'rest and walk-around' breaks to keep your legs happy.

Additional Winter Safety Tips:

• Wear a reflective vest and any other reflective material you can.
• Run facing traffic (the left lane).
• If you encounter black ice, consider abandoning the workout, it's not worth it!
• Always let someone know the route you plan to run and when you are due home.
• Carry a cell phone with you.
• Hydrate: It's just as important in winter as any other time of year.
• Look after your skin. Winter can be very dry, and you want to moisturize any exposed skin that may have become wind-burned.

Good luck. And as always, send in any training questions you may have.

Happy Trails!

Coach Jack