Running Club Social May 5th - Boone's Salon 5pm

The band Deep Lunar Blue play contemporary rock
from 6-10 PM in the beer garden.

May 5, 2012 – SRRC Spring Social! Get into the spirit of Cinco De Mayo! 

Celebrate with your running club friends at Boone's Salon, corner of College and Edwards. 

 

 

 

When: Saturday, 5/5/12 at 5:00 PM Mexican/taco bar will be provided to club members and there will be a cash bar with drink specials.

RSVP: By April 27 to Brad at bradley.viar@yahoo.com

Last minute reminders and some cool tools

Hello runners, I'm looking forward to the run tomorrow.  It will be about as perfect a day for running as we are going to have this time of year.  Click here for the forecast.

I made up some pace wristbands for a half marathon starting with a 2 hour finish and every 5 minutes after that until 3 hours.  Click on your intended finish time to download your wristband.  Follow instructions on how to turn it into a wristband.  I set the distance to 13.2 which will be more like the distance you will be running during the half marathon. If you want to make up a faster or slower pace band go to marathonguide.com.  Remember to join me with the 2:20 pace group.  We'll be having fun at about a 10:30 pace.

Finish Time
2:00 hours
2:05 hours
2:10 hours
2:15 hours
2:20 hours
2:25 hours
2:30 hours
2:35 hours
2:40 hours
2:45 hours
2:50 hours
2:55 hours
3:00 hours

REMINDER: My friends with the Michelob Ultra Running Team are having a post race party at the Alamo (115 N. 5th).  The first beer is on them, just show them your race bib to get a complimentary beer courtesy of Skeff Distributing/Michelob Ultra.

Here's the Certified Course Map for you to study.  Notice where the Water Stops are located as well as the Portalets (you never know....).

REMINDERS:  48th Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon!

Date:  Saturday, April 7, 2012, 7:30 a.m.
Start:  Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, 212 N. 6th Street, Springfield, Illinois
Finish:  Prairie Heart Institute, 619 E. Mason, Springfield, Illinois
Expo (packet pickup & registration):  Friday, April 6, 2012, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm @ Prairie Heart Institute 619 E. Mason Street, Springfield, IL
Race Day Registration & Pickup:  Saturday, April 7, 2012, 6:30 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.  @ Prairie Heart Institute 619 E. Mason Street, Springfield, IL

Race Weekend Fees–the fee at the Expo (April 6) and race day (April 7) is $50 for all with no discounts.
Parking:  Expo and Race Day Parking is available in the Mason Street Parking Ramp across from the Prairie Heart Institute.  On race day, the entrance to this ramp will be off of 6th Street, north of Madison Avenue.  Other surface lots are available in the immediate area surrounding Prairie Heart Institute, as well as many on-street parking spots.
Road Closures: participants and spectators should be aware that 6th Street (one way north-bound) will be closed to traffic between Jefferson and Madison at approximately 6:00 to allow for start line set up.

Premier Issue of Weekend Warrior Magazine Now Available

Well Halfwits...I finally got it done.  I'm excited for what this publication can do to motivate and encourage more people to get involved in the active lifestyle as well as help keep us all motivated to stay active ourselves.

Welcome to Central Illinois' Premier Active Lifestyle Publication that focuses on people involved in Weekend Athletic Events. We take a future look at events and help active people get ready to have fun and compete.

Download a free PDF of the magazine here: weekendwarriormagazine.com or go to the link below to order a paper version (coming soon - need to modify the format some more).

Remember to subscribe so you can get your future issues sent to your email address.

 

Weekend Warrior Magazine Vol. 1 Issue 1

By Bill Stokes in WWM

48 pages

Wed. Mid-Week moved to Thursday at Prairie Heart

The world's fastest runner: Hicham El Guerrouj from Morroco
He set a world record in the mile (3:43.13)  July 7, 1999 in Rome
He was led by his intentions! Watch a video of this race here.

This final week of training we are meeting Thursday at 5:30pm (instead of Wednesday) at the Dove Center (in Prairie Heart) to put in a short 30 minute run and then help with packet stuffing for the Half Marathon.

Please try to come down to help with the packet stuffing and/or join us on a 30 minute jog around some of the sites downtown. 

It's been great to work with so many runners this year.  We've had the best weather for this training in the 3 years I've been doing it.

Keep these tips in mind for the rest of the week:

1. Get plenty of sleep. Its the best place to recover.
2. Keep your hydration up and mix it up with an electrolyte supplement to build up your reserves.
3. Carbo-loading is okay as long as you don't overdo it.  Keep your total calories for the day to a level that makes sense for your weight and activity.
4. Think about your strategy for the race, write it down and talk about it to other runners who have run the race before. 
5. Go over the route using the course map located at runabe.com.  If you are running for time then there should be no surprises what time it will be at each of the mile markers.  If you are running to finish then you need only to think about your hydration plan, hill plan and running stride plan.
6. If you start to get doubts then remember your intentions because nothing matters more than what you intend to do.
7. The night before get out your running clothes based on what the weather man says.  Take an extra top in case its colder than you thought.  Bring a large garbage sack to wear at the start line in case its raining. Discard it right before the start.
8. Remember your running chip (I left mind at home last year...ugh!)

In case you didn't train to a 13 mile base, remember you only need a 10 mile base to be able to finish a half-marathon.  That's a fact!  So stay positive if this is your situation.

If I miss you Thursday, I'll look forward to seeing you at the finish line Saturday!

Believe, Do and Achieve your dreams!
-Bill

http://2012halfwits.blogspot.com

Saturday Mar 31st Routes - 10m, 12m and 14m

This Saturday is our last long run before the race.  General wisdom has it that if you have trained to a 10 mile base you can run a half-marathon.  So that means take it easy this weekend.  You want your legs to be in good shape and recovered by April 7th. 

I would decide at the 9 mile turn back point on these routes whether you can put in more miles and still recover by race day.  The more rested you and your legs are on April 7th the better.

We start at Cafe Moxo at 7:30am.

Here's the 10 mile route: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=474798

The 12 mile route: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=474808

The 14 mile route: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=474806

I'll post the written directions later.

Hope to see you tonight at Washington Park at 5:30pm.

-Bill

12 Days till Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon

Taper Traps

Don't get caught making these common mistakes in the weeks before your big race

You may be feeling all kinds of things that are disconcerting just 12 days before the race. Almost all runners go through changes during the taper weeks leading up to the race. This is especially true for half-marathon and marathon runners. Common taper problems that plague runners are craving carbs; weight gain; depression or malaise; panic attacks; heavy legs; pressure to perform; craming in the miles and even recovery rebound. Dave Kuehls wrote an excellent article for Runner's World in 2006 that addresses all these issues and how best to handle them. Here's a link to the article.

Corrected 11m Instructions for Novice/Intermediate Saturday Route

PLACE & TIME: 7:30am in front of the Lincoln Museum at the corner of Jefferson and 6th Street.

I was looking at a shorter route back to Start when I was writting the 11 mile instructions but all is not lost.

 Since I am pushing the Novice runners a bit more now a few might like to take a mile off the 11 mile route and only run 10 miles this Saturday.  If so use the written instructions on the previous post.  It has you going south on Rutledge from the 9 mile water stop to go towards Memorial Hospital to finish the route.  

For the 11 mile route posted on the map:
At the Rutledge and Calhoun water stop
Turn Left and go north on Rutledge
R on Yates
R on Monument
Jog around median and turn left to go north on Monument
R on Eastman
R on 3rd
L on Dodge
R on 5th
L on Enos
R on 6th
Finish at Jefferson by the Lincoln Museum