Category: Running

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Thoughts from the Road: Running in 500 Words or Less. Vol. 13

Thoughts from the road.

Running involves COMMITMENT…

Running involves COMMITMENT. Running takes Time.

Put in to much time running and not enough time recovering…the body can fail.

Don’t put in enough time, running sporadically and playing the “weekend warrior” and the body can break.

So where do you draw the line? How do you commit enough and not over-train???

As a Coach I work hard with each athlete to assess their goals and put together the proper balance for each runner. We talk and we plan. We take a look at EVERYTHING…Life, Work, Family, Recreational Activities, Cross Training Opportunities, Sleeping Habits…I even know if they walk a dog!!

COMMITMENT

It takes time, and we all have a finite amount in each day. What works for one athlete likely won’t work for another. Running is like a relationship…each of us has our own unique history and as our life changes, so do our relationships. Our relationship with our running must change and evolve as our lives and goals change.

Running involves COMMITMENT. Just like a long and loving friendship…there will be good times and tough times, there will be perfect harmonies and sour patches…However, just like a relationship…when we put in the quality time and effort we can build a successful running career as each of us has built successful friendships, partnerships and relationships!!

All we need is COMMITMENT. Stay Focused, Don’t get Discouraged…Remember: Everyone has good runs and tough runs…Winners just persist!! Injuries happen…Winners just Modify and Adjust. Life Changes and so will our Running. Just Stay Committed.

Commit to Running as you would Commit to any friendship/relationship that you would like to last… Just like that friend, Running will be there in good times and bad, you’ll share success and failure, you’ll laugh, cry and celebrate together!!

May You See Running as Your Best Friend…

Thoughts from the road.

Leapfrog Athletics

Matthew A. Reedy

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Thoughts from the Road: Running in 500 Words or Less. Vol. 12

Thoughts from the road. RUN BACKWARD…To Go Forward.

Going Forward in Reverse…

I like running backward!!

Funny things happen when we just keep moving! Be it forward or backward, if we just keep going we always end up further along the road. How we move…That’s just a matter of circumstance. Sometimes we move quickly forward, other times we trudge onward barely picking ourselves up and yet at other moments we may find ourselves moving forward in reverse.

All that really matters is Activity. Just Keep Moving. Forwards, Backwards, Easy or Difficult. Just keep moving!

Sure, we modify and adjust…Life throws us curve balls, Family pulls us with obligation, Injuries Happen…Still, we must find a way to Just Keep Moving. There is Progress even when things appear backwards!!

The Value is in motion. As a Run Coach I understand the importance of Backwards Training. In life, I’ve come to learn that there is Value in Time and Motion. Even when don’t appear right…Even when everything isn’t going “the right way,” there is still Progress Being Made! AND, like in run training, often times there is very real value in those moments of “going backwards!”

May you always have the Courage to Run Backwards! May you have the Wisdom to Modify and the Strength to Make Time. It takes only a moment…May you see the Value in Movement, even if things aren’t perfect…there can be progress going Forward in Reverse.

Run Backwards. It Helps…

Thoughts from the road.

Leapfrog Athletics

Matthew A. Reedy

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Thoughts from the Road: Running in 500 Words or Less. Vol. 11

Thoughts from the road.  Why I run?

My “Running Refresher.”

Recently I set out on a early morning Long Run. It was Florida Cold at 48 degrees and it was hours before sun up. I was questioning my own sanity as I put my hat and gloves on for what I planned to do.

Sometimes as runners we have to question “WHY?”

I have no marathon on the horizon, nothing to prove, not a soul to impress and I even like to think that I’m inwardly satisfied with my level of fitness. Why then? Why, on this recent Saturday morning was I up before dawn, staring down a Long Straight Road with plans of hitting double digit mileage before 7am??

It’s been 48 hours since that run and I still can’t answer WHY…

How do I feel?? Absolutely Fantastic!!

And that’s just it…there is no real reason why I got up to run, no part of any plan or training model… Just a faith and understanding that THIS FEELING would come…and THIS FEELING will last!! This Sense of Accomplishment in something that for all intents and purposes made no sense at all!!! I had no reason to be up before 4am, no reason to run the miles… No Reason At All!! Just a faith and understanding that I needed to…I needed a Running Refresher.

I don’t know WHY YOU RUN…Or what YOUR GOALS ARE…what YOUR PLAN calls for…

I DO KNOW that I HOPE you find YOUR FAITH and YOUR UNDERSTANDING on YOUR RUNS!! Be it early morning long runs, afternoon short runs, evening easy runs or weekend race days!! May You enjoy the Refreshment that Running Allows.

Thoughts from the road.

Leapfrog Athletics

Matthew A. Reedy

Comments, Suggestions, Feedback, Likes, Shares & Retweets Appreciated. Thank You!

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Thoughts from the Road: Running in 500 Words or Less. Vol. 10

Thoughts from the road.  Running Home.

Running Home…

I enjoy my steps along the road. Leaving the house and heading into to great unknown of what each run will bring. It’s always amusing to me how I can have one intention for how my run will go and how my body tends to try and dictate another mission.

I am a believer that running is 90% mental. Now don’t get me wrong, I know we still have to put miles in, and we have to spend time minding our activity, however when it comes to down it: it’s Quality over Quantity when it comes to training.

What is a Quality mile?

It’s the mile run with intent. The “Mental Mile” where we go through struggle. It’s the mile where it would be easier to just quit, to slow down, to walk…yet we preserver!! Quality miles, for me at least, are typically NOT THE FAST MILES. For me, the Quality Miles are those where I am struggling. It’s the miles that build Mental Toughness. It is within these miles that Personal Bests are achieved!!

Anyone can run fast without any obstacle…BUT:  can you run fast while in pain? Are you able to continue when your legs want to quit? Can you push back the voices in your head and push a little harder? Can you achieve more???

We never know how any run will go. I do set out on the road with an intent in mind,  a goal for each run; however, it is not until I find myself Running Home that I understand the true value of each step taken.

May you always Run Home with a Smile on your face and Satisfaction for any and all miles accomplished. May you be blessed with tough runs and Quality Achievements!!

We hope you always see the value in the Quality of your miles as you are Running Home.

Thoughts from the road.

Leapfrog Athletics

Matthew A. Reedy

Comments, Suggestions, Feedback, Likes, Shares & Retweets Appreciated. Thank You!

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Thoughts from the Road: Running in 500 Words or Less. Vol. 8

Thoughts from the road.  Speed!

“Speed is Relative”

How fast do you RUN?? Does it really matter?? Running is so strange when it comes to “ranking.” A fast marathon pace is not a fast 400 meter pace…Likewise, fast for me and fast for you are likely different. I’m no pro-runner…You may be!!!

The concept of pace training is one that I never really grasped. I’m all for running various paces, but to train at just one pace??? I never got that concept. What distance are you training for? Are you a “One trick pony?”

I like training EFFORTS. I think that some days a Hard Effort Mile may be around 5 minutes…yet I KNOW that a Hard Mile at the end of a marathon is NO WHERE NEAR THAT:) Speed is relative. A fast single mile is nearly impossible at end of 26.2.

Some days the pace comes natural…We’ve all had days that were just ON!! You know…the run that just goes great! The pace is almost effortless!! On the other hand…we’ve all had those days…the days where no matter how hard we try, we just can’t find our legs.

I’m a firm believer in training Efforts because I know that Speed Is Relative and Just Showing Up is often the most valuable training… So, don’t get hung up on the pace thing…try running without the watch! Run “Naked!! (More thoughts on that next time:)

For now…Remember to Enjoy Your Running!! Don’t get caught up in the comparison and ranking game. Always remember that Speed Is Relative.

Thoughts from the road.

Leapfrog Athletics

Matthew A. Reedy

Coach/Owner