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Monthly Archive for: ‘January, 2013’

Saucony Kinvara 4 Sneak Peak (RunningWarehouse.com)

The Saucony Kinvara has been my training and racing shoe of choice since its introduction in 2010. I’ve loved every version so far, and we got our first look at the upcoming Kinvara 4 (K4) last month on the Saucony blog. Today Running Warehouse posted some new pics along with a rundown of changes and color options for the shoe that will drop in May.

Per Running Warehouse…The K4 retains many of the design elements of its successful predecessor, though a few tweaks (such as an improved upper and the addition of a PowerGrid heel insert) should make for a more enjoyable running experience. Saucony claims weights of 7.7 oz in a Men’s size 9 and 6.7 oz for a Women’s size 8.

Changes from the K3

  • Revisited Upper: Overlays around the forefoot have been stripped down to increase breathability without sacrificing security, and a redesigned heel collar should reduce rubbing on the Achilles.
  • Upgraded Cushioning: We expect that the switch from ProGrid to PowerGrid in the heel will deliver a smoother and more plush transition from heel to toe.
  • Color Variety: The May 2013 release will consist of five colorways on both the Men’s and Women’s sides, so there should be something to suit everyone’s tastes.

Men’s Colors

  • Citron/Black/Green
  • White/Navy/Orange
  • Blue/Black/Slime
  • Red/Black/Citron
  • Grey/Yellow/Black

Women’s Colors

  • Purple/Pink/Citron
  • White/Grey/Vizipro Coral
  • Citron/Black/Pink
  • Blue/Orange
  • Black/Pink

What do you think? Personally, I’m excited about the changes, though I do think the new overlay pattern results in a less attractive shoe than the K3.

2013 Running Goals

I believe that 2012 was the first time I had ever written down my running goals, and I ended up with a pretty successful year in spite of my stress fracture. For 2013 I’m doing away with all goals related to total mileage or running a certain number of races, and instead focusing on racing achievements.

  • Stay Healthy – This first one is a direct result of missing 6-weeks of training with a femoral stress fracture in 2012. While this could mean a lot of different things, I’m going to try and put a quantifiable measurement on it. My goal is to avoid any running injury that would cause me to miss more than a week of training. To work toward this goal I’m going to try and be smarter than I was in 2012, however I still plan on pushing the envelope as it relates to my capabilities.
  • Qualify for the 2014 Boston Marathon – After completing my “Quest for 3:15” last year, my attention immediately shifted to qualifying for Boston. In order to qualify for 2014, I will have to run a sub-3:10 marathon (7:14 average pace) between now and early October (most likely). My current PR is 3:12:28, but I’m still trying to regain my speed and endurance after coming back from the stress fracture. My first chance at this will be on February 24 at the 2013 Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon, which is also the site of my current PR. It’s probably unrealistic that I’ll be ready for a BQ by then, but I do think it is achievable in 2013.
  • Run a Sub-1:29 Half Marathon – My current PR of 1:29:52 was set on one of the hardest courses that I’ve ever run at the 2012 Oak Barrel Half Marathon. I’ve had a lot of bad luck In other races with much faster courses, and I do not feel that my PR is indicative of my capabilities, especially at their peak in 2012. To that end, I want to break 1:29 (or better) in 2013. That will require maintaining an average pace of 6:47, which is a bit daunting.
  • Finish in the Top 500 at the 2013 500 Festival Mini Marathon – This is one of my absolute favorite races, and I’m registered to participate for my 5th consecutive year in 2013. The Mini is the largest half marathon in the US with 35,000 runners. To go along with the “Indy 500” theme, the first 500 finishers get a special medal in addition to the normal medal that all finishers receive. I got one of these for the first time in 2012 with a finish time of 1:31, but this was aided by the oppressive humidity for last year’s race. In previous years, it required a finish time of 1:28 or better to achieve this mark.

Well, there it is for what it’s worth. What are your running goals for 2013?

2012 Running Goals – A Year in Review

Since this is it for 2012, I wanted to talk a final look back at my running goals for the year. I was a little bit sidetracked by a femoral stress fracture in my right leg, which caused me to miss the entire month of September, along with 3 full marathons and 1 half marathon. However, in spite of this, I still consider 2012 to largely be a success from a running perspective with new PRs in both the half and full marathons. Here’s a rundown:

  • Goal #1: Complete 2,000 training miles. My total for 2011 was 1,763, so this will be a pretty big increase. Will take over 166 miles per month to reach this goal. I know it is attainable, but only if I stay healthy and disciplined.

    Achieved – Up until the last week of August, I was WELL ahead of pace for 2,000 miles in 2012, but not running for the entire month of September, and some of October, made this goal very questionable up until the end. However, my return to running program went so well that I ended up with just over 2,022-miles for the year, which is 259-miles ahead of my total for 2011.

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  • Goal #2: Complete my “Quest for 3:15” in a full marathon. This has been a very public goal for quite a while, and I hope to break through in 2012. I would also like to take this a step further in 2012 and break 3:10 which is my Boston qualifying time. I know this is pushing it, but I’m dreaming big. Really want to run my first Boston Marathon in 2013. To do this I will not only have to be disciplined to my running schedule, but will also have to be committed to quality runs, cross-training, diet, and sleep.

    Partially Achieved – The “Quest for 3:15” was officially completed at the Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon on March 4 with a finish time of 3:12:28. However, due to the stress fracture, my fall marathon season was wiped out, and with it the goal of running a BQ in 2012. I’m hoping that next year both Nathan and I can run a BQ so that we can both experience Boston together for the first time in 2014. That is unless Nathan decides to completely forego road marathons for trail ultras after finally finishing “Born to Run” (not kidding). 

    While not an official marathon, I did end up running 26.2-miles at the 26.4.26 event just over a week ago. This was a very special experience.

    My next scheduled marathon is the 2013 Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon at the end of February, but I’m having serious doubts about my ability to break 3:10 in this race. Coming back from the stress fracture has not allowed me to run the type of mileage I would like leading up to this race, so I might have to target a race in the fall.

  • Goal #3: Finish at least 5 full marathons. I ran my first 2 full marathons in the fall of 2009, and then completed 4 full marathons in both 2010 and 2011. As of now I’m only registered for the Rock N’ Roll New Orleans Marathon in March, but I have also submitted my request to be the 3:45 pacer in the St Jude Country Music Marathon in May and have my eye on a handful of other races. Whether it is as a pacer or participant, I want to do at least one marathon at a slower, conservative pace where I can enjoy it.

    Not Achieved – I completed two full marathons in the spring, and was registered for three more in the fall, but as mentioned above, the stress fracture wiped all of these out. As for running one at a slower, conservative pace…I was the official 4-hour pacer for the St Jude Country Music Marathon back in April and had a blast!
     

  • Goal #4: Officially break 1:30 in a half marathon. I had an unofficial 1:29 finish in the Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon in 2011 (due to course misrouting), but want to have it in writing in 2012. My best opportunities will most likely come at the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in May or again at the Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon in October.

    Achieved – I officially broke 1:30 for the first time at the Oak Barrel Half Marathon in Lynchburg, TN on April 7th with a 1:29:52. I was hoping to take it even lower at the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in May, but the 91% humidity throughout the race was a deal breaker on that front. As for the Middle Half mentioned in the goal, this race was also a casualty of the stress fracture. I ended up running the Chickamauga Battlefield Half Marathon in November as my first race back after the injury (I was originally registered for the full). This was obviously not the occasion to run really fast, but I was pleased to finish in 1:39:06 even though my longest run prior to the race was 8-miles, and I used a 10/1 run/walk strategy throughout.

Well, there it is…..2 1/2 out of 4 goals achieved. Not too bad, but room to improve for 2013. Beast Mode…ON!!
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