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On Physics

  It's the peak of cycling season, the spandex-clad gladiators are battling in the mountains of France as I write. As a bike-riding fan, it seems only appropriate to give some love and attention to my favorite cross-training method.  One of my favorite aspects of cycling is the fact that so much of it is a pure physics equation. Gear ratios, watts per kilogram, aerodynamics, rolling resistance, it all sends me back to high school physics class. The physics of cycling adds a million factors to every race that define every move a rider makes. Of course, the best athlete will usually win no matter what, especially at lower speeds, such as on a mountain, but even then, weight and watts still matter greatly. This is very visible in the equipment that cyclists use. Every piece of clothing and gear is designed to be as light and as aerodynamic as possible. Some might point to the fact that improvements in equipment push cycling towards a “pay to win” sport, much like running has...
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The Experiment

  A major appeal of running for me is the element of experimentation that it involves. Whether following a focused training plan or running for the sake of running, it is an opportunity to learn something about myself, mentally and physically.  Each jump in mileage, teacher new race distance, each new workout is a chance to gain a deeper understanding of what I am capable of and what will benefit me most. Even in cases where the experiment fails, there is opportunity for learning. Maybe a specific mileage load is too much at this point, maybe a training plan gets me hurt, maybe I over (or under) train and fail to reach my goals for that season. That failure though, is just as valuable as any success because it gives me important information for future experiments.  In order for any experiment to be valid and in order to actually learn from them, a person has to write it down ! A good experiment requires a certain level of focus and intentionality (something that I thi...
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For the Long Run

  My college Cross Country and Track coach would sign off important emails and messages with the phrase, “For the Long Run.” We, of course, began to use that phrase over time. Emails from captains or event organizers would end with the iconic but seldom discussed, “For the Long Run.” I don’t know where our coach picked up the phrase, he was a man of many expressions that became ubiquitous in our own parlance, if for no other reason than irony or humor. Despite him rarely, if ever, actually speaking those four words– they appeared exclusively at the end of emails –, they have been some of the ones that have stuck with me the most.  It's a simple phrase that, I think, speaks volumes about a certain approach not just to running and athletics but also about an approach to life. "For the Long Run,” is, in essence, the approach our coach took to racing and to running as a whole. His trademarked “Luther Race Plan” was predicated on the fact that an 8 kilometer race is a long time t...
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On Sickness

  At the conclusion of my final year of collegiate track and field, I came down with a killer case of pneumonia. What I had thought was a uniquely bad hangover on Sunday became a brutal illness that knocked me on my ass for an entire week. From one Sunday to the next my head felt like it had been pierced straight through with an iron rod. Every sentence I spoke carried with it a fit of bellowing coughs that racked my chest and skull. Any effort I exerted, whether it be lifting something or walking up a flight of stairs, sent me barreling towards my bed in a nauseous, clouded confusion.  For three days, I was on top of my own personal world. I had finally run an 800 meter race I could be proud of and I was all but done with college. Seemingly in an instant then, I was at the mercy of a confusing illness and was forced to rely on the kindness of my roommate–who is, fortunately, a very talented nurse.  It is not my goal to sound pitiful or attract sympathy. I am in many ...
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