Train Focused, Coach Steve, Sole Runner Head Coach

Tucson Marathon Post Race Comments

I went to Tucson to attempt to qualify for Boston or also known as “BQ.” It is a down hill course late in the year which may be a reason almost everyone at this race has BQ on their mind. It is an entirely different mindset from any other marathon I have ever been at. All the runners look fast and most are.

My race comments are on the video, so below are the things I didn’t talk about on the video. The elevation chart doesn’t do this race justice. It has some tough sections that the chart doesn’t show. It doesn’t feel as down hill as the chart makes it look. My Garmin showed the same down hill profile but it seemed flatter. There was a strong headwind in our face that slowed us down and probably cost my friend Bruce his BQ, he missed by 39 seconds.

Down hill races may be harder than flatter courses. I did some long down hill runs but my legs ran out of energy on race day. Moving around that night and the next day was difficult. They felt worse than they have felt in a long time, even after longer, “harder” races. In the end, this race became a real test. I just wanted it to be over and I still had 6 miles to go with little leg strength. I walked more than I ran on the way in. It was frustrating and I wanted to quit, but I don’t like quitting unless I am going to injure myself. I pushed forward to the end and still ended up with a 4:07 or 4:06 on my Garmin. Click Here to look at my Garmin Stats.

Good race overall but little crowd support and getting back to our cars after the race was a nightmare. It took way too long, so they have to work on that and at least get more buses post race.

Overall, Tuscon was a great place to visit and the course was beautiful, I am into desert scenery. It was a learning experience and I am glad I did it. Lessons were learned, now it is time to get back out there and Train Focused!

Steve Mackel – MarathonTraining.TV Founder

Sole Runners Newbury Park Gets Some Great Publicity – Still Time To Join Newbury Park and San Pedro Sole Runners

Sole Runners Full and Half Marathon Training Programs are starting and now is the time to join. This week the Ventura County Star published a very nice article talking about our program and ChiRunning®. To Read the Ventura County Star Sole Runners Article Click Here

Every Saturday the Sole Runners, LA’s premier Marathon Training program coaches runners to successfully complete full and half marathons.

For information on this Saturday’s training in San Pedro and Newbury Park Click Here

To Read the Ventura County Star Sole Runners Article Click Here

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Certified ChiRunning® Instructor

Marine Corps Marathon 2009 Runumentry

What a great marathon! It is a must on your marathon lists. Why?

1.) Marines – They are like super volunteers and when their name is on the race nothing falls through the cracks.
2.) The Runners – I think there was something like 37,000 of us. Yeah it was crowded but I was in the 4:00:00 group and that was the pace the people around me were running. I didn’t have to fight too hard to work my way through runners.
3.) The Cheering Crowd – Unbelievable! It was packed. They cheered loud, for every runner and really kept my spirits up.
4.) Organization – After 34 of these, they know what they are doing!
5.) The Sites – You get to run past some of the greatest sites in America, in the fall, the leaves are turning colors and it was beautiful.

It is one of the best marathons in the country. Enough said.

Race Focused, Steve Mackel – ChiRunning® Instructor

Palos Verdes Half Marathon – Saturday, May 2, 20009

Wow! What a perfect day to run a half marathon or any race for that matter. The Palos Verdes coastline was overcast, cool and damp. My run was refreshing.

The Sole Runners Full and Half Marathon Training Program spent the fall and winter running many of those streets and local trails yet I had never run this race. I loved running the streets I practice on. The race was well run. There were plenty of water stations and the runners were very friendly. The locals didn’t pay to much attention to us and I wish they were a little more vocal.

The course is hilly, with beautiful views. I think it the hills are fairly equal coming and going. I really like coming down Western and the final stretch was flat and fast. You’ll definitely see the Sole Runners out there next year.

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Sole Runners Head Coach

Sole Runners Group Full and Half Marathon Training in Long Beach Starts in 2 Weeks

Click Here to Register for Sole Runners Full and Half Marathon Training Program

MarathonTraining.TV – Group training system using Yoga and the ChiRunning® techniques.

Pre-Season Training starts Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 7 AM, at Marina Vista Park in Long Beach, Find Location

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Head Coach Sole Runners

Yoga Teacher Training with Rosie Good Starts in May

Dear SoleRunners,

“If you want to learn something, teach it” Yogi Bhajan

It is my pleasure and honor to introduce you to Rosie Good. This is my yoga teacher. If you wonder why the yoga you practice with me in class or after running is so effective…this beautiful woman’s spirit and dedication to yoga is the reason.

Four years ago I began doing yoga. And three years ago I decided to take Rosie’s teacher training. Mainly just to learn more…she has more in class hours than any other yoga teacher training in Los Angeles.

Something happened to me in that training. I cannot even begin to explain the shift in consciousness…but it was profound. Runners comment every Saturday why I seem so calm and relaxed…I simply say it’s because I practice yoga.

I could barely touch my toes when I started Yoga Teacher Training with Rosie and now I have amazing flexibility.

More than that though, in a teacher training class you learn about the history, philosophy, and traditions of yoga. You read amazing books like the Bhagavad Gita and The Upanishads.

The best thing about the training for me was…I became a yoga teacher. Rosie has you teaching from day one…granted just one pose…but it builds from there.

By the time I was finished the training, I could teach for 30min – 60min easily and with confidence. Since then I’ve taught classes throughout Los Angeles, Catalina Island, Thailand, and Cambodia.

Most importantly, I’ve helped a lot of people become more flexible and recover from their running. I’ve brought a little peace and harmony and love in the world through a yoga mat. That’s pretty cool. And it wasn’t even me…it was just teaching this amazing tradition of yoga.

Well, SoleRunners is about to start in April. Since Steve and I started coaching together a few of our runners have become yoga teachers. We love to give aspiring yoga teachers the opportunity to teach to our runners or to help out our classes in the studio. We will help mentor you and give you teaching opportunities.

To tell you the truth, we need more yoga teachers. The one’s we’ve mentored like Larry and Laura have gone on to develop a busy teaching schedule beyond SoleRunners. Yes, yoga teachers are in demand.

So if you’ve been doing yoga for a while and would like to take things up to the next level, or would like to become a teacher so that you can impact the lives of many people in a positive way, then seriously seriously think about enrolling in Yoga Teacher Training.

And if that’s the case, I can think of no better teacher to study under than Rosie Good. Both Steve and I have taken many a yoga class from many a yoga teacher and Rosie is as good if not better than many of the “big” names in Los Angeles. And you get the convenience of a local yoga studio in a small class.

Her teacher training starts on May 1st and goes to October 4th. It is INTENSIVE (that’s why I loved it). You meet on Fri’s 7-9, then Sat/Sun 12-5. So if you are marathon training, you can still make the class.

The cost is $1400 which is an AWESOME price. Especially for all those in class hours and personal treatment from Rosie. Just look around on the internet for other programs…you’ll see.

So if you’re interested contact Rosie soon. Her number is 310-521-9555.

You can also visit her and talk to her about the training at her studio…http://www.yoga-bindu.com/.

Namaste and God Bless,

Coach Gary