Last Trail Run and Runners Yoga of 2010

steve_jpegs_067

Tonight is the last Trail Run and Runners Yoga of the year. What a great summer, mostly cool, so we go out on a hot one. We meet at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center grassy ares at 6:30 PM for the Trail Run then 7:15 PM for Runners Yoga.

Afterward we will go to Donna Rosa’s for $1 tacos and cheap beer.

If you can’t make the trail run make the yoga. If you can’t make the yoga, meet us at Dona Rosa at 8:30

I’m gonna make the yoga challenging and fun. Come out and share the run/fun. Bring some extra clothes, it is gonna be a sweaty one.

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Yogi in training

A Running Dialouge – Sole Runners Mentors’ Newsletter

ARD

Click on the photo above to download the PDF file of the newsletter

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Sole Runners Head Coach

Sole Runner’s Track Workout 800′s – Working to Get Faster

garmin

Click the image above to see more details. The data does not include warm-up and the complete cool down.

Had a fun track workout last night as the Sole Runners took on 800′s for the first time this session. Our goals were, practice a fast pace, work on our Chi Running® posture while going fast, lifting the heels slightly higher, keeping our lean, swinging our arms and I always work on moving my internal energy (chi) up and out, so my feet land soft and quick.

I also was keeping an eye on my HR (heart rate). I know where it is going to be in the last hour of my marathon if I am running close to 8 min/miles. The good thing was the intervals felt easier than I expected. I still have to work speeding up my long runs. Can I get past mile 16 before I want to start slowing down? The track workouts make going faster easier, that’s for sure.

As, usual we finished with some yoga at sunset. Another beautiful night in Long Beach. Oh, I forgot to mention $1 tacos afterwards

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Sole Runners Head Coach

Free – The Red 11′s, My Band Made Up of All Runners, Plays T. Boyle’s Tavern in Pasadena Wednesday, July 28, 9 PM

Red+11's

The Red 11′s is an all runner band and the band I play in. We play at T. Boyles 9 PM, this Wednesday in Pasadena. Every member in the band is a runner and triathlete.

If you wonder how we got our name, well it had to do with running. If you have ever seen a guy that forgot Body Glide® and seen the red streaks down the front of his shirt, you can guess where we got the band name.

We play covers and have fun. T Boyles is in the alley behind the theater. Come join us Wendnesday. Directions to T. Boyles in Pasadena.

Play Focused, Steve Mackel Red 11′s Bass Player

Sole Runners Track Workout Tuesday – 6 PM

LBSU Map

Click link for map to Long Beach State track

http://www.csulb.edu/~jgarden/images/CSULB_MAP2006-07.pdf

South Pasadena’s Greenest Fastest Mile – July 4, 2010

This video features a new race in my hometown of South Pasadena, The Greenest Fastest Mile. It was an interesting race for me. I had seen some posters around town but I never read the fine print. I knew it was on the Fourth of July but I figured it would start early in the morning. I also didn’t really consider it because it is only a mile.

I was giving a Chi Running® lesson in the morning, then I went to the local South Pasadena 4th of July parade at noon. After lunch, I was riding my bike home and I saw some people chalking the local streets, so I had to ask, “What’s going on here?” One of the guys replied, “A running race.” I got back on my bike and rode to the starting line, where the registration tables were. I was told a 1 mile race started at 6 PM. It didn’t take long to decide I had to run it. What else was I gonna do? Plus, the fireworks show was a hours after the race.

Here’s what I knew, I had to warm up before I started this race. Even though I warmed-up I still didn’t warm-up enough. Second, you have to train running fast miles to be competitive. Track workouts start in 2 weeks, 2 weeks too late. Third, there is no such thing as running slow in a mile race. I thought I was going to run an easy 8:30 min/mile but once we got going there was no way to run that pace, everyone was giving it their all. And how do you pace yourself in a mile race? Run as fast as you can until you pop. My heart rate was super high the entire race. I just pushed on, still slowing down in the final stretch.

In the end, it was a very good experience. Every race is a good race. Next year we’re going to have to get the word out about this race. Below is some data from my Garmin

Greenest Mile

Race Focused, Steve Mackel – RRCA Marathon Coach

Adidas Adizero XT Trails – Running Shoe Review

After 300 miles on this shoe, some of those trail races, street miles and trail miles, I love this shoe.

I haven’t used a trail running specific shoe for years. I’ve raced in regular running shoes because trail running shoes have been clumsy, heavy and stiff. Adidas seems to have listened to us trail runners that wanted something lighter, flexible, with feel.

In this video I review this shoe after logging some major mileage in them. Check it out and thanks for watching.

Special thanks to Run With Us Running Shoe Store in Pasadena

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Running Shoe Tester

Valley Crest Half Marathon – Sunday, June 13, 2010

It was my first time running the Valley Crest Half Marathon. Below is the data from my Garmin.

I grew up riding my bmx bike on dirt Mulholland Dr., now, 35 years later I got to run it. There are few flat spots, but it is a nice wide dirt road. The day was the first hot day of the year and the field had many seasoned runners, so the heat didn’t slow them down.

In this video I interview runners, show the course but by mile 10, I was racing hard trying to catch Marvin. He was able to use his ChiRunning® training to hold me off. I think I finish 4th or 5th in my age group. Not bad for running and filming on a challenging course.


Overall, I had a good race and a great time. Thanks for watching

Train Focused, Steve Mackel, ChiRunning® Instructor

Run to Vote Today! California State Primary

I’ll make a new video before the the mid-terms in November but this video will do for now. Ok, I don’t expect long lines (due to apathetic citizens) but know who and what you are going to vote for before you go to your polling place. There are also a lot of important propositions on our ballot.

Please remember to Run To VOTE!

Vote Focused, Steve Mackel – US Citizen and Voter

A Lesson, Lap, Yoga and a Snack – National Running Day

running day

Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 2, A Lesson, Lap, Yoga and a Snack for National Running Day Event

We’ll meet at 6:30am at the Rose Bowl in the grassy area east of Lot F for a ChiRunning® workshop. Then from 7-7:45am. We’ll run around the Rose Bowl, and from 7:45-8:15am Steve will lead a yoga class! We’ll have morning snacks afterward for all to enjoy. … Feel free to come for the whole time or just for a part of it.

The mission of National Running Day is to designate one national day to promote running as a healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise.

This initiative aims to:

  • Strengthen a nationwide grassroots movement to get people running
  • Encourage Americans of all ages and fitness levels to get out and run.
  • As more school physical education programs disappear every day, get kids interested in running as a part of an everyday healthy lifestyle.
  • Inspire children of all ages by exposing them to professional runners who know better than anyone the benefits of running.
  • As a sign of participation and to motivate people around them, get people to wear their running shoes to work on June 3.
  • Visit www.RunningDay.org for more information.

    Train Focused, Steve Mackel – ChiRunning® Instructor

    « Previous PageNext Page »