You Got It!

by coach Jimmie Vaughn

As coaches, we all have that little thing that keeps us running and we hope it infects our runners. For me, I approach many aspects of life in a particular way, and running is no different.  I look to keep everything challenging, playful, fun, and most of all, something I can win.  Of course, you can’t win everything unless your only competitor is yourself and you set realistic goals.  Once you start aiming at targets too far in the distance, the avenue will close for road work. 

Bergman + sweatband

Last December I was challenged to write one blog per month. May began, and I was out of ideas. Typing words became more difficult than Marc Bergman going on a run without a sweatband. I honestly had no idea what to write about until I received an email from one of my runners.  Maybe I just got a “Get out of Jail Free” card.

This particular runner struggled with “new runner” pains for several months, and it almost sank my battleship because no matter what help I offered, she still was struggling.  I could tell she had the drive to be a runner; we just had to overcome a few obstacles in order to make running less of a chore.  I have to give her credit, because she more than stuck with it and has continued to run when many would have thrown in the towel.  I’m always proud of my runners, but the ones who overcome the larger obstacles make me the most proud.  And to date, I have not had a runner more determined than this gal.  Maybe it’s because she met some great friends in her group, or maybe her coach had her diggin’ deep…let’s go the friend route.

After 19 months of coaching and never having been in these type of waters, this particular runner emailed me and stated, “From the end of March until now, I’ve seen a lot of improvement, and I mean night and day! I was miserable in January and February when I first started but I’m so happy I stuck with it. Now it’s almost like a game, I want to see how much faster I can get every week.”

When I read that she saw running as a “game”, I actually blurted out “Sonufa*&%$@! Someone finally GOT IT!” Finally I got someone to view running as I do.  When running becomes a game, all the work becomes effortless.  It no longer is a chore, a job, or part of a program that you have to go through the motions with.  It has become a realistic target with a realistic bull’s-eye.  It becomes something you want to do, and something you miss when you can’t.

Patty, at a time when I questioned my coaching, I THANK YOU.

Treat everything in life as a game that you WILL win, and you will!

Rock AND Roll

by John Schrup

Here at Rogue Running, we do things a bit different. That is absolutely a fact, it’s been proven. And it has absolutely nothing to do with the topic sentence, whenever we might get to that. I just thought you wanted to know. You may also want to know, but probably not, that in Team Rogue, we use some terms taken from the music industry when we talk about running.

So, we’re submitting this to the OED:

Head banging: (gerund? Shit, I don’t know, somebody help me out!) 1. Running very quickly, for an extended period of time, with one or more of your closest friends and/or teammates. 2. Running faster than one’s coach has suggested and/or what was written on the schedule. 3. The hauling of the ass, perhaps in the latter part of a run, and specifically when the soundtrack of Dazed and Confuzed is playing, even the slower songs, like that one by Seals and Crofts. But you have to be running in slow motion.

Ok, there is no topic sentence.

The other day I was talking with a guy on Team Rogue. Since I haven’t asked his permission to use his name here, I’ll call him, uh, Shay. So, me and Shay were talking, maybe about surfing, I don’t know, and he asked how we got all these people to run absolutely to their limits on a given day, to empty the tank, totally eyeballs out! He had done it in Dallas, in the cold and rain, and so he knew. Jillian did it more than once and in some crazy heat—both times! Mark had a brilliant run in Houston (I didn’t see it, but Chris was there and he told me about it), and just recently I saw Michael do something big in Vancouver. I saw Jessica do it at 3M, moved almost to tears. Wendy owned the ridiculously tough Austin course, and there definitely were tears. And, it seems, that was our regularly State-of-the Rogue Address after each big race.

Hm. I thought. That does happen a lot. Way more than one might expect. It’s kinda funny, kinda cool. And I don’t know why it happens with our group so much. I really don’t know.

Our training is a bit different than other groups. We do things in ways that many people think of as, well, not the right way. But it just works. It just works. And I think it isn’t so much the training schedule that does it, though I think that it does play a big role, albeit indirectly. The training schedule—the method—is set up in such a way that if you do it, if you buy into it, your chances of rock stardom are brilliant! It is designed to train the body and mind simply to run the distance faster than they ever have before.

They’d trained differently with other groups, so when they joined TR, there was a huge leap of faith. Eventually, they bought in. They bought in when they began to see others do it off of the same training. They bought in when they began to see changes in their own fitness and preparation. And when they see that it just works, that it is possible to run the last 10K of a marathon faster than they once thought, they begin to believe. They believe first in the program, then in the training, then in themselves.

10 reasons to train for 10 miles

by coach Chris McClung

So, I am coaching a program to train for the Run for the Water 10-miler on October 28. The program starts on May 5th – THIS Saturday. For those counting at home, that gives us 25 weeks or just under 6 full months to prepare…. for a 10-miler. Now, that is no typo. Some of you will ask, why? Why do I need 25 weeks to train for a 10-miler, or maybe why do I want to train for a 10-miler at all? After all, half marathons and marathons are all the rage, right? I am writing this to answer those questions, and not because I need more people in the class. As of this moment, we have 13 people already signed up, 3 more verbally committed, and more on the way. No, I am writing this because I think many of you actually NEED this program and here are 10 reasons why…

#10: Because you need a PR. Has it been a while since you PR’d? Have you been frustrated recently by a lack of results? Well, I ask… when was the last time you raced a 10-miler?!? Exactly! Sometimes you just need a “win,” and why not stack the deck a little bit in your favor by racing a little-raced distance.

#9: Because, even if you mess it up, you can always race again in a week or two. You have put all of your eggs in one race basket before, and you have dropped that basket or had it smashed out of your hands by ugly weather. With this program, you will have a mulligan, not necessarily to use but to take the pressure off when you do race.

#8: Because you can’t stand the heat anymore. My group calls itself The Early Birds. We do our quality workouts at 5:30 am on Wednesdays. In the summertime, that can mean doing your workouts in 80 degrees vs.100 degrees. I am not a morning person, but will take 80 degrees every time. Last summer may have driven you crazy, so much so that you are contemplating another hobby this summer. Don’t do it… just suck it up and switch to the morning group!

#7: Because it is time to actually train for the first two races in the Distance Challenge. The Distance Challenge is already a challenge. There is no need to make it more so by rolling into the IBM 10k and 10-miler under-trained after a summer of vacations and debauchery. Let’s do this thing right. We will do both races as a part of this program and then tee you up to roll over into an Austin Marathon or Half Marathon program to close the deal.

#6: Because you don’t HAVE to do a marathon or even half marathon right away. Some of you have never done a marathon and are feeling guilty about it. You see all of your friends doing it. Part of you is jealous and the other part of you is telling the jealous part that it doesn’t matter… that those people are just crazy or have more time on the hands to train or whatever. I am here to tell you that you don’t have to run a marathon now or even ever. There is plenty of glory and pain in shorter races. I promise to show you that, and you may or may not like me for it.

#5: Because some of you are in a marathon rut, and it is making you slower. Marathons don’t have to make you slower. But, for some of you, racing 2, 3, 4 or more marathons a year has become disruptive to your improvement as a runner. I am here to tell you that you can’t get faster at the marathon until you get faster at shorter distances. Training for the 10-mile or half marathon distance is the perfect way to keep your mileage and consistency up, while working on speed that will translate to the longer distances. Which leads me too…

#4: Because you can train for a marathon without doing one. What’s the difference between training for a 10-miler and training for the marathon? Nothing… at least for the first 4 months. Whether you have done a marathon or not, this program will prepare you to be a better marathoner in the future by building your consistent mileage, without the training disruption of the big race at the end. Our long runs won’t be quite as long, and the speed phase will be different, but all of the same training principles still apply.

#3: Because you really, really need the longer base period… no really. At Rogue, we believe in periodized or phased training, starting with a “base” period of easy running to build aerobic strength and capacity. In this phase, we are building your aerobic engine, and the longer the base, the bigger and more powerful your aerobic engine. Some of you are so busy racing or rolling from one program to the next, that you short-circuit the base phase every time. You are running races with a 4-cyclinder engine at max RPMs vs. blowing by people with your souped-up V8. In this program, we will take our time in the base phase, while keeping it interesting with an early focus on strength and form. We are making fine wine, not moonshine.

#2: Because it’s time to break bad habits or at least start good, new ones. At Rogue, we like to say that all of the “one percents” add up to matter, and sometimes they matter more than the running itself. The “one percents” are the strength, the drills, the stretching, the strides, the recovery runs, etc. Some of you have been so consumed by the running part of your training including the long runs, that you are slacking on the one percents. In this program, we will do the one percents like they are the 51 percents.

#1: Because I care. No, I am not implying that other Rogue coaches don’t care or that I care more than they do. I want to convey that I am doing THIS program in THIS way because I care. I care that all of you have long, happy, and (if you want) continually faster lives as runners. And, I think that some of you need this program to continue to develop optimally to achieve that end. I will invest tirelessly to help you achieve your goals. We will do it together. Who is with me?!?

Want in on this? Get it here.

Sole Survivors “Paying It Forward”

by Coach Bobby Garcia

You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you (Anonymous)

Greetings, fellow Rogues

I am writing to ask if you can help me and my team, the Rogue Team Sole Survivors, raise money for Team Rogue Elite. With your help we feel that our fundraising efforts will be very successful.  While this fundraising effort has been in the planning for several weeks the launching of it could not be more timely following the outstanding races at this past weekend’s Olympic Trials by two of our Team Rogue Elites, Allison Macsas and Scott MacPherson. Their performances and that of the other world class athletes filled our hearts with reverence at the highest level.

The concept of “Paying It Forward” means having an appreciation for something you have received and expressing that appreciation by doing something positive for someone else. I don’t know about you but I have received so much from Rogue Running and it has come in the form of learning to live a healthy lifestyle, developing physically, mentally, and spiritually, and giving birth to new friendships and relationships. I personally have received much from Rogue Running and now I want to play a role in “paying it forward.”

One of the true hallmarks of Rogue Running and a distinguishing characteristic amongst running organizations in Austin is the importance of community. I have been a member of Rogue Running both as a marathoner and as a coach since its inception. From the outset of this association I have realized Rogue Running understands the significance of investing in the Austin community and acts on it. In years past Rogue Running was the official marathon training partner of the Austin Marathon’s philanthropy program, 26 Miles for 26 Charities. The philanthropy program provided nonprofits in Central Texas the opportunity to increase community awareness while raising money to support their missions. Members of my team ran on behalf of and raised money for several nonprofit organizations in past years. The Rogue Team Sole Survivors have supported and helped raise money for Colin’s Hope, Marathon Kids, Girls on the Run of Austin, Blue Dog Rescue, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Hill Country Conservancy, Dell’s Children Medical Center of Central Texas, St. Jude’s Children Hospital, Austin Children’s Shelter, Live Strong Foundation, Glimmer of Hope Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, and Team Asha.

This year I have made the decision that our fundraising efforts will be for one of our own, Team Rogue Elite.

Why are we doing this? Why are we helping raise money for this team? For several reasons and I will share a few with you.

1. We Have Received Help and Support From Others – Each and every one of            us in our life long journey has had someone do something that lifted us up. A simple act of kindness and selflessness. We have benefited from an authentic, genuine act of doing by others. From that experience we have learned and grown.
2. Strengthens our Rogue Running Community – I see it every time I am at Rogue. I read it on Facebook. Our Rogue Running community is one BIG LOVE AFFAIR. Yes,  we work hard and train hard. We push each other. And, we love to celebrate, socialize, have dinner, party, travel, and spend non-running time together.
3. I Have A Dream – With all due respect to Martin Luther King, Jr. I would  like to borrow his famous line. Each of these professional athletes has a dream to accomplish the goal of making and competing in the Olympics. They approach their training purposefully and with strong conviction in order to get closer to realizing their dream. They run their path with faith, love and purpose, and for that we all admire them.

On a Personal Note – I have had the pleasure and the privilege of getting to know each of the members of Rogue Team Elite. They are truly special in that they embody the essence of what is good. They are humble. They are giving of their time, their gifts, and their talents. You don’t hear a lot about them because they don’t make it a point to broadcast their accomplishments. They let their hard work and efforts speak volumes for themselves. And, we hear it loud and clear without their having to boast about them. A mark of a confident, secure, and humble athlete. They work hard to try and make ends meet in order to live, play, and train for their respective races.

How can we help raise money?

Soon we will begin selling raffle tickets at $10 per ticket. Buy one. Buy ten. Buy twenty. Buy more. Buy them for a fellow Rogue as a gift.

We are still working on a few other gifts but this is what we have so far:

1. Rogue Running Survival Bag of goodies
2. Rogue Outfitter – shirt, shorts, shoes, and socks
3. Rogue Running program of your choice
4. Six infared sauna sessions with Dr. Noah Moos, DC (TRE’s official team doctor)
5. Six hyberbaric chamber sessions with Dr. Noah Moos, DC (TRE’s official team doctor)
6. Photoshoot with Juliane Masciana (TRE member and professional photographer)
7. One week of lunches from Mel’s Meals
8. One hour massage with Doug Consiglio (TRE’s official team massage therapist)
9. Haircuts from Birds Barbershop, 2 winners for 2 cuts each
10. Kindle “like” reader
11. 3-hours of fun in the sun aboard a beautiful NAUTIQUE boat on Lake Travis with Sail & Ski Center. The Captain will pilot the boat, providing sight seeing, swimming, wake surfing and tubing. One winner plus five guests.
12. Wellness Starter Program (valued at $195) by Nutritional Wisdom
13. Wine Tasting and Appetizers for 10 – Margaret & Bobby Garcia (fellow Rogue and Sommelier, Edward Morgan, will be our guest) – 5 winners for two people each.
14. Dinner Party for 6 – Margaret and Bobby Garcia (fabulous 4 course meal with fine wines and champagnes) – 3 winners for two people each.

I hope you agree with me that for $10 per ticket these are pretty good prizes. Winners of the raffle will be announced at Rogue’s pre-Austin Marathon talk on February 10 (winners do not have to present to win). Details on when and where to purchase raffle tickets will be announced soon.

Rogue Running has shown Central Texas that it lives here, runs here, and gives here. I hope you will join me in doing something for someone who can never repay you.

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love. ~ Mother Teresa

A St. George Breakthrough

by Kent Little

Race report: St. George Marathon, Oct 1 2011.

A negative split. A breakthrough.  October 1^st I ran my best marathon, and my best time yet, in St. George Utah.  I also fell deeper in love with running.  After four attempts at the marathon distance over the last four years, thousands of miles of training runs, hundreds of hours in the gym, and dozens of hours of study, I feel like I finally executed a marathon that matched the fitness level and mental preparation I brought to the day.

I’ve always enjoyed the marathon training experience—I suppose all repeat marathoners do. And I feel like I’ve gone into each of my prior marathons pretty well physically prepared for the challenge. I’ve had outstanding coaches. And as any amateur will tell you, truly, just finishing the act of propelling yourself forward non-stop for 26.2 miles is a big victory.  But while I have celebrated each of my three previous races of this distance, a few hours after the race, I found myself creating a mental checklist of what I could have done better. The list this time is pretty short, and it’s a handful of new mistakes, not the same errors (too much excitement, starting too fast, etc.). Why did things go better this time? As I think back on the race and the days and weeks leading up to it, and try and zero in on the reasons I had a successful performance, several themes emerge:

1.     Having a firm plan

When I set down for lunch the week of the marathon with my main coach this summer Mark Enstone, I expected help with a race plan and some last minute tips, but I came away more than that. Mark helped me create a detailed set of instructions and agreements that ultimately made me feel at ease, and gave me a very clear script to follow. By the time I left for St. George, to the point of finishing the race, I had a set schedule and solid race plan.

I had been planning on waking up at 5:00AM on the day of my flight to St. George and running my scheduled 3-miler, but Mark convinced me to consider Thursday a travel day and skip my normal Thursday run. Instead I would fly, get settled in the hotel and rest, and then run my 20-minute day-before-race, shakeout run on Friday, the day before the marathon (St. George is run on a Saturday). He also suggested I run my 10 minutes “out and back” from the finish line, giving me a good sense of the feel of the last mile and a half of the course, and an opportunity to visualize a successful finish.

I finished my early Friday shakeout run feeling great. I was also able to practice positive visualization, and imagine myself feeling strong at landmarks I knew I would pass at the end of the marathon the next day. These tips wound up paying huge dividends.

Mark also shared with me his planned splits from the back of his bib from his previous running of St. George, and we discussed me taking a similar approach to split planning. In the past, I have always worn a marathon pace wristband showing 26 split times based on “even” mile splits. Mark’s approach was instead to work against five split times at miles 5, 10, 15, 20, and of course, 26.2. This turned out to be a great approach for me, and one I’ll employ again.

As many have pointed out, when we practice marathon goal pace (MGP) on long runs and tempo runs, we typically track mile splits and try as much as possible to stay on MGP over each mile. On race day however, your MGP typically emerges as an average over several miles, slightly sharpening in some segments, and slightly slowing in others. Taking the approach of checking my splits over five miles gave me the freedom to not fret about being slightly over or under mile times, and that freedom lead to a reduction in stress.

Instead of focusing in on a pace band every mile I could focus on my breathing, my stride, my body position and the feel of the road for longer periods. In the second half of the race, after I had well established a workable pace that was yielding good 5 mile splits, I could relax even further. This played a huge role in my success.

Mark also convinced me to build a negative split into my target times, e.g., add in extra time beyond even MGP splits into my first three splits, helping to position myself for a strong finish.

After meeting with Mark, I built the following table in Word, printed three copies, and had them laminated. I gave one copy to Mark (giving myself a bit of extra accountability with a coach whom I was anxious to represent).  Then on race day, I taped one copy to the underside of my race bib, and I carried the third copy in my pocket of my shorts.

St. George Pacing and Race Nutrition
Segment	Segment Pace	Gel
Mile 5	39:30	X
Mile 10	1:17
Mile 11	—	X
Mile 15	1:54	X
Mile 20	2:31:30
Mile 21	—	X

AV per mile 7:36 = 3:19.

Relax the face, I run with grace

Relax the shoulders, I run much bolder

By agreeing with my coach to a firm plan for splits (and gels, and hydration), and making the agreements part of the race plan I was committing not to leave these variables to chance. The race plan Mark created for me gave me peace of mind and a path to success.  I had a script. I just needed to calmly follow it.

2.     Running Within. 

Coach Amy Anderson suggested a book called Running Within on the Rogue message board early in the training cycle and I ordered a copy.  I read the book several times during training and applied its teachings to my training. I think it has played a major role in my performance improving. Primarily, the book teaches readers how to apply relaxation and positive visualization techniques into endurance training and racing. With the help of the book, I developed several mantras (see pace card) that I employed during my runs throughout the season.  I also used the book’s pre and post workout relaxation and visualization exercises throughout the season.

St. George is a point-to-point course. Runners are bussed to the starting line and arrive at least an hour before the race starts. There are a dozen bonfires setup and runners are given those odd space blankets for staying warm before the race. There is time to kill. After running through my pre-race bathroom breaks, bag check-in, food nibbling, and light stretching, there was still 30 minutes before start-time. After getting separated from two of the other runners from Rogue who were running trough their own mental drills, I put my blanket down on the ground, laid down on my back near a bon-fire, closed my eyes, and went through the relaxation and visualization exercises I practiced during training. I hadn’t planned on it, but it helped calm me. When it was time to enter the starting corral I was very relaxed and feeling in the zone, and literally smiling, confident in what I was about to do.

I have come to view marathon training as a training pyramid consisting of a big base level of miles and endurance building, a level of nutrition and hydration focus, a level or resistance/weight training and core-work, and a level of speed, intervals and track-work. I now think mental preparation and attitude (learning how to manufacture an environment of calm in the mind in a stressful situation) is a core component of the top of the pyramid as well.

3.     Taking what the course gives 

Mark also repeatedly encouraged me to “take what the course gives” and this became another mantra reverberating in my head throughout the race. St. George is a rather unique and relatively fast marathon course. It features a major hill climb called the “Veyo Hill” at mile 7 that’s almost a mile long. Veyo is followed by several smaller climbs in the middle miles. The course’s defining characteristic is a general net downhill drop from altitude.

The single two-lane road has several major twists and turns so running tangents can save a few strides. Likewise there are several places where you can see at least a quarter mile of road ahead and consider undulations and camber. Most notably, St. George is know for rewarding negative splits for those with a little left in the tank at mile 20 on – always a tricky proposition and a personal weakness for me. The fastest portion of the course is from miles 22-26.

At Mark’s encouragement, I drove the course on Friday. I almost didn’t. My thinking on Friday afternoon, post-lunch was “maybe I really don’t want to be reminded of how far I will be running MGP by spending an hour round-trip driving the route I will be running in less than 24 hours.”  “I think I’ll nap instead.” But I grabbed the room key and rental car keys and stuck with the plan. Driving the course turned out to be a smart move. Even though it was a warm day on Friday I was able to get out of the car at a few places and study the road and the hills. The Veyo hill? Yes, it was long, and yes it was somewhat intimidating, laid-out like a long snake climbing and coming-around the red hills, but it was not Ladera Norte grade and after a face-to-face introduction, my apprehension about the hill was reduced to a simple healthy level of respect.

I also discovered that more than just mile seven being a climb, the course actually steadily climbed from mile 7-10. By driving the course I also was able to really absorb that the second half and the last 10K were (as promised) where the course has gifts to give. All of this basically reinforced my commitment to my race plan. Friday night, my inner voice kept repeating: “Whatever you do, don’t start too fast, like you always do. Don’t screw this up.”

The other thing I figured out that was course-related that paid dividends during the race and saved me some steps was observing the lane choice of runners ahead of me when aid stations were due. I knew at what mile points to expect aid stations from studying the race map. I also quickly learned that most aid stations were on one side of the road (or the other) only. Many of theses stations would appear after a hard turn.  I figured out that some of the lead runners had run the race before and it was obvious they knew which side of the road the aid stations would be positioned. If I was rounding a long-turn that was about to come-up on an aid station I would watch runners ahead. If the majority moved into the right lane when the camber favored left lane running I followed, and the aid station would always appear on the side of migration. It may not sound like much, but I employed this several times and it worked every time and probably saved me a few seconds.

4. Garmin factor

I was late to make the leap into utilizing a GPS training watch for two reasons (1) a resistance to becoming a ‘slave to the numbers’ on easy runs, and (2) the cost. After three years of consistent marathon training I finally picked one up this summer. I used it in two ways in training: to track (1) pacing and (2) distance during longer runs.

While I maintained many of my tried and true training routes for my runs this summer, it was nice to start the watch and simply head out the door in any direction, knowing that if I needed to run 10 miles I could just keep an eye on the watch’s distance tracking information. It was also nice to be able to dial-into a specific pace on tempo runs. As any Garmin user will tell you, the ability to upload your runs, and paces, etc., into your computer wirelessly brings a whole new level of insight into your training too.

I never visualized actually using the Garmin in the race. I am believer in running by feel. I initially planned on wearing my normal chrono/traditional sports watch. But as Mark pointed out, “it’s just another input.” As long as I used it as an information source, and not a pacesetter, per-se, it might be a good thing.

It turned out to be a good thing that I used it, but not because it helped me push pace. Instead it helped me moderate pace and reinforced for me that my mile splits were falling into the right zone as I progressed down the course.

As I’ve noted, my weakness as a marathoner has always been running those first ten miles way—too—fast. This time, I did manage a nice slower paced first mile, but there were several instances during the first few miles where I would glance down at the watch (which was set to show my average currently engaged mile pace) and see a number way faster than it should be. I would make an instant correction. I would force myself to slow my stride down until I hit the proper pace.

Could I have hit my splits without the Garmin’s insight? Probably. But I may not have had the opportunity to figure it out until the mile marker signs (which were every two miles), or the next five-mile split, and that might have been too late.

Conversely, when I was in the toughest part of the race towards the end, and I could glance down and see a number faster than my predicted pace, it was damn encouraging and exciting. The Garmin turned out to be an important tool and it brought me some calm because I could settle into an easier effort pace in the earlier miles, propel a faster pace in the late miles, and know that I was actually where I was supposed to be.

5.     Staying in head-mantras

I have always deployed mantras when running; especially long runs. Sometimes my mantra is a random series of numbers, a quote, a street address or street name I pass, a lyric etc. The effect over time is sometimes just a boredom killer, and sometimes transformative, bordering on meditative. It’s a hard thing to explain. This season I found myself using two mantras frequently; one I copped from the Running Within book, and one I think I made-up, or dreamed: “relax the face, I run with grace.” And “relax the shoulders, I run much bolder.”

It seems so simple, but if you relax your face, you then relax your neck. Then you relax your shoulders and then maybe your core comes into better balance, and your stride improves the slightest fraction.

If you repeat a phrase like “relax the face, I run with grace” even if you are just mindlessly repeating the words while staring at the landscape, or the runner in front of you, guess what happens; your face relaxes, as does the rest of you, and you start running more gracefully. If you run with more grace, you are probably improving your mechanics, and saving energy. When I found myself bored or losing focus in the race, I deployed my mantras. By placing them on my pace card, I was reminded them every time I looked at my script.

6.     Digging Deep. The pissed off girl.

There comes a point in the marathon, usually in the last 10K, when it just sucks. I don’t care how trained and fit one is, or how well the race is going, if you are pushing the pace, and working, the opportunity to face down the wall comes and it is the most vexing part of the marathon; managing the finish in the face of pain, fading mental faculties, and a body that is pleading with you “to stop.”

I have faded in the end of marathons, and I have finished somewhat strong. This time, when the discomfort started to creep, I had simply invested too much into my race to do anything but stare back at the pain and basically invite it to leave. It still hurt. I still suffered, and the descending nature of the last 10K, damn sure helped, but I finished better. Part of the reason for my better finish is what happened at mile 25. It was a moment of my magic that I’ll never forget.

I had been pushing my pace hard from the point that the course started to descend into the town of St. George, at about mile 22.  At mile 24, there were a million voices of discontent rattling around my head and the voices that were saying “slow down,” “this really isn’t that important to you,” “you can live with a slower finish time” were starting to drown out the voices saying “pain is temporary,” “your goals are within sight,” “just run hard to that corner.”

As this was happening, coming out of a water stop, I noticed another runner, a very strong and fit looking young lady who looked to be in her late 20s, in front of me. I could tell by her stride and the look on her face that she (like me) was in pain and facing some inner demons. She was in the process of grabbing a piece of ice from the water cup she had in her hand (we had passed an aid station, but I have no idea where the ice came from. I don’t remember any ice being around and would have loved some).

As I started to gain ground on her my stride momentarily slowed. I thought “man, she looks strong; she looks like she has been pushing the pace, and she is fading” Her apparent willingness to fall off pace a bit, so close to the finish, which was probably under a mile at this point, was about to give me permission to do the same. But as I came up almost directly behind her, (and a screaming pack of girls scouts shouting encouragement her way) she threw the cup of ice down hard on the street, yelled something undecipherable like “aghrgrheshitno” and took off down the street on a tear. She had made a decision. In the same way she somehow almost helped feed my inner demons, and allowed me to fade, she decided to fight, and I did too. Within a block I had passed her, and within a few more moments I could hear the finish line and I was giving it all I had with under a quarter mile to go. I’ll never have a chance to thank her. I was too spent at the finish line to locate her and thank her as I intended when it happened, but I’ll never forget her.

7.     Coaching does matter and the Rogue experience as a source of strength.

As I laid locked up in cramps in the rich green grass of the little park in St. George park near the finish line recovery area sucking on the best Bomb Pop of my life, I couldn’t help but wonder how many of the other runners in various states of joy, pain, anguish around me had the good fortune to train with the types of coaches and other runners Rogue has afforded me. I have had several amazing coaches help me over the last six years, from 5K basic training with Carolyn the summer when Rogue was just starting, to my first marathon season three years ago with Bobby Garcia, I have learned major lessons from each of the Rogue coaches I have worked with. I will always consider all of them mentors, and forever respect their feedback. Mark and Carolyn have invested way more of their time in me than is fair the last two summers, and they have done it with a smile, in the dark, at 5:00 in the morning, in pretty ridiculous dawn heat. And I won’t forget it. I’ve made many friends over the years at Rogue and I hope to make more in the future.

There is nothing special about me physically. I am not gifted with any innate athletic talent. I have learned to love running, I have learned how to train, and I have trained consistently, with positive spirit, and slowly improved my running. Bit by bit.  In the big scheme of the universe, covering the marathon distance is not a big deal. What was magical about my personal experience this time was the intersections it represented for me personally….training meeting planning….planning meeting execution….mental training meeting physical training.

Outside of some shorter distance races over the next few months, and the beacon of Boston 2013 on the horizon, I’m not really sure what’s next for my running. So much focus and work went into this race for me, that I’m happy to have an opportunity for some easy runs around the lake, and less focus on my training for a while. But I have already noticed, with only about a week of reflection, that now that I know how to execute on a sound marathon plan, there is already a little voice deep inside of me saying “yeah, your getting older, but you could probably do that faster.”

Meet the Coach: Cindy Henges

What do you coach?

Running   Usually mixed level marathon groups but I also coach shorter distances as well.

My morning groups in the past have been referred to as The Dawn Patrol but haven’t really figured out a catchy name for the evening groups.  I’m accepting ideas.

What is your coaching philosophy?

1) Runners come first.  Their wants, goals & desires are what I am there for not what I think they should be doing.  They must develop their own set of goals not me.  I am merely there to help them get where they want to be.

2) Develop character & enhance the journey.  Marathon training is not easy. If it was everybody would be doing it. The 6 month journey to the start of the marathon is an opportunity to learn more about yourself & what you decide to do on race day.  The training process is where that character is developed.  Every mile & every workout is an opportunity to learn something about yourself & what is possible.

3)  Foster & develop a love for the sport.  I love running. It has been an ongoing love affair that began in junior high & has waxed, waned, changed & persisted for 20 years.  I strive to share that love with my runners on a daily basis.

4)  Relational & Approachable.  A coach & an athlete have a unique relationship & how that relationship develops is dictated not only by the coach but also by the athlete.  You get what you put into running & the same holds true for your coaching relationships. Asking questions, conversations, giving & receiving information, phone calls, emails etc….all solidify & grow that relationship. Communication is essential on both fronts.

What do you think is the most important thing about learning how to run/train?

Consistency.  A big part of this process is learning to listen to your body.

How long have you been coaching? Running?

I have been coaching for 9 years in varying capacities.

I started running when I was 12 yrs old in junior high after I was cut from the basketball & volleyball teams & failed miserably at the hurdles. My dad suggested long distance running might utilize my skills of coordination.

What other skills do you have? Interests?

Men. Wait a second…is this a matchmaking service or a running group?

I enjoy backpacking, cycling, swimming & pretty much any outdoor activity. .

Men.  I’m very interested in them.

I am back in school for my second bachelors degree in nursing – my desire is to help people & develop those skills.

How long have you been working with Rogue?

I’ve been coaching with Rogue since it started & was coaching when it was still Runtex University.

What would you tell a newcomer if they asked you about yourself as a coach?

Please don’t hesitate to ask questions.  The more you put into training the more you get out of it.

Are you competitive? Do you expect your athletes to be?

I unfortunately am competitive.  I try to deny it but it kinda creeps out.

I expect my athletes to work hard & do their best given their current situation.  Running should be fun. It is not all that there is to life so one must figure out where it fits into their life.  Family, work & the stresses of life affect what part of our life running plays into it.  I think running should enhance our lives and not cause unnecessary stress.  However, if you have unrealistic goals & expectations that you place upon yourself you will not succeed. Sometimes giving yourself a break from the competition is necessary to make running fresh & fun again.   I recognize that most of my runners have jobs,wives, husbands, girlfriends\boyfriends, children & a multitude of other stresses that will affect what happens when they come to a workout.  You will have bad days but what do you do with those bad days?  Do you throw in the towel and quit or do you use those hard moments to build character & strength. I’m not concerned with whether my athletes are competitive or not. I am more concerned with whether they are learning & growing from the process of training.

Why do you run?

I have found that the list of reasons I run continue to grow. I initially started running because I was looking for a place to fit in when I was in middle school.  I have run for escape. I have run for acceptance. I have run to explore. I have run so I can eat more.I have run to see how far I can push myself. I have run to not feel yucky.  I have run because I was mad. I have run because I was sad.  I have run because I want to. I have run because it is fun.  I have run to get over boyfriends.  I have run to handle stress better.  And I have run to beat people.

Cindy is currently in Colorado, training for next month’s Leadville 100 (yes, that 100 mile trail race at altitude, but will be back in time to coach  the Austin Half Marathon and Marathon Tuesday morning group  at Westridge Middle School in Westlake, and the Austin Marathon program on Wednesday mornings at Anderson High School.