andy giefer

Chicago Marathon: Hoping for a Lucky #7

Feb 10, 2010 at 1:13pm

It's official: I'm running Chicago.

It will be by far the biggest (45,000 runners) and hopefully fastest marathon I've ever run. I'm not particularly quick. All I want for marathon number seven is a 3h 30m time. If I can do that, I'll be happy with half marathons from there on out.

What will it take? It's time to shake up the program. More strength, more cross training and a better diet.

An early start will help too. The race is 8 months from today. Gotta run.

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chicago, marathon, running, sports,

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Thinking Small to Achieve Big

Jan 21, 2010 at 6:38pm

I was strictly a recreational runner, never ran track, and maxed out around 5 miles on a good day. While I enjoyed getting out, I remember saying on more than one occasion that I'd never run a marathon. The idea of churning my legs for 26.2 miles seemed ridiculously hard and out-of-reach.

Now several years later, I'm starting to think about which marathon I'll run in 2010. This will be my 7th overall. I've ran about 30 races of varying distance over that time. And though I'm not particularly speedy, I do love the sport.

I often hear the same reaction that I used to have to marathon running. "You'll never see me out there." "That doesn't sound fun to me." "I could never do that." Or my personal favorite, "You're crazy."

My usual response is, "I never thought I'd be a marathon runner either. Try it, you might surprise yourself."

Why couldn't I or many others like me imagine ourselves running a marathon? It's because of that daunting number, 26.2. It's hard to wrap your head around being on your feet that long. It's still sometimes difficult for me to fathom covering that distance.

The advantage the veteran marathon runner holds is mindset. When I'm out there on race day, I'm not thinking about how hard it is to run 26.2 miles. That's too big to take on. Instead, I'm thinking small: Am I currently running at my goal pace for this mile? Am I nourished and hydrated? How is my body holding up? Yes, that big number is in the back of my mind, but my focus is on the things within my control.

By dividing the race into minutes and miles, finishing a marathon becomes a manageable task. By doing the little things right along the way, the big thing takes care of itself. It also helps you keep your sanity over course of the race.

When we're feeling overwhelmed by a big goal, sometimes it helps to think small.

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life, productivity, running, sports,

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New iPod nano could be a runner's best friend

Sep 11, 2009 at 1:05pm

If you're a runner and blessed with a good (preferably commercial-free) radio station like the Twin Cities are, you've got to be excited about the new iPod nano. Say goodbye to playlist fatigue as you head out the door with the built-in FM tuner.

There's also the Nike-plus kit (sold separately) which tracks time, miles, pace, calories, and gives you feedback during your run. Of course, the big deal is supposed to be that the nano now has a video camera. Not so helpful running but an awesome feature all the same.

I may have to reward myself with a nano next time I accomplish something big. Like my upcoming marathon. Better yet, full time employment.

Update:

-Smart, thorough review by Technologizer.

-New iPod Nano, equipped with video camera, might not be welcome at Twin Cities gyms

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music, running, technology,

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On the Run Again

Jun 21, 2009 at 8:13pm

After watching Grandma's this weekend, I was feeling the itch to get in a few races. So I promptly signed up for Whistlestop Marathon in Ashland, WI on Oct 10. It'll be back to roots for me as this was the site of my first marathon back in 2005. Nice flat course, mostly trail running, fall colors guaranteed, cool weather likely, and a PR hopefully.

Also signed up for Urban Wildland Half Marathon in Richfield, MN on Aug 1. It's a green race with biodegradable cups and trash bags, sustainable paper, free bus rides, organic food, etc. It also happens to be a great course.

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environment, running,

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Running in Buenos Aires

Jun 8, 2009 at 2:49pm

One of the main reasons I lived in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires was so that I could run in the parks. It was a luxury to have the park system close by. Still, I did get tired of always running the same routes. There aren't that many other options unless you want to take a taxi to the Reserva Ecologica. It's easy to forget how spoiled we runners are in the Twin Cities.

Here are photos from a typical 5-mile loop through the parks. It was pretty calm the day these were taken. No protests, no dancing mascots, and it was too early for the transvestite prostitutes. Just a leisurely jog around the lakes.

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argentina, buenos_aires, my_photos, running,

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Chicago Marathon: Hoping for a Lucky #7

Thinking Small to Achieve Big

New iPod nano could be a runner's best friend

On the Run Again

Running in Buenos Aires

Andy Giefer

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