Ryan

2015 in Review

/ Miscellaneous / 3 minutes of reading

This article was originally posted by Ed at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

Well December was a letdown of sorts but better than last year. I ran 23 times missing out on four planned runs. I only had a total of 160.2 miles and 20.46 hours of total time running. Last December was “zero” runs – so way ahead of last year. Also, December was the third best month of 2015 for total miles. I averaged a 7:39 pace through December as well. A good strong pace.

2015 overall was a pretty good year. Started out very poor with no miles in January/February and only 40 miles in March. But then things improved and I finished 2015 with 1,324 miles a very low total (less than 2014 which had 1,355) but quality miles. I averaged a 7:30 pace for the year – nice and strong.

Only entered two races in 2015 and performed quite well in both. I surpassed my goal in the first race by earning a podium finish in 3rd place (overall – not age group) and got a nearly one minute PR in the 5K finishing in 18:30. The second race was a big race – Al’s Run in Milwaukee. Of the 2,575 runners I placed 81st which was good enough for 3rd place in my age group of 88 guys aged 40-44.

Seeing as I am going into 2016 with good miles in Oct, Nov, Dec of 2015 and planning on Jan, Feb and March I’ll have six months of running behind my heading into spring of 2016.

My race plans for 2016 are as follows:

The Deer Run – April 30th a 5K – looking to beat my current course PB of 19:22 and hopefully beat my 5K PR of 18:30. This would require a pace of 5:56 per mile or better.

Silver Lining – June 5th (May 29th?) a 5K – Looking to take home an age group award once again and show signs of a possible sub 30 by Al’s.

Hootie Hustle – August 27th? A 5K– Looking for a stronger performance and to make the podium again and to improve my course record as well as my PR. Aiming to be at least down to an 18:00 flat or better. This would require a pace of 5:47 per mile or better. This will be very tough.

Brigg’s & Al’s – Sept 17th? An 8K – Looking to go sub 30 and crack into the top 40 and again earn a medal in my age group. This would require a pace of 6:02 per mile or better. This is very achievable.

Milwaukee Running Festival – Nov 6th – ½ marathon. Looking to PR in the ½ which would demand a sub 1:28 – actually hoping for 1:25 or better. This would require a pace of 6:29 per mile or better.

Happy Holidays from HillRunner.com!

/ HillRunner.com Admin / 1 minute of reading

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

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I’m off enjoying the holidays with my family right now as I hope you also are. I just wanted to wish you a wonderful holiday season and the best for 2016.

Fundamentals: the key to success in basketball and running

/ Training / 2 minutes of reading

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

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Bo Ryan, the recently retired fundamentals coach

I’m a fan of Wisconsin basketball. Not just because I’m a Wisconsinite, though that plays a role, but also because I like the Bo Ryan way of doing things (thanks Andrew for sharing the link with me). Fundamentals first and foremost. In basketball, those who practice fundamentals the way the Badgers do will always be good, though they may not be flashy. Regardless of talent, they will always be competitive. They may not always overcome talented teams, especially talented teams that also focus on fundamentals, but they will at times and they will always be the teams labeled overachievers.

So what does this have to do with running? Well, the same is true in running. Practice the fundamentels until they are routine, then keep practicing them, and you’ll be an overachiever.

We’re runners, though. We aren’t passing and dribbling in running, we’re just putting one foot in front of the other. What does practice the fundamentals mean in running? Well, it means you don’t try to overcomplicate your training. Don’t try to copy workouts you hear about just because someone you admire is doing them. Stick to the fundamentals of training. Build a good base of volume, do the core workouts that you’ve been doing for years and you know work, don’t skimp on the basics. Just because you did a lot of tempo runs and strides last year doesn’t mean you get to skip them this year. It means you do them better. You do them faster if you’re coming in with a greater level of fitness. You don’t ignore what you were focusing on last year but you pick a weakness you found last year and give it extra attention. Make it a strength.

This doesn’t mean you don’t look for new things. New workouts are great if you have a reason and plan to fit them into your schedule. Have a plan, though. Have a reason for everything. And never overlook those basic fundamentals that have gotten you to where you are.

Life happens

/ Training / 1 minute of reading

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

During the holidays, our lives can get hectic. Traveling, family events, the weather (in some areas, including here in Wisconsin). Many things can get in our way this time of the year.

What do you do when life gets in the way of your running plans? How do you respond?

Most of the time, we can probably find a way to get our runs in. However, there are exceptions. When these happen, don’t beat yourself up if you have to cut a run short or even miss a run.

No single workout will make or break your year. As long as you’re getting in the large majority of your runs, you’ll be fine. Just roll with it and do your best to get your next planned run in.

October and November Updates

/ Miscellaneous / 2 minutes of reading

This article was originally posted by Ed at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

October and November were nothing to write home about but this is a blog and not home – so . . .

October and November were about recovering from the racing season and getting back into running because I love to run. There was no structured training or pressure to get out the door. October saw 22 total runs and only 122 miles in a total of 974 minutes or 16.25 hours at an average pace of approximately 7:31 per mile. November was even lower with 17 runs and 97 miles in 739 minutes or 12.3 hours for an average pace of approximately 7:40 per mile.

December is going to be a nice little build-up and has started very well so far – hopefully the weather makes it easier to stay out there running through December, January and February. Once we hit March running outdoors gets easier and easier. But it would be nice to carry over most of last year’s training into the 2016 racing season.

I have plans to race much more in 2016 starting with the 5K Deer Run on April 23rd! It is a great course and I am hoping to crush my course record (19:22) by over a minute and lower my 5K personal record (18:30) by any amount as well. Who knows where things will go from there –

Get out there and do some running!

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