You get to know every guy your age group that races regularly. You start to categorize them them into 3 categories:

1. Guys I always beat.
2. Guys I will never beat.
3. Guys that it might beat, depending on how the day is going.

When you get to the race you take a look around and count them out. I usually know what place I’ll come in before I even run. For races with good swag I pray that the category 2 runners have a little league game to go to so I can get the $2.75 trophy.

Birthdays are wonderful days. I am not talking about my birthday but the birthdays of the guys that are older and faster. There is nothing more rewarding than the fast 39 year old celebrating his 40th birthday. Instantly you become a contender. You didn’t gain an ounce of speed yet you move up on the podium. You might say, what about the guys moving up into your age group? This is how I know you’re new to the age group thing. I’m 38, the perfect age. The 30-35 category is competitive but only because of the low 30 guys. The 30-35 category is not as competitive as the 35-39 age group. Similarlly, the 40-45 age group is a lot faster than the 35-39 group. It’s after 45 that things start to slow down.

Playing against this “graduation” play is Boston. It’s the dream of the age grouper. They problem with this scenario is it is based on time. You only get extra time as you get older. I am training with the “just hold on” method. Sure I can get faster but why not just stay the same speed and get older? It’s a much easier way of doing it right? You may not get faster but you always get older.

I have been waiting for four month to run in shorts. Running at the indoor track doesn’t count. I’m a layering kind of guy and boy did I ever layer this winter. One drifit shirt with long sleeve t-shirt over that, followed by a winter jacket. For the lower half, I had the old stretch pants with the sweats on top. This is my 5 degree to 32 degree outfit which pretty much meant I wore it the entire winter.

When I run my long runs I really don’t notice the difference of the added clothes but not so in the speed workouts. I feel like I’m wearing a parachute while dragging a tire. So when I got to put on some shorts this week I felt like I lost 20 pounds. Whether or not I ran faster is not the point. I felt like I can and it inspired me to run an extra day this week. The warmer air and the other runners get my running juices flowing. I find it impossible to get up at 4:45 every morning when it is 10 degrees out but have no problem rising and shining at 40 degrees. I move more, sleep better, and because of it, I’m happier. Some bring it on, Spring, I have some fast running to do.

Runners know the importance of a good night’s sleep. Rest is important not only for the next day’s performance, but for long-term growth and conditioning. There’s nothing worse than a 10-mile training run at 5:00am when you just fell asleep at 2:00am. The key to getting a good nights sleep is good habits. Here are some of the rules I follow to help ensure a complete night’s rest.

1. The bedroom is for sleeping. There is no watching tv, reading books, or any pre bedtime activities laying in bed. When I get into bed my body knows it is time to go to sleep. Because of this I will be out in less than 10 minutes. Most people including my wife says there is no way it can be done because their brain is just too active. This leads me to number two.
2. Give yourself a half hour to an hour to wind down. Find something that relaxes you for the last part of the day before bed. Most people take care of all their tasks at night. Trying to get everything done right before bed. The National Sleep Foundation found that 60% of people do household chores right before bed. It would be better to find something that is more relaxing. You need a transition from an active day to a restful night.
3. Get things done in the morning. Being a morning person is not a genetic thing, it is a trained way of life. Instead of doing chores at night, leave them until morning. In the morning you are rested and lacking all of the other distractions of the day. This is the perfect time to get up and run, do some laundry, or even get some work done. Your brain and body are fresh and will get more things accomplished than you ever would have during the same time frame at night.
4. No caffeine after 2:00pm. Caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine, the brain chemical that makes you sleepy. Just one cup will ruin a good night’s sleep. Have a cup of coffee and you’ll be getting up to urinate more often as well. If you do have something before bed make it the same thing every day. Having that drink will signal to your body that it’s time to start winding down.
5. Drink some milk and consume some carbs. There is a reason they say drink milk before bed. This little snack is not going to make you gain ten pounds but it will put you to sleep. Milk has tryptophan (just like turkey) but needs carbs to deliver it.
6. Exercise. Those who exercise sleep better. People who do some form of regular exercise sleep an average of 42 minutes longer than those who don’t and they falls asleep 12 minutes faster.
7. Don’t watch the news before bed. There is nothing on the news that is going to wind you down. The controversies, violence, and politics are only going to get you worked up.
8. Live closer to work. The number one reason people say they don’t get enough sleep is lack of time. Make more time by dropping your driving time.
9. No alcohol before bed. Contrary to belief, alcohol doesn’t relax you and actually makes for a lighter sleep. You’ll be up at the slightest noise if you drink right before bed.
10. Turn the thermostat down. People sleep better at cooler temperatures, and a nightly drop in temperature signals to your body that it is time for sleep.

As a runner, there are some things that I constantly do that drive myself crazy. Some of them are so simple and stupid, yet I never seem to learn.

• Always wearing too many layers: It doesn’t matter what the temperature I wear too many clothes. I hate being cold at the beginning so I always come home with a jacket wrapped around my waist.
• Forget to charge the Garmin: I do it a few times every week. I run early in the morning so I am always in a hurry and just throw the watch on the table and forget to turn it off. Next day as I head out the door, beep beep no juice, no Garmin.
• Take too long to get going and end up late: I get up in plenty of time to run or meet my friends but I need a little time to wake up. So I read my email, grab some water and now I’m either running late or I have to cut my run short because I was goofing around.
• Whiplash with my shoelaces. I tie them plenty tight but sure enough there’s one strand that comes undone and whips the opposite leg for 5 miles because I don’t want to stop and redo it.
• Forget to wear my wind briefs: I should know that when it’s under 5 degrees, the part of my body that leads my way that is going to freeze. It’s one of the most painful things I go through and yet I always forget.
• Being to lazy to journal: Writing down runs is not for everyone but I am a data freak. Yes I have much of them in my Garmin but I don’t always wear my watch. I wish I would take the extra 2 minutes and write down my times and heart rate. I think it would be useful to track.
• Sneak in junk food on long run days: I realize there has to be reward for a good run. I am probably the only person in the world that can be even calories after a 15 mile run. That run seems to give me an excuse to eat everything in the kitchen. It’s fine for the 2 months of the year that I can barely keep my weight up, but for the other 10 months I could lose the unneeded weight if I would stay out of the fridge.
• Leaving some extra miles behind: At the time I just don’t feel up to it but a few hours later I always regret not doing them. For some reason I forget how satisfying it feels after a good run as quickly as I forget how painful a marathon can be.

1. Cutting corners short. Even tiny little short cuts, like cutting inside a cone or going through a parking lot, are no-nos.
2. Exaggerating times. 3:11 is not “about 3 hours”.
3. 
   Running as a bandit. Bandits are runners who haven’t payed the entry fee. Doing this is like going out to dinner with your friends and snubbing the bill.
4. Cutting someone off. If you pass a runner, make sure you’re several strides ahead before you slide in front of them.
5. Wearing someone else’s number. I get hell for wearing a Boston shirt and having not yet qualified; I can’t imagine the reaction to cheating to getting in.
6. Starting at the front inappropriately. There’s nothing wrong with running a 10-minute pace, but if you do, you shouldn’t start in the front with the 5-minute pacers. By starting in the front you will force other runners out of stride and off the road to pass you.
7. Chute passing. Passing someone in the finishing chute (aka shoot) is distance running’s cheap shot. When you’re in the chute, the race is over. If you had the ability to pass, you should have done it earlier so the other racer could react.

It’s fairly taboo to talk about carrots in public but we all know we talk about it in private on long runs with our friends. Carrot, I must point out, is not a sexist label and can as easily be applied to a woman or a man. It is not degrading but merely points out that all those mile have paid off. What is a carrot? A carrot is that fellow runner in the race that looks especially nice in their running gear and helps you keep a nice steady pace. A pace that perhaps that may be slower or faster than you normally run but yet on this day it seems to be the perfect pace. Like a carrot in front of the horse that keeps it moving. Ideally the carrot is a runner that keeps a pace just above where you want to be, enabling you to have the proper motivation to reach your PR. If you’re going to follow a carrot, at least follow these simple rules:

1. Don’t harass. You’re not a construction worker, you’re a fellow runner. The only thing appropriate to say might be a few words of encouragement. If you’re trying to strike a conversation and get a date, just wait until after the race.
2. Don’t run two steps behind and stare the whole time. There is a fine line between appreciating and stalking.
3. When in the presence of a carrot one must never mention the carrot. You never know if someone wants to be considered a carrot (well, all men probably do), so error on the safe side.
4. Don’t turn around after you’ve passed. We all want to see what the front looks like after we’ve run behind someone for a mile but control the urge and keep moving.

Follow these simple rules and everyone gets along. That beautiful person may not only put a smile on your face and a spring in your step; they could drive you to your personal best. Have a carrot story? Keep it nice. Go ahead and post in the comments.