Athlete's Corner - Infinite Running

Rob Hill

2/12/2012 5:44:09 PM

Storage Twins Racing in Houston

The Olympic Trials in 2012 were obviously very challenging, and 2011 was a difficult year for a lot of us. In 2011 Tara and Kara Storage, like most runners; trained hard and struggled with their own injuries in 2011. I have known these beautiful young ladies for years and I have watched as they moved up from the 5K and 10K on the track to the Marathon. The Storage Twins changed coaches twice in two years, both dealt with bio-mechanical imbalances and small but frustrating injuries that seemed to curtail their peak performances in training and races.
   While making changes in coaches has been a big improvement, the muscle imbalances took longer to treat and fix. The resulting corrections and strength improvements came over time, they were steps in the right direction. Tara and Kara run almost every workout and race together, they are very competitive and push each other to be the best they can be.
    While they are incredibly great runners and have accomplished so much in their running career, one of the largest aspects of their daily life that gets overlooked amongst many other professional runners is that Tara and Kara both work full time for the USAF Research Lab at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. They work full time as Materials Engineers in the research lab, this career has always competed with their running career. Unlike many professional runners competing at their level, the Twins are also working 40-60 hours a week, traveling for work and still managing to run 80-100 miles a week getting ready for their races.
   I am so proud of these two, they are an inspiration to those of us who find it hard to make time for our exercise, work and daily life with family and friends.   The Twins both ran a PR (Kara 2:39:59 and Tara 2:40:00, 41st and 42nd) at the Trials, and felt great, it may not have been their best day racing, they may not have raced as fast as their training showed them capable of, but they finished strong, and recovered well. I am very proud of their accomplishments, and how hard they work to improve and maintain a balance in their life. I am proud to know them and have them in my life- thank you T&K!!!

Direct Link

Rob Hill

6/17/2011 3:40:27 PM

IR/SDTC Summer Clinic

I would first like to say thank you to everyone that came to the clinic and supported our great cause. You are all awesome, and the funds raised will go to help prevent childhood obesity in our community.
   There were over 50 people that showed up Wednesday night on June, 15th for our clinic/fundraiser, I would venture to say that the panel could have gone on for a couple more hours and there still would have been some questions that you may have wanted to ask. I am sorry we didn't get to all of you, I know the panel members really enjoyed the clinic, I had a great time, and really enjoyed meeting all of you. I wish I could have talked more with you individually.
    If you have any questions, or comments please feel free to email me and I will try to respond or have one of our INFINITE RUNNING team members respond to you.
    We gave away more than $1,200.00 in gift cards and product at the clinic, I am thrilled that we were able to do that!!! Our support comes from people like you and our great sponsors. Without you the INFINITE RUNNING FOUNDATION 501(c3) would not be able to give back to the youth in our community like we do, so thank you all!!
    I want to make sure I give a huge round of applauds to our Emcee Paul Greer, from the San Diego Track Club, John Armour SDTC Men's Open Team Member, Toya Reavis, INFINITE RUNNING Personal Trainer and Coach, Kim Mueller, INFINITE RUNNING Sport's Nutritionist and our sponsors who donated so much to us David Richardson LMT, Robb Lattimer LMT, David Paterson at PowerBar, and TIMEX, GARMIN, Karl Brandt owner of Movin Shoes and so many more.

Direct Link

Mike Sayenko

6/8/2011 11:48:08 PM

Enjoyment of Coaching!

I have been an elite runner for some time now, running for over 10 years and I have enjoyed every step of it (pun intended). I knew I wanted to give back my knowledge of the sport and get into coaching. Two years ago I started coaching age group athletes of various abilities and goals. Runners always talk about the thrill of a good race and how going for a run gives them a "runners high", where you feel as if you climbed the tallest mountain on the face of the earth, the feeling of exhilaration, almost euphoric. I would have never imagined having this same feeling occur in me when an athlete I coach has a great workout or runs a personal best.

Three of my runners, John Armour, Angela Vizzeri, and Susan Coleman stand out in my mind, they have produced this sort of "runner (coaches) high" for me. They have been great to work with for so many reasons, experiencing a "coaches high" has been the best thrill of all. I set out goals with my athletes and set them up for an enjoyable, challenging, and competitive situation. It takes a lot of work and time for me to get the best out of my athletes, and I love the challenge. Anyone can put together a training plan but to have a runner achieve the goal for their season and race is not an easy task, it’s a work of art, not just a science or a cookie cutter program.

I started working with John Armour in March with the goal of running a 2:36 marathon in Vancouver on May 1st. I could tell he was very motivated, driven, and had big expectations, since his previous marathon best was a 2:43, I loved the challenge and embraced it. John’s improvements came in leaps and bounds, it was very rewarding. Every week I would go over his training for the following week as I do with all my athletes. Having those lofty goals really sets a challenge that is very rewarding to tackle. To be able to adjust his training based on how he was feeling every week was crucial to his success. John had done all the hard work, he was prepared and confident, when race day came he was calm, cool and collective. John ran a new personal best of 2:36, shaving nearly 7 minutes off his previous Personal Best!!! It was rewarding for me to see his enjoyment, motivation, and improvements week in and week out, and then finish off with such a great race. Our next goal is to run a fall marathon in under 2:30, I am always up for the challenge, and I know John is too!

Angela Vizzeri is the next runner of mine that comes to mind. She is wonderful to work with and she really takes it all in. I enjoyed giving her weekly advice during our weekly phone calls, giving her daily tips and as much detail as possible to make her a better athlete. She motivated me as much as I motivated her. The art of peaking for the goal race is tricky and with a cookie cutter program it can be almost impossible to peak at the right time, every runner is different, and needs their own custom plan. Angela has been in top shape improving every week, running personal bests at every distance from 5k to 10k. But the heat of Texas and the long season has been wearing her down the last few weeks leading up to her Rock N Roll San Diego half marathon I had to adjust her training almost daily until we knew her legs were back fresh and ready to go. It took about a week to get out of the funk. But, we had her peak perfectly for the half in San Diego, we knew she peaked perfectly when she raced and her legs felt amazing during, fresh the whole 13.1 miles, and still had something left at the end. She ran a new personal best by 57 seconds, running 1:28:10. I was so excited to see the results I almost jumped out of my seat! I was thrilled for her to have it all come together perfectly. This is the "coaches high" that makes coaching so rewarding and fun.

Lastly we have Susan Coleman, who has battled a hamstring injury for most of the last year, unfortunately requiring her to stop running for months at a time. I started working with Susan in April of 2011, and we had to really pay close attention to her hamstring and make sure I built up her slowly increasing her mileage volume, not overstressing the hamstring. I remember her first tempo run April 22nd, three miles at 7:10 mile pace. I kept encouraging her, helping to build her confidence and ensuring her that she will get much much stronger. Since then she has made huge strides in her training, running the San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon on June 5th in 1:32:45, which is 7:05 mile pace!! She ran within 44 seconds of her personal best. It’s amazing how far she has come in just the last two months. Monitoring her hamstring and training smart I am sure Susan will undoubtably run under 90 minutes in her next half marathon. Susan and I are now focusing her training on a 3:15 in the fall of 2011 I never knew what a thrill coaching would be.

Happy Running,

Mike

Direct Link

Sarah Collins-Buckheit

5/11/2011 5:37:11 AM

John Armour's Vancouver Marathon Recap

Q. Congratulations on a spectacular race at Vancouver last week! You ran a big PR and placed fifth overall in the marathon. Tell me about your race history prior to Vancouver and how you changed your training to run so much faster for this race.
A. Thank you Sarah, I had a great race and feel really good about my performance. All my life I have been a natural competitor. At a very early age I fell in love with BMX and Mountain bike racing. When I moved to San Diego in 1998, I successfully continued racing mountain bikes and dabbled in triathlon. Shortly after adding the running to the biking, I had chronic IT band problems that kept me from doing any kind of running for almost four years. Ready for a new sport, I stopped cycling and laced up the running shoes. To my amazement, I was able to start building up my mileage without any injury problems. Rock n Roll Arizona (2004) was my first marathon. Finishing in 3:01, I was a bit disappointed. I had trained hard and was hoping to finish around 2:50. Hooked on running, I did a handful of local road races and started marathon training again. My second attempt at 26.2 was Rock n Roll San Diego in 2008. I was thrilled to cross the finish line in 2:49.
I went back to Rock n Roll San Diego for my third marathon (June 2010). I had a great run and lowered my PR to 2:43. Despite the PR, I felt that I could have run faster with better training. I spoke to some friends who told me about Infinite Running’s coaching plans. I started working with Coach Peter Gilmore with hopes of improving my training and racing. With a little more structure to my training, I was able to run a 1:14 half marathon (five minute PR) and a 2:36 marathon in Vancouver (seven minute PR) under the guidance of Coach Mike Sayenko.

Q. You have now used the Infinite Running coaching programs for the marathon distance and the half marathon distance. What made you decide to use a professional coaching service?
A. There were several reasons that helped me decide to use a professional coaching service. I have a very busy life and needed to maximize my training with my limited available time. With both the half and full marathon, I didn't spend anymore time training than in my previous marathons, but my workouts were much more focused and structured. The second reason is that I am very competitive and find a lot of self-satisfaction running big PR's, and I don't plan on that ending anytime soon. Under the guidance of Coach Gilmore and Coach Sayenko, I am quite confident that my success will continue. It is very comforting to know going into a race that I have trained well and am prepared to run my goal time. It is a great experience to work with great coaches that also happen to be very accomplished runners.

Q. Have you thought about your next race? Is it too soon to ask if you have thought about your next goal and your plans to accomplish this goal?
A. I started thinking of my next marathon shortly after crossing the finish line in Vancouver. The goal now is to break the 2:30 mark in the marathon. Coach Mike Sayenko and Infinite Running founder Rob Hill have discussed this and feel that an October marathon (Chicago or Twin Cities) would be a smart choice. Coach Sayenko just told me that base training starts in two weeks! I can’t wait!

For more information about Coach Mike Sayenko or the Infinite Running Training programs, go to http://www.infiniterunning.com/ET/ET-Mike-Sayenko.aspx

Direct Link

Rob Hill

4/26/2011 2:21:11 PM

INFINITE RUNNING at the Boston Marathon

I have been working as an agent for over three years now, still green as a cucumber, learning all the time, leaning on great people like Jim Estes (USATF Guru) and Merhawi Keflezighi (great friend, business partner and fellow agent) and Sarah Buckheit (IR Editor in Chief) along the way. Infinite Running was created to help Elite Runners that didn't have big shoe deals, and were deserving of a little financial support. As of last month Infinite Running became a 501©, it always was a non-profit, not by design, but according to my accountant we were a non-profit. LOL. But now it is officially a not for profit, charitable organization. It took almost two years to get where we are now, and it has been a lot of work, there have been some rough spots, some difficult situations, but at the end of the day this has been a great journey. The biggest reward for me has been to see the runners I help along the way achieve their goals, both on and off the road or track. Here is a little bit about one of our team mates that I have the pleasure of helping out, and working with.

One of my newest runners, Caitlin Smith has just posted an incredible PR in the Marathon. Running among the elite women, shoulder to shoulder with Olympian Kara Goucher, and finishing in 2:41:37, qualifying for the Olympic Trials, finishing as the 9th American Female, and the 24th Overall Female. Her transition from self coached trail runner to an Elite Road Warrior has gone really really well, last year she suffered a stress fracture and got sidelined for the rest of 09, While sidelined with the injury Caitlin was able to look back and evaluate her injury and try to figure out what might have caused it and how to prevent it from happening again. Caitlin made some changes, working with us at Infinite Running and she hired a coach, one of the best coaches in the country, Dr. Jack Daniels, and together Dr Daniels and Caitlin have made rapid improvements in Caitlin's running. Combining Dr. Daniels coaching style, and knowledge with Caitlin's natural talent seems to be working out great!!!

Caitlin is running great, she has come back stronger and with a new appreciation for road racing. Be sure to look for Caitlin at the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston next January!! We will all be there either cheering her on or racing with her. Thanks for reading!! Stay tuned for more excitement from this new member of Infinite Running!!

Direct Link

Rob Hill

4/17/2011 7:15:00 PM

The Night Before Boston....

I wish I had a flare for writing these blogs... I feel a little dry, and flat. With that said, I believe that you can't succeed or improve without trying, so here is another try. This one has been in the queue for a few days waiting until the night before Boston, enjoy it. Thanks for following along, and joining me in wishing Sarah the best Marathon of her life!!!!

Sarah has fully recovered from a stress fracture in 2010, and ready for a GREAT race in Boston. After a long year of anticipation, waiting patiently to get back out on the road and conquer the 26.2 miles in front of her, proving to not just her fan's and admirers but to herself that after her injury she will run again and exploit her untapped potential, Sarah will toe the line on Monday amongst some of the greatest runners in the world. Sarah has worked hard these last 6 months preparing for this race, she has been supported by her loving husband Jeff Flament, along with her adorable children Logan (6) and Alyssa (3) her Mother and Father, Bernadette and Dan Bashinski back in Wausau, Wisconsin, and her Infinite Running teammates and sponsors, along with her training partners like Terry McClusky, and many friends and fans.

For both Sarah and I this race will be a major event in our lives. For Sarah it is an opportunity to return to a familiar race, a place she has done battle before, and as before Sarah approaches the battle field armed to the teeth, but this will be different. Sarah returns with more experience, confidence, and her sword is now stronger and sharper than before. Sarah will run her first Marathon in 16 months, not too significant a period of time for some of us, but for an emerging Professional Runner in her mid-thirties the odds are stacked against her, the critics are skeptical, and the sponsors are cutting back. After the last 6 months of training for this race, strengthening her weakness' removing all doubt, preparing herself better than she has ever done before and with more determination and ferocity Sarah will approach this starting line with just the right balance of confidence and caution.

Sarah is known too many of her friends and competitors as a "Lioness", with her mane of golden locks, and the heart of a tiger, she will roar down that 26.2 miles like never before. To me Sarah is "Big Red", a reference to my long time hero Secretariat. Big Red had a heart of gold, a soul that warmed everyone that came in contact with him, a passion for racing, an incredibly loving personality and still to this day a one of a kind, a Champion and a competitor never seen before or ever since. Like Penny Tweedy (owner) and Ron Turcotte (jockey) of Secretariat, I find myself honored and very fortunate to have met such an incredible soul like Big Red, some people go there whole life without ever experiencing it, few experience it once in a lifetime, I have been blessed to know this Big Red and to help her along her journey. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with and become friends with Big Red. Don't be caught sitting on your laurels when your Big Red comes along, be ready to step up and do your best to hold on for the ride of your life!!!

Direct Link

Rob Hill

4/17/2011 7:11:15 PM

Caitlin Smith Takes on Boston 26.2

The 115th running of the Boston Marathon will be on Monday the 18th of April, many people ask "Why is it on a Monday?" A combination of tradition and patriotism, not only is Beantown the birthplace of the American Revolution, the Boston Tea Party, the great Paul Revere Ride, and it is the home of the US Navy Ship the USS Constitution, and yes I know I missed a few hundred other great things about Boston... But I thought of the most commonly known historical events or things in Boston.
The third Monday of April is celebrated as Patriot's Day, while in most states around the USA it is not celebrated and few even know of this Holiday, but it is a big Holiday in Boston and what a better way to celebrate this Patriotic day then to run or be a part of the Boston Marathon, on Patriot's Day.

Now as we get ready for the race on Monday, two Infinite Running elite team members; Caitlin Smith (Bib number F41) and Sarah Bashinski-Flament (Bib number 983) will be racing in the 115th running of the Boston Marathon.

For Caitlin Smith a young beginner to the road Marathon, this will be her first time running Boston as a Pro, Caitlin has just recovered from a stress fracture and started running again only a few months ago, and she is hoping to do well here in Boston. Caitlin ran a modest 1:19 for a half marathon in March and has shown great potential in her trail running and even won the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco in 2009. Caitlin is fairly new to Infinite Running, but she is hitting the deck running, and improving her fitness quickly, please join me in wishing Caitlin good luck and a fast race.

Direct Link

Caitlin Smith

4/14/2011 6:10:07 PM

Marathons

I have only run three marathons to date: June of 2002 (Grandma's Marathon), April of 2003 (Boston Marathon), and October of 2009 (San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon). It is difficult to pick a favorite as each Marathon was a unique experience. The most memorable is Nike Women's Marathon.

In 2009, I had a rather unbelievable year. It was a whirlwind of races, travel, and wins. I got into the Nike Women's Marathon a few weeks before and I had no intentions of winning. I was just curious if all the trail running had in fact made me faster. At the time, I didn't even own a pair of road shoes and opted to wear trail shoes. I had not done a speed or tempo workout. I didn't even wear a watch for some of my runs. I just ran.

I was so nervous that morning. But then the gun went off and I just ran. Before I knew it, I was at mile fifteen with the lead car guiding me with a second by second account of my pace. After taking a fall around mile seventeen, I continued on with bloody knees, calculating the minimum needed to run sub three hours. It was exhilarating to have so much excitement in the last quarter mile. People were cheering and as I crossed the banner, I had the joy of being greeted by Kara Goucher and Joan Benoit Samuelson.

San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon is one reason I am even attempting to compete on the roads. It had everything I needed to enjoy a road race, hills and more hills, trail shoes, and cut-up knees. It gave me the confidence to continue to push my mental and physical limits. And it was extremely inspiring seeing so many women out that day, accomplishing goals, and supporting one another.

I am looking forward to running some more marathons. Boston is just days away. This time I have some road shoes and I have actually done some things called tempo and intervals.

Direct Link

Kara Storage

4/12/2011 4:22:19 PM

Racing in the Shoe at Ohio State

In general, I’m too indecisive to narrow down to “a favorite” anything. That’s the downside to being a twin…I normally don’t have to choose one thing. So, for the topic of “favorite track meet,” Tara and I chose two categories, college and high school, respectively. There are so many more post-collegiate meets to run in the future, we’re sure the “favorite” is yet to come in this category! For high school, it’s pretty easy to say running in the Ohio State Meet when it was held in the Ohio State Stadium (the “Horseshoe”) was a great time. Our junior year in high school was the last year the state meet was held there. We have the state T-shirts with the slogan “The Last Show at the Shoe.” And, it truly was “a show.” It was so much fun and quite an experience. Three-fourths of the track was enclosed in the shoe. Lane 8 seemed so narrow; the outside of the lane was bordered by an ~2 ft high concrete wall. You could scrape your knuckles if you weren’t careful. The stadium seats were right there next to the lane. The atmosphere was electrifying; the crowd seemed so loud and large, and there was activity wherever you turned. It was so cool to know that you were running in the very stadium of Jesse Owens. The officials were very “official,” but we knew many of them because they officiated meets in our region. It was nice to see the familiar faces…our surrogate “grandparents.” The state meet is now held at the new track stadium at Ohio State. Tara and I have been back to watch and officiate, but we’re sorry to say “it’s just not the same.” There’s a different feel. It’s more spread out (many of the field events are away from the track), and it’s much quieter. It seems emptier too. We are so glad we got to experience in the “Shoe,” even if it does put us in the “old” category.

Direct Link

Caitlin Smith

4/11/2011 3:33:03 PM

Track Meet

I haven't run a track meet since high school, but about a year ago, I attended the Brutus Hamilton Invitational at UC Berkeley. I was there as a lap counter. Sam was going to be running the 5,000 meters. I had met Sam about a month before the race. We had gone for a long run at Redwood Park via suggestion from a coach. I recall quickly running out of breath as his speedy legs hit the climbs. I gave him tours of my favorite trails in the east bay. My guy friends, Will and Peter, accompanied us on a couple of these runs. They were enthusiastic as they kept telling me how perfect he was for me. I just ran and smiled.

So there I was on the side of the track lap counting as I received a text message from Peter. He was watching the track meet from the stands and making predictions about Sam's race. He also encouraged me to invite Sam out for a beer after the 5,000 meters. I cheered for Sam every time he circled around the track and I sat there amazed. He clearly wasn't having his best race, but he was strong and fast. Ok maybe a crush was growing. When he finished, I invited him to join Peter, some others, and I for a beer. We chatted and chatted and soon it was only the two of us at the bar.

Needless to say, Sam and I have been together since the Brutus Hamilton track meet, so yeah I think I have to say it is my favorite track race.

Direct Link

Mike Sayenko

4/11/2011 12:25:03 PM

My Favorite Track Meet

I love track meets, always my favorite discipline of running. My favorite track meet is the Cardinal Invite, at Stanford University. It is usually first week of May in always perfect running conditions. It is one of the few opportunities here in America to run a fast 10k. In fact this meet always produces the years fastest 10k times.

Last year Chris Solinsky stole the show by winning in 26:59, setting a new American record, and finishing ranked #2 in the world. In the process the NCAA collegian record went down, Canadian record, and one other American going under the previous American 10k record. For me its very exciting to be part of something so special as that. Running with not only the best in the country but also the best in the world. I hope to make a trip back to Stanford next year and hopefully lower my personal best of 28:25!

Happy Running,

Mike

Direct Link

Tara Storage

4/11/2011 9:43:46 AM

My Favorite or Most Memorable Track Meet...?

Well, picking a favorite track meet to write about is like trying to pick your favorite food. I have a lot of favorite track meets…. All of the Stanford meets are great and running in Hayward Field is always a thrill, but I’m going to blog about the Atlantic-10 Conference Meet my junior year (yes, way back when) held in Richmond, Va. It’s not that Kara or I ran stellar times, but it was a fun meet, nice track, and holds interesting stories. First of all, the week of the meet, our distance coach, George, brings up the thought that we might run the 3000m steeplechase as a second event to score points. So, the Tuesday before the Saturday/Sunday meet, he pulls out some 30” hurdles (the lowest height they can go) on the track and says “Girls, let’s try this out.” Now, we’ve never run hurdles in our entire lives, not even in junior high, and have no idea what we are doing. I feel like had we tried them earlier, we could have maybe developed some technique. We both attempt 2 hurdles, not even a 400m worth of hurdles, and he says “OK, I’ll put you in the 10K.” So, clearly it must have been the fact that we both almost wiped out that he so quickly and decisively decided to have us run our first ever 10Ks. Then, we had a timely yet slightly scary bus ride to the meet. Let’s just say our charter bus driver made good time. But, when everyone on the R (starboard) side of the bus hopped into the seats on the L (port) side because we were passing a semitrailer truck so close we thought the windows would scrape, it was a bit of an adrenaline rush. To sum it up, I won the 10K and Kara placed 2nd on Saturday. Then, she won the 5K, and I placed 2nd on Sunday. It was a pretty good family weekend.

Direct Link

Kim Mueller

4/9/2011 11:38:56 PM

My Track Memories

Track n’ Field has always been a sport I’ve watched mostly from the sidelines as, unfortunately, the season always conflicted with soccer, my #1 sport passion growing up, and in college, I only competed 2 seasons, one as an undergrad at Illinois State and one as a grad student at Florida State. Nonetheless, I do have some fond track ‘in spirit’ memories growing up thanks to some sprinting wheels that were developed in little backyard 50 yard dashes or around-the-block 400 meter races my dad set up for myself as well as my 3 siblings. Locally, I would enter Hershey Track meets only it wasn’t the distance events that interested me; rather, it were the sprint races and ironically (because I’ve always been tiny), the throwing events that kept me inspired on the track or field. I remember beaming ear-to-ear when I’d earn that top of the podium blue ribbon. I was already the perfectionist of the family but these moments definitely helped to develop the competitive running spirit that drives my performance today.

Direct Link

Sarah Bashinski-Flament

4/8/2011 11:39:09 PM

Favorite Track Meet & Event

The only track meet I have been to post-collegiately would be the Kent State Invitational. I know this is nothing fancy, shnazzy or a huge Championship race. But to me, it was important because it was my first indoor meet in years and years as the “old lady” I am. I must say, it felt a bit awkward walking into the huge facility all by myself not knowing a single soul. I looked around and saw a ton of teams sitting everywhere, making “camps” and teams doing their warm-ups together.

It made me giddy with excitement to know that under one roof were all these people sharing the same passion that I had in my heart. It had been forever! Then again, my heart grew heavy. My eyes teared up a bit. I called one of my college teammates, Lace Luedke, telling her how excited I was…yet how alone I had felt. I was used to being part of those teams. And now I was the team of ONE. I started to get scared and felt out of place. She reassured me that I deserved to be there and even though my life was drastically different than those youngsters around me, I had a lot of heart and experience to do just as well if not better than them. I had nothing to fear. I have proven myself plenty. Go have fun. So I did just that! I ran the 5,000 meter race (which is my favorite) and the laps just clicked along. The rush of zooming past a crowd of people around those corners being just an arms length away from you was amazing.

There is something truly special about indoor track meets (besides the “track hack” which we called it because you take away from the track a cough from breathing in the dry air). Give me any small invite or National Championship race…but if it’s indoors and it’s a nice track…it can breathe a new life into you lap after lap!

Direct Link

Rob Hill

3/25/2011 2:52:44 PM

USATF 15K CHAMPIONSHIPS IS A SIGN OF GREAT THINGS TO COME FOR SARAH BASHINSKI-FLAMENT

It was a beautiful day for running at the USATF 15k Championships. Many elite men and women had trained all winter to come out and show their stuff. Even a few phenomenal age groupers and Grand Masters showed up to run the race.

The conditions were perfect and this race was an incredible success for many runners. I am going to talk about two individuals dear to my heart. One of them is our own Infinite Running Elite runner and coach Sarah Bashinski-Flament. The other is extremely well known for his incredible speed as a Grand Master, and Masters runner, Vienna Pennsylvania's own Terry McClusky.

Going back to 2010, Sarah had been injured for a good part of the year. She suffered major setbacks and stopped running for four months due to a stress fracture. Starting from scratch, Sarah began running again in November, while building her core and leg strength to correct some biomechanical issues. Sarah spent a lot of time in the pool, on a bicycle, and eventually was able to get on her AlterG anti-gravity treadmill for some running. After months of rehab, Sarah felt ready to start her training and to get back on the road again. Sarah hired a new Coach Andrew Kastor (yes, Deena Kastor's husband) and started working with Andrew to reach her goal race - the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2012. After a few months of training with Andrew, Sarah eagerly put her racing bib on and lined up at the start of the15k Championships on March 12, 2011. Nervous but confident, Sarah had a goal pace of 5:55 minute miles for the 9.3 miles to finish in a time of 54:52. This would be a great time by any standard, but for Sarah this would signify her return to racing and being over the nagging injuries, which would be a turning point for her!!! Sarah went out on pace beating her goal pace at 5K, again at 10k and blowing away her PR and goal time finishing with an incredibly wonderful run. She felt good, pain free, and fit, ready for the next race. Sarah ran the 15k in a personal best of 54:16.

Congratulations to Sarah on a great race, and the start of a great year, look for more great race times from this very talented athlete.

Congratulations to Terry McClusky for his outstanding performance. he took top honors in his age group and won the Grand Master's award with a blistering fast time of 56:42 while establishing the course record for the new 15k course. Terry has been training with Sarah and has been a consistent friend and running partner for Sarah over the years. Terry won his age group at the Boston Marathon in 2010 with a time of 2:51:48, an incredible accomplishment for any runner of any age, but especially for an athlete who is 61 years young!! Great job Terry and we look forward to you racing again in Boston this year, right next to Sarah and Caitlin!!

For more on Terry you can read about Terry in RUNOHIO, a local paper put out by Matt McGowan from Granville Ohio. www.runohio.com in the March - may 2011 edition Terry is interviewed as one of the Top Grand Masters in the Nation.

Direct Link

Rob Hill

3/25/2011 2:04:57 PM

NYRR TO HONOR SALLY MEYERHOFF WITH AWARD

NEW YORK RACE TO HONOR MEYERHOFF WITH AWARD
By David Monti
(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

The winner of next month's More Magazine | Fitness Magazine Women's Half-Marathon in New York City will receive the Meyerhoff award to honor the race's late champion, Sally Meyerhoff, who was struck and killed on March 8 by a pick-up truck, while cycling near her home in Maricopa, Ariz. Meyerhoff won the 2010 edition of the race last April in a course record 1:14:40, despite running in cold temperatures accompanied by heavy rain.

"Our thoughts are with Sally Meyerhoff's family," commented New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg through a news release. "She was part of ours at NYRR."

Meyerhoff was an NYRR member who won four NYC-area events in 2010. In addition to the More | Fitness race, she also won last year's Bronx Half-Marathon, Percy Sutton Harlem 5-K, and Henry Isola XC Classic. She finished 27th in the ING New York City Marathon in 2:41:00, placing 10th in the USA Championship division. The NYRR had recruited her for both last Sunday's NYC Half and the More | Fitness race before she lost her life at 27 years-old.

Leading the elite field for the all-women's More | Fitness race will be 39 year-old Sheri Piers, a two-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier. Piers, a mother of five who lives in Falmouth, Me., set a half-marathon personal best last Sunday at the NYC Half, clocking 1:14:27. Organizers expect about 8,000 women to line-up behind Piers, including United States Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin and talk show host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. The race is scheduled for Sunday, April 3.

This article was used with the express written permission of Race Results Weekly.

Direct Link

Rob Hill

3/16/2011 2:24:26 PM

NY Half Marathon

With the NYC Half Marathon quickly approaching, Infinite Running's Caitlin Smith is getting a few last minute runs in this week and will travel to The Big Apple for her first road race since her stress fracture in 2010. While Caitlin isn't in the best shape of her life, her fitness level is good and she is making fast progress.

Also racing in the NYC Half this weekend is another one of our IR team members, Kim Mueller. Kim is entered as a age grouper so you won't find her name on the elite list. Don't be surprised if you see a PR from Kim this weekend! This is a fast course, the weather is supposed to be cool and dry with light winds on the streets of NYC.

I normally don't talk much about Meb, but yes, Meb Keflezighi will be in NYC for the half-marathon and going to show his stuff out there in Central Park. This will be an exciting day to say the least. Follow us on Facebook for our race updates.

Direct Link

	Rob Hill	3/24/2011 11:29:43 AM
	Congratulations to Infinite Running’s Caitlin Smith, an accomplished trail and ultra runner who recently recovered from an injury that she had in 2010. At last week’s NYC Half, Caitlin had a great race. She was hoping to break 1:20 and get a half marathon under her belt. The day started well, and she settled into her marathon pace quickly. She found a groove and sailed along to a NEW PR of 1:19:24, beating her half marathon time from 2010 by 6 seconds! Just a week before, Caitlin ran a 50K trail race and is now shifting over to prepare for Boston, and some road races later this year. Caitlin is new to the road racing circuit, and has recently started working with Dr. Jack Daniels as her coach. Caitlin will be doing a lot more track workouts and focusing on improving her 10K speed. She is adjusting to the shorter distances of a half marathon and 20K which should be a easy transition for her. GREAT JOB Caitlin!!!
	Rob Hill	3/24/2011 11:14:16 AM
	NYC Half Marathon recap - Mo Farah and Caroline Rotich are the winners of the NYC 13.1. The athletes had great weather for running, it was 36 degrees out, light wind, and dry. The sun was just coming up over Central Park and the runners were getting warmed up, a beautiful day for racing in Central Park. The finish for the Men's field was quite a nail biter, Three men led the race after Central Park. Galen Rupp, Gebre Gebremariam, and Mo Farah emerged from the park and surged out ahead. Prior to the surge, Galen Rupp and Peter Kamais tangled their feet sending Kamais and Rupp crashing to the ground. Both runners quickly picked themselves up and caught back up to the lead pack. The Men's final sprint in the last mile was a strategic surge put on by Gebremariam to shake Rupp and Farah. While Rupp fell off the back, Farah continued to clip at Gebremariam's heels until the final 500 meters when Farah made a surge, passing and out kicking Gebremariam. Gebremariam tried to respond, but Farah's end speed was just too much. Farah won in 1:00:22, Gebremariam finished at 1:00:25 and Rupp 1:00:30. Meb was battling a leg injury and still finished strong, ahead of Abdi, Ryan, and other Elite Americans with a 1:02:24. On the Women's side the race was decided at 15K, as a pack of four women spread out early with Kipligat, Kidane, Rotich and USA's own Kara Goucher. The race looked close for a while until 15K when Rotich pulled away dropping Kidane and Goucher. Kipligat hung on a little longer but soon dropped back and Rotich went on to win and set a new course record of 1:08:52. Kipligat finished second in 1:09:00 and Goucher was a close third with 1:09:03. It was a great race for Kara Goucher only six months after delivering her first baby.

Sarah Collins-Buckheit

12/15/2010 9:36:01 PM

Teresa Howes' CIM Marathon Recap

Earlier this month, Teresa Howes (San Diego) ran a huge PR at the California International Marathon. We caught up with her to ask her a few questions about her marathon experience.

Q: Hi Teresa! Congrats on a spectacular race at CIM last week! You ran a 33 minute PR, which is an amazing accomplishment. Tell me about your marathons prior to CIM and the training you did for those races.

I’ve been running marathons for 10 years. My first one was the Carlsbad back in 2001 when I proudly finished at 4:45 and change. I then proceeded to run 4 more over the years, all between 4:15 – 4:45. Some I was happy with, others were painful and miserable. All my training focused on getting mileage in only. January of 2010, I started running with the San Diego track club. I love that group and it was my first introduction to speed work. I ran RnR in June in 4:04 and then decided I should try to qualify for Boston!

Q. What made you decide to sign up for the 12-week training program with Peter Gilmore?

I had heard of Infinite Running through the track club and really liked the idea of a personalized plan with my own potential and goals in mind. Peter’s bio is clearly impressive and I didn’t feel like I had anything to lose. Turns out it was one of the best decisions I have made as a runner! Peter looked at my running history, understood my goals and put together a 12 week plan that was spot on. I travel for work, so I would send him my travel schedule and he would customize the plan with treadmill workouts as needed. He would send a weekly email recapping the week with great feedback and encouragement. I can’t say enough nice things about this training plan!

Q. What was your goal time for CIM 2010?

I just wanted to qualify for Boston. I am just coming into the 35-40 age group so I could have eked by at 3:45:59. Based on all my training, I thought maybe I could run 3:35:00 at best. Race day conditions were definitely in my favor and it was a very good day!

Q. You just ran a marathon in June. How did you feel during your race at CIM compared to RnR San Diego?

There are so many reasons why I felt so much stronger at CIM than at RnR. I had been sick for three days before my race in June. It was a weird, hot and humid day. I hate the new course and ran the second half much slower than the first half, which is almost failure in my opinion. It just was not a good race day. CIM was the polar opposite. I fought off the cold, we ended up with 50 degree weather and the course is mostly downhill. Peter gave me a solid pacing strategy and I ended up with over an 8 min negative split on the course and actually set my half marathon PR. I felt great from start to finish.

Q. How has your recovery been?

I was pretty sore for a few days, but back to normal by mid week. It feels weird to pull back on running so much. I will focus on other light activity for the next few weeks and start up again in 2011 with a new set of goals.

Q. Any plans for your next race?

Boston 2011 sold out, so the soonest I can run is April 2012. Until then, I think I would like to shoot for guaranteed entry into the 2011 NYC marathon by running a half in 1:37:00...not sure if that's realistic or not?

Q. You crushed the time for your Boston Qualifier! Do you plan to go in 2012?

YES!! I’ll be at my computer the minute bibs go on sale to register!

Direct Link

Sarah Collins-Buckheit

11/15/2010 9:35:39 AM

Marathon tips

If you missed our November running clinic, here is an excerpt from Peter's talk!

Peter Gilmore's Top Tips for a Successful Marathon

1) Don't go out too fast. Enough said. It never works.

2) Before the event, study the terrain, typical weather and road surfaces of your goal race. Incorporate all that you can into your training. Check an elevation map of the race - specifically practice the elevation changes in the last 10K of the marathon.

3) There will be rough patches during the race. It's the nature of the marathon. Don't give up on yourself (or the training that you have done), during these temporary parts of your run. They will be over before you know it.

4) Don't get sick just before the race. No, it's not "easier said than done". Get lots of sleep, eat well, avoid situations with large crowds and stay away from sick people! You have spent months on your training - it's just not worth it to take a chance the few weeks before your race.

5) Relax the night before your race. Enjoy an activity that won't stress you (books and DVDs are great), a good meal and understanding company.

6) At the starting line, and throughout the first five miles, simplify your thoughts. Focus on two things, running the right pace and drinking fluids when necessary. Eliminate all other thoughts.

7) Drink early and often. Prior to the race, check the website to find out what the official sports drink (and gels) are on the course. Practice with these products.

8) Tap into your competitive nature! Focus on someone who is ahead of you and have a goal to catch/pass them. Mission accomplished? Pick someone else! Unless you are in the lead, there are plenty of people to choose from!

Direct Link

Sarah Bashinski-Flament

11/10/2010 7:35:38 AM

Traveling down Recovery Rd.

   To say it has been a long process is an understatement! My recovery after having a hip stress fracture has been a grueling test of my dedication and passion for running.
   After 12 weeks of not being able to run (a far cry from the 6 weeks I thought it would take me to recover) and now working on 4 months post diagnosis, I feel I am definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Don't worry...it's not the light from a train coming to hit me either!! LOL!
   This is my last week running on Dr. Kary's (St. Vincent Sports Performance) progression towards giving me my wings and allowing me to build mileage as normal. I can't even type in words how giddy I am to be close to "graduating" from this plan. Yet, I am still skiddish and nervous for fear of being haunted by this past year's injury experience. Having said that, I know that getting back up on the horse is the best thing because I am much more knowledgeable this time around. As a result of the people around me, I am much more prepared with the skills I need to avoid this dreadful injury. And lastly, I believe in myself. I know my body better and truly listen to it every single day. I don't ignore the warning signs or complaints like it's a nagging co-worker.
   So this time around, despite small fears that I will learn to get over, I am very excited! My body feels rested and read to go! And it's true..all the people that told me, "You will be back faster and stronger than ever!". I can sense that great things are yet to come. And yes, I still believe that even though I struggled greatly in the recent past, everything does happen for a reason! So here I am, less than one week from "graduation"! I earned it and have put in the time when most people might've felt like giving up!
I'll be seeing you soon from the starting line! :-)

Sarah

Direct Link

Rob Hill

11/5/2010 11:40:52 AM

ING NY Marathon

Headed to Expo and Central Park for a run. Come join us!!

Direct Link

Milena Glusac

11/5/2010 11:36:32 AM

New York Marathon

I'm heading out to the expo at the Jacob Jarvis center in New York City. Then out for a run in Central Park. Anyone want to go for 5 or 6 miles, hit me up!

Direct Link

The Final Sprint
To become a sponsor, contact us here


	FAQ About Infinite Running Contact Us