Running

Current Involvement in Running

My running life today revolves around the programs and activities of the Reston Runners in Reston, VA. I run approximately 25 miles per week, over four running days. My one long run is the 10-mile run organized by the Reston Runners every Sunday morning. My other runs during the week range from 4-to-6 miles each. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I run with my friend, Jon and, occasionally, his wife, Lexie. On Saturday's, I must usually run by myself since I have a regular Saturday morning activity (jazz band rehearsal) that prevents me from joining the Reston Runners on their Saturday morning (8AM) 5-mile run.

Since April 2000, I have been recording my observations associated with the Sunday morning 10-mile run of the Reston Runners and have been posting my report on the Reston Runners' Web-site. Archives of past reports are available on the Web site, in case you have any interest.

As a part of the Reston Runners' effort to upgrade its course description material, I agreed to help with converting upgraded/updated course descriptions (including new maps, prepared by Ed Hass) to HTML format and posting the finished products on the Reston Runners Web Site. I did all of this in close cooperation with, and with the full technical support from, my HTML mentor, Al Rider, also a long-time Reston Runner. Together, and with the clear, simple, but beauriful maps being prepared for each site by Ed Hass, we prepared the "Courses" section of the Reston Runners' Web Site. My continuing job is to maintain this portion of the Reston Runners Web site

How It All Started

It all started in 1977 when I realized, as I coached my son's soccer team, that I had far less endurance for aerobic activity (i.e., chasing the ball around a small field) than the 8-10 year olds I was coaching. My good friend, Nate, had started running and given it up as "not a benign activity" because of the pain it gave to his knees; he shifted to a vigorous walking program but maintained his enthusiasm for aerobic activity and encouraged me to think about it. Finally, my boss at the time, Ed, forced me into a sports store as we were returning from lunch in early July 1977 to buy a pair of Adidas "sneakers" as my first running shoes--boy, were they heavy, but I didn't know it at the time.

Then, at the urging of my paI, Nate, I bought a copy of Dr. Ken Cooper's book on "Aerobics" and I was on my way. I started slowly and for very short distances--just a few blocks at a time initially. What a thrill when I finally broke a sweat and was able to sustain a constant running pace for 1/2 mile--my first exposure to aerobic activity. The body was indeed an engine, able to burn fuel (calories) at a sustainable rate. I slowly increased my run lengths, not reaching 4 miles until I had been running (nearly every day) for five months. After 10 months, I finally ran my first 10-miler. Thereafter, as I ran 10 miles on my own (I had not yet found the Reston Runners), I would find myself getting chilled and covered with goose-flesh as I neared the end of the 10 miles; I didn't know it at the time, but I was, of course, running dehydrated and in some danger. Shortly after I reached the 10-mile plateau, I learned of the Reston Runners and started running with them on the weekend runs. There I learned how to run and hydrate myself safely. What a great resource that Club was then, and it remains so today.

My obsession with aerobic points, as defined and promoted by Ken Cooper, continued for two years. I dutifully recorded my aerobic points earned to three significant digits: a good week was worth about 160 points, and corresponded to about 28 miles for the week at a pace of about 8:10 (minutes:sec) per mile.

Some (Modest) Race Results

I am not a highly competetive runner. Today, I run mainly for fitness, mental stress relief, and sociability. However, I have run in many races the results from which I have long lost track of. But, I have retained the results for a few races, and here they are, for the record:

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