The Dynamo - Fall 2004
RUNNING NEWS, INFO, STORIES, ARTICLES, COMMENTARY & SERVICES
Marathon Dynamics Inc - Running Clinics, Customized Training Plans, Coaching & Corporate Seminars
In this issue:
Well Done To You All, But Especially Our Best 100!
There you have it — another season in the books. Thanks to all of you who've supported Marathon Dynamics, this season and seasons past, to our sponsors, and to our stalwart crew of now over 20 coaches and instructors that made this season a truly memorable one, both for us ourselves at MDI, and, we hope and expect, for the more than 750 of you whose "running lives" we were involved in these past few months...it's been a real blast!
Despite race day conditions for the great majority of those we worked and played with that were, well, let’s be frank, ugly, tough, and brutal (the Waterfront, New York and Marine Corps races were too hot, sunny and humid, while the later Toronto event was cold, rainy and much too windy), our runners came through with the most impressive crop of performances and improvements we've seen yet!
So on that note, we’d like to recognize the accomplishments of a just a few of you who really put it all together this season. Please remember: we wish we could recognize all of your results here, but we simply can't—only those that, in relation to a client's beginning ability and ultimate event conditions, represent the best performances possible — it's relative improvement and achievement we're after, not absolute speed. Sooo...we had to make some tough choices! Below, in alphabetical order, we've listed what our "esteemed panel of experts" (ie. our coaching staff) feel to be the "Top 10" Marathon Dynamics highlights of the season.
OK, and here's an 11th we just had to put in the Top 10...Jane Davies long time MDI client and now one of our famed JeansMarines coaching crew as well, over a period of 10 weekends this fall ran--just a minute, are you sitting down? You'd better be when you here this--a mind-boggling, shin-shattering, EIGHT MARATHONS! The kicker? During one particular 4 week stretch of this "marathon madness" campaign, 3 of them were Boston Qualifiers! Impressive beyond words, yes...but at the same time, definitely a case of "do as you will, not as we say" as far as Marathon Dynamics coaching staff are concerned.
It tells you the kind of season it's been when Ben Compton and Andrew Boyd, who ran 2:53 and 2:54 at the Chicago Marathon respectively, don't make the Top 10 list (yeesh)! To find out what the other 90 "big" performances were this season , please click here to link to our more comprehensive "Best 100" listing on our website. Go ahead, check it...did you make the list? Did others you know? (note: apologies in advance to anyone who informed us of his/her results, who we may have overlooked...it's a tough job to find and decide the top 100 out of many hundreds, and we're only less than human!)
Thanks also to the 100 or so of you that made it out to this year's End-of-Season Marathon Dynamics Banquet at the Granite Brewery a few short weeks ago. A great time was had by all...exquisite cuisine, fine ale and wine, snappy conversation, lots o' draw prizes and awards, music, dancing and much more! Please click here to find out who the GTA and Oakville area 2004 Marathon Dynamics Award winners were.
Older? Yes. Wiser? Perhaps. Sillier?...Most Definitely!
Have you noticed lately that you're getting older? Damned if I wasn't struck by this notion like a slap in the face recently. There I was at my fitness club the other day, stunned by the realization that I'd just experienced a truly "seniors moment" at the tender (everything's relative) age of 35. While hastily throwing on my workout digs in preparation for yet another "abbreviated-due-to-time-and-circumstance" aerobic training session, I overheard a couple of venerable septuagenarian club cronies in the next locker row (that have been members since just after the Great War) conversing fervently about their respective medication regimens. There they were going toe to toe, tit for tat, reminiscent of legendary bar room "show me your scars and I'll show you mine" showdowns. As I pass by their aisle, 3 very unsettling things occured:
First, I stopped and joined them, and before I knew it, I was proffering my own litany of pharmaceutical "aids and opinions" (i.e Lipitor 20mg...what about Crestor?, how's your liver function? Hemoglobin level? What does your nutritionist say about such 'n such? Vioxx is out now...how about Celebrex? Viagra?...don't get me started!), Secondly, and even more shocking...I'm holding my own in the discussion. Finally, and perhaps most shocking of all, I'm kind of enjoying it!
Cripes! I left feeling almost ashamed that I hadn't yet started with regular prostate exams! Ugh, OK, I admit it, I'm getting older--I supose we all are, eh?
However, that doesn't mean we have to surrender to the "corporeal infirmities" wrought by time's passage, does it? Our age is truly just a number...meaningless without context, its interpretation eternally flexible. Isn't it what we do with ourselves, how we think of ourselves, and who we are while around others, that defines our "real" age? We encountered a remarkable "real life" example of this idea (and ideal) of living "young at heart" this past year at Marathon Dynamics...Jeans Marines.
Jeans Marines...Mission Accomplished!
As many of you may know (and some of you may not), MDI accepted the honour and responsibility of coaching and instructing a "fitness phenomenon" known as Jeans Marines (see website at www.jeansmarines.com for more info), that in three short years, has taken the city of Toronto (and beyond) by storm. With it's charismatic leader and founder, Dr. Jean Marmoreo at the helm (and her equally charismatic sidekick, and husband, Bob Ramsay by her side), and with the help of the top-flight Marathon Dynamics staff to guide the 500+ charges this year through the minefields of marathon preparation, this program has helped hundreds upon hundreds of women (and a few good men) become physically fit, re-establish self-confidence and self-reliance, forge powerful social bonds, and accomplish feats beyond their wildest dreams.
When we started up back in January....click here to read on.
Beginner's Luck? At Croquet, Maybe, But The Marathon?...Not A Chance!
The following is a submission by one of our new clients this past season, who trained extremely well (often on her own), and executed her race plan expertly, defying the oppressive conditions of her chosen race (Waterfront Marathon), to such a degree that she was chosen as this season's MDI "Rookie of the Year". Enjoy!
It’s 4:00 am Sunday morning, one hour before my alarm is to sound and I am lying awake listening to my 10 month old daughter calling to me. Why Charlotte on this day of all days do you decide to wake so early? Please, don’t wake your big sister. I am starting to feel excited about my first marathon race. A beautiful day, perfect temperature, I feel great physically ... this might actually be a good day!
I feel surprised by this given the weeks leading to the marathon...click here to read on.
No “If”s, “And”s or Butts about it!
What is it with runners and our behinds? The more we seem to run, the less of a butt we end up having, and yet, the more of it we could use. We tend to have very weak muscles in our behind, especially when compared to the relative strength and power of our legs.
Can a Better Behind Help My Running? You Bet You’re A--, ahem! Darren Weldrick's "Coaches Corner" article...click here to read on.
The Running Funnies...
Two or three years ago we wrote an article in our holiday newsletter providing what we thought were some helpful gift-giving suggestions for runners. We're hoping that most of the 2000 or so of you who received the original e-newsletter either didn't read that section then, or have long since forgotten it enough to appreciate it anew. As well, there are at least 1500-2000 new readers of this e-newsletter too, so we hope we're justified in recycling it here...
Intimate Apparel & Accessories For Runners – You hear it all the time from your non-running friends & family, don’t you—that running looks like it’s “all just about sex!” Skimpy clothing, sweaty bodies, heavy breathing, etc...to them, it’s one step away from the Friday night Baby Blue movie (come to think of it, why don’t they use running storylines for those...hmmm). Well, in the immortal words of Bonnie Raitt—“Let’s give ‘em somethin’ to talk about!” Just in time for the holiday shopping season, here are 10 items you’ve always wished you could have yourself, or give to that special runner. Convenient online ordering at www.nicelegs.com
And for that "problem runner" on your gift list, the one that just seems to have everything, we've got a guaranteed show-stopper suggestion...click here!
On a more genuine front, if looking for running literature gifts this season (for others or yourself), check out www.marathonguide.com/products/books.cfm.
Marathon Dynamics 2005 - A Brave New (Running) World!
Running Services - Customized Training Plans, Personal Coaching, Weekend Runs, Running Clinics...
The times they are a changin', and so are the Running Services Marathon Dynamics will be providing you with in 2005.
Click here to read on about the exciting new stuff we've got planned for you this coming season!
On The "Cyberfront":
Our Staff Update — our staff more than tripled this past year (largely to accomodate the demands of coaching/instructing 500+ JeansMarines!), and with the expected growth and expansion of our programs again this year, we sure could use some help! If you think you might be interested in working with Marathon Dynamics as a clinic instructor or running coach, please do give me (Kevin Smith) a call or drop me an email by early in the new year.
The appointment of Darren Weldrick to Director of Coaching Services, the increasing responsibility of Todd Milligan for our Oakville program has provided some much-needed and appreciated breathing room for the "old standard bearers", Kevin Smith and Michael Brennan. In fact, Michael Brennan has recently assumed the post of Race Director for the Mississauga Marathon, so he's sure to be very busy over the coming months. If you have any questions about this year's edition of the event, please either visit the website at www.mississaugamarathon.com or contact Michael directly at mbrennan@landmarksport.com.
Also...a big shout of "THANKS!" to our sponsors and partners for another great season...and a reminder to check out what they are all about at the following websites:
Eload - www.eload.net Reebok - www.reebokrunner.com Sporting Life - www.sportinglife.ca Canada Running Series - www.canadarunningseries.com
Running "E-Bulletin" Board: Great Opportunities For You
Proformance VO2 Max and Strength Testing and Gait Assessment
This comprehensive and complete testing and assessment process is being arranged and co-conducted by MDI's Darren Weldrick, with the expert staff at Proformance, The Athletes Gym (visit www.theathletesgym.com for information and directions). The staff at Proformance have been testers, strength coaches and conditioners for high level marathoners, sprinters, national dragon boat teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Canadian women's Olympic gold medal hockey team, to name a few. Along with Darren Weldrick, Director of Coaching services of Marathon Dynamics and a strength coach himself, this team of professionals want to help Marathon Dynamics give you the tools to become stronger more efficient runners.
The testing takes from 35-45 minutes and costs $80 (usually this has a $150.00 price tag) You will have pictures of your form while running at various levels of fatigue and will be able to schedule appointments at your discretion for more detailed explanation of what the results will mean for you. These results can also be used by your Marathon Dynamics coach in designing an even more customized program. Based on further levels of interest, more appointments will be made. Usually testing happen for 6-8 people in an evening (weekends may be possible too). We have filled up our first two sessions for this testing, but can accomodate more, so if you think you might be interested, please contact Darren Weldrick at darrenweldrick@marathondynamics.com.
Thinking about upcoming races? Visit My Next Race at www.mynextrace.com.
The new MDI season "officially" begins January 1st onward...so whether you join one of our upcoming clinics to prepare for a new distance running challenge and/or learn new training skills and techniques, or whether you've "been there done that" and want to go to the "next level" of Customized Training Plan and/or Personal Coaching, or you're just plain not sure what your next step as a runner should be, please do give us a shout as soon as possible...we're here to help!
On behalf of Darren Weldrick, Michael Brennan, Spence Dickson, Patty Cranston, Bennett Cohen, Todd Milligan, Jennifer Faraone, Robin McEchney, all of our JeansMarines coaches, and myself, Kevin Smith, we want to wish you all the very best over the impending holiday craziness--drive safe, shop smart, eat well, rest lots, be good, and of course...run long, run strong!
Cheers for now gang, gotta run
* RUNNING CLINICS * CUSTOMIZED TRAINING PLANS *
* PERSONAL COACHING * CORPORATE SEMINARS *
PS - We need e-newsletter material (isn’t it obvious!) Send us your stories, comments, opinions, laundry (not!)
PPS - to unsubscribe to this e-newsletter, just type "unsubscribe" in the subject line of a reply email and hit send
PPSS - do you know anyone who might appreciate our e-newsletters? (that doesn't already get it)...if so, please forward it on to he/she/them and "cc" us so that we can included their email address next time.
Kevin Smith
Marathon Dynamics
(905) 891-3197 ph
(905) 271-7311 fax
kevinsmith@marathondynamics.com
www.marathondynamics.com