Happy anniversary, Jay and MrsJay. OM, your 10 mile "training run" race sounds great.
Nice long runs for Mike (hot and windy) and Twocat.
This morning, it was about 60° and almost calm. I got in 7 miles at a 10:52 pace.
A good day and good runs for all.
TomS
MM #6177
Byll, thanks for your input, duly noted and appreciated.
Tomwhite, here's his background: http://www.joelrun.com/joels-qualifications.html (sorry I can't linkify, on my iPad on the bike at the gym)
ETA: linkified (and yes that is a word!)
who says life doesn't have a soundtrack?
OM - I'd finish out the 7 weeks with him and then see how you feel about things. Like Byll said, maybe you're learning more from him than you realize. That being said, if at the end of the 7 weeks you still don't feel like your gelling with the guy, look for someone else You're paying out the money, you should be happy about who you're working with.
TomS - You and I were mileage twins today.
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
i'm just reading between the lines here OM and maybe I'm off-base, but it almost sounds like you have more of a personality conflict with him rather than a 'coaching' issue. As a coach, he's being paid by clients to set up training schedules for them. He puts his time and thoughts into each client and tailoring a plan suited to their goals, abilities and time schedules. So, from his perspective, when a client still does their own running thing, I would think that to him it feels like "i don't care what you've spent your time designing for me, I'm going to do what I want" and can be frustrating to him and feel like his efforts are wasted. I'm simply trying to view this from the perspective of a coach. I know with my sons CC coach, they have set runs each week that get them ready and trained for their upcoming local and divisional meets. The coaches want the kids to follow the training plan. Granted, you are an adult, not a kid, and can certainly do what you want. I can understand your frustration that you ran a good race, and you exercised self-discipline in not "racing" it, but having it be more of a training run, and the coach still seemed to disapprove of you doing that, but from his perspective, i can also get a feel for why it might frustrate him when clients deviate from the plan that he spent time designing for them.
just my 2 cents.
Tammy
Byll, thanks for your input, duly noted and appreciated. Tomwhite, here's his background: http://www.joelrun.com/joels-qualifications.html (sorry I can't linkify, on my iPad on the bike at the gym)
...didn't hit me as MyKindOfGuy//........but
he ran some good times himself,
and since you've used him up to now,
I'd finish with him.
THEN
ask yourself TheMusicalQuestion-
''Am I Having Fun??''
if not,
Bag him after the race................next Olympics aren't til 2016 anyway
..nothing takes the place of persistence.....
...didn't hit me as MyKindOfGuy//........
Yeah, TW and OM. When I looked over his website I thought two things:
1. His website sux
2. He comes across as sort of a douche. (Sorry for the crass word there. The only one I could come up with.)
Bill
"Some are the strong, silent type. You can't put your finger on exactly what it is they bring to the table until you run without them and then you realize that their steadiness fills a hole that leaks energy in their absence." - Kristin Armstrong
Yeah, TW and OM. When I looked over his website I thought two things: 1. His website sux 2. He comes across as sort of a douche. (Sorry for the crass word there. The only one I could come up with.) Bill
HA! Usually I consider him a crotchety old fart, but yeah, douche works just as well.
Thank you all so much for your perspectives and feedback! Leslie, yes, I am leaning on finishing out the remaining weeks, but just airing my views publicly is helping me tremendously, so I do agree with your assessment there. And yes, Tammy, it is DEFINITELY a personality clash that is the main problem here. Honestly, I don't have that much of an issue of what his program has been for me, as for how he delivers it and the feedback that he provides. OK, basically it's the feedback issue: there is NEVER any positive feedback. I'm only told anything when I do something wrong. And even when I do something right, the comments are made with quite a bit of skepticism, like he can't believe I even did well (like when I PR'd at my half marathon two weeks ago by over 7 minutes and got 2nd AG; what did he say to that? nothing!). I can't thrive in an environment of only criticism, that's a childhood I already had, and you can see the type of self-doubting adult that produced....
So yeah, he's definitely not the nurturing type.
An hour on the stationary bike at the gym today. I have my peak long run this weekend, 23 miles, and my course is all planned out, a route I've always wanted to do: run across the George Washington Bridge and down the Greenway along the West Side of Manhattan, cut across town and loop Central Park, then return back the way I came again. For some odd reason, I really like the idea of running over bridges. Though knowing my coach, he'd probably come up with some reason to tell me this route was a bad idea too... grr....
Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.
Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/
Carolyn
OM you are training to have fun running a marathon not win one. If training/running is not fun you need a new hobby.
+1! Or a new coach. Hey, maybe I can email him and tell him you're running Monkey 2 weeks after NYC!
Happy Anniversary, Jay! Beautiful description this morning!
Hi Mary! Can't wait for puppy pictures of little Minnie!
Happy travels, Holly! Hope you have a greta trip in Erika land!
5 muddy miles this morning, because of all the rain yesterday. Had to scrape ice off my windshield when I left the house.
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
Bushrat Runner
Lots of interesting stuff going on here.
OM good luck with the coach. It's funny, I find when I design a training plan for somebody that they rarely hold to the letter, which is why I don't go to that level of effort. For a marathon the long runs and the tempo runs are 98% of what gets us slow people faster, so that's usually the extent of specifics I would provide...with real life, independent adults in a non-professional running environment, the level of control he is expecting is pretty surprising to me. I'd wait until after the marathon, thank him for his efforts, and move on.
4 miles for me today at lunch.
Good luck Holly and Erika.
Troy Hamon
14 Days to Alaska
Also on Kindle and Nook
Valley Road Run
Latest Adventure
...with real life, independent adults in a non-professional running environment, the level of control he is expecting is pretty surprising to me.
Thank you Troy, that's exactly how it feels to me (though you phrased it much better than I could've). I didn't come to him with the intent of getting faster, but simply that I knew I had potential as a runner and didn't know how to access it. I wanted to learn how to run stronger and smarter, and I'm wise (and old) enough to know that if faster happens as a result of that, so be it.
Oh yeah Carolyn, that would work out really great, telling him about Monkey....
Have a great relay, Twocat!
And sorry I missed it from page 1, happy anniversary to Jay and Mrs Coastwalker! MrOM and I are only 8 years behind you, tomorrow in fact. Last year this time we were in Portland and Seattle for the week, visiting an area that I always knew was my favorite in the country, before ever having been there.
Happy anniversary to the Jays!
Safe and fun travels to Holly. Its kind of wierd but I really enjoy traveling alone sometimes.
OM, I am not sure why you got a coach in the first place but with all the free advice here why would you need anyone else? I never really entertained the thought of hiring a coach I have managed to accomplish all my humble goals on my own. Or maybe I'm just as cheap as my wife says I am.
Mary, A new puppy? how exciting! We haven't had a puppy for quite a few years but I still remember how fun it was.
3.5 easy paced miles tonight before the rain got here.
My DIL has a double running stroller so I thought I would take it for a spin with the kids this weekend. This thing is fancy with stero speakers for my ipod . I have never tried one before but I seen Steve do it for a couple years ,but he does have that super hero thing going for him that I don't. My biggest fear is getting a mile out and not being able to keep them in it when they get bored.
Larry
Chumbawamba: I get knocked down But I get up again You're never going to keep me down
Marathon Maniac #957
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."
Hi Holly!!! Safe travels!
My biggest fear is getting a mile out and not being able to keep them in it when they get bored. Larry
My biggest fear is getting a mile out and not being able to keep them in it when they get bored.
On the runs, we tell stories to each other. Some times we sing. Sometimes he sleeps. When we get close to some one I'll hear, "Catch that man Grampy!" or "Just run faster Grampy!!!".
Lots of empathy on your travels Holly. Envious of your trip though.
Tag had gotten a bite or a sting this week. His face started to swell Monday PM. Tuesday AM his eye was swollen shut. We got to the vet and he has an infection. He went to work with me Wednesday and often got his face cleaned. The meds are helping, but he looks in such agony it's breaking my heart. We went out for a short one tonight. He bolted out of the truck, then petered out quickly. Dogie fartleks, if you will. I saw a tree that had leaves like an apple. The branches were jointed like an apple can get. No fruit on it. It hangs like w weeping cherry. Any ideas??
SteveP