My Life on the Run - a fun read for runners

Today's workout (elliptical): 24 minutes

I've just finished Bart Yasso's book "My Life in the Run" and I recommend it as a good light read. Yasso is Runner's World's "Chief Running Officer" and he writes about his adventures running in exotic races all over the world. He is also the originator of the Yasso 800's training method that involves running a series of 800 meter intervals to help predict your marathon finishing time. For example, if you average 3:30 on this exercise you can reasonably expect to run a 3 hour, 30 minute marathon. I've often thought about trying this because I truly have no idea how I'd do in a marathon. That is, if I could even make it through one. Of course testing this theory would require me returning to the track and doing speed work. Maybe when it gets a little cooler...


At the end of the book Yasso lists a number of training programs for various races that would probably be valuable to people who are willing to follow disciplined training routines. I'm not good in that area. I prefer to train "organically" which probably explains my less than stellar times in my last few races. Yasso also talks about cross training and its importance within a runner's training cycle. So inspired. I decided to get back on the elliptical this morning and put in more of a whole body workout than I'd been getting from simply running. The humidity is unrelenting and inside is worse than outside but I did my minutes accompanied by the early morning news on TV. We're heading to Boston this weekend to see family so I'm not sure how that will impact my running schedule. My brother and I talked about doing a Memorial Drive run on Saturday which will be excellent as long as the weather cooperates. I'm bringing my son in to the office tomorrow so no Central Park run this week. I'll probably aim for a late afternoon run at home instead.