Monthly Archives: March 2014

Find your rhythm, one chant at a time…

It’s a question of belief whether divine intervention can help your fitness program, but I can attest that God’s music can make you a faster runner.

When it came time to train for my second marathon, I turned to Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Palestrina wasn’t a running coach but a 16th century composer of sacred music. His compositions, still sung in Masses worldwide, helped revolutionize choral music in religious settings in the Western world.

A friend recommended I listen to jazz, because the improvisational style can aid in finding rhythm. It didn’t help. On a whim, I switched over to the Palestrina station and heard the Gregorian chants. Soon I would find them, well, instrumental to my fitness program.

In my guest post on the Washington Post’s To Your Health, I explain how Gregorian chants and attending the Church of the Long Run helped me focus and get faster. Read more here. And thanks to Lenny Bernstein and the Post for the opportunity!

D.C. training #7: To the starting line, once again

3/7: 5:03mi, avg. 8:38/mi
3/8: 6:01/mi, avg. 9:09/mi
3/11: 4:79/mi, avg, 9:00/mi
3/12: 3.77/mi, avg. 8:45/mi

Winter is taking one last pass through, a victory lap perhaps. It surely did win the past few months. It goes without saying it has been one of the most brutal winters that I’ve experienced and as you can read from the posts, one of the hardest to train in.

But here we are. The Rock and Roll marathon is Saturday and weather should be good. Light wind, some precipitation but nothing too extreme. Assuming metro runs on time, it should be a smooth time getting to the starting line. I feel a sense of “good tired.” This winter wiped me out, my eyes are still adjusting to moisture in the air and my lungs aren’t quite sure how to deal with milder breathing. It should lead to better running on Saturday but it is an adjustment.

My friend Greg comes up to D.C. tonight and it’ll be great to run the race with him. He was one of the initial catalysts for getting me to start running, for which I greatly appreciate him.

Not much more to say at this point, other than I’ll see you at the starting line!

D.C. training #6: Pockets of sunshine

2/25: 3.66mi, avg. 8:59/mi
2/26: 8:00mi, avg. 8:31/mi
3/1: 6.04mi, avg, 9:10/mi
3/2: 9.88mi, avg, 8:59/mi

It’s snowing. Again.

But really, it doesn’t matter. The past two weekends consisted of mild weather and pleasant winds, so that allowed me to finish long run weekend and the last of the long runs yesterday.

I forgot how quickly dehydration sneaks up when the weather gets hotter. Yesterday’s long run was good but without the Mall’s fountains still not working and me forgetting my water bottle, I was hurting a bit toward the end.

Now, it’s time to taper. My taper experience with the maratón was difficult. I don’t expect much trouble this time because the race is on home turf and the last vestiges of winter will keep me occupied.

Here’s hoping the lamb-like end of March starts by March 15!