Something New, Something Old

I've done enough to know I miss it, and I love it. So I'm BACK!

Effective Jan 1, I will be launching my Peak Performance Run Coaching program.

As a runner, I have committed to over 54 years of running and over 116,000 miles. As a Coach, I have successfully guided an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, Boston qualifiers, numerous collegiate and high school All-Americans, countless State Champions, and plenty of people who just want to find their Peak Performance Edge.

In 1990, I became a Level II certified coach by The Athletics Congress (now the USATF) in the distance events. And while I imagine that certification is too worn out and cobwebbed to still be official, that knowledge is here to stay. Not mentioned in all of this is that while I left the organized world of coaching almost thirty years ago, I never really left coaching. I've focused on the occasional adult runner who needed some training advice, as well as working with family and friends when needed. Time to step up for real.

The website is up. All that is left is a few disclaimers to be written and posted and we'll be good to go. You can get a sneak preview of it all at: www.yourpeakperformanceedge.com. 

My goal is simple: just like in my sales teaching and coaching, I want to bring out the best in people pursuing something they love. Sounds pretty cool to me.

I look back to the many people that first influenced me to follow a coaching path. Fabulous and giving mentors like Al Pingel (my first high school coach), Dick Swanson (my college coach), Dr Joe I Vigil (the smartest coach I know), Jerry Quiller (who hired me for my first college coaching experience), Jack Daniels (a mentor to all), and Gary Wilson (an fantastic role model). They laid the foundation of my expertise. Today I find inspiration in the coaching of people like Mike Smith at NAU, Lance Harter (at Arkansas), and Mark Wetmore (at Colorado).

I'm excited about adding this fun to my life plate.

Run on (and be coached.......).

Finish With A Bang! 2020 in 2020!

So, with 26 days to go in 2020, I made a decision. I am going to run the year. While I have spent the last few months analyzing my miles in the hope that I would reach 2000 for the year, I have now shifted to that wonderful concept of running the year you're in. It's 2020 in 2020 and ending the year with a bang.

As has been mentioned in this blog on several occasions, I determine a good running year to be a minimum of 2000 miles. And between a bad knee and this whole pandemic thing, I would consider that a milestone and a heck of an accomplishment.

I'm so tired of hearing that people just want this year to end. You know what? While this year has been tough for a lot of people, there is still much good in this world, so much to be thankful for, and countless blessing to look forward to every single day. And I am taking advantage of these last few weeks to close this sucker out with my own personal bang.

When April 1st came around, I was averaging a mere 90 miles a month. On that pace I would have ended 2020 with barely 1000 miles. That would have been borderline shameful and my worst mileage year since 1967, high school, when we didn't run year round. Since then, however, it's been almost 200 miles a month and a nice turnaround of the mileage year. Instead of Corona-settling, I have chosen to draw my own line further out than where it should have been simply because I'm feeling like ending this year kind of spunky (not to mention with a bang)!

So, as I attempt to end 2020 with a bang, I leave you with the deeply profound words of Marshall, Ted, and Barney: "Bang, Bang, Bangity, Bang, I said ah Bang, Bang, Bangity, Bang."

Run on.