One Mile Runner Blog

LASIK Eye Surgery

2010-03-06T03:49:00Z

I had LASIK Eye Surgery last week in Sarasota's Center For Sight. Dr. William Lahners performed the state of the art IntraLase LASIK surgery on 2/25/10. It is an all laser, blade-free procedure. The major decision I had before surgery was what I wanted to actually improve. I have been near-sighted and wearing glasses to see the school blackboard since the 5th grade. Contact lenses were my favorite invention as they removed the bulky glasses to play sports. Now that I am approaching 47 in April, the "dreaded" up close vision was vanishing too. Doctors tried to make small corrections with my contact lenses taking away a little distance vision to make the up close vision better with bi/tri focal type lenses. After a while, you seem to compromise in both areas. My new eye doctor, Dr. Altman, suggested I go for a LASIK consultation as he thought I would be a good candidate for LASIK surgery.

Then, Dr. Lahners said I had two choices. Option #1: correct my distance vision to the best of my ability (that is 20/20 in my left eye and 20/15 in my right dominant eye) leaving me without contact lenses and glasses for distance, but still needing "readers," or Option #2: correct my distance vision in my right eye and correct my left eye for up close vision - thus leaving me without contact lenses and glasses for distance and no readers for up close - sounds attractive right, no glasses at anytime if things go well!?

Dr. Altman's advice and my initial purpose in having LASIK Eye Surgery was to correct my distance vision to the best of its ability. I would for once not need contact lenses or glasses for distance, and be left to wear readers for everything up close. After further research, I stayed with my initial purpose for the surgery - fix my distance vision. With my outdoor lifestyle as a coach and athlete, I felt that I would greatly compromise my ability for fine motor skills with "mono vision" - one eye for distance and one for up close. Even though it sounds so attractive - no glasses at all - with the brain adapting to see properly through each eye's role, I did not want to compromise my abilities as an older athlete. I wanted to see the tennis ball better than ever. One of the obstacles for older athletes in hand-eye sports and fine motor skill activities is the diminishing ability to "read" what is coming from a distance. Thus, making reactions slower. Mono vision would be a good choice for someone who works in an office all day, but in the future another surgery must be performed on the eye for up close vision to remain sharp as the capacity to see up close continues to diminish with age.

I will happily break out the readers to see my Iphone, computer, or read a book knowing that I now can see crystal clear distance. I am no longer a near sighted person. Dr. Lahners has successfully changed me to a far sighted person. A week after the surgery I am continuing to heal. I am finishing up the eye drops. I still have the redness in my eyes from the scarring of the surgery. This will go away over the next week. With the cornea being the fastest healing part of the human body, I was 70% healed by the day after surgery and I should be 100% healed in no time. You can check out more at www.centerforsight.net

Sports Massage

2010-02-08T01:17:00Z

The end of January took us at www.OneMileRunner.com to Gainesville, Florida and the University of Florida for the Jimmy Carnes Indoor Invitational. It was a special weekend as I had the opportunity to try out my new New Balance spikes with my new orthotic and race against many college runners. Stacie Nevelus, the www.OneMileRunner.com Massage Consultant, traveled up to "gator land" as well for the event. We were glad that she came along and we took advantage of her services for a pre-race and post-race massage. Please check out our informative sports massage video below:

I ran a smooth 4:46 for my first race in 2010. It felt good to race indoors again (last time was 2007) and confirm that my training for The Indoor Nationals in March and for our July event, "Around The World In Less Than 30 Minutes," is right on schedule. Please check out Stacie at www.stacienevelus.com for more information on her cupping massage therapies.

Webb Visits Our Practice Session In Sarasota

2010-01-22T00:00:28Z

Escaping the cold of the northeast, Tom Webb and his girlfriend Betsy Suda came to Sarasota to visit our good friends, Kim and Mark Sheffield. Tom came out to our track practice last Saturday morning. He was nice to pull me through my 3/4 mile time trial and workout with everyone who attended that day. Tom (no relation to Alan) is currently finishing off his senior year as a captain of the Providence College track team. He has been searching across the country for the best location to train after his graduation. On his trip to Florida, Tom visited Gainesville (home of University of Florida and The Florida Track Club).Tom aspires to become an Olympian in 2012 and beyond focusing on the 5K and 10K. Tom currently holds a personal best of 14:12 for the 5K and looks to break the 14:00 minute barrier in a meet this spring. If any of our readers know a place Tom should make his home base for training after his May graduation, please let me know and I will pass on the news so he can make a visit there soon. It would be wonderful for Tom to find the "right" place to maximize his potential and accomplish his aspirations. Combining the geographical location, an inspiring coach/mentor, and a great group of training partners creates an invaluable base for his pursuit of excellence.

To my right (in order) is Tom, Betsy, Lauren Lumely, Kim, and Wayne Johnson.

We travel to University of Florida to race an indoor mile at the 3rd Annual Jimmy Carnes Invitational on January 31st. Stacie Nevelus, the www.OneMileRunner.com Massage Consultant, will be in attendance. After the race, the next blog will feature the role of massage therapy in post race recovery.

Faklis Orthotics

2010-01-03T03:08:00Z

Happy 2010!

I just was fitted for my new indoor race orthotics and I thought I would share what takes place at Faklis Orthotics (www.faklis.com). The process of finding the right pedorthist, getting evaluated properly, and learning the value of professional foot care is important step for every over-30 athlete.

I want to especially thank one of my consultants, Mike Forgrave, who is responsible for making my orthotics in 2009 and 2010. Vasile and Mike work together to make sure my biomechanics are optimal. Thanks to them I am injury free.

I am planning to participate in an indoor meet at the end of January to try out my new spikes and new indoor race orthotics. After indoor nationals in March, it will be back to the roads as I prepare for our 2010 event - Around The World In Less Than 30 Minutes.

6 Host Cities Chosen For 2010 Event

2009-11-28T21:54:00Z

Today we finalized the 6 host cities for our 2010 event - "Around The World In Less Than 30 Minutes." It has taken us the last couple of months to complete the selection process for the cities representing their respective continents. We might not have chosen the easiest places to race, or the most well-known, but we did choose cities that will welcome us for our one-mile race and fitness presentation with open arms and make the 2010 world tour an absolute running adventure. Here are the selections and the order of our tour stops:

1) July 4th - Willimantic, Connecticut, USA www.thelastmileracing.com

2) July 10th - Buenos Aires, Argentina www.urbanrunningtours.com.ar

3) July 17th - Symi Island, Dodecanese, Greece www.hotelfiona.com

4) July 24th - Jos, Nigeria www.athleticsnigeria.org

5) July 31st - Chennai, India www.o2healthstudio.com

6) August 8th - Townsville, Queensland, Australia www.townsvilleroadrunners.com

We will begin our world tour with The Boom Box Mile on America's independence day. The Boom Box Mile was the USA representative thanks to race director, Charlie Olbrias, who was an integral part of the 20/20/20<5@45 event in 2008 and The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time in 2009. Due to the interest of Juan Lapadula from Urban Running Tours, Argentina rose to the top for representing South America. One of the sister cities of Tarpon Springs, Florida (my host city for the 20/20/20<5@45 event) is the beautiful and remote Greek island of Symi. Nikos Halkitis from The Symi Visitor and Fiona Hotel will be our host on our long trip (by plane and then boat). I met Nikos at a Tarpon Springs dinner in 2008, we discussed racing in Symi at that time - so it is exciting to see our talks come to fruition.

From Greece, we visit the most populated African country - Nigeria. Thanks to their Athletic Association and television interest, we are looking forward to making this stop in Jos a memorable time. Then we travel to a place I still call "Madras." Since my time in India coaching the national junior Davis Cup team from the mid-80s to the early-90s, India has resumed their Indian names and now it is called Chennai. Due to the efforts of Nina Reddy with O2 Health Studios and Savera Hotels and Ranjini Manian from Global Adjustments, I am looking forward to returning to the city where I began my coaching career. We conclude our world tour in northeast Australia at the Townsville Running Festival on August 8th in Townsville, Queensland. Thanks to the President of the Townsville Road Runners, Anthony Hockings, we will try to break the 30 minute mark at his event.

We will keep you updated now that the selection has taken place as we prepare for the event coming in 7 short months.

Fitness Video Coming in 2010

2009-10-24T02:58:00Z

I met with my trainer and One Mile Runner Consultant, Juan Ruiz-Tagle, this morning as we planned the details of our upcoming fitness program. In February 2010, we are shooting a video for You Tube as we share part of our upcoming Fitness DVD. We will take this DVD opportunity to teach our unique methodology. During our 2010 event, "Around The World In Less 30 Minutes," we will be giving a free fitness seminar in every host city on our world tour. It will be a wonderful chance to share our message with the public across the globe.

Next month, we will announce the 6 host cities for the "Around The World In Less Than 30 Minutes." We are trying to find the best locations to handle our fitness presentation and one-mile event. We will be going to a few hot climates for these races, but the people and companies involved in each of these cities will do a fabulous job with this unusual event.

Please check out a few of the You Tube videos that Juan and I shot in early 2009 at www.OneMileRunner.com. This will give you a head start on the new material coming with our step-by-step program in 2010.

The Humidity Is Still On

2009-10-11T21:58:00Z

Residents of southwest Florida converse about the break in the humidity not coming in until mid-October. In 2009, it will be a welcome entry. With many parts of the country feeling the cooler temperatures of autumn, we are still feeling high humidity here in Sarasota. We hope by next weekend that exercising outdoors will be a more enjoyable.

At The Bath and Racquet Fitness Club www.bathandracquet.com (my training base and headquarters for my coaching), we just finished hosting the 50's National Clay Court Tennis Championships. There was no surprise that the ambulance had to come by yesterday afternoon because players were experiencing heat induced problems. I was on the court teaching this morning and it looked like I jumped into the pool and then went on court. That is how wet I was in October!

One of the new products I will be testing this month is the Vega Sport - the natural plant based performance optimizer. I am looking for this product to replace the other energy drinks I use and assist me in restoring the electrolytes that I lose during exercise. The other product that I am using daily in this heat is the Khepra Botanical Foot Mist that provides a cooling burst for my active feet. I have been using the incredible Khepra lotions in my training and races for massages and skin treatments. All these products can be found on the "online shopping" page at www.OneMileRunner.com.

Back In Sarasota

2009-10-03T22:42:00Z

In 1997, I traveled about 35 weeks that year coaching on the professional tennis tour. When I came back home, I actually had forgotten where we kept the plates. This year I had a little deja vu...when we returned home to our Sarasota home, I actually went to the wrong cabinet to get a glass for water. I love being on tour for an event, but it is nice to be back in our home after racing so much this summer. I am being careful on my return to the tennis court. Last year after completing 20/20/20<5@45, I tried a new pair of tennis shoes and this brought on plantar fasciitis for 5 months. This year I was a bit smarter...

We returned to Florida just before Labor Day. 13,000 total miles on my car from the end of June until early September. We went all over New England and enjoyed visiting and racing in so many cool towns and cities. Sekyen and I took off to Dublin, Ireland for a little getaway before I started coaching. It gave me time to decompress after finishing the event. I am in the midst of preparing my body for the toll in 2010. I have increased my strength workouts and I am only doing easy running every other day. My speed workouts will begin in mid-December to prepare for the Masters Indoor National Championships in Boston on March 27th.

To my surprise in 2009, I had no injuries throughout The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time. I think this is a testament to my new training program, the recovery products that I endorse, and to the dedication of Sandra Bello (my massage therapist in Tynsboro, MA) and Dr. Brian Bigelow (the Chiropractic Consultant to the www.OneMileRunner.com based in Nashua, NH).

I will be announcing in November the six host cities for our 2010 event, "Around The World In Less Than 30 Minutes." In December, we hope to have my new book, Creating Amazement, released and ready for the public. And in early 2010, we will be shooting our new One Mile Fitness video.

I will keep you up to date on all that is happening every week throughout the end of the year.

2010 Event - Around The World In Less Than 30 Minutes

2009-09-23T20:44:00Z

After successfully completing the 20/20/20<5@45 event in 2008 and The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time in 2009, many doors have opened up for us. In 2010, www.OneMileRunner.com is going international. The 2010 event is called "Around The World In Less Than 30 Minutes." That is 6 one-mile races, on 6 continents (no interest in Antarctica), in 6 weeks. The tour will begin in North America on July 4th and finish in Australia.

I also have committed to participate in the National Masters Indoor Championships in Boston at the end of March. I have only run indoors twice, but I look forward to trying to break my mark of 4:37 which I ran in Boston at the 2007 Indoor Championships.

I wanted to thank everyone who supported me during my long summer of racing. It seemed that I was racing all the time. The theme of the summer was recovery and we put it to the test. To my surprise, I did not have a race where I could not "go." Even when I felt tired or my legs felt "heavy," I was able to muster up some speed for each race. That is a testament to my new training regime, the recovery products that I endorse, and to the dedication of my massage therapist, Sandra Bello, and my chiropractor, Dr. Brian Bigelow.

I will begin my speed work for the Indoor Championships in mid-December. Until then, I will work on my strength and aerobic base.

Here's wishing you all a great autumn race season - enjoy the cooler temps and the speed that can go with it!

Race #27 - Boston, MA (The end of The Boston Marathon)

2009-08-31T22:03:00Z

The grand finale of The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time took place on Boylston Street in Boston, MA. The Boston Marathon finishes directly in front of the Boston Public Library. We ran the last .2 of the Boston Marathon to mark the end of our event. We started with the first mile of the Boston Marathon on July 1st and ended with the last .2 on August 30th.

In looking over the distance that I was going to run for the finish, I became aware of the history of the marathon. .2 of a mile is 352 yards, but ever since the 1902 Olympics when the Queen of England wanted the marathoners to finish in front of her, the official marathon distance became 385 yards. So it is really about 26.21875 miles...I thought it was exactly 26.2 miles, but I was wrong, it is 33 yards more. Here is short video of our finish down Boylston Street:

The official time for completing The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time was 2 hours, 7 minutes, 9 seconds. I finished way below the cumulative 2 hours and 11 minutes. I was shocked how good my body felt throughout the event. We all thought that there would be days that this 46 year old body could not crank up any speed, but there was not. 27 times I put my toe on the starting line, nervous and excited, and 27 times I felt some speed in my legs. This was all due to my recovery methods, recovery products, and training. Here is photo with the clock at the finish line with the Official timer from The Last Mile Racing Management Company, Charlie Olbrias:

It was a bittersweet celebratory breakfast as we were so pleased how the event went, but sad to see the tour come to completion. It was an amazing journey around New England. The challenges that The Last Mile Racing Management Company overcame setting up and running this event were many, but we came through tired and successful. Thanks to The Last Mile Racing Management Company for making The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time such a professional, well-run event. It could not have taken place without them.

Thanks to our title sponsor, SmoothToe Energizing Socks for supporting this amazing trip around New England. The short recovery time between races showed how important The SmoothToe Energizing Socks were to my preparation, performance, and recovery.

As some of you have already heard, www.OneMileRunner.com is going international in 2010. We will shortly announce our 2010 event as we attempt another challenging feat - this time overseas.

Race #26 - Hartford, CT

2009-08-29T19:09:00Z

Race #26 took us to the capital of Connecticut - Hartford. This was the 5th Capitol we visited on our journey. Charlie Olbrias from The Last Mile Racing Management Company had run the Hartford Marathon five times. He knew a good, flat spot around mile marker #12 for us to put on The Capitol Mile #5 race. We had an opportunity to show a different look at running the mile. Check out this short video of my last quarter mile. You can hear me breathing from far away. If you run the mile hard, it hurts. This race was no exception.

All that is left is the .2 of The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time taking place down Boylston Street in downtown Boston Sunday morning. Let's hope for very little traffic!

Toe Touch Your Way To Stronger Legs

2009-08-27T22:06:00Z

Here is a video showing The Toe Touch Matrix. This exercise really works the proprioceptors in your feet. It mobilizes your hips, knees, and ankles. Instead of touching with your hands in a balance reach, touch the 10 matrix spots with your toes. Spend close attention to the back corners of the matrix as those spots really hit difficult areas of your body. Again, this is a multi-directional, multi-joint, and multi-muscle exercise.

Take a few moments to shake up your balance and fire this one-legged exercise that you will feel way up in your glutes!

Race #25 - Hudson, NH

2009-08-27T20:27:00Z

The last couple of days have been one of my highlights of "The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time" as it marked the first time that I presented a speaking engagement and raced in the town that I grew up in - Hudson, NH. For many years, one of my oldest friends, Bill Nadeau, has been asking me to speak in Hudson. We thought that 2009 would be a great opportunity to present two talks: one to the teachers of Memorial School where I attended junior high and then a sports talk for the public taking place at The Hudson Community Center. I presented both talks on Tuesday and then raced to The Community Center on Wednesday evening. It was very special to see the support of so many old friends and their families. It was a very windy night and I was fortunate to break 5 minutes in 4:59.08.

Thanks to Bill and all his preparatory efforts. We had a wonderful time sharing The O'Meara Process with the teachers of Memorial School. There were still a few teachers on the 2009 staff at Memorial School that were there when I was in 8th grade in 1977! In the evening, I spoke about some of the new fitness exercises at my talk at the Community Center.

Here is a video of Race #25:

Now we travel to Hartford, CT for Race #26 and our 5th capital of a New England state. We race in Hartford on Friday evening and then finish in Boston (6th and last Capitol) for a quick .2 on Sunday morning.

Races #23 and #24 - The Derby Mile and Brooklyn Fair

2009-08-24T15:56:00Z

It was an end to a busy week and a half as I completed 5 races in 9 days. Race #23 took us to The Derby Mile in Salem , MA. The Derby Mile is put on by the Salem Parks and Recreation www.salempd.org. Race Director, Doug Bollen, does a fantastic job and I was happy to make his race Mile 23 on The SmoothToe New England Marathon....One Mile At A Time. I raced The Derby Mile last year as part of my 20/20/20<5@45 event in 2008 posting a 4:56 on their demanding course. You can check out the blog post from last year under "My Daily Journal 2008." It was a stronger and larger field this year and we had to run into a head wind the whole point-to-point race, but I managed to run 5 seconds faster in 2009 at 4:51. This was a great sign that my recovery in 2009 has been very successful. Here is a photo of Doug Bollen addressing the crowd at their fabulous post-race party:

Race #24 brought us back to the country roads of New England. Sunday evening we raced in Brooklyn, CT which hosts the oldest continuously run agricultural fair in the United States.

Our race took place out by the beautiful area of Hillandale Farms. It was a wonderfully flat course, but I did not have much bounce left in my legs and could only record a 4:58.43. Here is a photo of Charlie Olbrias from The Last Mile Racing timing company. With only a week remaining on our tour, Charlie and his crew have been invaluable in making The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time a professional event. Due to their creativity, care, and dedication, we are in the final leg of our logistically and geographically challenging tour around the New England states.

Race #25 brings us to Hudson, NH where I grew up. I have two speaking presentations on Tuesday. I speak to the teachers of the school district in the afternoon and then a sports presentation to the general public at the Hudson Recreation Center at 7pm. The following night I race to the Hudson Recreation Center for Race #25...this will be the first time I speak and race in Hudson.

Running Stretches

2009-08-21T02:33:00Z

In this training video, I am working with my trainer, Juan Ruiz Tagle. These are some of the stretches that I use in my post workout. After training or competition is the best opportunity to elongate muscle tissue. These exercises are not used as a warm-up, but as a cool down.

After suffering from Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis in late 2008 and early 2009, I added these moves into my program.This video shows some of stretches that I do to protect and stretch my lower extremities. I can continue to do these diligently throughout The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time. I hope these stretching exercises help you develop greater flexibility.

Race #22 - Concord, NH

2009-08-21T00:05:00Z

Capitol Race #4 took us to Concord, NH for Race #22 on The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time. I went to a summer program back in my junior year in high school at St. Paul's School, then did an internship there in the summer of my junior year at college - so I have spent a little time in New Hampshire's state capital. This trip brought back many memories.

It was a hot day, but by 7:00 it began to cool down. I ran a 4:37.65 with the lead car being driven by fellow classmate at St. Paul's and Bowdoin - Jim Farrelly. Jim was the lead driver at the Loudon Motor Speedway at race #16 - so he had the hang of things. We needed Jim and Charlie's protection on this evening as a late start had darkness falling on us quickly. In this video, you can see that the car lights were on already. In the last quarter mile, I also had the chance to run through my first tunnel on the tour...

After the race in Concord, Sekyen and I had a wonderful night visiting with our friends, Jim and Shannon Farrelly. Now it is onto the Derby Mile in Salem, MA www.salempd.org where I ran a 4:56 mile last year on my 20/20/20<5@45 tour. It is a challenging course and I look forward to racing again in Salem, MA for Race #24!

Race #21 - The Bigelow Chiropractic Mile

2009-08-18T02:07:00Z

Race #21 took place in Hollis, NH a few miles down the road from the Bigelow Chiropractic office www.bigelowchiropractic.com. Dr. Brian Bigelow, The Chiropractic Consultant for www.OneMileRunner.com, was on his bicycle in full support. He actually is the one who suggested this country road in Hollis to race on, since his bike training rides take him down many of these roads. After seeing Dr. Bigelow for an adjustment earlier in the day, I felt aligned and very smooth. I ran a 4:39.11 for my quickest time yet on The SmoothToe New England Marathon....One Mile At A Time.

Please be sure to check this very informative video showing one of my chiropractic adjustments with Dr. Bigelow. He has been taking care of me throughout this 2 month event. Thanks to the professional care of Dr. Brian Bigelow twice a week, I have been able to recover in a very short amount of time and to stay injury free during this grueling test that combines speed and strength. Feel free to pose any questions to him about chiropractic care via this website.

We travel to Concord, NH on Wednesday for Race #22. It will be the 4th Capitol race in our series of New England capital cities.

Race #20 - The Bobby Doyle Summer Classic in Narragansett, RI

2009-08-16T18:27:00Z

The Bobby Doyle Summer Classic (www.bobbydoylesummerclassic.org) took place in Narragansett, RI (the summer venue for the Doyle family). Bobby Doyle was Rhode Island's greatest distance runner and this race takes place in his memory. With his family in full attendance, Patrick (Bobby's oldest son) spoke to me about his Dad's death due to the family history of heart disease. We shared stories as my Dad died at 56 years old due to colon cancer. I was happy to make Bobby's race #20 on The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time. Here is a photo (from left to right): Patrick Doyle, me, Charlie Olbrias, and Brendan Doyle.

I had a difficult time actually getting to the race on time as I sat on 95 South for two hours with very little movement. The reason for the heavy traffic (standstill) I found out later was due the Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. I showed up 30 minutes before the race was to begin. Fortunately, Charlie Olbrias from The Last Mile Racing Management Company was there early and measured two different mile courses for me to race. I wanted to run the first mile with everyone else, but since I could not warm up in time, Charlie had the third mile wheeled out in advance. Charlie was the saviour of the day.

Due to the resourcefulness of The Last Mile Racing Management, I was able to jog out to mile 3 and race the third mile. After a 5 hour car ride, I was very stiff, but managed to run a 4:58.58 mile.

Next stop on our New England tour is Hollis, NH for The Bigelow Chiropractic Mile. Race #21 is Monday evening. I will be doing 5 races in 9 days...

Push-up Matrix

2009-08-14T21:24:00Z

Traditional push ups are a wonderful way to build upper body strength. This video shows the variations that you can do to work different upper body muscle groups. Have fun with your new push up routine!

Why is The SmoothToe Energizing Sock the best?

2009-08-14T19:04:00Z

Why SmoothToe? Why is it better than other athletic socks out in the market?

It is simply the ONLY sock to combine 3 revolutionary materials: Lycra, Coolmax, and Cordura for the best athletic sock ever made.

Lycra is the energizing element to the sock. It keeps the sock in place without any bunching in your sock. It provides the 15-20mmHg of Graduated Compression that stimulates blood flow before the race, when you are training or competing, and after the race when you are trying to recover as it assists with removing the lactic acid from your lower extremities.

Coolmax is the leading moisture wicking fabric on the market today. Wet feet leads to skin breakdown and blisters. How can athletes recover properly if they are fighting blisters or cuts on their feet? Cotton sock wearers suffer from moist feet all the time as their socks absorb moisture and bunches up when it is wet. Coolmax is also very soft to your skin, not coarse like treated polyester socks.

Cordura is the leading fabric on the market to add durability. Cordura will make sure your socks last. Abrasions and cutting of the sock will not take place due to this revolutionary material.

Combine these three materials with The SmoothToe Energizing Socks seamless comfort that avoids the distraction of irritating toe seams that can lead to cutting of the skin and nail problems and you have a sock that stands above the rest.

I love the secure fit of The SmoothToe with its cushioned sole and mid foot support. Try a pair at our online shopping page at www.OneMileRunner.com or check out my Running Insider Report at http://SmoothToe.com/runningreport and receive a free gift for doing so.

Whatever game you play - take it the next level with the foundation of performance - The SmoothToe Energizing Sock!

Race #19 - Sprint For Judy in Woodstock, CT

2009-08-14T03:31:40Z

Race #19 took place in Woodstock, CT. I raced down a country road nearby the grounds of the Woodstock Fair where my Dad used to play the cornet in a band in his high school and college years in the 50's. The grounds for the Woodstock Fair are still there and the Fair takes place around Labor Day.

An avid follower of www.OneMileRunner.com, Spring Cole, came to watch the race and drive the lead vehicle for protection. Spring is a wonderful woman who is enthusiastic about improving her running and fitness in her mid-forties. I had to an opportunity to work on her sprinting and running technique before my race. Spring is a great example of an individual trying to improve on a daily basis.

Race #19 against the clock was not easy. I had trouble with tightness in my hips, but managed to run a 4:51.65 with a lot of hard work. My massage therapist told me today that she has not seen me this "bad" before. She found tightness throughout my hamstrings, quads, and lower back. I guess after racing this much that I knew this level of breakdown was inevitable, but there is another race on Saturday afternoon that is #20 on our list to prepare for...the Bobby Doyle Summer Classic in Narragansett, RI www.bobbydoylesummerclassic.org.

Hope to see you on Saturday for my final race in Rhode Island!

Hot Rock Massage

2009-08-11T23:01:01Z

One of the BIG reasons why I am recovering so well after each mile race has been the massage work of Sandra Bello at Body Destinations in Tyngsboro, MA. www.bodydestinations.com. Sandra has introduced me for the first time to the attributes of a hot rock massage. A hot rock massage quickly detoxes my muscles and heats up the area allowing Sandra to get in and do her healing work. She has been professional, dedicated, and resourceful.

Check out this video about the value of a hot rock massage. You might just recover better than ever...

D.A.R.E. Classic (Part 2) - Loudon, NH

2009-08-11T22:54:00Z

One of our feature races on The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time was the D.A.R.E. Classic in Loudon, NH on the Motor Speedway. It is indeed a special race not only for the unique environment, but also for the charitable cause of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) and the camaraderie of the NH Police. One of the wonderful stories at the 5K race was the Sisters of The St. Charles Home (running in full habit) participating with the children they take care of and discussing the benefits of a running program at their Home.

Thanks to Maureen Steer and the rest of the NH Police for putting on an event that continues to educate youth about drug abuse. Check out this video on the D.A.R.E. Classic 2009 that finishes with an inspiring interview with Sister Maximilian from the St. Charles Home.

Advanced Stretching (Functional Flexibility)

2009-08-11T22:21:00Z

How should you finish any workout for any sport? The answer is Functional Flexibility! This video shows how I finish my day. Check out this video with the 3D Stretching routine. It is the best way for your body to find restoration and recovery. Functional Flexibility is against gravity, free from artificial stability, using multiple joints, multiple muscle groups, with 3 dimensions, and in 10 directions.

With the use gravity, doorways, medicine balls, dumbbells, and tubes, there is elongation without pain. It is the most incredible way to stretch your way to improved flexibility. This is an advanced stretching routine, but one that anyone can do.

Functional Flexibility is mobility and stability training that is done with a specific purpose, and it is done in a three-dimensional and multi-directional way against gravity, so we don't over stretch and cause instability and tissue damage.

Mobility is how effectively and efficiently our body moves throughout the range of motion.

Stability is how well we can control that mobility and our body in a three-dimensional and in a multi-directional way.

Remember: Too much flexibility will cause instability.

I only do these exercises after I am done with my training/running. When my muscles are warm and the lactic acid has been produced, I do these three-dimensional moves to elongate my muscles. I do not look to elongate my muscles before I train or compete. I use the lunge matrix, squats, and balance reaches to mobilize my muscles and joints and get them ready to fire.
I hope you enjoy this new way of finishing your workouts. It will give you the confidence before you get in your car to drive home that you have cooled down properly and efficiently.

Mental Preparation

2009-08-11T21:57:00Z

One of the great treats at The Beach to Beacon race at the beginning of August was that so many people flew in to Maine to support reaching the half-way point of The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time. Not only did my title sponsors fly in from Minnesota (Greg Hoscheit - SmoothToe) and North Carolina (John Haigh - Invista), but also one of my One Mile Runner Consultants from Florida, Jacqueline Moore.

Jacqueline has been so supportive of me over the years. She has helped me with my mental preparation for many of my events.

Here is an interview that we did together about the rigors of our event and how we manage the mental side for peak performance.

Race #18 = Border to Border

2009-08-11T02:50:00Z

Race #18 took me to Douglas, MA just outside the birthplace of my mother in nearby Webster. My father grew up in neighboring Dudley, MA, so I sort of knew the region when The Last Mile Racing Company told me where I was racing tonight. It was a hot and humid day in New England, but the course was covered by a canopy of trees in the Douglas State Forest.

I might have been excited to run The Beach to Beacon or The D.A.R.E. Classic on the Loudon Speedway, but Charlie Olbrias, the President of The Last Mile Racing, was pumped up about this course. He found this route that had me starting in Douglas, MA going through Thompson, CT and then finishing in Douglas, MA again. Cool course on a humid evening. I ran my quickest time of the event at 4:40.39.

Here is a couple of photos of Charlie and I showing how this granite stone marks the change of the state line. On one side it is Connecticut and on the other side, it is Massachusetts.

After watching the video of me struggling in the wind at The Loudon Speedway, I realized that I was shortening my stride length. I felt good on Saturday in Race #17 in Providence, RI running 4:49 and then even better tonight at 4:40. The stride length now is my natural length and the extra extension makes me quicker.

On Wednesday, we run the Sprint For Judy in Woodstock, CT and then on Saturday I run one of the miles at the Bobby Doyle Summer Classic www.bobbydoylesummerclassic.org in Narragansett, RI. Should be a lot of fun!

Race #16 - D.A.R.E. Classic (Part 1)

2009-08-07T04:09:50Z

Race #16 on The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time was the D.A.R.E. Classic on the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH. It was a very special evening as we celebrated the 19th year for this race www.dareclassic.com .

Here is a photo with Charlie Olbrias, from the Last Mile Racing Company, a color guard who performed before the 1 mile race, and Race Director, Maureen Steer who did a fabulous job along with the other NH State Police Officers.

We are going to publish another video this weekend of all the sights, sounds, and stories of this race, but first we will show the video of the one mile race. The rain held off, but not the wind as I struggled on the back stretch. I ran a 4:57.99 with a surge at the finish. I had an old friend, Jim Farrelly, at the wheel of the pace car along with Charlie Olbrias timing and my brother Brian filming in the back. Please check out this very cool setting for the mile race...

We run in Providence, RI on Saturday morning for our 3rd of the Capitol series.

Race #15 - Apple Orchard Mile

2009-08-04T04:31:00Z

Race #15 was The Apple Orchard Mile in Londonderry, NH. We ran past Mack's Apple Farm where they have done farming in Londonderry since 1732. My family used to go there as kids to buy apples by the bushel. We even had a couple of my old neighbors, Charlie and Lois, come out to cheer me on. It was a fun course on a beautiful evening. I ran a 4:45.90.

Today, we also had a centerfold photo in the English magazine, Running Free. Click here and navigate to page 30 to see the chosen inspirational image!

Wednesday is our featured race, The D.A.R.E. Classic, of The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time as we travel to the NASCAR race track in Loudon, NH. The weather is a little suspect, but this unique race should be a blast.

Race #14 - Beach to Beacon

2009-08-03T15:12:21Z

Here is a photo from the Beach to Beacon 10K race and below is a video of the first mile.

Race #14 was the prestigious Beach to Beacon 10K. I ran the first mile of the race and it was featured in the Portland Press Herald http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story_pf.php?id=273917&ac=b2b. The Beach to Beacon 10K is a big race with 7,000 runners on the country roads of Cape Elizabeth, ME. The founder of the event, Joan Benoit, was there in attendance greeting runners and showing support for their efforts. I contacted Joan in February of this year about including the Beach to Beacon on The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One MIle At A Time race schedule. I had the pleasure and support from our title sponsors as they traveled to Maine this past weekend as well, John Haigh from Invista and Greg Hoscheit from SmoothToe Energizing Socks.

Charlie Olbrias from The Last Mile Racing Company measured the first mile of the 10K course and added about ten more feet. The 10K racers would be going diagonally to the right and I would be staying to the left to finish the mile. The different tangents create more length to the officially marked first mile. This is how precise The Last Mile Racing Company is for every one of my races - accurate, professional, and to the hundredth of the second. Here is a photo of Charlie and I standing at the finish of the SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time with marked first mile of the Beach to Beacon 10K in the foreground.

Here is a photo of me finishing the mile. I ran a 4:51.71.

After the race, here is a photo of Jeremy Litchfield of Atayne picking up the trash from the flock of runners. He is going to use the plastic bottles (trash) and turn them into high performance tops (treasure).

This would be our last race in Maine. We move to NH, MA, CT, and RI...second half of The SmoothToe New England Marathon...One Mile At A Time is on its way!

Resistance Training (Part 2)

2009-07-30T19:07:00Z

This is Part 2 of my resistance training program. The video is set on Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, FL. Watch how different this training is versus traditional weight training. I work on my horizontal power and strength each day that I do not race. I travel with my JC Bands, dumbbells, medicine balls, and pvc hurdles in my car throughout the event. It is my training office on wheels. I work vertical power to horizontal power as I try to stay fit and strong through the course of a grueling 2 month event. Have fun checking out this video workout on the beach: