Running

Since the winter 2002 I have been running on a fairly regular basis. I have good help from my "coach", with advices, irony and inspiration.

If you can't beat her, join her...

Contents on this page
     - Goals
     - Results
     - Tools
     - Equipment
     - The Marathon algorithm
     - Resources

Goals

During my time on the run, some goals have arised in my head and new goals arise when a goal is fulfilled. Below are some of my goals listed (in the order they have become a goal). The different colors define opened, fulfilled and postponed respectively.

• 10 km in 60 minutes.
  Fulfilled 2002-08-10 (53:36, 5:21 min/km).
• ½-marathon (21098 m) in 2 hours. My first opportunity will hopefully be in S:t Eriksloppet, September 6, 2003.
  Fulfilled 2003-09-06 (1:53:05, 5:21 min/km).
• Marathon (42195 m) in 4 hours. This is probably the hardest goal for me to fulfill and it will take some years before I have the capacity for this.
• 5 km in 20 minutes.
• 10 km in 45 minutes. My goal is to run Midnattsloppet, August 16, 2003 in this time.
  Not fulfilled yet, but some day I will cross this barrier...
• 10 km, at Södra Berget in Sundsvall, in 50 minutes. This is a very hilly path.
  My best time at the moment is 55:18 from 2005-07-17.
• 120 hours running and 150 sessions during 2003. During 2002 I ran 99 hours in 146 sessions.
  Fulfilled 2003-12-31 (120 hours in 156 sessions).
• 3 km, round Tisken in Falun, in 12 minutes.
  Fulfilled 2003-07-19 (11:58, 3:59 min/km).
• 7 km, at Lugnet in Falun, in 35 minutes.
  Fulfilled 2004-08-03 (32:04, 4:34 min/km). Probably not exactly 7 km though.
• 14 km, round Varpan in Falun, in 70 minutes.
• ½-marathon (21098 m) in 1 hour and 45 minutes.
• 6 km, round Tisken in Falun, in 25 minutes.

I will only try to fulfill a goal if I feel that I have prepared well and trained according to a plan. I will participate in a race, but if I haven't performed almost the same result (as my goal on the distance) when training, I will not go for the goal that day.

Results

My personal records

In this table I have put the events that I think is at least as long as they say. If I, for example, think that a 5K isn't at least 5 km I don't register it as a personal record. I know this isn't a failsafe approach, but it is good enough...

A few seconds per mile during a marathon is the difference between finishing with the Kenyans and finishing with some guy named Ken.

Josh Cox (Marathoner)

Races

The table below contains the races I have participated in (or hopefully will be running in the near future). The table can be sorted on different columns by clicking on the column headers.

A total of 51 races that I have run.

You look forward to the excitement of a race - it's like a punctuation mark at the end of a sentence.

Jeff Galloway

Tools

Pace calculator

When I have to calculate and convert distances, times, paces and target split times I use my extremely powerful pace calculator.

Equipment

Shoes

One thing that is great with running is that you only need to invest in a pair of good shoes. The rest of the things you wear are not so important (though I recommend to invest in functional clothes and a stopwatch).

Clothes

The lesson I am (still) trying to learn when running is rather too cold than too warm.

The Marathon algorithm

Here is an implementation of the simple algorithm for completing a marathon. Just put one foot in front of the other, and repeat the process...

/**
 * The Marathon algorithm in Java.
 * Keeps running and running until the marathon distance is completed.
 *
 * @return  True, when the marathon distance is completed.
 */
public static boolean runMarathon() {

    // Distance in meters for marathon.
    double goalDistance = 42195;

    // Your step length.
    double stepLength = 0.5;

    // Left foot on starting line.
    double leftFootDistance = 0;

    // Right foot behind the left foot when starting.
    double rightFootDistance = -stepLength / 2;

    // The number of steps taken, so far.
    int noOfSteps = 0;

    // Run, run, run...
    while ( leftFootDistance < goalDistance &&
            rightFootDistance < goalDistance ) {

        // Move the left foot.
        if ( leftFootDistance < rightFootDistance ) {
            leftFootDistance += 2 * stepLength;
        }

        // Move the right foot.
        else if ( leftFootDistance > rightFootDistance ) {
            rightFootDistance += 2 * stepLength;
        }

        // Jump with both feet together.
        else {
            leftFootDistance  += stepLength;
            rightFootDistance += stepLength;
        }

        noOfSteps++;
        System.out.println( "Step: " + noOfSteps );
    }

    System.out.println( "Congratulations! " +
                        "You have run the distance " + goalDistance +
                        " in " + noOfSteps + " steps." );
    return true;
}

In the real world, I had the algorithm to terminate in June 9, 2007.

Resources

The following resources are good starting points for achieving information about running.

• Marathon.se, more about running in Sweden.
• Runner's World, a running magazine.
• Puls.se, discussion forum.
• Pace calculator, your best friend...

Mail me: anders at nemonisimors dot com

QUICK LINKS
NNM Pace Calculator
NNM Weblog

MOTTOES
Nemo nisi mors
Possunt nec posse videntur
E pur si muove