Teaming Up Is A Winning Strategy

Teams have been on my mind recently. As part of the push for the St. Patrick's Day Human Race, we've started the TSL Team Challenge. We encourage people to form teams, or bring existing teams to the event. But I've also been thinking about the teams I've been on.

I've been fortunate to be on some good teams. I warmed the bench for a baseball team that played in the Babe Ruth league state tournament. Later, I ran on a high school team that went to the state meet. In college, our teams at Macalester were always small, but sharing the workouts with teammates like Paul Mausling made it special anyway.

After college I ran for several strong running clubs. For a while now, I haven't been part of formal team. I've had an ad hoc team of people that work with me at our events, and as a board member I get vicarious pleasure from the success of Team USA Minnesota, but being on a team hasn't been an everyday part of my life. I miss that. Working at Great Harvest last December reminded of what amazing things a team can do.

The nice thing about being an adult is that you can choose your own associations. Recently, I've been been building a different type of team. First, I had to lose the lone wolf mentality. To have a team you have to want to be on a team. Without even knowing it, I started to develop a team of advisers. They may not even know they're on my team, but they are.

That has lead to forming a partnership with Perry Bach and Run N Fun in St. Paul, and Adam Lindahl at their former store in Eden Prairie, which is now TC Running Company. Perry and Kari Bach have been a community assets for over fifteen years, and Adam has carried the same enthusiasm forward in his store. As a former running store owner, I know how hard they work, and it is great to see them pouring their hearts and souls into serving their customers. And making it a successful business too!

I'm also adding to the TSL team. Recently, I've contracted Katie Bild as an event specialist. She brings great energy and ideas, as well as some real world experience. She'll be taking a lead role in our TSL Team Challenge recruitment, so right away she'll be thinking about teams.

Teams give you people to share the work, celebrate the victories and laugh or cry through defeats. It doesn't have to be about competition either. Teammates can get you out the door when you might have slept in on your own.

Even this year's Human Race Heroes have a team theme. Jason Lehmkuhle and Kristen Nicolini Lehmkuhle are both part of Team USA Minnesota. That's where they met in 2001. They were married in 2007. The team has been a key part in them reaching higher and higher for their goals as runners. Both have become parts of other teams (Edina High School, MDRA) as ways to give back to their communities.

Are you part of a team? If so, I invite you to join the TSL Team Challenge and bring your team to the St Patrick's Day Human Race. Tell us your stories and we'll share them. Contact Katie by E-mail, and she'll collect and them and we'll post them online.

If you're not already part of a team, now is your chance to form one. Talk to family members or friends, people at work or even strangers at your favorite running spot. Teaming up feels great!

I can't guarantee that being on a team will make you a faster runner. But you will have people sharing your journey. Now all you need to do is pick out your new uniforms. Remember, as adults, you can choose the fun ones, not the one that make you look dorky!

Learning from ‘Spirit,’ Soaps and Surveys

There are many ways to learn. Growing up in a family of teachers, I have always known about ‘book learning.’ That was very helpful through college. But in the years since then, I have discovered the value of other types of learning. By making mistakes, for example.

Spirit

The formal education process teaches you not to make mistakes or your test scores or grades will be affected. In the world outside the school, it’s not so simple. No mistakes usually means you’re not trying anything too risky, which means you are missing out on an awful lot. I was thinking about those things last week while watching the movie 'Spirit of the Marathon.’

I ran my first marathon in 1981. Back then you had to register for Grandma’s Marathon the day the entry forms came out, because it filled immediately. I was a senior at Macalester College, but I knew that a marathon was the next step for me after the track season.

That year was a breakthrough year for me. I started as an injured cross country runner, and ended going to NAIA and NCAA Division III track nationals to run the 10,000 meters. I was running high mileage, 100-plus per week, but my longest runs were 18 mile Sunday runs. After my track season was over in late May, I took a short break, then started training again for the marathon. I knew that running a 20-miler was important, so I completed my first one six days before Grandma’s. [Note: I have gone on to lead many marathon training groups, and now recommend that your last long run be three weeks before your marathon. Hey, I was only 21!] My goal was to run six-minute pace for as long as I could, assuming that since my new 10K PR was five minutes/mile that six-minute pace would roll along. Easier said than done.

It turned out to be an unbelievable day for me. It was cool and cloudy, great running weather. I locked in with a group of runners going six-minute pace for the first five miles. Then the group broke up at a water stop, and I found myself running with a co-worker and another first time marathon Lane Wieker. The miles rolled along, and we passed people the rest of the way.

At about twenty mile, we passed eventual women’s winner Lorraine Moeller, running with then-husband Ron Daws. Finally with the finish line in sight, I could see the clock turning over to the next minute. Darn, I thought. I missed my chance to run under 2:30. As I crossed the finish line and saw the clock, I smiled. It had turned to 2:29, not 2:30, and I had completed my first marathon more than six minutes faster than I had hoped for. It took a while longer to realize that I could have easily looked at my own watch to see the time, but had become mesmerized by the finish line. Lane and I had run negative splits, 1:16/1:13, and were officially marathoners!

If I had played it ‘by the book,’ I would have never done my twenty mile training run, never dared to try running six-minute pace, and certainly never tried to pick it up. All these ‘mistakes’ lead to an experience that I will never forget.

That all came rushing back while I was watching ‘Spirit of the Marathon’ in its limited release last week. The producers have added a second date, February 21, and with the packed theaters around town I’m sure they’ll have great word of mouth reviews. If you have ever run or even thought of running a marathon, I recommend the movie. It deftly weaves the stories of marathoners from elites to first timers as they take on the challenge of Chicago Marathon (fortunately in 2005 not last year).

Soaps

Learning can come from unlikely sources as well. Recently, I have become exposed to the world of soap operas. As I understand it, this phenomenon has been going on for some time, but I was blissfully unaware.

Soap operas have their own logic and pace. It might take one week to tell of events that take less than an hour, and dead rarely means gone. Enemies become friends, and vice versa. Alliances are made and broken. Characters are introduced and tossed aside. Actors and actresses are replaceable, sometimes even in mid-scene. Being new to the genre, I was surprised that, as if an understudy were required for a Broadway production, an announcement is made that “Peter Potter is playing the part of John Smith today.” The show must go on!

After gaining my bearings in this strange land, I discovered that there was much I could learn. No one is too good to avoid mistakes, and no one too evil for some type of redemption. Like in ‘real’ life, it is easy to get distracted by false clues. And most important, these writers, actors and actresses work very hard to create their special worlds. They are constantly scrutinized by loyal fans, and are pushed to come up with better and more entertaining product. That sounds like event directing to me.

Surveys

Sometimes to learn, you have to ask questions. We did our first post-event survey following the Frigid 5, and found out that you had plenty to say. More than one-third of all participants filled out a survey, which is a phenomenal rate of return.

We were please to find that 93% were likely or very likely to return next year, 92% would recommend this event to a friend, and 96% were likely or very likely to participate in another TSL event. You like Running Bear, and had mixed reviews on the adhesive bib numbers. [Note: if we try it again, it will be with a different adhesive that doesn’t leave residue on your clothes!]

What really caught our attention were your comments:

• “Every event you sponsor has been a uplifting experience.”
• “I really like that the shirt/hat are optional as I do not need more shirts and hats and would like to reduce entry fees.”
• “I do a fair number of races throughout the year, and the best are ALWAYS those run by TSL! They do an awesome job and I’m excited to participate in more of the runs they organize!”
• “VERY well organized. Loved how the finish line was right by the doors-could watch for other finishers in the warmth!”
• “You guys do a great job as always, very organized and result the same day!!! That’s awesome.”
• “I loved being warm inside the Coliseum.”
• “All in all I had a great time and will come back next year and the year after that. I will try to get some of my running groups to come up also. Thank you for a memorable winter race.”

Wow. Thank you for those kind words. It challenges us to continue to live up to them!

Of course there were a few polite suggestions. We will see if we have any alternatives to the four-loop 10K. We’ll definitely add more music. The fresh paint in the Coliseum should be dry by next year. We’ll see about making the hats longer.

One comment that had me a little baffled was, “Since I am a back-of-the-pack runner, I’m convinced you don’t care about my comments/suggestions.” I thought that was a little odd on a survey that asked for feedback, but I want to assure the writer and everyone else that we do care. Most of the above positive comments were from back-of-the-packers, and we never prioritize the needs of the speedy over the needs of the rest. We are committed to evolving our events to fulfill our mission statement: “Connecting people to their passions through events that enrich life.”

And finally, to the person who wrote: “Would love to organize singles together for this event… put me in charge and I’ll do it!” The survey link from the web site was anonymous, so I don’t know who you are, but I’d love to take you up on your offer! Please send me E-mail and we’ll talk. It could be a way to take our ‘connecting people to passion’ mission to a whole new level!

Your Vote Counts

This is an election year. The campaigning has already reached an early crescendo, so it’s hard to avoid. You’ll be faced with some big choices, and most of you will take that responsibility seriously as you compare candidates and issues.

You may not realize that as a runner or walker, you are making choices that affect your sport every time you ‘vote’ with your entry fees. Do you take the time to study the issues and understand just what your votes mean? Probably not.

The Market Decides
In a true market economy, choice is generally viewed as good, and the wisdom of the market is applied as events come and go. Choice is dependent on informed consumers, and runners and walkers are just beginning to realize the power they wield.

Each time you pay your entry fees, you are making a choice. The question is: are you happy with that choice? As an event director, I want to know. And as an event promoter, I want to build my business around your choices. Below is a primer that may help educate you about your choices, and how you can have a major say in what running and walking events look like.

1. What type of experience are you looking for? You can find events that simply clear the road and point you in one direction, and others that certify the course, provide accurate timing and have volunteers at every turn. Both can be fun, but if you expect accurate times at a fun run, you will be disappointed. Choose the event that meets your needs.
2. How do you want to be treated? When is it okay to be treated like a steer in a cattle drive, and when do you want quicker or more personalized service? Remember, you are a customer and the event is providing a service. If all the procedures are based on what makes the event director’s life easier, remember that you have a choice. Find events that make your life easier.
3. What choices do you want? The Model T days of road racing should be long gone. If you register in advance, you have a right to the shirt size you requested, not whatever happens to be left. You may even want the choice not to pay for a T-shirt, or to choose from a selection of styles. Make sure the event you choose meets your need for choice, or that you are okay with what they offer.
4. What is a reasonable entry fee to pay? Costs continue to rise for event permits and other services. Entry fees tend to follow those increases. Technical shirts cost more and may (or may not) be worth it to you. Timing, food and other amenities all cost money. Are you happy with the value your entry fee provides?
5. Where does the money go? Most of the entry fees goes to pay for the event itself. Most profit (or contribution to charity) is possible due to sponsorship. When an event makes a tie to a non-profit or charity, it should be open about how much ends up with the non-profit. It may be a large amount or small, but you have a right to know, at least in general terms. For some non-profits, the visibility is as important as money, but if a cause is named on an event, most people logically conclude that the cause is receiving the money. If that isn’t the case, the event should fess up.
6. Do you have a voice? Ideally, all events would conduct post-event surveys and find out exactly what you think. Next best is to make it easy to find an E-mail address to follow up with your questions and comments. Worst is an event that disappears the day after, and will not answer questions or follow-up on problems.

TSL Events in 2008 and Beyond
In 2008, The Sporting Life will be initiating a number of changes to make TSL events more interactive and responsive to your needs. The key is that we will be focused on you as a customer, not a transaction. We want your experience at our events to compare favorably with the best customer experience you receive anywhere. We want to make registration easier, and make it a snap for you to track your results from all the events you do. We want your feedback on what you like (and don’t like) about our events.

To help us accomplish these goals, we are embarking on an ambitious effort to recruit more sponsors. That will allow us the funds to make improvements in our events without relying on entry fees. However, we don’t want to become NASCAR events, with logos plastered everywhere. We will ask how you relate to sponsors so we can create partnerships with sponsors that will benefit you and add to your enjoyment of our events, not take anything away.

These changes will gradually roll out, starting with post-event surveys after the Frigid 5. You’ll see some changes to the web site in the next few weeks.

One unfortunate casualty is that the Heart of St Paul event scheduled for Como Lake on February 10 has been cancelled. Planning some of these bigger picture changes pulled us away from our short-term sponsorship goals that would make the HSP financially viable. We made the decision to cancel the race for this year, and determine at a later date if it will return for 2009. That decision will be made with your feedback.

As always, I welcome your thoughts. This works best when we work together. You’ll be given the opportunity to fill out surveys and join ‘think tank’ sessions. You can also just send me E-mail.

Thank you for your support. This is one vote that does make a difference.

This Holiday Season I'm Thinking Bread

For the past three years, my holiday ritual has included bread.

My friend Bonnie Alton, owner of the Great Harvest Bread Company in St. Paul, drafted me to help with their holiday production and shipping. ‘Sure,’ I thought. I like bread and packing tape. Why not? I really had no idea what I was getting into.

You may be familiar with Great Harvest through their omnipresent race rolls, a staple at many running events. You may have even tried a slice of their bread at one of the TSL events where we hire their sparkling staff to provide samples. If you haven’t been to their bakery you owe yourself a treat. And the moment you walk through the door, you’ll be asked if you want one, in the form of a free sample.

This time of year the shelves are filled with special breads and treats: Finnish Pulla, Challah and Julekaka breads; Egg Nog and Merry Cherry Tea Breads; hot cocoa mix, Very Merry Chocolate Cherry cookies, and my favorite, Pine Cone Crunch (peanuts and cherries dipped in chocolate with a dash of hot spices added).

Like most customers, I had no idea exactly what happened to make that bread appear on the shelf. I’d seen the people at the bread table, working in the background, but I obliviously accepted my free sample, bought my bread and treats and went home to enjoy them. Now I know how much teamwork and care is involved in making the breads and treats, and it makes them taste even better.

Each step of the process is a blend of factory-like production and craftsman-like care. The ingredients are top quality, never including trans fats or high fructose corn syrup. What really impressed me was the teamwork it takes. Each step of the way the flexible Great Harvest staff comes together to create their magic, then quickly goes on to the next step. The holiday staff includes all the veterans, returning college students on break, and raw rookies, thrown into the mix at the busiest time of year. The sense of purpose and camaraderie is impressive. Perhaps a few government agencies could take note!

I am assisting with production, but my main role is to ship boxes. You may have never thought about shipping bread and treats halfway across the country, but hundreds of other people have. I maintain a database that spits out shipping labels and customized gift cards. The back storeroom at the bakery is converted to an ad hoc shipping center. On our peak days we package and ship nearly 100 boxes. That includes weighing, printing and applying postage, and dropping them off at the post office. (Note: you don’t have to wait in line if you already y have postage on your boxes!)

My own holiday list is very short, but I get vicarious pleasure out of shipping other people’s gifts. And I can’t help wondering: why does Frank get cookies but Marge gets Oregon Herb bread?

The next few days will be more production than shipping. I’ll even get to work the counter, seeing many familiar faces on the other side. It reminds me of all I miss from my days working retail at my former running store, GBS Sports. There is something special about providing goods and services that people need and want, at fair prices, with everyone smiling at the end of the transaction.

Enjoy your own holiday traditions. And please stop in your nearest Great Harvest store. You’re in for a treat, and they’ll make sure you get it.

Twin Cities Great Harvest Locations:

Bonnie's Neighborhood Bread Business
534 Selby Ave
St Paul, MN
651-221-1057
www.stpaulbread.com

Tom & Sally's Family Owned Bread Store
4314 Upton Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
612-929-2899

Michael & Ruth's Minnetonka Bread Store
17416 Minnetonka Blvd
Minnetonka, MN
952-476-2515

Woodbury
8160 Coller Way
Woodbury, MN
651-578-9756

Burnsville
1100 E Co Rd 42
Burnsville, MN
952-891-4767

'Love Is Power' Is Advice for Runners

I’m reading a book about running. That by itself is not very remarkable. I’ve read dozens of books about running. This book is different. It’s the first running book I’ve read that makes the statement “love is power.”

I’ve come to know thousands of runners, and I’ve never heard it put quite that way. The odd little book is Gerry Lindgren’s Book on Running, written by “The Shadow of Gerry Lindgren,” which allows the story to be told in third person. Rick Kleyman, a longtime Minnesota high school coach, lent me the book recently.

Gerry Lindgren was probably America’s finest distance runner in the early 1960’s, setting American and world records in high school, college and beyond. You’ve probably never heard of him, or perhaps just vaguely recall the name.

I’m halfway through the book, so I’ll save a review of the full content for a later date, but I was struck by some of his comments. The ‘love is power’ theme is repeated throughout the book. He expands on it: “Love is power! When your running is done unselfishly, for the benefit, happiness, and welfare of other people, you tap into a power base other people don’t have. Love is power!” Even more pointedly, he contends: “When you live to glorify yourself, energy flows out of you. When you live selflessly for other people, energy flows into you. You can carry a greater load and never get tired.”

Lindgren expands on this idea of power, comparing it to force. “Force is pushing against something. For every force, there is an equal and opposite force acting against it. Forcing something can only be done temporarily. People burn out. But power is always there, not working against anything. You strain into a force but relax into power. Love provides the energy. Relax into love-energy as a runner and let yourself run faster rather than forcing yourself to run. The more your running is motivated by love the faster you can run.”

What he is saying is strangely synchronous with the teachings of ChiRunning, which I’ve passed on since I became a certified instructor in 2006. In ChiRunning we talk about not meeting a force with a force. We talk about relaxing to run faster rather than pushing off harder. We talk about tapping into Chi energy. We talk about it being process oriented rather than goal oriented. The similarities are striking.

Lindgren was known for running himself ragged, and his form was not what we teach in ChiRunning. But this idea of tapping into something greater than you is shared by both.

I was recently at an event to celebrate the athletes of Team USA Minnesota. The team was formed in 2001 to support post-collegiate athletes seeking to compete at national and international competitions. I am a board member, so I have seen the organization since it’s infancy. I know how hard the athletes work, and how much effort the coach puts in. While they all have healthy enough egos to want to win races and medals, they all come at it from the perspective of wanting to make America more competitive in distance running. That starts by putting in the hard work and challenging their teammates in practice and other Americans in races. Now Americans are gaining respect once again internationally.

Lindgren did not have the benefit of such an organization when he came out of college, but he understood the importance of such big dreams. He writes, “Dream an enormous dream. An enormous dream is a reason to sacrifice yourself to running. Winning a gold medal or setting a world record are not worthy of enormous dream status because they are selfish. Dream a dream of changing the world. That is what I am trying to tell you in this book. It is possible. All those foolish kid dreams you quit dreaming as you grew older are not just kid dreams. Your running life could change the world. Dream an enormous dream.”

Look at your running. Are you using force or power? Are you inspiring others? You don’t have to set world records to be an inspiration. I was inspired to run by seeing my parents make the effort. What got you started?

As Lindgren says, love is power, and by sharing that love you help create an endless supply of power for the future.

Remember Ryan and Rocky

On Saturday, November 3, 2007, the lines got blurry. The line between ecstasy and tragedy, between fit and feeble, between alive and dead. When Ryan Shay, age 28, Olympic marathon hopeful, died five miles into the US marathon trials race, the lines blurred.

The day began well in New York City, with a strong field contending for the three places on the US Olympic marathon team. The NBC Today show missed the start of the race while they were doing weather, but the racers sped away, and media coverage switched to the commercial-free Internet. With a new laptop in the house, I moved to the sofa to enjoy the simple pleasure of a great race.

The pace was slow as the field passed the first few miles, reminiscent of the parade-type start of cycling events like the Tour de France. Shay was in the front pack, and had undoubtedly run thousands of miles at that pace or faster. Why did his heart fail him this time, after powering him forward so many times? The initial autopsy was inconclusive, so we’re left to wonder, and to grieve.

The race ended with the selection of an impressive US Olympic marathon team: Ryan Hall (2:09:02) set a marathon trials record, Dathan Ritzenhein (2:11:07) ran strongly in second, and Brian Sell (2:11:40) willed his way to the third and final spot. The alternate spots were filled by Khalid Khannouchi (2:12:34), US record holder, and Jason Lehmkuhle (2:12:54), the Team USA Minnesota runner who ran a personal best by over three minutes. As the online coverage was ending, there was mention of Shay being taken away in an ambulance, but no real sense of what had happened.

When the athletes were notified of Shays death, their joy quickly turned to sorrow. Not only was Shay a fellow competitor, he was connected in deeper ways to many in the field. Hall’s wife was in Shay’s recent wedding. Ritzenhein and Sell shared Michigan roots with Shay. Even Minnesotan Lehmkuhle had trained with Shay during a winter stint in Arizona.

I learned what happened to Shay when I was on a run/errand later that afternoon and received a call with the news. I was shocked.

The next day the New York City Marathon proceeded as usual, honoring both the victors and the fallen from the day before. Back in Minnesota, another group of runners gathered to honor Rocky Racette at the annual Rocky’s Run at the University of Minnesota Golf Course. Racette, a promising young runner from the University of Minnesota died in a car accident in 1981 at age 22. In her short time in the running community she too forged a web of connections. The race has been held every year since 1981 in her honor, and had a record turnout of nearly 400 this year.

On a sunny day with plenty of green grass in front of them, the gathered crowd paused to remember both Rocky and Ryan. On this day of blurred lines, runners sought out their community. They gathered to reflect and to run.

As I joined the gathering and ran my race, I was thankful that I was part of this community. When the lines are blurred, and things don’t make sense, there is something soothing about running. The breathing, the repetitive motion. There is something special about sharing that with others.

You don’t think of dying at age 22 or 28. Your life should be just starting, with many discoveries and challenges ahead. Sometimes the lines get blurred, and we are left with only questions and not answers. Those are times for gathering and sharing, and remembering. And then, somehow we move on.

On a cross country course the lines are painted for you. Your job is to follow them. In life, it’s not so easy, of course. The lines are there, but they are harder to find.

Remember Ryan and Rocky. Keep moving forward, and building your own community. In time you’ll notice that the lines will become less blurry.

I’m going out for a run.

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Chris Fuller is a certifed ChiRunning instructor and race director for The Sporting Life events. Subscribe to this blog by scrolling to the bottom and using the subscribe link.

Dwindling Daylight Doesn't Doom Fitness

Are you feeling different today?

Living in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, we are treated to four distinct seasons. For many of us, that is one of the reasons why we live here. For others, some seasons are simply endured. Whether we like it or not, this is a time of change.

You know the drill: daylight is getting shorter and the weather is getting colder. How much shorter? We’re now at about 10.5 hours of daylight, compared to 15.5 hours on June 21, the summer solstice. We’re headed down to 8.75 hours of daylight at the winter solstice on December 22. Add to that a time switch on November 4 that will lop off an hour of evening sun and shift it to the morning. Through in a few clouds, and we might not see much of the sun during a typical day.

It’s getting colder too. Remember June? The average high was in the low 80s and lows in the upper 50s. The average high in late October is in the low 50s, with lows in the low 30s. In two months those numbers will be 24 and 8. Volatile daily patterns notwithstanding, the trend line is steadily down.

We respond to the changes in light and heat in a variety of ways. There is a natural tendency to slow down and conserve calories. We might even find ourselves eating more than normal as our old brain prepares us for winter. While it is important to be respectful of natural rhythms, it is possible to break the patterns that lead you to the sofa and away from fitness.

One of the big patterns to break is taking the fall and winter off from fitness building activities, and starting from nothing in the spring. That is a huge strain on your body, and means you are suffering through April and May as you slowly get fit. This year, try maintaining your fitness through the winter instead.

Here are seven tips to get you going:

1. Your first challenge is to establish a routine. It is always less likely that you will skip a workout when it is an integral part of your day, rather than an optional activity. You can still have some variety between morning and evening workouts, but make sure to commit to a schedule.

2. This is a great time of year to have a workout buddy. Whether two-legged or four, your buddy can be a great motivator to get out there for your workout. You wouldn’t want to disappoint, would you?

3. Embrace the changes. While in the summer finishing a run at 7:00 a.m. finds the sun well on the rise, after the time change, you’ll finish your run at daybreak. Everything looks a little different.

4. It’s okay to run less. This is a great time of year to try other activities, including indoor machines and winter outdoor activities. Dig out your skates, wax up your skis or head to the club. The change helps keep you motivated.

5. Resist the urge to overeat. It is a better idea just to buy a new coat rather than to try to eat yourself an extra layer of insulation. It will end up saving you money, and you’ll look great too!

6. Don’t forget the rewards. Okay, an extra treat every now and then can be a good thing. They don’t all have to be food, but do give yourself kudos for sticking to a fitness program.

7. Have fun! Try a new fall or winter event. Buy a new outfit. Take a fall or winter fitness vacation. Everything you do this time of year will pay off nicely come spring.

This is also a great time of year to break some bad habits. I teach ChiRunning, which involves using better posture and form. It is an exercise in gradual progress to learn to move in a new way. Fall and winter are a great time to start to make those changes, since you are less likely to be distracted by speed work, races and high mileage weeks.

When you adopt a plan for your fall and winter fitness, you’ll have an answer for my opening question. Are you feeling different today? "Yes...much better, thank you!"

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Chris Fuller is a certifed ChiRunning instructor and race director for The Sporting Life events. He spends his fall and winter enjoying the change in seasons and hoping he'll get all the leaves raked before it snows.