Couple of Nice Running Days

The weather around noon has been fantastic the past 2 days. I got in a 3 mile run yesterday and 4 today wrapping up the active portion of my final taper week. Ran around the waterway both days; yesterday was a little colder and more windy....there were more people out and about today.

I was reading the latest COSMO...er Runners World yesterday (doesn't COSMO have all these quizzes?) and took a quiz to determine what type of runner I was. I was pretty confident just reading the article that I would be a middle-distance runner but I scored a 31 which put me solidly as a long-hauler. I guess my recent marathon training skewed my answers because I am a middle-distance runner. That's my final answer!

Here's the quiz....

Natural Selection 2: Identify Your True Calling

Examine your own training and racing habits, and learn about what kind of running will give you the most satisfaction-and the best performances

1) How many hours a week can you devote to training?
A. 2 to 3
B. 4 to 5
C. 6 or more

2) How would you describe the perfect training run?
A. It brings a surge of adrenaline and a feeling of power-it feels like kicking into high gear.
B. Running right at the edge of your abilities-not backing off from a difficult effort, but not pushing so much that you run out of steam.
C. It's getting into a meditative rhythm, where you can zone out or get absorbed in your thoughts, a conversation, or your surroundings.

3) If you could skip any workout each week, what would it be?
A. Any run that takes more than an hour. It's just too exhausting and boring.
B. Workouts that don't feel long enough or fast enough.
C. Any run where there's pressure to hold a fast pace. At that moment it feels too hard and ceases to be enjoyable.

4) When you're out on a group run, you stand out from the pack by:
A. Surging to the finish-no matter how hard the group has been running.
B. Managing to stick with the lead group, no matter how much they're pushing the pace.
C. Feeling pretty fresh at the end of a long run-no matter how far you've gone-even when other runners fall apart.

5) When you get injured, what typically precipitates the problem?
A. Total mileage. Overdoing it always seems to trigger some ailment-like plantar fasciitis or a screaming IT band.
B. A muscle pull, a tendon tweak or something that got twisted or torn while trying to keep up or dash to the finish.
C. No major injuries.

6) What's your philosophy when it comes to spending money on racing?
A. With all the races I do, it's hard to justify shelling out more than $30 on one event.
B. Spending $50 or so on a race is okay, as long as there aren't a lot of other costs for travel and logistics.
C. No one likes to part with hard-earned cash, but for a few big events each year, it's not a huge deal to spend $100.

7) When you're choosing a race, what matters most?
A. Convenience. Running shouldn't take time away from family, work, or other important commitments.
B. Getting a decent workout-and a good test-without having to deal with a lot of travel or race-day logistics.
C. It should feel like a big deal. Whether the race is a large, well-known event or is in a beautiful vacation spot, it should be something to circle on the calendar and look forward to, and it should feel like a reward for all the hard work of training.

8) What are the race distances where you had your best finishing times?
A. 5-K
B. 10-mile or half-marathon
C. Marathon

Answer Key (give yourself points as noted below)
1. A=2 B=4 C=6
2. A=1 B=2 C=3
3. A=1 B=2 C=3
4. A=1 B=2 C=0
5. A=1 B=2 C=0
6. A=2 B=4 C=6
7. A=2 B=4 C=6
8. A=2 B=4 C=6

Interpret your score

Your tally says a lot about you-about your strengths, the distances you were born to run, and your ideal training strategy.

11 to 18 points: You're a Speed Racer
You may not have thought about 5-Ks and 10-Ks since you first started running, but since you seem to be able to pick up speed with ease, that may be the place to stand out. On any weekend, you'll probably have your choice of races to test your mettle. And the best part is, you can put your all into training and racing without feeling like it compromises other parts of your life.

19 to 26 points: You're a Middle-Distance Specialist
It may feel like the world revolves around the marathon, but you may not have to go that far to experience greatness: 10-milers and half-marathons could be for you. Some brush off middle distances as "practice." But running them, you'll find out how far and how fast you can run. And you'll be part of a renaissance-as 13.1-milers become the most popular races, many have taken on the big-league feel of marathons, and they don't require as much money and time.

27 to 35 points: You're a Long-Hauler
While some people could never imagine "looking forward" to a few hours of running, you savor the long, slow distances that let you spend long stretches of time outside as you prepare for the big event. The marathon is for you. You may get left behind in a 5-K, but that shouldn't matter. For you, three miles is barely a warmup.