Thoughts of the Day

  • Thought of the Day – August 15, 2025

    The Pace You Could Be 🏃‍♂️💨

    Some runs come with invisible resistance.
    Not the kind you can see in a headwind or feel on a steep hill * but the kind that clings to you, molecule by molecule, in the form of heat and humidity.

    Lately, I’ve been curious: What would my pace look like without that extra burden?
    So, I’ve been comparing my Normalized Graded Pace (NGP) with what it might have been under cooler conditions, like an October morning.

    It’s an interesting exercise, and I’ve started tracking “dew point-adjusted pace” in some of my run logs (like this one and this one). The cooler-air scenario almost always gives me a “fantasy pace” * a number that’s fun to look at and maybe even motivational.

    But here’s the catch:
    Fantasy pace doesn’t win races. The pace I actually run today * in the real-world soup of August * is what builds the engine for October. So yes, it’s fine to indulge in the what-if numbers. Just don’t fall too in love with them.
    After all, race day won’t care about your “October pace”… unless race day is in October. 😉

  • ✨Thought of the Day – August 8, 2025

     💭 Did You Really Empty the Tank?

    Ever finished a long run and found yourself speeding up in the final stretch?

    You didn’t get a sudden fitness boost. You found a second wind-in your mind.

    Dr. Samuel Marcora’s Motivational Intensity Theory says we stop running not because we’re out of power-but out of reasons to keep enduring the effort. A mental disengagement, not physical depletion.

    Compare that to the more traditional Central Governor Theory, which says your brain subconsciously limits performance to prevent damage.

    💡On my August 3 long run, I was fading… until I realized there were only 30 minutes left. I started calculating how many “chunks” of time I had left based on pace, and-boom-my pace surged.

    Was it the gel? Or the shift in mindset?

    You tell me.

    🔗 Full post: Here
    📥 Related: August 3 Long Run

  • 🧠 Thought of the Day – August 1, 2025

    I Thought VAM Was Just for Cyclists!

    A comic-style digital illustration shows an older Black male runner and a male cyclist racing uphill at sunset. Both athletes wear sunglasses, Garmin watches on their left wrists, and Shokz OpenMove headphones. The runner is in a blue singlet, the cyclist in a red jersey and helmet. Both are sweating and straining, neck and neck in a dramatic hill climb surrounded by trees and winding road.

    I used to scroll past that number in TrainingPeaks. VAM? Isn’t that some kind of Tour de France thing?

    Turns out, VAM (Vertical Ascent in Meters per Hour) is one of the most underrated metrics for runners – especially if you train on hills. It’s a direct indicator of how efficiently you’re climbing, and it shows up in two places in my post-run breakdowns:

    • VAM (m/h): How many vertical meters you would ascend in an hour at your current climbing rate
    • VAM (W/kg): An estimated power-to-weight output for climbs – yes, even for runners!

    Want to know what that means for your training – and how you can get better at hill work?
    I break it down fully in a deep-dive explainer on VAM – coming soon. 🏃‍♂️🚴‍♂️

  • Feb 22, 2025 – Thoughts of the Day
    While I appreciate the treadmill and its many benefits such as controlled pacing, consistent terrain, safety from harsh weather, and the ability to catch up on my favorite shows, or whatever, nothing beats running in the great outdoors—the fresh air, the ever-changing scenery, and the simple joy of moving through the world under my own power. There's a freedom to it that no screen or preset can replicate. 

It’s not about how perfect the reps are—it’s about getting back on track when the wheels fall off.

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