New: ASICS GEL-Nimbus 17

Thanks to #TeamASICS for sending me these ASICS GEL-Nimbus 17s! Looking forward to breaking in these new rides as we train toward the Airbnb Brooklyn Half on May 16.

Gear Review: ASICS Abby Tank & Tiger Capri

By Rachel | First, I want to thank ASICS for letting me choose any outfit I wanted from their ASICS Meatpacking District Store! I chose this Abby Tank and the Tiger Capri instead of clothes for FREEZING weather. To be honest, I can't stand running in weather this cold. It has been in the teens almost every morning. It is just so hard for me to motivate myself to get outside for a run.

ASICS GEL-ELECTRO33

ASICS sent me a free pair of GEL-ELECTRO33s to test out a few months ago. Initially I felt a bit of rubbing on my back heel and worried about blistering, so I put them in the closet. Then I gradually would pull them out and wear them casually. Then I started moving around in them, and now I'm rotating them in with my Hamptons Marathon trainers. Has anything like that ever happened to you? They are super-light and make me feel fast. Let's see where they go now. After my 10th PT session today, hopefully my hamstring will be up for marathon No. 15 as well on 9/27.

100 Races & 50 Lessons Along The Way

As I celebrate my 100th race (#rundred) this Saturday at the Brooklyn Half, I am going to gradually add some thoughts here about the many little lessons I have learned along the way since I quit smoking on 12/1/06 and started running. Here are 50 in case any of them help. Feel free to add yours.

1. The more you run, the faster you get.

2. You can accomplish anything in life if you do this.

3. Don't worry about post-race letdowns and temporary loss of purpose. It is natural. You may run for a loved one and PR and pour everything in your being into that race, and then feel a little empty in the days and weeks after. But just stay light of heart. Help others, take the opportunity to do yardwork or new things. Sign up for another scary marathoner or half. Schedule a destination race. Things out of your control will happen along the way so just take a deep breath and don't worry.

4. Relax your arms and lean slightly forward over your heels. Think about it often every mile.

5. Wash your running gear in cold water on delicate, and then hang up everything and lay socks flat to dry. Never use a dryer on your running gear. I only hand-washed in a kitchen sink my first couple of years, but gradually I realized that delicate cycle on wash is fine. I learned a hard lesson when I developed a huge blister on the ball of my foot for the last 10 miles of the 2010 Miami Marathon, due to a raised seam caused by drying a pair of socks in a dryer. Don't waste your money on that crappy and smelly sport-wash, either. Just regular Tide.

6. Drink water constantly. On race week, a water bottle should be an extension of your arm.

7. Wear the right shoes, and for me those are neutral ASICS. Don't experiment too much unless you like injuries, and always get running shoes a half-size longer than your usual shoes. No exception. Get the video gait analysis, but don't forget to have someone check your arches -- overlooked by too many.

8. Seize the moment. How do you think I got the @marathoner account on Twitter? Go after it early.

9. Be proud and loud. Support others and let others support you. I joined the Big Cat Runners Group on myspace before everything went to FB & TW & IG, and it made all the difference in the world backing each other. It still does. Use #runchat. Put a 26.2 sticker on your car.

10. You are inspiring someone. If that is just one person, then that is important enough. I have fed off of hearing from people I never knew that they were inspired to run, and one such example was a runner who I met in the 2008 Knickerbocker 60K ultra at Central Park. He had been a commenter on  my blog, and he was so moved to run that he started running ultras as well. It was such a pleasure to meet him and run with him.

11. Running is 80% mental, 10% mileage and 10% nutrition.

12. Carry those little salt packets you get at restaurants, and bring along salty pretzels and crunch them up. Salt = No Cramps.

13. I run better in the rain than in anything. I am focused and determined, less distracted. And it doesn't matter because I am sweating through my tech gear anyway, so who cares?

14. Find a good mantra for every race. Right now I'm going with "Everything Forward" thanks to Coach Andrew Kastor.

15. Eat oatmeal.

16. You are adding years to your life. I know that I have added a good five to 10 since I changed from smoker to runner in 2006. I have perfectly clean lungs and I am strong.

17. Everything about you looks better, from your hair to your toes. Well, OK, not your toes.

18. Ask a Kenyan some questions. After a New York Road Runners race several years ago, I approached the winner who had just come off the awards stand in the postrace festival. "Is there any advice you can give someone like me who is trying to get better as a runner?" I asked him. He said: "Practice hard and race easy." It reinforced the commitment that I needed at that time to my solitary mileage, and his point was that you're prepared so it should be natural running during the big day.

19. Finish times are overrated. Finishing is what matters.

20. Unless you are headed for the Olympics, don't be over-concerned with your times. If you spend your life in BQ stress mode, re-evaluate. I see it all the time. Be balanced in life. My marathon finishes are typically over 5 hours, and ASICS approached me to run for them. Running companies are looking to expand their reach through social media, and your ability to blog is not completely ancillary to your ability to run.

21. Finishing is not only important in running, but in all things in life. As you finish incredible hard endurance races, you realize that you can finish other things as well.

22. You have energy for your whole day. You excel in the workplace. You are creative. You are a machine.

23. You can eat cupcakes because you are a fat-burning factory smokestack that is unstoppable.

24. Be positive and not a pet-peever. There have been times when I wanted to rant about busted running etiquette that I have encountered, but I almost always just move on. Running is a positive condition of life. Not a negative one. I don't need your negativity in my world and you don't need mine, so let's be positive.

25. Running gives you courage and confidence. It makes you adventurous, like Teddy Roosevelt in the Amazon or Captain Cook. I am talking that adventurous. It led me to definitely "date up" and I met Lisa in NYC and proposed to her at the finish line of the New Jersey Marathon and we bought a house and are living happily ever after.

26. Never look at the crest of a hill. Pull the bill of your cap down just enough so you only see a little in front of you, enough to run safely. Count backwards from 100.

27. Don't let yourself think you are hot if it is a hot race. I learned that from Ryan Hall the morning before the ASICS LA Marathon. He said he never lets himself think he is hot while running, because once he gives in he will keep repeating that he is hot. Apply that to other conditions as well.

28. Live in the mile you're in. When running a marathon, don't think of the big picture and how many miles to go. Focus on that mile you are in and make the most of it, savor it, because there is no going back. During the ASICS LA Marathon in March, I spent several blocks around mile 11 actually running on top of the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and it is all I thought about for that stretch.

29. Easier on your legs to pound packed-dirt paths than pavement. Give your legs that break when you can. When training at Central Park, I usually run the bridle path instead of the standard 6.2 pavement loop.

30. Blog. The best thing about it is the archived chronicles of your own running that you can refer back to later in your running days. It comes in really handy, as it is for me now with No. 100.

31. Consider a hill as a chance to use other muscles for the first time in a race. I learned this from Deena Kastor in training for the 2014 ASICS LA Marathon. I am still trying to master this one, but anything she says is gold so I would listen, too!

32. Train with music and race with nature. I remember the widespread fear so many race organizers had of the new iPod craze in 2007. Where was this going? We have proven the ability to mix running and music. Just make sure you don't miss the beauty of a marathon or a half, which is your support and your surroundings. I wear my music for marathons only to fill in solitude stretches with jams.

33. During a taper, be aware of your caloric intake, because with the reduced mileage you don't want to gain too much weight before a race. Adding a pound or two is natural and good. See my 5 Questions With Michelle Lovitt, the ASICS Fitness Expert.

34. Body Glide. I had a bloody nipple during the hot 2007 Oklahoma City Half before I knew what Body Glide was, and I've experienced some awful chafing in other runs. The only time I have a problem is when I forget Body Glide.

35. Stretch. I don't stretch as much as I used to, but I still like to stretch after my first mile of a training run, when I'm heated up. Then I try to do some cooldown stretching afterwards. Thoughts have changed a lot on stretching since I started running. For me, it's still important.

36. Join your local running club. I was very fortunate to have New York Road Runners in my immediate world, and I joined the day I bought my first box of ASICS. I have renewed my membership each year and we have expanded it to a family membership and this year added Rachel as a third member. I run at least nine scored races with one volunteer assignment each year, to qualify for guaranteed entry into the next year's TCS New York City Marathon, because you don't want to rely on the lottery.

37. Gu. For me it is always Plain, Chocolate Outrage, Vanilla or Espresso.

38. It's OK to walk if you have to. It's about finishing. My goal at NYRR races has always been "station to station" - run to the fluid station, walk the length of it as I sip, and then resume running. There are times when I don't want to stop my flow because I don't want my heart rate to drop, and I rarely stop at a final fluid station because there is no chance for your body to absorb the water before you finish anyway.

39. From spring through fall, there is no need to bring liquids with you to Central Park. I know where every water fountain is along the way, just as I know where every bathroom is. And if I want a Gatorade, I'll stop at one of the many vendor trucks next to the running path and get one. Run free there, don't carry!

40. Do hill repeats. They really make you strong and fast. My best races have been after hill repeats.

41. There is no such thing as weather. We just went through the most brutal winter I ever could imagine in New York, but a trip to Paragon Sports in the city to buy an ASICS Storm Shelter jacket immediately took care of a big issue so that I could run Central Park in a freezing drizzle and overcome anything.

42. Write your name in magic marker on your arms or somewhere during a marathon so spectators can shout your name as you move by them. It can be a huge pick-me-up.

43. Travel is more fun. Three words: MARATHON DE PARIS.

44. You get to help others. Someone you know is fundraising right now. Our NYRR events often are helping an important cause, so you know your race entry fee is going somewhere meaningful.

45. Because pale yellow pee.

46. Use common sense when running near automobiles. They will always win any collision, and you have no way to control whether they are texting or otherwise distracted. We have seen tragedy when there was nothing else a runner (Meg) could do. Accidents are happening too often now. Wear reflective gear, and bottom line is don't take chances and put your life in the hands of a random bad driver.

47. Let yourself be coached. I was amazed by what I learned from Coach Kastor this past winter. You might want to try out the new Pear Sports app, too, as Coach Kastor and other experts help you train on that.

48. Choose "No Bag Check" if you are running the TCS New York City Marathon. I have done it both ways, and the new feature of no bag check is far more enjoyable. You get a comfy parka at the finish line and you don't have to herd like cattle for a bottleneck mile in the cold to get to a baggage truck.

49. Watch "Spirit of the Marathon."

50. Visualize your whole race at least once and ideally more. I love to watch the youtube videos where someone has done a fast-motion virtual tour of the entire race course, whether it's New York's five boroughs or the myriad neighborhood turns through Miami. Then it is muscle memory when you run. And you just power your way through the course and grab the bling and hold your head up proudly and be happy your are running.

Lookdown Survey Video: ASICS Dominates The Field

I have read in the past that one out of every two pair of shoes in the 50,000+ TCS New York City Marathon field is ASICS. I actually believe the percentage is higher -- 66% I think, so I decided to start putting this to the test in what will be a series of 2014 Lookdown Survey Videos on this blog.

Here is the first randomly shot iPhone video, while 8,000 of us were being herded toward the start of Saturday's UAE Healthy Kidney 10K, another weekly New York Road Runners event at Central Park. It is MORE than 66% ASICS shoes in my immediate area (7 of 9), including my own ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16s. I used the x2 slow-mo in youtube and captured stills below for further detail and comment.



The first glimpse is of a flash of purple-hued ASICS, along with my black ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16s (you know what they look like from my previous blog posts here). . . .

Brooks on the left, I believe, and the other two are ASICS...

The green ASICS on the left are already counted above. Immediately to my right are Nikes because I could identify the red swoosh. The aqua-hued shoes on the far right were unidentifiable to me after looking at the frames over and over, possibly Sauconys, so I was going to list those as undetermined...

...until I looked at my frames on the iPhone, which was clearer resolution. So I blew this up in Photoshop and sure enough, those are also ASICS:

The blue on the left are already counted in the second photo above. Immediately ahead of me in the black capris is an ASICS runner. And I initially listed the dark shoes in the upper left as undetermined although I suspected they were ASICS. . . .

...and then again I took a closer look at the iPhone frame by frame and it was clear as day. Those dark shoes in the upper left are indeed another pair of ASICS -- maybe Kayano 20s like mine:

So that's 9 runners, 7 ASICS, 1 Nike, 1 Brooks. And in this case we were going to start running very soon so I urgently took this at the last minute and on the move. It was very clear looking around me that almost everyone seemed to be wearing ASICS.

Again, I don't claim this to be scientific but I will be doing these Lookdown Survey Videos occasionally throughout the year at our NYRR races and I think it will become clear. ASICS provides me with running shoes to test from time to time, some I buy. The company has nothing to do with this video series; it's just something I want to do out of my own curiosity. I went through a long stretch of only Brooks Glycerins for a few years, and I've tried all major types. I'll wear ASICS for my 100th race this Saturday.

Undoubtedly the numbers are more spread out at the head of the pack, where there are many runners endorsing various shoes, but I am focused on the field in general and don't feel that the elites at the head are representative nor relevant to this type of survey in terms of runner volume. If you want to know what shoes runners are wearing in races, look at all the corrals and just compare.

I think two out of every three runners is in ASICS at our NYRR events year-round, including the TCS NYC Marathon. Look around at the feet around you and see for yourself.

100 Races: Why It's All About The Shoe

On May 17, the finish line at the Brooklyn Half will make it official: 100 official scored races done! It is celebration time on this blog, which has chronicled a devotion to running. I believe that shoes are the most important element in this physical and spiritual journey, and mine is a story of lessons that begins and ends with ASICS. If you read all the way to the end, you'll even find a review of the new ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16, shown in both pictures above.

On December 1, 2006, I moved to the Upper West Side and traded a box of KOOLS for my first box of ASICS. I joined New York Road Runners that day and I took the 1-2-3 train to Times Square and walked into Foot Locker and said I needed running shoes. That's all I knew to do at the time. The salesperson put me in these ASICS GT-2110s:

That is what they looked like when I brought them home. They were size 10 1/2, light and cushiony. With different lighting and 300 to 400 miles of use, this is what they looked like later:

I still have them here right next to me as I am writing this. All the other early shoes in my running career were donated to Soles4Souls in 2011. These I wanted to keep for posterity. I see only memories of Central Park solitude laps on the bridle path as I pull them from a basement storage bin and take these two iPhone pics now. You can see below that I replaced the factory inserts back then with an even more cushion set that I bought from Paragon Sports at Union Square, if I recall correctly:



This is what they looked like inside if you removed the factory insert:



This brings me to the most pivotal moment in my own history as a runner. It is the one thing I most want to get across to aspiring runners who may be just starting as I was then.

It is all about the shoe. So many other things are important: your heart, your willpower, your stamina, your training, your nutrition, your support network, your knowledge buildup, your schedule of races, your goal-setting, your purpose, your gear for all elements among them. But NOTHING is more important than shoes.

That is what decides whether you will be a happy runner or an injured and worried and frustrated runner.

Let's move to the second pair of shoes and my first hard lesson. It was early 2007 and I was feeling a little smarter, having run my first Manhattan Half, a regular on the Central Park path, drinking gallons of water and eating better and losing weight. I headed for Jackrabbit Sports on 14th Street, a short walk from our MLB HQ. They had a video gait analysis, and that was a hot new thing. I needed to rotate in a second pair. Ladies and gentlemen, the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 9, about $90 at that time:

I would have been fine had I just walked out the store with those shoes. Unfortunately, here is where the hard lesson comes in. The Jackrabbit employee was an imbecile. He misread my video gait analysis. He showed me what appeared to be overpronating, so he assured me that I required Support shoes. He said I could have this Cumulus and just replace the factory insert with a support insert that is built-up on the instep. You can see the insert in the picture above. So I had a little hill on the inside of each foot. He said that would correct my "problem."

I was happy to have another new pair of ASICS and I put those new shoes to the Central Park test, race after race after training run after training run. In 2007, I finished 18 NYRR races totaling 139.7 miles, not including an Oklahoma City Half. During that summer, I mostly wore these Cumulus shoes and my problems mounted. I had bad shin splints. Worse, my right arch was starting to burn. And burn. I had plantar fasciitis. To date it is the worst injury I could wish upon a runner. You try to heal it with an ice ball, with a tennis ball, with a Strasburg Sock, stretch stretch stretch...all to no avail. IT'S THE SHOE!

Or in this case, the Support insert that I supposedly needed. My goal was to run a marathon in my first year, so I bought a third pair of ASICS  a month or two before that 2007 New York City Marathon. It was my third different ASICS model in that first year as well. And I used those same Support inserts again. These shoes were beautiful, and finishing a marathon was a feeling like no other, but I cannot forget that I ran it in searing pain, landing each step of the last 14 miles on a different part of my right foot to spread around the pain due to plantar fasciitis. I still had no idea why it was not improving; I was just toughing it out. I was associating ASICS with foot pain that first year and wondering why people raved about ASICS.

Turn the page on 2007, a painful learning year in ASICS. I wore mostly ASICS gear for cold and hot, I loved ASICS, but I was eager to run in someone else's shoes that made me feel good. In February of 2008, while visiting my boys in St. Louis, I went to the Fleet Feet Store in West St. Louis County. Something amazing happened. A young saleswoman who was also a devout marathoner helped me. I told her about my first year and took off my shoes. I will never forget how she got down on one knee and placed her index finger under one of my arches.

"You have high arches," she told me.

I didn't know that.

"You need a Neutral shoe," she said.

I was then given a pair of Brooks Glycerin shoes - a Neutral. No Support shoe, no Support insert. This is what I needed, she said. Go run in them outside the store, she said. I did. I was happy. My first marathon in them was the 2008 GO! St. Louis Marathon, when I ran 5:21 and shaved 40 minutes off my 26.2 time. That fall, my sixth overall pair of running shoes were a yellow version of those same Glycerins and I PR'd again, this time in the NYC Marathon, in 5:13. I was feeling so strong that I even finished the Knickerbocker 60K two weeks later, my first ultra. I went through an extended stretch where I would go to Super Runners Shops around Manhattan and only change color for new Glycerins. My motto: If it works stay.

In 2010, I started looking around. I ran in my first Sauconys, the most cushiony shoe I ever had, until my English Bulldog puppy ate a chunk out of them. In the spring of 2011 I bought my first ASICS GEL-Kayano (16), and it was OK. Not ideal for me at that time, I felt, but I rotated them in as trainers. I would realize later why they weren't perfect for me. Here were my Kayanos:



I tried Nike Vomero, and they had no issues, again mainly trainers. Soon after that is when I donated nearly 10 pair of the shoes that had gotten me to that point. The miles in them meant less to me than the potential of what they could mean to someone in need. Running had brought me to my new wife, to a new home purchase, to happiness in all parts of life. I was content as a runner, finishing marathons in Paris, New York, Miami and elsewhere. I was racking up the miles. I was experimenting with Mizunos, more Brooks, well-attuned to the nuances of running shoe styles. Experimenting with shoes? Look no further than the reason I went through my only other injury as a runner: ITB Syndrome in early 2012. It required 14 PT sessions and resulted from a weak left hip. Everything starts with the shoe. It is all about the shoe. Lesson once again, stop experimenting. Know your shoe and stay healthy.

Then at the end of 2013 I received an email from ASICS. They asked me to be in the ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge on March 9, 2014. There were 11 of us, and ASICS began stocking us up with their gear. It felt like going back to my running roots. I looked in my drawers and realized that I mostly had ASICS gear for years. They sent me a pair of Kayano 20s and a pair of GEL-Nimbus 15s for training through the winter. They even had a pair of the limited-edition LA Marathon GEL-Lyte 33s (pictured) waiting for us at check-in at our Santa Monica hotel. Raceday arrived, and I was happy with my run under the circumstances (87 degrees at the finish for me), but the one thing I noticed was that the soles of my feet ached throughout the second half of the race more than I could remember in recent years. There had no such issue during my long training runs, but this was different. The Kayanos are awesome, but I am a heavier runner and so they are not ideal for me. I needed more cushion, I realized. Here I am finishing the ASICS LA Marathon in my blue Kayanos:

BACK TO CUMULUS: ASICS GEAR REVIEW

Sometimes in life, things come full circle. Sometimes in running, it happens as well. A few weeks after the ASICS LA Marathon, Michele aka @nycrunningmama and I had dinner with Melinda of ASICS, and I was pleased to hear I would be receiving a new pair of ASICS to review. That next week a pair of the new ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16s arrived at my front door. I have put them to the test on pavement and packed-dirt paths, on training runs and in races, in short and marathon distance, on warm and cool days.





There was a time in 2007 when the word "Cumulus" almost gave me nightmares. I associated it with my plantar fasciitis. What was this evil shoe? Now I had gone from the Cumulus 9 for $90 in 2007 and had been given Cumulus 16s that were retailing on asicsamerica.com for $115. Let me begin by saying that an increase of only $25 in the course of seven years, in today's sporting goods environment, is appreciated by runners.

The GEL-Cumulus series just keeps getting better. In 2007, it was billed as cushiony heaven because of the way it dispersed gel, unlike the Nike air system or others' use of existing materials. This 2014 version offers a top-of-the line FluidRide midsole and larger Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Cushioning units. When combined with an updated Guidance Trusstic System and refined open-mesh upper, the product page says, "underpronators to mild overpronators will be treated to the lightest and most cushioned version of the GEL-Cumulus series ever." As I read that, I was stopped in my tracks. It's OK to wear these if you are a mild overpronator. That original Jackrabbit employee should have done some homework, should have checked my arches. It was OK to overpronate a little and still wear a Neutral shoe. I would have avoid injury.

Here is a features checklist worth reposting from the product page:

• Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.)
  ASICS design philosophy that employs linked componentry to enhance the foot's natural gait from heel strike to toe-off.
• FluidRide
  The latest evolution in ASICS midsole technology, FluidRide provides the ultimate combination of bounce back and cushioning properties with reduced weight and exceptional durability.
• Guidance Trusstic System
  This Trusstic System integrates Guidance Line construction for enhanced gait efficiency while providing midfoot structural integrity.
• Guidance Line
  Vertical flex groove decouples the tooling along the line of progression for enhanced gait efficiency.
• Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Cushioning Systems
  Attenuates shock during impact and toe-off phases, and allows movement in multiple planes as the foot transitions through the gait cycle.
• Discrete Eyelets
  Independently placed eyelets disburse lace tension, creating a customized fitting environment and enhanced upper comfort.
• ComforDry Sockliner
  Provides cushioning performance and anti-odor properties for a cooler, drier, healthier environment.

Now I am very happy in these GEL-Cumulus 16s. Last week I ran a full marathon entirely within Central Park, simultaneous to the Boston Marathon. It was my "Run For Boston Marathon" as part of the Boston Marathon World Run, raising money for One Fund Boston. Some of it was on the main Central Park pavement 10K loop, and some was on the bridle path or around the reservoir's packed clay -- leaving the dirty ankles you see in the top picture here. These shoes were really put to the test that day. I have been using them consistently, pounding and pounding, driving up and down hills with intensity. They are giving me steady comfort and support, and they feel light in the process. The shoebox is spacious enough, although during the marathon I needed to retie my outer laces as I was feeling some tingling and needed more space in the shoebox. That took care of it. In addition to the cushiony midsoles and terrific gel distribution, I also really appreciate the pillowy feel around my ankles -- look at the thickness of that ComforDry Sockliner in this pic below at the recent NYRR Scotland Run 10K:



I will be around 200 miles on these after the Brooklyn Half, and I know they will have major lasting power. It is so much different than how I viewed Cumulus years ago.

Soon it will be time for another donation, as I have seven or eight pair of running shoes in my house. The Healthy Kidney 10K on May 10 will mark my 99th official scored race since I bought those first pair of ASICS in Times Square, and Brooklyn will be my time to party when I finish on the Boardwalk at the Atlantic Ocean. As I cross that finish line with my arms held high, my face will be smiling, and if you look down at my feet you will see the biggest reason I am still running and specifically running in ASICS. Why wouldn't I smile? Deena Kastor just favorited my @Marathoner tweet to this post!



Coming next: Breaking down the first 100 Races

Question: What is your all-time favorite running shoe?

Just A Short Post

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I'll make this short:

Ha! Just walked around the corner to my now-favorite ASICS Meatpacking District Store in New York City, said hi to the great sales crew there, and bought the ASICS running shorts that I plan to wear Sunday at the ASICS LA Marathon from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica Pier.

Because of Polar Vortex 2013-14, I have been pretty much living in a couple different pairs of tights and sometimes running pants while training outdoors, and just gym shorts when I'm training indoors. I needed ASICS shorts, and I figured it would be better to buy a pair now that I can still get a couple last workouts in before the marathon, so I can at least make sure there is no unexpected chafing surprise.

We fly Friday from NYC to LAX and I have a feeling you will see a picture of the whole ASICS LA Marathon ensemble -- Instagrammed on Saturday from the hotel that ASICS is putting us up in. And I'm sure there will be some Expo action happening as well. . . .

What to do in the final days before your marathon

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Being on the ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Team for Sunday's race has had many advantages, and one of them is being coached by Andrew Kastor, who trains Olympians and elite runners in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. It is a privilege, to say the least. I wanted to make sure running friends of mine might benefit from some of Coach Kastor's insights, so I am relaying these instructions from him for the final days:

Rest to conserve your energy. Get off your feet, and when you have the chance to sit down, take it! Maintain the diet you have been adhering to the entire training season. Just because your training volume has decreased, it doesn't mean that your caloric intake should be reduced as well. You should actually plan to put on one or two pounds this week, as your body is storing up precious calories, electrolytes, fat and water reserves that will be drawn from during the marathon.

Visualize yourself crossing the finish line as many times as possible before the race begins. See yourself throwing your hands up in the air in jubilation as you complete your 26.2 miles. For those of you with a goal time, envision that finish line clock ticking away, with the time you would like to hit, the time you've been dreaming about for the last few months (or years), in big, bold numbers before you.

And last but not least, DO NOT DO ANYTHING NEW!!! If you have not done it, or used it in practice, DO NOT try it during the race!

THE RACE

Coach Kastor also offered great motivational help for the marathon itself. First, he quoted his wife, U.S. women's distance legend Deena Kastor, from the opening line in the movie "Spirit of the Marathon": "Sometimes the moments that challenge us the most, define us." Then he shared these words with us:

During the race, there will come a time when you have to choose how hard you're going to push yourself. Some athletes will choose to stop and rest, and others will continue to push through the discomfort, forging ahead to their marathon goals. How strong will you be when the going gets tough? Will you be able to look yourself in the mirror on Sunday afternoon and honestly answer the question, "Did I give it my all?" or "Did I rise to the occasion?" Will you be proud of yourself and your accomplishment? You should be.You should already be proud of yourself for sticking with the training program, getting up early to get your long runs in on the weekends, running in all kinds of weather conditions, because getting this far is a challenge in and of itself… The marathon is merely the reward.

However, it is also a test of will and perseverance. And if you studied hard, if you followed the plan throughout the months, you’re ready to go! Each of you has committed a tremendous amount of time and energy to your marathon goal, so dig deep and do yourself proud. I know you can ace this final exam.

More from Coach Kastor: Mental Tips For Marathon Success

Taper: The Downward Slope

Every marathon runner's favorite mammal

This is Week 10 of my 12-Week Training Plan provided by elite coach Andrew Kastor for the March 9 ASICS LA Marathon, and it also is the week that started our taper. I recently shared Coach Kastor's mental tips for marathon success, and with his kind permission I am pleased to relay the insightful advice he just shared today with the ASICS LA Marathon Blogger team on how to taper and finish in style. His words:

Now it is time to enjoy the marathon taper. What is "the taper," you ask? Well, it’s basically the last two to three weeks of your training program when you train less and rest more in preparation for your big race. Every great marathon-training plan has a taper phase -- of which the most common and effective length is 3 weeks. During this time you will allow your body to fully recover from the mental and physical demands of marathon prep by training less and resting more. This week's training volume should be about 20 percent less than last week's.

Things to keep in mind during your last 3 weeks of training (aka, the taper phase):

• Avoid extremely hilly courses. We've already done plenty of hill training during our Saturday morning training runs, so you should feel confident sticking to flats from here on out.
• Keep your caloric intake the same. Even though you're training less, that doesn't mean you should start eating less, too. You should actually gain weight (1 to 3 pounds) during the marathon taper. But don't freak out! This extra weight will consist of water (as you are not sweating as much), glycogen (sugar/carbs stored in your body), minerals and a little fat -- all of which will be used to get you to the finish line on race day.
• Stay off your feet as much as possible. Rest your legs at any chance you get.
• Hydrate well. Minimize your coffee and alcohol consumption, as they both can dehydrate you. By running less, you will have more energy, and if you drink a minimum amount of coffee, you will be able to sleep better at night and keep your body on a healthy cycle.
• Be positive. Hang around positive people who are encouraging and supportive of your training and upcoming marathon.

Happy Tapering!

Coach Kastor is an elite coach in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and former 15-year competitive runner. His wife Deena Kastor is the Olympic medalist and holder of numerous U.S. women's records including marathon and half-marathon. Follow @CoachKastor and @DeenaKastor on Twitter. You can follow me @Marathoner.

How do you approach your own taper and what works best for you?

Mental Tips For Marathon Success

Being on the ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Team for next month's race has had many advantages, and one of them is being coached by Andrew Kastor, who trains Olympians and elite runners in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. It is a privilege, to say the least. I wanted to make sure running friends of mine might benefit from some of Coach Kastor's insights, so I am relaying these two mental tips:

1. Strengthen Your Mind

One of Coach Kastor's young runners, Gabe Proctor, is making his marathon debut in the LA race. They spent time looking over the course from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica, and Coach Kastor told him to "imagine that the Pacific Ocean is a giant magnet, pulling him toward the finish line with growing strength as he nears the 26.2 mile mark.” Here is what Coach Kastor advises:

The goal is to create a feeling so powerful that the moment he thinks of the ocean, he starts to fall forward due to his subconscious mind having such a grasp on his physical being. The mind is a powerful thing, we all know this. Put it to work for you. Here are some ideas to help you through the last 3 weeks of training and ultimately the marathon.

1. Imagine the Pacific Ocean (or wherever your finish is) is calling you, pulling you towards it. Stand up, close your eyes, and visualize yourself being pulled by an incredibly strong force and allow your body to fall forward.

2. Imagine you weigh only 80%, 70%, 50% of your current body weight when going up a hill. Bound up the hill with ease! This really works. Be lighter, be faster, and be a stronger hill runner by using this technique.

3. Pretend you are a running robot, run with perfect form and calculation and turn off your emotions for the first 20 miles of the marathon, then run with your heart and soul the last 10k!

2. Choose Positivity

From Coach Kastor:

I encourage all of you to try and use a positive affirmation during your next long training session. Here are a few examples: "I choose to finish the marathon," "I'm strong and powerful," "I am a marathoner," "I'm light and fast," or "I am a Kenyan!" For you folks trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, “I choose Boston.” For those who are challenged by hills, “I am a hill runner” or “I love hills.” Repeat them until you believe them!

Allow yourself to spontaneously come up with a positive saying that truly speaks to you, personally, during one of your workouts or races. This positive phrase should penetrate each and every cell of your body, allowing you to believe what you're telling yourself, right down to your DNA.

Remember: The more you believe the affirmation, the truer it will become.

Check out the Mammoth Track Club for some inspiration. Follow @CoachKastor and his wife and Olympic great @DeenaKastor on Twitter.

Q: What is a mental tip you have for other runners training for a marathon?