Archive for the ‘Lauren Dieterich’ Category

Schedules. Blackberries. Deadlines.

In the words of William Wordsworth, the world can be too much with us. Our lives become so busy, our to-do lists so long, that our training can become just another thing to grudgingly check off.

Last Friday I left the office late – around 6:45pm – a true injustice heading into the weekend. I had planned to head to one of my favorite running routes after work – the off-road trail in Stone Mountain Park (following connecting trails to the Cherokee Trail). Linking the trail with a little section of the PATH, I can get in a solid 7 mile run. Upon changing into my running clothes at the office, I realized my faithful Timex Ironman was nowhere to be found. As any runner addicted to their watch would react, I was beyond annoyed and, coupled with the 10.5 hr work day and approaching dusk, contemplated canning the run altogether and heading home to my porch and a cold Sweetwater.

Grudgingly, I headed to the trail head anyway – watchless and …

Continue reading A Lesson in Freedom »

Ahh the beauty of Atlanta in spring! Flowers blooming, temperatures rising and birds singing. It’s like our city is covered in the very existential glow of life!

Cough*Sneeze*Cough. Unfortunately, that glow is yellow… and less Wizard of Oz, more miserable.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (good avoidance technique?), you know that our area pollen count is record-breaking and making breathing and normal living downright tough. Coinciding with the Easter season doesn’t help – I feel like my car was sat on by a giant yellow Peep. It seems we’ve survived the worst of it, but we’re not out of the woods yet. (Get it – Woods?! Pine tree pollen?! Yes? No? Ahem…)

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time finding motivation to get out my front door for a run when I know the next 40-70 minutes might just asphyxiate me. Regardless we’ve got to get out there and and start training – yellow tornados notwithstanding. Our Peachtree legs will not prepare themselves if we buy into …

Continue reading Running the Yellow Brick Road »

I know them all too well – the red-faces, the heaving shoulders, the strained looks, the pained limps… the struggle to get up yet one more hill in downtown Atlanta on July 4th. If I had a dime for every Peachtree runner who didn’t actually train for this hot, hilly and humid event I would have about 54,000 dimes… a year… for many years to come. While the idea of paying off my student loans early is intriguing, I am no sadist.

Now is the time to set ourselves up for success. Right now, today, this minute, find a training plan to follow. 

If you drive somewhere unfamiliar without directions, 90% of the time you’ll get lost. Training for a race is no different. You might coincidentally get there, but why not avoid the pain and hassle and just follow some solid directions? 

Search for your own plan, or I highly recommend these:

Novice 10k Training Plan from Hal Higdon

• Do This: If the 2010 event is your first (or first in awhile) 10k, or if you’ve let the rainy winter get …

Continue reading Set Yourself Up for Success – 10k Training Plans »

We’ve done it.

We’ve survived the online registration maelstrom. We’ve coughed up the race fee. We’re (considering) tackling the pollen tornados to begin our training for 6.2 miles down Peachtree Steet.

We, the masses, have committed ourselves to one of the best traditions our city has to offer – the one and only AJC Peachtree Road Race. And I have the distinct pleasure of joining you in preparation for the 2010 event.

Lauren and two of her brothers celebrating post-race 2009 at the 4.2 mile water station, where their Mom is the station’s Crew Chief.

My name is Lauren, a young professional living not quite ITP or OTP, but on TP. Though I realize I’m a rare species, I am proud to be a native Atlantan (we do exist!) who has been running for about 18 years now.

Continue reading Meet Lauren Dieterich »