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Good for: Living the dream.
Written by: Nate Jenkins, 2:14 marathon runner.
Sure, most elite runners will tell you how they crushed their last long run, and they might even let slip a mention of their peak mileage. But hardly any open their training logs for public viewing.
That's what makes Jenkins's blog so good. After placing 7th in 2:14 at the ‘08 Olympic Marathon trials, a back injury has prevented Jenkins from even qualifying for the ‘12 trials. But every workout he runs gets dutifully recorded, from the scary-good ones (four by two-miles averaging 4:45 mile pace in the middle of a 120-mile week) to the bad ones that leave him wondering whether to quit running and become a teacher.
Jenkins also freely answers reader questions, and most weeks he posts detailed responses with training advice and general workout philosophies. In recent months, as Jenkins has recovered from back surgery, the blog has become as much a record of runs completed as a lesson in persistence.
Sample post: Jenkins summarizes a recent week and allows himself a moment of hope.
117 miles, two very solid workouts. I’m not sure if today’s tempo was a freak good day or a huge step in the right direction. I’m not making any decisions about another run at a qualifier yet, but a door I had considered closed last weekend I am now viewing as possibly open today. ...
