Newton's laws for running

Years ago, Runner's World ran an article about realizing your potential as a runner. It included a sidebar called "Newton's Laws," which I clipped out and taped to my bathroom mirror. I used to read it every day, but now it's just white noise. I'm so used to seeing it there, that I never *really* see it.

So this morning I reread it and was amazed how timeless it is. Newton's Laws are courtesy Joe Newton, one of the most storied high school cross-country coaches in America. In more than 50 years of coaching, he has led his teams to 26 Illinois state titles and has often said that success stems from a positive mental attitude (PMA). Coach Newton describes PMA as a combination of motivation, persistence and preparation.

Newton's Laws

1. Make running a lifestyle -- Get enough sleep, eat a nutritious diet, and seek advice from more experience runners.
2. Commit to excellence -- Commitment is the key word. For you, excellence may be meeting a particular time goal or training pace, or completing a certain distance.
3. Do your best with what you have -- Build on your strengths while minimizing your weaknesses. If you're naturally fast, focus on shorter races. If you're short on speed but long on endurance, tackle longer distances.
4. Be persistent -- Develop a strong work ethic. Don't take the easy path in training, competition or goal-setting.
5. Have a race plan -- Keep your goals in mind, so you don't lose focus. Bring your game face and don't lose sight of your race goals until you cross the finish line.

(For an extra kick of motivation and advice, check out these clips.)
On positive mental attitude
On secrets of success
On discipline

2010 fitness goals

As promised, I'm posting my 2010 fitness goals. I make goals at the start of every year -- personal, professional and health related -- but I've never made them public like this. Honestly, I'm a little anxious about it. Going public means I have a handful people who will hold me accountable and expect me to achieve these goals. That's a good thing right?

Here goes...

1) Be half-marathon ready at all times.
2) Consistently attend Thursday night running club.
3) Consistently attend Tuesday night track workout.
4) Consistently run 5x per week, including track workout and long run.
5) Do yoga 2x per week and strength training 2x per week.
6) Take and pass personal trainer exam by March 31.
7) Get mileage up to 50 miles/week.

Your turn. What are your fitness goals for 2010, how do they compare to 2009 and how will you keep yourself focused on them?

Man down: What's the etiquette when a runner falls out?

For the last few years I've done an jingle jog in a tiny country town about an hour away. It usually attracts a small but competitive crowd.

The race was last weekend and I spent the first couple of miles running just ahead of a man who was probably old enough to be my dad. About two miles into the five-miler, I heard him howl and I looked over my shoulder in time to see him drop to ground. He had a charlie horse, so I helped him massage it and get back on his feet. When it was clear he could walk the rest of the course on his own, I jumped back into the race. Here's the rub: I finished the race and managed to place in my age group despite the delay. (Truthfully, that probably says more about the lack of competitors in my age group than it does about my performance.) But I couldn't help being disappointed that no one else seemed to notice or care when this guy went down.

With no prize money at stake, is meeting a time goal so important that you can't stop and help someone who is obviously in trouble? What's the proper race etiquette in this situation? What do you do when you see someone in trouble on the course?