tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20114537054859084192012-02-16T18:23:42.289-05:00<center><b><u>Peter Priolo - Endurance Coach and Athlete - <a href="http://www.ironpete.com">WWW.IRONPETE.COM</a></u></b></center>Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.comBlogger691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-63870099689432198382012-01-11T08:10:00.004-05:002012-01-11T09:09:08.694-05:00

My schedule has basically been finalized for 2012. It's probably the most interesting compilation of races I've ever put together in a year. But hey, if I'm going to be extreme, well, I think these races would definitely classify...1) North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Trail Run at Bear Mountain - May 5After a couple of years of volunteering in this race, this year I will wind up racing it.

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-47818859737404054682011-12-26T15:50:00.002-05:002011-12-26T16:31:24.727-05:00

I hope everyone has had a great holiday season.In this week between Christmas and New Years, peoples' thoughts tend to shift to the coming year. The past 2 months have been very special since we extreme runners and triathletes now have a committee in a great club like the Staten Island Athletic Club. I owe it all to Mark Vogt, the President, and the SIAC Board to recognize the growth of

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-79589804917426338782011-12-07T10:01:00.016-05:002011-12-07T14:55:26.676-05:00

The Willowbrook Carousel, site of the Start/Finish lineSo here we are, about 3 days away from the inaugural Greenbelt Festival Trail Races, with the start/finish line held only about a mile away from where I live, in Willowbrook Park. The temps are going to be near freezing for the early part of this race, so I'll need to prep up the appropriate clothing for the race.I like to thank Matt Lebow

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-55529427221983346792011-11-17T08:37:00.006-05:002011-11-17T09:44:25.704-05:00

This is the time of year where we encounter a string of holidays that just derail a lot of people from their noble tasks, a season of holidays that are just focused on the myriad types of gluttony so profound that it takes a steel will to stay on course.The first challenge is Halloween. It's a good holiday to soften up your will a little for the major league holidays to come. Especially if you

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-68703367324590976522011-11-14T07:01:00.005-05:002011-11-14T08:22:02.532-05:00

Well, it's November, and it's decision time for what races I will be doing in 2012. I have decided that it will be a triathlon year next year. This stems from the fact that after 2 years of ultramarathon training, I do think that triathlon training is a the more rounded way of getting fit and would minimize the chances of injury.The triathlon I have already registered for is the Survival of the

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-59146843811159431992011-09-05T06:43:00.007-04:002011-09-05T07:30:53.209-04:00

After the DNF in Leadville I had time to think real long and hard about what I was doing. What went right. What went wrong. How to improve, etc. DNFs always come with an emotional sting, even when the organizers are the ones that pull you from the course. And as always, I always compile a list of things that went right or wrong in all races, so that I can learn from the experience and try again

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-7309551429160893482011-07-17T17:32:00.010-04:002011-07-17T19:12:02.170-04:00

This week I finally decided to break my 3 year triathlon "fast" and registered for the Long Branch Sprint Triathlon Series. Went for the longer course, naturally, with about 600 yards of swimming, 20.6 miles of cycling, and 5 miles of running. I had A LOT of questions surrounding this race...1) The bike itself. With a new fork installed and only a couple of rides on it, will it stay in one piece

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-16425787101138628052011-07-11T07:09:00.015-04:002011-07-11T14:54:01.740-04:00

Hope Pass, the highest point of the Leadville Trail 100 (12,600 ft). My goal is to get my pacer to get a picture of me in a similar photo...and to finish the race of course!-----When it comes to training and racing, I am never a patient guy.I am also very meticulous in planning for big races, so that I have a set strategy and every factor is covered during the race.Twenty years of training and

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-88838679510226694472011-06-21T10:58:00.006-04:002011-06-22T07:48:00.990-04:00

I've always wanted to try running around the perimeter of Staten Island for years now.I figure Staten Island is small enough to make the run possible, but long enough for it to be a real challenge.The route that I took is about 35.5 miles, according to Gmaps Pedometer.The big question was the logistics. Everything would need to be self-supported. But the beauty of Staten Island lies in its many

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-69519919877000540652011-06-15T10:21:00.009-04:002011-06-15T12:03:25.727-04:00

I know I'm going to catch a little flak on this, but then again, I like to rock the boat of "established principles" a little, so that people can actually wake up from their everyday distractions and think critically on a topic they never did before.The topic here is coaching "certification".Let me ask you a question. Which coach would you decide on going to? The one with 5 different

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-43425107131644370212011-06-14T10:44:00.007-04:002011-06-14T12:02:30.044-04:00

I have a slew of information that I want to share, but I try to keep my blogs from being lengthy.So I'll do the next best thing. I'll run a rapid series of shorter blogs for this week, keeping the topics short and to the point.The first such topic is the newly proposed Ironman in New York City for 2012. Now unlike a significant number of athletes who criticize the race, I do like Ironman. Their

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-70152808519787090542011-06-03T06:55:00.004-04:002011-06-03T07:32:36.653-04:00

It's been about 3 weeks since my last posting as I lick my wounds from the Massanutten DNF and recover from the broken toe. I've finally started to put a full week of running this week to get myself ready for Leadville (2009 video).This time, injury or not, I'm getting to that finish line.I understand that DNFs are part of the process, but they never really sit well with me.So Leadville is the

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-70839375713470186652011-05-15T14:00:00.005-04:002011-05-15T14:55:04.496-04:00

But, but, but, I thought your toe was healed...LOL, no, it wasn't, and it played right into the course's hands too.This is going to be an interesting write-up, because I have a lot of things that I am mulling about after pulling out of the race at mile 19.First off, it seems like toes don't heal very quickly. Yes, I had the ability of running on a bad toe last week, and it was acceptable, but the

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-84682289953951504002011-05-11T21:00:00.000-04:002011-05-13T10:59:50.224-04:00

Finally! My strategy for Massanutten is below. Hopefully I can rely on this strategy for the entire race. If I go into "survival mode" a bit early, well, I'm going to have to improvise on the spot. But at least this strategy looks good on paper!Three Phases Of The Hundred Mile CourseTo summarize, the 60/30/10 formula worked at the Vermont 100. I will be sticking to that formula again.The "60"

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-84908281514506352442011-05-05T12:10:00.015-04:002011-05-09T23:19:14.274-04:00

I'm in the process of finalizing my strategy for the Massanutten 100 race coming up in a little over a week.Now believe me, in all my years of racing the 100 mile ultra distance is the most difficult to finish. Especially when most of it is on single track trails.So it might seem logical to play it safe here, bide my time, and the hurting should be kept to a minimal, right?Well, no.One thing I

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-13265106145467765302011-05-02T12:40:00.009-04:002011-05-02T14:04:02.058-04:00

If you take a look at the schedule on the right, Massanutten is the only thing you see there.Schedule -------------> ------------> ------------> ----------->That's because that race is dominating my every thoughts at this time.After the race though, I would like to continue leading some of the group trail runs in the Greenbelt. Some planning is in the works and I'll be happy to do it.Trust me, I

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-75467438353222791822011-04-25T16:23:00.011-04:002011-04-25T17:31:29.037-04:00

I think I enjoyed myself too much this weekend.In my zest for running on a very muddy course I wiped out in a puddle at the 2 mile point of a 3 mile trail race (Scholarship Trail Race). I felt a little bit of pain, but continued running. I actually ran well the last mile, passing some people on the uphill and finishing the race quite strong.Afterwards, when we were talking about our respective

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-81439374669687322372011-04-21T09:20:00.011-04:002011-04-21T10:52:03.911-04:00

Run 100 miles just to get this belt buckle? You bet your life!As the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 looms (May 14-15), it has been occupying most of my waking minutes.As the race approaches, I gather evidence from friends' pictures, Youtube videos, race reports, and even the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club website for any info on the course.What makes it a bit difficult is that the course was

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-54151896745452423942011-04-18T19:45:00.006-04:002011-04-18T20:45:04.311-04:00

Today is Patriot's Day in Massachusetts, and we runners know what that means...Yes, I definitely watched the whole thing, and yes, I was glued to the TV throughout the race. Both the men's, women's AND the men's wheelchair divisions had exciting finishes.This is the first time I EVER gave kudos to NBC for their broadcast. Yes, hell is definitely freezing over.Granted, this was their small

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-38447854690345583882011-04-15T09:19:00.004-04:002011-04-15T09:51:10.397-04:00

We have been getting a great turnout for the Greenbelt Training Runs for the High Rock Challenge.What both the Greenbelt Conservancy and I would like to do is to find ways to continue some group trail runs after the High Rock Challenge is over.There is certainly no loss of interest in trail running here. With 20+ people showing up to the group run 2 weeks ago, I'm sure there is an interest to

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-40816549443745341922011-04-13T05:27:00.010-04:002011-04-13T07:23:38.526-04:00

Although I am quite glad that  I have a variety of options when if comes to trails on Staten Island (Greenbelt, Wolfes Pond Park, Clay Pit Pond Park, etc.), my sense of adventure has me leaving Staten Island for different scenery.I do take frequent trips into NJ and run in the various parks there. After all, I did live in NJ for 7 years.But why go to NJ? Aside from coaching there, the cheaper gas

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-62784697287352887262011-04-11T09:56:00.012-04:002011-04-11T12:27:39.735-04:00

I see it everywhere, not just in endurance sports.I am quite disturbed of the quality of coaching these days. From endurance sports to baseball to even "life coaching", the trend has been ever spiraling downward in recent years. I cannot pin the blame on any one thing that contributes to this degradation, but the trend is definitely there.Let me backtrack and explain where I am coming

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-24551285308474721842011-04-07T10:31:00.017-04:002011-04-07T17:29:45.032-04:00

So 2 or 3 some odd weeks ago, I visited the Multisport World Conference at Columbia University just to gauge the present state of our collective endurance events (triathlon, adventure racing, orienteering, ultra running, etc.).It was an overall positive experience. A lot of clubs and new races were represented at the expo, including NYARA and City Tri Racing, which is indicative of an industry

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-76227182068812881152011-04-05T12:12:00.003-04:002011-04-05T12:17:44.114-04:00

Re-blogged (if there is such a term) from another website and placed here for posterity. It's good to revisit this race, especially when I have another one of these 100 milers coming up 6 weeks from now.In my whole life, I've always wanted to push my limits, both on mind and on body. My whole Ironman triathlon experience in the 1990's was one such way. I decided to go into Ironman triathlons as

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-24098802078501132972011-04-04T07:32:00.009-04:002011-04-04T16:15:43.623-04:00

The Indian Trails 15K Road Race has always been one of my favorite races.If not for the challenging hills, it is my favorite because it is one of the most beautiful courses in NJ for a road race. The Middletown/Atlantic Highlands area of NJ provide some great scenery, including horse farms, rustic dirt roads, and, of course, a great view of Staten Island and Manhattan from across the New York

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-39229938393579167142011-04-01T07:56:00.008-04:002011-04-01T08:29:34.685-04:00

Today is the first day of April. Baseball season has started, people are gearing up for the running and triathlon season, the ice cream trucks are out, and the landscapers seem to be coming out of the woodwork.Seems like someone forgot to tell Mother Nature it's April.A Winter Storm Watch for parts of this area this morning? C'mon.I'm not a particularly happy camper when I'm still using my full

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-77971931710699907142011-03-30T08:27:00.006-04:002011-03-30T09:06:31.276-04:00

Last week was the capper of a very good vigorous 3 week schedule. I ran 65 miles last week. Included was a 15 mile road run, a 20 mile trail run, and a 5 mile trail race.The 4th week on my schedule is always a recovery week. And one that is well deserved.The last 20 mile run on Sunday showed why a built in week of recovery is needed in any endurance training schedule. 3 weeks of accumulated

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-57629886275575472692011-03-28T14:31:00.006-04:002011-03-28T15:48:36.717-04:00

I had the privilege of coming back to NJ to run in a small but growing race, the Chimney Rock 5 Mile Run in NJ. The race is touted as a very challenging short distance trail race with over 2000 ft of climbing.Unique "Rock" Awards from a nearby quarry in the area.The Raritan Valley Road Runners organized this race and the after-race festivities. Although their primary focus is on, of course, road

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-709976614868650442011-03-23T12:44:00.007-04:002011-03-23T13:43:20.057-04:00

What a BEE_YOOTIFUL spring day.Yeah, right. That is if you're a polar bear that is.Or a Canadian.Last week, we saw the last of winter. That was accompanied by 70 degree temperatures, running in a singlet and shorts, and a great feeling to be outside again.Monday was the first day of spring. And we get...sleet and ice.Today? Snow. Enough to cover the cars.Nature can be a cruel joker

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-55649421167788019662011-03-22T10:46:00.009-04:002011-03-22T12:11:37.415-04:00

So yesterday, I was sending in some payments to races in the near future like the Chimney Rock Trail Run and the Indian Trails 15k race. Since the Virginia Double Ironman this fall is now a definite, I was ready to send in payment to that too.Then I paused.Their information webpage has their double ironman as $425. Their TRIPLE ironman costs $575.Only $150 more to tack on another Ironman. Hmmm...

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-29488431084819099982011-03-17T17:13:00.008-04:002011-03-17T17:45:25.940-04:00

To be honest, I'm not very good when it comes to interviews, especially over the phone.The Staten Island Advance interviewed me at noon today about the group trail runs for the High Rock Challenge on April 30. While I think most of it went OK, my mind did draw a blank on a good part of it.Although I can blame the fact that I was away doing some work at the time of the phone call, I think I can

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-72167064936554294032011-03-16T10:42:00.006-04:002011-03-16T11:20:51.003-04:00

I have started experimenting on variations of the "primal shake" this morning.Just what is the primal shake?I am dabbling quite a bit with the Paleolithic Diet (or Caveman Diet) lately in conjunction with the elimination of High Fructose Corn Syrup from my diet.The Paleo diet encourages the use of nuts, fruits and vegetables, and lean meats while minimizing grains and processed foods for optimal

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-45673049230070700832011-03-15T12:52:00.012-04:002011-03-15T13:54:44.169-04:00

Just saw a picture of my pacer with this sticker. I got to earn me one of these this year.(there are no Vermont stickers like these or I would have had one already)Hopefully I can place it next to these two stickers I've already earned...I've done the "official marathon distance" 11 times and have done the Ironman distance 6 times. But going beyond those distances is where the true glory lies. I

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-61766789379572463172011-03-14T14:00:00.009-04:002011-03-14T15:45:08.743-04:00

First post of the new week this week, and a lot to tell.First and foremost, my prayers go out to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Sources indicate that there is a lot more trouble to come with their nuclear reactor plants, and that there are already multiple meltdowns occurring there.Here is incredible video of the impact of the tsunami on a personal level. I haven't seen this

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-53721315229196532092011-03-08T08:49:00.010-05:002011-03-08T10:26:30.905-05:00

There's nothing better than a sunny morning day to wake up to!Let me try to explain in detail about my weight training program that I'm on.I would like to caution you first that weight training can impede your triathlon or ultra training if done the wrong way or if timed wrong. If you do include weight training, it needs to be done as soon as you start your training for the next season, not late

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-61691087637218743322011-03-07T07:44:00.007-05:002011-03-07T08:56:45.973-05:00

It's Monday again, although I don't think you need to be reminded.The past 4-5 days I've been saddled with a particularly nasty cold. Although I was able to do most of the training last week, it still was tough to actually get focused to do them.Colds can be nasty things. Sometimes they just throw your schedule out of whack for a week, or even more if the cold is severe enough.The decision to

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-2173767975935026252011-03-03T15:20:00.006-05:002011-03-03T16:57:40.650-05:00

Since this is a low news day, I'm going to just blurt out some pointless thoughts...One person said to me that Bag Balm smells. Yes, Bag Balm does smell, but I'd rather be a bit smelly than be chafed all over the place. Chafing sucks, period.The trails are clear of snow. It may be time again to start going to some random parks and run long on the trails again.Facepalm alert: I already know of two

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-72649854814718718892011-03-02T18:44:00.003-05:002011-03-02T18:54:37.097-05:00

So, I have this conundrum about The Beast Series, and now I'm back to square one again.Sorry Beast, not this year...Everything has to do with transportation to Virginia. I do not want to drive for 8 hours to an ultra, do the exhausting race, then drive the 8 or so hours back to Staten Island.That leaves 2 options, commercial transportation and carpooling.Commerical transportation is a stretch at

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-18121060795709153252011-03-01T12:31:00.009-05:002011-03-01T13:24:05.592-05:00

Seems like I made a key milestone the past several days.In ultra training, whenever I get to a point where I feel I can do a long run any day of the week, even on consecutive days, my body is ready for the next step.On Sunday morning, I did a 21+ miles of running. By Sunday evening, my legs did not even feel sore. I was ready to go again. Great!Last year, I was able to achieve this point at

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-13354765940247985332011-02-28T08:25:00.004-05:002011-02-28T20:00:52.897-05:00

With yet another 20+ mile run under my belt, it was a great day to be outside yesterday. 40 degree temps, little wind, and a sunny day definitely contributed to a great run.What I realized during this run was that I was really free to run anywhere without guessing how many miles I ran.All I had to know is the course I ran. Then I can figure the miles later on the internet. I've been using the

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-89394683616539582122011-02-26T13:02:00.006-05:002011-02-26T14:41:23.735-05:00

Back to normal running again after the Armory sprints? You bet.An easy 8 miles on the Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath with the Raritan Valley Road Runners this morning and I'm set for the 20 miler tomorrow morning. This will squarely give me the 50 miles needed for this week.A couple of weeks more at this level, then I really start ramping up the mileage into the stratosphere.I also have to

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-74019657476041247422011-02-25T14:19:00.010-05:002011-02-25T15:24:42.475-05:00

This was really, really fun!*all photos courtesy of Josh PesinOur little SIAC 10 man motley crew posing as a relay team actually did very well last night at the Armory (results pending). Everyone gave it 100% last night, evidenced by doubling over, coughing up lungs, and knuckles dragging on the floor. We were a tired team afterwards, but a satisfied and happy team.As relays traditionally go in

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-33787579999347782152011-02-24T10:06:00.006-05:002011-02-24T10:56:01.567-05:00

The relay team is set! I'm going SIXTH. Our two fastest people will be going first and last, where their speed might actually count.Tonight is the last day for Thursday Night at the Races at the Armory Track. And the relay is the last event of the night.The relay will involve 10 men sprinting 200m each (1 lap), then handing off the baton to the next person in the rotation.Everyone will do the

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-25954538006840512412011-02-23T07:55:00.003-05:002011-02-23T08:20:15.553-05:00

The double digit runs are starting to get more frequent now.Last Sunday, I ran the Cherry Tree 10 Miler (looks like I'm mentioned here) at a pretty fast clip. Fast for me, that is. Some runners consider 77 minutes for 10 miles a walk in the park.This morning, a nice looking 10 miler in one of the colder mornings of the season (19F). Despite the cold, this run felt quite easy.Next Sunday will be a

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-63544702443897965602011-02-22T12:36:00.008-05:002011-02-22T14:06:35.253-05:00

After my run yesterday afternoon, I went over to the Staten Island Athletic Club's Men's Team meeting to see what they had on their agenda.Aside from the problems with the New York Road Runners club scoring this season (races are being capped), which I probably will mention in future posts, and the problems with the Staten Island Triple Crown races, there was a bit of talk that was relevant to

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-1597020112828306022011-02-21T11:57:00.008-05:002011-02-21T13:28:30.885-05:00

OK, so today is Presidents Day. It also snowed out there this morning. What better way to celebrate a holiday than to wake up early (5AM), venture out into the cold, brush the snow off the car and head off to the YMCA to do workouts in the pool and in the gym?But the benefits are tremendous! No people in the pool, and only 3 people in the gym!If I come across sounding that I hate people, then

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-15834678725506389702011-02-20T13:24:00.008-05:002011-02-20T14:06:25.171-05:00

Last night I went to sleep with the howl of the wind.This morning, well, the howl of the wind was still there. Oh, and the thermometer was at 22F.Aw crap, another cold race to run.The Cherry Tree 10 Mile Run, put on by the Prospect Park Track Club, is run entirely within Prospect Park.Since I have run in Prospect Park on occasion, I was familiar with the course. The loop there runs around 3.5

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-16463496081006809342011-02-19T12:02:00.004-05:002011-02-19T12:49:47.828-05:00

The cold winds replace the warmer temperatures last night, with some lightning and thunder in the mix.I guess Mother Nature is still reminding us that it is still February.After a wild and snowy December and January, people were ready to put their heavy coats away for the season and declare spring. Heck, even the groundhogs were anxious to end winter too.I didn't declare winter over yet. I had my

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-69070768331342128932011-02-18T08:30:00.011-05:002011-02-18T10:11:54.432-05:00

With all the ultramarathon stuff on the calendar, one athlete asked me whether I was going to do any triathlons this year.The answer is yes. I originally intended to do about 3-4 triathlons down the NJ shore this year along with the Virginia Double Ironman in October. Both the Sandy Hookers and Jersey Shore Triathlon Clubs have nice local races down there. I'll be picking which races to attend as

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-35598052233197595002011-02-17T09:52:00.004-05:002011-02-17T10:42:02.288-05:00

I decided not to run in the Febapple 50k this weekend. The conditions were, as I can say elegantly, not good. As a matter of fact, if the warm days today and tomorrow don't melt a significant amount of snow off the trails, the conditions would be actually worse than Watchung in January.It's sad too. I really wanted to do two consecutive 50k ultras in as many weeks. I guess February is just not a

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-87132234685848044222011-02-16T15:46:00.010-05:002011-02-16T16:42:39.687-05:00

I have some time to write some comments about the course. If anybody has any further questions, let me know via ironpete@ironpete.com and I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability.The photos are here... http://gofarthersports.blogspot.com/2011/02/south-mountain-trails-pictures-ahead-of.html1) I only ran on part of the eastern 10 mile loop of the course, which is much more frequently

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-17288309715063159652011-02-16T12:41:00.016-05:002011-02-16T13:33:14.145-05:00

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. I'll fully comment on the course later.There is still a LOT of snow on the trails...The above picture shows a lot of deep ruts in the snow. Have to be very careful where to place your foot. The below picture shows the trail on the first loop on the return trip back to the start.The next four below is the path along the road. This is along the return

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-68241939656041254752011-02-15T06:14:00.009-05:002011-02-15T07:38:37.729-05:00

Ultramarathons are much quicker to recover from than marathons.Just the mention of the Massanutten 100 had people I didn't know patting me on the back and wishing me luck in that race while I was in Virginia this past weekend. This race must be extremely difficult.The Beast Series is seriously calling out to me. The problem is, the Grindstone 100, the premier race of this series, is the same

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-66722108719703450662011-02-15T06:11:00.001-05:002011-02-15T06:14:51.027-05:00

The temperature at the start was 24 degrees. Perfect temperature to wear my shorts! I only knew about the 24 degree temperature when I saw the water in mybottle turn to an icy slush and asked another runner about it. I alsofound my cap frozen to my head when I tried to adjust it.As a New Yorker running in Virginia, I almost forgot what running on trails is likewithout the snow. I was waiting for

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-7263366363430257202011-02-13T18:23:00.000-05:002011-02-13T18:58:48.896-05:00

Ahhh, a race where I can actually RUN in! My first ultra of 2011, the Watchung Winter Ultra 50k, I didn't fare too well in. Although snow and ice are a good excuse for me not finishing, I was definitely not satisfied with the result.Enter the Holiday Lake 50k.David Horton, the race director, is a legend as far as ultrarunning is concerned. Just Google his name and you'll see why. He also puts on

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-4375848804271737852011-01-29T06:18:00.000-05:002011-01-29T06:48:56.090-05:00

One month into winter and we have seen 4 major snowstorms lately in the NY/NJ Area. The first one dropped about 29 inches of snow on us. The most recent one? About 19 inches. It's been particularly rough on my running. It's not just the difficult conditions. It's the endless shoveling. And the time constraints. Instead of a morning workout, I am obligated to get most of the shoveling done before

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-59463471431335919042011-01-20T14:39:00.000-05:002011-01-20T15:46:06.361-05:00

From one of the lists that I'm on...the Wall Street Journal has an article on people doing, of all things, indoor marathons:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704515904576076343670470456.htmlOK, now that you read the article, let me ask you...if you had a choice between an outdoor marathon or an indoor marathon, which would you choose?My guess is that most of you will pick the outdoor

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-27410474422532483732011-01-19T10:45:00.000-05:002011-01-19T11:19:43.485-05:00

Every year I face the daunting task of trying to stay active through the cold winters here. Especially this year, where I have the unenviable take of actually building my mileage for my ultra season through this tough season.This, of course, is my least favorite season. I joke sometimes that my southern Italian and Puerto Rican blood is way too thin and that I freeze as a result. Seriously though

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-52791946008798258462011-01-15T06:03:00.000-05:002011-01-15T06:06:43.471-05:00

(a little comedy from the Ultra List (ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu)1. Sex doesn't last for more than twelve hours at a time.2. You can meet new people and develop meaningful relationships duringtrail running. It's easier to explain the injuries.3. You can stop to eat during trail runs.4. Trails don't get jealous of other trails.5. You can freely discuss when, where, and how many friends you were

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-17090036190670637652011-01-05T10:41:00.000-05:002011-01-05T11:03:48.994-05:00

First off, let me say to everyone Happy New Year.That being done, I'll reflect a little on my last year. One major race, 100 miles long. A long-term endeavor has been fulfilled by finishing the Vermont 100 miler in a little over 28 hours.Now comes the ambitious part...with the ultra lotteries done I have now set my major races up for 2011. Three 100 mile ultramarathons, and maybe a double Ironman

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-71615076455453544722010-12-14T09:49:00.000-05:002010-12-14T10:08:16.675-05:00

Although I was unfortunate in the Western States lottery, last Wednesday was the Massanutten lottery, my nagic number was 544 and was eagerly awaiting what the Dow Industrial Average closing number was at 4PM.The market ended at 11,372.48. And went up that day. So the lucky number was 248 and they counted UP due to the rise in the market.With about 500 or so people entered into the lottery, I was

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-84610069971714203132010-12-06T05:50:00.000-05:002010-12-06T06:54:57.004-05:00

December 5 morning comes. Western States 100 lottery day is here, or rather the day they post results onto their website on who was accepted into the race. Knowing that I only had a 15% chance to get in, I surf my way over to the website and checked out the list...I didn't make it.Ah, oh well. I knew the odds were against me to begin with, but the flat rejection still shocks me a little. I think

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-62536246058032670882010-11-27T12:35:00.001-05:002010-11-27T18:16:27.610-05:00

It was only about a week and a half before Thanksgiving that I got the news for this race through one of the clubs I'm in. And I instantly decided to go to it.My developing ultramarathon intuition just gave me a friendly tug that day. And I heeded the call to come. And I was glad I did.The race was held at Van Cortlandt Park (VCP) in the Bronx, just about Mecca for runners everywhere in NYC from

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-71338358916976839012010-11-22T15:01:00.000-05:002010-11-23T14:23:22.540-05:00

How Races Use Online Registration and Lottery Systems to Determine Who Gets InClick here for Part 1Click here for Part 2In the first two posts I took a look at the registration process for your chances to get into the New York City Marathon, the Western States 100 Mile Ultramarathon, the Hawaii Ironman, and Ironman Lake Placid.In this last segment, I'll start with the Boston Marathon's

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-53633461207294993162010-11-17T12:55:00.000-05:002010-11-23T14:18:09.608-05:00

How Races Use Online Registration and Lottery Systems to Determine Who Gets InClick here for Part 1Click here for Part 3In the last post I started to examine the registration process for many popular races and looked at how each race selected the participants in a given year. I started off with a very large race like the New York City Marathon, what their intentions were, and how it was

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-80850769024219871402010-11-14T07:33:00.000-05:002010-11-23T14:32:02.003-05:00

How Races Use Online Registration and Lottery Systems to Determine Who Gets InClick here for Part 2Click here for Part 3Getting to this start line in the Western States 100 can be more difficult than getting to the finish line.This year, the Boston Marathon entry process had something unprecedented happen to them. The field closed only 8 hours after they started accepting applications for their

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-19180730693598342702010-11-12T07:28:00.000-05:002010-11-12T13:09:38.608-05:00

This has been the hot topic with various running clubs in the area when the article provided at the link below appeared in the press. The proposed course starts at Coney Island first, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, then hitting major landmarks in Manhattan before finishing on the West Side. Here is the article: Is Bigger and Faster Better for Marathon?http://online.wsj.com/article/

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-32809229895048110232010-11-07T12:52:00.000-05:002010-11-07T19:34:56.929-05:00

You've trained all year for your big race, you put in the necessary hours of hard work, and sacrificed a lot to get to race day ready to have the race of your life, and then......you arrive late for your big race.That is exactly what I saw when volunteering for the NYC Marathon this morning. I was assigned with the Staten Island Athletic Club to run the starting corrals that organize runners

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011453705485908419.post-58592450969367546752010-10-25T18:22:00.000-04:002010-10-26T14:05:55.125-04:00

Welcome to my new blog! My name is Peter Priolo. Yes, for those who have been following me the past year on another blog, yes, this is my real name. After a year of reorganizing a lot of things in my life I can honestly say that I am ready for an active 2011. In 2010, I trained for one race, and one race only, the Vermont 100 Mile Ultramarathon, and succeeded in finishing the thing. For those who

Coach Iron Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00888004756879665590noreply@blogger.com0