Meet the Coach: Shorty Roberson

Shorty Roberson is a recognizable face around Team In Training (TNT) in North Texas.  This season he is one of the marathon coaches who is dedicated to getting his participants from the couch to the finish line.  Below he answers a couple questions about his coaching style.  Trust us - you won't regret signing up for an event under Shorty's guidance.

How long have you been coaching with TNT and what was your first event?
I have been involved with TNT for about 10 years off and on but this is my first time to coach.  My first event was in Anchorage, Alaska, figuring that if I only did one marathon that race would make for a great memory and story.  It was my first but I have continued to run.

What is your style of coaching?
FUN!  My philosophy is that if you enjoy running and who you you run with, you will keep running!

Some people are intimidated by the idea of training for a full or half marathon.  What advice would you give them?
I was too!  It is doable!  (Is that a word?)  With proper training and sticking to your schedule, you can do it.  And yes, it's a long way but it is such an accomplishment.  YOU CAN DO IT!

Is there an Honored Hero who has left a lasting impact on you?  Who and why?
Every child fighting the battle.  I especially remember when I was a child, a boy who lived across the street had a blood cancer.  He was always sick and never felt like playing.  I thought it wasn't fair or right that he couldn't do what we did.  Cancer has taken too many of our children, friends and family.  Watch out cancer, we are coming to get you!

What is the best kept secret about TNT?
We give you everything you need to train and run a marathon - no need to research how we teach you. And you don't have to make mistakes to learn how, we help you avoid the pitfalls.

What is the best training advice you have ever received?
Follow and trust your training and you will succeed.  To finish is to win.

Inspired by Shorty's words and passion?  Join him this summer season and train for the Rock'n'Roll San Diego Marathon & 1/2 Marathon to Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or the Wounded Warrior Half Marathon and 10k.  www.teamintraining.org/ntx

EXCLUSIVE: Meet the Founder of Team In Training

"We were really flying blind.  We didn't know what would happen at the end.  All of these elite runners were telling us what to do - and it seemed to be working - but we didn't know what would happen when it actually came to the marathon."  

- Bruce Cleland

Bruce Cleland after the inaugural Team In Training event:
New York City Marathon, 1988

Little did Bruce Cleland know, 25 years after his uncertainty in getting 38 friends together to run a marathon and raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) that his idea would become more than a physical fitness challenge - it would become a way of life.  Team In Training is now a fixture in all major endurance events around the world.  Cleland, widely regarded as the father of charity endurance training programs and founder of Team In Training, is credited with creating a program that has guided more than 570,000 runners, walkers, hikers, bikers and swimmers to raise more than $1.3 Billion for LLS. Read more about Bruce's inspirational story here. 

EXCLUSIVE TO NORTH TEXAS:

You have the opportunity to meet Bruce Cleland at the North Texas Team In Training 25th Anniversary Gala this June.  Join us at the Dallas Westin Galleria Hotel on Sunday, June 30th from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. to meet Bruce.

We hope that you will buy your ticket today to join us for this remarkable evening with a visionary not just to LLS but also to the sport of endurance racing.

Reserve your tickets early as this event is expected to sell out. Please visit our website to find out more details,  purchase your ticket and learn about sponsorship opportunities. 

Training Tip Tuesday

When you find yourself going up a steep hill or even a slight grade while running a race or just out training. Remember this simple tip; Keep your arms moving and your feet will follow.


Coach Joe
Dallas, TNT Coach Since 1999

Coach Joe says the following:  "I have been involved with Team In Training since 1997. I ran my first marathon with TNT then as a participant, which was my 17th over all. I was hooked on the program. I started coaching in 1999 and have loved helping runners of all abilities reach their fitness goal of finishing the half or full marathon. My full time job is that of being a Baptist preacher. I consider coaching for TNT part of my ministry. I have had the privilege of running the Boston marathon twice and finishing 78 marathons. I always tell folks if you run them slow you can run a bunch of them. My experience includes 300+ races, 2,019 miles in races and over 28,867 training and racing miles. Some of my marathon's are, New York, Marine Corps, Bermuda, Dublin, Ireland, Paris, France, Rome, Italy, and Madrid Spain. All proudly wearing my TNT jersey. We have helped over 2,000 participants finish their event and hope to help many more. I have had the privilege of personally raising over $75,300.00 over the years for LLS as well."

Training Tip Tuesday: Christmas Edition

Training Tip Tuesday posts typically include information about how to get in shape in the most safe and effective way.  However, we are realistic and don't anticipate many people to be lacing up their tennis shoes today so we are proud to introduce the inaugural Christmas Edition of Training Tip Tuesday.

1.  Hydrate
Fruitcakes by nature are packed with sodium.  If you imbibed last night or are planning to eat a slice this morning, make sure that you are hydrating.  Today is a marathon - not a sprint.  You can't fall victim to dehydration before lunch.

2. Clothes That Breath
You can bet your bottom dollar that grandma will regale you with a story from her childhood every time you open a new gift.  Wear comfortable clothes so you can relax around the tree as the stories are told... and told... and told.

3.  Breathe Through Your Nose, Exhale Through Your Mouth
There will be a lot of chaos Christmas morning (especially if you have young children) so be sure to stop and breathe through your nose every once in a while.  How else are you going to fully enjoy the evergreen smell of the tree, the breakfast casserole, the peppermint patties, and whatever else you have wafting through your house Christmas morning.

4.  Stretch
Be a boyscout and always be prepared.  Stretch!  You never know when you are going to open a present to find an item you have been coveting for the last seven months.  You don't want to be jumping around with a cold hammy.  Team In Training registration and Big D Climb are right around the corner.  Don't find yourself on the injured reserve list.

5.  Be Thankful
Because you know that we, here at the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, thank our lucky stars every day to be involved with such amazing people.  You inspire us every day.

Happy Holidays!

Training Tip Tuesday: Scout For Tangents

Today's Training Tip comes from Coach Joe Bacon, Dallas Marathon team coach.

Tangents are important no matter what distance you are walking or running in a race. Here is why! We know "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line" right? Well, course certifiers certainly do. When they measure a race course, they calculate the shortest distance from start to finish, measuring the far inside of every turn, which is exactly where you want to be.  Every time you round a curve, scope out the flow of the course ahead and position yourself so you can take the inside (run the tangent) of the next turn.

Here is a good example: one of our runners at Disney usually runs about 27 plus miles. Now, it isn't just not running the tangents, but more because of the running right and left to get his photo with the characters of Disney.  But, when you are walking or running 13.1 or 26.2 miles in a race, you don't want to add an extra step.

Training Tip Tuesday: Coach Claire

You want me to think about running and breathing all at the same time?

Many people heard from their high school football coaches that they needed to breathe through their noses when they ran, which makes for some very winded endurance athletes! I make sure to tell athletes that they need to breathe through their mouths as well as their noses. If you think about things logically your mouth can take in a much larger volume of oxygen than the little bitty nostrils. So logically you want to get in as much oxygen as possible.

Why is breathing so important? Well, there are a lot of really long fancy words that I could use but basically the oxygen you breathe in, enters your blood stream which then sends oxygen to your muscles- and we all know they need it! There are two types of aerobic activity- anaerobic and aerobic. Anaerobic is what you do with no oxygen- think quick bursts of energy or sprinting. What you will do as an endurance athlete is aerobic activity, meaning you need oxygen to perform at your best. You will perform best if you take in normal size breaths, not shallow breaths like you are having a baby or super deep breaths like the doctor is checking your lungs either- just right in the middle. Once you get some experience under your belt you will know what “right” feels like.

So, don’t be afraid of catching a bug in your teeth- open up that mouth and let the oxygen in! 

Coach Claire Oliver has been involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since 2003. She says, "I started with Team in Training in 2003 and have enjoyed every moment of it since then.  I've been coaching for about 9 years now and have coached probably 700 people to their first, or 20th triathlon or marathon.  I love endurance sports! I hope you can feel the same passion for the sport that I do.  I've completed 3 Ironman races, and about 50 shorts triathlons as well as 17 marathon and countless other road races."

Training Tip Tuesday: The Big D Climb

The 5th Annual Big D Climb presented by Ivie & Associates is scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2013.  Have you heard of it?  It's a race up 52 flights of stairs (1,040 steps!) at Fountain Place in downtown Dallas.  Yes, it sounds imposing.  Yes, it is a long race.  Yes, you CAN do it!  (Seriously, stop shaking your head.)

24 Hour Fitness is a longtime sponsor of the Big D Climb and always offers all climbers a pass to any of their locations and training recommendations created by their trainers.  For the 2013 Big D Climb they are stepping up their game.  (Yes, pun intended.)  In addition to the pass and the training recommendations, they are providing all climbers with weekly work-outs.  Interest peaked?  We thought so.  Visit the Big D Climb Facebook page to see this week's work out. 

Look, your muscles are getting bigger already!

Training Tip Tuesday: Coach Paula

My journey with TNT began back in the fall of  2005. As a birthday gift to myself, I decided to train for a half marathon. All my friends and family thought I had lost my mind. But, after seeing a TNT finisher picture a co-worker had on her desk, I knew this was something I wanted to accomplish. Well, on April 2, 2006, I crossed the finish line of the Big D Marathon in Dallas. The feeling was phenomenal!!! All the months of getting up early on Saturdays, enduring the cold weather & walking long (and I do mean LONG) miles were well worth it.

Since then, I have stayed actively involved with TNT. I have been an alumni, mentor, pit crew assistant and finally, one of the walking coaches for Fort Worth. The feeling you get with the organization is unbelievable. You will make life-long friends and marathons will become your addiction. And where else but TNT can you walk, run, cycle, swim or even hike as a hobby?

As a coach, one of the things that we can't stress enough is: NEVER try something for the first time right before or during a race. Experiment with supplements, different foods, or electrolyte drinks during your training. Don't be tempted at the expo to branch out and sample all the goodies. What works for another marathoner may not work for you.

Happy training and GO TEAM!

Paula Ford has been involved with TNT North Texas for 6 years and loves coaching the Ft. Worth Marathon Walkers. 

Training Tip Tuesday: Coach Joe

One of the best ways to avoid knee problems is to have strong quadriceps. This can be done very easily by doing some isometric exercises. You can do these watching TV or even at your desk at work. Simply hold your leg out straight and tighten up the quadriceps muscle and hold it for a minute, then do the other leg. Do three sets of these two times a day and your quads will be stronger and in turn keep your knees tracking better and it will help you avoid knee injury and pain.

Coach Joe says the following:  "I have been involved with Team In Training since 1997. I ran my first marathon with TNT then as a participant, which was my 17th over all. I was hooked on the program. I started coaching in 1999 and have loved helping runners of all abilities reach their fitness goal of finishing the half or full marathon. My full time job is that of being a Baptist preacher. I consider coaching for TNT part of my ministry. I have had the privilege of running the Boston marathon twice and finishing 78 marathons. I always tell folks if you run them slow you can run a bunch of them. My experience includes 300+ races, 2,019 miles in races and over 28,867 training and racing miles. Some of my marathon's are, New York, Marine Corps, Bermuda, Dublin, Ireland, Paris, France, Rome, Italy, and Madrid Spain. All proudly wearing my TNT jersey. We have helped over 2,000 participants finish their event and hope to help many more. I have had the privilege of personally raising over $75,300.00 over the years for LLS as well."

Training Tip Tuesday: Coach Erin

I started running with Team in Training in November of 2010.  Before that I had not run more than 5 miles, and even that was few and far between.  After my first season I came back as a mentor for a few seasons and wanted to keep doing more to help others complete their events, so, I will be assistant coach starting with the spring season that is about to start.    

My first event with the team was the Oklahoma City Marathon.  I originally was going to do a half, but was convinced by those who will remain nameless to do a full instead.  I have never been one to enjoy the cold; I get cold very easily and rarely get completely warm even at the end of a run, on a frigid day.  That being said, the day before the race the weather drastically changed and was unseasonably cold! The wind-chill was somewhere in the 30s-40s, with wind gusts up to 30 mph, not to mention the constant rain, and at about mile 14 for me it began to hail.  Needless to say, I did survive it, but would have really appreciated being more prepared for it.  I completed the race in shorts, a singlet, and my TNT hat (fortunately I also had packed a short sleeve running shirt as well to wear).    

While I appreciate the reactions and admiration I receive for having completed my first full marathon in horrendous conditions, there’s a point to it…no matter what you think the weather might be for your race, be prepared for much worse!  It doesn’t require much packing space to add pants, gloves, ear warmers, and a light weight jacket, even if you’re running somewhere where it should be warm (I forgot to mention the race was in May, which is never a cold month).  Also, don’t be too proud to wear a trash bag to keep warm; just don’t forget the hole for your head, of course.  As much as we may want to look cute while out running, trust me, comfort is much more important!        

This is a pic of me at THE race, which makes me laugh every time I see it, because I genuinely thought I was all-out running at the time, but it appears I’m out for a leisurely stroll instead…another bit of advice: no matter how crappy you are feeling, don’t forget to smile for the camera! 

Erin Merriman has been involved with TNT North Texas for 3 years and is excited about coaching her first season this Spring.