2024-01-03 07:56
Runners tend to focus most on improving race times and fitness. However, many disregard simple details that yield significant improvements to our health and well-being. Here is a list of six… Read More
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Nick Grinlinton's Musings Blog
nickgrinlinton.com/blog
Tags:
running
training
marathon
race
mile
running transformations
miles
pace
comfort zone
negative split
Thoughts from a guitarist, composer and runner.
2023-11-16 10:50
I will always remember 2023 as the year I made subtle, yet important improvements to progress as a runner. Past year’s experiences and study helped bring to fruition a well-designed tr… Read More
2023-11-07 17:13
Marathoning is an intriguing, yet scary proposition. Since starting my competitive running journey off of a bet nine years ago, I have always wanted to master running the marathon distance… Read More
2023-09-11 12:17
“Speed through strength.” This sums up my experience running the 2023 edition of the New Balance 5th Ave Mile while in marathon training mode.
For the previous 11 weeks, I’… Read More
2023-05-21 13:02
As one of my top three NYRR races to run, this year’s edition of the 2023 Brooklyn Half Marathon did not disappoint. While a little bit cooler than the previous year, this race will al… Read More
2023-03-20 11:45
For my first race of 2023, I decided to run this year’s edition of the NYC Half. I’ve always had solid performances at this event. It’s where I set my personal best in 2017… Read More
2022-12-15 11:28
In 2021, I focused on training to arrive back in shape. This year, I continued to improve my strength, speed and most of all, my knowledge. Many transitions occurred this year with my family… Read More
2022-05-22 14:24
When scheduling races this year, I initially didn’t plan on running the Brooklyn Half. Sure, the start line is about two miles away from my house. Prospect Park is also my primary trai… Read More
2021-10-11 12:06
In 2019, I made a conscious effort to research how to improve my running. When starting to run in 2015, I looked towards the physiology of running, but ignored the mechanical side of it. So… Read More
2021-09-01 10:37
Some helpful running tips I’ve discovered along the way to improve my training:
1.) Watch your diet. Running a lot of volume doesn’t mean eating whatever you want.
2.) Occasional… Read More
2021-03-10 13:22
In many ways, being a musician prepared me for my discovery of running. I definitely wouldn’t have dreamed of taking up serious running 15 years ago as a freshman at a conservator… Read More
2020-11-10 22:38
Sorry for the absence of blogging this year. As we approach the end of 2020, I want to give a reflection and an update on my running goals.
Last year I made an effort to study more of the m… Read More
2019-12-14 15:36
I made many milestones this year with my running. I welcome you to read my 2019 entries by clicking the links below. I hope my journey inspires you to reach your best potential!
1.) 10… Read More
2019-12-08 18:37
Usually runners spend five full months preparing to run a marathon. For me, these past five months have dealt with running metrics. Why? Since discovering running over five years ago, I have… Read More
2019-11-04 20:05
My running in 2019 took an unexpected turn, but a well needed one. As I wrote in my Running Transformations post, I intended to focus on shorter distances with the goal of setting personal b… Read More
2019-09-05 23:24
When I began my running journey five years ago, my research towards self-improvement dealt with the physiology of the body. It took me till 2019 to focus on biomechanics; you know, how you m… Read More
2019-07-01 17:21
Parenting and running offers unique challenges, but with a little planning and the correct mindset, you can still train at a high level and run well. Before my son turned one, I managed to t… Read More
2019-04-18 02:02
I’m not sure why I always do well racing when I have a scheduled commitment later in the day. Sometimes in the days leading up towards a race, I have a really good feeling about them… Read More
2019-04-04 12:20
As I reflect back on what started out as initially as a bet in 2014, I still can’t believe I just hit the 10,000 mile mark with my running. I had absolutely no connection to the sport… Read More
2019-02-24 11:35
I turn 32 today. Here are some things that I’ve learned along the way:
My validation comes from God, not from others.
Vision means nothing without capacity. Believe in your abilities… Read More
2018-12-27 18:46
Kenya: the place where you can vacation and come back looking young and fit. Prior to leaving New York, I took an extended break from running after completing my sixth marathon. The primary… Read More
2018-11-12 15:06
It took seven years, but I finally made it to writing my 100th blog post. Check out some of my popular entries below.
As always, thanks for reading.
Nick
1.) Generating Ideas for Music… Read More
2018-10-31 15:02
With every pursuit, I would say I’m invested in the long-term. Year by year, I’m a fan of watching people come to new realizations that shape their own outlook on life. My outloo… Read More
2018-10-27 16:48
I have mixed feelings about the 2018 Kansas City Marathon. On one hand I have a connection to Kansas City that made the race worth running, but on the other the course presented multiple cha… Read More
2018-09-18 11:40
On October 20th, I’ll run my sixth marathon in Kansas City, MO (Missouri, not Kansas—everyone in the east coast thinks I’m running in Kansas). I lived there while attending… Read More
2018-07-09 20:42
I started training seriously at age 27. Throughout high school and college, athletics never entered my mind because I played and practiced music so much. If I didn’t play at a clu… Read More
2018-03-11 02:37
I started to take training more seriously at 27. I honestly didn’t know how far I would go or where it would take me. It started out as a bet with my wife on who could complete 3 loops… Read More
2018-02-06 12:21
Paying attention to recovery is vital to any successful regimen in life. Training for a marathon is no exception. Currently I’m working to achieve a personal best with my 5th marathon… Read More
2017-09-29 15:43
I decided to include a longer race as part of my preparation for the NYC Marathon in November. This summer I decided to focus on shorter distances, including running my first official 5k (16… Read More
2017-08-17 14:59
I learned about the Enda Iten shortly after I visited Iten, Kenya in December 2016. After having such a great experience with The Kenya Experience, I wanted to find out what made a great sho… Read More
2017-04-26 17:19
I had put off writing about my marathon experience until now: my first major marathon, my first Boston and my third time running the distance of 26 miles and 385 yards. The build up to this… Read More
2017-03-01 00:15
Thank you for reading my stories about my first experience in Kenya. I have enjoyed reflecting back on this adventure and I’m excited to head back in the future. In case you misse… Read More
2017-02-27 14:15
Here are recommendations for visiting Iten. Although I had a great experience regardless, bringing these items as well as taking advice from the locals made me feel at home.
Arrange to have… Read More
2017-02-24 03:07
I woke up early that morning for my last run before heading to Nairobi. I intended to not run too long, but caught one of our guide runners early. The views from that morning provided a grea… Read More
2017-02-20 14:42
My last full day in Iten began with breakfast. We were meeting Abel Kirui in the evening, but that morning we had a track workout. Before leaving I wanted to complete my last workout on a hi… Read More
2017-02-15 01:49
I felt at home the moment I stepped off the KLM plane in Nairobi. I’m not sure why. I looked forward to experiencing Kenyan culture. After all, I had never been on the other side of th… Read More
2017-02-07 20:46
When you mention to others that you plan to head to Kenya to run, most will think that you have a strong passion for running. The resurgence of distance running and health awareness in our c… Read More
2017-01-30 13:59
After our adventures on a safari in Lake Nakuru National Park and a day off on Saturday, my last Sunday in Kenya comprised of some great experiences. After our scheduled long run in Singore… Read More
2017-01-23 21:20
Out of all the days I spent in Kenya, none seemed as exciting as heading to Kamariny Track to watch Tuesday’s speed workout. Perhaps one of the most famous in the world, Kamariny Track… Read More
2017-01-16 22:05
During my time in Kenya I had the opportunity to visit Eldoret. It is the nearest city to Iten, which is about 40 kilometers away. Eldoret is the hometown for many Kenyan runners. It has a l… Read More
2017-01-10 13:45
Sunday started like any other day in Kenya. After arriving at our meet up spot we lightly jogged out to the main road in Iten. We took a different path this time and passed Kenya’s fam… Read More
2017-01-04 23:48
Before witnessing the Athletics Kenya Cross Country Series at St. Patrick’s High School in Iten, we went out for our group run. Leaving my room I looked at the overcast in the sky. The… Read More
2016-12-29 13:59
A bit tired and excited, I settled into my room at the High Altitude Training Centre in Iten. I walked outside to explore the compound. I heard the powerful subwoofers projecting music from… Read More
2016-12-23 12:49
November 30th. After spending some 17 hours in transit I looked towards the view from my window seat. The clouds looked like acacia trees. The cars were moving on the interstate. “This… Read More
2016-11-17 12:27
It’s been no secret that I’ve been focusing on my running quite a bit lately. I can’t stop thinking that later this month I’ll be traveling to Africa for the first ti… Read More
2016-10-04 17:58
As a musician by trait and a developing runner, I feel a connection between playing the guitar in different bands and training for different events. With both environments I need to feel the… Read More
2016-09-07 14:16
I’ll always remember the 2016 5th Ave Mile. This year, I officially met my goal of running under 5:00 with a time of 4:55. When I started to train for my first marathon in 2014, I gave… Read More
2016-08-24 20:32
Since running my last marathon in Colorado in May, I’m back to my regular training. Since resuming I can’t help but notice the benefits my running routine has had in other aspect… Read More
2016-08-01 20:18
In case you missed it, I’m traveling to a village in Kenya in December to train for two weeks. Out of this I’ve received a great opportunity to present a music conference during… Read More
2016-07-05 16:45
Summer is officially here. Hot temperatures, the sweltering sun as well as the high humidity can make running a much harder task. My solution is not to work hard, but to work smart. I’… Read More
2016-06-27 12:09
Would you believe me if I said running improves your ability to play music? As a musician I find the more I run, the better I play. You might ask, “How is this possible?” The stu… Read More
2016-06-11 11:43
In my last running post, I wrote five suggestions for those who wish to begin running. For musicians, running is not only a great way to exercise, but it also helps with clearing the mind fr… Read More
2016-06-01 11:11
I’m excited to announce that later this year I’m traveling to Kenya to train and learn from some of the best middle and long distance runners in the world. Since I began running… Read More
2016-05-14 11:55
Running has taken me on quiet the journey since I began to train more consistently 2 years ago. I originally took it up as an outlet to escape from practicing the guitar. At t… Read More
2016-05-03 15:12
Wow, what an adventure. After I ran my first marathon in San Francisco in July 2015, I knew that I wanted to give it a second try to break three hours. After I recovered from the San Francis… Read More
2016-04-24 13:58
Artistry. As a musician, that’s what I see with running. From the first time I saw the rhythm and coolness of the best east African runners, I knew running had a lot to offer for me if… Read More
2016-03-14 12:30
On Saturday I ran the Frozen Penguin Half-Marathon in Brooklyn, NY. My marathon in Colorado is coming up soon and I wanted to test the waters to see what I’m currently capable of runni… Read More
2015-12-28 20:48
As a guitarist it’s most essential to improve. Here are ten items that I’ve been thinking about from my encounters with other guitarists and through my own experience in teaching… Read More
2015-11-29 22:28
For the past three years on Thanksgiving my wife and I have participated in Prospect Park Track Club’s 5-mile Turkey Trot. When the registration opened a few months earlier, we made su… Read More
2015-11-18 21:09
At the beginning of October, I made a decision to work with a coach to reach my running goals. In this short amount of time I’ve adopted some essential routines to help me train at my… Read More
2015-11-07 01:00
Often times I’m amused how my preparations for running often mimic my preparations for learning or composing new music. Lately I’ve been trying to incorporate a new routine that… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
On the last Sunday of 2013, my fiancée and I attended Christian Cultural Center to hear A.R. Bernard preach. In usual comprehensive and profound A.R. fashion, he began to talk about t… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Click on the links below for all my 2013 writing. Be You What Happens When the Words The and IRS Combine? Theirs. The Ear The Perplexity of Guitar Notation Guide for New-Coming Musicians to… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
2013 has been an eye-opener for myself in many different ways. When I first moved to New York in October 2010, I had no idea I’d come even this far. I’m thankful for all the oppo… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
In my observations, people spend their mid-20′s approaching 30 two ways: 1.) Acting like they are still in high school or college. 2.) Developing a strong financial foundation for the… Read More
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