Focus on the Long Run
By Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP®
It is no secret that I hope to run a competitive time in the Boston Marathon. I logged over 56 miles per week during the summer months, mostly building what’s called “an aerobic base.” There were two short races, the Carver 5 miler (37:25) in July and the Stroudfest...
By Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP®
Ralph and Mark both attended one of the most highly regarded conferences in the financial services industry, LPL Financial’s annual Focus, held this July in Boston. This is a big event. 7000 people make it happen. Ralph and Mark arrived a day early to serve on special...
By Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP®
Little things can make a big difference. It has been over a decade since I got my first Garmin Forerunner watch. These devices use the GPS satellites to track running workouts, then sync the completed activities to software making it easy to analyze. After finishing a...
By Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP®
Running cadence is important. An optimal rate is about 180 steps per minute (SPM). With a slower cadence there’s a likelihood of overstriding, a common problem with novice runners often evidenced by severe heel striking. This situation in turn often leads to...
By Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP®
When I was younger, I could do a hard workout on a Saturday morning and still tackle a DIY project or make a good appearance at a family event. Heck, we went folk dancing the night I ran my Boston Marathon qualifying race. Not so ten years later, so I’ve decided that...
By Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP®
During the year before we moved into the offices in Tower Office Plaza, I averaged 187 running miles per month. In the three years since moving, the monthly average dropped to 107. Then, about a year ago, mom was diagnosed and subsequently passed from kidney cancer....
