Tomorrow is the first running day of my modified Pfitzinger training plan as I prepare for the 31st Annual Chicago Marathon. Instead of the standard 18 weeks, I shortened it to 16 (so that I would have enough time to recover from Burlington), but I nearly ran the first two weeks' worth of mileage without following the plan exactly. I'm looking forward to being back on the schedule, but I worry about being able to stick to it throughout the summer. While the early sunrise and mild temperatures are a runner's dream, summer is a time where the usual routine goes out the window. As any dedicated marathoner knows, we thrive on routine. Shake things up, and we get off our plans, or we have to make herculean efforts to stick with the program. I suspect that with vacations, long weekends, kids' camps, friends & family visiting and other unforeseen developments, I will need to be somewhat flexible. This is one reason why I chose not to do the 70-mile per week plan. If mid- to high-50's will feel challenging logistically (if not physically and psychologically), then another 15 miles (or 2 hours) of running would be nothing more than me courting a training disaster, or at least a major disappointment. Once I "master" Pfitz's 18/55 plan, I'll decide what's next. Also, running a decent marathon after a successful training cycle will help me decide that my body is ready for additional mileage.
Last week I ran nearly 40 miles in 5 runs, and my hips feel a bit fatigued, but not sore. I have been to one yoga class per week, and have done lower-body weightlifting the past few weeks, too. Squats and lunges made me sore last week, but not too bad, and I tweaked something in my lower back at the gym today. Wouldn't you know it, I felt fine until the very last set of exercises, regular dips (working mostly triceps, along with shoulders and chest, too), where I felt a little something as I dismounted. It's slightly tight right now, but I'll foam roll and stretch after I finish this.
Tomorrow calls for 8 miles, with 4 at tempo (or threshold) pace, which I'm going to do conservatively at about 7:30/mile. I would hope that is around my current half-marathon pace, which is the slow end of Pfitz' tempo range, but I don't want to jump back into fast running without being sensible. I have dropped a few faster miles into a few of my runs in the past few weeks, but the idea of averaging 7:38/mile for 26.2 miles is tough to wrap my mind around right now.
Which brings us to the mental aspects of training and racing. I just started reading Chi Running, by Danny Dreyer, a philosophy/running style designed to help runners run injury-free by releasing their natural chi, or energy, and getting all distractions (physical and mental) out of the way. I like the idea, but worry that I am simply not going to be able to focus and "believe" enough for it to work for me. My psyche is constantly at war between skepticism and a desire to believe. I realized earlier today that such tension may be my own little Yin Yang, but I'm not sure that's what Dreyer and other proponents of Eastern philosophies have in mind.
Given the dedication, discipline, passion, desire and energy which I have devoted to running (and which I remain committed to devoting for the foreseeable future), I would like to find a way to get from running something close to what I put in. That means faster times, yes, but it also means extending the running-as-relationship metaphor (be it the old "jealous mistress", or the current "love-hate" New Balance ad campaign; click here to see one ad in the series) so that I don't feel like the hyper-hormonal teenager constantly courting the object of my affections with no reciprocity. I hope and expect this relationship with running - especially at longer distances - to be requited someday, and soon.
In less than four months from now, as the air holds its pre-winter chill and the leaves have turned, I will be ready to run the marathon that I know I can run. I'll gladly make the sacrifices and do the training, but I'll need some luck along the way, not to mention on race day itself.
-ESG
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
What It's All About
From a technical performance standpoint, I did not have the greatest run this morning. But, the conditions made for a lovely early morning outing, where I felt very connected with nature and happy to be alive.
I turned my light out while reading Bart Yasso's book at about 10:30, almost an hour earlier than usual, and that must helped my get up at 4:55, before my alarm had the chance to awaken me (thus avoiding bothering my wife).
My legs felt a little sore and sluggish from Sunday's 12-miler and yesterday's weight-lifting session, but I smiled as I placed my watch on the window sill to pick up the satellite signal and saw a hummingbird floating at the feeder outside the kitchen window. What a magical little creature. [We just got a new digital camera, so I'll try to post the pics later.]
As I left my house and ducked into the woods, the air was cool and thick, with mist rising from the fields. I wore a long-sleeved tech shirt and shorts, and felt great temperature-wise during the entire run. I left my iPod at home, which I've been doing more and more often when I run on the trails. I could hear many birds singing their morning songs, and sensed that I just missed several deer along the way, as they must have high-tailed into the woods when they heard my loud plodding steps. I did startle one early-bird neighbor when I materialized from a trail behind his house.
My run took me through thick woods, alongside several streams, around a couple of ponds, along a bike path (next to the highway, but hey, can't have everything) and through open fields. I even got some unexpected "love" from a dozen black labs who were on a guided walk with one of our neighbors who trains them as a post-retirement job. I saw only one at first, but have been on the trails enough at that hour to know that others were nearby. Several jump-ups and licks later, I was on my way.
Because of the leg soreness, I did a little over 5 miles, knowing that this is my last week of "free" running before getting on the training plan. I'm going to try to do 8 plus strides tomorrow morning, as I increase my mileage level back to where it should be before jumping back in to marathon training.
This morning reminded me why I love running, and I'm thrilled to be feeling this way less than 4 weeks since my marathon disappointment and a week before revving up for the next one.
-ESG
I turned my light out while reading Bart Yasso's book at about 10:30, almost an hour earlier than usual, and that must helped my get up at 4:55, before my alarm had the chance to awaken me (thus avoiding bothering my wife).
My legs felt a little sore and sluggish from Sunday's 12-miler and yesterday's weight-lifting session, but I smiled as I placed my watch on the window sill to pick up the satellite signal and saw a hummingbird floating at the feeder outside the kitchen window. What a magical little creature. [We just got a new digital camera, so I'll try to post the pics later.]
As I left my house and ducked into the woods, the air was cool and thick, with mist rising from the fields. I wore a long-sleeved tech shirt and shorts, and felt great temperature-wise during the entire run. I left my iPod at home, which I've been doing more and more often when I run on the trails. I could hear many birds singing their morning songs, and sensed that I just missed several deer along the way, as they must have high-tailed into the woods when they heard my loud plodding steps. I did startle one early-bird neighbor when I materialized from a trail behind his house.
My run took me through thick woods, alongside several streams, around a couple of ponds, along a bike path (next to the highway, but hey, can't have everything) and through open fields. I even got some unexpected "love" from a dozen black labs who were on a guided walk with one of our neighbors who trains them as a post-retirement job. I saw only one at first, but have been on the trails enough at that hour to know that others were nearby. Several jump-ups and licks later, I was on my way.
Because of the leg soreness, I did a little over 5 miles, knowing that this is my last week of "free" running before getting on the training plan. I'm going to try to do 8 plus strides tomorrow morning, as I increase my mileage level back to where it should be before jumping back in to marathon training.
This morning reminded me why I love running, and I'm thrilled to be feeling this way less than 4 weeks since my marathon disappointment and a week before revving up for the next one.
-ESG
Monday, June 16, 2008
Happy Father's Day
FATHER'S DAY
It was nice to be "king for a day", being lavished with gifts, allowed to do whatever I wanted (mostly). My family got me a bunch of gifts, with the biggie a gas grill, to be delivered when the neighbors from whom my wife purchased it move on July 1st.
The best purchased gift, though, is the "Disappearing Civil Liberties" coffee mug, a brilliant piece of political commentary and social satire. The mug has the 10 amendments of the Bill of Rights printed on it. When filled with a hot beverage, most of the text fades away. The only constitutional provisions left are the right to bear arms, the "takings" clause of the 5th Amendment, and the reference to State's rights in the Tenth Amendment. Of course, if anyone from the government is reading this, I'd just like to thank you for doing whatever it takes to keep us all safe.
In the "Best Homemade Gift " category, the winner is the scrapbook my wife and kids put together of my running "career". Specifically, the drawing my youngest daughter made. Oldest kids' drawings were clear representations of Dad running along (including even one of Dad running to an overall race victory - bless my son's heart). But the almost-5 year-old drew a blue figure next to a pinkish/purplish figure. My wife wrote the caption exactly as dictated to her: "Daddy running against Hillary Clinton for President of the United States". Friggin' hysterical! I've been saying that I was in the lead, but Bill tripped me and Hillary ended up winning. Not sure what kind of shape she's in, but I know Hillary would put up a heck of a fight until the finish line . . . and possibly beyond.
RUNNING
I'm feeling close to being "back" and I am planning on ramping back up to 35-40 miles this week in anticipation of jumping back into my formal training program as of next week (16 weeks pre-Chicago). I ran a little over 6 miles on the trails on Saturday, which felt good. Then, after receiving my presents yesterday, I went out for a 10-mile run, but decided to just sort of go and see what happened. It was cool (low 60's) but super-humid, and I was a cool, sweaty mess less than a mile into the run. Still, it was great to get out there, sub-9:00 miles felt pretty easy, and I ended up doing almost 12 miles, with the last mile starting at around 7:30 pace and finishing at under 6:30/mile pace. It was great to get moving like that again.
Today I did squats, lunges, cable exercises, a full upper body circuit and some core/abs work, along with some easy stretching. I've attended two Yoga classes total so far (wish it was more, but scheduling has been a bear), and I'm very much enjoying it. Being the only guy and having very nice, knowledgeable and aesthetically pleasing instructors certainly doesn't hurt my motivation, but it's been enlightening to see how I have some strengths and clear weaknesses in terms of flexibility and strength.
The rest of the week looks kind of like this:
- Tuesday - 8 miles (with a few strides)
- Wednesday - 5-6 miles
- Thursday - 5-6 miles
- Friday - No running, but stretching and yoga or hip/leg strength training
- Saturday - 6 miles (trails)
- Sunday - 13+ miles
I hope to be feeling strong and limber, and will be smart during this training cycle. If I run a race that's not on the schedule, I will allow myself to recover.
Whether or not I will qualify for Boston is something which nags at me daily, and I may write a long post about why it means as much as it does to me (once I figure it out).
-ESG
Monday, June 9, 2008
Feelin hot, hot, hot . . .
The year's first bona fide heat wave arrived with little warning on Saturday. After cool, drizzly weather on Friday (rendering my son's school field trip less than pleasant), we got hit with triple-digit temperatures throughout the weekend.
While the heat didn't help my pace any, I did get out on both Saturday and Sunday. I ran almost 7 miles on the trails starting at noon on Saturday, which was slow, but bearable. I bumped into a 60 year-old running club mate, who re-ran Boston this year for the time in over a decade. It was nice to get a couple of miles in with him.
I got out earlier on Sunday, hoping to do between 8 and 10 miles. Less than 2 miles into it, though, it became clear that 10 was going to be too much, so I ended up cutting the road part short and doing the last couple of miles in the woods again, which seems to make a 10-degree difference. Total was a little less than 8.5 miles, with which I was satisfied. I also enjoyed the This American Life podcast about a federal prosecutor vilified by the US Justice Department for his handling of a terrorist prosecution. Pretty powerful stuff about how the government can flex its muscle, even turning on one of its own, when it wants to keep people in line.
Both runs ended with the kids and me taking a refreshing dip in the pond near our home. Now that my youngest can ride a two-wheeler (she turns 5 this month), we can make the mile-long trip quickly and efficiently. We also survived my son's 100-degree baseball game on Sunday, and I bought three more fans for the house. Trying to avoid A/C in an effort to be a bit more green, but if it stays like this we may crack.
The good running news is that my hips are feeling good, though I did seem to tweak something last week at my first yoga class. My left biceps femoris (part of my hamstring) has been sore since last Wednesday. It had a greater impact at the office bowling tournament (where I went from bad to terrible) than it has during my runs.
This week (Monday, June 9th) would be the beginning of an 18-week Chicago buildup, but I'm not "officially" starting my plan until June 23rd, though I'll probably run about the same mileage as if I did. Psychologically, I just need the break from the schedule, knowing I can shake things up how I want.
I have a busy month ahead, both work and family-wise, with lots to do before summer vacation in July. There may not be too much about which to post in this time, so enjoy the respite from my pointless ramblings. On the other hand, as faithful readers, lack of inspiring content doesn't usually slow me down. :-)
-ESG
While the heat didn't help my pace any, I did get out on both Saturday and Sunday. I ran almost 7 miles on the trails starting at noon on Saturday, which was slow, but bearable. I bumped into a 60 year-old running club mate, who re-ran Boston this year for the time in over a decade. It was nice to get a couple of miles in with him.
I got out earlier on Sunday, hoping to do between 8 and 10 miles. Less than 2 miles into it, though, it became clear that 10 was going to be too much, so I ended up cutting the road part short and doing the last couple of miles in the woods again, which seems to make a 10-degree difference. Total was a little less than 8.5 miles, with which I was satisfied. I also enjoyed the This American Life podcast about a federal prosecutor vilified by the US Justice Department for his handling of a terrorist prosecution. Pretty powerful stuff about how the government can flex its muscle, even turning on one of its own, when it wants to keep people in line.
Both runs ended with the kids and me taking a refreshing dip in the pond near our home. Now that my youngest can ride a two-wheeler (she turns 5 this month), we can make the mile-long trip quickly and efficiently. We also survived my son's 100-degree baseball game on Sunday, and I bought three more fans for the house. Trying to avoid A/C in an effort to be a bit more green, but if it stays like this we may crack.
The good running news is that my hips are feeling good, though I did seem to tweak something last week at my first yoga class. My left biceps femoris (part of my hamstring) has been sore since last Wednesday. It had a greater impact at the office bowling tournament (where I went from bad to terrible) than it has during my runs.
This week (Monday, June 9th) would be the beginning of an 18-week Chicago buildup, but I'm not "officially" starting my plan until June 23rd, though I'll probably run about the same mileage as if I did. Psychologically, I just need the break from the schedule, knowing I can shake things up how I want.
I have a busy month ahead, both work and family-wise, with lots to do before summer vacation in July. There may not be too much about which to post in this time, so enjoy the respite from my pointless ramblings. On the other hand, as faithful readers, lack of inspiring content doesn't usually slow me down. :-)
-ESG
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Y-O-G-A, yoga!
The title of this post needs to be sung to the tune of the Kinks' "Lola". Don't ask why that's been bouncing around in my head. I'm thinking, "Well I'm not the world's most flexible guy, but when stretch my hips I feel I can fly thanks to yoga, y-o-g-a, yoga . . . ." Since I presume my readers to be decent people, I'll spare you any further indignities on this riff.
Yesterday marked my first formal yoga class ever. I took an introductory level Ashtanga class at a well-regarded local studio. I was the last one to arrive (but wasn't late) and I found a cozy corner on the floor near the radiator. Of the 20-plus people in the class, I was the only guy. Being the sole male and a beginner to boot was a bit intimidating, but I stayed relaxed and tried to focus on the instructor (a very easy target upon which to focus, if you catch my drift). I had spoken with her briefly before class, told her I'm a semi-injured runner seeking greater hip strength and flexibility (along with general body awareness and perhaps even some enhanced inner peace) and she told me that she's training for her first half-marathon. We agreed that if she gets me through yoga, I'll help her train for her fall race. It was a good start.
Although billed as a Level I class, there was a clear range of ability in the room. I think a couple of others were new like me, and certainly not everyone - including me - could do every posture correctly. Our instructor was great about offering variations in order to make a given move or posture easier or more challenging, depending on our preferences. I found that I have decent flexibility for the most part, but that some aspects of the routine were very rigorous.
As we went through different series of movements, my leg would occasionally buckle from fatigue. I sweat profusely, something my young yoga neighbor must have found extremely off-putting. The instructor came over a few times during the 90-minute class to tweak my leg or arm position, check my hips or otherwise ensure that my form was correct. She told me later she usually comes over more often with the newbies, but that I seemed to be catching on quickly. All the running-related stretching and consistent core work seems to have given me a decent yoga "base".
The plan now is to figure out how to do yoga at least twice a week, either on non-running or easy running days. Once I get better at it, then I won't need to work it in based on available class schedules, and can instead do it on my own at home in the early morning or after the kids go to bed. In addition to yoga, I'll be doing some very specific hip exercises, designed to strengthen my weak areas and to correct some of the muscle imbalances that have resulted from running through the various hip-related troubles I've had in the past couple of years.
Yesterday marked my first formal yoga class ever. I took an introductory level Ashtanga class at a well-regarded local studio. I was the last one to arrive (but wasn't late) and I found a cozy corner on the floor near the radiator. Of the 20-plus people in the class, I was the only guy. Being the sole male and a beginner to boot was a bit intimidating, but I stayed relaxed and tried to focus on the instructor (a very easy target upon which to focus, if you catch my drift). I had spoken with her briefly before class, told her I'm a semi-injured runner seeking greater hip strength and flexibility (along with general body awareness and perhaps even some enhanced inner peace) and she told me that she's training for her first half-marathon. We agreed that if she gets me through yoga, I'll help her train for her fall race. It was a good start.
Although billed as a Level I class, there was a clear range of ability in the room. I think a couple of others were new like me, and certainly not everyone - including me - could do every posture correctly. Our instructor was great about offering variations in order to make a given move or posture easier or more challenging, depending on our preferences. I found that I have decent flexibility for the most part, but that some aspects of the routine were very rigorous.
As we went through different series of movements, my leg would occasionally buckle from fatigue. I sweat profusely, something my young yoga neighbor must have found extremely off-putting. The instructor came over a few times during the 90-minute class to tweak my leg or arm position, check my hips or otherwise ensure that my form was correct. She told me later she usually comes over more often with the newbies, but that I seemed to be catching on quickly. All the running-related stretching and consistent core work seems to have given me a decent yoga "base".
The plan now is to figure out how to do yoga at least twice a week, either on non-running or easy running days. Once I get better at it, then I won't need to work it in based on available class schedules, and can instead do it on my own at home in the early morning or after the kids go to bed. In addition to yoga, I'll be doing some very specific hip exercises, designed to strengthen my weak areas and to correct some of the muscle imbalances that have resulted from running through the various hip-related troubles I've had in the past couple of years.
Recent Running Report
Not counting the 2 miles I limped through the day after the marathon, I have now run a grand total of twice since. I ran about 7 easy trail miles on Sunday, a gorgeous day where I kept seeing people I know on bikes or walking in the woods. That felt okay, though I tried to be clever by exploring a new path and ended up at a dead-end where I had to bushwhack my way back to one of the familiar trails. Factoring in the walking parts, my pace was just under 10-minutes per mile.
This morning I went out for what was going to be 5 miles, but turned into nearly 7, since I took a new, not-yet-open-for-traffic parkway to see what it was like, and ended up tacking on some extra distance. It was cool-ish, but very muggy, and I ran the last mile or so in a light rain. I was listening to my virtual friend Steve Runner pace his friend Kathy to a new PR for her in a 10K on Long Island a couple of weeks ago, and it was nice to run in the early morning for the first time in weeks.
The "easy" pace still felt a bit labored, and my left glute was tight, but just being on the move was restorative. I sweat a ton, and wished I'd either hydrated a bit better in advance or had brought some fluids with me.
On Saturday, I'm probably going to run a trail race, but will truly, really, undoubtedly take it easy. It's a 6-miler through some public forests, with good hills and some semi-technical descents, so there's no point in going hard to risk re-injuring the hips or twisting an ankle. I'm trying to do as much as I can on trails, because it's less pounding on the body and it's so much nicer than road running, but I'm in no shape to going out hard and seeing how long I can hold on.
The Next Training Cycle
I've pretty much decided to repeat the Pfitzinger 18-week, 55 miles peak per week plan (Pfitz 18/55) again this cycle, but will join the plan in week #3 to make it a 16-week buildup. The first two weeks are pretty easy anyway, 32 & 36 miles, respectively. I'll probably run that without being on the plan, but it'll allow me to shake up the mileage and the running days based on how I feel. I'm also going to adapt the plan to train around the 3 or 4 races I'd like to run this summer, substituting 5Ks for speedwork and "mini-tapering" for and recovering from anything that's 10K or longer.
Yoga and strengthening will take center stage on non-running days, and possibly on easy days, too. My PT will see me every other or every third week and weekly chiropractic appointments will round out the regimen. At some point I will need to see my family and make an appearance at work, but I am still thinking (or deluding myself?) that qualifying for Boston 2009 is still a possibility. At this point, I'll enter this next training cycle with cautious optimism, knowing that if I can complete the 18/55 plan and arrive in Chicago healthy, I'll have a shot at running 3:20. I know I'll need everything to come together perfectly, but I'm going to try to set myself up to have that chance.
-ESG
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Keybank Vermont City Race Report
I am now officially humbled by the marathon.
I ran the Keybank Vermont City Marathon in a bit over 3 hours and 48 minutes, a huge disappointment in terms of what I had trained to run. I was not disappointed in my performance on that particular day, given the twists and turns my training took over the past couple of months, but the time was far from what I had hoped for.
Here is a (long) recap of the weekend. Read at your own risk, and don't blame me if you fall asleep in your chair as you do.
FRIDAY
It was a long drive up on Friday, made longer by my oldest daughter's being car sick for most of the ride. We stopped a few times, and got into Burlington around 7:00 p.m. At that point, going out to eat seemed like a big mistake, so we got take out from the restaurant closest to the hotel. It was a delicious meal, probably the best food I've ever eaten out of a Styrofoam container. The little ones only picked at their grilled cheese and french fries, unable to appreciate the hand-cut fries and homemade sourdough bread. They all ended up watching TV until 10:00 p.m., and then slept three-across on the king size bed on the bottom of our lofted hotel suite. My wife and I followed soon after, and got a decent night's sleep.
SATURDAY
Up at 7:00 a.m. (hooray for sleeping in) for the hotel's not-so-bad continental-plus breakfast. My 7-year old son was registered for the Y.A.M. Scram 1-mile run, and he was fired up. It was a beautifully bright, cool morning, and I wistfully wished that Sunday's weather would be the same (it was forecast to be warmer). We made our way to Waterfront Park, where we waited around for the pre-Scram festivities. I saw Bill Rodgers from afar, and Bart Yasso from a-near.
My son was unbelievably psyched to get his race bib and t-shirt, and he stretched and "warmed-up" like a pro. I told him to run the first half-mile loop nice and easy, and to pick up the pace if he felt good during the second loop. He started in middle-rear of the huge pack, and seemed to listen to the pre-race advice. I crossed the field so I could see him come by on the other side of the loop, and he looked good. He went through the half-way point looking strong, and was still chugging along when I saw him at about the ¾-mile mark. His ever-helpful big sister watched the finish line like a hawk, and calculated that he finished 165th (out of about 350-400 kids) in a gun time of 10:35, which would probably have been a net time of closer to 10:05. I was very proud of him, and he beamed as he got his medal, which I think he's still wearing days later.
We worked our way out of the crowds, the kids played on some rocks on the edge of Lake Champlain, and we decided that my wife would take then to the aquarium while I went to the Expo to pick up my number, chip, etc.
At the Expo, I chatted with Bart Yasso, bought his book (which he signed) and thanked him for sharing his running adventures with us mere mortals. He was gracious, friendly and humble, and he even gave me his card. I now have Bart Yasso's cell phone number! I did keep quiet about how the prevailing opinion in the marathoning community is that his "Yasso 800's" do not accurately predict marathon race time. The idea and its symmetry is nice, but it simply doesn't take endurance into account in terms of forecasting what will happen in the final miles of a full marathon.
We ended up having a nice lunch on Church Street, Burlington's lovely pedestrian boulevard. I delivered on the promise to buy the kids waffle cones at Ben & Jerry's, since my son had run his best that morning. We did a lot of eating throughout the weekend.
After lunch, it was getting late, and I needed to get off my feet. I'd wanted to run 2-3 miles, hopefully up the much-ballyhooed Battery Street hill, but I decided it'd be best to get back to the hotel and take it easy. For the first hour there, my kids loudly tried to be quiet, and my wife finally took them out for a tour of the spectacular Shelburne Farm (see below) from about 4-5:30. I couldn't really sleep, so I laid out my race clothes, checking and re-checking to make sure I had everything in order.
We had a reservation to meet a co-worker and her marathon support crew for dinner at Buono's Italian Restaurant just over the line in Shelburne, where we ate basic Italian fare. When my co-worker ordered Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, I couldn't believe it (I'm no fan of cream sauce in general, but before a marathon, blech!). I ate bread, salad and spaghetti with plain tomato sauce and grilled chicken, plus a purported Reese's peanut butter pie for dessert (disappointing). We drank lots and lots of water, and the waitress figured out to leave the carafes on the table for us.
We took a short sightseeing drive after dinner, and had the kids asleep by 9:00. My wife and started watching a movie, but we both got sleepy at about 10:00 p.m. Lights out, with a 5:30 alarm setting for a 6:45 shuttle bus from the hotel to the start.
SUNDAY
It was a beautiful, sunny, cool morning on Sunday in Burlington. The hotel adjusted the breakfast schedule and put the spread out at 6:00 instead of 6:30 (as one of the desk clerks said, "We wouldn't you all to get hungry while you're jogging.") After consuming my bagel and cream cheese, two small cups of terribly weak coffee, a banana and lots of water, I got dressed and made my way down to the hotel entrance to catch the shuttle.
Mist rose gently off of Lake Champlain, and I wondered whether to wear something more substantial than the triathlon singlet which zips ¾ of the way down (same thing I wore in Chicago). I had my gels ready to go in my RaceReady shorts' pockets. I was feeling good and very hopeful about just getting moving, putting all of the training to the test. Yes, I harbored some apprehension, but I figured I was going to enjoy myself no matter what.
As I milled about in the starting area, I drank water, took a last CarbBoom gel, used the port-a-potties (a couple of times). I chatted with people whose prior race shirts and jackets piqued my interest, including a woman who may end up being one of my daughter's teachers when she starts junior high next fall. I went to the bag check area and asked one of the volunteers if she'd mind writing my name on my upper arms in Sharpie. She gladly did so, I checked my pack, kept my running gloves with me just in case (never needed them, though) and worked my way towards the starting area. I lined up a couple of rows behind the 8:00/mile pacer, sang the Star Spangled Banner (hat off), saluted servicemen and women in light of it being Memorial Day Weekend and chatted with the guys to my left and right as we waited for the wheelchair participants to take off. Then came the countdown to the runners' start and off we went. It took me less than a minute to cross the starting line. I pressed the start button on my Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch and I tried to settle into a mellow pace.
I took the first, mostly uphill mile in 8:30-ish, and noted that the Garmin was registering about 0.02 long, meaning that the watch measured 1.02 at the first mile marker. I saw my family at around Mile 3, and I tried to flash them a huge smile. I had picked up the pace as the terrain leveled off and then settled into a rhythm, ticking off mile after mile in the 8:05 to 8:10 range. I felt good, strong, smooth. My feet, calves, thighs, shoulders, arms, head and breathing all felt great. I could feel the slightest nag in my left hip, but it was so minor that I paid it no heed. The temperatures felt really nice, and the course was mostly lovely. The highway out & back wasn't great, leading to the first significant hill in mile 8, and the industrial area around mile 11 wasn't the most attractive, but there was constant crowd support, and well-placed aid stations. Each station had - bless them - clearly marked water versus Gatorade, along with Vaseline on cardboard slabs. I drank at each early aid station, knowing it would warm up and not wanting cramps to get the best of me. At least I learned something from the Chicago experience.
Things continued along nicely, and I crossed the half-way mark (bypassing one of the relay exchange zones) in almost exactly 1:48. I figured that if I continued to feel this good, I'd have a shot at low 3:30's, with which I'd have been thrilled.
Everything still seemed fine after the half-way mark, but - looking back - I did start to slow down incrementally. I still felt good going into the next couple of miles, and was psyched for the "Assault on Battery" in the 16th mile. I was waving my arms to get the crowd into it and I took the hill with a nice, smooth effort. I saw my family again near the top, cheering, ringing a cow bell and holding up a great sign. I pointed and smiled at them, and I felt like I was on top of the world. I'd slowed down only a bit on that hill, my HR climbed (but not too much) and I saw some friends cheering along the course just a moment later. Everything felt good. Then, somewhat suddenly, I noticed my pace start to drift. I tried to focus on staying on pace, but seemed to be having a harder time doing so.
One course highlight was the African immigrants cheering, with their beautifully lilting accents and brightly colored traditional garb, "You can do it! You can do it!". There were stretches with little or no crowd support, and I was still enjoying myself, despite noticeably slowing down 10-15 seconds per mile. I continued hydrating and taking gels according to my pre-race plan. I was still in the ball park for a mid-3:30's finish. As I reached the 20-mile mark, though, I started to feel my hips tighten. They didn't hurt exactly, but I felt restricted in terms of my stride. I also started to feel the balls of my feet striking the ground uncomfortably hard. I questioned the wisdom of wearing the lighter weight shoes, but I think I would have felt something similar no matter which shoes I'd chosen. I was hurting, psychologically as much as anything, and I turned down the frozen ice pops that some folks were offering in one of the course's residential sections. Maye I should have taken one.
I tried desperately to stay focused, to think about training, some of my inspirational songs (I might have put my iPod in here if I'd brought it), my family, my running friends, all the motivational stories I've heard and read. But, alas, the tightening hips prevailed, and the miles grew longer, the effort greater. I had to stop to stretch; I had to walk. Dozens upon dozens of people passed me, and I just started looking at my watch to figure out how fast I needed to go to get in under 3:50. I ran until my hips wouldn't let me run anymore, then I'd stretch and/or walk. Others were cramping and walking, too, and we'd say something encouraging or pat one another on the shoulder as we passed each other. I had my slowest, tough mile at 24, and then I just forced myself to find a rhythm - however slow - to the finish. I also noticed that my heart rate was dropping as my pace slowed. That was frustrating because I knew I had more fitness than I could seem to access. As I wrote to my RW forum-mates, my healing hips just couldn't sustain the workload for an 8:10-ish pace past 20 miles.
The real race in the marathon begins at that mark, and it took me an hour-plus to cover that last 10K. As we approached Battery Park, the adrenaline kicked in. When I saw the 26-mile sign, I dug deep, and ran that final 0.2 at about a 6:35/mile pace, passing a dozen or more people along the way. I saw my family somewhere before the finish line, smiled and gave them the thumbs up, and crossed the finish line with the clock reading under 3:50. My net time was closer to 3:48, but still a disappointment in that it did not reflect my training effort. In other words, I did not get out of this race what I think I put into it. I got my medal (nice and heavy!) and worked my way to the food tent, which was fine except that everything was sweet (bananas, yogurt, cookies, ice cream, etc.). I wanted SALT, and lots of it. I got my bag from the gear check and called my wife's cell phone. She was at the other end of the park, which seemed an eternity away, but I had to get to her, since navigating the crowds with the 3 kids would prove too tough for her.
I reached my family, hugged my wife and started to cry, mostly a release of all the emotions built up since last fall and the disappointment in Chicago. There is plenty of good to take from this training cycle and race, but my ego is clearly bruised (and I, consequently, am humbled) by the fact that I'm 0-2 in terms of reaching my marathon goals.
AFTER THE RACE
I missed the massage tent, and my kids and I hung out as my wife trekked up to get the van. We went back to the hotel, where I showered and packed, before stopping for bagels on our way to the highway. Wearing my medal (family agreed it was a bit goofy, but within the bounds of acceptable behavior), I ordered lunch and the guy at the counter said, "Did you really finish second in the marathon?" I was befuddled, then realized he must have keyed onto the 2 in "20th Anniversary", along with the fact that the medal is silver. I laughed and said, "Not quite", as visions of what might have been still danced in my head.
The drive home was less uncomfortable than I expected, but we stopped about half-way because my wife was getting sleepy. I was glad to drive the rest of the home. At least I was able to keep the pace while behind the wheel.
The late-afternoon and evening were mellow, and my first cocktail (a Dark-n-Stormy) in weeks tasted really, really good. I basically ate myself to sleep that night, reliving the good, bad and ugly parts of the race in my mind.
As I conclude this race report, the soreness in my legs is subsiding, as is the sense that I let myself and some of my more supportive friends (real-life and virtual) down in terms of delivering a decent performance when it counted.
Yet, I know have actually run a marathon in decent conditions. I held myself back in the early going. I ran a consistent pace for as long as my body would allow. I've logged numerous 50+ mile weeks. I survived a terrible winter without letting the weather interfere with my running schedule. I got a 5K PR in the midst of my first 60-mile week.
Most importantly, I don't feel so much defeated as I do motivated to "get it right" this next time around. I'm still debating what training plan to adopt, whether to stick with Pfitzinger, use another plan or write my own. I don't know whether to increase my mileage or focus on more faster running. But I do know that my love of running remains, despite the fact that it is proving to be a fickle mistress. While I may or may not get to Boston in 2009, I do expect to remain in a relationship with running for a long time to come.
I ran the Keybank Vermont City Marathon in a bit over 3 hours and 48 minutes, a huge disappointment in terms of what I had trained to run. I was not disappointed in my performance on that particular day, given the twists and turns my training took over the past couple of months, but the time was far from what I had hoped for.
Here is a (long) recap of the weekend. Read at your own risk, and don't blame me if you fall asleep in your chair as you do.
FRIDAY
It was a long drive up on Friday, made longer by my oldest daughter's being car sick for most of the ride. We stopped a few times, and got into Burlington around 7:00 p.m. At that point, going out to eat seemed like a big mistake, so we got take out from the restaurant closest to the hotel. It was a delicious meal, probably the best food I've ever eaten out of a Styrofoam container. The little ones only picked at their grilled cheese and french fries, unable to appreciate the hand-cut fries and homemade sourdough bread. They all ended up watching TV until 10:00 p.m., and then slept three-across on the king size bed on the bottom of our lofted hotel suite. My wife and I followed soon after, and got a decent night's sleep.
SATURDAY
Up at 7:00 a.m. (hooray for sleeping in) for the hotel's not-so-bad continental-plus breakfast. My 7-year old son was registered for the Y.A.M. Scram 1-mile run, and he was fired up. It was a beautifully bright, cool morning, and I wistfully wished that Sunday's weather would be the same (it was forecast to be warmer). We made our way to Waterfront Park, where we waited around for the pre-Scram festivities. I saw Bill Rodgers from afar, and Bart Yasso from a-near.
My son was unbelievably psyched to get his race bib and t-shirt, and he stretched and "warmed-up" like a pro. I told him to run the first half-mile loop nice and easy, and to pick up the pace if he felt good during the second loop. He started in middle-rear of the huge pack, and seemed to listen to the pre-race advice. I crossed the field so I could see him come by on the other side of the loop, and he looked good. He went through the half-way point looking strong, and was still chugging along when I saw him at about the ¾-mile mark. His ever-helpful big sister watched the finish line like a hawk, and calculated that he finished 165th (out of about 350-400 kids) in a gun time of 10:35, which would probably have been a net time of closer to 10:05. I was very proud of him, and he beamed as he got his medal, which I think he's still wearing days later.
We worked our way out of the crowds, the kids played on some rocks on the edge of Lake Champlain, and we decided that my wife would take then to the aquarium while I went to the Expo to pick up my number, chip, etc.
At the Expo, I chatted with Bart Yasso, bought his book (which he signed) and thanked him for sharing his running adventures with us mere mortals. He was gracious, friendly and humble, and he even gave me his card. I now have Bart Yasso's cell phone number! I did keep quiet about how the prevailing opinion in the marathoning community is that his "Yasso 800's" do not accurately predict marathon race time. The idea and its symmetry is nice, but it simply doesn't take endurance into account in terms of forecasting what will happen in the final miles of a full marathon.
We ended up having a nice lunch on Church Street, Burlington's lovely pedestrian boulevard. I delivered on the promise to buy the kids waffle cones at Ben & Jerry's, since my son had run his best that morning. We did a lot of eating throughout the weekend.
After lunch, it was getting late, and I needed to get off my feet. I'd wanted to run 2-3 miles, hopefully up the much-ballyhooed Battery Street hill, but I decided it'd be best to get back to the hotel and take it easy. For the first hour there, my kids loudly tried to be quiet, and my wife finally took them out for a tour of the spectacular Shelburne Farm (see below) from about 4-5:30. I couldn't really sleep, so I laid out my race clothes, checking and re-checking to make sure I had everything in order.
We had a reservation to meet a co-worker and her marathon support crew for dinner at Buono's Italian Restaurant just over the line in Shelburne, where we ate basic Italian fare. When my co-worker ordered Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, I couldn't believe it (I'm no fan of cream sauce in general, but before a marathon, blech!). I ate bread, salad and spaghetti with plain tomato sauce and grilled chicken, plus a purported Reese's peanut butter pie for dessert (disappointing). We drank lots and lots of water, and the waitress figured out to leave the carafes on the table for us.
We took a short sightseeing drive after dinner, and had the kids asleep by 9:00. My wife and started watching a movie, but we both got sleepy at about 10:00 p.m. Lights out, with a 5:30 alarm setting for a 6:45 shuttle bus from the hotel to the start.
SUNDAY
It was a beautiful, sunny, cool morning on Sunday in Burlington. The hotel adjusted the breakfast schedule and put the spread out at 6:00 instead of 6:30 (as one of the desk clerks said, "We wouldn't you all to get hungry while you're jogging.") After consuming my bagel and cream cheese, two small cups of terribly weak coffee, a banana and lots of water, I got dressed and made my way down to the hotel entrance to catch the shuttle.
Mist rose gently off of Lake Champlain, and I wondered whether to wear something more substantial than the triathlon singlet which zips ¾ of the way down (same thing I wore in Chicago). I had my gels ready to go in my RaceReady shorts' pockets. I was feeling good and very hopeful about just getting moving, putting all of the training to the test. Yes, I harbored some apprehension, but I figured I was going to enjoy myself no matter what.
As I milled about in the starting area, I drank water, took a last CarbBoom gel, used the port-a-potties (a couple of times). I chatted with people whose prior race shirts and jackets piqued my interest, including a woman who may end up being one of my daughter's teachers when she starts junior high next fall. I went to the bag check area and asked one of the volunteers if she'd mind writing my name on my upper arms in Sharpie. She gladly did so, I checked my pack, kept my running gloves with me just in case (never needed them, though) and worked my way towards the starting area. I lined up a couple of rows behind the 8:00/mile pacer, sang the Star Spangled Banner (hat off), saluted servicemen and women in light of it being Memorial Day Weekend and chatted with the guys to my left and right as we waited for the wheelchair participants to take off. Then came the countdown to the runners' start and off we went. It took me less than a minute to cross the starting line. I pressed the start button on my Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch and I tried to settle into a mellow pace.
THE FIRST HALF OF THE RACE
I took the first, mostly uphill mile in 8:30-ish, and noted that the Garmin was registering about 0.02 long, meaning that the watch measured 1.02 at the first mile marker. I saw my family at around Mile 3, and I tried to flash them a huge smile. I had picked up the pace as the terrain leveled off and then settled into a rhythm, ticking off mile after mile in the 8:05 to 8:10 range. I felt good, strong, smooth. My feet, calves, thighs, shoulders, arms, head and breathing all felt great. I could feel the slightest nag in my left hip, but it was so minor that I paid it no heed. The temperatures felt really nice, and the course was mostly lovely. The highway out & back wasn't great, leading to the first significant hill in mile 8, and the industrial area around mile 11 wasn't the most attractive, but there was constant crowd support, and well-placed aid stations. Each station had - bless them - clearly marked water versus Gatorade, along with Vaseline on cardboard slabs. I drank at each early aid station, knowing it would warm up and not wanting cramps to get the best of me. At least I learned something from the Chicago experience.
Things continued along nicely, and I crossed the half-way mark (bypassing one of the relay exchange zones) in almost exactly 1:48. I figured that if I continued to feel this good, I'd have a shot at low 3:30's, with which I'd have been thrilled.
THE SECOND HALF
Everything still seemed fine after the half-way mark, but - looking back - I did start to slow down incrementally. I still felt good going into the next couple of miles, and was psyched for the "Assault on Battery" in the 16th mile. I was waving my arms to get the crowd into it and I took the hill with a nice, smooth effort. I saw my family again near the top, cheering, ringing a cow bell and holding up a great sign. I pointed and smiled at them, and I felt like I was on top of the world. I'd slowed down only a bit on that hill, my HR climbed (but not too much) and I saw some friends cheering along the course just a moment later. Everything felt good. Then, somewhat suddenly, I noticed my pace start to drift. I tried to focus on staying on pace, but seemed to be having a harder time doing so.
One course highlight was the African immigrants cheering, with their beautifully lilting accents and brightly colored traditional garb, "You can do it! You can do it!". There were stretches with little or no crowd support, and I was still enjoying myself, despite noticeably slowing down 10-15 seconds per mile. I continued hydrating and taking gels according to my pre-race plan. I was still in the ball park for a mid-3:30's finish. As I reached the 20-mile mark, though, I started to feel my hips tighten. They didn't hurt exactly, but I felt restricted in terms of my stride. I also started to feel the balls of my feet striking the ground uncomfortably hard. I questioned the wisdom of wearing the lighter weight shoes, but I think I would have felt something similar no matter which shoes I'd chosen. I was hurting, psychologically as much as anything, and I turned down the frozen ice pops that some folks were offering in one of the course's residential sections. Maye I should have taken one.
I tried desperately to stay focused, to think about training, some of my inspirational songs (I might have put my iPod in here if I'd brought it), my family, my running friends, all the motivational stories I've heard and read. But, alas, the tightening hips prevailed, and the miles grew longer, the effort greater. I had to stop to stretch; I had to walk. Dozens upon dozens of people passed me, and I just started looking at my watch to figure out how fast I needed to go to get in under 3:50. I ran until my hips wouldn't let me run anymore, then I'd stretch and/or walk. Others were cramping and walking, too, and we'd say something encouraging or pat one another on the shoulder as we passed each other. I had my slowest, tough mile at 24, and then I just forced myself to find a rhythm - however slow - to the finish. I also noticed that my heart rate was dropping as my pace slowed. That was frustrating because I knew I had more fitness than I could seem to access. As I wrote to my RW forum-mates, my healing hips just couldn't sustain the workload for an 8:10-ish pace past 20 miles.
The real race in the marathon begins at that mark, and it took me an hour-plus to cover that last 10K. As we approached Battery Park, the adrenaline kicked in. When I saw the 26-mile sign, I dug deep, and ran that final 0.2 at about a 6:35/mile pace, passing a dozen or more people along the way. I saw my family somewhere before the finish line, smiled and gave them the thumbs up, and crossed the finish line with the clock reading under 3:50. My net time was closer to 3:48, but still a disappointment in that it did not reflect my training effort. In other words, I did not get out of this race what I think I put into it. I got my medal (nice and heavy!) and worked my way to the food tent, which was fine except that everything was sweet (bananas, yogurt, cookies, ice cream, etc.). I wanted SALT, and lots of it. I got my bag from the gear check and called my wife's cell phone. She was at the other end of the park, which seemed an eternity away, but I had to get to her, since navigating the crowds with the 3 kids would prove too tough for her.
I reached my family, hugged my wife and started to cry, mostly a release of all the emotions built up since last fall and the disappointment in Chicago. There is plenty of good to take from this training cycle and race, but my ego is clearly bruised (and I, consequently, am humbled) by the fact that I'm 0-2 in terms of reaching my marathon goals.
AFTER THE RACE
I missed the massage tent, and my kids and I hung out as my wife trekked up to get the van. We went back to the hotel, where I showered and packed, before stopping for bagels on our way to the highway. Wearing my medal (family agreed it was a bit goofy, but within the bounds of acceptable behavior), I ordered lunch and the guy at the counter said, "Did you really finish second in the marathon?" I was befuddled, then realized he must have keyed onto the 2 in "20th Anniversary", along with the fact that the medal is silver. I laughed and said, "Not quite", as visions of what might have been still danced in my head.
The drive home was less uncomfortable than I expected, but we stopped about half-way because my wife was getting sleepy. I was glad to drive the rest of the home. At least I was able to keep the pace while behind the wheel.
The late-afternoon and evening were mellow, and my first cocktail (a Dark-n-Stormy) in weeks tasted really, really good. I basically ate myself to sleep that night, reliving the good, bad and ugly parts of the race in my mind.
POST-MORTEM
As I conclude this race report, the soreness in my legs is subsiding, as is the sense that I let myself and some of my more supportive friends (real-life and virtual) down in terms of delivering a decent performance when it counted.
Yet, I know have actually run a marathon in decent conditions. I held myself back in the early going. I ran a consistent pace for as long as my body would allow. I've logged numerous 50+ mile weeks. I survived a terrible winter without letting the weather interfere with my running schedule. I got a 5K PR in the midst of my first 60-mile week.
Most importantly, I don't feel so much defeated as I do motivated to "get it right" this next time around. I'm still debating what training plan to adopt, whether to stick with Pfitzinger, use another plan or write my own. I don't know whether to increase my mileage or focus on more faster running. But I do know that my love of running remains, despite the fact that it is proving to be a fickle mistress. While I may or may not get to Boston in 2009, I do expect to remain in a relationship with running for a long time to come.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Feelin' groovy
Hello, lamp post, what you knowin' . . . .
Don't ask me why I'm spouting Simon & Garfunkel, for as nice as their music is, it's not exactly something I associate with running. But, after running 6 miles yesterday at what turned out to feel like an easy 8:30 pace (with appropriate HR even), then playing in my company's softball game, I woke up today pain-free for the first time in a month. So, I am feeling pretty groovy.
This development is a huge confidence booster, and I am finally excited about Sunday, as the dread that I've tried to tame over the past few weeks (and days) dissipates. Race plan is to go out at about an 8:15/mile pace, for 4-5 miles, assess heart rate, hips and everything else, then slowly accelerate until I'm running at or slightly under 8:00 pace. If that's relatively comfortable through 20 miles, then I'll see if there's enough in the tank to take a stab at a sub-3:30 finishing time. The revised time goal is therefore between 3:40 and 3:30, instead of 3:35 to 3:25.
I'll be offline while in Vermont, but will post a race report on Sunday night or Monday.
Good luck to my fellow Keybank Vermont City Marathon runners, and here's hoping that those forecasted mid- to upper-70-degree temperatures take their sweet time in arriving on Sunday.
-ESG
Don't ask me why I'm spouting Simon & Garfunkel, for as nice as their music is, it's not exactly something I associate with running. But, after running 6 miles yesterday at what turned out to feel like an easy 8:30 pace (with appropriate HR even), then playing in my company's softball game, I woke up today pain-free for the first time in a month. So, I am feeling pretty groovy.
This development is a huge confidence booster, and I am finally excited about Sunday, as the dread that I've tried to tame over the past few weeks (and days) dissipates. Race plan is to go out at about an 8:15/mile pace, for 4-5 miles, assess heart rate, hips and everything else, then slowly accelerate until I'm running at or slightly under 8:00 pace. If that's relatively comfortable through 20 miles, then I'll see if there's enough in the tank to take a stab at a sub-3:30 finishing time. The revised time goal is therefore between 3:40 and 3:30, instead of 3:35 to 3:25.
I'll be offline while in Vermont, but will post a race report on Sunday night or Monday.
Good luck to my fellow Keybank Vermont City Marathon runners, and here's hoping that those forecasted mid- to upper-70-degree temperatures take their sweet time in arriving on Sunday.
-ESG
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