It's Tuesday, around 4PM in 20 degree Kansas. Yes, I worked out this morning (elliptical for an hour) but didn't run so I am preparing to get in 3-4 miles in a few minutes. My better judgement tells me not to but my inner-run is telling me that I should get back on the schedule. The marathon is in less than 16 weeks and my training the past few weeks has been spotty, at best...damn calves.
Swimming yesterday for half hour (at best) was just a warm-up.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
The Last Post
I started writing this blog on November 8, 2009. Almost three years later, I achieved the goal that I set at that time - run a marathon. A little over three years after setting that goal, I am posting my last entry in this blog. It's time to close this door. And open another.
Thank you if you have read any or all of my posts. I appreciate your attention and interest. I began writing this because it was an outlet. Running forces you through many emotions and this blog was an outlet for many of them.
It was never meant to mean anything to anyone other than me. Amazingly, a few people read it. And equally amazing, some of you have told me that you read it (most with straight faces). But it's time to close this particular book. Besides, the title is dated and I can't figure out how to change it.
Finally, thanks to everyone who gave me encouragement. I will miss some of you but here goes:
Deb Sara Pat Jacob Sandy Ben Sam Selma Elyse Sue Sally Tom Tim Jan Janet Jerry Jon John Todd Cynthia Phil Ann Steve Susan Mike Annette Dave David Gene Kevin Bruce Brendan Julie Emily Kelly Ron Barry Steve Lori Tom Brad
and everyone else with whom I came in contact. There will be more but not in this space...
It's been real, and it's been fun. And truthfully, it's been real fun.
Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.
Thank you if you have read any or all of my posts. I appreciate your attention and interest. I began writing this because it was an outlet. Running forces you through many emotions and this blog was an outlet for many of them.
It was never meant to mean anything to anyone other than me. Amazingly, a few people read it. And equally amazing, some of you have told me that you read it (most with straight faces). But it's time to close this particular book. Besides, the title is dated and I can't figure out how to change it.
Finally, thanks to everyone who gave me encouragement. I will miss some of you but here goes:
Deb Sara Pat Jacob Sandy Ben Sam Selma Elyse Sue Sally Tom Tim Jan Janet Jerry Jon John Todd Cynthia Phil Ann Steve Susan Mike Annette Dave David Gene Kevin Bruce Brendan Julie Emily Kelly Ron Barry Steve Lori Tom Brad
and everyone else with whom I came in contact. There will be more but not in this space...
It's been real, and it's been fun. And truthfully, it's been real fun.
Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Cold and Snow in the Heartland
No complaints but it's gotten cold here in Kansas City. I'm not sure what I expect for a few days before Christmas but today we have an inch or so of snow, schools closed and a wind chill of 4- 10F. Winds are in the 30-40 mph range.
The topic of goals continues to interest me, not from an academic perspective (I'm not going to do any research) but how goals motivate me. (Isn't it interesting that at 57 years old, I still don't know much about myself). I can say this - if I have a well defined goal, and an accompanying plan, my motivation, drive to succeed and discipline is dramatically increased. This isn't a surprise but interesting nonetheless. (For anyone reading this, yawning while reading this is expected).
Upcoming races? Maybe a 10K in January in the caves here in KC. The temperature in the caves is stable at 56 (?) which makes it nice in the middle of the winter. Sara has suggested a 10 miler in Chicago in April and I've already signed up for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Chicago in July. Registration for the Chicago Marathon is not until February.
Thanks for reading.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Second Verse Same as the First
Yep, decided to do it again. After talking to Sara, I'm going to try to get an entry into the Chicago Marathon, home to 4 world records. They take 45,000 entries on a first come, first served basis. Last year, the race sold out in 6 days.
What am I thinking?
What am I thinking?
Friday, November 9, 2012
The Thrill is Gone
It will be three weeks tomorrow since the marathon, the raison d'etre of my running for the past 3 years, and I am, in my humble estimation, completely physically healed. Next weekend, Mike Slade and I have the KC Northface Challenge Half-Marathon and on Thanksgiving, Sandy, Jacob (maybe) and I are running a 5K. Both of these "races" will be for fun, not time.
The reason I mention this is that, for the past 3 years, all of my training was pointed toward a marathon. With every step, my thoughts were pointed toward finishing that event. Every workout, every rest day, every meal was geared toward the successful completion of 26 miles, 385 years. So by now, you probably know that I finished the marathon. The shine of that achievement has worn off, though. Yep, it's done, I've got the medal, my name is registered as a finisher. The self-congratulatory mentions are over. It's time to move on. But to what?
Therein lies the rub. Is there a need for a goal in running? Often during the prep for the marathon, I had one of those days when running was it's own reward. I enjoyed the effort for the sake of the effort, not the sake of the goal. I won't get all existential on you. If you've never felt it, you might not get it. But occasionally, once in a while, the satisfaction of being able to run, just for the sake of running, was enough. Those days, when the run was the goal, were the best and continue to be the best.
By now, if you have read any of this self-help manual (and it's not for anyone else's help except my own), you will realize that competition has, for the past 57 of my 57 years, ruled my life. Grades (I generally lost those races), business career, track in high school and college, "running" for election to the school board - all of those things were about competition. The competition of the past few years was internal and personalized to me alone, but it was competition nonetheless. What I find missing, at least for the moment, is some level on which to be competitive with myself.
I don't believe that being competitive is a bad thing. Sometimes, the manifestation of competitiveness in behaviors is a bad thing but socially acceptable competitive behavior is natural (survival of the fittest kind of stuff - go see Bushmen of the Kalahari again). I have seen lots of examples of negative competitive behavior on the baseball field while umpiring, exhibited by players (few examples) and coaches and parents (too many examples). I have experienced negative competitiveness of a different sort in my professional life and during elections (don't get me started on THAT subject. When did it become OK to tear down your opponent without offering your brilliant alternative?). I have also experienced positive competitiveness that has provided us with cures for disease, inventions that dramatically changed our lives, and solutions to problems that made this a better place. Competition is good, appropriately self-managed.
All of this leads me to my own personal dilemma - what's the next challenge? Is it physical? Do I aim for another marathon, with time being the opponent? I am planning to run again for School Board (election is in April). Will that provide the needed fodder for my competitive juices (assuming that I have an opponent and don't run unopposed again)?
I'll take all suggestions. Thoughts?
The reason I mention this is that, for the past 3 years, all of my training was pointed toward a marathon. With every step, my thoughts were pointed toward finishing that event. Every workout, every rest day, every meal was geared toward the successful completion of 26 miles, 385 years. So by now, you probably know that I finished the marathon. The shine of that achievement has worn off, though. Yep, it's done, I've got the medal, my name is registered as a finisher. The self-congratulatory mentions are over. It's time to move on. But to what?
Therein lies the rub. Is there a need for a goal in running? Often during the prep for the marathon, I had one of those days when running was it's own reward. I enjoyed the effort for the sake of the effort, not the sake of the goal. I won't get all existential on you. If you've never felt it, you might not get it. But occasionally, once in a while, the satisfaction of being able to run, just for the sake of running, was enough. Those days, when the run was the goal, were the best and continue to be the best.
By now, if you have read any of this self-help manual (and it's not for anyone else's help except my own), you will realize that competition has, for the past 57 of my 57 years, ruled my life. Grades (I generally lost those races), business career, track in high school and college, "running" for election to the school board - all of those things were about competition. The competition of the past few years was internal and personalized to me alone, but it was competition nonetheless. What I find missing, at least for the moment, is some level on which to be competitive with myself.
I don't believe that being competitive is a bad thing. Sometimes, the manifestation of competitiveness in behaviors is a bad thing but socially acceptable competitive behavior is natural (survival of the fittest kind of stuff - go see Bushmen of the Kalahari again). I have seen lots of examples of negative competitive behavior on the baseball field while umpiring, exhibited by players (few examples) and coaches and parents (too many examples). I have experienced negative competitiveness of a different sort in my professional life and during elections (don't get me started on THAT subject. When did it become OK to tear down your opponent without offering your brilliant alternative?). I have also experienced positive competitiveness that has provided us with cures for disease, inventions that dramatically changed our lives, and solutions to problems that made this a better place. Competition is good, appropriately self-managed.
All of this leads me to my own personal dilemma - what's the next challenge? Is it physical? Do I aim for another marathon, with time being the opponent? I am planning to run again for School Board (election is in April). Will that provide the needed fodder for my competitive juices (assuming that I have an opponent and don't run unopposed again)?
I'll take all suggestions. Thoughts?
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Pain is a Funny Thing
After resting for a week, Slade and I ran 4 miles on Saturday. Everything felt fine, with the legs, knees, ankles, cramped areas and so on. Everything except my motivation. After training for such a long time, with such focus, it's hard to focus on the next challenge. In truth, Mike and I are running a half marathon in two weeks (November 17) but not for time and not in a competitive manner (those days are behind me...kinda).
If there were 312.8M people in the US at the end of 2011, and assuming that every marathon finisher was a first time finisher (highly unlikely but the most conservative estimate for the following), then about .165% of the US population completed a marathon in 2011. Further there were 76.8M people in the US over 50 (2000 census - I don't have the numbers from the 2010 census), meaning that .12% of all folks older than 50 completed marathons. (I know that these figures are not correct, since the 50+ population is from 2000 and I am comparing it to other data from 2011. Cut me a break, OK?). Why the facts and figures? Because when you do something like a marathon, you want to know whether you are one of the masses or unique. It is for the same reason that you want to know where you stand in terms of income, height, weight, location, race time, and so on. Meaningless stats.
Is running bad for you at this age? Again, from the WSJ of the same date as above.
This is good. 1:100,000 are odds that I'll take, given the benefits that I gain from running. Another great quote from the same article:
Thanks, Paul. I never would have thought of stopping if I had felt severe chest pain during running. Sorry for being snarky.
Pain is a funny thing. While you are enduring it, you can only look forward to it ending. But the memory of pain seems to abate with time. There is a negative correlation between time and the pain that was felt. Maybe that is the reason why women give birth more than once. I am sure, however, that if men gave birth, there would be one child per couple.
I honestly don't remember how much pain the marathon caused me. I know that I cramped severely in the last 6 miles but I seem to have already forgotten how I FELT. The memory lapse is probably the reason why, when asked if I would ever do another, my answer is not "NO" but "someday but not soon".
I always knew that if things didn't go perfectly with the first race, I would do another, to see if I could get better. I also probably knew that if things went perfectly, I would try another, since the first one went so sell. Screwy, circular logic. What kind of power does the event create and feed within it's participants?
I read an article today that suggested that the percentage of over-50s running marathons has increased dramatically. From the 10-29-12 edition of the Wall Street Journal,
In fact, runners 50 years and older represent one of the fastest-growing age groups participating in the increasingly popular events. As the total number of runners finishing marathons in the U.S. doubled to 518,000 in the 20 years ended in 2011, the number of finishers age 50 and older nearly tripled to 92,200, or about 18% of the total, according to Running USA, an industry-funded research group.
If there were 312.8M people in the US at the end of 2011, and assuming that every marathon finisher was a first time finisher (highly unlikely but the most conservative estimate for the following), then about .165% of the US population completed a marathon in 2011. Further there were 76.8M people in the US over 50 (2000 census - I don't have the numbers from the 2010 census), meaning that .12% of all folks older than 50 completed marathons. (I know that these figures are not correct, since the 50+ population is from 2000 and I am comparing it to other data from 2011. Cut me a break, OK?). Why the facts and figures? Because when you do something like a marathon, you want to know whether you are one of the masses or unique. It is for the same reason that you want to know where you stand in terms of income, height, weight, location, race time, and so on. Meaningless stats.
Is running bad for you at this age? Again, from the WSJ of the same date as above.
Still, there are greater risks for marathoners in the 50-plus age groups. Risk of sudden cardiac death is nearly twice as high for older marathon runners than for those under 40. But the rate is too low—barely 1 in 100,000 marathoners die during a race—to warrant general warnings to runners older than 50. And a study published in September in the Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance showed that one consequence of marathon running—a swelling and weakening of the right side of the heart shown to heal within days in younger people—also dissipates just as quickly in runners over age 50.
This is good. 1:100,000 are odds that I'll take, given the benefits that I gain from running. Another great quote from the same article:
"There are dangers [for older runners]—you shouldn't experience severe chest pain during a marathon—but the research is clear that running is good for you," says Paul Thompson, a veteran former marathoner and sports cardiologist at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut.
Thanks, Paul. I never would have thought of stopping if I had felt severe chest pain during running. Sorry for being snarky.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The End?
I finished. It wasn't pretty, it hurt, but I finished.
Over three years ago, I decided to run a marathon. I was on my way to losing some weight and I thought that I needed a goal. What better goal than to run a marathon, especially for a guy who was a sprinter in a former life?
I'm not going to go into excruciating detail about the race. No one wants to hear about every step. My purpose in writing this has always been personal therapy and it's with that thought that I proceed.
THE RACE - We began at 7:05am, before sunrise. Temps were in the 40s with no wind. The half and full marathoners were intermixed and the relay guys were also with us. No great fanfare other than the sounds of grunts as we began running. I started with a pace group who would eventually run a time to which I aspired (and didn't achieve). We started relatively slowly, which help avoid the normal zigging and zagging around slower runners. My immediate thought was that I could run this pace forever.
At the 5K mark, I felt great, as I did at 5 miles and again at 10 miles. No pains (knees, Achilles, ankles all felt good). Cardio was not (and never was) an issue. I was moving with the pack around me, listening to the pace group leader try to make us feel good about feeling bad later. There was a long hill about 4 miles in that wasn't easy but nothing more than I had done in training.
At the half-way point, we were right on schedule. The course was pretty and the sun had come up and begun to warm us. Truthfully, I remember very little about the first half of the run. I wasn't lost in my own thoughts - I just don't remember what my thoughts were.
Somewhere between 13 and 14 miles, nature called and I decided that I needed to stop to get rid of some of the liquid that I have taken in. When I exited the porta-pottie, I was about 250 yards behind the pace group. Naturally, I thought that I would try to catch up to the group. While my brain told me to go easy and catch them over many miles, my legs didn't listen. I began to catch them over the next mile plus.
On a downhill around the 16 mile mark, I felt one of my calves give me a "I'm gonna cramp" warning. As quickly as I felt it, it went away. A mile or so later, I felt the same feeling in a hamstring. I worried. By the 19 mile mark, I was beginning to cramp pretty badly in both calves, and interestingly, my adductors, the muscles on the inside of my thighs, were cramping now as well.
At the 20 mile mark, Sara and Pat joined me and I was cramping pretty badly. I was having to stop periodically to stretch but gained an enormous amount of strength from my new running partners. With each water/Gatorade stop, I got something to drink and ate anything salty that I could (mostly pretzels) and took in some bananas. The cramps continued, as did the necessity to stop and stretch.
Fast forward (although it seemed like slow motion) to the 26 mile mark. Sara asked me if it was OK for them to peel off and let me finish on my own. Nope, finish with me. And we did. The three of us crossed the finish line together. Just the way it should be.
FITNESS - Overall, I think I was as fit as I could have reasonably expected. I never really bonked. I was expecting that at 20 miles, I would feel completely depleted, with nothing left in the tank. That feeling of emptiness didn't happen until about 25 miles. Starting from the top down, all systems were go - respiration, core strength, and even though I cramped, my legs weren't tired, feet were "pancakey" but not tired (there is a differenct that I can't explain). Overall, I was very happy with my fitness.
Sara was the sign maker for the day, with gems including "I'M YOUR ATHLETIC SUPPORTER" and "THAT ISN'T SWEAT - IT'S LIQUID AWESOME" and my personal favorite, "TOENAILS ARE FOR SISSIES".
Jacob and Ben were cheering and waving at every turn and Ben was the designated driver for the FanVan. I really appreciated seeing those two during the run.
Deb, of course, was the one I looked for. I know she was worried about my health (needlessly, of course) and I really appreciated seeing her. I tried to make it a point to make eye contact with her so that she would see that I was OK. I don't know if I succeeded or not but it made me feel better.
Finally, Sara and Pat jumped onto the course at 20 miles, just as I needed the help. I was cramping pretty badly at this point and they helped my through the worst parts without passing judgement on my condition. Sara tried to take my mind off the running by asking random quesitons ("what's your favorite Springsteen song, Dad?"...."The End"..."I don't think I know that one") but unfortunately, I was focused on finishing so much that I wasn't a very good running partner.
Without family, I wouldn't have finished. Plain and simple.
But it wasn't only family. At the first (?) relay exchange point, I saw another friend, TOM WISNANSKY, who was running the final 6.4 mile leg of a marathon relay. I passed the 20 mile mark, where I saw him waiting for his teammate to come in. Tom quickly caught up to me (mile 22 maybe?) and ran with us for a little bit, giving me some much needed encouragement. He also found Deb at the finish and told her about my cramping.
Another bright spot was seeing SHARON DONOVAN COFFMAN, an old high school buddy, at 13 miles. I knew that she was going to be there but I didn't know where. I caught someone taking pics of me but didn't put the face with the person until she caught up to me somewhere thereafter and we were able to run a few hundred yards together. Again, it was wonderful to see her and to know that there was someone else on the course cheering me on.
Finally, at around 17 miles, JANET AND JERRY ORRIS were spotted in the crowd. I saw someone familiar taking pictures but I couldn't make our who it was from behind the camera. Finally, I saw Janet and was momentarily disoriented, the way you are when you see someone in a place where they don't belong. I should have gone back and given them both a smelly high five.
At the finish line, I found everyone very quickly. There is nothing like being reunited with family after an event like this, knowing that you are in good hands from that point forward.
Thanks you, each and every one of you, for the support, the help, and the love. I am very lucky to have you in my life. That goes for those of you at the race and those who gave me advice or wished me good fortune but were not at the race. You know who you are.
RACE ORGANIZATION - I don't know what goes on behind the scenes of a race like this but can imagine that the logistics are complex. I can't think of anything that I might have changed. We were safe, the water stops were plentiful and well manned, traffic was appropriately controlled and the finish line was not crowded or a mess. The only negative might be that toward the end of the course, traffic was allowed to cross the path of the runners without much control. We did have one driver who seemed a bit confused that we were in her way as we tried to find the apex of the curve. Maybe we were on the wrong side of the road...
EMOTION - I have been involved in sports for a long time. I started playing baseball at 6 and have been involved in some way ever since. This was by far the most difficult physical thing that I have ever done and that probably made it one of the more emotional finishes for me. As I look back, I can compare it to certain (athletic) milestones - my last football game, championships that I have won and lost, my last race for Penn - and this ranked right up to them. It hit me when, shortly after we crossed the finish line, Sara looked at me and said, "DAD - YOU ARE A MARATHONER". While I didn't break down, I did get a little wet eyed. I think the fact that this had been a 3 year journey made the finish that much more satisfying.
WHAT'S NEXT - During the last few miles, there was a sign that said "6 MONTHS AGO, THIS SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA". My immediate reaction was that I would never make this mistake again. And then Sara told me that she would like to run a marathon 2 years from now and wondered if I would like to run with her in Chicago, a nice flat course. Of course, I said yes. In the meantime, I'm taking a week of from running. A whole week!
So, dear reader (singular), I'm finished with this chapter. I am not going to stop blogging, however, since I've enjoyed the cathartic experience. Thanks for any small bit of attention you may have given this blog but I'll be selfish and tell you that it was more for me than for you. Sorry, but that's the truth.
Do me a favor and leave me a comment, drop me an email, send some smoke signals and tell me about yourself.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Thank You, Deb. I Love You.
Yesterday, October 21, 2012 was my 34th wedding anniversary. It was also the day after I finished my first marathon. My anniversary and marriage is far more important than anything that I could ever say about running.
While I didn't appropriately celebrate 34 years of marriage with my beloved, I want this post to say THANK YOU to the love of my life, my wife Debra Ann Eichelberger Seitz who, 34 years ago, made me the most fortunate person in the world. She has supported me all these years and without her, I would be lost.
I love you, Deb, and am thankful for everything you are.
While I didn't appropriately celebrate 34 years of marriage with my beloved, I want this post to say THANK YOU to the love of my life, my wife Debra Ann Eichelberger Seitz who, 34 years ago, made me the most fortunate person in the world. She has supported me all these years and without her, I would be lost.
I love you, Deb, and am thankful for everything you are.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
I Sure Hope I'm Ready for This
The clock says I have 8 days and about 12 hours until the marathon. Eight and a half days until the culmination of almost three years of preparation. I almost wish that I could say that I somehow feel different, now that it is almost here but honestly, I don't feel much different than I do every day. While there is some angst associated with the unknown along with some "I-wish-October-20-was-here-already", there isn't any emotional change. It's been a long, slow, sometimes painful road and I'm sure that there is more pain to come.
Sara surprised me recently by telling me that she and Pat were coming in that weekend to watch the race. I know that Sandy and Jake will be there as well, along with Deb. I haven't heard from Sam or Ben but even if they aren't there, I know that they will be pulling for me. That, folks, is enough to drive me to finish the race.
I've heard all kinds of stories about finishing the marathon being life-changing, about people crying when they cross the finish line, about bucket list items being crossed off, and about it being "the most meaningful thing to ever happen in my life". I don't think so. Having children was meaningful. Getting married was life changing. Falling off a Segway made me cry. This is a footrace. Against no one but me. Sure, there will be thousands of people running in the same race but I'm not running against them. It's me against me. I have said all along that if I can get to the finish line healthy, I'll finish. And if I don't finish, I can do it all over again. So.......it's one race, without expectations of anything except finishing.
Healthy is such a relative term. Does healthy mean that I have no aches and pains? Does healthy mean that everything works? And what does "works" mean? Here's the inventory:
Sara surprised me recently by telling me that she and Pat were coming in that weekend to watch the race. I know that Sandy and Jake will be there as well, along with Deb. I haven't heard from Sam or Ben but even if they aren't there, I know that they will be pulling for me. That, folks, is enough to drive me to finish the race.
I've heard all kinds of stories about finishing the marathon being life-changing, about people crying when they cross the finish line, about bucket list items being crossed off, and about it being "the most meaningful thing to ever happen in my life". I don't think so. Having children was meaningful. Getting married was life changing. Falling off a Segway made me cry. This is a footrace. Against no one but me. Sure, there will be thousands of people running in the same race but I'm not running against them. It's me against me. I have said all along that if I can get to the finish line healthy, I'll finish. And if I don't finish, I can do it all over again. So.......it's one race, without expectations of anything except finishing.
Healthy is such a relative term. Does healthy mean that I have no aches and pains? Does healthy mean that everything works? And what does "works" mean? Here's the inventory:
- HEAD - Mentally, I have never been right. But psychologically, I think I'm ready for this.
- ARMS, TORSO - Seems to be ok. No pains other than a little lingering pain associated with the collarbone repairs. Some numbness but nothing that I feel all the time and nothing that impacts running.
- CARDIO - When I started training, I thought this would be my downfall. I was wrong. My cardio is good. During my long runs (18+ miles), I have felt fine and have had no trouble breathing or catching my breath.
- LEGS - This is a hard one. The knees exhibit some pain occasionally but the tendinitis that bothered me is all but gone. I still have some swelling in that knee but it doesn't hurt. No ITB problems. Claves seem to be holding up, with no recurrence of the cramping that I had early in my training. Within the past week, my right ankle has felt a little wonky (highly technical medical term), acting similar to my tendinitis-ed knee - pain when I first start but clearing up at a mile or two. I am taking Advil again and will until race day. We'll see. My feet feel like pancakes after an especially long run but I expect that.
One of the interesting things that I've learned from training is that regardless of what the body tells you, the mind controls everything. If I can find that happy place where my mind controls everything and I can get lost in thought, I'll be fine. If I listen to my body, it won't be a good experience. If you have never run a long distance, you won't understand what I'm talking about. Trancelike is the best description that I can give you. One minute, you're at the 10 mile mark and the next thing you consciously remember, you're 5 or 10 miles farther along. The best analogy that I can give is what happens when you talk to other people in the car while driving. Suddenly, you're there and you don't remember any of the stuff you passed along the way.
This is the middle of the taper period, so runs have been about every other day. I probably did a foolish thing last Saturday by running 3 miles, competing in a small 5K and then running home. I look at it as a last hard workout. It did wonders for my confidence since I did relatively well (11th overall, first in age group but there were only 100 runners). This week and next is really light, with a couple of 5-8 milers and my last long run being Saturday at 10 miles.
All in all, this has been a fun trip. Having a goal is always good and damn, it sure has been a goal. I don't know if I'll post between now and race time. If not, see you on the other side!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Home from the Beach and it's T -22 Days and Counting
Deb and I got home on Monday of this week from 2+ weeks in Bethany Beach DE. Since this is a blog about running, I won't bore you with vacation details (here is a picture of Deb feeding the seagulls...). Running at the beach, however, was fantastic. Every day was cool, with all but my first long run (20 miles) beginning under 60 degrees. There was some wind but nothing that was bothersome. Best of all, it was FLAT. I generally ran along the coastal highway (the main road that connects Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, Fenwick Island and Ocean City, MD) and I generally ran fairly early in the morning - before 7:30. the best part was the smell. Nothing but salt air and a sense of freshness.
I did two long(er) runs while there, one 20 miler and a 14 the following week. Interestingly, everything was faster. My long runs were faster and my short runs were REALLY faster. I am going to attribute this to 1) no heat, 2) no hills, 3) no humidity compared to KC and 4) the many Longboard Lagers I put away every afternoon. If you haven't tried Longboard, you should. We discovered it in Hawaii and have been searching for it ever since. Lower Delaware is the only place I have found it.
I can't say that my diet was great. Basically, I ate everything in sight, with a particular concentration on bacon, pork roll, caramel corn (with nuts, of course), beer, hoagies, cheesesteaks and fudge. The Diet of Champions.
The clock says 22+ days until the Waddell and Reed Kansas City Marathon, the culmination of my immediate training regime and the inspiration for this blog. I have one more long run left, a 22 miler this weekend, and then will start the taper process to make sure that my legs are as fresh as possible while not losing any fitness. That is likely a harder thing than I imagine, since I feel like missing a single day of training will put me behind. Trusting those who know better, however, I will stick with the plan.
I have said that I want to make it to the starting line healthy. I have also said that if I can make it to the line healthy, I will finish the race. I won't make any predictions with 22 days left but I will say that my training is going as planned, I feel pretty good about my health and have been taking the requisite days off for recovery. Now that I've said that, I'll probably step in a hole and...
I did two long(er) runs while there, one 20 miler and a 14 the following week. Interestingly, everything was faster. My long runs were faster and my short runs were REALLY faster. I am going to attribute this to 1) no heat, 2) no hills, 3) no humidity compared to KC and 4) the many Longboard Lagers I put away every afternoon. If you haven't tried Longboard, you should. We discovered it in Hawaii and have been searching for it ever since. Lower Delaware is the only place I have found it.
I can't say that my diet was great. Basically, I ate everything in sight, with a particular concentration on bacon, pork roll, caramel corn (with nuts, of course), beer, hoagies, cheesesteaks and fudge. The Diet of Champions.
The clock says 22+ days until the Waddell and Reed Kansas City Marathon, the culmination of my immediate training regime and the inspiration for this blog. I have one more long run left, a 22 miler this weekend, and then will start the taper process to make sure that my legs are as fresh as possible while not losing any fitness. That is likely a harder thing than I imagine, since I feel like missing a single day of training will put me behind. Trusting those who know better, however, I will stick with the plan.
I have said that I want to make it to the starting line healthy. I have also said that if I can make it to the line healthy, I will finish the race. I won't make any predictions with 22 days left but I will say that my training is going as planned, I feel pretty good about my health and have been taking the requisite days off for recovery. Now that I've said that, I'll probably step in a hole and...
Saturday, September 15, 2012
One Long Run, Cooler Temps and Faster Times
34 days.
This week was a good one for both mileage and speed. Every run has been faster than I expected, some by as much as 2 minutes faster per mile than what I was running in the heat. The courses have been flat, relatively wind free, and the temps about 20 degrees cooler than what I have been used to all summer. Sunday was a 20 miler, the furthest I have ever gone. I started with 40 ounces of liquid and stopped at 14 miles for another 20 ounces. I'm finding that hydration is even more important than I believed. Monday as an off day, Tuesday called for 5, Wednesday 7 and Thursday 6. Friday was off, Saturday 4 and tomorrow 14. I've felt better than I expected. The only thing I can think of is that it's neither hot nor humid.
Sue, thanks for the words of encouragement. I really appreciate the helpful advice.
One more long run before the marathon, probably a 20-22 miler week after next. That'll give me about 3 weeks to recover from the long run while keeping fit with about 40 miles a week.
More in a day or two.
This week was a good one for both mileage and speed. Every run has been faster than I expected, some by as much as 2 minutes faster per mile than what I was running in the heat. The courses have been flat, relatively wind free, and the temps about 20 degrees cooler than what I have been used to all summer. Sunday was a 20 miler, the furthest I have ever gone. I started with 40 ounces of liquid and stopped at 14 miles for another 20 ounces. I'm finding that hydration is even more important than I believed. Monday as an off day, Tuesday called for 5, Wednesday 7 and Thursday 6. Friday was off, Saturday 4 and tomorrow 14. I've felt better than I expected. The only thing I can think of is that it's neither hot nor humid.
Sue, thanks for the words of encouragement. I really appreciate the helpful advice.
One more long run before the marathon, probably a 20-22 miler week after next. That'll give me about 3 weeks to recover from the long run while keeping fit with about 40 miles a week.
More in a day or two.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Random Thoughts with 52 Days to Go
Some random thoughts from the past few weeks...
- The long runs seem to be going well, although I don't have any point of reference. I am up to 18.5 miles (Sunday) with no ill effects. I was sore and tired after finishing but not totally spent. I am a few weeks behind in training (according to "The Plan", I should have already completed a 20 miler) but not worried. Running in this heat and humidity just hasn't been conducive to long, LONG runs. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway. The most amazing part of the long runs is that I don't feel totally beat the next day.
- The weather here has broken, sort of. Highs in the lower 90s, but more humid than the past few months. I am really looking forward to the cooler temps and lower humidity that October may bring. The base that was built during the heat should make running in the fall easier. That being said, today's high will be 96. Hey, it's better than 106.
- Deb and I are going to the beach soon (sorry, this is far too public a forum to tell you when or where). Running at the beach is always more fun than running at home, if for no other reason than I get to explore places on foot that are new. And, it's the beach.
- Mike Slade and I signed up for the Northface Half Marathon in November. It's about 3 weeks after the marathon and should be well within his mileage range by then. He amazes me by running a day or two during the week and then being able to crank out 6-10 miles on Sunday.
- No major injuries so far. I've had some passing pains - foot, Achilles (both), knee - but nothing that is chronic or bothers me during a run. I attribute a much slower build-up and taking days off. Waking up in the morning still has me walking like the old man that I am but after a few minutes, things sort themselves out.
- Deb has been incredibly patient with my running. On long run days, I am gone for over 3 hours and even on shorter run days, 2 hours isn't uncommon. I know she worries about my health, my time on the road, my hydration, my nagging injuries - all the things that I, in my typical fashion, ignore. Thanks, Deb. I love you and I love that you care so much.
- Sara and Pat continue their running and Pat continues his biking and swimming as well. (I am incredibly proud of all of my kids, all for different skill sets and for different reasons. This is my running forum, though, so in this space, I'll talk about them.) Running isn't for everyone. I don't think Sara or Pat ever thought that running would be their thing, either. They have both continued their running and it makes for another point of joint reference. Congrats to both of them.
- Our 40th high school reunion is being organized, to be celebrated in June of 2013. Wow. If any of my classmates happen to read this, let me know if you are going. At this point, I am planning on attending and would love to see you there.
No more today. Drop me a note.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
5K Results - Better Than Expected
Results of yesterday's 5K were encouraging. The race started at 7:00 am, so I decided to get up at 5:45, and run from my house to the race - about 3.5 miles. After the race, I would run home and count it as a decent day of work.
Fortunately, the morning was cool, about 62 F when I left the house. I took a leisurely approach to the run TO the race but when I got there, realized that I averaged about 9:15 per mile, leaving me about 30 minutes to hang around before the race.
The race itself was a small, local affair with about 400 finishers. The route took us over mainly paved trails that I have run before so there weren't any real surprises. A few hills but nothing that I hadn't run before. I got caught behind the inevitable baby strollers, friends running 5 abreast, and walkers for the first mile or so and since the route was fairly narrow, I figure I wasted at least a minute trying to negotiate my way to open running. No complaints here - these folks have just as much right to run as I do and if I was really serious, I would have wormed my way to the front. All in all, it was well organized and everyone seemed to have a good time.
I finished in 23:49, 64th overall and 4th in my age group, averaging somewhere around 7:39 per mile. A minute faster would have moved me to 50th but still 4th in the age group. Truthfully, I don't know if I would have been able to run home after running 7 minute miles, so let's not even consider woulda, shoulda and coulda.
The run home was fine, slow and allowed a pretty good recovery. No pains, no aches and no regrets this morning, either.
Running is fun again...
Fortunately, the morning was cool, about 62 F when I left the house. I took a leisurely approach to the run TO the race but when I got there, realized that I averaged about 9:15 per mile, leaving me about 30 minutes to hang around before the race.
The race itself was a small, local affair with about 400 finishers. The route took us over mainly paved trails that I have run before so there weren't any real surprises. A few hills but nothing that I hadn't run before. I got caught behind the inevitable baby strollers, friends running 5 abreast, and walkers for the first mile or so and since the route was fairly narrow, I figure I wasted at least a minute trying to negotiate my way to open running. No complaints here - these folks have just as much right to run as I do and if I was really serious, I would have wormed my way to the front. All in all, it was well organized and everyone seemed to have a good time.
I finished in 23:49, 64th overall and 4th in my age group, averaging somewhere around 7:39 per mile. A minute faster would have moved me to 50th but still 4th in the age group. Truthfully, I don't know if I would have been able to run home after running 7 minute miles, so let's not even consider woulda, shoulda and coulda.
The run home was fine, slow and allowed a pretty good recovery. No pains, no aches and no regrets this morning, either.
Running is fun again...
Friday, August 10, 2012
71 Days and a Quick (for me) Run
71 days until the Kansas City marathon.
Today's run was a shorty - a little over 4 miles - but what a difference good weather can make. The temperature as I write this is 72 with little humidity. It was in the upper 60s for the beginning of the run. Since I have a fun 5K race tomorrow, I was going to do an easy 6 but after a mile or so of warm up, I felt so good that I decided to use the run for a bit of a speed run. As it turned out, every mile was faster than the previous, with the last mile being in the 7:45 range. I haven't run that fast in over a year. While I don't plan to run the 5K at a fast pace (for 5K), I imagine that my ego will once again get in the way of logic. More after tomorrow.
I still have to get in some long runs. This weekend will be the 5K race but I am going to run to the race and run home from the race. All told, between 9 and 10 miles. Sunday will be a long, SLOW run of something over 13 miles. The training plan that I was trying to follow called for 18 last weekend and 20 this weekend but obviously, that is too far, given my past runs.
No pains to report. My knee feels pretty good and my Achilles (both sides) are painless during the runs. I have stopped taking any ibuprofen and am doing some rolling with "The Stick" (thestick.com). This is the longest that I have run (both distance and calendar days) without some type of major breakdown.
Today's run was a shorty - a little over 4 miles - but what a difference good weather can make. The temperature as I write this is 72 with little humidity. It was in the upper 60s for the beginning of the run. Since I have a fun 5K race tomorrow, I was going to do an easy 6 but after a mile or so of warm up, I felt so good that I decided to use the run for a bit of a speed run. As it turned out, every mile was faster than the previous, with the last mile being in the 7:45 range. I haven't run that fast in over a year. While I don't plan to run the 5K at a fast pace (for 5K), I imagine that my ego will once again get in the way of logic. More after tomorrow.
I still have to get in some long runs. This weekend will be the 5K race but I am going to run to the race and run home from the race. All told, between 9 and 10 miles. Sunday will be a long, SLOW run of something over 13 miles. The training plan that I was trying to follow called for 18 last weekend and 20 this weekend but obviously, that is too far, given my past runs.
No pains to report. My knee feels pretty good and my Achilles (both sides) are painless during the runs. I have stopped taking any ibuprofen and am doing some rolling with "The Stick" (thestick.com). This is the longest that I have run (both distance and calendar days) without some type of major breakdown.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Heat and Humidity DO Make a Difference
After my questions about running in the heat and the predictability of the impact of such, the past few days have been a bit more reasonable, with afternoon temperatures getting only into the upper 90s. On Saturday, Mike Slade and I ran earlier in the day than usual, beginning our run at 9:30 AM, prior to it really heating up. The temp was in the mid 70s when we began. Mike lasted about 4 miles while I continued for another 6+. The temp was 85 when I finished but I felt significantly better than I have in the past, attributable, no doubt, to the cooler temps.
Today's run of 8 miles was likewise cooler, with beginning and ending temps in the low to mid 80s. Interestingly, I pushed the pace a bit more than normal and was happy with an average of almost a minute per mile faster than I have run for the last month.
The real questions that linger in the back of my mind are 1) am I fit? I haven't been able to put in the longer runs (14-18 miles) that were scheduled and 2) what can I expect when the temps begin to cool off?
As I write this, only 74 days, 22 hours until my first marathon.
Today's run of 8 miles was likewise cooler, with beginning and ending temps in the low to mid 80s. Interestingly, I pushed the pace a bit more than normal and was happy with an average of almost a minute per mile faster than I have run for the last month.
The real questions that linger in the back of my mind are 1) am I fit? I haven't been able to put in the longer runs (14-18 miles) that were scheduled and 2) what can I expect when the temps begin to cool off?
As I write this, only 74 days, 22 hours until my first marathon.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Can/Has Anyone Quantified the Impact of Heat?
To all of my runner friends...the heat in KC has been kicking my butt. Over 100 (or close to it) for about a month. Has anyone been able to quantify the impact of high heat on training? I'm running about a minute per mile slower than I did in the fall/winter/spring and my long runs seem to wear me out more than they once did. I know that "your mileage may vary" but what has been your experience?
I am hydrating before and during the runs. I try to run at different times of the day, although I often don't. I have read all of the "how to run in the heat" literature that I find but thus far, I can't seem to find anyone who can objectively quantify the impact of heat.
If you read this and have half a mind to do so, please pass this request along to any running buddies who also may have either interest or insight.
And no age jokes, please.
I am hydrating before and during the runs. I try to run at different times of the day, although I often don't. I have read all of the "how to run in the heat" literature that I find but thus far, I can't seem to find anyone who can objectively quantify the impact of heat.
If you read this and have half a mind to do so, please pass this request along to any running buddies who also may have either interest or insight.
And no age jokes, please.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Chicago Rock and Roll Half - We Finish Together
On Sunday, Sara and Pat, Jacob and Sandy and I ran the Chicago
Rock and Roll Half Marathon. It was the third time that Sara
and I ran and the first time for Pat, Jacob and Sandy. Pat had run a half
before but this was Jacob and Sandy's first. It was an absolutely
wonderful weekend. I won't bore you with all the details of our weekend
(Sara the bus driver, over eating, ice cream, beer, a wonky calf muscle, the
muscle roller). the weekend reinforced my belief that Deb and I have the
most wonderful children (and children-in-laws and children-in-laws-to-be).
The race
was Sunday and began at 6:30 a.m. We were worried about heat but
fortunately, there was cloud cover for most of the race. Race start
temperature was in the upper 70s, rising to 85 after a few hours. The
course started in Grant Park and was very well organized. There were none
of the foibles that I read about at the R and R Marathon in Las Vegas.
We parked about a half mile away from the park but even with 28-29,000
competitors, there was little traffic or need for crowd control. Amenities (porta-pots, first aid, pre-race water,
information, etc.) were well done and clearly marked. I actually forgot to
apply Body Glide and was able to find a first-aid tent that had plenty.
On the course, there were at least 9 water stops, each with water and some type
of electrolyte drink, generally Gatorade. First-aid tents were equally
plentiful, equipped with ice, first-aid supplies and a mountain of
body lube. Chafing was definitely not a problem. Crowds along the
route were plentiful, with lots of cheering and encouragement. There were
also LOTS of bands on the course (one every mile or so), each different. I
hope I don't see any more spandex.
Our race strategy was to run together. Sara and Pat were in pretty good
shape, given Sara's plantar fasciitis problems. Jacob and Sandy worked a
little less that Sara and Pat but were fit nonetheless. We started slowly
for the first mile and built from there. It was crowded but not so
crowded that you couldn't run fast if you wanted to. The corrals,
segregated by projected finish time, are a great idea for experienced runners
but are kind of a waste for run-of-the-mill runners who only wanted to finish.
Most people have no idea what time they can run and end up either
clogging up the corral or running faster than those around them for the first
3-4 miles. We decided to just run with the people around us. I got
a little antsy a few times but once I realized (and accepted) that we were all
in this together, the race became a good long, Sunday run. Truth be told,
it took me about 6 miles to rid myself of the "gotta go faster, this is
too slow" mentality.
Post race, we left immediately and returned to our hotel for showers. I
had absolutely no soreness or pain and didn't really feel tired. Pizza
and beer were on the menu for lunch, followed by a nap.
When we got home, Sam and Ben greeted us with smiles (as did Lola and Oxford, Jacob and
Sandy's dogs), a clean house, and all the things done that we asked of them.
What more could we ask?
The bottom line for this weekend - I spent four days with 5 (Deb, Sara, Pat,
Jacob, Sandy) of the 7 (add Ben and Sam to the prior list) most important
ADULTS in my life. My kids are all unique, all special in their own way,
and I love them all. Now, I just have to figure out how to get Ben and
Sam to join us.
My children have grown to be peers, friends and most important, wonderful,
caring human beings. They are no longer children, regardless of how I
treat them.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Heat Breaks and Running without a Watch
The heat has broken somewhat this week, with today's temps
to be ONLY in the mid to upper 90s. Weekend temps reached a high of 106,
making running during the afternoon almost impossible. I also umpired
this weekend so my runs were in the morning. Mike Slade and I went out
both Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 and while the humidity was high, the temps
were only in the mid 80s. Nonetheless, running in the heat continues to
take all of the kick out of me. My pace has slowed pretty drastically and
I can't go over about 10 miles.
All things considered, I remain pleased with my
fitness. My knee isn't bothering me when I run (although it continues to
talk to me), I feel pretty good about how much I am running, and while I have
not followed the training schedule like I wanted, I continue to take the
requisite days off.
My issue with the training schedule has been one of
mileage. Baseball is taking a large part of my weekends, so some of my
long weekend runs have been cut short. Coupled with the heat, I haven't
put in the amount of mileage that the schedule calls for. This is
probably a good thing, considering my proclivity for injury.
On Sunday, Mike and I ran 6 miles. About.
And I have no idea how long it took. I normally run with my phone
(RunKeeper) in an armband. RunKeeper keeps track of speed, distance, and
route, and uploads every workout to the cloud, allowing the user to
review and compare past runs. Sunday, I decided to just run. No
metrics. Running, like baseball, lends itself to measurement.
Distance, elapsed time, temperature, weight, time of day, altitude and
climb, and so on. Metrics also tend to put pressure on you. Why am
I going slower than last run? Should I turn off the timing while I wait
for light to change? Did I go 5.98 miles or 6.02 miles? Runners are
generally an anal-retentive group. Ever notice that most runners run with
a watch and when they stop at a light or cross street, turn the stopwatch off?
I probably have known this for a long time but wasn't
willing to let go of the security of the watch but on my run on Sunday, without
any pressure of the stopwatch, I felt better than I have felt for a long time.
I didn't get tired and I wasn't worried about how long or how far I ran.
I just ran.
Maybe I'll try it again.
One more thing - here is an interesting link that
Mizuno put up. Truthfully, I'm not exactly sure what to make of it.
Drop me a line if you "get it".
Again, thanks for reading. If you ever get to
KC, call me. I'd love to run with you.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Heat, Chicago in a few weeks and the Olympic Trials
It's hot again here in KC. Temps in the 100s here for the last few days coupled with an umpiring schedule of 10 games in 3 days has allowed (?) me to take four consecutive days off. Oh, and a knee that deserved a few days off to recuperate from what was probably too much running and too little rest. This is beginning to sound like a broken record. I am constantly surprised with the impact that heat has on how I feel during and after a run. Despite drinking anough (when did we start calling drinking "hydrating"?) both before and during a run, the heat takes it out of me. My times increase by about 30 seconds a mile with the same effort and recovery time goes up as well. Mileage is impacted as well and I find myself walking in the middle of long runs more often. Everything I read (and my own logic) tells me that this is normal but it still is depressing to run harder and go slower.
The Chicago Rock and Roll half marathon is coming up and I will not miss running with Sara, Pat, Jacob and Sandy in this one. Based on the responses to my casual inquiries about training from my kids and in-laws, I suspect that the heat is impacting all of us. Pat is still chugging along, so at least one of us is training hard. Triathalon? Good luck. I'll stick to the run.
OLYMPIC TRIALS - I have faithfully watched the OT from Eugene live on TV. It's a shame that NBC misses much of the field events, doesn't do justice to the heats of any event, and misses some of the better stories of the trials. The announcers (Bolden in particular) are knowledgeable but the time allotted to the actual racing is insufficient for true track fans. I guess there are fewer track fans than I thought.
Watching the trials made me realize how much I missed running fast. Sprinting. Warming up so much that every muscle was loose and stretched. Getting into the blocks and feeling every heartbeat, concentrating on nothing but the gun. It's amazing what emotions emerge when watching TV and how much a single race can bring back feelings that haven't been felt in 35 years.
I feel lucky to have had those emotions and to be able to feel them again.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Back in the Saddle, Again
The tendinitis is still with me, my Achilles still aches in the morning, and my calf still gets stiff and sometimes so sore that I can't touch it but I am back (again). Here's the scoop since my last post:
At the end of April, Deb and I went to Boston to the National School Board Association national convention. I ran three days while there and my knee got progressively worse. Severe pain shot through the joint and after sitting for a few minutes, I could barely stand up, let alone put weight on the joint or bend it. At this point, I was downing 2 Advil 3 times a day, which is what I thought Stan told me to do. After taking Amtrak to Philadelphia, we drove to Copley PA to visit Deb's mother, where I ran once (6 or 7 miles at race pace) and felt pretty good. I tried to go the next day and felt a sharp pain in my right calf, as though stabbed with a knife. Knowing what a muscle strain felt like, I knew that if I continued running, I would regret it. At that point, I decided to (gulp) take some time off.
Two weeks, to be exact. No running, no elliptical, no exercise. On or about the first week of May, I tried again and felt no pain. Two miles, off, two miles, off, two and a half, off. You get the picture. Ease back, don't go too hard, don't go too fast, and be careful. Two weeks ago, I cracked a tooth, had it pulled, and the dentist told me to take 4 Advil 3 times a day FOR PAIN AND SWELLING. This sounded strangely like what Stan has told me except the dosage was different. I was taking 2 tabs and the dentist suggested up to 4. Had I heard Stan correctly? I called his wife, Cindy, who is a pediatrician and also on the Blue Valley School Board with me and asked her thoughts. Her relay from Stan was 4 tabs. After taking 4 tabs, 3 times a day for 10 days (as recommended), I am now down to 2 tabs and without pain. Oh, sometimes I get a twinge but nothing like I had.
Today was 10 miles at race pace plus 60 seconds. Until todayt, I had a hard time running slower than race pace plus 15 seconds. I don't know if this was mental (likely), ego (even more likely) or physical (yeah, right). Today, however, I didn't listen to my RunKeeper-announcement-lady blurting out the distance, time and pace every mile. I didn't care about pace. I tried to concentrate on nothing. My running partner (and motorcycle partner and all-around nice guy) Mike Slade and I just ran. We had not agenda, no pre-conceived notions about speed or time or anything else. We ran because we like the feeling, the conversation and the feeling of accomplishment.
I'm convinced that it was my best run ever. Not fastest, not longest, not most competitive, and not one in which I felt particularly great. But the one that I cared least about was the most fun.
At the end of April, Deb and I went to Boston to the National School Board Association national convention. I ran three days while there and my knee got progressively worse. Severe pain shot through the joint and after sitting for a few minutes, I could barely stand up, let alone put weight on the joint or bend it. At this point, I was downing 2 Advil 3 times a day, which is what I thought Stan told me to do. After taking Amtrak to Philadelphia, we drove to Copley PA to visit Deb's mother, where I ran once (6 or 7 miles at race pace) and felt pretty good. I tried to go the next day and felt a sharp pain in my right calf, as though stabbed with a knife. Knowing what a muscle strain felt like, I knew that if I continued running, I would regret it. At that point, I decided to (gulp) take some time off.
Two weeks, to be exact. No running, no elliptical, no exercise. On or about the first week of May, I tried again and felt no pain. Two miles, off, two miles, off, two and a half, off. You get the picture. Ease back, don't go too hard, don't go too fast, and be careful. Two weeks ago, I cracked a tooth, had it pulled, and the dentist told me to take 4 Advil 3 times a day FOR PAIN AND SWELLING. This sounded strangely like what Stan has told me except the dosage was different. I was taking 2 tabs and the dentist suggested up to 4. Had I heard Stan correctly? I called his wife, Cindy, who is a pediatrician and also on the Blue Valley School Board with me and asked her thoughts. Her relay from Stan was 4 tabs. After taking 4 tabs, 3 times a day for 10 days (as recommended), I am now down to 2 tabs and without pain. Oh, sometimes I get a twinge but nothing like I had.
Today was 10 miles at race pace plus 60 seconds. Until todayt, I had a hard time running slower than race pace plus 15 seconds. I don't know if this was mental (likely), ego (even more likely) or physical (yeah, right). Today, however, I didn't listen to my RunKeeper-announcement-lady blurting out the distance, time and pace every mile. I didn't care about pace. I tried to concentrate on nothing. My running partner (and motorcycle partner and all-around nice guy) Mike Slade and I just ran. We had not agenda, no pre-conceived notions about speed or time or anything else. We ran because we like the feeling, the conversation and the feeling of accomplishment.
I'm convinced that it was my best run ever. Not fastest, not longest, not most competitive, and not one in which I felt particularly great. But the one that I cared least about was the most fun.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
It's Beginning to Feel Right, But Maybe Too Fast?
Back at it, hard this week. The weather didn't cooperate on Sunday (some rain and 30-40 mph winds) so my long run was delayed until Monday. Monday was perfect, with temps in the mid-60s and light wind. I went 9 miles (exactly on schedule, although a day late) at a pace faster than proscribed but comfortable nonetheless. Tuesday was scheduled to follow an off day but I decided to try to get back on track and did 5 fast miles (about 45 seconds per mile faster than my desired race pace). And today was a 7 miler, again a bit faster than I would have liked.
The above brings me to the crux of this post. Running slower than "usual" and especially slower than my desired marathon/half-marathon race pace is hard work. More on that in a paragraph or two.
I haven't yet publicly stated what my goal is for the marathon. All I have talked about is the pure joy in running; the fact that running is fun; the enjoyment of being outdoors. All of that is true, but "without a goal, any road will get you there". We all have goals. My goal is to finish a marathon. But finish is relative. Truthfully, I want to finish with pride. After all these years of competing with others and myself, I find that a little goal setting (finish the marathon) is healthy. And if a little goal setting is healthy, what naturally comes next? A little more goal setting. In this case, how long it takes me to finish.
I have set 4 hours as the secondary goal, with the primary being to finish. (Actually, getting to the starting line healthy is my current goal). There. I said it. 4 hours. Damn, that sounds like a long time. It IS a long time. And how did I arrive at 4 hours? Rounding. 3:52 or 4:07 sounds so precise. Four hours is nice and round. And easy to remember. It's the splits that are hard to remember. A four hour marathon requires 26 miles at 9:09 (plus a fraction) per mile. I'll let you figure out the splits. But that's the goal - 4 hours.
Back to running slow. My long runs should ostensibly be 45-90 seconds slower than race pace. I used a large variable because I have read all kinds of figures and that is approximately where most of the experts tend to be. If my desired race pace is 9:07, then my long runs should be between 10:00 and 10:45 per mile. My problem is that when I run alone, I can't come close to running that slow. And running with Slade? Fuggetaboutit. He takes off like a bat. It's not an ego thing, rather it seems to be biological. My body doesn't want to go that slow. (Remember, Sara?). Any suggestions from the three readers out there? I'll take all the advice you have to give me. As long as nobody tells me that 4 hours is too slow and it should be 3 hours. I'm a sprinter, remember?
One other note. I had a wonderful 30 minute call with my best friend from high school, Ridley Kinsey, earlier this week. Ridley, it was great to talk to you and I am thrilled that we were able to reconnect. If anyone reads, do yourself a favor and call a long lost friend. You won't regret it.
The above brings me to the crux of this post. Running slower than "usual" and especially slower than my desired marathon/half-marathon race pace is hard work. More on that in a paragraph or two.
I haven't yet publicly stated what my goal is for the marathon. All I have talked about is the pure joy in running; the fact that running is fun; the enjoyment of being outdoors. All of that is true, but "without a goal, any road will get you there". We all have goals. My goal is to finish a marathon. But finish is relative. Truthfully, I want to finish with pride. After all these years of competing with others and myself, I find that a little goal setting (finish the marathon) is healthy. And if a little goal setting is healthy, what naturally comes next? A little more goal setting. In this case, how long it takes me to finish.
I have set 4 hours as the secondary goal, with the primary being to finish. (Actually, getting to the starting line healthy is my current goal). There. I said it. 4 hours. Damn, that sounds like a long time. It IS a long time. And how did I arrive at 4 hours? Rounding. 3:52 or 4:07 sounds so precise. Four hours is nice and round. And easy to remember. It's the splits that are hard to remember. A four hour marathon requires 26 miles at 9:09 (plus a fraction) per mile. I'll let you figure out the splits. But that's the goal - 4 hours.
Back to running slow. My long runs should ostensibly be 45-90 seconds slower than race pace. I used a large variable because I have read all kinds of figures and that is approximately where most of the experts tend to be. If my desired race pace is 9:07, then my long runs should be between 10:00 and 10:45 per mile. My problem is that when I run alone, I can't come close to running that slow. And running with Slade? Fuggetaboutit. He takes off like a bat. It's not an ego thing, rather it seems to be biological. My body doesn't want to go that slow. (Remember, Sara?). Any suggestions from the three readers out there? I'll take all the advice you have to give me. As long as nobody tells me that 4 hours is too slow and it should be 3 hours. I'm a sprinter, remember?
One other note. I had a wonderful 30 minute call with my best friend from high school, Ridley Kinsey, earlier this week. Ridley, it was great to talk to you and I am thrilled that we were able to reconnect. If anyone reads, do yourself a favor and call a long lost friend. You won't regret it.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Wool
Woolen running shirts. Who would have ever thought that running shirts made of wool would become my favorite running apparel?
At Christmas, Sara gave me a short sleeved 100% wool T-shirt. I was skeptical about her claims of "no smell after wearing 30 consecutive days" and "it won't rub you when you sweat" and "it's the most comfortable shirt that you'll ever wear". Wool? From sheep? The only wool that I can really remember are the sweaters that Mom used to knit for us. While warm, they were always kind of itchy. I could never think about wearing one while I was running.
The shirt that Sara gave me, however, didn't feel anything like wool - at least not what I think about when I think "wool". It is soft, like well worn cotton, and has kind of an earthy smell. Not like a wet dog. More like a walk in the woods after a rain. Shortly after Christmas, I wore it while working indoors on the elliptical. It was comfortable, like one of the more ubiquitous "wicking" shirts from Under Armour or Nike, but there was something different about it too. When I wore it outside after the workout, I didn't feel as cold as I did with the wicking shirt. I wore it a few times after that, all without washing it, to test the "30-days-without-washing-and-still-smells-fresh" claims. I know, disgusting. Sara was right - no smell. Just the "earthy" smell. And I stayed a lot warmer, regardless of how wet I got. And amazingly enough, no nipple rub when I didn't use Body Glide. I was hooked. I bought 2 more short sleeve and 2 long sleeve shirts. Yes, they are expensive (about $60 for the short sleeve and $80 for the long sleeve) but if I smell better after a workout, it's worth it.
Today was about 50 and threatening rain when I went out and 6 miles and a downpour later, it was still 50. Ordinarily, I would have been shivering but I wasn't. The wool held my body heat and kept me comfortable. Buy one - and you'll buy more.
If you're interested, http://us.icebreaker.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-IB-US-Site/default/Home-Show
At Christmas, Sara gave me a short sleeved 100% wool T-shirt. I was skeptical about her claims of "no smell after wearing 30 consecutive days" and "it won't rub you when you sweat" and "it's the most comfortable shirt that you'll ever wear". Wool? From sheep? The only wool that I can really remember are the sweaters that Mom used to knit for us. While warm, they were always kind of itchy. I could never think about wearing one while I was running.
The shirt that Sara gave me, however, didn't feel anything like wool - at least not what I think about when I think "wool". It is soft, like well worn cotton, and has kind of an earthy smell. Not like a wet dog. More like a walk in the woods after a rain. Shortly after Christmas, I wore it while working indoors on the elliptical. It was comfortable, like one of the more ubiquitous "wicking" shirts from Under Armour or Nike, but there was something different about it too. When I wore it outside after the workout, I didn't feel as cold as I did with the wicking shirt. I wore it a few times after that, all without washing it, to test the "30-days-without-washing-and-still-smells-fresh" claims. I know, disgusting. Sara was right - no smell. Just the "earthy" smell. And I stayed a lot warmer, regardless of how wet I got. And amazingly enough, no nipple rub when I didn't use Body Glide. I was hooked. I bought 2 more short sleeve and 2 long sleeve shirts. Yes, they are expensive (about $60 for the short sleeve and $80 for the long sleeve) but if I smell better after a workout, it's worth it.
Today was about 50 and threatening rain when I went out and 6 miles and a downpour later, it was still 50. Ordinarily, I would have been shivering but I wasn't. The wool held my body heat and kept me comfortable. Buy one - and you'll buy more.
If you're interested, http://us.icebreaker.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-IB-US-Site/default/Home-Show
Friday, April 6, 2012
Ten-din-it-is
The doctor said to keep running. Honest to goodness, he said keep running. I'm not just making this up.
About 3 weeks ago, I was sitting on the couch with my right leg propped up on the ottoman (strange word, don't you think?) and my left leg crossed over it. I fell asleep and when I woke up hours later, I noticed that my right knee was stiff, as though I had hyper-extended it. Running on it the next day, it was a bit sore but after a mile or so, the pain became almost unnoticeable. I went to Clearwater the following weekend (that's another story), ran twice with one being an 8 miler. When I got up out of a chair after "resting" at the beach bar, my knee was extremely stiff. So stiff, in fact, that it made me limp like an old man. I'm used to that feeling after getting out of bed in the morning but not after a few beers.
I didn't run for the following week and finally, went to see my favorite orthopedic surgeon, Stan Bowling. Stan is good...really good. He was able to nail every one of my symptoms without me having to describe them to him - stiffness after sitting, loosening up after the first mile or two of running, some minor swelling, pain relief after Advil. He checked the knee for all of the traditional maladies (meniscus, tendons, ligaments) and pronounced that I had a case of tendinitis of the tendon connecting the hamstring to whatever it connects to at the knee joint. Running wouldn't cause any further damage, he said. Advil three times a day for 10 days. Heat before a run (if I can remember it). Cold at night. If no improvement in 6 weeks or so, come back. I like Dr. Stan.
So for the past 12 days, I've kept running on it. Yes, it hurts for the first mile or two but not enough to stop running. And the pain subsides almost completely after that. So on I go. My knee still bothers me to some extent - I can't completely squat down as though in a catcher's squat - but then again, squatting is over-rated. I'm pleased to be running, the mileage is increasing slowly but surely, and most of all, I am enjoying everything. That's what this is all about, enjoying, right?
About 3 weeks ago, I was sitting on the couch with my right leg propped up on the ottoman (strange word, don't you think?) and my left leg crossed over it. I fell asleep and when I woke up hours later, I noticed that my right knee was stiff, as though I had hyper-extended it. Running on it the next day, it was a bit sore but after a mile or so, the pain became almost unnoticeable. I went to Clearwater the following weekend (that's another story), ran twice with one being an 8 miler. When I got up out of a chair after "resting" at the beach bar, my knee was extremely stiff. So stiff, in fact, that it made me limp like an old man. I'm used to that feeling after getting out of bed in the morning but not after a few beers.
I didn't run for the following week and finally, went to see my favorite orthopedic surgeon, Stan Bowling. Stan is good...really good. He was able to nail every one of my symptoms without me having to describe them to him - stiffness after sitting, loosening up after the first mile or two of running, some minor swelling, pain relief after Advil. He checked the knee for all of the traditional maladies (meniscus, tendons, ligaments) and pronounced that I had a case of tendinitis of the tendon connecting the hamstring to whatever it connects to at the knee joint. Running wouldn't cause any further damage, he said. Advil three times a day for 10 days. Heat before a run (if I can remember it). Cold at night. If no improvement in 6 weeks or so, come back. I like Dr. Stan.
So for the past 12 days, I've kept running on it. Yes, it hurts for the first mile or two but not enough to stop running. And the pain subsides almost completely after that. So on I go. My knee still bothers me to some extent - I can't completely squat down as though in a catcher's squat - but then again, squatting is over-rated. I'm pleased to be running, the mileage is increasing slowly but surely, and most of all, I am enjoying everything. That's what this is all about, enjoying, right?
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Springtime in Kansas City
The weather stays crazy here. During Sunday's morning run, it was in the upper 40s with no wind and no clouds, sunny and bright. Scott Wells, Mike Slade and I did a little under 9 miles (even though I was scheduled to go only 7, it was all Slade's fault - I wanted to stop at the bottom of the hill, around a mile from home but slave-driver Slade FORCED me to run up the hill and into the neighborhood).
Monday was an off day (no running, no exercise at all) while yesterday was in the high 60s but with 40-50 mph winds. The run yesterday was supposed to be a short one - 3 miles - and the first two miles, down hill and with a gusting tailwind, went well (duh). At the turn around, I started on the uphill, into-the-wind portion and truthfully, gave up about a half mile in. The wind forced me to a crawl, the hill go the best of me, and I felt like crap. I walked home.
The wind today has moderated to around 20 mph with temps in the upper 60s again. Overcast and damp is ok, cold and damp is not. Today is a 5 miler. Let's see how that goes.
Monday was an off day (no running, no exercise at all) while yesterday was in the high 60s but with 40-50 mph winds. The run yesterday was supposed to be a short one - 3 miles - and the first two miles, down hill and with a gusting tailwind, went well (duh). At the turn around, I started on the uphill, into-the-wind portion and truthfully, gave up about a half mile in. The wind forced me to a crawl, the hill go the best of me, and I felt like crap. I walked home.
The wind today has moderated to around 20 mph with temps in the upper 60s again. Overcast and damp is ok, cold and damp is not. Today is a 5 miler. Let's see how that goes.
Friday, March 2, 2012
I've Had Enough - I'm Moving
I like living in Kansas. I really do. It's a great place to raise a family, the standard of living is good, prices are reasonable (compared to both coasts and the warmer south), the people are friendly, my kids live here, (if you look hard) there is plenty to do - all in all, it's a reasonable place to land. About the only complaint I have is the weather.
This is the view from my office window, after a high of near 70 yesterday. And since I took this picture, it has gotten worse (worser?).
So I'm moving. Somewhere warm. All the time. 70 in the winter would be nice. And I like hot weather so 80-90 in the summer would be ok. I do have a couple of caveats - great place to raise a family, the standard of living must be good, prices need to be reasonable (compared to both coasts and the warmer south), the people must be friendly, my kids have to live there, plenty to do - sound familiar so far? - no bugs, great sunsets (or sunrises), opportunity to be involved in the community, crowded only when I want it to be crowded, great food, active running community (or at least races that I am interested in), close proximity to superior health care, close proximity to a major city (over 1 million). Any suggestions?
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