Page 8, Question 3

Question #3 on page 8 of my questionnaire from my soon-to-be coach deals with staying positive when things don't go well during a race.

I didn't fare so well on this one today.

I started out slow and with some tightness in my shins. That continued for about two miles. I've run through that kind of tightness so it was no big deal. Once the shins loosened up, I felt better but I wasn't able to speed up.

I hit the trail at about the 5.5 mile mark and suddenly hit my stride. Miles 7 through 13 were much much better. But then I started dropping on mile 14. My energy was sapped and my legs were burning. By mile 16 I was jogging four minutes and walking one. I trudged through the last few miles and finished the 20 miles ready to drop.

I'm feeling ok now, 8 hours, some hard-core stretching, plenty of fluids, a hot bath and a generous application of muscle cream later.

I have one more long run left before I taper for the marathon (27 days away). I WILL do better next time.

The Countdown Begins

No, not the 12-day countdown to November 4. Nope, it's the 30-day countdown to November 22 - the Rehoboth Beach Running Co. Seashore Marathon.

I'm feeling good, both physically and mentally. I've got two more long runs before I begin to taper. Then I'll be all set. If you're in the area, please make plans to join the cheering section! Details to come...

I'm also working on completing the 10 pages of information reguested by my triathlon coach. I won't start working with him until January, but we're getting the preliminary information gathering out of the way now. More details on this to come too.

This Week's Long Run

This weekend a cold front blew (literally) into the area, bringing colder temperatures and high winds. I woke up this morning in time to hear wind blow the furniture across the bedroom deck. This morning's run was going to be a windy one!

Wind or no wind, I was ready although today is the first day I've had to wear some cooler-weather running gear. With temps in the low 50s (about 25 degrees cooler than a week ago) I wasn't quite sure how my body would react. After the first couple miles, however, I knew today was going to be fast.

I averaged about 8:31 per mile on the first four miles which was actually a little faster than I wanted to go. I have a tendency to start out too fast and lose steam by the 12th or 13th mile. I really sped up on the middle of the run, averaging 8:04 per mile for miles 5 through 12. I slowed down a bit on the 13 through 17, but still maintained an 8:17 pace. Now I've been working on making my last couple miles faster than the rest on my long runs, so I knew today would be a good challenge. Mile 18 was a 7:54, and mile 19 was a surprising 7:35!

The wind was annoying, but gave me a good mental challenge every time I headed into it.

I felt great...until I stopped moving. I could tell, even before I finished stretching, that my hamstrings were going to give me trouble. But now, five hours and a nap later, I feel alright.

Next week: Breaking 20 miles!

Good Luck Jules!

Good luck to my friend Julie, who is running the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco this Sunday. Julie has run marathons all over the place (even Rome!) and she's done them to raise thousands of dollars for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Go Jules! (You run like a girl!)

Speedy!

Well, it may not be speedy for some, but it was for me today.

Last night I ran a quick 3 miles, but it didn't feel "right." Maybe it was too short to get in the groove, but I just didn't feel like it was a good run.

Today, having an early morning at work and an evening commitment, I decided to take some extra time at lunchtime to get in a run. My training plan called for a 90-minute run but I figured as long as I got in an hour, I'd do alright. As I started, I decided I'd do 7 miles and call it a day.

My first mile was 8:33, and I was feeling pretty good so I increased the pace a bit. Mile number 2 was 8:03. Mile 3 was even better. Everything felt great - pace, breathing, legs, energy level. I wrapped it up with a 7:36 last mile.

I have no idea where the speed came from, but it sure felt good. I ended up averaging 7:58 per mile. Let's all hope this kind of thing happens around mile 20 or so on November 22!

Tomorrow is a rest day before I get in another 5 miles on Saturday.

Things I Learned Today

I ran 17 miles today - my longest run yet! Here are some things I learned:

1) If you're older than a third grader, it'll take you at least 10 minutes to figure out how to set the 1-mile-lap-alarm feature on your Garmin Forerunner. If you're a third grader, it'll probably take you about 30 seconds.

2) Don't let your mind wander. Your legs will slow down.

3) Once you get Rhianna's "Shut Up and Drive" in your head, it will not leave.

4) If someone who has actually finished an Ironman passes you on the trail, don't try to keep up with him.

5) Other runners around North Shores all say, "Good morning." Very few cyclists in Lewes wear helmets. All drivers in the area have no respect for runners or cyclists on the road.

6) When you start getting tired, focus on your cadence and keep it smooth. That'll keep your speed up.

7) No matter how long the run is, the last mile is always the toughest.

Today exceeded my expectations. I felt very good throughout the run (and afterwards) and ended up averaging 8:27 per mile.

Video Time!

There are a ton of great videos that provide motivation, inspiration or umm...hmm...ah...fear. Here's one.

Note to my mother: I know you don't like to think about your son pushing his body too far. So don't watch this one.

Going Solo

A while back, a friend of mine asked why I trained by myself.

Simple answer: because I want to.

I've got plenty of opportunity to train with others - the Grove Park running club on Tuesday nights, an informal speed-work group on Wednesdays, another group that meets behind the outlets Thursday nights, and the long run group on Sundays. But I've found that running is my escape. It give me time to enjoy the solitude and just be alone with my thoughts. Much of my job as Fitness Director at the local YMCA is focused on customer service. I'm interacting with members throughout the day, as well as class participants when I teach classes and personal training clients of mine. When I want to "get away" I use running. At the Y we focus on the mind and soul in addition to the body. Running is my time to focus on all three. If I were to run with others, I would feel compelled to join conversations (or listen to them) or adjust my pace above or below what I really want to do.

My training time is my time.

Another Long Run

The moment I stepped outside I knew today's run would be a little difficult. The air was heavy with humidity, which has always given me breathing problems. So I took it a little slower. Still, by the 2-mile mark, I was already drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. I slowed down a little more.

Somewhere around the 5-mile mark I finally hit my stride and started feeling alright. The sun came through the clouds which was a mixed blessing. It "burned off" the heaviness of the air, but also seemed to increase the temperature by several degrees.

I made it to the 8-mile turn-around point, downed a strawberry-banana Gu, and trudged on. By mile 12 I was feeling sluggish again so I decided to do a little walk/jog combination - walk for 30 seconds, jog for 5-6 minutes. That got me through the rest of the way, and I finished 16 miles. I just downloaded my Forerunner information and somehow I still ended up averaging less than 9 minutes per mile.

Now, an hour later, I feel better than I did last week after 15 miles. And I'm off to start eating - I've got over 1,800 calories to make up!

You Want Fries With That?

I'm a huge advocate for healthy, mindful eating. I try my best to model good eating behavior by keeping my intake of red meat, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol low. Lately, however, it seems like it doesn't matter what the food is. I'm eating it. All the time.

In addition to all of the nifty things (pace, heart rate, elevation) my Forerunner data tells me, I get the total number of calories I expend during a run - based on my weight, pace, distance, etc. And Sunday's run cost me over 1,700 calories. That's about half a pound!

So to keep from losing weight I'm eating everything in sight. I know I need to make a significant effort to ensure those extra calories are the "right" ones - from foods that are nutritious and won't be detrimental to my training or health. But that cheeseburger at the Summer House last night was too tempting to resist! (But I didn't have fries with it!)

Another Good Run

I was up with the sun this morning to get in a 15-miler before it got too sunny or warm. During previous runs I felt that I spent too much time focusing on my pace by looking at my Forerunner (which tells me my speed, heart rate, total running time, etc.). So this time I settled into a challenging but not uncomfortable pace and kept it there.

Aside from a little fatigue towards the end, it was a good run. And when I got home and downloaded all the info from the Forerunner to my laptop, I discovered I had averaged an 8:20 pace and I hadn't fluctuated very much from that throughout the run. I am surprised...and pleased!

I soaked for a while in a hot bath and now I'm going to take a well-deserved nap.

Tomorrow is a rest day - and I'm going to take full advantage of that!

Back On the Road

I finally got back to my regular running schedule after 10 days of no running. I only did 3 miles (which was all my training plan called for) today but it just felt good to be out again. I ran for a bit along the beach and thought, "This is why I love living here."

Wallet In (see first post)

Well, the wallet is now in. The email came with my registration instructions and I got my time off from work approved for next September. The hotel reservation is made and I just completed the registration process, including paying the hefty entry fee.

Now I just need to get this body in shape for one wild ride!

No Run Today

I would have done a 15-mile run (longest one thus far) today but...

The past 3 days have wiped me out. Yesterday was the Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon, which benefits the local YMCA, which is where I work. So I worked some pretty ridiculous hours, and then spent about 8 hours yesterday doing physical labor in the hot sun with very little food/water. So when I finally ate a real meal last night my body rebelled - big time.

So today is a recovery day for me. I'll be back to my regular running schedule by Tuesday and look forward to my long run next Sunday.

Reason for My Title

I got the idea for the title of this blog from a video I saw. It's hard not to want to do this when you see the video.