Uisge Beatha

Moving to a New Domain!

2011-02-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's about time I moved this blog, you can now find me at: RunBikeNerd.com

There and Back Again, A Runner's Tale

2010-06-07T14:45:00.001-06:00

I've been pretty quiet on the blog front recently. In the end what makes you a better runner is running, not writing about running, and there is not really a better time of year to be logging some serious mileage than right now. Then there was the thought of my next endeavor, which seemed like such a good idea when I signed up for it in March, the Golden Gate Dirty Thirty. The thought of training for and running my first 50k over some seriously rough terrain had me mentally passing the buck for over a month. For the first time in a long time the question of whether I could actually FINISH a race loomed larger than the thought of how to run my fastest.

My training plan was simple enough: log as many miles as possible on the road to base build right up to the half marathon in April. Then after the half marathon, continue logging weekly miles while adding long trail runs on the weekend. For my trail runs I chose Mt. Falcon, a trail which I felt closely resembled the altitude and terrain of the race course, and Deer Creek Canyon, one with slightly less severe climbing but longer mileage and total altitude gain. These runs, coupled with their back-to-back road runs and cycling counterparts, made up the backbone of my endurance training.

By the beginning of the two week taper I had experienced everything I felt I needed: lung-burning ascents, quad-busting descents, runs that I never wanted to end, and runs that could not end soon enough. The only thing that remained was the x-factor, the unknown of running past the brink of what you feel are your physical capabilities and returning from "the dead" to carry on.

I arrived the morning of the race with a single goal in mind, to finish the whole distance still feeling like I was having fun. The first climb felt impossibly easy, we were moving quickly but I didn't feel out of breath at all. After a fast descent into the first aid station we climbed again, slow and steady to the high point of the course, panorama point, at just over 9500 feet. I still felt good and was able to make ground up on other racers on the downhills, but I tried to save myself for the two brutal climbs that I knew lay ahead. I had been ignoring my watch and mile markers to this point, but after the first of these two climbs I caught sight of the 13 mile mark and doubt entered my mind, I wasn't even halfway done yet! I finished the second of the two technical sections and arrived at the third aid station feeling fairly strong. That was all about to change.

The day was beginning to heat up, with temperatures heading into the upper 70s and the high-altitude sun beating down. Between the first two aid stations I had finished one 20-ounce bottle, but between aid station 2 and 3 I had downed both of them. I went through my drop bag, reapplied sunscreen and replenished my chews, and grabbed a handful of trailmix before starting the climb back up to Fraser meadows. One mile into the climb I was hurting pretty badly, my stomach was in knots and I was feeling very queasy. I was forced to walk almost all of the 5 miles to the next aid station, thankfully there were few downhills through this section as I had problems moving at all but the slowest of speeds. Despite this I forced myself to keep drinking fluids which I'm sure kept me in the game.

I finally reached the last aid station, and the thought of only 8 miles to go plus a gel that I managed to keep down had my spirits rebounding. I had made it through my low point and though it was still tough to keep going I knew I was going to finish. The long climb up Windy Peak was all that stood in my way. The journey through where I had just been mentally was somewhat humorously personified by the string of runners winding their way up the switchbacks on the side of the mountain; our own little death march. By the time we reached the top I was physically hurting, but my mind was back in it and I was able to joke with the other runners and volunteers again. Each step of the descent hurt, but I could see the finish line tucked away in the valley and it kept me going. Glancing at my watch for one of the few times of the day I now saw that I was close to 7 hours, so I made it my goal to finish with a 6 in front. With that final adrenaline kick I ran across the finish line in 6:55, both the longest mileage and longest time I have ever run before!

Despite the tough times I really enjoyed this race. Golden Gate Canyon State Park has some of the most beautiful trails I have seen and it was a pleasure to take a seven hour tour of its gems. All in all the 31 mile course boasts not a single scrap of pavement, and almost all of it is singletrack. I cannot think of a better place to experience my trip to the brink and back again.

Exercise is a Four Letter Word

2010-04-26T20:09:00.000-06:00

I hate the word "exercise". Come to think of it, I don't think very highly of the word "workout" either. I think these two words are helping more and more people get out of shape every year. What thoughts does the word "exercise" conjure up to you? You are probably not thinking about puppies frolicking on a grassy lawn, or puffy clouds floating across a sunny, blue sky.

Who can blame you? Exercise is shoved down our throats from every angle. "Get your best bikini body with this simple workout!" "Sign up for our gym and our personal trainers will help you achieve your fitness goals!" "Abs of steel in only 5 minutes a day!" It all boils down to the same marketing angle: exercise sucks and spending money on this product will help it suck a little less. Exercise does suck! If you are going to a gym and staring at a wall of mirrors, lifting more weight than you have any right to be, or running in place for what seems like an eternity, you are not going to be having fun.

Thankfully, there is an alternative to the "e-word" and it's an "f-word": fun. Being active is doing something you want to do, for the reasons you choose. Running because you love the feeling of wind in your hair. Riding a bike because it helps you rediscover the feeling of freedom you lost when you became an adult. Hiking because you love how the world looks small from high on a mountain. Eating healthy food because it just tastes good. Do you sometimes have to go to a gym so that you can enjoy these activities more? Sure, but now you are working toward a dream rather than a "I need to lose x pounds by memorial day" goal.

When you find an activity that you love, everything else comes into focus. An active lifestyle develops around this simple discovery, and suddenly all the marketing efforts of the exercise industry become what they truly are: noise. Oswald Chambers said "if we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would do nothing forever and ever" and this is as true for our physical lives as it is for the spiritual walk he was referring to. Being active does take a conscious decision to do something every day, but don't do it because you feel obligated to or because you want to fit into a smaller pair of pants, do it because it's fun!

In the Beginning

2010-03-27T21:00:00.001-06:00

Whenever one is attempting to look to the future, it is always good to recount the past. So, with the dailymile theme of favorite race pictures the other day, I decided to choose one of my favorite pictures from my first marathon. It is somewhat revealing of my character that I chose a race that was not strong, but in fact my worst race. I believe the struggles we experience do more to shape us than the successes.

The race was the 2006 San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. It was my first marathon after I had started running occasionally 2 years prior. My best race to date was a 40:30 5-mile race, and my plan was to run 4 hours at the marathon.

Training had been rocky at best. I followed a 16 week beginner training plan and slowly built my long runs up to the 20 mile mark. The plan involved hill work, but not much else and the weekly mileage tapped out at 35 miles. I remember the long runs being brutal! As it was only a 16 week program, the long runs were merciless in their advancement, after ramping up to 10 miles they increased every week by 2 miles to hit 20 four weeks before the race. Every run over 12 was longer than I had ever run before. Each week was worse than the last, but foolishly I convinced myself that the race would be better as I would have more energy after tapering.

The day before race day arrived and we spent most of the day walking around San Diego, it was 85 degrees and I remember being hot, tired and dehydrated by 4 o'clock. Having trained in Colorado springtime I had no hot weather experience and I was dreading the heat. I didn't even have a decent hat, just a baseball cap that I had used for training, so I bought a tech hat at the race expo. Pre-race nutrition was a disaster as we waited outside Buca di Beppo for hours for a table that never materialized. Apparently it was also grad night for many schools and after limo after limo pulled in we decided to hit TGI Fridays. By that time anything would have tasted good.

The early morning alarm arrived, I went through race preparations and got to the starting line alone as Melissa and Elijah slept. We had neglected to get a crib for the hotel room and Elijah, then 15 months old, had fallen out of the bed in the middle of the night making for a restless night for all of us. I had hoped to hit the port-a-potties before the race started, but so had 20,000 other overhydrated racers so I just made for the corrals. The strains of U2's "Beautiful Day" saw us on our way, I was about to run farther than I had ever run before!

As I have come to understand about the marathon, it all seems impossibly easy in the first miles. I eventually found a port-a-potty at mile 5 that had a fairly short line so I took advantage of it, and then picked up the pace to catch the 4 hour pace group. The morning was overcast, thankfully, and the temperatures stayed modest, but still felt hot with the high humidity. By the time I saw my family and friends cheering at mile 13 I was starting to hurt, and this would be the last time I was to see them before the finish. Ironically, Elijah was crying in his stroller and I felt like I wanted to cry as well but I pressed on.

Each mile became progressively more difficult and I found myself having to take more and more walk breaks. I struggled to make it to mile 17 where a gel station awaited, but I was finding more and more that there were just not enough sports drink stations. Water was not satisfying my thirst and I ended up dumping most of it on my head to keep cool. Mile 20 arrived and I was into unknown territory, I kept welling up emotionally thinking of Melissa and Elijah waiting for me at the finish. The thought of them waiting hours for me to arrive on a sag wagon was the only thing keeping me going, I knew I had to push through as they would be worried about me. Eventually I settled into a pattern of walking for a few minutes at every water stop, but I still found it in me to start running again each time. The Marine Corps recruitment depot arrived and I knew I was going to finish, I was so happy to see Elijah and Melissa cheering I couldn't help tearing up. I was done, and I had finished the biggest physical goal I had ever laid out for myself.

Four hours and forty-four minutes. Even today I have not run again for as much time as that day (that will change this year). In the three years following that race I took nearly an hour and a half off of that marathon time. The picture above summarizes well the pain and pride that I felt during that race, which is why I like it so much. The marathon is a goal that is achievable by anyone, and yet not everyone will strive to achieve it. It is less a test of what you can do on one day than it is a test of what you can do over months of training. It allows one a rare glimpse inside your own character, how will you persevere when things get difficult?

What if...

2010-03-21T11:34:00.000-06:00

My running life seems to have been punctuated by defining moments where my attitude and approach shifts dramatically. Sometimes these shifts have been caused by some realization I have made on my own, such as the first time I ran 12 miles and realized that a marathon may be possible. Other times these shifts are brought about by something someone else says that strikes a chord, like the time my running buddy helped me realize how much hard work factors into running success.

The other day I was at the Boulder Running Company at the Denver Tech Center. Recently I have been participating in their group runs on Saturday mornings, which have been a great way for me to meet new runners and have a little company for weekly long runs. Two of the guys who work at the store, Mike Aish and Scott Schrader, have offered great training tips and workouts as well as inspiring me to work harder. While I was there I was looking at a picture on the wall of Mike winning the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon. I made the comment that I would likely never get to experience "breaking the tape", and Scott responded with "Well, with that attitude you certainly won't!"

That remark really sunk in over the next few days. It got me thinking "What if..." A few years ago I would have never thought I would be racing the times I'm running now, what if a couple of years from now I am not only competitive in my age group, but competitive for the podium! Is there a limit to the goals I can achieve with consistent and directed effort over the next few years? What if the only thing holding me back is my bad attitude about what I think my body can accomplish!

I dwell too much on the opportunities I've missed along the way. The fact that I never realized my enjoyment of running in high school, that I never really had any physical activities through college, that I never had a coach encouraging me to do more, that I'm too old now to be competitive. I can focus on the positives: that I never got burned out on running, that I have never been seriously injured, that in developing my own training plans I can tailor them to my own strengths and weaknesses, and that at 33 years old I have a good 7 years before I even start to experience the effects of aging on my running. I can dare to dream the big dreams, and maybe soon it will be me in that picture breaking the tape!

Am I Old Already?

2010-03-14T18:11:00.000-06:00

It's about time I came to grips with the fact that I have high-blood pressure. There, I said it. It is possible for someone like me, who is not overweight, who has a reasonably healthy diet, and who works out a ton, to have hypertension. You just have to have bad genes.

Really I have known about this problem for a while. At first I thought I could deal with it by cutting down on coffee, then by exercising more. But no matter what I seemed to do, the readings only seemed to go up. Then I passed it off as "white-coat syndrome", I get pretty worked up when doctors measure my blood pressure, it's like a test I can't pass! Finally, this year when the readings started hitting 150/100 my doctor decided to pull the trigger on medication.

So here I am, 33 years old and having to come to grips with the fact that I will be on lifelong medication. Fortunately, there are a lot of types of medications to choose from, each with differing success for each patient. Not all of the treatments have adverse affects for athletes either. My current morning cocktail consists of Lisinopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, Hydrochloro thiazide, a diuretic, and Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker.

The first two of these seemed to make no difference at all in my blood pressure readings, so I hope I can eventually get off of these altogether. I am especially concerned about the diuretic, as there is potential for dehydration and kidney failure in endurance athletes. So far I have not noticed a big difference, but I am most concerned about running in the summer when I know I struggle to stay hydrated. One of the other side effects is sensitivity to the sun, which I have also noticed. Lately I have developed quite a sunglass-tan and I have started applying sunscreen. Usually I don't start using much sunscreen until May when the sun is higher in the sky, so this seems to be a result of the medication. The Amlodipine has had the biggest effect so far with the fewest side effects. There is potential for swelling in the ankles with this medication, but I seem to have dodged that bullet.

I also purchased a blood pressure cuff and take readings in the morning and evening. I am recording these readings using the HeartWise iPhone app (iTunes Link), which is giving me a wealth of statistics about trends and stats. My pressure now has fallen to the 130/60 range and seems to be holding steady. One unexpected added bonus of the measurements is a daily reading of my resting heart rate. It has been interesting to me to see the changes in my morning heart rate depending on my training. I have noticed that on days after my hard workouts the rate is generally elevated which I am taking as an indication of my recovery.

I have come to terms with my treatment, and realize that by addressing the problem now I can avoid potential health issues later in life. Overall this is also my reasoning behind running and staying healthy, so there is really no difference between this and a lifetime of physical fitness. What activity and diet have failed to do, modern medicine can hopefully achieve.

Enter the Double

2010-02-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

This year I have some pretty significant speed and distance goals in mind and one of the tools I will use to achieve them is a fairly high-mileage base. If my body will let me, I hope to slip into the 70 mile per week range this year. My recent workouts have been getting me in the mid-50s for the past few weeks, but these are essentially tapping out the mileage I can achieve with only one workout per day.

The key is to start introducing doubles to my training schedule, slowly building up the number of days per week that I workout twice. In the past I have attempted to do this, but often met with injury or overtraining soon after. This year I am taking a more conservative approach, which seems to be working better. So far, all of my doubles have been on my tempo or interval days, meaning that the total mileage for the day is not much more than my usual one run days. For example, I usually run 9 miles once per day, but only run 11 miles for the two runs combined. By running the double on the hard days I'm also more cognizant of making the easy days easy.

I think if I stay grounded in this approach I will be able to continue to increase the combined length of the doubles and get my mileage where I want it to be, hopefully without injury. This will also help prepare my body for the bike commute that will again become part of my routine in the spring. Last year I found riding twice a day, plus running was a bit much for a daily schedule.

This all fits into what I consider to be my training experiment. There are no controls, no statistics, just one test subject and an infinite number of variables. I enjoy both the fruits of my labors when training decisions turn out well, and the return to the blackboard when things fall apart. The more I learn about how my body reacts to training, the better I will be able to react and adjust when it inevitably begins to change.

Brooks Green Silence Racing Flat

2010-01-29T14:28:00.003-07:00

I have been excited about the upcoming release of the Green Silence ever since the product was announced last year. I am looking to move into a racing flat for my shorter races and the opportunity to run in a shoe that is designed with the environment in mind really appeals to me. This shoe is constructed from 75% post-consumer recycled materials, and the foams used are biodegradable. Looking at them, though, you would not think "recycled," you would only think "fast."

In fact the design of this shoe is probably the most noticeable right out of the box. The yellows and reds that color the upper and sole are bright and in-your-face and the asymmetric lacing offers a unique look. One of the most striking features of the shoes, however, is the difference between the left and right shoes. Yes, the left and right shoes are complete opposites of each other with the red and yellow palates swapped right down to the sole! The result is a shoe that really makes a statement, and that statement is "I'm here to run fast!"

The feel of these shoes is something else entirely. The tongue is integrated into the upper of the shoe, with the lacing traveling down the side of the foot, just off of center. There is also minimal stitching and few overlays resulting in a very comfortable feel to the upper. The soft fabric conforms to the foot remarkably well and I could easily see myself wearing these shoes sockless. The midsole of the shoe is fairly substantial but the cushioning seems a little stiffer than the Launch. One noticeable difference is how flat the sole is, with almost no discernible heel. The insole as well seems to be designed with this in mind as it feels like there is less contouring than the insoles provided in other shoes.

Performance wise these shoes feel like an extension of my foot. The transition from heel to toe is very smooth and the cushioning substantial enough that I do not feel like my stride is hindered even at top speed. These were made with a more midfoot-forefoot strike in mind, but I believe they are substantial enough that a heel strike would not cause many problems. I also think that these would stand up to races as long as the half-marathon, but a marathon may be pushing it for most runners.

All around the Green Silence is a great racing shoe and speed trainer. The comfort of the upper alone makes it worth the hype in my eyes, it really does have a good overall feel. I am looking forward to turning some heads when I break these out for races!

Disclaimer: I shelled out of my own pocket for these shoes, but I was able to get a discount through my membership in the Brooks ID program.

Flexibility in Training

2010-01-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the first "real" tempo run of this year's training, and let's just say it wasn't pretty. I had all sorts of aspirations of running 5.5 miles at tempo pace after a mile warm up, but almost immediately after I dialed up the pace it felt like I was breathing like a freight train. My legs felt responsive enough, but my lungs were angry and by the time I reached the halfway point for the run I was cooked.

But as I accepted my failure in the intended workout an idea crept into my mind. Instead of turning around at the halfway point I decided I would run a couple of miles farther at an easy pace to give myself time to recover, then dial it back up to tempo pace for the remainder of my planned tempo distance.

The result of this scheme was a negative split for the second half of the tempo "interval," and just like that, a workout that I thought was trashed ended up in the win column. I am not going to claim that this workout had all of the benefits of a full 5.5 mile tempo run, but it was a far cry better than limping back at a pace far too slow for tempo but too fast for recovery.

In the end I think this demonstrated to me the importance of flexibility in training. Not every day will be a good day and it's important to take what you can on those days. Listening to your body and adapting to its needs will always be better than trying to grind through a workout and ending up ineffective, or worse injured.

Can we make up?

2010-01-23T14:08:00.001-07:00

Hi blog! I know, we haven't spoken in a while. It's just I've been busy! There were the holidays, then I got sick, and then I just didn't make the time. But there are no good excuses, I'm just a bad blogger.

But I did get a chance to give you a sweet new look! And I updated your goal races for 2010, doesn't that count for something? Plus, I have a lot of plans for blog posts coming up with reviews and comments on some of my favorite running things! And if I manage to win one of those boxes of LARABAR that Megan Killian is giving away I promise I'll share with you.

Why do you have to bring up Twitter? Yes I spend a lot of time there, but sometimes 140 characters just isn't enough. What do you mean Dailymile sees me a lot too? I didn't even know you knew about that.

Well it's obvious we have some communication issues to work through, but we owe it to our readers to keep going! We can make this work!

Got Time for a Quickie?

2009-12-09T18:00:00.001-07:00

Hectic schedules and workouts don't often go hand-in-hand so it is often that I find myself with a break that is seemingly too short for exercise. This has been happening more lately as it seems that I have developed the mental block of "if it's not at least an hour, it's not worth doing." That attitude has got to change.

Yesterday was frigidly cold and I did not even bother trying to run outside (I left Canada so that I would not have to deal with cold like that). But my fatherly obligations in the evening meant I would not be able to get to the gym either, so I was determined to get a ride on my trainer. Between getting each kid to bed my window of opportunity opened, although it was only a half-hour window. Do I bother to ride for just 30 minutes, or do I just call it a rest day?

In the end I opted for the ride. Since I wasn't riding for too long I focussed on keeping my cadence high, occasionally dropping into the highest gear for some resistance. The result was a good workout that got my heart-rate going and worked my legs, but only took 30 minutes. Afterwards I felt great, and was so energized I ended up getting a lot of other things done that I would not have if I had just sat on the couch.

This got me thinking about what other times I have during the day that I could squeeze in exercise. What is not enough time for a workout, and is there even such a thing? Got a half-hour? Try a quick ride or hill repeats! How about 15 minutes? Pushups, planks and core! I'm beginning to feel that there are many opportunities for exercise that I am missing out on just because of my preconceived notions of what is "worth the effort." Time, after all, is not on our side and we have to make the most of what we have!

Core Training with Wii Fit

2009-12-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

For the past year of training I have been incorporating core-strength workouts into my routine via Wii Fit. I believe it has made me a stronger runner, and it has kept me honest with exercises that can be easy to cheat. Now a lot of you (okay both of you) may be snickering at this point, but bear with me as I hope to demonstrate the usefulness of the Wii Fit as a training tool.

The main marketing strategy for the Wii Fit has been to appeal to families and exercise novices who may be intimidated by the gym environment. By monitoring your weight and center of balance, Wii Fit is able to provide some sort of accountability as you work on improving these through the exercises provided. These include yoga poses, "aerobic" activities, balance games and strength training. The yoga poses are great for flexibility, but I stopped doing them after a while as I found that the flow was interrupted too often by switching exercises. This has been addressed in the newly available "Wii Fit Plus" as exercises can be stacked together and performed one after the other. The aerobic activities are fun, but are definitely not a cardio-workout. The balance games are fun as well, and my kids love doing them. Showing kids that exercise is fun at a young age is important, I think, so I actually like this aspect of the game as well.

The real meat of the Wii Fit training comes from the "Strength Training" exercises. Hidden beneath this innocuous green button are some of the best core-strength exercises you can do. For starters there are rows of exercises dedicated to strengthening the hips and glutes. Some of these seem easy, but after 20 reps you can feel them working. For runners who experience leg injuries, such as ITBS (Iliotibial band syndrome), these moves are key. In addition, as the system is able to monitor your center of balance during the exercise it can tell if you are doing the move incorrectly. Nestled within these are the base exercises of an effective core routine: push-ups/side-plank, lunges, plank, jackknife, bird-dog, and bridged extension (the last one is included in Wii Fit Plus). Using the new "My Training" in the plus version to string 3 sets of each of these exercises together yields a roughly 40 minute core program. Does 40 minutes seem like a lot for 6 exercises? Then you haven't been doing them slowly enough! This is the big advantage of using the Wii Fit system, it keeps your timing honest. The board monitors each move and will not give you credit unless you execute it at the correct speed, which is mercilessly slow. This prohibits you from using any momentum whatsoever and makes you engage each muscle group fully for the duration of the exercise.

The strength training portion of Wii Fit is exceptionally suited to the distance runner. It is core based, which supplements muscle groups needed for running, and you are not going to pack on pounds of muscle from the low-weight activities. Throw in a yoga routine here and there and you can supplement your flexibility as well. All of this can be achieved in your living room, while being a point of entertainment for the rest of the family as well.

Brighton Turkey Trot Race Report

2009-11-24T18:38:00.005-07:00

My search for a suitable turkey trot had several criteria this year. First, knowing how much cooking I have to do on Thanksgiving meant that a turkey day turkey trot was out of the question. Also, I had signed up for church duties for most of the month, so a Sunday race was out as well. Finally, I did not want to drive halfway across the state to get to the race. I turned to active.com's Turkey Trot Finder and discovered that the Brighton Turkey Trot fit the necessary parameters. I signed up "old-school" by sending in a check and registration form, and was committed.

Race day arrived and I was pleasantly surprised to find that my thermometer read 45F, so I decided I would probably wear a short sleeve shirt for the race as the sun would probably warm it up to nearly 50 by the start time. Not wanting to be cold beforehand I threw on my long-sleeve and fleece over the shirt and headed out the door. As I drove north to Brighton I was shocked to see the car thermometer plummeting. By the time I arrived there was frost everywhere, and the thermometer read 28F. Needless to say the T-shirt plan was out the window.

I headed in to pick up my race packet and timing chip (this was the first year for chip timing). The registration is held inside the Brighton Recreation Center, which is really nice to be able to keep warm and use heated restrooms. There was plenty of room for spectators to hang out as well. The rec center is located next to a nice little park as well, with a 3/4 mile path running around it, perfect for warming up! I ran around the park a few times and threw in a few 30 second sprints as well for good measure. I knew I wanted to hit the ground running hard and did not want to risk injury by going off cold. By the time I was lining up at the start I was down to just a long-sleeve shirt and shorts, plus my gloves and hat.

I lined up within two rows of the starting line as I knew I wanted to be in the lead group from the start. The gangly limbs and racing flats always leave me feeling a little outgunned, but I suspected from prior year results that I had a shot at top 15. I often wonder if and how other runners size me up, as I always feel like a bit of an outsider in those situations. The 30 second warning came, then someone yelled "Go!" and we were off! My body settled almost immediately into a fast pace that felt hard, but manageable and I knew it was going to be a good race. Watching the leaders snake around the corners in front of me I knew I was in the front 20 and my goal was to make sure I did not lose any ground. The first mile marker came in 6 flat and already some runners ahead of me had started to drop back. Ahead of me, the first female runner had already shaken off her two competitors and I made it my goal to maintain distance with her. Mile two came in 6:05 and I had only reeled in one other runner, I suspected that that would be the last of my advances. Through mile 3 I felt like I was just keeping it together, although the 6:01 split indicates I was handling things just fine. I stole a glance behind me around the final corner and tried to push hard to the finish line to hold off the racer behind me. 18:52 from the gun and my chip recorded 18:48, a solid 5k effort good for 10th place!

I ended up meeting up with two other racers at the end of the finish chute who were going to run the course again as a cool down, so I joined them for an extra 5k. They had run the race in prior years, and we had a lot to chat about as we ran back. It was great to engage with other runners who have similar training and racing philosophies. It was a good way to kill some time before the award ceremony which I was determined not to miss. When I checked the race results, I was shocked to discover that I had somehow been entered as "female" in the scoring system! I immediately reported the error to the scoring official, but I probably should have emphasized that the error affected the age group awards. I had erroneously won the female 30-34 age group! I hoped that they would have fixed the problem by the time the announcements were made, but unfortunately not, so I stood there red-faced as my name was read as the winner of the category. Afterward I was able to get my correct 2nd place award, but the situation was embarrassing and I felt terrible for the women who had received incorrect awards. It turns out that there were several racers in the wrong "category" so I hope the race is able to get this fixed in the future.

This race has a great "small race" feel, but is put on very professionally. The post-race food was good, and there was plenty left even when I came in after most of the racers had been through. The chip-timing was an added bonus. The only detraction from this great experience was the whole mistaken gender issue, which I hope will be addressed in later years. I will definitely be returning to run this race next year!

Mileage Totals

2009-11-17T20:48:00.002-07:00

Last year the holidays represented a pretty significant loss in fitness, which I hope will not be repeated this year. I think the goal this year that will get me through this period intact is the mileage total. Today I am at 1819 for the year, which is pretty far behind where I was last year around this time (1857 on Oct. 19th). I'm not worried about the drop in mileage (cross-training has more than made up for the difference in running miles) but it does mean that 2009 miles for the year will be a close call. Just close enough to keep me going through the coming weeks!

So I am now publicly declaring my goal to run 2009 miles in 2009! If I stay consistent (30-40 mpw) it should be doable, but it may require a few last minute additions to the running schedule. Exactly what I need to get out the door that week between Christmas and New Year's!

Soreness vs. Pain

2009-11-10T20:47:00.002-07:00

Runners have to be acutely aware of the difference between soreness, which is a direct result of hard training, and pain, which is a result of injury. Any runner who has been running for some time is quite accomplished at blocking out pain, we do it all the time to get through tough workouts. So it should come as no surprise that we are quite good at blocking out pain from an injury as well. We can delude ourselves through all sorts of arguments, and if we are not careful, ignored pain can turn into a major injury.

I spent the better part of last week sore from my workouts. Coming off a two week hiatus I was eager to get back to full time training and I pushed a little too hard on Monday. Each subsequent hard workout for the week pushed me further into muscle debt and by Friday it was almost a full 5 miles before I felt "normal" on my run. Despite this, I pushed through the week as I knew that the soreness was a direct result of the ramp up in mileage, and that with my mileage base I would be back to normal after a good rest day. This week has been much better as my body reluctantly adapts to the renewed intensity of training.

That being said, if I experience pain that I feel is due to a potential injury I usually will return to rest almost immediately. For me there are several markers that I look for to differentiate pain from muscle soreness. First, is the pain acute or spread over a large region? Acute pain is never a good sign as it is usually due to a localized effect (either muscle or bone), while soreness is spread out due to muscle damage from training. Acute pain almost always sends me to the freezer for an ice pack and a prescription for a few days off. Second, is the pain aggravated by running? Soreness and tight muscles may feel pretty bad when you first start a run, but symptoms will often improve as you get warmed up. An injury, on the other hand, is usually made worse by running, so if the pain is nagging throughout the run or if it alters your gait in any way, pack it in early. The third marker is persistence. Living with soreness is a fact of life, but usually we know intuitively when pain does not fit that mould. Does the pain persist through the day after the workout is over? Is standing or sitting in a usually comfortable position now uncomfortable? Worst of all is dull throbbing pain that exists without any movement at all, a clear warning sign.

Making the decision to take a few rest days or even rest weeks during a training schedule is never easy, but it is essential that you listen to the signals your body is sending you. A little time off now can save you from a major recovery period down the road. Above all it will keep you running for years to come, and racing another day!

Hard Work, Perseverance, and Hard Work

2009-11-05T20:38:00.002-07:00

I did not come to be competitive in running through a high school or college pedigree. In fact, I did not start doing anything remotely physical until I was 25. So how did I get to where I'm at now? A lot of hard work and one seemingly insignificant conversation.

2 years ago I started running with a friend from work. He is much faster than I am and is more into the ultra-scene than I am. One day we were having a discussion as he was putting the screws to me during one of his easy workouts (I was out for a tempo). I remarked to him that I could never be as fast as him as I was not gifted with the runner's physique like he was. Being the good running partner that he is, he called me out on it. He said that he works his ass off to be fitter and faster, and that nature had nothing to do with it. Those words sank in somewhere deep in to my soul and I still carry them with me.

From that point I became much more dedicated to running. I am more serious about my training and racing and the hard work is paying off. Each year I am improving, getting stronger and faster, and I am achieving the goals that my running buddy inspired me to achieve with that one conversation. There is no secret to success in any endeavor, no predisposition to greatness, there is only hard work. I hope these words will inspire another beginning runner to set lofty goals and pursue them, just as it did me! Train smart, take advice from other runners, listen to your body, but above all work hard and you will achieve them!

The Runner's Wish List

2009-11-04T14:43:00.005-07:00

With Halloween gone, there is no denying the holiday season is approaching. In that light I thought it would be worthwhile to put together a list of runner essential items. As all the other lists out there seem to be way over the top (including pricy items like GPS watches, etc) I also wanted to keep everything under $100 and most items much less than that. So here it is: The Runner's Holiday Wish List for the Budget Minded Shopper!

Socks
It sounds cheesy, but at close to $10 a pair, running socks are one of my most appreciated gift item. Sizing is forgiving, just make sure you get socks that are made of synthetic material (i.e. no cotton!)

Energy Gels/Chews
There are tons of these on the market and most runners like to have the opportunity to try new fueling options during training. For just a few bucks you can stuff a stocking to the brim with these!

Hydration Mixes
In the same vein as the energy gels, hydration mixes can be bought in powder form, ready to be mixed by your runner recipient. These come in packages, tubes, and tubs, and in tons of flavors other than lemon-lime.

Gloves/Arm Sleeves
Even midsummer races start at the crack of dawn and most runners like to have a little something to fend off the cold while waiting for the gun to go off. Even cheap "painters gloves" which can be discarded when the race starts are great!

Race Entry
What runner would not want a free race to train for? Especially one in the off-season to work off some of those holiday calories! 5k is probably a good distance, signing your runner up for a marathon may not be appreciated as much as you might think.

MP3 player
This is a bit of a hotly debated topic in the running community, but even runners who are dead-set against music while running will reach for one for treadmill workouts. This is the most expensive item on the list, but the small ones can be purchased for under $100.

Magazine Subscription
What do runners like doing nearly as much as running? Reading about running! Plus it's the gift that keeps giving for a whole year!

Granola Bars/Snacks
Apart from running and reading about running, eating is the next most popular activity. Energy bars, granola, pretzels, trail mix, it's all good and it's all cheap!

Massage Gift Certificate
Most runners need massage as a recovery tool, but most can't justify the cost.

Foam Roller
This is just what it sounds like, a foam cylinder that can be rolled over sore muscles as an at home massage tool. At around $15 this is probably the best value for the money on the list. If your runner does not have one already, rest assured, they want one!

I hope this list helps some shoppers out there. Behind every great athlete is a great athletic supporter! (Sorry I couldn't resist)

Tuesday Tempo!

2009-11-03T20:41:00.002-07:00

All I can say is: "Ouch!" Today marked the first tempo run in two weeks and boy I am feeling it tonight. Let me just say first of all that I hate tempo runs. Long runs I am okay with, I enjoy the challenge and reward of running for a long time, provided it's at a nice laid back pace. I also enjoy intervals, the speed I can handle knowing that rest is just around the corner. But the tempo occupies some space that my mind is not equipped to handle.

Mind: "Okay, so we're going to run fast. That's okay it will be over quickly."

Me: "Well not really, it's going to be like 7 miles before we can stop."

Mind: "Forget it, I'm outta here! Zone out on your own."

Me: "No way man, I can't run that fast without thinking about it, you need to be here!"

Mind: "You want to run fast for 7 miles AND think about it at the same time!?!"

While I won the battle today it was not without casualties, which my tired and sore legs are reminding me of tonight. They are also telling me I just went from 0 to 17 miles in two days and to go easy on them tomorrow. I am fine with easy days, just as long as they are well deserved.

2010 Approaches!

2009-11-02T19:29:00.002-07:00

Now that I am finished with my two week recovery, today begins the beginning of training for my 2010 racing season! It was great to get outside again and feel strong for a nice easy run, but tomorrow I will have to suck it up for a tempo run that will more than likely leave me lying in a fetal position muttering to myself about "fartleks."

Speaking of speedplay, I have a rough outline of my racing schedule in mind. I plan to hit a couple of 5k races this holiday season to keep things snappy, a turkey trot and the Colder Bolder. Then I'm thinking about one of the Colorado Running winter distance series races as a tune up for the Platte River Half in April. Then I will culminate the spring training with the Bolder Boulder and a 50k (my first "ultra"). I hope to spend the summer working on speed, building up to the Denver Marathon in the fall. My plan is to shoot for 3:00 in Denver! Yes, you read that right, I hope to take a full 16 minutes off my marathon PR! None of this messing around with Boston qualifying times, it's time to shoot for the stars.

Will all these goals come to pass? I'll never know unless I set them and go for it!

Quality Speedwork, In About an Hour

2009-10-15T20:29:00.006-06:00

Finding time to run is a challenge with hectic schedules, so I usually find the best time to run is during lunch. This can somewhat limit workout choices if I am limited to just an hour. Today I ran a hard workout that was taxing enough to be quality training, but was finished in about 50 minutes including warm-up and cool-down. As the workout was based on time intervals rather than distance anyone can complete this workout in the same time regardless of pace or course profile. I thought I would share in case there are any similarly time constrained runners out there looking for a good workout.

Warm-up: 8 minutes easy jog

Interval: 3 minutes (should be fairly hard effort, 5k race pace)

Recovery: 1:30 easy jog

Interval: 3 minutes (5k race pace)

Recovery: 1:30 easy jog

Interval: 3 minutes (5k race pace)

Recovery: 1:30 easy jog

Interval: 3 minutes (5k race pace)

Recovery: 1:30 easy jog (If you are running an out-and-back route this is where you turn around)

Interval: 3 minutes (5k race pace)

Recovery: 1:30 easy jog

Interval: 3 minutes (5k race pace)

Recovery: 1:30 easy jog

Interval: 3 minutes (5k race pace)

Recovery: 1:30 easy jog

Interval: 3 minutes (5k race pace)

Cool Down: 8 minutes easy

As long as you don't go too hard at the beginning of this workout you should be near where you started if you turned around at halfway. This accomplishes both the speedwork goal (hard intervals with short recovery) and even split.

I consider this workout a "short" run, so if you are not used to running 1 hour+ then scale back the intervals accordingly. You should be able to find a good balance of effort/time. Your lunch hour will never be the same!

Timex Ironman Review

2009-09-29T15:36:00.004-06:00

Feels a little weird to be reviewing a watch, but honestly there are a lot of features that go into a decent training watch and I think this one hits pretty close to the mark. The watch is the Timex Ironman 50-Lap Sleek and it has a lot of features that cater to training.

First off comfort. The term "sleek" is maybe marketing a little bit, but it certainly has a low profile and it does not look too big. The band is also an appropriate size for my "runner's wrist" and includes a little catch on the band restraint to keep it at the end of the band. This means that it does not move as I run which has been an annoyance with other watches I have worn. As for timekeeping, I do not really wear a watch outside of running, but the display is easy to read and it displays the date along with the time. There are also options for two time-zones and three alarms. The watch features "Indiglo" as well for all of the functions, which is useful if you like to run your track workouts at 4am when it is pitch black. The light is no substitute for a headlamp though and it will not help you if someone happens to leave a hurdle on the track the night before (I'm not saying that I know this from experience).

From a training perspective is where this watch really gets going. The chronograph is easy to read and will continue running even as you access the watch's other features. The start/split button is located on the watch face, which is essential in making it easy to push and find when you are timing splits in a race. When you hit the split button during a workout it displays the split and the lap time for a few seconds before changing the display to show the split and the next lap time. Having the current lap time displayed is great as I can check on my pace before the interval is finished (i.e. I can check the 400 split on an 800 repeat without having to push the split button). After you are done running your session you can store the time and splits, for up to 50 lap times. The watch will record the time and date for the workout as well for you to log later, which is probably the most useful feature given that I often do not get a chance to log runs for a couple of days.

Another feature that I anticipate making more use of in the next few months is a dual interval timer. You can set two interval times (i.e. an interval time and a recovery time) to repeat indefinitely during a workout. So you can start the chronograph, warm up and then start the interval timer. It will then beep when you need to either start or end an interval, recording the number of repetitions as it goes. Once you are done with intervals, you can stop the timer, and cool down with your total workout time still recorded by the chronograph. This will help with my speedwork this winter as I find it tough to get to the track, so I can run timed intervals on whatever route I choose. This feature can be set in seconds, minutes or hours so it can also be used to remind you when to take gels or electrolytes on longer runs.

These features easily make this the best training watch I have owned, the only feature lacking in this model is heart-rate sensing, but I believe there is a higher-end model that includes this feature. In my case the lack of heart-rate monitor is actually a plus as I find this interferes with the treadmill sensor. I can now wear my HR strap on the treadmill and monitor my HR there while timing the workout with the watch.

A well balanced review always includes some cons, so here are the minor annoyances I can think of. As I mentioned above the watch has no GPS/foot pod/HR capabilities, but I think these features are unnecessary anyway. Another minor inconvenience is the fact that the watch band is stuck in a "round" position and is quite rigid. This makes it easy to put on, but it will not fold flat for easy storage in a gym bag pocket.

New Shoes

2009-09-26T14:46:00.003-06:00

I know I'm breaking out of my box here. It used to be I was a one-shoe guy, the Brooks Adrenaline. But lately I've been branching out more, wanting to try shoes that are closer to racing flats, transitioning with the Launch (Review here). Those shoes felt so good that I wanted an everyday trainer that approached that model. So I am trying out the Ravenna, which is filed in the "guidance" category and designed to offer a little less stability than the Adrenaline or the Trance. I have not yet had a chance to do a full evaluation, but I got them out for a run today and am very pleased so far. The shoes fit just as well as my Adrenalines (although under advise I ordered a half size up) and they feel great. Noticeably more stability than my Lanches, feeling pretty hefty underfoot, but definitely lighter than the Adrenalines. They stood up well to almost 14 miles of pavement with no hot-spots and I was glad to have the extra firmness as I was pushing the joggy stroller today.

It's nice to have something new to put into the rotation and I think switching up shoe types will only help strengthen the foot and ankle (as long as the shoes aren't doing damage). Ideally I'd like to get to the point where a good portion of my weekly miles are done on shoes that have very little support at all. As my running stride adapts I hope this brings about an improvement in my running economy, which can only help with strength and stamina. As it is I am glad to have such a wide array of shoes to choose from in my preferred brand!

Return to Training

2009-09-22T19:55:00.002-06:00

Last week I tried to ease back into training, but was slowed down a little by a tight hamstring. I decided to not push it and opted for some cycling instead for a good workout. But by Sunday I was ready to try a long run again, so I went out for 11 with no expectations. The run turned out okay, but I definitely felt fatigued much earlier than I thought I would. It was pain free, however, so I think I'll be back to ramping up my mileage.

One of the big reasons I feel I have made such advances in my speed this year is due to continual training. Even though I have taken brief periods to recover from races and illnesses I have been able to keep up with speedwork and long runs pretty consistently. I hope to keep this style of training up over the winter (especially through the holiday season) so that I will be ready to race well next season. This may be easier said than done as it is always tougher to get out when the weather sucks and there is so much good food to eat, but I think if I stay flexible I'll be able to keep focused even if I'm not training everyday. I'd like to try to fit in a winter 5k or 10k as well to keep the motivation for speedwork.

With such a successful race to end this year's season I'm feeling good about what is yet to come. I also have a new toy to play with thanks to Boulder Running Company. I went by there today to pick up my age group award and it was a Timex Ironman watch! I will post a review once I've had a chance to use it a few times, but the biggest advantage I can see for it so far is that it can store splits for multiple workouts in a day. Even my Polar HR monitor can't do that!

Indian Summer Half Race Report

2009-09-14T14:25:00.003-06:00

Well it's been a while since I did a race report as I haven't raced since the Bolder Boulder. The summer training has been weird what with being burnt out, fired up, burnt out, and fired up again, but more often than not, consistent. At the end of all of it I can take away two amazing results: one, a new half-marathon PR bettering my April time by almost 2 minutes, and two an age-group podium finish (2nd)!

This was the inaugural running of the Indian Summer Half Marathon put on by the Boulder Running Company and other great sponsors (of particular interest to me Brooks and Avery). In this case the collective experience of the organizers really made this a well run event even though it was the first running. Saturday I drove up to Boulder to pick up my race packet and was already impressed by the sweet pint glass and restaurant gift card included in the race goodies. My race number was "9" and the lady who gave me the number remarked "no pressure"...nice. In reality even with all of my assertions to others that I was running for fun, I was holding myself to a higher standard. My improvements in my speedwork have been steady through the summer and the leg speed has translated well to faster long runs, I felt I would be able to break my April PR. I definitely had pre-race jitters throughout Saturday night and into Sunday morning but they melted away by the time I hit the starting line.

Not knowing what kind of course support to expect I had studied the course map that morning to keep the turns fresh in my mind. As it turns out the only confusion was when everyone lined up facing the wrong direction at the starting line, but the race director quickly had that straightened out. Unfortunately some runners walked around the starting line, and others just crossed over so it ended up that by the time everyone was facing the right direction I was further back in the pack than I would have liked. The first part of the course is a loop around the parking area, which is kind of tight so it was challenging maneuvering through slower runners for the first few hundred yards. It had taken me longer than expected to pick up my chip and get situated before the race, so I was not warmed up at the start. As a result the first mile felt tough, but I stayed with Todd as planned and he pulled out the first split in 6:44, perfect! At that point it was evident to me that keeping to Todd's pace was not going to happen so I let him go off on his own, resigning myself just to keep him in my sights as long as I could. By the time a few miles had ticked by the field was pretty strung out, but there were a few people around me running similar paces so I was able to keep myself running decent splits, between 6:40 and 6:50. When 7 miles had gone by I could tell that there was very little fatigue in my legs (unlike last week's tune-up) and I knew that I would be able to maintain a strong pace for the rest of the race, the question was how much I could ramp it up. At 8 miles I knew it was time to start my push. I dropped the pace down to the 6:30 range, and started reeling people in. While the first part of the course traverses paved and dirt roads at this point it transitions onto the gravel path that runs around the backside of the reservoir. This makes it a little more challenging as the path snakes around quite a bit and it is not really clear where you are heading next. Throw a few little hills into the mix and the pacing really started to be become difficult. I thought for sure I was slowing down as I was passed by a couple of runners who I had passed before, but my final splits were still consistent so it was likely the cumulative damage of this red-zone effort that made the mental game tough. I was pretty much cooked when I finally entered the finish area, but I caught sight of the race clock as I came in and it read 1:26:52. I decided I was not going to let it get past 1:27 on me and poured it on to get through right at 1:27. The 9 seconds that I had spent getting to the starting mat got me a chip time of 1:26:51.

Apart from the PR and unexpected age group finish (2nd age group, 29th overall, so there were a ton of faster runners but only one in the 30-34 age range) this was a fantastic race. The course is really pretty, running through the farmland of the foothills with views of the Flatirons. The volunteers were great and did an awesome job of directing traffic and manning the aid stations. Post race activities were outstanding with lots of recovery food variety (everything from orange wedges to croissant sandwiches) and of course the essential Avery beer garden! With 392 finishers this year and the stellar Boulder running community (winning time was 1:15:56!!) I think this was a great start for what I am sure will be an awesome race in years to come.

Tune-up!

2009-09-10T11:34:00.002-06:00

Not wanting the grass to grow under my feet this past long weekend I convinced myself to head out the door on Saturday for one last long run before the half. Seeing how I only planned to run 11 miles I figured I would take the opportunity to do a little race tune-up. I decided to start out a little faster than easy pace and try to keep the pace low for as long as I could hold on. I had just done tempo on Thursday, but only for 7 miles, so my goal was comfortably hard for the full 11.

After a half-mile warm-up the first mile ticked off in 7:30, second went by in 7:15, third 7:08 and still comfortable. At this point the trail mile markers end and I have to run based on feel, always a challenge given that the path climbs up the backside of a dam. I still felt strong though, so was able to push up the hill and reach the turnaround point in 40:37. This pace was perfect as I was just starting to feel fatigue in my legs and knew that it would be a challenge to keep everything together for the return split. By the time I hit the mile markers again I was moving fast, but feeling the cumulative effort. I continued to push the pace and managed to hit close to 7:00 for the final 3 miles, finishing the cool down with a slightly positive split, 1:21:35.

I believe that one of my greatest strengths in running is pacing and this workout plays right into that. Being able to relax at the start and come out hitting my pace right off the bat gives me the chance to finish strong. This means that I have to have an idea of what I can realistically run for a race. Running the tune-up gives me a chance to train both at once, first, gauge how race pace feels off the line and, second, what kind of effort I need to summon in order to finish at that pace.

The Uber-taper

2009-09-03T10:49:00.004-06:00

I am in the midst of an "extended taper" for my half-marathon coming up on September 13. After feeling ill last week, this week has not provided much more in the realm of motivation and mostly I have been deciding to bag any run that does not provide a specific training benefit. This means that I have been good about my long run, speedwork and tempo efforts, but the "junk miles" are out the window. As a result I am feeling well rested, nothing is hurting and I'm running fast. The race is still a week away, however, so there's no guarantee that I won't seize up due to lack of activity at mile 10.

I'm not too worried though as:

I already have a good half-marathon PR for this year

There is no pressure to hit some magical qualification time

All of my long runs are longer than the race distance

Being rested on race day will offer more benefit than any training I can squeeze in now

I am really just looking to recapture the joy of running and kick off a great off-season

With nothing to lose and so much to gain and enjoy I may be poised to pull out a breakthrough performance! That or I'll just crash and burn, regardless there will be beer at the end. My current race plan is to try to keep up with Todd, who will be feeling hungry after his Leadville experience. If I can roll with him for 11 or 12 miles I will have a good chance to crank a fast time.

Nuun Review: The Good and the Annoying

2009-08-29T19:00:00.002-06:00

One of the biggest variables I have yet to dial in for racing/training is my hydration strategy. As a result I'm always looking for new products to try on my runs. My tummy is pretty tolerant of foods while I'm running, so gels, blocks, and even solid foods seem to go down okay. So carbs are okay, and water is good, but I still seem to be missing electrolytes in the equation. Some have advised that the electrolytes in gels etc. should be enough, but I have not found this to be the case. I actually sweat out a lot of salt and I routinely come back from longer runs with salt encrusting my face, on hot days cramping usually results if I am not taking some sort of electrolyte replacement.

I was intrigued by the concept of Nuun, a flavored electrolyte replacement with no calories. In other words Nuun leaves the nutrition up to gels and other sources and just amps up the salt. As a bonus it comes in tablet form, so you can turn any water source into electrolytes on the go. I tried a tube (12 tablets) of the Lemon flavor and am pretty impressed with the taste. It is not sweet, just mildly lemony and a little salty (the salt taste is enough to be not so pleasant if you are not thirsty). It also dissolves very well in my water bottles, which has been a problem for other products I have tried. I have not had any problems with cramping even on the hottest days, plus I can drink this with energy gels without having to worry about a carb overload. In all I think this is a great product and best of all it feels a lot better than popping electrolyte pills.

Now for the annoying. When you drop the tablet into water it bubbles a lot like an antacid. This would not be a big deal, but unfortunately a lot of gas remains dissolved even after the fizzing stops. When I close up my water bottles this builds up inside resulting in a blast of gas the first few times I open the bottles on the run. Also, it can force the water out of the bottle as it shakes, dripping all over my hands. For my Ultimate Direction bottle, which can remain open without spilling, this is not such a problem, but for my Nathan bottle it is a pain. Is it annoying enough for me to stop using Nuun? Frankly, yes, if I really need a portable electrolyte replacement e-caps are really much less hassle, and probably a lot cheaper. But that doesn't mean they won't work for everyone, especially if you have an aversion to pills!

Bad Blogger

2009-08-27T09:26:00.002-06:00

I know, it's been more than a month since my last post. There are no excuses for that lack of activity, but frankly I haven't even been feeling like running lately, let alone writing about running. It's not that I'm not training, I've been able to run most days and fit in speedwork and long runs on a semi-regular basis. Honestly, I'm probably in better shape now than at any other point this year. But I think I'm really bored with the training routine.

That's not to say I haven't done anything interesting. I have a new shoe that I have been trying to incorporate into my running, the Brooks Launch. I've put almost 100 miles in on these shoes and I have to say I am really happy with the results. Primarily I bought these as a "lightweight" trainer, to train speedwork and to race in. Honestly, these weigh in closer to the middleweight class, but as I have only run in the Adrenaline series and the Cascadia trail shoe I thought these would be a good starting point for me. The transition on these shoes is really smooth and the cushioning is soft enough to let my foot move the way it wants to. The end result is that I feel like I am running on little clouds. With less stability I definitely feel the difference in my legs, I tend to land a little closer to my midfoot with these on and the first few long runs I felt sore in my calves. That soreness has long gone now and I do not hesitate to take them out on 14-16 mile runs. I think in the end that the Launch will be my permanent marathon trainer/racer with the extra cushioning for longer mileage. They are probably a little heavy to race a 5k or 10k in though, so eventually I may try to move down the racer line a little more.

With the end of my Team Gangels crewing duties it is time for me to focus on the next race at hand. The Indian Summer Half Marathon on September 13! At one point I was thinking I could PR at this event, but this week I have been feeling under the weather and with just a few training weeks left I may not have enough to pull out another sub-1:30 effort. So my plan is to go out and have fun, if I'm feeling good it will happen. Even if I crash and burn out there I will still get the pint glass!

Trial by Fire

2009-07-18T20:30:00.002-06:00

Full disclosure: I will never, ever, even come close to even considering running Badwater. I am a full on heat wuss, my body just is not happy running in the heat of the day, and in fact the opposite is true: I seem to thrive on cold temperatures. But heat during the summer is a fact of life so these past few years I have been trying to improve my heat acclimation. This year has gone fairly well as it has been the coolest summer than I can remember since we moved to Colorado. But there have been a few days in the mid-80s/low-90s so I have tried to get out for easy runs or walks in the heat of the day. All this has improved my tolerance a little, and prepared me for my run today.

This weekend is a busy one for us, and I knew it would be a challenge to squeeze a run in on either day. So after all of my chores for the morning were done I realized I had one small window to get it done. I had to make it to a rehearsal at 5 but it happened to be fairly close to the gym so I decided to run from the gym and grab a shower before heading to practice. I thought if I left by 2:30 I would have plenty of time to crank out 16 around the reservoir, aiming to be back by 4:30. The plan started out well enough and I felt good for the first 4 miles, so I kicked into tempo/race pace mode hoping to keep it up for 9 miles. That went well until I started to head up the backside of the dam which seemed to have direct sunlight and little breeze. Bear in mind that it was only 85 degrees, and the humidity was low so we are not talking oppressive heat, just enough to throw me off my game. I finished 6 miles at tempo before saying "uncle" and seeking refuge under a tree to cool off a little. Keeping the pace easy I knew I could finish, but I was worried I would not make it in time. To add insult to injury the two water bottles I had brought were running on empty.

Fortunately I still had my wits about me and I decided to inquire at the park entrance about a source of water. It turns out there is a tap not more than 10 yards from the path I regularly tread, which makes me feel a little foolish as I have often been in need of water in that area and never found it. I was able to take a good drink and fill up both of my bottles for the final 5 miles of the run. The mental lift you get from knowing you can drink your fill is pretty potent, so I was able to boost my pace up a little. I also poured water over my hat every few minutes to keep it going. In the end I was able to finish fairly strong, although it was a tough effort. It took 2 hrs and 15 minutes, so I was still able to chill out in a cool shower, but not for as long as I would have liked.

All in all I survived, and managed to get a long run in that I probably would not have done at all, if not then. The direct sun of mid-afternoon really takes it's toll, especially when there is not much shade on your route. With enough water though and plenty of common sense it is manageable.

Ticking away...

2009-07-01T20:56:00.003-06:00

Man I love running on the trails! Check out the awesome descent awaiting me after I crested the Black Bear trail at Golden Gate State Park this weekend. Unfortunately the time/strength required for such training seems to be weighing on me, and I don't know how much I can commit to this endeavor. It's one thing to jaunt off to Cherry Creek State Park for a 20 miler a couple of times, the whole trip only takes 3 hours. But trail running is a whole other ballgame! This weekend I ran for just over 3 hours and only covered 16 miles. And I started running right from my campsite, most times I have to drive at least half an hour to a good trail (Not that I'm complaining mind you, Colorado is awesome). All of this adds up to a good chunk of time away from the family.

Coupled with the feeling that I've been spinning my wheels a little bit lately I'm going to try to return my focus to road training. I've got enough of a taste of speed to want more, and I think that with my base and some added cross-training I can make a serious push for some fast times. I'll still try to get some trail running in this summer as I want to be ready to pace at the Leadville 100, but getting back to consistent tempo and speedwork will be my priority. In that vein I've updated the upcoming races to reflect the Park to Park 10 Miler which I've been kicking around in my head for some time now. I may still decide to opt instead for a fall half marathon, but at least this gets something on the books for me to set my sights on.

Father's Day Hike

2009-06-22T19:27:00.004-06:00

My Father's Day was awesome! The day started with Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal with blueberries, that stuff is great! Then we were all off to Mt. Falcon for a family hike. I had run Mt. Falcon last weekend and thought that if we drove up to the upper parking lot and did the Parmalee trail that would be a good hike. Unfortunately what I thought was a mile and a half was actually closer to two and a half, so there was some dissension among the ranks. But we all made it through and the kids seemed to have a good time. They certainly napped well when we got home!

The kids are actually pretty good hikers! Their shoes aren't so good, so they were slipping around on the steep sections which resulted in some skinned knees. But they were troopers and they gave it their all. I only carried Miles for about half the hike, and he would go through spurts where he wanted to walk so it was not contiguous. I was very proud of my family as I tend to forget that not everyone is used to 2+ hours of physical activity.

My Father's Day ended with some bicycle maintenance and a tasty fish dinner! All in all I can't think of any way I would have rather spent my day.

Falling in love with running all over again!

2009-06-04T15:22:00.003-06:00

After a pretty intense 2 month race season, I'm taking a bit of a break from hardcore training. Ironically I'm feeling almost as tired and sore this week than I was after the marathon. The reason is that I am transitioning more into trail running. During the past week I have run trails in Boulder twice, the second of which was a pretty intense hill climb. Although my quads are sore from Tuesday's descent, I am still fired up to spend time in the foothills again. Trail running is a totally different experience than my usual training. There is an ebb and flow to it, hard climbs, majestic vistas, crushing descents, calm meadows. I take time to absorb my surroundings in a way that I do not get to experience when I am road training. When I do speedwork, the only motivation is the potential for a faster race. When I'm cranking up a trail, the view at the top offers an immediate and tangible reward for the exertion.

Despite my physical weariness I feel rejuvenated in my running. When I arrived in Boulder on Tuesday it was pouring rain and 40 degrees outside, yet I eagerly bounded out the door to tackle Mt. Flagstaff. By the time I finished I was soaked to the bone and covered in mud, grinning from ear to ear. The only other person I saw the whole time was a park ranger who remarked on what a beautiful day it was. He understood what we were both experiencing. Shrouded in clouds, I could only catch glimpses of Boulder below, and at many times I forgot it was even there. All that remained was my struggle with the mountain in the rain.

Bolder Boulder

2009-05-28T08:50:00.003-06:00

What can I say about the Bolder Boulder other than "Awesome!" I came within 17 seconds of my sub-40 goal, which I thought going in was a little out of reach. Once again I have nothing to complain about as my pacing was pretty much right on, and I even had a bit of a kick at the end. The hills/altitude make this a challenging 10k, and the field is outstanding so this is a great race to really see how you stack up against the best runners. A humbling experience to say the least.

My Platte River Half race qualified me for the AA wave this year, which is the second wave to depart the start, right after the "citizen elite." Lining up at the start was already an experience as I felt totally outgunned standing next to collegiate runners and other rail-thin harriers. There was very little time to soak in the sights and sounds before the gun was fired and we were off. My goal was to time my kilometer splits, and hit the first kilometer in 4 minutes. This would be right on pace for a 40 minute finish, and more importantly not too fast for the downhill start. Checked my watch and I was at 3:54, but it felt so fast I was not sure I could hold on for the whole race. Cruising around the turn onto Pearl street I was greeted by the cheers of my family, and it was great to see them while I was still fresh. In the Bolder Boulder the miles roll by as the hills greet you seemingly at every turn. The strategy is always to try to hold onto the pace over the hills and come bombing down the backside. My kilometer splits kept hovering in the low 4s and I struggled mentally to convince my body that it could keep up. Finally I was up and over the final hill at 4 miles and I knew it was time to push hard for the finish. My legs felt weak and my breathing was labored but once I rounded the corner back onto Folsom I knew I was in the home stretch. The last push into the stadium arrived and I felt so slow, but I focused on reeling in runners ahead of me as I sprinted to the finish line. I thought for sure I was going to puke all over some other runner's shoes, but the feeling passed as I walked through the finish chutes.

I really like this race, and my only regret each year is that it is over too quickly. The spectators are great and the wacky people that line the course are something that must be experienced. What is even more amazing, though, is the steady stream of people that flow into the stadium for the next 4 hours. Seeing 50,000+ people all participating in such an event is pretty amazing really.

Well, what's next? My upcoming races sidebar is rather barren at this point as a little rest will do me good. I am looking to get some more trail running in now during the summer to prepare for my Team Gangels pacing duties at the Leadville 100. I'm also eyeing a September race, maybe a half-marathon or some other middle-distance race. No more marathons for the time being.

Multi-sport (sortof)

2009-05-20T09:56:00.002-06:00

Well it was inevitable I suppose, last week I finally broke down and bought a bike. I have been wanting one for some time now as I dreamed of commuting to work via bicycle. My last bicycle, however, was stolen when I moved to Irvine and I had not been able to justify replacing it. My bicycle aspirations had some stringent requirements, so the "Target Special" was not an option for me. If I do ride everyday, the 150 miles per week would have reduced such a bike to rubble within a year. Also, I have always been a fan of the right tool for the job, so using a mountain bike to ride roads all the time seemed silly. Finally, I decided that if I ever wanted to do a triathlon, having to go out and buy another bike for that purpose was not an option. All of these requirements pointed to a decent road bike, however the $1k+ price tag was out of reach. Watching the web for good bike deals got pretty frustrating as everything in my price range ($100) was pretty much junk, and I had almost given up hope. But patience prevailed and last week a deal came up that met all of my requirements.

The bike is fairly old, but has obviously not seen much use, so all of the components are like new. I put a bit of work into it this weekend (grease, oil, new tires, new grip tape), and now it is a working commuter/weekend/tri bike. All that remains is for me to get used to it. I have not been on a bike in about 12 years, and I have never had a road bike, so most of this is new ground for me. But hopefully with a few miles on the roads around my house, I will be able to venture out and ride it to work regularly. One Less Car!

Fort Collins Marathon Race Report

2009-05-06T14:33:00.001-06:00

There were scattered showers throughout the day on Saturday, and by Saturday night the sky had really opened up. But, having endured the Denver Rainathon 2007, I felt like I was prepared for anything. Knowing that it would be an early start, we were all off to bed at 8 to the sound of rain on the windows. I had a restless night, with nerves and a youth baseball team on our floor keeping me awake until after 10, but I was able to get a few hours sleep before rising at 3 to begin race preparations. I questioned many times, as I ate breakfast, why the race started so damn early. I took some consolation in the fact that the rain, persistent through the night, had stopped and the skies were clearing. I had just enough time to eat, dress, and pack my race bag before it was time to head to the buses. I arrived at the parking garage at 4:15, and made my way along with throngs of other marathoners to the buses that would carry us to the start. I boarded the bus, thankful for the warm environment, although it was clear that rain and cold were not going to be issues for this race.

The bus ride to the start was uneventful, as I could not see much of the canyon in the dark. I chatted with a guy in the seat next to me about our marathon training strategies. Driving the marathon course beforehand can be daunting as it becomes apparent just how long 26.2 miles is. In this case pleasant conversation made it pass quickly. The bus arrived at the start at 5:30 and parked as we waited for the race marshal’s signal to exit the buses. Some of the runners were antsy waiting and elected to get off then, but I was content to remain in the warmth and comfort as long as possible. At 5:45 the buses started dropping people off and we were informed that the race start would be at 6:15, leaving plenty of time to hit the port-a-potty. There was a long line, but plenty of “potties” so I was through in no time. All that remained was for me to doff my warm clothes and head to the bag check before lining up at the starting line. Soon enough the announcement to “go” was made and we were off.

The sun was just starting to rise and light the sky, and mist was descending off the canyon walls from the night’s rain. The field stretched out quickly and soon the sound of footfalls gave way to the chirping of birds as the sun began to illuminate the canyon. The canyon walls were wreaking havoc on GPS signals and I chuckled as a runner urged his friend to slow down as, according to his watch, they were running at 6:30 pace (we weren’t going faster than 7:30). By the 3-mile mark I had settled into a reasonable pace and was no longer having to pass slower runners. I tried to focus on my pace, but it was easy to drift with the scenery of the canyon flowing by. There are no spectators on the canyon part of the course, and the aid stations are 2 miles apart, which makes for a solitary run the first half of the race.

Soon after the half-marathon start is passed, the course starts leveling off into farmland. The confines of the canyon give way to open spaces remarkably quickly and added to the solitary feeling. All I would see for long stretches of road were a couple of runners in front of me, and occasional livestock. This was interrupted only by the arrival at “Ted’s Place” and the first spectator area of the race. Here the supporters crowd into the road forming a single-file space for you to run through. The cheering gave me a real charge as I finished one of the few uphill sections of the course. I fed off of the energy and ran one of my few sub 7:00 miles for the race here.

It was at this point that I began catching up to some of the people in the half-marathon, which had started an hour after the marathon. At first I did not understand why there were people walking along the side of the course, but soon I started passing people who were running slowly and realized they were half-marathoners. It was a strange feeling after running most of the race near the lead group to suddenly find myself at the back of the pack. Now it was even more difficult to find other runners to catch up to and pass, and motivating myself to keep running quickly was even harder with everyone moving so slowly around me.

Around the 20-mile mark that the race transitions from the road to a bike path, and it was here that I hit the wall hard. I found myself cramping up and I had to slow my pace substantially. This was hard for me as I knew that I had been on pace to make my goal (3:10), but now that goal was slipping away. I did not give up hope, however, and I battled to keep my pace as fast as I could, fixating on achieving a personal best time. Others were struggling around me though, and I passed a couple of other marathoners who were beginning to fade in the final miles as well. Each step became more of a challenge as fatigue set in, but I knew I would finish. Finally, we turned off of the bike path and the finish line was in sight. I fought hard to the line weaving through groups of half-marathoners as I went. As I approached the finish I heard the announcer call my number, “Marathon runner number 28…hold on we’ll get a name for you here…” I never heard my name, but that didn’t matter to me. What mattered is that I was finished.

Exhausted, I moved through the finishing chutes in a daze, but I heard the announcer calling the arrival of the fifth female marathon finisher behind me. I turned around to congratulate her. For most of the race she had been nearby, sometimes in the lead, sometimes behind, but her pace was amazingly consistent, and she had fought through to the end. She is only 23, so I have a feeling we will see Amanda Brown on the leader board again in the near future.

As I met up with Melissa and the kids I found it hard not to get emotional. It is difficult to miss a goal that you had been confident in achieving, even though the actual result is still a significant victory. I realize now that I ran this race better than I have run any other marathon, and was on pace to achieve a 3:10 time right up to mile 21. This course is deceivingly tough, with the continual downhill and banked curves taking their toll. Also, I realize now just how much energy I take from spectators, and the solitary nature of this race made motivation difficult. While it was certainly a scenic race, at the finish I felt like I was lost in a sea of back-of-the-packers. The announcer’s comment as I crossed the finish line seems to be a humorous reflection of the anti-climatic feeling of this race.

Fort Collins Marathon

2009-05-03T15:43:00.002-06:00

First off, my time for this race was 3:16:04, so no Boston qualifier yet. It was certainly disappointing not making my goal for this race, especially with my confidence going in. I was pretty emotional at the end, but I realized pretty quickly that this race was a huge PR for me, even coming only 6 months after my last marathon. So what happened?

I don't really know what went wrong in this race, perhaps nothing went wrong. If there is one thing that is true about the marathon it's that anything can and will go wrong over the distance; all you can do is do what you can with what you get. Today was great from a pacing perspective, and every mile for the first half was right where I wanted it to be. Unfortunately, I experienced some intestinal issues and was forced to use the port-a-potty at the halfway point. This took away about 2 minutes of time and I ended up crossing the 13.1 mark in 1:36:44. This would mean I would need a big negative split for the race, but I was confident I could make up the time. I spent the next 8 miles slowly catching up to one of the other racers that I had been running with for a while. She had been holding a very steady pace and I knew if I could get back I would have a shot. We hit a fairly big uphill and my pace dropped to 7:37 from the 7:07s I had been holding, but the next mile (20) was back down at 6:55. I was confident with only 10k remaining. At mile 21 though I hit the wall hard. I started cramping up pretty bad and had to slow down and regulate my breathing to keep going. My pace dropped to 8:20, but I was able to battle back and keep it in the low 8s (a considerable victory given how I was feeling). But, the loss took its toll and with 50 seconds or so gone on each mile the deficit added up over the last 4 miles and 3:10 was out of reach. I fought hard to finish, and I realized that this really was a tough course. With the continual downhill and the banking curves this course deals out plenty of pain.

I am really happy with how I fought through the pain at the end to keep my pace in line. Even though I missed my goal I ran a strong race, and it was paced perfectly. Without the "pit stop" I could have been in the 3:14 range I think, but you never know how things would end up. It was a great day for a race and a great time, I have nothing to complain about.

Fire it up!

2009-05-01T18:32:00.002-06:00

The hay is in the barn and the taper's done. I succeeded in keeping my mileage low these past two weeks with 46 miles last week and 32 miles this week. I kept up some quality miles this week as well with a couple of mile repeats on Monday and an acceleration to marathon pace yesterday. Also I've taken 2 rest days this week. All in all I think it has been a pretty ideal taper, and if I'm feeling flat on Sunday it won't be due to lack of recovery.

But today I am fired up, and almost uncomfortable with the extra energy. It's an amazing feeling to discover that you are used to living your life with a tank that's half-full, and that with some rest everything starts operating at a higher level. The human body is a marvel of adaptation, and with continued training it can accomplish amazing feats. My body is prepared for just such a feat, and on Sunday I will barely notice the miles roll by until 17 of them are gone. Then the real race will begin!

Focus

2009-04-22T14:21:00.002-06:00

With the running of the Boston Marathon this Monday I have been a little preoccupied lately with this historic race. Monday's race was incredibly exciting, with two American runners (Ryan Hall and Kara Goucher) placing third in their respective races. Watching the coverage, I was sucked into the energy of the race and was finding myself wishing I was running there as well. But a significant hurdle still lies in my way.

For those of you who may not know, entry to the Boston Marathon is not gained via lottery as in other major marathons. It is achieved via a qualifying standard. This means that in order to enter in and run the Boston Marathon you have to run another marathon during the qualifying period that is faster than the standard time. For my age group that time is 3 hours, 10 minutes.

It is my goal to achieve this time for my marathon on May 3, however with all of this fervor around Boston I feel that my focus has drifted somewhat. My focus needs to be firmly on my race on May 3, and not on the thought of some future race in Boston. I have several key tasks to accomplish and I need to rededicate my mind to them. I need to taper well for the next 10 days, keeping my speedwork consistent while ramping back my weekly mileage. I need to continue to eat well and get my rest so my body can recover from training. I need to visualize my performance, and layout my plan for achieving my goal. Finally, I need to go out there on May 3 and race according to my plan. Accomplishing these key points will bring me success in this race, and no other race matters.

Tapering

2009-04-14T14:54:00.002-06:00

Well since my last post dealt with my running doldrums I think it is about time I gave an update. I'm officially fired up again! The half marathon could not have come at a better time in my training, and after the result I achieved (1:28:49 and 10th in my age group) I am brimming with confidence for the marathon. Even with the hard effort for the race, I was able to hit the ground running (pun intended) and complete both my intervals and the last 20 mile run feeling strong. I was also consistent with getting out the door for my easy runs. This was somewhat challenging as I spent the week hanging out with family, making my schedule a little inconsistent.

Needless to say this was just the kick in the butt I needed to get going into my taper. With less than three weeks to go now to the marathon, I will be scaling back the mileage to help my body heal up and go into the race strong. I have always felt this stage of the training to be difficult as I never really know how much or how little to run. I think last year I was a little high on mileage in the last weeks, and I hope to scale things back this year from that. Ideally, I should be feeling like I'm bouncing off the walls by the last week. The hard work is done, however, and I think that this will be a good race, barring any unforeseen circumstances. With the marathon, anything can go wrong, but I feel like my training has equipped me to handle the challenge ahead.

The Doldrums

2009-04-02T11:51:00.002-06:00

Man I just never see it coming, but the doldrums of marathon training have officially arrived. Fortunately, timing is everything, and I am only one week away from the official start of the taper. Last year this point arrived 4 weeks away from taper, and virtually killed the main training period for the marathon. This year I have been able to stay focussed and get my key workouts in for the past 4 weeks.

I seem to get to this point during every marathon training season, I feel totally unmotivated to run. Once I force myself to go out, I always enjoy it, but getting out the door gets harder and harder every day. This was especially true for my interval workout today. I did not want to go to the gym, once I was there I did not want to run on the treadmill, once I was running I did not want to start my intervals. Instead I just went through the motions, not allowing myself to walk away, and ended up having a very successful workout.

I made it to 10x800m today, which is a milestone in all of my marathon training seasons. The 10x800 workout (invented by Bart Yasso of Runner's World) says that you should be able to run 10x800m repeats with 90s rest in between at the corresponding minute:second time that your hour:minute marathon goal is. In other words, I have been aiming to run all of the 800s at 6:18 pace (about 3:07 per 800) and my marathon goal is sub 3:10. In past years I have kicked off marathon training with 6-8 800s and tried to hold on the entire 16 weeks, but this year I fixed the pace and starting from 4x800, slowly worked my way up. I think this method has been successful in that I haven't burned out too early this year. Today's result gives me the confidence I need to start tapering, knowing that the hard work has been successful.

Another point of excitement is that I have scheduled a training race this year, so I will race a half marathon (see sidebar) on Sunday. This will be a great change of pace from the weekly long run and I can get away with skipping my tempo run next week as well. My plan is to run the half marathon at my marathon goal pace (7:15 minutes/mile) which should have me finish around 1:35. I most likely could run faster than that, but the "A" race is the marathon and I don't want to be too sore so that I can still complete my workouts next week. I still have another interval session and a 20 on the weekend to do next week before the taper. It looks like the weather may be the best factor in keeping me honest as we are due to get a fair amount of snow on Saturday.

Longest Training Run Yet

2009-03-21T15:49:00.002-06:00

Today I did my second "20" of this marathon training and managed to crank out another couple of miles at the end for 22 total. That's the longest "training" run I have ever done as I have usually shied away from runs longer than 20. I have talked to a few people about the Ft. Collins marathon and all have remarked on the downhill grade as a tough test of the quads. As a result I decided to do a couple of my long runs on similar terrain to the course. It turns out that running from my house down to Cherry Creek State Park and then to Cherry Creek Mall satisfies that requirement pretty well. With a loss of about 800 ft the profile is pretty close to the first 20 miles of the marathon. With this 22 mile run and the 20 miles to come in three weeks I should be ready for race day. 6 weeks to go!

Breakdown of a horrible run

2009-02-28T16:34:00.003-07:00

I always think I learn more from my mistakes than from the things I do right, so here is an analysis of what went wrong for my run today. Hopefully I'll take something away from this and use it in the future. Every training session seems to have at least one disasterous run, and hopefully this will be the one for this marathon.

To summarize the cumulative problems for this run I'll use the word "attitude". I just did not have the right attitude going into this run, and I suffered the results. My past two 18 mile runs have been incredibly successful, I have felt strong and have been able to incorporate some tempo miles during the run. Since the goal for the 20 miles today was just to finish at a good long run pace, I really was not taking it seriously. In retrospect my fueling last night was nowhere near what it should have been with protein and fats taking the lions share of the plate. Also, yesterday marked a pretty significant variation from my usual routine where I did a strength training session instead of an easy run. I didn't think that it would affect me that much, but I think it did as I didn't really have the "pep" that I usually have. Unfortunately without the proper preparation the attitude could not really get any better over the course of the run, especially with the intestinal issues I experienced. I have had several "uncomfortable" runs over the years, but I have fortunately never had to seek out a port-a-potty until today. Unpleasant to say the least.

Did anything go right today? Yes, I can say that it did. Once I realized that the run was going to be a disaster I completely shifted my goals for the workout. In the end I decided that despite all the setbacks I could still experience a good training run by merely seeking to finish the 20 miles regardless of how long it took. There is some benefit to being out running for 3 hours (approximately the time I hope to finish the marathon in) even if I am not running the whole time. In the end I finished the run with an average pace that was just a little slower than I was hoping for, so even though it was unpleasant I was still moving fairly quickly. My fueling on the run was pretty good as well as I took my gel early enough that I was not totally run down before it kicked in. I think I will try to be doing that more on future runs as well.

Now it's time to put this run behind me and look to the next run. A well deserved beer tonight will do the soul some good.

Inspirational Words

2009-02-05T07:32:00.003-07:00

I was fortunate enough to read a blog post from David Goggins. David Goggins is a Navy SEAL who has taken to running ultra-marathon events in support of charities. He was one of the "Heroes of Running" for Runner's World last year. In his post he discusses an experience in which he sees the look of defeat in the eyes of another man. Goggins says, "everybody comes to a point in there [sic] life when they want to quit. But it's about what you do at that moment that determines who you are."

This quote rings true with so much of what I believe about life. Last year, when I registered for the Denver Marathon, the application form asked "Why do you run?" My response was that "I run because it is not easy." People will always try to sell you the old lie, that by doing something you will make your life easy. In fact this lie will rob you of life itself, for in moments of pain and in trials exists the true joy of life. Work is not easy. Friendships are not easy. Parenting is not easy. Love is not easy. Walking with Christ is not easy! Rejoice in trial, and who you really are will be brought to light!

I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death -- Ps. 118:17,18

Cooperative Weather

2009-02-01T13:53:00.002-07:00

Well so far this year the weather has been extremely cooperative. We have had fronts move through every once in a while, but they have mostly been confined to the early parts of the week, allowing the snow to mostly melt by the weekend. As a result, marathon training is in full "gear-up" mode with a 14 miler last weekend and 16 miles this weekend. Since last year I have dropped my long run pace significantly, and my intervals/tempo paces have dropped too. I hope to keep these paces around where they are now as I ramp back up the mileage, but so far things are feeling pretty good with two 50 mile weeks down already. The big task now is to not gear up too quickly and peak too early, I'm trying to keep the mileage out of the 60s until I hit March. I am also considering a tune up race in April. I was looking for a half marathon 4 to 6 weeks out from the marathon that I could use as a hard race test. I found one today that looks interesting, so I have updated my links on the left.

I think I'm far enough down the road now that I will be able to finish the training necessary for a spring marathon. If the weather is crappy for the early long runs it starts to get to the point where you don't want to bother with it. But once you make the investment in a few 2+ hour runs, it's harder for the weather to throw you off your game. I have also come to embrace the treadmill this year, with my speedwork and tempo runs being done on it exclusively. Unlike the track, where my body can slow down as it gets tired, the treadmill does not care about my weakness. If I set it to a 6:05 pace, it will continue in that fashion until I finish my interval or I fall off. That can be a good motivational technique.

Dizzy World!

2009-01-19T10:33:00.002-07:00

Yes, the rumors are true. I am registered for what will likely be the most expensive marathon that I ever plan to not run competitively. Seriously, the price of the Disney World Marathon is up there with Boston and New York! This year "Goofy's Challenge" (run both the half and the full marathon for an extra medal), is priced at $40 more than the price of the individual events combined. It used to be that it was called Goofy's Challenge because you had to be a little goofy to attempt it. Now you'd have to be goofy to pay for it!

Regardless of the price, however, this will be a fun marathon. I don't plan to run this too hard as I want to soak in the sights and sounds of the Disney experience. My goal for this race is 3:30, but depending on the fall training that may change slightly. If the goal of this race can keep me from putting on the pounds during the holidays then that would be mission accomplished as well. The other reason that this will be a fun time is that I will be able to watch Melissa run the day before in the half-marathon. This will be quite the family affair!

Marathon Training?

2009-01-15T10:34:00.003-07:00

On the heels of my last post, expressing my interest in more racing this year, I can report that I have begun marathon training again...sortof. I'm eyeing the Ft. Collins Marathon, which runs down the Poudre Canyon into Ft. Collins. I wasn't really thinking about a spring marathon, but a friend brought it to my attention and it looks like a scenic course, that's still fairly close to home. I have not yet registered though, so plans may change if the weather takes a turn for the worse, or if the marathon fills up.

My training kicked off this week with a couple of speedwork sessions on the treadmill. While treadmill running for long distances can get dull, for speedwork it's actually quite useful. I can set the pace I want to train at, and the treadmill will not let me slow down unless I give in and hit the "slow button". That doesn't make it any easier to run, however, and I found myself struggling with the workouts without any recent speedwork to build off. Consistency will help with that of course, along with the new core strength workouts I have been incorporating. My hope is that coming into a 16 week program fresh off a nice break will help prevent the burnout that I experienced last year.

In closing I'd like to include this quote, which I think sums up a lot. It is from Haile Gebrselassie, the current marathon world record holder (2:03:59), and is his response to an inquiry about how a global financial crisis might affect future corporate sponsorship of marathons.

"People always ask why I’m smiling. Well I’m in business, I’m also suffering, but I’m happy, because I run." - Haile Gebrselassie

What's to say?

2009-01-07T15:53:00.010-07:00

I had all the good intentions of posting a wrap-up of 2008, but it just sounded cheesy to me. A little too much like patting myself on the back. Besides, 2008 is all in the past now, and what is yet to come is 2009. So perhaps a look ahead to 2009 is a better way to go.

Along that line, I think it is time for a re-arrangement of the blog. It needs a fresh new look, just as I need a fresh new approach to my running. Along the sidebar you will now note that I have removed the milage tracking from two years ago. I keep track of all of my milage now through an online training log, so that's really not necessary. I toyed with the idea of putting my race PRs in the sidebar, but I think that's too much looking back at the past, so instead I have put my goal PRs, which may or may not be achieved this year. Since the blog has become more about running than it's scotch tasting beginnings I thought about changing the name, but I realized that uisge beatha (water of life) has much more significance in my life now than it ever did before. So the name stays. So now that the blog represents more of where I am going, I should summarize some of that in this post.

It's time to get serious! I know many of you (two) may be thinking "Where was I for not serious?" But in reality my training these past years has not benefitted from significant direction. It has been fun, but not necessarily beneficial. Running long miles at a slow pace has built the base that I need to improve, but now it's time to get more consistent with my speedwork. Having an idea of what each workout is supposed to accomplish before I head out is key, as well as thinking about what I can best accomplish in the time that I have to train. I want to get faster, and that will not come through anything but hard work.

In that same vein, I think that cross-training is going to be the most significant thing to add to my training this year. Incorporating core strength exercises at least a couple of times a week will be important for my improvement. I am also hoping to increase my flexibility, which I hope will help keep me running injury free. In short, I actually hope to run fewer miles this year, but expand the number of workouts. After all, I'm not getting any younger, despite how I feel.

The final element to my running I believe comes through fellowship. Some of my running buddies are moving into new stages in their lives, which will mean fewer opportunities to run together. But those relationships will be strengthened through the time that we are able to spend together. Also, the door is opened for new running partners, and I hope to be able to continue to inspire and encourage others through those avenues. Finally, I hope to run more this year with my family. The taste I had last year of training with my wife (As Fast As My Feet Will Carry Me) with the kids in the joggy stroller was enough to leave me wanting more.

I cannot help but notice the parallels that my running life has with my walk with God. In both cases I find myself having to ask the same question, "What are you really doing?" Are you coasting through this life, or are you seizing it? Are you adequately preparing yourself for the challenges ahead? How can you help others to fulfill their potential? These are questions I need to consistently ask myself both as a runner and as a follower of Christ.

To summarize my goals for the future I'll use one word: quality. More quality time in training, more quality time in relationships, and most importantly more quality time with God. To do otherwise would be selling this life short.

The Big Day

2008-10-19T14:22:00.002-06:00

Well a lot has happened since my last post. The hard month of training I had planned for September did not really materialize, I injured my ankle and missed out on a couple of weeks of speedwork and tempo runs. But I was able to keep at it and finished up the training program strong. I'm still feeling a little sick of running, but not as bad as it was at the beginning of September. A week or two off now and I'll probably be itching to get back at it.

Today was the day of the big race, my "A" race for the year. The weather for the Denver marathon this year was the polar opposite of last year, with temperatures at the race start in the 50s and mid 60s for the finish. It was maybe a little too hot for a fast run, but I did not really feel the temperature as a problem. My race started off strong, with mile splits in the 7:20 range. This put me right where I wanted to be for my finishing time, which I hoped would be in the 3:15-3:20 range. At 10 miles I was still feeling pretty good, so I reevaluated my pace and decided I could push a little harder to get closer to 3:10 (the coveted Boston qualification time). I was able to drop my splits into the low 7's for a few miles, but by mile 17 it was apparent that I just didn't have it in me today. I kept pushing hard, but my miles slowed to 7:30s and then to 8 minutes by mile 20. I crossed the 20 mile mark in 2:27, so I knew that if I could keep it together and run around 45 minutes for the last 10k I'd be flying. The thought that I had less than an hour to go kept me going but by mile 22 it was apparent that I was bonking hard (running out of energy during a marathon, usually the wall comes around 22 when all of the glycogen stores have been used up). My legs felt like cement, and I just concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other for the next 4 miles. I ended up crossing the finish in 3:20, a personal best by 12 minutes! So despite the struggle at the finish I am happy, I went out to leave it all out there on the course and I did. I think with better pacing I could have hit the 3:15, but I am happier with the experience I gained out of this race. I think the Boston qualifying time is possible in the next few years, with hard training and a flatter, faster course, but at this point I am somewhat relieved as I wasn't even sure I could afford to run Boston this year.

With that race, my hard training is over for the year I think. I may try a 5k again this winter, but the main goal is just to hit 2008 miles this year (I'm at 1857 now). Next year perhaps a half-marathon is in the cards. I realize this year just how long the marathon really is, it is an unforgiving race that can humble even the best trained athletes. Usually when I start the race I question briefly why I have signed up for such suffering, a thought that is easily dismissed in the early miles. But by the time 20 miles rolls around, you are really questioning the sanity of such a decision. Unfortunately, by then it is too late to turn back.

The highlight of the experience this year was having my parents here to cheer me on. This is the first time they have seen me race and I am happy that they got to experience the true test of my abilities: the marathon. I was not looking very pretty as I struggled to the finish line, and so they got to see the sacrifice of the sport for what it is. Seeing them cheering me on as I raced for the finish line was truly a blessing, and I hope that they will be able to join me for more races in the future.

I will close this lengthy post with the reason that I run, which was part of the race application form: I run because it's not easy. A simple statement of a simple truth. When I am out there giving it my all I am not coasting through life, I am living it. The pain I feel is a confirmation that I am alive, and that my body can accomplish great things with hard work and perseverance. Running is hard because it is supposed to be hard.

2008 in '08

2008-08-29T11:17:00.002-06:00

Well this week I crossed the 1500 mile mark for the year, so barring injury (which is always a possibility) I should be able to begin the countdown to the goal of running 2008 miles in the year 2008. 494 miles to go, and with me likely covering 250 miles in September I should be able to bring in the rest in the final three months of the year

I should give an update on marathon training as well I suppose. After tomorrow's 18 miles I will have only 4 more weeks of serious training before the taper begins. That should be perfect because as of now my running is improving significantly. I have been consistent in my speedwork, with intervals every Tuesday and tempo every Thursday, and my Saturday long runs have been good as well, with the first 20 passing last week fairly smoothly. My interval pace is down in the low 6 min/mile range now, tempos are around 7 min/mile for 9+ miles, and my easy pace has dropped to the low 8s. I really think that a 3:10 is possible now, but you never know what race day will bring.

Lest anyone reading this thinks I am bragging, all this boasting is mostly for my benefit. I have been training hard (60 plus miles per week) for 7 weeks now, with a whole summer of significant base building (over 50 miles a week). My speed workouts on Tuesday and Thursday mean that my legs ache every single day of the week, and frankly I'm a little sick of running. That, coupled with the fact that my running buddies are already tapering for their "A" races, means that motivating myself to get out the door can be challenging at times. But the thought of possibly qualifying for Boston, and the fact that this will be the first race my parents get to see me run, drives me on.

So really what's 4 more weeks of 250 miles when I've come so far already?

Officially Out of Control

2008-06-26T19:18:00.002-06:00

Well, it's official, my running is out of control. Wednesday was bike to work day here, and in honor of the day, I decided to commute to work in a more "earth friendly" manner. Unfortunately, I do not own a bike, so the only remaining option was to run the 15 miles to work. I left the house at 7 am and arrived at work at 9, not bad considering I got sidetracked a few times along the way. I got a free bagel and coffee out of it, so I didn't come away empty handed. Needless to say you would think that that would be it for the day, but when a friend suggested an easy 6 miles I couldn't turn him down. Like I said, out of control.

The end result of this is that I am piling the miles on, so I broke 1000 miles for the year during my run to work. It's also put a lot of miles on my shoes, so when I found out last week that I had been selected as a shoe wear tester I was really excited. That gives me a "free" pair of shoes to wear for the next month and a half, taking some of the pressure off of my Brooks shoes. Note that "free" above is in quotation marks as the fee for the wear test is my sole...of my foot. For the past week I have been battling a very nasty blister as a result of the shoe change. I don't want any loafer feet anyway!

My 15 minutes...

2008-05-27T19:50:00.001-06:00

CBS 4 Bolder Boulder Slideshow

Light it up!

2008-05-26T11:27:00.003-06:00

In perfect, 52 degree, partly cloudy conditions, I crushed the Bolder Boulder.

Mile 1 - 6:36.93

Mile 2 - 6:51.55

Mile 3 - 6:57.32

Mile 4 - 6:49.75

Mile 5 - 6:42.58

Mile 6 - 6:55.69

Final - 42:19.21

I came in 25th in my age group out of 442 runners!

For those of you who may or may not have been keeping track, this represents a 4 minute improvement over last year's results!

Weird, and a little creepy

2008-05-07T13:17:00.001-06:00

www.athlinks.com

John 4:29

Overstepped my limits

2008-04-13T19:45:00.002-06:00

It has been a while since I had a run where at the end of it I was ready to cry "uncle". Today was one of those.

Melissa had to run 9 miles today, which happens to be the distance around the Cherry Creek reservoir if you drive into the park and run from one of the parking lots. So I suggested that she run that run rather than the usual "Wash Park" run. It must have appealed to her more than 4 loops around the park so she took me up on it, really I had only half-heartedly suggested it. I remember not-so-fondly the days of my first marathon training when I had decided to run a long loop and ended up 5 miles from nowhere with nothing left in the tank. On some level I want to "rescue" Melissa from those kind of runs. But I realize that most times those are the runs that make you a better runner. They give you something to fall back on when you are hating life, and you think "well, it can't be worse than such-and-such a day".

Ironically enough, Melissa made out great on her run, while I ended up being the one craving rescue. For most of Melissa's runs I have pushed the double jogging stroller around Wash park, acting as child wagon/support vehicle. I can usually cover 11-12 miles on these runs and I can lay down a wicked pace while doing so. So today I was buoyed up by this confidence and I decided to run out to my 20 mile turnaround point. Without the trip to the parking lot outside of the state park this is a 15 mile circuit and I decided that it was doable in the time Melissa had alloted for her run. I also figured by doing this, that I would end up coming up behind Melissa in the end of her run and be able to offer some encouragement.

So I set about to running, taking a nice easy pace and keeping a relaxed posture on the stroller. I knew there were some hills to contend with and I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to finish. I kept a positive attitude and made it all the way out to my turnaround point (mostly downhill) with no problems. Unfortunately it was then that I realized how tired I was already and how many hills I had left to face me on the return trip. From there it became an attempt to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and tackle each hill one at a time. Finally I reached the top of what I knew was the last hill and I knew that I was going to be able to finish, even if it was slow. Finally I reached the car and was relieved to find Melissa there already and in good spirits. Within a few minutes of realizing that I was done pushing (for it could barely be called running at that point) I was able to regain most of my posture and finish up my day.

Lessons learned: I now have a much greater appreciation for Team Hoyt, pushing a vehicle is not a huge deal on level ground, but is vastly more difficult on hilly terrain. Also, legs can be well trained for endurance, but any chinks in the armor (core, arms, shoulders) can bring you down over the long haul. Finally, kids, while heavy, are great companions and can talk you through some hard times.

I know it has been a while since I blogged, but I have not really had any particularly memorable runs. My mileage has been pretty good, pushing 40+ miles per week for a while now, and building a good strong base to build off for the year. I just broke through 500 miles for the year (which last year did not happen until May), and I'm ready to be building in speedwork to prepare for the races to come.

Go Gadget Go!

2007-12-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have a new toy to play with on my runs now. A friend of mine bought a new heart rate monitor on Cragslist so he gave me his slightly used one. Now I can monitor my heart rate as I exercise and try to hit the target zones optimal for training. Yesterday it was very icy out so I opted to hit the gym and give the new gadget a try. I did impromptu speedwork, with a mile of warmup, followed by 3 miles of 2 laps hard, 1 lap recovery, and then another mile cooldown. During the speedwork session I was well into the 80-100% max heart rate that is optimal for speed training. My average for the session was 155 bpm, and max was 188. The max is actually only 2 bpm less than my maximum heart rate which is determined solely by my age. While I was working hard, it was certainly not an all out effort, so I suspect that my max heart rate is actually a little higher than 190.

It was nice getting out of the cold as all of my runs this week have been in the snow, which is really pretty, but adds another element to the workout. My quads have been sore since Wednesday!

Pictures are up

2007-12-05T13:20:00.003-07:00

You can see me struggling through the last 100 yards of the Colder Bolder on Sunday.

eventpictures.com

Boy do I look warm!

It's Colder in Boulder

2007-12-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Today I ran the Colder Bolder invitational race in Boulder. It's a 5K race, but it is different in that you qualify for your wave based on your finishing time for the Bolder Boulder. That means that you are racing against people who are roughly the same speed as you, and if you have made significant fitness gains over the past year you have a chance to "win" your wave. My wave was the 46 minute invitational, and it had maybe 20 people racing in it. We all toed the line and with a blast from an air horn we were all off. Based off of the success of my speedwork this year my plan was to stick with the front of the pack for the race and either place in the top three, or get pulled along to a fast time. By the first half mile I was in the first 5 or 6 people, and the leader was setting a pretty fast pace. At the first (and only) mile marker we had set a 6:20 pace, but the leader could not hold on and fell back to be replaced by someone else. It was at this point that I moved into third place, hoping to hold on as well as I could. We hit a decent hill though, with a stiff headwind and it took a lot out of me, so I knew that it was only a matter of time before I was reeled in by someone who had paced themselves a bit better. Eventually I was passed by a guy who I swear must have been twice my height and was taking one stride to my two, and then finally by another guy who I had been neck-in-neck with for most of the race. I finished 5th in my wave in 21:02 (according to my watch). I felt a little bad having missed the "podium" by just 30 seconds or so, and the prize was a stuffed macaroni penguin (which Elijah has come to recognize from Diego). It would have been nice to bring back such a prize to Elijah, but I just have to be satisfied with a ripping fast PR (personal record) in the 5K.

Technical Difficulties

2007-11-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

Well after almost a month here I am again. I have been consistent in updating my milage on the right, but posting has been difficult due to my computer being in for repairs. I've been running fairly consistently during the week lately, but the weekends have been difficult to get my runs in. Especially with preparing for Thanksgiving and the holidays. I went out today with a friend of mine for 8 miles through the trails of Cherry Creek. It was fun to run through the trees and enjoy what little snow was remaining from this weeks storms. You gotta love Colorado!

I'm still running!

2007-11-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't had enough time to blog so I need to do a little bit of catching up. My trip to California was good, with a great wedding and a bunch of great running. The best part was a 12 mile trail run in Laguna beach, which I was happy to be able to complete just 2 weeks after the marathon. Mostly I have been easing back into regular running, trying to have a little fun in the process. Yesterday I hit the Mesa trail hard and was cranking up and down the hills, a great aerobic workout. Coupled with today's tempo run, that makes for a tired boy. But it hardly felt like work with the sun just disappearing behind the flatirons and the Boulder valley laid out before me.

The morning after

2007-10-20T19:59:00.000-06:00

Well this week has been pretty laid back as I recover from the marathon. Monday I was pretty sore and I got hit with a cold pretty bad. Miles had been fighting one for a while so I'm happy it held off until after the big day. By Wednesday the soreness had subsided so I ventured out to the gym for some "no-impact" stationary bike riding. Friday I got a chance to hit the pool, and then today was my first run. I only went 5 miles, which didn't feel too bad, but my calves were kind of tight, I think partly due to the swim yesterday. Next week I'll be back into a semi-normal schedule, with daily runs and swimming where I can fit it in. I'm off to California on Thursday though, so I'll have to find time for some running "on-the-road."

By the way, my pictures are online at Brightroom, but there are only two and neither is what I was hoping for. I was wearing bib number 1457.

Twenty-Six Point Two!

2007-10-14T15:09:00.000-06:00

I crushed the marathon today, crossing the line with 3:32:45 on the clock. We'll see what the chip time gives me.

The Denver Marathon was a class act all the way, everything ran like clockwork and the gatorade stations were plentiful. It would be great to see this race at the top of the list along with Boston, New York and Chicago. Even with the rain there were lots of spectators lining the course from start to finish. They are the real heroes of the day, the runners are running and generating heat, the spectators just get cold and wet.

Melissa, Elijah and Miles were all at the finish to welcome me back and it was wonderful to see the support that my family offers me. As I ran through the rain I thought many times how others must think I am crazy to want to do this. But the love and support of my wonderful wife and children are there regardless.

Update: My chip time is up and my time for the race was 3:32:09!! I came in 188 out of a field of 1563.

Tomorrow's the day

2007-10-13T08:31:00.000-06:00

I picked up my race packet yesterday and so far I am impressed with the quality of the race. Of particular note are the Saturn cowbells for spectators, and the race bib, which has my name written on it! Being downtown yesterday with all the runners around brought me right back to the energy of the race last year. This year I am much better prepared and have a lot more confidence in the distance. In addition, having the race in my own backyard helps me to keep my routine pretty stable in these final days. The only monkey wrench in the works this year is the 70% chance of rain for tomorrow morning. I don't think it will be a factor once I get running and warmed up, but standing at the start line will not be pleasant with rain coming down. But with 4 plus months of training and $100 race fee on the line I will just have to make the best of it. Anything is better than what happened with the Chicago marathon last week!

Also of note, I'm not sure if anyone has been paying attention to the milage total on the sidebar here, but I will break 1500 miles for the year in the first few miles of the marathon.

The last week

2007-10-06T15:47:00.000-06:00

Only one more week until the marathon! The taper is going well, I am down to 38.5 miles this week from 57 during training. Today's 11 mile run seemed like I was just getting warmed up. With a laid back week coming up I just have to rest up for next Sunday. Carbo loading is in order this week as well, gotta love carbs!

September flies

2007-09-29T09:23:00.000-06:00

Well September has gone by so quickly I barely knew it was there. With 232 miles for the month it has been a lot of hard training. But with winding down now all that is left is to await the marathon and let the training pay off. I realized today that I am really excited about seeing what I can do come race day.

My 14 miles today was nice, I ran it hard enough for it to be challenging, but being done in just 2 hours is a treat. The flies today were particularly bad though and I had several fly into my eyes, nose or mouth. It was the last thing I was expecting as all night the wind was really bad. So I was going into the run expecting a stiff headwind, and all I got was a light breeze, not enough to knock down the flies. I did have a pretty close encounter with some mule deer. Some young ones were out with their mothers and they let me get pretty close before bounding off into the brush. They and I were the only ones out at 6:30 before the sunrise.

Flying!

2007-09-22T10:10:00.000-06:00

I was rockin' today for my 18 mile run. I finished it in 2:32:53 which is an 8:30 min/mile pace overall. It was not too hard of an effort so I think I am going to shoot for a 3:40 marathon time. This was my last "long" run of the marathon training, so now begins my three week taper. I am going to keep my mileage for the week about the same, just backing off on intensity and long run distance. Speedwork is still essential, however.

Five by Four

2007-09-15T11:38:00.000-06:00

Did my third 20 mile run today for this training schedule and as a confidence booster this one was tops. I finished strong, right at marathon race pace, and I felt like I could go for more. I am feeling great and ready for the challenge ahead. I am four weeks out from the race and I have not yet decided if I will do one more 20 next week or not. At the moment I'm leaning toward 18 next week before heading into my taper.

This week was good but I am feeling pretty sore after all the workouts I did. I don't think I did any workouts at more than 8:30 pace, so my easy pace has certainly picked up. The worst workout I had was Wednesday, coming off a tough workout late the night before. My schedule this week made it difficult to fit in my runs, but I managed to do it. Next week should be a little more laid back.

16's feeling good

2007-09-08T13:47:00.000-06:00

I capped off this week of 54 miles with a nice 16 this morning. I have to say it felt like almost nothing to crank through the miles, which is another indication that my training is going well. My speedwork this week was awesome as well as I pushed through 10x800m repeats at 7:00 pace. Next week is going to be a big one as I am going to have to fit my running into a pretty hectic work schedule. That and 20 miles again next Saturday.

I am pretty happy today as I managed to find my shoes at a great price this morning at Southlands. I had been looking into a new pair online for a while now and had been coming up empty handed at the usual places. I had almost resigned myself to the fact that I might have to pay "full price" for a new pair. But with today's purchase I am happy that I will be able to run the marathon on fairly fresh shoes. I will likely swap them into the rotation for the long runs so that they do not have too many miles on them for the big day. I must admit I am lucky to have a wife that understands my shoe collection, with this pair I will have three pairs of identical shoes in the running rotation.

Let me explain...

2007-09-01T19:29:00.000-06:00

No there is too much, let me sum up. This was a great week of running for me, 4x1600m at the track on Monday I was hitting at sub-7:00 pace, then running in Boulder on Tuesday I ended up meeting someone new who was using my pace for a tempo run. We had a nice chat before heading out separate ways, and I thought it was funny someone running with me the way I run with Todd. Wednesday I took an extra "rest" day and just did a short run in the evening. This proved to be a great decision as I was fired up for my runs for the rest of the week. Today I finished up another 20, this time with Jake and over the "hilly" reservoir circuit. It was a little slower than my last one, but we still finished strong, at marathon race pace, and I made it through the whole distance without having to use an energy gel. This was a mental victory for me, as I now have more confidence in the way my muscles run into glycogen deficiency. With my extra rest day it was only 51 miles this week, but I really feel like I needed the break and I wasn't dropping a "quality" workout. I have been careful to be flexible in my training, while listening to what my body is telling me and I think this is why I have been so successful this year. I am in the best shape of my life right now and I am feeling strong and ready for the marathon. Just 6 weeks left!

Well that could have been worse.

2007-08-25T10:19:00.000-06:00

Today was the first day in a long time that I woke up and did not really want to do my long run. Last night I was up until 2 with noisy neighbors and an overactive brain, so when I saw the clock read 4:56, I was not happy to be rolling out of bed. But I knew I had to get to it and I knew that Jake would be waiting for me at 6:15. So I went through the motions and got out the door on time.

When Jake arrived we greeted each other with lackluster enthusiasm as it turns out Jake's night had not been much better. Once we started running and chatting we got into it pretty quickly. By the time we got to 14 miles or so we were both feeling it, but agreed that things could have been much worse given our preparation. We hammered out the last of our 18 and were happy to be done.

I'm ready for my rest day tomorrow, this marks the 4th week in a row of 55+ miles.

Great Workout

2007-08-18T10:33:00.000-06:00

I've had some great workouts this week, but today's was awesome. 16 miles and we really pushed the pace at the end. Our last 2.5 miles we did in 19 minutes! With the good banter with Jake and the "shorter" distance the miles really flew by. I must admit having the company for long runs makes it much easier to pass the time. My speedwork this week was really good as well and I am really happy with where my training is. I have a little bit of pain in my lower leg near my ankle, but it doesn't hurt when I run, and I'm chalking it up to the higher mileage. That and the fact that one of my pairs of shoes is almost ready to be retired. I am swapping in the new pair for the majority of my miles now.

Another good week

2007-08-11T12:37:00.000-06:00

I put in 56 or so miles this week, with 18 today. It's good, I feel pretty good and I'm building up confidence for the big day. I had company for a change on my long run today. Jake, who will be running the Denver marathon with me, got up early and made it out to join me for the run. It sure was nice having someone to talk to for the 3 hours that it takes to get through the distance.

This week was really busy for me at work so I feel a little drained. But the weekend will do me good and I will be back at it next week with renewed vigor. I'll be going to Boulder next week so it will be nice to get a little run in there to mix it up a bit.

New Year's Resolutions

2007-08-06T20:44:00.000-06:00

Well my new year's resolution this year was to run 1000 miles and with my speedwork today I achieved that goal. I guess now I will try to get to 1500 miles by the new year, but I am happy to have had the success I have had this year. Incidentally, I have officially registered for the Denver Marathon, so now I have a reason to train again.

Run to the Mall

2007-08-04T13:35:00.000-06:00

This week marked a return to full-time training with 61 miles for the week. Of course part of that was the 20 miles I did today. I decided to mix it up a bit and instead of running around the reservoir I suggested to Melissa that she meet me at the Cherry Creek Peet's for coffee. From our house to the mall along the Cherry Creek trail is 20 miles, so I left home at 6 am and met up with Melissa at 9:30. We timed it perfectly, both arriving at essentially the same time. For me it was a great run, I finished the whole distance without having to take walk breaks and I averaged 9:18 minutes per mile. A few more weeks like that and I will be ready for the marathon.

I've been more careful about what I've been eating this week too. Of course it helps that there is so much fresh fruit on sale at the supermarket. I think I've actually been getting close to getting my daily recommended servings of fruit, which previously I thought was a theoretical impossibility. But what with fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, fruit for lunch and smoothies in the evening I think I'm there. It's tough to make smart snacking choices when you have the "marathon training appetite" but I know that empty calories will not help me to run better the next day.

Another Hurdle

2007-07-28T14:29:00.000-06:00

Boy it seems like every week is a new barrier to my training. This week I got sick on Tuesday and was laid up for a couple of days with not much to eat. My run on Thursday was disastrous as a result of my lack of fueling the previous two days, and Friday I felt like I was just getting back into it. So I approached today's long run as flexibly as I could. Originally I planned on taking it a little easier with just a 14 mile loop, but by about 6 miles I was feeling pretty good and I decided to take advantage of the cool overcast weather and go 16. It ended up being a pretty slow run, but I finished the 16 with some gas left at the end. I'll have time to build my speed back up as the training continues as long as there aren't too many more monkey wrenches in the plans.

Getting Serious Again

2007-07-21T10:22:00.000-06:00

I have learned that flexibility in a training program is a key to success. That has really been apparent over the past couple of weeks. Trying to fit in long runs and speedwork into a vacation is challenging at best, throw kids into the equation and you might as well kiss your runs good-bye. Then trying to resume a normal schedule and diet once you return takes time, and it takes its toll on running as well. But I managed to roll with it all and by today I feel pretty much back on track. My 18 miles was tough today, but I finished it, and my tempo run on Thursday was right where it should be thanks to Todd's pace-setting. Interestingly enough, the 18 I did today brought my total for the year up to 900 miles, so I should be on track to meet my goal in early August. From there the sky's the limit!

Vacation

2007-07-16T19:42:00.000-06:00

Boy I've been out of the loop with this vacation. Although it's nice to have a break from the internet and phone for a few days. I did get in a few runs in California, a bunch of hilly runs and a long run up the PCH. The best run was up Park Ave to Alta Laguna park, a 1000 foot climb in less than 2 miles (the view at the top was breathtaking). It did make me appreciate running in Colorado though, so many roads there have no sidewalks. All in all it was a great trip and a fun time with the kids. Now that I've had a nice break I can concentrate on my training again with renewed vigor.

Happy 4th of July!

2007-07-04T12:36:00.000-06:00

Did a run with the kids today in the joggy stroller. It was nice to have the time to go with them. Lately it's been too hot, or I've been going too long for them. Yesterday I did 10 miles in Boulder, with a fair stretch up the canyon. It's relaxing running with the rushing water going by. I'm really looking forward to the running in California!

Whole lotta miles!

2007-06-30T13:14:00.000-06:00

Well with today's long run I broke 200 miles for the month of June. I'll break 800 miles for the year early next week! Today's run was really good. I did my 14 mile loop and bested my last time by 2 minutes (2:05:49). I really enjoy that route, but I'm looking forward to running in California in a week. Variety is the spice of life after all and when you are logging 50 miles a week a few new routes wouldn't hurt.

But it's a school night!

2007-06-27T19:30:00.000-06:00

We watched "The Prestige" last night even though we aren't usually up for much at night any more. When you are tired at 9:30 and the kids don't go to bed until 8 it's hard to fit movies in on any night, much less weeknights. Still it was an engaging movie and it kept our interest throughout. I found that at times it was hard to follow with all the jumping around, but maybe that's because I was tired. Needless to say I feel like it was missing something, so I should probably try reading the book. I realize now though that movies on work nights are not a good idea, as I did not sleep very well. Elijah slept without the gate last night so I was up half the night thinking that I was hearing him up wandering around. It was worth it in the end though to see the look on his face when he came downstairs on his own in the morning.

Round and Round

2007-06-25T20:02:00.000-06:00

I hit the track this morning for a 5x1000m workout. I was shooting for 5K race pace, which should have been about 4:43 for each 1000m, but I ended up hitting much lower than that. My first 1000m was 3:56 and let me say I am far from a sub 20 min 5K. Needless to say the rest of the repeats were much slower in 4:15, 4:16, 4:26 and 4:30. It was pretty hard, but you don't get faster by running slow.

Down and Up

2007-06-23T11:51:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I did run, but it was just 6 easy miles so I didn't really have anything to say about it. I'm probably going to start writing only occasionally about my runs as I have started using an online training log that works better than this blog. Unfortunately, it doesn't have all of my previous miles for the year logged, so I'll keep updating the running total (all puns intended) on the right.

Today is my long run day and I must admit I was not convinced I was going to complete the 16 miles I had set out to do. As half the game is always mental this meant I was behind from the start. I feel like this has been a hard week for me as I haven't really caught up after the hard workout on the Mesa Trail on Tuesday. But I figured I would go through the motions and see where I got to. Preparation begins the night before, and I made sure to carb up and keep hydrated before bed. I also laid out all of my running stuff so that it would be ready to go in the morning. This makes it easier to get up at 5, knowing that I just have to roll out of bed and I am practically out the door.

Five o'clock came and I was pretty much awake already. I got up and had a bowl of granola before sunscreening up and getting dressed. I was at the trail head by 6:20. I started the run feeling pretty good and got my first 4 miles done on pace (about 9:15). I kept at it but at around 5.5 miles my legs were starting to feel pretty tired. As I headed down the backside of the dam I calculated my pace again and somehow managed to figure out that I was 5 minutes behind! I was unhappy that I had slowed so much but still I kept going knowing that I would take an energy gel at 8.5 miles that would help out a bit. When I stopped to take the gel I discovered that my key had put a hole in the package and it was leaking all over the pocket in my shorts. I was just about ready to call it the worst run ever. As I headed up the big climb to the top of the dam I started feeling much better. The shot of energy and caffeine was really boosting my spirits and by the time I crested the dam I was ready to bring it on home. My legs still felt tired, but I was there mentally and I knew my training would get me through the rest of the run. By the time I hit 3 miles to go I was ready to kick it up, and I finished the last 2 miles in 8:00, and 7:39. A strong finish to a tough run. Overall it took 2 hours 24 minutes to do the 16 miles, averaging a pace of 9:00, and I can't figure out where that extra 5 minutes came from.

Another Early Morning

2007-06-21T19:48:00.000-06:00

I was up at 5 again this morning to do a tempo run from home before work. I knew it would be too hot to get a good workout later in the day. I warmed up for a mile, then did a 5.5 mile loop at tempo pace (ended up being 7:48) and finished up with a mile cool down. With all the hills in our neighborhood though I feel like it was a double workout. Tomorrow will be an easy day, as I prepare for the long run on Saturday. I am hoping to do 16 on Saturday, but we'll see how I feel when the time comes.

Tired Legs

2007-06-20T19:24:00.000-06:00

It's been getting really hot lately so I've been trying to get out earlier for my runs. Today I went out at 9 and it was still pretty warm. I was feeling the temperature for sure, although I could have still been seeing the effects of yesterday's trail run. I did not really feel like I was breathing harder but my legs just felt heavy. No aches and pains though, which I think is pretty impressive considering the beating I gave them yesterday. I'm thinking about going out before I leave for work tomorrow as then I am guaranteed cooler temperatures. We'll see how I feel tonight I guess.

I love trail running?

2007-06-19T19:17:00.000-06:00

Was that a question? I hit the Mesa trail hard today and succeeded in kicking my own ass all up and down the Flatirons. I felt like I didn't really work hard enough for my track workout yesterday I guess. It was fun though and the time really flies when you are out there. I went approximately 6 miles and it took me 1 hour 14 minutes. That shows you how much the hills affect pace. Todd can do that sort of thing and still push 8 minute miles, I don't even know how he maintains control. I guess practice makes perfect.

Sunrise

2007-06-18T19:18:00.000-06:00

I was up at 5 for my run this morning due to my schedule during the day. I hit the track at the local high school for some 800m repeats. Totaled 7.5 miles, but not all of that was speedwork. I got to see the sunrise, which was beautiful, and was back with enough time to get out the door on time for work. Not something I'd like to do everyday but you do what you have to sometimes.

The weekend was great and I spent Father's day hanging out with the kids. Miles seemed to be into golf this weekend so we watched part of the U.S. Open together. Not my idea of riveting action, but hanging out with your son makes it easier.

Out with the boys

2007-06-16T11:15:00.000-06:00

That phrase means something completely different than it used to. Miles and Elijah and I all went out for a run this morning. We hit the Cherry Creek reservoir for 12 miles. Miles slept the whole time I think, and Elijah had fun saying "Hi" to all the other runners and cyclists on the trail. We got out early and were done before it got too hot. It's definitely harder with the joggy stroller.

Nice and easy

2007-06-15T19:43:00.000-06:00

Did an easy 6 miles today around Bluff Lake. The weather was great, not too hot with lots of sun. I'll be doing my long run early tomorrow to beat the heat though. It's supposed to be in the 90s all weekend! With Father's day on Sunday, I'm guessing I'll be hauling out the charcoal grill for a cookout, and making pancakes. Yum!

Perfect Temp!

2007-06-14T19:20:00.000-06:00

Today was awesome weather and we had decided to go for a longer run. We ended up going a little over 10 miles in 90 minutes and had a blast. Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer, although the temps are coming up steadily. I will have to do my long run early on Saturday for sure.

The Itch

2007-06-13T20:14:00.000-06:00

I've got the marathon itch bad! I'm seriously considering running in the Denver Marathon this year in October. I feel like my training is at a level where I'll be able to improve on my previous result, and I think it will be fun to support my "hometown." We'll see how the training goes this summer I suppose, although I'll have to commit at some point. Today I did 7.5 and enjoyed a nice pace for it. Tomorrow the idea is to go a little longer.

It's not so much the heat, it's the humidity

2007-06-12T18:56:00.000-06:00

Today a cold front blew in with scattered showers. Even though there was no rain for my run the humidity was way up there and despite temps in the 60s it felt much warmer. I did 7.5 miles around Bluff Lake, doing 8 minute mile tempo for the first 30 minutes and a slower pace for the rest. This afternoon the real rain hit so it's going to be a pretty wet evening, but clearing for tomorrow.

Hot Hot Hot

2007-06-11T20:14:00.000-06:00

Today was a hot one, with temps getting up into the 90s. I did my run earlier to beat the heat a little, but it was still in the 80s. It was good though, just had to take it a little slow toward the end. We did 7.5, with a brief jaunt through the trails. We couldn't take the full trail as the stream was pretty high and we could not jump over. Well, that happens I guess.

I was in a triathalon!

2007-06-09T17:22:00.001-06:00

Well not really. I did my long run this morning in Cherry Creek State Park and part of my run happened to be a section of the run leg of a triathalon. Fortunately, I was a little ahead of the lead pack so it didn't get too busy on my side of the trail. I ended up doing 14 miles at a perfect long run pace. The whole thing took me 2 hours and 8 minutes, so averaging 9.14 minutes per mile. I had plenty of gas left at the end though and my last 2.5 miles were 8 minute miles. I love that loop, it is perfect length and has some amazing views along the way.

Visitors!

2007-06-08T19:04:00.000-06:00

We have visitors from California this weekend so things are pretty exciting around the house. Elijah is happy to have the attention for sure. I had to work and go to the dentist, but I still managed to get in a nice 7.5 miles around Bluff Lake. The lake is really full, which shows how much rain we've had this year. I plan to get in a nice long run tomorrow morning before things get busy, should be fun.

What a difference 20 degrees makes

2007-06-07T19:52:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was windy and hot, today was windy and cool. I ran the same 8 mile route as yesterday and it took 2 minutes less than yesterday with less effort. I'm feeling great this week and am happy to be getting my milage back to my training level. I don't know what I'm training for yet, but I'll be ready when I do.

Claritin's my friend

2007-06-06T20:20:00.000-06:00

I took a Claritin last night after dinner and today I was reaping the benefits. Despite being incredibly windy and dusty for my run today I had no problem with allergies and for the first day in a month my throat was not itchy. I'm a believer! Despite the wind, today was a really fun run. We were pushing each other on the hills and sprinting to the finish! 8 miles today through the sandy trails.

Stupid Seeds

2007-06-05T20:11:00.000-06:00

We did 9 miles today, and with the heat I have to admit it was pretty rough. Plus, to make matters worse all the trees and grass in the area seem to be on some sort of mating spree, and we were dodging fluffies and pollen clouds the whole time. After we were done I had a major allergic reaction, which I am still recovering from. Still it was the longest I've run in a few weeks and it felt good to get out for that long again.

Back at it

2007-06-04T20:30:00.000-06:00

After a weekend off (I was digging a trench all day yesterday) I got back into it today with a nice 7.5 miles. It only took me an hour, even though it was late afternoon and it was pretty hot. Tomorrow I hope to get to it earlier in the day when it's cooler.

Boulder Run

2007-06-02T20:00:00.000-06:00

I hit the Boulder Creek path yesterday morning for an easy 6 miles before I did the work thing. It was nice, but I ended up making a wrong turn at some point and got a little frustrated trying to find my way. Today was a rest day, and I really enjoyed putting my feet up for a little while. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but I might try to do a longer run to kick off the week.

Hills

2007-05-31T19:58:00.000-06:00

I love running with the boys, but running around the neighborhood is always tough due to the hills. Today I elected to try a different route that would put the big hills at the beginning of the run rather than at the end. It ended up being shorter than I wanted (5 miles) but the hills were pretty tough. I still haven't fully recovered from the race on Monday, so my quads were "moody" all day. Tomorrow I'll be running in Boulder, and I think I'll take the flat route over the really hilly trail run. Then Saturday will be a rest day.

And the time is...

2007-05-30T20:00:00.000-06:00

It's official, the times are in from the Bolder Boulder: 46:11! That puts me at an average pace of 7:24 min/mile. I knew that I had padded my watch time on either end a little but twenty seconds was a surprise. I'm really pleased with my time and I know I'll be back next year to try to improve on it.

I did 7.5 miles today at a pretty laid back pace as my legs were still a little achy. By the end of it though I was feeling pretty good. Tomorrow I will venture out with the boys for a nice run while mommy is off at the dentist. Should be a fun time!