Trial by Fire

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...

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

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!

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

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)

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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?

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?

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

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.