It is good to be back.
I know I shouldn’t rush recovery after a marathon but that doesn’t mean I can’t be excited about getting back out on my bike paths and streets.
This morning I headed out for a short 2-miler and I felt good and smooth.
I’ve really missed getting out in the morning, before even having a chance to think about work and cleaning the house and running errands and folding clothes, getting out before the sun comes up and just simply running. I love how I feel after a long, hard run, knowing that I have my whole day ahead of me and I’ve managed to accomplish so much.
I can honestly say that I’m excited to get back in to the groove of a fifty mile week.
As I set out this morning, running with a slight skip in my step, as they say, because of Sunday’s marathon PR, the future seemed limitless. Maybe I can one day break four hours, heck, maybe I’ll even qualify for Boston one day. I should shoot for that this fall, or tomorrow…
I got tired about mile 1 and even though I pushed just a bit further down the bike path before I turned around, I knew that this was a gentle reminder to be happy with my accomplishment now and to not be so quick to jump to the next impossible dream.
I made it through my 2 miles this morning and as I walked back to the house I felt very content and happy, which is such a relief from the anxiety and nerves of the past three weeks.
Daily Dozen:
2.3 miles run @ morning
Strength training @ lunch hour
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Recovery
Let’s talk recovery.
I haven’t felt as beat up by this marathon as I have in the past. My legs are sore and the rest of me is just simply exhausted but I don’t think I did any damage or caused on injury. I feel steady on my feet (for the most part, there have been a few steps that have felt a little wobbly) and going up stairs isn’t too terrible. Now, going downstairs is still painful but I manage.
The only thing that has me worried is some swelling in one of my toes. After marathons, my toes usually feel a little beat up and I will have a small (not painful) blister or two on the tips of a toe(s). For nine out of ten toes, this marathon was no different – a little pain Sunday and Monday but today they’re fine. One toe, the second toe on my left foot is swollen and very tender to the touch all around the toe, not just under the nail bed. I’m not sure what is going on with it – it is much better today than yesterday but it is still painful. I’ll have to keep an eye on that one.
I’m attributing this better than experienced recovery to two things: one, the higher mileage and two, the course itself.
I went in to this round of marathon training running 50 mile weeks and progressed up to 55-60 mile weeks by the time I peaked for Nashville in early April. Even though I didn’t hit the 50+ miles as consistently as I would have liked, I noticed an increase in the strength of my running. Mid-week runs over 10 miles didn’t require a day off the next day and weekend long runs did seem to take as much out of me as they have in the past. This higher mileage, Just Run, experience succeeded in this aspect.
The other reason I am doing so well with my recovery on this go-round is because the course was 95% gravel and dirt. The same exact course on roads would have taken a larger toll on my legs, for sure. I’m sold! I love running on Rail Trails!
Fingers crossed for the continuation of a good recovery period and yay! for more sleep the past few days.
Daily Dozen:
Absolutely Nothing
I haven’t felt as beat up by this marathon as I have in the past. My legs are sore and the rest of me is just simply exhausted but I don’t think I did any damage or caused on injury. I feel steady on my feet (for the most part, there have been a few steps that have felt a little wobbly) and going up stairs isn’t too terrible. Now, going downstairs is still painful but I manage.
The only thing that has me worried is some swelling in one of my toes. After marathons, my toes usually feel a little beat up and I will have a small (not painful) blister or two on the tips of a toe(s). For nine out of ten toes, this marathon was no different – a little pain Sunday and Monday but today they’re fine. One toe, the second toe on my left foot is swollen and very tender to the touch all around the toe, not just under the nail bed. I’m not sure what is going on with it – it is much better today than yesterday but it is still painful. I’ll have to keep an eye on that one.
I’m attributing this better than experienced recovery to two things: one, the higher mileage and two, the course itself.
I went in to this round of marathon training running 50 mile weeks and progressed up to 55-60 mile weeks by the time I peaked for Nashville in early April. Even though I didn’t hit the 50+ miles as consistently as I would have liked, I noticed an increase in the strength of my running. Mid-week runs over 10 miles didn’t require a day off the next day and weekend long runs did seem to take as much out of me as they have in the past. This higher mileage, Just Run, experience succeeded in this aspect.
The other reason I am doing so well with my recovery on this go-round is because the course was 95% gravel and dirt. The same exact course on roads would have taken a larger toll on my legs, for sure. I’m sold! I love running on Rail Trails!
Fingers crossed for the continuation of a good recovery period and yay! for more sleep the past few days.
Daily Dozen:
Absolutely Nothing
Monday, May 17, 2010
Bob Potts Heritage Rail Trail Marathon – Race Report
Success!!
I don’t intend on burying the lead here; I ran a marathon – all 26.2 miles of it – in 4 hours 7 minutes 42 seconds! I am so proud of my time and my race yesterday. I ran the race my own way without getting caught up in the pace of the runners passing me during the early miles. I ran strong the entire way and I finished well (my legs were hurting and I didn’t have much of a finishing kick so I’m not saying I finished strong but it wasn’t the struggle I experienced in Vermont or Marine Corp and most certainly would have experienced in Nashville had I been allowed to complete the distance).
Although I didn’t sleep well the night before (I am blaming the iced coffee drink I had around noon but everyone else seems to think it was just “nerves”) I was able to wake up quickly. I think I went to the bathroom about a dozen times in the span of 45 minutes but I had to diligent with my hydration. I was feeling good as we left the hotel for the short trip to the other side of the town of York and the York College track – Grumbacher Center.
We were quickly able to find parking and I immediately got in line for the port-o-potties. I made it through the line with about 10 minutes left before race start time and as Mike and I walked to the start line, he asked me, “Well, how to do you feel?” I had told him earlier in the week (and then later in the week and on the drive up to York and a few more times that Saturday and then also before going to bed…). I answered honestly, “I’m not sure. It has really hit me that I’m running a marathon today.”
A quick kiss and that’s how I left it as I lined up toward the back of the small pack of runners.
The Bob Potts Heritage Rail Trail Marathon is only in its second year but it is a great race. The race is run in honor of Bob Potts, one of the first members of the York Road Runners, who passed away 4 years ago. His son organized this annual event to honor his father’s passion for running and to raise funds for a scholarship for two area high school cross country runners. With a field capped at 400 runners (333 runners crossed the finish line), this is a small race for sure but it is perfect for me.
The course is mostly run on the Heritage Rail Trail, a crushed gravel, flat as flat can be (I was told there was net uphill going out and net downhill coming back but I certainly couldn’t tell) trail starting in York, Pennsylvania. The organization of this small race is top-notch – packet pickup was a breeze, the start was easy and no-fuss, and the volunteers and water stops along the course were supportive and enthusiastic. The finish in the stadium at York College was a lot of fun and made it very easy for me to find my friends and family at the end.
The race director yelled “On your mark, get set, GO!” and suddenly I was running my fifth marathon. The first mile is run on the streets before hooking up with the rail trail and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t feeling great about the run. My legs didn’t feel particularly fresh and my spirits were a little low. As we made our way through the first few miles I repeatedly reminded myself, “Run your race.” I had to forget all those runners whizzing past me and keep an eye on my pace. As long as I was hitting my goal (9:30 pace overall), then I didn’t care who passed me.
It wasn’t easy, especially letting the lady dressed as a pink butterfly pass me and being ok with losing sight of her all together. “It’s OK. Just let them go. Your time is what is important; not their times.” I checked my watch at each mile marker waiting for it to be below 9:30 to give me an excuse to catch up to all those people running by me. However, that moment never came and by mile 4 or 5, I settled in for the long haul.
I saw Mike just before mile 10 and waved off the visor (in case the clouds opened up and it started to rain) and the banana. “Banana at Mile 17,” I shouted as I ran by. One of the great things about this out-and-back course is that he picked a spot and stayed there, seeing me twice.
I was feeling much better by this point and decided to allow myself to pick it up just a bit on the way to the turn around spot (which was beyond the 13.1 halfway mark). After hitting the turn around spot, I told myself that no one would pass me from that point on. I ran a consistent pace and everyone else was slowing down. I was able to pick people off easily – run an even pace, catch up to the runner in front of me, pass and pick the next one. A race experience like this has truly proven to me that the discipline to not go out to fast pays off big time!
Over the next 13 miles, I had 2 men pass me and 1 woman. Although I didn’t keep a count of the people I passed, I would estimate that it was 2 to 3 each mile so I would have to guess that I passed between 25 and 40 people. Passing so many people and doing so without struggling was an amazing feeling. Amazing what an evenly paced race will do for your racing confidence.
At Mile 15, I sucked do the Strawberry Gu I had gotten at Mile 13 and at Mile 17 I picked up the banana from Mike.
However, I held on to the banana until Mile 22 in order to (hopefully) give me a pick-me-up just when I would usually start to fade. Whether it was the banana or the even pacing or the gel or the higher mileage or some combination of all of the above (most likely answer), something went very right for me in this race.
By Mile 20 I was definitely feeling my legs but I was keeping my pace (and passing plenty of people) without any added effort. It wasn’t until Mile 24 that I was kinda wishing the marathon was over. My hamstrings were feeling tighter and tighter and I knew I didn’t have much left in me. I kept telling myself, “Only twenty more minutes running. That’s it. That’s nothing. You do that everyday and today is no different.”
I kept going and when I saw the mile marker for 25 I was very happy, only one more to go. However, that elation was short-lived because my watch read 9:55. For a few seconds, I was too shocked to react. My legs were still moving and I was still breathing but time stopped for a moment. Then, I got a little angry with myself. I didn’t run that far (25 freakin’ miles) to run my only 10+ minute mile of the day on the last mile of the marathon. “No way” and so I ran faster. It hurt (not in a sharp pain sort of way but definitely in the, my muscles have been whacked with a hammer and I should definitely give them a break, kind of way). I wanted to stop but I was too stubborn to give in. I had worked too hard to maintain a consistent pace and pass all those runners just to get passed back so close to the finish. The only option was to run and give it my all.
As I passed the 26 mile marker my watch read 9:34. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I had been aiming for a 4:10 for the day; a PR of over 9 minutes. It was a time I knew I had in me but honestly, wasn’t one that would be easy for me to achieve. When I saw 9:34 on my watch at that last mile marker I knew I would go get a 4:10 and if I could just maintain my pace for the next two tenths of a mile I might even get a sub 4:08. Again, the only thing to do was run. Trudge is probably a better description of the form of movement I used to make it up the “hill” (one those inclines in the road that probably isn’t truly considered a hill but at mile 26 of a marathon, it was a beast) and in to the stadium.
I entered the stadium tired and exhausted and ready to stop running but I had to make to the opposite side of the track (and let me tell you running on a bouncy track feels like walking on the moon – in a bad way – after 25 miles on a gravel trail) and the best way to do that was to run. As I rounded the track, I knew there was no way I would be catching the guy in front of me and so I didn’t even try. I did make an effort to dig deep and find a finishing kick but I didn’t come up with much of one. Anyway, I rounded the track and I saw an amazing site…4:07. That was the number on the clock. I had done it!
All the doubt and anxiety that had been bubbling in my since Nashville simple disappeared without a trace. I haven’t spent a single though second guessing myself or my training. It was the most perfect race I could have run on that day and I simply cannot ask any more of myself.
1 9:40
2 9:13
3 9:23
4 9:26
5 9:35
6 9:26
7 9:29
8 9:25
9 9:39
10 9:19
11 9:24
12 9:16
13 9:14
14 9:12
15 9:21
16 9:24
17 9:21
18 9:18
19 9:29
20 9:28
21 9:24
22 9:20
23 9:29
24 9:31
25 9:55
26 9:34
26.2 2:15
Pros
Small race with a hometown feel
Enthusiastic organization, volunteers and water stops
Flat, soft surface…flat
Cons
I really can’t complain but if you twist my arm I’d have to say that an x-small t-shirt would have been nice
I don’t intend on burying the lead here; I ran a marathon – all 26.2 miles of it – in 4 hours 7 minutes 42 seconds! I am so proud of my time and my race yesterday. I ran the race my own way without getting caught up in the pace of the runners passing me during the early miles. I ran strong the entire way and I finished well (my legs were hurting and I didn’t have much of a finishing kick so I’m not saying I finished strong but it wasn’t the struggle I experienced in Vermont or Marine Corp and most certainly would have experienced in Nashville had I been allowed to complete the distance).
Although I didn’t sleep well the night before (I am blaming the iced coffee drink I had around noon but everyone else seems to think it was just “nerves”) I was able to wake up quickly. I think I went to the bathroom about a dozen times in the span of 45 minutes but I had to diligent with my hydration. I was feeling good as we left the hotel for the short trip to the other side of the town of York and the York College track – Grumbacher Center.
We were quickly able to find parking and I immediately got in line for the port-o-potties. I made it through the line with about 10 minutes left before race start time and as Mike and I walked to the start line, he asked me, “Well, how to do you feel?” I had told him earlier in the week (and then later in the week and on the drive up to York and a few more times that Saturday and then also before going to bed…). I answered honestly, “I’m not sure. It has really hit me that I’m running a marathon today.”
A quick kiss and that’s how I left it as I lined up toward the back of the small pack of runners.
The Bob Potts Heritage Rail Trail Marathon is only in its second year but it is a great race. The race is run in honor of Bob Potts, one of the first members of the York Road Runners, who passed away 4 years ago. His son organized this annual event to honor his father’s passion for running and to raise funds for a scholarship for two area high school cross country runners. With a field capped at 400 runners (333 runners crossed the finish line), this is a small race for sure but it is perfect for me.
The course is mostly run on the Heritage Rail Trail, a crushed gravel, flat as flat can be (I was told there was net uphill going out and net downhill coming back but I certainly couldn’t tell) trail starting in York, Pennsylvania. The organization of this small race is top-notch – packet pickup was a breeze, the start was easy and no-fuss, and the volunteers and water stops along the course were supportive and enthusiastic. The finish in the stadium at York College was a lot of fun and made it very easy for me to find my friends and family at the end.
The race director yelled “On your mark, get set, GO!” and suddenly I was running my fifth marathon. The first mile is run on the streets before hooking up with the rail trail and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t feeling great about the run. My legs didn’t feel particularly fresh and my spirits were a little low. As we made our way through the first few miles I repeatedly reminded myself, “Run your race.” I had to forget all those runners whizzing past me and keep an eye on my pace. As long as I was hitting my goal (9:30 pace overall), then I didn’t care who passed me.
It wasn’t easy, especially letting the lady dressed as a pink butterfly pass me and being ok with losing sight of her all together. “It’s OK. Just let them go. Your time is what is important; not their times.” I checked my watch at each mile marker waiting for it to be below 9:30 to give me an excuse to catch up to all those people running by me. However, that moment never came and by mile 4 or 5, I settled in for the long haul.
I saw Mike just before mile 10 and waved off the visor (in case the clouds opened up and it started to rain) and the banana. “Banana at Mile 17,” I shouted as I ran by. One of the great things about this out-and-back course is that he picked a spot and stayed there, seeing me twice.
I was feeling much better by this point and decided to allow myself to pick it up just a bit on the way to the turn around spot (which was beyond the 13.1 halfway mark). After hitting the turn around spot, I told myself that no one would pass me from that point on. I ran a consistent pace and everyone else was slowing down. I was able to pick people off easily – run an even pace, catch up to the runner in front of me, pass and pick the next one. A race experience like this has truly proven to me that the discipline to not go out to fast pays off big time!
Over the next 13 miles, I had 2 men pass me and 1 woman. Although I didn’t keep a count of the people I passed, I would estimate that it was 2 to 3 each mile so I would have to guess that I passed between 25 and 40 people. Passing so many people and doing so without struggling was an amazing feeling. Amazing what an evenly paced race will do for your racing confidence.
At Mile 15, I sucked do the Strawberry Gu I had gotten at Mile 13 and at Mile 17 I picked up the banana from Mike.
Banana handoffs are very important to my marathon success!
However, I held on to the banana until Mile 22 in order to (hopefully) give me a pick-me-up just when I would usually start to fade. Whether it was the banana or the even pacing or the gel or the higher mileage or some combination of all of the above (most likely answer), something went very right for me in this race.
By Mile 20 I was definitely feeling my legs but I was keeping my pace (and passing plenty of people) without any added effort. It wasn’t until Mile 24 that I was kinda wishing the marathon was over. My hamstrings were feeling tighter and tighter and I knew I didn’t have much left in me. I kept telling myself, “Only twenty more minutes running. That’s it. That’s nothing. You do that everyday and today is no different.”
I kept going and when I saw the mile marker for 25 I was very happy, only one more to go. However, that elation was short-lived because my watch read 9:55. For a few seconds, I was too shocked to react. My legs were still moving and I was still breathing but time stopped for a moment. Then, I got a little angry with myself. I didn’t run that far (25 freakin’ miles) to run my only 10+ minute mile of the day on the last mile of the marathon. “No way” and so I ran faster. It hurt (not in a sharp pain sort of way but definitely in the, my muscles have been whacked with a hammer and I should definitely give them a break, kind of way). I wanted to stop but I was too stubborn to give in. I had worked too hard to maintain a consistent pace and pass all those runners just to get passed back so close to the finish. The only option was to run and give it my all.
As I passed the 26 mile marker my watch read 9:34. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I had been aiming for a 4:10 for the day; a PR of over 9 minutes. It was a time I knew I had in me but honestly, wasn’t one that would be easy for me to achieve. When I saw 9:34 on my watch at that last mile marker I knew I would go get a 4:10 and if I could just maintain my pace for the next two tenths of a mile I might even get a sub 4:08. Again, the only thing to do was run. Trudge is probably a better description of the form of movement I used to make it up the “hill” (one those inclines in the road that probably isn’t truly considered a hill but at mile 26 of a marathon, it was a beast) and in to the stadium.
I entered the stadium tired and exhausted and ready to stop running but I had to make to the opposite side of the track (and let me tell you running on a bouncy track feels like walking on the moon – in a bad way – after 25 miles on a gravel trail) and the best way to do that was to run. As I rounded the track, I knew there was no way I would be catching the guy in front of me and so I didn’t even try. I did make an effort to dig deep and find a finishing kick but I didn’t come up with much of one. Anyway, I rounded the track and I saw an amazing site…4:07. That was the number on the clock. I had done it!
All the doubt and anxiety that had been bubbling in my since Nashville simple disappeared without a trace. I haven’t spent a single though second guessing myself or my training. It was the most perfect race I could have run on that day and I simply cannot ask any more of myself.
1 9:40
2 9:13
3 9:23
4 9:26
5 9:35
6 9:26
7 9:29
8 9:25
9 9:39
10 9:19
11 9:24
12 9:16
13 9:14
14 9:12
15 9:21
16 9:24
17 9:21
18 9:18
19 9:29
20 9:28
21 9:24
22 9:20
23 9:29
24 9:31
25 9:55
26 9:34
26.2 2:15
Pros
Small race with a hometown feel
Enthusiastic organization, volunteers and water stops
Flat, soft surface…flat
Cons
I really can’t complain but if you twist my arm I’d have to say that an x-small t-shirt would have been nice
At the finish with the Giant Red Cow
Friday, May 14, 2010
What is up with that?
I’m anxious about Sunday’s marathon.
I keep trying to convince myself to be confident about the race. Nashille’s 22.2 miler was a great “last” long run. I have the distance in my legs and I’ve been resting well so I am primed for a great race. I tell myself that over and over.
Still, I’ve got butterflies in my stomach when I think about running another marathon so soon after the aborted Nashville race. I’m not truly recovered from a 22 miler AT race pace (the longest I’ve seen in other plans in maybe 16 miles within a 20 miler). It’s been too long since I was able to run consistently (early April before I started the taper for Nashville) and not counting Nashville I haven’t run more than 8 miles since early April. I haven’t been eating or sleeping well (5 lb. gain since Nashville). Last week was a good week of running and I felt like my old self but this week has just been…strange, for lack of a better term.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I went out for a shorter “long” run and two easy runs in the 3 to 4 mile range, respectively. Although I was aiming for an easy, slow pace and I tried to hold my pace at a slow pace, each run was at a 10 minute average pace. That’s way faster than I was running easy runs before (10:30 to 11:00 minute pace).
Wednesday and Thursday I skipped running and allow myself to sleep in (9.5 hours of sleep both nights – fantastic!).
Today, Friday, I went out for super slow, super easy 3 miler just to shake out my legs and get them primed for Sunday. “Ugh” is the only appropriate word to describe how I feel during this run. I felt like I was running through knee-deep quicksand and yet, everytime my Garmin beeped off a mile, my pace was in the 10:00 to 10:15 range. In fact, I ended with an average pace of 10:06. What is up with that? I really was telling myself to slow down and take it easy. I thought I was.
On top of that, as I was walking back to the house I realized that I felt better after that dreadful run than I did the last few days with no run and tons of sleep. Seriously, what is up with that?
I’m really not sure how to feel about Sunday’s 26.2 miles. I hate going in to a race without confidence but I am really confused!
Daily Dozen:
3.32 miles run in early morning
XT (walking on treadmill and stretching) @ lunch hour
I keep trying to convince myself to be confident about the race. Nashille’s 22.2 miler was a great “last” long run. I have the distance in my legs and I’ve been resting well so I am primed for a great race. I tell myself that over and over.
Still, I’ve got butterflies in my stomach when I think about running another marathon so soon after the aborted Nashville race. I’m not truly recovered from a 22 miler AT race pace (the longest I’ve seen in other plans in maybe 16 miles within a 20 miler). It’s been too long since I was able to run consistently (early April before I started the taper for Nashville) and not counting Nashville I haven’t run more than 8 miles since early April. I haven’t been eating or sleeping well (5 lb. gain since Nashville). Last week was a good week of running and I felt like my old self but this week has just been…strange, for lack of a better term.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I went out for a shorter “long” run and two easy runs in the 3 to 4 mile range, respectively. Although I was aiming for an easy, slow pace and I tried to hold my pace at a slow pace, each run was at a 10 minute average pace. That’s way faster than I was running easy runs before (10:30 to 11:00 minute pace).
Wednesday and Thursday I skipped running and allow myself to sleep in (9.5 hours of sleep both nights – fantastic!).
Today, Friday, I went out for super slow, super easy 3 miler just to shake out my legs and get them primed for Sunday. “Ugh” is the only appropriate word to describe how I feel during this run. I felt like I was running through knee-deep quicksand and yet, everytime my Garmin beeped off a mile, my pace was in the 10:00 to 10:15 range. In fact, I ended with an average pace of 10:06. What is up with that? I really was telling myself to slow down and take it easy. I thought I was.
On top of that, as I was walking back to the house I realized that I felt better after that dreadful run than I did the last few days with no run and tons of sleep. Seriously, what is up with that?
I’m really not sure how to feel about Sunday’s 26.2 miles. I hate going in to a race without confidence but I am really confused!
Daily Dozen:
3.32 miles run in early morning
XT (walking on treadmill and stretching) @ lunch hour
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
New Shoes
I’ve got shoes on the brain. One of the (many) thoughts running (ha!) through my head as I started struggle in Nashville was, “I should have bought new shoes. Newer shoes would feel so much better right about now.” This thought popped in to my head somewhere around mile 15 or so; I wasn’t quite struggling but in hind sight this was probably not a good sign and foreshadows what was to come.
“They,” whoever it is “they” are, say running shoes need to be replaced every 400 to 500 miles and that you should have relatively few miles on the shoes used on race day. I have been using a different rule of thumb than 400-500 miles and rotating a pair of shoes out when my leg (foot, knee, hip) starts to act up while I’m running. This was going well and I had been alternating two pairs – Saucony Omni 8s (blue) with over 700 miles and Nike Zoom+ Stuctures with nearly 500 miles. The Nikes still felt good on all my long runs so I decided to save the money and race in them.
Bad call, as it turns out. One of many dubious decisions I made going in to Nashville.
One of the deals I made with myself when I was trying to decide whether I should use attempt another marathon so soon after Nashville was that if I ran it, I would do so in new shoes. And so, on the day I signed up for the Bob Pott’s Trail Marathon in York, PA I also ordered a new pair of shoes. The winners: Saucony Omni 8s, this time in red.
“They,” whoever it is “they” are, say running shoes need to be replaced every 400 to 500 miles and that you should have relatively few miles on the shoes used on race day. I have been using a different rule of thumb than 400-500 miles and rotating a pair of shoes out when my leg (foot, knee, hip) starts to act up while I’m running. This was going well and I had been alternating two pairs – Saucony Omni 8s (blue) with over 700 miles and Nike Zoom+ Stuctures with nearly 500 miles. The Nikes still felt good on all my long runs so I decided to save the money and race in them.
Bad call, as it turns out. One of many dubious decisions I made going in to Nashville.
One of the deals I made with myself when I was trying to decide whether I should use attempt another marathon so soon after Nashville was that if I ran it, I would do so in new shoes. And so, on the day I signed up for the Bob Pott’s Trail Marathon in York, PA I also ordered a new pair of shoes. The winners: Saucony Omni 8s, this time in red.
The Omnis are the first real running shoe I ever wore (they were on Omni 5 at the time) and they are my tried-and-true shoe. I’ve dabbled with other brands but I’ve come back to Saucony Omni’s ever time. The Mizunos were good and so were the Nikes. Pearl Izumi wasn’t terrible but over time I didn’t like the fit and as much as I wanted to love the Brooks, they hurt my feet right out of the box. (Mizuno is probably the only brand I’d give another shot to at this point but I may also take another look at Nike).
They arrived on my doorstep yesterday. Yay!
I put them on for a little test-run this morning – 3 miles, slow and steady at recovery pace. Running in new shoes can be very motivating. It was probably not the best idea to wear them on a recovery run because once I started running I wanted to go faster and farther than planned to see how they felt. I restrained myself.
I proceeded to think about the shoes for the next 30 minutes. Their feel – these are tighter than the Nike’s I’ve been wearing, that feels weird. Their size – they are half size smaller than the Nike’s. I’ve been in size 8s since I started running (normal shoe size is 7 – your feet grow when you run, did you know that?) but the salesperson at the local running store put me in the 8.5s for Nikes because Nike sizing runs small. I never felt like the Nikes fit my foot that well (huge toebox, which is good but my heal would slip on uphill climbs).
Maybe I should have gotten an 8.5 for these as well, I thought. Wow, a sizing and a half just from running!
Regardless, hip-hip-hooray for new running shoes.
Daily Dozen:
3 miles @ recovery pace
Strength training exercises – calves & bum
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Capital Challenge - Race Report
I am a runner redeemed.
Wednesday morning I ran the Capital Challenge, a 3 mile charity race in DC that is invitation-only for teams representing the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches of the Federal Government and the Media. I ran a one of several teams fielded by the company for which I work. Approximately 700 people were running the race.
I had signed up for the race knowing that I wouldn’t be recovered from the marathon I was running the previous Saturday so I had submitted an estimated race time of 30 minutes. Of course, at that time, I didn’t realize I would only be allowed to run 22 miles of the marathon and therefore was not nearly as beat up as I thought I would be. My legs were feeling very good Wednesday morning.
As the starting whistle blew I decided to go ahead and push the pace just to see what I could. I was pushing but not too hard (no hard, labored breathing…yet) and hit the first mile in 8:06 (take off a few seconds because I started about 15 second after the gun). Wow! Great! I wonder if I can maintain this pace.
I blow past the water stop and push on to the turn around, 1.5 mile mark. I make the sharp 180 degree turn and push harder. I had only seen a handful of coworkers ahead of me and I wanted to see how many of them I could catch.
I ran. I pushed and ran harder. I hit the mile 2 marker in 15:57. What?! I’m actually speeding up. GO GO GO. Just one more mile.
It was unusually cold this morning, in the low 40s and there had been a sharp wind as we were standing around waiting for the race start. The wind that I thought would be at my back (or at the least coming in from side) was actually blowing straight at us, nonstop, for the entire third mile. I have said it before – I hate the wind. However, I knew I couldn’t let it defeat me on this day. I had had enough of being defeated by mother nature while running.
I pushed. I started breathing harder and harder and tried to keep it as steady as possible. I cajoled. One more mile. That’s nothing. You can’t outrun a tornado but you can make it to this finish line in under 24 minutes. Come on. RUN. Then, finally, I heard the announcer. There was a slight bend in the course and a few seconds later (though it seemed like minutes) I saw the banner for the finish line. Get there Becki. You just have to get to that spot and then you can stop. I promise. That’s it. Just get there.
The clock read 23 something and I pushed as hard as I could – 23:36. Holy crap, I did it! If this had been a 5K, I would have PR’ed by nearly a minute. Apparently running 22 miles of a marathon a few days prior really helps my speed (or at least it did this once). Running and finishing this race well, felt good. It still feels good. I have a much more positive outlook on running today compared to the few days after Nashville.
Am I still planning on attempting a marathon in few weeks…oh yeah!
Pros
-Small race = higher placement (254 out of 700)
-Low entry fee ($17)
-Very enthusiastic race organizers
-Nice, technical running shirt
Cons
-Invitation only race
Wednesday morning I ran the Capital Challenge, a 3 mile charity race in DC that is invitation-only for teams representing the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches of the Federal Government and the Media. I ran a one of several teams fielded by the company for which I work. Approximately 700 people were running the race.
I had signed up for the race knowing that I wouldn’t be recovered from the marathon I was running the previous Saturday so I had submitted an estimated race time of 30 minutes. Of course, at that time, I didn’t realize I would only be allowed to run 22 miles of the marathon and therefore was not nearly as beat up as I thought I would be. My legs were feeling very good Wednesday morning.
As the starting whistle blew I decided to go ahead and push the pace just to see what I could. I was pushing but not too hard (no hard, labored breathing…yet) and hit the first mile in 8:06 (take off a few seconds because I started about 15 second after the gun). Wow! Great! I wonder if I can maintain this pace.
I blow past the water stop and push on to the turn around, 1.5 mile mark. I make the sharp 180 degree turn and push harder. I had only seen a handful of coworkers ahead of me and I wanted to see how many of them I could catch.
I ran. I pushed and ran harder. I hit the mile 2 marker in 15:57. What?! I’m actually speeding up. GO GO GO. Just one more mile.
It was unusually cold this morning, in the low 40s and there had been a sharp wind as we were standing around waiting for the race start. The wind that I thought would be at my back (or at the least coming in from side) was actually blowing straight at us, nonstop, for the entire third mile. I have said it before – I hate the wind. However, I knew I couldn’t let it defeat me on this day. I had had enough of being defeated by mother nature while running.
I pushed. I started breathing harder and harder and tried to keep it as steady as possible. I cajoled. One more mile. That’s nothing. You can’t outrun a tornado but you can make it to this finish line in under 24 minutes. Come on. RUN. Then, finally, I heard the announcer. There was a slight bend in the course and a few seconds later (though it seemed like minutes) I saw the banner for the finish line. Get there Becki. You just have to get to that spot and then you can stop. I promise. That’s it. Just get there.
The clock read 23 something and I pushed as hard as I could – 23:36. Holy crap, I did it! If this had been a 5K, I would have PR’ed by nearly a minute. Apparently running 22 miles of a marathon a few days prior really helps my speed (or at least it did this once). Running and finishing this race well, felt good. It still feels good. I have a much more positive outlook on running today compared to the few days after Nashville.
Am I still planning on attempting a marathon in few weeks…oh yeah!
Pros
-Small race = higher placement (254 out of 700)
-Low entry fee ($17)
-Very enthusiastic race organizers
-Nice, technical running shirt
Cons
-Invitation only race
Country Music Marathon - Race Report
How did the marathon in Nashville go? My official finisher’s certificate about sums it up.
When I left the previous weekend for our road trip to Tennessee, the weather for the marathon was supposed to be rainy with a high of 71 – cooler and cloudier than it was supposed to be the few days before Saturday’s race. However, by the time we made it to Nashville the forecast was looking much bleaker – rain…wind…hail!...tornado!!
I tried to remain positive about the weather. Really, how often is it as bad as the weatherman says? The race organizers had sent out on email on Friday saying that as long as the full marathoners were on pace to run a 4:30 or better time at the 11 mile mark we would be able to finish the race and not be diverted to the half marathon finish. Not a problem!
However, I had trouble sleeping the night before the race. I feel asleep quickly around 9 o’clock but I don’t think my mind ever shut itself off but I woke up at 2 and didn’t fall back asleep until 4. I kept worrying about the weather and questioning myself – what if I was having a bad day and fell off my pace early? what will I tell people? what if they cancel the race altogether? Not the thoughts I needed running through my head only a few hours before running a marathon.
I woke up at 5 to my alarm and I got dressed I was sleepy but I knew I had to shake it off – shake off last night’s frustrations and anxiety, shake off fretting about my pace. I stepped outside on the porch of the B&B we were staying in to eat my bagel and banana and was encouraged. The sun was coming up. It wasn’t raining. There was just a slight breeze. Maybe today wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
At 6 I headed out for the race start line, about 2 miles from where we were staying. I walked and jogged my way to Centennial Park feeling very confident about the next few hours. I wondered about the starting area for a bit and didn’t pay much attention to the race announcers since there were still 30 minutes until the start. I probably should have been paying more attention because it turns out they decided to start the race 15 minutes early so by the time I realized what was going on I had to push way through a crowd of runners to even get close to the pace group I was aiming for.
Before I knew it…and without really realizing what was going on…suddenly I was across the start line and running my fourth marathon. Running the first mile or so toward downtown Nashville in a massive sea of runners (going downhill) was awesome. Even though there were 35,000 runners, the streets and waterstops I never felt like I didn’t have enough room to run. For once, it seemed, a race had gotten the corral/wave start right (this has not been my experience with the local DC mega-races).
A bit about my strategy: nine minutes thirty seconds. That is the number I wanted to see each time I hit the lap button on my watch when I hit the mile markers – 9:30. I wanted 9:30s through Mile 20 and at that point I would assess where I was at and speed up if I could or continue to focus on hitting 9:30s.
As I ran along with the huge crowd, I was able to dial in to my pace quickly and stay there (within reason – I’m still not very good at knowing my pace by feel). The first 11 miles of the race went well – plenty of crowd support, saw my super spectator (husband, Mike) at Miles 5 and 8 and got a boost of energy seeing him. At Mile 11, the half marathon course split off and the few marathon runners (4000 compared to the over 30,000 running the half). I actually didn’t mind the lack of crowd support but the course itself was pretty lacking – they loop us through some business parks, etc.
Also, this was about the time that the clouds started filling up the sky. I was hoping that I would beat the rain but as I ran along it looked less and less likely.
I was still feeling good – some tightness in the hamstrings, my legs were starting to get tired and I was regretting the decision not to get new shoes about a month ago but all in all I was very positive about the race. I hit Mile 17 and my legs rapidly started feeling heavier and heavier. I was trudging up a hill and I made the decision to power walk to the top. I have never, NEVER, been forced to walk in a race. It was demoralizing. To make matters worse, I hit another bit hill at Mile 18 and it take even less time to talk myself in to walking to the top. Giving up was so easy at that point.
I started questioning everything. Making up my own running schedule was a bad idea. Just Run – that’s so stupid. Why didn’t I do specific marathon pace runs? I should have been more consistent during the crappy winter weather. I shouldn’t have cut down my taper to two weeks, I’ve tried that before and it doesn’t work for me. I should know better. I’m not the marathon running type. Why am I doing this? This sucks.
That was the lowest I’ve ever been with my running. However, I made it to the top of the hill and told myself that I had to take it one mile at a time. Just get to the next water stop and take it from there. Surprisingly, things did get a little better. My hamstrings were still screaming and my legs still felt like bricks but my mind wasn’t beating me up any more. I made it to Mile 20 at 3 hours 14 minutes. If I could do the next 6.2 miles in one hour, I could still PR. So that is what I set out to do – push for the next hour at 10 minute pace. I could do it. There were no more hills. I just knew I could do it.
And then I turned the corner and saw two things: the mile marker for 21 and police cars, police barricades and a policeman with a bullhorn. “Runners turn right and head toward the stadium. Severe weather is imminent. Runners divert to the stadium. Sever weather is imminent.” My heart dropped. I was on pace why are they diverting us. I forgot all about my tired legs and screaming hamstrings. The pain just melted away and was replaced with…
I’m not sure what it was I was feeling. Anger? No, not really. Frustration? Definitely but it was different too. Grief? Ok, that sounds a little dramatic but yes, kinda. Disappointment? Yup, in myself, in the race, in the weather.
I couldn’t believe my luck. The police car and barricades were being put in place just as I came around the corner. If I had been just 5 minutes faster, I would have been able to finish it. I was upset when I realized that I could have prevented being diverted from the course. If only I was a faster…by which I really meant “better”…runner. Several runners were jumping the barricades and running around the police cruisers, totally ignoring the instructions to divert and not finish. I slowed down to contemplate what course of action would I take – screw it, I’m a runner, I finish races that I start, weather and police be damned or better safe than sorry and live to run another day.
I made that turn and ran back to the stadium in a clump of 10 or so other quasi-marathoners. I just couldn’t bring myself to defy authority (not to say that is a bad thing – there was some pretty severe lightening going on in the distance and the Country Music Marathon is not worth dying over). Anyway, we headed back to the stadium, dodging pedestrians, runners who had finished their race (mostly half marathoners) and traffic. We jumped the barrier near the 26 mile mark and ran across the finish line.
The clock read 3:42 and to everyone watching, we looked legitimate. I felt sick to my stomach. I wasn’t legitimate and I knew it. I felt like I had tricked somebody, gotten away with it and felt guilty. I grabbed water, a space blanket and a medal and went to find my husband. He was shocked to see me so early and thought I must have had an amazing race. I had to confess (and that is what it felt like, a confession) that I didn’t run the whole race, that they had diverted the course and didn’t allow me to finish.
As we walked back to the car, I skipped the food and other finish line amenities because I didn’t feel like I deserved them, I started to get angry. I was angry with myself and with the weather and with the race organizers. I mumbled and cursed (sometimes loudly, sometimes under my breath) and I wanted to shout. I was mad at myself for crossing the finish line. I was mad at myself for taking a medal I didn’t feel like I deserved. The other runners would had cross the finish line around me ran the whole thing and I did not belong there at that time.
By the time we made it back to the bed and breakfast, I was a little calmer about it and had started to come to terms with not being allowed to finish. It was raining so hard outside and there was lightening, I know it was the right decision on everyone’s part. However, it then became apparent after the results there were half marathon runners…lots and lots of half marathon runners…finishing well after I would have come across the line. I understand they need to get people off the streets and that the police and EMTs had much better places to be than watching me run by but it still irks me that I could have finished in the time they held the course open for the half marathoners.
Breath. Calming down. (As you can see, it still stings a little).
So I didn’t get to finish the marathon. I have NOT run four marathons (no matter what everyone says…it is a fact) but I am OK with it. I have been recovering nicely this week and am seriously contemplating another attempt in a few weeks. I really want to see what I can do on the training I’ve done.
I did so many things wrong before this marathon (no running but lots of strenuous hiking the week before, not eating well the week before, very little runs at marathon pace, not pacing correctly on the hills, etc.) that I need to give myself a fair shot at a PR this spring.
Mile 1 9:39
Mile 2 9:25
Mile 3 9:29
Mile 4 9:44
Mile 5 9:46
Mile 6 9:19 – Energy boost after spotting my spectator
Mile 7 9:49
Mile 8 & 9 18:51
Mile 10 & 11 18:23
Mile 12 9:10
Mile 13 9:24
Mile 14 9:24
Mile 15 9:41
Mile 16 9:41
Mile 17 9:42
Mile 18 10:55 – Uh oh, had to walk up a hill, hamstrings feeling very tight
Mile 19 11:10 – Not good, had to walk up another hill, but decide to rally
Mile 20 10:26 – That’s getting better, feeling a little better
Mile 21 through finish about 22.2 18:22
Pros
-Nashville is a fun city, absolutely worth the visit
-Excellent support on the first half of the course
-Race Organizers have made up for having to divert the course – apologies, coupons to other events
Cons
-Second half lonely compared to the first half (for some this could be a pro)
-Race Organizers weren’t very good at communicating the changes to the start time and what to do once they diverted the course – was I supposed to cross the finish line?
-Expensive
-Goodie bag was just leaflets and ads (sign of the times more so than the race most likely)
-Excellent support on the first half of the course
-Race Organizers have made up for having to divert the course – apologies, coupons to other events
Cons
-Second half lonely compared to the first half (for some this could be a pro)
-Race Organizers weren’t very good at communicating the changes to the start time and what to do once they diverted the course – was I supposed to cross the finish line?
-Expensive
-Goodie bag was just leaflets and ads (sign of the times more so than the race most likely)
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