Switching back to LJ

I think I'm going to be moving my training blog back over to my spot on Livejournal. This was a fun experiment, and I like the interface better than LJs, but I think when I'm trying to compartmentalize my life between training here and everything else there, both suffer. So starting with my Umstead Marathon race report.

That is, if I survive. :)

Of course, I'm also dividing time by jumping on the twitter bandwagon but that's a different sort of writing.

Foam Roller

A few weeks back I got a foam roller from Amazon; it's been an interesting addition to my training. Mostly I use it to work on my IT band, calfs and hamstrings, though I suppose I'll be adding my quads sometime soon.

But it's painful, like a good massage is painful. And it's the first time I ever truly, actively felt a muscle knot go away. After I located it, I just rested my body weight on it and said I'd count to 70, bear the pain, and move on if nothing happened. Right around count 30, I was able to relax the muscles around the knot. Near 65, the muscle started spasming. At 80, the muscle knot was in its death throes. At 90, it had melted away, and felt... well... a little weird.

There have been times after using the roller that I've felt taller on my right side, if that makes sense. There have been times when I've been in enough pain that I've wondered if I'm damaging myself. But I've never felt anything like the muscle knot going away, before. I've given massages that have coaxed knots to give up the ghost. I've had massages done to me that have cured both a screwed up gait and what I thought was unrelated pain.

I can't say that I'll love my foam roller as much as my Garmin. But if I use it regularly and intelligently, it may be just as useful as, say, Gu. Which is pretty high up, just under proper shoes, good socks, and apparel. :)

U minus 5

Five days to the Umstead marathon.

Five days to see if this new methodology of run training will work out well, or leave me splattered against the wall at mile 18.

Five days to freak out about every little ache or pain, real or imagined, carbo-load, worry about nutrition, ponder every step of every run, pour over the map and over think everything.

there is nothing I can do, as of now, to make my fitness for the race any better. but there's an awful lot I can do to mess up my race experience.

The time I cut off from my two road marathons will be my test. In Detroit I went from 4:46 to 3:39, a 1:07 drop. It's my goal to go from 5:13 (at the '07 trail marathon) to 4:06. If I can beat that, then I'll have figured that my training was a success. Granted, the terrain is more difficult.

But what's like without a little challenge? :)

Coach Bubba 4M

A couple of things keep me humble about my race today:

First, a 11 year old kid blew me away by two minutes; in a four miler, that's a pace 30 seconds faster. I don't know about you, but 30 seconds per mile is an awful lot. Asking three seconds less per mile out of myself would have been an awful lot.

Second, the field (at least, in my age group) wasn't as strong. Of the five people who had times that would have beaten mine last year, none showed up this year. Of course, other people did, but when I looked at last year's results before the race I thought I had zero chance.

But I was pleased. I got within my goal time range (26-28 min). I pushed myself, though not too hard, and my last mile was my fastest. I only really dropped pace when I hit hills. I started with about fifty to seventy people in front of me and realized in the first minute or so that it was a mistake- I passed a few when I kicked my pace up a bit and passed a bunch more when we first hit the hills.

I kept my form fluid. I didn't let my breathing get too out of rhythm with my foot falls. I tried to keep my focus on the race, and run my own race rather than try to keep up with someone else. And it went well, especially since this was my final blow out week before beginning taper for the Umstead marathon.

My Stats:
Time- 27:20 (7:30 PR!)
Pace- 6:50
Place-
2/21 AG
16/101 Gender
20/267 OA

Raceday strategies #312

Race tomorrow; a 4 miler. I looked up last year's competition and this year's pre-registrations- all the people in my age group who could blow me away don't appear to have signed up before hand.

The first four guys in my AG ran the four miles faster than my VO2max pace. Heck, they were faster than my 800 meter pace. But if they don't show up, and no one faster than me takes their place, I should do well... unless the 34 miles I ran yesterday and today really do me in. :P

Two weeks to Umstead! Monday begins the taper!

Oh, and I saw "Spirit of the Marathon" yesterday- good flick. Lots of fun. Wish I could have gone to see it with close running friends, but at least I got to see it, right?

training and food, food and training...

Four weeks before my marathon. Two weeks to get speedy, two weeks to taper. And I'm pushing myself pretty hard right now... not redlining, but significantly harder than when I was exclusively base training. I may hit 60 miles this week, some of it at LT, some of it moderate, a bit of it easy.

The part where it hurts the worst? Food bill. I'm trying to go for high nutrient (and calorie) high satiety and relatively low cost foods. But last weeks I spent almost 20% of my earnings on food. Some of that was going out, sure. But I spent more on food than on furniture last month, and I bought more furniture in January than I ever have in my life.

*sigh* I guess I need to be a bit more industrious about clipping coupons, or something...

Whining and complaining without reason...

So, I haven't spent all that much time whining about how much I miss my Michigan friends and family. I think I can sum it up best this way- yesterday Michigan has 12" of snow dumped on it. Today it's 60 degrees in North Carolina. If you offered me a choice between running here (beautiful and perfect) and there (cold, dangerous and miserable) there would win hands down.

Oh, and my family is having a random get together today, too. Life is like that...

Mental discipline

I think the key to running a good race and -maybe more importantly- training well is being able to maintain focus throughout the whole period of time your exercising.

My example is this- for the past few months I've been working pretty hard on base training- a lot of easy miles at a relaxed pace, letting my body build the infrastructure necessary for peak training. Blood perfusion, mitrochondria, efficient fat burning- these are all things that I'm told increase during base training stress upon the body. And I've been pretty good at doing this: "I'm going to run at 60-70% max effort for as long as it seems a good idea" type thing.

Yesterday, however, i tried my first tempo run in a while, and it felt really good. I shot for a certain RPE, and I was able to stick with it- for the most part. I found myself sort of swinging back into my relaxed speed from time to time, mostly out of habit. I wasn't maintaining mental focus. I'd catch myself, and speed up, but I'd have been happier if I didn't have to remind myself to speed up.

But it's good training. And I'm sure I'll get better at it. :)

As an aside, smoothies are a very nice recovery drink! I especially like how the simplest one- four ingredients and a blender- can be done quickly and easily. And I beginning to wonder how they might taste with alcohol...

Umstead Marathon

So, I had my first group run at Umstead Park this Saturday. It went well... single track running is probably my favorite type- the added element of danger is always appealing, ya'know? :)

But I found out something dangerous- the Umstead Marathon had a number of cancellations (about 10%) and so they decided to open up those spots this morning.

So, after due deliberation, I signed up. Now I have to prepare. Six weeks until the marathon, basically a month and then a taper. Ought to be interesting!

Work out timing...

I think I'm figuring my workout schedule.... at least until it changes (next month, probably) and I have to refigure it out.

Starting work at 10:30 gives me enough time in the morning to do a nice run- up to eight miles if I get up early enough. But if I want to do two a day, I can hop over to the Duke East Campus and do laps on their run/walk trail. It's 1.65 miles (according to Garmin) so doing it three times will make for a good five miler.

I've found that the local SCA branch does a run/walk thing here on Monday evenings 30 minutes before I get off work- I might be able to join them! Who knows? If there are some serious runners out there, they might want to run longer, so I'll have company for a half hour or so.

That'd be nice. I'm noticing that I'm writing "It was a great run, but it'd have been better with friends" in my workout log a lot. But then, I figure there are very few things in life that aren't better with friends...


My second loop starts from my apartment complex, takes about a half mile to get into the Duke Forest, and runs around there for about 4.5 miles or so. It starts off easy and gets progressively more difficult, but ends on a downhill and then some flat road running.

I like it because it's nice, wide and well maintained trails, which is better for me when I haven't had coffee yet. The main challenge is keeping my heart rate in zone 1 or 2 while doing some of the big hills. It's also well used- other runners, people walking their dogs, which leaves other things to avoid...

Last but not least, here is a map of the Frosty 50K- I know, this post has been map heaven, but I figured that it might be a way to give clue to at least what my running has been like here in NC.

Anyway, time to go look for my first group run. I tried to go to one yesterday, but sadly made a number of wrong turns (or failed to make right ones) that had me going about 30 miles out of my way. That's what I get for trying to drive unknown roads to an unknown place at 5:45 in the morning without coffee. The first turn I made was going in the wrong direction (south not north) on an interstate (not that I was in the wrong lane, mind you. I wasn't that out of it...

Weird...

So I was running along a road that parallels trails not far from my apartment complex. I heard some rustling, and I saw a runner in a gray sweatshirt a bit behind and off to the side of me. About a minute later, I hears some similar rustling, and I saw a gray squirrel running behind me- same course, same speed, same color gray.

My first thought was the most obvious- of course the runner had turned himself into a squirrel.

Frosty 50K

I am now an ultra runner! yay! :)

The Frosty 50K is a double out and back horseshoe shaped course around Salem Lake in Winston-Salem North Carolina. I signed up for it mostly as a psychological tool to keep me from freaking about about moving to a new area where I didn't know anyone, leaving friends, family, and the familiarity of home behind.

So instead of freaking out about the holidays or how to get all my crap stuffed into my car, I freaked out about doing my first ultra instead. It seemed like a good idea at the time. :)

And no, before you ask- I didn't have any idea, really, of how to train for it. I had been on the path of adding base miles, hitting 61 miles a couple of weeks ago and calling it good. My longest run was 16 miles. Most of my running was in Michigan, a land of snow and ice since about Thanksgiving... a slightly different environment than the Carolinas.

To add to the mix, I've been on the "I have to cook when I'd rather be running?" diet- also known as the "single male who doesn't like to eat out and thinks of a bowl of canned soup as pretty appetizing" diet. Once I go shopping "for real" I'm sure I'll have more options. But this last week has certainly been a negative calorie one.

Anyway, one of the Blue Planet Runners was kind enough to shelter me the night before and offer me not only a place to sleep, but also food (!) and a running partner for the first 25K. It's amazing how quickly 15 miles can go when someone's is telling you all the joys and difficulties of doing a relay around the world to raise awareness of clean drinking water. Of course, mutual interests in Firefly, religion, random life events also helps.

It was a beautiful course, around a beautiful lake, on a beautiful day. Temps ranged in the 30's to the 40's- just about perfect. And the set up made it easy to drop off things like jackets and gloves, grab Gu or whatever else from your race bag. Also, the lake was useful to jump into after the race, though it was bloody cold. I mean, in the 30s cold. Definitely more painful the last few miles of the race, but also very much worth it.

Little things stick in my mind- passing the same puddle four times and watch it go from being frozen solid to mostly thawed over the course of the race. Or how I was mostly passed at the beginning and I was mostly passing at the end. Or how when I started to think of my friends whom I left in Michigan, I became maudlin until I distracted myself by counting left foot falls.

To keep myself from the "ready to be done" syndrome that makes the last few miles of any race difficult, I didn't look at any mile markers or at my Garmin when the mile lap feature beeped. I just tried to keep my pace right around the 9-9:15 range- happy enough to go slower if the terrain called for it, but also willing to let myself relax through a down hill and let gravity dictate my speed.

About three quarters of the way through, my hamstrings felt pretty tight. I stretched them. It helped. I felt little aches and pains though out the race- after a down hill either my IT band or popliteal tendon or something on the side of knee would ache. And then it would go away. It was just like every other run, only a little moreso.

And then I was done. A cup of hot chicken broth in one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other. some stretching, so wading into a freezing lake and some hanging out with said blue planet runner and friend- it was a wonderful and amazing experience. And yes, I am geeked about doing another one. Or maybe a 50 miler one of these days.

... just... not right now. I have laundry to do, and food to buy. :)


Oh yeah, the stats!
Distance- 31 miles
Time- 4:52:42
Pace- 9:27

BTW I hit the halfway point at 2:30, so yay negative splits! But my Garmin also said I hit mile 31 at 2:18, and that I went 31.68, but that's neither here nor there...

Year in Review...

Miles- 1940
Time- 321 hours
Pace- 9:56 average
Races- 21. I think.

Major new things explored:
Triathlons (Yay!)
Smartwool (Yay!)
Mizuno Breath thermo (eh)
Handheld hydration (good)
Mountain biking (not so good)
Trail Running (Big yay!)
Speedwork (yay- but dangerous)
Racing flats (Yay!)


Things to look forward to:
North Carolina Running
More base training, 70-80+ mile weeks
Improved bike and swim technique
Brooks shoes

I know I'll miss all I left in Michigan- Friends, work, family. A great trail I was getting to know really well. Races and paces to PR. But there really are times you just have to move on, and see what the new year might hold.

Happy new year!

Training methods...

When I started off running, I had no idea what i was doing. I didn't have a class (like ones sponsored by many a running store) or book to follow- I just hopped on a treadmill and tired to figure it out as I went. It worked out okay, although it would have been a lot better if I had known what I know now.

go figure.

Anyway, my first marathon training was using the Galloway method, which involves long long runs (up to 28 miles) and walk breaks. After lots of training errors, injuries, and yada yada yada, I ran and did pretty well. At the very least, I was pretty satisfied.

The next time I ran that race it was more a hodge podge of training- I had speed work once a week because that's what my running group did. I ran the long runs (no longer than 20) and charted out a course to put in miles and not overdo. Tri training cut into the miles, but I didn't mind because it was another fun way to do stuff with friends. And I did well, cutting over an hour off my marathon time.

And now I'm doing base miles- average 9 to 9:30 pace, slowly building to a 70 miles/week average. Once that becomes old hat, I'll decide whether I want to push it up more or start doing speed training. It'll be hard, I think, juggling the new commitments of job and keeping an apartment and everything. I'm not exactly sure how to balance all that.

But this is a new phase- new way of training which I've never really investigated before. It's kind of exciting, and I've always enjoyed running for long periods of time. Last week's 60 miles was tough in some ways, and the traveling isn't going to make for an easy time getting my miles in this week or next. But the week after is my first ultra, so I can chalk it up to "tapering" and think of the miles I do then as base building, as well.

Goals Revisited

On July 14th I wrote an entry about goals; figure it's time to revisit them and see how I've done. here are the short term-

1- Run 2000 miles in a year.
2- Run a sub-50 minute 10K
3- Run a half marathon sub-1:45
4- Run a sub-4 marathon.
5- Run an ultra, either a 50K or 50 mile.


1- Close, but no cigar. I'm at about 1900 miles for this year, and might make it to 1950. But that's okay- I'll have next year and I'm sure I'll get it if I want. Triathlon training might take over.
2- Yah... 42:38 on 12/16, though I've run sub 47 a couple of times this summer.
3- no, but no half marathons since June. My first half of Detroit was close: 1:48 or so.
4- Detroit, 3:39:16.
5- I'm on schedule to get it done Jan 5, 2008.

What I'd like to see for next year:
1. Sub 40 10K
2. Sub 1:35 half marathon
3. Half ironman finish
4. Sub 3:20 marathon
5. 50K finish

If I really get into triathlons:
5. 1500 miles running, 1600M swim in <45 min, 56 miles biking in < 3hr (or so)

otherwise
5b. 2000 miles running

Anyway, those are my (shorter term) goals. If you read my blog (and I know at least one or two of you do!) I'd like to encourage you to post yours! I hate the phrase "if you shoot for the moon, you may hit the stars" because you'll probably just burn up in reentry or land with a decided splat.

I like better: "if you shoot for perfection, you may achieve excellence" if you don't take perfection too obsessive/compulsively.... "Pound stupid and penny wise" comes to mind.

But best is "If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong!" For a flexible standard of "fun." Injuries are not fun. Slogging through a tough run isn't fun. Realizing that the race isn't between you and the others running it with you, but you against the race itself- that's fun. Realizing that the road is both ally and enemy in this sport- that's fun. Overcoming adversity- especially in the company of good friends- that's fun. As is achieving goals.

Which is why I do a post like this every so often. Hopefully in six months I'll be able to look back and see how I've either gotten closer or achieved some of these. But even if not, just stating them can be helpful...

RUT team run...

I have a new favorite running quote:

"Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultramarathon!" (unknown- a cursory web search revealed nothing)

So it was on a Sunday where 4-8" of snow had already been dumped on us, and the forecast threaten up to 10" more, four intrepidly foolish souls decided to run Pontiac Rec, a 10 mile loop of hills, twists and turns.

It's my home course, and I've run it dozens of times, but this put a whole new spin on it. Not just because of the snow, but (first) running it with significantly more experienced trail runners than I and (second) going around clockwise rather than counter clockwise. Old terrain seems bright and new.

I had water, and I'm glad I brought it. I had Yak Trax, which helped too- though they tended to wander on my feet. Bit annoying. I didn't have gaiters, which I'll have to look into the next time I go for a run that has snow occasionally deeper than my knees. And I had that wonderful threat, from my friend G~, who at the end of the run said "I'll get you for this!"

Last 2007/Michigan race...

Jingle Bell 10K
Race Stats:
Time: 42:38, a 3:35 second PR!
Pace: 6:53
3rd AG

"All I want for Christmas is a new PR"

That's what was going through my head today as I did the Jingle bell 10K. It's my last race in Michigan, and many of my running friends were kind enough to join in just for that reason- though we're all racing fools. :)

The day was pretty cold -low 20s with a 10 mph wind making things interesting. I changed my mind about three times when trying to figure out what to wear, but one thing I was happy to put on again (that I haven't since this summer) were my racing flats. I haven't done a short road race or speed work since September, and giving up 4-5 ounces per foot made a big difference.

Smartwool socks, CW-X tights, Sugoi top and a smartwool headband completed the picture- all in black. If I didn't get a PR, or even run the race well, I still looked good, and that's almost as important, right? :) I donned my race number and a bell that they handed out so people would know exactly when I'm trying to pass them.

The 5K and 10K all had a mass start, and it was a double loop 3.1 Mile course, relatively fast and flat on suburb roads. My hope was a new PR, but I was uncertain if I'd be able to achieve it- I haven't done anything but easy to moderate runs since my October marathon. Some hills during my trail runs, some faster work during group runs when I had to stop and tie my shoe, and then catch up- but for the most part, easy, relaxed, and low stress base building has been my training lately.

I usually go into a race with three goals- one where I'll try not to feel disappointed "This wasn't my day" goal, a race went pretty well with a few snafus goal, and a "Yay!- I'm not sure I could do that!" goal. My times respectively were 49 minutes, 46:12 (new PR) and something in the 45s.

So, of course, I started off fast. A mass start with something like a fun run can be a bit of a headache, especially since I didn't head up towards the front. I spent the first half mile weaving around people, shooting through holes and generally hoping that people didn't make any sudden lateral moves while I was trying to pass them. My garmin's lap pace kept saying sub-7, which I very much thought was too fast, but my breathing wasn't labored, my gait was smooth, and I was feeling pretty good.

Actually, I was feeling very good. As the miles flew by, I noticed myself being in flow- feeling relaxed, calm, and truly enjoying the sensation of moving they way I knew my body could, but just hasn't in a while. Every so often I'd push a little harder and I find myself needing more air than my lungs could provide, so I slipped back into what I thought of as an "easy" pace.

I also cheered/was cheered on by my friends during the race. That was one nice thing about the race course- I saw almost all of them while I was running. Some of us were only a few dozen yards separated, but we still managed to cheer each other on. I really love my running group, and I'm really going to be sad to leave them. But this was a really good race to send me off!

I finished by just passing a friend who recently qualified for Boston (he finished 5 seconds behind me) and another guy who passed me at mile two and I lost sight of until mile five or so. To add to my sense of accomplishment, a lady runner friend of mine spent the whole race chasing me, and at the end she gave me two compliments: that my form looked smooth and effortless, and that I looked really, really good in tights. I thanked her, and I'm sure I'm must've blushed...

One Caveat- my Garmin said the course was 0.07 miles short, which would add 30-40 seconds...

Cross posted to Live Journal's Runner's community

Good runs...

I had an interesting run last night. It was dark. Rainy. Cold. Perhaps the worst running conditions- just above freezing so the rain got you wet rather than turn to snow. We ran on roads with no side walks, lots of hills and turns. And bridges, too.

The bridges were fun because of the black ice. The black ice was fun because without a noticeable change in the appearance of the ground, the friction between foot and surface went from "normal" to "nothing." This also happened on a few hills, but it was on the bridge we noticed it first.

I'm happy to say that none of us fell, though we all slipped from time to time. We had headlamps and reflective gear and wicking stuff to keep us warm, visible, and able to see, if not dry. And we had a good time. If runs like that don't build camaraderie I'm not sure what would!

In other news, I signed up for the 50K on January 5th. Looking back in history, last year was in the 70s, the year before was in the 30s, and '05 was in the 50s. I'll have a chance to cut out at the half way point (it's a double out and back) and I refuse to let my fears of what may happen keep me from doing something that I'd really like to do.

Besides, having this to be nervous about will help me from being nervous about the move. The classic defense mechanism of distraction. So even if I don't do it, the pre-reg will still be money well spent. :)

I am so flipping in trouble...

So, there's this race in Winston-Salem the weekend I move there, ya'know? It's called the Frosty 50K. 31 miles, which is less than five miles more than a marathon. which really isn't much, except that it's five miles more than a marathon.

Anyway, I was looking the elevation profile from someone who ran part of the course earlier in the year. It was 3,000 feet in 11 miles.

3,000 feet.
11 miles.

I'm not so good at math, but that works out to something like 300 feet per mile, which is like climbing a 30 story building. Every. Flipping. Mile. So if I do my 50K, it'll be like a climbing to the top of 900 floors of buildings which I can't blast down because demolishing mountains without ready access to coal is economically unfeasible.

I nearly hurt myself today doing Pontiac Rec, a relatively difficult trail run that has elevation change of 1,600 feet in 16 miles. One third the elevation change per mile. OMG. I am wuss. I had to walk up a few of those buggers because I just didn't have the steam to run up them. I didn't have the steam to jog up them. When I found myself doing this sort of slow, weak hop barely putting one foot in front of the other, I decided it would be better bitchslap my pride and walk.

Am I going to do this 50K? I really hope so. Am I going to be walking the day afterward?
... Hm. I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Cold Weather Criteria

One of my favorite tri-bloggers, Elizabeth Fedofsky, wrote a bit about the joys of winter running. I won't repost it here (no really knowing etiquette in the matter) but I will post my additions to her wonderful list of the joys of winter running....

Or had icicles form off both ears and nose. Or untied your tights to take a wee and couldn't couldn't get your fingers to work to tie them back up again. Or designed a spreadsheet to figure out which clothes to wear in what temperature with what wind chill. Or had to revamp said chart. Or been constantly surprised because that chart was right; cold during the first two miles, but fine to warm for the next eight or whatever. Or thanked the coffee gods for someone who designed a travel mug that will keep coffee warm even when left in a freezing cold car. Or stepped into a shower before the hot water has kicked in and still felt like the water was freaking hot because your skin was used to being frozen. Or counted the number of heads that swivel as you do your run, all with the expression: "runners: dey nuz!"