Speed Training: Check

I finished up my final session of speed training this morning at about 7:30 am. Write it down, check it off, I am done. Sweet. It's been 6 weeks of Yasso 800's once a week mostly on the hamster wheel at the gym. Each week I add one more 800 interval on to the workout. Each week the workout gets a little tougher and takes a little longer. Each week I go through moments of doubt, despair, and thoughts of quitting. It's not what you'd call fun, but I'm hoping it will pay off in the upcoming marathon.

It's been a bit of a learning experience. I hate the treadmill to begin with so it's been difficult to stay focused and motivated during the intervals. It's been difficult to find something to grasp on to on the low moments. Usually about halfway through I start to lose my focus and just want to stop so badly. In those moments I really question my sanity and why I'm doing this at all. I've been looking for a trick to pull me out of the downward spiral that happens in these moments. I look for something to pull me out of my own head. To find that little thing would also help on marathon day. Late in the race you have those same moments out on the course only intensified by the knowledge that you're not on a treadmill or track working out you're there at the event you've spent months preparing for and things seem to be falling apart. Mentally you are wrecking your race.

I found that little thing that may do the trick a couple of weeks ago. Actually I found two things that will do the trick, but it's good to have a back up. I found a good running partner that I can talk to while running. I cannot stress enough how much this has changed my training and race experiences this year. To have someone there in the same moment feeling the same pains to talk to immediately takes you out of that self-destructive head space. It stops the downward spiral. The other thing I found, in case of emergency, is to count breaths. It sounds silly, but it works. On the treadmill I breathe approximately 160 times over the course of 3 minutes and 30 seconds during an 800 meter interval. I tried counting steps, but it doesn't have the same effect.

Counting breaths calms me, centers me and pushes everything else to the background. It also has an added benefit. While I'm counting my breaths I become very aware of how I'm breathing and control it better. I don't gasp for air. I count and I blow out just like I was taught by Bob Roncker. Breathe like you're blowing out a candle. It's simple and effective. It's not race tested yet, but it will probably be after this weekend.

On Saturday I'm going to be chasing the elusive sub-20 minute 5K at the Rat Race 5K & 10K. It's going to be an all out 3.1 mile sprint. Let's see if those intervals and breathing techniques pay off.

34+18x2/20 = Awesome

It's all in the equation. It was an awesome weekend thanks to many different people and several great events. I turned 34 on Friday, which honestly who cares because didn't birthdays stop really mattering after you turn 21? It's the last birthday that anything really cool happens. Everything after that is just hearing people freak out about getting older...blah, blah, blah. I don't mind getting older. I don't have to worry about trying to be "cool" or "hip". Have you seen my Facebook profile pic? I was kind of cool back then, hah! Besides as you get older you say the most inappropriate things and people just don't seem to mind as much. But I digress. Here are a few highlights from the weekend.

18x2 = two awesome 80's mixes that were born out of the epic 80's Mix Off that dropped Friday at lunch. It began as a conversation about music that lead to a trading of mixes, that lead to smack talk, that lead to a challenge, that ended Friday at noon, sort of. I think my frienemy Gina covers it pretty well, albeit with a slight, very subtle bias in her blog. Dave provided some delicious birthday cake and the hype. Joe Esposito said it best "You're the best around, nothing's ever gonna bring you down" Dave. Missy brought a preview to some sweet dance moves to said Joe Esposito song. I do expect to see the complete interpretive dance at some point, who wouldn't want to see that? Gina dropped the bomb and brought the sweet mix and the funniest cd cover eva. Thank you all for the best workplace, lunch time, cafeteria birthday in the history of workplace, lunch time, cafeteria birthdays. It rawked. Check out a preview of the mixes at www.last.fm/user/adamiker/ under My Playlist.

/20 = 20 miler weekend. Saturday morning was our longest long run in preparation for the Flying Pig. Before the Saturday morning long run though Angie and I enjoyed the company of some of the Team In Training participants, mentors, coaches and heroes Friday evening for some major carbo loading at a pasta dinner. It was really nice to be able to talk to the runners that I've been seeing this spring while they are not running and sweating. It makes conversation a little easier. It was also very nice because Angie knows some of the heroes (Leukemia and Lymphoma survivors) and their parents from Children's Hospital. It is always special to see these kids healthy and happy after seeing them at various stages of sickness and treatment in the hospital. It puts it all in perspective.

Saturday morning Team in Training, our hospital running group and several other running groups and friends of runners met at Ault Park for the 20/12. There was somewhere between 500 and 600 runners out to run the course to downtown Cincinnati and back to Ault Park, which if you are not familiar with Cincinnati topography sits, literally on top of a hill. It was a tough run made a little bit tougher by dropping temperatures and gusting wind. Overall though, it was great. The atmosphere was that of a race day with the groups providing food, physical therapists stretching people after the run, and a DJ from Q102 providing some tunes.

Born To Be Wild

In my quests for running and riding faster and farther I sometimes forget the simple joy of riding or running without looking at the timer and worrying about stride, pedal stroke, cadence, posture, breathing and the laundry list of things to worry about while training or racing. This past weekend I got a reminder of the little bit of freedom we are afforded in the simple act of getting on a bike.

My daughter decided to make the leap from training wheels to a full on two wheeled bike rider. This is something that we've all known she could do for the last year, but she just lacked the confidence to try. She's been riding razors, and skateboards on her own, but when it came to the bike she just wasn't quite ready. Saturday she decided to make the transition, and it was a revelation to her much like it is a revelation to us all when we have a break through and reach that goal that seemed impossible before. Now she wants to ride every day.

Let us all remember that sometimes it's good to forget about all the stuff we worry about as adults and just get out there and run, pedal, swim, play and move.

It's worth noting that when we made the move to riding on the road and sidewalks that the helmet rule was and is enforced. I always wear my helmet when riding on the roads and did so with my daughter as we went for our first ride around the neighborhood.

Heart Mini '08 - 2 Beats

So often when I finish a race and have done well I temper my enthusiasm with little put downs that keep me from getting really excited about what I've accomplished. I did really well in that 5k, but if I would have just started out a little slower, or if I would have just not slowed down that second mile I could have run just that much faster. Following which begins the laundry list of items that I will do differently next time. It's a disease. Very rarely do I think that I did the very best that I could do during that race on that day. The Mini-Heart Marathon on Sunday was one of those rare exceptions. I know to my core that I did the very best that I could do on Sunday, and I am completely happy with the results without reservation. I have no laundry list of improvements to make for the next race or next year when I run this race again. I am totally happy.

This is the first time I've ever run the "2 Beats" category. The 2 Beats is actually 2 races. You run the 5k race at 9 am and the 15k race at 10 am. You get a time for each race and a combined time for both races. I wasn't really running both races full on. I wanted to use the 5k as a warm-up of sorts and concentrate on the 15k. I've got another 5k coming up in April and this hilly course is never going to be a PR course for the 5k. However, this is the only 15k that I run during the year, so it could very well be a PR day for that distance. Here is a quick recap of both races.

I met up with my work running group before the 5k and lined up with them. The plan for Dave and myself was to run a fairly easy 5k and keep the pace at about an 8 minute/mile. It wasn't going to be easy because we are both a bit competitive and tend to push each other on training runs. I've had far faster training run times this spring than I ever have. I'm hoping it will pay off come marathon time. It definitely paid off today. From the sound of the gun the 8 minute/mile plan was dust. The pace came easy and the cool, cloudy day was very helpful. I broke a sweat somewhere around mile 1 as we joked that I might need to grab some water to replace my bead of sweat that I lost in fluids.

Somewhere around mile 2 we came up on a pint sized runner that had been ahead of us the entire time. I asked him what grade he was in to which he replied "6th grade" and followed up by asking him if this was his first race to which he replied "nah, I run cross country". I think Dave felt threatened because he pushed the pace up a bit...or maybe that was me. We cruised through the third mile and into the home stretch feeling comfortable. Dave sprinted the last 25 yards to beat a tall, lanky 15 year old girl...and I thought I was competitive. I finished up the 5k at 23:27 which is a 7:32 pace, which is slightly faster than we had intended. All is well though I was feeling good.

Official Time: 23:27
Pace: 7:32
Overall: 132/1535
Sex Pl: 119/750
Div Pl: 13/87

I jogged to my car to change clothes. I ran the first race in running pants and a fairly thick running shirt to keep warm on the cool morning. I definitely worked up a sweat in the last couple of miles and felt the sweat cooling starting to chill my skin. I didn't need that. I wanted to be dry and comfortable, which is why I came prepared. I changed into my Race Ready shorts and a lighter long sleeve running shirt. It wasn't warming up quite as much as they had predicted as heavy clouds still hung around threatening rain at any moment. Fresh clothes and a banana and I was ready for the main event.

The size of the field had doubled for the 15k..almost literally. There were 1535 finishers for the 5k and 2926 finishers for the 15k. Luckily the road was wide and the race longer. We would have plenty of opportunity to get out wide around the crowd, or make up time if we couldn't. We lined up somewhere in the middle of pack on the edge. Far enough up to get in front of the runners that would be slower than us, but not so far up that we would get swept up in the mania of a sprint start. That would be bad.

The gun went off and once again Dave and I were striding away from the start line. This time we had a goal in mind: 7 minute/miles. That would mean we were looking to cover our 9.3 miles in 1:05:14. That is a full 5 minutes and 4 seconds than my finish last year. 5 minutes and 4 minutes may not seem like a lot in normal human time, but in runner's time that's pulling about 30 seconds off each mile that I run. I had my doubts especially with the specter of Torrence hill looming over mile 6. Now you may not know what I'm talking about, but the course starts in downtown Cincinnati and is an out and back on one of the routes out of the city. It's a very hilly course with a mean little trick at mile 6. After you turn around to take the seemingly straight shot back into the city you make a sudden right hand turn up a nice steep hill for about a 1/4 of a mile. I'm betting it is a very sad moment for a lot of first timers.

The first 5K was flawless with a time of 21:41. We were cruising along nicely now a little ahead of schedule. Of course that's the easy part. Somewhere between mile 4 and mile 5 Dave started to feel a little bad. He was getting some tightness in a calf. We slowed the pace a little bit. No big deal we had a good 20 second cushion. Miles 4 and 5 were at about a 7:20 pace and Dave wasn't feeling any better. He decided to slow down a bit and try to work out the calf. I pushed on ahead. I was feeling very, very good. I had a little tightness in my left calf, but it was completely manageable. Everything else was going exactly as planned. As I pulled away from Dave I got a little nervous. He's a talker when he runs, so it makes the miles go by very quickly and easily. Suddenly I was by myself.

I spent the first part of mile 5 collecting my thoughts. I concentrated on my breathing for a little while and checked my watch. If I could get up and down Torrence without losing too much time I could actually pull it off. The final mile or so was a downhill stretch into the city. I made the right turn and pushed up the hill. I shortened my strides, concentrated on breathing and tried to keep from blowing up. Some were pulling ahead of me, others were falling back and a few weren't even going to challenge the hill and walked. I kept saying to myself that I wasn't going to win the race on this hill, but I could lose it if I pushed too hard. I chanted to myself in the final push to the turn around "I'll make it up on the downhill, I'll make it up on the downhill" and I was around and the cone and striding back down the hill. The 6 mile mark was near the bottom of the hill where we would turn back toward the city. I looked at my split for mile 6 in a little bit of disbelief...6:58. In that moment I knew that this was a PR day.

Mile 7 flew by in a blur as I collected myself after the hill and began to make plans for my final break. The fact that I was even thinking about a final break got me excited. The only thing standing between me and my goal was one last hill in mile 8 then it was a straight downhill shot into the city and a final sprint to the finish. Did I have a sprint left in me? No doubt.

I picked up the pace to hit mile 8 with a 6:38. Fantastic. Mile 9 was steady with a 6:52. Perfect. This was the final push from the edge of the city on a flat, straight finish. I sprinted. This was .3 miles. This was slightly longer than my Yasso's that I've been doing for 6 weeks. I focused on the person up ahead of me and pushed harder. I only had a few minutes left and I can see the finish line. I passed the runner and picked up on the next person ahead and bared down. Every muscle in my body was screaming and I was breathing very hard now. It didn't matter the finish line is closer, and closer, and there. I raised my hands as I crossed the line in triumph. It was a moment of triumph. I had caught a glimpse of the clock as I was coming to the finish line. I knew I was just over 1:05. I was shaking from head to toe from the effort and felt like I was going to puke. That is the sign of a good race!

The miles went like this: 7:05, 7:06, 6:32, 7:20, 7:20, 6:58 (the hill), 7:02, 6:38, 6:52, 2:09 (.3 sprint to the finish)

Official Time: 1:05:05
5k Split: 21:41
10k Split: 43:43
Overall: 163/2926
Sex Pl: 146/1512
Div Pl: 23/211

Finally 2+ years of blogging these events pays off. I was able to go back and look at the last two years of running the Mini-Heart and see just how far I've come. Two years ago I was psyched to run an 8:30 pace. How sweet is that? Check it out.

"It's so damn hot. Milk was a bad choice"

Aaah, the immortal words of Ron Burgundy. I think we can all learn something from his little nuggets of wisdom. You know what else is a bad choice? A couple of hours before a hard interval workout eating runny, scrambled eggs, bacon and biscuits with gravy from the workplace cafeteria. It's a terrible choice that I made last week. I now know the true meaning of the term gastrointestinal distress.

Besides the gastrointestinal stuff going on it also caused other problems. I think all the blood and energy that would otherwise go into powering my brain was in the vicinity of my stomach trying to process the ball of dough and eggs and grease that I had consumed. I was on the treadmill feeling nauseous, light headed, and generally shitty. As I pushed through the intervals my stomach was complaining and my legs were sluggish. As I slowed to recover my brain felt like it was floating away only tethered by a weak string. Being the stubborn, stupid guy that I am I pushed through anyway and finished. It felt terrible, but I hope to take away something positive from this experience: a valuable lesson as I prepare for my third marathon and second Flying Pig Marathon.

These kinds of mistakes bring to the forefront the importance of my nutritional needs for training and race day, my fuel. It is something that is easy to ignore most days and on most runs. I can skate by on short runs with nothing more than water. I can thrive on longer runs on a Gu or two and some water or Gatorade. The differences between training my longest training run and marathon race day make all the difference.

The first difference is distance and time. My longest run is 20 miles, which I do once. I'm not pushing myself particularly hard usually. The marathon is 26.2 miles. That last 6.2 miles makes or breaks the race. In these last 6.2 miles you find out if you've paced yourself properly, fueled properly, and prepared properly. If those are the standards, then I have to say that I have failed somewhere along the line in the first two marathons. The problem is figuring out which one. There are so many variables to consider: pacing, speed, nutrition, weather...

I think I can narrow it down to two variables. Pacing, which I will talk about in a second, and nutrition. Based on the fact that in both instances I've experienced severe leg cramps I can safely say nutrition is going to be very important going into my next race. What am I going to do? I've tried the electrolyte caps and that seemed to help on duathlons, but not so much for the marathon. My experience was so far outside the norm in terms of weather and climate, that it is tough to say that it wouldn't work under normal conditions. I'll have to give it some thought.

The other big difference in marathon day: pacing. The excitement of the race can so easily lead to a fast start which, in turn, leads to problems at the end. Got to go out easy. That is always tough for me. I'm getting used to the excitement of race day and it's becoming easier, but it is always a challenge. I have two strategies for dealing with this and they are both in training. The first strategy is to run more goal pace runs. I'm shooting for around an 8 minute/mile. I've been running a lot more of my long runs and goal pace runs at that speed. I'm starting to feel that 8 minute/mile. We don't need no stinking Garmin! The second strategy is training for negative splits. I'm teaching myself to start slow and end fast. I get so caught up in getting a fast start that I think I burn too much energy at the start of the race leaving nothing for the finish. That's just no good, and I'm working on it.

I got off on a little bit of a tangent, but what I'm really thinking about is nutrition. I need to devise a smarter nutrition plan leading up to and on race day. That's the goal for now.

The Mental Game

I'm really surprised that I have not written about this aspect of running yet. I went back through some of my old entries and could not find anything. Certainly there is something buried in there somewhere for my marathon training last year. I'll have to take another look. I'm curious what I thought about the mental preparation last year and how my thinking might have changed after 2 marathons. I just can't seem to find it. Oh well let's take a stab at it today.

If I am going to be honest I think I have to admit that the mental aspect of running, especially long distance running is my weakest link. I plan out my training schedule. I try to eat the right things to prepare for racing (for the most part, ice cream may not be on the list of suggested training foods), but the mental aspect seems to fall by the wayside or is an afterthought. It is something that I need to think more about. All too often in a race I break down mentally and talk myself out of doing my best. All too often I let the negative voices win over.

I have a plan though. I have a plan that is already in progress to fight back the negative voices, to prepare me for those late miles of the marathon so that I can run my best.

1. Ditch the iPod.

I've long run with my iPod. I always thought that it helped me relax and enjoy the run, especially the long runs. I still think that it can have some benefit for those short recovery runs and medium recovery runs, especially on the treadmill. I've decided though that on my long runs and intervals, hills or other concentration intensive workouts I'm going to leave the iPod at home. I've found that when I've worn it for longer races, the marathon in particular, that it becomes a distraction late in the race. When I should be concentrating on my breathing, my technique and staying relaxed I'm stuck in my head with the iPod while I'm gasping for breath and running poorly. I need to start working on this now during my training. I leave the iPod at home and concentrate on technique.

The other reason to leave the iPod at home is that I'm running with a group more now. It is easier to be social and interact with the other runners with earbuds stuck in my ears. I still believe it has its benefits for running just not for me for now.

2. Find that technique that will help me late in the race.

I'm searching for that one thing that will motivate me late in the race when I'm tired and want to stop. There are many different methods that people use to motivate themselves or keep themselves on pace when things get tough. Some people disassociate themselves by latching on to a memory or other thoughts that take them away from the pain. Some people use their heroes to motivate them. This is particularly true for the TNT group. We are running for our heroes that are going through cancer treatment and tough times. If they can do what they're doing I can run a few more miles. Some use the love of their family, while others just concentrate on their bodies and count their steps.

I'm still looking for that one strategy that will push me through. It's easy to pick some things now, as I'm sitting here typing this, but I won't really know what's going to work until I put it to the test. This final weeks of long runs will be the testing ground. Right now I'm thinking that it won't be one particular thing, but a combination of strategies that helps. I'm still working it out.

The Edge of Spring

It's 40 degrees and sunny. It's 50 degress and sunny. It's 35 degrees and raining. It's 20 degrees and we have 14 inches of snow fall in a day. It's 40 degress and sunny. This time of year can be tough on the spirit and the plans of a runner in marathon training. You never know what you have to look forward to from day to day let alone from week to week. It's forced me to spend a lot of quality time with the treadmill, so much so that I've been writing little poems and love/hate letters to the treadmill in my head. They are all pretty terrible and not worth sharing. You'll just have to trust me on that.

What's been going on in my month of silence? Team in Training and just training. I've been mentoring for Team In Training fundraisers for the Flying Pig Marathon. It's been an interesting experience so far. I think I was expecting a much more interaction between myself and the mentees. So far that has not been the case. I sent out emails introducing myself and giving some tips. I called people to introduce myself. I've spoken with some. I've had good conversations with a few. A couple were confused as to who I am, and what they were supposed to do be doing. A few I've tried to get a hold of, but haven't responded at all. I guess they're out there doing their thing....I hope. Maybe my expectations were all wrong. Maybe this is typical. I'm not really sure. I'll just keep doing my thing and hope for the best!

My training is going very well. It's been helpful to go back and look at my training entries from this time last year when I was writing a short blog for every workout that I did. That was before I started using Buckeye Outdoors, so this was my training log. I can go back and see what my expectations were, how naive I was about marathon training, and how I was feeling. Based on where I was at this time last I think I'm in pretty good shape.

I'm just getting into my speed training for this marathon, and I'm feeling optimistic. It's the toughest part of the training as the miles really start to increase and the workouts become more intense. Despite what I know is coming in terms of pain and exhaustion I'm focused and ready to go. The time I'm spending in the gym doing strength training is paying off. I'm feeling very healthy and injury free unlike last fall's Disney training. The time I'm spending with TNT and the Children's Running Group is paying off. I feel very connected with the groups, and know that even though I still do a lot of training alone I always have support and a group run right around the corner.

All is going well for now. So bring on the spring. Bring on more daylight. Now if we could just add a few more hours to the day, so I could get some more sleep that would be great!

Community

Whoa, January has just buzzed by so quickly. Things have been so busy with family fun, work, training for the Heart Mini, and the Flying Pig Half Marathon with the running group, and now one more commitment. I've decided to re-join Team in Training as a non-fundraising mentor. This means I'll be able to train with the team and run with the team for the Pig, but my only responsibility in terms of fundraising will be to help the fundraising runners reach their goals.

This won't be another full commitment apart from the running group. I will split time with Team in Training and the running group. It will also not be a solo project. I will be joining two friends and teammates from our Disney training group. We'll be working together and sharing our ideas and resources to make our job easier and the fundraising easier for the team. It should be awesome.

This is what began with Disney, and this is what I'm hoping to build on in the coming year. This is a community.

A New Chapter

This past week began a new chapter in my running story. The title of this chapter would be something along the lines of "Group Running" or something a little more imaginative. Sorry, it's 4:30 am, the creative juices aren't quite flowing yet. The point being, this past week I began running with a new running group that was formed at work. While it is developing into not exclusively a group comprised of only co-workers the original intent was such that employees of the hospital could join and train, race and socialize.

With a place as large as the hospital with over 14,000 employees and growing it's nice to get to know people from other departments and divisions. So often we get focused on our department or little group of co-workers that we see everyday that the rest of the workplace becomes this big mass of unknown people. So often you see the same groups sitting at the same tables at lunch time with very little change or interaction between groups from day to day. It seems in some ways we are all still in high school. The social aspect of the running group will definitely be a positive.

In terms of running I can see where this is going to up my game as well. Right now there is at least one other runner who I feel a bit of good natured competitiveness with during runs. After spending so much time running by myself and challenging only myself it is nice to get some external competitive stimulation. I know toward the end of my marathon training it became very easy to just cruise on my runs. I had lost a bit of competitive drive and was just happy to finish. If that is your goal then that is great, but for me part of the fun is the competition.

I also found out there are a couple of bonuses with the group. As part of the group we get access to a very nice training facility on bad weather days at the University of Cincinnati. We've been forced indoors this week due to snow and uncomfortably freezing temps. There is an 1/8 mile indoor track and of course the dreaded hamster wheel (treadmill). To save my knees I'm not going to spend a lot of the time on the track, because that is a lot of turns in the same direction over the course of 5-6 miles. The hamster wheel is much less torture, although still moderately torturous, when there is someone to run with and talk to while running to nowhere.

Disney Marathon Weekend

I've been trying to decide how to write about my Disney Marathon weekend with Team in Training. Do I want to break into two entries: one for the weekend and another for the race? One long entry? Just a quick paragraph to say hey it was awesome and keep the memories to myself? It's been tough to decide, and so much happened over the weekend that it's taking a while to sort it all out. So, what I've decided is to hit the highlights. These are the top 5 moments and revelations from my Disney Marathon weekend in no particular order.

5. Running with a team is much more fun.

My experience with Team in Training was just phenomenal. I wasn't able to make it to many of the training runs over the fall, which made me a little nervous about going down to Disney with a bunch of strangers. I was preparing myself to spend some time alone. I was good with that. Maybe I got lucky, but it turned out to be a wonderful group of people. Some of which I will have friendships with long after the weekend.

Not only did having a good group of people make traveling more enjoyable and the stay a ton of fun, but it made all the difference on race day. During my first marathon my family came out to support me which was wonderful, but they can only be so many places on the course. I saw them at about the halfway point and then at the end. They couldn't be there for me when the pain started around mile 18. There was no familiar faces when the cramps slowed me down to a walk at mile 20 and 21 and 22...

With Team in Training we had coaches all over the course to help out, to check on you, to give you support, or even to run or walk with you. We had scream teams all along the course to wave signs and yell your name. There were points in the race that I was expecting to see a friend at a certain point in the race, and it was hard to find them, because as I was running someone was yelling my name with every step! It was awesome.

With the team we had many people after the race to celebrate with, to compare notes, to console, to complain to about all the little things that happen in a marathon that nobody else would understand. With the team you have comrades in arms. It's a battle out there and you're not alone.

4. Running for a cause gives you strength.

One of the most memorable moments came before the race. The Team in Training Pasta Party was incredible. Hundreds of Team in Training participants, coaches, families, and heroes gathered to celebrate the accomplishments that really mattered. This wasn't only a marathon this was fundraising for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Wonderful stories were told by survivors. We heard the story of how Team in Training began. We met and had dinner with teams from all over the Americas with teams from the U.S as well as Peurto Rico, Canada and Mexico.

Everything was put into perspective and we were inspired.

3. Every race doesn't have to be for a PR.

3:30. That was my goal time. What are you going to run at the marathon Adam? I'm going to run around a 3:30. I can't count how many times I said that in the months before the race. Did I? Not even close. Things were looking great the first half of the race. I was feeling good. I was on pace. Everything was falling into place. Things changed shortly after mile 13. Maybe it was the heat and humidity. Maybe I didn't get enough rest because I chose to go out the day before and cheer on the half marathon runners rather than rest. Maybe it was a combination of things. What I wouldnt' say though is that the wheels fell off, or things went south.

Shortly after mile 13 I came to a realization. Today wasn't going to be the day. I was having a lot of fun out on the course with the fans and the team, but today just wasn't going to be the day for a pr. So what do I do? Quit? Piss and moan? Nah. This was 5 months of training and fundraising. This was about more than me and my pr. This was the party at the end of all the hard work. This was a celebration. A weight lifted off my shoulders. I smiled. I enjoyed the rest of the race. Leg cramps, tiredness, disgusting Powerade. It didn't matter. I smiled and ran on.

2. Smile

Race photos can be terrible. In you're mind's eye your a cheetah. You're sleek and fast and furious. In your mind's eye that determined look on your face is going to look awesome in the photos. Guess what? Unless you're a ripped, 2% body fat speed demon 90% of the time those photos are going to be cringe worthy. Believe me I've had my share. My determined running face makes me look like my grandpa running. Fat cheeks don't look cool on the run. If you see a camera, smile. Raise your hands. Do something goofy. Have fun.

1. Do something fun the day after a marathon.

There is one word that describes the day after a marathon....pain. If you don't have the pain kudos to you, but what I saw at the resort the day after Disney was a lot of people shuffling along with looks of pain on their faces. Do something fun if you can. Go to the pool, take a walk, get a massage. Get those muscles moving and feeling good. If you're in Disney it's easy. Go ride some rides!

The Final Long Run

Yesterday we had the final long run before Disney. It was also our final official Team In Training group run. As far as long runs go it was very short at only 6 miles, but this was more about meeting up for the last time, giving each other a pat on the back for all the hard work and ironing out plans for the trip to Orlando. I can't believe it is finally here!

It's time to get my stuff together. Above I have my singlet that I received for the race. I've got some iron on letters to put my name on it, so I can elicit some cheers while running so far away from home. I also need to find some sort of white clothing paint or ink. I will be carrying the names of people that I will be running for somehow. My initial plan was to get ribbons and put the names on it, but if I can put it directly on the singlet that would be even better. Then I will be a keepsake and reminder of this great event.

The people I will be running for thanks to some wonderful donations:

Blanche Iker, Janet Chaney, Dalmer Wells, Dotty Radenheimer, Jim Grau, Jeff Atkins, Helen Atkinson, Henry Kundzicz, Betty Mussey, Sue Garner, Inez Minton, Hans Wunsch, David Minton, Patricia Bogart, Kay Paff, Patty Wolf, and Katie Seibert.

These are all people that have been through, battling, or died from some form of cancer. This is the first time that I've put all the names in a list. It really puts things into perspective. It's been 5 months of training and fundraising. It seemed monumental, but I could have stopped at any time. I'm going to run 26.2 miles, but I don't have to, my life doesn't depend on it. These people have battled or are battling a disease that could take their lives. They don't have a choice, they can't just stop. I am proud to carry their names.

2008

It's time to set up some goals for the new year! Over the past year I've found that I've been doing a lot more running that I have cycling thanks to the addition of marathons to my race schedule. It is very time consuming and energy consuming to prepare for the marathons leaving less time for the bike. This made my duathlon plans and mileage plans for 2007 suffer. It just became to much to juggle with trying to train for the Flying Pig and training of the half in the fall and Disney coming up in a couple weeks. Something just have to give, and it turned out to be the time on the bike.

In 2008 I've decided to continue with my running goals that I didn't quite reach last year like the sub-20 minute 5k and sub-40 minute 10k, and my ultimate goal of a Boston Marathon qualifying time. This means I'm going to change my goals for cycling. Running is going to be about speed, and cycling is going to be about distance and just enjoyment. I want to continue my cycling, and especially commuting this year. I just won't be working on speed.

One new thing that I'll be doing in 2008, or at least revisiting after 8 years is the triathlon. Rather than trying to compete in a bunch of duathlons I'm going to prepare for one triathlon. It will most likely be one of the HFP races, and most likely the East Fork Triathlon. The race is in August which will give me plenty of time to prepare for the swim once the weather gets warmer.

I'll also be revisiting the MS150 ride this year with my buddy Rick. I've done the MS150 3 times in the past. It's always a great time for a great cause.

GOALS
1500 miles running challenge
1500 mile cycling challenge
2008 push-up challenge
2008 sit-up challenge
commute to work on bike more
qualify for Boston (3:10 marathon)
run a sub-20 minute 5K
run a sub-40 minute 10K
Race 1 Triathlon
Ride and MS150 ride
Race a fall marathon

sub-categories
track eating and eat healthier (limit fast food, sweets, soda)
get to the gym twice a week

The 20 Mile Run

The morning started out cold with snow storm warnings for the city. This was the 20 mile weekend. That means I have only a few choices. Try to beat the storm or run through the opening snow, or wait until Sunday after the first round of snow and run on slick ground and colder temperatures. Then there was the last choice of running 20 miles on a treadmill. I think I'll take the weather.

At 7:45 and the beginning for the run the snow hadn't started and the temperature wasn't so bad. It was hovering around freezing. I stretched out at the side of the 5 mile loop where I left a water bottle with Gatorade, one with water, and a banana. As I finished up my stretching A group of runners were running down the path away from me. Maybe I wouldn't be running alone after all. They were about 25 yards ahead as I took off. I felt good so I followed along hoping to catch up. I didn't want to push it too hard, so while I could keep them in sight I wasn't maeking up any ground. At mile 1 I checked my watch to see that I had clocked a 7:28. That was way too fast. If I was going to make it 20 I couldn't keep up that kind of pace, so I let them go. I backed off my pace and felt for something closer to an 8 minute mile.

The first 5 miles, or one lap, felt great. It wasn't too cold. The legs felt good. I stopped for a minute to eat a Gu pack, and suck down Gatorade. As I started the second lap the snow started. It was a steady, wet snow that immediately picked up to a steady downfall. The second lap went without incident. I felt good as I steadily turned out 8 minute miles. Everything seemed to be clicking along. By the time I got back to my stash The ground was covered with snow and the path was quickly turning white. I stopped to devour half a banana and drink some more Gatorade. I would be cutting it close, but I might be able to get in 5 more miles and still get over to the start of the Noel 5K that was also running that day at Lunken, unless it was canceled of course. The snow continued to pour down occasionally mixed with bits of ice. As I headed out on the next loop I switched directions hoping to avoid some of the wind in the face that I was getting on the second 5.

These next 5 proved to be more challenging as I grew tired and the footing became slippery. With every foot fall my foot would slip just a bit. It wasn't enough to feel like falling, but enough to be annoying and make me work harder for every step. I finished up the first 15 miles at 9:45 am. The Noel 5K started at 10 am. I had just enough time to hop in my car and drive around to the other side of the park where the start line was and the registration. I ran in, filled out the registration as quickly as I could, pinned my number to my shirt, grabbed a cup of water and walked out toward the starting line.

As I walked out to the starting line the snow was still coming down at a steady clip with the ground fully covered, the drive and the path fully covered with snow. I was surprised to see that around 100 crazy runners made it out for the race on this treacherous morning. It made me feel good to be out there and glad that I came over for the race. I saw a few familiar faces that I said hi to including the race director Don. Everyone was in good spirits and excited to get going. It's not usually something I'm very aware of because I'm deep in my own thoughts and plans for the race. Today I was just glad to see other faces.

I didn't set any blistering records for this race or even attempted to do so. I just wanted to run a steady pace and stay squarely in the middle of the pack. It was an out and back course, so I got to see everyone running their race. As I was headed out I saw the race leaders coming back at their lightning fast pace. I was hanging with the middle of the packers the entire way. As I was heading back I saw the slower runners working just as hard if not harder than the race leaders. My hats off to those who spend a long time out on the course. It's impressive to see someone run fast, but it's just as impressive to see those working so hard to reach their own goals at the back of the pack. The longer you're out there the harder it gets, especially on a morning like this when it's snowing and freezing.

During mile 3 I was plugging away when I saw a guy up ahead of me suddenly take a hard fall. He tried to get up, but fell again and again. I stopped to help him to his feet and asked him if he was alright. I walked along with him for a few moments to make sure he was steady. He said he would be alright, so I moved on. As I crossed mile 3 I slowed down and told the volunteer to keep an eye out for the guy. He might have hurt himself.


Usually at the finish it's time to kick back relax, stretch out and grab some refreshments. It wasn't over for me yet though. I walked through the finishing chute, gave the officials my tag and jogged on out the back, turned and headed back out. It was 2 miles to the finish. Two more agonizing, knee aching, soaking, cold, snow covered miles.


1 - 7:28 2 - 8:04 3 - 8:03 4 - 7:56 5 - 7:43 6 - 7:36 7 - 7:56 8 - 7:41 9 - 7:34 10 - 8:00
11 - 7:17 12 - 8:25 13 - 8:36 14 - 8:34 15 - 8:20 16 - 8:05 17 - 8:20 18 - 8:57 18.1 - :53
19 - 9:20 20 - 8:52

The 20 Mile Mix

There isn't much cool about waking up at 4 in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep. That's especially true on a day when I have a 20 mile training run planned. It is kind of cool to sit in the quiet and dark of the early morning just listening to some music and putting together my mix for the run. I like to mix it up with some music and podcasts. Anything to take my mind of the long miles. This will be key this morning as I'm looking at freezing temps and possibly snow and/or rain. Lunatic Fringe indeed...

Dare (Soulwax Remix) - Gorillaz
505 - Arctic Monkeys
Born To Be a Dancer - Kaiser Chiefs
Phedippidations 126: Base Training - Running Podcast
You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch - Aimee Mann
Joker and The Thief - Wolfmother
The Underdog - Spoon
Oh My God - Kaiser Chiefs
Filmspotting #190: I Am Legend/Juno...- Movie Podcast
Well Thought Out Twinkle - Silversun Pickups
Seven Army Nation - The White Stripes
EndurancePlanet.com 12-13-07 We Arrive at 6 and 5...-Multisport Podcast
Sugar Free Jazz - Soul Coughing
Feel Good Inc. (Stanton Warriors Remix) - Gorillaz
All This Time - Heartless Bastards
I'm At Home Getting Hammered...- Banjo & Sullivan
Lunatic Fringe - Red Rider
Ecstasy - Rusted Root
Since The Last Time - Arrested Development
Take Your Mama Out - Scissor Sisters
I'm Shipping Up To Boston - Dropkick Murphys
Ball and Chain - Social Distortion
Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
Something In the Water - The Jealous Girlfriends
Get Back - The Beatles
Children's Story - Slick Rick
Killer Kaczynski - Mando Diao
Henry Parsons Died - Widespread Panic
Fell In Love With A Girl - The White Stripes
None Shall Pass - Aesop Rock

Jingle Bell Run 5K

It's been entirely too long since the last time I've posted on this blog. I've been very busy adjusting to my new job, and Scrabulous on Facebook has me thoroughly addicted. So what's been up for the last few weeks?

The leg has been healing slowly. Some days it has been feeling better than others. I've cut back to running 3 days a week to give it a little more time to heal in between runs. This has made my weekly mileage suffer, and it will be interesting to see how that effects my marathon running. At this point I just want to arrive in Orlando and on the starting line healthy. I'll let the rest take care of itself.

I've run two races. The Thanksgiving Day Race 10K was my first race back after the injury. I wasn't running for any sort of time. It was running with my cousin Michelle and a friend of hers. I let them set the pace at the beginning of the race and just hung with them the whole time. There was no reason to push it. I could have risked further injury, and running with Michelle was just fun. It was a great morning.

Following the race I started to have problems with my left foot. I thought it was a bruise at first, but I think it was more of a muscle pull in my foot. The muscle across my left instep was hurting at every step. It was another set back in my marathon training that I just didn't need. I started switching back and forth between my new shoes, and my older, more broken in shoes to try and ease the pain in my foot. It seemed to work out as the foot eventually worked itself out. The leg continues to nag and ache some as it heals. I've just come accept it as it is and will do the best I can with the pain.

That brings me to the Jingle Bell Run. I didn't have any particular expectations for this race other than to just run the race, and have a good time with Michelle. The course was an out and back course, so I decided to set a steady pace for the first half. After that I'd make a decision whether to maintain or push it up and really race this thing. The weather was cool, and it had been sprinkling and raining off and on all morning, but at race time things were looking pretty good.

We started off the race at a pretty good pace. I was shooting for about an 8 minute mile. We started in downtown Covington. near the Ohio River. We went up the road and took a right on to a bridge for our first river crossing into Cincinnati. As we came off the bridge we finished mile 1. Things felt pretty smooth, and even as I was not pushing the pace I came in at 7:18. Things were looking good. I was feeling good. I still didn't push things too hard. I just let Michelle set the pace and cruised along. She set an excellent pace as we came in at a 6:55. Going into mile 3 we headed back across the river. As we headed up the incline of the bridge I decided to pick up the pace. As we crested the bridge you can just see the finish line off to the left. This is a great motivator to keep it up. Off the bridge and around the block to finish mile 3 at 6:50.

A final sprint brought me in for a great finish. About 45 seconds later Michelle came in for her own impressively strong finish. The foot was feeling good. I hadn't thought about my calf at all after the first mile of the race. We both finished under 22:30. It was a great race.

On The Road Again...

The Trusty Asics Gel-Cumuli

After a week with a few easy runs followed by 5 days with nothing but rest I think I'm ready to get back to training for Disney for reals. I got out for a lunchtime run, and for the first time there was no pain at all in my calf or shins. It is such a huge relief. I was so afraid that this would be one of those injuries that would linger and hang on. I think the 5 days off did the trick and helped me kick it. It just goes to show that sometimes less is definitely more, and you should always listen to your doctor.

Now that I'm back on with training it also means I can get back to racing. Thursday is the Thanksgiving Day Race. It's a great 10k on Thanksgiving morning to help you build up that apetite so you can stuff yourself for the rest of the day with no worries. mmmmmm turkey. This year I'll be running with my cousins. This year I won't be racing for time. I won't be racing for time, I won't be racing for time. If I tell myself that enough times it might start to sink in to my corrupted, stubborn brain. I'm going to hang with my family and run just for fun. I won't be racing for time.

One final thing is my Team In Training fundraising. I've got about 3 weeks left to finish up my fundraising and reach my goal. I'm soooo close I can see the end! Only $375 to reach my goal of $3600! We did a craft show this past weekend selling handmade cards and Christmas ornaments my wife had made. Unfortunately, we didn't make much, but that's alright. It was so sweet of her to spend all the time creating the cards and making the bulbs. There were a lot of people there selling crafts, so it wasn't easy to get noticed.

It's Not So Bad

This just in.....Runner training for Walt Disney World Marathon and raising money for Team in Training has fears of injury after experiencing increasing pain in his left leg that culminates with him having to bail on a training run. Runner decides that it would be best to see a doctor. More at 11.

The worst moment I had yesterday in the doctor's office was when they told me I neede xrays. Immediately my mind flashed forward to him giving me the news that I have a stress fracture and I shouldn't run for at least a couple months. Fortunately that scenario didn't happen.
First I should say that the doctor was great. He and his wife are both runners, so he was very understanding of this crazy need to push myself. That really put my mind at ease. I was afraid that I would get a doctor that, while maybe a good doctor, just wouldn't get it. Add that to the fact that he never spoke down to me or made me feel stupid. I really couldn't have asked for a better doctor. Except for maybe one that could replace these twigs with bionic legs. That would be cool. :)

He confirmed what I had already suspected. I have some mild shin splints. That isn't really part of the problem with my calf, but a bonus diagnosis. He showed me a stretch to do for the shin splints. He said to give it a week before seeing improvement there. The calf muscle problem is just a strain. It was caused by a combination of training and poorly fitted shoes.
I suspected the shoes, but wasn't ready to fully admit it. I tried these new Asics Nimbus with a different width. They never really felt very good, and it was just a bad idea. Like he said, "if it isn't broke don't try to fix it." Luckily this news comes with two days left on my 30 day return policy. I'll be heading back to Fleet Feet today to return the Asics Nimbus and returning to the good old Asics Cumulus with a 2E width.

In addition to the shoes he said I'll need to take it easy for 2 weeks. I can still run, but only the shorter easier runs. No interval, tempo training, or long runs. I'm just glad that he thinks that I will be able to keep training at all. I had high hopes going into the training for Disney of setting a PR and getting closer to qualifying for Boston. I've come to realize that just getting to the race healthy and happy will be more than enough for me. So much work has gone into this race besides training by myself and my family that just being on the starting line marathon day will be a huge reward.

A special thanks to Bree for sending me photos and messages while I was at the doctor's office waiting. You brought a smile to my face.

Tomorrow

I was going to do a two part Halloween weekend wrap up, but the time has passed. It just doesn't interest me anymore. I'm easily distracted by shiny things, or colorful things. It's been pretty much about work the last couple of weeks. Work, work, run, work, sleep, work, run, hurt leg, work. At least there is all the work to keep me preoccupied and not thinking too much about that little thing toward the end of that list. It's kind of hard not to think about it though with the Team in Training and Disney front and center.

The last couple of weeks has seen an increasing pain in my left leg below the knee. I can't point to a specific event that has lead to the pain, just a slowly growing ache that continues to grow and bother me. It could be overtraining, since I've been training for one race or another since January, or it could be something worse. I'm going to try and put it out of my mind until tomorrow.

Tomorrow I go see the doctor. Tomorrow I find out how I spend the next couple of months. Do I finish preparing for Disney in January? Do I get to explain to all the friends and family that I won't be continuing with Team in Training? Tomorrow I'll know.

Halloween Weekend Recap Part 1

It was just me and the alpacas up Sunday morning. I've run by this alpaca farm countless times, but have never seen all the alpacas hanging out so near the fence. Pretty cool. I needed some pretty cool and amusing things to keep me happy on this Sunday morning long run. It's been a crazy, busy weekend that started Friday after work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Run Like Hell and culminated Saturday night with a Halloween bash at my best friends' house that we'll be talking about until the next Halloween bash. Since it was such a packed weekend I'm going to blog this out in installments. First stop is the Friday's Run Like Hell.

I've been working on the marketing committee for the Run Like Hell for quite a few months now. We worked on a very tight budget in order to be sure that 90% of the proceeds would go toward funding research for a cure for CF and support for families of patients with CF. That meant a lot of calls to get items and services donated. Our goal was to raise $100,000 Friday night was the fruit of all our labors.

Previous years have come to be known under the aliases of Rain Like Hell, Snow Like Hell, The day the Hell Froze Over, Hotter Than Hell....and on and on. What would the weather bring this year? Fortunately, as the evening grew closer the weather was looking very good. It was hovering in the low 60's with a few clouds scattered around. If the weather took a turn worst, which is always a possibility during any given October day in Ohio we were prepared with tents for the band and the crowd.

Before the race I worked race day packet pick up and late registration. It started off a bit slow, which was good because I got to roam a bit and take some pre-race photos. However by 7pm, 30 minutes to the race, we were slammed! We were checking registrations, taking money, and giving out race numbers as quickly as we could to get everyone registered before the gun went off at 7:30 pm. Things started to slow down around 7:25, so I jumped ship and headed for the start line.

The starting area was packed with people. I know they make announcements and what not before the race because of previous years' experiences, but this year you couldn't hear a thing. People were chatting and checking their watches knowing that it must be getting close but not getting any sort of information. I chatted with a few people, snapped a couple of photos and enjoyed the crowd. This would be the first race where I wasn't going to worry about my time at all. I was just going to run, take photos and enjoy all the crazy costumes!

The gun went off and the mad dash began! I set out at a steady pace. I wanted to stay up with the front runners just for a minute or two, so that I could fade back and take photos along the way. It was a little bit like running intervals. I'd pick up the pace for a few minutes to a point where there was a street light or what looked like a good spot to shoot from, stop take a photo, then run on up for a few minutes to the next spot.

The photos really speak for themselves....Go Here. I took about half the photos. The other half were taken by my father in law Tom Chaney.

After the race I went to the after party where I worked the souvenir booth and walked the crowd taking photos. It was lots of fun, and a very rewarding experience.

As a postscript to this blog I received an email from Annemarie, the Events Coordinator for CF. The preliminary total for the event was $102,000! WooHoo!

Taking Rain and Making Lemonade

If I were doing one of those "post what's outside your window at work" games this is what I'd post. Well if I pulled a Peter Gibbons and took out one cubicle wall this is what I'd see. This is the 4th day straight of rain. I think it's been the 4th. I don't know I've lost track. I was going to complain, but how can I complain with all the devastation going on in California with the wildfires. Thanks to Entertainment Tonight I know the troubles that Britney Spears, Sean Penn and other superstars are going through. I really hope one of your 5 homes don't burn down! It's a tragedy. Seriously though my thoughts are with you all...everyone except Britney. I could care less about her.

But I digress. I've decided that since it's been pouring down rain, and I don't have access to a gym right now that I'd take a recovery week. I needed to let my feet and legs heal a bit anyway. Continuing to run last week after the race was a bit much. I've been feeling the strain of the race in my calves, and the blisters I'd developed during the race were still hanging around. Add to that a general training fatigue anyway. This was a good opportunity to rest and heal with out feeling all stressed because it is so nice outside and wanting to get out and run or ride. After a couple days off I started to feel the urge to run, but couldn't because it continues to rain so I did some much needed strength and core training.

Friday night is the Run Like Hell 5K. Following that I've got a busy weekend of Halloween parties and a Team In Training Fundraising party. With the Run Like Hell out of the way I can concentrate on my Team In Training fundraising and training for the Disney Marathon.

Autumn Weekend Workouts & Chi Running

It's been a great weekend for workouts. Autumn temperatures and colorful leaves are in full force and made yesterday's ride and today's run really great. Today run was particularly good because it was a bit of a relief. Ever since last weekend's half the runs this week have been tough. I've felt like I've had to force my pace and I never felt comfortable at any pace. It was not encouraging.

I decided to take today's 13 mile long run and just try to run at a comfortable pace. I didn't do any marathon pace running. I just let my legs carry me at a comfortable pace. If that meant that I ended up walking some then so be it. As it turned out I was able to set a comfortable pace and keep it up the entire time without stopping. I had some minor aches and pains, but nothing that was cause for concern and nothing that a little ice didn't take care of after the run.

On a completely different topic. Has anyone heard of Chi Running? I received a call the other day letting me know that I won a drawing last weekend for a workshop for a program called Chi Running . I've never heard of the program and was wondering if anyone else had done it or at least heard of it. I just don't want to waste a half a day only to find out that it is a 4 hour long commercial for a book. They promise the ability to run farther, faster, with less effort and injury free. Sounds good to me.

Inspiration

Visit the websiteSpirit of the Marathon

Dayton River Corridor Classic Half Marathon

I stood at the start line outside of University of Dayton's Welcome Stadium ready to go. I was feeling confident. Despite the fact that my iPod crapped out on me, so I wouldn't have my tunes or my Phedippidations podcast to pass the early miles, I was still feeling confident. I was disappointed that I wouldn't get to hear the cheers from around the world of the other runners that were participating in the World Wide Half Marathon. I was really disappointed that I wouldn't get to use the playlist the Bree and I had spent months building for the race. Still I had gotten good use out of it during training, and I was well prepared for the race this morning. Nothing was going to bring me down.

I had my clothes layed out the night before. I had my food prepared. Everything was ready. What was I missing? What did I forget? Apparently it was my brain because when the starting gun went off I shot off the start line like a rocket and never thought to slow down until it was far too late.

About 1/2 mile in I fell into pace with a lady at a quick 6:52 pace. It felt great to be in step with someone. I concentrated on smooth breathing and a quick turnover. The air was cool, the sun hadn't broken through the clouds yet and everything was right with the world. I had visions of finishing at under an hour and 30 minutes. This fellow runner and I were like a well oiled machine as we broke off at water stations to grab a drink and then fell right back into step. It went like that for the first 5 miles or so.

Somewhere between 5 1/2 and 6 miles my fortunes began to change as a strange pain ripped across my back between my shoulder blades and fatigue began to set in. I tried to push on at the same pace, but I had to slow down. I backed off and tried to stretch out my back a little as I ran. It eventually worked out, but I knew that the rest of the race wasn't going to be as easy as those early miles.

That little thought and little bit of doubt opened the door to the voices. The voices came in to sit for a while and have a chat. We discussed how the pain in my back was weird and painful and probably would come back. They laughed and laughed as I tried to pick my pace back up and ask them to leave. It was a grand ol' tea party...for them. I was struggling and by mile 8 marker I had another issue. I could feel blisters forming on the instep of my left foot and on my right heel. Seriously? What the hell. This caused the voices to crack up and they jabbered on.

At mile 9 waterstation I had had enough. I was way to far into my own head, so I stopped. I picked up a cup of water and gave myself a 1 minute time out to walk. I needed to regroup and get myself out of my head. I ushered the voices out and decided that I would try to relax, find a comfortable pace and enjoy the rest of the run. I got a helping hand by another fellow runner somewhere around mile 10 as a guy ran up beside me and started to make small talk. We talked about the weather, races we had run the previous weekend, anything to forget about the fatigue and pain of the late miles. I don't know his name, and I didn't see him after the race, but he was awesome and I thank him.

After passing mile 12 I could hear the cheers and see the stadium as we headed in the home stretch. We headed off the road, across the parking lot and into the stadium where we finished with a 3/4 lap around the track to the finish line. I could hear labored breathing and a quick pace coming up behind me trying to make the pass, but there was no way I was going to be passed 200 yards from the finish line. I picked up the pace and thought about the days of running the 400 meters in track. I finished strong.

mile 1: 6:52 mile 2: 6:57 mile 3: 7:04 mile 4: 6:55 mile 5: 6:56 mile 6: 7:05 mile 7: 7:30 mile 8: 7:47 mile 9: 7:48 mile 10: 7:55 mile 11: 7:56 mile 12: 7:58 mile 13.1: 8:33

My official time was 1:37:21 finishing 5th in my division (M 30-34) and 91st overall (I think). They haven't posted the official results on the site, but they were available the day of the race, and that is what I remember reading. I could be wrong. I was a little delerious at the end.

It wasn't a PR day, but I'm happy with the results. I was only off by a minute and a half from my 1:35:55 PR set at the Loveland Challenge last year. It was a huge learning experience. I now know that I really could use some music at the beginning of races to help me relax and slow down in those early miles. I got so wound up with thoughts of pr's and fast speeds that I made a really silly mistake. I also learned that no matter how comfortable a new shoe feels on short runs that doesn't mean they are broken in and ready to go on a long run or race. I know I'm not making grand discoveries here, but hey I learn best through experience and more experience and nearly hurting myself. It's all good.

Little Miami Tri

The Little Miami Triathlon is not the normal swim, bike, run triathlon. Instead of starting with a swim it starts with a 6 mile canoe or kayak down the Little Miami River. I choose to do the kayak, because it's a little quicker and a individual event. The canoe requires a partner. I don't mind working with a partner, but I don't particularly care for canoes when it comes to racing. Once you reach the first transition you ditch the kayak and run 5.5 miles back up the river mostly on marked roads and a couple of miles on a multi-use path. The final 1/4 mile of the run is the reall kicker. You hang a right off the multi-use path on to a dirt trail that leads to a set of steps. You run (or walk) to the top of the steps then back on to the dirt path which continues up, and up, and up, and up at about an 18- 19% grade. Does that sound right? Maybe I'm exaggerating, but it is steep! The Final leg of the race is an 18 mile bike on country roads around the Fort Ancient where the race begins and ends. The bike course is mostly flat with some rolling hills. The tough parts of the course are out on open roads in corn fields where the head winds can be pretty nasty.

Now that you have an idea of what the course is like let's talk about this year's adventure! I started at 8:38 am with a buddy. It was early enough that it was relatively cool. I say relatively because it was already warm enough that nothing extra besides race gear was necessary. We had received news that contrary to earlier reports they were unable to get permission to release more water into the river to raise the water level. We were in for a rough morning on the river and that's just what we got. As we paddled down the river we hit sections that were less than 6 inches deep. We went around bends and through small, shallow rapids that left about a foot wide path for which all the boats and kayaks to pass causing bottlenecks and a little bumper boat action. The key to getting through this portion of the race was to try and relax, and paddle smart. Otherwise I'd find myself flipped over like I saw a few other people. It's just the worst being soaked and trying to empty out a kayak full of water.

I hit the shore at an hour and ten minutes, which was a little disappointing. If the river would have been higher I could have easily brought it in at under 55 minutes. Since I used the event supplied kayak and paddle all I had to do was dump the kayak and paddle with some wonderful volunteers take a few sips out the water bottle that I had taken with me on the river before tossing it and run away. At this point I had a little surprise. As I was running out of transition I ran past the buddy with whom I started. I hit the road at a steady pace and worked the stiffness out of my legs that had set in over an hour of sitting in a kayak in the first mile. After that I settled in to a rhythm and cruised through the rest of the run. It was all smooth sailing until I hit the dreaded hill that I talked about earlier. I jogged up to the first section then walked as quickly as I could. Ran across another relatively level part and walked again. There is no real reason to run this part for me. It's more about conserving energy fort the bike.

At the bike transition I popped a couple of electrolyte tabs grabbed some water, changed shoes, changed into a dry cycling jersey and hit the bike. By this time it was really starting to heat up. The expected high was 90 and it was definitely getting into the 80's and sunny. That makes for a tough bike ride as you head out on to these country roads that are mostly along open fields and corn fields where more often than not you're going to hit a head wind and that is exactly what happened. The best thing to do is tuck on to the aerobars and concentrate on keeping a steady cadence, and if I was lucky I could fall into line with a couple of riders and do some drafting. On most triathlons drafting is against the rules, but there is no rule against it in this race. Unfortunately for me it wasn't meant to be for two reasons. I found myself, as I often do, in the no-man's land in between the quick riders and the slower riders. To add to my problems all of the pushing across the rocks in the kayak and my poor paddling skills had left my lower back tired and growing painful. It made it extremely tough to stay on the aerobars without hurting my back worse. I pushed through the headwinds, over the rolling hills as best I could.

Despite the pain in my back there was one upside to the bike portion. Thanks to the electrolyte tabs I was able to avoid the painful cramps that had plagued me in previous years. Every year before this one at about mile 11 my calves would just sieze up painfully making pedalling all but impossible. While the back pain was uncomfortable it was manageable and preferrable to the cramps. I was able to push through the back pain and once I hit the last few miles the adrenaline of the finish took over.

The final time 2:58:41 which is over 15 minutes slower than last fall. However I finished 10th out of 50 kayakers which is the highest I've ever placed!

Getting Pumped for October

October is shaping up to be a great month! On Monday, October 1st I'll be starting a new job. I'm so excited about this because, among the many other reasons, I won't be working nights, weekends and holidays for the first time in 7 years. That means I'll be able to get back on to a regular sleep schedule (no more getting off work at midnight, and in bed at 1 am, only to get back up at 6 am to go back to work). Those days just suck. It drains me physically, mentally, and emotionally. No more...woo hoo!

In addition to the new job October is one of my favorite months for racing. This one is going to be particularly busy with 3 races lined up. The first race is the Little Miami Triathlon. This will be my 4th outing of the Little Miami's kayak, run, bike race. I don't have any specific goals for this race other than just to get out and have fun...and kick my friend's ass! Every year I do this race with my best friend. Last year he was talked into doing the canoe division with a partner. I was in a kayak, so we weren't really racing head to head. This year he's upgraded his bike and has been training with a buddy at work on his run. He'll crush me in the kayak. He has a lot more experience and better form in the kayak and has better upper body strength. That's just the beginning though. I plan on seeing him on the run, and passing him on the run. :)

The second race for the month is going to be the Corridor Classic Half Marathon, and more importantly The World Wide Half Marathon. It will be so exciting to know that I'll be running with Team Sparkpeople and all the other runners all over the world! Check it out at worldwidehalf.com. For this race I do have a specific goal. I want to set a new pr, and crush my previous record of 1:35.55. I'd also like to run negative splits for this race. I really need to slow myself down at the beginning of races.

The third and final race of the month is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Run Like Hell 5k. This one is not only a race, but also a volunteer project I've been working on all fall. I'll be working the night of the race doing something in a booth, and I'll probably be dressed up in a costume, so needless to say this run will be just for the fun of it! I just need to think of a costume that will be easy to run in, and has no mask that will constrict breathing. Any suggestions?

The Advantages of Running at 5 AM

Disclaimer: This blog entry is an attempt to delude, I mean convince, myself that getting up at 5 am to run is in fact a great idea. I mean I'm going to be doing it over the next few months, so let the deluding, I mean convincing begin!

1. It's better than coffee. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but I do like those bottled Starbucks Frappuccino drinks in the morning. A good run in the morning is a great way to get the blood flowing and a nice shot of endorphins.

2. I avoid the heat of the day. For a little while longer temps are still hitting in the low 80's. I'm not a fan of running in the heat. So, for the time being it's nice to run before the sun comes rises. Now that's going to be a different story come November and December. Let's just not think about that right now.

3. When work is done it's family time. I can't convince my wife and daughter to get up at 5 am and hang out with me. So, I guess it's better for the marriage if I spend time with her after work sometimes instead of running or cycling all the time.

4. Running in the dark can be fun! We live on a pretty safe, out of the way road, so running in the dark is fairly safe as long as I don't trip and fall on my face! This morning I felt like I was in my own personal horror movie. I was running in the pitch black of our street where there are no street lights, so the only lights I had were the lights of a few scattered houses with their lights on. I was surrounded by the woods and the sounds of small animals like squirrels and large animals like deer scurrying away. I only hope I don't run into the mean ass pack of turkeys that roam the neighborhood. That would be a horror.

Help convince me. What are some other advantages?

Fall has...Fallen, in a totally good way

I was working up a rant on the lack of courtesy on our local multi-use path for today, but I think I'll put that off for another day in favor of something a little more positive. Fall has finally showed up in Ohio, and like it most often does it burst on the scene on the drop of a dime. You go to bed one night after a 90 degree F and muggy day only to wake up the next morning to 50 degrees and a day that reaches a high of 65 and no humidity. That alone is worth a little celebration. Add to that a little mental boost from a good run and you might find me dancing a little jig at said celebration.

I woke up at about 7 am to a long run that I didn't particularly feel like doing. I got little sleep last night, had a few too many drinks while hanging with a buddy, and was facing a very long 12 hour work day in 4 hours. After downing a big glass of water and some electrolyte tabs I stepped outside in my short sleeve TNT running shirt and a pair of shorts only to quickly run back inside. It was quite cold outside at only 49 F. I pulled out a bag of cold weather gear and dug out my running cap and gloves. Knowing that I need to work on my nutrition and hydration during long runs I pocketed a Gu and drove a bottle of water out to the 6 mile point of my run.

The run was wonderful. The 1.5 mile warm-up went smoothly. I picked up the pace for a 5.5 mile race pace section which wasn't quite up to the speed that I wanted, but it still felt great. I slowed it down for the last 3.25 miles, but even at 8 minute miles I felt like I could have put in another 5 miles. I haven't felt that way about a run in a few weeks, and not really good about any particular run since my last race. September wasn't off to a great start for training. All the heat, humidity, bad shoes, and general feeling of malaise has left me feeling less than excited about training into the fall. Today has gone a long way toward turning things around. It's the beginning of a new season, and I've got some of my favorite races of the year to look forward to as well:

10/7 - Little Miami Triathlon -kayak/run/bike
10/14 - World Wide Half at the Corridor Classic Half Marathon
10/26 - Run Like Hell 5K

Shoe Update

The shoes are going back. I'm really disappointed in how poorly they fit. I don't think I blame New Balance in anyway. I know several runners that swear by New Balance shoes. I'll just have to add it to my list of brands not suitable for me. This list also includes Nike, who apparently only makes shoes for all the narrow footed freaks of the world.

One of the complaints I forgot to mention in my blog yesterday was that toward the end of my first run the two smallest toes on my left foot started to go numb. That is never good as far as I know. Yesterday I went on a 6 mile run on a nice shady multi-use path. The path is completely flat and mostly straight. I figured after breaking the shoes in for a few days running in such ideal conditions should be no problem.

Everything felt good for the first 4 miles. Going into mile 5 I decided to pick up the pace for the last 2 miles. The toes on my left foot started to tingle. A few minutes passed as I tried to ignore the tingling, but then my ankle started to hurt and the pain quickly traveled up to my knee. That's about enough for me. That goes way beyond a shoe causing minor discomfort. I've always had a bit of a fear about my knees. Back and knee problems run in the family, so a shoe that aggravates the knees will be treated like toxic waste.

I'll be heading back to the shop this weekend to order another pair of Asics .

New Job, New Shoes

After months and months of applying for jobs, and after months and months of disappointment things are finally starting to look up in the job department. I've been interviewing for a new, better job over the last couple weeks. After the initial job interview at the end of August I was called back for a second interview. It was at that point that I decided to keep kind of quiet about the job. I told very few people, because I've been facing so much disappointment in the last year. I get tired of thinking that this will be the job only to not get the position. After that I'm faced with weeks of explaining to friends and relatives that I didn't get the job, and I don't understand either why I didn't get the job, and blah, blah, blah.

Well, I can say officially, 100%, undoubtedly that I did get the job. hip, hip , Hoooraaaay! This is the job that I talked about in my August 31st post. It's a new position, in a new department, so there isn't an official title or job description yet. I'll be doing what I like to do best, a little bit of everything. Variety is the spice of life after all. Hopefully I'll be starting sometime at the beginning of October.

I also just got a new pair of running shoes. Over the last year or so I've gone through 2 pair of Asics Gel Cumulus. I love those shoes. This time when I went into the Running Spot I decided that I wanted to try something different. I tried the new model of the Gel Cumulus, some model of Mizuno, and a pair of New Balance 755. I really liked the feel of the Mizuno, and the Gel Cumulus (or is it Cumuli?) were nice as always.

In the end I chose the New Balance 755's. I liked them better than the Mizunos, and they didn't have my size for the Asics. Besides I wanted to try something different right? So far I am not terribly impressed. I'm trying to give it some time to break them in, but my initial reactions are as follows.

- They are very stiff. I thought I liked that when I first tried them on, but after a couple runs I'm not liking it. The runs felt kind of...flat. I don't know if that's the appropriate term, but that's the best word I can think of at the moment.

- There is lots of room in the toe box. It seems a lot more than the Asics. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. That remains to be seen.

- Despite the roomy toe box they feel tight across the top of my foot. I made adjustments to the laces which helped a bit. I'll see this afternoon when I run how much of a difference it makes.

This will probably the last run I do in them before deciding whether to take them back. That's the nice thing about going to a good running store. Most of them are looking for customer loyalty, so making sure the customer is happy is job one.

Sometimes the Voices Win

It happened just before the 4 miles mark. I was pacing along with a woman at a good 7 minute/mile clip when the heat started to get to me, the legs started to feel weary, and the voices. The little voices came out to play. " Come on Adam slow down. Why are you pushing so hard? Why are you out here at all?" The game was on. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing and relaxing. No good. The voices grew louder and more insistent. The heat, the weariness, and the voices were just too much. I slowed down my pace. I didn't stop, but I just couldn't hold my pace. I watched as my pacing partner pulled away. Bummer. I spent the rest of the race trying not to get passed. I was passed once.

Every race has a lesson. It may be something new, or confirming something that I already knew that needed work. In this case it is confirmed that I need to work on my mental game. I'm not talking only about the negative voices that can be overwhelming at some points, although that is a large part, but also running a smarter race from start to finish. I have a bad habit of coming off the line too quickly, and this race was no exception. I ran my first mile in 6:27. Am I nuts? That's the pace I was shooting for in my last 5k. There is no reason for me to start that quickly other than some delusion of speed. What can I say? Saturday morning Roadrunner cartoons were a staple in my youth. These days I'm feeling more Wile E. Coyote than Roadrunner.

Here's the good news. Despite my nitpicking I ran a very good race. I finished with a time of 43:38 at a 7:02 pace. I was 24th overall 2nd in my division. That's all I have to say about that.

Training Assessment

I feel like I've been training for the Disney Marathon for a long time already due to the fact that I started training for the World Wide Half at the end of June. Either I'll benefit from having the base miles or I'll be so tired of training by the end of this that I'll blow up. Only time will tell. In the meantime I thought I'd do a quick assessment of where I am as I head into the 4 month countdown to Disney. First I'll start with training and then talk about fundraising.

Training has been tough up to this point and much of that is due to the weather. It hasn't been all bad, but the percentage of runs that have been "not fun" at the least to "torturous" at th worst has gone up dramatically. It's starting to cool off so I'm hoping that will change in short order. I'm also a bit frustrated and confused. The advice I'm getting from my coach is that I should start running goal pace runs as part of my long runs now. I've been doing that, but I'm not always able to maintain my desired pace. It's tough to get yourself up to running goal pace alone and the course I'm running is fairly hilly and doesn't lend well to fast running. I'm hoping that my ability to hold goal pace will improve over time. Right now I'm just doing the best I can.

Under the frustrated and confused category I'm also doubting that I can run a Boston qualifying race. It's still way early for such thoughts, but it isn't helping with my training. I need to find a way to balance out this desire to run fast and still maintain a level of enjoyment that makes this work worthwile. Today I had a good run which makes me feel a little better. I must have been in the zone. I was going back over my splits and panicked for a moment. I couldn't remember running part of my normal route. I know I did it because of the time, and I'm remembering enough now that I know I did it. It was just a weird feeling for a moment to have forgotten an entire section of my run. I don't know if that's good or bad. I think I need to change my route and shake things up. I warmed up 2 miles at a 8:20 pace. Ran the next 3 miles at a 7:44 pace followed by the tough hill section dropping to a 9:36 pace. I'm not surprised after yesterday's biking and finally finished the final 2 miles with an 8:35 pace.

Fundraising for Team in Training is going okay. I'm up over $500, which is good. I'm just freaking out a bit. I've still got over $3000 to go. I'm going to shoot for $1000 a month. Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to get there!!

Tomorrow I'll be racing the Mercy Metric 10k race. My goal for the event is to break 42 minutes. That would be a pace under 6:45. It's going to be a tall order after a tough week of training.