Connecting You to a Healthy Life!

The Wildlife Marathon

As I wrote last week, my goal for this past marathon was to make it hurt. In that regard, I was successful. I was definitely hurting for the last eight miles.

It was a small race, only 60 runners in the full. The race started in the small village of Concord, MI. We ran through the bucolic (fun word to use) burg and onto a paved rails-to-trails. The leaves had popped and the sun was shining. It was as pretty as could be.

I went a little fast on the first mile because I could still see the first place guy, but I settled in to my three-hour pace. Being a small race, I was basically alone, but there were a few folks running within sight. The first five miles were on this trail and were pretty flat. Other than nearly getting hit by a biker pacing the guy who won the half marathon, this part was pretty uneventful.

After leaving the bike path, we ran on some back roads. These roads were all rolling hills. I was feeling fine and clicking off 6:45 miles fairly easily. The small hills put a little more strain on the pace, but it was okay.

Around mile 10 or so, we left the paved back roads and started running on gravel roads. This is easier on the legs, but they also return less energy than paved roads. That means runners expend more energy running on gravel than on pavement. Also, the hills became a little more challenging.

Around half way through the race, I started straining a little more. I kept chugging along at near a three-hour pace, but I started to re-evaluate my goals. I started thinking that a 3:10 finish would be pretty good. It would give me a new Boston-Qualifier. I ran for a few minutes with a guy who was doing his 70th marathon and would do his 50th state next week.

At mile 18, I saw my wonderful Curb Crew for the third time. They couldn’t tell, but this was also when I hit the wall. I took some solace in the fact that I was only 5k from the rails-to-trails which would be blessedly flat.

Hitting the wall is not very fun. It’s even less fun when you have eight miles left to go. I wanted to stop. I wanted to walk. I wanted to lie down. I thought about my last blog, though, and I pushed through the pain.

Pushing through the pain is much easier when you’re closing in on a PR. Last June in Duluth, I was hurting the last three miles, but I knew I had a chance to break 3:00. At the Wildlife Marathon in Concord, I wasn’t going to PR. I pushed as hard as I could. I was really just trying to fall off as little as possible. Glycogen depletion meant that I wasn’t going to be anywhere close to 7:00/mile. I made it hurt, though.

I did manage to pass a guy in these last few miles. It was his first marathon, and he had been running a sub-three pace. Now he was walking. I tried to encourage him, but I was struggling mightily. I never quit. I never gave up. I fought the pain and ran as fast as my body would allow.

I finally came to the finish line. My time could’ve been faster if I would have run the first half more conservatively. I’m glad I didn’t, though. If I ran races conservatively, then I never would have broken three hours. Sometimes you have to go hard and hang on. If you do, sometimes it leads to huge breakthroughs. Other times, you blow up. It’s a fine line between racing bravely and racing foolishly. I learned I could persevere through the pain even if my time goal was shot. That was enough for this race.

15th October 2011
Events
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Racing

George Sheehan, running philosopher-king, once said the difference between a jogger and a runner is the signature on a race registration form. His point wasn’t that racers run faster than joggers; they don’t always. He was noting the fact that races force us to examine our commitment. They give us the opportunity to push ourselves and measure ourselves. Bill McKibbon, in Long Distance: Testing the Limits of Body and Spirit in a Year of Living Strenuously, trains for 12 months in the attempt to give “one supreme effort.” He says, “I’d never competed, taken on that risk to my body and my ego.”

Most of us don’t. Very few of us have areas where we can compare ourselves to anything in an objective manner. I’m not saying we need to compare ourselves to others necessarily, either. I can’t objectively compare my teaching now to my teaching ten years ago (no matter what the standardized test makers or the politicians say). Sure, I think I’m better now than I was then, but it’s not like racing. Even in racing, the numbers on the clock or the place on the podium don’t tell the whole story. The act of competing against myself, the clock, and the other runners pushes me to another level.

This next level focuses my mind. McKibben talks about being totally focused for the full 57 minutes of his first race. This focus is what leads to the emotional breakthroughs. It is what reaveals our true self. McKibben quotes Emily Jenkin’s book, Tongue First: Adventures in Physical Culture. She writes about her eight years of teaching aerobics saying, “I had not emotional experiences whatsoever. Only a sense of control over my body, which I ultimately believe is illusory.” Racing gives us an opportunity for that emotional experience. Sometimes it is good: We push through the agony of mile two in a 5k. Other times it is negative: we stop and walk up that third hill and get passed by half the field.

The competition of a race allows us to test our limits, to give that supreme effort. Only in a race can we push through the gut-busting pain or choose to ease up. As an English teacher, I know that there can be no growth, no story without conflict. The race introduces that internal conflict.

I’m racing tomorrow, and I hope I commit enough to make it hurt. I also hope I have the mental strength to give that supreme effort.

I’ll let ya know.

8th October 2011
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Stressin’

Before my blog begins, I want to once again invite you to the Runners’ Book Club, Vol. II. We’re reading My Life on the Run by Bart Yasso. Even if you can’t finish it before our meeting, I encourage you to read as much as you can and join us. Yasso’s book is funny and inspiring. Put it on your calendar: October 6 at 8th Street Grille.

Stress gets a bad rap. Stress is what makes our training work. When you run, you’re stressing your body. The duress you place on your muscles is what makes them stronger. These stronger muscles only show up during the recovery period after the stress.

I’ve had a few poor runs lately, and I was kind of concerned. After all, my marathon is in a few weeks. Then I thought about how much stress I’ve been placing on my body.

Of course I’ve got the running miles, 50-60 per week. I have been a little discouraged, though, because I usually target 70 as my peak during a marathon build-up. Then I realized that I’m not only running. I canceled my car insurance and have been biking to work. So I’ve been running 50-60 miles and also biking 50-ish miles each week. That helped me to be a little more confident of my training.

Something was still nagging me, though. I still felt like my runs were flatter than they should be. It took my biannual taper clinic for me to figure it out. The physical stress is only half of the equation.

School just started again, and it coincided with some the peak of my training. So, I’ve hit my max mileage and added the mental/emotional stress of a new school year.

Many people don’t realize that your body accepts physical and emotional stress in similar ways. When you’re recovering from a hard workout, stress is stress. It doesn’t matter if it is a tempo run or new class to organize and plan for.

My goal in the upcoming weeks (my taper) is to eliminate as many physical and emotional stressors as possible. The physical stresses are easier to deal with. I’ll carpool a few days a week to reduce the bike miles, and gradually cut back my running miles like normal.

The mental stressors are a little bit trickier to avoid. Part of it will be planning a little further out in my classes. I’ll work on adding detail to my lesson plans for the next month or so. Having a plan will reduce some of this stress.

The big stress of this new school year is all of the change. There are a myriad of changes to structures and technology at school. I’ll work on looking at the positive changes to try to reduce the stress. Attitude is key. Maybe I’ll tack the Serenity Prayer up in a prominent place.

Finally, sleep is key to dealing with stress. During the remainder of my taper, I’ll strive to increase my sleep stores. This is when the body recovers from and rebuilds the damage caused by stress.

I hope reading about my stress strategies helps you examine your life and your training. Take it easy.

22nd September 2011
Events, Training, Uncategorized
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Fantasy Workout Draft

I am currently preparing for the Fantasy Football season. Fantasy drafts work like this: a group of people gather together and draft teams. Each player can be drafted by only one team, so the goal is to get the best value for each draft pick.

The best value means choosing a player who will produce better statistics than the players drafted before him. If I draft Ray Rice (the running back for the Baltimore Ravens), and he runs for more yards/scores more touchdowns than Adrian Peterson (the running back for the Minnesota Vikings and consensus number one pick in most fantasy football drafts), then I’ve gotten better value.

Sometimes leagues have different rules. They may award one point for each reception. This makes a player like Ray Rice more valuable than Adrian Peterson even though Peterson may run for more yards because Rice catches more passes. You have to know what is the most important for your league.

Running is the same way. When considering your workouts, trying to get the best value for your workouts means knowing what is the most important.

A marathoner’s fantasy draft of workouts would look like this:
1. Long Runs
2. Recovery Runs
3. Rest (Sleeper Pick*)
4. Tempo Runs
5. Core Work
6. Long Intervals
7. Form Running
8. Striders

A 5k runner’s draft list would look different.
1. Short Intevals
2. Tempo Runs
3. Core Work
4. Recovery Runs
5. Long Runs
6. Form Running
7. Rest
8. Striders

An athlete focusing on weight loss would also be different:
1. Easy Runs
2. Cross Training
3. Interval Training
4. Core Work
5. Rest
6. Long Runs

So, what are you training for? What’s your number one overall pick in your fantasy training draft? No, a run with Kara Goucher isn’t an option. Think about what you’re trying to get out of your running. Draft wisely.

*A sleeper pick is a choice that is under the radar, a player that many folks haven’t heard of or don’t value very highly. I chose “Rest” as my sleeper pick not only because it’s a sweet pun, but also because most distance runners short change themselves in this area. Rest times are when your body recovers and rebuilds itself. It’s when the actual growth from all your workouts takes place.

19th August 2011
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How was the race?

Last fall, I wrote about a race that was poorly organized. Today, I’d like to mention a well-run race. The Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth was extremely well put together. What makes it different from my fall race?

Packet Pick-Up: The convention center housing the expo had entrances on every side, was surrounded by parking (although it cost $5 to park – boo), and featured a great deal of signage. It was easy to navigate the expo and easy to pick up my number/chip.

Course Maps/Curb Crew Information: The website featured a detailed and interactive course map, there were several varieties of course maps available at the expo, and it was a simple course to follow. Also, the website and race packet contained helpful hints and cautions for spectators. My Curb Crew knew how to get to the finish and had a good idea of where to park. They knew that traffic congestion would make seeing me earlier in the race as well as the finish difficult.

Course: The course is beautiful. It’s flat, but there are enough small rollers that it gives your legs some variety. I loved running along Lake Superior. Finishing in Canal Park is probably the coolest part of Duluth. I was surprised by how many spectators lined the course since I know most of them couldn’t make it to the finish.

Aid Stations: There were port-o-potties almost every mile during the race. Each mile marker was festooned with a large balloon above the runners. Each mile marker also featured a portable defibrillator and someone trained to use it. Finally, the aid stations were well stocked with enthusiastic volunteers and a predictable lay-out: water first, then sports drink.

BigDaddy and RunnerDad at Grandma's Finish

Post-Race: The finish area was thoughtfully laid out. The chute was wide enough that volunteers didn’t have to constantly nag runners to keep moving. The food area was spacious. The volunteers were cheerful. There was music, food, beer, soda, etc where runners could socialize with their Curb Crew. They had race merchandise for sale, too.

One post-race feature I really enjoyed were the showers. There were three different locations for runners to shower post-race. Two of these even provided towels. The available showers were great since we were staying near the start of this point-to-point course.

Overall, I give this race two thumbs way up. It was a wonderful experience.

1st July 2011
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A Long Race Report

Last week I set a new PR in the marathon.

My training went pretty well, but (like always) I didn’t do as many miles or as much core work as I wanted to do. The workouts were encouraging, though, and I saw my efforts improving every week. I felt pretty prepared.

We drove up to Two Harbors (the starting point for Grandma’s Marathon) on Wednesday. Packet pick-up and the kids’ races were on Friday. Both went smoothly, and I got to see both my boys run a race.

Sweet swag from Grandma's Marathon.

My taper was pretty uneventful, but I wasn’t getting as much sleep as I would have liked. This made me a little nervous about the marthon, but there’s not much to be done about sleep deprivation with two small kids. I went to bed early on Friday, and set my alarm for 5:15 on race day. This seems pretty early, but Minnesota is an hour behind us, so it felt like sleeping in until 6:15.

The weather was cool and drizzly on race morning, but the rain ended before I had to leave. I had my typical toast and coffee as I dressed in several layers and gathered my vanilla Accel Gel and water. My North Face arm sleeves were really handy for this race.

Because it is a point-to-point race, everyone has to take a bus to the start. RunnerDad dropped me at the bus stop at 6:25 and said a quick prayer over me. I made some small talk with other racers. One of them said, “This isn’t a bus to the half marathon, is it?”

“I hope not,” I said. “The half starts right now.” (The half started an hour before the full.) As we rode to the start, I heard another bus driver on the radio saying that he had a half marathoner on his bus.

I was really glad to be staying in Two Harbors instead of Duluth during the bus ride. I know from previous experience that driving the full distance before running it can be really intimidating. The whole ride, all you can think is: “I have to run this far?”

When we got off the bus, I went toward the port-o-potties. I shouldn’t share this tip, but I will. Go to the toilets farthest from the entrance. Runners tend to stop at the closest ones. It’s worth the walk to go farther away. I found a short line, did my business, and got back in line.

Next came the Star Spangled Banner. A member of the Air Force sang it. I noticed she had on three-inch heels and thought my brother-in-law who is a Marine would think that was pretty funny.

As I made way toward the starting line, I was pretty calm. Everyone around me was doing the pre-race dance. Shifting from foot to foot, doing sprint outs, jogging in place, kicking their knees up. Basically boiling with nervous energy. I worried a little bit because I was content to just stand still. In fact, if there had been a chair, I would have sat down.

Both of my tune-up races predicted a 3:03 marathon, so I planned to go out at 7:00/mile pace. I figured I would hold that as long as I could. If I couldn’t hold it, I’d slow down. I wasn’t putting a lot of pressure on myself. I felt really calm and relaxed.

Even though we were lined up according to our predicted finish times, the mass of runners compressed toward the start several times. I ended up about 25 meters from the starting line. It was cool (48 degrees), but we were lucky enough not to have to stand in the rain. The half marathoners were not so lucky. A few jokes were cracked about the tailwind, jokes that only running nerds would laugh at. Then the race was rolling.

We were lucky enough to have a tailwind, always a bonus on a point-to-point course. This course is so beautiful. It follows the shore of Lake Superior for most of the race on an old scenic highway.

I was surprised at the number of spectators.The course made it almost impossible for my Curb Crew to see me before mile 25 if they wanted to see me at the finish line, so I wasn’t expecting many other cheering fans. The local communities really came out, and I didn’t feel lonely any where on the course.

My first five miles went quickly (6:48, 6:39, 6:38, 6:48, 6:43). At the 5k mark, I started playing mental games with myself. “Okay, 12% completed.” I had planned on 7:00 miles, but I felt confident about the splits I was hitting. Also, they made the miles feel really quick. The straightness of the course also helped sometimes. I think I could see the five-mile mark almost as soon as I passed mile four.

After mile five, I started looking forward to my first Accel Gel. I took it at mile seven. I also thought, “Feeling good and halfway to halfway.” Miles six through ten were a consistent 6:45, 6:46, 6:52, 6:47, 6:36.

The half marathon started at our halfway point, and I was really excited to see that spray painted starting line for some reason. At this point, some guys who looked like college students started running near me. One guy was running in some really old Nike Frees. Another guy kept zigzagging across the road. I wanted to ask if he’d ever heard the phrase “run the tangents” but didn’t bother. Miles 11-15 were 6:50, 6:47, 6:49, 6:33, 6:42. You can see how excited I was to cross the halfway point by that crazy fast mile. My half marathon split was 1:28 and change. This is only a couple minutes slower than my half PR.

After the half, I really started looking forward to entering the city of Duluth. I had driven this portion several times. The old homes on the shores of Lake Superior are beautiful. Also, crossing these lines of demarcation always make the race feel new and fresh. Without changes like this, the ending miles of the marathon can start to feel tedious. I thought entering the city would be refreshing. We started entering the city around mile 19. My miles here were 6:37, 6:41, 6:45, 6:34, 6:56.

At mile 19, when I  thought the city limit signs would perk me up, I hit a down part. I thought, “I can’t do seven more sub-seven miles.” I got kind of discouraged. This course was really nice, though. Every time I needed it, the course gave me a little downhill section. By mile 20, there was a little decline, and I thought, “Even if I only 7:30 miles, I’ll run a good time.” I rebounded a little and started looking forward to Duluth’s downtown. 6:54, 6:54, 7:03, 7:10, 7:00.

As you can see, I floated over the seven-minute mile at 23. I felt okay though. I kept the pace as hard as I could because I knew it would hurt just as much to slow down and it would take longer, too. I saw RunnerDad at mile 25. He yelled, “They’re waiting for you at the finish. Get to ‘em!” That picked me up a little, and I tossed my hat to him. In Duluth, the avenues count down to Lake Street and then start counting up again. I knew I had to go past Lake, so I was counting down but knew I had to count back up to Fifth. Then I had to run around their convention center and into Canal Park. The last mile seemed like it would never end: 7:28.

I could see the big clock above the finish, and I got there as fast as I could. The last .2 was 1:28 (about a 7:20 mile). My new PR is 2:58:50. I made my way through the chute and hugged my boys. I choked up a little when I told RunnerGirl and the rest of my Curb Crew my new PR.

I feel like I ran a really evenly-paced, smart race. I didn’t have any more to give at the finish. It was one of my best marathons.

25th June 2011
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Which way is your arrow pointed?

“When you’re a competitive runner in training you are constantly in a process of ascending” (Parker 198).

Read Once a Runner and Again to Carthge, then go for a run.

This quote is from John L. Parker’s Again to Carthage. Quentin Cassidy says it as he’s looking over his old training logs. He’s ruminating on the rarity of this state.

There aren’t very many parts of my life where I’m constantly ascending. Sure. I try to be a good guy. A good dad. A good teacher. I have my good days when I’m getting better and better, but you can bet that I also have my days where I’m failing.

A marathon training cycle is one of the few places where my arrow is pretty consistently pointing up. This hit me this week when I was running a track interval workout. I ran 3200 meters at 6:35/mile, 2000 meters at 6:15/mile, 1600 meters at 6:00/mile, and 1000 meters at 5:44/mile. Each of these had a mere 2:30 recovery.

I say this not to brag (well, maybe I’m bragging a little bit) but to point out that a month ago I would have puked way before I finished that workout.

This is one of the reasons I love the marathon and the training that goes into it. I’m still pushing the boundaries of what I can do. I can see improvement throughout the course of the training cycle. It’s an area where I can always be chasing excellence.

It gives me hope that I can try to swing my arrow upward in a few more areas of my life. Isn’t that a great thing about athletics? It allows us to find bravery and hope within.

27th May 2011
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________ is eating carbs.

Is this on your Twitter/Facebook?

I know some of you are tapering or about to start tapering for your spring race. A customary part of the taper is carbohydrate loading.

Historically, some runners have done a carb depletion in order to trick their bodies into hoarding the maximum amount of glycogen. During this carb depletion, the athlete would shun carbs and work out strenuously. This would make their muscles starved for carbs.

Anyone familiar with dieting history knows that the body can enter starvation-mode where it hoards calories. The body will adapt similarly during the carb-depletion phase and begin storing any possible carbohydrate like a person on one of those hoarding t.v. shows. Then, when the runner gets closer to the race, he will consume mass amounts of pasta, bread, rice, and potatoes. The body still thinks these carbs are rare and stock piles as many as possible. That’s what exercise scientists used to believe anyway.

Most experts now agree that the difference between carbo loading with the depletion phase and carbo loading without the depletion phase is pretty minimal. Most coaches skip the depletion phase because it just doesn’t make enough of a difference to be worth the hassle.

Now, like most things distance running related, carbo loading can go too far. How far is too far? Take a look at these pictures from this blog. This is too far.

Is this you at meal time before a big race?

Before my first couple marathons, I had spaghetti twice a day for five days. That’s too far. Try for a variety of minimally processed carbs, cut back on your general calorie consumption, and rest. Think about how you ate before your long runs. You probably didn’t eat 12 servings of pasta before that 20-miler, did you?

29th April 2011
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Boston Simulator

I’m still planning on doing a Boston simulation run next weekend, on April 30. I can’t guarantee a 20 m.p.h. tailwind like the nice folks of Hopkinton did, though. Also, I doubt I’ll be able to finish in 2:03. But the course will be challenging. Here’s the elevation profile:

And here is the elevation profile for Boston:

You can see that my course is slightly more challenging, but I always like to work a little harder during the training.

Would you like to join me? Throw a donation up to my site. I’m raising funds for World Vision. They help care for AIDS victims in Africa (and other places around the world). They also help families find clean water and provide micro-loans as a means to combat extreme poverty world-wide.

Here are the details of the run. It starts at the corner of 142nd and 62nd Street in Holland. Here’s a map of the route.  In honor of the traditional Boston Marathon start time, I’d like to begin at noon. We will have some water bottles stashed throughout the run, but the Gu is b.y.o.

Let me know via the comment section if you plan to attend. I’ll make sure RunnerGirl bakes some special post-run treats.

22nd April 2011
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Taper Time

Once you get the hang of it, a taper can be awesome. The first few times a runner tapers for a big race, the experience is hellacious, though. (Note: Even though I am an English teacher, I’m not 100% sure that “hellacious” is a word.) Taper Madness is common term for the disease a runner suffers prior to a big race. Check out this site to read more about the Madness.

Now that I’ve tapered several times (11 marathons and numerous other races), I have developed some tricks. Hours spent researching have shown me why a taper is necessary. Trial and error have helped me determine what helps. Experience has shown what works.

Tapering allows your body to repair itself. Quentin Cassidy’s Miles of Trials, Trials of Miles will tear your body down and shred your muscles. The taper allows your body to rebuild all these micro-tears and to come back stronger and faster. It also gives your body a chance to hoard glycogen. To run your best race, you’ll need to be able to access as much fuel as possible. Glycogen is the high-octane stuff that your wheels crave.

To best repair, rebuild, and re-stock, your body will need sleep, though. Use your reduced training time to go to bed earlier. Aim for 30-60 minutes extra sleepy time.

Speaking of reduced training volume, be smart in your taper. You should not stop running completely. Cut back 20-40% but maintain some of your hard workouts. Resist the urge to do any massive workouts. You’re not going to add any fitness in the last two weeks because it takes 10-14 days for the training to really affect you. You can use up some of your fitness in the workouts, though, if you try to run too much too close to the race. A couple miles at race pace and a reduced number of track repeats can keep you sharp for the race.

When choosing meals during the taper, keep your reduce training volume in mind. I try to slightly reduce my calories and slightly increase my carbs. You won’t be burning as many calories during the taper, but you do want your gas tank to be full. The past few tapers have left me feeling a little bloated, but I’ve been hitting some good times. Try not to freak out because you feel a little full. Listen to your body when you’re eating, though.

During the taper you are likely to feel sore. This is normal. The soreness is a result of your body healing itself. Don’t worry about the little aches and pains. Rest up and let your body do its work.

You will also feel jittery. You’re likely to feel nervous and excited about the race. The energy that would normally be burned off in workouts is being stored, so you may feel as if you’ve had a few too many espressos. This is also normal. Try to find distractions.

Avoid distracting yourself with cross training (yes, yard work counts as cross training). The purpose of the taper is to reduce the exercise load. Switching your running hours to swimming hours or raking hours is going to defeat the purpose. Instead, distract yourself with laundry or books or movies.

I like to read biographies of runners or races. Try watching Saint Ralph or one of the Steve Prefontaine movies. They can help you get your running fix while inspiring your race performance.

Many runners also distract themselves by obsessing over weather.com. People who have run in everything Mother Nature can devise suddenly begin worrying about a few rain drops. Yes, it is okay to check your favorite weather website once or twice a day, but try to set a limit on it. Checking every hour ten days in advance is not very useful. Stalking the local meteorologist on Facebook is also probably going further than is healthy.

Trust your training during the taper. You’ve done the work; now is the time to relax and enjoy it. Let me know if you have any taper-related questions.

20th April 2011
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