Running Recon

Callaway Gardens Half Marathon Race Report

2012-02-03T05:20:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I paid my first visit to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA, and ran in the "Fitness Series" half marathon held within the 13,000 acre resort community. Since I've been slightly (barely) more focused on preparing for an upcoming ultra marathon, I was pleased when my friend Janie accepted my offer to pace her.

Warm Up

Amanda the Stowaway

I headed over Saturday afternoon and along the way picked up a hitchhiker in Opelika. The McQueens caught up with me at Starbucks, and before I knew it Amanda and I were on our way while Tim and Lincoln continued on listening to the soothing sounds of NPR. We took the scenic route to the expo (No, I wasn't lost. I still had gas.), picked up our race packets and then scouted most of the course until we stumbled upon the hotel. Off to an interesting, but good start!

After checking in and coordinating plans through a text messaging blitz our entire group met up in the hotel lobby for drinks. Shortly after that we all made our way to the Carriage and Horses Restaurant for dinner. I'd researched restaurants a few days before, and had a hunch it would be a better option than Three Lil Pigs BBQ or the Whistling Pig Cafe. Fortunately, it was a hit. The food and service were good, and the entertainment was out of this world. The two-man band that took requests wasn't too bad, either. ;)

The Crew!

We all met up at the huge tent by the starting line on Sunday morning and took some photos for posterity. I looked around for fellow dailymiler, Skip, as I knew he was there for his first half marathon, but couldn't find him anywhere in the small crowd. Janie and I then went out for a warm-up run, last-minute bathroom breaks and stopped by the car to drop off extra clothing. As we made our way to the starting line a man approached me with his hand outstretched. Seeing the confused look on my face, Skip re-introduced himself! I didn't recognize him because he'd lost so much weight!

Race

The race began promptly at 8am (contrary to what I read on an Active.com review) and the course took us past Robin Lake on our right. The pace was a little quicker than what I wanted in the early miles, but considering the gentle descent we were still doing just fine.

Normally, this is where I'd dissect my race. But since it was Janie's and I was just along for the ride, I'll comment only on the event itself.

The Course: I thought it was great. Even though everything was dormant it was still pretty, and I really liked the elevation. The hills we encountered from miles 5 thru 8 were challenging, though not insurmountable. There were a couple of tight turns that made things interesting, but overall it was a good course.
Aid Stations: While there were plenty, I was surprised to find that volunteers at them were not handing drinks to the participants. Instead, they just had cups of water and Gatorade sitting on the tables and you had to find what you were looking for. It wasn't an issue for me since I wasn't racing, but I could see where someone serious about their time would be peeved. Once I figured out what was going on I told Janie to continue on and started grabbing a cup of water for each of us.

Another thing about the aid stations I didn't like was the placement of a couple of them. At least two were on tight turns that created bottlenecks. At one of them I accidentally stepped in front of someone after picking up cups. I hate being that guy.
Finish Line: It seemed like the only normal thing going on at the finish line was the announcer calling out finisher's names. After Janie and I crossed we stood just beyond the timing mats trying to collect ourselves. All of a sudden I heard a young man asking us for our timing bracelets. Most races have the volunteers take them off for you, and for good reason. Even though I wasn't the mess I usually am after a race, I still had a difficult time removing them first from my leg and then hers'.

About 10-15 minutes later I realized we didn't have our finishers' medals. I looked around and noticed that nobody else did, either. We made our way back to the finish and a single woman was there handing them out as quickly as she could. It was kind of comical.
Awards Ceremony: I've never seen an awards ceremony begin early before, but that's exactly what they did. A few of us had gone back to the hotel to quickly shower up and change, and even though we returned a few minutes before 11am, they'd already started.

Also strange was that they didn't give out awards to overall winners or masters/senior-masters groups. Everything was strictly by age group.

Cool Down

Post-Race Glow!

Afterwards we all gathered inside the tent, trying to recover. Skip finished just a minute after Janie and me, and I really enjoyed hearing about how his first half marathon went. It was also great seeing his wife, Susan, and their three daughters, and thrilling to hear that Erin had won the 5k earlier!

As the rest of our "crew" filed into the tent it was fun hearing about their races. It turned out that Barbara won her age group and Amanda took second in hers! A great day all around!

So, what was the outcome of Janie's race? Well, she kicked ass. All the hard work she put in training the weeks leading up paid off with a PR, 3rd place overall female finish and she won her age group!

Goal Achieved!

I've had the opportunity to pace people at a few races now, and whenever I offer I'm amused at the surprised looks I get. I guess it's difficult to understand why anyone would "give up" their race to help someone else? Thing is, I think there are few things better than helping someone achieve their goals. If I'd run my own race I wouldn't have this shared experience with Janie. I wouldn't have been there in the early miles to chat and see how effortlessly they went by for her. I would have missed seeing how she dealt with all the challenges the course threw at her. And witnessing her dig deep the last couple of miles and finish strong never would have happened. Racing for myself is fun, challenging and sometimes rewarding, but it can pale in comparison to seeing someone else realize their goals.

Edit: Roxy's comment below made me realize that in my haste to wrap this report up I neglected to make clear how much I enjoyed the event. The few shortcomings I outlined above didn't detract from a great experience overall, and I'd recommend this race to anyone looking for a challenging, fun half marathon.

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For another perspective on this race check out this great review by Scott Sarisky. And as soon as Amanda gets around to posting her report I'll add a link to it --> here!

Rocket City Marathon Race Report

2011-12-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

This weekend I ran in my target race for this season, the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL. Heading into it with a PR of 3:32:10, my goal was to qualify for Boston with a time of 3:15:00, the new standard for the 40-44 male age group. I knew I had little to no chance of accomplishing that, but I'll get to that later.

Preparation

After following Hal Higdon's Advanced-II training schedule for previous marathons, this time I decided to try Pete Pfitzinger's 55 miles per week, 18-week schedule. Even though I felt adequately prepared for my other races, I wanted to change things up this cycle to see if I really was getting the most out of my training. In the end I'm not sure I felt any better on race day than I did previous ones, but that might be because I've grown more accustom to the training load. Anyway, I did prefer Pete's approach much more than Hal's, and if you're looking for an excellent comparison of the two look no further than Greg Strosaker's Marathon Training Plan Throwdown – Higdon versus Pfitzinger.

Applying Lessons Learned

In my previous attempts to qualify for Boston I ran into dehydration roadblocks. In my first marathon I had severe cramping starting at mile 19. I thought it was because I hadn't hydrated enough, so for my second race I focused on taking in more water and Gatorade. While that event went better than the first, I still cramped in the later miles and had to slow down a lot to keep my legs from seizing up. Frustrated, I researched the problem extensively and found it may have been more attributable to electrolyte depletion. As someone who sweats profusely during a race, my body was losing the nutrients needed to tell the water I was drinking where to go. With this knowledge I started experimenting with Succeed S!Caps, hoping they were the panacea.

Trying New Things

A few weeks into my training I visited PT Solutions and took a VO2max test. I did so to learn more about my fitness level and because I wanted to properly tailor my workouts, which were prescribed in relation to my maximal heart rate or heart rate reserve. I came away from it with a wealth of new information, some of which I wasn't prepared to receive. The good news was that I was in great shape and now had solid data to base my workouts on. The bad news was that science said my heart wasn't efficient enough to achieve my goal. I have to admit, reading those words planted a seed of doubt in my mind that I've never had to deal with before. Still, I persevered and executed my workouts the best I could. Although my VO2max could be increased through proper training, it was too late to do so this cycle.

Day Before The Race

Amanda, Dick Beardsley and Me

I drove up to Huntsville Friday afternoon, checked into my hotel and then walked across the street to join a running group for tour of the downtown historical sights. As I approached the host hotel I looked up to see Amanda aiming her camera at me. We were chatting for a few minutes when I noticed a man come out of the building that looked familiar. Someone I knew was supposed to be at the event. Under the guise of looking for the running group, I approached and then asked if he was who I thought he was. It turned out I was right and he was Dick Beardsley! He was very accommodating and friendly, and spent a few minutes talking with me and Amanda. We even got Amanda's husband, Tim, to snap a photo of us before he headed out for his run. Very cool!

After the stop-and-go historical tour I did a couple extra miles with striders and then cleaned up for the pasta dinner. The meal was typical and I enjoyed the company of James C., his wife, Penny, and Keith K. The best part of the evening however, was the guest speaker - Dick Beardsley, of course. :) He began with a 10-minute highlight video of the 1982 "Duel In The Sun" Boston Marathon, and then delivered a moving talk about how he got into running, the many obstacles he's overcome and what he's up to now with the Dick Beardsley Foundation. Since he was signing autographs after, I walked back to my room, retrieved my copy of the book Duel In The Sun, and then got in line. It turned out out I was the last person of the night, so I had the privilege of talking with him for about 15-20 minutes while he packed up for the night. It was a great experience and I was grateful he signed my book with a quote from his speech I found particularly inspirational:

"When you wake in the morning have a smile on your face, enthusiasm in your voice, joy in your heart and faith in your soul."

Race Day

Pre-Race Posterity Photo

One of the reasons I chose this race was because it's held in December and would be cooler than a November event. Well, the temperature was near perfect, but a stiff head wind was expected to be a challenge once we began the trip north at the turn. I wasn't looking forward to this, but lacking the superpowers necessary to change the weather accepted it as part of the deal.

After a brief warm-up just prior to the start I found Barbara, Amanda, James and Kaitlin in the crowd and wished them good luck. I then made my way towards the front, shed a layer I realized wasn't necessary and handed it off to my super awesome good friend/cheerleader/motivator/believer/attendant, Hilary. WOOT! Finally, I sidled up to the 3:15 pace group.

The first 16 miles of the race went very well. Adrenaline got me through the first couple of uncomfortable miles, but after that I loosened up and everything felt great. The Nike Pace Team leader, David O'Keefe, seemed to settle and surge some, but overall he did a great job of keeping us at an average 7:23/mile pace. I preserved my energy by talking very little and focusing on form, and made sure to hydrate and take my S! Caps on schedule.

It was near the 17-mile mark that I started to run out of steam. I wasn't cramping this time, but it became harder to maintain pace and I slowly watched the group pull away from me. Was it miles 15 and 16, the first ones running into the wind? Or could it have been the barely perceptible 1% climb over that same distance? I doubt it. In the end I think science prevailed and my heart just couldn't keep up with the demands. To paraphrase something Quinn Millington of PT Solutions once told me, heart rate increases over distance due to a decrease in fluid levels. Even though we take in fluids, it's difficult to maintain that base as we're racing. As fluid levels drop the heart pumps faster because there's is less blood to pump. And unfortunately, our hearts can sustain these demands for only so long. For me it appears I found that threshold just a tiny bit short of 26.2 miles.

The rest of the race was challenging, but at least I wasn't cramping like I did in previous marathons. I did get charlie horses twice in my hamstrings, but each time was able to quickly stretch them out and push on. My spirits were lifted a couple of times when I encountered Duane, Tim and Hilary on the course cheering me on, and goal bargaining kept me moving towards the finish. Do any of you do this? Once I realized I wouldn't make 3:15 I used last year's qualifying time of 3:20 as my carrot. Next I aimed for my future 45-49 age group time of 3:25. Finally, I resorted to shooting for a sub-3:30 and a PR. When it was all said and done, I finished in 3:27:09, which was good enough for 136/1150 overall and 29/146 in my age group.

After I crossed the finish line I was shepherded down the chute, given a space blanket, finishers cap and medal, and then taken inside by Hilary. In my post-race stupor she guided me to the food and then was kind enough to run to my car and retrieve a bottle of Nesquik. While she was gone I steadied myself against the wall, trying to force down some food. A woman to my right was near a cooler of water bottles, so I asked if she'd pass me one. She did, but by that point my hands were full and I just stared at it trying to figure out how to open it. Bending down and setting some things on the floor was out of the question, as were any other logistics requiring brain power. Lucky for me, a race volunteer had been watching me gaze at the bottle from across the room and rushed over to save the day. Small victories!

The worst part of the day began about 20 minutes after I finished. As I was sitting in the banquet room trying to refuel I got the dehydration shakes. I wasn't cold, but was trembling uncontrollably and got sick at one point. If I hadn't gone through the same thing after previous races I'd have sought medical attention. As it was, I kept forcing myself to drink more water until I finally stabilized about 45 minutes later. It amazes me that this occurred considering how careful I was about taking in water during the race. At many aid stations I was even taking in two cups of water.

Crisis averted, I showered up and joined Amanda, Tim, Duane, James and Kaitlin for a post-race celebration at Sam & Greg's Pizzeria downtown. Not only did we have a great time rehashing the day's events, but the pizza was great, too. I recommend you check them out if you're looking for a quaint, local alternative to the pizza chains.

Race Review

I thought this race was extremely well executed and would recommend it to anyone that hasn't tried it yet.

Highlights:

Packet pick-up was efficient and the expo, though small, was adequate.
The pasta dinner was decent, consisting of the usual fare.
The guest speaker was outstanding.
The start of the race was well organized and took place on time.
Aid stations were spaced perfectly. Except in the late miles, where they seemed to be farther apart. Oh, wait. Yeah, I guess I was running a lot slower by that point. :p
Crowd support was good for a small race of 1500 registered runners.
The charcoal grey race shirt for men is pretty nice and I like the finishers' hat, too.
The finishers' medal is attractive.
The volunteer support was well coordinated and abundant.
The post-race food and facilities were excellent.

Lowlights:

Apparently, the white version of the race shirt for women is a little too thin and transparent for their liking.
The course itself isn't all that scenic. It ran mostly through neighborhoods, and there was a 4-mile stretch along Baily Cove Rd that many didn't care for.

Aftermath

I said going into this race that it would probably be my last marathon for a while. The long training schedules I've been following the past year and half have have worn on me, and I'm ready to move on to other things. I plan on putting in roughly the same amount of miles, but with less structure. I'll probably be sacrificing faster race times, but I really don't care. On the horizon are a couple of half marathons, and in March I'm going to attempt my first 50-miler. At the 26-mile mark yesterday the thought of that was absurd, but already it's starting to sound like a good idea again.

Run Happy!

Marathon Training Begins. Again.

2011-08-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

This week marks the first of my 18-week training plan for the Rocket City Marathon on December 10th, and I wanted to jot down a few things for posterity and future reflection.

Training Plan

After some failed attempts at qualifying for Boston last year I've decided to stray from my Hal Higdon comfort zone and, at the urging of other, faster runners, give Pete Pfitzinger at try. No, I don't feel like Hal let me down - his Advanced II plan was challenging and took my fitness to a level I'd never seen before. But after a couple of cycles it became routine and I felt like I'd plateaued.

Last weekend I spent a considerable amount of time reviewing Advanced Marathoning, soaking in Pfitzy's philosophies, figuring paces and preparing my calendar. I really llike the rounded approach to training the book covers. It wasn't just a collection of training plans, but addressed in depth the elements of training, nutrition and hydration, and balancing training and recovery. It's that last part - balancing training and recovery - that I feel sets his plan apart from Hal's. I'm used to running 6-7 days per week, but that won't be the case under Pfitz. Each week includes two rest or cross-training days, and my expectation is to do one of each depending on how I'm feeling.

Without going into too much depth, here are a couple of things I've taken notice of:

Unlike Hal Higdon's plans, there are no training days dedicated solely to intervals or hills. Instead, speed work is integrated into general aerobic runs in the form of 100m strides or longer intervals within VO2max runs. I like this very much.
There's a time to push the limits and a time to recover. Sure, Hal did this too, but it feels more pronounced in this plan. The book stresses the importance of the hard/easy principle - one or more hard days followed by one or more easy days.
Each type of run in under Pfitz' plan is discussed in precise relationship to pace or heart rate. Currently I'm trying to execute each workout according to pace; however, I hope to switch over to heart rate once I get my VO2max tested at PT Solutions in Montgomery. I'm just waiting on the machine to return from Atlanta.

Injury Challenges

There are both good and bad developments on this front. The strained adductor I struggled with last training cycle is almost 100% healed. I can feel it a little on some hard weight training days, but diligent stretching has done wonders. Another minor issue I recently dealt with that seems to have faded away is some discomfort in my left knee. It never really bothered me while running, but there was a noticeable pain when I tried to stretch my hamstring. This, too, has subsided over the past few weeks.

What's ugly is what I believe to be plantar fasciitis of my right foot. I'm not exactly sure what brought it on, but I have a lot of discomfort in my arch just forward of my heel. Mostly it aches throughout the day, but every so often when I least expect it there's a searing flash of pain that's enough to make me stop whatever it is I'm doing and grit my teeth. I've been trying everything under the sun to help it along, but so far no luck. Icing, footwear with more support, rolling it on an iced bottle, wearing a night splint to keep it stretched out, icing, Ibuprofen and, of course, more icing are part of my routine now. What's that you say? Oh, yes, I've tried that, too. The only thing I haven't done is see an actual doctor. A podiatrist friend said I could run through the injury, assuming what I had was PF. I've choosen to believe him. Everything I've read says this will be with me 6-8 months, so I figure my only choice is to manage it as best I can.

Equipment

The only major change in equipment this training cycle is footwear. Last year this time I was running in nothing but minimalist shoes, like the Saucony Kinvara and Saucony Fastwitch. I don't know what, if any, affect they had on my foot issue, but right now they're on the shelf along with some new Newton Gravity trainers in favor of shoes with more support. I've been running in some old favorites, Adidas AdiZero Mana, and recently added the Mizuno Elixir 6 performance stability trainers to the rotation. The latter, with ample arch support, seem to be helping so far.

Nutrition

My downfall at previous marathons was leg cramping. It was so severe I could barely walk, let alone run. I tried to combat it with better hydration, but sucking down Gatorade at aid stations just prolonged the cramping a little and disagreed with my stomach. Since then I've done some research and believe my problem to be insufficient electrolyte replacement, primarily in the form of sodium. I'm a heavy sweater, and without it my body doesn't know what to do with all the water in my stomach. Enter Succeed S! Caps, which I've been using with good results the past few months and look forward to testing over the coming weeks.

So, that's it for now. With any luck I'll complete this training cycle without incident and lasso the elusive BQ I've been trying to catch. That said, at present I'm thinking this may be my only marathon this season. If I don't qualify for Boston I may shelve the pursuit until the next age bracket. Marathon training consumes too much of my life and I want the flexibility to enter more half marathons and maybe even take on an ultra. Everything's up in the air right now, though.

Run For The Heroes - Run Across Georgia Report

2011-06-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

This past Memorial Day weekend I joined a seven other runners and three of the best support crew members a relay team could ask for in the Run For The Heroes - Run Across Georgia. Together we made our way from Columbus to Savannah, pushing our physical and mental limits in the name of raising awareness and funds for the House of Heroes.

After most races of significance I'll post an after report talking about the event itself, how I fared and lessons I took away from it. But this wasn't most races. Unlike others, I was able to post my progress along the way on dailymile (legs:1/2/3/4/5/6) and get feedback from family and friends. By the time it was over I felt like I'd worn out my welcome, and figured there was no point in rehashing it all over again in my blog. So, instead of doing that I'm going to attempt to recall some of the highlights instead.

Eat like a Kenyan, Run like a Kenyan?

Race weekend began for me late Friday afternoon when I got to Columbus. Andy and his wife, Kellye, invited me to stay the night at their house, so I took them up on the offer. I arrived around 5:30 and after unpacking a couple of things Andy and I drove over to our team captain Dorothy's house for dinner. A native of Kenya, Dorothy had offered to cook us a meal of ugali, curried beef stew and cabbage. When it was ready she instructed us to wash our hands, a motherly nudge which sounded a little odd coming from someone I didn't know very well. A few minutes later the reason became apparent - we were expected to eat with our hands like a Kenyan! Famished, I happily dug in and made short work of the meal and even went back for seconds. It was excellent, and secretly I hoped it would make me run like a Kenyan over the weekend.

The Miracle Runners

The alarm went off at 4am Saturday after a fitful night of little sleep. We got to the race start line at the National Infantry Museum at 5:15am and I was introduced to Mike and Ashley, teammates I had yet to meet. There was a lot of commotion and a last-minute briefing to attend to, so we didn't get to talk. There was a short prayer, an incredible a capella rendition of The Star Spangled Banner by the husband of a racer, and lots of photos taken. Before I knew it it was 6am and time for the race to begin. Andy, our leg # 1 racer, was visibly nervous as he toed the line, and within a few minutes he and runners from eight other teams took off. The hunt was on to catch seven other teams that had departed earlier at 4am!

This is the point of the report where it gets tricky. If I attempted to recount the next 34 hours 25 minutes of our race this would be the longest post in history. There's just too much, so here are some of the things that stand out in my memory.

Me and Mike Buteau

I had the good fortune to finally meet Mike Buteau in person, a guy I knew through dailymile. I easily recognized him at transition # 3 from his picture and introduced myself. He proved to be every bit the engaging personality and crazy fast runner I'd expected, and it was great seeing him throughout and after the race. I hope we're able to run into each other again in the future.

The hills in west Georgia were long, relentless and humbling. I think our # 4 racer, Chelsea, drew the worst legs, but everyone got a taste of them. Looking back at my GPS data I see they ranged in grade from 2% to 4%. That might not sound like much until you realize each one seemed to be a half mile to a mile long, and they kept coming one after another.

At the Red Hill Baptist Church we had our first opportunity to sit and talk with another team. We met Hannah, Stephanie and Beth from the Sweaty Sistas and got to know each other while swatting away the gnats. Speaking of which, they, like the hills, were relentless. The only place to escape them was under a curtain that had been sprayed with DEET.

Transition # 15 at Elko Boggin was where I fell in love with a lab retriever. She was the friendliest, most gentle dog I've ever come across. She came when called, ate up the attention and appeared to have a perpetual smile on her face. If it weren't for the collar around her neck I might have coaxed her into the van.

Me at the end of leg # 5

My most challenging and rewarding leg was # 5 from the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church in Collins to the United House of Prayer in Bellville. After unsuccessfully attempting to locate a bathroom I had to hustle to the transition point because Chelsea was within sight. She handed off to me and I saw the runner from Team Sua Sponte in the distance, maybe a half mile ahead of me. It didn't take but a few steps before I experienced a sharp, stabbing pain in my abdomen. It hurt so much I winced and was afraid I'd have to stop and walk. I slowed my pace to about a 9-min/mile and breathed in as deeply as I could, hoping it would go away. I did this over and over the first mile and a half, watching the other runner pad his lead. Eventually the sharp pain was replaced with an ache and I was able to speed up. I hadn't had the opportunity to chase anyone down on the other legs, so I knew I needed to take advantage. I slowly reeled him in over the next few miles and finally passed him at the 5-mile mark. After a quick fist bump of respect I pulled away and put a few minutes between us over the last couple of miles. I later learned from one of his teammates that not only was he an Army Ranger, but one of their best. And if you're wondering, Sua Sponte is the Ranger motto. It means "Of Their Own Accord" in Latin.

I had just finished my final leg at the Chevron in Poole and was standing by the van trying to cool down. An older model car pulled up and a woman got out. She approached me and Ashley and asked if we were running for the House of Heroes. I was still in a bit of a fog, but replied that, yes, we were. She then handed me a $10 bill and thanked me for what we were doing. I quickly asked her name, and she said it was Sharlene. She went on to tell us that her brother-in-law was a disabled veteran and that he and her sister had been helped by the organization. For this encounter to occur at the end of my last run really reinforced what we were there for. I frequently thought of the vets we were helping throughout the race, but seeing Sharlene look me in the eye and express her gratitude like that resonated with me.

The morning after the race Tim and I got a chance to sit and have coffee with John Teeples and his wife, Melissa. Not only did he run the entire 260 miles across Georgia, but he's the organizer of the race and champion for the House of Heroes. It was a pleasure to speak with him and hear about trek across the state. I was taken by how gentle a man he was. Or maybe he was just really, really tired.

To wrap this up I'd like to say I truly enjoyed getting to know all of my teammates and our support crew. Even though I was the outsider of the group I never felt like one. I started writing things about each of them that stood out, but quickly realized I would be adding a couple of pages to this post. Instead I'll just say I was impressed with each and every one of them. Going into this thing you know you're going to run the gamut of emotions, but witnessing it happen and how pure exhaustion reveals true character was something to behold. Were there trying moments? Sure, but I don't believe for a minute anyone forgot why we were there and how much we depended on one another. It was a privilege to be included in this group, and I'm grateful I had the opportunity.

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One last thing. If you ever decide to participate in a long-distance relay race like this here are a couple of tips.

Bring along The Stick. If you don't own one, get one. It helps squeeze out the lactic acid buildup in your muscles and speeds recovery. I recommend the 20" Marathon Stick for runners.
If it's expected to be hot (or even not) make sure you have a way to replace electrolyte loss. I'm a fan of Succeed! S! Caps, and members of my team appreciated them.
Again, if it's hot you absolutely must have sponges soaked in freezing water on hand to pass out every mile.
I brought a towel for each leg of my race, which wasn't necessary. Everyone gets so gross that it doesn't take long for a few towels to be shared over and over again.
If you're going to use water coolers that don't have screw-on tops, make sure the driver knows about them. :)
Yes, bring more than one pair of shoes and socks. And at least a couple of extra shirts/singlets to change into.
Car chargers with multiple USB ports are good for powering multiple phones at once.

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And here are a couple of more photos from the race. I'll post others as they become available.

Andy handing off to Tim

Ashley

Joanne

Tim

Sports Watch Idea

2011-05-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

You just finished your race and are exhausted. Staggering to the refreshments table, you grab a bottle of water and a banana in hopes they will speed along your quest to become coherent again. About the time the time your world stops spinning, a friend approaches and asks how you did. You glance down at your watch and realize - dang! - you forgot to press the stop button!

Yes, this is me at the
end of my first half mary.

It was your first half marathon. You trained for weeks, had a great race and are now anxiously waiting for the photos to be posted. The notification e-mail finally hits your inbox and you click through to see yourself in that moment of glory - the finish line photo. You scan the tiny, thumbnail images, see the one with the banner stretched over your head and click to enlarge it. The image that pops up on your screen is a huge disappointment, as you realize your photo was snapped at the precise moment you looked down to turn off your watch. Welcome to the club, we'll have you fitted for a jacket.

As I crossed the finish line timing mat at the Jubilee CityFest 8k yesterday an idea popped in my head that sports watch manufacturers might consider: an automatic stop feature. Though I'm no electronics engineer, it doesn't seem it would be difficult to integrate this into their products if they worked with chip timing system manufacturers. These systems basically consist of a passive chip you wear and a device that activates it. The piece that activates the chip, which is usually a mat you run over at the finish line, does so by emitting a radio frequency. If the watch could detect this signal it could be used to stop the timer, right?

Some chip system makers put
their transponders in arches or towers.

It sounds simple in theory, but I realize some kinks would need to be worked out. For instance, what about devices scattered about the course to record timing splits? Obviously, they would have to operate on a different frequency, so as not to prematurely stop the watch. But even this presents an opportunity! What if your watch could record accurate, certified splits instead of relying on inexact GPS coordinates?

What do you think? Am I off my rocker or have I come up with the next big thing in sports watch technology? I have to think a bigger brain has already thought of the idea. Can you think of other ways to achieve this or expand on the idea? Sound off in the comments.

Run For The Heroes - Run Across Georgia

2011-05-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

A few months ago when my friend Andy asked if I'd be interested in joining a relay team for a run across Georgia I jumped at the chance. I didn't know anything about it, other than it started in Columbus and ended in Savannah, but a long-distance event like this was something I'd been wanting to do. A few clicks later I'd learned more about the race and the nonprofit organization we'd be raising funds for, House of Heroes.

Starting at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 28th, our team, the Miracle Runners, will be running some 260 miles in the Run For The Heroes - Run Across Georgia. Joined by our support team we will be racing around the clock, hoping to beat the 40-hour cutoff time and 15 other teams (total: 9 military, 7 civilian).

I've had a few people ask me how this relay works, so here are the details. Each of us will run 6 relay segments in a sequential rotating order. The length of each segment ranges anywhere from 3 to 8 miles, and we'll all put in a minimum of 30 miles apiece. If someone gets hurt and has to drop out all other runners are moved up a slot and absorb that person's miles over the remainder of the race.

Now, to the important stuff. Why are we racing? The answer is to promote and raise funds for the House of Heroes. It's a charitable organization that assists disabled veterans and their spouses by performing household repairs, maintenance and improvements and no cost to them. They do everything from painting and cleaning to installing access ramps and repairing basic appliances. Considering the service these vets have given to our country, I'd say what we're doing is a very small way of showing our appreciation.

So, the eight of us are are doing our part, but what about you? What can you do to show your appreciation for those that have sacrificed for your freedom? All we ask is that you make a donation to the House of Heroes. You can do so in the name of our team by one of the following methods:

1. Make a donation online. Click the button below to be taken to PayPal where you can make a secure contribution. In the memo section please note our team name, Miracle Runners, so that accurate records of donations can be kept.

2. Print and mail in a donation form. There's no place for it on the form, but again, please note our team name somewhere on the page.

With the important stuff out of the way, on to the fun stuff. Want to see the Miracle Runners in action? There are a couple of ways you can follow us as we make our way from the National Infantry Museum in Columbus to Emmett Park in Savannah. You can track us online by visiting this page where the map below will be constantly updated with our progress. You can also view the map separately in your browser by clicking on this link, or even on your mobile device with this one.

Another way to track our progress is to join us on Facebook. We'll be posting updates and photos along the way!

We're looking forward to this challenge and hope that you'll take an interest of your own. Thanks for your support, no matter what form it comes in!

Your Miracle Runners are:

- Dorothy Cheruiyot, Captain
- Ashley Arnold
- Chelsea Buttram
- Joanne English
- Timmy English
- Mike Gerber
- Andy Sparks
- Drew Trachy

If you have any questions for the team please post them in the comments or on our Facebook page. We'll respond as quickly as possible.

Jesse Owens Memorial Park

2011-04-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

Ever since I became a more serious runner (all things relative, people) I've taken an interest in the sport and our community as a whole. I'll never be one to spout significant names, dates and times off the cuff, but I do enjoy learning about the history of running and the present day ongoings. The legend of Phidippides, Steve Prefontaine in Munich, the Duel in the Sun, the Wanamaker Mile - these are some of the things I've studied up on that provide a foundation for what I do, as well as inspiration to do more. So, when on a recent road trip I had the opportunity to visit the Jesse Owens Memorial Park in Oakville, AL, I knew I had to make time.

Plaque at the base of
the replica 1936 Olympic
torch. Click to enlarge.

Before going I did some homework by reading over the museum's web site. Chock full of information, I found it to be an excellent resource. Like most people, I knew Jesse Owens was one of our country's greatest Olympians. I was also aware he had won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics and consequently embarrassed Adolph Hiltler. But but beyond this I was pretty ignorant. After only a few minutes on the site I found out about his humble upbringing and how blessed he was to survive the first six years of his life. I also learned how dominant an athlete he was in college. With so much information available online I resolved to find something during my visit that could only be obtained by going there.

I turned into the park and drove past the small visitor's center up a long drive to the museum. As I approached the doors I was disappointed to see it was closed. Though the posted hours suggested it should have been open a couple of hours by then, the lights were out and the doors were locked. I figured I would at least make the best of things and look around the exterior, but before I could get around the corner a car pulled up and a woman got out. She welcomed me to the museum and then proceeded to open it up just for me. Tony, I quickly learned, was a helpful and friendly tour guide extraordinaire, answering any question I could put to her and volunteering information not readily or otherwise available through the displays.

Replica Owens' family home.

After she turned on all the lights I was invited in and able to walk around the museum. The first thing I found that surprised me was that Jesse seemed to reach his athletic stride early in life. He was still in high school in 1933 when he tied the world record for the 100-yard dash in 9.4 seconds. Two years later at Ohio State University the Buckeye Bullet, as he was known, accomplished the exact same feat at the Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I wondered if he ran faster in the Olympics, but learned that distance wasn't raced internationally. Instead, he competed in the 100-meter sprint, making it difficult to draw comparisons.

As I continued my tour I took in some of the displays which contained various memorabilia. There were replicas of the Adidas track shoes and outfit he wore at the Olympics, as well as donated items, such as daily programs and pins. I noted there weren't any of the medals he earned on display, and asked Tony if I'd missed them. "No," she said. "They were stolen. Turned up missing in 1962." How disappointing.

Long Jump Pit

After watching a couple of short films I asked Tony if I could exit through the side doors to the attractions outside. Rather than turn me loose she unlocked the doors and proceeded to show me around, offering up tidbits of information you can only obtain in person. She took me out to the replica of the Owens' home, which I could hardly believe housed 12 people. We also went by the long jump pit (she'd never seen anyone jump farther than 16') and the replica Olympic torch, which is lit only on special occasions. The final stop was the centerpiece of the park, an inspirational bronze statue that portrays Jesse breaking through the Olympic rings. A symbolic and fitting representation of the many barriers he broke during his lifetime.

Jesse Owens Bronze Statue

Before I left Tony imparted one last item of knowledge that surprised me a bit. This memorial park and museum, located in the small town where he lived until just the age of nine, is the only one of its kind. That there isn't a similar tribute in Cleveland, where in high school he got his track and field start and tied two world records, seems strange. And that there is no learning center at Ohio State University, where he won a record eight individual NCAA championships and broke three world records, I find baffling. So, if you want to see for yourself why Jesse Owens was and is one of the greatest athletes of all time, you're going to have to travel Alabama. It's worth the trip and I recommend it.

Centerpoint Half Marathon Recap

2011-03-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I wrote about some of the kids I coach at the local YMCA, and how they'd formed the relay team "Drew's Crew" to enter into the Centerpoint Half Marathon. Well, today was the day I got to run it alongside them, and they surpassed all my expectations.

Before I get to the relay I want to quickly touch on the race itself. As I've come to expect from races directed by Karen Barnard, it went off without a hitch. Everything from packet pick-up to the awards ceremony was well organized, and I didn't hear a complaint from a single participant. The start was timely, the water stops were well run and the course was well-marked and seemingly accurate. My compliments to Centerpoint Fellowship Church, the Prattville YMCA and all the volunteers that came together to make this happen.

"Drew's Crew" - Check Out Those T-Shirts!!!

The Setup

Now, let me state up front I was hoping The Crew could break 1:50. This was based on times turned in at recent 5k races in town, all of which fell into the 25-27 minute range. Knowing it was going to be a little warm and humid (It averaged 62°, 89%), I figured this was a goal within their reach. Anything beyond that would be icing on the cake.

Leg 1 - Madison B. (2.95 miles, 7:43/mi average pace)

Leg 1 - Madison

The oldest of The Crew, Madison took the first leg with me and set the bar extremely high for the others. We managed to keep the adrenaline in check the first mile and completed it in a solid 7:57. The second mile started out with a trip down and up the Greystone Gully, a short but steep hill by the post office. I thought this might slow her down some, but I was wrong. She attacked it, cruised over the top and kept on going strong. We wound up through Jasmine and finished mile two in 7:41. She started to wear down on her last mile, but your wouldn't know it by the 7:27 pace she turned in. An outstanding leg all around!

Leg 2 - Lauren C. (3.00 miles, 8:17/mi average pace)

Leg 2 - Lauren

Lauren must have sensed how fast Madison was running, because she picked up right where she left off. We took off around the corner and she, too, attacked the same hill Madison had decimated a few minutes earlier. She stayed with me stride for stride all the way to the top, and then we cruised for a minute to catch our breath. Mile one for her was a blazing 7:42 pace! We continued down Silver Hills Drive and around Silver Creek Circle, where our pace started to even out a little. The sun was rising and it was warming up quick, but that didn't stop her from finishing the second mile in 8:21. With the heat and the hills starting to take their toll, Lauren demonstrated a lot of mental toughness her last mile. When I reminded her that she could do anything for 8 minutes she responded with "that's what my mother always says!" Well, it must be true, because she persevered and kept her team well ahead of the goal with an 8:48 final mile.

Leg 3 - Matt O. (2.93 miles, 8:16/mi average pace)

Leg 3 - Matt

Lauren handed off the baton to Matt and we started his leg running past the start/finish line and a lot of crowd support. It was immediately clear to me that he was feeling strong, and he proved that with an 8:13 first mile. We chatted quite a bit at first, but by the midpoint of his leg we had to tackle the Greystone Gully and things got a little quieter. He pushed up it like it wasn't even there and finished mile two in 8:10! The last mile had a slight, uphill grade to it, and Matt did a great job maintaining focus. He informed me at about his 2.5-mile mark that he wouldn't be able to kick at the end, but I knew better. As we turned onto High Point Ridge there was a short downhill section that gave him just enough of a breather for a sprint to our last relay station. Final mile, 8:25.

Leg 4 - Mackenzie B. (4.07 miles, 8:23/mi average pace)

Leg 4 - Mackenzie

Entrusted by her team to tackle the longest leg of the race, Mackenzie delivered the goods. She was determined to catch the fire fighter relay team ahead of us, and that goal pushed her through to an 8:03 first mile. Just like her teammates, she did a great job climbing the steep side of the Greystone Gully and barely skipped a beat after we crested it. Mile 2, 8:24. By this point it had warmed up to 65° and 91% humidity, and that made for a really tough third mile. We rounded Silver Creek Circle and she finished it in 8:45. For her fourth and final mile was almost a straight shot to the finish. Just as I expected, the cheers of her awaiting teammates provided that extra bit of energy to dig deep and post an 8:18 negative split!

The Finish

Does It Get Any Better Than This?

At the corner of Autumn Road and Tara Drive Drew's Crew came together to run the last third of a mile to the finish line. Watching the four of them laugh, cheer each other on and finish the relay as a team was the highlight of my day, and I couldn't be prouder of their effort. They all ran great individual races, pulled for each other in a way I've only seen swimmers do, and didn't lose sight of what they were there for - to have fun. In the end they ran almost 5 minutes faster than I'd expected, finishing in 1:45:50 (unofficial). Not surprisingly, this earned them first place in the youth relay division!

Honorable Mentions

Caleb's First Half Mary!

As if I this race wasn't already exciting enough, there were some other performances by my ~~swimmers~~ runners that I have to mention. First and foremost, Caleb M. ran and completed his first half marathon. I'm not sure what his finishing time was, but it's beside the point. A 13-year-old completing a half mary because he wants to is very impressive in my book. Way to go, Caleb!

Another shout out goes to Harrison A., who took second place for his age division in the 5k! Woot!

And Savannah M. and Madison C. both looked great in the one-mile event! Nice job, girls!

Thank You

Finally, I want to thank all the parents and coaches that made this relay possible. I really appreciate the all the support they've give both to me and their kids. If it weren't for them none of this could have happened.

Edit: A huge thanks also to all the volunteers along the course that generously shared thousands of photos they took. All of their action shots and many more can be found here.

Snickers Marathon Recap

2011-03-05T17:56:00.000-08:00

"This circumstance is simply a fact and must
be accepted or dealt with as it exists."
-- Unknown

Today I tackled my second marathon. Like the first, the intent was to qualify for Boston. And like the first, I didn't.

The days leading up to the race I felt physically ok. I tapered as I was supposed to and was feeling rested. I drove to Albany, GA, and after hitting the expo and checking into my hotel I found a nearby neighborhood for an easy 2-miler to wake things up. Instead it was like a bad dream. The pain in my adductor, which has been with me for months now in one form or another, was pronounced. It screamed at me the first mile and groaned the second. I tried not to get too concerned about it.

Mentally I was about 50/50. Personal issues throughout the week weighed on my mind. I had a difficult time concentrating no matter the task, up to and including the race. Aside from that though, I was confident I'd trained as best I could and confident in my plan. After going out a little too fast and experiencing servere cramps at my first marathon I decided to scale back my 3:15 goal and stick with the 3:20 pacer, Chris from Sara's Pacers.

I got maybe 3-4 hours sleep the night before the race and arrived about an hour before the start. I ran into Duane, and we did a very short jog to loosen up. The cannon blast was fast approaching, so I met up with Chris the pacer and then used the few minutes remaining to wish Duane and Kym well. I was also able to meet Sarita and talk to her very briefly before we got started.

The race itself? Well, it went pretty much according to plan at first. I was determined not to get dehydrated this time, so I made extra certain to hit every water stop. I drank water at most and sometimes took a chance on the Gatorade. I was not going to experience the same cramps that forced me to walk six miles at Chickamauga. The predictable side effect of this was feeling bloated and having to push through occasional stomach cramps. If that's the price, I figured, I can deal with that.

The first half went very well. The adductor was even behaving itself. Our first two miles were a little faster than the 7:45/mi. pace Chris committed us to before the race, but not enough to bother me. By mile 3 we settled into the 7:38/mi. groove and everyone was chatty. I ran a lot of the miles with Catie from Nashville and Duncan from Albany, and things were looking pretty good. As a group we hit the 13.1 mark in exact 1:40:01, which was about as perfect as you could hope for.

At the 14-mile mark I noticed that running all of a sudden felt like work. Still, I stayed with the group and continued to hydrate and suck down PowerBar Gels. At mile 16, however, I felt the familiar twinge of an oncoming cramp in my foot. I was still feeling hydrated (no cotton mouth) so I decided to pull back temporarily in hopes it would pass. It did, and I hung on about 100m behind the pack for another couple miles. By mile 18 the twinges were coming back, this time in my hamstrings. They were my downfall at Chickamauga and I cursed under my breath. I slowed more, finished off my gel and drank as much as I could at the aide stations. How could this be happening again? I'm hydrated and have been replenishing electrolytes!

The rest of the race I focused on not stopping to walk. That's all I wanted to do. I knew 3:20 was gone, and decided to make the best of it. I slowed when I felt a twinge and picked it back up again when it subsided. I had to stop for 5-10 seconds a couple of times to stretch some, but managed to run the rest of the way in.

Duane was waiting for me at the finish and kindly guided me towards water and food. I downed a bottle of water, a banana and a Snickers Marathon bar. I was hurting much more than I did at Chick, and couldn't wait to leave. It took a few tries to get into my car because of cramping, but finally I was on my way. About halfway back to my hotel though I had to pull over, get out and stand. Everything was locking up on me. Even worse, I started shivering uncontrollably, a sign of dehydration. WTF? I guzzled another bottle of water and a liter of Gatorade. It took about 15 minutes for the rigor to let up.

What to say about this race? Well, the average temp was 59° and humidity 94%. Maybe that was my demise? I really don't know at this point. I'll reflect on it over the next few days and see if I can come up with something more helpful to learn from.

Friends have told me to revel in my marathon and be proud of my race. I guess I'm happy with a 13-minute PR, but honestly I don't care right now one way or the other. It just wasn't much fun. And the BQ? Don't care about that either. Maybe one day I'll make another go of it, but it's moved way down on my list of priorities. Right now I'm looking forward to running for me for me instead of following a training plan. Structure be damned. I just want to have some fun again.

50k - An Outsider's Perspective

2011-02-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

The Race to the Top of Alabama

I'd planned on writing a quick note on dailymile describing my spectating experience at the Mount Cheaha 50k. Maybe throw up a couple of pictures and call it a day. But after what I saw today I knew it warranted a full-blown blog post extravaganza.

I'd been tossing around the idea of driving up to Cheaha ever since I met up with Mark for a run this past Monday. I wasn't certain I'd be able to make it, so I didn't mention it to him or Andy, who I also knew would be racing. I had two motivations for wanting to go. First, both of them had gone out of their way to accommodate me in the past. Great guys that they are, I wanted to return the gesture by supporting them in their endeavor. Second, now that I'm not as terrified of the longer distances I wanted to see what all the ultra fuss was about.

Before I left I tried to figure out approximately when Mark and Andy might finish. I looked at last year's results and noticed the winner crossed the line in around four hours. I couldn't put much stock in that though, considering the second place finisher was over 35 minutes behind him. And scanning down the rest of the list of finishers didn't help either. It looked like every participant finished five minutes apart, with some taking over nine hours. Yikes! Nevertheless, I knew they were starting at 7:30am so I should get there no later than 12:00pm - 12:30pm if I was going to catch them on the course.

On my drive up to the Delta, AL I got a little romantic about the race. It's only 50k, right? That's what - about 4 miles longer than a marathon? Heck, I can do that. It's beautiful up here. Nice, rolling hills. Clear, blue sky. Moderate temps. Hey, maybe I could do this next year! It's like a baby ultra! Oh, how naive I was.

(Credit: CC Johnny Stiletto/Flickr)

I arrived a little before noon and made my way to the sixth and final aide station. Just as I got there a runner was coming in and I was informed he was the leader. Figuring the guys would be a while, I drove a little more than a mile down the course on a dirt road until I reached an intersection at about the 43k mark. I grabbed my binoculars and sat off to the side of the road looking down a very long hill. And waited.

As the trickle of runners slowly passed me I encouraged them as best I could. I noticed that aside from the lead 10-15 runners almost everyone was run-walking. Some would run until they got to the hill and then walk, while others walked on the flat and then tried to run up the hill. And almost all of them were alone. Every once in a while a couple would be running together, but that was the exception. This is one lonely event, I thought.

On the plus side, however, almost everyone was in good spirits. Many were hurting, but I could see that beacon of hope when I told them how close they were to the last aide station. I made a conscious effort not to tell them they were "almost there." Better to give them something specific to focus on rather than a cliché.

I sat there for almost three hours looking for numbers 184 and 60. People of all shapes and sizes kept coming, but none of them were Mark or Andy. And though I was anxiously awaiting their arrival, I didn't mind a bit. It was inspiring to see so many people persevering, and a lot of fun giving back to the community I've appreciated so many times when I've been the one racing.

Suddenly, a guy passed me that looked familiar. I took a chance and called out his name, and sure enough it was Mike! I jumped up and started walking with him to see how he was doing. I had no idea he was racing, so it was quite a surprise. He told me a little bit about how his race was going and filled me in on Mark and Andy's progress. He guessed how far back they might be and told me what they were wearing. After about a half mile I wished him luck and headed back to the intersection.

Around 20 minutes later I spied Mark's orange shirt and hollered at him as loud as I could. I began walking with him and noticed he was in obvious pain. Come to find out he was cramping from dehydration. Despite this he was walking at a pretty fast clip, and in the time I spent with him he passed a few others. I left him with an older gentleman he'd been trading leads with throughout the race and headed back for Andy.

It was only couple of minutes after I got back to the intersection when I saw Andy and his red Alabama shirt. And he was the first person I'd seen in over an hour that was actually running up the hill. Even though his feet were giving him trouble I could tell he was running strong, and he never once broke stride. I told him at the rate he was going he'd catch up to Mark, and sure enough he eventually did.

I ran back to my car and made my way to the top of the mountain. Alabama's highest point at 2,407'. As soon as I got there I saw Mike coming towards the finish line! I didn't have time to pull out my phone to take a photo, so I gave him a high five instead. Dang!

Andy Making it Look Easy. And Fun!

I figured Andy or Mark would be along in about a half hour, so I found a place in the shade to wait. I'd been there a few minutes when a couple came up to me and the gentleman asked me where I was from. I told him Prattville, but that I was actually there waiting for one friend from Tuscaloosa and another from Columbus, GA. That's funny, he said. His son was from Columbus and was running with a fellow from Tuscaloosa! Very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Sparks!

Eventually Andy came into sight, looking strong and still running at the same steady pace as when I last saw him. This time I was ready to snap a picture! His parents followed him up the last hill to the chute as I continued to wait for Mark.

Mark Finding a Way to Get it Done!

A few more minutes passed by and Andy made his way back down to me. He said he wasn't sure Mark was going to be able to make it, and told me how he'd come across him sitting down on Blue Hell, a half-mile climb of 900' straight up. His legs had cramped so badly that he could no longer walk, even after Andy tried massaging the lactic acid out of them. We were discussing what his options might be when I saw him rounding the last corner. Woot! Knowing he was almost home he broke into a slog and crossed the line strong!

Thanks to these guys and the other participants of the Cheaha 50k I learned a lot today. First and foremost is that there's no such thing as an easy ultra. Especially when climbing to the top of Alabama on very technical terrain. If I ever decide to run one of these it will first have to be on a more modest course. I also learned that the ultra crowd is a unique breed. Maybe I haven't "watched" enough races of shorter distances, but this group appeared to have more grit and determination than I've ever seen before. When almost everyone is struggling with 7k to go, yet still finds the strength and determination to finish out, it's freakin' impressive.

Victorious!

So, if you were on Mount Cheaha today kudos to you! You guys and gals rock! And a special thanks to Andy, Mark and Mike. Each of you showed me a lot today, and it was a privilege to watch you complete such a tough race.

BTW, if you want to gain an appreciation for just how difficult the course is check out this race report by Christian of Run 100 Miles. He does a great job of making you feel his pain.

Drew's Crew

2011-02-17T02:58:00.000-08:00

A couple of nights a week I volunteer at the local YMCA as "the running coach" for the Prattville Swim League (PSL). Yes, the swim team. Made up of about 80 kids, the program integrates dry-land training to a) improve their overall fitness through cross training, b) manage available pool time and c) keep the kids from getting bored. In addition to running, the team also lifts weights and sometimes practices yoga and tai chi.

I originally got involved with the team over five years ago when my daughter, Hannah, was a member. While she swam, I built the club website and spent a couple of years on the parents association. As most kids her age do, she eventually decided to move on to other things; however, I didn't. I kept in touch with the coaches, continued to manage the website and eventually, when the previous running coach moved away, talked the head coach, Marcie, into letting me ~~play~~ work with the kids.

On Monday nights my group consists of 20-30 kids that are 10-13 years of age. Because they're younger and aren't all that interested in a structured running program, I get them warmed up with a few laps around the track and then we they play whatever games I can come up with that involve running. This usually means variations of the game tag, though sometimes we'll have relay races or competitions that pit one team against another. It's a challenge to keep them all engaged, but is a lot of fun and I look forward to the mob of raised hands every week.

Wednesday nights are for the older kids. A much smaller group, these athletes fall into the 13- to 17-year old range. For the most part they've been with the program for a while and take their fitness more seriously. Depending on their competition schedule, I'll put them through interval workouts and cone drills. And once it starts getting lighter in the evening we'll venture out into the local neighborhoods for hill work and longer, easy runs.

A few PSL Runners at the Polar Bear 5K on Feb 12, 2011

One thing I'm particularly proud of is getting some of the runners (Swimmers? Nah!) to attend local races. No easy task when many of their weekends are spent at swim meets around the state. About a dozen participated in the Cruising the Creekwalk 5k back in January, and another 7 or 8 entered the Polar Bear 5k last weekend. In each case all the kids did really well, and many of them placed in their age divisions and set PRs. WOOT!

All this back story leads me to the purpose of this post. The other night at practice I was approached by a few of the kids, who excitedly told me they were going enter the Centerpoint Half Marathon! Lauren, Madison, Mackenzie and Matt (who ran with me at the Cruising the Creekwalk 5k) will be running on March 26th as a 4-person relay team! As if this wasn't exciting enough, they asked me what I thought of the team name they'd come up with - "Drew's Crew." O.M.G. And the icing on the cake is that they want to have shirts made up!

Suffice to say, I'm really anxious to see "my" kids run as a team. So much so that I've signed up for the race, too. I'll only be three weeks removed from the Snickers Marathon, but nothing could keep me from taking part in this experience. I'm planning to run alongside all four of them during their individual legs, which will be a challenge considering that each of them can complete a 5k between 24-26 minutes. So, check back here for the eventual race report, and between now and then I may even post a photo of our team shirt.

Rising Race Fees

2011-02-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

Last week I noticed an article online that reminded me of a post I started months ago but never completed. It asked the question "Are runners being priced out of their own sport? Or are the demographics changing?"After I finished reading it I knew I had to finish what I started.

I've long had a suspicion that race fees have been on the rise, but never took the time to verify. With my renewed interest in the subject I decided look back and see if I wasn't imagining things. I'm one of those people that track everything in Quicken, so it wasn't going to be too difficult.

First, I ran a quick report and found these entry fees from a few years ago:

Date	Race	Cost
Jul 2007	Red Cross 5k	$15
Sep 2007	Senator Stampede 5k	$15
Jan 2008	Polar Bear 5k	$15
Feb 2008	Resurrection Runs	$15
Mar 2008	Founder's Day 5k	$20
Apr 2009	Wright Flyers 5k	$15
May 2008	CityFest 5k	$18
May 2008	Pancake Run For Missions 5k	$12
Nov 2008	Turkey Burner 5k	$18

Keep in mind that I likely signed up for each of these races during the early registration period. I don't have anything to refer back to, but I probably saved a few dollars per race doing this.

Next, I started looking at more recent races. Since my training schedule has kept me from running in many smaller races, I wasn't able to find everything in Quicken. So, I scoured Active.com and our local running club's website for early registration fees.

Date	Race	Cost
Oct 2010	Chili Trot 5k	$18
Nov 2010	Turkey Burner 5k	$18
Feb 2011	Polar Bear 5k	$16
Feb 2011	Run for the Kids 5k	$20
Feb 2011	Trinity Run the Race 5k	$25
Mar 2011	Resurrection Runs	$17
Mar 2011	Centerpoint 5k	$15
Apr 2011	Wright Flyers 5k	$21

I tried my best to find the same races to compare against each other, but had to make due with just a few. What I discovered was a bit of a surprise. For the most part the fee hikes were either non-existent or modest. Sure, there were a couple of standouts like Wright Flyers jumping $6 (yes, that's the early registration fee) and Trinity charging $25, but other than that prices are still comparable.

So, what's lead me to believe that race fees have jumped significantly? I have a few theories.

The economy. Maybe money's just tighter and every dollar counts more now than it did a couple of years ago.
I procrastinate more. When I first started racing I would sign up for events well in advance. They would server as carrots for my training, so I was really good about being on the ball. These days I'm more likely to make up my mind much later in the game and miss the reduced fee deadline.
I don't enter as many small races now as I did a couple of years ago. Fees for half marathons and marathons are understandably higher, so perhaps that's skewed my perception.
The Seaside Half Marathon. I hate to pick on an individual race, but the organizers of this one have made it an easy target. I ran this race in 2009 and gladly shucked out the $55 to enter. This year when a friend mentioned doing it again this March I balked at the $90 price tag. And that's for the early registration. After December 17th they hiked it up to $115. I sure hope whoever goes really, really likes their hallmark Vera Bradley bag!
Schwag bags and race amenities have gone south. When I first started racing organizers seemed to put quite a bit of effort into their goody bags and refreshments. I remember coming home and dumping out all kinds of things on the kitchen counter. These days you're more likely to get a bag with a few flyers in it.

Whether I'm right or wrong, I will say that race fees don't seem to be affecting the number of participants at races. That Seaside Half? Yeah, it sold out long ago. And just a couple of weeks ago a local 5k, Cruising the Creekwalk, had over 400 finishers, which is an outstanding turnout for our area.

Have you noticed a rise in race fees the last few years? Can you think of any exorbitant offenders? Have you opted out of a race because of costs? Let me know in the comments.

Running or Jogging

2011-02-04T11:57:00.000-08:00

The other day I posted my run on dailymile, which was then cross-posted onto my Facebook page. My brother noticed it and, innocently enough, commented that I'd probably get more exercise snowshoeing up north than jogging down south. The use of the word "jogging" later caught the attention of my friend, Kym, who good naturedly joked that running sub-8s didn't fall into that category.

We don't talk about it much in the running community. If we did it might come across as being pompous or arrogant, and Lord knows we don't want to embody the guy in the video to the right. We are, after all, a generally humble group of people that relish personal achievements and talk about them in hushed tones. But that doesn't change the fact that many of us flinch when what we do is referred to as jogging, right?

So, in the interests of clarity, what's the difference? In my mind what separates runners from joggers is passion. A runner will wake up at 4:30 in the morning and go for a run because they love it. They will, more times than not, brave the elements no matter how hot, humid, cold, windy or snowy it is. And on those rare occasions where conditions are unbearable we'll suck it up and run on a treadmill. We look for ways to get our run in, and don't do it just because it happens to be a Monday, Wednesday or Friday. The problem with this definition is that most non-runners don't know the lengths we go to for our sport.

Are there are other factors that separate the two? How about the pace, for instance? Here's what you'll find in the dictionary:

Jog, –verb. To run at a leisurely, slow pace, especially as an outdoor exercise.

Run, –verb. To go quickly by moving the legs more rapidly than at a walk and in such a manner that for an instant in each step all or both feet are off the ground.

Pretty vauge, but the gist is that runners are faster than joggers. Whatever the case, I'm not sure you'll find a concrete answer that separates the two. And I imagine some might even argue that distance plays a role in this debate.

What say you? Are you a runner or a jogger? Neither? Both? Where do you stand on this most controversial of issues? Can you think of other ways to appropriately classify each term? Even better, if you gently correct someone saying the J word, how do you approach it? Humor? Ridicule? Let me know in the comments.

Six Degrees of Separation

2011-01-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I rolled out of bed and began the slow process of getting ready for my 12-mile run. As usual, the first thing I did was pick up my phone and look at the current weather conditions. And as expected, it was a chilly 24° outside. I pulled on pants, a long-sleeve base layer and a pullover, and then topped things off with a hat and what are basically ski gloves.

As I started my run I was struck by the cold. It'll take just a mile or so to get warm, I thought. But even though my muscles eventually got there, the rest of me didn't. My face got numb to the point where I would have had difficulty talking, and my fingers were freezing. I made it through the run in one piece, but came away struck by how cold 24° felt.

This morning my routine began at about the same time, this time with different results. Today the temperature was 30°, or 6° warmer than yesterday. Instead of pants I put on shorts, and instead of a long-sleeve base layer I elected for one with short sleeves. I walked out the front door and was surprised at just how much warmer 6° felt. I took off down the hill and as I rounded my first turn I already felt warm. My pace was quicker and each breath I took in didn't produce that sharp winter reminder in my lungs. How could 6° make such a huge difference?

As I continued my run I began to wonder if the number 6 has some kind of magical meaning. What other things do we measure that are significantly different when separated by a measure of 6? How about 6 pounds? Over the holidays I ate a lot more than usual and one day noticed I didn't feel like my usual self on a run. I hopped on the scale and found I had gained 6 pounds. Ok, maybe it was 5ish, but I know my weight fluctuates 2-3 pounds all the time and don't notice it.

Can you think of any other measurements where a difference of 6 is suddenly noticeable? Pace? Distance? Ounces of wine or beer? Let me know in the comments.

Product Review - The North Face Bullhead Hydration Pack

2011-01-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I got tired of carrying water bottles on my runs. I considered getting a hydration belt, but ultimately decided I didn't want the weight directly on my hips. After soliciting advice from other runners on Twitter (this was before I joined dailymile) I realized what I needed was a hydration pack.

I did some research to determine which size would be best for my needs and then headed out to the local sporting goods stores. As luck would have it I stumbled on a good sale at The Sports Authority, where I picked up a model by The North Face called Bullhead for only $27 after tax. At that price I wondered if I might be getting what I paid for, but figured it was worth the risk.

Long story short, the Bullhead has served me very well. It's light weight and comfortable to wear, holds about a liter and a half (50 oz.) and is the perfect size for 10-15 mile runs. Here are some of the features that I like:

The bite valve controls the flow of water very well. It also has a magnet attached to it so you can easily secure it while running.
It has a generously sized pocket for gels, cameras, cell phones, etc. There's even a clip for your keys so they don't get lost in the pocket.
The chest strap buckle doubles as a whistle, which could be handy if needed to signal for help.
The bladder is removable, making it relatively easy to clean and fill up.

The only problem I've had with this pack is that I bit down too hard on the bite valve and tore it. Fortunately, you can also stop the flow of water by closing the swivel valve it attaches to, so it still doesn't leak. I don't attribute this problem to the quality of the bite valve. I just have sharp teeth! In any case, I contacted The North Face customer service and not only did they send me a new bite valve, but they included a magnetic swivel valve and clip, as well. For free! No questions asked! How's that for customer service?

One feature the Bullhead doesn't have that I wish it did is a bladder that could be turned inside out to make cleaning easier and more thorough. Still, I wouldn't consider that a deal breaker and would buy one of them again.

Finally, here are a couple of tips I have if you're considering getting a hydration pack:

Don't fill up your pack all the way. Leaving a few ounces of space in the bladder will make it more pliable and allow it to better conform to the shape of your back. If you do fill it up all the way it is rigid and can make for an uncomfortable experience the first couple of miles.
After you've finished filling up your bladder turn it upside down and suck out the air. If you don't the water sloshes around inside, which can get to be an annoying sound while running.

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Disclaimer: This product review has not been solicited, nor have I been compensated in any way by the manufacturer. This blog's terms of use disclaimer can be viewed here.

2010 In Review

2010-12-31T08:13:00.000-08:00

What's a good way to make a return to the blog I've been neglecting for weeks now? How about an obligatory look back at the year gone by?

I set out this year with the goal of writing with some regularity. I think I did pretty well the first half of the year, but not so much the second. Excuses range from personal issues to not making time, but in the end that's just what they are - excuses. In 2011 I'll be giving it another try, this time trying to lighten things up a bit and finding more subjects that will appeal to those that read this. Looking at my Google Analytics it's easy to see an entry I posted back in May about my Adidas AdiZero Mana running shoes was far and away the most popular of the year. I'll never compete with Pete Larsen over at Runblogger, but perhaps product reviews are something I can focus on a little more.

My 2010 BHAG (Big Hair Audacious Goal) was to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and unfortunately I didn't achieve it. I did take some valuable lessons away from my first marathon experience, however, and will continue my pursuit. I haven't committed to a specific race yet, but another is definitely in my future.

Shortcomings aside, I did accomplish quite a bit in 2010 that I'm pleased with. I set PRs at every distance, as you can see from the sidebar on the left of this page. Of all those races I'm most proud of the half marathon I ran in October. Even though the course was short by approximately a quarter mile I exceeded my expectations by a long shot, averaging a 7:01 pace throughout the race. It was one of those days where everything came together.

I'm also happy with how my training went this year. My annual mileage jumped significantly from 1,117 miles in 2009 to 1,778 in 2010. I've come a long way since I started tracking my miles back in 2008, when I ran only 632! What surprised me the most, though, was completing Hal Higdon's Advanced II Training Plan. Not only did it prepare me for my marathon, but finishing it was its own milestone.

Separate from performance-related events, I'll most remember 2010 for the people I've come to know through social networks Twitter and dailymile. There are too many influential, inspiring people to list, but Greg and Joe are a couple that quickly come to mind. As for real life, I enjoyed meeting Mark at the Mercedes Half Marathon way back in February, John at the Montgomery Half and Mike over in Columbus, GA. I also met Logan and Gordon at the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon. But the standout was definitely Andy, who found me at the Midnight Express in August and joined me for a long run the following morning on just a couple of hours sleep.

So, so long 2010. It's been a year of challenges, ups and downs. Now onward to 2011!

Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon - Final Thoughts

2010-11-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

I've probably written more than enough about this marathon experience, but I've had two days now to process it and here are some final thoughts.

My legs started feeling better today, but I'm wondering why they haven't bounced back quicker. It's probably not a good idea to compare myself with others, but I was amazed that Gordon said his "Legs feel great!!!" the very next day. The thought of going for a 20-mile bike ride on Sunday was inconceivable. Did he do something different? Is it genetics? Training? Diet?

Yesterday I finished reading Again to Carthage, John L. Parker, Jr.'s follow up to Once a Runner. There's a part in the story where the protagonist, Quentin Cassidy, recognizes a competitor's pain and cramping during the later miles of a marathon. This paragraph caused me question my theory of hydration being responsible for cramping at mile 19.

They ran in silence, Cassidy empathizing, unable to help. He remembered Denton's lecture: "In the marathon you can get cramps almost anytime. They're not like the ones we used to get toward the end of hot-weather workouts, not based on electrolyte depletion. I got them halfway through my 2:15 when I picked up the pace suddenly. They're usually in the hamstrings, sometimes the calves or quads. You're over your anaerobic threshold, but just barely. You start generating ketones from burning fat without enough oxygen, the ketones start circulating, confusing your synapses, causing them to misfire. You cramp. Joe Vigil laid it out for me. The thing is not to panic. They feel pretty bad for a while, and you may think you're done for, but they'll go away if you back off a bit and run them out."

I didn't pick up the pace suddenly and I know I didn't take in enough fluids, so I'm still pretty certain my problem was dehydration. However, I'm going to see if I can learn more about the ketones and if there's anything that can be proactively done to manage their generation.

Lastly, I recalled some of the mental aspects of the race. I remember how confident I felt miles 13-18. I'd completed over half the course at that point and was feeling really good about my chances of meeting my goal. I felt strong and in control. And then I remember the spirit draining out of me at mile 19 when I had to stop. Looking at my Garmin and knowing it wasn't a training run. Knowing I couldn't just stop it for a couple of minutes while I dealt with my injury. It sounds melodramatic when I type it, but running into the unknown and having all you've worked for for 18 weeks taken away is a humbling experience. No, it's not the end of the world. It no longer consumed me after I crossed the finish line, but in that instant it was crushing.

Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon - Race Report

2010-11-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

I suppose I deserve to be humbled. Was it foolish to think I could qualify for Boston on my first marathon attempt? I don't think so, but it's hard to argue with the results.

After a long, cold wait in line for the port-o-lets I just barely managed to get back to my car, put on my Garmin and jog over to the starting line. With only a few minutes to spare I spoke to the 3:20 pacer and told him of my intent to stay with him for at least the first few miles. He said his plan was execute even splits the entire race. I also was fortunate to spy Logan and Gordon. We didn't get to chat long, but Logan and I did spend some quality time grimacing at one another out on the course.

The cannon went off and around Barnhardt Circle we went. I tried staying with the pacer, but he was jogging at about a 8:30/mile pace. After only a quarter mile I'd abandoned my plan and decided to stretch it out a bit. Despite that sounding like a bad idea, I thought I managed to keep myself under control, taking my time ramping it up to my marathon pace of 7:30/mile.

As you can see from my splits I was a little too quick miles 3-5. I kept a close eye on my Garmin as my average pace dropped down into the range I was looking for, but I should have spread that out over a few more miles. I'm not sure it hurt me in the long run, but this marks lesson # 1.

I'm most happy, of course, with miles 6-17. As much as I've struggled with my pace runs during this training program it's nice to see how consistent I was. The only real mistake I made during this time was at mile 11 when I missed a turn where the half and full split off. I got distracted at the water stand and had to double back when course workers started shouting at me. I think I lost maybe 10-15 seconds.

At around the 18-mile mark you can see where I started to slow a little. All of a sudden I started to notice twinges in my legs if I didn't land just so. It was a gradual uphill section of the course, so I didn't give it much thought figuring I'd make up time on the other side.

I had just crossed the 19-mile mark and was coming up on an intersection full of spectators. Out of nowhere my left hamstring cramped and I had to immediately stop to ward off a charlie horse. I stretched it for about a minute and then tried to run on it again, but was forced to the side one more time. Muttering and cursing I stretched it some more and then somehow got going again.

It surprises me to look at miles 21-23 and see that my pace was in the high 8s, low 9s. I was in a world of hurt and moving just to make it to the next water station. When I got to the first one I took a cup of water, and that's when I realized how little was actually in it. That's right, damn it. The cup was half empty. I'm intentionally being a pessimist here purely for your amusement.

The last three miles were excruciating. At the last water station I came to a stop and took two cups of Powerade and a cup of water. I was praying it would get me through the last few miles, but it wasn't enough. My calves were seizing up, my toes were curling in my shoes and I was actually trying to kick in front of me on each stride in an attempt to keep the hams from clenching again.

Me at 26.15 miles

At the 24-mile mark I stopped to walk again and was assisted by an on-course aid. She offered a bottle of Gatorade and some salt tabs, and told me twice that a bus was just around the corner if I wanted a ride back. I told her I'd rather crawl, but fortunately it didn't come to that. She never could find the salt tab in her bag, so I limped on as best I could.

Miles 25 and 26 I alternated between walking and running. Being acquainted with the course I knew I was almost home and made sure to jog the last quarter mile. True to her word, I couldn't miss Hilary. I rounded the corner to the last straightaway and there she was holding a huge sign with my name on it. I somehow managed a smile, though it probably looked like a smirk. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her sprinting across the field to set up for a photo. To the left you'll see one she took that's easily better than 99% of the professional race photos I've seen. You almost can't tell that I'm about to collapse.

I crossed the finish line and was greeted by Dave with a hug. For a myriad of reasons I had to pull away from him and just collapse on the nearby curb. After a couple of minutes I composed myself and looked up to see Hilary, Kym, Dave, Barb and Justin around me. They offered comfort and a few bottles of water, which was all I needed at that point. I was still in a stupor, but it was nice to be surrounded by such good friends. You know, the kind that will stand there patiently waiting for you to say something. Anything. We took a few photos and then slowly split up as I went looking for food.

In the end I finished with a chip time of 3:45:36 and gun time of 3:45:41. I placed 84th out of 502 finishers, and 18th out of 72 in my age group. I didn't achieve my goal, but will take lessons away from the race and make another attempt. When, I'm not yet sure.

Speaking of lessons. You've heard of oxygen debt? Well, if the term hydration debt hasn't been coined yet, I'm taking credit for it. Even though I took water at every station, I should have taken more. At some stations the cups were barely half full, and I believe not getting enough water was ultimately responsible for my breakdown. By the time I realized it I couldn't get water in me fast enough to compensate for all I'd lost, and never was able to recover. Lesson # 2. Walk through each station and make sure to get at least one full cup of water. If it's not full, get another. Sure, I might lose 5-10 seconds every couple of miles, but that's a lot better than losing 5-10 minutes.

Finally, lesson # 3 is to strengthen my calves and quads more. I think I took my strength routine a little too lightly in these departments, and could do a better job conditioning them.

In closing, I think I was capable of meeting my goal today had it not been for the dehydration. I never felt like I'd hit "the wall," and believe that even though my pace might have slowed I still would have come in under 3:20. I suppose there's only one way to find out.

Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon - The Taper

2010-11-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

It is Saturday, November 6th, and I am knee deep in the tapering period of my training for the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon being held one week from today. No more hill sprints or speed to work to speak of, and tomorrow's "long run" of 8 miles sounds like a joke.

I've experienced pre-race anxiety before, but not quite like this. This is my first marathon, and there are more unknowns than usual. What if this, what if that? And one thing that's been surprisingly difficult to cope with has been the reminders I hear from those I'm fortunate enough to have supporting me. BQ! I blame myself, of course. After all, I'm the one that foolishly proclaimed my intent to qualify for the Boston Marathon back in April.

Today I sit here wanting to tune out the encouragement I've so appreciated the past few months. I've put enough pressure on myself already. To accomplish this I've decided to stop visiting one of my favorite sites, dailymile. It's not that I don't want to share my thought process or training updates. If I didn't I wouldn't be writing this blog post. It's just that right now I feel I need to focus. Inward. Be selfish, if you will. What does suck is that I already miss interacting with so many good people. Reading about your workouts and being apart of such a great online community.

creative commons credit: psd

I do want to thank everyone that's supported me the past 18 weeks. From those who have no idea how long a marathon is, to fellow runners that know what it takes to get from there to here. I especially want to thank Hilary, James, Andy and Greg. Each of them in their own way have played a vital part in getting me through this training.

Finally, I'm dedicating this marathon to a very special person, Kym. This marathon represents the final step in a journey she helped me begin and follow to completion. If it weren't for her it's doubtful any of this would ever have happened. Thank you for motivating me and, more importantly, inspiring me, Kym. I am eternally grateful.

I intend to publish this post before I go to sleep on Friday night. I'll have enough things to worry about before I leave for the race on Saturday morning. I'll update it daily throughout the week and try to treat it like a series of dailymile posts. To kick things off, here's a quick status update.

Physically I'm feeling pretty good. With the decrease in mileage this week it's felt like a wave slowly washing over me. I'd reached that state of perpetual tiredness and soreness the weeks leading up to this one, and now those aches and fatigue are dissipating. My legs feel fresher than they have in months, and it no longer hurts to get up out of a chair. My only concern is an injury that's been with me for 3-4 weeks. It started out as what I thought was a lower abdominal strain. From there it made its way down to my hip flexor, and now it's moved even farther south to my groin. It's not painful, but during a run feels tight. Post run there's a mild burning sensation that extends down the inside of my thigh to my knee. Will it be healed in a week, and if not will it affect my race? Time will tell.

Mentally, well, you know know by now I'm a bit of a mess. I still think I'm capable of achieving my goal, but worry about the things I can't control. I worry about the wall, injury, illness, cramping, etc. So, I'll carbo load in the coming days, routinely wash my hands like a crack fiend with OCD, and do my best not to let the unknown consume me.

T-7, Saturday, November 6
4.03 miles, 30:06, 7:28/mi avg

I ran four miles in about 30 minutes flat. Hal said he didn't care how fast I did the workout, so I just started out slow and ramped it up from there. What I liked about this run was the the overall average pace: 7:28/mile. I've been a little concerned about the start of the marathon, going out too fast and/or not going out fast enough. If I can replicate this run over the first four miles of the marathon and then settle into my race pace of 7:30/mile I'll be ecstatic. The temp was 33°, which was, hopefully, a little cooler than what we'll get on race day. Still, I was pretty comfortable in shorts, a long-sleeve tech shirt and pullover. I'd just prefer to keep it to one layer.

T-6, Sunday, November 7
8.11 miles, 1:09:29, 8:34/mi avg.

Today marked the last "long run" on the training schedule. At only 8 miles it was the shortest since week # 3 of my training. Hal once again counseled to keep the pace a minute or two slower than marathon pace, so I did. I ran through the Brookstone, Silver Hills and Overlook neighborhoods, much as I have the past couple of months. There was a pretty steady wind coming out of the northwest, but it wasn't awful. This was one run I wished I had brought along an iPod. I could have used the distraction. Anyway, still feeling pretty good. All showered and shaved, and now enjoying some steel cut oats with strawberries for breakfast. It's the first time I've ever made them, and they're not too bad.

Note 1: I just shelled out $4.99 to Universal Sports in order to watch the New York City Marathon. It said that fee would give me access to multiple feeds. Instead, after I paid I got an Asics commercial and then a black screen saying "Competition will resume shortly." Um, what happened? Did everyone pull over at the side of the road for a breather? Ugh!

Note 2: Crap. Just as I got the feed Haile pulled out with a knee injury.

Note 3: Disappointing to see Shalane fade at mile 24, but impressive to see her battle to the finish and take second. And even though an American male didn't place, it was still fun to watch Gebre Gebremariam pull away the last couple of miles and enjoy his victory. A contrast in comparison to the women's winner, Edna Kiplagat, who barely showed any emotion.

T-5, Monday, November 8

One of the first things I've been doing the past few days the moment I wake up is check the 10-day forecast for Chickamauga. I didn't put much stock in it 10 days out, but days 7, 6 and today the prediction hasn't changed. Low of around 43° on race morning with a 30% chance of showers. Unless it's a downpour, which seems unlikely, it should be ok.

My choices this morning were to take an additional rest day or run 3 miles in the 32° temperature. I chose the former for a couple of reasons. First, it hardly seemed worth getting out there for just 3 miles when it's this cold out, and second because I figured my groin injury could use the morning off. Besides, it's not like I won't be doing anything today. I'll hit the gym later for a strength and core workout.

I'm trying to heed Hal's eating advice and not consume too much this last week. I don't weigh all that much, but at this weight I can tell the difference a pound or two makes. Since I'm not running as much I've cut down on my portions and effective today will not be allowing myself cookies, candy, etc. That last part won't be easy, but my mental makeup will ensure I follow through. When I set my mind to something like this I know I'll comply.

Weights Workout

I think this is the last weights workout I do before the marathon. The next regularly scheduled one would be on Thursday, and since I should be resting from Wednesday on it's probably best to skip it. If I do anything it will be restricted to upper body. I hope I've pushed myself enough in this department to make a difference come race day. I'm no infomercial model, but it's kind of cool to see the definition on my abs.

2x12: Chest Press (120), Lat Pulldowns (90), Leg Curls (90), Leg Extensions (75), Calf Raises (120), Arm Curls (55), Diverging Seated Row (75)
6x30: Abdominal Crunches (90)

T-4, Tuesday, November 9
3.14 miles, 28:56, 9:12/mi avg

Who knew getting in a 4x400 workout could be a challenge at this point? The plan called for these intervals to be run at a 5k pace. I actually had to look that up to see what it meant. Apparently, my pace should have been around 6:46/mile, though in reality it was all over the place. It's been so long since I've raced a 5k and I've grown so accustomed to 800m intervals that I didn't know how to do it.

My first interval was - as my daughter would say - an epic fail. I'm sure I'm supposed to spell that in some quirky, ironic fashion, but that'll have to do. Since I've run intervals in this neighborhood before I thought I had a good idea how far 400m would be. But the light on my Garmin never turned on. Finally, I just stopped and found that instead of hitting my lap button to start the intervals I had pressed the start/stop button. Argh. I took a short breather, started the watch again and then pressed lap.

My first official split pace was 5:47/mile. Yikes! Way too fast. Hal said I should be taking it easy and come away from this workout feeling like I could do a lot more. So, I slowed things down and my next split was 6:23! Still too fast! On my third one I did better - only 6:54 this time, but the last one I still went too fast at 6:21.

Oh well. It's in the books and I don't (yet) feel any worse for the wear. One thing I was thinking about in the midst of all this was how this effort might translate in a 5k. There's plenty on the schedule in the coming months, so I think I'll look for one with a certified course and see what I've got. I'd love to legitimately break 20 minutes. The 19:55 I used to have on my PR list was held on an uncertified course widely thought to be short.

T-3, Wednesday, November 10

An easy 3 miles on the schedule today - if my marathon were on Sunday, that is. Since it's on Saturday I've moved up things up and will take today and tomorrow off instead, with a 2-mile shakeout on Friday. I think I'll get that in after arriving in Chattanooga, checking in and picking up my packet.

T-2, Thursday, November 11

I can't remember the last time I didn't run for two days in a row. Fortunately, I have a lot to do today in preparation for traveling to the race tomorrow, so I haven't thought about it much. Still, it's weird.

I've been carb loading since yesterday, and though I've been eating a lot it hasn't felt like enough. So far my carbs of choice have been whole wheat bagels and bread, oatmeal, quinoa and potatoes. Today I'll be introducing pasta when I take my daughter out for lunch, and will likely follow up with more of the same for dinner. The challenge has been keeping my protein ratio where it needs to be. For example, I really wanted a latte this morning, but passed since I'd already had peanut butter on my bagel. Fortunately, I'm not having to stray too far from my usual diet. I'm no health nut, but for the most part my everyday eating habits are shaped by running.

I've been thinking a lot about my race strategy. Initially I wanted to aim for steady splits the entire race since it's a relatively flat course. I noticed the other day, however, that there will be a couple of pace groups. My latest plan is to start with the 3:20 group for the first 3-4 miles and then pick it up from there until I hit my desired average of 7:30/mile. I figure this will keep me from going out too fast, which is something I have a habit of. I'll try to maintain that pace thru miles 21 or 22, and if I feel good try to pick it up the last few.

T-1, Friday, November 12

Today I travel to Chattanooga for the race. I'd thought about sleeping in and then hitting the road, but was up on and off all night. At some point I reasoned it would be better to get up early so as not to screw up my sleep schedule. I'll already be losing an hour to the Eastern time zone, so when I saw 4:30 on the clock I rolled out of bed.

For the road trip I figured I could use some new music. I went to the Amazon MP3 store and browsed through some of the albums on sale for $5. I'm not normally a "greatest hits" kind of guy, but made an exception for The Cars and Jimmy Cliff. Also, I picked up the Underworld's latest release, which I've been intending to buy at full price anyway. I noticed they had A Twisted Christmas by Twisted Sister, but those days are long gone. I'm not linking that one, so if you want a copy you'll have to degrade yourself to find it.

Yesterday I took my daughter to lunch at the Olive Garden. We parked in the Arby's parking lot next door. On the way out walking back to our cars we had to cross over the grassy median separating the two. I was paying attention to something she was telling me when all of a sudden my left leg stepped into a hole about 12"-15" deep. I didn't fall, but felt it tweak my groin. It didn't hurt, though I wondered how it might react after sleeping on it. So far it doesn't seem like a setback.

T-18 Hours, Friday, November 12
2.08 Miles, 18:52, 9:03/mi avg

I got into town around 12:30 and drove down to the Battlefield. I needed to give my lunch a little time to settle, so I drove around the course for a few and visited the Wilder Monument. The best way I can think to describe it, is that it looks like a tall rook. I climbed the stairwell to the top and took in the view, which was very nice.

I drove down the road and parked in a a recreation area parking lot. From there I ran around a section of the course in the shape of a triangle. I kept the pace slow and mixed in a few strides, per Hal's recommendation. A few times I slowed down to a walk and just took in the scenery. Not a bad way to officially wrap up the training.

When I got back to the parking lot I noticed a car next to mine with plates from my home state, New Hampshire. A few minutes later the owner, Kevin, showed up and we chatted for a few. He, too, is running the marathon tomorrow, and it's his first. Pretty ambitious considering he just started running in January.

Marathon Training Update, Weeks 9 - 15

2010-10-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

Apparently, posting a training update once every four weeks was too much to ask. I said I would write something for weeks 9 - 12, but time got away from me and I never got around to it. Fortunately, it doesn't appear anyone has noticed. :p

Mental

The highlight of the past seven weeks was my performance at the Montgomery Half Marathon. I blogged about it here, and it served as a huge confidence booster when I did better than expected. I now feel that unless events beyond my control conspire against me I should be able to achieve my goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

Speaking of Boston, one development that has me a little concerned is how quickly the marathon sold out this past Monday. With the popularity of the race soaring it stands to reason the Boston Athletic Association has some tough decisions to make. The pundits say they could institute a lottery, increase the size of the field, or make qualifying times tougher. Or, they may choose to implement a variation of the three. Whatever the case may be, I feel now that I need to do more than post a 2011 qualifying time of 3:20. Fortunately, I've been training for a 3:15 all along, so no last-minute adjustments are needed. I just need to mentally commit to this being the actual goal, instead of a stretch goal.

So, what to do about a new stretch goal? Based on my recent half marathon time and the McMillan calculator I should be capable of finishing under 3:12. As my friend James would say, that's one Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG). Well, the thought of even qualifying for Boston a few months ago sounded preposterous, so I won't dismiss this as a possibility. Time will tell.

Physical

As is probably the case with most people at this stage of training, I'm dealing with some aches and pains I believe to be minor. My left hip flexor has felt strained for almost two weeks now, though it hasn't hindered my workouts. It's sore when I start and stop, but once moving I don't really notice it. Otherwise, it's the usual fatigue and soreness - especially after an intense running weekend. I'm hoping and expecting that as the taper begins, so will the healing.

Equipment

Not a lot to discuss here, as I don't have any big decisions to make regarding shoes or clothing. On race day I'll be wearing my Saucony Kinvara Vizis that have about 50 miles on them. I wore them for the Montgomery Half Marathon and never once thought about my feet, so choosing them for the full was easy.

If I did have a dilemma it would be whether to carry my PowerBar Energy Gels in the Hydrapak Softflask I recently purchased. I learned about it from Pete Larsen at Runblogger, and have used it on my last two long runs. I got the 5 oz. version, which I like, but I probably should get the 8 oz. one instead. I can fit 3 gel packs in the one I have, but think I want the larger one so I can take along at least one more.

That's all for now. I suspect I won't have any more updates at least until the taper is in full swing. Until then, happy running!

Montgomery Half Marathon - After

2010-10-02T13:03:00.001-07:00

So, it turns out all the pressure I put on myself before the race was either an unintentionally effective race tactic, or not warranted at all. I exceeded my expectations and couldn't be happier.

After a sound night's sleep I woke up ready to go. I took a really hot shower to loosen me up and shake off the cobwebs, quickly got dressed and headed down to Montgomery. I was greeted by Duane at my car, and then just a minute later found James and John, who I'd been wanting to meet for a while. Even Eric stopped by for a minute. We talked for a few and then I broke away to begin the process of warming up.

I wasn't as bad off as I'd expected, but I was still pretty nervous about the race. Just before the start Hilary found me and was bubbling over with excitement. She was the distraction I needed, and almost managed to hug all the nervousness out of me. When the corral filled up I tried to keep my mind busy by chatting with those around me. Dave snapped a picture of me and Duane, I spoke briefly to Frank Garcia, and I even got a chance to talk with Lynn, the woman who bested me at the Woodland Wallahatchie 10k a few weeks ago.

After spotting the hand cyclists a couple of minutes head start the siren went off for the rest of us. The first two miles up Jefferson and into Capitol Heights amounted to about 140' of climb. As expected, it felt like it kept me from going out too fast, but looking back on my splits I averaged around 7:10/mi. I'd expected to start out the first couple of miles at my marathon pace of 7:30/mi.

The next five miles were mostly flat and I was able to pick up the pace quite a bit. I stayed right around a 6:50/mi pace, with little fluctuations. At the 7-mile turn, however, I started to slow a little. Despite eating a Gu my splits started to drop to around the 7:10-7:20/mi range. Still, I felt pretty good and was pleased to be staying with some of the other runners around me since the beginning.

The start of mile 10 meant it was time to climb South Perry. It slowed me to a 7:25/mi pace for that mile, though I recovered just before reaching High St and was rewarded with the stretch down Dexter. The last mile felt short, but I didn't care when I rounded the corner to the finish and saw the clock.

Me and General Funk. Check out his
awesome jacket with all the patches!

My chip time was 1:30:06. I finished 9th out of 113 men in my age group (40-44), which wasn't a surprise, and 39th overall out of 1063 finishers. Absolutely nothing to complain about, and I'm feeling a lot better now about my chances of qualifying for Boston next month at Chickamauga.

Shortly after finishing I was greeted by Hilary and her dad, General Dave Funk. I was thrilled to learn that she smashed her 5k goal by two minutes! And she placed 3rd in her age group, too! So proud!

All in all it was an ideal race day. Good weather, good course and great friends. Congratulations to the City of Montgomery for improving on what was already a good race and kudos for involving Joy to Life. Also, a special thanks to all the volunteers that helped make it all happen.

Montgomery Half Marathon - Before

2010-10-02T13:03:00.000-07:00

This post was written on Friday, October 1st and its publication intentionally delayed.

For weeks I've been eyeing the Montgomery Half Marathon on October 2nd. One of the reasons I bumped up my schedule a day was so it would coincide on the same date as a scheduled 12-mile long run. Back when I did that, however, it was hot and humid and I had no plans of actually racing it. I figured at best I might just use it as a marathon pace run, which would require 7:30/minute miles.

A few days ago all that changed. We were blessed with a cold snap this week and I started thinking outside the box. Maybe I could use it as a measuring stick for my marathon in November? I started reading through my training plan notes and found that Uncle Hal, as some of us like to call him, was a step ahead of me.

"If you want a test race, this might be a good weekend for it. A half marathon would fit perfectly into the training plan, since today's workout is 12 miles."

Well, I figured, if he's going to give me carte blanche, I'm going to take it. But exactly what was I going to do? I then decided I would set a goal commensurate with my marathon pace. To determine exactly what that meant I turned to Greg McMillan's Running Calculator, plugged in my desired 3:15 marathon finish time and looked under the 13.1M column to see what my equivalent pace would need to be.

What? How the heck am I supposed to run 7:04/miles for an entire half marathon? That equates to a finishing time of 1:32:28, which is 8 minutes faster than my PR! Needless to say I'm now a nervous wreck, which is a new thing for me. I usually don't lack for confidence like this. But what would it mean if I can't pull this off? Are my chances at qualifying for Boston over?

I'm trying to keep some perspective about this. First off, this is a challenging course. I've run it a few times. And while I'm not intimidated, its elevation is slightly more challenging than Chickamauga. Plenty to climb over the first couple of miles and some nice hills to keep you humble towards the end. And second, I still have four more weeks of intense training before the taper begins, so there's still time to make adjustments.

Marathon Training - What I've Learned So Far

2010-09-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've just completed the first 10 of 18 weeks of marathon training. It will be my first marathon, so I'm learning as I go and know there's still a lot more to come. Here are some random thoughts about my journey so far.

- If you live in the South start your training at least in late September, and not early July like I did. The oppressive heat and humidity take not only a physical toll, but affect your psyche as well when your body can't deliver.

- Hammer Endurolytes in capsule form do not do well in the pocket of your shorts. They are good at preventing muscle cramping, however.

- Training for a marathon is a lot more difficult than it sounds. Before embarking on this I thought of marathons only in passing. A lot of people do them so it can't be too hard, right? Wrong. Maybe my perception is skewed because I'm trying to qualify for Boston and jumped right into an advanced training plan, but this is anything but easy.

- My training plan is pretty balanced. It pushes me hard when it's time, and backs off every few weeks to give my body time to adjust. Despite this, I actually look forward to rest days now. I've even adjusted my schedule to make sure I'm doing nothing on a rest day. No recovery runs, fun runs or strength training. Just rest.

- I use Body Glide in more places than ever before. Let's leave it at that.

- Long runs can get to be really long. I generally don't mind the solitude. In fact, I relish in it much of the time. But when you're out there alone for 2-3 hours you eventually start to consider distractions like podcasts or music. I haven't got there yet, but it's on the table.

- If you want to simulate a ride on the SS Minnow run 9 miles on a treadmill and then step off. I had to steady myself on a conveniently located wall for a minute.

- You become more finely tuned into your equipment. Shoes you once loved are no longer good enough. You'll need another type for long runs and maybe even some specifically suited for track work. And you are now more sensitive to things that never occurred to you in the past. These socks are too thin for these shoes. I need to wear this shirt with my hydration pack to prevent chafing. These shorts are the wrong material for a long run. The list goes on.

- You don't just need extra shoes for different types of runs. You need them to be used on a rotational basis. They need time to dry out and rebound before the next thrashing. And they don't last as long either. Force (Hal Higdon) = mass (you) x acceleration (tempos, intervals and hill sprints).

- Joints recover from a workout much more slowly than muscles. My quads and calves are a little tight from yesterday's 20-miler, but my hips and knees are where I still feel it the most.

- Showering all the time gets really old. After a daily running workout, of course. But then there are days where I'll get in strength and core training and have to do it all over again. And that doesn't include cleaning up after yard work, etc.

What nuggets of wisdom you can pass along about your marathon training experiences?

Marathon Training Update, Weeks 5 - 8

2010-09-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

This is the second of four training updates as I prepare for my first marathon, the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon. To catch you up, I'm following Hal Higdon's Advance II training plan and the race is on Saturday, November 13th.

The past four weeks have been significantly harder as the demands ratchet up. This week in particular was extremely difficult. I doubled up on workouts twice: once to move up my long run so it would coincide with a training run on the race course, and a second time to accommodate a busy labor day schedule. I finished out the week with 57 miles, a personal distance record that has left me very fatigued.

I've made a few adjustments to my training regimen. I had been swimming regularly on Wednesdays, but after repeatedly feeling the affects during my Thursday runs I decided to give it up. It wasn't an easy decision because I enjoyed it and understood the benefits of cross training; however, the fatigue was preventing me from living up to my training expectations. I felt that I needed to focus more on running.

As I mentioned earlier, I also moved up my schedule by a day. In addition to the training run on the marathon course I did this past Saturday, there are two other upcoming events that have caused me to make it permanent. For now. The Montgomery Half Marathon on Saturday, October 2nd, will now fall on a scheduled 12-mile day and another trip to Chickamauga may occur on October 23rd. The final decision may rest on how the bump works out on Fridays, which are scheduled to get longer and harder.

As far as health goes, I'm feeling pretty good. A month or so ago I was experiencing a sharp pain in my left hip (femur head). I went to see Anthony, a massage therapist at Hands on Healing, and got "aligned." He contorted me in all different directions and prescribed some stretches to help keep things where they're supposed to be. It didn't get better immediately, but I stuck with the stretches and after a couple of weeks the pain was gone. Even better, I haven't experienced any new injuries. The usual tightness and fatigue after long runs is present, but so far it passes.

The only other thing worth mentioning is that I've started running in a new pair of shoes. After reading up on the hot, new Saucony Kinvara I decided to give them a try for myself. I eased into them with a couple of short, 3-4 mile runs and have already graduated them into my long runs. I put them to the test on this weekend's 18-miler and they passed with flying colors. They provide more cushioning than my Adidas AdiZero Manas, and offer an even smaller 4mm heel-to-toe drop that I'm liking. So far, so good.

Generally speaking, I'm happy with how my performance is going. I've finished every workout strong with the exception of hill repeats, which reduce me to mush. I've hit the mark on my tempo and pace runs, and am doing a lot better than expected when it comes to 800m intervals. I still wonder about the unknown, but try not to get consumed by it. Que sera sera.

Chickamauga Battlefield Training Run

2010-09-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

10-lb Parrott Cannon

I started this blog in January of this year, and therefore never published a recap of the half marathon I ran in at the Chickamauga Battlefield National Military Park last November. I looked back in my training log, however, and I did record little bit there. Before I write about my training run there today I thought I'd give you a taste of what I experienced last fall. Here are some excerpts from the first couple of paragraphs:

"It was a gorgeous day for a race. Sunny and crisp. We started out near the museum and made our way on a trail to the paved majority of the course. About 1.5 miles in I heard a sudden movement in the woods on the left side. As quickly as I could point at it, a deer ran across the road about 25 yards in front of us. The doe moved so gracefully and so fast it was breathtaking. You could just feel it. We all let out big yells and cheers, and everyone chattered on about it for a few minutes.

At about the 4.25-mile mark we left the woods and came into a short, quarter mile clearing called Winfrey field. The fog still hadn't lifted, and that combined with the cannon monuments made it a surreal sight."

I'm currently preparing for my first marathon - the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon. A couple of months ago I was browsing the training section of the site and noticed the Chattanooga Track Club would be holding weekly training runs beginning in July. I looked at the schedule and saw that three of them would be on the race course. Knowing the confidence that comes with familiarity, I decided I would make the 3-hour trip at least one once.

I pulled into the parking lot about 20 minutes before the 7:00 am start and had a hard time finding a parking spot. Almost all of the 75 places were already taken. I approached a group of about 20-25 runners and tried to find out what was going on. A man by the name of Doug was giving directions to the crowd, but I knew I wouldn't remember all the street names. I asked who else in the crowd was running 18 miles, and hands shot up. I saw two guys across the group from me that "looked" like they might run the same pace as me and approached them. Steve said they were going to be running around 8-minute miles, but there was a risk that the other guy, Ryan, had a tendency to increase the pace. Even though it was a little faster than I was planning (8:15 - 9:00/miles) I decided to stick with them as long as I could. It was a crisp 61° with low humidity, and I was eager to get moving.

Shady running through the forest

We started out at a reasonable 8:40 pace the first mile, but after that settled in just under 8:00. Ryan and Steve appeared to be good friends and kept the conversation going. The miles went by quickly, and I drank in the scenery. There were plenty of deer lining the edges of the roads and the occasional rabbit. Everything about the course was as I remembered it. Even the fog hung just off the ground in the fields as we broke out of the forest.

The track club had things organized pretty well for the 9-mile double loop. At miles 3 and 6 there were water stops in the beds of pickup trucks, and at the start/finish there was more of the same plus snacks. It was a real treat getting to run without a humidity blanket and my hydration pack.

Ryan knew the park like the back of his hand and took us off the course on a short trail to keep things interesting. I was really surprised at how good I was feeling as we finished the first 10 miles at about an 8-minute average.

During our midpoint stop we were questioned by a park ranger about some food that had been left out near a club member's car. For some reason he singled me out, called me over to his truck and interrogated me. He wanted to know if it was my truck we transferred the food to, and when I told him it wasn't he asked if I knew whose it was. He was serious as a heart attack and very tightly wound. Later some of the other runners told me that the park service had it out for us. They didn't like how we took up all the spaces in the parking lot.

Huge open fields with monuments

We headed out for the second half and found the same pace again after the first mile. More cannons, more breathtaking fields, more monuments, more perfect running weather. Despite the warnings about Ryan, it was Steve that started to pick up the pace. Ryan was coming back from an injury and the two of us hung back just a little. After finally getting back together at an intersection, the three of us hit the homestretch and finished out with a couple of strong 7:30/miles. It was the longest run I've ever done at one time, and I was really pleased with an overall 7:54 pace for the day.

We stood around and chatted in the parking lot for a few and I gladly tossed a few dollars in the donations bag before I left. Unfortunately, I had to get going back my hotel to shower, change and check out within 45 minutes.

I returned to the park later and spent a couple of hours taking it all in and snapping photos. I stopped by the visitor's center and watched a film about the battles of Chickamauga (the Rebs won) and Chattanooga (the Yanks held it). I was then able to visualize where some of the battle lines were and followed the maps to see for myself where the soldiers faced off. One aspect I found impressive was that all the cannons in the park are properly positioned for battle. You can see right where the lines would have been formed.

A big thanks to CTC for the support, water stops and snacks, and to Steve and Ryan for making me feel like one of the group. I hope to make it back up again on October 23rd for one more run on the course before race day.