tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78665723281787274032024-03-05T17:51:23.087-05:00Run to Drink, Drink to Run.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-308062540450140932012-04-25T10:36:00.001-04:002012-04-25T17:03:05.289-04:00Carmel Marathon 2012Traditionally, my spring marathon is <a href="http://www.bayshoremarathon.org/" target="_blank">Bayshore</a> up in Traverse City, MI but I have a hard time sticking to my training. We have our annual work conference in mid-April and my training usually suffers while I'm out of town. Once I get back, I never seem to be able to get back in to my training program. With the <a href="http://www.carmelmarathon.com/" target="_blank">Carmel Marathon</a> moving it's date to April, the timing worked out perfect for me. The last week of my taper would line up with my work conference & I wouldn't have to worry about missing any key workouts. I still signed up for Bayshore as a back up race. If things went bad at Carmel, I would still have plenty of time to recover to give it another shot 5 weeks later.<br />
I woke up at 5:00am and had my normal race day breakfast of a Clif Bar, Nuun & coffee and by 6:15, I was on my way to the starting line. Another benefit of the Carmel Marathon was how close the race is to my house. It was relaxing to be able to sleep in my own bed the night before a race & not have to worry about getting up around the time most people are leaving the bar in order to get to the starting line on time.<br />
The weather was almost perfect. Temps were in the low 40's with an overcast sky and even though the forecast was calling for 11+ mph winds, it never became an issue. I was holding out hope for the sun to come out at some point & I even wore my sunglasses but they ended up on top of my head after a few miles since they clouds never gave way.<br />
I had 2 goals for the race. Goal A was to go sub 3. Goal B was to run under 3:05 & BQ. The original plan was to negative split the course by running 6:58/mile for the first half & then bringing it down to 6:41/mile for the last half. I felt great in the opening few miles. I was a bit faster than my first half goal pace but I wasn't under 6:50. Due to the long lines at the porta-johns when I tried to make one last pit stop before the gun, I had to take a quick break between miles 3 & 4. I had hoped that the urge would go away after a few miles but it only got worse. I thought to myself about how hilarious it would be if my bathroom break ended up causing me to miss either of my 2 goals by less than a minute.<br />
After the bathroom break, I fell in with a group of about 5 or 6 guys who were keeping a pretty consistent pace of about 6:56/mile. It was a a fun group and a few of them were a bit talkative. I wish I could have contributed to the conversation but I was focused on the task at hand. One guy starting singing "Hurts So Good" & "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" and I remember thinking how pissed I was going to be if either of those songs were stuck in my head for the rest of the race.<br />
By the 13 mile mark, I knew sub 3 wasn't in the cards and I decided to switch to Goal B. I was still running with the group and figured I'd stick with them all the way to the finish line. However, once we made the turn around mile 17 from the Monon on to 136th, the group fell apart. Most of the guys started to pick up the pace &, while some started falling back. I was content to keep clicking off 6:55 - 6:58 miles. I've had my share of late marathon meltdowns & I knew if I tried to stick with them that I'd end up paying for it. I'd end up running most of the last 9 miles on my own.<br />
I had some rough miles between 23 & 25 and the pace started to creep up in to the 7:20/mile range. I hit my first mental low point at the aid station on the trails at Central Park. I dropped both cups of Powerade that I tried to grab and it put me in a terrible mood. I also felt bad for the 2 volunteers I soaked in the process. After that I just kept doing the math in my sugar deprived brain about what it would take to still BQ. I figured that as long as the 3:05 pace group hadn't passed me then I was good. That's when I turned around & saw the 3:05 pace group. I'm not sure how many runners started with this group but by now there was only the pacer leader & 2 or 3 other guys. I tried to stick with them for about a half mile but my legs just didn't have it. I was mentally crushed. The pace leader could tell I was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQqIQyT-RuM" target="_blank">struggling</a> and tried to motivate me. "All you need is 7:25 miles & you've got this." I wasn't sure if I could even hang on to that pace and I started thinking about how that damn bathroom break earlier in the race was going to cost me a trip back to Boston.<br />
When I made the turn on to Main St. from Guilford, I could still see the 3:05 pace team in front of me. I realized I still had a chance to BQ if I left everything out on the road. I picked up the pace & turned in my first sub 7 minute mile since mile 20. I made the trip down Main fairly confident that I had it. When I turned from Rangeline on to 126th, I was right behind the 3:05 pace leader. He turned around & gave me a thumbs up. I knew I had my BQ. Right before the finish line, I spotted my wife, who had run the 8K, and my Dad, who had made the trip down from Detroit to cheer me on, off to the side of the road. I high fived my wife & made my across the finish line. 3:04:18. A new PR by over 6 minutes and my first PR in the marathon in almost 4 years.<br />
The Carmel Marathon is a great choice for a spring marathon. The course is fast. It's a bit rolling but no major hills. The organization is great. It feels like it's been around for years even though this was only it's second running. Added bonus - Upland Brewing Company beers at the finish line. My only complaint, and it's a minor one, would be to change up the shirts over the previous year. The color & design were the same as 2011 with the only change being the date.<br />
As for my training, I stuck with my modified FIRST program. I took the 3:10 training plan from the book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Less-Faster-ebook/dp/B004GTMZ6I" target="_blank">Run Less, Run Faster</a>" and changed the goal training paces to fit what the <a href="http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/site/calculator" target="_blank">McMillan Calculator</a> said I should be capable of running if I was in shape for a 2:59 marathon. I also eliminated the cross training in favor of getting in a trail run with the Wednesday night Eagle Creek group. While I didn't get my sub 3, I was still able to PR & BQ on only 3 to 4 days of running per week. I owe a lot to the Speed Demons group that meets at NIFS on Tuesdays & Thursday. Without all of those guys pushing me through some tough track workouts every week, I doubt I would have had the same results.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-42120447096255993572012-02-21T17:52:00.000-05:002012-02-21T17:52:43.962-05:00Carmel Marathon Training - Week 7 02/13/12 - 02/19/12<br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfefa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Monday - Rest</span><br />
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Tuesday - Rest</div>
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Wednesday AM - 13.1 miles<br />
Wednesday PM - 6.68 miles (trail)</div>
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Thursday - 8.28 miles (Speed work - 800m repeats)</div>
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Friday - Rest</div>
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Saturday - 8.02 miles (6 @ tempo)</div>
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Sunday - 4.0 miles<br />
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Weekly Total - 40.08 miles<br />
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<br />
The downside of updating this blog on a regular basis is that I'm running out of things to say. I can tell you that I don't think I could ask for anymore in regards to how my training is going. I'm still 9 weeks out from Carmel & anything can happen but I'm feeling very confident in my chances for a sub 3 hour marathon. I'm really looking forward to my half marathon at the end of March since I feel like that will give me a pretty good idea of where I'm at.<br />
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<br /></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-75306387057608193422012-02-15T20:45:00.001-05:002012-02-15T20:45:09.188-05:00Carmel Marathon Training - Week 6 02/06/12 - 02/12/12<br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfefa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Monday - 6.02 miles (tempo)</span><br />
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Tuesday - 10.07 miles (speed work - mile repeats w/warm up & cool down)</div>
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Wednesday - 6.38 miles (trail)</div>
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Thursday - Rest</div>
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Friday - Rest</div>
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Saturday - 20.23 miles</div>
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Sunday - Rest<br />
<br />
So I'm six weeks in to the FIRST training plan & I haven't done a cross training workout yet. I'm getting in almost all of my key running workouts but I just can't find the motivation to spin in the garage when I can go out and get in an extra run. I don't think it's hurting my training. Since starting the program, I'm down over 15lbs and I'm getting faster. Doing 6x1600m repeats, all at 6:11 or faster, is something I haven't been able to do in years. Discipline has definitely been the key to the results that I'm seeing. While I'm flexible on what days I run which workouts, I know at the end of the week, I'll have completed all of them (except the cross training). </div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-42286463328388874602012-02-07T09:44:00.001-05:002012-02-07T09:44:16.986-05:00Carmel Marathon Training - Week 5 01/30/12 - 02/05/12<span style="background-color: #fdfefa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Monday - 3.28 miles</span><br />
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Tuesday - Rest</div>
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Wednesday - 5.41 miles (trail)</div>
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Thursday - 8 miles (speed work-3 mile warm up, 4x200m, 3200m, 800m, 2 mile cool down)</div>
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Friday - Rest</div>
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Saturday - 18 miles</div>
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Sunday - Rest</div>
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Weekly Total - 34.69 miles</div>
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Saturday's long run was the highlight of my week. Left the house at 5:40am and stepped out into wind, rain and 38*F temps. Almost went back inside to change into some running tights but I have a stubborn habit of wearing shorts if the temperature is above freezing. Mapped out a new course to break up the monotony of the Monon Trail but still utilized it for around half of the run. I didn't realize when I planned it out that I'd have a steady incline of 1.5 miles heading straight into the wind & rain. I had to take my ear buds out and tuck them into my shorts since the wind kept blowing them out. After going the first 8 mile of of the run without seeing another runner, I was surprised at the number of people I saw after turning on to the rail-to-trail. With the weather conditions being what they were & with the early start, I thought I'd have the Monon to myself but there was at least another dozen & a half runners out braving the elements. </div>
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<br /></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-77704644131577475762012-01-29T22:06:00.002-05:002012-01-29T22:06:47.640-05:00Planet Adventure Winter Trail Half Marathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZziKk9sBD9asZ5HNrg3BvZsTvn7rUA_AIRE3kRhEgoRlrj2kNPvbI83qBaYPTiGoX1hrsALg9_il8uSF-Xvb4cMwyGE3VrmJLWaAJo0s_OOJd23z_CIsjQxcqxwM-7almgdGZ1Js6cE/s1600/patm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZziKk9sBD9asZ5HNrg3BvZsTvn7rUA_AIRE3kRhEgoRlrj2kNPvbI83qBaYPTiGoX1hrsALg9_il8uSF-Xvb4cMwyGE3VrmJLWaAJo0s_OOJd23z_CIsjQxcqxwM-7almgdGZ1Js6cE/s320/patm.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
I was excited as soon as I found about about this race. I even skipped the Brewers Guild of Indiana Winterfest so that I could run. The idea of a night time trail run in the winter was so appealing to me that I skipped a day of drinking craft beer to put on some tights and a headlamp and run around in the woods in near freezing temps for 13 miles. I am pleased to report that the good people at <a href="http://planetadventurerace.com/" target="_blank">Planet Adventure</a> put on a great event that didn't disappoint.<br />
You had the option of a quarter, half, & full marathon, each one made up of the appropriate number of 6.55 mile loops around Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. Each race started 10 minutes apart and with 500 people signed up between all three races, I had some concerns about getting stuck behind slower runners on the trail. The first mile was mostly traffic free but things started to get congested after that. A few runners took to running off the trail to get around people but I tried to relax and pass where I could. I knew that after mile 2, the course opened up while going around the bird sanctuary and that there would be plenty of room to pass people & make up time there. Miles 3 to 5 were very runnable and I was able to settle in to a good rhythm. After there it got a bit interesting. With all the rain/snow that had fallen over the last week & the temperature hovering right around freezing, the "swamp" loop lived up to it's name. Shoe sucking mud for what seemed like a mile straight. Some people tried to tip toe around it but I really didn't see the point and just charged through. It was wet and ridiculously cold but I'm sure I saved some time by not trying to avoid it. It's a trail race. You're going to get dirty. I may have had a different approach if I was running the full marathon but I wasn't worried about wet socks or cold feet on a half marathon. From there the trail conditions approved and ran my first lap in 57:25.<br />
The crowd thinned out a lot for the second loop. It was a completely different feeling than the first lap. On my first time around the bird sanctuary, I turned around to see hundreds of headlamps running along Eagle Creek Reservoir, making their way down to the water. On the second lap, I saw maybe a dozen lights behind me. I was running with 2 other runners and we took turns passing each other until we arrived at the Lilly Lake aid station. I stopped to drink some Heed and take a GU and lost sight of both of them. One of them I would catch toward the end of fitness trail section, the other one I never saw again. When I arrived at the swamp loop the second time, the conditions had become even worse. There were a few times that I thought my shoe was going to stay lodged in the mud. Once I had cleared the mud, I pushed on to the finish line. I ended up finishing in 1:58:02 & 29th out of 228. The finisher's medal is one of the best I have ever received. It's a cross section of a log with a piece of leather acting as the ribbon & Planet Adventure placard. Age group winners received an additional plaque with their age group standing to put on the back of the log. <br />
Thanks to Planet Adventure for putting on a great race and thank you to all of the volunteers for standing out in the cold for 8+ hours.<br />
<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-12263387670035712802012-01-29T20:50:00.000-05:002012-01-29T20:50:14.523-05:00Carmel Marathon Training - Week 4 01/23/12 - 01/29/12<span style="background-color: #fdfefa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Monday - Rest</span><br />
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Tuesday - Rest</div>
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Wednesday - Rest</div>
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Thursday - Rest</div>
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Friday - Rest</div>
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Saturday AM - 7.19 (Carmel Runners Group Run)</div>
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Saturday PM - 13.32 (Planet Adventure Winter Trail Half)</div>
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Sunday - Rest</div>
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Weekly Total - 20.51</div>
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<br />
I spent most of the week trying to recover from a pain in the arch of my foot. It got so bad that I actually made an appointment with a podiatrist (which I now need to cancel). My foot started to feel pretty good on Thursday and by Friday, I was almost pain free. I decided that I would try out my foot at the <span id="goog_1633522173"></span>Carmel Runners<span id="goog_1633522174"></span> Group Run on Saturday morning. I was already registered for the <a href="http://www.planetadventurerace.com/trail/winter/" target="_blank">Planet Adventure Winter Trail Half</a> (race report coming soon) that evening but I wanted to make sure I would be able to run it pain free before showing up at the starting line. The last thing I wanted was to be running around the bird sanctuary at Eagle Creek & have to hike it back to the starting line due to injury. I glad to say everything went well with both runs and my foot is still pain free. </div>
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After my early fears of PF, I'm guessing that it was just a deep bruise caused by my 14 mile trail run breaking in my New Balance MT110s last week. I loved the feel of the shoe but I think I'll stick with the Saucony Peregrines on the trails until after the Carmel Marathon. I'm not saying the foot pain was caused by the MT110s but I'm not willing to risk losing almost an entire week of training, if I can avoid it by switching shoes.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-35269384943152244602012-01-25T22:31:00.002-05:002012-01-25T22:31:50.070-05:00Carmel Marathon Training - Week 3 01/16/12 - 01/22/12<span style="background-color: #fdfefa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Monday - Rest</span><br />
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Tuesday - 7 miles (Treadmill Tempo)</div>
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Wednesday - Rest</div>
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Thursday - 9.38 miles (Speed work)</div>
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Friday - 14 miles (Trail)</div>
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Saturday - Rest</div>
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Sunday - Rest</div>
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Weekly Total - 30.38</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Great week of training up until Saturday morning. I woke up with pain in my foot which I thought was just a stone bruise from my first trail run in the MT110's. Unfortunately, I'm starting to believe it is something worse. First guess is Plantar Fasciitis but I'm not sure. Most things I've read say that PF hurts the most first thing in the morning and dissipates as the day goes on. My pain seems to come & go throughout the day based on how much I'm on my feet. I've been rotating between icing & massaging with a tennis or golf ball most of my free time which seems to be offering some relief. After 5 days of no running, I can't say that my condition has improved but it hasn't become any worse. I'll continue to rest until Saturday's trail half & then make a game time decision for the race. If it's still persisting after the weekend, it'll be time to make a trip to the doctor. </span></span></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-9138393096808705852012-01-16T22:20:00.000-05:002012-01-16T22:20:04.836-05:00Carmel Marathon Training - Week 2 01/09/12 - 01/15/12<span style="background-color: #fdfefa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Monday - 3.1 miles</span><br />
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Tuesday - Rest</div>
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Wednesday - 7 miles (Tempo)</div>
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Thursday - 9 miles (Speed work)</div>
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Friday - Rest</div>
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Saturday - Rest</div>
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Sunday - 15 miles</div>
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Weekly Total - 34.1</div>
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Once again ran my three key workouts but failed to get in the cross training. Nailed my tempo run on Wednesday and hit my goal pace +/- 1 second of marathon pace on each mile but it think it cost me some speed on Thursday. I was aiming for 3:00 minute 800m repeats and I was able to hit it on the first two but they became gradually slower. I ran my sixth & final interval in 3:11. I really look forward to my Thursday speed work at NIFS. Great group of guys to run with and it's definitely easier to do repeats on an indoor 200m track when you have other people suffering along with you.</div>
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Two weeks into the plan and I'm cautiously optimistic. I'm happy with the mileage that I've been getting in and my body seems to handling the increased work load as well. I know I'm still 14 weeks out from the marathon but I'm fairly confident that if I'm able to continue to stick with the plan that I'll be able to go under three hours in April.</div>
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<br /></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-7253793183630513362012-01-08T20:55:00.001-05:002012-01-08T20:55:56.416-05:00Carmel Marathon Training - Week 1 01/02/12 - 01/08/12Monday - Rest<div>
Tuesday - 5 miles (Treadmill tempo)</div>
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Wednesday - 6.2 miles (Trails)</div>
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Thursday - 8 miles (Speed work)</div>
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Friday - Rest</div>
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Saturday - 13.1 miles</div>
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Sunday - Rest</div>
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Weekly Total - 32.3</div>
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I did my 3 key workouts as prescribed by the FIRST plan but didn't get in any of the cross training. I was going to spin on Wednesday but the opportunity to hit the trails is always a more enjoyable option. I'm happy with this week's training as a whole but I was a bit upset with not being able to maintain my goal pace on the tempo portion of Tuesday's treadmill session and on the mile repeats on Thursday. I do realize though that the paces I had planned are for someone who is currently capable of running a sub 3 hour marathon & I still have 15 weeks to go. Briefly flirted with the idea of running 8 miles today to get in 40 miles for the week but I haven't had a 30+ miles week that didn't include a marathon or 50k in over 6 months. Taking the extra day off this week will be beneficial as I start to ramp up the mileage in the weeks to come.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-18534818896426980392012-01-01T22:56:00.000-05:002012-01-01T23:51:18.430-05:00"It might be time to start looking at getting uncomfortable..."Nice <a href="http://runtheultras.com/competition-is-heating-up-for-everyone" target="_blank">post</a> by Travis Liles over at <a href="http://runtheultras.com/" target="_blank">Run The Ultras</a> on taking your training to a new level. I love the last few sentences about if you want to improve your results, you're going to have to make your training uncomfortable. It's a nice reminder, with my spring marathon training starting this week, of what it'll take to achieve my goals in April. Approaching my training with the same attitude that I've had over the last few years will just lead to the same lack luster results. I'm going to have to wake up early on cold winter mornings that I'd much rather stay in bed. I'm going to have to push myself through speed work on days that I'd rather just head out for some easy miles. If I'm going to run a sub 3 hour marathon, the road to get there is going to be uncomfortableDanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-83622572299738671732011-12-21T14:36:00.002-05:002011-12-21T14:36:39.299-05:00Gearing Up for SpringFor the most part, I've taken the last couple of weeks of from running. The <a href="http://dinoseries.com/marathon" target="_blank">Tecumseh Trail Marathon</a> was my 4th marathon or more event since the beginning of September and I was starting to feel burnt out & unmotivated. Now with less than 2 weeks to go before my Spring marathon training plan begins, I'm ready to head back out on the road and trails.<br />
I've set my "A" goal as going sub 3 at the <a href="http://carmelmarathon.com/pages/home" target="_blank">Carmel Marathon</a> in April. As I've stated previously, I've made attempts before and failed but this is mostly due to the fact that I usually stray from the plan and end up going into the race under trained. I'm fairly confident that if I stick to the plan that I'll be in a good position to go under 3 hours. I've signed up for the new <a href="http://carmelrunners.com/" target="_blank">Carmel Runners Club</a>, hoping that I'll be able to stay on track by running with others who with the same or similar goals. I'm also going to try to not sign up for random races during the build up that will end up being detrimental to my training. This means nothing over a half marathon until race day though it's going to be tough to pass up the <a href="http://planetadventurerace.com/trail/winter/" target="_blank">Planet Adventure Winter Trail Marathon</a>. <br />
My plan is to do weekly updates on how the training is going to hold myself accountable for not only getting in the workouts but also for updating my blog more regularly.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-2147659346064564362011-11-06T18:01:00.001-05:002011-12-27T10:17:45.119-05:002011 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Marathon #12 is in the books and I really couldn't be happier with the results. Even though it wasn't a PR, it was probably the best marathon that I've run in the last 3 years. I was able to pace myself fairly consistently and other than walking through 2 of the last 4 water stops, I didn't have any major melt downs.<br />
Going into Saturday's race, I thought I was capable or running somewhere in the 3:30 to 3:40 range. I didn't follow a training plan but after running both the <a href="http://runwoodstock.com/" target="_blank">Run Woodstock Trail Marathon</a> & <a href="http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump.rco" target="_blank">StumpJump 50K</a> over the last couple months, I figured I could count those as two very long and very slow training runs. My plan for Saturday was to start out running 8:00/mile and hope to hang on until the finish in front of the state capital building. This worked for the first 10K but after a quick bathroom break on Mass Ave, I got antsy and picked up the pace to make up lost time. I tried to calm down and slow it down a bit but still ended up putting in back to back 7:45 miles. After that, I was able to settle back into an 8:00/mile pace. I was able to stay right around that pace up until mile 20. I didn't have any cramping issues, which was a first for me, but I could feel the energy starting to fade. From there I broke the race up into 2-5Ks and decided to take a GU and walk the next water stop and then repeated the same process at water stop around mile 23. I ended up crossing the finish line in 3:33:44.<br />
The <a href="http://www.monumentalmarathon.com/" target="_blank">Indianapolis Monumental Marathon</a> is a great race and even though it's only in it's 4th year, it's an extremely well organized event. The course takes you past most of the major sights of the city including Lucas Oil Stadium, Conseco Fieldhouse, Butler University & the Indianapolis Museum of Art. There is a bit of a boring stretch between miles 19 & 21 while your're running along the White River Parkway. To break up the monotony, someone put up Hoosier Trivia questions and answers on alternating signs throughout this area. Some question were easy, some were hard (I still have no clue who Hoagy Carmichael is), but I have to admit that this kept my mind occupied for those miles. My only complaint is that they were out of chocolate milk at the finish line though they more then made up for it with the unexpected stocking cap that they handed out to all finishers along with the medal.<br />
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/126690704" target="_blank">Garmin Connect data</a><br />
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<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0Indianapolis, IN, USA39.7683765 -86.158042339.573101 -86.4738993 39.963652 -85.842185300000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-23125300750712804762011-10-27T23:13:00.001-04:002011-10-27T23:13:29.113-04:00Spring Marathon PlansI've spent the last few days debating on what training plan to follow and what marathon to run in the spring. I had originally planned on Bayshore but now I'm leaning toward the Carmel Marathon, four weeks earlier. I'll still run up in Traverse City but the goal will be to BQ at Carmel and use Bayshore as a back up plan.<div>
As for training plans, I'm more than likely going with the FIRST program. I like the concept of focusing on three quality workouts a week (speed, tempo, long) and supplementing the off days with cross training. Of course, every training plan depends on how well you stick with it and seeing it through to completion has always been an issue that I've had. After running eleven marathons, I haven't PRed since marathon # 2, the last time I followed a training plan faithfully. Hopefully the flexibility of the FIRST plan and the fact that it's only a 16 week program as opposed to 18+ will keep me on track.</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-31981837127866249642011-08-08T23:18:00.001-04:002011-08-10T21:04:00.961-04:00Upcoming Race ScheduleI think I have finalized my major race schedule for the rest of the year. The only problem is that I'm not prepared for any of them and the first one is 30 days away. It's not that I'm completely out of shape, I'm just not where I envisioned I'd be at this time of year. I could blame it on the 23 consecutive days of 90+ degree heat but in reality, I just haven't been that motivated. I'm not a fan of waking up early to get in a run before work and it's too easy to talk myself out of one after. You'd think a schedule of 4 marathon or more distances in 3 months would be motivation enough to get in my mileage. If I want to return to the shape I was in a couple years ago, I need to get out the door & stop making excuses.<br /><br />Here's the schedule:<br /><br />September 9th - Run Woodstock Trail Marathon or 50K (still undecided) Pinckney, MI<br />October 1st - Stump Jump 50K Chattanooga, TN<br />November 5th - Monumental Marathon Indianapolis, IN<br />December 3rd - Tecumseh Trail Marathon Bloomington, IN<br /><br /><br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-4115884190393628782011-05-17T23:28:00.003-04:002011-05-18T15:10:40.788-04:00Dances With Dirt-Gnaw Bone 50k Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSYZ3aTh6cDjcvPw9D-LO1jfQ10VhRDrKmJ4dLcLuHQhW7mBLb7kDtCn10kboM2lz3DqV58uK7EQozKwvCO54FkoxVHctcuOvwIl0yF6vYp5BGFWzCHdSqnCtrBV_Wy_cLzfscd67m6Y/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSYZ3aTh6cDjcvPw9D-LO1jfQ10VhRDrKmJ4dLcLuHQhW7mBLb7kDtCn10kboM2lz3DqV58uK7EQozKwvCO54FkoxVHctcuOvwIl0yF6vYp5BGFWzCHdSqnCtrBV_Wy_cLzfscd67m6Y/s320/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Saturday at 3:30am, I packed up my Jeep and headed down to Brown County, Indiana to give the 50K another shot. I had attempted the distance at last year's Stump Jump 50k in Chattanooga but dropped out at mile 19 due lack of training. I had completed the Frozen Otter 32 mile ultra trek a couple years ago but always considered that more of a hike than a run. The DNF at Stump Jump has been bothering me ever since & I've been waiting for a shot at 50k redemption. The thing is that I wasn't anticipating getting that chance on Saturday. I was originally eyeing the half marathon as my race of choice but after some motivation from some online running friends, I decided to jump up to the 50k. My only reservation was that I have a marathon in 2 weeks. However my training had fizzled out over the last few weeks and I figured I could run an "easy" 50k and still go out and put in a decent effort at Bayshore knowing that I wasn't in the sub 3 hour shape that I had hoped.<br />
I really didn't have any expectations at DWD other than finish & have a great time. I left my Garmin at home & opted for an old Timex Ironman watch so that I wouldn't be obsessing over pace & mileage. The weather was 60F at the start with the threat of rain looming. The race started with an easy mile or so on a gravel road before switching to muddy horse trails. The race director suggested putting an extra pair of shoes in the mile 10 drop bag & by time I arrived there, I was glad I did. My bright orange New Balance Minimus were now caked in dark brown mud and I'm assuming also some horse crap. I switched in to the MT101's and got back on the trail. I tried to judge my pace by perceived effort but I realized when I hit mile 10 at a 10:00/mile pace that I was going too fast. From that point on, I adopted a run 10 walk 2 policy in addition to walking the hills. I did allow myself to vary from this a bit if I was on one of the rare stretches of runnable trail. If I felt I was in a groove, I'd take advantage of it knowing that there would be a few areas with no discernible trail that would slow me down.<br />
Around mile 18, I started to have some cramping issues in my lower legs. Climbing over downed trees resulted in a calf cramp that required a bit of walking to work it out. I had planned on packing some S! Caps but in my haste to make it out the door in the morning, I left them sitting on the kitchen counter. Luckily, Beau from Louisville, who I was running with at the time hooked me up with an Endurolyte. The cramping subsided until about mile 22 when another area of bushwhacking & tree hopping came about & the cramps returned. This time a couple from Akron who I was running with had an extra S! Cap to help me out. I have always thought that runners are one of the nicest segments of the population but ultra runners may take it to even a higher level. Everyone I met over the course of the race was wonderful. Here I am, in the middle of the woods, running with a bunch of people I had never met before but everyone was laughing and having a good time as if they'd been long time training partners. The only major hiccup of the day came around mile 23. I was running with 3 other people when I realized I couldn't hear anyone behind me anymore. About the same time, someone said what the rest of us were thinking, "I haven't seen any pink ribbons in a while." We were off course. By the time we made our way back to the course, we had gone about 1.5 miles out of the way. As if that wasn't enough to dampen the mood, once back on track, the course proceeded to head straight up hill. No groomed trail, no switchbacks, just some pink ribbons tied to some brush leading the way. I was a bit discouraged for about a mile after this but quickly got my my thoughts back on track & started focusing on finishing. My only concern now was the rumors of the ski hill at the finish. Everyone knew it was there but no one knew for sure if we went up it, down it or both. Much to my relief, we only went down. Not that a steep downhill was that enjoyable after the pounding my quads had already taken. There was a volunteer at the bottom of the hill to inform me that I was almost finished, just a bit of running through the river and I'd be done. Wait a minute, did he say through the river? Having run the Dances With Dirt relay in Hell, MI a few years back, it should have been perfectly clear to me that this was the case. This was my favorite part of the course. The depth of the water went from ankle to knee deep so running was difficult but it felt great. My legs couldn't have asked for anything better at the time. <br />
At the end of the day I had accomplished both goals. I finished (7:01:21 50th/103) & had a blast.<br />
Thanks to everyone at Running Fit & all the volunteers for putting on a great race & thank you to Upland Brewing Company for the keg of Upland Wheat at the finish line!Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-21347066876815791082010-12-06T20:17:00.001-05:002010-12-08T10:09:17.778-05:00Tecumseh Trail Marathon Race ReportDue to the 2-3" of snow that fell overnight, they had to change the race from point to point to an out & back course. Apparently the bus drivers refused to drive everyone to the starting line due to the road conditions. I can't say that I blame them. I have to compliment the race director for having a back up plan and still being able to pull of a great race. <br />
The good thing about the change was that we missed Indian Hill which falls just before the 13.1 mile mark when the course is run the way it's intended. The bad news was that the section of multiple 200'-300' hills had to be repeated twice. The switchbacks on these hills seem to go on forever. You think you're getting to the top until you look up and see the line of runners in front of you still snaking it's way to the top. I was a bit concerned about how the out & back would work with having two-way traffic on single track but most runners were pretty courteous when it came to yielding the right of way so that no one was forced too far off of the trail. The added foot traffic did lead to some sloppy trails in the later miles though. The snow had started to melt & turned into a slush/mud combo that caused a bit of slipping and sliding. There was some climbing rope installed in one section to prevent runners from sliding off into the stream. <br />
All in all, I felt great for most of the race. With no real goal other than to finish comfortably, I eased into a relaxing pace and just enjoyed being out in the woods. I did have a few cramps in the last 3 miles but I think this was caused more by my lack of training than because of hydration/electrolyte issues. <br />
Tecumseh is well worth the drive for anyone in the Great Lakes area looking for a great, well organized trail marathon. The course is difficult enough to challenge you without being so ridiculous that you curse the race directors name every mile. Aid Stations are located every 2-3 miles, well stocked with Gatorade, water and a variety of snacks. Also, the volunteers are super friendly and make up for the lack of crowd support. I do wish they would go back to the nice wind shirt that they gave out last year as opposed to the sweatshirt that is bound to be left in the collection bin at the start of next cold weather marathon. <br />
Now I have just over month before start focusing on Bayshore. I was originally going to find a Winter marathon or 50k but instead I'm going to properly follow a training plan and see if I can BQ again up in Traverse City.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-60486793217362239262010-04-01T22:48:00.000-04:002010-04-01T22:48:48.234-04:00"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."So, the debate has begun. Do I make another attempt at a sub 3 hour marathon or play it safe and go for another BQ? I'm 4 weeks in to the Pfitz 12/55 plan and so far I feel great. In fact, I'm actually surprised by the quality of my workouts thus far and the results that I'm getting. If you would have asked me 3 weeks ago, I would have completely ruled out a sub 3 but my body is rebounding from the layoff better that I thought. The problem is that my last attempt at 2:59 failed miserably. I was in great shape and fairly confident when I stepped to the line at the 2009 Detroit Free Press Marathon. I was right on pace until mile 18 when I had a complete meltdown. I finished in 3:16. It is still my 2nd best marathon but those last 8.2 were absolute hell. You can do the math and see how much I slowed down after hitting the wall. The only thing I can think of that I did wrong was doing all of my long runs at the same speed. All 3 of my 20 milers were at 7:10 pace, probably a bit too fast for a long slow distance. I've been following the plan better this time. I'm not only doing the prescribed mileage but also varying the pace.<br />
Now I sit here, 8 weeks out from the Traverse City Bayshore Marathon, the course were I BQed back in 2008, with a choice to make. Knowing me, I'll probably go for broke. I can already say I've been a Boston Qualifier but I'd really like to add at 2:59 to my resume. Plus, if I have another meltdown, there's always those guys around mile 23 handing out beer.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-65463910915133076972010-01-20T15:01:00.003-05:002010-01-20T15:14:12.488-05:002010 Frozen Otter Race ReportI'm not sure what made me think this would be a good idea. 32 miles of trail, in Wisconsin, in January. The Ice Age Trail is just what you would picture it to be minus the wooly mammoths and sabertooth tigers. I was also naive to believe that I would be able to run this event like a traditional ultra marathon, even though I had seen the results from years past where the majority of people didn't finish within the allotted 12 hours if they even finished at all. Only 6 out of 26 solo or team competitors finished in 2008 and 17 out of 36 had covered the 32 miles in 2009. The fastest time of any year had been 9.5 hours. For some reason, call it ego or ignorance, I thought I was different. I thought that many people planned to hike it, so that was why the finish times were so high. I also thought that the weather conditions, extreme cold in 2008 and extreme snow in 2009 probably slowed finishing times down as well. I had even told my wife that worst case scenario; I would finish in about 7 hours. Come race day it became quickly all too clear how wrong I was.<br />
Lucky for me, I have friends who are crazy enough to do things like this with me. When I emailed my buddy Jay about the race back in November, I thought I would get a quick and resounding, "No way!” To my surprise, within 5 minutes of contacting him, he was on the phone ready to sign up.<br />
We arrived in Wisconsin around 9:30pm on Friday and checked into the hotel. Within about 5 minutes it looked like an REI garage sale as we had all of our gear spread out on the beds, trying to determine the best combination of practical and lightweight. In addition to a complete change of clothes you were required to bring an emergency shelter, headlamp, first aid kit and whatever food or drink you planned on needing for the event. Aid stations were only stocked with Heed and water to refill your hydration packs. My nutrition plan was pretty solid. I had 2 flasks full of espresso Hammer Gel, a couple Clif Bars, a water bottle mixed with 8 scoops of Perpetuem, back up Perpetuem powder to mix up at the half way point, a 3 liter water bladder, and a couple packs of Starbucks VIA on the off chance that there would be some hot water somewhere along the course. The forecast was calling for 38 degrees so we figured some of the heavier coats and gloves could be left behind. By the time we woke up on Saturday morning the high was changed to 32 but it wasn't enough of a difference to make any major changes to our packing list. After triple checking everything, we headed to the starting line inside of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.<br />
After checking in, we investigated what we thought was the trail we'd be running on. The snow was pretty well packed down but if you stepped off of it you'd be in about 10 inches of powder. I was still fairly confident that we could run the whole thing but figured I should wear my gaiters and pack my trekking poles just to be safe. Our plan was simple, 10-12 minute miles with a minute walk break each mile. We figured we'd be drinking beers somewhere warm by the time the Colts game started. <br />
The gun went off at 11:00 and the 32 miler solo athletes hit the trail, but not the one I thought we were running. I watched as they started by ascending a hill and then ran along a ridgeline that looked like a silhouette of Cedar Point. 5 minutes later the teams went off & Jay and I quickly moved to the front. The hills weren't bad to start but they didn't stop coming. You'd get to the bottom of one just to head up another. Even so, we seemed to be putting distance on the people behind us and had even passed a couple of the solo hikers. I think one of us even wondered out loud about our ability to win the whole thing. These dreams soon came to a screeching halt. The further along the trail we went, the worse the footing had become. Even though there had been some foot traffic, it wasn't enough to completely pack down the snow. It was worse than running in sand. No matter where you placed your foot, it would twist left or right leaving me with blisters and a bruised ankle by mile 7 from constantly kicking it with the other foot. I'm sure the steel coils of the Yak Traks didn't help the bruising situation either. <br />
Soon, the people whom we had passed while running were catching us on our walk breaks. People using trekking poles were able to move at a faster, more consistent pace then we were able to by running. At mile 5, pride gave way to reality and the trekking poles came out. I was amazed by the fact that our next two miles were actually faster than what we were turning in with our walk/run plan. Better yet, I could actually lift my head up and enjoy the beauty of the scenery around me. Carved out when the glaciers started to recede 16,000 years ago, the Ice Age trail is remarkable.<br />
We hit the first check point at 7.5 miles in 2 hours and 17 minutes. We still felt great and after a quick application of Body Glide to me blisters, we were on the trail again. During the next 9 miles to the half way point, the magnitude of the event started to sink it. We would still have to turn around and hike another 16 miles back, this time in the dark and with temperatures falling. Physically, I was feeling ok. Mentally, I was wondering what I had gotten myself into.<br />
We arrived at the halfway point at 5 hours and 21 minutes. I figured it would be a good time to put some dry socks on and apply some more body glide to my blisters. I'm not sure what good that did as the blisters had already ripped wide open. I was surprised my sock didn't look like Curt Schilling's from the 2004 World Series. I thawed out a Clif Bar by the fire and took advantage of the hot water to make some coffee. Jay opted for the hot cider which he later regretted. He wondered out loud later on why he had drank it when he never drinks hot cider and that in the middle of a 32 mile race wasn't the best time to test it out. I thought about switching into a dry base layer at this point as well but decided to keep my current one on that way I still had a dry shirt if I needed it later in the race. We probably spent a bit too long this checkpoint. A full half hour had passed by the time that we made it back out on the trail. I felt mentally recharged but we only had 6 hours & 10 minutes to make it back to the start and daylight was fading and the temperatures were dropping rapidly.<br />
We made it to mile 18 before we had to turn on our headlamps. Right around this time, I started to notice stiffness behind my knee cap. I figured it would work itself out but it only got worse as the miles went on. The night started out starless and visibility was limited to the beam from your headlamp. I t was also around this time that my hose frozen up on my hydration pack. I tried to thaw it by sticking the tube down my shirt but it was frozen solid. I would have to rely on my water bottle of Perpetuem for the rest of the race.<br />
We caught up with another group of people heading back to the finish. At one point there was a line of about 10 of us hiker up the hills. It looked like a shot of Everest when everyone is lined up to make their summit bid. I had thought about trying to pass the group but the amount of energy it would have used would have been too great with over 10 miles left to go. <br />
As we approached the last check point, I really wanted to hear some Bob Seger. I thought that nothing would motivate me more to keep moving than rolling in to the 24 mile mark with Hollywood Nights playing followed by some Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser as we headed back into the darkness. I was not in luck. They did have a fire, Heed & venison. I passed on the latter as my stomach was in no shape for solid foods at this point. We quickly filled out water bottles and moved on. We had 2 hours and 55 minutes to cover the last 7.5 miles.<br />
There wasn't much talking over the last part of the race. My knee pain had now spread to encompass the entire thing. The back of my knee hurt on the way up hill and the front hurt on the way down but there was no way I was quitting. I hadn't spent 9 hours in the woods to quit now. I just zoned out and listened to the rhythm of the trekking poles in the snow. I kept thinking about Krakauer's account of climbing the Devil's Thumb in Eiger Dreams & Into The Wild, "kick, kick, swing, swing" as he forced his ice ax and crampons into the ice.<br />
I knew we were close to the finish. I could smell that campfire in the cold, night air. Soon we were on the ridge by the finish and I could actually see the fire & people below. I've never been so elated to finish a race. We crossed the line in 11 hours and 51 minutes, 9 minutes to spare before the cut off and a long way from the 7 hours I had predicted. When all was said in done we were 10th overall and 3rd in the team competition.<br />
At first I thought that there was no way I would run this event again. Not that it wasn't a good event. It was very well organized and the race director was helpful and promptly answered any emails I had sent him leading up to the event. I just wasn't sure I wanted to put my body through this kind of pain again. When I stopped for gas on the way back to Indiana, I could barely walk. It felt like I had a golf ball behind my knee cap that was preventing me from flexing it properly. After a couple days of compression & ice, I'm starting to feel better. I also think I'll be heading back to Wisconsin next year. Now that I know what to expect, I think I can be more prepared for the event both physically & mentally.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866572328178727403.post-17615763987276544012009-12-13T22:07:00.001-05:002009-12-14T08:09:47.651-05:00Let's Give This Another Shot!I've started a few blogs about my running before but they never seem to materialize. One reason is that I don't feel I'm that great of a writer and I get a bit self conscious about it. Another reason is that I'm not sure who would actually want to read about my running adventures but, just in case there's one or two of you, I'll give it another shot. <br />
Let me start by recapping the last few years. About 3 years ago, I was 196 lbs. and I couldn't walk up the stairs without running out of breathe. I was a runner in high school but ever since college, fast food, cigarettes, and copious amounts of alcohol had left me grossly out of shape. I had to make a change and make it quick. I signed up for the 5k that is part of the Detroit Free Press Marathon races and started run/walking my way back into shape. I finished the 5k in 27:59. I was thrilled to be running again and made up my mind to return to Detroit next year to run the full marathon.<br />
The following October, I toed the line at 160 lbs and finished my first marathon in 3:21:13. Since then, I have run 8 marathons with a PR of 3:10:41, qualifying for Boston with 19 seconds to spare.<br />
2009 was an up and down year for me. I ran Boston, was accepted into the Brooks ID program, completed my first two sprint triathlon (despite being a horrible swimmer), set a PR in the half marathon but failed to break 3:00 for the full marathon despite what I thought was the best training cycle of my life.<br />
My goals for 2010 are all over the board. I want to run my first ultra, step up to the half ironman distance in triathlons, and I still want to break 3:00 hours.<br />
I also hope to update this blog on at least a weekly basis. Hopefully this will allow me to reflect on my training and keep me from repeating the same mistakes, most common of which is to do all my mileage at the same pace. One of my other goals for 2010 is to learn to run slow when I'm supposed to run slow.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385175013762327457noreply@blogger.com2