Saturday, March 21, 2015

My first Ultra training long run and No Name!

Not my pic...
To say I started out my first real long run of my ultra training with a bang is kind of an understatement.  Let me back up a little though...

Training for an Ultra is different, way different than training for a marathon.  In the marathon I was trying to run it as fast as my legs would take me 26.2 miles both eating and drinking while maintaining the pace.  The Ultra is different.  For my 50 miler my entire goal is simple:  FINISH!  Walk breaks, walk run method, stopping to eat pizza or whatever is all part of the plan so therefore my training approach will be different as well.  Instead of logging miles, I'll be focusing primarily on time on my feet including walking, stopping to rest, and donuts and ice cream bre... I mean.  So its a totally different mindset and the training I'll be using relies on sandwiching in two longs runs back to back on Saturday and Sunday with PLENTY of walking.  For example, I hit my 12 mile mark today and had a little bit of a walk left back to the house.  I found myself reaching down for the watch to stop it but then thought twice and decided to let it go.  After all time on feet is time on feet.

The plan for this weekend was two easy two hour "runs" of which I'll be referring to the ridiculously slow things I'll be doing as such from now on.  Easy enough because at the end of my marathon training I was regularly doing 1-2 hours Saturday, with 3-4 Sunday with no walking and at a very specific pace.  One thing I didn't take into account this weekend though was the students vs staff basketball game at my school Thursday (I DO NOT PLAY BASKETBALL), and then the 3 hours of volleyball after so walking yesterday and today has been a little bit of a struggle.  Perfect conditions for testing my endurance even for a measly 2 hours.

But the legs held up nicely and today's run went surprisingly well except the times I'd tried to hop down or up to a curb but egh...  The thing that is going to take the most time getting used to is see 11+ minute miles especially after I've switched to the walk run method (about 25 minutes running +5 minutes of walking).  Today's run: 12.24 miles in a whopping 2 hours and 18 minutes.  The thing was that it felt great (apart from the times I felt like a slug!).  I was up early, saw the sunrise over the beach (and later googled a pic for the blog), ran the whole boardwalk, and really enjoyed myself.  This is how I want this training to be: fun, organic, running just to run, playing volleyball every couple weeks to supplement runs.  Not break neck do it or die (or bust!).  The pace is going to take some time to get used to, especially getting passed by all the other people out running (makes me want to shout at them "Its not fault I'm training for an ULTRA!") but time and patience is what I need.

Not mine either...
An interesting thing I realized today though is I have to revamp the blog.  This makes part 5 of the journey but I got no name and need a new description.  But looking ahead at the long runs to come I think I should have plenty of time to figure all that out.  Especially the killer back to back 4+ hour runs my final week.  Fingers Crossed though!  The glorious "50" bumper sticker paired with the golden "50" bling should definitely make it all worth it though.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

And the verdict is: Sub 4 Hours

Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I've had time to decompress, recover, and reflect I'm finally ready to end Part 4 of Escapism with Style (Sub 4 or bust).  At the end of the day I ran a 3:52:03, almost cried at the finish line, and couldn't have been happier with how things played out.  My goal was actually 3:57, dream finishing time of 3:49 so I was crazy happy with how things went.  To say they couldn't have gone any better would be an understatement.  The weather started at a perfect 45 degrees and built up to around the high 60's.  The course though undulating was crazy beautiful and definitely not too hilly showing me why it was a top 10 Boston qualifier.  The crowds cheering us on at every turn was a huge boost and I'm guessing the extra 1/4 of a mile I did on my GPS watch was crossing the road at numerous times to give the people cheering for us high 5's. 

One thing I can't help mentioning is my finishing lap.  For the 26th mile I managed to post an 8:30 minute mile meaning I had a whole lot still left in the tank.  Without a doubt I was still sore and stiff at the end but I was no wheres near bonking, or hitting the dreaded wall.  In fact I was regularly running up to struggling people and trying to pep them up with my enthusiasm.  The only thing I can attribute this to is not my state of health.  I'm sure I didn't train any harder than most people there, but the carbo loading I did in preparation.  That seemed like the real difference between the other marathons I've done, and for anyone approaching a marathon or more I recommend doing some serious homework on how to do it properly.  Most of the time runners think that's just a big pasta dinner the night before the big race, but that's almost the exact opposite (OK maybe not totally the opposite) of what you're supposed to do but more on that at another time.

Another great part of the Albany Georgia Marathon was the runners themselves.  I always tell people curious about the sport that one of the best parts of long distance running is connecting with the people you're running with.  You aren't sprinting, not even close, for well over 3 hours so conversation flows naturally with the shared camaraderie and love for putting one foot in front of the other more than others.  That day I met a ton of great runners with awesome stories, helped a few people pep up for the last miles, met a soldier completing his first marathon running with him for a couple miles at the end, and got the real feeling that everyone there left winners. 

Speaking of winning being a teacher and wearing my bling and my racing shirt to school the next day the number 1 question I got asked was did I win?  My response to them: yes i did.  It wasn't the fact that I came in around the top 40% mark for total people, my age group, and the males, but I did exactly what I came there and trained for almost half a year to do.  This was really a pipe dream at one point as I thought it would never be possible weighing in at around 236 pounds and the truth is it wasn't.  Without a doubt loosing that weight was the best thing I ever did for myself and if anyone out there takes anything away from this blog its this: just go do it.  Not tomorrow, or next week, or a month from now.  Get started today.  That's what makes the sport of running one of the most beautiful sports ever.  It doesn't take any fancy gear, or expensive memberships, or special areas to practice.  You put your shoes on, head outside your door, and put one foot in front of the other.  Its that easy, and it all begins there from first time couch to 5k runners to Olympic athletes.  Its as simple as that.

If today's post sounds a little more somber than usual its really because it is.  The incredible variety of emotions runners go through in the following weeks after completing their big race is almost indescribable to someone whose never been there, which is partly why I have so much difficulty writing after the fact.  You're ecstatic that you made your goal, questioning how things could have gone differently, thinking about the incredible amount of miles you've put in over the last few months, enjoying the much needed down time bored out of your mind at the same time!, but more importantly you're asking yourself one big ugly question...  The part of your life that was filled with training is now an empty ravenous void and you keep coming back to "Whats next?"  Without a doubt this is another chapter in my life closed, but I guess two weeks to celebrate is all I get.  After all I'm kind of cheating today calling this the end of part 4 because while my sub 4 or bust training is complete, my new plan is just beginning.   As of today I'm "officially" (looking into) my new training plan and part 5 of Escapism with Style: An Ultra Marathon.  Now this isn't for sure so if I back out in a couple of weeks I really can't be blamed but a 50 has always been my real dream.  After all I never really thought a sub 4 hours possible so... And sure I'm closer than ever but lets be honest: 50 miles is still 50 miles.  Fingers crossed and thanks to everyone who followed my through Part 4 of Sub 4 hours or bust.  Sub 4 complete...

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Bonking, Giving Blood, and the Final Countdown! (13 Days to Race)

I've finally made it.  If you would have asked me half way through this week if I'd ever thought I'd make it to my taper you would have heard some pissing and moaning followed up with plenty more grumbling about going out for another run but my easy weeks have finally arrived.  Now you may be wondering if you have been following along why my taper didn't start last week after my soul crushing 22 miler in which I bonked so heavily at mile 18 I wasn't sure if by the end I could actually be considered jogging.  Turns out a crucial part in any training plan is actually reading the thing.  I knew this weekend's Sunday long run was an easy 15 so I just assumed but failed to notice the whopping 30 extra miles throughout the week making this week an all time high for everything but the long run and 5 miles short of last week.  To say it was a little tough is an understatement but as always (except the times I don't)  I prevailed.

The fun began Monday night when I was getting ready to head out.  I glimpsed at my plan expecting a 5 miler or 4, or even a nice note saying "don't worry! Just skip this one you're on easy street!"  To my suprise though I saw a big ugly 8.  Not as ugly as the previous 10's but way more than I was expecting especially only two days after my 22 which I had yet to fully recover from.  So I kept searching for it to let up but to my total shock and utter disappointment it didn't.  This week was 8,8,7,7,15 with one of those 8's being a tempo.   If anyone could have seen the look on my face they might have cried (from laughing so hard).  I was devastated but I put the shoes on (always the hardest part or step [hilarious!] by the way), got out there, and got it done. 

The best part of this week was the 8 miles with a 4 mile tempo run mixed in.  By the time I got to it the legs were sore from the previous 8, and the Sundays 22 mile bone crusher, but I knew I had to get it done.  Taking out a rest week to shorten my schedule for the earlier race I had totally skipped most of the speed work from the last 2 weeks in the hopes of not getting hurt, humiliated, or even worse completely spent.  After all my past long runs are as follows with a steadily building weekly mileage to boot:  Miami Half (nailed it!), 18 (nailed it!), 20 (nailed it!), and 22 (BONKED but did it with an honorable 9:57 average pace though I have no idea how).  So to say I'm beat is not an exaggeration or any forms of writer's poetic license or whatever its called.

To add into the mix I had a great idea Thursday:  give blood!  And after finding out I had a rare blood type I decided it would be an even better idea to give them a double shot!   Now they assured me at the bus (should have been the first clue!) that it would in no way impact my long distance running but I can honestly say with a straight face they are full of shit!!  For the passed few days my legs have felt like I've been running through quick sand and today's run was no exception.  But I was determined to make my last real effort count, and make it count I did!  After reading up last night on training methods I did a negative split (second half is quicker then the first) and then did my last 2 miles fast finish clock in one at 8:57 and the other at 8:27.  Both of these methods though I'm not sure if they're normally combined attempt to train (or trick) the body to run fast for long distances without actually running said distances.  Yeeeeeehaw.  Can't say it looked pretty to make it to the cover of the next edition of any running magazine, but I can say it's done. 

So at the end of the day I'd like to say giving blood is one of the best gifts you can give and in no way am I recommending not to do it.  I actually have an idea that it might be a great training tool to get your legs used to running in sludge in case all the worlds trails, roads, and sidewalks ever became encased in sludge or a fluid of similar viscosity.  But if your marathon is less than a month away, or in less than 2 weeks for me to be exact, maybe after actually receiving the bling is the best time to do it.  Just saying.

And oh yeah don't think I forgot about me bonking.  Hitting the wall as its known is actually what happened to me 2 Sundays ago.  At mile 16 I was tired, 18 I was beat, and 20 I was ready to lay down and die.  For non-runners bonking is when your body runs out of (enough) glycogen (basically what you get from carbs) to supply your muscles and power your organs like your brain.  Ask any marathoner what 8x7 is (remember 5678!) at mile 20 and you're likely to get a whole variety of answers.  That's because the body is running out of juice.  So at about mile 18 the body has to switch over to primarily fat to keeps the legs going and as although fat holds a ton of energy releasing it is no wheres near as easy.  Want to see what bonking looks like?  Go outside your house and find the nicest old lady walking down the street.  Imagine now that she's actually a runner dressed in full running paraphernalia and that she's even making the gestures of running (albeit rather poorly now) yet going the exact same pace if not slower.  No old lady's around?  Then just youtube and non-running animals making its most honest attempt to run (I'm thinking the dog that can't run video!) and that's pretty much it.  "Now that doesn't sound like fun" your thinking or "why would someone put themselves through that kind of torture and physical and mental self-abuse?"  Well why do people take crack cocaine?  Or play golf when they know they'll never be able to truly hit the ball even remotely close to where they wanted it to go?  Simply put one person's self inflicted torture session is another runners idea of a nice Sunday morning I guess.  Now it's time to replenish those glycogen stores...

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Grrrrr! 50 miler anyone?

Nope not a running pic... Deal!
The sun is beginning to set on my training schedule and the dark times have finally arrived.  That last awful stretch of harder work, a little more mileage topping weeks, and major aches and pains is here.  Sometimes completing a simple 5 miles is now tough, other days just putting one foot in front of the other to find the bathroom is worse.  I'm halfway through my hell weeks and to say I'm "not a happy camper" is an understatement.  At one point this week I wrote 4 students referrals for one period alone, but that was both a mix of my mood and the increased pressures of testing.

Today though I proved again to myself that I'm almost there.  I completed a major 18 miler to top off my maximum mileage week of 45 miles.  The worst was by far the last three days:  Friday 10, Saturday 5, and today 18.  The only thing that helped today was the knowledge that I had completed a fun but challenging 20 miler last Sunday, though my legs, joints, tendons, soft tissue, ligaments, toes, ankles and everything else used for moving forward failed to see the brighter side.

The funny thing about running when you hurt is that you never want to do it, but after you get out there you always feel better which just so happens to be a big sign of over training.  But for these last two weeks over training is the name of the game.  Break the legs, body, and spirit down to build it back up again stronger than ever with my last two weeks of taper.

This season one of the best things I've discovered is recovery runs.  Short"er" easy runs designed primarily to loosen you up and get the blood circulating.  Every time I tell someone in pain from a run to get back out there the day after they just look at me like an idiot, mutter something under the breath I'm certain is filled with a couple expletives and walk away.  But its true, recovery runs help.  And oddly enough though they hurt, my legs always seem a little quicker the day after, but I leave that reasoning up for people smarter then me.

So you may notice a lack of posts, cute pics, or funny stories these next few weeks and to that I say "Grrrrr!"  Back off and let me run!  I'm not above barking, and I'm pretty sure I got a little nasty with more then a few people on the road today but... Well no "buts" as I don't really care right now.  Until next time my next long run will be on my mind: a massive 22 miler.  I know I can do 20 with few issues, so whats an extra couple miles, but its just such a big number!  When I told someone at work what I've been doing for the past two Sunday mornings the replied with: well I guess I can't post what he actually said but it wasn't pretty or even legal in some places of the world.  Fingers crossed though, the end of the tunnel is in sight!  The only question now though is why do I keep googling Ultra Marathon Training plans, and 50 mile races??

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

I came, I conquered, and on I go!

Best Bling EVER!
Normally after success the words flow quickly, unceasingly, and the posts somewhat write themselves.  But last Sunday at the Miami Half Marathon things were different.  Describing it is difficult, for once I'm actually at a loss of words but I think its time to finally try.  One word description though to get me started: Victory!

Me and Dad set out that morning for the race around 4:45am thinking we had plenty of time to make the short drive, gear up, and find our rightful spot in the corals.  Oh how wrong we were!  After getting stuck in traffic and having a hike to the start line, things quickly turned into me sprinting to the gear check for the both of us, running back (warm up?) and throwing everything on trying to forget nothing and keep the mental edge and clarity needed to accomplish what I came to do:  1:52:00.  It would represent a 7 minute drop in PR, but more importantly would set the tone for my last month of training as to how difficult the marathon goal of 4 or bust would be.

To say it went well though after the race got underway is an
understatement.  Despite a lack of tapper, my legs felt stronger than
Nicest expo I've ever been to!
ever after I got going, and at each leg I ramped it up quicker and stronger to finish in a full on sprint at a mind numbing (for me at least!) 1:46:13.  On top of that the weather was around 50 degrees and the course were perfect taking us over a big bridge to get us started (so not as flat as I thought) but then down to south beach for some incredible views.  By the time I made it to the half way point were there was a clear turn back to the start and I knew I had my goal.  I've heard some complain about the size of the event with over 20,000 runners present, but I can honestly say it was the best organized event I have ever been to.  Aid stations were perfect, the expo was killer giving out tons of free stuff (include a shaved calf and some KT tape!), the best medal EVER!, and I actually like zig zagging in and out of the crowds in the beginning...

I got a golden ticket!
Now onto the race itself.  Normally passing pacers you were supposed to stick to like glue is a no no.  After all that's how I tanked my Phili marathon.  3 years ago I felt stronger than ever and paid little attention to my watch as it ticked off way too quick times and ultimately paid the price with a shuffling painful finish few words can accurately describe in PG settings.  But this time was different.  My tanks felt full, the legs felt great, and I was on fire.  I caught up with the 1:52 pacer at around mile 4 (started a ways back due to my late arrival) but after a couple miles decided it was time to head out.  Later I caught up with the 1:50 pacer, but knew I had a lot more left than that at around mile 8 so finally passed them too a mile or so later.

At mile 10 I finally found someone to chat with (a lot less talkative people at this event which is normally one of my favorite things about halfs), trying to get the fellow runners around me pumped for the last 5k and gleefully exclaimed "anyone can do a 5k, lets bring it in strong!"  As soon as the words escaped my mouth to my new found running friend I looked down and noticed the different color bib he was wearing indicating only one thing:  he had a lot more than a 5k left, he had the rest of his marathon!

If you look close you can see the mile 12 marker!
After apologizing profusely he wished me luck and I set off to finish strong.  Taking turn after turn I finally came to a coral and turned on the juice hitting a full on flat out sprint racing by runner after runner.  Breathing hard, feeling the burn in my legs not unlike holding them in a molten pit of hot tar mixed with pins and needles, I quickly realized my mistake with a jaw dropping realization:  that was not the end and their was still more race to go.  Buckling down I struggled to get my breathing under control and down shifted a little knowing I had little left for a quick finish, but thankfully at the next turn I could finally spot the finish line.  Looking back at my pace I see I managed an admirable 5:53 min/mile pace to cross the finish line, but no wheres near as quick as the earlier 5:10.   Lesson learned.

So that chapter is done and I can't help but continue to feel more prepared every day for the upcoming marathon.  This week I pushed on with my training getting a seasonal high mileage of 43.1 miles and also making another gamble that will hopefully pay off, but more on that later.  Done with my long run, rest and recovery is on the table.  That and some good old fashioned American football:  GO SEAHAWKS!  (Bills fan here so I'd rather chew my own leg  hand off then root for the Patriots)


Monday, January 19, 2015

The "R" Factor

Half Way Sunday
 So it appears that after numerous years of highly controlled research that at the exact moment you become a runner you also become OCD about many things as well.  Did I finish the last tenth of a mile the way I was supposed to (after running 12)?  Was that four strides or five?  If I travel here for the weekend how in the world am I going to get my exact weekly mileage in and still be able to PARTY?  Some say "Run by the watch, die by the watch" and oh how true that statement is for a lot of us runners.  For me its so bad that I've recently joined a running club and the only thing I can think about is how I'll be able to find someone running my exact mileage on the days I'm supposed to at the exact specified pace I'm supposed to be running.  And trust me I know this is silly because I  should be looking forward to the comrodary found in plodding on mile after mile, but I'm still hesitant.

There is one thing though most runners seem to consistently ignore and its even written 1,2, or even 3 times a week on their training plans: Rest!  For me I'm in the week leading up to my Miami Half Marathon and with no taper so I can push on with my marathon training getting enough rest should be at the forefront of my mind but as the popular saying goes" ain't nobody got time for that."  Even more important than rests during the week is the monthly rest weeks built into the plans resulting in a decline of around 10% of the weekly mileage.  For me these weeks have always been my saviors, breaking my legs and body down as much as possible for three weeks and then gloriously building it back up through easy paced shorter long runs, shorter mid week runs, and an overall improvement in optimism and enthusiasm.

This week has been anything but that though.  For starters I made it home before 9pm only once and that was Monday.  On top of everything my runs were still begging to be made, rest week or not and with a little bit of wrangling I managed to get them all done.  With the half coming up next week though sleep needs to be a priority.  Study after study says that a key ingredient to any training plan, running or not is rest and recovery so minus one or two runs next week that will be my main focus and hopefully enough to get my legs back in shape to run a 1:52 half marathon (a seven minute drop of my PR).

So the question is when looking at so many factors that all runners obsess about why do we ignore something that very smart looking and speaking people (I think they're called scientists) say is a must?  We runners are a funny group.  We strive to do everything perfectly but when it comes to taking it easy or taking the day off we're the first to forget those "suggestions."  Speaking of: how funny is it that we run for hours on end daily but when it comes to 5 minutes of stretching how many of us blow through that as well?  Food for thought though:  I could be making this up again but I read in a recent article that some elite Olympic marathoners run their easy days at about 9:00 minute miles.  Is that wild or what?  I finished the last mile of my easy run today in my rest week way quicker than that!  Slow pokes...

Sunday, January 11, 2015

On point and a 16 miler in the bag!! (AND A LIST!)

Its not often I get to say this but today was major break through.  I managed to run an extra mile this week in 8 minutes less than last week.  I felt strong, fast, and my biggest issue was remembering to slow down.  I am ecstatic!

Turning back to my OCDness with my running I have to question what was different?  My legs weren't in any better shape than the week before, and it could be argued that they were considerably more tired as I'm at the last week before my rest week being on a 4 week cycle.  Looking back at my splits I can't help question how in the world I was been able to post a 8:50 mile at mile 10 (by mistake!), and then do a fast finish of 8:01.  It really boggles the mind, but if I can't walk tomorrow and this is the last post for another year you'll all know why.

Their are four things I can attribute today's success and with my old time training partners recently confessed obsession with lists here we go:

#1  I ditched the heavy clunky camel bag for a hydration belt.  I noticed the previous week as soon as I put that massive bag on my times instantly dropped by a minute or more and at the end I still had half a pouch weighing me down.  While yesterdays trial run with the belt proved it wasn't weightless, today's proved that it is by far the best option and at the end of the 2 and a half hour run I barely knew it was there. 

#2  For the first time ever I cut a Gatorade prime with water and used that mix to fill my 28 ounces of (4)
Fuel!!

water bottles.  On top of that I kept to my new routine of sipping and swishing rather than chuggle-lugging and I think it made another big difference.  If I was a betting man I'd now say a lot of problems I had in the past resulted from a condition known as Hyponatremia (too much water and not enough salt) but more to come on that in a future post on "Fuel."  For anyone attempting this be careful though:  changing fuel for runs too drastically can cause great stomach discomfort (PG version) and nobody wants to do impromptu strides to the closest available bathroom/discreet location.  That's why I used to skip the Gatorade myself but it worked today and I plan to stick with it.

#3  Today I got up at the same time as last week before the sun crested the ocean, but it was noticeably colder and I made sure to hit the road quicker providing an added bonus.   I'm now beginning to closely monitor my sleep as recovery is a vital part of training (or so smart people say) I used to somewhat ignore, but can't afford to at this point.  Again while this doesn't necessarily equal cooler temps or less humidity thanks to the beautiful tropical conditions here in SoFlo, it definitely feels better and will be a continuing trend for my long runs.  The one drawback about this:  bed time on Saturday nights at 10:30 or better but if it helps then it helps.

#4  Confidence:  I knew I could do it.  Didn't know I could do it that fast but I knew.  For any runner out their struggling to build confidence just remember:  If 70 year olds can complete marathons and ultras quicker then most then so can you!  Their is no magical difference between them or anyone else, and if you can come to terms with the truly awesome power our bodies can put out and endure, then its in the bag for you too.

So I think that's all for today's success tips.  I've got 4 more grueling long runs of 18 or more miles before race day coming up really delving into marathon mileage so I'm sure every post won't be as up beat as this one.  But if you're a runner you know there's always going to be ups and downs with training.  Today I'll be riding my up all day long:  Victory is mine!!


Best long run this season:  16 miles in 2:35. 

So much for the dry season!  Missed it by an hour though!

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Nails, Plans, and OCD!

Well there it is in all its glory.  The perfect spot for my new medal commemorating my first ever sub-4 hour marathon.  Sure it's still 9 weeks, 44 training runs, and 371.2 miles away, but a guy should be prepared right?  Which brings me up to an interesting topic:  exactly how to get prepared for running a marathon or any race for that matter.

If you've run a competitive race before then I'm sure you've all heard of training plans.  They come in all different shapes in sizes, levels of intensity, and for all time goals from super elite to just finishing them.  The first thing to know about them though if you've never used one is they are mostly FREE!!  Sure you can easily log onto any popular running site, puts your credit card deets in and download a smokin' new plan, but isn't free always better?

For me I've used many plans over the years.  Some I've put together myself while others I've used general templates.  I always thought the main aspect of following any plan is sticking too the distances because I know I won't be breaking any course time records so my goal has always been just to finish with my head held high with a time I wouldn't mind too much dropping in any social situations.  My last marathon time though of 5 hours and 15 minutes  just doesn't permit that but enough about that.

At the end of the day plans are only as good as your ability to follow them and in that race I faltered big time and the results were catastrophic.  This season I refuse to let that happen and have changed up my focus.  For the first time in my racing career I'm not only following the distance recommendations (up to just below 40 miles a week right with 5 runs a week), but the times to complete the mileage as well.  While its definitely ramped up my the intensity of my training and increased my obsession with sticking to the plan, its proved challenging to say the least but this time my goal isn't just to finish, but to take my place with the top 10% of just-for-fun marathon runners.* 

As I said last week though it hasn't been easy, yet this week my legs are doing much better I'd say somewhere around the 75% range assisted with a brand new massive bottle of Aleve.  What I am super impressed with is this training plan.  This is the first time I've ever been surprised by the many details that's been worked in and it seems to be working as long as I can get through my long run tomorrow morning, and recover during my easy week next week.  I currently have one more week of hills ahead of me, 8 on Wednesday to be exact, but after that I make the switch to Tempo's and Yasso's which I'm pumped for. 

For anyone whose never used a plan before the results are startling.  For someone who normally goes through life as laid back as possible, my training plans turn me into an OCD beast.  Every minute of every mile must be accounted for, and substitutions or subtractions just don't fly.  In my 3 months of training so far I think I've missed one run and cried afterwards for a week.  Okay maybe that's a little much, probably more like a few hours...


But as I've said things are going well and I'm still on track for March.  I broke out of the slump I was in last week and are looking forward to owning tomorrow's 16 miler as I did last weeks smaller brother 15.  I've joined the Hollywood Runners Club which I'm excited to get out and run with (though I CANNOT DEVIATE FROM MY PLAN lol!) and I even purchased a new hydration belt and tested it today looking to put its through its paces with my 16 miler tomorrow.  So far so good, so lets keep our fingers crossed for more happy posts to come.
A great day to be a South Florida runner!!

PS.  For anyone interested in learning more about training plans please feel free to "Google" them.  Thanks and best of luck!

*DISCLAIMER:  This number might be totally made up but I'm pretty sure I read it somewhere and if its online it must be true.  A quick article I just found says 25% but I like 10% better so....

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Week 7: 1 Wall Down, 1 to Go

Pic to See (Creative right?)
Lacing up my shoes this morning before the sun reached out over the bay I really wasn't sure just what to expect.  For a few days my calves and knees had hurt, and I was finding myself with less and less motivation to push on.  Today I was approaching a wall (see pic).  Okay not exactly "the wall" at around 18-20 miles, not there yet, but a mental wall I had from 7 weeks ago when I was defeated and had to walk the remaining two miles home in total agony after attempting a 15 miler I was totally unprepared for.

The good part was I felt ready.  I'd iced what needed to be iced, rested what needed to rested, and petroleum jellied what needed to be jellied and after failing to find the GPS after the first go around my watch finally found it.  With a shot, (or more of a shuffle) I started out one foot at a time trying to ignore the looming wall in my mind ahead of (reference pic again if need be) and repeating my mantra over and over again in my head:  "I ain't everybody."

All in all the run was epic.  It definitely wasn't my fastest, something I think having to do with the massive camel bag full of water on my back (which I'll revisit later), but it felt great.  Not easy, but not hard either, and just around 2 hours and 45 minutes later I was done and felt truly accomplished. Even better in less than 30 minutes after having my remaining pop tart (new running fuel [more  to come on this also]) and my post run protein shake I felt completely recovered even enough to head down to the beach for a quick swim.

So what did I do differently?  For one thing the 7 extra weeks of ramped up mileage certainly helped.  Another thing was getting out before the sun got up for most of it.  While the temperature and humidity don't really change down here too much, being out of the sun for 90% of my run certainly seemed to make a big difference.  Lastly, I had some pretty intense motivation.  Last night I watched the Desert Runners.  An epic story of a group of amateur runners attempting to do the 4 big desert Ultra's all in one year.  For anyone dipping a little low in the motivation department I can't recommend this movie enough and if you don't shed a tear anywhere in it, then your heart must be made of stone as my eyes were barely dry at all during the whole thing.

The moral of today's story?  Confidence.  Confidence in knowing you've trained to do this, knowing you can really rock it, and the best part: knowing your not trying to complete 4 ultras over some of the hardest desert courses on the planet.  I truly believe confidence makes all the difference.  For me today I made the 15 miler mine, and I now own it.  It isn't a world record or anything anyone will ever make a movie about but its mine.  Now having that little gem swimming around in the back of my mind how hard can next Sunday's 16 really be?  Either way the first wall is down, and its time to go find the next.

Week 7 of 16:  COMPLETE.  

Week 9 Preview:  Got my eye on you!

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Sub 4 hours or Bust! It could go either way!

With a little over 10 weeks to go no truer has the name of my latest training plan felt:  "BREAK 4:00 OR BUST!"  Up to this point after restarting my training 6 weeks ago after a couple of failed long runs I've felt strong,  confident (if not cocky!), and more importantly faster than ever at least for a guy that used to weigh 236 pounds.  But lately my mileage has really seemed to catch up to me.  For the past few days I've had a knot in my calf that I can't seem to lose though it doesn't seem to affect my running, in the first mile my one knee threatens to give out, and my easy miles doesn't exactly seem as easy as they used to be. 

Starting today though I'm turning a new leaf.  I've started watching inspirational running movies on Netflix, reading about slump busting training tips, and I'm trying to get that feeling back that I CAN DO IT!  If 6 months ago someone would have asked me if I'd have ever thought I'd be this close to running a sub 4 hour marathon I'd have told them NO WAY AIN'T NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.  But with my loss of 70 pounds and my new found stamina and speed its clear that I really can.  I've coasted through a 10 mile long run and a little more challenging 13 mile both on a treadmill, and ran the best 12 miles of my life with my dad in Texas conquering hill after hill with ease.  Now tomorrow its time to graduate to the big mileage: 15 miles the same distance that got me the 7 weeks ago.  Not this time though, this time its mine and by this time tomorrow yes I'll be hurting, but I'll be one more successful long run closer to breaking a goal I never imagined possible for myself; the Sub 4-hour marathon.  Sure it won't be easy, but if its was easy then everybody would do it and guess what sports fans?  "I AIN'T EVERYBODY!"


PS:  I'm not yelling that's just my new running mantra...