#7 is in the can - my 7th marathon was completed on Sunday, May 6th, and it turned out to be better than I thought. I went into this race a bit undertrained (no mid-week long runs at all!) and expected to finish in about 4:35 - 4:40, but finished up in 4:25:27, and actually felt really good when I was done. I walked far less than I had expected, and had a steady (and controlled) pace for the first 20 miles. In short, a decent race on it's own, but I was even happier given my expectations.
Since then, however, I've had the blues. That's not unusual for me after a race, so I'm not taking it all that seriously, but it's still a bummer. I think it's the lack of exercise for the past few days, combined with my stagnant (increasing?) weight. I can only blame myself for that latter bit - the week after the marathon often includes a celebration, but I bought myself a few extra weeks of high intensity workouts before I hit my weight goals.
They say one way to beat the blues is to set new goals - that part's easy; I set those goals BEFORE the race. I'll run a triathlon in four weeks in my town, and I've started the P90X program to build up some strength (especially upper body) and hopefully do some body reshaping. I'll need to get back on the bike and in the pool; all told, I'll essentially need to double up my workouts for the next 60 days. If I can keep my diet under control, it could be a great couple of months. One pound a week of weight loss would be an awesome accomplishment, and would have me where I want to be by Independence day. The key is daily discipline, and I need to focus on that. It's not the 6 month plan, the 3 month plan, or the 1 month plan. It's today, it's this week, it's making the time and doing it when I don't. The phrase of the week was "A month from now, you'll wish you had started today". Rather than wishing, I'm hoping to be thankful that I started today.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Training Update: Down, but am I out?
It finally happened this week. After 13 years of running, I feel like I may have had my first serious injury. It happened on my Friday run, just a twinge of pain in my left knee toward the end of a 9-miler. I didn't think much of it for a few hours until it started to ache a bit more. At that point, I poked and prodded a bit, and found that the pain was in one very small place on my knee. Thinking it was something minimal, I did what every runner does - I ignored it.
It didn't get better. Friday night, I felt pain every time my knee was pressed flat against the mattress, and on Saturday, that really small spot had grown into a line across the left side of my knee. I began to worry more, about my long run on Sunday, and also about the marathon I am to run in two weeks. I made the mistake of telling my wife, who then alternated between "Don't stress too much; it could be nothing" and "Boy, this marathon could be a complete blowout for you". Ah, the love of a good woman *sigh*.
Sunday, I was filled with trepidation - My long run was to be 13 miles, and I woke to a sore knee again. Would I be able to finish the run? Would I do more damage to it, and actually worsen the situation? Would I wind up walking 6 miles back to my car if I followed my planned run on a flat out-and-back course? At least the last one I could control, and I changed my route to allow me no more than a 2-mile distance between me and my car in case there was real trouble.
I can say that I didn't feel any pain as I started to run....at least no pain for the first 300 yards. After that, the (clearly injured) muscle in my knee announced it's presence, and stuck with me for the entire run. It was a pleasant running partner, keeping me aware of it without yelling at me; just a friendly challenge to my normal Sunday stupor. I normally listen to a few podcasts during my runs; today, they only got half my attention.
I found that running on level ground was OK, running uphills was good, and running steeper downhills was ... unpleasant. They're normally my best friends, but I guess even best friends have a falling out once in a while. After a few miles, where the pain got no worse, I decided to stick it out, and use this as a chance to develop my mental toughness.
So much for that. By mile 8.5, I knew 13 was out of the question. My mantra had gone from "Believe and Succeed" to "Rest, Ice, Compression Elevation", to which I added "medication". Just past mile 9, I was within sight of my car, but turned left instead to finish a 10 miler. By know, the pain was more pronounced, and I had the start of what would become a limp later in the day. The good news: once I stopped running, the pain receded. The bad news: it came back not long after, more than a little miffed at me for having roused it from slumber. I wished it back to sleep, but as yet, it's still crying like a baby (and so am I).
It's early yet, so I'm going to try to stay optimistic. I will rest and take my runs more easily this week (I am tapering after all), and do the RICE techniques that I need to (but don't want to). I have two weeks to get healed, and no expectations or targets about this race - if it takes me 5 hours, that's fine by me. If I have to bail at the 1/2 marathon turnoff, then this just wasn't my race. I'm not going to drive myself into the ground for one race that I KNOW will not be a PR. I'm in this for the long haul, and if DNFing saves my legs for the rest of this running year, that's what I will have to do. Let's hope it never comes to that.
For those of you following Tim's training - he's joined a running club, and is now running a few times per week. He's also got big brother Ian running, who's already seen some pretty significant improvement. I'm not pushing either boy into running, but Tim seems to like it with or without me.
It didn't get better. Friday night, I felt pain every time my knee was pressed flat against the mattress, and on Saturday, that really small spot had grown into a line across the left side of my knee. I began to worry more, about my long run on Sunday, and also about the marathon I am to run in two weeks. I made the mistake of telling my wife, who then alternated between "Don't stress too much; it could be nothing" and "Boy, this marathon could be a complete blowout for you". Ah, the love of a good woman *sigh*.
Sunday, I was filled with trepidation - My long run was to be 13 miles, and I woke to a sore knee again. Would I be able to finish the run? Would I do more damage to it, and actually worsen the situation? Would I wind up walking 6 miles back to my car if I followed my planned run on a flat out-and-back course? At least the last one I could control, and I changed my route to allow me no more than a 2-mile distance between me and my car in case there was real trouble.
I can say that I didn't feel any pain as I started to run....at least no pain for the first 300 yards. After that, the (clearly injured) muscle in my knee announced it's presence, and stuck with me for the entire run. It was a pleasant running partner, keeping me aware of it without yelling at me; just a friendly challenge to my normal Sunday stupor. I normally listen to a few podcasts during my runs; today, they only got half my attention.
I found that running on level ground was OK, running uphills was good, and running steeper downhills was ... unpleasant. They're normally my best friends, but I guess even best friends have a falling out once in a while. After a few miles, where the pain got no worse, I decided to stick it out, and use this as a chance to develop my mental toughness.
So much for that. By mile 8.5, I knew 13 was out of the question. My mantra had gone from "Believe and Succeed" to "Rest, Ice, Compression Elevation", to which I added "medication". Just past mile 9, I was within sight of my car, but turned left instead to finish a 10 miler. By know, the pain was more pronounced, and I had the start of what would become a limp later in the day. The good news: once I stopped running, the pain receded. The bad news: it came back not long after, more than a little miffed at me for having roused it from slumber. I wished it back to sleep, but as yet, it's still crying like a baby (and so am I).
It's early yet, so I'm going to try to stay optimistic. I will rest and take my runs more easily this week (I am tapering after all), and do the RICE techniques that I need to (but don't want to). I have two weeks to get healed, and no expectations or targets about this race - if it takes me 5 hours, that's fine by me. If I have to bail at the 1/2 marathon turnoff, then this just wasn't my race. I'm not going to drive myself into the ground for one race that I KNOW will not be a PR. I'm in this for the long haul, and if DNFing saves my legs for the rest of this running year, that's what I will have to do. Let's hope it never comes to that.
For those of you following Tim's training - he's joined a running club, and is now running a few times per week. He's also got big brother Ian running, who's already seen some pretty significant improvement. I'm not pushing either boy into running, but Tim seems to like it with or without me.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Training Update - April 15th
Today was a tough day, but really, it caps off a tough couple of weeks, both physically and mentally. Today, though, was my last long run before the NJ marathon which kicks off in three weeks. 22 miles on really flat ground to train for the terrain. After my performance, I know that I'll finish the marathon in a decent time, but more likely 4:35 than 4:20. Hey, that's okay - I am undertrained for this race, and have been so since taking a new job at my company.
On the other side of fitness, I've started doing P90X, the overall fitness and buff-building program. I've only done a few sessions, and those only at half-seriousness, as I would prefer to wait until marathon training is done before engaging in something that promises to make me sore every day. I did do a session of Plyometrics, and was still sore four days later.
One neat thing is that one of my sons, Tim, is actually doing the P90X workouts with me. Yes, he's doing very light or no weights, and he sits out the exercises he doesn't want to do. And yes, he's going to get bored and stop very quickly, but for the moment, I have his attention, and we've found another thing we like to do together. He is also a runner, like Mom and me, and has a very curious and inventive mind (hence my expectation of his boredom). I have more adult conversations with him than with many of the real adults in my life.
So, three weeks to go, wrap up this marathon, do 90 days of a new exercise to help drop that 15 pounds I need to drop (from 198 to 183 if you're keeping track), and then I'll start training for something seriously stupid, like the Chowda Challenge.
A quick shout out to Chris Russell of the RunRunLive Podcast for using Tim's submission in this weeks episode. Chris is running the Boston Marathon this Monday, after a long absence due to injury. He DNF'd at his first race but plans to do an Ironman Triathlon later this year. Me? I think he's nuts, but he's my kind of nuts.
On the other side of fitness, I've started doing P90X, the overall fitness and buff-building program. I've only done a few sessions, and those only at half-seriousness, as I would prefer to wait until marathon training is done before engaging in something that promises to make me sore every day. I did do a session of Plyometrics, and was still sore four days later.
One neat thing is that one of my sons, Tim, is actually doing the P90X workouts with me. Yes, he's doing very light or no weights, and he sits out the exercises he doesn't want to do. And yes, he's going to get bored and stop very quickly, but for the moment, I have his attention, and we've found another thing we like to do together. He is also a runner, like Mom and me, and has a very curious and inventive mind (hence my expectation of his boredom). I have more adult conversations with him than with many of the real adults in my life.
So, three weeks to go, wrap up this marathon, do 90 days of a new exercise to help drop that 15 pounds I need to drop (from 198 to 183 if you're keeping track), and then I'll start training for something seriously stupid, like the Chowda Challenge.
A quick shout out to Chris Russell of the RunRunLive Podcast for using Tim's submission in this weeks episode. Chris is running the Boston Marathon this Monday, after a long absence due to injury. He DNF'd at his first race but plans to do an Ironman Triathlon later this year. Me? I think he's nuts, but he's my kind of nuts.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Well, so much for being more consistent with blogging. The first three months of 2012 have been really really busy. Work has been hectic at times, and I've been trying to exercise more, run a Cub Scout Pack and Den, and keep my sanity. It hasn't been easy, and frankly, sleep has been more elusive than I would prefer. Conditions are changing, though, and the weather is warming up, so 2nd quarter looks brighter.
Today was the Danbury 1/2 marathon, my second race of the year, and the one that puts my racing plans back on track. I've decided to cut down to 2 marathons this year, but I may take my crazy to a new level, and run the Cape Cod Chowder Challenge, in which I run a 1/2 marathon on Saturday, and a full marathon on Sunday. It's not until October, so I have time to make that decision.
Today's race was a good one, and I finished in 1:58:48, about 4 minutes longer than last year, but about 7 minutes faster than my (admittedly light) goal for this race. My training for my first marathon this year (May 6 - New Jersey Marathon) has been really poor, with very light mid-week runs. My long runs have been okay, but my pace has been slower than last year, so I don't think there will be a PR at the marathon distance this year.
On other fronts, my weight is down about 6 pounds of the 10 I'm trying to lose. I'm about to start the P90X program to see if a change in routine will be enough to spark a faster weight loss and help me develop more strength and endurance. We'll see how that goes.
I'll also have more soon on other topics, including Scouting, politics, the state of the race for the presidency, and some thoughts on the macroeconomic conditions of the US and the world. I'm now setting a goal of blogging at least once per week, so I'll have to talk about more than running.
Today was the Danbury 1/2 marathon, my second race of the year, and the one that puts my racing plans back on track. I've decided to cut down to 2 marathons this year, but I may take my crazy to a new level, and run the Cape Cod Chowder Challenge, in which I run a 1/2 marathon on Saturday, and a full marathon on Sunday. It's not until October, so I have time to make that decision.
Today's race was a good one, and I finished in 1:58:48, about 4 minutes longer than last year, but about 7 minutes faster than my (admittedly light) goal for this race. My training for my first marathon this year (May 6 - New Jersey Marathon) has been really poor, with very light mid-week runs. My long runs have been okay, but my pace has been slower than last year, so I don't think there will be a PR at the marathon distance this year.
On other fronts, my weight is down about 6 pounds of the 10 I'm trying to lose. I'm about to start the P90X program to see if a change in routine will be enough to spark a faster weight loss and help me develop more strength and endurance. We'll see how that goes.
I'll also have more soon on other topics, including Scouting, politics, the state of the race for the presidency, and some thoughts on the macroeconomic conditions of the US and the world. I'm now setting a goal of blogging at least once per week, so I'll have to talk about more than running.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
"It's been a long December...
but there's reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last." -- Counting Crows
It's been a while since I've posted - some personal / family issues required my attention, and blogging about them isn't something I want to do just yet.
But I'm VERY excited that today is the last day of 2011. It was a good year and a bad year, from a lot of different angles, actually. From a fitness perspective, I had a good year in that I set PRs in a few races, and got to run the cycle (5K/10K/Half/Full Marathon), plus two triathlons and almost 1700 miles (a good year for me). On the downside, though, I managed to gain 10 pounds; mainly in the last two months of the year. So I'm headed into 2012 with some serious goals.
As with just about EVERYONE else, I'm working to lose those 10 pounds, plus a few more, while increasing my strength and general fitness. I'm starting the year at 199 pounds; about 16 more than I was when I felt my best, so it sounds like a challenge, but when I look at what many people face with weight issues, it's not that big. I have a great support system, too, so I think this really is doable, and I'm hoping to help inspire some friends and family to do the same along the way.
Second, I plan to run three marathons this year; one winter, one spring, and one in the fall, and hopefully 2-3 triathlons. I'm not sure I can do it all, but it would be nice, and would get me to 9 marathons in total. The first marathon and triathlon are both already booked, and the second marathon is high-probability. From there, I'll have to decide whether I want to train, or have more fun doing other races in the fall.
Third, I'm promising myself to read more (more possible with my new Kindle) and getting specific this year on *what* I'm going to read, not just a general 'read more' statement. Now if only I could read while I was out running....
I have more goals, but I'll share those through the year. My first three months need to be focused on the above, because I've learned that I can't focus on too many things at once; If I do, it's not really focus, is it? While I'm at it, I will try to be more consistent in blogging, and also to vary the topics a bit more in 2012. I hope it pans out, and that you'll stay with me for the trip.
It's been a while since I've posted - some personal / family issues required my attention, and blogging about them isn't something I want to do just yet.
But I'm VERY excited that today is the last day of 2011. It was a good year and a bad year, from a lot of different angles, actually. From a fitness perspective, I had a good year in that I set PRs in a few races, and got to run the cycle (5K/10K/Half/Full Marathon), plus two triathlons and almost 1700 miles (a good year for me). On the downside, though, I managed to gain 10 pounds; mainly in the last two months of the year. So I'm headed into 2012 with some serious goals.
As with just about EVERYONE else, I'm working to lose those 10 pounds, plus a few more, while increasing my strength and general fitness. I'm starting the year at 199 pounds; about 16 more than I was when I felt my best, so it sounds like a challenge, but when I look at what many people face with weight issues, it's not that big. I have a great support system, too, so I think this really is doable, and I'm hoping to help inspire some friends and family to do the same along the way.
Second, I plan to run three marathons this year; one winter, one spring, and one in the fall, and hopefully 2-3 triathlons. I'm not sure I can do it all, but it would be nice, and would get me to 9 marathons in total. The first marathon and triathlon are both already booked, and the second marathon is high-probability. From there, I'll have to decide whether I want to train, or have more fun doing other races in the fall.
Third, I'm promising myself to read more (more possible with my new Kindle) and getting specific this year on *what* I'm going to read, not just a general 'read more' statement. Now if only I could read while I was out running....
I have more goals, but I'll share those through the year. My first three months need to be focused on the above, because I've learned that I can't focus on too many things at once; If I do, it's not really focus, is it? While I'm at it, I will try to be more consistent in blogging, and also to vary the topics a bit more in 2012. I hope it pans out, and that you'll stay with me for the trip.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Training update December 2nd, 2011
I had a great week of training recently. Unfortunately, that was two weeks ago. A fast week on my two base and tempo runs, followed by an 18 miler that went really well, as I think I finally have my hydration / nutrition down, as well as my run / walk tempo (a minute walk about every two miles seems okay to me).
Then, Thanksgiving happened, along with a few other challenges. Two days of travel (without a good running route or treadmill available), the food fiesta that is the last Thursday of November, followed by a week of not-so-good on the dietary front (OK - that should be "really-really-bad" on the dietary front).
Add to that a bit of stress that came from some bad lab results. I had a few chest pains (which I had already determined to be muscular) but for which my doctor wanted additional tests. One of them came back with a poor reading, which tripped three other rounds of blood tests plus a treadmill stress test, . Net is that I appear to be fine, but I was more than a bit thrown when one of the blood tests indicated cardiac problems, but these were disproven by a followup.
So I'm back to running normally, albeit at a slower pace, thanks to the extra November pounds and a couple of days off. My body likes to run as often as possible, so even a few days off brings on extra aches and pains when I finally get back to the roads. By this Sunday's 20 miler, I should feel much more lubricated, and hopefully everything will work smoothly.
I'm now signed up for the 26.2 with Donna (National Marathon to end Breast Cancer) and I'm planning to register for the New Jersey Marathon. I'm also registered for the Pawling Triathlon in June, and I'll probably do the Putnam Tri again this year. I'm hoping to 1) training in the pool over the winter and 2) run an Olympic distance Tri in 2012, along with three marathons. If my heart can survive all of that, plus the usual battery of 5-milers, 5Ks, and a half or two, it should survive anything.
Then, Thanksgiving happened, along with a few other challenges. Two days of travel (without a good running route or treadmill available), the food fiesta that is the last Thursday of November, followed by a week of not-so-good on the dietary front (OK - that should be "really-really-bad" on the dietary front).
Add to that a bit of stress that came from some bad lab results. I had a few chest pains (which I had already determined to be muscular) but for which my doctor wanted additional tests. One of them came back with a poor reading, which tripped three other rounds of blood tests plus a treadmill stress test, . Net is that I appear to be fine, but I was more than a bit thrown when one of the blood tests indicated cardiac problems, but these were disproven by a followup.
So I'm back to running normally, albeit at a slower pace, thanks to the extra November pounds and a couple of days off. My body likes to run as often as possible, so even a few days off brings on extra aches and pains when I finally get back to the roads. By this Sunday's 20 miler, I should feel much more lubricated, and hopefully everything will work smoothly.
I'm now signed up for the 26.2 with Donna (National Marathon to end Breast Cancer) and I'm planning to register for the New Jersey Marathon. I'm also registered for the Pawling Triathlon in June, and I'll probably do the Putnam Tri again this year. I'm hoping to 1) training in the pool over the winter and 2) run an Olympic distance Tri in 2012, along with three marathons. If my heart can survive all of that, plus the usual battery of 5-milers, 5Ks, and a half or two, it should survive anything.
The Power of Yet
It's amazing how small words can have big impacts. "Yet" is one of my favorite examples - it's a word that can indicate potential, possibilities, and desire. It's a word that says "I'm not now, but I can become". It's almost an optimistic word by definition, and therein lies its power.
The first time I realized how good a word it was happened after my first half-marathon. It was a grueling effort, far longer than I had ever run before, and I had made lots of rookie mistakes (overdressed, went out too fast, bypassed one water station too many, etc.). By the time I hit 10 miles, I was wiped out. I was done with running, cursed my coach - it was a bad scene. After I finished the run, my coach Dan told me that if I could run a half the way I did, I could run a full marathon. My response was typical: "There's no way I can run a marathon". He looked at me with a glint in his steely eyes and said simply, "yet".
I didn't get it right away, but he was right - There was no way I could run a marathon yet, but I *could* run one. I hadn't thought it possible to run a half marathon, but I had just done it. It wasn't pretty, but it was my first attempt at anything over 10 miles, and I had made it work. That idea of "yet" stuck with me, and before long, I was training, and then running, the New York City marathon, and then 5 more since then.
"Yet" applies in so many ways, though. I can't do 100 pushups straight....yet. I can't do more than 10 pullups .... yet. I don't know how to cook a gourmet meal...yet. I can't write a good blog (maybe that one stays that way for me). Those three letters change a sentence from a limitation to an aspiration. A 'never' to a 'someday'. The impossible to possible.
I find myself looking for it now whenever people say they can't do something. I ran a race with my sister recently, and when another, longer race came up, she said that there was no way she could run that distance. I hesitated, waiting for that magic word, but it didn't come. So I said it. This time, she hesitated, and I was taken back to that half-marathon again, with the tables turned. Only this time, she was quicker than I had been . She understood what I was saying, and she responded, "yet". She knows what is possible if she has the will.
Next time you find yourself using the C word (can't), choose to add "yet" to the end of your sentence. You may find new doors opening in your mind. The biggest thing standing between us and excellence, the realization of our full potential, is our ability to imagine that we can succeed.
And I'll keep writing.....even though I'm not really good at it (yet).
The first time I realized how good a word it was happened after my first half-marathon. It was a grueling effort, far longer than I had ever run before, and I had made lots of rookie mistakes (overdressed, went out too fast, bypassed one water station too many, etc.). By the time I hit 10 miles, I was wiped out. I was done with running, cursed my coach - it was a bad scene. After I finished the run, my coach Dan told me that if I could run a half the way I did, I could run a full marathon. My response was typical: "There's no way I can run a marathon". He looked at me with a glint in his steely eyes and said simply, "yet".
I didn't get it right away, but he was right - There was no way I could run a marathon yet, but I *could* run one. I hadn't thought it possible to run a half marathon, but I had just done it. It wasn't pretty, but it was my first attempt at anything over 10 miles, and I had made it work. That idea of "yet" stuck with me, and before long, I was training, and then running, the New York City marathon, and then 5 more since then.
"Yet" applies in so many ways, though. I can't do 100 pushups straight....yet. I can't do more than 10 pullups .... yet. I don't know how to cook a gourmet meal...yet. I can't write a good blog (maybe that one stays that way for me). Those three letters change a sentence from a limitation to an aspiration. A 'never' to a 'someday'. The impossible to possible.
I find myself looking for it now whenever people say they can't do something. I ran a race with my sister recently, and when another, longer race came up, she said that there was no way she could run that distance. I hesitated, waiting for that magic word, but it didn't come. So I said it. This time, she hesitated, and I was taken back to that half-marathon again, with the tables turned. Only this time, she was quicker than I had been . She understood what I was saying, and she responded, "yet". She knows what is possible if she has the will.
Next time you find yourself using the C word (can't), choose to add "yet" to the end of your sentence. You may find new doors opening in your mind. The biggest thing standing between us and excellence, the realization of our full potential, is our ability to imagine that we can succeed.
And I'll keep writing.....even though I'm not really good at it (yet).
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