The Wind Blew, and I Sucked !

I've not been a good blogger.

Several months and nada.  Essentially I've been plugging away with my winter training - all counting down to Boston on 4/18.  Good training, but not very exciting to write about.

I post regularly on Runners World.  Many of the people I know from there were at this race.  Online - and often in person - we refer to each other with our screen names, so in this report I'm going to be using those names - I realize it may sound like code if you're not a regular poster there, but just rest assured - they're all real people. 


Last weekend I was in Moab for a half marathon.

The Wind Blew and I sucked !

At least that's how I felt during the race.

I wasn't going to write a race report.  I wasn't happy with how things turned out after all the hopes of a fast race on a 'PR course' and the great training build up.

But a few days removed I've realized that race reports - just like life and running - don't always have to recount the perfect experience.  Often things don't go as planned.   Someone said on the RW boards last weekend that you learn more about yourself from the tougher experiences than the good ones.  That's very true.  This is one of those experiences.

I wanted to do a half marathon in the build up to Boston. I'd heard about the Canyonlands Half last fall.  Rated as one of the top 10 in the country.  A lottery to get into, but it's in Moab - a place I'd always wanted to visit, and it was a 'PR course'.  Hell - I have terrible luck in lotteries - I haven't even won the powerball yet despite numerous attempts.  I threw my name in, and expected to get the rejection.

Nope.  I got in.  As did a number of my real and imaginary buddies   TeamCam, PBR, RunCo, Ilanarama, KazzII, Blue Earth, Arete Quest.  In fact almost everyone I knew who'd applied - got in.

Training this Boston cycle has gone very well.  I haven't missed a run yet through injury.  Have hit all my VO2, LT and MP paces - including a recent 18 with 14 @ 6.40 pace with the local Denver boys.

I ran my half PR of 1.26.21 last August - with just 6 weeks of running under my belt after 3 months off from achilles tendonitis.  I was in much better shape now so was confident I could crush my PR.  1.25 easily.  1.24 hopefully.  1.23 - if things went well.

So off we went to Moab.

At the pre-race FE I finally met Blue Earth after several near misses.  I met Arete Quest too for the first time, and caught up again with TeamCam, Ilanarama and Kazz.

 
We had dinner at Miguel's, then as my family went to bed - I stayed up a little later watching hot tub time machine.  Went to bed around 10:45pm and woke up at 12:15am.  And despite sleeping pills - I didn't go back to sleep.  That was a long night.

Oh well.  Got up at 6am.  Chugged down my ultra fuel, hit the bathroom and then headed out for the buses reluctantly turning down PBR's text invitation to join him at Denny's for a grand slam breakfast...  he was doing the 5 miler and was clearly taking it very seriously.   I wasn't too concerned about the lack of sleep.  I figured I could run hard for 90 minutes still. 

Canyonlands is like Boston.  The buses pick you up early, drive you to the start - and leave you there for several hours before race time.  I was at the starting area by 7.30am.  Gun time was 10am.  I perched on a rock and looked for people I knew. 

I sat there for an hour before I saw the Ronald McDonald shoes of TeamCam and his Boston jacket.  We hung out until 9am talking crap and then they allowed us to walk up to the start area.  The wind was howling but it didn't really register with me.  It was coming from the south - essentially straight up the Canyon towards us, but the scenery was stunning.  Thinking back to our last big race experience in Chicago I remember telling Cam that at least it was just windy - and not hot.  Right.

Warming up behind the field we ran into most of the other forumites.  Ilana couldn't keep her tiara on her head in the wind.  Then it was back to our starting positions.  It's a big field - 3,500 people - but well organized.  They had a 6:00/min mile pace area up front, and a 7:00 just behind it.  Not a lot of people there - so we just walked right in.  5 feet behind the starting line.  10am and we were off.

This is the starting line:

The course has a net elevation loss of 77 feet (424 feet loss, 347 feet gain).

The majority of that loss seems to happen in the first quarter mile.  It's straight down.

 
I didn't want to go out too fast, but also didn't want to waste this opportunity.  Cam was off like Gaddafi in an air raid.  While I'd love to have raced with him - after his 2.57 in Chicago in tough conditions, I knew that wouldn't be smart so I let him go.  The guy has shown - and showed again this weekend - that the elements hold no fear for him.

Mile 1.  6.20.  It was windy, but with the downhill, first mile excitement and ultra fuel rush - it felt easy.  My HR was a little higher than I'd have wanted.  Low 170s - but I put that down to lack of sleep.  My HR had been high all morning.

Mile 2.  Watching Cam's yellow shirt continue off into the distance, I tried to match up with other runners who were going a similar pace.  I was running with the lead women and Blue Earth appeared.  I tried to sneak in behind people to avoid the wind but nothing really helped.  6.26.  Ok.  Keep it going.

Mile 3.  Kept running with my small group.  Watching the 2 lead women play mind games and keep overtaking each other.  Still felt good.  6.28.   Hmm - noticing a pattern.  A little slower each mile.  Time to do something about that.  Still feeling good - I pick up the pace.  This next one is me pulling away with the lead women and Blue Earth over my left shoulder.

Mile 4.   Is Cam struggling up front ?  I'm getting closer to him.  There's no one between us, although he's still a good 50 yards ahead. Think about catching him and smacking his butt as I pass.  Seriously - I did.  "Hi cowboy".  How cool would that be ?  6.17.  Nice.  Almost a third of the way there.  It's tough - but running a 1.23 or 1.24 was never going to feel easy.

Mile 5.  Now I'm on my own - I've got no protection from the wind.  Ugh.  Keep trying to find a position that will help.  Hug the Canyon wall.  Nope - go to the other side of the road.  Nope.  It's really blowing.  6.32.

Mile 6.  Hmm.  Average is now around 6.25.  In the back of my mind I knew a friend in Denver's PR was around 6.23 pace for a 1.23.50.  Seeing the average slip was telling me that a 1.23 wasn't happening today.  Still plugging away though.  Very lonely on the road.  6.41

Mile 7.  Whoh.   That mile was slower than the 6.35 average when I ran my PR.  Not to worry.  I've still got 45 seconds in hand over that but I need to pick it up.  I want a 1.24.  I realize I'm coming to the 10K point and check my watch.  39.59.  Woot !  I've only run one 10K - several years ago.  I've just run my first sub 40.  Nice.  Unfortunately there's no finish chute.  Just wind and no protection.  6.39.  That was picking it up ?  Hell.

Mile 8 - really starting to feel it now.  I'm trying to get back to the 6.20 pace - but it's not happening.  I'm working way too hard to maintain this and I'm starting to slip back.  I should take a gel but I don't feel like it.  The Blue Earth and lead women group catches me at the end of mile 8.  6.41. 

Mile 9.  This mile had the one real hill.  And it still had the wind.  That was fierce.  I started to lose it there.  At this point I knew even a PR was in doubt.  What was the point ?  As I struggled up the incline with the wind I started to think 'f**k it' - just stop and walk it in.  You're not getting the PR.  Why bother.   I reminded myself this race wasn't the goal.  This was a test of adversity and I needed to pass.   On I plugged. 6.42

Miles 10 and 11.   I lost touch with Blue Earth's group.  Back to running alone in the wind.  6.54 then 7.10.  Just wanted to be done.  And then I got hit by a tumbleweed.  Seriously ?  Thanks for that.

Mile 12.  This was when the wind stuck a finger in it's nose and waved at us and cranked up the pain one more time.  We turned out of the Canyon onto the main road to Moab.  They'd given us a lane, but cars were still flying by in both directions kicking up dust and fumes.  But the wind was horrendous.  Every 2 steps forward felt like one back.  I'd have loved a 7.10 mile now.  7.33.  Ha.  That's MP + 10%.  I'm running 20 milers in training at that.  No one was passing me though.  Isolated runners ahead and behind, all in their own personal hell.

Mile 13.  Finally - turned out of the wind and through some residential streets.  "You're nearly there" - yeah right.  Thanks.  Easy for you to say with your latte and lawn chair.  Just over a mile to go.  Time to suck it up.  Saw PBR who yelled something.  I tried to look good in case he posted on FB.   I saw the guy ahead was coming back to me.  Someone sucking more than me ?  That gave me a little boost.  I tracked him down and overtook.  7.10

Last bit - this is one long finish chute.  Saw our families, put on a brave face.  That whole last tenth must have been in the chute.  The barriers were closer - maybe 10 yards apart with a crowd on both sides.  I'm on my own - the crowd claps - I clap them back - they cheer and clap louder.  This nightmare is about to be over and so I pick it up again.  6.42 pace.

And I'm done.  1.28.38.  I see Blue Earth just ahead and talk with him.  He'd run 1.23 last year and 1.27 this.  Then I saw Cam.  1.25.  In those conditions - that's amazing.  Ilanarama, Kazz both had similar stories.  All 3 - 4 minutes behind last year.  AQ too had been buffeted by the wind, although he also had the 4,000 foot elevation to contend with.  Ok - now I'm seeing a pattern and feeling a little better.  That wind really did have that much of an impact.  It wasn't just me. 

Overall - 52nd out of 3,500.  That sounds reasonable, but no shiny PR, so I didn't have that warm glow of satisfaction I'd been anticipating.  Still - it was a great workout.  With proper rest I'm sure it will do me good for the ultimate Boston goal.  I got to meet up with a bunch of forumites, and hang out in a wonderful part of the country.   Maybe I didn't suck as much as I'd thought - but hell -

that wind did blow !

After a finish photo with AQ, BlueEarth and TeamCam.it was off to the Moab Brewery with the whole gang.

And the lessons ?  I got a lot out of it.  In Chicago I adjusted my goal based on the conditions and got the PR.  In Moab I didn't and didn't.  

Despite the downhill first mile - I should have been more conservative.  I've always run my best races where I've gone out slow and then come on strong.  Boston has a downhill start too.  Need to remember that.

No matter how bleak things look during the race.  When your plans have gone to crap.  Keep plugging away.  Don't give up.  Afterwards you may find yourself learning something from the experience. Something that's not apparent at the time.

Closing out and starting a new year

Time has flown again.

Here we sit in mid January 2011.

I wanted to revisit the goals I posted at the start of 2010.

- run 200 miles per month, so 2,400 for the year
- get below 3.10 at Boston
- sub 1.30 half to qualify for New York.
- sub 19.53 5K
- train smarter

Let's see.

I started out the year pretty aggressively.  In hindsight probably too aggressively.  I easily ran 200 miles / month January through March, with March over 300.  And then - not surprisingly - I got injured.

Achilles tendonitis dominated the next 3 months of the year.  I hardly ran at all - although I did run / walk Boston in an incredibly painful 3 hours and 45 mins.  Easily my slowest marathon.

Then in July, after a trip to Africa, I started coming back.  This time I did finally train smarter.  I ran Chicago in the heat and got the sub 3.10 time I'd wanted out of 2010.

Because of the 3 months off - I didn't reach 2,400 miles - but I did run 2,217 - exactly 500 more than 2009.

As for the other time goals.  I only ran 2 5Ks last year, but easily beat the 19.53 goal.  I ran 18.36 in August.  The same with the sub 1.30 half.  I ran two, beat it both times, and currently have a PR of 1.26.23 which gets my guaranteed entry into New York.

Blogs are probably more for the person who writes them - a 21st century version of a diary - and I found it very interesting reading my post from a year ago and remembering my thought process at the time.  As such I'm going to record something similar for my 2011 goals.

The biggest goal my far is to try to go sub 3 hour time in a marathon.

There are so many factors that can play a part in this - the course, weather, training, injuries and most of all - luck, that I don't know how realistic it is - but that's the main goal for this year.

I'm running Boston in April.  I'm intending to take my first crack at it there.  It's not an easy course, and it may be too soon - but having witnessed another friend in Chicago go in with the mantra 'sub 3 or over 4' and pull it off, I'm motivated to try the same thing.  I'm planning to go all out and attempt it - and either make it - or blow up in the process...

I'm also planning on running the New York Marathon in November.  That would be the 3rd leg of the 'World Majors' for me.  Leaving just London and Berlin (hopefully 2012).

New York is definitely not renowned as a fast course - so I'm going to attempt to get into a more favourable race for a sub 3 (if I don't get it in Boston !) - St Georges - in October.  It's a lottery system and so it's highly probably I won't make it, in which case I may look for an alternative.

As for non-marathon goals.  I'd like to go sub 1.25 in the half, sub 18 in the 5K, sub 39 in the 10K (I've only ever run one so this may be a 'soft' goal).

I'm hoping to run another 500 mile PR - so over 2,717 miles, although more importantly - I want to continue to train smarter and hopefully stay injury free (don't we all ?!)

Run most of the runs slowly - or at least in line with the pace that Pfitz and other coaches suggest, and keep the faster miles for the tempo and pace runs.

I'm hoping this approach keeps me healthy and that I can then make use of my winter marathon training by hitting a few more of the fun races in the Spring.  Colfax, Bolder Boulder, and perhaps even the Mount Evans Ascent.

The great thing about a new year is the 'fresh page' that we start with.  It'll be interesting seeing how it turns out.

10-10-10

I've learned a lot in this last year .

The Chicago marathon on 10-10-10 was just 364 days after my first ever marathon.

10/11/09 - Chicago.  I didn't have a clue how to train, did many things wrong.  In hindsight I'm surprised I stayed healthy.  I ran it, scrapped a BQ but completely fell apart over the last 6 miles.   I felt I should have done better so immediately started training for CIM 8 weeks later.  Got injured (surprise), ran it on limited training.  Improved my time to 3.17.47, but faded badly again.  Switched to mid-foot running.  Trained for my first Boston - I finally used a plan (Pfitz) but likely still did my LR and MLR's too fast and ran too many miles (up to 85 / week), got achilles tendonitis 18 days before, suffered through a painful race in 3.45. 

In just over 6 months I'd run 3 marathons - none of which I was happy with.

So this time around - after recovering from the AT injury in June and my hernia surgery, and then the trip to Africa, I started a 12 week plan for Chicago.  This time I trained slower on all my LRs and MLRs.  I used my HR monitor to guide my pace, not my ego.  I backed off the mileage a little.

I saw the results.  I only ran 2 races this summer - a 5K and a half.  But I killed both of my PRs. 

Both of these predicted out to a 3.02 marathon.  Despite the improvements, I didn't have the confidence that I could do that.  I'd faded badly in my previous runs, so maybe a half was my better distance.  Sure - now as a certified RCAA running coach, I knew the physiology of why training slower helped recruit muscle fibres to work aerobically and should help reduce the fade - but I hadn't seen it in practice.

Going into Chicago - I decided my A goal was 3.05.   Get a time in that neighborhood, and I'd have the confidence that I could indeed run the faster times.  I wasn't ready to try to go sub 3.

Then the forecast.  Crap.  82 degrees forecast, humidity.  Here in Colorado I ran early to avoid the heat and we have pretty much no humidity.  This is terrible.

I seriously thought about bailing.  After 2 Pfitz training cycles - I needed something to show for all that work.  Denver was the following weekend.  I could run my time then.

After much thought I came to Chicago, my mind wasn't really in it, but I wanted to meet everyone and have fun.   I'm going to at least start.

Still - I was going to start slowly, and was preparing to bail at the half at the slightest hint of discomfort.  Not the ideal mental state to be going into a marathon.

3.05 - 3.10 was now the A goal.



Met my friends from the Runners World forums pre-race, headed down, used the gatorade / trash sack porto potty.

The overnight predictions of 'high 50s' never materialized.  This from the WGN news after the race.  We started at 67 degrees, and temps quickly went up.  They changed the 'threat' level of the race from green to orange and then to red around the 4 hour mark when it was close to 80 degrees.



We were off.  My splits are a combination of what I remember, and what I've pieced together from gamin when it wasn't jacked up with the tall buildings and the official splits.

I started slowly.  Breathe, relax, keep monitoring your HR, don't get tripped.

Mile 1.  7.25.  Nice.  It's crowded, but I'm feeling good.

A little faster.

Mile 2.  7.16.

Ok.  HR is in the low 150s.  That's good.  In Boston - for many reasons - it was in the high 170s at this point.  Stomach doesn't feel good tho'.  I can taste the ultra fuel still there.  No gatorade for a while just water.

Mile 3 - moving out of downtown.  7.05.  That's a 3.05 pace.  Overtake the 'B corral' 3.10 pace team.

5K - 22.34, for a 7.16 avg.

Mile 4.  7.05. 
Mile 5. 7.05.

This is actually pretty good.  Feeling very easy.  Well within myself.

Mile 6. 7.04.

I catch Ashley from the Boston forums.  Say a quick hellow.  Sounds like she's decided to take it easy today.

Mile 7.  7.05.

Into boys town.  Missed the cheerleaders on the stage this year.  Someone gives me a bottle of water.  Thanks.

Overtake the A corral 3.10 group.  Think about staying with them, but decide I'm feeling too good to go 7.15 pace.

Mile 8.  7.05.
Mile 9.  7.05
Mile 10.  7.04

This is clockwork.  Time to start thinking about your 'bail' decision.  Do you want to stop at the halfway point and do Denver next weekend ?  Decide to decide just before I get there.

Mile 11. 7.04
Mile 12. 7.04
Mile 13.  7.00

Ok - decision time.  I'm sure I'm going to die in a few miles, but I've come this far.  Who's to say I'll be in any better shape next week.  Think of Zab's boston mantra.  Balls on the table.  13 miles to suck it up baby.

Push in my chips.  I'm all in.

Half in 1.33.18

Funny - 18 months ago, that would have been over a 2 minute PR for a half.  HR still hovering around 160.  Well within my 'range'.

Now we're into the sun and it's getting hot.  I saw later from WGN news that miles 13 - 16 were the hottest part of the course.  Stomach still feels crappy.  I haven't taken a gel yet, and have no interest in one either. No gatorade either.  Just water.

Mile 14.  7.05

Thinking 3.05 might be possible.  Time to pick it up a little.

Mile 15.   6.57
Mile 16.  6.58
Mile 17.  6.59

Feeling good.  Just waiting for that fade though.  Damn it's hot.

Mile 18.  7.01
Mile 19.  7.08
Mile 20.  7.14

Not sure what happened there.  Still feeling good.  Maybe the heat was getting to me more than I realized.  See a bank clock saying 78 degrees.  Crap.

Could that be CGRITT from the boards up ahead ?  Looks like him.  Gaining, see the tattoo.  Say a quick hello as we hit China town.  Still feeling good.

Mile 21.  7.07

Where's the fade ?  I was dying last year at this point but now I'm 'that guy' picking off people.  Still no gels.  Started out with 4, and I've got 4 in my pocket.  Too cheap to throw them away.  Just water too.  Wonder if that'll hurt me - no extra carbs or salt.

Mile 22.  7.22

Uhoh.  Starting to think 3.05 isn't going to happen today.  Still not feeling bad though.

Mile 23.  7.20.  Keeping it together.  Just.  Starting to feel very light headed.  Hoping not to fall over.  Just 5K to go though.  Picturing the local 5K course and thinking about starting to run it.  I'm going to do this.

Mile 24.  7.36.  There she goes...  still - not a big fade.  Also amazed that despite my slowing down - everyone is slowing down too.  Not getting passed by people.  I'm with runners from the 3 hour pace group - all hurting together.  The heat seems to be getting to everyone here.

Mile 25.  7.49.  Hold it together for one more mile.  F**k it's hot. 

Mile 26.  7.38.  Where's that stupid turn off Michigan avenue onto the Mount Roosevelt ?  What ?  All the way in the distance ? 

Finally the turn.  Try to hold it together up the hill, feeble attempt at a sprint.  Look at watch.  You can get under 3.09 if you sprint faster.  Sprint faster.
 

 
And I'm done.  3.08.56.  Wow.  That's almost a 9 minute PR.  In less than ideal conditions, with a poor mind set going in, without taking a gel or gatorade all race. 

What I learned:

- Most importantly.  I now have the confidence that I CAN run faster.  Until the end, I was cruising around the 7.05 pace for a 3.05.  In cooler conditions, I'm pretty sure I could have gone faster.  And the fade at the end, really wasn't as bad as I've had before, and can easily be attributed to the heat, and no carb intake during the race.

- Training slow to race faster absolutely worked.  Thank you everyone for finally getting that into my stubborn head.

- Pre-race ultra fuel loading works, but I need to be smarter.  I drank too much too close to the start.  Fortunately the late Boston start should help next time.

- I'm no longer going to be afraid of less than ideal conditions.  It's not the end of the world.  Starting slower and aiming for a time just a little slower than I would have in cooler conditions helped me keep things together.

Finally - I ran a marathon that I'm happy with.

Then it was time to party with my friends.  Good times.

Deja vu all over again...

so here I am.  sitting in my hotel room the night before the Chicago marathon.

it reminds me of the same day last year

http://runningdenver.blogspot.com/2009/10/marathon-eve.html

So many things are the same, but many are different too.

Then I was on the eve of my first marathon.  I was nervous as hell.  I'd put a lot of pressure on myself to BQ at the first attempt.  I didn't really know what to expect, and fortunately didn't realize at the time that I'd been training badly.  But I had perfect weather and no injury concerns...

This year I'm not nearly as nervous.  While I should be a lot faster in ideal conditions, I haven't put the pressure on myself to achieve a particular goal time.  I get butterflies thinking about the race, but I'm not the nervous wreck I was last year.  I've got a little foot pain and the weather looks like it's going to suck....

From all accounts the temperature at the start will be low 60s with high humidity (85%) and then will rise up during the race into the mid 70s.  The forecast high is 86, but fortunately we'll be done long before that happens.  At least I hope that's the case.

Bearing in mind the optimal temperature for running a marathon is 40s to low 50s, this will be far from ideal.  I'm used to running in a dry environment - I'm going to need to do a very good job about hydrating tomorrow.

I'm a little torn too about the approach I should take.  I signed up to the Denver marathon months ago as a backup plan for Chicago in case the weather was bad.  Having missed out on a time in Boston because of injury, I didn't want to do 2 full training cycles this year and end up with nothing to show.

I'd intended to cancel the Chicago trip and concentrate on Denver if that happened.  Well - here I am - still with the spot next weekend in Denver, but sitting in my hotel room in Chicago...  it's a catch 22.  I'm here so feel I need to give this a go, but then I know that if I go for it and get impacted by the heat, I'll be blowing any chance to run a fast marathon next weekend.

So I'm going to hedge my bets.  In perfect weather and in ideal shape, I'd probably have aimed for close to a 3 hour time.  Now I'm thinking 3.05 - 3.10 would be great - and still a big PR.  So I'll go out with  the 3.10 pace group, then after a few miles think about speeding up to 3.05 pace (7.05 min / miles) and then as we wind our way back into downtown around the half way point, re-evaluate.  If I'm suffering and know that I can't keep going at that pace, I'll either dial things back completely and jog in the last half very slowly, or even step off the course and save it for the next weekend.

If I'm feeling good, then I'll go all in.  No marathon the following weekend in Denver.  Time to HTFU and put it all on the line.

I'm hoping it's the latter.  And I'm hoping it's the right decision and I can hang on for those last 13.1 miles.

I'm hoping the weather fears or more mental than actual.

I'll know in about 18 hours...

Where did the summer go ?!

Holy crap.  Have I not posted anything since July ?

The summer has flown by and now I'm 11 days out, and in mid-taper, ahead of Chicago.

I guess a quick recap is in order.

Returning from Africa, I continued with the 50 mpw schedule, and bumped it by 10% each week, until I got back to the 70 miles / week threshold.  I kept that up through the summer, following the Pfitz 70/12 plan for Chicago.  Juggling schedules for varying reasons, I maxed out at 82 one week, but most were between 65 - 70 miles.

Injury wise, things have been pretty good.  My achilles issues appear to be behind me (hopefully that's not tempting fate), although I do have some minor bone spurs in the bottom of my right foot which can be aggravated by a tight peroneous longus muscle in my calf.  Running 70 miles / week is always going to leave to some aches and pains, but it's been nothing too bad.

I ran 2 races in August in consecutive weekends, and crushed PRs in both.

The first, a 5K was run on a whim.  It was a local race and I decided the day before to give it a go.  I hate 5Ks.  They're too fast and too painful for me, but somehow I averaged 6 min / miles and ran an 18.36.  Considering I went into 2010 wanting to go below 20 mins, that's a pretty big improvement.

The following weekend was the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half marathon.  Last year I'd run a then, PR, of 1.31.43.  I'd improved that in March this year at the Boulder Spring half with a 1.28.5x.  Going into Georgetown I felt good and was able to maintain a 6.35 pace and come in at 1.26.21.   Again - my 2010 goal had been to get below 1.30, so I've easily accomplished that too.

I also trained to become a certified running coach (RRCA).  I completed the class a few weeks ago, and passed the test.  I just need to get CPR and first aid training (early November) and then I'll be an RRCA certified running coach.

I'm not sure how much coaching I'll actually do.  In the class they talked about how you could be a good runner, or a good coach, but that it was hard to be both.  I still have some running goals that I'd like to go after, so for now the coaching will take a back seat.  Still, the knowledge I gained will be very useful and should help me in future training cycles.

One thing that I finally learned this cycle - and that was confirmed in the class - was the need to run long and slow in training.  While I'd heard that many times before, it was hard for me to reconcile in my mind why you'd want to train slowly if you wanted to race fast.  Surely practicing to run at marathon pace would be the best way to run at marathon pace ?

That's not the case.  While there are some runs you do want to train fast on - VO2 max, or tempo runs, the majority of runs should be run at a much slower speed than your intended pace.  Finally I know the science.  We have different types of muscle fibers - slow and fast.  Most people know that.  What I didn't know was that there are 2 types of the fast twitch fibers.  And one of these can be 'recruited' to work aerobically if you train them to.  This means that rather just rely on the slow twitch fibres you can get aerobic help from the type IIa fast twitch fibres.

However - it's an either or.  If you train hard and fast all the time - these fibers are being recruited to help the anaerobic energy system.  That won't help in a marathon.  If you train long and slow, they're being trained to help the aerobic system.

I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks if it helped, although the 2 PRs confirm that the slower training has helped elsewhere.  In my previous marathons I've really suffered over the last 5 or 6 miles.  It'll be interesting to see if this makes a difference.

As for Chicago - there is an awful lot less pressure this year.  Last year it was my first marathon.  I wanted badly to BQ, but wasn't sure what to expect.  I thought about nothing else for weeks leading up to it and slept badly.  This year round, another year wiser and having been through it multiple times - I know exactly what to expect.  I'm also not putting a time goal on myself.  While my 5K and half times predict out to about a 3.02 marathon, and while a number of friends are aiming to go below that 'magic' 3 hour threshold.  I'm really not.  I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet.  I'll be very happy with a time in the 3.05 - 3.10 range, which would still be a considerable PR and would then perhaps set me up for a faster attempt next year.

We'll see.

Africa

Things started to get back on track in June.  I'd been advised nothing fast, and nothing hilly, so that's what I tried to maintain.  I also tried to not do too much too soon, and with 32, 35 and 46 mile weeks (the last skewed because of 2 longer runs), I finished the month on a positive note. 

I successfully resisted the urge to run the 2 races I'd planned.  The Mount Evans Ascent - 14 miles up the highest paved road in North America was a no brainer.  A local 5K was a much harder decision, but the right one.

Then on the last day of June - I went to Africa !

Kenya to be precise.

A couple of days in Nairobi, then 4 on Safari, finished off by a couple of days in a remote village to see how rural Kenyans live.

Amazing and humbling at the same time.

I was only able to get one run in while I was there.  Partly a factor of the dangerous nature of the place - Nairobi - also known as 'Nairobbery' isn't particularly conducive to running, and then the obvious dangers of running around in the open carnivore inhabited plains at the safari.

The one run I did get in - a short 3 miler - was a great experience.  I ran with a Masai Warrior out of the safer confines of the electrified fence surrounding the tented camp, and out into the Masai Mara.

Here are a couple of photos of him.

I'd heard stories of people going on safari and not seeing much in the way of wild life so didn't know what to expect.  Either through good luck, or because of the timing of the migration pattern of the animals from the Masai Mara in Kenya down to the Serengeti in Tanzania (it's the same plain - just named differently in each country) - we got to see a ton of animals.

People talk about wanting to see the 'Big 5'.  The lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo and leopard.  We saw them all in a single day, plus thousands of giraffes, zebras, wilderbeasts, antelope, gazelles, hyenas, baboons, cheetah, monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, to name but a few.

Some of the photos from the trip - all taken with my point and click camera and not with a massive telephoto lens - below.

An incredible experience.

Then we spent some time in a small village, 30 miles north of Eldoret in Western Kenya.  2 years ago Eldoret was at the center of the ethnic killings that erupted after the contested elections and you could still see some of the damaged buildings from the lootings and violence.

The roads are terrible, the people very poor, sleeping many to a single mud on the floor, but everyone seems happy.  Quick to burst into song and truly making the best of what they have.  It helps keep things in perspective.  A running injury that keeps us out of a race, really isn't that big a deal.

Slow Recovery and New Ink...

Another month has flown by.

It's now mid June. A month since the hernia surgery and over 10 weeks since I developed the achilles tendonitis.

I've been seeing a new PT and he's provided me with some renewed hope. He's given me trigger point needle therapy in my calves to relax the muscle. This in turn lowers the constant tension on the achilles. He's also given me some additional stretches and is doing specific massages on the trouble area twice per week. All this isn't without cost, and my health insurance has a $50 deductible per visit, but at least things appear to be moving in the right direction. I've had 4 sessions the past two weeks.

This last week I was able to run 30 miles. A great sign, but I need to remember to be careful and not repeat the actions that got me in this mess in the first place.

Over the last 3 months I had been thinking about getting a running tattoo. I've been running again for over 18 months and it's become a big part of my life. I wanted to recognize that fact with some 'new ink'. I didn't feel right doing it while I wasn't running, but with the developments of the last few weeks I felt that the time was right.

I'd considered a '26.2' symbol, but then wondered what would happen if I ran an ultra. I know I wouldn't want a '13.1' symbol now having run a full, so would I feel the same way then ?

In the end I decided to go for hermes / mercury wings on the outer side of both ankles. With running shoes on, they appear to be an extension of the tongue of the shoe.

I've had 2 other tattoos before, but these - because of the positioning so close to the bones in the ankle - were by FAR the most painful. Absolute agony for over an hour. I certainly won't be rushing back to get any more, but I'm very happy with the results.

As one of my running friends said - now I need to 'back them up' with performance...