Ringing in 2012 with Goofy

One week from Goofy Challenge.  Hard to imagine I'd make it this far six months ago when I was slogging through July and August, trying to get my long runs in during 90-100% humidity at 0500.  Now I'm standing just one week away from trying to run over 39 miles in just over 24 hours.

Since June I've run over 835 miles, ran a personal record in the marathon in New York, burned through about five pairs of running shoes and over 118,000 calories.  I've averaged nearly 7.5 miles per run.  I've spent 130 hours running since July 1st.  No wonder my family is ready for me to give it a rest!

What I haven't done is run 13.1 followed immediately by 26.2 the next day.  I'll do that next week.

If you want to track my progress you just sign up for Runner Tracking.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve and Happiness Abounds

Two weeks from today I'll be doing the Half of the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge.  Two weeks out and I feel good.  Minor nagging discomfort in my right hip flexor, hamstring, calf, etc. but otherwise healthy.

I ran 35 miles last week, and have run 23 this week so far.  If I can get out today (doubtful) or tomorrow (very doubtful if not impossible) it would be great; I'll be satisfied with a good 10-15 mile run on Monday.  I think I can get away with that.  Not really feeling the need to taper for the Goofy.  I know I can do a marathon right now, and finishing a half is really not much of a challenge.  Put them together over 24 hours and I really don't know what to expect.  Should be fun figuring it out, though.  My good friend Erik is doing it with me so we'll have each other for motivation.  At the end of the day I'm still at Disney World, so how bad can it be?

I'm finally noticing improved speed after 6 months of logging over 100 miles a month.  I'm able to run 5-10 miles at around 8 minutes per mile, which was unheard of for me ever before.  This is encouraging.  Even my longer runs are 20-30 seconds faster per mile than I'm used to doing.  My weight is down to around 185-188 lbs, which is what I weighted as a 16 year old high school junior. 

This is how I want to approach my 40th birthday: faster, lighter, and happier than I've ever been before.  Among the other wonderful things in my life (family, church, etc), running adds the physical and mental challenges that help bring balance.  I've got goals, I've got running shoes, I've got a Garmin 405.  That and some road to explore is really all I need.

Goofy in 4 weeks

Under four weeks until Disney.  The site has a countdown, down to the second here.  A trip to Florida in 3 1/2 weeks seems improbable when it's 21 degrees in Virginia.

Feel great right now, and training is going well.  Ran 20 miles yesterday in 3:03, for a 9:10 pace.  It was an easy run, at a pace I felt I could keep up forever, and a fitting end to a very good week of training:  Four runs for 42 total miles.  I feel like things are coming together nicely, and I'm clearly improving in my overall fitness level.  I've been able to run 8-9 miles routinely, gradually speeding up each mile for negative splits.  Twice have finished these runs with sub-7 minute miles.  How is this possible when I've rarely been able to string together three 7 minute miles in a row?

That's from scratch!

I was extremely hungry at the end for some reason, and had a craving for beer.  As soon as I got in the house I drank three cans of Bud Light left over from the Army/Navy game tailgate on Saturday.  After the beers I drank water, watched/played football with my boys, and created a homemade pizza with goat cheese, sun-dried tomato, and basil.

Sixteen miles is the longest I plan to run before the races in January.  Hopefully I can maintain what I have right now and keep chugging through December!

More NYC Marathon Thoughts...and Goofy

Amazingly, New York was nearly three weeks ago.  When people ask me about the experience I try not to overstate how awesome it was.  With a little perspective it seems to get better and better!

The agonizing training runs of the summer paid off as I was completely prepared physically for the marathon.  I achieved the goal of a sub-4hr marathon, which allowed me to exercise some demons from my last race two years ago.  It wasn't easy, and overcoming the doubt and factors that made some of my training difficult this summer is gratifying.  Support from my wife and family during training was a significant factor.

I was able to appreciate New York and the support from the city during the race.  I was worried that I'd be too focused on the goal and miss the atmosphere.  I didn't tunnel in on myself, but rather looked around and tried to interact with the environment as much as I could.  I know that for the first 15 miles or something I felt like the race was actually going by too fast, that I wanted the miles to last longer.  Miles 15-21 were more in line with what I wanted them to be, and the last part dragged on a bit.  I wish I'd felt better coming into the park at the end, but I'm not complaining.

So for the past two weeks I've not really stopped running much at all.  First week after the race, Zero Week, I rested Mon-Wed and ran 3.5 easy miles on Thursday.  I then ended up taking the following few days off from running as well.  This rest was great, but I was jumping through my skin, wanting to get back out there.  So the following Monday (Week 1 of recovery) I did 8.5 miles.  I ran five days in a row, for a 26.5 mile week.  This week I'm on pace for a 40-45 mile week.

My next venture is the Disney Goofy Race & 1/2 Challenge in January.  Is this insane?  I don't think so.  Why?  Because in January 2012 I'll be 39 1/2 years old, and what better way to celebrate that than by running 39 1/2 miles?  I know, it's 39.3, actually, but I'm sure my Garmin will say I ran .2 miles more than the course.  I plan to look like I do in this picture after running 1.5 marathons over a weekend!

Check back to this blog to follow my progress during the next few weeks.  I'm planning on getting better.  I'm not going to stay the same, and I'm not going to allow myself to get worse.

NYC Marathon Report

Apologies if this post is late.  I wanted to put a complete report together.

Traveling

We left Virginia on Saturday morning for the five hour train ride to New York City.  The train was scheduled to arrive at Penn Station at 2:45pm, and I had to make it to the Marathon Expo by 5pm to pick up the race packet.  Of course I was nervous about it, and concerned about delays.  It was a beautiful morning and the ride went smoothly with no problems at all.  We got to Penn Station right on time and walked the short distance to the Javits Convention Center with no problems.  Picking up the race packet was easy, but I hadn't selected my choice of transportation to the start, so I had to go get a sticker for my race bib for the Staten Island Ferry.  Got one for 7:45am and then found out they were out of t-shirts.  They told me they'd mail me one, and we left.

We had a fun, but low key Saturday night in New York.  Discovered that Trader Joe's is the place to be on the Upper West Side on a Saturday night, had some dinner at the Amsterdam Ale House, and was in bed by 10pm.

To the start

On Sunday morning I got up at 6am, only to discover it was 5am, so I took my time getting ready to go.  I usually worry about my stomach on race mornings, and am nervous and concerned about what to eat.  I had 1/2 of an everything bagel and 1/2 banana and drank some Gatorade.  I had a great night's sleep - much better than I remember having before any previous marathon.

Aimee walked me the 5 or 6 blocks to the 66th street subway station and I jumped on the 2 train, which would take me all the way to the South Ferry stop.  The subway ride was mostly uneventful and there were plenty of other folks doing exactly what I was doing as evidenced by their throw-away sweats and clear plastic bags for checking gear at the start.  One guy tried to convince us for a moment that the train wasn't going to the ferry landing and that we had to transfer - but he was wrong and we didn't listen to him.

Once at the South Ferry stop I climbed the steps out into the bright morning and followed the building crowd to the Staten Island Ferry.  It was around 38 degrees and no wind.  I grabbed a seat aboard the Ferry and took in the view of New York harbor, the Stature of Liberty, and Ellis Island all shining gloriously in the morning light.  I noticed a lot of Europeans on the Ferry, mostly Italian and French.

We arrived at Staten Island at about 7:45am and next took a bus to the start.  The bus took a circuitous route through the neighborhoods near the ferry landing and along the New York Bay, and dropped us off at the Fort Wadsworth Coast Guard Station, which held the starting line "village."  I made my way to the Hope for the Warriors charity tent and met some of the team, as well as the team captain, Sarah.  I dropped off my sweats at the UPS truck and was now all set.  I did hit the port-o-john a few times at the starting village, as we all do, and picked up a Dunkin Donuts knit hat to wear to keep my head warm until the race began.  Once I got into the starting corral things began to happen quickly.  I grabbed a quick stretch and we all began slowly walking toward the starting line.

I was ready to go at this point, and starting to get the feeling that if I kept waiting I'd have to hit the port-o-john again.  They were playing classic rock on the loudspeakers, and "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf was the last song played before the emcee started the countdown.  Someone sang "America the Beautiful" and then there was a cannon shot and we were off.


And we're off

There were thousands of people starting with me, and though we were in Wave 2 Orange Corral (one of 3 waves and 3 different colors organizing runners for staggered starts) I couldn't help thinking it would be a slow first mile up the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.  But as we started up the bridge things were moving along well enough.  There was an incredible view from the bridge of all New York City.  Amazing.

As I made it to the top of the bridge and started down the other side I noticed my pace was just above 9 minutes per mile and was happy.  Next mile was 8:26 coming down the bridge and I was in Brooklyn.


Brooklyn: Miles 3-13

Brooklyn really came out for the race.  The crowds were awesome, and I still can't believe how many people were out all along the course.  I distinctly recall going by and seeing a girl screaming and jumping up and down as we ran by - and I don't think she saw anyone she knew, she was just fired up.

I decided to drink Gatorade and water as often as I could, which ended up to be about every 2 miles.  It was a very sunny day, much like the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon.  I was determined to do everything I could not to cramp during this race.  I took my GUs every 7 miles, and took 3 electrolyte pills every hour to stay fueled and replenish the minerals I was using up.  This strategy seemed to be working well through the first 13 miles.  I had to keep reminding myself that this was indeed a marathon, and that I shouldn't press too hard or try to go too fast.  I was feeling great and maintaining the exact pace I set out to run.

The Brooklyn neighborhoods very very diverse, and there were people from all over the world racing and cheering from the sidewalks.  There were bands every couple of miles, some were pretty good and others seemed thrown together at the last minute.  All of them were great to see and hear.  My favorite sign by far said "Watch out for Hipsters."

Splits:
Mile 3: 8:50
Mile 4: 9:01
Mile 5: 8:38
Mile 6: 8:40
Mile 7: 8:36
Mile 8: 9:00
Mile 9: 8:51
Mile 10: 8:34
Mile 11: 8:43
Mile 12: 8:50
Mile 13: 8:42

Queens: Mile 14, 15

I crossed the Pulaski Bridge into Queens feeling fantastic.  I didn't notice too much of a difference between Brooklyn and Queens, other than the crowds were a little thinner.  Kept on pushing and still felt great.  Took a GU at mile 14.

Mile 14: 8:41
Mile 15: 8:58

Manhattan: Miles 16-19

As we headed out of Queens onto the Roosevelt Bridge the crowds disappeared.  The bridge wasn't very steep, though the five bridges constituted the major terrain features of the course.  As we headed up the bridge the wind blew and it was chilly.  Lots of people started walking, and I was having a hard time keeping my pace going as I swerved and weaved back and forth to try to keep passing people.  I felt I was passing people constantly up to and through mile 23.

We came down into Manhattan to a big crowd, and there on the right side of the road I spotted Aimee.  She was perched on a lamp post or something, higher than everyone else.  I was thrilled to see her and blew her a bunch of kisses.  I looked next to her to see my friend John, and I cracked up seeing him standing there with her.  John proved to be a great race watching partner for Aimee all day, taking trains across town to see me running.

As I made my way onto 1st Avenue at 59th Street the sun was reflecting off the midtown skyscrapers.  It was bright, and the road seemed to slant slightly upward.   Once again I felt great, and had to force myself to hold back from running too fast.  I knew that if I let myself go and ran fast I'd burn out and blow my chances of a sub four hour marathon.  Even so, I ended up logging some of the fastest splits of the 26 miles at this point.  The crowds were motivating, and I started to think I was getting close to the home stretch.

Mile 16: 8:53
Mile 17: 9:04

Mile 18: 8:16

Mile 19: 8:20


Bronx: Mile 20

Though it was a quick mile run through the Bronx, it was memorable.  The people were out and fired up.  I smelled someone barbequing and it made me think of eating real food and I was happy.  There was a guy emceeing and talking over a beat about how excited the Bronx was that we were running through there.  Next think I knew we were heading back towards Manhattan and the home stretch.



Mile 20: 8:40

Manhattan: Mile 21-26.2 

We came back into Manhattan over the Madison Avenue Bridge onto 5th Avenue.  I was starting to look at my watch more frequently and noticed that the miles started to seem longer.  Mile 21 passed and I looked ahead to see the Marcus Garvey Memorial Park which we'd run around at mile 22.  It was clear that we were getting close, and I started thinking about my time.  Disaster could still strike, even after such a successful first 20 miles.

3 to go!

I watched the street numbers drop into the low 100s.  Mile 23 was my second fastest mile of the marathon.  I heard my name and looked to see Aimee and I gave her the "3 to go" sign and continued down 5th Ave.  We came to a water stop and I ran through it, thinking I didn't need any more.

It was just about halfway through mile 24 when my legs felt tired.  The road sloped upwards for as far as I could see.  I slowed a bit and we entered Central Park at 89th Street, then I felt my hamstrings start to cramp.  Uh, oh.  I slowed down and breathed deliberately, and I'm sure it wasn't a pretty picture.  I wasn't going to stop, though.  I was trying to will the cramps away and it was working, as long as I kept moving slowly and breathing.  Miles 24 and 25 were my slowest yet, but I was still doing great, and barring a complete disaster I was sure to be under 4 hours.  I had been on pace for a 3:50 time and I was gunning for it, but I was running out of gas.

The crowd in the park was amazing; they were calling my name and being very supportive.  I was struggling along mile 26 when I heard my name and looked up to see a guy I didn't know cheering me.  He looked me right in the eyes and said something to the effect of, "Come on! You got it!"  I nodded and the route eased down hill a bit and around, then along Central Park South to the 26 mile marker.  This was it!  I looked up and chugged through the finish line at 3:53:35, thrilled but totally exhausted.

Mile 21: 8:38

Mile 22: 8:41

Mile 23: 8:19

Mile 24: 9:19
Mile 25: 9:17

Mile 26: 9:48



Afterwards

After crossing the finish line I felt awful for about 30 seconds, then totally euphoric.  They had us keep walking for a good 10-15 minutes after finishing, putting medals around our necks and wrapping us in plastic reflective blankets.  They gave us finisher bags with water and some disgusting Gatorade recovery formula.  I did a quick check on how I felt, and everything was fine.  My feet were a little sore - they felt like I just ran a marathon - but the cramping in my legs subsided and nothing hurt.  I was looking around and the colors of the trees in Central Park just felt great.  Thrilled to have a new personal record (beating my Big Sur time of 4:06 by 13 minutes!) and be finished with the race after all the training I'd done.

I picked up my sweats and put them on.  Someone gave me a Pepsi.  I left the park at 81st Street and walked back down Central Park West to meet up with Aimee at 73rd Street.  I stopped at a port-a-john and realized that though I felt I had to go at around mile 5 I never stopped.  I really enjoyed the walk down the street and was pleased to see John and Matt with Aimee waiting for me.

We walked back to the apartment and I showered and changed while enjoying a cold Brooklyn Pilsner.  I was high for the rest of the day, and into the next.  It was a true runners high, which I've experienced only a few times before.  That feeling is enough to get me back out there doing this sort of thing over and over again.  We met Matt and John to get some food, and I had a cheeseburger and a couple more beers.  After burning 4000 calories I was going to enjoy a victory celebration!

M-1: Marathon Eve

Wow, this week went by fast.  Leaving for NYC this morning and feel pretty good.  Legs feel good.  Have been eating well and getting decent rest.  I did have a hard time getting to sleep on Thursday night due to being extraordinarily keyed up for some reason.

Next is the train ride.  The train is scheduled to arrive at Penn Station at 2:45pm, which leaves plenty of time to get my race packet at the Expo before 5pm when it closes.  The Hope for the Warriors team lead is dropping off the charity tent bracelet for me at the place where we are staying, which will allow me to use the charity tent tomorrow morning at the starting line.  Apparently there are some amenities to the tent including food and water, etc.

My race bib # is 30129.  I'm in the Orange Wave #2, which starts at 10:10 AM Sunday morning.  So I plan to get to the start at around 9 at the latest.  This means tomorrow I have to take a subway ride to the ferry station, then ferry to Staten Island, then bus from ferry landing to the start line.  I'm glad I'm not in charge of the logistics lash-up for this event that guarantees transportation to the start for 45k runners.

To track my progress tomorrow you can see the instructions at the official ING NYM site.  For the record, I'm not planning on tweeting from the course!

I'm gunning for under 4 hours tomorrow, and I think that's certainly attainable.  Together we raised $3500 for Hope for the Warriors.  I think the weather is going to be great tomorrow, and the support from the city and the marathon workers is the best.  Things are coming together to make this a very successful event.

That's it for now.  I appreciate your prayers and support, and feel free to cheer me on in spirit.  Appreciate the love via text and Facebook as well, of course!

M-4

Feeling better today, with only a slightly annoying cough hanging around.  I expect to sleep better tonight.  Drank a lot of water and tea today as to chase away the bug.

Ran four miles at 8:30 pace this afternoon and felt good.  My right leg continues to feel tight behind the knee at the base of the hamstring.  I iced it tonight for 25 minutes or so.  I think everything is fine with it.  Not planning to run again before Sunday.  If I'm antsy on Saturday I'll go for a 2 mile jog, but I'm not pushing it.  I wore my Hope for the Warriors team shirt today during the run.  It's not a bad shirt for running, except for the collar which chaffed up my neck something fierce.  Not sure if it'll be better after washing it, or whether I should put some Glide on my neck and give it another go on marathon day.  May need to cut the top a little.  Of course I could just wear something else...

M-5

Feeling a little bit better today.  Have been drinking water, had soup for dinner, plan to go to bed early.

I ran 3 miles his afternoon and felt good.  Weather is great, and I am definitely trained.  But since the run my right leg behind the knee has been annoyingly tight.  I'm hoping that it's nothing and will go away tomorrow.  Plan to run four miles tomorrow.

My bib number is: 30129.  I'm in the orange wave #2 and will start the race at 10:10 AM Sunday morning.

My goal is to finish in under 4 hours.  I think this is doable.

Marathon Minus-6

Marathon week is here!  I will try to post as much as I can this week as I gear up for the trip to New York.  I'm already having a hard time thinking about much else.  After nearly 4 months of preparation the end is in sight.

Ran a total of 14 miles this past week.  That's a far cry from what I've been accustomed to, but it's fine.  I'm not focusing on running a lot of miles right now.  I'm fully trained and need to just try to stay healthy for the next few days.  Of course, I'm trying to fight off a cold right now that I picked up over the weekend.  It's taken me down a few pegs, but nothing that I can't get through.

For the sake of following me on race day, the ING NYC Marathon website has a lot of info.  The site is www.nycmarathon.org.  To follow me during the race, visit the Mobile Spectator App TrackMyRunner site.  You can either buy an iPhone app ($3 - and from the reviews not worth it) or check a website during the race for free to see how I'm doing.  Or you can sign up for $3 and get text messages.  Not going to advocate for any of this, but I wanted to get the word out just in case.

Today is Halloween and I've not indulged too much in the sweets.  Had a good day, despite nursing the cold.  Stopped at a local running store and picked up some new socks and a case of GU.

Here's to kicking this cold, which is #1 priority right now!

Week_16: Under 2 Weeks to NYC Marathon

Missed posting last week, which is a shame because it was a very good week.  I logged over 50 miles and did my third and final 20 mile run, and even ran a 1 mile fun run with Grady and Charlie.  It was a race through a course that pretty much encompassed our neighborhood and both boys did great.  The excitement on the 3 year old's face indicates more future racing, I imagine.

The 20 miler was fantastic.  I felt fresher during the second 10 miles than I did on the first.  Even though I was trying to keep my pace nice and slow I ended up running sub marathon pace for the better part of the last 10 miles.  I still managed to keep my heart rate steady and around 140 for the entire run.  I think this may be a sign that a sub 4-hour marathon is finally within reach.

As for week 16, it was a busy one at work and I had to scramble to get a couple of runs in Mon-Thrs.  I only did two runs of 4+ miles during these days, sneaking away for a trail run on Tuesday and a treadmill run on Wednesday.  Friday I had the time to go out and do an 8 miler.  The route for the 8 mile run was hilly (as they all are around here) but I felt great; I ended up averaging 8:27.

Yesterday I did 12 miles nice and easy and again felt good.  Averaged 9:24 per mile and took in the scenery as I went along.  This brings me two weeks away from race day.  Following my plan, I'll do 4-6-4-4-8 this week.  That will be the last week of substantial mileage.

All signs are good right now.  No areas of concern physically, other than the usual soreness.  I have areas more tight than others, like my right hip flexor.  These spots are like old friends that accompany me for the beginning stages of my runs and then drop off along the course as I get more and more warmed up.  Mentally I'm ready to go.

Getting to the starting line of the the New York marathon may turn out to be my biggest challenge.  Saturday it involves a long train ride, successfully making it to the expo and picking up my packet, possibly getting to another meet & greet for Hope for the Warriors to get another bracelet for entry to the Staten Island pre-race charity tent.  Sunday I'll need to take the subway to the Staten Island Ferry, then the ferry across the river, then from debarkation point to the right place and corral over in the marathon village.  My race start time is 10:10 am on Sunday, which is pretty late compared to any other race I've ever done.  Logistics plan is simple but presents a few hurdles prior to the race.  I'm sure it'll all be more than worth it.

Week_14

Fourteen weeks down, and 4 to go.  Another very encouraging week of training for the race.  Did 12 miles this morning and barely broke a sweat.  Did it in 9:37 min/mile pace, too.  Would have been an even better time if I hadn't had to make an emergency stop at mile 3.5.  Thankfully, I was a few steps from a secluded path.  It's nice to have to work to keep at a slower pace.

Did 28 miles this week.  I skipped one 6 mile run due to this being my son's birthday week.  I say birthday week because we tend to celebrate these events over several days, culminating in a party on the weekend.

My shorter runs this week were 5, 6, and 5 miles at 8:28, 8:49, 8:26 minutes per mile, respectively.  Each run felt good.

Next week is the last high mileage week, as I play to run 5-10-5-10-20.  After this, it'll be a couple of weeks of taper, then I'll be ready.  I feel ready right now.

Starting to get really pumped for the trip to New York in four weeks!

Chinese Blogs?

Sometimes I like to click on "next blog" and see what comes up.  You never know what you're gonna get.  Today, I got a bunch of Chinese blogs.  How did the electrons line up my blog with a bunch of China blogs?

week_13

Thirteen weeks down, and five to go.  The race is five weeks from today.  Everything is on track for success in New York on 6 November.

Week 12 was an uneventful 34 miles (2x five mile runs, 2x six mile runs, 1x 12 miles.)  I did run six on Saturday and 12 on Sunday, which is the first time in a while I've done a long run following anything other than a rest day.  My five and six mile runs were all at faster than marathon pace.  Funny how 34 miles is an easy week for me at this point.

Which brings me to week 13, this past week.  I felt pretty good this week, though I did blow out my running shoes.  I put about 160 miles on them in September, and they were rode hard and put away wet.  A lot of time they were put on wet the next day, too.  Not sure if Zappos is going to give me a new pair for the way these things failed.


I ran every day from Tuesday trough Friday, going 5-10-5-10, respectively.  Did Friday's 10 miler at an average pace of 8:52, which is slightly better than what I think my MP will be.

Picked up new shoes last night at VA Runner, and had everything set up for this morning's run.   I got up and got out the door around 5:20am for the 20 miler.  For some reason I couldn't find my Gatorade mix, so I went out with water only to drink.

It was cold today.  Probably in the 40s when I started out.  Wind was blowing a bit, too, so it was chilly.  I loved it.  Dark and cool and nobody else around.  I didn't see a car for the first 2 miles, and probably less than 20 the entire time I was out.

Everything was going well until I hit the 5 mile marker, on the Marine Corps Base where I usually recharge my water.  The water bull wasn't there, which was not a big concern.  However, I noted my watch was running out of space to hold data, so I started deleting old runs.  In so doing I accidentally deleted the first 5 miles of my run!  Erased, from existence.  Frustrating.

However, nothing could get in my head today.  Perfect running conditions, and I took it easy en route to a 9:43 minute mile average for the whole 20 miles.  Got home, took a hot shower, drank an O'Doul's and was at church by 9:30am.  Of course the day was pretty much spoiled by the way the Steelers played, but I'm getting used to the 2011 Steelers disappointing play.  I hope they can figure out how to stop the run and cause some turnovers again like last year.

"Easy" week coming up with 5-6-5-6-12, followed by one more week like this past one.

Week_11

I'm very pleased with how training went this week.  I ran 45 miles, including a 20 mile run, two 10 milers, and a five miler.  The weather cooled a lot this past week as we move into the second half of September.  Hopefully more of the cool and crisp fall weather is all I'll see for the next 7 weeks.

The 5 mile run hurt the most this week, oddly.  I did it on Monday 12 September at 2pm, and it was hot and humid.  I took it easy, but didn't enjoy it.  Call it a recovery run from the previous week.

I started the Tuesday 10 mile run just wanting to take it easy.  I ran around the nearby neighborhoods which feature a lot of hills, but everything was clicking and I had no problems at all.  Ended up finishing the last three miles at sub marathon pace, and overall was just over MP.

Thursday's 10 miler was similar to Tuesday, including the route and how I felt.  The mornings last week were cool but still humid, so I'd still come home soaked.

I had to wait until Sunday to run the 20 miler, which meant I got two days off from running.  Funny how when you're running 35 miles a week two days off feel like a lifetime.  Saturday was chalked full of family events beginning at 8am and continuing through the afternoon, so I got up at 4:50am on Sunday and was out the door and running by 5:15.  It was nearly cold when I started, 50 degrees with a 50 degree dew point.  Apparently this is the measure that expresses how the moisture in the air makes you feel.  I was so pleased with how it felt to be out and ready to run with such cool conditions.

Everything went well on this run, with one exception.  My Garmin 405 began telling me it was low on battery power at about 5 miles into the run.  I charged it all night, so this didn't make any sense.  I was concerned that it was going to quit on me and I wouldn't get my stats from the run.  A minor setback, but still annoying.  I think it was due to me using the illumination function for a good bit during the opening 40-45 minutes of the run in order to see what I was doing.  I stopped doing it and hoped for the best.

I took it easy on the run, but still managed to finish in 9:50 average miles.  My watch never quit, oddly, so I was able to get the splits for all 20 miles.  I felt great on this run, and barely broke a sweat.  My average heart rate was 142 for the whole thing, with almost no deviation from that mean over the 20 mile splits.  Got home and was able to go right on enjoying Sunday.

Forty five miles this week is the most I've ever run in one week, and I feel great going into my step back week.  Totally encouraged at this point and on track for sure for New York!

Week_10

Lots of ups and downs over the past few weeks as I continue to train for the ING New York Marathon on November 6th.  Since I last wrote, I achieve my modest fundraising goal for Hope for the Warriors of $3000, which is probably the most important news.  Even though I've reached that goal, I still seek donations for a great and important cause.  I ran a mock 1/2 marathon 10 days ago in 1:55 for an 8m 50s pace, and felt good.  I also barely finished an easy 18 mile run on Saturday, Sept 10th; I struggled to deal with mid-80s temps and near 100% humidity and nearly became a heat casualty.  So in all, training is giving me a look at all the possibilities I can expect in New York.

I've run four marathons.  I did the 2002, 2003, and 2009 Marine Corps Marathons in DC, and the 2009 Big Sur International Marathon.  This is my fifth time doing some form of marathon training, and I don't recall experiencing the variance between runs I am currently seeing.  I'm sure the heat, humidity, hydration, hunger, and hills (5Hs!) are the factors influencing my performance the most.  I think another is rest or recovery, and the poor long runs of 11 miles or longer seem to follow days where I ran over 5 miles.  The Hal Higdon Intermediate II training plan I'm currently following is to prepare me for New York is pretty aggressive, asking me to do 10 miles on one day and then 20 the next.  I picked this plan for the slightly higher weekly mileage, and to set me up for my next race, the Disney Goofy Race 'n 1/2 Challenge in January.

The question is: should I continue to push through this plan and do back-to-back long(ish) runs, or do I adjust my schedule to allow for a day off prior to a long, slow run?  I'm going to think about that one for a couple days this week.  Probably will decide to give myself a chance to recover a bit before doing the next long run, see how that goes, and perhaps give another go at the back-to-back thing when the weather is better in 2 1/2 weeks.

This week's official schedule calls for two five mile runs, two 10 mile runs, and a 20 mile run.  That's 50 miles, and I've never done 50 miles in a week before.  My plan is for a five miler today, 10 tomorrow, rest Wednesday the 14th, 10 on Thursday the 15th, rest Friday the 16th, and 20 on Saturday the 17th.  So I'll shoot for 45 this week.  If I'm feeling exceptionally courageous on Friday maybe I'll do 4-5 easy, slow miles.  We'll see.

Week_7

Seven weeks down and 11 to go before the race on 6 November in New York.  After seven weeks, I'm on track and making good progress toward my goals.  I ran 37 miles this week, punctuated by a strong 17 mile run on Saturday, 20 August.

I've been making corrections all summer to my running strategy.  Diet, rest, and weather are the dominant factors in my running performance, and when I deliberately plan before I run I enjoy success.  When I don't plan well I feel the burn.  That's why this is training, and why it's important for me to train before I try to run 26.2 miles in under 4 hours.

Saturday, 20 Aug: 17 mile run.  2hr 44m 23sec (9m 40sec per mile pace.)  This was to be a 16 mile run, but due to miscalculating my route slightly it ended up 17.  I felt as if I could have run all day.  I didn't sleep all that well the night before, though I did eat 3-4 pieces of pizza and drink 4 beers.  I drank a lot of water and Gatorade on Friday, too.  So when I woke up at 5am Saturday I felt pretty well prepared.

Upon waking I ate 1/2 of a bag of Jelly Belly sport beans, had some Gatorade, and a Thomas' 100% whole wheat mini bagel.  I put Gatorade in both of the 10oz bottles I carry on my hydration belt, and took 3 Endurolytes pills.  I packed three GUs and the other 1/2 of the Jelly Belly's with six more Endurolytes pills.  I was out the door and running at 5:23am to 61 degrees and 100% humidity.

The moon was high as I knocked out the first several miles; the sun would not rise until close to 6:30.  I started conservatively and set an easy pace for the first six miles.  Miles 1 and 2 were at around 9:45/min and 5-7 were my slowest miles at around 10 mins each.

There are lots of hills on the route I use for my long runs, which makes for good training.  I ate a GU and drank some Gatorade at the hour mark, then took 3 of the Endurolytes at the 9 mile mark with some more Gatorade.  I was determined not to cramp or dehydrate.  Took the second GU just before mile 12.

I had to work to maintain a slow pace for the rest of the run, as I felt great.  I wanted to stay close to 9:45-10 pace but felt myself charging up hills and coasting down hills at faster paces.  When I figured out I was going to finish 16 miles before I got home I immediately planned to run the last mile vs walk.  I ended up charging up the last hill before being home; this is a hill that routinely kicks my butt and on the days when I struggle I loath walking up it as the folks out for 2-3 mile jogs pass me.  I got to mile 17 and felt awesome.

The experience of doing 17 miles and feeling good validates my strategy and gives me great confidence at this stage.  As further evidence of how well this went, I followed up nearly 3 hours of running with 90 minutes of shoveling playground mulch into a wheelbarrow and carrying it from the driveway to the backyard.

Thursday, 18 Aug: 8 mile run. 1hr 14m 03sec (9m 15sec per mile pace.)

Tuesday, 16 Aug: 8 mile race pace run. 1hr 11m 41sec (8m 57sec per mile pace.)

Sunday, 14 Aug: 4 mile run. 36m 57sec (9m 13sec per mile pace.)

Week_5 & Week_6

This post serves as the update for both week 5 and week 6 of my ING NYC Marathon training.  Six weeks into an 18 week training schedule, and I'm feeling more confident each week.  Though the humidity continues to be tough, I've done a decent job of accounting for how it affects me.  Time of day, nutrition, and pace are the best ways to control things until the weather improves, and in a few weeks all the effort is going to pay off.  Everything I read says training in heat and humidity makes you stronger when the weather breaks.  I was in Palm Springs, CA this past week, and though it was 105 degrees every day, the dry weather was much preferable to the swamp feeling of the East Coast.  Running 7 miles at 6am when it's 75 and 40% humidity is awesome.

Week 5 summary:  32.68 miles.
Mon Aug 1: 7.18 mile run, 1:07:20, 9:22 pace.  Did part of this run on a trail with significant hills, and part on a track.  Went out at 11:45am in Quantico, and though it wasn't as bad as it has been, it was super hot on that track.

Tues Aug 2: 4.5 mile trail run, 41:55, 9:24 pace.  Ran at 8am with a group, on a trail with good hills.  Did 100 push ups and 50 pullups at the 1/2 way point.

Wed Aug 3: rest

Thur Aug 4: 7 mile run, 1:06:48, 9:32.  Went out at 4pm due to a busy day.  Thursdays are proving difficult for me to get out during any time in the day, and I need to commit to getting out early (before 7.)  It wasn't too hot, but was indeed humid.  I knew I had a 14 mile run facing me in 12 hours, and running 7 miles without a lot of time to rehydrate and rest before a longer run is not a good plan. 

Fri Aug 5: 14 mile run, 2:44:28, 12 min pace.  This was not fun at all.  I didn't set myself up well for the run, and in 100% humidity it was pure pain.  First five miles went well enough, and after two slow miles, I was able to pick it up again for 8 and 9.  Just after mile 9, I started experiencing cramps in my calves.  Uh, oh.  Not a good sign.  I hadn't taken any Endurolytes prior to the run, which most likely played a role in the cramps.  Also, doing 7 miles less than 12 hours from starting a 14 mile run was a negative factor.  I drank up my water, and ate GU and carried on.  I ended up walking a great deal of the last 4 miles, averaging a 15 min mile pace over that stretch.  Not a proud way to finish up the effort.

I was a mess for the remainder of the day on Friday.  My calves, hamstrings, and quads cramped in concert, taking solos and combining to inflict unified pain.  All day long my toes cramped.  I went to work and my speech was distorted by my strained vocal chords and water in my ears.  Not a pretty sight, indeed.

Week 6 summary: 28 miles. (step back week)

Mon Aug 8: 7 mile run, 1:01:26, 8:46 pace.  Sunday I traveled to Palm Springs, CA, and on Monday morning I got up at 5:30am for a 7 mile run.  The desert air was dry, and I shook out the travel stiffness with two easy miles to start.  I looped around the downtown area and went along a bike lane that took me around the town through some neighborhoods.  I tried to picture who might live in such a place.  Nice, irrigated yards in front of low slung luxury houses at the base of a desert mountain.  I ran with great ease considering I was working on little sleep in a strange place.  Nothing like getting a good run in on a work trip before starting the week.


Tues Aug 9: 4 mile run, 34:14, 8:33 pace.  Again felt great running in the dry air.

Wed Aug 10: rest.  Travel day.  Long flights back from California to DC.

Thur Aug 11: 7 mile run at race pace, 59:52, 8:32.  Failing to lean from week 5, I didn't get out for this 7 miler until nearly 4:30pm.  This was a race pace run, so I was to keep it between 8:45 and 9:05 per mile.  I felt very good, though, and had a lot of stress built up from work to burn off.  Each mile was pretty much the same, and I was able to keep an 8:30 pace the whole way.


Fri Aug 12: 10 mile run, 1:37:50, 9:46 min pace.  Took my Endurolytes, filled up the water bottles, had my GUs, and went out at 9:45am.  Took it easy, up and down some hills, out and back.  Didn't suffer at all, and each mile felt good.  Unlike the recent problems with the longer runs, I didn't feel bad at all at miles 6-8.  This gives me a confidence boost headed into week 7.

Overall, things are good.  Getting the support from family that I need, and managing to keep the training schedule manageable. My weekly mileage will climb steadily during the next several weeks.  The long runs are reaching the peak, with 16 miles and 17 miles as the long runs for the next two weeks.  The 19 and 20 milers are only 4 and 5 weeks away, respectively.  The weather favors me for the September and October training.

Week_4 revised

Due to the obscene weather around here, and it's impact on my distance running, I repeated week four.  This was actually a very good move for me, considering I started training a week early to give myself some flexibility.  So now I'm back on track, and logging the right number of miles to peak at the right time.  Also, I now fully understand the implications of going for a run in Virginia in the summer.

So I'm going to skip the details of my first attempt at week four.  The heat/humidity factored to destroy my first attempt at 13 miles on Friday, 22 July.  I tried to go out at 7am and found myself physically drained and mentally agitated six miles into the run.  I stopped the agony and vowed to regroup.  So after some consideration, I decided to take the rest of the weekend off from running and get back at it on Monday the 25th.

So Monday I got up and ran 6 miles in my neighborhood at 6 am.  The air temperatures are cooler at this time but the humidity has been running between 85-100%.  I followed the advice of some of the stuff I've been reading lately, particularly the Runners World articles on how to handle the heat, and I went a little slower and more deliberately.  Finished in 55 minutes for a 9:13 average, with each mile split deviating only slightly from this.  Lots of hills around where I live, so I always consider the terrain when I loot at my stats on runs from home.

Tuesday I went out at work in the afternoon and did 3 miles in 8:57, 8:12, 8:07 for 25:18 overall.  I have been feeling really good on the short run days, and breeze through them feeling better as I go along.  It's good to get out during work and burn off some frustration, too.

After taking a break on Wednesday, I was out the door at 6 am again on Thursday for a six mile race pace run.  Due to repeating week 4, this was my third Thursday in a row running 6 miles at race pace.  I did it from home and headed to a track a short distance away, counting the to and from distances as well.  I felt pretty good and was able to do it in 52 minutes for a 8:43 overall average pace (8:53, 8:50, 8:46, 8:37, 8:37, 8:33).  I like the negative splits.

Friday was the test.  Got my GUs and Jelly Belly sportbeans, filled up my water bottles and strapped on my hydration belt and headed out the door at 6:20am for a 13 mile run.  Considering the heat and humidity I was willing to settle for averaging 10:30 per mile, and finished up at 2hrs and 12mins for a 10:10 average pace.  I took it easy, and covered some hilly terrain.  Felt great for the first six or seven miles, before the environmental factors really kicked in.  The out and back course covers a lot of hills, and finishes with three miles that each take a lot of effort.  I ended up walking up a good part of the last hill, as at 8:30am I was toast.  Finished strong, though, and proudly ended the run on my feet!  Looking at my splits, my biggest learning point is to avoid the 9:20 miles during this time of year and this stage of my long runs.  I want to keep them closer to 9:45, which is where the majority of the splits were.

I was as well prepared for this long run as I could have been; I was hydrated, rested, and fueled up.  I got back home and was soaked with sweat as if I'd been in a pool, so my wife hosed me off in the back yard.  I grabbed a big cup of ice water and sank into a plastic chair on the patio to enjoy a few minutes of regained confidence.

Week 4: 28 miles run.  I didn't run yesterday (Sunday) due to a 6 hour drive, which ended with us realizing our home air conditioning was broken.  So I take a bye on the first run of week #5.  This week I will step it up a bit with a 14 mile run on Friday.  Have to run 7 today!  Feeling better and getting better.

Week_3

Training went well this week.  It was a step-back week, so the long run was only 8 miles.  All the running went off without a hitch and I experienced no pain to speak of during or after any runs.  I'm now 3/18's through the training program.

The weather continues to be a factor, and looking forward to this week, I'll need to be smart about what time I head out.  This week the long run is 13 miles.  Friday morning I need to be up and out the door for the run before 0630 as it may get up to 100 degrees Friday.

So, started out last week with a six mile run on Monday.  I went out at noon and the heat was stifling.  I took it easy and finished the six miles at 55:36 for a 9:15 per mile pace.  I ended up doing a couple miles around a track.  This particular track gets no breeze on hot days.  Of course when it's freezing outside there's plenty of miserable wind blowing in your face, but that was nowhere to be found during this day.

Tuesday I did a strongman workout with the Marines I work with.  This entailed lifting lots of seemingly random heavy objects laying around the perimeter of the gym.  Empty kegs were tossed in the air, heavy telephone poles were lifted into the sky, tractor tires were flipped over repeatedly, heavy chains were dragged along the sidewalk.  It was a different way to do business, but I got a good workout.  This left me sore for the next 3 days, particularly in my butt and hamstrings.

Wednesday I did 3 miles in 25 minutes.  I felt awesome on this run.  Did the first mile in 8:27, second in 8:24, and third in 8:05.  I just felt like running strong the whole time and didn't care about how long I could maintain it.  Negative splits reflect how well this one went.

Thursday I got up and went for a six mile run at 7am.  It was spectacular.  Great morning, with low humidity and temperatures around 70.  Sunshine everywhere, and I was running on a trail for the first 2 miles.  The trail had some good hills, the biggest being on the first mile.  This was to be 6 miles at race pace, so I wanted to be somewhere around 8:55 per mile.  Finished up at 52:37 for a 8:45 pace.  Every mile was pretty strong, with only slight deviations from the goal pace.

Friday was the 8 mile run.  Finished in 1:16:31 for a 9:32 mile average.  Began the run at 1030 and it was a good morning for this run.  I didn't take any food or GUs or water with me, but there are water stops on the route I was on, so it wasn't an issue.  I could have benefited from a GU.  I need to pick some up this week before Friday's 13 miler.

Sunday was an easy 3 mile run, which I did in around 27 minutes.  Took my 5 year old to the local track and he rode his scooter around and around the track while I ran.

So, I'm pretty happy overall.  No physical problems, handling the weather well enough, and getting the miles done.  This past week was another 26 mile week.  The miles are starting to pile up nicely.  This week the total will kick up over 31 if all goes to plan.

Week_2

An interesting and informative week for me.  First, I went back to the orthodics and am happy I did.  My lower back and hips, as well as my knees and ankles, were beginning to really hurt.  The fact that I've spent the past 25 years with support for my feet is not lost on me.  My body was not happy about the change to minimalist running sans inserts.  The results are the same as in 1987: instantly no pain.  Feet feel better.  No longer an issue.

I ran 26 miles this past week.  Some of these runs were pretty good, and some were not.  In fact, the long run was one of the worst I've ever experienced.  Heat, humidity, fatigue, nutrients, gear all played a role it seems.  Chalk it up to another learning experience.

Monday was 4th of July and I went out from home on a five mile neighborhood run.  Started out feeling ok, breaking in new hydration belt.  There are lots of hills around here, but I felt confident.  It was 3pm when I set out and about 88 degrees and sunny.  Not good conditions for running.  First couple of miles were ok, 8:51, 8:53, 8:48 pace.  Last two miles were back up hill and I was spent.  I limped back at 10:12 and 10:46 to finish at 47:30 or 9:30 average pace.

Tuesday I ran just under 3 miles to pick up my car, which was being inspected.  The car was rejected, so I've got to do this all over again this week.

Wednesday was another five mile run day.  Once again I chose to run at 3pm and it was a bad mistake.  Quantico was under black flag conditions, but three of us went out anyway.  I actually didn't feel too bad during this run, but it was tough.  It's an out an back trail run through the woods and hills aboard the base.  Finished at 47:40 for about a 9:30 pace.  Average heart rate was a whopping 166 for this.  All the mile spits were clustered around 9:30 (9:19, 9:11, 9:30, 9:55, 9:41).

Friday's run was terrible in every way.  Hurts to recall!  Set out at 11am and it was very humid.  I thought it was going to rain, and figured I'd be able to escape some of the sun's effect on me by being out under the cover of clouds.  Not the case at all.  I also didn't realize that my body was probably still recovering from the previous afternoon's run.  I took my new hydration belt with me filled with water, had two Endurolyte pills with me and 1/2 of a Nature Valley Peanut Butter Crunchy Granola bar.  I failed to find any GUs the prior day while looking at the PX aboard the base.  Figured I'd be fine without GUs on a little 11 mile run.

First couple of miles passed easily enough at 9:10, 9:12 pace.  Mile 3 was 9:56 as I stopped for a drink of water.  I faced a steep hill next, and suddenly my legs felt as though made of lead.  At the same time, my stomach felt pretty gross, and I was drenched with sweat already.  All of this forced me to reconsider the super steep hill and I doubled back to a water jug on the side of the road to refill my bottles.  I adjusted the hydration belt as I though it might be too tight and perhaps causing me the stomach pain.  I then noticed one of my bottles was missing, so I had to go find it.  After I squared myself away I started jogging easily.  Mile splits for 4, 5, and 6 were an abysmal 12:26, 12:29, and 11:26.  At around mile 6 the wheels came off.  I struggled to walk/jog the rest of the way home.  Finished up at just over 2 hours.  Not a good day.

Saturday I took the day off and got a massage, which was awesome.

Yesterday I did 3 miles in the afternoon.  Again, very hot and humid, but a strong run in just under 26 minutes for a 8:38 pace.

Today is going to be hot again, and I need to get out for 6 miles.  Not sure exactly how I'm going to approach this yet.  I definitely need to get out early for anything longer than 5-6 miles.  This is the plan going forward.  The long run is only 8 miles this week, as it's a step back week, but next week it's 13.  I need to be smart about that one and get up and out the door early before the weather crushes me.  All this heat and humidity running will benefit me in the long run, but I can't continue to let it beat me up.

Week_1

Finished the first week of training and it went well.  Ran 25 miles this week.  Was a fun week, too, with visits from friends and birthday celebrations.  Received some awesome gifts, including a deluxe new amphipod RunLite Hydration belt.  This thing is going to come in handy during the upcoming long distance training runs.  Got a new pair of running shorts, too.

To recap the week:
Monday I ran 5 miles in 44:30, for an 8:50 per mile average pace.
Tuesday I did 3 miles in 26:05, at 8:41 per mile.

Thursday was 5 miles in 43:56.  An 8:46 per mile pace.  This was the "race pace" run, and I ran on a trail with some hills.  I was able to maintain the race pace through the hills and am happy with the results.  That pace may be a little fast for me to maintain for 26.2 miles, but perhaps not?  I think it's on the fast end of the pace for race day.

Friday was the long run, scheduled for 10 miles.  I did 9, as it was getting late in the morning and I needed to get back to work.  Did that run in 1:27:18, which is a 9:41 per mile average pace.  Birthday run, as well, so that made this even more fun.  After burning 1400 calories you can pretty much eat and drink whatever you want for the rest of the day, guilt free.  Turns out I would need every single one of those calories as I ended up eating an entire pepperoni, mushroom and tomato pizza and many beers and margaritas.  Oh, and ice cream pie, too.  Great birthday!

Saturday I went to the local pool and swam some laps.  This was great cross training.  I really would like to do more swimming.  Played in the pool a lot, too, with 5 y/o son who, of course, loves being tossed in the air.

Sunday I did 3.15 miles in 30:43.  I ran the first mile nice and easy, then did the second mile a little quicker at 8:14 pace.  After the second mile I took off my shoes and ran 1/2 mile barefoot.  It was very hot yesterday, and though it was 5:30pm when I went out to run, it was still smoking hot.  The track is made of concrete, and it was very warm on my feet.  I tried to run on the white lane marking strips, but it didn't make much difference.  Very liberating to be running barefoot.  That's 1/4 mile further than I did last week w/out shoes.  Put my shoes back on and did another lap and then headed home.

So, in all, a very good week.  My body is adjusting well to the extra miles.  I didn't experience any foot pain, or excessive discomfort elsewhere due to running without my orthodics.

Weather around here has been pretty brutal.  Hot and humid every day, though some worse than others.  This week's schedule is nearly identical to last week, but the long run is 11 miles.  I think I can do 11 in the mid-morning time frame, but when we go to 13-14 I'll need to start doing that Friday run early in the morning.  We'll see how it goes!

Zero Week

Last week was a busy one.  I managed to get 21 miles of running in at three different locations.  Although I think blogging in general is self indulgent, this particular blog is to communicate training progress for folks who have donated to my effort to support Hope for the Warriors.  Enough said.

Yesterday I did a 3 mile run locally.  Did the first mile in 8:00, which is pretty quick.  Second mile in 7:40, fast for me.  After mile two I was at a local track, and took off my shoes to run the first lap of mile 3.  The track is made of cement and it was very warm.  I stayed on one of the white lane stripes for a quarter mile.  I'm doing this to strengthen my arch and work on proper form.  I don't run in the Vibram sole shoes, but do believe that heel striking is a bad thing an encourages injury.

Last week I suffered some anxiety about my shoes.  I've had custom orthodics since 1987 and typically this is not a problem for me.  However, I bought Asics a couple weeks ago and they were giving me some pain in my right foot.  It felt as if I was stepping on a golf ball along my arch and midfoot.  So I went to Fleet Feet in Monterey and talked to the guy that helped me in 2009 when a month before the Big Sur Marathon my feet were bothering me.  I bought some New Balance shoes last week and didn't experience any changes to the discomfort after a run.  So I decided to strike out sans arch support.  My feet aren't flat, but I've got a mental crutch as much as physical one in the orthodics.

So, yesterday's 3 mile run was my third without arch support.  So far so good.  As long as I strengthen my feet and arches I should be in good shape.  We'll see.

Did 8 mile Quantico loop on Friday, averaging about 9:28 min per mile pace.  Did a <3 mile trail run at Garrapata State Park on Tuesday that included a 550 ft elevation climb and baby rattlesnake on the trail.  And did 7 miles from Monterey to Pacific Grove and back along the bay on Tuesday at a 8:30 pace.  Right now my race pace is 8:55-9:05 and for my long runs I plan to run around 9:45-10:15 per minute.  This is to follow the Hal Higdon plan of about a minute slower than race pace for long runs.

So that's where I stand right now.  Training week 1 begins today.  I plan to do a 10 miler this week.

Diet is steady.  I currently weight 191 lbs.  This is a great weight for me, considering I graduated high school at 195 and college somewhere around 210!  I would like to run the race in November a bit lighter, maybe at 185 or so.  We'll see.  Only plan to cross train once per week right now so the emphasis is definitely on running.  As the miles pile up this summer I may drop a few more lbs.  Never a bad thing, and a wonderful side effect to running a lot.  I've learned a lot about nutrition (though I still can't really spell it) though this has been a trial and error learning experience.  My breakdown during the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon was disheartening, but I've learned from it.  Replenishing depleted systems is important, and I will train smartly.

That's it for now.

out with the old

Hello World!  Moved this blog from active.com to blogger for more better blogging.  I'll be updating this as I progress through the next 5 months preparing for the NYC Marathon raising $ and awareness for Team Hope for the Warriors.