Lehigh Valley Marathon

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Sick Daze

Okay, it seems that as soon as I committed to running the Lehigh Valley Marathon on September 8th, my life has… well fallen apart.

Maybe it is just me, but I was very sick the past two days.  I had the worse sinus infection I’ve had in years.  In fact, I don’t think I have missed a day of work since I have lost weight and stated running because of being sick.  Now…  2 days.

I just had a great run on Tuesday and now the week is gone.  Today I will run, but since we have a 5K race in the morning, I’ll have to take it easy (and since I haven’t been out of bed in 2 days).

But I am going to try my new magic weapon.  Beat root juice.  Yes it sounds disgusting, but it is loaded with nitrates and is supposed to increase endurance by up to 15%.  Well, I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.

Short post today.  Tomorrow I’ll be hangin’ with the dog and then running with TJ, RS and my friend Neill (@BigBigGeed) in the Shake and Bake 5K.

 

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From the Chiropractor to a 6 mile run

It was a good run yesterday. Actually, probably the best run I’ve had in the past couple months. I was surprised it went so well as I had been dealing with sore muscles since our 5K on Saturday and even as I started the run I could feel the pain of the 5K still affecting me.

The day began with getting up early for work, then after work I headed to the Chiropractor. He was running late and I ended up being there for 90 minutes or so. He is still adjusting my hip, which I think is almost fixed. I still notice it sometimes as I begin a run, but for the most part it seems to be on the mend.

I got home and went for my run. There were dark skies with storms looming and rather than running in my neighborhood as usual, I thought I would go down to the high school track and run so that wouldn’t be far from the car if a storm struck. In the end, the dark luminous clouds never amounted to anything, so I just ran in circles. I ran in circles. I ran in circles. Over and over and over.

It was great.

Here are my splits and a screenshot from my Nike app. Lots of green. That is a good sign!

Great run

Great run

Pretty cool looking

Pretty cool looking

The nice thing about my run yesterday was it was on a level track. My neighborhood is very hilly and the marathon we are going to run is very flat. In fact the website says that if you are used to running hills, it would be good to run flat areas to prepare. That makes sense since running on a flat area means you need to use your own energy to propel you and not rely on going down a hill. Yesterday it was all me and that is why I was so encouraged. I am still not where I need to be for the Lehigh Valley Marathon in 7 weeks, but I am a little encouraged.

If I can get up to 20 miles in a run, I’d feel much better. I have only a few weeks to get there before we begin to taper. Nothing like taking this down to the last minute. However if I do run the marathon and finish (hopefully in 3:30 – Boston qualifying time) I will know that I can really do anything I set my mind to do.

Honestly running has changed my life in just about every way. My confidence is up, my weight is down and after each run, I get to have the feeling of doing something and giving it my all.

I do love running.

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Good runs + less pressure = more fun

I had another successful summer run yesterday.  Two great runs in a row.  Wow.

My app has really helped slow me down as it speaks to me, “Slower” when I run too fast for the preset pace.  This had enabled me to run like I used to before the summer heat hit.  I have cut my weekday runs to 5 miles for now and am working on rebooting my training for our marathon.

I am so encouraged by my runs this week.  Negative splits have changed my summer runs from dreadful to… maybe not exciting, but at least something to which I look forward.

As I ponder the Lehigh Valley Marathon in 8 weeks, I have come to realize (with TJ’s help) that the pressure of wanting to keep an 8:00 pace for 26.2 miles has really gotten to me.  It has made my running a burden and no longer fun.  So I have changed my attitude toward the marathon.  I would love to qualify for Boston in September and hope that I will, but I am no longer focusing on that as my primary objective.  It is an accomplishment in and of itself to finish my first marathon and I may surprise myself and run at my desired pace.  But I am going to relax, enjoy and make this an experience to remember.

So I feel that I am in a much better place now.  I have had a couple really good runs this week, even in the heat.  I have taken the pressure off of myself as to my expectations for the marathon.  I am more positive and enjoying the journey rather than obsessing about the destination.

Life is good!

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5 mile summer run – back in the game

Yesterday was hot again.  Leave it to me to take time off running last week while it is 79 degrees outside and come back with a heat index near 100.  Anyway, my first regular run had good points and, let’s say, personal challenges.

Here are my splits:

Mile 1 – 8:48
Mile 2 – 8:39

I have not been having my app tell me my pace so as to not concentrate so much on pace but just on feel.  I specifically tried to start out slowly, but ended up at a faster pace than I have had in quite some time.  Not that I am complaining about the faster pace, but I know in the heat it is important not to start out too strong.

Mile 3 – 9:16

By the time I hit my third mile I realized I must have started too hard.  I felt fatigued and even walked for a short time at the top of a hill.  The heat was getting to me as I pushed along.  It was so humid and hot that it was getting hard to keep my breath.

Mile 4 – 11:52
Mile 5 – 11:51

By mile 4 I knew I must have started out way too fast.  I ended up walking about half the way and slowly running the rest.  At 4.5 miles I decided to head home knowing I’d make 5 total and not worry about the last two miles.

Talking with TJ afterwards I realized that I really need to do what I had originally planned and run negative splits.  I think I will go back to my iSmoothRun app telling me how fast I am running so I keep my pace slow in the beginning and pick up as the run progresses.  Running this way will not only help with the heat, but also is good practice for the Lehigh Valley Marathon in September.

So, overall I would say that my run went well.  I ran a 10:01 average pace which isn’t bad for running in the heat and honestly I was encouraged that I ran at least part of the run in the 8:00 – 9:00 range.  I also have decided to just try and do my runs as best I can and not worry about the marathon as much.  The marathon will happen and I will run it, but worrying about it won’t make me run it any faster.

Even with the hot summer, I’m glad to get back to running a normal schedule.

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New leg muscles found. Weekend run the Culprit!

I have run over 1,600 miles since I began in March 2012…  I just found new muscles in my legs.

Explanation:

Last weekend I ran a new course as I mentioned in my post yesterday.  We were visiting Chattanooga for the weekend and I had to find somewhere to run.  I decided it would be fun to run in a place called “Riverwalk”.  The biggest difference between Riverwalk and my neighborhood was its flatness.  It had some hills, but for the most part it was so flat that I couldn’t tell if I was going up or down hill except for the feeling in my legs.  This is opposite from my neighborhood which is all hills.

I ran on Saturday and had a really good time.  I pushed myself.  I thought that this path might be a good comparison to what our marathon will be like in September.  The Lehigh Valley Marathon is a relatively flat course with a net 240′ drop.  Saturday, as I said, I pushed myself.  Sunday I had a much harder time.  I felt tired and lethargic.  I didn’t want to go out running in the morning.  When I finally got out and ran, it was okay, but I finished it feeling discouraged as I completed only 8 of 15 miles (partly due to time restraints and partly due to feeling poorly).  My thought as I drove back to the hotel was, “How am I going to run 26 miles in 10 weeks if I can barely make 8 today”.

Now for the new muscle part.  I worked yesterday and it was a normal day.  I sit at work since I do a lot of programming.  However my job makes me get up a lot to go help others with IT needs.  Yesterday afternoon as I got up from my desk, I felt something I hadn’t felt since last year.  My legs were really sore.  This wasn’t just my normal running aches and pains, this was soreness.

I now realize that my runs this weekend were using different muscles that what I use in my neighborhood.  Since I was running on a flat surface I had to use muscles that I don’t normally use.  This was an “aha” moment for me.  I need to run in a flat area to get ready for the marathon rather than the hills in my neighborhood.  If I am this sore after 16 miles in 2 days, what would 26 miles feel like?

I am fortunate to have a track nearby that is made from asphalt.  Though it isn’t perfect, it will at least be a level area to run some miles to get my body used to that type of running.

Go figure.  I run hills for 16 months and now I am sore from a flat surface.  I guess I should have realized that would happen, but better figuring this out now than in 9 or 10 weeks.  🙂

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Marathon update and a 55 mile week

It has been a couple of crazy days.

My lovely wife had a horrible migraine starting Sunday afternoon.  I finally had to take her to the doctor yesterday morning and as of last night, it was better, but not great.

As I wrote yesterday, my plans for our marathon have hit a snag.  Yesterday I was much less hopeful of a solution, but after a lot of feedback from many sources, I think I might have come up with an answer…

If my big brother will change his dates for visiting my mom’s and come in Sunday rather than Friday, I think it will work out.  The only hitch is to find a hotel in Allentown for 2 days that won’t be way expensive because of the marathon.  Then we can go up on Friday, have Saturday to review the course (which we always do before a race – it really helps) and the run Sunday and head to my mom’s afterwards.  Seems doable.  I haven’t looked at hotel rates yet, but I will and then check with big brother and if all that works, we will be back on.  Thanks to everyone for your feedback via the blog, email or phone.  It was a big help.

Now on to my killer week of running.  I’ve thrown out pace all together.  My goal right now is miles and building a base and then work on my speed about 6 weeks out.  I normally take Monday off since Sunday is my long day, but I have obligations Friday afternoon, so I decided to run Monday – Thursday and take Friday as my off day.  TJ has helped me work out a plan.  I am running 8 mile days and a 15 mile long day.  I’ll probably split my long day into 2 runs of 7 and 8 miles.  That will put me at 55 miles for the week and 200 for the month.  The reason I’ve thrown out my pace is I don’t want to push too hard and also the heat.  I have had some light physical issues, but not much for the mileage, so I am thankful.

Sometimes life is like running.  You push and push to get through each day and if you hit a wall, you regroup, shake it off and keep going.  Running has taught me so much about endurance in life.

It will all work out!

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I may not get my chance to qualify for Boston this year

Yesterday was a bit difficult the whole way around.

I did run in the morning and got in my 10 miles.  That put me at 37 for the week and 145 so far for the month.  That is exciting to me as I was working toward my marathon in September.

Then I was told news that might change my plans of running the Lehigh Valley Marathon…

I messed up.  When I looked at the location of the marathon, somehow I thought it was in Altoona, PA.  An old friend who was reading through my blog noticed that I had said Altoona and it is actually in Allentown, PA.  Ugh…

Altoona is 1 hour from my mom’s home. My plan was to visit her which I do each Fall and then run the marathon with TJ (RS is too young) and then head back to her home afterwards.  Allentown is 3 hours away!  My plan no longer works.  The race starts at 7:00 AM.

I have been thinking over my options all day yesterday. I just can’t make this work, at least at the moment.

So, Boston may have to wait for another year.  We may go to Jacksonville in December and run that marathon, but then if TJ and I qualify we will need to wait until 2015.

I like to set goals for myself and work hard to achieve them.  This throws my goals into chaos.  I know people will say, “you probably need another year anyway”, and that may be true.  But I had a goal and this just makes it hard.  It is one thing to try and not make it, but to not be able to try… Oh well.

Life goes on.  There may still be a way to qualify for Boston before September registration.

Never say never.

 

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How many pair of shoes does it take to get to a marathon?

I love my running shoes.

I wear Saucony Fastwitch 5 and they are the one shoe that has gotten me through my achilles problem and allowed me to keep running.  Saturday I put on my old Kinvara’s and after 2 miles was in a moderate amount of pain.  So I went by the house and switched to my Fastwitch and felt much better and finished my run.

All that to say, I just bought 4 pair of Fastwitch 5’s from Running Warehouse. Being more of a built up racing flat, I can only get 200 – 300 miles out of them and my current pair feel like they are getting worn.  So I did the math and 4 pair will get me through my marathon in September.  I wanted to make sure I got them so that I would not be having to use a different shoe by the time of the marathon.  They were $38 a piece at Running Warehouse (after discount)  so all in all I got 4 pair of shoes for $150 and they are sent 2nd day air for free!  Tomorrow will be like Christmas!

As I pondered getting all those shoes it makes my marathon become more and more a reality.  It is like I am on a path to Pennsylvania and it is a straight path, an unalterable path.

Last night TJ said he really believes that I can run the Lehigh Valley Marathon and qualify for Boston.  That was the first time I can remember him saying that to me so directly.  I have  also had  bloggers say the same thing, like Runningtoherdreams said yesterday, “I have no doubt you will rock the Lehigh Valley Marathon!”.  I am going to print that statement out and put it on the wall of my office so that I look at it everyday!  Many other bloggers have given me encouragement as well over the past few months.

Each day I wake up, work, run, see the family, eat dinner and go to bed.  Some of this has gotten a bit tiring to be honest.  But I have a goal.  I have to do all within the power that God gives me to make it to my goal!  Now that I have 4 new pair of shoes, it has become more real.

This week is a little break in my training.  I am cutting back 25% on my mileage to give my body a break.  TJ has helped me with my plan and I am thankful as I couldn’t figure this out on my own.  So now I am running 5.25 miles a day rather than 7.  That will be nice.  And this week is supposed to be cooler than last week.

Gotta run (literally).  Have a GREAT day!!!

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Achilles fix? Maybe!

93 miles in 2 weeks.

43 miles last week.

13 miles on Sunday.

That is a lot of miles for a 50 year old who has been running just over a year.

Many of you know that I have suffered with achilles issues for some time now.  I haven’t been writing about it because my ice baths for my foot after running has been keeping the problem in check, but it has still been difficult at times.  One bad moment was when I was getting up from sitting and hit my heal into the back of the chair I was in.  That sent me through the roof.  An hour later I was out running and the run was okay, but I had more pain.  That was Friday.

I had been thinking about the logic of stretching my calf to relieve the pain in my achilles. Everyone says to stretch by leaning forward with the foot on the ground.  Yes I can feel the stretch in my calf, but I also feel the pull on my achilles.  Then I thought, many people will tell you to take time off from running and let it rest to get past the issue.  So why am I stretching and pulling against it if it needs to rest?  Finally I got a foam roller to roll on my calf.  I am to roll until I feel a knot and then hold the knot until it releases.  This I did.  But it is hard for me to spend more than a few minutes doing this along with other stretching, running, family, work, dog, etc.

All that to say, I did something Saturday night that allowed me to begin my run on Sunday with NO pain in my achilles.  I ran 8 miles until I began to feel a little pulling.  It was amazing to me.  It is like when it is hot outside for weeks and one morning you go out and it is cool.  Wow, what a difference.  You notice it right away.  That was my run yesterday.  Zero pain.  Ahhh.

So what did I do?

I laid in bed while TJ and my Lovely Wife and I watched the first Spirit of the Marathon.  I put my left knee up with my foot on the bed.  I took my right leg and set my calf directly on top of my knee.  Then I dug in.  I could apply as much pressure or as little pressure as I wanted.  I finally found a spot on the outside of my calf that hurt a lot, so I worked that area for over an hour.  It hurt, but it was easy to continue.  I just watched a movie and did about 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off of allowing my knee to massage and kneed my sore calf muscle.  That was it.

The next morning (Sunday), I got up out of bed for the first time in a long time with no pain.  I knew I did something right – finally.

I’m not saying that I am fixed.  After my run yesterday my achilles was pretty sore, so I did some more work on it last night, but not much.  I feel asleep too fast.  Still, I now know an answer that I hope will permanently fix my achilles.

Time will tell.

It was a good long run by the way.  I did well until the 12th mile and then stated to fade.  Much better than last week.  So I am making progress.

12 weeks until the Lehigh Valley Marathon!  I hope I’m ready.

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Marathon training – renewed inspiration

I had a revelation Yesterday.

Marathon training is a lot like running a marathon.  If this is true then I am at the 20 mile mark of my training. I have hit a wall.

I realized yesterday as I was watching “Spirit of the Marathon II” that my training has gotten to me.  Of course if you read any of the past couple of weeks of my blog you could probably have told me without me having to see a movie.  The movie was great and inspiring and really made me think.  Running a marathon isn’t easy and neither is marathon training; especially running in 100 degree heat in the summer.

I am inspired.  I am going to do this.

I plan on methodically carrying out my plan.  I will stop if I need to, but I also don’t want to give up too early on my dream of qualifying this year for Boston.  If I run the Lehigh Valley Marathon in September and finish, that will be huge.  If I run and qualify for Boston, then that will be another mountain climbed and conquered.  Either way, I win.

So I resolve, with the inspiration of watching 7 people training and running the Rome Marathon in this movie, to run and to finish.  It will be hot.  It will be hard at times and I will tell all here on this blog. I will do it.

I recommend this movie; it helped inspire me.  Unfortunately it was only in theaters yesterday, but if you can watch at home sometime, do!

Me, I’ll be running.  Because of the heat, maybe slower, maybe not as many miles, but I will be running.

Maybe one day I’ll be in “Spirit of the Marathon III”.  Hopefully it will take place in Boston! 🙂

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50 mile week and I felt it yesterday!

They say that the way you feel in your run isn’t the total miles of that run, but the sum of the past three days of running.  This is because of the time it takes to recover from a run.  Well if that is true, then I know what happened yesterday to the end of my run.

The sum of my last three runs (including yesterday’s run) was 27 miles.

It was my long run day and I was feeling pretty good as I began.  I needed 13 miles for the day, which put me at 50 (PB) for the week!  Here is a quick summary or my run:

Miles 1-4: Felt pretty good, surprisingly good in fact.
Miles 5-9: Getting tired and hot, especially toward the later miles.  Ran past the house to get some Gatorade.
Miles 10 – 13: I hit the wall and never recovered.  I slowed down to about an 11:00 pace – seemed like I was barely running. My legs were shot and I did everything I could just to finish.

My Lovely Wife eventually sent TJ to search for me since I was taking so long to get home.  It was nice to see a friendly face driving up beside me as I had 1/2 mile to go.

My philosophy, as I have stated before, is to not worry about speed this summer.  I am training for a September marathon and the speed will come, but my body has to get used to the miles.  So as I run I do what I can, but if I have to run slow to get my miles in, that is what I will do.

We are at 13 weeks before the Lehigh Valley Marathon in Altoona Pennsylvania.  This week the temps get up near 100 and I have another 50 mile week to put in.  Next week I will taper down about 25% so that will be really nice to get a break.

I just have to keep my eye on the prize.  In some ways (forgive me ladies) I feel like I am 6 months pregnant.  I am doing all I can do each day to get by, but I know that it will all be over in 3 months, then I can relax.  Okay, not a good analogy, but it is the best I can think of at the moment.

Off day today. 🙂 Yay!