We are all just ants
Waiting to repair downed hills
Playing damned Ingress
Category: Doing (Page 17 of 28)
I’m a 1:3 breather right now, which means I breathe every 3 strokes. This works out because it lets me breathe on both sides of my body which is easier on the neck and get a good look-see to both sides. The downside is that you don’t get much oxygen breathing that way. As a result of that (and horrible technique overall), I’ve never really swam to what I think my potential is.
In races I usually throw in some periods of 1:2 breathing, which is breathing every other stroke, always to the same side. More oxygen available, so I do this when I need to accelerate.
2:3 breathing is 2 breaths every three strokes. So it’s R, L, (R), L, R, (L), R, L, (R), L, R, (L)…
I’m going to spend a couple of weeks working on nothing but changing to the 2:3 technique and doing a better job of keeping my head low and reducing bow drag. Going to a January swim clinic to work on everything else.
If I had a DeLorean equipped with a flux capacitor, I’d rev that thang up to 88 mph, take it back to ancient Greece, and wait behind a tree for Phidippides about 10 miles outside of Athens. I’d tackle him and make sure he never completed his 26.2 mile journey. But I’d be sure to spread the story of his valiant effort and encourage everyone to run 16 miles as the gold standard race distance to commemorate his failed quest.
Sixteen miles is far enough.
Ok, that’s a little extreme, but I really don’t like the marathon. I don’t think it has fond feelings for me either. My life’s plan was to run one marathon, run it under 4 hours, and never even consider that kind of distance again (Ironman aside). I achieved the first two goals.
Inexplicably, I’ve now run 2 more marathons than I ever wanted to run.
I just don’t enjoy these races the way other people do. That’s not the marathon’s fault. I know some people really love them. To each his own, right? But as I told The Missus just a couple of hours after my most recent experience at this distance, “I think I’ve realized that rugby is my sport–and I’m 5 years past playing that one.”
I’m not a natural runner. I’m not built to be a runner. But I do enjoy running. And I really like training for marathons. But the next time I think of signing up for one I need to be reminded of the deflated feeling I had after the very first one when I realized there was nothing on the schedule for the next Tuesday.
For some reason, I have a mental deficiency that forces me to put an actual race out there to train for instead of just training for training’s sake.
I need to fix that.
The money I pay to enter one of these races would be better spent on a few months at Masters’ Swimming. Or some Sufferfest videos to watch on the bike. Or a bike tune up.
Or some chicken wings.
Never again. For real this time.
If you are thinking of running the Space Coast Marathon, DO IT! You will not be disappointed. Small marathon with almost all the perks of a big marathon.
Pros:
- Local (for me) race, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Nice to be able to relax around the house for several days leading up, sleep in my own bed, and run terrain and weather I’ve prepared for specifically.
- Beautiful course. I can’t believe this race isn’t bigger just because the course is so pretty and flat.
- No crowds. There aren’t any issues of needing to zigzag around people or getting stuck behind people running a slower pace.
- SWAG. Long sleeve technical t-shirts, beach towels instead of solar blankets, and heavy-duty finisher’s medals.
Cons:
- Road camber. Make sure you are aware of this and always look for the flat part of the road during the race.
- Not a huge amount of crowd support. If you depend on energy from the crowd to keep you going for hours, try a mega-race. Not a real factor for me, but I completely understand the appeal of bigger events.
Packet Pickup
Could not have been more convenient. For locals, it’s like packet pickup for a 5k. Just walk into the Running Zone and grab your stuff. It’s only 3 miles from my house, so I was able to ride the MTB down during lunch the Monday before the race and grab it. No lines, no mess, and the race bags contained only what was necessary: T-shirt, race number, drop bag, safety pins, participant guide, and a Moon Pie.
I really liked the “virtual race bag” we received in the email that contained all the usual flyers and coupons. You can just claim them online if you want. Otherwise, you don’t have to deal with them.
I didn’t go to the expo. It’s all the way up at Kennedy Space Center, which is a 45 minute drive from my place. I can see the appeal of having it there for those coming from out of town–it’s a really cool place! That’s where the pre-race meal is as well, which I also didn’t attend. Not going to an expo is actually a bonus for me. I tend to spend too much time at those things, get too hyped up, and generally just waste energy. I enjoyed being able to just relax instead.
Race Day
My friend Jenny was racing as well, so I stopped by and picket her up in Viera at about 5:00 for the 6:15 start. Parking wasn’t really an issue. There are only ~3,500 participants in both the half and the full, so it’s easy to get a spot pretty close to the start in Cocoa Village. The weather was perfect! Nice and chilly at the start with temps in the low 50s.
Course
This is the first race I’ve done that has both a half and a full. I really like that the two races are immediately separated from one another in the first quarter mile. Those running the half head south for an out-and-back, while those running the full go north out-and-back, then do the same course the half marathoners run. I can see a big advantage for those running the full in that the crowds are immediately thinned out, you aren’t tempted to run the pace of halfers around you, and you don’t get any sort of finish envy at the halfway point.
I’ve biked the half section of the course countless times. It’s my favorite bike route in these parts…absolutely beautiful! I ran all the south section and most of the north section during my final long run. The north section has a few hills inclines, but nothing worth getting worked up over. Being a transplant to FL, I still chuckle inside whenever people talk about hills and causeways, the Haines City 70.3 run course being an exception I’ve experienced myself. If you’ve run any hills at all, you’ll hardly notice these little bumps.
Aid stations are well supplied and manned. There aren’t any Gus available until Mile 8, so come armed.
Race Plan
My goal was 3:49:59. I was pretty sure I had 3:44:59 in me, but I was coming in a little injured, and I also decided trying for the sub 3:45:00 was a risk that could cost me the sub 3:50:00 if things went wrong. I’ve realized that it’s damn near impossible run a marathon to your full ability. So much can happen in that distance/time that it’s really tough to find that sweet spot between being conservative and being reckless with your pace. Conservative is more my nature after learning my lesson with the reckless pace method in the past, so I decided for that route.
My plan was to start with the 3:55:00 pace group for the first ten miles, speed up to an 8:42 pace for the next 10, 5k at 8:35, and empty the tank for the last 5k. That pretty much took 3:45:00 off the table, which was actually a relief. I thought I had it in me, but also knew the stars would have to line up perfectly for that to happen. Had I been starting 100% healthy on an overcast day with temperatures 10-15 degrees cooler I may have gone for it.
Race Execution
All in all, I’m happy with execution. That’s a rarity for me–race management is a real problem usually. I was 45 seconds ahead of schedule at the ten mile mark. Running with the 3:55 group really helped me control pace at the beginning of the race. I was feeling great and ready to run the next 10 miles at 8:42 pace. Here’s what the splits actually looked like:
8:36, 8:52, 8:49, 8:47, 8:59, 8:55, 9:10, 9:16, 9:36, 11:28
Maybe you can guess what happened. The ankle started paining at mile 12, but I tried to hang close to the pace. I saw my fan club in the 15th mile and gave me a big boost! But around mile 15-16 blistering started on both feet, which I’m pretty sure was a result of trying to compensate for the ankle. At that point, I realized 3:49 wasn’t happening, but I didn’t give up yet. I tried shouting encouragement to the half marathon groups I was passing coming the other way to keep the positive self talk going.
The 3:55 group caught back up with me during the 20th mile, and I pushed really hard to keep up with them. Then I tried hard to keep them in striking distance. Then, I’m not going lie, I got a little mentally defeated. The mile 20 split shows it.
I did get to see a bunch of dolphins during that mile though. What other race gives you that opportunity?
The last 10k was a mess. I’m not even posting the splits because they are irrelevant. Needless to say, there was some walking involved, but that made my muscles cold quickly and was no fun. I spent a ton of time trying to find the pace I could run with minimal ankle and foot pain and still stay warm enough to keep everything else from clinching up. I finished up the race thinking, “just an easy cool-down” and “don’t make this injury any worse.” I’m not very good at dealing with injuries–lucky enough to not have much experience with them.
Finish
This smile doesn’t look forced does it?
This race ends in a great park beside the river. It’s great for families with small kids. There’s a cool playground and relaxing atmosphere. They even have a bounce house.
I crossed the finish line at 4:21:03. More importantly, I got to cross the finish line with the two oldest kids. Again, a benefit of a small race is that you get to do stuff like that. They were super excited!
No “all-food-is-inside-the-finisher-chute-and-once-you-leave-you-can’t-come-back” at this race. There was plenty of pizza, bananas, water, beer, etc. for runners. It’s really not hard to figure out who ran and who didn’t. Big races should take note of this and drop the finishing cages.
It’s frustrating knowing that I ran 23 at sub-9 pace three weeks ago and could have PR’d that day if we’d been racing. Taking three weeks off definitely let the ankle heal as best it could, but it wasn’t very good for the rest of my body and my mind for race day. Still, probably a net positive. I don’t have any regrets about going out for the goal time either. I think I was going to end up in pain no matter how fast I went, so I’m glad I got as far as I did before it started.
I know I didn’t get the race I trained for, which sucks, but I’m staying positive about it. I did all I could and ran according to the plan. I’m a little disappointed knowing that some of the extra time can be attributed to mental weakness, but I’m also giving myself some credit for sticking to it mentally for 8 miles on a bad wheel. In most races that will get you there, but marathons are really long. Either way, a PR wasn’t going to happen.
I have another post boiling in my head that addresses the big picture, but this post is about this race. 🙂
I want to also congratulate Jenny on finishing strong in 4:15 for her first marathon, and my training buddy Mitch who PR’d with a 3:28!!!
“White Chocolate Bread Pudding With Raspberry and White Chocolate Sauce” is the only thing I’ve ever been able to afford to buy at Nordstrom, but I’ve bought it several times. This will make you smack your mammaw down and kick her in the leg when she gets back up.
I’m making an extra one for emergency use after Thanksgiving.
Thankful My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me
The Miles Are Out To Get Me
This is the worst case of taper madness I’ve ever had.
My longest run was 23, and I’ve run 10 miles since then because of a semi-injured ankle. I’m paranoid about making sure I get to the start line pain free.
All activity for the past three weeks has been on the spin bike. The taper has never bothered me this much before, but now I’m really understanding what people are always talking about. Doubt everything.
Doubt your training. Doubt your weight (haven’t weighed myself). Doubt your body’s ability to build up massive amounts of glycogen. Doubt whether or not you even remember how to run.
According to everything I’ve read, this is exactly how you are supposed to feel. Hopefully that means a good performance on Sunday!
Do not attempt to move this person without donuts in the ambulance.
Ankle is jacked up, so no running for the next 8 days. But I did start playing Ingress today…great chance to get on the mountain bike and ride around gobbling up territory.
I think someone at Google reads this blog. I had some very similar ideas to make Foursquare better a while back.
Now that the hard work is done, it’s time for tapering. That means tending to phantom injuries, freaking out every time I hear one of the kids cough that they are getting the flu and I will catch it too, and checking the weather forecast every 8 minutes.
But it also means filling up the liver and muscles with glycogen and running every mile knowing that I’m only doing it to stay sane, not for fitness.
I haven’t fretted over data/times/pace for this training session like I usually do. Part of that is because I have so much other stuff going on, and part of it is that when training using the FIRST program, it doesn’t really take over your life the way a 6-day-a-week program does. It’s kind of nice.
I did a 23 miler for my last long run yesterday, and I averages 8:59–much faster than I’d planned on running, and a little surprising. I’ve figured out that I need to eat a LOT more than I had been eating (no complaints here), and as a result I have yet to feel the wall this time around.
Anyway, I was going back and comparing this peek week training to the peek week of my best marathon. I’m liking these results:
2003 Peek Week
42 total miles (4 sessions), 6 hours and 35 minutes (9:24/mile average)
2012 Peek Week
40 total miles (3 sessions), 5 hours and 59 minutes (8:59/mile average)
The two big things I notice are that I ran roughly the same miles in both years, but this year I’ve done it in one less session, and at a faster pace. Also, my longest run in 2003 was 20 miles instead of the 23 I did this year.
I’m hoping this means a faster race. 3:49:59 was the original goal. Starting to think 3:44:59 may be a real possibility. It’s all going to be in the execution.
I’ve been running negative splits every day. Do I start with the 3:55 group for the first half and chase down the 3:45 group, or do I just start with 3:45 and try to hang on? That pace sounds tough for me right out of the gate.
Played this in my head on loop for roughly 35 minutes this morning.
You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down.
I stink. Seriously, I’m really stinky.
And I sweat a lot. Any run over 8 miles usually results in my feet making squishing sounds with each step. So once I’m deep into a training program, my shoes are in a perpetual cycle:
- Soaked with my stinky sweat
- Set out to dry for a couple of days while I fill a second pair of shoes with my stinky sweat during the next workout
- Rinse and repeat
I usually don’t actually rinse them though. So they build up a dried out, soaked in stinky smell. I try sprinkling them with Gold Bond and baking soda every now and then if I remember, but they usually just end up stinking to high heaven.
The other day I Googled this problem and found a great solution–cat litter.
I filled some old rugby socks with cat litter and stuffed them down into my shoes and left them overnight. This removed about 90% of the smell in the shoes.
I’m very proud to share this little trick with you, and when I find out how to get the cat litter smell out of my shoes I will be sure to post the solution.
I been could do all these tricks. The impressive part is that this guy stayed in Zone 2 for the whole thing.
The end of “running-as-a-punishment” in sports? This is ridiculous on so many levels.
- As a coach, I’ve actually planned on including some punishment running as part of a rugby practice before it has even started. Pretending to be displeased with the performance and effort level of your athletes can help them break through a plateau and push themselves to a place they didn’t realize they could go.
- Group “punishment” can help a team become a more cohesive unit as it creates an “us-against-the-coach” situation. It helps a team build a group mentality weeks before ever facing a real opponent.
- Knowing that punishment running is on the table creates artificial pressure during training. In games, there are built in consequences (it’s called the scoreboard) for lazy play and mental errors. You need to find ways to create that pressure in practice. My college rugby coach never used the word “mistake”. His preferred term was “conditioning opportunities”.
- There’s a huge psychological advantage to be gained at game time knowing that the other team has not outworked you in practice, that the game will be so much easier than your preparation was, and that there’s an expectation of effort (with consequences).
- And then there are the days when your practice plans simply can’t work in enough high work-rate activities to provide your players with the fitness time they need. You don’t want to make them run just for running’s sake, but if you can make it seem like they caused themselves to have to run, you once again raise the expectation level.
We’re getting soft.
HT Remy’s World
Excerpts from a real conversation:
Her: “I’m just not sure I can run this race in under 4 hours.”
Me: “What kind of pace are you running for your long training runs?”
Her: “My last 20 was at 9:05 pace, but I had a problem with my calf cramping. Maybe it’s because I was dehydrated and tired because I was up sick all night the night before with food poisoning?”
Me: “Uhhhh…you’re sick.”
It later comes out that she ran a 1:46 half marathon when 5 months pregnant…and climbed the Matterhorn at age 15.
Freak.
On one hand, I‘m in favor of this.
On the other hand, I really like running stop signs and hopping onto the sidewalks when I’m on my bike. Both are illegal.
Lots of time I’ll run in the road instead of the sidewalk because I want the asphalt surface instead of concrete or want to avoid sprinklers. And I often run in the middle of the street to avoid running on the slanted crown on the side of the road.
What if all the things I do wrong are enforced too?
How about we just start by dinging people who throw cigarette butts out of their windows for littering?