If anyone who reads this blog regularly recalls (and if anyone does, you should probably spend more time being productive and less time reading my ramblings), right around the National Half Marathon, I was slightly concerned with some all too familiar pain in the area of my right tibia. This was the same exact place I gave myself a stress fracture last year, but on the other leg. For all intents and purposes, the pain was identical, though significantly less severe.
I then got sick and took 10 days off running. When I restarted, I could not detect any pain and continued running. Maybe here and there I could feel it, but overall everything seemed ok. By Monday of last week, that was no longer the case and I couldn't deny that the pain was progressing. After Tuesday, I made the decision to take at least 2, and more likely 3 weeks off running to let whatever is going on down there heal. I'm guessing it is the beginnings of something worse, and I've caught it soon enough that a little down time should fix it.
Somewhat surprisingly, I am not the least bit upset or disappointed. There are a variety of reasons for this, and I'll share two of them:
1. I've got nothing important coming up in the near future, and fall marathon season is still pretty far away
2. It gives me more time to ride the bike, which is actually starting to become a bit more enjoyable. When I first started last year, I could never get into a comfortable pace on the bike and was almost always miserable. For one reason or another, that seems to be changing. Perhaps its some combination of me figuring out how to pace myself, and my cycling muscles starting to develop.
Either way, this gives me an opportunity to focus on some bicycle base miles, something that I am sorely lacking. My running base is to the point that I can do somewhere between 10-13 miles on a whim if I wanted to, regardless of how I'm feeling on any particular day. The bike on the other hand, does not come that easily.
Hopefully a steady buildup of easyish to moderately paced rides will help fix that. I'm avoiding doing anything super hard on the bike, save hilly courses until I've got some serious mileage on my legs.
So for now, I'm more of a cyclist than a runner, but it's ok!
Last week....
Monday: 7 miles with the Fed Hill crew
Tuesday: Somewhere around 8 miles, easy with some people around Gilman
Wednesday: 38 miles on the bike, got caught in a nasty rain storm in the last few miles but navigated the winding downhills of York Rd at 30mph, the slowest I could go without excessive braking (which means crashing) successfully since I'm here and not plastered on a guard rail. Those road bike tires certainly get thin fast when the coefficient of friction between them and the road decreases.
Thursday: 7 miles, moderate pace
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Cascade Lake Du, 6.8 miles total running with warm up, 15 miles on the bike
Sunday: 14 miles, easy with some TWSS runners
Run mileage: 42.8 miles
Bike miles: 53 miles
This week....
Monday: 7 miles, Fed Hill
Tuesday: 10ish miles around Gilman
Wednesday: 30 miles on the bike, flat save a couple of hills, pushed it a little more than usual
Thursday: 24 miles on the bike, on that horrid WsW course that Adventures for the Cure has; their B course anyway. Hills, hills, hills. You know its good when you are in your lowest gear, out of the saddle, and are still grinding away just to get up a hill....
Friday: Bike to work day! 8 miles in the AM, 6.5 miles on the way back, 14.5 miles total.
Saturday: Rest. I hate rest on the weekend, it always feels like a waste, but my room is a lot cleaner than it was, so I guess I accomplished something.
Sunday: 52 miles on the bike, from my apartment in Baltimore northbound, before finishing in Timonium and Light Railing it back. Lots of hills, and a couple of detours thanks to road closures. I started getting tired after 35, which makes sense since 40 was previous long ride, and I got really, really hungry after 45, but managed to hold it together. More food next time...
Run mileage: 17 miles
Bike mileage: 120.5 miles
A bit of a jump, but the 10% rule doesn't apply to bikes anyway. My legs have a habit of getting real, real tight if I overdo the bike, so that is going to be my barometer for what I can handle. I'll stay at 50 and 120 for next week too, and maybe the week after. No rush right now.
I'd like to get to the 160-180 range, but only with a diligent buildup.
"A true Runner ran even when he didn't feel like it, and raced when he was suppose to, without excuses and with nothing held back. He ran to win and would die in the process,running to him was real, the way he did it the realest thing he knew...hard as diamond,it made him weary beyond comprehension, but it also made him free." -Once a Runner
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Cascade Lake Duathlon
Since I felt like getting on the bike again, but could use some motivation for such, I decided to sign up for Cascade Lake, a sprint duathlon/triathlon held today. The event, 1.86 mile run, 15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run looked like a good first duathlon of the season.
After a few weeks of riding where I got my longest to 40, and was averaging 2 rides a week, I figured some was better than nothing. Of course, without any brick workouts, or for that matter, any mixing of disciplines whatsoever, I didn't really know what to expect going into this one.
So, at 4:30AM I woke up for the third weekend in a row early to head out to Hampstead, MD. I knew the bike course was going to be rather hilly after driving it the previous week, so I was actually looking forward to see what I could do on a course slightly more geared towards climbers.
After a slight delay because the state police were too busy guarding the parking lot instead of the roads, we started our first run leg just as the first of three triathlon waves went off in the nearby lake. A bunch of people went hard off the line, but after 0.25 miles, it was down to one guy and me, whom I quickly dispatched somewhere around mile 1. I wasn't quite going as fast as I could for 1.86 miles of running, making sure to go hard but smart. After a quick turnaround on the out and back course, I made my way back to transition up a really steep, but short lived hill. 1st run split...
10:25
Since I had a low bib # (5), my bike was racked right next to the bike in/bike out chute. After a quick 48sec transition, I was out towards the mount line. The ground immediately outside of transition was terrible, sloping downward and covered in gravel. Perfect for running with a bike, wearing speed play cleats...
I ran past the mount line and actually pulled off a smooth mount, left foot first on the left side, then swing over the top and get the right in. Immediately after the mount line, the road was in terrible shape with gravel and massive pot holes. After quickly clearing that, I was off onto the course with a motorcycle ahead of me.
The course had its ups and downs. I mainly focused on just keeping the cadence high, something I usually get away from in races. I also tried to avoid grinding the hills too hard, opting to stay seated as much as possible. Thanks to all the ups, downs, and sharp turns, I stopped using the aero bars after the first couple of miles. Without staying in them most of the way, their benefit is nil anyway. As with all my duathlons, the bike is essentially just a "wait and see when someone passes me." But, mile after mile went by, and there was no one. By about mile 8, we hit a very sharp hair pin turn which allowed me to get a clear view behind and I could see absolutely no one.
Of course, I knew not to get complacent and kept spinning away. I was certainly working, but for the first time ever actually felt comfortable on the bike. Somehow, I was riding a pace that made sense, keeping it smooth and even. It almost felt like I knew what I was doing! As the course started to near its end, I did finally get passed by someone (aero helmet, aero Hed wheels, etc). He actually passed, real, real close to me; and we almost brushed each other. Regardless, I made him earn his overtake, only backing off when he finally did have me overtaken. That's what he gets for trying it on a hill...
That was at nearly mile 13, so I pounded out the last 2 miles, almost all downhill, and flew back towards transition. I had to pass over the crappy gravel pot hole road again and this time, almost crashed as my wheels slid over the gravel. Great place for a dismount area... After recovering for that, I hit the "cyclocross dismount" perfectly, still going pretty fast, but never skipping a beat as I hopped off the bike and ran back to transition.
My legs felt pretty shitty running the bike back, but the uneven gravel I was running over and slight uphill probably made it worse than it was. Bike split...
46:52, just a hair over 19mph. 6th best bike split in the duathlon, and top 15 in the tri. Not too bad, especially compared to the junk I used to put up.
While in transition the second time, my left hamstring locked up on me. Of course, knowing I was probably in the lead for the Du, and at least wanted a fighting chance to catch the guy that passed me, I wasn't about to stop. After pounding the hammy with my fist a couple of times, it cooperated and I did something that could pass as running out of transition, all in 41 seconds.
The run course ended up going down the massively steep but short hill we came up after the first run. I thought I was going to die running down that thing, as my legs were none too happy. Once I hit the road though, I started to settle in. Generally on these second runs, it has been my legs and not my cardiovascular system holding me back. I'd be out there running, feeling like shit, but barely getting my heart rate up. But finally, this time, I was able to coax myself into a legit 5K pace. I realized I wasn't really catching the overall triathlete, as our two lap out-and-back course clearly showed. However, I could see I had a massive lead on the second place duathlete, and knew I probably had it locked up.
I poured it on, because I always like to shoot for fastest runner out there, went back up the hill and crossed the finish in 1:17:46 with an 18:58 5K split.
Any other year, I would not have won. But this year, with the people who did decide to show up, I won by over 3 minutes. Either way, I'll take it! I was the fastest runner (no contest) in the duathlon, and the third fastest on the 5K when looking at triathlete times.
Most importantly, I felt like I ran a really well paced race. I worked hard on each leg, but never killed myself on one at the expense of the others. Each one felt like a good, solid, honest effort. I was spent after crossing the line, but not a moment sooner.
Overall, a pretty successful day! This was also my first win at a USAT sanctioned event. Not bad for someone who actually has an elite duathlete license, earned only because 1 cyclist crashed and 2 others went off course in my final race last year, which ended up big enough to count as a qualifier (Note: I did still have to outrace someone in the last leg, and finish close enough to the winner to qualify). It probably makes me the slowest elite duathlete on the roster, but hey, they accepted me!
After a few weeks of riding where I got my longest to 40, and was averaging 2 rides a week, I figured some was better than nothing. Of course, without any brick workouts, or for that matter, any mixing of disciplines whatsoever, I didn't really know what to expect going into this one.
So, at 4:30AM I woke up for the third weekend in a row early to head out to Hampstead, MD. I knew the bike course was going to be rather hilly after driving it the previous week, so I was actually looking forward to see what I could do on a course slightly more geared towards climbers.
After a slight delay because the state police were too busy guarding the parking lot instead of the roads, we started our first run leg just as the first of three triathlon waves went off in the nearby lake. A bunch of people went hard off the line, but after 0.25 miles, it was down to one guy and me, whom I quickly dispatched somewhere around mile 1. I wasn't quite going as fast as I could for 1.86 miles of running, making sure to go hard but smart. After a quick turnaround on the out and back course, I made my way back to transition up a really steep, but short lived hill. 1st run split...
10:25
Since I had a low bib # (5), my bike was racked right next to the bike in/bike out chute. After a quick 48sec transition, I was out towards the mount line. The ground immediately outside of transition was terrible, sloping downward and covered in gravel. Perfect for running with a bike, wearing speed play cleats...
I ran past the mount line and actually pulled off a smooth mount, left foot first on the left side, then swing over the top and get the right in. Immediately after the mount line, the road was in terrible shape with gravel and massive pot holes. After quickly clearing that, I was off onto the course with a motorcycle ahead of me.
The course had its ups and downs. I mainly focused on just keeping the cadence high, something I usually get away from in races. I also tried to avoid grinding the hills too hard, opting to stay seated as much as possible. Thanks to all the ups, downs, and sharp turns, I stopped using the aero bars after the first couple of miles. Without staying in them most of the way, their benefit is nil anyway. As with all my duathlons, the bike is essentially just a "wait and see when someone passes me." But, mile after mile went by, and there was no one. By about mile 8, we hit a very sharp hair pin turn which allowed me to get a clear view behind and I could see absolutely no one.
Of course, I knew not to get complacent and kept spinning away. I was certainly working, but for the first time ever actually felt comfortable on the bike. Somehow, I was riding a pace that made sense, keeping it smooth and even. It almost felt like I knew what I was doing! As the course started to near its end, I did finally get passed by someone (aero helmet, aero Hed wheels, etc). He actually passed, real, real close to me; and we almost brushed each other. Regardless, I made him earn his overtake, only backing off when he finally did have me overtaken. That's what he gets for trying it on a hill...
That was at nearly mile 13, so I pounded out the last 2 miles, almost all downhill, and flew back towards transition. I had to pass over the crappy gravel pot hole road again and this time, almost crashed as my wheels slid over the gravel. Great place for a dismount area... After recovering for that, I hit the "cyclocross dismount" perfectly, still going pretty fast, but never skipping a beat as I hopped off the bike and ran back to transition.
My legs felt pretty shitty running the bike back, but the uneven gravel I was running over and slight uphill probably made it worse than it was. Bike split...
46:52, just a hair over 19mph. 6th best bike split in the duathlon, and top 15 in the tri. Not too bad, especially compared to the junk I used to put up.
While in transition the second time, my left hamstring locked up on me. Of course, knowing I was probably in the lead for the Du, and at least wanted a fighting chance to catch the guy that passed me, I wasn't about to stop. After pounding the hammy with my fist a couple of times, it cooperated and I did something that could pass as running out of transition, all in 41 seconds.
The run course ended up going down the massively steep but short hill we came up after the first run. I thought I was going to die running down that thing, as my legs were none too happy. Once I hit the road though, I started to settle in. Generally on these second runs, it has been my legs and not my cardiovascular system holding me back. I'd be out there running, feeling like shit, but barely getting my heart rate up. But finally, this time, I was able to coax myself into a legit 5K pace. I realized I wasn't really catching the overall triathlete, as our two lap out-and-back course clearly showed. However, I could see I had a massive lead on the second place duathlete, and knew I probably had it locked up.
I poured it on, because I always like to shoot for fastest runner out there, went back up the hill and crossed the finish in 1:17:46 with an 18:58 5K split.
Any other year, I would not have won. But this year, with the people who did decide to show up, I won by over 3 minutes. Either way, I'll take it! I was the fastest runner (no contest) in the duathlon, and the third fastest on the 5K when looking at triathlete times.
Most importantly, I felt like I ran a really well paced race. I worked hard on each leg, but never killed myself on one at the expense of the others. Each one felt like a good, solid, honest effort. I was spent after crossing the line, but not a moment sooner.
Overall, a pretty successful day! This was also my first win at a USAT sanctioned event. Not bad for someone who actually has an elite duathlete license, earned only because 1 cyclist crashed and 2 others went off course in my final race last year, which ended up big enough to count as a qualifier (Note: I did still have to outrace someone in the last leg, and finish close enough to the winner to qualify). It probably makes me the slowest elite duathlete on the roster, but hey, they accepted me!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Frederick Half Marathon + 5K's
Enter week 2 of me just running for "fun." The mental break has been helpful, but already my thoughts are filled with possible answers to the question of "what's next."
Mileage was a bit higher this week, but I felt pretty good overall.
Monday: 7 miles, easy/moderate
Tuesday:~8 miles, easy
Wednesday: 21 miles on the bike, good amount of uphill
Thursday: 7 miles, moderate with a fast finish
Friday: 40 miles on the bike, steady, flatter
Saturday... I came up with this wonderfully great (or stupid) idea to run two 5Ks in one day. I had already signed up for the Fiesta 5K, a local 5K in downtown Baltimore that raises money for ALS research. I've got a friend whose Dad has ALS and was a sub-2:40 marathoner in his heyday. Being that 2:40 is my (now) elusive goal, I feel a connection. But anyway...
By the 8AM start it was hot and humid as crap. Since it's now May, it's time to get my ass in gear for hot running anyway, so it was time for a trial by fire. All the mile markers on the course were off, so I don't know what my splits were. But, when it was all said and done, I ran a 16:54 and puked after crossing the line (I came close in the race too). I had the lead for about 1.25 miles, but had no answer when I got passed by the eventual winner (16:35). Not an unexpected result, given my complete lack of workouts in the last month or so. The group I ran for also got a huge shout out at the awards ceremony since I managed to place, which was really cool.
Fast forward to the afternoon. I had to drive out to Frederick for a pre-pacer meeting for the half I was doing the next day and figured I might as well do the twilight 5K since I was out there anyway. Last minute entry and a few hours later, I was standing on the horse track at the Frederick Fairgrounds. A whole bunch of kids approximately 11 years of age were also on the start line wearing matching singlets. Being on the far outside and wanting to take the rail for the 3/4 loop on the track before hitting the roads, I could only hope I wouldn't knock anyone down. To make a long story short, after all the rif-raff faded, there were four of us left who took out the first mile in a rather slow 5:30. That track did not help one bit.
The pack broke up after that, and when the dust settled, I ended up second in 17:20. Clearly not a very good time, but I think I was still dehydrated from the first race and although it was a little cooler for this one, it was still a bit humid. I stayed relatively consistent at least, and got what I considered a decent workout in.
Total Saturday Miles: 11 (with warm up, and thanks to Sara B, a fellow Falls Road runner and 2nd place female a cool down after the second race).
After a drive back to Baltimore and another out to Frederick (it's a good thing I enjoy driving, especially on roads like I-70 when there is no traffic), I lined up at the start of the Frederick half to serve as a pacer for the 1:40 group (7:38/mile). I woke up dehydrated, shockingly and it definitely took 4 miles to work out some nasty cramping I had. But, the pace was chill and I was good at hiding it, so I did my job of being calm. We took the first mile out way too fast (7:09) but dialed it back after that and ended up getting a good eight or so people under 1:40 and a few more right at 1:40. The last 0.1 threw us off as we had 10 seconds in the bank and jogged it in, only to end up 24 seconds over thanks to the longest 0.1 miles in recorded history. 1:40:24, still within our 59 second window.
The guy I paced with was planning on riding his bike back from Frederick to the Baltimore area (50ish miles) and said he thought about convincing me to do it. It's a good thing he didn't ask, because it sounded like an awesome idea.. Maybe next year, if I don't run two 5Ks and bike 40 miles in the two days before the half!
Weekly Miles:
Running: 46
Cycling: 61
It's almost time to decide exactly what the heck I'm going to do with the summer and fall. Maybe by my next weekly post I'll have something together. For now, it's just a duathlon this coming weekend, 1.5 mile run, 15 bike, 3.1 mile run.
Mileage was a bit higher this week, but I felt pretty good overall.
Monday: 7 miles, easy/moderate
Tuesday:~8 miles, easy
Wednesday: 21 miles on the bike, good amount of uphill
Thursday: 7 miles, moderate with a fast finish
Friday: 40 miles on the bike, steady, flatter
Saturday... I came up with this wonderfully great (or stupid) idea to run two 5Ks in one day. I had already signed up for the Fiesta 5K, a local 5K in downtown Baltimore that raises money for ALS research. I've got a friend whose Dad has ALS and was a sub-2:40 marathoner in his heyday. Being that 2:40 is my (now) elusive goal, I feel a connection. But anyway...
By the 8AM start it was hot and humid as crap. Since it's now May, it's time to get my ass in gear for hot running anyway, so it was time for a trial by fire. All the mile markers on the course were off, so I don't know what my splits were. But, when it was all said and done, I ran a 16:54 and puked after crossing the line (I came close in the race too). I had the lead for about 1.25 miles, but had no answer when I got passed by the eventual winner (16:35). Not an unexpected result, given my complete lack of workouts in the last month or so. The group I ran for also got a huge shout out at the awards ceremony since I managed to place, which was really cool.
Fast forward to the afternoon. I had to drive out to Frederick for a pre-pacer meeting for the half I was doing the next day and figured I might as well do the twilight 5K since I was out there anyway. Last minute entry and a few hours later, I was standing on the horse track at the Frederick Fairgrounds. A whole bunch of kids approximately 11 years of age were also on the start line wearing matching singlets. Being on the far outside and wanting to take the rail for the 3/4 loop on the track before hitting the roads, I could only hope I wouldn't knock anyone down. To make a long story short, after all the rif-raff faded, there were four of us left who took out the first mile in a rather slow 5:30. That track did not help one bit.
The pack broke up after that, and when the dust settled, I ended up second in 17:20. Clearly not a very good time, but I think I was still dehydrated from the first race and although it was a little cooler for this one, it was still a bit humid. I stayed relatively consistent at least, and got what I considered a decent workout in.
Total Saturday Miles: 11 (with warm up, and thanks to Sara B, a fellow Falls Road runner and 2nd place female a cool down after the second race).
After a drive back to Baltimore and another out to Frederick (it's a good thing I enjoy driving, especially on roads like I-70 when there is no traffic), I lined up at the start of the Frederick half to serve as a pacer for the 1:40 group (7:38/mile). I woke up dehydrated, shockingly and it definitely took 4 miles to work out some nasty cramping I had. But, the pace was chill and I was good at hiding it, so I did my job of being calm. We took the first mile out way too fast (7:09) but dialed it back after that and ended up getting a good eight or so people under 1:40 and a few more right at 1:40. The last 0.1 threw us off as we had 10 seconds in the bank and jogged it in, only to end up 24 seconds over thanks to the longest 0.1 miles in recorded history. 1:40:24, still within our 59 second window.
The guy I paced with was planning on riding his bike back from Frederick to the Baltimore area (50ish miles) and said he thought about convincing me to do it. It's a good thing he didn't ask, because it sounded like an awesome idea.. Maybe next year, if I don't run two 5Ks and bike 40 miles in the two days before the half!
Weekly Miles:
Running: 46
Cycling: 61
It's almost time to decide exactly what the heck I'm going to do with the summer and fall. Maybe by my next weekly post I'll have something together. For now, it's just a duathlon this coming weekend, 1.5 mile run, 15 bike, 3.1 mile run.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Kentucky Derby Marathon...Success!
Going into this week, I'd be a damn liar if I told you I was over the day that was Boston. Obviously, it really sucked to come up short for what was essentially the third time (although this time I got to the Start line). My confidence was kind of shot too as I had basically bombed my last two races.
So enter the Kentucky Derby Marathon. I ended up being a last minute replacement for the 3:10 pace group at this race. The same person who organizes the Baltimore Marathon pacers has also recently taken on this event, hence the connection.
Last year, this pacing opportunity was also a casualty of my stress fracture, and I was pretty disappointed I was unable to do it. This year, I originally decided against it, but the opportunity presented itself once again, and I (stupidly or otherwise) agreed to do it. All in all, it's a pretty damn good deal:
1. 1 free pair of any Asics shoe I want to do the race in
2. Free singlet, shorts, and hat
3. Free entry to the race
4. Two nights free at the Galt House Hotel (seemed to be one of the best in Louisville)
5. Free transportation (if you don't fly)
Now of course, it isn't all fun and games. I only managed 16 miles on the pair of DS Racers that I got only a couple of weeks before the race. The shorts had no pockets at all, the uniform was an interesting orange color (which I loved, but other people, not so much). The transportation was also basically a 9 hour car ride from Baltimore.
However, a free weekend in Louisville to do an easy long run is pretty tough to complain about.
On to the race itself, the pace group consisted of myself and one other runner, Keith, who has done many of these pacing events before and can do a 3:20 marathon off the bike in an Ironman (read: beast). Between the two of us, we were banking that 3:10 would be a cruise through Louisville. After some trouble getting into my corral (I was assigned C but needed to get in A), I finally managed to sneak in past the volunteers. Apparently, even the 3:10 pace sign wasn't enough to get into the first corral...
After 15 minutes of standing around, COLD because it was going to be a nice day to run, we were off. The course overall was pretty damn awesome. The first 7 miles ran through downtown, and out into some neighborhoods. There were few turns and generally wide open roads where you could fly if you were racing. We then turned off to Churchill Downs (aka the race track where the Kentucky Derby is held), actually cut through some back entrance and came out onto the infield before running back out. It was probably the most unique place I've run through in the middle of a race.
The mile markers in this race were terrible, with many being far off. Keith's Garmin was also not getting a consistent signal, so we had to run most of the race on feel. Through the first 8 or so miles we were essentially within 20 seconds of 3:10 pace.
Immediately after the horse track, we essentially slammed right into the split with the half marathon. Most of our group peeled off as they were half guys just trying to get pulled along for 8 miles. Our remaining group of 10 continued on into the now much thinner and more open road.
We hit a couple of light hills in Churchill Downs and around it, but then once again, ended up on a flat, wide open road for miles with no turns. Another real fast section for racers.
A couple of things to note. By the half way point, I was feeling better than great. 7:14 pace barely felt like an effort. I ended up even carrying our pace sign (a flag on a long stick) almost all of the way, and it did not contribute to making me anymore tired. Also, since the shorts had no pockets, I ended up pinning my electrolyes (Honey Stinger Chews) to my shorts, which worked out really well. All these variables before the race certainly did not end up affecting the run at all.
But anyway, back to the race... As we continued out on the flat and fast section, we saw the leaders coming back the other way, looking real good. Eventually, we hit Iroquois Park, which would turn out to be the toughest part of the course. We left our neighborhood and flat road behind for a few miles of rolling hills, with a real nice long one at the beginning. The entire park was basically a forest, in complete shade. It was quite the change from where we just were.
After finishing the hills and coming out of the park, we passed a terribly placed 15 mile marker and looked to still be right around 20 seconds behind (which is about what we were expecting). Some of our group had gone ahead at this point, and others had fallen off, while a few brave souls still remained in tow.
After 15, we hit the same road we were on earlier, and continued running back towards Louisville on the flat straightaway. By Mile 18, for reasons that are unclear to me, we temporarily re-merged with the half marathon race. Since it started at the same time as our race, these were all essentially run-walkers who were going to finish around 3 hours or more. Thankfully, cones kept them to the left while we continued running on the right. We eventually merged together, but there was just enough room for our group to get by.
By Mile 19, we nearly went off course as a bunch of deceptive cones were placed on a road not part of the course. Thankfully, we saw mile 19 and continued running through half marathoners. By this point, we were bleeding the last few people that were left. 3 runners held on for a little bit, but eventually dropped off. We also caught every single person that went ahead after the park (a valuable lesson for everyone, including myself, on proper pacing).
By 20, we turned off from the half marathoners to finish our last 10K. By this point, no one was running with us. It was just two fools in orange uniforms with one guy holding a "3:10" sign. But, we made the best of it to help those we passed. The last 6.2 of this course was completely desolate. Crowd support was hit or miss most of the way, but now, there was basically no one. We could see really far ahead, and everyone was so spread out and lonely that we could sympathize. As best we could, we riled people up and told them to keep going strong. Most were still running, but no one was running a 7:14 as we were passing people.
Miles 21-25 proved pretty challenging. The course profile managed to "hide" the decent rolling hills over this section. Keith and I both ended up picking it up, partially to get our 20 seconds back, and partially because the hills did start to hurt a bit. My legs were never completely dead, but we both agreed this section wasn't all that easy, and it was better to get it over with.
As we continued to approach home, we caught what ended up being the 2nd place overall female. She looked to be hurting bad, and was not too happy. With some coaxing, we managed to get her to finish hard and still run a sub-3:09. It seemed pretty clear she was originally going for the win, (2:53ish) but was happy for the push we gave her.
One other of our shattered group had managed to catch up to us in the last mile, and we sent him on his way to pass us. As we approached the finish line, we crossed with a chip time of 3:10:10, well within our 59 second allowance.
We stuck around to congratulate some of the people we helped along the way. Although no one finished with us, many did better than they would have by running with us. This included a 62 year old man who ran a 3:12 and looking pretty damn strong on some of those hills back there. It turns out he started running 30 years ago after quitting smoking and has gotten faster ever since.
After it was all said and done, I was very, very happy with how easy the whole thing felt. I was never extremely sore or tired, and worked maybe just a little bit on some of the hills. By Sunday, I was barely sore at all, and have continued to feel better over the day. It was quite a confidence booster to know that 3:10 is cake, and that all things considered, I'm still in pretty good shape. So overall, it was quite the confidence booster. My day for the marathon will come sooner or later. In the meantime, some Guinness, and a few shots of Bourbon (it is Kentucky after all) managed to round out the weekend.
With 6 miles on Monday, 4 Wednesday, 7.5 Thursday, and 40 bike Miles Wednesday....
Running: ~44 miles
Bike: 40 miles
When I have some pictures, I'll post them because everyone has to see these ridiculous uniforms we wore.
So enter the Kentucky Derby Marathon. I ended up being a last minute replacement for the 3:10 pace group at this race. The same person who organizes the Baltimore Marathon pacers has also recently taken on this event, hence the connection.
Last year, this pacing opportunity was also a casualty of my stress fracture, and I was pretty disappointed I was unable to do it. This year, I originally decided against it, but the opportunity presented itself once again, and I (stupidly or otherwise) agreed to do it. All in all, it's a pretty damn good deal:
1. 1 free pair of any Asics shoe I want to do the race in
2. Free singlet, shorts, and hat
3. Free entry to the race
4. Two nights free at the Galt House Hotel (seemed to be one of the best in Louisville)
5. Free transportation (if you don't fly)
Now of course, it isn't all fun and games. I only managed 16 miles on the pair of DS Racers that I got only a couple of weeks before the race. The shorts had no pockets at all, the uniform was an interesting orange color (which I loved, but other people, not so much). The transportation was also basically a 9 hour car ride from Baltimore.
However, a free weekend in Louisville to do an easy long run is pretty tough to complain about.
On to the race itself, the pace group consisted of myself and one other runner, Keith, who has done many of these pacing events before and can do a 3:20 marathon off the bike in an Ironman (read: beast). Between the two of us, we were banking that 3:10 would be a cruise through Louisville. After some trouble getting into my corral (I was assigned C but needed to get in A), I finally managed to sneak in past the volunteers. Apparently, even the 3:10 pace sign wasn't enough to get into the first corral...
After 15 minutes of standing around, COLD because it was going to be a nice day to run, we were off. The course overall was pretty damn awesome. The first 7 miles ran through downtown, and out into some neighborhoods. There were few turns and generally wide open roads where you could fly if you were racing. We then turned off to Churchill Downs (aka the race track where the Kentucky Derby is held), actually cut through some back entrance and came out onto the infield before running back out. It was probably the most unique place I've run through in the middle of a race.
The mile markers in this race were terrible, with many being far off. Keith's Garmin was also not getting a consistent signal, so we had to run most of the race on feel. Through the first 8 or so miles we were essentially within 20 seconds of 3:10 pace.
Immediately after the horse track, we essentially slammed right into the split with the half marathon. Most of our group peeled off as they were half guys just trying to get pulled along for 8 miles. Our remaining group of 10 continued on into the now much thinner and more open road.
We hit a couple of light hills in Churchill Downs and around it, but then once again, ended up on a flat, wide open road for miles with no turns. Another real fast section for racers.
A couple of things to note. By the half way point, I was feeling better than great. 7:14 pace barely felt like an effort. I ended up even carrying our pace sign (a flag on a long stick) almost all of the way, and it did not contribute to making me anymore tired. Also, since the shorts had no pockets, I ended up pinning my electrolyes (Honey Stinger Chews) to my shorts, which worked out really well. All these variables before the race certainly did not end up affecting the run at all.
But anyway, back to the race... As we continued out on the flat and fast section, we saw the leaders coming back the other way, looking real good. Eventually, we hit Iroquois Park, which would turn out to be the toughest part of the course. We left our neighborhood and flat road behind for a few miles of rolling hills, with a real nice long one at the beginning. The entire park was basically a forest, in complete shade. It was quite the change from where we just were.
After finishing the hills and coming out of the park, we passed a terribly placed 15 mile marker and looked to still be right around 20 seconds behind (which is about what we were expecting). Some of our group had gone ahead at this point, and others had fallen off, while a few brave souls still remained in tow.
After 15, we hit the same road we were on earlier, and continued running back towards Louisville on the flat straightaway. By Mile 18, for reasons that are unclear to me, we temporarily re-merged with the half marathon race. Since it started at the same time as our race, these were all essentially run-walkers who were going to finish around 3 hours or more. Thankfully, cones kept them to the left while we continued running on the right. We eventually merged together, but there was just enough room for our group to get by.
By Mile 19, we nearly went off course as a bunch of deceptive cones were placed on a road not part of the course. Thankfully, we saw mile 19 and continued running through half marathoners. By this point, we were bleeding the last few people that were left. 3 runners held on for a little bit, but eventually dropped off. We also caught every single person that went ahead after the park (a valuable lesson for everyone, including myself, on proper pacing).
By 20, we turned off from the half marathoners to finish our last 10K. By this point, no one was running with us. It was just two fools in orange uniforms with one guy holding a "3:10" sign. But, we made the best of it to help those we passed. The last 6.2 of this course was completely desolate. Crowd support was hit or miss most of the way, but now, there was basically no one. We could see really far ahead, and everyone was so spread out and lonely that we could sympathize. As best we could, we riled people up and told them to keep going strong. Most were still running, but no one was running a 7:14 as we were passing people.
Miles 21-25 proved pretty challenging. The course profile managed to "hide" the decent rolling hills over this section. Keith and I both ended up picking it up, partially to get our 20 seconds back, and partially because the hills did start to hurt a bit. My legs were never completely dead, but we both agreed this section wasn't all that easy, and it was better to get it over with.
As we continued to approach home, we caught what ended up being the 2nd place overall female. She looked to be hurting bad, and was not too happy. With some coaxing, we managed to get her to finish hard and still run a sub-3:09. It seemed pretty clear she was originally going for the win, (2:53ish) but was happy for the push we gave her.
One other of our shattered group had managed to catch up to us in the last mile, and we sent him on his way to pass us. As we approached the finish line, we crossed with a chip time of 3:10:10, well within our 59 second allowance.
We stuck around to congratulate some of the people we helped along the way. Although no one finished with us, many did better than they would have by running with us. This included a 62 year old man who ran a 3:12 and looking pretty damn strong on some of those hills back there. It turns out he started running 30 years ago after quitting smoking and has gotten faster ever since.
After it was all said and done, I was very, very happy with how easy the whole thing felt. I was never extremely sore or tired, and worked maybe just a little bit on some of the hills. By Sunday, I was barely sore at all, and have continued to feel better over the day. It was quite a confidence booster to know that 3:10 is cake, and that all things considered, I'm still in pretty good shape. So overall, it was quite the confidence booster. My day for the marathon will come sooner or later. In the meantime, some Guinness, and a few shots of Bourbon (it is Kentucky after all) managed to round out the weekend.
With 6 miles on Monday, 4 Wednesday, 7.5 Thursday, and 40 bike Miles Wednesday....
Running: ~44 miles
Bike: 40 miles
When I have some pictures, I'll post them because everyone has to see these ridiculous uniforms we wore.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Now What?
Despite only "running" "16 miles" on Monday at Boston, I was pretty sore for the next couple of days. I guess that race really did a number on me. Since I'm not in any rush right now to be in shape, and had to spend two days in New Jersey for work, I decided to just take it easy. this week One easy run followed Boston, on Friday, a 3 miler.
I kicked off Saturday by taking my bike back out on the road and doing 30 miles at an easy pace, but with some rolling hills mixed in. I didn't feel like driving anywhere and just rode northbound from my apartment. Anyone who knows Baltimore knows that North = uphill. By the end, I felt as I expected, just slightly sore from not being on a bike in a while, but not overly so.
Running miles for the week: 19
Cycling miles: 30
Now what? Well, that's a pretty good question. As far as racing and/or pacing, here is what's to come:
Apr 28th: Pacing for 3:10 at the Kentucky Derby Marathon. Considering I didn't actually finish Boston, and 7:15 is a pretty chill pace, I'm banking on this just being a laid back experience. Plus, I could use a completed marathon for the Spring...
May 6th: Pacing for 1:40 at the Fredrick Half Marathon. Note, a slower per mile pace than Kentucky. This should also be easy money, and just a way to kick back and get some easy miles in.
May 12th: Cascade Lake Duathlon. It's somewhat short, there is a 5K run at the end, and the bike course is hilly. I figure I may as well do at least 1 this year, and might as well pick one that plays a bit to my strengths (hills on the bike and a reasonably long second run). Plus, it gives me some motivation to get some bike miles in.
Beyond.......I'm signed up for the Baltimore 10 Miler if only because I've done this race each year since its inception. That wasn't very long ago, this will be year 5, but I'm not about to break that streak now.
Beyond that..................??
I have thoughts and dreams, a few ideas for training schedules, and some ideas for races. But right now, I've got nothing set in stone. I'll have a better idea in the first weekend in May exactly what it is I want to do. Here is what I do know:
-The marathon has not been kind to me, but sooner or later, it has to come together
-My most recent time is "only" a 3:02, which gives me last choice for Boston 2013 or 2014
-Despite some struggles of late, I'm still riding a wave of PRs and overall solid performances from Mid/Late July on (definitely excluding marathons)
-I need to learn to stay in control when I start to peak, feel strong, etc. I seem to be very good at running myself into the ground. Once I get a good streak going, I always end up piling on too much and paying, one way or the other. The one time I got it right, I blew away my marathon PR and went from a 3:09 to a 2:44 I've gotta learn to keep myself in line!
So, stay tuned. A plan will materialize soon. But for now, I'm taking the next couple of weeks to not worry about PRs, racing, mileage, or any of that, just getting others to their goals, getting some bike time in, and letting myself recover.
I kicked off Saturday by taking my bike back out on the road and doing 30 miles at an easy pace, but with some rolling hills mixed in. I didn't feel like driving anywhere and just rode northbound from my apartment. Anyone who knows Baltimore knows that North = uphill. By the end, I felt as I expected, just slightly sore from not being on a bike in a while, but not overly so.
Running miles for the week: 19
Cycling miles: 30
Now what? Well, that's a pretty good question. As far as racing and/or pacing, here is what's to come:
Apr 28th: Pacing for 3:10 at the Kentucky Derby Marathon. Considering I didn't actually finish Boston, and 7:15 is a pretty chill pace, I'm banking on this just being a laid back experience. Plus, I could use a completed marathon for the Spring...
May 6th: Pacing for 1:40 at the Fredrick Half Marathon. Note, a slower per mile pace than Kentucky. This should also be easy money, and just a way to kick back and get some easy miles in.
May 12th: Cascade Lake Duathlon. It's somewhat short, there is a 5K run at the end, and the bike course is hilly. I figure I may as well do at least 1 this year, and might as well pick one that plays a bit to my strengths (hills on the bike and a reasonably long second run). Plus, it gives me some motivation to get some bike miles in.
Beyond.......I'm signed up for the Baltimore 10 Miler if only because I've done this race each year since its inception. That wasn't very long ago, this will be year 5, but I'm not about to break that streak now.
Beyond that..................??
I have thoughts and dreams, a few ideas for training schedules, and some ideas for races. But right now, I've got nothing set in stone. I'll have a better idea in the first weekend in May exactly what it is I want to do. Here is what I do know:
-The marathon has not been kind to me, but sooner or later, it has to come together
-My most recent time is "only" a 3:02, which gives me last choice for Boston 2013 or 2014
-Despite some struggles of late, I'm still riding a wave of PRs and overall solid performances from Mid/Late July on (definitely excluding marathons)
-I need to learn to stay in control when I start to peak, feel strong, etc. I seem to be very good at running myself into the ground. Once I get a good streak going, I always end up piling on too much and paying, one way or the other. The one time I got it right, I blew away my marathon PR and went from a 3:09 to a 2:44 I've gotta learn to keep myself in line!
So, stay tuned. A plan will materialize soon. But for now, I'm taking the next couple of weeks to not worry about PRs, racing, mileage, or any of that, just getting others to their goals, getting some bike time in, and letting myself recover.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Wilted...Like a Flower! 2012 Boston
Despite my best efforts, I ended up becoming a victim of, rather than a witness to the carnage that was the 2012 Boston Marathon. Going into the race, I decided to go out at 6:30 pace, and if it felt too hard (due to the heat), I'd back off and just enjoy the ride.
With temperatures forecast to reach 85+ degrees, I diligently hydrated, stayed out of any heat and took it easy all weekend. I ran around 30ish miles all easy, in the week leading up to the race. On Monday morning, I woke up pretty confident and feeling pretty good.
After taking the bus from Hopkinton State Park to the athletes village, I relaxed for a couple of hours, having my usual pre race food, remaining calm, and somewhat excited. By 9:10, they called wave 1 to the start. I dropped my bag in the buss and walked the ~1 mile to corral 1. A few guys I run with/race with were there and we all discussed our plans. Plans ranged from taking it easy, to going for it anyway. I fell somewhere in the middle.
At 10AM, the race was off. I already knew the heat was going to suck, I was sweating just standing in the corral for the 10 minutes before the race. Boston certainly lived up to its reputation with great spectators.
Mile splits that I took:
6:19, 6:23, 6:31, 6:28, 6:37, 6:35, 6:52
I went out just a tad fast, since it is quite downhill early. I did reel it in though and sort of settled in. Aside from the official course water, all kinds of people had their own water to hand out, oranges, towels, etc, etc, etc. It was actually really cool (not temperature wise). I made sure to stick to my rough plan of taking a few sips every stop, and grabbing a second cup to dump on myself.
I even took some unofficial stuff, and for the most part, through the 10K, felt reasonable. Then things started to go south, fast. I went through mile 7, having decided to back off 6:30 pace and just try and cruise in. I figured, if I caught myself soon enough, I could still enjoy the remaining experience. I shut off my watch after that, to try and just put it on cruise control.
My stomach and intestines slowly started tying themselves into knots, my feet started throbbing (probably from being swollen), and I started to feel "out of it."
By about mile 9, despite my chill pace, I kept feeling worse and worse. Finally, I decided to walk for a little and see if I could gather myself. Everything from that point on was a disjointed run-walk, as you can see from my official splits on the BAA website, with times of 8-9 minutes per mile and slower.
I started getting passed by some of my training partners/running friends and actually felt really bad that I couldn't even compose myself enough to run with them. Every one that passed me tried to pull me along, and I just couldn't get myself going. I am still very grateful you all tried!
The famed Wellesley girls got me through their section; you really can hear the screeching almost a mile away. After passing the half marathon point, Dave P., caught up to me and tried to get me going again. My left hip (and most of my leg muscles) were not cooperating with all the starting and stopping I was doing. I stayed with him for a while, but it was getting harder to breathe, all while the cramping in my mid section was not going away.
Finally, I reached mile 16 and just had it. I was getting dizzy, couldn't drink anything because it was just making me sick, sunburned myself pretty good (I rarely burn), and all in all, could not fathom death marching into Boston.
Thankfully my parents were there, and after sitting in the shade for 30 minutes (feeling even worse, but eventually getting better), felt good enough to at least limp to the car, go get my stuff in Boston, and go back to the hotel.
So now what? Well, my first reaction was.."fuck this marathon stuff, I'm done!" I've since back tracked from that a little. More on that later... And as far as my now unfinished business with Boston, I do have my fall NCR trail marathon time of 3:02ish, which is a bit borderline. But, more on that later too.
With temperatures forecast to reach 85+ degrees, I diligently hydrated, stayed out of any heat and took it easy all weekend. I ran around 30ish miles all easy, in the week leading up to the race. On Monday morning, I woke up pretty confident and feeling pretty good.
After taking the bus from Hopkinton State Park to the athletes village, I relaxed for a couple of hours, having my usual pre race food, remaining calm, and somewhat excited. By 9:10, they called wave 1 to the start. I dropped my bag in the buss and walked the ~1 mile to corral 1. A few guys I run with/race with were there and we all discussed our plans. Plans ranged from taking it easy, to going for it anyway. I fell somewhere in the middle.
At 10AM, the race was off. I already knew the heat was going to suck, I was sweating just standing in the corral for the 10 minutes before the race. Boston certainly lived up to its reputation with great spectators.
Mile splits that I took:
6:19, 6:23, 6:31, 6:28, 6:37, 6:35, 6:52
I went out just a tad fast, since it is quite downhill early. I did reel it in though and sort of settled in. Aside from the official course water, all kinds of people had their own water to hand out, oranges, towels, etc, etc, etc. It was actually really cool (not temperature wise). I made sure to stick to my rough plan of taking a few sips every stop, and grabbing a second cup to dump on myself.
I even took some unofficial stuff, and for the most part, through the 10K, felt reasonable. Then things started to go south, fast. I went through mile 7, having decided to back off 6:30 pace and just try and cruise in. I figured, if I caught myself soon enough, I could still enjoy the remaining experience. I shut off my watch after that, to try and just put it on cruise control.
My stomach and intestines slowly started tying themselves into knots, my feet started throbbing (probably from being swollen), and I started to feel "out of it."
By about mile 9, despite my chill pace, I kept feeling worse and worse. Finally, I decided to walk for a little and see if I could gather myself. Everything from that point on was a disjointed run-walk, as you can see from my official splits on the BAA website, with times of 8-9 minutes per mile and slower.
I started getting passed by some of my training partners/running friends and actually felt really bad that I couldn't even compose myself enough to run with them. Every one that passed me tried to pull me along, and I just couldn't get myself going. I am still very grateful you all tried!
The famed Wellesley girls got me through their section; you really can hear the screeching almost a mile away. After passing the half marathon point, Dave P., caught up to me and tried to get me going again. My left hip (and most of my leg muscles) were not cooperating with all the starting and stopping I was doing. I stayed with him for a while, but it was getting harder to breathe, all while the cramping in my mid section was not going away.
Finally, I reached mile 16 and just had it. I was getting dizzy, couldn't drink anything because it was just making me sick, sunburned myself pretty good (I rarely burn), and all in all, could not fathom death marching into Boston.
Thankfully my parents were there, and after sitting in the shade for 30 minutes (feeling even worse, but eventually getting better), felt good enough to at least limp to the car, go get my stuff in Boston, and go back to the hotel.
So now what? Well, my first reaction was.."fuck this marathon stuff, I'm done!" I've since back tracked from that a little. More on that later... And as far as my now unfinished business with Boston, I do have my fall NCR trail marathon time of 3:02ish, which is a bit borderline. But, more on that later too.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Fate? No. Bad luck? meh. Just Suck it up!
I am beginning to notice a pattern here, or just a massive coincidence!
I first qualified for the Boston Marathon on Nov 14th, 2009 with a 3:09:12 at Richmond. As it turned out, race registration closed the day before, months earlier than it ever had. So I waited until September of 2010 and registered for real, being one of the crazy people responsible for it filling up in 8 hours. Then, I managed to suffer a legit injury for the first time ever.
Fast forward to 2012, I'm registered yet again, and get slightly side tracked by getting sick for the first time in years. And now finally, with Boston just a mere few days away.....
The weather forecast is for nearly record breaking highs, likely to make this the second hottest Boston Marathon on record, and the hottest full marathon (though not the hottest race) I will have ever run. I don't believe in fate or some grand plan, but damnit if someone really doesn't want me to do well or run this race, they should just tell me!!
Regardless, 872 days, 7 completed marathons, 1 marathon PR, 6280 miles, 15 pairs of shoes, and a few dozen races later...I'm here and I could care less what high pressure pattern Earth's wind patterns have decided to dump on Boston.
The plan: respect the heat, respect the fact that I missed some running, but also understand that I probably needed a few days off anyway. There is also exhibit A:
The end of a 20 mile race I did back in September. My shorts are not soaked with water, that is definitely my own sweat. The high that day was 80F, and the dewpoint hit 67F or higher. There was also almost no water on the course, half the stations were unmanned, and I wasn't losing 2nd place to stopping for water. If I can survive that race, I'll survive this one too.
My badass white Falls Road Singlet is going to be so freaking sweet on race day as will the shortest shorts Brooks sells. Combine that with making sure to take water, actually eating the honey stingers I bring with me, and staying true to my plan of going out in the first 3-5 miles at 6:20-6:35 pace without getting carried away, and I'll make it. The cards will fall where they will after that based on how I feel, how much I'm sweating, etc, etc, etc.
I've waited too long to let some less than perfect training or a less than perfect day ruin it for me now!
Saturday afternoon, I'm off.
For those scoring at home, my bib# is 609; baa.org should have some kind of runner tracking up.
To anyone else reading this who may be running Boston (or any other hot race), good luck, and stay hydrated!
I first qualified for the Boston Marathon on Nov 14th, 2009 with a 3:09:12 at Richmond. As it turned out, race registration closed the day before, months earlier than it ever had. So I waited until September of 2010 and registered for real, being one of the crazy people responsible for it filling up in 8 hours. Then, I managed to suffer a legit injury for the first time ever.
Fast forward to 2012, I'm registered yet again, and get slightly side tracked by getting sick for the first time in years. And now finally, with Boston just a mere few days away.....
The weather forecast is for nearly record breaking highs, likely to make this the second hottest Boston Marathon on record, and the hottest full marathon (though not the hottest race) I will have ever run. I don't believe in fate or some grand plan, but damnit if someone really doesn't want me to do well or run this race, they should just tell me!!
Regardless, 872 days, 7 completed marathons, 1 marathon PR, 6280 miles, 15 pairs of shoes, and a few dozen races later...I'm here and I could care less what high pressure pattern Earth's wind patterns have decided to dump on Boston.
The plan: respect the heat, respect the fact that I missed some running, but also understand that I probably needed a few days off anyway. There is also exhibit A:
My badass white Falls Road Singlet is going to be so freaking sweet on race day as will the shortest shorts Brooks sells. Combine that with making sure to take water, actually eating the honey stingers I bring with me, and staying true to my plan of going out in the first 3-5 miles at 6:20-6:35 pace without getting carried away, and I'll make it. The cards will fall where they will after that based on how I feel, how much I'm sweating, etc, etc, etc.
I've waited too long to let some less than perfect training or a less than perfect day ruin it for me now!
Saturday afternoon, I'm off.
For those scoring at home, my bib# is 609; baa.org should have some kind of runner tracking up.
To anyone else reading this who may be running Boston (or any other hot race), good luck, and stay hydrated!
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