There are some goals that require some motivation to attain, things like losing weight, saving money, quitting smoking or becoming a runner. These things are tough. They aren't accomplished in 24 to 48 hours and no magic pill is going to carry you easily to the end. In fact the secret to the magic pill lies in the small print "For best results use with Diet and Exercise regimen". How about you save the 48.95 and just do the diet and exercise regimen? No, these things take time, discipline and resolve. Starting is easy. What's tough is getting back up after you've been knocked down. It's continuing to fight when you feel defeated.
They say it usually takes about 6.1 attempts at quitting smoking before you actually quit. I'd have to say that sounds about right. It took me at least 19 over the course of 5 years before I finally won. That was a long fight, but I won. I can't tell you how many times I quit... buying... in that span of time or how many full packs of cigarettes I chucked out the window after saying "No more!" only to pull into the gas station to get a new pack on my way to work the next morning. Oh, I got knocked down a lot. Then there was the fight with weight loss. That was a 30 round fight. I got smacked around by cheese burgers, pizza, hot dogs and fries, soda pop and cookies. I'd lose 10 and gain back 15. To get back up after a Big Mac attack was tough.
The key is you have to get back up. You have to finish, but you are going to get knocked down along the way. Let me say that again you are going to get knocked down along the way. The important thing is to not quit. It's all about finishing. If you get knocked down 100 times you get back up 101 times. If you are going the wrong way you make a U-turn. You only fail if you quit.
My wife, Stephanie, has been a great inspiration to me over the past year. First she had knee problems that slowed her training. Then she had an equilibrium problem after a winter cruise in Feb that lasted until the end of April. Near the end of May she fell while rollerblading hit her head and messed up her equilibrium again. Each of those incidents completely side lined her for several months. She was finally back on track running again by September and worked her way up to completing her first half marathon in October while training for an upcoming marathon in January. By early December she was dealing with knee problems again. It was cold and snowy outside and she managed 15 and 18 miles on the treadmill. In January the marathon rolled around and never completing the 20 mile training run she new she wasn't in the best position to run a full marathon. Let me take a moment for a side bar here. I've heard people say they are terrified of being last in a race like a 5K or 10K or even a half marathon. During the marathon officials came up to her, she was dead last, and told her if she didn't catch up to the group about a minute in front of her she would be removed from the course and this was at mile 20! Imagine being yanked off the course at mile 20 in a 26 mile race! Suddenly finishing last in a race doesn't sound so bad to me. Being kicked out... I don't even want to think how I would have handled that news. I would have quit, but she didn't. She got knocked down and she got back up again. She caught up to that pack and passed a bunch of them. She hurt. She was tired. She cried. She wanted to be done. Finally after 7 hours and 12 minutes she crossed the finish line. Do you have that kind of resolve?
I'd like to tell you her story has a happy ending, but it doesn't. She got knocked down again. That race really did some damage to her knee. It's now April and after some physical therapy she is finally able to start running and training again. She challenged herself to a 10K that she knew she would have to run/walk the whole race. She knew she would probably finish last, but she got back up again and finished that race nearly last, but it didn't bother her. She finished.
Life is tough. Nobody breezes through without falling down. Just remember it's about finishing. To reach your goal you gotta finish. You don't have to be first you just have to finish.
If you get knocked down, just get up again:
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Back in Training
Time for an update. Today marks 2 months since the marathon and while I'm still proud of that accomplishment I'm in no hurry to reproduce it. I'm not going to lie, getting going again has been HARD.
I started back on a 5K training plan on January 24th and right away the first few runs were tough. Not so much physically tough as mentally tough. I still had a lot of mileage fatigue going on in my head. To make matters worse I could feel that my fitness level had eroded a little. For marathon training you push for endurance and stamina. 5K training you focus a lot on speed, fast leg turnover and breathing. It had been well over 3 months since I pushed a short but fast speed workout. My legs weren't used to the quicker turnover and my anaerobic system was still on vacation.
That first speed workout was brutal, but I was very satisfied with the results. Then I nailed an easy 10 miler on the weekend. The next week we got hit by that blizzard so I had to skip a few runs and finally give in to the realization that if I'm going to enjoy the spring races I was going to have to climb aboard the dreadmill, which I affectionately call chug-chug, and log some miles. Thankfully I adapted pretty quick to the treadmill and don't dread it as much as I used to. I doubt I'll ever be able to put more than 5 miles on it at a time, but something is always better than nothing in running. I'm currently on week 7 and I have a race scheduled at the end of this week. I'm happy to say I feel strong and more confident than I did 5 weeks ago. I'm still wondering where my fitness level is, but I think it's a lot closer to where I left it last fall than where it was, last spring.
I'm glad I can reflect 7 weeks later and say I'm happy to be running again. I was really afraid the marathon wrecked me. Don't get me wrong I'm glad I did it, but I wasn't ready for the post race fallout. I was very close to hanging up my running shoes for who knows how long and that would have just crushed me. The joy of running has since returned along with my desire to improve speed and race performance. A big part of this joy as come in the form of friends who have either embraced running for the first time or getting back to it after being gone for awhile. Both are tremendous motivators. The food portion is taking a lot longer to get back as bad habits return quickly. I'm no where near as bad as I used to be with my food choices, but I know I'm a long way from where I want to be.
I'm still carrying a big cloud of doubt around with me about my current fitness level. If I were going to speculate on this weekends race I think I'll probably leg out a 22:50 5K. Which would put me almost a minute off my best time. It would be the first year I didn't set a new PR in the first spring race, but I could live with that time for now. Oops, it's getting late and I have to get a short interval session in to sharpen me up for Saturday.
For the love of running,
-Bob
I started back on a 5K training plan on January 24th and right away the first few runs were tough. Not so much physically tough as mentally tough. I still had a lot of mileage fatigue going on in my head. To make matters worse I could feel that my fitness level had eroded a little. For marathon training you push for endurance and stamina. 5K training you focus a lot on speed, fast leg turnover and breathing. It had been well over 3 months since I pushed a short but fast speed workout. My legs weren't used to the quicker turnover and my anaerobic system was still on vacation.
That first speed workout was brutal, but I was very satisfied with the results. Then I nailed an easy 10 miler on the weekend. The next week we got hit by that blizzard so I had to skip a few runs and finally give in to the realization that if I'm going to enjoy the spring races I was going to have to climb aboard the dreadmill, which I affectionately call chug-chug, and log some miles. Thankfully I adapted pretty quick to the treadmill and don't dread it as much as I used to. I doubt I'll ever be able to put more than 5 miles on it at a time, but something is always better than nothing in running. I'm currently on week 7 and I have a race scheduled at the end of this week. I'm happy to say I feel strong and more confident than I did 5 weeks ago. I'm still wondering where my fitness level is, but I think it's a lot closer to where I left it last fall than where it was, last spring.
I'm glad I can reflect 7 weeks later and say I'm happy to be running again. I was really afraid the marathon wrecked me. Don't get me wrong I'm glad I did it, but I wasn't ready for the post race fallout. I was very close to hanging up my running shoes for who knows how long and that would have just crushed me. The joy of running has since returned along with my desire to improve speed and race performance. A big part of this joy as come in the form of friends who have either embraced running for the first time or getting back to it after being gone for awhile. Both are tremendous motivators. The food portion is taking a lot longer to get back as bad habits return quickly. I'm no where near as bad as I used to be with my food choices, but I know I'm a long way from where I want to be.
I'm still carrying a big cloud of doubt around with me about my current fitness level. If I were going to speculate on this weekends race I think I'll probably leg out a 22:50 5K. Which would put me almost a minute off my best time. It would be the first year I didn't set a new PR in the first spring race, but I could live with that time for now. Oops, it's getting late and I have to get a short interval session in to sharpen me up for Saturday.
For the love of running,
-Bob
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Going forward in 2011
It's been a little over a week since the marathon and I'm still enjoying the runners high. I had decided prior to the marathon that I would take a break from running for at least 2 weeks after the event. I have held true to that plan and have found it refreshing. It's given me a chance to reflect on my 2010 running achievements and plan new ones for 2011.
As much as I wanted to love the marathon and everything related to it the opposite turned out to be true. The training really took its toll on me the past 4 months. I found myself in a place where I was tired of running. It had become a tedious chore instead of an enjoyable adventure. In short I was burnt out. Prior to the race I was filled with doubt, anxiety and fear. During the race I was pleased that the first 13 miles were near effortless, but last 13 were less enjoyable.
The funny thing about running is you quickly forget the misery of the race. Instead you focus on the accomplishment of the finish and how great it felt. Then you dissect the race as a whole. You grade your performance and start to think about what you could have done different. Then what you swore you wouldn't do you do. You start thinking about your next one. You see once you accomplish a new distance doing it again isn't as bad. The fear is replaced by confidence and the desire to do better overcomes any reservations you have against it. Pain is temporary pride is forever.
Now that the race is over and even though a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about the marathon I am starting to refocus on the year ahead. I'm happy to say I'm looking forward to running again; excited even. My post mara-splurg ends Saturday 1/22 and on Monday I begin training for my first 5K of the season on March 12.
My running goals for 2011 are:
1. Beat last years personal records (PR's) in every distance
2. Improve nutrition
3. Begin Strength Training
4. Incorporate cross training
5. Become more flexible
6. Run 1000 miles
Run on friends!
-Bob
As much as I wanted to love the marathon and everything related to it the opposite turned out to be true. The training really took its toll on me the past 4 months. I found myself in a place where I was tired of running. It had become a tedious chore instead of an enjoyable adventure. In short I was burnt out. Prior to the race I was filled with doubt, anxiety and fear. During the race I was pleased that the first 13 miles were near effortless, but last 13 were less enjoyable.
The funny thing about running is you quickly forget the misery of the race. Instead you focus on the accomplishment of the finish and how great it felt. Then you dissect the race as a whole. You grade your performance and start to think about what you could have done different. Then what you swore you wouldn't do you do. You start thinking about your next one. You see once you accomplish a new distance doing it again isn't as bad. The fear is replaced by confidence and the desire to do better overcomes any reservations you have against it. Pain is temporary pride is forever.
Now that the race is over and even though a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about the marathon I am starting to refocus on the year ahead. I'm happy to say I'm looking forward to running again; excited even. My post mara-splurg ends Saturday 1/22 and on Monday I begin training for my first 5K of the season on March 12.
My running goals for 2011 are:
1. Beat last years personal records (PR's) in every distance
2. Improve nutrition
3. Begin Strength Training
4. Incorporate cross training
5. Become more flexible
6. Run 1000 miles
Run on friends!
-Bob
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
My First Marathon Experience
The alarm went off at 2am and I rolled out of bed. Feeling both anxious and excited I jumped in the shower while my wife, Stephanie, started on the oatmeal. I had tried going to bed at 7pm the night before after a big pasta meal. Instead of counting sheep I laid in bed counting miles. Trying to envision how the run was going to go. Trying to remember that long 20 mile training run and how it humbled me at mile 18 hoping that I could at least make it to mile 22 before running into any kind of discomfort or trouble. Eventually I found restless sleep until the alarm went off.
After a nice hot shower I went through my typical long run dress routine, band-aids, body glide, food pouch and finally my warm-up gear. We left the room at 2:45am to head over to the bus stop where 4 buses were lined up waiting to take us to the marathon event grounds. The air was a brisk 42F degrees, but I was comfortable in my warm-up garb. I was awake and energetic. So far, everything was going better than planned.
We arrived at the grounds around 3:20am-ish. They already had the DJ there talking up the hype and blasting some adrenaline pumping tunes. The race start was scheduled for 5:35am so we had some time to kill. Thankfully we purchased the special "Race Retreat" tent amenities which meant we had a nice warm tent with chairs and leather couches to sit on. Pre race food like bagels, banana's and other fruit. Coffee and Tea were also available. Plus our own private port-o-let area. It was most comfortable. They had TV's set up with a live feed coming from outside on the DJ stage and a countdown clock to keep us informed of the race start. About 45 min before the gun I made my final potty trip and got in line to get a Mylar blanket. It was pretty chilly outside still and I was going to strip out of my warm-up gear and store it in my bag check bag. It's a half mile walk to the start line and I didn't want to waste any energy running there. The blanket was wonderful.
We arrived at the start corrals about 10min before the start. It was colder out there on the road. Steph and I kissed goodbye and wished each other safety, luck and a good race before I headed off to my corral B. It was just over a 1/4 mile walk to my start corral. They had the announcers on stage and big screens set up down the line so you could see what was going on on stage. Of course they brought out Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. Played the national anthem and started the first wave with fire works and flames. Most spectacular start I have ever seen. They did this same start every 2 minutes for each corral; fire works and all!
The race was on! My corral took off at a decent leisurely pace of about 9 min miles. A little slower than I would have liked; however, a friends last minute advice rang through my head. "Don't get caught up in the hype. Go out easy." Great advice from a great runner. If I had known the course was going to narrow like it did I may have worked my way up a little further the first few miles so I could of packed with a group around my goal pace, but as it was I nestled in comfortably with the folks around me and relaxed while I took it all in. It was a little chilly still and there were some low lying stale areas where the air was colder around 35F-ish by my estimation as my hands were cold. I wasn't running hard enough or long enough to generate enough body heat to keep me warm so those first 5 miles were best described as cold. They clicked off fast and comfortable. 5 miles felt like 1. I was excited. My body felt great even my foot that I was mostly worried about.
It's funny how you tend to over hydrate for a run like this. You worry so much about your fluids and not bonking due to poor preparation that you nearly bonk in the other direction. Guys and a few girls were running off to the trees that lined the course like crazy. Nature got a good watering Sunday morning. Even I eventually contributed to the cause. There were a lot of outhouses, just not always were you needed them.
It was around mile 7 where I noticed the sky was changing color and the air temperature was slightly warmer. We were approaching the Magic Kingdom and 2 key mile markers 10 and 13.1. I really didn't look at my watch much other than to peek and make sure I wasn't running too fast. You know you're in trouble when you start looking at your watch frequently for updates on distance and speed. I did look to see what I was at the 10 and 13.1 distances. My best 10 mile run to date is a 1:19 and my target was to be at 1:30 or a little better. I looked and seen that I was about 1:32 about 4 min off where I really wanted to be. It was actually right at the 9 mile marker I ran into my first sign of trouble. There was a slight downhill then an uphill. I pushed a little on the uphill and that's when my left foot gave me that familiar twinge of pain. This worried me. A mere 20 seconds before this happened I was thinking I'm coming up on the halfway mark soon and I feel good. I'm going to run a negative split for the second half. I focused hard on my gait trying to make sure the foot didn't get any worse. I hit the 10 mile checked my watch and went right back to worrying about my foot. The negative thoughts hit hard. Will I be able to finish? It usually acts up around 7 and by 13 I'm done. Does this mean by 15 I'll have to quit? I didn't even get to enjoy the fact I had just run through Cinderella's castle. My next concern was getting to mile 13.
Thankfully they had 13.1 time strip across the road. I crossed it at exactly 2:00:30. This bummed me out and began the negative race for me. If I could maintain what I've been doing so far I would have a 4 hr finish at time I was trying to beat. The magical 4 hr mark. The one thing I know about my long races, is that I always, always fade toward the end and given that my last 6 weeks of training was non-existent I knew my hopes of beating that time were about gone. Especially with my foot acting up. Thankfully, my foot never did get any worse. It was a mild pain, but the pain the rest of my legs and feet were feeling were much worse by the end.
Maybe it was the negative thoughts, or perhaps just the length of the run itself. I was starting to feel the run. I was getting tired. All of mile 14 I started to revamp my race strategy. I started to analyze how my body was doing. What I felt and tried to predict how I was going to feel in the next hour, next 2 hours. I knew that by mile 15 I would have to begin run-walking segments if I was going to finish the race and I was going to FINISH the race. As I hit mile 15 I began to walk and took the opportunity to pull out my fuel, peanut butter cookies, and enjoy some delicious sweets. Out of all the fuel sources I tried these worked the best and I liked the taste too. As soon as I polished off the second cookie I started back running again. I didn't use any specific time or method I just went by what my pride could handle. Usually I would run to a mile marker then I would walk for a bit then start running to the next one. This worked great until mile 22.
At mile 17 they were handing out banana's and I decided, even though I hate banana's, that I was going to eat one figuring it would make me feel better. I choked down about half of it before tossing the rest in grass for some woodland creature to finish. I then heard a runner behind me claim that was a delicious banana's and I turned around and acknowledged that I don't like banana's and that it was indeed a good banana. No lie and it did make me feel better for about 5 min. Mile 18 is another key mile. It's one you run in training working up to the famed 20. It's also the mile which you realize you're in single digit miles now, only 8 more to go and 20 is just up ahead. Mile 18 is also the proverbial wall for many runners. It comes for me right around 2 hrs and 45min. A time at which I would like to be done running. It's at this point I realize that my quads are starting to hurt and my right foot has no joined my left foot in some kind of sympathy pain. Mile marker 19 was at the top of an overpass hill, which I walked up, if I'm going to walk may as well make it a good place to do it. Then I set my sights on 20.
At mile 20 I knew I was going to finish and that finish couldn't be too long off. 10K left I told myself. 6.2 miles easy peasy. At my worst that can't be any more than an hour. Turns out it took an hour 7 minutes. Ironically my first ever 10K took me exactly 1hr and 7 minutes to complete. At mile 22 I realized I wasn't going to break 4 hrs. tears began to well up in my eyes. I wanted to finish I wanted to be done. I hurt and I wanted it to be over. Even if I could finish the last 4 at my normal 8K pace. I would not break 4 hrs. This mile began the real pain of the race. My quads hurt like someone stabbed them with short pointy knives. My feet ached with every step. They felt sore and over used. Walking hurt just as much as running, but running was more tiring. My run/walks increased greatly in these last 4 miles. The crowd was trying it's best to be motivational. Seeing a walking runner must be disheartening. They would use my name, as it was printed on my bib to encourage me. It did little good. I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to impress the crowd, but the truth was I was hurting, I was tired, I was human.
Miles 23-25 really meshed together. They felt equally long and equally painful. At mile 25 there was a DJ announcing just one more mile. That mile wrapped around the inside of Epcot center park and it was the longest mile I have ever run/walked. I wish I could tell you I finished strong, that I dug deep and legged out the last mile, but I didn't. I dug deep just to make it this far. I did manage a final run for the last quarter mile a salty 9 minute mile pace to cross the finish line with my arms up in the air in a cheesy I did it finish. The tears flowed. I was done. I did do it. I hobbled over to get my medal and have my picture taken. Then I hobbled back to the retreat tent to get some food and rest my weary body.
I said that this was it. One marathon and I'm done with marathons, but I fear my running friends are correct. It's a sickness. Not even 8hrs after the race and I'm considering still the 4hr breaker. Wondering if I didn't have 6 weeks of bad training how I would have done. Wondering how I'm going to feel after the next one. Knowing full well I hated every aspect of the marathon. The training and the race itself. The problem is I love running.
And that my friends is a runners life.
may you have the courage to start
the strength to endure
and the resolve to finish
I did it!
-Bob
After a nice hot shower I went through my typical long run dress routine, band-aids, body glide, food pouch and finally my warm-up gear. We left the room at 2:45am to head over to the bus stop where 4 buses were lined up waiting to take us to the marathon event grounds. The air was a brisk 42F degrees, but I was comfortable in my warm-up garb. I was awake and energetic. So far, everything was going better than planned.
We arrived at the grounds around 3:20am-ish. They already had the DJ there talking up the hype and blasting some adrenaline pumping tunes. The race start was scheduled for 5:35am so we had some time to kill. Thankfully we purchased the special "Race Retreat" tent amenities which meant we had a nice warm tent with chairs and leather couches to sit on. Pre race food like bagels, banana's and other fruit. Coffee and Tea were also available. Plus our own private port-o-let area. It was most comfortable. They had TV's set up with a live feed coming from outside on the DJ stage and a countdown clock to keep us informed of the race start. About 45 min before the gun I made my final potty trip and got in line to get a Mylar blanket. It was pretty chilly outside still and I was going to strip out of my warm-up gear and store it in my bag check bag. It's a half mile walk to the start line and I didn't want to waste any energy running there. The blanket was wonderful.
We arrived at the start corrals about 10min before the start. It was colder out there on the road. Steph and I kissed goodbye and wished each other safety, luck and a good race before I headed off to my corral B. It was just over a 1/4 mile walk to my start corral. They had the announcers on stage and big screens set up down the line so you could see what was going on on stage. Of course they brought out Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. Played the national anthem and started the first wave with fire works and flames. Most spectacular start I have ever seen. They did this same start every 2 minutes for each corral; fire works and all!
The race was on! My corral took off at a decent leisurely pace of about 9 min miles. A little slower than I would have liked; however, a friends last minute advice rang through my head. "Don't get caught up in the hype. Go out easy." Great advice from a great runner. If I had known the course was going to narrow like it did I may have worked my way up a little further the first few miles so I could of packed with a group around my goal pace, but as it was I nestled in comfortably with the folks around me and relaxed while I took it all in. It was a little chilly still and there were some low lying stale areas where the air was colder around 35F-ish by my estimation as my hands were cold. I wasn't running hard enough or long enough to generate enough body heat to keep me warm so those first 5 miles were best described as cold. They clicked off fast and comfortable. 5 miles felt like 1. I was excited. My body felt great even my foot that I was mostly worried about.
It's funny how you tend to over hydrate for a run like this. You worry so much about your fluids and not bonking due to poor preparation that you nearly bonk in the other direction. Guys and a few girls were running off to the trees that lined the course like crazy. Nature got a good watering Sunday morning. Even I eventually contributed to the cause. There were a lot of outhouses, just not always were you needed them.
It was around mile 7 where I noticed the sky was changing color and the air temperature was slightly warmer. We were approaching the Magic Kingdom and 2 key mile markers 10 and 13.1. I really didn't look at my watch much other than to peek and make sure I wasn't running too fast. You know you're in trouble when you start looking at your watch frequently for updates on distance and speed. I did look to see what I was at the 10 and 13.1 distances. My best 10 mile run to date is a 1:19 and my target was to be at 1:30 or a little better. I looked and seen that I was about 1:32 about 4 min off where I really wanted to be. It was actually right at the 9 mile marker I ran into my first sign of trouble. There was a slight downhill then an uphill. I pushed a little on the uphill and that's when my left foot gave me that familiar twinge of pain. This worried me. A mere 20 seconds before this happened I was thinking I'm coming up on the halfway mark soon and I feel good. I'm going to run a negative split for the second half. I focused hard on my gait trying to make sure the foot didn't get any worse. I hit the 10 mile checked my watch and went right back to worrying about my foot. The negative thoughts hit hard. Will I be able to finish? It usually acts up around 7 and by 13 I'm done. Does this mean by 15 I'll have to quit? I didn't even get to enjoy the fact I had just run through Cinderella's castle. My next concern was getting to mile 13.
Thankfully they had 13.1 time strip across the road. I crossed it at exactly 2:00:30. This bummed me out and began the negative race for me. If I could maintain what I've been doing so far I would have a 4 hr finish at time I was trying to beat. The magical 4 hr mark. The one thing I know about my long races, is that I always, always fade toward the end and given that my last 6 weeks of training was non-existent I knew my hopes of beating that time were about gone. Especially with my foot acting up. Thankfully, my foot never did get any worse. It was a mild pain, but the pain the rest of my legs and feet were feeling were much worse by the end.
Maybe it was the negative thoughts, or perhaps just the length of the run itself. I was starting to feel the run. I was getting tired. All of mile 14 I started to revamp my race strategy. I started to analyze how my body was doing. What I felt and tried to predict how I was going to feel in the next hour, next 2 hours. I knew that by mile 15 I would have to begin run-walking segments if I was going to finish the race and I was going to FINISH the race. As I hit mile 15 I began to walk and took the opportunity to pull out my fuel, peanut butter cookies, and enjoy some delicious sweets. Out of all the fuel sources I tried these worked the best and I liked the taste too. As soon as I polished off the second cookie I started back running again. I didn't use any specific time or method I just went by what my pride could handle. Usually I would run to a mile marker then I would walk for a bit then start running to the next one. This worked great until mile 22.
At mile 17 they were handing out banana's and I decided, even though I hate banana's, that I was going to eat one figuring it would make me feel better. I choked down about half of it before tossing the rest in grass for some woodland creature to finish. I then heard a runner behind me claim that was a delicious banana's and I turned around and acknowledged that I don't like banana's and that it was indeed a good banana. No lie and it did make me feel better for about 5 min. Mile 18 is another key mile. It's one you run in training working up to the famed 20. It's also the mile which you realize you're in single digit miles now, only 8 more to go and 20 is just up ahead. Mile 18 is also the proverbial wall for many runners. It comes for me right around 2 hrs and 45min. A time at which I would like to be done running. It's at this point I realize that my quads are starting to hurt and my right foot has no joined my left foot in some kind of sympathy pain. Mile marker 19 was at the top of an overpass hill, which I walked up, if I'm going to walk may as well make it a good place to do it. Then I set my sights on 20.
At mile 20 I knew I was going to finish and that finish couldn't be too long off. 10K left I told myself. 6.2 miles easy peasy. At my worst that can't be any more than an hour. Turns out it took an hour 7 minutes. Ironically my first ever 10K took me exactly 1hr and 7 minutes to complete. At mile 22 I realized I wasn't going to break 4 hrs. tears began to well up in my eyes. I wanted to finish I wanted to be done. I hurt and I wanted it to be over. Even if I could finish the last 4 at my normal 8K pace. I would not break 4 hrs. This mile began the real pain of the race. My quads hurt like someone stabbed them with short pointy knives. My feet ached with every step. They felt sore and over used. Walking hurt just as much as running, but running was more tiring. My run/walks increased greatly in these last 4 miles. The crowd was trying it's best to be motivational. Seeing a walking runner must be disheartening. They would use my name, as it was printed on my bib to encourage me. It did little good. I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to impress the crowd, but the truth was I was hurting, I was tired, I was human.
Miles 23-25 really meshed together. They felt equally long and equally painful. At mile 25 there was a DJ announcing just one more mile. That mile wrapped around the inside of Epcot center park and it was the longest mile I have ever run/walked. I wish I could tell you I finished strong, that I dug deep and legged out the last mile, but I didn't. I dug deep just to make it this far. I did manage a final run for the last quarter mile a salty 9 minute mile pace to cross the finish line with my arms up in the air in a cheesy I did it finish. The tears flowed. I was done. I did do it. I hobbled over to get my medal and have my picture taken. Then I hobbled back to the retreat tent to get some food and rest my weary body.
I said that this was it. One marathon and I'm done with marathons, but I fear my running friends are correct. It's a sickness. Not even 8hrs after the race and I'm considering still the 4hr breaker. Wondering if I didn't have 6 weeks of bad training how I would have done. Wondering how I'm going to feel after the next one. Knowing full well I hated every aspect of the marathon. The training and the race itself. The problem is I love running.
And that my friends is a runners life.
may you have the courage to start
the strength to endure
and the resolve to finish
I did it!
-Bob
Monday, January 3, 2011
The pre Marathon experience
Oh what a journey. I sit here 6 days away from my first Marathon. It's all I've been thinking about the past 2 weeks. I've logged 335 miles (50 hrs) since I started training in September. Ran 16, 18 and 20 mile runs.
Everything was going great until Thanksgiving 6 weeks ago. That's when the load came untied.
(Week 1 net miles: 0/40)I ran zero miles that week ZERO. I didn't get it done. I was on vacation and made excuses.
(Week 2 net miles: 17.3/38) I was going to make it up the following week, which started out well, but ended abruptly with the seasons first snow storm. I should have ran in the snow. I should have gotten it done. I didn't. I hoped the snow would go away.
(Week 3 net miles: 13.5/45)I hoped all week. It didn't. I was lazy. I refused the treadmill. As Saturday approached I knew I had to get my long run in. It had to get done. I braved the snow and ice. I struggled on the run and ended up straining my left foot.
(Week 4 net miles: 13.2/48) It took the entire week for my foot to heal enough to run again. So now it's Saturday again. Feeling the pressure of only a single run the previous week I pushed through the snow and ice again completing only 13 of a 20 mile planned run.
(Week 5 net miles: 0/25)Another week for my foot to heal and it's Saturday and Christmas... Learning from the last few weeks mistakes I take the day off.
(Week 6 net miles: 3/25) Knowing the marathon is quickly approaching I cautiously go out for a run extremely thankful for the back to back warm days that melted all of the snow and ice. I ran on hard surface and it felt good.
So here I am Monday of the final week. Sunday, Jan. 9th, is the day. I did a 6.5 mile run at my previous marathon pace and was lucky to finish it. My aerobic fitness is shot. The good news is my endurance isn't. My legs have never felt stronger. Am I ready? I don't know. Will I meet my goal time? I'm not even going to try, finish is the goal. Will my foot hold up? I don't know. It's scary and depressing all at the same time.
Here are my key learning moments from a first time Marathon trainer. My previous experience is 2 half marathons and a couple 10 mile races. Prior to marathon training I was running 20 - 26 miles a week. I upped it to 30 - 35 for Marathon training.
#1. Marathon training takes serious commitment. Seriously. Don't miss your runs. Don't try and work around them. Don't take vacations during. Let your loved ones know you are going to be fairly absent and why. Limit races to key training dates and make sure the races are longer distance ones like 10K - 25K
#2. When you can't run your scheduled miles run whatever you can. Even if it's a lot shorter. some running is better than no running.
#3. A winter marathon is a bad idea if you live in the upper states. For obvious reasons.
#4. Cross training could have saved me. I have access to a pool, a track, a treadmill, a stationary bike and an elliptical. I just failed.
#5. Take a decent break before you begin marathon training. I overloaded. I went into training tired and overrun. This lead to lack of motivation see #4 and fatigue.
I'm very certain I could have run the 3:45 I was targeting if I would of had a better training series. I was feeling very confident in the middle of the training. Infact so confident I was going to up the goal to 3:30. Even though I say my goal is to finish I desperately want to finish in under 4 hours. I can't shake it. I can be told - just finish. I will be lucky if I can - just finish, but if I break 4 hours I won't have to run one again. I only want to do this once. I know better than to say never, but it will be a whole lot easier if I can hit that one goal. Heaven help me if I don't finish at all...
Everything was going great until Thanksgiving 6 weeks ago. That's when the load came untied.
(Week 1 net miles: 0/40)I ran zero miles that week ZERO. I didn't get it done. I was on vacation and made excuses.
(Week 2 net miles: 17.3/38) I was going to make it up the following week, which started out well, but ended abruptly with the seasons first snow storm. I should have ran in the snow. I should have gotten it done. I didn't. I hoped the snow would go away.
(Week 3 net miles: 13.5/45)I hoped all week. It didn't. I was lazy. I refused the treadmill. As Saturday approached I knew I had to get my long run in. It had to get done. I braved the snow and ice. I struggled on the run and ended up straining my left foot.
(Week 4 net miles: 13.2/48) It took the entire week for my foot to heal enough to run again. So now it's Saturday again. Feeling the pressure of only a single run the previous week I pushed through the snow and ice again completing only 13 of a 20 mile planned run.
(Week 5 net miles: 0/25)Another week for my foot to heal and it's Saturday and Christmas... Learning from the last few weeks mistakes I take the day off.
(Week 6 net miles: 3/25) Knowing the marathon is quickly approaching I cautiously go out for a run extremely thankful for the back to back warm days that melted all of the snow and ice. I ran on hard surface and it felt good.
So here I am Monday of the final week. Sunday, Jan. 9th, is the day. I did a 6.5 mile run at my previous marathon pace and was lucky to finish it. My aerobic fitness is shot. The good news is my endurance isn't. My legs have never felt stronger. Am I ready? I don't know. Will I meet my goal time? I'm not even going to try, finish is the goal. Will my foot hold up? I don't know. It's scary and depressing all at the same time.
Here are my key learning moments from a first time Marathon trainer. My previous experience is 2 half marathons and a couple 10 mile races. Prior to marathon training I was running 20 - 26 miles a week. I upped it to 30 - 35 for Marathon training.
#1. Marathon training takes serious commitment. Seriously. Don't miss your runs. Don't try and work around them. Don't take vacations during. Let your loved ones know you are going to be fairly absent and why. Limit races to key training dates and make sure the races are longer distance ones like 10K - 25K
#2. When you can't run your scheduled miles run whatever you can. Even if it's a lot shorter. some running is better than no running.
#3. A winter marathon is a bad idea if you live in the upper states. For obvious reasons.
#4. Cross training could have saved me. I have access to a pool, a track, a treadmill, a stationary bike and an elliptical. I just failed.
#5. Take a decent break before you begin marathon training. I overloaded. I went into training tired and overrun. This lead to lack of motivation see #4 and fatigue.
I'm very certain I could have run the 3:45 I was targeting if I would of had a better training series. I was feeling very confident in the middle of the training. Infact so confident I was going to up the goal to 3:30. Even though I say my goal is to finish I desperately want to finish in under 4 hours. I can't shake it. I can be told - just finish. I will be lucky if I can - just finish, but if I break 4 hours I won't have to run one again. I only want to do this once. I know better than to say never, but it will be a whole lot easier if I can hit that one goal. Heaven help me if I don't finish at all...
Monday, November 15, 2010
It's over. I'm done.
The marathon is now only 8 weeks away. I am smack dab in the middle of my training and to be honest, I have been miserable. The training has taken away from my fall race goals. It has worn me out and made me tired. It has been gnawing away at me for the past 2 months. I trained every day last week without rest. Wrapped up the week with three 8 mile runs a 10K race on Saturday and an 8K race on Sunday. It's getting dark at 4pm. It looks like midnight when I get home at 5pm. I'm forced to run on poorly lit sidewalks and wait an eternity at multiple intersections for a walk signal in which I must incorporate all my senses as to not get run over even though I have the right of way. The weather is getting colder and it's likely to rain on many of my upcoming runs. So It's over. I'm done.
I'm done being a mamby pamby jackwagon in need of a tissue. My crybaby mantra of "It's too hard", "I'm too tired", and "I'm bored" is over. It's time for me to man up. I set a goal and I'm going to go after it. I'm all in! I'm going to go after it with the same drive and determination I went after my weight loss. There are many distractions that I'm going to have to deal with and overcome. Poor food choices and inadequate sleep being the top two. My goal of 3:45 just became sub-3:45. I'm going to hit the gym and weight train on my cross training days. I'm going to cut soda and coffee completely out of my diet. I'm going to follow my training plan and run slow when I'm supposed to run slow, and fast when I'm supposed to run fast and rest when I need rest.
I know it's going to be hard. Losing weight was hard. Quitting smoking was hard. Eating healthier was hard. Thanksgiving is coming up. That's going to be hard. I'll be going out of town and need to find a place and time to log some miles. That will be hard. I am all about defeating HARD. I already know that overcoming things that are hard is massively rewarding. I love the opportunities that come up where I get to talk about beating my situations. Talk about paying dividends. Nothing is more rewarding to me than inspiring someone else to positive change. You are my drive, you are my motivation. So it's over; I'm done with the negative path.
Run strong my friends,
Bob
I'm done being a mamby pamby jackwagon in need of a tissue. My crybaby mantra of "It's too hard", "I'm too tired", and "I'm bored" is over. It's time for me to man up. I set a goal and I'm going to go after it. I'm all in! I'm going to go after it with the same drive and determination I went after my weight loss. There are many distractions that I'm going to have to deal with and overcome. Poor food choices and inadequate sleep being the top two. My goal of 3:45 just became sub-3:45. I'm going to hit the gym and weight train on my cross training days. I'm going to cut soda and coffee completely out of my diet. I'm going to follow my training plan and run slow when I'm supposed to run slow, and fast when I'm supposed to run fast and rest when I need rest.
I know it's going to be hard. Losing weight was hard. Quitting smoking was hard. Eating healthier was hard. Thanksgiving is coming up. That's going to be hard. I'll be going out of town and need to find a place and time to log some miles. That will be hard. I am all about defeating HARD. I already know that overcoming things that are hard is massively rewarding. I love the opportunities that come up where I get to talk about beating my situations. Talk about paying dividends. Nothing is more rewarding to me than inspiring someone else to positive change. You are my drive, you are my motivation. So it's over; I'm done with the negative path.
Run strong my friends,
Bob
Monday, November 8, 2010
Marathon Training Update
This is training week 8 of 16 of my marathon training. The halfway point. Let me tell you, the training looks a lot easier on paper. I have 5 more weeks until the taper. Two 20 mile runs and a 22 mile run with a 12 and a 16 peppered in for my long runs. I've reached the point where my daily runs are no less than 8 miles.
I am tired. Even worse, I'm bored. 2 hours is just grueling right now. It's not fun, it's not enjoyable, it's barely even tolerable. The good news is: I knew this was coming. The bad news is: I should of prevented it and I didn't. It's not the training plan that got me, it was all the running up to the training plan. I never gave myself a break. I've had my foot on the accelerator since June and I haven't let up. As a result, I haven't really enjoyed the last few races and the performance has been very sub par. The longer training runs are really testing my mental endurance. I'm running dangerously close to burn-out. Which scares me. I love running.
There is hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel and I'm going to focus on it. I entered the marathon not to finish it, but to race it. I have a set an aggressive first marathon goal for myself 3:45 or bust. My training and previous races tell me I should be able to do it in 3:30, I've left myself some room for the unexpected, but I'm going to push hard to reach that goal. Second, I'm planning a nice break from running after the marathon. It will be a time of recovery and planning. I want to share my love of running with even more people. I want to teach people how to run. Get people running that never thought they could. I have plans and ideas that need to be worked out. Some time off will help me focus on that. I look forward to all of these things and I will remind myself the next time I falter during a long run that there are multiple goals now.
I'm really sorry for painting such a horrible picture of marathon training. It really is different for everyone. The training program for someone looking to finish a marathon is still some work, but not as torturous as what I'm putting myself through.
My wife should be blogging her experience. She is training for the same marathon as I am, but because of injury set-backs earlier this year she wasn't able to run the volume of miles that I have or race many of the longer races. I've had 3 half marathons and 2 10 mile races. She just finished her first half marathon last weekend, which in turn was the longest distance she ever ran. Previous to this training her longest run was 6.2 miles. She logged 85 miles for October and this weekend she's going to log a 15 miler. She has done amazingly well and will no doubt have a strong marathon in January. She is my current inspiration. If she can come so far in such a short amount of time; what's my excuse?
I am tired. Even worse, I'm bored. 2 hours is just grueling right now. It's not fun, it's not enjoyable, it's barely even tolerable. The good news is: I knew this was coming. The bad news is: I should of prevented it and I didn't. It's not the training plan that got me, it was all the running up to the training plan. I never gave myself a break. I've had my foot on the accelerator since June and I haven't let up. As a result, I haven't really enjoyed the last few races and the performance has been very sub par. The longer training runs are really testing my mental endurance. I'm running dangerously close to burn-out. Which scares me. I love running.
There is hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel and I'm going to focus on it. I entered the marathon not to finish it, but to race it. I have a set an aggressive first marathon goal for myself 3:45 or bust. My training and previous races tell me I should be able to do it in 3:30, I've left myself some room for the unexpected, but I'm going to push hard to reach that goal. Second, I'm planning a nice break from running after the marathon. It will be a time of recovery and planning. I want to share my love of running with even more people. I want to teach people how to run. Get people running that never thought they could. I have plans and ideas that need to be worked out. Some time off will help me focus on that. I look forward to all of these things and I will remind myself the next time I falter during a long run that there are multiple goals now.
I'm really sorry for painting such a horrible picture of marathon training. It really is different for everyone. The training program for someone looking to finish a marathon is still some work, but not as torturous as what I'm putting myself through.
My wife should be blogging her experience. She is training for the same marathon as I am, but because of injury set-backs earlier this year she wasn't able to run the volume of miles that I have or race many of the longer races. I've had 3 half marathons and 2 10 mile races. She just finished her first half marathon last weekend, which in turn was the longest distance she ever ran. Previous to this training her longest run was 6.2 miles. She logged 85 miles for October and this weekend she's going to log a 15 miler. She has done amazingly well and will no doubt have a strong marathon in January. She is my current inspiration. If she can come so far in such a short amount of time; what's my excuse?
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