5k

Saturday, June 9^th, 2012.  14 mile training run.

This is a recovery week, so I have gone fewer miles at a slower pace than I normally would.  I’m learning that rest and “easy days” are every bit as important as tough, muscle building workouts.  Despite the slower pace, I start the feel the now familiar sting of glycogen depletion.  I glace down at my GPS watch and see that I just passed ten and a half miles.  “Figures,” I mutter to myself.  It’s usually around ten miles that I start to ask myself if I really enjoy distance running.

Then, a crazy thought enters my head.  It is a combination of a memory and an obsession.

October 29^th 2011.  The Chosen Marathon.  New Braunfelds, Texas.

I just finished climbing the big hill of the The Chosen Marathon (a VERY cool run for anyone interested!) and, as distance runners say, I hit the wall.  For those of you who haven’t had the privilege of hitting the wall, meeting the beast or running with the devil, it is similar to being woken up in the middle of a very deep sleep – and being forced to run.  You’re head is fuzzy, muscles are uncoordinated and unresponsive, sudden and often uncontrollable urges to vomit ransack your body, and you feel pretty much like poop.

The reality of the situation is that your body has burned up all of the glycogen stored in the muscles.  Glycogen is basically the gas that your body runs on.  When you hit the wall, you’re out of gas.  Unlike an automobile, however, you’re body has a backup system and can continue to go even without fuel – it just hurts like the dickens.

I continued jogging at what I felt was a steady pace.  Twenty miles.  Twenty-one miles.  Twenty two?  Where the heck was twenty-two.  I should have passed it by now…I checked my watch as saw that only 5 minutes had elapsed since mile twenty-one – ouch.

Being my first marathon, my objective was simply to finish the race.

Then, something magical happened.  Over the crest on the next hill I saw a mile marker that read “23”.  My heart leaped. “Twenty-three miles,” my fuzzy brain reasoned.  “That means I only have a 5k left.  A short 3 miles to the finish line.” 

My Personal Record for the 5k was just over twenty minutes. 

“Soooooo,” my increasingly fuzzy brain continued, “if we go hard, we’ll be done in just over twenty minutes!”  (You can see hear how the brain grows delirious after excessive running).

I kicked it into high gear.  “Twenty minutes to go,” my brain sang happily, “just keep up this pace…we can do it!”

That lasted 20 yards.

“System overload! Warning, Alert!! STOP!!!! We don’t have the resources for this!!! Whose crazy idea was this anyways?” my brain shouted.

Those who have run marathons and half marathons share in a unique knowledge that the last 3 miles of these races are among the longest 3 miles ever covered on foot.

June 9^th, 2012 10.9 miles into a 14 mile training run.

I hit the lap button on my watch (that will keep the total miles and time while giving new time and milage from this point on).  3.1 miles to the end of my training run.  Just a 5k to go.

My brain fires off the message to pick up the pace.  Legs respond slowly…but surely and I feel myself accelerating to a sub 8 minute/mile pace.  (We’ve already established that I’m not a super-fast-Olympic-elite runner.  Anything sub 8 is fast for me.)

I rounded the corner and headed up the street through town.  Somewhere in the back of my mind (which was slowly slipping into the fuzzy state) it registered that most of the next 3.1 miles were uphill – not steep, but consistently uphill.

One mile. 

“Isn’t this supposed to be a recovery week,” I ask myself. 

“Shut up and run,” My Self responds.

1.5 miles.  “I can’t do this,” I gasp.  The all knowing, all powerful watch says that I am nearing 7.30 – mile. 

Just go to the highway.  Just make the highway.

I reach the highway.  The gas station is only a few yards down the road.  Run to the gas station.

I pass the gas station and find another marker to run to, and another and another.  My pace drops to almost 7 flat for time but despite my best efforts, I feel my legs turn to lead and see that I am close to 8 min. miles again.  I wish it was faster but know that I am giving it all I have at this point and there is nothing I can do to make it any better – and that is good enough for me.

2 miles come and go.  One more mile.  I pump my arms hard to keep leaden legs moving. 

2.3 miles…2.65.

Just don’t give up.  You’re almost there.  There is semblance of joy now, because I know I can do, and will do it.  And I will do it after having run 11 miles, and that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy – or is that dehydration?

3.1 miles in 23.08.

I slow to a trot and coast the rest of the way home.  Not a PR for the 5k but I feel good about the workout.

What's in Your I Pod?

The US Track and Field, Road Runner, and just about each and every authoritative and sanctioning body of running sports either prohibits or strongly discourages listening to earphones while running.




OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....(Wiping a tear) That was funny.







But seriously, what do you listen to while  you run?  I'm looking to beef up my collection of cool songs to run to  (and if you don't run, just cool songs that make you feel like you want to get up and go...inspirational...)

Leave a comment with the song title and band, (or even a link where we can listen to the song if you are so inspired).  I'll be posting some of my favorites as well.

Rock and Run!!!

1.  Breaking Benjamin - Give Me A Sign
2.  Strung Out - Match Book
3.  Relient K - The One I'm Waiting For
4.  The Letter Black - The Best of Me
5.  Skillet - Awake and Alive
6.  Anberlin - Northern Lights
7.  Yellowcard - Believe

Sixteen

The day may have started the night before.  I laid out my shorts and shoes, drank an extra bottle of water and went to bed about two hours later than I knew I should have. I generally look forward to my long runs as a much needed chance to blow off stress.  As strange as it sounds, often a long run is very relaxing.  In this case, however, I commented to my wife that this particular long run would be anything but relaxing. 

There is no easy way to run sixteen miles.

My alarm went off at 5:00 am.  There seemed something very, very wrong about waking up at this ungodly hour on the only day of the week that I could (in theory) sleep in.  I usually don't mind getting up early on the weekends, but this morning, I was particularly tired and resented myself for forcing me out of bed.  I made a mental note to have a serious discussion with my other self about how rude it is to drag people out of bed - a conversation that I would save for a time when I could control my emotions a little better.

I dressed for the long run - including all the little extras that go with long run attire, filled my water bottles with ice and water, added a Cliff Bar for good measure and stepped outside.

The temperature stood at a pleasant 70 degrees or so, but I could tell that, as most mornings in Central Texas, that it would be humid.

The local running group would be doing six miles later that morning.  I planned to meet up with them for part of my run, thinking that even if I could have company for six it might ease the burden of sixteen.  I knew full well however, there is no easy way to run sixteen miles.

The darkness had all but dissipated by the time I reached the park and started running.  There are AWESOME trails at this park and I intended to spend as much time as possible climbing the hills in order to get some good practice for Cactus Roses (the 50 mile race in October).  Apprehension got the best of me for the moment.  I hadn't been more then a month since I had seen 3 snakes in 3 days on trails.  I knew that I was the first (and for the moment, only) person in the park.  I didn't know how long a snake...such as an 8 foot rattlesnake might wish to lounge on a soft dirt trail after a long night hunting mice, but I had no intentions of being the first to come running up on him and find out just how much venom those fangs can hold.  I resolved to stick to the roads for a little while.  There were plenty of hills on the roads and I could do some trails later - after someone else scared all the rattlers and copperheads back into hiding.

I followed the road up and down the hills for just over six miles before coming to rest with a large group of people all dressed in running gear and chatting about handheld water bottles vs. running belts (handhelds all the way!).  Someone commented that I didn't look like I was off to a good start, based on my sweat soaked shirt and the fact that they hadn't begun to run yet.  I replied that I started a little earlier...trying not to draw attention (or remind me) that even though I had already done a 10k, I wasn't even half way finished.  There is no easy way to run sixteen miles.

We started as a group just after 7:30.  I was good and warm, plus slightly rested from the breather I took while waiting for the group to start.  So honestly, it is probably my fault that the pace started so fast.  The chit-chat was quickly cut as the 5 of us who lead the group charged up the hills at an 8 minute/mile pace.  We submitted the hill...and accelerated.  I thought to myself that surely this pace would slow after a mile or two.  I was wrong.  Each time I thought I would be forced to give some, someone else took the charge.  We finished the first three mile loop in under 24 minutes...certainly not an Olympic pace but for a bunch of guys with day jobs, running on a Saturday morning, I thought it wasn't too bad.

We all stopped for water; by this time the temperature had climbed to well over 80 and it was still pretty humid.  Then we took off again.  Whatever hope I had for some reprieve on the second loop was dashed to pieces as we clicked off the first mile (mile 4 for the group, 9 for me) in 7:30.  We averaged a 7 flat for the last mile and 7:56 for the total 6 miles.  I thought to myself, "This would have been a great run...except that I still have to go 4 more miles."  There's no easy way to run sixteen miles...but sprinting 6 of them sure didn't help.

I headed to the trails and proceeded to climb the hills as best I could.  My legs felt like jelly and my clothing looked like it had been submersed in a pool...a very stinky pool.  Still I charged up and down the hills, thinking each time as I gasped for precious air, of the Cactus Rose elevation map that looked less like an elevation map and more like the Teton Mountain Range.

I finished my loop of the trails and came out facing Jacob's Ladder.  If you haven't had the privilege of climbing Jacob's Ladder after a 15 mile...you are smart.  I made the climb and jogged around towards the car thinking that this was challenging work out and I was satisfied that I had pushed myself, when I saw a fellow runner jogging towards me.  We stopped to exchange pleasantries.
 "How far did you go?" I asked.
"I just finished 20.  How far are you going?"
"Sixteen," I responded.
"How much more do you have?"
I looked longingly towards my car, only yards away...to sit, to drink cold water, to feel the air conditioning...I forced my gaze down to my watch.  15.3 miles, it read.
"Point 7," I coughed.
"Go finish it up," he said, pushing me back toward the trail.
It had been a good, hard run and an extremely challenging workout.  But it was not yet done.  After all, there is no easy way to run sixteen miles.

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

On the planet Earth, there is a beautiful country.  In that country, there is a HUGE state (called Texas).  In that state, there is a tiny town.  In that town, there is a house.  In that house, there is a closet.  And in that closet, there is a bag.

 This story has very little to do with Earth, the USA, Texas, tiny towns, houses or even closets.  It has everything to do with the bag and, more importantly, the contents of the bag.

What, you may ask, could possibly be more awesome than a bag with He-Man on it?  Well, a He-Man bag stuffed full of running gear, that's what!

This is my running bag.  At any given time it holds a few of my favorite things, along with shoes, shorts, towels and other items that I may need while out running.

One of the key items in my running bag is my calender.  I set a goal this year to run over 1000 miles - and on this calender I track the miles run each day.  It is fun to look back over the calender and see how the miles stack up.  It is also helpful to avoid over-training.  I know exactly how many miles I run each week and can avoid jumping too much from one week to the next.






Holds Gu's, cell phone or car keys

The next vital item in my running bag is a hand held water bottle.  I picked up these little guys at Acadamy for about $7.00 each.  Money well spent in my opinion.  The bottle itself is designed to fit in  your hand and has a non-slip surface.  The top pulls out which makes it easy to spray water into your mouth then pop the top back into place quickly.  The carrying case is what makes this contraptions special.  There is a strap that tightens around your hand, so the thing won't fall if you relax your grip.  The case also has a zipper pocket that will hold things like car keys, cell phone or Power Bar/Gu type stuff.  I find that packing the bottle full of ice and filling it with Gatorade works well for me.  If you plan to carry a cell phone or electronic device, I recommend to put it in a plastic baggie first, so condensation doesn't ruin the device.

These water bottles are great for training and racing.  It provides a convenient way to hydrate during training runs.  During a race, I like to carry these so that I don't get caught up in an water stop jam.  I refill when it's convenient and drink when I want to.

If you enjoy listening to music while you run, I find that a sleve band is helpful and I highly recommend the Phillips brand earbud that wrap around the back of your ear.  They don't fall out and you can pull the buds out of your ears while leaving the bands around the back of your ears so you can hear anouncers or conversations around you - while still listening to the music.  These earphones run about $10 at Wal-mart but you can find them on Amazon for about $6 (before shipping).

I picked up this guy on an impulse at Acadamy for $3.  It is a LED flashlight that clips onto the bill of a cap. This guy is especially usefull if you do any running in the dark. The battery life could be better but this thing will light up the night like the 4th of July.  It's cheap, easy to use and effective.  What more could you ask for. 

On the top of my Favorite Things list is my Garmin GPS  watch.  It carries a heafty price tag of $175 or so, but (in my opinion) it is totally worth it for the dedicated runner who wants to track the stats of his/her run.  The Garmin shows distance (from GPS so it is pretty darn accurate), pace, time, laps, elevation and mph among other things.  It has some really cool features such as an out-and-back tool - which maps your running route in one direction so when you're ready to turn around and go home you push the botton and follow the directions on the watch...it will take you back to where you started.  It also has a ghost runner feature...An imaginary runner who competes against you to help you push your pace.  I had a really hard time making the purchase but am SO glad I did.  The battery life is about 10 hours.  There are more advanced (and expensive) models out there.

There is also a similar watch that serves the same basic service.  This watch is based on technology similar to a pedometer.  It will calculate your speed and distance.  The price tag on these is a much more friendly $50 or so.  For a casual runner it will do the job just fine.  Here's how it works.  You calibrate the watch by telling it you will run (any distance) say 1 mile.  The watch then counts your steps as you run a mile.  It will use that info to calculate how many steps to go 1 mile in your subsequent work outs to gage your distance and speed (MPH). 

I found the watch to be fairly accurate, but with an error margine of about 10%.  (On a ten mile route the watch might read 9 or 11) miles.  I also found that occationally I would calibrate with a certain brand of shoe but when I changed to a different brand the calibration was off by quite a bit.  These are not big problems but they annoyed me enough that I went out and bought the Garmin and prefer it.

Some other things I keep in my running bag are shown below.

Gu or carbohydrate gel is handy to have around.  It gives you a quick, easily digestable shot of carbs to get you through a tough run.  These may have MASSIVE amounts of caffine, so read the labels before you down it.

Safety pins are awesome.  I keep a stack in my running bag because you never know when they will come in handy.  Pins are used to pin a race bib on your shirt...I also use them to pin my car keys in my pocket so they don't fall out during a run.  They are great for popping blisters as well.

Bandaids, chapstick and knee brace - or any other first aid stuff you like to have around.  I also keep vaseoline or body glide to avoid chaffin.  It is cheep and saves a lot of pain post run.

My list is not by any means comprehensive but I think it is a good start.  Get a running bag.  They are really cool to have (even if yours doesn't have He-Man on it - maybe not as cool, but still cool).
Hope to see you out there soon!

Commitment

In response to my brother's post about signing up for Cactus Rose I have something to share.  Now, I will admit it was my timid voice on the other line that he referred to.  We signed up for a tough-mother 50 miler the day after I ran a less-than-stellar performance in a 50k race, so you can understand why I wasn't chomping at the bit to register.  But, I have since remembered a quote I found last year just before I signed up for my first ultra-marathon, the Mohican 50 mile race.  It's a good one, by W.H. Murray.  I found it in a document the race director for the Umstead 100 put on their website. (It's a great document, by the way.  Check it out HERE when you get a minute.)
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

Now that makes me feel a bit more confident in my commitment to the race.  There's a ton of work still to do, but I feel like if I put the time and training in that I need to, race day will fall into place and my bloody remains won't be left by the side of the trail.  And that makes me feel pretty good.

Is There Running in Heaven?

I was born to great parents who taught me right from wrong.  Because of this, I have always been somewhat cognizant of what God wants me to do.

As I was clicking off the miles this morning, shortly after hurdling a rattlesnake, I came up a ridge to a beautiful sunrise and felt almost as if I was running into the arms of God himself.

That brought up some deep philosophical questions that I would like to pose here.
I dedicate a lot of time to running.  It is a hobby and I enjoy it, and I think that I need it in my life right now for various reasons that are none of your gosh darn business, but thanks for asking.  Running, however, (especially ultra running) takes up a lot of time.  On an average week, I'll run anywhere from 25 - 40 miles, and that will increase as race day gets closer.  At my slow pace, it will take somewhere between, 8 - 12 hours a week - just running.  And not running to the store or to work, these are training runs.  I start and end in the same place and most of the time my only accomplishment is an elevated heart rate and stiff knees.

So as I ran into the sunrise this morning, I had to ask myself, "Is there running in Heaven?"  After all, if my ultimate goal in this life is to make it to Heaven, how does spending 12 + hours a week running help with that goal?

Heaven wouldn't really be Heaven if we had to deal with arthritic knees, bad hearts, and excessive cellulite now, would it?  So I figure that there is no need to run for the health of it in Heaven.

 I imagine that Heavenly Hosts have a better way to travel than planes, trains and most certainly automobiles.  So running to cover ground and get places in Heaven would be similar to Spock saying, "Never-mind the 'beaming' Scotty, I'll take the stairs."

Conclusion: There is no running in Heaven.

So why the Heaven do we do it?  Why devote 12 + hours a week to hobby that (hopefully) is null and void when you get to the afterlife (I think some people will be placed on a treadmill in Hell and forced to run 6 minute miles while listening to Karen Carpenter - no offense to her music, but would you want to run to it?)


Conclusion 2:  There are transferable skills that we learn while running that help us be better people and prepare us for life in Heaven.

For example, a runner develops patience and endurance.  This stamina come mile after mile, and help the runner cope with the task of burning the rubber off the bottom of his/her training shoes.

But patience and endurance also can employed in everyday life.  What relationship won't benefit from a little extra stamina?  You know what I mean.  Your in the bedroom...uh, arguing, and want to get in the last word.

How many dull and meaningless words, spoken in a fit of rage that cut so deep into the hearts of those we love, can be avoided with some simple endurance by keeping your mouth shut while the rage burns off the top your head into the void of all that is really and truly silly when it all come down.

So, Nike sales don't stand a chance in Heaven, but you won't regret running the tread off a few pair in this life.  And who knows, when you finally do actually run into the Arms of God, I bet there's a finishers medal like none other.

Training thoughts

I went out running the other day, and only had time to do about 4 miles, so I decided I'd pick up the pace a bit and do it relatively fast.  As I felt my muscles ache and burn toward the end of the run some thoughts about training crossed my mind.  Saturday during my long run I thought more about it too and decided to share.  This may be common sense to seasoned ultra-runners but I wanted to write it down and share anyway, from my point of view.

Scott Jurek

 My average daily run is 5-7 miles at about 8:30 per mile.  While that's a decent run, I'm realizing that its basically a maintenance run for me.  They're good runs, and very important but it's not going to push my training forward quickly.  So what do I need to do instead of just those regular maintenance runs?  How are the big gains to be had?  Here's my current philosophy, that I've pondered through the miles.  I have to challenge myself in at least one of three areas during a run: speed, distance, or terrain.

Speed -
For me right now, this means running at 7:45ish per mile.  The more I improve, the faster these runs will be.  And doing a faster run doesn't necessarily mean it's shorter.  To challenge myself, I need to be able to hold a faster pace for my usual 5-7 miles.  That's what makes it more than a maintenance run.  My hesitation in doing this is that in the past my injuries have surfaced with speed training.  I hope now my body is stable enough to tolerate more speed, but definitely something to consider.

Distance -

Me and Grace

This is the long run most distance runners do once a week.  Many ultra-runners will tell you the long run is, hands down, the most critical aspect of training and I would have to agree because it mimics the competition distances you're training for.  Ultra-marathons are extreme distances, not speeds.  The long run gets you ready to "go the distance."  Why?  Because it pushes past the limits of what your body is used to.  As I'm  training for a 50 miler in October my long runs need to be at the very least 2 hours; 15-20 miles would be better, and the closer the race gets, the longer that run will be.  For me, the long run usually makes up 1/3 to 1/2 my total weekly distance.  I think it's also OK to have semi-long runs mid-week too.  This would be like going 10-11 miles or so on Wednesday; something longer than the maintenance run but not long enough to be designated THE "long run."

Terrain -
This means a few things, but mainly hills or trails.  If I run 5-7 miles on trails, that is WAY better for my training than the same distance on roads, because it challenges me more, and it mimics race-day conditions.  There's just a lot more involved in trail running.  If I could choose, I'd run trails every day.  Unfortunately that's not possible because the trails I run are 30 minutes away.  But I know I need to get to the trails as much as I can before the race because that's where real training progress takes place.  Hills are good too, but you can find those on the trails.
These are just a few thoughts I had regarding MY training.  It may not be the same for others, and these things aren't going to necessarily make or break your training.  At the end of the day, I think the most important parameters for ultra-marathon training are high weekly mileage and a long run once a week.  Do those two and you'll be alright.

Starting

I am so proud of my little girl.

Why? you ask.
Is it because she ran over 50 miles during the school year?
Is it because she took first place in all the major running events at field day?
Is it because she's just about the best 7 year old around?

Yes - and it gets better.

But first, let me tell you a story.  A sad story.

I live about 3 miles outside of town.  One of the courses I run takes me down the highway, into town, out to a State Park and back.  It just so happened that on one of my recent runs, I employed a new tactic for pain avoidance.  Of course, when you're running, you will naturally feel some "discomfort" due to the pace, distance or other cause.  Pain avoidance is when you do something to try and take your mind (at least temporarily) off the discomfort.  Some people listen to music, chat with a friend or pretend they are running in the Olympics.  My tactic: counting garbage.  It was the last 3 miles of a 15 mile day and I was just turning onto the highway to begin the 3 mile trek back to my house when I started counting the number of beverage containers that were tossed carelessly and downright SHAMEFULLY to the side of the road by STUPID, irresponsible, and ugly people as they drove down the highway.  Please note that I counted only one side of the  highway, and only beverage containers (including water, soda and beer bottles, cans, and Styrofoam or paper cups) over the course of the 3 miles from town to my home.

How much? You ask.

Well over 100.

I was horrified to think that there are that many ugly people in this area.  I say ugly people because one can only assume that someone who attempts, who purposely makes an effort to destroy and mask the beauty of this country can only be such a soul who is so hideously ugly themselves that they feel no need to respect the beauty of the land (jerks!).

(If you are one of those ugly individuals that throws trash from your car window onto the side of road -  please accept this as an "I hate you" note and know that we can be friends again when you change your ways.)

On certain days, I do recovery runs - runs done at a slow and easy pace that serve mostly to recover from a previous work out.  Occasionally, on these runs, I'll invite my daughter to come because she will help prevent me from overdoing it on the recovery run.

On one such run, we ran and chatted casually, when suddenly she stopped (which for a moment annoyed me), turned back and bent over to pick up a crushed water bottle.  I almost cried with pride.  We spent the rest of the morning running from piece to piece of trash, picking up all we could carry and depositing the pile into an official trash can.

It was, I recognize, a small start to the much needed solution to littering -  but a small start is a good start, and you will never finish the race that you don't start.

Committed...and Terrified.

My finger trembled slightly as I hovered the mouse over the submit button.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked.
"Just do it!" The voice on the line responded with much less confidence than I hoped.

My compadre in pain, Travis, and I sat thousands of miles apart but focused on one tiny aspect of the same webpage.  We had filled out the required elements of the entry form for the Cactus Rose 50 mile race, read and agreed to the disclosure that said more or less, "You WILL get hurt but, unless your training is inadequate, shouldn't die."  And now the only thing standing between us and a 50 mile was the submit button.
"One...Two..." We did the countdown together.  "THREE!"

For a brief moment the future flashed before my eyes.

It hurt.
The elevation map that haunted my dreams of late transformed into actual visions of climbing 140 degree inclines with legs that felt like jello left out on a 120 degree day...of falling down the same incline while rocks, sticks, thorns and rattlesnakes tore flesh away from my hands and knees.

And from there it got bad.

The training started several months ago when we first conceived the notion that it might be fun to run 50 miles together in October.  But the official training starts this week.  It consists of an average of 30 - 50 miles a week with a peak run one month before the actual race of 40 miles (to be done at the "Run From the Ducks 8 hr run in Mineral Wells).  Along with running, some serious strength training will be needed to made the repeated climbs and descents.  50 lunges each night should be a good start...

And perhaps most difficult of all, my long time addiction to sugar will have to be curbed if I am going to be in the physical condition required to run 50 miles on this terrain.

Cactus Rose, here we come!

So You Want to Run?

Let me go on the record as saying that I encourage EVERYONE to run.  I'm not sure, as others have said, that running is a "magic bullet" to end all diseases and misery but I know that if you do it right - it feels good.

Running can be hard on the body, however.  I know when I first decided to be a Marathon + runner, I over did it several times.  As a runner, you're basically breaking your body down in the hopes that it will rebuild itself stronger and become more efficient.  One of our biggest mistakes as runners is to deny our bodies the time needed to rebuild.  On such occasions you're basically breaking your body down...and that's it.  The human body can only take so much accumulative breakdown before it is broken.  This usually manifests itself in the way of not being able to bend a knee, or a shot of cortisone to the foot.

I have since adopted a philosophy of better safe than sorry when it comes to recovery.  Many of the half and/or marathon training programs will call for 5 days of running per week.  It is my opinion as a professional runner (I won a $15 gift card from a race last year, so technically I'm a professional!) that as you start training for your first half or full marathon, running 5 days a week is too much.

Let me interject here that what works for one runner may not work for another.  If you're on a 5 days a week running plan and feeling good--no aches and pains when you get out of bed, soreness never lasts more than one day--then stick with what works.  Just be aware that your joints, tendons, ligaments and the like will often take longer than your muscles to recover and fully heal themselves after a workout.  So don't base your "I'm feeling good" on just your muscle soreness.  When you start to have chronic pain in joints and tendons, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.  Take an extra day or two off.  Ride a bike, swim or walk in lieu of running until the sting goes away.  And then ease back into running.  Often you can prevent chronic injuries with a few minutes walking during a workout.  When something doesn't feel right, stop right then and walk for 3 - 5 minutes then try running again.  I have found that often I will go faster and have less pain after a short walk in the middle of a long run.  It's better to walk for 5 minutes during a work out then spend the next 3 weeks out of commission.

Training programs that call for running 5 days a week (or more) are better designed for those who have completed a half or full marathon (maybe even several) and are looking to better their time.  For someone starting to train for a distance run, I would recommend running 3 or maybe 4 days a week.  How does it look? Your distance training should revolve around a long run each week.  This long run will be crucial to train your body to handle the stress of running longer distances.  Most people can muscle through a 5k.  But when you start hitting 8 - 10 mile runs, you will need some practice at that distance.  13 - 26 mile runs will require even more practice.  That's what these long runs are all about.  Not just getting your body ready to go the distance, but practice.  What clothing works best?  What hydration will you use?  Will you carry a water bottle or not?  How do you go about using the bathroom at mile 9 or can you hold it 4 more miles?  Chaffing-why does it hurt?  How to make it stop?  Will my shoes cause blisters?  Do I run with music or not?  What is it really like to hit the Wall?  These are the problems you should be solving during your long runs.  Running a distance race is difficult enough, the last thing you need on race day is an unexpected issue.  Find out how to address all the above questions (and any that come up on your long runs) so you can focus on race day on getting across that finish line.

In addition to your long run each week, you should do two or three more runs.  You can use these as recovery runs (highly recommended), speed work, or just as a run.  These runs should be somewhere between 2 - 5 miles (if you're training for a marathon you might want to go longer, but for a half 2 -5 miles should be about right).

Active Recovery is an important part of distance training.  Active recovery means doing some sort of activity the day after a long, intense training session.  For example, if you're long run is on Saturday and you do, say 10 miles, on Sunday (following day) you would go for a casual bike ride or walk, maybe even a slow jog.  During this activity you should not have elevated breathing (panting or gasping for air).  It's just a walk in the park  (literally).  Active Recovery will actually help you recover from intense workouts faster than pure rest. Try it.  It works.

My last piece of advice is to sign up for a race.  If you decide you want to train for a half marathon - find one that will work into your training schedule (make sure you have time to prepare) and sign up.  There is something magical about paying a registration fee that brings your commitment to a whole new level.  Tell your friends you signed up and go for it.  The environment at a race is awesome.  Unlike high school track, runners at these races are usually in it together.  Sure everyone does their best and it is competitive, but we're all in it together.  We've all trained and prepared for this one moment and that forms an instant bond with John and Jane Doe who are running right beside you.  It's one thing to run 13 miles on a deserted highway.  It is another thing (feeling) to cross a finish line and have someone hang a medal around your neck - so pay the stinking fee and sign up for the race.

I've Never Been to Boston in the Spring

To qualify for the Boston Marathon, I would have to run a Marathon in 3 hours 5 minutes (although in 2 years I will get an extra 5 minutes!)

http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/participant-information/qualifying.aspx

My fastest marathon time to date is 4 hours 12 minutes.

So goal number one is to get under 4 hours. If I can average a 9 minute mile (which I did for 14.75 miles today) it will take just about (9x26=234/60=) 3 hours and 54 minutes.

After that, it's a matter of shaving a mere 50 minutes from the time.

To qualify, someone my age needs to average a just over a 7 minute mile for 26 miles.

Clark Kent and I...

Running at 7 miles an hour it will take approximately 2 hours to go 14 miles. Two hours is a long time to listen to nothing but the tapity tapity tapity tap of your feet as they strike the pavement over and over and over.  And one's brain, while listening to the tapity tap of feet vs. pavement for 2 hours, may come up with some interesting and unusal thoughts.

I thought about this blog while running on Saturday morning and Clark Kent.  This is how it went. 

I would like to think that Clark Kent and I have a lot in common. He leads the life of an average guy, but when the time is right, off come the glasses, on comes the cape and out flies Superman.

So in my mind, I like to think that like Clark, I lead the life of an average Joe. But when the time is right, off comes the suit and tie, on come the running shoes, and off I fly – down the road at a pace so blazing fast that runners and non runners alike are astounded at my abilities.
The truth of the matter, however, is this: Clark Kent and I both wear glasses and our similarities end there. I run on the weekends and squeeze in training runs after work when possible, but I have no super powers and my abilities are less than astonishing to both runners and non runners (because non runners honestly don't really care about the strange obsessions of insane fitness junkies).

There are relatively few people that read our Blog. To all of you who do, thank you. We appreciate it. I need to publicly recognize this fact because sometimes in my mind I confuse reality and fantasy. In my fantasies, I am a well known and admired runner, who, while not the fastest kid in town, is well respected and whose advice is much sought after. The truth is: I run – somewhat obsessively - and.that's it.  I feel I need to publicly express this is because I think I want to change the tone of the Blog (at least my contributions). Up until now, the postings have generally been about races and adventures and tend to glorify and dramatize the excitement, pain and such that comes from running – especially running races. Going forward, I think I want to take a much more personal and realistic approach to writing about running. I want to write more about training runs, aspirations, doubts, fears, issues and overcoming (and sometimes succumbing to) the trials of distance running.

I say all this because going forward I hope to write and post things about my personal running life that is (or may be) a big deal to me and a big accomplishment to me, but when compared to other runners is mediocre at best. I just want to be honest with myself and not over-dramatize these adventures, thinking they are more than what they really are, or underrate them – because regardless of how fast I am or am not – I am still working my tail off to do and be the best I can.
 And when it all comes down to it, isn't that what running is all about?

Heman is an ultra-runner??

I volunteered at the North Coast 24 hour run this past weekend and this was one of the runners.  I thought ya'll might get a kick out of it.

Hog's Hunt 50 k

Thursday

Band aids…check

Vaseline…check

Gu’s … check

Water bottle…check

The list filled almost an entire page.  This is my checklist, my guide to a successful race.  I toss it all onto the floor and then pack it my race bag, checking the items off one by one as they quickly fill the small duffle bag.  I will be traveling almost four hours for this race and do not want to forget something important.  Something like (I scan my list again)…shoes.  My trail shoes add themselves to the bag.

GPS watch…check

Vitamin I…check

Sunglasses…wait….

“Where the heck are my sunglasses,” I call to my wife.

“Let’s see,” she says, walking into the room on her toes so as not to disturb the various piles I have arranged.  “Here they are.”  She picks up my glasses from the top of one of the piles and tosses them onto another pile.

“Thanks,” I mummer under my breath, a little irritated at my stupidity and a lot embarrassed (although you’d think I’d get used to it by now).

Friday

“So, what do you have going on this weekend?”  

It is a typical question for a Friday afternoon, but I find it difficult to answer.  I am excited for the weekend, undoubtedly.  But I just started this new job on Monday and I don’t really know my coworkers yet.  They don’t know me and while we are cordial and friendly…I don’t know that I want to have this conversation just yet.

“I am going to Huntsville,” I say, attempting to parry the question.

“Oh, really? What’s in Huntsville?”

Uh oh.

“Um, there’s going to be a trail run there.”

“Oh, like a 5k?”

“Yeah.  Kind of like a 5k.  A bit further.”

“Further?  Isn’t a 5k like 3 miles.”
“3.1.  Yeah.”

“I couldn’t even walk 2 miles!”

Ha Ha.  (Courtesy laugh – that one was funny the first 10 million times.)

“So you’re running more than 3 miles?  Just how far are you running?”

“31.”

And here come the looks of shocks, the “are you crazy?”, the I-am-in-the-presences- of-a-mad-man response that is fairly typical of runner/non runner conversations about running.

(All joking aside, my coworkers are great people and respect my hobby/addiction with good grace even if they did consider me a mad man).

Saturday

Does anyone ever really sleep the night before a race?  I mean, really?

I would have to get there by 6am to pick up my race packet and make last minute preparations for the 7am starting time.  This means that I need to leave by about 5am.  My watch says 3:46am.  Close enough.

I chew on some dry granola while I change into my running shorts and put band aids and Vaseline in the required places.  I drink a bottle of water, kiss my wife and go.

The park is completely dark except for one beeming tent.  I follow my gut and head towards it to pick up my race packet.

Soon more cars arrive.  You can tell which ones are runners by the kamikaze look in their eye.  “Yeah, I’m going to run 31 miles this morning,” it says.  “What of it?”  There are some hardcore runners stretching out.  These are the guys who wear shirts that say things like, “Western States” or “Leadville”.  I think I’ll line up a ways behind these guys.

The clock counts toward 7am.  The race director is saying something about rattlesnakes, copperheads and man eating bunnies but it is difficult to hear him in the open forest air (I may have been mistaken).  And then, just like that, we’re off.  Trotting casually along the road.  So unlike the 5k’s and even half marathon’s where the crowds dash away as if someone just yelled, “Last one there is a rotten egg!”  We are going to be at it all day…no need to kill yourself early.

I find myself running with a group of guys.  We’ve been hold a steady pace for the last half hour.  I ask a few questions in an attempt to strike up a conversation and it carries for a moment but never too long.  I decide they must be hoping to save their breath for the final sprints…that or I forgot to brush my teeth this morning.  I hope that’s not the case.

We go through the first of two loops in 2 hours and 39 minutes.  The first 15 miles are down and I'm feeling great.  I asked for some Gatorade at the aid station to help keep my electrolytes in check.  The stuff I get is potent...like I almost have to chew it to get it down.  My mouth feels sticky and dry after a few sips and I find myself anxiously looking for the next water stop so I get something refreshing in my system.  I know it's not good to be looking for a water station less then a mile after the previous one but...
I finally find some water and drink several cups.  The next 1.5 miles are mostly uphill...not steep, but the relentless climb that mocks you into thinking you can run  the whole thing while slowly and steadily draining your energy supply.  I know there is another aid station at the top of the hill...but the hill goes on forever.  I feel like I've been running uphill for hours and hours (It has probably been 15 minutes or less).  My breath is coming is sharp, heaving gasps when I finally see the lemon-aid stand type set up that means food and water. I put my head down and run to it.  


The arguments inside my head now sound like:

"You just ran 19 miles!"
"Shut up."
"You're almost there!!! Go Team!!"
"You just ran 19 miles.  Your delirious."
And I am.  Everything is fuzzy and shakey.  I need a break.
So I finally listen to that brain of mine and stopped at the aid station.

Experience has taught me that in ultra running there are three systems that you need to keep in check to keep going.  I'm not a doctor or anything...but this is my understanding of the situation:
1.  Hydration: a constant flow of water into the body is vital in a long run.  Especially in the Houston area.  For those of you who don't know, Houston is Texan for hot and humid.  I knew the forecast said we would hit the upper 80's today.  My goal was to drain my hand held water bottle between each aid station but I still felt like I may be running low.  Some signs that yell, "You're dehydrated, stupid," are (1.) you've been running for a while and all of sudden you stop sweating (that's bad); another concerning sign is when you've been going for a while and you know it's hot but all of sudden you start to get chills.
2.  Oddly enough, you can be too hydrated.  In order for your body to put all that water to good use, it needs salt.  When you wipe your forehead and it feels grainy (I know it's gross but this is ultra running...it will get a lot grosser before you cross the finish line) you are losing a lot of salt.  You may also notice that your clothing shows some white-ish streaks in the areas where you sweat the most.  If you don't have enough salt, your body won't process the water it needs.
3.  Blood sugar:  when your blood sugar drops too low everything gets fuzzy and you feel dizzy.  Any attempt to think feels like your taking a final after an all night party.  I can tell my blood sugar is getting bad when I can't calculate things anymore.  If I see a sign that says "Mile 20" and I am in a 31 mile race...but can't figure out how much farther I have to go...my blood sugar is off.

I drink some coke (to get the sugar levels back up), eat some Fritos (for the salt) and drank about 6 cups full of water.  Finally the Earth stopped spinning and the foggy haze lifted from my eyes.  It was nice.  I grabbed a small piece of Bagel with peanut butter on it in hopes of giving my system some energy for later on.  I may be more then half way done but there is still a long way's to go.
I walked for about 5 minutes before I began to trot again.  I felt better - good even.  I picked up the pace.  This was fun again.  I passed a few other racers.
"How can run so fast?" One of the guys asked as I jogged by him.  I could tell he was hurting.
"I stopped and walked," I called back truthfully.
My good spirits lasted about half a mile, at which point I realized that it would be foolish to try and sprint 12 miles after running 19 already.

Why do you do this, I ask myself several times during these marathon-and-longer runs?  I will never be fast enough to run professionally.  The health benefits of running probably stop around 5 or 6 miles.  So why go 26+?  This is hard to explain because unless you've been there it probably won't make sense but let me try.  When if finished my last marathon (in December) I crossed the finish line and (after the fog lifted from my eyes) I saw my wife and the kids cheering at the finish line.  I saw Superman (who had run the whole thing with me) and I was overcome with an inexplicable sense of gratitude.  The feelings of love and appreciation were so strong that it was like I had never really felt anything before.  I fought to hold back tears as I tried vainly to verbalize the thank-you's in my heart.  When you're brain and body, heart and bones all scream, "STOP! Enough already!" your Spirit takes over and says, "Now it's time to see what I'm really made of."
I ran, even though my legs were going numb.  I ran, knowing good and well that at least two of my toe nails would fall off as a result of it.  I ran through the trees, feeling a cool breeze on my face.  The sun light flowed through my skin bringing hope and joy - like when the clouds part after weeks of rain.  And through the tiredness and pain, I felt desires to join Relient K (who was singing in my MP3 player) in praising and thanking the Eternal Creator for this beautiful forest and the healthy (although somewhat abused at the moment) body I was blessed with.  I don't mean to sound preachy, but it you've never been there...you are missing out.

Best crew ever

My feelings of euphoria ended at mile 28.8.  "2.2 miles to go," the aid station attendant told me as I stumbled down the hill to what I knew was the last water stop before the end.  I had adopted a run/walk pattern that allowed me to travel much faster than a constant (and painful) run.  By walking even 25 - 50 yards my body would re-energize a little and I could take off for about a mile before needing to slow to walk again.  I had passed several other runners in the last few miles so I figured it was working.
"Two miles.  Piece a cake," I told myself.  I ran back up the hill and set my sights on finishing.  A group of nature lovers cluttered the trail as I headed into what I thought was my final stretch.  They sat chatting in the middle of the trail while their kids played with wild mushrooms and their dogs practiced ritual mating dances. I suppressed urges to feel anger towards these easy going hikers, reminding myself that it's good for everyone to get out and enjoy the park in the springtime.  What I didn't know, was that the hikers, their children and dogs were standing right in front of the direction sign that told runners of the Hog's Hunt 50k to continue straight rather than turning left...as I had just done.  I ran with that renewed sense of euphoria that in less than two miles I would be done. I ran fast and hard, thinking that now was the time to give it all.  There was no need to hold anything back because it was all but over.
Then I saw the water stop.  There were no people at the water stop...just some coolers placed on a table.  I had passed this same stop about 25 minutes ago.  Something was wrong...I looked at my GPS watch and saw that I should be within a half mile of the finish line.
And my heart broke.  After running almost 31 miles...I would have to run 2 additional miles to finish the race.  All of the racers I had passed in the last 4 miles were now at least one mile ahead of my...and more if they were moving at all.
But, what do you do?  I filled my water bottle, turned the music up and ran.

Maycie and Cora waiting at the finish line

I ended up running a total of 33.2 miles.  I crossed the finish line going (according to my GPS watch) faster then I have ever gone (on foot) in my recorded running history.  The top speed was 11.1 miles per hour.
My wonderful wife was waiting for me with David, Cora and Maycie to make sure I didn't pass out and die on the way home.  So I ran an extra two miles and totally blew my chances for setting a Personal Record at the 50k distance.  But in a weird and twisted way I'm kind of glad.  I found out that I can go farther than 31 miles and still feel...well, I can go farther than 31 miles.  I ended up losing 3 toe nails and spent the next week recovering.  Am I glad I did it.
 Absolutely.

Not much left of me after the race