Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Cape Coddah

Sunday was the perfect day for running. It was 55-65 degrees and sunny with a light breeze. The route along the roads and shores of Falmouth was stunning. Really gorgeous. The Cape Cod Marathon had an 8:30 am start, and it felt right.

If you backtrack a bit through some of my posts leading up to the race, you'll see that I went through a phase in which I was worried about my performance. After posting high mileage weeks with six, five and four weeks to go until the event, I went two weeks with only 16 total miles and no long runs. Throw in a China trip, and I was starting to worry about my ability to run the race at all. The worry (mostly) left after a strong 10 miler the Sunday before the race. I ran at my goal race pace and felt strong throughout. At that point, my mindset changed. I realized that I had put in some serious work over the past few months, and I decided (and decided is the word) that I was prepared.

On the day before marathon Sunday, Mrs. VTR and I drove down to Falmouth to get our bearings and check out the route. We drove all 26.2 miles and made an effort to talk up only the positive aspects. (Killer rolling hills? No way man, they're nothing compared to "real" VT hills. It's all mental, right?) I planned to do a short run that day, so I ran miles 22 - 24, the supposedly flat section that follows about 8 miles of rollers. I was glad to get out because this section was not flat, and surprises are no good on race day. Having run it early, I was prepared to hit it again on Sunday.

So race day arrived, and as I said it was perfect. The drive to the Cape was uneventful and the pre-race flow was smooth. My goal was to do the run at an 8 minute mile pace for a time of 3:30. I framed this as my stretch goal, but I really wanted it. I thought it was doable on paper, but I came in at a 3:45 in my only other marathon, so I knew it would be a challenge.

It's hard to describe the actual progression of the run, so I'll stick to some of the high points.

1. Wing man -- at mile five, a guy that I had been trading positions with for a few miles casually asked me, "You doing eights?” I was, so we ran together for about 20 of the 26.2 miles. It was really helpful to have a partner to pass the time with -- the course seemed to fly by at points.
2. Hills -- I think with hills, it's all about the mental preparation. When I was choosing a marathon, I read a lot about the CCM course, especially the rolling hills from miles 12 - 22. I incorporated hills into my training runs, but more importantly, I was mentally ready for them. As a result, the hills seemed manageable, and I ended up being pleasantly surprised by all of the downhills (no one mentions these) on the backsides of the rolls.
3. Game planning -- Planning is critical for a marathon. My first game plan was to run at a manageable, steady pace, unlike the Burlington Marathon in which I went out waaayyyy too fast and crashed hard for the last 7 miles. I practiced the pacing on training runs, and I was able to experience strong finishes each time. For the marathon, the pay off was at mile 17, when I hit the mile marker, felt good, and compared that to the absolute agony I felt at mile 17 in Burlington. Pacing saved me this time around. My second strategy was about fuel, and it started the week before the race when I made sure to hydrate and eat well. On race day, I discovered a new product that pulled me through -- Cliff Shots, Margarita with Salt flavor. They have 300mg of sodium to prevent cramping, taste great and have the consistency of gummy bears. I was determined not to let salt loss get the better of me, so I ate a whole package of the shots over the course of the race. No extreme cramping and no stomach issues. Score. Check out those shots before your next race. I also had a couple of Gu's and water at every stop.

For posterity, I'm including my splits here:
Mile 1 -- 7:50
2 -- 7:49
3 -- 8:15
4/5 -- 15:23
6 -- 8:06
7 -- 8:02
8/9 -- 16:55
10/11 -- 15:40
12 -- 8:15
13 -- 7:38
14/15 -- 15:36
16/17 -- 15:50
18 - -8:01
19 -- 8:04
20 -- 8:07
21 -- 8:02
22 -- 8:20
23 -- 8:10
24 -- 8:21
25 -- 8:10
26.2 -- 10:02

In sum, it was a great race, and I feel proud to have hit my 3:30 goal. In the process, I learned more about myself and the sport of marathon running. I also felt the LDT love on the course. It was great to connect with Agricola and Phat doing the thing that brought this group together in this venue in the first place.

I'll end this long post with this thought: I'm already thinking about the next race. Damn.

Monday, October 29, 2007

CCM Relay

So the relay has been run. PR and I (mainly PR) cobbled together a team and it was a hoot. We certainly broke no land speed records but had fun despite PR's blown tire. I did the fourth (of five) leg. It covered 6 very hilly miles. I have total respect for the marathoners who tackled that giant climb at mile 20 alongside the Woods Hole Golf Course. That stretch was one of the most challenging stretches I've ever run -- lots of rollers, a couple big climbs and then the aforementioned monster at 20. That hill was savage and gave me a run for my money five miles into my leg so I can only imagine how it felt to hit it at 20 miles!

I have to say that this is one my proudest runs -- I covered the 6 hilly miles in under 48 minutes (48 minutes was my goal) and I squeaked in at 47:43. I don't know what it was but I was rolling and never really felt in trouble. I could feel myself powering over the hills and every roller got a little easier than the last. I worked on the up and relaxed on the down. I loved this run -- it was beautiful scenery and a gorgeous day. When I was done I was totally amped up and feeling the runner's high. It was awesome.

I saw VTR during his run and after his marathon finish -- I'll let him describe it -- but he looked good on the course and afterwards. Congratulations VTR, nicely done.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Another run on a beautiful fall night

A cool night. The air is crisp - just the way I like it and I started out well. The training on the treadmill definitely helped me keep a quicker pace tonight, but half way through the run, my legs were sore. I kept at it and finished with 4.3 miles in 38 minutes.
Just plugging away.

A - found two runners tonight.

Fashion Disaster

Time: 33:23
Avg HR: 161
Peak HR: 180
Calories: 556
Distance: 4.02
Start Time: 6:50 AM
Training Effect: 4.1
Temp: Chilly
Date: 10/25/07

It was cold and damp and kind of dreary today -- a 180 degree change from Tuesday. I actually wore tights today to avoid freezing my legs and having my back seize up. It worked. I also wore maroon shorts over my black tights with a pale blue short sleeve shirt over a long sleeve orange shirt -- a total fashion disaster and luckily it was dark for much of my run. Not much to report, it was pretty uneventful and a decent run though I did have a perspective altering glimpse into other peoples' lives.

About a year ago two kids were killed in a wreck not far from our house. They wrapped their ride around a tree that cut the car in half. A couple of days later men in hazmat suits were walking across the property where the accident occurred in a line and I can only guess what they were looking for. A couple of weeks ago Mrs. Agricola says:

You know what gets me?
What?
That hockey stick leaning against the house where that boy lived who died in the accident.
I hadn't noticed, did he live near here?
Yeah, a little house on X Ave, and the stick has been there since he died.

Today I ran by the house -- I've been running by for months and never realized it. The lights were on and in the dining room was a birthday banner with the boys name and age and tons of pictures posted to the wall . . . just stuck to the wall with tape, snapshots, etc. it totally blew me away. I also saw his father in the kitchen and I nearly stopped, the whole scene was so overwhelming . . . I run by the spot where the kids were killed pretty regularly but the shrine is alway at my back so I don't notice it but I couldn't miss this.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

2 more treadmill workouts

Gotta love the treadmill. Two 4.15 Mile runs. Both completed in under 35 minutes. Worked up a good sweat. Nothing to do but watch Southern California go up in flames the entire time I ran. God bless everyone who is affected out there and for the brave firemen who are working 24 hour shifts just to keep the entire southern half of the state from going up.

My sweat and toil in preparation for a race seems trivial when there are 7,000 dedicated people putting their lives on the line for their neighbors.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Animals

Time: 33:22
Avg HR: 160
Peak HR: 179
Calories: 587
Distance: 4.02
Start Time: 6:47 AM
Training Effect: 4.2
Temp: Warm & Humid
Date: 10/23/07

Today was a decent run. Not my fastest at this distance for sure, but fairly comfortable and uneventful. I really feel fall settling in on me -- I'm moving a bit slower and want to eat a lot more. No matter how much we try and avoid it, we're still animals and still somewhat in tune with Nature and her rhythms.

On a more prosaic note: what's up with our CCM team? Am I going to have to run like half of this marathon this weekend? That's going to be ugly.

Are you ready for some...

Hockey?!

I played my first hockey game of the season with the local men's hockey league last night. Man, absolutely nothing can prepare you for that workout. It was like a full 90 minutes of wind sprints. There were no dry heaves, but I did plenty of gliding around the ice, watching the puck go by just out of reach. I managed a couple of shots on goal and one deflection that almost found the back of the net. It was a fun time, and a perfect "cross train" for the early part of my taper week. Two more short (very short) runs on tap this week before it's go time on Sunday.

Monday, October 22, 2007

The Fairest Borough

Mrs. Agricola and I were in The Fairest Borough over the weekend for a friend's wedding. We stayed in our old hood -- Brooklyn Heights -- and it was a lot of fun. We slept until nearly 9 AM and then went out for a together-run. We ran together for about 30 minutes. We headed from the Brooklyn Marriott, up some street I can't recall, crossed Atlantic to Court, down Court to Carroll -- we rented there -- to Clinton to Remsen to the Promenade where we parted ways and I headed down Cranberry -- we owned there -- across Cadman Plaza to the pedestrian stairs of the Brooklyn Bridge, across the bridge, into Manhattan, back across the bridge, down to the Promenade, back down Remsen, across the Brooklyn City Hall Plaza and back to the Marriott.

It took me 61 minutes total, I burned 1089 calories and enjoyed every minute of it. Brooklyn is really where I started running in earnest and it really felt like being home. My back, which had been aching since my Wednesday run loosened up within a few minutes of starting. I was hurting at the outset but the activity loosened it all up. It was great to run with Mrs. A and talk about old times, current times and future times and I got a nice two part workout. If you've never run a bridge like the Brooklyn Bridge I highly recommend it. The experience gives you a terrific sense of how they are built and you get to do two nice hill climbs. The Manhattan approach is steeper than the Brooklyn. I love running that bridge -- it was like hanging with an old, challenging friend.

120

I'm officially on countdown to the CCM, and my head is finally getting in to the game. I went out for my last "long" run of 10 miles on Sunday, and felt good and strong. After Friday's minor calf tweak, I was worried about potentially injuring myself more so close to the race. But I was also worried about the mental impact of not getting in another long run before the marathon. In the end my mental state took priority, and the calf responded well.

At the start of the run, my legs were tight in different spots. The left calf, the right hammy, what's that twinge in the hip flexors, does my knee feel right? Because I was paranoid about the calf, I tuned into every little ache. At 10 minutes into the run, I took a planned stretch break and worked out some kinks. By twenty minutes in, I was warmed up and the legs were feeling good. Phew.

My mantra on this run was 1:20, which was my goal time for this 10 mile loop. It works out to an 8 minute mile pace, which is my way-aggressive strectch goal for the marathon (3:30). I figured that if I could hold that pace on this super hilly route, I could do it for the marathon. Whether that's true or not doesn't matter. I hit my goal (within 1 minute), which satisfied me mentally. I'm now ready for Sunday. The rest of the week is all about prep through eating right, a couple of short feel good runs and good thoughts.

Let's make a plan for meeting up on race morning. Mrs. VTR and I will be checking out the course on Saturday afternoon as well.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Treadmill Musings

Ran on Friday for a 1/2 hour during an early AM run with rain starting to fall on me as I finished. Okay run.

Today, between sessions at a conference I am attending near Philly, I ran on a treadmill. Running on a treadmill leads one to have several thoughts:

Why do they put mirrors in front of you? While I certainly admired my quad muscles beginning to have more definition, after awhile I got bored watching my fat jiggle around my midsection. Why not put them in front of windows to look at the great outdoors?

When TVs are just off to the side, one should not watch them. I slipped several times and almost fell as I watched some good old football on Sunday.

Why do you have to use the keys on the dash to adjust the speed? It totally throws your stride. Much better to have a remote you could hold in your hands that could adjust speed and incline.

Anyways, 1/2 hour, 3.5 miles, very sweaty as I headed to dinner.

Cheers. Keep on running!

Friday, October 19, 2007

Ouch

Went for what was to be a seven miler today at lunch, but ran into some issues. At about 35 minutes in, I felt a slight tweak in my calf. I stretched then walked for a bit and was able to run, slowly and carefully, the remaining 20 minutes back to work. Now I'm back at the desk with 600 mg of ibuprofen in me, and the calf is sore and tight. I had planned to do a 10 - 15 miler tomorrow, but that is most likely out the window. Bummer. Let's hope it heals up over the next few days.

Anyone know what foods are good to heal muscles? I figure I'll load up on protein, and I heard that milk helps revive sore muscles, too. Maybe some bananas for the potassium. Any other tips?

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Finally

Got out for a 5K at lunch today and felt pretty good considering I've only run once (another 5K) in the past 2 weeks. For the first quarter mile I felt like I was being pulled by my legs. The feeling reminded me of being pulled by an over-excited dog on a leash. The legs just wanted to go. I ended up doing the route in 23:30, which was good for the mental state. With less than 2 weeks until CCM, I need positive running experiences. Taper? Already done. Now it's crunch time.

Later boys.

It's Dark Out There . . .

. . . and cold.

Today was my first run in a week and a half. It was not so great, but I'll be OK.
First, I'm battling my seasonal allergy thing and actually puffed my inhaler at the one mile mark. Second, it was chilly today and I think I might need to break out the tights -- by the end of the run, my legs felt totally constricted from the cold. They weren't tired from the mileage (I did short arun to get back into it)they were sort of frozen feeling and not firing very nicely. Third, I think my week of labor tweaked my back because it tightened up dramatically near the end. I'll stretch it out tonight and hopefully be ready to roll Friday. My week of labor and no running did nothing for my running fitness, but I can shovel for hours on end now. On a positive note, I rolled out in pre-dawn darkness with the clouds over the eastern horizon just pinking -- it was beautiful. It's dark out there right now and I'm waiting for the clocks to roll back to get me some more morning light.

In reference to your post PR, it's a male team, but as I mentioned in my comment, I'm not sure people will pay that much attention to women or men. Whoever can run is welcome, and we still need three.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Two longer runs

Hit it hard Monday night and this afternoon. Went 4.33 miles each run. Last night did it in 41 minutes and today went out with a running friend and I completed the same run in 38:00 minutes. Go figure. It is always amazing what a running partner can help you do. He actually went out for a little longer run and he was going to go two minutes past and then try to catch me. So the whole way I just had incredible motivation to keep the stride longer and stay on pace. I still think my best running gains came a few years ago after we had our first child and I decided to hit the treadmill. The treadmill might be boring, but it keeps you honest with your pace and you have no choice but to run (otherwise you end up hitting your face like the woman does in that Gillette commercial). I digress. I feel sore now, but a good run. I just need to keep going until I am once again blessed with some runner's lungs.

Keep on trucking and good running to you all.

Agricola, I have several runners lined up. Need to know if team is coed or not.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Running, running....Last Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday

Thanks, Agricola for getting me out two Sundays ago. I got out for a run on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. All a little over 1/2 hour each and last night I got bloodied. Darn sidewalk came out of nowhere, caused me to pitch forward and scrape my left knee and ankle. Better my leg than my head and I had to say I was steamed. It was already not much of a run, but that just made my blood boil. I had to say I just wanted to quit, yet a little voice told me to keep going and I stayed on and finished pretty strong. Picture to be posted later, but needless to say there was a good stream of blood running down the leg.

The thing is running is not very fun when you have not hit the runner's high and developed your lungs. I know what it feels like to be there and when you are working through an inconsistent running schedule, reaching the runner's high seems very much out of reach. You just have to keep running though and work through it. That is why running with people can be so much better Thanks again Agricola for helping to get me back on track.

Agricola, how many more runners do we need for CCM?

Monday, October 8, 2007

Social!

I took a nice run with PR on Sunday. He and his family swung by the house for a visit and we squeaked in a nice little trot. I think that it will be interesting to read his post about the run and compare them -- I see that it's up, but haven't read it. I guy I worked with when I was a kid used to say: "We're all going to the same place, but won't share the same experience . . . "

I totally enjoyed running with PR and talking along the route. It was a nice quiet Sunday. With the Pats just ending and the Sox just starting my town was fairly ghostly. I didn't get in a family run this weekend, but this was a great social experience. I really enjoy running with other folks, sharing the experience and connecting. We talked about work mostly, but it wasn't rancorous -- it was a good brainstorming talking about options and things that we do, could do, would like to do. It's been a while since we've been together and it was great to share a run -- something I don't think we've ever done. Remember PR, your next run is Tuesday -- shoot for another 30 minutes. It was very cool and I thank you for going out with me.

I'm working on a patio in my yard and moved so much dirt today and have so much more to do in the coming days I'm not sure how much running I'll get in this week -- 5 hours of digging sort of knock the run out of you. I may shoot for some shorter more mellow runs but we'll see -- I need to move like 5 more cubic yards of dirt tomorrow as well as spread a ton of gravel. I actually need to spread two tons, but I'll probably get the second ton down on Wednesday and then start spreading sand . . . maybe that counts as cross training?

Aborted 20

I had my second 20 miler scheduled for this past weekend. It was supposed to be on Sunday, but since I was flying all day to China (I'm in Hong Kong now), I took Friday off and adjusted my schedule to get it in then. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

After running a half marathon the weekend before, my body revolted a little bit. I had GI issues on Monday to the point that I left work early, and my stomach felt tight and off all week. I'm almost positive that the discomfort was from dehydration because it wasn't flu-like, food related or much like anything I've had before. By the time Thursday night came around, I was feeling better, but still didn't have 100% of my appetite and wasn't eating very well. My pre-run dinner that night was a bowl of cereal at about 8:30.

When I woke up Friday morning, my head was not in the game, so I grabbed the iPod that I didn't use on my last long run and headed out the door. The first half mile of this route is downhill, which is usually a great way to start, but not that day. My body felt uncoordinated (like Agricola's did earlier in the week) and I couldn't get into the run mentally. After about 20 minutes, I opted for the iPod, figuring that some NPR talk that Mrs. VTRunner downloaded might distract me. I have literally never run with music or anything in my ears, so that I plugged in for this run tells a lot about my mindset.

I managed to go about 3 miles before calling it quits at the playground where Mrs. VTRunner was scheduled to be for a mommy running club. (This running club is a great idea btw. About 10 moms get together at the park and go out for a run in two groups. The first group runs while the other watches the kids, and vice versa. Awesome idea.) The playground is on my route and right at the start of a 2 mile hill. I stopped because I just did not want to do the run, and my body was not into it either. I was probably still slightly dehydrated, didn't have the right food in me, and therefore had no motivation to run. And if you don't want to run the 20 miles on some level, it is not going to happen. It was a strange experience to get over the hurdles of getting out the door only to stop 3 miles in, but I realized that the run was not meant to be that day. I'm bummed, but I feel like the decision was made for me by my body and the issues I had earlier in the week. I was out of gas and no matter how hard I tried to jam on the pedal, I wasn't going anywhere.

I also realized that I am absolutely NOT into any kind of music/iPod distractions while running. I'm not against it for others, but I couldn't concentrate at all. It's not what running is to me.

So, now I'm heading to China. Look for a few treadmill posts over the next couple of days. Too hot and muggy (and poluted) to run outside.

Later boys. Go Pats! Go Sox! (I can't believe I missed their clincher!)

Sunday, October 7, 2007

A Visit and Run with Agricola

The men were actually able to coordinate the Agricola and Phatrunner families without the wives being involved. A good time was had by the kids and better halves and Phatty and Agricola got out for a 31 minute run. Agricola is in much better shape and was able to hold a conversation throughout while my breathing became more and more labored. Hats off to Agricola for staying committed and he finished off the run with a very nice sprint. I have some work to do.

Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Agricola for a wonderful afternoon and a great dinner. Have a great Columbus Day!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Time: 38:18
Avg HR: 158
Peak HR: 178
Calories: 637
Distance: 4.7
Start Time: 6:46 AM
Training Effect: 4.3
Temp: 50s & Humid
Date: 10/4/07

Two days ago I needed a jacket, it was cold and dry and clear. Today I didn't stop sweating for 45 minutes post-run. The air was humid and funky and the sky was leaden.
Fall got a bit more shallow today, for sure.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

45 minutes

I got in a 45 minute trail run at lunch yesterday. It was another running meeting, which is a cool trend. We actually accomplished some work stuff. It also felt good to be out in this beautiful fall weather. Have we had an incredible month of sun or what?

Nothing more to report. Just checking in.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

"There Is No Fight Club"

Time: 32:59
Avg HR: 152
Peak HR: 170
Calories: 526
Distance: 4.02
Start Time: 6:47 AM
Training Effect: 3.8
Temp: high-30s
Date: 10/2/07

"The first rule of fight club is that there is no fight club . . . "
"The second rule of fight club is that there is no fight club . . . "

With those lines I got sucked into a late night movie after watching the Pats beat up the Bengals. I didn't watch the whole of Fight Club, and did manage to get to bed before midnight but 6:30 came awfully quickly. Another thing that hastened the morning was some GI distress that kept rousing me from a fitful sleep. So, I was haggard this AM and not feeling so splendid as I ran my route. I got it in, and I didn't have to do anything that would get me arrested -- I, unlike VTR, do not live in a rural area. A good night's sleep is so key, for me at least, as my (not fleet) time for my 4 mile loop shows. Oh yeah, I actually wore my running jacket today -- the one with the light lining -- because it was pretty chilly out there. Fall deepens.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Leaf Peeper Half Marathon

It's really nice when a race coincides with a marathon training schedule, and the Leaf Peeper fit in perfectly for me. I had a 13 mile run on the schedule, and what better way to get it done than surrounded by cheering crowds, other runners, and water stations.

My plan was to use this race to test the whole concept of pacing myself early so I don't crash and burn at the end of my marathon. My pace was going to be 8 minute/miles, and my goal was a 1:45 time. I wanted to see what a consistent 8:00 pace felt like.

I ended up running with a couple of women from town who had a similar goal. We went out at about a 7:45 pace and held that for about 8 miles. It was faster than we wanted, but we all felt good and not stressed, so we kept it up. After mile 8, though, I was feeling antsy. I had seen a couple of friends ahead of me at the turnaround (this was an out and back course), and I wanted to push it and try to reel them in. When I checked my watch at the end of the 8th mile and saw an 8:11 pace, I knew it was time to take off, which I did with my fellow pace-setters' blessings. I ran at a consistent 7:30-ish pace for the final 5 miles and felt strong, knowing that this was the type of push I was "saving" myself for during the first half. In the end, I came in at 1:41:27, which was huge. I confirmed the strategy I want to use during the marathon, I beat my target, and I felt like I could do even better next time around.

In terms of the distance, I really enjoyed the half marathon. It's satisfying, but not as grueling (training or race-wise) as a marathon. It's fast, but not ungodly fast like a 5 or 10K. I'd highly recommend this distance for anyone looking for a new experience out on the roads.

Later boys.

Family Run 2

I met one goal this weekend which was to get out with the whole family for another family run. We did a little different route and had a nice time on a gorgeous day for a 30 minute trot. Mrs. Agricola started out blazing and paid for it at the end. She's getting stronger and as a result is having some trouble with the pacing aspect of her workouts. That's a good problem to have I think; and the pacing piece will work itself out. The kids were ensconced in the stroller with animal buddies and snacks. Child Two was very quiet, uncharacteristically so, and Child One sang "Bingo Was His Name-O" over and over again.
We had a good time and are looking forward to the next run.

I didn't get out for my trail run Sunday, but I did manage to make a huge pot of Chicken Curry and an apple pie, so the day wasn't a total wash.