tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61087931057493457712024-02-07T20:28:33.961-05:00Long Distance TrainingThis is an experiment in distance training.
We are a bunch of guys in our 30s who live far apart.
This is our training blog.
We hope to use each others postings as motivation in our own training.Agricolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273624709153422721noreply@blogger.comBlogger948125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-50556424471236843622011-02-06T07:51:00.003-05:002011-02-06T07:53:40.337-05:00Vermont City MarathonIs anyone out there going to run Vermont City this year? <br /><br />I am 1/3 of the way through my 12 marathon 12 month challenge and am trying to finalize my race schedule...if so let me know!!Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-65761231346282774632010-12-12T20:24:00.001-05:002010-12-12T20:27:09.143-05:00Roxbury MarathonLet's just say I'm glad this marathon is finished!<br /><br />I was told by several accomplished runners that this course was tough, and to add 30 to 40 minutes to my average marathon time to determine what a projected finish would be. They were right. <br /><br />Despite all of the running I've done over the last year, nothing I did prepared me for the Roxbury Marathon course. The course record, set by a top ultramarathon runner, was 3:02. This would be my most challenging marathon of the year without question. How challenging? I'll start from the beginning...<br /><br />Our little man was sick with strep so Cheryl stayed with the kids and I hauled down to CT Friday night. My parents greeted me with a wonderful pasta dinner, and after catching up for a while, I hit the sack around 10pm. Couldn't sleep, and up at 4am and at 6am went to Starbucks for some coffee. Picked up my sister Amy, who accompanied me to the race.<br /><br />Roxbury is a gorgeous bucolic town in Litchfield County, maybe a 40 min drive from Trumbull. Arrived at Hurlburt park, where registration was. This is as informal as a marathon gets - pay $5 and wait for the start. They had a fire going in the outdoor fireplace, but it was so cold the ink in the pens was frozen. I was the 9th person to register, and was given #9 as a bib. I joked that they had me mixed up with the elites. Probably the only time I'll ever have a single digit number, ever!<br /><br />It was cold at the start (19 degrees) but clear skies. 72 runners ready to run, and at 8:30 the race director shouted GO! and we were off.<br /><br />The race consisted of an 8 mile out and back (4 up turn around, 4 back to the start) which was hilly and mostly run on a rural dirt road. It felt more like a trail marathon than a traditional road marathon at that point. 7:49, 8:08, 8:14 first three miles and I felt pretty good.<br /><br />After the turnaround, the hills were grueling - some runners were walking them already - and my mile 6 time was 9:11 - the earliest I have ever run a 9 minute mile. NYC for example I didn't record a +9 minute time until mile 15. So I knew then it was going to be a very l-o-n-g morning. The elevation profile resembles an EKG chart.<br /><br />After I returned to the mile 8 mark, which also served as the start and finish, Amy was there and handed me a PowerBar gel and a cup of water. She was also yelling 'David is King!', and made a mock bib with that written on it, a joke that goes back to our childhood, and also brought sleigh bells and was jingling and jangling them with great enthusiasm. It was wonderful to have her there!<br /><br />The remainder of the course consisted of five 3.5 mile loops, so Amy would meet/greet me at the same spot and hand out a gel each time. I recorded a 9:14 for mile 9, which included the hilliest part of the loop - approximately 200+ feet of elevation gain in a little under a mile. I'd be running that four more times? That was when I came to the realization I probably would finish +4 hours. <br /><br />After rambling up the hills of Hemlock Rd (which was steep and then unpaved for a 1/2 mile stretch) we banked right onto North St, across Wellers Bridge Rd to South St, then curved up Apple Lane where the start/finish was.<br /><br />My 13.1 split was around 1:55, but my mile splits were now consistently in the low 9's and getting slower. Just try to enjoy it, I told myself. Forget time. Enjoy the scenery. What a great way to spend a Saturday morning in December! But that is a very difficult thing to do when I know the clock is ticking.<br /><br />Despite my sister handing me a gel every 4th mile, and being a small race there were several water stops but only one gatorade stop - which for me wasn't enough. I need it every 2 miles or so, and when my legs started to get heavy I knew I had a problem on my hands.<br /><br />By mile 16 I felt like I was running in mud up to my waist. My cardio felt fine but between the hill repeats and the lack of gatorade, my leg muscles were tight, almost numb. 'Dead' is how I would describe them. I was shuffling along, not really running with a purposeful stride. Ten miles to go, and the goal became just to finish and be done with it already.<br /><br />I was frustrated because by this point I wasn't really enjoying the experience, the first time I ever felt that way in a marathon. This brought back memories of this summer's ultra, when every step past mile 44 was sheer, unadulterated agony. After completing my 4th loop at mile 19 I had to walk the steepest grades on Hemlock - and that got me down because in my previous three marathons, I ran each and every step as fast as I could. Here I was walking. Aggravated. Looking at my Garmin and watching my avg. mile per minute time slip away. I kept thinking about how after all of my running, nothing I have done properly prepared me for these hills. I also, however, kept fast forwarding to Miami, and how much I was looking forward to ripping along a flat course, going for a personal best, instead of being stuck in survival mode. Dean Karnazes, in his 50 marathons/50 days book, put up some big, crooked numbers as well - so that helped keep it in perspective. It's more than this one race. It's the entire twelve month journey. <br /><br /> Mile 25 was my low point, 13:13, but knowing I had 1.2 miles to go I kept shuffling, shuffling, the soles of my Brooks scuffing the pavement every step. Every slight grade increase, each small rise in the road seemed like Everest. <br /><br />As I approached the finish - which of course was at the top of a hill - I sprinted, for lack of a better word, the last 50 yards or so. There was Amy cheering me on, and I gave her a big hug when I finished. I can't say enough about her, how wonderful her support was, how every 3.5 miles she greeted me with smiles and positive words of encouragement. You're a rock star!<br /><br />4:21:14 was my official time, 37th place out of 72 runners. Nearly 35 minutes slower than NYC, but I will train hard to make sure this is the only marathon where my finish time is greater than 4 hrs. The course record was broken that day - 2:52 I believe, and the 2nd place runner finished in 2:54 or so - very impressive, because it is a beast.<br /><br />This was also my 12th road race of 2010 - something I am also very proud of. 4 Marathons, 1 20 Miler, 1 Half, 2 Ten Milers, 3 5k's, and 1 50 mile Ultra.<br /><br />I have finished the first quarter of my 12 marathons 12 months - now it's onto #4 in Miami January 30th!Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-55835604723031385862010-11-30T13:06:00.002-05:002010-11-30T13:15:33.674-05:0016.25 on Sunday, plus a few other runsI haven't posted in about 10 days or so but yes I have been diligent and running, just not blogging. I did my two treadmill runs in NYC, a 7.5 miler in 1hr and a 3.5 miler in 30 mins. Did not do a Thanksgiving day race, but should have. Then in CT I did a 9 mile run the Friday after Thanksgiving without my Garmin, and on Saturday did my 4.3 loop. On Sunday, I did a big 16.25 long run - temps were mid 20's and it was blustery - but cranked it out in 2:27:02, or 9:02 pace. I can run a very comfortable 9 minute mile, but am to the point now where I need to pick up the pace and get faster.<br /><br />I am testing for my Blue Belt on Dec. 18, a week after running my 3rd consecutive monthly marathon - this one is in Roxbury, CT. It's a small race, 60 runners or so, and it's a hilly track. I think it is five 4.5 mile loops, and I understand it's hilly. This should be good training for the Miami Marathon 1/30, which I hope to set a personal best at considering it will be flat, flat, flat. Need to beat my Sugarloaf 3:39:19. <br /><br />Cherry Blossom registration begins tomorrow Dec. 1st! It a rolling lottery registration, I think we have a week long window to get our team together and register.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-17060031947297273822010-11-18T20:07:00.002-05:002010-11-18T20:11:50.085-05:00Thursday 13Got 13.06 in today in 1:58, or 9:02 minute/mile. Felt ok, this was an evenly paced run that I just cranked out. We're taking the little ones to NYC for their first visit, staying at the Mariott Marquis so I'm sure they have a good gym. I plan two very early a.m. treadmill workouts for Mon and Tues of next week.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-1933061601511575262010-11-16T13:00:00.003-05:002010-11-16T13:08:09.143-05:00Tuesday 4.3Today's run followed a tough Taekwondo class last evening so I debated if I should skip altogether, but decided to do my infamous loop here in Kittery (4.3 miles).<br /><br />Decent time of 33:51 (7:52 pace) but tried to keep each mile under 8:00 and did 7:29, 7:56, 8:06 and 8:17 with a good kick at the end.<br /><br />Next run will be 13, but it is supposed to rain cats and dogs tomorrow. It might wait until Thursday.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-63601016286802459762010-11-15T10:58:00.000-05:002010-11-15T10:59:11.818-05:00Monday runMy 1st run post NYC was pretty decent one overall - 8:32 pace, mile splits fairly even, and the out-and-back route had a good amount of hills to keep me working hard.<br /><br />http://connect.garmin.com/activity/56824024<br /><br />I am going to work on lengthening my stride a bit, even a small increase might improve my speed as all of those steps with extra distance add up, even if just a fraction of time. Also going to keep my back upright more, I have a tendency to lean forward, head down, when I tire and will try to keep my shoulders back and run with a straighter, more proper gait..<br /><br />So next up is the Roxbury Marathon in CT on Saturday, December 11th. I am approaching this as a hilly training run in preparaton for Miami at the end of January - so of course I want a good time, but I am running this small backroads race to keep my marathon streak alive and challenge myself on what I understand is a tough, tough course.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-23401305274179243192010-11-08T20:39:00.001-05:002010-11-09T13:52:28.423-05:002010 NYC MarathonWhere to begin?<br /><br />Running 26.2 miles with 45,000 other runners through the greatest city in the world is an experience difficult to articulate, but I will do my best and attempt to relive the race as I remember it.<br /><br />My final week leading up to the marathon was a difficult one, as my grandmother passed away and we had services on the Friday prior to the race. On Saturday, Cheryl and I took the train in from Fairfield, checked in to our hotel in Battery Park, and made our way to the expo at the Jacob Javitz center. Picked up my bib, 33411, a very nice goodie bag, and back to the hotel where I saw a timely piece on the history of the NYC Marathon on PBS. Later that evening we took the subway to Union Square and had dinner at a nice trattoria in the West Village called Crispo. I started with some arancini (fried risotto balls with mozzarella) - amazing. Then I had a proscuitto, arugula, tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad, spaghetti all carbonara (my favorite pre-race meal), as well as a piece of grilled chicken with a side of broccoli rabe. Big, delicious dinner.<br /><br />I was asleep by 9pm, and woke up at 12:30 just charged with excitement and anticipation. I tossed and turned until about 4:30am when I finally got out of bed, showered, and got ready for the day. Had a banana, clif bar, and blueberry muffin I'd picked up from a Whole Foods near the Union Square stop for breakfast the night before, and washed it down with some gatorade. Walked over to the Staten Island Ferry terminal, which was just steps away from the hotel.<br /><br />The logistics of the event were impressive. I was on the 6am ferry, and we orderly boarded on time. I was surrounded by international runners - Italians mostly, but Dutch, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians, South Africans, Canadians. At one point on the ride I chuckled when I heard all of these different sounding languages at once.<br /><br /> Once the ferry arrived, we were led to buses (mine was a Rutgers University shuttle) and it drove us the 3 miles to Ft. Wadsworth, in the shadows of the Verranzano bridge. There, we were divided up based upon our bib color - orange, blue, green. 15,000 runners gathered in the orange village, where we had free coffee, bagels, and gatorade. What I underestimated was how COLD it would be! Ridiculously cold. I had my fleece pants and North Face running jacket, hat and gloves, and it didn't cut it. The wind was fierce. I had thought about buying some thrift clothes and just discarding them at the start, but didn't - but the other 14,999 in the orange village did. People were wrapped in blankets, trash bags. anything to stay warm. I checked in my pants and jacket at the last minute at my designated UPS truck before heading to the orange corral, and froze by tail off. I waited a good 45min -1:00 in the corral for wave 2 to begin, and we were herded to the start like stockyard cattle. Our cannon went off at 10:10, and off we were, and I still get chills just thinking about the beginning. <br /><br />Mile 1 was slow because of the sheer mass of people on the bridge at the start, 8:57 min mile. I decided early on that I would run to the far left of the road, right along the crowd line, to faciliate passing slower runners and for the simple fact that I loved being right next to the crowd, feeding off their energy. Brooklyn, I love you! Their enthusiasm was 'off the hook' as they say. Insane. The intensity of the cheering, the bands playing, the overall vibe was tremendous. Bay Ridge, they were four deep and little children had their hands out for high fives - but so were adults, elderly folks, it was awesome. I was in a sweet early groove and must have slapped 5,000 hands if not more. I had on a yellow Livestrong techinical tee and people would yell "Go Livestrong!" and it was a rush.<br /><br />My 1st eight miles were as follows:<br /><br />1 00:08:57 08:57 <br />2 00:08:02 08:02 <br />3 00:07:38 07:38 <br />4 00:07:38 07:38 <br />5 00:07:43 07:43 <br />6 00:07:53 07:53 <br />7 00:07:57 07:57 <br />8 00:08:03 08:03 <br /><br /><br />After mile 8 in downtown Brooklyn I felt amazing and flew the next mile - turns out I did a 7:39. I didn't check my time or pace often, I just ran, slapping high fives. Gatorade stops were plentiful and I hit them all, and I had 6 GU's on me and took one every 4th mile. My 13.1 split time was 1:46:42, and I was pleased with that. In fact, the 3:40 pacer and I passed each other several times, so I knew I was running a good pace despite a near 9:00 first mile. I felt like I could keep it up.<br /><br /><br />Miles 9-14:<br /><br />9 00:07:39 07:39 <br />10 00:07:56 07:56 <br />11 00:08:35 08:35 <br />12 00:08:06 08:06 <br />13 00:08:17 08:17 <br />14 00:08:27 08:27 <br /><br /><br />Then I hit the Queensboro Bridge. Ouch.<br /><br />I knew it would be tough based upon the elevation charts I'd seen before the race, but wow - I felt like I wasn't moving. For the first time since the start I stopped running in the far left lane like a Porsche on the Merritt Parkway; instead I edged to the middle like a cement mixer in a lower gear just trying to climb the steepening grade. This is also where marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie dropped out with his injury just hours earlier.<br /><br />My times for the bridge Mile 15 and 16 were 9:08 and 10:33, respectively.<br /><br />Once we entered Manhattan, however, it was a different story. I will never forget the feeling as the darkened bridge (we ran on the lower deck) opened up to bright sunlight and throngs of cheers. I was also excited because Cheryl was waiting at 86th street, so I had a burst of energy up 1st Ave and clocked 8:09 and 7:56 for miles 17 and 18 so I felt rejuvinated. Unfortunately I didn't see her, as that stretch was a bit downhill and I let it rip on that section of the course. She saw me though, and since I was back to the left lane strategy, she could have touched my shoulder as I flew by.<br /><br />Mile 19 I entered Spanish Harlem, and started to feel tired. Not the infamous wall, but yes, some fatigue was starting to set in. I wasn't sure if I was tired because I just ran 17 and 18 quickly, or if this was something more.<br /><br />It was something more. Mile 19 was 9:19, but Mile 20 in the Bronx was 10:01, and I was feeling it. Just like that. The Maine Marathon I had a similar experience at the 20 mark, and yes, that dreaded wall we hear so much about. Ugh. Crossing over the Major Deegan I was feeling it, and when we took the turnaround loop at E138 St Grand Concourse and started to head back to down, I said I would look up at the street signs as they progressively got smaller for encouragement - except it wasn't going as fast as I wanted it to. 128th...........127th...........126th..........125th...............so I stopped, put my head down, and was in full-out grinding mode.<br /><br />Central Park began at 5th and 110th Street, so that was encouraging to see because I knew we were less than 5 miles from the finish. The crowds were getting larger again, and around E 90th St the course entered the park. <br /><br />Miles 21- 25:<br /><br />21 00:09:57 1.00 09:57 <br />22 00:09:29 1.00 09:29 <br />23 00:09:43 1.00 09:43 <br />24 00:10:04 1.00 10:04 <br />25 00:09:31 1.00 09:32 <br /><br /><br />After my Garmin buzzed Mile 24 10:04 I said the rest of the way I will finish sub 10:00 miles. Mile 25 was 9:32, and I knew the final 1.2 miles was where I had to dig deep. Once we hit Central Park South and Columbus Circle, I was sprinting. Sprinting! I did Mile 26 in 8:39, which I was elated over, the hardest mile of the marathon and I ran it in what was my overall average min/mile pace. Just .2 to go as we banked into the Park for the finish, and my legs and knees were rubber. I crossed the finish in 3:48:35. I had done it.<br /><br />I had read several months ago about predicting a NYC marathon finish time - someone, I can't recall who, said take your best marathon time, and add 10 minutes. That will be your NYC finish time. Well, for me it was add 9 minutes, four seconds. And checking the NYRR site, I finished 10,100 out of 45,000+ runners. That surprised me, and something to feel good about! I finished ahead of Justin Gimelstob (pro tennis player), Amani Toomer (former NY Giants WR) , Ethan Zohn (pro soccer player/Survivor winner) and well ahead of Jared the Subway guy and the Chilean miner, Edison Pena.<br /><br />We were ushered through a finishers maze with medals, photos, swag bags with gatorade/water/apple/pretzels, until we saw our UPS truck that had our check-in bag. We had to keep moving, and it was tough - I had nothing, zero left. I was just trudging along, maybe 15-20 minutes or so, until I got my bag. I called Cheryl, and 15 minutes later we met up around 81st Street. Hopped a cab, back to Battery Park.<br /><br />I showered and just chilled under the covers for an hour and watched the Detroit Lions pull defeat from the jaws of victory against the Jets, and then we headed over to The Palm for a ridiculously tasty 24oz bone-in ribeye. Body was craving protein.<br /><br />So it's the day after, and I'm sore, mostly in my quads which makes going down stairs a handrail event but other than that feel fine. I can't say enough about how incredible it was, the way the city embraces the race, the rush of pushing yourself to the limit and then pushing a bit more.<br /><br />How good was the experience? So good that I've already registered for the 2011 lottery!Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-15121090098205175102010-10-30T11:43:00.002-04:002010-10-30T12:14:04.000-04:00One Week AwayNYC is one week away and I can't wait.<br /><br />I am in 'taper mode' and did 12.95 on Thursday and 8.48 today. Taper runs can be tricky, I find myself in a running purgatory not sure how exactly to pace myself. The temptation is to put the hammer down because I feel strong, but then I don't want to take it too slow, either. Thursday's run was an 8:54 average, but my Mile 1 was 7:14, wayyyy too fast, but 11 and 12 were in the 9:45 range, as I started to tire.<br /><br />I managed to keep this morning's run steady, all of my splits were in the 8:15-8:40 range, with an average of 8:31. I feel ready, much better prepared for 26.2 than I was five weeks ago for the Maine Marathon.<br /><br />I've also signed up for dailymile.com, a very cool site which allows you to track your training among like-minded runners/cyclists/swimmers/athletes. Great motivating tool.<br /><br />I've been paying closer attention to my diet these days as well, and it is making a difference. I've been eating smaller but more frequent meals, and the urge to overdo it has dissipated since I'm grazing on a lot of nutritious, low-glycemic foods that keep me feeling full.<br /><br />Yesterday's food log:<br /><br />Breakfast (6:30am):<br />1 package Quaker instant maple & brown sugar (I know, should just go steel cut)<br />1 cup Stonyfield Oikos greek yogurt with blackberries and granola<br />6 oz Pomegranate juice to wash down my MegaMen Active daily vitamins and Omega3 fishoil vitamins<br /><br />mid-morning snack (10am or so):<br />organic banana<br />1 slice andama toast w/peanut butter<br /><br />lunch (12:30):<br />Ovengold turkey breast (2 slices) with 2 slices Monterey Jack cheese on a pita with a 1/4 avocado on a pita<br /><br />mid-afternoon snack (2:30pm):<br />2 handfuls of walnuts and dried cherries<br />1 apple<br /><br />dinner (6pm):<br />wild salmon (about 8 oz) with tomatoes, spinach, and cannellini beans<br /><br />8pm snack:<br />2 cantaloupe wedges, several handfuls of pumpkin flax granola<br /><br />I find that by simply writing down what I eat, when I eat, keeps me honest. I can look at my intake with objectivity and hold myself accountable. When I do this, I feel great and lose the urge to eat lousy food. I also drink a ton of water, and a lot of sparkling water with fresh lemon wedges.<br /><br />Lastly, I got my blood work data back and am pleased with the results. Three years ago this month, I was 222lbs and very sedentary. Now I'm 178, with another 10 to go. Triglycerides, the indicator/precursor to diabetes, was a whopping 387. Not good at all. Way too much fat in my blood. Today, it's a scant 41. Anything under 150 is good - rewarding to see what a proper diet and hard work can do. Cholesterol is 190 (anything under 200 is considered good) but I would like to reduce that number - I am cutting my intake of red meat down dramatically and I think that will make a big difference.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-39716777305855769952010-10-25T11:51:00.002-04:002010-10-25T12:28:37.388-04:00Sunday's 20.49Set out to do my long run yesterday - my last one before New York - so I ran to Long Sands Beach in York, turned around at Nubble Rd., and returned home. Great run - in fact, my best training run of that length, ever. Cheryl and the kids met me at Long Sands shortly after I turned around at mile 12 and gave me a banana, a Gatorade and lots of support. <br /><br />Finished in 3:11:02, or 9:19 min mile but my moving time was 3:07:55, or 9:10 per mile as I stopped for about 2:30 when I saw the family and also took two very quick bathroom breaks along the way. Felt great afterwards, and relaxed by the fire and watched some football while I recovered. I feel ready for NYC - I now have three 20 milers in the bank (including one full 26.2) over the last five weeks. My cardio is where I'd like it to be and my quads/calves/hammies feel great today - zero soreness whatsoever. This must be the first time I've run 20 and not been sore the next day.<br /><br />I love running along the beach, so calming and restorative. I wanted to continue up Nubble Rd all the way to the lighthouse as it has a steady incline for several miles but this run called for 20 so I wanted to stick with the plan. Next long run after NYC, however, I will.<br /><br />Also, this morning I had my annual physical. Good results, blood pressure is an excellent 121/68 though I weighed in at a very healthy 180 - I would like to be 168 as a comfortable, everyday weight. I will get there. <br /><br />Getting my blood work done tomorrow...<br /><br />Also as an aside, I told my physician about my running and turns out she used to be a marathon runner but now mostly plays tennis and cycles due to plantar fascitis. In fact she used to run on the men's track team at MIT back when they didn't have women's running and founded the female running club, but she used to run with - get this - Joan Benoit Samuelson on the Liberty Running Club back in the '70's. Even beat her in the mile. Turns out JBS didn't even run at Bowdoin, she played field hockey, and didn't begin running in earnest until after she graduated and started getting serious about the marathon. Found that fascinating.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-27550230312239259322010-10-21T18:22:00.001-04:002010-10-21T18:22:57.766-04:00Thursday's runI set out to do another run of decent length this morning and I decided to do my out and back to York Golf & Tennis. I like this particular run because it is quiet, as I see very few cars and it is very scenic - just me and the pines, the jersey cows grazing in the rock wall lined pastures, and as I crossed the York River the lobster boats were coming in to unload their traps.<br /><br />I started off Mile 1 at 9:03 and knew this would be an average pace after last night's Taekwondo class. There was only one other student who arrived so Grandmaster Park, who was a bit sore from a strained muscle in his neck, allowed me to conduct class. After a good warm-up and stretching we did a lot of kicking drills with the paddle pad, although basic techniques such as turn (roundhouse) kicks, side kicks, and chop (axe) kicks. We closed class with a 5 min 3 kick combination back-and-forth, and I left class drenched, and sore when I woke up today.<br /><br />I finished the run in 1:51:51, one of my slower times for this run - my legs felt heavy and I never really got loose. Between Tuesday and today that adds up to 25 miles so far this week, and I have my last 20 miler before NYC this Sunday to add up to 45. I will begin to taper down after Sunday's run leading up to race day.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-14444287395272618472010-10-19T11:43:00.000-04:002010-10-19T11:44:39.295-04:00That's more like itDid 12.91 miles to begin the week today and even after the first few steps my legs felt lighter, more agile. I think I underestimated the healing time required after an all-out 26.2 effort. I used to call this my 12.99 run, but my Garmin has it .08 less. So 12.91 miles it is.<br /><br />I ran my standard 4.3 mile 'loop' that I've been doing since I began running again last year. My first run here in Kittery was the 4.3 loop once around, complete with three hills I named 'Tom, Dick and Harry' after the tunnels in The Great Escape. The first time I ran it last fall I was doing it in over 44:00; now my best recorded single loop time is 33:53.<br /><br />Today's run just felt good. Comfortable midfoot striking, smooth and balanced. I pushed on the third loop, finishing in 1:52:47, or 8:44/mile. 1823 calories burned.<br /><br />For comparison's sake, I did the same exact 12.91 two weeks after Sugarloaf and did it in 1:54:00, then again a few days later in 1:54:15 - so by using that standard, I feel pretty good with where I am two weeks after the Maine Marathon and three to go before NYC.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-77190565926314530792010-10-17T19:56:00.002-04:002010-10-17T20:14:10.771-04:00Sunday 8Up and out at 7am sharp for an 8 miler - my pace is still over 9 min a mile, and perhaps didn't have the necessary fuel before I left the house. But something rather interesting happened when I returned from my run. I began to smell ammonia - yes, the scent of ammonia. I was perplexed.<br /><br />I did a little research and this is what I learned (from Runner's World UK):<br /><br /><em>Q My sweat smells strongly of ammonia after a run. Is this normal? <br /><br />A Don’t be too alarmed: the smell of ammonia in sweat is common among runners. Ammonia comes from the breakdown of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) within the body. It is made up of nitrogen and hydrogen. The hydrogen atoms are converted to glucose and used as fuel. The nitrogen is a waste product that needs to be excreted by the body, and is processed in the kidneys to form urea that is excreted in urine. If there is too much nitrogen for your kidneys to deal with, it will be excreted as ammonia in your sweat.<br /><br />One factor to consider is water intake. If you are consuming adequate fluid, the ammonia will be diluted – a decrease in the concentration will result in a less potent smell of ammonia. One way to be sure you are drinking enough fluids is to ensure your urine is clear.<br /><br />Many people mistakenly believe ammonia sweat means that their protein intake is not high enough. The body will only utilise protein for energy when it does not have a sufficient supply of fats and carbohydrates. Muscles can use glucose and fat for energy, but the brain requires glucose. Since there is no direct metabolic pathway from fat to glucose when there is insufficient carbohydrate, your body will use amino acids. Therefore, if your sweat smells of ammonia don’t compensate by adding more protein (amino acids) to your diet, instead fuel your muscles and brain with what it prefers as an energy supply: carbohydrates. So, although protein is important in the diet, don’t go overboard. The recommended daily amount of protein is 15 per cent of your total calorie intake.<br /><br />If you find the smell of ammonia persists try having a low glycaemic index carbohydrate, such as an apple, before your run and during prolonged exercise drink sports drinks to fuel your body and prevent amino acids being burned as energy. Don’t forget the body needs carbohydrate to burn fat so don’t think that providing some carbs before running is going to eliminate the fat burning process. <br /><br />—Jane Newman, Sports Physiotherapist and Ultra Runner</em> <br /><br />So even though I consider an 8 mile run a 'short' run these days, I can't skip breakfast and need to bring GU or Gatorade on my runs, and it looks like I need to consume more carbs in my daily diet.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-9720749964836682482010-10-16T15:24:00.001-04:002010-10-16T15:24:38.136-04:00Seven SamuraiDid seven miles this morning before participating in not one but two Taekwondo demonstrations with my son. Finished in 1:04, putting me at a 9:15 min overall pace - just enough to keep loose and work up a sweat. Burned 996 calories.<br /><br />Taekwondo has become an incredible means of cross-training - the short bursts of speed, the flexibility required, but most importantly the mental discipline and focus. One improves the other - the more I run, the greater my VO2MAX threshold becomes and hence I have more endurance for martial arts and sparring. The more I spar, the quicker I become, the sharper my decision making/ability to counter becomes, and lighter on my feet I feel. Running is a mental game; Taekwondo both works the mind and body simultaneously with demanding rigor.<br /><br />But what makes Taekwondo special and truly enjoyable is the fact that I do it with my son. He is one of the youngest members on the Demo team, traveling around the Seacoast putting on martial arts exhibitions. We hope to test for Blue this December.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-34018317707458652652010-10-12T15:43:00.002-04:002010-10-12T15:53:21.670-04:00Tuesday's runOnce again did an out-and-back to the York Golf and Tennis Club this morning, but about a minute into my run my Garmin flashed low battery and moments later was out of juice. I must have left it on too long after my last run before turning it off...<br /><br />So without a way to track time - I wasn't even sure when I left the house - I just ran. I pushed pretty hard and it felt like a faster pace than the same run a few days earlier but hard to tell. I do enjoy running this time of year - the cool weather and brilliant foliage make it a true respite from my regular day to day responsibilities. <br /><br />Someone the other day asked me if I get "bored" doing all this running. I responded, "Does a Formula One driver get bored tearing around the same track for two hours?" First, I love to run. That helps. Sure, there are some days I just don't feel like it - but invariably if I do put on my kicks and go, I always feel glad that I did. Always. And of course there are plenty of runs I can't wait for the merciful end which can't ever come fast enough. <br /><br />However running has become a bona fide passion, something I do to at times to relax, to escape, and other times to test my limits. I think about my pace, my rhythm, my breathing, how my muscles are responding, the terrain, what lies ahead, can I push harder....I cycle through a mental checklist, often without even realizing it. Other times I just get lost in music, but I am running more and more these days without it.<br /><br />So the race car analogy seems appropriate for me, especially when running with the clock ticking and a specific time that I'm trying to beat. That's what really keeps me going, the silent inner battle just you wage against yourself, you know the time, how hard you need to push, can you do it, I can see the finish, just give a little bit more. Few things in life are more satisfying than a run when you wring every ounce of effort you have, and those few quiet moments after you're done you can say I gave it my absolute best - sore and exausted but proud and content.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-83377357595333112602010-10-10T10:49:00.001-04:002010-10-10T10:49:58.986-04:00Sunday's runDid my standard run to the York Golf & Tennis Club and back - a mile into my run I wondered why it hadn't alerted me yet that I reached the Mile 1 split only to realize it wasn't tracking distance, just time (b/c I turned it on inside - rookie mistake). So I don't have an accurate gauge on the exact distance but mapmyrun shows it as 11.9. The total time was 1:48:37, so roughly 9 min miles. My fastest was 8:30 at mile 6 on Indian Rd., which is the midway point. For some perspective, when I returned from Montana I did this same run in 1:39:12; on 09/02 (in 95 degree heat) in 1:50:29; and on 09/09 I did it in 1:43:23. <br /><br /><br /><br />It's obvious my body is still recovering from 26.2, though I did burn another 1,528 calories this morning.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-62688524089644559282010-10-08T12:42:00.003-04:002010-10-08T13:18:31.472-04:00Back into the frying panDid my 1st run since Sunday's marathon - a very hilly 11.82 mile run. Finished in 1:52:22, or 9:28 min mile avg. Just wanted to see how I felt, and I felt pretty good, so what I thought might be an 8 mile jaunt turned into something longer. Since my next 26.2 is a month away, I need to build up my miles quickly - and wanting to avoid 'junk' miles - I ran a hilly route that demanded effort. I wasn't too concerned with time, just getting a good hill workout. Those last few hills on Sunday took a lot out of me and I want to be ready for any hill, at any moment, regardless at what mile marker I find them.<br /><br />My Garmin showed I burned 1,652 calories - love that feature. I am also looking to become leaner, as I ran the Maine Marathon a good 5 lbs heavier than Sugarloaf. Imagine running with a 5 lb weight in your pocket for no good reason?<br /><br />Though I'll probably always be more bison than antelope, I can watch my nutrition a bit closer and make better choices to condition myself to handle all of these upcoming miles. Leaner = faster. <br /><br />After today's run I drank 12oz Naked Protein, 8 oz. lower sodium V8, and a 1/2 cantalope, and am making cod fra diavolo for dinner with maple glazed brussel sprouts and sweet potato wedges for contorni (side dishes).Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-5201300620686665422010-10-05T18:50:00.004-04:002010-10-05T18:59:17.190-04:00Need Some AdviceSo during the ADK 1/2 marathon I developed what I think is a cramp. It's in the arch of my right foot. It hung around painfully for a few days and then tapered off with stretching and rest. Still, every so often when I took a half step on my right foot it came back with a twinge.<br /><br />The cramp came and went during my first run since the race, on Sunday, but as I posted I stopped 3x to stretch, so managed to keep it at bay.<br /><br />So today was the first since the race that the foot went all day without the return of the cramp. (I had to wear a suit to work today, so had on dress shoes, too.) I felt fine all day until I got home and suited up for a run. I laced up my sneakers in the bedroom, and during the four second walk down the hall to the door, the cramp returned! Anyway, I bagged the run until I figure this out.<br /><br />So far my conclusion is, I need new shoes. Any other thoughts on this?<br /><br />Thaks, fellas.Steve DiMattiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17722971687957081902noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-78715235948885005312010-10-04T09:37:00.003-04:002010-10-04T09:43:14.216-04:00Maine MarathonYesterday I ran in the Maine Marathon, my first race in a bid to run in twelve marathons in twelve consecutive months which I'm documenting at 12marathons12months.blogspot.com. I finished in 3:44:00, averaging 8:33 minutes/mile. The course route was a bit tougher than I anticipated, as I was a full 9:00 off my desired finish time of 3:35, but it was a terrific event and I'll run this again without question.<br /><br />Up at 5am and arrived at the University of Southern Maine gym at about 6:30 for packet pickup. My father accompanied me and it was great having him there. Just under 900 runners ran in the marathon, and about 2,000 ran in the 1/2 marathon. The out-and-back course began in Portland's Back Cove, and other than a few short turns though residential Portland it basically followed Rt. 88 through Falmouth and Cumberland before turning around in Yarmouth for the return.<br /><br />The weather was crisp, about 50 degrees at the start. The cannon went off at 7:45, shoulder to shoulder, the stampede of footsteps, and the morning sun glistened off the water. Just a beautiful way to spend a Sunday in early October.<br /><br />I wore my North Face shorts (with three PowerBar gels in each pocket), a Helly Hansen performance short sleeve shirt, and fleece gloves. I used my brand new Garmin Forerunner 310xt for the first time, and absolutely loved it (though I am still unable to transfer data from my device via wireless USB - frustrating.) I had it set to vibrate every mile and as I looked to maintain about an 8:00/mile average.<br /><br />I ran exactly to plan the first 13 miles, and hit the 13.1 split in 1:44:44 - when I saw that I was remarkably encouraged and began to believe that 3:30 was within reach. Just maintain the same pace and I'm there. <br /><br />Not so fast.<br /><br />Here's the mile by mile breakdown:<br /><br />7:18 Mile 1 out of the gate - to be expected.<br />7:35 Mile 2<br />7:40 Mile 3<br />7:47 Mile 4 - 1st energy gel<br />7:54 Mile 5 - feeling great at this point<br />7:57 Mile 6<br />8:00 Mile 7<br />7:59 Mile 8 - 2nd energy gel; took off my running gloves<br />7:52 Mile 9<br />8:12 Mile 10<br />8:00 Mile 11<br />8:22 Mile 12 - 3rd energy gel<br />8:24 Mile 13 - 1:44:44 split; almost the same time as last week's Niantic Bay 1/2 finish time. I'm very encouraged at this point<br />7:59 Mile 14 - back under 8:00 and my confidence is building<br />8:38 Mile 15<br />8:19 Mile 16 - 4th energy gel<br />8:57 Mile 17 - grinded up the steepest hill of the course; saw Cheryl and my parents who handed me a G2<br />8:38 Mile 18 - though times are mid 8's still feeling good though hammys and calves tightened a bit<br />8:43 Mile 19 <br />8:40 Mile 20 - 5th genergy gel; still think 3:35 is in the cards<br />9:21 Mile 21 - first time I ran more than 20 since the Race around the Lake 7/30; begin to really feel it<br />9:18 Mile 22 - last energy gel<br />9:24 Mile 23 - stop in a port-a-potty to take a leak; lose 45 seconds?<br />9:36 Mile 24 - just grinding - legs have had it - an unexpected hill had me running hands on waist for a bit<br />9:57 Mile 25 - nothing left<br />9:40 Mile 26 - just trying to finish<br /><br />So Mile 21 and after tells the story. I was strong through 20 but then ran out of fuel, something that didn't happen at Sugarloaf. I only bonked at Mile 25 but then recovered to sprint the last .25 or so; yesterday I knew exactly when I lost it and never regained a second wind. <br /><br />Frustrating, but I can't be too hard on myself - 3:44 is a respectable finish. And the good news is that I have another 26.2 in the bank and have put my body through the last 6 miles so that should help when I run NYC next month.<br /><br />Crowd support was decent - those who were out were vocal and enthusiastic - though there were stretches of solitude along Rt. 88 where I didn't see a soul. I do tend to enjoy crowd support, so I can only imagine what NYC will be like.<br /><br />I had a slight fever when the race was over - this also happened after the ultra. I took some Aleve and it subsided a few hours later. Apparently this is common after pushing your body for so long. My Garmin also showed I burned 3,767 calories, about a full pound - 143 per mile - though I consumed 600 calories in energy gel along the way.<br /><br />Today I feel a bit sore in my hammies and calves but not too bad - well enough to go to Taekwondo class tonight. If nothing else, I want to go for the stretching to shake away the muscle tightness.<br /><br />FYI, I will be running the VT City Marathon as my May marathon next year - so if anyone is interested, I'm in.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-7274216503022785502010-10-03T21:03:00.004-04:002010-10-03T21:26:48.617-04:00Leaf Peepers Half MarathonToday was an experiment in running without training. Like FA, I have not been motivated at all lately. Ok, more than lately. I really haven't run since my painful Vermont City Marathon. No big deal really, and I do believe that running breaks are important to stay interested in the sport -- my only issue is that I signed up for the Leaf Peepers Half Marathon, which was today in my hometown. <br /><br />Despite not training, I was determined not to crash. I diligently ate every 20 minutes, drank plenty of Gatorade, and went out slow. Since it's local, it's a very social race, and I also wanted to have fun. At the end of the day, I accomplished my goals. I didn't bonk, finished strong, and enjoyed seeing friends. Oh, and no injuries -- that's a big one. I came in at 2:06, which is somewhere around a 9:30 pace. Just fine with me. <br /><br />I won't say I'm back, but I'm intrigued. It was a good day. <br /><br />Later boys.VT Runnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725080684524875278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-84341124489616053792010-10-03T14:43:00.003-04:002010-10-03T15:07:25.857-04:00Back to BasicsI got out on the road today. 50 minutes, end to end. This included warm up and cool down walks, as well as three stretch breaks. I took it gingerly, expecting to reprise some of the aches and pain from last week's Adirondack 1/2 Marathon. I finished today with a tweak in my left knee, otherwise I felt fair. The slow-n-steady approach gets credit, I am certain.<br /><br />The ADK 1/2 ended up being a fine time. For a bunch of reasons -- some reasonable, some not, nearly all mental -- I ran little in preparation. I wanted to back out, but having made a commitment to Mrs. FA and some other folks, off we went.<br /><br />Given the lack of training, I planned a walk/run strategy: run the first six miles, and then walk/run alternate miles. This way I could finish in 2:30 and not hurt myself.<br /><br />I stuck more or less to the plan, and ran more or less at my intended pace. At mile 11, I stopped to wait for Mrs. FA so we could run the last two miles and finish together, which we did in 2:43.<br /><br />There's a New York Road Runners 5 miler on Halloween, and I want to run between 9 and 9:30 minute miles. I am going to train for this alone, for myself. My recent lack of motivation re: the ADK 1/2 stemmed mainly from a promise I made to run it. There are already too many obligations in life. If I run, I have to run because I want to, obliged to no one.<br /><br />It is a beatiful day in NYC, and the Park is full of runners and tourist and folks walking dogs. I ran the route that I ran over and over and over when I started running more than two years ago. I even wore the heart monitor strap, which gave me some interesting bio-feedback. I haven't used it in a long time. There's a stiff headwind along part of my route - the first crisp breeze of the Fall season. Looking forward to more of it.<br /><br />Later. fellas.Steve DiMattiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17722971687957081902noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-77275895335727438902010-09-26T18:09:00.002-04:002010-09-26T18:35:50.236-04:00Niantic Bay 1/2 MarathonToday was the Niantic Bay 1/2 Marathon and 5K - what a splendid day for a race. The entire TL family drove up to Niantic where my sister has a beach house. Both of my sisters ran in the 5K, as did Mrs. Torn Ligaments, and yes my little hombre ran his second official road race in as many weeks.<br /><br />It has just over 1,000 runners combined for both events - last year I did the 5K, my first, which sparked a fire within me - and it's been burning ever since. I set a pre-race goal of 1:40, which as I mentioned, was extremely aggressive - 7:40 min miles - but I wanted to push and see if I could do it. The course was essentially two big loops that begin in Rocky Neck State Park and then go through a seaside residential neighborhood, that reminds me a little bit of Marblehead.<br /><br />I wore my Ironman watch which does track mile splits, though in the heat of the race I missed a few mile markers. I need a Garmin so it tracks automatically, but I digress.<br /><br />Mile 1 I cranked in 6:47, felt light and balanced, but knew I had to dial it back a bit. Mile 2, my split was 9:00 exactly. Just awful. So I picked it up again, and Mile 3 split was 7:46 - more like it. Mile 4 7:53, Mile 5 7:54, Mile 6 6:29 (my fastest of the race). Apparently in my euphoria/delirium after turning out a scorcher I missed the next mile marker, and didn't get back on track until I saw the Mile 8 sign and staring keeping tabs again:<br />Mile 9 7:41<br />Mile 10 8:33<br />Mile 11 7:23<br />Mile 12 7:56<br />Mile 13 ? (I didn't press the button) to finish in 1:44:00.<br /><br />My last mile I pushed hard, and after realizing 1:40 wouldn't happen, then besting 1:45 became the goal, and beat that by a minute.<br /><br />144 35/75 M3039 1:44:14 David Costantini 39 M 375 Kittery ME 1:44:00 7:56 <br /><br />So 7:56 min miles, not bad. The real test will be if I can run 8:00 min miles next Sunday for the Maine Marathon in Portland, which includes a fair amount of hills. <br /><br />I want to beat my Sugarloaf time of 3:39:19, and the rest is gravy.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-66207907545838490102010-09-22T09:36:00.002-04:002010-09-22T10:12:08.702-04:0012 Marathons in 12 MonthsI've been inspired.<br /><br />I am going to run 12 marathons in 12 months, and video record document my training and each race.<br /><br />This is my tentative race schedule for my 12 month marathon challenge:<br /><br />10/3/10 Maine Marathon, Portland ME<br />11/7/10 ING New York City Marathon<br />12/11/10 Roxbury Marathon, Roxbury CT<br />01/30/11 ING Miami Marathon, Miami FL<br />02/27/11 Hyannis Marathon, Hyannis MA<br />03/06/11 Napa Valley Marathon, Napa CA<br />04/18/11 *I didn't get into Virgin London Marathon so we'll see - Boston???????<br />05/22/11 Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, Halifax NS<br />6/11 NipMuck Trail Marathon, Ashford CT<br />7/11 Around the Lake 12 Hour Ultra, Wakefield MA <br />8/11 *Going to Italy so not sure yet<br />9/11 Vermont 50 Ultra, Brownsville VT<br /><br />I couldn't be more excited. I have to be pragmatic about which races to run (there are so many incredible ones to choose from) and have a tremendous amount of variables to consider, but I am committed to making this happen. Miami and Napa are the only ones that require flights. I still hope to squeeze a 70.3 triathlon in next year as well.<br /><br />Needless to say, if there is anyone out there who wants to join me in a race, I would LOVE the company!!!!Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-53639560695802504502010-09-21T12:38:00.002-04:002010-09-21T12:56:55.914-04:00Tuesday's runDid a 12.5 mile run on this wonderful September day. I wore my North Face fleece pants for the first time since April and again wore a long sleeve HH performance shirt.<br /><br />It was warm in the sun but most of my route was shaded and I felt pretty good. I had TKD last night and did a lot of sparring which takes more out of me than a usual class. At one point I backed my opponent into a corner and unleashed a fusillade of roundhouse kicks, one after another after another, maybe 8 or 9 in rapid succession, something I've never done before. So my legs were feeling it this morning.<br /><br />Anyway, I didn't run a traditional route, just re-ran several hilly roads to the tune of 12.5 miles according to mapmyrun. Time was 1:48 and change.<br /><br />I need to commit to a goal for the Niantic 1/2 marathon this Sunday. I will shoot for 1:40 - that is an extremely aggressive time for me, but it is flat and I will attempt to use the race day intensity to my benefit. To quote Bruce Lee, “A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” <br /><br />So 1:40 it is.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-90798568598442808702010-09-19T10:11:00.002-04:002010-09-19T10:18:09.016-04:00Kittery PTA Seaside 4 MilerOK, this is amusing. My 6 yr old son insisted on running the actual 4 mile race, not the kids fun run. "Those are for babies," he said. He had a meltdown of epic proportions back in May when we didn't sign him up for the Fire Station 5k, so I wasn't sure how he would do running 4 miles but figured he'd probably go out strong, run out of gas, and walk the rest of it.<br /><br />He crushed it! He ran most of it, took a few walking breaks here and there but for the most part was on the move running hard. I was side-by-side with him the entire way and he did great. Mile 1 was 11:01 and finished up 48:35 I believe. 12:09 avg min/mile for a 6 year old? <br /><br />Great stuff, and he loved every minute of it.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6108793105749345771.post-53683274567603646122010-09-18T22:54:00.002-04:002010-09-18T23:00:05.520-04:0020 MilerI didn't run all week long but managed to get in my much needed 20 miler this afternoon. I ran to the York Golf & Tennis Club (waved to the bridal party) and continued along through York Village and York Harbor, before turning around. Very nice run.<br /><br />Time was 2:56:28. Mile 1 was 8:24 and was doing 9:00 min miles for most of it, but the last few I was running out of gas. Could've used GU/Gatorade.<br /><br />I can run a 12 and feel fine, but tack on another 8 and my body feels it. <br /><br />I am craving a big giant porterhouse medium rare right now.Torn Ligamentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600366119703406251noreply@blogger.com0