As we are now 1/4 of the way through 2010, I thought I would do a progress report on my 2010 goals.
1. Buy a new, bigger house: No real progress on this yet as we are saving our money for our down payment. However, everything is still on track to be in a new house by the end of the year!
2. Not gain any weight in 2010: I started the year at 157lbs (11st 3lb) and currently weigh 153lb (10st 13lb).
3. Run a sub 1:45:00 Half Marathon: Complete! I ran 1:41:40 at the Shamrock Half Marathon
4. Run a 5K dressed as a Hot Dog: I plan to do this in the fall. There have been plenty of 5K races so far this year, but I have struggled to find one that where it wouldn't be in bad taste for me to come dressed as a hot dog.
5. Run a Marathon: I am currently in Week 4 of my Marathon Training and I have signed up with Team Fisher House to raise money at the Marine Corps Marathon in October.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Marathon Training - Weeks 2 & 3
The last two weeks certainly don't really qualify as typical Marathon Training weeks. However, the Shamrock Half Marathon was my focus and my good preparation paid off when I had a great race and set a new PR.
Week 3 was mainly a rest week following the Half Marathon. My legs were tired until Wednesday but had recovered fully by Saturday when I set another PR in the Mutt and Jeff 5K on a flat, fast course.
Week 4 will be my first real week of Marathon Training and I am looking forward to it!
Week 2:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4 miles @8:20/mile (outside) map
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 3 miles @8:20/mile (outside) map
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 13.1 miles @7:45/mile (Shamrock Half Marathon, 50F, sunny) map
Week 3:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 1 mile @8:00/mile (outside, sunny)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3.1 miles @6:49/mile (outside, 40F, overcast) map
Sunday: Rest
Week 3 was mainly a rest week following the Half Marathon. My legs were tired until Wednesday but had recovered fully by Saturday when I set another PR in the Mutt and Jeff 5K on a flat, fast course.
Week 4 will be my first real week of Marathon Training and I am looking forward to it!
Week 2:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4 miles @8:20/mile (outside) map
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 3 miles @8:20/mile (outside) map
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 13.1 miles @7:45/mile (Shamrock Half Marathon, 50F, sunny) map
Week 3:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 1 mile @8:00/mile (outside, sunny)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3.1 miles @6:49/mile (outside, 40F, overcast) map
Sunday: Rest
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Mutt and Jeff 5K
Click here for the map of my run.
Elizabeth, Scout and I traveled to Newport News, VA this weekend to take part in the Mutt and Jeff 5K (and ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens). The Mutt and Jeff 5K helps to raise money for the under-served and uninsured recently diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer and is organized by our good friend Kristin. We even managed to convince Shane and Bridgett to come to Newport News and compete in the race as well!
The drive on Friday evening was horrible. It rained the entire way from Raleigh to Newport News and I hate driving in the dark when it is raining as lots of the roads have poor road markings. However, we did eventually make it safely to our hotel and settled in for a good nights sleep.
Scout slept at Granny Roady's house and will be staying with her for a couple of weeks.
We woke up at 6am to get some breakfast and were happy to see that the rain had stopped over night and the roads were mostly dry. I had packed shorts, my singlet and short sleeved tech shirt as the forecast was for around 45F. I went with the short sleeved tech shirt and upon stepping outside realized that it felt much colder than 45F with the wind - oops. I rode the 3 miles from the Hotel to the race location with Shane and Bridgett while Elizabeth went to collect Scout.
We checked in with Kristin and I collected my #7 bib (it helps to know the organizer!). We sat in the car for a while to avoid the cold wind and at about 8am (30 minutes before race start time) we went back around to the check in area. Scout had arrived and was very happy to see us!
I kept my fleece top on and went for a jog at 8.15 to warm up a little and realized that I should have worn gloves as the wind was freezing! I hadn't thought to bring my gloves with me, so there was nothing I could do. I knew my hands would eventually warm up, but it was going to take a while.
I had set my watch for 7:05 per mile, which would have got me close to my 22:12 PR knowing that this is a very flat course and I had a great chance of beating my previous best (and certainly my result from last year at this race - 23:42). I had rested since the Shamrock Half Marathon and felt good and eager for a fast run.
The 140 or so runners and walkers lined up at the start and got our instructions from the starter. I noticed the runner who would eventually win the race doing some high knee lifts and leg lifts with his feet getting up to around his ear! No, I can't do that... maybe I will be able to one day!
The horn went and we went off at a decent speed. I try not to get caught up in sprinting away from the start line as when I have done it in the past I don't seem to end the race very well. As we rounded the first corner I was in 8th place overall, and by the time we hit the 0.5 mile point I was in 4th as the sprinters began to realize they couldn't hold their starting pace and started to slow down. The freezing wind went from being at our backs to in our face and my hands were still frozen as we passed through the first mile in 6:45.
The first two runners were ahead in their own little group and I was in a group of 4 or 5 runners for the next half mile. I felt comfortable with the pace and began to wonder which runner in the group would be most difficult to beat for 3rd overall. There were two men in their 50s, one of which had a good efficient stride and looked comfortable, I thought he would be the one to beat. The other man appeared less comfortable with the pace and was breathing a little harder. There was a younger, tall guy who seemed to be slowing down which I found a little surprising as he appeared to be more than just an occasional runner.
As we passed 1.5 miles, the man I picked out as the one to beat edged ahead of the group slightly. I glanced at my watch and noted I was 27 seconds ahead of my PR pace. I felt good and my hands were beginning to warm up. I toyed with the idea of going with him, but decided I'd keep him within 10 or 15 yards and would see what happened. We passed the 2 mile mark with a split of 6:50 and the 3rd placed man was less than 10 yards ahead of me. All of a sudden, within a minute I was next to the 3rd place man. I checked my watch, I wasn't speeding up, so he must have been slowing slightly. As I moved up on his shoulder, he wished me luck and I realized he was most likely done. I thanked him, wished him luck and told him to keep going. I glanced over my shoulder and had a 20 yard lead over the 5th place young, tall guy. Third place was mine for the taking!
I eased ahead in to third place trying to keep my pace steady. With half a mile to go, I had a 20 yard lead in 3rd place and I could see (and hear) Elizabeth, Kristin and Scout in the distance. One last glance over my shoulder to check I still had a decent lead - which I did, and I increased the pace.
I passed the screaming, high kicking supporters with the final turn in sight and was joined by the cyclist that had lead the front runners around the course. He gave me a split of 21:10 and urged me to sprint to the finish. I gave everything I had and crossed the line at 21:25.
I couldn't believe I had finished 3rd overall and smashed my PR by 47 seconds - the flat course made such a difference! Shane and Bridgett also set PR's and it was smiles all around as we made our way to the food/drink area to get some refreshments.
Kristin announced the race winners and I collected my 3rd place medal with Scout (who was the favorite attraction for all of the kids, lots of adults and the Chick-Fil-A cow).
We returned to the hotel, grabbed lunch and then went to ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens! Overall a fantastic day!
Elizabeth, Scout and I traveled to Newport News, VA this weekend to take part in the Mutt and Jeff 5K (and ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens). The Mutt and Jeff 5K helps to raise money for the under-served and uninsured recently diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer and is organized by our good friend Kristin. We even managed to convince Shane and Bridgett to come to Newport News and compete in the race as well!
The drive on Friday evening was horrible. It rained the entire way from Raleigh to Newport News and I hate driving in the dark when it is raining as lots of the roads have poor road markings. However, we did eventually make it safely to our hotel and settled in for a good nights sleep.
Scout slept at Granny Roady's house and will be staying with her for a couple of weeks.
We woke up at 6am to get some breakfast and were happy to see that the rain had stopped over night and the roads were mostly dry. I had packed shorts, my singlet and short sleeved tech shirt as the forecast was for around 45F. I went with the short sleeved tech shirt and upon stepping outside realized that it felt much colder than 45F with the wind - oops. I rode the 3 miles from the Hotel to the race location with Shane and Bridgett while Elizabeth went to collect Scout.
We checked in with Kristin and I collected my #7 bib (it helps to know the organizer!). We sat in the car for a while to avoid the cold wind and at about 8am (30 minutes before race start time) we went back around to the check in area. Scout had arrived and was very happy to see us!
I kept my fleece top on and went for a jog at 8.15 to warm up a little and realized that I should have worn gloves as the wind was freezing! I hadn't thought to bring my gloves with me, so there was nothing I could do. I knew my hands would eventually warm up, but it was going to take a while.
I had set my watch for 7:05 per mile, which would have got me close to my 22:12 PR knowing that this is a very flat course and I had a great chance of beating my previous best (and certainly my result from last year at this race - 23:42). I had rested since the Shamrock Half Marathon and felt good and eager for a fast run.
The 140 or so runners and walkers lined up at the start and got our instructions from the starter. I noticed the runner who would eventually win the race doing some high knee lifts and leg lifts with his feet getting up to around his ear! No, I can't do that... maybe I will be able to one day!
The horn went and we went off at a decent speed. I try not to get caught up in sprinting away from the start line as when I have done it in the past I don't seem to end the race very well. As we rounded the first corner I was in 8th place overall, and by the time we hit the 0.5 mile point I was in 4th as the sprinters began to realize they couldn't hold their starting pace and started to slow down. The freezing wind went from being at our backs to in our face and my hands were still frozen as we passed through the first mile in 6:45.
The first two runners were ahead in their own little group and I was in a group of 4 or 5 runners for the next half mile. I felt comfortable with the pace and began to wonder which runner in the group would be most difficult to beat for 3rd overall. There were two men in their 50s, one of which had a good efficient stride and looked comfortable, I thought he would be the one to beat. The other man appeared less comfortable with the pace and was breathing a little harder. There was a younger, tall guy who seemed to be slowing down which I found a little surprising as he appeared to be more than just an occasional runner.
As we passed 1.5 miles, the man I picked out as the one to beat edged ahead of the group slightly. I glanced at my watch and noted I was 27 seconds ahead of my PR pace. I felt good and my hands were beginning to warm up. I toyed with the idea of going with him, but decided I'd keep him within 10 or 15 yards and would see what happened. We passed the 2 mile mark with a split of 6:50 and the 3rd placed man was less than 10 yards ahead of me. All of a sudden, within a minute I was next to the 3rd place man. I checked my watch, I wasn't speeding up, so he must have been slowing slightly. As I moved up on his shoulder, he wished me luck and I realized he was most likely done. I thanked him, wished him luck and told him to keep going. I glanced over my shoulder and had a 20 yard lead over the 5th place young, tall guy. Third place was mine for the taking!
I eased ahead in to third place trying to keep my pace steady. With half a mile to go, I had a 20 yard lead in 3rd place and I could see (and hear) Elizabeth, Kristin and Scout in the distance. One last glance over my shoulder to check I still had a decent lead - which I did, and I increased the pace.
I passed the screaming, high kicking supporters with the final turn in sight and was joined by the cyclist that had lead the front runners around the course. He gave me a split of 21:10 and urged me to sprint to the finish. I gave everything I had and crossed the line at 21:25.
I couldn't believe I had finished 3rd overall and smashed my PR by 47 seconds - the flat course made such a difference! Shane and Bridgett also set PR's and it was smiles all around as we made our way to the food/drink area to get some refreshments.
Kristin announced the race winners and I collected my 3rd place medal with Scout (who was the favorite attraction for all of the kids, lots of adults and the Chick-Fil-A cow).
We returned to the hotel, grabbed lunch and then went to ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens! Overall a fantastic day!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Shamrock Half Marathon Weekend - Race Report
Click here for the race map and my splits
I woke up at 5:00am on race day and had my breakfast and a warm shower. I had slept fairly well and was grateful that the Hotel maintenance man had managed to fix the A/C unit (it had been blowing out hot air) and get the hotel room down to a comfortable temperature. I attached my chip to my shoe and for the first time when using a D-Tag, I managed to remember to not fold it over and break it!
Elizabeth, Kristin and I left the hotel at 5:45am and made the 2 mile walk to the start line. The temperature was around 50F (10C) with very little wind and humidity and I wore my fleece top over my bright yellow race singlet that I had bought the day before. We did stop along the way so that I could use a random hotel bathroom and also at a gas station so I could buy some bottled water to replace the strange tasting water I had filled my water bottles with at the hotel. I was anxious to get to the start but wasn't feeling nervous about the actual race at all.
We walked past the huge lines of people waiting at the Portable Toilets and arrived at the Corrals at 6:45am. I removed my fleece, put on my Fuel Belt and entered Corral #1. The race start had been split in to five Corrals based on expected finish time (that runners had been asked for at registration). I really liked the staggered start as it meant that I wouldn't get caught behind slower runners (or walkers) who had decided that they needed to be at the front. Runners who expected to finish under 1:50:59 had been placed in Corral #1 with the Elite runners given space right at the starting line. The start had been placed on a four lane road. The organization of the entire event was great, and this is just another example of how the organizers had obviously thought how they would get everyone across the start line and through the first mile safely. I moved to the left side of the Corral and found a curb to do some stretching. I set my watch for 7:55/mile knowing that if I managed to stay ahead of that pace, I'd finish in just over 1:44:00 and achieve my goal of a sub 1:45:00 Half Marathon.
50F-60F may be the perfect running conditions, but I felt a little chilled on the start line as I was only wearing my singlet and shorts. However, this is exactly what I wanted as I knew I'd quickly warm up and if I had been wearing anything more, I'd have trouble keeping my body temperature down. I consumed my first GU and stretched and bounced just to be doing something as the starter gave us a count down from 10 minutes. The US National Anthem was performed (fairly well) and we were told to move up nearer to the start line.
I remember thinking to myself that I didn't feel nervous at all, I actually felt confident and couldn't wait to get going. 2010 had been great so far, I had set new PR's in every race and had fully completed my training without injury or missing any runs. I knew I could complete 13.1 miles and the weekend had gone to plan so far. I couldn't be any better prepared! I glanced over to my left and noticed the 1:45 pace group had formed. I made a note of what the pace leader and the runners around him looked like and told myself that this would be the last time I would see them until the beer tent at the end of the race!
At 7:00am exactly the horn went and the Shamrock Half Marathon was underway. The runners around me were quickly into their stride as we ran over the start line (which is fairly unusual in large races). I started my watch and double checked that it was actually started (you'd be surprised how many times I have looked down at mile 1 to see that my watch still reads 0:00). My watch was running, and I relaxed in to my stride and navigated past a few runners that had either lied on their registration, or had decided to go out slowly!
I had been told to expect lots of groups of people along the sides of the road cheering the runners along, playing music and ringing cow bells and it didn't take long for them to appear. The race bibs had the runner's names on them, and the race watchers made a point of shouting out the names of the runners as they passed by ("Looking great Dave, keep it up" is so much better than "Looking great, keep it up").
I passed through the first mile in 7:46 and felt comfortable. I had told myself that I didn't want to be under 7:40/mile, but anything around 7:45-7:55/mile should be okay (as long as I wasn't struggling to hold the pace). I had found a group of 8-10 runners that seemed to be running at the same pace as I was and decided to run with them as long as they were holding the same pace.
The first water station was huge. I didn't need any water or Gatorade so I stayed in the middle of the road to allow the other runners to get access to the volunteers. The water station was very loud and everyone had smiles on their faces and offered encouragement to the runners. Mile 2 (7:43) and mile 3 (7:47) passed by quickly and at the mile 3 marker we came up on a beer tent. Yes, a beer tent, with people giving out cans and cups of beer to runners that wanted them! I passed by with a smile on my face and no intention of drinking beer whilst running, but, to my surprise a few runners did grab beer!
At mile 4 (7:41) a mobile DJ van was parked and music was being played at high volume! I had no idea that there would be music out on the course, and I heard it from quite a way away as I approached the mile marker. I thought it was a great idea! it can be lonely and boring running mile after mile so far away from the start/finish area where the majority of the supporters are and this certainly bought a smile to my face! I took another GU at 35 minutes.
Between mile 5 (7:47) and mile 6 (7:46) there was a live band playing!
At the half way point I felt comfortable and strong with some slight pain in my calves. The pain was nothing serious, but enough for me to take note of it. I expect it was the increased pace compared to my typical long runs as the road surface was no different to what I typically run on.
We passed more water stops filled with loud and excited volunteers, a couple more mobile DJ vans and numerous groups of random race watchers. There wasn't a time on the course that I felt alone. I think that makes a huge difference to the attitude of the runners - it certainly motivated me.
Miles 7 (7:35) and 8 (7:39) went well, and as we turned to begin to head back to the finish line, the wind got up slightly from right to left. It was the first time that I had noticed the wind at all during the race, and it probably accounts for my slower mile 9 (7:53). I took on my final GU with 35 minutes left to run and passed by the psychological mile 10 marker at 1:17:25 knowing I had 5K left to cover in 27:30 to achieve my goal. I knew I'd just have to keep turning my legs over to achieve my goal and I felt a sense of relief and excitement all in one.
I still felt very comfortable. My calves were still a little tight, but nothing that I was concerned about. More and more race watchers appeared along the side of the road and I began to notice runners start to walk as they started to struggle with the distance (most training plans stop with a maximum long run of 10 miles). The race watchers were really good about providing positive motivation and most of the runners quickly returned to running.
I completed miles 11 (7:49) and 12 (7:52) and sent a text message to Elizabeth to tell her I had completed 12 miles and that she should get in to position to take photos of me approaching the finish. Apparently this generated quite a bit of interest around Elizabeth from other race watchers who were surprised I was able to text and run at the same time! (little did they know that my entire text message was the number "12"). It allowed Elizabeth to ask other race watchers whether they had a runner finishing in the next 10 minutes so she could get to the front and also got other people interested in looking out for me.
While I was sending my text message to Elizabeth, I came up on a runner who was running bare foot, carrying his running shoes. We struck up a quick conversation based on our unusual antics and he told me that he had been running for many years with running shoes and often got sore feet, ankles, Achilles tendons and calves which he tolerated as part of running. However, when he came to want to run longer distances (he wanted to run a 50 mile ultra-marathon) he found that his legs wouldn't allow him to get past 30 miles. He took some advice from coaches and started running without his running shoes. He said he started running short distances slowly and gradually built over a couple of months. I asked about his calves and ankles, as I have read that switching to bare foot running or trying to adjust your stride has a knock on effect. He said that he hadn't experienced any real discomfort and 3 months after starting to run bare foot, he completed his 50 mile ultra-marathon and now doesn't even need to stretch before or after running! He told me that many races require running shoes for insurance purposes, and he was required to have them on at the start of this race but took them off as soon as could. That conversation took nearly half a mile and as we approached the turn on to the boardwalk, I wished him luck and kicked on with the finish line in the distance.
The portion of the boardwalk that we ran on was lined on one side by race watchers all the way down to the finish line (probably 500 yards) and we received a warm round of applause from people that were obviously watching for someone in particular. However, I felt like the group of us that were on the boardwalk could do with some extra support, so I started to wave my arms up and down! The crowd responded with cheers and whistles and we got a much louder welcome from everyone as we sprinted down towards the finish line.
I had an idea of where Elizabeth and Kristin would be, but it proved very difficult to pick them out of the crowd (but they got some great action shots anyway). As I approached the finish line I passed over the chip reader and the MC announced my name for all to hear!
I stopped my watch with it reading 1 hour 41 minutes and 40 seconds, beating my Kiawah Island Half Marathon PR by 8 minutes and 20 seconds and my 2010 goal by 3 minutes 20 seconds!
I received my finisher t-shirt, medal and hat as well as a stack of snacks and drinks and I made my way to the end of the chute before stretching and sending a text to Elizabeth to plan our location to meet up. I stretched, washed the sweat off of my face and changed my shirt and then returned to the chute to wait for Pete to finish.
Pete finished in just over 2 hours 11 minutes and achieved his goals of finishing and running 10 minute miles. We all met up and went to the beer tent for some free beer!
I took advantage of the ice cold ocean and used it as a quick ice bath to speed the recovery of my leg muscles. I managed a couple of trips in to the water for a few minutes and my legs felt much better.
Overall, the Shamrock Half Marathon was a huge success for me. I not only achieved my goal of running a sub 1:45 Half Marathon, I ran a comfortable race and smashed my goal by over 3 minutes. I felt a sense of relief after the race, but mainly I felt a huge sense of achievement. I have been training throughout the cold winter months and my hard work paid off.
I am going to take a well earned week off of running this week to allow my legs to recover, then I will pick up my Marathon training program and slowly build up to 26.2 miles in October!
I woke up at 5:00am on race day and had my breakfast and a warm shower. I had slept fairly well and was grateful that the Hotel maintenance man had managed to fix the A/C unit (it had been blowing out hot air) and get the hotel room down to a comfortable temperature. I attached my chip to my shoe and for the first time when using a D-Tag, I managed to remember to not fold it over and break it!
Elizabeth, Kristin and I left the hotel at 5:45am and made the 2 mile walk to the start line. The temperature was around 50F (10C) with very little wind and humidity and I wore my fleece top over my bright yellow race singlet that I had bought the day before. We did stop along the way so that I could use a random hotel bathroom and also at a gas station so I could buy some bottled water to replace the strange tasting water I had filled my water bottles with at the hotel. I was anxious to get to the start but wasn't feeling nervous about the actual race at all.
We walked past the huge lines of people waiting at the Portable Toilets and arrived at the Corrals at 6:45am. I removed my fleece, put on my Fuel Belt and entered Corral #1. The race start had been split in to five Corrals based on expected finish time (that runners had been asked for at registration). I really liked the staggered start as it meant that I wouldn't get caught behind slower runners (or walkers) who had decided that they needed to be at the front. Runners who expected to finish under 1:50:59 had been placed in Corral #1 with the Elite runners given space right at the starting line. The start had been placed on a four lane road. The organization of the entire event was great, and this is just another example of how the organizers had obviously thought how they would get everyone across the start line and through the first mile safely. I moved to the left side of the Corral and found a curb to do some stretching. I set my watch for 7:55/mile knowing that if I managed to stay ahead of that pace, I'd finish in just over 1:44:00 and achieve my goal of a sub 1:45:00 Half Marathon.
50F-60F may be the perfect running conditions, but I felt a little chilled on the start line as I was only wearing my singlet and shorts. However, this is exactly what I wanted as I knew I'd quickly warm up and if I had been wearing anything more, I'd have trouble keeping my body temperature down. I consumed my first GU and stretched and bounced just to be doing something as the starter gave us a count down from 10 minutes. The US National Anthem was performed (fairly well) and we were told to move up nearer to the start line.
I remember thinking to myself that I didn't feel nervous at all, I actually felt confident and couldn't wait to get going. 2010 had been great so far, I had set new PR's in every race and had fully completed my training without injury or missing any runs. I knew I could complete 13.1 miles and the weekend had gone to plan so far. I couldn't be any better prepared! I glanced over to my left and noticed the 1:45 pace group had formed. I made a note of what the pace leader and the runners around him looked like and told myself that this would be the last time I would see them until the beer tent at the end of the race!
At 7:00am exactly the horn went and the Shamrock Half Marathon was underway. The runners around me were quickly into their stride as we ran over the start line (which is fairly unusual in large races). I started my watch and double checked that it was actually started (you'd be surprised how many times I have looked down at mile 1 to see that my watch still reads 0:00). My watch was running, and I relaxed in to my stride and navigated past a few runners that had either lied on their registration, or had decided to go out slowly!
I had been told to expect lots of groups of people along the sides of the road cheering the runners along, playing music and ringing cow bells and it didn't take long for them to appear. The race bibs had the runner's names on them, and the race watchers made a point of shouting out the names of the runners as they passed by ("Looking great Dave, keep it up" is so much better than "Looking great, keep it up").
I passed through the first mile in 7:46 and felt comfortable. I had told myself that I didn't want to be under 7:40/mile, but anything around 7:45-7:55/mile should be okay (as long as I wasn't struggling to hold the pace). I had found a group of 8-10 runners that seemed to be running at the same pace as I was and decided to run with them as long as they were holding the same pace.
The first water station was huge. I didn't need any water or Gatorade so I stayed in the middle of the road to allow the other runners to get access to the volunteers. The water station was very loud and everyone had smiles on their faces and offered encouragement to the runners. Mile 2 (7:43) and mile 3 (7:47) passed by quickly and at the mile 3 marker we came up on a beer tent. Yes, a beer tent, with people giving out cans and cups of beer to runners that wanted them! I passed by with a smile on my face and no intention of drinking beer whilst running, but, to my surprise a few runners did grab beer!
At mile 4 (7:41) a mobile DJ van was parked and music was being played at high volume! I had no idea that there would be music out on the course, and I heard it from quite a way away as I approached the mile marker. I thought it was a great idea! it can be lonely and boring running mile after mile so far away from the start/finish area where the majority of the supporters are and this certainly bought a smile to my face! I took another GU at 35 minutes.
Between mile 5 (7:47) and mile 6 (7:46) there was a live band playing!
At the half way point I felt comfortable and strong with some slight pain in my calves. The pain was nothing serious, but enough for me to take note of it. I expect it was the increased pace compared to my typical long runs as the road surface was no different to what I typically run on.
We passed more water stops filled with loud and excited volunteers, a couple more mobile DJ vans and numerous groups of random race watchers. There wasn't a time on the course that I felt alone. I think that makes a huge difference to the attitude of the runners - it certainly motivated me.
Miles 7 (7:35) and 8 (7:39) went well, and as we turned to begin to head back to the finish line, the wind got up slightly from right to left. It was the first time that I had noticed the wind at all during the race, and it probably accounts for my slower mile 9 (7:53). I took on my final GU with 35 minutes left to run and passed by the psychological mile 10 marker at 1:17:25 knowing I had 5K left to cover in 27:30 to achieve my goal. I knew I'd just have to keep turning my legs over to achieve my goal and I felt a sense of relief and excitement all in one.
I still felt very comfortable. My calves were still a little tight, but nothing that I was concerned about. More and more race watchers appeared along the side of the road and I began to notice runners start to walk as they started to struggle with the distance (most training plans stop with a maximum long run of 10 miles). The race watchers were really good about providing positive motivation and most of the runners quickly returned to running.
I completed miles 11 (7:49) and 12 (7:52) and sent a text message to Elizabeth to tell her I had completed 12 miles and that she should get in to position to take photos of me approaching the finish. Apparently this generated quite a bit of interest around Elizabeth from other race watchers who were surprised I was able to text and run at the same time! (little did they know that my entire text message was the number "12"). It allowed Elizabeth to ask other race watchers whether they had a runner finishing in the next 10 minutes so she could get to the front and also got other people interested in looking out for me.
While I was sending my text message to Elizabeth, I came up on a runner who was running bare foot, carrying his running shoes. We struck up a quick conversation based on our unusual antics and he told me that he had been running for many years with running shoes and often got sore feet, ankles, Achilles tendons and calves which he tolerated as part of running. However, when he came to want to run longer distances (he wanted to run a 50 mile ultra-marathon) he found that his legs wouldn't allow him to get past 30 miles. He took some advice from coaches and started running without his running shoes. He said he started running short distances slowly and gradually built over a couple of months. I asked about his calves and ankles, as I have read that switching to bare foot running or trying to adjust your stride has a knock on effect. He said that he hadn't experienced any real discomfort and 3 months after starting to run bare foot, he completed his 50 mile ultra-marathon and now doesn't even need to stretch before or after running! He told me that many races require running shoes for insurance purposes, and he was required to have them on at the start of this race but took them off as soon as could. That conversation took nearly half a mile and as we approached the turn on to the boardwalk, I wished him luck and kicked on with the finish line in the distance.
The portion of the boardwalk that we ran on was lined on one side by race watchers all the way down to the finish line (probably 500 yards) and we received a warm round of applause from people that were obviously watching for someone in particular. However, I felt like the group of us that were on the boardwalk could do with some extra support, so I started to wave my arms up and down! The crowd responded with cheers and whistles and we got a much louder welcome from everyone as we sprinted down towards the finish line.
I had an idea of where Elizabeth and Kristin would be, but it proved very difficult to pick them out of the crowd (but they got some great action shots anyway). As I approached the finish line I passed over the chip reader and the MC announced my name for all to hear!
I stopped my watch with it reading 1 hour 41 minutes and 40 seconds, beating my Kiawah Island Half Marathon PR by 8 minutes and 20 seconds and my 2010 goal by 3 minutes 20 seconds!
I received my finisher t-shirt, medal and hat as well as a stack of snacks and drinks and I made my way to the end of the chute before stretching and sending a text to Elizabeth to plan our location to meet up. I stretched, washed the sweat off of my face and changed my shirt and then returned to the chute to wait for Pete to finish.
Pete finished in just over 2 hours 11 minutes and achieved his goals of finishing and running 10 minute miles. We all met up and went to the beer tent for some free beer!
I took advantage of the ice cold ocean and used it as a quick ice bath to speed the recovery of my leg muscles. I managed a couple of trips in to the water for a few minutes and my legs felt much better.
Overall, the Shamrock Half Marathon was a huge success for me. I not only achieved my goal of running a sub 1:45 Half Marathon, I ran a comfortable race and smashed my goal by over 3 minutes. I felt a sense of relief after the race, but mainly I felt a huge sense of achievement. I have been training throughout the cold winter months and my hard work paid off.
I am going to take a well earned week off of running this week to allow my legs to recover, then I will pick up my Marathon training program and slowly build up to 26.2 miles in October!
Shamrock Half Marathon Weekend - Race Day Photos
A pre-race photo with my #1 race supporter!
The 6500 Half Marathon runners begin to fill the Corrals
The race starts just as the sun is rising
The Finish Line is ready and waiting for the Half Marathon Winner
Mike Murphy sprinting to the finish
and wins the Shamrock Half Marathon in 1:04:56 (4.57/mile)
A real life leprechaun appeared to announce the finishers names as they crossed the line
Here I come...
... I had just been trying to get the crowd to cheer louder...
... I leave my feet momentarily...
... but manage to ignore the pain and get to the finish line!
Here I am with Pete. He completed his first Half Marathon!
Official confirmation of my new PR!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Shamrock Half Marathon Weekend - Race Result
I finished today's Half Marathon in 1:41:40 to set a new PR by over 8 minutes! I will post a race report and photo's tomorrow...
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Shamrock Half Marathon Weekend - Saturday
This morning we walked from the Hotel to the finish area to decide on the best route for tomorrow's walk and work out how long the walk would take. We left the hotel at about 9.30am and walked along 19th Street to the beach. It was a lovely morning in the low 60's with clear blue skies and no wind at all. You can see the finish tent in the distance here.
Today's events included an 8K, a kids run and Operation Smile Final Mile. The 8K started at 8am and was complete by the time we made it to the finish area, but we were in time to see the kids getting ready for their run. There were 5 different kids races for ages 1 through 5.
It was good to watch the kids and their parents having so much fun
Next came Operation Smile Final Mile. Nearly 3000 elementary school kids from all over Virginia had completed 25.2 miles after school and/or at home over the past few months and had come together to run the final mile of their marathon in front of hundreds of screaming parents and other runners. More information about Operation Smile can be found here, and it truly is an excellent cause, but what was the most inspiring was that in a time when children spend very little time exercising and being happy to exercise, it was great to see so many smiling faces as they approached the finish line.
After lunch, we headed to the Expo to collect my race number and shirt. There are over 8000 runners in the Half Marathon and plenty of things to pose for photos with!
Today's events included an 8K, a kids run and Operation Smile Final Mile. The 8K started at 8am and was complete by the time we made it to the finish area, but we were in time to see the kids getting ready for their run. There were 5 different kids races for ages 1 through 5.
It was good to watch the kids and their parents having so much fun
Next came Operation Smile Final Mile. Nearly 3000 elementary school kids from all over Virginia had completed 25.2 miles after school and/or at home over the past few months and had come together to run the final mile of their marathon in front of hundreds of screaming parents and other runners. More information about Operation Smile can be found here, and it truly is an excellent cause, but what was the most inspiring was that in a time when children spend very little time exercising and being happy to exercise, it was great to see so many smiling faces as they approached the finish line.
After lunch, we headed to the Expo to collect my race number and shirt. There are over 8000 runners in the Half Marathon and plenty of things to pose for photos with!
Shamrock Half Marathon Weekend - Friday
Elizabeth and I took the day off of work on Friday to drive the 200 or so miles to Virginia Beach for the Half Marathon on Sunday.
We loaded up the car and waved goodbye to a confused looking Scout who knows bad things are coming when my small travel suitcase makes an appearance (don't worry, she is in great hands and will have a fun time this weekend!). The drive is one that we have done many times and we had planned our lunch stop at Emporia, which is about half way. We drive on I-95 for about 60 miles as we head north out of NC in to Virginia, and this time we were in the middle of a snowbird migration! We passed RV's and SUV's from Ontario, Quebec, Rhode Island and Vermont, all heading back north now that the colder weather has been replaced by Spring (and before Florida gets too 'hot').
Probably the most interesting part of our journey was when we were having lunch at Subway in Emporia. We noticed a motorcycle pull up and there was something a little strange about it... I have no idea whether this is legal! (yes... that is a road cycle attached to the back of a motorcycle!)
We stopped off in Newport News and Gloucester to see family and friends and had a very tasty dinner at Al Fresco (I had spaghetti and meatballs to help my carbo-loading).
We eventually made it to the Doubletree Virginia Beach at about 9:30 and after unloading the car, headed to bed.
We plan to go to the Race Expo on Saturday and watch the two kids races at 10:30am and 11:00am. Other than that, we hope to have a relaxing day by the beach and an early night!
We loaded up the car and waved goodbye to a confused looking Scout who knows bad things are coming when my small travel suitcase makes an appearance (don't worry, she is in great hands and will have a fun time this weekend!). The drive is one that we have done many times and we had planned our lunch stop at Emporia, which is about half way. We drive on I-95 for about 60 miles as we head north out of NC in to Virginia, and this time we were in the middle of a snowbird migration! We passed RV's and SUV's from Ontario, Quebec, Rhode Island and Vermont, all heading back north now that the colder weather has been replaced by Spring (and before Florida gets too 'hot').
Probably the most interesting part of our journey was when we were having lunch at Subway in Emporia. We noticed a motorcycle pull up and there was something a little strange about it... I have no idea whether this is legal! (yes... that is a road cycle attached to the back of a motorcycle!)
We stopped off in Newport News and Gloucester to see family and friends and had a very tasty dinner at Al Fresco (I had spaghetti and meatballs to help my carbo-loading).
We eventually made it to the Doubletree Virginia Beach at about 9:30 and after unloading the car, headed to bed.
We plan to go to the Race Expo on Saturday and watch the two kids races at 10:30am and 11:00am. Other than that, we hope to have a relaxing day by the beach and an early night!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
A chance to run with Scout
Today was the perfect day to run with Scout, and she was very excited about the idea!
My scheduled run was my final 3 mile run before this weekend's Shamrock Half Marathon and the weather was nice and sunny (60F, 16C) - the perfect distance and conditions. When I was running shorter distances in 2008 and 2009, I ran with Scout frequently and worked out that she does best with runs that are 3 miles or less and on days with a temperature between 45F (7C) and 65F (18C).
Why is this important you might ask? Well, if you have ever run with a dog, you will know that they will run all day, just to be with you. They don't think about pain and discomfort in the same way as humans do, and often ignore it in order to please their owner. If you don't pay attention to their breathing and hydration, it is easy to end up with a dehydrated or injured dog.
Scout is rather easy to read. She (at the age of nearly 6) still has lots of energy and is easily excited. We start with a brisk walk for 4 or 5 minutes, then attempt to jog slowly. I say "attempt" as Scout likes to take off at full speed, dragging me along behind. After 20 or 30 seconds, she works out that I still run at the same pace as I used to (slower than her), and as I control the speed with the leash, she is better off moving along at what can best be described as a fast trot. She likes to be out in front with the 8 foot leash tight. Over the years, she has learned that I don't like her running directly in front of me, and that she should run on my left side and not under my feet! The less said about those days, the better!
Scout typically covers the first mile and a half with the leash tight, attacking the hills at full speed (she actually speeds up for the hills!). At around a mile and a half she starts to gradually move backwards towards me as her energy levels begin to lower. By two miles she is beside me, and puts in the occasional burst of speed as she fights with her inner desire to be the leader. This is the time that I pay most attention to her. I listen to her breathing and watch her tongue to make sure that she isn't pushing herself too much or becoming dehydrated. On the warmer days, she would be visibly struggling by this time and I'd stop so she could cool down. Over a number of runs, I worked out that 65F was about her maximum. Anything warmer and we could barely cover a mile before she was exhausted. We tried longer distances in cooler temperatures, but it didn't seem to make a difference... 3 miles is about her maximum.
I enjoy running with Scout as it is fun to watch her react to her surroundings, especially other dogs. Her trot style changes as we approach other dogs and becomes more exaggerated as if she is saying to the other dogs "look at me running, aren't I great!". She did really well today, and we both enjoyed our run. I expect she will celebrate by sleeping and snoring the afternoon away...
My scheduled run was my final 3 mile run before this weekend's Shamrock Half Marathon and the weather was nice and sunny (60F, 16C) - the perfect distance and conditions. When I was running shorter distances in 2008 and 2009, I ran with Scout frequently and worked out that she does best with runs that are 3 miles or less and on days with a temperature between 45F (7C) and 65F (18C).
Why is this important you might ask? Well, if you have ever run with a dog, you will know that they will run all day, just to be with you. They don't think about pain and discomfort in the same way as humans do, and often ignore it in order to please their owner. If you don't pay attention to their breathing and hydration, it is easy to end up with a dehydrated or injured dog.
Scout is rather easy to read. She (at the age of nearly 6) still has lots of energy and is easily excited. We start with a brisk walk for 4 or 5 minutes, then attempt to jog slowly. I say "attempt" as Scout likes to take off at full speed, dragging me along behind. After 20 or 30 seconds, she works out that I still run at the same pace as I used to (slower than her), and as I control the speed with the leash, she is better off moving along at what can best be described as a fast trot. She likes to be out in front with the 8 foot leash tight. Over the years, she has learned that I don't like her running directly in front of me, and that she should run on my left side and not under my feet! The less said about those days, the better!
Scout typically covers the first mile and a half with the leash tight, attacking the hills at full speed (she actually speeds up for the hills!). At around a mile and a half she starts to gradually move backwards towards me as her energy levels begin to lower. By two miles she is beside me, and puts in the occasional burst of speed as she fights with her inner desire to be the leader. This is the time that I pay most attention to her. I listen to her breathing and watch her tongue to make sure that she isn't pushing herself too much or becoming dehydrated. On the warmer days, she would be visibly struggling by this time and I'd stop so she could cool down. Over a number of runs, I worked out that 65F was about her maximum. Anything warmer and we could barely cover a mile before she was exhausted. We tried longer distances in cooler temperatures, but it didn't seem to make a difference... 3 miles is about her maximum.
I enjoy running with Scout as it is fun to watch her react to her surroundings, especially other dogs. Her trot style changes as we approach other dogs and becomes more exaggerated as if she is saying to the other dogs "look at me running, aren't I great!". She did really well today, and we both enjoyed our run. I expect she will celebrate by sleeping and snoring the afternoon away...
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Marathon Training - Week 1
Monday: Cardio
Tuesday: 5 miles @8:00/mile (outside, 70F, sunny) map
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 5 miles @7:45/mile (outside, 55F, overcast) map
Friday: Cardio
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 5 miles @7:55/mile (outside, 60F, sunny) map
As you can see from my running log, this week wasn't a typical week as I reduced my milage in preparation for the Shamrock Half Marathon. I had planned to do three easy runs of 5 miles with no speed, tempo or long run sessions at all in order to build up my Glycogen stores for the race.
All three runs were my typical Shelley Lake loop and were completed without anything noteworthy happening. I was able to maintain my Half Marathon pace without a problem and worked on running a consistent pace.
With less than 7 days to go until the Shamrock Half Marathon I feel in great shape and am excited about the opportunity to go under 1:45:00. I will do two easy runs this coming week and head to Virginia Beach on Friday ready for Sunday's race.
Tuesday: 5 miles @8:00/mile (outside, 70F, sunny) map
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 5 miles @7:45/mile (outside, 55F, overcast) map
Friday: Cardio
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 5 miles @7:55/mile (outside, 60F, sunny) map
As you can see from my running log, this week wasn't a typical week as I reduced my milage in preparation for the Shamrock Half Marathon. I had planned to do three easy runs of 5 miles with no speed, tempo or long run sessions at all in order to build up my Glycogen stores for the race.
All three runs were my typical Shelley Lake loop and were completed without anything noteworthy happening. I was able to maintain my Half Marathon pace without a problem and worked on running a consistent pace.
With less than 7 days to go until the Shamrock Half Marathon I feel in great shape and am excited about the opportunity to go under 1:45:00. I will do two easy runs this coming week and head to Virginia Beach on Friday ready for Sunday's race.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Sampson County Super Sprint Triathlon
Sometime in January this year, Elizabeth found a website for the FSSeries of events and came across the Sampson County Super Sprint Triathlon. This Super Sprint Triathlon consisted of a 250 yard swim followed by a 7 mile swim and a 2 mile run and caught her eye as something that she could work towards. Elizabeth has always been a fantastic swimmer with a stroke that is very efficient, but never much of a cyclist or runner. So it was a case of determining whether she could bike for 7 miles and run for 2 miles, not to mention that this entire event would be 70-80 minutes of hard work.
I thought the event was a great idea, and after completing Krispy Kreme Challenge (4 miles running) and the Law Enforcement Torch Run 5K she signed up.
Swimming 250 yards wasn't a concern for her, but she did need to provide a time for a recent 100 yard swim for seeding. We also purchased a barely used mountain bike and she did a few practice ride/run sessions (apparently called 'brick' runs).
The race weekend quickly arrived, and we set off for the 70 mile drive to Clinton, NC on Friday afternoon with the mountain bike strapped to the back of the Mini Cooper! We had booked to stay at the recommended local hotel (Inn at Clinton) and headed to drop off the bike before going to collect her race packet.
When we arrived at the race site, I checked the swim start times and discovered that Elizabeth had been seeded #7 out of 156 based on her 100 yard swim time. This meant that she was unlikely to have to worry about the lanes in the pool being full of slow swimmers when she started her swim, but also made her a little uncomfortable at the idea that she was ranked so highly.
Given the type of event (a Super Sprint Triathlon), the organizers were prepared for a combination of triathlon virgins and seasoned participants. Once we had collected the race packet, the organizers provided a kind of a Triathlon 101 session which explained what was going to happen step by step. We were told how the staggered pool start would work and how the swimmers would change lanes after every 50 yards. Then we were shown how to rack bikes and how the transition areas were laid out.
Elizabeth had heard a couple of other participants talking about the hills on the cycle section of the course, so we decided to take a drive around the cycle and run routes. We discovered a few incline/decline sections where roads passed over each other, but with the relatively straight nature of the course, we didn't think this would be a huge problem.
We got an early night and woke at 5.30am to be at the race site at 6.15am and get set up. The weather was dry and 60F with overcast skies and the threat of rain. We racked the bike, prepared her transition area and walked around the race site to kill the time we had until she needed to begin her swim. I did manage to get Elizabeth to pose with her bike...
We watched some interesting people arrive; there were a number of young guys that had very expensive equipment that had been seeded in the top 12, and therefore had their bikes on the same rack as Elizabeth. We saw some 8 and 9 year old's and some people in their 70's - it was very much like a local 5K road race with the diverse nature of the participants.
Time eventually passed, and it was time for Elizabeth to enter the pool. There were six lanes, with the swimmers lined up in groups of 20 in ranked order in lane 1. When their start time came around, they moved to lane 2 and pushed off. There was a 10-15 second gap between swimmers, at least at the start of the swim phase. Elizabeth flew through the first 150 yards, but mentioned to me after that as the number of swimmers in the pool grew, the water became choppier and it was more difficult to maintain a consistent stroke without gulping down mouthfuls of water! She finished her swim in a time that was 2nd overall for the women and 5th overall for all participants out of over 150!
She transitioned to her bike after fighting to get her favorite work out shirt on over the top of her swimwear and began the 7 mile ride. She said after that she found the hills difficult as she found that she had to keep changing up and down gears. It certainly isn't easy to ride up and down these types of hills on a mountain bike, and is even more difficult when the gears don't change smoothly. She did however manage a smile for me when she finished her bike phase.
The run phase was also rather hilly, and actually started with a climb which is the last thing a person wants when they have just battled through 7 miles on a bike! Two miles later, Elizabeth got a chance to run down the last hill and in to the finish area to complete her first Super Sprint Triathlon!
Overall, I think this was a fantastic achievement for Elizabeth. It would have been easy to give up on the cycle or run phases, but she persevered, asked her body for some extra strength and energy and made it through the entire race. I am very proud of her achievement, and I know that she is too!
I thought the event was a great idea, and after completing Krispy Kreme Challenge (4 miles running) and the Law Enforcement Torch Run 5K she signed up.
Swimming 250 yards wasn't a concern for her, but she did need to provide a time for a recent 100 yard swim for seeding. We also purchased a barely used mountain bike and she did a few practice ride/run sessions (apparently called 'brick' runs).
The race weekend quickly arrived, and we set off for the 70 mile drive to Clinton, NC on Friday afternoon with the mountain bike strapped to the back of the Mini Cooper! We had booked to stay at the recommended local hotel (Inn at Clinton) and headed to drop off the bike before going to collect her race packet.
When we arrived at the race site, I checked the swim start times and discovered that Elizabeth had been seeded #7 out of 156 based on her 100 yard swim time. This meant that she was unlikely to have to worry about the lanes in the pool being full of slow swimmers when she started her swim, but also made her a little uncomfortable at the idea that she was ranked so highly.
Given the type of event (a Super Sprint Triathlon), the organizers were prepared for a combination of triathlon virgins and seasoned participants. Once we had collected the race packet, the organizers provided a kind of a Triathlon 101 session which explained what was going to happen step by step. We were told how the staggered pool start would work and how the swimmers would change lanes after every 50 yards. Then we were shown how to rack bikes and how the transition areas were laid out.
Elizabeth had heard a couple of other participants talking about the hills on the cycle section of the course, so we decided to take a drive around the cycle and run routes. We discovered a few incline/decline sections where roads passed over each other, but with the relatively straight nature of the course, we didn't think this would be a huge problem.
We got an early night and woke at 5.30am to be at the race site at 6.15am and get set up. The weather was dry and 60F with overcast skies and the threat of rain. We racked the bike, prepared her transition area and walked around the race site to kill the time we had until she needed to begin her swim. I did manage to get Elizabeth to pose with her bike...
We watched some interesting people arrive; there were a number of young guys that had very expensive equipment that had been seeded in the top 12, and therefore had their bikes on the same rack as Elizabeth. We saw some 8 and 9 year old's and some people in their 70's - it was very much like a local 5K road race with the diverse nature of the participants.
Time eventually passed, and it was time for Elizabeth to enter the pool. There were six lanes, with the swimmers lined up in groups of 20 in ranked order in lane 1. When their start time came around, they moved to lane 2 and pushed off. There was a 10-15 second gap between swimmers, at least at the start of the swim phase. Elizabeth flew through the first 150 yards, but mentioned to me after that as the number of swimmers in the pool grew, the water became choppier and it was more difficult to maintain a consistent stroke without gulping down mouthfuls of water! She finished her swim in a time that was 2nd overall for the women and 5th overall for all participants out of over 150!
She transitioned to her bike after fighting to get her favorite work out shirt on over the top of her swimwear and began the 7 mile ride. She said after that she found the hills difficult as she found that she had to keep changing up and down gears. It certainly isn't easy to ride up and down these types of hills on a mountain bike, and is even more difficult when the gears don't change smoothly. She did however manage a smile for me when she finished her bike phase.
The run phase was also rather hilly, and actually started with a climb which is the last thing a person wants when they have just battled through 7 miles on a bike! Two miles later, Elizabeth got a chance to run down the last hill and in to the finish area to complete her first Super Sprint Triathlon!
Overall, I think this was a fantastic achievement for Elizabeth. It would have been easy to give up on the cycle or run phases, but she persevered, asked her body for some extra strength and energy and made it through the entire race. I am very proud of her achievement, and I know that she is too!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Running ‘Loosens’ Your Skin? Hmm…
I have been reading Mark Remy's blog for a few months and I think he is great! He never fails to make me smile in the morning with his topics and sense of humor. I have tried to resist the urge to post links to his stories, but I have finally broken down as today's blog entry is certainly one of the funniest. Not just because of Mark's delivery, but because this topic was published in a national Woman's magazine and people will no doubt believe it.
Here is a quick summary of the article: "High-impact workouts, like running and jumping, might make you sweat, but they also loosen the skin, causing it to sag. Instead, try “low-impact aerobic exercise,” such as spinning."
Click here to read Mark's response!
Here is a quick summary of the article: "High-impact workouts, like running and jumping, might make you sweat, but they also loosen the skin, causing it to sag. Instead, try “low-impact aerobic exercise,” such as spinning."
Click here to read Mark's response!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Marathon Training - March
I have finalized my Marathon Training using the guide in the book "Run Less, Run Faster"
This book covers a training program which requires only three running sessions per week: a speed workout, a tempo run and a long run. The rest of the week has two cross-training sessions which are non-impact workouts and two rest days. This program works well for me as I have no desire to run 5 or more days a week!
Starting with Monday March 8th, there are 34 weeks until the Marine Corps. Marathon. My training program is too large to post in a blog entry, so I will post a month at a time and update weekly on my progress.
Here is March's training program which includes the Shamrock Half Marathon and my recovery time.
Week 1: Week starting March 8th
==================
Speed: 5 miles easy
Tempo: 5 miles easy
Long: 5 miles easy
Week 2: Week starting March 15th
==================
Speed: 4 miles easy
Tempo: 3 miles easy
Long: Shamrock Half Marathon (8:00/mile)
Week 3: Week starting March 22nd
==================
Speed: Rest
Tempo: Rest
Long: Rest
Other: Mutt & Jeff 5K (3/27)
Week 4: Week starting March 29th
==================
Speed: 10-20 min warm up, 6 x 400m (1:36) (400m RI), 10 min cool down
Tempo: 6 mile run: 2 miles easy (8:57/mile), 2 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 2 miles easy
Long: 12 miles @ Marathon Pace + 30 (8:40/mile)
This book covers a training program which requires only three running sessions per week: a speed workout, a tempo run and a long run. The rest of the week has two cross-training sessions which are non-impact workouts and two rest days. This program works well for me as I have no desire to run 5 or more days a week!
Starting with Monday March 8th, there are 34 weeks until the Marine Corps. Marathon. My training program is too large to post in a blog entry, so I will post a month at a time and update weekly on my progress.
Here is March's training program which includes the Shamrock Half Marathon and my recovery time.
Week 1: Week starting March 8th
==================
Speed: 5 miles easy
Tempo: 5 miles easy
Long: 5 miles easy
Week 2: Week starting March 15th
==================
Speed: 4 miles easy
Tempo: 3 miles easy
Long: Shamrock Half Marathon (8:00/mile)
Week 3: Week starting March 22nd
==================
Speed: Rest
Tempo: Rest
Long: Rest
Other: Mutt & Jeff 5K (3/27)
Week 4: Week starting March 29th
==================
Speed: 10-20 min warm up, 6 x 400m (1:36) (400m RI), 10 min cool down
Tempo: 6 mile run: 2 miles easy (8:57/mile), 2 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 2 miles easy
Long: 12 miles @ Marathon Pace + 30 (8:40/mile)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
WakeMed Cary Distance Festival 10K
Click here to see today's Race Map and Splits
This fourth race of the Second Empire Grand Prix of races was held in Cary. This week I had been struggling with a tight hamstring on my right leg following my soccer game on Monday and had been debating on Thursday whether or not to run this race (as I didn't want to injure myself with only two weeks to go until the Shamrock Half Marathon). Following a good run on Thursday my leg felt better and I decided to run the 10K. I lined up at the start with the mind set that I would run hard but if my hamstring tightened up during the race, I would stop.
The weather was again cold (40F, 3C) at the start of the race, the sun was out but there was a blustery wind on parts of the course. I decided to run without my hat and gloves, but with the rest of my cold weather gear on. I followed my now normal routine of using a GU a few minutes before the start of the race.
The course was run on the roads and the 10K course ran a 3 mile loop before joining the 5K course that ran through a couple of local neighborhoods. The main thing that I can remember about today's race was that there were lots of rolling hills throughout the entire course. The hills weren't as bad as those in the previous two 5K races, but there were a couple that I was certainly happy to get to the top of!
The other thing that sticks in my mind about this race was that it was the first time I had seen another runner trip over their own feet and fall flat on their face. She was about 50 yards ahead of me and one second she was running along quite happily, then all of a sudden she was face down in the road! To her credit, she got straight back up and carried on running! I wonder if it happens to her often?
I started in the middle of the pack and had to move from side to side to pass people until the field began to thin out and I settled in to a nice rhythm.
I went through the first mile in 7:27 and realized that I hadn't felt my hamstring at all, even on the inclines. I took advantage of a few downhills in the second mile and had a split of 7:17. I found a couple of other runners that were running at about a pace that I liked and ran with them for the next 3 miles with splits of 7:33, 7:34 and 7:38. At the 5 mile sign I decided to push a little harder and ran mile 6 in 7:22 and finished with a new PR of 46:51!
I am happy to have kept my streak of PR's going, but I am more pleased that I got through the race without feeling my tight hamstring at all.
Local news anchor Bill Leslie was the race MC
After the race, Elizabeth told me that the inflatable finish arch had lost power during the race and had collapsed... luckily for everyone she took a photo!
Joseph Moore won the race with 31:16 (just 8 seconds off of the course record) which gives me 667 points for the Second Empire Grand Prix. I finished 52nd of 254.
This fourth race of the Second Empire Grand Prix of races was held in Cary. This week I had been struggling with a tight hamstring on my right leg following my soccer game on Monday and had been debating on Thursday whether or not to run this race (as I didn't want to injure myself with only two weeks to go until the Shamrock Half Marathon). Following a good run on Thursday my leg felt better and I decided to run the 10K. I lined up at the start with the mind set that I would run hard but if my hamstring tightened up during the race, I would stop.
The weather was again cold (40F, 3C) at the start of the race, the sun was out but there was a blustery wind on parts of the course. I decided to run without my hat and gloves, but with the rest of my cold weather gear on. I followed my now normal routine of using a GU a few minutes before the start of the race.
The course was run on the roads and the 10K course ran a 3 mile loop before joining the 5K course that ran through a couple of local neighborhoods. The main thing that I can remember about today's race was that there were lots of rolling hills throughout the entire course. The hills weren't as bad as those in the previous two 5K races, but there were a couple that I was certainly happy to get to the top of!
The other thing that sticks in my mind about this race was that it was the first time I had seen another runner trip over their own feet and fall flat on their face. She was about 50 yards ahead of me and one second she was running along quite happily, then all of a sudden she was face down in the road! To her credit, she got straight back up and carried on running! I wonder if it happens to her often?
I started in the middle of the pack and had to move from side to side to pass people until the field began to thin out and I settled in to a nice rhythm.
I went through the first mile in 7:27 and realized that I hadn't felt my hamstring at all, even on the inclines. I took advantage of a few downhills in the second mile and had a split of 7:17. I found a couple of other runners that were running at about a pace that I liked and ran with them for the next 3 miles with splits of 7:33, 7:34 and 7:38. At the 5 mile sign I decided to push a little harder and ran mile 6 in 7:22 and finished with a new PR of 46:51!
I am happy to have kept my streak of PR's going, but I am more pleased that I got through the race without feeling my tight hamstring at all.
Local news anchor Bill Leslie was the race MC
After the race, Elizabeth told me that the inflatable finish arch had lost power during the race and had collapsed... luckily for everyone she took a photo!
Joseph Moore won the race with 31:16 (just 8 seconds off of the course record) which gives me 667 points for the Second Empire Grand Prix. I finished 52nd of 254.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tight Hamstring
So, I spoke too soon about how I didn't seem to hurt myself at soccer/football on Monday. On Tuesday afternoon I began to feel some tightness in my right hamstring and my lower back and by Wednesday morning it was painful to walk and my hamstring was painful to touch. I had hoped that the tightness was just a sign of using my body in a different way than I had in a long time (probably at least a year) and that the tightness would be less on Thursday.
Unfortunately, the pain was about the same on Thursday morning, so I started doing Static Stretches both (Internal and External rotation) every couple of hours. I felt an immediate improvement and wore my compression shorts for the rest of the morning and afternoon. With the 10K at the Cary Distance Festival coming up on Saturday, I decided that I needed to do some kind of run to see what reaction my hamstring would have.
I stretched for a good 10 minutes before I started out on my normal 5 mile loop a little slower than I typically do and although I could feel a little tightness in my hamstring, it didn't get any worse and in fact began to loosen up as my muscles got warmer. I increased my speed in miles 2 and 3 to close to 10K race pace and didn't feel any worse. Feeling much happier and positive about my chances of running on Saturday, I decreased my pace slowly for the final 2 miles and couldn't feel any tightness at the end of the run. I stretched during my warm down walk and the iced my hamstring when I got home.
I continued to stretch on Thursday and am happy to report that although my hamstring is still tight this morning, it is much better than it was on Thursday. I will stretch throughout the day today and should be able to get through the 10K tomorrow. Hopefully with more stretching over the weekend and next week and a limited amount of running (I have only a few shortish runs left before the Half Marathon), I will be pain free my next weekend!
Unfortunately, the pain was about the same on Thursday morning, so I started doing Static Stretches both (Internal and External rotation) every couple of hours. I felt an immediate improvement and wore my compression shorts for the rest of the morning and afternoon. With the 10K at the Cary Distance Festival coming up on Saturday, I decided that I needed to do some kind of run to see what reaction my hamstring would have.
I stretched for a good 10 minutes before I started out on my normal 5 mile loop a little slower than I typically do and although I could feel a little tightness in my hamstring, it didn't get any worse and in fact began to loosen up as my muscles got warmer. I increased my speed in miles 2 and 3 to close to 10K race pace and didn't feel any worse. Feeling much happier and positive about my chances of running on Saturday, I decreased my pace slowly for the final 2 miles and couldn't feel any tightness at the end of the run. I stretched during my warm down walk and the iced my hamstring when I got home.
I continued to stretch on Thursday and am happy to report that although my hamstring is still tight this morning, it is much better than it was on Thursday. I will stretch throughout the day today and should be able to get through the 10K tomorrow. Hopefully with more stretching over the weekend and next week and a limited amount of running (I have only a few shortish runs left before the Half Marathon), I will be pain free my next weekend!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Funds to Support the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Fisher Houses
Here is a portion of the email I have just received from the Fisher House Program outlining their plans for the money raised by Team Fisher House at the Marine Corps. Marathon (MCM)... I am sure you will agree, this is a cause well worth supporting.
There are more than 30,000 wounded service men and women who need ongoing medical care at our nation's military hospitals. Many of them are suffering from traumatic brain and spinal injury and their care often requires lengthy hospital stays, making for a hardship on the family. Fortunately, the Fisher House Foundation has a plan to help them. Team Fisher House at the 2010 MCM has a significant role in that plan.
With the expansion of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, MD and the construction of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), the Fisher House Foundation is taking on its largest commitment ever - building three Fisher Houses adjacent to the NICoE. The NICoE will be the military medical facility dedicated to the research, diagnosis, and treatment of military personnel suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health issues (PTSD). The demand for these services is expected to be very high and Fisher House Foundation is surging the resources of the entire organization in an effort to triple their current capacity in support of this need. Fisher House Foundation is moving quickly with site preparation currently underway - and a potential dedication of one of the three houses before the end of the year.
All proceeds from Team Fisher House at the 2010 MCM will go toward the construction of those three Fisher Houses at WRNMMC. By running for Team Fisher House, you are making a real difference in the lives of those American Heroes who will be treated at those two major medical facilities.
There are more than 30,000 wounded service men and women who need ongoing medical care at our nation's military hospitals. Many of them are suffering from traumatic brain and spinal injury and their care often requires lengthy hospital stays, making for a hardship on the family. Fortunately, the Fisher House Foundation has a plan to help them. Team Fisher House at the 2010 MCM has a significant role in that plan.
With the expansion of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, MD and the construction of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), the Fisher House Foundation is taking on its largest commitment ever - building three Fisher Houses adjacent to the NICoE. The NICoE will be the military medical facility dedicated to the research, diagnosis, and treatment of military personnel suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health issues (PTSD). The demand for these services is expected to be very high and Fisher House Foundation is surging the resources of the entire organization in an effort to triple their current capacity in support of this need. Fisher House Foundation is moving quickly with site preparation currently underway - and a potential dedication of one of the three houses before the end of the year.
All proceeds from Team Fisher House at the 2010 MCM will go toward the construction of those three Fisher Houses at WRNMMC. By running for Team Fisher House, you are making a real difference in the lives of those American Heroes who will be treated at those two major medical facilities.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Team Fisher House
I have today become a member of "Team Fisher House" for the 2010 Marine Corps. Marathon (you can visit my fundraising page here for more information on the Fisher House Program).
Basically, the Fisher House Program provides free housing and food at major military medical centers for the families of military personnel that are injured or sick. This is an expense that is not covered by the Government and without the help of the Fisher House Program, many families would be unable to visit their loved ones in their time of most need. It costs $10 a provide food and housing for a family for one night in one of the Fisher Houses.
I will receive support throughout my training and have a great group of people to experience the marathon weekend with.
Please visit my fundraising page and contribute what you can even if it's only small, every little bit helps.
Basically, the Fisher House Program provides free housing and food at major military medical centers for the families of military personnel that are injured or sick. This is an expense that is not covered by the Government and without the help of the Fisher House Program, many families would be unable to visit their loved ones in their time of most need. It costs $10 a provide food and housing for a family for one night in one of the Fisher Houses.
I will receive support throughout my training and have a great group of people to experience the marathon weekend with.
Please visit my fundraising page and contribute what you can even if it's only small, every little bit helps.
Soccer/Football
It was the first IBM Redbooks soccer/football game of the year last night, and my first game in probably 12 months. I had stopped playing for a couple of reasons; mainly that I didn't want to get injured and have to take time off of training, and secondly that I was getting annoyed at having my ankles and shins kicked for two hours a week.
I went in to the game knowing that I had run 13.1 miles the day before and that I needed to go easy and try to avoid running up and down for the entire game.
In the end, I managed to avoid too much running and got a decent two hour work out and a low intensity which is exactly what I had been hoping for. More importantly, I had some fun, I didn't strain any muscles and I didn't have my ankles or shins kicked too much. As for my game, it was obvious that I hadn't played in a long time!
I went in to the game knowing that I had run 13.1 miles the day before and that I needed to go easy and try to avoid running up and down for the entire game.
In the end, I managed to avoid too much running and got a decent two hour work out and a low intensity which is exactly what I had been hoping for. More importantly, I had some fun, I didn't strain any muscles and I didn't have my ankles or shins kicked too much. As for my game, it was obvious that I hadn't played in a long time!
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