Year in Review

For my final post of 2015, I thought it would be appropriate to write a year-in-review post that recounts my running accomplishments from the past twelve months.

Total Number of Runs: 129 (including races)

Average Number of Runs per Month: 10.8

• Most Runs in a Month: 18 (July)
• Fewest Runs in a Month: 4 (December)

Total Miles Run (approximate): 792

Average Distance per Run: 5.97

Average Duration per Run: 0:55:21

Longest Distance: 26.2 (Chicago Marathon)

Average Pace per Run: 8:47 min/mi

Average Number of Calories Burned per Run: 760

Maximum Number of Calories Burned on One Run: 3000+ (thanks, Chicago!)

Pairs of Shoes: 2.5 (the half is the carryover from last year that I retired this year)

Number of times I slipped and fell while running on snow and ice: 2 (and both times were in front of older gentlemen walking their dogs)

Number of races run: 10

• 5Ks - 4
• 7Ks - 1
• 10Ks - 2
• Half-Marathons - 2
• Marathons - 1

Amount spent on race registration: $565

• Cheapest race: Samson Stomp & Romp 5K at the Milwaukee County Zoo - $20
• Most expensive race: Chicago Marathon - $185 (and worth every penny)

Most memorable run: Chicago Marathon

Most satisfying run: Madison Mini-Marathon

Most humbling run: Door County Half-Marathon

Coldest run: -20 F

Coldest race: Cupid Shuffle (10K) which was 1 F at the start with a real feel of -11 F.

Hottest run: I'm sure there were a few this summer that hit close to 90 F (not fun).

Greatest reward for any run/race: Seeing Jody during the race and/or at the finish line!

Have a safe and wonderful New Year!

On the ferry from Vancouver Island.

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Giving Back

When I drive home from work, there are usually one or two "homeless" people at one or more of the intersections along my route. I have seen people hand change or other items from their car. Although I have considered doing the same, I have not. I had an idea last year to buy some gift cards to McDonald's and hand these out to those individuals. I opted not to do so.

For some reason, I feel a sense of obligation to help, but am on the fence about how or if these people are not if fact homeless -- just beggars looking for a few bucks. Part of me wrestles with the idea that if someone is homeless he/she should not be on the corner begging for change; rather, he/she should be knocking on doors, asking for some type of work -- any type of work -- to help slowly climb out of his/her hole. However, I recognize that this is not as easy as it seems, but part of me still wants to do something for the better.

As I wrote last week, on Thanksgiving, Jody and I ran the Drumstick Dash in Milwaukee. For this race, some of the proceeds go to the local homeless shelter. In addition to our race registration, I made a small donation. This made me feel a little better and less guilty when driving through those intersections, knowing that some of what I gave for that race may contribute to the place where a homeless person could go for the day or evening. However, I feel more can still be done.

Quite frankly, I'm not sure that volunteering is in my blood. I've thought about it and will continue to think about it, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of the social interaction. Is that a horrible thing to say? Maybe, but I feel I can contribute in other ways.

A few days ago, I came across this link on Facebook: http://iambeggingmymothernottoreadthisblog.com/2015/11/28/fifteen-things-for-when-the-world-is-shitty-and-terrifying/

Number 8 reads: "8. Here’s a link to Amazon, where you can buy a ten-pack of socks for $9.99. Click the link. When you are asked for your shipping address, find the address of a homeless shelter in your community."

This got me thinking ... instead of socks, does Amazon sell some sort of care package that can be sent to a local homeless shelter? I poked around Amazon and the answer appears to be "no." They offer care packages for college students, but nothing for homeless shelters. Maybe they should. Maybe I should take the initiative to try to start this. Of course, instead of sending just socks, I could send packages of materials that our local homeless shelter seeks. The holiday season seems like the perfect time to do it.

Overall, what I am getting at is that actions speak more than words. With all the fear, anger, and frustration that exists in the world, what makes a difference, at least for me, is doing something because I am in a fortunate portion to give back to those who are in need.

Drumstick Dash

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

On Wednesday evening the rain arrived in Milwaukee. I'd by lying if I said I was not hoping that the rain would continue through to the morning and be an excuse to not run the Drumstick Dash. That evening, I was feeling exceptionally lethargic. I know I commented to Jody that I did not feel like running the 5K.

At 5 AM on Thursday morning, heavy rain could be heard hitting the window. Had my prayers been answered?

No. By 6 AM, the rain had stopped. At the very least, Jody and I would drive to Miller Park and see if the rain would hold off.

It did.

Last year's Drumstick Dash was memorable for how cold it was. At the start of the race, it was a balmy 20 F with a windchill that dropped the temperature to about 0 F. Jody and I each wore about three layers, including gloves and hats.

This year, the temperature was on the warm side. Although there were a number of people dressed up like it was 0 F, the temperature was closer to 50 F. Surprisingly, I was one of the few runners who ran in shorts and a t-shirt.

The race started at 8:30 AM. About 3,300 people registered for the race, but the final results only showed about 2,700 people. There were a few sprinkles at the start of the race, but nothing became of them and the remainder of the race was run under dry conditions.

Overall, Jody and I both felt like we ran good races. We felt our times were better this year than last year. Last year, I ran the race in 24:35, for a 7:55 min/mi pace. I was, however, amazed to discover that this year's time was slightly slower: 24:42 for a 7:57 min/mi pace. (Jody's time was also a couple seconds slower.)

I'm a bit frustrated at the result, but I thought I ran a smoother, stronger race, so I will take it as a push.

This should be the last race of the year. I do not see myself dressing up as Santa and running a 5K in December. Instead, the next race will most likely be the Samson Stomp & Romp at the Milwaukee Zoo in mid-January.

Post-Drumstick Dash Selfie (2015)

Happy Thanksgiving

I realized that I have not posted anything for almost two weeks. It is just that time of year. School has been crazy busy and the colder weather has zapped some energy. This has slowed, but not stopped the running.

On Thanksgiving, Jody and I will be running the Drumstick Dash at Miller Park in Milwaukee. We are kind of looking forward to the race -- at the very least, we will not feel too guilty eating a second serving. Last year, it was bitterly cold during the run (20 F but with a nasty windchill where it felt like 2 F). They are calling for warmer temps this year, but there is a chance of rain. We'll see but have fun regardless.

http://www.visioneventmanagement.com/pages/drumstick-dash.php

I'll have a more complete post after Thanksgiving. So, until then, may I wish everyone a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Plateaus

Plateaus. They happen to all runners. They are those stretches where the legs feel like they are in quicksand. They are those stretches where ever run feels like a grind. I can honestly say I'm at a plateau.

This plateau should not be unexpected. Following the marathon, it has been a perfect storm of events that have contributed to a slow down of activity: shorter days, cooler/colder temperatures, a head cold, busier stretch at school, and, oh yeah, a little thing called a wedding to start planning for.

I guess I should not be surprised by the lack of ambition or energy to run. I guess I should not be too frustrated that what running I have done since the marathon (a few runs between 3 and 5 miles each) has not felt like the best miles of my relatively short running career. Although I am not too upset about my current status, I cannot help but feel some type of let down that some of that training I did for the marathon is no longer applicable. In other words, I highly doubt my ability to go out and run 13 miles next weekend -- I feel as if I would need to build back up to that mileage.

But I like to find a silver lining in everything.

As I trained for and as I ran the marathon, I found that one of my greatest limitations was strength, or a lack of it. In the weeks leading up to the marathon, on a couple of my long runs, I felt my core give out in the last few miles -- I really struggled to maintain to my posture. During these runs (and on the marathon), my quads screamed at me to stop as I approached mile 20.

Instead of trying to run my way through the plateau to find new heights, I'm going to approach this off season from a different direction. Sure, I am going to continue to run, but I'm not going to focus on adding mileage on my long runs until after the New Year. Instead, I am going to work on my leg and core strength.

A few times a week, instead of lacing up the shoes at 5:30 AM, I intend to do a series of morning exercises. I have a somewhat scripted routine (see below), but will mix up the exercises to keep the routine fresh -- there are no shortage of core and "runner" exercises, so this should be pretty easy to do. In short, the goal has been to find a set of exercises that I feel to be challenging but that I know I can perform with confidence.

The Morning Routine

• Plank (hold for 60 seconds)
• Lower-Body Russian Twist with leg extensions (12 reps)
• Push-Ups (60 seconds -- max reps)
• Hip Rock and Raise (12 reps)
• Single-Leg Deadlifts (12 reps each leg)
• Bridge (hold for 60 seconds)
• Superman (10 "lifts" hold for 3-5 seconds each)
• Squats -- Feet pointing forward (20 reps)
• Squats -- Feet pointing outward (20 reps) 
• Clams (20 reps each leg)
• Wall sit (hold for 60 seconds)
• Side shuffle (5-10 steps each direction, 3-5 reps)
• Side plank (60 seconds each side)

It's Really Hard ... Not Running the Marathon ... Jody's Story of the Chicago Marathon

When talking to Jody about this week’s blog, she mentioned that she had written something. The day after the marathon, she wrote a short piece about her experience. This post is that story, written on the Monday after the race…

Donald told his marathon story – now it’s my turn … but as the spectator.

Donald got up a little before 6 AM. No alarm clock necessary. While he had every right to be nervous and excited, I was surprised - he appeared calmer than me!  By 6:45 AM we left the hotel, but by his fast walking pace; I knew he wanted to get the race started.  Because the starting area is secured, I only walked with him for a block before giving him one last hug and kiss.

It was 1.5 hours before he would start.  Now what?  I ate breakfast.  I checked the internet.  I packed our bags – all FIVE of them! I checked out of the hotel and hauled our things to the car parked a block away.  (How/why did we ever bring so much stuff?)

Then I hit the course.  The night before, we went over my plan on the route. With 40,000+ runners, there needed to be a plan.  The early part of the race goes through downtown and has large crowds. I focused on the second half of the race when the going would get tough.   I planned to see him at Miles 13, 17, 20 and 24.   I would always be on the left side of the road so he would know where to look for me in the brightest pink shirt ever worn specifically to catch his eye.

Surprisingly, it did not take me that long to walk to the 13.1 mark. By 8:30 AM, I got to my front row street curb seat just after the 13.1 mark, and settled in with warm cup of tea on the chilly morning.  Time to wait for the runners to come to me.

The wheelchair athletes were the first to reach the halfway point - inspirational with huge ovations from the crowd.

The elite men then ran past in a small tight pack.  They were cruising and the race officials required motorcycles and pedal bikes to stay with them (see the video that I took).  The leading women were pounding the pavement five minutes behind them.  It was amazing to see how calm they were, with stonewall expressions – very focused. This was not the same for most of the runners behind them.

[Editor's Note: In the video, you get a sense of how loud the crowds were along the route. It was like this for about 80% of the marathon! Still causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.]

As the minutes ticked by, I became increasingly more nervous.  I would continuously check my phone to get the runner tracking to see where Donald was.  Was he running too fast in the beginning?  What was hurting? And how badly did it hurt?

Oh, the variety of runners I would see.  Young and old.  Some hardly had a sweat, some were grimacing in pain.  Some were dressed up as cartoon characters or superheroes.  There were runners who were blind who had a team of guides in yellow running with them. There was also a woman who passed with two prosthetic legs…. Amazing! Lots of signs in the crowds, some wittier than others.  Donald said he saw a sign that said “Jay Cutler would have quit by now.”  Classic.

Then finally! I saw him coming by way.  It was great so see him with a smile at the halfway mark.

After 10 seconds he was gone…. Thankfully I had a short cut planned and hustled to the next spot.  I saw him looking really strong at mile 17, feeling the pain at Mile 20, and on the back stretch just before mile 25.  Every time he was smiling, when I knew his body must be hating every step at that point.  By noon, the sun was up above and I was warm myself … and I wasn’t running in the middle of a concrete street.

There he goes!

When I saw him right before mile 25, I ran with him for a short period.  I told him “You got this…10 minutes more… you are going to run all the way to the finish!”  After that, I felt guilty.  It was probably more like 15 minutes and what if he pushed too hard and fell over? When the notice on my phone came through that he finished - relief and joy.

Finding him at the end of the race was easier than expected.  We walked slowly back to the car.  I was surprised in that he was moving quite well.  (Just don’t ask how long it took him to get out of the car after the two-hour ride back to Milwaukee.)

At 7:08 AM this morning, he wrote an email to me with a link for another marathon next year.  Average runner?  I’d say he is bit better than that, with a cup of crazy thrown in! Congratulations Donald!

Now What?

A week after Chicago and I am back to "normal." I had a few moments last week where I felt as if something was missing but did not shed any tears over the fact that my schedule did not include any morning runs.

In the days that followed Chicago, my body felt great except for my quads. OMG! On Monday, it took me at least twenty minutes of gently motion exercises to just be able to get out of bed. And there were the stairs...

For three days, I took them one at a time, backwards, and even planned circuitous routes to avoid them entirely. I stopped dreading these diabolical beasts on Thursday and my legs have since returned to normal.

It was weird to wake up on Saturday and Sunday and realize that I did not have go for a long run this weekend. I could just get up and relax and ... do work (oh the joy). There was no waking up early to eat. There was just waking up early (i.e., 5 AM) because, apparently, that is what I do.

I can't say that I missed not running this past week. However, there is something that I do miss: working towards a goal.

As I mentioned in last week's post, the next race I run will probably be the Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving Day morning. That's over a month away and more of a fun run than a serious race, therefore, only a minimal amount of training will be necessary. So, I'm not sure what the next big event will be.

I need a carrot to keep me motivated.

This coming week, assuming my recently acquired head cold clears up, I will go for one or two short and runs. But, it's not entirely clear where I go from here...

Maybe I will search for a 5K or 10K race in early December just to give me a target to shoot for each time I lace up the sneakers. We'll see...

The Chicago Marathon

Five-plus months and 386 miles of training, and it all boils down to just 26.2 more miles.

Jody and I drove down to Chicago on Saturday afternoon and went straight to the Expo at the McCormick Place to pick up my race-day packet and bib. The Expo is insane. There was stuff everywhere. I can see how people who like to shop can get sucked into it for several hours. We made a B-line for the bib and then to the area to pick up the shirt ... all the way at the other end of the Expo. We did not dilly-dally and promptly exited the Expo after accomplishing these two tasks.

The Expo

For our one night in Chicago, we stayed at the Palmer house. The location was perfect, only a few blocks from Millennium Park. Even better was the fact that there was a pasta and pizza place -- Vapiano -- across the street. Needless to say, it was packed when we arrived, but the lines moved at a steady pace. Although my first choice, the ravalloi, was sold out, I settled on the salami e ricotta con rucola -- Salami, ricotta cheese, pine nuts, rocket, white wine. It rocked! (To my credit, however, I had started add more carbs to diet as early as Wednesday, so I was not completely dependent on this meal.)

After dinner, Jody and I returned to the hotel. Despite the nerves starting to build, we both fell asleep before 10 PM. The bed was super comfortable.

Race Day!

The alarm went off at 5:45 AM. Because I only had a few blocks to the corral, we determined that I needed to leave around 6:45 AM. I woke up, took a shower, and then had my customary plain bagel with some peanut butter and a banana. The only hiccups in the morning were not completely charging my phone (it wouldn't matter), and I was unable to top-off my watch battery because I forgot my charger at home (my watch would pass out at mile 19, but I'm not sure it would have lasted the full 26.2 even if fully charged).

At 6:45, we promptly left the hotel. Jody walked with me for about a block before kissing me good-bye and wishing me luck. I was on my own.

I followed the crowd and found the proper gate to gain access to Corral G. Security was a breeze and only took a few minutes to get through. After that, I made my way to my corral.

After security.

 I had about an hour to kill. So, I sat on a curb and watched the people come and go.

Sunrise in Corral G.

As 8:00 approached, the corral filled up and we eventually made our way to the starting line.

A filled-up Corral G.

Approaching the starting line.

I'll be the first to admit, I had no idea what to expect. As I have written in previous posts, my 20-mile long runs in the weeks leading up to the marathon were brutal experiences. I wrote on the entry form a goal of 4:30:00. I knew that wasn't going to happen. I thought maybe 4:40:00 would be possible ... until after the first seven miles when that pace group disappeared into the crowd of runners. After the first several miles, I made up my mind that I just wanted to run a comfortable race.

After the first mile, my watch became useless to follow. At about the .5 mile mark, the race enters a tunnel. This completely confused the watch and threw off the pacing and mileage. To gauge my pace, I did math at each mile marker and setting goals for each new marker. After the first couple miles, I tried to average an 11:00 min/mi pace. In hindsight, this was too fast, but I stuck with this pace for miles 7-12.

I mentioned earlier, that my GPS watch passed out at mile 19. Well, it did record data up until that point. Looking at my splits, I see that I did the first-half, in particular, my first 5 miles, a bit too quick, but I felt good ... really good (famous last words, eh?).

Data from my watch until the battery died on mile 19.

Four times, during the race, I met up with Jody. Words cannot describe how awesome it was to see her among the throngs of other spectators. Each time I saw her, a smile appeared on my face and the growing pain in my legs disappeared for a few seconds. She even ran with me for a little bit around mile 23.

Approaching Jody.

For the first 18 miles, I felt wonderful and was really enjoying myself and the crowds (more on that below). Honestly, I felt like I could run the remaining 8 miles without stopping. Then mile 19 hit and my quads, specifically, my right quad, started to scream. It was not an injury, it was just tired. As a result, I had to walk. Not helping matters was the temperature. Although the race started in the upper 50s, the last 3/4 of the race was run in the mid-70s with minimal amount of shade from trees and buildings. I found myself drinking two cups of water at most water stations.

When I walked during my first half-marathon in Door County, I was devastated. Today, I simply took it in stride. Sure, the first time I walked, I let out a few expletives, but I quickly got over it and focused on gaining enough energy to run again. The rest of the race was like this -- run for a bit, walk for a bit. I walked through all the water stations and this made a huge difference. I thought I could run the last 5K, but the legs were screaming too much and I even walked segments of the last mile (including the "hill" that everyone talks about). I did manage to finish strong with a good kick. I'm happy I finished this way rather than stumbling over the finish line under the watchful eye of all the EMTs watching the runners like hawks (if you stumbled or sat down after the race, you were taken to the medical tent for further evaluation).

Overall, I finished in 05:04:22. I'm okay with the time. I had no idea what to expect and now I have something from which to judge future marathons.

My official results.

In fact, I was not sure that I would like this marathon. I was a bit weary of reading about the size of the running crowds and not having much room to run. Sure, there were moments when I rubbed elbows with other runners, bumped into a few people navigating the chaos of the early water stations, and had to slow down on some turns, but that was the worst of it. I found plenty of room to run in (maybe thanks to my flailing elbows) and I did not get caught up in being passed by several thousand other runners. Mentally, I ran a good race.

Post-Race Selfie

Moreover, what makes the Chicago Marathon the Chicago Marathon are the crowds. Holy !@#%@! The atmosphere was electric for most of the route. What a wonderful experience. I gave out so many Hi-Fives and hit my fair share of "Hit 'Here' for a Power Up" signs that it was impossible not to smile through the agony. On more than one occasion, I started to run again because of the crowd. Words really cannot describe what it was like to turn a corner only to see several thousand people screaming, clanging bells, and yelling words of encouragement. Disregarding the idiots that tried crossing the street at inopportune times (I almost ran into a couple people), the crowd was worth the price of admission alone.

Overall, would I do it all over again? In a heart beat. I look forward to running another marathon next year -- maybe Milwaukee's Lakefront Marathon or the Indianapolis Marathon. I already know how I will prepare differently: run more hills and do the occasional P90X legs and back routine to build up the strength in my quads. I felt fine for the race, expect for my quads which became tired and sore. I will attribute this to a lack of strength that needs to be improved.

But for now, I'm going to take a week off from running. Jody and I are registered to run the Milwaukee Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving Day morning. Until then, I am looking forward to a more relaxed running schedule, especially as the leaves continue to turn and the mornings grow cooler.

It Starts With the First Step

It is hard to believe that Chicago is next week! I'm a tornado of emotions: scared, excited, nervous, anxious, eager, hesitant, fast, and slow. I'm not sure what will happen, but I am looking forward to the challenge and the experience.

During these past several months, I have encountered several people who have asked me why I want to run a marathon, but I have also encountered several people who say “I could never do that.” My response is usually a shrug and a wry smile. However, the truth of the matter is: "Yes. Yes you can do that!” (Baring any physical, not mental, restrictions that prevent you from running.)

You do not run a marathon, 10K, or even a 5K the very first time you lace up a pair of sneakers. You do, however, need to start somewhere.

Maybe your first step is to walk around the block. This may be followed by running for 30 seconds or a minute, after which, you take the next day to recover. Then you run for another minute. Soon that minute turns into 2, then 3, 5, 10, and eventually 30 or an hour or more.

It’s all about believing that you can do it, that you can take that first step, and that tomorrow will be easier because it will be easier once you have done it! And then you do it again and push yourself a little harder, a little bit further the next time because you become stronger and faster each time your foot hits the pavement.

On Saturday, I ran my last long run before Chicago. This was a 10-miler. I wanted to test how far I have come in about five months of training, so I ran the route of my first 10-miler that I did in July.

July 10-Mile Run

I do not remember much, if anything during that first 10-mile run in July. I'm guessing it was not a fun experience given that I slowed down during the final few miles. I'm sure the temperature played a role in my effort on this run and I would alter future long runs to avoid the last few miles being completely exposed to the wrath of summer's sun.

I wish I could say this past Saturday's run was faster. It wasn't.

October 10-Mile Run

I started out very confident but then my stomach started to say that maybe this wasn't the day I set a new 10-mile personal record. By mile 5, the cramping of my stomach was too much to endure and I had to walk. The walking took the stress off my body and I was able to continue, though at a much slower pace, for the rest of the route. (I think the cramping was more a result of built up gas from the previous day's food than running too soon after I ate my peanut butter covered bagel for breakfast.)

Although I was not able to set a new PR, I can honestly say I have become much stronger in the past five months. In July, I'm sure that 10-mile run wiped me out for the rest of the day. This past Saturday, I was able to walk into my apartment as if I had just run a 5K, Contrary to the cramping, my legs felt strong for the entire run

More telling of all the training occurred two weeks ago. Jody and I went up north to her uncle's cabin. On Saturday, I ran 13.5 miles and never felt better. In fact, I managed to increase my pace by about 10 seconds for each of the final five miles.

The moral of the story is: this mental and physical change that occurred during the past five months would not have been possible had I not taken that first step just over a year ago.

Bring it on, Chicago!

"Because it is there."

George Mallory, an English mountaineer who led the first three attempts to summit Mount Everest in the early 1920s, was once asked by a New York Times reporter why he was so intent to climb the mountain. His four word response quickly became iconic: "Because it is there."

A few people have asked why I want to run a marathon. Where mountaineers have used Mallory's response to justify their own summit fever, "Because it is there" does me little good. Sure, the road is there, as are barking dogs, trees, squirrels, cars, other runners, walkers, and bicyclists. But at the end of the run, there is no scenic view…

Trolltunga, Norway

So, why do I want to run a marathon? The snarky is: Why not? But this answer deflects the more truthful answer: Because I want to prove to myself that I can run a marathon.

About a year ago, this whole running races thing started with a simple 5K event and quickly gained momentum like a semi-truck barreling down a mountain without brakes. In fact, Chicago was not the first time I contemplated running a marathon. Last summer, I followed a Facebook friend who trained for and ran the Marine Corps Marathon. As he logged his miles, I wondered silently to myself if I could do it. As one 5K race became two races, which quickly morphed into several 5Ks, a 10K, and a half marathon, not only did my confidence grow, but I became curious if I could run further. Moreover, I needed that next challenge.

I am a firm believer in setting goals: professional & personal. Each day, I usually have a set of goals in the form of a never-ending “to do” list that typically deal with school-related matters and my aspirations of reaching tenure one day (or whatever form of tenure exists in the UW system). Other goals are more personal in nature. Making Jody happy and treating her well each and every day; trying to minimize the number of sweets I eat each week day; and living a healthy lifestyle. To these goals I have added a marathon.

Has it been a fun experience so far? Not always. The two 20-milers that I have run have been grueling tests of endurance like I have never experienced. I'm not sure what will happen when I add six more miles. I will be happy when the race is in my rearview mirror, but it will not be long before I wonder what is next and need another goal for next year.

A Big Announcement

I'll be honest, I completely forgot about this week's post until a few minutes ago ... and it is too late to post anything witty. I'm tired and need sleep. I am scheduled to run 7 miles before the run rises tomorrow morning.

The other reason this post has slipped my mind is because, as most of you probably know by know, I had a life altering moment this weekend. On Sunday, I proposed to Jody and she said "yes"! We have been together for just over three years now and she is the love of my life. I couldn't be any happier and look forward to exciting road ahead and traveling it with her by my side.

Headphones

When I first started running, I was pretty adamant about running with headphones. In fact, I once told Jody that I could not imagine running without them. Like many people, I found that motivational songs helped keep the legs churning.

I used headphones for all my runs in Vancouver and Moscow, ID, as well as for the first few months in Milwaukee. I can recall times where I needed that extra motivation to help me run faster or to finish my run.

I even went so far as to buy a holder for my phone that goes around my arm. This worked well, though it was kind of a pain to check it when I wanted to know how far I had run or what my pace was at any given moment. I had to contort my arm in such as way that I almost ran into a couple road signs (not true, but it would have been funny -- after the fact, of course -- had it happened).

The most annoying part of running with headphones were the headphones themselves. I sweat a lot when I run. So, after the first mile or so, especially on a warm, humid day, the earbuds would slip out of my ears, or they would shift and not feel right. I would fight them the rest of the run, very much like this commercial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Bs_t2s-Lw

Sure, I could buy a better pair of earbuds, those designed for exercise, but I went another direction. I tried running without music ... and the craziest thing happened ... running became easier.

I was not worried about the earbuds giggling in my ears or falling out of my ears. I was not worried about the cord banging incessantly against my chest. I was not worried about listening to a song that I was tired of hearing or that did not fit my mood. I was not worried about creating the perfect running playlist. I just ran.

I have no idea if I am more observant when I run without headphones. I'm not sure if I run faster or "better" with or without them. I do know that I feel more comfortable without them. One less thing to worry about. Do I have my moments when I wish I had them to kick in a Power Song? Of course, but I find more gratification knowing that the Power Song has to come from within and I must dig deep to locate that extra motivation to run faster or finish the grueling long run.

Training Update
The 20-barrier has been broken. On Saturday, I ran 20.5 miles. The alarm went off at 4 AM so I could eat. An hour and a half later, Jody and I were pounding the pavement. The goal was to get the run done before the sun came out and the temperature soared into the lower 90s with a high percentage of humidity. Once again, Jody joined me for the first 4 miles. After that, I was on my own.

One of the neat things about all this preparation is that I can feel myself getting stronger. The first 15 miles went very smooth with only minor objection from my legs and feet. After that, it became a grind. I stopped to refill my water bottles at the 15.2 mark and took my third gu (I took one every 5.25 miles). Although I did not drink that much water at this stop, less than a mile later, I developed a nasty stomach cramp. I tried to run through it but it became unbearable so I had to walk.

A quarter of a mile later, I managed to get the legs going again and made it passed mile 19 without stopping. I thought I could make it mile 20, but at 19.3, and with my legs screaming at me, I could run no further (at least that is what I thought). I walked for a half of mile. Then the craziest thing happened ... I started shuffling my feet again. I passed the 20-mile mark and kept going until my watch said "20.5 miles."

Overall, I was very pleased with this run. Given that this was the first time running 20 miles, I cannot worry about my time because I'm confident that my next run will be better as my legs continue to get stronger.

Two days after my jog, my legs, feet, and hips feel good. Foam rolling has helped the recovery as has a two-hour massage. Fortunately, this week is a recovery week with my long run being only 14-15 miles.

The 20-miler with my splits.

Foam Roller is Foam with a Capital "FU"

Last year for Christmas, Jody bought me one of those message rollers. This one has three little spiky-covered balls. It looks a bit diabolical but thought it worked pretty well. It was a great toy for sitting in the recliner on Sunday and massaging the calves, quads, and hamstrings while watching football.

Back in April, I bought a new pair of running shoes. During this visit, I told the salesman that I was preparing to run a half marathon (the Door County half). After settling on a pair of shoes that felt pretty good, he asked me if I owned a foam roller. I said I had, but did not own one.

My foam roller.

I had read about foam rollers. Do not let the name be misleading. Although they are "foam" most of them are a hard foam that offers little comfort to the body; however they come highly recommended. I'll be honest, I was always a bit skeptical.

The idea behind the foam roller is that it offers a deep massage to leg and other muscles. It operates under your own weight. You use it be simply rolling an area, such as your calf or hamstring, back and forth over the device.

But there is a catch ... they hurt like !@#%!

After buying the roller, I used it a couple times but the discomfort was not fun. So, it sat on the floor by my weight set, untouched. I would look at it now and then and think about using it, but was never motivated enough to get on the floor and suffer through the discomfort that it brings.

Then I started to see a chiropractor. I initially visited her because my right hip had been causing me some discomfort since Door County and Jody was tired of me talking about it. A about a week after starting my visits, my left leg (from my knee down to my shin) started to bother me. I mentioned this to my chiropractor. She adjusted my knee once but said that it may be my IT Band that was the nemesis. The best way to alleviate this discomfort was by using the foam rolling. Ugh!

Rolling the IT Band.

There are way too many images of using the foam roller with smiles on their faces! These smiles are lies! All lies!

After several foam rolling sessions (usually before I go to bed), I worked on my left IT Band. Maybe it is just coincidence, but the discomfort in my left leg has since disappeared and not returned, even after several long runs and the Madison mini-marathon.

My next "holy @#$^@" moment with the foam roller came after the Madison race. While I felt strong after the run, soon after I stopped, both of my achilles started to both me. They stiffened up and hurt like they have never hurt before. I was a bit worried after Madison because of the level of discomfort.

After the race, before I went to bed that Saturday night, I decided to use the foam roller and give my achilles some extra love and attention. I started by trying to roll my achilles just above my heal. This did not seem to do anything. So I shifted a little higher and focused on the area between my heal and my calf. Holy crap! I could feel the tightness in both legs but it was not a horrible pain.

After rolling my hamstrings, quads, and shoulders, I stood up. To my amazement, my achilles felt so much better. My right achilles was still stiff and sore but my left one felt almost normal again! The next morning, I rolled my achilles again and the building stiffness dissipated.

Long story short, I was a skeptic when it came to the foam roller. I did not like the discomfort it brought to my body. However, after the relief it provided to my achilles and left leg, I'm convinced that foam rolling will be part of my evening routine as Chicago approaches.

Training Update
I continue to lose weight. Over the course of the past two weeks, I have shed about 3 pounds. Also, today (Sunday), I set a new distance PR by running 18 miles.

Jody joined me for the first four miles, which was awesome! Cooler temperatures and some fog allowed me to feel comfortable for most of the run. For the first 13.5 miles I was doing fine, but I drank too much water when I stopped at a fountain to refill and stomach cramps caused me to walk for about a half mile. I was then able to shuffle my feet to the very end. I spent the rest of the day immobile in my recliner. Next week, I run 20 miles!

Madison Mini-Marathon

Head's up! This post violates my 500 word limit rule, but it is for a good cause. On Saturday, I completed the Madison mini-marathon (Jody ran the 5K). This post reviews how I prepared for it during the prior week and how I ran the race.

Pre-Race Mentality
Usually, I would be excited and anxious about running a half, but there was something weird about this one. Maybe it is the fact that school starts in a couple weeks and I am not even close to ready with the two courses I am teaching. Maybe it is also the fact that the half was not the be-all-end-all of my training, it was simply a waypoint for Chicago. It's humbling to think that in the coming weeks, I am scheduled for long runs of 18 and 20 miles.

Instead of trying to run this half as fast as I could and set a new PR (personal record) for my half-marathon time, I approached this race as a way for me to prepare for Chicago, from what I ate leading up to the event to how I paced myself during the race.

Monday-Wednesday
Business as usual during these days. I did not alter my diet or running plan. For this week, I rested on Monday (after my 16 mile Sunday run). On Tuesday, I ran a hard/fast 4 miles in the pouring rain (it felt good). After my run, I hoped in my car and drove 7 hours to Akron, OH.

Wednesday was spent in Cleveland, OH, as I had several meetings prior to the start of the Society of American Archivist (SAA) Conference. I did not run on Wednesday morning. Truth be told, I was exhausted from driving on Tuesday and I'm not the biggest fan of running in areas that are foreign to me.

Diet control when you are on the road is also difficult, but I did my best. Alas, this is sometimes easier said than done unless you pack all your meals, which I did not. What else is there to do when you are cruising along the IN-OH turnpike but eat out of a bag and drink some caffeine to keep you awake? Also, the rest stop options in IN are not that great: McDonald's, Hardees, and some Burrito place.

Thursday
I'm in Cleveland. I thought about running, but the hotel bed was very comfortable and it was raining outside, so I opted to rest again on Thursday. Today, however, I do start preparing for my race.

Everyone has heard of the "need" to carb-load before a long run, half-, or full-marathon. Often this can be interpreted as a big carb meal the night before. In addition to this meal, I start adding carbs to my diet a couple days before the race. Nothing too wild and crazy, but I do not shy away from extra breads. For example, for breakfast on Thursday, I had the buffet at the hotel, which involved a few scrambled eggs, some diced potatoes, a few slices of bacon, and a couple slices of French Toast. During my drive back to Milwaukee, I had a plain white bagel that I had brought with me on Tuesday, followed by a blueberry muffin and another plain white bagel, both of which I bought at a rest stop.

Friday
Usually, I do not run the day before a race. I like to rest and stay off my feet as much as possible. Today was different because I had not run in a few days. This morning, I did a short 3-mile jog just to loosen up the legs and get my head back into it. The run felt good.

Friday morning run before the half-marathon.

Normally, for breakfast, I would just have a bowl of cereal (or some oatmeal) with some blueberries, but today I switched it up to three scrambled eggs, an English muffin, and a banana. A couple hours later, I had some graham crackers; and for lunch, I had a tortellini pasta salad. I ate some more graham crackers and a cup of yogurt in the afternoon before leaving for Madison. The name of the game is to stockpile carbs and proteins before the race ... and drink plenty of water.

The Night Before
The night before a long run or race, I try to eat a healthy dose of protein and carbs. Jody and I lucked out and found a great Italian restaurant near our hotel room: Osteria Papavero. I had a great dish of tortellini stuffed with cheese and topped with smoked salmon and diced zucchini. A perfect pre-run meal.

Saturday (Race Day)
Until a few weeks ago, the morning of a long run I would usually eat a half of cup of oatmeal, with a tablespoon of brown sugar, and a few blueberries, craisins, or a banana. The kicker is, I would have to eat at least 2 hours before I ran or else I would experience stomach cramps. If I waited, I was fine, but if I ran too soon after eating, I was miserable and would have nasty side stitches.

A couple weeks ago, I planned on running at 5:30 AM. You do the math for what time I needed to wake up if I wanted to have oatmeal for breakfast (hint: some people have not gone to bed yet). No way was this going to happen, so I changed my pre-long-run breakfast by eating a plain bagel with some peanut butter.

The cool thing about this breakfast is that I only have to wait for an hour before I hit the pavement. Also, this is a perfect meal for when I am on the road, such as in Madison or Chicago. Bring the bag of bagels, the jar of peanut butter, and a knife, and I am good to go.

Soon after waking up at 5 AM (the race started at 7 AM and we planned to leave the hotel room a bit after 6 AM), I ate my plain bagel with some peanut butter. I also had a banana and drank some water before we heading towards the starting lines (the half and 5K started at the same time but at two different locations).

The Race

In the corral, waiting for the start. About 10 minutes after I took this picture, it would be a sea of runners.

My first thoughts after the gun went off at 7 AM: "I probably should have peed before the race started." But one of the most frustrating things about races are the long lines at the port-a-potties. I decided that because this was not going to be too serious of a run for me that I could stop at one of the port-a-potties along the route (there were at least two at every water station that occurred about 1.5 miles). Luckily, my bladder held for all 13 miles and I did not have to stop (I overheard one runner saying that her stop cost her 8 minutes).

My goal for this race was to focus on my pacing. If you recall, back in early May, I "crashed" during the Door County Half-Marathon because I went out too fast and because I lacked sufficient fuel in my system. I wanted to avoid a repeat of this incident. To do this, I planned to run the first few miles at about a 10:40 min/mile pace. After about mile 4, I would gradually increase my pace and see how close to a 10:00 min/mile pace I could reach by the end. Here is what happened:

Madison Mini-Marathon, mile splits and route. GAP is the Grade Adjusted Pace, which "estimates an equivalent pace when running on flat land, allowing the runner to compare hilly and flat runs more easily. Because running uphill requires extra effort, the Grade Adjusted Pace will be faster than the actual pace run. When running downhill, the Grade Adjusted Pace will be slower than the actual pace."

Yes! I succeeded in my plan!

What was awesome about the race was that my second half was much faster than my first half (what is called negative splits) and my last three miles were the fastest three miles of the run. Also, I felt extremely strong during the whole race, in part, attributed to my pacing, and in part do to my fuel.

When I run a long-run, I run with a fuel belt that has two small water bottles and one to two gels. Gels are those energy things that some people say taste like cardboard and are nasty to eat. They are usually high doses of sugar, carbs, and in some cases, salt. I have found a few flavors that I like and do not mind eating them when out for a run over 10 miles. They do make a difference, especially if they are taken before one runs out of gas.

Gels.

In Door County, I took my one and only gel at about the 7 mile mark. It turns out, that I needed another at the 10 or 11 mile mark. For Madison, I choose to have one at the 6 mile mark and was prepared to take another at the 10 mile mark, but I never took the second one. The reason for this being that I felt really good with just one in my system. By the time I hit mile 10, I was going strong and by mile 11 it was too late for any gel to do me any good (they take about 1-2 miles to kick in).

Besides the gel that I took, I only drank water during the race. Most races offer Gatorade and water, and Madison was no exception. I have never practiced running with Gatorade. I have run with a small squirt of Propel (made by Gatorade but with a slightly different formula) in one of my water bottles, but this is different, so I skip the Gatorade tables. Instead, I grabbed water at 4 of the 7 stations. This was enough to keep me going without cramping or feeling like I was depleted.

My official race stats:

I'm too lazy to photoshop my name and replace with "Average Runner."

While I did not set any PRs, I was very pleased with the outcome.

I paced myself extremely well and, once again, felt strong throughout the entire run. I cannot stress this sensation enough. Unlike Door County, at Madison, I never felt like I was going to crash. In fact, with Madison, about a half mile before the finish line, there was a short, but rather steep hill. A hill that more than one runner (myself included) cursed at upon encountering. With a grimaced face, I motored up this hill as many runners slowed to a walk.

What's even better is that my grimace turned to a smile when I saw Jody at the top waiting for me. Once I reached her, she ran with me for a short time before turning aside and letting me sprint to the finish line. What a great experience!

Post-race picture with Jody.

Diet is "Die" with a 'T'

This is going to be a short post. This morning, I woke up at 4 AM so I could eat and be out the door by 5:30 AM for a 16-mile run. This is the furthest I have ever run and I am exhausted and will be lucky to see 9 PM tonight.

Anyway, I digress... Last week, I talked about how running has helped me lose weight. To be honest, I thought running would be enough where I would not have to worry about my diet and continue to cave to the sweet tooth goddess.

A few weeks ago, after a long run, I made the decision that I could benefit from losing 5-10 more pounds. It's simple logic: that's 5-10 pounds less that I have to carry 26.2 miles. After all, how hard can it be to lose another 5-10 pounds when I've lost about 30 in the past year? Answer: Very!

My problem is, I don't like to count calories. Truth be told, I suck at math and do not have the patience to keep track of everything I eat in a day. The best I can do is take a mental note about what I eat and try to minimize the carbs and sugars.

I have eliminated sandwiches for lunch, opting for a spinach salad with some fruit and feta. Not bad, but damn do I miss a good roast beef sandwich for lunch.

As I mentioned last week, my biggest vice are the sweets. In fact, during a recent visit to Milwaukee, my parents did me no favors by buying a box of ice cream cones. Maybe, with some luck, I will not hear them taunting me from the freezing.

Jody and I try to eat healthy for dinner. Yet, it is not uncommon to have a small pizza from the local grocery store or something with Italian sausage once every couple weeks. To our credit, we eat out only once every couple weeks, if that.

This is, however, the extent to my "diet." Maybe with some self-discipline, portion control, and staying away from the sweets, I will reach my goal. Obviously, I will continue running and adding miles each week, so the calories will burn (I torched 2700 of them on my 16-mile run this morning), but Chicago will happen regardless of what I weigh.

Next week, I will talk about what I eat before, during, after my long runs. Until then, I try to enjoy some wonderful rice cakes...