Running in February

Prior to this blog, I started a Word document that I thought would serve as my running journal (something that the running literature strongly recommended). It didn’t. I wrote one entry. This post is a slightly revised version of that lone entry, an entry that I wrote after I completed a 3 mile run on a bitterly cold February morning.

12 February 2015

I woke up this morning at 6 AM and debated if I should run outside. When I checked the temperature, it was 6 F but with the wind chill, it felt closer to -17 F.

Hmmm. This would be a good test for Sunday [where I was registered to run my first 10K]. This would be a good test to determine how stupid I am. It doesn't sound that windy outside. Besides, the other weather app had it at a balmy -8 F [Real Feel]. What the heck! Let's see what happens.

I put on my running shorts, running pants, t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, jacket, mittens, running mask, fleece hat, and stuffed my fleece gloves in my pockets. I covered my nose and cheeks with Vaseline and out the door I went.

I know this is exactly what you envisioned after reading that previous paragraph.

Overall, the run was not too bad. I ran slower today than yesterday, but that is to be expected (9:04/mi vs. 8:41/mi yesterday) given the conditions. The mask worked well. It is weird sucking in the fabric with each breath ...  it was a slobbering wet mess by the end.

My upper body was cold for the first mile but warmed up to a respectable temperature. The mittens made my hands sweat and I took them off after the first 1.5 miles.

My legs were borderline cold. They were not as bad as they were on Saturday when I ran in shorts [my cutoff for wearing shorts is a Real Feel of 20 F], but I could feel the cold.

The sweat in my eyebrows froze. The brim of my fleece hat also froze.

Speaking of which, at one point, I took off my fleece hat because I was too warm. Can you image my frustration when I finished my run to realize that my hat had fallen out of my pocket! Having no choice, I turned around and retraced my route at a very slow trot. The hat had fallen out of my pocket about a half mile from my apartment.

In short, I'll run on Sunday if the temperature is very similar. I will wear the same gear.

Post-Script

I ran the 10K but without the fleece hat, my mittens (I used fleece gloves instead), or my glasses (I placed them in my pocket before the starting gun fired). The temperature at race time was 1 F but with a nasty windchill that made it feel like -11 F. I finished in 0:53:54.

Approaching the finish line.

Training

I promise that this will be one of the only posts that speaks specifically of running plans.

To say that I have read a lot on running in the past year would be an understatement. For Christmas, I received a subscription to Runner's Magazine as a Christmas present from my sister. I have purchased three running books but have been unable to get past Chapter 3 in any of them. I have read countless articles & blogs about running. My most recent running reading fetish are blogs that tell of Chicago Marathon experiences. If you have some extra time on your hands, here is one of the most humorous blogs you will ever read about one guy's experiences preparing for and running in the marathon: http://dickheadmarathon.blogspot.com/2013/02/decision-day-d-238.html.

At times, I have found myself overwhelmed by all the "literature." It is as if I am looking for the easy way to run faster and longer, but I know no such plan exists. But there are training plans...

When preparing for my half marathon, I knew I wanted/needed to follow a plan. I was clueless in how to prepare. I needed the structure to get me going each day. Unfortunately, this literature can be just as overwhelming as the "how to run" literature.

There is Hal Higdon's Training Program, this one by Runner's World, and Jeff Galloway's training plan, to just name a few.

There are no shortage of marathon training plans either. Due to my schedule, I knew I wanted a schedule that operated on about 18 weeks. Of course, there is Hal Higdon's Program, which is nice because he has different running levels, but I wanted something where I did not run for three days straight. After some searching, I found this one: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Beginner-Marathon-Training-Plan-28858450. In case you are wondering, I had no idea this site existed before I typed "Marathon Training Plan" into Google.

Regardless of the plan, the fine print in all of them are the same: modify to suit your own abilities. That's easy to say when you know your own abilities, but what happens when you haven't a clue?

For Chicago, I initially started with the Pop Sugar regiment. This one appealed to me because it recommends that you run every other day, except for Saturday and Sunday. This plan also includes one day of speed work, but I found the suggestions for speed work easier to follow in other plans, such as Hal's program.

After the first week, I decided to incorporate a plan that blends the Pop Sugar with Hal Higdon. It looks something like this...

As October approaches, I may modify this schedule. I'm already starting to wonder if I should not worry about the speed workout and just run.

I'm not going to set any records at Chicago. I've never run a marathon before and I have no idea what to expect, despite everything that I have and will read. When I completed the application, I said my target time was 4:30:00. I think this is reasonable, but in the end, my goal is simply to finish in one piece.

It's Supposed to Be Fun, Right?

Running a marathon should not be 26.2 miles of agony. But will it?

One of the most frustrating experiences I encountered on a run was hitting the wall at mile 12 during my first half marathon. I didn't just hit the wall, I crashed into it. And the wall did not flinch.

I could feel the crash coming. My thighs were on fire. My hips ached with each step. My legs begged me to walk. Just keep running, I begged my body.

At first I slowed to a walk and took a few steps before catching myself. Keep running, I ordered!  I made it another tenth of a mile before...

I was devastated. The thoughts that poured through my head are not worth repeating.

I watched in vain as the 10:15 pacers, with whom I had started the race, disappeared around the bend. I kept shaking my head. Frustrated is putting it kindly.

I walked for a half mile before mustering the energy to run the last half mile. I ignored my watch. I tried to enjoy the moment as I crossed the finish line.

Despite the crash, I still had a PR for my half-marathon time, finishing in 2:11:45. Not bad knowing that when I registered for the event I thought 2:30:00 would be okay.

When I returned to the hotel, I looked at my splits and quickly realized why I bonked. For miles 1-11, I averaged about a 9:40 pace ... nearly 30 seconds faster per mile than I had ever run 10+ consecutive miles. It all caught up to me at mile 12.

Door County Half Marathon Route and Splits

Lessons learned:

1. Pace is everything. At the start I was so excited and filled with adrenaline that I felt like I was walking as I trotted next to the 10:15 pacers. My patience wore thin and I soon ran ahead of them. Bad idea.
2. Conquering a hill is not cause to speed up. One of the biggest challenges of Door County was a hill at the 4.5 mile mark. I was pretty rigorous in preparing for this hill. The training paid off. I flew up the hill. Beset with renewed confidence, I kept my fast pace. Bad idea.
3. Ignore the watch. For the last few miles, I incessantly checked my watch, hoping that I would will myself to the finish line. Bad idea. I grew frustrated and lost focus when my pace decreased and the tenths of miles ticked by at a snail's pace.
4. Fuel is important. During my training runs, I try to avoid using gels. For my long runs of 10+ miles, I typically take one at the halfway point. For the half, I did this, but I should have taken another at mile 10 because I burned more energy on this race than any of my previous long runs.

Door County Half Marathon Elevation Profile

New Year's Resolution

The run that started it all occurred on July 1, 2014. I ran two miles. It was a grueling two miles.

A couple days later, I ran a tenth of a mile further. I must have been feeling ambitious. But the following Sunday, only five days after I laced up the sneakers for the first time in about a year, I almost made it three miles at a respectable pace.

My first run after Peru.

For the duration of the summer, I ran every 2-3 days. In August, I ran 46.34 miles and in September I ran 31.44 miles. All the while, I felt myself getting stronger as I pushed myself to run faster and further each week. At least, that is what I kept telling myself.

Every October, UWM holds its PantherProwl, a 5K run/walk. Last year, my girlfriend and I registered for the 5K run. I told her that this will be the only race I ever run. (Ha!)

We had a blast on a brisk, but beautiful, Saturday morning. At the end, we were tired but satisfied about what we had just accomplished. And then a funny thing happened...

Post-Panther Prowl Selfie

I felt the urge to run another race. Less than a month later, we drove over an hour south for a Veteran's Day 5K in Kenosha, WI. A month later, the girlfriend (see, these were not all my fault) recommended the Thanksgiving Day Drumstick Dash held at Miller Park.

Post-Drumstick Dash Selfie

By now the damage had been done and I was hooked. (I'm sure there are worse things to be addicted to.) On New Year's Day, I made a resolution: run at least one race a month every month of the year.

Until June of this year, I held true to this resolution. There was the Romp & Stomp 5K at the Milwaukee Zoo in January, the Cupid 10K Dash in February (where the temperature was -11 F), the Milwaukee 5K Pi Run & Lucky Leprechaun 7K in March, the First Call 10K and Home Sweet Milwaukee 5K in April, and the Door County Half Marathon in May.

What's awesome is that my girlfriend also ran in most of these races. I doubt I would be doing all of this without her support. After all, she is the one who recommended I put my name in the Chicago Marathon lottery hat.

In June, we were registered to run a 5K a few days after we returned from vacation in Norway, but the event was cancelled and no substitute could be found. But I'm not disappointed. My New Year's Resolution did not account for a certain 26.2 mile trot in Chicago in October.