Saturday, June 30, 2007

Week 5, Day 4

Distance: 10 miles

Total for the week: 21 miles

Overall total so far: 88 miles

Notes: So much to write about this run. It was our first double-digit mileage. Wow—the longest distance I've ever run. It's pretty cool to be able to say I ran ten miles. I even paused the workout on the iPod so I could officially "end" it in the car with it plugged in. Paula Radcliffe congratulated us on our longest workout so far. That's cool, even if I don't know who she is.

We ran it along the Erie Canal in the villages east of the city. A good portion of the marathon route follows the canal, so we figured it would be good to check it out. It was fairly nice scenery, but it's actually harder on my knees than city streets, because it's all asphalt with no level grass to retreat onto when the banging starts to get to you.

It was also my first time trying a few hydration and energy tricks. I bought a belt with a water bottle and hose built in. I can't stand holding bottles in my hand as I run, and bothering to drive out and stash water along the route... yeah, I just don't have that in me, on so many levels. But it's to the point where we definitely need to hydrate during the long runs, not just before and after. It worked out really well; wearing a belt took a bit of getting used to, but it's definitely a trade I'll make. We also tried gels for the first time. The verdict was that they were a nice boost, but that one of the two flavors we tried was awful. It's something we'll experiment with. Today we used PowerBar gels, but there are several other brands we can try.

Oh, and there's also this (click to enlarge):



And this:



That was pretty cool. The 100 miles includes a handful of short runs that came before the official training began.

Weekly recap coming tomorrow, after my sermon.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Week 5, Day 3

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 11 miles

Overall total so far: 78 miles

Notes: I'm posting this a couple days late, and I can't really remember anything about this run. It was the last three-mile run for several weeks, though. I won't miss that loop; it was getting a little old.

The Nike+ iPod system

The Nike+ system has been a real motivator for me during this training. I thought some people might be interested to know a little more about how it works.

It's a two-piece system. A small chip goes into the iPod's cable connector port, and a small pedometer/accelerometer goes into a special compartment under the insole of the special Nike shoe. I don't wear Nike shoes, but that doesn't matter. You can put the Nike+ sensor in a plain old shoe wallet, and it works just fine. The pedometer broadcasts a signal to the chip in the iPod, and the iPod records your data and gives you feedback through the headphones. And when you sync the iPod, it sends the data to Nike's website, where you can view all kinds of interesting information.

Here's what I see when I upload my run data (click to enlarge). The circles are mile markers, and you can mouse over any of them to see your pace for that mile. (In this screenshot, I'm mousing over the first mile.)



And I can also see a bar graph of all the runs I've done in the past week, month, or ever. The new run is in red, and when you mouse over any bar, it gives you the details from that run.



Psychologically, this can be very encouraging. You get to see the real progress of your training program, and something about the visual association is just lots of fun to watch. I also track goals for myself using the Nike+ Dashboard widget. For example, I recently looked ahead to see how many miles I would do in the next four weeks. It happened to be 70 miles. So I set a goal of running 70 miles in four weeks. Now, every time I open Dashboard, I see this widget in the upper corner, with the runner symbol (actual mileage) nipping at the heels of the target point (which keeps moving to stay "on pace" with the goal). Here's where it sits this morning:



Interestingly, I don't usually listen to the iPod itself as I run, because I'd rather talk to the person I'm running with than listen to music. I usually just put the chip in the iPod and leave the headphones at home. But when I run alone, I often listen to podcasts, which tend to pass the time faster than music.

As I mentioned, the iPod does give you feedback as you complete miles, reach your halfway point, and near the end of your run. And occasionally a famous athlete (Lance Armstrong, for example) will congratulate you for your fastest mile or longest run so far. That's all well and good, but I often prefer not to know how far I've come or how much distance remains. I'm more interested in the tracking that happens after you upload the run.

So there you have it. It's a great system. I highly recommend it.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Week 5, Day 2

Distance: 5 miles

Total for the week: 8 miles

Overall total so far: 75 miles

Notes: Brian is in our nation's capital at a conference, so I ran five miles alone again. It is nice to do that on occasion. Yesterday was a pretty nasty hot, humid day, though. I waited until 10:00 p.m., and it was still over 80°F and very muggy when I left. Running in that kind of air is so much harder than running in cool, dry air. But I felt good after I showered and sat in front of the air conditioning for a half hour or so.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Week 5, Day 1

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 3 miles

Overall total so far: 70 miles

Notes: Hey, cool, I just ran seventy miles.

Week 4 Recap

Wow, 25% done the program! Well, 25% of the time has passed, anyway... I don't really want to do the math right now to see what small percentage of the mileage we have actually completed. That would be a buzzkill. Right now I'm too satisfied to mess with that, coming off the best week of running so far. We put in some real mileage, but it was easy because we've whipped ourselves into pretty decent shape by now.

It has helped—and I'm probably jinxing myself here—that the weather has been immaculate. We've had a few pretty hot and humid days, but not one day of rain on a training day so far. And our Saturday runs have gotten progressively cooler as the weeks have passed, with Saturday's eight miler being a perfect 60°F when we ran by the clock at Winton and Blossom. Looking ahead to this week, which is 3-5-3-10, it might be a little rougher. High of 90° today, and for the five miles on Wednesday we may be looking at high 80s and thundershowers. Saturday looks to be a bit cooler, though. Of course, I only trust meteorology to tell me accurately what the weather is in the present moment, so all this is subject to change.

The mileage over the next couple of weeks goes up pretty sharply (see here for details), so the challenge will be greater. Wish me luck!

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Week 4, Day 4

Distance: 8 miles

Total for the week: 19 miles

Overall total so far: 67 miles

Notes: Cool stuff today. I just matched my personal lifetime distance record. (The eight miles was the last long run I did when I trained two summers ago.) I also completed the first quarter of the training program—four weeks down, twelve to go! This was a nice easy run for us; we felt great when we finished. Always helps when it's 60°F and sunny, with no wind. And on top of all that, I had the bizarre realization that I was actually enjoying the running. Sick, I know.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Week 4, Day 3

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 11 miles

Overall total so far: 59 miles

Notes: Gorgeous sunny day, but with a ton of wind. I did an out-and-back with the wind helping on the way out. And you don't need to be a bowtie-wearing meteorologist to know that means I was running into the wind all the way home. Felt like I was underwater. But I kicked the wind in the teeth and finished at my usual pace.

Now I'm sitting on the porch, stretched and showered and enjoying the cool breeze, and runners keep going by on the street below. It's nice to be finished for the day and looking at a rest day before our eight miler on Saturday.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Week 4, Day 2

Distance: 5 miles

Total for the week: 8 miles

Overall total so far: 56 miles

Notes: Beautiful day for a run, dry and cool with no wind. It felt great to run, and it was kind of peaceful to run by myself. I had no trouble finishing the five miles alone, and I was somewhat surprised to see the end of my loop coming up as quickly as it did. I had some slight knee pain toward the end (both knees, but mainly the outside of the left one), but I just moved onto the grass and that seemed to help. It's quite a good feeling to know that I can bang out five miles with very little problem.

Off topic: Maceo Parker concert

Almost 15 years ago now, my high school friends introduced me to the funkiest live album ever, Life on Planet Groove. I've been dying to see Maceo Parker live ever since. Problem is, he tours extensively in Europe, and tends to play only the largest cities in the U.S. when he comes here. And, um, Rochester ain't one of them.

But this year Maceo was slated as a small-stage act at the increasingly excellent Rochester International Jazz Fesstival—and the best news was, it was a free show! No way was I missing this. In fact, no way was I seeing this show from anywhere other than the stage railing.

I knew from having gone downtown to see Los Lonely Boys on the same stage the week before that I'd need to get there early or risk having my view obstructed by a swarm of disinterested idiots. So I arrived at 7:00 to see a 9:00 show. Fortunately, the 7:00 act (Motor Kings, I think) was decent, so it made the time pass. And when Maceo started blowing his horn, I was close enough to see the tiny mist of spit fly out of the octave valve.

What can I say? I had higher hopes for this show than any I've ever been to, and I was not disappointed. If anything, Maceo and his band exceeded my high expectations. The band was incredibly tight and remarkably skilled, and Maceo's saxophone mastery is a joy to watch. He's not John Coltrane or Charlie Parker, but that is not the point at all. The man controls his horn from top to bottom and he plays it hard. And his skills as a bandleader are unparalleled. A tiny hand motion was all it required for the band to cut out, jump in, change dynamic, or start doing a funky little dance.

This is one of those shows you just need to go see. Seriously, if Maceo comes anywhere near you—like, closer than Spain—you need to go buy a ticket. You won't regret it.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Week 4, Day 1

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 3 miles

Overall total so far: 51 miles

Notes: Our running partners are on vacation, so we're doing this week's runs alone until Saturday. Our usual pattern is for me to run with Brian and Tracey with Becca during the week, and then to trade childcare with them on the long runs so we can run as couples. This week some other friends are watching Abel on Saturday for us, but we're on our own for the 3-5-3 during the week.

Anyway, it was kinda nice to run alone this time (even though I went out a little hard and paid for it at the end), but I'm a touch nervous about Wednesday's five miles. The midweek distance is bumping up (from four) this week, so it's already got some challenge built in. At any rate, I know I can do it because I've run that far several times now; it's just that I'll miss the conversation. Oh well, I'll toss a few long podcasts onto the iPod to keep me company.

Hooray for breaking 50 cumulative miles!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Week 3, Day 4

Distance: 7 miles

Total for the week: 17 miles

Overall total so far: 48 miles

Notes: Another great day for a long run with Tracey. We did our seven miles at 8 a.m. and then showered and bolted out the door to go to the Buffalo Zoo with her family. It was a really fun day. It's such a cool feeling to be doing something at noon or so and to think, "Hey, I already ran seven miles today!"

Probably no weekly recap this week; I have a very busy Sunday.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Week 3, Day 3

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 10 miles

Overall total so far: 41 miles

Notes: This was the easiest run yet. I noticed about halfway through that I hadn't lost my breath yet. That was pretty encouraging, to know I'm so much better off than I was a month ago. I also noticed I just broke 40 miles for the program. Not too shabby, eh? Rest day coming up on Friday, and seven miles on Saturday.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Week 3, Day 2

Distance: 4 miles

Total for the week: 7 miles

Overall total so far: 38 miles

Notes: Wow, this one was a ton better than last week's four miler. My legs felt tired, but not painful the way they did last time after playing Ultimate the night before.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Week 3, Day 1

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 3 miles

Overall total so far: 34 miles

Notes: My first run at full speed since I got sick. It was warm and sticky, but Brian and I ran it pretty hard. I had some left knee pain later in the evening, just behind the patella. I put some ice on it and that seemed to help.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Week 2 Recap

I feel really good about this week because I ran through a head cold. I got out there and pounded my shoes into the pavement even though my body felt like crap. This is especially encouraging to me, because it was a cold that did in my first attempt at marathon training two years ago. Granted, that cold lasted about three times as long as this one did, but I still feel as though I made it over a significant mental hurdle by not skipping any runs. And as I mentioned in the log for day two, I just paced way down and focused on finishing, no matter how long it took. That is a skill that I anticipate might serve me well come September 16.

I'm also getting into a daily rhythm with the training runs. I'm now so used to running that the days off feel a little strange. Peaceful and satisfying, but still strange. It's another example of my body snapping into better shape—it expects exercise, every day. (Normally it just expects a few bowls of breakfast cereal and a meat product of some sort.) Again, I'm not in this for the fitness aspect, but I'll take it. And since I just found out my cholesterol is on the cheesy side of stellar, it's nice to know I can fix it with exercise and probably won't have to make any drastic dietary changes.

I had planned on writing about the C9 by Champion running shorts during this past week, but I ended up not really having a whole lot of extra energy for that, so I'll do it in the coming week. Let's just say that they're really good, but it occurred to me on Saturday that when it comes to chafing, there is no substitute for Vaseline. Not even nicely designed active wear.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Week 2, Day 4

Distance: 6 miles

Total for the week: 16 miles

Overall total so far: 31 miles

Notes: I must say again how easy it is to run with Tracey. It helped that I was finally not feeling sick anymore and that the air was a dry 64°F, as opposed to last week when it was a humid 85°F or so.

Later in the day, we walked to Abbott's and back, and then to a concert downtown and back from that. So we probably walked an extra 5 miles on top of our run. That makes for a deep sleep.

Weekly recap coming tomorrow.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Week 2, Day 3

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 10 miles

Overall total so far: 25 miles

Notes: A little better than the previous day. My legs weren't nearly as achy. But I still had a cold lingering, so took it pretty slow. I'm enjoying my rest day today before the six-miler Saturday. Here's hoping the cold is gone completely by then.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Week 2, Day 2

Distance: 4 miles

Total for the week: 7 miles

Overall total so far: 22 miles

Notes: Ouch. I played my first game of Ultimate last night, so my legs were shot. And on top of that, my entire family got sick within three hours of each other last night. So I ran this sick and on dead legs. It hurt pretty bad, but I did it. As Tracey said, having already done her four miles today, "It's amazing how much more you can do than you think you can." How true. That's one thing I remember from my previous attempt at this: when you think you are totally spent, you can usually go just a few steps more. And then a few steps more than that.

I figured today's medium run would be a decent opportunity to try out the "walk breaks." So I ran three minutes and walked one minute for the entire distance. Also, the three minute running portions were very slow. It definitely helped me stay strong until the end. Once again I reminded myself that finishing is the only goal, and that nothing else matters. And I finished today's run in spite of my circumstances, just like I will finish the one on September 16.

Walk breaks?

An experienced marathoner at Tracey's office suggested she take a look at a technique developed by Jeff Galloway. She looked into it and found Galloway's website, which includes a reproduction of an October 2000 Runner's World article about taking walk breaks during long training runs and the actual race. Here's his rationale:

It may sound counterintuitive to stop and walk in the middle of a race, but I've spoken to scores of runners who set PRs in the marathon by doing just that. Walk breaks work by reducing the intensity of your run. This conserves resources during the first half of a race, so you'll be able to speed up at the end. You'll allow your muscles to recover while continuing to make progress.

That actually makes sense to me. He goes on to suggest that there is a psychological benefit to the walk breaks as well, since taking regularly scheduled breaks gives you something to look forward throughout the race. And I've never been under the illusion that I'd run nonstop during the marathon; it just never occurred to me to use walking intentionally and strategically. I think we're going to try this on our Saturday runs and see how it goes.

Anyone ever tried this technique? Post a comment.

Week 2, Day 1

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 3 miles

Overall total so far: 18 miles

Notes: Brian and I ran our fastest pace yet on this run, under 9 minutes per mile, which is interesting to me only because it felt like we were going pretty slowly for much of it.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Week 1 Recap

I'm sitting up in bed late Sunday night with slightly achy calves, reflecting on the first of sixteen training weeks leading up to the marathon. As I take deep breaths and glance occasionally at Tracey asleep next to me (she's running at 6:00 tomorrow morning), I realize two things: I am glad for the good this is already doing my body, and I am very excited that I'm not training alone.

I didn't get into this for the health benefit. There was never any plan to lose 15 pounds or tighten up my belly. Nonetheless, I am becoming fairly excited that I will soon be in the best shape of my life. My leg muscles and abdominal core are already feeling a little stronger and tighter. I already notice that simple things like flights of stairs don't wind me at all. The simple act of taking a deep breath feels stronger somehow. Even though my rationale for running a marathon is about achievement and not fitness, I must admit that I am pleased by these added benefits.

And I'm glad for the friends who are doing this with me. When I sheepishly admitted during our January goal-setting staff meeting that I was contemplating training for a marathon again, I anticipated doing it on my own. Instead, I have three other people who are pursuing the same goal, including the closest friend I have ever had, Tracey. Like almost anything worth doing, this challenge is better met in community.

The upcoming week is the same during the weekday runs, and the Saturday run increases by a mile: 3-4-3-6. My summer sports league is starting on Tuesday, too, so I will lose some of the benefit of my midweek rest day. I tell myself I'm going to take it easy on the field of play, but anyone who knows me and my competitiveness will get a chuckle out of that idea.

Also coming this week: my quick thoughts on the Champion C9 running shorts.

Week 1, Day 4

Distance: 5 miles

Total for the week: 15 miles

Overall total so far: 15 miles

Notes: Running with Tracey is great. It's nice to spend time with her and chat with her, and we do a great job supporting and encouraging each other. This run went by fairly quickly, in spite of the fact that it was already hot and humid when we started at 8:15 in the morning on Saturday.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Week 1, Day 3

Distance: 3 miles

Total for the week: 10 miles

Total overall: 10 miles

Notes: Brian and I decided to push the pace, and we ran this short 3 miler at a 9 minute per mile pace. Which is not breaking any records, but it was half a minute faster than my current fastest pace. I don't really care about pace, but it felt good to really air it out a bit. Forgot to bring my Nike+ transmitter, so the record of this run is lost in the ether. Oh well.

Also, it was my first run wearing my new Champion running shorts, which I will write a bit more about after I try them again. And that brings me to another point: I will be writing more than just these boring training run recaps in the future.

A day off today, and then five miles tomorrow—probably my first real test. I'm trying to arrange it so I can run it with Tracey, which will make it a lot easier!