2011 Chicago Marathon recap

I had only one goal for this race:  run a 3:10.  You see, I've grown tired of training for and running marathons, and I just want to do end this year with a bang with plans on taking off next year.  That said, I carried a 24oz water bottle as opposed to 16oz, and filled it with ~2tsp salt.  Also carried 6 Roctane's and picked up an additional clif shot at mile 17.   I logged the most training miles I've ever done for this race.  I missed out on tempo and speed mileage until the last month of training because of a twisted ankle, but I thought the additional miles and the multiple Tabata sprints addressed that.  So come the day of the marathon, I was ready for battle.

The gun went off with Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run on the loudspeakers to amp up the runners, myself included.  My goal was to run the first 10k feeling easy.  It felt easy even though I may have gone out a little faster than planned.  After 10k, I planned on running at about 7:00 - 7:10.  My next checkpoint was 13.1 @ about 1:35:xx to have a shot at my goal.  Check.  Next was mile 20 @ 2:25, which would leave me with ~45 mins for the last 10k.  Check.  I had still planned on gutting out at least 1 or 2 sub-7 miles in the 20's.  Then the wheels started to fall off.

I felt the initial cramp twinge around mile 17-18, but shrugged it off and drank more water and gatorade.  I didn't want to pay it any respect because I had a very specific goal that wouldn't accomodate cramps.  I tried to pick up the pace to get the sub-7 miles as planned, but both legs now were telling me to stop or they'd lock up.  Still didn't listen.  By mile 24, the twinges started to become knots and I had to take walk breaks.  At about mile 25, I was reduced to a stiff legged walk for several hundred meters.  My entire right hind leg just locked up.  Attempts to stretch the hind muscles caused the quads to cramp up.  I hadn't experienced that since my first marathon.  Gracious spectators rooted me on with looks of pity and encouragement.  I almost felt bad for making them feel bad for me.  Some of them offered me a beer for comfort.  I was almost tempted. 

In the end, I could only smile and be thankful for the battle as countless runners passed me by on the final 800.  I armed myself well and gave it my best shot, but it wasn't meant to be.  I was also very happy and excited for my friend and colleague and long run training partner Craig who passed me at about mile 26.  He set a PR by 10 minutes.  How awesome is that?

Note:  Prayers and thoughts to the family of the North Carolina fireman who collapsed 500m from the finish and  died 2 hrs later in the hospital.  I saw at least a couple of runners in the last 3 miles being treated with IV drips and it reminded me of how tough this event really is. 


Mileage splits:
1- 7:17
2 - 7:01
3- 7:08
4 -7:04
5 - 7:17
6 - 7:21
7 - 7:06
8 - 6:55
9 - 7:05
10 - 7:02
11 - 7:01
12 - 7:02
13 - 6:52
14 - 6:38
15 - 7:12
16 - 7:07
17 - 7:12
18 - 7:19
19 - 7:24
20 - 7:32
21 - 7:42
22 - 7:57
23 - 8:15
24 - 9:11
25 - 12:35
26 - 9:11  (.73 miles)

11 pure miles...back to basics

In the span of 6 hrs and, all because of running, I experienced:

- GUILT because I missed a lunch run
- ANGER because I had to make it up
- BARGAINING because I didn't want to
- DEPRESSION because I had to
- ACCEPTANCE because I needed to

In the end, acceptance made me realize the only cure for my afternoon anguish was the sickness itself. I just needed to go out and enjoy a run. So I did. And I was treated to a vibrant magenta sunset along the reservoir, cool breezes throughout the park, and on the way home, I stopped to enjoy Andrea Bocelli's performance at the Great Lawn from a distance. What an evening.

2011 Portland Maine - Operation Escape Irene

2011 Portland Maine - Operation Escape Irene, a set on Flickr.

Short weekend trip to Portland, Maine, coincidentally to escape Irene. Topped off the week to 60+ miles while on the trip :-)

Heal!

It's not like I've been inactive, but starting to feel like a marshmallow just because I haven't been running consistently. Also starting to reconsider my Chicago expectations. Approaching 3rd week of ankle healing and it feels like an eternity.

Photo walking tour 2011.07.23

Photo walking tour 2011.07.23, a set on Flickr.

Fun day with the new 7-14mm lens! Not much running, but lots of walking.

Race Report: Run for the Parks

What a difference a week makes. Last week before the Scotland 10k, I felt age catching up with me and my fastest running behind me, especially for the 10k and shorter distances. But breaking my 4 yr-old PR after the 10k though changed my outlook 180 degrees.

I carried the confidence into today's 4 mi Race for the Parks. Just like last week, I warmed up for about 2.5miles before the run, only I didn't do any fast warmups today. Opted instead to catch up with an old friend.

My strategy going into the race was to take it easy on the uphill first mile, make up time on mile two, eke out what I could in a very hilly mile three, and balls out in the final mile. Also decided to reward myself with stuffed french toast (best french toast every!) at the Eatery, IF I PR'ed today, breaking my non-dessert and processed sugar consumption. My splits were as follows:

Mile 1 - 6:31
Mile 2 - 6:20
Mile 3 - 6:44
Mile 4 - 6:28
Mile .06 - 18s
Garmin time: 26:27
Official time: 26:21 @ 6:36/mi

Missed my PR by 7 seconds! Nice little reality check and worse, no stuffed french toast. Still, it was a good race. It just wasn't another PR day today.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79728561

Race Report: Scotland Run 10k

I'd been dreading this race since I signed up for it. I've developed a distaste for the shorter races, especially 10k's. Of all race distances, they seem to hurt the most. Additionally, I've been mired in a running funk of self-doubt and I had not raced a 10k since last year's Scotland Run. To relieve some pressure, I decided to treat this as a baseline race for the year. It would be a reflection of the cross-training and the treadmill intervals I've done this brutal winter.

It was great Scottish weather today. Warmed up jogging lightly to the bag check, and when I couldn't find my colleagues, I decided to do something different. Instead of going directly to the corral, I did some warm up hill repeats on the bridle path to get my heart rate up. I thought it might be good to get my heart rate up before the race so I could settle into pace easier.

I headed to the corral, stretched for a little bit, then waited a couple of minutes for the race to start. I was placed in the second corral this year so when the race started, I did quite a bit of dodging and weaving.

My Garmin splits for the race were as follows:

Mile 1: 6:39
Mile 2: 6:34
Mile 3: 6:26
Mile 4: 6:45 - Bottom of Harlem Hill to Engineer's Gate, hardest stretch on the course.
Mile 5: 6:31
Mile 6: 6:37
.31: 1:56
-------------------
41:32 Unofficial


My official finish time was 41:28. Woohoo! A PR by 19s. I'll take it. Completely unexpected. I remember feeling like I was going to fall apart after 4 miles, and at the same time trying to outrun a loud and heavy breather who, just by being around me, was draining me. Luckily he faded back. And the one thing I can't forget today - I was outkicked by a girl the last 10 meters. She came out of nowhere and I didn't have time to react.

After the race, I brunched with some friends and colleagues, one of them a first time NYRR racer. Whole wheat pancakes with strawberries and pecans. No syrup for this (mostly) sugar-free month.

Lessons learned today:
- age hasn't quite caught up with me yet as I've feared
- strength, speed and stretching training works for me as an alternative to lots of miles
- raising the heart rate before the race helped to settle into a pace quicker
- I think I can get faster

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/78414227