Training for the Half Marathon, Week 10/10

Well, I am officially tapering.  One week ago I did my last long run (16 miles) in preparation for my first half marathon.  Instead of my usual weekend long run, I did a 6 mile tempo run on Saturday.  Today, just an easy four miles with the dogs (two miles for Molly, two miles for Snicker).  They are both napping to show their appreciation. 

Tomorrow, I'll do about 4 miles with intervals.  Half mile easy warm-up, 4x800's with 400meter rests in between, and then a half mile cooldown. I'm going to try to push the intensity.

Looking at my running log over the this ten week training plan, I have put in 204.2 miles.  Probably the most I have ever ran in a two-month period.   Saturday's forecast for Chico, CA:   cloudy with a chance of rain, racetime temp:  mid-40's.

Training When the Weather Outside is Frightful

It's been a couple of days since posting last.  Mostly because we actually got our predicted snow storm.  About 10 inches total. 

Friday morning I got to dust off the cross country skis.  These poor sticks haven't seen any action for 5 or six years.  I went for a 2.7 mile distance which took about a full hour.  It seemed easy--heart rate comfortably in the 130's.  I can't figure out quite how to classify the exercise.  I know I should just call it cross training and be done, but I somehow thinks it ought to count as more in my training plan.  They say that cross country skiing uses 80% of your muscle (compared to running which uses about 60%).  I spent the rest of the day doing snow removal.

On Saturday, a little more snow removal and then I was needing a run.  Local trails were still pretty icy so I went out to the high school track and got in 6 miles with four at tempo pace (8:16, 8:13, 8:33, 8:29) and I threw in some bleachers while I was at it.

This was my last bug hurrah before my race on the March 5th.  This week i'm tapering:  I'll plan on doing 4 miles easy on Monday, 4 miles with some intervals on Tuesday, then an easy 2 on Thursday, half marathon on Saturday. 

Bring on the Snow!

Batten down the hatches!  They are predicting a big storm for the west coast.  Here in Paradise we are expecting 10-14 inches.  Last week we got 7 inches, but I was so busy with snow removal that I didn't really get to play in it.

This time, I am hoping to get in a little play time.  Here's the plan:  if the weather guys are wrong and it's only a couple of inches, I'm going for a nice tempo run in the fresh snow.  If they are right and we get burried, then I'm either going to break out the cross-country skis or snowshoes.  I don't have access to a treadmill, so this will have to suffice for my Friday workout tomorrow.

Now I know that compared to the rest of the country this winter, 10-14 inches in nothing.  But here in Northern California we're more easily impressed.  So, the firewood stack is replenished, the snow blade is on the John Deere and the kid in me says YIPPEE!

My Knees Lie To Me

Anyone else have conversations with their knees?

Mine talk to me all the time. 

After my 16 miler on Monday, I was ready for a break.  I hobbled around the house yesterday like a spry 120 year old.  (That's why they call it a recovery day, right?)  But this morning I was laying in bed contemplating getting up for my workout.  I took a quick survey:

• quads? check. 
• hams? check
• calves?  check
• feet? check
• knees?  Mutinous uproar!  There is no way, we're still sore from what you did to us the other day. 

Well, I compromised and pushed back the workout by two hours.  And guess what?  My knees lied to me.  The first half a mile or so of warm-up they complained, but after that, they felt great!  In fact they feel better now than when I was laying in bed. 

I know we're supposed to listen to what our body is telling us, but sometimes my body lies.

So, today's workout consisted of a 1.1 mile warm-up, 4x800 intervals with 400m rest periods in between, and finishing with a nice 1.9 mile tempo-ish run. 

I got try out the new Garmin 305 today.  For my warm-up and cool-down, I just did the "start" and "stop" method.  But when I was at the track I programmed in my intervals and rests and the wonderful little watch (yeah, I know, most people think the Forerunner 305 is HUGE, but it is much smaller than the handheld (eTrex Legend) that I used to run with) told me when to run and when to rest and displayed a great little distance to go for each segment.  Yippee! 

Oh yeah, I also met another runner training for the Bidwell Classic.  Now I know two people in the race.

I Feel The Need, The Need For Speed

This past weekend I was supposed to do my last long run before the Half Marathon.  I had scheduled a 17 mile run (thanks to Jeff Galloway's Half Marathon Training Plan).  I have been doing my long runs on Sunday mornings.  Howver, we were digging out of a snowstorm at the end of the week, which meant that all of the local running routes were iced over.  On top of that, our church was having it's annual business meeting after the Sunday morning service, which meant that my list of things to prepare was quite long.  Needless to say, there was no running in store fo me over the weekend.

Not getting in my long run on Sunday was an interesting experiment in my endorphin addiction.  I felt worse not having run than I would have had I logged a long run.  Grumpy, frustrated runner.

Thankfully, Monday was the President's Day holiday which meant a day day off.  The kids wanted to go see their cousins in Chico and I knew this was my golden opportunity to sneak in a long run.  "Honey, would you mind if I go for a run while you and the kids are at your sister's house?" 

My wife's sister lives very close to the beginning of Upper Bidwell Park.  I mapped out a 16 mile out and back route (basically run until the dirt road ends).  What a great run! 

I had my handheld GPS ready to go and I was going to track my splits and aim for a 10:30 min/mile.  Ooops, forgot to change the batteries in the GPS and it died a mile and half in.  I guess I will just run by feel.  The whole run took 2:32:45.  That works out to a 9:34 pace.  And it felt good too! 

Here's a few shots of the route.  This is the little dirt trail that runs along the paved portion of the road--why run on asphalt when you can run on dirt?



This is the dirt/gravel portion of the road.  The road less traveled (except for a few friendly mountain bikers).

Regarding the unpowered GPS--I feel a little like Darth Vader..."You've failed me for the last time!"

While I was out on my run, those nice folks at UPS delivered my new Garmin Forerunner 305.  So, now I can record my splits and other workout data without having to write it down with a pen and paper.  Woohoo!  This thing has a lot of features, I can't wait to try it out. 

Not today though.  Today I get to let my legs rest after their hard work yesterday. 

Into the taper I go--the race is a week and a half away!

Weddings and Watches and Marathons

One of the interesting parts of being a pastor is the extras that you get asked to do.  Today, I am performing a wedding.  While that kind of event always makes my schedule a little busier (counseling appointments, rehearsal, wedding) it does often come with a nice little perk--the family usually kicks down a little cash to thank me for my services. 

So what does a runner do when he gets a little extra cash?  Why register for his first marathon of course!  And maybe a new running watch.  Woohoo!

You got it, even though my first half marathon is two weeks away, I have just registered for the San Francisco Marathon on July 31, 2011.  No post-race blues for me after completing the Bidwell Classic.  On to training for the next big event.  That's where the watch will come in handy--I'm going with the Garmin Forerunner 305--because it's cheap (compared to the new models), has a great reputation, and does everything I need it to do. 

By the way, I ripped of the title of this blog from this year's SF marathon:  Worth the Hurt!  Gotta love it.  One of the cool things about the SF marathon (along with a lot of marathons) is that they encourage fundraising for a cause you believe in.  More on that in a few weeks.  Until then:

168.7 miles down, 55 miles to go (until the finish line of the Bidwell Classic).

Race Course Tempo Run

Two weeks and two days from now I plan to be running the Bidwell Classic Half Marathon in Chico, CA. 
The half marathon course is a double loop through the lower section of the park.  My training plan for today called for a tempo run of 6-7 miles, so what better than to run one loop of the race course.

I had the opportunity to run a couple of miles with Greg of Planes, Trains and Running, a blog about travel and running.  He's doing a neighborhood by neighborhood write-up of the Oakland Marathon, which he'll run next month as his 11th marathon.  Running and chatting with Greg reminded me of the great comraderie that runners share. 

The results:  6.2 miles at an average pace of 8:39.  I was quite surprised.  What a difference lower altitude and flat ground makes!

17 Days til the Half Marathon

17 days to go.  Checking the weather, the 10-day forecast is a lot of rain and even a little snow.

I guess that means that I need to toughen up as I prepare my final two and a half weeks to my peak on race day.  What's on tap for training during that time?  I have a speed workout to do tomorrow fillowed by an easy 2 mile day on Friday.  Sunday will be my last really long run before the race.  I have a 17 miler planned.  However, I find myself questioning if that is too long and perhaps a repeat 15 miler would be more than enough. 

I recovered from my 15 miler much easier than I thought I would this week.  Monday I was able to get around without problems and I felt good doing a 6 mile tempo-ish run on Tuesday.  I may just stick with the 17 miler.  It feels good to push the envelope . 

160.5 miles down, 64 to go!

Dogs Run Faster On The Way Home

Right now both of my dogs are passed out--one on the floor, the other on the couch.  They're tired out from their run this morning.  I took Molly out first.  She is an 11 year old corgi-retriever mix and she knows that when my running shoes go on, she gets to go out.  I was aiming for tempo pace today and we started uphill.  I felt like I was pulling her up to our turn-around.  Then she proceeded to pull me all the way back home.  She just loves the road home.  She pulls me when home is downhill, but she also pulls me when home is uphill.  Pretty good for an old lady. 

Next it was Snicker's turn.  She's a 2-year old schnauzer-poodle mix (a schnoodle) and she is not really clear why we're running.  She just know that if Molly wanted to do it, she better get a turn too.  Her one mission is to bark at any and all threats.  Never mind that she is only 15 pounds of curly fur, she will take on any comers.

I can't run them both at the same time--for some reason when they're together, they goof off more.  One at a time and I get them running at a steadier pace (after the obligatory poop and pee stops).  While it's tempting to just leave them behind, they do provide a great distraction on my middle distance runs.  And Molly is especially motivating on the way home!

Paul Bunion had nothing on me!

It turns out I have bunions.  My right foot is more pronounced than my left, but both feet suffer a little from this exciting condition.  Why the right more than the left--well that all goes back to a terrific ankle injury--a triple break of my ankle which required surgery and the permanent installation of a plate and 9 screws.  The surgery healed the bones quite well, but I find that my right foot points outward more than it should. 

This conbined with my tendency to overpronate means that my poor big toe does a good deal more work than it was designed to. 

The long and the short of it is that often after long runs, my dogs are barking! 

To the drug store I go.  They sell a nifty little pair of silicone toe spacers that are supposed to relieve pain.  I've got them in my socks right now and it seems to help.  My next step is going to have to be making sure my street shoes fit properly. 

15 Miles done! No Bears!

Completed the 15 miler this morning.  Longest run of my life (until next week).  It was tough. 
I aimed for an 11:00 pace and came pretty close--averaged 11:04 for a total run time of 2:46:00.

Things that went well.  Yesterday, I hid a couple of gatorades in the pine needles at my 5 and 10 mile marks.  My wife predicted that the racoons were going to enjoy them, but to my delight, they were undisturbed.  In addition to the two little 8oz gatorades, I had the following nutrition:  before the run--a banana and a generous tablespoon of peanut butter.  During the run:  two GU packets (the Lemon Sublime flavor ROCKS!)  I felt totally hungry at about 8.5 miles.  This makes me wonder if I need to get a little more food in me on my Half Marathon day.  Also, despite the early morning hours of the run (left at 4:50 AM and got home at 7:36)  I didn't see a single wild animal.  No bear, no deer, no skunks, no nothing.  That doesn't mean they didn't see me.

Things that hurt:  this was a new mileage territory for me.  Guess what!  My knees hurt, bunion on my right foot was really aching.  Lower abs still hurt--I really think this has to do with all the hills.

I am going to get around the rest of the day (and probably tomorrow) doing the "distance runner shuffle" but I feel pretty good about the day.  Celebrating with a Peanut Butter and Honey sandwich.

154.45 miles down, 69 to go!

The 15 Miler

I shook the magic eight ball and asked it what my long run was supposed to be for this weekend.  The little dice thingy floated to the window and said, "Run 15 miles." 

I've been saving a run out to Paradise Lake for just his distance.  I checked it on MapMyRun and it's just right.  The run is mostly an out and back, but I managed to put a loop in the middle 5 miles for variety's sake.  Two miles of the route are on the dirt trail around a portion of the lake.  Added bonus:  port-a-john's at the lake. 

Down side:  Bears, but then that might just improve my time for the run.

They Make You Pay to Run?

I was having a conversation with some folks at church last night.  My running buddy Ryan and I are planning to announce a "Couch to 5K" group at the church.  We were standing around trying to talk some others into joining the effort and along the way, I let slip that I was wanting to set aside some money for running.

One of the guys in the group responds, "Wait, they make you pay to run?"  Apparently , the thought had never occurred to him that races might have entry fees.  I'm pretty sure he's been firmly living in the "You'd have to pay me to run" world. 

So I started to think about the cost/benefit side of running.  One of the things I truly love about running is that is really doesn't cost much to begin with.  In fact, when you first start all you really need are some semi-comfy shoes and some clothes that allow you to move.  When I started running again last year, I primarily did it in some ill-fitting New Balance shoes (that I had owned for a year or more), swim trunks, and a tee shirt.  When it started getting cold I supplemented the outfit with a hoodie and eventually with some warm-up pants.  Initial investment: $0.  That got me to my 5K, which cost $30 that provided me a great race, a nice-enough long sleeve t-shirt, post-race snacks, and the good feeling that my race entry fee benefitted the local homeless shelter (The Jesus Center in Chico, CA).

Now that i'm working on my first Half Marathon, I have made a few more investments, but each one comes with a nice return to me:

• Running pants--Cost $20/Benefit-warm legs and easier movement
• Winter Tech Shirt--Cost $20/Benefit--warm top without collecting sweat like cotton
• New Shoes--Cost $100/Benefit--happy feet (I can't believe I actually ran in my old shoes)
• Camelback fanny pack--Cost $25/Benefit--portable hydration
• Socks--Cost $15/Benefit--no more "sloggin' in the cotton"
• Bidwell Classic Entry Fee--Cost $40/Benefit--the chance to check off my first Half!

The intangible--The peaceful easy feeling of getting back into shape!

Does Thinking About Running Count?

Yesterday, I missed two miles of speed work. I did four miles in the morning and was planning to head to the track in the early evening. My wife wanted to start running a little and she thought the track would be a nice place to start. Unfortunately, she got called to take minutes at a school board meeting and we had to cancel our run.

This morning I thought about getting up and putting in the missed miles from yesterday. I sat in bed listening to the sound of the wind wipping leaves around outside and decided that the warm bed seemed like a nicer idea.

So instead of a make-up run, I spent some time planning out my training plan for after the Bidwell Classic in March. There is a possible "next goal" race this summer that I am starting to scratch out a training plan for. So me and my Excel spreadsheet began to see how I can get in the mileage after recovering from my first half marathon. Two goals: add mileage safely (trying to stay near the 10% rule) and get my overall mileage up into the 40 mpw range.

It should be fun!

California Dreamin'

It was cold this morning. 36 degrees to be exact, with a hefty windchill.

Now this isn't cold to most of you. But we have had an unseasonably warm winter here in northern California. Most of my runs for the last month have been in the upper 30's to lower 40's. The problem with this kind of winter warm spell is that it turns you into a real wimp when it gets slightly colder.

Don't get me wrong, I kind of like it when the temps are more extreme (just for bragging rights). New Year's Day it was 26 and drizzly (is that a word?). A week ago Sunday, I ran most of my long run in the rain. Again, all these things build character.

My biggest concern: that I'll have two months of beautiful training weather and then on my race day (three and a half weeks away) it'll rain, snow, sleet, blow hurricane-force winds, etc.

129.4 miles down, 93.1 to go!

To Caffeinate or Not to Caffeinate, That is the Question

I was at the local running shop today. I needed some shorts and especially wanted to get some energy gel. I've always been a GU guy, just because, it's been around forever and I have always found it to be really palatable.

Onto the rack of GU choices--Lots of yummy flavors, that's the good news. I love choices, just because it keeps things interesting. Very Berry, Vanilla, some wild Lime flavor--it's all good to me. The only one I don't care for is the chocolate flavored GU. Thanks, but I'll get my chocolate in my milk after the run.

One new choice is the various Caffeine levels now offered. No Caffeine, Caffeine, 2X Caffeine. A marathoner friend of mine said that he consumed a series of the caffeinated energy gels during a recent race and that he was flying high. My personal experience is that I like a little caffeine but don't want to be creating an audible buzz after the race.

So how much is helpful and how much is too much? That's gotta be a personal decision. My balance is to alternate caffeinated with non-caffeinated gels in any run or race that require consumption of more than one gel.

Chocolate Milk

Paradise is a constant hill. I live at 2,200 feet and no matter where I run there are always hills to descend and ascend. Today's run was the perfect case in point. I wanted something different for my long run--needed to put in about 9 miles. I ended up just running the length of the walking trail that goes through town. The only problem is that this trial drops over 680 feet in elevation over that distance.

I started with one mile up--bought a gatorade from the gas station (the only store that's open at 5AM). And then it was down for the next 4.9 miles. That's ok, I mean I enjoy downhill as much as the next guy, but I prefer to do it on the homeward part of the journey. Today, every step down reminded me that I had to come back up.

To make matters worse, on the return leg, I got to run uphill and into the breeze. But do you know what makes it all worthwhile? It wasn't the Gatorade, or the Clif Bar that I ate along the way. It was the chocolate milk waiting for me at home. Yummmm, chocolate milk--the perfect recovery drink.

Guaranteed PR

I was digging through some old stuff the other day and found a couple of old race numbers stuffed in my high school yearbook. One of them was a 5K I ran when I was 14. I placed third for my age group with a 23:30. I'm pretty sure that's one of the few times in my life that I have actually placed in a race.

Now I'm not a very good record keeper, because I have no idea what my other times where in those early years of running. Do you know what that means? Aside from this 5K PR, I have a clean slate on PR's!

This brings up an important issue: do PR's expire? I read one running article where the writer suggested that any PR more than 2 years old is invalid. Personally, I think this is a bunch of hooey. A record by it's very nature stands until it is broken.

Anyway, back to the topic: since I only have one PR that I can remember, every race distance (except 5K) that I choose to run is a guaranteed PR! In four weeks, as long as I finish my half marathon, I will have a new PR!

5K 23:30
13.1 __________

115 miles down, 107 miles to go.

Four Weeks to Go!

Four weeks from tomorrow I will be running my first Half Marathon.

I can't wait! That means I only have two more weeks of hard training. After that I get two weeks of taper leading to the race. Can I do it? You bet! Last Sunday's long run was 13.4 miles, in the dark, while raining, and over hilly terrain.

Now, just because I can do it, doesn't mean I am taking the next few weeks of training lightly. Here's what the next two weeks have in store:
2/6 9 mile long run
2/8 6 miles with intervals (4x400, 2x800, bleachers)
2/10 7 mile tempo run
2/11 2 miles easy
2/13 15 mile long run
2/15 6 miles with intervals (2x200, 2x400, 2x800, bleachers)
2/17 7 mile tempo run
2/18 2 miles easy
2/20 17 mile long run

After that I head into my taper until the race.

Bidwell Classic here I come. My goal: finish! I'd love to come in under 2 hours, but finishing is the main thing.

Speed Kills!

Speed Kill! At least they say to teenagers who drive too fast.

Well, speed also kills your running plan. Of course, I'm talking more about my little setback--hurt my lower abs all because of last Friday's speed workout and then running my long run on Sunday a little too fast.

So, what speed should I be running? I found a great tool over at McMillan Racing that calculates your proper training paces based on a previous race result. In my case, I plugged in my last 5K time and it spits out this incredibly detailed report that predicts my time in any length race (assuming I've put in the training) and gives me my goal times for training.

Now, I already knew that I did last weeks sprints too fast. But after checking the running calculator, I saw how fast is appropriate. Real numbers: last Friday, I was doing 100m intervals at 18-19 second pace; I'm supposed to be doing them at 22-24 second pace. My long run was also a problem. Sunday, I ran 13.4 in 2:15:00 which works out to 10:04/mile pace. I stoked that I CAN do that, but I should have been closer to an 11 minute mile.

Speed Kills!

Running Through Injury

Last week my regular training schedule was in flux. I spent Monday through Wednesday at a Pastors' Prayer Summit. While I was there, I met another pastor who has 11 marathons under his belt. We planned a run early Tuesday and went out for a quick 6. The next day we ran another 4. So that left my usual speed workout day for later in the week.

On Friday I went to the high school track and did some speed intervals (a weekly part of my training plan). On deck that day were 4x100m ad 2x200m. As I was putting in the rest of my mileage for the day I threw in one more 200m aerobic interval. I think I was a little too aggressive on the sprints--soreness in my quads and lower abs.

Sunday's long run was to be 13.4 miles. Here in Paradise, CA there is very little flat ground and the route I chose for this run had a lot of ambitiously rolling hills. Apparently the combination of a tough speed day followed by a hilly long run really strained my lower abs. Spent the rest of Sunday and Monday doing the "old man shuffle."

So yesterday I knew I had to take it easy. My friend Ryan wanted to do an easy 2 mile run in the morning. He's just starting to run again and his training has him alternating running/walking. Let me tell you, I was thankful for every one of those walk portions. That evening I put in another 1.5 miles just to keep my mileage up. I felt so much better.

There is a something kind of cool and counterintuitive about running through the minor strains and pains of running. Of course, I've been through other difficulties other this training program--shins, knees, IT band, hams--and so far I've found that a lot of listening to my body and a little research (to find out how to address issues as they come up) enables me to keep on truckin'!

How I Got Here

In high school I ran long distance. I was never great, but I enjoyed the two mile and 5k races and even the odd 10k. After college I injured myself training for a 10 mile trail race (I pulled my lateral colateral ligament). The running shoes went on the shelf and managed to stay there for fifteen years.
Fast forward to summer of 2010 and I started to get the desire to run again. It began suring our family vacation to the northern California coast--I felt like running on the beach. What started as a few hundred yards on the sand turned into a semi-regular run during the rest of summer and into the fall. With my wife's encouragement, I signed up to run the "Run for Food 5K" on Thanksgiving Day. Life had been busy in the weeks leading up to the 5K, but I ventured out on that very cold morning and really enjoyed running again. My time: an impressive-to-me 25:16.5, which placed me about middle of the field for the Men's 35-39 age bracket. What was extra special about that day was that because it was Thanksgiving, my wife & kids, my parents and my mother-in-law were all there to cheer me on. Even more rewarding was that the race benefited The Jesus Center, a ministry helpng the homeless in Chico, California.
At the end of December I got a wild idea to run a half marathon (previously the longest race I had ever run was a 10K and the farthest I had ever run was 10 miles). So after some searching, I found that there is a local half marathon, the Bidwell Classic in Chico on March 5th. A little more searching revealed that there were a number of half marathon training plans that promised to take you from 5K fitness to the 13.1 mile race in 10-12 weeks. VIOLA!
I am now in my sixth week of a ten week training plan. Four weeks and four days to go!