Busted Run

Yesterday I was planning on an 18 mile run. Although I intended to get up and get out on the road early (for a weekend), I slept in a little longer than I planned. I was trying a new water bottle belt that didn't work so well and I had to go back home to get one of our older belts. Then I started out relatively fine, but a little fast. I tried to slow down several times to be at the pace I wanted (around 8:40), but found myself going faster more often than I'd like. I ran the first 5-6 miles on a familiar route, but was trying a new addition to my route to get a 9 mile out to do an out-and-back run. It was hillier than I realized and I had run hills yesterday. About 8.5 miles in, something started to not feel right about the run. I kept at it for a while longer and then stopped my run.

This is only the second time I've stopped a run early in about 8 years of running. I have ended runs outside due to weather, but finished them on my elliptical. This one I didn't finish. Something just didn't feel right. I was disappointed, but didn't feel down. Until about an hour or so later. Since then, I've felt off, wondering if I should have toughed it out or somehow tried to finish. I suspect i could have finished, but maybe I needed to not complete this run to remember how much planning to run is an important as doing the run.

Sorry for the rambling, but I'm still processing the run and the lessons I learned.

Belated Race Report

Last Sunday, I ran the Minneapolis Half Marathon. Last year I ran the full marathon here and swore to never run it again. How time changes things. Since I've felt better and faster recently, I decided to give the half a try again. I'm glad I did. In April, I ran a half and set a new PR of 1:55:48. That course was not nearly as hilly as the course I ran on Sunday. I planned on treating the run as a supported training run (and then didn't use the water stops at all), so I figured finishing under 2:10 would be fine with me.

As I started the race, I was able to find a good pace and kept it mile after mile. While I didn't use the water stops, I did take my gels and Endurolyte drink regularly. I felt good, even on the hills, and actually set another PR, finishing in 1:55:18. True this is a PR by .3 seconds, but considering I had figured a slower race, I was very happy. The weather really cooperated, too, cool temps at the beginning of the race, clear skies, no wind, basically a perfect day to run.

So now I'm beginning my training for the Twin Cities Marathon in early October. Part of that training will be running the Disneyland Half on Labor Day weekend. I'll get my Coast-to-Coast medal when I finish (for doing races at WDW and DL in the same year) and I'm excited to be going to Disneyland for the first time. After Twin Cities, I'll start training for the WDW Marathon, where it's my plan to PR again. I'm trying to get to where I can BQ (Boston qualify) and I know that a lot of hard work is ahead of me. I'm ready to go, bring it on!

Long time

Yes, it's been a long time since my last post and much has changed. Not drastically, but still my life today is different than I thought it would be even a year ago.

Several good things have happened, both personally and at work. I have lost even more weight and I'm currently hovering between 158-160 lbs. I do want to lose a little more weight and then stabilize between 150-155. I'm okay where I am now, but I think that little extra less will help with another really neat thing that has happened in my personal life, which is I've been running much better and much faster lately.

In late April, I ran a half-marathon and set a new PR of 1:55, which was my first sub-2:00 half. I was extremely excited and very happy with my training and how well the race went (despite yet another race in the rain). The next weekend I ran 13 miles at the cabin and finished almost as fast. My paces have improved dramatically and I attribute that to a few things: weighing less, believing I can run faster, and great support from family and friends.

On a professional level, I was promoted to manager and given a direct report. Although I knew this was in the works, you never know for sure in today's business climate. Also. I was able to go to a conference at WDW and I got to stay at Coronado Springs for the first time. The resort is fine, but not as nice as others on site.

Laura and Sean joined me at the end of the conference and we stayed at Pop Century. We had a great time, even the day we had thunderstorms (not rain, thunder & lightning) ALL day. From 6:30 in the morning until 8:00 at night with very few breaks, we had full-blown thunderboomers. It was an interesting experience in the parks.

Aside from that news, my life is generally going well. I have a half in two weeks, then my next race is in August. We're still doing the Disneyland Half in Sept. and I'm going to do the Twin Cities Marathon in October, possibly with a guest runner.

Until next time, keep moving forward!


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Random thoughts on post-marathon training

It's been almost four weeks since I ran the Goofy Challenge at Walt Disney World. This was my fifth straight year doing at least the marathon and the first time I have done an more active recovery. Two days after running both the half and full marathons, I ran three miles with no pain (soreness, yes, especially in my quads). I ran 3-4 miles two days after that and 6 miles on the Saturday after the marathon weekend. The last several years I didn't get back to 6 miles until at least 4 weeks after the race. Now, four weeks later, I'm planning 10 miles (hopefully outside if the weather cooperates ).

I feel so much stronger and better having lost almost 60 pounds since July 2009, most of which I lost last year after buckling down in March and moving to a vegan lifestyle. I am eager to get back into race training and will be starting a new base program as I prepare for a half-marathon in late April.
As spring approaches, I'll ramp up my cross training, getting back on the bike to explore some of the great trails around the area.

Also, I signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon October 2. My wife and I are going to do the Disneyland Half-Marathon in early September. With a few 10K races mixed in, I should have a fun, full year of racing.


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2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

The race report I posted a few days ago seems fairly accurate, if brief. So I thought I'd post some memories of the weekend, rather than a full report a week later.

First, my wife and I swore we would not do the 2012 WDW Marathon, but as we sat on he bus to the race start on Saturday for the half I looked at her and said "We're going to do this next year, aren't we?" So we've decided that yes, we'll be back. Whether I do the Goofy again isn't clear yet, but my wife will do the half and I'll do at least the full.

I'd like us, with our son, to try the 5k since he enjoyed the Kid's Race a lot, but that may be too long of a distance for a 6 year-old to walk without carrying him for some distance. He will at least do another Kid's Race, as he's already asked about it. Next year we will make sure that we register early enough to do the Friday race. He did the Saturday race, which was a bit of a logistical nightmare to get myself and my wife from the finish of the half back to the resort and then over to Disney's Wide World of Sports in time for the race. We made it fine, although my wife scrambled to get to the race area at the back of DWWOS. He enjoyed the race and so did I, even though I had to run with him!

This year, our niece came down with us to watch our son, primarily during the packet pickup and expo and Saturday morning while we both ran the half. It was great having someone else to help keep him busy and allow us to get our packets, check out the expo, and get to the start of the half without worry. She was a real trooper and she said she had a good time, which is good as we'll ask her to go down with us again next year, if she can.

Random thoughts on the races: Running with friends rocks! I don't train with my wife and rarely run with anyone else, so I'm not used to running partners, but I had good friends to run both the half and full. Stan and I ran both races and Josh joined us on Sunday. These guys kept my paces in the right range, which directly contributed to the PR I got in the full. I really enjoyed running with them and I hope to race with them again next year.

There seemed to be more characters out on the course this year, including a few I'd never seen before: Launchpad McQuack from Ducktales and Chicken Little and Abby. I think that Disney did a great job keeping the runners' spirits up this year. Last year the cold made racing tough, I can't imagine how the folks lining the course must have felt. This year we had perfect running weather both days and everyone-racers, volunteers, spectators-all seemed to enjoy themselves.

Walking around Epcot with four medals Sunday after the race was great, so many people congratulate you that it feels like those medals are weightless. When I went to meet my wife and son after the race Sunday, I took the boat from Boardwalk over to International Gateway (I was a bit tired by then!) and as I got on the boat with my clanking medals, everyone on the boat cheered for me. I was not expecting that at all and I felt really proud of what I'd done with my races.

What's ahead for this year? I plan on running the Twin Cities Marathon in October. My wife and I are considering doing the Disneyland Half in September to get our Coast to Coast medals. I plan on stretching my training this year to prep for a BQ race as early as next year, too. Stay tuned!

2011 Walt Disney World Marathon weekend

Four days after Sunday's marathon and I'm already in the post-marathon blues. This past weekend I ran the Goofy Challenge with good friends, in great running weather, and at paces that I hoped to do. The trip could not have gone any better in my mind. I was only 5 minutes off my half-marathon PR and that after deciding not to push during the race. I set a new marathon PR by 8 minutes and felt pretty good after the race. Yet, I miss seeing my friends and, as always, I miss being at Walt Disney World. I'll have a more comprehensive race weekend report up very soon, but I wanted to get a brief post out now that I'm back home.


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Brief note before WDW Marathon

I plan on writing a more complete post about my training the last month or so before we head down to WDW. Have a few thoughts about training for a marathon during the winter, the impact a lack of stretching has on my progress, and what's next after the races are done. As we say at work, more to come.


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Thanksgiving

This is my first Thanksgiving since I became vegan and I'm excited about what I will be having for dinner. In an untraditional Thanksgiving Day meal, I'm having vegan enchiladas from Whole Foods with vegan mashed potatoes and apple cranberry quinoa salad. I also have a kale salad with tomatoes, cranberries, and pine nuts. I even got a vegan pumpkin pie.

I'm thankful for my family and friends, as well as the positive changes I have made in my life to stay healthy and happy. Thanks everyone for reading the blog. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving Day for everyone here in the US and a great day for everyone around the world!


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Sometimes it's the shoes

Somehow over the last several weeks, I have gone from having a lot of foot pain to being pain free. I even went to an orthopedic urgent care because my left foot hurt so much. The doctor diagnosed plantar faciitis and said to stretch and keep running (I wasn't going to hurt anything). I do the stretches, when I remember, but I also bought new running shoes (Asics Gel-Nimbus). They seem to have helped do the trick. I don't have pain in either foot. I have lost enough weight (almost 50 lbs.) that the shoes I had been in (Brooks Adrenaline) seemed to be too much shoe for me. I noticed a difference almost immediately with the Asics. Yesterday, I bought two other pairs similar to the Asics (New Balance 1064s and Nike Vomeros) to have a variety of shoes to keep my feet from getting used to one style of shoe. I ran six miles of hill work in the Nikes this morning and my feet felt just fine. I never thought something like changing my shoes would make such a big difference.

6 weeks to Goofy

It's been a strange month for my training, work, and my personal life. Nothing bad has happened, but I've had one of those months where events collide to keep me slightly off balance. I've had a couple of weeks of great running bookending a couple week of not-great to almost-dangerous running, If you've read this blog for at least a year, you know I do not like running in the snow or after a snowfall that hasn't yet been plowed or cleared. I think this is because my first year of training for the WDW Marathon was practically snow-free with decent temperatures every time I went out.

Since then, I've run in what is the typical or normal Minnesota winter weather. I don't mind cold, dressed correctly it's not a big deal (although gels and whatever you're carrying for drink tends to freeze). I've run long runs over ten miles in wind chills between 10 and 20 degrees below zero. I do mind snow - a lot. I still get out and run, but I go slower, I worry about slipping, and I have to watch much more carefully for cars (as do all runners in this kind of weather). I find it hard to focus on the run, which doesn't help get my mind prepped for racing. I use colorful language when stepping in slush puddles, it's just not fun.

That was my long run two weeks ago - I ran twelve miles in a winter storm, which got worse as I ran. It was snowing about an inch an hour, I was out for about two hours and I started the run with about three to four inches on the ground. Saturdays are not priority days to plow residential streets (snow emergency routes were cleared, but not the side streets). It snowed hard enough that on my way back (I did an out and back for the first eight miles), my tracks going out were basically covered. The temperature was around 30 degrees, which meant the snow was heavy and wet. Great snowman weather, but not great running weather. Yes, I know I'm complaining, but with a slight smile - I'm out running, not sitting at home on my butt watching TV. It's a little funny getting covered in snow or frost running in the winter, coming with with my gloves and hat frozen.

Speaking of frozen, last week I had two runs end early due to injuries. My Friday run ended early because my right hip hurt. It felt like the ball and socket weren't fully moving freely. Ouch. Then Saturday, I was in the first few miles of a sixteen mile run when I noticed the fingers of my left hand were tingly and getting numb. It's happened before and gone away, so I thought I'd gut it out. My fingers felt worse as I got about six miles in, basically having gone numb. I was worried I may be getting frostbite, which would be bad on several levels. My main concern was that if I had frostbite, I'd have a heightened sensitivity to cold, not a good thing for a runner in Minnesota. I ended up calling my wife to get me. Between her not finding me and me continuing my run to get home, she never picked me up. I got home as she called, frantically looking for me, I told her where I was and she came home. I finished the run downstairs on our elliptical. My fingers ended up being okay, which is good, of course, but I was having an awesome run when I stopped at home. I was really down all weekend. I did get new running gloves, which I've worn twice now and they have kept my fingers warm and toasty.