Let Me Never Know Old Age

What a year of running!  As I look back through my runner log, I have to say that this was probably my best year of training and racing.  I had no injuries and logged some of my fastest paces.  The more amazing part is that I am now 55 years old.  Running pundits say that I should be slowing down.  They claim that people my age shouldn't be able to log the weekly mileage that I do and certainly not be able to run one of my best marathons.

Don't assume that I am pining away in being 24 again (the age I started running seriously).  I have to admit it would be great to have the energy and metabolism of that time in my life.   That might be nice, but as I have gotten older, I have never lost the zest for life I had back then.  The biggest thing I try to do each day is to focus on what’s going well in  my life without denying the bad things I have to deal with in my life.  My morning run is when I level set my attitude for the day.  I find that if I can get to a higher level of optimism by the end of my run, I will have the positive energy I need to help me get through the day.

There are times when I get up for my run notice my reflection in the mirror and wonder who that old guy is in my bathroom.  There are days when I head out that I feel like my body is not going to handle the stress of my scheduled workout.  When I get this feeling, I tell myself that there are benefits to my age.  The biggest of which is wisdom gained through experience. As time passes, I find that I have found  smarter training techniques, learned to listen to my body, and simply have a much higher tolerance to discomfort.

Anyone who has run a 10K or longer knows that long distance running takes a lot of patience.  As you train for your race, you have to build up the mental discipline to get you through to the finish line.  What I have learned through many years of life and running experiences is that I can always get to the finish line.   I may not hit my finish time goal.  I will cross the finish line with a smile on my face.  Sure I will be disappointed for a few minutes.  But shortly I will be locking in the memory of a well fought effort and the feeling of accomplishment I had as I crossed the line.

There is no disputing the fact that over time I will start to slow down.   My times will be slower and I won't be setting any PRs.  Regardless, I know that speed is a relative thing.  I know many younger runners who can't do what I am doing today.  So I will consol myself with the fact that I will always be a runner and a marathoner.  The key to my running future is simple -  just keep moving ahead and enjoy the ride.

"Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years." Ausonius, Roman Poet

Nov. 28 – 5.30 miles (56:15, 10:37 pace) - Hill Repeats
Nov. 30 – 6.50 miles (59:15, 9:07 pace)
Dec. 10 – 6.20 miles (54:22, 8:46 pace)
Dec. 11 – 7.10 miles (1:07:17, 9:29 pace)
Dec. 12 – 5.10 miles (56:32, 11:05 pace) - Hill Repeats
Dec. 13 – 5.20 miles (47:22, 9:07 pace) - Speed Work
Dec. 15 – 5.20 miles (47:25, 9:07 pace) - Tempo Run
Dec. 17 – 6.20 miles (53:41, 8:40 pace)
Dec. 18 – 6.30 miles (57:07, 9:04 pace)
Dec. 19 – 5.20 miles (53:38, 10:19 pace) - Hill Repeats
Dec. 20 – 5.20 miles (46:45, 8:59 pace) - Speed Work
Dec. 22 – 6.30 miles (55:28, 8:48 pace) - Tempo Run
Dec. 23 – 6.20 miles (55:56, 9:01 pace)
Dec. 24 – 9.10 miles (1:24:24, 9:17 pace)
Dec. 25 – 8.10 miles (1:12:10, 8:55 pace)

Total Miles:  93.2 miles
2016 Total Miles:  2,031.7 miles

The Marathon is Mental

It has been 21 days since I crossed the finish line in New York.  It seems that everyone I know asks me about the race and to regale them with stories from the course.  It is really hard to describe what it is like running a marathon especially to those who aren't runners.  I am always looking for little anecdotes to try and let them know both how the marathon feels physically and mentally.  Most people respond by saying they can't imagine how tough it is physically.  But after running 9 marathons, I know that the physical part is not the problem as long as you properly train for the distance.  It is really the mental toughness to keep going even when you are starting to drain your energy stores.

If you are a runner and have read anything about marathons, I am sure you have heard the phrase "the race starts at mile 20."  This statement is made by marathoners to let their fellow runners know that when you reach the 20th mile of the race you are starting to feel a little bit of pain and discomfort.  You will obviously be tired.  It is at this point in the race where your mind must take control to get you to the finish line.  When I reach mile 20 I switch my focus from my time and pace to just reaching the next mile marker.  As I pass each one, I focus only on the next one.  What I have found is that I know I can run one more mile and the finish line starts to feel like it is getting closer faster.

When I ran the New York City Marathon, I had mentally prepared for the race.  I studied the course map.  I knew where all the bridges were along the route which are basically man made hills. I knew that when we came off the 59th Street bridge at mile 16 that the next 4 miles up 1st Avenue would be a gradual uphill climb.  I was both physically and mentally prepared for these hills.  In fact they seemed easy.  Where I made a mental error was that I had in my mind that when I reached 5th Avenue at mile 22, I would have 4 miles downhill or flat the rest of the way.  I admit that as 5th Avenue started to climb up hill, I definitely started to give into those pangs of self-doubt and discomfort.

When I reached the first water stop after mile 22, I grabbed some water and walked to allow me to get the water in.  I wanted to reset my mind and get over the mental mistake I had made in my preparation.  At that point, I told myself that I needed to remember all the training that I had done including the hill repeats.  It was time to just trust how hard I worked and how rewarding it would be to cross that finish line.  I found my mental toughness deep inside of me and started running.  I was prepared for the fact that my body would to be tested during these miles.  The advantage I had now was that my mind would take over and get me to the finish line.

It is at this point in the marathon (miles 21-26) that we marathoners start to lose our mental focus.  Knowing this, I try to do is step outside of my body. I let my mind totally take over and focus only on my surroundings.  In a major race like New York City this is easy.  There is so much going on around you.  As I was ticking off the miles, I began to really see the spectators cheering us on.  I heard them call my name urging me on.  I read as many of their signs as I could.  I started to encourage the other runners around me.  And I drank in the fall colors as I ran into and through Central Park.  When I did this, the pain and discomfort disappeared.  I just felt the true joy of running.

Every marathoner I have spoken to deals with this part of the race differently.  Some of the common things that they all spoke of was the need to dig down deep for that extra strength needed to finish the race. Most of them said that they tend to talk to themselves (I do too) and some said they chant running mantras to keep their mind off of the fatigue that is setting in.  For me, I remind myself that I have sacrificed a lot of time and effort to get to this point in the race.  And most importantly, I think back on how I had overcome fatigue during my training runs and know I can do it again.

Marathoning is not for everyone.  I do believe that anyone can complete a marathon if they are willing to put in the time to properly train.  The key is to not put a lot of pressure on yourself.  You need to ignore all of those helpful tips from other runners.  The only way you can fail in your quest is if you do not train and then create a reasonable race plan.  Or you simply can be derailed by a lack of belief in your ability and preparation.   Olympic marathoner Kara Goucher recommends that you try to see other runners as your friends. “The idea is to beat the distance, not the person next to you,” she writes. “So hang in there, stay positive, and take positive energy from everyone around you.”  If you can do that, you will cross the finish line with a smile on your face.

Nov. 14 – 5.20 miles (48:10, 9:16 pace)
Nov. 15 – 3.10 miles (24:28, 8:53 pace) - Speed Work
Nov. 17 – 4.20 miles (40:36, 9:40 pace)
Nov. 18 – 4.10 miles (42:00, 10:14 pace)
Nov. 19 – 7.20 miles (1:02:54, 8:44 pace)
Nov. 20 – 5.20 miles (28:28, 9:08 pace)
Nov. 21 – 4.50 miles (39:49, 8:51 pace)
Nov. 22 – 6.50 miles (59:16, 9:07 pace)
Nov. 24 – 7.20 miles (1:02:17, 8:39 pace)
Nov. 25 – 5.20 miles (46:35, 8:58 pace)
Nov. 26 – 9.20 miles (1:19:23, 8:38 pace)
Nov. 27 – 6.10 miles (51:18, 8:25 pace)

Total Miles:  67.8 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,938.5 miles

2016 New York City Marathon

After many years of wanting to run the New York City Marathon, I am finally able to cross it off my bucket list of running adventures.  On Friday, November 4th, I flew up to New York City to participate in the 2016 running of the marathon.  While this would be the 46th running of the race having been founded by Fred Lebow and Vince Chiappetta in 1970.  This year would be the 40th running since "Lebow and 2,090 entrants took the New York City Marathon to the streets of the five boroughs in a moving celebration of sport and diversity."  Bill Rodgers won the race that year (1976) and the race has been run this way ever since and is one of the reasons I have always wanted to run it.

When I finally got to New York City and my hotel from the Newark, I got hold of my friend Jason who was also running the marathon.  We decided to go and grab dinner at John's Pizza in the theater district.  It was a nice way to ease into the weekend.  I was feeling really anxious about the race.  Jason kept telling me that it would be a great experience and I should just try to not think about it.  I knew he was right.  I knew I had trained hard and was ready.  I think I was just putting too much pressure on myself to run a great race.

After dinner, we agreed to meet up early the next morning to walk over to the Javits Center where the marathon expo was being held.  We met at 10:00 am and headed over to the Javits.  I have to say that it was one of the easiest check in processes I have experienced in the 9 marathons I have participated in.  I had my bib and shirt within 10 minutes.  This allowed us to walk around the expo and look at all of the running gear and various marathons trying to entice runners to come and run.  Before leaving, we had to check in with Fred's Team where we picked up our information packs and my wristband for the starting line village tent.

We decided to head back to our respective hotels and drop off the things we picked up at the expo.  We wanted to try and see a Broadway show matinee to allow us to stay off our feet.  As we walked back through the theater district, we ducked into a couple of the theaters to see what tickets we could get and stay under $100.  We finally picked up tickets to see "The Humans" which I knew had won the Tony Award for Best Play this year.  So I was pretty excited to have a chance to see it.  We then planned to meet at Juniors for lunch as it was right next door to the theater.

We had a great lunch at Juniors and then went to the theater.  The play was fantastic.  I would highly recommend it to anyone.  When the show ended, we headed back to our hotels to get as much rest as you can before a major race.  We were going to meet at the Fred's Team headquarters hotel at the Crown Plaza Times Square at 4:45 a.m.  The buses to the starting line area would be leaving at 6:00 a.m. after our team picture.  We figured we could grab a bagel and banana before we had to get on the buses.

If you are a runner, you know that you or your friends have all had trouble falling asleep before an important race.   Why does is seem that just when you most need a full night’s rest, you spend the night, tossing and turning.  That is exactly what happened to me.  I was worried that my alarm would not go off and that my wake-up call wouldn't come on time.  It was daylight savings time and this was the night we had to "fall back".  I had a very restless night.  I know that a sleepless night before the marathon wouldn't have a serious negative effect on my performance.  But when the alarm did go off, I was not well rested.

I showered and got into my racing outfit.  I had bought a $10 set of sweatpants and sweatshirt to keep me warm while I waited for my start time.  I double checked everything and headed out the door to meet Jason.  It took me about 15 minutes to walk from my hotel to the Crown Plaza.  The city was very quiet.  It was a little chilly but it looked like we would have a perfect day for running.

I arrived at the hotel and went up to the ballroom where I would see the rest of my Fred's Teammates.  They had markers so we could decorate our team shirts.  I put my name on the front of my shirts and "2016".  Then I headed over to the food area to get a bagel and banana.  Then I headed in to the tables to sit and relax while waiting to be called for the team photo and Jason to arrive.  Jason showed up a few minutes after I sat down.  We chatted about how little sleep we had got the night before.  Finally they called us out to head over to Times Square to have the team photo.  There were about 900 people on the team so you can imagine how long it took to get the photos done.  Once we were finished, Jason and I headed over to the buses.  We pulled out of Times Square right at 6:00 a.m. as planned.

It took almost 2 hours to get over to the starting line village in Staten Island.  When we finally arrived, it took forever for the bus to make its way to where they could drop us off.  Jason was getting nervous because his start time was 9:40 a.m. and he was not going to be able to get in his normal pre-race routine.  We jumped off the bus and made our way into the starting area.  It was a literal sea of people.  It took me a little while to find the Fred's Team tent.  Once I did, I went in and found a place to lay down to get some rest as I waited for my call to head over to the corrals.

I was slotted in Wave 2, Green Corral E.  The Fred's Team people finally called us at around 10:15 to start walking over to the corrals to get ready for our 10:40 a.m. start time.  I walked over to the corrals and waited to get into my corral.  They let us in after checking our bibs.  We were pretty packed into the corral.  The nice thing was that they had portolets at the edge of the corrals so that the runners could make their last minute pit stops.  Finally at about 10:30 they let us walk up onto the ramp up to the Verrazano Bridge.  After the National Anthem, the cannon fired and we were finally off.

My corral had the lower level of the Verazzano Bridge.  The bridge is a little longer than a mile.  Despite being on the lower level, I had a beautiful clear view of the skyline of Lower Manhattan.  The wind was pretty strong even below.  It was really hard to get up to speed as the crowd was really large.  I just did my best to run in a straight line and avoided zig zagging through my fellow runners.  When I reached the end of the first mile it had taken me 14 minutes.  There was still a chance to reach my stretch goal of a sub-4 hour marathon.  But it was going to be hard with the number of runners around me.

I did my best to try and stay at a steady 9:30 pace.  I couldn't get going faster as so many of the other runners were weaving in and out.  I even saw one guy face plant next to me because he was accidentally tripped by another runner.  I decided then and there to not worry about pace.  Instead I wanted to focus on not falling and hope that it would ease up as the race progressed.  When I reached the 5K mark in Bay Ridge (Brooklyn), I was at 29:29 (9:31 pace).  Not bad.  I felt like I could hold this pace the rest of the race.  I decided to just enjoy the race and see where I was at the 20K mark and then I would know whether or not a sub-4 was in the cards.

The next 5K was absolutely wonderful.  The Brooklyn crowds were out and lining both sides of 4th Ave. 3 and 4 deep.  They really made you feel like a rock star.  It was a fairly flat road and the runners were finally starting to spread out.  But it was still hard for me to drop my pace closer to 9:00.  So I just soaked in the atmosphere and enjoyed the cool air and sunshine as I ran.  I reached the 10K mark in 1:00:16 (9:43 pace).  I was feeling really good.

The next 2 miles were still on 4th Ave.  But at Flatbush Ave. near the Barclay Center, we turned to the left so we could turn onto Lafayette Ave. in the Clinton Hill portion of Brooklyn.  The crowds along the route were even bigger here.  Soon I started to see Hasidic Jews along the route paying us runners no attention.  I was running through Bedford/Stuvesant on the way to Williamsburg.  The 15K mark was right as we turned into Bedford/Stuvesant.  I had made it in 1:29:31 (9:38 pace).

On we ran.  Up through South Williamsburg and into Williamsburg.  The 20K mark was in Greenpoint.  The crowds were still loud and raucous as we pushed on.  I was not paying attention to my watch at all.  I was really enjoying the energy that the crowds were providing.  I was enjoying the sites along the route.  Most of my visits to the Boroughs were to look at real estate for Staples at the time.  So it was really nice to see the neighborhoods from a pedestrian level.  I reached the 20K marker in 2:00:02 (9:41 pace).  At this point, I pretty well knew my sub-4 goal was not achievable.  I wasn't upset or even disappointed.  I was running well and feeling great.  I reset my mind to beating my second best marathon (4:25:03) and pushed on.

The half way point (13.1 miles) came just as we crossed out of Brooklyn and into Queens.  It is in Long Island City.  As I crossed the timing mat, I looked down at my watch.  I was at 2:06:47 (9:40 pace).  I was actually feeling really good.  I am sure this is because my tempo runs during training were typically at an 8:40 per mile pace.  I kept running knowing that if I could stay at this pace, I would have one of my best marathons ever.  A feeling of strength and joy washed over me.

As a side note.  Whenever I tell friends about my marathons, they invariably ask me what the time was for the winner of the race.  My stock answer to ground them in my "speed" and time is that when I am at the half way mark, the winner is usually finishing.  If you look up this year's winner (Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, Eritrea), you will see that he crossed the finish line in 2:07:51 (4:53 pace).  Yep, he was breaking the tape as I passed the half way point. I never thought about who was winning for even a second during the race.  I was focused on running my best race.

I was really looking forward to running across the 59th Street bridge and into Manhattan.  The 59th St. Bridge is also known as the Queensboro Bridge.  We came up onto it and ran on the lower level of the bridge.  We were approaching the 25K mark and I was feeling groovy.  If you  don't know, Simon and Garfunkel wrote a song called "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)".  I actually sang a little of it to myself as I was crossing over the bridge.

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.

As we came off the bridge and into Manhattan, I thought my IPod's battery had died.  I couldn't hear it any longer.  All I could hear was the wall of sound as we came down and turned onto 1st Ave.  It wasn't until I was about a tenth of a mile up 1st Ave. that I started to hear my music again.  Wow!  Talk about some crowd support.  I had reached the 25K mark at 2:30:54 (9:44 pace).

The next 4 miles were straight up 1st Ave.  The avenue is very wide allowing us to really spread out.  I was trying to lock into a 9:30 per mile pace.  1st Avenue is uphill although at a very slight incline.  But it is relentlessly uphill.  I was able to stay on track logging miles 16-19 in 9:23; 9:30; 9:22 and 9:16.  I hit the 30K mark at 3:00:04 (9:41 pace). I was mentally preparing for the last two bridges into and out of The Bronx and looking forward to the downhill run to Central Park.

I crossed over the Willis Ave. bridge into The Bronx.  The crowds were still out but not as big as the rest of the race.  Miles 20 and 21 run through The Bronx.  Then we headed into Harlem by crossing over the Madison Ave. Bridge onto 138th before turning onto 5th Ave.  I was excited as I realized that even if I ran a 10 minute pace the rest of the way, I would have my second best marathon performance.  I crossed the 35K mark at 3:30:02 (9:41 pace).  I had 4.5 miles to go and I was still feeling strong.

Unfortunately, I was dead wrong about 5th Ave.  When I reached 116th St., 5th Ave. started uphill.  I was mentally unprepared for this hill.  Plus I couldn't remember where we turned into Central Park.  It started to get to me.  Mile 23 and 24 were in 10:08 and 10:40.  I was letting this mental mistake affect my performance.  I looked at my watch and knew that if I could just pull it together, I would still reach my goal.  I grabbed at Gatorade at the next station and pulled myself together.  I was physically feeling good.  Now I just had to get my head back in the race.

I pushed myself along trying to pick up the pace.  Mile 24 is at 86th St. and where I finally turned into the park.  I drank in the noise and encouragement from the crowd.  I made it to the 40K mark at 4:02:22 (9:46 pace).  I started to pick up my pace despite starting to feel the effects of the wind and the cold.  My legs were responding but not as well as I wanted.  I clocked mile 25 in 9:53.  I dug even deeper and clocked mile 26 in 9:48.  I could see the finish line and pushed myself across the finish line at a final pace over those 2/10 of a mile of 9:24.

I looked at the clock and it read 4 hours 19 minutes. I was ecstatic.  I had run my second best marathon time ever.  I started to tear up a bit as I walked through the finish line area and collected my medal.  I had such a great race.  I crossed the finish line in 4:15:57 a 9:46 per mile pace.  I had bested my second best time by 9 minutes.  I was so happy and proud to have been a part of Fred's Team.  I had carried the memory of all of my friends and family who lost their battle with cancer the entire way and know that they were there with me urging me on.  I know they were smiling with me as I received my medal and headed over to the Fred's Team recovery tent.

51,388 runners finished the race which I believe is the record for most marathon finishers in history.  To understand how big this is the Boston Marathon had 26,606 finishers in April. I finished in 19,171st place in the top 40% of all runners.  Not bad for a 55 year old guy.  

As I sat there in the Fred's Team tent my thoughts turned to how grateful I am to have such a large network of generous family and friends who freely gave donations to support my fundraising efforts on behalf of Fred's Team.  The money the team raised goes directly to Memorial Sloan Kettering, which not only improves cancer research and care at MSK, but also helps spark progress at centers worldwide that look to MSK to set the standard of achievement and pace of innovation.  It is also the primary source of support for the Aubrey Fund, which funds ongoing research on childhood cancers, including leukemia, neuroblastoma, brain tumors and certain forms of sarcoma.  Because of the generosity of so many people, this year we have raised $5,017,217 and I personally raised $50,027 which was the 5th highest amount out of over 900 Fred's Team members.

The first question some of my friends asked was when would I run my next marathon.  This experience was so great that I am a little reluctant to run another one.  I always felt that it was better for an athlete to go out on a high note.  If I never run another marathon, I can truly say that I ended my marathon career at a high water mark.  Who knows what the future holds.  No matter what, I know that I will keep running.  It is a huge part of who I am.  For now, I am just going to run some easy miles with no particular goal race in mind.  I am going to run in a way that makes me the happiest.  I won't be thinking of my time or pace.  Instead I will be out there running for nothing but the sheer joy of it.

Oct. 31 – 6.20 miles (57:02, 9:12 pace)
Nov. 1 – 5.20 miles (46:17, 8:54 pace)
Nov. 3 – 6.20 miles (55:06, 8:53 pace) - Tempo Run
Nov. 4 – 6.20 miles (53:09, 8:34 pace)
Nov. 6 – 26.20 miles (4:15:57, 9:46 pace) - 2016 New York City Marathon
Nov. 9 – 3.10 miles (29:56, 9:39 pace)
Nov. 10 – 3.20 miles (30:26, 9:29 pace)
Nov. 11 – 5.10 miles (47:15, 9:16 pace)
Nov. 12 – 6.20 miles (53:58, 8:42 pace)
Nov. 13 – 6.20 miles (57:14, 9:14 pace)

Total Miles:  62.4 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,870.8 miles

Running in Bluff

Last Saturday my wife and I headed out of town for a vacation to Bluff, UT (population 320).  We were planning to use this little town as the jumping off point to allow us to visit several National Parks in the Southern Utah area and just get in a week of relaxation.  I was excited about the trip because it would allow me to still keep training for the marathon but also recharge my batteries.  What I didn't expect was how much running in this little town would allow me to reset my mind.  As I logged my miles I found that I was emptying my brain of all negativity.  I was truly thinking of nothing and simply focusing on just one thing - the run.  It was a truly Zen like experience.  

On Sunday I got up early to get in my last 10 mile run.  I had mapped out a simple loop through the town and surrounding farm land.  Bluff sits at 4,324′ elevation.  This made the first couple of miles seem a little more difficult despite the fact that I was taking it slow and easy.  However, when my mind suddenly emptied and I was just running in the moment the difficulty disappeared.  I stopped looking at my watch and just drank in the surroundings.  On one side of me was sandstone formations and the other farms with cottonwood trees in the peak of their fall colors.  It was truly serene.  All I could hear was my footsteps and breathing.  Before I knew it, I was nearing the turn back to the house we had rented.  I stopped running and finally looked at my watch to find that I had just run 10 miles at an 8:30 per mile pace and didn't feel fatigued at all.

Over the next 4 training runs I experienced the same sensations.  I was running harder than I had at anytime during the last 16 weeks of training.  But for some reason it seemed easy.  All I could think about as I logged my miles was the beauty of the surrounding area.  Twice I saw a small herd of deer cross the road in front of me.  They didn't startle when they saw me.  The just continued on their way.  As I reflect back on those early morning runs and seeing nature's beauty along the way, I realized that I felt truly alive.  I know that I can't live without the ability to run.  I could exist in the world.  But I couldn't truly live.

My last in run Bluff was on Saturday October 29.  I had come to really love this little town as a place to run.  It is so peaceful and the scenery is so different from Scottsdale.  The yellow of the cottonwoods and the buff colored cliffs and mesas made each run so relaxing.  I ran some of my fastest miles there which I know is partly because of the cooler temperatures.  But it was more about the serenity the surroundings provided me.  I will miss Bluff.  Maybe I will get a chance to come back again in the future.  If that is not in the cards, I will have the wonderful memories of the miles I logged there and how powerful they made me feel.  Next stop is the New York City marathon and the polar opposite of this hidden little gem of a town

Oct. 23 – 10.10 miles (1:25:34, 8:28 pace)
Oct. 24– 8.10 miles (1:10:36, 8:43 pace)
Oct. 25 – 9.50 miles (1:22:00, 8:38 pace) - Mile Repeats
Oct. 27 – 10.20 miles (1:25:18, 8:28 pace) - Tempo Run
Oct. 28 – 7.20 miles (1:01:23, 8:38 pace)
Oct. 29 – 8.20 miles (1:10:48, 8:38 pace)
Oct. 30 – 8.20 miles (1:11:59, 8:47 pace)

Total Miles:  61.5 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,808.4 miles

The Bourbon Chase Report - We Run for the Hill of It

On Thursday October 14th, I  got on a plane and headed off to Lousiville, KY to meet the rest of the We Run for the Hill of It relay team.  We were headed to Kentucky to participate in the 2016 Bourbon Chase.  This was an adventure relay my team had wanted to run for some time and got in this year.  Since I had already signed up for the New York City marathon, I was planning to use this relay as a race simulation and training run.  I was hoping it would let me know where I am in my training and potentially what pace I could shoot for in the marathon.

The day prior to leaving was Yom Kippur.  So I had been fasting all day.  I was not certain how that might affect my race.  Regardless, I was going to stay with my plan.  When I had returned home from Temple, I noticed that I had numerous texts from my teammates.  I figured it was just typical banter.  But as read through them, I was shocked to see that one of our best female runners had broken her foot during a trail run that day.  It was too late to get a substitute.  This would mean we would have to shuffle the runners and 3 of us would have to pick up an extra leg.  My co-captain said she would figure it out and let us know when we all met for dinner.

I met  Vanessa, Tammy and Mario at the rental counter so we could pick up the van and head over to Doc Crow's for dinner. When we arrived and met the rest of the team, I immediately ordered a shot of bourbon.  I figured I should get in the mood of the race theme and maybe it would help dull the pain of what I knew was coming.  I was going to have to pick up an extra leg since I was one of 2 runners who were training for the New York City marathon.  I was right.  I was going to run both Leg 2 and 3 to start my race.  11 miles!  The sad thing is that I was a little excited about the challenge.

After dinner, we headed down to  Shepherdsville, KY to our hotel.  When we arrived, we gathered in the  lobby to make last minute plans and reorganize the vans.  Brian had a surprise for us.  The race was planning to have a toga party theme at the finish line.  Brian had taken all of our team's photos and had them photo shopped onto Greek/Toga bodies.  We were dying as he slowly revealed each runner's new portrait.  They were magnets so we could put them on the side of the vans.  After some last minute announcements, we headed to bed.

At 8:30 a.m., we all met in the lobby and loaded up the vans for the ride over to the starting line at the Jim Beam Distillery Visitor center.  Since I was part of Van 1, we headed up to the safety training while the rest of the team went to check out the scene and sample some Jim Beam samples.  Once we went through the training, we gathered for a team photo.  Then we helped Leslie get ready to start the race.  She started right at 10:30 a.m.  The rest of our van said goodbye to Van 2 and headed to the exchange at C & S Woodworking.  Leslie had estimated that she would finish in about 70 minutes.

I got out of the van and warmed up a bit.  Since I now had to cover 11 miles, I wanted to be ready.  I had a goal to run a sub-9 minute pace.  But I was going to run by feel rather than my watch.  Leslie came in right on pace at 11:40 a.m.  I took the handoff and headed out.  Leg 2  started off on country roads, then I turned off and had to run 4 miles on the shoulder of SH 245.  The weather was perfect.  It was overcast and 57 degrees.  I was feeling really good.  I checked out my pace at about the halfway point and I was running a comfortable sub-9 pace.  I finally reached the turn off to the exchange.

When I reached the exchange, I went through it.  I started to walk so that I could take some water that my teammate Jason had for me.  I had run 7.4 miles in 1:04:01 which was an 8:39 per mile pace.  I didn't know that at the time.  After taking on the water, I headed out for the 3.6 mile Leg 3.  I was feeling really good.  The Leg began on outskirts of town and then wound through the center of Bardstown, KY which is known as the Bourbon Capital of the World.  The Leg was almost flat and I was locked in.  I reached the exchange at 1:13 p.m. and handed off.  I looked down at my watch and found that I had run the 11 miles in 1:34:14 an 8:34 per mile pace.  I had finished the 3.6 miles at a blistering (for me) 8:03 per mile pace.

I have to say, I was very surprised at how fast I had covered the mileage.  Plus I felt great.  So I went into the Heaven Hill Distillery Visitor Center to grab  a sample.  They gave me 2 half-shots.  One was Evan Williams Kentucky Cider and the other was Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Bourbon Cream.  I toasted my run and I have to say both went down smooth.  After cooling down a bit, I got in the van and we headed off to meet our runner.

Our final runner finished up at 3:22 p.m.  Our van had covered 34.3 miles.  The big exchange was at Maker's Mark Distillery.  Once we had sent off Van 2, we toured the visitors center.  We of course sampled some of Maker's Mark's fall flavored bourbons.  After enjoying the exchange area, we wanted to head over to Danville, KY where we would be meeting Van 2 when they had finished their first 6 legs.  We grabbed dinner and then found a place to park and settled in for a short nap while we waited for the text that their last runner was on the road.

The text came in around 8:30 p.m.  Leslie got out of the van and we all started to get ready for our next legs.  This time Jason was going to have to run 2 legs.  His first would be Leg 15 (3.2 miles) and then he would run Leg 18 (6.2 miles).  My leg would cover 6.6 miles and finish in downtown Stanford.  We sent Leslie off at 8:56 p.m. and headed over to the Willow Grove Baptist Church parking lot where I would start my 2nd leg.

Leslie came in and handed off to me at 9:37 p.m.  It was 59 degrees and threatening to rain.  I headed out and locked into a comfortable pace.  The first mile felt really good.  So I stayed at that pace and just ran. The race had rated this leg as “Difficult,” but it didn't seem too bad.  We were running on the shoulder of US 150 which was a little uncomfortable in the dark.  I was really glad when I turned off the highway and started to run through Stanford’s neighborhoods.  I never felt taxed during the entire run.  I arrived at the exchange at 10:34 p.m. and handed off to Jason.  I had only run 6.5 miles.  But I had finished in 54:59 which was an 8:28 per mile pace.

My van covered the next 4 legs in quick succession and a total of 32.6 miles.  Jason came in to the Brightleaf Resort in Danville, KY and handed off to Van 2.  It was 1:35 a.m.  We got in the van and headed off to the exchange at the Wild Turkey Visitors Center in Lawrenceburg, KY.  It had really a nice parking area and very dark which allowed us to settle in and actually get some sleep.  We knew we only had about 5 hours before we would have to start our final legs.

The text came in at 6:00 a.m. that Van 2's last runner was on the road.  I had actually slept soundly for about 3 hours which was really nice.  We all got out and started prepping for our final leg.  Cynthia (who had recently run a 50 mile ultra race) was going to run Legs 28 and 29 back to back covering 11.4 miles.  My final leg was going to be 7.7 miles and right around sunrise.  I was actually looking forward to it.

Mario came into the exchange at 6:29 a.m. and handed off to Leslie.  She had a short 3.4 miles.  So we had to get going.  The exchange was on the side of a road with a small parking lot.  Leslie came in at 7:00 a.m. and handed off to me.  It was still dark.  I headed out to run this relatively long leg, but it was truly a peaceful gem.  There were very few runners and we were running along narrow 2 lane roads through farmland.  As the sun started to rise, I could finally see the beautiful scenery of Kentucky horse country.  It was so nice.  It was still overcast although the temperature had risen to 64 degrees.  I was still feeling good and made the turn for the last mile onto a bike path.  I handed off to our other Leslie and finally looked at my watch.  I had run the 7.7 miles in 1:07:34 which was an 8:46 pace.

My part of The Bourbon Chase was over.  Now all I had to do was support my teammates and get to the finish line to celebrate with my team.  I had run 25.2 miles in 3:35:35 which was an 8:34 per mile overall pace.  This was my final test for the NYC Marathon.  It went much better than I could have imagined. I know I am ready.  Now I just need to finish my last training runs and head to New York.  I think I have a good chance of breaking 4 hours again.  But you never know.  Regardless I am really excited about where I am and can't wait to see how it goes.

After Jason finished his last leg, we headed into Lexington to grab lunch before checking into our hotel.  Our van had covered another 33.1 miles bringing our total for 5 runners total to 100 miles of the 203.6 mile race.  We had a chance to shower and get ready for the finish line toga party.  Jason and I headed down to the celebration around 4:15 p.m. as we knew our team would be coming in around 5:00 p.m.  Sure enough, the rest of Van 2 arrived and Mario turned the corner to head to the finish line just before 5:00 p.m.  We joined him and ran across the finish line to the cheers of the other runners.

We Run for the Hill of It had run 203.6 miles with only 11 runners.  We finished in 30:30:47 which was a 9 minute per mile pace.  We were 167th overall out of 432 teams who had finished the race. We were 84th out of 240 teams who ran in the Mixed Open division.  Pretty good result given that we were down a runner.  As we celebrated at the finish line, all we could talk about was what race we were going to sign up for next year.  And that is what I love about these races.  They challenge you physically but you get to do it with friends and share the suffering and joy along the way.  In the end, all you have are great memories.

I would highly recommend this race to anyone who likes these types of events.  It was one of the most organized and well run relays I have participated in over the years.  All the exchanges were well staffed.  The leg maps were accurate and the vendors at the major exchanges were great.  Best of all, the bourbon distilleries really rolled out the red carpet for the runners.  All I can say is this was an excellent overall experience and I had one of my best relay performances.  Next stop New York City!

Oct. 10 – 8.20 miles (1:26:21, 10:32 pace) - Hill Repeats
Oct. 11 – 11.50 miles (1:46:29, 9:15 pace) - Mile Repeats (8:27 pace)
Oct. 13 – 10.20 miles (1:29:38, 8:47 pace) - Tempo Run
Oct. 14 – 11.00 miles (1:34:14, 8:34 pace) - The Bourbon Chase - Legs 2 & 3
Oct. 14 – 6.50 miles (54:59, 8:28 pace) - The Bourbon Chase - Legs 14
Oct. 15 – 7.70 miles (1:07:34, 8:46 pace) - The Bourbon Chase - Legs 26
Oct. 17 – 6.20 miles (1:04:03, 10:20 pace) - Hill Repeats
Oct. 18 – 9.50 miles (1:25:36, 9:01 pace) - Mile Repeats (8:27 pace)
Oct. 20 – 10.20 miles (1:30:10, 8:50 pace) - Tempo Run
Oct. 21 – 6.20 miles (54:29, 8:47 pace)
Oct. 22 – 10.20 miles (1:27:42, 8:36 pace)

Total Miles:  97.4 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,746.9 miles

Using The Bourbon Chase as a Race Day Simulation Run

This week I am heading off to Kentucky to participate in the 2016 Bourbon Chase relay.  I am using this race as my final long runs for my NYC Marathon Training.  I am using this race as a substitute for my weekend long runs.  In training terms, this race will be a simulation.  I believe that it will allow me to maximize my training while still having fun.  In essence this simulation will allow me to run in race conditions and mimic running the last few miles of the marathon on tired legs.  My goal is to run my 3 legs fast but relaxed without worrying about a particular finish time or pace.  I am simply hoping that this race will allow me to put the mental and physical pieces together to produce my best performance in New York.

What exactly is The Bourbon Chase?  It is a 200 mile relay race along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.  As the race's website says,

The Bourbon Chase celebrates the best of Kentucky. It is a 200-mile journey across the Bluegrass State – through our historic bourbon distilleries, across our majestic horse country, and into our enchanting small towns.

Begin your journey at Jim Beam and head east to Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the World. In the quaint city of Bardstown, you pass through Heaven Hill, the largest family-owned distillery in the world. Next, you trek toward the historic and beautiful Maker's Mark distillery. Exiting the distillery, you head into the heart of central Kentucky, passing some of the state's most historic areas. First, the course takes you near Perryville Battlefield, where a significant Civil War battle took place. Next, you will head south to Stanford, the second oldest city in Kentucky. Then, the course turns for the north as it passes through the middle of the enchanting community of Danville where the state's first constitution was written. Finally, before heading back into distillery country, you run through Harrodsburg. Founded as Fort Harrod in 1774, it was the first permanent settlement west of the Alleghenies.

The unique Spanish Mission-style architecture announces that you have reached Four Roses distillery. From here, you come into Lawrenceburg, home of Wild Turkey. Crossing over the Tyrone Bridge, several hundred feet above the Kentucky River, you enter the official gateway to Horse Country. This section of the course, heading toward Woodford Reserve, is undoubtedly the most stunning because of its rolling bluegrass countryside and picturesque horse farms.

From there you head toward the charming community of Midway, home of one of the nation's leading colleges focusing on equine professions. As you wind your way out of Midway and down the delightful scenic back roads of the Bluegrass Region, the course works its way into downtown Lexington. By now, you can smell and hear the finish line celebration that awaits you and your friends at Triangle Park, near the Alltech Brewery & Distillery.

I will be running the race with my relay friends again (see my posts on May 4, 2016 & May 25, 2015 to see my team in action).  This will be our 3rd relay together.  Not only do we have a lot of fun, we are actually a pretty good relay team too.  What we are most excited about is that we are going to be part of setting a Guinness Book World Record for the largest toga party on record.  Apparently the Guinness World Record for the largest toga party is 3,700 people. According to the race director, there will be around 5,000 runners crossing into the finish line on Saturday, October 15.  They have asked all teams to run across the finish line wearing their togas.  How could we not want to be a part of that nonsense.  So I am packing my toga and will be one of the 5,000 runners trying to break the record.

When I get home from Kentucky, I will begin my tapering.  I am feeling really good about where I am in my training.  I am having no pain in my hamstring.  I am able to get out there and cover any distance with relative ease.  You never know what will happen on race day.  But at this point, it looks like I will arrive in New York rested and ready to tackle the beast.

Oct. 3 – 6.20 miles (1:09:07, 11:09 pace) - Hill Repeats
Oct. 4 – 11.00 miles (1:41:35, 9:14 pace) - Mile Repeats (8:27 pace)
Oct. 6 – 10.70 miles (1:36:01, 8:58 pace) - Tempo Run
Oct. 7 – 6.20 miles (56:29, 9:07 pace)
Oct. 8 – 10.10 miles (1:31:06, 9:01 pace)
Oct. 9 – 10.10 miles (1:33:05, 9:13 pace)

Total Miles:  54.3 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,649.5 miles

I'm Born to Run

Today marks just 34 days until the start of the New York City Marathon.  It also was the end of my 13th week of training for the race.  The good news is that I am feeling pretty good overall.  I am experiencing the usual aches and pains from hard training.  But I am invigorated by the prospect of running in such a great city and being able to enjoy the race.  While I will certainly set a goal for myself, I am really just wanting to enjoy an injury free race and to drink in the sights and sounds of New York City as I run the race.  What I have come to realize is that finishing is what is most important.  Now I run races because I want to cross the finish line with stories to tell, a sense of accomplishment, and most importantly an experience of a life time.

As I was running this morning, one of my favorite songs came on my IPOD that perfectly describes how I feel about life and running.  It is by the American Authors and called "I'm Born to Run".  The chorus goes:

I'm gonna live my life like I'm gonna die young
Like it's never enough, like I'm born to run
I'm gonna spend my time like tomorrow won't come
Do whatever I want like I'm born to run
I wanna see Paris, I wanna see Tokyo
I wanna be careless even if I break my bones
I'm gonna live my life like I'm gonna die young
Like it's never enough, like I'm born to run

Whether you are a runner or not, I believe that we only get one life to live on this planet.  We should live our lives to the fullest.  Sure there will be bumps along the way.  Each of us can ultimately persevere.  Wounds always heal.  The scars they leave behind make us better and even provide us fodder for our life's stories.  So no matter what, I am gonna live my life like it's never enough!

Here is a link to the song...enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb901KsDtjo

Sept. 26 – 8.10 miles (1:27:33, 10:48 pace) - Hill Repeats
Sept. 20 – 10.50 miles (1:35:27, 10:00 pace) - Mile Repeats (8:27 pace)
Sept. 29 – 9.20 miles (1:20:36, 8:46 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept. 30– 7.20 miles (1:04:56, 9:01 pace)
Oct. 1 – 8.20 miles (1:18:58, 9:38 pace)
Oct. 2 – 17.20 miles (2:40:55, 9:21 pace)

Total Miles:  60.4 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,595.2 miles

Slight Setback

On Friday night, I had to head over to urgent care.  Surprisingly it had nothing to do with my running.  I hadn't fallen, broke anything or felt chest pains (not that I have ever had that problem).  Nope.  My left elbow had swelled up to the size of a golf ball.  I don't recall having ever whacked my elbow on anything in the past couple of weeks.  It was a puzzlement. The pain was acute enough to make me want to have someone look at it.

My wife (Beverly) took me to the closest urgent care facility.  I signed in and actually didn't have to wait more than 15 minutes before they called me back.  When the nurse practitioner looked at it, she said it was a hematoma which would have been caused by some trauma to the elbow.  A
hematoma is an abnormal collection of blood outside of a blood vessel.  It occurs because the wall of a blood vessel wall, artery, vein, or capillary, has been damaged and blood has leaked into surrounding tissues. The hematoma may be tiny, with just a dot of blood, or it can be large and cause significant swelling.  Mine had some significant swelling.

They decided to try and drain a little of the blood from the area to see if it would help.  I received some deadening medicine to help relieve any pain before they tried to drain it.  Once it was numb, the nurse practitioner took a pretty large needle and stuck it into my elbow.  Even thought it had been numbed, it was extremely painful.  She was able to get some of the blood out of the area and it did seem to relieve the pain.  But it was still pretty large.

She wanted to go into it one more time.  This time after she had drained some more of the fluids from the area, I started to feel sick to my stomach.  I have never been afraid of needles but this was too much.  Apparently I was pale and started to feel dizzy.  They made me lie down and put a cold compress on my neck.   I started to feel much better.  The good thing was that my elbow was significantly smaller and the pain was slightly less.  I had to stay there for about 1/2 an hour because I wasn't too steady on my feet.

They finally brought Bev back to sit with me.  I had initially turned down a pain reduction injection.  But Bev told me that I should do it so that I could sleep better.  As usual, she was right.  I told the nurse who was helping out that I wanted the injection.  He said he would do it for me.  I asked if he was going to do it in the same room I was in.  He laughed at the question.  I told Bev, I guess he didn't want me to drop my pants in the hallway or the waiting room to get my shot.

Once I had the injection, I was released to go home.  They told me to wait until the morning to decide whether or not a run was advised.  I was able to get a good night's rest.  When I woke up the next morning, I was feeling better.  Still some elbow pain but not too bad.  I decided that I wanted to get in my training run.  My goal was to go out slow and see how I felt.  If it was causing too much pain in my elbow, I would break off the run and simply walk home.  To my pleasant surprise there was limited pain and I was able to complete my 10 miler and at a much faster pace than expected.

Today I got up to run the second of my weekend long runs.  I was scheduled for another 10 miler.  I headed out with the same plan in mind.  I found a comfortable pace and was able to complete the run even faster that yesterday.  I did notice a little swelling around my forearm and elbow.  I got into the house and iced it down which reduced the swelling.

I am hopeful that it will heal quickly and I will be 100% soon.  My training has been going really well and I am feeling good about where I am as far as speed and endurance.  I would like to break 4 hours once more before I retire from marathoning.  The key is always getting to the starting line healthy and fully trained.  This little set back is upsetting and frustrating.  All I can do now is work hard at getting healed and not let it negatively affect me in any way.

"To keep from decaying, to be a winner, the athlete must accept pain--not only accept it, but look for it, live with it, learn not to fear it." - Dr. George Sheehan, running author

Sept. 19 – 10.50 miles (1:35:31, 9:06 pace) - Mile Repeats (8:27 pace)
Sept. 20 – 6.20 miles (58:45, 9:292 pace) - Atlanta, GA
Sept. 22 – 7.20 miles (1:10:35, 9:48 pace) - Greenville, SC
Sept. 23– 10.20 miles (1:27:32, 8:35 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept. 24 – 10.10 miles (1:31:41, 9:05 pace)
Sept. 25 – 10.20 miles (1:32:02, 9:01 pace)

Total Miles:  54.4 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,534.8 miles

Time for Mile Repeats

This week's training was the week where I would switch from speed work at my 5K pace to mile repeats.  This would mean my weekly mileage was going to increase significantly as the repeat workout ends up being the equivalent of a 9.5 mile run.  I can remember dreading these workouts when I used the Brooks Hanson Training program for the first time.  You can read about it in my post from June 21, 2009.  The strange thing is that I was actually looking forward to mile repeats this time because I knew that they would help make me stronger and faster.

This time around I am starting off with a 1/2 mile warm up (10:00 per mile pace).  Then I am doing 5-1 mile repeats at and 8:30 per mile pace.  Between each mile repeat, I do another 1/2 mile at a 10:00 per mile pace.  The 6th repeat I try to run at least an 8:15 per mile pace.  I decided to run the last repeat at a faster pace because I believe it will better simulate the end of the marathon when it is difficult to hold onto a steady pace.  I finish up the session with one final 1/2 mile at a 10:00 minute pace.  It is a tough but rewarding work out.

I have found over the years that I can always lock into a steady 8:45 to 9:00 minute per mile pace when I am out on the road in my neighborhood.  But when I have tried to do this work out in the past outdoors, I tend to run the first couple of repeats too fast.  Because of this tendency, I switched my mile repeats to the treadmill.  I find that I can set the pace and not worry if I am going too fast or too slow.  Plus I have an even harder time slowing down to a 10 minute pace.  The treadmill allows me to better regulate the pace and therefore gain the maximum benefit from my training session.

Being familiar with the treadmill also allows me to get this work out in even while I am travelling.  I am certain that I would not be able to hit the splits while running in unfamiliar areas.  I can get up early before I have to meet the rest of my work colleagues and get in my training with minimal hassle.  They all think I am crazy to do this while on the road.  While I agree, it actually helps me more than just building up my running, I sleep much better in strange hotels than I otherwise would.

What this runner has found after including mile repeats in my marathon training for the last 3 marathons is that they work because of how adaptable they are to my specific goal.  They have allowed me to teach my body what a slightly faster than race pace feels like.  It has helped me to develop mental toughness which I did not have when I first started running races.  Finally they have taught me how to remain focused and allow me to stay at my specific pace during the race.  I believe that with the tweak I discussed above I will be able to maintain pace during the miles of the New York Marathon. I am hopeful that it will make the race pace feel more comfortable and natural on race day.

I have 6 more mile repeat workouts before I start to taper for the race.  I am going to continue to train hard.  The weather is finally starting to be cool enough where I don't have to slow down on my long runs.  I just need to stay focused and injury free.  I am a running animal!

Sept. 12 – 8.20 miles (1:30:14, 11:00 pace) - Hill Repeats
Sept. 13– 9.50 miles (1:25:46, 9:02 pace) - Mile Repeats (8:27 pace)
Sept. 15 – 8.20 miles (1:10:28, 8:36 pace) - Lexington, KY Tempo Run
Sept. 16– 7.10 miles (1:07:08, 9:27 pace)
Sept. 17 – 11.20 miles (1:42:41, 9:10 pace)
Sept. 18 – 16.20 miles (2:28:14, 9:09 pace)

Total Miles:  60.4 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,480.4 miles

Travel and Training

 

Sorry I didn't post last week.  My family and I took a weekend trip up to Sedona for the Labor Day Weekend.  We decided to celebrate my 55th birthday all together.  We had rented a house in the southern portion of Sedona.  It was a really nice weekend and the weather was much cooler than we have been experiencing in Scottsdale the past several months.  This meant that my morning runs would be so much more pleasant.  Yes, I got in all of my training runs while on vacation.  It was never a question.  It just took a little more planning on my part so that they did not take away from our family time.

Since I am in the midst of prepping for the New York City Marathon, I knew that even though I would be on vacation I needed to get in my training runs.  I have to do the same when I am on the road for work which is frequent.  If I am going to successfully train for this marathon, I need to adhere to a specific training schedule and meet my required mileage even when I am on the road.  While my personal life and work requires some sacrifices to get in my runs, I need to always find balance when traveling especially when it is a family trip.

Thinking of my family time, my goal last weekend was to make sure that I could get in my training runs without sacrificing any family fun.  Before heading up to Sedona, I took the time to research where we were staying and looked at potential running routes near where we were staying that would not interfere with any plans we had as a family.  I decided to get my runs in very early in the morning so that I would not stress out about them.  My intention was to return from each run with a smile on my face, fully stress free and ready to take on the rest of our plans.

As I alluded to above, to get in my training runs I had to do some research and planning.  The good news is that we now live in an era where there are any number of apps that help runners find routes and enable us to plan our runs even before we leave on our trip.  The application I use the most  is MapMyFitness. It is so easy to plug in the address of where I am staying and see potential routes.  I then map out a couple of different routes nearby where I am staying.  If I am traveling for work and I don't have to get in more than 4-6 miles, I sometimes just head out from the hotel and see what happens.  I have found that getting lost can add to the fun and allow me to discover more about the area.

There was a really great out and back route I found in Sedona.  I could leave the house we were renting and get in as little as 5 miles and as much as 16 miles.  The views from the route were spectacular.  The route was somewhat hilly but nothing I couldn't handle.  Plus the 60 degree weather felt like heaven.  There is really nothing better than running in a place where the vistas are so beautiful that you forget about the effort and just run.  It is pure joy.

I will be traveling the next two weeks for work and will have to get in my training runs.  Training is my way to recharge and reduce stress while traveling for work.  When I head out, I try to concentrate on my breathing and empty my mind.  The goal is to remove all nagging thoughts of deadlines at work.  I try not to let my mind wander too much.  I want to be gentle with my body and to simply improve my health and wellbeing.  I have found that no matter how far or long I run, the longer I can stay in a meditative space the more ready I am to take on the day.

As you can imagine, travelling can be an easy excuse to skip your run.  You tell yourself, "I don’t have the right gear"; "it’s too hot or too cold"; or simply "I don’t have time".  The truth is that with just a little forethought you can overcome all of these excuses.  It is as easy as just getting up, lacing up your shoes and heading out the door.   That's what I do and you can too.

Aug. 29 – 8.20 miles (1:28:24, 10:47 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug. 30 – 6.20 miles (57:34, 9:17 pace) - Speed Work
Sept. 1 – 10.20 miles (1:30:05, 9:01 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept. 2– 7.10 miles (1:05:49, 9:16 pace)
Sept. 3 – 8.20 miles (1:16:15, 9:18 pace)
Sept. 4 – 15.20 miles (2:20:37, 9:15 pace)
Sept. 5 – 6.20 miles (59:49, 9:39 pace)
Sept. 6 – 6.20 miles (57:34, 9:17 pace)
Sept. 8 – 9.70 miles (1:25:22, 8:48 pace)
Sept. 9 – 6.20 miles (55:51, 9:01 pace)
Sept. 10 – 12.20 miles (2:02:02, 9:59 pace)
Sept. 11 – 10.20 miles (1:34:39, 9:17 pace)

Total Miles:  105.8 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,420.0 miles

Double Weekend Long Runs

2 months of training are now complete.  I am at the halfway point and feeling pretty good about where I am in my training.  The temperatures are getting a little cooler in the mornings.  I know it is still in the low 80's but that is an improvement.  Cooler temperatures will be nice as my mileage is going to steadily increase over the next 9 weeks.  I am using the Brooks Hanson training program to prepare for New York.  It has served me well in the past.  I am convinced I would have run well in Boston in 2012 if not for the heat using this program.  Boston 2014 I am not sure about because I had an injury during the race.  Regardless, I trust this program to get me ready to race.

Most marathon training programs will have at least one 20 mile run.  My program doesn't have any run longer than 16 miles.  But it requires you to run two long runs back to back on Saturday and Sunday.  It starts off easy with a 6 on Saturday and an 8 on Sunday.  Eventually it builds up to where you run 8 on Saturday and 16 on Sunday.  The benefit of this training according to the Hanson's is that you are running on tired legs.  It prepares you for the marathon by building cumulative fatigue.  For me this prepares me both physically and mentally for the fatigue I will feel as the miles pile up during the race.

But more importantly, running two "shorter" long runs back to back actually has allowed me to be much more consistent in my training.  In the past, it would take me several days to recover from a 20+ mile run on Sunday.  I couldn't handle hard training runs during the week following one of those mega-long runs.  Surprisingly,  I actually feel really fresh on Saturday morning when I head out for my first weekend long run.  I will not say that it is easy.  Instead I will say that it gives me a lot of confidence in my ability to dig deep during the race and know I can keep going.

On Saturday, I typically go out for this run with a goal to run as relaxed as I can.  I want to lock into a comfortable pace.  While I do look at my watch periodically, I try to focus more on how I feel than how fast or slow I am going.  When I get to the end of the run, my goal is to feel strong and that I could go another mile or two without a problem.  After my run, I try to spend the rest of the day off of my feet to allow my legs to recover as much as possible.  I want to feel fresh for my second long run on Sunday.

My Sunday run is where I try and see how comfortable I feel at 10-20 seconds over my target marathon pace.  I want the intensity to be higher but not a race pace.   I make sure that I stay at that pace for the first half of the run.  After that, I will pick up the pace slightly to one that is comfortable but challenging.
This means that the second half my Sunday run is very close in intensity to my Thursday tempo runs. What I find strange is that despite the fact that my legs feel fatigued, I can keep going.  It allows me to push myself in such a way as to simulate the last few miles of the marathon.

I still have friends who insist that it is dangerous to show up at a marathon having never run at least 20 miles.  I think that using double long runs is the better way to go.  As I said above, it allows recovery time and reduces the chance of injury.  Having run 8 previous marathons, I know that I can complete the distance.  Perhaps if this were my first time, I could see where a 20 miler would give me more confidence in my ability to run the 26.2 mile distance.  The double long run gives me the chance to feel what it is like to run on achy legs and still being able to complete my workout.

When I set my P.R. in the 2009 Boston Marathon, I can remember passing the 5, 10, and 15 mile signs and feeling great.  In fact, when I got to the top of Heartbreak Hill, I was a little startled at how easy the hills had seemed to me.  The pain I felt in my previous marathons was almost non-existent.  I found myself passing people during the last 5 miles with relative ease.  The only time I stopped to walk as at a water stop or to take pictures.  As I turned on to Boylston and saw the cumulative time still started with a 3, I picked up the pace even more and crossed the finish line with a huge smile on my face.

If you are a distance runner, you know that the long run is a critical piece of any marathon training program.  I believe in the double long run and the benefits it provides.  It allows me to focus on cumulative fatigue thus preparing me for the latter miles of the race.  So when I am out there on Sunday, the program I am following is simply simulating the last 16 miles of the marathon. This means that my long runs are actually harder than the traditional plans that require at least one 20 miler.  I am hopeful that if I can stick to this plan and arrive at the starting line in Staten Island injury free that I can set a new marathon P.R.

Aug. 22 – 6.20 miles (1:07:57, 10:58 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug. 23 – 6.20 miles (57:36, 9:17 pace) - Speed Work
Aug. 25 – 7.20 miles (59:58, 8:20 pace) - Tempo Run
Aug. 26 – 6.20 miles (56:00, 9:02 pace)
Aug. 27 – 13.50 miles (2:08:31, 9:31 pace)
Aug. 28 – 10.20 miles (1:31:10, 8:56 pace)

Total Miles:  49.5 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,314.2 miles

Time Flies...

Well week 7 is in the books.  As Jack Fultz (winner of the 1976 Boston Marathon and training consultant to the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team) would tell us when we were waiting for the Boston Marathon to start, "the hay is in the barn".   “The hay is in the barn” meant that we were ready for the race; practice runs and our taper were complete and it was time to run our best.  My barn is not quite full yet.  But I am definitely shoveling the hay into it each week.  The time seems to be moving faster as the marathon race date approaches.

It is hard to believe that 7 weeks have already passed since I started training for the NYC Marathon.
It is amazing to me as I get older how time seems to pass so much faster than when I was a kid.  I am not sure that I can explain why this seems to be the case.  When I was a kid I couldn't wait to grow up and be an adult.  I figured that once I could make my own rules, eat what I want, stay up late etc. that life would be grand.  Now I am sure you know that that was just a child's fantasy.  But it made me realize that time seemed to be going slowly then because of my anticipation of the future.  For example, waiting to be old enough to drive seemed excruciatingly far into the future when I was 10.  Now  I look back on that event and can't believe it was actually 40 years ago.

I guess the reason that time seems to be passing so much faster today than in my childhood is because of the reflection backwards in time.  I feel so blessed to have so many happy events to look back on. They  feel like they happened yesterday because the memories I have are still so vivid.  It isn't until I think about when they happened that I start to see how fast  the calendar continues to rapidly proceed ahead.  I will be turning 55 in 12 days.  Despite knowing my chronological age, I don't feel old.  In my mind, I still am in my 20s.   It's only when I look in the mirror that I see that I am not the young buck I once was.

In my running life I always have something on the horizon that I am training for whether it is a 5K, 10K, Half or Full Marathon or even an Adventure Relay.  As you can imagine, these are important to me and I await their arrival with much anticipation.  They seem to come sooner than I feel I am ready for them.  But more importantly when they are over, it seems like they happened in a blink of an eye.  I believe that this is due to the fact that I am so focused daily on each training run that I don't notice the passage of time.  It isn't until I look back at the schedule that I realize how far time has moved forward.

I am a firm believer that time flies when you are having fun.  I am always having fun when I am running.  It is because I am happily engaged in the activity I love that I am focused only on the fun I am experiencing out there on the road.  Therefore, I really don’t have time to think about the passage of time.  Instead, I am focused more on just enjoying the moment while it lasts.  Then I as I reflect back on races and many other life experiences, I smile at having had the experience no matter whether it was good or bad.

As Haruki Murakami (author of What I Talk About When I Talk About Running) wrote in Kafka on the Stone, “No matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away.”  I love that my memories can never be rubbed away.

Aug. 15 – 6.20 miles (1:07:08, 10:50 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug. 16 – 6.20 miles (57:43, 9:19 pace) - Speed Work
Aug. 18 – 7.20 miles (1:01:07, 8:29 pace) - Tempo Run
Aug. 19 – 6.20 miles (55:56, 9:01 pace)
Aug. 20 – 12.20 miles (1:57:31, 9:38 pace)
Aug. 21 – 14.20 miles (2:22:22, 10:01 pace)

Total Miles:  52.2 miles
2016 Total Miles:  1,264.7 miles