Big Group

OBJECTIVE
8 mi.@ 7:47- 8:36

ACHIEVED
11.40 mi.@ 8:30

6:11 AM 53F 90% 4 mph light rain

Enjoyed the company of a big group today: Steph, Augie, Laurie, Jill, Michelle, Stuart, Josh, Randy, John, and me. It was fun to slog around in the company of friends. It had rained quite a bit during the night and rained lightly off and on throughout our run. I felt good today. I was only scheduled for 8 miles but ended up getting some "extra credit". It's hardly worth the drive downtown to run less than 10.

PRE RUN
Wheaties w/1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, Clif bar

OBJECTIVE
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
5.17 mi.@ 8:12

5:30 AM 62° 96% 5 mph light rain

Legs felt a bit beat up today. I'm not sure if it was yesterday's stretching or the fartlek.

Mentally working through next week's schedule and race goals since I'll go traveling and feasting on turkey.

PRE RUN
nothing

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & low-fat granola w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
Dynamics stretching warm-up
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36 w/6x45 sec. intervals @ 5:50 "sprinkled in"

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
5.01 mi.@ 7:51
(5:56 5:42 5:34 5:36 5:49 5:54)

6:27 AM 51° 81% 0 mph

Got a late start so I had to modify the route in an attempt to minimize incursions with traffic. Mixed in 6x~45 second blasters at ~5:45 pace. After having an oddly difficult time getting out of the house this morning, this run went surprisingly well. Gotta love it when that happens.

PRE RUN
weight=164.5

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/flax, almonds, brown sugar & 1% milk

At Least My Run Went Okay ...

OBJECTIVE
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
5.14 mi.@ 8:16

5:25 AM 46° 75% 1 mph

I'm supposed to be in Chicago today but fate didn't smile kindly upon me. After this morning's cool run on slightly-heavy legs. I left the house for the airport. I gave myself plenty of time and had been monitoring traffic before leaving. After driving 2 miles from the house, I got on the freeway and immediately came to a dead standstill in a place that has never been slow in the +10 years I've been driving. Realizing this wasn't normal, I took evasive action - exiting the freeway and working my way along side streets. It seems everyone else in Houston employed the same tactic! It took me 45 minutes to go 5 miles. Later I learned there was a car fire on the freeway. Long story short, I hustled to the airport, through security, to the gate and barely missed the flight. In fact the plane was still sitting there at the gate. It's the first flight I've missed in my life. Very frustrating!

I hung around the airport waiting to go standby on another flight but that didn't work out either.

This is all very disappointing and embarrassing.


PRE RUN

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

Back in the Garage

OBJECTIVE
Dynamic Stretching
2 mi. warm-up @ 8:37-9:47
6x45 sec. hill repetitions @ 5:50 w/2 min. active recoveries
2 mi. cool-down @ 8:37-9:47

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
2.12 mi. WU
7x45 sec. hill repetitions @ ~5:50 w/~2 min. active recoveries
2.07 mi. CD

total time = 59:42
total distance = ~6.02 (???) (not sure the GPS registered correctly while in parking garage)

5:27 AM 43° 85% 0 mph

For today's hill repeats, I drove to the Y. It was a cool morning so I broke out the beanie and gloves for the first time this season. I did two loops of the soccer fields to warm up. This was a little eerie given how dark it was running along the treeline. From there, I made my way over to the Chasewood parking garage. We don't have many options for hill running here so this is one of the alternatives I've conjured for myself. It's not perfect but it's better than nothing. The Chasewood garage is six stories high and if I get there early enough there's no traffic in the garage.

I hammered out my 45 second blasters. They actually felt surprisingly easy today. I lost track of how many I had done and ended up doing 7 instead of the scheduled 6. I would go up hard for 45 seconds then come down real easy for 120 seconds. Midway through I was surprised to see a couple other runners coming up while I was going down. It was Susan Cline and a friend. She was the one who told me about the Chasewood garage about a year ago.

I cooled down back to the Y and unwound with two more laps of the soccer fields. Overall, I felt pretty good today.

Once I uploaded my Garmin back at the house, I was disappointed, but not surprised, to see that there apparently wasn't good reception while I was in the garage. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. After all, I was inside I concrete building .... The result being I'm not too certain of my splits. However, it seems the closer I got to the top of the garage the better the reception was. If those splits were accurate (questionable), I easily hit all of my repeats at the prescribed 5:50 pace.

PRE RUN
apple juice

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/almonds, flax, brown sugar & 1% milk

OBJECTIVE
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36
2x20 sec. stiff-legged run
2x20 sec. running no arms

ACHIEVED
5.12 mi.@ 8:12

5:00 AM 70° 92% 2 mph

Felt a bit sluggish today. About 3 minutes after I finished, it started raining. For some reason I forgot (???!!?!) to do my post run drills.

PRE RUN
weigth=163
apple juice

POST RUN
apple juice, multivitamin & GrapeNuts w/1% milk

November 15-21 Training Schedule

SUNDAY
Rest

MONDAY
Base Run + Drills
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36
2x20 sec. stiff-legged run
2x20 sec. running no arms

TUESDAY
Hill Repetitions
Dynamic Stretching
2 mi. warm-up @ 8:37-9:47
6x45 sec. hill repetitions @ 5:50 w/2 min. active recoveries
2 mi. cool-down @ 8:37-9:47

WEDNESDAY
Base Run
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

THURSDAY
Fartlek Run
Dynamics stretching warm-up
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36 w/6x45 sec. intervals @ 5:50 "sprinkled in"

FRIDAY
Base Run
5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

SATURDAY
Base Run
8 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
9.98 mi.@ 8:49

6:04 AM 66° 81% 2 mph

Got back with the group today. They were running 15 miles and my schedule only called for 6. The easiest break off point for me was 10 miles so that's what I was in for. The pace was easy and the weather was very comfortable. Along for the ride today was Augie, Michelle, Josh, William, Randy and me.

PRE RUN
frosted mini wheats w/1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, water, multivitamin, & frosted mini wheats w/1% milk

Anyone Know a Good Place to Stay in Boston?

OBJECTIVE
4.5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
4.51 mi.@ 8:06

4:27 AM 49° 96% 0 mph

Nothing like a cool, fall morning ....

PRE RUN
weight=163.5
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
dynamic stretching warm-up
4.5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36 w/4x30-second intervals @ 5:50 "sprinkled in"

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
4.50 mi.@ 8:03 w/ 5:50/5:43/5:54/5:37

5:37 AM 52° 96% 0 mph

I'm feeling pretty good physically now (with the exception of my back which has been a bit naggy since the long flight back from Chile). Still feel like I need to get mentally engaged.

PRE RUN
weight=164.5

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & low-fat granola w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
4.5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
4.50 mi.@ 8:14

5:20 AM 58° 92% 0 mph

Felt pretty good this morning.

PRE RUN
weight=165.5
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin, & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
4.5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36
2x20 sec. high knees
2x20 sec. bounding

ACHIEVED
4.55 mi.@ 8:03
2x20 sec. high knees
2x20 sec. bounding

5:19 AM 64° 96% 2 mph

Running on fresh legs due to vacation layoff.

PRE RUN
weight=165

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/brown sugar & 1% milk

Santiago #2 Run

OBJECTIVE
4 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
4.44 mi.@ 8:32

6:26 AM 50° 65% 0 mph

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for
Santiago Run #2

PRE RUN
water

POST RUN
grapefruit juice,

Santiago, Chile

OBJECTIVE
run

ACHIEVED
4.05 mi.@ 8:34

6:54 AM 52° 52% 0 mph

I am currently in Santiago, Chile for business. One of the challenging things about running while traveling is actually getting the run in. Another challenge can be figuring out where to run. I generally don't travel much but seem to be having more opportunites to do so lately. I like the challenge of running when my schedule really doesn't allow for it and there are seemingly a dozen good reasons to miss my runs.

Having said that, I missed yesterday's run after flying overnight then taking care of the logistics of arriving followed by afternoon and evening meetings. I wasn't about to be cheated out of today's run.

I ventured out from the hotel and just headed up the street the hotel was on. It appeared to be a major artery. Not knowing where I was going and not having a plan whatsoever, I just ran. The sidewalks were wide and clean. In fact, what I've seen of the city so far has been very clean.

I had decided to get 4 miles while exploring this morning. I cut off the main street down a side street. Not wanting to get too far away from the street that I knew, I did an out-and-back. I continued down the main street until it ended on something the looked like a freeway. From there, I turned back toward the hotel. Realizing I wasn't going to get the mileage I wanted I crossed the street planning to do another out-and-back. While on this segment, I discovered some sort of "green belt" that wasn't green at all. It did have a hard-packed trail though. I ran the several-block-long loop then headed back out of this residential area to the main street. Once back on the main street, I ran down past my hotel until I had the mileage I wanted then came back.

By the time I finished, the street were getting quite busy. People looked at me as I dodged around them. I'm not too certain how common it is to run on the city streets. I only saw one other runner while I was out.

PRE RUN
nothing

POST RUN
mixed meats ???, cheese, bread & orange juice

This is Where the Marathon Really Begins ...

OBJECTIVE
4 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
4.01 mi.@ 8:05

6:27 AM 53° 80% 2 mph

Today is Week 1, Day 1 of training for Boston. The next week or so will be about finding my legs again.

PRE RUN
weight=163

POST RUN
oatmeal w/almonds, flax, brown sugar & 1% milk

Back with the Crew

OBJECTIVE
long run & test left hamstring

ACHIEVED
9.90 mi.@ 8:41

7:09 AM 51° 83% 1 mph

This was my first run with the crew since before the marathon. It was good to get back. It gave me a chance to tell stories about St. George and hear others' stories about their marathon in Chicago.

I didn't run yesterday because my left hamstring still isn't right and I planned to stretch out with a little distance today. I figured the group wouldn't be doing anything too aggressive since Augie is tapering for IronMan Florida next Saturday. I was right - the pace and distance were comfortable but it was obvious my fitness has diminished since St. George. (Not surprising how sitting around and gorging yourself will do that!) During today's run, it's clear the hamstring still isn't full strength. My calves were also very tight throughout the run. Other than that it was a good run. The temperature was cool and I had good company.

Today's participants: Augie, Jill, Michelle, Laurie, Josh, Randy and me.

... anticipating how my hamstring feels tomorrow .... Watch my blog for my report from New York City. I'm leaving Houston tonight to catch the marathon tomorrow. I plan to be positioned at Mile 23 near Central Park passing out water and Gatorade at Continental Airlines' aid station.

PRE RUN
oatmeal w/almonds, brown sugar & 1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, hot chocolate milk & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

Sluggish

OBJECTIVE
run

ACHIEVED
3.21 mi.@ 8:44/

5:23 AM 78° 90% 3 mph intermittent light rain

My hamstring didn't respond well to yesterday's run. Today it was sore and tight. I suspect it's just the weakness of the scar tissue tearing, breaking up and hopefully clearing out. I'll take it slow and easy until it's pain-free.

Eating a huge, late dinner last night didn't help. I've had business dinners each of the last two nights and I can say that I'm not a big fan. They certainly don't promote good nutrition or good rest and the result is usually a less-than-stellar run the following morning.

It was warm, humid, windy and a bit rainy this morning. So almost all of the elements were in play. I was expecting much cooler temperatures and steady rain. I think that's what the forecast called for.

PRE RUN


POST RUN
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

Sabbatical Completed!

OBJECTIVE
run

ACHIEVED
3.22 mi.@ 8:56/

5:10 AM 51° 96% 0 mph

I've heard it takes 21 days to form a habit - bad or good. Well, that's the number of days I hadn't run! (Bad runner!)

First, it was my right foot injured during the marathon then I just decided I needed a physical and mental break then I experienced a grade 2 left hamstring pull (self-diagnosed with help from webMD.com and mayo.com) while playing softball. The hamstring still isn't fully healed.

Anyway, I'm back in the saddle and working on new goals and a training program for the upcoming cycle.

PRE RUN
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & GrapeNuts w/1% milk

St. George Marathon Race Report

Link to 2009 St. George Marathon pictures by MarathonFoto.com.


I've evolved to where I'm not much for race reports on my major "A" races especially marathons. It's too hard for me to capture everything. But several have asked so here's a few of my thoughts mile by mile:

I met a 51-year old guy at the hotel from Alabama. He missed his Boston qualifying time at his last marathon by 27 seconds. We rode the shuttle from the hotel to the buses together along with a couple women from Salt Lake City. Sometimes I get claustrophobic when I'm packed onto a bus made for kids. I knew they'd fill every seat. For some reason, Alabama guy didn't sit with me. That was fine. I didn't want to talk. I women from Morgan ended up sitting by me. I tried to "sleep" (also known as sending the signal that I don't want to talk). I didn't drive the course yesterday; didn't want to. I closed my eyes on the bus ride in the dark. Although I did see the fantastic full moon. The drive was long but still seemed shorter than usual. When the bus slowed at the top, Morgan lady started talking ... too much. She was polite and everything but I wasn't interested in small talk.

Off the bus it was cool and the wind was blowing a bit. I ducked in behind the one of the huge trucks and waited. I packed my pocket (2 vanilla CarbBoom's, Advil Liquid gel caps, and salt) and pinned two more CarbBoom's on my shorts. My plan was to use 3 gels one at Mile 7, 14 and 21. The fourth was a backup. I left the wind break offered by the eighteen-wheeler and headed for the trees to clear my bladder. I had slowly drunk an orange Gatorade on the bus ride and had eaten oatmeal at the hotel. Waiting for the line at the port-a-potties was not an option.

I walked over to the start area to see if I could see any of the elite runners. There wasn't much going on there so I returned to my position behind the truck. I talked briefly with a guy who had a foreign accent and a huge thermometer. He said it was 40° and dropping. It was cool but I like it that way. The whole feeling was surreal. At one point, I thought "I'm actually going to be running 26.2 miles in a few minutes." I started stretching - an abbreviated version of my dynamic stretching routine. They played the national anthem. I took off my sweats, slathered on more Aquaphor than I ever have, debated briefly about hat and gloves before deciding against keeping them, then went to the clothing drop. The line was long and chaotic. I tied off my bag and just threw it about 15 yards toward the back of the truck. I thought, "Hopefully I see that again."

I dumped my salt under my tongue and walked to the starting area. The pace groups had balloons. I wanted to be with the 3:20 group to start since my goal was 3:15 but my starting pace would be slower. I had talked with the pace leaders at the expo the night before and knew that they planned to run even splits. There was no room on the road. Suddenly the call to start then the gun. The mosh pit was moving ... very slowly.

Mile 1 - 7:44 (Goal=7:42) I crossed the starting line and said to myself for no real reason, "Let's get it on." I looked up at the bright spotlight and cameras overhead. Then, it was almost over for me. Fifteen feet after the start while looking up, I stepped on something with my right foot. My ankle rolled over. I let out an expletive. This can't be happening. For the past 2 1/2 weeks I've been freakishly paranoid about every crack in the road, sidewalks, any place I stepped. Now, while looking up, I had stepped on something that had screwed up my ankle. I limped along thinking to myself that it may improve once I warm up and get some adrenaline flowing. The running crowd was still very heavy. My ankle was throbbing. How long could I last?

Mile 2 - 7:35 (7:33) I stayed with the 3:20 pace group. It was a large group and a bit annoying traffic-wise. My ankle was still questionable but I had decided to ignore it.

Mile 3 - 7:07 (7:15) I got away from the pace group here. Something that I learned from last year has that it would be dark. I wouldn't be able to see my watch or my pace band. Therefore, I turned my Garmin light on permanently before the start and memorized my goal splits for each of the first eight miles.

Mile 4 - 7:00 (7:06) I was feeling better than okay. This day held promise if I could keep it together. The ankle was now only bothersome on the steeper downhill sections. I was wondering how it would hold up over the last part of the course when the muscles would be fatigued and the steepest downhill of the course would be encountered.

Mile 5 7:20 (7:24) I'm controlling the pace well. I think I grabbed my first Gatorade here.

Mile 6 7:15 (7:24) Reminding myself not to go too fast. "No one around me cares if I run 3:15 today. I'm the only who cares and I'm the only one who can do anything about it. Stick to the plan. Stay with the pace."

Mile 7 7:01(7:24) Veyo Hill looms in the distance. I take advantage of the downhill in this mile and a good crowd in Veyo gives me a charge. I grab another drink (water or Gatorade ???)

Mile 8 7:43 (8:18) I charge up Veyo Hill. I'm passing people left and right.

Mile 9 7:52 (7:55) Wondering if I used up too much going up the hill.

Mile 10 7:39 (7:42) Realize that I'm going to have to stop to evacuate bladder. Decide to hold out as long as I can.

Mile 11 7:52 (8:00)

Mile 12 7:33 (7:38) It hits me that I've really got something going here. Up ahead I see a woman wearing the light blue colors of Fast Running Blog.com. I set her as my mark and slowly reel her in.

Mile 13 7:08 (7:24) Run side by side with Josse Tobias of fastrunningblog.com. We only talked a little bit. I may have surprised her that I knew who she was. The wind had kicked up and was in our faces. I estimated 5-7 mph. As I see that I'm running too fast compared to my scheduled pace, Tobias leaves me before this mile finished.

Mile 14 7:48 (7:15) I stopped at the half way point. I knew I was slightly ahead of schedule but still tried to hurry. No port-a-potty so I used the side of the road. Felt like my right sock was bunching under my foot or that I had something in my shoe over the last several miles. Tried to remedy that problem. Whatever I did helped but didn't completely clear the problem.

Mile 15 6:52 (7:02) Got a little carried away trying to take advantage of the downhill and make up for time I lost by stopping.

Mile 16 7:05 (7:15)

Mile 17 7:07 (7:15)

Mile 18 7:07 (7:15)

Mile 19 7:26 (7:38) It's getting tough but I know I just have to stick with it. "Stay within the mile," I keep telling myself.

Mile 20 7:13 (7:15) I talk to a guy from Orange County, California targeting 3:15. He's running with a woman doing her first marathon. She's an ultra trail runner and looked like this was a walk in the park for her. Shortly thereafter she left us in her dust.

Mile 21 6:54 (6:58) This mile is always a question when creating the pace band. It's the steepest downhill on the course. Can I really go this fast after already running 20 miles? The answer this year is "Yes!"

Mile 22 7:13 (7:15) Somewhere in here I make mental note to self, "Be sure to do ankle strengthening exercises next year."

Mile 23 7:18 (7:20)

Mile 24 6:54 (7:20) This has been my favorite mile the past two years. It's coming into town and there is a big energetic crowd. There isn't a question about finishing; it's just a matter of getting there. Passed several runners in this mile.

Mile 25 7:13 (7:24) Tough mile that seemed to go forever. Knew I was ahead of schedule just focused on keeping the pace and finishing.

Mile 26 6:59 (7:24)

Mile .2 1:29 (1:37) Didn't have the kick that I've had before but still finished strong.


I crossed the line with an overwhelming euphoria. I had 3:11:42 on my Garmin. My absolute best case scenario was 3:15. I grabbed a drink then went to get my official time. It was 3:11:38. I accomplished my goal of qualifying for the Boston marathon.

Thank you everyone who supported me along the way: my Saturday training partners: Stephanie, Laurie, Stacey, Augie, Randy, Josh, William, Jonathan, Aaron, and others; my massage therapists: Molly and Angie; my co-workers for excusing my late arrivals from getting a few extra morning miles; my wife and son for letting me go AWOL to chase the dream; my parents for caring and coming to St. George to see a few seconds of my marathon; my blog readers and online running friends for your questions and support.

Oh, a couple footnotes ... the Alabama guy at my hotel missed his qualifying time by 14 seconds. Although Josse Tobias left me shortly before the halfway mark. In a huge surprise to me, I passed her in the last mile and finished a minute ahead of her.