Final Mileage Total & Donation!

As we get close to the end of the year, it's time I make the donations based on my mileage. As of the total today (12/18/2010), I have run 1,205 miles this year (far surpassing my goal of 1,000 miles!). That's an average of 24 miles/week for the year. I planned to donate 10 cents per mile, or 20 cents per mile if I reached 1,000 miles. Therefore the total donation for mileage is 1,205 x 0.20 = $241.

In addition to the mileage, I reached two of my race goals: 5k in under 20:30 (20:18) and a marathon in under 3:55:00 (3:47:45). I was just 2 seconds away from also reaching my 10k goal! This adds another $20 for each, so $40 total.

My total donation for this year is $241 + $40 = $281. Maybe it's the Christmas spirit, but I am going to round that up to $300. That makes it easier to split the donation into three causes I have been involved in:

$100 to Sons of HD (http://www.sonsofhd.com/)
$100 to South Congregational Church's ASP
$100 to Hands on Hartford (http://www.handsonhartford.org/)

Looking forward to setting new goals for 2011 and donating 11 cents per mile!

I wouldn't be able to keep getting out there and hitting the pavement if it wasn't for the support of all my friends and family, and especially Krystle. Thank you.

Philly Marathon

What better way to explore a city for the first time, than running through 26.2 miles of its streets! The Philadelphia Marathon was great! I ran a PR of 3:47:45 (including stopping for 6 minutes to leave the restroom). I accomplished every goal I set out to - I ran negative splits (1:55 for the first half, 1:52 for the second), I didn't walk at all, and I even ran the last 10k faster than the first 10k. The weather was perfect, the crowd was great, and the race was certainly one I'll always remember.

During the process not only did I rack up some more miles, but I broke my marathon goal for an extra donation. As the end of the year approaches, I really need to figure out where I am going to donate the money. It will be 20 cents per mile, plus extra for the race goals I have achieved.

I'll be taking a little time off from training - but definitely not from running. I want to try to maintain a good base of 20 miles per week while not training, and start working out more at the gym to get stronger. That way, next time I start a training program I can be even more aggressive in my training. This race really makes me excited since I trained harder, and saw the effects. Maybe I'll throw in another 5k before the end of the year if I feel recovered - but part of me wants to end this racing year on such a high note.

Yasso 800's

I am very encouraged by my most recent work out. It's called Yasso 800's (after famed runner Bart Yasso). In preparation for a marathon, you run 10 800 meter repeats, and your min:sec time is supposed to be an indicator of the marathon time you can run in hours:min. For example, if you run each lap in 3:00, you could run a 3 hour marathon. I did this work out on Saturday, after a 5 mile warm up run. I averaged right around 3:25 per 800. Do I think I can run a 3:25:00 marathon? Maybe - but I doubt I'll attempt to run that fast. It's great to see the level my fitness is at.

I have one more long run in my training for Philadelphia. The difference in my training this time compared to previous marathons is my pace. I have been starting my long runs at an easy pace, but then trying to increase it to around 8:00 min/mile range. That is how I plan to run the race in 3 weeks too. I figure if I start off and run the first 5 miles at a 9 minute/mile pace - it won't feel difficult at all. It will allow me to settle into a nice groove, not feel tired, and it will only mean an additional 5 minutes of time as compared to taking off at an 8 minute/mile pace. I think I can then slowly increase my speed over the next few miles to somewhere between 8:00 - 8:30, and try to maintain that for a while. I know I'll likely slow down at the end, but if I can maintain a good pace for the middle 15-18 miles, I'll be very happy.

I hope I see the benefits of my increased training intensity in the race. I know some things will be dependent on things I can't control on race day. The benefits may be evident despite a less than encouraging time. The more and more I train, the more and more I want to train - and train harder. I wonder what I could do if I really push myself. A strong showing in Philly will really further that desire.

1,000 miles!

Today I reached (and surpassed) my goal of 1,000 miles for the year. Judging by the fact that it's only October, I've been getting in more miles than I originally thought - which is great. I am excited now to be donating twice as much per mile, and I still have time to raise some more with certain race goals - most notably, the Philly marathon.

My training has been going well. I feel strong, have been avoiding injury, and my mileage total and the pace of my runs is better than ever. Inevitably, my mind is starting to wander. If I can run an average 8:30 pace for 20 miles, then maybe in a race I could do 8:15? 8:00? What if I had trained harder? That's where I get even more ahead of myself - and the idea that once seemed so incredibly impossible, starts to enter my mind...could I qualify for Boston?

I would need to run a marathon at a 7:15/mi pace. That's lightning fast (for me). I could MAYBE run 10 miles at that pace right now, but that would be on a great day, all things going my way. I think that I can get to that point, if I keep up with my training and keep improving year over year.

At the same time, the possibility of having a slower time in Philly scares me, a lot. What if I get so tired I need to walk? What about cramps? The only time I ran a marathon shooting for a specific time, I was on pace until the cramps hit me on mile 14. That made for a long finishing 12 miles. I remember how that felt, and with all the walking, I had a lot of time to think. It's discouraging to train for so long and hard, only to not even come close to your goal. I think I could run a time in Philly similar to the goal I had that year, but will I be disappointed if I don't?

The way I look at it, is I'll set various goals - not all time based. I really want to have fun, but I am also getting the urge to push myself more and more, and really run faster. I think the faster times will come with time, so even if I improve my times by a minute or two year after year, that's something! The more I run and the more I race, the more I love it. I hope that passion doesn't fade, and getting too caught up with time oriented goals could lead to that. I'll push myself, and if things go well - great. If not, well there's always another race.

Update

It's been a long time since I left a post. Since I last left an update, I ran a 5k in a PR of 20:18 (also earning another $20 for charity as I beat my goal), I acted as an assistant coach for a 10k training group, and I signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon on 11/21/10.

Training is in full swing for the Philly Marathon. I just completed my first (of 3) 20 mile run this weekend. I ran the first 7 miles on trails in the woods at an easy pace (around 9:00/mi), then picked it up and ran the next 13 at closer to an 8:30/mi pace. It was the first time I was really able to keep a consistent pace in the later miles of a longer run. Overall it was a great run, and it helped me enjoy the Big E without the slightest bit of guilt for the amount of calories I took in (cheeseburger, buffalo chicken wrap, 1/2 baked potato, kettle corn, and a cider donut).

This coming weekend I have a half marathon, a distance which I have never raced. I am using this race to gauge where my fitness is at. I will probably try to run the first few miles around 7:35-7:45 pace and see how I feel. Then I'll either try to pick it up a bit, or keep it up. We'll see.

Yearly mileage has already surpassed last year's total. I'm at 877 miles YTD, and my weekly totals have been in the 30's consistently, even up to 40 last week. I'm excited about reaching some high levels for my donation to charity, so I hope I can stay injury free so I can continue to run, race, and raise money.

Back again

This week I was finally climbing out of a little running-funk that I didn't even realize I was in. After a marathon, for me anyway, it takes a while before I can mentally commit myself to running a lot. Add onto that a new-floor-installation project at home and a stomach bug, and my running just wasn't the same. Whether it was the sore knees or the stomach cramps, I wasn't able to run very far or fast at all. Finally last weekend I felt back. I feel fresh and motivated. My mileage slipped to around 20/week - but this week should be back up at 30. I have started throwing in speed work after easy/long runs. Today I ran 9 miles, then hit the track. I only did 2 x 800 and 2 x 400, but I was able to hit the speeds I usually hit on my speed workouts. Maybe I need to run harder on speed days!

Next weekend is a 5k, my first race since the marathon. I would LOVE to break 20:00, but I would need to feel REALLY good, have perfect weather, maybe even some hurricane force winds behind me. Hopefully I can at least run a PR (anything under 21:11), and maybe save 20:00 for another day.

My total mileage is up over 600 for the year. I am on pace to reach my goal of 1,000 miles - which means my donation will get doubled! Knowing that my running will have a purpose beyond some fitness goal has been a great feeling. Now I am hoping that I can run some races under my goal times to increase my donation amount!

Vermont Marathon

Yesterday was the most fun I have ever had running. I ran my race exactly as I wanted to. The crowd support was unreal. The initial weather predictions looked like I would be practicing Bikram Marathoning; but it ended up being good running weather. I accomplished many of my goals: run the entire time, finish with a smile, and finish under 4 hours – a personal record of 3:57:09.

My plan was to show restraint early on in preparation for the large Battery Park hill on the 15^th mile. From there, I knew I would have to dig deep to persevere through some painful miles. At mile 21 or 22 the turn is made to head back toward the finish line, and I knew I would have to dig even deeper and feed on the energy of the supporters to get to the finish line.

Somehow everything worked out leading to the start line. All the random knee and foot pains which had been springing up during the last two weeks were gone. I felt fresh. While waiting in the crowd of people to begin, I was overcome with emotion. The combination of excitement, nervousness, and anticipation is unlike anything else. The hard part, the training, was done. Now it was time to enjoy the race.

The countdown quickly went from ten down to one, and we were off. The first mile was through the center of Burlington, with people packed four or five deep on either side. The screams, cheers, and cowbells had me in a bit of a daze. Much of that first mile was uphill, with about 100 total feet of elevation climb. I hit the first mile split in 9:22. I was easing into my pace, showing restraint. Miles 2 through 4 were much more downhill as we looped back through the center of town. Again, it was tough to not get swept up in the adrenaline of the crowd noise.

Miles 4 through 9 was an out and back route; a long downhill heading out and a long uphill coming back. I was anticipating the large hill at 15 to be the most difficult, so I had overlooked this portion. There was over 100 feet of elevation climb steadily over miles 7 and 8. The sun peaked out at that time, making it even warmer. As I checked my pace I decided to slow down a little. I was up to running 8:30’s, so I peeled it back a tad and made sure to keep hydrating.

I hit mile 10 at 1:26; or 8:40/mi. That was exactly the pace I wanted. I felt good and strong. The next few miles were along a bike trail, and I spaced out as I was thinking about the Battery Park hill. My pace at the half marathon was 8:44/mi, so I had slowed a tad. I was happy with my pace, and I was having fun.

Finally, I saw the hill. To say this hill looked steep is an understatement. Only one side of the road was open for runners, and the crowd was packed in tight on either side. There was a drumming group playing and people were cheering and ringing cowbells like crazy. I see Krystle at the bottom, she screams my name and my spirits were immediately lifted. “How are you doing!?” she yells out – to which I replied with a thumbs up. I can tell she is excited. The next time I see her will be at the finish. I actually needed to make an effort to not run too fast up the hill. It was amazing how much the crowd can pump you up. That hill was actually fun, and I was feeling great at the top.

The next few miles were a mix of different residential streets and neighborhoods. I continued to take in fluids as I walked through each water station, but by mile 17 or 18 my stomach didn’t want any more sugary Gels, Shot blocks, or snickers. I had been snacking every 2 miles up to that point, so I figured that would be enough. Since my walks through the water stations were slightly longer – as I would take and drink a water, then a Gatorade, then sometimes dump some water over my head – my pace slowed. Through 20 miles I was at 8:50/mi. Not bad considering 10 seconds of every mile was stopping and walking to drink fluids. I was still running strong.

As I hit mile 21 and 22, I knew it was time to really dig deep. My legs were a kind of tired that’s not only hard to explain, but hard to picture or remember until you’re there. All you want to do is have the pain stop. Running doesn’t help, but neither does walking. Walking just means you endure the pain longer; running gets you to the finish line faster. I was trying to keep the pace up, but I could feel cramps coming on. My stride was short, and my pace was around 9:20/mi. I was happy with that. Miles 23 through 25 seemed to drag on forever. I passed a lot of people who were walking. I saw a lot of people stretching out cramps on the side of the road. I felt lucky, so I pressed on.

Then I saw it. I saw the mass of people waiting to give the runners the emotional lift they need to finish strong. From mile 21 to the finish, we were running on a bike path near Lake Champlain. As we came up on mile 26, we enter Battery Park. There were so many people on either side of the 8 foot wide path. They were cheering, ringing bells, calling us out by number or clothing, slapping high fives – anything to get us pumped up. It was an unreal feeling. I started going as fast as I could – though my stride was likely awkward as I continued to fight off the cramps. We pass the mile 26 marker, and then go under a bridge filled with people. We turn and I can see the finish line. The people are cheering so loud I can’t even hear the announcer calling out our names. I cross under the finish line, and I check the clock and my watch - I did it – 3:57:09, under four hours. I see Krystle, and I can see the excitement in her face. She gets a sweaty kiss, and says “You did it!”

Its strange how at that point, the last 3 hours and 57 minutes seems like a blur. I know as time goes on I stop and think more about different stages of the race, and how I felt. I feel more tired and exhausted than I ever have in my life. At the same time, I have a feeling of pure happiness that is tough to match (don’t worry Krys, definitely second to our wedding day). There are few things in life, or at least in my life, that require so much preparation and all come down to one specific opportunity to achieve your goal. The day is overwhelming with different emotions, and I love it. This is why I run.

We spent the night celebrating in Burlington, taking in food, drinks, and the beautiful scenery; it was the perfect end to a perfect weekend.