Persistent Calf Pain

If you've logged a few high-mileage weeks in your days, you've likely dealt with minor, or even major, calf strains. It's an extremely common problem among runners, and I'm no exception. I'd like to outline some of the things that I've found to help me deal with nagging calf pain. I've tried to list these tips for overcoming a calf strain in the order of most helpful to least helpful, though a combination of many, if not all, of them will likely get you back on the trail the quickest. Last but not least, I'm a runner, not a doctor, so please consult a medically trained professional if you are unsure of the severity of your injury.

Rest

I know it's the last thing you want to hear as a runner, but you might need to take a break. If you act at the early signs of an injury, you could be talking about a few days recovery versus weeks or months. Calf strains are almost always a sign of overuse, so one of the best methods for recovering from nagging calf pain is to give your calves some time to relax. I try to take at least one or two days off whenever a significant pain pops up on a run, and then I test the waters with a short slow run to ease back into things.

Stretching

When you are experiencing calf pain on a run, the first natural reaction is to stop and try to stretch it out. This is probably a natural reaction because it usually works pretty well. A calf strain is generally caused by overusing your calf muscle, and if it's addressed early it's simply a matter of stretching out a tight muscle.

One thing that I've realized as a runner, is you don't always feel pain at its source. You may be experiencing pain in your calves because other muscles in your leg may be tight, and exerting more strain on your calf muscles. So, don't just stretch your calves when they're in pain, make sure to stretch your quads, ex-tensor tendons (the muscles that run along your shin and connect to the top of your foot), hamstrings, glutes, and hips. That might sound like overkill for a calf strain, but one key concept to understand is that all of your muscles live in opposition to other muscles. That's what allows you to move a body part in different directions. For instance, flexing your calves allows you to point your toe downward, or raise up on to your tiptoes. Your extensor tendon flexes to allow you to raise your toes upward toward your knee. If you over-stress one of those muscles, it will tighten causing more stress on the opposing muscle. You may end up feeling pain in either one of the muscles. You can read about how switching to barefoot running, and over-stressing my calves, put me in a battle with extensor tendinitis here. To make a long story short, if you're experiencing pain in your calves while running, make sure to loosen up all of the muscles in your legs, not just your calves.

Compression Socks/Calf Sleeves

This is a debatable product that I don't feel qualified to discuss the science behind, but I absolutely swear by compression socks and calf sleeves as a runner. I've gotten a few pair from Pro Compression, and they work great! The idea behind compression socks is that they provide graduated pressure (more pressure near the foot, and less pressure near the knee), in order to increase blood flow through the legs. From my research on compression socks, most of the debate on their effectiveness relates to whether or not they're actually effective while running, not whether they're effective after a run while recovering.

I like to wear compression socks or calf sleeves while running, but I think I gain the most benefit by continuing to wear them for several hours after a run. I've even worn them to bed before, when my calves are really screaming. Again, I'm not a medical professional, and I don't really know if there is science to support why this seems to help me so much, but compression socks and calf sleeves have become like my runner's security blanket. I absolutely recommend giving them a try if you regularly experience calf pain from running. I've also heard many people use them for shin splints, but, believe it or not, I've never had shin splints, so I couldn't speak to their effectiveness for that. In my opinion, $50-60 for a pair of high quality compression socks is well worth the price.

Hydration

This might seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes it's as simple as drinking more water. When you get dehydrated it can cause cramping in your muscles, and in runners, your calves will be likely be the first to go. Not drinking enough water can sometimes become a problem for me, even though I've been a regular runner for years. One of the ways dehydration sneaks up on me is in the winter when it's cold. It's hard to pound water when it's 30-40 degrees, but it's just as necessary as it is in the middle of summer. When you throw on a warming layer to go for a run, you may be causing yourself to sweat just as much, if not more, than when running in the summer.

Massage

When your muscles are sore massage can feel amazing, but beyond simply feeling good, it will actually help to clear lactic acid from your muscles and improve circulation to speed up recovery. Getting a quality massage can get pretty expensive, especially if you're regularly dealing with sore muscles from running. One great do-it-yourself product that I've found to be insanely helpful is the Stick. This product is so simple, but SO effective, and it has gained a cult-like following from runners over the years. If you don't want to spend $30-$50 on a stick, you can use a rolling pin or a broom handle, but nothing quite works as well as the actual Stick. Basically, you just use it in various positions and roll it back and forth over sore muscles. The only muscles I've ever used it on are my calves, and it works wonders. I wouldn't say that it's anywhere near as good as getting an actual massage from a trained professional, but using the Stick for 10 minutes before and after a run may be enough to loosen up your muscles and get you back to 100%.

Electrolytes

In order to function properly your muscles need the right balance of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, but the first two are the most important. Given that most Americans likely get far more sodium in their natural diet, that leaves you with making sure that you're getting enough potassium. Some common sources from food are bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelon, black beans, and beets. There are a ton more if none of those appeal to you. Another option that I generally use on any run longer than an hour is Salt Sticks. I've only used the classic version in pill form. It may be mostly mental, but when I take them during a long run it makes my muscles feel like when I drip oil on a dry bicycle chain. Tightness and tension seem to drift away, and everything just feels smooth. I take 1 capsule per hour while running.

Running Form

This is something that's probably not necessary if you're an experienced runner. If you're just getting into running, and you're experiencing calf pain even after trying everything else I've mentioned, it may be worth analyzing your running stride to see if you're placing unnecessary stress on your calves. Generally this would be that you are exaggerating landing on your forefoot, near your toe, and your heel is well off the ground when you first make contact with the ground. Ideally, your mid-foot should hit the ground first, and your heel should be as low as possible, without causing it to strike first.

Some of the ways in which you can identify problems with your stride, are by looking at the treads on your shoes. You should notice significantly more wear on the treads between the mid-foot and fore-foot where your foot naturally strikes the ground. If that spot looks to be very far forward (toward your toes), then try adjusting your stride while running to land more toward your mid-foot. When you look at the heel of your shoe, you should see some wear on the heel. It shouldn't be nearly as pronounced as the wear on the mid-foot, but there should be some wear present. This shows that your heel is in fact coming down and making full contact with the ground with each footfall. If there isn't much wear on the heels of your shoes relative to the wear on the mid-foot, you may be putting unnecessary stress on your calves by not giving them a brief rest between each step you take.

NSAID's

I decided to put this on here as a method for dealing with calf strain, but I really don't recommend taking ibuprofen or any other anti-inflammatory drug to enable you to continue running. I try to take medicine as sparingly as possible, but there are times when taking an Advil can really help to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. In my opinion, if you're at the point where you need to take pain medicine in order to make it through a run, you probably shouldn't be running. Focus your efforts on rest, and some of the other methods I laid out in this post before you get out running again.

Taking an NSAID after a run to deal with particularly sore muscles can really help. I generally do this after a marathon or an intense trail run. The one thing I would caution against is making taking an NSAID a regular part of your running routine. it should be something used on occasion, not everyday. If you're constantly in so much pain that you need to take something to deal with it, you're running too much, too fast, incorrectly, or some combination of all three.

I hope that some of these methods help you along in your recovery, and get you back on the trail soon.

Happy Running!

Training Plans, Oh Training Plans

I've so missed the obsessive compulsive ritual that is "the training plan" for an endurance runner.  I've put together a training plan mapping out the next several months leading up to the Whistler 50, and I've also picked out another race that I think would be a good training run the month prior, the Flora Lake 50K.  I'm hoping to turn the Flora Lake 50K into a camping trip with the family, and then I can roll out of my tent on race-day and run my first ultra.  Although I haven't done either yet, I really view my first ultra as my first 50 miler, hopefully the Whistler 50.  A 50 km race just doesn't seem that much further than a marathon to me, and, to be honest, I think I could have done another 5 miles after my last marathon relatively easily.  The fact of the matter is that I didn't do another 5 miles after my last marathon, and the only way I'll find out how easy that is, is to do it this September.

As for my training plan, I've decided to alternate between a base week of 38 miles, and a volume week that ranges from around 40-60 miles, with long runs ranging from 12 miles to 31 miles (Flora Lake 50K).  Originally I planned on running a 35 mile training run, but I think the 50K will provide better preparation for the 50 miler even though it's a bit shorter, not to mention the Flora Lake course looks absolutely gorgeous!

As for April, I managed to stick to my training plan, for the most part.  I missed 2 runs, but considering I'm just getting my running legs back under me, I think that's pretty good.  I'm getting really excited for summer, and some nice running weather.  To say that running conditions in Vancouver, BC can be unpredictable, is a huge understatement.  Last week I went from warm and sunny, to cold with hail in a single run.  I even got blasted with a huge spray of seawater one windy morning on the seawall, after running past two sailboats that had run aground in the winds.

Happy Running!

Back in the Saddle

It's felt great to get back into running.  I've logged around 50 miles since my last post, and I've been really surprised by how quickly by legs have adjusted.  I started out expecting it to be a really, really, really long 1-2 months of building up mileage again.  I've certainly stayed active, but nowhere near the level of endurance I had when I ran the Marine Corps Marathon or the Gar Williams Half around two years ago.

I remember building up to my first marathon in 2009, and I felt like a 9-mile training run was such an accomplishment.  Every new feat from there on was incredible in my eyes.  I was convinced that I ran 22 or 24 miles in my longest training run (I didn't have a GPS watch at the time).  I ran for 3 hours and, in hindsight, I think I actually only ran about 18 miles or so.  I came to that brutal realization during the 2009 Seattle Marathon.  I felt great up until around miles 18-20, and then I completely fell apart.  My first marathon took me 1 hour and 22 minutes longer than my longest run in preparation for that marathon.  That's a big difference!

Fast forward to this last two weeks, and I threw down two 10-mile runs with very little effort.  That's something that took me months to build up to before.  Of course, I've run several other shorter runs over the last two weeks, but it's the 10-milers that made me really feel good about my running ability and my general level of fitness.  Granted, I haven't been worrying about speed in the slightest.  I plan to just log the miles for the first 1-2 months.

I'm still thinking about the timing for my first ultra, but the front-runner so far is the Whistler 50.  I haven't registered yet, but I think I will soon!

Happy Running!

Hey Guys...Still Alive!

Well, it's been an extremely long time since my last update.  I almost feel like I should just start an entirely new blog, but after reading some of my old posts I started reminiscing about running and blogging about it in Washington, DC and in Hyderabad, India.  I've really missed sharing my trial of miles, and I'm ready to get back to it.

Most importantly, I've missed the sense of community I felt when running and keeping everyone up to date here.  This blog held me accountable for what I wanted to accomplish, and it put me in contact with real people who could offer support, advice, and friendship.  This blog got me through my second marathon, after a disastrous first marathon.  This blog made me a runner.  Let me clarify that last statement.  This blog gave me the mindset that I was a runner, but I made myself a runner.  I did that by burning through running shoe after running shoe in countless miles of trials.

I never ran my ultramarathon when we got back to the States, and that kind of makes me sad.  I was in the best shape of my life when we got back from India, and I was easily in good enough shape to at least finish an ultra.  I made the mistake of letting life's little events make me feel like it wasn't the right time for me.  Granted, my wife and I were having another child.  That's a pretty big life event!  I figured, I'd just wait another six months until life returned to normal. The problem with that mentality is that life is never normal.  I have a wife and kids and life is always crazy.  Becoming an ultramarathoner is still on my bucketlist, and I'm determined to accomplish that goal.  The one thing I've found most certain in life is that if you want to accomplish something, you have to do it...not think about doing it.  To reference Dr. Seuss, I'm through sitting in the "waiting place."  This is the year that I will run my ultra.

Happy Running!

Shoes, Shoes, and More Shoes

Well, there went another exciting week on the running front.  I'm gradually building my endurance again, and running is becoming more and more enjoyable, even if I do need to run through clouds of burning trash smoke and be hyper-vigilant in avoiding cars, tuk-tuk's, goats, dogs, and motorcycles.  I think that I'm adjusting to the heat well, and I'll be back to logging some nice long runs very soon.  I've still yet to surpass 10 km since I've been in India, but I'll knock out a 12 km or 14 km run this weekend before beginning the long, slow, steady climb of building my mileage volume for my first 50 km in November.  I'm much leaner now, and I actually feel like a runner even though my endurance has suffered a bit as of late.  In reviewing my training log from my work-up to the last marathon I ran, I'm way ahead of where I started, both in terms of speed and volume.  Like I said in a previous blog post, I want to get to a point where my only goal isn't to just survive a race and simply make it to the finish line; I want to run hard the whole race, and feel good about my race-day effort and also about all of the work I put into training.

I finally retired the pair of Mizuno's I've been running in since before MCM 2012.  I ordered a pair of Montrail Bajada trail-running shoes that arrived last night from my favorite running site in the world, www.runningwarehouse.com.  I took them out for their first run today, and they felt great.  There's nothing like getting a new pair of running shoes, and feeling them on your feet for the first time.  It's probably 90% mental, but something about the relationship between a runner and their shoes is special.  Looking through my training log, I ran around 800 miles in my old Mizuno Wave Precision 12 Shoes.  We've spent a lot of time together, seen a lot of sunrises, seen a lot of sunsets, explored new trails, and I even set a marathon PR in those shoes.  It's sad to see them move to the running shoe graveyard in the back of the closet.

The sadness was quickly forgotten when I slipped on the new Montrail's.  They fit like a glove, or a perfect running shoe.  I instantly felt light and nimble, and couldn't wait to go to sleep just so I could wake up in the morning to go run.  I was darting around the house full of excitement, jumping here and there like I was Peter Pan or crazy kangaroo.  It sounds downright goofy reading what I just wrote, but running has become a passion of mine.  I love running, and thinking about it gets me excited.

I've bounced around from running barefoot, or in minimalist shoes (Vibram FiveFingers), to running in 'transition' shoes (Saucony Kinvara 3), to running in good ol' neutral runners (Mizuno Wave Precision 12).  I'm tired of reading the debates about how we're supposed to run, or not supposed to run.  The fact of the matter is, I like running, and I seem to do that best in a traditional style, neutral running shoe.  I don't particularly care if I run that way because I've been conditioned to by a life of running in 'normal' shoes, or if my bio-mechanics are just plain different than someone that can run barefoot all the time.  I'm going to stick with what works for me, and try to enjoy the sport I love.

Training Summary for Last Week:

Monday:       Off
Tuesday:       6.31 km; 35:25; avg. pace 5:37/km
Wednesday:  6.31 km; 36:44; avg. pace 5:49/km
Thursday:      Rowing 5.0 km; 25:19; avg. pace 5:04/km
Friday:          Off
Saturday:      10.01 km; 55:28; avg. pace 5:32/km
Sunday:        8.42 km; 49:37; avg. pace 5:53/km

Total Kilometers:  31.05 km
Total Time:           2:57:14
Average Pace:      5:42/km

Happy Running!

Fun Running Recovery

I had a pretty easy week following the Marine Corps Marathon.  I took 3 days off after the marathon before going out on an easy 4-mile jog.  I was surprised at how tired I felt.  My lungs felt winded, and my legs felt heavier than they have for a long time.  I figured that my body was still recovering from the 26-mile run a few days earlier, but it was still a bit discouraging.  I took another day off and, thankfully, had some great runs on Saturday and Sunday.  I think that I'll be running at 100% next week.

I mapped out my training plan through the 10K Bread Run on December 2, and I'm really excited to do some speed work.  It feels so rewarding to start training for a race after building such a good foundation leading up to MCM 2012.  I'm still planning on running 5 days per week with one tempo run, one interval run, and one long run, and I'll probably average ~30 miles per week.

While outfitting myself with some winter running essentials, to include a Brooks hat, another light mid-layer shirt, and some super thin REI gloves, I found out that my local Pacers running store has fun runs every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7pm.  They said that the paces range from about 6:00/mi to 12:00/mi, so I should be able to find some ~7:30/mi pacers for my tempo runs.  I think that will be a great way to push myself on tempo days, and also meet some runners in the area.

This Sunday I managed to squeeze in a hike with my wife and son before my run.  We drove out to the Difficult Run Trail, a hike I did with my son in the backpack this summer while recovering from extensor tendonitis.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we had a great time.  Coming from Washington (state, not DC) nothing here comes close to the scenic mountain hikes, but it's always great to get out of the city, even if you still have to walk by a mansion or two.  We did about 6 miles and Thumper (my son) soaked it up.  He would occasionally burst into laughter in the backpack while watching Bambi (the dog) bound down the trail.  He was entranced by all of the colors in the leaves and the peacefulness of the running stream.  Difficult Run Trail near Great Falls is an awesome reprieve from city life here in Arlington.  Here are some pics!

I assume all of the grass you see is laid down because it was underwater during Hurricane Sandy

A nice little beach along Difficult Run

A hawk (I think) looking for goodies

A view from the parking lot

Walking around along the shore

Looking up Difficult Run (the name of the stream)

Running Summary Last Week:

Monday:       Off
Tuesday:       Off
Wednesday:  Off
Thursday:      4.04 miles; 37:55; avg. pace 9:23/mi
Friday:          Off
Saturday:      4 miles; 36:25; avg. pace 9:06/mi
Sunday:        8.09 miles; 1:10:35; avg. pace 8:43/mi

Total Mileage:  16.13 miles
Total Time:       2:24:55
Average Pace:  8:59/mi

Happy Running!

Marine Corps Marathon 2012 Race Recap

I started out the morning feeling fresh and strong.  I woke up at 5am, went through my morning ritual, and I was ready to head to the start line around 6:30am.  It was amazing to be able to literally walk to the start and finish line from my apartment.  The atmosphere in Rosslyn was electrifying!  Droves of people filled the streets, coming from all different directions.  It was still dark out as hand cycles whizzed by, music blared, people ran by (warming up I guess?), and DJ's tugged at the anxious strings of everyone's psyche.  I made it to the 3:40-4:00 corral by around 7am and found a spot in the median of the parkway to sit and try to keep my excitement at bay.  I found comfort in watching everyone deal with their obvious stress.  Some people stretched, some paced, some people jumped up and down.  Occasionally someone would mutter a comment and anyone within earshot would laugh with extreme over-exaggeration, anything to make them feel like they were out for a walk on any other morning.  I made it a point to stay off my feet and in my place until 10 minutes before the start.

Miles 1-4

The DJ announced "45 seconds to the start of the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon!"  All of the people in my corral started to surge forward.  We sped up, slowed down, stopped and continued that process until a few minutes later when I crossed the official start.  I felt claustrophobic in the sea of people as I dodged left and right to pass the WALKERS in the 4-hour corral.  We ran through Rosslyn and turned to hit the first, and largest, hill of the course.  This was even worse than the start as many people literally went from a ~9:00/mi pace to a ~14:00/mi pace.  I spent some time running on the sidewalk and mostly stuck to the outskirts to avoid getting trapped.  By the top of the hill the racers had begun to spread out a bit.  I was a bit slow on pace and was averaging around 9:15/mi at the 3-mile marker.  I decided to pick it up on the downhill and clocked a 8:07 mile putting me right were I wanted to be by mile 4.

Miles 5-12

I felt good at the faster pace and wanted to ride the momentum, but I knew I'd fall apart if I kept going that fast.  With the exception of a potty stop at mile 7, I kept all of my mile splits  between 8:39 and 9:03.  I was feeling strong and my legs felt great getting to run free.  The course was absolutely amazing, and the weather, despite the impending hurricane, was ideal for running.  It was overcast and slightly chilly, in the mid to upper 50's.  One thing that I found rather relaxing was that there were far fewer supporters and stands in this stretch of the race and the quiet allowed me to enjoy my marathon.  I'd spent so much time training, both mentally and physically, for this event it was nice to have some time for introspection during my run.  It was almost odd to be running with so many people around me because virtually all of my long runs were by myself on the Mount Vernon Trail.

Miles 13-20

I hit the half way point at 1:56:51, giving me an average pace of 8:55/mi.  Unfortunately my stomach wasn't exactly cooperating with my pace.  I had to stop for a longer potty break at mile 14.  I added about 5 minutes to my time there, but felt incredibly better afterwards.  After that pit stop I was back on track logging miles in the 8:55-9:15 range.  I definitely started to feel the fatigue setting in around the 19-mile-marker.  I had slowed to a roughly 9:30/mi pace at that point, but still felt comfortable.  It was really around this time that I started to appreciate all of the spectators.  People's cheers and signs seemed to really lift my spirits.  As soon as I felt myself really starting to fade, I'd read a sign like, "If this were easy they'd call it your mom!" or "No more Saturday long runs means more Friday night sex!  Yeah baby!"  I also decided to make a race shirt in honor of all the 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment marines who died while deployed with me from 2002-2006.  I signed all 27 of their names on the back of the shirt, and there were several times during the race that thinking of them really motivated me.  I'd be lying if I said that I was running this marathon for anyone else but me, but wearing that shirt made me feel like I was back in the Marine Corps where we did everything together and we relied on one another for support.  I truly miss those guys, and I think about them often.

Miles 20-26.2

As I said, I faded a little, but I was holding strong in the 9:30-9:45 pace range.  Other than my potty break at mile 14 I didn't log a single mile over 10 minutes.  It was around mile 22 that the miles seemed to really creep by.  I had to focus on the task at hand and keep telling myself to put one foot in front of the other, make it to the next mile marker, and that I'm doing exactly what I set out to do.  It was kind of a let down that, at this point, I realized that I wasn't going to break the 4-hour mark unless I picked up the pace.  I would have to run ~9:00 miles from there on out.  I sped up for awhile, but quickly felt my calves and hamstrings tightening and I got worried that I would cramp up like so many people around me and destroy my chances at a decent finish.  Ultimately I held my 9:30-9:45 pace for the rest of the race.  I finished strong up the hill to the Marine Corps War Memorial and crossed the tape at 4:03:55.  I was only 4 minutes shy of breaking the 4-hour mark, which was disappointing, but on the plus side I set a new PR by over 18 minutes!

After the finish we were herded through lines for medals, pictures, food, drinks, and finally to the finish festival in Rosslyn.  I can't begin to describe how much better I felt at the finish of this marathon compared to the 2009 Seattle Marathon.  This was truly a gratifying experience.  Thank you so much to the United States Marine Corps for doing all that you do and for putting on an amazing race.  Also, thank you to Arlington Parks and Recreation for awarding me a bib to participate in the marathon.  I am even more inspired to continue running at this point than I was when I started training several months ago.  With that, I'll take a few days off to recover and let Hurricane Sandy do her thing, then continue training for my next race...the DC Road Runner's 10K Bread Run on December 2, 2012.

Finisher Festival in Rosslyn

Rolling through the National Mall

UPS and USMC making it happen.  Good job!

Feeling strong around either mile 11 or 16...not sure

The Netherlands Carillon near the finish line

Training Summary for Last Week:

Monday:       Off

Tuesday:       Off

Wednesday:  Off

Thursday:      5.2 miles; 45:15; avg. pace 8:42/mi

Friday:          Off

Saturday:      4 miles; 36:15; avg. pace 9:03/mi

Sunday:        26.2 miles; 4:03:55; avg. pace 9:19/mi

Total Miles:      35.4 miles

Total Time:       5:25:25

Average Pace:  9:12/mi

Race Results:

Overall:          5090 out of 23515 (22%)

Male:             3773 out of 13520  (28%)

Division:         535 out of 1673  (32%)

Happy Running!

The Time Has Come

It's a bit surreal to think the Marine Corps Marathon is less than a week away.  It's something for which I've trained so long that I can't believe I'm going to actually have to go and run a marathon this Sunday.  The nervousness and jitters have already began to set in.

After reading a blog post from a more experienced runner (The Run Factory) about using a pace group to qualify for Boston, I've decided that I'm going to find the 4-hour pace group at MCM 2012 and cling to them for dear life.  I've proven to myself that I can hold a 9:00-9:15/mi pace for 20+ miles in training runs, but I want to ensure that I do it on race day.  I figure that having a pace group will greatly reduce the mental strain of maintaining a steady pace, especially considering the magnitude of the Marine Corps Marathon and the intensity of the supporters.  I want to break the 4-hour mark this Sunday, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to hang with the 4-hour pacers.  It seems like a daunting task to run a sub 4-hour marathon given that my last time was 4:22:18, but I feel like I've put in the miles and speed work to accomplish this goal.  I'm going to stay with the pack, or I'm going to blow up trying.

Last week was another nice week of taper running, and my body feels very strong and healthy.  My only semi-long run was a 10-miler on Sunday, and I tried to make it sort of a mock marathon.  I can walk to the start line of the MCM from my apartment, so I got up last Sunday and walked down near Arlington National Cemetery and started my run at 7:55am.  I really struggled to find my pace for the first 5-6 miles.  I was kind of all over the place from about 8:50/mi to 9:50/mi.  I also felt like my mind was wandering, but not in a good way were the miles just mindlessly fly by.  Somehow I started to focus mentally on the marathon, and I could envision running along the Potomac on race day (partly because I was running along the Potomac).  I finished up the run with 4 miles right on pace between 8:50-9:00/mi, and I felt great after the run.  I honestly felt like I could do it again without much effort.  Of course, this Sunday I will need to do it again and then add another 10k.

Well, this is it for blog posts until the race recap next week.  Thanks to the 4 people that read this, for tagging along on my second first marathon journey.  :-P  I'll continue to blog after the marathon, but I don't know which race will be next.  I'm definitely planning on running some shorter local races in the winter months.  DC Road Runners has the Snowball Series with some 5k, 10k, and half-marathons which I'd like to take part in.

Last Week's Training Summary:

Monday:  Off
Tuesday:  Off
Wednesday:  4 miles; 34:29; avg. pace 8:35/mi
Thursday:  6 miles; 52:45; avg. pace 8:41/mi
Friday:  Off
Saturday:  4 miles; 34:45; avg. pace 8:41/mi
Sunday:  10.57 miles; 1:37:39; avg. pace 9:14/mi

Total Miles: 24.57
Total Time: 3:39:38
Average Pace: 8:56/mi

Happy Running!

Start the Taper! My Legs Hurt!

Last week was a great first week of my taper.  I still ran a 4-mile tempo run (at an insane pace for me!), a 16-mile long run, and hit 34 miles for the week, but I had an extra day off during the week and it was a decrease in mileage from the previous 3 weeks.  My 'real' taper will start this week, where I'm only looking to do about 20 miles with no more tempo runs before the marathon.

I was a little worried about how my training would progress after a vacation to Hawaii in early September, but after 4 really solid weeks of running I'm very optimistic heading into the Marine Corps Marathon.  In the last 4 weeks I've had (1) 12-mile run, (2) 16-mile runs, and (1) 21-mile run and they've all been right on pace for where I want to run MCM.  In fact, my average pace for those 4 long runs is about 45 seconds per mile faster than my average pace for the 2009 Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon.

It's crazy to think where I started from in training for this marathon.  I remember when I was running 2-mile runs in June, and I was excited when I broke 20 minutes.  I started out running around 10 miles per week, and I averaged 40 miles per week for the past 4 weeks.  I feel like I've made a drastic lifestyle change, and, regardless of my performance at MCM 2012, I'd really like to keep this momentum.  I actually feel like a runner now, and that certainly wasn't the case in Seattle.

That last paragraph got me flipping through my training log, and it's actually a really cool thing to have.  I've got the distance, time, and average pace for every run I've done over the past 4 months; roughly 400 miles of memories.  If you've never kept a training log, I would absolutely recommend giving it a try.  It's actually quite gratifying to look back on all of the weeks and remember what I was going through, either struggling with or proud of, at the time.  The training log has also given me quite the confidence boost as I see, in tangible terms, how I've progressed.

I feel like I should give a little explanation for my relatively slow pace for my last 16-miler.  My Camelbak bladder sprung a leak during the run and soaked my back and shorts.  I stopped for a couple minutes to check that out, and I also spent an unusually long amount of time waiting to cross streets, parking lots, etc. due to traffic.  If I subtract my 'stopped' time I was actually at a 2:27:10 which equates to a ~9:12/mi pace, which is right in line with my other long runs.  Nonetheless, I got to rest for all of that stoppage time so I figured I'd go with the 'clock time' instead.

Training Summary for Last Week:

Monday:       Off
Tuesday:       Off
Wednesday:  6 miles; 54:20; avg. pace 9:03/mi
Thursday:      4 miles; 30:10; avg. pace 7:32/mi
Friday:          Off
Saturday:      8.04 miles; 1:10:25; avg. pace 8:46/mi
Sunday:        16 miles; 2:35:43; avg. pace 9:44/mi

Total Mileage:  34.04
Total Time:  5:10:38
Average Pace:  9:08/mi

Happy Running!

"Did you call your pimp!?"

I had quite the morning 6-miler the other day.  I was trotting through Arlington around 6am on an easy run, relishing in my accomplishments last week when I was confronted by a passing homeless woman who cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Did you call your pimp!?  Did you call your pimp!?"  I sort of laughed wondering if she was just completely crazy, or if she was posing a more philosophical question about my conformation to society living out the 'American Dream' in Yale, male, pale Arlington.

My contemplation didn't exactly last long as I found myself mid-flight after my shoe ever-so-slightly clipped the curb over which I was bounding.  I'm sure it was quite comical to any passers-by as I tucked and rolled down the sidewalk bouncing up to continue my run as if nothing happened.  I was quickly drawn out of my own head and my awareness was returned to my surroundings.  This completely turned my sort of boring run into a fun morning adventure.  It reminded me to enjoy the present journey rather than live in my head thinking about the future or the past.; the Marine Corps Marathon coming up at the end of the month has somewhat dominated my thoughts as of recent.

As far as last week's training went, it was phenomenal!  I set a new PR of 49:25 for a 6 mile tempo run, and I had an average pace of 9:17 for a 21.34 mile run last weekend.  My training last week, and the week prior, have really helped to build my confidence going into the marathon.  I'm starting my taper this week, and shooting for 34 miles followed by 20 miles the next week.  For now, I'm guessing I'll hit about 12 miles the week of the marathon, not counting the marathon itself of course :-)

Last Week's Training Summary:

Monday:       Off
Tuesday:       6 miles; 49:25; avg. pace 8:14/mi
Wednesday:  6.04 miles; 53:50; avg. pace 8:55/mi
Thursday:      2 miles; 18:48; avg. pace 9:24/mi
Friday:          Off
Saturday:      8 miles; 1:10:45; avg. pace 8:51/mi
Sunday:        21.34 miles; 3:18:03; avg. pace 9:17/mi

Total Mileage: 43.38 miles
Total Time: 6:30:51
Average Pace: 9:01

Happy Running!

PR's For Everyone!

My wife completed her first Warrior Dash last weekend.  It was a really cool experience to go and be a spectator at a race, where I was able to take photos, cheer people on, and enjoy the festivities.  This was the first time she had ever worn a bib, and her excitement was infectious.  She ran the race with a couple of work colleagues, and they dominated the course!  They made it through all 11 obstacles and the ~3.5 miles of running wearing hot pink tights, ribbons in their hair, and keeping their tiaras on their heads.

My wife will tell you that she didn't train for the Warrior Dash, but she managed to fit quite a few 7-8 mile runs in over the last month.  Before the race she said that she didn't have any interest in doing more races in the future, but on the drive home from the race she said, "I think I might enter a 5K or 10K, you know where I can just run.  Without all of the mud and obstacles."  I think she's caught the bug, and before you know it we'll be entering Valentine's Day couples races and all of that other sappy running love stuff  :-D  I'm really proud of her because 5 years ago there's no way she'd do something like a Warrior Dash, and actually have fun doing it.  We've both made some really positive changes in our lives over the past few years, and I think we're really starting to enjoy the benefits of our healthier lifestyles.  Way to go wife, you rock!

*My wife didn't want to be shown on the blog, so none of the pictures are of her or her friends.

The start of my wife's heat.  Pretty cool pyrotechnics!

Some random Texas football fans in tutus jumping over fire.

Unfortunately, one of the more memorable costumes

Thor commanding his troops over the cargo net

One of my favorites, Wonder Woman taking a tumble (performing her "rolling move") over the netting

Behold the aftermath of Warrior Dash

In other news, last week was another amazing training week for me.  I set a PR for a 6-mile tempo run, I hit a new mileage high for the week and long run, and I kept all of my runs right on pace with where I want to be for MCM on 10/28/2012.  I averaged exactly 10:00/mi at my last marathon, and I'd really like to beat that time.  Last week really helped me regain some confidence going into the marathon.  I've got one more week of hard training before I start my taper and I'll need to perform just as well this week to head into the marathon strong, both mentally and physically.

Running Summary for Last Week:

Monday:       Off
Tuesday:       6 miles; 50:00, avg. pace 8:20/mi
Wednesday:  6 miles; 54:40; avg. pace 9:07
Thursday:      6 miles; 54:30; avg. pace 9:05/mi
Friday:          Off
Saturday:      8.11 miles; 1:15:30; avg. pace 9:18/mi
Sunday:        16 miles; 2:26:20; avg. pace 9:08/mi

Total Mileage: 42.11 miles
Total Time: 6:21:30
Average Pace: 9:04/mi