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!

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

Essay Contest for MCM 2012

This morning I stumbled onto an essay contest sponsored by the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department for a bib at the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon!  I'm elated at the renewed possibility of getting to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon.  Of course, I have to be one of the 10 chosen winners...

Having served in the Marine Corps from 2002 to 2006, and deploying to Iraq 3 times it would be a great honor for me to run the Marine Corps Marathon.  I was very disappointed to find out that race tickets had sold out in a record 2 hours and 41 minutes!  The United States Marine Corps has changed my life and I am very proud to be a veteran.  I think that it would be a wonderful experience to take part in this massive event near our nation's capital.

Although my essay is taken into account in determining the winners of the contest, votes are as well.  I would love it if you could help a Marine run in the Marine Corps Marathon, and vote for "Marine Corps Veteran" here.

Here is the essay which I submitted to AP&R:

(Limited to 150 words or less)

9/11 happened during my senior year in high school, and as a result of this tragedy I enlisted in the Marine Corps infantry. I served honorably from 2002 to 2006, and deployed to Iraq 3 times. My time in Iraq opened my eyes and my heart to others in the world. It has inspired me to accept, embrace, and even appreciate the differences in others.

Now living in Arlington, I have found a new love for running through the many beautiful parks and trails. There is nothing like watching a sunrise over the capital during a morning run along the Potomac. I was ecstatic to learn that I would be in Arlington for the MCM; however, that elation was short lived since tickets sold out so quickly. Please allow me to express my pride and appreciation for the country in which we live by running in the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon.

3/5 Scout Snipers Fallujah, Iraq 2004-2005
(I am back row, fourth from left)

Happy Running!