Bring on the LCFB Marathon

I went into today's planned 21-mile run a slight degree of trepidation. Sure, I know I can run 21 miles. That's not the issue. However, would I be able to run it at a pace that would give me a strong indication of PR potential on Feb 17?

The temps were beautiful today in the Chicago area. Much sunshine with a high of 36. I waited until 1PM to start the run so that I could run in peak warmth.

Just a brief word on solo running. We all run solos. It's part of the drill. However, I do not underestimate the fact that every single training run I have put in during this marathon cycle has been on my own. I can only wonder what I could accomplish if I had a coach and a demanding, fit partner with whom to run.

Knocking out a near-marathon-pace 21-miler with no breaks (i.e. straight through, carrying your fuel belt and darting through intersections to keep your pace) is hard enough with a partner. Doing it in solitude is something in which I take great pride.

Why 21 miles? Pfitz had me scheduled for 20 but I wanted one-up him. I figured I could use the extra confidence.

Here are the results of today's run: 21 uninterrupted miles - avg pace: 7:17 - final five miles avg was 7:02 (final mile at 6:37).


I am thinking this kind of run, coupled with my other strong runs, will put me in good shape for a potential PR on February 17th. However, I believe the weather will need to be on my side. If it is zero farenheit, all bets are off. My best runs have been with temps in the 30's.

I really was surprised at my ability to hold sub-marathon goal pace towards the end. There were some tough miles due to wind and grade in the middle of the run. But when I hit 16, things got easier. I was able to kick into to overdrive and cruise through goal pace mileage with no issue.

Here is the recap for the week:

Mon 1/21 - 17 miles @ 7:38 avg pace
Tue 1/22 - Rest
Wed 1/23 - 10 miles w/4x1200m repeats - Nailed this workout on treadmill - repeats were done at 5k pace of 6:07
Thu 1/24 - Rest
Fri 1/25 - 9 miles on treadmill at 7:56 avg pace
Sat 1/26 - Recovery 5-miler at 8:38 avg pace
Sun 1/27 - 21-miler at 7:17 avg pace (2:33:09). NO STOPS WHATSOEVER. Final 5 miles at an average of 7:02.

Total: 62 miles

So my lovely, pregnant bride and I celebrated my run with a satisfying meal at ... of all places... this wonderful eating establishment. Of course, where else should I eat after that kind of run?!

Three weeks until the LCFB Marathon. Time to taper.

Battling The Deep Freeze

My training highlight of the week took place yesterday during a visit to the gym treadmill.

On the schedule was a “tune-up race” between 8-15k. I do not think Pfitzinger wrote his training schedule for those of us who train in Chicago winters for February marathons in Ohio.

There actually was a local 5k race yesterday, but it was –5 degrees at 8AM. Okay, call me a wuss, but I didn’t see how this short race in extreme temps would benefit my marathon goal. So off to the gym I went.

My plan was to put in a “simulated 8k race” at around 6:27 pace, if I could get there and hold it on a treadmill without going stir crazy.

I warmed up with an 8:45 mile and went into 6:39 pace for my first race pace mile. Each mile, I upped the speed gradually. By mile 4, I realized I was feeling really strong. So strong that I decided I would extend my planned 8k “self race” into a 10k.

It’s worth noting that I do not have a 10k PR that lines up well with my other PR’s. However, by mile 6, I was pushing 6:15 pace and planning for a sub-6 pace finish, which would crush my 10k PR. Here’s how I ended up:

1 - 6:39
2 - 6:35
3 - 6:31
4 - 6:27
5 - 6:25
6 - 6:12
0.2 - 1:10
10k time: 39:59

A 39:59 10-k is a PR by 1:53 for me. Okay, so it was on a treadmill, so it’s not a “real” PR, but it is a strong indicator of my fitness. This lines up with a 3:07 marathon. I was pumped with this result.

Today’s high temperature was about 14 degrees, with a real feel of 7. It was actually warmer than initially projected. Given tomorrow’s MLK holiday off from work, I postponed my 17-miler until tomorrow, when the temps will be into the balmy 20’s. I did a recovery 6 on the treadmill again today.

My total mileage this week was only 37 due to my schedule adjustment. With a 17-miler tomorrow and a 20-miler on Sunday, it will be a huge final week before taper. I am targeting 61-63 miles this coming week. Most notably, I have 1200m repeats scheduled for Wednesday and a hard 20-miler on Sunday.

Four weeks until marathon Sunday.

Re-energized & Determined

I have increased my level of focus on achieving a PR in my upcoming marathon five weeks from today. On the schedule today was a 17-mile run with 14 at marathon goal pace.

Goal pace range at this point is 7:10-7:14. I hope to put up a 3:09 or better at the LCFB Marathon.

I set out to run the first mile slower than goal pace then kick into steady pace miles for 14. I carried the fuel belt with the hopes of avoiding, or at least minimizing, stops. The plan was if I felt good, I would hang on for my final two "bonus" miles at goal pace.

As you can see from the numbers, things went well: 17 miles at an avg 7:09. Today's run was a huge lift. I felt really good most of the way through.

I did feel a little fatigue at 14, but that's not surprising. I only stopped a couple of times along the way - once for a minute at the half point to pee, and a second to wait for traffic to clear. All and all, I exceeded my expectations and am feeling that I am progressing toward a new marathon PR.

I know I could run these workouts even harder and faster if I had a training partner. Right now, however, I simply do not have one. I also know that I would be faster on pavement. The trail is torn up from the winter and the horse tracks. It needs resurfacing.

I turned in 50 miles for the week.

Every day for the next 5 weeks, I will focus on what I need to do to deliver my best marathon on Feb 17th.

Three key areas of focus:

(1) Nutrition / Weight Control -- My weight was up to 172 pounds today (damn choco chip cookies my wife made -- too good!). I think I need to be closer to a race weight of 167. I will try to shave a few over the next five weeks.

(2) Cross-Training -- Especially over the next two weeks, I want to maximize my fitness and avoid injury. Cross-training & stretching are critical.

(3) Mental conditioning -- This worked well for me during my Chicago '06 PR. I need to visualize my success and build it into my mind that I WILL PR.

I am going to get that PR that was due to me this past October.

Regaining Purpose in Running

I just purchased three running-related books that I received from Amazon this week:

Boston Marathon or Bust: A Proven Step-By-Step Program That Helps You Achieve Your Life, Sports, and Business Goals in Record Time.

I began reading this one right when I opened up the box. I'm already halfway through. It's a really easy read. Despite its title, It's not so much about running, as it is about goal setting.

The Last Pick: The Boston Marathon Race Director's Road to Success

I read the first few pages of this book to get a sense of what it's about. It is written by Dave McGillivray, who is the Director of the Boston Marathon. He seems like one hell of a motivated and successful person, based on what I read in the foreward by the myriad of athletes he has inspired. Anyone who runs from Seattle to Boston for charity is someone I want to know and learn about.

Runner's World Performance Nutrition for Runners: How to Fuel Your Body for Stronger Workouts, Faster Recovery, and Your Best Race Times Ever (Runners

I have only peeked into this one, but the bottom line is that I need to take my nutrition more seriously. Not only for running purposes, but more so to keep my energy levels up and my weight in check. After all, I am 32 1/2 now. I hope to learn and build some positive habits from this book.

I hope this book will build some inspiration and focus for me. I have found that am simply just going through the motions. Yes, I am putting in all of my runs. But I do not feel like I have been running with purpose. I plan to really focus on why and how I am running through some of my readings.

On a positive note, I will say that I feel good about the 5x1000m workout I nailed in total darkness on a windy high school track on Wednesday morning. No overhead lights to guide my steps.

I have run 27 miles this week so far. I will run a recovery six today. I then have an important 17-miler with 14 at goal pace (7:10-7:14) tomorrow, which will put me at 50 for the week.

The First 48 of 2008

I completed 48 miles this week, which is right on task with 6 weeks to go to the marathon. Honestly, it felt like a low mileage week -- until today's long run, anyway.

Talk about drastic climate changes. I did wednesday's 11 miler in 8 degree weather - and today's 18-miler in mid-50 degree weather.

I am not going to pretend today's run was easy. The splits look pretty good, but I did not feel as strong as usual. I was tired, to be honest. I believe there are some reasons.

First potential factor was the hard treadmill mileage I did yesterday in attempts to simulate a race of some sort. I did 6:45's for the first four miles of seven for the day.

Second point may be the seven or eight beers I had at a neighbor's "couples" baby shower last night, along with lasagna, chocolate cake -- not to mention a cookie before bedtime. OK, not the smartest move, but they were going down easy and I barely got buzzed off of Beck's Light 64 calorie beer.

Third factor was likely the 20+ mph head winds I faced from mile 9 to 13 heading south today. You can see my HR in the 160's during this stretch when running 7:50's, when I normally would be in the high 140's for such a pace. Once I made the turn to head back east, my HR dropped back into the 150's and I was running 7:30's.

I'm looking forward to rest up tomorrow. Goal for this week is 51 miles with an important marathon goal pace run on Sunday (14 miles out of 17 total). No business travel planned for the foreseeable future. I am in pretty good control of my schedule and hitting all of the miles.

I have run every mile on this training cycle by myself. It's not ideal as I enjoy the camraderie, but I believe that I am one mentally strong runner. I hope I am pushing myself hard enough for BQ fitness.

I can't wait for my new Asics Gel Nimbus 9's to be delivered on Tuesday. I am at 350 on this pair and ready to switch out.

Reflecting on '07 / Goal setting for '08

Happy New Year, everyone.

For just a moment, I will reflect on what a great year for running 2008 turned out to be for me.

Firstly, I am amazed I ran 2,101 miles this year. That's over 40 per week on average. I put in five 60+ mile weeks with the peak of 67 back in August. This crushes last year's output of 1,632 miles.

I ran three marathons, my single year PR. I'll never forget my experience on April 16th when I ran my first Boston Marathon despite the feared nor'easter storm. What an experience it was. I'll never forget learning of the Va. Tech massacre upon returning to my hotel, which overshadowed the glory of the race day.

Chicago was nearly as memorable as Boston with the heat and adjusting my goal from a 3:00-3:05 target to simply finishing, which I did in 3:32. Man, it was a scorcher. Not to mention that I tapered for Chicago in China, which made the experience that much more interesting.

And knocking out my third marathon just three weeks after Chicago was quite a another accomplishment. Though I didn't get that BQ, I set my 2nd best time and showed that I can travel across the globe and still train for a marathon.

Along with setting a PR for running mileage, I set another PR for airplane mileage at the same time with all of my 2007 business travel. I made Exec Platinum with AA and ran in some fascinating places. I ran in London several times in 2007 and put in a great deal of mileage in the city of Chengdu, China on my 4-week assignment there.

In round numbers, assuming conservatively an average pace of 7:45, I ran for over 271 hours or nearly 39 total days in 2007. This means that there was over a 10% chance you could find me running at any given moment in 2007.

It's goal setting time. I am not going to set a total mileage goal, since I am not sure I can beat this year with my daughter coming to us this year. I figure if I can hit the races below, it will be a decent year of mileage.

Here are my running goals for specific races I plan to run in 2008:

- Run 3:10 or better at the LCFB Marathon – 2/17/08
- Run 1:31 or better at the March Madness Half Marathon (last year’s time 1:32:50) – 3/16/07
- Set a PR at the Chicago Shamrock Shuffle 8k (last year’s PR: 31:53) – 3/30/08
- Run my second Boston Marathon* – 4/21/08
- Run the St. George (UT) Marathon** – 10/4/08

*NOTE: Running Boston is contingent on running a BQ at the LCFB Marathon and, more importantly, the condition of Jennifer and the impending birth of our child. (Her due date is May 5th).

**NOTE: I am not setting a goal time for St. George since I will spend the summer adapting to fatherhood. I simply do not know how I will balance my newly acquired daddy duties and my training.

Here are PR’s by distance I will aim to achieve regardless of race selected:

- Set a new 10k PR – Goal: 40:30
- Set a new 5k PR – Goal: 18:59
- Set a new half marathon PR – Goal: 1:27:59

Recap of my final week of 2007

With today's long run, I completed my 55-mile week right as planned. I put together a very solid string of training runs in sync with Pfitzinger’s schedule for the LCFB Marathon. This was by far the most mileage I have ever put in during Christmas week.

I was visiting my in-laws in South Pittsburgh for the holiday and completed four of my five workouts there this week. They live near the Montour Trail, which is a series of scenic paths that surround the south and west of Pittsburgh, tucked within the suburbs.

Mon 12/24 – Rest / travel to Pittsburgh

Tue 12/25 – Christmas Day – 6 miles with 6x100m strides

Wed 12/26 – 12 miles with 7 at LT pace (6:38-6:40) – 1:26:50 total (7:14 avg pace)

This was a killer workout on the local high school track. Pfitz calls for MP for 7 miles on this run. However, I wanted to run LT pace, since I had struggled to put in some of the schedule LT miles due to weather.

I warmed up with a mile and then picked it up to target 400m splits in the 1:38-1:40 range. In summary, I nailed 28 straight – only stopping for 20 sec’s to grab some Gatorade. I then finished up with another 16 laps at 1:50-1:55 per split.

This workout indicates I could easily crush my 10k PR (which is not surprising to me, since my 10k PR is not in line with my other PR’s) I never in my life dreamed that I could run 48.5 consecutive laps on a 400m track, but I did it on this day.

Not to mention the fact that I did it in 1:26:50 (which equals 7:14/mile, right on BQ pace).

Thu 12/27 – Rest

Fri 12/28 – 12 miles – 7:22 avg pace – avg HR: 158

There is steady grade upward on the Montour Trail for several miles when heading north from Peters Township, PA, which makes for a really fast second half of an out and back. I averaged 7:03 for my final 5 miles as I cruised down the grade. Rockin’ workout.

Sat 12/29 – Montour Trail, PA - 5 miles recovery – 8:32 average

Sun 12/30 – Plainfield, IL - 20 long – 7:38 average – final mile at 7:05

With my workouts quite intense on Wed and Fri, my goal was to run this 20 around 7:40-7:45 avg pace. I took the fuel belt and explored new territory of the western side of Plainfield. My hope was to make no stops on this 20-miler, but I took a brief break at Larry’s Diner to use the can.

All and all, it was a very good long training run. My overall average pace was 7:38. My avg HR of 151 suggests very good conditioning. I won’t say the run was easy, but no solo 20-miler ever is.

Total for the week: 55 miles

With a planned rest day tomorrow, I am done running in 2007. I have finished with 2,101 miles. I will reflect on my year in running tomorrow and post my 2008 goals on New Year's Day.

If you are blogging these days, I look forward to reading your running goals, or whatever personal goals you may have for 2008. This is the best time of year to set goals. I feel such life and energy when the new year approaches. We all should take time to celebrate our successes for ’07 and plan an even more prosperous ’08.

Best Winter Form Ever

The LCFB Marathon is 8 weeks away. I will continue to work toward setting a marathon PR on Feb 17th. However, I may have to work a bit harder than I would in fall temperatures according to this RW article.

"When your core temperature drops below 98.6°F, your body requires 15 to 20 percent more oxygen to maintain the same pace". Great. And the temperature will be, what, 15 degrees if we're lucky?

For this past week, I kept right to schedule with Pfitzinger's 55mpw program by running a step back week of 43 miles.

Some highlights:

• Wed - Did 5x600m repeats on subdivision streets since the local track was covered in 6 inches of snow. I targeted 2:15 in 0.38 mi increments, which is about 6:00 min pace for 600 m. Finished with 8 miles
• Sat - Carried the fuel belt and ran a solid 14-miler with no breaks. Finished with a 6:31 mile (7:30 avg for the entire run).
• Sun - Hid from the 40mph wind gusts and hit the gym treadmill for a steady 8-miler.

I've arrived at peak mileage week in the program. I am eager to hit 55 miles this week while visiting the in-laws in Pittsburgh. Provided I can juggle family commitments, I don't anticipate any difficulty in doing so.

One important workout this week is the 12-miler on Wednesday, which includes 7 at lactate threshold pace. I haven't had much LT work this training cycle, so I plan to be very disciplined and to the splits on a track. I'm guessing my LT pace is about 6:40.

On Sunday, I will push my planned 20-miler in the range of 7:25-7:30 with a fast finish. I hope the weather is cooperative on Sunday. This run will put me over 2,100 miles for 2007.

I am really good shape for December 24th. In fact, this definitely the best running shape that I have ever achieved in mid-winter.

Time to set your 2008 running goals, if you haven't already. I will be working diligently on my plan over this week's Christmas break.

Happy Christmas to all who read this.

Breaking M2K

I logged 50 miles this week, which peaked today with a killer 12-miler in the snow at faster than goal marathon pace. I am stoked about the outcome of today's run given the struggle I had yesterday.

I intended to knock out 15 with 12 at MP yesterday at the Aboretum, but something wasn't right for me. Suppose it's not wise to schedule a MP run through such rolling hills. Either way, I did not have the pep or the energy level, so I retired after seven. I stormed back today.

Over half of my 50 this week came during four days spent at the Connecticut office and contending with the usual tribulations of the winter weather. I did 4 miles at LT pace on the track early morning on Tuesday as part of a 13 miler.

Recap of 12/10 week

Mon - Rest / Travel to CT
Tue - 13 w/4 at LT
Wed - 7 rec+hills -8:23 avg pace
Thu - 6 - 7:42 avg
Fri - 5 rec - 8:24
Sat - 7 G.A - 7:42 avg pace
Sun - 12 at MP - 7:05 avg pace

TOTAL: 50 miles

I'm thrilled to report that I broke the 2,000 mile barrier in 2007 with today's run. I stand at 2,003 YTD. Depending how I juggle the schedule, I should land somewhere between 2,101 and 2,109 miles for the year. Fun fact: This is the approximate distance from my house to San Francisco!

Comparing 2,100+ miles in '07 to last year's total of 1,632 really amazes me. What's more, I earned Executive Platinum status on AA, so you could say that I had some traveling to juggle.

Nine weeks until the LCFB Marathon on February 17th, 2007. I'm motivated to get that PR in the depths of winter.

Product Review: AirDrives Headphones

One of the more enjoyable aspects about being an experienced contributor in the running blogspace is the occasional invitation to test and review products that apply to the running lifestyle. I have been asked to trial energy supplements, hydration products and now audio accessories.

This post is dedicated to a review of AirDrives audio heaphones.

I’ll admit that I’m not a running purist. Music gets me through most of my solo training runs. High-energy tunes can often inspire me through some tough miles and soulful tracks can help me explore my thoughts during my runs. However, I do adhere to a very strict no-Ipod policy for races. With training mileage eclipsing 50 miles right now, I was excited to give a new pair of headphones a try.

It is noteworthy that I am fairly brand-loyal to a pair Sony lightweight, in-ear headphones model # MDR-W08 that I use during my training runs. I have replaced them a few times in the past few years for a retail price of $10.99. This product provides an outstanding value.

The Sony MDR-W08 design is lightweight, flexible and provides a decent sound output to last me through even the toughest of twenty-milers, as last Saturday’s run would demonstrate. The balance of treble and punchy bass is really impressive for the lightweight, flexible design.

And should the Sonys break through all of my miles, travels, abuse and wear-and-tear? I trek the 0.3 mile journey to my local target and cheerfully shell out another $10.99 for a replacement pair. My current Sony headphones is my benchmark to which I compared the AirDrives.

The concept of the AirDrives headphones is innovative and well-intended: Create high-quality, lightweight durable personal headphones that allow the user to listen to tunes, while providing increased sensitivity to loud noises or hazards while out on the road. For runners and other athletes, this means improved hearing which would help avoid accidents, reckless vehicles and careless bikers. The design is also intended to protect hearing by not blasting right into your eardrum.

The design is somewhat similar to other headsets in the market that have ear hangers that hold the audio bud against your ear. What’s different is that the AirDrives design places a speaker near, but not “in”, your ear canal and direct the sound across.

First, I found that the plastic “ear hang” approach is not stable enough for a pinhead like me whose ears do not have much girth to fill out the clips. While I did read the instructions carefully on how to position the earphones, I did find it a challenge to find the best placement for the earphones to remain secure. Once you fiddle with them, you can get them to stay in place, but it’s not a convenient as throwing on other, more intuitively designed earphones. As a result, I will admit that I did not log too many miles with the AirDrives.

Second, the unit I received seemed to have an issue with the volume control switch. The volume coming out of each earphone did not seem to be consistently equal. Whenever I fiddled with the volume switch and gave it a gentle squeeze, the earphone with the lower volume would immediately perk up with more sound. After messing with it, I could eventually get them to equal out at peak volume. Maybe I got a bum pair? Whatever the case, this minor annoyance gave me an impression of a lower quality product.

Third, forget about using these things if there is any ambient noise around you whatsoever. To put the AirDrives to an overly extreme test, I tried them on a flight from New York to Chicago. Any audiophile would be appalled and even the casual user would be frustrated. With its open-ear design, the product basically has the opposite of the noise-canceling feature high-end headphones that are so popular among air travelers.

While I realize the designers did not intend for the product to be used in loud environments, the fact is versatility is important for many consumers when buying headphones. Even in a relatively quiet environment, I could not get the sound quality that most people would want. It sounded like I was listening to two mini transistor radios set next to my ears.

Finally, I wrote most of this review before I knew how much I would have had to shell out at Best Buy to get a pair of the AirDrives on my own. When I learned the MSRP is set at $99, it was easy for me to decide that I would not be recommending these to friends. I’m hopeful the next model will deliver higher quality and performance for this kind of price.

Bottom Line: The maker of AirDrives needs to significantly improve its design, audio and hardware quality and overall performance to be a viable competitor at the $99 price point. In its current design, I do not feel there will be a high rate of repeat purchase or recommendations to other consumers.

Commiting to Marathon #11 - 52 mile week

It's official. I am signed up for the Last Chance For Boston Marathon in Dublin (Columbus), Ohio, which will be #11. My e-registration is complete. My hotel room, airfare and car rental are all booked. If I BQ, I may go to Boston in April, depending on how Jen's pregnancy goes. I don't want to think about Boston now. I just want to do the best I can in Dublin.

The decision was tough on which race to register. I learned of a contingent from my local running group that are going to Tampa. I spent a great deal of time pondering if I should go back to Tampa today. I even pontificated Austin for a brief moment.

However, I did not want to go these larger city, further away marathons by myself. The wife will not be traveling with me and she is my #1 fan. Plus, it is a bit late to get choice flights and hotels for these larger marathons, so I bagged it. Much more expensive proposition and I didn't want to go it alone. A quick 1-night trip to run a marathon on a fast, flat looped course suits me fine in February.

Most importantly, besides it being the most convenient, I decided on this marathon to revisit an interesting part of my past. Little known fact is that I lived in Dublin, OH from 1998 to 2000 as I began my career with The Scotts-MiracleGro Company. So it is a bit of a homecoming for me.

Despite the challenging wind, rain, ice and snow that hit us this week, I hit 52 miles out of the 54 planned. Tuesday's run in the wet, blinding flurries was not all the fun (I could barely see since I had to do it at night) - but I ran 7:30's for 10 miles. Thursday's 11-miler at 6:00 AM was frigid. The highlight of the week was Saturday's 20-miler at the Aboretum. See splits below.

Off to Connecticut for work on a 6:40 flight to LaGuardia tomorrow AM. The target is 47 miles while away from home until Thursday this week. On pace for 2,098 miles in 2007.

Comeback Week Of 48 miles

I've been fighting the onslaught of a cold for a few days now. More notably, today I endured the wind, ice and freezing rain that hit the Chicago area only to knock out 18 miles. The weather was miserable.

I started about 10:00 AM today thinking the front had passed and got slammed with a very, icy cold downpour at mile 2. I decided to turn around and head back to the house. By the time I finished 3.5 miles and arrived at the house, I was freezing, drenched and pissed.

I quickly dried off, changed, warmed up and waited out the rain... or so I thought. About 40 minutes later, I headed back out since the forecast indicated the rain had passed. Nope.

Both times I was underdressed with shorts and a long-sleeve shirt since the forecast said "RealFeel" of 49 with no rain. I don't think so, Mr. Weather Man.

I changed clothes a third time at the 14 mile mark and this time was smart enough to put on pants and a wind jacket to help fend off the moisture. Thank goodness, because the steady rain started up again.

It's days like these that I am really proud of completing a hard workout. It's hard enough putting in 18 all by yourself, but when you are contending with wind, rain and ice, it makes it that much more meaningful. My average pace was 7:46 for the day.

All and all, I feel pretty good. I felt a slight soreness in my right hamstring. Nothing serious, I do not think.

I hit 48 miles for the week, which is a monster comeback after the Achilles scare of last week. I had a steady 10-miler on Wed eve after getting re-settled from London.

With limited daylight and brisk temperatures, the 50+ mile weeks do not come as easy as we head into the winter. I hope to try for 54 miles this week, which is right out of Pfitzinger's plan.

If I can successfully hit 50+ this week and stay healthy, I will probably sign up for the LCFB Marathon next week, which is on February 17, 2008. If I hit all planned miles for the remainder of 2007, I will have run exactly 2,100 miles for the year. Astounding.

Eyeing a February Marathon

I have run one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine miles so far in 2007. I am scheduled to come close to 2,100 by year-end – an earth-shattering single-year record for me. As I sit on this Boeing 777 about forty minutes outside of O’Hare, I cannot believe there are only four and half weeks left in this year.

I have had this eight-hour flight to plan, reflect and refocus my running, career and life goals for the remainder of the year and on into next. I also want to start thinking about my personal goals for 2008 – not in just running, but in all aspects of my life. With a baby on the way, I am bracing myself for major personal changes in the coming year.

Fortunately, I have developed a cautious level of spirited optimism over the past couple of days regarding the Achilles tendon issue that I was moaning about last week. I have not had any pain or discomfort over the past few runs. Maybe my three-day rest and icing actually helped?

On Saturday, I went to the gym to do some cross training and strengthening. I read that I should try to increase strength in my calves so that stress will not be displaced down on my Achilles tendons. My calves are still sore from the lifts. I also knocked out 20 minutes of elliptical and stairs before hitting a short 3-miler.

On Sunday before I left Chicago, I had a steady 12-miler with no issues. Before this particular run, I took the insert from an old pair of shoes, cut it in half and added the padding to my back right heel. I read that this would reduce my stress on the tendon. It seems to have worked.

I had a moist, cool six-mile run this morning through London’s Hyde Park before heading into the office. I feel good about getting this six in given a very compressed trip timeline, jet lag, a long business dinner and some late work last night. Again, no swelling, twinges or pain with Mr. Achilles.

After one final 2:00 AM conference call with Asia tonight, I plan to make some great strides in work-life balance. My piece of the China work will be complete after tonight. Though the work can be exciting, I cannot sustain working on projects in the time zones of three continents on a regular basis. It definitely screws up my running and my sleep!

For my balance of year training, I will hop onto the Pfitzinger 55mpw program to sync up with the February 17 marathon in Columbus beginning tomorrow. I will carefully monitor my body to ensure I do not get injured. If I sense any significant injury risk, I likely will back off and rethink the February marathon.

I do not want to just show up for this marathon, I want to have a real shot at a BQ. If I think the chances are low, then I don’t want to run it. It’s not exactly a destination marathon on a thrilling course. Therefore, I will carefully monitor my progress. If I can get through the next couple of weeks, stay healthy and hit all the miles, I will sign up. Probably. Maybe.

Overblown Rant

I am experiencing an interesting affliction that began over the last day and a half. I feel this drive deep down inside of me to spring into action. To chase some challenging goal. To fulfill some deep-rooted ambition. Yet, I am feeling a sense of defeat and despair.

I set a plan into motion for a February marathon as I crushed a 17-mile run on Sunday. Now, I think I injured myself. My Achilles tendon in my right foot is bothering me.

I felt a very subtle, dull pain on Saturday as I coasted through a five miler in Las Vegas. I thought nothing of it.

We returned home late on Saturday night. I went out for my seventeen’er with great vengeance on Sunday. I was motivated by the news that Aaron and Steve just finished a BQ in Philly (before I even woke up!). I finished miles 16 and 17 at paces of 7:07 at 6:38.

I felt the same Achilles act up mid-way through the run, but it did not seem bothersome enough to stop. Sunday afternoon brought mild soreness. Monday brought a consistent sensation of heat on the area and noticeable swelling.

I reflected on the root cause. Last week, I rocked through the hills of Ivins, Utah (shown below). I ran a 6:21 downhill mile at the back end of a 10-miler on Wednesday. I did another six through the same hills on the next day, albeit much easier. I am wondering if the sudden intensity of incline was too much, too soon.

I am not foolish enough to think that this is some great tragedy. However, I am intrigued by the level of psychological impact it has had on me over the past 48 hours. It’s somewhat depressing. Will I able to resume to running soon enough? I am already bowing out of the Turkey Trot this week. I am fearful that I will aggravate it trying to run a 19-minute 5k.

When I try to turn my attention away from running, I get bored. Career seems very slow right now. No journeys to China. Wait, I am heading to London on Sunday for two days. Not looking forward to that. More work than it’s worth it seems.

Hold on a second. I have a pregnant wife. We just had more ultrasound pics taken yesterday. That’s quite thrilling, actually.

I am keenly conscious that this collection of thoughts sounds like a bit of a moan. Actually, it sounds like an outright, unjustifiable bitch. Nonetheless, I am feeling the letdown of what seems to be a perennial November slowdown.

I do not want to go the doctor with this little Achilles boo-boo. It’s very clear that’s what it is. So what can I do?

"Rest, mate. Enjoy your brilliant life. Give thanks to God and give yourself to others around you. 'Tis the season to show gratitude and help those in need." I am speculating that’s what my spiritual advisor would tell me -- if he was British, and if I actually had one.

Drat.

Reinvigorated

First, I need to offer up congratulations to some serious game-time performers today in the Philadelphia Marathon.

Here is a shout out of "WAY TO GO!" to my good friends Aaron and Steve who both put up BQ times today at Philly. Aaron put up his first BQ with a 3:10:52 with Steve shouting at him the final several miles to finish right along side him. Steve came back from a blown out knee in early 2007 and a disappointing DNF in Chicago to get back to the Big Dance in April. Great job, guys!

Also, I want to give an applause-laden congrats to Wayne for crushing his former PR of 3:09 to lay down a ... (SHAZAM!)... mind-boggling 2:55 today in Philly. Simply amazing!

You guys have me re-inspired.

We arrived back from our journey to Las Vegas last night. I stayed with my parents for a couple of days in St George, Utah while Jen attended a conference at the Las Vegas Hilton.

While in Utah, I capitalized on some amazingly gorgeous weather and knocked out a fantastic 10-miler on Wed with the gorgeous red rock around me. Southwest Utah is an amazing place to run.

Later, my parents and I drove the course of the St. George Marathon, which I am potentially lining up for next year. The elevation drop goes from 5,240' down to 2,680'. Wow, what a course! There is one major hill at mile 6.

Jen and I ended the week in Vegas for a short visit together and only ended up down $50 in craps. We did score tickets to Jerry Seinfeld at Caesar's Palace for Friday night, which was really funny.

Today, I hit my 17-miler as planned and finished really strong. See the splits below. I finished with 44 miles for the week.


On the down side, I am feeling the very early symptoms of what I believe is Achilles tendinits on the right back heel. I started yesterday in Vegas while doing a short 5-miler. It's not really excrutiating, but I think it is mildly swollen. I need to nurse it carefully over the next day or so. I will rest tomorrow.

Right now, I am trying to following Pfitz's plan and target the Last Chance to Boston marathon on Feb 13. Yes, some of you have expressed concern about running 26.2 one-mile laps, but think about the focus on time you would have!

Even I if were to somehow qualify, I do not know if I will go to Boston due to Jen's pregnancy. I'm going to play that by ear, but I want to stay healthy and try to qualify again in February. Now that my friends will be there, it would be great to go to Boston for the 2nd year in a row!

All Fired Up

"I believe there comes a time, when everything just falls in line, we live and learn from our mistakes, the deepest cuts are healed by faith..."

Credit the above lines to Pat Benatar in her exhilarating single from 1988 entitled "All Fired Up". In fact, I never knew it was recorded so long ago until I just looked it up a moment ago. (I was guessing 1997!).

Yes, admittedly, Pat Benatar, as influential as she was in her prime, seems an unlikely source for running inspiration. I do proclaim, however, that it's one of the best motivating running songs I have ever heard. It was the anthem to my first marathon in Pittsburgh on May 6th, 2001. I pulled it out of the archives, thrilled to find that it pushed me at a torrid pace during a wonderful 15-mile run today.

(Editor's Note: Another adrenlanine spark is "Best Of You" by the Foo Fighters. Plug it into your playlist and let it fuel your next long run, and you'll know why.)

I had planned to take it easy over the next month or so. My wife tells me that it is OK to just relax and not push myself all the time. I know she is right.

Yet, yet there is a fire in the belly, a fuel in the furnace of the soul to celebrate my competitive spirit.

I tried to channel my energy into fictional writing, which a skill set that feel is lurking beneath the surface, as deep as it may be. This month is National Novel Writing Month. I cranked out over 8,000 words in 6 days and decided I wasn't happy. I enjoy writing. However, I found trying to write a 50,000 word novel in a month with little preparation overly daunting. I am thinking the route of non-fiction is what I fancy.

My career is also a healthy source of that buzz of challenge that I crave. I am about to deliver the final report from my work in China tonight at 2:00 AM on a conference call. Yes, you read that right. 2:00 AM Monday morning.

How could that be, you ask? Our top dog is in London and the other Exec are in Asia. Conveniently enough, this is the only available time for the leadership team and so the lowly schmuck in the States has to pay the price.

After I knock 'em dead on this call, I will re-focus my attention to my running endeavors.

I am preparing for my next marathon commitment in February. I keep Boston in the distant view. However, I need to respect the love of my life's concerns about our firstborn coming in early may. So I am unable to commit to the April 21 classic. (OK, maybe I already have the flight and hotel lined up for Boston, just in case the doctor says she will be really late!).

In the interim, I am gearing up for another marathon quest, for which there is 14 weeks to fulfill the dream. Check out the following marathon details and reviews here. It seems utterly foolish to run a marathon on a one-mile loop in the depths of winter in Ohio. However, there is an element of intrigue for me.

Here are the stats from today's run. I cranked out 37 miles this week, my best ever week for the second week after a marathon. I feel strong.

One Final note: I set a goal to run 1,750 miles total in 2007. I am please to report I surpassed that mark this week. I am contemplating at run at 2,100 miles in 2007 with my latest marathon planning. Run onward...

Another Kind of Marathon

I enjoyed six full days off from running entirely. It went by really fast, to tell you the truth.

Yesterday was a beautiful autumn day and I went out for a 4-miler. It was a harder 4-miler than I would have guessed my body felt up to for the first run back. I did 7:20 per mile.

I am stunned and deeply saddened by the news of the death of Ryan Shay. First, I run marathon where a novice dies in the heat. Now, I hear about the Olympic Trials in which a distance champion collapses and dies. I am feeling my mortality right now. My prayers go out to his wife and his family.

Nevertheless, I have been contemplating my next marathon for May. The baby is due May 5th. I am wondering if I will be able to head to either Madison or Green Bay, both driving distance, on the 18th or the 25th after our little bundle of joy arrives. The wife needs to let me know if it's OK. That's a ways off and there is lots to think about and deal with before then.

I'm in the midst of an entirely different kind of marathon. It is called National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. My aim is to write a 50,000 word draft manuscript in the 30 days of November. This is a 1,667 word per day pace. You can get updates on my progress here.

Writing will keep me busy this month. I will try to balance my running to get back up to 30 miles a week this month. I also will head back to London right after Thanksgiving for work. I feel like I am continuing to push the envelope with my goals while finding a way to balance the rest of my life.

Reflecting On My Tenth Marathon

Yesterday, I ran my third marathon of 2007 and tenth overall. It was my second fastest ever.

The Lakefront Marathon course is made up of three out-and-back equidistant "loops" (or lines, rather) of 8.73 miles along the Chicago lakefront path. The weather was comfortably cool in the mid-50's most of the race.

This race is actually an ultramarathon with both 50k and 50M distances. The organizers added the marathon distance as a result of the struggles all of us had in Chicago three weeks ago.

As I wrote my last post, I really did not have huge expectations of time going in. I decided I would try to run 3:10 pace and see how my body reacted.

I teamed up with two other guys I met in the early going who were both trying for a 3:10. The first half of the race went as planned, but I could tell I had a stomach issue developing. Disappointing, considering I ran both Chicago and Boston without a stop and followed a somewhat similar diet before hand.

One of the guys, Steve, had ankle trouble and needed to call it quits at about mile 15. The other guy, Lance, continued on with me. We finished the second loop on pace at 17.5 miles, when I felt the undeterrable urge to detour to the port-0-johns.

I knew with this stop, I wouldn't be able to BQ. After about a 2 1/2 min comfort break, I struggled to get my legs back. My body remembered the marathon I ran 20 days prior and simply started to slow up on me. The final 7 miles or so were pretty rough.

My final third leg was a mission to complete the race. For some reason, I felt I needed again to I stop off at a second bathroom, which had no TP, so I drove on. I stopped at an aid station close to mile 21 and indulged in some trail mix with my gatorade, which added more time. Even when I didn't stop, I couldn't put together a mile faster than about 8:15 at this stage.

The marathon is a humbling distance and reminds me every time that both physical and mental preparation are critical. I still do not have the desire to go the 50M or even 50k distance as many out there yesterday were doing. Kudos to the ultra-guys and gals!

As I finished my 10th 26.2M distance, I reflected again on my year and my running. I put in some huge training mileage earlier this summer for me - more than last year - and I couldn't muster anywhere near the marathon I had last October. Frustrating, but that's the way life goes sometimes.

First half: 1:35:10
Second Half: 1:47:41
Finish time: 3:22:51 - 2nd fastest (12:47 off from last year's PR)

I can't be 100% sure, but I think my legs hurt more after yesterday's race than many of my other recent marathons. My quads were beat to hell and it hurt to sit still.

It is somewhat dissatisifying that I didn't have a strong finish in either of these marathons. However, I need to keep positive and realize that I have had an outstanding year. The curveball we were thrown on October 7th happens in life.

Sure, I thought I would PR this year and even have a shot at sub-3, but cirmcustances changed. I went to China for 4 weeks during critical training periods and had a wonderful professional experience. I ran the hottest Chicago Marathon in history. I ran my first Boston Marathon ever in the Nor'easter. How many can say they ran two of the more memorable major marathons in recent history?

I may take a year off from the marathon distance. I've been quite mum about it, but my wife is 13 weeks along in her pregnancy with our first child. Her due date is May 5 and we are thrilled. She does not want me going to Boston as she's concerned she may go early. Plus, I don't feel I earned it this year, so I will not use my 2006 time to get in.

I will rest up over the coming week, then run a couple of holiday 5k's remaining in 2007 and maybe shoot for 2,000 in total mileage for the year.

Right now, I am looking at the St. George Marathon in 2008 to re-set my PR (which could be a challenge, given what I have read about the course). My parents are retired in St. George, Utah and are anxious for me run the race there. It is the same weekend as Chicago so I would need to give that up.

Before making any personal commitments for 2008, I need to finish out my 2007 and reflect in my successes both in and outside of running this year.

Marathon #10, Here I Come

It's fascinating to me how anti-climatic the approach of my tenth marathon has been the past two weeks since I recklessly signed up for it.

Several co-workers approached me the past few days to ask me about the debacle in Chicago that happened 19 days ago. None of them had seen me since I spent two weeks in China right after the race.

After a few words my experiences in China, I nonchalantly mentioned that I was going for another marathon this weekend. "Really?" was a typical response coupled with a puzzled look.

There is really no evidence my body is ready to endure a full marathon right now. I put in a few short run in China before I left. I came back last Sunday and had a reasonably strong 12-miler (7:26 avg, final 2 at BQ pace).

Race organizers have clearly confirmed that this race and its course will be recognized as a Boston Qualifier by the BAA. Now, I may be getting ahead of myself with such talk, but who knows, it could happen tomorrow.

Not the most exciting course, I suppose. Three loops with no spectators. At least I will be looking at the city along the lake.

If nothing else, tomorrow will be a day to celebrate a running milestone. I've decided that completing ten marathons is a big deal. Plus, I have never done three in a year.

It's a modest sign of running longevity and a commitment to the sport. My streak of PR's was broken after five, but that's OK, there's still more success to be had. I think I'll keep at it for a little while longer.

I don't know what kind of time I will run tomorrow, but there is one guarantee I will give: I will finish.

On a separate note, I appear to be on track for a year of two thousand miles total. Wow... it just keeps getting more exciting, doesn't it?

Returning Home for The Marathon Experiment

It is Saturday noontime in China. I am presently on a flight from Chengdu to Shanghai. In Shanghai, I will connect to take my American Air flight back to Chicago. I will arrive around 4:45 PM on after gaining 13 hours.

I am very excited to be returning home to Chicago and my home in the suburbs. I miss my wife, my cats, my running gear, my bed, my house, my high-speed Internet connectivity, my coffee maker and private stash of Starbucks, my control over my schedule, my Itunes library, my car and my freedom to live in my own space and neighborhood.

I had a very successful and interesting visit in Chengdu during my assignment. The delivery of our final report to our business partners went exceptionally well yesterday. Quite simply, we nailed it. I could feel the genuine praise and appreciation for our team’s work the Chairman was giving, even though I needed an interpreter to understand him.

My experience in China has changed my perspective of the world in a positive way. I found that I am more adventurous, more patient, more understanding, more tolerant and downright wiser in the ways of the world than I was five weeks ago. It is so different in the Far East as compared to our Western lifestyles. The people of Chengdu are very kind. I also recognized how much I love my country and my way of life.

I even managed to recover reasonably well from the marathon. I ran 13 miles last week and added some swimming. I have run 21 so far this week. Two of these runs were 6 and 7 mile runs that were comfortably hard. However, I am not certain on pace since I left the Garmin at home. I plan to do 12-13 tomorrow on familiar terrain to get me to around 34 for this week.

I am signed up for another marathon that takes place in one week. It has been less than two weeks since a very difficult Chicago Marathon. What’s more, I need to turn around for the airport on Monday to fly to the Corporate HQ in Connecticut for four days. I suppose it beats being in China. I will do light mileage before Saturday.

I am calling this upcoming marathon an experiment. It will be a true experiment to see how my body has recovered. In addition, it will be a test as to what degree I was able to maintain my peak running conditioning that I know I had a short four weeks ago.

I honestly do not have a gauge of my current running condition. The Chicago Marathon was an anomaly. A statistical aberration created by extremely rare conditions, so that’s not an indicator. My 20-mile training run two weeks three weeks before was one that would likely line up in the 3:00-3:03 range. However, I have no idea what the difficult, intensively hot and humid Chicago Marathon did to me.

Am I in anywhere near the same shape that I was five weeks ago? We will find out next week. Truthfully, I am not all too worried about it. There is no self-induced pressure for me on this marathon go.

For this upcoming marathon on Saturday, you will hear no talk of a sub-3 attempt from me. I do really want to run a Boston qualifying time, however, and will give it my best shot. If I don’t, however, that’s OK. I will be out there enjoying the Chicago Lakefront with my wife cheering me on. It will be the first time ever that I will have completed two marathons 20 days apart. Most importantly, I am just glad to be getting home to the United States.