Newsflash: Slow Economy, Faster Times?

Though I've always (mostly) been a "bloggers-should-publish-their-own-content" kind of guy, I thought I'd share an interesting piece of news I heard this morning on the radio.

On Only a Game's Saturday, July 18, 2009 radio broadcast, host Bill Littlefield interviewed Wall Street Journal writer Reed Albergotti regrading his recent article entitle "Fast Times for Jobless Runners."

Some of the salient points from article/interview (I tried my best to transcribe some teaser-type nuggets) include:

fast times for jobless runners fields in marathons are filling up faster than in recent years when the economy was better despite most people having less money and while past rends have shown that as marathons have become more popular, times have been getting slower... this year times have actually been getting faster

while more people are not necessarily applying to run the Boston marathon, more runners are hitting the BQ (Boston Qualifying) time, so theoretically getting the times to run in Boston

this improvement in overall marathon (and triathlon) finishing times cannot only be attributed to people who have been laid off, or have switched careers, simply running more, but also that they are recovering from long runs more fully...

without the need to alleviate the stress of the workday, runners are more likely to sleep better or not worry about resting the necessary time due to the reduced mental strain of a workday...

Some of the statistcal data used in identifying benchamrkl finsihing times was acquired via Athlinks.com, a Web site that tracks millions of race results. I had not heard of this site before, so I look forward to checking out that site as well as, despite the desire for better times, once again thank goodness that am am fortuanet enough to be employed.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

BPAC 6 Hour 4 Hour Distance Classic

Run: 26.2 miles in approximately 3:47:27 min. @ 8:00 a.m.
Weather @ Start: Cloudy, 50°F, 60% Humidity, Wind: SSW @ 7 mph; feels like 50°F.
Weather @ Finish: Partly Cloudy, 68°F, 63% Humidity, Wind: CALM; feels like 68°F.
Pace: 8:40 min./mi
Course: 3.25 mile certified scenic loop, P-shaped, paved, traffic free.
Official Results: Here (with splits), completed by Score-This!!!

Pre-Run Observations: Given the amount of space devoted to my "quickie" preparations these past few days, there really is not much more to say. My alarm woke me this morning at 5:00 am. to allow for a cup of joe, a shower and the 80 minute drive to suburban Buffalo. After rolling out of bed, my knees, ankles and chest are achy--I'm not clear as to how much of it is psychosomatic, so I figure "what the heck, why not, let's do this."

The things that is of most concern to me as I pull out of the driveway is how well I will be able to drive the distance home after having run the six-hours (which is entirely way too optimistic, but like I said, "what the heck..."

Post-Race Reflections: As you can likely infer from my alteration to the post title, I didn't end up running for the entire six hours, but I did manage to complete the equivalent of a marathon, or eight loops of the 5k course. While my time was not anywhere near a PR for the distance, I was very happy to have accomplished the distance at a fair pace with too little training. The plan of :36:00 minutes per 5k loop would have worked, but I had difficulty maintaining the slower pace over the first half of the run and it came back to bite me in the hindquarters in the latter loops. I continue to marvel at those (other than I) disciplined runners who can sit back and pace themselves without awareness of where they "rank," content to bring the run to them and wait for things to balance out. There were many good runners there this morning and given the "p" shape of the course, I was afforded the unique opportunity to both run myself and see them perform too.

Though I would be less than honest if I didn't share that I was disappointed not to be able to continue for two more loops, and therefore have the run "qualify" as an ultra, the physical cost would have been too great, I think. After actually attempting the ninth loop and realizing that my knees were not going to allow me to run and my pride would not permit me to walk, I called it a morning.

My psychological approach of focusing and taking each loop as a unique stage and meditating on that stage, in that moment, worked to good effect--I've never felt more together following a race of this distance than I did today... so many positives can be drawn from the overall experience.

All-in-all, it was a very nice way to spend my last day of Spring Break. I woke up at 5:00, left the house at 6:00, arrived at 7:25, ran from 8:00 to just before noon, and was back home having lunch with my wife by 1:30--not a bad way to spend a day, for sure!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

2008 Rochester Marathon... Debacle?!

Weather: Hazy and Humid, 72°F, 87% Humidity, Wind: From SSW @ 14 mph; feels like 72°F.
Run: 26.2 miles (Full Marathon)) in 0:00:00 min. @ 7:30 a.m.
Course: A 26.2 mile course; described as "hilly and a great tune up for a full marathon or 1/2 marathon."
Official results: TBA

"You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The Facts of Life, the Facts of Life."~Ye Old TV Theme

Pre-Run Ruminations: Having spent the last two days "carbo loading" with bagel sandwiches (with hummus and cucumber), oatmeal, whole wheat past and Thai noodles, I feel a little heavy but "powerful" as I pulled myself from bed this morning. A condition I attribute to me head, rather than my legs, has both of my ankle and knees aching... of course it could also be the weather.

A surprisingly dense (for this time of year) humidity settled into the air late Friday and, despite frequent precipiation, has yet to subside. The weather will unlikely "break" before the race is complete this morning, so there is not much else to do than to buck up and go for it.

Post-Race Reflections: Though the day started out well with almost 2,000 runners having come out to run either the full or half marathons, or maybe to complete on of the legs of the relay, it was not meant to be my day. unfortunately, the heat and some aches and pains got the best of me and I could not (and did not)give my best to the race, eventually having to drop out at mile 17.

I must confess to being a little embarrassed and discouraged, but these things happen to even the best athletes and one way or another I won't allow it to get me down. Mostly, though, I feel like I let down the many folks who were cheering for me (by name) along the route... had it been only up to their positive energy I probably would have won... but in the end I quit, which is something I'll get past eventually.

This, amigos, is what "living and learning" is all about...

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

The Task at Hand

Now that the Rochester Marathon is coming up fast on the horizon, and coming up quickly (next Sunday!), I've begun solidifying my plan of "attack"... a plan which I intend to allow me to be successful with my finshing-time goal.

Considering the complete course as a series of smaller races back-to-back, let's say four 10ks, it is an easier task mentally to accept the challenge of the distance. Fortunately, the relay points will allow me to easily visualize when I am hitting those checkpoints:

Relay Exchange #1 is at the 6.5 mile point in one of the St. John Fisher College parking lots just before the course passes under the Interstate Expressway. This first part of the course is decidedly down-hill. Miles nine through sixteen are topographically almost completely flat. (Target time--46:36)

Relay Exchange #2 is on the Erie Canal Trail at mile 12.5 (slightly less that three-quarters of a mile shy of the marathon midway point). Miles sixteen to eighteen are on an incline. (Target time--1:33:12)

Relay Exchange #3 is at the South Clinton Avenue marker of the Erie Canal Trail, less than a quarter of a mile from the mile twenty mark. From her on to the finish is the final 10k. Again this area is generally flat with a minor decline on the last half mile. (Target time--2:30:00)

Now to relax, de-toxify my body and mind, relax and go for it!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

The Training Week That Was... 5/19-25

"Our society today has become so quick-fix oriented that nobody wants to work over a long period of time for one goal."~Terry Stanley, Winner of two Presque Isle Marathons, 28 years apart

My second go around with the FIRST training philosophy is completed with the culmination of yesterday's Buffalo Marathon and while I await the posting of the official results, one thing that is certain is that I did a much better "job" this time than in previous attempts. I came closer to reaching my potential than in races (at this distance) past, but there is still room for improvement... something I'll go into detail a little later once I've had time to process and reflect upon my performance.

RESULTS UPDATE: Since posting my short recollection and photos of yesterday's race, the official results for the Buffalo Marathon have been posted and I faired pretty well (actually, my chip-time was 23 second better than I had previously thought!). With an official finishing time of 3:26:37, I "placed" 106 of 710 finishers (815 registered), 87 of 480 finishers in my gender grouping, 17 of 66 in my gender/age group.

Not much to report in the recap below, given it was "taper time":

Legend: R = Running, ri = recovery interval, ez = easy, mt = mid-tempo, wu = warm-up, cd = cool down, ez = easy, B = Bicycle

Thursday: (Key Run Workout #1--Speed Work) R 3.9 mi
Sunday: Nissan Buffalo Marathon R 26.2 mi
TOTAL--R 30.1 miles (+7.2 miles from the previous week)
Weigh-In*: 181.0 lbs. (-2 lbs. from the previous week) [* @ 6:30 a.m. on 5/26]

For the first time ever, following a run of this distance, I did not step into the chute thinking to myself "I never want to do this again." So, the question is, "where do we go from here?" My first thoughts while coming down the final mile where not of running another marathon or ultra, but rather of riding my bicycle in a leisurely fashion and taking in the world around me... slowly.

But, tomorrow is another day, and probably a better time for thoughts of things to come... at least in terms of running.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Buffalo Marathon

Weather: Sunny, 60°F, 30% Humidity, Wind: SSW @ 15 mph; feels like 58°F.
Actual Run: 26.2 miles in 3:27:00 min. @ 7:00 a.m.
Pace: 7:54 min/mi.
Course: The Nissan Buffalo Marathon Course.

This morning Anne and I woke up early to drive the mile to downtown Buffalo from our hotel room at the Holiday Inn. The view from our window seemed to hint at the good things to come.



Anne and I have not been to this race in two years and the courses have been changed slightly. Unbeknownst to us (I'm not much of a map reader), the start had been moved about two blocks down the road from where it had previously been. We arrived at the start with plenty of time to spare, which turned out to be a fortunate thing as there was a HUGE wait in line at the port-a-john... a wait I was willing to make rather than potentially having to pull off to the side of the road. Needless to say, everything worked out and I had about five minutes before the starting bell (alarm?) to psych myself up... well, to stand there quietly and wait.



While the first half of the marathon was very fast (translation: mostly downhill) the second half was exactly the opposite. While I generally like uphill running, these were very l-o-o-o-ng gradual climbs which took a toll after a while. I did manage to stay with my plan the only variation being toward the last two miles during which I took an unplanned walking break to eat some watermelon.

I felt so-o-o psychologically strong throughout (focused), the only trouble coming down the final 400 meters, at which time I was aching to be finished. The fact that I was slightly ahead of my goal finish helped to further motivate me to push it on through. I was glad to hear my name mentioned my the person working the mic... a silly thing, I know, but exciting nonetheless!



I felt pretty good afterwards. While I was (surprise!) achy and a little thirsty, I was remarkably "together" and happy about my performance. My wife had said that after my first marathon, she had thought I was going to die, but also noticed how much better I had responded this time (my fourth). Afterwards we waited around as I gobbled down two apples and some water/Gatorade. I knew that some of my friends were there running the half-marathon (I pretty sure I heard them cheering and wanted tio thank them), but when I couldn't locate anyone we made a quick escape!


Now to take a few days off, relax and figure out what, if anything, is next!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

First and Last Steps

Anne and I will be leaving this afternoon (following a breif detour to my son's little league baseball game), picking up the race packet, checking into the hotel, and, after weeks of preparation, finally participating in the Buffalo Marathon tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m.



Wish us, luck!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Countdown to Marathon

Less than twenty-four hours to go and everything seems to be in order... relatively speaking. My wife and I have reservations to stay at a hotel in Buffalo and I have a loose list in my head of what I need to pack for the trip in anticipation of a well-run marathon on Sunday morning.

I was (am?) scheduled to run a final training run yesterday (today?), but am feeling as though it might do more harm than good. Other than the normal aches and pains that come with training, I feel pretty strong, but don't want to risk anything. I'm confident that three days off prior to running won't effect my fitness too much.

After stopping at a store to pick up some gel (for the race) after work, doing a last load of "running clothes" laundry and packing my sport bag with stuff, it will be all over part the "real work": running the race. The picture to the right is of me at the start of the same trace in 2006 and, my, how things have changed. Though I am (and look!) two years older, I feel fitter(?) and more prepared. Two years ago I completed the run (with great effort) in 3:49. The goal this year is 3:30. I am so happy that my wife will once again be accompanying me on this trip, so that whether make my goal, or simply finish, she will be there to share in my joy.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

My Marathon Plan... Such As It Is!

"We are different in essence from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."~Emil Zatopek

So, here's what I'm thinking is going to be my "plan" as I begin the final preparations for Sunday's Buffalo Marathon. As previously posted (like a ba-jillion times!), I am going to be employing a run-walk-run approach to the entire affair, similar to that I used in running the ultra-run last October. Remember, the dream is to finish in three hours and thirty minutes. Twenty-six point two miles in three hours and thirty means plays out to about an 8:00 minute mile pace total including any walk breaks, of which I will be taking minimally five one minute ones. According to the event's official website, "Water and Gatorade will be available every two miles, starting at the 3 mile marker."

Given that info, here is how it will go down:

1) Run the first six-to-seven miles straight through without a walk.

2) at mile seven (the third aide station), walk for 60 seconds and then run for two miles (roughly 16 minutes--hopefully!).

3) for each two mile (or, once again, sixteen minutes) increment leading up to the twenty-first mile, I will walk for 60 seconds. This means a break to hydrate and "eat" (if necessary) at miles nine, eleven, thirteen, fifteen, seventeen, nineteen and twenty-one. There also remains the real possibility that I will eliminate at least one (or maybe two) of these planned "walk breaks," depending on how well I am (or am not) feeling.

4) I will then wrap-up by hoofing the last 5.2 miles non-stop, carefully monitoring my pace and if necessary, kicking it the last half.

Just like my beloved Detroit Tigers championship chances did just before the star of the MLB season, this looks great on paper... but, fortunately, this I have a little bit more control of. The challenge will remain adhering to it and avoiding the HUGE urge to succumb to adrenaline (and the mid-marathon euphoria) and go too fast, too soon!

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Run: 14.3 miles in 1:51:56 min. @ 7:10 a.m.

Scheduled Workout: 14 miles.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 21°F, 74% Humidity, Wind: From WSW @ 7 mph; feels like 12°F.
Course: Scott's 14.3 Miler on USATF's Map It!
Pace: 7:50 min./per mile

Having learned from last weeks long run, I packed my hydration belt with water and gel (PowerBar GEL Raspberry Cream Flavor) this time, despite my intention to take it nice and easy, I anticipated needing a little tap-ready H2O and energy, both of which came in handy. The course I took today , a departure from my most recent long runs, took me not onto the Erie Canal path but rather into the city, over the river, out to the edges of a number of burbs and back home. I found myself easily (I hope I don't jinx myself) shifting into an easy pace and staying focused primarily through visualizing the area about one mile ahead of my arriving. I've found planning my runs in advance using USATF Map It! to be incredibly helpful in this endeavor.

By planning ahead and carefully studying my course in advance, I find myself less concerned with where I'm going to turn and more psychologically capable of focusing on the run and allowing myself to gently visualize the run's progress on the map, sometimes even imaging it moving along the map, a yellow line dropping to the ground as I pass over an area.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Running Numbers: Doing the Math, Making a Plan

“Pacing is crucial to any training program.”

Though this axiom is by all accounts true, I have managed to avoid it during any of my previous training endeavors.

A mistake, I know.

My “new” training plan is based on the idea of three Key Runs, supplemented by cross training. The three Key Runs are broken up into three distinct training opportunities. Key Run 1 focuses on pacing runs (speedwork to you and me). Key Run 2 is a threshold run, and Key Run 3 is the long run.

Before getting too far ahe3ad of myself though I need to determine what my training pace is and to do so I am going to use the formula provided on the FIRST Marathon Training Program Training Paces Worksheet (Whew!):

Step 1. 5k race time in minutes: seconds: 19:20
Step 2. 5k race time in decimal form: 19.33
Step 3. 5k race pace in decimal form: 6.24
Step 4. 5k race pace in minutes/mile: 6:14

OUCH--So there it is... what seems a ridiculously low (translation: FAST!), but my training pace according to this formual is 6:14 per mile!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Reflecting, Changing, Adapting, Transitioning... NOT Quitting

After two (one excellent and one not-so-much) weeks of following the Intermediate Plan of the Your Ultimate Marathon Training Plan from Runner's World magazine, I'm beginning to question the manageability of following through with this plan. This is not to say that the goal of running 3:30 in the Nissan Buffalo Marathon is changing, just that I need to re-evaluate the path to the "holy ground."

My current training plan, while the mileage is clearly “doable,” the number of days required for running (five of seven) just seems to be too much for me now given other responsibilities and the time of day that is often available to me (especially during the work week). So how am I to transition to something new? What is that something new?

There is no perfect plan, and all meaningful plans (those which will prepare me for success), will require some juggling of schedules, the best option at this point seems to be the F.I.R.S.T Training Program. Though subtitled “A Training Program for First-Time Marathoner,” I believe that the plan, if followed, will still allow me to meet the success I want to achieve.

The positives of this particular plan are the minimized number of running days and the larger emphasis on cross-training which can be achieved utilizing my bicycle. Some challenges inherent in the plan are the need to adhere to one day of speedwork, for which I will likely need to go to the YMCA to use the treadmill in order to accomplish the meter distances required, without benefit if a nice weather track, or my own treadmill.

I will wrap-up the thirteenth week of the Your Ultimate Marathon Training Plan on Sunday and move to the twelfth week (counting down to week one) of the FIRST plan on Monday with the hope of being able to share greater success in preparing as I move toward Buffalo...

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

The Training Week That Was... 2/18-24

This was the first week I have been following the Intermediate Plan of the Your Ultimate Marathon Training Plan from Runner's World magazine. I picked up on week 3 of the 16-week plan due to the date of the marathon I am planning to participate in.

In the recap below, the workouts dictated by the plan appear in parentheses. While not the case this week (too much) you’ll notice that I will occasionally switch the daily workouts, all the while attempting to adhere to the daily/weekly totals. The total mileage scheduled to run this week was 35-39 miles:

Legend: R = Running, TUT = Total Uphill Time, S = strides

Monday: (-) R 5.1 miles
Tuesday: (Rest) Recovery Day
Wednesday: (3 miles, 5x100 S) R 4 miles
Thursday: (70-minute run, including 5:00–6:00 TUT) R 9.8 miles
Friday: (Rest) Recovery Day
Saturday: (5 miles) R 5.7 miles
Sunday: (12 miles) R 13.6 miles

TOTAL--R 38.2 miles (+17.5 miles from last week)
Weigh-In*: 186.5 lbs. (No Change) [* took place at 5:00 a.m. on 2/25]

Now that Spring (at least by the calendar) is nearly here, and the local racing calendar is beginning to fill out, I am looking at quite a few "Racing Possibilities" for the weeks leading up to the marathon. It is a great recent development to see so many challenging trail courses, especially as the distances are creeping past simply being a 5k.

It is back to school starting today, so my schedule picks up and the time I have available exponentially decreases, but I'm confident that despite once again becoming very busy, I will be able to prove my mettle by sticking with the plan, albeit (likely) under cover of darkness!

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Run: 4 miles in :27:44 min. @ 8:00 a.m.

Scheduled Workout: 3 miles & 5 x 100 S

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 14°F, 70% Humidity, Wind: From SW @ 14 mph; feels like -1°F.
Course: A neighborhood run, Three Plus One 4 Strides, made with USATF Map It!
Pace: 6:56 min./per mile

Just as I dreaded would be the case, it was FREEZING out this morning, but I sucked it up and set out to run my scheduled workout, complete with "strides."

Strides (S): Gradual, smooth accelerations over 100 meters (straightaway on a track), running fast and controlled over the middle third--but NEVER SPRINTING--then just as gradually decelerating. Walk to full recovery after each.

These (strides) I recall from both my own high school cross-country days and from watching my own son and daughter (as in the pic to the right) warm-up prior to races this past Fall. Finding a street on which to “stride” is a little more challenging in the winter (what with ice and snow and slush and--did I mention?--COLD) but I have a pretty fair internal sense of the distance (100 m) so I can pretty easily integrate it into the 3+ mile run—at least until the thaw is complete enough to allow my use of one of our local outdoor tracks!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

For 13 Weeks, The "Yours" Is Mine

“If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.”

As the planets begin to come into alignment, I continue to attempt to put the pieces together for my next marathon in late May. After digging around the internet for a few days, I have settled on the Intermediate Plan of the Your Ultimate Marathon Training Plans presented on the Runner's World website.

I chose this particular plan as it requires only that I whittle the existing plan to thirteen weeks by picking up, beginning today, with week three thereby taking into account my previously established base. The plan also fits perfectly into my long time practice of using Mondays and Fridays as rest," or "recovery days", as well as logging my long(er) runs on Sundays.

Another improvement I am endeavoring to make to my training regimen is the close adherence to the paces, distances, and running strategies suggested by the plan. While I have incorporated such practices into my running, I have failed in the past to closely follow the scheduled inclusion of uphill runs and strides. As I reprae for this next marathon, I plan to do a better job doing so, and I am setting myself up for this by penciling the plan into my log using the complete training terminology. In that past I would pencil in simply "4 miles" and now I am breaking it out in explicit terms as suggested by the plan.

Things are slowly coming into frame, now what remains is the doing...

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Here We Go Again...

Yesterday afternoon, as Anne and I were relaxing and I was still mid-runner's "high" following my morning run, I suggested that maybe I really did want to run the 2008 Nissan Buffalo Marathon. Anne and I had traveled to this race twice: in 2005 for the half and 2006 for the full, both "firsts" for us during our most recent adventures in running. For two months now, I have been toying with a few different possibilities for a "tent pole" Spring run and having felt confident with my last few training runs, a good 26.2 seemed to be in order. We booked a hotel within a few miles of the start and the reality of our decision began to sink in. As the day proceeded my confidence waned, but I remain committed.

Of course, plans for Buffalo naturally leads to thoughts of Boston... this is normal, right?

A quick look at the qualifying times for the Boston Marathon show that I (as a, then, 39-year-old male) would need to run a sub-3:15 marathon in 90+ days at the 2008 Nissan Buffalo Marathon over Memorial Day weekend in late May to qualify for 2009. Considering that my previous PR at the distance is only 3:49:23, and Buffalo in 2006 was the last marathon I finished (see finish pic to the right!) almost two years ago, this goal seems more a dream.

Despite some sporadic training of late, I still feel pretty confident that I have a strong base from which to prepare and though most training plans are layed out for longer than the thirteen weeks I have remaining to prepare, I will find a plan which fits into my schedule to best prepare me for success. Though I would like to set the goal of 3:15, I think a fair (and more realistic) comprimised personal goal would be to come in at 3:30. This time, were I to achieve it, would still represent a significant improvement of 19:23, an achievable goal.

So, despite aches, committments, family, students, coaching and school, we have a date, a race, and are seeking a plan... and so it begins again...

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Something Old and Something New

Run: 4.9 miles in 0:36:51 min. @ 7:45 a.m.
Target Pace: 9:15 min/mi
Actual Pace: 7:31 min./mi

Weather: Cloudy, 31°F, 69% Humidity, Winds: WSW @ 6 mph; feels like 25°F.
Course: Up Monroe Avenue to Exchange Street, to Main Street, veer right on Monroe Avenue, left on Alexander, then a right down University Avenue to Goodman Street, eventually taking a left down Harvard Street.

Something old… my plan is to next run a marathon, something I have not completed successfully since June of 2006. Though I have recently run further, I have never really run a marathon after following a training plan. This time I will endeavor to follow a plan which, if the chips fall the right way, should lead me to a smarter, faster twenty-six-point-two.

Something new… attempting to establish a target training pace based on a possible marathon finishing of 3:27:55, about 20 minutes better than my existing PR at the distance. The ability to do this, without the bells-and-whistles provided by an on-wrist gps, is challenging, especially if one is inclined to attempt to go fast instead of paced. Today, for example, I took note of where I would be at one mile and attempted to maintain the targeted pace of around 9:00 min/mi., but after crossing that magic mile, it just "felt" too slow.

This is just another (of many) points of discipline I need to work on in my ongoing efforts to become a stronger runner, as well as, a sounder person.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Rochester Marathon Leg 3

Run: 13 miles total (6 miles in :39:20, followed by 7 miles) 1:32:00 min. @ 8:45 a.m.

Pace: 6:33 min./per mile avg. (race), 7:35 min./per mile avg. (easy)
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 53°F
Course: Rochester Marathon Leg 3: from Embankment Park to Clinton at the Erie Canal, out and back.

Pre-Race Observations: Rolling out of bed this morning at 4:50 a.m. (about ten minutes before my alarm was set to go off) with a stuffy nose, dry mouth, and slight headache, I was glad to have about an hour to pull it together. Following my pre-run rituals of a warm shower, a check of the on-line weather report, two cups o’ joe and a bowl of Irish oats, I felt as ready as I’m ever going to be to make my way into the very dark morning and meet my team for today’s Rochester Marathon Relay.

Post-Run Reflections: What a great morning! Despite my own bad health, a concern which was more than compensated for by my teammates, we ran very well combing for a time of less that three hours! When I started and finished my leg we were in second place overall and finished in (I think) third place, although I thought we were closer to fourth or fifth. As it turned out, my comrades were very well prepared for this morning’s run and though the four of us were running as an “Open Division” Team, it was a most excellent experience being part of the larger GRTC collection of teams.

So, while I did PR at the odd distance of six miles flat with a time of 39:20, I also continued on to complete an additional seven miles, thereby completing the entire marathon course, in 1:32:00. There is nothing like coming down the finish of one’s hometown marathon, and despite my not having running the marathon, I still get jazzed by pushing myself to finish strong… and hearing my name called out is pretty sweet, too!

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

14+ Weeks & Counting: Selecting a Marathon Training Plan

The most current issue of Runner's World features an article which breaks down a number of different training plans which can used to prepare for a fall marathon. As mentioned previously, I am hoping to identify a training (and diet) plan to follow beginning this month. I recognize that finding the running plan is only the beginning of choices that are involved, but, for now, I'm trying to keep it simple.

In addition to recommending a few different plans RW also presented two amalgams, one each for "Beginners" and "Veterans." Both plans seem sensible, while the element of a plan that I am most fond of, as mentioned in a number of the plans considered, is missing from them: a three-run-a-week plan as opposed to a four-to-six days-a-week one.

Two years ago, when I first trained for a marathon, I followed the FIRST Marathon Training Program, developed by the Furman Institute of Running, which combines three weekly "key" runs, three days of cross training, and one "off" day. As someone who worries about the wear and tear that can come with junk miles, I like that there is a focus for each of the Key Runs.

As of today (and nothing is set in stone yet) my target race is the Rochester Marathon on September 16. This is weeks away from this coming Sunday, June 10. This means that I have fourteen weeks to prepare. The FIRST plan I would follow is an eighteen week one, so I would have to pick it up two weeks in. This should not be a problem, as I've been training, just not in the intentional manner of a training program.

As I take a moment to quickly look over the plan, this looks like it could work...

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Dublin (Ohio) Roadie, Day 2: The Run

After 820 miles in thirty-six hours, and we were home again...

I woke up Sunday morning at 6:00, a full two hours before the races (distances ranging from a full marathon down to a 5k were all being run that morning), and had my traditional two cups of joe in an effort to get jazzed for the run. Jack was sleeping in, while I shuffled around the room trying to get my shoes, tights and shirt on in the near dark. Early on I had a feeling that something was off. I had forgotten my "lucky" shirt at home and in fact had to suck it up and race in the white undershirt I had worn the night before. (In my rush to leave early the day before I had neglected to pack very well, I'm afraid.)

Roughly an hour before the start, I roused Jack from his slumber, made sure he had some breakfast. He wasn't going to wait fro me during what I had thought would be a three-and-a-half hour race in frigid temperatures, so we decided it would be better for him to wait inside. I'm not sure why I thought the temperatures would be any more manageable in Ohio, than they were in upstate New York, but, boy was I mistaken!

Weather Report for the Last Chance for Boston in Dublin, OH: Cloudy and Windy, 5°F, 52% Humidity, Winds: From WSW @ 22 mph, gusting up to 32 mph; feels like -2°F.

As I took a warm-up mile, I felt pretty good. The race course consisted of a one-mile loop in the Columbus suburb of Dublin, so my "race" would, in effect, be twenty six laps, one of approximately 1 mile in length. While I started out feeling great, and maintained a confident pace of :08:00 min/mile, the longer the race went on, the more apparent it became to me that I would not finish the entire race. Following each lap, runner's had to pass through what would in the end be the finish chute. As we passed, thereby completing a one mile loop, the coordinator would tell us what lap we had just finsihed. The tale of each lap was the tale of my run coming to an end...

Miles one through twelve went swimmingly. At mile seventeen, however, my left hip, knee and ankle began to throb and become numb. After passing the finish for the nineteenth time I tried, at quarter mile increments, to stop and walk it off... it was at this point that I knew I was finished. Following lap twenty, I did not go through the chute, but instead went outside the chute and turned my timing chip (which was won on my ankle). Kindly, one of the volunteers awarded me with a medal for having completed a half-marathon.Not what I had hoped for, but I was not looking forward to returning to the hotel room empty handed. I felt a little embarrassed to face Jack, but had to acknowledge that I had not achieved my ultimate goal... at least this time.

The final result?

Run: 21 miles in 2:20:38 min. @ 8:00 a.m.

I had, as Jack and I had kidded about the previous night, pulled a gung-lee.

Adio, wli nanawalmezi.