I'm a full three-and-a-half months into my marathon training program. Today, I actually ran 15.5 miles, or 25K.
Really.
I can hardly believe it myself. It's a testament to what the human body can adapt to. I had never run more than 6 miles before starting with Round Rock Fit in late August. Now, I can actually run 15.5 miles. I probably could have run further, to be honest -- not that I wanted to, believe me.
But the program has lived up to its billing. Slowly and steadily, we've increased the milage, most notably for the Saturday long runs. The program works like this: Monday is an easy run (ranging from 30-40 minutes), Tuesday is track repeats or hill repeats, Wednesday is a cross training day (no running, but swimming or biking), and Thursday is a tempo run. And Saturday is the long run. It's similar to the Run Less, Run Faster program I followed this summer when training for my first 5K.
The first long run was 3 miles. I remember struggling with it -- it was late August, early September and still hot, hot, hot here in Central Texas. We've more or less added a mile each Saturday since then, though some weeks we've dialed back the miles, and some weeks we upped it.
This week we upped it. We did 13 miles last week, and as noted above 15.5 miles today. Today was a benchmark run, which I think means if you've made it this far you get the T-shirt. And a very nice technical T it is!
The only time I had to walk was the first time we ran 10 miles. Getting to double digits got in my head, I think, and that's not uncommon. Since then, the only time I've walked is to refill my water bottle from the coolers strategically placed on the training course. It's amazing how much I still sweat, even when it's in the mid-40s.
And so, a few minutes ago I formally registered for the Livestrong Austin Marathon. For $139, I'll have the opportunity to realize my midlife crisis and complete a marathon. I love that it raises funds for cancer research, and I will run in memory of my father and mother, both of whom died from cancer. I suddenly miss them both very much having written those words. My dad was 61 when his prostate cancer metastasized and took his life; mom was a 40-year survivor who died in 2010 at 75 after her cancer returned. I can't help but believe they'll be cheering for me as I run the race.
I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. The training has been terrific, and the only days I've missed have been when I've been under the weather.
So far, this has been an experience I would recommend to anyone -- approaching midlife or not. Even though I've developed plantar fasciitis in my left foot, it hasn't been so bad to keep me from running. It's more annoying than anything. But perhaps that's for another post.
Thanks for reading, and let me know if there's anything about this you're curious about.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Let the midlife crisis now officially begin
I joined a marathon training program and picked up my information packet yesterday. So now it's official: I've lost my mind.
I've paid my $100 to Round Rock Fit, a six-month training program that will prepare me body and soul for the Austin Livestrong Marathon in February. Further evidence of mental deterioration (I know, like more evidence is really needed): I bought a new pair of expensive running shoes as well as an even more expensive (though on sale!) running watch.
So now, dear reader, I'm more committed than ever. This blog was an important first step. Next was following a training program and actually participating in a 5K. I ran a second 5K on my birthday, and it was a lot more fun. It was the 5K for Clay, which benefits the Clay Madsen Recreation Center, where I exercise a lot. I got to see a lot of fellow City employees, and my in-laws even showed up to cheer me on!
The kickoff event for Round Rock Fit on Saturday was really cool. Again, got to see some friends from work -- all of whom are coaching various groups -- and the real treat was the speech by USA Fit co-founder Denis Calabrese. He talked about why he started the organization (while there are a ton of places to take tennis lessons or golf lessons, there wasn't any place for running lessons), related spot-on what we newbies were experiencing that day, and then related what we would be feeling as went through our training and then on the day of our first marathon.
Bottom line: this training program will prepare your body for the rigors of the race, but more importantly it will prepare your mind for the event. Your mind will lie to your body, he said, telling it that it's time to quit when you've got plenty left in the tank. If he said it once, he said it ten times in various ways: this is a mental challenge.
So for a guy so obviously mentally challenged as I am, this should be a piece of cake ...
I've paid my $100 to Round Rock Fit, a six-month training program that will prepare me body and soul for the Austin Livestrong Marathon in February. Further evidence of mental deterioration (I know, like more evidence is really needed): I bought a new pair of expensive running shoes as well as an even more expensive (though on sale!) running watch.
So now, dear reader, I'm more committed than ever. This blog was an important first step. Next was following a training program and actually participating in a 5K. I ran a second 5K on my birthday, and it was a lot more fun. It was the 5K for Clay, which benefits the Clay Madsen Recreation Center, where I exercise a lot. I got to see a lot of fellow City employees, and my in-laws even showed up to cheer me on!
The kickoff event for Round Rock Fit on Saturday was really cool. Again, got to see some friends from work -- all of whom are coaching various groups -- and the real treat was the speech by USA Fit co-founder Denis Calabrese. He talked about why he started the organization (while there are a ton of places to take tennis lessons or golf lessons, there wasn't any place for running lessons), related spot-on what we newbies were experiencing that day, and then related what we would be feeling as went through our training and then on the day of our first marathon.
Bottom line: this training program will prepare your body for the rigors of the race, but more importantly it will prepare your mind for the event. Your mind will lie to your body, he said, telling it that it's time to quit when you've got plenty left in the tank. If he said it once, he said it ten times in various ways: this is a mental challenge.
So for a guy so obviously mentally challenged as I am, this should be a piece of cake ...
Sunday, July 17, 2011
First 5K race is in the books
And it's nothing to write home about.
But write about it I must. When last we visited, I had completed week 3 of my 12-week training program to prep for my first 5K. I was hitting my pace time targets and was pretty pumped. This was about mid-May.
So by the time mid-July rolls around, and it's time to run this 5K I've been training so diligently for, my per-mile time in the race is ... slower than my per-mile time from week 3! My official finishing time was 33 minutes, 22.7 seconds. (Official race results here.) In May, I ran 3 miles in 30.27.
Now, there's no question I'm in better shape -- I've shed over 11 pounds since starting this blog -- and I can now run 5 miles without feeling like I'm about to die.
So what gives?
All I can think of is, it's the heat. There's no question running in the heat is much tougher. I remember early posts where I note how chilly it is and how that made the running easier. We'll, now that temps have risen to even hotter than normal in these parts this summer (30 days or so of triple-digit heat), there's no doubt the heat -- and Saturday for sure, the humidity -- has taken a toll on my times.
Of course, yesterday morning, the day of Vern's No Frills 5K, it actually rained before the race and thus it was even more humid than normal. How cruel, because it hasn't rained hardly at all this summer. Ah, so what. I entered the race, got my little runner's bib, pinned it on and finished. So, according to the late running guru Dr. George Sheehan, I've now officially made the transition from jogger to runner (the difference being a completed entry form).
What's more, I ran into friend and work colleague Emsud Horozovic at the race. To know Emsud is to love him. An always-cheerful Bosnian, Emsud is the City's official "tree hugger," i.e., arborist. He always addresses me as "Sir William" (Seer Veelyam! in his Slavic accent). I don't know why he calls me that but how can you not love someone who addresses you like royalty? He passed me early in the race (I secretly hoped my superior training program would have me passing him later in the race) and he finished three minutes before I did (nope!). We chatted for a while afterward. I can see us running on the Brushy Creek Regional Trail together on Saturdays since he lives close to it, too. Like me, he prefers crushed granite to pavement to run on.
For a people watcher like me, the race was absolutely fascinating. All shapes and sizes, ages and ability levels. You could pick out the serious runners pretty easily (no shirts, no body fat), there were a few heavyset folks and everything in between. I was surprised by the handful of kids -- nearly all of whom whipped me, but good. An 11-year-old girl finished in 24.14 for crying out loud!
What really irked me (and will propel future training efforts) is the folks who looked like they weren't in as good as shape as me who beat me -- easily. There were the two pear-shaped guys who ran shirtless and finished in the top 20-30. I wonder how fast they could go if they gave up the beer? And there was one particular woman who looked like she was in her late 30s, maybe early 40s, who, judging by the size of her, ah, lower body, looked like she hadn't missed many desserts over the years. I was behind her as we walked from the parking lot to the registration desk. There was no way in hell I would have guessed she would finish ahead of me. She did, and by a bunch.
Being humbled is always a good thing for me, so I obviously had a great experience at the race. I'm motivated to keep on truckin', to gradually build to greater distances. This running is my veins now. It feels so good to finish a run. It also feels good to have my slacks fitting so loose (some dress shirts, too).
I can only hope my times improve once it cools off this fall. Until then, I'll keep on, slow and steady. Just hopefully not always this slow.
But write about it I must. When last we visited, I had completed week 3 of my 12-week training program to prep for my first 5K. I was hitting my pace time targets and was pretty pumped. This was about mid-May.
Now, there's no question I'm in better shape -- I've shed over 11 pounds since starting this blog -- and I can now run 5 miles without feeling like I'm about to die.
So what gives?
All I can think of is, it's the heat. There's no question running in the heat is much tougher. I remember early posts where I note how chilly it is and how that made the running easier. We'll, now that temps have risen to even hotter than normal in these parts this summer (30 days or so of triple-digit heat), there's no doubt the heat -- and Saturday for sure, the humidity -- has taken a toll on my times.
Of course, yesterday morning, the day of Vern's No Frills 5K, it actually rained before the race and thus it was even more humid than normal. How cruel, because it hasn't rained hardly at all this summer. Ah, so what. I entered the race, got my little runner's bib, pinned it on and finished. So, according to the late running guru Dr. George Sheehan, I've now officially made the transition from jogger to runner (the difference being a completed entry form).
What's more, I ran into friend and work colleague Emsud Horozovic at the race. To know Emsud is to love him. An always-cheerful Bosnian, Emsud is the City's official "tree hugger," i.e., arborist. He always addresses me as "Sir William" (Seer Veelyam! in his Slavic accent). I don't know why he calls me that but how can you not love someone who addresses you like royalty? He passed me early in the race (I secretly hoped my superior training program would have me passing him later in the race) and he finished three minutes before I did (nope!). We chatted for a while afterward. I can see us running on the Brushy Creek Regional Trail together on Saturdays since he lives close to it, too. Like me, he prefers crushed granite to pavement to run on.
For a people watcher like me, the race was absolutely fascinating. All shapes and sizes, ages and ability levels. You could pick out the serious runners pretty easily (no shirts, no body fat), there were a few heavyset folks and everything in between. I was surprised by the handful of kids -- nearly all of whom whipped me, but good. An 11-year-old girl finished in 24.14 for crying out loud!
What really irked me (and will propel future training efforts) is the folks who looked like they weren't in as good as shape as me who beat me -- easily. There were the two pear-shaped guys who ran shirtless and finished in the top 20-30. I wonder how fast they could go if they gave up the beer? And there was one particular woman who looked like she was in her late 30s, maybe early 40s, who, judging by the size of her, ah, lower body, looked like she hadn't missed many desserts over the years. I was behind her as we walked from the parking lot to the registration desk. There was no way in hell I would have guessed she would finish ahead of me. She did, and by a bunch.
Being humbled is always a good thing for me, so I obviously had a great experience at the race. I'm motivated to keep on truckin', to gradually build to greater distances. This running is my veins now. It feels so good to finish a run. It also feels good to have my slacks fitting so loose (some dress shirts, too).
I can only hope my times improve once it cools off this fall. Until then, I'll keep on, slow and steady. Just hopefully not always this slow.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Love, Actually
My son, Jake, left a note in my running log the other day. I had to share it because it absolutely made my day!
Hitting targets
Training is only half the equation. Diet completes it. Because we're in the Pascal season at church, my diet is back to pre-Lenten fare as noted in my April 30 post. I've tried not to go overboard with cheeseburgers and the like, but I know I should be a little more diligent about what I put in my body. Exercising definitely encourages better food choices. But when good friends invite you to Louis Mueller's for lunch, it would be rude to turn them down ...
OK, here's the rundown on the last two week's running/training:
Monday, 5/2: Played 11 holes of wet, cold golf. Didn't exercise in the morning because I stayed up late watching the news of the Bin Laden killing.
Tuesday, 5/3: 3X400 track repeats, times were 2.12, 2.10 and 2.08, sandwiched between 10 minute warmup and cooldown runs. Did 10 minute ab routine, played hoops at lunch.
Wednesday, 5/4: 45 minutes on the stationary bike, avg 95 rpm
Thursday, 5/5: 3 miles, with a mid-tempo pace run as the middle mile. Times were 10.08, 9.50 (or 9.38 depending on whether my watch or the iPhone/Nike+ clock is right) and 9.40. Played 30 minutes of hoops at lunch.
Friday, 5/6: 45 minutes on the stationary bike, goal was 80 percent max heart rate, which translates into 95-100 rpm
Saturday, 5/7: Long run, 3 miles with goal of 10.10 per mile pace. Time was 30:27! Much better than the previous week. Did 10 minute ab routine afterward.
Sunday, 5/8: 45 minutes of stretching
Monday, 5/9:4X400 track repeats, times were 2.13, 2.12, 2.13 and 2.14, in between 10 minute warmup and cool down runs. Did 15 minutes of ab work afterward, followed by upper body strength training at lunch
Tuesday, 5/10: 45 minutes on the bike, same pace
Wednesday, 5/11: 3 miles on the treadmill (4.1 acc'd to Nike+, whatevs ...) with a pace mile in the middle of 10.0 minutes.
Thursday, 5/12: played an hour of hoops at lunch
Friday, 5/13: 45 minutes on the stationary bike, 95-100 rpm
Saturday, 5/14: long run of 3.5 miles in 35.34 -- right on my target pace! Yeah!
The next couple of weeks push a little farther, so stay tuned to see if we can stay on target.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Thank you and congrats, Dean Karnazes
Gotta give a quick shout out to the Ultramarathon Man, Dean Karnazes, who earlier today completed his Run Across America. He's spent the past 75 days running from Anaheim, Calif., to New York City.
The guy continues to inspire me to achieve my running goal, which seems tiny compared to his, though I know he wouldn't see it that way.
I've looked forward to reading the team's blog every night for the past two months. All I can say is, wow. That guy -- and his super team -- absolutely rock!
The guy continues to inspire me to achieve my running goal, which seems tiny compared to his, though I know he wouldn't see it that way.
I've looked forward to reading the team's blog every night for the past two months. All I can say is, wow. That guy -- and his super team -- absolutely rock!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Yes, I'm still running ... and eating!
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| Louis Mueller's photo |
Enough of the menu. Let's get to the meat of the training. Recall that I've started the 3plus2 training program (three specific runs per week, two days of cross training per week). Here's the lowdown since the last post:
Week of April 18
- Monday -- 3 miles total, 2X400 track repeats (2.18, 2.08), Ab Ripper X, then chest and back at the Rec Center at lunch. Track repeat work goes like this: Jog for 10 minutes to warm-up. Run 400 meters at 2:10 pace; walk 200 meters, then run another 400 meters at 2:10 pace; then jog for 10 minutes to cool down.
- Tuesday -- 45 minutes on the elliptical
- Wednesday -- 3.92 miles on the treadmill, 39.42 minutes.This was my tempo run, which for this week was 1 mile jog warm-up, 1 mile at 10.00 (the tempo), and 1 mile jog cool-down. Again, the treadmill and the Nike+ disagree on the distance. Treadmill said 3 miles. Nike+ said 3.92. Whatever, I was sweating like a pig when I finished.
- Thursday -- Played hoops for 30 minutes
- Friday -- The Rec Center was closed! Oops ... so much for 45 minutes on the stationary bike. Ah, well.
- Saturday -- 3 miles in 32.37. This was the long run for the week. Goal was a mid-tempo pace of 10.10 per mile. Fell short, obviously. Was 75 degrees and sunny. I actually had to walk for a couple hundred yards toward the end of the run. The heat definitely took a toll.
- Sunday -- Pascha, Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Week of April 25
- Monday -- 2.85 miles total. 2X400 track repeats (2.18, 2.09). Still working to nail the 2.10 goal pace. I'll say this about the track repeats: They definitely push you. The 2.10 pace leaves me sucking wind.
- Tuesday -- 20 minutes on the stationary bike. Does playing in a golf tournament that afternoon count as cross training? Didn't think so, but had a great time at the Downtown Lions annual fundraiser. Thanks to Mac Ragsdale and Betty Trent for the invite!
- Wednesday -- Either 4.09 miles (Nike+), or 3.0 miles (treadmill) for tempo run. Same 10.00 pace for the middle mile. Did some sit ups afterward.
- Thursday -- An hour of pickup hoops
- Friday -- 45 minutes on the stationary bike at 95-100 rpm.
- Saturday -- 3 miles in 32.03. Long run again, still shooting for 10.10 pace. Have no idea how close I am to hitting that pace. The Nike+ says I ran it in 32.03. Or was it 30:15 and I actually beat the pace? The information on the site is confusing. It gives split times (10.26, 10.48, 10.49) in one area, but on the chart that shows speed over time, it looks like I did 3 miles in 30.15 (10.23, 10.39. 9.53). What the hell? To add to my confusion, my watch had me at 31.52. Also did Ab Ripper X after the run, as punishment for Louis Mueller on lunch yesterday. Oh, but those ribs, brisket and chipotle sausage were worth it!
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