A day off

Sometimes, there's no better training that taking a day's rest. Today is that day.

After the tough 12 miler on Monday and the 4 mile up-tempo walk on Tuesday, my legs can use some time to recover.

This is going to be a busy weekend. Our big SECRET race will be announced on Friday and I'll be pretty occupied all weekend long with race-related activities. It will mean sneaking in some morning runs.

Wish me luck. I'm NOT a morning runner!

John

Trophy Sniffing

It's funny how traditions get started.

Last July 4th, Jenny, my mom and dad, and I participated in the "4 on the 4th" race in Elmhurst, IL. It was the first year of the event, it was a small but well run race, and my mom AND dad won their age groups.

My dad - to be fair - only walked 2 of the 4 miles, but the organizers gave him the medal anyway.

This year we were all back for my folks to defend their titles. My task was to try to stay with my mom. And my dad was bound and determined to walk ALL 4 miles.

It all worked out great. My mom and I came in in just a little over an hour and 4 minutes and my dad - all by himself for most of the time - finished up in 1 hour and 25 minutes are EARNED his 1st place medal.

John

ORN: 4 miles, 1:04:20, walking.

Getting it in

There's no big mystery about training for a marathon. You've got to get in the miles. You got to do the long runs - one way or another. You've got to be consistent. You've got to be determined. And sometimes, you've just got to be stubborn.

Today, I was just stubborn.

My legs were still VERY stiff from the 21 hours of sitting on "Fat Albert" [the name of my motorcycle] It was hot and muggy in Chicago, but none of that matters when you're training.

The plan was to run 12 miles using a run 4 minute, walk 2 minute plan. I wasn't as concerned about pace as I was just doing the distance. And, as it turned out, that's just as well.

The first 10 went about according to plan. Then things got ugly in a hurry. I ended up walking the last mile or so just because my legs wouldn't do anything else. It happens.

But I got in the distance.

John

ORN: 12 miles, 2:56, R4/W2 [walked last mile]

Saddle Sore 1000

July 2, 2006
Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that motorcycles have been a life long passion. I am crazy about anything and everything to do with motorcylces. I like to look at them. I like to talk about them. But mostly, I like to RIDE them.

Anyone who has known Jenny for any length of time knows that SHE loves adventure racing. 3 Eco-Challenges, other expedition length races, and lots of 1, 2, and 3 day races. And about a year ago, Jenny discovered motorcycling. See where this is headed?

She read about an event called the Saddle Sore 1000. The rules are pretty simple. You pick a 1000 mile route, get someone to witness your start, get receipts from your gas stops, and get someone to witness your finish. Oh, and you have to ride the 1000 miles in less than 24 hours.

All this explains how it was that at 4:00 AM on July 1 a waiter at Nookies was signing a witness form and Jenny and I - each riding our own BMW R1150R - were headed out to ride around Lake Michigan. And ride we did. For the next 21 hours we were rolling: hammering up I-75, sifting our way through traffic on Route 2 in the U.P. and dodging thunderstorms and tornados in Wisconsin.

And we made it. We might have gotten in under 20 hours if we hadn't had to hide under a bridge for an hour. But finishing was more than enough. In nearly 40 years of motorcycling, this was the single biggest day of riding - EVER. And it was fantastic.

John

ORN: July 1, 2: 0

PMP Run

June 30, 2006

The difference between training and running, as I've said, is that EVERY training run has a purpose. The purpose of today's run was to see just how close I am to being able to maintain the pace I need for a 5 hour marathon. Hence, the PMP - "Planned Marathon Pace" run.

It's pretty simple: To run a 5 hour marathon you need to run an 11:27 pace. Using a run 5, walk 1 plan [R5/W1] you need to be running about a 10:30 pace when you're running and about a 16:00 pace when you walk. For me, that means paying attention.

So, today's PMP run was 4 miles in 45:31. That's about an 11:15 pace. So far so good. What this means is that I've got the foot speed and turnover necessary for a 5 hour marathon, but not the endurance. But, the endurance will come.

Overall a good test. I'm not over confident, but I'm about where I hoped I'd be.

John

ORN: 6/30/06: 4 miles PMP, 45:31, R5/R1

Pedal Power

June 29, 2004

My training day: Find the key to the storage closet, find my road cycle shoes, gingerly get MY bike out of the closet without scratching either of Jenny's TWO bikes, find the pump, pump the tires, go for ride.

Oh, and try to remember how to shift the fancy-schmancy road bike.

Once I got out and going it was fantastic. I really do like to ride, and I especially like to ride my road bike. The problem is that I don't ride it often enough to feel very confident.

But, when I'm home I need to get out and do something OTHER than running and walking so today was a good day.

John

ORN: 50 minutes, road bike.

Home Run

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Not the baseball type. I mean running from home. After weeks on the road, in the air, and on the sea it was good to get out on my lakefront path again.

Jenny decided to run with me. For my "marathon" training she is going to run her easy days with me. Those days will be MY tempo - faster paced runs. I know. A weaker man would feel funny. But Jenny is a great runner and it's nice of her to run with me.

We did about 5 miles [GPS didn't quite work] using a run 10/walk 1 interval. It was challenging, but I got through it. My legs still feel like they're on the boat.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

I paid today for the hard run yesterday. Today was supposed to be "cross-training", so what I'm doing is trying to improve my walking pace. I went out for an hour using a run 4/walk 2 interval but really focused on the "walk" part of the training.

From the first running step I knew that my legs were wasted, but using 4/2 I was able to run a solid pace while I ran and MADE myself walk about as fast as I could. If I'm going to get under 5 hours [which - to be honest - is currently under discussion. I'm thinking that 5:30 may be a more honest goal] I'm going to have to walk much faster than I do now. The only way I know to improve is to train. So, I'm "training" to walk faster.

John

ORN: Tuesday, June 27, 2006: 5 miles, 55 minutes, 10/1 "tempo" run
ORN: Wednesday, June 28, 2006: 4.5 miles, 60 minutes, 4/2, recovery pace, fast walk

GAMM Report: LONG

June 18-25: The Great Alaskan Maritime Marathon

It's hard to know where to start, so pull up a seat. This could take some time.

The "event" was the inaugural Great Alaskan Maritime Marathon. It was a stage race in which the participants completed a marathon during the week by running on the ship and in each port. It was "staged" off the ms Westerdam of the Holland America line and was the first "marathon" run off a cruise ship.

Sunday, June 18. Packet Pick up and cocktail party.

The participants received their race numbers, fleece vests, technical shirts, and instructions for the race. The structure was that they ran a 1 mile "prologue" time trial on the treadmill to establish their "base" pace. The winner would be the one who could come closest to maintaining that pace through the 26.2 miles. The "races" were a 2 mile predict-your-time deck run, a half marathon in Juneau, a 5 mile run in Sitka, and a 10K trail run in Ketchikan.

Monday, June 19. At Sea: Prologue time trial.

Running a mile on the treadmill proved to be one of the most challenging tasks of the week. We were on the open sea and the ship was "rocking and rolling" enough to make things interesting. Everyone got through it fine, including one woman who ran it in her ROBE because the airlines had lost her luggage and the ship hadn't return her laundry.

Tuesday, June 20. 2 mile Predict-Your-Time and the Hubbard Glacier

The ship was so big that it was only three times around the Promenade deck to the mile. The participants "predicted" how long it would take them and then ran without their watches.

Wednesday, June 21. Juneau 1/2 Marathon

We bused over the Douglass Island for the 1/2 marathon. The excitement level was REALLY high since it was the first "land" run in 3 days. The weather was perfect and the runners took off. As they were running IN to the harbor, a humpback whale was making it's way OUT. Imagine watching a whale while you are running. Not many races offer that.

The Alaskan Brewery supplied us with beer for the finish line and we all enjoyed a perfect day.

Thursday, June 22. Sitka 5 miler

The local runners met us at the dock and led us out on a 5 miler that included a run across the bridge and 2 loops inside of the totem park. It was rainy and cool and made for an "authentic" Alaskan run.

Friday, June 23. Ketchikan Trail 10K

We bused out to the Ward Lake area where the Ketchikan Running Club has set out an absolutely spectacular trail run. The participants weren't' allowed to use their watches or GPS units which meant "running how you feel for as long as you can". The scenery was stunning from start to finish.

Saturday, June 24. Victoria International Fun Run

Rob Reed of the Frontrunner's store in Victoria - and a bunch of his runners - met us at the dock and lead us on a run through Victoria, BC. We finished at the store and celebrated our week of running with pizza and beer.

It was a truly remarkable week. I got to run in Sitka and Victoria but spent most of the time as "race director". It was worth it. I can't remember a more satisfying week.

John

PS: A bonus was that Danny Robertson and I played trombone duets at the Victory Party. It was my first public performance in 21 years.

Sailing, Sailing

What a week.

Full report to come. Internet access limited all week. GREAT time at sea.

All is well.

More Monday.

John

Don't know my own strength

If you're my age [57] the title of this Blog makes perfect sense. Every week Bullwinkel would try to pull a rabbit out of his hat only to have something large and ferocious jump out. His response was always: "Don't know my own strength"

I ran for 2 hours and 20 minutes today along the Coastal Trail in Anchorage. With all the flying and time changes and everything else I didn't have much hope of getting through it at all, let alone well. Imagine my surprise when 90 minutes into the run I just felt stronger and stronger. I finished with a flair feeling like I could have gone another hour.

Yesterday I had a chance to run in Bellingham, Washington with an old and very dear friend, Indro Neri. He is - without question - the brightest, most creative person I have ever known. I can usually hold my own in the creativity department, but around Indro I feel like an 8 year old. 24 hours with Indro gives me enough ideas to keep me busy for a year.

John

ORN June 16: 40 minutes, 4/2
ORN June 17: 2 hours, 20 minutes, 4/2. Best guess, about 10 miles.

PS: The photo is from a trail run that Jenny and I took here in Anchorage a few years ago. Turns out, I shouldn't have been that close to the moose.

Walk the Walk

There are going to be days like this.

Yesterday I did my 5 minute warm up and started to run. I had already decided that I was too tired to do the 10/1 that I had done the day before. My plan was to do a 4/2 pattern for 45 minutes or so. That was the plan.

Three running steps was all it took to convince me that running was OUT of the question. But, I felt too good to turn around and go home. It was a BEAUTIFUL day. I had to stay out. So, I walked.

More importantly, I TRAINED by walking. For me to get under 5 hours in Chicago I MUST get better/faster at walking. I need to train to walk. Yesterday was the day to do just that.

Today was a travel day. Tomorrow I'm hoping to get in a calm 5 mile trail run.

John

ORN: Tuesday, June 13; 60 minutes of brisk walking.

The Training Affect

A couple of years ago one of the participants in Jenny's winter 1/2 marathon training program came up to me and said: "Hey, this training actually seems to work." She was able to run/walk farther, sometimes faster, and in general was seeing marked improvement.

What SHOCKED me was that the woman was a doctor! A doctor! And it had never occurred to her that her body would react well to cautious increases in mileage and speed.

On my timed run yesterday, along my favorite lakefront path, I noticed that I was going a lot farther than I did just a few weeks ago. I felt as silly as that doctor. I forgot that training WORKS.

So, I'm encouraged. I'm a little stiffer than I'd like to be but my "training" has been consistent and it seems to be paying off.

John

ORN: Monday, June 12; 44 minutes, 10/1 plus 5 min w/u and 5 c/d.

Rain and Rest

YIKES! When it rains it pours. And I mean POURS.

The Saturday training run was a wet and wild affair. I was helping with the 3/2 group and THANK GOODNESS it was a cut-back week and we only had to do 5 miles. This was the hardest rain I've run in since Athens in 2001. I actually ran in rain pants and a Marmot rain jacket. No running gear was going to work.

Sunday was clear and cool - almost cold. Perfect day to rest the weary legs and go explore the backroads of Wisconsin on a motorcycle. We've found a "biker" restaurant - a place with a HUGE parking lot that turns into a motorcycle show on Saturdays and Sundays - to eat and hang out. Great fun.

This is a strange week. Off to Seattle on Wednesday, Anchorage on Thursday, back to Seattle on Saturday, and then off on the cruise on Sunday!

John

ORN: Saturday, June 10: 5 miles, 3/2 in the POURING rain.

Week in Review

It's FRIDAY! And not a day too soon.

It seems like three weeks ago, but looking back, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon was a huge success. Mike Reilly and I were working the microphones at the finish line and had a GREAT time. We actually "called" the men's race on the JumboTron. It was like doing play-by-play at a football game.

I did NOT want to get up and run on Monday, but, because I've switched from running to training I did. I got in my 8 miles [tracked with my Garmin, so I know I got in the distance] using a 4/2 run/walk interval.

Wednesday I tried doing my daily run using a 10/1 run/walk interval and I'm pleased to say that it worked very well. Stretching the run during the week seems to help with the long runs on the weekends.

Tuesday and Thursday were motorcycle days. No, it's not exactly cross-training, but sometimes you've just got to ride.

We're scrambling just a little trying to get ready for the Cruise. I can't wait!

John

ORN: Monday, June 5: 8 miles along San Diego Bay. I used 4/2 because my legs were so wasted from the weekend.
ORN: Wednesday, June 7: 44 minutes, 10/1 plus 5 minutes walking warm up.

Rock 'n' Roll

There are some experiences that become watersheds - mile markers - in one's life. The Rock 'n' Roll marathon in San Diego is one of those experiences. I was here first, in 1998, as part of the Runner's World pace team. The column had only been in the magazine for 2 years, "the Penguin" phenomenon was just getting started, and I could never have predicted what would happen over the next 8 years.

In 1999 my son, Terry, and I rode Suzuki motorcycles from New York to San Diego and then ran the marathon. Other years have been just as significant for personal and professional reasons. But, all together, they have become the "Rock 'n' Roll" experience. It's always special.

This year is no exception - except - this year everything just feels right. I'm not sure why - there's nothing really all that different - but there is a calm and a peace about it that has been missing in other years. For that, I'm glad.

John

ORN: Friday, June 2: 45 minutes, 9/1
ORN: Satuday, June 3: 40 minutes, 9/1

Paying the Piper

Yesterday was Memorial Day. Back when I was in the US Army Band, in Washington, DC, we always played at some official ceremony, usually at the Tomb of the Unknowns. It was always a solumn occasion, made more so because we were deep into the Vietnam War and all the controversy.

This Memorial Day I wasn't a soldier, I was just a runner. But, passing by Montrose Harbor I heard the sound of Pipers. Sure enough, there was a ceremony going on and this time I was running through it. I'm not debating the rights or wrongs of any war, I can only say that for me - as a veteran - I am moved by the sacrifice that others have made on my behalf.

And I took that moment to be grateful that on a sunny Monday afternoon I could run along my favorite lakefront path without fear. Not everyone can say that.

John

ORN: Long run. 7 miles, 5/1. Used the Garmin to try to stay on pace. The heat was amazing, and I had to back off to about a 12:30 pace.

A river runs through it

Some cities just have it figured out. Chicago does. New York does. Ottawa does.

This year I had a chance to get in some running in Ottawa. The river, the locks, the canal are all in the heart of the downtown. The parliment building, the supreme court, and many of the other "capitol" type buildings are right here too. It's beautiful.

On Thursday I had a bit of trouble finding my way down to the path. There are steps that lead from the parliment buildings down to the river, but you have to know where they are. I didn't. So after a couple of laps AROUND the buildings I finally made way to main entrance to the locks.

I had time, it was a beautiful day, and I wanted to see the path, so I opted to walk for 25 minutes then run a 4/2 pattern for 60 minutes. I went along the river side of the locks. Someone much smarter than me can figure out what direction that was.

On Friday, I didn't have as much time so I chose a 9/1 pattern and went the OTHER way, along the canal. Like other big city runs, you've got the runners and bikers, bladers and dog walkers all out there 'doing their thing'. It's a great way to meet the people.

If you ever find yourself in Ottawa, bring your shoes. You're going to want to run or walk the paths.

John

ORN: Thursday; off the training schedule; 25 minutes walking, 60 minutes at 4/2
ORN: Friday; on schedule; 40 minutes, 9/1 with 5 minute warm up.
ORN: Saturday; rest day [all day standing at the expo!]

The Great White North

Greetings from Ottawa, Canada. It's a beautiful day here and I'm looking forward to getting in a run later today.

Working backwards, Jenny, David, and I spent Monday and Tuesday in Randleman, North Carolina visiting the Victory Junction Gang Camp and meeting with folks in the Petty organization. I even got to meet Richard Petty himself! Very cool. And if you don't KNOW who Richard Petty is, you should find out. There's something GREAT that's going to happen but we can't say much yet.

Having "the Coach" along with us meant that we DID get up and run Tuesday morning even though we didn't have much time. I'm trying to stay on the training schedule.

I ended up running later in the day on Sunday - which was supposed to be a rest day - because I knew that there was NO way to run on Monday. So Monday was the rest day, Tuesday was a run day, and Wednesday will be a shorter run day. No, it's not EXACTLY what the schedule calls for, but it will have to do.

John

ORN: Sunday, 40 minutes, 9/1
ORN: Tuesday, 35 minutes, 9/1

Running with Friends

Jenny's training program for the Chicago Distance Classic and Chicago marathon had their first training session yesterday. It's amazing to see over 300 folks gather to START a training schedule.

One of the charities is matching inner city high school students with running mentors. They goal is for them to traing together for either the CDC or marathon. We had about 25 students with their mentors yesterday for the first 4 mile run. I helped with the group and we did a 3/2 run/walk. IT WAS FANTASTIC.

How fun to see all these young people out on the path running side-by-side with their "training buddy". It will be a life changeing expierence for all of us if we can keep them motivated to see the training through.

It was a great reminder of why I REALLY do this.

John

ORN: 4 miles, 54 minutes, 3/2
OBN: Rode my city bike to and from the "Learn to Run" kickoff. About 7 miles total

Accountability

I love to run. I used to like to train. Now I love to run, but I'm not all that kicked up about training. For me there's always been a big difference between running and training. You don't need a reason to run. All you do is run. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. You can run 7 days a week, or 3 days a week. It doesn't matter.

Training is - well - training. There's a REASON to run. EVERY time you run. There's a time or a distance, a pace or a purpose, EVERY time you put on your shoes. And that's the part I'm trying to get used to again.

I hate to keep bringing up Goofy, but that was the biggest physical accomplishment of my life. Not record times, but record preparation, record mental toughness, and a record "gut check". And I've got all three medals to prove it. But it wore me out.

So, I've GOT to get in a training program. The only way I'm going to get ready for a 5 hour marathon this fall is to train. Sounds simple. IS simple. I've just got get my head around it.

John

ORN: 40 minutes, 9/1. I wore my Garmin and actually tried to keep track of pace a little bit. If I'm going to get under 5 hours, I'm going to have to do some speed work.

Saddle Up

The weather here in Chicago has been the strangest that I can remember. It's rained every day for something like 40 days. I'm about to build an Ark.

Worse, it alternates between sunshine and rain [and hail last night] without warning. There's no telling what it's going to do next. Makes planning the day a bit tricky.

I got my run in yesterday during the sunny window. Today, I rode my bicycle in and out of three short downfalls. Strange. That's all there is to it.

But, I'm ON the training plan. Today was a cross-training day and I got it in. 3 days isn't a season, but it's a start.

Waddle on,

John

ORN: May 17: 45 minutes, 9/1 with 12 minutes of walking to warm up and cool.
OBN: May 18: 50 minutes, road bike. First ride of the season.

Keeping up

YIKES! And double YIKES.

You would think, being a writer, that blogging would be the easiest thing imaginable. After all, it's just writing. And I write all the time.

Well, you'd be wrong. But, I may have found the solution.

I decided on Saturday that I am going to train for the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. More than that, I have accepted the challenge of trying to complete it in under 5 hours. I THINK that the last time I ran a marathon in under 5 hours was Disney 1999. So, I've got my work cut out for me.

So, I've got a training program, a goal, and a plan. This, I should be able to write about.

John

ORN: Started TODAY with a 40 minute run using 9/1 run/walk ratio.

Which way is up?

Oh good grief. I apologize to those of you who read this on a regular basis. I've been away, busy, and without access to the internet until yesterday.

I can't even begin to catch up, but, this past weekend Jenny and I were in Indianapolis for the 30th running of the 500 Festival Indy Mini [half marathon]. It's a fantastic race - 35,000 participants this year - and this year was special because they brought back former winners Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter, among others.

The REALLY cool news is that Daniel [who some of you have met at our races] came in 2nd to the 2001 winner of the Chicago Marathon. NOT TOO BAD. He ran close to his PR - 1:03:30 or so. For those of you who DON'T know, John Bingham Racing sponsors Daniel. It's a small way to give back to the sport that's given me so much.

I did manage to get in some running, including what I'm now calling my "Better than Nothing" workout. Essentially the BTN workout is getting in SOMETHING rather than doing NOTHING.

I'm off to give a commencement address - if you can imagine - at Jackson Community College in Jackson, Michigan. I've been invited by a guy that I went to undergraduate school with - and haven't seen since 1968! Life is FUNNY.

John

ORN: BEST I CAN REMEMBER

May 4: 50 minutes
May 5: 40 minutes
May 7: 30 minutes, BTN
May 9: 50 minutes

A Dandy-Lion Run

This was one of those wonderful days. I'm home, so I got to run from MY apartment, down MY street, to MY path along MY lake. Sure, others may think it's THEIR path and THEIR lake, but I know better.

The deep green grass was covered with bright yellow dandelions, the sky was light blue, the water dark blue... it was a picture perfect setting. I chose to do a 4/2 sequence because I really wanted to stay out as long as I could.

Everything about this run was a reminder of why I run. I am feeling very grateful today.

John

ORN: 75 minutes, 4/2 at an easy pace along the north end of Belmont Harbor.

On the Road, again

For those of you who have been following along the past month or so, you've got a pretty good idea of what life is like this time of year. There's LOTS of travel, lots of hotel rooms, and LOTS of meeting and greeting people.

This past weekend was the Country Music Marathon and 1/2 Marathon in Nashville. I have a special interest in this event for a couple of reasons. One, I lived in the Nashville area for a number of years, so I know the running community there. And, Tim Murphy [from Elite Racing] and I talked about this race years ago. Just to show you how WRONG I can be, I told him that I didn't think the event would be successful. And I was right for the first few years, but they have it ALL going on now.

They added a 1/2 marathon in 2002 and that has made all the difference. There were 17,000 participants in the HALF and only about 5,000 in the full. That's pretty typical these days when there's a half and full option. To be honest, given the "rolling" nature of the Nashville course, the 1/2 is the BEST choice.

It's a great race. Elite does a wonderful job and the success of the race is evidence of that.

One of the big changes I've made in my running is the "get it in" even if I can't get MUCH in. I was able to run three times over the weekend and that's a first.

I'm home for 3 days [which seems like a lot] and then off to the Indy Mini this weekend.

John

ORN: Thursday, April 27; 50 minutes, 5/1 around Centennial Park in Nashville
ORN: Friday, April 28; 30 minutes, 4/1 PLUS 30 minutes just walking.
ORN: Sunday, April 30: 45 minutes, 4/2 PLUS 30 minutes, walking.

Home Sweet Home

My body is in the central time zone, but I'm not sure where my brain is. I'm back from London, just in time to get ready to leave for Nashville.

The Flora-London marathon is - simply put - one of the world's GREAT events. And it is an event, make no mistake. There's some racing going on near the front, but for most of the 35,000 participants it's a chance to live out a life's dream.

In case you haven't heard, American Deena Kaster won the women's race in a new American record of 2:19:38. She just looked fantastic as she ran a rock-solid race with dead-even splits. She's amazing. The men's race came down to the finish line sprint with Felix Nemo getting there first.

I got to enjoy the VIP treatment, which is VERY nice. As you would expect from the English it was VERY civilized with a lovely breakfast and then covered grandstand seats at the finish. It would be easy to get spoiled.

But, I did manage to run 4 times so I'm feeling good about keeping up with my training plan.

John

ORN: Saturday, April 22: 60 minutes, 4/2. A nice slow, longer run along the Thames River.
ORN: Sunday, April 23: 0, marathon day
ORN: Monday, April 24: 50 minutes, 5/1; longer loop along the north and south sides of the Thames. I had an 8 1/2 hour flight later that day and I wanted to at least get moving.

Jolly Old England

I'm in London for the Flora-London Marathon. It's my 9th trip for the marathon, and it's beginning to seem like old home week. I'm not running it this year [I ran it 7 years in a row], but I am speaking 11 times at the Expo. Whew!

London is a great city and the marathon reflects that greatness. It just so happens that today is the Queen's 80th birthday, so there's a bit more celebration in the air than normal.

What distinuishes the London marathon is the number of charity runners, AND, how many charities there are. It is one of the greatest experiences ever running through the streets of London to what amounts to a 26.2 mile standing ovation.

I've been working, but have managed to squeeze in some running. Even if I don't have time for a FULL run, I get in what I can.

John

ORN: Wednesday: 0
ORN: Thursday: 40 minutes, 5/1, along the Thames River
ORN: Friday: 35 minutes, 5/1, along the Thames. [same route, just at a quicker pace]

Birthdays and Beantown

Lots happening, but not much time to tell about it.

We spent Thursday and Friday with my son's [Terry] family celebrating the twins' [Hunter and Siena] 1st birthday. It was wonderful. Hard for all of us to believe it's been a year.

Yesterday and today I'm in Boston for the marathon expo. Boston is a special place, no question about it. The energy here is different than any other marathon.

Then it's home and off to London.

I've run 7 seven days in a row, which is VERY unusual for me. I'm going to take a day off and then see how I feel.

John

ORN: Thursday, 35 minutes, 4/1 with Terry and Jenny
ORN: Friday, 50 minutes along the GW Parkway, 5/1
ORN: Saturday, 40 minutes in the Boston Commons

Nothing Better to Do

I'm hitting the road for about two weeks soon. First to the twins 1st birthday, then to Boston, and then to London. It's a little like the holidays where you try to get as much done as you can "before I go".

Imagine my surprise when, yesterday, I realized I had done everything I wanted to do [no, not everything I NEEDED to do, but I'd done all I was GOING to do] and actually had some FREE time. Only one thing to do. GO RUN.

I headed out on a sunny day along my summer path taking it nice and easy. I had planned to go for 40 minutes, but stretched it out to 65 just because I could.

Life doesn't get much better than a day when you have nothing better to do than run. What a gift.

John

ORN: 65 minutes, lakefront [north] 4/1

PS: I got asked again about what the above means. ORN means "Obligatory Running Note" a throwback to the old Dead Runners Society listserve, lakefront means, well - running on the lakefront in Chicago, and 4/1 means the run/walk ratio that I used. In this case I ran 4 minutes and walked one and repeated for 65 minutes.

Summer Run

I know it's not really summer, but there's a run that I take DURING the summer that I took yesterday. When I'm home I always run along the lakefront. My "normal" run is south on the east side of Lake Shore Drive past Belmont Harbor to the Fullerton bridge and then come back north on the west side of Lake Shore Drive.

In the summer months when I want a run that's a bit longer I'll head north and loop around behind Belmont Harbor and run along the break water wall, past the golf course. It's too exposed and windy to run there during the winter months, but today it was great.

The lakefront path comes alive this time of year. Those of us who run year round have the path to ourselves for several months. Now, though, the path is becoming crowded with new runners and walkers, bicyclist, and dogs of every shape and size. It's a sure sign that the winter is over.

I'm still having some trouble shaking what feels like a cold - but probably isn't. So far I've been running through it [which may not be such a smart thing!].

John

ORN: Tuesday, April 11, 65 minutes, 5/1

Gone but not Forgotten

No, I haven't disappeared, but I have been away from the computer. I've been away in part by choice, and in part due to circumstances.

This past weekend I was in Minneapolis for a running conference. It was put on by a group of running physical therapist. It was a very interesting time for me. Learning from them, sharing my perspective, getting a chance for some quality "runner-to-runner" fellowship was great.

I only had about an hour between being dropped off and picked up, so I hit the exercise room for a QUICK run on the treadmill. I'm working hard at being consistent with my running. That would have been an easy day to miss.

I was able to sneak in a long motorcycle ride on Sunday. I guess the big difference between a "rider" and someone who likes motorcycles is that when the weather turns nice, a rider rides. I didn't spend any time cleaning and polishing. I just rode. But, I did get in a run first.

Yesterday we had to go out the the Fleet Feet store in Elmhurst and while walking to the running path we passed an old fashioned toy store. There, as if just WAITING for me, was two of the cutest ride-on cars JUST in time for the twins first birthday. But, again, I was able to get in a run.

Nice weather again today. I'll be heading out soon.

John

ORN: Friday: 25 minutes, treadmill, 1% grade.
ORN: Sunday: 45 minutes, 5/1 lakefront
ORN: Monday: 40 minutes, 4/1, Prairie Path

Not quite there

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. That's a candy bar advertisement as I recall. Well, for a runner - or any athlete - sometimes you feel like it's there, sometimes you don't.

Today, I didn't.

I set off on the treadmill thinking that I would get in a relaxed 6 mile run. That almost immediately changed to thinking I would get in a relaxed 5 mile run. Then, I thought maybe a 4 mile run. It ended up being a 3 miler.

Then, I thought, well I'll just get in some weight training. A couple of adductors, a couple of abductors and I was done.

Then, I thought, well I'll just sit on the stationary bike for 20-30 minutes. 5 minutes later, I was finished.

So, I headed in for a steam and called it a day. It happens. I've had some good workouts this week, but I was really tired. And that's that.

John

ORN: 40 minutes, treadmill, 4/2

An Historical Day

If anyone had told me - a year ago - what today was going to include I would have said they were out of their minds. My life seemed headed in one direction - running - and the passions of my earlier life - music and motorcycles - were a part of my past, not future.

I spent 30 years as a trombone player. I went through school, the Army, and a career as a professional player. I gave it up in 1985 because an injury, and life, made it very difficult to continue to play.

I spent 40 years as a motorcyclist. I spent my first tax refund on a $200.00 1967 Honda 305 Scambler. I worked in the bike business for 10 years. I've owned over 50 motorcycles. A few years back I sold my last bike and figured that was that.

So, imagine my surprise yesterday when I practiced trombone in the morning and then rode a motorcycle to the gym to get in my run! I know we think life moves forward. But, these days, I am much more convinced that life really is a HUGE circle and that those things that are truly important have a way of finding their way back into our lives. Or we find a way back to them.

John

ORN: 4 miles, treadmill, 5/1

Lost Weekend

Not really a lost weekend, just that the days go by so quickly that it's impossible to keep up.

This past weekend was the LaSalle Bank Columbus Distance Classic and Commit to be Fit 5K in Columbus, Ohio. This is a John Bingham Racing event, meaning we promote and produce the race. It's a lot different than the events where I just show up and be "the Penguin". For our races I'm working every minute that I'm awake doing something.

But it's worth it. If you've been to a JBR event you know that they're pretty special. Anymore they're getting to be a mixture of running event and family reunion. Standing at the finish line it's amazing to me just how many people - of the 4,000 or so who were there - that I actually know! And I also know that MOST of them are there for the BIG, honkin' Penguin medal.

Last year the Columbus race was a near disaster. We had a freak spring snow storm which made for a dangerous and miserable day. This year race day was just about perfect for the participants. It was cool and overcast. It was a nail-biter for us, though, as people waited to see the weather forecast before they signed up. Over 1,000 people registered in the last week!

So, the weekend was mostly about making it possible for OTHER people to run and walk. But I did sneak in a few miles.

John

ORN: Thursday, March 30: 35 minutes, 3/2. I actually wasn't feeling all that well and just wanted to move some.
ORN: Friday, March 31: 50 minutes, 4/1. I ran part of the race course.
ORN: Monday, April 3: 60 minutes, 5/1 on the treadmill. 4 miles of run/walk, finished time by walking.

Road running

This is an especially hectic time of year, although to be honest, there really isn't ANY time of year that isn't hectic. But, with our JBR race in Arizona in March and our big race in Columbus, Ohio in April there isn't much time to rest.

I was able to get to the gym and get in a solid 4 mile run before I took off for Columbus. I've been trying to do some upper and lower body weight training too, so I managed some abductor and adductor sets [I'm still not sure which is which or what they do - but Coach says I need it so that's good enough for me], and a few leg lifts and leg presses.

Today [Wednesday] has been taken up with media and pre-race stuff but I was able to sneak in a quick 35 minute run/walk around my business partner's neighborhood. I'm making a greater effort to get in a run even if it's a short one. In the past I would have just "skipped" the run, but that wasn't working AT ALL for me.

It will be hard to get anything in for the next few days, but I'm going to try.

John

ORN: March 28: 4 miles, treadmill, 5/1 at 10:30 pace
ORN: March 29: 35 minutes, outdoors, 3/2 VERY easy

An uphill battle

I'm trying to increase the number of days that I do something. With the travel schedule it's easy to suddenly discover that I've only had 3 days of running in a given week. I've got to find a way to get some activity in MOST days.

After the hard hill run on Saturday and the long-ish 90 minute run on Sunday, today needed to be a non-impact day. My choice was to hit the treadmill and do some "incline" walking. My focus was on trying to get my heart-rate up to about the same place it is when I do an "easy" run. For me, that's somewhere around 130 bpm.

After a 5 minute warmup, I start with a 0 incline 4 mph pace and then add one degree of incline every minute. Then, I'll go back to zero incline at a 4.2 mph pace and move the incline up every minute. Then, 0 incline at 4.4 mph and so on.

I finished it off with 20 minutes on the stationary bike [hey, the weather has GOT to get warmer some day] and a light weight circuit and steam. Good stuff. I felt much better when it was over than when I started.

John

ORN: 25 minutes "incline" workout on the treadmill. 20 minute "step" workout on the stationary bike. Upper body weights.

A Taste of Spring

Oh my, my, my. I hope today's weather is the harbinger of spring. I don't think I can stand to be teased by the warmer weather one more time.

If was a glorius Sunday morning in Chicago. The kind of morning that begs you to get outside and do something. It doesn't matter what; running, cycling, walking, playing soccer. You just HAVE to get outside.

The running path was littered with runners, like me, who were feeling the first real juices of Spring coursing through their veins. The cyclist were out in their multi-colored spandex, the dog-walkers were out in their spring jackets and hats, and the runners were out in everything from tights and jackets to shorts and short-sleeved t-shirts.

These are the day we live for in the heart of a cold winter.

John

ORN: 90 minutes, easy, 4/2

Big Man on Campus

They say you can never go home again. Maybe you can't, but you can go back and pick up the lost pieces of your past.

On Friday and Saturday I was back on my undergraduate campus, Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, to speak, to socialize, and to run. Among the highlights was meeting with the track and cross-country team of John's Hill Elementary School. Imagine, me, speaking to a group of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade runners!

I wasn't sure what to talk to them about, but all of a sudden what came out was the story of Steve Jones missing the world's record in Chicago by just a few seconds. And his reaction to that. And about how some people would have seen that as a failure, but not Steve. He ran true to himself and that's all that matter.

And then what came out [and by this time I'm just along for the ride] was that there is a big difference between failure and defeat. We all fail. But we don't have to be defeated. And, I told them, it will be their reaction to failure that will determine the outcome of their lives. If they use failure to fuel them, to energize them, to create the fever to go on, then they will never be defeated.

It all sounded pretty good to me. And they seemed interested!

Saturday morning the Decatur Running Club put on the "Penguin in the Park 5K" and I got to see what it's like to be a part of a small, local, running community. It was fantastic. And I finished in the top 115 finishers! [As you can imagine, there weren't many behind me!]

All-in-all a great time.

John

ORN: 5K, 34:55, 10/1

Leader of the Pack

Probably THE most fun I have is helping new - or REnewed - runners and walkers discover the joy of the activity. Tonight I helped Jenny with the Nike/Chicago Endurance Sports training program for the Soldier Field 10 mile run.

We train out of Fleet Feet Sports in "Old Town" Chicago which means the run goes along the lakefront path. It was one of those spectacular late winter/early spring nights where the sky is pitch black and clear and the city lights are bright and reflecting off the lake. It is still one of the most beautiful runs anywhere.

I lead a group of 8 new runners on a 45 minute run/walk. They're always nervous when we start out but quickly figure out that we're gonna have fun. We run "two-by-two" and rotate so that everyone has a chance to set the pace. In no time at all the group bonded and we were just a bunch of new friends running along the lake in the dark. It is amazing.

It's for these moments that I run.

John

ORN: 45 minutes, 3/2

Mix and Match

The excitement about running is coming back in giant waves. The problem now is figuring out where to point all of this enthusiasm.

Running long and slow - which I like to do - makes you very good at running long and slow. There's nothing wrong with that, but there's more to being a runner than just running long and slow. Even for a Penguin.

I didn't have any choice for the six months leading up to Disney. Almost everything I did was long and slow. Now that I'm liberated from that - and I haven't even thought about another marathon - I'm playing with what kind of training I want to do.

My decision, for now, is to focus are sharpening up my running form. I've gotten really sloppy and I just want to spend a few months working on the fundamentals: foot strike, turnover, arms, etc. So that's the plan.

John

ORN: Monday, 5 miles, 4/2, 65 minutes. I wanted to get some easy mileage in. I kept the pace down and mixed in plenty of walking.

Tuesday, 3 mile time trial with 1/4 mile warm up and cool down. This is a little different for me. I set the treadmill speed at 10:30 and ran a mile, then walked a minuted, ran a mile, etc., for three miles. I don't normally go that long without walking but I wanted to see if I could relax into a "groove".

Better than ever

Yeah baby! It's coming back.

I knew it would happen, I just wasn't sure when. Someone who likes to run as much as I do just can't stay unmotivated forever. I've spent many hours wondering about why it's been so hard to get fired up. I think, maybe, the ugly half-marathon was a part of it. But, I had a great full marathon, so how do you explain that?

The key to running for the rest of your life, it seems to me, is never hating what you're doing. Each of us has to decide what that means. If you like speed work, do speed work. If you HATE it, don't. If you like LONG runs, great. If you don't, don't go long. It doesn't seem any more complicated than that.

I had lots to do on Sunday so I got up early and headed to the gym BEFORE I got started on my day. This is unusual for me. I'm not a morning runner. Maybe because it was Sunday and the gym was nearly empty I was feeling pretty "special" about being there and getting in my run.

And it was fantastic. And I can't wait to run again today.

John

ORN: Sunday, March 19: 4 miles, treadmill, 5/1. Mile 1, 10:40 pace. Mile 2, 10:31 pace. Mile 3, 10.20 pace. Mile 4, 10:09 pace.

One wrong step

It's easier to give advice than it is to take your own. I'm as vulnerable to runner's denial as anyone else. It's not a quality that I admire in myself, I just know that it's there.

On Tuesday I took a funny step in the transition between the paved path and the gravel. I felt my ankle twist pretty hard, with enough pain to make me wince. Of course, I didn't stop running. I didn't turn around and go home and ice it. I finished my run.

The ankle was tender - to say the least - on Tuesday night. Wednesday morning it was better, but not what you would call right. So - and here's the runner's denial part - I decided to go to the gym and run on the treadmill just to see if it was OK.

See the problem?? I should have stayed off the foot. I should have given it a day to heal. I should have - but I didn't. I ran 4 miles instead. I got through it - honest, I would have stopped if it had REALLY hurt - but that doesn't make it right!

John

ORN: 4 miles, treadmill, 5/1 in 48 minutes.

Running it off

Sometimes I just need to run. Even in a good life there are days when frustration and confusion can cloud your outlook. In the old days [or back in the day as they now say] I would medicate with booze, or cigarettes, or food. Or, on too many occasions, all three.

These days I'm trying to stay calmer and more positive in general. Most days I'm well aware that I don't have much to complain about. I'm doing what l love to do and am able to cobble together a living doing it. So far so good.

But, there are those days.

So I ran. I ran my loop. I ran along my lakefront. I saw the sights that center me. I saw other runners. I ran harder than I normally would. I wanted to clear my lungs as a means of clearing my head. And it almost worked. Almost.

I'll need to run again tomorrow.

John

ORN: 50 minutes, 5/1 with 5 min warm up and cool down.

The Aftermath

One of the best things about life right now is putting on our own races. This weekend was the 2nd Arizona Distance Classic. We have a half marathon and a 5K.

The race is in Oro Valley, Arizona, just northwest of Tucson. Springtime in the desert is usually cool, but not cold, and dry. Last year the temperature was in the 50's at race start and mid-70's as the final finisher came across the line. This year, it was a very different story.

The Friday and Saturday leading up to race day were cold, wet, and windy. The forecast for the night before the race called for SNOW in the upper elevations and rain everywhere else. At 3:00 AM on race morning, as we were setting out the aid stations, the rain was coming down and it was right on that line between rain and snow. All of us were concerned.

We knew that the race would go - rain or shine - so we had no choice but to keep setting up the start/finish structure, the tents, the VIP area, and everything else that you need to put on a race. By 5:00 the rain had begun to let up some. By 6 it was dry and there was even some hope of sunshine.

By 7:00 the sun was peaking through the clouds and the Santa Catalina Mountains has a coating of snow on them. To say it was beautiful misses the point. It was - well - magical.

The particiants took off on a nearly perfect race morning with cool temperatures and nearly no wind. The views along the course were enough to stop you in your tracks. I can't imagine a more perfect day.

John

ORN: I did get in some running, by the way. Friday morning I retreated to the health club and got in a solid 4 miles on the treadmill. This morning, on very tired legs, I managed 50 minutes on the roads.

Short but sweet

ORN: March 9, 2006, Tucson, Arizona
35 minutes, 5/1, VERY hilly

After the long flight from Chicago I was eager to just get out and run. The only place close to the hotel was a hilly [HILLY] loop. But, it was better than not getting out.

It made be realize that I should be doing hill work on a more regular basis. It's a great way to get your heart rate up without risking pushing your body too hard. It's good. I need to do more.

We're here for our Arizona Distance Classic weekend. The weather's not what we had hoped for, but it is what it is.

John

The comeback trail

3/8/06
ORN: 4 miles, 48 minutes, 5/1, treadmill

It was warm enough to go outside today. In fact, here in Chicago, there was the feel of spring. But, I chose to stay inside and crank out the miles on the treadmill.

One, I was testing a new pair of shoes and wanted to be able to stop if they bothered me and second, I've found that I need to run on the treadmill some just to keep myself honest.

I think I'm finally over the Goofy slump. And I'm glad for that. I'll really have to think hard about doing that again considering how if affected me.

This weekend is the big JBR race in Tucson. I'm really excited about the way the race is shaping up. It's still a pretty small race for us - call it a boutique half marathon - but I'll get to spend time with nearly every participant. You can find out more at http://www.arizonadistanceclassic.com

John

Running Pain Free

ORN: 50 minutes, 5/1. Lakefront path

It didn't occur to me until about the middle of today's run, but nothing hurts. Nothing. I'm not one to run with "pain", but with the training mileage I was doing last fall and winter I will admit that I had a few aches.

So, maybe my body really DOES know best. I just haven't been ready to start doing any serious running since Disney. Maybe now I know why. My body was telling me that it needed time to get fully healed. And guess what? It is.

It sounds crazy. And you would think that I would have figured this out before now. But I didn't.

John

Brrrrr....

And I thought winter was nearly over!

I'm just getting back from Calgary where I attended the University of Calgary Running Symposium. What an amazing weekend. I heard some excellent presentations on nutrition, injury prevention, running for the baby boomers, and how to train like a professional athlete. Oh, and yeah, I talked a little bit myself.

We had a fun run on Friday night, in the COLD, wind, and SNOW. I've been gone so much this winter that I haven't had to do ANY runs in that kind of weather. It went well. I found a couple of other participants who were willing to run along with me at we chatted it up.

I still haven't gotten back in the groove. I'm hoping that this past weekend will be just the jolt I need to get fired up. Sooner or later I'm going to have to start training again.

John

Gasparilla 5K

ORN: 3.1 miles, 37:46

Well, we DID it. 30 some-odd years after we marched through Tampa, Don and I RAN [and walked] the 5K. And we had a ball. We ran some, walked some, and talked a BUNCH.

It had been a few years since Don had run the race and I think he was shocked to see how many people there were. I was too. I don't know what the numbers were, but it is a BIG race.

Good fun all the way around. Somewhere around mile 2 we were passed by a military group running in formation. Hard to miss the irony!

It was one of those great running days. Good weather, good company. What's better than that??

John

City by the Bay

ORN: 45 minutes, 4/2

Not THAT city by the bay. Tampa Bay. I'm down here for the Gasparilla Festival and will be running the 5K on Saturday with an old Army Band buddy of mine. The last time we were "marching" in Tampa was 30 years ago. Should be fun.

Tonight's run was just a "stay loose" run. I wanted to feel the heat and humidity in Tampa. Let's just say that it's VERY different than running in Chicago at this time of year.

I'm still feeling the jet lag, time change, day change, hemisphere change, but it's getting better.

John

Dress Rehearsal

ORN: 3 miles, 9/1, 33 minutes.

Since I've been off my training for nearly two weeks [although I did run some] I'm a bit concerned, so I did a "test run" today. I'm hoping that I can finish the 5K this weekend in under 33 minutes, but that will take a pretty good day for me.

We'll see.

John

Back in Action

Whew. I'm back, but still trying to get pointed in the right direction.

I had a good time away. Lots of walking and some trail running. I hope to be back on the Blog in a day or so.

John

Away for a while

I am going to be away from the computer from Feb. 9 to Feb 22. I'll do a COMPLETE blog when I return.

John

Tempo Run

ORN: 4 miles, 5/1, 45 minutes [treadmill]

After being in Tucson and San Diego I just couldn't take going outside in the 20 degrees and snow. So, off to the gym. I like the treadmill because I can set a pace and hold it. My mind can sort of go on vacation while my body exercises.

I had THE best run I've had since Disney. I held steady at a 10:30 pace [with a walk every 5 minutes] and it felt good to be at that effort.

John

t-shirt weather

ORN: 30 minutes, 5/1

I was in San Diego for the RunningUSA conference and my business partner and I managed to squeeze in a short run around a bay area. It's winter in Chicago, but it was BEAUTIFUL out there.

My legs are beginning to feel "normal" but the emotional commitment just isn't back up to full steam.

John

An Easy Two

ORN: 2 miles, 4/2

I'm still in Tucson and I need to get out of here soon or I'll never leave. It was another beautiful sunrise over that Catalina mountains and another perfect morning for a run.

Inspired by all the mountains and "outdoors" I bought a pair of trail shoes and today was my first run in them. I know what you're thinking - I live in Chicago. I run along the lakefront path most of the time and the nearest trails are an hour or more drive. But, the path IS crushed stone. That's kinda like a trail.

Besides, I LIKE buying shoes. These happen to be bumble bee yellow and black - NOT my first choice in shoe colors - but they fit well and felt great. I'll get over the color. I didn't get a pair of super heavy-duty trail shoes, either. These have a slightly different tread and a bit tougher outsole. All in all, a pretty good choice for everyday shoes.

So, this morning was just a trial run and I'm pleased to report that they were very good. I even tried some "off road" running and they seemed to be working just fine.

The new shoes might be just the ticket for energizing my running. If this morning was any indication, they will be.

John

Sunrise run

ORN: 80 minutes, 3/2, Tucson, AZ

Talk about a change of scenery. I ran this morning with the training group from Fleet Feet Tuscon. Most of them are training for the Arizona Distance Classic, half marathon, in Tucson on March 12.

I can't begin to tell you where we ran. All I can tell you is there were mountains and cacti and things scurrying around the ground. It was about 40 degrees when we started and then the sun crested the mountains. BOOM. Instantly it was 65 degrees.

My knee is still whispering to me that we are NOT going too far or too fast. I'm listening! About an hour and 15 minutes into the run I knew that I'd be walking it in.

But it was a good week. I tied on my shoes and ran 5 days this week. They weren't all high quality runs but I was out there. Little by little it's coming back.

John

Easy treadmill run

ORN: 4 miles, 55 minutes, 4/2

It was the fourth day in a row that I've run. That alone is a surprise. 3 days is usually my limit. But, I'll be traveling the next two days and won't be able to run so I wanted to get it in.

I did a VERY easy - long run pace - run on the treadmill. I could have gone outside, but I wanted to be able to stop if I wanted to. And I almost did. About 2 miles into it I thought about quiting but told myself I'd try going one more segment and then decide.

So I'll take two days off and then try a long run on Saturday. Wish me luck.

John

Three for Three

ORN: 55 minutes, 4/1

Three days in a row! WOW. Somewhere near the end of today's run I actually started to feel good about running. It's coming BACK!

I changed to a 4/1 ratio [from 5/1] and that helped. It was also a beautiful day, and that helped. It was one of those days where you have to work hard NOT to enjoy running.

Good stuff!!

John

Quarters and a steam

ORN: warm up, 5 "quarters", cool down

I headed to the gym today. I need to do something to get fired up so I thought hitting the treadmill and doing some "speed work" might be the way to go. And, it seemed to work.

Now, "speed" is a relative term. I warmed up by walking and "easy" jogging for 1/2 mile and then did 5, 1/4 mile "repeats". I ran 1/4 of a mile at a 10 minute pace, then walked for a tenth of a mile, then ran another 1/4, and so on for a total of 5 quarters.

There's something refreshing about doing "speed" work after having spent most of the past 6 months just cranking out long runs. I need to be careful. Too much speed is NOT a good thing. But once a week should be fine.

Then I hit the steam room. I'd never been in a steam room until about a month ago. I'd just seen them on TV and in movies. I kinda liked it. I don't perspire much so it felt strange to just be covered in sweat!

Running is starting to feel a bit more normal. This is a good thing!

John

Close, but no cigar

ORN: 70 minutes, 5/1

We are having an amazing January here in Chicago. It was overcast and a little drizzly today, but the temperature was in the high 40's. I started off in tights, a couple of long-sleeved shirts, and a jacket, but quickly shed the jacket.

I started on my "normal" 50 minute loop, but in the back of my mind I thought that if I felt good where I would usually turn that I would go a bit farther. I wasn't ready to call it a long run, but at least I was considering going "longer" than I had.

Maybe it was the day. Maybe it was being able to take off my jacket and gloves - I don't know. I do know that when I had the change to turn around I didn't. I kept running. And it almost felt like I was running because I wanted to, not because I had to.

That's the danger in doing what I did last fall. The 4 marathons - not to mention all the long training runs - became something that I HAD to do. Even though my body is feeling closer to recovered, my spirit is just not ready to start thinking about training again.

But, it's getting better. And for now I'll take that.

John

One step closer

ORN: 50 minutes, 5/1

I'm still not there, but I'm getting closer. Today's run almost felt normal. It wasn't the "joy of the journey" experience that I usually have, but I didn't hate it.

There are still some leftover aches and pains. My left inner groin is still sore. I still think from all the walking. There are other bits and pieces of my body that still aren't right. It's just gonna take time.

The question of "what next" keeps crossing my mind. I don't have an answer, and won't maybe for a little while.

And so it goes. This is what I DO like about running. The self-discovery, the mystery, the not ever being able to figure it out.

John

Try, try again

ORN: 50 minutes, 5/1

It was COLD but clear along the lakefront. I hadn't run since Saturday's disheartening walk back. Not to mention the sore knee. So I didn't have high expectations.

As it turned out, things were fine. It wasn't one of those mind-blowing runs where I just feel a peace with the world. But, it also wasn't a painful experience either.

I'm close to ready to run again. That's pretty clear. But I'm not there yet. The Goofy [training and races] took more out of me than I expected.

John

Still trying

January 24, 2006

Well, I still can't get myself ready to run. After the fiasco on Saturday, I just CAN NOT make myself get out there again. There's really nothing to do except wait.

I actually think that's part of the problem with doing LONG races that take SO much time to prepare. Once it's over it's hard to get back out there

So, I'm going to continue to take my own advice and wait!

John

Too much, too soon

ORN: 90 plus minutes, 4/2: 45 minutes, WALK

I went out on a training run today with Jenny's Winter Warriors team. Most of them are training for either our Arizona Distance Classic or the Country Music Marathon or Half Marathon. They had a 9 mile run scheduled.

We got a little bit of snow last night so that path was clear but slippery in spots. Truth is, it was one of the prettiest mornings we've had all winter. Clear blue sky, bright sunlight, and fresh snow. The BEST!

I was a little nervous about trying to go 9 miles. I'm nowhere near recovered, but I figured I'd line up and see how it went. It went FINE until about 90 minutes into the run. At that point my left knee was starting to talk to me. I've learned -the hard way - to listen when my knee first starts whispering to me rather than waiting until it's SCREAMING at me. So, I bagged it and walked back to the store.

All in all a decent experience, though. It was such a beautiful day that I would have hated to miss it. And I haven't gotten to run with the Winter Warriors much this season so that was good too.

But, I'm not ready for long runs yet. Not even close. I'll take tomorrow off and try something short on Monday.

Waddle on,

John

Baby Steps

ORN: 40 minutes, 4/1

I was up doing an appearance at the Holland [MI] Hospital and had a chance to run with a few folks from Holland. More than a few, actually. Nearly 80 people showed up on a VERY cold night.

We had a great time. It was fun to be back out there running with a group. I'm still not 100% fired up about running, but I'm beginning to ease my self back into it.

John

Back at it

ORN: 50 minutes. 5 min. warm up. Run 4/walk 1 for 45 minutes

I got back out there. I could tell today that my attitude hard turned sour and whether my body felt like it or not I needed to get out and run. It was near freezing so I just bundled up and went out.

A quick inventory: I've got some tightness in my left knee that's not usually there. Not sure if that's left over from Goofy or just from standing so much this past weekend. More curious, I've got some residual aches [not really pain, but it's something] on both sides of my inner, upper thighs. I can never remember if those are abductors and adductors, but whatever they are, they're sore.

My guess is that it's from the walking, not the running.

By the time I was coming home it had started to snow. It was that light, warm-ish snow that makes you feel like you're inside of one of those things you shake up and make it snow inside. I little boy, probably 3 or 4 was walking with his mom and he was trying to catch the snowflakes on his gloves. VERY cute.

I still haven't figured out what I want to do next. Jenny suggested an ultra! There's a 50K in Wisconsin in May. I'm thinking more like a 10K. We'll see.

John

What's next?

Friends,

As you can tell from the empty space on the blog, I haven't been doing any running lately. The truth is that the thought of running hasn't even crossed my mind since Disney.

The training for Goofy took months. Even though it snuck up on me I think I always had it in the back of my mind. I had been preparing for the Chicago marathon pretty seriously all summer long. That led to Marine Corps, which led to the Tucson Half marathon and the Honolulu Marathon. I am, frankly, just tired of training.

This happened one other time in my running life. One year I ran the Chicago and Marine Corps marathons on back-to-back weekends. The intensity of the training for that double left me with NO desire to train afterwards. And I didn't train. For nearly a year. I ran. But I didn't "train".

So, I'm still not sure what's next. I ended up walking about 4 1/2 miles of the Rock "n" Roll marathon course yesterday. In cotton slacks and street shoes! But, I was on the course, feeling the "vibe" of being out there.

I'm "thinking" about going for a little run this afternoon. I'll let you know tomorow if I went, and if I did, how it felt.

Waddle on,

John

Fallout from Disney

ORN: 0

Two days after the marathon [3 days after the 1/2] I am amazed at how little hurts and how good I feel. There's no question that I've been physically tested, but I have felt MUCH worse after a marathon than I do today. I don't have an explanation except that my goals and strategy for the Goofy were so modest that even with Saturday's problem I didn't beat myself up.

Emotionally, I'm on a real high. I'm not usually the guy who does the "cool" stuff, like the "Goofy". And the truth is if I hadn't been invited to speak I never would have tried it. After all these years and all the running and racing I'm still pretty insecure about my abilities.

I feel a lot like I did after my first marathon. Surprised! And the truth of "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start" is really hitting home.

John

My Disney "Goofy's Challenge" Report

Thursday, January 5th: Arrival at Disneyworld.

The flight down was easy enough and my intention was to get in a short run in the afternoon. Jenny and I decided to check out the expo and pick up our packets. It’s a good thing we did.

The expo and packet pickup area was already hopping by Thursday afternoon. We managed to get our numbers without much hassle, but it took so long that I never did get a chance to run.

Friday, January 6th: The day before

I had some meetings Friday, which ended up taking all morning, so there was no chance to run before the clinic Jenny and I were to give at 1:30. I was a little nervous since it would have been 3 days without running. But, there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

There were two Team in Training pasta parties on Friday afternoon and evening, so I didn’t get back to the room until nearly 10 PM. Our call for transportation to the start was at 3:15 AM, so getting plenty of sleep wasn’t going to be an option.

I laid everything out in advance, set the alarm for 1:55 AM [which would have been 12:55 AM in my brain] and tried to get a little sleep.

Saturday, January 7th. The Half Marathon

Race morning for the ½ Marathon was COLD. COLD. We were told we would be able to stay on the bus until nearly race start, but, something got messed up and we had to get off the bus over an hour before the start. I hadn’t brought clothes for sitting around and so ended up VERY chilled before the race started.

Something in my lower intestine was NOT happy Saturday morning. I’m not sure – still – what it was but I was very, VERY uncomfortable. The irritation also caused me to have to stop about every mile to water the flowers in Disneyworld.

I was having an awful race. Awful. I was struggling to maintain my pace and run/walk interval [3 minute run/2 minute walk]. But, there really wasn’t anything to do but keep going. I managed to hang in and finish the ½ in 3 hours and 8 minutes.

When I got back to the room and slept like a dead-man for 2 hours, then had to get ready for the Saturday clinic. Once that was over I got back to the room and “iced down” my lower abdomen. This is NOT all that much fun, but whatever was irritated was also inflamed and I had to do something.

It was like Déjà vu all over again on Saturday night, setting out a new set of clothes, pinning on a new number, strapping on a new chip. A very strange experience.

Sunday, January 8th. Marathon Day

The good news is that I was able to fall asleep by a little after 7 PM, so I actually did get a decent night’s sleep before the alarm went off at 2:25 AM Sunday morning. The better news was that they figured out the bus situation and we were able to stay on the bus until about 5:30. After that I was at the stage area at the start and was able to stay under a heat lamp.

As bad as Saturday was, Sunday was that good and better. I could NOT believe it. I started running with the idea that I would go as far as I could and then stop. I planned to alternate running for 2 and a half minutes and walking for 2 and a half minutes as long as I could and then walk as far as I could before the SAG bus picked me up.

Every mile I kept waiting for the wheels to come off, for my legs to give out, and for my day to come to a screeching halt. It didn’t happen. It just kept getting better.

I came across the half of the full in 3 hours and 7 minutes. I was stunned. But, I just put my head down and kept going. 20 miles into it I was still feeling strong, still on pace, and still on the interval plan.

By mile 23 I was certain that I would finish. I knew I had plenty of time to walk slowly and still beat the SAG bus. I got pretty emotional. My eyes welled up and I thought I my cry right there on the spot.

I forced myself to slow down and “enjoy” the final miles of this 39.3-mile journey and finished in 6 hours 15 minutes. I had run all three halves within a minute of each other. Unbelievable.

So, the question is; what are the lessons? The answer: I’m not sure.

The mystery of the marathon remains a mystery. Sunday was my 44th marathon, my 4th in the past 4 months, and yet I can tell you with complete candor that I have no idea what happened. I also can tell you that I have no idea what happened on the ½ marathon.

It’s part of why I’m so fascinated by the sport of long-distance running. How can you understand something that is so diabolically fickle? How can you grasp something so cunning and unpredictable?

I can’t. And maybe that’s the only lesson I need to learn. I will never understand. I will never truly master the art of marathoning no matter how much I know about the science of marathoning.

And the obvious question: will I do it again? I don’t know. Yesterday I said no way. Today I think probably not. But tomorrow?? Who knows?

Waddle on, friends.

Ready to Rip

ORN: 0

I had a friend who, when asked how he felt, would say: "I feel like a tight pair of pants. Ready to rip". That's about where I'm at. I fly to Orlando tomorrow where I'll try to get in a 20 minute run or so, stumble through Friday, and then that's it.

On the "mental" side, I think I've finally got my head around a way of thinking. I've done three marathons and a half in the past 3 months. So, my "thought" plan is that I should have NO problem running the first "half" on Saturday and the second "half" on Sunday. And, with the break, I should be able to go out to 20 miles or so without much of a problem.

That only leaves the last 10K as the "unknown".

At least, that's how I'm thinking about it.

John

Finishing Touches

ORN: 45 minutes, 4/1

All I have left was today's run, tomorrow's run, and a light walk on Friday morning. Guess I'm as ready as I'm going to be.

There's no particular goal for this week except to not go crazy. The run actually felt pretty good. I've got some kind of chest cold or alergy going on [typical for the week before the event] but other than that I'm feeling fine.

Well, OK, I can't sleep. Don't feel like eating. And don't want to DO anything.

I HATE the TAPER!!

John

Rest Day and Blog Terms

ORN: 0

A few people have asked abou the terms I use. I can't figure out a way to do an FAQ so every now and then I'll try to post a mini-FAQ.

-------
ORN: Obligatory Running Note: This term originated on one of the first internet-based, email list called "The Dead Runners Society". It was - at the time - a "secret" group to which you had to be invited. The members were mostly academics and government types [this was in the mid 1990's before the internet was so universal]

The members tended to go "off topic" on things like sports or politics so they instituted an "ORN" rule. You HAD to put an "obligatory running note" in every post.

The "numbers": 5/1, 4/2, 3/2, etc: These represent the run/walk ratio that I used that day. The first number is the running time in minutes. The second number is the walking time, in minutes. So a 60 minute run, at 5/1 would be running 5 minutes, walking 1 minute, and then repeating that until I got to 60 minutes.

John

Better Safe than Sorry

ORN: 45 minutes, 4/1

Have I mentioned that I HATE the taper part?? This is just awful. I mean, I'm a pretty upbeat guy and this is making me NUTS.

I got out and ran most of my normal loop. I say "most" because I was only going to run 45 minutes so I had to turn around before I got to the top of the loop. The weather was decent, especially for January 1 in Chicago so I guess I should be grateful for that.

I just got the "transportation" infomation from Disney. My bus will depart at 3:15 BOTH days. That's 2:15 in my brain. I'm toying with the idea of trying to reset my body clock before I get to Orlando, but I'm not sure.

See, all the indecision!! I hate this part!!

John

One Last Longish Run

ORN: 7 miles, 3/2, 1 hour, 35 minutes.

Well, that's it. That last real run before I line up for the half marathon on Saturday. It want fine. 7 miles right now doesn't even seem worth doing. I guess that's good.

This "Goofy" challenge, and getting prepared, has been a very interesting experience. And, as of now, not very satisfying. I've run and walked LOTS of miles but find myself enjoying the training less every day.

Again, I think this is normal, but that doesn't make it easy.

Next weekend can't get here soon enough.

John

Another Extra Rest Day

ORN: 0

I am READY for this to be over I really am. I'd like to line up right now and run them both on the same day.

This is taper madness in it's full glory. I'm tired, grumpy, and did I mention TIRED? But, it's part of the process. This one just seems longer and more pronounced. But, it will be 4 marathons and 2 half marathons in 4 months. NOT my normal fall/winter schedule.

John

Holiday Runs

I'm just catching up. Been on the road, visiting family. Over the river and through the woods!!

Saturday, December 24
ORN: 2 hours, 4/2

This was the last long run before "Goofy". It was amazing to run for two hours and not feel like I even gotten started. The weather was cool and drizzly, but for Chicago in December it wasn't bad.

Sunday, December 25: Christmas.
ORN: 0, lots of EATING!

Monday, December 26:
ORN: 0, travel day

Tuesday, December 27:
ORN: 60 minutes, 5/1

The game plan is pretty straightforward at this point. Don't do ANYTHING stupid. I feel like I could at least line up and take a shot at the Goofy right now. Nothing good is going to happen with the training. But, there are plenty of ways to screw it up.

After 60 minutes I don't feel loosened up, let alone warmed up. It's nerve wracking, but a good sign.

Wednesday, December 28:
ORN: 45 minutes, 4/1

Same as yesterday, just stay loose. The path is a little on the hilly side, which is good. And, just like yeserday, I didn't even begin to feel warmed up by the end of the run.

Thursday, December 29:
ORN: 0

A gift run

ORN: 70 minutes, 4/2, OUTSIDE!

The weather broke, and I took advantage of it. The temperatures SOARED into the 40's today so I got to run outside. We are very fortunate here in Chicago that the City's Park Department plows the lakefront path so quickly and so well. I was able to do my normal "north path" run without any problems.

Well, except at this point I don't even start to loosen up in 70 minutes, which is a good thing. The run itself didn't feel very good, but that's mostly because I'm recovering and tapering all at the same time.

With a little MORE luck I'll get in my long-ish run tomorrow in decent weather.

John

Setting it up

ORN: 0

Today's "training" was rest. On Friday I'll do a 70 minute session and back that up with a 2 hour session on Saturday. The idea is to run one day, then get up and run farther the next. Goofy style.

I'm still having trouble with the taper. I can't seem to get a handle on my appetite, and all the holiday goodies aren't helping!!

John

Cross Training

ORN: 20 minutes, stationary bike, light weight workout

Have I mentioned that this, the taper, is my LEAST favorite part of training and racing? My routine gets upset, my appetite goes bonkers, and I have a hard time keeping my head together.

I sat on a stationary bike for 20 minutes spinning and keeping my heart rate up just a little bit. After that I went through the weight machine circuit. All I was trying to do was stretch on the machines. Now is not the time to make big changes in my training.

I wish Disney was this weekend!!!

John

Easy Does It

ORN: 4 miles, 3/2, 56 minutes

This was a "planned half marathon pace" workout, on the treadmill. The goal was to get into the rhythm of the 3/2 ratio [as I did for the first 13 miles in Honolulu] and see how easy I could make it feel.

I worked on trying to be as "silent" as possible with my foot fall. The person next to me was landing full force with every step. I wanted to say something, but chose to keep my mouth shut.

She was also doing a "straight run" program, which, all things considered didn't make any sense to me. At her pace she would have done MUCH better to mix in some walking. She's an injury waiting to happen.

That REALLY bothers me because so many MORE people could enjoy running if they just used some common sense.

John

Keeping things loose

ORN: 4 miles, 45 minutes, 5/1

Back inside today. I'll try to make sure to run at least once a week outdoors between now and Disney, but I will get a lot of quality training on the treadmill.

The goal is to stay fresh and loose. I'll do shorter intervals at a somewhat quicker pace to make sure my foot turnover is working.

My appetite has gone bonkers for some reason. I can't seem to get enough to eat. I'll have to be careful to monitor my eating for the next few weeks or I'l line up for the Goofy Challenge carrying more weight than I want.

John

Full Tilt Rest Day

ORN: 0

The last Sunday that I had off was in August. AUGUST! So I took today OFF. And I mean OFF. Just football games and popcorn!

John

First COLD run

ORN: 7 miles, 1 hour, 35 minutes, 3/2

OH MY!! Last weekend in Honolulu it was 85 degrees. THIS weekend in Chicago it was 9 degrees, with a windchill of 0. ZERO!

Because I've been traveling so much, this was my first REAL winter run. And it takes a little while to remember how to dress and how to handle the extreme cold.

This was a 2 layers on the bottom, 3 layers and a shell on top kind of day. It turns out that I could have gotten away with one less layer on top because I wore a pretty heavy Mountain Hardwear windblock fleece.

I've got an old Brooks top with a hood and "mitten" hands that I just LOVE as a base layer. It's about 6 years old but I can't find anything else that works as well.

As hoped for, the 7 miles felt EASY today. A great sign.

John

Taper or Bust

ORN: 0

This is the most difficult time for me. I feel ready, or as ready as I'm going to be. Whatever my base is now, that's what it's going to be coming Disney weekend.

I've talked to some other folks getting ready, and I'm thinking that THEY are going to have a tough time!!

John

Running in Place

ORN [Obligatory Running Note] 4 miles, 48 minutes, 4/1

It did NOT feel good at first. I walked a full quarter of a mile before I even thought about running. I tried easing into the run and that helped.

I hadn't run a step since Sunday, so a little stiffness would have been expected. What I didn't expect was how strongly my HEAD didn't want to run.

On days like today I try to talk myself into just going for 20 minutes or so and see how I feel. I was on the treadmill, so, I found a funny television show to watch and the next thing I know I had run for 30 minutes. At that point I was feeling better and just kept going.

But, I would have stopped at 20 minutes if I REALLY didn't want to run.

Nothing seems hurt. Nothing even feels all that tight. Good news!!!

John

An extra day

ORN: 0

Not sure whether it's from the flying or the running, but, my left hip is acting up a little bit. I've chased this problem around in the past - including over a year with doctors - and nothing was ever really diagnosed.

Best guess was a sciatica kind of problem, usually caused by too much sitting.

So, just to be sure I'll take today off and try to get in a gentle run tomorrow. This is the "taper" anyway. A little LESS is better than a little MORE!

John

Long Flight Home

ORN: 0

Anyway you slice it, flying 8 hours overnight is a long time to be sitting.

The good news is that I'm not experiencing any DOMS symptoms. [Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness] It's not usual for some aches and pains to show up a couple of days after the event.

I'm hopeful that I can try to do some walking/running tomorrow if I can catch up on my sleep.

PENGUIN OBSERVATION:

The Honlulu Marathon is unique in that it is the only event that I know of that is nearly evenly divided between two running cultures. Of the nearly 28,000 participants in this year's race, about 18,000 are Japanese.

It's a very interesting experience to be running inside of another running culture. I don't know much about the Japanese running culture although I suspect MANY of them are Penguins whether they know it or not. There is almost universal joy in the Japanese participants. That's not to say that it isn't difficult, or that many aren't struggling, but there does seem to be a transcendant feeling of accomplishment that doesn't seem to be associated with a finishing time.

Physical Inventory

ORN: 0

At a clinic once the panel was asked what to do the week after a marathon. Most of us gave the standard "take it easy, but move" answer. Everyone except former marathon world-record holder Steve Jones. His answer was to go out the day after and run a hard ten-miler to see what you hurt!

Well, I'm not going to do THAT! I will get out and walk some to keep my legs from locking up. So far everything feels fine.

As important as the physical preparations are, it's AS important to do an equipment inventory. I've made the decisions about shoes, socks, shorts, a long and short-sleeve shirt, jacket, and hat. Right or wrong, I know what I'm going to use. They've worked in training and I trust that they will work on race day.

So let the taper begin!!

John

Staying the Course

ORN: 3/2, 2/3, walk.

Let's see if I can explain. This was a training run for the Goofy Challenge. I'd done a half marathon last weekend and I wanted to see what affect - if any - that would have. So the plan was to use this as my last long training run. Since I'm here with Team in Training I knew I'd have to be "on the course" all day, so I wanted to get some bang for my buck

I wanted to get through the "half" feeling as though I hadn't really gotten started. The idea being that for Disney I'll need to be able to run the half on Saturday and walk off the course feeling strong. I'm pleased to say that the first half went exactly as planned. I felt great, even with the heat and humidity.

What did I learn? I'm feeling pretty confident about getting through the half marathon at Disney with little or no damage. I'm still trying to decide on the best ratio. I'm leaning toward staying with the 3/2 that has worked so well the past two weekends. I think that will leave me with enough in my legs to get up at take a shot at the marathon on Sunday.

Make no mistake, I'm scared to death. Well, OK, that might be a bit dramatic. But I am PLENTY nervous. I think I've prepared well, but there's just no telling. For now, I'll start the taper, rest up, get strong, and be ready to take my shot.

Waddle on,

John

The day before

ORN: 0

It won't really be a 0, since I have to do so much walking today, but it won't be a formal run.

My biggest concern, and it is a HUGE concern, is what I'm going to do about the sports drink. At races with Gatorade I usually do nothing BUT the sports drink. That won't work here. I do NOT want to carry fluid with me, but I wish now I had brought my Camel Back.

I'll get some salt packets from McDonald's and carry them. I've got a couple of Power Bars, which I'll bring, AND I'll bring money. I know that there are gas stations along the course. I'll probably just stop and buy Gatorade.

In case you can't tell, I'm nervous. I know because I wanted to buy a cheap pair of sunglasses yesterday. I wear prescription glasses. I don't know what I thought I would do with the cheap sunglasses, but I was READY to buy.

John

Not all bad

ORN: 55 min, 3/2

OK, I guess I should stop complaining about Honolulu. There's 6 or more inches of snow on the ground at home, so getting to run - outside - ain't all bad.

I just wanted to see where my legs were at after the flight. Things are "right", but they're close enough. I'll have to do a fair amount of walking in the couple of days and that should help.

My current thinking is to 3/2 until about mile 16 or so [depending on how I feel] then switch to 2/3 for a while, and finally walk that last few miles. But, it's going to be HOT, so I may walk sooner.

They are serving Amino Value on the course. After LAST weekend's fiasco with a new sports drink, I think I'll skip it. I may have to try to get some salt packets from somewhere.

John

Long flight

ORN: 0

I flew from Chicago to Honolulu today. That's over 8 hours in the plane, not to mention all the airport and taxi time. I did get out and walk for 30 minutes or so when I got to the hotel, but no training today.

It's hard to complain, since there's over 6 inches of snow on the ground at home!!

The biggest problem, of course, is the 4 hour time difference. At least it's in the right direction since the race starts at 5 AM Honolulu time.

My sciatica is REALLY tweaked after sitting on the plane for that long. I'll get out tomorrow and run/walk for an hour or so to see if I can get it to loosen up.

John

Short but sweet

ORN: 3 miles, 5/1, 36 minutes

I retreated to the treadmill today. The goal was just to get a little blood back into my legs and see how they felt after the half marathon and two days of rest.

For some reason it's easier for me to "pick up the pace" on a treadmill. Maybe it's because when I'm outside I LIKE being outside and don't want to hurry - I don't know - but whatever the case I set the treadmill speed at a 10:42 mile and just hung on.

Everything went well. I knew I wasn't going to go far so pushing the pace some made sense.

Still not sure what I'm going to do on Sunday at the Honolulu Marathon. I'll have to be out on the course all day anyway, so I'm thinking I may run/walk as much as I can and then walk the rest.

John

Stiff, but not sore

ORN: 0

Woke up this morning REALLY stiff. We flew home from Tucson today, so I was hoping to get something in, but it didn't work out.

I'm having a little pain in my left hip. Usually this is from too much flying, and that's my guess. So, I'll take an extra day of rest and try to run/walk tomorrow.

John

The morning after

ORN: 0, rest and recovery

The most important thing for today is to do a quick inventory and see if anything is banged up, bruised, or broken. I am VERY happy to report that my body took the downhill pounding pretty well, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong, anywhere. That's the VERY good news.

To be honest, I wasn't feeling much like running a marathon this morning. I'm still not sure how THAT is going to work. But for now, it's all good.

I'l try to get out tommorrow for a little bit and see how it goes.

Waddle on,

John

Tucson Half Marathon

ORN: 13.1 miles, 2:56:07, 3/2

What a day. We loaded up in the car and headed up the road to the start. It was COLD. Nope. It was VERY cold. We had our event manager here drive us to the start so we could sit in the car until pretty near the race start time. THAT was a blessing. Most folks got bussed up and dropped off. YIKES.

The plan was pretty simple. Run 3, walk 2, and finish in around 3 hours. And the plan worked, but not without a fairly major glitch.

Pop quiz: what's the NUMBER 1 rule in long distance running??? Never try ANYTHING new on race day. I'm a believer. I've brought shoes I trust, socks I trust, shorts, shirt, even HAT that I trust. So far, so good.

At the first fluid stop, the volunteers are yelling "WATER" and "GATORADE". They were in the same cups, which should have been a sign [Gatorade, which we serve at the JBR races, requires you to serve it in Gatorade cups]. So, I took a big swig of what I thought was Gatorade. Next stop. Same deal. WATER, GATORADE, same cups.

Well, it wasn't Gatorade. It was some local sports drink which I had NEVER tried. BAD BAD BAD idea. Some ingredient in the sports drink just didn't agree with my bladder and I spent the next 10 miles having to stop NEARLY every mile. So, what should have been a pleasant enough run down the side of the road turn into an off-road, into the desert dash through bushes and cacti. NOT pleasant.

I should have known better. I should have read the race information better [or, at all]. I should have ASKED! But I didn't, and I have no one to blame but myself.

Other than that it was a really fun day. I ran with a couple of good friends on a beautiful day along the Santa Catalina mountains. This was the longest I've run since MCM and I'm pleased that it went as well as it did.

Now... do I think I could get up tomorrow and run a marathon like I'll have to at Disney??? We'll see.

Waddle on, friends.

John

Loosening Up

ORN: 30 min, 3/2

The only goal today was to move some and try to shake off the "airplane" legs. I'm concerned about the half marathon tomorrow, but the plan is to stick with a 3/2 ratio and see how it goes.

It doesn't matter - at least it doesn't for me - how many half or full marathons I've done, I still get worked up and nervous. Maybe there are people who say it's "only" a half marathon - and mean it - but NOT me. 13.1 miles is a long way.

So, I'll do my best not to chew anyone's head off today!!

John

Travel Day

ORN: 0

This was a planned rest day. I'd run three days in a row, and that's usually about my limit.

The half marathon is Sunday, so tomorrow will be a short 30 minute warm-up at race pace and interval [3/2]

John

Fleet Feet

ORN: Treadmill; 6 quarter mile repeats, at 10 minute pace, 5 min w/u and c/d

OK, this may take some explanation. Everyone - EVERYONE - can benefit from speedwork. I don't do very much of it, but I should. Speedwork - on the track or treadmill - is the only way to maintain your efficiency and foot turnover.

I didn't want to run much today because I'm going to run/walk a half marathon on Sunday as training for Goofy. So, I decided to start my winter workout schedule of once a week treadmill track sessions. It's pretty simple really: warm up, run 1/4 of a mile at an elevated pace, walk an equal amount of time as a rest interval, and then repeat.

At a 10 minute pace - which is SPEED work for me - it takes 2:30 to run a quarter, so I'd run 2:30, walk SLOWLY for 2:30, and repeat 6 times.

It felt GREAT. There's something honest about banging out "quarters". I'm going to commit to doing some kind of speed sessions every week all winter long.

Waddle on, friends.

John