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

Making it work

ORN: 4 miles, 48 min, 4/2, treadmill

I'm actually pretty fired up about my training. I think taking some time away really helped, plus, it's been a month or so since the Marine Corps Marathon.

The rule of thumb is that it takes one day per mile [if you're under 40] or one day per kilometer [if you're over 40] to recover from a marathon. So, since I am WAY past 40, it really should take about 6 weeks to feel normal. I think that te fact that I use a run/walk strategy makes the recovery shorter.

I'll need to be careful now not to let my enthusiasm get the best of me.

Waddle on, friends.

John

Back from Hiatus

ORN: 11/29/05; 5 miles, 4/1, 60 minutes, on the treadmill.

I was away from the computer, but not entirely from running. While traveling I did manage to get in several runs.

Today was the first day back at it. I'm feeling great, very refreshed from the time away, and ready to be training again. It's COLD here in Chicago so I retreated to the gym. As I've said, the treadmill can be a very good alternative to running outdoors. This time of year probably half my running will be done indoors.

I've got to keep pushing the daily runs up just a little between now and the Disney Goofy Challenge. I've pretty much accepted that I will walk the marathon, but that will take preparation too. So, I'm going to do my best to extend my daily runs from 40 minutes to 50 minutes or an hour.

Waddle on, friends.

John

On Hiatus

ORN: 11/20, 0

I'm going to take a week or so off. Not from running, but from the computer. It's time for a little Rest and Recovery.

I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving. I'll be back soon.

Waddle on,

John

Getting out there

ORN: A long 60 minutes, 6/1

It's a beautiful, sunny day in Chicago, but I still struggled to get out the door. Boy, am I glad I did.

I added an extra "bit' to my normal route, just to get in a few more minutes, and I've upped the ratio to 6/1. If I'm going to get ready in time, I've got to try to increase my running ratio just a little bit.

It was a gorgeous run, and one that I would have been VERY disappointed to have missed.

Waddle on,

John

Time and Travel and Tunes

ORN: 11/17-18, 0

Missed the last two days. Not so much because I wanted to, but because my schedule just got so crowded there wasn't time. I'm not sure what this will mean to my overall training schedule, but we'll see.

The truth is I'm STILL having a tough time getting fired-up about training. I want to do the Goofy challenge, but just don't know if I have the heart to get ready for it.

** Running Tunes: My iPod is a pretty ecclectic combination of artists, genres, and eras. I've got some old Chicago [Lowdown] and Blood, Sweat, and Tears [Lucretia Mac Evil] and Creedence Clearwater Revival [Lookin' Out My Backdoor].

I've got some Melissa Etheridge, Eric Clapton, and Steely Dan, right there with the Gypsy Kings and Sting. But I've got a LOT of Paul Simon, both old stuff and new.

Waddle on, friends.

John

Chickening out

ORN: 5 miles, 60 min, 5/1

OK, I need to confess. I just didn't have the will to run outside today. I tried. I was dressed and OUT the door. Less than a block from my apartment I turned around, went home, got the car keys, and went to the gym. Today, I ran on the treadmill for the first time since last winter.

To be clear, it was below freezing AND windy [wind chill, 20 degrees!!!] I just wasn't ready to face winter yet. Maybe later!

It was a good run, though. I've forgotten how much I enjoy the treadmill. Good run. Nice pace. iPod in place!!

Waddle on, friends.

John

Tight Wire Act/Charity Runners

ORN: 0

This is a funny time. I'm trying to recover through my training, or train through my recovery depending on how you look at it. I'm trying to pay very close attention to the subtle messages my body is sending me. I know I've got to get in the miles, but I've got to get rested enough to have them work.

CHARITY RUNNERS:

This whole Marine Corps Marathon/Jean's Marines controversy is turning into a tempest in a teapot. There's no question that cutting the course is wrong, but this isn't the first time that course cutting has happened. And, it isn't as though some race directors don't tacitly accept that there will be some prudent shaving of the course.

That doesn't make it right. But it does make it true.

The danger, it seems to me, is lumping all "charity runners" into the slow, course-cutting category. The VAST majority of runners - charity and otherwise - train well and show up prepared to complete the distance in the time required.

It may be time for race organizers and the charity groups to sit down and have an honest heart-to-heart talk. Races are all too happy to take the registration dollars from the charity runners, but then seem to forget that they need to accomodate them, fast and slow.

John

Building up and responses

ORN: 50 min, 6/1

GREAT run, once I got out there. I'm having a tough time making myself get out the door. I'm tired, and I'm feeling so good about the Fall season that I guess I don't want to start looking ahead just yet.

That said, I'm going to increase my run/walk ratio on the shorter sessions. Not dramatically, but a little. Then I'll alternate a 4/2, 3/2, 2/3 ratio on the longer sessions.

RESPONSES: Well, it's pretty clear how you feel. Don't run the distance. Don't get the medal. Reminds me of the Will Smith line in "Men in Black" where he's talking to the "bug". Don't WANT none? Don't START none.

It really does come down to that. Cutting the course is cutting the course, whether you finish in the top 10 or final 5. Thanks for your responses.

Regrouping and Controversy

ORN: November 11, 12, 13: REST and recovery

OK, I've made the decision to take a shot at the Goofy challenge of running the Walt Disney Half Marathon on Saturday and the Marathon on Sunday. But, I'm also at the end of a long training and traveling season. So, I took three days off, and now I'm ready to get started again.

CONTROVERSY: Some of you may have heard about this. Apparently, a small group of runners from the much LARGER group called Jean's Marines cut the Marine Corps Marathon course in order to beat the bridge closing. They've been busted and asked to give back their medals.

I understand the concern. No one should cut a course short. But, the truth is that had they NOT made the bridge closing they would have been bused to the other side of the bridge and allowed to finish AND get a medal. In that case, they STILL wouldn't have covered the entired distance.

My heart really goes out to the entire Jean's Marines organization. They are doing wonderful things for many, MANY people. This seems to have been an error in judgement. But, knowing Bob and Jean, I'm sure it was done without malice. Their only goal is to help their participants achieve the goal of finishing a marathon.

I hope the dust settles quickly on this.

If you have thoughts about the topic, please share.

Thanks.

John

Slow But Steady

ORN: 60 min, 5 w/u, 50 @ 4/2, 5 c/d

OK, I sent in the application for the Goofy challenge. So, I guess I'm going to take a shot at it.

My training for the next 6 weeks or so will have a single-mindedness. I've got to figure out how easy I need to run on Saturday to be able to get through a marathon on Sunday.

Coach Jenny has me on a two day on, one day off schedule. I'll do a short run the first day followed by a longer run the next. Not sure exactly what that means yet, but I'm willing to try.

I'm on the road for the next few days and may not have access to a computer and I'm certain that I won't be running.

Waddle on, friends.

John

A Goofy Idea

ORN: 50 minutes, 5/1

If you've been following this, you'll see what I'm up to. Same route, different interval, more running. I'm still trying to understand why my legs aren't any more trashed than they are, but, I had a great run today and was actually able to "push" the pace a little every now and then.

Some of you may know about the "Goofy" challenge at this year's Walt Disney World Marathon. If you run the half marathon on Saturday you get a Donald Duck medal. If you run the FULL marathon on Sunday you get a Mickey Mouse medal. If you run them BOTH, you get a GOOFY medal.

Well, the temptation is setting in. I wasn't going to because I had missed the deadline, but I've been offered a number... so... how can I say no!!

AAARRRGGGHHH! I can't believe I'm even THINKING about this.

Waddle on,

John

Nearly Normal

ORN: 50 minutes, 4/2

I'm back home, running on my favorite route, and it felt GREAT. I'm shocked at how good my legs feel just a week after the Marine Corps Marathon. I think I'm beginning to understand how people "run" marathons every month. You just have to take your time.

I'm "leaning" towards running/walking the Honolulu Marathon. I'll be there with Team in Training and so would be out on the course all day anyway. The last time a "ran" the event I had a terrible day. This might get that taste out of my mouth.

Waddle on,

John

Lost in New York

Wow. I think this is the longest I've gone without blogging since I started blogging.

I've been at the ING New York City Marathon since last Thursday. Jenny and I were on a panel at the expo and I was doing appearances for Runner's World magazine. I didn't have access to my computer, so I've gotten behind.

The highlight of the trip was getting to run 3 times in Central Park. Living in Chicago, on the north side, I've got a beautiful place to run every day; along the lakefront. But, as much as I hate to admit it, running in Central Park is better. There are rolling hills, lots of paths, and LOTS of people.

The biggest, and most pleasant, surprise was how my legs are already starting to come back after the Marine Corps Marathon. It's probably because I did so much walking. By yesterday [Monday] I was able to run/walk for a solid hour without any problem.

I registered for the Honolulu Marathon! Still not sure I'll do it, but I wanted to get a number just in case.

The New York City Marathon is special. There's no getting around that. It's not an easy course, but it IS the most international marathon in the world, and that alone makes it special.

So, I'll be back to regular blogging this week. Thanks for your patience.

Waddle on,

John

Chilling

ORN: 40 min, city bike

Whew! My legs are pooped! MCM was much hillier than the last time I ran it, and the hills are taking their toll.

I'm not going to rush back into it. It's been a long training/race season. I need time physically and emotionally to just cool it. I'm travelling this weekend and hope to get in a couple of light jogs, but I'm not going to worry if I don't.

Waddle on,

John

REST and Recovery

ORN: 0

I'm going to take SEVERAL days off. I'm having more soreness than I expected. Nothing major, just some dull aches and pains.

Pretty sure I won't be doing Honolulu. If for no other reason than it STARTS so early!!

Waddle on, friends,

John

On the way home

ORN: 0

Pretty stiff today. More than I expected. Also some soreness that I didn't have after Chicago.

I'm in no hurry to get back at it.

John

Race Day, MCM

ORN: 26.2 miles, 6:22:00

WOW. It's been a number of years since I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. I've been here every year since I ran it the first time in 1994, and ran it several times since, but recently I've been "working" the race for Team in Training, usually chasing around on a bicycle.

THE BAD NEWS: I travel ALL the time. I'm very careful about packing, especially on a weekend where I'm going to run. I lay everything out before I pack. I check, double check, and check again to make sure I haven't forgotten anything.

Guess what? I forgot my running underwear! I cut the "briefs" out of my running shorts and use the Under Amour tight fitting "boxers" [more like compression shorts] so that I don't have to deal with the dreaded CHAFFING! Saturday night, laying everything out for Sunday morning, I discovered that somehow I had forgotten to pack running underwear. NOW WHAT?

I'd come too far to not run, so I grabbed a pair of trusty cotton boxers, loaded up on A&D ointment and Body Glide and hoped for the best. I'm happy to say that it worked. But just!

THE GOOD NEWS: The course was new for me, and I must say that it was the most beautiful but most DIFFICULT course I've run here. The opening miles through Arlington were HILLY, the run through Rock Creek Park was HILLY, and that took care of much of the first half. With all the security they've had to take out "Capitol Hill" so most of the second half was dead flat.

The weather was near perfect. I've run this race on some UGLY days, so it was a gift to be out there on a coolish, clear day. My plan was to run 3 minutes, walk 2 all the way around. It was a good plan, as far as it went.

I ran into a friend at about mile 6 and we chatted away for the next few miles. He wasn't having a great day so we switched to running 2 and walking 3. Eventually, even that was more than he wanted so about mile 16 or so I went off on my own again. I went back to 3/2's until I got to the bridge at mile 20, then relaxed back to 2/2 until mile 24.

I felt great, and as I said the day was perfect, so at mile 24 I decided to walk it in. I met some nice folks, had a good conversation with a guy who was running in honor of his son, and just tried to soak up as much as I could of the atmosphere.

MCM is a great race. There's a reason why it closes. It's unique with all the Marines, the sites and sounds of Washington, DC, and the true amateur spirit of the event. If you haven't yet run it, I encourage you to. It's an experience you won't forget.

So the question is, now what? Honolulu is coming up in mid-December. Could I do a third marathon this season?? YIKES. I feel great. Nothing's banged up or twisted. Honolulu has virtually no time limit. I could WALK the whole thing just for fun.

I'll see how I feel in a few days!!!

Waddle on, friends.

John

Oct 28, 29

ORN: REST!

Last Minute Tune Up

ORN: 30 min, 3/2

Just making sure I've got it together. No pressure, just moving the legs.

Waddle on,

John

Planned Pace/Explanation of intervals

ORN: 55 min, 5 w/u, 45 @ 3/2, 5 c/d

OK, let's see if I can explain. This is the same course as I "normally" run, along the Chicago lakefront. I use it as a barometer. By keeping the course the same and altering the run/walk interval I get a pretty good sense of how I'm feeling and how fast or slow I'm going.

Today was a "planned marathon pace" run. I know that I'll be useing a 3/2 ratio so I wanted to get the feel of that. It went great, which confirms the decision to take yesterday off.

EXPLANATION:

I do most of my workouts by time, not mileag,e and I always use some kind of run/walk interval when I "run". For example, run for 5 minutes, walk for 1 minute, then repeat for the total time. I also always walk for 5 minutes at the beginning and end of each workout. SO... today's workout was:

Total time; 55 minutes. 5 minute warm-up, 45 minutes of running and walking [3 minutes of running, 2 minutes of running and repeat] and then a 5 minute cool-down.

Waddle on,

John

Extra Day's Rest

ORN: 0

Guess it all caught up to me. I've been travelling since last Thursday. Indy, then San Francisco, then home. Every now and then it just bites me.

I was dressed and OUT the door, and quit. Went back in the house!!

It only happens a few times a year, but, when it does it's important to give in to it. I NEVER want to hate running. I enjoy it too much. And so, every now and then, the best run is NO run.

Waddle on,

John

Catching up

Wow, the weekend just slipped away. Here's the last few days.

ORN: Saturday, October 22, 2005. 55 min, 5/1

I'm in San Francisco, so I got to run down Market Street and along the Embarcadero, past the piers. It's probably the only flat stretch of pavement in San Francisco.

My legs were feeling VERY good, at least for the first 30-40 minutes. Getting closer to a decision on MCM.

ORN: Sunday, October 23, 2005. 0

Today was "race day" for everyone else. It was the Nike Women's Marathon [and half marathon]. 15,000 participants, of which only 150 were men. Amazing energy. Very well done. There's a column in it somewhere!

But, it was a lot of standing around. Not the best on the legs.

ORN: Monday, October 23, 2005. 55 min, 5/1

Same run as Saturday. Same results. I actually felt better in some ways. My legs have come back pretty quickly. I'm feeling stronger than I expected.

I'm pretty sure that I'll "run" MCM this weekend. Probably do a 3/2 run/walk sequence.

Waddle on,

John

Travel Day

ORN: 0

You'll notice lots of travel days. It's that time of year. Seems like there are events every weekend from Labor Day until almost Thanksgiving.

I am a little stiff, though, from the longish run. It might be because it was all on concrete, or it may just be that I'm not quite ready to be running an hour yet.

Waddle on,

John

Almost Normal

ORN: 65 min; 5 w/u, 55 4/2, 5 c/d

This was the longest run I've tried since the marathon. I'm still toying with the idea of running [run/walk] the Marine Corps Marathon a week from Sunday, but I haven't decided for sure. No matter, I felt like it was time to stretch the time some.

The "rule of thumb" is that if you're under 40 you need one day per mile to recover from a race. If you're over forty - say 56 years old - you need one day for every kilometer to recover. So, for someone like me that means nearly 6 weeks of recovery after a marathon. That doesn't mean no running or walking, just no high intensity training.

I know I'm pushing things to try to stay steady, recover, and get ready for another marathon in three weeks. It's not the dumbest thing I've done, but it's probably close. My thinking is - and I can tell you up front that it's flawed - is that since I'm in marathon condition I should try to do a couple!

What I won't do is do something stupid, like run if I'm not recovered enough. But, I know that this is a dance with the devil.

Waddle on,

John

The one that got away

ORN: 0

I had PLANNED to run today, but the day just got out from under me. It happens. I had a morning meeting and a late afternoon committment. In between I was running errands and the traffic was BRUTAL.

So, that was that. Couldn't get it in!

It happens.

John

Mix and Match

ORN: 50 min @ 5/1

For those of you who follow closely, you'll notice that I'm doing 50 minutes, but altering the run/walk ratio. This keeps me on my feet for the same amount of time, but, as I increase my run ratio the amount of time I RUN increases. Obvious, I know.

Changing the run/walk ratio is a great way to get different workouts in the same amount of time. An EASY 50 minute workout might be running 3 minutes and walking 2. You might do 4/2, or 4/1. You could even move all the way up to 9/1. It doesn't matter.

What matters is finding a way to vary your runs so that your body doesn't get "locked in". The shorter the run interval, the faster you can run. The longer, the slower.

This way you can keep your total workout time the same but still have LOTS of variety.

Waddle on,

John

Funny day / Blog comments

ORN: No idea.

It's hard to explain. We were doing some demonstration running this morning and were out for several hours. It's not that I ever ran that long, but I did run a bunch.

Also, there's been a lot of "spam" replies to the blog. There's a setting where you have to type in a "hidden" word before you can post a comment. I'm sorry for the added step, but I think it's best for everyone.

Thanks for understanding.

John

Hard to believe

ORN: 50 min, 4/2

This was THAT day. A week after marathon. It's HARD to believe that one week ago I ran/walked 26.2 miles without much of a problem. Today, I felt like I couldn't run a BLOCK.

I know that it's recovery. I know that it's my body healing. I know.

But, it still plays games with my head.

Waddle on,

John

Not quite yet

ORN, 10/14 & 10/15: 0

Funny kind of tightness in my lower legs. I think it's from the "fast" walking that I did.

At any rate, nothing good is going to come from rushing back into it. I've got the marathon medal. There's nothing left to prove. Better now to be safe than sorry.

Waddle on,

John

Test run

ORN: 50 minutes, 3/2

Whoa... it was TOUGH going for the first few minutes. It always surprises me how it feels like ALL of the training runs out on race day and you have to start from scratch.

20 minutes or so into the run I could feel things staring to loosen up. By about 40 minutes into it I was actually RUNNING again. Amazing.

Tomorrow is a travel/rest day. No need to get ahead of myself. I'll make a call on Marine Corps early next week.

Waddle on,

John

An extra day

ORN: 0

Not much stiffness or soreness today. That's the good news. The BEST news is that I didn't take any NSAIDS after Sunday night.

I may try to get out some tomorrow, but no promises. It's been a long season of training. I'm in no hurry to get back at it.

John

One more day

ORN: 0

Another day of recovery. The aches and stiffness from a marathon don't always show up the first day, so, it's important to take a few extra days just to make sure.

When it comes to recovery, I little too MUCH is better than a little to LITTLE. Right now it's hard to imagine running. I know that it will pass. I'm not going to rush back into it.

Then there's the dreaded PMS. Post Marathon Syndrome. It's very easy to fall into a depression following a big event. Knowing that it might be out there doesn't make it any easier.

Waddle on, friends.

John

Rest, Recovery, and THANKS

ORN: 0

A well earned ZERO I might add. Took the day yesterday to inventory what was sore, what was banged up, and what was damaged. I'm happy to report that NOTHING is damaged. There's some soreness in my lower legs and quads and some tightness in my hamstrings, but other than that I'm fine. The training REALLY did pay off.

I'll take several days off, just to be sure, then probably try to do some walking later in the week.

THANK YOU!! To everyone who has written to congratulate me. I still haven't figured out how to respond to a comment, but I guess it doesn't matter. I can just post it here.

It's been very heartwarming to know that so many people have been following along on this journey. In the next few days I'll figure out what I'm going to do next. To be honest, I've thought about doing the same kind of run/walk for Marine Corps, but I won't be able to decide until I see how quickly I recover.

Waddle on, friends,

John

Marathon Day at Last!

ORN: 26.2 miles, run 2 min/walk 3 min: 6:09:55

WOW, what a day!

I was pacing a friend through his first marathon. Our goal was 6:30 based on the training runs, but the Marathon Gods smiled on us BIG TIME today. The weather was perfect, except for a few windy spots, but all-in-all it couldn't have been better.

Some observations: for some reason the Gatorade didn't settle well. More precisely, it just seemed to be going right through me. That's unusual because I really LIKE Gatorade and the new "endurance" formula has worked well in the past. It might have been the cold, too. At any rate, I ended up stopping several times in the early miles to "drain the tank".

I ate 1/2 a Powerbar at mile 8, ate the other half at mile 16, and then used one Powergel at mile 20. In between I drank water and the "problem" went away.

We ran a negative split, meaning that the second half of the race was faster then the first half. In fact, the fastest mile we covered was between 25 and 26! We were strong enough to pick it up at the end.

As much as I complain, there is something magic about the marathon distance. Things happen from mile 20-26.2 that just don't happen any other time. I have to work past the fear, the fatigue - and in my case the anger - that seems to become ever present. It is much more than a physical challenge at that point.

Plus, the marathon distance rewards patience. When we took our first walk interval - TWO minutes into the race - we heard someone say "Well, they didn't get very far". I wish that person had been there to see us pass hundreds and HUNDREDS of runners who had crashed and burned!

So, marathon #41 is in the record books. I'll take some time to recover and then figure out what to do next.

Waddle on, friends.

John

Team in Training

ORN: 0

This was a scheduled rest day, although lately I have been trying to run for 20 minutes or so the day before a BIG run, but it couldn't happen. I was at the Expo all day, and then spoke at two Team in Training pasta parties.

Nothing left to do now except run the race.

Waddle on,

John

Expo Legs

ORN: 0

Standing around at the Expo isn't doing my legs any good at all. Now I remember why I stopped running the marathons that I worked.

Pretty stiff, which I can deal with. I have to find a way to stay off my feet tomorrow.

John

Last Run

ORN: 30 min. 5 w/u, 20 @ 4/1, 5 c/d

Well, that's that. The last run before the marathon. All I did was walk some, run enough to break a sweat, then walk back.

I feel more ready than I have in years. The weather forcast looks perfect. I'm excited, and ready.

All that's left now is actually covering the course. Somehow, that seems like the easy part.

Waddle on,

John

Spin to Win

ORN; 15 X 2, city bike.

Not really exercise, just going to and from. My legs feel very strong, a good sign.

Beginning to sense the "pre-marathon" isolation setting in. Difficult to focus on anything or anyone else.

John

Round and Round she goes

ORN: 2 miles, 5/1, 5 min w/u, 5 min c/d, 30 min

Just a couple of gentle laps around a 1/2 mile loop. It was very hot and dry, so I kept the pace slower than normal.

Really feeling the tightness of the healing during the taper. I know it's normal, but I don't like the feeling.

Waddle on, friends.

John

REST, rest, rest

ORN: 0

HAD to rest. Didn't WANT to rest. HAD to rest.

I'd run two days in a row, I HAD to take the day off.

I HATE to taper!

John

One more time

ORN: 3 miles, 35 minutes, treadmill, 4/1

We're getting near the end of it. The most important thing today was to break a sweat. There's not much left to do.

I'm stiff. Nothing feels good. I'm achey, tired, etc.

Guess I'm just about ready!!

Waddle on, friends.

John

Easy Does It

ORN: 3 miles, 36 min, 4/1, treadmill

I'm on the road [what's new?] and had to run early in the day [not my favorite]. It was still dark [YIKES. How do people do that every day?] so I opted for the treadmill at the hotel.

The most important things to do are: 1] break into a little sweat to fight off any nasty bugs going around, 2] get good blood flow into my legs to keep them loose, 3] don't do anything stupid.

I had a "marathon" dream last night. A nightmare, really. I missed the start. I forgot my watch. I was wearing regular shorts and a polo shirt. Part of the marathon went threw a house: up stairs, through rooms, and back down stairs and out!

Yep. 40 marathons and I still have nightmares about missing the start!

Waddle on, friends.

John