Two Races in Eight Days

I think I just attempted the second hardest thing I've ever done next to running/training for my marathon.  I ran two half marathons in eight days.

On October 25th, I ran the Michelob Ultra Half Marathon.  The course is relatively flat with a portion of the route on the Katy Trail.  I started out where I wanted with my pace just below 9:00/mi. I was running with another runner who I had been training with the last several weeks.  I started having trouble with my left foot falling asleep.  I was concerned with not being able to "feel" things and so I pulled back a little but was still maintaining a pace I felt could get me under two hours.

About the time I reached the end of the Katy Trail my right shoulder was really hurting.  It forced me to walk for stretches in order to stretch it out.  I don't know if I was tensed up for some reason or if I over-worked my arms in one of my cross-training boot-camps.  I finished with a time of 2:01:28.  Rats, I just missed my goal time of finishing under two hours.  I felt pretty disappointed and felt I had a "bad race" despite blowing away my previous best time of 2:18:38.  However I knew I had a chance at redemption as I was running the DRC Half Marathon in a week.

So I rested.  I slept in all week while I skipped my speed classes.  I was trying to rest my legs as much as possible so that I could push hard in a race I know the course.

I love running the DRC Half Marathon.  It is the first half marathon I ever ran.  It's my Super Bowl.  The course is beautiful and relatively flat.  The weather the past two years has been very nice with temps in the 50s.

I started out with the 2:00 pace group but after just a mile or two I decided to pull ahead so that I give myself some buffer in case I run out of juice towards the end of the race.  I am running my best race ever with a consistent sub-9:00/mile pace until I get to around mile 8.5.  I develop this nasty cramp in my abs/stomache and it causes me to not be able to draw in a full breath (plus it hurt pretty bad).  I started to slow down.

Somewhere past mile 10 the 2:00 pace group passed by me and my hopes for finishing within my goal time was dashed.  At this point my legs were really achy and sore.  I flashed back to how I felt in my marathon training as this was the type of fatigue pain after running 13 miles.  I generally felt like this somewhere around mile 15 or 16.  I continued to press on though and would walk when I felt like I needed a small break.

I finished with a time of 2:06:40.  In the grand scheme of things, I took 12 minutes off my time from the last time I ran the same race.  I also have never ran races in back to back weekends like that.  I might do a couple things differently the next I try something like this.

This next week I am taking a week long training course to become certified Personal Trainer.  I will go from being the motivated to being the motivator.  What will be interesting is how I can tie getting certified as a coach with next year's goals.  I'll wait and see how the class goes and think about what I want to accomplish for 2015.

I'm also keeping an eye on the RRCA website for upcoming Running Coach certification classes.  I want running to be my focus for my Personal Training experience.

Speaking of 2015, I have updated my races page with races I am planning to run or have already signed up to run.  I am going to run fewer races next year but more of them will be out of town races.  I may still sign up for the Fayetteville Half Marathon in December 2015 in Fayetteville, AR rather than run in the Dallas Marathon.  I haven't made up my mind on that yet.

I Love to Run

A while ago, I wrote an article on why I run.  Well, this article pretty much builds on that.

I love to run.  I mean that ... I love to run.

I love that I can call myself an athlete.  This is perhaps the one sport I feel I am really any "good" at.

I love that I earned every drop of sweat from every step I took on that long, hot run this past Saturday.

I love that no one can take away my accomplishments -- Crossing that finish line or my Personal Records (PRs).

I love that "runner's high" I sometimes get from a really good run.  The feeling is hard to put into words but you sometimes get one after a good, hard run.

While I don't love the pain I sometimes experience after a long run, I love that is represents me getting better, stronger, and faster.

I love that while I might run the same race year after year, it never really is quite the same race because factors like the weather are never the same.

I love that when I do run races, I'm not racing the person in front of me or beside me, I am racing against myself.  I'm racing against my best time which is currently 2:18:38 on 11/3/2013 as of the time I posted this article.

I love that I feel that running has made a better person.  I know with determination I can accomplish anything, no matter how hard it might be.

I love that the running community is a tight knit group, many of whom are supportive of each other, pushing each other to run past their abilities.

I love that when you do run races, you have random people cheering you on.  The funny signs might be the best things I look forward to other than crossing the finish line.

Here is one of my favorite slogans that definitely applies to running:

Courage to start.  Strength to endure.  Resolve to finish.

LiveWire Run Club 8/9

Summer runs can be brutal, especially in August in Texas.  Today was no exception.  I started out slow for my first mile for my warm up and then kicked it up to my goal race pace for mile two but started to ease up after mile three and four.  I was trying to keep up with some of the faster runners in our run club and did fine until I started struggling with regulating my body temperature.  I then settled into a comfortable pace of around 10:00/mile for the remainder of my run.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:21:08.9	8.40	9:40
1	9:27.8	1.00	9:28
2	8:54.3	1.00	8:54
3	9:14.7	1.00	9:15
4	9:32.7	1.00	9:33
5	10:00.1	1.00	10:00
6	10:01.1	1.00	10:01
7	10:07.2	1.00	10:07
8	10:00.0	1.00	10:00
9	3:51.1	0.40	9:38

I have a race in two weeks and I think I will be able to handle a 10:00/mile pace and finish with a time I can be very satisfied with.  Last year when I ran this same race I finished with a time of 2:48.  I had trouble keeping cool and ended up walking some.  This year the race has a completely new course and my biggest concern is shade.

In terms of my 2014 Miles Goal I am at 427 of 500 (85%).  I have 5 half marathons coming up which will give me about 65.5 miles putting me around 492.5 without any additional running between now and the end of the year.  I really think I am going to revise this goal to 600 miles.  I am running between 15 and 20 miles a week thanks to my speed class that I have twice a week.

LiveWire Run Club 6/7

Today was (what I consider) my first real run since my marathon.  I've run smaller distances like 3 or 4 miles but today was my first "long" run I've done in several weeks.  It felt great, especially since I got to run with people.  It sounds weird but during much of my marathon training I was running solo.  The group I ran with all run at about my pace so they helped push me and I helped them push the pace.

Now that I am finished training for my marathon I want to change gears towards finishing a half marathon in under 2 hours.  To do that, I figure I need to average better than 9:15/mile.  This morning I ran a 9:28/mile average and that was even with our group running slower to allow for someone to catch up.

It was warm this morning but the heat didn't bother me too much since I've been doing cross training in the evenings where the temps have been in the 90s lately.  Running in this heat should help me with the Hottest Half in August.  Last year I really seemed to struggle and I'd like to see if I can do better this time around.

I'm excited about my slate of races coming up.  I have a race in the months of August, September, October, November, and December.  I've been training in a speed class lately called Adrenaline offered by LiveWire Fitness.  I've learned some cool techniques like bounding on hills which I feel is helping me become a better runner.  Here's a good article that gives five different techniques to make you a better runner, especially when trying to conquer a hill.

I am going to work on my account of the Mountains2Beach Marathon this weekend.  I've been extremely busy since I ran the race and haven't had time to sit down and write down everything about the race.  I'll try my best to get it done tomorrow morning.

Week 20 - 8 Miles

So today was my last training run before the Mountains2Beach Marathon.  This morning was an easy 8 miles.  The weather was very nice -- not too hot and not too cool.  Hopefully this is the last time I have to wake up for a 5:30 run on a Saturday for a while.

I felt great the entire run.  Didn't have hardly any trouble with my legs warming up.  No cramps or anything else that would slow me down.  Just the road/sidewalk, my music, and me.  I haven't had a chance to have a great run like this in a long time because the distance has taken a lot of the enjoyment out it.

I'm have two goals with my first marathon.  First and foremost I want to finish.  That is what is most important to me.  Second, I'd like to finish in under 5 hours.  I'm not sure this is doable but if I do finish within that time, I'll be very happy.

I also tried the Garmin Connect mobile app where I link my watch to my phone.  It worked for the most part but my watch or phone kept losing the connection and so there are gaps on the route.  I'm going to try to go on another training run Monday evening and see if switch arms my phone is on helps any.  I don't like wearing things on my left arm but the distance from the watch to the phone will be much smaller, so maybe that will help with the disconnects.

I feel excited and a little nervous about this race.  I feel like I am as ready as I can be.  I've been hitting my cross training really hard the past couple months and my long runs have been challenging yet I've been able to handle them for the most part.  The only thing I am worried about is my endurance. My physical ability really drops off after 13 miles so it will be interesting to see how I do for a full 26 miles.  The best key to a good run will be to not start out too fast.  I've been running between 10:30/mile and 11:00 for the most part so if I stick to that pace I think I will do fine.

Week 19 - 12 Miles

This morning I ran a nice 12 miles as we tapper heading into the Mountains2Beach Marathon.  The race is in 2 weeks!  Wow.  Hopefully this is the last time we have to get up at 5:30 in the morning for a run.

The taper seems to come at just the right time in the training schedule.  I know your body needs to recover from the hard work you put it through with the 18, 19, 20 mile runs but I think it is good mentally as well.  I am perhaps mentally tired after long as I am physically and so it was nice running a "shorter" distance for a change.

It's interesting how training for a marathon changes your perspective on what a long distance is.  I used to think 10 miles for training and a half marathon were long distances and now they don't seem so bad.

The only thing that really slowed me down was I got hungry right around mile 10 and so I snacked on a Larabar.  I'm very happy with the 10:44/mile pace I ran, even with the temps starting to rise here in Texas.

Week 17 - 20 Miles

This week was a much, much better run.  I didn't have any stomach problems since I didn't use the same stuff that upset my stomach the past two weekends.  I still have to walk some after the 13 mile mark as I very much have the endurance to run a half marathon.  Past that and the distance becomes a lot more cumbersome and taxing.  It might be good for me in training runs to run past 13 miles so that I can stretch my endurance to longer distances.  That might help make marathon training be less of a beat down, both mentally and physically.

My marathon is just a little more than 4 weeks away.  I'm both excited yet terrified.  I am very certain I will be able to finish it but I still get freaked out by the distance.

We're at the point in the training runs where we start tapering.  Next week we are scheduled to run 10 miles!  I am running in a 5k and so while I want to try to be my previous best of 27:15, I really think it might be best to just run at a pace that is comfortable for me that doesn't put too much stress on my body.  If I were to run a 9:30/mile pace I'd be very happy.  After the race I think we will be finishing the route with a 7 mile run in the area.

Well, I am starving after burning 1,800 calories this morning and so I am going to sign off to raid the fridge.

Week 15 - 18 Miles

Today I ran 18 miles.  This was by far the hardest run I have ever completed.  When I look over the training schedule I will run 20 miles next weekend and 22 miles after that.  We will start tapering in May.

I can tell I am best conditioned right now to run a half marathon.  I start having to walk more and more after 13 miles.  I still finished the route but I have never been so physically tired in my life.

There is no doubt that this will be the hardest thing I will have ever attempted in my life.

Looking back on this so far I do know there are some things I need to do differently if I ever decide to run another marathon.  I need to log more miles during the week to get my weekly mileage to no less than 50.  That could mean running somewhere between 6 and 10 miles at least twice a week in addition to the long runs I do on the weekend.

Week 13 - 16 Miles

I had a really good run today.  I ran with a new pair of Brooks Ghosts and I did not have any trouble with my Achilles tendon, so I think I found what was causing the problem.  Glad I seem to have that behind me but I will stay play it safe in the mean time.  As soon as I post this I'm going to ice my ankle and roll my legs.

I ran my longest distance ever - 15.83 miles.  I also ran my fastest 13.1 at 2:14.  Very good day indeed.  If I could run with that kind of effort next weekend at the Big D Half Marathon I'll PR for sure however the weather isn't looking good (rain).

I really couldn't ask for better conditions for running.  It was a nice, brisk 48 degrees this morning with a relatively light wind.  It's a little cold starting out and so long as the wind isn't blowing too hard, I felt great temperature wise.  It was nice watching the world wake up while I was running through the neighborhoods of Plano.

It's runs like this that makes me think running this marathon in May is doable.  I hurt and am tired but I feel like I can do it.

Fueling

I tried some new fuel sources and they seemed to work out well for me.  Before I left the house, I had a bottle of the chocolate Generation UCAN protein drink.  It didn't give me any stomach issues and I felt like I had good energy throughout my run.  I'm going to go back to my local Luke's Locker and pick up some more packets for future runs.  If this works out I'll get the canister.

I mixed the packet with about 16 oz of water the night before and put it in the fridge so that it would be nice and cold.  I guess I need to do a better job of mixing it right before drinking as it was a little grainy as I finished it off.  I struggle sometimes even eating early, early in the morning so it was nice being able to drink this and not experience a gag reflex.

I also brought several Larabars in my fuel belt that I snacked on while I ran to help keep my energy reserves up.  So far my favorite flavor is Apple.  190 calories with some really good ingredients -- nuts (almonds & walnuts), apples, cinnamon, dates, & raisins.

Week 12 - 14 Miles

Today was both a good and a tough run.  I started, as usual, with tight muscles.  My Achilles tendon started out fine and last through most of the run.  After about 3 miles my muscles loosened up and I was able to get into a more comfortable pace.

It wasn't until after mile 9 that my Achilles tendon really started hurting and I had to start walking.  The last two miles were the hardest as it seemed every leg muscle was exhausted and I just didn't have the will power to try to leg it out.

I suspect my legs were worn out at the end of the almost 14 miles because I have subconsciously modified my form & stride and so I am most likely working my legs harder than if I wasn't injured.

I iced my ankle as soon as I got home and so I hope it helps with the recovery process.  I'll roll my legs and IT Band as soon as I get this entry posted.

I'm still going to my boot camps to continue my cross training but I am modifying some of the exercises if my Achilles tendon starts hurting.  Calf raises actually seem to help reduce the pain so I try to do those whenever possible.  I need to try to do them multiple time throughout the day.

Dealing With an Injury -- Achilles Tendinitis

So it appears I have become injured and have come down with I believe is Achilles Tendinitis.  I have pain, especially when trying to run, in the tendon right above my ankle.  This is your Achilles tendon.  I am able to walk normally and there is really no pain when I am not do anything non-exerting, so it currently it not severe -- yet.

I suspect it occurred due to a combination of overuse and perhaps inadequate support from my shoes.  My current shoes are getting older and I just bought a new pair of Brooks Ghost 6, but I have't had a chance to phase in the new pair and phase out the old pair.

I need to sit down and think about how to approach this.  I need to continue to work on getting my mileage in for my long runs but I might see about limiting the amount of running I do during the week to in order to give my Achilles tendon as much rest between long runs.  I may eliminate almost all running in my cross training (Boot Camp) and substitute some additional leg stretches.

I found this blog about dealing with Achilles Tendinitis, which gives a personal account to one person's dilemma and what he did to overcome the injury and still run his marathon.  I hope this blog provides some decent advice on what to do to treat and continue to train for my upcoming marathon.

Here are some good articles on LiveStrong about dealing with Achilles Tendinitis:

• Achilles Tendon Warmup Exercises
• Can I Run With Achilles Tendonitis?
• A Sore Achilles Tendon After Running

I don't believe this is the end of my hopes to run a marathon right now but it certainly is a hurdle I will have to somehow overcome.  I have had injuries in the past and have overcome them but this one has happened with a short time before my marathon, which is a little more than two months away.  I just don't want this to be the reason I can't complete a marathon.

Most importantly I need to stay positive and not let this get me too far down.  I came out stronger from my last injury and will come out stronger from this injury as well.