another really big goal?

I have not met my weight loss goal for this Winter/Spring of 2011. I've made progress then I stalled.  I am beginning to plan the fall race calendar and I've been tempted by some of the same races I ran last year.

And by the 2.500 anniversary of the Athens marathon. I really can't count that high. And listening to Haruki Murakami's account of running between Athens and Marathon kinda scratched the itch in terms of running that particular race myself (think hot, urban, hot, and well, hot).  (What I talk about when I talk about Running is a fabulous book, better even than my blog. Promise.)

But I need another dream to kick my a$$ into gear. Berlin? Athens? Provence?

I will pray to the currency goddess, may she bless my travel budget.  And I will begin again to make rich and rewarding sacrifices to the scale goddess, may she bless my waistline.

Oh, maybe this is the right goddess of the scale, Harmonia.

Wk2/16 on the road to Paris (99 days!)

Last run of 2010. 11 k, a distance which is accidentally a great opener for 2011. 


Into the fog. I asked myself the question, whom do I meet out here on the run. A tempo run with a fast (for me) target pace on the soft sand sucked. Until I changed my attitude. I decided if this training program is going to suck the joy out of running, I won't do it. I spent some time afterwards writing my way through the experience and came up with the idea that this training program comes out of my strength, not weakness - that it is my strength that will bring me through it, and that if I choose to increase my running strength, I will have to take myself outside my comfort zone. And knowing that it will be uncomfortable makes it tolerable. 

I started with a feeling of inadequacy and moved through all my feelings to a place of power. And the pace chart doesn't know that I rode for 90 minutes yesterday - after being off the bike for months - and felt fatigued. Nor does the pace chart have any idea I wanted to take Odie to the beach and it was high tide, which meant I ran in that wet squishy sand most of the time. The value is in the effort, not the goal. I met the relentless critic on the beach out there in the fog, and I tamed her. 

And I made a list of items within my control - getting enough sleep, choosing a helpful attitude toward the workout, adapting to my body's signals as a goal, rather than achieving a particular pace, taking care of what I eat and drink, attending to how I plan my training sessions (to allow enough recovery time & to avoid sucking the energy out of the one that follows by going too hard or long).  I can take  care of myself, thereby  enjoying the process of increasing my fitness even more.  Bye bye 2010.  It's been a good long run.


Onwards to Janathon!

marathon training starts

I've registered for the Paris Marathon in April, motivated by the desire to stay off the couch during the dark winter in Holland.  I finished the 2010 racing season by cutting 20 minutes off my 2009 run of the Meeuwen Mackrel Loop. I felt really happy with the year as a whole.

Although this will be my second marathon, I'm following the novice marathon training program from FIRST. I think the volume and intensity of the program will take me out of my comfort zone. The "regular" program has more long distance running on the weekends, and I'm a little concerned that my knees will not like it.  


So this week, marathon training  began.  Ready or not.  So. Wednesday, I sat at the table while everyone ate dinner and then went out for a run. in the snow. in the dark. under a full moon. it was beautiful. And cold. and slippery and crunchy. at freezing temperatures, it's a challenge to regulate my body heat. But I did my best with 1600m intervals. freakishly long intervals. the total was 8 km. in about an hour.  Wednesday meant I had to go. Since I need three runs in by Sunday (tomorrow).

first I had to try to figure out why an audio book that I got for my son wouldn't sync with his iPod. black-hole on the clock. then I had to figure out the pace setting for 1600 meters in 10 minutes. criminy. 1600m/10min = x min/1km; solve for x. or find a running calculator on the web. guess which.

we tried all three ipods in the household before my son said, your run is more important. go run and I'll find something else to do. Then I remembered my phone plays the books just fine. so I gave him my phone.

then there was a car stuck in the mashed potato snow that is our street. I stopped to help and my neighbors came out to help too, while Odie barked at the spinning wheels. I ran back to get a shovel. we dug, rocked and pushed the car out of the stuck spot. (all day I saw cars getting stuck there - fancy ones - Audi's and Merc's. My Fiat runs just fine in the snow).

Then out to the dunes. Odie had a great time. He saw the fox and wanted to investigate. Fox was not interested. We saw Fox several times.

I didn't make my target paces, but I gave it my best shot. It's a little tough to run on packed snow. The places where cars have been were too slippery and icy. The sides or in between tire tracks were nice and crunchy. Running on hard-pack snow feels soft and sounds nice. The moon came out, making the field glow in silvery light. This is the field where the ponies graze in the summer.

Earlier in the day when I walked Odie, I saw migrating swans - at least a dozen. Such beautiful birds with their long necks. the day before, the sky was full of geese.

My goal with marathon training is to work the plan to the best of my ability. I really didn't think I had the energy to run Wednesday night. But I've learned that I always feel better afterwards and just getting started is the hardest part. I would feel disappointed if I started the first week with skips. I thought about skiing instead  (since the day had been consumed with shopping), but it's not the same as running intervals. 


So the plan is: Intervals, Tempo and Long run. Pace-based. Plus cross-training and weight lifting and stretching.

Yesterday, I ran 6km tempo, again on the hard-packed snow. The plan called for 9, but I was short on time. Had to take the kids SCUBA diving for Christmas. We had a blast. 


Today was 50 minutes x-country skiing on fresh snow with my older son.  A great way to spend Christmas.  Now, Christmas dinner is calling.


Ta.

two months

That's how long it took for me to decide to run another marathon.  I figure my second will definitely be easier and faster than my first. (Really, just about anything would be easier and faster....) I will start training after recovering from Bustinskin 72.3 in September. (Two miles were added to the bike. As if 70.3 wasn't enough already).

I explained to a friend at lunch why: the pure pleasure of long-distance running.  Here's another visual explanation.   I'm feeling particularly inspired by Shalane Flanagan, pictured below winning the 2010 US Half Marathon Championships in Houston: 1:09:41.   Maybe I'd run faster with gloves, arm bands and compression socks too!

Now to pick out a race! Fantasy races to be considered:

Cayman Islands Marathon (can't imagine where they could find 26.2 miles on Grand Cayman!). Think Warm. Think December.

Antartic Ice Marathon (could it be anything other than Ice??). Also December. Not Warm.

Or perhaps a half marathon on wheels in Verona:

The possibilities are endless! Stay tuned.

Post-Marathon Recovery Week #1

I have one eye on the calendar of upcoming events. The other looks inward to check on how my body is recovering from the marathon. Running 26.2 was the most physically difficult activity that I've ever done. I'm pretty tired, both mentally and physically.  In my inexperience, I didn't give any thought to how many days/weeks recovering from a marathon would take me.  I'm a little concerned that the Amsterdam Oly will come too soon in my training. I've pretty much decided not to run the Royal 10, since road races probably won't really add anything to my training. I can decide later.

Monday: barely ambulatory. Can't climb stairs normally.  Right adductor? hip flexor hurts. Craving protein and fat, especially red meat.  30 minute walk.
Tuesday: better, but still wobbly on my feet. Core workout; foam roller. 45 minute walk. Skip swimming.
Wednesday: regaining my senses. 4 k easy run.
Thursday: hugely tired.  Went to bed without dinner.
Friday: better. 6 km Bike to work. Legs fatigue easily. Business dinner.
Saturday: 6+10+7  km on the bike. Legs fatigue easily. Work all day. Blech. Business dinner.
Sunday: 9.2 km, of which 6 km are running. Remainder walking.  30/30 walk ratio; I aimed for ~730 pace. First several km were 7:19 - 7:30.  Hip started hurting, so I slowed the pace to 8 & 9 for the remaining two km.  Plus 6 km biking.

Thoughts on Tri-Training. I'm a little anxious about the amount of learning I need to do.  Swimming will be fine. I'm already in a good twice a week routine. I would like to add a day of doing TI drills at a pool where I can stand. I have skipped the last four practices though in order to taper for & then recover from the marathon.

Biking.  Hm.  The Carmichael book is written for the former 20-something hot shot, only twenty years later. It assumes a level of knowledge about bike racing that I don't have. It extols the virtue of a power meter.  I'm going to check in with my bike shop and see what they sell/say about this.  My Garmin really helps my running. So I assume a power meter would probably help me analyse my cycling. But learning curve.  When I feel good about my legs again, I would like to try the tri-training with the club and go for some more group rides.  I have a Sunday club I can ride with if I want more distance.   I can ride in the mornings. It's light enough and the weather is nice(r).


edited 21 Apr to add: I got a little further into the book: Following a lengthy discussion extolling the virtues of power meter training, finally the truth: "power meters are still quite expensive ($1,000 to $3,000), and it's unrealistic to expect all cyclists to invest in  them". Ya' Think?  I'm thinking I bought the wrong book. Maybe the book is still useful. The rest of the truth: "The truth is, in terms of effectiveness,  the difference between training with power  and with heart rate is a matter of degree."   Blah blah blah.  Oh, and I hate abbreviations. Jargon adds so much unnecessary distance between writer and reader.

Running. I would like to run faster. That makes me ask myself why, and whether I am willing to do what it takes. The First program could help me do this, I think. I have the endurance I need, but not the speed. And I'm not quite sure where to find my "entry" level in First - since my paces are hardly on their charts, but I trained well and ran a marathon (and two halfs, and two 16ks in the last year).

Core training: one weakness I have identified is focusing only on running and skipping the gym/lifting.  I'm putting my desire to learn Cross-Fit on hold. Basically, I'm finding it too difficult to teach myself, in addition to the other activities I like. And I'm quitting my gym membership to save money. So no Oly weight-lifting.  To make up for these deficiencies, I'm following the workouts I have in the book Core Performance. I really like them. I can do them at home. And they're oriented for sports/functional fitness. I am confident these workouts will help my tri-sports tremendously.

Nutrition:  get leaner. Be deliberate about planning & packing my meals. No grazing.

Putting it all together. I need to settle on a tri-specific training plan or cobble together my own bits & pieces, and see how it goes.  I have my eye on the number of training weeks remaining. It's okay and recovery is essential.  I don't want the hip thing to turn into an injury that dogs me this year.  The other piece is mental training. Daily sitting or walking meditation and working my way through the exercises in Working Out Working Within.  The pieces from that book that I brought on the marathon really helped me.

Next week's Assigned Run: 10 km.

Next week: Core workouts x3; swimming x2; three key runs; and I'll think about throwing a morning cycle into the route.  The weather's cooperating right now. And I just love to ride my bike.

things that worked

Fortis Marathon Rotterdam 2010 from Like2Run on Vimeo.

In no particular order and without stopping to do a major re-write, here are some thoughts about what worked on Sunday.

1. Taper, dammit. I felt like a caged animal. but prep for an endurance event comes over time. no cramming. I figure it's like building a stone foundation. Every day the quarry is open, you get to go pick up one stone if you follow your plan (Work + Rest = Success).  If you skip, you don't get one of the stones you need to build that foundation. Come race day, you got as many stones as you earned.  No more. It's too late to catch up, and if there's leftover stones in the quarry or holes in your foundation, too bad so sad, the race is gonna suck.
2. Be strategic in your race plan. a conservative strategy can overcome some deficits in training, but it will still suck a little bit.  I was really sceptical of the idea of running intervals of no more than 15 seconds and then walking for 30 seconds for the first 15 k.  My timer dropped off my belt, and I probably ran slightly longer intervals (counting four paces to the count of 15).  But it worked. I was fast and it felt effortless for the first half.  I knew I was running too fast, but I felt greedy to put time in the bank. I had difficulty really imagining that I could do the whole thing. Jeff had commented that I might hit the wall at 30k since that was my longest run, when I had been assigned 42. And I hadn't done the previous assigned long runs (no 30 k, no 35 k and no 33k). I had my excuses (including the shaggy knee), but frankly speaking, the long runs intimidated me. They don't anymore.  Even 42.2 - piece of cake!

My coach commented:

You had an exceptional run.  You dug down and found the resources that you have always had.  Only when challenged are you likely to learn how to find them. 

If you had done the 42K run, you would not have had so much of a struggle.

Your early pace was too fast--for the first 15K.  This cost you at the end.

We'll see if I do another one, and if doing more of the long runs (I missed basically most of them this winter) means less of a struggle.  At work today, the chief asked me when I planned to do the next one.  I joked that most women wanted only one child - and to ask me when the baby was a little bigger.

3. Surround yourself with stories of triumph. Endurance events require managing your mindset.  I listened to and loved Born to Run and 50/50, Dean K's insane tale of running 50 marathons in 50 days.  I also listened to an interview with a guy who ran nearly 400 miles in something like 8 days. These stories taught me that belief in what is possible makes it possible. Or perhaps the opposite is true - if you don't believe it, you'll never see it.  Believing is Seeing.

4. Do the mental training. I thought repeatedly of the quote from General Patton that tiredness lives in the mind.  And the body will do what the mind tells it.  During the race, I knew my heart rate was fine. I told my body we were doing it. And we did.  I drew on my experiences doing another difficult task: childbirth - the only thing I can compare to that was when I crushed two fingers in between panels of a garage door. The sustained pain reminded me of giving birth.  (My husband was particularly impressed when I relieved the pain by burning holes in the tops of my nails with the end of a paper clip that I had heated with a match.)    Your body will go only as far as your mind thinks it can.

5. Know the deeper why:  doing something this big on a whim might leave you struggling when it gets tough.  I spent some time trying to answer this question.  During the middle of the training, many of my friends will recall that I wanted to quit.  I am pumped about my goals for the summer and fall and thought training for the marathon was turning into a distraction. The long slow distance runs are very time consuming, particularly for someone like me who runs slowly - and my coach's advice for LSD is you can't run them too slowly.  One of the motivations was a sceptical remark my husband made last year. (I'm vaguely recalling a similar kind of remark kicked me into wanting to do an ironman.....)  When I was wobbling, my friends and my husband all said to me, Only you can decide what this means to you.  I decided the point was to explore my human capacity - to see who I am - to learn about myself.

6. Stop thinking so much about yourself.  After I figured out the deeper why, it just seemed a bit shallow. I remember the morning of my argument before the US Supreme Court. The moment had arrived, culminating nearly a year of intense preparation. I felt like a guitar string - I could hardly relax my body.  Anyway, I watched the sun rise and remembered that I was there to advocate for another human being -that I was merely a channel, that it was not about me, my argument, my performance - Ultimately, it was about freeing 2000 people being detained because they were stateless, not because they were criminals. And I began to sing and ask for grace.  I aced the argument.

Well, for the run, I remembered how much strength I drew in Amsterdam because I was running for Rachel.  In March, the CPC was about running for a time goal and I felt like the race was a disaster since I missed the cut-off for an official finish. So I decided to take the focus off myself and to dedicate the merit to Elham Mahdi's memory.   I ran with her all the way. The little plastic rabbit beads on the shoe lace bounced in time to my steps the whole race. It was like a platoon marching. And I conversed with Elham throughout the race, particularly just after finishing the first half - which was the most difficult and painful part of the race for me.  (left foot and right hip).   Being able to draw on something more important than myself helped me. Without it, I probably would have just gone home.

7.  Leverage your integrity.  In truth, there's no way I could have gone home - I told too many people I was doing this race.  This is something that worked really well for me on the hard parts of the course - and for the CPC in March too. No way you can quit when you've told everyone you're doing it.  I admit to thinking about how I could withdraw due to the hip pain, and everyone would understand. But no way. I remembered that there would be a time during the race when I would have to decide to gut it out, and I did.

“Success is how you bounce on the bottom.”

8.  Mentally rehearse.  I planned how I would react to bad stuff.  I thought through having my stupid watch freeze up. It turns out that it did, and required a hard reset. (But my planned 44k workout was still there.)  I also "flew" over the course on Google Earth several times the night before the race. At the time, I was questioning whether going to bed would help me more. But I remembered that watching the course video of the Paris-Versailles race helped me to visualize climbing the incredible hill on that race.  So I "flew" over the course, thinking through my strategies at every segment.  I had run most of the course in practice. (That also helped).  I told myself when I got to the North loop (30k to 36k), I would draw strength from the water and the trees in the park.  I also had some mental tricks up my sleeve. Doing the walk-run intervals brought me up close to the runners ahead of me, only to put some distance in between us as I shifted to a walk. I used this to my advantage by imagining a fishing reel that I cast & hooked onto the runner in front of me. I reeled myself in with each run. It felt easier.

9.  Use the crowd.  There were thousands of spectators cheering along the course. Lots of kids wanting to give me high fives.  I decided I would intentionally receive or take the energy being offered to me by these people. And when I gave high gives to the kids, I drew in their energy.

10. Plan your nutrition for the days leading up to the race. By the time I finished the race, the tent where we stored our bags and changed clothing was pretty empty.  I arrived even later since I went to the wrong tent first.  A fellow sat on the bench near me and we started to chat.  Turns out he had a fast run but then spent a couple hours in the Red Cross tent getting fluids by IV.  He hadn't prepared for the race by drinking water before the race.  He had terrible leg cramps as a result  I purposefully drank water all day Friday and Saturday, and ate really well all week long.  I educated myself on what to eat and not to eat in the days and hours leading up to the race. And I practiced on my long runs. And I drank enough water  - there's only so much you can do on race day. 


Well, that's enough. Ten points. And I need to go to sleep. Rest and recovery this week. Not blogging.    


PS. Below is the picture of the winner Patrick Makau and Natasja Pompen, the last to finish. She's also a winner.  She ran deliberately to be the last to finish. I ran faster than she did. On purpose.  I felt a little jealous afterwards when I saw all the publicity. But it wasn't my turn. I ran for my goal - a 5:30 finish. And I achieved it.

Success in Rotterdam

Woonplaats 's-Gravenhage Afstand Fortis Marathon Rotterdam Categorie V45 Totaal plaats 7842 / 7856 Categorie plaats 267 / 267 Snelheid 7,667 km/uur Bruto tijd 5:33:31 Netto tijd 5:30:13

Netto tussentijden (verschil) 5 kilometer 36:20 (36:20) 10 kilometer 1:13:04 (36:44) 15 kilometer 1:49:47 (36:43) 20 kilometer 2:29:18 (39:31) Halve marathon 2:39:55 25 kilometer 3:13:32 (44:14) 30 kilometer 3:56:33 (43:01) 35 kilometer 4:36:43 (40:10) 40 kilometer 5:14:53 (38:10)

Find the why

Mental strength to complete a marathon rests in the reason for running.  You must be able to dig deep in the face of difficulties and motivate yourself to continue.  I chose and trained for a marathon to explore my human capacity.  Many times I have said I run because I can.  Tomorrow I will run because I am a woman. I can run safely in my own community.    I am dedicating my run tomorrow to the girls and women of the world who are left vulnerable to gender-based violence by their communities.

I was stunned this morning to learn of the death of child bride Elham Mahdi. She died of internal bleeding following intercourse three days after an arranged marriage to a man more than twice her age.  There are many news reports. you can read a CNN report here, and a Canadian charity report here.  
I was born a woman in a time and place where many women are not safe. I grieve the loss of a spirit sister. Ms Mahdi has had her life stolen.  I grieve for the children and grandchildren she will never have.

 In the killing one person, the whole world dies.

What alarms me about Ms Mahdi's death perhaps most of all is that the political discourse has focused on child marriage rather than the right to say no to unwanted sexual intercourse.   CNN offers this quote from UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.  "Her death is 'a painful reminder of the risks girls face when they are married too soon,' Kaag said Thursday." 


Ms Mahdi's death must not serve only as a "painful reminder", but a call to anyone with a beating heart to take action.  The issue is not just about protecting children from premature marriage but also protecting girls and women from rape.   Although Ms Mahdi's husband has been arrested following her death, he may  yet go free.  Yemen has no laws to protect women who are raped by their husbands. 

When even one of us is oppressed, no one of us is free.

I will write Ms Mahdi's name on a bright yellow shoe lace to carry during the race. May I have courage and honor her memory in my effort to be the best I can be. 


Below is the Rotterdam mosque.

POSE running and Me.

Rotterdam is looking race ready. I have a bunch of pix on my phone but I'm clueless as to how to get them off the phone and onto the computer. (I usually email them to myself, but the network is very slow.) Sorry! Yesterday I saw again the new vibram running shoes - phantoms, since they're still not on the market. I saw them first last October.

I've done my stretching and light weight training already. The physioball and pilates mat arrived in the mail Friday. I'm quite pleased. Nearly all the creature comforts are in place in my home workout studio.

So you might remember I got some coaching on the POSE running technique. Here's the before and after video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4qvU3hAGGE

I found it quite interesting, particularly since I've never seen myself run. I like the technique and will continue to learn it in my quest to improve my running and make my knees happy with my new found passion.

Jacky shared some links that I'll pass along since they're public.

http://www.posetech.com/library/pp-R-0001.html
http://www.posetech.com/training/guide/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/mosl...ste-money.html
http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=4

I would advice you to only start working on technique more intensilly after your marathon, which will be soon ;-). 

On the vid you can read some comments. Most important for you is to pay attention to your lead movement with bodyweight (hips) while letting the torso come along (don't hold shoulders back) and while being tall from the waist. Don't focus on a landing on BOF (ball of foot), but learn to land under the body, by focussing on pulling the ankle "under", towards the hip instead of focussing on (anticipating for) landing. Like not extending the lowerleg in front or raise the toes and foot up before landing. Let it land passively by itself so it'll we drop under the body. This will reduce braking. Don't push-off, but lift the foot. Get rid of running with the legs, try to run ON the legs. Try to gradually work you cadence up to atleast 180spm (add 4 steps per week). It'll reduce muscular efoort and increase energy return from elastic tissues.

I have big thoughts on mental endurance. Will collect them and share, but not tonight. Preparation includes getting enough sleep.

I'm seeing a great time on Sunday.

calm before the storm

I feel calm and prepared. I was feeling nervous a couple days ago. I turned that into focused preparation. Still more to do - like planning meals and calorie consumption until the starting gun.  I received a nice if impersonal email from the Race Organizers:
Finally! Another few days and then it's time. The Netherlands' biggest one day event for which you have trained will start. You are one of the lucky people who have managed to secure a bib number. Hundreds of thousands of spectators will be standing along the course cheering you on. You will be finishing on the Coolsingel with 20,000 others. What a fantastic experience that will be!

We are busy with the preparations for the big day and with this email we would like to bring you up to date with all the developments.
How about a photo of first place?

Coming first across the finish line... Have you always dreamed of coming first across the finish line on the Coolsingel? That is now possible and you can capture the moment too. At the Marathon SportExpo 2010 there is a life size picture wall of the world famous finish and an ecstatic crowd. Two adidas employees will hold the ribbon. So, make sure you take your camera with you to the Marathon SportExpo and immortalise yourself on the Coolsingel!

This offer made me laugh. Pretend to be first. I prefer reality, thanks.  On the other hand, this party could be for  me: 



16.30 hrs  Celebratory welcome for the last runner - Coolsingel




My boss told me last night he ran 8 m's in 6 years - a long time ago. He offered a strategy and corrected my thinking. I said, It's a long race.  He told me not to think like that - explaining I'm about to do something that very few people on the planet ever do in their lifetimes - and to give it my all - to cross the finish line with nothing left. He said, you can run faster than you think you can.  


He's right.

The Plan

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."
- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

Collection Tank for thoughts, ideas and strategies.

Race package pick-up: Friday or Saturday. Buy Sunday's train train ticket. Recharge tram card.

Friday: print paper pace band to back-up the Garmin.

Friday night: go to bed early. (swim training)

Saturday: lay out clothes; prepare recovery shake. Charge watch. Check race program. Assemble gel packs and race belt. Train card, ID, medical card. House key. IPod. 

Race Day visualisation.

Saturday night: go to bed early.

Sunday:

Drink water when I get up. Eat.

Assemble gel in race belt bottles.

Leave home by 8:27 a.m.; Board Tram; Board Train; (en route: race day  visualisation) arrive Rotterdam Central Station

Back-up plan: I can take the next train. I've built in extra time. There are trains leaving to Rotterdam every 10 minutes or so. 

On arriving in Rotterdam, CS: use the WC at the train station. It's clean and uncrowded. Bring 50 cents.

Morning snack: ****

After 10:00: only water. But not too much.

Start time: 11:00. Line up as close to the front as possible, on the side to allow faster runners to pass me without difficulty.

Pacing

5:30: 7:48

5:20 finish (7:35)

5 - 0:37:55

10 - 1:15:50

15 - 1:53:45

20 - 2:31:40

HM - 2:40:00

25 - 3:09:35

30 - 3:47:30

35 - 4:25:26

40 - 5:03:21

42 - 5:20:00

(HM muscle memory: Amsterdam pace 7:28; CPC 7:19)

Race Strategy: conserve energy 

1st 10K: run 15 sec/walk 30 sec--time yourself per KM--it is very possible that you will hit the pace you need.  If you are getting behind, go to 30/30.   Coach says wait until past 35km to stretch out the run/walk intervals.

Nutrition:  gel 10 min before the start. Then every 40 - 45 minutes.  Will need 8 doses.

Water: bring my own. Drink at aid stations (every 45 minutes). Each cup contains 200 ml. 

After: recovery shake packed in my gear bag with warm clothes.  Easy train ride home.  Feel proud of myself.

Monday: walk

Tuesday walk & run

Wednesday walk & run

the last long run before 42.2

Today was my last assigned long run before the marathon. My hammies said, Not today please. Ab's seconded the request. The Romanian dead-lifts yesterday left my hammies a little sore. I thought it through - wait until Monday would mean running Wed & Fri & Sun. Running tired today would mean running Tues & Thurs & then Sun. Simple choice once I looked at it like that. I'm still going to swim Tuesday night. I'll wait & see about Friday night swim.

So the assignment was to try out different walk/run ratios over a longer distance. I screwed up programming my watch and it didn't give me the 1 km splits I was expecting. The idea behind the walk/run intervals is to make running the marathon distance easier by reducing the fatigue on my running muscles.

Here's the report.

I'm excited about next week.  Here's my report to my coach. 

1. Distance assigned: 12k. Ran 12.5k. 1:44. Cold, cloudy. (44 degrees F)

2. Pace Assigned: try to get to 7:50 using various walk/run ratios. Ran: 8:15 min/km average for 12k. Unfortunately I had a learning experience with my watch. The way I set up the workout did not give me the km splits I was expecting. If I hadn't such a nice run, it would have ticked me off. Without the splits, my subjective experience was that I think the 30/30 is fastest, if I had to pick one. I don't think I run fast enough to make up for the longer walk portions and keep the target pace.

3. Walk breaks assigned: 20/40; 30/30; 15/45 . Ran 2 min warm up. ran 20/40 for the first 4 km; 30/30 for second 4 km; 15/45 for 2 km; was getting cold so switched to 30/30 for remainder of the run.

What I can say about these: 1) I don't like 15/45. I got cold during the walk breaks. I will keep that ratio in my tool box for when I feel like I am out of gas. 2) I like the gym boss timer. I don't like trying to re-program it while running. I will use it during the race. I figured out I can use it to alter my ratios by setting the beeper for 10 seconds. So If I want to run 40 or walk 40 out of a minute, I can just run or walk until the beeper stops. 3) In general, I'm not terribly fond of such frequent walk breaks. They feel too frequent and disrupt my settling into a pace.

4. Speed work: none

5. Aches & Pains: I was quite tired when I went out for this run. (late afternoon, post Easter party, etc.) I almost postponed it until Monday, but wanted to get it done so I could run T/Th and be rested for Sunday (rather than MWF). Yesterday I did some leg exercises that surprised me with some soreness in my hamstrings today. No big deal, but I felt tired at the start and would have taken a rest day except for tapering this week & next Sunday.

6. questions: Plan for next week? Thanks for everything!

7. next week: 42.2 Rotterdam Marathon!
Jeff was quick with a reply.

Thanks for the feedback.  I appreciate your frustration.

 Here are my suggestions on pacing:

 1. You must conserve resources during the first 15K.  If you don't, the last 10K will be really tough.

2. Try this:  Set your watch for 15 second intervals.

 1st 10K: run 15 sec/walk 30 sec--time yourself per KM--it is very possible that you will hit the pace you need.

 If you are getting behind, go to 30/30.

 Line up as far to the front as you can.  Run on one side of the road or the other to let the faster runners go by you.  This placement may keep you ahead of the sweeper.

You can do it.

run/walk ratios for the marathon

I tried the various run/walk breaks my coach recommended.  15/45, 30/30, and 20/40. It would have been easier had I run in one KM increments, as I had been instructed. But that's not how my day has gone. It's been a "tail-chasing" kind of day.  I couldn't find my interval timer, (I could only find the broken one). I gave up and improvised by creating intervals on my watch. that meant I have mini-laps, not one KM laps, one the report.  I totalled them on a spreadsheet. Here's what I did, so you can understand the garmin reports, if you look at them.

Warm-up: 6 minutes

10 sets of 15/45  (1.34 Km) (10 min) (distance covered in 10 minutes)

1 minute walk

10 sets of 30/30  (1.42 km) (10 min)

1 minute walk

10 sets of 20/40 (1.29 km) (10 min)

1 minute walk

Then I reset the workout on the watch so I could do some more and compare laps:

10 sets of 15/45 (1.34 km) (10 min)

1 minute walk

6 sets of 30/30 (and I was back at my front door) (on pace for 1.34 km)

Subjectively, 15/45 felt: strong for the run, a little short; walk break a little long, got cold.  30/30: run felt longer, but walk length felt fine; 20/40: run felt strong, walk felt a little long.

Garmin 1

Garmin 2

Total distance: 7.5 km.

Here are the paces: I'm adding them to this post now that my brain recovered enough to do the math. (if the train goes north  at 50 mph and the other train goes south on the same track at 75 mph, and they start 250 miles apart, when will they wreck....) (My coach commented it is so much easier to just run one timed kilometer.)

r30 7:02 min/km (1st set)

r15 7:27 minkm

r20 7:45 min/km

I will try the various ratios again during  this weekend's planned 12k.  Jeff's comment on my report was to recommend the most gentle pacing possible for the first 21 km, and then I wouldn't have a wall in the marathon.  It's hard to extrapolate whether I can keep up the near sprints for 42km. Obviously, I was slowing down a bit in the later sets.  Once I calculated the paces, I was quite surprised. The pace for the last half-marathon where I worked so hard was 7:30. These little ratios felt fairly easy, and obviously they were pretty fast by comparison.

Jeff's recent blog-posts talk about how a runner can reduce a marathon finish time by using short run/walk intervals. Personal Best  How much faster to make up a walk break?

I have to admit that my ego gets in the way. I want to run a marathon, not walk one.  But I if want to run a marathon faster, am I willing to use more of my walking muscles to improve the performance of my running muscles?

Music choice: explicit hip-hop got me working harder.  Eminem's til I collapse. Excellent.  Some of his other pieces break my heart.

I tried POSE method while running today. The repeated walk breaks gave me a chance to pay attention to form.

Afterwards, 30 minutes stretching, foam roller.  Nice.

Tapering: I don't feel like it. I have a long holiday weekend and I want to play. However, good sense will prevail. I want to have a strong 12k training run. Thus, no bike ride tomorrow.  Yoga and floor work instead.  Maybe a trip to the pool. But I will give my calves a rest.  "Life at 70.3" begins after 11 April.

Amsterdam Triathlon

to run faster, I will run faster

Okay, I finished the brief that has sucked up all my mental energy for the last two weeks. I slipped easily into the over-work habit and didn't run mid-week this week or last. I will change. I can change. I have changed.

Coach offered some ideas for making the 5:30 cut-off time for my first marathon. 

In your last email you asked about staying ahead of the 5:30 cut off time. I don't have my calculator with me on this trip, but I believe that this pace is about 7:40 per kilometer. Please check me on this.

To prepare yourself for this pace, there are two things you can do:


1. Run some 1600 repeats on the short long weekends. Do you have a track that is usable? Other option is a measured segment of 1 mile. Let me know if you have one of these and want to do the repeats.


2. Run 5K, on either Tues or Thurs short run days, at 7:40 per kilometer, trying several different ratios: 1-1, 1:30-1 or 2-1. Some runners actually run faster with a run 30 sec/walk 30 seconds.
 
These look like exercises I can accomplish very easily.  I hate the idea of walk breaks though. I just have this issue that I don't want to walk half the marathon.
 
Jeff thought my knee pain from the 25k run related to inadequate walk breaks.  I just caught myself wishing I had different legs. Then I thought about people who can't run or who run in wheel chairs they peddle with their arms.  No Whining!  I have strong, healthy legs.  So I will pace my run this weekend and jump back in the saddle.

A place for every pace.

I enjoyed this piece from the NY Road Runners about the essence of a marathon.

To us, it’s about conquering the distance and conquering self doubt. The marathon is about dreaming to achieve and putting in all the work to make that dream reality. That quest, and the runner's ultimate success, routinely changes people’s lives in rich and meaningful ways. Our runners, no matter the pace, typically overcome all kinds of hurdles and challenges to reaching the marathon finish line. It is that ability to persevere that translates to other parts of their lives. Making them stronger and better for the pursuit – well beyond improved physical fitness.

slow is the new fast

This NY Times piece on running the marathon at the back of the pack captured how I feel about running. It's an honour to run, particularly in the back.

Amsterdam Half Marathon. Mission Accomplished

I’ve looked at race photos and a video of the course that shows clips at points along the route. Every time I think over the day, tears well up. This race took me to a place I never thought I would go. Training for this race built in me a new vision of myself. I have left behind the overweight sedentary person I used to be. I grew into someone with a good sense of what I can accomplish. I sharpened my “scavenger hunt” skills and gained valuable experience in sustaining a hard, disciplined effort for a worthy goal.

Unlike other areas of my life, running does not come easy to me. I have enjoyed a lot of success in my schooling and my career – many firsts and top ten percents. Three of the four races this year I ran in last place for much of the race. I needed to grow as a person to find the joy in running that has nothing to do with my place at the finish line.

I approached the half marathon with the determination that I would win even if I finished last, and that I was strong enough to run in last place throughout the race. That is where courageous runners sometimes find themselves. Like in Paris, at the back I ran with the people who defy the stereotypes and run anyway. This time though, I did not stop to chat. I wanted to finish before they stopped recording times. And to find out what I was made of.

Throughout my training, you gave me exercises that built my speed and endurance as well as my confidence step by step. Over-distance training gave me the belief in myself. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know the distance of a Half Marathon in kilometers until after I had run the distance a couple months ago. The 800 meter repeats helped me to build speed over distance. They helped me to learn how to dig deep inside, beneath the physical discomfort of “I Can’t”, to find “I Can.” I learned what my body feels like at various levels of intensity, how much I can push, and what’s a little too much for right now. I learned about pacing myself - what happens if I go too fast, too early. I learned how to keep something in reserve. Every race taught me to expect the unexpected and to anticipate and prepare for the wall. I helped my training by not over-training, by respecting my limits and pushing myself gently further.

I learned sometimes I can arrive sooner by going slower. These lessons have applications far beyond my running. I am a better person today for learning to run. Thank you very much.

1. Distance assigned: Amsterdam Half Marathon. Plus 3k each w/u & c/d. I jogged the warm up. I walked the cool down.

2. Pace assigned: “do what makes me feel confident.”

Line up at the back again so that you will have freedom of movement.

1-8km--8:30/km
9-16K--8:20/km
17-21--anything you want.

Split Time Distance Avg Speed Max Speed
1 0:07:58 1,00 7:58 6:33
2 0:07:57 1,00 7:57 6:08
3 0:07:59 1,00 7:59 6:28
4 0:08:13 1,00 8:13 6:31
5 0:07:36 1,00 7:36 5:36
6 0:07:55 1,00 7:55 6:04
7 0:07:28 1,00 7:28 5:25
8 0:07:40 1,00 7:40 5:47
9 0:06:46 1,00 6:46 3:58
10 0:07:29 1,00 7:29 5:50
11 0:07:02 1,00 7:02 5:26
12 0:06:57 1,00 6:57 4:31
13 0:07:02 1,00 7:02 4:41
14 0:06:53 1,00 6:53 4:48
15 0:06:53 1,00 6:53 4:57
16 0:08:05 1,00 8:05 5:25
17 0:07:17 1,00 7:17 5:08
18 0:07:28 1,00 7:28 5:36
19 0:07:46 1,00 7:46 5:40
20 0:08:07 1,00 8:07 6:22
21 0:06:53 1,00 6:53 4:45
22 0:01:56 0,34 5:45 4:38
Summary 2:39:27 21,34 7:28 3:58


3. Walk Break Ratio Assigned: I tried to practice the 40/20 and 30/30 before the race. One of my girlfriends reassured me that crappy practice meant a good race. With your explanation and some good advice from your blog, I thought it might be worth trying during the race. I warmed up with a 3k jog, and then stood around in the starting pen for 20 minutes.

The weather was cool. In the past, I would have worn too much clothing. This time I knew I would heat up in the race, so I dressed in short sleeves and ¾ length running tights. I picked up a plastic blanket that had been discarded and used that to stay warm. The clouds indicated rain, so I brought a lightweight jacket and a hat. They came in handy around 17k when the rain started.

Though in Holland, racing in Amsterdam was still “out of town.” I had to learn a new payment system for the Amsterdam Metro, and navigate to Olympic Stadium, a place I had never visited. Transportation took about 90 minutes. I left my wallet at home, carrying only the essentials. Unfortunately, the fare inspector reminded me that I had left behind the discount train card that I should have carried for the fare I had purchased. He wished me good luck for the race and waived the 35 euro ticket with instructions to buy a full fare ticket for my return trip. I didn’t let it upset me.

I easily found the place to check my bag, changed into my running clothes and enjoyed the warmth of the big sports hall next to the stadium where the race would start. While warming up, I realized that I forgot to put on my heart rate strap. I didn’t have enough time to go get it. I never used my heart rate during training, so this didn’t bother me. I like to look at the data afterwards. But I have a good sense of my effort.

I carefully planned the day’s nutrition. After carrying two big water bottles in France, it occurred to me that I could carry pre-measured powder for the carb/protein mix I like, and mix it up with water along the course. That worked out fine.

My “good” camera died after I took the first picture. So the race got even simpler. I was relieved of the need to fish out the camera from my fanny pack. My 15-year-old son laughed when I told him about taking a couple pictures along the route with my phone-camera. He called me the Fastest Tourist Ever.

The crowds cheered me on. Running in the back gave me plenty of maneuvering room. Most of the time, I was completely alone. I ran the blue stripe painted on the street. It straightened out the curves, helping me to run the shortest course possible.

Many children lined the route, especially near the aid stations. They eagerly handed out sponges and held out hands for “high-fives.” Early in the course, one group of kids chanted (in Dutch),

“Faster, faster.”

I told them,

“Slow now, fast at the end.”

Just at the 8km sign, a race official on the back of a motorcycle told me in rapid Dutch something I couldn’t understand. I explained I spoke English and he repeated that he wanted to take me off the course since at that speed I couldn’t finish before 5:15 PM. I was shocked and incensed. I thought how he dare discourage all of us slow folks in the back with such a prediction. I refused and told him I would increase my pace. He didn’t understand my English. I repeated, “I will run faster.” The next kilometer was my fastest in the whole race. I watched as the Grim Sweeper delivered his dire predictions to the runners around me.

Well, I realized the truth of what I had been told. Starting in the back meant I started more than 10 minutes after 2:00 PM. So I picked it up. I knew I would need to cut a minute off each of the remaining kilometers.

I had programmed my watch to set the pace for me. It continued to beep at me with the warning “Slow Down”. I knew that I would finish before 5:00 PM if I could just run a little faster than the planned pace on my watch.

This is where walk breaks became really important. From the start, I took walk breaks even though they didn’t feel “necessary” yet. I was running a ratio of about 1:1 or 2:1 for the first couple kilometers. After meeting the Grim Sweeper, I pushed the walk breaks to about 4:1 or 2 min:30 seconds. That ratio seemed to work pretty well.

I had also planned to use the pacing music that I trained with for the 800 m repeats. I started that play list at about 13km. I took the 30 seconds at 400 meters, another 30 seconds at 800 meters and a light jog for two minutes. Then I did the accelerations over again. Since I had done 14 of them, I knew I could just keep this up until I ran out the race. I also walked briefly through the aid stations every five kilometers as I picked up something to drink.

The last part of the course went through a beautiful park and then the last neighborhood, finally going inside Olympic Stadium. The signs were a little unclear. There was a finish mark from one of the shorter races, and I started running faster and faster, since I was so excited by then. I ran through the tunnel, under the Olympic rings. This was incredible. Then I saw the finish was three-quarters around the track. I kept running as hard as I could at that point – My last lap was among my fastest. My feet hurt, but I was really happy. Beyond words.

I looked at the finish video and you can see my form has fallen apart by then. It looks like I am leaning forward and willing myself to finish. If it’s worthwhile, I would be grateful if you could offer some critique of my running. I look heavier in the videos than I feel. You can find a link to the videos, which offer clips at various places in the race, by searching on my name or bib number 31865 at

http://evenementen.uitslagen.nl/2009/amsterdammarathon/index-en.html


Like I mentioned yesterday, I started to cry twice on the course – once seeing people walking together while holding hands. This made me think of all my friends around the world who have been encouraging me throughout my training. Then when I saw the official clock and realized how much time I had made up, I knew I made it. When I started to cry, I couldn’t breathe. So I had to wait to let out all those feelings. The last kilometer is the hardest. I know I’m nearly spent and it’s tempting to slow down. This time, I kept on going.

4. Speed-work done: Ha ha ha. All race long.

5. Any aches/pains? I gave myself a large blister on my right foot – where one has appeared the last time I did the 800 meter repeats. It’s no big deal, but was the reason I went shopping for new shoes, without success. I didn’t notice anything while running. A plaster will take care of it. Knees are a little sore today. But nothing unusual. My upper quads are also sore. I imagine from trying to run as fast as I could!

6. Questions? No.

7. Weekend workout planned for next weekend: Oct 25--6K (oh, thank goodness!)

Marathon Training Schedule

Sep 13--22K

Sep 20--5K with MM

Sep 27--16K Race

Oct 4--24K (very easy, using 20 sec run/40 sec walk)

Oct 11--5K

Oct 18--Amsterdam Half Marathon--plus 3K warm up and 3K warm down

Oct 25--6K

Nov 1--32K

Nov 8--6K

Nov 15--37K

Nov 22--6K

Nov 29--42K

Dec 6--6K

Dec 13--Marathon

Dec 20--4 miles

Selecting my first marathon

This Holland race on 13 December (linked below) fits the bill, I think - it's nearby, very affordable and my family can stand in the cold rain and cheer me on. The event looks "gezellig" (Dutch for cozy) & it's in familiar territory - flat, flat, flat. The little movie of the course gives you a good idea of Holland (although I near the beach in Scheveningen, a fishing village, now resort town).

Comments in the guide

And there's a "neighborhood" 10k the following week called the Mackerel Run. Don't know if I'll really feel like another race so soon, but they are offering split pea soup and fried fish for all the runners afterwards. How can I miss that? (here comes the dark wet winter)

For a "big" Marathon close to home, Rotterdam in April 2010.

So, there's a brief sketch. I will start looking at some Olympic distance triathlons too - they're harder to find locally because the North Sea is not really swimmable - most races are in Eastern Holland in lakes. But one of my friends wants to race in the UK, and I have some friends in Sweden & Germany who race tri's too. So we may buddy up for the next race season for some fun.

What's on next year's training calendar?

Trouble is, once an idea gets in your mind, it's tough to let go of it. The ironman. If you had asked me in January whether I would be able to run 22k (barefoot) and then bike another 20k on the same afternoon, and joke about it....I wouldn't have been able to conceive of it. That's why I am running the Paris 16k. Because in March I was afraid of signing up for a half-marathon. By April, I had set the Amsterdam Half as a goal.

So, here's how I got bit by this current bug. I already started planning to return to my first love, tri-sports, and looking at what will be my race calendar next year - I want to run a full Marathon - and to run the marathon in Greece too - I looked at the distances for an Olympic Tri - and saw that they look like a cake walk now. This is a different feeling five years after I did my first sprint (I've done three, even winning my class once). "Olympic distance" tri's seemed too big five years ago. Even so, I had decided back then to do an Ironman - telling DH about my dream- he scoffed. I remember the moment, where we were, and how I felt about his disbelief. I think I bought my IronFit training book shortly after that conversation - the dream got parked as my work life bloomed.

Well, the other day I'm hunting up running podcasts and I found one by a woman training for her first I-M. She races this weekend. And my training book for ironman suddenly looks within my reach since I have already run some pretty cool distances.

So I am thinking - how much training can my body handle? 70.3 or the full banana? Can I commit? How much time and money will it take? The beginner's plan takes you though to a full IM - the "faster" plan includes a 70.3 as a warm up.

So, at the moment my head is swimming about this. I'll keep thinking about it while I look at dates, plans, coaching opportunities.

Today was another example of what happens when I work late day after day - no food shopping and planning means I run out of snacks in the late afternoon. I was hungry again, and that isn't good. Leads to foraging around the office. I will repent this weekend and stock up.

If I want to train hard, I need to eat more & always clean. I hate eating when I am busy writing. I like the adrenaline buzz and i don't like to stop.

Well, there's my day in a snapshot. Today I celebrated my fitness by outrunning a heavy rain band that began pelting me and Odie with water while we were out for a walk.