- 51.8 °F
- Clear sky
I wish it were as simple as saying that I'm not taking this lying down, but unfortunately, that is exactly what I'm doing. I don't remember if I wrote about this back in October or not, but I had a very painful episode with back spasms right after the KC Half Marathon, so painful that I pretty much laid in the fetal position in bed for three or four days, minus the times I had to drag myself to work. Such a bizarre incident that was, but I always had been more careful about posture, stretching, and lifting things to make sure that I didn't have anymore flare-ups. When it came to isolating an incident that led to such an incident, I traced it back to the extreme effort I put into that race, which was a lot. Why it hit my back so badly instead of my legs, I have no idea.
This all leads me back to Tuesday, which sucked because for the second time in six months, I was saddled with more debilitating back spasms, only this time it happened it right as I was heading down the stairs at work. That morning, I had put in a difficult hilly run. That night, back spasms. KC Half Marathon...very hilly course. Sunday after that race...back spasms. See that pattern here? I think I'm starting to get it. Why this happens when I run hills, I can't explain, but the underlying symptom that occurred both of these times involved a severely rotated pelvis to the left. Having my chiropractor beat me back into shape took about a week last time before I was up for running again. Now, I'm going to venture out after four days and two excruciating chiro sessions to hopefully partake in the Trolley Run 4 mile race in KC on Sunday.
So what is going to have to happen going forward? I have got to get stronger through my core area. That's nothing special or anything, but I have routinely neglected working on my abdominal and back area in order to just focus on running faster and/or just lifting light weights. I'm going to have to devote the time and effort into becoming stronger throughout. Also, I'm going to have to work on cross-training more frequently, as simply running, while fine, isn't really mixing up my workouts, and I'm getting lax in some areas. So, let's see how it goes. If I can't run at least close to what I normally do, I'm going to be pretty disappointed, but it's all building towards Hospital Hill 2012. Until next time....later.
Not what you think, people. If you've read this blog for any period of time, you know that I have spent the entirety of my running life (all of two years) wearing custom made orthotic inserts inside my shoes due to some high arching in my feet. I battled some plantar fasciitis back several years ago, and the podiatrist suggested wearing these orthotics to help my soles. I wore them all the time every day, and only stopped wearing them full time about the time I start running. I had never run without them, until two weeks ago.
To me, not using these orthotics was/is a risky proposition. If you've ever had a bout of PF, it is a ***. But I was having so many issues with my modified left orthotic, and it turn my left ankle/leg/calf that I knew I had to either take an extended break to let things heal up, or attempt running without the orthotics and see if my feet were able to handle it. I should probably explain why now, all of a sudden, I've been having issues with the inserts.
While training for that first half marathon, I developed a blister at the crown of the orthotic in my left shoe. I had a podiatrist look at it and see what could be done, and he made a modification consisting of raised foam padding on either side of the blister which formed a valley of sorts so that the blister would not rub on the insert anymore. For more than a year, this was a perfect remedy, but then I was feeling like I had reached the point that I did not need this foam padding anymore, and I chopped it off. That was a big mistake, as the blister had calloused over, but at this point was sort of a knot in my foot, a knot that continuously applied pressure inside my foot when struck on the ground. I had to get a second modification, and coupled with the Brooks running shoes that I had bought (with a very narrow foot base), I ended up spending the majority of my time running on the extreme outside of my foot. The orthotic plus shoe combination had slanted my foot at a large enough angle that I was no longer running with the bottom of my left foot, but almost completely on the outside of my foot.
I finally just ditched the Brooks and went with a much wider based Asics shoe, but I was having the same issues of tightness and pain in my leg. The only thing I had yet to try was to stop using the orthotic insert. I just didn't see how this was going to work, because in my mind, the only recollection I had of running WITHOUT inserts resulted in PF. To me, this felt like running naked, completely exposed to the possibility of picking up an injury that could easily linger on.
So, we're two weeks in right now and I can say that so far, I haven't had any issues crop up with my feet or calves (knock on wood) yet. Hopefully that can continue to be the case, but I have yet to put together a run of more than 5 miles. That would seem to me to be the time I need to be the most stretched out, the most aware of how my feet are feeling at the time. Things start to feel like they are tightening up, I've got to be able to stop and stretch it out or just stop all together. But so far, I can't complain.
Runner's World, as far as I can tell, has a special canned write-up that they can publish every six months or so, and it covers how a runner responds to being finished with their marathon goal after spending so much time working towards it, and how do they move on? From what they seem to gather, people hit a major funk when they finally cross that finish line for the first time, because that is written as the endgame in their mind. The obvious question for them becomes, "Now What?". What happens after the thing you've worked for months, a year, or even longer, is no longer dangling in front of you like a carrot on a string? Like I said, it sounds like most people don't know exactly what to do. Run another marathon? Well, that's probably a large mental hurdle to gear back up for, because running the first one was put on such a pedestal that you probably never considered that you'd do it again. Stop running all together? A little on the extreme side, but if you've gotten in a groove, physically, where you can find something else to take the place of running, you might not want to get back to the pavement. But what about relief? What about knowing that you can get back to the type of exercise and running that you prefer, rather than the kind you signed yourself up for?
I would fall into that last category. That marathon training was a bear. Lots of time, lots of running in the cold. Lots of icing my legs, ankles, knees, etc. That's hard. How people can do that every year is beyond me. Maybe running a race that doesn't fall in January would be easier, with more warm days and more long night hours to fit it all in. Not sure that I'll ever find out, but I'm guessing that I'll want to see if I can improve my time, using Nike shoes, eating more on the course, trying to figure out the right pace, and so forth. As it stands, I'm pretty comfortable with being able to do speed work once a week, put in an average run of 4-5 miles, and just run as a tool for keeping weight off. But the last thing I've been feeling has been some sort of emptiness. Relief is more like it. Now, I'm excited to get back to lifting weights more, and working to hit some more pace goals for the upcoming summer. Until next time ... later.
I make a lot of Pearl Jam references. Not intentionally or anything, that's just the way it goes. I've been silent, as you can see, but not for lack of activity. I actually got into a pretty steady state of making sure I was running at the appropriate times, that I lost that sense of needing to be motivated. That was how it worked at first, you know? I would write, assume I was being read, and then keep going so that whoever was out there could make sure that they saw this thing through from start to finish. While I have been absent, I have also been learning. This marathon business is not particularly fun (yet) or comfortable (why would it be?), so I did not exactly know how to cover it as things were moving forward. Now that I've got a little perspective on the matter, I can probably more accurately examine and discuss what has been happening in my little corner of the world.
There are several things I've figured out on my own from preparing for Marathon #1. First and foremost of which is there is no guarantee there will be a Marathon #2. I don't know if I ever felt that way training for that first Half Marathon, but I never seemed as overwhelmed at times as I have with this marathon training. I've had a two week break at the end of November through the beginning of December because I had thrown my entire body out of whack. Seriously, my chiropractor told me that my right side of my entire body was so tensed up it raised my hips by nearly half an inch!?! Think about that disparity in your posture, and then imagine running 6-7 miles with it. Exactly. I was really hitting a good stride, too. But, I'm at the point that the time off didn't hurt, and if anything, was probably needed. That's the most time I've had off from running in 20 months, so a little bit of extended healing was probably in the cards. I've been more proactive since then with daily stretching, posture checks, yoga, and core exercises to make sure that I'm not losing any more strength. So far it is working. I also decided to break the mold and try a new brand of shoes out during this stretch, and that has been a new experience. Probably should have just bought one more pair of Nike's and ridden the storm out, but I broke away into some Brooks (good shoes) and so far, I'm thinking that was, if nothing else, a tough thing to adapt to mentally. They're just shoes, as I tell myself, so just get over it and run.
Second, and this is probably the biggest one, is to not plan your first marathon, or really any marathon for that matter, in the winter time unless you want to run in the cold every day. Working overnights has given me two options, neither of which is great. I can get in long runs, 20-mile type runs, when I get off of work, which puts me on the pavement at around 07:30 AM right after a shift. Since I'm usually up by 03:30 or 04:00 PM, this would be equivalent to the regular day job person going out for their run at 11:00 PM or so. I'm a little tired after work, as most people, except I've already had a full day of stuff before work. It isn't a bad thing or anything, it just takes some getting used to. So, either run when I get home, or sleep and run before work, which is fine for certain runs because I can just hit the treadmill. The whole getting dark at 5:00 PM thing is a real drag as far as this is concerned. Summer and spring running when the sun is still out is going to be much easier, and that factors into the choosing a run that is either in fall, or at the end of spring, because at least that way, I'll be able to get in some evening runs outside before the sun goes down.
The third thing is that there really is no reason to be so competitive, at least right now. I can barely hit a 20-mile run without stopping every 10 minutes to walk, so how on Earth can I be so concerned about hitting a finishing time? I was, but I'm not anymore. This thing is an entirely different challenge than the Half was, because this thing never ends. During a long run prep for a Half, you can run a 12 mile run and do it in maybe 15 minutes longer than your race time will end up being. That isn't that long of an amount of time in the grand scheme of things. For this marathon, you'd have to run 25 miles to get that affect, and that's just not something you can get used to. Half's are over much quicker than you think, especially once you dip into the insanity that is marathon training. Now, 13.1 miles would be terrific, and would certainly beat knocking out an 18 miler on a Saturday, because once your finish that 18 miles and you hate your life, you only have to think that there would only be 8.2 more miles to go to finish that marathon. Then you cry a little, and then you move on. I figure if I do another marathon, I won't sweat the speed details, and will just let the training go as it goes, without trying to improve so much. I think it might just naturally happen with a little more experience as my body gets used to those 18 milers. But I guess we'll see.
We're only 10 days away from Disney, so I'll be capturing the anxiety and sheer terror more frequently until that date. Thanks for reading, and until next time...later.
Filled from the spirit of my record-setting blog traffic last week due to the Mike Wardian interview (thanks again, Mike!), I descended on Manhattan to try my hand at another 10K race. I didn't really get a chance to talk about it too much because of the interview, but I had been looking forward to this race for a while, mostly because this is the race where I had completed my first ever 10K last year. It holds a sentimental place in my mind, and I love the free Tallgrass beer at the end of the run. A cooler morning than we had been getting here in Kansas was waiting for me, but it was going to be humid.
I've been doing well in my workouts, but I was going to be held back slightly by my recent blood donation. I'm an enormous supporter of blood donation, and I like to donate when I can, but there is no denying that it takes away a nice percentage of your oxygen carrying capacity. Anyways, between that and the humidity, and the enormous hill on Anderson Avenue towards the end of the race, the prospects of me setting a personal record were not great, but I was determined to give everything I had in order to get as good a time as I could. I was on pace through the first 4 miles, but as expected, the hill in the middle of mile 5 slowed me up considerably. I tried to make up the time on the back of the hill, but it wasn't enough to even it out. I wasn't disappointed with my time, but an average mile time of 7:56/mile is not going to get me to Boston. I was happy with the improvement from last year.
It appeared that the crowds were a little bigger this year than last year, and it turned out to be the case. Last year, just over 280 people ran this 10K from Tallgrass Brewery to the Manhattan Running Company, and this year's version of the race had more than 400 people show up! Tremendous growth for the fellas over at MRC. This brings up a point that I've discussed with Sparks on a regular basis: Is running, and, more specifically, running races, becoming more popular? The addition of nearly 140 people to this race would seem to indicate that yes, people are getting into running in a way that has not been seen since the 1970s. But why? Health benefits? Competition? Low equipment fees? Who knows? Hospital Hill set a record this year for competitors, and I anticipate the KC Marathon and Half Marathon will also achieve higher numbers as well. I wonder, how many of you have signed up for a race for the first time this year? What did you think? Anyways...sort of a tangent, I know, but it appears that more competition is coming to these runs, which is great. Everyone needs to be pushed to their limits once in a while. Until next time ... later.
In case you missed Part 1 of this interview, there's the link for you to check out. There is some great stuff in there. Hope you enjoy the second half of the interview. Enjoy.
TFGIR: During the French Open, the Tennis Channel asked professional tennis players about the contents of their tennis bags (books, iPods, socks, etc.). What sort of items do you fill your racing bag with before a 50 or 100K race?
MRW: Dude, that is super cool, and I saw that piece. It was funny to see them pimp their sponsors' stuff and I would say I am the same.
I carry a "The North Face Base Camp" bag (which rules, seriously, bomber, nothing better). In that bag, I have "The North Face Better Than Naked Shorts & Singlet (with my sponsors: The North Face, MarathonGuide.com, PowerBar)", "The North Face Fireroad Socks", "The North Face Singletrack Shoes", my MarathonGuide.com hat and of course a ton of PowerGels, PowerBars, my Gold's Gym swipe card, Succeed Caps, snacks, a book, and a newspaper.
TFGIR: On your website (mikewardian.com), I notice that you are available to coach aspiring runners. Let's say I just signed up to be coached by you, and I want help preparing for a marathon. What sort of things would I be looking forward to doing?
MRW: I do coach some people, but only a few at this point so I can give each person really custom service. As far as what I have the people do each day, it is really up to the persons fitness level, time, and what they are trying to achieve, but the cool thing is that I have done all the workouts beforehand and they are ones that I know are possible and achieve results. So, I think it works very well and it gets me all excited to see the people I am coaching get faster, stronger, tougher and just enjoy running as much as I do.
TFGIR: The North Face Endurance Challenge is coming to Kansas City at the end of August. You have participated in a couple of the North Face Endurance Challenges so far on their national tour. How has the response been to these events, and do you anticipate that this will become an annual tour?
MRW: The North Face Endurance Challenge is extremely well done and I am so excited to be a part of the Kansas City event. The North Face Endurance Challenge provides an incredible experience for the runners, and it is sweet to see how excited everyone is to be a part of it and to explore their own boundaries. The Endurance Challenges draws a large field and, normally, some of the top athletes and I love to compete against the best, and that is another reason I like to race them. Everyone that I know that has done a The North Face Endurance Challenge has had a great time and I think that the races in Kansas City will be no exception.
TFGIR: Obviously, you are flying through these long distance races if you are the victor. Do you have a strategy for each individual race that you implement when you hit the course, or do you approach each race the same, regardless of distance/course, and other variables?
MRW: I try to always look at each race differently because they are all so unique and even if you have run the course before, the weather can change how you race the event, and also the competition. That is what makes what we do so fun is that you can really get as into it as you like and geek out about a race plan or you can wing it, but I prefer to have a race plan and try and stick to it at much as I can.
TFGIR: The Olympic Trials are coming up in January. I confess I do not know exactly what it would take to qualify for the Olympics, so would you mind taking me through what you would need to do to represent the United States in London in 2012?
MRW: Thanks for the chance to say that we are in the USA, and are really lucky, and I think it is a great way to pick our team for the Olympics. It is really simple and clear: the first three (3) guys to cross the line on January 14, 2012 at the Men's Olympic trials go to London (as long as they run under the Olympic Time Standard which I believe is 2:14-2:15). That is it. No, "Well, this guy was hurt, this guy is faster but had a bad day, etc." It doesn't matter. First three (3) guys go, and everyone else gets to watch on TV. I am definitely not a favorite to make the team but I am in the race and that means if I run well, I get to go.
So, I am planning to bring it, and everyone else better too because if they don't I would be glad to be on the plane to London later in the year.
TFGIR: Your running career is exceptional, but to a non-runner, it can seem very overwhelming. What would you tell someone who has never been a runner in order to convince them that running a marathon is not crazy? How have you convinced someone in the past to give running a shot?
MRW: Well, I think that most everyone could run a marathon if they wanted to, and even a 100 Miler or 135 miles in Death Valley or 150 miles across the Sahara. They just need to want to do it, and train to do it. That being said, it is not easy and it takes discipline, commitment, and heart, and I think everyone single one of us has that in us, we just need to find it.
I don't try and convince anyone to run because, in my view, that doesn't work. What I try and do is show people that I am like them and if I can do it, well, then they might be able to do it, too. So they can say, "Wow, that guy works a full time job, has a family, coaches t-ball and still finds time to run and be competitive and honor his other obligations."
TFGIR: What are some outside interests/hobbies that you have other than running?
MRW: Well, we touched on lacrosse. I also was really involved in my son Pierce's t-ball team, which was cool. I love to ride my bike, play chess, camp, hike, paddle and, believe it or not, work as an International Ship Broker.
I offer my sincere thanks to Mike for agreeing to do this interview with me, and I'm looking forward to following his races in the future, hopefully all the way to London. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it, too. Now, get out there and run! Until next time...later.
Greetings, and welcome to the latest installment of the This Fat Guy is Running Interview Series. I was lucky enough to be contacted recently by a representative from The North Face company regarding their upcoming endurance challenge in Kansas City, which is linked on the right side of the screen. I was offered a chance to conduct an interview with an endurance athlete that they sponsor, and I said I would love that opportunity. I was fortunate to interview Michael Wardian, from Arlington, Virginia. A former collegiate lacrosse player turned ultramarathon champion, Mike was kind enough to answer a slew of questions I had for him, ranging from his lacrosse playing days, to his preparations for marathons, and many things in between.
Throughout his career, Mike has won an astonishing 19 Marathons
(if not more), amongst countless other race victories, (according to athlinks.com) including the 2011 San Francisco Marathon that just occurred yesterday, 7/31/11. Talk about great timing! Mike has won several USA Track and Field National Championships, including distances of 50K, 50 Mile, and 100K. Mike has also set several world records throughout the years, including fastest marathon time on a treadmill, fastest marathon time on a 200-meter indoor track, and, my personal favorite, fastest marathon time while wearing a superhero costume (Spiderman). I thank him for being so gracious with his time, and without further ado, I present to you my interview with the newly crowned San Francisco Marathon Champion, Mike Wardian.
TFGIR: What led you to playing college lacrosse at Michigan State? Do you still play or follow lacrosse?
MRW: I played lacrosse at Michigan State University because I was pretty good in High School (All-Met, Captain of Oakton High School Team, Leading Scorers, etc...) and I was recruited to play for MSU. Yes, I still follow lacrosse all the time. I love that lacrosse is on ESPN now, and I can watch more games. Even before the Comrades Marathon the last two (2) years while in South Africa, I have watched the finals and semifinals of the Division I tournament via "ESPN 360". They try to block it, but if you really want to watch you can find a way, so I was up at like 2:00am on Sunday, watching the Saturday night games, which was super cool. Unfortunately, I am not playing now as I am so busy with work, the family, and running that I haven't been able to make the time.
TFGIR: How did you make the transition from playing collegiate lacrosse, a sport that requires a lot of sprinting and sharp cuts, to becoming a long-distance runner?
MRW: Well, that was easy because I stopped playing lacrosse, and then I needed to do something to stay in shape and I love being in motion, so I chose running because it is also, in my opinion, one of the best workouts for the time (i.e., you get a lot out of a 50 min run and it might take 3 hours on the bike to get the same workout.) That being said, I love biking, also, and swimming and tennis, etc...
TFGIR: According to your USA Track and Field profile (Profile Page), you have been competing in marathons since 1996, when you qualified for the Boston Marathon on your first attempt. When did you figure out that you had a future in competitive distance running?
MRW: Good question. I just was running as a lark and to qualify for Boston, and I knew I had some talent at the first 1/2 marathon I ever ran in 1996. I ran like 1:14 or so and finished 3rd or 4th, and I mean I was seriously surprised. I was in lacrosse shorts, a cotton t-shirt and with my hat on backwards, heavy trainers and just shocked to come in that far ahead of most people. I think my parents were surprised, too, as they were not looking for me so soon at the finish.
TFGIR: You have been all over the world to compete in races. What place that you have been to stands out as either the most unique, most memorable, or one that you would go back to in a heartbeat?
MRW: Another neat question and one I think about all the time. I always try to push the boundaries and while I have been to a number of places, I have not been to even more places, and I would definitely like to check out some races that I haven't been able to get to yet, and to some areas that I haven't explored. But I think of the places that I have been lately, and I really loved Iceland. I went in February, and would love to go back in the summer and check it out even more. That and Kauai, where my wife and I went on our honeymoon. I love Kauai too. I really can't think of many places that I wouldn't want to go as I think you can always find exciting adventures if you try.
4. TFGIR: What does a typical week of preparation for a 50K or 50 Mile race look like?
MRW: My typical week is a lot of miles, over 100 miles, that include speed work, hills, tempo runs, and some races, usually. Stroller runs with the guys (two children, Pierce and Grant), also. I also run and/or bike to work, so that helps too.
TFGIR: At some point, everybody experiences a letdown in a race. What is a race disappointment you remember, and how did you learn from it going forward?
MRW: Another excellent question, and that is also fresh in my mind as it just happened at Badwater. My goal was to win Badwater this year, and I ended up 3rd, so off of my goal, and also off the time I was aiming for. I had some major letdowns during that race, but I fought back with the help of my crew, who were rad, and finished it. I learned a lot, but most important is to get in food and keep it down and, like a hot dog eating contest, try to avoid the "reversal of fortune".
TFGIR: How do you balance your running with having a family and a full time job?
MRW: That is a big challenge, but I have a terrific wife, children, boss, co-workers, and family and I really couldn't do it without them being behind me. They really help and inspire me to explore my limits and allow me the opportunities to train and compete on the highest level.
TFGIR: As a vegetarian, what would a normal day's worth of meals and nutrition consist of throughout a training week? As a non-vegetarian, I have learned a lot of runners seem to thrive on a vegetarian diet, but I believe the perception is that it would be tough to ingest the necessary proteins and stay "full", if you will. How have you tailored this diet to work for you?
MRW: I don't know. I eat a fair amount of food, and I think I would always be hungry even if I wasn't a vegetarian due to the miles I am running. I try to eat a lot during the day and stay up on my fluids, so nothing really special. I tend to eat a lot of cereal and fruit during the course of the day. I think I could crush Seinfeld in a cereal eating contest.
This wraps up part one of my interview with Mike Wardian. I've included a few links throughout the interview, so be sure to click on them so you can see things like the Badwater race, and how hardcore it truly is. Part two of this interview will be posted on Thursday, so please be on the look out for that. Until next time...later.
It's official. Sunday night, I decided to take the plunge into the world of running 26.2 miles at one time by registering to run at the Disney Marathon on January 9th, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. Sure, hundreds of thousands of people run and finish marathons now-a-days, so this is no way makes me unique, but to consider where I was just less than two years ago....
As you know, if you've read this blog since it started, running was never something I intended to take seriously. I started out to try a few races, lose some weight, and blog about it at the same time, in case someone else like me stumbled upon it and thought "If this idiot can do it, so can I." It started with a 5K, progressed to a 10K, and eventually into a Half Marathon. Jumping up to a full Marathon is an enormous jump, but I didn't get here overnight.
I liken the whole experience to the educational process. Starting out, a 10K seemed to be about all I was interested in attempting. I thought if I could run a 10K in under an hour, I would be satisfied with what I have done, and then I'd move on to something else. Running a 5K, though, would be first. Similar to elementary school, every running goal has to start somewhere, and in the scope of running distances, the 5K is the start. It was a struggle, and when I finished that first one, it in no way had me prepared to tackle a 5K. I had to continue to work at it until I graduated from the 5K level into middle school, or the 10K.
Going back through old posts and reading recaps from races is always interesting, if for no other reason than to see what I was thinking right after tackling a distance for the first time. For instance, reading through the recap from my first 10K shows that even at that point, I was still very new to the whole experience (Link), even if I felt like I had been through it all. Jumping from a 5K to the 10K was like that leap from elementary school to middle school. Lots of new kids, tougher curriculum, and new challenges. Running through Manhattan seems like it was just yesterday, and in fact, I'll be doing it again next weekend. Where does the time go?
Of course the most awkward, difficult time in your life is when you hit high school, and the same could be said for running a Half Marathon. It is unlike anything I have ever done. I have completed three half's over the past 10 months, and they do not get any easier....sort of like going through high school. You've got the jocks...the one's who show up and run the whole 13.1 miles in 70 minutes without breaking a sweat, and then you've got people like me, who spend two hours sweating themselves into oblivion for the right to earn that diploma...I mean finisher medal. The main difference is that during a half marathon, people are all encouraging each other towards the finish line, because they all know what it took to get to that point.
In no way do I feel that I have graduated from half marathons, but after spending some time in the club, I feel it is now time to hit up the college scene, a full marathon. This is the group that is the most dedicated of the bunch. Not unlike the college crowd, the marathon bunch spend all their time studying/running, learning to perfect their craft so that they can run for anywhere from 2:10 for the valedictorians, to 6:00 for the incoming freshmen who just trying to complete their undergraduate courses. The only difference between the marathon and half marathon crowd is probably the loss of sanity, as you've got to be nuts to run over 50 miles a week in order to run 26.2 miles at 5:30 in the morning. Similar to the collegiate environment, everyone has the same goal in mind. Just to finish.
That is what I will be doing in 162 days. Just. Trying. To. Finish. Not sure I will, but that's the challenge. I've enrolled for the courses, and now I'm challenging myself to pass them. So, if you want some good laughs, keep following along as I whine about being hurt all the time, and how I'm trying to fit in my 40 mile weeks during football season and snowy weather. I appreciate the support, although, like I've said in the past, haters are welcome as well. Thanks again, keep checking in for new posts, and until next time ...later.
Coming back from a vacation, I had a pretty good idea how tough running a 10K would be on very little training, plus trying to get over a week's worth of boozing and not sleeping. Throw in 97 degree heat and elevated humidity, and you have the 2011 Sunflower State Games Governor's Cup.
I decided to sign up for a race every three weeks until the KC Half in October, just to give me something to keep working towards. That set of runs started on 7/15 with the Governor's Cup 10K race. I ran this race last year (Heat Wave) so I had an idea of what to expect. I do not remember it being this hot last year.
I woke up at 4 PM today in order to give myself plenty of time to eat, drink more water, eat again, and then get to the race that started at 7:30 PM. Or at least I thought it started at 7:30. Navigating through the constantly horrific roads in Topeka, now compounded with construction nearly everywhere you go, I made it to the Hummer Sports Park at 6:40, giving myself nearly an hour to hydrate and warm up. When I got there, I noticed that all the runners were close to lining up and the ceremonial torch had been lit. I grabbed the first person with a running bib that I could find and asked them when the race started, only to then learn that it was scheduled to start at 7PM. I'm usually outstanding at details, but this one totally slipped by me. This gave me about 10 minutes to warm up and stretch, which was not a huge concern to me because of how warm out it was. I was going to be loose in no time, or I was going to cramp up the whole race.
I made it to the line in time, and we were off, winding through the Westboro Neighborhood (minus the protesters), which was covered with lots of trees. That was about the only thing to help alleviate the heat, outside of the plentiful water stations. Also, props to the neighborhood folks who stood out there with hoses and nailed people running by their house. It really is nice. The run was nice, with easy hills and lots of down slopes. A very scenic run through a part of Topeka I've never seen. By the time I was finishing up, I just wanted to stop. I'm sure I wasn't the only one. I ended up not really aiming for a time in this race, because I knew I wouldn't be prepared to run really fast, and the heat was going to kill any non-serious runner. So, I'll just consider this a nice 6.2 mile workout, and I'll focus on running well in Manhattan in 3 weeks. Thanks for reading, and until next time ... later.
First off, welcome back. Things were slow, so I barely wrote. Now, things are going to pick back up again, and you are now going to be able to follow me train, prepare, and get in the mental state to tackle my very first marathon. From everything I've read, this is going to be very difficult. Lots of time, lots of energy, lots of physical exertion, and lots of miles. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 miles or so over the next 177 days, give or take a few miles depending on how bad I'm feeling (probably somewhat frequently, if you remember how fragile I am). Additional speed training, track work, tempo runs, and races line the schedule through the middle of October, as I'm spending the first 14 weeks mostly getting ready for the KC Half on October 15th, where I want to put forth my best performance to date. If all goes according to plan, I'll be in good enough shape to ease into full marathon training, which sort of overlaps with the KC Half. Then, it'll be 11 weeks of runs focusing on distance and stamina, not necessarily running for speed, which certainly will not be the goal for Disney on January 9th, 2012. The only thing I'll be focused on is finishing.
The question I will inevitably have to answer is "Why are you running a marathon?" Honestly, I still don't really know. All I know is that I feel I should, just to know what it is like. I liken it to playing the guitar. You play some guitar and get OK at it, but you want to form a band with someone just to see how that goes. Same thing here. I've stated that I want to qualify to run in the Boston Marathon, but you cannot run that one unless you qualify by running another one. By that fact, I have to run at least one (won't qualify on this first one). Once I figure out if running 26.2 miles is something even remotely feasible, or addictive, or stupid, I'll have to go back and evaluate what I want to get out of running. Running up to this point has helped me lose 45 pounds, greatly lowered my lipid panel results (cholesterol, LDL), and increased my ability to tackle challenges outside of running. I know it sounds corny and trite, but getting stressed out at small things does not really happen to me much anymore, because a lot of those challenges don't seem to be a big deal anymore. Once you run 13.1 miles a few times, once in absolutely sweltering conditions after going without any sleep the night before, smaller things truly become small. Again, sounds stupid, but that's just the way I feel. For that, I am grateful that I decided to lace up the shoes and hit the pavement. I would guess I'll continue to run, but in what respect, I do not know.
This is going to be a tough, tedious 177 days. I hope you have enjoyed watching me start from scratch, from a lazy, 206 pound stiff to a guy that has to figure out days in advance when I can fit in a long run if I might be out of town, or if something has come up. I also am glad to see that other people have taken an interest in getting out there to run a little bit. There are races all over, and if races aren't your thing, events such as Warrior Dash and Tough Mudder have spurred people that might not consider themselves runners to go out and give it what they've got. I want to thank you again for taking the time to read what I'm writing, and I'm glad to know I've got support out there, outside of my immediate circle. I will finally be getting to an new interview for the TFGIR Interview Series, and it will be with a current record setting runner, thanks to my good friends at The North Face, so watch for that at a later date. Also, while I am glad for support, I feel I need some haters. If anyone wants to comment about how stupid this blog is, or how lame I am for running, please feel free to add those notes to any future blog post. If rappers got good at rap because they were out to prove the haters wrong, maybe some haters in my life would spur me to run better than I thought possible. Until next time ... later.
If you are looking for park and recreation activities in the Topeka area, you've come to the right place – the Unwind calendar. Items for the calendar can be emailed to sports@cjonline.com.
