Running and the greatest fan season of all time.

This fall has been ridiculous for me. For all of my life I have been a Phillies fan and I had the chance, not only to see them win the World Series, but to actually be there for the clinching game. It's miraculous, and something I never would have expected. All of this season I would attempt to leave work around 5ish, get in stretching, run my sixer or whatever distance for that day and then get back in time to make up some dinner and see first pitch. It was great and I enjoyed virtually every minute. Baseball is like that for me. The pace of the game, and the makeup up this years Phillies squad made it such that I never felt like the Phils were out of a game or that I needed to panic. Except against the Mets, I admit I got angry those games.

Fast forward to this week. The Columbus Crew has made a MLS Cup final. This is absurd to me. It's something I can't quite wrap my head around. From 2002-2007, I missed maybe 10 Crew games. I was a season ticket holder for three of those seasons. I saw a whole lot of bad soccer. This season, I saw maybe 10 games. I missed the vast majority of the best season the Crew has ever played. The one game I made it to was in New York, where the Crew lost 3-1, and the opposing goalkeeper actually scored a goal on us. Pathetic. Of course by that point the Crew was sleepwalking and had already accomplished the best record in the league and were well on there way.

I bring this up because of the unpredictability of both of those seasons, and training. I'll be honest, most of the 2005 through 2007 seasons, watching the Columbus Crew was a chore. It was awful and for the most part joyless. This was a team that even when they had the ball in the attacking third never looked as if they would be threatening to score. Still there would be moments, where an unexpected goal vs DC or Chicago would send me screaming with such joy that I would disturb my neighbors, and they would run upstairs to check if I was okay.

This past Thursday night against the Fire when the Crew played a lackluster first half it seemed to be similar to those teams I watched the past few years. The second half Columbus looked like a completely different team. Night and day. They dominated to a point where the entire 45 minutes was more or less stress free and enjoyable. It's not something that was expected at all.

In my training 2-3 weeks ago, I felt like I was on the verge of a breakthrough. My mileage was up and my speed was improving by dramatic leaps in nearly every workout. This week it was a totally different story. After my track session Sunday my long run was passable, but not exactly quick. My subsequent runs in the week were pretty miserable actually. I looked back at my supposed breakthrough week and wondered what happened? What had I been doing differently this week.

Last night, stuff wasn't looking much better. By 3:30 om it was raining. By 430 it was raining and looking like midnight outside. A friend from work invited me to happy hour. I looked outside thinking how drinking a Johnny Walker sounded much nicer than dodging Jetta's on my run. I looked back and said, "Sorry, I can't I gotta get in a run tonight. I gotta put in a sixer to end the week" She looked outside and then at me, obviously puzzled, and mocked my use of the word sixer.

Leaving work, I had memories of my last few poor runs, and really hoped that I'd put in the full six and put in my mind that was a necessity and that I couldn't turn around at 2 and put in four. Lo and behold, the run was my best of the week. Tempo, turnover, lungs, mental, everything was working better than at any point in the week. It was pretty ridiculous, and more rewarding than a happy hour,

The thing is, it wasn't unlike watching a favorite team as they go through tough seasons. Okay, it's a bit different putting down miles than sitting on the couch with a beer. But, if I have the base down, it's not a matter of thinking, "I can't finish this run." Cause I know I can. There may be days that where my knees hurt. My lungs aren't working, my quads are tight, mentally I am not ready. But then there are the days of unexpected breakthroughs. I have no idea how the body works. How one day can be the worst run ever, followed by one that leaves you on a high for days. Likewise I can guess how a soccer team that was under .500 last season returns basically the same team this year and dominates the entire league.

In the end, it's the joy in those unexpected surprises that keeps me watching my sometimes crap teams and getting back out there after a crap run. Just like I don't want to miss the shocking upset game, or the game where the team finally gelled, I don't want to miss that run either.

Intervals are in fashion!

Yesterday, I did what actually was my first track workout. Before that I'd done all my running on the road and attempted to use some of my shorter runs as speed work. Time trials for 3 and 4 mile runs and the like. But, of course a track workout is a totally different animal.

So the plan was...

1 mile warmup
8x800 (with a 400 recovery between each)
1 mile cooldown

Basically this is a fartlek run, and I got the suggestion from a friend out in Indy. This of course was the plan, and sometimes the plan goes much better than the actual run. Truth told, I only got through 6 rather than 8 of the 800's.

Still, it was a good day. At the beginning there were only three or four other people on the track. I did my mile warmup at a leisurely 8-8:15 pace.

I took a swig of water, and it was time for my first 800. 2:59. I honestly had no idea what to expect in my interval times. But to be under 3 minutes fora half mile. I liked that. I was encouraged. I went about my 400 recovery at a much slower pace. And then my second 800, 3:10. As I looked down at my watch, I yelled, "Shit! Come on!" Half of this was frustration from already being tired. Half of it was from dropping 10 seconds already in just one interval. I quickly found out from the disapproving stares that shouting profanities of encouragement were not exactly smiled upon at this track. I made a mental note.

My next 4 intervals were 3:10, 3:11, 3:18, and 3:16. I found myslelf a mix of satisfied with those times and frustrated that I had nothing left for two more, and I went about my one mile cool down.

The most interesting moments came during my final few intervals. A man and woman showed up with a camera, the man in full fashionable ruunning gear. And he fake jogged up and down one straightaway as the woman took pictures. It was some sort of fashion shoot I guess. That's fine. We all want to look good, and we all appreciate running attire that doesn't make us look ugly. But in the future, keep your fashion shoots outta my damn lane.

Yeah, they were in lane 2. MY LANE! "Fuckers!" I said to myself (quietly, since curses of encourgement are frowned upon at this track) as I noticed this on the opposite straightaway. And as I came up behind the photographer, breathing prety heavy and with heavier footsteps, she didn't move. So, I ran around her, and then right back into my lane, getting in the way of her shot. This happened again on my 400 recovery. I was glared at by the runner model, but just went about my business.

In the end, I just hope they got some good action shots of me, hair flowing both feet off the ground. If lucky they may have even caught me shooting a snot rocket during recovery. That's centerfold material.

Daylight Savings time is the witching hour.

I moaned to a friend earlier this week. Hell, just yesterday about a run. I got up Thursday morning for a quick sixer. It wasn't quick it wasn't good, it was more or less the shittiest run I've had in weeks.

Now this wouldn't have bothered me as much if I didn't feel like I was on a verge of a mini breakthrough just a few days previous. The weeks of the 12th and 19th of October were great for me. Back to back 30 mile weeks. I'd made a conscious decision to up mileage and to put an extra couple miles onto my long run. Both weeks I was pleased with my overall pace on my runs, my energy, and my confidence was going sky high.

Go to the final week of October and my mileage dropped off a bit. This sorta happens when you spend half the week drunk celebrating the Phils championship, going to both nights of game 5, and the parade. When I wasn't drunk, I was admittedly hungover, thus, long runs weren't happening. (Unless of course you count the several laps inbetween cars I did slapping high fives while drinking a free Natty Light and taking donations of champagne. While not quite ten miles, it was just as glorious.)Still I put in 18 miles and had my training PR's at 3 and 6 miles. Not bad for running hungover.

So I come off of all that to a week where I am dropping times, and I am thinking it may have to do with my increased mileage. But now suddenly it's getting darker 430 pm. What the hell is that? So I get in my long run on Monday on my day off. Another 10 miler and it goes great. Best 10 mile time I've had. Then a four miler. Not bad. I decide after looking at the weather to do my sixer on Thursday morning. And that was the shit run. Just awful.

This morning I woke up, and I wasn't feeling it. Memories of the bad run were too fresh and I put the run off until the evening. MUCH BETTER. Same sixer, same route, 2:40 quicker than just 1 morning earlier.

Thing is I just can not function before 8 am. If I am to be running consistently in DST through the winter, I will be running at night. In the dark, crossing through I-95 onramps 4 times total in the six mile loop from my apartment. It's just a matter of time till I get hit by a car. In the meantime I'll be gladly taking donations for reflective jackets.

Searching for "it"

It's remarkable how many running sites there are on the internet. I guess that's the thing with the internet, any idiot with a modem can publish their thoughts. Of course, when you have a message board on a website, or a comment section, it invites even more amateur thoughts. I'm not looking down on that of course, since I am both an amateur runner and an amateur thinker. But, take a gander over at the message board section of Let's Run and you are bound to find some entertaining topics. And in each topic you can find some keyboard commando talking out of his ass. God bless America.

But one thread caught my attention over the weekend. Someone asked, how do you motivate yourself to get out for long runs? He talked about how he just can't get himself set for runs of an hour or more. Some people talked scenery. Some talked running partners. One guy simply said, "I can't help you, it's all about your own drive, you either have it or you don't" And well it may have come across as a bit blunt or harsh he's right.

For me, this fall the goal has been to up my mileage. Going into Philly my mileage was barely at 20 a week, concentrated on shorter speed work. I still have some short runs in my schedule, but in October I have been up at 30 miles a week. This is including at least one 10 miler a week.

Today was the day of my scheduled 10 miler. Going out, I felt awful. Sometimes this happens. A four miler yesterday after my refereeing was pretty awful. My legs felt heavy the whole time. My lungs weren't there. I found myself even 2 miles into that run wondering, "how the hell am i gonna run 10 tomorrow?" And today two miles in again I wasn't feeling good.

It woulda been easier to decide that it was a day for a six miler instead. And the thought crossed my mind, but looking at my schedule for the rest of the week, which includes some travel, it hit me that this would be the only chance for a long run. As it came to my 3, 6, and 8 mile splits it was looking as if I was on pace for my best tenner of the month. So that provided ample motivation, and sure enough, I finished 62 seconds quicker than my best tenner this month.

That said, there is always a next step. And for me as I attempt to up mileage again in November it comes to adjusting my runs when I am feeling good. Those points where a 6 miler feels easy, turn it to a tenner. When the tenner feels easy, make it a twelver. In the middle of the run, just making that decision.

And really, it's again it's not something that I'll be able to read about or get motivation from others. Sure it'll put of dinner longer, or a beer. It sure as hell will lead to more aches and pains. But you either have it in ya to make those decisions or ya don't. And it's silly to discount the mental part of this. And if the mental part is as large as I think it is, that belief and that desire to find those extra gears thats gonna have to be the key.

The "problem" of pacemakers or rabbits

Two or three months back in Runners World there was an interesting article on recreational marathon pacemakers. I don't believe these cats are quite "elites" but they are hired by several marathons to lead pace groups. Groups that want to break 4 hours in a marathon, or go under 3:45. This sort of thing.

The article was excellent. The author spoke of a time when he was leading a pace group but fell short of his goal and his guilt dealing with that. At the time of writing this article he was leading a group through the Philadelphia Marathon, and he had one cohort with him to lead the group. This time he and his partner made the finish and nearly everyone in his group made it as well in there time. A job well done.

I'll be honest, part of me looks down on these sort of groups as a way to reach a goal. But,in Philadelphia when I was doing my last half, around 8 miles when I realized I went out far too fast my mind drifted back to this article. I thought how it would have been nice to have been part of a pace group to insure that I didn't go out to fast, and that perhaps a sub 1:40 would have been much easier.

Granted, I never ran track in high school or college. I sure as hell haven't run professionally. It's a sport I picked up for myself just in the past year. But, I also watch as many races as I can. And when I watch these college meets, pro meets, or even World Record attempts, it's not uncommon to see a pacemaker. For a 1500, you'll see someone charged with taking them through 800 at a set time. In a marathon you sometimes have a rabbit leading them through 10 miles or so.

This past weekend in Chicago, there was a rabbit. One of the elite runners kept pushing the rabbit to go harder, and the rabbit obliged for a little bit. But eventually, even before mile 10, a group of elites left him behind. I read an interview with the always posi Abdi Abdirahman at Runners World this week where he mentioned that NYC in November will not have a rabbit. He said that was good. That it adds excitement to the race, I tend to agree.

Back to Philly. I kept going on my own, and I struggled towards the finish line. My last 5k was awful. Something I could have remedied by running a smarter pace at the beginning. I still set a PR by 1:55, but didn't reach my high end goal. Still, by setting that PR I found a sense of satisfaction in myself, and in doing it on my own.

It's difficult and a bit arrogant to say my satisfaction of doing that on my own is greater, or more deserved than that of someone who hit say 1:40 a minute and change ahead of me in a pace group. At the end of the day, that person ran a better race than me pace aided or not. They were quicker, and props to them. That said, to me, someone who has never been on a XC team, or training team (outside of the legendary The Kip Winger Running Team) running is an individual sport, and a test against what an individual can do.

I understand the limits of the human body. That there may be no reason to think an elite can run a 330 mile, and maybe a rabbit makes sense in a track meet for a mile to hit a certain goal. I don't think that sort of mindset should apply to the recreational runner.

Yes, it may be absurd for me to think a 1:25 half is possible given my training. But if I go into a race thinking the absolute best I can do for a half is 1:40, I've already capped my potential and lost half the battle. On the starting line, I just don't see a reason to have goals set in that way. It's cheesy, it's a hallmark card. But the sky is the damn limit. If I don't believe that through my training my body is capable of doing something greater than it's ever done before, that I can shatter even my own expectations, why am I on the starting line in the first place? And better yet what the hell have I been training for?

Hometown Perks

I am largely indifferent about living in Norwalk, CT. Indianapolis is still home to me. I love that town, and miss it pretty much daily. That said there are plenty of perks out here in Indy. We have a decent race scene. We aren't too far from NYC where the New York Road Runners always have some hot shit going on. We have a great summer cross country series

But really, the A#1 perk of living in Norwalk has to be the opportunity to end a training run by running onto the beach at sunset on a nice fall night. I couldn't have asked for a better TGIF gift than that yesterday evening. What's even nicer is breaking 7 minute splits on that six mile run. Loving life.

Tough Decision

So what do i do...

Go to NYC and watch the NYC marathon on November 2nd and cheer like hell for Abdi and one of the greatest elite fields in the NYC Marathon history.

OR

Run the Bridge

Do this 10k. Across the Ben Franklin Bridge from Camden to Philly and back. That mother fucker is just one big hill. But once you apex it on the way back the final whatever distance is a downhill sprint.

It's a tough call. Should I skip the bridge run, I likely don't have a race until Thanksgiving, and am looking at likely only 2 or 3 races before my Carlsbad half in January. But, the NYC Marathon only comes once a year.

Cars

So I went out for a run after work today. Hadn't yet decided exactly how far I was gonna run. Round mile 3 I was deciding whether to push for a quick four, or go for another loop and do an 8er. I'm running cross an intersection, when a car decides to turn left in and totally clip me.

I'm watching this as I am running thinking, "Holy shit, this guy doesn't see me, he's gonna hit me." He's looking the complete opposite direction through his sunglasses when his side view mirror passanger side hits my left elbow, and i have the edge of my left foot run over . The mirror swings in. I don't know if its a luxury car and they are meant to do that or its the force of him turning right into me. I stop for a second looking down at myself making sure i am okay. My elbow is throbbing and bleeding pretty nicely. My foot doesn't hurt too bad though. He's 25 yards down the street when I shout out "Come on man!" or something equally dumb. He screams back, "I didn't see you!" I scream back something to the effect of "JC, fuckin look man whats wrong with you." (I need to go to confession) I start running after him to try to get a lisence plate number or his name or something, and he drives off. Unreal.

I'm seriously still at the "what the fuck just happened?" point. I don't think I've ever been that angry in my life, save the time I found out my last girlfriend cheated on me. I drove around for 15-20 minutes up and down those streets trying to find that car, but to no avail.

Granted, it was gettin darker. Still, it's a situation where there was no excuse to not see me. And herein lies the problem with running in Norwalk CT. It's all roadrunning. There are no back trails, no bike or towpaths, just roads. Thats fine, and at times it's exciting. But going into a winter season, when I will be running in darkness quite often, while I am looking to be between 30-35 miles a week while training for Carlsbad, it's not ideal.

Fuck This, I'm going running

Today I started out in a good mood. I woke up today knowing that after a two day rest following the Philadelphia Distance Run I would be back out for a run after work today. My recovery is already well ahead of where it was after my first half marathon in Indy. After that I was sidelined for practically three weeks.

So today work went quick, and I was on my drive home. I eased back into running today. Just a four miler, but it seemed effortless. I kept a pace just over 7 miles and looking back on it I think I could have likely done 6-8 without setting myself back at all. But thats okay. After Indy I had one good run and woke up the next day and was set back another week with an extremely sore quad (my one seemingly recurring injury). I'll take it easy for this week and just enjoy.

But before I even went out for the run, something pretty awesome happened. I was on my way back from work, and turned left into my apartment parking lot. Soon enough, there was a guy straight behind me. I thought he was gonna ask for directions. No, not the case. He asked, "I NEED to know, where did you get that bumper sticker. I saw it, and I've never done this before but I had to follow you and find out and luckily you turned in right here. I mean, I'm a runner too and I think thats the coolest sticker I've seen" I told him I have a friend out in Indy who made the bumber sticker, we exchanged contact info and I told him I'd be in contact with my friend who made the sticker. The sticker? It looks like this...



Some are still available, should you be interested. But, needless to say, when something is this awesome, who knows how long they will last.

Maybe it was my conversation with that stranger that kept a good light mood during the run. Maybe it was thinking of the sticker itself. Maybe I was just happy as hell that I was able to run rather effortlessly so soon after Indy, and at a good pace. Regardless, I am thrilled to get back out there tomorrow.

90 % of everything is 50% mental

Less than a week till the Philadelphia Distance Run. I guess I am feeling good. Lingering doubts from last weeks quad soreness has dissipated. I got in a final longish run on Sunday of 9 miles in ridiculous humidity, even for the morning. 3 miles of speed work today. 6 miles on Saturday morning. Probably two more 6 mile runs this week. While I won't quite have the aerobic base I had for the Indianapolis Mini, I feel confident enough to run and run well.

13.1 miles is a long way to run though, and a longer time for doubts to fall in. And that's will probably be the hardest part of this race. Sure adrenaline will carry me through the first 4-5 miles. Then there is the halfway there boost. But it's around mile 10-11 that I had my slowest mile in Indy. And part of me thinks I should be able to run my own pace and then use the last three miles as an adrenaline boost and just crush the last 5k. But, of course, it hasn't worked that way in longer runs, and it definitely hasn't worked that way in Indy.

I've tried to find what is that which I have been thinking of when I've run my best times, and when I've had my more productive long runs at race. And the thing is I have not been thinking about pace. Or form. Or some sort of negative split strategy. Instead, my mind has just been blank, or rather not thinking about anything connected with running. It just wanders.

The thing is, come race day there is no preparation that's left to be done. I can stretch, but that's it. Other than that, it's just a matter of enjoying the race. When I watched the Fam Run Like Hell video the thought was to look not of the race as a challenge of your training. Your training is already done. The race is just a celebration.

I've mentioned that Brooks Run Happy ad campaign a little while back and mentioned how I thought it was a bit silly. But really, come race day if it really is about a celebration, they may be onto something.

The Competetion

After two days off to rest the quad, including a very late night in the city on Wednesday to see an incredible Paul Weller concert, I knew that I had to get back out there Thursday, even if only on three hours sleep, and after a full day of work.

At lunch I visit the Runners World website and find more motivation. None other than 2 time Olympic Silver Medalist in the Women's Marathon, Catherine "The Great" Ndereba will be running the Philadelphia Distance Run as well. Not bad.

Several months back, in the beginning of summer two fellow members of The Kip Winger Running Team ran a race in Bellmar, NJ. In talking with the teamates before the race we were laughing at how the elite section of the race was full of Kenyans and Ethiopians. As the race got closer, "Down with the Ethiopians" was the rallying cry.

So now, just over a week away I have the face of my competitor. Sure, when she finished third at a half marathon world championship in 2007 (I think) her time was roughly 37 minutes better than mine. That's okay. I'm going to Philly aiming for a personal best anyway, so my prior time isn't the gauge.

Next Sunday, Catherine...

The Forced Taper...

i'm bumming.

my philly half marathon is in less than two weeks. i'm not where i want to be in terms of training in order to hit my goal time of 1:41. i'm more looking at a 1:45 pace right now. ugly.

so i have been going back and forth on whether to taper my training or not. there are advantages to tapering, virtually everything i've read suggests tapering except kevin hanson of the hanson brooks distance project. but i feel like i tapered too much in the weeks before indy. so, i figured over the weekend that i would go for 30 miles this week and about 20 next week leading up to the race. so just a real modest taper.

this morning my quad felt really tight. i stretched it out and decided to still go about my workout. 10 miles with 5 (1 minute) hill repeats at mile 3. probably not the best move. at mile four my right quad was signaling that it just had it. i stepped off, tried to stretch it out and got in about another quarter mile before i could feel something was way off.

so now, what, 13 days before the race I really have no idea what i'm looking at. and i'm icing my quad and gonna attempt to get out for a sixer tomorrow morning before work. but really, wtf? it's a tough call.

regardless, now against wishes i taper. at the end of the day it's better to listen to your body i'm sure. but mentally this is not the shit i wanted to deal with 2 weeks before the race.

Fuck This, I'm going running

Best employee quits? Check.

Two straight days of absolute shit meetings at work? Check.

A summons to appear in court to resolve a debt? Check.

Oh, can you throw 90 degree heat in there? Check.

Man the past few days have been absolutely brutal. Yesterday evening was spent pacing back and forth terrified about money. In between awful meetings today and a lengthy stressful conversation where I temporarily resolved financial issues, there was far too much on my mind.

Brooks Running has an ad campaign right now, "Run Happy" There are some ridiculous ads for that. Guys and gals running through a psychedelic wonderland with Thumper and Bambi in the background. It's a bit ridiculous. Not in a bad way. If it gets people buying shoes and getting on the road I ain't gonna fault them. But it surely doesn't have the catchy zeitgeist appeal of The Kip Winger Running Team's "Fuck This, I'm going running" does it?

This week, today especially, running was escape. Just thinking bout leg turnover and pace and how much the heat and humidity sucked was much better than thinking about the rest of everyday bullshit.

At least today I got my autographed copy of Brad Hudson's Run Faster in the mail for nailing Ritz's marathon time to the second.

Current Listening :: Nick Cave - No More shall we part

Drinking and Running 2

Something I've never really understood about running is the strange partnership it has with beer. I mean, don't get me wrong, beer is really fuckin good, which is to say I enjoy it. But I look around running culture and it would seem to be a place where perhaps you wouldn't see alcohol be so prominent. Being as though running is taking care of the body, and for the most part alcohol damages the body.

Still, you'll even see polls on running websites where there may be a question, "What is your favorite carb?" And surely enough, one of the answers is "beer has carbs." Neat. This is not to even mention the several beer sponsored marathons and races across the country. And try to find a half marathon or marathon of any significance that doesn't have a beer tent at the end. (This leads to a whole different discussion about commercialism and intention that this republicatarian isn't ready to have. Yet.) Hell, for several years the Indianapolis Mini Marathon had a beer stop (as opposed to water or Gatorade) at mile 10! And then there are hundreds of Hash Harriers clubs around the world, a self described running and beer drinking club.

I bring this up mainly because I used to drink a metric ton a night. Not to the point where I did any real damage, except for mind boggling credit card debt, and the destruction of a few romantic relationships and less romantic friendships. Truth told, at this point, looking back, I am thankful that's the only damage.

When I moved to Connecticut, after 8 years in Indy it was a bit different. I knew nobody. I couldn't call several friends and to meet me at the bar and drink, or eat pub chips. And thus, if I was drinking it was alone. Not particularly a good combination. In order to avoid this situation I decided I needed to find more hobbies. So, initially I was the only gringo at the soccer pick up games around here. But, then I realized if I am gonna run with these cats, I needed to run, and then I ran. And then I realized I was enjoying the act of running. But like so many things, less so with a hangover. Who woulda thunk it.

And of course this brings roundaboutly to today. Three weeks from today is the Philadelphia Distance Run. My second half marathon. One in which I know I have less of a base than I had for Indy. But one I desperately want to beat my Indy time for. I told myself I wouldn't sign up if this wasn't a possibility and set myself a goal of a modest goal of a 100 mile August to be the cutoff whether I would sign up or not. I had 105 miles coming into today, including one tenner and one 12er. I'm signed up but not near where I wanna be

Today was supposed to be a longer run. 12 miles give or take. Yet, after a rough week last week, I found myself at 10pm last night at the bottom of a bottle of gin and the bottom of a stack of Nick Cave cd's. Not a good place to be. If gin is poison, Nick Cave surely is not the cure, even if I love him so. Today's 12er turned into a labored sixer with only mind numbing, leg deadining 7:25 splits. Not where I need to be. At all.

I know it's obvious, and anyone with half a brain knows it's obvious that the gin and sam adams (light!!) has had it's influence. So it's an exceptionally long post to get to that. However, and holy shit does it suck to admit, as much as I want to think that so much of running is mental, and so much can be controlled mentally, brothers gotta take care of his body. And still,I laugh from time to time at the diet sections in different running magazines, knowing that in my vegetarian lifestyle I am already careful of what I put into my body. And yes, I know for the elite runners of the world the diet is helpful. But I know for me, as a runner, to get where I need to be alcohol is still the biggest obstacle.

Religion and Running?

Two things. I am an unabashed Christian. I believe Jesus is who he said he was, and attempt, most the time poorly, to live according to the examples and lessons put forth in the Gospels.

Second. Long before I really gave a damn about running I wrote a blog primarily about films. I was and am a film snob. I don't apologize for that. My facebook profile lists a dozen films that most people in the world don't know if they haven't watched film before the 1980's. And in that time of my life where I watched 6-10 movies a week, I watched Chariots of Fire. And let me tell you, that film merging faith and running sucked. It was awful. It's one of the worst films I've ever seen.

I bring this up because of Ryan Hall. Ryan Hall is a runner I find inspiring. His performance at the Olympic Marathon Trials was incredible. And many believe that was just the beginning of his talent, and that his best was yet to come. In the last issue of Runners World there was a cover story on Ryan Hall and this story focused on Ryan Hall's faith. How Ryan is a devout Christian and how his faith in God is a strength he draws upon in his record setting runs.

Here's the thing, the confession. I don't get it. I respect Ryan Hall. I respect and admire his faith, or at least his presentation of it in a less abrasive manner than some of my fellow Christians. It's his drawing upon his faith for strength in his races in training that I can't wrap my head around. And truthfully, it's something that I waver back and forth on.

Sometimes I want to be that kind of person who has a strong enough faith that it translates to every part of my life. That when I run, I am thankful for it. I don't take it for granted, and I give praise for the opportunity. And when I feel week that I wouldn't only rely upon myself to pull myself through.

And other times, and more often, I think to myself that running is about ME. And that it's about ME pushing myself to my limits and making the decisions to get out there and to overcome any fatigue, pain, and self doubt.

When I am fatigued, more often than not I think any of...

A. This will pay off in the end
B. The quicker you run, the quicker your done
C. This is supposed to hurt, embrace this
D. Run to the hillllllsssss, run for your liiiiyiffffee

But it's rarely ever that I think, "God help me through this." Or, "Thank You, God."

And while I admire Ryan Hall, and others who have gotten to a point to integrate there faith and there running. It's something that I both, am unsure how to do, and unsure how and if I want to do it.

Running and Weights

A few weeks back I spent a day in Ocean City, New Jersey with El Capitan. We went on a boardwalk run (well, he sprinted while i tried to run a respectable pace). Needless to say our hair looked incredible. Best on the boardwalk. Running or walking on the boardwalk lends itself to seeing many people. And being the elitist, judgmental, and at times inseucre jerk that I am, it also leads to judging people. The thing I remember being most upset by were not slow people running. Or fat people running. That's okay. They are out there trying to better themselves. Good for them. What upset me most was the body builders taking up the whole running lane on the boardwalk. What, with their deltoids or trapezius and whatnot. It happens sometimes on the starting lines of races too. Give me some space, Arnold.

I remember El Capitan saying at one point afterwards or maybe beforehand, "Why are weightlifters running? You don't see runners like me in there lifting their weights!" For some reason that stuck with me and still makes me laugh.

So, I am working through Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon: How to Be Your Own Best Coach by Brad Hudson and I came across a good quote...

Hill running is the only "weightlifting my runners do. They hoist no barbells or dumbells. They do some exercises to develop strength in their abdominal muscles and lower back, but thats it. Some other runners lift weights to build strength and prevent injuries. I believe short hill sprints achieve the same effect.

Fuck yeah. I think I like this guy's coaching style already.

Could it be that I'm actually training smarter?

Leading up to the Indy 1/2 in May I really didn't have any sort of training plan. I just ran base mileage over and over again. Every day 6 miles. A few longer runs of 9-13 miles on the weekends leading up to the race. In my 5 and 10k's leasing up through the fall and winter prior I saw my times drop, set PR after PR but that came more from experience of racing than anything else. In the months leading up to Indy I was so afraid that I wouldn't finish the race, I only was concerned with getting in mileage every day.

Since then, my attitude has changed a bit. And I have wound up listening to my body a little more. This was more or less a neccesity after some mini breakdowns leading up to Indy and a few weeks of doing nothing afterwards. Now, it isn't always about the 6'er every day, cause really whats the point.

Take today for instance. After my 6'er yesterday I just wasn't feeling it today. I had a ten on Sunday, followed that up with a 4, a day off and then the quickest 6'er of the month which included hills. My quads today, not good. I knew it when I woke up. I knew it at work, and eve the customary 3 pm mocha did little to help my quads, (true to the science of nutrition, but not superstition.) At any rate the old me would have grounded oit a 6'er over the hills and just put in useless miles at far less than race pace. Instead, I stayed on the flat grounds, and put in 4 at 7:05 pace today. To put that in perspective my quickest 6'er earlier in the week was 7:03 pace. The thing is, the 6'er if attempted today wouldn't have been at that pace. It wouldn't have been close.

Earlier in the week I picked up a book from the library Run Faster: From the 5k to a Marathon by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald. I'm not one so much to read training books, I'm too stubborn to follow training plans rigidly. But as I read through the first few chapters of this book the whole philosophy is adaptive training, which requires a paying more attention to your body than your plan. That's extremely simplified, but I'm only two chapters in, as I said.

One mantra that's already been repeated is keep your training schedule in pencil. It's good advice. As I said, had I run 6 miles today at least 2 woulda been garbage miles. I know that from how my quad reacted to the mini inclines I had today (damn you, drawbrige!) But instead I got in 4 good miles. This is shit that I've been doing for the past few weeks and has resulted in what have been breakthroughs in my training times. We're talking 30 second drops in my splits. Not bad.

That all said, it's not an excuse not to push your body to its limits in training, and that is the delicate balance, and the difference between results and stagnation. I'll likely continue to read the book and see what I can gain from it.

Current Listening :: Studio One Soul 2

Today, it was a good day...

Sorry, el capitan but i had to steal a title of one of your posts.

I don't quite know if this qualifies as theory, but it seems that if you combine a nearly perfect 70 degree sunny day with some people inspired by Olympic fever you start seeing more runners on the roads. Honestly, I saw more people on my route today than I have seen ever. And, if you see someone ahead of you, you wanna catch them. And if you see someone running towards ya, you definitely don't wanna look slow, so you speed it up a bit.

This was a run I needed too. Sunday's 10 miler was a very encouraging sign, Monday's 4 miler was brutal. My legs just weren't there. A day off yesterday and today I ran my 6 a minute quicker than any time last week. There was a bit of a headwind on the way out, but it didn't bother me. I kept saying, if Usain Bolt can handle the headwind so can I.

You know, it's things like this that make you think spending $72 to register for Philadelphia Distance Run wasn't a bad idea. Or make you think that Spending $600 to go out to Carlsbad in January for another half is completely reasonable.

It almost makes me think even of buying a pair of racing flats. But, damn, I gotta tell you on my longer runs my Saucony Hurricane's are fuckin rockin the shit. They just feel a bit more stable for my long runs than my Paramounts, which are still rockin my shorter quicker runs.

Tegenkamp and Lagat freakin rocked Bejing. Heat winners. If Tegenkamp wins a medal I'm gonna be euphoric.

The drawbridge didn't even open.

I'd have to say it was a good day...

Current Listening :: The Breeders - Mountain Battles

The Drawbridge

I have a regular route. It's a six mile loop with a nice few nice hills after the 2 mile mark. 3 out and 3 back. I can shorten that to 4 on some days avoid the hills and do some sort of quicker tempo run. One constant of the route though is the drawbridge. I start at the beach, on lovely long island sound, and once i cross the drawbridge I am at the 2 mile mark. From February - May, I never was stopped by the drawbridge. Since than I've been stopped about once every 5 or 6 runs.

Today was especially frustrating. I didn't even consider that being stopped by the drawbridge was a possibility. I wanted to get out for an easy tenner. Didn't wanna push too hard but wanted to build back up distance on some longer runs as I consider more and more that the Phildelphia Distance Run on 21 September is a possibility. I am going very well, 3-4 miles in and am wondering if my Hurricane's are in fact a better "long run" shoe than my paramount. As I round the corner I hear the bells and I look ahead and I see the baracade coming down. At this point another runner comes up beside me, she shakes her head and swears.

She starts running in place and I think how silly this looks. I mean I've done this at traffic lights, but not for two minutes of drawbridge time. I could stop my watch and stretch out. I could drop to the ground and do some core work, some crunches or pushups. But that would look sillier than this woman running in place. I could turn around and attack the hill again and turn my tenner into a 12er. But instead I just decide to take a quick lap around the block. This put my tenner a little bit above 10 miles, but at least I didn't jog in place for a while.

The tenner went well enough. Just about 730-735 pace pace without pushing too hard. I'll take that, and confidence is building and a PDR registration seems more and more likely.

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I railed against NBC mercilessly and with good reason for their awful coverage of Shalane Falnnigan's historic run in the 10k. To be fair they redeemed themselves a bit last night. The coverage of the Woman's Marathon was excellent in comparison. I woulda preferred to not have cut away as often as they did, but I understand why they did it. Still to go from only 7 laps of Shalane's 10k, to as much coverage as they had of the Women's Marathon was a great improvement.

As for the race, it was awful to see Deena go out so early. I am depressed for Magda Lewy-Boulet's luck, or lack their of. I am impressed with Paula Radcliffe's guts, and Blake Russell's finish. Tomescu-Dita deserved to win gold. She was the only one who attacked the course when conditions were better than anyone expected. It was a bit anti-climactic really. But she busted her ass, and got the spoils.

But the most exciting run of the day had to be Fam frontrunning like hell in the Men's 3000 steeple. I can not wait for that final on Monday. If Fam medals, High Life's and falafel for everyone!!!

Current Listening :: My Bloody Valentine - Isn't everything

This is gonna be difficult

Seriously, thanks to NBC putting so much of the track on a 15 hour delay, watching this crap without finding out the results beforehand is gonna be more difficult than hill repeats. Today for instance, a friend at work blurted out the Womens 10k result to me. This was around noon. Now, even if she didn't I would need to avoid half the websites in my favorites, and radio, and tv news. Thanks Dick Ebersol. Asshole. That said, I'll still be up after midnight tonight to watch that race, even knowing the result. Such is life when you are a fan of track in this country. I blame Obama.

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Two straight days after work storms have come and gone and come and gone while leaving just enough of a window for me to get in a run. Today didn't wind up as dry as yesterday, by any means, as in my final mile the rain started falling bigtime. But, there is a bit of a level of camaraderie that is to be had when you see another runner in this sorta shit. It's the same thing when the weather is 90ish. Yeah, the treadmill coulda been a better option. The chardonnay certainly would taste better than the sweat dripping off my mustache, but no I chose this. And so did those other cats I saw out there today. It's pretty damn cool to see the look in there eyes as you pass paths. It's not the relief of, "Okay, I'm not crazy for being out here in this mess." It's more, "Okay, I'm not the only crazy one out here in this mess." It's pretty nice.

Current Listening :: Solomon Burke - Make Do With What You Got