Curbed Enthusiasm

No one's harder on myself than myself.  I have a problem with overanalyzing.  It's a curse really.  From the moment I crossed the finish line Sunday morning, my mind began replaying the 30,500+ steps I took along the way of my first marathon.  It's what I do.  I know I should have just sat back and enjoyed my accomplishment and part of me regrets that.  So I will try to do that a bit as I describe my first experience with the marathon.

Passing 3 miles at St. Mary's & McCullough

     My morning started at 4:59 a.m. when I woke up wide-eyed, 31 minutes before my scheduled wake-up call.  I tried to fall back to sleep but gave in to some early morning nerves and went to the hotel lobby for a quick breakfast of two slices of peanut butter toast.  I decided to stay in a hotel that was close to the start since I knew I wouldn't get out of work until close to midnight and wanted to maximize my sleep, which turned out to be about five hours.  As I sat there eating breakfast, it was very interesting seeing all the different attire of all the runners.  After breakfast, I went back and started suiting up.  Fortunately I had my outfit laid out the night before so that didn't take too long.  The walk to the starting area took about 10  minutes and I was so relieved that the only traffic I had to fight that morning was the people on the streets.  After a quick trip to the bathroom, I started to make my way to the start area and began my usual pre-run routine of stretching and ran a few strides to warm up as best I could before walking into Corral #2. 

     I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be in my corral waiting for the prayer, national anthem and the starting horn.  I think I used up all my nerves in what was a very emotionally draining week.  As I said last week, self-doubt is a huge weakness.  Sometimes you want to take the advice from friends, but sometimes you still think you know better.  When the horn sounded, I knew this was it.  I didn't see the elite runners take off but I ran through the starting line 75 seconds after them, already nearly a quarter-mile behind.  That first mile was all about fighting traffic to find open space as well as warming up before trying to hit my goal pace.  My GPS was a bit off of the actual course, thanks to my weaving around the other runners but I hit my first mile in 7:33, right where I wanted to be.  Feeling good, I picked up the pace through the halfway point at 1:32:09, which had me dreaming of a sub-3:10 marathon, easily qualifying me for the Boston Marathon.

    Then I got to "The Wall," essentially the point where all your glycogen (or main source of fuel) is gone and your body starts relying more on any fat you have.  The transition can be quite tough.  My 20th mile dropped to 8:00, my slowest since my first mile.  Feeling exhausted, I stopped and stretched my calf muscles and hamstrings.  I plodded along for a couple more miles, even getting one more sub-8 mile before the tightness really began setting in.  My last three miles averaged 9:40.  

Approaching the Finish Line!

     As I hit the 26-mile mark, I knew I had less than a quarter-mile to go but a nice steep incline to the finish line.  I looked at my watch and saw my initial goal of 3:20 within reach and I ran as hard as I could up that hill and to the finish line, every face a blur, every noise melting into one.  I didn't even hear my wife screaming my name as I ran by.  Approaching the finish line, I held up both hands like pistols and for the briefest of moments, celebrated my run.

Crossing the line in under 3:20

     The walk through the finish area was disoriented and slow.  It was filled with a few marathoners and many half-marathoners who were finishing as well.  I grabbed a water and a banana and did my best to make my way to the exit.  I couldn't find my wife and was unable to use my phone to let her know where I was.  Cell reception was a huge problem race day.  I went back to the finish line to see if I could seen any friends cross the line around the 3:30 mark but missed any if they did.  A few minutes later I saw my wife and she could see it in my face.  "It's okay to cry," she told me.  I have to admit, I almost did.  It wasn't that euphoric feeling people kept telling me about.  It was frustration and disappointment coming together.  I know, I'm crazy.  I just ran a 3:18 in my first marathon.  I should have been looking for a cold beer and celebrating.  That's how I am and I'll never change.  When a woman at the race asked me about my GPS, I showed her some of the functions and immediately noticed that my steps per minutes were about 20 lower than normal.  So I know I was overstriding, which may have played a role in my tight hamstrings and calf muscles.  One more thing I plan to work on. 

Not too tired to smile.

     Today, reading all the congratulatory Facebook posts, I've appreciated what I accomplished much more than I did yesterday.  I couldn't even take a nap before work after the race because my mind would not shut off.  But the best part, is that knowing whether I qualified for Boston or not, I knew I'd get to do it all over again.  I'm officially a marathon runner now. 

As Nervous As Ever

     Man, I cannot believe the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Marathon is only 3 weeks away!  So this week I attempted a 23-mile run and all it did was make me even more nervous about race day.  Just after 17 miles I decided to try to finish strong and ramped up to my goal pace.  I got in just about two miles before a very small muscle on my right hip felt like it was going to explode.  I ended up trodding through a few more miles before stopping.  This soreness, inflammation is really driving me crazy. 

     Maybe I'm just a wimp.  I recently read a NY Times column about the mental toughness of competitive runners and their ability to push through pain.  That really didn't help.   I appreciate all my friends that are marathon veterans telling me not to worry, that adrenaline will carry me through the last 6 miles.  Is that what you noticed the first time you ran one?  Did you share the same fear that I have, that maybe I didn't do enough?

     I'm usually a fairly confident person but I have to admit this it the most nervous I've felt this far ahead of any athletic endeavor I've pursued.  I think I'm really gonna need a short run the day before to shake out any jitters.  Hope to see you at the finish line!

      Keep on runnin'!

Fitness is not a 26.2 mile journey. MUCH Longer.

     Four years ago this month, I ran my first race beyond a 5k.  It was the Twin Cities 10-mile run in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  I remember it was a great cold October morning.  By the time I arrived at the Metrodome for the start, the temperature was just above 40 degrees.  I didn't layer, knowing I'd warm up from running, and wore just shorts and a regular running shirt.  No hat, gloves, sleeves, nothing else except my Polar chest strap and watch.  My goal was an 8:30/mile pace with a secondary goal of finishing under 85 minutes, just a tad faster.  I was way in the back of the pack at the start and still chilly after a very brief warm-up, still a greenhorn to the running world, having only seriously attempting to take up the sport a few months prior.  Throughout the race I kept a constant eye on my heart rate which seemed to hold steady at 180.  But I didn't feel like I was maxing out, so I decided (yes, probably against better judgment) to hold my pace as long as I could.  I ended up crossing the finish line in 1:20:35 (faster if I hadn't taken that ONE restroom break!), euphoric that not only did I shatter both goals but nearly averaged eight minutes a mile, an unheard of pace for me at the time.  

     Fast forward to October 2010, warming up for a track workout on a similarly cool day in San Antonio.  My workout began with a 2-mile warm-up run.  As I jogged around the track, three older women were walking around it together.  One of them yelled as I approached, "You make it look so easy!"

     I replied, "Well it sure isn't!"

As I continued to run, I checked my Garmin for my pace and heart rate.  My pace was 7:40 and my heart rate was just over 150.  I had to smile a little.  Four years ago, that pace may have literally killed me.  Now, it's a warm-up for a planned track workout of six 800-meter runs as close to 3:00 as possible.  

     I know my pace is far from world class, or even city class.  And I haven't run non-stop consistently over the last four years, because I may have been able to get even faster.  But if you told me four years ago that I'd be training for a sub-7 pace in 2010, I may have looked at you with optimistic excitement but thinking you're a bit crazy.  I understand not everybody starts running to see how fast they can go.  A lot of people do it just to get in a little better shape.  But whatever type of runner you are, I hope you take away from this blog entry that you just have to stick with it.  

     

     There really is no quick fix.  No magic pill to get you in better shape without putting in the hard work.  But it is such a gratifying feeling, not only to know that you've stuck with it, but that you know you're reaping the rewards.  Who knows?  I may have reached my peak already.  I don't think I have, so I'm going to continue pushing.  But I'm not going to try to run 5-minute miles tomorrow.  It's a long, slow progression.  One that I've finally learned to appreciate.  

Keep on runnin!

Sweet Redemption

     For the last few weeks I really thought my body was trying to tell me that a marathon was just not in my life plans.  I suffered from fatigue, injury and then illness all over a three week span.  Fatigue turned a 20-miler into a 13 as did illness.  An injury on a cut-back week was a little easier to live with but over the last month I really started to question my ability to pull off the training for a marathon, particularly the 20-mile run.  

     

     I know what you're thinking, why am I trying to run 20 miles more than once?  Well, I have to admit I was originally concerned when I took a closer look at my training plan and saw not one but FOUR 20+ mile runs maxing out to 23.  Having never done more than 14, it seemed a bit of a stretch.  But I'm what you'd call a stubborn SOB at times.  If I have a plan, I want to stick to it.  Training for the marathon has taught me the need to be a lot more flexible when it comes to training.  

     So this past weekend, after getting home late from work on Saturday, I decided not to set an alarm and let my body get the rest it needed.  I woke up a little before 8, feeling good, and ate a small breakfast of oatmeal and a banana.  Around 9:30 I got ready to get head out for my 3rd attempt at the 20-mile run.  Before I left, my lovely wife gave me a hug and said she was giving me all her extra energy to help.  That may have did the trick.  A bigger fear than lack of energy for myself was a depleted Garmin.  Realizing I hadn't charged it overnight gave me the fear that it'd die somewhere along my run, leaving me with no alternative to chart my mileage as I chose to run an improv route, which I though would keep me a bit more interested and less likely to give in to fatigue or pain, since I'd have to run back anyway (yes, I brought my phone as an emergency, but getting tired was not a reason to allow myself to call the wife to bring the cavalry).  

     My run was going great until I reached what I thought was going to be a good halfway point and realized that I was about 5 miles short.  So I did what I planned to do and invented a new route for myself, going in the opposite direction of my house.  When I hit 10 miles I definitely felt like I could go another 10, especially with the gorgeous cool weather that was keeping my heart rate in great shape.  

     I ended up needed about 2.5 miles by the time I got back to my neighborhood and those were easily the toughest miles of my run.  But as I approached my house for that last stretch and saw my Garmin click over from 19.99 to 20.00, a sense of accomplishment as well as relief washed over me.  I know I still have another 6 to go for the real deal.  But finally getting in that long run really renewed my spirit and has me excited again about the next six weeks of training.  I know it's hard not to quit but the alternative is sure worth it.  

     Keep on runnin'!

Training Highs and Lows

     Oh man, training for a marathon has really tested me.  Over the last few days I had a horrible hill workout, fell 11 miles short on my long run, redeemed myself on my next hill workout, only to feel a twinge in my leg that kept me from running for four days, which felt like an eternity to me.  

     How do you handle those days?  For me, I think it's karma because I just had my annual physical and was pretty happy that my resting heart rate was as low as 38 during my ECG.  The first words out of my doctor's mouth when he came into the exam room was, "Are you running a lot?"  I have to admit that it was a HUGE ego boost to see that a lot of my hard work has paid off.  Then, a few days later, I was kicking butt on my hill workout and was cruising through my last cool-down mile when I felt something I haven't felt in a long time.  A strained muscle.  I quickly slowed down and started walking, then changed and went to work.  It didn't really bother me the rest of the day so I didn't think much about it.  But the next day I started to attempt an easy recovery run and got through about 1/2 a mile before I knew something was not right.  

     Rest is really a foreign concept to me.  I don't mean sleep and naps.  I mean days without running.  This last week really put me to the test.  The 1/2 mile experiment was on a Thursday, so I iced my leg, took Friday off and iced it again.  Saturday I tested it again and got about a 1/3 of a mile before I realized this was not going to just go away.  In hindsight, it couldn't have happened on a better week.  This past week of training was a cut-back week with a long run of 13 miles on Sunday (which I missed).  And my training schedule has shifted a bit, with Mondays being my new off-day, so I got an extra day of rest.  Also, I really mean just rest from running.  On Thursday, Friday and Sunday, I still rode the stationary bike or used the elliptical machine to keep my blood pumping.  But that was almost as unpleasant to me as not being able to run.  I'm not much of a cross-trainer.

     The real test came this Tuesday, with five easy miles.  I started out slow, about three minutes slower than my usual pace.  By the last mile, I was running closer to my easy pace and felt fine.  As happy as I was to finish, I was still a little nervous about how I'd feel the rest of the day.  Fortunately, I felt great and the next day I got through a solid tempo run without any pain followed by a easy recovery day on Thursday.  

     Now, I feel like the worst is behind me but I'm still probably going to adjust my plan just a bit.  I am supposed to run 20 miles this Sunday.  But since I missed my 13-miler last week as well as falling 11 miles short on my 18-miler two weeks ago, 18 is the goal and anything over that is gravy.  I can tell you one thing, I'm not setting an alarm.  This time I'll be well-rested.  

8 Miles of Hell

     Wow.  Blogging is a LOT tougher than running.  At least for me.  Sorry for the long delay between posts!

     Alright, SA RnR runners, just about 9 1/2 weeks to go!  How's your training going?!  This week I had an 8-mile hill workout for Tuesday and knew it was going to be an inside affair because of the rain and that fact that my 19-month old doesn't go to daycare.  So I tried to find a good hill workout for the treadmill and found a few from an old Running Times article.  I chose the pyramid workout, maybe because it had the word "fun" in the description.  Yeah, I'm gonna disagree with that.  

     Considering I've NEVER run at higher than a 6% incline on the treadmill, a person with more common sense (or less of a death wish), would have adjusted accordingly.  Not me.  Somehow I think I have an innate desire to learn things the hard way and to suffer as much as possible before the lesson is complete.  My warm-up mile was fine.  The first set was pretty tough and I think I looked away from the clock for about 5 seconds.  Again, I thought I'd be tough and shoot for the 2-minute recovery jogs.  When the second set came along, the life flashbacks began.  By the time I hit 7%, I was appreciating the fact that I have a living will.  

     So, yeah, that didn't last too long.  I stopped and took a break for about 5 minutes and realized that I'd barely covered two miles.  I made some major adjustments to the routine and cranked out the full 8 miles, feeling like much less of a tough runner but pleased that I finished.  

     I guess my advice, once again, is to take it easy when trying something new.  I know I can run eight miles.  But maybe not at 7% or 8% incline.  Maybe one day.  What kind of hill workouts do you do on the treadmill?  

Keep on runnin!

Natural Nail Polish

     I'VE GOT BLACK TOENAILS!!  I know, I get excited about weird things.  And don't worry, I'm not posting pics.  Not all 10 are black, just two on my right foot.  For years I've seen articles pop up every now and then about runners getting black toe nails, having them fall off or some runners who just don't have nails anymore.  I never really thought I'd want to be part of that club but somehow now I feel like I really belong.

     There are many ailments and issues that runners get.  Chafing, bloody nipples (hope it's just us guys), blisters or the occasional bug in the mouth while running are just a few.  But to me, the black toenails have been the Holy Grail.  The true mark of a dedicated runner.  And something that I've never been able to get. So a couple of days ago, after a long run, I looked down after feeling a little pain and there it was:  my first black nail!  

     My wife already gets on me about the appearance of my feet, always telling me that I should get a pedicure since I wear sandals 12 months of the year.  Well now there's not much a pedicurist can do to cover that.  But I don't mind.  I'll walk around proudly and if anyone asks, tell them I got it from running.  And I'll say it with a smile.  

13 is not as good as 14 but it's better than 0.

     So I've talked about how tough it is sometimes to set that alarm early, well, that's the easy part.  The hard part is to avoid hitting the snooze button and lacing up your shoes instead.  But sometimes life can throw more at you than just a bit of sleepiness.  This past weekend some punk kicked in my front door while I was at work and my wife and children were home.  There aren't many more instances that make you feel helpless than that.  Thankfully, I'm married to an amazing Mama Bear who came out of the room, saw the kid and told him the police were on the way as the first beeps of the alarm filled the air.  She then set off the sirens and chased him out the door.  I'd never second-guess her decisions but am very grateful that she was unharmed.  

     She was more shaken than anything and I did my best to console her while trying to fend off thoughts of what I'd do to that kid if I ever caught him.  All for what?  A stupid TV.  One that I watch maybe an hour a week.  Now, I have a wife that's trying to come down from a state of high alert and have to install a new door with more heavy-duty locks as well as install plenty of security lighting.  Staying up late Saturday night calling my insurance and waiting for callbacks that never came knocked out my plans for an early morning 14-mile run.  

     Sunday morning turned into a sleepwalking affair of pricing doors, trying to find a contractor to install and trying to help my wife relax and get her out of the house for a bit of a break.  Then, go to work.  It was then that I made the decision to suck it up and try to keep to my schedule and run 14 miles in a pleasant South Texas evening with obnoxious humidity.  I stopped at least 5 times and was so happy just to get to 13 miles.  I know, I'm a stubborn idiot.  You don't win every round in the game of Life.  A saner person would have chalked it up to a lost day and moved on.  But I like to consider it a small victory that I still got out there.  What do you think?  Am I crazy?

Spitting in the Eye of Sleep

     My alarm clock goes off at 6 (or earlier) on the weekends.  I work weekends but I don't have to be in until well after noon.  But I get up.  Sometimes eagerly, sometimes grudgingly.  I do it to beat the heat, I do it to spend more time with my family and I do it to run.  I subscribe to Runner's World's "Daily Kick in the Butt", a daily quote that's usually inspirational and oftentimes very blunt.  One a few days ago was from Tom Fleming, a 2-time winner of the NYC marathon: 

"If you want to be a better runner, you've got to run more.  It's as simple as that."

Not very inspirational but blunt.  A hard fact for many to swallow.  It reminds me of a more general quote that I'm paraphrasing a bit:

  "If you want something you've never had, you must do something you've never done."

I WANT to run a marathon.  But I don't want to just finish it.  I have a goal time, that's already had to be altered because of an injury that knocked out about 10 days of training.  I logged my first ever 40-mile week last week and intend to get close to 50 or 60 by the time race day comes.  

     So I get up every weekend before the sun. I find the time to get in the extra stretching, foam rolling, weights and core.  If it means I watch a little less TV, drink fewer drinks, or none at all, that's what I will do.  Hell yeah there are days when I wake up and want to go right back to bed.  But as much as that bed calls me, quotes like the two above pull me to the road or treadmill even stronger.  

     What pulls you out of bed every morning?  Maybe your work starts at 6 a.m.  If so, what pulls you off the couch at night?  How or where do you find your motivation?

Keep on runnin'!

What Did I Get Myself Into?!

     People, if you're training for the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Marathon like me, we have 12 weeks to go before the big race!  How is your training coming along?  Learning new things about yourself?  Well, I have to admit, I really have no idea what I got myself into this time.  After finishing up a cut-back week on Sunday with a 10-mile run, I took a much closer look at the rest of my training plan and for the first time in my life, got a bit nervous about my training.  Eventually I'll get to run 20, 22, 22 and 23 miles on my long runs over five weeks.  Oof.


     Two weeks ago, I ran 14 miles, matching the longest run I've ever gone out on.  I knew that I would eventually hit 20+ during my training but I have to admit, looking at all the mileage at once was probably not the smartest thing to do. It's more a matter of the mind being willing and hoping/praying the body is not weak.  I'm doing my best to learn from past mistakes and am really stepping up my strength training as well as stretching and maintenance. 

     What was it like when you first started training for a marathon?  Did you get more supportive replies or more that questioned your sanity?  I'm very impressed with all of you who have run a marathon in the past, regardless of finishing time.  The commitment level, I'm starting to learn first-hand, is truly amazing.  Family support is a must and I hope you all have it too. 

     Good luck and keep on runnin'!

CW-X PerformX Tights Review

I've recently been looking for ways to help aid in my recovery and have run across several ads for CW-X tights.  I finally bit the bullet and decided to try some out.  I'm not against running in tights but wanted them more for post-run recovery, so I settled on the CW-X PerformX tights.  I paid $70 for them at Zappos, where I've also purchased Saucony Fastwitch 4s, which I'll review soon as well.  

So I received my pair of tights on a Friday afternoon and opened them up when I got home.

Tried to put something to reference the pre-wear size

Fit: 

     I'm 5'9" and weigh about 156 so according to the size chart, I was in the gray area between a small and medium, so I went with a small, figuring snug is better than loose.  Of course, I reconsidered after trying them on (as well as wondered WHY women ever want to put on panty hose).  They suggest to get them fitted around your knees first, which took minimal effort once I got my size-12 feet through the ankle holes.  And snug they were, but that's the point.  The compression should increase blood flow to aid recovery.  

Snug as a bug.  

Construction:
  
     I'm not sure, but I think the seams alone could stop bullets.  Each leg is made up of just a few pieces of fabric that sort of swirl around your leg.  The seams are incredibly solid and I would be surprised if they ever give.  The waistband is double-reinforced and has a flat string which does help in the comfort department.  They're also constructed gender-specific so make sure you fill out your order correctly or you could get some chafing where you'd rather not have it.

Performance:

     I don't plan to wear them to bed every night, mainly after speed/tempo days or my long runs.  The first night I wore them was on an off day but I still felt like giving them a try to make sure I wasn't uncomfortable wearing them through the night.  I never felt any discomfort, except for the extra bathroom trips, which I wasn't sure if they were due to the compression or the extra coffee I drank a little too late.  But in the morning, getting up for a pre-dawn 5-miler, my legs felt refreshed and I didn't feel any soreness or fatigue in them during my run.

     The second time I tried them was after a 14-mile run.  I wore them for about 4 hours afterwards and my legs did not feel like they had just hit the ground about 20,000 times earlier in the day.  Over the next week, I alternated wearing them or not, after runs similar in length.  I did wake up feeling a bit more fatigue on the days I didn't wear them.

Conclusion:


     After wearing them after both long and short runs, and not wearing them after some runs, I have to say that these tights do the job.  I only wore them overnight once.  The other times I ended up taking them off after about 4 hours each time.  Because of where I live (south Texas), I'm not sure if I'd ever get a pair to actually run in outside, although if I do, I'll update you guys on how those perform.

The PerformX style is only available in one style, black and dark grey.  CW-X has several different styles and the site allows you to narrow down which ones might work best for you depending on your activity, areas of concern, as well as insulated styles and pants, 3/4 and shorts.

Keep on runnin'!

Running into Reality

After watching "Inception" (don't worry, no spoilers!), I thought about finding my own totem.  Sometimes my life seems surreal.  Sometimes I wish it was, especially during some of my runs.  Like my latest attempt at a tempo run (a run where after a brief warm-up, you attempt to run x miles at x pace).  I've set my bar WAY too high.  A week after coming to terms with the fact that I pay more attention to our vehicle maintenance, another realization has hit me much sooner than it ever has during my sometimes over zealous training: I'm not ready for the speeds I want to run. 

Two months ago I broke 20 minutes for the first time in a 5K, a barrier I've seriously pursued for a while.  But in the weeks that followed, I went on vacation and paid little attention to my running mileage.  Well, I keep a log but kept telling myself that I needed the rest.  So I ran fewer times than I ate pancakes for the next month.  Then I jumped in head-first and ended up with a strained hip flexor and paying a doctor to cause me serious pain to recover. 

Now, the leg feels fine.  Somehow I took that to mean my fitness couldn't have possibly suffered.  So as I went on my first tempo run in well over 6 weeks, I expected to kick some serious butt.  The warm-up mile was fine.  The first mile, I was able to keep my pace up for nearly the entire mile before my heart and every other internal organ started to conspire to jump out of my body, wanting no part of this runaway train (OK, I'm not that fast, but don't crush ALL my dreams).  As a subscriber to Runner's World's many emails, I get daily running quotes.  Many of them have focused on running within yourself.  Do you suffer from this too?  I set many goals when I run, admittedly, some of them are not within reach.  At least not now.  

Maybe (and I say that very pessimistically) some of my stubbornness is fading away and I'm doing a little bit of growing up.  But at least I'm not growing old. 

Ready... Set... Go!

     Alright people, with a little help from my friend Nicole, I'm breaking away from the blog format from work and going out on my own.  I'm doing this for a few reasons.  For one, this format will allow me to have better control over the updates (which I intend to do at LEAST twice a week) as well as the links, photos, etc.  Second, I try a lot of running products and every now and then, I will offer my two cents and don't want there to appear to be any type of conflict of interests.  So until further notice, this blog is mine alone, independent of my job as a news reporter/anchor at KSAT-12.  

     This blog will focus on running, my own training, and life lessons learned along the way.  Again, I'll also blog about some new products I've been trying or will try to give you guys the best information I can.  I hope you enjoy reading them and spread the word and keep in touch!

Charles