Marathon Doping

I'm not plugged into the running news like Don is with cycling, but I read this today and thought it would be good to share.

The Confessions of Eddy Hellebuyck

It's a very well-written editorial; I'm so used to Runners' World publishing new diet and training fads.  I was pretty sad when The Penguin left Runners' World and it felt like the quality of writing there declined dramatically.  So this piece was very refreshing to me.

One Year Later

Just a year ago I ran my first marathon, not knowing what it was going to be like after mile 20 or how hard or painful it would be to just keep going, one step in front of the other.  There are some official race photos where it's obvious I'm walking and in pain.  Quads and feet aren't supposed to burn like that.  I remember around mile 18 my feet swelled up in my shoes and I honestly didn't know if I was going to physically be able to keep going.  By mile 20 my feet weren't bothering me anymore, but it was certainly a scare for me.  I had made the cosmic bet that I was going to finish that day, and I had gone all-in with everything I had.

 I accomplished my goal, which I admit at this point seems fuzzy and perhaps contradictory.  To be honest when I crossed that finish line I was just happy to not be pushing myself forward anymore.  I didn't feel changed, or like I had restored whatever honor or face I thought I'd lost.  It was anti-climactic and somewhat disappointing.  I remember my friends had opened a bottle of champagne with dinner that night and all I really wanted to do was lie down and hope my legs would stop hurting.  The realization I might have actually accomplished something came months later, when I was thinking about going out for a run and thinking, "Damn!  26 miles is far!"  It came when I would tell people I was training for a half or another full, and they would give me those funny looks that said "You're crazy!"

Where do you go from there?  When you've spent so much energy consumed by one goal, what happens after?  I guess in my case I go out and do it again.  I really enjoy running half marathons, and I feel I'm a strong-enough runner where I can start to strategize my approach to running half marathons pretty well.  Full marathons are another story.  I still feel I'm just surviving that distance.

I'm stronger and faster today than I was a year ago.  I'd like to think I'm healthier mentally and emotionally as well.  I probably still push myself much too hard in races and not hard enough in training, but it's something I can work on.

I'm running marathon #2 this weekend - MCM again - it's a nice course and the logistics/support are most excellent.  Plus my dad can get off my case about the colors they use on the ribbon (I'm pretty sure it's going to be scarlet and gold this year - 35 years of MCM!).  I bought a bike recently and I'm going to incorporate some triathlons into my racing season next year.

I haven't peaked yet - I'm not sure I'll run MCM next year, as it's an expensive trip for me, but I'm certainly going to keep running!

Race Report - Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon

Apparently this means I'm a 27-year-old Civilian.  Military types got a "M" on their right leg.  I've never been involved in a race where they mark your legs up, so this was new to me.

The Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon at Camp Pendleton was certainly more difficult for me than San Francisco.  It was hot, the dirt-packed trail was uneven and hilly, and my foot decided to act up on me too.  But finishing this race was certainly one of the most satisfying things I've done.

I really like being on Marine bases.  I don't know why.  It's just a nostalgic thing; I know what to expect from the experience and everyone is just there to have a good time.

There was a woman Marine who was carrying the flag that day; she was dressed in all black and on the flag were all the names of the people who died on 9/11.  I'm not particularly sentimental about 9/11, but I thought what she did was pretty cool and she's much tougher than me.  We passed each other up until just after the half-way mark, and then when we passed her up for the last time we chatted a bit.  We remarked on the super-fast man who practically finished just as we were passing the 3-mile mark, and the uneven terrain.  We were just past 9 miles when she said that they're going to send the snipers out in a couple miles.  "Let's hope they miss!"  I said.

I don't know if I'll do this race again; the shirts were pretty cool (although the fabric isn't the best technical t-shirt fabric) and it was really a nice experience to be on a base again and be around all that military spirit, but this was truly an energy-sapping race.  On the other hand, it was really cheap ($40) and it was very, very satisfying to finish.

I ran this with a friend who runs triathlons.  He is a much stronger runner than I am, even though he's been on the "cookie eating training plan".  He gave me a bunch of tips on motivation and breathing, and I was able to give him tips on running hills.  Even though he was stronger, I have a slightly better technique for charging up and down hills than he does.  So that was nice that we could share knowledge like that with each other.  Even though I kept pestering him to run on ahead of me, he insisted we stay together and cross the finish line together.  It was really nice of him and his encouragement certainly helped me finish faster than I otherwise would have.

Olivia

I met a delightful little girl at the podiatrist's today.

I was sitting in the waiting room reading a magazine when she approached me with a cup of water she drew from the water cooler.  "Here you go!" she said.  She drew a cup of water for herself and sat down next to me.

"Thank you!  That's very thoughtful of you!  What's your name?"

"Olivia.  What's yours?"

"Diane."

"Diane?  Do you have a little girl?"  Holy shit.  The questions little girls ask.

"No, I don't have any daughters or sons."

"Do you have a husband?"

"No, I don't have a husband either!"

Olivia's mom came in and started putting Olivia's shoes on.  "Mommy, this is Diane, and she doesn't have any little girls and no husband either!"  Apparently Olivia found my lacking of daughters and husbands noteworthy.

Where was I?  Oh yeah.  Podiatrist's office.  If you ever want a podiatrist in South Bay Los Angeles, I got you one.  This guy is awesome.  Dr. Thompson on Skypark in Torrance, but he also has an office on Sepulveda in Manhattan.  Best doctor I've met in South Bay so far.

Anyway, I'm cleared to race on Sunday.  Yay!  And both my podiatrist and my physical therapist think I need as little support as possible - neutral shoes all the way for me.

I'm going to drive up to San Francisco tomorrow, and it's going to be excellent.  Tomorrow also happens to be 100 days to MCM as well.  The countdown is on!

So Sunday.  A year ago I ran the same race, and it was quite possibly the most awesome running experience of my life.  Yes, it trumps my beloved first marathon.  When I finished the race I had the most magnificent runner's high.  I was certainly not the fastest half-marathoner that day, but to me, I had just conquered the known Universe.  And I really wanted to f*** someone.  (Hey, conquerors claim prizes all the time, right?)

On top of all of that, I also PR'd that day (PR stands for Personal Record).  I think my time was something like 2:37.  It is easily the toughest half-marathon course I've run, but I had my best time to date.

I'm going to take that bridge by storm this year.  Bring it, hills of San Francisco!  And I'm going to break 2:30. . . . or else I'll just go back next year and do better.

Speed Bump

OK, I'm officially not ever shopping at your store again, Road Runner Sports!  You might have screwed my 2010 racing season up for good!

I went in last weekend to get a new pair of shoes.  Mine were starting to get a bit fatigued and I thought it would be nice to have a new pair for my race next weekend.  They were Mizuno Wave Rider 12s, a neutral shoe.  I never had any problems with them and enjoyed running in them.

At Road Runner Sports, one of the things I liked (read that, liked!  I'm not liking you guys anymore!) about their store is that they have some pressure sensitive mats and a video camera on a treadmill that can analyze how you step, how high your arch is, etc.

Well, my left foot overpronates a bit.  Nothing to be worried about, and while I do have nagging pains every once in a while on my left side, it's nothing I freak out about.  I just make sure I stretch and chalk it up to my body's unique idiosyncrasy.

The girl at RRS practically snapped at me, "Who said it was OK for you to run in neutrals!  You should be in stability shoes!".

For the record, no, no I do not need to be in stability shoes.  Give me my neutral Mizunos and leave my overpronating left foot alone.

So last night, I get the great idea to test out the new shoes (also Mizunos, but stability ones, with a stiffer sole) during my speed workout.  My feet hurt a bit after the run, but I chalked it up to just breaking-in pains.  By 9:00 PM, my left foot had a swollen lump on it (near the back of the arch) and was very painful.  I iced it, and tried to go to sleep.

12:30 AM - I decided to go to the hospital, since the darn foot woke me up and I couldn't put a lot of weight on it.

4:30 AM - The doctor decides to "aspirate" the hematoma (bruise), but we get nothing.  Great.  I've been poked thrice (once for the numbing agent, two tries for the "aspiration") for nothing.  The doctor did say she could inject some liquid Motrin, but I decline.  They send me home with crutches.  I'm slightly grateful for the crutches, because I'm not sure how I could have gotten to my car otherwise.

7:20 AM - I arrive at work after a short nap, sans crutches.  For whatever reason my foot doesn't mind walking around so much.

All of this wouldn't be so stressful if I didn't have San Francisco's half next weekend.  They don't defer registration, and I think even if I could get it deferred it's past the deadline (July 11th).  Brilliant.

I'm totally going to return those shoes and never shop there again.  If they're willing to exchange me some Wave Rider 13s (supposed to be very similar to the 12s) I'll concede them that, but no more shopping there for me.  It's gonna be Village Runner or A Snail's Pace all the way.

Since I'm doing so well today I'm hoping I can just take it easy this week and next and be OK for the half marathon.  I hope.  Man it would suck having to tell my parents they can't watch me race because some blond bimbo at the store tried to tell me what would "work better" for my feet than what was already working fine.  I should make her pay for the hotel and registration fee.

Race Report - Redondo Beach 4th of July 5K

Well today surely could have gone better.  I can't imagine it going worse!

It was kind of the perfect storm of crappy circumstances.  I had wanted to PR for this 5K but I knew I had slim chances, given I did a long (7.5 mile) run yesterday that I consider a resounding success.  In the grand scheme of things I feel the long run was a lot more important to feel good about than the 5K.

Showing up at the race at 7:00 AM wasn't early enough this year; the awesome parking spot I had last year had already been taken, so I had to park about a block and a half further away.  Not bad, but there aren't many free parking spots in that part of town.  I can't imagine how ridiculous it will be next year, having to show up 90 minutes before the race.

I do really love how much support this 5K gets every year.  It's also fantastic to see all the parents out with their kids and dog people out with their dogs.  I saw a pair of Dalmatians who were just raring to go, as well as a woman with both a Dachshund and a very grumpy German Shepherd.  Lots of happy Labrador Retrievers as well.

The weather was great for running; not sure what the actual temperature ended up being, but it was overcast and relatively cool.

From this day forward I will not deviate from my proven breakfast strategy of Clif bar and banana chased with water and sometimes coffee.  Oh man.  I thought I'd be fine with cereal and strawberries since that was what I had yesterday morning, but no.  My race day stomach would not have anything of it.

TMI warning, but this was my first race where I had to deal with day 1 of a "monthly" visitor.  Totally not fun.  I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

My legs were still pretty tired from last night's run, and about halfway through my calves and ankles were screaming, "What fresh hell is this, woman?  What is WRONG with you?"  I did have to stop and walk a few times, but I think overall I'm a much stronger runner now, even compared with last year.

I was able to have an all-right kick at the end, and I definitely pushed myself pretty hard that last mile; hopefully the photos come out with me looking like a winner and not desperate or goofy-looking.  I want some awesome "I am woman, hear me roar!" finish photos some day.  My time? 33:44 (10:53 min miles).  Not bad considering the situation.  Maybe I'll sign up for a Turkey Trot this fall and try to PR then.  I definitely think I'm capable of a sub-30:00 5k under better personal conditions.

Marine Corps Marathon 2009 - Race Report

Yay! I finished my very first marathon! (05:31:18)

To tell you the truth, I had no idea how big a deal it seemed to be to other people for me to finish. I went out to D.C. because I had a very personal goal and it was very surprising to me that so many friends and colleagues were interested in supporting me and cheering me on. So thanks friends! :)

The Marines run such a fantastic and organized race, and it's very evident why it's so popular. I think it took less than 5 minutes to pick up my race packet. For such a huge race, that was incredible to me. When I ran Long Beach last year it took 20 minutes easily, and I've had to wait in packet pick-up lines for many 5Ks as well. So to basically show up and have the Marines there almost immediately produce my bib, race packet goodie bag, and shirt was incredibly impressive.

Very funny side story: As my friend who I was staying with and I were approaching the queue for bib pick-up, I realized I had forgotten what size shirt I stated on my registration that I should get. It wasn't listed on my e-Confirmation either. My friend said, "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure they'll have some young strapping Marine size you up and say, 'oh, I think you're a size C!'"

I go pick up my bib and head over to the table to get my goodie bag and shirt. The Lance Corporal handing out shirts asked me what size I needed and I said, "You know, honestly I don't know!" He blatantly looked me over and said, "It's just me, but I think a size small would fit you best" and laid out a shirt for me to compare myself to. Just wow. He totally lined himself up for volunteering for this job, and he is having an awesome day. :)

The weather on Race Day was absolutely perfect. It started off pretty chilly in the morning but it turned into such a gorgeous day. It was nice to be running the start of the race in the neighborhoods around Georgetown and see the trees whose leaves had started to turn.

Watching the 2 Osprey V-22s fly by overhead in both helicopter and airplane mode before the race was pretty awesome to witness. It was also nice feeling followed by the black Army helicopter throughout the race.

A big "Ooh Rah" to the Marine Captain who ran the marathon in full cammies and boots, carrying his unit's guidon. I saw him around mile 2, and thought if I kept up with him there was definitely no way he would be put onto the stragglers bus if we didn't beat the bridge. At this point in the race I was very worried I wouldn't be able to keep up my pace. I did eventually pass this Marine around mile 4 and I hope he made it OK.

The amount of support this race has is absolutely astonishing. Not only do you have Marines along the course cheering you on you also have A LOT of spectators. The sidewalks are literally lined with spectators and at times it feels there isn't enough room to get past them.

I did see the White House when I was running around the Mall. I'm not familiar enough with Washington geography to really know any of the museums or memorials I saw, and my eyes were more focused on the road than they were on the monuments.

Beating the bridge at mile 20 was a great feeling. It was something I was worried about and to know I had made it was such a relief. There was a runner who caught up with me around mile 18 and said that he must have seen me 100 times that day; he commented that our strategies were different but we had the exact same pace. I was run-walking and he was running the whole thing. He said he might try my strategy some other time. I'm pretty sure he passed me for good by the end of the race though; I was pretty worn out by the end.

Those last six miles were absolutely brutal. After beating the bridge, my feet swelled up around mile 22 and made it very painful to run (on top of my legs feeling very tired). I walked most of the last six miles. The leg of the race down into Crystal City was also fairly demoralizing, despite the spectators. The course is such that you run down one side of the street and come back up the other, but there's no real clue as to *how far* you need to go.

I was lucky to not really hit the wall. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been to just finish if that had happened to me. So I'm glad that I was careful in pacing out my calorie intake during the race. Those oranges they had at mile 9 were soooo yummy and satisfying! I wouldn't have minded taking a Gu from all the Marines calling out that they had Mocha flavored Gu, but I've *tried* Mocha flavored Gu and it's truly nasty. So I skipped that. The sport jelly beans were a god send as I had run out of my own fuel by that point and I was starting to get ravenous.

I only had the urge to sit down once. But I knew if I did I wouldn't finish.

It's a cruel joke to tell people "they're almost there" when they have 5 more miles to go. I thought the Grim Reaper hanging out around mile 24 with the sign "The End is Near" was hilarious.

The last two miles, but most especially the last mile are really tough. The course runs you through the starting area, which looks to be a bit of a ghost town by the time I made it there. Then the course winds down a ramp before finishing at the top of a really steep hill. I tried running up the hill but had to walk part of it.

The post-race organization was also very impressive. Lines of congratulations from all the Marines is truly humbling. There's a line of Marines who are handing out space blankets; the Marine who gave me mine made me turn around and wrapped the space blanket around me. You get herded into chutes where 2nd Lts give you your finisher's medal; the Lieutenant who gave me mine must have seen how I was hurting and pointed out where I could get my finisher's photo at the Iwo Jima War Memorial, Powerade, and food packet. Immediately after getting your medal there are photographers taking candid finisher photos. I headed over to get Powerade before I got my photo taken; the Gunny who gave me a bottle of Powerade looked at me with kind blue eyes and said, "There you go dear." After getting used to being called "ma'am" by Marines all day, it was kind of nice to see this guy who was old enough to be my uncle or dad say something compassionate.

I thanked each and every Marine who helped me out that day, and they all said "You're welcome" back to me. I sort of feel like there's a Hemingway/Donne-esque "No Man is an Island" thing going on. It's very humbling.

Actually finishing the race was anti-climatic for me. Even now I have mixed feelings about it. I don't feel triumphant, I don't feel instantly more special or more unique than I did the day before. I don't even feel like I've accomplished anything extraordinary and I'm not even sure I gained what I set out to gain by doing this. I'm surprised at how many people have commented on how big of an accomplishment it was for me. I honestly wasn't looking for recognition from my friends and loved ones, so to be getting so much of it was a real surprise. It was such a relief just to trot across the finish line. I started weeping and kept thinking to myself, "I did it! I did it!" When I called my parents my dad asked me what was wrong because he could hear me crying over the phone.

I recommend skipping the shuttle buses and just taking the Rosslyn metro back to wherever you started from. I waited about an hour for a shuttle before I decided my bladder couldn't wait any more and I dropped out of the line to use a port-o-potty. Then I tried the metro line which went *much* faster.

At any rate, I want to run it next year. It's on Halloween, so I guess I'll be chasing more than my own personal ghosts. I'm pretty sure I can beat my time.

Last- Minute Marathon Tips

Because this is so neat. . .
The guy is a coach in NYC (Toby Tanser).

Last Minute Marathon Tips: shot with Nikon D90 from Mike Kobal on Vimeo.

Why I Run

I'm running my first marathon in a few short days. I'm undertrained, but I know I can at least walk the distance. I will probably be able to run at least half the distance, and I don't expect my time to be less than 5 hours. I've never claimed to be a fast runner.

I've been a bundle of nervous energy, excitement, and anxiousness. I don't doubt that these feelings will only intensify in the time between now and the start time.

Running this marathon has been a goal of mine for such a long time. Whenever people ask me why, and I try to explain it to them, some of them get it, and others don't. I had several people chew me out that I *shouldn't* have this as a goal, and that my purpose for doing it was silly and unnecessary.

A few years ago, I was a Marine Officer Candidate for a few short days. But what a glorious few days that was for me. It was my dream to become a Marine Intelligence Officer, a dream I fostered and held dearly for 15 months. 8 weeks before I was to ship out, I rolled my ankle during an OCS prep weekend. 4 weeks later, I contracted a cold that turned into a sinus infection. I was not physically ready to go the day I shipped out. I failed the initial physical fitness test (PFT) on the run and my dream ended before it even had a chance to get started. A star winked out for me that day.

Could I have tried to apply to OCS again? Sure, but I would have needed a perfect score on the PFT, something I knew I could not obtain on my own.

I had never failed anything I had wanted like that in my entire life. I was personally devastated.

Life has since taken me on a different path, one that most would argue has been for the better. But I still felt that some lost part of me lay discarded somewhere in Virginia. An idea was born.

What better way to regain face than to run the Marine Corps Marathon? Since I had fallen out on the run, which was a measly 3 miles, what better way to tell the Marines that they had made a mistake if I could go back and traverse 26.2 miles on their turf, not far from where I fell out of the PFT?

I'm no longer bitter or disappointed with the way things turned out, although I do think of it from time to time and wonder how my life might have turned out. And my experience with the Marine Corps has changed my life for the better. Through the Marine Corps I was introduced to running. Were it not for the lessons I learned while running and for having running as a hobby I would not have had the resilience to bounce back as well as I did earlier this year. I am much healthier today than I was then. So I have the Corps to thank for that.

Is it a silly goal? Perhaps. But it is my goal and if I drop out of it now, what does that say about me?

It Goes To Eleven

For the past few weeks my stress levels were running around seven or eight. Stressful, but manageable. I was successfully juggling work, school (and school-related stuff), running, and my other two exercise hobbies as well as my social/love life. I was tired at the end of the day, but in command of my domain.

This week, I find out my stress level can go to eleven. Damn. All of a sudden, I was desperate to keep all of those balls in the air. If I let any of my exercise plans slip, stress doesn't get relieved and I become a lot more unpleasant to deal with, not to mention seriously unhappy. If I let school slip, I don't get the education that I crave. If I let work slip, well, school doesn't get paid for and neither does my car or apartment. You get the picture.

Tonight while I was running, I remembered how hard it was for me to get to the point where a 5K was something I didn't need to train for to do well in. I didn't have the mental endurance to push myself further. I limited myself with my physical, emotional, and mental pain. I spent several years at that level, not knowing how to break out of the glass ceiling I'd made for myself.

For me, it took a lot of courage to gain the level of self-trust needed to regularly go beyond three miles. Some days I still struggle to run five miles, but I consider that distance now my regular training distance. It's been only very recently that I've been able to consider ten miles an easily-obtainable long run.

This is a matter of perspective. A year ago, ten miles might as well have been one hundred. I was very demoralized that I might never reach my goal of running the marathon. How could I run twenty-six-point-two miles when I had such a hard time running three-point-one? Today, I feel my goal is within my grasp and I know that I have the training and the mental strength to reach out and grab it.

Just where am I going with this? Well, this thing that has caused so much stress in my life will not be the toughest thing I have to face in life. It was unexpected and possibly life-altering. To top it all off, there is absolutely nothing I can do to change it. Facing this thing head-on will be practice for when I have really difficult stressful events to deal with. Learning to relax, to breathe, to maintain inertia and forward motion, these are the skills I'm going to obtain from this difficult experience.

Because my mental toughness goes to eleven too.

Sign Spinning Mile Markers

The Marine Corps Marathon folks have just announced they are having sign spinners for 9 of the mile markers along the course. This will be the first race in the United States to have sign spinners for mile markers.

San Francisco Half Marathon 2009 Race Report

I know this is a little late, but I was waiting for official photos. I'm getting super skinny (I've dropped a few pounds since this race as well) and my parents have been bugging me for running photos. . . so I might as well get ones where I'm looking damn good if I'm going to pay through the nose for them. . . .

Wow. This was an awesome experience. I'd never run a race out-of-driving-distance from my home before, and I was pretty ambitious in my goal setting (2:30:00 was my goal time). This was the most challenging half marathon I've ever run, yet the most satisfying and the one with the best recovery. I was energized when I finished the race, and wasn't even sore or tired. I was a bit stiff afterwards, but the next day I went to yoga and was just fine. I also PR'd (personal record) on this race: 2:37:07. So I was very satisfied with my performance.

I drove up a couple days before the race, and my good friend Krista ran it with me. We split up a mile or so into it because my leg was nagging me (it tends to do that the first few miles, and then after I'm warmed up it's fine and I really start to pick up the pace).

It was really cold that morning and if I had known better I would have brought warmer clothes overall. The race also started earlier than the other two half marathons I've run. By the time we were shuttled back to downtown it had turned into a nice day.

As far as races go, it was very well organized and well run. The recovery goodies were great and I really liked the Cytomax energy drink they used. The flavor is light and not too sweet.

I distinctly remember either missing some of the mile markers or they just weren't there. . . .however, there were witty sayings put up along parts of the route, which provided lots of amusement to the crowd of runners (Such as Confucious' saying "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step").

The best part of the race was going over the Golden Gate Bridge. Man, what a beautiful memory. The bridge was wreathed in fog, and three lanes had been closed off for us (two for running, the other to provide a buffer between us and traffic). Sometimes cars would honk at us in support, which was nice. But mostly the only sound you could hear was the sound of cars whizzing past and runners' shuffling feet.

After getting over the bridge and back, the race dropped us down to Golden Gate Park. I knew there were hills in San Francisco, but the big hills were nothing compared to the little rolling hills. Talk about demoralizing. I ended up having to walk part of this section just because I was so sad about getting so close to the finish and having to run up and down these little rollers. Also the mile markers were getting spotty in the park and I would see a lot of finishers walking around, so for the last mile I was wondering where the hell the finish line was. Not necessarily a problem with the race, but it was frustrating to round yet another turn and see nothing.

The line to get my California Dreamin' Medal and Jacket was pretty long - I waited over an hour. I saw my friend Krista finish a few minutes after me (I had passed her after the bridge, and she opted to walk up the big hill after the bridge. I was still feeling strong enough to keep going) and we ended up meeting back at the hotel.

The line to the shuttles was pretty long too; another 45 minute wait. A few runners and myself were amused at one runner who was taking a smoking break in the park. Wow. Just wow.

Overall I had a great experience and definitely recommend this race. You see a great deal of San Francisco and there's nothing quite like the achievement of running over the Golden Gate Bridge twice in one day to make you feel like you've accomplished something rare and fantastic.

Race Report - Village Runner 4th of July 5K

This is the second year I ran Village Runner's 4th of July 5K, and I had a blast this year!

I arrived super early (6:30 AM) to get a parking spot. Last year I think I arrived around 7:00 or 7:30 and had to drive a mile or so away for parking. Not bad, but not ideal either.

The pre-race festivities didn't seem as big as last year's, but that's OK.

I had a lot of trouble breaking away from the pack. I decided I was going to try my best and see if I could break my PR that I set in April (33:30). When I started off races walking, I tried to get into the back of the pack! Why were all these walkers starting up front? Arg!

The sole hill is a mean one. It tricks you into thinking that you're doing good, but you're only halfway up.

I hope I ran consistent or negative splits this time, so yay for me! My first mile was something like 12 or so minutes, and my time at the 2nd mile was 22-something. The guy before the finish line yelled 32:40 before I ran past him, and I just pushed it because I really wanted to beat my time. Because it took me a couple minutes to get across the line, I think I got a 31:00 or 32:00. If I got a 30-something that would just be pure icing for me.

They always have great post-race recovery treats at this race. I grabbed an apple and a banana with peanut butter. Yummy breakfast!

I hope next year they start doing corrals, because it's just frustrating trying to move past all the walkers at the beginning.

Update: My time was 31:25.

Seal Beach 5K 2009 Race Report

I did really well this year! 33:29 - A PR for me!

I accidentally stayed up much later than I wanted to the night before, and thought "oh well, I'll just take this easy and not worry about it".

Every year some guys associated with the Orange County Sheriff's department run this 5K in formation, with someone calling out cadences. This year I decided to run behind them for several reasons: I know their pace will be consistent (even though I wouldn't be able to keep up), they call out cadences which make running easier, and they leave a big wake behind them so you have plenty of room to run without people getting in your way.

I was able to keep up with them through the first mile, and then started trailing during the second. By the time I got to the water station I stopped for water and pretty much lost them completely.

When I passed the mile 2 marker there was a volunteer calling out times, and I was shocked when I thought about what my possible time could be if I pushed myself. I always have a lot of self-doubt and it's hard for me to push through the end of races, and the thought of getting a PR when I hadn't trained and didn't get a lot of sleep was really motivating.

At the last K marker I thought I might have a chance at besting my PR I made at this race last year (35:33), but I had no idea I'd shave two whole minutes off. I guess I underestimated how long it took me to cross the starting line!

The crowd support at this race was awesome like it is every year. There are a lot of volunteers and they had lots of post-race orange slices and bananas for runners.

I really recommend this race for beginners. There is ample parking off of Marina and the course is relatively flat and easy. The crowd support is great too!

Marine Corps Marathon 2009 Registration Starts Today!

My registration is confirmed. Is yours?

Long Beach Half Marathon Race Report

I ran in the Long Beach Half Marathon yesterday. It was my first half-marathon. I hurt my leg training and decided to walk it, finishing in 3:03:31 (chip time, my gun time was 3:06:15). Now I have a time to beat!

I read about the problems with traffic at this event before (it's a bike tour, plus a marathon, half-marathon, a 5K, and a kids' 1K all rolled into one) and decided that I would avoid the traffic problems (as well as the $10 parking fee) by parking at a Metro line park-and-ride station (Wardlow Station on the Blue Line) and ride down to 1st Street, which was only a few blocks from the starting line.

My sweetheart was able to make it out that day to cheerlead for me and I texted him my splits when I passed each mile marker:

Mile 1 - 7:51 AM
Mile 2 - 8:07 AM (16 minutes)
Mile 3 - 8:21 AM (14 minutes)
Mile 4 - 8:36 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 5 - 8:51 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 6 - 9:06 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 7 - 9:19 AM (13 minutes)
Mile 8 - 9:33 AM (14 minutes)
Mile 9 - 9:47 AM (14 minutes)
Mile 10 - 10:02 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 11 - 10:16 AM (13 minutes)
Mile 12 - 10:29 AM (13 minutes)

My shins were bugging me from the start until about mile 5. I thought for sure I wasn't going to be able to have a good time then. Around mile 10 I was feeling great and felt that I could run the last mile. I did run part of the last mile, but by then my legs were so tired I couldn't run the whole thing. Or maybe I was running too fast. My sweetheart said I did the last part (from Mile 12 to the finish) in around 9 minutes. If that's the case I must have been running really fast, because even when I train I run around 12-minute miles. I know I really pushed it after we turned off of Ocean Ave. at the end. The finish was downhill and pretty easy. :)

I saw some characters on the way. There was one guy around mile 2 or 3 who was running the half marathon barefoot. There was an old man who was running way faster than me around mile 3, but I passed him at mile 12. There was another guy, a Filipino who was on one of the organized teams, who I met around mile 2. I passed him around mile 11 or mile 12 as well. There was one guy at mile 11 who was running slower than I was walking. He told me, "oh, you're doing really good!" I told him back, "No, *you're* doing really good!"

There was a guy (I'm not sure if he was a volunteer or a spectator) at Mile 11 who said that it was all downhill here from here, and that it wasn't the first time a guy lied to you (Mile 11 was the last or second-to-last minor incline). I told him that it wouldn't be the last, and he got a real kick out of that.

The course took us near the starting line just after Mile 6 and my sweetheart was there to cheer me on. He asked me if I was having fun and at that point, I really was! I definitely think his presence at the race helped me out a lot. I knew they had music and "stuff" going on at the finish line but I didn't want him to get bored waiting around for me.

They put our names (or a 'nickname') on our bibs, so people could cheer you on by name. At the water/powerade station at Mile 12 the volunteers saw me texting and shouted out to me. Hey, we live in a modern world. :)

It was a beautiful day too. During the middle miles along the beach it was dead quiet. All you could hear were the waves and the breeze. People were listening to their iPods and not talking. That was kind of weird, to see so many people in a group moving along and not talking.

Pain in the Butt

My leg started bothering me a couple weeks ago so I took a week off from running. Now I'm seriously behind in my training regimen and I think I'm going to have to walk the Long Beach Half Marathon.

I was putting some serious thought into it this morning and after some googling online I think I found what ails me: Piriformis Syndrome. The back of my leg doesn't bother me, it's the outside of the lower leg where the calf muscle "ends". Basically, it feels tight and when I start to run it starts to feel really tight and stiff. I get foot drop and then have to walk.

But last night I noticed that there's a spot on my butt on that side that's sore. Hopefully if I do a lot of stretching and sitting on a tennis ball I'll be able to run at least part of the Half Marathon.

I've decided to forget about trying to fight traffic to park for the event, and will be taking the Metro. I'll save money, hassle, and probably time as well.

The Perfect Run

I had a perfect run today.

Nothing hurt or bothered me. I didn't have any moments I had to mentally struggle past. I felt comfortable the entire run . . . . plus I ran for five extra minutes than my normal workout. I should have run for five minutes more.

It was a perfect run.

I stretched afterward, and nothing was especially sore or tender. I could stretch and feel like it was a good stretch. I didn't feel tired afterward or that I shouldn't have gone to the gym.

I had a perfect run today.

Seal Beach 5K Update

Well, now I'm kind of sad. My official chip time was 35:33. So I was better than March of last year but now I'm worse than a few months ago.

I guess I haven't lost all that much though. I could probably gain it back pretty easily.

Fourth of July 5K

My official time was 37:25. That's really good for me.

I ran with a friend from work and his daughter. If I didn't run with them I think my time would have been a lot slower.

They were handing out bananas and bagels and plums after the race. At the bagel station was a jar of peanut butter and Nutella. I'd never had Nutella before so I tried it on the banana. Wow was that good. Now I'm going to have to track down a jar of Nutella for myself!

I'm really sore today. I wanted to go up and do yoga with my yoga buddy but he's going to a bbq tonight. So we're going to go tomorrow.