Woodland Wallahatchie 10K Review

Today's race was part training pace run and part redemption. Last year I ran the Wallahatchie 10K in a disappointing 53:09, and there was no way that was happening again. On the schedule today was a 7-mile run at a marathon pace of 7:30/mi., so I knew it wouldn't be a repeat.

Photo courtesy of West Marcus

My goal was to stick to my marathon pace as much as possible. The first mile was too easy and I kept trying to slow myself down, knowing the heat and humidity would sap my energy sooner than later if I wasn't careful. I glanced at my watch every 30 seconds or so trying to figure out where I needed to be, and finally worked myself down from around 7:00/mi. to a manageable 7:18/mi.

At around the 2-mile mark a few of us had settled into a pace and stuck together pretty closely. I was still running a little fast, but didn't feel like I was overexerting myself and decided to ride it out. I noticed on my right that a woman - Lynn, I later learned - was matching my cadence almost exactly, so I asked if she was pacing me. She replied that she was aiming for a 7:25/mi pace, so I figured I would stick with her as long as I could.

It turned out that Lynn wasn't any better at sticking to a plan than I was. We recorded  a 7:21/mi. average pace the first half, but at the turnaround we increased the pace. Miles 4 and 5 were both a steady 7:11/mi each. It was around the 5-mile mark that I goaded her into catching a runner ahead of us. I could feel that I was falling off and didn't want to hold her up. I still managed a 7:17/mi pace, and finished somewhere around 44:40.

I was very happy with this race. I took 3rd in my age group, 40-49, and won a coveted squirrel trophy complete with a nut! Most importantly, I erased the memory of last year's disappointment. Also, I was only about 15-20 seconds off my 10K PR, which was set last March when conditions were much nicer. Today it was 80° and 88% humidity. I'm excited to see what I can do once the cooler weather returns.

Shoe Phobia

Like most runners I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning when I get new shoes. I see that box leaning up against my front door when I get home and do a little dance in my head. I've treated myself twice in the past couple of weeks. I ordered a pair of this year's Adidas AdiZero Manas to replace my current ones, and I took a flyer on some Saucony ProGrid Kinvaras I've read a lot about lately.

Perhaps I'll review each of these shoes at a later date, but for now I wanted to pose this question to other runners. Are you reluctant to use your new shoes? Because I am. My new Manas have been sitting in their box for over a week, and I'm in no hurry to pull out the Kinvaras. Why?

Adidas AdiZero Manas

First, the Manas. I've gone through two pairs now and I absolutely love them. The new pair I purchased are blue though, whereas my old ones are orange. No, I don't care about the color, but I wonder what else has changed. Have they tweaked the design, or am I getting the same shoe as before? I'm paranoid about this because once upon a time I loved the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7s. Then they came out with the 8s. I wore those too, but they weren't quite the same. Then I tried the 9s, and they felt like even more of a departure from what I started out with. When they came out with the 10s I finally decided to look for something different. They didn't cause me injury that I'm aware of, but I grew tired of the small differences from generation to generation.

Saucony ProGrid Kinvaras

Speaking of injury, that's the second reason I'm reluctant to step into new shoes. Right now I'm healthy. Why should I take a chance on something completely new, like the Kinvaras? I did wear them around the house on carpet for a couple of hours and found them to be significantly different than the Manas. Even though they're both minimalist shoes, the arch support on the Kinvaras is much more pronounced. Is this something I just need to get used to, or is it a feature that could induce injury?

Finally, the dumbest reason for not wanting to run in my new shoes. They're pretty. It's not that I care if my shoes get dirty, because eventually they all do. But right now the brutally hot and humid Alabama summer makes me sweat an obscene amount. I can literally wring out my clothes at the end of a run and my shoes, well, they could be used to sink a mobster. They would end up looking like old dish rags after just a few miles. This reason is low on the list, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit it's a consideration.

So, do you intentionally hold out on running in new shoes? If so, what quirky reasons do you come up with?

Run With Me

It's week 6 of my marathon training plan and it calls for a 3-mile run. I wake up to my alarm for a change, roll out of bed and immediately start drinking water. I don't like to carry anything on these shorter runs, so I must hydrate well. It's 74° out there, and the humidity is a fog-like 97%. I pull on some shorts and a predominantly white tech shirt, and grab my shoes and socks.

I sit at my desk and glance at email, Facebook and dailymile. I comment on a couple of things, but my attention quickly turns to my schedule. My coach, Hal Higdon, says I "might want to do this 3-miler at a pace slightly faster usual." It's like he's reading my mind. I started reading Once A Runner last night, and the urge to run the first few chapters gave me are still gnawing away. I slide my Road ID onto my right wrist and strap the Garmin on the left. I shut off my monitor, grab my house key and a towel and open the garage door. It's 5:15 and still dark.

I walk to the bottom of the hill that is my driveway and stopped to stretch. Just short, light tugs to wake up my legs. Longer, more thorough stretching will wait until bedtime. I start my watch and start jogging around the corner. I first encounter the cats. There are a few of them that congregate outside the house on the left, and they pay me no mind. Most cats would scatter, but these hold their ground. Some even appear to strut.

I leave my subdivision and head north on McQueen-Smith. It's a busy thoroughfare, but at this time of day the traffic is light.  It was recently resurfaced, so it's as smooth as glass. There are no sidewalks, so I run right up the middle in the turn lane. I listen carefully for cars coming up behind me. When they do I veer to the left side of the lane, ahttp://www.dailymile.com/routes/300640-running-routend when there's oncoming traffic I move to the right side. Even though I'm wearing white I'm not taking any chances.

The first mile is sluggish. Yesterday's intervals are still with me, but I can feel my legs loosening up. As usual, I'm breathing too hard. It takes a while for my lungs to expand and get used to the demands I'm making. I can hear my breathing pattern, and it's the same as it was back in high school. It settles after a bit.

I turn into the Brookstone subdivision and cross paths with my first runner. She's just a silhouette, but I recognize her from the way she runs. We say good morning and I run down East Poplar, picking up the pace on the decline. By now things are falling into place. I don't know how fast I'm running, because I can't read my Garmin. I can't make out anything on the screen unless it's daylight. I smell laundry detergent.

As I start to settle into a groove I concentrate on my form. I make sure I'm centered, my feet are landing under me and my shoulders are relaxed. The road is flat and the pace becomes almost effortless. I pass a few more people out walking their dogs. Some wave back, some don't. I can actually hear the sound of wind as I open it up a little.

It's the 2-mile mark and I'm at the Graystone Gully - a short, but steep hill. As I get to the bottom I've already decided I'm going to attack the other side. As I begin I see a man jogging slowly up at the top of the hill. He doesn't know it, but he's my rabbit. I push hard up the hill and blow by him about 50m after I've crested the top. He's wearing white basketball shorts and a long-sleeve white shirt. At least he's visible, I thought.

I recover from the hill about the time I turn left onto East Main Street. There is no oncoming traffic this time of day. Everyone's heading out of town to work in the other direction at this hour. I pick up the pace again as I round back onto McQueen-Smith. It's a short stretch and then I'm back in my neighborhood, where I encounter the couple I see every morning out for their walk. They look to be about my age, and we exchange greetings. I glance at my watch and can see I've covered just over 3.5 miles. No need to round up today.

As I climb my driveway I peel off my shirt and then hang it on the drying rack in my garage. I pick up my water bottle and collapse on my front stoop. I sit there for 5-10 minutes trying to cool down, but it's no use. I'll be sweating for at least another 20-30 minutes. I listen to the crickets rubbing their legs together and can see it starting to get light out. It's time to head in and get ready for work. I close the garage door behind me.

Details of this run can be found here on Garmin Connect.

Marathon Training Update, Weeks 1 - 4

Rather than bore you with too many Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon training updates I've decided to post one every four weeks. Since I'm using Hal Higdon's 18-Week Advanced II Training Plan, this will provide nail-biting coverage through week 16. I figure this is enough, since the last two weeks are basically for tapering. And I shouldn't have any trouble writing about running withdrawals and extreme paranoia during that time, right?

For the first four weeks I've completed everything asked of me. And then some. When I first looked at the schedule I thought Hal was taking it a little easy on me the first few weeks. The mileage was pretty light and so was the speed work. Little did I know he conspired with Mother Nature and the two of them piped in extreme heat and humidity to make it more challenging. On days I thought I might add on an extra mile or interval I quickly changed my mind and did the bare minimum. Pangs of guilt? None whatsoever. I trust that Hal has tweaked his formulas and tested his plan on other suckers runners. Besides, he hasn't let me down the last two times I followed his instructions.

In addition to the running I've been hitting the gym. Borrowing from Greg Strosaker, I began strength training on Mondays and Fridays in week 2. Now, I'm no stranger to the weight room but it has been a few years. I've had to learn the nuances of new equipment and figure out how much I should be lifting. Three weeks on and I'm still making small adjustments each time I go. And it's fun. Just today I was getting ready to use the chest press when an elderly woman (70s) dressed in street clothes walked in and knocked out a couple of sets. I was glad to wait.

I've also been swimming once per week on Wednesdays. Before my training officially began I swam some in preparation for my first triathlon. I'd never done pool work before and was surprised at just how much I liked it. It's a good workout and once I'm done I feel like I've accomplished something. Unfortunately, I'm questioning whether I should keep it up. After last week I felt the after effects for a couple of days. I think I'll give it one more chance this week and see how it goes. If I'm excessively fatigued again I may have to step away from the water for a while.

So, how do I feel four weeks in? Both physically and mentally I've experienced highs and lows. Some days I feel like I've had my ass kicked, and others I feel like I'm the one handing them out. Some days I'm confident I can meet my BQ goal, and others I wonder if I've set my sights too high. Either way, I'm in it to win it. I'll continue to give it all I've got while maintaining the necessary discipline.

Stay tuned for the next update. Same bat time, same bat channel. And happy running!

If you'd like to see all my workouts they can be viewed here on the dailymile website.

Comfort Run

Like comfort food, this morning's run settled me a little. I lived in the Avalon Estates neighborhood for six years and ran in it just about every day the past three. Going back this morning brought back lots of memories and was a nice change of pace from where I've been running since. The way I write you'd think I'd been gone for years. It's  been all of three weeks.

I parked my car at the roller skating rink at the end of the street, pulled on my hydration pack and eased into my run. Almost immediately I was greeted with familiarity. Erin was out walking her dog. It wasn't yet twilight at 5:15am, so as I passed and said good morning I made sure to use her name so she'd know it was me. She returned the greeting just like any other morning. As I loosened up I turned right and ran past my old street, Auburn Rd. I didn't turn in. Left on Greencrest and then all the way down to MLK. I ran up past the Sunrise road and could see a hint of burnt orange glowing on the horizon. I hoped by the time I came back I'd be able to see the sun rise.

Left on Moses and then right on Upper Kingston. This portion of the run was relatively new to me before moving. Even though it was always right there I never explored it until just this spring on my bike. Once I got comfortable with it I started running on it more often though. It rolls a little and there's very little traffic. Speaking of which, I was treated today. I ran a stretch of about seven miles without seeing a single moving vehicle.

I ran all the way to the end of Upper Kingston where it intersects County Rd 85. I paused just long enough to eat a PowerBar Gel and began the return leg. On the way back I briefly stopped at a clearing that holds meaning, said a short prayer and then picked it back up again. I dreaded the thought of this run after yesterday's grueling pace run, but was pleased that at six miles into it I was feeling pretty good. It was mostly downhill and the miles faded away almost too quickly.

As I turned back onto MLK I was rewarded with the brilliant sunrise I'd hoped for. I made my way back down into my neighborhood and caught a glimpse of Vicky running ahead of me. She turned off before our paths crossed, but shortly after I saw the elderly woman on her single-speed bike. She used to have tassels dangling off the ends of her handlebars, but I didn't see them today. Finally, I saw the elderly gentleman that walks the neighborhood every morning. As usual, he was carrying his stick to fend off stray dogs.

Do you long for roads you once ran on? Do you go out of your way to visit them again? Do you do so to seek comfort? I've run on and off quite a bit the past 20+ years, but never stayed in one place or stuck with it long enough to develop an attachment. Until now.

Carrollton Triathlon Championship Race Report

One of the things I like about Hal Higdon is that he isn't a stickler for following his training plans down to the letter. Today's triathlon - my first - served as a replacement for a 10-mile long run. Considering how long I was active, I think I satisfied the requirements.

I didn't sleep well, so I was more than ready to get out the door by 5:30 AM (Eastern). The transition area was open for business at 5:45, and I wasn't surprised to see a couple of dozen vehicles in the parking lot already. I'd scouted things out the evening before when I got into town, so I knew exactly where I wanted to be. I took my bike off the rack, pushed it down the small hill and claimed my spot. I picked up my race packet and began the process of setting up my area, getting my body marking taken care of (#195) and chatting with some of the other competitors. Only two hours to go until the start of the race.

Since I had so much time on my hands I went over everything once, twice, maybe three times. No matter how organized you are for this type of event I imagine there's always something you have to return to the car for. I actually had to go back for my running shoes and sunglasses. Once I was satisfied I had everything ready I mingled with other racers and learned about the course. I met a bunch of first-time triathletes, like myself, and listened to some of their concerns. One guy was worried about the swim, because it would be deep. Another was confident on her bike but fretted about the run, thinking the heat would be a factor. It turns out it wouldn't be.

About 45-minutes before the pre-race meeting I decided to take a short run to loosen up. I was curious if I running without socks was doable, so I pulled on my Adidas and hit the road. They fit just as snugly as they do with socks, so I decided to risk it in the race. It's only 3.4 miles, I thought. After the jog I had around 20 minutes left, so collected my cap and goggles and set off for the beach. Others were in the water warming up, so I followed suit and swam out to the first buoy and back. I returned right as the meeting began.

The start was organized into three waves. Males 15-34 first, males 35+ second, and all others third. Waves two and three would start in four-minute increments after the first. I'd wondered why I had been issued a blue cap, and now had my answer.

The race director had impeccable timing. The first wave went out right on time. All blue caps filed into the shallow water and waited our turn.

5...4... I lifted my head...3...2...1. The siren went off and I followed the rest of wave number two into the race.

I waded as far out as I could and then dove in. I expected there to be jostling and bumping, but experiencing it was something else. You know how in a road race you usually start out too fast? Well, this was way worse. See, in a road race you can slow down if you want. But in the water, if you're not smart enough to position yourself at the back or on the side, you can't. You're screwed. You have to do your best to keep up with flow of traffic so you're not impeding the people behind you. Miserable. After 100m I was gasping for every breath. To make things worse, the water was so brown and dark you couldn't see your own hands in front of you. I had to do the "prairie dog" constantly to make sure I wasn't going to run into the person in front of me or swim 90 degrees off course. I couldn't believe how out of control I felt.

I reached the first buoy and cut out wide to try and find some room to work with. I still managed to touch the foot of a swimmer in front of me, and when I popped my head up saw a man doing the back stroke. I briefly considered following his example, dismissed the idea and hunkered down into the crawl again. I forced myself to slow down a little and tried to control my breathing. By the time I hit the second buoy I'd finally found my stroke. As I exited the water a volunteer called out my time - 10:17. Not bad I thought, considering I'd probably inadvertently added an extra 100m zig zagging.

I ran to the transition while ripping off my cap and goggles, surprised at how many were walking or just taking their time. When I got to my bike I turned on my Garmin, which was already mounted on the handle bars, threw on my shirt, sunglasses and helmet and pulled on my shoes. I was out pretty quickly, but I'm not sure exactly sure how long. No chip timing at this race.

I ran with my bike to the transition exit, hopped on and clipped in. I'd read a few days ago that a higher cadence was better for smaller athletes like me, so I focused on keeping up the RPMs. I was cranking along pretty well, but still got passed left and right. At the 2-mile mark I was passed by the first overall female. Yeah, she started the swim 4 minutes after me. I settled into a good pace and took every opportunity to drink my water, since I could feel a twinge in my right calf. At around the 6- or 7-mile mark I was passed by a guy who looked at me, smiled and said "rock and roll, dude!" Even though it was in good fun I made a mental note. Despite the hydrating I started to feel my calves cramping, followed shortly after by my quads. I was beginning to wonder how the hell I was going to run after I got off the bike. At the 9-mile mark I scarfed down a Gu pack I had taped to my bike, washed it down with the last of my water and beared down as hard as I could for the remaining few miles. I somehow managed to not get passed again on that last stretch. My time for this leg, according to the Garmin, was 41:55. Average speed 17.5 mph and cadence 85.

At the second transition I successfully dismounted without collapsing or wrecking and ran to my station. I propped my bike up on the rack, discarded my helmet and shoes, and donned my cap and running shoes. Like an idiot, I lost a few seconds trying to remove my Garmin from the bike. I also managed to cut a gash into my finger while doing so. Nevertheless, I hit the road and my happy place. I felt slow at the start, but was actually right where I wanted to be. I clocked a 7:26 first mile and then picked it up a little after the blood returned to my legs. I started picking off many of those that blew past me on the bike. That lifted my spirits a bit and helped take my mind of my quads, which were beginning to scream. I passed "rock and roll" and just smiled. Words weren't necessary.

At the 2-mile mark I passed a couple of guys, one of which looked over to the other and said "there goes a runner!" Damn, straight. "It's all I've got," I replied. I kept my focus forward on more targets to overtake and fought off the pain in my legs. I thought of more painful things to keep perspective and pushed through the last mile. While others slowed, I sped up and overtook them. I finally left two others behind the last 100m and crossed the finish line. 3.3 miles in 24:29. Not great by 5k standards, but this wasn't a 5k. I was most pleased that on the run not a single person passed me.

I hobbled to the post-race refreshments table, picked up some water and a banana, and tried to find a position that would keep my muscles from locking up. I ended up crouching halfway to the ground for a couple of minutes until it finally passed. A man I'd talked to before the race spotted me and asked how I did. I told him I had no idea. I really wasn't sure.

I stuck around for the awards ceremony to see how I might compare with others in my age division. First thru third in the 40-44 age group finished in 1:09, 1:10 and 1:11, respectively. I was also impressed to hear the overall winner blew away the 15-year-old course record by 3 minutes, with a time of 54 minutes and change.

Overall the race was tougher than I'd anticipated. Not surprising, since I really hadn't trained enough for it. I would have to spend a lot more time in the pool and on the bike to bring down my times. Still, it was fun and I'll probably do more triathlons in the future. In the meantime, I have a marathon to train for.

Final Stats:
- Finishing time: 1:19:09.1
- 71st overall out of 239 finishers
- 12th out of 20 in my age group, 40-44
- Overall average pace: 5:03/mile

Carrollton Triathlon Championship Pre-Race Report

It's Friday evening, and I should be excited. In two days I will compete in my first triathlon, the Carrollton Triathlon Championship in Carrollton, GA. It will consist of a 400m swim, 12-mile bike and 3.4-mile run.

I signed up for this almost a month ago and have been training for it on and off ever since. The running part will come easy and I'm a decent cyclist, so I have focused mostly on the swim. I've been pleased with my progress, surprised that once I found my pace I could swim upwards of 1600m at a stretch without much difficulty. I'm in really good shape and am not intimidated.

Aside from the training aspect I have also studied. I've brushed up on the rules and regulations, and have watched countless videos demonstrating the transitions and how best to get through them quickly and unscathed. No, I will not be trying to put on my cycling shoes on while riding. Nor will I be running sans socks. Other than that, though, I think I have a good plan in place.

It is Friday evening, but I'm not excited. I haven't even told anyone I doing this until now. Why? Maybe the stress of selling a house and moving these past couple of weeks is taking its toll on me. Maybe it's because I miss my daughter, who is visiting her grandparents. Maybe. Whatever. It doesn't really matter, does it?

If there's one thing I am it's dedicated. This funk I'm in will not keep me from competing. I will wake up on Sunday morning and claim my spot in the transition area. I will step to the edge of the water and put on my goggles. I will bow my head for a moment and then give it everything I've got.