Country Music Marathon Race Report

This is a re-post of my dailymile entry about the CMM. Mostly for continuity's sake, though I've added a couple more thoughts at the end.

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Pre-Race Goodness!

An awesome race experience with Amanda M. Her second marathon, this one she was not-so-secretly attempting to finish under 4 hours. We knew going in the hills and expected heat might prevent that, but gave it a shot anyway.

Some of the highlights for me, besides having a great friend to run it with, were passing by and actually recognizing some places that hold meaning for me, like Union Station, the Frist Museum, Honky Tonk, Belmont University and PM. Also, the crowd support was excellent -- especially the first half. I was really impressed with the number of people lining the streets cheering us on, and there were tons of kids offering up high fives! I have to say, however, that the coolest thing that happened on the course was when we came across some nuns. There were about a dozen in their habits cheering on runners, and when I ran up to them asking for holy high fives they all really got into it! A final highlight was, of course, coming across Tim M. and Lincoln. It came at just the right time and gave us a lift for the next couple of miles.

Still Smiling at 16!

Starting out in corral 10, we did a great job of not locking in on pace, but on effort instead. Overall we maintained a 9-min/mi pace, but it fluctuated +/- 10-15 seconds each way due to the crowd and hills. At no point did I think we were going too fast or too slow, and a blessing in disguise came around mile 10 (?) when Amanda's Garmin memory first filled up and then died shortly after. She kept looking at her wrist out of habit, but was relegated to trusting me instead. We cruised uneventfully until about mile 20 when fatigue started to become a factor. I thought we both might fade in the later miles, especially when at mile 24 I hit the wall and started cramping in my legs at the same time. But Amanda done good when she beared down and began pulling away from me. I saw her glance back a couple of times, but she smartly ran her own race at the end and finished strong. I couldn't be prouder of her PR 3:57 finish time, which is a huge achievement considering the suboptimal conditions.

Overall I thought this was a pretty good race. I don't think I'll ever seek out another Rock 'n' Roll event, but given the number of people participating they did well. There was a timely start, good bands, plenty of aid stations and a decent finisher's chute. If you're looking for the party experience with thousands upon thousands of other runners, this race is for you.

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Updates:

• After 5 or 6 miles Amanda's water bottle was empty and I started looking for water pitchers at aid stations to fill it up. Seeing one ahead I said to her, "take your top off!" She had no idea what I was talking about and  said, "what?!?!" So, of course, I just repeated myself. But louder! "Take off your top! Take off your top!" When it finally became clear to her we weren't on Bourbon Street, she took the lid off her bottle and we got her topped off faster than a Nascar team.
• Notable runners included Elvi (there were a couple of Elvis out there), a Chinese dragon, a soldier running (?) in full gear in honor of a fallen comrade, women in tutus, two guys in tuxedos, and a couple "getting married."

Mississippi 50 Race Report

There are a lot of first timers signed up for the 50 miler. I'm sorry say that many of you will not finish it tomorrow. -- Dennis Bisnette, Race Director

Back in July of last year I had the pleasure of dinner with Mark (bamarunner) while he was in town on business. At some point the conversation turned to ultras, and before I knew it he'd put a bug in my ear about making the Mississippi 50 my first. It's an easy course, he said. You can even switch distances mid-race if you feel like it. It seemed like a good idea at the time, so I paid the suggestion forward to my friend, Dorothy. For some reason she took me seriously and signed up, and at that point my fate was sealed.

At no point did I consider doing the reasonable thing and attempting the 50k distance. That's "only" five miles more than a marathon, right? In my mind I already knew I could do a 50k, so the only choice was to sign up for the 50m. As has become a pattern of mine, I underestimated what I was getting myself into and was too overconfident. I neglected to consider how much of a factor running on trails would be, and that five miles was a hell of a long way after you've already done 26.2.

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Late Friday morning Dorothy rolled into town, we moved all her stuff into my car and then headed towards Laurel, MS. It had been a few months since we'd seen each other, so there was plenty to catch up on and she had me laughing most of the way. There were many quotable moments, but my favorite was when I asked if she was hungry and she replied, "my stomach is like a swallowing crocodile!"

After checking into our hotel and getting settled we headed over to the race HQ for packet pickup and the pasta dinner. I knew Mark was going to be there doing the 50k, but when he called asking for directions he said "we." I shouldn't have been surprised when he showed up with his partner in crime, Doug (SweetDaddyD), who was also tackling his first ultra the next day. He was smarter than me though, opting for the 50k.

L-R: Dorothy, Me, Bamarunner and SweetDaddyD!

Unlike your typical road race, there was no expo. Without fanfare we just picked up our race packets and fell into line for the standard meal of spaghetti, rolls, and salad with cookies and brownies for dessert. While the four of us chatted the race director went over everything we'd need to know for the next day and took a few questions. In all I think we were there for an hour before we headed back to our rooms for the night. I somehow managed to get a decent night's sleep despite a late, unexpected distress call from my daughter and heavy rains that pounded the rooftop.

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Up at 4:00 and out the door by 4:45, we made it to the race with about 45 minutes to spare. We checked in at the officials tent, got our dry bags loaded up and staged (Thanks, Hil!), and after a last-minute bathroom stop went over to the start line. We ran into Mark and Doug again, and a few minutes later were off into the twilight with an unceremonious start.

Although the weather conditions were almost ideal (50°/84%), it quickly became apparent the heavy rains from the night before were going to be a factor. The word of the day was mud, and it got tossed around like a baseball at spring training. It was around every turn and had the consistency of margarine. When you planted your foot not only would it slide and you'd have to steady yourself, but it clung to your shoes. Every time I exited one of the muddy stretches my feet felt like I was ready to sleep with the fishes. There were also a number of creek crossings, some of which came up to the middle of my thigh. They weren't as technically challenging and were good for rinsing off the mud from the exterior of my shoes. Unfortunately, that luxury was typically short lived with more muddy sections awaiting.

The first time I went around the big, 12.5 mile loop it a blast. We started around the middle of the pack and everyone was chatty. We struck up a conversation with a woman named Wendy the first couple of miles, and also talked at length with another guy who was a beer distributor. After Dorothy and I cleared the first aid station at mile 6 I became impatient with the pace. I didn't feel like I was running that fast, but kept pulling away from her. Finally, she told me to go ahead and I stupidly did. A rookie mistake, this turned out to be a huge regret. In hindsight I should have stayed with her, measured my pace and stuck to my original plan of running together. Instead, I let my natural pace lead me around the rest of the loop. I hopped, skipped and jumped around obstacles and felt like a little kid at the playground. Too bad the rest of the race didn't go the same way.

The second time around the big loop started out well. A few minutes before I arrived at the start/finish area the 20K race had started, so I got to fly past some of the walkers. I was still having fun until I again ran into the mud, which was now even worse having had over 250 people trample through it. It was becoming more difficult to skirt the edges, as the pits had grown in both length and width. Still, I kept pushing on and felt strong until about mile 23. At that point, however, my splits started to slow some. I finished the second loop and completed 25 miles in 4 hours flat. I was a little surprised when I saw that number on the clock at the check-in station.

When I started the big loop for the third time I was dreading the mud I knew awaited me. Sure enough, it was somehow worse than the second time. There was no getting around it, and every step was getting more and more painful on my quads, who weren't used to all the extra time my feet were contacting the ground. In a road race on solid footing my foot touches the ground for a fraction of a second, but in the mud I had to plant and then fight my shoes as they slid around underneath me for an extra second or two. It all was starting to add up and take its toll. It's hard saying what my splits were when you figure in the time I stopped at aid stations to eat, drink and collect myself, but the Garmin data suggests my last moving miles were in the 13- to 14-minute/mile range.

L-R: Bamarunner, me and SweetDaddyD

By the time I hit mile 35 or 36 my feet were screaming and my quads failing. I was having difficulty lifting my shoes up to clear small obstacles along the path, and my legs started buckling underneath me when I planted. I reached the end of my third loop, stopped at the check-in station and tried to process what was happening to me. I asked myself if there was any way I could run another 12.5 miles. Would the next two trips around the small loop be any different than the big loop? I hadn't seen them yet, so I had no way of knowing. Could my feet take any more of running on insoles caked with mud? I've experienced a hazy state of mind for a few minutes after completing a marathon, but at this moment the fog showed no sign of lifting. I remember the sensation of my teeth tingling. What the heck does that mean? I hoped Dorothy would come around the corner and make my decision for me, but she didn't. Slowly I turned around and told the race director that I was done. He asked if I was sure, and after I confirmed it he handed me a 50k finishers medal and an Amphipod water bottle. 37.5 miles and done.

Shoes, socks and inserts. They actually
felt "clean" compared to most of the day.

Right after I threw in the towel I turned around and noticed Doug and Mark cross the finish line to end their race. We talked for a few, and about 25 minutes later Dorothy completed her third loop looking strong. I confirmed that I'd dropped and encouraged her to keep going. She disappeared into the woods while the three of us talked some more and got our photo taken. After the guys left I went to the car and spent at least 30 minutes changing out my muddy shoes. It was a painstaking task, and what I found in my shoes - which were relatively clean - was so unbelievable that I had to snap a picture. Now that I've read a few others' race reports I see I wasn't the only one with that brilliant idea.

50m. Tough. As. Nails.

Dorothy completed her fourth loop, but this time when she passed the start/finish area she didn't look so hot. I transitioned to support crew mode and got her some Gatorade from the car, trying to be supportive. My encouragement wasn't really needed though. "I may have to walk the rest of the way," she said, and it was understood from the look on her face that the course wasn't going to win. At the 10:08 mark she rounded the last bend in the road and slowly walked up to the finish line. As she waited to receive her belt "buggle" she reminded me of a victorious, yet weary prize fighter standing over her defeated opponent.

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As I already mentioned, one of my regrets for this race was not staying with Dorothy and managing my pace better. Although the rolling course and abundant mud certainly taxed my legs, I wonder if I could have squeezed out the last 12 miles with a disciplined partner and a smarter approach.

"It hurts to a point and then it doesn't get any worse." -- Ann Trason

A second regret that ate away at me a couple of days after the race was my decision to drop. I knew going into the race it was going to be mentally taxing and painful, but I wasn't prepared for the degree. Hindsight is 20/20, and thinking back on that moment at the check-in station I wondered if I truly was done for the day. Could I have kept going? Did I sell myself short? There's nothing I can do about it now, so the only thing to do is learn from the experience and apply those lessons next time. Yes. Next time.

Things I was happy with included my fueling. I didn't experiment with eating real foods prior to the race, and threw caution to the wind when the time came. I ate pretzels, chips, M&Ms, gummi bears, Saltines with peanut butter and bananas, and never had GI issues. I made sure to consume just a little at each aid station so as not to overdo it, and that seemed to work for me. Another thing that turned out well was taking Hammer gels. I'd never tried them before, but they didn't give me any trouble, either. Even better, at no point did I feel like I'd hit the wall. I had decent energy throughout.

Hydration wasn't a problem for me, either. Most of the time I stuck to water, and I popped an S!Cap every hour or so. And when I got tired of water I'd let the aid station volunteers (Awesome!) fill my bottle with Heed. Between these two tactics I was able to fend off the sensations of impending cramping I felt in my hamstrings every once in a while.

Finally, for a couple of months leading up to the race I fretted about what shoes I should wear. I tested out a pair of Adidas adiZero XT 3 (admitted Adidas fan boy here) back in January, but ended up returning them. I then tried some Brooks PureGrit that were designed with input from Scott Jurek. I didn't fall in love with them immediately (35 miles total), but race day was fast approaching and I decided to at least put them in my bag. When faced with the decision to use them or some old Brooks Adrenaline ASR hybrid shoes I figured they were the best option for the conditions. They ended up performing well for me, offering adequate lateral traction under the conditions and I came away relatively unscathed. I'll continue putting them to the test on future runs to see how well they perform on dry trails.

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As we ate our dinner Friday night I shook my head defiantly when Dennis said many of us wouldn't finish the next day. As it so happened, he knew what he was talking about. Of the 114 people that started the 50 mile race the next morning, 36 didn't complete the entire distance. And I was one of them. It may take me a couple of years to get back to the De Soto National Forest, but I fully expect to redeem myself one day. Maybe next time there won't be quite so much mud.

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Postscript. Though you won't find the same amenities as you would a road race, the MS50 delivered in every way. I was thoroughly impressed with the course, volunteers and how well organized and executed everything was. Kudos to the race director and everyone that made it all happen behind the scenes. Carl Touchstone must have been quite the man to have a race like this held in his honor.

Callaway Gardens Half Marathon Race Report

This past weekend I paid my first visit to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA, and ran in the "Fitness Series" half marathon held within the 13,000 acre resort community. Since I've been slightly (barely) more focused on preparing for an upcoming ultra marathon, I was pleased when my friend Janie accepted my offer to pace her.

Warm Up

Amanda the Stowaway

I headed over Saturday afternoon and along the way picked up a hitchhiker in Opelika. The McQueens caught up with me at Starbucks, and before I knew it Amanda and I were on our way while Tim and Lincoln continued on listening to the soothing sounds of NPR. We took the scenic route to the expo (No, I wasn't lost. I still had gas.), picked up our race packets and then scouted most of the course until we stumbled upon the hotel. Off to an interesting, but good start!

After checking in and coordinating plans through a text messaging blitz our entire group met up in the hotel lobby for drinks. Shortly after that we all made our way to the Carriage and Horses Restaurant for dinner. I'd researched restaurants a few days before, and had a hunch it would be a better option than Three Lil Pigs BBQ or the Whistling Pig Cafe. Fortunately, it was a hit. The food and service were good, and the entertainment was out of this world. The two-man band that took requests wasn't too bad, either. ;)

The Crew!

We all met up at the huge tent by the starting line on Sunday morning and took some photos for posterity. I looked around for fellow dailymiler, Skip, as I knew he was there for his first half marathon, but couldn't find him anywhere in the small crowd. Janie and I then went out for a warm-up run, last-minute bathroom breaks and stopped by the car to drop off extra clothing. As we made our way to the starting line a man approached me with his hand outstretched. Seeing the confused look on my face, Skip re-introduced himself! I didn't recognize him because he'd lost so much weight!

Race

The race began promptly at 8am (contrary to what I read on an Active.com review) and the course took us past Robin Lake on our right. The pace was a little quicker than what I wanted in the early miles, but considering the gentle descent we were still doing just fine.

Normally, this is where I'd dissect my race. But since it was Janie's and I was just along for the ride, I'll comment only on the event itself.

• The Course: I thought it was great. Even though everything was dormant it was still pretty, and I really liked the elevation. The hills we encountered from miles 5 thru 8 were challenging, though not insurmountable. There were a couple of tight turns that made things interesting, but overall it was a good course.
  
  
• Aid Stations: While there were plenty, I was surprised to find that volunteers at them were not handing drinks to the participants. Instead, they just had cups of water and Gatorade sitting on the tables and you had to find what you were looking for. It wasn't an issue for me since I wasn't racing, but I could see where someone serious about their time would be peeved. Once I figured out what was going on I told Janie to continue on and started grabbing a cup of water for each of us.
  
  Another thing about the aid stations I didn't like was the placement of a couple of them. At least two were on tight turns that created bottlenecks. At one of them I accidentally stepped in front of someone after picking up cups. I hate being that guy.
  
  
• Finish Line: It seemed like the only normal thing going on at the finish line was the announcer calling out finisher's names. After Janie and I crossed we stood just beyond the timing mats trying to collect ourselves. All of a sudden I heard a young man asking us for our timing bracelets. Most races have the volunteers take them off for you, and for good reason. Even though I wasn't the mess I usually am after a race, I still had a difficult time removing them first from my leg and then hers'.
  
  About 10-15 minutes later I realized we didn't have our finishers' medals. I looked around and noticed that nobody else did, either. We made our way back to the finish and a single woman was there handing them out as quickly as she could. It was kind of comical.
  
  
• Awards Ceremony: I've never seen an awards ceremony begin early before, but that's exactly what they did. A few of us had gone back to the hotel to quickly shower up and change, and even though we returned a few minutes before 11am, they'd already started.
  
  Also strange was that they didn't give out awards to overall winners or masters/senior-masters groups. Everything was strictly by age group.

Cool Down

Post-Race Glow!

Afterwards we all gathered inside the tent, trying to recover. Skip finished just a minute after Janie and me, and I really enjoyed hearing about how his first half marathon went. It was also great seeing his wife, Susan, and their three daughters, and thrilling to hear that Erin had won the 5k earlier!

As the rest of our "crew" filed into the tent it was fun hearing about their races. It turned out that Barbara won her age group and Amanda took second in hers! A great day all around!

So, what was the outcome of Janie's race? Well, she kicked ass. All the hard work she put in training the weeks leading up paid off with a PR, 3rd place overall female finish and she won her age group! 

Goal Achieved!

I've had the opportunity to pace people at a few races now, and whenever I offer I'm amused at the surprised looks I get. I guess it's difficult to understand why anyone would "give up" their race to help someone else? Thing is, I think there are few things better than helping someone achieve their goals. If I'd run my own race I wouldn't have this shared experience with Janie. I wouldn't have been there in the early miles to chat and see how effortlessly they went by for her. I would have missed seeing how she dealt with all the challenges the course threw at her. And witnessing her dig deep the last couple of miles and finish strong never would have happened. Racing for myself is fun, challenging and sometimes rewarding, but it can pale in comparison to seeing someone else realize their goals.

Edit: Roxy's comment below made me realize that in my haste to wrap this report up I neglected to make clear how much I enjoyed the event. The few shortcomings I outlined above didn't detract from a great experience overall, and I'd recommend this race to anyone looking for a challenging, fun half marathon.

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For another perspective on this race check out this great review by Scott Sarisky. And as soon as Amanda gets around to posting her report I'll add a link to it --> here!

Rocket City Marathon Race Report

This weekend I ran in my target race for this season, the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL. Heading into it with a PR of 3:32:10, my goal was to qualify for Boston with a time of 3:15:00, the new standard for the 40-44 male age group. I knew I had little to no chance of accomplishing that, but I'll get to that later.

Preparation

After following Hal Higdon's Advanced-II training schedule for previous marathons, this time I decided to try Pete Pfitzinger's 55 miles per week, 18-week schedule. Even though I felt adequately prepared for my other races, I wanted to change things up this cycle to see if I really was getting the most out of my training. In the end I'm not sure I felt any better on race day than I did previous ones, but that might be because I've grown more accustom to the training load. Anyway, I did prefer Pete's approach much more than Hal's, and if you're looking for an excellent comparison of the two look no further than Greg Strosaker's Marathon Training Plan Throwdown – Higdon versus Pfitzinger.

Applying Lessons Learned

In my previous attempts to qualify for Boston I ran into dehydration roadblocks. In my first marathon I had severe cramping starting at mile 19. I thought it was because I hadn't hydrated enough, so for my second race I focused on taking in more water and Gatorade. While that event went better than the first, I still cramped in the later miles and had to slow down a lot to keep my legs from seizing up. Frustrated, I researched the problem extensively and found it may have been more attributable to electrolyte depletion. As someone who sweats profusely during a race, my body was losing the nutrients needed to tell the water I was drinking where to go. With this knowledge I started experimenting with Succeed S!Caps, hoping they were the panacea.

Trying New Things

A few weeks into my training I visited PT Solutions and took a VO2max test. I did so to learn more about my fitness level and because I wanted to properly tailor my workouts, which were prescribed in relation to my maximal heart rate or heart rate reserve. I came away from it with a wealth of new information, some of which I wasn't prepared to receive. The good news was that I was in great shape and now had solid data to base my workouts on. The bad news was that science said my heart wasn't efficient enough to achieve my goal. I have to admit, reading those words planted a seed of doubt in my mind that I've never had to deal with before. Still, I persevered and executed my workouts the best I could. Although my VO2max could be increased through proper training, it was too late to do so this cycle.

Day Before The Race

Amanda, Dick Beardsley and Me

I drove up to Huntsville Friday afternoon, checked into my hotel and then walked across the street to join a running group for tour of the downtown historical sights. As I approached the host hotel I looked up to see Amanda aiming her camera at me. We were chatting for a few minutes when I noticed a man come out of the building that looked familiar. Someone I knew was supposed to be at the event. Under the guise of looking for the running group, I approached and then asked if he was who I thought he was. It turned out I was right and he was Dick Beardsley! He was very accommodating and friendly, and spent a few minutes talking with me and Amanda. We even got Amanda's husband, Tim, to snap a photo of us before he headed out for his run. Very cool!

After the stop-and-go historical tour I did a couple extra miles with striders and then cleaned up for the pasta dinner. The meal was typical and I enjoyed the company of James C., his wife, Penny, and Keith K. The best part of the evening however, was the guest speaker - Dick Beardsley, of course. :) He began with a 10-minute highlight video of the 1982 "Duel In The Sun" Boston Marathon, and then delivered a moving talk about how he got into running, the many obstacles he's overcome and what he's up to now with the Dick Beardsley Foundation. Since he was signing autographs after, I walked back to my room, retrieved my copy of the book Duel In The Sun, and then got in line. It turned out out I was the last person of the night, so I had the privilege of talking with him for about 15-20 minutes while he packed up for the night. It was a great experience and I was grateful he signed my book with a quote from his speech I found particularly inspirational:

"When you wake in the morning have a smile on your face, enthusiasm in your voice, joy in your heart and faith in your soul."

Race Day

Pre-Race Posterity Photo

One of the reasons I chose this race was because it's held in December and would be cooler than a November event. Well, the temperature was near perfect, but a stiff head wind was expected to be a challenge once we began the trip north at the turn. I wasn't looking forward to this, but lacking the superpowers necessary to change the weather accepted it as part of the deal.

After a brief warm-up just prior to the start I found Barbara, Amanda, James and Kaitlin in the crowd and wished them good luck. I then made my way towards the front, shed a layer I realized wasn't necessary and handed it off to my super awesome good friend/cheerleader/motivator/believer/attendant, Hilary. WOOT! Finally, I sidled up to the 3:15 pace group.

The first 16 miles of the race went very well. Adrenaline got me through the first couple of uncomfortable miles, but after that I loosened up and everything felt great. The Nike Pace Team leader, David O'Keefe, seemed to settle and surge some, but overall he did a great job of keeping us at an average 7:23/mile pace. I preserved my energy by talking very little and focusing on form, and made sure to hydrate and take my S! Caps on schedule.

It was near the 17-mile mark that I started to run out of steam. I wasn't cramping this time, but it became harder to maintain pace and I slowly watched the group pull away from me. Was it miles 15 and 16, the first ones running into the wind? Or could it have been the barely perceptible 1% climb over that same distance? I doubt it. In the end I think science prevailed and my heart just couldn't keep up with the demands. To paraphrase something Quinn Millington of PT Solutions once told me, heart rate increases over distance due to a decrease in fluid levels. Even though we take in fluids, it's difficult to maintain that base as we're racing. As fluid levels drop the heart pumps faster because there's is less blood to pump. And unfortunately, our hearts can sustain these demands for only so long. For me it appears I found that threshold just a tiny bit short of 26.2 miles.

The rest of the race was challenging, but at least I wasn't cramping like I did in previous marathons. I did get charlie horses twice in my hamstrings, but each time was able to quickly stretch them out and push on. My spirits were lifted a couple of times when I encountered Duane, Tim and Hilary on the course cheering me on, and goal bargaining kept me moving towards the finish. Do any of you do this? Once I realized I wouldn't make 3:15 I used last year's qualifying time of 3:20 as my carrot. Next I aimed for my future 45-49 age group time of 3:25. Finally, I resorted to shooting for a sub-3:30 and a PR. When it was all said and done, I finished in 3:27:09, which was good enough for 136/1150 overall and 29/146 in my age group.

After I crossed the finish line I was shepherded down the chute, given a space blanket, finishers cap and medal, and then taken inside by Hilary. In my post-race stupor she guided me to the food and then was kind enough to run to my car and retrieve a bottle of Nesquik. While she was gone I steadied myself against the wall, trying to force down some food. A woman to my right was near a cooler of water bottles, so I asked if she'd pass me one. She did, but by that point my hands were full and I just stared at it trying to figure out how to open it. Bending down and setting some things on the floor was out of the question, as were any other logistics requiring brain power. Lucky for me, a race volunteer had been watching me gaze at the bottle from across the room and rushed over to save the day. Small victories!

The worst part of the day began about 20 minutes after I finished. As I was sitting in the banquet room trying to refuel I got the dehydration shakes. I wasn't cold, but was trembling uncontrollably and got sick at one point. If I hadn't gone through the same thing after previous races I'd have sought medical attention. As it was, I kept forcing myself to drink more water until I finally stabilized about 45 minutes later. It amazes me that this occurred considering how careful I was about taking in water during the race. At many aid stations I was even taking in two cups of water.

Crisis averted, I showered up and joined Amanda, Tim, Duane, James and Kaitlin for a post-race celebration at Sam & Greg's Pizzeria downtown. Not only did we have a great time rehashing the day's events, but the pizza was great, too. I recommend you check them out if you're looking for a quaint, local alternative to the pizza chains.

Race Review

I  thought this race was extremely well executed and would recommend it to anyone that hasn't tried it yet.

Highlights:

• Packet pick-up was efficient and the expo, though small, was adequate.
• The pasta dinner was decent, consisting of the usual fare.
• The guest speaker was outstanding.
• The start of the race was well organized and took place on time.
• Aid stations were spaced perfectly. Except in the late miles, where they seemed to be farther apart. Oh, wait. Yeah, I guess I was running a lot slower by that point. :p
• Crowd support was good for a small race of 1500 registered runners.
• The charcoal grey race shirt for men is pretty nice and I like the finishers' hat, too.
• The finishers' medal is attractive.
• The volunteer support was well coordinated and abundant.
• The post-race food and facilities were excellent.

Lowlights:

• Apparently, the white version of the race shirt for women is a little too thin and transparent for their liking.
• The course itself isn't all that scenic. It ran mostly through neighborhoods, and there was a 4-mile stretch along Baily Cove Rd that many didn't care for.

Aftermath

I said going into this race that it would probably be my last marathon for a while. The long training schedules I've been following the past year and half have have worn on me, and I'm ready to move on to other things. I plan on putting in roughly the same amount of miles, but with less structure. I'll probably be sacrificing faster race times, but I really don't care. On the horizon are a couple of half marathons, and in March I'm going to attempt my first 50-miler. At the 26-mile mark yesterday the thought of that was absurd, but already it's starting to sound like a good idea again.

Run Happy!

Marathon Training Begins. Again.

This week marks the first of my 18-week training plan for the Rocket City Marathon on December 10th, and I wanted to jot down a few things for posterity and future reflection.

Training Plan

After some failed attempts at qualifying for Boston last year I've decided to stray from my Hal Higdon comfort zone and, at the urging of other, faster runners, give Pete Pfitzinger at try. No, I don't feel like Hal let me down - his Advanced II plan was challenging and took my fitness to a level I'd never seen before. But after a couple of cycles it became routine and I felt like I'd plateaued.

Last weekend I spent a considerable amount of time reviewing Advanced Marathoning, soaking in Pfitzy's philosophies, figuring paces and preparing my calendar. I really llike the rounded approach to training the book covers. It wasn't just a collection of training plans, but addressed in depth the elements of training, nutrition and hydration, and balancing training and recovery. It's that last part - balancing training and recovery - that I feel sets his plan apart from Hal's. I'm used to running 6-7 days per week, but that won't be the case under Pfitz. Each week includes two rest or cross-training days, and my expectation is to do one of each depending on how I'm feeling.

Without going into too much depth, here are a couple of things I've taken notice of:

• Unlike Hal Higdon's plans, there are no training days dedicated solely to intervals or hills. Instead, speed work is integrated into general aerobic runs in the form of 100m strides or longer intervals within VO2max runs. I like this very much.
• There's a time to push the limits and a time to recover. Sure, Hal did this too, but it feels more pronounced in this plan. The book stresses the importance of the hard/easy principle - one or more hard days followed by one or more easy days.
• Each type of run in under Pfitz' plan is discussed in precise relationship to pace or heart rate. Currently I'm trying to execute each workout according to pace; however, I hope to switch over to heart rate once I get my VO2max tested at PT Solutions in Montgomery. I'm just waiting on the machine to return from Atlanta.

Injury Challenges

There are both good and bad developments on this front. The strained adductor I struggled with last training cycle is almost 100% healed. I can feel it a little on some hard weight training days, but diligent stretching has done wonders. Another minor issue I recently dealt with that seems to have faded away is some discomfort in my left knee. It never really bothered me while running, but there was a noticeable pain when I tried to stretch my hamstring. This, too, has subsided over the past few weeks.

What's ugly is what I believe to be plantar fasciitis of my right foot. I'm not exactly sure what brought it on, but I have a lot of discomfort in my arch just forward of my heel. Mostly it aches throughout the day, but every so often when I least expect it there's a searing flash of pain that's enough to make me stop whatever it is I'm doing and grit my teeth. I've been trying everything under the sun to help it along, but so far no luck. Icing, footwear with more support, rolling it on an iced bottle, wearing a night splint to keep it stretched out, icing, Ibuprofen and, of course, more icing are part of my routine now. What's that you say? Oh, yes, I've tried that, too. The only thing I haven't done is see an actual doctor. A podiatrist friend said I could run through the injury, assuming what I had was PF. I've choosen to believe him. Everything I've read says this will be with me 6-8 months, so I figure my only choice is to manage it as best I can.

Equipment

The only major change in equipment this training cycle is footwear. Last year this time I was running in nothing but minimalist shoes, like the Saucony Kinvara and Saucony Fastwitch. I don't know what, if any, affect they had on my foot issue, but right now they're on the shelf along with some new Newton Gravity trainers in favor of shoes with more support. I've been running in some old favorites, Adidas AdiZero Mana, and recently added the Mizuno Elixir 6 performance stability trainers to the rotation. The latter, with ample arch support, seem to be helping so far.

Nutrition

My downfall at previous marathons was leg cramping. It was so severe I could barely walk, let alone run. I tried to combat it with better hydration, but sucking down Gatorade at aid stations just prolonged the cramping a little and disagreed with my stomach. Since then I've done some research and believe my problem to be insufficient electrolyte replacement, primarily in the form of sodium. I'm a heavy sweater, and without it my body doesn't know what to do with all the water in my stomach. Enter Succeed S! Caps, which I've been using with good results the past few months and look forward to testing over the coming weeks.

So, that's it for now. With any luck I'll complete this training cycle without incident and lasso the elusive BQ I've been trying to catch. That said, at present I'm thinking this may be my only marathon this season. If I don't qualify for Boston I may shelve the pursuit until the next age bracket. Marathon training consumes too much of my life and I want the flexibility to enter more half marathons and maybe even take on an ultra. Everything's up in the air right now, though.

Run For The Heroes - Run Across Georgia Report

This past Memorial Day weekend I joined a seven other runners and three of the best support crew members a relay team could ask for in the Run For The Heroes - Run Across Georgia. Together we made our way from Columbus to Savannah, pushing our physical and mental limits in the name of raising awareness and funds for the House of Heroes.

After most races of significance I'll post an after report talking about the event itself, how I fared and lessons I took away from it. But this wasn't most races. Unlike others, I was able to post my progress along the way on dailymile (legs:1/2/3/4/5/6) and get feedback from family and friends. By the time it was over I felt like I'd worn out my welcome, and figured there was no point in rehashing it all over again in my blog. So, instead of doing that I'm going to attempt to recall some of the highlights instead.

Eat like a Kenyan, Run like a Kenyan?

Race weekend began for me late Friday afternoon when I got to Columbus. Andy and his wife, Kellye, invited me to stay the night at their house, so I took them up on the offer. I arrived around 5:30 and after unpacking a couple of things Andy and I drove over to our team captain Dorothy's house for dinner. A native of Kenya, Dorothy had offered to cook us a meal of ugali, curried beef stew and cabbage. When it was ready she instructed us to wash our hands, a motherly nudge which sounded a little odd coming from someone I didn't know very well. A few minutes later the reason became apparent - we were expected to eat with our hands like a Kenyan! Famished, I happily dug in and made short work of the meal and even went back for seconds. It was excellent, and secretly I hoped it would make me run like a Kenyan over the weekend.

The Miracle Runners

The alarm went off at 4am Saturday after a fitful night of little sleep. We got to the race start line at the National Infantry Museum at 5:15am and I was introduced to Mike and Ashley, teammates I had yet to meet. There was a lot of commotion and a last-minute briefing to attend to, so we didn't get to talk. There was a short prayer, an incredible a capella rendition of The Star Spangled Banner by the husband of a racer, and lots of photos taken. Before I knew it it was 6am and time for the race to begin. Andy, our leg # 1 racer, was visibly nervous as he toed the line, and within a few minutes he and runners from eight other teams took off. The hunt was on to catch seven other teams that had departed earlier at 4am!

This is the point of the report where it gets tricky. If I attempted to recount the next 34 hours 25 minutes of our race this would be the longest post in history. There's just too much, so here are some of the things that stand out in my memory.

Me and Mike Buteau

• I had the good fortune to finally meet Mike Buteau in person, a guy I knew through dailymile. I easily recognized him at transition # 3 from his picture and introduced myself. He proved to be every bit the engaging personality and crazy fast runner I'd expected, and it was great seeing him throughout and after the race. I hope we're able to run into each other again in the future.

• The hills in west Georgia were long, relentless and humbling. I think our # 4 racer, Chelsea, drew the worst legs, but everyone got a taste of them. Looking back at my GPS data I see they ranged in grade from 2% to 4%. That might not sound like much until you realize each one seemed to be a half mile to a mile long, and they kept coming one after another.

• At the Red Hill Baptist Church we had our first opportunity to sit and talk with another team. We met Hannah, Stephanie and Beth from the Sweaty Sistas and got to know each other while swatting away the gnats. Speaking of which, they, like the hills, were relentless. The only place to escape them was under a curtain that had been sprayed with DEET.

• Transition # 15 at Elko Boggin was where I fell in love with a lab retriever. She was the friendliest, most gentle dog I've ever come across. She came when called, ate up the attention and appeared to have a perpetual smile on her face. If it weren't for the collar around her neck I might have coaxed her into the van.

Me at the end of leg # 5

• My most challenging and rewarding leg was # 5 from the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church in Collins to the United House of Prayer in Bellville. After unsuccessfully attempting to locate a bathroom I had to hustle to the transition point because Chelsea was within sight. She handed off to me and I saw the runner from Team Sua Sponte in the distance, maybe a half mile ahead of me. It didn't take but a few steps before I experienced a sharp, stabbing pain in my abdomen. It hurt so much I winced and was afraid I'd have to stop and walk. I slowed my pace to about a 9-min/mile and breathed in as deeply as I could, hoping it would go away. I did this over and over the first mile and a half, watching the other runner pad his lead. Eventually the sharp pain was replaced with an ache and I was able to speed up. I hadn't had the opportunity to chase anyone down on the other legs, so I knew I needed to take advantage. I slowly reeled him in over the next few miles and finally passed him at the 5-mile mark. After a quick fist bump of respect I pulled away and put a few minutes between us over the last couple of miles. I later learned from one of his teammates that not only was he an Army Ranger, but one of their best. And if you're wondering, Sua Sponte is the Ranger motto. It means "Of Their Own Accord" in Latin.

• I had just finished my final leg at the Chevron in Poole and was standing by the van trying to cool down. An older model car pulled up and a woman got out. She approached me and Ashley and asked if we were running for the House of Heroes. I was still in a bit of a fog, but replied that, yes, we were. She then handed me a $10 bill and thanked me for what we were doing. I quickly asked her name, and she said it was Sharlene. She went on to tell us that her brother-in-law was a disabled veteran and that he and her sister had been helped by the organization. For this encounter to occur at the end of my last run really reinforced what we were there for. I frequently thought of the vets we were helping throughout the race, but seeing Sharlene look me in the eye and express her gratitude like that resonated with me.

• The morning after the race Tim and I got a chance to sit and have coffee with John Teeples and his wife, Melissa. Not only did he run the entire 260 miles across Georgia, but he's the organizer of the race and champion for the House of Heroes. It was a pleasure to speak with him and hear about trek across the state. I was taken by how gentle a man he was. Or maybe he was just really, really tired.

To wrap this up I'd like to say I truly enjoyed getting to know all of my teammates and our support crew. Even though I was the outsider of the group I never felt like one. I started writing things about each of them that stood out, but quickly realized I would be adding a couple of pages to this post. Instead I'll just say I was impressed with each and every one of them. Going into this thing you know you're going to run the gamut of emotions, but witnessing it happen and how pure exhaustion reveals true character was something to behold. Were there trying moments? Sure, but I don't believe for a minute anyone forgot why we were there and how much we depended on one another. It was a privilege to be included in this group, and I'm grateful I had the opportunity.

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One last thing. If you ever decide to participate in a long-distance relay race like this here are a couple of tips.

• Bring along The Stick. If you don't own one, get one. It helps squeeze out the lactic acid buildup in your muscles and speeds recovery. I recommend the 20" Marathon Stick for runners.
• If it's expected to be hot (or even not) make sure you have a way to replace electrolyte loss. I'm a fan of Succeed! S! Caps, and members of my team appreciated them.
• Again, if it's hot you absolutely must have sponges soaked in freezing water on hand to pass out every mile.
• I brought a towel for each leg of my race, which wasn't necessary. Everyone gets so gross that it doesn't take long for a few towels to be shared over and over again.
• If you're going to use water coolers that don't have screw-on tops, make sure the driver knows about them. :)
• Yes, bring more than one pair of shoes and socks. And at least a couple of extra shirts/singlets to change into.
• Car chargers with multiple USB ports are good for powering multiple phones at once.

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And here are a couple of more photos from the race. I'll post others as they become available.

Andy handing off to Tim

Ashley

Joanne

Tim

Me

Sports Watch Idea

You just finished your race and are exhausted. Staggering to the refreshments table, you grab a bottle of water and a banana in hopes they will speed along your quest to become coherent again. About the time the time your world stops spinning, a friend approaches and asks how you did. You glance down at your watch and realize - dang! - you forgot to press the stop button!

Yes, this is me at the
end of my first half mary.

It was your first half marathon. You trained for weeks, had a great race and are now anxiously waiting for the photos to be posted. The notification e-mail finally hits your inbox and you click through to see yourself in that moment of glory - the finish line photo. You scan the tiny, thumbnail images, see the one with the banner stretched over your head and click to enlarge it. The image that pops up on your screen is a huge disappointment, as you realize your photo was snapped at the precise moment you looked down to turn off your watch. Welcome to the club, we'll have you fitted for a jacket.

As I crossed the finish line timing mat at the Jubilee CityFest 8k yesterday an idea popped in my head that sports watch manufacturers might consider: an automatic stop feature. Though I'm no electronics engineer, it doesn't seem it would be difficult to integrate this into their products if they worked with chip timing system manufacturers. These systems basically consist of a passive chip you wear and a device that activates it. The piece that activates the chip, which is usually a mat you run over at the finish line, does so by emitting a radio frequency. If the watch could detect this signal it could be used to stop the timer, right?

Some chip system makers put
their transponders in arches or towers.

It sounds simple in theory, but I realize some kinks would need to be worked out. For instance, what about devices scattered about the course to record timing splits? Obviously, they would have to operate on a different frequency, so as not to prematurely stop the watch. But even this presents an opportunity! What if your watch could record accurate, certified splits instead of relying on inexact GPS coordinates?

What do you think? Am I off my rocker or have I come up with the next big thing in sports watch technology? I have to think a bigger brain has already thought of the idea. Can you think of other ways to achieve this or expand on the idea? Sound off in the comments.