Woot, Woot!

Results are in from the Pirate Triathlon and I'm really surprised I did so well. The modified/shortened swim really helped but I figured my lack of training over the past 2-3 months would catch up to me by the end and I'd fall apart late.

The mass swim start combined with the modified course and the fact that I was able to keep up with the pack (for the most part) made for a rough swim. I nailed the bike (I think). I still don't have a computer to know my pace, but it felt fast and I was doing a fair amount of passing. Had a decent run... got passed by a 13 year old very early who made me (and many others) look silly. Finished strong and somewhere in the top 10% overall!

All in all, another great experience in my hometown. This race has grown in numbers almost every year since its inception way back in 1994. Soon it will be May and time to register again.

Team In Training Video - In Honor of Page

I created this video as a fundraising tool and to tell my story of how I came to run on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Enjoy.

Update

Triathlon training is going like this....

Swim: Hitting the pool with some regularity. Jumped in the lake once about two weeks ago. All in all, I feel really good in the water.

Bike: Now, in addition to my fancy bike that is rarely used, I have fancy new tires! Gotta schedule some time for a few 20-30 mile rides!

Run: I injured my left knee about 2 weeks ago playing flag footbal and haven't been able to run since. It's just now starting to feel good enough to run. Soon I will ramp up the mileage in order to run a solid 10K at my August 8th triathlon.

P90X Week 1

Day 1 - Yikes... I just got my butt kicked by the chest and back (+ ab ripper x) DVD, which is the very first workout in the 90-day P90X cycle. It's basically a mix of push-ups and pull-ups - with a splash of dumb bell exercises. I don't really feel like explaining the structure of the workout at the moment as the simple act of typing is anything but simple. Suffice it to say, it's a bitch of a workout. And then when it's all done... SURPRISE, 15-minutes of ab ripper x. I couldn't keep pace with TH and his posse, but did at least 75% of the reps.

I'm gonna scour the house for some protein and then go to bed. Gotta wake up early to swim... bet that will feel good!

Day 2 - Day 2 is Plyometrics, and from what I've read it's considered to be the "mother" of all the P90X workouts. I was more afraid of falling on my face as it consists of lots of jumping and twisting and other airborne antics that requare some degree of rhythm/coordination. All in all I had a pretty easy time with it. Definitely worked up a good sweat and felt the burn in my legs at times. For the next three weeks, I will welcome it as a break between upper body resistance workouts.

My body is still SCREAMING from Day 1! Every part of my upper body hurts and now it's becoming difficult to sit/squat from Day 2. I know this is the initial "shock" but I would never have guessed it to be this bad (bad as in good... sort of).

Day 3 - Shoulder's and arms. This one is definitely for the "beach" muscles, or "marathon" muscles for a guy like me. The structure of the workout was simple. Five "blocks" of exercises for the shoulders, biceps and triceps. Run through a block once and then repeat before moving on to the next block. I found some of the exercises to be too easy (too little weight) and some to be too hard (too much weight) so I ordered some resistance bands for next week. Even though I was still incredibly sore from days 1 and 2, this workout felt great. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being 'check your ego at the door', this one was about a 6... really not too bad. The focus was on form/technique rather than high heartrate or max reps.

Day 4 - Yoga X. I'll never forget the first time I did Yoga X... not because I've never done yoga before or because I'm completely inflexible, but because I "pushed play" minutes after the Cavaliers monumental collapse against the Celtics. 90 minutes of deep breathing/meditation was the perfect remedy for a frustrated Cleveland sports fan. My form on some of the poses was probably way off but they felt great and I pulled most of them off... except for the crane! I will consider this program a success if I can eventually hold this pose for more than half a second.

Day 5 - Legs and Back. Lot's of squat-type exercises and plenty of pull-up/chin-ups for the back. Similar to Plyometrics, this one burned at times, but my legs are in pretty good shape from running/biking. The hardest exercise was single leg wall squats. Oh, and pull-ups are always tough!

Day 6 - Kenpo X. After doing this one, I may opt to skip it in the future as I just don't see a whole lot bang for the buck. It's more cardio than anything and my time would be better spent running for an hour instead. Plus, this one requires even more coordination than plyometrics. It's just not for me.

Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch. I chose to rest... will try X Stretch next week.

Weeks 2 and 3 are identical to Week 1. Week 4 is a recovery week (i.e. no resistance stuff).

Ready to Run

Wrapped up my training today with a 2-1/2 mile easy run around Huron High School's track. I used this time to contemplate my race strategy for Sunday's Pittsburgh Marathon. As Ryan Hall said pre-Boston, I'm going to run "free" and let the day dictate my pace. Rain/thunderstorms are in the forecast, which may be a good thing because temps will be in the 60's (would they cancel a marathon due to lightning?) .

I'm ready to run and proud of myself for whipping into decent shape over the past 8-10 weeks. I love to run and the challenge of running a marathon (especially to a father of twin toddlers) is no less daunting than it was prior to the first time I ran 26.2 seven years ago.

T-Minus 2 days until marathon 16

12 Days and Pasta!

Twelve days remain until the Pittsburgh Marathon and I'm feeling good about both the quantity and quality of running I've done over the past 6-8 weeks. An additional 2-3 weeks of focused training would be ideal as it would add to my confidence... but since I'm out of time, I have to trust in my intuition as a runner to tell me where I stand fitness-wise. So next week I'll probably have my race strategy worked out, along with my race outfit, pre-race dinner plans, etc. Teresa has a friend who lives in Pittsburgh whose Dad is "famous" for his spaghetti. Call me selfish, but I would love a homemade pasta dinner!

And just like that...

...I'm back to swimming again and having an indoor track to run on. The YMCA opened on Monday so Teresa and I took the boys up there last night to get our membership cards and take a look around. They offer child watch so we got the little dudes checked into the play area (which is pretty awesome) and took our time walking through the brand-new facility highlighted by an aquatics room featuring a family pool and a competitive 8-lane pool. The second floor has all the exercise equipment and the indoor track. The indoor track is not the best as it has only 2 lanes and half of it runs through the exercise equipment. There are a ton of treadmills though (all equipped with TV's) so if it's crummy outside and crowded on the track, there's always plan C. As a family, we will take full advantage of all the programs available, including kiddie swim lessons, spin classes, 'Mom-and-Me' Yoga, etc. The new Y will definitely bring a better quality of life to those who make the most of it.

This morning I hit the pool for 20 minutes, ran 2 miles and squeezed in 25 minutes of strength training.

Spring Running

My fitness level is gradually improving. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I know enough about the physiology of running to understand why it's been difficult to complete certain training runs I was doing with ease last year at this time. The good news is, at the current rate and with just over 6 weeks remaining until Pittsburgh, my fitness will be much improved and at a relatively small cost. Following Pittsburgh I will focus primarily on triathlon training and completing a P90X cycle. Then it's back to a month or two of base building before 3-4 months of intense marathon training with the goal of being back in sub-3 shape in time for the Miami Marathon on January 31, 2011. By then I'll have the option to run indoors at the new YMCA (18 days and counting!).

In a side note, and to follow up on a previous post... I've been running a lot at lunch time. Huron High School's track is about 2.5 miles from where I work, which makes for a nice warm up... then I can hit the track for 3-4 miles of intervals or tempo running... followed by a nice 2.5 mile recovery run back to work. It's great not having to worry about waking up early to run and/or run later in the evening after the munchkins are asleep.

Goodbye Morning Running

I think it's officially time for me to accept that morning running just ain't working anymore. Ever since last summer, one thing after another has kept me from getting out before sunrise on a regular basis. I've used about every excuse in the book. Some legitimate and some not so legitimate. Nonetheless, it's time for me to let go and figure out a better time of day to run. At the moment, since I no longer have the option to run indoors, the snow is making it difficult to run regardless of the time.

Fingers crossed, the new YMCA will open mid-March and I'll have roughly 4 weeks to squeeze in certain workouts that are best done on a track. Until then, I have to suck it up, stop being bitter, and head out at lunch or late in the evening after the smallzies are in bed. My lack of training since last winter/spring is reflective in my most recent marathon times and I do not want the trend to continue! Time to walk the walk!

2010 Calendar

My 2010 training and competition calendar is starting to fill up, which is a good thing. I need to get my butt back in shape. First up will be the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 2nd. If I shape up (literally) I should be able to run a solid race that I can walk away happy with. Next up comes triathlon season with at least 2 races scheduled. The first being the Pirate Triathlon (500m swim, 20k bike, 5k run) in my hometown of Fairport Harbor on July 25th. Second is the Greater Cleveland Triathlon (3/4 mile swim, 23 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) at Mentor Headlands State Park... another old stomping ground from my childhood. I will be completing the GCT with Team In Training... this time as a participant! Following GCT, I'll be ready to get back to marathon training and will consider a fall marathon. If I choose not to run a fall marathon, I'll focus my efforts on a fast half-marathon.

Girl Informed Me

James Mercer is collaborating with Danger Mouse on a new project called Broken Bells. Good stuff but looks as if The Shins are a flash in the pan. No more "You gotta hear this song. It'll change your life.". No more obscure Sportscenter references comparing Lew Ford to James Mercer. Even if they launch another album, it'll be a different cast of characters... just not the same. Oh well. I'm a proud owner of three of their albums. And besides, my taste in music is ever expanding thanks to my ultra-cool wife ; ) Lady Gaga (Lah-D Gaga as I like to say) is fascinating to me... and I totally dig The Ting Tings! I mean, at least the two songs that are always played. And I still listen to Metallica, my old school fave, all day at work. You gotta have balance. There's nothing like creating a diverse playlist of 20 songs all approximately 3-minutes in length and alternating between easy and hard running for an hour.

2009 Columbus Marathon

In April/May my goal for this race would have been a sub-3. On the heels of Boston I finally convinced myself that I am a sub-3 marathoner and there should be no excuse to run anything over 3 hours on a course like Columbus. Unfortunately, I lost focus and maintaining a sub-3 level of fitness became less of a priority. Nonetheless, in order to achieve one of my long-term running goals, I planned for a fall marathon (second marathon of the year). With this said, I wanted to avoid running a marathon just to run a marathon. I needed a goal. Enter long time running friend Elizabeth. She has made huge strides in her running over the past 6-8 months and was setting her sites on a new PR at Columbus. For anyone running faster than 3:10-3:15 pace, this course can be very challenging from a mental standpoint. The half-marathoners drop off after 13 miles and it's practically no-mans land until the finish. In my previous two races at Columbus, a buddy on my shoulder would have made things so much easier.

Race day conditions were good. Not ideal, but good. The temperature in the morning was roughly 34°F. I wore shorts, arm warmers underneath long-sleeve under armor heat gear with a singlet over the under armor. I also had on gloves and a winter running/racing hat. I never felt overly chilled but I never really warmed up. Elizabeth had provided me in detail her plan for the day: start slow, fall into a consistent pace by mile 3, hold a steady pace until mile 21-22, maintain or increase pace over the final 4-5 miles.

Running with Liz provided me a different marathon experience than I’m used to. People were eager to talk to us (her). At times it seemed as though guys were making stuff up. Like this one guy who said, “You guys ran this race last year, didn’t you?” Maybe this guy was sincere and truly thought we looked familiar, but as we blew by him, it seemed a cheesy attempt to spark conversation. One of Liz’s directives was to keep her mouth shut, which she did a good job of… for the most part. There was a time or two when she got a little too chatty with other runners and I had to decide how to intervene. I could have told her to zip it… or I could have told the other runners to shut up because she needs to conserve as much energy as possible, but that would have been really lame… I decided the best way to minimize the small talk was to insert myself between her and anyone we were running with at the time. This seemed to work! With that said, some of the conversation with other runners was great. We single handedly helped ‘Eric’ to a new half-marathon PR and enjoyed hearing about his plans to qualify for Boston.

Battling headwinds was a bit of a challenge throughout the day… must have been a Northwest wind because running east and south was a breeze. The other battle we faced was getting through “boring” sections of the course, especially those late in the race (after 18 miles). Fortunately it was at this point when we noticed one of the female runners who passed us early on slowly coming back to us. As we steadily gained on her, Liz commented how she hoped to pull her with us, which I thought was extremely good-natured and a great display of sportsmanship.

Between mile 19 and 20 I could feel my calves wearing down and the pace was becoming uncomfortable. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold out and was relieved when Liz began making comments like, “Now’s the time when I get strong” or “time for a little 10k race action”. I think it was just shy of mile 21 when my lack of fitness caught up to me and like Leo in Titanic, I let go and watched a very determined gal surge ahead in complete control of her race. For a mile or so I could still see her ahead and managed a slight smile each time she passed someone.

My race became dramatically different at this point. I immediately backed off the pace, which was a relief both mentally and physically. I was getting passed right and left but was also doing a fair amount of passing. With no concern for my own time, I did what I could to help those who were struggling, telling them how amazing the downhill finish is… all the people, balloons, brick-lined street, etc. This was also keeping my mind off of my cramping right quad. Around mile 25 I snagged 2-3 chocolate covered buckeyes being offered by volunteers. Being all too aware of the carnage on the course at this point in a marathon, I couldn’t help but smile as I made a final push towards mile 26. After all, only a marathoner could find humor in subjecting ones body to such distress. Hit the finish line in 3:14:36. Liz never faltered and realized her goal with a solid 3:05:57 (1-second negative split).

I’m extremely happy with yet another marathon finish (#14) and thankful for my family for supporting me in this ridiculous hobby of mine! It was great coming home to hugs and kisses from Teresa, Caden and Cole. My training may go up and down but their love is constant!

OU Alums Reunited before start

Early in the race - Liz still has zebra gloves on

Nearing the finish - Cole and Caden protecting my knees

Low Expectations

Last fall I was ill-prepared to run the Erie Marathon and had no idea of what my finishing time might be... As fate would have it, race day temps ventured into the mid-80's and it was a long day, providing no indication of my fitness level at the time. I feel even less prepared for Columbus, which is now less than 5 weeks away. However, I'm going to give myself credit for having continued to run over the last 2-3 months as the challenges at home have mounted.

My only goal on race day will be to finish (hopefully with a smile). I've run and observed enough marathons to fully appreciate what it means simply to finish. I'll go into it with a gameplan and will pace myself for a goal time but will not be at all disappointed if I begin to fall off pace.

With no pressure and/or expectations, I may actually enjoy this marathon!

Columbus for a third time

For me, the second time at Columbus was a charm (broke 3 hours for the first time) but I've decided to give it another go. I won't say I'm aiming for another sub-3 but I will definitely give the race a solid effort and hope for the best.

2009 Pirate Triathlon

Had a great time at the newly themed triathlon held annually in Fairport Harbor. My time was a little off from last year but not by much. The swim went as expected, slow. Had a decent bike, but battled some nasty headwinds (not to mention car traffic) on the second half of the course. Felt very sluggish transitioning from bike to run. This is where I think proper tri training (bricks) makes a big difference and since I haven't done any of that this year, it's no surprise that nearly 5 minutes passed before I got my run legs back. I was at or near 6 minute/mile pace for the last mile and was able to finish with a relatively strong kick.

Following the race, I marveled at a 12-year old whos finish time was only a minute or two off from mine. Next year, I'm pretty sure he'll beat me with ease.

My final splits were as follows.

Swim - 15:00
T1 - 3:15
Bike - 36:11
T2 - 1:26
Run - 17:57
Total - 1:13:51

Back In The Saddle Again

Got out for a 20 mile ride with D. Mika on what was a perfect evening for biking, especially in the valley where it was nice and cool. Mounting and clipping in to my bike felt great! There were three moderate climbs on the course we chose and plenty of straights to make use of the higher gears for short sprints. To my surprise, I never dropped out of my 53 chainring (fresh legs make a difference). Going to swim/bike brick in the AM. I forgot how much fun tri training is!

2009 Painesville Sunrise 5-Miler

Woke up super early Sunday morning to be at a race on the other side of Cleveland by 7AM. It was a 5-miler, organized by my brother, through the streets of Painesville (the neghboring town of where I grew up). It's been 2+ months since I've run mile repeats or 800's or any sort of consistent tempo running. Nonetheless, my plan was to go out running 6:00 min/mile pace and see how it felt. About 1/4 mile into the race I was in 5th place. The leader/eventual winner established what looked to be about a 5:30 pace and didn't look back. He was smokin'! I sat comfortably behind #2, 3 and 4 waiting to see how the race for second would shape up. Mile 1 (5:58) was no sweat. A long downhill and equally long uphill defined mile 2 (6:21). By mile 3 I was in 3rd place and holding 6:00 min/mile pace with relative ease (despite coming off a hill). I never fell off pace but had a hard time finding that extra gear at the end. Finished 3rd overall with a time of 30:21 (6:04 min/mile).

Talked with the 4th place finisher following the race and was surprised to find out he was just a 22 year old "kid" working towards a Boston qualifier. He was throwing questions at me left and right and I was happy to share with him what has worked for me. Kinda made me wish I would have said a few words to him out on the course as I pulled even with him. Some runners are so hardcore though... say two words to them and they chew your head off. This kid would have loved some encouragement. He's local so it's possible I'll see him again. I hope so.

Pittsburgh 2010

Columbus 2009 is likely to be my fall marathon... but why think fall when I've got spring 2010 to look forward to? I got a heads up from a friend on a one-day-only early bird special on Pittsburgh 2010 registration so I'm in for a run through the steel city. Should be fun!

On the Bright Side....

...now I can finally get back to my normal routine, including spring/summer house/yardwork, running, etc.

As disappointing as it was to watch another Clevelend professional sports team go down in flames, life is back to normal once again. I hit the trail this morning for a quick 4-miler, just to get back into the swing of things. My plan is to average 45 mile weeks in the month of June and then gradually bump up the mileage/intensity from July-October, culminating with a fall marathon on October 18th. Soon I'll have to buy new shoes as my Sinister's are nearing the end of their life. Since I will be doing a lot of "trail" running this summer, I'm thinking of getting a pair of Saucony ProGrid Xodus.

Fall 2009 Marathon

Got out and ran this morning for the first time since Boston. It's been a lazy 4 weeks filled with ice cream, late nights and not having to separate running clothes from the rest of the laundry! I was afraid I'd be a little slow to get back to where I was just before Boston but it seems I haven't missed a step, running 4 miles in 25:29 for a 6:22 average pace. I wanna dip under 2:55 in the fall so I need to maintain my current fitness level - at the very least - and hopefully add to it by working in 20-30 extra miles per week in the evenings.

I'm deciding between Columbus or Detroit. I'll probably go with whichever one starts later in the morning but I'm having a hard time finding out what time Detroit starts... hopefully their race is better organized than their web page!