Resolution Race Strategy

Okay, so today is the last day of 2009. I am going to go back to the Galloway run/walk/run strategy just to see how it works. I am going to use his recommended ratio for an 8 minute mile pace: 4 minutes / 35 seconds. That's 12.7% walking. I think this might be the ratio I use for the half marathon in March. From my perspective, there's no reason not to use the Galloway strategy in races. Again, the goal is a low time.

Boo! It's a Ghost!

I went for my first serious shoe purchase as a runner. The folks at Complete Runner near my office in Flint helped me tremendously. I seriously considered 6 different neutral cushioned trainers. First, it was nice to confirm that I do in fact have a neutral gait; they looked at my old Saucony Jazz and watched me on the treadmill. So I spent lots of time running on a number of shoes. The winner: Brooks Ghost.

True to form in running shoes, the Ghost has already been replaced by the Ghost 2. I got the first model. I paid $100, but that was well worth it given the help and selection I had at Complete Runner. When I got home, I found a second pair on Overstock.com for $60 and ordered them. Cool!

Here are notes about the other shoes I tried today

• Mizuno Wave Runner: The runner up. These are nice shoes, and I really liked the lower profile heel. But they were so light that they just didn't seem as substantial to me. If I find a cheap pair of these guys online, I might snatch them up. The heel design is really different, too.
  
• New Balance 1063: In the top 3. These were a very nice, tight fit but the heel just seemed gigantic! Had the heel been a lower profile, I think these guys would have won.
• New Balance 1064: Marilyn seemed to think the newer 1064 would be less comfortable for me than the 1063; I'm not sure why she was right. I was trying to narrow down the field, so I went with her recommendation. The 1063 and 1064 were the most expensive of the bunch.
  
• Brooks Defyance 2: For some reason, these guys just felt wrong. They felt like paddles attached to my feet. Instantly not a good fit--not sure why.
  
• Brooks Ghost: Took these guys to the dance. Overall the best. I wish the heel were just a tad shorter like the Mizunos, but this was the best combination of all of them.
  
• Asics Gel-Nimbus 11: I nearly bought a pair of these online based on reviews. Whoa, did I avert a disaster. These shoes were so pillowy that I don't think I could have run on them. They felt cushy and gushy. It's funny, as I was putting them on I thought to myself: "I really want these--good thing I get to compare them to other shoes." I instantly knew they were wrong for me.

I'm feeling good about my Saucony Jazz purchase back in the summer. They got me started and, as it turns out, they were great shoes that match my gait pattern. Now they are my winter "screw shoes." Perfect.

I am sorely tempted to go to the indoor track tomorrow to test these guys out on a fast 5K.

P.S. I just looked back at my July blog entries. Boy, I nearly purchased the exact wrong shoe back then. I was going to buy a Mizuno stability shoe; good thing I held out for the Saucony Jazz. Something tells me I am going to really like these Brooks.

UPDATE: Just did a quick 3-miler in these, and they are great. Obviously they will take some getting used to, but I feel a distinct cushion in the mid-foot where I strike--it feels like kind of a "paw," which is very cool. I needed to concentrate to relax my lower legs, but it seemed to work. I wonder if it's common to run faster than normal in new shoes. These guys get more air circulation, too--luckily it wasn't that cold out (28F). I think these are going to be a great pair of shoes for me.

New Tires

New Balance 790

I took my first run in the New Balance 790, a discontinued, minimal trail shoe that is popular with ChiRunning people. I decided to just go out for 3 miles and try something a little different: I ran with a 60bpm click track and ran at a cadence of 90 (that's what you get if you run in "waltz time" at 60bpm). Some thoughts:

• The shoes are not uncomfortable; the lack of cushioning is immediately noticable. I ran 3 miles and noticed more fatigue--not pain--in my upper feet and lower legs than I usually experience. It's been about 6 hours since the run, and my R plantar fascia is a little warm and inflamed (it didn't hurt during the run, and it's not really painful now).
• You can really "feel" the road in these shoes. I tried to focus on this because I don't plan to log lots of miles in these guys; I plan to use them on "form focus" runs where I want to feel the road. I had an interesting sensation during the run: it felt as though I was using my mid-foot to strike, but my toes and heel were also giving me information about the terrain. It almost felt like my toes and heels were acting like ski poles--they were not supporting my weight, but they were giving me information about the lay of the land.
• On this run, I also ran with the click track. This was odd at first. One thing I learned is that there is no way that I keep a steady cadence while running. I had to work to stay at 90 pretty consciously. Reflecting on the run, I can tell that I must increase/decrease cadence depending on my perceived exertion. This was a cool run because--for the first time--I could objectively notice my increase and decrease in speed. Running with the click track will be very interesting at Genesys. I had a moderate perception of increasing lean and stride length to increase pace, but I did not have a good sense of it. I mostly noticed these changes after they were happening. At Genesys, I will be able to monitor these at 426 yard intervals.
• The shoe seems fine for short runs, and will probably be ideal for work on the indoor track, especially when I want to feel more of how my feet land on the ground. I'll use these shoes to focus on my form.
• I always find myself doubting that I actually strike at the mid-foot. Part of me thinks (and I sometimes have the perception) that I am striking with my heel; however, I must be avoiding the heel enough to stop the intense pain I was getting in my lower legs.
  

In thinking about perceived exertion, check out the Perceived Exertion Scale. Here's a modified and simpler version:



So, I love being analytical about this thing. The "Borg Scale" might be a great way to work on different effort levels. From my reading of running magazines, etc. I have noticed that many runners have a 5K and 10K pace. I assume there is a corollary half-marathon and marathon pace. Off the top of my head, paces I would be happy with in the next 12 months are:

• 5K = 7:45/M (24:00)
  
• 10K = 8:17/M (51:30)
  
• 13.1 = 8:35/M (1:52)
  
• 26.2 = 8:50/M (3:51)

The pace chart I made for the indoor track will be a cool way to monitor this. Another great thing about that chart is that I can simulate different exertion levels and patterns (e.g. pushing it at the end of a race, etc.). I am actually looking forward to using the track in January and February.

I only have about 80 days before the half marathon. So I think that I will be "training" for the first time come January 2010. The Genesys track should help with that. I've also stabilized at 190 pounds. I think it's a reasonable goal to lose 10 pounds before the race. That is under one pound per week. Here are some diet ideas:

• No soda (Diet Coke at work)
  
• No fast food (McDonalds, Burger King, Halo Burger, Taco Bell, etc.)
  
• No candy (that means you Peanut M&Ms)

Frankly, those could be easy to stick to for 80 days. You might lose more than 10 pounds just by doing that. Add the running, and maybe you'll get to that magic 175 number. Who knows?

One thing is for certain: the race will be easier if you weigh less.









New Balance 800

I am contemplating a purchase of these:

A few days off

I did take my running shoes to Park City, and I did do one short run at 7,000 feet. I did an out-and-back with two fairly large hills. My guess is that I did 2 miles. Whew, running at that elevation is a challenge.

Mapmyrun is so cool--I just figured that I did 200 feet of vertical gain with a maximum grade of 8% (I guessed about 8% for that steep part--geez, that is rough going with light oxygen!).

Screw Shoes

Just finished a 1.5 mile test run in these in the worst conditions imaginable: partial snow, partial ice, invisible black ice, and exposed dry pavement. Solid snow would be better. These things are great. They are "crunchy" and I think I'll prefer them in hard-packed snow. But there was zero slippage on black ice, ice, snow, and pavement. Very cool.

I might get shorter screws--even though I shortened some of them, it's a little prickly. I'd rather replace screws on a regular basis than feel them poking at me.

Here's the shortest and coolest link on screw shoes.

More ChiRunning Thoughts

Well, my new 790s arrived today. Smokin' deal at $49.00, so I am anxious to take them to the track. It's a minimal shoe, so I want to take it easy at first. I also made a 60-minute click track of 60 BPM for a running cadence of 90.

Another Race... Lessons Learned

Well, I am not happy with my time from the 10K race today. It was a great race, though, and I did have fun. I think I'll post here about takeaways.

Positive

• This is the first race where I was really feeling "pain" at the end. Pain of an injury or being out of shape does not count here; by PAIN, I mean pushing myself to the limit. During that last 1.5 miles, by body was not happy with me. For the first time, I could feel the lactic acid in my legs screaming--NO MORE! STOP! I was winded. I wanted to walk. I slowed down a bit, but I would not let myself walk. I even kicked it up a bit duing the last quarter mile. I got cramped in my chest a bit, but I did not push myself to the point that I was worried about anything. If I am going to do races like this, I need to learn a lot more about this "pain" thing. I give myself good marks for a preliminary exploration. I shudder to think what the last stage of the marathon might feel like.
• I feel great now. This cannot be underestimated. I feel like I could go out and run another 10K race tomorrow, and that is excellent. I don't have a single twinge of pain or hurt in my legs, and I have had a very normal active day.
  
• I didn't walk once. Now, this is controversial. I think my time would have improved with a few walk breaks. But I think it was important to totally run this one.

Things I Could Have Done Differently

• I think if you want to finish in a certain time, you need to wear a watch. I figured I would just go as fast as I felt comfortable and see where that left me. Well, it left me with an extra 90 secons that I didn't want. I'm glad I ran the race this way--I learned a thing or two.
• In my previous 10K, I walked through every aid station and took a 35 second walk break. I think this made me faster. I should try to do a 10K with a run/walk/run interval.
  

10K @ 19F

Tomorrow, I run my second 10K race the frigid cold. It's supposed to be 19F when the starting gun goes off at Run Like the Dickens tomorrow. Still, I am worried about overdressing. I did a 5 miler in 22F wearing my regular stuff, so I think I should be okay. I bought a new pair of gloves. Apart from that, I think I should wear the normal gear.

I am going to try for my old goal: 52 minutes or less. I have a Stooges playlist that is 51:30, so we'll see if Iggy can get me across the finish line.

To get across in 51:50, I need to average 8:20/M. I can do that. I did 8:17/M in the 5K, and I don't think that was max effort. I could have done more. So I feel that I can make this goal.

51:44

That is the exact time of my Stooges running mix--I've run with it a few times. It's cool. Perhaps my goal should be to cross the finish line before the music stops. The song "Funhouse" comes on at approx. 24 minutes. Raw Power comes on at 32:00. My last 10K was a 51 minute Zeppelin mix.

The Night Before

Okay, so it's 16F out there now, and I have all my running gear on; it is so freakin' cold out there!!!! I don't want to overdress, but it would be terrible to underdress. My legs weren't cold at all, and I don't expect they will be. Here's what I am wearing:

• Layer 8 skin-tight, long-sleeve shirt
• ZeroXposur fleece (these two items are usually good into the mid 20s)
• Saucony Boston pants (again, good into the low 20s, warmish in the mid 50s)
• Non-cotton ski socks
• Gloves
• Running shoes
• SIMMS balaclava

This should be fine when running a difficult race.

56:01

Not great. But I went out and did it.

Black Diamond Sprinter

So far I can see pretty well in the morning, but I may need one of these some day.

90 BPM

The ChiRunning folks recommend running at 9 beats per minute. By this, they mean having one foot at 90 BPM. This feels fast for most people. I grabbed a drum machine and did a 10 minute clip of kick/snare at 90 BPM for starting off. It worked pretty well today. I've actually made a couple of click tracks. Just finished making one with an online metronome. This one is in waltz time @ 60 BMP (which will still be a cadence of 90 BPM if you alternate right/left--see the article in the first ChiRunning link).

Then I kicked into my new all-Stooges runnning mix. Man, running with Iggy is pretty fun.

Stooges Playlist

1. Down on the Street
2. 1969
3. I Wanna Be Your Dog
4. No Fun
5. Real Cool Time
6. 1970
7. Fun House
8. Raw Power
9. T.V. Eye
10. Loose
11. 1970 (Take 3--7 minutes of brilliance!)

I'm not sure that an entire run with a click track. The 10 minute track I have should work for setting tempo at the beginning (and I can return to it later in a run).

Heelstrike Revisited

Well, I am still doing it. The photo to the far right is from the finish, which is always a little helter skelter, so I suppose bad form will dominate. What is interesting is that extreme rotation in the back end of the stride.

Looks like I might not be striking on the heel in those earlier shots. And the one on the right might not be so bad--I am still an inch or so off the ground.

Dream Times & Paces

“Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?”

--Robert Browning

That Browning quote is a major cliché, but it fits. To redeem myself for using it, I have posted a link to the original poem here. You learned about Browning's dramatic monologues in Intro to Poetry. Pat yourself on the back. Now on to my purpose...

Finishing Times & Paces I Could Be Really Happy About

I would be really psyched if I made some of the following times in these events within the next couple of years or so.

• 5K: 23:30 or 7:30/M [-2:30]
  
• 10K: 49:30 or 7:55/M [-5:02]
  
• 8K: 40:10 or 8:05/M [-4:15]
  
• 10M: 1:21:40 or 8:10/M [?]
  
• 13.1M: 1:50:20 or 8:25/M [?]
  
• 26.2M: 3:50:17 or 8:47/M [?]

The times in brackets represent how far away I am from these goals based on recent races. I don't see myself meeting these goals in a year. I'd like to think that I could do the marathon and half-marathon times, but I could be smoking crack.

I'm doing another 10K race next month, and my goal is to shave about 3 minutes from my time to finish in 52:something. There's an 8K later in December, and I'd like to do what Dennis said was "doing pretty good," which is to run your age. That means 41:something. I think I can do those. The goal for the 10M Crim does seem doable by August. In theory, I will have run a half and a marathon-- a pace in the low 8's seems within reach.

The marathon and half marathon times, however, seem like distant dreams. I think it's great to have lofty goals--as long as they don't get you hurt. I think that I can try for the 1:50 mark in the half marathon. I probably won't make it (power of positive thinking, right?), but I should be delighted with anything under 2 hours. Just as I should be delighted with any marathon time withing striking distance of 4 hours.

December Thoughts

Tomorrow is December 1, and I have been running since June. That's pretty cool.

I thought that I'd do my next run in a run/walk/run ratio just for old time's sake. Maybe do 6 miles at a 4:1 ratio. I wonder if I'd shave time off. Here's some math I did about marathon times with run/walk/run:

4 to :35 run walk ratio for marathon

240 seconds running
35 seconds walking
275 total = 12.7% walk /87.3% run

Marathon = 26.21875 miles

22.8889 running
3.32985 walking

Marathon
9 min miles = 3:55:58

Assumption

8:20 running / 11:45 walking

3:10:44 run
:39:07 walk
3:49:51 total

8:10 running / 11:45 walking

3:06:55
39:07
3:46:02

7:50 running / 11:45 walking

2:59:17
39:07
3:38:24

7:30 running / 11:45 walking

2:51:40
39:07
3:30:47

8:02 overall pace

Now, 7:30/M for me would be hauling ass! I don't think I could do that, even if I could take a break every 4 minutes. A 3:30 marathon lasts for 210 minutes, or 1,260 seconds. That would mean 45 walk breaks. I'm sure 7:30 isn't all out sprinting for me, but it would feel like it. Could I do 45 consecutive fast runs with only 35 seconds to recover? Would that be any fun at all?

10K RACE RUN/WALK/RUN STRATEGY

An overall pace of 8:02/M gets you to a 50:00 finish.

A 4 minute/35 second run/walk ratio @ 8:02/M would be:

• 7:30/M run for 4 minutes
• 11:45/M walk for 35 seconds

A 50 minute run = 10.9 run/walk cycles

This means you'd need to run @ 7:30/M pace for 4 minutes, 11 times.

I think this is doable. In other words, haul ass for 4 minutes, then walk for 35 seconds. This is the same ratio I used in the 8K Crim, but I was in lousy shape then.

Dirt Roads Are Great!

I can see why Marti has always raved about the running in Metamora--those hard-packed dirt roads are fantastic! I did two 5-mile runs out there these past couple of days, one by myself and the other with Renee and Marti. Excellent place to run. I'll bet it's not so great in the snow, though.

Two More Races?

If I do two more races next month, I will have done 6 with 2 attempts at 3 different distances: 5K, 8K, and 10K. I think that's cool.

• Run Like the Dickens 10K (Dec 12)
  
• New Year's Resolution 8K (Dec 31)

So I can try again for my 52 minute 10K and to run my age in the 8K.

Galloway & Walk Breaks

I've been thinking about Jeff Galloway and walk breaks lately, mostly because I don't take walk breaks any more. On my 7-miler this morning, I went straight through. But here's Jeff making his case for walk breaks in an intro to the training program for the Warsaw Marathon/Half:





It would be interesting to do another 5K real quick and build in my old 4:1 ratio and see what happens. I'll bet I'd shave time off. Still, I am loving the rhythm that develops during my runs lately; paradoxically, I think I might get more tired taking the breaks because they would interrupt that separation between mind/body that is starting to happen.

Best Balaclava Ever

It's the SIMMS ExStream Balaclava. I'm so hooked on this thing, I'm pitching it on YouTube:





Good Wiki page on Balaclavas. Not only can it warm the air that goes into your lungs just a bit, it also keeps your face warm. A cold face can apparently trigger exercise-induced asthma.

This model is available at quality fly fishing retailers. Bought mine in Jackson, WY before a 5-hour highway ride on a Harley in very cold temperatures.

2009 Grand Blanc Road Race

25:40.4 (8:17/M)

This was fun. I didn't make my goal, but it was super cool to run a race in my own neighborhood with people I knew, including several family members. Here's my post-race report.

First, the finishing time: 25:40 with a pace of 8:17/M. Not bad, really.

When we got to the start, it became clear to my sister-in-law that this was a pretty serious running crowd. She was right. I saw some of my race walking buddies from work, including Dave, Cheryl, and Jack. Then Dennis and Tina were there. And Bill came with his sister. Christine and Sam ran together, and my mother-in-law Diana walked with Zoe. It was quite a crew.

Slightly after the so-called 2 mile spit, I saw Kathy, Mike, Owen, Julia, and Milo (don't forget Sadie the Scottie) along the side of the road. High fives and continue on. How cool is that?

I went without the iPod but did take the watch. The watch was pretty much useless because I missed the gun start. In the future, I might find more accurate mile markers and do splits myself. But more likely, I will just forget the watch on 5K races.

My split at Mile 1 was 8:18, which seems pretty accurate given how I felt and how the finish time went. But the split at Mile 2 was really off; the guy with the stopwatch called out "2:02, and then corrected himself to "20:02." There is no way he was standing at the 2 mile mark. I did not run the last 1.1 miles in 5:38 seconds!! The bummer about this is that I didn't realize that I was within striking distance of 25:00. The split seemed long to me, but I figured there was no way I was going to get close to 25:00. I just ran comfortably figuring that I'd finish close to my previous time of 28:08. When I got closer to the finish, I figured that the split must be wrong, so I picked it up a bit. I freaked when I saw the clock--it was still 24 something when I was able to read it.

The Finish

So, as we pulled out onto Perry Road again, I knew we were close to the finish. "The clock is only at 20 minutes?" I thought to myself. Maybe there was a lap or turn I didn't know about. But I could sense it was getting closer, so I kicked it up a bit. As we made the final turn to the finish, I could see a guy that was leading me before. He looked about my age and he also looked to be more of a serious runner than me--he had an older Free Press Marathon technical shirt on. I locked on to him and tried to hold him.

As we got closer to the finish clock, I knew I should go faster, but I didn't think I had it in me. I wasn't motivated by a good time, so I was just taking it easy. Then I could make out the "24" on the clock. "Shit!" I thought to myself. I know I could have made up extra seconds since that last split. Oh, well. Then this guy Dennis from work sees me. He and his wife both work at the college--they are very cool and serious runners. I hear Dennis yell "Go Steve! You can take him! Push it!" I was trying to speed up anyway, but I went for it and tried to reel in Free Press Marathon Guy. He sensed this and kicked it up. "Come on, Steve! Go!" Dennis yells. I caught him and just passed him over the chip sensor. In the results, our times are one tenth of second apart! As it turns out, he was in the higher age group, so our little sprint didn't impact the outcome. Had I been in the 45-49 group, my sprint would have saved me from a last place finish by a tenth of a second. As it turns out, only 5 guys in the 41-44 group ran. I came in second.

So my overall place was 59 out of 99. I was second in my age group. And I improved my previous 5K time by 2:28. And, I didn't get hurt. Not so bad.

And the best part? I am looking forward to getting up tomorrow to run an easy 6 miles.

Low Stakes 5K

First, here's the "true" 5K route in my neighborhood:

Mile Splits

1 Mile - Turn from Wellington to Moceri
2 Mile - 6th house past Boutell loop
3 Mile - 6th house back on Via Catherina
Finish = Stop sign

Why is this weekend's race low stakes? Well, I won't have to work hard to beat my 5K time from back in August. I really screwed up, started too fast, hurt myself, and finished in . I need a plan. My stretch goal is to finish in under 25:00, but that's gonna be pretty difficult for me.

My pace for the first 3 miles of my 10K race was 8:25/M, which would give me a 26:06 finish in a 5K.

I need an 8:02 pace for a sub-25 finish. These splits could work:

• 8.15
• 8.05
• 7.45

If I kept the 7:45/M pace for the last .1 mile, that could be under 25:00. Just barely. Perhaps I'll try it on Wednesday morning. I have more accurate mile points on my 5K route. I don't usually run with the watch, but I could try it.

Why not try for the sub-25? Chances are you won't be able to do it. Still, you were within a minute during the 10K and you went on to run another 5. Maybe you could do it.

Another thought would be to go out there and try to run 8 minute miles for 25 minutes. That would get you in under 25. Not sure which way to go.

Here's a cool 5K Strategy link. According to this article, I am a "pacer," meaning that I am running for a time goal. What's the goal? 25:00. I just read another site where kids were trying to beat 16:00. That's 5:08/M pace. Egad!

So, according to this article, the pacer should run:

• Mile 1 @ 3% - 6% faster than pace
• Mile 2 @ even pace
• Mile 3 @ slightly increased pace w/ kick in final 400 meters.

So, I think you have it there. That would look something like:

• Mile 1: 7:45/M
• Mile 2: 8:00/M
• Mile 3: 7:55/M w/ 400 meter kick

23:35 + 0:47 for the last 0.1 mile. That's 24:22. Could be the ticket!!!

Haruki Murakami Memoir

My pal Todd likes the Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. I noticed this book a while back, mostly because of its title, which I immediately noticed was ripped off from a Raymond Carver short story. I thought this was a strike against the book until I started to read it. Then I learned that Murakami, himself an acclaimed novelist, is a noted translator of Carver's fiction. At the end of the book, be acknowledges in an 0ff-hand way that Carver's widow gave him permission to riff on the title. Um, wow.

He also reveals at the end that he went running with John Irving in Central Park in 1983 while he was translating Setting Free The Bears into Japanese.

Genesys Track Pace Chart

This is a cool chart. It's a pacing system for working out at the Genesys indoor track. Each lap in Lane 3 is 426.6 yards. The chart correlates the time of laps in Lane 3 to per-minute pace, 5K finishing time, and 10K finishing time. 13 laps at a particular lap time will yield a particular 5K finishing time; 26 laps will do the same for a 10K. The finishing distances are only slightly off: 13 laps = 5.07K, and 26 laps = 10.14K.

Two opportunities to improve my times in the near future:

• 2009-11-21: 5K Grand Blanc Road Race
• 2009-12-12: 10K Run Like the Dickens

I've set some goals for these races. Maybe I should do one more pace run at Genesys for each. I hope to finish the 5K in under 25, and the 10K in under 52 minutes.

The chart above makes training and pacing for 5K and 10K races easy: find your desired finishing time and never dip below the lap splits for it. This will also help me develop a "5K pace" and 10K pace" which I have seen referenced in many training plans.

Indoor Track Workout

Went to the indoor track and did 5K. I think. I did 13 laps on Lane One of the indoor track. As near as I can tell, L1 is 414.5 yards. That's a total of 5,388 yards which is 4.92K.

Here's a metric converter. And here are my splits on the track:

1. 2.07
2. 2.05
3. 2.03
4. 2.01
5. 2.05
6. 2.03
7. 2.03
8. 2.05
9. 2.01
10. 2.00
11. 2.00
12. 1.55
13. 1.41

TOTAL: 26:15

I wasn't pushing it super hard, so I think I can manage 25 minutes in the 5K. It costs $8 to go run on this track. I think I should only go when it's really too icy and cold to run outside, or to do pace work.

Using these splits and the pace calculator at CoolRunning, I can see some interesting stuff. For example, if I could keep the pace of Lap 13 for the entire run, my time would be 23:33.

My average pace in this workout was 8:35/M.

Looks like 26 laps in L3 = 10.1K; 13 laps in L3 = 5.07K.

Great Quote

For me, running is both exercise and a metaphor. Running day after day, piling up the races, bit by bit I raise the bar, and by clearing each level I elevate myself. At least that's why I've put in the effort day after day: to raise my own level. I'm no great runner, by any means. I'm at an ordinary--or perhaps more like mediocre--level. But that's not the point. The point is whether or not I improved over yesterday. In long-distance running the only you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.

Haruki Murakami
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007)

5K & 10K Goals

Here are two opportunities to set some short-term goals.

• 5K on Saturday, November 21 (2 weeks from now)
• 10K on Saturday, December 12 (5 weeks from now)

What should my goals be? New PBs for each, obviously. I think that shaving the 5K to 25:00 or below is reasonable. My time for the first 5K of last weekend's race was 26:08, and I know I can shave a minute off that. So, we should shoot for 24:00 or something.

5K Goal

A finish of 24:30 would be a pace of 7:53/M. I think I can do that. So, let's try to do 24:30 or better on the Grand Blanc Road Race 5K. Should be doable.

Another thought, going backwards. Try the Mild/Hot/Fire strategy with 1 mile per spice. Do the 1st mile @ 8:30, the 2nd @ 8:15, and the 3rd @ 7:55. That would be a time of 22:35. Oh, there's that pesky 0.1 mile, but that should only add 45 seconds or so.

10K Goal

How about you try to do your race plan from the last one? Mild/Hot/Fire, with a goal finish of 52:00 or less. Or, you could try to go for it and attempt to get below 50:00. That would be a real challenge. A pace of 8:02/M gets you below 50:00 in the 10K. A pace of 7:53/M gets you safely below at 48:59.

Given the time available to prepare, I think that these goals could work. I can revise as I train, but I think the goals should be:

• 5K - 24:30 - 7:53/M (shaves 3:38 off previous time)
  
• 10K - 49:50 - 8:01/M (shaves 4:25 off previous time)

The 5K goal is easier because I don't have to sustain an effort. The 10K could be pretty difficult, but I have 5 weeks to train.

How to Train.

Here's my idea. For the first two weeks, I don't train. I just run. Get to the 5K and do my dead level best. I know I can beat my previous time, and I think I can really do better.

After the 5K, there will be exactly 3 weeks to train for the 10K. I can make a plan then. This plan can be based on my 5K performance and how I am feeling. One idea: I think I should build in a long run that exceeds the 10K. That might mean an 8 mile run or two. And some pace work, and a little speed work. Again, we aren't talking about a huge improvement--just about 45 seconds per mile.

Genesys Indoor Track

So, I have this idea that I will re-join at Genesys to use the indoor track in January and February. I'll still run outside, too. Maybe I can put together some outdoor runs from the club. Basically, I want a place to make sure I can get in a run when it's super icy or cold. And having the whirlpool will be a plus...

The web site says that the indoor track at Genesys is 4.5 laps to the mile. The actual distances are posted on the wall of the track:

Track Measurements

One Lap on Lane One = 1243.5 feet
1243.5 x four laps = 4974 feet
4974 feet - 5280 feet (one mile) = 306 feet
One mile is four laps plus 306 feet

One Lap on Lane Three = 1280 feet
1280 feet x four laps = 5120 feet
5120 feet - 5280 feet (one mile) = 160 feet
One mile is four laps plus 160 feet

When running the track remember to run four laps to a mile and then from the start run the extra 160 feet in lane three or 306 feet in lane one. Again, measurements were calculated measuring from the inside lane by 8 inches from the start.

So, based on the posted measurements, Lane One = 414 yards; Lane Three = 426 yards.

L1: 414 yards
L3: 426 yards

I could use these runs to work on speed and form. For some reason, I've enjoyed doing 2 mile splits. That makes it easy to track--do splits at 9 laps.

Now, I have walked and run that track before. This is going to be a fairly boring thing to do. Audiobooks might help. Podcasts could help. Tracking splits and doing speedwork/pacework could help as well.

Later...

This deserves more thought. The gym opens at 5:30, which is before I usually head out the door, though I have gone at 5:45 in the past. So if I were to really run there before work, I'd need to get there about then, which means a 5:40 departure or so.

Then you need to change.

Run for an hour.

Makes sense to shower there, too. But I want to get home and see the kids before school. And also change.

So perhaps it makes sense to wear a clean t-shirt and sweatpants on the way there, change into running technical and shorts, do the run, shower (maybe a hot tub if you're there early enough), and get home in time for breakfast.

So, in other words, the track at Genesys is the ultimate pace work track. You just have to do 2 miles in order for it to be even (4.5 x 2 = 9 laps or 2 miles). That's what I'd like to do anyway. Do 9 laps tracking your splits and see what happens. Do an entire workout of 27 and track your progress. Very interesting.

Genesys Pace Table


This table correlates Genesys laps with mile paces and 5K, 10K, 10M, 13.1 and 26.2 finishing times. The times I feel are within my striking distance over the next 12 months are in gray. I have also color coded pace ranges:

• BLUE = below pace
• GREEN = easy pace (1st gear)
  
• YELLOW = moderate pace (2nd gear)
  
• ORANGE = brisk pace (3rd gear)
  
• RED = above pace

A marathon finishing time of below 3:30 is highlighted in black. This is the qualifying time for 45-50 year old males in the Boston Marathon. The Boston Marathon will be held on my 48th birthday on April 18, 2016. How's that for a long-range goal?

Race Report

First, the results are in. They got my city wrong (that's only a problem really because I am on the Grand Blanc City Council). I came in 23rd out of 34 in my age group. Official time was 54:32 with a pace of 8:48/M.

Some preliminary things I learned today:

• I was not strong enough for the goal I set. I was determined not to injure myself or puke, so I will never know for sure if I could have shaved 2:32 from my time today, but for my purposes, I could not. Which is fine.
• My training distances must be shorter that what I think they are. For example, the three 8:25 miles I ran felt faster than the ones I run at home. I'm not sure this is a giant problem, because all I need from those training routes is to get consistent measurements. When I train for a race, perhaps I should have a very specifically marked timing course.
• Running in the cold with warm clothes on is easier than the opposite. It was about 54F this morning, and I was a tad overdressed (long running pants and a long-sleeve technical). I was never "hot," but I'll bet I didn't cool as well as I could have. I don't think it made a difference in my time.
• Walking through aid stations is the way to go. I am surprised more people don't do it.

Body Scan & Listening:

• I have a couple of minor but interesting blisters in places I have never gotten them before. I have a slight blister behind the ball of each of my feet. Each is about the size of a nickel. I lanced them both and got some H20 out of there, and now they are fine. I wonder if I was trying too hard to land mid-foot. Also, I notice in training that I now land slightly on the outside of my mid-foot, which feels right. I must not have been doing this today.
• I sometimes get a small blister on my right heel. Not today. There was one on my left heel, and it burst leaving blood all over my sock. It was painless, though--I didn't even feel it. Just noticed the blood (so did Owen).
• Slight soreness in legs, but this is VERY good because now I can tell what soreness is supposed to feel like. This isn't STRAIN, or PAIN. It feels like I ran hard. Good.
• I've been "listening" to my knees and lower legs all day. They aren't talking. There's a slight twinge in my right shin, but I really have to feel for it. I imagine that my legs are adjusting over time to this gradual increase in use and mileage. Again, this is good.

Cultural Observations

• I need to start off by saying that races aren't as much fun as training. For me, anyway. I kept listening to the Zeppelin in my headphones, and I had to think back to my training runs for inspiration! Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Seriously, I was thinking in my head, wishing that I were at home, and that it was about 20 degrees colder, that I was alone, and that there was no real rush to get to the finish line.
• The above being said, I can tell that races are a great place to learn things about running. For one thing, you get to LOOK at all the other runners. What are they wearing? Check out their strides. Look for cultural norms, tricks, conventions, etc.
• The serious runners knew that it was shorts and short-sleeve weather. I did too, and even went back and got my shorts to change. But it was getting close to the start and I decided "what they heck--I am not going to be hot." That was true, but I might have been more comfortable in shorts and short-sleeves. Scratch that--I am 100% sure I would have been.

Well, this is the culmination of a goal. I wanted to run 10Ks, and here is my first one at a fairly decent time that I can work to improve upon. In a couple of weeks I am doing a 5K, and it might be fun to see it I can do it with a sub-8:00/M pace. I would only need to shave 90 seconds off the first three miles of today's effort to do that. I know that's possible. Why not try?

Half Marathon

If I can run at this pace for 13.1, I can do my half marathon in under 2 hours. I still think that is a do-able goal. If I can shave time off my pace--as I did from 5K, 8K to 10K--I can do it in even less time. But my pace today would do it.

Another 10K?

In about a month, there's another 10K very close to me. Perhaps I should try my mild/hot/fire strategy there and see if I am strong enough to do it.

Race Day

Okay, this is it. 10K is the distance that I started out wanting to work toward. So just getting ready this morning is kind of a culmination of a goal. I have a good plan and enough preparation to do what I want to do. It's a beautiful morning--the race starts in a couple of hours.

One thing that is different is the time. I usually run a 5:30 or 6AM, and it's already way past that time. I had a second dinner (spaghetti leftovers) at about midnight, so hopefully I won't be hungry. I might grab a smoothie at some point this morning--just so I don't have an empty stomach.

Done!

So, here's a quick recap. Gonna write a full-blown race report later.

Chip time: 54:32 (2:32 behind my goal). 8:48/M pace.
Watch time: 54:15 (2:15 behind goal). 8:43/M pace.

Splits:

1. 8.25
2. 8.23
3. 8.25
4. 9.01
5. 9.01
6. 9.10 /1.56 (last 0.2k)
   

Pace People Narrative

For the first time, I selected specific people to pace myself "with" or "against" depending on how you look at it. That's not really possible when you run/walk/run the way I did in the Crim. At the starting line, I picked out a tall and very fit guy who looked about my age or a hair older. He had a long-sleeve half marathon shirt on, and I called him Half Marathon Guy. I kept him in sight for the first 2 miles. Clearly, his plan was to keep my same pace: 8:30/M. I lost him during mile 3--he was doing some variation on my plan and took it up a notch during the middle third of the race. I couldn't keep up. Then I found myself with a really solid runner with two knee braces; she was an African-American woman who looked to be in her early 50s. I could hear those knee braced rubbing together. I was able to keep with Knee Brace Woman for miles 3 and 4, but then I started doggin' it and she kept on goin'. I took a 35-second walk break during mile 4 and jumped back in. After then, I kept finding myself among a pair of 20-something women who were clearly running together but listening to their own iPods and not talking. I called these guys the BFFs (Best Friends Forever). Right there with us was a stocky guy about my age with a "Freedom Is Not Free" veteran shirt on; I called this one Veteran Guy. I stayed with the BFFs until the middle of mile 6 and then tried to kick it up a bit to make up for lost time. I kept seeing Veteran Guy all through the last half mile, but passed him on a corner. Near the end he came up behind me right before the finish line. I kicked it up even more and Veteran Guy and I went through the chute at 54:34. My watch said 20 seconds less than that.

The finish to this race was kind of like the end of my training run. You can see the big FINISH sign for about 1/4 mile, just like you can see my house for the last 1/4 mile. Man, did that seem like a long time. Another thing: my house, while it can be seen at the end of my run, is actually not at the end--it's another 1/8 beyond the end. This made the finish of this race psychologically difficult.


Good News Is Rock-n-Roll

A good trend line for my first 3 races: 9.05/M - 8.56/M - 8.46/M.

Mild/Hot/Fire

Okay, here's my 10K race strategy:

• Miles 1 & 2: MILD (splits in middle 8s)
• Miles 3 & 4: HOT (splits in the low 8s)
• Miles 5 & 6: FIRE (splits under 8)

Now, to be honest, I'm not sure how much "fire" I have in me. The past few times I've done a 6-miler, the last two miles have been about 15:36, or just under 8. So I am pretty sure I can do that. Below are splits for the Mild/Hot/Fire strategy:

1. 8:30 (begin @ 8:30/M pace)
   
2. 17:00
3. 25:15 (increase @ 8:15/M pace)
   
4. 33:30
5. 41:20 (increase @ 7:50/M pace)
   
6. 49:10 / FINAL 50:50

So I will write down these splits and use them. My goal time is 52 minutes or less. If I am doing well enough, I will push it to see if I can finish in under 50. That would be sweet. It's going to be 53F and sunny out--almost exactly what it is right now. Perfect weather.

Decided I'd go for it with the iPod.

Headed Down to Detroit

So, I am about to leave for Todd's place. Gonna crash there in Pleasant Ridge and do the pasta thing with him tonight. Man, I remember back in the 70s when my Dad would run a race or two. We'd hit some big spaghetti joint on Woodward and do the Emily's Race. I must have been 10 or 11. This is going to be fun. It will be nice to hang out with Todd.

I think this is the first time I feel ready for a race. Well, it's only the 3rd one. I think I can meet my goal. In the 8K, I wanted to finish under 45min, and I just made it. In this one, I want to finish in 52 or less, and part of me wants to jump out and do it in less than 50.

We shall see...

This morning, I am a runner...

So, today felt really good. I did a planned workout from the half-marathon training plan. More later, but here's what I did:

• 2 miles @ 8:30/M pace
• pace intervals on 1/4 straight (untimed)
• 2 miles @ 7:48/M pace

Goal Setting Redux

Okay, I don't want to get silly about this. I have sort of settled on a sub-52 minute goal. But my run this morning makes me think that a sub-50 is possible.

• 2 miles in 17:00 [gentle pace]
  
• 2 miles in 16:45 [take it up a notch]
  
• 2 miles in 15.30 [push it]
  

The only difference between this and what I did this morning is the middle 2 miles. Oh, and the 0.2 miles at the end. But it could happen.

And Two Days Later...

Here's what I did this morning (it was 22F outside, man!).

• 2 miles in 17:59 @ 8:59/M
• 2 miles in 17:41 @ 8:50/M
• 2 miles in 15:35 @ 7.47/M

Looks like my "go for it" pace is just below 8:00/M no matter what I do. Oh well... could be worse.

51 Minutes of Zeppelin

Seems like a perfect 10K playlist.

1. The Song Remains The Same
2. Over The Hills and Far Away
3. The Crunge
4. Dancing Days
5. D'yer Mak'er
6. The Ocean
7. Custard Pie
8. Houses of the Holy
9. The Wanton Song
10. For Your Life
11. Nobody's Fault But Mine

Most are from Houses of the Holy (1973), which rocks.

I made a hole in the arm pocket of my running fleece so I don't have to let the iPod cord dangle. Gonna try it tomorrow. My current thinking on 10K prep:

M: 6 miles, easy pace.
T:
W: 2 miles easy + acceleration intervals + 2 miles easy.
T
F: 6 miles, faster pace.
S: 2 miles--super, super easy.
S: RACE DAY

GOAL: 52 minutes or less.

I'm gonna run on my 3 mile route so I have an even split for timing myself.

Today's 6-mile stats:

TOTAL: 51.48 8:38/M*
1st 3: 27.10 9:03/M
2nd 3: 24.37 8:12/M

Projected 10K times

• 50:59 10K time (based on 2nd 3 pace)
• 53:38 10K time (based on total time)

*finished just as "Nobody's Fault But Mine" was winding down!

Whoa! (2008 Big Bird Results)

My guess was that a November 10K race would include a higher percentage of serious runners than a similar race held in the Spring or Summer. Boy, was I right! The top finisher of this race last year in the Male 40-44 category finished in 34:44 with pace of 5:36/M. Geeez! My time this morning would have put me in 20th place (out of 31). Still, I am really competing against myself.

But, man! The top 16 finishers in my age group were cooking along below an 8:00/M pace!

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes...

After a few weeks of running on a cheap pair of trail shoes that Kath got for me as knock-around kicks, I read up and bought a very normal shoe that had gotten good reviews: the Saucony ProRigid Jazz 12. I've been happy with it. There are a dizzying number of classifications for running shoes, and the whole industry is being called into question by the mid-foot strike movement and books like Born to Run.

So, here's an interesting thing. Road Runner Sports has a simple chart and a paper bag test.





I've been trolling eBay for a deal on one of my targeted shoes; my idea is that someone will put a few miles on a pair and not care for them. That's where I come in--I buy them for cheap. I am watching a pair of Brooks Trance 8 right now. If they go for under $45, I'm gonna snatch them up.

10K Goal Setting

One week from today, I run my first 10K race. A couple ways to proceed in terms of goals:

1. Don't set a goal. I think most of my success in the past few weeks has come from leaving the watch at home, focusing on form and having fun, and giving myself days off to listen to my body. So one way to proceed would be to just show up for the race and do my thing.
2. Pick an incremental improvement on my 5K and 8K times. This would be easy. My pace in the 5K was 9:05/M and my pace in the 8K was 8:56/M. That would mean a pace of 8:45/M would be a reasonable goal. 8:30/M or 8:20/M would be a good stretch goal.
3. Pick an exponential improvement over my 5K/8K times. I shaved 9 seconds off my pace last time; shave 18 seconds off this time for a pace of 8:38/M, or 3x @ 8:29/M, or 4x @ 8:20/M.
   
4. Pick a pace time for the half marathon. I would love to finish the half marathon in 1:50:00, which would be an excellent time for me. That would be an 8:22/M pace. I think I could do this in the 10K--I've done it on 6mi runs here at home.

I've got some time to think about it.

Should I Buy Racing Flats?

So, I am thinking of pulling the trigger on a pair of these puppies:



Been thinking about if for a while, but after reading Danny's recent blog, I think I'll give them a try.

New Route Review

This morning I did the newest of my 4-mile routes. This one takes me along the new Jewitt Trail, downtown past City Hall (and the breakfast smell of Big Boy), through the Indian Hill subdivision, and back along the main drag, Saginaw St.

Running downtown isn't really that fun. Too many cars and too much activity. Indian Hill is nice--I like that neighborhood. There appears to be less traffic there than in my neighborhood, but it was Saturday morning.

I felt like running another 2 miles, but I decided to stick with my plan of alternating 4 and 6 mile runs for the next week or so.

Routes from 2 to Infinity

Above, you see my "cloverleaf" running route system which gives me runs ranging from 2 miles to beyond the marathon. It's deliciously simple. There are three leaves or spokes radiating from the corner in front of my house. This is where I start and end all runs. Each of these has a 3 and 4 mile loop. I also have one 2 mile loop. This means I can create a variety of 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 and 14 mile routes without repeats. Beyond 14 I can just add another one of the 2,3, or 4-milers.

For my current run of 6 miles, I have 6 different options: three different 3+3 routes, and three different 4+2 routes.

The combinations are not endless, but they provide enough variety. They also allow me to make adjustments on the fly, shortening or lengthening my runs en route.

And all this without getting more than 1.5 miles away from my house!!!! (That's where the red star is)

The North option has a nice path with a bridge and a golf course. The East option is right in my neighborhood and finishes with a quarter mile straightaway with my house visible at the end. And the West option goes through the new walking trail behind the high school, past City Hall and through another great residential neighborhood and city park.

All routes are within the City Limits of the little community where I serve on the City Council.

Fantastic Run

Today, I had a great run. It's worth writing about.

I left later than I do during the week; one of the cool things about running on the weekends is that it actually gets light outside. I left at 7:30 and set out to run 4 miles--a new variation on my newest 3 mile route. I don't run places for the first time in the dark.

I actually started out feeling more tired than I imagined. I think it's best to get out the door before I really and truly "wake up." The difference between 5:30 and 7:30 is huge here--at 7:30 I realize that I could be doing something else.

I listened to a great mix for the first time and really enjoyed the dawn and being able to see where I was going. I saw a crane under the bridge; he flew away as I plodded across. I saw a hawk. I saw a bunch of gulls and Canada geese.

By the time I was back on the older part of the route and heading home, I started flirting with the idea of adding 2 miles. I waited until the very last minute to commit to this. I literally made the decision to turn on that very corner. Then I added a 2-mile loop.

I wondered if this was the right thing to do. My plan has been to keep it conservative and finish feeling strong every day. I still finished feeling strong. The fact that I had run for a solid hour without stopping--at a slower-than-usual pace--made me feel great. I have ZERO soreness or discomfort today.

Had to write all that down. It was fun.

It's Better To Look Forward

I am so looking forward to my run tomorrow. It's going to be my favorite temperature (high 30s) and I'm doing a new 4mi route.

My buddy Joshua put a few mixes on 8tracks recently: this one seems great for running:

Best Running Neighborhood

I think I might live in one of the best running neighborhoods ever. Our subdivision connects to several other subs, so I have 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9 mile routes right here without ever getting 1.5 miles away from my house! Because I want to make 6 miles my regular run, I have a number of possibilities right outside my door:

• 3M Bella Visa 2x
• 3M King's Fairway 2x
• 3M Bella Vista + 3M King's Fairway
• 4M Bella Vista + 2M Bella Vista
• 4M King's Fairway + 2M Bella Vista
• 6M Bella Vista

There--6 different ways to run 6 miles right outside my door.

I find myself missing running on my days off. But I think it's important to keep up this every other day routine, mostly because it is working so well. No pain, no injuries, lots of motivation. I think that's what I need for the next several weeks. I can start the 4x/wk training in January. Right now I just want to focus on getting up to 6mi for my daily run.

My plan is to be at 4mi this week and perhaps do a step-up to 6mi on a long run in a couple of weeks. Then I can alternate back and forth between 4mi and 6mi. Then I will step up to 6mi. For some reason, I just feel like skipping 5mi. Not sure why.

Training Begins Sunday, January 17

So I found what looks to be a really good half-marathon training program from Runner's World. I think I will stick to that. I had thought I might find a marathon training program and put this half in the middle, but no... let's do it the way it's supposed to be done.

Because everything is working so well, I am thinking that I may stick with my every-other-day routine until early January. I'll try to get my regular run up to 6 miles by increasing gradually.

This 9-week training program has 2 solid rest days every week. It is built on AI (tempo runs) and GP--gotta remember what that is. Gentle Pickups, that's what it is.

If I can be running 6 miles every other day by mid January, I think I'll be in perfect shape to start a program like this.

03.20.2010

Okay, I did it. I registered for the National Half Marathon in Washington, DC. I should probably add a countdown clock to this blog.

I'm confident that I'll be ready, and I am happy to have a training goal through the Winter months. It should be lots of fun. There's plenty of time.

Yup, put a counter up. 150 days. That's enough time. My goal time is 1:50, but I'll settle for less than two hours. With 150 days to run and train, I should be able to get there.

Gonna run 5 tomorrow: 3 before sunrise and 2 on my lunch break with Bill. It's supposed to be warm tomorrow--low 50s. Might even wear shorts!

Twinkletoes

My morning runs now begin in pitch dark, so these $7 flashing LEDs help. Cars can see my little twinkletoes from 1 mile away.

Ready to Move

So, my 3-miler went great this morning. My new Saucony Boston pants came, and they are the most comfortable item of clothing I own. I got antsy this evening and had to go out for a "walk." It was hard not to run the whole thing, but I forced myself to walk most of it. I ran for short bursts when I couldn't stand it. It's about 38F out there, and it felt great.

The plan is no running tomorrow--one of my days of listening. Then I do a gentle 4 miler on Saturday morning.

I'm feeling like a ChiRunning poster child right now. I'm still watching that tenderness in my right knee, but it's not pain. I think it's my whole leg reacting to not running duck-footed. I feel it during the day, too, as I walk with more alignment.

I think this going slower has really helped.

Now, the big question becomes when/if to register for the National Half Marathon in March.

So Far, So Good

My every-other-day strategy for listening to my body appears to be working. Tomorrow I go out for my 3 miler and it will be about 36F. I'm getting better at what to wear. On Saturday, I think I'll go up to 4 miles and alternate between 3 and 4 for a while. Again, my goal is to have my run be a 6 miler that takes me the better part of one hour.

ChiRunning Revision

I've revised that list of elements of ChiRunning in my head. Here's the new one:

1. Core muscles
2. Proper posture
3. Mid-foot strike
4. Slight lean (foot strike slightly behind center of gravity)
   
5. Uniform cadence (85-90 bmp)
6. Short strides

Neither Danny nor Jeff have added to their blogs recently.

ChiRunning Testimonial

After using it for several weeks, I can now say that the ChiRunning technique has helped me incredibly and nearly eliminated the pain and injury I found cropping up at the beginning of my running program. From my perspective, ChiRunning has three main components and benefits.

1. Use of core muscels and excellent posture for efficiency and economy of motion.
2. A mid-foot strike that lands behind your center of gravity due to a slight lean.
3. Uniform cadence of 85 - 90 bpm regardless of pace.

ChiRunning experts might quibble with the above, and I've cheated a bit by combining mid-foot strike and lean into #2. There's a lot more to ChiRunning, of course, including recommended focuses for arm swing, etc.

The hardest bit for me to pick up was the use of core muscles. Actually, this morning's 3 mile run was the first time I could really feel my core working and burning.

I started ChiRunning mostly to achieve #2--a mid-foot strike that eliminated my previous proneal tendon strain, and a lean that kept my body weight from squashing my lower legs with every pounding step. This element alone made an immediate difference for me.

Leave the Watch Behind

Another thing I have done recently is leave my interval timing watch behind. The means not only that I am not doing the run/walk method (I'll return to that, I am sure), but I am not really timing my runs or calculating my pace. At this point, my specific time doesn't matter. Working on my form, getting enough exercise, and not hurting myself is what matters. I also wore a knee brace on my right knee today; I just have a tiny tenderness in there, and I wanted to give that knee some compression and support. I'll try it the next few runs and ditch it.

The Road Ahead

I plan to go another week at the conservative pace I have adjusted to: 3 mile run every other day. After that, I will continue with every other day and add miles very slowly. After I feel confident, I will go to a 4 times per week schedule with a longer run on the weekend. My ideal schedule is:

S
M: short run
T
W: middle run
T: short run
F
S: long run

I think my first plateau might be something like 3/4/6, which is 16/week. I could then go to 4/6/8, which is 22/week.

Below Freezing

Tomorrow will be my first run below 32F. I think I have all the right gear assembled. Should be fun and interesting. I am very tempted to go 4 miles--I want to run longer. But I promised myself I'd plateau at 3 miles every other day for a while. No reason to push it. I can start adding miles in a couple of weeks.

UPDATE: Below freezing is not that cold when you're running. It's certainly different than say, skiing, or riding a motorcycle on the highway--both activities that I have done below 32F. I can tell that my gear is up to it--my legs were fine and my upper body may have even been a bit warm. In the future, I might lose the outer layer if it's not raining or snowing. I also went out later this morning--left at about 8 instead of 5:45, so there was actual sunlight on the scene!

Every Other Day

It's hard not to run on my off days. But I do think that it makes sense to back off and listen to my body for 48 hours before heading out again. I've made a decision to go every other day for a while, and limit my miles to 3 for the next couple of weeks. That's 3.5 times per week, which is fine. I will ramp this up after a while, but I think this is best for now.

Meanwhile, I like my new 3-mile route, which goes over a little bridge and past a golf course. I think I'll put together another 3-miler so I can alternate.

ExStream Running

Well, there's nothing "extreme" about my running, but today I had an "ExStream" run when I wore my new fly fishing balaclava. It was in the low 40s and really windy at 5:30 this morning; I didn't expect to break this out until the snow flew, but it was perfect today.

I bought this thing in Jackson Hole for the long and cold motorcycle ride to Park City. It was perfect for that trip, and it's perfect for running. It breaks the wind but doesn't turn your head into a Thermos. Flip the face cover below your chin. Slide the cap and visor behind your head. Keeps your earbuds nice and tight in the ears.

Earbuds, you say? Yes, I ran with tunage today...

My First iPod Run


And today I ditched the interval timer watch and donned the new iPod Shuffle. I had loaded in my new Purple Nurple mix. (Whoa, my two blogs converge!). I think today was the first time I was really ready to run with music. It was fantastic! For one thing, the run seemed a lot shorter. I also ran my new King's Fairway route (3 mi). Had highlights when The Shaggs came on; The Wave Pictures also made me strum air guitar and fist pump the sky. Fun!

BTW, the old Shuffles are mega cheap now. I bought this one new for $45. The perfect running iPod. I clipped it to my collar.

New Route

Big Fun! I worked out a new 3-miler today and I'm gonna do it first thing tomorrow morning. This one goes through the unfinished King's Fairway sub north of Perry Road. It's what I call a "lollipop" route--a loop at the end of an out-and-back.

Gonna try to keep it slow again. It's supposed to be 45 degrees, windy and rainy tomorrow morning. Changing routes, changing weather--big fun!

An Odd Goal

While walking the dog this evening, I came up with an odd goal for tomorrow:

Run your 3-mile route as slowly as you possibly can. Shoot for a time over 36 minutes.

UPDATE: Hah! I finished in 29:50--and I slowed down several times! I think I will try this again. 36:00 would be 12:00 miles. Not sure I can do it. I ran with a 4:35 r/w ratio and did the run in 9:56/M pace. Need to work on slowing it down. Also need to work on rest--my R plantar fascia hurt mid way during mile 3. I think I'll wait until Tues to do it again.

Weather.

It was 54 degrees when I went out. I wore long running pants--good move. I think that 55 or below means long pants for me. I wore a t-shirt and running windbreaker. That was too much--it made me sweat like a dog. A long-sleeved shirt would be good. I got two nice long sleeve technical shirts, but I think they are for very cold weather. They are tight fitting. I need some long sleeve versions of the loose-fitting technicals I have now.

I've also noticed that wicking shirts smell terrible. Here's an article about that.

That article had a great link to this company. Looks like I am going to need to try them!

Darkness.

Today, I ran during the day. No problem. As I keep running during the mornings, it's going to be dark for the whole time I am out there. Gonna need some reflective gear, and perhaps even some stuff that lights up. Here are some:

• Nathan LED Runner's Vest
• Yaktrax for running in snow.
  

On Vacation

One of the reasons I started running is the "no excuses" element; you know, you can run anywhere--in a different city, at a conference, on vacation. Well, I've been riding a motorcycle through Yellowstone and Grand Teton for the past week with my family, and I didn't run once.

Rationalization: think of it as an experiment. I was having a bit of joint pain after changing my gait slightly. I'll head out tomorrow and see how I feel.

Also, I am gearing up for cold weather running. I bought a Simms Balaclava for my cold motorcycle trip from Jackson, WY to Park City, UT. This one is for fly fishing! Started off that ride below 30 degrees!

Check out this article on Screw Shoes.

Military PFTs

Before I started running, I got interested in the Physical Fitness Tests that the military uses. I first found the Navy PFT and blogged about it. It's actually what made me start running around the block--could I meet the minimum for a 1.5 run?

For some reason, I find the test standards fascinating. Today I looked up the tests for the Marine Corps. I learned that each branch of the service uses different tests for running:

• Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force use the 1.5-mile distance.
• Army uses the 2-mile distance.
• Marines use the 3-mile distance.

All branches have a simple point system with minimums that are indexed by age. The test for the Marines--true to form--is the most difficult.

When I blogged about the Navy PFT, I thought this might be an interesting fitness benchmark. Because it's indexed for age, I could always have a fitness goal that went something like: I will be able to pass the Navy PFT. Perhaps I could say Marines now that my running is a bit better. The Marines PFT is a combination of three metrics: pull ups, crunches, and 3-Mile run.

There's even a cool online calculator for the Marines PFT. They need to work on the calculator, though, because it does not disqualify you if you don't meet the minimums.

I'm not sure if I could do the pull ups and crunches required below, but I could try.

• 49 points for a time of 26:30 in the 3-Mile (30 is the minimum)
  
• 15 points fo 3 pull ups (minimum)
• 45 points for 45 crunches (minimum)
• TOTAL: 109 points

That 109 point score would place me in 3rd class for my age group. If I could pick up 16 more points, I could be 2nd class. Not bad. I really find the standards interesting--the combination of points and minimum make it a challenge. The tests are indexed for age, so you can keep the same goal for life.

Perhaps I should make an appointment with Mac in the fitness center to see how many pull ups and crunches I can do.

Magic Mile

Jeff Galloway has an interesting race time prediction formula; he calls it The Magic Mile. It's an interesting concept. Here's a more elaborate PDF explaining the concept. The formula is, basically to take your one mile time and adjust as follows:

• add 33 seconds for your pace for a 5K
• multiply by 1.15 for 10K pace
• multiply by 1.2 for half marathon pace
• multiply by 1.3 for marathon pace

And he has a Java Script calculator at the first link above.

Today I ran a mile on a track. I didn't follow his directions, and it's basically my pace for a short run. I ran today's mile in 8:24, which predicts a 5K time of 27:45. My most recent 5K time? 28:32. Interesting. It also predicts a 4:46 marathon. Ugh!

In order to get to a sub-4 hour marathon, you would need a MM (Magic Mile) time of 7:01 or lower. That might be hard to do!!!

Interesting stuff. My fastest 440 in the mile today was 1:59; to hit the 7:01, I'd need to do all 4 of them in 1:45. Perhaps I could do it...

Personal Training Session

So, I am about to leave for a one-on-one training session with Sarah, a certified ChiRunning instructor. Sarah is my parents' massage therapist. I'll post here when I am done. I'm very excited to get some clear instruction on form. For about the price of a pair of good running shoes, I am about to get some much needed guidance to keep myself from getting injured!

Soft Knees/Soft Legs

Man, was that worth it. I spent 2 hours with Sarah on the Seaholm High School track and I can't wait to get out running to put a lot of this into practice. It's going to take several days or longer to unpack all I've learned. A couple of things:

1. An important lesson is that I was doing a good hunk of the ChiRunning thing properly. I needed tweaks and corrections, but I was on the right track.
2. Even more posture! Push the crown of my head up at the clouds--Sarah actually grabbed me by the hair.
3. Even shorter strides than I have been doing, and work on the 90 cadence.
4. More that I will post here later. Good stuff.

One Mistake

This is my fault, too, because I expected to do it and didn't think it would be a problem. We did some barefoot running on the track. It felt fine for a while, and then I got a shooting pain in my right plantar fascia. That's the site of my old shovel injury--ouch! Doesn't hurt with my shoes on and doesn't hurt when I run. Whew!

Track

I liked running on the track at Seaholm so much that I did it here today in my town. While the weather is good, I think I'll hit it once per week during a run.

SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT

The Place for Running Clothes

When I started running, I bought a good technical shirt and a nice pair of shorts at a sporting goods place. They were expensive (got my money's worth--they are my favorites). But I've taken a page out of my wife's playbook and head over to T.J. Maxx for a quick look at their "active tops" and "active bottoms" section. Great deals!

• Today I got 2 wicking long sleeve running shirts for $10/ea.
• Bought an Asics winter running jacket for $15.
• Last week, I bought 2 New Balance technical short sleeve running shirts for $10/ea.
• I also found another great technical short sleeve for $7.50.

Gonna check there all the time now!

Relaxed Wheels Behind Me

This is a phrase/focus I started using a couple of days ago on my run. Gonna try it again tomorrow.

• It reminds me to relax the muscles in my lower legs before they hit the ground. It occurred to me that landing on tensed muscles was like jumping off the roof with your knees locked.
• Wheels help me think of my legs in a different way--not just a ChiRunning thing, but a way to force myself to use my legs differently.
• Wheels also help me remember to pick up my feet and rotate them above my ankles in a circular motion.
• Behind me helps with my midfoot strike and landing on a foot that is under/behind my center of gravity and already traveling to the rear. As Danny says in a video, "why would you put your brakes on by sticking that foot out into the road as it's coming at you?"
• The phrase is also in the right order: 1) relax muscles in lower legs, 2) rotate them as wheels, 3) make sure they are traveling behind you.
  

Relaxed wheels behind me. It's kind of an NLP thing in my head.

Sleep Working

This post really is about running.

When I was writing my Ph.D. dissertation, there were a few times when I caught myself "sleep working." This has only happened to me a handful of times in my life. Basically, I wake up with the recollection of a dream. During those dissertation months, the dreams were conceptual frameworks or strategies for stitching together my chapters. There were times when several sentences strung together would be waiting for me when I woke up. I didn't need to work to recall them; I didn't dash off and grab a pen or turn on the computer. They were just there. My theory has been that it was some kind of long-term processing that finished during the night. Kind of like the familiar "epiphany" or "breakthrough" thoughts that are more familiar during waking, but captured with your brain's TiVo during sleep and played back.

So, what's this got to do with running? Well, I've had a couple of running concept "dreams," though they are not narratives with plots, settings, and characters. They are really sensations--things I've tried to "feel" while running but have struggled. They happened a few nights apart, and when I say nights I really mean mornings, as I think they happened immediately before waking.

I've heard it said that you really learn a language once you start to dream in it. Well, perhaps I am getting this new running form down given these two dreams below. Now, I need to caution you: reading about dreams is like reading stuff that was written by people on drugs. I am seriously not on drugs. Seriously.

1. My Straight Spine. The first sensation was feeling my straight spine. From my tailbone up to my head, I felt a keen awareness of my spine as a straight line, lying right there in bed with me but suspended in space. The outside "felt" like a gauzy dark gray (a sensation of feeling a color, or synethesia--something I've never felt waking). My actual spine was a yellow dotted line--this yellow I saw, not felt. I was so aware of my spine, its straightness, and the space it occupied. I knew as I dremt that this was about my running, that it came from my reading and from the DVD and the whole "column" thing in ChiRunning. While walking and running, I can recall this feeling but not quite re-capture it or re-create it. I don't think that kind of awareness is possible for me, but in my dream it was. It's still been helpful.
2. Gravity Pulling Me. This morning (or last night, depending on how you look at it) I dreamed the sensation of leaning forward and letting gravity do all the work. Again, this comes straight from my reading and thinking and focusing on the idea of a lean and the Pose/ChiRunning idea. When I am actually running, I feel like I can approximate a lean and get some help from gravity, but I can't feel gravity pulling me. In my dream, my straight spine leaned forward and I could feel gravity pulling me down toward the ground. I could also feel my clumsy attempts to catch myself and run on my legs. I tripped and only got it a few times. I don't think I'll ever feel that in real life, not as strong.

So what is really odd is that, while I cannot conjure the feelings described above, I can keenly remember feeling them in the same way you can remember a smell that is not present in your nose or a taste that is not present in your mouth. Do it right now: lilac bushes; barbecue sauce. They are there but they're not. Unlike lilacs and barbecue, however, I'm not sure that the two things above ever were sensations I had. Still, the memory of having them has already helped me. Strange, indeed.