Hot Chocolate 15K Atlanta Race Recap

Background - The 2013 Edition

Last year, when I ran the Hot Chocolate 15k, I wanted to treat it as a tune-up for my second half-marathon, which was coming up in February, I thought a 9.3-mile race with 5 weeks to go would be a good barometer. Unfortunately, I had the flu for the last weeks in December 2012, so when January 13 rolled around, I wasn't up to the same fitness level I envisioned back when I registered. It was also a warmer day (63 F at the start), with 94% humidity. When you add the hills - because Downtown Atlanta - especially in the final 5k, I ended up running slower than intended, finishing at 1:23:12.  But I got a nice sweatshirt and some chocolate out of it, so I can't rightfully complain.
What I could complain about, though was traffic and parking. I thought we were arriving early to Turner Field, but if you're familiar with Atlanta, you know the exits to Turner Field are utterly inadequate to handle 17000+ runners driving to a race location. That meant we ended up cutting it very close to the start time of my wife's 5k.

It's a New Year and We Learned Some Lessons

Fast forward to this year, and this time my wife and I were both registered for the 15k, and we arrived with ample time to park. It was also markedly colder than last year, I think the temperature at the start was 33 F (0.5 C for our metric friends), but that's alright, it was a dry heat. We beat the cold by staying in the middle of the giant warm-up dancing party before the 5k. We were both excited and a little sleepy and here's some photographic evidence to prove my point.

After the 5k corrals all started, we moved in to our respective starting corrals, and then it was on

The Race

I tried to stick to a pace I thought I could maintain for the whole race, and was moderately successful. I hit the 5k split at 25:25, feeling strong. The 10k split came in at 50:55, so 5 seconds slower on the middle 5k, but still reasonably in range of being even.
Then the real race began. I remember distinctly from last year that starting around the 7 mile marker things would be more difficult, and so they were. I ended up taking a walk break outside of the water stations, and that brought the last 5k to a 25:50 split, for a finish time of 1:16:50. I was happy with that, as it was close to my goal time.
One would think that with all the hills on my normal running routes, I would not  have faded so much on those final hills. One would be wrong. On the other hand, I felt really good for the most part, and even managed a modest "kick" on the final 0.8 mile, running between my 10k goal pace and my actual 5k pace. And I managed to shave 6:22 on the same course.
With all that out of the way it was time to grab dry clothes at the gear check and eat some chocolate fondue, which I'm happy to report was really tasty. Sadly, I ran out of things to dip into that melted chocolate; I briefly considered dipping my phone in it, but then thought better, since it's not an Apple phone. Go ahead, groan.
So here's the secret to improving your pace by 39 seconds per mile: don't get the flu. That's right folks, that's the kind of insight you can't get anywhere else.
Hopefully I'll post again before the 5k next month, but I can't make any promises.

Until the next time.

Looking Back on 2013 And Setting Goals For 2014

An Eventful 2013

Last year was definitely a very busy one for me, especially when it came to my running. It marked my second running anniversary, and now that I'm 40 years-old, I'm considered a masters runner - but I haven't mastered anything, I still feel very much like a beginner, and think that's good.

Some obvious highlights were PRs on the 5k, 10k and Half-Marathon, running my first Marathon, and even winning a couple of age-group awards on some of the local 5ks. Another huge milestone for me was going over 1000 miles for the year, finishing a little over 1100. Definitely not bad for someone who started running in July 2011.

But I am particularly happy about what went on behind some of those numbers. I was fairly consistent with my running, getting in 4 runs most weeks, with very few exceptions. I was able to stay healthy and run without any injuries, and I'm very thankful for that. Sure, part of that was due to good luck, but I would like to think I did my part by being more diligent when it came to recovery and prevention work - although not as consistent as I'd like, but I'm working on that.

I'm glad I participated in the Google+ running community, as it expanded the circle of people with whom I can talk about running without the risk of my non-running friends shunning me :). They inspired and motivated me, and made me think about running in a different light than I might otherwise. You ladies and gentlemen are great, and made our sport that much more enjoyable. Thanks for a great year.

And Now's Time For Some Goals

I have learned that I work best when I have objectives to strive for, I tend to be more accountable to myself. Of course I want to set new PRs, but I think those are a result of training and good choices, therefore I decided my goals would be process-oriented.

• I want to run at least 1350 miles this year, but preferably 1500. In order to get there, I intend to:
• Run one more day a week, making 5 runs/week my average. I think I can do that by adding an easy 2-3 mile recovery the day after my long run.
• Increase my typical long run distance. Last year, when not training for a half-marathon or Marathon, my long run was typically between 7-10 miles. After the end of the marathon training cycle, I found myself feeling very comfortable longer runs. The 20-milers still beat me up, but 12-to-16 miles became manageable, so that's what I intend to get to. These two changes should bring me to my goal.
• Naturally, in order to safely increase that mileage, I need to be very consistent with my recovery and prevention work, so I need to:
• Continue foam rolling after hard workouts and long runs
• Keep doing my core and strength work - no skimping on it, mister!
• Although not running-specific, I want to become a more proficient swimmer. That means getting to the pool every week, and getting some more lessons.
• Register for at least one trail race. I ran more on trails in 2013, and I would like to race at least once, to add some variety to my racing schedule.
• And last but, not least, continue to enjoy my running. Keep it fun, keep it going forever.

Have you set goals for 2014? Do you have an A-race this year?

Milestones Galore - Marathon Training Week 11 Recap

An Eventful Week

Excellent News!

The week started off with the anticipation-filled annual physical. I was sure I was taking good care of myself, but there's always some dread, at least for me. Maybe some background will help explain why. Last September I had my first physical in a while, and even though I had been exercising regularly for over a year, and tried to eat reasonably "cleanly", my cholesterol was still high. Not off-the-charts, astronomically high, but still north of 200. At my doctor's recommendation, I stuck with a sensible diet where vegetables, fruits, mostly lean meats made up the bulk of my diet. My first half-marathon was coming up, so I was fairly sure I had the exercise portion covered. We scheduled another round of blood work for March. March rolled around, I went for an exam and the results were not very encouraging. The numbers were better, but still above the normal range.
That was one of the last deciding factors in a very big change. My wife and I had been talking about becoming vegetarians, and had started eating the last of our meat stockpile. You could say I am now mostly lacto-ovo-vegetarian - I still eat eggs and dairy, but I'd estimate at least 80% of my energy needs comes from plants  -, although I sometimes eat seafood, maybe every 3-4 weeks. So I guess I'm kind-of-sort-of-mostly-vegetarian?
The end result was a resounding success. The lab results came back with a 34 point drop in total cholesterol, meaning I am now officially in the normal range. Additionally, my LDL is 28 points below the maximum for the normal range. I was overjoyed for not having to take any medicine to control it. That was some of the best news I could hope for.

A Year-To-Date Round Number

Tuesday's run was fairly tough, I felt like hitting the snooze button, and just dragged through most of it, but I completed my 6 miles and the prescribed strides. On the flip side, that put me over 800 miles for the year. If you had told me 3 years ago that I'd have run 800+ miles before the end of September, I would have replied with a question: "Are those lifetime miles?". Others have run more, but I'm happy I have been healthy and able to run. Thank you, feet!

My First Twenty-Miler

And we wrap up the week with my first ever 20-mile run, freshly completed this morning. I won't lie to you: it was at times difficult, and I am very sore and tired. Actually I think I felt every muscle sore at least once at different stages of the run. The route was tough and hilly, with roughly 1800 ft of elevation gain over those 20 miles; I ran the last two miles making deals with myself ("When you get to that traffic sign, you can walk a minute"); and I wondered - hopefully not aloud - whether I had bitten more than I could chew, but I finished it, and now I'm more confident about it.

Afterwards, I did something I had read and wondered about, but had not dared: *clears throat* I took an ICE BATH.

 

After the initial shock, it was actually ... nice? It definitely soothed my aching legs a bit. I can see myself repeating that after a long run or tough speedwork or tempo workout.

 

I did take a nice hot shower later, though. I think I earned it

Marathon Training Weeks 9-10

A Break in the Weather

I'm so happy I chose a fall marathon. Sure, running in August was brutal, but the past two weeks have been much more pleasant, and that has coincided with the longest runs so far, include today's 18-miler.

Honing in on marathon pace is still a work in progress. The last time I tried, I ended up with 2 miles at MP, and one closer to HMP, instead of the intended 3 miles @ MP.  Practice, practice, practice.

Going Farther Than Ever Before

The last two long runs have been the longest I have ever run (16 and 18 miles, respectively). They have been encouraging, because while I felt tired and sore afterwards, there were no unusual pains. So training has progressed well, and I'm optimistic about it.

Have I Seen You Before?

You know other people in your area are training for a race around the same time when you cross paths with the same person three times during your 18 mile run. Especially when it's two different people. Keep running, neighbors.

Procrastination and Poor Pacing

It's been 4 weeks since the last post. My updates have not been so timely, have they? What happened between weeks 4 and 8? Glad you asked

Traveling

We went to the Princeton area for the doubly momentous occasion of my sister-in-law's Birthday and her baby shower (hi Cris!). Running there was very different from running in Jersey City last year.

Marathon Pacing is Hard

After spending some time with the Daniels and McMillan calculators, I determined a range of marathon paces, based on my most recent races, and from there started sprinkling some Marathon-pace miles into my training.

Some of those went better than others. On a few days I was able to say within the range, on another I found myself breathing a lot harder, stole a glimpse at my watch and realized I was actually running 8 seconds per mile faster than my last 5k pace. SMART! I definitely need to work on my pacing. Not a huge surprise there.

Farther than Ever Before

Week 7's long run was a 15-miler, and that's officially the longest I have ever run. Interestingly enough, I didn't feel as tired on that day as I expected, although DOMS hit me on Monday, my calves were really sore.

An important take away from that run was that the shirt I wore to the Peachtree Road Race was still comfortable going from a 10k to 15 miles. No chaffing anywhere. Thumbs up, Saucony (Note: I am not affiliated with Saucony, neither did I receive any compensation whatsover from them). Additionally, a Peanut Butter and Jelly with banana was an excellent pre-run breakfast, and kept me going well into the run.

Running in the Soup

This morning, the humidty was 100%. There was a lot of fog when I started around 6:40 AM, and the sun didn't burn it off until 9 AM. And to further illustrate the point, in addition to sweat, there was dew on my shirt through most of the run. The end result was that the 12 miles felt tougher than last week's 15. But I finished it, and week 8 is in the books.

Overall, I think training is progressing well, I just need to get plenty of rest, hydration and nutrition are fine.

Until next time.

Positive Splits Are Not a Plus

Marathon Training Week 4: Now with a 5K Race Recap

Tuesday Morning's Imaginary Nefarious Intent

Signs you are ready for Breaking Bad to return. When running on a peaceful residential area, on a Tuesday morning around 5:45AM, if you see two cars parked by the curb, you think "Huh, wonder what sort of thing they're up to. Maybe I should cross the street? Or should I just make a point of focusing on my water bottle as I take a really long drink while approaching them?". Then you feel like a suspicious jerk when it turns out to be two young guys chatting.

Lightning-Free Thursdays

Thursday morning's 4 miles were not as interesting, except for the threatening lightning off in the distance. Fortunately, I managed to finish my run without being electrocuted. That's always nice.

Race-Day

This Saturday, August 3rd, was a special running day. 2 years ago my wife and I ran our first 5k. We had not exactly trained for it, we had actually just started working out again less than three weeks earlier, saw the race flier, and decided to register for the 2nd annual Run For Wounded Warriors. We thought (and still do) it would be good to support a great cause, the Wounded Warrior Project. I finished that particular race in 40:59, and immediately thought "I can do better!". Humble as that time was, it the start of my current journey towards training for a Marathon. We decided to come back every year.

Below you can see me, waiting at the start line. I'm actually excited, although you'd be excused to think I'm barely awake.

When the gun went off, I started running, and after the initial jostling and dodging, I settled into a faster pace than I should. I could blame the fast course, and the downhill start, but really, I should know better. When I ran the first mile in 7:00 I thought "I should probably slow down a bit", ran the second mile in 7:11, and reaaaaaaally slowed down to a 7:43 mile 3. At least I had a bit of a kick for the final 0.1 mile.

Still, I shouldn't complain, I finished in 22:58, just 17 seconds off my 5K PR, and only the second time I finished under 23 minutes. Just need to work on my discipline and pacing.

Trail Sundays

Today's run wrapped up Week 4 of my Marathon training. My wife and I went to a nearby park to do some trail running. Toughest 7-miler I have ever run, or at least it feels that way. Maybe my legs were still shot from yesterday, or maybe the mountain bike trail was that difficult. All I know is that I struggled to a 14:50 pace. But at least I ran my long run, and learned a valuable lesson: don't run that particular trail after a race-day effort the day before.

Till next week, happy trails!

Marathon Training Week 2 Recap

On the Importance of Sleep

The week started off well enough, with a good leg-focused strength training session on Monday. Then on Tuesday morning I fought the Snooze button, and the Snooze button won, so I ran in the neighborhood in the late afternoon. Late Summer afternoons in Georgia are hot, and it was such a humid day that it made things much tougher. Add to that the neighborhood hills (327 ft elevation gain for 3 miles), and it was tough all around. Must wake up early.

Sleep was again an issue on Wednesday night, rather, the lack of sleep was an issue. That again moved the morning run to the afternoon, but this time I chose the treadmill. After some upper body strength training on Friday, it was back on the treadmill on Saturday.

Finally today the alarm went off, I put on my running clothes and went out the door and ran outside again. There was nothing to be done about the humidity, but at least it wasn't so hot. The sun was just peeking out above the trees, so there was plenty of shade, even the occasional breeze. And that puts week 2 at 18.7 miles.

If there was one thing I learned this week is that I do need to sleep better. Otherwise, it was a good training week.

Till next time.