4 minutes shy of Boston

My goal is and has been running 26.2 miles in 3:20 or less. Last weekend at Portland Marathon, my goal was no different. I haven't sorted thru my running data yet, but I gave it a go, 100%.

I lined up with the 3:20 crowd paced by volunteers from the Red Lizard club. And I didn't really look at my watch until five miles in. We were 40 seconds up on pace. By 7 we were about 45 seconds up. I took a quick bio break and worked my way back to the group by mile 9. Feeling fine.

Every profile and course map misses at least one small grade or turn. At Portland, there's a slight uphill between mile 12 and 13. We flew up it. But I could feel it. Hit halfway at 1:38. On track. I was talking with another guy up the hill to mile 17. Mile 19 I was telling the pace lead I was getting anxious.

"Be patient. We'll pick it up down the hill."

Somewhere between 20 - 21 I lost contact with the group thru water stations. Made it back to them and once we hit the top of the downhill, the pace seemed to really pick up. Mile 23, 2:56 I had an outside shot. But I was having trouble picking them up and putting them down. Right hammy cramp at Mile 25. Wasted some time getting the knot out. Passed a handful of folks over the last mile. I was gassed. Nothing left once I hit the line.

While I was 4 minutes shy of Boston, I knocked off 24 minutes off my personal best marathon time. So I have confidence that my training plan is right on. Just need to get my legs healthly over the winter and get back out there for another go.

Portland's a great marathon for first timers and many timers. The city's awesome.

Lacamas Half Marathon in the books

I ran the Lacamas Half Marathon on July 26th. It's a great course. The best miles were Miles 8 - 12 over a finely graveled path about 6 feet wide that followed the contour of the lake. Dangerously fast.

Again, I was really trying to stick to my marathon pace. This time I started timing myself at Mile 2 and randomly thereafter. I was definitely more consistent this go than at the Langley Half.

Lots of runners, 600+. The race was well run. But I still cannot understand why it cost $50 bucks to enter. The food and drink were no different than 10k. Though I didn't stay for the beer and bbq afterwards. 3:50am comes early. A beer would have put me to sleep.

Though I wasn't running for places I did pretty well. In fact at one point, as I passed a guy, he asked "If you don't mind, what was the time on your last mile?"
"7:36" I said.
"Thanks, you're looking strong," he said. Nice to hear it from a fellow runner. Running out here in the boonies, I only hear cows and trucks.

Race Results

I recommended this race. Just make sure you register before the fee goes up!

Keeping it steady,
Ben

Gently Rolling Hills

Never believe the race brochure. I had the Langley Half Marathon on my schedule for pacing work. My goal was to run 1.38 on the nose at marathon pace. Little did I know it would be really hard.

The hills were not gentle, but they did roll. I had a lot of trouble finding a pace to hit my mile times. My pace ranged from 1:30 under to 3:00 under. Couldn't find it. I think I was over compensating for the up hills when I ran down hill too fast. Also, I was getting passed by people on the downhill which made me run a little harder on the up to catch them.

I kept my mantra "pace, keep your pace" to mile 12 then I decided to see how much I had left in the tank. Wound up finishing at 1.35. The final 100 was all downhill, very hard on the knees. Still had a lot left but I think I would have died three miles later in the hills.

I placed in the top 20 and won my age group.

Not bad, but I didn't hit my goal of 1.38. I have the Lacamas Lake 1/2 Marathon July 26th on the schedule. Hope to hit my goal then. Get out there!

Icing the knees. Ben

Seattle Rock and Roll

Oh, the media machine is in full swing and for good reason. check out the article in the Seattle Times: Seattle's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon: 3 runners, different motivations, same resolve

Our own Andy Sullivan will be there for the half. Can't wait to hear the details.

When I read about the course, I was really disinterested. But the stories of the individual runners are amazing. I like Ralf's "In one sentence, it was an opportunity to overcome self."

Dude, nail on the head.

Hydration - water and sports drinks

Up to now, I have been a water guy. I like water. I like the taste. Water doesn't build up on my teeth. My gut handles it fine. It's good on the wallet.

But after cramping in the Yakima Marathon the last 3 miles, I decided it was time to find the best combination of water, sports drinks and aids so that I could perform at my best. First, I read a few articles on the topic. Lots of them out there (see below). Second, I an experiment this month.

For one 18 mile run, I drank only water and ate a cliff bar. At mile 15, I began experiencing the same cramping as the marathon.

The next weekend, I ran the same 18 mile loop, but this time I drank water and I ate cliffshot gels according to the instructions. I did not experience any cramping for the entire run.

My next experiment is to run the same route on a sports drink aid entirely. Can I forego the food supplement and still perform well (no cramping)?

Sure, there are a lot of x's in this equation like fitness, what I ate and drank the night before, weather, etc, but I'm trying to keep what I can control in check or constant and just change my hydration approach on the day of the experiment. I'll keep you posted.

Some articles on hydration:

Hydration 101

New Rules of Hydration

Proper Hydration

Get out outside and run!

Ben's Shoe Mileage Totals

While studying for an exam for Six Sigma certification, someone told me: "In God we trust, all others bring data." So I'm bring the data. Granted this is only 4 shoes for one runner, but it's all I have at this point. I've always been curious how many miles I can squeak out of a shoe before it's retired to mowing lawns and picking up after the dog.

I'm very curious to see if a more expensive shoe the Nike Vomero will out last any of the Brooks shoes cost less that $100. My hunch is that shoes over $100 and shoes under $100 will last with the same amount of miles plus or minus 25 miles. What data do you have to share?

Brand	Model	Shoe Mileage	Comments
Brooks	Glycerin 5	263.64	feel a bit flat, and thin under forefoot
Brooks	Radius	362.58	some life left after 350
Brooks	Defiance	340.70	feet hurt at 13 miles; getting a bit flat at 280 miles. Keeping them for short runs and the track
Nike	Vomero	94.10	went the distance for the marathon. Felt cushy.

Shoe Review - Nike Vomero

I haven't run in NIKEs in ten years or so. The shoes got the point of being too expensive, too esoteric and most important, didn't fit my feet. So, when I visited my local running store, I was a bit hesitant to try a pair on. But I did.

I usually visit my local running store at least once a year to try on new shoes, and get opinions from the pro staff. I typically will buy a pair in-store versus online because I value the time that I spend there trying on a variety of pairs (6) and the time of the staff.

This go around, I tried the Brooks Glycerin, New Balance 7 somethings, Etonic and NIKE Vomero. I was shopping for a shoe that provides support and comfort for 26.2 miles. The Brooks was so hard out of the box, I wonder if they will sell many. The New Balance felt cushy but flat; a better 10k shoe maybe. The Etonic was very light but I didn't feel confident I could get a lot of miles out of them. The NIKE Vomero though, felt awesome. Lots of cushion through out the shoe. A narrow foot print. They fit.

And they held their own during the Yakima Marathon. I am very pleased with the shoe except for the price. I recommend hitting an online site for a better price.

Size: 10
Total Miles to Date: 57
Type: Neutral
Weight: 12.4 ounces
Cost: $137 including tax
Store: Fleet Feet in Bonney Lake, WA

Disclaimer:
I do not work for NIKE or any other shoe manufacturer. I am just a consumer, a runner, who has been running off and on for 30 years. My comments reflect my thoughts, experience, and opinion with the shoes - definitely not a scientific approach to measuring performance/cushion/comfort.

Committing to the Race

The Race is coming up, May 17. The last fee increase deadline came and went and I still lack the dedication to sign up. But the questions arise; will I have time to finish up my training or will I be trained up enough to run well? I haven’t kept the overall distance up in the past few weeks that would give me the running confidence that I’ll do ok.

Fortunately it’s not the target race, just a check up. A pre-race if you will that will take my training temperature and provide me with a sense of how to finish preparing for the “real” race, the Seattle Rock & Roll Half Marathon at the end of June. It wasn’t until recently that I considered the benefits of a check up race. For someone that races only a couple times a year generally I’ve found that it gives me a better sense of how my training is preparing me. I can make final adjustments then in the weeks leading up to the target race.

The check up race does something else…it’s a confidence builder. Without the stress or pressure of the target race, the months of training, the hours of running, it allows me to run relatively hard and go through the motions of racing. I’m able to get mile splits, run through aid stations, and most importantly run with a crowd in advance of the real thing.

Getting creative

Getting a run in, sometimes, is a challenge. I have to get creative to make it happen. Today, for example, I was downtown, interviewing and networking for work. I was laid off as part of the largest savings and loan failure in history. Anyway, I'm 45 miles from home base without a lockerroom or shower. And if I wait until I get home, my chances of getting a run in are slim to nil.

Just needed a place to change. Free WiFi would be nice as well. Hello, Public Library. The Men's room has a large and private baby changing room that I could slip in and change without making a scene.

Had a great 55 minute, hilly run in 70 degree weather. Returned to the library which is air conditioned. Did the French bath, changed and I'm back at the job hunt with free WiFi.

Other ways I've managed runs into my schedule
- run to and from work or the bus stop
- run at 11pm at night (not my favorite)
- have my wife drop me off 10 miles before our destination so I can run in. Usually on the weekends when we travel to the family cabin
- get up before the chickens do and run
- visit family members and have them watch my 5 year old while I run. Use it if it works!
- run while mowing the lawn or shopping of groceries
- run around the soccer fields while the kids are playing
- run to town for groceries or that hardware part instead of driving

Getting creative can bring some fun into the run which isn't a bad thing at all.

Shoe Review - Brooks Defyance

The Brooks Defyance is a 10k shoe that fits and supports my feet well both on the track and on the road. I experience foot fatigue and soreness when I run in them over 10 miles. And therefore, I do not consider them a "high mileage" shoe. In my opinion, a high mileage shoe will support my feet for 15+ miles in a single run without foot fatigue and soreness.

I recommend the Defyance to those looking for well-priced running shoe for mid distance training and road racing.

Size: 10
Total Miles to Date: 195
Type: Neutral
Weight: 11.3 ounces
Cost: $58
Store: www.brooksrunning.com - see web specials

Disclaimer:
I do not work for Brooks or any other shoe manufacturer. I am just a consumer, a runner, who has been running off and on for 30 years. My comments reflect my thoughts, experience, and opinion with the shoes - definitely not a scientific approach to measuring performance/cushion/comfort.

Seeking consistency and quality

Here's a run chart depicting total miles over each week as I built up to the Yakima Marathon. The blue represents running miles, red cycling miles. I try to combine the two to reduce impact. I fell short of averaging 40 miles a week. Looking back, sickness, injury, work and family life had their impact. Being consistent was and is super tough. I could improve my consistency by becoming a monk or winning the lottery. Not likely. A less stressful option is to make 80% of my runs a quality, purposeful run. A run that will move me to the next level.

Measuring that's tough. The watch has been the time honored way to predict out comes. I can see that in the shorter distances like the mile, 5k or 10k. But so far, predictions to hit my marathon time haven't come true. Frustrating and thought provoking.

4 Doughnuts

Spent all day swinging hammer, lifting 4x8 sheets of plywood, and balancing on rickety saw horses. We're hustling to get the chicks, now young chickens out of the house into a converted garden shed- now a chicken coop.

I was up and at it early this morning; charging the day with a hot cup of coffee and four doughnuts. Not my usual affair. I had my chops set on the left over pie from last night's dinner. When I awoke, however, the piece was gone and I was off to the grocery store for coffee and a sweet. Anyway, I didn't stop for lunch. Drink a lot of water.

Quit at 5pm. Hustled into the house, changed into my running clothes, and headed out the door. It would have been much easier to call it a day with abeer. But I was able to avoid the pitfall and get down the road for 8 miles.

I've recovered from the Yakima Marathon and I decided to get some speed back into my legs. Yesterday, I ran 8x400 at 85 seconds with a 200m jog in between. So, I was in for the hurt which came about mile 6, so I shut it down and cruised home slowly.

I don't know if this run gets me any closer to my goal of running a marathon in 3:20. But it sure felt good to sit on the back steps, watch the sun go down and know that I got my run in on 4 doughnuts and coffee.

Shoe Review - Brook Glycerin 5

I bought the Brooks Glycern 5s based on my confidence in the previous version of the shoe. I got 350 miles in the previous version and it suited me pretty well. For some reason, version 5 didn’t last as long. I found them feeling flat and thin under the forefoot after 100 miles. While I ran long runs in them (> 10 miles), I didn’t feel comfortable in them plotting along at 8 minute miles. When I got up on my toes and ran 200s, they seemed to support me better. Heck, might as well start my marathon that way!

I would recommend these as trainers for days less than 10 miles on the road or track. Too thin for me to run offroad in them.

I have retired the shoes to moving the grass, painting, yard work, picking up after the dog.

Size: 10
Total Miles to Date: 263
Type: Neutral
Weight: 11? ounces
Cost: $82 including tax
Store: Sound Sports Seattle, WA

Disclaimer:
I do not work for Brooks or any other shoe manufacturer. I am just a consumer, a runner, who has been running off and on for 30 years. My comments reflect my thoughts, experience, and opinion with the shoes - definitely not a scientific approach to measuring performance/cushion/comfort.