A Better Path

Editors Note:
I do not write about my journey to health as a way to brag, or make other people feel bad. I dislike people like that. I simply write for two reasons: 1) to keep a journal of my experiences and to be able to reflect on the highs and lows of training and getting healthy. 2) Most importantly, keeping a blog that I know my friends and family are visiting keeps me motivated. How can not follow through on something when people I know and call friends are keeping up with what’s happening? Follow along if you like, leave me a comment now and then so I know you’re out there as go along this journey.

Since the half marathon I’ve had a hard time getting back out on the path. Once again I’ve proven that for me to really stay motivated, I need to have something to get ready for. Since the race I think I’ve only been out 3 or 4 times and have really taken it easy on the mileage.

I registered for the Full Moon 5K and was a bit nervous what the time off would do to me. I managed to get out a couple of times prior to the race and I was surprised that the time off really didn’t hurt me as much as I thought it would.

The Full Moon 5K was great last night. It was a full race, with nearly 500 particpants (are we having a running boom in  Fargo?) and plenty of support along the way. There were a few scary customers lurking behind the bushes. One managed to scare the bee-jeezus out of my co-worker Abbey. We had a good laugh about that.

I came up 2 seconds short of my goal time. I guess I’m ok with that, but a bit disappointed. I actually thought I was further behind than 2 seconds, so I’ll take it.

The Jingle Bell 5K is December 5. No doubt I’ll need some cold weather gear for that. Any suggestions?

My wife was a big time trooper on Saturday. 8 1/2 month pregnant she was the mobile photographer, finding me at 3 different locations. And I gotta give E some credit for hangning with mom in the cold.

It was an amazing day on the path yesterday at the inaugural FM Half marathon. What an outstanding course the race organizers put together. I’ll post a longer recap later, but I was able to overcome the elements and survive the mental game.

Going in I wanted to accomplish three goals – 1) Finish it, 2) Without having walk, 3) Don’t embarass myself. I was able to accomplish the first two, and by my standards, that allowed me to accomplish the third. I was a bit slower than I expected – no, than I wanted – but to finish without walking seemed like an extraordinary accomplishment.

This was my first race, and everyone was right. The competitiveness and just the race itself will help you gut through the last couple of miles. And that’s exactly what I did.

The conditions were brutal and surprisingly, I didn’t even shed any layers, gloves or headgear. I was actually fairly cold throughout the race.

More to come later. Mission accomplished for now. Now I just need to get my wife to stop talking about 26.2.

I’m a couple of hours away from my first half marathon. As I sit, nervously waiting, I can’t but think what a mental game this is. The weather is going to be horriffic. Temps in the 20′s and 20 mph winds. I just keep telling myself it’s all out of my control. The only in my control is my fitness level. And I have done absolutely everything possible to be race ready today.

Sure the weather is a bit of a curve ball. I certainly wouldn’t go out for a run today. But it is what it is and I can’t control it.

So I’m going to go out to the starting line and put my best foot forward.

Last Saturday marked the furthest I’ll run prior to the half marathon. I had logged a 10 miler prior, had a weekend "off" with the Northshore Inline Marathon, then had some decisions to make. At the advice of some running friends, I elected to go out for 12 miles and then start to dial it back the next couple of weeks.

It was an interesting 12 miles. I vowed to learn from my past mistakes and brought plenty of water, a granola bar and a GU. I even planned a stop at the gas station for a Gatorade.

All in all I can’t complain about how it went. I fell into the trap of walking a few times. Those shennanigans started around mile 8. My heart rate was much higher than normal, even though my spits weren’t where I wanted them to be.

I say I can’t complain because I achieved my goal… Finishing. At this point that’s all I’m hoping for. I would love to say I finished the half without walking  once, or finished it in whatever time… but I’m just not going to set myself up for that. Finishing 12 without quitting was a huge confidence builder for me. I really didn’t know if I could do it. Sure there’s part of me that still has some doubt for 13.1, but everyone I talk to thinks I’m good to go if I can do 12 miles.

I did suffer a nasty blood blister after the 12 miler. It’s Thursday night and I’ve been out of the shoes for a full 4 days. It felt good to get an easy 5 miler in tonight, even though it was on the treadmill at the Y. I figure I’ll do 3 or 4 tomorrow, 6 or 7 on Saturday, then maybe a couple of easy 3 milers early next week before the race.

I’m in the homestretch. I’ve done everything I can. Now it’s just a matter of going out and doing it.

Running is hard. It’s hard on your body. It’s hard on your mind. And it can even be hard on your spirit.

All along I’ve been wondering when it’s going to hit me. When I’ll really suffer through a run. No doubt I’ve been challenged, but it’s been easier than I imagined. My long runs have been tough. Tough, but pain free. I remember breezing through the 8-miler, gushing with confidence. All along I’ve been able to maintain my target finish time, and in a couple of cases beat it.

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog postings you know that I’ve been relatively upbeat about my training. I’ve been building up mileage each week with two five mile runs, a three miler and then a long run on Saturday – 7, 8, 9, and now 10 miles.

This past Saturday called for the first double-digit run of my life. I was nervous, excited, confident and concerned all at once. I carbed up the night before and had a banana before heading out with my camelback and a GU pack.

I felt pretty good to start things off. I kept my pace slow and steady, as I wanted to hit some negative splits on the way home. It was pretty foggy and a bit humid, but surprisingly the humidity didn’t bother me much. I was focused and determined.

At mile 5 I stopped briefly to hit a GU packet for the stretch home. I ripped through the miles – 6, 7, 8 – thing were looking good. Somewhere between miles 8 and 9 the pain started. My legs were heavy and I felt a blister forming on my right foot. I was struggling big time by the time I hit Lindenwood Park and headed West for home.

I had to walk up a hill, then continued walking another 30 yards. It was disappointing but I just couldn’t keep with it. I started in again, hoping for a red light at University Drive for another break. Prior to hitting University I thought about stopping at Innovis to hit the water fountain… and maybe just check myself in while I was at it.

I skipped the water break, knowing I had only a mile to go. It was the first time I really had to fight through things mentally. I started doubting why I was trying to do this. I started doubting if I could really run 13 miles. My joints hurt. My foot was on fire from the blister. I was in a bad place. I thought about walking it in.

I charged on at an excruciating slow pace, staring at the ground. It hurt to even lift my head and look forward. It wasn’t until I was 2 blocks away from my house that I saw a glimmer of hope that I would be able to finish. I pride myself on a big finish, usually sprinting into my cul de sac and looking like a dufus. There would no big finish today. There would only be a finish.

So for the first time I’m struggling with things mentally. I’ll get over the blister with a couple of days off. The soreness in my legs has already gone away. But heading out for an 11-miler will be bring anxiety.

The 11-miler will wait for another week though. The Duluth In-Line marathon is this weekend. I’m looking forward to hanging out with my skating friends and enjoying a celebratory cocktail. It could be the break and confidence builder I need as I refocus and head into the homestretch of my training.

4.5 recovery… smoked it. most fun i’ve had running. heart rate below 170 until the big finale.

I stumbled across an unpublished entry from a couple of weeks ago.

I was out for my 7-mile run (at that time my longest run ever) and I decided to change things up a bit. Instead of my normal loop through Lindenwood Park and the Lindenwood path, I decided to cross the bridge and head into Moorhead.

Well, little did I know there is no path on the Moorhead side of the river. I wasn’t really lost in Moorhead, but wasn’t at all where I wanted to be – running in the residentials. I was pretty sure I knew where I was going, but the constant looking ahead for the right turn to get back across was enough to keep my mind distracted from completing the longest run of my life. And the brief journey towards the river in search of a path made things interesting as well.

All in all it was fun, but I couldn’t help but feel a little stupid getting lost in my own town.

As I prepared last year for the Duluth Inline Marathon, I focused most of my training regiments around target heart rate zones. Whether it was interval training or 30-mile skates, my heart rate was always top of mind for me. I found watching it closely really helped me get more out of my workouts.

My resting heart rate is pretty normal for a guy my age. However, my heart rate under stress is high, regardless of my fitness level. I’ve talked to a doc and all is normal, but I can’t help but be concerned when my heart rate blows up.

I was out for an easy 4-miler (God I love saying that) the other day. All was going well and I didn’t feel as though I was under much stress. About half way through I realized I was breathing a little harder. I looked at my heart rate and to my surprise it pushed to 180. My max heart rate (in theory) is 188, although I’ve disproved the "220 minus your age" theory before. Regardless, 180 is too high for me to maintain unless I’m in the final 800 meters of a run.

It really blew me away. It’s like I missed the increase from 165 to 185. I always pay close attention to what my body is telling while I run and I try to keep my heart rate in the low and mid 170′s. Evidently I missed something this time. Maybe there was a really good song going on the IPOD.

I compare exercise stress and elevated heart rates to swimming in cold water. When you first get into a pool, most of the time it is colder than the air and the water feels cold. As you swim your body adjusts and it becomes more tolerable. Your heart rate under exercise stress is no different. If you’re resting heart rate is 80 bpm and you jump to 150, that’s a huge increase. Just like swiming in cold water, you have some initial discomfort but your body adjusts and 150 bpm begins to feel comfortable. But as your heart rate climbs from 150 the percentage increase is less and less, making it tougher to recognize when you’re getting out of your targeted heart rate zone.

Needless to say, when I realized I was blowing up I backed off the pace signficantly. In looking at my splits, I was running at a faster pace than normal, but I didn’t have any discomfort or breathing difficulty until it was too late.

I’ll be paying even closer attention to my pace and heart rate on future runs. Be sure to test the water with your toes before jumping in headfirst.