Harrisburg Marathon 14-Nov-2010 (4th)

4th Marathon - Harrisburg 11/14/2010

  With the completion of 3 marathons under my belt and each one faster than the previous, I was feeling good about my progression toward qualifying for Boston.  Qualifying for Boston is not something I had ever thought about.  It was the influence from the group of guys I run with.  Quite a few of them have run Boston and it seemed like a task worth pursuing.  I wanted to see what I was made of and see if I could push my training to the next level.  Would I be able to train hard enough to make the time?  Would my body be able to push such a pace?  When would I plateau?  There are so many variables to consider when attempting such a challenge.  Well, there was only one way to find the answers to these questions.  Keep pushing myself to see how fast I could go.

  While considering my training plan I came across a book titled ‘Run Less, Run Faster.’  This book was developed by a few individuals from the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training or FIRST for short.  The premise behind the book is that you don’t need to log hundred mile weeks to reach your milestones.  The title of the book is pretty straight forward and summarizes their approach.  They claim a runner can actually become faster by running fewer days per week.  Each run is designed with a specific purpose and target times.  The target times are customized to match the desired marathon goal.  The book details plans for 5 hour marathons, to sub 3 hour marathons.  The book also covers 5K and 10K plans if a runner wants to improve at these distances.

  The basics for this training include 3 key runs per week plus 2 cross training workouts.  They sometimes refer to the program as 3Plus2.  The key runs each week will test you and push you into the uncomfortable zone.  They break down into a run of repeats, usually at the track, a tempo run, and a long run.  Each run has explicit details on distances to cover and pace to run each distance.  The distances covered are the same for each program, but the pace to perform each run varies for each target time.  The pace times are based on your ultimate finish time.  To help you pick the appropriate plan, each plan comes with prerequisites to meet before you are ready to attempt that particular goal time.  Each marathon program is 16 weeks long.  Check out the book if you want to improve your times.  They have a web presence at http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Pages/default.aspx.  This site also has a novice training plan for your first marathon.

  July 25, 2010 was the official start date for my 16 week FIRST training program.  I was also trying to prepare for my first triathlon.  I started working on my swimming in June and was just starting to get the hang of swimming and getting my stroke and breathing down.  I was also biking to prepare for the triathlon.  This would be much more than 3 runs and 2 cross training sessions.  I included at least 2 swims and 1 bike workout each week in addition to 3 days running.  This was not too overboard, just one extra cross training per week.  This was the minimum number of workouts I would perform per week.  As time drew closer to my first sprint triathlon the number of workouts would increase.  As I approached this event I was swimming 3 days per week and biking two, plus a short run was added to the end of one bike ride each week for a brick workout to simulate the bike to run transition.  The brick workout was done on Wednesdays.

  I tried my best to follow the 3 key runs per week.  Many of the weeks I ran alone on Tuesdays at the track doing my repeats.  The WRFB joined me for a couple of the track workouts.  Occasionally coach and Wilt would be at the track and we would do repeats together.  Doing track repeats by yourself is quite challenging.  That little voice in your head that screams, QUIT, provides a quite compelling argument.  No one is there watching so stopping or going slower is the simplest thing to do.  I would know if I stopped short or slowed down and that was not an option.  I will say that the track repeats became more comfortable as time went by.  The conditioning this type of work provides is highly valuable and helpful at improving your speed and tolerance for pushing through tough runs.  I missed 2 track workouts throughout the entire training.

  The Tempo runs I approached slightly different.  I would run with the WRFB and they usually pushed the pace.  I would try to push hard on these runs, but I did not always follow the distance or the pace.  This is the one key run I did not follow to the exact description.  I did try to cover the minimum distance described in the plan.  The long runs I used as a barometer to test my progress.  I felt if I was able to complete the distance at the pace prescribed, I would be on target.  Like all runs, you have good runs and not so good runs.  Don’t let the not so good runs discourage you.  There were several long runs that I missed the target pace.  I would usually be back on track by the next long run.  I think some of the missed target pace’s were due to the extra training while preparing for the triathlon.  I had 7 weeks after my triathlon to finish preparing for my marathon.  I actually missed a 20 mile long run the weekend of the triathlon.  I figured that the triathlon was adequate training for the weekend and did not want to risk injury, so I skipped the scheduled 20 miler that weekend.  The following weekend I was back on the long run program.  I would still have an opportunity for 2 more 20 milers.  This particular plan had five 20 mile runs.

  By now the marathon newness was wearing off and elaborate celebrations were not necessary.  My last 10 miler the week before the marathon was run alone on the Rail Trail at marathon pace.  Tuesday was an easy track workout with 6 x 400m repeats.  Thursday was an easy 5 mile run with the WRFB at slightly faster than marathon pace.  Now it was time to rest and prepare for the marathon with plenty of carbs and sports drinks.  This was a Sunday race in Harrisburg, PA, so I had the entire day Saturday at home.  I had a lot of nervous energy as usual.  I had been reading about some marathoners that ran 2-3 miles the day before the race.  This was just to relieve some of that pent up energy from the taper and settle the nerves if possible.  So mid morning on Saturday I headed out for a short run at a slow pace.  I managed to keep the pace slow for 2 ½ miles.  This was enough to calm my nerves and remind myself that I had not forgotten how to run.  I did not pick up my race packet Saturday, but planned to leave early Sunday morning and pickup my race packet prior to the start of the race.

  Pre race fueling was something I tried to pay close attention.  I follow a relatively healthy diet, but for this marathon I actually created a spreadsheet to track my carbs prior to the race.  I read an article about how to load carbs before a marathon.  The article I found at this web site http://www.ploscompbiol.org/mirror/article/pcbi.1000960.html.  The scientific data is all provided in this article.  If you are curious take a look to get all the details.  I used the carb calculator at http://endurancecalculator.com/index.html and took this value to determine the carbs I needed.  What I failed to track was fat and protein.  I think I may have not taken enough protein.  Next time I will track this closer and see if I can increase my performance and stay out of the medical tent.  I do think the trip to the medical tent did help me because the day after the race I did not feel all that bad.  More on that adventure later.  I will also investigate electrolyte tablets for the next marathon to see if I can avoid cramps in the legs the last 10k.  That is the thing about running marathons.  They become addictive and you keep trying to find new things to try to push the time just a little faster, make the run a little less painful and help with recovery.

  Saturday night I went through my normal routine.  Dinner was pasta with marinara sauce.  I gathered my gear and quadruple checked everything to make sure it was all in order.  I even packed the power inverter in my car in case I needed to charge my watch before the race.  This was a paranoid precaution since the dead watch incident before the Harrisburg half marathon.  I awoke around 4:30 am to prepare for departure around 5:15am.  This would get me to the registration station by 6:15 and leave plenty of time to gather my race packet, put on my timing chip, warm up and empty the GI track.  The departure time arrived and off I drove to my next adventure in marathoning.

  This race started a little different.  The nerves started 2 days prior.  This was good because I slept like a baby the night before the race.  In the morning at the race I ran into Steve, who was there for his brother in-law Jeff.  This morning I meet up with Chris and crew, who were there to help pace Aimee Taylor.  Aimee was trying to qualify for the Olympic marathon trials.  I had met here some time ago through Bob.  They invited me on a slow run.  They were doing a 20 miler.  I managed to keep up for 15 miles.  When I say slow, I mean slow for them.  They went at an 8:00 min per mile pace.  This was a little fast for me at that distance, but I managed to keep up.  The kicker was they had no hydration or fuel along the way.  I guess the theory was to stress the body.  So you see you just never know who you may run into when you run with a group.  It is not every day you get to run with an Olympic hopeful.  Now here I was wishing her well and hoped she made her time.

  My biggest decision for the start of the race was what to wear for the start.  The temperature was cool, but the sun was shining and the temperature was supposed to rise.  So I thought I should dress more for the warm and be just a little cold for the start of the race.  I opted for the short sleeve WRFB shirt, gloves and ear warmer. With some pre-race jitters I moved to the starting area.  It was more crowded than I anticipated.  This was good because it kept my first 2 miles at 8:15.  Of course now I was in a crowd of runners and stuck at a slower pace.  I was beginning to worry about picking up the pace.  I kept getting stuck in masses of people.  The pace felt really easy and by mile 5 the pack started to open up.  Now I could start to pick up the pace.

  From there we looped around city island where I meet Steve around mile 7.  He ran with me for a while and Steve gave me some encouragement.  I grabbed a drink, Steve and I parted, then it was off City Island.  The pace was going great in fact a little too fast.  I needed to keep slowing myself.  I talked to a few folks along the way, but did not stay with anyone person too long.  As we moved up from the river trail onto the roads I started following a guy about my pace.  He started to slow and as I began to pass he would pick up the pace.  This continued for some time.  Every time I would begin to pass he would pick up the pace.  I thought "is this guy trying to race me."  After some time I pulled up next to him and engaged in conversation.  It turns out he was attempting the same finish time of 3 hours 30 minutes as I was attempting..  We ran together for a mile or 2.  As we entered the HACC complex I pulled away from him at the first water station.

  Going up front street gave me a glimpse of what I would see on the return trip.  I was grabbing water and sports drink at every water station, alternating these selections every other station.  I thought I was hydrating well because the liquid was sloshing in my stomach, but I would still become dehydrated.  I was taking gels as planned and the pace was on target.  My average pace by the half way point was back to 8:00.  I was on target.  I approached the HACC complex and started to think about the park and the hills that would be coming up shortly.  I was still felling great at this point and meet up with my family around mile 17.  My wife and daughter came to the race to support me.  They provided me with my V8-Vfusion which helped boost my energy.  I started using this during my second marathon and think it provides a good balance similar to sports drink with a little extra nutrition and energy boost.  Of course this could all be psychological.  Even if it is the placebo effect, runners will do whatever works to make their running better.

  At mile 18 I entered the park which included several hills.  It was just 2 short miles through the hills, then evaluate the time and condition of the legs.  The hills weren't too bad, partly because I had done hills in training, but mostly because I was mentally prepared.  I was prepared to lose some time and I managed to only lose 40 seconds.  I had one last hill out of the park and back to the flats.  There was one last hill up and over the highway which I was not prepared for and this hill left me feeling a little flat.  As I approached mile 21, I now started to feel the first effects of the race.  As I coasted down the hill I started to evaluate my pace for the last 10k.  I am right on the cusp of making the BQ time.  Brian indicated he would run me in the last 10k.  I know it was nothing definite, but I was really hoping to see him, particularly now as I was starting to feel the affects of 21 miles.  I pushed through the next mile or so and was really starting to feel the effects of the race.  I tried to do high knees, butt kicks, and strides to stretch while running.  This has helped in the past, but not today.  As I attempted to do these stretches while running I could feel the cramps.  I quickly stopped these activities and hoped the cramps would not get as bad as the Marine Corps Marathon.

  I was now on Front Street with a straight shot back to the finish line on a flat course along the river.  Then with roughly 4 miles to go, I see Brian's bright shining face.  Now I am thinking to myself that I have to make the time or face the humiliation of failure, and WUSS rang trough my head.  Actually it was great to see Brian. As we ran he kept asking what that ringing was and I told him that was good because it meant we were sub 8.  I had my Garmin set to help pace me and it would ring below 8:00 per mile pace.  I needed the extra time to make Boston.  Brian kept my mind off the pain and kept tabs on the pace.  Cramps would grab the back of my legs every so often.  I was running on the cusp of break down.  My ability to think straight was beginning to diminish.  In hind sight I can now see this was the onset of dehydration.  Around mile 24 I decided I could do this and I didn't go this far to miss a BQ time by a minute.  I continued to push the pace faster and faster.  Brian kept reminding me of the great feeling I would have WHEN I qualified for Boston.  He would tell me how much time and distance to the finish and encouraged me to hang in there and telling me “you have this.”

  Brian kept me going through all this.  The final section of the course included a hill up to the bridge.  The ramp up the hill to the bridge SUCKED!!!  Who in !@#$ put this hill at the end of the course.  I was completely shot.  The legs were cramping and I felt like crap.  Brian pushed me through mile 26 and pointed out the big red finish line.  There was one of those inflated arches over the finish line.  He pushed me across the bridge the final 2 tenths of a mile and peeled off for the last tenth of a mile.  I felt like I was sprinting, but these things are all relative.  I finished with an unofficial time of 3:30:44.  I DID IT!!!!  I qualified for Boston in my forth marathon, 54 weeks after my first marathon.  I was never so happy and so painfully exhausted in my entire life.  I wanted to jump for joy, but I could barely move.  I was finished and now I could rest.  The pace Brian kept the last few miles was incredible.  Looking back at the times they were progressively faster.  The paces per mile for the last 4 miles were: 7:58, 7:53, 7:48, and 7:31.  The sprint home the final 2 tenths was 7:05.  I guess the track work really paid off.

  As I crossed the finish line, I reached for a helper and leaned on her.  I just wanted to rest for a minute and thought I would be okay.  They called for a wheel chair and I knew I was in trouble.  I was so happy because I was fairly certain I qualified for Boston, but was not absolutely sure.  So they wheeled me off to the white tent.  Now visions of candy thermometers danced in my head.  I am still a virgin and the professor still holds that title alone.  They had me drink 3 cups of chicken broth, 3 cups sports drink, and 3 cups of water.  My legs continued to cramp and twinge as I laid there.  Every little movement brought more pain.  They brought over some massage therapist to help ease the pain and cramping in the legs.  I guess to the medics I was in pretty bad shape and looking back I have to agree.  When I was able to move out of the initial cot I was taken to a table in the back part of the medical tent.  It was there that they started an IV and pushed 1.5 liters of saline.  Finally after saline began to work its magic, the legs stopped twitching.  Apparently twitching muscles is an indication of being dehydrated.  They asked about my food intake the previous day.  They were particular interested in the amount of protein.  I was so concentrated on carbohydrates I neglected to take in enough protein.  I will have to work on this for the next marathon.

  After an hour they finally released me and I was welcomed by my wife, daughter and 2 WRFB runners Chris and Brian.  My wife surprised me when she stated, “It looks like we are going to Boston in 2012.”  That was the icing on the cake to know my family would support my Boston Marathon endeavor.  What a great day and to finish with family and friends there made this truly a memorable occasion.  I could not have done this without the support of my family, Coach Bob and the entire WRFB crew.  Thanks a million, this was a goal worth pursuing.  Now for some down time and much needed recovery.  With this event barely over, I already started to think about a spring marathon.  Gettysburg was offering a new marathon in celebration of 150 years since the civil war.  This was close to home and a new course to try.  Of course there was always the Bob Potts marathon.  Potts was a fast flat course.  Whatever marathon I choose to do, I was just going to enjoy myself and run for the fun of it, enjoy the day, not worrying about the finish time.  I can tell you now that this would be a short lived thought.  In February 2011 all this changed when Boston Athletic Association announced a change to the registration process and times for the Boston Marathon.

Mile 20 after the park (C:\dps\running\2010-11-Harrisburg\DSCN1884.JPG)

Mile 20-21 starting to feel the pain  (C:\dps\running\2010-11-Harrisburg\DSCN1888.JPG)

The big finish – the look of determination or a crazy demented man, you decide.  Brian is next to me pushing me toward the finish.  (C:\dps\running\2010-11-Harrisburg\determination2.jpg )

My daughter Samantha and me after the race and an IV.  I look refreshed and ready to go.  (C:\dps\running\2010-11-Harrisburg\DSCN1892.JPG)

My First Sprint Triathlon

September 25, 2010
YMCA of Shrewsbury
My First Sprint Triathlon
by David Smith

 

  It is hard to describe the feelings as the start of the race approached.  I was nervous, anxious, excited, scared, enthusiastic, doubting, and wondering if I could actually do this.  I arrived early, in fact only 10 other people were there when I arrived.  I guess there are some others like me that like to arrive early.  I wanted to make sure I would be able to rack my bike.  The racks were 2x4 stands with a piece of 8 foot 1 inch steel bar.  This was not quite what I imagined.  I guess I watched too many Ironman Triathlons on TV.  During setup one of the support bars left loose from the weight of the bikes and everything fell to the ground.  Using the stands was not the best idea.  I think for the next triathlon I will build my own bike stand to free stand my bike.  As you will see later the swim to bike transition was pretty bad.

      I meet up with two of my running partners and the guys who talked me into this.  That’s right I did not make this decision on my own.  They coerced me into doing this.  Just kidding!  I have secretly wanted to do this and when Chris discovered me swimming, ‘The jig is up, the news is out they finally found me.’ (Styx Renegade)  So now all my running buddies knew what I was going to do it and I was committed to the triathlon.  The great thing was I had 2 experienced tri-athletes to draw from their experience.

      While we waited for the start of the race I chatted with them hoping to ease the nerves.  It really did not help.  I had a nervous energy and excitement that was indescribable.  Fear, anxiety, and anticipation raced through me in an unbelievable manner.  I was like a little kid Christmas morning all excited about opening presents.  Would I bonk with a DNF (do not finish) or would I bonk and have to walk in.  One thing was for certain, when I finished it would be a PR.  That is the great thing about do something like this for the first time.  You are guaranteed a PR.  The weather was perfect.  The temperature was cool and sunny, it was just a beautiful day.  At least I would enjoy the weather and the view.

      All the racers gathered as the event coordinators gave us our final instructions.  We all proceeded to line up for the swim.  It was an 8 lane pool with 2 swimmers per lane. We all lined up outside and waited at the door for our turn in a lane.  The swim was 21 lengths in a 25 yard pool, 525 yards total.  It was an honor system to count your own laps.  That was one of my biggest fears, loosing count of my laps.  I had practiced counting during training and was ready to keep track.  In line in chatted with my buddies and other athletes.  I did not wait long before I started.  The timing mat was at the door.  The starting indicated it was my turn.  I took a few deep breaths and off I went.

      I started a little fast, but that was to be expected with the nervous anticipation and adrenaline.  The pace felt good, just like I practiced.  I did not want to expend too much energy since this was only 10 minutes of the whole race.  I completed the swim in 10:31 and out the door to the bike, transition one.  This did not go like I practiced.  The night before the race I had practiced transitions in my living room.  I’d run to my biking gear getting dressed, then run around the living room and change to running gear.  It worked well and I figured and minute for each transition.  In reality this did not hold true.

      I toweled off quickly and dried my feet standing on a towel to keep my feet clean.  The very first thing I did wrong was put on my bandana and helmet first.  What was I thinking!  Off with the helmet and bandana and on with the shirt.  The shirt had the numbers pinned to it and in my hurried effort to put on my shirt the safety pins opened up and the number fell off.  Now I had to pin my number back to the shirt.  Next was to put on with the bandana and helmet again.  Next the sun glasses went on, then socks and bike shoes.  This is really starting to take a long time.  Now I tried to get the bike off the rack.  It was stuck.  The seat would not lift off the bar.  Then it got stuck under the now bent bar.  I leaned and worked the bike to get it free.  I grabbed the bike funny and it fell to the ground.  I picked up the bike and was heading out.  Now I feel a sticky gooey substance on my hand and leg.  The gel packet I taped to the bike exploded.  It was dripping of the bike onto me and was somehow on the seat.  So I turn around and grabbed my towel to clean up.  I just envisioned this sticky mess making for a less than comfortable ride.  Now I am finally ready.  The transition time was 3:33.  I think I can improve on this for my next race. 

      So now the bike section begins.  I am thankful that the transition is behind me.  As I head out I look up and see my wife.  What a pleasant surprise.  She has been such a big supporter, even if she thinks I’m crazy and a freak, you can feel the love.  She busts me a lot about my exercise obsession, but she really does support me.

       I start out good on the bike.  I grab some water as I get used to the bike.  I really would have liked the gel, but oh well.  I did not realize it until after the race, but I had a spare gel in the tool bag under my seat.  I was fortunate to have done the bike course 2 times prior to the race.  This allowed me to pace myself a little better.  Knowing where the tough section would be and when I could hammer it on the easier sections.  It wasn’t long until I was up to speed and passing people.  In fact I continued to pass people throughout the entire bike section.  I was only passed once about 2 miles from the end.  We were coming down a hill to a stop sign and a right turn onto a main road.  I came to all but a complete stop before I turned right onto the last section of the bike.  It was at that time this bike comes flying by me.  I would venture a guess that he was a more experienced rider and did not slow as much at the stop sign and handled the turn much better then myself.  I was pushing hard, but I was not completely shot.  The legs were tired and the quads were burning, but I felt good.

      I approached the transition area and dismounted per the instructions of a volunteer.  Not too shabby.  My bike time was 55:28.  This was much faster than I anticipated.  As I made my way into the transition area I noticed my calves were starting to cramp.  As I hobbled toward my running shoes I looked up to see Brian (a WRFB running buddy).  He indicated I looked like I was walking funny.  Something about dismounting a horse or looking like an old man.  We had a quick laugh as I changed shoes and dropped my helmet.  I took some time to stretch my calves, took a drink, and off I went on the run.  This transition was a little better but still slow at 1:31.

      It took a little while for the legs start to ease into the run.  I was probably ½ mile into the run before I started to pick up the pace.  With the staggered start from the swim portion, all the participants were really spread out.  I kept cruising past other runners.  This was a great feeling to have this much energy.  I would give a quick word of encouragement to fellow runners as I passed.  Even though the run felt comfortable, the legs feel different after biking and going into the run.  It is a hard feeling to describe and must be experienced.  During the run I passed Chris in the opposite direction.  The course had some loops and double backs, that is how I was able to see Chris.  He is much faster than me.  In fact, he took second overall.  Chris shouted words of encouragement as did I.  I was hoping to get a glimpse of Doug during the run.  Doug was the other running buddy that was in the race.  He would end up 2^nd in our age group and 10^th overall.   As I approached the finish line I could see my wife, Doug and several of the WRFB members.  I pushed hard to the finish.  The run time is 23:09 with an overall time of 1:34:12.  This placed me 4^th in my age group and 22^nd overall.  Not a bad race for my first triathlon.

      I learned some valuable lessons from this experience.  Take a free standing bike rack, just in case you need it.  Invest in a race number belt, may be one that can hold the gels.  Definitely do NOT pin the number to the shirt.  I may consider a tri shirt for the next race.  That would be one less thing worry about in T1.  I would leave the glasses on the bike and put them on why riding.  I need to remember to start my watch as soon as I get to the bike so I can keep track of time a little better.  I will need to invest more training time in the bike run brick.  The hardest thing to do is get off the bike and start running.  The legs just take awhile to transition to the run.

      Total time: 1:34:12 -- Swim: 0:10:31 ; T1:  03:33 ;  Bike :55:28 ; T2: 01:31 ;  Run:  0:23:09

Bob Potts Marathon 16-May-2010 (3rd)

3rd Marathon - Bob Potts 5/16/2010

  This would be the shortest training period for preparing for any marathon I have run, 5 weeks.  I emailed my coach the day after my Garden Spot marathon.  You know you have a good coach when he can read your mind.  As soon as I emailed he responded almost immediately.  Here is what he responded via email.

“LOL – After I heard your time on Saturday, I immediately wondered if you were going to do Potts.  I even planned out your long weekend runs.  I think if you recover well and can do the weekend runs, you should be able to PR by another 5 minutes (if the weather is cooperative).”

  That was a positive response and gave me a lot to think about.  The number one question I had to answer was, would I recover well?  Only time would tell.  I held off on registering for the Bob Potts marathon for 2 weeks.  I wanted to see how my next long run would go.  If I was able to run the 16-18 miles and feel good after the run, I would feel that my recovery was progressing well.  For now I was going to enjoy some well deserved rest and take 4 days off then back to training.  Coach Bob put together my training plan for the next 5 weekends.  My weekday runs would be limited to the standard Tuesday and Thursday runs of somewhere between 6 and 7 miles.  The weekend runs would be run on the Rail Trail to get used to the course in preparation for race day.  Another recommendation by my coach was to soak in my pool.  I had an above ground pool, but it was not open.  I would slip back the cover and slid in to ease my tired sore legs.  I really think this helped with my recovery.  I did this every weekend after my long runs.  The water was cold and perfect for soothing my legs.  I think this made a huge difference in my recovery and helped get me on track for the Bob Potts marathon.

  The first weekend after the marathon would consists of 3 miles slow on Saturday.  Sunday would be 8 to 10 miles depending on how I felt.  I felt good enough to do 10 miles.  This was a positive step in the right direction.  The following weekend,  would be the test to determine my readiness.  Saturday would be 6 miles at a moderate pace and Sunday would be 16 miles to 18 miles depending on how my body felt.  This would be the determining factor for signing up.  This run felt good enough for me to cover 18 miles.  I now felt confident to register for the Bob Potts marathon.  Monday I put my registration in the mail and the wheels were put in motion.  I would be running the Bob Potts marathon here in York on the Rail Trail on Sunday May 16, 2010.

  The third weekend after the marathon and 3 weeks until Bob Potts marathon, had an 8 mile run on Saturday at a moderate pace.  Sunday would be 14 to 16 miles at my goal marathon pace.  I ran 15 miles at 8:23 per mile.  This was right on target for my goal pace. I could feel another 5 minutes coming off my previous time and another PR.  The weekend before the race, I ran 6 miles at a moderate pace on Saturday.  Sunday would be another 10 miles at goal pace.  I guess I was really recovering well because I averaged far better than my goal pace and felt good.  This was it!  I was now in the final recovery week.  I would run 2 more easy runs Tuesday and Thursday this week.  Then I would take 2 days complete rest Friday and Saturday before the big event on Sunday.

  Having the entire day Saturday at home was a new experience.  I had way too much energy and too much time on my hands.  I have read about marathoners that run 3 easy miles the day before a marathon, but I was too nervous to try something new.  I tried to take it easy at home, but too much nervous energy made this nearly impossible.  Saturday afternoon I drove downtown to pick up my race packet.  This was a local race in York and did not draw a big crowd.  I believe they sold out at 400 runners.  This would be the smallest race field of all the marathons I had run thus far.  Of course this was only my third marathon since doing my first marathon only 6 months ago.  I had just completed the Garden Spot Marathon April 10, 2010, five weeks earlier.  I was so busy leading up to this race I did not have as much time to get nervous.  I set my goal time at 3:40 (8:23/mile), 5-6 minutes faster than Garden Spot.  I had planned to start at 8:30 and maintain through 13.1 miles, then slowly increase my pace over the last half of the course.  I was hoping to negative split this race just like I did on the last one..

  Race morning came and I was up at 4:00 am.  The race started at 6:30 and I wanted to make sure I was there early.  I had my typical breakfast of oatmeal, raisins, and honey with a cup of green tea.  This was not only a race morning favorite but my breakfast every day of the year.  It is a rare occasion that I do not eat oatmeal for breakfast.  Even on vacation I take oatmeal and have that for breakfast.  There may be 10 mornings a year that I do not have oatmeal.  I guess that is part of my OCD coming through.  Speaking of OCD, arriving early was just something I have always liked to do for big events.  It was just part of my personality.  As I left the house in the dark I noticed it was a great day to race.  The temperature was cool in the low 50's and the skies were overcast.  Upon arrival I checked out the area, did a short warm up and headed to the porta pots.  It is always a relief to take care of all necessary business far in advance to the start of the race.  This put my mind at ease and one less thing to worry about during the race.  I fueled with banana and half a bagel.  I took some sports drink and V8 V-Fusion to help with some extra electrolytes.

  As I approached the start area I ran into some of my running buddies.  Then I started to find other members of the group I ran with.  The WRFB was there in full force to start everyone off.  Bob B (aka coach), Rocco, Bob Melcher, and I were all participating in the marathon.  Mark and Wilt greeted us at the start.  Chris and Doug rode to the race and watched us past the 1 mile mark.  I started with Rocco and Bob M.  Bob B. quickly left us about half mile out.  I stuck with Rocco through mile 1 at 8:08 pace.  I then dropped back to around an 8:20-8:25 pace.  This felt comfortable so I maintained this pace.  The beginning miles seemed to breeze by.  1, 2, 3, 4, I reached Brillhart Station rather quickly.  The miles continued to be easy to Glatfelter Station, Seven Valleys, and Hanover junction.  I now had 10 miles down and feeling good.  My wife, boys, and dog were there to greet me and supply me with my beverage (V8 VFusion with vitamin water).  This combination provided me with electrolytes and carbs to keep me fueled.  I checked my time and I was still maintaining 8:20 pace.  Not far to the half way point now.

  At the half way point I had covered 13.2 miles at a pace around 8:20, but adjusted to the extra .1 miles it drops my average 8:24.  This seems to be the norm, as every marathon I have run, I have run farther than 26.2.  My BQ attempt will have to be at 7:55 to allow for the extra distance, but I digress.  As I ran past the 13.1 mark and was heading toward the turn around, roughly a half mile further, I was feeling strong.  I was slightly faster than goal pace, so rather than increase my pace, I chose to maintain this pace.

  I passed the turnaround and was heading toward the finish line.  Hanover junction came quickly and the cheering gave me a much needed adrenalin rush.  I was expecting to see my family at this area, but no family at this stop, I was slightly bummed.  Now I started to feel a little tired after 16 miles.  2 miles further and I reached Seven Valleys and there was my family.  Ryan ran up along side of me and gave me my next drink bottle.  He kept me on pace the next 2 miles to Glatfelter Station, still averaging 8:20 by the Garmin.  It was fun to run together with my son.  If he would have worn shorts and proper running shoes he could have run a little farther with me.  He ran these 2 miles in jeans and generic sneakers.  I hope he continues as planned and we train together this summer for a fall half marathon.  It is a wonderful feeling to have your children share a similar interest.

  I know some parents push their children in the direction of their own interests.  My wife and I have never taken that approach.  Out interests have been put on the back burner and we have followed our children where their interests and pursuits have led them.  We have done roller hockey, softball, baseball, soccer, football, dance, gymnastics, swimming, cross country, track, volleyball, music, girl scouts, boy scouts, and church youth activities.  My children may not be the best at any one thing, but they are well rounded individuals with many life experiences to draw from as they mature into young adults.  The days of playing 3 sports is a thing of the past as adult coaches force the players to pick one sport and stick with it.  My daughter was able to participate in 3 sports, but it was difficult to make the team when trying out against players that only play one sport and do so year round.  Maybe someday coaches will realize the benefits of cross training by participating in multiple sports.  It would certainly help with the repetitive use injures.  Oh yeah, we were actually running a marathon.  I guess I should get off my soap box and return to the task at hand.

  With around 7 miles to go, the next 3+ miles would be the most difficult.  My son had dropped off and I was all alone on this section of the trail.  There was no one close enough to chase or follow and no one behind me to push me.  The Stretch from Glatfelter Station to Brillhart would test my mental strength.  The legs were starting to tire and tighten up.  At one point I thought about stopping to walk and stretch.  As I slowed I began to tighten more and knew if I stopped things would only get worse.  I continued to push through the slowest miles of the day, in the 8:30-8:40 range.  There were no cheering spectators to encourage the runners.  There were no fellow runners to bond with and pace one another.  There were only 3 miles of drudgery to endure until the next location that would hopefully provide a cheering family and some liquid refreshment.

  I finally reached Brillhart and met my family.  They could see I was tiring and feeling weak.  Wilt was also there and joined me on the final leg of the run.  He kept me occupied and engaged in conversation.  It was probably a one sided discussion on his side.  My mind was not real clear focusing only on pushing to the finish.  I kept my response to one word answers.  Not quite the conversationalist at this point.  Wilt got me back on pace for 8:20, not quite the 8:10 pace I had planned.  The clouds were clearing and the sun was starting to heat things up.  This was the last thing I needed, HEAT!!!  We finally reached the mile 23, only 5K to go!!!!

  I continued to push on following Wilt as close as possible as he kept the pace.  We finally reached mile mark 25.  We were on the home stretch now.  We picked up some wind so I tried to drop behind Wilt and use him as a wind shield.  I tried to tuck in behind him and he moved left so I moved left.  He moved right so I moved right.  We continued to zigzag for a few more times.  He was trying to come along side of me and I was trying to tuck in behind him.  I finally explained what I was trying to do.  I wanted to use him as a human wind shield.  He finally settled on a straight path and I tucked in behind him.  I am sure that was quite comical to watch from the side lines.  I don't know how much it helped, but mentally it made me feel better.  We dropped the pace to 8:00 per mile for the final 1.2 miles.  Wilt continued to encourage me as we got closer to the finish.

        Mark and Brain met me outside the track and ran with me up to the track shouting words of encouragement.  They left my side and headed to the finish line.  I was alone coming around the turn and heard my name over the loud speakers, I cheered for joy and sprinted (at least it felt that way) to the finish.  As I crossed the finish line I utilized the helpers in the finish area as I put my arms around 2 people who held me up and kept me from falling over.  The curtain was closing in and I was seeing spots.  This soon passed and I was able to walk on my own.  The greatest feeling in the world was seeing my family and WRFB at the finish line.  My wife captured a great picture of me with my time as I crossed the line.  The time displayed 3:40:29, a new PR and only 10 minutes to go to qualify for Boston.  This was again another wonderful marathon experience.  I think I like this marathon running.  Who knows, maybe someday an Ironman!!!  Can you say Kona?  If you are going to dream you might as well dream big.  While I was riding this marathon high I was going to enjoy myself.  This makes me think of the quote by Karen Ravn.

“Only as high as I reach can I grow,

only as far as I seek can I go,

only as deep as I look can I see,

only as much as I dream can I be.”

Garden Spot Marathon 10-Apr-2010 (2nd)

2nd Marathon - Garden Spot 4/10/2010

 

After the Marine Corp Marathon I rested for a week and then returned to slow runs.  I expected to jump right back to where I was in my training. This was not the case.  The WRFB runners told me it could take a month or as long as 2 months after a marathon for the body to completely recover and your prior performance level would return.  It took my body 6-8 weeks to return to its pre marathon conditioning.  This could also be due to the fact that I donated blood the week after the race.  Donating blood was not something new.  I had donated blood during my training prior to the marathon.  I make sure to give at least 8 weeks out before the marathon.  One thing I have noticed about blood donation is a reduction in performance after donating blood.  This makes sense since they remove approximately 10% of your blood volume.  This reduces the red blood cells and hemoglobin.  The fluid level in the blood is back up in about 24 hours, but the remaining components take about 8 weeks to return to previous levels.  This is why blood donors are only allowed to give every 8 weeks.  Adding protein and iron to your diet can aid in rebuilding the lost hemoglobin.  If you already eat a balanced diet then additional protein and iron are already being supplied to assist with this process.  The hemoglobin levels usually return to previous levels in about 3 to 4 weeks.  I notice my performance degrades about 8-10% after donating blood.  The performance level usually returns 4-5 weeks later.  By 8 weeks I am completely recovered and usually see an improvement in performance.  I have no scientific evidence to back up this statement, just my own running experience.  Would I still have improved without donating blood?  This is a question I cannot answer.  Maybe my improvement was just natural progression.  Either way, I am not an elite athlete so donating blood with the subsequent performance reduction is not a big deal and I just like donating.  I continue to donate to this day, but I make sure not to donate close to a marathon.  After completing a marathon I usually wait a week to donate to allow the body time to heal before reducing the blood volume.

  It was December when I started training for my next marathon.  I started this training session with some hill repeats.  I did the hill repeatss for about 8 weeks.  I would meet Chris at the Dallastown middle school where we ran tennis court hill.  This happened to be a hill outside the pool next to the tennis courts.  I told you runners are really original with their naming.  We met early every Wednesday (5am) because Chris was a swim coach and had to be at practice by 6am.  It was nice to have someone to run with.  He pushed me hard.  We started with a warm up run, a few hills then a cool down run.  We started with 4 hills, but by the end of 8 weeks we were up to 10 hill repeats.  This was a great workout and really helped strengthen my legs and push me to the next level.  After this I switched to speed work at the track.  I would go on Tuesdays.  Sometimes the WRFB would join me, but most of the time I would run by myself.  Two of the WRFB runners lived close the track and would join me on few occasions.  The speed work was a great workout.  It was hard but by the time I approached the marathon these workouts were becoming more comfortable.  They were not any easier, I just became more accustomed to the feeling.  This would really help carry me through my next marathon.

  Once again the WRFB provided me support and kind words as I prepared for my marathon.  I must have been pushing hard in training, particularly the speed work.  I attribute this to the shin splints I developed during the later part of my training.  It was somewhere around 6 weeks out my shins started to hurt.  My shins would only hurt after my speed workouts.  During my other runs I had only minimal pain.  Once again I turned to the internet to help me find a solution.  I found exercises to strength the muscles that support the lower leg.  There were also videos by physical therapist explaining how to tape the shins to relieve the pain.  I combined the strength training and taping, these combined items worked like a champ.  I got used to the tape so if I needed it on race day it would not be something new.  I credit the strengthening exercises to my healing and pain relief.  About the week before the marathon I still had some pain but it was beginning to subside.  Other than this minor issue I was ready for the Garden Spot marathon near Lancaster, PA.

  The week before the marathon I had shin splints I was still trying to resolve and so I took a few days rest.  I thought this would have an adverse affect.  But to quote a member of the WRFB, "The hay is in the Barn."  This would hold up to be true.  Friday the temp was perfect.  The wind and hills were my biggest worry.  Bob helped me with my pace plan and it worked perfectly.  I was looking forward to my second marathon.  The course would be a challenge with all the hills.  The scenery was beautiful as we traveled through the farmlands of Lancaster County.  Some of the farms were actual Amish farms.  Some of the folks came out of their homes and watched as we passed by.  It was neat to see the community support the event, which supported the local Garden Spot Village retirement community.  We were told that some of the members of the Village were actually participating in the event.  This is not the best course for a PR, but it certainly turned out to be a beautiful scenic marathon.

  The race started mostly flat for the first 2 miles.  I stuck to my 8:45 pace, even though everyone was speeding by.  Miles 2 through 4 were a rolling up, then I crested the hill and began the descent, I was able to gauge what I would have to come back up.  The return leg of the marathon would use this same route and traverse this same hill.  I continued rolling along at a comfortable pace.  When I came to the first relay exchange, it did my ego some good when I saw many of the relay teams still waiting for their runners.  I continued my pace even with strong winds.  Miles 11 through 14 had me running straight into a strong head wind.  It took a lot to keep pace.  Continuing through the rolling hills into the wind was challenging.  Somewhere in mile 14 I dipped into a valley out of the wind and my pace jumped 30 seconds faster.  I started to pick up the pace and ran an 8:30 pace for the next 5 miles.  I had a big boost as I began to pass other runners.  I was even passing relay runners.  At mile 16 going uphill I passed another relay runner.  This was where that hill training really paid off (thanks Chris).  This runner would pass me on the flat, then I'd pass him on the next hill.  We did this several times.  I finally left him behind me and did not see him until he passed me 10 yards before the relay exchange, where he passed his baton to the next member of his relay team.

  The toughest part of the course was now approaching.  At mile 21 there was a 230 foot climb. This was the make or break point.  This is where I began to cramp in my first marathon, but no cramps this time.  The first 1/4 mile was steep then it tapered to a slow climb.  While climbing the steep quarter mile section I noticed spectators at the top of the steep incline.  I joked with them and said “who put this hill here.”  I continued up and up to mile 22.5.  When I finally crested the hill I let loose.  I was running sub 8 minute miles.  I continued to hold this pace even on the flat.  By now I am passing people and feeling really strong.  When I passed mile marker 26 I just opened up with everything I had and was close to a 7:00 /mile pace.  I never felt so strong as I did at the end of that race.  My unofficial time is 3:46:00 or 8:38 per mile.  This leaves me with only 38 seconds per mile to take off my pace.  This will reduce my time by 16 minutes and supply me with a Boston qualifying time.  This was an improvement by almost 9 minutes over my previous marathon.  Not too bad for only 6 months work.

  I felt really good after this marathon.  I was able to stretch really good and continued to walk.  In fact, I had a full day of activities ahead of me..  After the race I went to a soccer game to watch my boys.  Then I went home, peeled back the pool cover to soak for a bit, played with the dog, made dinner, and went to the school play.  It was just a totally awesome day.  And having my wife share the experience was great.  She and the dog made their marathon debut and ran a few steps with me.  It was awesome to see them several times throughout the course.  They were able to follow me in the car and stop and cheer me on.  She would also provide me refreshments during the run.  I had been using V8 V-Fusion during training.  I looked at the ingredients and noticed it contained items similar to sports drinks.  So I had my wife bring it along on the course and I fueled with this throughout the race when she would meet me at various points.  I think it made a big difference.  That coupled with some new fueling strategies made a big difference from my first marathon.

  The next day I thought about joining the WRFB for a run and trash pick.  Then I stood up and realized my legs were a little tired and sore.  Overall I felt really good and was thinking about the Bob Potts marathon.  This was originally the marathon I wanted to target, but I thought I would have a work engagement that would take me out of town.  Due to economic conditions my company put a freeze on all travel and I would now be around for this marathon.  So I emailed coach Bob to ask him his thoughts on running another marathon 5 weeks after the one I just ran.  His response was positive and so the wheels were set in motion for marathon number three.  I must be crazy to attempt another marathon this soon, but this marathon left me feeling so good I was ready to try and improve my time again.  I had the endurance built up so preparing for another marathon would not require all the work needed for a marathon.