March 29th: Mind Over Matter

Week 2 of the Richter plan is complete. One week -- 5 runs -- to go until the taper.

The story of today's long is about pushing through when everything is working against you. I fought fatigue, a sore foot, bad weather, a cranky dog... There was nothing fun or interesting about my run this morning. This one was about the end result. And the end result was worth it.

Let's start with last night. Actually, let's start with all of last week. This five-runs-per-week schedule

This is actually Jackie's photo -- I'm stealing it.

is definitely taking its toll. I've been to bed before 10:00 more in the past two weeks than I have since junior high. And with my penultimate long coming up today, I really wanted to be sure I was rested, fueled, hydrated and ready to rock. One little thing: Carol was one of the stars of her school's fashion show last night, a fundraiser for the photo club. It was a lot of fun -- the kids were cute, they really worked hard to put on a good show, and the house was packed. However, it was warm in there with the crowd, and I couldn't resist donating a little bit of extra money by chowing down on some baked goodies. So instead of rest, fuel, hydration, etc., I got fatigue, dehydration and bad-for-me food. But, much like my adventure on Sunday night, this one was worth setting aside training concerns. And Carol was really something on the runway.

That was one half of the inadequate-rest equation. The other issue was today's forecast. As I type this, it's raining. The weathermen said the rain would probably start around 11:00 a.m., so I was looking to get up and out early. So much for sleeping in and logging a little extra rest. And more on the weathermen in a bit.

I got up around 6:30 so I could get out early and beat the rain. The dog normally sleeps with Carol, and on the weekends I can generally slip out the front door before she sees me in my running gear. But Carol slept at a friend's house after the fashion show, and Lily decided to stay downstairs all night. Which meant she saw me in the morning and knew what I was up to. So of course, I felt guilty and leashed her up. Mistake. She was a complete nudge, yanking at the leash from the moment I opened the front door. It didn't help matters when three little dogs came running up to her to try to scrap -- the owner kept apologizing, but those dogs would have gotten seriously hurt if Lily had gotten into them. After a bit more than a mile, I had to deposit her back at home -- she was just to hyper for me to deal with, and I didn't want to expend too much energy that early in the run.

Looking southwest over the Matawan Creek marsh.

I decided early on that since I was kind of tired, and there was a threat of rain, I'd keep it in the neighborhood today. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, except that it's the same old stuff I've run past dozens of times. I tried to get a few new shots -- here's one looking back over the marsh toward Cliffwood Beach.

I wound up doing a lot of loops and circling blocks to add in extra tenths wherever I could. I made it over to the Old Bridge part of Cliffwood Beach, but I never ventured out of the neighborhood at all. Given the distance, you can imagine how repetitive that got.

But not feelin' it soon moved well down on my list of concerns. Around mile 6 or 7, my foot started to hurt. It's a localized pain on the outside of the right foot. I've felt it before, but never really enough to register more than a raised eyebrow. However, today it really hurt. I tried adjusting my sock a couple of times, thinking maybe it was out of kilter. That helped a bit, but not entirely. By mile 12, I was concerned I was going to have to cut it short.


Terrible pic -- that's a still flag to show the lack of wind

And, right around mile 12 is when it started to rain. At first, it was just a light shower, which really didn't bother me much at all. The one saving grace: No wind to speak of. But it got steadier and steadier as the run progressed, and between that and the foot, as I headed back to the house to get a swig from my water bottle, I seriously entertained the idea of packing it in.

But I didn't. The main reason I didn't was that, aside from the foot, all systems were pretty much go. The early morning malaise was gone. (By the way, I am a convert and now swear by GU packets.) I had lots of energy, and the real gains in a long run don't come by stopping when you're still feeling good. So I gritted my teeth a bit and headed back out.

And an odd thing happened -- or maybe it's not so odd. The pain started bothering me less. I think this was definitely one of those instances where the mind overrides the body so that you can soldier on. So I soldiered on. I decided to stick really close to home: In case it got really bad -- or if the rain got really hard -- I could get back without too much issue. So that meant a lot more circling and looping and backtracking. But I was feeling much better -- yay!

I hit mile 16 back out on the waterfront walkway (where I'd already been a few times today), and there was another runner maybe 100 yards in front of me. It was kind of fun blowing past him, knowing that the odds are he was in like mile 2 of his planned 4. I was polite and all, and mentioned the rain when I passed him again after the turnaround. But yeah, there's a little bit of a competitive snob in me, and I like that feeling when I'm well into a run.

I should mention that at this point, the showers had turned to rain. It wasn't pouring, but it was steady. I was wet. My shirt was chafing because it was waterlogged. In the home stretch, I passed a friendly lady who'd just left her house with an umbrella. She said, "You're getting wet." I replied, "I'm already wet."

What was left was to achieve my distance. Hey, guess what? I did it. I cleared 20 miles! 20.27, according to MapMyRun. Woot! Double-woot!

I've mentioned this a couple of times before, but today's run really drives home the point: The runs where you're fighting it the whole time are actually the best ones. When you get to the other side, and you know that -- despite whatever challenge was in your face -- you hit your goal, it's just a great feeling of accomplishment. Hey -- it'd be awesome to run 20 miles in the most optimal of circumstances. But to get it done today? I'm just over the moon.

And for those keeping score at home: That's 48.3 miles for the week.

I'm still hoping to get to WOW tomorrow for some strength training. I was better on the hills today than I've been, but I could still use some core work. The Richter plan would put me back on the road on Monday; I'll have to monitor my foot a bit. Given that I've already hit the peak of the Higdon plan, I can probably afford to dial back to 4 runs this week if I need to. I'll just have to see how it feels. Right now, I'm going with RICE.

Total miles since starting the blog: 530.9

March 27: One Month to Go

Light on the horizon!

Tomorrow's rest day is welcome. Even though I did a slow 5 today, I was really pretty wiped by the end. Sure, I could have gone longer -- after all, that's what I do -- but it's now time for some recovery before the weekend long.

They're open 24 hours...

There's really not much to tell about today's run. Fourth straight workout on the belt. It's beyond getting old. Finished in 48:11 -- an easy 9:38 pace. But I'm keeping an eye on the forecast now. It's supposed to pour on Saturday, and I refuse to do 3 hours on the dreadmill. Right now, it looks as though there's a small window of clearing in the morning. If I have to push till Sunday, it'll throw my whole schedule off, with the best solution to start the taper a day late.

I know I've been a bit fixated on the countdown, but today is a day worth noting -- it's exactly a month till race day. I've been working at this and thinking about this for so long, and ish is about to get real. Its amazing to consider how far I've come, and terrifying to think about how far I have to go. And it's also a little weird to think about a life without 26.2 on the radar. It has defined me for seven months now. Will I feel accomplishment, emptiness, both, or something else?  I just don't know.

What I do know is that I won't be running tomorrow. By tomorrow morning I'll have ants in the pants, but right now, that sounds good. Then I'll have an eye on the sky -- need to clear 20 this weekend.

Total miles since starting the blog: 510.6

March 26th: A Subdued Milestone

Today was "kinda long" day. Three months ago, we would have just called this "long."

The snow moved through without too much bother last night -- a little coating on the grass, but that's it. However, the wind was picking up this morning, and it has gotten progressively harder throughout the day so far. Even though the temps were OK for an outdoor run, I'm glad I didn't do it -- I think the wind would have killed me.

There's really not much to tell about my treadmill run. I've been looking for accumulated fatigue, and I certainly found it. Since yesterday's run was a real push, I was definitely not on fresh legs. And I'd say I was feeling a little tired even before I hit the 5k mark this morning. But there's no use in punting now -- I have just a week and a half until the taper. And I know I have it in me to go, so I went.

This is how I felt after 11.1 miles.

The second half of the run was just a slog, and I'd like to believe that the last few miles were similar to how I'll feel when I get into the 20s in the marathon. I kept the pace reasonable except in the very last few minutes, and when it was all done, I'd logged 11.1 miles at a 9:31 pace -- that's right around 6.3 mph. I gave some thought to getting to 11.25 -- not exactly a huge amount more -- but I was done done done. 17.6 miles in two days and 23 for the week so far is puh-lenty.

Tomorrow will be a junk 5 -- nice easy pace. It'll be on the belt, since we're expecting record low temps and still some wind. It will also be exactly one month until the race. Still need a game plan for Saturday, and I have to get to WOW on Sunday for some core work. I am really feeling weak in the mid-section, and that just won't do.

Total miles since starting the blog: 505.6

March 25th: Surprise Speedwork

Another entry where I complain about the winter. Well, not exactly. 

Last night, I looked at the hourly forecast, and it said the temp would be around 29 or 30 at running time. That's the very bottom of what I'll tolerate, but with basically no wind, I was hopeful. And then I woke up and it was 23. Ties the record low.  Jeebus. Off to Planet Fatness.

It was supposed to be tolerable this morning...

Damn weatherman.

Of course, Carol's bus didn't get there until 6:30, and then I wound up spending a couple extra minutes in the locker room (had to pee). So I was 7 minutes behind where I wanted to be.

And all of that turned out to be a good thing.

Getting in the miles I wanted today was going to require a pace run -- actually, quicker than race pace. And I'm simply better at speedwork when the treadmill tells me how fast I'm going. So I started out at a 9:13 pace and then went progressively quicker. By 2.5, I had it up to 8:57s, and by 4 I was doing 8:33s. I eventually cranked up to below 8:00s, and I blasted the final 3 tenths at a 7:30 pace. Why? Because dammit, I was getting to 6.5 miles today.

So the late start pushed me in a direction I might not have gone otherwise. If I'm going to hit my pace over 26.2, I can't just jog. Yay lateness!

Tomorrow is double digits -- 9:20s will be fine, but I'm likely back on the belt. Saturday is looking good for a long -- have to decide where to do it. And I have to get the photo taking figured out.

Total miles since starting the blog: 494.5 (which makes tomorrow a milestone day!)

March 24th: About Last Night...

Week 2 of the Richter plan got going this morning. I'm looking to exceed last week's beast output and maybe even get to 50 mikes this week, and I'm off to a reasonable start: 5.6 on the belt in 52:51 -- a 9:26 clip.

These were definitely not the easiest miles I've ever logged. First of all, why the hell am I on the belt on March 24th? 21 degrees at 6:00 a.m.? Ridiculous. But the real challenge was short rest. Saturday night, there was a critter on the roof above my bedroom, and I didn't sleep well. Even went outside with a flashlight to try to find it. But that wouldn't have been a big deal had I not had the plans I did on Sunday.

Ira Robbins (left) and Handsome Dick Manitoba (right)

Jackie and I drove into the city on Sunday evening for a very special celebration: the 40th anniversary of Trouser Press magazine. My boss, Ira Robbins, and his best friend Dave Schulps published the first issue of the Bible of Alternative Rock in 1974. Over the next decade, they interviewed and wrote about just about everyone in the rock world. And though Trouser Press never became the kind of household name that Rolling Stone is, it unflinchingly persevered and influenced a generation of musicians and music fans. The number of people who turned out last night to celebrate with Ira is a testament to how much of a mark he and the magazine have left, even three decades after its final issue.

Well, some things in life are more important than marathon training, and this was one of them. So another night of short sleep (and McDonald's at 11 p.m. since we were starving) was just the way it was. And so that meant a sluggish run this morning, but so be it. It's done, and I'm on my way into week 2.

Tomorrow will likely be as far as I can get in an hour. Wednesday is supposed to be my kinda long, but snow is on the way, and the thought of 10+ on the belt is already turning my stomach. We shall see. At this rate, I won't be surprised if it snows during the race.

Total miles since starting the blog: 488.0

March 23rd: Restoring My Faith Amid Technical Difficulties

OK, now I feel better about things.

Yesterday was the first long of the Richter plan. I decided to go to Thompson Park -- where some of the half-marathon was a couple of weeks ago -- and invited Jackie to join me for the first few miles. I've been wanting to spend more time together doing our thing, and I also figured it would help me keep my pace down a little bit early on -- conserving energy for late in the run. Then we decided to bring the dog along for Jackie's portion of the run, which we figured would be about 4 miles. I hadn't settled on a final mileage, other than "long."

It didn't turn out as perfectly as I wanted to, but there was a valuable lesson to be learned. My heart rate was in a really manageable zone for those 4 miles, leaving plenty in the tank for the rest of the run. My early marathon pace will be a bit faster than what we were doing, but -- kind of like with the half -- a slow go in the first few miles will surely pay big dividends later on in the race. What I need to figure out now is how much time I can give away in the first quarter of the race and make up later on. For example, if I average 9:39 for the first quarter of the race, can I realistically go 8:59s the rest of the way?

After Jackie headed home with the dog, I was able to get into closer to my normal pace. As usual, I improvised some of my route, crossing into Cross Farm Park in Colts Neck a couple of times, and adding some distance on the roads near the park. I also followed the Thompson Park trail along Newman Springs Road across Brookdale and the Middletown portion of the park, all the way to Lincroft School and back. As I've mentioned before, I like to find different spots when I'm able to -- running is traveling, and nothing is more boring than taking the same route every day.

Not everything worked out as perfectly as I wanted it to. Those early miles weren't quite where I was hoping, pace-wise -- and I wound up holding the leash for most of that distance. And, as usual, it was hella windy. Everything heading west was laborious, and even crosswinds were somewhat uncomfortable. But the temperature was good, so I didn't have to wear extra layers. And I had a couple of GU packets, which I used around miles 8 and 13 -- and yes, they helped a bunch. Takes about a mile for it to kick in, but then you feel three or four miles fresher, for sure. And overall, I was just in better shape. Unlike last week, by the half-marathon point, I still felt good. And though I started tiring as the miles got up there -- particularly the miles into the wind -- I really had a lot in the tank.

And then, somewhere between miles 17 and 18, my phone died.

I know my splits from mile 5 through the end were all in the 9:00 range, and I estimate my distance to be 18.4 in an overall 3 hours. That puts the week at 45.65 overall -- by far my longest week.

Also, the new armband is great, but I wound up taking a bunch of pictures of the inside of it, because I can't wiggle it out easily, and I couldn't really see the screen in the bright mid-afternoon light. So you get a picture of my Friday night carb loading instead. Sorry.

I actually have an evening in New York planned tonight, so I'm hoping I'm good to go for 5-6 miles tomorrow. Not sure on temps, so it might be on the belt. Tuesday will be a pace run, or at least a "maximize distance in the amount of time I have until I have to head out to get the train" run. Wednesday is a kinda long -- looking at the snow forecast, that's going to be on the belt. Ugh. Enough already. I'm practically at the taper and still griping about bad outdoor conditions! Thursday is junk miles, and then Saturday will go long -- let's push for 20! Well, let's hope I can do it outside.

I've been looking forward to the taper, since I'll be able to ease off the life throttle more so than the workout throttle. But one thing that's been put on the back burner lately has been strength training, and I think the taper will be a good time to work on that without overloading the system in general. It felt so good during the half to be strong in my core and hips, and I want to have that feeling again during the marathon. Obviously, I have to be sure I'm resting and recuperating. And giving Jackie some relief from the grind of this training schedule.

Total miles since starting the blog: 482.4

March 20th: Junk

A mostly uneventful Thursday. I was on the fence about treadmill vs. outdoors -- it was warm enough but still wet out. But the decision came together as I walked out to the car to drive Carol to the bus stop (which has become our morning ritual): A passing car splashed water all over me.

That's how dark it was when I got there.

The problem with PF was that it was hot. I guess they had the heat on winter mode. I was doing an easy 5,so it wasn't a real problem today. But it sheds some light on a few challenges I'll face. First off, its been months since I ran in heat and humidity, and I have no idea how I'll adapt. The other issue is with hydration. I went to the water bottle a few times over the 5 miles, but I'm not used to drinking that much. In fact, I took no fluids during my recent half-marathon. So getting the balance right -- and not having to use a porta- john -- could be tricky.

I'm at 27.25 for the week. Assuming no setbacks or complications, I'll have my longest week ever after Saturday. Tomorrow is all about rest. Still not sure about strength on Sunday -- my back is better than yesterday, but there's still a ways to go.

Total miles since starting the blog: 464.0