The Glass is Half-Empty, I'm Sad to Say

I’m generally a “glass is half-full” sort of guy. But, to borrow the likeness of a phrase my Grand Mills is sometimes fond of uttering, “life’s not very fun right now.”

I really like my new job, but at the wage I'm currently receiving, the bills are going to become exceedingly hard to pay; I hate to do it, but I’m either going to have to ask for more hours or a raise (or both) barely a month into my tenure. School is school. I’ve never been a big fan of college, and now I’m struggling (in relation to time and general mentality, not grades—I’m still doing quite well in the “good marks” department) through obtaining a degree that will certify me to pursue a career path I’m not sure I want to follow. Running, which used to be my release, has become more of an assignment than anything else, as what used to be time spent pondering whatever I wanted (as a sort of detoxifying measure) is now spent entirely on the listing of things I need to get done upon my arrival at home (including this blog entry, which was written in its entirety on a 6-mile run today); for the first time in a long time (perhaps ever), I’m starting to feel guilty when I take time out of my overly-busy day to get in a run. And my runs are suffering because of it, both in terms of quality and length (that’s what she said?).

And because of these time constraints, I’m not taking care of myself—I’ll look up at the clock and realize it’s 5:00 PM and all I’ve had to eat and drink all day was a bowl of cereal, an energy bar, a glass or orange juice, and perhaps two glasses of water (which is entirely too little for a person that is burning as much as I am, not even taking into consideration the unseemly amount of humidity we’re now experiencing). I’ve dropped 5-8 pounds (depending on the day and time) in the past couple of weeks, and though I’m not unhappy about losing the little bit of beer gut I had, I went about losing it in entirely the wrong way and worry I’m walking a very fine line between losing fat and losing muscle. And to add insult to injury (well, I’m setting myself up for injury, anyways), no matter what time I’ve gotten to bed within the last month—9:30 PM or 11:30 PM—I am still up at midnight (if not 2:00 AM), list-making mind aflutter. I’m starting to think that, because I’m taking so little time throughout the day to simply “breathe,” my body is trying to take that time then…which is, of course, compounding the issue.

Within the last month, I’ve seen one set of friends once (for a mid-week dinner, approximately four weeks ago) and another a single time as well (approximately two weeks ago, also for a mid-week dinner). Otherwise, I’ve been a recluse, as has been mandated by my schedule (last weekend, I worked 13.5 hours, wrote three separate papers, responses to two other people’s papers, created a time-consuming Venn Diagram, and ran 28.5 miles in right around 4 hours; I only left the house to go to work or run, except when sternly requested to do so for a Sunday afternoon lunch). I expect this weekend to be more of the same, with approximately 14.5 hours spent at work, a 5-10 page paper (on a topic I have yet to establish) and a handful of questions tallying what will likely be another 2-3 pages of writing due, and another 5 hours of running on the horizon (33 miles sound about right?). Weekdays aren't nearly as bad: I only work 4 or 5 hours each day and generally only have a discussion posting (ranging from 1-2 paragraphs to 2 pages) and response (only a single paragraph) due a few times each week, with class itself taking place for 2.5 hours the other two nights (presentation tonight--wish me luck!). Running slots in when and where I can find the time.

I’m sure, once I can get a little bit ahead of the game and can put this all into perspective I’ll be back to my happy-go-lucky self, but I’m thinking I won’t have that kind of perspective-basking time until the culmination of the Summer Semester in late July.

Oh, and here’s a handful of pictures from the 2011 Boston Marathon, as promised (click on the photos to enlarge):

A "real shave" two days before the race should make me more aerodynamic, right? Well, that was my thinking. Hey, the hot towel felt good, at least.



In Boston Common.



Man, marathon mornings come entirely too early in the AM. I've found that dunking a bagel into a jar of peanut butter helps to remedy that:



Artsy shot of the trip: Mom on the over-filled Metro:



Ryan Hall, still not winning but still coming darn close:



Me running #1:



Me running #2:



Tired...:



...but happy (two down, more to go?):



P.S. I just realized that, in spending the time to write this post, I’ve missed my window to stretch. Guess I’ll be running with tight legs tomorrow….

Oh, and last month's mileage total: 207.76 miles

Shamrock Race Recap and Other Musings

I don’t have much time (as I get off of work at 2:00 PM and need to go to the groceria directly after, so as to have time to sandwich a run in between readying some tuna casserole and attending school), so this will need to be short and sweet:

1.) I placed third overall in the March of Dimes Shamrock 5k, with a time of 16:19. It is becoming increasingly clear to me that this run is becoming a sort of destination race, and that it will take a gargantuan effort indeed for me to pull off the win I so covet. FYI, I once again bettered my time from the year prior, lowering it by 4 seconds.

My legs felt ok—not great (not super lively or springy), and somewhat lethargic, but not the worst. My breathing was pretty ragged, as I was parched from the get-go to about 1.5 miles in (despite my best pre-race hydration efforts). If I keep training like I am, and proclaim a need for more speedwork leading up to next year’s race, it should be interesting to see what I can accomplish.

Pledging allegiance to the flag, pots chock-full of gold, and Guiness (I'm the tall guy in the middle, in red).



Finishing strong. Mostly.



2.) My legs are decently tired and heavy, but not enough to cause me concern or stop me from running every day. I did have to cut a workout short late last week, to insure I still had the use of my legs for the week’s remaining workouts, but that is not altogether odd…or unforgivable (I hope). I’ve already got over 150 miles under my belt for the month, with another week and a half to go (reaching 200 miles, for the very first time, in the process).

3.) I’m currently working on a lengthy, numbers-based school project (which is due by the end of the week) wherein I have to make countless graphs and charts to help highlight the ethnic, social, and demographical diversity of two separate Georgia (I chose South Effingham and Treutlen) Elementary schools. I think I almost resorted to stabbing myself in the face with one of my old Pinewood Derby cars to bypass moving any further ahead with the process today.

4.) As I previously mentioned, Calli is currently being featured within the Best Looking category in South Magazine’s inaugural South Greatest Pets Contest. Please click on the link to see and vote for her (only one vote per IP address, so if you want to tally multiple votes, I shan’t stand in your way if you decide to vote from both your home and place of employment).

Tybee Race Recap

This post is long overdue. I have plenty of excuses (I could reuse “homework” or “I don’t have much in the way of running-related news to share”), and though they may be somewhat accurate (especially the homework one—I’m happy to report that I’m a week or more ahead in most of my classes at this juncture), I definitely could/should have found time to post (and at least provide an update about the Critz Tybee Half Marathon). So, for my slackness, I apologize…though to whom, I’m not sure—I don’t think anyone reads this anymore, after all.

The Tybee half went swimmingly…for reasons numbering more than one:

1.) I wanted to run a new PR (1:23:28 was my standard) and stay injury-free. I did both, finishing with a comfortable time of 1:22:44, under less-than-ideal conditions.
2.) It was steadily raining throughout (minus the last mile or two, perhaps), with the occasional deluge interspersed. Gusts of wind, which are pretty much a typical Tybee Island occurrence, were also offered up by the running gods. But at least the temperatures were agreeable enough.
3.) Julia, competing in her very first half marathon, finished well under her proposed 2:00:00 time limit, breaking the tape in 1:57:21. I’m setting the over/under for when she runs her inaugural marathon at 11 months.

I missed a lesser goal (running the half in less than 1:20:00), but feel it is definitely in reach, especially were I to train for such an endeavor (rather than using the race itself as training).

Training is going well—10 miles tonight—and I should get into some more intensive (speedwork, hills, repeats, etc.) training next month, as I ramp up for Boston (next month also features a Savannah institution: the March of Dimes 5k Shamrock Run).

Everyone stands at attention during the National Anthem (I'm at the far left, in the second row)...including what appears to be a ninja:



Me, nearly 12 miles in:



Me, pacing Julia down the final straightaway:

Burning River Race Report

Now that I’ve given myself a week and a half to digest a race that took me 23:36:26 to complete and have put most of the bumps, bruises, stiffness, swelling, etc. in the rearview, I feel I finally have the capacity to put into words my Burning River experience. This will be a race report only insomuch as it will discuss my feelings/observations about Burning River and, in so doing, the 100-mile discipline of the ultramarathon—it would be impossible for me to remember many (let alone all) of the aid stations, segments of the course in between each, etc.

The course/weather: A-. Beautiful, well maintained, and diverse enough to keep my mind from wandering (which could make for a very long race, if I’m constantly reminded that I’m indeed running). Well marked (with a single exception: just after Shadow Lake, approximately 19 miles in) and well shaded. The weather was perfect (primarily in the 70s and a bit overcast), allowing for solid trails and very little overheating. I don’t think I could have picked a better inaugural ultra, and believe most ultramarathons would be hard-pressed to match the course/weather combo.

Race organization/volunteers: A+. From the very thorough runner’s packet (complete with directions to each aid station, elevation changes, aid station-to-aid station segment descriptions, etc.) to the course guide with YouTube videos (provided by Chaney Events) of nearly every segment , I had a very clear picture of the race in its entirety prior to toeing the starting line. As for the volunteers, I can’t say enough for/about them. With 400+ of them, each aid station had multiple volunteers clamoring to assist you—I’m pretty sure I never filled my own water bottle, and very rarely did I have to gather my own foodstuffs. They wanted me to have home-made soup, boiled potatoes and pizza. Every volunteer had a smile affixed to their face, words of encouragement to provide, and info regarding the next course segment readily on-hand. One guy (58.6 miles in) took it upon himself to repeatedly douse me with water from giant, ice-cold sponges…I thought it laughingly excessive at the time, but was happy he’d done it shortly thereafter. But volunteer numero uno was, without a doubt, my pacer Dave. Not only was he stuck with me--a guy he’d only ever spoken with via email--for the last 46.6 miles, he was stuck with me the last 20 or so miles, when my legs were no longer cooperating and my mind was overtaken by surliness and negativity. We discussed 7:00 AM leadership classes, weird foot nodules, and too-stupid-to-not-be-funny jokes. He made me eat bananas and potatoes, and shared the last of his water with me when he too was thirsty. He didn’t laugh at me when, 95-miles in, I thought a rock and some tree branches were a cow statue, nor did he mind being laughed at (when I asked him if he wore either glasses or contacts and he answered with a “hmmm,” as if to say he wasn’t quite sure. I would later find out that he hadn’t fully heard the question). He made every mile I ran/walked/limped with him more enjoyable/bearable that they would have otherwise been. Thanks, Dave (and to your lovely wife Tamara, for tagging along and helping to keep our spirits up, too).

How I felt mentally/physically, and what that means for my ultramarathon career going forward: C+ (if not for the final 20--give or take a few--miles, this rating would have been much higher). As the race progressed, I found my running/walking ratio slowly slipping—I was still running more than I walked, but I was walking downhills I previously would have run, etc. I believed this a normal occurrence for all but the most seasoned ultramarathoners, and taken in conjunction with the fact that I knew I’d under-trained for the race, assumed it par for the course. I’d already fallen twice within the first 40 miles (once after tripping over a root and once after slipping on a slick rock during an attempted babbling brook crossing), and though a little sore from each, was no worse off for having done so. My right knee started protesting about 60 miles in, but wasn’t hampering me very much, if at all. Shortly thereafter, a tendon behind my left knee started to tighten up on me, and I had to stop from time to time to try and stretch it out. By Covered Bridge 1 (80.8 miles in), my right knee had moved from an occasional dull ache to more of a constant throb (exacerbated by running), and the tendon behind my left knee felt like it had shortened to about half its normal length. I primarily spent the final 20 miles of the race walking (especially the last 10), with a minute or two of running sparingly interjected. I was so stiff (and tired) after the race that, though I knew better, I went to bed without stretching or ice bathing. When I awoke 3-4 hours later, my left calf/ankle were nearly double the size of my right, and I likened the way I stood and/or walked to a dinosaur. Crude rendering below--click to enlarge.



A week and half later, I am still feeling some stiffness/discomfort in both legs, but these are simply “overuse injuries” that come with the territory and require nothing further than anti-inflammatories and two bouts of stretching each day.

Will I run another ultramarathon? Yes, and hopefully sooner rather than later. But only after I train harder/smarter, so that my body is better able to handle the mileage requirements I place upon it.

Below are some pictures provided by bystanders along the course—I’ll get some personal pictures uploaded in short order, upon the culmination of my current house/dog/grandpa-sitting venture.

Boston Marathon Recap

Well, now I understand what all the hub-bub is about. The Boston Marathon = an absolute blast (usually—when you’re not hill-climbing-- during the actual run itself, but definitely during the pre and post-race festivities). Crowd support (it seemed the streets were lined with high-fiving toddlers and grannies alike the entire 26.2 miles) was unparalleled, the aid stations were plentiful and well-stocked, and the course was challenging, yet faster-than-expected. Throw in a pinch of near-perfect weather and a speck of general race day giddiness and I’m not sure I could have dreamt up a much better scenario.

Now to the particulars, as they pertain to me; below are the mile splits I took during the course of the race. Due to my inability to accurately stop my watch for each split, these should be taken with a grain of salt (i.e. add or subtract a second or two here and there, though added together they do equal my official time).

Mile 1: 6:23
Mile 2: 6:11
Mile 3: 6:10
Mile 4: 6:13
Mile 5: 6:28
Mile 6: 6:20
Mile 7: 6:20
Mile 8: 6:32
Mile 9: 6:33
Mile 10: 6:41
Mile 11: 6:39
Mile 12: 6:28
Mile 13: 6:31
Mile 14: 6:36
Mile 15: 6:50
Miles 16-18: 20:28 (this averages out to 6:49 pace)
Mile 19: 6:50
Mile 20: 7:10
Mile 21: 7:27 (this is the mile that features Heartbreak Hill)
Mile 22: 6:55
Mile 23: 7:12
Mile 24: 6:44
Mile 25: 6:59
Mile 26 (+ 0.2-mile): 8:04

Total: 2:54:44 (average pace = 6:40)



And here’s how I did on my goals:

1.) HAVE FUN. It took a lot of guts—miles, time, energy, money, etc.—to get here, so just toeing the line should be smile-inducing in itself - CHECK
2.) Finish strong—the wall’s going to be there eventually, so find a way to get over, around or through it as quickly as possible - CHECK
3.) I’m seeded #1890, which means I’m supposedly slower than 1,889 people. Try and finish in the top 1,500 – CHECK (I finished as #787 overall)
4.) Keep your sub-3:00:00 streak intact—a tall, hilly order, but your legs haven’t endured all of those hump-bridge sprints for nothing – CHECK, though I feel a few more hump-bridge sprints may have been in order
5.) Set a new marathon PR (Personal Record)—that means under 2:53:40. Not realistic, but neither was my running marathons a little over a year ago – CLOSE (56 second off)

A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to everyone that Buzz’ed, texted, and emailed their well-wishes/congrats, with an added “I couldn’t have done it without you” to Stink Bottom, Little Tip, Charles River and Jeremy for their unconditional support throughout.

And now, on to the pictures (click on any you'd like to enlarge):


Ryan Hall came before me...


...as did Meb...


...and eventual women's winner Erkesso


Keeping up "I'm having a good time" appearances


Am I out of camera range yet? Smiling uses up too much energy....


Brunch: Gatorade, gel and a finisher's medal

Next up: The Bethel Hill Moonlight Boogie, a 50-miler on 6/12. More on that (my thoughts on training, mileage requirements, etc.) in short order.

Contentment Through Failure

Well, I didn’t finish first in the Shamrock 5k…but I did finish third overall with my fastest time (16:23; 5:17 pace) from the last couple of years, so I’m altogether happy with my output. Could I have run faster? I’m sure. But I learned long ago that in running, there is generally something regarding your result about which you can be pleased. And on Friday, I had a good time (both on the clock and in my head) and the legs felt good after. Next race: The Boston Marathon.

It’s a mad dash to get to the race’s first turn…



…after which most everyone realized that I’m faster than them.



Also, I ran 21.07 miles in 2:38:14 (7:31 pace) on Sunday.

What I Think About When I'm Out For a Run

First things first, let's get to just over a week's worth of workouts, since I've been so slack in updating the blog with them (as well as everything else):

Monday: Ran 7.5 total miles (0.5-mile warm-up in4:07, followed by a 7-mile pace run in 45:49; 6:33 pace). Also did some light ab work.
Tuesday: Ran 4.22 miles in 32:56 (7:48 pace). Also did some ab work.
Wednesday: Ran 15.94 miles in 2:03:10 (7:44 pace).
Thursday: Ran 5.68 miles in 46:33 (8:12 pace).
Friday: REST
Saturday: Ran 4.45 total miles (0.95-mile in 7:46, followed by 3.5 miles in 23:13;6:38 pace) in 30:59.
Sunday: Ran 13.92 miles in 1:41:43 (7:18 pace), as part of a 3/1 workout.

Weekly total: 51.71 miles

Monday: Ran 4.89 miles in 38:35 (7:53 pace). Also did some sit-ups and push-ups.

Now on to the meat of today's post: my inability to think of anything clever/interesting to write (though some may say it's never stopped me from writing any of my other posts). Perhaps I've simply been away from Blogville/Blogtopia/Blogland for too long, thus my mind is rusty. Or, more sobering, perhaps I've simply exhausted all running-related topics I had hoped to discuss. These are the things I think about when I'm running for two hours; two hours, after all, is a very long time to be trapped inside your own head. Of course, while I'm mid-run I also think of other things that pertain to running: goals, why I run, etc. I'll try to hit upon those topics through the week.

On Friday, March 12 I'll be competing in the 2010 March of Dimes 5K Shamrock Run. Winding through downtown Savannah's historic squares, the race typically features 1,500 colorfully dressed runners/walkers...and all their half-crazed, mostly-drunken pseudo-fans.



I try to run the race each year. Last year, I finished second overall with a time of 16:28 (a pace of approximately 5:18 per mile).



The winner was two seconds faster. Really?--over the course of 3.1 miles, the race was decided by two measly seconds?



This year, I've decided I'll be the guy that finishes first (despite my having not trained specifically for the kind of speed it requires). I recently read an article (in Runner's World) which discussed the mental state of one of our top female runners, in an article entitled Mind Games. The article talks of using a kind of mental reinforcement (in the guise of a word you've previously determined) to better your outlook (and eventual result), both leading up to and during a race. The idea being, if you utter the word when traversing a difficult stretch during the race, you've already assigned this word a positive connotation in the recesses of your memory banks and it will help to put a little pep into your step--after all, I find the hardest part of any race tends to be overcoming my mental deficiencies, not my physical ones. My word: Believe.

FYI, I will not be racing in my Halloween costume from last year, despite it's being ever so appropriate.

Race Photos and Weekend Malaise (i.e. "Things I Did Instead of Running")

Thursday: 5.11 miles in 40:07 (7:51 pace)
Sunday: 6.09 miles in 46:20 (7:36 pace)

I skipped/pushed back what I had scheduled for Saturday (7 miles at marathon pace) and Sunday (16 easy miles) due to prior commitments and general laziness/malaise. I plan to work both in this week, in place of some of my other workouts.

Observations from this weekend:

1.) There's not much prettier than fat, lazy snowflakes falling in the evening. I suppose it helps that, living in the south where the ground tends to be too warm for it to stick, there is no needed shoveling (by me) of said snowflakes.

2.) An hour is certainly not too far to drive to partake of some German grub and suds. Also, little known fact: if you find rice in your wheat beer, it's probably on purpose. If you find anything else in your wheat beer, it's probably not.

3.) StingRay's still has the best seafood in town, which was made all the more enjoyable by being able to catch-up with an old friend. The $20 parking ticket, however, was not nearly as enjoyable.

Happy day-after-Valentine's Day to you all! Also, here are (some of) the photos from the Critz Tybee Run Half-marathon, as promised:







...and a link to the "official" photos from the race (input "933" in the Bib Number field): http://orders.racephotonetwork.com/QPPlus/SearchBibNumber.aspx?EventID=866291&_AccountNumber=718&EventName=critz&EventDate=