Post Marathon Blues

Image courtesy of:
 http://littlemissmachete.blogspot.com/

They suck!

I need a new goal.

If your friends jumped off a bridge . . . .

Who needs a recovery week?

Apparently, I do.

I ran 21 miles Saturday, exactly one week after completing the Charleston Marathon.

Bad idea!

I did it on impulse, caught up in the excitement of friends peaking in their training for the Run with Donna Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville next month. I’m still toying with the idea of running that race too.

My muscle aches following Charleston were gone by Tuesday. I completed an easy three mile run Wednesday morning followed by a much faster four miles Thursday evening and felt great afterward. My plan for Saturday was to do 10-12 miles but when it came time to turn around and everyone else was moving on, I couldn’t resist. I was feeling too good to turn back.

The first 10 miles went great. During the next five I started to notice just a hint of pain in my right leg. By the final three miles I had to stop and walk frequently to ease the pain.

Now, several days later, I am still experiencing pain in my shin and knee.

I knew better but I was feeling invincible.

It was such a dumb thing to do that I couldn’t even whine to my mother about being sore. Instead of sympathy, I had to face the “If your friends jumped off a bridge would you jump too?” lecture. I guess I deserved it.

Another hard lesson learned.

Caught off Guard

I’ve done this before. I’m a veteran now. So I can’t figure out how this snuck up on me without my realizing what was happening.

It started innocently enough.

Let’s take a look at the route for the Charleston Marathon.

. . . . tippity tappity . . . .

The race organizer’s map sucks. Let’s see what else I can find.

. . . . tippity tappity . . .

Oh look! I found the USATF certified map. Now we’re talkin’!

Now, how far is it from my hotel to the start? One, two, three . . . nine blocks.

No, I need to know precisely how far.

. . . . tippity tappity . . .

.5509 miles.

I wonder how many feet that is.

. . . . tippity tappity . . .

2908.752 feet.

Man, my ankle is a little sore today. It’s probably a stress fracture.

Hey, maybe I should check the weather forecast for Saturday while I’m at it.

. . . . tippity tappity . . .

Can I really trust weather.com? Maybe I should check a few other sources.

. . . . tippity tappity . . . intellicast . . . . tippity tappity . . . wunderground . . . . tippity tappity . . . accuweather . . . . tippity tappity . . .

And maybe the Charleston local news while I’m at it.

. . . . tippity tappity . . .

Ow! Stubbed my toe. It’s broken, I just know it. What was I thinking, walking around the house in bare feet? I’m an idiot.

Sniff, sniffle.

Oh crap! What are the symptoms of ebola?

. . . tippity tappity . . .

Yadda yadda yadda “hemorrhagic fever” yadda yadda yadda “death occurs in two weeks of onset of symptoms” yadda yadda yadda “ symptoms include weakness, dehydration, headache, joint and muscle aches . . .”

I knew it! I’ve contracted ebola. Well at least I’ve got two weeks and won’t keel over until after the race.

Damn taper madness.

2010 A Year of Running in Review

January
Total Mileage: 75

I started the year still over 200 lbs (from an original high of about 240 lbs) and mid-way through training for the Gasparilla Half Marathon. I resolved to run through the winter and if successful plan for a marathon by the end of the year (and continue to lose a few pounds along the way). A record breaking cold winter tested my resolve and I ran for the first time with temperatures in the 30’s. (Those of you from arctic climes cut me some slack. Remember I grew up in Florida and 30 degrees is cold!)

February
Total Mileage: 73

I completed my first half marathon, The Gasparilla Distance Classic, in 2:16:51.

March
Total Mileage: 71

I made the decision to start training for a marathon and began Hal Higdon’s Novice Marathon program.

April
Total Mileage: 110

My first 100 mile month and I increased my running schedule to 4 days per week.

May
Total Mileage: 145

I started this blog and completed my marathon program but discovered I was all dressed up with no where to go – no summer marathons. For the next few months I got measurably faster virtually every time I laced up my shoes.

June
Total Mileage: 114

I joined the West Volusia Running Group and ran my first sub 8:00 mile (no coincidence there). I also reached my weight goal of 180 lbs. I spent most of June and July with no formal running program, just running for the pure pleasure of it and increased my workouts to 5 days per week. Took my first ice bath.

July
Total Mileage: 101

I started racing again, running a four miler and my first 5k since 2006. I began formal training for the Space Coast Marathon.

August
Total Mileage: 127

I discovered I had a DoppelLaufer and together we birthed virtual racing.

September
Total Mileage: 102

I set my current 5k PR of 23:07 which was immediately followed by my first running injury serious enough to affect my training - ITBS. I spent three weeks on the mend.

October
Total Mileage: 173

I PR’d at the Daytona Beach Half Marathon, improving my time by more than 24 minutes over the Gasparilla Half Marathon in February. This was my highest mileage month of the year.

November
Total Mileage: 139

I began the month with my highest mileage week, 47, and ended it by finishing my first marathon, the Space Coast Marathon in 4:27:39.

December
Total Mileage: TBA

I won my first age group award and set a new record for my fastest mile – 7:14. I ran in the coldest weather to date with several workouts in the mid 20’s. I registered for my second marathon in Charleston on 1/15/11 where the DoppelLaufer Crew will converge and meet face to face for the first time, racing head to head.

As of this writing, I am 12 miles shy of completing my 9th consecutive 100 mile month.

Space Coast Marathon – All the Gory Details

Maintaining this blog over the past few months has been incredibly cathartic for me so I feel an obligation to be brutally honest about what I experienced running the Space Coast Marathon on Sunday, even if some of it is a little embarrassing. So here you go . . . .

The race is advertised as Florida’s Oldest Marathon and has a great reputation locally for being well organized and picturesque. The race course is basically an out and back route following the Indian River, which separates the east coast barrier islands from the mainland of Florida. The race starts in the middle of the route at a quaint shopping district called Cocoa Village. I have driven within blocks of this area many times and never knew it was there, I will definitely return to check it out.

The half marathon ran south, following the river for about 6.5 miles and then doubled back to return to the start. The full marathon ran north 6.5 miles along the river, doubled back to the start/finish and then followed the half marathon course to the south. This was the first year the two races were separated in this manner and I heard that it was done in an attempt to reduce overcrowding. It was a good idea in theory, but it created a significant problem for the full marathon runners late in the race. I’ll get to that later.

I don’t have much to say about the first half of the race. It went almost exactly as I planned. My goal pace was 9:09 per mile in order to finish the race in 4 hours. The plan was to take about 3 miles to work up to that pace and then just try to maintain.

My split for the first mile was 9:25, close enough to the 9:30 I had planned. I hit my race pace in the second mile, a little bit early. My fastest mile was an 8:53 for mile 7 in the vicinity of the first turnaround, probably due to the excitement of passing friends as the course doubled back on itself.

I reached the midpoint of the race averaging 9:11 per mile, right on target, and thoroughly enjoying the experience. The course was beautiful with just a few gently rolling hills, nothing too steep, long or challenging. I was still feeling great.

I noticed over the next few miles that my pace was slowing down with each passing mile by about 10 seconds. I was still feeling good though and was not yet concerned. I was also beginning to feel the affects of changing conditions. It was a pleasant 57 degrees at the start of the race but now I was feeling uncomfortably warm. The wind steadily gained in intensity as the sun rose higher in the sky and I swear it somehow managed to change directions with the curves in the road so that it was always a hindrance. The curves suddenly seemed to be more steeply banked than in the first half of the race. None of these things would have bothered me when I was fresh.

I noticed a growing disparity between the distance measured on my Garmin and the mile markers on the course so I made a concerted effort to “run the tangents,” weaving back and forth in my lane to reduce the distance travelled around curves. The race had thinned out enough that I wasn’t worried about impeding other runners. Fatigue was starting to set in though and I soon found this to be too mentally taxing, preferring to hold my line down the center of the road.

Rather than rely on the Gu provided by the race organizers I was carrying two packs of Power Bar Gel Energy Blasts that I used in training. These are little gummy candies with each package roughly equivalent to two packs of Gu. There are 9 pieces per pack and I noticed in training that each piece is a small enough dose of carbs and electrolytes that I could wash them down with either water or Gatorade without upsetting my stomach. My plan was to eat one candy per mile beginning at mile 4.

Around mile 10 I noticed that my stomach was starting to feel full and heavy. I had been slowing to take water at every water station and eating my gel candies according to plan. I intentionally skipped the next water station and decided to cut back on the gels. This was probably a mistake because within just a few miles I was finding it hard to keep track of when I had last eaten. At some point late in the race I became so fatigued that it required too much effort to reach into my pocket to fish a piece out of the package. I think I eventually forgot I was carrying food altogether. I checked my pockets after the race and realized I hardly touched the second package. Looking back, I have no recollection of when I stopped eating.

I started to hurt around mile 15. I didn’t really notice it at first until I slowed to take in some water and realized that for the first time, slowing to take a drink did not provide me any relief.

My pace continued to deteriorate and by mile 18 I had my first split over 10:00. As I realized that a four hour marathon was no longer a possibility I started to adjust my goals. 4:10? 4:20?

I was beginning to struggle and told myself that if I could just make it to the turnaround at the southernmost point of the course I would be OK. Only 10k left in the final leg. I was willfully ignoring the advice I heard literally 1000 times while training – the second half of a marathon starts at mile 20.

Mile 20 required more than eleven minutes.

Within half a mile of passing the turnaround, Robert, a friend from the West Volusia Running Group and veteran of many marathons, caught up with me. We ran our final long run together in training for this race, nearly 24 miles, and I found it funny that I recognized the sound of his footfalls approaching me from behind. He caught me, faded for a minute with a cramp, and then passed. I struggled to match his pace for a few minutes but couldn’t keep up. As I watched him pull away, I remembered how I cockily believed I would beat him. I remembered our conversations in which I confided that I thought I would be able to finish the race in four hours. He never said anything to discourage me, but would always give me this knowing look, as if to say I had no idea what I was about to experience. He was right.

Shortly after that I was passed by the 4:15 pace group. Again, I struggled to pick up my pace to keep up. I was a little more successful this time which is reflected in an improved 10:52 split for mile 22, but ultimately had no choice but to watch them slowly pull away.

By this time, most of the nearly 1600 half marathon runners and about half of the full marathoners had already passed through this section of the course – twice. The next two water stations had run out of supplies. When I reached the first I saw a bizarre scene with runners gathered around the water table, some of them trying to lap water from the spouts on the sides of the Igloo coolers. In my already confused mental state, I couldn’t comprehend what was happening and I decided to continue on without stopping.

When I reached that next water station, there was a similar scene and I heard that the problem was that they had run out of cups. A volunteer offered me a pitcher full of water. I needed a drink, but I was feeling nauseous and needed to sip the fluid slowly. As I blankly stared at the pitcher in my hand I wasn’t able to even consider trying to quickly chug water from the pitcher and pass it on. I told her I didn’t care and I would take one of the discarded cups from the ground. She quickly sorted through a pile of crushed cups, found me one that would work, and helped me rinse it out and pour the water. When I turned around I realized I was now the guy holding the pitcher and I was confronted by a dozen outstretched hands holding salvaged cups. I quickly poured a few cups before realizing I was supposed to be running, so I set the pitcher on the table, and fought my way out of the crowd.

I hope I wasn’t too snippy with that volunteer, I honestly can’t remember. The problem wasn’t her fault and she was very helpful. I hope I thanked her, but again I can’t remember if I did or not. If she by chance is reading this – Thank you!

Despair

It was shortly after leaving that water station that I completely stopped running for the first time. I was spent. The sensation is difficult to describe but I had nothing left.

Just one minute, I promised myself. Walk for one minute and then you will be able to finish this damn race.

I spent that minute visualizing the short routes I ran in training – 5 miles on the Gemini Springs Trail, 5k around Victoria Park, 3 miles to the Debary Hall – all distances that I could easily complete. The race was almost over and the short distance left should be easy. At least that’s what I tried to make myself believe.

I dutifully started to run again when the minute was up but managed only a few minutes of a shuffling run before I had to stop again. I was devastated.

One more minute, just one more minute of rest.

This cycle continued throughout mile 23 which took me well over 12 minutes. Mile 24 was even worse. You can see my pace graph on my Garmin page here. This section of the graph has more peaks and valleys than the Appalachian Trail. I kept trying. I refused to give up, but I could not maintain a run.

I heard someone shouting my name and turned to see Leigh, another member of WVR, who showed up to support the racers and cheer us on. I was embarrassed that she caught me walking. She took this photo of me and was gracious enough to wait until I started running again before clicking the shutter. This lifted my spirits enough that I was able to continue running again, at least for a short time. She yelled to me that Jennifer, WVR’s organizer, was waiting just ahead.

Jennifer spent hours pacing runners in the last few miles of the race, encouraging them to the finish. She caught up to me near the end of the 24th mile, just after my last spurt of energy faded. I was again embarrassed at being caught walking and dug deep to start running. She ran next to me and tried to use humor to lift my spirits. After each joke she told I heard an odd sound escape my mouth - part chuckle, part exhalation, part grunt. The sound seemed to emit itself without volition, over and over again. It seemed I had even lost the ability to control my speech at that point.

Determination

With Jennifer’s support, I was able to complete the last two miles of the race without stopping, slowing only once to drink some water at the last water station. I even began to get faster with each mile. She left me with a final cheer at the 26th mile marker and doubled back to assist the next runner.

The final stretch was crowded with cheering people including my friends from WVR. The race ended on a columned sidewalk that encircled the finishing festivities. It made for a dramatic end to a tough race. I wouldn’t call it a kick, but I was able to speed up just a little as I approached the finish line. When it finally came into view around the curve in the sidewalk I felt myself start to get choked up.

Elation

I stopped running the moment I crossed the finish line and stumbled forward awkwardly, nearly falling and frightening a young volunteer who reached out to try to support me. Someone draped a towel around my shoulders and hung the finishing medal around my neck but I never saw their faces. I didn’t have the energy to raise my head. My struggle to restrain the emotion welling up left me gasping for breath and I reached out for a column to hold myself up. It took a few minutes to compose myself.

For the next hour I was miserable. I could barely walk. I was too nauseous to even drink any water. I made my way over to where WVR was encamped near the finish line to watch other runners come in, but I could not get comfortable. When I stood my legs complained. When I sat it was my back, shoulders and neck. I laid out my towel on the ground hoping to lie down and then realized I was unsure if I would be able to get down without falling over. I finally succeeded and in time began to feel human again. I even managed to shuffle around like a zombie in my bare feet in search of food and drink.

I continued to watch and cheer for runners as they came in and felt a bond with each and every one of them.

Will I do this again?

You may think I’m crazy but the answer is - hell yes!

I know I painted a gloomy portrait of the experience, but in some weird masochistic way this was one of the most glorious moments of my life.

There is also a small matter of revenge. I’ve come to the conclusion that “the wall” is inaptly named. A wall is impersonal - rigid but passive. What I encountered was very personal. It was animate and malicious - an evil thing singularly bent on my destruction that nearly bested me.

I will be better prepared next time.

4:27:39
413th Overall
53rd in Age Group

Space Coast Marathon – Wow!! What a ride!

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: “WOW!! What a ride!”

Dean Karnazes

(quoting unknown source)

Ultra Marathon Man, Confessions of an All-Night Runner

Official time: 4:27:39 and I hit the wall – hard – around mile 23, but I finished.



It’s honestly hard to say which was more rewarding, crossing the finish line myself, or watching other friends accomplish the same feat for the first time. It’s remarkable how strong the bond is that forms between people training together for a marathon.

Someone whose opinion I respect suggested I dedicate a blog entry to what happened to me in the last 10 miles of this race. I couldn’t agree more. It was a true test of character and one of the hardest things I have done in my life.

I will take just a little time to reflect and then fill you in on the gritty details.

What's my Secret?

“What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes.”

This is the passage that immediately precedes the famous “Trial of Miles, Miles of Trials” quote from Once a Runner, by John L. Parker, Jr. (a great read by the way).

The character from Parker’s book was training for the mile, attempting to conquer the elusive 4:00, but the same philosophy holds true for marathon training.

I can only hope that over the course of over 500 miles of training during the past 18 weeks, my tracks contain enough of those molecules of eroded rubber.

I’ll find out in four more days.

A Journey of 500 Miles

I officially started my marathon training 17 weeks ago on July 26. An eight mile run this morning brought my total mileage to 525 since starting this journey.



You can view my training plan, as well as the actual mileage I ran, here.

With one week left, I can honestly say that I feel ready. I had highs and lows throughout my training, but I’m happy to say I am ending on a high. I thought that I would feel beat up and run down at this point, but instead I feel better than I have in a long time. My last few long runs went extremely well and I finished each one feeling stronger, more confident, and remarkably pain free.  I know much of this success is due to the support and advice I recieved since joining the West Volusia Running Group and I owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

Next week, I expect I’ll look back and scrutinize my training to figure out what worked well and what did not.  But for now I will sit back, relax, and try to enjoy a week of rest and gluttony.

Seven more days until the Space Coast Marathon!

DoppelLaufer Turkey Bell Challenge

OK, OK we’re doing it again, you can stop the nagging now.  Yes, virtual racing is back!

We have expanded the challenge to include races of any distance (5k through marathon) through the end of the year, just in time for the holiday Turkey Trots, Gobbler Runs, Jingle Bell Runs, Candy Cane Runs, etc.

You can read the details and enter here, or just jump into our discussion thread over at Cool Running. or you can just send me your race info and 5k PR through my blog and I'll make sure you are added to the list. I will also be posting updates and results here in my blog.  

Check out my DoppelLaufer Virtual Racing page for past results and a brief history of this nonsense.

It's all Downhill from Here

I’m tired.

I just completed my highest mileage week ever, 47 miles, which immediately followed my best month ever at 173 miles.

Physically I feel great. Surprisingly I have no aches or pains, but I’m exhausted. I have to say I’m looking forward to a couple of lower mileage weeks. This week I’ll run around 32 miles with a 12 mile long run, and next week 25 miles with the longest run only 8 miles.

I can’t remember the last time I had a weekend that wasn’t completely dedicated to preparing to run, running, and recovering from running.  It sounds luxurious.

20 more days left and already I find myself wondering – What’s next?

Time to Taper

Apologies in advance to friends and family that will have to put up with me for the next few weeks.  Check out this website for some insight into what I will be going through:  Taper Madness

Yesterday I completed my final long run in preparation for the Space Coast Marathon, 23.8 miles.



I owe many thanks to the other Robert from WVR for planning this route and for coaching me through the run.  It made what could have been an agonizing experience into a very pleasant Saturday morning run.

I'm ready.

I also want to wish good luck to all of my friends running the New York Marathon today!

Daytona Half Marathon Water Stations

Just a cautionary note about the water stations at the Daytona Beach Half Marathon. Another member of WVR thankfully posted the details and it looks they are pretty irregularly spaced on the outbound half of the route.

Here’s the list:

2.2 - Daytona 500 Experience
3.5 - Mainland
6.5 - Bridge
7.25 - Sun Splash Park
8.5 - Bridge
10.2 - Jean St.
11.5 - Mainland
12.75 - Daytona 500 Experience

If you are like me and don’t find it necessary to hit every water station in a half marathon, just be careful not to skip the one at Mainland. That would mean more than four miles without water which could come back to haunt you later in the race. I’ve heard from several people that are planning to carry water for this reason.

Looks like we might be getting a break with the weather.  We've had 90 degree temperatures for most of the week but it will cool off quite a bit this weekend.  It should be really nice weather for the race.

I'm a Check List Geek

Shoes: Asics Gel 1150 – Check!
Socks: Thorlo Experia – Check!
Shorts: Reebok Relay w/pockets – Check!
Shirt: WVR – Check!
Spibelt – Check!
Cell phone – Check!
Ziploc for phone – Check!
Cash – Check!
Water Bottle Holder: Nathan Quickdraw Elite – Check!
PowerBar Gummies – Check!

Toe nails clipped – Check!
Body Glide liberally applied to thighs – Check!
Band-Aids on nips (Here's why, if you're wondering) – Check!

All fueled up? – Check!

Run 20 miles – CHECK!!!!!

Final Stats
Distance: 19.96 miles
Total Time: 3:18:54
Average Pace: 9:58
10 Mile splits: 1:40:36 (10:05 pace) and 1:38:18 (9:51 pace)  Negative split - yeah!

I don’t have a GPS record of this run, but here is a link to the route I ran from a prior run. I did two, ten mile loops.  This was a WVR run we call the Swamp House Grill Run that traverses some beautiful back roads.  I have to say that it is great to have friendly faces waiting for you at the end, Gatorade in hand, even when you are the last one to finish.  They do an awesome job supporting runners on these long runs.

What was the most painful part of the run?

Removing those damn Band-Aids (and more than a few chest hairs) from my nipples and then crawling into this:

My training is peaking and it feels good. Next weekend is the Daytona Half Marathon. The week after that is a repeat of this weeks training schedule, including another 20 miler. Then all that will be left is the taper until the Space Coast Marathon on November 28.

Guilty Pleasure No More

Although not a part of my recovery routine after every long run, I occasionally like to enjoy a tall glass of chocolate milk. I first remember hearing about the benefits of chocolate milk during all of the hoopla over Michael Phelps in the last summer Olympics. Shortly after his daily dietary indulgences were laid bare for the whole world gawk at I also began to read about it in running literature.

I’ll drink it straight up, or if I’m feeling rambunctious I’ll blend together the milk, a banana and ice for a nice smoothie. I know people that toss in some protein powder for good measure too.

Out of curiosity I compared the nutrition labels of chocolate milk and Mix 1 Enhanced Protein Shake. I used Mix 1 because I had some around the house, another race freebie, I assume it’s similar to other protein shakes on the market.

Look how similar they are:

So given the choice between something that sounds as appetizing as an “enhanced protein shake” and chocolate milk, which would you rather drink? For me it’s an easy choice. I’ll take the one that makes me feel like a kid again the moment it hits my taste buds.

In the spirit of Michael Phelps’ disclosure, I’ll also share my lunch today. I’m fueling up for my first 20 miler tomorrow.

A huge helping of beef tips over whole wheat noodles. Yummy!

Dealing with DOMS

No, not him.

Or those.

Or her either. Now behave!

I’m talking about Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

I decided to research this subject after being particularly sore and stiff for days after my last long run. I have experienced this often enough and believed it to be a necessary evil that just had to be “toughed out.” The only thing I ever really tried to do to alleviate it was to just keep moving. I found that long periods of inactivity following a hard or long workout seemed to increase the muscle aches and stiffness. Unfortunately for me, my lifestyle does not allow me to avoid long drives or hours spent sitting at a desk.

Here are a few tips I gleaned to help reduce the irksome effects of DOMS:

First, properly warm up before and cool down at the end of a hard or long workout.

Next, mangia! Protein, protein, protein . . . did I mention protein? As soon as possible after the workout consume carbs and protein to both refuel and help heal your muscles. Anti-oxidents are also reputed to aid in the healing of damaged muscles. You could always look to sensible sources for these anti-oxidents, like nuts and berries, but I prefer something a little more satisfying, like dark chocolate, dark beer or red wine - in moderation of course. ;-}

RICE. Rest Ice Compression Elevation. You’re probably tired of hearing it, but it seems to be the answer to nearly every sports related malady.

Finally . . . massage, and I’m not talking about the kind offered by Mistress Fatima Fetish (pictured above). Either a professional sports massage or self massage using tools like The Stick or a foam roller.

Of all of the things I have discussed here, massage is the one that is noticeably absent from my post workout regimen. I intend to rectify that as the end of my marathon training approaches.  Or maybe I'll just see if Ms. Fetish can fit me in to her busy schedule.

For a little more detail, I found this article particularly useful on the subject.

Basking in the Afterglow

I’m fresh out of an ice bath, bingeing on pastries and coffee, and celebrating the completion of a glorious 19.1 mile run this morning. This was my longest run to date and capped off a 42 mile week, also a record.



Everything went well this morning. I had no knee pain, or any signifciant pain for that matter.  I even had enough energy left at the end of the run to pick up my pace for the last three miles.  I had my hydration perfected.  I ate well in preparation for the run.  The temperature was in the 60's for the entire time.   I couldn't have wished for a better run.

For my last two long runs I have been eating Powerbar Energy Gel Blasts. I got free samples of these after my last few races and finally decided to give them a try. I like them much better than Gu and will keep using them for now. After the first few miles, I start popping one every mile or so and that seems to work well. They have a much better taste than Gu and a texture very similar to Gummi Bears. I look forward to eating them, like candy, as opposed to Gu which I down with reluctance every time. They do take a minute to chew and swallow which can be a little difficult when you are breathing heavy.

I am confident that I will be able to finish 20 miles next week but the thought of having to run another hour in order to finish 26.2 has me a little nervous.

Six more weeks until the Space Coast Marathon!

Saucony ProGrid Kinvara – First Impressions

I decided to risk straying from my usual support running shoes and try a more minimalist shoe. After a lot of research and several recommendations, I chose the Saucony ProGrid Kinvara.

As you can see, I opted for a little flare.

I was unable to find a local source for this shoe, so this was also the first time I ordered shoes online. I ordered them from Running Warehouse for only $65 after a 15% discount (thanks again Jim). That great price even included free 2 day delivery.

My current favorite shoe is the Asics Gel 1150, classified as a support shoe. I was fit for these using the traditional treadmill gait analysis for pronation and they have proved reliable and comfortable. I was happy enough with them to buy a second pair. With well over 300 miles in them between the two pairs I have no complaints, but probably like most runners, I can’t help but wonder if there is something better out there.

The Kinvaras are classified as performance neutral. They are very light, weighing in about 4 ounces under my Asics. That is the first thing you notice when you try them on. They offer some cushioning, but noticbly less than my Asics. They also are much flatter with a smaller heal rise (4mm as compared to 10mm on my Asics).

I think this shoe runs a little narrower than my Asics. The fit was a little snug wearing my usual thick Thorlo running socks on my size 11 dogs. When I switched to thinner Experias, the fit was perfect. The Experias could become my new favorite sock if they prove to be as durable as the thicker Thorlos.

I wore the Kinvaras for the first time on a 4 mile run this morning. There is a lot of hype about these shoes online, and about minimalist shoes in general, but I tried to keep my expectations reasonable.

I was very pleased with the feel of the shoe while running. My online buddy and fellow DoppelLaufer Virtual Racer, JimDo64 from the Active.com running forums, described the sensation as being able to “feel the roadness,” eloquently stated and I don’t think I can improve on that description.

Will these shoes automatically improve my running form? Probably not, but the shoes did make me feel more aware of my form. It was easier to feel my footstrike and to therefore make adjustments. I didn’t miss the extra support at all, but time will tell whether this will still be true during longer runs.

I ran the first two miles at a fairly comfortable 9:00 pace and when I pushed that up to 7:41 for the third mile, the shoes performed really well. The faster pace did seem easier, but that could be equally attributable to cooler temperatures. Still, I’m excited to try these in a race.

I am looking forward to testing these on longer runs and if they work well, I may even wear them for the Daytona Beach Half Marathon at the end of the month.

More to come.

New Route Announced for Daytona Beach Half Marathon

It must be official because I got the email announcement today and when I tried to access their website, it had crashed. I’m sure everyone must have been trying to check it out right away, just like me.

I finally got a look at the new route this evening and I’m pleased.

The race starts and ends inside the Daytona International Speedway.

I'm not a huge NASCAR fan, but its hard not to take an interest when you live this close to Daytona.  I've never actually been inside the Speedway, so that alone will be an experience. 

We will not be able to race on the track because of repaving, but we will run a little over 2 miles through the infield. After that we will exit the Speedway and run east towards the Atlantic Ocean on International Speedway Blvd. (US 92).

At about Mile 6 we will cross the Hallifax River via this bridge to get beachside. We will get a very brief view of the ocean at Sun Splash Park before making the turn and heading back toward the Speedway, crossing the Hallifax Bridge again at Mile 8.

With the exception of the two bridge crossings, it should be a pretty flat, fast course.

Marathon Training Update

I completed week 10 of my marathon training with 5 workouts totaling 34 miles including a 17.5 mile long run this morning.



This was my first long run since I started suffering ITB issues three weeks ago, although I did run a 15k race last weekend.

The 17 miler was a great -12 mile run. Unfortunately my knee started hurting about half way through, gradually increasing in severity, and I struggled quite a bit during the last 5 miles. The good news is that I finished and that the onset of the pain occurred much later in the run compared to last week. I will call that improvement. I was also running pain free during my shorter workouts during the week.

As much as I hate to, I think I’m going to give up one training day per week, at least until I can complete a long run with out any knee pain. I think a 4 day per week schedule will give me the recovery time I need between runs.

The weather turned really nice in Florida this week. I started the run in the upper 60’s and the humidity was significantly lower. This meant much less sweating, but since I didn’t adjust my hydration, it also meant a few “bio” breaks. Actually, it was more than a few. Actually, it was so many that I lost count. That was probably as much a factor in slowing me down as my knee was.

I was also strangely not hungry after the run. I usually have a voracious appetite after a long run. I made sure to consume plenty of calories though. I made a real pig of myself on Saturday. I had a 5 Guys Bacon Double Cheeseburger for lunch and Olive Garden for dinner, so that might have been a contributing factor to my poor appetite today.

I’m off for another torture session with my foam roller.

You pays your money, you takes your chances

My wallet is a little lighter today because I just registered for the Daytona Beach Half Marathon on Halloween. This will be my second half marathon and with one month left in my marathon training, it will be a good test of how well my marathon training is going.

I ran the Gasparilla Half Marathon in 2:16 in February and I think I have a very good chance of breaking 2:00 for this race.

The course is interesting in that it starts and finishes at the Daytona Speedway. Historically, the route began and ended on the racetrack and included a lap around the 2.5 mile track. Since the track is undergoing repaving the route has been changed for this year. We are still guaranteed a “race track experience” whatever that means. The new route should be made available any day now.

From the speedway we will run to the beach and back, so there will be two bridge crossings near the middle of the race.

I’m back on schedule in my marathon training. I ran this morning for the third day in a row and had no pain in my knee, even when I accelerated to about a 7:40 pace for the last ¾ mile.

My training program originally included three 20 milers, but after the hiccup I experienced over the past few weeks, one of those has been scrubbed. If all goes well I will have 20 milers the weekend before and after this race and then start my taper for Space Coast Marathon on November 28.  Looks like I’ll be carb loading over Thanksgiving. Like I need an excuse. :)

I will rest tomorrow and do 17 miles on Sunday. I must be a little sick in the head because I am really looking forward to this long run.