Goals for March

So far, so good as far as the running goes this year. I've only missed a couple of runs. Here's the plan for March:

• Run 5 times a week. My Friday run is "optional" depending on how my legs feel.
• Increase my long runs from 4.4 miles on the 1st to 6.2 miles by the end of the month.
• Increase my total distance each week from 17 to 20.2 miles.
• Continue stretching most days.

The incremental changes seem small, but I'm really content to work on my base mileage this month. It's the snowiest month of the year, so hopefully things will go right and we'll bump things up more in April. Maybe we'll even do a 10k.

Training Log - February 29

Cold, windy and snowing today. Managed another 5k on the treadmill. Tomorrow should be a better day...maybe even an outside run!

Training Log - February 28

On Tuesday I posted that it looked like I'd be able to run outside for the next few days. And while it is 32 outside right now, I decided to do a 5k on the treadmill this morning instead.

Why?

Well...it was 10 below when I woke up. The eldest son took the car to school early this morning. When I took the beater truck out to the bus stop with my youngest son, I noticed that it was pulling to the right. Guess what? A flat tire. I drove on the rim back to the house...about a quarter mile. Since the driveway is too icy to run on, that means I would have to change the flat before going running.

Or I could run on the treadmill, avoid bundling up, ignore the truck's flat tire, and maybe the magical elixir of a 5k run would solve all my problems. Man, did the run feel good!

Unfortunately, the tire is still flat. I guess running doesn't solve everything. Maybe if I had run a 10k...

Training Log - February 26

3.6 miles this morning. It felt good. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate with running outside for the foreseeable future. Yea!

Training Log - February 25

It was about 15 this morning. I noticed that it was finally light enough to go for a run before taking the kids to the bus stop. That will get me to work earlier, which is a good thing.

A 3 mile run that felt great. These three milers are becoming routine enough that I want to keep going. That's good, but I know that yielding to the temptation too often will lead to overtraing and becoming injured. Slow and steady. That's my motto.

Ramping Up The Mileage

After taking many years off of running, I started to get back into shape. My goal: Run another marathon. Injury after injury plagued my efforts. Finally I was able to get into shape enough to run a 1/2 marathon...and will continue my pursuit of the marathon this summer. I'm writing this post as a reminder of some of the lessons I've learned as a middle-age runner.

1. Increase mileage slowly. When I was in my 20s I learned an old running adage that you shouldn't increase the distance of your long run or your weekly mileage by more than 10% per week. At the time, I laughed at the advice. While it made some sense to slowly increase mileage, I found that the 10% rule could be broken if you were willing to put up with some sore muscles from time to time. Now in my 40s, I can only break the 10% rule if I want to flirt with a run-stopping injury. I love Hal Higdon's Training Schedule for the 1/2 marathon and the full marathon, but I would only recommend them for runners younger than me. If you look closely, they break the 10% rule! At the beginning, it may seem sissyish to increase your long run each week from 3.0 to 3.3 to 3.6 to 4.0, but in the end it is the best way I know of to keep from injury.
2. Rest Days are Important. When running has become a habit, a day without running is difficult. As an older runner, though, its important to remember that the body doesn't recover as quickly as a young buck's body. Rest days are essential to running without injury. Schedule them and guard them as diligently as you do your running times.
3. Stretching. As we age, the body loses flexibility. Therefore, stretching becomes essential to running longevity. Because I frequently squeeze my runs in before work, I usually don't do much stretching immediately before or after my runs. Instead, I take time to stretch before bed. It's become such a habit that it is almost like brushing my teeth.
4. Listen to Your Body. If you are like me, you've already planned out your running schedule. My plan lasts until October and includes increasing mileage, rest days and races leading up to a marathon. I will be a "slave" to that schedule, disciplining myself to get those runs in regardless. While that type of discipline is necessary to long distance running, it is equally important to listen to your body. An extra rest day here or there is not going to hoodwink my marathon plans, and my be the thing that prevents a season ending injury.
5. Eat Right. While its true that as my mileage ramps up I will be able to eat more, I still won't be able to down a whole bag of Oreos without finding evidence of it when I step on the scale. Here again the young bucks have an advantage because their faster metabolism allows them to eat more.
6. Enjoy Each Run. Over the past year I've attended quite a few funerals. Unfortunately, many of these funerals were for people my age. I think it is just a fluke, because 45 isn't that old. Yet I know that middle age means just that: I'm half-way done. That means that each run needs to be savored. Something new has to be seen, something fresh has to be thought of, a new song needs to be sung.
   

Training Log - February 23

Finally it warmed up. +15 when I started running. I did about 4.25 miles up to N Isaac Lake Road and back. I'm really not sure how far I went. I drove to the end of the driveway and was going to run by my watch, but forgot to start it. So the distance is an estimate based on when I did start my watch. The sun was shining and it had some warmth to it, unlike a December or January sun. It's still a couple of months before the lakes open up, but today you could tell that the sun was slowly going to win the battle the battle against winter.

Training Log - February 22

-10 this morning, so I did another 5k on the treadmill. I read a blog about the Whistlestop Marathon last night that really got the marathon itch going. We'll see if I can hack it!

Training Log - February 21

It was -20 again this morning. By the time I went running it was 0, but there was a pretty brisk wind blowing. I decided to do my run on the treadmill. 3.3 miles. Hopefully the weather will warm up by the weekend.

Training Log - February 19

-28 this morning. Why are the days getting longer but not warmer? I think I'm in favor of global warming. The temps had me running on the treadmill again. This time I ran another 5k.

Marathon Memories - Part Two

I decided to run a second marathon. Why? I suppose it is similar to the reasoning of a woman who has had a baby. In the midst of labor, most women vow that they will never endure childbirth again, but within days forget the pain as they hold the results of their labor in their arms. Okay, it's not really like that, after all a t-shirt and a finishers medal hardly match a newborn baby, but its the closest thing I can come up with.

I guess I decided that the whole marathon lifestyle was one that I enjoyed. The discipline of training, the sense of accomplishment, the fact that I was in shape and could consider myself an athlete appealed to me. Besides, if I was already good enough shape to run a marathon, training for another one would be a cinch!

So I pulled out a copy of Runner's World and looked for a nearby spring marathon. We were living in Chicago at the time so the closest spring marathon was the Lake Geneva Marathon. I knew a little about Lake Geneva. My mom had been a lifeguard there when she was young and told stories about walking on a trail around the lake looking at all of the beautiful lake homes. Sounded like a fun marathon. So I signed up.

I should have done more research.

Here's a description of the Lake Geneva Marathon...right off their website:

The course is a challenging and picturesque route around the perimeter of Geneva Lake. The scenic views and unbelievable hills combined with a final run on an ancient Indian trail set the stage for a very memorable marathon. The marathon will be both demanding for the best runners and an opportunity not to be missed for those runners looking for the ultimate marathon challenge.

Marathon brochures are like real estate advertisements. They require interpretation. For example, when you look at real estate ad you know that "cozy" means "small," "handy-man special" means "don't slam the door or it will fall off its hinges," and "close to transportation" means that "you can see the rivets on the wings of the jetliners."

Now let's look at this marathon's advertisement and state what should have been obvious:

• "...a challenging and picturesque route..." - Running 26 miles on the plains of North Dakota would be challenging.
  
• "...around the perimeter of Lake Geneva..." - From start to finish, there is no change in elevation. As you run remember: what goes up, must come down and what goes down will go back up.
• "...unbelievable hills..." - We aren't talking about scenery here.
• "...demanding for the best of runners..." - Does anyone see a problem here?
• "...for runners looking for the ultimate running challenge..." - Hello? Anyone home?

I had pictured a nice asphalt trail running around a large lake surrounded by beautiful homes owned by Chicago millionaires. They didn't promise that.

They delivered on what they promised. It is one of the most difficult marathons in country. It was also well-run.

The marathon course headed out of town and up into the bluffs surrounding the lake and then back down to the lake. Then back up into the bluffs and back down again. Then back up and back down. It reminded me of an airplane practicing landings and take-offs. There wasn't a flat spot on the course.

Non-runners often think that long uphills would be the hardest part of running. And while uphills can be cardiovascularly challenging, it's the downhills that are killers. I cannot just free-wheel down a hill like you might try on a bicycle because my legs just don't go that fast. I wind up "riding the brakes" down the long hills, which is extremely tiring. Because this course was a loop around the lake, every time you headed up a steep incline, you knew that you were going to come back down. Running up a steep hill after running up and down for 15 miles is a real killer mentally because you know the downhill is coming.

I remember reaching the far side of the lake in pretty good shape considering how many hills I had been over. At the far end of the lake was a village that was memorable for two reasons. The first was a red-haired boy of about 10 who was riding a blue bicycle. I remember him vivdly because he decided to play chicken with me. Not a smart thing to do to a marathon runner. It's one of the few times in my life I've ever been seriously tempted to commit a heinous act.

The other reason I remember the village is that at the time it was the stopping point for what I believe was a 25k (about 15 miles). When you registered, you signed up for "the race" and could elect to stop after 25k and no one would be the wiser. Since I had intended to run the full marathon and still felt pretty good, I decided to keep on running.

I headed out of the village and out into the country up and down another set of hills. The course then ran on the shoulder of a four-lane country highway. As I looked down the road I saw a long hill stretching to the horizon. Gathering my strength, I put my head down and headed up, knowing full well that there would be a downhill on the other side. It wouldn't have been bad except...

About halfway up the hill a school bus passed me carrying the runners that had taken the "bail out" option back at the village. One would expect to hear encouraging shouts as the bus rolled past. Instead, the "quitters" were equally divided between shaking their heads at my folly and openly laughing and pointing at me. I remember thinking that I was going have a few words with them when I saw them at the finish line. Then I realized that they would probably be long gone by the time I finished.

Sigh.

By the time I hit the "ancient Indian trail" heading toward the finish line, I was too pooped to look for anyone other than my wife. I was too tired to raise my hands as a I crossed the finish life. I had just finished the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. I collapsed into the grass and vowed never to run another marathon again.

Three days later...

Training Log - February 18

Another "alberta clipper" moved through giving us a dusting of snow and temps about zero with a nasty northerly wind. It made for another 5k run on the treadmill. My hamstring was fine. The day of rest on Sunday did it good.

Training Log - February 16

Yesterday was one of those days where I really "needed" a run, but there just wasn't time, unless I wanted to stay up late and do a run on the treadmill. I decided to go to bed.

It was about 15 this morning with wind out of the south. That made the run home a little chilly. I managed to get 3.6 miles in today. My left hamstring is a little stiff. I'm not sure why.

Training Log - February 14

Cold outside again. Rain 5k on the dreadmill.

Training Log - February 12

I love it when the weather forecast is wrong. Today wound up being about 15 above with just a slight breeze. Well, okay, the windchill was about -5, but it was warm enough to get out and run for 3 miles. My legs were a little tired, but otherwise I felt good.

Training Log - February 11

-25 this morning. I ran a 5k on the treadmill. Looks like Thursday before I'll be back outside.

Training Log - February 10

I should have checked the weather for the next couple of days. Tonight it is going to be -30, and the windchills during the day tomorrow won't be much better. It looks like the treadmill is going to be used for the next couple of days.

Sigh.

Had I known the weather was going to stay cold, I would have taken today completely off. Instead I went on a 40 minute treadmill walk. Call it "cross-training" I suppose, but the treadmill is the treadmill. It's good for an emergency, but not a steady diet.

Training Log - February 9

Looked outside this morning and it was snowing hard. I knew we were supposed to get about an inch before a cold front moved in, so I decided to wait to see if the snow would let up before the temperatures fell. The snow finally let up, scared off by a twenty mile an hour wind from the north. The temps are falling...down to 0 by sundown and -25 by morning. The windchill is way below zero now and will be -50 most of the day tomorrow.

Needless to say, today was a day for running on the treadmill. I ran a 5k. That's a total of 15.4 miles for the week. I'm officially "in training" now for the year. That means I'll be slowly increasing my mileage, watching what I eat, and preparing for the races I hope to run this year.

Training Log - February 8

It was about 14 this morning. A major cold front is on the way. Temps will be falling through the day tomorrow landing around -25 by Sunday morning. Today as I drove to the end of the driveway to avoid the ice, parked and headed out for my 3 mile run. I had gone about a tenth of a mile when I heard a car pulled alongside me and matched my pace. The window went down and a well dressed white-haired lady asked me if that was my car back there and if I had run out of gas. I told her that I was just avoiding running on the ice and thanked her. She waved and sped off.

I got to thinking about what a wonderful place this is to live. In some places that would never have happened either because people don't care or they are afraid to help strangers. Like I said, this is a wonderful place.

Memories of My First Marathon

This October will be the twentieth anniversary of my first marathon. That's reason enough for me to attempt another one. I am not old!

Here are a few memories of my first marathon. The place: Milwaukee. The Year: 1988.

• It's easy to tell who the runners are when you pick up your race packet. There were tons of skinny people picking up their race packets. In fact, I don't think you'll ever see so many skinny people gathered in one place than at a marathon. Accompanying those skinny people are a bunch of not-so-skinny (is it okay to say "fat"?) people. They look very uncomfortable. As I watched them I decided that their discomfort did not come from being around so many physically fit people. They looked more like they thought they were accompanying their beloved lunatic to the insane asylum.
  
• The bus ride. I'll never forget getting on the school bus at the finish area for the bus ride to the starting point. There was tons of nervous chatter as runners visited with each other. As we left downtown, drove through the suburbs and the ex-burbs past farms and finally to a country elementary school, the bus grew quiet. I know that every runner was thinking the same thing. It was really long bus ride. And we were going to run back. Maybe the fat people were right.
  
• The Starting Line. The starting lines of road races have some common themes. Friends gathering in small groups to talk. Runners stretching against buildings. The constant checking of the watch. The fastest runners toeing the starting line. The slower runners gathering near the back. At 5k and 10k races you see runners sprinting up and down the street getting the kinks out and getting ready to race. You don't see as much of that at a marathon. The runners are conserving their energy. The first three miles are where you get the kinks out. Really.
• The Cheers. Other than an occasional "hi" or "looking good" from a passing runner, no one ever cheers your training runs. That's different in a marathon. The Milwaukee marathon was a "small" marathon, but still the starting line and every water stop was filled with people. As we ran into town people sat on lawn chairs cheering this strange parade. I had read that you only needed to run 20 miles to train for a marathon and that the crowd was worth the last six. They were right.
• The Marathon Should Be Time, Not Distance. Around mile 14 someone at an aid station hollered out who the winner of the marathon was. I don't remember who it was. I remember thinking, "Wimp! Anyone can run for a little over two hours. I'd like to see him try running for four hours!"
  
• Putting One Foot in Front of the Other. Your body hurts. Not just your legs, but everything. Your arms hurt, your fingers hurt. Your hair hurts. Everything hurts. The endorphins are long gone, leaving you feeling like the anesthesia didn't last through the whole operation. You wonder if you are going to make it. In the meantime, there are fat people sitting in the shade in lawn chairs. Drinking lemonade and laughing. They are having fun. You hurt. You have eight miles to go. At this point, the marathon is purely a mental game. Make it to the next tree, the next mile, the next water station. You can quit...just not right now. You make a promise: I will never, ever do this again.
  
• The Lake. One of the unique features of the Milwaukee Marathon was that you could see the finish line for what seemed like miles before you actually got there. It reminded me of driving to Denver and catching the first glimpse of the Rockies. Really cool, but they are still a long way off. In fact, after the excitement of spotting the finish line it seems like you will never get there.
• The Finish Line. I wanted to sprint to the finish line, but my legs couldn't respond. I crossed the line with arms stretched to heaven. Someone tore the tag off the bottom of my race number. A medical person gave me a five second look-over. A woman placed a finishers medal around my neck as I started to cry. I have never known such a feeling of accomplishment as at the end of a marathon.
  
• The Next Day. My legs were stiff and sore. Going down stairs was almost impossible. I wondered if my marathon t-shirt was appropriate business attire.
  
• The Third Day. It's amazing how much things change in three days. By the third day I went out for a short jog. As I was running I thought, "Maybe I'll do another one in the spring."

The fat people are right.

Training Log - February 7

It was about 20 today and overcast. I decided to do my "longer" run today because it looks like the temps are going to fall and hover around 0 this weekend. "Longer" was only about 3.3 miles but I am starting to ramp up.

The Advantage of Losing a Step

I'll never forget my first run on the treadmill. I stood on the treadmill and entered my age and weight. Then I had to decide what pace I was going to run at. Twenty years ago my training pace was about a nine minute mile. I ran 5ks and 10ks faster than that, but my day in and day out pace was about a nine minute mile. It was a pace I could keep up for miles and even hold a conversation with someone.

I entered "9:00", 3 miles and pressed "start." The treadmill chimed and the belt began moving faster and faster. My legs sped up until it felt like I was sprinting. I could've slowed the treadmill down, but that would have been admitting defeat so I kept up what felt like a three mile dash. Twenty-seven minutes later the treadmill stopped and I collapsed, red-faced and gasping for air. It took another twenty-seven minutes to catch my breath.

Either the treadmill was wrong, or I was seriously out of shape. The next day I went out and measured off a three mile route, started my watch and ran it as fast as I could. When I crossed the finish line I pushed stop and paused for a moment to catch my breath. I figured I would finish in about twenty-five minutes, proving that the now stupid treadmill was wrong.

34 minutes.

I was seriously out of shape. And so I began training in earnest. After overcoming a variety of obstacles I finally got back to fairly decent running shape. During the warm months I'm running 25-30 miles a week and can knock off a ten miler with minimal pain. I am training as hard as I did in my twenties and feel great.

But I cannot sustain a nine-minute training pace. My training pace is a steady 10 minute mile. In my twenties I figured that those slow old people just weren't running as hard as I was. Now I understand the impact of getting older. Sure, some people quit exercising or aren't trying as hard, but there are physiological changes that take place as well.

One of the key changes that affects runners is a decline in the maximum heart rate. As you get older, your maximum heart rate decreases by about 1 beat per year. Simply put, the heart cannot beat as fast, so aerobically the body cannot do as much. You can increase efficiency through, but you cannot increase your maximum heart rate. Effort is a percentage of your maximum heart rate. Put simply: An "in shape Karl" at 45 must work much harder than an "in shape Karl" at 25 to sustain a nine minute mile.

This isn't all bad. I actually like a 10 minute mile pace better than a 9 minute mile pace. Let's say that you are running marathon and you are wondering if you are "on pace". Believe me, at mile 17 it is difficult to multiply 9 minutes times 17 miles and then convert it to hours and minutes. 10 times 17 is much simpler. So simple I can do it!

So there are advantages to losing a step. It makes life much easier.

Training Log - February 5

20 degrees and overcast again today, but what a difference there can be between days. Yesterday was perfectly still. There was no activity at all. Today during my run I heard the chickadees singing, saw ruffed grouse in the popples and startled a deer. Not bad for a three mile run. It was a great start to the day.

Training Log - February 4

It was about 20 degrees this morning and overcast. I ran three miles on my usual route. It's funny how when you aren't doing any long runs three miles can seem like a long way. Perhaps its just having a lot going on today, but I found myself just wanting to get this run out of the way rather than enjoying it.

It Starts at the Bottom

I've started running again after a break of several years. Okay, this dad quit running when his kids needed to be chased and then didn't start again until he had gained a few too many pounds. So my break from serious running was over ten years. Closer to fifteen. Long enough to have become middle-aged.

I've learned some things about running as a forty-something.

When I started running again, of course I noticed how out of shape I had become. In my striving to get back into shape I ran into a problem I never had experienced before. I'd run about two miles and the top of my right foot would start to cramp. It was a weird feeling. In a way, it almost felt like my socks had bunched up under my toes. The top of my foot hurt and it would radiate up my shin. Sometimes I would be able to run through it, but it often brought me down to a walk.

I've been wearing orthotics since I marathoned in my twenties. I had never changed orthotics because my feet were always comfortable. Since it had been so many years, I figured maybe they were worn out and that a trip to the podiatrist was in order. He immediately fit me for a new pair of orthotics. When they finally arrived I slipped them in my shoes and took off running. They felt great!

Until about two miles out when my foot cramped.

I searched the internet looking for a solution, but nothing made sense. I didn't have plantar fascitis, shin splints, or ITB syndrom. Whatever it was, it was painful while I was running, but then I would feel fine within minutes of stopping.

Finally, I did what I should have done in the first place: I went to a running store. For me, that's a 90 mile trip to Duluth. I explained that I wore orthotics for over-pronation and wore a 10 or 10 1/2 shoe depending on the brand. I then told them about my problem with foot cramps.

The owner sat me down, took off my shoes, measured my feet and asked me, "Who told you that you wore a 10 or 10 1/2? You're at least an 11! If your shoes are too small, your feet will cramp!"

Who told me I wore I size 10 or 10 1/2? A running store clerk 20 years ago. I never new that as you get older your feet get wider and perhaps longer! I walked out of the store with a new pair of shoes, laced them up and have run for miles since.

It was one of the first lessons I learned being a middle-aged runner. There were many more to come.

Goals for 2008

It always helps to be running for a purpose. If there are races that you can shoot for, it gives an added reason to get out of bed and lace up the shoes. Living in the toolies there aren't a ton of races to choose from, so some of these have become an annual event.

Here's my plan of races for 2008.

The Two Town Ten Trillion Nanometer Race July 4th weekend in Nashwauk. It's a run between Keewatin and Nashwauk put on by the football team. That explains why this 10k isn't a full 10k, but it's always a fun run.

The Tall Timber Days 5k/10k race in Grand Rapids on August 2nd . I'll probably do the 10k, but the 5k is much more popular.

The Mora 1/2 Marathon on August 16th. This race will let me know if the marathon in October is doable.

The Whistlestop Marathon in Ashland Wisconsin on October 11. This race allows you to drop to a 1/2 marathon up until about a month before the race, which is great if I'm biting off more than I can chew.

Training Log - February 2

Finally! It warmed up to 20 above. A cloudy day still day with a few snow flurries. I drove out to the mailbox to avoid the icy driveway and did a three mile run outside. That's the way running should be! It felt good to be off the treadmill and back on the road. I noticed several well-used deer trails, I think someone might be feeding the deer so they come and go pretty regularly in those spots. Maybe I'll keep an I on those spots and set up a stand for son #1 to try bow hunting next fall.

Training Log - February 1

I woke up this morning knowing that it was supposed to warm up today, but it was still hovering around 0. The strong wind out of the south promised warmer temps, but the wind chill was too cold for these old bones. I ran another 3 miles on the treadmill. I'm getting sick of it, but it is good to work up a sweat.