My Running Life At Speed

It seems the closer I get to a race the less I can type about my training. It’s not that I have less time, I’m actually in mid-taper and have plenty of time. The problem is, I’m so freakin excited that I can only verbalize it while dancing around like a goon. I really have slacked though, a month off from blogging has pushed my motivation to slower than a standstill. I’ll make this update brief in the hope that I can make a better one before the race on Sunday. 

My training has had a few setbacks with some calf cramping and mild strain, but a shoe switch and some skipped workouts cleared it up both times it happened. I missed seven workouts total in April, over two separate weeks. That was it for bad news though, I’ve had so many breakthrough workouts in this build-up that I am actually feeling the possibility of finishing very close to my lofty goal time. 

Long run heaven! I ran my first 50k, attempted to run only 29 miles, but ended up with nearly 31 total. Was trying to run at an easy pace the entire distance but ended up running 28.7 miles @6:35/mile all thanks for the quick pace to my mate Austin from run group. He will be in the same race on Sunday and is pushing for a Boston Qualifying time, I feel confident that he will nail it. I should expound some more on this long run in particular because it was such a memorable run, but I will save that for the next post. I have a few other workouts that are worth at least a mention here, my last couple speedwork sessions have been 6-8 miles of Fartlek and they been at cruising fast pace in the on sections. Feeling very solid, on hilly routes too. Even more noteworthy was my last set of repeats a couple weeks back; ran 10 repeats all at 5:00/mile pace. Last workout to give a shout-out to was my final weekend tune-up run, ran 10 miles total yesterday and 8 of them in my race shoes, to get some more miles on them. It felt quick, like close to goal pace, it turns out I was running at a 5:51 pace for the duration, 15 secs a mile under goal pace… oops. 

That’s it for now. On Saturday I head up to Maine for packet pickup and a quick drive of the course. Sunday is the race and Sunday night on the water in Maine. Driving to NH on Monday, then taking my amazing girlfriend, Sara up to my childhood hometown on Tuesday. Sara is coming up for the race as well and will be assisting with physical, moral and morale support to both Austin and myself. Though, I have it on good authority I will be valuing the support a good deal more than he. Just to have someone cheering for you personally, can provide a huge boost, to have someone you love supporting and cheering you on increases that positive input by great margin. 

Marathon Monday and Hillsborough Anniversary – Apr 15^th 2013

As I sit here with my post-run euphoria the task of enumerating the events and emotions of Monday from my own perspective seems just a bit more manageable. I know that no words I say can bring back loved ones lost or reverse great tragedy, but I can speak those words to God and ask for His peace and try to show the love that I have through His Son.  
For many across the Atlantic in England and even here in North America Monday was already a day on which to remember great tragedy, as the 24^th anniversary of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster. The campaign to bring out the truth of Hillsborough has made great strides over the past few years and this year the closure for the victim’s families was to be celebrated on Monday, instead those of us in Boston were left with a shocking new horror and tragedy to cope with. I have listened to the Hillsborough Tribute release of He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother numerous times tonight and it just seems so fitting a song to sing to the victims and survivors on both sides of the ocean now. I hope that these words can bring as much meaning to you as they do me:
http://youtu.be/svOX9dy0hyw
I’d like to extend my own invitation at this time to anyone who needs someone to carry them right now, I may not have a large back, but I can run and I will finish the race set before me. I draw my strength from the words of Christ in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  The words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatian church in Galatians 6:9 also give me direction and hope; “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” I do plan to run the Boston Marathon next year and though my plans were to simply run and compete for myself, I now see that this race will be one that is run for everyone. I will still try as hard as I can and my goals and efforts will still be as big as they were a week ago, but this race has taken on new meaning for me and there is no escaping that. I feel that I must at least try and thank all of those friends and loved ones who contacted me on Monday. I cannot possibly tell you how uplifting it was to hear from so many of you and know that we were on your minds. I’m sure that I speak for everyone in the Boston area and at the race when I say this, but the outpouring of love and support was more than stunning. The marathon community has been hit hard, but I know of no stronger a group of individuals, there is no getting back up because we never went down. We did take a hit on Monday and feelings of shock, sadness and loss certainly linger, but they are not alone, they are joined by; love, strength, integrity and more and more resolution by the moment. We will be back stronger than ever next year, for Boston, for Hillsborough, for those who can no longer run everywhere, we do remember and we will remember. 

I seem to have done something awkward to one of my lower calf muscles. Yet another chance for me to learn some new lessons, albeit potentially painful ones. It seems that pain is the only thing that does teach me a lesson, praying I learn the right ones from this. It doesn’t seem to be anything serious, maybe a slight tear at worst; going to rest it for a few days and ice and stretch regularly. I’ve decided to not run in the North Face 50km next month and save all of my efforts for the next marathon, which is five weeks from today. So thankful that the decision was already made pre-injury, as it would have made this even worse knowing that it was three weeks away. 

In other news, I’m trying to sort out what to do with my life. I’m never content with just existing and plodding along. I need to have big goals, beyond the running, beyond this year or the next. I honestly believe that God has a specific plan for my life, I’m just trying to understand what that is. I should also take this moment to publicly profess the thanks and love I have for all of my good friends, I’ve been relying very heavily on their wise counsel these past months and it has been to my benefit.
 
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” 
― C.S. Lewis

“In friendship…we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another…the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting—any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends, “Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.” The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

I could go on quoting C.S. Lewis all day, but I’m going to go read some more of his words instead. 

Adieu, internets

As I Work up to my hard tempo run today with some easy typing workouts (finger strides and stretches, first, then arm swings and maybe using the legs within the hour…)  I thought it would be a good time write a more open synopsis of recent happenings. 

After this past month, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop raving about how fantastic running is. Any accomplishments and milestones I have reached in running pale in comparison to what the running has introduced me too now, though.

Run group has been one of the most fun running activities I’ve engaged in, to start with. The atmosphere, the people, the shoe testing and other events, all great fun, week in and week out. I started going at the beginning of the year and was told almost immediately about this girl Sara, who would be coming back after college break, she was really fast and really cool and we would allegedly get along great. What they didn’t realize at run group (or maybe they did?) was that Sara and I had absolutely mental amounts in common, besides the running fast and talking a lot. After a few weeks of run group, Sara mentioned that she would be running in NH on the weekend, in my favorite town, so I altered my Saturday run location and joined her at a NH run group. We had a lot of fun and set up plans to run on the weekends for the next couple weeks. After she went back home for Spring break I did a lot thinking, and talking, of course. Once she returned we had a long talk in Whole Foods after run group and I felt even more convinced that seeing her twice a week and just running would not suffice. I did actually get in my car to leave but jumped back out to tell her how much I liked her, a feeling that she thankfully reciprocated. 

So, there it is in writing, the last month has been mostly a blur, but the last week, a joyous grin. My fingers, arms, legs and toes are ready for some miles now, so off to run I go. God keeps showering me with blessings I could never earn and I’m trying to live for His glory, not my own. 

This post is long overdue, but honestly my volume of time has been so heavily invested lately that I simply haven’t been able to collect my thoughts and jot anything down. Once again I find myself hard pressed for time and still unable to detail as much I’d like, but I’ll leave a quick synopsis here:

I’ve been training at 50+ miles a week for over a month now and so far no injuries, just much faster running. I think the two year base has been paying off and enabling me to really push harder. I’ve been doing an hour or so of recovery most nights (foam roller, “the stick” and stretches)  I ran a 1/4 marathon this past weekend and finished 2nd overall, certainly one of my better races and it was not an easy course, either. The dream of 6:06/mile marathon pace might become a reality this year, if not in May then possibly in October. One month out from my first ultra and 6 weeks out from my next standard length marathon. North Face Trail Series 50k and Sugarloaf Marathon, respectively.

This is where the post gets spiritual… 

More important than the running, though; I feel as if God is stretching me out, yet drawing me in at every corner and angle. I’m still unclear on the way I should go in some very important areas, but I’ve been reading and studying Scripture and spending some very painful moments in prayer. I earnestly believe the Bible and seek to follow the will of God in my life. This means some hard times and struggles with most people in the world, as it is not the norm in society. I realize this more and more each day, but I am beyond thankful for everything, as even in trials I find new strength and am held up and carried through. I maintain this blog as a personal account of my running and other life events, but I do keep it publicly shared, as I hope my training talk can at some point help someone else. If you do happen to stop in and read this entry, please feel free to ask me about my training or my Christianity. I really desire that everyone could feel the peace and security that I have found in Christ Jesus. With that being said, I must now finish my muscle therapy and get some sleep. My mind is still wound tighter than a snare drum as I ponder what God wants me to do, but I know that God provides peace for those who seek Him. 

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You

Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Song of the post:
http://youtu.be/Ukx50CZSDvQ 

I’ve pulled up my computer chair for this post! No sitting on my bed or posting from my phone, I’ve put away the pile of clean clothes that my chair has been holding for an age and sat down to type this.

As I’m trying to wrap my head around what I want to say, my stomach is grumbling something furious. I’ve never been good at drinking chocolate milk slowly and I doubt I ever will be. It’s simply too delicious to sip. Anyhow, here goes…

I’ll start with last week, since I bailed on an update then. I managed to fit in 66 miles, my biggest week in this cycle yet! I usually recap this in some kind of prose, but I’m going to simply list the workouts for this one:

Mon- 6X600 meters hill sprint (110’gain)
1-2:27 2-2:18 3-2:21 4-2:19 5-2:24 6-2:17
6.85 miles total

Tues- Easy/medium effort 6.3 miles @ 7:04/mi. pace

Weds- Soaking wet 5 miles with run group @ 7:00/mi. pace

Thurs- AM 6.85 easy effort run @ 6:26/mi. pace
PM 5.2 easy/medium effort @ 6:23/mi. pace
12.05 miles total

Fri- Easy and loose shakedown run as prep for longer runs Sat.
3.7 miles total @ 7:00/mi. pace

Sat- AM 12.6 easy miles in Wellesley @ 7:15/mi. pace
PM 13.1 @ 6:44/mi. pace (1:28:10) 20 secs off my current PR, with a mile of cool-down after @ 7:19/mi. pace
26.73 miles total

Sun- Easy ‘recovery’ run 5.2 @ 7:02/mi. pace

That also concludes the shortest month of the year, 212 miles run in February. I had taken the last week of January off to set myself up for this training and it feels like it worked. My pace was much quicker during the whole month and my mileage could stay where I wanted it to be at. I also had a couple really noteworthy workouts that have put me in a very positive mindset. Not to mention the benefits of running with someone else, too. I’ve been getting some weekend runs in with a friend and I cannot say enough how much fun that is.

This week was another whirlwind, it felt like Friday took forever to arrive and then it was all over too fast. I cut back mileage and prepped for a fun 3 mile race all week to mix things up and recover from last week. Started out with 400 meter repeats and then ran easy all week before Saturday’s race. It definitely paid off; I was able to run at a 5:37/mi. pace over the 3 miles. Everything felt great afterward and I finished the week off today with 43 miles total.

The personal joy and satisfaction I get from running is certainly a big part of why I love it, but I’ve always loved convincing others to take part as well. It’s very encouraging when you see someone else enjoying a healthy passion of yours.

The very large portion of my training is done alone, usually by choice; it’s just easier for most workouts. When I can sneak a run in with someone else however, I almost always go for it. I started running with the Marathon Sports Wellesley run group at the beginning of the year and Wednesday nights have quickly become my favorite training day of the week. Well, it’s a three way tie with speed-work Monday and long-run Saturday, at the least. I’ve also run with a friend the past few weekends, too. For the first time since I’ve started running I have experienced running with someone over good distance that is willing and able to go the same pace. Maybe it’s because I’m such a runner newbie still, but this concept is just fantastic to me. Running and chatting about running and sharing the joy in it all makes it that much better. Post-run talking about running and comparing training goals and devouring breakfast foods, I cannot accurately express how much fun it is. Did I mention that when the company is a talented and beautiful girl it makes the run even better? Not sure if that’s science, but it is runner logic. 

To sum up; training could barely be going any better, I’m having so much fun and I still simply LOVE running.

If you have stayed through this whole post, you deserve something special, so I’ll leave you with Sinatra’s take on this great song:

http://youtu.be/eGmn1_uC9rk

I’ve had this same strain of a thought itching in my brain all day. Here’s to working out the action points I should derive from it by writing it down.


Entitlement is the drug of our youth and we’ve given them many suppliers. Truth is; it’s as hollow as any other drug, you don’t deserve success, you have no right to happiness, you have no control over the world. Situations seem to pop up quite frequently wherein someone has a hardship and cannot cope with why it would happen to them. This is nothing new, this is life. In many young American’s this is new, though, it’s entirely foreign that something could happen to them that they did not desire and that someone else cannot be held culpable for it. This feeling applies to every area for them, they are entirely dependent on parents/school/government/friends/you name it and yet they assume this is all because they deserve it. They would throw freedom under a bus to keep this blanket of security which is nothing more than a cobweb. Reality sets in for most of them when real adulthood happens, but the saddest reality is for those who never get a dose of it, they live their entire life with this entitlement sensation in full effect. Never once do they feel a need or desire for personal responsibility and thus never feel any real guilt either. They never acknowledge their own sinfulness because they’ve never actually done anything in their mind! When you rely on someone else for anything, you can always blame someone else and when you feel that this is proper, you can never desire to turn from it. We’ve literally bred ourselves out of accountability whilst patting our backs for such brilliance all along the way.

If I did not place my hope in a destination not in this world, I would be quite ill over this thought. It troubles me greatly that America will soon be lost, the future is certainly bleak at the very least. With the hope this world has to offer, there is no hope at all. I’ve been far too apathetic for most of my life, this empathy and love I have now is so much more painful. The cries of those with no hope are all around and they need a savior so desperately. 

I remind myself of my hope so I can be strong enough to help those around me who need hope so badly:

^{Romans 8:18-25} For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ²³ And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience…

That real post just disappeared. It was a good one, too. Ultra frustrating. Today was too good to end it being annoyed with technology though. Here is a short summation of my original post:

Today was awesome. I went on three seperate runs with three dedicated runners in three different places. Ran about 22 miles total and had the joy of seeing other people enjoy this thing that is so satisfying for me even when solo.

Now; time to record everything in the running log and hit the hay.

Went down to the Vineyard yesterday to put in a hard 20 mile workout. The goal was to get a good reading on my fitness level over distance. Fitness level is right where I want it! I ended up running 20.7 miles total at a 6:26 pace and felt good afterwards. The weather was typical New England bad with some hail and freezing rain for most of the race, over very wet and sometimes muddy terrain. There are a couple areas to work on, I under-fueled and ran out of energy with 2.2 to go. Plus side, I was able to make the switch to fats without losing too much speed and still managed a steady 6:52 pace over the last two. Second thing to work on is going out a little easier, I didn’t put a ton of thought into it for this run as I was not planning on going all out, but I need to remember that for racing, running negative splits is so hard for me. 

Race breakdown:

6 @ 6:30/Mile (could use a little work, starting a bit slower)

12.3 @ 6:17/Mile (no work needed; hard effort, felt good)

2.4 @ 6:50/Mile (needs most work; proper fuel, more long runs)

In summation, I am very happy with the overall run. I’ve never gone that far at that avg. pace. My goal pace for the ultra is a lot slower than that, so I’m not worried about tacking on another 10.3 miles to that distance. So thankful for good friends, as I hitched a ride to and from the ferry and had someone to chat with the whole way. Having nothing else to worry about on race day makes a tangible difference on the run. M.V. was a pretty cool place, it looked just like Rhode Island except the taking a boat to get there bit. Next time I’ll just go to Newport RI. if I want to see the ocean and old rich white folks, though.