Gentlemen START YOUR ENGINES!!

481 miles in 12 weeks, 57% complete, 4 weeks until my taper starts.  The monotony of training was getting to me. I needed a race to see if all this training was working or not. I needed to test these legs out.  Thankfully, that's what I got this weekend......Asheville's fastest 10k, the Hot Chocolate 10K. 

Racing is why I started to love to running to begin with. Hundreds, sometimes thousands or even tens of thousands of people all together sharing in the pain and triumph of whatever goal they set out for that particular day.  It creates a form of energy and emotion I immediately took to and wanted more and more of. This feeling can jump start anyone's focus and confidence.  That's what I needed. 

I am a planner by nature.  As much as I like being crazy and spontaneous, race mornings need to be meticulously planned out.  No room for error, I'm usually nervous enough as is.  There's something very soothing and relaxing about the race prep though.  It kind of ramps me up emotionally.  I laid out my racing clothes on the couch, can't have a wardrobe malfunction at 6am.  Checked my watch to make sure it's charged.  Fuel; had to have my Gatorade Prime and Recovery ready as well as a breakfast pizza ready to pop in the oven.  iPod was charged. Time for rest. 

I slept surprisingly well for a race-eve.  I woke up without any nervousness, it was kinda weird, I'm usually a wreck.  Was it confidence, or beacuse I didn't care too much?  hmmmm.  I got dressed and watched some racing scenese from "Without Limits" while I ate my pizza and drank my coffee. Ok, let's roll.  Maura came with me even though she couldn't run. I knew it was gonna be tough on her to go and not run, but she insisted on coming along, which made me feel more at ease.  She's my number one fan, and having her there keeps me calm. 

We pulled in pretty early, which is another race tradition for me......I'm not gonna stress over parking or shuttles, it interferes with my "race energy"!  We were literally some of the first people there, at least that's what it felt like. I got settled in, put my race bib on and took off for an easy 3 to get warm.  I like music to warm up and then I usually ditch it for the race. No distractions, just focus.  I took off down the course while Hells Bells ramped up in my headphones.  I felt good.  I felt elite.  I'd been training my ass off for 12 weeks and today it was like I was showing up to unveil my new and improved legs!

By the time I got back the place was filling up.  I met up with some friends and stretched. We were 30 min from the gun when Mother Nature and her PMS showed up.  The wind picked up, the temp dropped 10 degrees and it started POURING! WTF? I knew the weather was questionable, but I really thought we'd luck out.  Nope.  About 10 to go and the race director get's on the mic "well, there's no tornado warning here so we're gonna do this" ha!  I love it.  Fine.  I made my way to the start line.  "If you're gonna run a 36min-38min please come up to the front.  I looked around and I'm surrounded by Avl elites.  I like it.  I still dont feel like I'm that fast, especially in a town filled with so many great runners, but it does feel good to at least be good enough to warrant standing with them at the start line. 

There's me, number 120, front of the pack to start the race.  Lots of great runners in this pic!

The start of the race was tough, first mile is virtually down hill the whole way.  First mile....5:30! Ha! About 2 miles in, we all settled into our little groups.  Me with my friend Joel and a guy Beech that he knew and one other guy that looked like my friend Eddie.  We stayed together until about mile 3 and then I started to pull away.  My deal with myself while racing is this "if you're gonna pass someone, you better be able to stay there".  I hate passing people only to get passed by them later on, it sucks.  Unfortuneatly at mile 4, "Eddie" passed me, damn it. I gave him a "go get it man" and I figured I'd hang just behind him and see what the last big hill brings.  I eat hills for breakfast.  At the base I was about 10 yds back.  I yelled "I'm coming for you white (he was wearing a white shirt)!!" Which maybe isn't PC for racing, but I figured it was all in the spirit of competition.  I caught him and passed him at mile 6, now I just wanted to break 38 min, and I was close. I fought the hill best I could, trying to manage my pace so I didn't blowup, but still ran fast.  I thought for sure I was in the clear until I rounded the last corner, saw how much I had to go and saw I had 10 seconds left. I gave it everything I had, but it wasn't enough....I started my kick too late.  38:02 when I crossed!!  I could hear ppl at the end.... "ooohhh, he really wanted to break 38".  How ironically too, missed it by 2 seconds.  Oh well, I'll get it next time.  I finished it a great time, a new PR by 23 seconds! I think what was the most rewarding was having Maura there at the end, she's usually racing so she's never there when I finsih.  It's great to have a famliar face there to greet you.  After the race I had a lot of others congratulate me on my race, some of them I knew just from running and they were much faster than me, and some I thought were faster than me and I had beaten them.  I was 16th out of 500+!! It was a good feeling. Maybe I'm way off here, but I got the sense that people took notice of my race and I'm slowly starting to be a "regular" in the top finishers.  That's a good feeling.  I may not have beat my goal time but races have many goals, not just those that have numbers.  I'll sleep well tonight. 

I'm BAAAACK!

The New Year started with some new challenges for me.  We got home late night on New Years day which was nice because I had the next 3 days off.  All I had to do was run, and unpack/un-Christmas the house.  Seemed simple enough......I thought. 

Tuesday I had to run 1mile easy, 8 miles at goal pace, and another easy mile.  I'd done 8 miles like this before so I figured, no sweat......but mother nature was on her period and decided to be a major pain in my ass that day.  Temp was in the high teens and the wind was 25-35mph with gusts up to 45mph!!  It was like running with a parachute on.  Somehow the wind seemed to continue to change as I ran and I always had it in my face.  Towards the end I thought I was going to pass out from exhaustion, I was dizzy, had blurred vision, and my face resembled Lloyed Christmas....frozen and snot covered.  Not a great day.  My plan called for rest on Wednesday which I was very happy about.  Usually, when I finish a tough run I can still give a good "YEEEEEEHA" at the end to celebrate...today I was hunched over, hands on knees, just trying to keep upright.  I was actually scared I might keel over....I've never felt like that.  I didnt like it.  

I figured the extra day off would have me back on track for Thursdays workout.  I had to run a couple "supersets" which were 2400m/800m/400m at paces of 10K/5K/sub5K......I wanted to try and knock this out at lunch so I opted for the treadmill.  I hate the treadmill but in terms of keeping pace, it works.  I struggled like hell to get the first set in, even jumping off for a few seconds to catch my breath.  I was not a happy camper.  After my "rest" period I started set #2, hoping I could will my way through it.  My attitude sucked for some reason and I was furious at how hard this seemed......I then did something I'd NEVER done while training before....I quit.  I slammed the stop button after just .21mi into set 2 and walked out of the gym.  I was ashamed, dissappointed and just out right pissed off.  "What was wrong?" I kept asking myself.  I went back to work and emailed Aaron Saft from FootRx to try and get some support.  In the meantime a friend, co-worker, and fellow runner, Rebecca had emailed me asking to run after work.  I decided the only way I could try to change my attitude was to get revenge and run on the local track after work.  Maybe not the smartest thing to do, I'd already run 4 miles that day, but I wanted to beat this workout.  We headed out after work and got to the track.  I hit my first set right on pace, but it was tough.  My second set was slightly off pace, BUT I finished, and I was happy again.  Sometimes I guess you gotta do stuff like that.  I could have and maybe should have just tried to get after it another day....but I dont have any patience for this crap and I'm now within 75 days or so from the race....no time to screw around!

Since that week things have changed.....thank Tebow! I ran my Saturday workout at pace, and I would be back on schedule the following week.  That had to bring some change.  Old schedule, new attitude. 

As much as I hate the treadmill, I found myself back on it Tuesday.......DAMN IT!  I had headed out to the track, running from the YMCA there, only to find that there was as track meet going on.....in JANUARY!?  I was not happy, I had just run 1.7 miles and had to turn around and head back to the YMCA and then get on a treadmill for 8.5 miles.  Not happy at all.....especially since I still hadn't completely forgotten my struggles last week.  Oh well, I was not about to let that stop me, I needed to get this done.  7x1600 @ 10K pace.  I struggled, but I took it each mile at a time.  I played every mind trick I could think of to keep me going.  Looking at EVERY mile in a section......".25 down, two laps until last lap", "4 miles down, over half way".  It was working and I was kickin' some ass.  I could see myself in the window and I tried to just focus on my form, remembering how the runners from "Born to Run" were described.....smooth form, to the point where you thought you could balance a plate on their head. 

That night was different, I found myself remebering why sometimes I LOVE the treadmill.  It reminds me that I'm pushing myself to limits most people wouldn't even think about.  Here I was, running at a 6:18 pace, treadmill humming loudly and I could catch a few glimpses of people around me with that "what a nut" look on their face.  I'd love to see a fast forwarded video of the group of treadmills that night.  What started as a packed room slowly empties out, people on and off treadmills, but I'm still there.....giving it my all. 

I'm not an overly religious guy.....but I'd say I'm pretty spiritual....and I definetely believe in things happening for a reason.  Sometimes it's the perfect song coming on when you're struggling, or some scenery that just makes it all worth while. Tonight gave me one of those moments I'll carry for the rest of my training and maybe longer. 

During the 3rd or 4th rotation on the treadmill next to me a guy next to me turned to me after I had just finished one of my miles; I'm panting and wiping down while I jog until it's time to speed up again; he turns to me and says "it looks like you're chasing down your food, or running from being eaten"......without hesitation I smiled and said "that's what I'm shooting for, that's how it all began."  wow.  His seemingly casual comment was the essencse of the book "Born to Run", and he seemed like he had just told me "you're figuring it out".....at least that's how I took it. At that moment, on a treadmill I didn't want to be on, a complete stranger unknowingly gave me the best compliment I could have ever asked for.  When things like this happen.....it gives you amazing strength and grattitude.  Needless to say I ran with passion and excitement the last few miles and this time I wasn't slamming the stop button and storming out as I did just a few days prior.  I was leaving motivated, determined, and proud.  These are the moments I run for.    

Half Way to Taper-Town!!

I sit here with a beer in hand (homemade porter from the tap in the garage, of course), a fire in the fireplace, snow starting to pick up, football on TV and I just put down "Born to Run" for the last time.  I dont read as much as I probably should, but for me, this was the greatest book I've ever read.....so far.  For anyone that knows me well, me saying this says a lot.  I typically hate reading.  Hell, I think almost every book report I did in school was either based off a movie, or I compiled by sampling the book, not actually reading.  Goosebumps/PeeWee Scouts for a 7th grade book report?  Sure!  I wish I could do a modern day "Reading Rainbow" on this book.....RIGHT NOW!!  "But don't take my word for it..."

I think, like a lot of things, experiences have a lot to do with "where your at" in life and that either makes them better or worse, or just more impactful.  Obviously that's why I chose to read a book about running while training for a marathon.  For those who haven't read this book and enjoy running, even a little, go get this book....now!!  I'll admit it takes a little bit to build, and shoots off into a myriad of different stories, but when it starts coming back together, it's amazing.  I've always scoffed at anyone that said they cried/laughed reading a book.....but I did both while reading this.  There's just something about running, and racing, and the environment it can create when a bunch of crazy runners get together, and this book captured it all so beautifully I couldn't help but get goosebumps and let my eyes water....just a little....while reading it.  It described so many things I love about running and what its given me better than I ever could....that was pretty cool.  It's educational, and emotional, and just a damn good book.  I'd love to post the "secret to running" on here but that won't do shit fot book sales and I'm trying to do my part in saving the economy so go BUY IT YOURSELF!!

Without spoiling the book I can say this.....humans were BORN TO RUN, it's that simple.  We have physical attributes that support that, and the human foot was designed for it...no shoes required.  I'm not saying to throw away your Nike's just yet....but as much as I said to myself "look at that D-bag in the Vibrams", I'm looking into a pair.....damn it.

Ok, soooooooooo on a training note, I'm half way to Taper-Town.  Taper town is a magical place where you lose your mind because you are now running less and less, and not more and more.   It feels weird and you wanna keep going, but you can't because you need rest. You need to let your body mend before the race, and most plans say 3 weeks is the best route. I can't believe I'm already half way there.  I'm officially registered for the race now, thank god it wasn't sold out...that'd be embarassing.   Running over the holidays was half good, half crappy.  First half, all I had to do was run and sleep and day drink.  Last half was filled with "gotta get this run outta the way so I can leave for (insert destination here)".  This lead to lots of anxiety filled dreams about running and not as much as enjoyment as I would have liked.  Oh well, I got through it and now have 3 days of running at home before normal life resumes.  Looks like I brought some snow with me for tomorrows 10 miler.....yay!!

Ando..OUT!