Empty Pockets

The First Lady and I have returned home following a short trip to Huntsville for their annual half marathon.

We got to town late Friday afternoon, and headed to the Fleet Feet Sports running store for packet pickup. I was like a kid in a candy store-- this joint was about four times bigger than my home park, with enough shoes, apparel, and etcetera to keep your average running nut happy indefinitely. I couldn't believe how many different kinds of socks, fuel, and stuff they had. My understanding going in was that Huntsville has a decent running community, and if their running store is any indication, they really do.

So after packet pickup and a meal at our favorite pizza place, we headed back to the hotel for a few beers and a 10 pm bedtime. I set my alarm for 4:55, thinking the race started at 7.

I woke up just after 3 with nervous energy. I couldn't go back to sleep, as I was afraid of sleeping through the alarm. It turned out to be much earlier than it needed to be, as the race didn't actually start until 8. I was pretty certain that 7 am was the start time-- we even got a great parking spot at the race. It just turned out there was plenty of time to kill. One advantage was that there were surplus tech shirts from last year's race, so I scored one. I also noticed that Huntsville seemed to be a big Mizuno town, as my habit of checking out shoes was in good form. there was even a Mizuno tent at the race, and the company sponsored the tech shirts. Some Brooks, Nike, and Asics were also present. But Mizuno seemed to be the majority.

I shouldn't go any further without mentioning the greatest support staff on the planet. The wife got up about 4:30 and drove to the race with me, even though we were an hour and a half early. This meant she had nothing to do for over three hours. She is the queen, and she is the absolute best.

The hamstring had felt pretty good in the days leading up to the race. I ran an easy four Monday, and five Wednesday with a little tempo work. Ibuprofen was our friend throughout the week. I went in with the intent of getting in there and mixing it up, just to see what I could do.

So for being at the site extra early, I got in the starters' corral two minutes before the start, towards the back.  Just like at the Mercedes Marathon in February. This time the race distance was short enough that it would cost me. Raceday apparel was the same blue/black long-sleeved top from February, compression tights (better suited for me when I was 30 pounds heavier, but not a concern) and wind pants. Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12 (the marathon shoes) and Feetures! thick socks completed the outfit. And a headband. I never run without one, and as near as I can tell, it's just me.

I'd fueled with half a Clif Bar and orange Gatorade at 5:45, so that was a concern. So were my early splits, due to other traffic. It took me about a mile and a half to dial in my pace, but by then I'd dug myself about a 1:20 hole behind goal pace. The course was a double loop, three miles out and back, then four miles out and back in the other direction. The one and only hill was through a residential area and peaked at miles 4 and 12.

I decided to knock the deficit down a little at a time rather than all at once. Most splits were between 1:55 and 2:00, with the exception of drink stops, where I lost many of the seconds I'd gained back. Miles 3-10 followed this pattern. I still felt pretty good, not really hungry, and drinking at every stop. The flat course certainly helped.

The Fleet Feet running store has a racing team that did really good work. I'm on The Athlete's Foot racing team here in town, but we're more about representing the brand than putting really good numbers on the board. These guys in Huntsville are better-- they cranked out miles in 5:45 or so.

By the time I got to mile 10, I was still about 25 seconds behind the 1:45 goal time, and I was starting to realize that I'd have to step on it in order to get the job done. This was when I channeled Sheriff Buford T. Justice,  character from the 1970's movie Smokey and the Bandit. Sheriff Justice has been chasing the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) across three or four states and is starting to get a little frustrated, and says, "I didn't come all the way this far to go home with empty pockets." I just felt that I didn't want to come all this way and miss my goal by less than a half minute. I'd worked hard in training (mostly) and definitely during the race, so I decided to leave it all out there.

My split times improved from just under 2:00 per quarter to just under 1:55, and it made a difference. It was difficult through here, as the aforementioned hill came into play, but I kept on grinding and working. My left calf even seized up once or twice, and I just had to hope it'd get me home OK. By the time I turned into the church parking lot for the last .2 or so, I realized that I was going to make it, and it just felt really good. I remembered the disappointment I felt at Nucor and coming up that last hill and seeing I wasn't gonna get in under 23:00 (though things worked out OK). This time, I knew I was getting in under goal. There's something about seeing the clock and knowing you've got enough gas left to get across and meet your goal. What a feeling. 1:44:50. Ten seconds under my goal time, and almost 18 minutes better than my Eisenhower half time of 2:02:44. And I felt a whole lot better afterward this time, too. Victory swag:

I finished 118th out of 810 runners, getting me just barely in the top 15 percent. In Tuscaloosa I've been closer to the top 10 percent, so there's that. My average mile time was 8:06, but my last four miles were 7:54-7:56-7:53-7:38.

Crossing the finish line brought an official end to my 2012 racing season, and unquestionably my best year of running. I set personal best times in the 5K, 10K, half and full marathons. That was the biggest reason I signed up for Huntsville-- to set a PR in the half. I still need to check my mileage to see where I'm at in terms of total mileage, but I think I'm in good shape to eclipse my 2011 total, also.

Nonetheless, a great year of running, and also the closing of a chapter of my life.

Hamstrung

I've run into a derailment in my half-marathon training. 

Nearly two weeks ago, I must have done something to my left glute/hamstring, causing about 2.5 worth of pain (on a 10 scale). I ran Friday the 26th, but it was an angry run, one where I couldn't get control of my mind. That may have been where it happened. 

I also ran the next day, and decided that waiting until Monday's long tempo run would be the elixir.

That was last Monday. I ran 12, but my legs felt sluggish from the very start, as though it took enormous effort to move from stride to stride. And the hammie thing was still there. Not enough to stop me, but enough to throttle back on pace. That and the sluggishness led to about an 8:20 pace, which is not what I'm looking for in Huntsville this Saturday. 

I ran a four-miler this morning, and the ache was still there, perhaps downgraded in intensity, but still noticeable. Not better, but certainly not worse. And it feels OK as I walk about the house afterward. 

I'll still ice and stretch and run easy a few more times before race day, but I may have to ease back on my goal of a 1:45 half. 1:50 looks like the target right now, but we'll see as the week moves on. It seems a little disappointing when it's compared to a 1:45 finish, but it looks awesome when I think of my 2:02:44 finish in April, 2008. 

Training Report

Half-marathon training continues to go very well. 30 miles two weeks ago, 29 last week. No doubles lately, as the long runs are getting the job done in making sure my weekly mileage stays where I like.

I ran my second 12-miler this past Monday, pacing out at 7:59 per mile. I was pleased with the effort, but the course was not as challenging as last week. Next week will be my last tune up, and I'll make sure it includes a little more hill work.

This means I can now aim at 1:45 for a finishing time. It would be nearly 1:30 per mile faster than my Abilene half in 2006. Truly something to be excited about.

I also did mile repeats Thursday just to shake things up, holding 7:41 pace per mile on a treadmill.

Twelve-miler

When I ran my ten-miler last week, my half marathon goal pace was 8:20, with the plan being to finish in 1:50 or better. 

Turns out that goal may not be lofty enough. 

I haven't really been following a structured training plan for this race, so I didn't know until early this morning what today's long run would be. After last week's ten, I've heard from coworkers that I could run eight-minute miles for the whole 13.1. So I decided to go for it. Twelve miles at 8:00. 

It rained about an inch in the overnight, and I took off at about 9:15 this morning, on an off day from work. A gorgeous day for a run. Peanut butter toast and water were my only fuel. Well, that and a nice, hot cup of coffee. In hindsight, I probably should have eaten a little more.

It takes about a half mile or so to get the pace dialed in, and after that, I made steady progress on getting onto goal pace. Splits needed to be around 2:00 per quarter. I find I like measuring splits that way instead of by the half mile-- helps me stay on pace. 

The first five were pretty easy, until I hit the stairs to get to the bridge that takes me over the river. Very soon after that I stopped to fill my bottle, which took a few minutes. I felt pretty good through about 9.5, when I hit a decent hill. Turns out that the stairs and that hill were the only two times I really missed my splits. Everything else was either below 2:00 or very close. I did take two GU gels-- one at four and the other at nine. I feel good about how I timed those. 

The last half mile was difficult, but I clocked in at 1:36:20 for the run-- an 8:02 pace. I didn't quite meet the goal, but I got pretty dang close. It even lets me adjust my goal. Now I can aim at a 1:45 half and really like my chances. 

Half Marathon

In 2008, I ran my first big race-- the Eisenhower Half Marathon in Abilene, Kansas. I felt like I worked hard to get ready for that race, and I did. One reason for that was I weighed nearly 200 pounds and it takes a lot of effort to lug a body that size down the road. The temperature was 20 degrees (F) on that first Saturday in April. the only fuel I took was the Sport Beans (still a fan) I bought specifically for race day. Didn't want anything to slow me down, after all. I finished in 2:02:44 on a flat course (9:24 pace).

Last week, I signed up to run the Huntsville Half Marathon in Huntsville, AL on Saturday, November 10. It'll be my second half, and I fully expect it to go a lot better.

I really feel like I'm in a great place training-wise, and that I can put a great number on the board. I've been at 25-30 miles per week for the last 2-3 months, having worked in half-mile and mile repeats for several weeks in a row. This past Monday, I ran a 10-mile time trial at 8:18 pace, so I am already confident. My coworker Ed (my unofficial coach) thinks I can run 8-minute miles. I'd be happy running 8:20 miles for a 1:49, but eight-minute miles mean I can get in under 1:45.

So I'm pretty excited. And I feel ready-- part of me wishes the race were tomorrow. It'll get here soon enough, and there's still work to be done.

Las Vegas

It's been just under a week since the wife and I returned from a three day-two night trip to Sin City. A good friend of mine got married and I didn't want to miss it. I keep moving further and further away from those guys, so I don't get to see them often. I'd forgotten what good, solid people they are. Good times.

I'd wanted to bring my running shoes along, but space and time didn't really allow it. Good thing, since there just isn't anyplace to run on the strip. There is a ton of pedestrian traffic, and it's all kept off major intersections and on elevated walkways. I couldn't have made any distance anyhow. I did do a ton of walking and going up and down stairs, so I did manage a little cardio.

The trip caused me to abbreviate two weeks of running: 15 and 17 mile weeks most recently. I have a goal of 1,060 miles for the year, and that is the only thing on my plate right now. I've run 220 miles since July 1, so I need 45 miles for the rest of September to stay on track for that. I don't really see anything getting in the way. I signed up to go to the gym around the corner from the running shop, so I hope to get some weight work and core work in and get my body toned up a little more.

I also think I'd like to find a half marathon before the end of the year. I've set a PR in the 5K, 10K, and marathon, and would like to set new bests in all four distances in 2012.

More Mile Repeats

Wednesday saw some of the hardest (non-race) running I've done in a while.

I ran 5 x 1600 repeats, again with 800 rest in between. After the first repeat, I wondered how I'd feel later on, since I felt the first 8:03 mile took something out of me. More than the first repeat should have.

All five repeats were within :03 of 8:00, so I was pleased with the splits, but it sure seemed like I had to work harder and harder to hit times as I went. I had a vanilla bean Gu after my third repeat, which was a big help. I made my fifth mile and had to walk a little bit, since my tank was just about empty. But I did it. The weather wasn't bad-- cloudy and low 70s.

Something I did notice on my fifth split was a slight twinge in my left hamstring. On the 1-10 pain scale, about a 1.5. It didn't stop me from doing anything at the store later that day, but I did notice it. The hammie got a few doses of ice that evening, and it felt better after a night's sleep. I think I'll rest it until Tuesday of next week, because there's a weekend trip to Las Vegas coming up. I really want to pack my Adrenalines, but logistics sort of prevent it. It's better to rest, anyway.

This little ding doesn't feel like much. It's 36+ hours after the run, and it's felt better over time. I'm not too concerned. But a little down time won't hurt.