Born to Run

A few weeks ago, I finished reading Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. I had to return it to the library and check it out again a few weeks later to get the job done. Nice knowing I'm not the only one who wanted to check it out.

I think most of you know the basic premise of the book-- McDougall wants to run without pain in his foot. He comes across the Tarahumara Indians and learns they can run seemingly forever without injury in sandals. So he heads down to the dangerous Copper Canyons of Mexico on the field trip of a lifetime. I won't bore you with plot lines and connective tissue, but I'll share my thoughts on an excellent read.

For the record, I haven't tried minimalist/barefoot running-- no need. I have been blessed with outstanding health the last several years, with my last big ding being a pulled calf muscle about seven years ago. The standard shoes I wear, stability then and neutral shoes now, have not caused injury. I am not a hard heel striker, but the one thing I have done is pay attention to my per-minute stride count, which has stayed right around 176 for the last several years. This seems to have me making first contact right around the heel-midfoot area, without problem.

McDougall does an excellent job of painting a picture throughout the book. Whether I'm in the Copper Canyons with Caballo Blanco, in the bus on the way south, racing in Colorado, or partying in El Paso (my hometown, though I could've found them something better than a hotel bar), I felt like I was in the moment with these people. Even during the big race, I was just as thirsty as they were. I could see the sunshine and feel the chill of the Copper Canyons when they went out for early-morning runs.

The book also gets into the reasons of why man has been running for thousands of years, and why our bodies look the way they do. Fascinating discussion.

I particularly enjoyed the tail end of the big race. Serious effort has been spent, and now there is a serious after party. Sitting in the background, cold beer in his hand and with a feeling of satisfaction on his shoulders, Caballo sits and surveys his creation. This is what happened when he hoofed it into town every once in a while to use the spotty dial-up Internet to generate interest in his idea. Some of the greatest runners on the planet ran an insane course and are now sharing the experience.

This is the brother/sisterhood vibe I get amongst fellow runners-- the common enemy and experience bonds us and brings us together. It's what I feel in the coffee shop and in the parking lot before and after my group runs. Sometimes we talk about the run or running, other times it's about the Georgia game, or whatever. It's such a feeling of unity, and it's no small part of why I head out there myself.

Born to Run is definitely worth your time.

Race Report

I ran my third half marathon earlier today-- the Athens Half Marathon.

First thing was 5:05 am. I'm always afraid of sleeping through an alarm and being late, so I got up even before the coffee pot started. Two cups of pumpkin spice java, one slice of peanut butter toast and a banana, and we got parked a little before 7:00. There was an Athens Road Runners group photo to show up at, at which time I discovered crisis #1-- my Garmin locked up. Swell. 

I somehow pushed the right buttons and the watch reset, and we were fine. No luck in finding a port-a-hooter, so I had to pee the whole time. But things worked out OK on that. 

I found my way into corral #2 with ten minutes to spare (a record) and took off. Temps were in the upper 40s, so I kept my wind pants on over my shorts, and I wore my red, long-sleeved ARR shirt, and Nike Pegasus 30s completed the outfit. My only fuel was a pack of sport beans and my water bottle, which I hardly notice anymore. 

The course was very tight, with cones marking off one lane of traffic throughout, so a challenge was to accelerate and pass and then return to base pace, without losing too much energy. My first mile was 8:53, so it didn't take as long to find pace as it usually does, and I felt good early on, but I was wary of going out too fast. Early quarter-mile splits were very good, 2:07 and below, so I was under goal pace. I felt good through the first half of the race, so I decided to keep the pace up and see how long it would last, and I passed halfway at 55:00, which is right at 1:50 pace, but I knew my first mile was a tiny bit slow. I even passed the 1:50 pace group at about mile 5.

However, the first half was also the flat half. Hills near mile 6, 10.5 near Sanford Stadium, and 12.5 (ouch) were all challenging. I focused on steady effort, since I felt good about my ability. 

I also want to talk about the First Lady, who got up at 6:00 on a Sunday morning to support me and lug my stuff around. She is my biggest fan, and I was very happy she wanted to come. 

The volunteers and crowd support were also awesome. Race proceeds go toward music/arts programs in Athens, so there were musicians at every mile. Much of the race was either on the Georgia campus or through town, so the townies were out in force. Let me be very clear about something-- supporting runners like that cannot be underestimated. The signs (including my favorite, Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever-- I well up just typing it), the cheering, the drink stops, even the Methodist preacher working a drink stop at mile 2, all mean so much to those of us who are in our own little purgatory. I know it meant a lot to me.

I also became more of a Georgia Bulldog fan, since members of the men's basketball and gymnastics teams manned the final drink stop, on campus. College kids, up early on a Sunday. I was wowed by their show of support. I've marshaled at mile 12 of a half, and I was there by myself for 4+ hours, so I know those kids were there for a while. I plan to repay it by wearing red at some UGA games and meets.

Meanwhile, my quarters were drifting close to 2:00, even under it a few times, so I chose to continue at this pace until I couldn't anymore, as I realized I was going to put a good number on the board. I even allowed myself to do math on beating 1:45, but the numbers and my body wouldn't allow it. The suffering began at about 8.5, but I felt reassured, since everything we ran was familiar-- we ran nearly every inch of the course during group runs. This gave me a lot of confidence. 

After the hill/hairpin turn at 10.5, I could start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Mile 12 took us past the opposite end of the stadium, and I couldn't run past here without a smile. Amazing support. Mile 13 (after a high five from the First Lady) got us into Sanford Stadium and onto the jumbotron, as we ran around the field near the famous hedges. My last two miles were 7:57 and 7:48, so I finished well, even with that last hill at mile 12.5. The finish area was very tight, as it was right outside the UGA student union building. All I wanted was to keep walking, but it wasn't really possible, because of the mass of humanity all crammed into such a small space. I also saw some of my running friends at the end.

My watch said 1:47:52, so that's what I'm going with until I see something official. Average mile pace was 8:15, or :09 per mile slower than last year's Huntsville Half, and on a much more challenging course this time.

Though it wasn't a PR, I am very, very pleased with the time and the effort. I look forward to building on this effort.

Running Snob and AthHalf

Right before noon today, I went out on what will probably be my last run before Sunday's Athens Half Marathon. It was an easy four-miler, at 9:14 pace, with an average HR of 135. I liked this run, mainly because the purpose was just to get the wheels moving a little bit and to not worry about much right before a race.

This brings me to a few running brain thoughts I have. My thought is that I haven't 'run' unless I've expended effort or worked up a good sweat. Maybe done some 800s or charged up an incline or two (don't know if they're really hills, in the golf subdivision where I run). Most of my daily runs these days are six-milers and up. Mondays, I double up, running a 10 in the morning and bagging another five (and a beer) with my evening running group. I know it's important to do long, slow distance, but I don't feel like a runner, internally, unless my legs have that energized feeling about them the rest of the day. This morning's run didn't give me that feeling, though I'm sure the folks who saw me think I'm a runner. Bagging 15 in a day and running twice definitely charges me up, and gives me no qualms about taking Tuesday as a rest day.

Also, the same theory as it pertains to mileage. I don't feel good about my running unless my weekly mileage is at a certain level. These days, it's the low 30s per week. Like something's missing if I skip a day and only get to 25. It gives me a feeling that I'm not doing the best I can for my body, even though 25 is a decent number.

I know I have nothing to complain about. I've run a lot, and have been healthy for a long while now, and I always look forward to my group runs and post-game banter.

Meanwhile...

I feel like I'm ready for the half on Sunday, which is a 7:30 start. The terrain here is different than it is in Huntsville, so I'm not aiming at getting in under 1:45. My plan is to go out in the first 2-3 miles at 8:40, then gradually put the hammer down and hopefully break 1:50. A nice thing about relocation is that it allows me to set new baselines at each distance.

Running With the Kenyans

Last week, I finished reading Running With the Kenyans, by Adharanand Finn, so this is my first ever book review. I've since returned the book to the library, but I will try to get the spirit and details of the book right.

Adharanand Finn is an Englishman who ran as an adolescent, but life started happening, and he more or less gave up the sport. Later, as a husband and father of three, he puts a decent number on the board at a race, and starts to wonder 'what if.' He'd also spent some time being hurt, and he explores minimalist and barefoot running as a way of staying healthy.

He then travels to Iten, Kenya, where the greatest runners on planet Earth train, to see if he can tap in to what makes Kenyans (specifically, Kalenjin) so special as distance runners. I think this is what stunned me the most, because it seemed you couldn't walk down the street without finding a champion marathoner. Finn trains with them, eats with them, and immerses himself in the culture as he prepares for the Lewa Marathon. Obviously, he had to adjust to a whole new way of life. It was an eye opener for me to see the lives of a completely different culture, viewed through the lens of distance running.

So many reasons have been put forth as to why they run so well, so I won't rehash them here, but I thoroughly enjoyed this firsthand account of a man who trains for 26.2 in a completely new locale. It was amazing to see how the locals view our sport-- they see it as a way to succeed and to get ahead. Runners there are introduced to others by where they placed in whatever marathon. However, that recognition is fleeting, since the next wave is also traveling abroad and winning races, making today's winner yesterday's news.

I don't want to tell you everything about the book, but I'll tell you, that just as in his marathon training, Finn puts in the work and gets the results. This is recommended reading.

Athens Half

I've signed up for the October 20 half marathon in Athens, where I live. It figures to be a good course, likely more than last year's Huntsville route, which was very flat and fast. This will be my first race since moving to town. I don't expect to PR, mainly because of the terrain, but I plan to get out there and see what kind of number I can put up, likely around 1:50. Plus, there will be an after party at the coffee shop where we meet after our Saturday morning runs.

I don't have a training plan I adhere to, but I've typically been in the low 30s per week while adding a little tempo work and some 800 repeats, so I feel ready for the big race. I've started working retail again, so maintaining mileage while keeping an irregular work schedule will require effort.

Something else I've learned is that the Saturday gatherings have helped fill a void for me. The wife and I used to play Thursday night trivia with our friends in Tuscaloosa, and it grew to be a really big thing for us to see them every week. This running group has that vibe for me. I like getting out there and being accountable, talking to and meeting folks, being pulled along by the pack a little, and oh yeah, getting a good workout in.

Pace Group

I managed to cut myself off Friday night, in order to make it to 7:00 am running group Saturday (it was nice to learn I wasn't the only one who has this issue). The run was a gameday six-miler through the University of Georgia campus, where folks were already tailgating for a 4:30 kickoff against South Carolina. I was one of 36 people that met in the parking lot, though as previously mentioned, there were lots more folks getting a run in before the first home game of the season. The weather even felt a bit like football weather-- sunny, gorgeous, and mid 60s at that hour, but still Southern hot and sticky by game time.

I also agreed to lead the 9:00 pace group, for those getting ready to run the Athens half marathon next month. I typically run at about this speed, so it was no trouble at all. It turned out I was one of about four at this pace. I really wanted to hold pace and I did for the first 3+ miles, but then the uphills caught up to me, and I averaged out at about 9:15. Helpful that nobody caught me, but there's still work to do.

It was amazing to see people already out tailgating. Hard to blame them, since it's the first home game of the season, a hated foe was in town, and the Dogs are supposed to be pretty good this year. Dozens of tents were set up (likely from the night before), not all of them were manned, and there didn't seem to be a lot of grilling yet. We also saw band/spirit squad types heading to their assigned places. Our route even took us past Sanford Stadium, empty and lifeless at the time, but soon to be filled with excitement. There was such an amazing vibe on campus.

The only negative is that I could smell food toward the end, since we passed Thai and pizza places on our way in. This was unfair, but not as bad as in Tuscaloosa, when my route regularly took me past a barbecue joint.

And as always, the coffee was free afterwards.

30-Minute Run

I saw a question asked on another running blog about who you would want to have a conversation with over a 30-minute run. I must say, I never do well at these types of questions—whether it’s who I’d like to have dinner with or who I’d like to run with. So many possibilities. The list is endless.

So I’ll narrow it down to two. One runner, and one person not known for running.

I think to run with Joan Benoit Samuelson would be incredible. She is a Mainer, which to this Southerner, seems like a difficult thing to be as a runner, given the state’s climate. I’m sure she didn’t run there exclusively, but she founded the famous Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, which I’ve read has elite runners showing up, and housing with race volunteers and folks like that.

She’s qualified for seven Olympic team trials, of course winning the 1984 Olympic marathon in Los Angeles. She’s won a couple of Bostons and a Chicago, and though is not a competitor anymore, is still a great runner and great running ambassador.

But I think it’s her down-to-earth vibe and approachability that would make a great run partner. The 30 minutes would probably fly by, though sore slowly for her than for me, given our respective paces. I think she’s a Red Sox fan, so we could discuss baseball, even though I’m a Royals guy. I doubt I could ask her anything that hasn’t been asked dozens of times before, but it would be nice to hear her unfiltered replies, which have not been edited for space.

Okay—the non-runner.

There are so many people throughout history who have inspired. One name stands out to me, making this choice easier than I thought. Legendary basketball coach Don Haskins. I am a native of El Paso, Texas, and Coach Haskins was the head coach of the Texas Western/UTEP Miners for 39 years, winning 719 games. I am a big UTEP fan chiefly because of watching his teams play (usually on TV) in the mid-80s. 

Haskins is probably best known for starting five African-Americans against Kentucky in the 1966 NCAA championship, winning 72-65. It doesn’t seem like a big deal nowadays, but in the mid-1960s it was. He’d be the first to tell you he wasn’t trying to make a statement—he just wanted to win. But his choice to start Hill-Lattin-Artis-Flournoy-Worsley had a ripple effect. There was hate coming from many different directions for years to come. Some talked about exploitation, some called him racist. It was as though winning a title was the worst possible thing that could’ve happened.

Haskins never made a ton of money. El Paso wasn’t and isn’t that kind of place. The man just wanted to coach hoops. He shared his wealth with others and was as down to earth as could be. This great man left us in 2008.

30 minutes wouldn’t begin to cover the things I’d want to talk about. I’d love to ask about the 1988 NCAA tournament game against Arizona, about how he and the program endured the negativity and bad press after winning the title, about Coach Iba, Haskins’ mentor, and on, and on, and on. He would basically be reliving my childhood. There would have to be postrun libation-- I would buy (though it’d get pricey) and listen to a legend tell stories about being a man, a coach, and unwitting pioneer.  

The movie ‘Glory Road’ told the story of the 1965-66 Miners, and Josh Lucas portrayed Coach Haskins. Lucas even got to sit in Haskins’ pickup and drink tequila with him. I am still insanely jealous.