Eight Hundred Mile Annual Goal

I am currently twenty miles shy of running 800 miles for the year with only ten days remaining in calendar year 2010. I would like to complete four more training session at an average of five miles per session this year. I have recently completed runs of seven and eight miles, but have been extremely sore after the runs. I have been sore to the extent I needed to rest two days to recover fully.

I have learned if you run on a day you haven't recovered enough, the run is a very labored one and not very enjoyable. The joy is not there. When you have recovered sufficiently, you attack your run with a certain zeal.

How many hours of running have I completed to log 780 miles? Would you believe slightly over 112 hours? This is only eight hours short of running for a full five days in 2010. That's a fair amount of exercise for my heart.

120 hours over twelve months averages to about 10 hours per month of running. I don't anticipate I will have more free time to run in 2011 because I will be spending more time playing with my sons as they get older.

This annual goal was not something I had aspired to accomplish last January 1st. It's more of a reflection of my current training level. I imagine I will run more miles next year because my pace will quicken - even if I don't get in as many hours of training.

Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K Race Preview

I decided to see if I could find any You Tube videos relating to this race.   Much to my delight, I found a couple of video postings which documented the race.

I was a little apprehensive about having over 30,000 runners on a six mile stretch of road for a race.  However, in both videos it appears the corral system used by the race organizers has successfully alleviated congestion.  One of the videos had a race representative walking through the crowd at the starting area checking runner's bibs to make sure they were in the proper corral.

The course appeared pancake flat with a mid-run turnaround point.  In between the out road and the back road was a grassy area where band after band was set up playing music. Adorning each side of the street are houses with very interesting and unique architecture.

The time I would like to hit for this race is 45 minutes and 30 seconds.  My current PR is a pedestrian 46:56. I have 107 days of training until race day to get in shape.  To date  my winter training has been proceeding very well.

I am in phase one of a four phased program using the Daniels' Running Formula.  Phase one consists of building my endurance via easy runs. The weather has been very cold during my last several runs  - the wind chill temperatures have been in the teens. Fortunately i have not had to push myself very hard while running in this weather.

What is a Lactate Threshold ?

I have been running for about eighteen months for a total of about 1300 miles.   I have also run twenty eight races.  After you accumulate this amount of mileage you begin to notice tendencies in your performances.

Why can't you simply run as fast as you can from the start of a five kilometer run and keep going until the finish ?  If you are sufficiently strong willed, can you mentally overcome the physical anguish to accomplish a start to finish sprint ?

The Jack Daniel's training book I purchased recently 'Daniels'  Running Formula'  mentions a lactate threshold.  This is defined as the point during exercise of increasing intensity at which blood lactate begins to accumulate above resting levels, where lactate clearance is no longer able to keep up with lactate production.

I ran a race in August of  last year, the Lebanon Area Fair 5K, where inexplicably I was so exhausted I had to stop not once, but twice before the race's finish.  After the race I was extremely dejected because I thought my conditioning had deteriorated to the extent I could not complete a 5K race without stopping.  I had successfully completed several 5K races prior to this race.

What I believe happened was I exceed my lactate threshold to a degree where I had to stop.  My body was not clearing the lactate as quickly as I was producing it.  For every run or race there is a pace for which you can maintain that speed for a prolonged period without a lactate buildup.  If you stay under this pace you can run relatively effortlessly. Exceed this pace and you will crash and burn.

This lactate buildup manifests itself in the form of a sensation that both your arms and legs suddenly collectively weigh fifty pounds more and every step is a labored one.  All gracefulness exits your stride. It's been my experience you have to slow down in hope you can reclaim enough energy to finish the race. I believe what's happening is you're giving your body a chance to help process the lactate buildup.

For each race the key is to find the maximum sustainable pace for the duration of the race.  The problem is their is no scientific, completely accurate method to determine this pace prior to a race.  I believe the more formal training regimen I have adopted (Daniels' Running Formula) for the Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K race will prove to be very beneficial in aligning my training (as prescribed by the book) with my racing goals.

Running in the Pennsylvania winter

I have never been fond of the cold and winds of winter.  I enjoy warm weather much more.  Training over the winter in Pennsylvania is very difficult and tests your resolve for running. I was able to train a fair amount last December, thirteen training runs totaling about  fifty five miles.  We had a very mild winter last year.

Running has increased my ability to withstand cold weather.  In and of itself, I can tolerate the cold.  What makes running extremely difficult in the winter is windy conditions.  Not only is it very difficult to run into the wind but gauging how much to wear is difficult.  Wearing too much clothing results may feel great initially as you embark on a run but as you lay the miles down you perspire excessively.  Couple the perspiration with the wind and it's not long until you will be adorning ice crystals.

I have found I need to wear both a jacket and pants which are made of a material (polyester) which not only deflects the winds but does not absorb perspiration.  I always wear a hat and gloves.  My concern with the gloves are the fingered variety do not protect as well as mittens when the temperatures reach the low 20's.  Wearing two long-sleeved technical shirts and a cotton t-shirt over them has proved to be sufficient for running with the temperatures in the low 30's this winter.

Because I have chosen to adopt a regimen of easy runs  this December in an effort to build a solid aerobic base, I have not had to concern myself with the cold air burning my lungs while running at an aggressive pace.

Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K Race training

I signed up for this race on the first day registration was opened on Wednesday December 1st.  I also ordered a training book titled Daniels' Running Formula.  The book is written by a well respected coach named Jack Daniels.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Daniels_(coach).  I have aspirations of using the principles outlined in this book as the basis for my training for the Ukrops 10K in April 2011.

The book provides several regimens for persons training from anything from an 800 meter race to a marathon.  After reading the entire book over two a two day period I was convinced I had skipped an essential element in my training to date.

Every program outlined in the book began with a six to eight week interval of easy running to build a solid foundation.  I have incorporated so many different types of training such as hill climbs, intervals and technique drills that I had neglected the fundamentals.

When you enter in the realm of advanced training techniques you are working with lactate thresholds and Vo2 max centric issues. The lactate threshold is the exercise intensity at which lactate starts to accumulate in the blood stream. VO₂ max (aerobic capacity) is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual.

In short, the training route I chose was pushing the upper bounds of my fitness level at too great a frequency.  I was neglecting the baseline easy runs which help the body learn to adapt to running.  As a result I am going to dedicate all of December 2010 to easy runs of about four miles each.  I want to pay particular attention to maintaining good form throughout the runs.  When you run too aggressively, your form has a tendency to deteriorate as you tire.

2011 - Big Race Planning

Every year I like to enter a race which is what I would refer to as a big race, i.e., a run with several thousand competitors. In 2009 I ran the New Haven CT Labor Day 20K (~2500 runners) and this year I ran the Beach to Beacon 10K in Portland Maine (~5500 runners). There are two races I am contemplating running in 2011.

The Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K is held in Richmond Virginia this year on Saturday April 2nd. Over 35,000 people ran this race this year. The course is a flat out and back course. It also features a corralled start where the faster runners are positioned before the slower ones at the starting area. I qualified for the third fastest wave - those who have finished a 10K in less than 47 minutes. I am leaning toward running this race. Registration opens for this race Wednesday December 1st.

The other race is the Toronto Half marathon on Sunday May 15th. This race is appealing because it could become part of a family trip. I had planned to run the ScotiaBank Toronto Waterfront half marathon in Toronto in 2009 but had to withdraw due to financial concerns. Niagara Falls is on the way to Toronto. I have never been to Niagara Falls.

From a running perspective I am much more comfortable with running the 10K race. From a bucket list perspective I have yet to complete a half marathon. I will most likely take a day off in April and run the Ukrops 10K race. The family vacation will most likely not consist of a race this year.

Palmyra Sticks and Biscuits 5K run results

I almost slept through this race, only awakening an hour before the 8:15 am race start.  I had arranged my running articles the evening before, thereby eliminating as much mental anguish as possible during the early morning's pre-race preparations.

Even though the temperature was hovering around the freezing mark, I decided to run the race in shorts.  To help combat the cold, I wore two technical T-shirts and a beanie.  I intended to wear gloves also, but I left them at home.  In retrospect, wearing cotton gloves may have been detrimental to keeping my hands warm.  The snow turned into a cold rain as the race started - this rain would have soaked my gloves.

I was keenly familiar with this race's topography, as this was my fourth race at this race location. The registration packet pickup was at the ice skating rink. To my chagrin, the race bibs were nothing but numbers on a white piece of paper. I display my race numbers in my office at work as a type of adult merit badge.  This race bib will catch no one's eye.

Last year's race drew over 300 runners and I expected as many this year.  Most everyone parked at the Klick Lewis Centre skating rink. I chose to park at a business across the street from the Paramount gymnastics building because it was close to the finish.  The KL center has a very large parking lot and  was more than sufficient for meeting the race's parking needs.

It was around 7:45am when I shed my warmup jacket and pants and began to warm up.  As I was removing my pants, I noticed snowflakes tumbling down past me.  I was going to be running in the snow with shorts on Thanksgiving day. A very strange combination. Fortunately there was no wind to speak of.  Were there a wind, I would have worn pants for fear of leg muscle cramping.

As I was running up and down the road in an effort to warm up I noticed a runner I had seen at several races in this area, most recently at the Give Thanks for Lebanon 5K/10k race. I introduced myself and he returned the favor. His name was Greg Underkoffler.  He mentioned he was a teacher and a former track coach.  We are in the the same age band of 40-49, although he is six years my junior.  He's your prototypical elite runner - weighing in at a svelte 150 pounds and very lean.  He was very personable and down to earth.

The largest band of runners I have seen at a race in Palmyra assembled at the starting line on Brandt road, near Reigle's airport.  The race director informed us over 600 runners would be competing in the Turkey Trot race.  I noticed a very large contingency of high school runners.  I made a mental note to begin the race at a measured pace,   If I attempted to hang with these kids at the beginning of the race, I was sure to suffer the consequence of crashing and burning at the end of the race.

After the bullhorn billowed "on your mark, get set, go" I found myself behind a throng of about eighty runners. Because I was focused on keeping a pace I could sustain, I let go of the imagery of my name being listed on the race results tally sheet as a disappointing 87th or so finisher.  The only thing I can control within any race is my pace.  If I become consumed  by where I am within a pack at a race and alter/increase my pace to correct my position, I ultimately and mercilessly run out of gas at the end of the race.  While I was somewhat dejected I was nowhere near the lead pack - I was content I was running at my planned pace  - as measured by my Garmin GPS watch.

Aside of a goofy turkey necklace handout at various places on the course, the race itself was uneventful.  If you received a turkey necklace you could use it as an entry into a post race raffle. This was well intended, but few running competitively were willing to stop and wait to be afforded a necklace.

I did not have any issues navigating through the runners.  I paced myself as effectively as I ever have, enabling myself to command enough energy for a small kick or sprint before the finish.

I finished 17th out of 85 runners in the men's 40-49 age group.  It was a very competitive age group.  A gentleman from Palmyra who has qualified for and run the Boston Marathon finished 9th in this age group.

This race marked the culmination of races I have run this year.  It was appropriate it was a Thanksgiving race because I am truly thankful for being able to run and help address my high blood pressure issues.

Stronger Heart for Hills

Last year was my first year of competitive running.  I use the word 'competitive' loosely because in many cases I was merely trying to finish races.  This year being able to go the distance has not been an issue.  My priority was to set personal goals and try to attain them at every distance from one mile to ten kilometers.

The personal record I am most proud of  was running one mile in under six minutes (5:57) at the Millersville mile run on May 23rd. I have to confess the course was conducive to setting a personal record.  Even so, it was a great personal accomplishment. 

The longer races such as the half marathon and marathon enjoy very large race fields and a substantial amount of press.  I have found that I could find one race a month in this area which is a one mile race.  While talking with another runner at the Millersville mile, he mentioned there is a Westminster Main Street mile in Maryland which has an even faster course. This past year it was held on Wednesday April 10th. Although the one mile races don't get as much press, it's probably the distance I am most comfortable running.

If you have ever driven a four-cylinder  vehicle you know how difficult it is for the engine to climb hills.  You have the accelerator floored and yet the vehicle does not respond.  In a similar fashion, I have a bear of a time with courses containing hills of any size.  I am not sure if my legs are not strong enough - or if my heart is the culprit. I would venture a guess I primarily need to strengthen my heart.

If I can train in 2011 with the intent of getting strong enough to tackle hills, all of my personal records should become better next year.  At my last race, the Give Thanks for Lebanon 5K, the hills I encountered were crippling.  Not because the hills were so challenging - but because I am not strong enough to traverse them effectively yet.

Give Thanks for Lebanon 5K Results

I woke up very early for this Saturday morning race, around 5 am.  Race time was a bright and early 8 am.  I was very anxious to race since I had not raced for nearly a month.  I used my automotive Garmin GPS to find both the Lebanon Farmer's Market and the Lebanon High School. Even though I have lived here the majority of my life, I have never been to the Lebanon Senior high school.  Fortunately the farmer's market and high school are only about 3/4 of a mile apart.

I wasn't sure where to pick up my registration packet. I initially drove to the farmer's market. Fortunately the farmer's market was the registration area.  Since I pre-registered my packet was waiting for me.  I drew the race bib number 32. I was also very pleased to see a long sleeved blue technical T-Shirt for this race inside the packet.  I then drove back to the Lebanon High school to park my car. The finish was at the Lebanon H.S.

Because the temperature was in the mid 30's, I remained in my car until 7:30am.  I then shed my warm up jacket and pants and jogged down the road to the farmer's market.  There were on the order of 300 plus runners congregating on the road for this race in front of the market on South 8th St.

At 8:00 am a few brief comments were given and then a young girl belted out a very good rendition of the Star Spangled banner.  Aside of some nagging coughs from my recent cold, I felt very good for this race. Even though I was wearing shorts in 35 degree weather, my legs were warmed up and loose.

This race was unique in that there were two races being run simultaneously, a 5K and a 10K.  Each one was a different route except for about 3/4 of a mile at the start of the race. I came out of the blocks fast because of adrenaline and the route was downhill for the first 3/4 of a mile. I completed the first 3/4 of a mile at a 6:46 pace.

I was using my virtual partner function on my GPS watch and knew I was ahead of my goal pace for the first 3/4 of a mile.  What I didn't know was from the 0.75 mile to the 2.0 mile point the route was going to be all uphill.  I knew after the first mile I was behind my goal pace already.  All of the gains I had accumulated were wiped out by a large hill from 0.75 to the 1.0 mile point.

Even though I knew I was not going to come close to setting a personal record I tried to focus on having a good time.  I was grateful for being in good enough shape to race this distance.  I was passed by three runners in the last quarter mile - I really need to be able to finish these races stronger.

I finished 18th out of 186 runners - a very good day when you look at the race from that perspective. i finished the race in 23 minutes and 23 seconds - my worst 5K outing of the year. After this race I was not sullen. For some reason I was filled with a desire to try and improve even more next year.

Give Thanks to Lebanon 5K

While perusing the upcoming races listing on the Runners World magazine website this week I found the Give Thanks to Lebanon 5K/10K race.   I believe I initially opted to not run this race because I could not find the prior year's race results online. I like to be able to show my son the towns and races I have run online via our computer.

This race will be run both  on the streets of the city of Lebanon and on a rails to trail path adjacent to the town.  The course is touted as flat and fast.  I have failed break 22 minutes for a 5K race (7:05 / mile pace) within my last two efforts.

Because I have been ill with a cold for a large part of this month I have only logged 15 miles of training in November.  As a result, my legs are as fresh as they have been for this calendar year.

I emailed the race director today regarding my registration because I entered online via Active.com.  In the course of our correspondence he informed me there are over 300 runners pre-registered for this race, I had visions of the field size being in the low to mid 100's.

As much as I would like to best my 21 minute 37 second 5K personal best tomorrow I am not sure this would be a realistic goal. I am going to set up my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch's virtual partner for a 22 minute 5K.  The virtual partner function keeps track of both my goal pace and my actual pace and provides instantaneous feedback.

Running Respite

Due to a cold and cough I can not rid myself of, I have not run since last Tuesday. In some ways I believe my body needs some rest from the training I have been logging.  I do worry that I will lose a step or two for the Turkey Trot next Thursday.

My training has become a perpetual tightrope walk where I am trying to balance pushing myself to new heights in small, yet substantial steps without risking injury.

I recently saw a video clip of a gifted 27 year old male runner named Dathan Ritzenhein.  He broke 13 minutes in the 5000 meter run in 2009.  As so many premier runners are -  this guy is wafer thin - probably weighs on the order of 120 pounds.  

Kidney Stones Again

I imagine most middle aged people like myself have a health concern which is persistent to some degree.  Some folks may have migraines while others endure  acid reflux or even arthritis.  Kidney stones appear to be the issue I will contend with for some time.

Since I started running in March of 2009 I have been remarkably healthy.  This past weekend I was remarkably unhealthy.  On Friday evening I had a sinus cold the likes of which I do not remember.  After I rid my sinus cold with some effective meds on Saturday, my right kidney began to radiate an excruciating amount of pain. It never escalated to the point I had to go to the emergency room - but it was very painful nonetheless.

I did not run this weekend, nor this Monday.  Even after the kidney stone pain subsides, my abdominal area in general is sore from scrunching in pain for hours upon end.

I was able to run today.  I wanted to run five miles, but cut the run short to four miles because I felt very weak. On a positive note, I surpassed my one hundredth hour of running this year. My next run will take me over the 700 mile mark for the year.

ING New York City marathon

One of the nations largest marathon's is being run tomorrow (Nov 6th), the ING New York City marathon.  New York city is only three hours away.  I would love to run this marathon someday.  The entry fee runs about $200 - so it is not cheap.

There is a female runner named Shalene Flanigan who is making her marathon debut. On the men's side I will be tracking a runner named Galen Rupp.  An Ethiopian runner named Haile Gebrselassie is my favorite to win this race. Update: He dropped out at mile 16 and retired from running altogether.

I am not going to run a marathon in 2011 - however, I will most likely make a Boston qualifier marathon attempt in 2012.  If I am successful, I will run the Boston marathon to celebrate my 50th birthday in 2013.

Night Running

I set out for my first night run of the season last night.  I don't mind running at night.  I carry a Life+Gear  flashlight / glow stick, sold at Home Depot. The flashlight/glow stick has about five modes (e,g, flashlight only, glow stick only) and handles very much like a baton while running.  It is very light, has replaceable batteries and is very easy to see at seven inches long.

It's been my experience depending upon reflective material for recognition at night is a hazardous affair. If a car's headlights do not 'square up' to your reflective material until you are but a few yards away, it leaves little time for a driver to react.  Add to the mix many people are on cell phones while they drive and you are now faced with an even more precarious situation.

The temperature last night was about 36 degrees F.  My lungs were not prepared for breathing in such cold air. My lungs hurt while running the first quarter mile.  After that I was fine.  I ran for 3.5 miles, which after running eight mile runs almost exclusively for the last month, felt like a walk in the park.

Life Gear Glowstick / Flashlight

CY 2010 Goal - 800 Total Miles

With ten months of running registered on the books this year I have accumulated nearly 700 miles of training and racing. The month of October was dedicated primarily to long distance runs.  I completed a half dozen runs in excess of eight miles. The motivation for incorporating this amount of long distance running was a couple of poor race performances.

I felt I had trained adequately for each of the races.  I did a fair amount of speed training, but felt if I neglected anything, it was long distance running. Conventional wisdom is completing long distance runs forms the basis or foundation for an effective training program.

Because I have issues with my kidneys and hydration I must be very careful when I run long distances.  I believe running six long distance sessions in October has served to make my legs much stronger.  I imagine running this long would be similar to bench pressing a lighter weight for a very long time.  You are going to strengthen a set of muscles if you exercise them for over an hour.  (Running eight miles takes me about one hour and ten minutes)

I need to average 57 miles per month for November and December in order to reach a total of 800 miles of training and racing in calendar year 2010.  I should be able to run even more miles in 2011 as one typically runs more miles in the same amount of time due to an increased pace from all the accumulated training.

I have submitted my application for Palmyra's Sticks and Biscuits 5K run on Thursday November 25th @ 8:15 am.  Barring nasty weather, I would like to set a personal 5K record.  I would like to run 21 minutes and 30 seconds - shaving seven seconds off my current PR of 21:37.

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trots

 Thanksgiving has traditionally been a day of rest in my life. Eat, drink and be merry day.  I am not one to be a creature of habit.  For the most part, I embrace change. I believe I will run my first Thanksgiving day race this year.

There are two Thanksgiving days races that have piqued my curiosity. The first race is in my hometown and is called the Sticks and Biscuits 5K.  The race benefits local ice hockey teams. The second race is in New Cumberland and is called the Turkey Trot 5K. This race benefits Vickie's Angel Walk  - an organization who helps families fighting cancer.

I will most likely run the Sticks and Biscuits 5K, due to proximity.  Last year (2009)  was the inaugural race for the S&B 5K. Their website indicated they had timing issues.  In response to this issue they are using electronic RFID tag scoring this year. Last year's race was an astounding success in terms of the numbers of registered runners. There were nearly 350 runners.

This race is being heavily advertised in town as there are dozens of S&B 5K yard placards displayed about town.  I would like to be part of a hometown race which may draw in excess of 400 runners this year.  Many of the best runners in the area will be present.  I don't regard myself as one of the best runners in the area - not yet.

York White Rose Run results

As forecasted, the weather for this race was chilly. (Although it was not windy.)  As I was driving to York my car's thermometer read 39 degrees Fahrenheit. This race is a very easy commute so I had no anxiety accumulation due to bad directions or a general inability to find the course.

The registration area for this race is at the Sovereign Bank stadium.  There is plenty of parking next to the stadium.  This event is very well organized.

I picked up my race packet about a half hour before the scheduled 8:30 am  race time.  Last year I felt they had one of the most fashionable technical  t-shirts among all the races I entered.  I wore last year's York White Rose Run t-shirt to this race.  Again they did not disappoint with a very fashionable blue tech shirt.  They had extras for sale for $6 each - a bargain.  I drew the bib number 113.  Numerological significance - nada.

As I warmed up my hands felt very cold -  fortunately I had  Brooks running gloves in my inventory.  I also wore a running beanie and arm sleeves. My tolerance for cold weather has increased markedly since I began running. The 42 degree race time temperature felt fine - with the proper garb. (I wore too much clothing at last year's race.)

Since this was my third or fourth race which started outside the Sovereign Bank stadium in York I felt very comfortable at the starting line.  The woman who sang the national anthem before this race sang the best rendition of this song I have ever witnessed in person.  She had a great voice - to the extent I was pumped up to race after her performance.

Coming into this race off the heels of a couple of sub-par performances I had lowered my personal expectations for this race.  I set my Garmin watch's virtual partner for a thirty-eight minute race.  The virtual partner function yields instantaneous pace feedback throughout the race. I was able to lead my virtual partner for about 3.5 miles of the five mile race.  I fell behind in the last mile and a half.

I knew there was a formidable hill about 1.75 miles into the race.  What I did not remember was there is a steady incline of about an eight of a mile to get to this hill.  I navigated this hill much better than last year - but I still have room for improvement.  At the top of the monster hill is a person playing bagpipes to commemorate your successful climb of the hill.

I finished the race in thirty eight minutes and twenty-six seconds (38:26) - a full two minutes faster than last year's time on the same course.  I was very pleased with my performance - although I finished 94th out of 269 racers (top 35%). I knew there were a boat-load of runners ahead of myself.

I maintained my focus on racing my virtual partner.  Were it not for my virtual partner I may have let myself become dejected with regard to how far back in the pack I was running.  I successfully ran the race I wanted to run.

York White Rose Five Mile run

As my running season comes to close tomorrow, I find myself in a reflective and contemplative mode.  I have had a good year and am looking forward to the prospect of an even better year in 2011. The White Rose race is one of the few races I have run both last year and this year.  The organizers handed out an excellent red technical T-shirt last year.

I feel very blessed with my wife doing great at studying for her degree, my boys are happy, and we are getting by financially with help from our immediate families. In a lot of ways, I have never been happier in my life.

Back to running.  I am going to use the virtual partner function on my Garmin GPS watch and set a very aggressive thirty eight minute time goal for tomorrow's run. This translates to 7:36 minute per mile pace. I ran the Beach to Beacon 10K (6.2 miles) run at a 7:29 pace in August.  I believe the York course is slightly tougher than the B2B.

The virtual partner function yields instantaneous feedback relating to how far ahead or behind I am of my goal pace.  When I simply used my 1/4 mile split times as a gauge for pacing, I had to wait for the close of every quarter mile to get a new split time and adjust my pace accordingly. With instantaneous feedback I can make pacing corrections much more rapidly - which should contribute to an improvement over my current 40:35 five mile personal record time.

Hematuria Blues

There were several races last weekend I was contemplating running. The Cornwall 5K is a local race just minutes from my house. The Polar Bear 5K run in Dillsburg is held by the Northern High school XC team. Also, the Thon 5K with over 4,000 participants was held in State College, PA. I opted to train this weekend for the York White Rose five mile run next weekend.

Coming off the heels of my excellent training runs of recent I decided to test my mettle on a ten mile training run this past Saturday. The weather was excellent, partly sunny with a slight wind, and temperatures in the upper 50's.

On the whole I felt pretty good for the run. I average a nine minute per mile pace for the first five miles and a 9:30 pace for the last five miles. My standard fare for long runs is to carry a 20 ounce Nathan Sports bottled filled with Gatorade.

I was not sure how my kidneys would respond to a run of this length. In the past I suffered from severe hydration issues - which I had hoped to rectify by drinking fluids during long runs.

Much to my dismay I had blood in my urine (hematuria) for hours after this run. From a hydration standpoint I was fine - the color had not darkened due to dehydration. As much as I would like to train for a half marathon or even a marathon next year I have to listen to what my body is telling me.  I have to do research why I would have this problem.  This issue did clear the next day, Sunday. (after drinking cups upon cups of water all Saturday evening)

excerpted from Sports Doctor.com

Blood in the urine (hematuria) has been recognized in athletes since the 1700s. It is most common in runners, but has been reported in sports as diverse as field hockey, cross-country skiing, boxing, and bicycling.
Studies have shown that anywhere from 20 to 90 percent of marathoners will have some blood in the urine after a race. The blood can either be visible (gross hematuria) or invisible (microscopic hematuria). Microscopic hematuria is by far the more common type, appearing equally in men and women. Gross hematuria is more common in men.
If the hematuria is exercise related, it usually clears up within two or three days after abstaining from exercise. Most often the blood comes from the bladder. The jarring of an empty bladder during running causes bruises and bleeding from the bladder wall.
The bleeding is occasionally accompanied by lower abdominal pain and the passage of clots of blood in the urine. Bicyclists can also experience hematuria from the impact of the bicycle seat during bumpy rides.
Sometimes the blood can come from the kidney. While the exact mechanism is not known, shunting of blood away from the kidney during intense exercise is thought to cause a temporary, reversible leak of blood cells. Dehydration will worsen the shunting and also the bleeding. If the dehydration is severe enough, serious damage to the kidney can occur.
Most cases of exercise-associated hematuria do not cause permanent damage. Because it is a diagnosis of exclusion, doctors often order a medical evaluation if the bleeding does not resolve itself within two to three days after stopping exercise. Bladder infections, kidney stones, cancer of the bladder or kidney, or other kidney diseases are some of the problems that need to be excluded by tests such as cystoscopy and an x-ray or scan of the kidneys.
In your case, I am very suspicious that "running on empty" is the cause of your problem. Try drinking plenty of liquids the night before a run. Have your physician run a urinalysis after a well-hydrated run. If the hematuria persists, you may require a full work-up.

Excellent Training Session

I wanted to get out yesterday and run because they were calling for inclement weather for the remainder of this week.  I decided to do a track workout because I was not prepared for a grueling road run. I decided to do a tempo run for five kilometers.

I set up a quick workout on my Garmin Forerunner watch by entering in a distance of five kilometers and an overall goal time of twenty three minutes and thirty seconds (23:30).  This equates to a pace of  7:34 per mile - a brisk pace for myself. I enabled the virtual partner function on the watch.  This function yields a display which gives you instantaneous feedback of your actual pace versus your goal pace during your run.

As always, I started my run too quickly.  I was able to adjust my pace because the watch display indicated I was running much faster than necessary to reach my time goal.  I ran the first 1/4 mile (one lap) at a 6:45 per mile pace. I then slowed  to a 7:27 per mile pace for the second quarter mile.  The second lap turned out to be the slowest split of this session.

I believe the five consecutive long distance 'Test Your Manhood' eight mile runs I have completed have been very instrumental in building my endurance and conditioning in general.   I finished the last four laps of this 3.1 mile run at  minute per mile paces of  7:20, 7:08, 7:01 and 6:50.  I finished this run very strong.

I pushed myself at about 85-90% of my max effort and finished this 5K training run with a time of 22:25 - a full minute faster than I had expected to run.  This averages to a 7:13 minute per mile pace.

I imagine I could have slowed during my run to hit the 23:30 goal pace - but I was not laboring much more at the speed I was running.

One More Race This Year

The White Rose Five Miler in York is only eleven days away.  My last five training sessions have been exclusively long runs. Each session was eight miles on a tough, hilly course. Because this is a tough run for me to accomplish, I needed more than one day to recover between these runs.

In fact I needed three days of rest in between my eight mile runs.  The one occasion where I only rested two days between the eight miles runs is when I had my worst outing - because my legs were still tired. If I would follow an eight mile training session with a run of a shorter distance, say three to five miles, I would not need a full three days rest.

I imagine there are people who run eight miles several times a week - I am not currently capable of running that much with that frequency. I know these runs have made me a stronger runner because I have been able to climb the hills within this run much more aggressively. My legs feel stronger.

Upon reviewing my heart rate for my last run I noticed some abnormal activity beginning roughly five  miles into the run.  My heart rate (in beats per minute) begins to vacillate markedly.  At the beginning of the seventh mile there is a very large hill to climb. For whatever reason, my heart began to slow down appreciably.  I slowed at the hill, took much smaller footsteps, and began breathing much deeper in an effort to conserve energy while climbing the hill.

Running with a Virtual Partner

Yesterday I used my Garmin Forerunner 305 watch to run my eight mile 'Test your Manhood' route.  It's named as such because the route is laden with hills.  It's a tough eight miles. I used a slower time I had run this route as the virtual pace my virtual partner would be running.  I did not want to lose my first race against my virtual partner.

Overall the virtual partner pacing worked very well.  The only problem I had with the virtual partner functionality on my watch was there are six screens associated with the virtual partner functionality. The screen I wanted to view predominately throughout my run only contains a graphic of a two runners on the top half of the screen and a number pertaining to how far ahead or behind you are of your goal pace on the bottom half of the screen.

The black background on the bottom portion of the picture above indicates the runner is slower than the virtual partner's pace. A white background indicates you are ahead of the virtual partner.

I found myself trying to scroll through all these screens to find my average pace, how far I had run, etc.  It's hard trying to press buttons on a watch while you are running.  There is an auto scroll function available which will continuously loop through all the screens during the entire run.  I am going to activate this for the next run.

I am going to run this route again next Monday.  I am going to use my best time of 1:10:36  (one hour ten minutes thirty-six seconds) as the virtual partner pace. It's going to be hard to beat this time - but it will be kinda neat to get instant feedback relating to how well I am doing against this pace all throughout the run. It truly is a virtual partner.

Garmin Virtual Partner

I have been wearing  my Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS for nearly a eighteen months and nearly 1200 miles and I am still finding features of the watch I haven't used.  The feature I have recently discovered is called a Virtual Partner.

I train exclusively in my hometown and have several routes I run on a routine basis during training.  The Garmin Forerunner uses the term 'course' to refer to a route that you run.  In a nutshell, I can save my most recent run on my eight mile 'Manhood tester' route as a course.  Then the next time I run this course, the watch will remember both my route and my times along the entire route.  A visual on my watch will let me know if I am currently running faster or slower than the last time I ran this course.

A dark background indicates I am running slower than my base or control course/time combination. A clear background indicates I am running faster than my saved course / time(splits) combination.

You can also just program a distance and time into the watch that you would like to run and the Virtual Partner will keep you appraised of your efforts to maintain the prescribed pace.  For example, I could have plugged in five kilometers as the distance and twenty minutes as the total time I want to run to arrive at a four minutes per kilometer pace. As I am running the five kilometers,  the Virtual Partner screen will display if I am ahead of my goal pace or not.

I found the following video on YouTube demonstrating the Virtual partner feature.

Self Discovery

In order to avoid living a life where you possess a dogmatic subscription to beliefs which do not change to reflect your environment, you need to effect a certain amount of time for self discovery. It's a relatively easy way to live your life by staying within your comfort zone.  It is very difficult to face some of the issues you have found to be problematic in your life and correct them.

Running has afforded me the opportunity to learn what I am made of.  To the lay person, running is not a very difficult sport.  Just put one foot in front of the other. To the elite athlete, who has been able to run five minute miles since the age of  fourteen, running is also deemed not very difficult.  Running is a very difficult endeavor for the newbie attempting to begin a new fitness regimen or hobby.

I am not made of steel, nor am I made of bamboo. I am not a marathon runner nor a sprinter. I value my roles as a husband and father much more than a runner.  Next year, I will need to dedicate more time to helping my sons learn to ride bike, swim, and play baseball.  While I do feel I have rekindled a certain amount of my youth via running, I am keenly aware I am not young anymore.

This is not a swan song for running within my life. I have just aligned my running expectations with my performances - which in my case is a major downgrade. 

Hershey Half Marathon

Hershey Half Marathon 2010 Reviews

I was not able to run this race this fall, however I was very intrigued with the prospect of having a half marathon available every year at a great time and only a couple of miles from my house.

Upon Googling the Hershey Half marathon I was able to navigate through the site and find the results.  Site design notice - a link to the results should appear on the opening page.   The results page opened with the following;

These are the updated individual results after reviewing tapes. We apologize for any confusion. Thank you for participating in the inaugural Hershey Half Marathon.
We apologize for the inconvenience.

I have no behind the scenes knowledge regarding the organizers of this race - but I believe they may have underestimated the resources necessary to execute a race.  The Beach to Beacon 10K race in Maine this past August (which I ran) used over 700 volunteers to assist with the race.

My primary concern with this race was the group which was selected to time the race had no presence in this area prior to the race.  I never heard of them.  When you you run a race, you expect the timing to be accurate. A secondary issue was there was no mention of the RFID based timing chips (B or D) on the Hershey Half marathon web site.


Hopefully everything went well and the genesis of a great fall tradition has commenced.

Eight Mile 'Test Your Manhood ' Route

In an effort to build my endurance and leg strength I have created a local running route which is eight miles in length and features multiple hill climbs and descents. Because the route contains a fair amount of hills, it would not be regarded as a route where I would set a personal record for an eight mile race.

I have compared this eight mile route to other routes where I have run eight plus miles and this route is so demanding I complete it at a pace of about nine minutes per mile in contrast to the typical eight minutes per mile I can run on a flat eight mile course.

My next run will be a five mile run in York at the end of October called the White Rose run.  I ran this five mile course in 40 minutes and 36 seconds or a pace of about 8 minutes and 7 seconds per mile.  I finished 117 out of 292 runners - barely in the top 40% of the field.

The inaugural Hershey Half marathon is this Sunday.  I got locked out of the race as registration closed in early September for this October 3rd race.  I don't think I am ready for a thirteen mile race - but I would have liked to run it bandit style.  (i.e., Didn't sign up for the race - but run the race anyway because it's only three miles away from my house.)

Ironically this course is listed as a relatively flat one the MapMyRun website - but I know there are hills galore to contend with.  If a quarter mile section goes up and down several times within the section, but begins and ends at the same elevation - MyMapRun incorrectly lists the section as flat.  There will be many runners who will be surprised by how hilly the course is.

I am not going to make any predictions or goals for the York White Rose race.  I can only hope my training in the interim results in a better performance than last year.

Even the Best Suffer from the Blues

I do take some solace in knowing I am not the only one going through a rough spell at the moment.

Ryan Hall (pictured <--), arguably the premiere distance runner in the United States has withdrawn from the Chicago marathon after a poor performance at the Philadelphia half marathon.

He makes a comment below where he states if he is not at his best, he does not want to line up for the race.  I agree with him. I don't want to race if I don't have a chance to do my best.

Ryan Hall's goal for his Chicago Marathon debut was to break the U.S. record. That isn't going to happen this year.

Following a disappointing performance at the Sept. 19 Philadelphia Half Marathon and some poor workouts over the past week, Hall said Tuesday he will not run the Oct. 10 Chicago race.

"It has been a rough last couple months for me,'' Hall said in a Tuesday interview with the Tribune. I've invested everything in my training, and sometimes things do not turn out the way you had envisioned.

I was very excited to run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon but my workouts haven't been good. I'm very much a guy that when I show up at the starting line, I believe everything is possible, and I go after things with my whole heart, so if I'm not ready to go, I'm not going to show up and have a performance that doesn't reflect that.

Hall, the leading U.S. marathoner since 2007, finished 14th in Philadelphia, four minutes slower than his career best time for a half marathon.

In a posting on Facebook the day after the race, Hall said, I was pretty bummed. It's not easy to still really believe anything is possible on days like today when I raced half the (marathon) distance slower than I typically come through halfway in a marathon, and I have only three weeks left until Chicago.

Hall, 27, was the 2008 Olympic trials winner and No. 2 U.S. finisher (10th) at the Beijing Olympics. His time of 2 hours, 6 minutes 17 seconds at the 2008 London Marathon made Hall the second fastest U.S. performer behind Khalid Khannouchi, who set the U.S. record of 2:05:38 at London in 2002.

"It's been a long time since I have been in a paced race on a flat, fast course like Chicago, and I was looking forward to seeing what (time) that translates to,'' Hall said. That adds to the bummer of not being able to go.

Race the Course - Not the Distance

I fully expected to set a new personal record for two miles this past Saturday at the Paxton (Ministries) Fest run. In a cruel twist of fate, I ran almost the exact same time as last year and in the same fashion.  I tackled  the first mile at a 6:39 pace and then proceeded to crash and burn during the second mile.

I was hoping the six hundred miles I have run in training since last year's race would have some benefit in achieving a faster time this year. I knew the second mile was a formidable one, yet I burned my energy reserves in the first mile again.  The last half mile of the race is all uphill. I thought I had enough in the tank for the second mile, but for some inexplicable reason (my BP meds?) I did not.

In hindsight, I should have targeted eclipsing my performance at this course from last year.  I would have been lucky to run a 14:15 this year with a good performance.  The course is not conducive to a fast two mile time.  I spoke with a couple of other runners after the race and their second mile split was much slower than the first mile split. Strangely enough, the first mile is easy and the second mile is hard - a juxtaposition which I was not able to physically maneuver.

I have run two miles as fast at 13:45 (13 minutes and 45 seconds) within a 5K race this year. The caveat is these two miles were not difficult miles.

At this point I am almost afraid to run another race and continue my downward performance spiral.   I have my eye on the York White Rose Five miler in October.  We'll see how my training performances progress.

NOTES: Upon arriving I noticed the local speed merchant Bill Chambers (aged ~ 47) was in attendance for this race.  I was convinced he was going to set a course record as he has run a 4:30 mile in the past.  I believe he finished the run in 10:21 - good enough to garner second place.  He's truly an amazing runner.

Paxton Fest Two Mile Run Tomorrow

I am going into this race in a very low key fashion.  The last several races I have put a fair amount of pressure on myself to achieve a specific time goal.  My current personal record (PR) for two miles is 14:28.  The last two 5K races I have hit the two mile mark at 14:10.  Barring an injury, I will have a new two mile PR.

My youngest son's birthday is fast approaching and we need to same money for his birthday.  We are contemplating taking a family trip for his birthday.  Running has served to eliminate the lethargy I used to suffer from., although I have seen my medication was a partial contributor to my lethargy. I am glad I have more energy now, because he is very active and loves to play

My youngest son loves to run.  We constantly race both inside the house (we have what amounts to a fifteen foot long oval among the kitchen and dining room ) and outside in the back yard. I sometimes wish we had  family here to share our joy in raising our kids. I say sometimes,  because I am already resigned to having our kids grow up with little personal involvement from our immediate families.

My blood pressure has been abnormally high lately.  I need to research how to find a new personal doctor. Prolonged high blood pressure is not conducive to longevity.  I recently watched a movie called Legends of the Fall where Anthony Hopkins plays Brad Piit's father.  Anthony Hopkins' character has a stroke and he does an excellent portrayal of what a person would have to endure after a stroke.  It's not pretty.  The movie is an excellent one, although I am not sure why it is titled as such.

Assessing Personal Physical Limitations

Once again I find myself dejected over my progress as a runner.  I embarked on a ten mile run this past Saturday and wound up only being able to run seven miles.  I alternated running and walking the last three miles to get back to my home.

I believe the smorgasbord of medication I am taking for my blood pressure is partially responsible for my erratic performances.  On Saturday morning, I had taken the medication clonidine. 

According to Medcicine.net ...

Clonidine acts by stimulating receptors on nerves in the brain that reduces the transmission of messages from nerves in the brain to nerves in other areas of the body. As a result, clonidine slows heart rate and reduces blood pressure.

Effectively this medicine is 'applying the brakes' to my heart.   It's also a mild sedative.  If I take this medication in the morning I frequently must nap in the afternoon due to an extreme tiredness I am overcome by.  This is why I always take this medication at night.

Lowering my blood pressure is a higher priority than running greater distances or running faster in general.   As it stands now, I need to concentrate on lowering my blood pressure and relegate running long distances to the back burner.

I am excited to run the Paxton Fest 2 Mile run this weekend.  It's benefits the Paxton Ministries - specifically a boarding house for under-privileged persons of all ages.  I ran this race last year so I am familiar with the course. I ran this race in 14 minutes 28 seconds last year, which translates to a 7:14 per mile pace.  I would like to run two miles this year in 13:50 or about a 6:55 (six minutes and 55 seconds)  per mile pace.

Where do I set the bar ?

As this running season draws to a close I find myself wondering what goal or goals to set for next year. I have had a year and a half to get an idea where my strengths and weaknesses lie. Not surprisingly, the shorter the race the better I fare.

The majority of running races are either 5K's, half marathons and marathons. Most of the other race lengths, such as the one mile and ten kilometer, are not nearly as prevalent.

From a financial perspective you can run about 3 or 4 five kilometer races (about $20 per race) for every half marathon or marathon you run. A half marathon (21.1 km) is over four times the length of a five kilometer race and a marathon (42.2 km) is over eight times longer than a five kilometer race, From training perspective, a half marathon and marathon require a commitment to training which is much greater than a five kilometer run.

One idea I had for a 2011 running goal was to train all winter and spring for a full fledged marathon in May 2011. The marathon is call the Pocono Run for the Red (Cross) and is located in the Stroudsburg Pa area. One in four runners qualify for the Boston marathon at this course. The course is nearly all downhill.

Because I have issues with dehydration and associated kidney problems I felt running in the cold would minimize the amount of fluid lost during training. The problem is I currently can only run 10 miles at a sub eight minute per mile pace. I would need to be able to add sixteen more miles (for a total of 26) at this pace over the next six months in order to qualify for the Boston marathon. I would need to increase my range by about 2.5 miles per month.

This would be setting the bar very high for myself - but it would be a hell of a bucket list achievement. I am not sure how realistic this goal would be. I believe I could finish a half marathon at an average pace under eight minutes per mile. But you don't get into the Boston marathon by running a half marathon well.

Motivational Ebbs

I have to confess I was very dejected after my last effort at setting a new personal record for five kilometers. All the race conditions were prime for a good outing.

After reflecting on my personal running 'State of the Union', I have to give myself more credit for what I have achieved this year. All too often athletes become consumed with achieving their next goal they lose stock of where they are in the present.

I have lowered my personal records in the one mile 5:57 (from 6:26) , five kilometer 21:40 (from 23:13) and ten kilometer 46:56 (from 59:31) distances. I am running a two mile race (Paxton Fest ) in two weeks and a five mile race in about a month and a half (York White Rose Run).  Barring an injury, I should establish personal records in both the two and five mile distances.

I was concerned I had peaked after and year and a half of running.  I decided to attempt a training run of ten miles this past Friday after work.  I ran with a water bottle(see pic)  from a company named Nathan.  The model is called the Quickdraw Elite and has a 22 ounce capacity.  I wanted to determine if I could run this distance without causing severe dehydration and potential kidney issues- as evidenced by a post run urine color of dark brown/black.

This container has a adjustable strap which secures your hand to the bottle. You do not have to grip the bottle to carry it.  It allows for a more fluid arm motion.  Fortunately 22 ounces of liquid is not enough to cause any arm soreness - in my experience.

I had a great run of ten miles, finishing in 1:22:40 (one hour twenty-two minutes and forty seconds). This translates to an 8:16 per mile pace. My simple post run dehydration test revealed only a slight issue with dehydration.  I ran out of fluids after eight miles. I now know I need about 22 ounces of fluid for every eight miles I run. (when the temperature is in the low 70's)

I have run ten miles in a training session before. The difference with this run is I finished the last several miles at a brisk pace. When I have attempted to run ten miles previously, I was nearly walking for the last several miles. Another positive takeaway for this year is I have built my endurance substantially.

There is a ten mile race called the Oley(Pa.) Country Classic in early November.  I am contemplating running this race to see if I can record a time at a pace which will qualify me for the Boston marathon someday. This magic pace is eight minutes per mile. I have run 6.2 miles at sub 8:00 / mile pace.  I would like to try and see if I can run ten miles in under one hour and twenty minutes in a formal race.

The eventual goal of qualifying for the Boston marathon is to run 26 consecutive miles at a pace under eight minutes per mile.

Going to the Well

In the course of running my last 5K in York, I found myself in a quandary relating to how much effort I wanted to exert for the race.  During the first mile of a race I am focused on both managing my adrenaline and compiling a personal assessment relating to how fluid I feel for the day.  Do I have any lingering muscle ailments ?  Am I comfortable with the energy being expended for the distance I have completed. ?  How am I faring in relation to the others around myself ?

I ran the first mile at the Quarterback Club of York 5K at a moderate pace. There was a clock at the one mile mark and it read 7:00 minutes as I passed. So far so good.   I felt if I could sustain the comfortable pace I had set for the first mile I would have a good run for the day.

Although the hill from the 1 to 1.2 mile point did not present a problem at the time, my quarter mile split time associated with this section of the course indicated I had struggled with the ascent.  I did not feel beaten by the hill because it appears I had not attacked it very hard.  After I climbed the hill, I spent a fair amount of time trying to recover from the extra energy expended from the climb.

It was at this point in the race I knew I had to physically shift gears into a higher intensity level to achieve a personal record.  As fate would have it, I didn't want to put myself into the next level of exertion (i.e. pain) to achieve a better finish.  I chose to place a premium on enjoying the run.  I chose to not 'go to the well.'

I believe I need to begin a strength training program this winter in an effort to build my core and leg muscles to enable myself to tackle hills within a course.  Running hills within a race is definitely a personal weakness i need to address.  My legs have become stronger this year, but I need to appreciably build my leg strength.

Quarterback Club of York 5K Results

Labor Day morning was an excellent time to run.  No humidity and the temperature was in the mid 50's.  Perfect conditions for a race.   This race was headquartered at the Sovereign Bank Stadium - home of the York Revolution baseball team. (They are not affiliated with a Major League Baseball team)

I arrived at the stadium about a half hour before the scheduled 8:30am race start. There appeared to be well over 200 runners for this race - a decent turnout for a holiday race.  Mentally I was a little flat for this race. I had begun to question why I am putting myself through these physical stresses to run what amounts to be fun runs. 

While I was warming up for the race I noticed a runner in my age bracket named Bill Chambers.   He finished second last year at this race and a photo with him receiving an award was displayed on the race website at http://qbclubofyork.wikispaces.com.  I was surprised to see he was all but 120 pounds and  5' 7" inches tall - a veritable munchkin, albeit a very fast one. I have noticed elite runners are on the smallish side of the fence.

I felt the course was a very fair one.  The course may have produced a number of 5K personal records, but mine was not to be one of them.  I subjected myself  to a fair amount of mental anguish as I ran this race.  Instead of trailing about 30 runners throughout the race, it appeared I was trailing about 60 or 70 runners.  Maybe there were a better lot of runners this year, but my position served  to drain my confidence throughout the race.  I tried to keep my focus on  maintaining my predetermined pace  - but I was not very successful.

I ran the first mile in seven minutes even. This is the slowest (best pace) I have run the first mile of a 5K this year.  If I could have kept this pace for two more miles I would have set a new personal record.   The second mie of this race was the toughest as it began with a moderate hill climb - although it ended in the same hill's descent.. I finished the second mile in 7:12.

I always have issues with running between the 2.5 and 3.0 mile points in a 5K race.  I have either nothing left by the 2.5 mile point or I am conserving energy and running at a slower pace during this time in an effort to have a fast sprint to the finish line.   In this race I ran the segment between the 2.5 and 2.75 mile markers at a 7:34 pace - well off my goal of 7:00 (seven minutes) per mile pace. My third mile time was a disappointing 7:20 split. I did have something for the end of the race - finishing the last tenth of a mile at a 6:50 pace.

At the very end of the race with about 30 yards remaining to the finish line I heard someone behind me  approaching quickly who had heavy footsteps and was panting heavily.  I quickly shifted into a gear I didn't even know I had at this point of the race and high-tailed it into the finish.  I was able to stave off this runner.  I don't look around at the end of a race to see if anyone is behind me, because I am not concerned.  Lesson to this spurned runner - if you are going to pass someone with 30 yards to go in the race, then don't make a Hollywood production of the pass with the exaggerated breathing, Rocky-esque growls and pronounced sneaker stomping.

My final time was unofficially 22:12, very nearly the exact time of my last 5K race.  I am going to hang  up my cleats this year with respect to 5K races. My official 2010 5K personal record time will be etched in stone as 21:37.  I was disappointed in my time, but truly grateful for being blessed with the abilities I have - even if they are not stellar.

I had a great time at this race and would love to run it again next year.

Quarterback Club of York 5K Goal

I have an excellent opportunity to set a new personal record for the 5K on Monday, Labor Day, in York. My current 5K PR is 21:37 - I would like to finish with a 21:25 time. This would have placed me 33rd out of 185 runners last year. (top 20%)

The weather will be perfect for this race which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 AM. The temperature should be around 60 degrees at the start of the race. Excessive humidity and/or high winds should not be factors either. I will not have any excuses for a sub-par performance in this respect.

The course appears to be a very level one with only one hill to contend with between 1 and 1.2 miles into the race.  I should have relatively fresh legs when I hit this 2% grade hill.

I went for a tempo run this morning and paced myself terribly - I ran out of gas after three miles. I averaged about a 7:45 minute / mile pace. As it stands now, any training run where I am hitting splits less than eight minutes per mile is a brisk run for myself. Anything over eight minutes per mile is a relatively easy pace for myself.

I wish i knew how to pace myself better. I can run out of gas in a one mile run - because I pace myself so poorly. I did try to hold back slightly in the last 5K I ran - at the Shippensburg fair. I'll try to conserve energy within the first mile or two for this race because I would like to finish a race with a strong kick.

Using last year's results as the basis, I have little chance to medal at this race. There were several runners in my age group who finished under twenty minutes last year. It's ironic I won a medal in my first (and slowest) 5K this year.

This could be a watershed event for myself this year. If I do well, it will provide motivation for continuing my racing pursuits. If I don't do well, I may have reached a point where my body simply can not run much faster or longer.

Plantar Fascitis in Town

I have been very fortunate to have not been ill with either a flu or cold or the like since I began running. I have had my share of muscular injuries, the latest being plantar fascitis. This ailment needs a more bourgeois (i.e. less scientific) name like 'heel stinger'.

This pain emanates from the toe (front) side of my heel.  It does not encompass my entire heel. The pain also does not extend from my heel to my arch. For posterity's sake - my left heel is the affected heel.

My heel stinger surfaced in early August. The night before the Beach to Beacon 10K race I could barely walk.  Fortunately it did not affect my B2B run.

My heel stinger remains an issue. I have been applying an icepack on my heel and taking ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation. I have also cut back on the frequency of my runs per week. Mornings are especially difficult for this ailment. I can barely walk when I awake because it feels like the muscle has stiffened overnight.

Today has been an especially rough day for pain mitigation as my kidney feels like it is passing a stone once again. My plantar fascitis pain pales in comparison to the pain from my kidney.

Excerpted from wikipedia:
The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of connective tissue originating on the bottom surface of the calcaneus (heel bone) and extending along the sole of the foot towards the five toes.

Training the Week Prior to Race Day

My next race is only six days away - on Labor Day. It's called the Quarterback Club of York 5K and will be my thirty-second race I have entered in the last two years. You would believe I would have a fairly regimented approach toward training the week prior to race day. 

In the past I bave made the mistake of trying to get a fairly rigorous training session or two in the week prior to race day. My sentiment was I would be stronger going into the race because I had trained more.  One of the takeaways I had from my excellent run at the Beach to Beacon 10K was to take it easy the week prior to the race.  I only ran once in the week prior to the Beach to Beacon 10K.

Because I have had exactly one month to train for this race, I was able to complete my difficult training sessions well before the week preceding the race. I recently read in a Running Times article your body requires between 8 and 14 days to derive benefits from a specific running workout.  Little did I know when I was trying to squeeze in a decent workout or two in the week prior to a race in the past,  the workouts were of no benefit on race day.

One of the modern day features associated with this race is they have a facebook page dedicated to the race at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/York-PA/Quarterback-Club-of-York-5k.  It appears the race field size will be in the order of 200 - 250 runners.  Also, the weather is expected to be very cool next Monday and should be conducive to producing fast times.

Kidneys Functioning AOK Again ?

I had a follow up doctor visit last Friday relating to a  blood test I had the week prior. One of the tests was geared toward determining how well my kidney's were functioning. I was concerned I had not altered my running significantly to impact my kidney functionality since my last blood test about a month ago.

Much to my surprise the kidney functioning test (GFR) came back normal.  My doctor had asked me what I had done which may have resulted in the normal test. The only substantial change I had made in my training routine was to eliminate long runs over seven miles. Since that time I have made a resolution to not run in temperatures over 85 degrees.

I will be convinced my kidneys are back to normal after another blood test, scheduled for some time in October. Until then I will be guardedly optimistic regarding my kidneys being normal again.

A New Fitness Regimen Component - Hydration Strategy

I receive emails on a regular basis from the website Active.com.  I recently found an excellent article titled '11 Hydration Strategies for Hot Weather' by Chrissy Wellington.

Within her article she enumerates the benefits of hydrating properly during exercise  - ' lower heart rate, improved blood flow for working muscles and skin, body temperature control, support for muscular contraction, preventing hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels), quick recovery, improved performance and lower perceived exertion.'

What a wonderful set of benefits derived by simply hydrating correctly.  Until now, I have possessed a pedestrian detail to personal hydration.  After reading this benefits list, I am eager to incorporate a more structured and formal hydration component into my fitness regimen. In this case, it's a very affordable component - water.

Some of the best hydration strategies are:

• Hydrate daily: The body performs best when the athlete is already engaged in day to day hydration practices. This includes regular water consumption through the course of each day.
• Pre-hydration: The athlete consumes 16 oz. of water approximately two hours before the start of the session.
• Event hydration: In short distance races, an athlete may only consume fluids at one interval but in distance events it is recommended for athletes to seek fluids every 1-2 minutes, in quantities of 4-16 oz.

My inadequate hydration strategy may be responsible for some of my poor training outings and occasional periods of slow recovery times. It also was a probable contributor to my issues with my kidneys not working as effectively as they should be.

I believe we all are at times guilty of becoming so engrossed with detail and technicality that we lose sight of the more simple things.  The simple act of hydrating properly may be very instrumental in my progression toward a local elite runner status.

Philadelphia Masters Indoor All-Comers - Jan 2011

I would love to run an event at an indoor track meet.  I have no aspirations of winning an event - just trying to set a new personal record  for the one mile run.

URL is http://pa.milesplit.us/meets/63280

MEETS SANCTIONED BY USA TRACK & FIELD – Hand Timing at all five meets

ALL REGISTRATION FOR THESE MEETS IS ON DAY-OF-MEET

ALL OF THESE FACILITIES ARE SPIKELESS – NO SPIKES OR HARD-SOLED SHOES DESIGNED TO HOLD SPIKES.

NO FOOD OR BEVERAGE (OTHER THAN WATER) IS ALLOWED IN THE COMPETITION AREA AT THESE MEETS

Contacts: Joel Dubow, joeldubow@usa.net, 484-437-9463

Lou Coppens, loucoppens@verizon.net, 215-675-4767

Sunday January 17, 2010 -- Developmental Meet at Albright College; 13th & Bern Sts., Reading, PA. Registration opens at 8:00am (No entry before 8am). 8:30 am: WT, followed by SW followed by Shotput. 9:30 am: Track events and remaining Field events: 55mH, 55m, Mile, 400m, Mile RW, 800m, 200m, 2 Mile, PV, HJ, LJ, TJ. Track: Unbanked 176 yd rubberized track. ALL AGES WELCOME!

Entry Fees:

Philadelphia Masters Members: $5 for one event; $10 for unlimited events [Philadelphia Masters Membership is $20 and offers the reduced meet entry fees.]

Children of members (18-and-younger): $5 for one event; $10 for 2-3 events (3 event max.)

Non-members 19-and-older $10 per event

Non-members 18-and-under $10 for one event; $20 for 2-3 events (3 event max)

Two Weeks til Showtime

My next race is on Labor Day in York, Pa. It is called the Quarterback Club of York 5K. If you click on the view elevation button at the bottom of the map displayed below you'll see the first half of the course is slightly uphill while the second half is downhill.

I am going to forecast my chances of besting my 21:37 5K personal record based upon the prevailing temperature at race time.  The race is set to begin at 8:30 am.  If the temperature at race time is 65 degrees or less, I will guarantee a new personal 5K record.  I have experienced first hand recently if I don't have to contend with heat and humidity I will perform much better.

I will have had  registered one complete month of solid training for this race.  (My last race being the Aug 7th Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine) I believe my adrenaline will be very high once the starting gun goes off for this race.

Another Lesson Learned

Many runners use the weekend as the venue for their long distance runs. A long distance run for advanced runners is on the order of 12-20 miles.  My long distance runs currently range from 7-9 miles  I typically like to do a long distance run on Saturday mornings to eliminate this item first from my weekend to do list.   I was extremely tired Saturday morning and decided to forgo my morning run in favor of a few more hours of rest. I had initially planned to reschedule my long run for Sunday morning.

Saturday afternoon rolls around and I get a sudden spike of energy and decide I want to do my long run. The temperature was in the mid 80's and the humidity level was tolerable.  The long runs are to be run at a very relaxed pace.  You are exercising what are called your slow twitch muscles or fibers.

As I entered my fourth mile of running I felt I was straining too much for this distance I had run.  I had underestimated the impact of the summer's heat and humidity upon my body.  Some would say I overestimated my ability to withstand the summer's heat and humidity. I was becoming increasingly dehydrated and I had a formidable three miles to complete for my run.

I decided to stop at the Paramount sports complex at the southern end of town and rehydrate at a water fountain within the building.  This complex is located at the end of the fifth mile of my long distance route. For whatever reason, I have never previously set foot within this complex.  I decided to walk around within the complex to do some casual surveying of the facility

I found a water fountain and began drinking. After one sloppy set of slurps I had to wipe my face clear of some excess water.  Much to my dismay, I noticed my hand was bloodied after the wipe.  I immediately headed for the men's room and noticed I had a bloody nose. It was not bleeding profusely or I would have noticed my plight earlier.

I was disappointed in myself because I knew my body was telling me something is wrong.  My blood pressure has been very high recently and I believe the nose bleed was related to my blood pressure issue.

I finished the last two miles by walking about an 1/8th of a mile and then running an 1/8th of a mile.

My lesson learned this weekend is that I must not run if the temperature is above 85 degrees and/or the humidity is high. I like to run in the heat - but I don't want to do more damage than good by exercising in what amounts to the 'wrong conditions.' If I don't make the run in the morning, then I need to wait until the next morning to address the missed workout.

There was a football player for the Washington Redskins named Albert Haynesworth who recently suffered from the condition Rhabdomyolysis.  I was also recently disgnosed with this same condition and need to avoid it like the plague in the future. The following is excerpted from an article relating to his condition

"Rhabdomyolysis is basically a condition in which you have extensive muscle breakdown," Dr. Lynne P. Yao, chairman-elect of the National Kidney Foundation, told The Washington Post. "It doesn't happen as often in well-conditioned athletes, but if there's really extreme circumstances -- like extremely hot weather -- than that could happen. When you have large amounts of muscle breakdown."

When muscle is damaged a protein called myoglobin is released  into the bloodstream and filtered out by the  kidneys.  Myoglobin breaks down into potentially harmful compounds The treatment for Rhabdomyolysis consists of both rest to prevent further muscle damage and hydration to flush the myoglobin out of the kidneys. Failure to address this condition in a timely manner has resulted in fatalities.

Fall Running Season is Approaching

Fall is not only my favorite time of the year to relax, but it is also my favorite time of the year to run. The temperature lowers in the fall and the humidity becomes much less of a factor. Also the scenery is typically much more beautiful as the leaves change color.

If I recall correctly, when I ran last October I got the sense I was running effortlessly because the weather was so conducive for running. The fall is great for running personally because I have logged over 500 miles of running for the year once this season begins. My excellent performance at the Beach to Beacon 10K race could be attributed to the cool 54 degree weather - very similar to fall weather.

There are many marathons in the northeastern part of the United States which are held in September and October because of the great weather. Running marathons during the summer months would most likely be regarded as irresponsible by a race organizer as the probability for serious health risks increase dramatically.

I have a long term goal of running the Boston marathon. It is held in April every year. You have to qualify for the Boston marathon by running in a marathon which has been blessed as a BQ or Boston Qualifier marathon. I have no chance of running the Boston marathon in 2011, but I am seriously setting my sights on 2012.

In order to run Boston in 2012 I would have to complete a marathon next year in under three hours and thirty minutes. Running 26.2 miles in this time equates to an average of eight minute per mile pace. I would like to determine f I am half way to qualifying for Boston by running a half marathon this fall in one hour and forty-five minutes - at the same 8:00 / mile pace.

Hershey PA has created a brand spanking new half marathon aptly named the Hershey Half Marathon. It's to be run on Sunday October 3rd. Unfortunately this event sold out this week, so I will not be testing my marathon capabilities there.

I had blood drawn again today for further testing of my kidney functionality. If my kidneys are deteriorating, I will need to retire any thoughts of running the Boston marathon. For now I will feed the dream.

On Sunday September 12th, Pottsville PA hosts a half marathon named the Sol Lipton Run Fest. The race fee is a dirt cheap $20 complete with a finishers medal. The commute is about one hour. Very enticing.

Addendum: The Mohawk Hudson River marathon has a high percentage of runners who qualify for Boston because of the BQ conducive course. http://www.mohawkhudsonmarathon.com/

Transformational Running Pace

When I first began running last year a comfortable running pace for my long runs translated into a range spanning from 9:00 (nine minutes) per mile to about 9:30.

Fast forward one year to today and my new comfortable running pace is on the order of about eight and a half minutes per mile for my long runs.

Their are several factors which have contributed to my faster 'base' pace this year. Not surprisingly, I have more lung capacity this year. My breathing last year was so labored I had to wear headphones to drown my cacophonic droning. My breathing is definitely much less personally annoying this year.

My chicken legs have strengthened into veritable turkey legs. My extensive hill climb training this year has served to add some much needed bulk to my leg muscles.

The factor I feel which has contributed the most to my faster pace is my increased range of motion with my legs, i.e., I am much more flexible than ever before. I have incorporated technique drills into my training regimen which serve to stretch or elongate my leg muscles as I exercise them.

The mechanics of traversing a given distance while running can be reduced to two simple components. The first component is the length of an individual stride and the second is referred to as a turnover rate, i.e., the frequency of your stride.

I would like to increase my range of motion and flexibility this fall to enable myself to cover more ground with each stride. The Garmin GPS company makes a foot pod which I could attach to my sneaker to determine my turnover rate when I run. But at a $100 price tag, I'll just have to venture a guess as to which component is responsible for my pace accelerating.

I would like to be the beneficiary of another incremental increase with respect to my base pace next year. It's a lofty goal, but I would like to break twenty minutes for a five kilometer run. (3.1 miles) That pace equates to six minutes and twenty six seconds (6:26) per mile . I believe I can run that fast now for about 1.5 miles.

A Running Parallel with Art

When I run without my MP3 player I tend to run in a contemplative mode as I am forced to occupy my mind with something other than music. 

I have always been envious of persons who have artistic talent.  I would love to be able to transfer three dimensional scenes onto a two dimensional platform.  If artists are able to make this transformation then why don't they paint popular imagery, sell them, and live well off the riches of their efforts ?

In a similar vein, if their is a running training regimen which has proven to be successful then why isn't the regimen published or sold and  runners at large adopt the regimen ?  In other words, why doesn't a formula for successful running exist ?

The beauty or difficulty with art is you have to craft a composition without knowing how your art will be received by the public. In a similar vein, a runner has to create a training regimen without knowing how well their body will respond to the training. In each case you are making decisions based upon your past experiences in hope the fruits of your labor will be more rewarding in the future.

Because everyone's physiological canvas is unique I believe it would be difficult to design a 'one size fits all' running training regimen.  And because everyone's tastes are unique, it is difficult for the artist to craft work which everyone will find alluring.  The pursuit of artwork to be embraced by the masses or the personal training regimen to be embraced by one's own body is the driving force which propels both artists and runners through repeated cycles of successes and failures.

PHOTO: Pemaquid Lighhouse, Maine