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--), arguably the premiere distance runner in the United States has withdrawn from the Chicago marathon after a poor performance at the Philadelphia half marathon.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