That horrible little word. It can absolutely crush and destroy the world around an athlete in a matter of years... months... days... hours... or minutes.
I've experienced two types of injuries in my time running.
The first was late in 2009. I originally thought it was a stress fracture in one of my metatarsals (foot bones), but looking back now believe it was some form of tendinitis. Back then I literally quit running for about 6 weeks, and it was completely gone when I started running again.
Jump forward to July/August of 2010 and I experienced a really odd pain in my left gluteus muscle. I was never able to figure out what that was, but again I took about 4-6 weeks off of running completely and it was gone.
Both of these times, I never really did anything to help it heal other than not running. I still cycled to maintain my cardiovascular fitness.
Fast forward now to Wednesday of last week. I did my usual hill repeats in the morning, plus an easy four mile road run before that. Well later that night I started experiencing some very familiar pain in the top of my left foot.
I looked up my training blog from 2009 and sure enough it was the exact same pain I was dealing with then. I of course tried to push it back and shrugged it off as just a weird tendon strain, and then ran another 8 or so road miles the next day at around a 7:30 pace.
It was somewhat painful, but not unbearable. I popped some ibuprofen and went out for another 4 road miles the next day at around a 7:40 pace and it was still there. Of course by this point I started frantically searching the internet for a diagnosis and of course a remedy.
I decided that I'd take Saturday off in hopes that would fix it, then run another 8 miles on Christmas Sunday. I ran 8 miles around a 7:30 pace, but the pain was still there, and possibly a bit worse.
My foot was hurting, but it wasn't a pain I couldn't run through. I finished 15 tough trail miles, but by the end I knew something was seriously wrong. I couldn't walk totally normal, and the spot on the top of my foot was sensitive not just to running, but to touch as well. The top of my foot was obviously a bit swollen, and the reality was really sinking in.
My emotions were varied, but the pure anger, and sadness were the most obvious. I was mad because I am human, I'm not invincible, and my plans can be taken away from me at any moment.
I was sad, because I LOVE racing. I love running through the woods with friends. I love running challenging trails. I just love running in general, and now it was on the verge of being taken away from me yet again by an injury. I hate to say it was devastating, but as an ultra runner I feel most of you will understand.
I did more research and have come to a conclusion. I'm 95% sure that I have Extensor Tendinitis in my left foot.
Now... here we are on Friday. The day before my new years eve marathon and two days before my new years day marathon.
I've stopped running. My last run was the 15 miles on Monday. I have fought with myself over what to do and have decided to NOT run either road marathons this weekend. While this was a hard decision, I'd have to be an idiot* to run two road marathons back to back with an injury. (*more of an idiot than usual)
I've been trying to treat it myself as best I can. I'm currently taking 6 Ibuprofen a day (2 3X a day), icing the top of my foot in the morning and afternoon for 20 minutes each time, and wearing an icy hot patch on the foot when I go to work at night. I work at a desk sitting down for the majority of the night, so I'm not doing much movement. Regardless I've decided to at least see a doctor next Monday just to rule out a stress fracture.
Thankfully, this has really helped so far. I'm unbelievably optimistic, but know that healing over use injuries takes some time, and they don't go away over night.
As for the Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon next weekend, I'm playing that one by ear right now. I'm going to continue treating my foot as I have been, I'm NOT going to run (will cycle an hour a day to help cardio), then I'll try a short run next Thursday or Friday. If the foot feels ok, I'll go ahead and run Athens. That's a race I've been wanting to do for years and I'm doing it if at all possible. Of course after the race I'll ICE, Rest, and Relax as much as possible.
As for Rocky Raccoon, I'm thinking that running a 100 in a month or so would be pretty stupid, but I'm not going to totally rule it out. I don't want to jeopardize the rest of my season. After Athens (if I run it) next weekend I'll make a call. I have till that Saturday to pull out of Rocky, so I'll have to make a decision that day after running Athens. If Athens goes OK, I'll stay in Rocky and run it on minimal training. If Athens shows ANY sign of pain, I'll pull out of Rocky and volunteer at the DamNation aid station with NTTR and Lynn Ballard.
Why am I telling you guys all of this? Maybe because I want you to feel sorry for me?
HELL NO!
:) I want you to appreciate each step you run. Each time something like this happens, it's just a reminder that none of us will be able to run forever.
Whatever you do, be smart in running, be smart in your training, and don't take injuries lightly. If you think something is wrong, it most likely is.
As always, I plan on coming out of this better than I came in.
But for now, I've gotta stay away from that black hole....
If you think the two have nothing in common you my friend are a fool!
Don't worry though... I once too was a fool.
When I started running six or so years ago I did absolutely zero strength or core training. All I did was swim, cycle, and run. It was cardio, cardio, and some more cardio for me. Then again, I was still around 200 pounds and just trying to shed the weight.
In 2009 I did my first ultra and believe or not, quickly realized that staying upright for 5 or so hours required a lot more strength than I had originally thought.
Fast forward to the summer of 2011 and I'm running around 10 ultras a year. This summer as I was training for my first 100, I decided to really focus on and stick to some kind of core/strength training regimen.
While I'm definitely not a professional of any sorts I do have a BA in Kinesiology and 6 years of intense exercise experience. I'm not going to sit here and list out my accomplishments, but I do want you (as an athlete) to seriously think about what I'm saying.
Something I remember very vividly from my second ultra (the Where's Waldo 100K), was that after 4-5 hours my back was starting to get more and more uncomfortable. Again, this was my first ultra that had any significant climbing, often an hour or so plus at a time. When I climb I tend to hunch over just a bit and I get a bit of a lean. The more I climbed the more my back seemed to bother me.
It took me another 20 or so ultras, but I finally realized that my core strength was FAR more important during ultras than it is during triathlons/marathons. (Even though core strength DOES have it's place in marathons!)
So, back to my training this summer, I knew that I did not want any back discomfort (or at least keep it to a minimum) during the AT100. Four times a week I started doing around 6-7 minutes worth of basic crunches (on an incline bench w/ a 10lb medicine ball) and push ups.
I was only doing around 30 push ups, and probably no more than ~120 push ups a week. While this probably doesn't seem like much to most, by the time I finished my first 100 I realized it was plenty! I had no back discomfort and my hike-a-climb skill was vastly increased. (just ask my pacer!)
The point is that we as ultra runners just cannot afford to completely avoid this topic. While you can definitely fake your way through a 50 (like I managed to do at Zane Grey AND Jemez... not sure how), I can only imagine how difficult a 100 would be without any specific strength training. I feel like I gained SO much fitness with just a few minutes of exercise four times a week. That's too hard to pass up.
What brought this on tonight (very spontaneous blog post) was a new workout I have implemented. A few weeks ago when on Google+ I saw a post about a 100 push up training program. At first this caught my eye, but that was about it. I later ventured back to the post and checked it out. Again, I read through it, but dismissed it as something I couldn't do.
Of course after going back to it a few times, I finally decided I'd try the program. It's a 6 week program with three workouts a week, ending with 100 straight push ups. I am now on week 5 and let me tell you. I am SO much stronger. I'm up to workouts that involve 160 push ups in 5 sets. I haven't tried to max out yet, but I'm getting more and more confident in my ability to push out 100 straight. I of course will keep everyone updated!
What used to concern me, was that as I runner, I never wanted to get "big". I never needed or wanted to be "muscly". The only muscles I figured I needed were in my legs, not to mention I was really concerned that as soon as I did any weight lifting I would "swell up".
What I have realized over the past few weeks is that I was completely wrong. Since I do 10+ hours of cardio a week, 10-12 minutes worth of push ups three times a week is NOT going to make me "huge", "swole", or "muscly". Toned... maybe... stronger? Definitely.
So let me challenge those of you that do little to no core/strength training. After your runs, three of four times a week, try 5 or so minutes of some kind of core/strength training. Buy a medicine ball and see what you can come up with. Heck, you can even try that 100 push up plan.
Whatever you do, don't underestimate the strength one needs to stay on your feet for 20+ hours.
I leave you with splendor. A song I've been pretty addicted to by M83.
Man, as I say towards the end of every year, where did the year go?!
I guess my "season" as some may call it has been officially over since the Wild Hare 50K two weeks ago, even though I don't really agree with "running season". I feel every season is good for running!
With the end of the year coming I've tapered the volume back to around 40 miles a week with no real focus. Each day I just wake up and run what I feel like running, on whatever terrain I want, whether that be roads or trails.
If you look at my schedule you'll see I do have a few races on the way. On New Years weekend I'm running the New Years Double Marathon. New Years Eve I'll run a marathon (pacing my friend Brian to a sub 3:30 whether he wants to or not), then New Years Day another marathon, hopefully under four hours.
These marathons are purely training runs for the Rocky Racoon 100 that's either Feb 4th or 5th. The plan for rocky is to AT LEAST go sub 24, and hopefully keep it under 22 hours. I'd say an exceptional day would be sub 21, and a perfect day would be sub 20. At some point in my ultra running career, I'd like to break 20 in a hundred, and I'm sure lucky to have a course like Rocky in my backyard to do so.
Since RR100 is such an early year 100, I'm going to keep the training as minimal as possible and try to prevent any burnout at all. I'll hover around 50 miles a week in building up to the New Years weekend marathons, then log two big weeks, before a two week taper into Rocky.
Part of those two big weeks after new years will be the Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon. This is a race I've been eyeing since I first heard about it. To say I'm excited to run this would be a HUGE understatement! It's supposed to be on one of the most rugged and difficult trails in Arkansas. I can only hope this is true.
A friend and I have been trading ideas about getting some good training in on the Ouachita Trail up in Oklahoma/Arkansas, but due to time restraints next week, we're only gonna have one day of running, so we're gonna head up to Big Fork and run the Athens Big Fork Trail. I figure this will be a good chance to preview the trail and get me ready for the marathon. We're gonna drive up Saturday and camp out, which is always a blast! If you're interested in tagging along shoot me an email and I'll share the details :)
I've also registered for the Leona Divide 50 near L.A. on April 28th. I'm excited to give this one a go, and cross California off my 50 states list. (should be number 12 or 13)
Unfortunately the weather in the Dallas area has turned to complete crap in the past week. We're looking at highs around 48-52 all week with lows around 29-30. Thank goodness there's no chance of rain. Yesterday it was in the 40s and raining so I hopped on the treadmill for the first time since our honeymoon, when we were in the middle of the ocean. All I can say is, if you were trying to torture me, the fastest way to get me to talk would be to stick me on a treadmill at an 7:30 pace. Death by treadmill... how horrible.
A friend put the "crappy" Texas weather in perspective when he said, "Hardrock doesn't have many triple digit weather days". I guess if I ever plan on running HR, I better suck it up and learn to run in the cold windy weather. Cause lord knows it's gonna be cold and windy at the top of Handies.
Lastly, congrats to everyone that got into Hardrock for 2012 and to everyone who raced The North Face 50 this weekend. What an incredible field they have every year. Some crazy times out there for sure.
I leave you with an old favorite of mine. Neon Sky by Vector Lovers. As usual, it would be a good idea to listen to it with headphones, or you won't be able to fully appreciate :) I'm still working on my "Tough Mudder" and "Hot Yoga" post... be ready. It's gonna be great.
This race didn't really get put on the schedule till pretty late in the year, and I was originally planning on the 50M, but the guy I was riding down with decided he was going to do the 50K, so in for the 50K I was as well.
Earlier this year I set a new 50K PR of around 4:35 with very little specific training and not really meaning to set a new PR.
For the Wild Hare the goal was at least a new PR, a sub 4:20 race or a top three finish. If you're interested in reading specifically about my goals you can read my post last week HERE.
In short, I got all my goals on Saturday, something I honestly didn't expect would happen. I thought that a sub 4:20 50K was a bit ambitious for me especially on trails, but alas, I surprised myself.
I finished in 4:14:21, 3rd Overall.
If you're interested in reading the specifics read on.
If you're reading this in hopes of getting a details course description, etc. this is gonna be the wrong report. CLICK HERE to read my 50M race report from last year which has A LOT more detail.
I'm gonna try to keep this short, but we all know that's unlikely.
The Wild Hare 50K
This years pre race went almost exactly like last years. My friend Ben (who ended up running the 25K) picked me up in Plano and we headed straight down 35, off to 77, down to Warda.
We arrived in just enough time that I could set my tent up in the little bit of daylight that was left. We grabbed our packets from Joe, then headed back to Giddings to have our Subway sandwhiches.
Once back to the camp site I couldn't help but head back up to the house to chat ultra stories with Joe and the others. Joe's the only person I've ever met face to face that's done Barkley, so I finally got the nerve to ask him about it :)
Headed back to the tent and slept great. Had a lot of weird dreams about not waking up in time for the race but that was it.
Race Morning
The alarm went off just before 6AM. I then heard the 50M start at 6. I stuck my head outside the tent and realized it was quite a bit warmer than I expected, so I opted to wear just my singlet and shorts. No gloves, arm warmers, or beanie.
Gotta love Texas weather!
I headed up to the race start in plenty of time to take my ritual duece and proceeded to the start line which had been moved down to the entrance to the barn.
Lap 1
Joe shouted go and we were quickly off. The course this year for the 50K was a 1 mile warm up loop followed by 4 7.5 mile loops, only slightly different than previous years.
My goal was to jump near the front by someone went off a bit harder than I was comfortable with. Looked like the others were ok with him running off too. We finished the warm mile and of course I forgot to hit my split on the watch.
The first few people were running a bit faster than I was comfortable for 50K so I dropped back into 5th place. I looked behind me and there wasn't anyone for quite a ways. Looked like my competition was right here with me.
I don't use a GPS or anything fancy like... just my perceived exertion level. I felt like I was running somewhere around an 8/min mile and sure enough I finished the first loop pretty comfortably in 1:08:17 which was an 8:02 avg.
I tried something slightly different for nutrition because I didn't want anything solid for such a short race, just gels. I decided to take one gel every 25 minutes and 1 S-Cap every 30 minutes. This ended up working well and I was never short on energy.
Lap 2
After crossing the timing mat, I refilled my water bottle and immediately headed back out wasting NO time!
I passed someone while they were re-fueling and I took advantage of this to open up some space. Here, someone caught up with me when we entered the wooded twisty single track section and he ran right behind me.
The 25K had started just minutes before we started out second loop, so we spent the first 3 miles of this loop flying through 25Kers. It was a bit annoying, but also kept us moving fast and not slowing.
I let the guy pass me towards the end of this section and caught up with him at the ~3.5 mile aid station. We ran it out together and maintained a steady pace. It felt very similar to lap 1s perceived level. Towards the back side of this lap he started to fade and told me to go on. (I later found out that this was his first 50K! Congrats to him on finishing)
When I left him behind I tried to maintain the quick pace we were running. I still couldn't see anyone in the 50K in front of me, but was hoping I'd catch someone. I finished this lap in 4th place and in a time of 1:00:31 for that lap which ended up being an 8:04 pace.
Lap 3
I again refilled my one water bottle and headed out as quick as possible. Spending no more than 5-10 seconds refilling.
As soon as I pulled out of the aid station I could see 3rd place just running ahead! Awesome. I quickly caught him and when I did I picked up the pace just a bit to make sure I left him behind.
Once I made it back to the wooded single track section I looked back and he was gone.
On this third lap I started to feel the pace in my legs and knew this was gonna hurt pretty good by the end. I saw sweating like a mad man since it had warmed up pretty good. (By no means was it hot, but reasonably warmer than it has been the past few weeks)
During this section I started thinking I should try to run this lap as close as I can to the last two laps so I'd have plenty in the bank by the fourth and final lap.
There were plenty of times during this lap that I wanted to walk, and most definitely would have in the past, but recently I have really gained confidence and mental toughness in my ability to keep running when I don't want to.
I kept thinking about the NYC Marathon two weeks ago, and my first 100 miler back in October, and how the 100 miler hurt so much more. How if I could run a 100 in 21:26, I can deal with this pain for another 2 hours or so.
I finished my 3rd lap in 1:01:53 (only 1:22 slower than my previous lap) and at an average pace of 8:15/mile.
Lap 4
Lap 4 started just like the others. I refilled my water and headed out. At this point I started doing some math and realized I could run around a 1:10 lap and still break my goal of a sub 4:20 race. I knew the odds were good, but was still a bit nervous that the wheels could come off at any minute.
I got a bit of a second wind after leaving the start area, but that quickly faded when I got to the twisty wooded section which I just despise.
I knew that if I could just finish this section I'd be able to hopefully push the pace into the last 3 or 4 miles. The motivation I was getting from the BOP 25Kers/50Kers was really nice, and much appreciated.
I knew I was still running a fine line between going too hard, but I was ready to risk it. I was well on my way to a 20 minute PR.
When I got close to the ~3.5 mile aid station I could see the 2nd place girl running out. She still looked like she was running a 5K, and I knew it would be a test to catch her. I mentally decided to keep running my race and not actively try to catch her. I just didn't have it in me at that moment...
Once through the aid station I knew a sub 4:20 was pretty much in the bank and I was now running for a new PR, and possibly 2nd place.
I kept getting glances of the girl in front of me, but it didn't look like I was gaining all that much. Finally I came to the end of the big field section on the back side and was almost to the suspension bridge. I looked to my left and I could see the girl hiking up the climb.
I don't know why, but I didn't want to sneak up on her, so I let her know I was coming. I think I said something along the lines of, "Go Girl!"
At this point she sees me and gets it.
I knew it was on.
I ran up the bridge and power hiked the climb. Once to the top I started pushing deep for my final chance to catch her. I kept looking ahead but didn't see her. With probably 3/4 mile to go, I pass a guy and he says, "She's just ahead! You got her!"
This gave me a bit of motivation so I dug even deeper. If I didn't catch her at this pace, more power to her!!
I was running about as quick as I could go, then out of nowhere I was face down in the dirt.
Ugh. My foot caught a root and my calf had totally seized up. I quickly un-seized it, and got back to running, but that was it.
I'd just run 30.5 miles without falling once and of course it would happen with less than a quarter mile to go.
When I made the final turn I could see the finish line and she was already through it. I crossed the line in 4:14:21, in 3rd place, and set a new PR by 21 minutes.
She had beaten me by 31 seconds. Mass kudos to her for running a heck of a race. My last lap was in 1:03:37 at an average pace of 8:28/mile. My slowest lap by about 1:40, but I couldn't be much happier. I pushed the pace early and pushed the pace late. I did what I could and ran the best race I could that day.
I congratulated her on the win and found out from Joe that he was going three deep for overall! Of course he has the best hardware ever. I ended up with some yard art! A handmade armadillo on a stick!
Thanks to Joe, his wife Joyce, and Tejas Trails for another fantastic race. Somehow, they know how to keep that low key feel even when their races grow. This race will stay on my list for some time to come.
Over the year I have started to learn something about myself and ultra running. When I first started ultra running I wasn't very good at dealing with the pain that running such long distance will bring.
I have recently started to become much better at dealing with the pain. At the 50K, there were plenty of times I wanted to walk, and could have walked, but I didn't. I knew what it would take to get that new PR and maintain my 3rd place OA.
This was a great way for me to "finish" my running season and start the thanksgiving holiday.
This week, I am thankful for my ability to run. I am thankful for my wife, family, and friends. But above all, I'm thankful for the God that has given it all to me. Because lord knows... I'm not worthy.
I don't race "seriously" all that often anymore, but this weekend I'm heading down to the teeny tiny town of Warda, Texas.
I'm fairly certain this place doesn't have a stoplight.
Regardless, my friend Ben opted for the 50K instead of 50M so I'm down for the 50K with him. This will be my last ultra of the year so I've decided to go for it.
It may not be the smartest thing just 13 days after a 3:15 effort at the NYC marathon, but I've never been known for my brains. (My wife is the brains!)
My original goal was to go for the win, but looking at past results I'm gonna be happy with a top 3 overall, or sub 4:20. I set a new 50K PR this year of 4:35 while still building for my summer running, so I'm hoping a 4:20 isn't completely unrealistic. I guess I'll find out Saturday.
My good friend Scott is coming down from "up north" for the UT game, so he's gonna pick me up at the 50K, and then we're driving into Austin for my first UT football game!
I have also talked him into skydiving, so on Sunday morning before our drive back to Dallas/Fort Worth we're going to jump out of an airplane! When I did my first jump in September they offered me a 50% off coupon for my next jump.
I'm keeping this post short, but I've been contemplating a few posts for the next few weeks...
1) My 2nd hot yoga experience.... (please don't ask)
2) My thoughts on the "Tough Mudder" events....
I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that!
I want to congratulate all the first time ultra runners at the Rockledge Rumble this weekend as well as all the first time trail runners/racers! Welcome to trail running!
I leave you with Dayvan Cowboy.... this is more for Scott than anyone else ;)
Call me a hippie minimalist wanna be, but I don't EVER run with music.
I absolutely LOVE hearing the sounds around me. I love hearing my breathing, and I love hearing my feet hit the ground.
With that, I know pleeeenty of runners (road and trail) that run with music over 75% of the time. Out of all those people I can think of three specifically that are pretty fast accomplished runners, so running with music isn't just for the BOP.
Plus, why NOT run with music?! I remember in college we had the chance to run our own experiments/projects and one group actually picked the effects of music on motivation or something along those lines. Now I doubt it was 100% accurate/controlled, but it turned out the people in that study ran faster with music than without.
Well, I'm here to force my opinion on you and tell you running is better without music!! (just kidding a little bit)
I recently came across a race report for the New York City Marathon. Hopefully the person that wrote that race report will not see this, but if you do, you're more than welcome to post your response.
I was really enjoying the race report till I got to this part. "It was amazing running over the bridge. I was listening to my music but at one point I switched it off just to hear the sound of feet running on concrete. It was so quiet and zen. Truly incredible."
The author was typing about running over the Verrazano Narrows bridge in the opening two miles of the marathon.
Here's my question. WHY in the world would one want to shut out the sounds of this? Running across that bridge last week was incredible. Thousands of people together running across one of the more famous bridges in the world. Odds are that's the only time these people will EVER get the chance to do this, and you're going to drown it out with music?!
It almost made me sad to think that, that person had their music on for the rest of the race and missed the crowds shouting through Brooklynn... Queens... Manhattan... The Bronx... and Central Park. If you've run that marathon before you know exactly what I'm talking about. People 5+ deep on both sides just shouting encouragement. It's truly incredible and uplifting.
Another aspect of music + running that bothers me is trail runners that use music. (remember... it's my opinion before you destroy me!) :)
Last year I was mountain biking on a local trail that also has trail runners/walkers coming the opposite direction. I was heading down a steep, technical drop that had a lot of blind corners.
I'm flying down and look up to see a runner walking up the hill with her head down. I assumed she could hear me coming and would at least move over a bit, but she had music in her ears and never heard me coming. I had to bail off the trail into some brush to avoid slamming into her.
As soon as I hit the brush she looks up and says, "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. I didn't even hear you coming" ...
Hmmm. Imagine that.
Now, in regards to ultra runners, I know that we're often times out there in the wilderness alone for hours. It know it can get kinda of lonely and boring.
While I can see that music may be a good pick me up here, I can't help but think about 1) how many awesome sounds you're missing out on and 2) how dangerous this could be.
In those big mountain ultras there are often times so many sounds that we never get to hear when living in the city, not to mention the lack of sound that is also incredible! I remember a few years ago sitting in this huge oversized chair at the top of the Pajarito Ski Area in the Jemez 50. I just sat there and soaked in the silence and beauty of the mountains around me. I couldn't have imagined drowning that out with music.
As for being dangerous, I can't help but think about my Where's Waldo 100K experience a few years ago. I was walking up a hill around mile 55 and suddenly heard the sound of a tree getting torn up. I looked up to see a bear scavenging in a downed tree for grub. As soon as I looked at the bear the thing turned around and stomped off.
If I'd had my ears plugged with music there's no way I would have heard that bear. (odds are it would have heard me and stomped off without me every knowing it, but you know what I'm saying)
I guess what I'm getting at here, is that I hope you guys and gals that run with music are taking out the ear buds every once in awhile and soaking in the sounds or lack there of around you. Don't become dependent on your music to get you through a race, because I've come across PLENTY of grumpy runners that are pissed off because their IPod battery died! :) You won't be sorry!
And finally, I want to finish up my little rant with a few questions for those of you that do run with music.
Why do you run with music? and do you ever turn off the music? Do you train and race with music?
Remember, I'm not at all trying to say what's wrong and right, but I am interested in hearing why some people do prefer running with music.
Obviously, it's to each his own, and if you want to run with music, by all means do so! :) Just remember to be safe and don't forget to look up!
and with that, I ironically leave you with a piece of music :)
The 2011 New York City Marathon was my 26th "Official" marathon (counting Ironmans, Ultras, Double IMs and regular free standing marathons).
While I've run 26.2 miles in training and in races too many times to count, this 26.2 miles will forever be some of the most fun miles I've ever experienced running.
To say this race was executed with precision would be an understatement. I don't know how it was done, but somehow the race organizers manage to push 45,000+ people through the five borroughs of New York in one day, over 26 miles.
This race has been on the bucket list for awhile, and I am now happy to say I have crossed it off. While I don't train to run road marathons anymore (much less for speed), I do still enjoy the feeling of "big city" marathons.
My goal going into this run was to enjoy myself, soak in the atmosphere, take plenty of video (since I carried my video camera), and run a time under 3:30. I knew that I have the Wild Hare 50K in two weeks after it, so I wasn't too concerned about going to slow, just too fast.
If you're only interested in the details I finished in 3:15:22.
If you're interested in how I covered that 3 hours, 15 minutes, and 22 seconds read on.
Pre Race:
My wave (wave 1 of 3) went off at 9:40AM. All the waves start from the Staten Island side of the Verrazano Narrows bridge. My friend Scott had done the race before so he had prepared me for all of the craziness that is race morning for the NYC Marathon.
I was staying with him on Long Island and he knew of a running shop that organized a bus from the running shop to the race start. The running shop was only 30 minutes from his place so we headed over there around 4:45AM and the bus departed promptly at 5:30AM.
I enjoyed the ride in while the sun came up and had great views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and the island of Manhattan. The guy I was sitting next to grew up in Brooklyn so he was a great tour guide!
We probably arrived to Staten Island around 6:20AMish. We unloaded and made our way into the "Start Village". This is where I witnessed the organization that is the NYC Marathon for the first time. There were three separate waiting areas for each wave. I followed all the appropriate signs to the Orange waiting area. Once there I dropped off my dry clothes bag for post race in one of the many UPS trucks and proceeded to the dunkin donuts coffee truck!
I ended up just sitting on a curb by myself till around 8:30AM. I used the restroom a few times, got more coffee, and just twittled my thumbs (since I didn't know anyone) until it was time to head to our corrals.
Once in the corral (which again was crazy organized and not to mention each corral had another 40 porto potties!) I stood around till they started pushing us all towards the Verrazano Narrows bridge. We probably arrived on the bridge around 9:10AM, in time to hear the pro women start, then promptly stood around for another 30 minutes.
The day before the race we had gone to the Salvation Army store so I could buy some throw away sweat pants and sweat shirt for the race start. Finally, with about 3-4 minutes till the start, I pulled off my super warm and comfy sweat pants and shirt, and tossed them over the side of the railing. (onto the cement below to be donated)
Finally the gun goes off, and we started running up onto the bridge. The 2011 New York Marathon had begun.
Race:
As I began the climb up the bridge I couldn't help but stare off at Manhattan. It looked so far away, but was just an incredible sight to see. Seeing something like the start of the NYC marathon really puts things in perspective. How small we really are.
We came up to mile one in around 7:37. I looked over to my left and there was a huge helicopter even with us on the bridge video'ing and taking pictures. It was just sheer awesome.
The bridge is H.U.G.E. I felt so tiny. Mile 2 was back down the other side of the bridge and I clocked it in 7:52. Didn't want to start out too fast!
We were soon off the bridge and into Brooklyn. This is where I got the first taste of the crowds. It was INSANE. People EVERYWHERE! It looked like people had just walked outside that morning and realized the marathon had closed everything down, so they decided to stand out on the sidewalks and cheer. It was crowds for the next 24 miles. The whole way, on both sides.
This section of the race is straight and long. There are no significant turns until around mile 8. I just enjoyed the atmosphere and watched the miles tick away.
Kids were lined up on the street and everytime I saw a little hand hanging out I'd run up and high five them. People were loving it. High fives everywhere. I've never given so many high fives in one day! Mile 3 was 7:21, 4 was 7:49, 5 was 6:46 (probably short), 6 was 7:12, 7 was 7:09 and 8 was 7:30.
It was awesome passing through all of these incredible neighborhoods. We passed some beautiful churches as well as some crazy old buildings. I was still in shock by the amount of people out spectating. At times they were 3-5 deep just shouting there heads off. It was cheering the whole time. Like nothing I'd ever experienced before.
I knew that Scott and Courtney were going to be spectating somewhere around mile 8 so I worked my way over to the left side of the road where they said they'd be and started keeping an eye out for them.
Around mile 8 Courtney finally caught my eye and I ran straight for her and Scott. I ran up and gave her a big kiss and handed them my arm warmers. Told them I was having fun and headed back out.
This part of the course was pretty cool because we went through a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood. Living in Texas we don't see many Hasidic Jews, so it was really interesting. None of them were cheering, but a few did have signs that said, "Go Runners".
Once through that neighborhood, the cheering picked back up and I was starting to realize I was probably running too fast for my training, but I was having lots of fun, so I just went with it.
Something I noticed is that when the crowds picked up, my pace got faster. It was so cool how we could feed of the crowds.
Mile 9 was 7:30, 10 was 7:19, 11 was 7:26, 12 was 7:31, and 13 was 7:22.
Around mile 13 was climbed up and over the Pulaski Bridge. It was only a half mile or so long, but I could tell people around me were starting to slow. I was still feeling good so I just kept going with it. When we got off the bridge we were officially in Queens!
The crowds were just as awesome here. Since I was passed the halfway point I decided I'd finally duck into a porto potty and pee. I'd been needing to for the past 10 miles, so I figured it was about time.
Finally the Queensboro Bridge starting coming into sight and I remember this was the bridge that took us into Manhattan and onto 1st Ave!
Everyone I'd ever talked to about the NYC Marathon has told me that the turn onto 1st Avenue is like no other. They say the crowds are 5+ deep and it's just indescribable.
As we turned onto the Queensboro bridge we ended up on the bottom level. The higher we climbed the more the wind picked up and for the first time during the entire race I felt cold. The bridge was eerily quite, because there weren't any spectators here. People around me were really slowing here, so I just picked up the pace and pushed it to the top. Mile 16 was at the end of the bridge.
Mile 14 was 7:22, Mile 15 was 8:23 (potty break), mile 16 was 7:29, Mile 17 was 7:40, and mile 18 was 7:39.
As I started to come down the bridge I could hear the crowds. This was just awesome. We rounded the corner at the bottom and BAM! We were just hit with a wall of cheers. Everyone else was running on the inside of the corner, but I couldn't help but run to the outside and give everyone high fives! It was so contagious.
We circled back around and went under the Queensboro Bridge onto 1st Ave. We I came out from under the bridge I could see straight down 1st. The street was HUGE and people were smashed up onto the barriers on both sides of the road.
The most shocking part to me was how WIDE the road was! Everyone was running to the inside, so none of the spectators were getting high fives anymore. I made an effort to run closer to the sides so I could give more high fives :)
I remember Scott telling me that he'd be somewhere before mile 18 on 1st Ave so I worked my over to the other side of the road so I'd see Courtney and Scott. It was TOUGH looking for them, because there were SO MANY people.
Finally around mile 17 I saw Courtney again and ran straight to her. I gave her a big kiss again and told them both I was still having fun and that I'd seem them in a bit! It was so great to see them both again.
Right after I left them, I remember my friend Liz (who lives in Queens) was going to be volunteering at the mile 18 aid station! I told her to work on the right side of the road, and I'd run down that side looking for her. Sure enough, at the end of the aid station I saw her raking up cups off the street! I ran up and said hey and thanked her for volunteering! Was so cool to see someone else I knew.
Right after that I passed through the mile 18 "Gel Zone" or something like that and took a gel from them since I'd only brought 5.
I was finally starting to feel the burn of the 7:30 pace for the past 18 miles, but was still moving just fine. It was that point where you can either drop the pace and finish super comfortable, or keep moving at the same pace and just deal with a bit of the pain. I of course went with the latter and worked on maintaing the pace I'd been running the whole race.
Mile 19 was 6:56 (way short), Mile 20 was 7:45 (long), 21 was 7:30, 22 was 7:33, and mile 23 was 7:27.
At the north end of Manhattan we climbed up the short Willis Ave Bridge. Once over the bridge we were now in the Bronx! The Bronx was a blast, but short lived because we only ran there for around a mile. It was around this point I ran a 7:37 min mile and decided from here out nothing slower than that.
When coming out of the Bronx at mile 21 on the Madison Ave Bridge I saw some emergency personal sorrounding a lady that was laying flat out on her back. When I passed I tried to tell if she was breathing but I couldn't tell. I said quick prayer for her safety and health and got back to those sub 7:30s.
I crossed the bridge back into Manhattan and Harlem. This part of the course was awesome! Lots of crazy people cheering and lots of cool bands. (which I'm normally not all that into)
It's pretty much a straight shot here all the way down the side of Central Park, until we turn into Central Park around mile 23.75. It felt like a gradual uphill here and I think one of my slower miles was 7:37. I was also keeping an eye out for Scott and Courtney again, but they ended up heading down to Broadway so we could meet up afterwards.
I turned into Central Park at mile 24ish and was feeling good. The burn was pretty much everywhere, but I wasn't having any trouble dealing with it. I was passing people constantly so I just used that as motivation and knew I could stop when I crossed the line. Mile 25 was in 7:07. One of my faster miles for the day.
This part was awesome because again, people were crammed up against the barricades 3-5 deep on both sides in Central Park. Running through Central Park is always awesome, cause you can see the huge towering buildings above the trees.
I kept pushing the pace and knew I was close to a sub 7 pace for mile 26. I also knew I was possibly on target for a sub 3:15 finish. I didn't really care about my time as long as it was sub 3:30, but sub 3:15 was now a fun goal.
We came out of central park again and turned onto Central Park South for about a half mile. Here, the crowds were again, just out of control! I was back to high fiving like a maniac and soaking up the incredible energy. I could see Columbus Circle ahead with the Time Warner Center straight ahead.
I dug a little deeper and rounded the corner at Columbus Circle back into Central Park and saw mile 26 just ahead. Mile 26 was in 6:53. My fast mile of the day. At this point I realized sub 3:15 probably wasn't going to happen, but I kept pushing the pace anyways.
I video'd the last 3 or so minutes and just had fun with it.
I crossed the finish line in 3:15:22 and had finished my 26th official marathon. My second fastest free standing marathon, despite just running it easy with no intention of PRing. (3:06 PR)
Post Race:
Well, to be really honest here the post race wasn't as bad as I had imagined, but it was still rough. I crossed the finish line, grabbed my finisher medal and my finisher goody bag. (no finisher shirts... not sure why not for a $250+ entry fee)
We just kept walking and I knew they push us towards an exit so we could get our dry clothes bags. We walked maybe a half mile before getting to the UPS trucks. This is where it got crazy! There were maybe 3-4 people getting bags out of my UPS truck and about 100+ people that had bags in that truck. It was pure chaos here.
After 15 or so minutes someone finally found my bag. I changed into my dry clothes and headed towards Broadway so I could jump on the subway down to 50th street near Times Square where I was meeting Courtney and Scott.
Cool sidenote:
When I was walking down into the subway, a police officer let me and another marathon finisher into the subway for free!
Also, once on the subway, me and the other finisher had to stand because it was so full. A guy offered us his seats and I thought that was cool.
It seemed the whole city was into the marathon.
A quick list of goods and bads to this race:
PROs:
-This thing is ORGANIZED!
-Lots of spectators. I mean A LOT.
-SO many bands, official and unofficial (if you're into that kind of stuff)
-Awesome course
-Fast course
CONs:
-Expensive
-Felt like the finisher medals were kind of cheap
-No finisher shirt for a $250+ race fee
All in all, I couldn't be any happier with the way this race worked out. I had a blast, ran a solid time (probably too solid), and soaked up the NYC Marathon atmosphere.
I have 25 minutes + of footage to sort through and edit so I can get it put on YouTube. Hopefully I'll get around to doing that this week.
If you have any questions about the race, feel free to ask!
When I first discovered my love for trail running, I was convinced I live in the worst place in the WORLD to run good trails. As I still tell people today, I believe I was supposed to have been born deep in the mountains somewhere above 10,000ft.
Alas, I was born in Dallas, Texas and now live just 20 or so mile north of Dallas in Plano, Texas.
To me, North Texas, would be my downfall, when it came to being prepared for big mountain ultras.
When I ran Zane Grey last year, I couldn't help but think, "Man, I wish I had trails like this"... and I kept telling everyone I met, "How lucky they were to have such awesome trails so close by".
What I don't think I realized is that most people drive anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to there favorite trailhead, no matter where in the world they live!
Literally, within a mile of where I live in Plano, I have access to around 15 miles of "trail" with a few 100-120ft steady climbs. I think the problem here is me, and the fact that I become bored running the same trails, day after day. On the other hand, I know all my local trails like the back of my hand.
Again, I diverge from my main topic.
Over the years of trail running I have found out why, contrary to popular belief, North Texas actually has some pretty awesome trail running, with "some" elevation changes to boot!
Pro #1) Plenty of Trails!
Not only does the DFW (Dallas/Ft Worth) Metroplex have a plethora of high fashion malls, but we have a plethora of mountain biking and hiking trails!! We literally have around THIRTY different trails to choose from ranging from 2.2 miles in length to over 30 miles. The furthest of these trails from me is around 1.5 hours! The trail with 30+ miles is only 30 minutes down the freeway! (not to mention it's FREE)
If I drive over 2 hours I can get to trails like the Cameron Park trails in Waco, any of the numerous trails in the Austin/Hill Country Area, plus quite a few trail systems in Oklahoma with some good elevation change up there!
Pro #2) Wide variety of terrain!
While most of our trails in DFW are VERY well maintained by our friends over at DORBA, there are the occasional rough and tough trails like Sansom Park in Fort Worth and the Cross Timbers trail up on Lake Texoma! If I'd known about a trail like Sansom Park before I'd done Zane, I definitely would have been training out there!
Most of the trails in DFW are very smooth and ridden frequently by mountain bikers to keep them that way. Most of the rugged trails like Sansom don't get as many mountain bikers due to the difficulty which is also nice for us trail runners.
Here's some of our smoother, more groomed trails.
Pro #3) Some elevation if you want it!
There is a small ridge that runs from just south west of downtown Dallas, all the way south of Midlothian to a small town called Venus. On this ridge there are a small handful of trail systems, but none of them better, or with more elevation than the Big Cedar Wilderness Trails.
I started running Big Cedar about 2-3 years ago, and have watched it go from a small 2-3 mile jeep road, to a 15 mile trail system with beautiful single track, tough climbs, rocky descents, and great views.
On the right you can see the trail I was on just right, then on the left side of the photo just below the tree line you can see the other trail I just climbed up from about 150ft below.
Other good trails with some elevation would be, Sansom Park in Fort Worth, Cross Timbers at Lake Texoma, and Cameron Park in Waco.
While the elevation in north Texas can be a "Pro", it can also be a "Con", because let's face it. There are not mountains within a few hundred miles. (300+)
The longest sustained climb within an hour, while running is maybe 5-7 minutes. Max. So, living in this part of Texas has made me resourceful, and I've worked well with what I have.
Pro/Con #4) The Weather!!! Oh Texas weather, how I love thee. Personally, the weather would be a Pro for me. First let me list my reasons why.
Having grown up in Texas, the summer days of 105+ degrees feel completely normal and I actually welcome them with arms wide open! I've learned to take the heat seriously, and ALWAYS carry a minimum of two bottles with me when on runs over 4 miles during the summer heat. I've learned my salt intake requirements, and I've learned my post workout hydration. (From our record breaking summer of 2011/70+ days of 100 degrees)
As a good friend and fellow ultra runner (or two actually) said, "Since we don't live in the mountains or at elevation, the next best thing is the oppressive heat!" I couldn't agree more here. Running 10-12 miles when it's 110 degrees is absolutely brutal, but you come out SO much stronger than you went in.
The other side of my "Pro" opinion is the great mild winters! While it can get cold here, it's pretty rare that we drop below freezing, and it's even more rare that we have wintery weather, with the exception of the below picture :) (The snow of 2010)
As for the "Con" side of the weather, obviously some people just can't deal with the heat. So if you're not a heat runner, Texas isn't for you. If you're looking for some good Badwater training? Come on down. You have a place to stay :)
What this blog post boils down to, is that your local trails are exactly what you make of them. While I don't have mountains in my backyard, I do have some awesome trails like Big Cedar, The Northshore, Sansom Park, Cameron Park, Oak Cliff Nature Preserve, and Boulder Park just to name a FEW!!
If you're curious about more of the trails in the DFW area, check out these websites.
2) DORBA: (The Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association) This is the authority on local trails and is one of the main reasons we have such a phenomenal trail system in place. DORBA, has ALL of the trails in the area listed, except for the very few trails that are not mountain bike friendly, like the Dallas Nature Preserve, now known as the Cedar Ridge Preserve.
If you're still lost and confused on how to start trail running in the DFW area, shoot me an email. I'll introduce you.
Earlier this year when my good friend that lives on Long Island (poor guy) mentioned entering into the NYC Marathon lottery I kinda thought it was a joke, but I was all for it.
Why not I thought. I'll never get in.
Well sure enough I did, and next week the wife and I are flying up to NYC so I can run the marathon. If I don't sound all that excited, it's A) because I'm typing on a computer and it's difficult to convey emotion via the internet or B) because it's just a regular old road marathon that cost more per mile than I really want to mention.
Ok, ok, I kid. I really am actually pretty excited. Not only will I get to run one of the biggest marathons in the world but we're going to get to spend time with friends and hopefully have a pretty nice, "relaxing" vacation.
Courtney has never been to NYC, so we'll be going into the city at least one day to do they norm. We'll stand outside GMA (so look for us!) and hope to get on TV, then hopefully swing down to Ground Zero, Ice Skate in Central Park, take Courtney to the original Sacs Fifth Ave, stop by Serendipity (whatever that is), take a picture by the LOVE statue, and whatever else we can think up.
I've been to NYC a number of times, and as a native Texan, that loves my wide open spaces, the BIG city tends to get a bit claustrophobic for me. Maybe since I'm gonna be doing so much "touristy" type stuff this time, I'll have a better time. Here's to a good attitude!
In regards to the "race" I'm obviously not going for any PRs or anything. I'm just gonna go up there and have a good time, run a fun marathon, and enjoy myself. Preliminary goals are most definitely at least sub 3:30 and hopefully closer to 3:15. I won't be over exerting myself, so It'll be interesting to see how fast I can run a "comfortable" marathon. My "A" race is the WH50K two weeks after that, so I don't wanna blow up too soon ;)
The Cactus Rose 50/100 is starting in a few hours, so I want to wish all of those competing this weekend the best, and a safe 50/100 miles!
I leave you with a new song by M83 entitled "Wait".
HERE's the link if you want to check it out for yourself.
In a nutshell it's a link to an interview with Kyle Skaggs after he'd pretty much annihilated the HR100 course record set by Scott Jurek. As I read it I learned a bit more about Skaggs and the way he lives while training for his races.
What I didn't really know is that he too, like many of the top ultra runners today is what I consider a "minimalist". When I first saw pictures of people like Anton, Geoff, and others, I couldn't help but notice how "minimal" for the most part, they like to race.
Not only did I notice that, but when I started diving deeper into this trend and reading different blogs, I realized these guys not only run minimal, but they LIVE minimal. It seems Anton lives wherever he feels and could pretty much live out of his car. I saw a really short "documentary" on Geoff where he was pretty much camping out next to a lake every night in the Alaskan wilderness. Then I read the interview with Skaggs, and realized he too is of the less is more train.
He mentions taking all his water during the HR100 out of lakes and rivers, rather than aid stations cause they take too long. He talks of how everything he owns could just fit in the back of his car. That most of his belongings consist of running shoes (possibly sarcastic, but probably not). He mentions how all he really needs is some gels and his running shoes.
In this article he also mentions not having a computer, Ipod, and a cell phone that really isn't much of a cell phone.
I guess, what I'm getting at here, is that I'm unbelievably intrigued by this idea of running and living minimal. When I race, I try to goes as minimal as I can safely, but when it comes to living, I'm absolutely nowhere near minimal.
My cell phone never leaves my pocket, my mac laptop is never turned off, and my phone gives me Facebook updates on a regular basis.
I'm curious about this lifestyle, because I wonder if it's just that ultra running and minimal lifestyles go hand in hand? Just like peanut butter and Jelly, or triathletes and big paying jobs?! (Just kidding!) What I do know is that ultra running and some of the suffering I've dealt with out there on the trails, have given me different perspectives on different parts of life.
I've realized, maybe certain things in life weren't as big a deal as I once thought. That the pain we sometimes go through makes us that much tougher and resilient in our daily life.
These big time 100 runners often times remind me of "Alexander Supertramp".... I was just as intrigued by him and his story as I am the lifestyles a lot of these runners live.
I'm not saying that any one lifestyle is superior to another, but I wonder how many others would choose to live this minimal lifestyle if given the chance?
I'll stop rambling on for now, but wanted to share that interview with you guys and get your thoughts on it.
They posted the splits last week and I did some "math" to calculate my position changes throughout the race. I am unbelievably excited and happy with the results. I did all the passing. See below:
CLICK HERE to check out the excel sheet for yourself.
I think this is a great reflection of my ability to start easy and maintain as well as possible throughout the race. I know that not all my 100s will go this well, but I can only hope they'll be as good as this one.
In other news my "recovery" is coming along well. I took the first week after the 100 completely off except for one easy 3 mile jog. The next week I logged an easy 40 miles, and this week I'm looking at logging another easy 50. I'll do another 50 next week, then do an easy 1 week taper to the NYC marathon which I'll be running for training. For now I'll post an easy goal of sub 3:30.
Tonight I registered for my next ultra which is the Wild Hare 50K in Warda, Texas. I did this 50 miler last year with my friend Ben, and this year we're going back for the 50K. Ben is taking the van down this year, so I'll be joining them and crashing in my tent. I LOVE camping at races, especially the super low key ones like this. I have to be honest, I'm even more excited about the beer, burgers, and friends post race than I am the run.
In regards the run, I'd love to finish this fantastic running year with another PR, if not an overall win. Earlier this year I set a new 50K PR on very little training up in Philly (4:35). I think that a sub 4:30 is MORE than attainable, and I'd love something closer to 4:15. Last year it looks like the top three went 3:56, 4:07, and 4:21, so I'll have to be on my "A" game to get the win for sure.
Other than that, I'm seriously eyeing the Rocky Raccoon 100 for early February of next year. I'm planning on the Cascade Crest 100 as my "A" race next year and I'd LOVE to get another, easier effort 100 under my belt before CC100 in August. If I do the RR100, it would just be to go sub 24 and finish without being completely trashed.
I'm doing a double marathon weekend on new years. (26.2 on New Years Eve, then 26.2 on New Years Day) I'm thinking this will be a great training weekend in building for the RR100. It will definitely come down to how I feel after the 50K in a few weeks, plus I'll evaluate how I've recovered and if I'll be ready for another 100 that soon after my first. I've known quite a few people that have done the AT100, then the RR100 in February, so I know it's possible. I'm just not sure how much I'll enjoy an 80-90 mile training week in the February/January cold.
In two weeks we'll be in NYC getting ready for the marathon there. I'm unbelievably excited to introduce Courtney to the "big" city. While I'm most definitely not a fan of NYC, I hope her experience is much better than mine have been. Plus, we're going to see some great friends, and that always makes it better :)
Lastly, I finished up my Arkansas Traveller 100 video montage which I uploaded to YouTube last week. I wanted to share this with everyone, and give those that haven't run a 100 yet, an inside peek to a 100. Enjoy, and let me know if you have any questions!!
