Sunday, February 20, 2011

Week 11 - The Wall

Hitting the Wall

Hitting "The Wall" is often talked about when running a marathon. This whole training process, I've been curious what it will feel like when I get to that point or even if I will.

This week's schedule got changed around. A couple of the Superstar's (our self-titled group name) couldn't run for our typical long run on Saturday. The plan was to take Saturday off and do our long run on Sunday instead. Running is starting to become an addiction because when Saturday rolled around, I was fully intending to run that day anyway. Maybe not the full distance, but just go out and run a few miles, as a group we were scheduled for 16 miles. I checked with CT and sure enough she didn't need to be convinced to run, so our plan was to do an easy 10 miles. Do you think we stuck to the plan? You should know us well enough by not that something happens once we get out there and the plan goes out the window. Turns out we started running with another runner from our group and ended up doing 13 miles at a pretty fast pace. Whoops.

At this point I'm going to say we got totally busted! As it turned out one of the Superstar's driving in to work saw us running and we got grief for running without her. I swear, what are the chances that she'd see us running on her way to work, we can't get away with anything!

On longer runs, I'm always a little sore. CT had a very good run after getting over her cold, she finally felt she was back to full strength. I was very happy for her, but for me I really ached after this run, which was strange because it felt different and it wasn't as if I had gone further than I had been. It would be one thing if the conditions were bad, but for once in this Run Camp the route was in good shape and mostly dry pavement.

Sunday's plan was to meet at 1pm and do the exact same route that we did the day before. This time we wouldn't have our normal support that we would with Run Camp, so we strategically left vehicles with water at various points. The Superstar who picked the time to run, will not be named, but this run was about to go down in history. Weather, fine all morning. At about 12:30 the snow starts coming down and I'm not talking a few flakes, but the time we started running I'd estimate there was easily two inches on the ground. The four of us started out and I'd guess between a half mile and a mile the snow turned into a sleet and with the blowing wind, my face was actually getting sore. Luckily, about that time we changed directions and it didn't seem as bad. Three miles out, we reached the first vehicle and got some water. Five miles out, we stopped and used our GU (eating snow to provide water, which felt like we were cannibals using the environment). Six miles out hit the second vehicle. Reached seven miles out and proceeded to have a snowball fight. I'd say this is the point where we started losing our minds, this is also the point where it began raining.

On the way back, what was once a soft cushion with the new snow was now like stepping into a puddle with each step. The snow was still on top, but now it was a very wet slushy underneath. I still felt pretty good, but come about mile nine where we did more GU, my knees did not want to go anymore. Once starting, I was fine, but stopping it felt like they were wet concrete and getting them moving again was nothing but grinding pain. It seemed to take forever to get back to other car. Once there, this was my wall. CT could tell I was in pain. I think she came close to pushing me in the car and driving me back, but I wanted to finish. We started out again, but my one comment was that I literally couldn't stop again, if I did, I'd never get my knees working again and I had to go at my own pace.

I wasn't fast, there was a huge hill that seemed almost impossible, but fought through it to get down to the last mile which was down a fairly busy road. With the end in sight, you'd think the worst was behind me, less than a mile to go, no big deal. Wrong! The next hurdle to overcome was the cars passing and regardless if they tried not to or not, it was a slush, cold water shower with every passing vehicle. The cars weren't bad, but at some point this huge 4x4 truck went by and blasted me with enough force to almost knock me back and that wasn't even the worst part, it felt like I had just been dunked in an ice-water bath! I started laughing, for as difficult as Hitting the Wall sounds, I don't think it could compare to the onslaught of everything I experience during this one run. All I had to do was make it back and I was fairly confident I could handle anything the marathon threw at me.

To date, hardest run ever! Next to losing a limb, or maybe rabid dogs chasing me down, I can't imagine a more difficult run. I'll remember this run FOREVER! I honestly don't think I've felt "Hitting the Wall" yet, but when I do, I'm going to think back to this run and that alone should be enough to push me past it.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

5K Heart Check

Heart Throb 5K

Spending all my time training for the marathon, one would think it would be easy to judge how I've been improving. It's not cut and dry as it would seem. For one thing, prior to starting this training, my training consisted of running as hard as I could for as long as I could training for my 5K's. In this marathon training, almost every run is suppose to be an "easy" run. That phrase is open to interpretation, because is a thirteen mile run ever easy? I understand by their definition an "easy" run is one that the pace seems comfortable and you are not pushing yourself to failure. But it seems like an odd concept, run slower to get faster, seriously?

I don't ALWAYS follow the rules and a few nights ago I pushed myself during one of my "easy" training runs. I happened to be by myself and was curious how I'd do. I ended up doing a 10K worth of distance and at my previous best race pace which would be impressive based on the distance, but I picked a route that had some major hills. If I could maintain that pace in hills, wonder how I'd do in a flat course?

The problem with winter and running, there aren't very many races to choose from. But I decided to look and see if I could find a 5K, sure enough I found this one called the Heart Throb. It worked out perfect because almost ever 5K gets run on Saturday mornings (which conflicts with Run Camp), this one happened to be on Sunday. The only downside, it takes place not only in East Lansing, but on State's campus....double ewwwww!

Based on the name, you can tell it's a Valentine's Day themed race. One of the options that intrigued me about this race is couples could enter and prizes would be given out for that too. CT and I seem to be fairly fast together, so I convinced her to enter with me and we'd see how the two of use would do. That was a mistake, but more on that later.

It turned out to be a great day for a race. I was unsure exactly how to dress based on the temps and decided to still with what I had been running in. CT told me I'd get to hot, but I ignored her. Two miles into the race, she was right. I found myself debating if I could get two layers off and keep running, if it was worth the chance, or if I should simply suck it up and keep going. Based on my pace, I knew I was guaranteed setting my PR, so I decided to slow down and suffer dying of the heat. I did cross the finish line almost two minutes faster than my previous best. While I was extremely happy about that, some old guy passed me right at the end and that was ego crushing. I know had I not overheated, I not only could have finished ahead of him, but could even get a better time. So, next time!

CT had her own overheating issues, not to mention she's still trying to get over a cold. I know she wasn't pleased with her time, but when we looked at the overall results I pointed out that she still would have finished first in her age group. I don't think I've ever seen a frown turn upside down so fast! I would have finished second in my age group. So, back to entering us as a couple, because I did that we weren't entitled to the awards for the age groups. When I did that, I was under the impression that as a couple we'd be competing against other couples in our age group, I know we'd be able to beat them. Well, as it turned out all the couples were lumped in one group, so the only way we'd win an award is if we finished in the top three. As it turned out we finished sixth, which I think is damn good, especially when you consider we were running a race on a college campus and every couple before us was under twenty four, punks! Oh, and though CT gave me some grief for not signing us up as singles so we could have walked away with medals, we decided the MSU great and white ribbon on them made them ugly....and we didn't want them anyway!

Call me a believer in many slower, longer, runs make you faster. Prior to even running a 5K, I had dreamed of finishing in the 22 minute range. Not only did I do it, I still think I can get faster. I'd say my heart is in pretty good shape!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Week 8, 9, 10 - Recaps

Longest Road to Nowhere

Yeah, yeah, so I've missed a few weeks doing detailed descriptions of every week's long runs. Freezing temps, playing chicken with cars, can only happen so often and not all runs can be exciting, which is probably a good thing.

Week 8: The main roads weren't too bad, so does that mean sticking to them, of course not! Why not get off the main roads and run through a neighborhood that looks like it hadn't been touched by plows in a week? Might as well to increase the difficulty since this was a shorter distance run for us this week. The hill on Parkview was also especially nice.

Week 9: Back to a real long run this week, 14 miles and the theme of this week's picture. This run was NOTHING like this picture! Somewhere between mile six and seven, I broke down to laughing hysterically. It was as if you'd climb up a hill, only to see an even bigger one staring you in the face. The whole time thinking to yourself that has to be it....only to repeat itself over and over again.

Week 10: This ended up being a short run, but not based on the schedule. CT had been sick all week and still decided to give it a try, but three miles out decided she had enough and we turned around and called it a day. Not exactly how we ever want to finish a run, but you can only do so much when your body says that's enough. Just have to heal and get back to it.