32 days to go!

This week it is 5 Tuesday, 8 Wednesday, 5 Thursday, rest Friday, 5 Saturday and 20 on Sunday. 32 days to go! I am feeling confident!

Tuesday - 5.76 miles - 9:07 pace - First thing in the morning

Wednesday - 9.14 miles (I know, I planned on 8, but I felt pretty good this morning) - 9:24 pace

Thursday - Another 5.76 miles - 8:54 pace - Beautiful morning, great run! First day without a long sleeve shirt!

Saturday - Rain, Hail, otherwise a nice run. Slow pace (not much sleep last night) - 5.1 miles - 10:00 pace - Tomorrow is the big one!

Sunday - Wow it was windy today! Got those parts out of the way early, but spent myself into the wind. Oh well. 3:30! This my marathon pace for 26.2 miles, so I need to pick it up some still over the rest of the month (about 25% faster!).

One more 20 miler before the race (2 weeks from this Sunday). Only concerns are hips and lower back.

Later!

I CAN DO IT!!!!

After years of being riddled with self doubt, I have come to a point where I have tested myself on a number of things lately and the answer that came back every time was "You Pass". I feel great about it!

First, at work, I am in my element and being successful. Sr. Management and the Board are looking to me to answer questions and they are at a point where they rely on my expertise for strategy. The challenge for me is to continue on team building and maintaining a sense of humility. I am confident that I can keep my ego under control and continue to be a cog in the machine without clogging up the works. This week I am also going to put some real energy behind a couple of additional projects to get them the momentum they need. Over the past several months, I'll admit that I have spent too much time at liberal blogs and on Facebook when I should have been working; so... the motivation is back and when I am in full gear, I'm pretty tough to stop. A busy 6 weeks are ahead of me and I expect to have plenty of accomplishments to show for the effort come May 1.

Secondly, as you know, She came for a visit. That went really well. A lot of things that needed to be said face to face were said face to face and we laid out a road map for putting our old relationship to bed. In addition, I think that after the walking on eggshells that happened for the first 20 hours or so, we opened up to each other and also set a preliminary plan for how we will work on having some sort of relationship in the future. Too soon to fully define what that will be, but I think we are and can be positive for each other. We will cover a lot of those bases over the next few weeks and then on onto the summer. I feel really good about that, too.

Finally, today, 21.21 miles in 220 minutes! I know, the pace was not all that great, but I felt pretty good during and after the run. I had a medium stack of pancakes with honey, not syrup about an hour and a half before the run, so I had a good carb base on board. I also loaded up my camelback water pack with my recovery drink (4:1 carbs to protein) and took sips at mile 13, 15, 17 and 20. Also brought the iPod along with me. At 10:24/mile, it was not near my 3:30 marathon goal pace, but I had really good pace for the first half (probably too much ABBA; Waterloo is a great running song!). The key for me is that I ran a marathon -5 miles and I feel confident that if I had to go the last 5, I could. 4 hours would have been lost, but with 40 days to go, I believe I can get there (sub 4 hours; 3:30 will have to wait for an autumn race)

I guess what I am saying is that I have not been afraid to be open minded and to try something new. A big part of it is managing expectations for myself and others. I was not quick to blurt out answers at work before I had done my homework, I let She know what I was looking for from the visit and all I wanted today was to finish the route running and not collapse at mile 17. In every case, I stayed within myself and I met the goals I set for myself. A great foundation for a wonderful year has been poured and the concrete is about to set. I'll let you know how things go from here.

Next up, several runs in the community over the next several weeks, the Big Race on May 1 and tanning season is upon us, so back to becoming the bronze Adonis that I was last summer (the body is in great shape, just need the color). More tests to come, we'll see how things go. So far, everything is looking good!

Feeling Great!

9 weeks to go and things are going pretty well. I am averaging between 25 and 30 miles a week and making pretty good time. I have been able to shave up to 30 seconds off my mile pace for runs up to a half marathon so I am now under 2 hours. So, things are looking up. However, we have also learned some things along the way.

1. Take a rest day between 8-10 miles and then trying to run 20
2. Energy gel packs are a good thing
3. One bowl of oatmeal and 4 cups of coffee are not sufficient to provide enough energy for a long training run (15+ miles). If you are going to do that, be sure you have cab fare to get back to your starting point.

This weekend, I ran 8.4 at 8:57 on Friday and that felt really good. On Saturday, I had a reasonably light breakfast (see above) and then went to the office for a while and then tried to put on 20 miles. I was at 1:57:40 at the half marathon point and then at 15, I had to stop for a traffic light. At that point, my lower body said "Enough! We're hungry and you think you can still push us like this with hardly anything to eat?" I realized that I was truly abusing myself and I acquiesced to the protests from my lower regions and then slowly jogged the 3.5 miles back to the gym where I drank a recovery drink and then sat in the shower (the one reserved for handicapped) for probably 20 minutes. I ate a little and feel better today. A little sore, but okay. Now, if I add the distances from the last 2 days together, I have accomplished a marathon in a bout 4:40. It gives me great motivation that I got as far as I did with such little fuel. I will work some more in the first part of the week coming up; but I have something that takes precedent over training that is going on next weekend...

As if I were not already a glutton for punishment (who in their right mind would run so much when it is just as easy to get where you are going by car?), I am taking on the biggest challenge I have faced over the last 7 months next weekend. After not seeing each other for over 2 years (sure, we have communicated over the phone and via e-mail), SHE is coming to visit. You have read in previous posts how I have alluded to SHE and how I have struggled with where our relationship has been, how it is or should be put to rest and whether there is anything there to set a foundation for a future relationship. Well, I guess it was an aligning of the stars or just some mental weakness that got us to agree to meet for the weekend. There will be few if any distractions, so we might be able to get some ground covered. I hope so. As I am putting together a life, there is a big piece missing in the puzzle that is Adam and hopefully, getting some shape to this piece, whatever shape that is, will keep people from looking entirely straight through me; like they can see through the hole that is there. I am keeping expectations low, being open about what I hope to get from the visit and trying to be sensitive to how lives and people change; not only for me, but for everyone who has ever known me.

Anyway, enough about that. I will fill you in on how things went later on. Back to running... May 1 is the Illinois Marathon and I have a number of 5 and 10 k's to run before that, plus training in high gear. Need a massage in a couple of weeks. Maybe after all this work, including the visit, there will be "happy ending" (get it...happy ending/massage?). Oh well, enough!

Making hay while, well you know...

Contrary to the blathering on of all of the rocket scientists in the main stream media, I do believe that there is a real problem with global climate change (mis-named "global warming"). Between the constant warming of the oceans and the 2010 El Nino that is going on, we are seeing tons of snow where it usually does not fall (hello Virginia) and little snow where it is expected and needed (hello Vancouver). We have been blanketed here in my Midwest Exile, as well, and that has made training a little challenging. Too much ice and snow on the roads make for dangerous training outside and you all already know my feelings about running laps in-doors. So, over the past 2 weeks, I have been limited in my training. I only got speed work in last week and lifted weights last weekend. I expected to lose some effectiveness in my training and set an even steeper hill to climb in order to be ready for my little endeavor in 12 (YES 12!!!) weeks. However, I have learned that if I set expectations low enough, I will be pleasantly surprised. It's amazing how that happens. So...

Speed work consisted of run a mile, walk a quarter, sprint a quarter, walk a quarter, sprint a half, walk a quarter, sprint three quarters, walk a quarter, sprint (in a manner of speaking, all things being relative) a mile. I hurt for a couple days after that, but it felt pretty good. I received new guidelines for the next three years on Tuesday and they all seemed pretty reasonable and the sun started shining yesterday! I put on 5 indoors at sub nine minute miles and 6.3 this morning at a speed a little bit better than yesterday. Maybe 3:30 is still in reach!

Other areas of life are also moving forward well. I spoke to an old friend a couple weekends ago and she really helped me put things in perspective (gave me my very own Stuart Smalley moment (daily affirmation)) and I am building relationships here in my very own Elba. Anyway, all things are moving forward. Let's hope they move forward at approximately 8:30 per mile! Cheers!!!

Re-assessing goals and being flexible

Training has been going pretty well lately and things have been coming together for me in my life in general. But not all things have been easy, that's for sure. Before I have to get all new art to cover my walls because I have been banging my head against the wall, time has come to re-assess my progress and see if goals need to be re-directed. Some things are just too difficult to get through; regardless of hard I work at them. It does not mean I will give up on my goals; just push them back a little bit...

With respect to running, I got in 15 last weekend and 12 today; both at a pace that will get me across the finish line in a time that starts with a 3, but I am not confident that in my first marathon, I can beat 31/2 hours. I will continue to work hard to meet the 3:30, but my primary goal will be to beat 4 hours. For some reason, it appears that 8:30 miles is some brick wall that I will have to break through in a later race; but I will keep going at it until I break through. I guess I am just being more realistic in my status and the progress I have yet to make in the time I have ahead of me. Mark my words 3:30 will be attained in 2010, just probably not in May.

With respect to life in general, I am still like a horse in the starting gate and I am recognizing that I am starting to get impatient. In the next couple of weeks, my world will open up for me some and I will have the opportunity decide how and where I want to live. It's exciting and frustrating that at this time in my life, I am starting all over again. The thing that keeps me going is the commitment of my friends to sharing in my success in life and my ability to make new friends in my new community (how long this is my community is still up in the air, but I will be asking you all for some input. I don't want to make a rash decision, that's for sure). Anyway, another set of goals that in the short term will require some modification, but in the long term are still on track (California this year, France in 2013, financial security 2010). Don't be surprised to hear from me soon for some input. In the meantime, some aspirin for the legs and the glutes (longer strides today (15 degrees at run time)). Thanks to my friends, my heart feels great!

Lost in translation?

As part of my weekly regimen, I'll pick up a long run and a number of short to medium length runs throughout the week. The key is for me to continue to run comfortably as I put the distance behind me as well as try to control my mind in the process. When I say "control my mind", I do not mean focusing on tempo or stride length or pronation of my already warped right foot; I am referring to what a friend of mine calls "doing the laundry". I use running for meditation and since there is not a lot to think about when to comes to mechanics of a 15 mile run, I often find myself getting lost in the rhythm of the stride; especially if I leave my iPod at home. Things come in and go out; I think about politics, common sense solutions, the life of the cows I see as I go by, even about the new friends I am making here in what I sometimes call my Midwest exile. Since everything is going pretty well in those areas, my tempo is good and I have a pretty good pace (often under 9 minutes/mile). However, when I think about other things that are going on in my life, like erasing 5 years of close family relationships like they never happened, like wanting career events to move a little more quickly, like being a bit frustrated in my living situation, I find that my pace suffers and it feels like all I am doing is running up-hill. I go to plus 10 minute paces and it all averages out at just sub 10 minute pace for the overall run. Now, the real frustrating part; I go to the track at the ARC this morning and put on 3 miles; run really comfortably with a few other people on the track (we aren't running together, just out at the same time) and I end up with an 8:41 average over the 3 miles. Hmmm...

Now I know that there really is no comparison because I ran 5 times as far on Saturday as I did on Monday, but I had a very positive mental attitude, was looking forward to the day and I had already gotten over the Vikings giving away the NFC Championship. But I think the real thing was that I kept focused on the good things going on in my life; not on the 1:00 AM calls to be told that I am hated because I am putting my life together and feel good about myself, not the calls asking me to move heaven and earth on someone else's time line because they have no way else to deal with their own life's issues and not the fact that I have a lot of people waiting for me to really screw up again. However, keeping a positive attitude over 25 minutes is a hell of a lot easier than keeping up over 2 and a half hours. TRANSLATING that success to long distances will be key for me to accomplish the goals I have set for myself. I must clear and control my mind to approach things more positively to be the glass half full guy that can keep the tempo moving and #1- complete the upcoming race (only 14 more weeks to go (make travel plans, I need a rooting section!)) and #2 - complete it in a respectable time (Boston Qualifying time). Again, like many other things, that translation can be applied to every day life, as well. That way, I can concentrate on what is GOOD FOR ME not only for today but good in a foundational, basic way that breeds success for the long term.

Anyway, I'm rambling now. I hope my thoughts did not get lost through the translation from my head to my hands. Be well, all!

Training and plateaus

Another week gone by and I am establishing a base line of sub 10 minute runs for longer distances. I got 15 miles in under 2 and a half hours today and while I feel okay about it, I still have a long way to go to get to my 8 minute goal. Training gets hard and I think I need a montage. A montage gets me some really good workout music and speeds up conditioning that would normally take months into about 4 minutes. It's worked for Rocky, Ricky Bobby and even Gary on Team America. My question is why can't it work for me? Oh yeah, I remember, I live in the reality based world. Things that matter take time; maybe that's something the electorate needs to be reminded of, too.

I'm also a little nervous about running with a group. While solo training has been working out okay, in order to meet goals, I need to test myself against others. The Siberian Express run in early January went pretty well (middle of the pack); so I should feel good about measuring myself against others, but it's still a bit intimidating. Stuff that is new or hasn't been done in a long while (running with a group, meeting with investment bankers, DATING) usually makes me a little nervous, but as I still feel good about myself, I should be okay. Again, I really could use a montage.