Reflections on Sub-3

I've had more than a week now to reflect on running a sub 3 hour marathon. I've given thought to what went well during this training cycle. Why was I able to relatively comfortably accomplish something that had always seemed so far out of my reach? Can I repeat this? Can I share something to help someone else break this barrier?

Yes, You Can
I shared this picture on my Facebook timeline, and it got a lot of attention. I may have some blog readers who aren't also Facebook friends, so I'll share this here, too. I've told my weight loss story on this blog through multiple posts, but this collage shows it in one place.

From 240 lbs to 2:XX Marathon

There is over 6 years from the left to the right. Those middle three pictures are the same pair of jeans. I can't believe I was bulging out of those jeans!

It takes support. It takes patience. It takes discipline. It takes, well, just plain old bull-headedness. But, yes, you can. You can accomplish your goals, even if they seem out of reach right now.

Celebrate, Then Move On
I have to warn others and remind myself not to get the post race injury. Yeah, I got this weird injury right after my last marathon PR. See, last time I set a marathon PR, I tore my rotator-cuff while patting myself on the back. (That's a feeble attempt at humor. I did not really tear my rotator-cuff. I just got lazy and injured.) It took me over a year to get back into form after my last marathon PR. I'm not making that mistake again.

This time, I celebrated for a week. I ran less than 30 miles last week. I ate at least 3 cheeseburgers. I ate tons of peanut m&ms. I ate Krispy Kreme donuts. I ate so much ice cream. Dessert. Cheese Fries. Steak. I even drank coke a few times. All. Week. Long. Whatever I wanted. I enjoyed it, but I'm finished celebrating. I'm running hard and watching what I eat, and I started that on Sunday.

Avoiding Injury
I really think that the key to this success was that I stayed injury free. When you don't miss a workout due to injury or illness, you can really get a lot out of your body. That's the key to having breakthrough performances. You have to stay injury free during your training.

How did I stay injury free? I really don't know the answer to that one, but I have some ideas. I have a page about my shoes. Over the past year, I have been alternating shoes. I have 3-5 different pairs of shoes that I use during a week. Each pair has different characteristics. So, my feet and legs are not subjected to the same repetitive stresses day in and day out. Read about my road shoes on My Shoe Closet above.

Other than shoe variety and abiding by the basic hard-easy principle, I don't know any other secrets.

Speed Up
For about 3 months prior to starting this marathon training cycle, I focused on running a fast 5k. It was really fun. I love running 78 or 79 second 400s. I love running 36 second 200s. I love combo workouts. I kept my mileage high for me, between 70 and 80 miles per week. But I never ran more than 15 miles at a time, I did doubles often, and I did intervals sometimes twice per week. I felt faster than ever when I began this marathon training cycle. Sure, I lacked the confidence that I could maintain the pace for 26.2 miles, but I felt fast.

During the marathon cycle, I built up my mileage. I peaked at 90 miles for a couple of weeks. I didn't run any 400s or 200s. I worked hard on long runs and tempo runs. One thing I did this time that I have neglected in previous training cycles; I did my strides. I did strides once or twice per week. I had always omitted those in previous training cycles. But doing strides reminded me that even though I'm running high mileage and slogging out long runs and long tempo runs, I can still turn my legs over quickly. Strides will be a staple in my running from now on.

Because of that speed, my tempo runs felt really easy. I mean, really easy. I found myself dropping the pace to about 6:15 or 6:20 per mile during tempo runs just because 6:30 felt too easy. I only had one bad tempo workout. I nailed all the others and they all felt a little too easy.

Now that I'm done with the marathon, I'm going back to working on my speed. Running fast is fun. I ran some 76-79 second 400s today and it was a joy.

Diet
My diet wasn't perfect. It was far from it. I cheated a lot. And, I have an abnormally large appetite, even for a runner. However, my diet was cleaner for this training cycle than it ever has been. I've switched to a flexitarian diet that just makes me feel better. It also forces me to find foods that I wouldn't eat otherwise. It forces me to eat more vegetables and to find non-soy sources of protein. I really believe that reducing the amount of meat in my diet has made me faster, but I can't prove it.

Basically, my flexitarian diet works like this. Never eat meat more than once per day. Have at least 3 completely meatless days per week. When you eat meat, eat only lean meat. This means no sausages, bacon, and very little (only 96/4 when I eat it) ground beef. And the last rule is... Fish, if it isn't fried or covered in fatty sauce, is a vegetable. I have been surprised by how easy and palatable this change has been.

That's it. Hopefully something in this will help you or me.

You're Doing Great!

Bear with me while I ramble a bit today.

While Matt and I were running along the greenway in Athens early the other morning, we passed a young lady walking on the way out and then again on the way back. We were moving along pretty good, probably about a 7:30 pace and chatting. As we passed on the way back, she said, "Y'all are making me look bad!" To which we both replied, "You're doing great! Keep up the good work!" I was as sincere as I could be.

After most races, I congratulate folks much slower than I am. I've been asked if that praise can be sincere. How can that be? How can I congratulate someone for a 45+ minute 5k when I just ran a sub-20:00 5k? Do I really mean it?

I most certainly do. And, when someone who just ran a 15 or 16 minute 5k congratulates me at the finish, I don't doubt their sincerity. You see, I'm not as fast as I'm going to be. You're not as fast as you're going to be. I haven't done all the work I'm going to do. I assume you haven't done all the work you're going to do.

The young lady on the track... I admire the discipline that it took to be out there alone before 7:00 AM in sub-freezing weather. I don't really care that we were moving faster than she was. I admire the courage that it takes to toe the starting line of a 5k or any race. I admire the desire for improvement that caused you to train to be ready for that race.

You see, it's better to walk one mile than it is to think about running 20. A 16 minute mile is better than 16 minutes on the couch. If you're training and not making excuses, YOU'RE DOING GREAT!

Thanks for tolerating my rambling. I wanted to say that. This week, I'll give that bit of philosophy instead of boring you with the details of my recovery runs and too slow long runs.

Running Rewards

It's really hard for to imagine how that running could could be more rewarding to me than it has over the past few weeks, or even the past couple of days. Yesterday, I did a very challenging speed workout. The start time was an obscene 4:15 AM because of my schedule that day. I didn't ask for or expect it, but my usual speed workout partners showed up and pushed me for that workout. I may not have begun or survived it alone. I've felt better ever since knowing that I did that workout.

Then, today's run was just great. I ran a cool, rainy, wet, awesome, historical, Washington, DC 10 (OK, 11) miler. I almost didn't go because I just didn't want to. But once I started, I didn't really want to stop! I ran an easy, leisurely 8:30 - 9:00 pace until the last 3 miles which averaged 7:35. It was a great day for a run. I was soaked to the bone when I got back to my room.

Along the way I met a congressional staffer who is training for an adventure race in a few weeks. We ran about 4 miles or so together and he gave me a unique perspective on business in Washington, DC. After chatting with him, I'm nowhere near as discouraged with our government as I was before our chat. Running definitely rewarded me for going out the door and bearing the first mile this morning. I saw things I wouldn't have seen without running and met people I wouldn't have met without running and learned things I wouldn't have known without running. Below is the route I ran.

Yes, You Can

My wife brought my attention to a nice article today about a good friend of mine and how he has overcome adversity. I wanted to share it with my readers because it is both inspirational and running related. I'm super happy for David's accomplishments! I'm glad I know David.

Winning over MS

Hilly and high altitude

First, results from last weekend's race are available at http://northalabamarunner.blogspot.com/. Age groups and overall results are available. I was 2nd in my age group and 14th overall.

Today's workout was GREAT. It just felt awesome! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get through today's workout. The last time I was at this altitude, I ran one 7:30 mile and thought I would die.

Today, not so. I ran 10 of the hilliest and most beautiful miles I've ever run! See the image below.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was considering quitting this thing. My knee was killing me. I was willing to concede that I had bitten off more than I could chew. The next time I get discouraged, I need to read this post to try to remember how I felt today! After chugging up one of the many hills today, I turned around to come down. A complete stranger running in the opposite direction reaches out and high fives me! That was cool.

Enough rambling.

Today's workout called for 10 miles with 8 minutes of uphill time. I probably had more like 40 minutes of uphill time. Even better. Average pace was a smidge over 7:40.

1. 7:26
2. 7:32
3. 7:59
4. 8:27 (The hills and altitude start to show their teeth!)
5. 7:56
6. 7:30 (I start to show my teeth back!)
7. 7:32
8. 7:50
9. 7:31 (How about that for a 9th mile?)
10. 7:55

Did I mention that today's workout just felt great?

Did you brush your teeth?

First, I have to give a big shout out to a work buddy of mine. He and his wife made the journey to Virginia Beach, VA, this weekend to run in today's Rock and Roll Half Marathon. He started losing weight at about the same time I did (info about my weight loss is here), and has completed two half marathons in the past year! Nice job, buddy! We ask each other just about every day, "Did you brush your teeth this morning?" What we mean by that is, "Did you workout this morning?" The idea is that workouts are as essential to our health and well-being as hygiene. It sure is shameful to admit to not brushing your teeth!!! I know he "brushed his teeth" this morning because I saw his results at http://www.rnrvb.com/. Congrats!

Yesterday's results from Monte Sano can be found here and for those interested in Limestone County finishers, be sure to check out the North Alabama Runner blog. I was a tad off in what I reported yesterday. I came in the 10k at 45:37 (7:21/mi) and in the 5k at 22:24 (7:14/mi). I really hope to run a 42 minute 10k and a 20 minute 5k before the marathon. I've run a 20 minute 5k in my training for Cotton Row and my basebuilding for marathon training. I just need to put that together on a race day. A 42 minute 10k is gonna take some work.

Well, I'm off to run the Nike+ Human Race.

Races tomorrow!

I'm updating early today. I hope this is the last unplanned day off from running in my training. I'm aiming for 7:00 pace in both races tomorrow. That's probably optimistic, but I'm trying to become an optimist!

The scale was very unkind this morning. Up 5lbs this week???? One of my training buddies would just say, "chubs." Well, I'm not where I want to be, but I'm better than I was!

Today was an upper body workout. I don't see how this will help my marathon training, but it can't hurt and it may keep my upper body from shriveling to nothing. I'll probably back off to two resistance days a week during most of the training.

• 3 sets of 15 dumbbell bench presses, 55 lb dumbbells.
• 3 sets of 15 leg raises on the ab bench (Actually, it was 18, 15, and 16. I really wanted to do 3x20, but I just couldn't squeeze out those last few reps. Ugh, those are hard.)
• 3 sets of dips (12, 10, and 12)
• 3 sets of 25 inclined ab crunches
• 3 sets of 12 military dumbbell presses, 35 lb dumbbells.
  
• 100 ab crunches on the Swiss ball

As I left the gym this morning, one of my buddies there said a small thing that was pretty encouraging. He said, "See you next week." He expects me to be there next week! He will be. We don't workout together or anything (He's WAY stronger than me!); we just chat between sets. But he's already made his decision to work out next week, and he expects that I have, too. That's the key. You don't decide daily to workout. The decision must already be made before the alarm chimes at dark:30 AM. You make the decision once and then just behave according to the decision you've made.

If I can...

That guy in the pictures wants to run a marathon. Really. That's me. That's me at 5'11", 238 lbs. I don't want to say that "if I can, anyone can" because I don't know everyone's situation. I make no excuses for my previous physical condition, but others who are not in great physical condition may have good reasons for that. I got to be 238 pounds by eating indulgently and being lazy.

To be sure... I'm not beginning my marathon training at 238 lbs. I've since lost some 70 lbs. This morning the scale read 167. It has taken me some two years to lose that weight. And I didn't lose the weight by running. I didn't really start running until this year.

So, how did I do it? One day I'm going to write a book on how I lost 70 lbs. Naaa, it wouldn't sell. I lost 70 lbs. by eating healthier and exercising more. Really, it's that simple. We know that vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are good. We also know that fried, processed, sugary foods high in saturated fat are bad for us. Most people who don't eat much of the fried, processed, sugary foods and combine that with exercise will maintain a healthy weight.

So here's a couple of "after the weight loss but before the marathon training" pictures. Training starts in two days.

Before the beginning...

Does the world need another runner's blog? Probably not. But I don't always consider whether something is needed before I create it. At worst, it's superfluous. At best, it can encourage someone somewhere to eat better and get more fit. Maybe someone somewhere will be inspired to finish a 5k, 10k, 13.1, or... dare I say... even a 26.2 miler after reading this blog. Naaa. Probably not.

Why am I doing this? I used to HATE to run. Before this spring, I had never run more than 3 miles at any one time. And I hated everyone of those miles every time, too. I've been heard to say things like, "I'll never run unless someone is chasing me." One of my buddies got into running and entered a half marathon. When he told me what it cost, I told him to give me $75 and I'd give him a t-shirt and time him while he ran 13.1 miles. I just didn't get it.

But something has clicked. I have no idea how or why. But now I LOVE to run. I get frustrated if schedule or injury keeps me from running. I run on grass, roads, trails, tracks, and treadmills!

So what's this blog about? I've decided to train for the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville on December 13, 2008. I'm going to tell the world (and myself) when I workout and when I slack. I'm sharing my training. Training doesn't start until August 24, so over the next few days, I'll give some of my background.

I do hope you enjoy. But more than that, I hope I enjoy. :)