In the days following my 20 mile run, I knew something was amiss. My left knee, which has been a bit of an issue since the olden days, was quite frankly, a mess. I could barely walk and I seriously doubted my ability to continue my training. I tried. I tried. Tuesday and Wednesday I struggled though my scheduled runs. Thursday I came to the horrible realization. I can’t run anymore. It was through sheer stupidity and stubbornness that I made my Tuesday and Wednesday runs. I thought the pain would go away, but since my right leg was 100% fine, I started to worry this just wasn’t post long run pain.
I skipped running on Thursday, which made me very depressed. No run was scheduled on Friday, and I skipped Saturday too. I had a 14 miler scheduled for Sunday… and I figured if I could managed to squeak it out… I would be just fine. I couldn’t though. Seven miles… one lap… and I called it quits and limped back to the car.
One week after my marathon training high… I hit a new low. Today is Monday… another rest day, and I still do not know whether I will be able to run tomorrow. There is no room in my schedule to take a few weeks off and still be ready for the marathon. My marathon hopes are tumbling like a card house, and it absolutely kills me to think of it. I moped around all weekend… depressed.
If my knee was going to fall apart… why couldn’t to it at mile 10 instead of mile 900! I briefly thought of seeing a Dr. re: my knee… but I think that would be an admission that my marathon goal failed. I am not ready for that yet. Today… my knee may have actually felt slightly better. Perhaps it is just the ibuprofen building up, but maybe… just maybe… (and oh I have prayed) my knee is going to hang tough.
Tomorrow I will start to find out.
Monday, February 26, 2007
My first 20 mile run
Two Sunday’s ago I set out into a gorgeous early afternoon. The weather was amazing for this time of year… 50 degrees… mostly sunny… and in all… the perfect day to run. Good thing for me… because I just happened to have my first 20 mile run scheduled.
There are times in my athletic endeavors, where I seem perfectly in tune with the task at hand. There is not much thinking, and absolutely no hesitation. It is as if my athletic rhythm has found a chord that allows my performance to exceed my expectations. There was a time once with 1 second left on the clock, I heaved a basketball ¾ the length of the court to tie a game and send it into overtime.
When playing baseball… I would stare at the pitcher like my wife does to me when I screw up. It was a cold blank stare, coming from a skinny awkward kid that somehow put me into the grove to hit the ball wherever I wanted. Later playing softball… I would drift off into la-la land while playing shortstop. That particular la-la land was one of extreme focus. When I could get there the whole game slowed down. I would imagine myself on a deserted beach… swinging in a hammock… with nothing but the gentle waves crashing. When I was there… the game came very easy to me… and I played well beyond what my abilities should have provided. Don’t get me wrong… I was keenly focused on the game too… but it was like it was in slow motion. I could just about always break to me left or right *before* the ball was hit just by watching when the batter started his swing.
Now… my better athletic days are certainly behind me now. I know in part because I still feel the aches from injuries long past when it is cold out. But Sunday… I was ready to run. I stared it down… and was focused.
I set my watch for 9 minute miles. A stretch? Maybe. My marathon time will be about 8:45 per mile (I think) (I hope). But it was a fine day, and I felt great. The 20 miles flew by. It was the quickest 2 hours and 55 minutes of my life. LOL. When I passed the 20 mile mark… I was at 8:47 per mile, angels were singing… and I was at the pinnacle of my marathon journey so far.
The ¼ mile walk back to the car however, was definitely below the pinnacle.
There are times in my athletic endeavors, where I seem perfectly in tune with the task at hand. There is not much thinking, and absolutely no hesitation. It is as if my athletic rhythm has found a chord that allows my performance to exceed my expectations. There was a time once with 1 second left on the clock, I heaved a basketball ¾ the length of the court to tie a game and send it into overtime.
When playing baseball… I would stare at the pitcher like my wife does to me when I screw up. It was a cold blank stare, coming from a skinny awkward kid that somehow put me into the grove to hit the ball wherever I wanted. Later playing softball… I would drift off into la-la land while playing shortstop. That particular la-la land was one of extreme focus. When I could get there the whole game slowed down. I would imagine myself on a deserted beach… swinging in a hammock… with nothing but the gentle waves crashing. When I was there… the game came very easy to me… and I played well beyond what my abilities should have provided. Don’t get me wrong… I was keenly focused on the game too… but it was like it was in slow motion. I could just about always break to me left or right *before* the ball was hit just by watching when the batter started his swing.
Now… my better athletic days are certainly behind me now. I know in part because I still feel the aches from injuries long past when it is cold out. But Sunday… I was ready to run. I stared it down… and was focused.
I set my watch for 9 minute miles. A stretch? Maybe. My marathon time will be about 8:45 per mile (I think) (I hope). But it was a fine day, and I felt great. The 20 miles flew by. It was the quickest 2 hours and 55 minutes of my life. LOL. When I passed the 20 mile mark… I was at 8:47 per mile, angels were singing… and I was at the pinnacle of my marathon journey so far.
The ¼ mile walk back to the car however, was definitely below the pinnacle.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Before the 20 miler
This weekend is my first 20 mile run. Twenty miles! I am excited, but part of me is dreading it at the same time. Three hours is a long time to run. *Sigh* I am up for the challenge though. Heck... it is only two measly miles past 18... really just one more mile out and back. No problem.
I have only two runs longer before the marathon... a 21 miler in March... and a 22-23 miler in the first week of April. The 22-23 miles cracks me up... what... do I get to choose 22 or 23 miles? =) Or does it mean... *between* 22 and 23... like for instance... 22.01 is between 22 and 23. =)
Things are going to move very fast between now and the marathon.
I'm thinking about downloading an E-book to listen to on my long run. Couldn't hurt. Worth a shot. Keeping my mind occupied for that long is by far the most challenging aspect of my long runs. I can't imagine what ultra-marathoners go through. They say the body follows the mind... but I really don't mind my mind drifting off into la-la land while I am running. It happens a lot. Or I daydream. Most of the time though, I just sort of turn my autopilot on and zone out. Yesterday I missed my turn-around point and ran too far. Somehow I missed the 'Halfway point'announcement on my IPod.
I have only two runs longer before the marathon... a 21 miler in March... and a 22-23 miler in the first week of April. The 22-23 miles cracks me up... what... do I get to choose 22 or 23 miles? =) Or does it mean... *between* 22 and 23... like for instance... 22.01 is between 22 and 23. =)
Things are going to move very fast between now and the marathon.
I'm thinking about downloading an E-book to listen to on my long run. Couldn't hurt. Worth a shot. Keeping my mind occupied for that long is by far the most challenging aspect of my long runs. I can't imagine what ultra-marathoners go through. They say the body follows the mind... but I really don't mind my mind drifting off into la-la land while I am running. It happens a lot. Or I daydream. Most of the time though, I just sort of turn my autopilot on and zone out. Yesterday I missed my turn-around point and ran too far. Somehow I missed the 'Halfway point'announcement on my IPod.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Driving on
One of the things I like about running, is that it is 100% individual effort driven. Now... I imagine at higher levels there may be some drafting or people acting as rabbits etc... to make it a bit more of a team sport, but on my level, it's all me. No one can put in trainingmiles for me... and there isn't any newfangled equipment that is going to help anyone run faster. The actual marathon is just the tip of the huge iceberg of training that occurred before hand. When I cross the starting line, all the miles I stashed away in my training bank become a breeze at my back. Adrenalin will only get me so far... I need that training too. I knew months ago that running through the winter would be hard... and it sure was. Heck... I am not out of the woods yet, but I am acclimated to it now. It was 60 on Sunday and I was burning up! I can only hope for weather as nice on April 29th.
This is my last week in ‘the storm’. My long run is done and I was working on my speed a little bit now, because my endurance is about where it needs to be. I really want to break 4 hours on my first marathon though… and that will take some speed as well as endurance. It really felt good to do some sprinting yesterday. I alternated the last ½ mile with 100 meter sprints, then very slow jogs. My legs felt awesome! Not today of course… but yesterday they felt ok! LOL.
This is my last week in ‘the storm’. My long run is done and I was working on my speed a little bit now, because my endurance is about where it needs to be. I really want to break 4 hours on my first marathon though… and that will take some speed as well as endurance. It really felt good to do some sprinting yesterday. I alternated the last ½ mile with 100 meter sprints, then very slow jogs. My legs felt awesome! Not today of course… but yesterday they felt ok! LOL.
Monday, February 05, 2007
It's official
I just registered for the Eugene Marathon on Apr 29th. For some weird reason I have butterflies already. There was a freaky shiver that crawled its way up the back of my neck as I submitted my registration. Eighty two days from now it will be all over. Over 1000 miles of training… through hurricane like storms, wonderful morning sunrises, the crashing of oceans waves on the Oregon coast, a long lonely runs from Champoeg campground, and at Pine Hallow on the other side of Mt. Hood, and of course, the multitude of times running next to and around the Hillsboro Airport… and 82 days from now it will be done.
My wife just asked me if I was more nervous about getting married. Truth is… I was much more sure about our marriage than I am about my ability to run a marathon. That is a good think for our marriage I think. =)
I am 100% caffeine free now. Gave up coffee, which is a big deal for me. I work at a job where I really need to be mentally sharp and focuses, and caffeine really helped in that department. All part of the master plan though.
Sunday was another 18 mile run, just my second so far. It was a bit easier than the first, but not tremendously. My time was actually a minute slower, but last time I had more rest. This time was at the end of what I called ‘the storm’ before. Three weeks with long runs of 14, 16, then 18 all at around 40 miles per week. I still have a 6-8-6 on T-W-TH and then 5 on Saturday before I get a rest week. Well deserved I think.
I think my Nike Air 180’s are flat. I think I only have 375 miles on them… but they are goners. I compared the ‘airness’ to another pair I have in the closet and sure enough… seriously lacking some rarified air. I was really hopping to get 500 miles from them. Maybe winter took its toll. There was certainly a lot of bad weather running (and more to come I am sure) Rats… running can be expensive in the shoe budget department.
My wife just asked me if I was more nervous about getting married. Truth is… I was much more sure about our marriage than I am about my ability to run a marathon. That is a good think for our marriage I think. =)
I am 100% caffeine free now. Gave up coffee, which is a big deal for me. I work at a job where I really need to be mentally sharp and focuses, and caffeine really helped in that department. All part of the master plan though.
Sunday was another 18 mile run, just my second so far. It was a bit easier than the first, but not tremendously. My time was actually a minute slower, but last time I had more rest. This time was at the end of what I called ‘the storm’ before. Three weeks with long runs of 14, 16, then 18 all at around 40 miles per week. I still have a 6-8-6 on T-W-TH and then 5 on Saturday before I get a rest week. Well deserved I think.
I think my Nike Air 180’s are flat. I think I only have 375 miles on them… but they are goners. I compared the ‘airness’ to another pair I have in the closet and sure enough… seriously lacking some rarified air. I was really hopping to get 500 miles from them. Maybe winter took its toll. There was certainly a lot of bad weather running (and more to come I am sure) Rats… running can be expensive in the shoe budget department.
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