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Spring Has Sprung!

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Ah, the wash of sunshine pouring over you after 3+ months of layers and confinement. Few things are as underrated as sunshine to those who bask in its warmth year-round. Granted, as a transplant from South Florida, I, too, took sunshine as an undeniable constant for a time. As my northward migration has taken me through Nashville, and now DC, I have undone that expectation to wake up to the warmth of that lovable ball of burning gas.

Well, this past weekend, not two days after my last rambling about the cold weather, did we get a taste of a heatwave! I know, I know, particularly as a native Floridian, 55* and sunny is no heatwave. But when the temperature nearly doubles from the days prior, it is no less an event

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than an unseasonably snowy seasonal snowstorm. It was glorious, and it really made me appreciate the beautiful weather after having been without for several months.

Now, don’t get me wrong, if I had a choice, it would be 55* and sunny every time I laced up my shoes. Screw “appreciating it more”. That’s just what you say when you’re a have-not. Give me the warmth and leave the cold to the Canadians. There are other bloggers out there that I follow who fall on each end of the spectrum, specifically in Michigan and Hawaii. I’d guess that Frayed Laces wouldn’t give up Hawaii for anything, while Nitmos could live without the Michigan winter (with respect to training). In fact, I imagine if you asked 100 endurance runners / triathletes, 99 of them would take the amazing year-round weather (and that 1 leftover guy is a liar).

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p style=”text-align:left;”>Anyway, this past Sunday featured an outstanding long run that was to be a kind of pre-test for the National Half Marathon coming up. It went really well, and actually made my decision to sign up for the race harder. I was hoping I’d fall apart and use that as an excuse not to do National. Instead, I hit a 7:31 pace for 11.5 miles, not far from the goal race pace. Ugh, jerk. So now I’m left wondering if I can take the results of that awesome run and shift them 2 weeks onto race day, or if I should just forget it anyway. I’ll put up a poll in my next post for you, my lone reader, and see what you think.

The Lull after a Marathon

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Miami was my eighth (count ’em, 8 ) marathon. After (almost) all of them I take about a week off and then hop right back into it. This time is different, with no race on the calendar. It’s rare for Mikey here to not have at least a few races on the horizon. It provides motivation to train and just something to look forward to; a change of pace, no pun intended. However, with a few “real-life” unknowns in the near future, I have restrained myself from registering for any races. Since Miami, I took 2 weeks off from running completely. I barely even ran to get across an intersection, let alone log any miles during that time. And you know what? It was nice. Real nice. Sleeping in, not worrying about when I’ll get out for 2+ hours to run, and just straight up relaxing. Because let’s face it.. I relax like I run. I relax hard.

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p>Anyway, it’s been a weird month and change since the marathon. The National Half Marathon is on March 20th here in the District, so I’ve been eying (apparently not spelled “eyeing”)

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it. Alas, the registration fee is a bit steep at this point in the

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game. Including tax, we’re talking almost ninety-three Washingtons. For the fans of the Civil War, that’s almost nineteen Lincolns or nearly two Grants (I suspect if the South had won, Bob E. Lee would be on the Fifty, wouldn’t he? Go North, ftw!). I’ll have more to follow regarding the National Half. But at least, you, as my only reader, know what I have been up to. So, thank you for your continued readership and maybe someday it will double! A boy can dream…

March is Spring …pause… NOT

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The title of this post is a subtle Borat reference.  If you haven’t seen Borat, well, don’t worry about the title.  Also, I think you should update your Netflix queue now.  Basically, I mean that it is March, so where’s the Spring-like weather?  My run today was 34 feels like 27 degrees.  Fahrenheit.

Now, I understand that we can’t actually say “Spring has sprung” until March 20, known as the Vernal Equinox (thanks to Wikipedia for knowing things like that so I don’t have to, kind of like my own personal external hard drive), but the fact that it is March 5th and my water bottle can still freeze is a bit unnerving.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the cold.  I just think the cold has it’s time, and that time is known as December, January, and February.  I expect, nay, demand that the cold cease and desist at once to allow flowers to bloom and running tights to be put away.  Alas, this is unlikely in the next few days because there are still pockets of icy snow on the ground from that Ice Age 2.o we experienced a month ago.

So, Old Man Winter, scoot yourself northward, and know that I will be heading out each morning wishing for global warming to get here sooner*.

The Details

Regular 7.5 Mile Run:

Distance: 7.65 miles
Time: 59:50
Pace: 7:49 min/mile
Average HR: 162 bpm

*And by global warming I mean Spring.

Gypsy! Give me your tears! If you will not give them to me, I will take them from you!  (another Borat reference)

First Date, Part 2

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Picking up where Part 1 left off, the other concern I had with a new running compatriot would be pace.  I mean, who knows how fast someone named “Ben” would run?  Is a Ben faster than a Mike?  Where does that compare to a Colin, or even, say, a Derrick??  Oh boy, what had I gotten myself into?  At least his name wasn’t Mebrahtom.  Mebs are fast.

What? Ok, so we met up at the water fountain and started up some treacherous hills.  As one astute reader noted (Colin), the pace of yesterday’s snow-filled hill run wasn’t exactly slow.  And that’s what I want to talk about.  While we were battling up hills and dodging abominable snowmen, I talked about how I just finished the Miami Marathon, which was my 8th.  He mentioned he was targeting a marathon in his hometown in NY in September, and said there was a $100 prize.  ???  I asked Ben if he had run any marathons and he mentioned just one.  When he was 17… I’m thinking, “wow, are you going to say how you fell apart?”  Not so much.  I asked his time in his one marathon, when he was 17 years old.. 2:38.  What!?

That’s almost an hour faster than my fastest!  He is confident he’ll win the marathon in September.  I then realized something that hadn’t crossed my mind.  Ben is faster than Mike.  He explained that he was a member of his D-1 track team for the last 2 years, and ran a 4:08 minute mile.  He wanted to meet up to run because he finds he goes out way too fast.  Like, his first mile of a typical training run is in the ballpark of 5:20 min / mile.  Wow, so as it turned out, running with me would be like walking in a tar-filled sandpit.  So I not-so-jokingly said that we could get together when I’m doing tempo runs and he has recovery runs.  Ouch, my pride, it hurts.

So, we’ll see how long this running relationship lasts.  It may come down to a “it’s not you, it’s me” and him running away from commitment slower people like me.  It’s definitely worth meeting up a few more times, but I think that we’re looking for different things from a running relationship.

First Date, Part 1

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Admittedly I am no pro at first dates. In fact, where it matters, I’ve really only had one 🙂 In other contexts, there have been a few here and there, like a “first date” playing racquetball or a “first date” with destiny. Anyway, Tuesday I had a rendezvous with a fellow DC runner, we’ll call him “Ben”. I put out a “Anyone need a running buddy?” on MapMyRun.com like 11 months ago, and he responded last Thursday. Fashionably late, I guess. We ultimately decided to meet Tuesday morning at 6:45am at a mutually known water fountain. I had two concerns from the outset: Snow and Pace.

For the snow, I wasn’t

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sure how clear the paths would be after the snowpocalypse snOMGasm snowmaggedon winter weather we’ve had over the last 2 weeks. As I set out for the 2 mile journey to get to the water fountain, I opted for the road more traveled, fearing that my usual path would be under 18 inches of packed ice. It was a good choice, though it involved more traffic lights and slow-moving pedestrians (read: walkers). Made it to the water fountain only 2 or 3 minutes late, but Ben was there waiting. Feeling bad, I didn’t want to make him wait around any longer, so we shook hands and immediately discussed where to go. Quick agreement about most paths probably not being passable, we decided to go up.

From the outset, it was uphill seemingly forever. Having only run once on a treadmill for 2 miles since the Miami Marathon (which didn’t require much hill training itself), it would not have been my first choice. But hills ranked higher than uncleared ice shelfs similar to what sank the Titanic. Between dodging patches of ice and climbing hills, there wasn’t a lot of small talk. I learned he graduated high school the same year I graduated college (yikes!) and that he pulled an all-nighter writing a paper the night before and came straight from the library to meet me for a run (hardcore!). We followed the roads, letting the amount of snow dictate where we turned. Seemed like a good idea until we got a little lost… so my 5-6 mile run turned into almost 8.

As for my concern about

pace, well that’ll have wait for another post.

It was fun to have someone to run with, and it definitely motivated me to get out the door in the first place. I think we’ll be meeting up again, though not sure when yet though, so stay tuned!

Distance: 7.77 miles
Time: 1:05:38
Pace: 8:27 min/mile
Average HR: 162 bpm

The Dreadmill

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I can’t take credit for the clever term “dreadmill”, but it rings so true that I can’t think of something better. This morning I was faced with a dilemma: run inside or run outside. Normally this never crosses my mind. Wake up, brush teeth, bundle up, run. No muss no fuss. But today, it was a “short” run, a “recovery” run…something I just wasn’t geared up for. I stood by the window, peered out into the dark abyss of DC at 6am, and contemplated. I know, not really a deep reflection of existentialism or the meaning of life, but only so many synapses are firing at that time of the morning.

Anyway, the “Inside” vote won primarily based on not wanting to layer up or go out in the cold. I relished in the fact that I only needed a shirt and some shorts, and not two shirts, tights, shorts, gloves, and a hat. I gleefully stepped out of my apartment, got in the elevator, and walked to the gym on the ground floor of my building, cozy the whole way. Until…

…I realized I still had to run on the treadmill. I was almost hopeful that all 3 machines would have been taken, taking the guilt off of me if I couldn’t run today. As I peeked around the corner, the first treadmill in view was taken… #2: also taken. And the third?? Available. ::sigh:: Oh well, it’s what I came to do, so I shouldn’t be disappointed.

I hopped on, stuck it on 6.5mph, 1.0% incline, and just went. Boredom set in quickly. Time moves exceptionally slowly on a treadmill. I think it’s the “watched pot” analogy, where staring at the timer counting up 4:12, 4:13, 4:14, 4:15… knowing that it’s going to take almost an hour. Endless. Well, eventually it ended, and it was fine. Certainly not the end of the world like I built it up to be. But not enjoyable either.

It certainly wasn't this treadmill!

Needless to say, I’ll remember this day before I

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hop back onto another treadmill!

The Details

Treadmill Recovery Run:

Distance: 6.05 miles
Time: 55:30
Pace: 9:10 min/mile
Average HR: 142 bpm

Fast Food is not that cheap…

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I was watching the news today and heard something about a recession, so I was like “wtf?? where’d that come from?”  Well, the next logical thought was, “I need to start saving some money!”  Now, I know what you’re thinking: “you’re an idiot” “brilliant!  Next in line for Treasury Secretary”.  First solution that came to me (while eating breakfast, mind you) is to cut back on the high cost of food.  What I need is calorie-dense, inexpensive meals in order to have money to stick in my mattress, because currently my mattress is pulling a higher interest rate than all most banks (dust bunnies are worth more than 0%).

The Hamdog, "A hot dog wrapped in a beef patty that's deep fried, covered with chili, cheese, onions, served on a hoagie bun topped with two fistfuls of fries and a fried egg."

Anyway, after some searching on The Google, I learned something very displeasing.  Apparently, obesity is expensive.  In fact, it’s even more expensive than cancer.  Based on this article, the US is spending ~$150 billion a year on “health conditions related to obesity.”  However, “all cancers combined cost the health system around 93 billion dollars a year.”  So it seems like saving money now by eating inexpensive, unhealthy food will actually end up being very expensive later.  Ugh, just when I was getting the hang of it.  2 out of 3 adults are overweight or obese and 1 out of 5 children are too.  That means, if you are not overweight, the 2 people next to you are.  If you are, then you have an overweight friend and a non-overweight friend.  TWO OUT OF THREE!  What if 2 out of 3 people had bad breath?  Or homeless?  or had cancer?  2 out of 3 is major.

Weight (or really, overweight) issues aren’t only a strain on your pants; they’re messing with the economy too.  Without getting into any sort of a political argument, the health care system is devoting nearly twice as much of its resources to obesity as it is to cancer.  Seriously??  How is that ok?

It’s no secret that exercise is a free (go for a walk), easy (go for a walk) solution to a major problem.  Let me tell you, if someone said I could fix a creaky door by going for a walk, I’d be out the door before you could say creeeeeeeak WD-40.  And that’s not even a big problem!  The article (linked above) mentions the problem is that obesity starts early but the health effects don’t hit until later.  Good point, but I think it’s still just problem of convenience.  Meaning, it’s just convenient to eat poorly now and push off the dangers until later.  The American way!

I don’t have all the answers, but I think a little exercise (specifically, exercise some moderation, and exercise some exercise) would go a long way.  And so I leave you with a quote:

“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley

Are you gellin’?

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As in, energy gels.  Because I’m not.  At least not in training.  I used to for any runs over 13 miles, but I’ve slowly been bringing them along but never eating them.  It’s not that they aren’t delicious, because they are.  (At least, when my brain is functioning at 20% it tells me that they’re delicious)  Even on the 17 miler with Colin he had two and I had zero, which really just proves I’m much more manly.  Ouch.  Yea, I went there.

Gu
Over the past few years I’ve tried several brands and developed my opinions of each.  Some have been used more than others and some are still on my “to-do-goo” list.  Get it??  My current gel of choice is Gu.  I have a multi-pack of flavors including Vanilla, Chocolate Outrage, Espresso Love, Tri-Berry, Plain, and Lemon Lime.  My two favorites battling it out for top spot are Chocolate Outrage and Plain.  Yes, Plain.  It doesn’t taste like that paste that you used to eat in middle school kindergarten.  It’s slightly sweet without nauseating you into oblivion.  Chocolate Outrage is a smooth, rich chocolatey flavor reminiscent of brownie batter.

(SIDE NOTE: speaking of brownie batter, I had a terrible experience at Maggie Moo’s the other day.  Before our movie, Ev and I swung by MM to satisfy my craving for some mixed-in ice cream.  Here’s what went terribly wrong: 1) walked up at 8:53pm and the door was locked, they said they were closed.  They close at 9pm;  2) I ordered a small brownie batter ice cream and got Reese’s Pieces mixed in.  Total: $5.15.. for a drop of ice cream;  3) I asked how much for a medium.  She said medium gets a free mix in, so it costs $5.16.  Seriously.  We left and will not be returning.  The good part was that the ice cream was delicious.  Artwork provided by me.)

Broken Heart

Gu also offers an alternative called Roctane, which amps up the caffeine, amino acids, and sodium.  It’s a bit smoother too.  Currently that only comes in Blueberry Pomegranate and Vanilla Orange.  Colin mentioned he can tell a difference between regular Gu and Roctane, but I couldn’t.  I’m not sure it’s worth the additional (double) cost.

Carb Boom

Carb Boom was a long-time favorite of mine, only recently being dethroned by Gu.  It has a thinner consistency that’s easy to swallow.  I was a big fan of the Apple Cinnamon and Banana Peach, though the Banana Peach got a little old… the Vanilla tasted like a vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting.  No joke.  Really good stuff.  I ended up switching because they got to be a little sweet.  I would definitely recommend Carb Boom to anyone new to the gel world.

Powerbar Gel

This review may be a bit unfair, but it must be said.  The first (and only) time I had a Powerbar Gel was on my first long run with Barrett.  It was actually the first gel I had ever tried.  Whether it was the unfamiliar consistency or the mental block I had for it from the get-go, I squeezed it into my mouth and immediately spit it out.  The strawberry banana flavor, from what I can remember, did not help the cause.  I never tried another Powerbar brand gel and probably won’t be going back considering all the other options out there.

Clif Shot

I have never purchased Clif Shots in a store.  As a good marketing tactic they were the sponsor for energy gels around mile 17 in the Marine Corps Marathon in 2007.  I grabbed a vanilla and a chocolate.  The consistency is very thick and really needs you to chew through it more than any other I’ve tried.  The chocolate flavor was rich and not too sweet, and really was like brownie batter, in flavor and thickness.  I still haven’t purchased these if that says anything, but would probably grab another if it was offered on a race course.

Clif Bloks

The Clif Bloks, another energy source made by Clif Bar is an alternative for those who cannot face the gel.  I’ve tried some of the tame flavors, like Black Cherry, and stayed away from the less desireable ones, like Margarita or Cola… Why not make a flavor like Malt Ball or Beet & Goat Cheese.  I certainly can’t say if some of the oddball flavors are good.  I imagine someone is buying them, but it sure isn’t me.  The bloks are slightly less chewy than a Starburst, but twice as big, so it takes some jaw work to get them down.  Also, a personal issue, is that each pack comes with 6, but you should only eat 3 at a time.  It just isn’t convenient to open the pack and eat half and then stick it back in your fanny pack pocket.  Not a bad option though.

Sport Beans

I’m not sure who thought jelly beans have a place in the endurance sports realm, but apparently enough people like the idea.  Jelly Belly has a line of energy jelly beans known as Sport Beans.  They’re a little bigger than regular jelly beans, seemingly because there’s a thicker layer of sugar/coating around them.  I do like them, but if I had one bone to pick, it would be that it sounds like I’m running with maracas in my fanny pack pockets.  Overall I give them a thumbs up.

Like I said, there are other brands that I have yet to try, like Hammer Gel, which is very popular, or the Stinger brand, which is only sweetened with honey.  What gels have you tried and liked / not liked?  Let me know in the comments.

Today’s Recovery Run:

Route

Distance: 4.05 miles
Time: 38:31
Pace: 9:31 min/mile
Average HR: 139 bpm (150 bpm max)

Burgers and Hotdogs and Pizza, Oh My!

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New Haven – A beacon of traditional cuisine crossed with a lovely touch of bizarre twists that makes it a fun place to try some really different versions of our favorite classics.  During the half marathon weekend Colin and I set out to tackle as many famous (and not-so-famous) New Haven eateries in preparation and recovery for the Fairfield Half Marathon.

Saturday began at Louis’ Lunch.  It lays claim to inventing the hamburger and does things today the same as when they started.  First off, it’s a tiny place.  We got there at noon, right when they open, and there was a line of about 20 people waiting for a hamburger.  It’s not a fast line because everything is made to order.  The only confusing part is they only serve hamburgers, so they should be able to see how many people are in line, and at least have a few extra going.  Anyway, we finally get up to order and there’s no menu, so trying not to look like a noob, I say “I’ll have a hamburger” and she looks at me, gives an exasperated sigh, and asks “tomato, onion, cheese?  Anything to drink?  Here or to go?”  Blast!  She saw right through me.  “Just tomato.  To go.” and I step to the side to pay.  She writes down the order on a sheet of paper with a Sharpie and makes it visible for the chef (this is a 3-person operation: order, pay, cook).  The burgers are cooked in super old-fashioned vertical broilers about 12 at a time.  About 30 minutes after first getting in line I’m holding the paper sack with my burger and we’re off to Colin’s to eat.

The burgers are served on white sandwich bread, just the meat, and in my case, with a single slice of tomato.  And they are thick!  Very juicy and delicious, if not a tad underseasoned.  Colin also got potato salad, which he reported to be a great partner to his “CW” (short for Cheeseburger with the works: cheese (actually a cheese spread), tomato, onion).  The final verdict is it was very good but nothing outrageous.  It was fun to go to such an old place with a different way of doing things.

The rest of the day included grabbing some bananas and bagels for the morning of the race and picked up a bagel sandwich before dinner.  We had a pretty uneventful pasta dinner to get ready for the race.

Then we ran.

To refuel we went to Super Duper Weenie.  It was only 2 miles from the race, but there’s no way you could find it without knowing exactly where it is.  It’s on a back access road near the highway, adding to its allure.  Anyway, we walked in just after 11am to a small counter next to the 9-seat bar.  The menu actually had non-hotdog items, but that would be for the weak.  I got the New Yorker: Sauerkraut, Onion Sauce, Mustard, & Hot Relish.  The hotdogs are split down the middle and cooked on the griddle (while the chef will twiddle his thumbs.  My poetry bone started flaring up there).  Then put into a perfect bun and topped with all the aforementioned garnishes.  Really top notch!  Perfect refuel following the race.  Colin got the New Englander: Sauerkraut, Bacon, Mustard, Sweet Relish & Raw Onion, because who doesn’t need bacon on a hotdog?  We also split some fresh cut fries, you know, to replenish the carbs and potassium.  If you’re ever near exit 24 on I-95 in Connecticut, stop by the Super Duper Weenie.

We then changed up the plan a bit.  As a midafternoon snack we agreed on a fantastically amazing idea to get ice cream.  We walked down to Ashley’s Ice Cream Cafe and I had no choice but to get the coffee oreo ice cream.  There are few things I enjoy more than ice cream, and this reaffirmed everything.  Smooth coffee ice cream laced with large and small bits of real Oreos.  Great idea Brittany!

We wrapped up the weekend of over-the-top eating at Modern Apizza.  As I mentioned in the preview, the site is worth visiting for the music alone.  We sat down without any wait (though it was 5pm and the average age of everyone in there was 70) and scoped out the menu.  Upon a recommendation by a native New Havenite, I went for the plain mozzerella.  The real decision was what size.  It wasn’t much of a decision at all though.  LARGE.  I got through about a third of it and boxed up the rest to go.  The dough was thin but not too crisp, a good chewiness.  It was just a really good cheese pizza.

Looking forward to the leftovers 🙂