thoughts

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

20 Fingers

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It’s been pretty cold here recently.  Not like North Dakota (reporting -19 feels like -39 today), but pretty brisk (upper 20s feels like upper teens).  I usually struggle to figure out the right combination of clothes for any given run.  I definitely wouldn’t be this guy.  I digress.

I start easy: socks, check.  Shoes, yes.  Ok, now it gets more difficult.  Tights?  Yes, but regular or insulated?  (and yes, tights, but not any tights.  They are awesome and make me look fast and like a badass.  See below).

Mike without Tights Mike with Tights

Anyway, I pick a shirt (or 2) to wear, a hat, some shorts to put over the tights, and then… gloves.  Gloves, sounds easy enough.  Try saying it: gloves.  The issue is not if I should wear gloves, but actually how many pairs of gloves.  And that’s what gets me all in a tizzy.  To wear one pair, I run the risk (no pun intended, but it works) of having freezing hands for anywhere between 45 minutes and an hour and a half.  Two pair leaves me in a situation with overheating hands, which can be remedied by taking off the outer layer, but then I’m stuck carrying 10 extra fingers with me.  And so I struggle.

I finally resolved the issue by buying a heavier pair of gloves.  Duh.  I now only have to decide which pair of gloves to wear, rather than how many.  It makes the situation more comfortable, but it’s still a situation.  Anywho, that’s all I have… thanks for stopping by.

The Details

Regular 11 Mile Run:

Distance: 11.01 miles
Time: 1:32:57
Pace: 8:25 min/mile
Average HR: 153 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

Should I run the GCF Race to End Women’s Cancer?

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So I got an email the other day advertising a new half marathon.  There are a few things I look for in a race in a sort of mental checklist.  Anyway, take a look and let me know if you think I should run it?

The race recently sent my way is the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF) Race to End Women’s Cancer.  The details are:

1) How much?  $75.  This is on the high end for a half marathon.  It is sponsored by a good cause though.

2) Where is it?  Starting line is 6 blocks from my apartment.  Score!

3) Is there a medal? Yes!

4) What distance? Half Marathon

5) What’s the course? It doesn’t get much worse…
You go down 2 blocks, make a U-turn, and back 2 blocks, then make a right, and repeat on the next block, like 5 times. Like running on a comb. Twice. Yes, the course is 2 laps…

Worst course ever? Maybe (yes.)

Worst course ever? Maybe (yes.)

Let me know if you think I should sign up.  It’s on November 8th, 2009 and I don’t think it will sell out.

You can donate here

Hey Motivation, You Can Run, but You Can’t Hide

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I don’t know if it’s from

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the dark mornings (sunrise after 7am, really??) or knowing that my training is coming to an end (Chicago here I come!) or voodoo, but I have had a heck of a time getting motivated to get up in the mornings to go run. Now to be fair, getting up at 6am (or earlier, much to the disapproval of Ev) is never easy. But it has become a habit for the last who-knows-how-long, so I’m used to getting up. It’s really the motivation that has been on vacation. Even on my long run this past Saturday I considered (for just a nano second) not running ::gasp:: ::scream:: ::zoinks::

Rather than give in to the Motivation-Sponge, I sought external devices. We’re not talking performance enhancing drugs or a stunt double running for me, no how! Instead, I got all technological up in Motivation’s face. Yes, we are in the Digital Age people (as opposed to the Analog Age*). To combat the shady tactics used against me, I fell back into the grips of none other than my iPod Shuffle. You may laugh, scoff, even shake your head for any number of disapproving emotions, but for me, I haven’t run with earbuds crammed just inches from my brain for quite some time (the reasons will perhaps be explained in a future post). For fear that music alone would not suffice, I upped the ante and loaded up a podcast. A PTI** podcast to be exact.

The beauty of a podcast is that I can multitask! Tackle a hill while catching up on the sports world. Sprint a mile while updating my tech-knowledge. To be honest, it beats the alternative. Here’s a little secret: to pass the time on boring runs, when the Motivation Witch zaps the energy out of me, I multiply. Get your mind out of the gutter, I practice mental math. Probably not the juicy secret you were hoping for, but I literally go through 2×2, 3×3, … , 29×29.. I usually get stuck in the mid thirties. Anyway, my newfound interest in podcasts has made multiplication a thing of the past. Sorry Archimedes.

I’m excited at the prospects of all the information I can absorb while running in circles. I’ve run for more than 167 hours this year alone (a little more than 1200 miles). Think of how much time that is! Sorry, Destroyer of Motivation, your time has expired. For now, I have an Internets-worth of information to take in. Once I finish, perhaps we’ll meet again.

The Details:

8 Miles with 3 x 1-mile Intervals:

Route

Distance: 8.04 miles
Time: 1:02:55
Pace: 7:49 min/mile
Average HR: 158 bpm (181 bpm max)

*Thanks Ev 🙂

**PTI is short for Pardon the Interruption, a sports talkshow on ESPN where two old guys yell at each other about the latest sports news.

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)