My iPhone started ringing at 5 a.m. on Thursday to wake me up, but I had been lying awake for several minutes anticipating its annoying digital bells sound. Three hours of sleep is all my mind would allow. Getting up and out of bed was no trouble, though, because I had a running date with a mountain to get ready for. It was still two days away, but the 2014 Pikes Peak Ascent had all of my attention.
A debilitating case of sciatica had me unable to run much, and then not at all, for 3-4 weeks prior to the race. I saw two different chiropractors to see if they could work some magic, but it became obvious it was an ailment that would have to run its course. Cycling didn't hurt, so instead of running I rode my bike to keep some type of fitness. With my leg not getting any better with a week to go I began to worry I wouldn't be able to complete the race. Since I had already invested time and money I decided to go anyway (I actually never really contemplated NOT going).
The situation would improve, though. Before leaving on Thursday morning I was able to run relatively pain free for an hour. After stopping for a coffee and gas I was off toward Salina and then a left turn to the Rockies.
After arriving in Colorado Springs I walked around downtown for a bit before getting dinner and going to the hotel. Friday morning I went to Garden of the Gods for a run. It was beautiful weather, and needless to say beautiful scenery, but the elevation gain from Wichita was evident in my breathing. I completed my planned 50-minute run, but just as I was finishing a man stopped me and told me there was a rattlesnake in the middle of the trail just a few feet ahead. He had two smaller dogs with him and said, "It almost got one of my dogs." I looked just ahead and saw it AND heard it rattling and abruptly made a U-turn to find another way back to my vehicle. I grabbed my camera and walked back toward the danger zone to take a picture, but as I got closer to where it was I didn't see it and started to get nervous so I turned around and got the hell out of there.
At 3:55 a.m. on Saturday I woke up and started preparing for the days adventure up the 14,109 ft. mountain. By 6:00 a.m. I was parked in downtown Manitou Springs and walking toward the starting line. Wave 1 had a 7:00 a.m. starting time.
One very cool bonus about this years Ascent is that it was also the host for the 2014 World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge. There were 30 countries (that's the number I heard) represented. It was really, really cool to see elite mountain runners from South Africa, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Great Britain, and many more wearing their countries uniforms and intermingled with the other Wave 1 racers. Team USA did a fantastic job, but more about that later.
Two girls sang "America the Beautiful" (a tradition at the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon because Katharine Lee Bates wrote the words atop Pikes Peak) and a few seconds later we were off. I positioned myself about 10 rows of runners back because (1) I didn't know how my body was going to hold up, but (2) mainly because I didn't know what the next few hours had in store. I have backpacked and hiked up Mount Harvard before, but I wasn't racing up it.
The first mile to mile and a half takes runners through downtown Manitou Springs on a paved road that leads directly to the trail up Pikes. The road was a steady uphill but once the pavement meets the trail the incline gets serious. I knew I was going to do be doing some walking/hiking at some point during the race, but I didn't know when or how much because I just didn't know exactly how intense the inclines were going to be. The first four to six miles are tough, but definitely an appetizer for the later stages. I made it through the first hour and came to an aid station and decided that should be my first walking portion. Since I've never participated in a trail or mountain race I wasn't accustomed to the aid station fare of M&M's, pretzels, cookies, grapes, bananas, and some other goodies. While the M&M's were looking tasty, I went with grapes when I came across the aid stations. I had some gels with me, as well.
The terrain gets progressively rockier and more technical as it elevates. The soft dirt trail becomes a boulder field by the time you end. Every so often there would be a sign stating "8 miles to the summit," "4 miles to the summit," etc. Pace is almost irrelevant in an event like this. It couldn't say, "I want to x-minute miles" because each mile is different and more difficult than the last.
The last four to five miles are brutal. After climbing above treeline 20-minute miles are quite respectable amongst non-elites. The last two miles took me around 40-minutes, I think. The last kilometer is literally climbing over boulders and rocks. You can hear and see the finish line well before you reach it. But at least it gives you hope (it did for me, anyway).
I crossed the finish line in, 3:12:55. It was such an amazing finish line with a beautiful view of Colorado and spectators scattered on boulders and around the summit cheering on the runners.
During some of the toughest parts of the race I was debating if running up Pikes Peak is more challenging than running a road marathon. I've decided it's too hard to compare, but the Pikes Peak Ascent was quite possibly the most challenging endurance event I've ever done. My legs weren't trashed at the end of the climb like they are after a marathon, but I'm never gasping for air or required to be so physical in a road marathon. I'll let other people debate that one.
RESPECT
I respect all runners. Everyone has their own path and journey. However, after completing this race I have a much bigger appreciation and respect for the top mountain runners. The winner of the race was, Sage Canaday. He was running for Team USA and finished in, 2:10:03. That is equally as mind-boggling to me as someone who runs a 2:05 road marathon. It's just absolutely incredible to me that someone can run up a mountain that fast. I know I am a "flatlander" and it's probably more impressive to me because of that, but I think that's jaw-dropping regardless of where someone is from.
The men for Team USA took first and third overall, and the women for Team USA swept the podium.
MISSING MOUNTAINS
Some people like to get home after a getaway or vacation and "get things back to normal." I'm not like that. Especially when I come back to Wichita from Colorado. As I drove east on I-70 out of Denver on Sunday I watched the mountains slowly fade away in the rear view mirror. I was sad to see the horizon go back to a straight line with no mountainous undulations. I don't "hate" Kansas or Wichita, but when I come back from destinations like this weekend and feel the way I do I know I'd be much more happy in a different location. I woke up this morning and went to my first day of my last year at Wichita State University and kept thinking about how I wish I wasn't back. I know it sounds like a typical "back to reality" period, but I don't really feel that way. I see it as another sign that I should go somewhere where I'd be more happy. People are riding their bikes, hiking, running, walking the streets, being active, being outside in places like Colorado. I understand that's not the case with everyone, everywhere in that state, or that nobody does that in Wichita. But I don't see it. I don't feel it like I did this weekend. I am excited to think about where I might be in a year when I am done at Wichita State. Maybe it's nothing more than I just miss looking at the mountains?
-Logan
Monday, August 18, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
2014 Boston Marathon
It was all worth it. The 15 and a half weeks of training. The 1,500 miles. The money to get here. It was all worth it for the 2014 Boston Marathon.
My mom and I flew into Boston Saturday morning/afternoon. After checking into the hotel we took out for the Hynes Convention Center which hosted the marathon expo. Seeing Boylston street for the first time was pretty cool. I stood there and imagined myself running down the final 600 meters to the finish line two days later. The expo was as hectic as I thought it would be. Picking up my bib and shirt was smooth, but then we walked through all of the vendor stations and that was too much for me. Since I work at a running store, 85% of what was being displayed I was familiar with (there was some cool special edition Boston Marathon shoes, though), but my mom wanted to check it all out so I ended up finding a place to sit down amongst the masses. Eventually, we left the expo and we found a Panera for dinner.
Sunday morning I got up and did a shake out run around the hotel, and then we went back downtown to walk around a bit. A "bit" turned into more than I wanted. Part of the extra time walking around was due to a Chipotle search. When we finally found one, they were closed. It was then that I learned the burrito fast-casual chain is closed on Easter. I am quite picky when it comes to my diet (especially when training) and even more so the final days before a race. So, I was kind of upset that my usual pre-race burrito was going to have to be changed (kind of). I found a Qdoba... inside a shopping center food court. I was very hesitant to get my dinner from a mall food court, but when I saw a few runners get in line I decided it would have to do (everything turned out fine, food poisoning scare was for nothing).
I didn't get too much sleep Sunday night/Monday morning, but that was expected. I got out of bed at 2:56 a.m., four minutes before my iPhone was scheduled to break my slumber. I kept my usual routine of morning calisthenics, sipped a cup of coffee, ate a couple packets of oatmeal with honey, took a quick shower to warm up, got dressed, and headed for Boston Common at 5:00 a.m. After a 30-minute ride on the Blue, Orange, Red, and Green T lines, I made it to the bag drop-off and bus loading.
While standing in line to get onto one of the school buses bound for Hopkinton, I looked over and saw one of the two people I actually knew out of the 36,000 runners. It was, Tom Fagin, an (brief) ex-colleague from when I interned at the Gillette (WY) News Record. Tom is a year older than I and ran at Union College (Schenectady, NY). We ended up sitting next to one another on the ride to Hopkinton. We discussed the journalism industry, traveling, our vegetarian (me)/vegan (Tom) lifestyles, our training leading up to the race, and other small talk that made the approximately 30 minute ride more interesting.
We arrived in Hopkinton two hours before the start of the race. The runners' village was beyond crowded. It was hard to walk around with runners laying down everywhere resting before the race. Tom and I found a piece of grassy real estate that was just big enough for us to sit down. It was chilly, but a mylar sheet was enough to stay comfortable. Finally it was time to make our way to the starting line. We were both in the first wave of runners so we walked the .7-miles from the runners' village to the starting line together. After a final stop at a bathroom station, we wished each other a kickass race and parted. Tom ended up running an awesome PR of, 2:38.
Just before the gun sounded to start the race, after the national anthem, four National Guard helicopters flew over the the starting line. That was awesome. Then it was time to go. Time to do the damn thing.
My plan was to put a little time in the bank during the first 5k and then settle in. That is not what happened. Unless you are an elite and at the front of the pack, the first 5k-10k is a log jam. It was hard for me to get into a groove. I wanted my first mile to be around 6:10, but half a mile in I was at 6:40 pace with nowhere to go to speed up. My Garmin beeped for Mile 1 and displayed a 6:24. Shit, so much for time in the bank. I made it up the next two miles with a 6:07 and 6:09. But it was still so congested that I was running on gravel off the side of the road to try and maneuver around people. Eventually, I settled in.
I was feeling good and running in control through the halfway point, but I didn't know exactly how grueling the approaching Newton hills were going to be. The whole time I kept telling myself to maintain control so I can feel good after mile 21, after cresting Heartbreak Hill. The Boston course is DOWNHILL. From studying the course map and talking to past Boston Marathon participants I knew the first portion was downhill, but I feel like the whole course was downhill except for four climbs in Newton.
After popping my second GU at mile 16, I was ready to see what the Newton hills had to offer. Now, this is obviously just my opinion from my own experience and I know everyone will have their own viewpoint, but the hills were not as debilitating as I thought they would be. Only one of the four hills, the third one, took me below race pace. The hills are not long distance-wise, and once you get to the top there is a downhill stretch leading to the next incline that allows you to regain some time. Heartbreak definitely took some victims, though. I past several runners that were slowed to a walk or hunched over and stopped completely. With Heartbreak behind me I was ready for a strong finish.
Stomach problems were nowhere to be found for me during the race, and I didn't have to stop for any "relieving." However, with four miles to go I began to feel my hamstrings AND quads starting to cramp. I began to worry. I was feeling so good and running 6:00 pace at the time, but I knew the cramps weren't going to let me finish without a fight. I took two GU's chased by water and Gatorade within two miles to hopefully help fend off the cramps. I was taking in water every two miles throughout the race, and I didn't feel dehydrated, but something was going wrong (it could have just been that I was 22-miles into a marathon). At mile 25 I had to stop for about 10-15 seconds to stretch and do a few leg swings to try and stop the cramping. That mile ended up being 6:12, but should have been faster. I was pissed. I yelled and hit my legs and told them to get me through just one more mile. Luckily, the cramping lessened and I finished with a 6:06 and 5:53. When I made it to Hereford street and turned left onto Boylston, I was full blast. Boylston to the finish is line is amazing. I cannot put into words how amazing it is, so I won't even try.
My official finishing time: 2:43:33.
After crossing the finish line I took a seat on the ground and tried to stretch out my legs a bit more. Then I decided I didn't care if I cramped because it was over. I kept walking with my running brothers and sisters to receive a medal, a heat sheet (which was not needed because it was quite warm, although they are high quality Adidas heat sheets with the marathon logo on it, so a good keepsake, i suppose), hydration, food, and onward to bag pickup at Boston Common.
Just after receiving my medal I saw a board that listed the male and female winners, and that's when I learned Meb won! That took me to a whole new level of excitement. I was so pumped to see that Meb won the Boston Marathon that I also ran. I read this article today that is incredible, if it is true like they say it is.
About ten minutes after finishing I reunited with my mom at Boston Common. When I saw my mom I became overwhelmed with emotion. It was a really amazing feeling.
My phone was filled with text messages from all of the wonderful people that were following the race and congratulating me. My mom and I made our way back towards the finish line to watch some of the race, but it was so crowded I decided I wanted to head back to the hotel and recover a bit.
The first thing I did this morning, Tuesday, was a phone interview with a Wichita radio station during their morning sports show. It was another cool experience to add to the list.
My mom and I then made our way to Cambridge, MA and I did a shakeout run around Harvard University. Maybe I ran by a future president? Anyway, it was a fun change of scenery. And it was also my last run for about 14 days. The sedentary life will be a big part of my life for the next two weeks, allowing my body to recover.
I want to thank everyone that has supported me during this chapter in my life. Too many people fall into this category for me to name individually. I will say it has been an experience and trip my mom and I will forever remember and cherish.
Once again, thank you for supporting me and following me on this adventure. I've had a lot of people ask me if I would run a marathon again. My reaction is always to smile and laugh. While my goal was to run the Boston Marathon, and now I have achieved that goal, it was never meant to be the finality of my running. So, yes, I will do another marathon. When? Which one? I don't know. All I know right now is that there is a box of Dunkin' Donuts sitting next to me that needs tending to.
Cheers.
-Logan
My mom and I flew into Boston Saturday morning/afternoon. After checking into the hotel we took out for the Hynes Convention Center which hosted the marathon expo. Seeing Boylston street for the first time was pretty cool. I stood there and imagined myself running down the final 600 meters to the finish line two days later. The expo was as hectic as I thought it would be. Picking up my bib and shirt was smooth, but then we walked through all of the vendor stations and that was too much for me. Since I work at a running store, 85% of what was being displayed I was familiar with (there was some cool special edition Boston Marathon shoes, though), but my mom wanted to check it all out so I ended up finding a place to sit down amongst the masses. Eventually, we left the expo and we found a Panera for dinner.
Sunday morning I got up and did a shake out run around the hotel, and then we went back downtown to walk around a bit. A "bit" turned into more than I wanted. Part of the extra time walking around was due to a Chipotle search. When we finally found one, they were closed. It was then that I learned the burrito fast-casual chain is closed on Easter. I am quite picky when it comes to my diet (especially when training) and even more so the final days before a race. So, I was kind of upset that my usual pre-race burrito was going to have to be changed (kind of). I found a Qdoba... inside a shopping center food court. I was very hesitant to get my dinner from a mall food court, but when I saw a few runners get in line I decided it would have to do (everything turned out fine, food poisoning scare was for nothing).
I didn't get too much sleep Sunday night/Monday morning, but that was expected. I got out of bed at 2:56 a.m., four minutes before my iPhone was scheduled to break my slumber. I kept my usual routine of morning calisthenics, sipped a cup of coffee, ate a couple packets of oatmeal with honey, took a quick shower to warm up, got dressed, and headed for Boston Common at 5:00 a.m. After a 30-minute ride on the Blue, Orange, Red, and Green T lines, I made it to the bag drop-off and bus loading.
While standing in line to get onto one of the school buses bound for Hopkinton, I looked over and saw one of the two people I actually knew out of the 36,000 runners. It was, Tom Fagin, an (brief) ex-colleague from when I interned at the Gillette (WY) News Record. Tom is a year older than I and ran at Union College (Schenectady, NY). We ended up sitting next to one another on the ride to Hopkinton. We discussed the journalism industry, traveling, our vegetarian (me)/vegan (Tom) lifestyles, our training leading up to the race, and other small talk that made the approximately 30 minute ride more interesting.
We arrived in Hopkinton two hours before the start of the race. The runners' village was beyond crowded. It was hard to walk around with runners laying down everywhere resting before the race. Tom and I found a piece of grassy real estate that was just big enough for us to sit down. It was chilly, but a mylar sheet was enough to stay comfortable. Finally it was time to make our way to the starting line. We were both in the first wave of runners so we walked the .7-miles from the runners' village to the starting line together. After a final stop at a bathroom station, we wished each other a kickass race and parted. Tom ended up running an awesome PR of, 2:38.
Just before the gun sounded to start the race, after the national anthem, four National Guard helicopters flew over the the starting line. That was awesome. Then it was time to go. Time to do the damn thing.
My plan was to put a little time in the bank during the first 5k and then settle in. That is not what happened. Unless you are an elite and at the front of the pack, the first 5k-10k is a log jam. It was hard for me to get into a groove. I wanted my first mile to be around 6:10, but half a mile in I was at 6:40 pace with nowhere to go to speed up. My Garmin beeped for Mile 1 and displayed a 6:24. Shit, so much for time in the bank. I made it up the next two miles with a 6:07 and 6:09. But it was still so congested that I was running on gravel off the side of the road to try and maneuver around people. Eventually, I settled in.
I was feeling good and running in control through the halfway point, but I didn't know exactly how grueling the approaching Newton hills were going to be. The whole time I kept telling myself to maintain control so I can feel good after mile 21, after cresting Heartbreak Hill. The Boston course is DOWNHILL. From studying the course map and talking to past Boston Marathon participants I knew the first portion was downhill, but I feel like the whole course was downhill except for four climbs in Newton.
After popping my second GU at mile 16, I was ready to see what the Newton hills had to offer. Now, this is obviously just my opinion from my own experience and I know everyone will have their own viewpoint, but the hills were not as debilitating as I thought they would be. Only one of the four hills, the third one, took me below race pace. The hills are not long distance-wise, and once you get to the top there is a downhill stretch leading to the next incline that allows you to regain some time. Heartbreak definitely took some victims, though. I past several runners that were slowed to a walk or hunched over and stopped completely. With Heartbreak behind me I was ready for a strong finish.
Stomach problems were nowhere to be found for me during the race, and I didn't have to stop for any "relieving." However, with four miles to go I began to feel my hamstrings AND quads starting to cramp. I began to worry. I was feeling so good and running 6:00 pace at the time, but I knew the cramps weren't going to let me finish without a fight. I took two GU's chased by water and Gatorade within two miles to hopefully help fend off the cramps. I was taking in water every two miles throughout the race, and I didn't feel dehydrated, but something was going wrong (it could have just been that I was 22-miles into a marathon). At mile 25 I had to stop for about 10-15 seconds to stretch and do a few leg swings to try and stop the cramping. That mile ended up being 6:12, but should have been faster. I was pissed. I yelled and hit my legs and told them to get me through just one more mile. Luckily, the cramping lessened and I finished with a 6:06 and 5:53. When I made it to Hereford street and turned left onto Boylston, I was full blast. Boylston to the finish is line is amazing. I cannot put into words how amazing it is, so I won't even try.
My official finishing time: 2:43:33.
After crossing the finish line I took a seat on the ground and tried to stretch out my legs a bit more. Then I decided I didn't care if I cramped because it was over. I kept walking with my running brothers and sisters to receive a medal, a heat sheet (which was not needed because it was quite warm, although they are high quality Adidas heat sheets with the marathon logo on it, so a good keepsake, i suppose), hydration, food, and onward to bag pickup at Boston Common.
Just after receiving my medal I saw a board that listed the male and female winners, and that's when I learned Meb won! That took me to a whole new level of excitement. I was so pumped to see that Meb won the Boston Marathon that I also ran. I read this article today that is incredible, if it is true like they say it is.
About ten minutes after finishing I reunited with my mom at Boston Common. When I saw my mom I became overwhelmed with emotion. It was a really amazing feeling.
My phone was filled with text messages from all of the wonderful people that were following the race and congratulating me. My mom and I made our way back towards the finish line to watch some of the race, but it was so crowded I decided I wanted to head back to the hotel and recover a bit.
The first thing I did this morning, Tuesday, was a phone interview with a Wichita radio station during their morning sports show. It was another cool experience to add to the list.
My mom and I then made our way to Cambridge, MA and I did a shakeout run around Harvard University. Maybe I ran by a future president? Anyway, it was a fun change of scenery. And it was also my last run for about 14 days. The sedentary life will be a big part of my life for the next two weeks, allowing my body to recover.
I want to thank everyone that has supported me during this chapter in my life. Too many people fall into this category for me to name individually. I will say it has been an experience and trip my mom and I will forever remember and cherish.
Once again, thank you for supporting me and following me on this adventure. I've had a lot of people ask me if I would run a marathon again. My reaction is always to smile and laugh. While my goal was to run the Boston Marathon, and now I have achieved that goal, it was never meant to be the finality of my running. So, yes, I will do another marathon. When? Which one? I don't know. All I know right now is that there is a box of Dunkin' Donuts sitting next to me that needs tending to.
Cheers.
-Logan
Monday, April 14, 2014
One Week Until Boston 2014
It has certainly been a while since I have posted anything to this blog, but that does not mean there has not been a lot going on in my running life. Today is the "one week away" point before the 2014 Boston Marathon.
After Rock 'n' Roll Denver I took two weeks off and then fought an IT Band injury for the entire month of November. Finally, in December I was able to start running again and build a bit of a base. On January 1, I began my training cycle for Boston. It will be a 15 and a half week training block by the time next Monday rolls around. I have logged a good amount of miles, had some good workouts and long runs, had some bad runs, and some "minor" injuries/ailments along the way.
The heavy part of this cycle happened from week 8 to week 3. That was six weeks of 100+ miles to build my strength and get my body ready (once again) for the pounding of 26.2 miles. The mileage totals for those weeks were:
Week 8 - 109.23
Week 7 - 109.81
Week 6 - 112.59
Week 5 - 126.75 (highest mileage week)
Week 4 - 112.49
Week 3 - 114.13
Most of my training (I would say 85%) is done alone. My friend and co-worker at First Gear Running Company, Javier Ceja, has definitely been the closest thing to a training partner as I have had, though. We have ran together several times, sporadically, but his biggest help was when he ran with me for 18 of the 25 miles during my peak long run.
I am really starting to taper down this week. I put in just over 10-miles today and will do the same tomorrow. I will double up on Wednesday with 8-miles with a 4-mile tempo in the morning (my last workout), and 4 easy miles at the First Gear track night, giving me a little over 12-miles for the day. Thursday and Friday will be 8-mile days, and Saturday and Sunday will be easy 6-6.5-mile days. I started feeling some rejuvenation in my legs last week, so I hope that continues.
Early Saturday morning my mom and I will leave Wichita for Boston. I hope to get to packet pickup Saturday afternoon so I don't have to deal with it Sunday, the day before the race.
I cannot wait to feel the magic in the air next Monday!
-Logan
After Rock 'n' Roll Denver I took two weeks off and then fought an IT Band injury for the entire month of November. Finally, in December I was able to start running again and build a bit of a base. On January 1, I began my training cycle for Boston. It will be a 15 and a half week training block by the time next Monday rolls around. I have logged a good amount of miles, had some good workouts and long runs, had some bad runs, and some "minor" injuries/ailments along the way.
The heavy part of this cycle happened from week 8 to week 3. That was six weeks of 100+ miles to build my strength and get my body ready (once again) for the pounding of 26.2 miles. The mileage totals for those weeks were:
Week 8 - 109.23
Week 7 - 109.81
Week 6 - 112.59
Week 5 - 126.75 (highest mileage week)
Week 4 - 112.49
Week 3 - 114.13
Most of my training (I would say 85%) is done alone. My friend and co-worker at First Gear Running Company, Javier Ceja, has definitely been the closest thing to a training partner as I have had, though. We have ran together several times, sporadically, but his biggest help was when he ran with me for 18 of the 25 miles during my peak long run.
I am really starting to taper down this week. I put in just over 10-miles today and will do the same tomorrow. I will double up on Wednesday with 8-miles with a 4-mile tempo in the morning (my last workout), and 4 easy miles at the First Gear track night, giving me a little over 12-miles for the day. Thursday and Friday will be 8-mile days, and Saturday and Sunday will be easy 6-6.5-mile days. I started feeling some rejuvenation in my legs last week, so I hope that continues.
Early Saturday morning my mom and I will leave Wichita for Boston. I hope to get to packet pickup Saturday afternoon so I don't have to deal with it Sunday, the day before the race.
I cannot wait to feel the magic in the air next Monday!
-Logan
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Rockin' 'n' Rollin' in Denver
Well, quite a bit has happened since my last post, and since I completed another marathon today it seemed like a good time to update this blog. I'm sitting in my hotel room in downtown Denver and just finished watching the Chiefs win and improve to, 7-0!! The reason I'm in the Mile High City, however, is the 2013 Rock 'n' Roll Denver Marathon. I love Colorado and a marathon was the perfect excuse to get back out here.
I put in the strongest and toughest training block I've ever done leading up to this mornings race. The biggest changes I made in my training this time around is higher mileage and speed work. The heaviest part of my training was six consecutive weeks of 100+ miles per week, maxing out with 121-miles for one of those weeks. Going to the track and doing speed workouts is something I had never done before, but definitely helped me reach a new level in my running.
This would be a good time to write that in early June I started a new (dream) job at First Gear Running Company in Wichita. The people I work with are amazing and have truly become a second family to me. Working with such great and experienced runners has given me the ability to pick their brains and get great advice. The track workouts I started doing is also because of my employment at FGRC. I've also met a lot of great people working there, not to mention a lot about the running industry and how to properly fit someone for shoes. Great, great place to be... but I digress.
Running in Colorado and at altitude is something I had done before, but I couldn't say the same about racing at altitude. I figured I just needed to try and be as fit as possible and hope for the best in regards to the elevation gain.
This morning (and the entire race, really) was beautiful, perfect running weather. The start and finished was in downtown Denver, right by the capitol building. My initial goal for this marathon was to try and PR and run sub-2:55. However, as my training progressed I starting thinking about a possible sub-2:50. The idea of running 6:30 min/mile pace was something that made me nervous, though. With that said, I toed the staring line with a plan of holding 6:30 pace as long as I could. I was feeling really good through 10k and kept feeling good past the halfway point. Checking the splits on my watch I knew I was below 6:30 pace, but it felt comfortable. I ran with a guy from Boulder through 16-17 miles and then he dropped back a bit, so I was solo for awhile. It's much better running with a group or someone than alone. A little before 10k to go, I hooked up with another runner and we tried to work with each other to get through. The last 10k was pretty brutal. I was starting to think I might be paying for going out too fast (I went through the half at 1:23:? with a plan of going through at 1:25:00). It's all mental at this point. I heard the marathon described as a 20-mile warmup and then the toughest 10k you can imagine once, and that was true for me today. I don't know if the race director wanted to make the ending "challenging" or if they wanted to give a slap in the face to the runners, but at mile 25 there is an uphill that is STEEP. Yes, a large part of it is because it's mile 25 and you're running on fumes, but it was just about debilitating. The finish, the final .2, is the exact opposite. It is straight downhill. Too downhill. Like, out of control I'm about to face plant and somersault to the finish! Anyway, enough complaining. It was gorgeous and fun to run in a big city (there were 15,000 runners).
I crossed the finish line in 2:48:25 (6:26 min/mile). 10th overall and first in my age group. Blew away my expectations and gives me a lot of confidence going into April.
Speaking of which... I got into Boston!!! That's the purpose of this blog so I should probably mention that! Tomorrow I'll go for an easy (and sore) shake out run and then take two weeks off of running. I want to make sure I fully recover, give my body a break, and go into my training for Boston feeling fresh and healthy.
I'm celebrating today's PR, though, with a pig out session at my favorite place to eat ANYWHERE... Woody's Wood-Fired Pizza & Watering Hole in Golden. There's usually a wait and the Broncos are playing Sunday Night Football, so I better get going... (I'll be decked out in Chiefs gear, so hopefully I make it out alive...)
Thanks for checking out my running ramblings and until next time... RESPECT THE DISTANCE!!!
-LoJo
I put in the strongest and toughest training block I've ever done leading up to this mornings race. The biggest changes I made in my training this time around is higher mileage and speed work. The heaviest part of my training was six consecutive weeks of 100+ miles per week, maxing out with 121-miles for one of those weeks. Going to the track and doing speed workouts is something I had never done before, but definitely helped me reach a new level in my running.
This would be a good time to write that in early June I started a new (dream) job at First Gear Running Company in Wichita. The people I work with are amazing and have truly become a second family to me. Working with such great and experienced runners has given me the ability to pick their brains and get great advice. The track workouts I started doing is also because of my employment at FGRC. I've also met a lot of great people working there, not to mention a lot about the running industry and how to properly fit someone for shoes. Great, great place to be... but I digress.
Running in Colorado and at altitude is something I had done before, but I couldn't say the same about racing at altitude. I figured I just needed to try and be as fit as possible and hope for the best in regards to the elevation gain.
This morning (and the entire race, really) was beautiful, perfect running weather. The start and finished was in downtown Denver, right by the capitol building. My initial goal for this marathon was to try and PR and run sub-2:55. However, as my training progressed I starting thinking about a possible sub-2:50. The idea of running 6:30 min/mile pace was something that made me nervous, though. With that said, I toed the staring line with a plan of holding 6:30 pace as long as I could. I was feeling really good through 10k and kept feeling good past the halfway point. Checking the splits on my watch I knew I was below 6:30 pace, but it felt comfortable. I ran with a guy from Boulder through 16-17 miles and then he dropped back a bit, so I was solo for awhile. It's much better running with a group or someone than alone. A little before 10k to go, I hooked up with another runner and we tried to work with each other to get through. The last 10k was pretty brutal. I was starting to think I might be paying for going out too fast (I went through the half at 1:23:? with a plan of going through at 1:25:00). It's all mental at this point. I heard the marathon described as a 20-mile warmup and then the toughest 10k you can imagine once, and that was true for me today. I don't know if the race director wanted to make the ending "challenging" or if they wanted to give a slap in the face to the runners, but at mile 25 there is an uphill that is STEEP. Yes, a large part of it is because it's mile 25 and you're running on fumes, but it was just about debilitating. The finish, the final .2, is the exact opposite. It is straight downhill. Too downhill. Like, out of control I'm about to face plant and somersault to the finish! Anyway, enough complaining. It was gorgeous and fun to run in a big city (there were 15,000 runners).
I crossed the finish line in 2:48:25 (6:26 min/mile). 10th overall and first in my age group. Blew away my expectations and gives me a lot of confidence going into April.
Speaking of which... I got into Boston!!! That's the purpose of this blog so I should probably mention that! Tomorrow I'll go for an easy (and sore) shake out run and then take two weeks off of running. I want to make sure I fully recover, give my body a break, and go into my training for Boston feeling fresh and healthy.
I'm celebrating today's PR, though, with a pig out session at my favorite place to eat ANYWHERE... Woody's Wood-Fired Pizza & Watering Hole in Golden. There's usually a wait and the Broncos are playing Sunday Night Football, so I better get going... (I'll be decked out in Chiefs gear, so hopefully I make it out alive...)
Thanks for checking out my running ramblings and until next time... RESPECT THE DISTANCE!!!
-LoJo
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Spring Racing
It has been quite a long time since I have written a new post for this blog. Needless to say, a lot has happened in regards to the purpose of this online journal since the fall. A long entry could be made solely on the tragic, horrific terror attack that occurred on April 15 in Boston. I have decided not to do so, however, because my thoughts and emotions are quite likely not too different than the majority of others, in general.
The attack did affect me, though. When I first heard about what had happened, I felt a sense of numbness throughout my body. At the time, I knew of one person (that I actually know) that was running the Boston Marathon that day (later I discovered several acquaintances that were there taking part). Thankfully, they were all unharmed (physically, anyway).
Am I still wanting to go to Boston and run next April? ABSOLUTELY!!! It seems as though each Boston Marathon is magical, amazing, awesome, etc. according to those who have taken part, but I expect next year to something quite exceptional. On April 21, 2014, I desperately hope to be in Boston and experience that magic.
Now for some updates of my running since the fall Prairie Fire Marathon. I battled some patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee) for a month or two during the winter, so I didn't put in a lot of miles. A lot of cross training kept me in decent shape, though (swimming and cycling). After the new year I was healthy enough to start running more, but I still swim and get out on the bike a couple of days a week. As much I would like to run every day (like I usually do), I know the cross training is a smart choice (it also keeps the thought of testing the triathlon world before too long).
I have raced in four races since the marathon: a 5k, 10k, 2-mile, and half marathon. A PR has come out of each of them. The first was the "2012 Thanksgiving Say Grace 5k." I finished with a time of 17:47 at 5:44 min/mile pace. Running a PR was nice, but since I never do track or speed work it definitely showed my lack of speed at shorter distances. I'd like to run a sub-17:00 5k at some point.
Next, the "2013 Easter Sun Run" where I raced in the 10k and 2-mile. My focus was on the 10k, and I finished with a time of 37:03 at 5:58 min/mile pace. I was super excited to knock more than two minutes off my previous 10k PR (39:19 at 6:20 min/mile pace). The 2-mile started about 30 minutes after I finished the 10k, and after a quarter of a mile into the race my legs turned into cement. I halfway expected this since I gave all my effort in the 10k, and was racing the 2-mile just to see what kind of time I'd get. I finished with a time of 11:18 at 5:39 min/mile pace, fourth overall. And since I didn't have a previous 2-mile race PR... that was a PR! ;)
This morning I raced in the "2013 Prairie Fire Spring Half Marathon." I've been putting in 55-60 miles a week lately (again, two days are either in the pool or on the bike), but I certainly wasn't "training" for this race. The weather has been beyond bipolar in Wichita lately (yes, even for Kansas), so we had a chilly, wet morning with some wind for our race conditions. My only goal was to, hopefully, PR. My previous half marathon PR was 1:26:07 at 6:35 min/mile pace. I crossed the finish line with a time of 1:23:25 at 6:22 min/mile pace. Another PR!!!
A lot of times I look at my Garmin to see my mile splits during a race, but for the four races I've written about here, I've just been going on how I feel. It makes me feel a little "freer" to not be constantly checking my pace.
Overall, I feel good about where my fitness is at. I look at how all of my times have improved from a year ago, and can't help but think I'm a better runner than I was at this point last year. I don't have anymore races planned for the near future. A fall marathon will be my main focal point moving forward. Since I've raced in the Prairie Fire Marathon here in Wichita the last two years, I'd like to go somewhere else this fall. As of now I'm targeting the Denver Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on October 20, or the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on October 27.
As always, thank you for checking out my online soliloquies about running!
The attack did affect me, though. When I first heard about what had happened, I felt a sense of numbness throughout my body. At the time, I knew of one person (that I actually know) that was running the Boston Marathon that day (later I discovered several acquaintances that were there taking part). Thankfully, they were all unharmed (physically, anyway).
Am I still wanting to go to Boston and run next April? ABSOLUTELY!!! It seems as though each Boston Marathon is magical, amazing, awesome, etc. according to those who have taken part, but I expect next year to something quite exceptional. On April 21, 2014, I desperately hope to be in Boston and experience that magic.
Now for some updates of my running since the fall Prairie Fire Marathon. I battled some patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee) for a month or two during the winter, so I didn't put in a lot of miles. A lot of cross training kept me in decent shape, though (swimming and cycling). After the new year I was healthy enough to start running more, but I still swim and get out on the bike a couple of days a week. As much I would like to run every day (like I usually do), I know the cross training is a smart choice (it also keeps the thought of testing the triathlon world before too long).
I have raced in four races since the marathon: a 5k, 10k, 2-mile, and half marathon. A PR has come out of each of them. The first was the "2012 Thanksgiving Say Grace 5k." I finished with a time of 17:47 at 5:44 min/mile pace. Running a PR was nice, but since I never do track or speed work it definitely showed my lack of speed at shorter distances. I'd like to run a sub-17:00 5k at some point.
Next, the "2013 Easter Sun Run" where I raced in the 10k and 2-mile. My focus was on the 10k, and I finished with a time of 37:03 at 5:58 min/mile pace. I was super excited to knock more than two minutes off my previous 10k PR (39:19 at 6:20 min/mile pace). The 2-mile started about 30 minutes after I finished the 10k, and after a quarter of a mile into the race my legs turned into cement. I halfway expected this since I gave all my effort in the 10k, and was racing the 2-mile just to see what kind of time I'd get. I finished with a time of 11:18 at 5:39 min/mile pace, fourth overall. And since I didn't have a previous 2-mile race PR... that was a PR! ;)
This morning I raced in the "2013 Prairie Fire Spring Half Marathon." I've been putting in 55-60 miles a week lately (again, two days are either in the pool or on the bike), but I certainly wasn't "training" for this race. The weather has been beyond bipolar in Wichita lately (yes, even for Kansas), so we had a chilly, wet morning with some wind for our race conditions. My only goal was to, hopefully, PR. My previous half marathon PR was 1:26:07 at 6:35 min/mile pace. I crossed the finish line with a time of 1:23:25 at 6:22 min/mile pace. Another PR!!!
A lot of times I look at my Garmin to see my mile splits during a race, but for the four races I've written about here, I've just been going on how I feel. It makes me feel a little "freer" to not be constantly checking my pace.
Overall, I feel good about where my fitness is at. I look at how all of my times have improved from a year ago, and can't help but think I'm a better runner than I was at this point last year. I don't have anymore races planned for the near future. A fall marathon will be my main focal point moving forward. Since I've raced in the Prairie Fire Marathon here in Wichita the last two years, I'd like to go somewhere else this fall. As of now I'm targeting the Denver Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on October 20, or the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on October 27.
As always, thank you for checking out my online soliloquies about running!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Mission Accomplished (for now)
Now that I have had some time to recover and fill myself with pizza I can write this new post. Operation Qualify for Boston is COMPLETE!!! I finished this mornings 2012 Prairie Fire Marathon in 2:58:02. That is almost seven minutes faster than the 3:05 I needed to qualify for the Boston Marathon at my age. I needed 185 minutes or less and I achieved 178(.02) minutes.
The race started exactly at 8:00 a.m. in downtown Wichita, and the weather was nice and cool (around 55-60 degrees with a bit of wind). I positioned myself towards the front of the starting line, and as the Star Spangled Banner was played, my heart was racing in anticipation of the start.
As the final seconds were counted down in choral fashion before the starting horn sounded, I soaked in the final moments of stationary living before I put my body through roughly three hours of different levels of agony.
Mile one went fast (as expected) and then, even though I watered the parking lot prior to starting, I had to veer behind a car to piss some more during mile two (I blame it on the excitement). I finished the second of the 26.2 miles in 7:07, but then ran mile three in 6:30. I thought to myself, "Too fast! Slow it down a bit." The next two miles (four and five) were completed in 6:40 and 6:33. So much for slowing down. But I felt good and didn't feel as though I was going to hard as I kept reminding myself that there were many miles to come.
Now would be a good time to say that I had a fantastic support crew. My mom and uncle were there from the beginning to the end, and my dad surfaced at mile 20. These three made it so much better, and I can't emphasize how much their support meant. (Pictured below with my mom and dad after the race, top, and with my uncle.)
I felt good through the first 15 miles (I never really hit "the wall"), but a bad side cramp reared its head around mile 16 and I thought I might have to stop to fight it away. Luckily, a GU (I'm partial to "Espresso Love") and a well placed aid station with water bottles was enough to rid myself of the cramp.
Upon reaching mile 20 my run was almost an isolated one. It was just myself and another guy that had ran by me for much of the race. I took one last GU around mile 23 (I took three throughout the race: mile 9, 16, and 23) and focused on a strong finish. With less than two miles to go my hamstrings began to cramp. And then the cramping worsened. And then the cramping almost forced me to stop because I couldn't bend my legs back. All I could think about was, "I've come 25 miles, please just let me finish this thing running!" My gate transformed out of desperation to keep moving to a straight legged movement (like when Forrest Gump runs with his leg braces on before breaking free, only I went from free to braced!)
One last left turn and one last straightaway (the last .2 miles) was all that stood between me and the finish line. The running gods showed just enough mercy on me to allow me Gump myself to the finish line. The cramps then took over and I was unable to move for a few seconds, but I didn't care then because I had accomplished my goal. I crossed the finish line in two hours, 58 minutes, and two seconds. I qualified for the Boston Marathon. Overall, I came in 10th place and first in my age group (19-24).
So now what? I plan on getting up and running four miles very lightly and gingerly in the morning to flush out the lactic acid and get my blood moving. After tomorrow I plan on taking two full weeks off of running to recover, and getting back on the bike and in the pool in about a week. The 2013 Boston Marathon registration was conducted in September so I won't be able to register until the 2014 race. I don't have any races planned for the near future, although I do have some in mind. The main thing right now is to let my body recover. It has taken a beating over the last five to six months. I have ran everyday since May 21st. Tomorrow will be 148 days of running in a row. I didn't give myself enough recovery time after last years marathon and I was injured until Valentine's Day this year.
The journey to qualifying for the worlds most famous marathon has come to end, but the real journey is only beginning.
All of the hard work, early mornings, many miles, and everything else that went into this race was worth it and I'd do it again. In fact, I will.
Until next time...
-LoJo
 |
| Trying to finish strong while fighting off horrible cramping in my hamstrings. PHOTO BY JAIME GREEN |
As the final seconds were counted down in choral fashion before the starting horn sounded, I soaked in the final moments of stationary living before I put my body through roughly three hours of different levels of agony.
Mile one went fast (as expected) and then, even though I watered the parking lot prior to starting, I had to veer behind a car to piss some more during mile two (I blame it on the excitement). I finished the second of the 26.2 miles in 7:07, but then ran mile three in 6:30. I thought to myself, "Too fast! Slow it down a bit." The next two miles (four and five) were completed in 6:40 and 6:33. So much for slowing down. But I felt good and didn't feel as though I was going to hard as I kept reminding myself that there were many miles to come.
Now would be a good time to say that I had a fantastic support crew. My mom and uncle were there from the beginning to the end, and my dad surfaced at mile 20. These three made it so much better, and I can't emphasize how much their support meant. (Pictured below with my mom and dad after the race, top, and with my uncle.)
I felt good through the first 15 miles (I never really hit "the wall"), but a bad side cramp reared its head around mile 16 and I thought I might have to stop to fight it away. Luckily, a GU (I'm partial to "Espresso Love") and a well placed aid station with water bottles was enough to rid myself of the cramp.
Upon reaching mile 20 my run was almost an isolated one. It was just myself and another guy that had ran by me for much of the race. I took one last GU around mile 23 (I took three throughout the race: mile 9, 16, and 23) and focused on a strong finish. With less than two miles to go my hamstrings began to cramp. And then the cramping worsened. And then the cramping almost forced me to stop because I couldn't bend my legs back. All I could think about was, "I've come 25 miles, please just let me finish this thing running!" My gate transformed out of desperation to keep moving to a straight legged movement (like when Forrest Gump runs with his leg braces on before breaking free, only I went from free to braced!)
One last left turn and one last straightaway (the last .2 miles) was all that stood between me and the finish line. The running gods showed just enough mercy on me to allow me Gump myself to the finish line. The cramps then took over and I was unable to move for a few seconds, but I didn't care then because I had accomplished my goal. I crossed the finish line in two hours, 58 minutes, and two seconds. I qualified for the Boston Marathon. Overall, I came in 10th place and first in my age group (19-24).
So now what? I plan on getting up and running four miles very lightly and gingerly in the morning to flush out the lactic acid and get my blood moving. After tomorrow I plan on taking two full weeks off of running to recover, and getting back on the bike and in the pool in about a week. The 2013 Boston Marathon registration was conducted in September so I won't be able to register until the 2014 race. I don't have any races planned for the near future, although I do have some in mind. The main thing right now is to let my body recover. It has taken a beating over the last five to six months. I have ran everyday since May 21st. Tomorrow will be 148 days of running in a row. I didn't give myself enough recovery time after last years marathon and I was injured until Valentine's Day this year.
The journey to qualifying for the worlds most famous marathon has come to end, but the real journey is only beginning.
All of the hard work, early mornings, many miles, and everything else that went into this race was worth it and I'd do it again. In fact, I will.
Until next time...
-LoJo
Saturday, October 13, 2012
The final hours
The 2012 Prairie Fire Marathon starts in a little more than 13 hours. I picked up my race bib and bag at the Fit for Life Expo at Century II this afternoon, and that's when the anxiety started to hit me a little bit. Up to this point I haven't been nervous or anxious about the race, but these last remaining hours have changed that. I have been thinking in my head about all of the miles and months of training that have gone into this one thing. Excitement, however, is what I am really feeling. I don't anticipate getting too much sleep tonight because my thoughts will be going crazy thinking about tomorrow morning.
I woke up this morning and ran four fairly easy miles. I ran some errands with my mom around town, but did very little walking (at least as little as I could). Now I am going to have some pasta and two slices of toast, and then I will lay down to rest, and hopefully sleep.
My alarm is set to go off at 5:30 a.m. The race starts at 8 a.m., so I want to give myself plenty of time to get up and moving, eat a little bit of oatmeal and honey and a small cup of black coffee, and to make sure I have plenty of time to arrive at the starting line.
See you on the other side!
-LoJo
I woke up this morning and ran four fairly easy miles. I ran some errands with my mom around town, but did very little walking (at least as little as I could). Now I am going to have some pasta and two slices of toast, and then I will lay down to rest, and hopefully sleep.
My alarm is set to go off at 5:30 a.m. The race starts at 8 a.m., so I want to give myself plenty of time to get up and moving, eat a little bit of oatmeal and honey and a small cup of black coffee, and to make sure I have plenty of time to arrive at the starting line.
See you on the other side!
-LoJo
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