Very happy to be finished!

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En route to Paris with Pacou and Marie and Phil and Joe following the marathon

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I Finished!

Wow! What an adventure. Got started right on time. It was a little chilly. Incredibly enough I actually ran into three of the other 4 Americans besides me. One is the Chaplain to the New York City Marathon and has run something like 45 marathons. He is from Massachusetts. I met his friend from Pennsylvania. They were visiting a Dutch friend who was also running. Names (not sure who was who) were Ron, Jon and Don.

First half of the marathon was fairly uneventful. A nice bicycle policeman peddled next to me for awhile - told me he ran the 10 miler last year but didn't do too well because he had partied the night before and was hung over.

At one point I was the last "official" runner on the course. But eventually the guy wearing orange in the sweep van asked me if I could run faster and I told him "no." That was sometime after the halfway point where my time was 2:30:58. And from there the adventure began!

Once I was behind the official projected 5 hour time limit I became pretty much on my own. No more people telling you where to run, to turn, etc. No more water and drinks unless I was lucky and they were slow cleaning up. No more kilometer markers.

There were still a few people behind me but eventually I think most of them quit. I made a very urgent and necessary pit stop behind a tree in a park - definitely need to stop affected my ability to run for the 15 to 20 minutes as the need was quite urgent. During that time I ended up walking with a Flemish woman who had cramps. It was her third marathon - she had run Rotterdam and NYC previously. Lost her when I made my pit stop. Then the worst of it - I got completely lost twice. There were no road markings or any other decent way to determine the direction of the course. Asking directions was a bit problematic - if I was lucky enough to find someone who spoke a little English chances were that they had no clue which direction I needed to run. Even cops at the end weren't sure or would say "the marathon" is finished. The best I could do was a "Hansel and Gretel" manoever of following the trail of empty water bottles. But like Hansel and Gretel there were times when the water bottle trail disappeared because the clean-up trucks had already collected them! Cops telling me the marathon was over certainly didn't help me because (1) I was determined to finish no matter what, and (2) even if I wanted to quit I still needed to get to the finish to meet Joe, Phil, Pacou and Marie. Evidently there was a truck that picked up those who did not finish but I never saw it.

Ran nearly 5K beyond the 26.2 miles or 42K!!! No wonder my legs are feeling a little the worse for the wear. Saw Joe right at the finish at 5:59:42. They had closed official timing at about 5:15:00. Joe said there were still people finishing as they dismantled the finish in prep for the 10 mile start/finish.

Managed to get my chip turned in and collect a medal. Figure I might have finished just at or before the dismantling of the finish had it not been for my numerous mishaps - pit stop, getting lost, numerous stops to ask directions. Painted road markings would have been a great help. I intermixed some walking after, I'm guessing, 18 miles or so and was walking a good bit towards the end. Partly it was because my left knee was giving me a little trouble (I was mad at myself for forgetting to take Advil this morning before the race) but even more so I think it was because of frustration at continually getting lost.

So, all in all, I think my next marathon will be one without a time limit of 5 hours. If I had run faster than that there would have been continued support and I would not have gotten lost. People were all very nice although not always able to provide the help I needed - mostly accurate directions.

So, don't ask me today if I'll do another one. It's like childbirth that way. One needs time for the memory of the pain and discomfort of the experience to wear off so the joy and sense of accomplisment can be truly appreciated!


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Marathon Morning

It's finally here! We're on the way from Brugges to Antwerp - Philippe driving. I slept great except not long enough last night. Ate a roll and had a few cups of coffee (hey - they were small!) at the B&B before leaving.

I feel ready to run although I wish I had gotten more sleep. The temperature is still cool at only 9 degrees Centigrade - perfect as long as it stays there. It is quite foggy. Have all my gels ready to go and my Cytomax mixed up - may or may not wear the FuelBalt. Will drink some PerFormance here shortly. About 1:45 to start time.

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Arrived in Europe

Had a uneventful flight over the pond and arrived in Amsterdam Friday morning around 7:30 AM. Would have liked more sleep but even with an Ambien wasn't able to get a decent stretch of sleep.



Caught the train from Amsterdam to Antwerp, visited the Ruben's House, had a bite to eat, a few sips of Joe's beers at the Kulminator (great atmosphere with trestle tables, comfy chairs, classical music and wonderful selection of Belgian beers). Then caught the subway across the river to pick up my race packet. Most confusing subway I've ever been on in my life - very poor signage so requires lots of questioning of fellow passengers to ensure the correct direction of travel. Packet pickup was easy as was T-shirt pickup. Nice bright red T-shirt for the marathon runners and it's a technical shirt so it will get worn. Everyone very friendly.



So, the challenge remaining is to get enough sleep between now and Sunday and get my digestive system on track. Drink lots of water and keep the legs rested. Pass on the Belgian beer after a few more sips tonight at dinner and likewise on the Belgian chocolates!


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Week 17: 3 miles/3 miles/Walk 3 miles

Last week before Antwerp! Continue to get excited -- sometimes a little anxious. But all in all I'm confident that I'll finish and hopefully I'll finish strong. Weather reports out of Antwerp are calling for temperatures in the low 50s (perfect for me) but also forecasting some rain. As long as it's a drizzle and not a downpour I'll be fine -- would prefer not to run in soggy shoes!

MONDAY: 3.45 miles at 9:31 pace. 332 kcals. 156 Avg HR. A good run. Temps in the low 50s with a slight breeze. Even a little chilly starting out but felt good. Continue to make mental checklists of everything I need to pack but I think I'm in pretty good shape. One more short run tomorrow and then it's all downhill to Sunday.

TUESDAY: Woke up early ... decided to get my run out of the way so I could finish up office paperwork later this afternoon. It was chilly -- only in the low- to mid- 40s -- but that's the temperatures I prefer so not bad. Ran 3.5 miles at a 10:08 pace -- easy run -- didn't feel like I was pushing myself at all. 294 kcals and 140 Avg HR. Didn't notice it at all while running but afterward noticed some tenderness to the touch just below my knee on the outer left leg -- but I think it's where I bumped into a chair yesterday at the dentist's office. Go figure -- the running doesn't affect me but clumsiness does. Anyway, I'll ice it later.

So ... I'm done running until Sunday in Antwerp. Feeling strong and healthy and looking forward to the marathon. I'm thinking all the sights of running in a European city, unfamiliar languages, smells, etc. will keep my thoughts occupied and a lot of the time will go by quickly. And the course is flat which is different than what I'm used to running. For the most part I think it will make the run a little easier than my usual hills. Forecasts for the weather continue to change almost on a daily basis. Latest this morning was that the high for Antwerp on Sunday is projected to be 65 degrees F. On the hot side for me so I'm hoping that forecast is incorrect.

I'm just about done with the packing. Carrying all my running stuff onboard with me just in case luggage finds a way to get lost -- it shouldn't since there are no connections between here and there. Carrying three different options for running tops so I'll be ready no matter what the weather actually turns out to be. I have all my gels in carryon -- in my quart size Ziploc bag to clear security. Also have my powders for Cytomax and Pre-Formance to mix up on Sunday. The only thing I'm not carrying on with me is my Fuel Belt -- hoping I won't need it but if the temps end up on the high end then I'm hoping it makes it to Amsterdam on the same plane I'm on! Oh, and also my gymbag for my stuff to shower with after the marathon and change of clothes, etc. -- I can always buy a new gymbag easily enough. I typically take an extended release Ambien on the Europe bound flights and have decided I will do that again -- it should be out of my system by Sunday and will help me adjust more quickly to the new time zone. I'm actually more organized than I've ever been this much before an extended trip. Much more relaxing being fully prepared!

Thursday is scheduled to be a 3-mile walk. Not sure if I'll do that here before leaving for airport or figure I'll get that much walking in at the airport, etc. Will see how I'm feeling on Thursday and how much last-minute stuff I need to do or decide to do!

Week 16: Saturday's "Long" Run - 8 miles

Well, this was my last "long" run before Antwerp. Weather a bit hot for my liking but tolerable -- in the low 70s again. 8.34 miles at 10:49 pace. 870 kcals. 152 Avg HR. Did the Beaverdam Bridge Loop fairly early -- out of the house by 9:15 -- after coffee and a bite to eat. Carried Cytomax with me in the Fuel Belt and glad I did given the heat. Drank about 20 oz during the run. Everything felt fine -- no problems.

Week 16: 3 miles/5 miles/3 miles/8 miles

Less than two weeks to Antwerp! I'm trying to focus on eating well and drinking a lot of water. My appetite is definitely smaller than it was when I was running the 16 and 18 mile weekend long runs. It's nice not to be ravenous all the time. With the lower weekly miles my legs feel good without any of the little twinges here and there that I was feeling during those high mileage weeks. All in all feeling good and looking forward to the upcoming trip.

MONDAY: 3.4 miles at 10:31 pace. 316 kcals. 146 Avg HR. Haven't done a run this short in a long time!

TUESDAY: 6.0 miles at 10:18 pace. 589 kcals. 151 Avg HR. Good run. There is only one run longer than this (Saturday -- 8 miles) before the marathon. Felt great. Legs strong. A few aches and pains that resolved easily. It will be interesting to run a totally flat course. All my runs have included hills and while the long ones can be a pain I actually like some hills.

THURSDAY: 3.3 miles at 10:55 pace. 333 kcals. 148 Avg HR. Slow run. Hot day -- in the low 70s. Nothing particularly difficult about the run -- it was short! But I definitely prefer the cooler temperatures.

Week 15: Saturday's Run in Philadelphia -- 9 miles

Well, I have a new equation:

Too much food + too much booze + not enough sleep = Poor pace + difficult run!

Drove up to Philadelphia last night to catch the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and visited Monk's (think great selection of Belgian beers) and then Amado's Tapas Restaurant (think great food and good Sangria). Only had one wit beer at Monk's and one glass of white Sangria (good stuff and they make it the authentic way with brandy which the Commonwealth of Virginia in their infinite wisdom forbids) as far as the booze went. And shared mussels with Joe at Monk's and had a reasonable dinner, albeit with dessert, at Amado's. Had a decaf cup of coffee and I think that must have interfered with my sleep. Plus I felt stuffed! Let all of that be a reminder to me to do EVERYTHING IN MODERATION from now until Marathon Day! Well, probably everthing in less than moderation because I would consider Friday "moderation!"

Got up this morning around 7:45 AM and had my usual bran cereal for breakfast -- the hotel restaurant actually had a mini-box of All-Bran -- I've never seen that before. And a bunch of fruit and a cup and a half of coffee. Headed out on my run around 9:30 AM from City Hall up past the Museum of Art into Fairmont Park. Wound around the park and up along the river. Nice watching the crew teams on the river. Weather was supposed to be rainy but turned out a little overcast and no rain. Delightful in that respect. But what a difficult run. No real aches or pains but never really settled into "my groove" so to speak. Ran 9.4 miles at an 11:33 pace (slow for me on a run like this, especially since a lot of it was basically flat), 958 kcals, 143 Avg HR. I think my monitor went haywire under some electric transmission lines because it says my max heart rate was a crazy 223! I'll see if it's the same (don't know why it wouldn't be) once I actually upload the info to my PC.

Only one more "long" run (8 miles next week) until Marathon Day! Physically I'm doing well and remain injury free. Need to focus on hydration, good nutrition and lots of rest/sleep for the next 15 days. Beginning to get both excited and a bit anxious. 26.2 miles seems like a really long way at times and other times it seems like it's perfectly manageable -- as in "I did 9 miles today and it's only doing that 2 more times!"

Week 15: Thursday's Run -- 5 Miles

Well, ordinarily I'd be writing this post as part of the previous post but for some odd reason I couldn't get my blog to display the "edit entry" link. I signed in and out a bunch of times but that didn't work so I'm not sure what the problem is today. Before when the same thing has occurred I have signed out and back in and the problem is solved -- but not today.

Anyway ... ran 6.0 miles this afternoon. Although it was supposedly 50 degrees out it felt more like mid 40s (fine by me) and it was breezy. But no rain for which I was thankful. Pace was a decent 10:37, 577 kcals and 147 Avg HR. Not a bad run. No significant aches or pains. Warmed up and everything fine by Mile 2.5 or so.

Heading up to Philadelphia tomorrow. Will have to figure out where and when to run my 9.o miles this weekend. Would prefer to fit it in on Saturday but that might not work out. Also, weather is not supposed to be that great. Don't mind the cold but prefer it to be dry!

Week 15: 5 miles/8 miles/5 miles/9 miles

OK, first of all I'm blowing off my idea of running 18-20 miles today since I "only" ran 10 miles on Saturday at the Charlottesville 10 Miler. But it was a hard effort on Saturday! I'm tired (Nationals home opener in the new stadium last night and didn't get to bed until after 1 AM) but that probably wouldn't have been enough to keep me from running. Had blocked off the morning for a long run. Mainly, the weather stinks -- it's rainy and grey. So, all combined, I just couldn't muster the motivation. That, plus, reading over the training program there were a bunch of people who didn't do either of the longest two runs and still did fine in the marathon. So ... I convinced myself that a "regular" run would do just fine. Getting ready to head out here in a few minutes.

So here's my revised Week 15: 5 miles/8 miles/5 miles/9 miles in lieu of 18 miles/0 miles/5 miles/9 miles. Total mileage for the week is not that much affected: 27 miles versus 32 miles.

Anyway, THE TAPER BEGINS!!! Less than 3 weeks to Marathon Day!!! I have a massage scheduled for this Wednesday and a final one before the marathon on Wednesday, April 16th prior to our flight on Thursday. And ... I have a massage scheduled in Paris on the day after the marathon. Found a French guy who was trained in California and supposedly knows his stuff when it comes to sport massage. Unbelievable difficult to find such a person in France -- most of the massage is a light massage.

MONDAY: Pretty incredible run today after I kicked myself out the door to actually run! No nagging aches or pains. Ran 6.2 miles in 59 minutes at a 9:35 pace, 579 kcal and 153 Avg HR. It's my fastest average pace for any of my training runs. Temperature was right around 50 degrees and, although the weather reports called for "misting" in "pockets," Philomont must have been one big "pocket" today and it was doing more than "misting" for most of the day. Overall, probably the rainiest day of the training program. And no way to really plan around it because it kept up all day -- although it did start to come down harder right when I finished so that timing worked out well.

TUESDAY: Not a bad run. Everything loosened up by Mile 2.5 although the legs were a little tight until then. And ... it was way too warm for my liking. The temperature was in the mid 60s. Nice when you first step out the door but draining after that. I typically don't take fluids with me for an 8 mile run but by Mile 5 or so today I wished I had. Also, my heartrate was higher than normal for my pace -- a result of not enough hydration. Overall distance was 8.24 miles at 11:23 pace, 152 Avg HR (basically same heartrate as yesterday but nearly 2 minutes per mile slower pace!), 903 kcals. Massage scheduled for tomorrow. Yeah!

Charlottesville 10 Miler Official Posted Results

Checked the online results today only to discover that I had dropped from 1855th to 1856th overall and 40/60 in my age group. Wonder how that managed to happen. Times all the same.

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Charlottesville 10 Miler

What a great race! Great support ... great people ... great weather ... great music!!! I'll definitely do this one again.

Joe did a great job taking pictures and it was nice to see him along the course. Always a boost to have a personal supporter.

Overall pace ended up being around 10:47 which is terrific for me and especially over the hills. Heart rate stayed in the hard exertion range most of the run -- with average HR around 158 and max at a whopping 177 -- and I'm not dead! There wasn't much flat at all on the course. If it wasn't going up, which it was doing for most of the run, it was going down. I do think that it seemed a lot worse driving the course than actually running it. Even reading about it was worse (see yesterday's post). None of the hills was a killer. My right knee gave me almost no problems and I was most worried about that given all the downhills. A few twinges but nothing more and nothing that forced me to walk. I spent Mile 2-5 looking for a place for a pit stop. Finally, on the Downtown Mall, saw a runner emerging from the coffee shop and asked him if there was a bathroom inside -- positive response --  quick pit stop. Definitely need to return and leave those guys a nice tip! Thanks for the relief.

Running well at the finish and was able to power the final mile. Always nice to finish strong. Joe, of course, at the finish line with the camera -- thank you, honey! And, surprise, Paula and Bruce with hugs and congrats. Thanks guys! Love you all.

Great 10 Miles!

40/59 in age group
1855th finisher
906/1090 of women
57:00 split
1:47:42 chip time
1:48:33 gun time
More later with pictures by Joe.
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Reconnoiter of the Charlottesville 10 Miler

Bottomline is that I think it's going to be a killer run! Drove it this afternoon after packet pickup and if the course is not going up then it's going down. Only saving grace is that the scenery and the sights are great. The cherry trees are all in bloom, spring flowers are popping up everywhere, and the run takes in much of the UVA campus and the Downtown Mall area. So ... It's early to bed tonight to get up at 6:00 AM. The temperature is only supposed to be right around 40 degrees tomorrow during the run and once I'm warmed up that is great for running. And with the hills I should be warmed up within a quarter mile of the start!

Here's how the course is described, mile by mile:

Mile 1: long uphill

Mile 2: one of the longest and toughest hills

Mile 3: gentle mile-long rise

Mile 4: slight uphill and then the longest downhill of the course

Mile 5: relief for awhile and then the beginning of a series of climbs

Mile 6: long and gentle downhill, steep plunge and then a tough climb that eventually flattens out

Mile 7: legendary climb that is the most talked about section of the course and flattens out

Mile 8: gentle but seemingly unending uphill straigtaway is supposedly the most mental portion of the course

Mile 9: after climbing steep hill racers are greated with gentle but long and steady downhill

Mile 10: roller coaster of hills to the finish

Let's hope my knees don't collapse! More later after the run tomorrow.

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Week 14: 5 miles/8 miles/5 miles/Charlottesville 10 Miler

The last of the high mileage weeks! I'm still fatigued. Right knee is still threatening to have issues so I'm keeping close tabs on how it feels.

Was supposed to do the last 18 this Saturday but my training schedule ended up being off and I had already signed up to do the Charlottesville 10 Miler on Saturday. So, for the time being I have reserved this coming Monday, March 31st, for my last 18 miles -- or an adjusted distance depending on how I'm feeling after running Charlottesville. 

MONDAY: 5.7 miles. Pace 11:27. Remarkably my knee held up well with no significant problems. Did my usual Greggsville loop so I have no idea why it turned up a tenth of a mile shorter than every other time I have run it! The Polar can be a little odd sometimes in how it calculates mileage.

TUESDAY: 8.0 miles. Pace 11:12. Knee continues to hold up fine. Took some ibuprofen last night and this morning. Also made sure to get full routine of stretching in before heading out the door. Temps in the low 50s today with a few clouds in an otherwise blue sky. Pleasant day to run. Did the Beaverdam Bridge loop without the Greggsville loop added on. Would have been 7 miles except I added on a mile by running up Watermill. The hill up Watermill is a killer! And I managed a decent pace even with that hill. My average heartrate for today's run, however, was 147 -- whereas it's typically around 141 or 142. Not sure if it was because of the added gigantic hill or a combination of that and a general fatigue. I am so looking forward to beginning the taper and getting fully rested for Antwerp. 

THURSDAY: 5.9 miles. Pace 10:19. 592 kcal. 153 HR avg. Knee feeling good. Actually, everything today felt good. Nice running weather. Although it was supposedly around 55 outside it felt more like the upper 40s. Cloudy and grey. Did the same loop I did on Monday and it was .2 miles longer! Go figure. Headed down to Williamsburg this evening and then on to Charlottesville tomorrow afternoon. I think I'm in good shape for the 10 miler.

Week 13: 18 Mile Long Run

The weather was threatening rain and wind but all in all it wasn't at all bad and the temps (around 42 degrees) were perfect for running. Some cloud cover so it stayed cooler than last week which was kind of nice.

Started out up Jeb Stuart with the extra loop around Greggsville and Colchester, down Beaverdam Bridge. Had to work out a few aches and pains during the first 2-3 miles but after that it went more easily. Before starting out had my normal half decaf skim latte and a scoop of Pre-Formance. Packed three gels for this run (my usual Hammer Gel Espresso, Accel Gel Vanilla and a Hammer Gel Vanilla -- the HG Vanilla was gross and I certainly won't be buying that one again) and all four fuel belt bottles with Cytomax. And started consuming the gels earlier -- first one at just under an hour. And started drinking the Cytomax at 30 minutes.

Got to Leith (6.9 miles) and turned right, down to Mountville and Pothouse Road. Right on Snake Hill to Banneker (did the little loop up through the Mt. Zion cemetary behind the school) and I was only at about 10.5 miles. Did 12 loops around the Banneker track and headed back the same way except straight up Leith to Hibbs Bridge to home. Total mileage was 18.5 miles. Pace was 12:18 and used a whopping 1933 calories.

Right knee gave me a few twitches by the time I hit Banneker and I could tell I was definitely favoring it a little. Worse on the downhills. By the time I was 3 miles from finishing I took the safe option and walked the downhills. Feels like ITB issues. Need to focus more on extra stretching throughout the week. Also, I hadn't taken any ibuprofen prior to Saturday's run. Iced it when I finished and by the evening I was fine.

Can't believe I'm this close to the end of the long runs and the beginning of the taper! Having a reasonable training program sure made all the difference between getting injured early on (like when I was "training" -- if you can call it that! -- for Pittsburgh about 5-6 years ago) and staying healthy this time. I'm still not 100% that I'm doing the last 18 miler on Monday the 31st (after the Charlottesville 10 Miler on March 29th). I think I will be flexible and see how my knee is doing. On the one hand I really want to get the last long run in but on the other hand I want to make sure I arrive in Antwerp injury free. Reading the training book, there were several people who didn't get all the long runs in (and in fact completed considerably less of the running than I have) and they went on to complete the marathon. So if I don't run the last 18 I think I'll still be in good shape to run the marathon on April 20. I'm also tired -- finding I need more sleep and having difficulty getting up in the morning even with 8-9 hours of sleep. And then there's the issue of the day before I have scheduled for the last 18 miles -- an 8 PM season opener at the new Nationals Stadium in DC. Probably won't be in bed that night until after midnight. So ... as I said .... I need to be flexible and see how I feel come Monday the 31st.

As far as cardio fitness I'm pretty fit. Heartrate for the same pace has been consistently coming down. If my legs hold up I'll be in great shape. And the fact that Antwerp is "flat and fast" will be nice. I've done so much training on hills that running on the flat will be a vacation!

Just trying out this feature!

How in the world does an email post to my blog?!

PS: Pretty nifty. The email I sent from my Blackberry posted to my blog. The title is whatever you put in the subject line. And the body of the email becomes the body of the blog post.

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Week 13: 5 miles/8 miles/5 miles/18 miles

MONDAY: 5.8 miles: Pace was 11:19.
Tough start to a decent run. Legs felt pretty good considering the 17 miles I ran on Saturday.

TUESDAY: 10.2 miles: Pace was 10:37.
Great run. Tough start, especially the first 2.5 miles.

THURSDAY: 5.9 miles: Pace was 11:06.
Good run. A few twinges here and there.

Definitely thinking on my runs lately that I'll be happy when the taper starts. I'm tired! Find that I'm sleeping more and requiring the additional sleep. My legs are holding up well. A few minor aches and pains here and there but nothing significant and I am feeling very confident that I will complete the marathon in Antwerp in good shape. I'm less worried about the running and more concerned about making sure eating, stretching, jet lag recovery, etc. all works out with the traveling. I'm also starting to get excited about the experience. I'm so focused on the marathon training and the actual marathon on April 20th that I forget that we're actually leaving in less than 4 weeks on Thursday, April 17th.

Week 12: Saturday's Long Run

Gorgeous day which was a real blessing considering the weather report earlier in the week was calling for intermittent heavy rain and wind. Instead it couldn't have been a more beautiful early spring day. Temperatures in the low 50s with a light breeze and sunny. Had my normal coffee in the morning and then had a glass of Pre-Formance. Applied my latest acquisition, BioFreeze (mostly a menthol gel), stretched and headed out around 10:30 AM with the iPod set to shuffle and the FuelBelt loaded with Cytomax and two gels (Hammer Gel Espresso and Accel Gel Vanilla -- my two standards). Started off slowly up Jeb Stuart at around a 12:30 pace. Checking the Polar monitor saw that my pace was a little faster each mile. By Mile 4 was at a pace a few seconds under a 12:00 pace. First two miles of the run were tough and the last 2-3 were tough. The miles in between went by pretty easily.

Had a new route plotted out -- up Jeb Stuart, across to Beaverdam Bridge to a right on Leith. Cross Foxcroft onto Pot House Road. And then I made the mistake of turning left on Snake Hill Road. Ended up down at Foxcroft again instead of down in St. Louis by Banneker Elementary. Backtracked (adding about 2.75 miles to my route) on Snake Hill and down to St. Louis, crossed 611 and onto Hamlin Mill. Up through Unison on Unison Road to a right on Foxcroft, crossed 611 again and back to Mountville Road and Leith Lane. By this time I was at 17.1 miles and my right knee was giving me some issues, especially on the downhills. Walked back up Leith to Hibbs Bridge to Snickersville to Home. Overall pace for the 17.1 mile run was 11:57. I was very pleased.

The route was beautiful. Rolling hills, horses, nice houses. Lots of ups and downs, a few flats but not many! Always see lots of things I'd like to get pictures of. Probably could have used an extra gel. Was starving by the time I had walked a mile post run. Knee continued to give me some issues. Iced it once at home and took 600 mg of ibuprofen. By the time the ibuprofen had a chance to take effect I was feeling much better -- actually I think a little better than after my long run last week. 

Week 12: 5 miles/8 miles/5 miles/16 miles

Was pretty sore after Saturday's 16 mile run -- even after the usual ibuprofen fix. Mostly right IT band issues at the knee. Amazingly, my left leg was fine. But I was definitely hobbling up and down steps! Sunday was a little better but I was somewhat anxious about heading into Monday's run and wondering if leg issues were going to crop up. Went to bed really early on Sunday evening (I think the time change was also affecting my fatigue) and slept about 9-10 hours. Felt okay Monday morning but still was curious to see how my legs would be on the run. Well, they were fine -- much better than a week ago after my return from Florida. Finished a 5.8 mile run at a 11.36 pace with a net altitude gain of 322 feet.

TUESDAY'S AWESOME RUN: Recovered fine from Monday's short run. Continued with the ibuprofen during the day Monday but none Monday night. Was tired Tuesday morning and had a little difficulty motivating myself to get out and run. The day was beautiful -- about 50 degrees with a blue sky and sun. Finally got out the door and what started in my mind as a slow run turned into my fastest paced run since I began this training program. Tuesday's 8.1 mile run was absolutely awesome. My legs were strong, in fact everything felt great. I was able to power up the hills and still had good stability and strength on the downhills. Although I could track my step by step pace while running I don't because it takes too much of my focus away from the running. Instead I do rough calculations in my head. So I knew at miles 3 and 4 that I was running faster than an 11:00 pace but not until I finished and uploaded the info did I realize my pace for the run was an amazing 10:07! And this over hills with a net altitude gain of 640 feet. My heartrate for the run was almost all in the hard intensity range but I felt good. Total run time was around 1:21 and I was definitely feeling the need for some nutrition by the end. Didn't have any on the run. Finished the run, did some stretching, angel hair marinara and a shower. Continued to feel good for the rest of the afternoon -- although I did pop a couple of Advil.

THURSDAY'S SO-SO RUN: Well, I didn't expect Thursday's run to measure up to Tuesday's Awesome Run. And it didn't. It was tough! The first 2.75 miles (yes, nearly half of the 5.8 miles that I did) were difficult. And my overall pace was about a minute slower than my pace on Tuesday -- something a little over 11:00. It wasn't anything in particular that made the run difficult -- little minor aches and pains here and there. The aches and pains came and went but made the run less than ideal. Oh well, every run can't be perfect. Sometimes it's just about getting the miles in!

Week 11: Saturday 16 Miler

Saturday weather reports were for calling for rain, wind and chilly temps so I wasn't anticipating my Saturday run with much enthusiasm! And there appeared to be no breaks in the bad weather. It was one front followed by another which was actually projected to bring even worse rain and wind than the first front. Figuring the best time for my run would be earlier in the day rather than later I made it an early night on Friday and got up around 7:30 AM Saturday. About an hour and a half later, after coffee and a breakfast of Pre-Formance (by the Cytomax people) as well as some stretching, I headed out. It was drizzling and about 44 degrees but not at all unpleasant. Headed up Jeb Stuart, around the Hughesville loop to Beaverdam Bridge Road. Ran with the iPod again (this time on Shuffle), Fuel Belt loaded up with Cytomax bottles and two gels (Accel Gel Vanilla and Hammer Gel Espresso). First couple of miles weren't bad and it got even better as I got warmed up. It was 6 miles at the intersection of Turkey Roost and Beaverdam so I added another mile by heading up Turkey Roost to 611 and back. Was raining a bit harder at this point in the run but still not bad. Back to Beaverdam and up to Leith, down to Mountville and out to Foxcroft Road making it 9.5 miles. Still no major aches or pains. Had the first gel at about mile 8.5. The rain had slowed down again which was nice. No more water dripping down my face! Back to Beaverdam for the return route. By about Mile 13 it was actually getting warm and the sun was coming out. What a change. A few little aches and pains around the knees but nothing really significant. Took a few 45 second walks and that small respite worked great for alleviating the discomfort. Back down to Jeb Stuart and Beaverdam -- left on Beaverdam to add a bit of mileage, back around across Snickersville and started the loop home. Clocked it at 16.1 miles with the slow pace of 12:51.

Post-run did some more stretching, drank some water, had a Smart Ones Angel Hair Marinara and then off to the nice warm shower. Then out to Berryville to the beer store for their Belgian tasting. Not a bad post-run reward!

All in all this run was much easier than my run last week in Florida. The temps in the low 40s are much more to my liking than the 60s and 70s it was down in Florida. Even the rain wasn't bad -- the steady downpour only lasted about 20 minutes total and the rest of the time it was either a slight drizzle or actually dry and sunny. My legs felt better, I walked less (although my overall time for the distance was 4 minutes slower today than last week in Florida -- go figure -- I think it must be the fact that today's run included a lot more hill work. The only "hills" in Florida were the two causeways!). Took 400 mg of Advil this morning and will take another dose at the 7-8 hour mark. My right leg is the only body part that is uncomfortably sore -- feels like it may be IT Band issue. But that's a little unusual -- it's usually my left leg and that feels fine. No significant fatigue (and it's now about 3-1/2 hours post-run).

I do find that listening to the iPod during my runs I don't spend as much time thinking about other stuff -- like drivers, politics, my to-do list, etc. It's kind of nice to have the music and I liked the Shuffle setting but I also like the "thinking" time.

Week 11: 5 miles/8 miles/5 miles/16 miles

My first short run of Week 11 -- a lousy little 5 miles -- and I thought I was going to die! It was horrible. My left leg was bothering me so much that at Mile 1.5 I thought I was going to have to turn around and go back. I did the running/walking thing pretty much from the beginning and that was the only way I managed to get through it. Part of the problem could have been the temps again -- in the low 60s. Second run of the week on Tuesday -- 8 miles -- had a tough time talking myself into it at first because I was really tired, had trouble getting out of bed this morning. So talked myself into at least getting dressed for running and getting out and at least doing 3-4 miles even if I couldn't do the whole 8 miles. Gave myself permission to run as slowly as I needed to and by Mile 2.5 I was doing fine. Didn't walk at all during Tuesday's run and clocked an 8.6 mile run with an 11:35 pace even though I was trying to run super slow! Yes, I know that's super slow for lots of folks but any long run under a 12:00 minute pace is a decent pace for me. Thursday's run ended up being 5.8 miles at a 11:21 pace. Thursday I ran with my iPod for the first time during the marathon training and I think it helped. I listened to two albums: Lyle Lovett and his Large Band and John Prine's Fair and Square. The weather was incredibly nice -- low 50s with a light breeze. Ran in Under Armour short tights and a lightweight longsleeved top. The weather coming up for Saturday is not looking so good -- rain is pretty much a given. I just hope it will be a light rain. Temps aren't looking too bad -- low to mid 40s. So the challenge will be to stay relatively dry.

Week 10: 16 Mile Run in Florida

This was probably my most difficult run to date. Temps were in the upper 60s, low 70s and I started out about 8:30 AM. Did a loop from Edgewater, FL, across the South Causeway to New Smyrna Beach, down Saxon Drive and then looped up S. Atlantic Avenue (A1A) to Flagler, across the North Causeway and then down Route 1 home. I had all four bottles on my belt with Cytomax and two gels (a Hammer Gel Espresso and an Accel Gel Vanilla). Got really thirsty and ran out of fluid around Mile 10 (filled up from a hose a guy was using to wash his car), ran out again and a nice guy at the natural foods restaurant by the North Causeway filled up my water bottles. I really hoping that race day in Antwerp has low temps. In the upper 40s, lower 50s would be fine by me.

The scenery was nice -- especially over the causeways and down Saxon Avenue -- some nice homes and even a little shade here and there. I think what contributed to the difficulty of the run was that the last part of it was along A1A in New Smyrna and there was no shade and lots of noisy motorcycles (Bike Week!). And ... there the scenery during that stretch was pretty boring. A long long straight probably 4 miles at least with no shade.

I did some of the Galloway running and walking which helped conserve some energy. But I was very glad to be done! Another issue could be that I was not sleeping that well in a bed other than my own and I was eating a lot more than usual. So my system was kind of messed up. Definite pointers for pre-Antwerp -- try to get adequate sleep and try to keep eating consistent with my normal patterns.

Week 10: 0 miles/8 miles/5 miles/16 miles

Took Monday off as a rest day following the A-B Half Marathon. Had a massage. Ran Tuesday. Until about Mile 3 was really considering cutting the run short as my left leg was giving me some problems. I had stretched before the run but the leg felt weak and wobbly. The feeling went away after about Mile 3 and I was fine -- even went an extra mile and pushed it that last mile. I'm also dealing with a black toe on my left foot -- residual from a blister several weeks ago. Big callous on the tip of the toe (second toe). Doesn't give me too much of a problem but it is something that I notice whether running or not. On the 9 mile run yesterday used a Hammer Gel (Espresso flavor) midway through the run which kept the energy levels up. And .... I consider myself very fortunate. The weather report was calling for rain, heavy at times, throughout the day. I started my run around 1 PM, no rain. It stayed dry until my last 15 minutes when it started coming down fairly steadily. Temps were in the low 40s. Grey overcast skies. Wore long tights, REI midweight top, jacket, gloves and headband. I have a short run on Thursday after finishing up work and then rush off to the airport for a flight to Orlando. I'll be running my 16 miles this week in hopefully sunny and not too warm New Smyrna Beach.

Anheuser-Busch Williamsburg Half-Marathon

Well, I met my two goals (and the third goal I added on "race" day). I finished, I finished healthy, and I wasn't last! Time on the clock when I finished was 2:30:56 but my "official" time posted online was 2:31:18. That was a little irritating, especially considering the race was not chip-timed, I started in the way back of the pack and so probably lost about a minute at the start of the run. The course, described as "hilly and challenging" wasn't bad. It was a pretty run from the William & Mary Campus, past a golf course, and then out a paved trail to the Anheuser-Busch plant and the Kingsmill development and then back. There were definitely some rolling hills, especially at the start of the run (leading one to note that those same downhills would be uphills on the return!). The paved trail ran through some nice wooded areas, long wooden boardwalk stretch across a small lake with various waterfowl. W&M student athletes manned the waterstops quite efficiently and provided the cheering squad for the runners. Used a Hammergel (Espresso) and an Accel Gel Protein-Carb (Vanilla -- awesome flavor that tastes like caramel). Finished strong for the last mile on the uphills and even passed a few other struggling runners. Joe, Ryan and Chris were outside the stadium to cheer me the last bit. I wasn't expecting to see them until I got inside so that was a nice surprise -- and Joe got a good picture of me which I posted above. Headed over to the Greenleafe for a good beer and a bite to eat before heading home. The 3 hours in the car wasn't bad and my legs were in pretty good shape.

Pre-"Race" Jitters

Picked up my bib number (#515) and T-shirt this morning at William and Mary Hall. Easy process. Also picked up maps of the course (described as a "challenging hilly course!"). No jitters about the actual running (except perhaps the challenging hills -- one of which is at the very end of the run and is straight uphill to the finish line). More anxiety about whether or not the course is well marked and whether or not I'll get lost -- figuring I'll be in the back of the pack if not dead last. The 70+ aged women's record is somewhere around 2-1/2 hours -- about what I figure I'll be running. Plus or minus 15 minutes depending on the "challenging" hills.

Williamsburg Bound

Well, the ice storm arrived during the night Thursday with lots of disruption to the early Friday morning commute. All my Friday morning clients rescheduled -- wisely I might add. Our driveway was slick with ice this morning. But it appears that the storm never reached the levels of disruption predicted by the weather reports and we're headed down to Charlottesville this afternoon and then on to Williamsburg on Saturday. I must say I've been very lucky in run planning during my training and have managed to avoid scheduled runs on icy and snowy days. The weather has been up and down all winter -- this past Monday it was in the upper 60s and then Thursday it barely made it above freezing! 

Contemplating the Tree

There is something special about being outside on a day when most other people figure it's too cold to venture out. Thursday was one of those days -- the temp was about 28 degrees when I headed out for my short 4 mile run. I can't praise Under Armour Cold Gear enough. With running tights, a mock turtle compression top, wind breaker jacket, Nike headband and gloves with liners I wasn't a bit uncomfortable -- perhaps even a tad too warm once I got going. The air was crisp, the sky bright blue (the clouds rolled in later in anticipation of an ice storm brewing for Friday). And there's this humongous tree at the top of the rise after my first mile. It's huge! And on those cold, crisp days when the sky is bright blue and the sun behind me, that tree becomes the focus of my attention. For the impressiveness of its appearance, for the years and years of existence that it represents. For it's massive beauty. It's easily the largest tree in the area. When I drive by it I don't think I notice it quite the same way I do when I'm on foot. I think that's because when driving you see it, pass it, and that's it. When running I approach it with lots of time to notice and contemplate it's sheer size. And on days like this past Thursday it makes me grateful to be alive, grateful to be healthy and active and outside. 

Week 9: 4 miles/6 miles/4 miles/Williamsburg Half-Marathon

Had most of the day off on Monday as it was a holiday. Went and swam 16 laps (25 yard laps) at Ida Lee and then ran my 4 miles in Leesburg. Swimming was easier than I expected. The goggles I got worked great -- no leaks so no problems with my contacts.

Did my 6 miles on Tuesday on roads near home. Pace was just about 11:30. Lots of hills so I was pleased with the pace. No major aches or pains.

Wednesday, a rest day, I did another swim workout. 36 laps (35 laps is about 1/2 mile) in 24 minutes and no problems. The water temp was 82. Sat in the hot tub after swimming. That felt great. It snowed a little today so I drove one of my running routes on the way home to make sure it wasn't icy/snowy for my 4 mile run tomorrow and was happy to see that the roads were in good shape for running. After my Thursday run, my next run will be the Anheuser-Busch Half-Marathon in Williamsburg, Virginia. It sounds kind of like a weird race. No spectators are allowed on the course at all. When I contacted the race sponsors to ask about that they said that most of the run is through private property so only runners are allowed. Thankfully, I'm very used to running alone on back country roads so I don't think I'll miss the spectators although it might have been nice to have a cheering section! I'm curious to see what my pace will be for the half. It's supposed to be hilly but I find it hard to imagine Williamsburg hills amounting to much of anything compared to what I'm used to here at home.

Week 8 Long Run on Friday -- 13 miles

Mapped out a route for my long run. A new one up Greggsville to Telegraph Springs, cutting across on Hughesville and eventually winding around to Shelburne Glebe and North Fork. I always enjoy a new route that I haven't run before and one that I'm unfamiliar with even driving. It keeps me interested and I have no basis to anticipate how much farther I need to run -- except for the distance measurement on the Polar and I try not to look at that too often. I was actually more interested in watching the altitude changes. And when I downloaded the run and viewed the altitudes on the computer the route profile was a continual series of ups and downs. No wonder it was tough, although there was one hill that just went on and on and on! Felt like a mountain. Surprisingly, even though the temps were in the low to mid 50s there were still some icy patches on some of the dirt roads requiring care in navigating. There was a lot more mud than ice. The sky was blue when I started out running around 12:30 PM and clouded up some by the time I finished. It felt like a spring day -- what weird weather. Only two days ago we had a major ice storm that shut down the schools and turned the roads treacherous. Tried a Clif Shot Mango gel -- yuk -- won't be trying one of these again. 100 calories: 0 fat/40 mg sodium/30 mg potassium/25 g carbs. Similar nutrient profile to the Hammer Gel but nowhere near the taste. I was definitely hurting by the time I finished the run, glad to be done. Ran a 12:42 pace even with the hill profile. Added in a number of 2 minute run/1 minute walk intervals (a la Galloway for a 12 minute pace) during the last hour of the run and this seemed to help significantly. And even with the walking my pace improved over last week's long run. Did 15 minutes of stretching on arrival home, Smart Ones pasta meal, nice long shower and off to meet Joe at Paula's. Not sure where we're going out to eat but I'm sure I'll have an appetite.

Week 8: 4 miles/6 miles/4 miles/12 miles

Ran my 4 miles Monday morning and had a massage with Brian Monday afternoon. Told him not to cripple me like my last deep tissue massage with him! He worked mostly on my legs, suggested a few stretches and then I rushed off to meet my parents at a neurologist appointment for my mom. Home in the afternoon to see clients when all I felt like doing was taking a long nap.

But what a difference that massage made. Tuesday's run was so easy and I felt absolutely great. Not a single ache in my legs, my glutes felt great during the run. Whatever Brian did worked. Wish I could have one of those massages every day. My next one is scheduled for the day after I run the Williamsburg Half Marathon on Sunday, February 24.

I decided to push my pace a bit on my Thursday short runs and improved my pace this week by almost 30 seconds over last week (10:30 this week; 10:54 last week). As usual I've been watching weather reports and Friday was supposed to be in the 50s and Saturday in the 30s and windy after a cold front came through. So I decided to do my long run on Friday instead of Saturday -- with no rest day before but with 2 rest days post-run. And my last full weekend with no runs until after the marathon. My house is desperately in need of cleaning (yuk!). Other than that it will be nice to relax.

Week 7: 4 miles/5 miles/4 miles/11 miles

Ran my 4 miles in Florida and then back up to the cold. Met my niece down east for my Tuesday run which I thought was supposed to be a 6 mile run. We ran all over Lansdowne, got lost but made it back for my dental appointment to replace my crown that had fallen off while in Florida. Thursday's run was a short 4 miles. And I did 11.9 miles on Saturday, again down east in Countryside. The roads were still icy out by our house and I didn't want to have to worry about slipping. Had been at a Caps game Friday night and spent the night in town -- had two glasses of wine and didn't sleep that well in a strange bed so Saturday's run was a bit challenging. Continue to use Cytomax and tried Hammer Gel Espresso (with 50 mg caffeine) this week. I liked the gel. 90 calories/0 fat/40 mg sodium/23 g carbs/0 protein. Stopped and stretched several times during the last 4 miles. Pace for the long run was 13:00. For the short runs 10:54 this week. 

Sunny Sunny Florida

I finished up my Thursday 4 mile run in my Under Armour Cold Gear just in time to high tail it down to the airport for a quick flight to Fort Lauderdale. I had all my running stuff packed (including my fuel belt) to get in my training runs in between soaking up the sun. Arrived in Fort Laud and drove across the state to Naples where we were staying in the beautiful condo of some friends. I had carefully plotted out my 10 mile run for Saturday but there was massive road construction making it impossible to follow my original running plan. No matter, I tracked out a different run which ended up being about 11 miles. I was out the door about 7:30 AM with temps in the 60s and a bit humid. Usually my legs are ready to quit long before my lungs but on this run it was the opposite. I think it was the change in weather conditions from my usual (no humidity and temps in the 30s and 40s). Anyway, the track was flat and my pace was a slow 13:30. Used Cytomax the whole run and an Acccel Gel (it was either Key Lime or Green Apple flavor). Not so sure the Accel Gel worked best for me. It's a 4:1 carb-protein formula. 100 calories, 0g fat, 100 mg. sodium, 40 mg. potassium, 20g carbohydrates, 5g protein. (That's a picture of me next to our condo after my 11 mile run. I'm still smiling ... or maybe I'm smiling because I'm done running for the day!)

Finished up the trip to Florida with a 4 mile run on Monday morning before heading back across the state to the airport and home to Virginia. Where the temps are supposed to be in the 60s (maybe even getting to 70!) for week before a cold front comes through (hopefully after my long run on Saturday). Who says there's no global warming??!!

Cars and People

So ... I go for my 5 mile run today (actually 5.4 hilly miles/11.47 pace -- there were still some icy patches slowing the pace). It was raining on and off but then I'm not complaining. The weather this winter has been mild and I don't think I've run once in the rain since November! The temps were mild in the low 40s with very little wind. Typically there is not much traffic on the dirt roads where I run but a wide variety of both vehicles and people. Some are courteous when approaching and passing, some not so, and some downright rude or perhaps just oblivious. And on a day with wet, sloppy roads these distinctions become quite apparent.

I digress a little to the specific vehicle that got me started on this train of thought. It was actually this past Saturday. I always run facing traffic and stay as far to the side of the road as is practical (e.g., not in the ditch next to the road but pretty darn close). This blue truck comes down the road toward me and moves to the opposite side of the road. Then, right as he comes alongside of me, he veers over towards me. Scared the heck out of me and I yelled at him (not that he could hear with his windows up), "you trying to %?!@#!? kill me?" Not like there were any other cars coming from the other direction and absolutely no reason for his behavior. Unless of course he was trying to scare me, or maybe he was trying to change his radio station or something. Idiot!

Which brings me to my ponderings today while running. I think a good personality test might be how drivers respond to runners on the road (or bikers, walkers, take your pick). There are the nice people who slow down as they pass and wave. There are the people who must be late for a really important meeting and barrel down the road. They probably don't even notice what they're passing. These are the people who seem to have no clue that as they barrel by at 40+ mph, crashing through that puddle just alongside me in the middle of the road, that they might as well be aiming a water hose at me. There are the really over-cautious drivers who pretty much stop until I pass. They are young, middle age, old and downright elderly. They drive cars and trucks that look pieced together from parts from the junk yard, the latest Mercedes and Lexus models, big and little trucks, the post man, the propane delivery guy, Fed Ex and UPS vans, tractors with and without trailers of various sorts. A diverse group, a representative sample of my neighbors. I just hope they're aware enough of what they're passing that they always notice my bright neon yellow jacket or vest. And I hope that they are the kind of people who believe in sharing the road.

Week 6: 3 miles/5 miles/4 miles/10 miles

This is actually a repeat week added into the 16-week program to make it a 17-week program culminating in marathon day in Antwerp on April 20, 2008. I added an extra mile in on the 3rd run (my Thursday run) of the week. Typically my schedule is to run on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. As Saturday is my long run day I have rest days on Friday and Sunday.

So far, so good. I am feeling better every week. Some minor aches and pains (lower back, hamstrings) have subsided and I continue to incorporate lots of stretching into the overall training program. I'm hoping to get some additional stretching tips from Brian week after next when I have a massage scheduled.

I have found that my appetite has increased and I crave carbs more than usual for me. I've had to be careful to avoid gaining weight (can you believe it?!) even though I'm not eating junk -- no cookies, no Wheat Thins (my all time fave addiction -- I can go through a box in a couple of hours). I'm adding in more veggies (had a great veggie chili on Sunday), trying to be sure to drink lots of water.

Did my 3 mile run this morning early as I had a lot to do the rest of the day -- on the road about 7:30 AM -- about the earliest it is light enough to safely run. Easy run. It was actually 3.3 miles with a 10:17 pace. Temp about 35, very light breeze, cloudy. Quite comfortable.

Week 5: Saturday (1-26-08) 10 Mile Long Run

Headed out on my local country roads and patched together what ended up to be about 10.5 miles. Temps in the upper 30s and quite pleasant, somewhat cloudy. Quite comfortable in the Under Armour ColdGear mock turtle and tights, light gloves and headband -- no jacket. Due to snow a little over a week before and subsequent cold temps there were a number of icy patches on the roads which significantly slowed my overall pace to about a 13 minute mile. Not wanting to risk injury I carefully navigated the icy patches at a slow walk! I will be interested to see what my overall pace on that loop is once the ice clears out -- the hills seemed significantly easier on this run than in previous weeks.

Ran with my "grenade belt" as Joe likes to call my Fuel Belt. Although the belt holds 4 8-ounce containers I have only been running with 2 containers -- using 16 oz. Cytomax Tropical Fruit. Today I also had a Raspberry Hammer Gel (90 calories, 0 fat, 25mg sodium, 22g carbs, 0 protein). Seemed to do pretty well although towards about Mile 8.5 and about 20 minutes after the gel I felt a little depleted. Things improved by Mile 9.5. Intend to experiment with some other rapid energy fuels on the long runs.

Recovery over Saturday evening and through Sunday was unremarkable and I felt pretty good. Took 400 mg. ibuprofen at 8-10 hour intervals through Sunday night and had no issues with tightness or soreness. Let's hear it for stretching!

Week 5: 3 miles/5 miles/3 miles/10 miles

Not too difficult of a week. Weather a bit on the chilly side. Low 20s to low 30s. Mid-week run of 5 miles the weather report was calling for sleet and ice mid-day so I managed to rouse myself early to run. I don't think anything else would have gotten me out of a nice warm bed early! Cold, cold, cold. But then I'd much rather run in just cold rather than cold and wet! I was glad to be running and warming up. Once I got through the first mile it wasn't bad which is usually the case.

I've noticed that some of my initial aches and tightness have gone away. I think the stretching is helping. Certainly better than the last time I "trained" for a marathon (might I say, without any real plan). In general, I'm feeling really good and healthy. I have noticed a slight weight gain of a pound or so. I seem to be holding steady around 122 pounds, sometimes a pound or so more. Had been around 120 prior to starting "real" training. All the running seems to be stimulating my appetite. Have been using ibuprofen after the long runs for a day or two and sometimes a few other days during the week depending on how the old body is feeling.

Tomorrow is my long run of 10 miles for the week. I'm planning on wearing my heart rate monitor and tracking that as well as tracking pace. I'm guessing I'm around an 11-12 minute/mile pace. Yes, I know I'm slow. But I'm sure you all know the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Remember -- my goal for my first marathon is simply to arrive at the starting line healthy and injury free and to cross the finish line. The weather is supposed to be in the low 40s and sunny -- good running conditions.

Week 4: Saturday (1-19-08) 8 Mile Long Run

I really have become quite the weather watcher. After Thursday's snow storm, Friday brought temps in the mid-40s and a lot of melting. Not the best conditions for a Saturday (1-19-08) run on my usual dirt roads -- what a yucky mess and ruination for my new shoes. Good timing for a run down east in suburbia around 3 PM (temps in the upper 30s, low 40s, no wind) on nice cleared paved roads. It was a welcome change to have some different scenery, mostly lots of houses in varied neighborhoods. Although I thought I had plotted out an 8 mile run (on www.runjogrun.net -- great site, check it out) Jen's foot computer clocked us at 9 miles. Nice run, some decent hills, probably somewhere between a 10 and 11 minute pace. Thanks Jen for running slowly with me! Got some stretching in before and after, although probably not enough. Took 400 mg. of ibuprofen but, in general, feeling good. Felt good this morning with minimal soreness/stiffness and actually went and did a slow 30 minutes on the elliptical at Gold's Gym.

My Awesome Running Shoes

I love my running shoes. Guess that's how it should be. They are Mizuno (a brand I had never heard of 2 weeks ago) Wave Nirvana 3 and a Size 7. I typically wear a Size 6.5 but the nice guys at my local running store told me I should be running in a size one larger than my street shoes. Tried a pair of Size 7.5 but felt like I was tripping over my toes just walking around the store. The Size 7s seem to be good.

En route to my Mizunos I started out with a stride analysis on the treadmill at the running store and learned that I overpronated a bit (not extreme, but enough to warrant a stability shoe). Went on to try five different pairs of shoes before settling on the Mizunos. Even took a pair of Brooks shoes home before I determined that they wouldn't work (heel slipping way too much). Unfortunately the Mizunos are the most expensive of all the shoes I tried ($135) but I figure that's cheaper than a gym membership (heck, I'd still need a pair of shoes even with a gym membership).

My first long run (7 miles) last Saturday with my new shoes was a pleasure. The Mizunos were perfect right out of the box and the miles passed quickly.

Week 4: 3 miles/5 miles/3 miles/8 miles

So, today's my long run (8 miles) of Week 4 and then I've completed 25% of my journey to Antwerp. I got up early Thursday for my third run of the week although I much prefer running in the afternoon when it's generally warmer (plus I get to sleep longer, a big plus). But the forecast was calling for snow starting late morning. Boy am I glad I got up early. Temp wasn't too bad. Even though the thermometer was reading in the low 30s (0.4 C) the cloud cover and the fact that there was no breeze contributed to a pleasant run of 3 miles.

Well, after I ran and saw a couple of clients it was snowing and accumulating pretty quickly. I shoveled off the walkway to my office, walked down to the road to check on the condition of the turnpike, toted the garbage can up the driveway and made the bottom third of a snowman. Came in and sat for another hour with a client and by the end of the hour my right lower back was killing me. I have no idea what I did but I was hobbling around like an 80-year-old. A couple of ibuprofen later along with a heating pad and still not a whole lot better. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with any running and everything to do with shoveling that stupid snow. It's now Saturday morning and it's a little better (I'll go upstairs to get something without thinking that I don't want to because of the pain and I can move around more easily) -- at least enough better that I'm still planning on running. We'll see how it goes.

Planning on running down east a bit with my niece (who, by the way, runs a slow mile in less than 8-1/2 minutes -- I'd feel like an Olympic athlete at that speed). The roads here that I typically run on are all unpaved and with the snow melting they're likely to be a muddy mess. Given the choice I'll run down east. Don't want to completely trash my new shoes!

The Program

My training program began on Christmas Eve 2007 with a run of 3 miles. The complete program is a 16 week program (although I have adapted the program to be a 17 week program so that my "weeks" are a week behind the book) and is fully described in "The Non-runners Marathon Trainer." Each week consists of 4 days of running and 3 days of rest. I have chosen to run on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. My long run each week is generally on Saturday. I have made a few minor modifications in the training program to work around scheduling issues. I am currently in Week 4 of the training. The first three weeks the runs were:

Week 1: 3, 4, 3, 5

Week 2: 3, 4, 3, 6

Week 3: 3, 4, 3, 7

In the hopes of avoiding injury I began a stretching program in Week 1 although the stretching exercises are not introduced until Week 4 in the book. So far, so good. Some initial tightness in my right hamstring has gradually improved. A new pair of shoes in Week 3 made a huge difference. More about that later. And more about running attire later -- suffice it to say that Under Armour rocks!

I am planning on two training "races" on my journey to Antwerp. The first is a Half-Marathon in Williamsburg, Virginia on Sunday, February 24. That will be Week 9 of my training with a scheduled long run of 14 miles (so the half-marathon at 13.1 miles will suffice). It's supposed to be a hilly course, but I train on moderate hills so I'm hoping that won't present any problems.

The second training "race" is the Charlottesville 10 Miler and is just before my wind down to Antwerp in Week 14 of the training program. 

My complete program is:

Week 4: 3, 5, 3, 8

Week 5: 3, 5, 3, 10

Week 6: 3, 5, 4, 10

Week 7: 4, 5, 4, 11

Week 8: 4, 5, 4, 12

Week 9: 4, 6, 4, 14 (Williamsburg Half-Marathon)

Week 10:0, 8, 5, 16

Week 11: 5, 8, 5, 16

Week 12: 5, 8, 5, 16

Week 13: 5, 8, 5, 18

Week 14: 5, 8, 5, 10 (Charlottesville 10 Miler)

Week 15: 18, 0, 5, 9

Week 16: 3, 5, 3, 8

Week 17: 3, 3, Walk 3, 26.2

Thursday of Week 17 we will be flying to Amsterdam so the challenge will be to get enough stretching in enroute, drink lots of water and get enough rest. Arrival in Amsterdam will be early Friday morning, April 18 (2 days before the marathon). Taking the train to Bruges via Antwerp (eating lunch and picking up race packet) and two nights in Bruges prior to Sunday's marathon.

Prelude to a Marathon

I began my journey to the Antwerp Marathon before I even thought I'd ever be training to run 26.2 miles. I never much enjoyed running before my 40s although I had run a few 5Ks and 10Ks over the years -- even had a 1st place for my age in a 5K in 2000. Not that I was fast -- just not many people in my age range running and it was a small race! I trained (without a good plan) for the Pittsburgh Marathon around the same time and promptly developed an overuse injury -- right hamstring, ITB problems -- forcing me to the sidelines of running. I continued to bike but did my fair share of sitting on the couch.

Which brought me to August 2007. Overweight by 20 pounds and out of shape I started Weight Watchers and walking. I quickly grew bored with walking and decided I wanted to run again. I discovered the free C25K (Couch to 5K) nine week training program at the iTunes Store and by the end of October I was running 5K 3 times a week.

Next, an acquaintance told me about a television program on PBS that told the story of 20 people (aged 20 to 60) who trained for 20 weeks and then ran a marathon. This intrigued me so I ended up on Amazon.com and found "The Non-runners Marathon Trainer." It is a 16 week training program developed at the University of Northern Iowa that was taught as a class -- similar to the PBS group of marathon hopefuls. Now I was off and running. I began my 16 weeks on December 24, 2007 -- before I had chosen a marathon. My 16 week program had me aiming for a marathon the weekend of April 12-13, 2008. We were scheduled to began a vacation in Belgium and France on April 17th. There was no marathon on the East Coast for the weekend before our trip. But I did find a marathon in Antwerp (1 hour by car from Bruges where we would be the Friday and Saturday before the Sunday marathon) on April 20, 2008. A few adjustments to the training schedule and my journey continued ... now with a fully articulated goal: to arrive injury free in Antwerp and to finish the marathon.