Spirit of the Marathon

Readers of this blog are probably aware that I prefer trail races over road races.  However, I have run several road marathons and can appreciate and relate to the experiences of the runners portrayed in the documentary Spirit of the Marathon.   I love the way the film is arranged, following the training and motivation of several runners preparing for the 2005 Chicago Marathon.  Marathon legend Deena Kastor stands out.  She's remembered for her 2004 Olympic bronze medal, but up to the point of this film, had never won a major marathon.  (Spoiler: she won!)  We also meet Daniel Njenga, a Kenyan runner.  He ended up placing third with a time of 2:07:14, 12 seconds out of first place.  Fast!

Besides these elites, the film also follows the training of some non-superhuman runners, both first-timers and seasoned runners.  Anyone who has trained for a marathon can relate to some of their experiences.  It takes dedication to get up on Saturday for the long runs, for the single mom to fit in her training runs, to pay attention to what you're eating (and not eating).  The interviews and training run footage will remind you of what you love--and hate--about running a marathon.  But mostly it will remind you of what you love.

Besides the personal stories of these runners, there are plenty of interviewers with other famous runners, as well as some brief historical information about the marathon racing's illustrious history.  A well-made, inspiring film.

The movie web site is here.

Thirty-day streak

As of Saturday, I have a run 30 consecutive days.  You may recall that last summer/fall, I ran 100 days in a row.  I don't think it's necessarily the best practice to run every day, but for me, that's what it has been taking to get me out the door--I don't want to break my string of consecutive running days.  So here's the good, the bad, and the ugly of my current streak:

The Good
I'm running.  I don't actually have a race on my calendar right now (yet), and no training plan, which usually means I don't run consistently.  So, for me, the good news is that I'm actually getting some miles in.

The Bad
However, other than just logging miles, I'm not doing much focused training.  For the past 30 days, I've done no speedwork, and the longest run was 10.8 miles.  My average run has been only 4.25 or so.  Race or not, I need to start throwing in some more intentional miles.  The other bad part is that all of these miles have been on pavement.  Ugh!  For convenience, I have been running in my neighborhood, and just have not made the time to get to the trails to run.  I'd really like that to change.

The Ugly
I'm still fat and slow.  My average pace has improved a little.  During the 14 running days of May, my average pace was 10:32.  It has improved some for June, now averaging 10:12.  Losing about 30 pounds would help my pace come down some more.  If I stopped drinking Dr Pepper, I might actually drop a few pounds.

One Month

ONE MONTH.
That's how long I have gone without running.  I ran with my brother at Dana Peak Park the weekend before Christmas, and since then, not a step until this morning.  I am definitely going to have to readjust to getting up an hour or two earlier. . . .

ONE MONTH.
After this little respite, I now have one month to prepare for Cross Timbers on February 18.  Like last year, I will admit that I'm not up to a 50 miler right now, so I'll be running the marathon again.  A month is certainly not much time to prepare for a trail marathon; I'm counting on having retained a bit of fitness from the end of last year.  Besides, Cross Timbers is a great place for a guy like me to take it slow and easy.

Cross Timbers trail.  Take it slow.

100 Days of Running

After a running lull this summer, I decided that in order to get myself back in the running habit I would try running every day.  Even though I have been, at times, very consistent with a running plan, I find it very easy to stray.  One rest day turns into several, recovery days after a race turn into weeks. . . .  So as I looked forward to some fall races, I started my daily running.

Today marked my 100th consecutive day of running.  Starting at the end of August, I ran every day, a total of 595.74 miles, including a trail 50K and a new road marathon PR.  I think that PR is, at least in part, due to my daily running.

I did learn one thing: it's kind of nice not to run sometimes.  There were plenty of days when I just didn't want to get up in the morning, or, if I hadn't run in the morning, just wanted to go to bed without running.  I have decided that it's OK to have those rest days, and to schedule non-running days.  I guess there's some message here about my personality, that I somehow feel like I can only do things in the extreme or not at all.  Hopefully, moving forward, I can find some balance, following a training schedule consistently without having to compulsively run every day.

In the meantime, I'm sleeping in tomorrow.

White Rock IV

Today I ran my fourth consecutive White Rock Marathon, and it was by far my best and most enjoyable.  All week I had been checking the weather forecast for the race: low- to mid-40s and wet.  The forecasts were spot-on.  The temps hovered around 42-44, I think, and the rain came down continuously.  Thankfully, the rain wasn't very heavy; it ranged from a misty drizzle to light showers.  The result was a wet course, lots of splashing through puddles (VFFs are perfect in these conditions), and thoroughly drenched runners.  (Oh, and by the way, the rain kept some of the bands, who usually play along the course, away.  I didn't miss them at all!)

Slick and splashy was the order of the day.

One of the things I hate about these big urban marathons are the crowds, so I decided to avoid the pre-start mess as much as possible.  I intentionally went late, so I had absolutely no traffic.  I parked right at 8, and heard the National Anthem and fireworks from afar.  I got to the first bank of port-a-potties, and to my surprise there was a bit of a line, but I only had to wait a couple of minutes.  (Note to other runners: when you're doing your business in there, lock the door!  When it's not locked, some oaf like me will open it, embarrassing both of us!)

I jogged over to the starting corrals, and fell in with the crowd, walking slowly with the herd a few hundred yards to the starting line.  I ended up crossing the starting line at 8:23.  Pleased with myself for a smooth arrival and start, I began running by all the slower runners.  Since I was late I started several corrals back from the one I was assigned based on my projected finish time.  So the first mile or two I spent a lot of time weaving in and out of the slower runners.  Eventually the crowd thinned out, especially after the half marathoners split off from the full marathon course.

This was a unique element of today's race for me.  Usually, especially late in a race, I'm the one getting passed.  But today, from the start, all the way to the last mile, I passed virtually everyone I encountered on the course.  Unless I'm mistaken, the only runners to pass me were relay racers on fresh legs.  I kept thinking that it couldn't last, that I wouldn't be able to keep up my anticipated pace, but as I passed each mile marker, and remembered those places where, in prior races, my pace slowed for good, I kept pushing, determined to keep a steady pace.  Somehow, I did.  In fact, I ran reverse splits.  My slowest mile was the first, crowded one.  My fastest mile was mile 24, near the end!

At the race expo Saturday morning, I picked up a pacing arm band, which tells you what your time should be at a particular mile marker in order to have a particular finish time.  I almost picked up a 3:45 band, not trusting my training, but decided that I would give 3:35 a shot and try to PR.  I'm sure glad I did!

The volunteers had a tough, cold day, but were cheerful and helpful without fail!

I was more inwardly-focused during this race than I usually am; I didn't really talk to anyone, except to say hello to NTTR member Eunsup Kim, who I see at every race I run in.  But, as usual, I saw a couple of other runners who nearly stopped me in my tracks and made me thankful for two good legs and the ability to run.  One was a double amputee.  He ran on some of those prosthetic running blades.  I didn't stop and chat but was inspired by what must have been a huge effort on a difficult day.  A few miles later, I passed a wheelchair racer.  Just up the street was his cheering section with signs reading, "My husband is the stud on wheels" and "My dad is my hero--first wheelchair marathon" and that sort of thing. 

Besides running my best marathon time to date, the fact that I ran consistent splits and felt great throughout made this the most satisfying race I've run.  I guess I could always train harder, but I really wouldn't change a thing about my training, race day preparation, and pacing plan.  The only thing I would change would have been to lose those 20 pounds I have been meaning to lose.  How much faster could I have run without the extra weight to carry around!  I still love the trails, but come December 2012, you just might find me pounding the pavement of Dallas once again.

Bottom line: 3:33:51
462 out of 4530 overall
401 out of 2810 all men
83 out of 537 men 40-44
and best of all: Over the final 6mi I passed 285 runners and 0 passed me!

Yasso 800s and my WR prediction

The White Rock Marathon is only 11 days away.  This will be my 4th consecutive White Rock.  This morning I ran my last Yasso 800s leading up to White Rock.  Yasso 800s are an interval training workout that also serves as a predictor of marathon finish times.  (See my entry on Yasso 800s from this time last year here.)

This morning I averaged a 3:35 800.  The best thing about it is that if I leave out the first interval (I wasn't quite warmed up yet), intervals 2-10 ranged from 3:31 to 3:36.  I am encouraged by this consistency and by the strength of the latter intervals.  My normal pattern on intervals or tempo runs is to taper off with slower times at the end, and to be inconsistent in pace throughout. 

So based on the Yasso 800s philosophy, this should predict a 3:35 finish at White Rock.  This is actually pretty encouraging; my marathon PR is 3:35, set at White Rock 2009.  There are lots of factors, and Yasso 800 times are no guarantee, but I have been putting in more miles more consistently in the months leading up to WR  than I did last year.  (I'm at 87 consecutive days of running, and counting.)  Maybe, just maybe, I have another 3:35 marathon in me.  

Holey VFFs and a custom pair

A year ago, I got a new pair of red and black VFFs (see here) after I wore a hole in the sole of my blue ones.  I finally started feeling a hole coming on my red ones, and this week it finally wore through.  I figured I must run more heavily on one side or the other, and pulled out my old ones to compare.  To my surprise, the hole is in the other foot.  The good news is, now I have a cool red and black and blue pair with no holes.  I figure since most of my runs these days are in the pre-dawn darkness, no one will be around to laugh at me for wearing mismatched shoes.

Kelly said I could make the full transition to barefoot running by wearing these until the sole is completely gone.  Hmm. . . . it's a thought. . . .

I know you're jealous of my one-of-kind, custom VFFs!

The Lure of Long Distances, by Robin Harvie

If you've read my blog at all, you know I'm a sucker for running books.  I prefer the narrative/memoir books to "how-to" or training books.  The Lure of Long Distances is about as memoir-ish as they come.  I knew I could relate to Harvie on some level by the bio on the book jacket: After trying unsuccessfully to improve his marathon time, "he decided instead to see how far he could run before keeling over" and started running ultramarathons.  That's my story, too.  I started running seriously later in life, completing my first marathon at age 39.  Lots of running books talk about how our bodies start getting slower after 40, so I knew I'd never get too much faster.  I started reading about ultramarathons and decided that I may not be fast, but maybe I can last a long time on my feet.

Harvie was a younger man when he started running ultras, and has run much farther than I ever have.  The Lure of Long Distances covers his running history, primarily the year he spent preparing for the Spartathlon, the annual 152 mile race from Athens to Sparta.  He weaves in his training experiences, personal stories, reports from other races and runs along the way, anecdotes from history and modern running, and plenty of literary and poetic reflections.  He writes skillfully, putting together some beautiful and effective passages.

Harvie spent many hours running along the length of the Thames.

However, the overall product didn't turn out to be a very satisfying read.  All the well-written passages and stories flowed from one to another, kind of like the aid stations in an ultramarathon.  By the time you get to the end, you know there were some nice views and good conversations along the way, but they only fit together in the sense that they were part of one long race.

This is not to say I didn't like the book.  It was an enjoyable read.  But sometimes when I finish reading a book about running, I want to put my shoes on and head out the door right away.  This one made me sit back on the recliner and think about getting ready for bed.

The subtitle of the book, "Why We Run," is, in a way, a bit of false advertising.  Harvie sets out to discover why he runs, but it's up to us to find our own way.  He concludes, "Running is not about fitness, competition, or even other people.  It is simply about becoming a more sentient person, living . . .  a more authentic life." I'll buy that.  But I still ask myself sometimes, "Why am I doing this again?"

Running Man with a Plan

I have finally put together my training plan for Rockledge Rumble and White Rock.  Since WR is 3 weeks after RLR, I decided to treat RLR as my last long run before the marathon.  I used the training calculator on runnersworld.com, and am not completely happy with the result, but I think I can work with it.  The time goals are pretty ambitious, as I used my 2009 WR time (3:35) as the starting point.  It's been a while since I've run that fast.  I have also substituted a 3 mile easy run for the 2 rest days each week, in the interest of keeping up my streak (17 days so far).

With the ambitious time goals, I am sure I won't meet them, like today.  I set out to run a tempo run at a sub-8 pace, as prescribed here.  I knew I couldn't run that fast, so decided to shoot for mid-8's.  After a mile of that I was about out of gas, so I just finished 5 miles at an easier pace.  We'll see how intervals go next week.  I figure if I can get most of these miles in, at progressively faster times each week, I will do OK at these races.

Streaking

I have had a mixture of admiration and suspicion of people who say they have run every day for a long period of time.  I have been a firm believer in rest days.  But I wonder if a rest day has to be a non-running day?  After taking about 6 weeks of "rest days," I have been running every day for 10 days, trying to build my base back up.  I have been only running 5-6 miles per day at a pretty easy pace, with no long runs and no intervals.  So far, so good.  Now that I'm feeling better about my base, and with a couple of races on the calendar, I will definitely need to start in on some intervals and long runs, which may require a rest day.  But a rest day could mean a short jog around the block . . . .  I don't know how long I'll keep up the current streak.  30 days?  More?  One thing I'll promise: my streaking will be fully clothed.

Upping the ante: White Rock IV

I wrote the other day that I had signed up for the Rockledge Rumble in November to get myself back in training for racing mode.  I decided that even though I had sort of sworn off road racing, since presumably I would be in decent shape for the Rumble, I might as well pound the pavement with 30,000 of my closest friends 3 weeks later in Dallas.  Tomorrow the entry fee goes up $25, so I decided to take the plunge.

Now I really have to get serious about training.  For the last 2 years, I have run with the 3:20 pace group.  In both cases, I stayed with the group for the first half, then slowed down, finishing in 3:35 and 3:57.  I don't think I'll be able to get to a 3:20 pace by December, so on my race registration, I put in my predicted finish at 3:59.  Surely I can get in under 4 hours again.

I have a ways to go to even get that fast.  I have run 5 miles each of the past 3 mornings at around an 11 min/mile pace.  For a run like that, I should be running 8 or 9.  We'll see if I have it in me.  Cooler temperatures will help, as will quitting my Dr Pepper habit.

Back-to-back half marathons at Lake Whitney

This weekend was the sort-of annual Lake Whitney State Park camping trip with a bunch of friends from church.  At least 20 families went this year, the biggest group ever.  There were kids running around everywhere, the weather was perfect, and I think everyone had a blast.

Before we left, I e-mailed Phil, whom I met at an NTTR trail run a few weeks ago.  He lives in the area and had told me there were some nice trails near the state park.  He didn't steer me wrong!  Just a couple hundred yards from the entrance to the state park, there is a wildlife management area gate.  I don't know the full extent of land this leads into, but there are miles and miles of single track, double track, equestrian trails, game trails, and cattle trails where someone can run for hours.

On Saturday morning, I ran from our campsite, found the gate, and explored the trails for a bit before circling back to pick up Kurt.  He said he normally runs only about 5 miles, but he ran a good 9 miles this morning, about 6 of that on trails.  My Garmin read 13.3, but I ran a quarter mile or so before it picked up the satellites.

On Sunday, I met Phil at the gate.  He was running 20, as he is training for a trail marathon in 3 weeks.  I didn't think I was up to 20, primarily because of time.  We ran together for 12 or so miles (15.6 total for me).  He runs here frequently, and knows the trails well.

This is a delightful place to run.  Totally flat, but with good variation in surfaces.  I didn't run in any sand with Kurt, but with Phil we got into some sections that had pretty deep sand.  As much as I don't like sand, I was reminded that Vibram Five Fingers are the best for sand.  (I haven't posted an update on my Treks.  I love them!  Update coming soon.)  There are some nice views of the lake, plenty of cows, and a few deer.  We saw bobcat and turkey tracks; some bow hunters were out there looking for a turkey dinner.  We ran through pastures, saw scrubby mesquite and blooming cactus, and followed trails through thick canopies of trees.  I wish I'd brought my camera to get some shots of the trail.  If this were closer to home, I would definitely become a regular.  In any case, I will have some good trail running to look forward to on our next Lake Whitney camping trip!

Oh, yeah, I can't forget Kelly.  Both days I left before she got up, but by the time I got back she had gotten the kids up (rather, the sun had gotten the kids up and the kids had gotten her up!) and dressed and fed them breakfast, and had breakfast waiting for me.  She tells me she's happy to do it, so I'll take her word for it!  Thanks, Kelly!

This is the course I followed with Phil.

Boston Marathon

Today is Patriots' Day, which probably means nothing to you unless you live in Massachusetts or you're a marathon runner.  The 115th Boston Marathon was run today, as it is every Patriots' Day, with a new course record and a tight, competitive finish.  The Kenyans ruled the day (surprise!) with Geoffrey Mutai taking first in 2:03:02, followed four seconds later by his countryman Moses Mosop.  They both beat Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie's world record of 2:03:59.  (However, their records may not qualify as world records due to course certification.)  A 16 mph tailwind helped the runners along.  American Ryan Hall beat his PR of 2:06:17 by finishing in 2:04:58.  Just to keep these times in perspective, the leaders were averaging 4:41 minutes/mile.  Most of us can't conceive of running that fast for even100 yds (that would take 15 seconds) much less 26.2 miles.  Congratulations to these winners and all the runners today!

Mutai crossing the line with Mosop not far behind.

On a personal note, one of my key running goals, since I started running, is to qualify for and run in the Boston Marathon.  Boston is the only recreational marathon that requires entrants to run a qualifying time to enter.  Although my preference is to run ultramarathons on trails, I would still like to experience the history and pageantry of Boston.  It's like Mecca for runners.  So my plan has been to run one road marathon each year, with specific training toward a BQ time. In 2009, I came within 15 minutes of my qualifying time of 2:20 (QTs vary by age and gender.).  That's not exactly one little push at the end, but I felt like I could get there.  Then in 2010, I stayed on a great pace for 1/2 the marathon, but ran out of gas and ended up taking a little over 4 hrs to finish.  That was frustrating, but I knew my training hadn't been what it should have been, and still felt like I had a 3:20 marathon in me.

But now the Boston Athletic Association, raising the bar even farther, has lowered qualifying times by 5:59.  So for 2012, I would have to run a 3:20:59 to qualify (there was a built in 59 second grace period).  But for 2013, I would have to run 3:15:00 (no grace period).  To make matters worse, there will be a rolling registration period, so runners who have faster than the BQ time can register first; the slowest runners in the group might not have an opportunity to register until 2 weeks later.

I understand the organizers' dilemma, trying to maintain a great race and being as fair as possible with the entry process.  Says the race director, "We want people to get better, from a competitive perspective."  So, Mr. Race Director, you leave me no choice: get faster I will!  And if I don't get that 3:15:00 in the next couple of years, I'll see if I can crank out a 3:25 with my 45-50 year-old body!  (or a 3:30 at 50-54, or a 3:40 at 55-59, etc.)

Back to Cross Timbers

Last year, I ran the 50 miler at Cross Timbers, 2 weeks after running the 50 miler at Rocky Raccoon.  I took a looooong time to finish, almost 15 hours.  So this time, I decided to head back for the marathon.  I was glad I did, for many reasons!  It was a great day, and, as usual, a great race.

The Cross Timbers Trail run, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this weekend, claims to be the oldest trail run in Texas.  It's run on what they call the "Toughest Little Trail in Texas."  They won't hear any disputes from me!  The course is an out and back, run twice for the 50 miler, and once, plus a loop at the beginning, for the marathon.  They also have a 5 mile and 1/2 marathon, which feature the toughest first section of the trail.  They say the marathon course has 5510' elevation gain and loss, but my Garmin said about 7400'; I'm going with Garmin.  Either way, there's a lot of up and down on the course.

The 50 mile runners took off in the dark at 6:30.  By the time the marathon started, at 7, there was plenty of light.

I arrived early enough to get my number, have a drink, and cheer for the 50 milers as they started their long day.  I also ran into a few running bloggers whom I keep up with via their blogs: Mark Smith (The Naked Runner), Dave Elliot (And the Adventure Continues), and I saw, but didn't get a chance to say hello to, Dave Hanenburg, who maintains an informative blog covering trail running all over the region (EnduranceBuzz.com).  The more of these races I run, the more a sense of community I feel with this great group of people: trial runners!

Soon the sun came up and it was time to begin the marathon.  The race director reminded trail running newbies not to expect to run their usual marathon pace, to expect to add about 30% to their usual marathon time.  I chuckled to myself; I thought, more like 50% if I'm lucky, possibly more!  After the marathon correction loop, we started up the trail.  I started at a pretty conservative pace, forcing myself not to pass what I perceived to be slower runners.  (I have learned that most of those slower runners are faster than me anyway!)  After a couple of miles I fell in with Mac, from Mississippi, and Jared, from Lewisville.  Mac, a seasoned road and trail runner who has run all over the country, told us about his favorite races and tried to recruit us to come run at some races in Mississippi.  Jared has been running a few years, but this was his first trail marathon.  He set a great pace, so I just stuck with him, Mac right behind.

At this point, I practically have to go on all fours.  Coming down this portion is harder than going up.

Mac was slow coming out of a couple of the aid stations, but always caught right back up.  He left the turnaround aid station before Jared and me; I kept thinking we would catch back up to him, but this experienced runner who was at least a decade or two older than me left us young bucks in his dust.  Jared and I ran together for a few more miles, but he was having some stomach issues, so I ran on ahead.  I didn't hang around long at the finish to see him cross the finish line; I'll be scouring the race results to see whether he ended up finishing.

I love this course!  Almost 100% rooty, dirt single track, winding through the woods.

For a few miles after I left Jared, I was able to pick up the pace a bit, but once I hit the rough part, the last few miles of the race, I went pretty slow.  The trails overall were in much better condition this year than last, with no spots that forced you to run through mud.  It was quite a bit warmer than last year.  I was getting pretty hot at the sun crept across the sky.  I imagine the 50 mile runners had a hot afternoon.  I remember those last miles as miserable, dark, and lonely, as I struggled toward the finish line last year.  They weren't all that much easier this time.  I was hot and ready to be done, but I was buoyed by the fact that I only had to do it once!  The end was near!  Those are still some pretty long miles.  I was beginning to smell those burgers, in my mind at least.

The Cross Timbers trail doesn't have long climbs, but there are lots of short, steep ones.

I finally crossed the finish line, 5 hours and 55 minutes after I started (58% longer than my road marathon PR, thank you!).  The burgers were hot and delicious, the drinks were cold, and my body was grateful that I didn't have to turn around and do it again!  Last year I remember coming into that tent to replenish my drinks and gels, smelling the burgers, seeing the marathon and 1/2 marathon runners happy and relaxed, and forcing myself to go out and run some more.  That was tough.

Don't forget to pause and take in the views of Lake Texoma!

Speaking of tough, at every race, I see and meet more tough runners.  There was the nice lady with the trekking poles whose age I won't speculate, but who has to be older than my mother (70).  She was attacking those trails with vigor I hope I have when I'm that age!  I got to visit with Fred Thompson, an NTTR fixture who has run trails all over the place.  He's in his early 60s and going strong.  I asked him his secret, but he laughed and said, "I don't have a secret, I just love to run!  If you love to run, you'll keep going!"  I don't know what distance he ran yesterday, but he probably did it faster than me.  And of course, I always admire those tough guys who keep a steady pace, out there in front, running 50 miles at a pace I can keep for 10 miles on a good day.  One of the great things about trail running is that everyone's welcome: those speedsters at the front, the slow ones at the back, and everyone in between.

Buddy Teaster, one of those steady runners, was well into the second out-and-back of the 50 when I met him on the trail.

In sum, Cross Timbers 2011 was a reminder of why I love trail running.  Any trail runner (or hiker, which I was for a good portion of the day!) will love this trail.  The race itself is executed flawlessly.  The volunteers (so many!  so dedicated!  so helpful!) kept me fueled up and always had a kind word, ready to serve.  I must say I was happy to have run the marathon rather than the 50 mile, although I may have broken my course-slowest record had I attempted it.  (I also got to see Zippy's 4th grade Longhorns win [Yippee!] and take Elliot to see the Baylor Bears lose to Tech [Boo!])  Next time around, maybe, just maybe I'll sign up for the 50 mile race.

Vibram Bikila review

I have been running in VFF Sprints for about a year and half now for virtually all my training runs, 2 road marathons, a trail 50 miler, and various shorter races.  I love them and don't ever want to run in anything else.  I still have some road shoes which I wear to walk around on the weekends, but for running, it's only VFFs for me.

Runners have been wearing VFFs for a while, but for the first time, Vibram has created a shoe exclusively for running, the Bikila, named after Abebe Bikila, who won the marathon at the 1960 Olympics running barefoot.  On top, the look is similar to some other VFF models.  The biggest noticeable difference from prior models is the padded collar, which adds some comfort, especially around the Achilles, and makes it look more like a traditional running shoe.

The sole is where the Bikila really sets itself apart from other Vibram models.  You can see in this picture the rubber "anatomical pods" distributed around the sole.  This gives the sole protection in all the right places.  The white portion at the arch is thicker and stiffer that what you find in other VFFs.

The smooth ride felt nice when I started running in the Bikilas.  Overall, they feel great, but the pods and thicker, stiffer sole reduces the feel of the road.  The foot still can move like it's bare, but the sole gets less response from the surface.  Having run so many miles in the Sprints, which have a much smoother, thinner sole, the sole felt like a lot more between me and the surface than I'm used to.  But there's no question that the Bikila's sole is much thinner than the typical running shoe.

With the Bikila, Vibram continues to make valuable contributions to minimalist running.  For someone who's looking to try out the transition from traditional running shoes to minimalist shoes, the Bikila would be perfect.  It provides enough sole to alleviate fears of injury due to glass, rocks, or other obstacles you might find on the street, yet is flexible enough to give a barefoot feel.  A barefoot runner, or a runner accustomed to a thinner sole, like on the VFF Sprint, might feel like there's way too much to the sole.  The Bikilas can be a great first step into the minimalist running revolution.

Nice Place to Run: Cedar Ridge Preserve (again)

For some reason, I waited over a year before returning to Cedar Ridge Preserve.  I ran there once last year, on New Years Day, as part of an NTTR club run (posted here).  This south Dallas park is about a 30-40 minute drive from home, so my only excuse for not going back is that it adds at least an hour to the time I schedule for a run.  I prefer to run out my front door, but the options there are limited.  I was reminded on Saturday why Cedar Ridge is worth the drive.

In the D/FW area, this is the only trail system I know of that offers hills, a variety of trail surfaces, easy access, and is closed to mountian bikes.  Now, I don't have anything against mountain bikes, but to have to dodge them and their ruts can take away from a trail running experience.

The parking lot was much more full than I thought it would be on a cold Saturday morning.  I saw some groups of ladies in an exercise class, several small groups of random hikers and/or birdwatchers (it is an Audobon park, after all), and a troop of Boy Scouts training for a Philmont trek.  I also saw 2 trail runners.  After passing a guy in black tights going the opposite direction several times, I saw him at a trail head and thought I'd catch up with him.  He was about 20-30 yards ahead of me at the time, and I never saw him again--he was going much too fast for me!

Then I ran into another guy I had passed a couple of times and stopped to chat.  His name was Mike, and it turns out we have run several races together without ever meeting.  We ran together for a couple of hours and had a great time talking about running and life.  We agreed that Black Tights was pretty fast--too fast for us!  We kept a nice pace, and with the company, I ended up going farther than I probably would have on my own.

Other than my 25 miles at Palo Duro, this was my longest run in the VFF Treks.  They did great, and this run convinced me to go ahead and run at Cross Timbers with them rather than shoes.  If memory serves, Cedar Ridge is a great triaing ground for Cross Timbers, with lots of short, steep climbs, and similar trail surfaces.  I'll need to get out here a couple more times before Cross Timbers, hopefully with Mike or some other good running company.

50/50: Dean Karnazes's Marathon Challenge

A few weeks ago, I posted a review of Ultramarathon Man, the movie documenting Dean Karnazes's running of 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days (posted here).  The accompanying book, 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days--and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! chronicles those 50 days and throws in lots of practical running and training advice. 

I really enjoyed Dean's recounting of the runs, of his ups and downs through the 50 days, and his personal stories of the people he met along the way.  This was late 2006, before I was interested in running at all, but  through Runner's World magazine, blogs, and e-mail lists, runners accross the country signed up and ran with him.  On weekends, many of the marathons were large events.  During the week, he ran the certified course in whatever city they were in, and worked with the race director for logistical help.  This marathon tour was a huge production, with dozens of people supporting him the whole time, and many more volunteers pitching in at each stop.  Besides the physical feat of running the 50 marathons, the practical feat of coordinating this travelling circus is impressive as well.  (Oh, and by the way, after his last marathon--New York City--Dean said, "No one had booked me a return flight from New York to San Francisco.  So I decided to run instead."  For the next 90 days, he ran all the way to St. Charles, Missouri, where he had started the 50/50, but decided he missed his family and went straight home from there.)

The crew set up full marathon amenities, like this cool finish line, at every event.  This lady ran the 6 New England marathons with Dean and cartwheeled across every finish line!

I must admit I was taken in by the subtitle of the book.  I want to achieve Super Endurance like Dean!  Well, maybe I can.  Mixed in with the travelogue, Dean offers lots of training and running advice for both beginners and experienced runners.  I don't believe you can ever get too much input.  If you read a magazine like Runner's World for more than a few months, you soon realize you're reading lots of similar running wisdom, presented in different forms.  50/50's advice is in the same vein.  Throughout the book is some great advice for runners, but it interrupts the prose of the 50/50 quest, and is presented in a scattershot way which would make referencing it difficult later on.

All that good advice fails on the promise of the subtitle.  If I did everything Dean says, I know I would be a better runner.  While I don't want to minimize Dean's amazing commitment to running and his intensity and love of the sport, I think he has to admit that he is genetically gifted.  I still wonder if I could reach his level of endurance; I'll never know if I don't try, but I'll never be able to try because that guy runs so freakin' much!  As one example, during the 50/50, Dean's blood was tested periodically.  At the end of it, he showed 1/4 as much muscle damage, as measured by creatine phosphokinase in the bloodstream, as a typical runner after one marathon!  Has his body adapted, or is this a genetic advantage he has?  Who knows.

Dean raised money for his charity, Karno's Kids.  You gotta love the slogan, "No child left inside."

On a side note, even though the 50/50/50 challenge sounds likes something no one has ever done before, at least one person beat Dean to it.  Sam Thompson started a similar quest earlier in the same year, completing 51 marathons in the 50 states plus D.C. in 50 days to raise money for Katrina victims.  In this Runner's World interview, Dean sounds supportive, "What Sam's doing is absolutely terrific. . . . if he encourages other people to get out and do things, I can't take anything away from him," but gets in a little jab, too: "He's obviously wanting to scoop what I was doing."  According to this Sports Illustrated article, Dean had some nice things to say about Sam Thompson's feat, and, in fact, talked his own major sponsor, North Face, into taking Sam on as well.  While Dean finished it with a small army and a large sponsor, Sam finished it with his wife and a trickle of a word-of-mouth campaign.  Both are amazing, but I tend to think Sam's might be a bit more amazing.

All things considered, Dean is an amazing runner and remains high on my list of running heroes.  I'm pretty sure I'll never match anywhere near his accomplishments, whether completing the 50/50/50, winning Badwater or Leadville, or running 300 miles in one stretch.  But he is an example to all runners to stretch ourselves, and set out to accomplish things we never thought we could do.  For some, that might mean finishing a marathon.  For me, it might be qualifying for Boston or completing a mountain 100.  More importantly, he promotes running just for fun.  Step out the front door, and run as far as you can in one direction, then run back home.  I love his take on the Australian walkabout.  He says to set aside a day for a runabout.  Start running in the morning, before the sun comes up, and run until after the sun goes down.  And just like Dean, enjoy every step of the way.

Sleeping, not running

I have neglected this blog for a few days, and I have neglected my running for a few days!  Between working lots of overtime and trying to get to the kids' concerts and basketball games and practices, I haven't been able to carve out time to run.  I have to weigh hours of sleep versus hours running, and this week have concluded that I need the sleep more than the run.

I guess most runners face this dillemma at some point.  Running invigorates and energizes, but it also uses up energy.  Any coach or runner will tell you, you must get your sleep to rebuild; it's just as important as a good diet.  So this week, I have chosen sleep over running.  Hopefully I can get in couple of good runs this weekend.

I need to log a couple of long runs soon--I went ahead and signed up for the Cross Timbers marathon.  I ran the 50 miler there last year (I came in last.), but I am not confident in my current ability to do well for 50 miles.  If I come in last on the marathon, at least a few of the 50 mile runners will still be on the course!  It's a fun, hilly course, so I'll plan on taking it easy and having fun.  Meanwhile, I'll be trying to find some time to run!

2 years, 11 races

Two years ago, I ran my first marathon, the White Rock Marathon in Dallas.  Last month, I ran it again.  In between the two, I ran a number of other races, a grand total of 11 races of marathon distance or greater in a span of just under 2 years, plus a couple of ultras in which I DNF'd (after 19 and 25 miles respectively) and a few shorter races.  On the one hand, that sounds like a lot of running.  On the other hand, during that time I've met a number of runners who run marathons almost every weekend, or run back-to-back ultras.

I don't know where my perfect balance is.  Sometimes I think I recover well, but sometimes not.  It took me a while to feel back to normal after White Rock.  I'd love to be one of those guys who can run a marathon on Saturday, then another one on Sunday, and then run a 50 mile trail run on Saturday.  Or who can finish 4 mountain 100 milers in one season.  At this point, I'm not one of those guys.  But I think I can get there.

Back on my feet

I know you're supposed to rest a bit after a marathon, but since White Rock I have gone 18 whole days without running a step!!  Ugh!  Excuses?  Not really.  Just 1) lazy, 2) tired, and 3) lazy.  Plus, I don't have a running plan in place right now.  That's the main reason.  If I don't have a plan laid out telling me what to run today, I tend not to run.  I have decided not to run the Bandera (100K)/Rocky Raccoon (100 mile) combo I had said I would run (back in October).  I'm thinking my next run might be Cross Timbers (50 mile) in February.  Yes, as I crossed the finish line at the last one, I swore I'd never do it again.  But after coming in last place and nearly setting the record for the slowest time ever on the course (report here), I feel like I have to redeem myself.  Plus, I can probably beat my time from last year!

So this morning I slept in, but I did get out and run 8 miles.  I returned to my hilly route.  I didn't run there for several weeks leading up to White Rock, since I was focused on upping my pace.  If I go to Cross Timbers again, I will definitely have to be doing some hill work.

More importantly, whether you're running, sitting on the couch, flying or driving to see your family and friends, have a very merry Christmas!  I pray that Jesus will be more real to you than ever this year!