Oh Nooooo! Or How I Missed the Boat on This Post

For some reason, I thought this week's post was all about marathon training.  So I diligently wrote up my ideas for how I'm going to train for my next marathon and posted them this morning.  But I just realized that training isn't the topic of this TiART at all.  I think I've logged a few too many miles this week . . .

So what is it that draws me to the marathon?  It started as one of those big goals on my life list.  Doing a marathon sounded really cool.  You're tough if you can do one, I reasoned, and I wanted to prove that I was tough.  I had done a few longer runs, though no actual 1/2 marathons, but I thought I could pull one off.  About that time my husband and I decided we wanted to start a family, and as I switched gears, the marathon goal started to fade a bit.  But as the months went by without getting pregnant, I started to get a little crazy.  I gave myself an ultimatum - I would do the Portland Marathon in October if I wasn't pregnant.  Nevermind that I wasn't training.  If I couldn't get my body to work the way it was supposed to, then I could at least do a marathon.  I even went so far as to sign up for the race; I still have my confirmation card.  But I was lucky and found out I was pregnant just a few weeks before the race.

And so that goal kept floating around in the back of my mind.  I started running after my first daughter was born and worked up to a 1/2.  Daughter #2 came along and the running continued.  I started getting stronger and running farther, and finally, at one summer barbecue, my little brother and I declared that we were going to do Portland that fall.  My lack of training is chronicled in the post below, as is the excruciating pain that went along with my first experience.

Still, here I am training again.  I have unfinished business with the marathon.  I want to run the whole thing.  I want to see how fast I can go.  I'd love to qualify for Boston some day.  There are so many beautiful marathons to run, and for some reason, a marathon seems like a good enough reason to travel to a new locale.  A 10k just doesn't seem worthy of a vacation.

The marathon pushes me beyond my comfort level.  I can't coast when I'm training for one (properly, anyway) - I've got to concentrate and give it my full attention.  And in a world where it seems like everything is clamoring to be heard, having myself fully in the moment as I am when I'm running long is a gift.  I guess that's why I'm drawn to the marathon.

Marathon Training: The Speculative Edition

I wish that I could say I had all the answers for marathon training.  I wish I could say that I had any answers for marathon training. But the truth of the matter is that I have not had much luck with the marathon distance to date.  I have only survived one.  I won't say that I ran it, because a lot of it was a painful shuffle that surprised me with its intensity.  This photo says it best:

Me near mile 20 in the Portland Marathon, 2007

I've finally mustered enough courage to try another one.  And because I had such a tough first experience, I have a few ideas about what I'm going to differently that I hope will help.  

For my first try, I knew the marathon was going to be tough.  Duh.  But I had no idea that the training would be tough as well.  The first 16 miler I did was my last.  I just couldn't get it together to go out and run any further.   I hit the training wall.  I did one more 13 miler, and that was it.  No more running.  I had a 3 week taper of no running.  Not once.  Probably not the best plan for maximum performance.

And now I know that if I don't keep running, the walking is going to hurt just as bad as the running.  That was another big surprise for me.  Once your legs are cooked, they're cooked.  For any type of movement.  So you might as well train and suffer for less time just because you are moving faster.  Now that I know that training will be tough, I've got a few ideas about how to keep me going:

1.  I've enlisted friends.

Having company for the long run is key.  This was made all too clear to me last Saturday when I had to do a 14 miler by myself, since my friends were all running a 1/2 marathon the next day.  I had so much anxiety about that run; I could hardly sleep.  But if I'm getting up to meet my friends for an 18 miler, I don't even think about what I'm going to be doing.  I'm just excited to catch up with them and drink coffee afterwards.  I feel the run, but it isn't the same.

2. I've given myself enough time.

Part of my problem with Portland, is that I decided to go for it in July.  The marathon is in October, and between that time was a relay race that I couldn't give up.  I only had time to do maybe one 20 miler if I stuck to my plan, and really, the more of those you can do, the better off you're going to be.  Many plans recommend 4 prior to the race week.  When you factor in the ramping up you need to do to get there (no more than a 10% increase on your long run mileage if you're going to be really cautious), it takes a long time.  I will have about 24 weeks of training with the marathon in mind by the time I get there. 

3. I've got longer runs in mind.

I've got this crazy idea that I should try an ultra - a race longer than the marathon.  Because I'm thinking that way, I'm rethinking my goals for the marathon.  An ultra is about going the distance more than the speed with which you cover it, and when I start thinking that way, spending a couple of hours running changes in my mind.  I have a real issue with wanting to go too fast, which leads to injury in my case, and so with this subtle shift, I may have found the key to being able to go long.  I went out pretty fast in my first marathon, and I know I burnt myself out by not pacing well.  If I can find my rhythm - my long pace - I can run a better race for the entire distance.  I hope.

4. I'm finding inspiration from long runners.

There's nothing like reading about ultramarathoners to give you a quick shot of humility.  As I whined my way through my 14 miler the other day, I was thinking about the H.U.R.T. 100 in Hawaii - 14 miles is just a warm up in that race.  And not only is it 100 miles long, it's on hilly, bumpy, root covered terrain in the warm rainforest of Oahu.  I was only chugging up a mild incline on a smooth sidewalk in 40º weather.  What did I have to whine about?

There are some really interesting books out there by these runners.  When I'm recovering from a long run, it's a nice way to recharge my engine and give me the boost I need to face the next week in running.

And so there you have it.  The things I'm going to try this time around to see if I can have more success in the marathon distance.  You can bet I'll be reading all the great advice on TiART this week!

Community

Having a group to run with has been the biggest boon to my running.  Hands down, the friendly faces I meet up with on Sunday mornings have been the singlemost effective training aid I have ever had.  More than properly fitting shoes, well timed energy gel, or the looming spectre of a race I've entered and now need to run, those guys and gals have taken my running to a new level.

This was made all too painfully clear last weekend when I chose to run 14 miles on my own rather than kill myself at a 1/2 marathon the rest of them were attending.  I tried to talk myself out of the run, I worried about it, I even questioned why I really wanted to run in the first place.  This never happens when I meet them on Sunday morning.  "Sure," I'll say, "I can do 18 miles.  Just don't want to run by myself."  

So I was thrilled to learn that the little town of Fossil, Oregon, is creating a community of their own around the Biggest Loser show on NBC.  When one local office decided to start a Biggest Loser challenge, they put a notice in the local paper.  To their surprise, 66 people, or 15% of the town's population, showed up for the first weigh in.  Early in the evening, 20 to 30 people gather together to work out.  They've even started a pool for the top losers.  And local businesses are getting in on the act by donating gift certificates for the winners.   

For people to change their lives, they have to come together in community.  Knowing that others are going through the same struggles and challenges will make them stronger.  I have no doubt that the people in Fossil will have more success with this journey than they would have if they tried it alone.  We talk a lot about the obesity epidemic in America, but maybe it's an epidemic of loneliness.  We try too hard to do things on our own.  When we come together, we can achieve even more.

This blogging community that I am just coming to know is the same way.  I've been a long time lurker, but I've finally decided to share what I write and think about.  It's scary, but at the same time, it is exciting.  I love reading about what other runners are doing in their training and in their lives.  Knowing that I'm not the only person who goes a little bit crazy when I can't hit the roads, or that hitting the point that I can't run another long run before the marathon is actually sort of normal, helps me to keep on challenging myself.   Helps me to get over the roadbumps that come with anything that is difficult.

So to all of the bloggers who have been generous enough to share their stories and their inspiration, thank you.  You have built an incredible community.  To the inspirational folks in Fossil, good luck.  Keep on supporting each other; you can do it.  And finally, to my fellow running buddies, thank you , thank you, thank you for letting me join you.  You guys are awesome.

Speed Signs

I am a big fan of The Office. For runners, the Fun Run episode is classic.  But last week's episode featured something close to my heart - racing the speed sign (it's in the opening scene). There's something about the challenge of those giant numbers staring me down that I can't resist.  I have to pick up the pace and see how high I can get.  The best sign for me is on Boones Ferry Rd, heading down the hill.  Traffic is usually light, and the incline is perfect for going fast.  I haven't done an all-out sprint yet, but it's coming.  So yeah, that probably makes me a dork.  Oh well.

Half Marathon Training

When I first began running, I felt I was a superstar for doing 10ks.  I rocked the Hood to Coast with . . . gasp . . . 15 miles of running spread out over three legs!  And when I went out for my one, and only, long run of 12 miles, I was stoked.  I was a runner.  I was amazing.  And then I had my first kid.

Sixty pounds later, I realized that I needed to start running again.  And sticking to the occasional 10k probably wasn't going to do it.  I needed to go long.  I started by setting my sights on a 15k - Portland's Shamrock Run.  Wow.  That wasn't easy.  But still, if I could pull off 9 miles up the big Terwilliger hill, I could do a 1/2 marathon.  Really.  Right?  And so I kept on running (which, thankfully, helped with the 60 pound problem), and I signed up for my first half marathon.

Making that kind of a commitment is a big deal.  Once you get out to the 1/2 marathon distance, you really can't fake the training.  Some of the things you read about runners talking really start to matter when you're going long.  Here are the most important ones I've found:

1.  You need to do the long run.

Running 3, 4 or 5 miles is just not enough to get your body ready to go 13.1.  You need to have one run a week that you stretch out, to a bare minimum of 9 miles.  Ideally, you will hit the 12 mile mark at least once before the race, and that's just to cover the distance successfully.  If you want to go fast, you've got to go that distance several times in the lead-up to your race.   The more you go long, the more your body adapts to the stress of the pounding of that many miles.  Everything becomes more efficient, and that's a good thing.  So even if the training plans you find just seem too intimidating, do the long run part of them.

2. You need proper gear.

If you're going to do a 1/2 marathon, you need to get fitted for shoes.  Period.  You can fake it over 5 or 6 miles, but once you start adding distance, every little ache and pain that your shoes cause will become magnified.  I was shocked to learn that I had been wearing shoes that were 1 whole size too small for over 8 years.  Improper shoes can cause all kinds of issues with your feet, calves, hips and knees.  It's worth it to go to a store that videotapes your gait and determines the best kind of shoe for how you run.  Another good investment is in BodyGlide - it looks like deodorant, but it is a greaseless version of Vaseline.  What doesn't chafe at 5 miles mostly likely will at 10!

3. Learn to fuel yourself.

I hated GU for a long time.  I would avoid the stuff like the plague.  I started to come around and drink water with added electrolytes after battling dehydration, but it wasn't until I found a GU flavor that I loved that I learned how much a shot of carbohydrates can help.  Now when I run for over an hour and half, I make sure to take some GU at the halfway point so that I don't bonk.  But you definitely want to experiment before race day.  I have had friends who have ruined their races because they tried something new race morning.  Head down to the local running store or REI and pick up a couple of flavors/brands and figure out what works best for your stomach.

4. Find a good sports chiropractor/physical therapist/massage therapist.

The thing with going longer is that as you increase your mileage, you are bound to have some new aches and pains.  You definitely want to follow the 10% rule (don't increase your mileage/long run more than 10% per week), but if you are like most of us who are willing to admit it, you'll probably end up breaking that rule in your new found enthusiasm!  Finding a provider that you trust and that can help you find strengthening exercises, stretches and so forth will help you tremendously.  I have had friends give up on their training programs because injuries and soreness have started to crop up as they pushed out the miles.  Most likely, they could have managed most of those injuries with the help of a good professional.  You'd be amazed to learn how weaknesses in different muscle groups can end up meaning IT band problems, sore knees and a host of other problems.  

These are only starting points.  There are many more things to think about as you begin to train, but as I've ramped up my miles, these four things seem to be key in keeping me healthy and moving.  But the best thing about doing a 1/2 marathon is that you really start taking yourself seriously as a runner, and that can be an incredible feeling.  Good luck!

2009 Eugene Marathon

I'm getting closer to signing up and committing for real. I've printed out the form, reserved a hotel room, and now I just need to write a check and send it in. Previewing the course made it all the more real. It's just getting through that darn training that has me freaked out . . .


Eugene Marathon Course 2009 Flyover Version 2 from Brian Flindt on Vimeo.

Understanding Sweat

I sweat when I run.  A lot.  Often as much, or more, than the men I sometimes run with.  I've learned not to wear gray shorts on a warm day, and I struggle to drink enough to keep me hydrated when I run during the summer.  But what does all this sweat mean?  Am I healthy?  Freakish? Efficient at cooling?  I was tired of not knowing the answers to these questions, so I decided to do a little digging and get to the bottom of this sweaty situation.

First of all, sweating is good.  The evaporation of sweat from our bodies is our defense against heat stress, which will lead to cardiovascular issues and all kinds of other nasty problems if not controlled by a good sweat response.  But it is the evaporation, and not the act of sweating itself, that is important.  This is why people struggle on a humid day - the humidity reduces the evaporation level, which makes our mechanism for cooling less efficient.  We might sweat like crazy on a humid day, but still suffer from heat illness if the sweat can't do its job. 

Our fitness levels do affect our sweating.  As our fitness levels (as measured by VO2 max) increase, the onset of our sweat response occurs earlier.  Fit people have lower resting core temperatures, so our bodies will respond to an increase in temperature earlier than a person who is less fit.  Other factors in our sweat reponse include our hydration status (less water in the body = less sweat), our exercise intensity, environmental factors (like heat) and acclimatization.  Research has shown that people who live in warm climates have delayed sweat responses; their bodies will not begin producing sweat until their core temperatures are higher than what a person who does not live in a warm climate.

We can acclimate to warmer temperatures.  This typically takes about 5 days, and it is recommended that we spend time exercising in the heat and making sure that we sweat profusely.  For more information on acclimatizing, check out this article. 

So we know that sweating is good, and that the earlier we sweat, the more we fit we really are.  But what about sweat volume?  Is more better?  Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.  Sweat rates look to be fairly individual, and what you sweat out is the same way.  Some people are "salty runners", leaving a crusty, white residue on their skin as the sweat evaporates (that's me).  And because a heavy volume ends up costing you valuable hydration, big sweaters have more issues with keeping fluid and electrolyte levels in balance.   It would seem to be to your advantage to sweat efficiently - just enough to keep you cooled, but not enough to wipe out your reserves.  And it's something we don't really seem to be able to control.

So what is a big sweater to do?  Awareness appears to be the key.  A good way to find out how much you sweat is to perform the following test:  Weigh yourself before heading out on a 1 hour run.  Do not take in any fluids after the weigh-in or during the run.  When you get back, weigh yourself again, and find the difference in weight.  Divide that number by 2.1 - this is the number of quarts you need to drink to replace the lost fluid.   Once you know that you sweat a lot, you can do all you can to keep hydrated and to replace lost electrolytes with drinks like Nuun or GU2O.  For more information on hydration, Runners World has some great articles.

And so now I know.  I'm healthy, but I also sweat alot without any extra benefit.  Now if I can just remember to wear the dark shorts . . .