Nevermind to New Year's Resolutions

Now is the time most make their New Year's Resolutions (for obvious reasons.) I say to forget it.

Actually, we shouldn't forget resolutions per se.  We just shouldn't make them on 01.01.XX because it is a neat starting point. Rather, first make them on the first of January. Then again on the third of January. If need be, do it again on the ninth. Or any day or time in between. My point being that every day should be a chance to start afresh.

I once read a quote that stated: “Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except for what you’re going to do right now and do it.”

The reason I like this so much is that it addresses all we really can do. We can only go for right now. We cannot lose five pounds right now. We cannot have all our transgressions and faults end immediately. We can only deal with the present. In running, especially long distance races, there are thousands of seconds to deal with. We sometimes try to think of the race as a single entity, but each one is broken into lots of little fragments. Feel good right now? Surge! Feeling not so great at this moment? Lay off the throttle.

On New Year’s Eve two years ago, in the midst of a lot of challenging things going on in my life, I ran a 6-hour race around a one-mile loop in San Francisco’s Crissy Field. I did not have the race I was hoping to but was fortunate to still post the highest total of miles run that day. However, during the race, both my mental energy and my physical energy ebbed and flowed. When some unexpected chafing occurred, I knew I could only deal with it at that moment. I could not think about whether it would get worse down the road (and oh my goodness, did it, in spite of my efforts to quell its growth.) I had to roll with the punches, so to speak. Randomly my mind would go blank, I would forget my woes and push forward. Other times, my mind would race, thinking about all the things that were currently going haywire and I would have a bad lap or two.

I see the New Year’s Resolutions which people set as being very bold and wonderful. Unfortunately, they are often so broad and far-reaching that they themselves up to fail. I suggest, instead, to set smaller goals and to set them daily. Each day brings its own triumphs and tribulations. Each day must be dealt with differently than the previous one. No one way of attacking life will work for every single day just like no way of attacking a race will work for every single race.

If you have a bad day this year, realize it will be done at midnight. Then you can simply work on making that next day the one that counts. 

Good luck on tackling all of your dreams, big and small, in the upcoming year. 

Operation Jack Northwest Run Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 20th Edition 
403.6 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Operation Jack NW Run
Place: Memphis, TN
Miles from home: 15 miles
Weather: 40s; Intermittent sun and drizzle

I finished the St. Jude Half Marathon a few weeks ago and figured my racing for 2012 was over.  It has been a rough year and I was ready to take December in stride. Then I went to Los Angeles to run the course for the 13.1 Marathon there and stupidly ran into a fire hydrant.  This sounds comical if it wasn't so freaking painful.  Then again, it is still comical as nothing serious happened to me.  At the time I felt like I had been shot and I did leave a sizable contusion.  In fact, I did get one of the largest bruises I have ever had in my life.  Three days after that I got the flu and there was just no way i was going to do much else in 2012.

Of course, I remembered I had signed up for the Operation Jack Northwest Run to be held here in the greater Portland area on December 22nd.  Done mainly to help my friend Sam Felsenfeld with his cause of fighting autism, I thought I might go run a fast half marathon or so and call it a day.  The race format is one of a 6 hour run around a .95 mile loop.  You can run as far as you want in the time frame.  This is not the first time I have done something like this and these sort of races actually favor me. (I still hold the record of the furthest distance ever run at the Presque Isle Endurance Classic - a 12 hour event where I covered 84 miles.)  but this was not the day to run for six hour or to try and run fast for 13.1.  Instead I figured I would run a nice tempo run for 20 miles and call it a day.

Race Morning:  

I have been aching for a little wintery weather lately, as I do enjoy a run in some soft white stuff.  However, I have been bringing sunshine with me everywhere I go lately.  Even a trip home to visit my mother in NW PA brought upper 40 degree weather and not one hint of snow - very odd for this time of year. I was hoping for something like that on this run but the weather forecast for the race called for mixed drizzle. If you know the topography and weather patterns of Portland you know it could easily be raining in Portland proper but cross over the hills that separate it to the west and just a few miles away it is very different.

Arriving at Summerlake City Park just few minutes before the start, me and my good friend Shannon found a parking right where the race started, grabbed our bib numbers, got in line for a last minute potty break and got ready to go.  It was a little chilly but no signs of rain made us quite happy. We lined up while the director, Steve, gave us last minute instructions and ready for a fun day of running camaraderie.

Then we were off.


Race:

Before even a half of a lap was completed, a few runners separated themselves from the pack. With a race of this nature, you sometimes have no idea what person is doing what sort of distance.  So you really need to settle into your own pace and ignore everyone else. I saw one guy take off in a mustard color shirt (you can see him in the picture above) and I figured he was either here to crush the course record or was running a fast half. He was bother to me.  I wasn't going to do either of those. All I wanted to do was run nice even 7:30 miles or so, knock out 20 miles under 2.5 hours and go relax for the rest of the day.  I had to go watch the Nutcracker later that evening - I couldn't be too tired.

The course was open to the general public and more than a few people were out exercising or walking their dogs.  In fact, most did their absolute best to stay out of the way which was appreciated. After about 5 loops or so, I had passed the vast majority of runners but hadn't seen the mustard color-ed shirt guy yet. I assumed he would be passing me soon at the pace he was running.  Right after the 8th lap, sure enough, he came flying by.  We talked for a second but he was soon gone.  He looked vaguely familiar so I figured I would find out who he was later.

With a course of this nature, aid available every mile or so, you can actually forget to drink.  Since I had already had to stop on the 7th lap to use the bathroom I felt I was more than hydrated. However, around the 12th lap I realized I hadn't drank an ounce of fluid and decided to stop and guzzle a cup. I was already looking forward to doing the next 9 loops and calling it a day. Around here the decent weather became even better and the sun started to peak out and warm up the runners. This was a surprise indeed.

I was really beginning to get to know some runners' strides and even if they weren't wearing tell-tale colors would have been able to pick them out of a crowd.  I found it perplexing that a group of runners felt the need to run three abreast around the loop even though the paved section wasn't much wider than 6 feet. Seemingly seasoned runners, one would think they would know basic running etiquette. That's what one gets for assuming!

With just a few laps to go I saw I was catching mustard-colored shirt guy.  I felt for sure he would have passed me by now but he appeared to be slowing.  With just a little over a lap to go until my day was done, I drew up beside him. As we talked I realized who he was.  His name is Zach Gingerich and he is simply one of the best ultrarunners in the nation.  Having already won Badwater in 2010, he has a slew of other jaw-dropping performances. When I did the 50 mile race at Umstead in 2010, he blistered a 13:23 on the 100 mile course. Ridiculous. He had just moved to Oregon recently and apparently lived just down the road. He would go on to break the course record for this race later on but right now we were just two runners enjoying a brisk pace. We said we would get together for a run someday but I hope he wants to keep it under 40 miles.

Wrapping up my day I slid in under 3.5 hours with a tidy 2:29:04 and not a moment too soon.  Almost immediately after I was done, the sky clouded over and the mist and drizzle began anew. Shannon mentioned she wanted to get in a few more laps before she too called it a day. Once she had, we packed it up and were on our way.  It was great to see so many people out not only exercising but raising money for Operation Jack. I heard a few people ran their first ever marathon and a few others were tackling their first distance run of any sort.  This is the type of news that warms the heart of someone who is trying their best to get as many people active as possible.



A short trip home, a warm shower and a nap and soon I was ready to see Tchaikovsky's masterpiece.  It was nice to put on some clothes that don't wick for a change.

Winter Running Tips

Running in some not-really-all-that-cold temperatures about a week ago, I had a non-runner ask me what I do for exercise during the winter. Realizing they thought that I simply quit running when it is cold, I told them I simply add a layer. Or some tights. However, I realized that it is not just non-runners who are curious about what to do when the temps drop. Even runners need to know what to do when the snowpocalypse of the century is threatening and the motivation gets low to run.

For all of you in California or Florida who occasionally have to deal with some inclement rainy weather and think this qualifies you for being allowed to complain about the winter- it doesn’t. Wait two days and it will be 65 and sunny again. However, for the rest of you, here are few tips to get through the months with the emphasis on the BRRRR at the end.

1.     Motivation is the key: Whether you are running with a partner or have the Boston Marathon just a few months away, having an actual tangible reason to run will help you get out the door. If Steve or Stephanie is out there in the cold waiting for you, there is no way you will leave them to run solo. And if that big dream goal race is just around the corner, you will realize that even a quick run puts you that much closer to setting a new PR.

2. Be safe: Because you are running with someone, do not assume that those driving and concerned about the slippery and icy conditions are any more likely to see you. Reflective gear, headlamps and flashing lights should be a staple of your wardrobe. And just in case, make sure you are wearing some identification like ROAD ID.

3. Treat your tootsies: Obviously you have to dress your body properly for cold weather but do not forget to pay special attention to your feet as well. Wicking and warm socks to keep your feet dry are important. However, you also need to keep care of the shoes themselves (unless you are blessed with dozens of pairs of running shoes). A product called Stuffitts will absorb wetness better than the old newspaper trick and also help eliminate that shoe odor making your shoes last longer.

4. Mix Up Your Racing: When the flakes hit the ground, this is the time to maybe take a small break from all your running and throw in some snowshoe running, cross country skiing or something involving the white fluffy stuff. Sign up for a winter triathlon, like the X-Trifecta.  Or take on a snowshoe race. You can guarantee an instant personal best for a race distance you have never done.  Plus, with nothing to compare your times to, no feelings of running "slow in the snow" will beat you down.

5. Traction is important: You also have to make sure you have proper footing in the icy conditions. Easy to install (and remove) without any damage to your shoes products like ICESPIKE will keep you from slipping and sliding. I recommend ICESPIKE as they can even be worn when you cross over to bare sidewalks, if you are lucky enough to find any.

6. Slow down: Unless you have clear roads and good footing, do not worry about how fast you are running. With uneven footing, more clothing on than usual, and more impediments abound, this is not the time to be setting PRs. This is the time to continue working on your base and simply keep the body moving.

All in all, the running doesn’t have to stop just because running water has. Bundle up and spring will be here soon!

XTERRA Trail Run Worlds Controversy

I saw this as a headline:

"For the first time in the history of the prestigious event, there was a tie for first place. After 21 grueling kilometers at the majestic Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii, not even a photo finish – or video replay – could determine the winner."

I was hooked and reading.  From the picture they included on the website of the XTERRA page it looked like the guy in orange (Ben Bruce) was a clear winner.  Then I saw this video. Well, that changes things just a touch.

I see zero reason why Ben Bruce should not have been, at the very least, given second place, if not disqualified for trying to nudge Joe Gray out of the way at the very last second. Gray, as with any runner, cannot impede another runner from passing him. He does not, however, have any obligation to get out of the way of another runner trying to pass him.

 I tried figuring our why Gray drifted ever so slightly to the middle when staying where he was would have been easier for him to do and then it became clear: he was simply trying to go where the ridiculously little erector set of black bars set up after the finish line to direct runners where to go, pointed him. This photo shows Gray, post-nudge, hurdling the narrow entrance to that area that he was directly in line to run through.

This is not to vilify Ben Bruce (although the nudge was kinda bush league.)  People get hazy at the end of races. Watch this video where Joseph Machuka actually punched Haile Gebrselassie at the end of a race when he got passed (throwing exactly the kind of punch you would expect a 120 pound runner to throw.)  Or NYC Firefighter Matt Long, whose story is one to really get you where it counts, still was kind of a dick at the end of his own marathon back in 2009.

No, this is to point out that the sport I love so much needs to stop acting like it is a fourth world country.  If this is the WORLD championship, then for chrissakes get a camera that goes directly across the line.  Don't rely on spectators cameras (Ironman 70.3 in Boise actually used the shot from the guy standing next to me to help determine the winner in 2012) or speculation.  Heck, even the Olympic Track and Field Trials botched this with the tie, maybe we will have a run-off, maybe we won't back in June. 

In an era with high-tech camera, super-super-super slo motion replay and all that is available to us, ignoring the fact that Bruce illegally bumped Gray out of the way at the finish, the race itself should have had its own way to determine what was happening.

Or, make it full contact.  That will definitely increase television viewership. Hockey is still in a lockout, right?

X-TriFecta Winter Triathlon and $10 Discount Code

As 2012 draws to a close, I am knee-deep in planning for 2013.  I am looking for new ways to challenge myself and trying to find events which will take me out of my comfort zone.

One event that I am especially looking forward to is the X-Trifecta Winter Triathlon.  This race, set to be run Saturday March 9th, 2013 at the Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, PA is a first-of-its-kind triathlon. Participants will chose to either snowboard or ski, then complete a 5-mile technical mountain bike course followed by a 5k trail run.

The way I see it, this race means an automatic personal best. I assuredly have never done an event like this so I have absolutely nothing to base my expectations or time upon.  However, I thoroughly expect to have an absolute blast. 

Here’s the good news for you: In speaking with the organizers, I was able to partner with ICESPIKE to work out a deal for all of my friends and fans by getting a code for $10 off the registration fee.  The race is capped at 500 participants and with both a solo race and a three-person relay, I fully expect that it will completely sell out.

So when you go to register make sure to use the code “SEEDANERUN” to get $10 off of the fee.

I look forward to seeing you shred, ped and tread the slopes this upcoming March with me!

St Jude Half Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 19th Edition 
383.6 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: St. Jude Half Marathon
Place: Memphis, TN
Miles from home: 2301 miles
Weather: 60s; sunny and warm

My goal for this race was to get in the 1:25s. I felt that would be decently challenging enough but reachable. It would also be a good barometer for where I stood fitness-wise. Not a prefect barometer, mind you.  I know the vagaries of racing and with this being my 12th race in 14 weekends, everything was quite a crapshoot. Three marathons, two triathlons, and 7 half marathons, coupled with working expos and what not can leave an athlete a bit strung out.


Expo: 

To say I was moved by all the events which remind you what this marathon represents would be an understatement. It is often we here some variance on the phrase that if X person with Y malady can do something, than I can. It is often true, too.  But here it is so prevalent. There is just something extra horrific about children suffering. They haven't even gotten old enough to maybe deserve something bad to them.  They are innocent and without sin for the most part. When they are afflicted it really makes you question the universe.


My expo was filled with wonderful moments of meeting great people, as per usual but there was something about just sitting there, directly across the aisle from a wall where people were writing words of encouragement on that really made me reflect on a great many things.

Many of them are far too heady or philosophical to deal with in a random race recap but I was definitely lost in thought much of the time at the expo.

 
Race Morning:

My hotel was a mere .5 of a mile away from the start. This meant lots of sleeping in and little time need to get to the beginning of the race.  Can't tell you how much I enjoy that.  Given I was running 13.1 and not 26.2 I was even happier that the race started at 8 a.m.  The forecast called for a warm day and I was glad I would be probably done in 90 minutes or less.  I knew those running the marathon were in for a tough day.

The morning had a little anxiety leading up to it as I had forgotten a crucial part of my race gear.  More on that later.

Scouting 13.1 Los Angeles

Anytime you can go to Los Angeles in December is a good thing.  When you combine it with running the course for the Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon® Series race in Los Angeles it gets even better.

In addition to me running the course and describing how to take it on (as I previously have done in both Atlanta and Dallas) the 13.1 people have put together a Thursday morning (12.06) 3-mile Run with Dane.

Beginning at the base Manhattan Beach Pier where it intersects The Strand at Manhattan Beach Blvd, we will jaunt southward past Hermosa Beach Pier along the Strand before turning around and heading back to where we began.

This is a "Get Fit" training run for runners of all abilities as they get in the swing for the 13.1 Los Angeles race held on January 13th. Promoting fitness, proper nutrition, and combating obesity will be the themes of the day and I hope to take as many people as possible on this trek. We will meet at 6:50 a.m. for a chat and a stretch before heading out!

Later on that morning, I will take my running shoes out again as I tackle the course itself, to get a feel for exactly what runners will be facing in just about a month. Traversing the whole course, I will start in Venice, skirt around Marina Del Ray, shoot past Dockweller beach State Park before turning around in El Segundo.

Make sure to tune back here in about a week when I present all the details gleaned from that run!

Marathon Recount

I haven’t really focused on marathons this year. My usual obsession with numbers and stats has fallen by the wayside in 2012. When I ran the Mesquite Tri-State Marathon last week it got me thinking again about the numbers. I realized I hadn’t run as many marathons as I thought I had.  Let me explain.

In May I started the Green Bay Marathon.  As I wrote in my recap, the race was cancelled in the middle due to a combination of factors surrounding the heat of the day. I had a friend signed up for text messages and when I finished the race, she got an exact time for my finish.  No finishing times were actually given for anyone not in the top 5 and after walking the last three miles, I definitely wasn’t one of those top five.  But I finished and had a finishing time from my friend. That means I ran the marathon, right? Well, upon further review, I do not think so.

I have been a pretty big stickler for what I feel makes a marathon ever since I ran 52 consecutive ones in 2006. To me, if there weren’t other participants or the race was on a treadmill or something other than an actual footrace, I did not feel it was an actual race. When the Green Bay Marathon got its plug pulled, I wondered what I would call it in my own personal log books.  Then, I was in bike crash, a dream apartment opened up, I moved and the rest of the year has flown by.  Only recently did I begin to think about my marathon total again.

As such, upon further reflection, I have decided to strike the Green Bay Marathon from my list of races run. This affects virtually no one whatsoever and only means something to me. Then again, most things in life are like that. However, if I am going to hold myself up to a certain standard, then I have to hold myself up to a certain standard. No official result – no race in the log book.

So, as it stands, with the Mesquite Tri-State Marathon last weekend, my marathon total is 142. No bragging, just stating. I also don’t see that total changing drastically in the near future. My potential 150th will probably happen sometime in the fall of next year. But how I get there, to that 150th marathon, should be rather unique.

Might as well be doing something other than checking off another marathon finish, adding another medal to the pile and expecting accolades for doing so, right? Stay tuned!

Mesquite Tri-State Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 18th Edition 
372.5 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Mesquite Tri-State Marathon
Place: Mesquite, NV
Miles from home: 1101 miles
Weather: 50-60s; mostly cloudy; intermittent wind and sprinkles

Running the Mesquite Marathon was more or less a last minute decision.  To say I haven't exactly been feeling good about my running since my bike crash in May would be an understatement.  Taking on a marathon, especially one which has bitten me in the butt on two other occasions (26.2 in 2009 and 13.1 in 2010), wasn't exactly high on my list of to-dos. But sometimes you make decisions and not too long ago I said let's give the Mesquite Marathon another shot.

I had run this basic exact course before. Slight changes had made the final few miles different but left the overall big downhill and rolling hills nearly the same. However, time heals all wounds and makes runners forget all uphills.

My great friend Shannon joined me to run the course even though she was in the midst of moving hell (Oh yes, A-Team Movers out of Dallas, you are going to get your own blog. I am sure it will be as scathing as Eff You, Jet Blue) and was not in any way ready to run a fast marathon. So in other words, we were both in the same boat.

Having said that, with no job obligations, no expo speeches, no book signings and nothing to do but just enjoy a race was a feeling that is really hard to describe.  It was both unsettling and wildly invigorating. Nevertheless, I still found it relatively easy to go to bed. Needing to get up at 4:15 a.m. in order to get ready to catch the 5:30 a.m. shuttle to the start didn't hurt either.

Race morning:

The shuttle to the start did not leave promptly at 5:30 a.m. as was stated which was fine by me. Sitting in the warmth of the bus was much more desirable than sitting on the side of a road for 45 minutes. We finally got going around 5:50 a.m. and the bus meandered through the Mesquite for a bit before hitting the course we would soon be running on.  Through Arizona for 17 miles and then onto Utah where the race would begin, I missed most of the bus ride as I was sleeping soundly.

When we got to the start, we still had another 30 minutes before the race began so I figured I would sit on the bus for a bit, use the bathroom and then saunter out sometime about 20 seconds before the race.  This was when we were told that we not only had to get off the bus but could not use the comfortable bathroom on it because the bus would be used for something later that day and the driver did not want to have to clean it before then. Really?

So 133 of us get out of the two buses and cue up for three bathrooms. With 30 minutes to spare each person can't take more than a little over a minute to use the bathroom if we want to not be standing in the bathroom line when the race starts. Let's just say some people took their sweet damn time.

In the bathroom line a runner introduced himself to me and we began chatting.  James was his name and he was prepared.  Both Shannon and I were a bit chilly standing in the windy nothingness of this pocket of Utah wearing very little to protect ourselves against the elements.  It wasn't that cold out, but we weren't expecting to be standing it it this long.  James gave us both one of those mylar blankets and became Coolest Guy Ever for at least the next half an hour.  He told me he would be shooting for a sub-3 and I gave him the low down of the course.  Technically, it should be an easier course than when I ran it in 2009 because of about 2 more miles of downhill to start. Plus, the weather looked like it would be cooler and cloudier for the vast majority of the next three hours.  In exchange for the mylar blanket, I tried to give James as much advice about the course as I could.  I wish I was in better shape to run with him but well, I was not.

As the seconds ticked down to the start of the race, I assumed that with just about ten people or so left in line, the race organizers might just hold the start for a minute or two so we could all use the bathroom.  I was wrong. The race started and I was still standing in line. Unfortunately, it was not the quick restroom break guys can do in the wild, so standing I remained. Finally, I was able to get in, used it as quickly as possible and headed toward the starting line. My quick potty skills allowed me to cross over the timing mat (it was chip timed which is why I wasn't completely angry) just 69 seconds late.

Santa Barbara International Half Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 17th Edition 
346.3 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Santa Barbara International Half Marathon
Place: Santa Barbara, CA
Miles from home: 943 miles
Weather: 50-60s; bright sunshine; intermittent wind

My goal for this race was to run right around a 1:30. I ran a 1:29:34. Saying I hit the goal is quite true but I definitely did not do so in a standard way for me. I was all over the place with my pacing and only a late surge and use of a generous downhill (only after a series of ups, mind you) allowed for this to occur. However, this race recap is less about me and my effort (this truly was a hard training run where I received a medal and people can find my exact time) and more about the race, friends and people I met along the journey this weekend.

As always, I wish I could remember every name and every story and had infinite amount of time to write about them all (and you an infinite amount of desire to read them) but that is not the case. So below are just a few that really stand out to me and I hope they catch your attention.

* The course - I give this course two solid thumbs up. Even though it is relatively challenging, with three hills to contend with (around mile 6, 8 and 10) it is forgiving in between those hills and ends with a steady 2 miles of downhill. And what downhill it is. After cresting the hill at Cliff Drive, doing two quick turns through a neighborhood, runners are gifted with an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean, sparkling and shimmering in the rising sun. A downhill that just continues to give back what the much shorter in length uphill took away is only made more special by the visage on the runner's right. Having run the race 3 out of the 4 times it has been run, I am still taken aback by the beauty of this finish.

* Fast chicks - I had two good friends running this race hoping to set new personal bests. Ironically, I met both of them at races put on by Destination Races in previous years; Sarah at the Oregon Wine Country Half and Jessica at the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half. Sarah was one of the NYC Marathon orphans trying to extend her training and preparation for one more week. Jessica had taken time off for an injury, as well as school, and was just getting back into shape. Fortunately, I did not have to root for one over the other as Sarah was running the marathon and Jessica the half.

Sarah ended up not only breaking her PR, by four minutes if memory serves me right, but broke the course record, taking second to Paige Higgins who herself has run a marathon in he low 2:30s (if not faster.) This course was even more challenging than NYC where she was hoping to PR so while I am impressed, I am not surprised.  Sarah is one hard working runner and I couldn't be happier for her effort.  As a Spira-sponsored athlete I am guessing owner Andy Krafsur is glad I made the introduction some time back! Fantastic work, Sarah.

Jessica and I ran the first mile of the half together before I realized that she was in much better shape than I was (5:53 for the first mile) and I had to let her quickly fade into the distance.  While she didn't keep that blistering pace for the whole race, she ended up with a two minute PR, good enough for 6th place overall for the women. Winning the half was another uber-fast woman, Alvina Begay a 32:58 10k runner (!)  There were some serious wheels on the ladies in the race and I am glad to have known a few of them.