Philly Marathon Race Report: SUB-3!

Well, it was a tough start to the year, but it is ending with a bang. I got my sub 3 today in Philly, and instead of sleeping on this flight like I should be, I decided to get this down before I forget it all. You, the reader of course benefit!

I was a little worried I might not make it. My taper was pretty awful. I spent most of it being sick...very fatigued and a little overtrained. I was putting in some long days at school during training and after a few weeks of that something happened to me I've never experienced since I started running - the intense desire to not run.  I spent a few days pushing through that feeling and the first run of my two-week taper, I couldn't even get through a recovery run on the treadmill.  The next day I was sick as a dog, but I felt that I needed to continue to go to school, as I was worried about everything going on there, which really slowed my recovery, and I spent most of the rest of taper trying to get healthy.  So that meant hardly any running, which was really tough mentally, but my wife assured me that I had done plenty to prepare and that I couldn't do anything during taper to help the cause anyway, and she advised me to not run until I really wanted to.  Honestly, this advice probably saved me, as I finally started feeling better the Tuesday before the race, and by Friday my drive and confidence returned.

Part of the problem was that I felt like I was cramming to train for this after the 50 miler, and quite frankly came back too soon. I had a great mileage base from the ultra though, and I put together about 7 weeks of pretty hard training...consisting of mileage ranging from the mid 60s to the mid 70s per week and some absolutely hellish speed workouts. One thing is for sure though - even though it was tough keeping up with the schedule I laid out, I was definitely getting my speed back quickly. I ran some really sharp tempo runs (hitting speeds in the 6:10s) and was really sharp on my Vo2 max work. I also did a few Daniels style sessions where I would run mixed pace repeats, combining tempo, 5k and mile paces. Overall, I managed to squeeze in a pretty decent cycle before the illness hit, and I was confident I could get the job done by the time the weekend of the race rolled around.  I think it helped that I was so busy with everything else I had going on...I didn't dwell on the race very much, and when the weekend did arrive, I was excited just to get out of Chicago for a couple of days, so I liked my mindset going into the race, as I always race better when I am relaxed.

The weekend started out pretty rough though. I flew to Philly on Friday night...excited for my wife's aunt to come and pick me up. Except she forgot to come and pick me up. I tried calling her, her husband, my wife's dad, stepmom and half-sister...nobody was answering their phones. What the fuck! I started to worry about where I was sleeping that night. Fortunately, my dear friend Flo (who is an avid blogger- read her blog using the link on the right - Girl in Motion) was kind enough to let me crash there and we had a great time catching up on Friday night when I finally managed to get there...thanks to my father in law who hurriedly came to pick me up when he heard I was in need of a ride.

On Saturday morning, my phone was ringing off the hook, and it was my wife's aunt, apologizing like crazy. By that time I had slept it off and was over it....but it would not be the last strange thing to happen.

Saturday was my day to hit the expo and visit family, and I also managed to get a short run in on the river path which was wonderful. By the time that was all done, it was time to grab some dinner. I met a few folks from the sub-3 thread- GregTR, Esined and Brocknoxious...all great guys. The company was great, the food good. Then I went to Flo's and hit the sack.

Some fast folks here.  From left:  Flo, Greg, Tinell (Brock's girlfriend),
Brock, Esined, Denise (Esined's wife) and yours truly.  Greg, Brock, and
Esined have all gone sub-3, hoping to join their ranks.

I woke up Sunday morning, rested. I managed to sleep pretty well both nights I was there which was great. However I made another disturbing discovery...I left my gloves at the restaurant! Ugh. Fortunately, Flo saved the day again...letting me borrow some lovely fluffy baby blue ones that I actually kept on for the first 21 miles. The other fantastic thing was that she was literally 2 blocks from the start...so I could wait until the last minute and then mosey on over.

I met my friend Chris (RTI from the 3:20 thread) in the corral and exchanged some nervous chatter. It was plenty cold at the start...I was happy to have my throwaway, but it had to come off...as 7am rolled around and off we went!

(2 miles in, another potential calamity - I look down at my Garmin, and it is DEAD. No idea why, it had a full battery that morning. I blame Chris, he gave me a hard time about my crappy Garmin all weekend - I should have known this was a sign that it would fail miserably. More on this later...but this is why I only have the official race splits in my report.)

First 5k - We're off and Chris drops me pretty quickly in the mass of humanity. Oh well, I figured he'd be out a little faster than me. My plan was to keep the 3 hour pacer in my sights. I spotted him running at the right edge and tried to settle in. Pace feels OK at the start, not necessarily easy, but not hard. My Garmin shows that the mile 2 marker is at 2.18 miles or some shit. That's interesting. Then, it promptly shuts off. I cannot resuscitate it. Oh my god. I decide right then and there to put the fate of my race on the pacer, and keep my eye on the clocks, and try to do some quick mental math too see how I was progressing. But still, that was a tough mental blow early. Still, I think I handled it OK. I was very grateful they had a three hour pacer, otherwise it would have been a total crap shoot trying to pace myself.

5k-10k - This stretch felt kind of long. The mile 5 marker was particularly elusive. Otherwise, not much to report. Big crowd at mile 6 or so, that got me going a bit. I ate a gel. Kept the pacer in sight. That's about it.

10k-15k - 10k split is 42:40, 6:52 pace almost exactly...so far so good.  I remember not too long ago that this was my 10k PR.  A couple of hills through here and I'm starting to already feel the pace. Something else happens in this stretch though. I start thinking about telling my unborn daughter someday that daddy went sub-3. This really turns things around for me mentally. I am choked up just typing this and recalling this happening. Something just clicked in me after that and I become fiercely determined to get this done. Who knows what my running will be like next year. I may never be in this good of shape again. I have to try and take advantage of this now. No matter what I am not letting that fucking pacer balloon out of my sight.

15k-half -  I see my wife's aunt and uncle at 11 and Flo and Chris' wife Stevi at mile 12 and it gives me a huge boost. Somebody on the Runners World forums once said sub-3 is an uncomfortable blend of speed and endurance. I think that's pretty accurate. By the half split I am already a little sore and I do not feel like the race just started, like I have in other races I have done. I hit the half at 1:29:30 or so on the clock and the pacer is doing a great job. At one point I let him get about 10 seconds ahead but now I am right there again, about 30 feet back.

Half -30k - Tough stretch mentally, but physically the pace feels a little easier for some reason during this part...maybe it was a little downhill?  We have to cross a bridge at 17 for a little course correction out and back which is annoying and it was here where I spotted Chris, maybe 30 seconds ahead of me. I start to wonder if I can catch him...but my focus is still on the pacer. I also remember hitting 16 and doing some quick math after seeing 1:50 on the clock - 70 minutes roughly for 10 miles...I am still very much in the hunt.

30k-35k - 30k split is 2:07, 6:50 pace, so still right on pace for sub-3.  This was my toughest stretch. I really struggled here. When we got to the turnaround to go back towards the art museum that helped a ton, but for some reason I felt really rotten here. I forced a gel down at mile 20 and I thought I might barf it up but it held, thank God. Still have the pacer in sight, but he's a little further in front.  I am trying desperately to hold it together no matter what. A couple people here and there stopping. Managed to keep it together.

35k-finish - I chased down the pace group at mile 21 or so. I ran with them for a couple of miles and really hated it.  They surrounded me in a claustrophobic bubble of suck, and I had a hell of a time getting a drink at an aid station as a result.  One of the other runners kindly offered me what was left over in his cup which was great.  I thought if I can somehow pull it together, that I should really try to push after mile 23 to make sure I didn't leave anything to chance, as I was kind of cutting it close. I get to 23, still with the group, and I got alongside the pacer and thanked him, and told him I really hoped I wouldn't see him again. He encouraged me and told me if you have anything left, now is the time. I pushed ahead and about a half mile later, felt my right hamstring twinge. I had to alter my gait for a bit to make sure I didn't cramp up, and thank God it passed. Shortly after that, I passed Chris, who was struggling with side stitches. Felt real bad for him, but I had to keep going.

I set little mini goals here. Had to get to 25 first. I still had Flo's gloves and needed to ditch them. Found her and Stevi a little after 25...I rubbed my tummy to tell Stevi that Chris was having a tough time. Flo screamed like crazy and it gave me a huge boost. Soon after, the crowds are thickening as we run past the art museum and I hear Bart Yasso on the loudspeaker talking about sub-3...and I need to HTFU and get mine. Finally see mile 26 and turn the corner and see the clock, and it had just clicked 2:59:00 and SUB 3 IS MINE. Honestly I was never sure I had it until this moment. I was pretty sure I did once I saw the time at 25, but now it was certain. I cross at 2:59:09, arms raised, and I am SPENT. About 5 seconds later, both hamstrings completely lock up and I almost fall over. I am walking really, really funny to pick up my medal and I am kind of in shock - it's almost weird to be done now and no longer needing to chase a balloon down.  I see my friend Traci at the finish and I think about going sub 3 for my baby girl and now I am a full-on bawling wreck. This is the second race in a row where I have just emotionally completely broken down after...this one even more so than the 50-miler.  Some of the other runners pat me on the back and say good job and Traci gives me a big hug.

A little dazed, but victorious!  And no I did not pee myself.
(Thanks Traci for this photo!)

Every race has its challenges but I really think this was the toughest yet. I never really felt amazing in this race, I really felt like I had to bear down mentally and physically and I am so thrilled I was able to get it done. Thank God for that 3 hour pacer, his metronome-like pacing was a HUGE help, and looking back on the splits, I ran a very solid race, running even splits the whole way.  I ran inspired today, and I am absolutely thrilled with the result.  Now it's time for a long break to focus on my wife and family, who without them, none of this would ever be possible.

Thanks for reading! -KPH

A Leisurely Jog Through the Woods: North Face 50 Mile Race Report

How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time...   

It's been a while since I posted an update, but I have been a busy boy.  Since April I PRd at the 10k (38:21), ran my first 50k, and trained for a 50-miler.  I'm pleased to report that it went well, I finished, and had a great experience.

I am posting this to reflect on the day and perhaps help others who are thinking of training for this distance.  Before I started this journey I read many blogs and race reports like this one to try and understand what I was getting into, get some training insight, and gain some confidence that I could indeed do this.  I hope the same holds true for any of you wishing to take on this challenge.

Training

One of the things that I have read repeatedly in books and blogs is not only the importance of the long run, but doing as many long runs as possible that replicate the course you will be running on.  As the North Face Endurance Challenge in Wisconsin would be a trail race, I wanted to try and get as many runs on trails as I could.  I began training in earnest at the end of May, so I had roughly a 14-week buildup to this race.  For the 10k training I was running roughly 60 miles per week, and I remained at about that level for my 50-mile training, proving that super-high mileage is NOT necessary to finish a 50-mile run.  However, I had many things to distract me that were really fun, but did take me away from training - I ran in three 200-mile relays: an ultra relay in June (Madison to Chicago), another in August (Ragnar Great River in Minnesota), and a 12-person relay (The Fred in Western Michigan).

While these were great experiences, I needed to recover from the ultra relays and this definitely cut into my mileage.  Fortunately I was able to do enough to get it done - I did about 10 runs or so that were 20 miles or more in those 14-weeks, and two weekends I did back to back long runs (running roughly 40 miles in the two days).  I also spent a couple of weekend days out at Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin, running what would be parts of the race course for the 50-miler.  I can say with confidence that this was vital to helping my mental state during the course of the run and that the Ice Age Trail has quickly become a favorite running spot, well worth the 2-hour drive there from my house.  I also did several runs at the Palos Hills Forest Preserve in the Western suburbs of Chicago (including a self-supported 26.2 mile run) and a run at Island Lake State Park in Michigan.  This helped really prepare my body to use lots of different muscles, as I quickly learned trail running is much different from road running.

The aftermath of a particularly muddy training run

I developed a race strategy early and stuck to it - run very slowly and walk the uphills - and then practiced it on all of my long runs on trails.  My goal was simply to finish and I think mentally this helped me relax in the days leading up to the race.  I had to set aside much of the competitive douchebaggery that people who know me well are quite familiar with, because quite frankly for all of the success I have had running on roads, I am a very, very average ultra runner.

The final piece of the puzzle was nutrition and hydration.  I went back and forth between running with handheld water bottles and a hydration vest and I found that I was more comfortable with the vest.  I tried to figure out what kinds of things I could eat on the run, and I found that Clif bars and Honey Stinger waffles were good go-tos in addition to gels.

I also did a 2-week taper, and I honestly will probably never go back to a 3-week one for marathoning (although I did do a pretty steep taper - after a 60 mile week I only ran about 35 miles the next week and then runs of 5 and 3 miles the week of the race).  I felt extremely fresh and rested for the race.

The Race

I took the Friday off of work before the race and drove up to pick up my bib number and then to Ottawa Lake to set up camp.  Even with poor planning I managed to grab a campsite a few weeks before the race and when I arrived I could see the tents set up for the race.  The start of the race was only a 5-minute walk from my campsite and that was a big win.

Ottawa Lake is a really beautiful lake and park in the Kettle Moraine Southern Unit in Wisconsin.  Having been there before from training I was really looking forward to spending some time in the area and exploring it a little bit more.  Once camp was set up I took a walk around the grounds, visiting the start and finish area and then hopped in the car to grab an early dinner.  I remembered from my research of the area that there was an Italian place in North Prairie and I found it easily enough.  I ordered my go-to pre race dinner:  spaghetti and meatballs.

I headed back to camp to rest up a bit and my wife and mother-in-law met me there.  We took a short trip to make sure they knew where the aid stations would be at so that they could find me.  Soon after it was dark and time to hit the sack.

I slept pretty poorly but this was no surprise - I usually do before a big goal race.  I set my alarm for 3:30am, but I didn't need it - at 3am I was up and having breakfast - banana bread with peanut butter.  Yum!  Fortunately our campsite was near a bathroom/shower facility and I was able to body glide up, take a poop and get dressed without disturbing my wife and mother-in-law.  I filled up my vest with water, packed a few gels, a couple of Clif bars and a waffle, and by 4:30 was walking down to the start.

My mindset was simple - don't think about the entire race distance.  Focus on getting to the next aid station, and enjoy the opportunity that I have to run in an amazing trail system.  Eat the elephant one bite at a time.

It was crazy how cold it was in the morning.  I had on a short sleeve shirt, arm warmers, shorts and gloves and was still pretty cold.  There had been some rain in the area a couple of days before, so I had on my Salomon trail shoes, but I packed a pair of road shoes in my gear bag that my wife would have just in case.  When I arrived at the start I was thrilled to see that they had space heaters set up.  Really nice touch.  Just before the start Dean Karnazes said a few words but I couldn't understand any of it - the sound system wasn't the best but really, who cares...nothing he was going to say would make any difference.  And just like that, we were off.

Scuppernong Loop - Miles 1-7

It was pitch dark and looking around at all of the other headlamp lights, I realized very quickly that mine sucked.  My main goal here was to not let the excitement of the morning get me carried away, but it also became to find someone with a good lamp and run near them.  After a mile or so on the roads we ducked into the woods and onto a trail I was pretty familiar with from training.  The Scuppernong trails were nice and wide with good footing and a few rolling hills.  I took my cues from the other runners and walked every uphill.  I felt really uneasy during this stretch and was certain that I would fall due to the poor lighting, but I managed to remain upright.  I don't recall my pace exactly, but with all of the walking it was around 11 minute pace, which is where I wanted to be at.

Around mile 4 or so, it became quickly apparent that I needed to use the bathroom again.  For some reason lately this has been par for the course with me - a small poop followed shortly after by a larger one later in the morning.  After running a little longer I knew I was going to have to take a detour at the first aid station.  I did manage to get a Clif bar and a gel down on this loop though.

When I arrived at the aid station I asked if there were any porta-potties.  The only place I could go was on the other side of the parking lot.  Ugh.  So I had to jog across the parking lot to handle business...that sucked.  But at least now I was free to keep going without discomfort.  Amazingly, we had already been running about an hour and 20 minutes, went by fast.

Ottawa Loop - Miles 7-11

The next section was a gentle 4 mile loop on the Ottawa Trail system, just across the street from Scuppernong.  The sun started to come out and the runners started to space out more and I started to settle in.  I had never run this exact section before, but it was mostly flat and soft and very runnable.  After feeling like I was just surviving waiting to use the bathroom in the first loop, I settled in here and passed quite a few runners, running closer to 10 minute pace.

I got to the 11-mile aid station, and grabbed a salty potato and it tasted awesome.  Never ate that before, but I only ate one out of caution and it worked out great.  Then, shortly after, Dean Karnazes himself strolled into the station.  He is much shorter than I am, but very compact and lean.  My wife described him best I think - he's really built efficiently for running.

Dean Karnazes at Aid Station #4 (21 miles in)

Ice Age Trail - Miles 11-21

I took off out of the second aid station and went to chase down Dean, who had left just before me.  I eventually caught him on a rocky stretch and passed him, muttering something like "A bit rocky, huh."  He stayed right behind me for a bit and then I ran in a group with Dean for a while.  He seemed like a genuinely nice guy.  We talked about races with a couple of other runners and he mentioned being in Dayton for the Air Force Marathon and I was excited, being a University of Dayton grad and said "Go Flyers!".  That led into a conversation about the Marine Corps Marathon which he was also familiar with and it was fun to chat with him and made the next couple of miles go by quickly.

The early portion of this stretch on the Ice Age trail is mostly downhill but rocky, but it then smooths out after a couple of miles and is very flat, and very scenic.  I guess Dean got tired of talking to us though, as he eventually blew by me with a couple of other guys and I did not see him the rest of the race.  I looked down at my Garmin and we were doing 9:30 pace at one point and I needed to reign it in.

This part of the trail was very familiar, and eventually I settled into a high-9 minute pace, with a couple of short walk breaks to get down gels.  I started to really feel strong during this stretch.  The sun was starting to creep over the horizon and it lit up the prairie portions of the trail beautifully.  I hit the mile 16 aid station and walked through it to eat a waffle.  A couple of miles later I hooked up with one of the guys I was running with in the Dean group earlier.  He explained he was running with the group but they were getting carried away pace-wise and I liked this guy immediately.  We talked about different places to run, road racing, and ultimately agreed we both preferred trails.  I am usually not a super-social person during races but this really helped break up the monotony of the run.  Miles 18-21 were a blur, and before I knew it, I was at mile 21, where I would see my crew for the first time.

McMiller Ski Trail Loops - Miles 21-35

My wife Catherine spotted me coming into the station immediately and shouted "There's Kevin!" and I knew right away that she was going to be an amazing boost for me.  I probably spent more time than I needed to at this station, but it was great to visit with her and my mother-in-law, and pet my dog Rudy who seemed pretty fired up to be there.  They told me a funny story about how she got out of her collar and started running aimlessly down the road...yep, that's my girl.  I grabbed some Gatorade (which I was really looking forward to as the Nuun was not getting it done for me) and headed out to the McMiller loop, where we would be running 7 miles out and then 7 back on the same route.

All smiles at mile 21

I probably should have spent more time running and less time petting Rudy...

This part of the course was also new to me, but it was stunning in its beauty.  Definitely my favorite part of the run in terms of scenery.  The trails were nice, wide, grassy trails that were easy on the legs, but very hilly.  The hills were constant and some were quite steep.  I was actually really pleased that I was able to run about 10:45 pace through here.  My buddy that I picked up earlier was out of the station before me, but I eventually caught him right before the 28 mile aid station.  I was also tracking down a woman who was running strong.

My Garmin was giving me the low battery warning and I knew it was just a matter of time until it died. Fortunately my wife loaned mer hers to use for the second half of the race, but it too died for some reason before I could even use it.  I think I need to upgrade my Garmin - the 405 just does not get the job done for ultra running.

Catherine, her mother and Rudy were at mile 28 and asked me how things were going.  I felt great.  In fact, looking back, this was probably the high point of the race for me.  I was already half way done, and only a little over 5 hours in, and I felt really strong and had a great attitude.  Even the volunteers told me I looked great.  I was starting to wonder if I could potentially break 9 hours, but I was very quickly about to venture into unknown territory distance-wise, and tried to reign that thinking in.  I gave Catherine her Garmin back and she loaned me her Polar watch, which was not a GPS watch, but would help me keep track of the time of day, which proved helpful.

I also did not see Dean coming back on this out and back portion, and I thought for sure he dropped out, however I learned later that he finished in just over 8 hours, so I guess he made it to a part of the McMiller loop that was not an out and back part, or I just didn't see him, who knows.

Munching on a PB&J at mile 28.  The high point in my race for sure.

At the aid station I had more Gatorade and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which I also held down fine.  I thought so far I was doing well with getting calories down, I was eating something roughly every half and hour and was probably getting about 400 calories an hour.

I left the aid station a little faster than the one before and I eventually caught the woman I was following and ran with her for a while.  She was from Nebraska and was an ultra veteran.  I asked her what she was shooting for time-wise.  She said 9 and a half, and then asked me the same.  I told her I went out thinking 10 hours, but that I felt good and that 9 and a half sounded doable.  She agreed, and said that if I was still feeling fresh at this point that I had a great chance to break 9 and a half.  I made a comment about the sun coming out and the weather starting to warm up and she advised making sure I got some salt in over the course of the next few hours.

I guess I was going a bit fast for her at that point, because eventually she said, "have a great run" which let me know she was dropping back.  Too bad really, talking with her was nice and lifted my spirits.  I ran 31-35 pretty much alone after that; I did not see anyone for quite a while.  I noticed at this stage that drinking water was making me feel a little queasy, and I was starting to think I was over hydrating, as I started to feel the fluid slosh around a bit.  I made an conscious effort over the course of the next couple of hours to get some salt in me and wait until I felt thirsty.

At the mile 35 station (the same as the mile 21 station) I saw Catherine and her mom for what I thought would be the last time.  I still had a lot of energy at this stage, but I could tell my stomach was starting to reject a lot of my go-to foods and calories, so I could not drink a ton of Gatorade.  I did manage to get some chicken broth down though.  For a moment I felt a bit dizzy when I stopped at the aid station but I quickly recovered.  Before I knew it I was running again.

Houston, we may have a problem.  Feeling dizzy for a sec here, but I was able to pull it together,

McMiller to Moraine Ridge - Miles 35-41

My least favorite part of the course was coming up - the Moraine Ridge horse trail.  It's an extremely sandy and rocky stretch that is pretty much all steep uphill climbs with almost no downhill.  I walked every uphill and managed to keep going but I was really starting to feel the miles.  I was running totally on feel at this point, as I only had the time of day to go on.  I was a little behind 9-hour pace, and during this stretch I let it slip away.  It was hard work just walking some of the uphills.

I made it to the mile 41 aid station and Catherine and her mom made a surprise appearance which helped a ton.  I was starting to crave fruit for some reason and I was able to get a Gatorade and a couple of orange slices down, which helped tremendously.  As I was leaving this station, my wife reminded me that I beat my 50k time in the first 50k of this race, and I had already gone farther than I ever had before.  Her yelling of encouragement prompted a few onlookers to remark to me that I had already accomplished something truly remarkable, and I started to get emotional.  I honestly don't know what was keeping me going at this point, I was starting to have an out-of-body experience.  I just kept telling myself to bear down and keep moving.

These signs were so helpful,

Nice to see Rudy making friends...and posing for photos too!

Moraine Ridge Trail - Miles 41-48

I had run this portion before and I knew it was relatively flat, but I was really running out of gas.  I knew I would finish at this point, and I also knew sub-10 was pretty much a lock.  I also knew that I had let sub-9 slip away in that last segment, so I had to find a new goal which was a little tough mentally, but I came up with two - my friend from the 3:20 runners world thread Nick Polito's 9:19 mark in one his 50-mile races (check out his blog on the right - Running Italian - it's excellent), and 9:30.

I had no idea how fast I was running through here, but I definitely had to walk more during this stretch. I was starting to really pant even on the rolling hills through here, but I just kept thinking that I need to keep running and keep moving as much as possible.  The runners from the 50k and marathon races had merged onto our course, and it helped me a lot to pick them out and pass them.  Right before the mile 45 aid station, the woman I was chatting with earlier caught me here and she looked really strong.  It lifted my spirits to talk with her a bit, but it also deflated me a little as I was just not feeling great at this point.  She blew through the station, but I was still having fruity drink cravings, so I grabbed some pink Nuun which actually tasted awesome compared to earlier.

Getting to this aid station lifted my spirits, and I started to run harder (but not necessarily faster...lol).  We made a left turn, and knowing the course the way I did, I knew we were off the Moraine trail (finally!) and headed for home.

The Finish - Miles 48-50

There was one last aid station, 1.8 miles from the finish.  I knew this because I was out of breath and asked the volunteers how long we had to go.  One said, "You're going to be a happy boy in 1.8 miles, just hang in there."  You're not kidding lady.

There was one more long uphill that I walked, and after that I knew it was downhill or flat until the end.     That was the last time I walked.

I got back onto the road I had been on over 9 hours before.  It was crazy how fast it went by, but it was also crazy the range of emotions I went through, from feeling on top of the world at mile 28, to feeling depressed at mile 45, to knowing I was going to finish 50 miles.  I saw the tents and the large red arch for the finish and tears welled up.  I thought of everything from my injury over the winter, to my struggles as a young man in high school and college, to some of the people who thought I wouldn't amount to anything, to my parents who never stopped believing in me, to my amazing wife who supports what I do and who I am no matter how crazy.  It's cliche but it's true - it really is all about the journey.  Running is just one big metaphor for life and that's a big reason I love it so much.  I knew this one was really special though.  I spent the entire day on the trails - no music, no distractions, no drama.  A leisurely jog on the trails among family and friends.  A distance I wasn't quite sure I could complete when I started.  But I did complete it.

I crossed the finish line after 9 hours and 23 minutes of running, teary-eyed and exhausted.  I broke down and cried when it was over.  I have never done that before at a race.

There were two boy scouts handing out water and a medal, and they kindly waited for me to collect myself.   My wife came over and hugged me, as I sobbed in her arms.  She simply said: "You did it.  You ran 50 miles."

This was my pose for the finishing photos...

...and this was how it really felt to finish 50 miles.

Post Race

My stomach was all messed up and I couldn't stomach the thought of eating or drinking anything substantial right after the race.  I did really want to collect my shirt though, that said "50 miles" on it.

I took a dip in the lake right after and the water was nice and cold and really made me feel better, but I was sore all over.  My wife and mother-in-law were so incredibly patient with me.  I can't explain how incredible they were, they attended to my every need which was so great.

After the swim I got down a Frappuccino and I was starting to crash and I just wanted to get home.  On the ride home my stomach was getting back to normal and I was craving pizza.  Shortly after arriving at home the pizza was delivered and it tasted amazing.

This morning I am sore, but surprisingly not cripplingly sore.  I actually feel s little better than I usually do after hard marathon running.  I will probably take this week off completely and just see how things go.  I have a bib for the Chicago Marathon in three weeks, but I can't even imagine running that hard at this point.  I will probably just jog it and use it as a training run.

I feel really good about my effort in this race, even though as far as 50M courses go, this is a relatively fast course and I had a pretty average finish (75th out of 225 or so starters), but I learned a lot in this race and I am thrilled to now have a 50-mile ultra under my belt.  Moving up to the 100k and above distances are not outside of the range of possibilities but I am going to enjoy this one for a while.  Then I have to get my shit together and prepare to race a marathon in Philadelphia in November and then run my first Boston next April.  Regardless of how those races go however, doing this race made my year - this was no question my number one goal for the year.  Anything I accomplish after this is just a bonus.

Thanks for reading.  A huge, huge THANK YOU, to everyone who supports me, I hope you all know how much it means to me.

-K

Comeback Complete: Spring 2012 Racing Update

It's been an interesting 2012 so far.  Throughout January and February, I just could not run without significant pain. Every attempt at it was met with the same result - 5 minutes in, sharp pain on the outside of the knee.  5 minutes later, a realization that the pain was just getting worse and I should stop and try again some other time.

I cannot even begin to describe how depressed I was that I could not get out there and run.  All of the things I worried about throughout last year - mileage totals, paces on workouts, PRs, those things became completely insignificant.  I missed the routine of running.  The relaxation and satisfaction getting out there each day brings to my life.  It got to the point where I was having dreams of running without pain.  Running in my favorite pair of shoes, the breeze fluttering against my face, the long periods of turning my brain off and daydreaming about things while exercising and enjoying the fresh air.  I missed it so much.

I'm happy to report that my dreams have finally become reality.  I've been running pretty consistently for about two months now, and I feel like my life is finally settling back into balance again.  I am starting to worry about mileage totals, paces and PRs again.  But mostly I am happy.  Happy to be doing something I have grown to cherish and love, something that brings me incredible peace and serenity.  I am running.

I am really hoping I can keep running, so I am continuing to do the strengthening routine prescribed by the PT at Athletico.  I feel that these exercises, along with some other core strength stuff I've picked up here and there, and making sure to stretch thoroughly after every run, have been absolutely key to getting me back out there and keeping me healthy.

Return to Racing - The Bunny Rock 5k

After a couple of 13-mile weeks of listening closely to my body to try and figure out if I was ready to come back, I managed weeks of 24, 35, 38, and 43, in which I ran 5 days in the week and had a long run of 14 miles.  During that time I thought that if things were going well I'd race a short distance just to get some kind of honest feedback as to what kind of shape I was in.

There was a 5k race in Chicago the Saturday before Easter and I figured "What the Hell" and signed up for it.  I looked at the times from last year and thought that if the college guys stayed away again, that I might have a chance to get on the podium if I ran smart.  Of course this was based on doing absolutely no speed work whatsoever since November and really no indicators at all in the couple of weeks of decent mileage I had run, so I really had no clue how it was going to go.  I thought going into it I would start at 6 minute pace and hope for the best.

That's actually not how it worked out at all.  I arrive at the race and do my warm-up, which consisted of about a mile and a half jog with a few 20-second bursts.  Didn't really feel that great.  Walked up to the start corral, lined up in the front, and was surrounded by a couple of impressive looking runners, a few kids, and a shitload of people wearing the race shirt.

Getting ready to race and hoping I can at least beat #1192

The horn goes off and I sprint out front and actually led for a few yards there.  I am so incredibly excited to be out there...my heart is pumping nitro.  After a quarter mile or so there I hang back and tuck in behind two guys wearing the race shirt- a younger guy and an older guy.  I look down on my watch and we've got a low 5-minute pace going, and I immediately have to back it down, lest I blow up right there in the first mile.

I drop back to fourth, some other tall drink of water passes me and I try to settle in, but it's hard because I have insane energy.  We get to the first mile and my watch says 5:43.  Holy crap, I'm in trouble.  I desperately search for 6 minute pace, finally find it.  The effort feels very hard and the second mile feels like 10 miles.  I get passed by another young guy, but I manage to catch the older guy, he's in even deeper trouble than I'm in.  Pass a group of young guys who jeer at us:  "Go marathoners."  Assholes.

Trying to keep up.  I think the guy with the compression socks won.

Finally hit the second mile...I must be all over the place with the tangents because it comes quite a few feet after my watch beeps, showing a 5:56 second mile.  Turn a corner and headed back home and I am really hitting the wall at this point.  I am really short of breath and my chest is just burning.  I hear a guy behind me and I concede fourth place to him, and try desperately to stick with him.  Ironically I'm not really thinking about what my finish time is, I just want this to be over.  Mentally I'm a wreck at this point.

Finally get a glimpse of the finish banner and I will myself there.  I didn't see the third mile split at the time, but looking later I saw it was 6:18.  Yikes, talk about a blowup.  I cross at 18:50, not too long after the fourth place guy.  Really not too shabby all things considered.

Love this photo...I actually look like I know what I'm doing...

Flying by the Seat of my Pants

After the 5k I decided that I would make a 10k race in May my focus, so I devised a little mini training cycle which included some 10k specific work and some speed - 4x1k at 10k pace with 2x800 at 5k pace and 10x400 at 5k+ pace were completed in the two weeks that followed this race.  The week of the 5k I hit 50 miles and the week after I hit 62, which was about my average while training for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon last fall, so I thought that was a good place to stop for now.  The following week I had a planned cutback week with a tempo workout and the Glass City Half Marathon looming big.

My original plan was to pace my wife to something between 3:50 and 3:55, but I got hurt, so I didn't feel comfortable doing that, so I emailed the race directors, who graciously allowed me to switch to the half, which eventually sold out.  I had zero intention of racing this, I thought that I would do my tempo workout and then treat this as a supported fun run, but on the ride over from Chicago to my parents' house in the Detroit area I decided to give it go.  The weather conditions for the race were going to be very cool and the last time I raced a half I did not run very smart and it cost me a PR on a day where I thought I was definitely in shape to get one, so I wanted to redeem myself.

I also had a good feeling going in that even though I really had only put about 6 solid weeks together of training and only just started doing some speed training, my legs felt fresh as they did not have the wear and tear of running all winter long.  I had done three runs of 14+ and five other runs of 10+ miles and they all went fine, and the speed training I had done up to that point had gone well...and I was fresh off a modest 5k PR, so I thought I could at least PR if I got out there and felt good.

Here Goes Nothing - Glass City Half Marathon Report

Once I decided to race, I got really excited.  The half marathon distance has always been kind to me, as I feel that it's a distance I have a good history with and that I usually race pretty well.  The day before the race I got to meet a couple of my forum buddies - Mike (GusGordon) and Ted (Fonz) at my favorite  coffee and donut shop - Tim Horton's:

I just wanted to make it CRYSTAL CLEAR that we met at Tim's.

We had a nice chat and visited the expo, which to be honest wasn't much.  The local running shop had a nice spread of items, and that was about it.  Afterwards Catherine and I treated Ted to dinner and I couldn't believe how relaxed he was.  He was racing the full the next day and if he was nervous, I certainly couldn't tell.

I slept like ass and got up very early the next day so we could let the dog outside, get a little breakfast and then get on the road back to Toledo so that we could get a parking spot and have plenty of time to do our thing before the race.  Of course the traffic getting in was a nightmare, so even though we were in the area by 6am, we didn't really get parked until 6:30 due to the congestion getting into the lot.  That was irritating.  I had to pee in a bush because the porta potty lines were insane, and then get a modest 10 minute jog in before it was time to hit the corral.

I asked Mike if it would be cool if I tagged along with him the first couple of miles just to make sure I don't go out too fast.  He was shooting for a 2:57 and would be going out at 6:45 pace, which I felt would be a good conservative start for me and would help me get an idea if I was going to have a good day or not.  

The race began and we headed out.  I had my usual 1.01 mile auto split on my Garmin...I find that this allows me to focus more on how I'm feeling and also helps me correct the inevitable failure on my part to run the course tangents.

First couple of 1.01 splits:  6:47, 6:44.  The effort feels very easy and Mike and I are chatting happily.  At one point he asks me "How's the pace" and I am able to reply comfortably in a complete sentence which tells me that I need to get off my dead ass and start racing.  At one point we start to speed up and he tells me that if I am feeling it to go ahead and go.  I tell him that if the third mile still feels easy that I will slowly start to pick it up.

Third mile is 6:43 and I am having no issues whatsoever.  I thank Mike for letting me tag along and he gives me a fist bump and says "I hope I don't see you" and I start to pick it up.  In hindsight I probably left about 30-40 seconds on the course with the slow start, but I was nervous about how I would feel.  But from then on, I started racing.

Next three splits:  6:38, 6:38, 6:39.  Just a little extra effort, but I am at least working harder now.  I am almost halfway home, so if I want a PR I'm going to have to start hammering this at some point.  Recalling the course map at the expo, there is a long straightaway right after mile 8 that would be perfect for a fast finish.  I try to stay patient and save gas for then.  I start passing people pretty consistently during this stretch.  

I should mention too that sometime during these miles we enter a nice bike path and it's really pretty.  The course has been surprisingly scenic for a race in Toledo, Ohio.

Flexing the "guns"

Next two splits:  6:36, 6:36.  We come to a "T" intersection and split off from the marathon runners, which kind of bums me out as I was using a guy in a black shirt to pace off of who was looking really strong, but he turns the other way and I silently wish him well.  People I am passing are really breathing heavy and each one I pass is giving me more and more adrenaline.  After mile 8 it's on like Donkey Kong.

Next four:  6:29, 6:27, 6:24, 6:23.  I'm going fishing at this point.  Not really looking at my splits anymore, now I am just picking a guy out to catch and then catching them.  Not too many people around at this point though, it's pretty spread out, but I manage to pass three or four guys.  At mile 10 the clock shows 1:05:5x.  I thought that if I could get to this point at 1:05 that I would probably PR if I was running hard at this stage instead of trying to hang on.  Now I was thinking a PR was a lock, it was just going to be a question of by how much.  I'm even wondering if I have an outside shot at 1:24.

Grinding it out on the home stretch

 I go through a long stretch running by myself and see two guys ahead of me in the distance and hear another guy's footsteps behind me.  Eventually I catch the two guys and the guy behind me catches me and passes all three of us.  I take quick stock of how I am feeling:  It's mile 11 or so at this stage and my legs are getting tight.  Breathing is hard and controlled.  I say "fuck it" and decide to try and keep up with the guy who passed me.

At mile 12 I'm about five yards behind him as we pass a guy whose gait suggests he is really struggling to hang on.  His breathing confirms that suspicion.  I see the stadium in the distance and I know this is almost over.

Last full split is 6:09.  I'm in this guy's hip pocket now and I'm determined to beat him.  He is running strong but I am in the better position and I know I have the speed to out kick him.  But it doesn't come to that.  About a half mile from the finish I can sense he's conceding to me.  I see a sharp downhill into the parking lot of the stadium and I choose the flat strip right before it to make my move.  There are two guys about 40 yards ahead of us.  He tells me:  "Go get 'em boss!"  I respond with a gasp, "I'll try!"  Awesome.

I am wheezing at this point, possessed by a simple desire to catch these last two guys and get home.  I'm shocked how fast I am going through this final stage.  One guy pulls up lame about 100 yards from the stadium entrance.  Ouch.  I get into the stadium, see the finish line and 1:25 is mine.  YES.

Getting it done.

Official finish is 1:25:35, and it takes me a good 10 minutes to get my breathing under control.  Feeling very satisfied with the effort and I have all of the justification I need now for a sub-3 attempt this fall.  

Racing philosophy is different for everyone but mentally it is so much easier for me to hurry the fuck up if I save gas for the home stretch and I always surprise myself with what kind of speed I can muster up when I race this way.  I love the little mini battles that take place at the end of a race and I love it even more when I can win them.  I finished 36th in a very competitive field...in which the winner ran a 1:06...I'll take it.

The crew celebrating by taking in a Mud Hens game after

Next Up

After the unplanned half marathon PR, I'm still going to follow through on the plan to race a 10k in early May.  Then it's onto the summer relays...when the sub-3 prep begins in earnest.  And worrying about mileage totals, paces on workouts, and PRs. 

;-)  

-KPH

This Bench is Warm Enough Now I Think...

On The Sidelines

It's 2012 now, and I'm not off to a good start.  I took five days off completely from running after the double, and started to get back at it feeling great.  However, the day after my 15 mile trail run at Island Lake, I ran a 10 miler where I developed some tightness in my left leg, which eventually turned into knee pain.  After resting almost a week to try and get well, my planned 13-miler last week was cut short as I could not run without limping - a sure sign that I needed to get it looked at.

This past Tuesday I went to Athletico to get an injury screen.  I didn't think it was serious, and fortunately my instincts were correct.  My physical therapist there said my left IT band and hamstrings were extremely tight and that hip and glute weakness was most likely the cause for the knee pain.  She gave me several stretches and strengthening exercises for me to do to help out, but it's going to take time for the imbalance to be corrected.  Obviously this is good news that it's not serious, but the bad news is that she recommended that I not run this week, and it's driving me crazy to not be out there while my wife and peers are building mileage for the spring.

I'm looking at this as a test of my resolve.  This time on the sidelines is making me hungrier than ever to get out there and log miles, but I'm also trying to be really smart about it so that I can run consistently and comfortably. I had an amazing 2011 and I really want to build on that progress, but I also don't want to do anything stupid that will put me on the shelf for even longer, and make running a struggle.

The PT says I can do some "light running" next week, but the truth is that I've already started testing the waters.  Yesterday I did a quick 5 minute jog to warm up before my stretching routine, and it felt OK, but I went REALLY slow, and I was nervous the whole time.  It's incredibly annoying that I am running so gingerly, almost waiting for the pain to come...however thankfully it did not come yesterday.  That's progress, hopefully I can continue to build on that.

I couldn't even imagine having a more serious injury or condition that would put me on the shelf for longer.  I am going crazy.  I did have my first adventure on the elliptical, just to do something to get this energy out, which I think helped a bit.  It's been a constant struggle between saying 'fuck it' and just going out there anyway, and the rational side of me which is saying not to rush.  So far the rational side is winning, but who knows for how much longer.  I'm going to try my first real sustained run (maybe 30 minutes or so) on Monday and see how that goes, and hopefully slowly build confidence.

Goals for 2012

Goal number one is obviously to get and stay healthy.  I plan to do this by making these stretching routines daily, do a better job stretching after running as well as incorporating these strengthening exercises the PT gave me into a larger core strength routine that I do every other day.  Hopefully in time these exercises will make me stronger so that I can comfortably return to 70 mile weeks (and perhaps more if my body and schedule permits it).

Two other goals - to complete a 50 mile run and go sub-3 in the marathon.  I am extremely confident in my ability to do the former, when healthy.  Amazingly, the latter isn't too far off - I have to trim my time by 2 minutes and 51 seconds.  That simultaneously seems both doable and difficult.  I have road marathons in April (Toledo), June (Grandma's) and October (Chicago) planned, as well as "warm-up" ultras in March (Green Jewel 50k in Cleveland, Kal-Haven 33.5M trail run in Kalamazoo), one in April (Winona Lake 30M), leading up to a 50M in May (Ice Age).  Right now I am hopeful I can do them all, but I'd like to be able log at least 2-3 runs of 20+ by February to feel confident I can get these done.  I am not planning to race anything until after Ice Age, and will probably pace my wife in Toledo to a 3:5x marathon.  If I can make it through Ice Age in May and stay healthy, I might make Grandma's a sub-3 attempt, or maybe not...who knows.  I am definitely in a wait and see mode.

Truthfully, completing the ultras is a more important goal to me than going sub-3.  I know this is the almighty goal for a lot of recreational runners, but I have zero interest in hard marathon training right now...mostly I am interested in just getting out there and going long.  Perhaps the fire will come back to race again, but right now I just want to develop the ability to be out there for a really long time.

One other non-race related goal is to incorporate hill training into my regimen.  All of this flat running has made me weak, and I don't like it.

Finally, an overall goal for me is to always have fun and enjoy the ability to run.  Perhaps this is relevant now more than ever.  Running has changed my life and is a blessing that I really try not to take for granted.  Each day on the roads or the trails is truly a gift, and you never know when it could be taken from you.