A Hard Run

22 Thursday Oct 2015

Tags

Denver Marathon, Shoes and Brews, Yogi Berra

90% of marathons is half mental. The other half is the course. The Denver Post reported Monday that massively slow times in the 2015 Denver Marathon were due to the hard cement course. Apparently, unyielding cement impacts the legs much more so than asphalt. Who am I to argue? This was a hard run in more ways than one. The fatigue so familiar to the final six miles came to my legs a good ten miles early. I found myself walking 100 meters or so every mile after 20. I nearly completed mile 26 without walking, until I slammed into a lady toting her suitcase in the street. Some marathons are fated to suck. This first photo above is at 4 miles, the photo below is at 23 miles – both on the never-ending river of concrete.

I conveyed my disappointment in my earlier blog on the marathon last Sunday. I can tell you I’ve already forgotten about it. The trick to sports is selective memory. I just completed 8 fast-paced miles in the cold, October rain, and that’s all I remember. Quickly forget the bad runs and move on. Really, all runs are hard. Some are just slower than others. The experience would be lost though if you don’t take away some lessons learned. For me, I will try to avoid cement hike and bike trails in future marathons. I suspect cement is a poor choice for the half marathon distance as well. I struggle enough as it is on asphalt roads. I train exclusively on cinder trails.

Maybe there are other lessons to be learned. I wore my camelback for the third time and as usual drank about 20 ounces. That’s about half what experts say I should drink but I didn’t cramp during the run. I cramped a bit afterward. There’s part of me that thinks I should make an effort to drink more but I drink to thirst and my belly feels full. Not sure if my light fluid intake is an issue. I’m curious if wearing cushy bottom shoes mitigate fatigue much on hard surfaces. I avoid big-bottom shoes because I try not to land on my heel. I like to maintain a short stride. I believe this reduces my incidence of injury. Right or wrong, my legs suffer from ridiculous fatigue in road races. I appreciate comments on this but suspect I just need to experiment. The next event that I know will be on a mix of asphalt and cement (and snow and ice) is the Colder Bolder in December. That’s only a 5K but maybe worth trying some soft shoes to race in. I see a trip to Shoes & Brews in my near future.

South Platte River

18 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Marathons, Running

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Denver Marathon, race results

I trained this summer with the intensity and focus of an obsessive-compulsive with Asperger Syndrome. Friends and family questioned my sanity. I sweated out ten pounds in the High Plains heat of July and August. My end goal was the Boulder Marathon. I was satisfied with that run, it was my best marathon from the ten I have run since 2010. Call me greedy, but I just can’t let all that training go without squeezing in another run – and today is the Denver Marathon. I know my training is no guarantee of a good marathon, two of those previous ten went horribly wrong. I hit the proverbial wall in the Austin 2011 and Steamboat 2013 marathons and took over 4 hours to finish. I developed arthritis in my symphysis pubis from the Denver 2010 race. I think about all my previous marathons, good and bad, as I ride the shuttle to the race start at Adams County Fairgrounds. Marathons can be brutal, but I feel good about this one.

It’s not enough that the Denver Marathon is run at a mile high in altitude. This year’s course is entirely uphill from start to finish. I was initially irritated by this as I only learned of the course change after registration. I’m maintaining some optimism now after more careful study of the elevation chart. It only rises a little over 200 feet, maybe 600 feet total elevation gain, over 26 miles. With the exception of what appears to be a sizable hill after 9 miles, I probably won’t even visually notice the incline. Hope my heart rate is equally blind.

The major difference over previous years is that rather than running through beautiful and classic old Denver parks and neighborhoods, this year’s course runs upstream along the South Platte River – from Brighton to Downtown Denver. The marathon will launch from a section of trail termed the Colorado Front Range Trail – part of a proposed 876 mile path stretching from Wyoming to New Mexico. Despite the cynicism that accompanies age, I’m hoping for a picturesque, fall-colored, riverfront experience. On paper, the 18 mile South Platte River Trail flows through significant industrial parks and waste treatment facilities. It might be more aptly named the Commerce City Marathon.

I left my iPhone at home so I won’t have any photos. Just as well I show the Denver Marathon logo to note that this will be the final Denver Marathon, at least for the Rock and Roll series. They can’t get approval for the requisite road closures. They’ll continue to run the Half. I start out feeling good and on pace. My goal is to run under 3:30. My first 10K is nearly perfect at 47:50 – about a 7:50 pace. I maintain this for the half, again running almost perfectly to plan at 1:45 with an 8 minute pace overall. Problem is, I start to feel fatigue at 10 miles. I run miles 9, 10 and 11 at 7:53, 7:51, and 7:50 respectively, but slow down to 8:13 for both miles 12 and 13. And this is where the wheels begin to fall off. I slow down to 9 minute miles by mile 16, and the 3:30 pace sign passes me.

I begin running a 10 minute pace by mile 18, slowing down eventually to a 13 minute pace after mile 20. I walk parts of the final 10K and finish in 4:05. My 3rd worst time ever and my 3rd marathon over 4 hours. The fun was over by the half way point and finishing was pure hell. My legs, specifically my glutes, had zero power after 13 miles. I feared this in the back of my mind because my runs have been like this for the last two weeks. I might have strained my glutes in the Jamestown Hill Climb. I’m pretty disappointed but happy I finished. I don’t take these marathons for granted. You can be in the best shape ever and run a poor marathon. I know that.

I suspect strained muscles as my biggest issue, but there could have been others. My age division ran horribly. My Boulder time would have finished 3rd here. I still finished 17th which is hard to believe. The winner barely broke 3:30. So maybe it was the heat. It warmed up into the 70°s and the course had no shade whatsoever. General consensus from talking to others afterward is that this course sucked. It felt so long running out in the farmland north of Denver. Things hardly improved in Denver. Pipes spewing industrial waste into the South Platte were pervasive. And the smell running past the treatment plant was disgusting. This course essentially ran through Denver’s toilet. The South Platte Trail running through Downtown wasn’t exactly spectacular either. Denver’s urban trail system is awesome, but this course wasn’t the showcase.

Maybe I’m being bitter because I had a bad run. Or a bad second half. But then there was the idiot lady who walked in front of me with a metal suitcase at the 26 mile sign without looking. I hit her suitcase hard. Still can’t believe I didn’t go down, but it was a momentum killer for sure. There was no kick after that.

Might take some time off from running to heal. Absolutely everything hurts so much right now. I might be burned out on running. Winter sports are calling me. When I think I can do stairs again, I’m going to check out my snowshoe and snowboard gear in the basement.

Good Form

23 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Boulder Marathon, Denver Marathon

I’m really happy with this race photo – taken by Renee Price at 13.1 miles into the Boulder Marathon. It’s not the old man, fleshy double chin that makes me happy, rather the position of my feet – toes pointed downward. That’s good running form. This demonstrates I’m not over striding and landing on my heels. For me to be maintaining such perfect form half way through a marathon leaves me pretty impressed with myself. The goal of my ultra distance training miles this summer was to promote optimal calorie consumption during a marathon; a bonus benefit was to my running form. It wasn’t always obvious while running long miles so slowly, but repetition is the key to learning.

I began working on my form three years ago in an attempt to remedy plantar fasciitis. I shortened my stride, easier said than done. I even trained sometimes in minimalist shoes to promote a shorter stride and frontal footfalls. Haven’t worn those in a long time – they come with their own set of issues. The benefit of good running form isn’t just that it leads to running faster. More importantly it helps mitigate risk of injury. And I’ve been injury free for a couple of years now.

The benefit of being injury free isn’t only continued enjoyment of a favorite hobby, it enables continuous improvement. My speed improvements are marginal, but I can’t begin to describe how satisfying it feels to progressively perform faster as I advance in age through my fifties. This photo captures me running along the irrigation ditch trail at 10 miles into the marathon – 3 miles before the previous pic. It displays my left foot landing a bit turned outward. I’m aware of this lapse in form (from race photos) but don’t seem to be able to correct it. My right foot lands fine.

My next training focus might be hills. The Denver Marathon in October is entirely uphill. What sort of nut job race director charts out a marathon course completely up hill? At altitude? Who does that? It looks like maybe miles 3 and 13 might be downhill. The course runs up an apparent 90 foot cliff at mile 9. I have a month to prepare.

I’m looking at some other events as well. This fall weather is just too perfect not to enjoy outdoors. There’s the Jamestown Juggernaut Trail Half Marathon, October 3rd. It includes a separate 2.5 mile, 1200 foot vertical hill climb – speaking of hill workouts. The next day is the Blue Sky Trail Marathon in Fort Collins. The options are never ending. Comment with some suggestions. What are you planning to run this fall?

2015 Austin Marathon

14 Saturday Feb 2015

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Austin Marathon, Denver Marathon, NUUN, Shoes and Brews, Skratch, UCAN, Vfuel

Big run tomorrow. If you care to track my pace via text messages, text AUS to 37619. You’ll be prompted to add my bib number 2034. Facebook might also post my times, but I’m not certain I configured that correctly.

I initially expected to be able to match last year’s time of 3:45. Being a marathon, nothing is certain. And I have a cold this week. Not ideal. Plus, Austin is considered a tough course due to the hills. I believe I’m the same weight (170 lbs) as last year and in similar physical condition, so a cold notwithstanding, I suspect I can match last year’s performance. The thing is though, I really want to break 3:30. Before this cold, I thought an 8 minute pace possible if I were to run a perfect pace early. Perfect would be to run the first two miles around an 8:30 pace and to average a 7:50 pace for the rest of the run. Even with a cold, this is still my stretch goal. A boy can dream.

With all marathons, I’m always pretty satisfied with any time under 4 hours. Longer than that means I’m either not in shape for a marathon, or I failed to execute a good pace and nutrition plan. Or I have a cold. In 10 marathons, I’ve never failed to cross the finish line. Even after poor performances, I can find decent satisfaction in finishing at any pace. It’s a marathon after all. I know some runners feel they have to finish without walking. Not me. I don’t want to walk. I have specific time goals. But I don’t get overly down on myself for walking. That final 10K, after my body has burned all available stores of glucose, just may require that I walk through a few aid stations. I’m fine with that.

I stopped by Shoes & Brews Thursday night to replenish my Skratch supply. I’ll carry one to two liters with me in a camelbak. That worked well in the Denver Marathon. I used to think it smart to leverage the aid stations, but all they ever have is Gatorade. I’m happy with my call to sport a small camelbak in order to support my electrolyte drink of choice.

I ran into Ashlee and gave her grief for dropping out of our Ragnar Relay Team. Ashlee informed me that Colin and her are running the Austin Half Marathon on Sunday. Naturally I let her know that I’m running the whole enchilada. Since I’ll be running a full 26 miles, Ashlee suggested I wear a Shoes & Brew logo tech shirt. I agreed so she sold me one. At a discount.

I was going to ask her details on the Vfuel endurance gels. Even though I’m well stocked with Hammer Gels, I bought a few to try out this weekend. Before Ashlee could respond, Eve walked up and started chatting with me. I forgot that Thursday is the evening social run. I thought that was on Wednesdays. I didn’t stay to run with her and Jabe because of my cold. This is a massive taper week for me. The only day I ran all week was Monday. My legs should feel fresh tomorrow.

Thanks to Eve, I know absolutely nothing about these Vfuel gels. I’m going to try them anyway. I’ll mix them up somehow with my Hammer Gels. I know trying out anything new on a marathon is stupid, but that advice is for more, less experienced runners who don’t know what they’re doing. I can read and I see both gels avoid sugar by using maltodextrin. My experience using Hammer is it burns nicely – meaning no gastrointestinal distress. The Vfuel packaging is wider with square corners, Hammer is more slim with rounded corners. This is important in terms of fitting well within my shorts gel pockets.

Turns out I left my Skratch sitting on the kitchen counter in Colorado, so I picked up a couple of electrolyte drinks at the race expo – UCAN and NUUN. No idea how to pronounce either of them. They seem similar in that they are pure electrolytes without sugar. UCAN does contain Stevia. I just taste tested them both. I’m going with NUUN for its superior taste. It’s fruity without being sweet. Very refreshing. 48 ounces are chillin’ in a camelbak in the fridge as I write this. I struggle in my attempts to drink enough fluids during runs. Honestly, I don’t sweat much. But a 57° to 71° temperature range will feel warm to me. Of course I can leverage the aid stations if 48 ounces isn’t enough, but the first task is to empty my camelbak.

While I’ve lowered my performance expectations due to this cold, my excitement hasn’t diminished. I can’t wait to line up on Congress Avenue with 17,000 of my peeps tomorrow morning to exercise my demons. Marathons are good for that. This will be my 3rd Austin Marathon, plus I ran the Half once. Over two-thirds of the 17K will be running the Half. The crowds are unbelievable. Fans get a little thin for about a mile in the 3rd quarter along Mopac, otherwise the course is lined non-stop with thousands of Austin crazies. If you’re one of my Austin buddies, get out there tomorrow.

Rest of the Year Races

02 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Colder Bolder, Cross Country, Denver Marathon

I’m back at it. I kept my post-marathon distances short the last two weeks, but ripped off 12 miles Saturday. I ran another 10 miles today in the crisp fall air and full Colorado sun. Saw Susan running with her dog. What a perfect weekend for running. This photo is of my last steps in the Denver Marathon.

I have some ideas for racing over the next two months. I signed Ellie and me up for the Longmont Turkey Trot next weekend. A 10K for me and 2 miles for Ellie. The weekend after that is a cross country race in Boulder. That’s only a 6K, but on grass. A couple of weeks later will be the Colder Bolder – a 5K on the CU campus. It’s impossible to run fast in such cold weather, buried under heavy sweats, but that’s a pretty fun event.

It’s easy to stay indoors when the weather turns foul. So far the temperatures are ideal for running. I expect some bad days as winter nears though. Having an event to train for should work as needed motivation on those cold, dark days ahead. Typically, I begin to run in the early afternoons once daylight savings ends. I’ll only run 3 or 4 miles since I have to return to work. Which is fine, it’s good to have an off-season for recovery. I can still run longer distances on weekends. Although the plan is to snowshoe as much as possible, like last winter.

Post Race Analysis

23 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Denver Marathon, race photos

Finishing a marathon is hard. Harder yet is committing to run it and training for it. So I felt like a winner before even lining up in the corral. But inevitably, one thinks about the experience differently once it’s over. For the first time ever after a marathon, I ran the following day. Just three miles to loosen up, but I ran. This fall weather is too perfect not to run. I ran though because I could. My muscles have sufficiently recovered. Getting a post-race pedicure helped. That melted the strain from my feet and calves. A few times I’ve been able to walk the day following a marathon to work out the kinks. I’m mildly surprised though I was able to actually run. Typically, my only post marathon goal is to navigate the stairs.

I’ve spent the last week analyzing my race. I’ve been racking my brain trying to determine where I could have run a minute faster to break 3:30. Not sure I could have run any faster. In fact, had I not changed my goal to try for 3:30, I’m certain I would have run a more enjoyable 5 to 10 minutes slower. I modified my strategy at the half way point to try for an 8 minute pace. I averaged a 7:50 up until then. Actually, I held a 7:50 through 17 miles. Then the wheels began to fall off. I ran mile 18, a downhill mile, slower than my previous uphill miles.

I slowed down on mile 18 running down 17th Street after exhausting myself running three fast miles through City Park. I was seriously chasing down runners through the park trying to push myself. My pre-race plan was to make up time sprinting downhill on 17th Street. Hard to say what the smarter plan is now. I suspect pushing myself for 3 miles is better than running hard for 1 mile. I might have netted a half minute from that.

If there is anywhere I could have run smarter, I probably should have run a bit slower on miles 8, 9, and 10. I planned to run these hard but really this is too early in a marathon. Next time, I’m going to run the first half as close to pace as possible. Then try for a negative split. Such plans will depend on the course elevation. I planned my Denver tactics on the elevation chart, but could have run the first half one or two minutes slower.

I’m certain I could not have run faster the final 10K, because I tried. Mentally, I was motivated and gave it everything I had. There was a point on Speer, in mile 20 or 21, where I tried to run faster. My heart rate shot up though, giving me a queasy feeling. After that, my legs were unresponsive. Similar to my three miles through City Park, I pushed myself through the two miles within Washington Park. Just like my slow downhill mile 18, mile 24 was downhill, but slower than the previous two.

I think I gave it all I had. If I feel like breaking 3:30 is important, I’ll sign up for a race at sea level. And I take back what I wrote earlier about running 5 to 10 minutes slower being more enjoyable. I did enjoy a couple of miles in City Park where I pushed my pace. Not only was I passing other runners, but I found myself in a race with a couple of ladies, whom I passed for good. And another guy who took me two full miles to pass – at mile 17. He later passed me back for good at mile 22. That was less enjoyable because I was pushing myself then too. Ever been in a dream when you’re running, but in slow motion? It’s like your legs are asleep. That’s not unlike what it feels like after 20 miles. You’re not winded – because you’re running so slow – yet you can’t seem to get a response out of your legs. It’s fairly frustrating.

Still, I met all my pre-race goals. Even though I could no longer accelerate after 20 miles, I felt comfortable and never actually bonked. And I didn’t cramp. Having the energy to maintain a relatively stable pace in the 4th quarter, and not cramping, are somewhat similar goals. I consider them separate though. One goal is about managing fuel, the other is more specific on electrolytes. I maybe should have consumed more Skratch in the final 6 miles. I only drank a total 20 ounces over the three and a half hour run. That seems light. But really, it didn’t warm up until Washington Park.

Overall, I did most things right. As good as I’ve ever run a marathon. First time I ever ran parts of a marathon with a buddy, that was fun. This is me running alongside Chris at mile 12. And technically, I did break 3:30 for 26.2 miles – by about 30 seconds. Problem is, actual distances are farther in a real race. I ran a total of 26.42 miles. Moving on, I should probably consider another run soon while I’m still in shape. Maybe the Longmont Turkey Trot in November?

The Marathon

19 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Marathons, Running

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

2014 Denver Marathon Race Results, Denver Marathon, Shoes and Brews

I rise at 4:30. AM. Per my nutrition plan, I forgo coffee. Discipline. I’m serious about this run. Not in a stressful way. I’m going to have fun today. This run is going to feel awesome. My goal is to run an even, steady pace. Maintaining my pace in the 4th quarter of a marathon requires a slower start and not prematurely boosting my metabolism before the event with coffee or breakfast. I don’t really know if this will work. My experience running suggests I’ll benefit from the slower start. As for delaying my metabolism, well, I read the Internet.

Chris picks me up at 5:15. We drive down together to the VIP parking spot close to the race start. We are there an hour before start, but I almost feel rushed. Time goes by fast. I do take a sip of coffee before the race, but this is within 30 minutes of start time. At least I think so at the time. The 7:15 start is delayed by nearly ten minutes waiting for street closures. I take some potassium supplements too before the start. Trying to avoid muscle cramps in the 4th quarter is the focus of my nutrition plan.

This year’s course has some key changes. We still run down 14th Street, past the Pepsi Center. Instead of crossing Speer, we turn west on it and run up and around Sloan Lake. The lake neighborhood is pretty once we reach it. This is a much hillier course. This doesn’t bother me since it’s early in the run. I pace with Chris the first two miles as he starts out with controlled 9 minute miles before accelerating to a 7:30 pace. My Garmin records 8:58 the first mile, and 8:32 for mile two. This is the last I see of Chris for awhile as he quickly surges away on an uphill segment. The road conditions are a bit disappointing with significant construction debris. I later meet a woman who fell and was injured from this.

My goal pace for today is 8:30 but I speed up after these initial hills. I complete mile 3 in 8:00. The course around Sloan Lake flattens out for miles 4 and 5. I run these in 7:53 and 7:27. I’m speeding up but it’s early. I feel very comfortable with this pace though and feel like I can maintain it without much effort. Mile 6 is another uphill. I run mile 6 in 7:28. This completes the first 10K – at a faster clip than I planned. Sloan Lake fades from view but we continue through some picturesque neighborhoods painted yellow, red and orange in the fall colors.

Mile 7 continues the incline. I begin chatting with a runner who is complaining about the hills. I tell him I’m pleased with the course change up. Hills aren’t bad when they are early in a race. I maintain a decent pace with a 7:41. Mile 8 begins the drop back into downtown Denver and with it my pace falls half a minute to 7:19. My pre-race plan, from studying the elevation profile, is to leverage this descent and run miles 8 and 9 with some speed. I run mile 9 in 6:53. I’m not concerned about running too fast here because it’s part of my plan to bank some minutes under pace before the half.

I suspect I’ll be able to maintain this momentum through downtown. Well, on paper the night before in my planning. Partly because the streets should be flat and because the crowds should be thick and motivational. This turns out to be the case and I find myself catching back up to Chris. He stops at a port-a-potty before I can call out to him. This puts me ahead of him. My evil side considers speeding up to put some distance between us. I know though it’s too early for moves like that. I run mile 10 in 7:34.

While I know Chris will eventually catch me, I’m surprised he closes the gap so quickly. He calls out to me in the warehouse district north of Coors Field – just before mile 11. I record 7:24 and Chris pulls even with me heading into mile 12. Chris’ wife Renee and daughter are here and take some photos. We run mile 12 together, chatting along about how we feel. We are both starting to feel some fatigue at this point. At nearly halfway, that’s to be expected. We run mile 12 in 7:44. I want to hang with Chris until we reach 17th street, where I expect to slow down from the hill that begins past Broadway. Chris surges though to return to his race pace plans and I lose him again.

I’m a little bummed that I slow down on mile 13 to an 8:04, but it’s not unexpected. This is a real hill. And it’s still well under my 8:30 pace plan. In fact, I complete the first half with a 7:50 overall average pace at 1:41 for 13 miles. I’m happy with this. Mile 14 is similar in 8:02, also uphill. I’m starting to consider I might be able to maintain an 8 minute pace and begin to reset my pre-race goal of 8:30. For this, I want to drop back down under 8 minutes per mile and I do. The course flattens out through colorful City Park. I run mile 15 in 7:39, mile 16 in 7:45 and mile 17 in 7:58.

Again, my pre-race strategy included the hope I could pick up some momentum on the return downtown via 17th Street, because it’s a downhill mile. Instead, I post 8:08 for mile 18. My surge through City Park costs me. This is also a critical point in the marathon, where many runners hit the wall. Fatigue is to be expected here. I’m stoked that I’m still running around an 8 minute pace. I begin though taking it mile by mile. No more grand expectations. I set my objective each mile for 8 minutes. Mile 19 comes in at 7:55. This will be my last mile under 8 minutes. I pass Chris again here on Lincoln Street as he slows down for water at the aid station. He passes me back almost immediately, but slows again on Speer. Chris is hitting the wall.

I’m feeling it too. Speer might appear flat to drivers. I can tell you though, 20 miles into a marathon, Speer has a definite incline. The slightest inclines become monster hills this deep into a marathon. I slow down to 8:03 for mile 20 and 8:43 for mile 21. This worries me that the wheels are starting to fall off but the course flattens out as we head into Washington Park. This helps me to post an 8:29 for mile 22 and 8:24 for mile 23. My total time here is 3 hours and 2 minutes. It’s amazingly difficult to perform simple math when you’re this physically exhausted, but I begin to think I might have a chance at finishing in 3:30. That would qualify me for Boston.

This excites me and I try to speed up. I’m too tired by now though and despite some down slope, I slow down to an 8:39. Bummer, but this is what happens near the end of a marathon. The legs stop responding. Mile 25 is mostly along Speer again and has a good downward slope too. I run this in 8:18. I’m pushing for that 3:30 but my updated calculations suggest it’s out of reach. The hill up Lincoln on mile 26 doesn’t help. My final mile is in 8:34 and I cross the finish line in 3:31. 7th place in my age division.

I’m disappointed to be so close to qualifying for Boston, but elated overall that this run went so well. My overall pace is 7:59 because I actually run two tenths of a mile further than a marathon. That oddity is from weaving side-to-side along the course, elongating the official distance. I never cramp, even after the race. I feel great and that was my goal for today. My time is a PR by over 5 minutes. I meet up with Chris and his family later in the day at Shoes and Brews in Longmont for a couple of beers. From there, I get a pedicure at Main Street Nails. Their location isn’t on Main Street in case you try driving there. I’m currently ensconced on the couch watching Manning school the 49ers and set some passing records. Great day.

Wild Basin

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Colorado Trail, Running

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Tags

Denver Marathon, Lyons, Oscar Blues, Ouzel Falls Trail, RMNP

My marathon eve workout today consisted of hiking with my in-laws in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked along the Ouzel Falls Trail, which Karen and I first explored back in July. The weather was ideal – crisp air and full sun. The Aspen leaves have all fallen at 8500 feet, but the scenery was still stunning.
We made it as far as Calypso Falls. Ellie was bouncing all over Upper Calypso Falls snapping photos. The trail overall is fairly pedestrian. Barbara surprised me with her spry gait, jumping across creeks and rocks. My in-laws felt comfortable with both the terrain and elevation. It’s a great family hike. We lunched afterward at Oscar Blues in Lyons.

Later this afternoon, I drove into Denver to pick up my race packet at the Convention Center. Race expos are big events. Sometime before I got back into road races 5 years ago, the expo apparently became an integral component of the Road Race business model. I wish I knew the percentage of sales generated from the expo vs registration fees and other merchandise ordered as part of the event sign up. I just spent a few minutes querying online but didn’t find much. The Rock & Roll race series, like many others, requires packet pickup at the expo. I didn’t buy anything but did spend $12 parking.

I’m looking forward to a great day tomorrow. I expect to run an 8:30 pace. I’d like to run a bit faster but my primary goal is to run well the final six miles by holding my pace. I plan to wear a camelbak in order to hydrate with my own electrolyte cocktail – Skratch. I’ve been training with it. I like the taste and my stomach does well with it. I also expect to start out running the first couple of miles with my buddy Chris Price. He maintains a very disciplined approach and runs the first two miles at a 9 minute pace. He then speeds up to around 7:30. His goal is to break 3:20 to qualify for Boston. I’ll let him go and should finish 20 to 30 minutes behind him.

Taper Weekend

11 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Denver Marathon, LoBo Trail

This is taper weekend. Maybe not for you. Runners spend months building up their endurance with ever longer distances. As the date of the marathon nears, runners begin to reduce the distance. There are a number of fairly specialized programs runners can follow. Many are free, just a few clicks away. Runners can purchase others with just one click.

Tapering is a subset of the training program speaking to the last few weeks of the complete regimen. A quick google will enumerate a number of tapering ideas. I didn’t taper with three and two weeks left. That appears to be the prescription. I began this final week. I do subscribe to the notion that tapering improves race day performance. I’m going with it.

I generally set my running goals for the year. I don’t look to a single race to totally achieve that goal. I judge the year at the end. I believe we are near the end of the year. By my count, I’ve only had three events so far and they were all last winter. First January, then February, and another in March. Karen and I were out on snowshoes more than that. Plus, I don’t have any runs planned after the Denver Marathon. That does makes this the end of the year. I’m going to heed the advice of magazine stories and taper this final week. I’m not targeting a specific time but I want to run strong and feel good doing it. I’ll be taking measure of my nutrition plan for success in this. I expect to run an 8:30 pace, which would be fast for me. At 165, I feel like I’m in racing shape.

I ran 12 miles today on the LoBo Trail, rather than my typical 18 to 20 miles for a Saturday. And I won’t exceed 6 miles for any one run over the next week, as opposed to my standard 8 mile run. Now that I’m thinking about it, I expect to taper down to 4 and 3 miles as I approach next Friday. I’ll run 3 miles Saturday too because I believe in working out the day before a big race. Too late to condition of course but it primes the pump. No one workout will be critical the final week and it won’t hurt to miss a day, but I feel good having a light run the day before.

Nutrition is one of my marathon goals. The sort of goal that spans several years. My concern is more around storing sodium, potassium and magnesium. And hydration. From what I’ve read, runners don’t necessarily want to load up on sodium, but I still want to consume it in sufficient quantities. The only vitamin I take is D3, at the advice of my doctor. I’m eating bananas for breakfast to load up on potassium and magnesium. This will address my proclivity for muscle cramps. I’m eating a ton of Kale from my garden. I don’t have a sodium supplement. Do they make one? Is it called salt? I don’t salt my food much after cooking – if I cook – but I’m a big fan of that substance. I’ve never latched on to taking supplements, other than my D3. I find them complicated. I would not have fared well on Lance’s bike team. I also plan to hydrate. I started today. Just after the beer my haircut lady gave me.

I enjoyed the shorter run today and having more time and energy for other weekend activities. Idle feet are the devil’s workshop. I got my hair cut. I downloaded Ken Follett’s trilogy completion. I stripped peeling paint off the carriage house. I’ll paint it tomorrow, first with primer. Fixed Ellie’s broken iPhone screen for $139 (tax incl.). An ounce of prevention, but seriously – my parents didn’t have unplanned smart phone expenses when I was a kid. Add that to the car.

This will be my 4th Denver Marathon. The full res photos from top to bottom are all Denver Marathons: 2013, then 2012 and to the left is 2010.

Sluggish Week

04 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Denver Marathon, LoBo Trail

I like this photo. Mostly because it has me in it. But also because George captures in this pic the absolutely fantastic backdrop I have all day Saturday as I backpack at 13,000 feet along the Continental Divide. Wish I was still out there. Instead I’m back to running the LoBo trail. It’s a nice trail but it’s not the same thing. I will tell you though that this morning, while still early fall, the peaks of the Front Range are buried under spectacularly, shimmering white snow. What a gorgeous fall day in Colorado!

Despite the cool seasonal weather this week, my legs have been heavy and sluggish. I expected a little speed with the dropping temps but not this week. I went long this morning and started off okay, but my pace slowed down after ten miles. I went for twenty but walked in the last two. When your pace slows to essentially walking, you might as well walk.

I don’t think my sluggish week is related to recovery from my three days backpacking the Continental Divide. I blame work. My boss has been out on medical so I’m covering for her. That woman has quite the schedule. Been working 6am to 10pm almost every day. Part of what she does is report status on the projects I’m supposed to be driving. So I tried to do my day job as well in order to have some status to report. Tried to do it all and probably sucked at everything. It didn’t leave much time for running but I tried to do that too since my marathon is right around the corner. I suspect I was drained mentally rather than physically.

I don’t let this stuff get to me. I know I’m in shape. I had a super three mile race with La Plata from the Bakerville exit to the Grays Trailhead on Sunday. I imagine that included a 1500 foot climb in elevation. We totally smoked it. That felt good. Two more weeks until the Denver Marathon. Time to taper anyway. Jen is prodding me to run eight with the gang tomorrow. Her style, usually effective, is to call me a pussy if I don’t go. Planning on sleeping in tomorrow though.

Berthoud Pass

21 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Colorado Trail, Running

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Boulder Marathon, boulder marathon cancelled, CDT, continental divide, Denver Marathon, GoGo Squeez, New Balance Leadville 2010, Pearl Izumi

I receive the email Friday afternoon informing me that the October 5th Boulder Marathon is cancelled. I have made such a big deal out of this race that I’m stunned. But only momentarily. I quickly recover and register for the Denver Marathon October 19th before it’s full. I’m fast to move on.

A few hours later, I drive up via I-70 to Idaho Springs. I meet La Plata at the Tommyknocker brew pub at 6:30. We break bread and share grape. More specifically, we have jalapeno poppers and mac-n-cheese with red chili. This is similar to Cincinnati chili, but with mac rather than spaghetti. Very satisfying and highly recommended. After dinner, we shuffle my van to the massive parking lot on top of Berthoud Pass and camp down at the Herman Gulch Trailhead off I-70 at exit 218.

This site is less than ideal with incessant engine noise reverberating along the canyon walls throughout the night. I don’t sleep well, but at least it’s warm. We breakfast on oatmeal and trailhead coffee. At 6:30am, we hit the trail. We gain 3000 feet in elevation over the first six miles. By this time, we also shed our cold weather gear and are down to running shorts and a T. I wear my Pearl Izumi 2and1 ultra trail running shorts. The long seam brief works well to protect against chaffing. These shorts are great but could use additional pockets. I’d like to see what I call a “shark knife pocket” stitched on the brief alongside the outside thigh. It would be underneath the shorts so it would not be visible. I’m thinking of two or three times the size of the gel pockets along the back sides.

Despite the steep grade, we get in a little running each mile. I can’t begin to describe how perfect this supple trail is for running. You can see it well here if you click to enlarge this photo. The ground feels raw with fresh dirt. We’re quickly above treeline and mostly stay above 12,000 feet. Our highest point is 13,200. Not surprisingly for a trail following the Continental Divide, it runs mostly along the very top of the ridge with unbelievable views in every direction. At one point, we are running a thin ridge lined with craggy rocks. I feel like I’m running across Godzilla’s spine.

The sun is out strong and creates interesting light between glare and shade along the ridge. You can see how the trail undulates along the ridge in this photo with La Plata. You can even see some snow to the right. The cool air countered the full sun and kept us comfortable all day. We both forget to wear hats but apply liberal amounts of sunscreen continuously. Still, the backs of my legs are now sunburned.

The muscles in the backs of my legs are hurting too. The 6000 feet of total elevation gain is a tremendous workout for my calves, hamstrings and glutes. This twenty-plus mile run along the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) is perfect marathon training. Rather than the three hour, twenty mile workouts I’ve been running on the weekends, this run will take eight hours. We planned for eight and we finish with twelve minutes to spare. Clearly, it’s mostly hiking, but at an aggressive pace. Averaging over 12,000 feet, we are often winded as if we are running. It feels great to be up here with light packs. The weight in my pack is mostly from the 70 ounces of water in my camelback reservoir. I also carry warmer gear should the weather turn bad – which it never does. For nutrition, I carry Epic Bars and Hammer Gels. I have Skratch mixed in my water. The idea is to practice consuming what I will rely upon for my marathon to ensure my stomach can handle it and that it keeps my muscles from cramping. Everything works out great.

My new trails shoes also do well. These New Balance Leadville 1210s have a rock plate in the front of the sole. I don’t feel it in there, these shoes are so pliable, but I never feel any rocks either so it does the job. These would have been fine shoes to race the Boulder Marathon in, on that course’s dirt roads. Their tread proves capable on this extreme trail by gripping loose dirt with confidence during steep descents. My ankles are quite fatigued now, hiking boots would have provided better support. But I love being able to run a trail with light shoes and pack. I’m thinking though about buying new shoes for the Denver Marathon as that run is entirely on paved streets. I’ve been thinking about buying a pair of Hokas. I know they are a bit gimmicky, but everyone I’ve talked to, like Gadget Girl, absolutely loves them. I would need to train in them of course first, but I have time for that.

Another new item I intend to pick up for the Denver Marathon is a gel-like snack La Plata gave me – GoGo Squeez. It’s 30 calories less than my 90 calorie Hammer Gel, although 3 times the volume at 3.2 ounces. Still, the real fruit content is yummy. Not often you can say that about these sports foods. Plus the twist cap is convenient and overall the pack is less sticky than gels. There is nothing better than real food. Fruit performs well in terms of supplying quick energy. All these products do well on my stomach while running. And fortunately, I didn’t have issues with the poppers from the night before.

I expect to see more people out on this trail, being so close to Denver. I can’t imagine a better day to be out here. We do see a couple wearing Beaver Creek caps. Several other hikers and one trail runner. And a few bikers. They really impress me with the technical nature of this trail. Good for them though, riding on top of the world.

Saturday’s 20.6 mile trail run was so much better than I could have imagined. Perfect in every way. From the weather, to our pace, to my conditioning that made itself evident. Despite the altitude, my breathing felt strong. And the workout my legs received will help me in the Denver Marathon. We lunch at Jenny’s, a small cafe in Empire. We both eat the half pound buffalo burger. Very tasty. We will meet up again next weekend for a forty mile backpacking hike along the CDT that extends from near Breckenridge to the Grays and Torreys Peaks. We’ll be joined on this outing by La Plata’s college buddy, George Schools. George is an extremely fit athlete from Austin. This could turn out to be a three-day race under the load of 35 pound backpacks. Can’t wait.

Fifty in Five

26 Tuesday Nov 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Austin Marathon, Denver Marathon

True to plan, I just ran for the 5th consecutive day while on vacation. Ten miles per day. Actually 8 the first day but I squeezed in 12 today. Having tapered for the prior two weeks, I’m a bit sore but my pace seems on par. Today was the strongest with an 8 minute per mile pace. I expect to run another long one tomorrow and am considering maintaining this routine until I return to work Monday. That will be a hundred miles in ten days.

This photo is in the final block or two of the Denver Marathon last month. I need to maintain my mileage because I’ve registered for the Austin Marathon in February. When you have a marathon on your calendar, the date has a way of creeping up on you. The last time I ran the Austin Marathon, my winter training consisted of 3 and 4 mile runs. Not making that mistake again.

Fall Plan

26 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Denver Marathon, Eagle Trail, speed training

I think this photo is in City Park. It meets my primary criteria of showing both feet airborne. Not sure why I find these pictures so cool when both feet are completely off the ground during about 50% of any running stride, but I do. I’m less happy with the poor form this photo illustrates. Note how my forward foot is heel-down. That’s not unusual for distance running, but it’s poor form nonetheless. I’ve been working hard to run toe-down and I do much of the time. At only 5 miles into the Denver Marathon, I am clearly over-striding here. Something for me to continue to work on this fall. Might need to work on my double chin too, another thing this pic illustrates. Why do race photographers think kneeling down is a good angle for pictures? You’ll see what I’m talking about if you click on the pic to enlarge it.

The best method I know to practice running with downward pointing toes is to run fast. Wearing minimalist shoes also helps. I decided on a 9 mile run today on Eagle Trail with Keith. Nine miles is too far for me to wear minimalist shoes so I wore my training flats. I’ll work those more into my routine though on shorter runs. After DST ends and I start running more 3 and 4 milers.

Keith and I worked speed into our trail run today by leveraging a downhill mile on the Eagle Trail loop. The loop is around 2.7 miles. We circled it 3 times. On miles 3, 6 and 9, we picked up our pace. Our regular pace was about 8.5 minutes per mile. For our fast miles, we dropped our pace under 7 minutes per mile. Actually about 6.5 minutes per mile. At some points I ran under a 6 minute pace. The weather was 54° and sunny. There are no additional health benefits to running fast, but it feels good.

My late fall to early winter running plan looks to include some shorter events – like 5Ks. History suggests I don’t necessarily run a 5K any faster than a 10K. In fact, my recent PRs have me with a 7:09 pace for a 10K but only 7:12 for a 5K. I know I can break a 7 minute pace for a 5K. Some speed training will teach my legs to run that fast. This final pic is before the Denver Marathon. Before the dawn.

Post Marathon Syndrome

24 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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ColderBolder, Denver Marathon, DST, Kirsten Miller, PMS

I am posing here after crossing the finish line with Kirsten Miller. She took 2nd out of 72 women in her 45-49 yr old age division with a time of 3:45:01. For whatever reason the photographer wanted us both in this shot. I finished 28 out of 92 men in my 50-54 yr old age division with a time 2.5 minutes slower, so you could say Kirsten is slumming it with me here. I appreciate her adding some color to my otherwise mostly monochrome finisher’s photo.

I’ve had some time to digest my marathon and think of what to do with myself for the rest of the year. For those of you who run marathons, or have completed comparable feats of outlandish athletic prowess, you understand the post event phases of somber reflection. I would not be exaggerating to say an entire year of training went into my run last weekend. Now I find my mind bloated from thoughts of how I did and what could I have done differently. My decision-making is cramped by indecision on what to plan for future weekends.

The more I think about my first half pace, the more comfortable I am with it. I might do better overall if I were to run slower at first, but that is my pace. Maybe not a 3:20 pace. I could stand to slow down a tad for a 3:30 overall pace. I’ve decided on what I need to do to improve in marathons. I am going to start carrying my own drinks. I don’t drink enough electrolytes at the aid stations. I know though that unless I stop for a full minute, I can’t. I like the idea of having aid stations to obviate the need to carry a camelbak, but I’ll do better sipping my own brew. Eating is even more difficult for me while running and I do better if I take my fuel in liquid form. Next marathon I plan to carry my own liquid fuel. I’ll likely appreciate the extra pockets from the pack too. Old men can’t have too many pockets.

I’m still disappointed my hamstring cramped at 20 miles. I had no warning whatsoever – I was running along fine and boom! If you’ve never had your hamstring cramp, let me tell you. It friggin hurts! Ever see a sprinter pull up short of the finish or a football player screaming on the field? It’s a big muscle to have cramp. I’m so glad it didn’t keep cramping, but then I had to keep my speed down the final 6 miles because of it. I actually think cooling down the final 10K was a good scenario because I felt great the next day. I’ve never even been able to walk the day after a marathon but this Monday I ran six miles. I ran ten miles yesterday and six today. Totally recovered. More importantly, no injuries.

Still, knowing my season is over is a bit of a let down. That doesn’t mean I can’t keep running, but I don’t have anything big scheduled. I’ll find some runs – ideally inexpensive events since I spent a few hundred already this year on running. I got an invite today for the ColderBolder 5K on Dec 7th. That’s a bit out there. I’ll find some things to do in November. Daylight Savings ends though in another week or two. That’ll impact my training. Traditionally, after DST ends, I start to run during the day, while the sun is warm. The issue with that is I have to squeeze my runs in between conference calls so I’m limited to 3 or 4 miles. I can still get some distance training in on the weekends. We’ll see how the year winds down.

Denver Marathon 2013

20 Sunday Oct 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Marathons, Running

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Denver Marathon, Platinum Lounge, Results

I wake up at 4:30 this morning for the Denver Marathon. First, I shower and shave. Not something I would generally do before a run, but I didn’t do either of these things Saturday and I’m a bit ripe. I never made a decision on what socks to wear the night before. I go for the knee-high compression socks. I don’t wear them much because I don’t like dressing like a girl. I’ve had issues lately with my calves cramping though and they are supposed to help mitigate that risk. Plus, I suspect I might appreciate the warmth today. Pulling on compression socks is a chore. I check my toes first because they can be a bit sensitive. One of my toe nails falls off after touching it. Think of leprosy, I did. There’s a new toe nail growing about half way to where it needs to be. I wonder how long it will take to become a real toe nail. Good thing we’re headed into winter.

I have a doughnut on the drive to Denver, along with my coffee. Not sure why I bought those last night. Probably because they are decorated for Halloween. The road closures are already in place but it’s straightforward for me to park at the Denver Art Museum garage at 12th and Broadway. This close-up parking is included with my Platinum Lounge – where I head next. They have gas heaters setup. Nice. I hang here and put together my gear – pin my race bib on, load my fuel and I decide to wear my iPod.

I don’t catch her name but chat with the lady standing next to me in the corral. She’s from Indianapolis so we mostly discuss the Broncos game tonight which is fairly hyped up over Peyton’s return to play the Colts. This race will publish my splits to facebook, as well as text some friends who provided their mobile numbers. I start my Garmin as I cross the starting line but for some reason don’t look at it much. I read the race clocks and am a bit concerned I might be running too fast. I feel fine though. In terms of breathing. I’m a bit nauseous from the doughnut during the first 10K. Not the smartest food choice, but what better time to eat a doughnut than before a 3000 calorie marathon?

I know a 7:30 pace is too fast for the first 5k. I try to slow down a bit but otherwise feel comfortable with this speed. I’m not breathing hard. The 10K comes in at a 7:40 pace. A slight moderation. I begin to feel fatigue in the second half but don’t slow down much. I eat my first fuel – other than sipping Gatorade at the aid stations. I eat a chia seed bar. This takes me a full mile. I see Chris with his daughter and mine while eating my chia bar. Chris takes photos of me throughout the second half of the marathon. These pics of me in this blog are what he captured. Thanks buddy. Afterward he took the kids to Elitch Gardens.

After 16 miles my pace begins to slow down. I turn off my iPod at 18 miles. The 3:30 pace sign passes me at 19 miles. I try to hang with it but can’t. I’m still averaging 8:05 per mile at 20 miles but am now running closer to 9 minute miles. Then my right hamstring cramps at 20.4 miles. A couple of sweethearts come to my aid with a banana and water. I lose some time here but recover. Unfortunately I am forced to purposely run slower than I’m capable of from here on out to keep my hamstring from cramping again. I suspect I lose a minute per mile on my pace, so this likely added 5 to 6 minutes to my overall time. I’m OK with this actually. I had a good run. I cross the finish line in 3:47:16.

I don’t think the starting temperature ever warmed up. They hand out foil wraps at the finish and I take one. The wind was not an issue during this run but it did pick up a bit in the final miles and added a chill to my sweat-soaked shirt. It doesn’t take long before I begin to shiver. I head for the Platinum Lounge for a post-race recovery. I meet some guys near a gas heater – Jake and Charlie. They ran the half marathon so have been here awhile. Jake has already had 3 massages. The lounge is nearly empty and there’s little competition for resources. I wonder how many Michelob Ultras they drank.

I change into dry gear but it’s still cold and I continue to shiver. I know this is because my body is too depleted to defend itself against the cold. I’m also on the verge of cramping. Not just my legs but my stomach, torso sides and hips. I keep things in check but vomit all the food and drinks I ate since finishing. Sucks because I need those electrolytes. I feel better afterward though and it’s my turn for a massage. The massage lady freaks out a bit because of my shivering. Or maybe because I’m overly vocal about my pain. That’s my style. Some of us are screamers. She cuts the massage short because she thinks she might hurt me. Wimp. Then she calls over the medical staff because I refuse to go to their tent. This is silly. I’m delicate but am drinking my electrolytes and avoiding cramps. Did I mention the masseuse spilled my beer?

I commend the race on this level of care but I’m experienced and know I don’t need any help. I was in their medical tent last year and forced to drink a bottle of Gatorade spiked with salt. It was like drinking from the Gulf of Mexico. The doctor asks me some questions to ensure I am fine. She wants me to go to the tent but I provide the right answers to remain in the lounge. “Have this ever happened to you before?” “Yes, this is nothing really.” “Have you vomited?” “No.” Not only am I fine and just need a little time to refuel, but I can guarantee you the med tent doesn’t have gas heaters or beer. The doctor lets me stay.

I drive home when I can’t stand the cold anymore. The temperature continues to drop and the wind is picking up. I pick up my first ever Five Guys Burger. They are awesome. Karen has a roast slow cooking and serves it later with twice-baked potatoes. Watching Denver in a close game now with the Colts. Another epic run and a great day.

Gear & Swag

19 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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camelbak, Denver Marathon, Pearl Izumi

I don’t have sponsors. Apparently there is some FCC disclosure regulation that requires bloggers, or writers in any medium, to be clear about sponsorships when reviewing products. I rarely focus on reviews but figure I mix in my product endorsements as part of the details of my stories. I feel compelled to relate my first race experience with my fairly new Camelbak during the Durango Ultra. While I’m at it, I’ll share my feedback on the swag I picked up today at the Expo for tomorrow’s Denver Marathon. I have my head down in this pic at the start to the Durango Ultra starting my Garmin. That’s me in the blue jacket and red hat. Rob is to my left – to the right of me in the pic.

I’m as quick to dis a product as I am to praise it. Making my contribution. Mentioning products accounts for many of the search results that lead to my blog, so I figure there’s value. I don’t want my review of the Camelbak Rogue Hydration Pack to come across as negative. It failed several times, but it failed so gracefully. I only filled the 70 ounce reservoir less than half full with water. Rob and I debated a great deal on how much we should leverage the aid stations. I packed some Chia Seed bars in my pockets and stored extras in this pack. I had to remove the pack to reach the pockets, which I did to eat several more bars, but that wasn’t at all inconvenient considering my pace.

I bought this pack because my blue running vest chafes my tailbone on long runs. This wears high on my back. I love the fit. I wore it for my recent Georgia Pass run and it met all expectations. Fairly quickly in the ultra though the little black plastic connector that attaches the clip for my strap fell off. It remained attached to the chest strap, but seemed too complicated at the time to reattach to the shoulder strap. And I didn’t need to reattach it because the drinking hose attaches in a similar fashion and position. The hose held my pack together in lieu of the chest strap. I simply tucked the chest strap under the other shoulder strap to keep it from flapping. This is what I refer to as failing gracefully. The water hose served as a redundant strap. Until the little black plastic connector that attaches the hose clip to the shoulder strap also fell off. Completely. I stored it in my pocket. Then I discovered an extra flap of material on the strap that I could tuck the end of my hose into and continue to have it hold my pack together. This worked so well, I’m not sure it isn’t designed for this purpose. So yet another redundant system.

I can’t tell you if any of this is by design. I find it brilliant nonetheless. Or maybe I’m just a running MacGyver. That ultra was a total success from a gear and nutrition perspective. Combined with the snow covered Las Platas, it was a great experience. Hope tomorrow’s Denver Marathon is just as enjoyable. I picked up my race bib and related swag today. I’m disappointed the race shirt is short-sleeved. And that it’s essentially the same as last year’s shirt. And that it’s ugly. It is a more manly blue than last year’s baby blue, but that’s the only good thing I can think to say. I like to wear the race shirt when the weather supports doing so. I just learned the forecast calls for 45° when the run begins. Previous forecasts were for 31°. The 5 mph wind hasn’t changed, and is fine.

The day will warm up to 49° and is really perfect running weather. But it’ll be cloudy all day. The sun makes a noticeable difference in Colorado. Everyone’s different but for me, an October marathon in Colorado calls for a long-sleeved shirt. This run starts at 7:15am. Sunrise isn’t until 7:16 tomorrow. I want to be warm and comfy while I wait for the run to start. And, I don’t know if this is scientific, but the downtown in a city is always colder than elsewhere in a city.

So I won’t be sporting the official event shirt tomorrow. I’ll layer with one of my short sleeve, cotton Moab race shirts underneath one of my favorite long-sleeved, running jerseys. I picked up an awesome Pearl Izumi running jacket I could wear too. The sleeves come off making it a vest. Had the weather not warmed up to 45°, I’d consider wearing it. Even better, I purchased a pair of Pearl Izumi ultra running shorts at the expo. I spent some money at the expo. The liner in these shorts wrap all the way around the legs – almost like having some short tights underneath. These will keep me feeling toasty.

I won’t bother with gloves but will be wearing the 2013 Boulder Marathon hat. That event was cancelled but they gave out the hats. I’ll be looking for any others. Because I’m a gentleman runner, I registered for the Platinum Lounge. This gives me close-up parking and a private area to warm up and cool down before and after the race with coffee, bagels, private restrooms and other amenities. I may not run fast tomorrow, but I’ll be comfortable. Actually, I expect to run well – possibly in 3:45. I’ve been dreaming about a 3:30 marathon to qualify for Boston, but can’t point to any recent runs to suggest I can run that fast. I’ll be happy with anything under 4 hours. What I want more than anything is to run a consistent pace without cramping or bonking. Wish me luck.

Kiss the Clouds

28 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Boulder Flood, Boulder Res, Denver Marathon, trail running, Ultra

This week included a couple of runs in the never-ending rain. Normally I enjoy the runs where I can literally kiss the low-hanging Colorado clouds. Ever see the 1983 video of U2 perform at Red Rocks? It’s like running in some mystical place with unicorns. This has been all too common place lately. Today though was clear blue sky and I kissed the clouds goodbye. Taking a cue from Jabe’s recent facebook update that the Eagle Trail is open, I headed out to the Boulder Valley Ranch set of trails. I can’t believe I have never run here before. It’s not exactly exciting. Very few trees. But Gadget Girl often runs here with her dog Otis; so does Jabe’s running team. Given conditions, I’m happy to run out here in the prairie grass.

I need to keep up my trail running. I signed up this week to run the Durango Double Ultra, a 50K (30 mile) trail run through the San Juans. My first ever ultra. This wasn’t on my radar but with my two marquee September runs cancelled, I need to up my game for October. I’ll follow this ultra the next weekend with the Denver Marathon. New plans. Hard to explain but maybe this has happened to you before. You train hard for a marathon. Sometimes when an event is cancelled, you feel like you escaped a bullet because you weren’t quite prepared. I was ready though. This might have been overly optimistic but I thought I had a chance at an 8 minute pace which would qualify me for Boston. When you reach that level of fitness, you sort of want a replacement marathon. Only thing is now I have to maintain this fitness level another month. I can do that. If I survive the ultra, I’ll be primed for the marathon.

My Team Naked partners plan to run Eagle Trail tomorrow. I have to bail on them to drive my in-laws to DIA. It’s a large trail system. I parked at the Eagle Trailhead near the Boulder Res. The first trail here is a 3.7 mile lollipop. Eagle Trail begins as a half mile stick, then forks left while Sage forks right. The two forks join up again 1.35 miles later to form the loop. I forked right onto Sage and then right again onto Cobalt.

This led me to North Broadway Road where I returned on yet another fork right called Deggee Trail. Not sure how you pronounce that. I could have returned more directly but I wanted to get in a long run so took a number of exploratory trail spurs. I forked right on Hidden Valley Trail which I could have taken earlier for another loop option. I also humped up onto Mesa Reservoir on the return. I think on future runs I’ll make a large loop out of Hidden Valley Trail and the Sage/Eagle combo. That’s probably good for a 6 mile loop. Twice makes 12 miles.

Much of this trail is fairly pedestrian. In fact, the first loop is double track. Still, gaiters are a good call to keep the little pebbles out of your shoes. I think the muddy trail warning sign could be dialed back a bit from poor to fair. The mud’s not extreme, although sticky in spots. The trail is nice and soft, feels good on the knees. Look at that blue sky in this last photo. About time. Plus the temperature was a fresh 54°. Perfect seasonal running conditions have returned to Boulder County.

Muscle Cramps

26 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Boulder Marathon, compression socks, Denver Marathon, electrolytes, Gatorade, sports nutrition

Based on my experience cramping in the Denver Marathon – where I felt like Rambo being electrocuted against a bed frame of steel mattress coils – my biggest concern in the Boulder Marathon was avoiding cramps. Initially I had one strategy, I planned to drink as much electrolytes as possible at the aid stations. The Boulder Marathon course has 10 aid stations and because you run by some of them twice, they are spaced about every two miles. Some are closer as you pass the 10 aid stations 16 times.

They were all stocked with Gatorade Endurance Formula along with water. Several had GU Gels and bananas and oranges. I drank the Gatorade electrolytes at nearly every aid station. I didn’t begin skipping any until after 13 miles. I figure I drank a total of 1000 grams of sodium from this during the event. The plan I blogged about earlier was to drink twice that, but I would have needed to stop at each aid station to swallow so much liquid. And it’s too much liquid. I also ate two gel packs – which I never do because they suck. These weren’t bad though. They were vanilla bean flavored. And of course I washed them down immediately with water. I also had a few plain waters.

I would say this plan was successful in that I didn’t cramp, except it wasn’t the most controlled scientific experiment because I also wore compression socks. I can’t say for certain that compression socks do anything positive per claims, but I can tell you they feel good. Or at least my calves feel good wearing them. I’m a fan. In the Denver Marathon, I also suffered a cramp in my hamstring at mile 22. I never felt a twinge of cramping in my hamstring Sunday, and of course the socks stopped below my knee. So it’s plausible the electrolytes contributed in this case.

Coincidentally, I found myself chatting with a high school boy running his first marathon somewhere during the final 10K. I noticed him pass by me a bit earlier but now he was stopping at regular intervals to stretch. He told me his legs were cramping. I advised him to drink a couple of cups of Gatorade at the aid stations – which I saw him do at the next one. I don’t know but hopefully this helped him. In our discussion, he was actually well versed in runner’s nutrition and the need for sodium.

My feet did cramp a few hours later as I was getting a massage, but I was in the right place for that to be properly managed. My arches did not cramp during the middle of the night, so I consider the massage successful. As of Monday, I had one nagging knot on the inside of the top of my left leg, but most of the pain was gone by Tuesday. I would have run Tuesday but didn’t have time so I finally ran for the first time on Wednesday in the cold rain that preceded the snow. Actually pretty decent running weather and I got in 8 miles. Felt great.

There’s a part of me that is still disappointed I ran 10 minutes slower than four weeks earlier in the Denver Marathon. But I accomplished some of my goals. I avoided cramps. My core felt stronger and for a longer period. Boulder was a much tougher course than Denver. Denver is largely flat but Boulder is nonstop rolling hills. Based on how weak my pace is the final 10K of marathons, I clearly have more to learn. I know that I’ve yet to train properly for a marathon. I don’t put in enough miles. But I sort of suspect nutrition is still a big component of my 4th quarter decline in pace. I don’t have any commitments yet but I expect to sign up for the Austin Marathon in February. That will be my next test.

Return to Austin

22 Saturday Jan 2011

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Austin, Austin Marathon, Barton Creek Greenbelt, Denver Marathon, Round Rock, RRHS, Running

Round Rock Cross Country

Look at those boys in Jeff Graham’s 1978 drawing of five fit athletes enjoying their time in the sun running cross country for Round Rock HS back in the day. From left to right, we are Doug Hall (RIP), me, Joe Cepeda, Robert Graham, and Johnny Martinez. The countdown to my Austin Marathon is less than 30 days and I can’t help but reminisce on my training runs of fun times running in my youth.

My very first road race took place on a golf course actually in South Austin. Doug Hall organized a handful of us on a Friday night and drove us down Saturday morning. It was such a kick, a 3 mile dash over grass and water traps. I ran it barefoot. Doug and Rob were sporting the game-changing Nike Waffles. That was the late summer of ’77. The next spring we ran what really was technically my first road race, the inaugural Capitol 10,000. I can’t leave out the 100s of runs along Townlake, now named Lady Bird Johnson Lake. And my all-time favorite run is the coolest inner-city trail ever – the Barton Creek Greenbelt.

I had a nice run today on one of my favorite Boulder County trails – the East Boulder and White Rock Trails. I ran 8 miles at what felt like a pretty good clip. I went the 3 days prior without getting out. Work has been like cramming for college finals; never-ending days of phone calls, powerpoints, copy/pasting between docs and spreadsheets. I was prepared to train this winter regardless of the weather. I’d snowshoe if that was all I could do. I didn’t expect work to rule like it has. My goals for the Austin Marathon have gone from beating my time in the Oct. 2010 Denver Marathon to simply finishing without walking. Despite having lost the edge on my conditioning, I’m still committed to running it. I’ve booked my flight. My mom’s excited I’ll be staying with her for the weekend.

Today’s run felt so good. The work week ended on a bad note. All work and no recognition. I presented a piss-poor PowerPoint to my VP on Friday afternoon and I felt exhausted. Today’s run was like breathing for the first time. The weather started out perfect – maybe 50° – and sunny. I wore shorts and two shirts – one short sleeve covered by a second long-sleeve. Both high tech fabric. The wind picked up on the return and I would have benefited from having wrapped another long-sleeve shirt or light jacket around my waist. Had I, I’d have put it on. Likewise, my ears would have preferred a warmer fleece cap than the runners cap I wore. But it was tolerable, I didn’t freeze. The hills sheltered me from some of the wind’s wrath. Halfway through my run, the Chinook winds dropped out of the Boulder foothills with a fierce velocity that nearly ripped the cheeks off my face. My legs were warm enough but the sweat on my chest and armpits chilled me beyond comfort. I’ll layer smarter next time. I’ll need to put some thought into how to dress for Austin in February. The humidity magnifies the cold. I’ll take all my gear and look at what the locals are wearing. It’s all about the gear.

How to Motivate a Slacker

06 Saturday Nov 2010

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Austin Marathon, Denver Marathon, Heil Valley Ranch, IPR, slacker

See the blood in this pic, under my left arm pit? That was due to chafing after 23 miles into the Denver Marathon. Of course this pic is at the finish. You would think completing a marathon, all bloody no less, would indicate what a committed, disciplined and serious athlete I must be. Not really. I mean, I have my moments, but I can be just as equally the biggest slacker to ever lace up his racing shoes. I was motivated to get into road racing shape – mostly out of fear – after registering for the Imogene Pass Run. I’d worked up to 45 miles per week, including regular hilly mountain trails. But in the month between the IPR and Denver Marathon, and the weeks since, I’ve dropped to 30 miles per week. Worse, I’m back to averaging four drinks per night. By my measure, four drinks over five hours doesn’t make me a drunk, but it won’t earn me parent of the year either. The combination of running only 30 miles per week and four tasty beverages per night has put a halt to any improvements in my athletic conditioning. I’d lost 15 pounds this year, and had hoped to lose yet another 10, but it won’t happen at this pace. In fact, I’m in danger of regaining lost weight. I need to turn this around and get back on track.

Still high from a sub 4 hour time in the Denver Marathon, I registered for the February 20th Austin Marathon. My logic was to give myself a goal that would keep me training through the winter. Seems like a good call. Problem is, it’s not working. To be fair, I’m still running everyday. But the diminished distance and lapse of drinking discipline is dire. I’m walking up an escalator moving downwards the other direction.

In my defense, my work load at IBM isn’t leaving me much time for longer runs. I can only seem to squeeze in a 30 minute run, and I don’t have time for weights anymore. I haven’t lifted since the IPR. I’m still running 8 to 10 miles on weekends, but I’ve dialed down the intensity on those as well. I recognized my slacker attitude this week, which is why I’m blogging about it, and I’m going to turn this around. Starting Wednesday or Thursday, I reduced the volume of drinking by half. And today, I returned to the mountain trail, Heil Valley Ranch, that prepped me for the brutal IPR. An 11 mile run consisting of 5.5 miles up and 5.5 miles back down, over rocky, single track.

I worked too hard this year to allow for any reversals. I’m going to refocus my efforts. In my giddiness as I registered for the Austin Marathon, I had thoughts of breaking 3 hours. I really want to break 3 hours. I at least want to do well. My first event at sea level presents opportunities. And I would like to lose a few more pounds between now and race time. I will not allow myself to lose any more momentum! I’m kickin’ it back up a notch! Stay tuned.

Slouching Towards Recovery

24 Sunday Oct 2010

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Denver Marathon, IPR, recovery, the wall, training

When I ran the 17 mile IPR in September, although it took me 20 minutes longer to complete, I recovered much quicker. The next day, Sunday, was a travel day. And actually so was Monday as I flew to NYC and back for IBM in one of those epic 20 hour work days. But I was running my regular 4.5 mile circuit again by Tuesday and 8 mile runs on the following weekend. And I felt fine. It’s been a full week since running the Denver Marathon and I have yet to recover. Again, I took two days before running. But this time it was more due to being too tight and sore than schedule. Not understanding why the difference in recoveries irritates me, so a deconstruction is in order.

First, a description of the soreness. I was sore and tight everywhere for the first couple of days. But the symptoms have persisted around my groin. I was only able to run 1.5 miles the first day – Wednesday. It did loosen my muscles up quite a bit. I should have at least walked Monday and Tuesday to work out the lactic acid. I returned to my 4.5 mile routine on Thursday, and ran 8 miles yesterday – Saturday. I don’t normally time myself, but did yesterday with a GPS iPhone app since I was running a new route my friend Amy suggested and I wanted to know the distance. I ran a 9 minute mile pace. Good God! I ran an 8:17 mile pace for the entire marathon. And while I didn’t time the 4.5 mile runs, I suspect they were similarly slow. My legs feel fine, it’s just extremely high up on my legs, around my groin, hips and lower stomach, that is stiff and weak. And it goes beyond running. I can barely hold my bladder past 60 minutes. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I seriously hope it’s from the race and not due to coincidentally reaching some men’s aging milestone.

Thinking back to the race, I recall how pleasant the pace felt. I’m still amazed how fast I started out, running under an 8 minute pace for the first 10K. Even though my pace noticeably slackened by 20 miles, I was enjoying the event and was confident I would finish. I never hit “the wall”. Or did I? My experience with hitting the wall stems from running my first marathon at 16 in 1978. I was running the Dallas White Rock Marathon with high school running mate, Mike O’Neill. We started out running together, but at 15 miles where the course has its most notable hill – a long slope really – I got sick from the previous night’s indulgences. This was awkward because this point in the course is also the finish as the race loops around the lake. So thousands of people were lined up on both sides of the trail and I had to literally dive through a wall of people to find a spot behind a tree for some alone time. I returned to the trail but had lost Mike at that point. Running solo at 18 miles, not an uncommon mile marker to hit the wall, my body slowed down like a cassette tape in a Sony Walkman whose batteries were dying. I didn’t have the running experience to understand what was happening to me. Essentially, I was out of gas. All blood sugar was gone and my body was having to find energy stores deeper in my muscles and bone. I recovered from that after eating some oranges from an aid station, and went on to finish the run. Since then, I’ve always associated hitting the wall with race nutrition and fluids. But the link I added above is to an article that explains the wall as something much more complex.

If you’re a backyard chef, you understand the effects on meat of slow cooking. A brisket, after 8 or 9 hours of slow smoking, begins to break down at a cellular level. The fats and proteins melt and coalesce into the meat lover’s equivalent of cotton candy. It’s after this point one can “pull” pork. I believe this is what happened to my body after 23 miles. Muscles I hadn’t used before suddenly began to fatigue. While I spent 20 more minutes running the IPR, my body experienced approximately 15,000 less footfalls than in the marathon. I’ll admit that I’d also been running around 45 miles per week leading up to the IPR and only 30 miles per week since. I didn’t think a month of lighter training would significantly affect my performance, and it probably didn’t have that much of an impact. Regardless, while I was totally hydrated and had been taking in energy as well, the core of my body, my groin, hips, stomach all began to weaken. My stride shortened and my pace correspondingly slowed. So perhaps I did hit the wall. It wasn’t as absolute as the one burned into my memory from the ’78 Dallas White Rock, but my metabolic physics had been altered. Thinking back, I might have even experienced the mental delusions often associated with the wall. Somewhere in the last 4 or 5 miles, I started to hear church bells. Not wearing a watch, I recall thinking I could determine the time by counting the bells ring, but was too tired to count. And as the song progressed on my playlist, I realized it was AC DC’s Hell’s Bells. For awhile I thought how ironic that was and I should add it to my post race blog. I didn’t though because afterward I couldn’t be certain if I ever really heard church bells or only the prelude to the song. I didn’t want to make the experience up so I left it out of my blog. I think now I might have been slightly delusional.

So there you have it. I didn’t train as hard leading up to the Denver Marathon as I did the IPR. And I suspect my body suffered more fatigue in the marathon than the IPR – which is hard for me to accept. The IPR is simply the most challenging event I’ve ever run. But I can’t ignore that my recovery has been slower this week than after the IPR. The silver lining is that hopefully my core is toughening up. I did feel better on today’s 8 mile run on the East Boulder Trail. My groin hasn’t totally loosened up but my stride was longer and faster. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Denver Marathon 2010

17 Sunday Oct 2010

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Marathons, Running

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

26, Denver, Denver Marathon, Ed Mahoney, marathon, run, Running

I ran the Denver marathon this morning. My first marathon in 30 years. I’ve slowed down from when I was 18, but I’m still kickin’. Ran it in 3:36, about an 8.5 minute pace. Have yet to get my formal time, but I’ll update this link once it’s posted. I’ll admit I wasn’t too excited about this run. I signed up for it after the IPR to continue pushing myself after that run in September. I certainly wasn’t nervous like I was for the IPR. I knew after completing that run that a marathon was doable. So no butterflies at the starting line. But a really nice sense of accomplishment at the finish line.

The weather was incredible. It started out cool enough that I wore warm-ups before the start. It felt like around 50^o, but there wasn’t any wind. I wore a pair of Nike dri-fit running shorts that had pockets the perfect size to hold my iPhone without it bouncing around. And I went with the hi-tech, long-sleeve race jersey I bought as part of the race gear. Hi-tech race jerseys are made of a fabric that keeps the sweat off your skin. It was much lighter than what a cotton shirt would have been. I was looking to wear something that was a single layer so that I wouldn’t have to discard anything. I rolled up my sleeves at the 5K mark and was comfortable throughout the run. I also wore my Nike running hat but didn’t need it for warmth. I wear it to keep the sun off my head. But this course winded through tree-lined streets in stunning Denver parks and neighborhoods. I wasn’t exposed to direct sunlight until the last 3 miles. And I doubt it warmed up beyond 70^o. Fairly ideal running temperatures.

The course was flat enough. There’s a small hill after 3 miles when you cross Broadway going up 17th St. After that are what I would describe as slopes, but nothing to noticeably affect my pace. Well, until after 15 miles when slight slopes suddenly felt steep. I did begin to slow down on uphill segments at that point – a clear sign of fatigue. I signed up for a service that text me and my friends with pace and times at certain splits; 5K, 10K, 11 miles, 13 miles, 20 miles and the finish. The records indicate I ran well under an 8 minute pace for the first 10K, then slowed down to an 8.5 mile pace (my overall average) up until somewhere between 12 and 15 miles. By the 20 mile mark I had slowed down to a 9.5 mile pace and ran a 10.5 mile pace for the final 6 miles. Although I can tell you that it was the last 3 miles where I began to really wind down. I noticed my stride shorten a bit at 20 miles but extremely at mile 24 and even more during the final mile. My hamstrings were tightening and I fully expected my right hamstring to cramp up during the final half mile. I’m surprised it didn’t but slowing down must have kept it in check.

I felt quite comfortable the entire race until the final few miles where I began to chafe from the salt buildup and, while I never hit the wall from energy depletion, my legs became weighed down from exhaustion. I was never in danger of walking and with only a couple of miles remaining it was easy to stay positive. I did experience a stitch around 17 miles that worried me for a spell. Forgive the graphic description, but a knot started in my right nut and shot up under my rib cage. It only lasted a quarter mile or so. I suspect it stemmed from a combination of drinking at an aid station and running up a hill. Never had a stitch in my balls before. Speaking of that, my groin became pretty sore near the end as my legs grew heavy and my hamstrings threatened to cramp. I’m happy all the pain was so close to the end of the run. Would have been work otherwise.

I think I’m done with road races for the season. Work is getting so busy I can’t find time for long runs during the week and can only do 8 and 10 milers on the weekend. My New Year’s resolution was to start up road racing again, after foregoing them for two decades. I ran four; the Bolder Boulder 10K, the Garden of the Gods 10 Miler, the 17 mile Imogene Pass Run and now the Denver Marathon. Mission accomplished.

Running in the Rain

12 Tuesday Oct 2010

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Boulder Chop House, Denver Marathon, gore-tex, la sportiva, rain, run, under armour

I ran in the rain today. It’s worth writing about because I so rarely do that. With over 300 days of sunshine a year in Colorado, there’s less opportunity than elsewhere. And then there’s the wimpy, fair-weather runner attitude to which I am not immune. But I’m running the Denver Marathon this weekend, so now is not a good time to slack off my training regimen. And I had an unusual gap between morning conference calls that begged for an early run. But I’ll tell you this, it’s always a cold rain in Colorado. It takes a bit of self motivation.

I pulled on some Nike dri-fit shorts and added Under Armour ColdGear pants. These are sort of a cross between loose tights and tight sweat pants. It’s a good fit for running. I added an Under Armour all weather, long sleeve jersey to my workout ensemble. I then pulled on some Nike dri-fit socks which are specifically fitted for the left and right feet. Around those, I wrapped my La Sportiva Gore-Tex trail running shoes. This turned out to be a great call. I sloshed through a huge puddle near the start of my run in the alley cutting over to Rainbow Ridge. And the Creekside trail had countless water traps. My shoes were completely drenched, yet my feet remained perfectly dry the entire 4.5 mile run. Those shoes are brilliant.

Once I warmed up, the rain became quite pleasant and added to my enjoyment of the seasonal splendor. The trail was covered in yellow and red leaves. No wonder everyone visits New England to view the fall foliage, the window of opportunity is closing fast in Colorado. I suspect had I not run in the morning, the trees would be stripped clean later in the day.

Now for those of you who think I must be a huge slacker to take off 30 minutes from work to exercise, I will tell you this. I start work at 7am and typically work to 6pm. I might go out for lunch once a week, but mostly eat at my desk. Either you believe that exercise contributes to your overall productivity or you don’t. I do. There are two types of people in the world – healthy and unhealthy. My goal is to belong to the former group. Plus, my work time will stretch out even longer today since I have dinner plans with a business partner at the Boulder Chop House tonight¹. I’m trying to convince you that my time spent maintaining fitness is justified and that I feel no guilt. But perhaps given all this rationale, I do feel guilty and am only trying to justify it to myself. Whatever – I’d rather be fit than fat. Well, as fat. I figure I could still lose another 10 pounds. And my stomach has a ways to go yet. I won’t be running the Denver Marathon shirtless.

¹ While I consider business dinners to be just more work, I grant exclusions to the single and lonely, those in dead-end marriages or with more than 2.x kids, and perhaps those who commute to their basement offices and need to get out once in awhile, especially those whose idea it was to dine at the Boulder Chop House.

Running Fast

26 Sunday Sep 2010

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Denver Marathon, East Boulder Trail, fast, IPR

I had some nice runs this weekend. Week one after the IPR, I only ran my 4.5 mile loop each day to recover. Did some 8 mile runs over the weekend and I expected to increase my mileage this week, but work was too busy and I only squeezed one 8 miler in during the work week. Yesterday, Saturday, was sort of busy too and I didn’t make it out to a trail, but ran 8 miles in town. It was probably good for my knees to keep off hills. I ran in the late morning but despite the clear sky it wasn’t overly hot. The air felt cool blowing against my sweat-soaked skin. The amazing thing about this run was that after all the months of consistently running everyday. Methodically increasing my distance. Adding hills and trails at an increasing rate each week. I finally felt some speed. Don’t get me wrong. Losing 15 pounds this year was nice. Having muscle tone return to my thighs and hamstrings was very satisfying. I’ve even come close to my goal of a flat stomach. I’ve started to accept that may never happen, but it won’t matter much if I can run fast.

After 3 miles into Saturday’s run, Ashlee Simpson began singing La La from my playlist, and my legs fell into a stride of their own design. It was noticeable. It was that feeling where your body’s forward motion is the norm and to slow down would take more energy than to simply let it go. I haven’t felt this in two decades. It’s extremely promising. They say muscles have memory, well mine remember running fast. If you’re a runner or athlete, and you ever reached peak competitive conditioning, then you know the thrill of letting go of conscious control while your body performs balls out. It’s nearly an out of body experience. Damn, I like it.

Today’s run felt nice too. I hit the East Boulder Trail around noon and completed 10 miles. It’s a challenging trail with serious hills the first 3 miles, and of course the last three miles as you return. Even when I feel strong on the way out, I’m typically debating walking on the return. I didn’t over stride today but I felt strong the entire course. Very happy with myself. Targeting the Denver Marathon in a few weeks.

	georgeschools on The Ten Week Plan
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	georgeschools on Pearl Street Marathon

A Runner's Story

Tag Archives: Denver Marathon

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Return to Austin

How to Motivate a Slacker

Slouching Towards Recovery

Denver Marathon 2010

Running in the Rain

Running Fast

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