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2013 Season Plans

30 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

IPR, Steamboat Springs Marathon

gridI’m planning my first marathon of the year for June 2nd in Steamboat Springs.  I would tell you it’s to run with a buddy who will be running his first ever marathon, but really it’s because this puppy drops 1500 feet in elevation over the course of 26 miles.  Steve really knows how to pick a first marathon course.

I have a decent idea of my racing plans for the year.  Of course, I already completed one half marathon in January, so that’s part of the official race plan.  Here’s the list.  Austin 3M Half in January.  Moab Half in March.  Boulder Half in April.  Bolder Boulder 10K in May.  Steamboat Marathon in June.  Imogene Pass Run in early September.  Boulder Marathon in late September.

Sure, I’ll do more events as they come up but if not – this is enough.  At $75 each (a realistic average cost) that’s over $500 in registration fees.  Easily another $500 to buy the race pics for my blog.  And travel cost for some of them.  Going into my fourth year of road races, I’m fairly confident of my schedule.  The only new event will be Steamboat.  I’d like to get in a trail run like the CPTR.  I’ll ask Rob if he’s interested in running that again but now that he’s moved to Durango, I suspect he’ll want to run something down in the La Plata Mountains.  So hoping for a surprise on my schedule.

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Last Run

31 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Austin, Boulder, CPTR, Heil Valley Ranch, IPR, Moab, Stevie Ray Vaughan

stevie rayFor my last run of the year – Lady Bird Lake in Austin.  The old Town Lake setting is always enjoyable and a great venue to end another year of running.  As I think back, these are my coolest runs of 2012.

Moab.  If you haven’t run Moab, or hiked the area, or mountain biked on the slick rock, you’re missing out on one of this country’s premiere outdoor locales.

CPTR.  The 25 mile Collegiate Peaks Trail Run is such a nice experience.  The views don’t get any better.  But I think it was the friendly participants and general atmosphere of Buena Vista that make this event worthwhile.

IPR.  I’ve run the Imogene Pass Run twice now.  At 17 miles, it appears more doable than a marathon.  More like a half marathon.  But trust me, your time will be slower than what you can run for a marathon.  This run only has one hill, but it’s ten miles up and seven steep miles down.  Easily the most challenging trail I’ve ever run.

Barton Creek Greenbelt.  I just ran this trail the other day for the first time in over 20 years but used to run it regularly.  I’ve yet to discover a comparable inner city trail run.

Boulder County.  I’m lucky that I live here.  I’m partial to the East Boulder/White Rock trails and Heil Valley Ranch but there are countless trails in the foothills of the Front Range.  And I’m fortunate to have the LoBo Trail out my front door that I run to Niwot and back on most days.

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2012 in Review

28 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

CPTR, IPR, Running

steve and edTime to look back on a good year of running.  I ended 2011 with a steroid shot to fix my arthritis and had great expectations.  And then I finally resolved my persistent plantar fasciitis in the early spring time frame and gained even more confidence.  But then something snapped in my left foot that left me wondering if 2012 would be a bust.

I did have to stop running for about six weeks to heal but still had some memorable experiences.  Ironically, I lost weight while not running by reducing my alcohol intake.  I was so happy with this that I’ve maintained this relative abstinence; the result being that I am ending the year at 175 pounds.  There was about a week after my two marathons that I was under 170.

My plan for the year was to run a bunch of trail events and I only did two of those – the 25 mile Collegiate Peaks Trail Run in April and the 17 mile Imogene Pass Run in September.  I ran both of these with my buddy Rob and enjoyed them both.  I would like to run the CPTR again – I love the Collegiates.  This was my second IPR and I wouldn’t mind making a tradition out of it.  Both this year as well as my first time in 2010 served to get me into shape for a marathon.  It helps that it’s held at the end of summer when there is enough daylight to support running longer distances.  These two trail runs were satisfying enough that I’m not disappointed I didn’t run more of them.  In fact, the registration cost of organized events is steep enough that I might run less in 2013.

In total, I ran 10 organized events in 2012.  In order, I began in February with the Austin Half, then March with the Moab Half, followed closely by the Boulder Half, then the CPTR in April and the Bolder Boulder 10K on Memorial Day.  I took a break to recover from my injured foot over the summer but returned to form in September with the IPR and Denver Marathon, and the Boulder Marathon in October.  I expected this to complete the year but squeezed in two 5Ks on December 1st with the Colder Bolder and Prospect Rudolph Dash 5Ks in the same day.

I could consider that only 9 events if I bundle the two 5Ks.  Regardless, that’s more than enough organized races.  I like running the occasional race for various reasons – to recognize and celebrate my fitness or to enjoy an event with friends.  Not to mention they provide content for my running blog.  But they do cost real money.  I would estimate 10 races come close to $500.  And perhaps half that again paying for race photos which I like for the blog.

Normally I would be planning the next year at this point but I don’t have a good feel yet for what I want to do.  Ideally I will focus on trail runs.  I’d like to kick the year off with the Moab Half because it’s fun to run with my neighborhood friends but I missed the registration deadline so I’m not sure.  The Boulder Half is usually the following weekend so it’s a bit of an expense to run those back-to-back.  I do know I’m kicking off 2013 with the Austin 3M Half Marathon on January 13th – which is only 2 weeks from now.  I might have to make a decision on the Denver vs Boulder marathons this coming year as they are spaced close together.  I suspect I will run less events overall but am keen to prioritize the CPTR and IPR over anything else.

I could see myself only running 5 organized events for financial austerity if nothing else.  I’ve published this picture of my brother and me taken this Christmas Eve because another goal is to get that boy working out again.  So the start of the year will be measured by my success at coaching.  He won’t be ready for the 3M Half but I’d rather rely on him to drive me to that event anyway.

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Downhill Finish

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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IPR

This isn’t some Dutch angle.  Trust me, Sue’s not that good a photographer.  This is the slope of the final stretch toward the finish line down N. Oak Street in Telluride for the Imogene Pass Run.  Better down than up.

I can tell you this too.  By running conservatively on the top half of the hill, we were able to seriously unwind the final couple of miles into town.  I rarely put on a kick in 10Ks let alone half marathons and marathons, so this was special.  The slope-aided speed reminded me of sprinting when I was young.  What a kick.

The Denver Marathon this Saturday has a sensible finish as I recall.  There’s a sizable downhill somewhere in the final mile.  Maybe, they’ve changed the course along the last 10K.  But I don’t recall there being any vomit-inducing uphill near the finish line like in so many Colorado events.  And that includes Moab where the final 3 miles are uphill.  Don’t even get me started on the Bolder Boulder hill up into Folsom Stadium.  That’s insane.  Fairly certain Denver has a flat finish.  So the rare downhill finishes are fine from time to time.

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Tumble into Telluride

30 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

IPR

Imogene Pass

This pic of Imogene Pass gives me chills.  It’s the backside of the run next weekend (Sept 8th) that drops 7 miles down into Telluride.  If it looks steep, trust me, that’s because it is.  I remember my feet starting to burn as soon as the descent began as part of my 2010 exploit over this hump.   The fire didn’t recede until my shoes were charred cinders and feet molten flesh.  At least I didn’t fall down.  Those runners that did fall looked worse for wear.  But this time I plan to stop and retie my laces – tight – before the tumble into Telluride.

Interestingly, at least to me, this will be the first time I’ve ever driven into Telluride.  In 2010, I ran into town.  I spent the night – two nights actually – before in Ouray.  I did spend the night of the run in Telluride recovering.  This time I intend to stay the entire time in Telluride.  Ouray isn’t known for their fine dining.  Hoping for a better selection of eateries in on this side of the pass.  I have a similar experience with Durango.  I’ve yet to drive into that town too.  Last summer I hiked into that mountain town off the Colorado Trail.  Durango by the way has great eateries.

I’m not planning to run any faster than the last time.  I’m in similar shape, a few pounds heavier, but this is one of those events you just want to finish.  I’ll run how I feel.  I would like to run a faster time down this hill.  It took me over an hour to complete the final 7 miles with my first attempt.  I’d be pleased if I could run it under an hour.  I’m willing to give up some time running uphill for a quicker dash downhill.  But I’ll take whatever the mountain gives me.  At over 13,000 feet, this is a real hill.

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Striking Distance

20 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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IPR

We ended up in a mountain bar – the Millsite Inn – after last weekend’s hike, because climbing 13,000 foot mountain peaks makes me thirsty.  And nothing says mountain bar more than a painting of a naked lady on the beach.  This picture dominates the interior of the bar, contributing greatly to its cozy ambiance.

I didn’t run that Saturday but it was still an 8 mile day.  I felt really good about hiking uphill at altitude for 4 miles and reaching 13.2K feet.  Imogene Pass sits at 13.1K.  This hike climbed 3000 feet in 4 miles.  The IPR will climb 5000 feet in 10 miles – which is like 2500 feet per 5 miles.  That sort of simple math suggests the IPR will be marginally less steep than the hike.  So I didn’t need a run Saturday.  That hike was awesome prep.

I forget exactly when I started training for Imogene.  It was about 3 blog posts ago.  I think I’m starting my 3rd week.  Week 2 was a bit of a bummer because I picked up a stomach bug and missed 2 days.  But I picked up where I left off with my daily 8 milers and I’m feeling strong.  My weight is consistently under 180 pounds now.  Today I weighed in at 178.  I was under 175 two years ago when I ran the IPR for the first time but I seem to be losing a pound per week so I’m within striking distance of 175 this year.  I’ll take that.  I won’t carry water in my camelbak, that will save a few pounds.  The beauty of running organized events is they provide amenities at regular aid stations.

I can’t explain getting sick last week.  First time in nearly 3 years.  Maybe running so much has my resistance down, but I haven’t felt this strong in a long time.  I remember being a little scared before running the IPR my first time.  I hadn’t been at that level of fitness in decades and this 17 miler was an unknown.  Even though I might be a bit heavier than two years ago, I’m much more confident.  With 3 weeks to go, I’m on track.  I’m going camping this coming weekend and plan to fit in another peak climb or two.

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Back in the Saddle

10 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Tags

Imogene Pass Run, IPR

I’m back in the saddle.  Which is to say I’m lifting weights again.  First time in two years, since the last time a I trained for Imogene.  Nothing impressive with weights actually but I’m doing situps.  Toughening up the core is arguably as beneficial as running.  Seven straight days of running.  Fifty-four miles.  This is a promising start to my new training regimen.

Sipping a Heineken Light now.  My first beer of the week.  That must put me about 20 under par, so I’ll likely have another.  If I can handle it.  Increasing my miles means I can’t sneak off 3 or 4 over lunch.  I have to run in the evening.  And a mix of longer runs and weights makes my stomach too weak to imbibe or eat much at night.  On Wednesday, which was the hottest day of the week, I was fairly nauseous.  And I was pretty fatigued that day but my Thursday and Friday runs felt strong.  I’m getting in shape.

I’m meeting Rob tomorrow for breakfast in Boulder.  He’ll be my running mate for the IPR.  He’s in town for a cultural diversion to Denver with his wife Sue.  We can discuss our running strategy.  I wouldn’t mind being able to run more impressively on the seven mile drop into Telluride than I did two years ago.  I recall sliding down the trail with the brakes on.  Rob walked much of it due to sore knees, so I bet he wouldn’t mind some redemption himself.  But it’ll depend on the current condition of his knees.  There’s no running for old men.

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Training for Imogene

07 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Imogene Pass Run, IPR, Lilley Powell

I didn’t make the cut for the initial registration deadline to the Imogene Pass Run this year.  It sold out within a couple of hours.  But I received a transfer registration this week from a nice gal in Ignacio – Lilley Powell – so it’s time to get in shape.  However, I’m training for much more than just Imogene.  The 17 mile IPR is in 5 weeks, the Denver Marathon is 2 weeks later and the Boulder Marathon is 4 weeks after that.  I’m registered for all three events.  This is my way of celebrating my 50th year of life – by bleeding the cartilage out of my knees.

I ran the IPR two years ago with my fit buddy Rob Graham who lives in Grand Junction.  We’re pictured above at the start to that year’s run.  While only 17 miles, getting in shape for its verticality readied me for any marathon.  I followed it up with the Denver Marathon then, so I’m doing that again.  I’m throwing in the Boulder Marathon for good measure – mostly because I couldn’t decide between the two.  The Denver Marathon is such a nice event run through gorgeous Denver neighborhoods and parks while Boulder is sort of my backyard and I feel obligated.  Plus, running in the fall in Colorado is just so damned ideal.

I’m not currently in shape to run a marathon but know two things.  One, based on experience, assuming I get in shape for Imogene I’ll most certainly be in marathon condition.  Secondly, I am in position to get in shape with a month of increased distance training.  With Karen cooking dinner it’s a matter of focus and making time.  I need to become more consistent with daily runs and with longer distance.  There’s enough daylight that I can run after work.  My injuries, which are why I lost my conditioning, are mostly healed and I seem to be able to run 8 and 10 milers now without hurting myself.  Still, risk of injury is my biggest concern and I’ll monitor pain closely.  I could say injury is out of my control but I don’t believe that.  I just need to pay attention to it.  Wish me luck.

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Foot Injury Update

01 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Bolder Boulder, IPR

Because I’m sure everyone wants to know, here’s a current status of my foot injury.  The injury occurred six weeks ago.  The Internet suggested it might be broke and to expect six weeks for it to heal.  I attempted running a couple of days the following week with significant swelling as a result, but ran the 25 mile CPTR that weekend.  Like so many injuries, after warming up it didn’t really hurt until after the workout.

I visited a podiatrist on week two.  He suggested I could do some light running while it healed after the xray didn’t indicate a broken bone.  I tried running once or twice each week but the swelling was such afterward that I didn’t continue running every day.  At the end of five weeks, I ran the Bolder Boulder.  While I lost my rate of progress, I don’t think I lost much of my original conditioning and ran respectably.  More importantly, my foot didn’t hurt much afterward.  So in this 6th week of my injury, I’ve started running again.

My ankle is a bit tight but I’m feeling pretty good about it.  I won’t over do it in terms of distance but I think it’s safe to run every day now.  I kept my calories derived from alcohol in check – well except for that week in Mexico – so my weight hasn’t increased much this past month.  I’m good to go.

On a sad note, I missed the registration for the IPR.  Registration opened at midnight and I tried registering around 10am this morning.  Registration closed at 9:37 am MDT.  Unbelievable!

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Running Five-0

06 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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AARP, CPTR, IPR

So this is it.  I become a 50 year old runner later this month.  I now carry an AARP card in my wallet.  Seriously looking forward to the discounts.  I’d like to say I’m also looking forward to being more competitive in my age division, but that’s doubtful in Colorado.  In my defense, I’m about as competitive with the 25 year old age division.  It seems to be that way with distance running – you can only slow down so much without tipping over.  Truthfully, it’s not unusual to maintain or even increase aerobic capacity with age.  Sort of like nose and ear hair.  And I can honestly say I ran the same Bolder Boulder 10K time in 2011 as I did in 1991 – 48 minutes.  Of course I ran a 41 minute 10K in 1990.  Not sure what happened in ’91 other than Brit being born.  Karen recalls my favorite phrase at the time was, “I’m putting on sympathetic pregnancy weight”.  I’ve always been a team player.

I would like to improve my speed a bit because I like racing fast, but it’s more important to me to simply be fit at this age.  And to demonstrate that, I am planning for a big year of runs.  I’ve already run 3 half marathons this year.  The picture above is of me finishing the 2012 Boulder Half.  My next big event is a 25 mile trail run at high altitude – the Collegiate Peaks Trail Run on April 28th – four days after I will have turned 50.  I expect to run that with my high school cross country buddy Rob Graham.  The dude’s 51 and I struggle to keep up with him.

The next run I’ve registered for is the 2012 Bolder Boulder.  My goal there will in fact be speed as I would like to beat last year’s time.  Or if not, if I can just beat some of my neighbors I’ll be content.  I expect to run more half marathons.  I like that distance – mostly on trails.  And then, assuming I’m in shape, I would like to run the Denver Marathon again in the fall.  Or perhaps the Boulder Marathon which I’ve never run.  And the biggie of the year will be a return to Ouray for the Imogene Pass Run.  That’s only 17 miles but in my estimation is much harder than a marathon.  I do that and it’ll be a good year.

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CT Cronica: Ultra

07 Thursday Apr 2011

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Colorado Trail

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Colorado Trail, imogene, IPR, la sportiva, South Platte River, trail running shoes, Ultra

You might have started off leading this final leg, you don’t remember.  If you did, A Lo Hawk passed you at some point.  He’s ahead of you with hopefully only a few miles remaining when your feet begin to hurt and you reconsider promoting your shoes with a blog link.  This run brings forth memories of the Imogene Pass Run last September.  The bad part of the IPR – miles 8 and 9 leading up to the peak.  The only thing that kept you running then was the pressure of not forcing the runner behind you, whom you knew was likely to be feeling as tired as you, to have to pass you.  That trail didn’t provide the ability for runners to easily pass, and so you felt obligated to maintain your position and pace.  The CT at this point actually widens to double track, so you run alongside A Lo Hawk.  But that is short lived, you mostly fall behind – even when walking although there isn’t much of that.  The first 4 quarters feel like they were yesterday – this is the ultra quarter.

At some point you carry on a conversation with A Lo Hawk.  Talking is much more rare now too.  One of your chats covers the topic of falling.  You’ve only taken a couple of spills your entire life – both on trails.  The conversation foreshadows a near fall.  You slam the big toe of your right foot into a trail rock so hard you nearly hit the ground.  You scream loud enough to cause A Lo Hawk to turn around.  You don’t know if you were injured, you keep running.  But it hurts.  Bad.  You imagine it as a bloody stub, but the pain gradually subsides and is replaced with the misery afflicted to the soles of your feet which have become tenderized flesh.

It once again occurs to you that you are wearing the right shoes.  The thing about trail running shoes is they have a glob of rubber on the front, not unlike a car bumper.  These shoes re-earned their way back onto honorable mention in your blog.  That bumper clearly saved your big toe from destruction.  Thank you, La Sportiva.  Once you sufficiently recover from the pain and fear of toe loss, you find it ironic, almost irritating, that like the two falls you’d related to A Lo Hawk, this occurred in the last mile of your run.  But that’s probably not coincidence.  No doubt, the end of any run is when you are weakest and most likely to stumble.  Good reason to slow for a cool down.  And A Lo Hawk certainly is shuffling along the trail much slower these last miles.  The final downhill leg resembles the IPR’s 7 mile drop into Telluride.  As was the case then, A Lo Hawk’s and your quads are too weak to push it in.

Upon seeing the trail head, marked by an iron and wood foot bridge crossing the South Platte River, you are ready to simply walk it in.  And A Lo Hawk feigningly slows to meet your expectations.  But then you hear him mumble something and with renewed vigor he kicks in the final stretch.  This is fairly impressive considering the steepness of the trail here, but you feel more like penalizing him for the pitcher’s balk.  Your mind was set for walking, and you almost did.  Instead, you finish the trail running, as you had done for 16 miles; but without any pretense of strength by kicking.  You finish up slow as if running a cool down.  Much like you did during the last half mile of your most recent half marathon.

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Next Up – Moab

03 Thursday Mar 2011

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

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Canyonlands, half marathon, Imogene Pass, IPR, Moab, Pasta Jays

I feel fully recovered from the Austin Marathon. Admittedly, I’ve only been running my little four mile route, but the runs have felt strong and all the lingering pain from the marathon has dissipated. It’s such a relief to escape any ultra distance conflict injury free. Just ask Alohawk pictured here descending Imogene Pass about that. Or better yet, read his blog on how such injuries can impact later events. He got lucky in that he mostly recovered before his next big event. I feel like I dodged a bullet considering I launched this season with a marathon. Could have ruined the entire season. Instead, I’m feeling pretty confident.

Moab Canyonlands is next up in 16 days. This is going to be a blast – half the neighborhood is going. We’ve already made reservations for Pasta Jay’s on Friday. And I expect Dave will cook up some awesome BBQ on Saturday. Some of my friends will be biking on Slickrock, which I’ve never done since I’ve yet to visit Moab; but I understand it’s one of the most fantastic mountain trails ever. Biking is on my list of things to find time for this year. First, I’ll need to buy a bike.

I’m not certain if I’ll amp up my training for Moab. These 4 mile runs are feeling nice and comfy. I’ll squeeze in more distance on the weekends of course, but I’m not looking to race Moab in spectacular fashion. In fact, I’m more interested in using it to gain experience on pacing myself. I’d like to control my first mile or two with about a 9 minute mile pace. And assuming I feel good after that, speed up to whatever. It’ll be interesting to see what “whatever” turns out to be. You’ll be the first to know, as soon as they post the results. Sooner if I decide to wear a watch.

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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.

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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.”

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Running Fast

26 Sunday Sep 2010

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ Leave a comment

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.

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