I really don't blog much these days, so hopefully you've been finding some good things to read.
As I hinted a few weeks ago, I've climbed out of my post-marathon-blow-up and yesterday, started training for my 4th marathon, which isn't until the middle of May.
So how does someone go from saying they're done with the marathon to beginning a 26-ish week plan for one? Welll.... a few things happened.
1) I'm stubborn and stupid. If you're a runner, you know that's a big part of it. Don't discount it.
2) I'm not a bad runner. I just ran a particularly crappy race. In the month following the marathon, I had a 5k PR and a near half-marathon PR. Those short races helped me believe that while my marathon hadn't gone well, I'm not that old or fat, yet. This weekend, I'm going after a 5 mile PR, and I frankly like my chances.
3) An offer I couldn't refuse. After my last marathon, Missy Foy reached out to me, and offered help in getting over the Boston hurdle. While I would've jumped at the opportunity if Missy WASN'T diabetic, the fact that she is made it the absolutely, positively, no way I'm going to say no opportunity that it is.
4) Realization that I have plenty of things to try. My last plan had no speed work, cross training or core work. I'm ok giving up if I've done everything I could, but I haven't. Not yet, anyway.
And so here we are. I started with a 7 miler yesterday, including 3 miles fifteen seconds faster than marathon pace. It's a long way and a long winter until May. But I'm ready.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Makings of a Dynasty....
At the end of the day, I'm an age-grouper. Though, I've never read a definition, here's what that means to me:
1) You'll never see my on the "podium" after a race. I'll never take home money and never be in the Top 3 overall.
2) However, depending on who shows up on the starting line, I might sneak into an age-group award. Age group awards are particularly whimsical. I won first place at a local 4 miler in 2008, only to come back and finish 6th a year later. I should add, I actually ran faster the second year. Like I said, whimsical.
That being said, Knoebels Lumber 5k has been my bitch since 2007 when I showed up and said, "Isn't there anybody here my age??" And apparently there wasn't, as I ran a 20:30 the day before a 20 miler.
In 2008, I did the 20 miler the day before and allowed myself to "let it all hang out" on the 5k. But there ain't much to hang after a 20 miler, and I came in 20:11, but also good enough for the second age group award in a row.
This year, I had it all lined up: the marathon was behind me and my job and family actually required working and familying, as they sometimes will, which meant I came to the line tapered, rested and ready.
The result? 19:46! Now those of you who read this blog religiously may recall my 19:25 in the spring, but the fact is: that course wasn't 5k. Heck, it was barely 3 miles. I knew it then and so when people asked me my 5k PR, it was always 19:25, buuuuut....
But this course was true... and I ran it well, a full 1 second under my official 5k PR and good enough for first place - once again - in the 35-39 group.
Equally as cool, I came in 7th out of 172 overall, once again bested by six high school kids... which has also been the story for the past two years.
Truth is, if I could convince the Knoebels people to do this when those whipper-snappers are in school, I could be looking at a REAL podium, not something dictated by my birth certificate.
Hey, a man can dream, right?
1) You'll never see my on the "podium" after a race. I'll never take home money and never be in the Top 3 overall.
2) However, depending on who shows up on the starting line, I might sneak into an age-group award. Age group awards are particularly whimsical. I won first place at a local 4 miler in 2008, only to come back and finish 6th a year later. I should add, I actually ran faster the second year. Like I said, whimsical.
That being said, Knoebels Lumber 5k has been my bitch since 2007 when I showed up and said, "Isn't there anybody here my age??" And apparently there wasn't, as I ran a 20:30 the day before a 20 miler.
In 2008, I did the 20 miler the day before and allowed myself to "let it all hang out" on the 5k. But there ain't much to hang after a 20 miler, and I came in 20:11, but also good enough for the second age group award in a row.
This year, I had it all lined up: the marathon was behind me and my job and family actually required working and familying, as they sometimes will, which meant I came to the line tapered, rested and ready.
The result? 19:46! Now those of you who read this blog religiously may recall my 19:25 in the spring, but the fact is: that course wasn't 5k. Heck, it was barely 3 miles. I knew it then and so when people asked me my 5k PR, it was always 19:25, buuuuut....
But this course was true... and I ran it well, a full 1 second under my official 5k PR and good enough for first place - once again - in the 35-39 group.
Equally as cool, I came in 7th out of 172 overall, once again bested by six high school kids... which has also been the story for the past two years.
Truth is, if I could convince the Knoebels people to do this when those whipper-snappers are in school, I could be looking at a REAL podium, not something dictated by my birth certificate.
Hey, a man can dream, right?
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
The Nearly 1/2 Marathon PR, Apidra & Other Stuff...
As a reader, I can tell you: sporadic blogs suck. When I'm enjoying reading someone, I expect them to post regularly, and I haven't.
But as a writer, I made a deal with myself a long time ago: I write what I want, when I want. There's no need for another chore in my life because, believe me: I've got plenty of them.
But still, I do have some things to say.
First up, running. Last weekend was the Hands on House 1/2 Marathon, one of the bigger 1/2 marathons I do and my 3rd time on this course. It was also my first race since my marathon melt-down three weeks prior. While I expected to be a little tired, I was also a little eager to repair my ego.
Due to construction, the course was re-routed and that led to some problems, most notably when the 4th mile marker gave way to the 5th after only 1/2 mile. Yes - you heard it correct: the course was off by more than 1/2 mile.
From that point on, the pack was made up of 2 kinds of runners: those who were amazed at their fitness and those who were annoyed to be shorted on the course. The most discernible difference? The second group was made up of those of us with Garmins.
In the end, I finished in 1:30:11 -- converted to a true half marathon, it was about a flat 1:35, just 20 seconds off my PR. Considering that's 3 weeks after the marathon, I was pretty pleased with the deal.
Soooo after the race, I had to jet so my wife and daughter could get to a baby shower. At work the next day I was told I had been called for an age group award and according to the website awards packet, I did sneak into third. And yet, when I called the sponsor, they feigned indifference. Well, my wife said, it's not the trinket, it's the fact you won, right? Yeah, I said. Exactly.
So there you go - denied the chance to have a true PR and denied an award. Kind of a bummer, but what are you going to do?
In other news, I've been on Apidra for about 3 weeks now. What have I noticed?
a. It's more potent. My total insulin dosage is down about 30%
b. The lowered dosage hasn't done much to my weight. I'm still trying to trim 5 pounds and haven't had much success with it
c. Apidra supposedly has fewer occlusions - short periods where the pump tube becomes clogged. I used to think this was marketing BS - the times I've had "No Delivery" warnings on my pump are sooo few and far between, and yet I've noticed something since being on Apidra: my between meal blood sugars are like a dead man's EKG - flat, flat, flat. With humalog, I get slow gentle waves, but with Apidra, I am F-L-A-T. I'm guessing this is what occlusions really mean in the real world. So all in all, I'm an Apidra fan.
Next up, the Knoebels Lumber 5k this weekend. There, I'm the reigning two year age group champ and lemme tell ya - I'm STAYING for the friggin' awards.
But as a writer, I made a deal with myself a long time ago: I write what I want, when I want. There's no need for another chore in my life because, believe me: I've got plenty of them.
But still, I do have some things to say.
First up, running. Last weekend was the Hands on House 1/2 Marathon, one of the bigger 1/2 marathons I do and my 3rd time on this course. It was also my first race since my marathon melt-down three weeks prior. While I expected to be a little tired, I was also a little eager to repair my ego.
Due to construction, the course was re-routed and that led to some problems, most notably when the 4th mile marker gave way to the 5th after only 1/2 mile. Yes - you heard it correct: the course was off by more than 1/2 mile.
From that point on, the pack was made up of 2 kinds of runners: those who were amazed at their fitness and those who were annoyed to be shorted on the course. The most discernible difference? The second group was made up of those of us with Garmins.
In the end, I finished in 1:30:11 -- converted to a true half marathon, it was about a flat 1:35, just 20 seconds off my PR. Considering that's 3 weeks after the marathon, I was pretty pleased with the deal.
Soooo after the race, I had to jet so my wife and daughter could get to a baby shower. At work the next day I was told I had been called for an age group award and according to the website awards packet, I did sneak into third. And yet, when I called the sponsor, they feigned indifference. Well, my wife said, it's not the trinket, it's the fact you won, right? Yeah, I said. Exactly.
So there you go - denied the chance to have a true PR and denied an award. Kind of a bummer, but what are you going to do?
In other news, I've been on Apidra for about 3 weeks now. What have I noticed?
a. It's more potent. My total insulin dosage is down about 30%
b. The lowered dosage hasn't done much to my weight. I'm still trying to trim 5 pounds and haven't had much success with it
c. Apidra supposedly has fewer occlusions - short periods where the pump tube becomes clogged. I used to think this was marketing BS - the times I've had "No Delivery" warnings on my pump are sooo few and far between, and yet I've noticed something since being on Apidra: my between meal blood sugars are like a dead man's EKG - flat, flat, flat. With humalog, I get slow gentle waves, but with Apidra, I am F-L-A-T. I'm guessing this is what occlusions really mean in the real world. So all in all, I'm an Apidra fan.
Next up, the Knoebels Lumber 5k this weekend. There, I'm the reigning two year age group champ and lemme tell ya - I'm STAYING for the friggin' awards.
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