Let the Training Begin!

Monday January 18th 2010 marks the start of my Fargo Marathon training!

The Fargo Marathon is on May 22, 2010. This is a bittersweet moment for me as I have found some things out about myself. It has been nice to be able to run when I want and as far as I want without any specific goal in mind other than racking up mileage and having some fun doing so. I find that I am really enjoying some of my longer runs which leads me to believe that I may try to fit in a 50K run sometime between marathons this year. But, I do look forward to having some discipline and structure to my workouts. It will be 18 weeks of running when and how far I am told to do so by Hal. Irregardless of how I feel about the training, I am excited to see if I can run a smarter race this time and finish in under 4 hours.

I chose the Fargo Marathon for two reasons, it's close, and it's flat. I have also selected a different training plan this time around. I am using Hal Higdon's Intermediate II plan. I think that the nice thing about Higdon's plan is that he explains how and why you are doing what he has you do every day.

It was an awesome feeling to complete my first marathon and I have no doubt that this one will be great too. An added bonus will be that my good friend and sometimes training partner Jenn is planning on running this marathon also. She is one tough chick. Her first marathon was in Philly, she ended up running and puking for 16 miles of it, but she didn't quit. I don't know how many people could pull off an accomplishment like that. She is now working on becoming an Ironman triathlete in the next few years. You can check out her blog here.

Let the training begin!!

Beaver Creek Trail Run

On a cold Sunday morning I decided at the spur of the moment to check out a state park that I had never visited, Beaver Creek.
I did not have to forge my own trail but I was did have to follow the trail left by deer and a lone snowshoer. It was a short trail, but it was hilly and the snow was almost knee deep in some places so it turned out to be a great cardio workout in a beautiful area.

Some days, winter isn't so bad.

2010 Running

Life goals for 2010

• Be a good husband and father.
• Move to the next level with my career.
• Be a better teacher and mentor to those that I work with.
• Read more books.
  

Running goals for 2010

• Enjoy every run
• Stay healthy and injury free
• Run 2 marathons
• Run a total of 2,010 miles
  

Trail Running

There is certainly comfort in running the same path or route. When running intervals or wanting to lose myself thought on a long run it's nice to be able to zone out and not worry much about my surroundings. But there are also times when I need some variety. Running has enabled me to explore places that I would most likely never visit. The challenge of a new hill, the wonder of what is around the next corner, and the beauty of the landscapes keeps running fresh and exciting.

I have taken my camera on a couple of my runs recently. Here is my first attempt at a video slide show from one of my recent runs.

Winter Running...how and why...

When I first started running I was purely a fair weather strider. This was mostly because the cold air really bothered my lungs. It took me a couple of years to discover however that the body is an amazing machine. When I continue to run through the temperature changes I become acclimated to the weather. It is also the same with running in the heat.

Now don't get me wrong, there is a point where it is too cold, and I am not sure where that will be this year, but it's getting close. So far this year I have had a couple of runs finish up at 12 degrees F. That can be a little chilly but if the wind is not howling, I am fine.

Of course winter running is not all just acclimating your body to the temperature. Proper clothing is essential. When it is that cold, I wear two pairs of gloves, a stocking hat, and a gator, not to mention running pants, 2 base layers and a wind and waterproof jacket. It may sound like a lot of layers, but they are all pretty thin and do a great job of not only insulating me but wicking away sweat. The downside of all of this is that good winter running gear is not cheap. It would not be unreasonable to say that the above running clothes, including my shoes, would total over $300. It is expensive, but if you are serious about running and don't want to log all of your miles indoors on a boring treadmill, it's worth it. I personally have also proven that if you spend money on quality running clothes you will get a good return on them. One of the Under Armour base layers that I wear is approaching the ten year mark and still works great. I am careful not to dry any of my running clothes and although it may not sound attractive and is certainly a personal option, I do at times hang them to dry after a run and wear them again before washing them.

So what's the big deal? Why spend good money to go out in freezing cold temperatures to do something that many people will avoid at all costs? There are many reasons. I run because it is meditation, it makes me feel good and generally lifts my spirits for the day. I run challenging courses, speeds, and environments because I can. Running takes me places and shows me things that many people never see as they speed by in their vehicle. Running has created new friendships many times for me. Not only with my "running buddies" but I share a secret kinship with others that know why we run, how others view us, and how lucky we are to have this opportunity.
Below are some pictures from one of my runs through Falls Park this week. It was a perfect time to run because it started snowing on my way out there and continued while I took these pictures.

Running as Santa

Last night was the "Jingle Bell Run" in downtown Sioux Falls. One my running pals, Joseph, had mentioned a couple of times that we were to wear our Santa hats for the run. I had no interest in "racing" this 5K and had access to a Santa suit. I thought, why not surprise everyone and run as Kris Kringle?
I picked up my race packet at the Y in my regular running clothes, that way if I ran into one of my friends they would not know what was in store.
After packet pick up I had parked my car at the back of the bank lot so that I would have some secrecy while changing. At this time it was all for fun, I had no idea what level of impact this stunt would have on me and others. When I was finally dressed, nobody was going to recognize me, except as Santa!


After helping me put on the suit, my wife and I made our way to the starting area. My disguise worked well, even my running buddy, Jenn, did not recognize me at first!

Soon it was time for the race to begin and we made our way to the start. I went out with a nice easy pace as planned and what a blast! The crowd LOVED to see Santa running. Kids and parents were shouting out "Santa, hey Santa!" and cheering me on almost the entire way. What an awesome feeling to see the smiles on peoples faces as I ran by waving and shouting "Merry Christmas!".
I was a little worried about a wardrobe malfunction because they really don't make Santa suits for skinny runners. I think I used about a dozen safety pins to keep the belt on, the pants up, and my beard attached. Lucky for me, it all mostly stayed in place.

After the race, a local newspaper reporter stopped me and asked a few questions. Argus Leader article.

I had a lot of fun at this race and even finished with a respectable time. What an awesome feeling to have an impact on so many people with such a small gesture!

Thank you to my awesome wife for putting up with and even aiding me in my antics!


And thank you to my running buddies for not being too embarrassed to run with Santa!

53 Miles

My first marathon has taught me many lessons, most importantly, patience. In training for the first, I selected a fairly challenging training plan and ran almost every run at a strong pace. Never really thinking much about recovery. If you run fast in training, you are bound to run fast in a race right? Right….to a point. Being a master’s runner (40+ yrs of age) changes the game a bit. I have to be a little gentler on the body whether I like it or not. I am still learning about running and researching what will be my next marathon training plan. If Fargo is my race, then I have until February to select the right plan for me. Until then I have been experimenting with aerobic base training and heart rate training.

It’s not glamorous, trust me, I used to check my resting heart rate and what it was right after a run, but never gave it much thought beyond that. My opinion was that it really did’t matter and that if you run harder your heart will get stronger. I was wrong. Using a heart rate monitor helps you gauge your effort and keep that effort within the optimal zone for what you are trying to accomplish on each particular run. This type of training is supposed to build up your aerobic capacity and improve your overall running abilities for all distance running. This training encourages you to listen closely to your body and not push yourself to the limit for each run but allow for recovery after every run. It is actually much more detailed than what I touch on here but I can tell you that it has made my runs definitely more enjoyable. I now closely monitor my heart rate during my runs and do not worry about how long it will take me to finish. In fact I enjoy my runs much more at this slower pace because instead of running at the top end of my abilities, I am running in a comfortable heart rate zone.

It has been a relief, training myself not to run by pace on the watch, but by effort. Forcing myself to slow down when the heart rate gets too high and making myself speed up if I take it too easy going downhill. Since my marathon I have been working to safely increase my mileage. In fact I just finished October with 173 miles, my highest month ever, and the week ending November 1st, I logged over 53 miles. If you want to learn more, below are some links with some explanation. I am also open to any thoughts or recommendations from anyone with experience with this type of training.

H.I.T – the book that started it all for me (this is an advanced running book but still has some good tips for an amateur like me)
Aerobic Base Training
Heart Rate Training