A Crow Amongst the Loons

On May 11 (Friday) and 12 (Saturday), just over a week from the big Sugarloaf race, I will be participating in something I've never done since school:  a relay race.  Set around the hook known as Cape Cod, the Ragnar Cape Cod Relay looks like it could be a very fun experience.

Run ALL the Cape Cod towns!

I have joined a team called the Maine Loon Squad and have been placed on the first, 13th, and 25th legs of the 36-leg course (roughly 16.6 miles total).  This group intends to run this for fun and I'm perfectly okay with that knowing what I really need to be focusing on.  Nonetheless, I am excited to try something new in the running world that doesn't involve zombies or live electrical wires.  It's good old-fashioned team running though what is a very scenic region of Massachusetts.

What will prove to be a bit of a challenge is how I will fare running in very odd hours on a very odd sleep schedule.  Most know how I fared after trying to run the Vermont Marathon on the same weekend as outdoor camping.  At least I don't have to push hard and run for 3-4 hours straight but it will be interesting to see how my legs handle the 13th and 25th legs, especially if I run one of those at night.  And I'm likely sleeping in and driving a big van through these areas.  It's going to be very different.

Three weeks from now I'll already be heading down and getting ready to represent the loons on the first leg. I hope to have a lot of reporting to do before, during, and after my experience.

Running Hunger

I finished 15 today.  I feasted on mileage.

I am definitely catching the fever of running and dreaming the big goals of sub-5 miles and sub-3 marathons.  I really want to hammer down a good regimen and stick with it throughout the next 6-8 weeks.

50-70 miles
After my recovery week from ES20 (42+) I am determined to get 50 miles again and build upon it until Sugarloaf week.  If I plan it right I should be able to get around 70 miles on my 20-mile long run week.  It's going to take some extraordinary discipline so I need to fight procrastination more than ever.

Speed Workouts
I was amazed at my Hyannis and ES20 times knowing I haven't done a single speed workout since last fall.  I can't get away with that though.  My big goals are not going to happen by just building mileage so I somehow need to fit in a midweek speed workout.  I am thinking of using the Back Cove for this and on a Wednesday lunch hour but it's actually applying it that will be the trick.  If needed I may try the workout in the mornings, but I'm not confident of having good workout speed at 6AM.

Races to Sugarloaf
Unity Spring 5K - April 21 - Unity College, Unity, Maine - I love running this and it's very easy to PR if I run the initial downhill right.  My two finishes - 20:52 in 2008 and 18:52 in 2010 - were personal 5K bests at that point.  I'd love to smash the 18:30 barrier on this course.

Orrington 10K - May 5 - Center Drive School, Orrington, Maine - This one is a nice test to see how my fast twitch muscles are coming along.  I have generally posted sub-41 races here but I want to smash the 40-minute mark (I love smashing things) which would give me a nice PR to try and beat at B2B in August.

Ragnar Cape Cod Relay - May 11-12 - Not as much of a road race as it is a fun run relay.  Of course the real fun is that I am running almost 25 miles over 3 legs.  Why?  Because I can.  At least there will be plenty of time to rest (~8 hours) in between legs.  Two 9s and a 10K should get me primed for the next week.

Early Sugarloaf Goals
2:15/:45 - This would be ideal if I can pull these times off.  2:15 through the first 20 would get me a PR for that distance and 45 minutes in the final 10K would also be the fastest time for my final 10K of a Marathon.  If I stick to my workouts/mileage and stay healthy there's no reason why I can't meet these goals.

Unusually Favorable - Eastern States 2012 Results

Overall Time:  2:20:03
Pace per mile: 7 minutes, 0.2 seconds
Overall place:  38/443
Age group finish:  22/81 (male 39 and under)
Splits (5-mile):  33:24, 35:00, 36:08, 35:32

It's amazing what a little favorable weather and a little extra confidence can do.

I stormed out of the gate hard and kept the pedal down as much as I could.  There was no reason not to; even with the similar start to last year, I knew I wasn't going to hit the same wall that I did before.  I finished 5 miles well under 34 minutes knowing all this banked time would be important later in the race.

The next 5 was even and steady.  The goal for the rest of the race was to maintain a sub-7 for as long as I could and I was confident I could hold it through most of the race.  It was only after 14 that I started to feel the weight bear down on my legs, but once I hit 17 I was able to find the final surge and push hard to the very end.

There were a few places - namely the start and finish areas - where I could have shaved time.  They're really just minor details.  I set a personal best by over one minute (2:21:13) and beat my best time for this course by over 5 minutes.  I'd say that this was a huge success.

With less than 8 weeks to go I stand at a great position for the elusive 3:04:59 time at Sugarloaf.  I need to continue to be at that position, however, to make it.

Eastern States 2012 Preview

Easily the windiest race of the year (Hyannis is likely second), the (typically) 3-state run is a challenging midpoint race that bridges the Hyannis and Sugarloaf Marathon most years.  Even if I don't excel at the race, it's a necessary linchpin to the long-distance racing season.

The direction of the wind is always important.  The day chooses one direction and sticks with it.  If it's at my back, I'll have an easy day, and if it's in my face...let's just say that all sorts of fun will happen.

2009 - 2:26:53 - 103 overall - 49 age group
2010 - 2:25:56 - 53 overall - 31 age group
2011 - 2:30:33 - 65 overall - 36 age group

The times I'm up against aren't difficult to beat with most other courses - in fact I have beaten 2011's time in most 20-mile splits of marathons - but weather will play a very major factor and why this race is particularly challenging.

Temperatures are expected to be around 50 degrees with light rain.  So far they're not expecting a lot of wind but that could change.  We'll see what Sunday brings.

Hyannis 2012: What Went Up, What Went Down

Overall Time (Net):  3:24:44
Pace per mile:  7 minutes, 49 seconds
Overall place:  34/403
Age group finish:  8/46
Splits (5-mile): 37:13.6 (0-5), 36:47.9 (5-10), 37:12.7 (10-15), 40:25 (15-20), 52:23.3 (last 10km)
Splits (Half): 1:36:55.5 (1st half), 1:47:48.5 (2nd half)

With consistent temperatures in the 50s right now, it's difficult to recall how bitter that wind on Cape Cod was just two weeks ago but make no mistake: the conditions were what one would expect on the Cape in the middle of winter.

Unfriendly.

This was a race that started with a bit of self-doubt.  In addition to the bitter weather, the lack of speed workouts (including no other road races in the month of February) and getting stuck near the back of the pack with the 12-minute pacers made the opening minutes frustrating.  I knew that I had to push it all aside - dwelling on it was pointless.

The first mile was spent caught behind a sea of runners, but once I broke free the pace was much easier.  One thing I did notice early in the race was that my upper legs felt heavy (I guess that's the best way to describe it) which may have been a blessing in disguise.  Though it kept me from posting anything below 7 minutes in a single mile, it kept me focused on keeping a slightly slower but more even pace.  I stayed around or under a 7:30 pace through the first 15 miles, stayed under 8:30 for 23 of the 26 miles, and managed to avoid a 9-minute mile entirely - especially at the end where I returned to under an 8 minute pace in the last 1.2 miles.

Though far from my PR (3:08:21) and BQ (3:04:59) goals, I was proud of my endurance both during and after the race.  There was significantly fewer sore leg muscles the next day which is a testament to my winter workouts this year.  It was my best for Hyannis, beating out last years time by about 2 1/2 minutes.  Which means if I can keep this up I should be in great shape (literally) for the rest of 2012.

10 days from Hyannis Year 5 - the beard is in full effect.

I love Hyannis.  Not convincing enough?

I LOVE HYANNIS.  A little better?

2008 - 4:42:35

I mean, that should be the reason I keep coming back year after year.  It shouldn't have nothing to do with the challenge factor of a New England marathon in winter, or the propensity of endurance runners to always take masochism to the next level.  Right?  Anyway.  Here it is, for the fifth time.  It's hard to believe I've already run 11 marathons, 4 of them in the same place.  Hyannis was my first - perhaps that's the biggest reason to run it year after year - and always helps me set myself straight for the rest of the running year.

I've made the odd little tradition of growing a beard for February just for the race at the end of the month.  I suppose it's largely symbolic to the ruggedness and chaos of the winter...because it is far from tame.  At least it doesn't last long after the marathon.  I'm not sure how acceptable looking like a lost band member of ZZ Top would be in the workplace.

2009 - 3:32:03

My weight has stayed down between 185-190 in the months of January and February.  Considering that these are my hibernation months and my metabolism naturally slows down in the winter, holding steady at this weight is a huge sign of progress for me.  Perhaps there's hope for me to to hit 170 again - that hasn't been done since 2008 and that was when I had less muscle mass.  It's exciting and I hope it will really reflect in my spring and summer running.

My running times - including the easy runs - have stayed amazing fast as well.  I've only run one race since the new year (4.5 miler) but it was far faster than any of the previous years (29:12 compared to 31:31 in '11 and 30:03 in '09).  Unfortunately I have not been able to run the other February races that prep me for Hyannis so I don't have much to go on in terms of speed preparation.

2010 - 3:45:34

My weekly mileage has been consistent this year, too, which has always been a struggle.  I have logged at least 35 miles every week so far, only going below 40 twice since the new year began.  I even logged 50+ last week during my final long run.  That will only help me improve my Hyannis time.

Pretty much the only thing left to do is to slowly start tapering and keep my diet and exercise in balance as I head into the final stretch leading to Hyannis 2012.  Weather is the only thing out of my control at this point, but as many of us know, weather could be the huge factor for a Cape Cod February.

2011 - 3:27:04

The Full Vermonty

I succeeded in completing three marathons in 90 days.  This last one didn't go as well as the first two, but the major goal was the completion of this race.

Overall Time (Net):  3:46:50
Pace per mile:  8 minutes, 39 seconds
Overall place:  535/2403
Age group finish:  59/160
Splits (5-mile):  35:58 (0-5), 36:18 (5-10), 39:39 (10-15), 49:24 (15-20), 1:05:31 (last 10km)
Splits (Half):  1:37:16 (1st half), 2:09:34 (2nd half)

Little sleep, long travel, bad sleeping conditions, bad weather conditions, mistakes during the race...I can't blame any one factor, but those combined created a wall so immense that I almost dropped out at a few different places of the race.

I had spent the previous two nights camping over an hour away from Burlington.  The air mattress I slept on was uncomfortable at best, which caused a sore lower back to develop and (maybe) a combined 8 hours of sleep in those two nights left me with almost no energy on race morning.  In spite of adequate preparation and a relatively healthy start to the race, the cards were stacked against me.

The rain let loose around the start of the race and kept up for the first 3-4 miles, soaking every inch of my running gear.  In spite of some good splits in the first few miles I could already feel an odd pressure in my right leg - muscle fatigue - and I had a bad feeling that I would not be able to hold a BQ pace for very long.

Miles 5-9 departed the city streets and entered an open stretch of highway.  I was glad that the sun was not out; it would have cooked me early. The humidity was increasing with each mile but I stayed fairly consistent -  hugging the 7:10-7:20 mile pace right up through the re-entry into the city.  The one big mishap, however, came at mile 7 when I reached for my first GU packet and had it slip though my hand.  I had considered stopping to pick it back up but I decided against it after noticing the large pack of runners behind me.  I would have to try to find a way with only two gels instead of three.

The clouds partially gave way to a hazy atmosphere during miles 10-12.  It was on this stretch where I hot my first wall and recorded my first mile over eight minutes.  Desperate to ration my gel, I successfully took my first one on mile 11.  Miles 13-15 were very rough as I tried hard to recollect myself but I had no energy.  The first GU was only helping me to hold on by a thread.

Then there was mile 16 - the assault on Battery Hill.

I turned the corner to see the long ascent ahead of me.  At that moment I had thought about stopping there and dropping - I could not will myself to go any faster and I could only think of the damage this hill was going to do to me.  Then, I heard a wonderful thing.  The rhythmic pounding of the taiko drums perked me up like no amount of caffeine could.  It was like a rally for the defeated troops of my body.  Renewed by adrenaline, I fought up the hill, raising a fist-clenched arm to the drummers as I went by (as they shouted back - which bolstered me further).  For just a few minutes, I forgot what ailed me and conquered the hill.

I would carry the fleeting momentum through 17 and 18, but the endless labyrinth of streets could do nothing to maintain that energy.  I go through a park forest on the first part of 19 and cross the makeshift plywood bridge that kept us from the flooded muck of the ruined trail.

I slid -slightly- on one of the floorboards and my left calf muscle seized up.

The pain stops my running for a few moments as I walk it off.  After a couple minutes the pain gives way to a bit of soreness but I can resume running once again.  I hobble through miles 20-22 though I walk through each water stop and put considerable effort into running again.

As I approach the long bike path on 23, the sun fully emerges from a break in the clouds.  The air is set on fire and breathing slowly gets more difficult.  The aid station announced that 'condition red' is up as I run by (meaning unsafe conditions for running - one step down from calling off the remainder of the race).  I knew, however, that I had this last road to finish before I was done.  I made it over 22 miles in spite of almost giving up at several places.

This was the point of no return.  I needed to finish as long as I was physically capable of doing so.

The last 4 miles was a blur of hazy sun, shouting crowds, and broken racers.  It wasn't until I passed a muddy stretch of trail that I realized I was opening into Waterfront Park and was a half mile away from the finish.  I tried hard to push with anything I had in the tank and finally made it to the finish.  After getting out of the way, I laid down for over 20 minutes to let the pain subside enough to walk.

My disappointment was in the fact that I will likely not be running Boston 2012, as I still have yet to qualify for it. I did succeed in finishing when for the longest time it didn't look like I'd make it.  It's my third worst time (behind Hyannis and Sugarloaf 2008) but time was relative on a weekend that was clearly not the time for me to run my best.  The best thing for me to do at this point is to focus on the summer ahead and prepare for MDI after that.

Building Momentum

It's good to see that my times are still keeping up with 2010 but there's still a lot of room for improvement.  I'm looking forward to making May my turnaround month, both for weight and for mileage.

April 2010
Miles: 154.55
Average per week:  36.1
Races Run:  3
Race Miles:  35.5

April was an obvious big month for me but in the larger scheme of the 2011 running year it's just the middle of the first Marathon gauntlet I set for myself.  Combine that with a couple of smaller 5K's, the opening of the Back Cove series 5K, and warmer temps, this should be an even busier month in my running world.

Mother's Day:  Sea Dogs 5K
Sunday, May 8, 9AM
Hadlock Field, Portland, ME
Previous Times:  21:30 (2008), 20:23 (2010)

This is my third time running this in the last 4 years (I did not run it in 2009 due to scheduling conflicts with dance).  It's a very popular run, and it looks like they may hit the cap of 3,000 runners this year.  The course starts on the street outside Hadlock field and the majority of the course goes along Congress Street and down Brighton Avenue.

Mother's Day 5K Course Map

It's not a significant race for me other than a good gauge of how my 5K times are holding up in the midst of the longer races.

Sugarloaf  Vermont Marathon
In another break from the spring marathon tradition, I will not be running Sugarloaf.  There are a few reasons for this; the one most concerning to this blog is that I will instead be running a marathon on Memorial Day Weekend - the Vermont City Marathon.  There are pros and cons to running this, especially as a final chance to qualify for Boston 2012, but I am excited to take part.  Nestled in Burlington - one of the few bastions of civilization in Vermont - the race is very popular and has sold out already.  The route does loops around different parts of the city and features a few tough hills (notably mile 15 - the "Assault on Battery" hill) that will make this course a new challenge for me.  Though I'm a bit disappointed that I won't be running the marathon that qualified me, I will have a chance to find a new spot to accomplish the same thing.  I'll just have to really toe the line between aggression and smart running to get the sub 3:05 that I want to hit this year.  Otherwise, it's a long time to wait until April 2013...

Summer Preview
After Vermont is over, I can relax about marathons and take the summer to really put effort into the short and middle distances.  June will have a 10-miler, July a Half Marathon, and August will have a 5K or 10K every weekend.  The summer will round out with a fifth straight appearance at the Bangor Labor Day 5-miler.

No wonder why I'm stressing importance on having momentum now.  I'll need all of it to pull off a good running year.

My First Boston

Planning to get here was expected.  The sequence of events to actually get to the race and finish it were anything but.

The Day Before
Going into the Hynes Convention Center and the Boston Marathon Expo was quite the experience.  There was a good sense of how popular (and commercial) this race was.  I got my bib, a large swag bag, picked up an extra 'qualifier' shirt, and even picked up a free single-serving bottle of the delicious-tasting POM drink.  I took a quick stroll through most of the expo though not a lot was going on at that point.  I quickly got myself out of the city after leaving the Expo, ate a hearty dinner, and took an easy evening for mental preparation.

The Night Before
My 'delayed' planning and strained winter budget made booking a hotel room in Hopkinton (or Boston) next to impossible, so I decided to stay at my mother's in Eliot, ME and get to the start line first thing in the morning.  The night was spent on an air mattress, which was a stress test for my lower and middle back.  (In retrospect, the hotel would have been a better option and will be the choice for future Boston 26.2's.)  Even aside from the mattress issue, the night was uneasy and was spent tossing and turning a bit.  The nerves and excitement had finally set in.

The Morning Approach to Hopkinton
I left Eliot at 7:45, a little later than I had anticipated.  It turned out that I had greatly misjudged the time it would take to get to Hopkinton.  The entire time during the ride I was worried that I would not be able to get to the start line before the race and I would lose the opportunity to run Boston altogether.  Thankfully when I made it to the South St. lot I had arrived just when the last few shuttles were getting ready to take off toward the center of town.

Walk to the Start Line
The increasing commotion and packs of people looming ahead drew me into this trance as I walked through to the center of Hopkinton.  All the nerves went away and, crossing the 'runners only' line, replaced by a small feeling of euphoria.  I smiled and nodded to a large pack of runners filing in to their corrals ahead.  At the summit of the hill past Hopkinton center, I found corral #4 where my assigned bib number (3987) told me I should be.

The building that my corral was positioned beside.  The difference  between this picture and the scene on race day was about a thousand people.

T-25 minutes
I settled in with the other corralled runners - some nervous, some excited, most focused - and started my own mini ritual.  The trance was broken by the announcement of the elite runners approaching.  Ryan Hall, Robert Cheruiyot, Geoffrey Mutai...they were all there, in their own zone as the roars of cheers crashed harmlessly against them like water on stone.  After the exalted pack assembled in their own area, the droning of the announcer was eventually replaced by the U.S.A. National Anthem, then a throng of mumbles and occasional shouts of encouragement from start line spectators filled the time until the start pistol fired.  With very little buildup in the final seconds, the race had started.

First 5K:  21 minutes, 44 seconds
This first stretch felt like an eternity.  There was no road ahead; only the great river of runners as far as the road could be seen.  Pockets of spectators were cheering and clapping as much as they could as we went by.  Many runners were also using the quiet, wooded terrain to take a much-needed pit stop in the opening miles.  I had times of 7:10, 6:51, and 6:58 in the opening three miles - a little faster than I wanted.  Everything felt comfortable, if but a bit stiff from lack of proper warmup.

10K mark:  43 minutes, 56 seconds
I eased up in this next stretch and found a fairly comfortable pace as the race weaved through the historic towns along the route.  The sun was getting higher in the sky and shade was disappearing quickly.  It was at this point that I realized sunscreen would have been a good idea if the sun kept up its intensity.

15K mark:  1 hour, 6 minutes, 19 seconds
At this point my legs were loose and everything still felt great.  The stretch felt like forever, though, and for some reason everything felt like it blended together at this point.  I do remember that there were a lot of children on this stretch and I had probably hit more high-fives here than anywhere else in the race.

Half-Marathon:  1 hour, 34 minutes, 31 seconds
This was an interesting stretch.  The "Wellesley Girls" - effectively every female in the college who stayed around on that day - were there at mile 12, lined up on every inch of the road that ran along the campus.  Screams, cheers, and signs for kissing requests flooded the area.  Even for a mile after leaving the campus area, I could still hear the echo of the crowd back there.  It was a bit haunting, but all the cheering brought up some much-needed adrenaline that I carried through the half way point.

25K mark:  1 hour, 53 minutes, 5 seconds
This was a fairly flat stretch but the tough part was that there was practically no shade as the sun's intensity really bore down on me.  Around mile 15 or 16, I started using the water stops to douse my head and the back of my neck.  The sunburn was already forming but there wasn't much I could do about it.  I had ten long miles to endure it.  Thankfully, my energy level was higher than Hyannis or Eastern States, and the occasional gusts of tailwind helped bring a much-needed cooling sensation.

30K mark:  (approx. 2 hours, 18 minutes)
The flat terrain gradually turned back to the rolling hills that really hit runners hard at this stage.  In retrospect, I believe the hill at mile 18 is more challenging than Heartbreak Hill.  It was on this hill that I hit the wall.  I continued to hold on past this point but the challenge was quickly piling on.

35K mark:  2 hours, 43 minutes, 41 seconds
This was the Heartbreak Hill stretch - It was simultaneously the most grueling and most exciting part of the race.  I had hit the 20 mile mark at 2 hours, 28 minutes - ahead of my previous two long-distance races -which instilled me with enough momentum and adrenaline to tackle the great challenge ahead.  Throughout the hill were swarms of cheering and encouraging spectators as well as pavement marked all over with various chalk drawings.  It was almost magical.  I temporarily forgot about my issues at that point and surged to the top of the hill.  It was all coasting speed from this point - if I could hold on.

40K mark:  3 hours, 9 minutes, 37 seconds
A lot of this stretch was a downward slope to the harbor with high-rise apartments providing what little shade the route could afford.  The crowds steadily thickened past 21 with constant cheering as I approached the 40K mark. The Prudential building was in sight, as was the Citgo sign at the end of this segment.  I pushed my burnt, aching body through the streets of Boston as I thought of nothing but crossing under the big blue archway.

Finish mark:  3 hours, 21 minutes, 5 seconds
Somehow I found a way to surge forward.  Adrenaline kept my pace maintained as I fought through the last mile and a half.  The final turn at the Hynes Convention center marked 26 miles and the finish was, at last, in sight.  I don't remember much between that point and after the finish, but I did remember crossing the legendary finish line.

Post Race
My one gripe about the race was after the finish.  The extra long walks to each item - medals, blankets, water, Gatorade, bags, and meeting area - got me disoriented to the point where I had to be escorted to a medical tent for a few minutes to lay down and regain my senses.  Though I didn't feel too beat up approaching the finish, the dehydration, sunburn, painful legs, and short breath hit me all at once when the adrenaline washed away.  I had recovered - as I always do after a Marathon - in short order and I eventually met up with my family.

Post Marathon Thoughts
I was told that this race was a one-of-a-kind experience, and they were right.  I loved running it, and I can't wait to get the opportunity to do it again.  There will be changes to how I approach it and how to coordinate and prepare, but I want to be there.  It is definitely worth qualifying for.

Will I Run this Again?
The short answer:  yes, if I qualify again.  Since I did not qualify with this race, I have only one more clear shot to make it for next year - in Vermont at the end of May.  Beyond that, everything will have to be made in 3 hours, 5 minutes just to qualify.  With the tiered registration, I will likely only make it if I qualify by at least ten minutes.  So the real question is can I qualify in under 2 hours, 55 minutes?

It's just another challenge that I have accepted.  This race, like the other nine before it, is a stepping stone to that goal.

Wearing a medal with this logo is a feeling like no other.

A (Muted) Boston Anticipation

Less than 24 hours left.

This was a goal set years ago; even before I committed to running.  I wanted to run the Boston Marathon - and more importantly earn the right to run it - and now I have come to the moment when I set my first strides down the street in Hopkinton on a mission to land my Saucony-clad feet in the heart of Beantown.

It seems a bit ironic that I head into the final days with a bit of humility and light fanfare.

Don't get we wrong; I'm excited to take part in this.  I love the fact that I finally made it, that I can finally say "I qualified and ran in the Boston Marathon in my lifetime."  It's a great accomplishment for someone who was grossly overweight less than 6 years ago.

The personal reality is this:  as a runner, I've run a Marathon before.  Nine times, in fact.  This one is no longer than any of the others and may in fact be easier terrain than most of them.  In spite of the huge publicity for this race, it is just another 26.2 miles to run when I leave my corral at 10AM on Monday.

Perhaps it's the 'Maine runner' mentality to take races in stride with no real big to-do building up to the event.  A lot of us go into it that way.  Let others brag about our accomplishments - we'll just keep going forward with a slight nod to our own efforts if need be.

Though my recent self-dismantling at the Eastern States and my struggle to lose that little bit of weight I gained since the new year may or may not be factors, I believe that I would still have gone into this race with a bit of a subdued attitude even if I had exceeded my expectations so far in 2011.  I have set no real goals for this race other than to enjoy the experience that is the Boston Marathon.

And enjoy it, I shall.

The Windy Wall: Eastern States 2011 Results

Though I am now well into my fifth year of running, I am still learning from almost every race I run.  This one was no different - in fact the lessons may have been a bit rough this time around.

Eastern States Results

Overall Time:  2:30:33

Pace Per Mile: 7 minutes, 32 seconds

Overall Place:  65th

Age group finish:  36th (1-39 age group)

5-mile splits: 34:30, 37:31, 36:35, 41:57

This was one of those races where I felt great going into it and even started out ahead of my PR.  I nailed the first mile at 7:10, about exactly where I wanted it to be, then hovered around a 6:50 pace for the next 4 miles.  I had some bad side stitches briefly at mile 3 but worked through them as I weaved through the sheltered area of 1A.

Once exposed to the ocean at mile 6 the wind started to hammer down.  The west-northwest wind made that experience a little better than last year's bitter south wind.  The sun, however, teamed up and made for a perfect storm of dehydration that would become an increasing factor in the race.

I experienced side stitches again around 8 or 9, then again at 14.  This combined with a dull stomach ache through the majority of the run served me a hard lesson:  eat closer to the race.  The fact that I ate breakfast at 6:30 and didn't have anything else going into the race at 11:00 caused my body to lose energy fast after a certain point.  Though I would still run solidly through the next 8 miles, I felt myself already tapping into my energy reserves before I had hit the half way point.

Every time I turned away from the ocean - however brief the turn was - I hit the cold wind head-on and struggled through every step.  The water stops were my salvation, but they were a little far apart for comfort.  Save for the last two stops, every station was 3 1/2 miles apart.  This would make matters worse for me.

The runner's wall came hard.  I started to fall apart at 13 but tried to hold it together until the aid station at mile 15.  It was a vain effort, made worse by the gel packet that wouldn't open for me.  My plan was to use the packet and try to salvage the energy from that and finish strong.  In spite of my effort to rip the packet open with my teeth, I couldn't get it to budge, and I hurled it into the nearby trash bin in frustration.  I was going to have to fight through the last 5 miles with practically nothing in the tank.

I haven't felt that bad over miles 15-20 since my first Marathon.  Every mile was a battle that got worse as I got closer to Massachusetts. I tried to extend my stride but surges were very brief and only served to slow me down more after the surge ended.  Miles 19 and 20 were a little scary. I started to feel lightheaded and began to get a little dizzy in the last several hundred meters.  I almost didn't think I would make it.  Somehow I managed to collect myself enough to push to the finish. 

It was an ugly race, but at least I got to the end unassisted.  I forced myself to keep walking to the bus that would cart be back to my car.  I got the drink out of my gym bag that was stored on the bus and downed its contents pretty quickly.

It was then that I realized how horrible the new Vitamin Water Zero drinks taste when I'm dehydrated.  I let out almost everything I had just consumed and it left an awful aftertaste that took a long time to get out.  Luckily someone nearby had a bottle of Poland Springs for me to have.  Water is better.

I didn't even come close to any sort of PR, but I can take some harsh lessons from this race and make sure I don't repeat them in Boston.  

Eastern States 2011

Before spring finally arrives, bringing its rising temperatures, gentle winds, and greener grass, the cold bite of winter takes one more rip out of us.  Funny that it always seems to fall on the last weekend in March, just in time for a long coastal race.


I went back and forth a lot on the decision to run this.  With a lot of commitments outside of running over the next month, I could have easily skipped this one and might have been okay.  Beyond that, this year puts the race in between the Hyannis and Boston Marathons.  Counting the Brian Boru 5K, that's over 75 miles of road races in 7 weeks, which is unprecedented from a personal standpoint.  (If you count the Sugarloaf Marathon and the Orrington 10k over the following month, that's about 110 miles of racing in 11 weeks.)  This goes above and beyond any pace I had set for myself at this point, so what impact this will have on my legs will be unknown.


None of this really scares me, though.  In fact, I'm excited to have this opportunity to not only run Boston, but to push myself beyond my previous limits and possibly hit a sub-3-hour marathon.  It's a big part of why I decided to commit to this.


Date:  Sunday, March 27
Time: 11AM

Start Location:  Kittery, ME

Finish Location  Salisbury Beach, MA

Course Map:  http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=342214


After a couple of years of various construction projects, the race is back to its original course - nearly the entirety of it runs along route 1A.  It's flat, it's wide open, and it's well-marked.  What makes this course a challenge is - like Hyannis - the weather.  Though it's spring officially, winter hasn't quite left most of northern New England yet.  There's always a strong wind off the Atlantic at this time of year and the forecast calls for exactly that.  At least the sun will be out to provide a small amount of warmth.


After tomorrow, there will be three weeks separating me from my first ever Boston run.  I'd love to go into it with some confidence and momentum.

My top five 20-mile races:
2:21:01 - Sugarloaf Marathon, 20-mile split, 2010
2:25:13 - Sugarloaf Marathon, 20-mile split, 2009
2:25:56 - Eastern States 20-miler, 2010
2:26:31 - Somesville 20-miler, 2010
2:26:53 - Eastern States 20-miler, 2009

To beat the Eastern States PR shouldn't be too much of a hassle provided everything goes well.  To get an overall PR would be great, and from what I've run so far this year, it's definitely doable.  I'll know for sure in less than 24 hours.

Hyannis, Year 4

Overall Time:  3:27:04
Pace Per Mile: 7 minutes, 54 seconds
Overall Place/Finishers:  51/358
Age Group Place/Finishers:  21/56
Place among ME runners:  2nd

Splits:  36:02 (1-5)  37:13 (6-10)  37:25 (11-15)  39:50 (16-20)  56:34 (21-26.2)

I could have taken a lot of negatives from this race but the goals were simple:  beat my best time for the course or, failing that, just complete the race.  My primary goal was achieved.

Conditions were dismal - low 30s and wet snow, with wind picking up by the second loop.  I took a gamble and nixed the gloves - that was a mistake.  The first 3 miles were a struggle to ignore my chapped, half-frozen hands while gauging my optimal pace.  Luckily my body warmed up enough to ease the discomfort, at least for the time being.

I paced comfortably between 7:15-7:30 for the majority of the race (though I was sub-7:15 for 4 of the first 5 miles).  This worked well until my legs started to stiffen up around mile 16 and I gradually lost momentum.  Until that point I had managed to pace under 7:30 which was ahead of my own projections, but I was thankful that I stayed ahead of them to that point because of the wall I would hit at mile 18.  I recorded 7:37, 7:40 for 16 and 17 and 8:20 for 18 and 19.  A surge of adrenaline got me a 7:53 for 20 but that was all I had for sub-8 running for the remainder of the race.  I even recorded a 10-minute-plus mile at 25.  At least the last .2 was clocked at a respectable 1:40 - a low-8 pace - and I was able to finish well under the 3 hour, 30 minute mark.

I can take a lot of things from this race.  First, wear gloves to a Marathon with sub-freezing temperatures, even if there's no precipitation.  I'm probably lucky I didn't suffer frostbite damage to my hands.  Second, my fitness overall is better than it has been in previous Hyannis marathons in spite of my running struggles this time of year.  This is a good sign for Sugarloaf and Boston.  Third, I'm grateful for people I know to help me out post-race this year. I went alone for 2008 and 2009 but if I had gone alone this year, I might have had some issues getting back to my vehicle post-race (mostly because of being under-dressed when my body temperature dropped back down).  Fourth, a successful Hyannis run is a perfect foundation to build momentum into spring.  With this year being more active than ever for races, I'll need all the self-motivation I can get.

Seven weeks separate Hyannis from Boston.  That means I'll need to pull all the positives out of the race and put everything back together in quick order.

Blessings in Disguise

The postponement of the 2011 Mid-Winter Classic was a moderate disappointment.  Though I missed the 2009 version, it became the staple of my Hyannis Marathon.  I enjoyed running this race even if the conditions were less than ideal.  To make things worse, the rescheduled date landed exactly on the day of Hyannis which makes a pretty obvious scheduling conflict.

What it did do, however, is inspire me to run a lot of miles over Saturday and Sunday, something I would not have done otherwise. This helped fix the dilemma of my mileage for the week and (at least with Sunday's run) helped to acclimate my legs for 2-hour-plus running.  In a time where my average weekly mileage since last October has slumped slightly below 40 miles, every run I can do will only help me get back to a more competitive situation.

Without my usual 10- and 20-mile races for February, my endurance tests pre-Hyannis will be lacking.  I'll have one race - Somesville 10-miler - to run, though only 7 days before the Marathon, making it effectively useless for conditioning at that stage.   The inconsistent weight and mileage could pose a small problem, at least on the surface.

Will it be a major issue, though?  I doubt it will to be honest.  I don't put a lot of stake into my finishing time for Hyannis.  The Cape Cod weather in February is far too unpredictable, as is my health (fever/flu at the 2010 edition).  Will I aim to to PR?  Without a doubt.  These times don't intimidate me too much:

2008 - 4:42:35
2009 - 3:32:03
2010 - 3:45:34

Who knows?  Maybe the incidents that caused these 'little problems' to show up will turn out in my favor.  We'll know in 20 days.

Resolution Made, Five Years Ago

Here we are, past the half-way point in the first month of 2011.  January is used as a month of renewal for a lot of people as they start their resolutions.  By now, however, quite a few have already broken them or have just plain given up.  Maybe it's the cold weather, maybe it's just the desire to wind down after a hectic holiday season, or maybe it's just the inability to get a proper routine going that would promote said resolution.

Five years ago, in January 2006, I made a resolution that was very difficult to get off the ground but I stuck to it.  As expected, progress was slow.  I made small adjustments here and there to inch toward my first goal.  I never saw the results early on, and there were stretches where I just wanted to stop the forward progress because of it.  I carried on, though, and just took everything day by day until I finally started noticing differences.  They were small, and I knew I needed something more than 'adjustments' to break out of it.

Those first 10 months were still off-and-on but it wasn't until October 2006, on the relentless advice of a co-worker who would become my mentor, that I started something that I eventually held on to. It because a cornerstone of my health, body, and lifestyle.  I don't think I really need to say what it is - you likely know if you're reading this blog.

Of course at that point, I did not really expect it to make a lot of difference.  I was slow, distances were short, my lungs ached and burned as well as my legs, especially the knees. I ran outdoors in the Maine winter for some of the first 6 months which made it harder for my willpower to fight myself.  I had on more layers of clothing than I think I've ever put on at once and ran in shoes that had no ability to support my feet.  I got smirks, laughs, and even name-calls as I shuffled back and forth on the 1+ - mile stretch of road that I would jog, walk, then jog again.

Starting in the dead of winter, however, was a great blessing in disguise.  Once the longer days brought warmer temperatures the desire to run outside became greater.  Layers came off and goals were met faster.  By June and July of 2007, I was nearly completing 4 miles without walking and my diet had changed dramatically from when I first began.  Pounds slid off like the sweat of a run in an 80-degree summer morning.  Just before my 28th birthday, I finally hit my goal of completing a running loop around my home without stopping.  I was then entered into a road race.  That's when my life turned a corner for good.

Sometimes resolutions are small, only met in a small burst and winked out just as fast.  Sometimes they're impossible to keep; the result of a wild dream in the haze of New Year's champagne.  Rare are the slow-burning, tortoise-like goals that can be sustained not for days or weeks, but months to years (and even lifetimes).  I'm glad I listened to that little voice that said to me:  "It will eventually pay off."

2010 Review: Races and PRs

Total Races:  37* (31)
Race Wins:  1
Top 3 Finishes:  3

Races Run:

January Thaw - 4.5 mi – 1/16 – 30:03 – 6:41

Mid-winter classic – 10mi – 2/7 - 1:08:36 – 6:52

Somesville – 20mi – 2/14 - 2:26:31 – 7:20

Hyannis – 26.2mi – 2/28 - 3:45:34 – 8:37

Road Rover – 5K – 3/7 - 21:12 – 6:50

Eastern States – 20mi - 3/28 – 2:25:56 – 7:18

Unity Spring – 5K – 4/17 - 18:52 – 6:04

Patriot's Day – 5mi – 4/18 – 32:35 – 6:31

Orrington – 10K – 5/1 – 40:30 – 6:30

Sea Dogs Mother's Day – 5K - 5/9 – 20:23 – 6:33

Sugarloaf – 26.2mi – 5/16 – 3:08:21 – 7:11

Cumberland Memorial – 1mi – 5/31 – 5:25

Back Cove – 5K – 6/2 – 19:56 – 6:25*

Peter Ott's – 10K – 6/6 – 41:47 – 6:42

Back Cove – 5K – 6/9 – 19:52 – 6:24*

Back Cove – 5K – 6/16 – 20:23 – 6:33*

Hampden Father's Day – 8.5mi – 6/20 – 1:00:28 – 7:07

Tour du Lac – 10mi – 6/26 – 1:07:55 – 6:48

Thomaston Firecracker – 5K – 7/3 – 20:29 – 6:35

LL Bean – 10K – 7/4 – 44:32 – 7:09

Back Cove – 5K – 7/7 – 20:49 – 6:42*

Back Cove – 5K – 7/14 – 20:20 – 6:32*

Yarmouth Clam Festival – 5mi – 7/17 - 33:43 – 6:45

Bucksport Bay Festival – 5K – 7/24 - 18:45 – 6:02

Back Cove – 5K – 20:31 – 7/28 - 6:36*

Beach 2 Beacon – 10K – 8/7 – 40:17 – 6:28

St. Peter's – 4mi – 8/13 – 25:58 – 6:30

Westport Shore Run – 10K – 8/22 – 42:50 – 6:53 (3^rd)

Run With the Falcons – 5K – 8/29 – 19:48 – 6:20 (1^st)

Bangor Labor Day – 5mi – 9/6 – 33:42 – 6:44

Dan Cardillo – 5K – 9/12 – 19:37 – 6:18

Safe Passage – 5K – 9/25 – 19:27 – 6:15 (2^nd)

Maine Half Marathon – 13.1mi – 10/3 – 1:28:36 – 6:45

Physical Therapy – 8K – 10/17 – 32:11 – 6:28

Cape Elizabeth Turkey Trot – 5K – 11/21 – 19:30 – 6:16

Portland Thanksgiving – 4mi – 11/25 – 25:51 – 6:28

Epic Finale – 5K – 12/26 – 19:57 – 6:25

* - Back Cove 5K races are technically counted as tempo runs for me in my running log.  I often ran these with slightly less effort than most 5K races.

Personal Records This Year:

5K - 18:45 (6:02/mi)

4mi - 25:51 (6:28/mi)

10K - 40:17 (6:28/mi)

10mi - 1:07:55 (6:48/mi)

13.1mi - 1:28:36 (6:45/mi)

20mi - 2:21:01 (7:03/mi)**

26.2mi - 3:08:21 (7:11/mi)

**  - My fastest in a 20-mile race was at Eastern States, but the 2:21:01 time was achieved after 20 miles of running at the Sugarloaf Marathon, which technically counts as a PR for the distance.

2011 Marathon Schedule

2010 was a light year for running Marathons - I had run one less than my totals in 08 and 09 - but it was a successful year overall.  I set PR's in all distances but the 1-mile and 5-mile lengths, won a 5K (placed second and third in two others), and qualified for the Boston Marathon.  Even if I had accomplished all the other goals, the BM goal was the one achievement I have been striving for pretty much since I started running.  Now that the goal has been reached, I can start taking my running to the next level.

2011 will make up for the light Marathon running done this year as I have scheduled for myself five 26.2-mile races.  Two are very familiar, and three will be all-new.  (One of them should be obvious.)  Here they are, in chronological order:


Hyannis Marathon
Sunday, February 27, 10AM
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Number of times raced:  3
Best Finishing Time:  3:32:03 (2009)
Course Map

In spite of wild weather on the Cape in late February, I just can't stay away from the first place I ever ran a Marathon distance.  The terrain is mostly flat and the scenery is pleasant with the right balance of supporters and open places.  Winter Marathon running guarantees that you won't overheat outdoors as the temps almost never break 50 degrees.

Last year's run was not completely disastrous but I suffered through most of the second half of the race.  Stricken with fever and fatigue, it took me nearly 2 dismal hours to get through the last 12 miles of the race and I finished around the 3:45 mark.


Boston Marathon
Monday, April 18, 10AM
Hopkinton to Boston, Massachusetts
Course Map

"Finally made it, Ma.  Top of the world."

I can't describe enough how good it feels to finally be marking this date in my Calendar for racing purposes.  Every step of the way here has been marked with challenges and I'll likely continue with more challenges before setting foot in Hopkinton.  There will be a lot of factors that will affect my performance here - unpredictable weather, lodging conditions the night before, ability to weave through runners, distractions from the huge crowds of spectators -  but my biggest goal is to enjoy the experience.  This is one of the most coveted races in the world and I'm finally a part of it.


Sugarloaf Marathon
Sunday, May 15, 7AM
Eustis to Kingfield, ME (Route 27)
Number of Times Raced:  3
Best Finishing Time:  3:08:21 (2010)
Course Map

Like Hyannis, I can't stay away from this one - though for a slightly different set of reasons.  Not only is this one of the best courses for me to run, it is the one that qualified me for Boston.  There's something about the terrain and weather that makes it nearly perfect.

This year, the goal will be set more aggressively:  finish in under 3 hours.  If I have a chance in any 2011 course it'll be here.


MDI Marathon
Sunday, October 16, 8AM
Bar Harbor to Southwest Harbor, Maine
Course Map

This is a race I've set my sights for since I started running Marathons regularly.  This is easily the toughest of the 5 courses to run this year, but I am really looking forward to it.  I really do not have a goal set (yet) other than to finish and enjoy the scenery.

Elevation Map and Comparison to Boston

Philadelphia Marathon
Sunday, November 20, 7AM
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Course Map

There is a lot of time to study and strategize this course so there aren't many details yet.  The biggest reason for this run is not necessarily for the Marathon itself but for what I'll be doing after I reach the finish line.  The hint is in the picture below:

Da-daaa-duuuuuuuuuuuun... da-daaa-duuuuuuuuuuuuun...

...I think it'll be a great way to wrap up the Marathon year.

Burnout - PT 8K Results

Missing a personal best time it isn't necessarily a loss as much as it is a learning experience, trying to factor in all internal and external conditions to see what one could learn from and overcome next time.  Missing it by a mere 1 or 2 secods, however, can be frustrating.  Especially knowing that one or two adjustments could have made all the difference..

Overall time:  32:11
Overall Finish:  13th
Pace per mile:  6:28.5
Age Group Finish:  4th
Splits:  6:06, 6:06, 6:18, 7:02, 6:39

It's pretty obvious by the split times where I fell off.  I hit stomach cramps hard on the 4th mile and struggled to recover before the final approach to the finish line.  I pin a lot of this on running out just a bit too hard, and part of it to not being able to push through the pain and discomfort on the vital stretch of the race.  The terrain was flat, but I think that might have made me a bit overconfident.  I paced it like a shorter race - which showed as I was crossed the 5K mark at roughly 19 minutes flat before falling off.

With no single-mile and 5-mile races left for the year (in Maine anyway), my attempt to PR every major distance this year will come up a little short.  Disappointed? A bit.  Discouraged?  Not at all.  I'll make every effort next year to PR them all.

8K = 5 miles = Last Chance to PR in 2010

In spite of my failure to achieve my sub-180 weight so far this year (the last time I was at that weight was about two years ago), I look back and see that I've probably had my best running year yet.  I've set personal bests in all major course lengths save for two.  This Sunday may be the last chance to break my personal best in one of those lengths.

Physical Therapy 8K

Sunday, October 17 @ 9AM

Course Length:  8 kilometers (4.97 miles)

Personal Course best:  N/A

8K/5-mile best:  32:20

Granted, the 8K isn't exactly 5 miles, but the small distance left shouldn't be an issue if I'm on the top of my game.  Calculating my pace in my best 5-miler (6:28/mile), I would need to finish better than 32:09.  Given the way I've been running over the past couple months, all it should take is some good weather and a fairly favorable course.  We'll see what happens on Sunday.

Meeting Expectations - Maine (Half) Marathon Results

Everything in this was what I planned to have happen - a clear, cool, dry day, legs felt 100% ready to go, and my goal to break 1 hour, 30 minutes was met with relative ease.  This in itself is a rare event.

Overall Time:  1:28:36

Overall Finish:  54th (out of 2,030)

Pace Per Mile:  6:45

Age Group Finish: 8th (out of 106)

The only monkey wrench I had in my plan was the allergies that had kicked in this past week.  Through part of the run, my sinuses swelled up to the point where I was sniffling and one of my eyes started to shed tears.  Oddly enough it straightened out and it never really affected my race performance at all.

Miles 1-5

Splits:  7:00, 6:39, 6:50, 6:47, 6:50

Split total:  34:06

I started out going slow, though not by choice.  Even though I wasn't far from the start, there were many runners up to the front that were not going fast at all.  (I am really starting to like the pace markers at the larger road races because of this.)  I knew this course so well, however, and when I weaved my way to the left edge of the road I had a narrow slit that allowed be to leapfrog dozens - perhaps hundreds - of runners.  I was still gaining momentum after the first mile and by the time I turned on to route 1, I had found a comfortable pace.  At that point my goal was to just maintain this pace until the end.

Miles 6-10

Splits:  6:56, 6:51, 6:45, 6:41, 6:43 

Split total: 33:56

Overall:  1:08:02

Miles 5 through 8 were on route 88, the road that had the dreaded rolling hills.  In the Marathon leg, this terrain would wear down on me and beat me up.  Luckily I only stayed on this road for a few miles, turning around after the first major up and down hill.  Once I passed back on that hill, I extended my stride a bit and started to take the race with a bit more aggression.  On mile 9 I had approached a guy running the half and we proceeded to make conversation through the next few miles.  I tend to be pretty antisocial during a race but the talk was welcome and we helped each other keep up a stronger pace than what we've been doing.

Miles 11-13.1

Splits:  6:40, 6:40, 6:40, :34(~6:40)

Split total:  20:34

Overall:  1:28:36

I hit a harder pace than what I originally intended but I was determined to keep it up.  (What I didn't realize was that I had a 5K at such an even pace - only when I looked through my splits after the race did I notice I had done that.)  I broke away from the other runner as soon as we turned to the Back Cove and defied my tired legs.  The most interesting part was that I was passing runners on every mile from start to finish.  No one passed me after 4 miles.  

I was happy with my finish.  This is a very familiar course to me now - my 4th visit to this race - but this was my first half marathon in over 2 years.  I never had any doubt that I could finish it, but I always try to prepare for the unexpected.

Lucky for me, the unexpected never happened.  It was a solid, complete race.