1 week to go

I will explain the logic and method to my taper on Monday. Today’s offering will simply be an outline of the penultimate week of training before the Harrisburg Marathon on Nov. 12.

Like I wrote last week, I was not going to run 100 miles or even 90 miles two weeks out. Instead I did 88.4 miles, which makes me feel like a slacker following 14 straight 100-mile weeks.

Anyway, here’s me dialing it down:

Monday
21 miles in 2:17:08
Ran the last four miles in 23:01. The course was hilly and the effort wasn't all out, but it definitely was work. Either way, I did OK for 17 miles even though my there was something swooshing around in my stomach.

Tuesday
14.3 miles in 1:37:28
Time to dial it back.

Wednesday
10 miles in 64:30
Didn't think I was going as fast as I was, but you know...

Thursday
10 miles in 64:43
Ho-hum.

Friday
10 miles in 68:28
Stomach was a little upset and my right hip and left hamstring were achy, but the run was pretty easy.

Saturday
6 miles warmup and cool down – 5k race in 16:23.
16:23 is pretty good for me. The pace felt easy and I imagine that I could have gone faster. I would have been happy with anything under 17 because of the marathon-training mileage. Either way, it appears as if I'm in shape. I won my age group by more than 2 minutes and came in sixth place overall.

Sunday
14 miles in 1:35:26
A nice easy run despite some discomfort with my stomach. After learning that stomach issues messed up Meb Keflezighi and Alan Culpepper in New York today, I have to be very, very careful with what I eat this week. Nonetheless, the run was easy and uneventful. It would have been much more fun if my stomach was better.

Oh no, not this again...

I hate racing.

Let me rephrase that. I hate racism, ignorance, poverty, diseases and war. I dislike racing. The early mornings, the stress, the other runners and the pain… who needs it?

Nevertheless, racing is the best way I know to gauge my fitness and with the marathon set for next Sunday, knowing if I’m in shape or not is a good thing. Plus, a decent run can do wonders for one’s confidence. In fact, I remember the 5-mile race a week before the ’98 Boston Marathon that sent my confidence soaring so high that I strutted around like a peacock for weeks.

Regardless, I have outgrown that arrogance, at least as far as running is concerned. These days I save my peacock struts for other things like good zingers in the press dining room. Since most people don’t know what a good 5k time is, what’s the point in acting like a jerk?

That doesn’t mean that I didn’t want to run well on Saturday. And after a 16:23.14 for sixth place in the Manheim Township 5k (or whatever it’s called) and first in the 30-to-39 age group by more than two minutes, I’m as good (relative term) as I thought I was.

If I don’t run between 2:36 and 2:39 next Sunday it’s my own damn fault.

Anyway, the thing I most dislike about racing is the fact that I can’t remember a single race that I have ever run where I didn’t want to quit. In every single race there comes a time where I want to calmly step off the course, turn around and walk slowly back to my car. Once there, I get in, turn the key, drive away and never look back. It’s inevitable.

Fortunately, I have never done it. Good or bad, I have finished every race, though there was the one time in 1998 where the cramps were so crippling that I stopped running and walked/jogged it back in while feeling sorry for myself the entire time.

You know, because that 12k was just so important.

On Saturday that feeling came less than a mile into the race, but only because it looked as if I passed a convenient place to stop. After all, I reasoned, my car was nearby and I could always blame my achy hamstring since I had been complaining about it most of the morning. When my wife asked me how I felt before the race, I said, "My stomach feels OK, but my hamstring is a little achy... "

When talking to local running legend Mark Amway at the starting line about how we felt, I mentioned that my hamstrings were older than my age.

"If only there were such a thing as hamstring transplants," I joked.

Wait... is there such a thing? Can I get two new ones, please?

Regardless, it’s always good to have a built in excuse.

But once the gun sounded to start the race, my hamstring didn’t hurt. I wasn’t injured and the pace didn’t feel too tremendously taxing. Actually, the 5:20ish pace through the first mile was pretty comfortable. Just like the 10:40ish split through two miles. The problem was that I just didn’t have one extra gear to catch the leaders, who remained in sight the entire race but were probably averaging 5-minutes per mile compared to my 5:17. Perhaps when the marathon training is completed and I start to race a few 5k and 10ks, I will be able to catch them.

Wait… did I just say I was going to start racing?

Well, that’s the plan. After next week’s marathon I’m going to pare down the training a bit and see if I can run some fast times in other distances. Then, when January rolls around, I’ll start thinking about another marathon for the spring.

That’s the plan, anyway.

Back to the race – the course was flat and on the roads around the township’s golf course, pool, dog park, skate park and roller-skating barn. The area is wide open -- as golf courses are wont to be – and a loop course, which led me to believe that the wind was going to be a factor. But despite the temperatures in the high 30s, the wind didn’t really bother me. Oh sure, I wore gloves, a headband and a Nike compression shirt (you know, to show off my 4-pack), but after working up a lather during my 30-minute warm up, I was comfortable. When the breeze licked my face on the way back just about halfway through, it actually felt kind of refreshing.

It was also refreshing not to be out in no-man’s land, too. Though the top two finishers were unreachable, I ran in a pack of four or five runners strung out over five seconds from front to back. That fact helped carry me through after my initial desire to quit. It also got me from the second mile to the finish line in 5:43.

I didn’t glance at my watch at all, though, and had no idea how fast or slow I was going until the clock at the finish line came into view. With a modest goal of running better than 17 minutes, I felt very satisfied when the clock showed 15:30 with a little less than a quarter-mile to go.

Better yet, it was even more satisfying to see my wife and son cheering from the sidelines as I brought it home. My wife appeared just as pleased with the finishing time, while my son was just happy to see his daddy.

“Are you alright?” he asked afterwards.

“Yes I am, big boy.”

Running nugget
The New Yorkers are gearing up for tomorrow’s big race and seem to be excited about the strong American field. John Brant, author of the appeasing A Duel in the Sun about Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley’s race in the 1982 Boston Marathon, examines the prospects for an American breakthrough.

Speaking of running books, I’m reading A Clear, Cold Day, which is a biography of marathon trailblazer Buddy Edelen. A lawyer named Frank Murphy wrote it, and, frankly, he writes like a lawyer. It’s a good book for people who want to read about training methods and racing in the days before the running boom, but it’s a bad book for people who like good writing.

Cautious confidence

The end of a training period is always a bittersweet time. There is that sense of relief of reaching the race intact and without too much wear and tear. In most cases, when I blocked out some time to train properly, the last two weeks before the race are relaxing for everything but my mind.

The head games are where the stress is. Did I train enough? Did I do the proper workouts? What about the weather? Do I have the right clothes to wear? Should I be a little more aggressive during the first half?

And of course, can I do this?

Other than that, taper time is a vacation. A working, productive vacation.

At the same time, the day after the race I always get that hollow feeling of, “OK, now what?”

“Now what” is tricky. A lot of what the next race or goal should be depends on what happens in the race, which is the position I’m in. I know what I want to do if I exceed my goal time and standing in the race – you know, the best-case scenario.

But then the worst-case scenario is always out there. That’s the part I’m not thinking about right now. Oh sure, if things just blow up and go straight to hell, there are a few races I could jump in over the following weeks, but that’s kind of extreme.

If it turns out that I’m just not very good, we have to reevaluate all of this.

So that’s where we are after Thursday’s 10-miler in 64:43. Call it cautious confidence.

Nevertheless, if there is some relief it’s from the compliments and the good wishes from the folks at the office. There’s nothing like a little ego stroking to make a person feel better about themselves.

Running (NYC) nugget
* Lance Armstrong has his rabbits. Now let’s see him go to work.

* Apparently, the marathon isn’t for plodders any more.

* I only run with my iPod when I don’t need to focus or concentrate. However, some people use that kind of stuff all the time.

Put that down

I ran with my iPod today, which can count as weight training for me. Though the little computer weighs just a few ounces, it's the most amount of weight I've carried around aside from lugging a 2½-year-old boy.

Weight training and I just don’t mix. Oh, I used to do it quite a bit back in the old days when I was younger and faster. Even this year I did pushups pretty religiously as part of my “jail house” workout. The way I figured it, my arms were moving just as much as my legs – I ought to make them strong, too.

Right?

Not anymore.

My new reluctance to lift weights and do pushups didn’t come because of some scientific evidence I read in a medical journal or something found in one of the ubiquitous Runner’s World stories about being fit that seem to be recycled from month to month. The reason is because of an interview I read a few months ago with Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong, as most people know, is a bit of a runner these days. He should be in the final days of his taper before Sunday’s New York City Marathon, but had a little bit of success as a cyclist for a few years before retiring from the sport after the 2005 Tour de France.

So what did Armstrong reveal in the interview that made me turn my dumbbells into some odd-looking furniture?

He said he didn’t lift weights.

Of course that might have changed these days. Armstrong looks pretty fit and strong on the cover of a few magazines from the past couple of months. But when he was winning the seven Tour de France races in a row, Armstrong said he never touched a weight or even thought about doing a pushup. Pushups equal muscle and muscle equals weight and weight equals slow.

Slow is no good.

Here’s the quote from the November 2006 issue of Runner’s World… wait didn’t I just make fun of that magazine? Well… never mind. Here’s Lance:

“When I rode I couldn’t do a pushup, because immediately I would have put on muscle. But I decided I don’t want to do that anymore. I’d rather have a full-body workout. So I’ve definitely put on weight, a lot of upper-body muscle weight.”

In the same interview, Armstrong reveals his taste for beer, wine and margaritas (Hey! Me too!) as well as a competitive cyclist’s penchant for big eating and for starving themselves.

“It sucks,” he said.

So that’s why I stopped lifting weights. Honestly, I can’t tell a difference between now and then in terms of my fitness although these days I don’t have pipes for arms. I have pipe cleaners.

As far as cross-training goes, I try to walk places instead of driving. When I was younger and poorer I walked and rode my bike everywhere. Something as simple as that definitely made a difference in my training and fitness. I also do sit-ups like crazy and have noticed a big difference since I started doing my sit-ups and crunches on a big fitness ball I bought in the summer.

My stretching is still sporadic and not very intense, though I think I make up for that with the weekly ART sessions. I kind of enjoy doing a basic yoga routine when I can – I have my own mat and strap and everything -- but lately I have been inconsistent with that, too.

Now that I’m starting the taper, I suppose I’ll be more consistent with the yoga.

Did I mention the taper? Yeah, I started it today. After beating myself up on Monday and running hard for too long on Tuesday, I ran just 10 miles in 64:30 on Wednesday. I did the entire run on the grass at Baker Field, which is where I plan on doing all of my runs for the next 10 days to lessen the pounding and wear and tear on my legs. I also didn’t think I was going as fast as the time indicates, but there’s nothing I can do about that.

Either I’m faster or the loops are shorter.

Shoe geek
On CNN this week, I saw photos of Castro wearing Adidas gear. Nike may have some questionable labor issues in third-world countries, but at least a brutal dictator isn’t strolling around wearing Air Jordans.

Right?

Running nugget
Stefano Baldini is the defending Olympic and World Championship champ and is running the New York City Marathon this Sunday. Here’s an interview with Baldini on the Men’s Racing site where he discusses his training with Exton, Pa’s Duncan Larkin.

Play list
Here are the songs that made it from beginning to end on my iPod during today’s easy 10-miler:

Please – U2
Touch the Sky – Kanye West
3 MC’s & 1 DJ (Live video version) – Beastie Boys
Starve – Rollins Band
Piss-Bottle Man – Mike Watt
The Wait – Metallica
Loretta’s Scars – Pavement
Debaser – Pixies
I Got You – Split Enz
Jerry Was a Race Car Driver – Primus
What’s My Name – DMX
Pretty in Pink – Social Distortion
Numb/Encore – Jay-Z/Linkin Park
You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar… - Queens of the Stoneage
One-Armed Scissor – At the Drive-In
Androgynous Mind – Sonic Youth

Come and get me

In the August 2006 issue of Outside magazine, Marc Peruzzi wrote that the hard part about living and training in Boulder, Colorado was the competition during workouts.

In most American towns, outdoor-sports aficionados are part of an elite counterculture minority. Mountain bikers and climbers have cachet. Not so in Boulder. Recreating outdoors is the norm here, and it's in your face. There's always some horse-toothed mountain-town equivalent of Laird Hamilton ready to kick your athletic pride through the dirt. Remember the 2005 Tour, when T-Mobile kept attacking Discovery, trying to break Lance? That's what a casual bike ride is like in Boulder. Strangers attack. Old guys with gray beards and steel bikes attack. Reach for a shot of Gu and even your friends attack. And women: Women always attack—they're the worst.

Even slow guys like me attack. The other day I was reeling in a pro cyclist on a brutal local climb. My heart rate was near its max, but I was feeling good. I was in the zone. Maybe four years of living in Boulder have paid some fitness dividends, I thought.
Then I figured it out: He's between intervals, and once his heart rate drops below 65 bpm, he's gone. At least he said "No offense" before he accelerated.

It doesn't matter what sport you do; you will suffer similar humiliation. Go nordic skiing in North Boulder Park and two Olympians shout "Track!" from a meter back. Climb the Flatirons only to learn that someone once ascended in Rollerblades. Get Maytagged in a hole while paddling Boulder Creek and a World Cup champion slalom kayaker will toss you a rope bag. Running? Not me, not in Boulder. Boulderites run like gazelles. Fancy yourself a mountaineer? The waiters at Sherpa's have summited Everest. But at least those guys are nice. If Reinhold Messner himself walked into south Boulder's mountaineering shop to buy a carabiner, the sales staff would give him attitude. It's enough to make you revolt against the blue sky (300 sunny days a year), pull down the blinds, and watch NASCAR.

I’m here to report that it just isn’t Boulder where this phenomenon occurs. It happens in the sleepy School Lane Hills area on Lancaster, Pa., too. Trust me, I know. Just when you are cruising along without a care in the world on an easy day, satisfied to barely break a sweat with a string of 7-minute miles with no other goals other than to get some work in, some jackass ruins it.

It’s such a pain.

During today’s recovery run after yesterday’s hard 21-miler, a woman with thighs like Erma Bombeck and a stride like Oprah as well as a college kid with Kobe shorts made runs at me. Whenever I came within sight on my loops around Baker Field, these folks lifted the knees a little higher, and pumped the arms a little faster all with the hope of taking a shot at me.

Needless to say I didn’t let it happen, which makes me wonder if I’m the one with the problem. Why can’t I just let those people go? Who cares if they run with me for a little while until they get tired and fall back? Who cares if they pass me?

Obviously, it’s me.

Simply looking to get some miles in at whatever pace felt good, I ended up running solid 6:15 pace for seven miles.

Why?

Because I didn’t want a housewife to get the idea that she was in my league? Because I wanted to teach some college punk that he needed to do some more work?

How arrogant.

Tuesday was not the first time this has happened. In fact, it’s quite routine. During runs on the Kelly and West River drive loops in Philadelphia with my friend Tom, invariably people would take runs at us and pass by. And invariably, I would always say – in a tone loud for everyone to hear – “So Tom, how long will it be when we streak by that dude when he’s sucking air.”

This summer it got to the point where I started calling people on it. Once, while finishing a 16-miler with a series of hills a woman struggling simply to draw oxygen reached the intersection of where a hill began at the same time as me. I gave her a friendly hello nod as I was about to go by her and never gave a second thought until I caught a glimpse of her in my peripheral vision. There she was huffing, puffing and going red-faced crazy trying to take me down on the hill.

I couldn’t believe it and asked her what the deal was: “Lady, are you kidding me?”

She opened her mouth to respond and all that came out was half a breath that was barely audible. That’s when I dialed up the pace, told her I’d catch her around and took off for home.

Yeah, really tough.

And yeah, there is something wrong with me.

Still, there’s nothing wrong with teasing college kids with a 6-minute surge, easing it back to 6:30 to let them close in before dropping them with a 5:45. That’s just too fun.

Anyway, I was in no mood for other runners today and got off the field and onto the roads where I could take it easy. The 14.3 miles in 1:37:28 shows that the last half of the run was done in cruise control.

Now it’s time to dial it back and rest up. Based on my morning heart rate and feeling after the past two runs, I may be toying with over-training syndrome.

Shoe geek
Yesterday’s acquisition of the Pegasus Racers got me thinking about shoes that are no longer made but should be. For instance:

* Nike Air Talaria
* Nike Zoom LWP
* The “original” adidas Ozweego with the quilted toe box
* adidas Response Trail, but not for running.

The Talaria might have been the most perfect shoe for my foot. Sadly, the folks at Nike or the running/consumer public probably saw it as not so fashionable.

Running nugget
The New York Times is piling it on. Maybe an American could win the big race this year? They seem to think it could be Meb Keflezighi is the one to break through.

Ritzenhein anyone?

Going long

Often (relatively speaking) I’m asked what I think is the most important and/or what is my favorite workout during my buildup for a marathon. It’s a very easy question.

The long run and the long run.

Sure, there’s nothing like nailing a tempo run or speed workout well within the time goal. In fact, that’s usually when I feel the most confident and strut a little more than usual into the house post-workout.

But the long run… that’s where the important stuff happens.

Typically, the long run is defined as a 20-mile or 2-hour run, which, according to Olympic marathoner, coach and physiologist Pete Pfitzinger, going long does seven beneficial things:

* Surround your muscle fibers with capillaries.
* Shuttle oxygen with more myoglobin.
* Make mighty mitochondria.
* Increase aerobic enzyme activity.
* Fill the tank with glycogen.
* Burn more fat.
* Builds slow-twitch muscle fibers

I’m no scientist so I can’t really speak too knowledgably about what goes on internally… unless it involves our feelings.

Tear.

Seriously, what I understand about the long run is that it gives one a strong sense of accomplishment and a confidence that makes the marathon distance less daunting. Every expert and runner has their own theory regarding the what, where, and how of doing the long run. Some people do them every other week, or a certain number per training period with a bunch of well thought out reasons why.

My method for the long run is simple – every Monday.

Regardless of training cycle or the distance of the race I’m training for, I go long every Monday. Why Monday? That’s when they run Boston and it’s the first day of the week as far as I’m concerned. So for 16 of the last 18 weeks I ran 20-plus miles every Monday and for 18 of the last 19 weeks I went more than two hours at least once a week. In this regard, I think I’m strong.

Nevertheless, there won’t be a 20-miler next Monday. I’m finished with them until December or January after going 21 miles in 2:17:08 on the final Monday. The taper phase is looming and rest is the best training method at this point.

Typically, long runs are finished at an easy, but not slow, pace. Sometimes I try to go as fast as I can without exerting myself, because the important part is to do the work and not get hurt.

But this one… ugh.

Actually, that “ugh” is an overstatement. Running 21 miles wasn’t too difficult, and I breezed through the first 17 miles in 6:40 pace on the forgiving grass surface at Baker Field. But after 10 loops around the perimeter of the field, I needed a change of scenery so I took off on the hilly four-mile course for a local road race that was held in my neighborhood last March.

And by took off, I mean it.

I hammered the downhills and climbs at just a touch slower than 5k pace, finishing the loop in 23:01. That’s not bad considering that I had 17 miles in the bag to that point.

It also wasn’t smart because my left calf and hamstring started to hurt. Then my stomach started giving me trouble. Then it became a little difficult to sit or stand, so I stretched. Finally, stretching out on the couch with the remote was the best thing to do – if only I could concentrate on what was on the TV.

What the hell was I thinking? Who kicks their own ass less than two weeks before the big race?

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Shoe geek
Since 1996 I have worn the adidas Ozweego for workouts. I don’t expect to change this any time soon as long as adidas continues to make this soft, durable and comfortable trainer. But finding a racing shoe that is both durable and light has always been difficult for me.

Oh yeah, I really liked the Nike Air Mariah. It was a basic, old-school shoe with a no-frills, clean design and an easy and cushiony feel when my heel hit the ground. But if I’m not mistaken, they stopped making that one in the mid-1990s.

Always on the lookout for a suitable replacement, I think I may have found one.

Last night I found a pair of Nike Pegasus Racers, tried them on and they seem to have the correct feel. I’ll give it a test this week and report back.

Running nugget
The New York Times is in full marathon mode with NYC just a few days away. Apparently, according to The Times, there are a lot of people training and racing in Boulder, Colorado.

Who knew?

2 weeks to go

As indicated in a previous post, I moved the running stuff to the new, running site.

It's all there, including the two-weeks to go breakdown.

Oh yeah: Technorati Profile

2 weeks to go

I’m not going to run 100 miles this week. In, fact I bet that I won’t even make it to 90 miles. Oh, I’m going to work hard and all of that good stuff, but with two weeks to go I get to rest and -- gasp! -- relax.

That last part is easier said than done, of course. It’s what makes running and runners funny – they can crank out miles week after week through cold, wind, rain, sleet and snow, but if they are told they need to dial it back just a little bit in order for all of that hard training to manifest itself on race day, that’s just too difficult to understand.

I’ve been there. I can still remember the ’98 Marine Corps Marathon when I cut it way down to 100 miles in my first taper week.

Needless to say, things didn’t go too well on race day.

So here’s the deal: I’m going to go hard on Monday, Tuesday, and maybe Wednesday before going easy and Thursday and Friday. On Saturday morning I’m going to race a 5k and will consider an off day next Sunday.

Don’t bet on that, though.

Anyway, here’s how “Blast Week” shook out:

Monday -- 24 miles in 2:48:13
Started out at 6:50 pace and picked it up to 6:35 to 6:40 pace through 13 miles. It was an easy, easy pace though it did take a tiny bit on concentration because of the hills and windy conditions. About 90-minutes in, I met up with Jeff Kirchner and I ran with him for about an hour. The pace dipped a bit, but wasn't slow. When Jeff left I ran for another 22 minutes by myself and I picked up the pace again.

Even after 2:20 I still had some turnover and could have taken the pace to 6 minutes. I also drank on the run and did well with the Gatorade and Red Bull mix. Better yet, I did not stop running once.

I think I'm strong.

Tuesday – 16.1 miles in 1:53:25
Started out slow and a little tight after a long run yesterday, but the pace improved quite a bit after I got through all the hill repeats. At the end of the run my turnover was really good and I had no trouble taking the pace fairly high.

Wednesday – 18 miles in 2:02:35
Ran pretty hard over the first 10 miles at the Brick Yards. Felt pretty strong and the pace was easy even though I was running around 6-minute miles. At the end I tied up a little bit and I slowed in the hills, but I still had the turnover.

Thursday – morning: 15.3 miles in 1:39:02
evening: 6.2 miles in 41:39
Total: 21.5 miles
Ran steady the whole time even though my right calf and hamstring were a bit sore. My 5-mile splits: 33:10; 31:57; 30:55. This run reminded me of the old days. Better yet, I wasn't even tired at the end.

In the evening, I doubled up for the first time in a long time. Definitely kept the pace brisk even though my right calf was still a little sore.

Friday – 13 miles in 1:27:10
Squeezed in 13. It was extremely easy and I hope I can add another workout tonight, but it seems unlikely with a heavy rainstorm looming. The weather hasn't been good this week. Either way, not a bad run despite the fact that I was operating on very little sleep a day after doubling up for 21.5.

Saturday – 19 miles in 2:11:59
The first hour was all hills. I did tons of repeats and then held it together the rest of the way. The hills took a bit out of me... and then there was the wind. I didn’t plan on going so long but I miscalculated with my math.

Sunday – 11.5 miles in 1:16:41
Tried to keep the pace up-tempo but not too fast. Brisk is probably the correct word. Either way, I didn't feel tired or even the slightest bit winded during the outing.

That’s 123.1 miles for the week – my most since 131 miles in mid October of 1998.

Blasting away

This one felt like the old days, though I don’t remember feeling so refreshed after a 15-miler before.

Yeah, refreshed.

I wasn’t sure how the run was going to shape up this morning since my right calf was a little sore and I ran 18 miles the day before, but Thursday’s outing was very solid. My turnover, stride and breathing were as good as I can ever recall. This is despite another windy, gusty day that made the 50-degree temperatures feel much chillier. In fact, it felt like I didn’t run at all.

I guess I’ll have to double up.

Anyway, I ran the first five miles in 33:10, the second five in 31:57 and the final five in 30:55. The last 1.5 miles were run faster than marathon-race pace – maybe even 5k pace – yet I didn’t breathe hard at all. It was just smooth sailing.

Final stats: 15.3 miles in 1:39:02 (6:28 pace).

So I mentioned the old days? Actually, the run reminded me of the workouts my friend Tom Levering and I used to do along Kelly and West River drives behind the Art Museum in Philadelphia when he was going to Wharton in 1997 and training for the Philadelphia Marathon.

During those runs, Tom and I would take turns trying to beat the crap out of each other for 10 miles starting at the Penn Towers, through parts of West Philly before circling the trail to the Falls Bridge and back the other side. More often than not, Tom would push through the first part while I hung on for dear life. But as soon as I got my legs underneath me, I’d push to the end.

I can honestly say that I only really tried to drop him once, but it took a 5:10 mile seven miles into the workout to do it.

Those workouts were some of the most fun I had running, and looking back on my nearly decade-old logs I see a lot of 61 and 62-minute runs written down. The crazy part was that Tom was never a runner, though he was an excellent athlete and a standout high school basketball and baseball player before turning into a college rower.

But based on how he pushed during those runs, maybe he should have been a cross-country runner or a miler on the track.

Post script
Added a brisk 10k in 41:39 in the evening to give me 21.5 miles for the day and a little more than 79 miles for the week. I felt strong enough to really hammer during the evening run, but I reigned it in because my right calf is still achy.

Luckily, I have an appointment with my chiropractor for some ART treatments tomorrow afternoon.

Blast Week

This is “Blast Week.” Back in the old days in my lead up for the 1998 Boston Marathon, I cranked out a 110-mile week with a pair of two-hour runs just three weeks before the big race. As I recall, I didn’t plan on running so much that week because a warm snap sent temperatures up near 90 degrees. The heat would wear me out, I reasoned.

But after the 2:30:41 (2:30:40 net – I was up front), as well as a then five-mile PR of 26:18 a week before the marathon, I figured I was one to something and decided that the third week out from every marathon would forever be called Blast Week. It would be the week where I tried to incorporate every type of training possible every day.

A few months later, with the ’98 Marine Corps Marathon looming, Blast Week featured three two-hour runs, 57:17 10-mile tempo run and a personal record 131-mile week. Unfortunately, by the time the race arrived I was so burnt I was crispy. I got a cold a few days before the marathon and had difficulty breathing by the second mile of the race. By the time I crossed the Key Bridge into Georgetown not even an hour into the race, I knew I was cooked – it was all over.

Still, I blindly covered 21 miles in 1:55 only to finish in 3:02.

Yeah, it was pretty ugly.

Needless to say, I won’t break the record of 131 miles in this Blast Week. However, three days into my last full week of training before the Nov. 12 Harrisburg Marathon, two two-hour runs are already in the book.

Crazy? Not smart? Perhaps. But it’s what I like to do. It makes me feel strong and confident before a race. If things go well in a 5k I plan on racing in on Nov. 4, I’ll be bursting.

Just so long as I’m not crispy.

It should be noted that I love reading about marathon training. If given a chance, I’d read other people’s training logs and books on training principles all day long. Not only do I find it interesting and educational, but also it is entertaining. Simply, reading (and talking) about running is fun.

Almost as fun as doing it.

Over the past decade-and-a-half I’ve read a lot about training. Jack Daniels, Pete Pfitzinger, and recently, Arthur Lydiard, are just a few of the tested and true experts I’ve dug into in order to make myself a better runner. These men have produced results and plans that work. If one wants to be a better runner, just follow their plans.

Just don’t ask me – I don’t follow any plan. That much is obvious.

Actually, I guess that’s not entirely true. I do follow one plan – my own. The tenets are based on the principles gleaned from the masters, but basically follow a couple of basic rules.

They are:

* Run how you feel. If you want to go fast, go fast. If you want to run long, run long.

* Don’t run if you are hurt. If you have difficulty walking, don’t do something silly like run.

And my favorite:

* You can always do one more.

I got that last one from Floyd Landis.

Anyway, I have always thrived on high mileage, which is 100-miles a week or more. Of course it’s a slippery slope, too. The more miles a person runs, the better the chance for injury. That’s why I have cast aside track workouts (for now) and specific speed intervals in favor of fartlek and tempo workouts. This way, I can incorporate some time of speed work every day.

This might not be the best plan and I’m sure if I did something else – like work with a coach, etc. – I’d get a lot faster. But right now I’m having a lot of fun doing things my way. If I can run well in Harrisburg, perhaps it will be time to “take it to the next level.” Until then, I’ll go with what I know.

That means a 24 miler in 2:48 on Monday where I ran the first 13 miles at 6:35 to 6:40 pace. It was an easy, easy pace though it did take a tiny bit on concentration because of the hills and windy conditions. About 90-minutes in, I met up with Jeff Kirchner, who was out running at Baker Field with his dog, and I ran with him for about an hour. The pace dipped a bit, but wasn't slow.

But when Jeff left I ran for another 22 minutes by myself and I picked up the pace again.

The good part was that even after running for 2-hours and 20 minutes, I still had some turnover and could have taken the pace to 6 minutes.

One cannot have a Blast Week without running some hills. So after starting out slow and feeling a tad tight after the long run on Monday, I worked through the repeats and ran steady for 16 miles on Tuesday. Just like on Monday, I had a lot of turnover at the end of the run.

After recovering from the hills with some good sleep and a good cup of coffee an Clif Bar for breakfast, I spent the first 70 minutes of Wednesday’s run alternating between 5:50-mile pace and 6-minute pace.

I don’t know what this proves, but it was fun.

After the alternating drill, I ran at 6:40 to 6:50 pace through the hills for five miles before tying up a tad at the end of an 18 miler in 2:02.

So that’s the crux of Blast Week. If there is any science involved in it, it’s lost on me. Either way, tomorrow comes early and there is more running to do.

3 weeks to go

Just this week my wife asked me how my training would be different if I didn’t have to worry about money and jobs or any of the burdens a non-Powerball winner has to contend with.

“What would you be doing right now if you didn’t have any of those responsibilities,” she asked.

“Well, after my third massage of the week, I’d get on a plane and head to your parents’ house in Estes Park,” I said.

Estes Park, of course, is in Colorado -- just 30 miles north of Boulder, the mecca of running. Actually, it’s 7,522-plus feet above sea level and it’s where I “officially” started my training for the Harrisburg Marathon on Nov. 12. For 10 days in July, I woke up every morning, drank some coffee with a water chaser before heading off on a 13-mile run over the first half of the Estes Park Marathon course.

If anyone has ever been to Estes Park in June and July, it’s easy to understand why these runs would be perfect. First, while sunny, the temperatures rarely range past 85 degrees with humidity below 20 percent. For Northeasterners, summertime humidity is a killer and is probably the reason why Gatorade was invented.

But aside from the weather and the 8-minute per mile runs, the hill work made me as strong as an ox. Actually, to call what I ran a “hill” doesn’t do it justice. Estes Park, as most know, is the headquarters for the Rocky Mountain National Park. With that in mind, it kind of changes the perspective of what we call a hill here at sea level on the east coast.

Every morning I ran a flat and rolling downhill first two miles before taking off on a four-mile climb (yeah, that’s right) that took me 45 minutes to complete on a fast day. At the apex, the run up the hill took me to 8,150-feet above sea level.

I’m convinced those 45 minutes up that four-mile stretch was the backbone of my entire training program. That’s why if I were financially independent, I would be out there running up those hills to sharpen up for Nov. 12.

Then again, Estes Park was hit with 7½ feet of snow on Tuesday. It probably melted or was quickly cleared away the next day, but I’m definitely not ready for snow running yet. It was a pain running in the rain and high winds this week – who needs snow?

Anyway, on to the week:

Monday – 24 miles in 2:42:20
It felt like it was 1998 all over again. I ran the entire time in the Brick Yards and Baker Field and I did not stop to drink... in fact, I didn't stop at all. It was a pretty good run, though I definitely slowed down at the end.

Tuesday – 15.3 miles in 1:47:34
Ran in a steady downpour. In the old days I would have waited for the rain to pass before running, but I don't have that luxury anymore. What happens if I have to race in the rain? Let’s hope for partly cloudy skies and 55 degrees on Nov. 12.

Wednesday – 17 miles in 1:51: 36
I wanted to run as hard as I could without exerting myself during the second half of the run. However, I could only go 6:10 to 6:15. I ran three miles (after 9.5) in 18:40, which is slower than I felt. Still, it was pretty easy to hold that pace. I hope I can do the same with 5:50 to 6:00 pace.

Thursday – 18 miles in 2:04:12
Tried to make my legs go faster, but they wouldn't do it. Despite the lack of speed, I ran strong and didn't feel bad -- just slow. Did a whole bunch of hills, too. I suppose I did repeats if you want to get technical about it.

Friday – 15.1 miles in 1:46:11
It was as windy as I can ever remember -- excluding that time in Boston in Feb. '98 when the gusts were 70 m.p.h. I woke up tight and tired and not really sure how much I had for a workout. Nevertheless, I kept it together for some decent hill work. I figured if I wasn't going to run fast I might as well get some strength work in.

Saturday – 18.2 miles in 2:04:16
Kept the same pace the entire time. Ran some more hills -- like yesterday -- and even overcame some stomach trouble an hour into the run. Three 2-hour runs in a week is pretty good. The plan was to get up early and go to a 10-mile race, but getting up early in the morning is easier said than done.

Sunday – 7.4 miles in 46:26
Wanted to run another 5k or 5-mile time trial, but my right hamstring was a little tight and I didn't get much sleep. Either way, I was able to keep the pace fairly up tempo. I even took my iPod with me, which is rare.

That’s 115 miles for the week. Three weeks to go – 11 more hard training days and 10 days to taper.

On another note, just for fun I’d like to run the Estes Park Marathon. The race has a nice web site packed with tons of info; such as the race is the “highest paved marathon in the world.”

I’m curious if there is a higher unpaved marathon?

After spending 10 days running the first half of the course, I’m really impressed that some badass named Anton Krupicka ran it in 2:45:02 last June. I’d like to see what Anton could do on a flat course like Chicago… it might be too easy for him.

So, yes, if I didn’t have a job, a mortgage, a car payment and all of that other stuff to worry about, I’d be in Estes getting ready. Every morning I’d go to Kind Coffee for a big cup of caffeine and a Clif Bar and then I’d head up those hills.

A return to sea level for the race would make me feel like one, gigantic lung.

4 weeks to go

Another good one. Still feel the same as last week -- I'm ready for the training to be over, but I wouldn't mind a few more weeks to work on some things. It's a paradox. Anyway:

Monday - 23 miles in 2:36:57
Felt super strong and could have run 20 more miles.

Tuesday - 15.1 miles in 1:43:05
I ran easy 6:45 miles during most of the run.

Wednesday - 17.5 miles in 2:00:40
Didn't expect to do 2 hours when I started, but I really feel strong so I kept going.

Thursday - 16.4 miles in 1:51:24
Strong, strong, strong. I don't know if it's the caffeine or the training, but I feel super strong with the running.

Friday - 15.6 miles in 1:43:17
I ran hard during the back half and did a bunch of hills early. The pace was pretty consistent.

Saturday - 15.1 miles in 1:43:54
Got a late start after getting some ART and taking Michael to the doctor. Before I ran I drank a Red Bull -- pretty good stuff. Anyway, I ran strong again, but didn't try to do too much. The pace lagged a bit at the end.

Sunday - 8 miles in 49:22
Ran 3.3 miles in 17:37. That's 5:20-per mile pace or a 16:34 5k. My goal was to run a sub-17 5k or under 18 minutes for the 3.3 miles. I guess I did it. Perhaps, under better conditions, I can break 16 for 5k. Wouldn't that be something?

110.7 miles for the week.

5 weeks to go

Best week yet. Either I'm getting stronger or my loops are getting shorter. Nonetheless, with five weeks to go I'm kind of torn -- I want the race to hurry up and get here so I can be done, yet I also want more time to train.

Anyway:

Monday - 20.4 miles in 2:21:31
Good run. I went without my orthotics because they were stolen, but I felt OK though my left calf was a little achy. If I feel like I did today on marathon day, look out.

Tuesday - 17 miles in 1:56:48
Started out nice and easy at a solid pace and then ran three miles in 18:33 after already running 13. I feel really strong over the distance.

Wednesday - 13.1 miles in 1:31:59
Easy, easy run after two hard ones in a row and a morning on the golf course. I picked it up a tiny bit but nothing better than 6:30 pace. I also sweated a lot because of the humidity.

Thursday - 18 miles in 2:03:00
Didn't plan on running so far, but I was out there, felt good, so what the hell? I ran pretty strong over the final eight miles and took the pace between 6:15 and 6:30. Plus, the weather was nearly perfect aside from the occasional headwind. Lots and lots of fun.

Friday - 15.3 miles in 1:41:17
Felt pretty strong and kept a steady pace the entire time. Could have run harder, too. Just an enjoyable run. It's as simple as that.

Saturday - 14.5 miles in 1:45:29
Just an easy run. Nothing more to tell about this one. I just did the work and tried to stay strong because I had no speed at all.

Sunday - 7 miles in 46:32
I feel strong and smooth. I could have really run today, but I'm not going to skip an easy day.

105.3 miles for the week. 5 weeks to go with 12 straight week at 100 miles or better. That could be my record even though I averaged more than 100 miles a week during 1998.

6 weeks to go

Another one down, six more to go until Harrisburg.

Monday - 20 miles in 2:20:36.
Weird run. I had to make a pit stop and that cost me a half hour after running 3.5 miles, and then my calf and hamstring (mostly my calf) ached a bit and got tired during the second half. I was going at a decent pace, but for some reason I slowed down.

Tuesday - 16.3 miles in 1:49:59.
Had some more problems with my stomach but ran the second half really well. Actually, did the final nine miles in 57:51. My calf/knee/hamstring didn't hurt so much either. Must have been the ibuprofen.

Wednesday - 16.3 miles in 1:48:56.
Couldn't keep the faster pace throughout the final nine miles, but as a whole, I ran better than yesterday. I also went in for some ART on my right calf. Ran the final nine miles in 58:06.

Thursday - 16 miles in 1:50:11.
Just relaxed and ran.

Friday - 5.4 miles in 36:59.
Just a late easy 5 after a long day of tiredness. I didn't get home until 5 a.m. this morning from Washington. The game I was writing about didn't start until 11:30 p.m. and I spent the entire day trying to rest.

Saturday - 2 miles warmup followed by 13.1 miles in 1:23:29.
Wanted to run 6-minite miles the entire time, but the course was extremely difficult. In fact, the downhills were so extreme that I had to walk down them. Lots of twists and turns and there wasn't one half mile without a rise of decline. Nevertheless, it was a good effort.

Sunday - 11.5 miles in 1:22:59.
Calves felt a little tight from running hard over the hills yesterday. My feet were also a little tender from the blisters, too. I didn't run any pickups and pretty much just sat back and ran easy.

100.6 miles for the week. Six weeks to go.

7 weeks to go

Seven weeks to go. A couple of tough days, and I lost the toenail on my left big toe, but the ART treatments are working. I'm running a half marathon this weekend so I have to figure out a good, short taper.

Anyway, here's the work:

Monday - 20 miles in 2:22:15. Ran without orthotics, which wasn't a good idea.

Tuesday - 16.3 miles in 1:54:12. Kind of bonked over the last 10K. If it wasn't a case of bonking, it was reaction to the humidity or not enough to drink. Meanwhile, my left hamstring is really achy.

Wednesday - 16.3 miles in 1:52:41. Felt pretty strong until my left hamstring started bothering me a bit. The strength part is really good. The distance is easy.

Thursday - 17.8 miles. First run: 12 miles in 1:24:38. Second run: 5.8 miles in 38:20. Got some ART.

Friday - 14.5 miles in 1:43:37. Felt pretty tired during the first half and had to make a pit stop. During the second half of the second half I felt really good and could have run all day.

Saturday - 14.5 miles in 1:38:06. Tried to run the second half around 6 to 6:30 pace and I was able to do that despite the hard hills. Coffee definitely helped this run, too.

Sunday - 5.8 miles in 40:30. Easy.

105.2 miles for the week.

8 weeks to go

Had some trouble with my calf and hamstring that seemed to effect my knee. Luckily, I had an ART appointment already set up so I only missed one workout. In the interim, I've gotten serious about stretching (with yoga) and my pre-run warmup. So far so good.

Monday - 21.3 miles in 2:25:40. Started out around 7-minute pace and then got into 6:50ish before bringing it home in 6:20. Good run... I wish they could all be like the second half of this run.

Tuesday - 20.2 miles. First run: 12.2 miles in 1:28:45; Second run: 8 miles in 55:35. Knee area started to hurt today. Once I warmed up it was OK, especially on second run when I ran 5:50 miles for alst three miles.

Wednesday - took the day off to rest calf and hamstring. Started doing yoga in this morning.

Thursday - 17.5 miles in 2:02:07. The running part was easy. I liked running the distance and it seems like it's no problem just to go out and run all day.

Friday - 15.3 miles in 1:47:20. Had to do a decent warmup before running. Also went in for some ART treatment this morning. In order to keep running I have to stretch and do the ART and yoga stuff. Otherwise, I ran OK once I got going even though it was pouring down rain.

Saturday - 16.3 miles in 1:50:50. Calves and hammys didn't bother me as much as the past few days, though they still are not 100 percent. Either way, I ran well in some stretches, mixing in fartlek with some hills and other good stuff. Ran the final nine in sub-6:30 pace and it was really easy.

Sunday - 11.1 miles in 1:15:57. As soon as my calf and hamstring got warmed up I felt great. It's just a pain getting it warmed up and it's a pain when it's not warmed up. Nonetheless, ran some uptempo miles at the end and they felt pretty good.

Anyway, that's 101.1 miles for the week. Not bad, but it was the toughest week yet.

9 weeks to go

Monday - 20 miles in 2:28:13.
Just an awful run. Got up early to run in a 20-mile race after working until 1 or 2 a.m. Never got loose and stomach and hamstrings nagged the entire time. In other words, I sucked. On the positive side, the distance feels kind of easy.

Tuesday - 15.8 miles in 1:48:00.
All hills and then some more hills. The second half of the run was mostly flat and I ran that between 6 to 6:30 pace. Much better than Monday.

Wednesday - 15.8 miles in 1:45:11.
Same run as Tuesday only faster.

Thursday - 13 miles in 1:36:54.
Big time recovery day. Actually tried to avoid hills for a change. Just went slow. Planned on adding a second run in the evening but felt too tired and went to bed early.

Friday - 18.2 miles in 2:01:24.
Lots of fartlek. Did a 2-mile stretch in a 11 minutes and then ran the final 6 miles at 6-minute pace. Best run of the week.

Saturday - 14.2 miles in 1:42:18.
Recovery. My legs were tight and tired and it was very humid, too. Probably could have run faster, but didn't see the point.

Sunday - 7.7 miles in 53:06.
Simply a fun run. Had planned on only going an easy 5, but took my iPod with me and had a blast listening to music and running. Run uptempo very rarely -- mostly just cruised.

Total mileage: 104.7
Nine weeks to go... still curious about my fitness -- it might be time to get out and race.

10 weeks to go

Great week in terms of volume, mileage and recovery. Who knows? Maybe I can run sub-2:40. Anyway:

Monday: 20.2 miles in 2:20:52. Slow in the beginning, but ran the second half at 6:30 pace.

Tuesday: 15.2 miles easy, easy in 1:50:53. Hills and humidity -- I can't decide which was tougher.

Wednesday: 15.6 miles in 1:43:37 on grass. Ran the middle five miles in 29:08.

Thursday: 24 miles total. Ran 12 in the morning in 1:19:50, including the last 10 in 64. Did 12 in the evening in 1:21:06.

Friday: 13.6 miles in super slow recovery. Ran it in 1:39:14 with Ernesto's winds cooling it down nicely.

Saturday: 16 miles in 1:52:12. Ran every hill I could find... 10 of the 16 miles were uphill.

Sunday: 5.6 in 38:50. Ran through the city.

110.2 miles for the week.

Another one in the books. 10 weeks to go.

11 weeks to go

Another good mileage week. Luckily, my recovery has been really good -- that's the best part so far.

Here it is:

Monday: 21.4 miles in 2:28. Had some stomach trouble early in the run but recovered and ran well over the final 16 miles.

Tuesday: 15.1 miles. Strong early, but tired toward the end.

Wednesday: 16.2 miles with tons of hills. Half of the run was uphill.

Thursday: 15.2 miles. Tired after the hill workout.

Friday: 15.2 miles. Legs felt great, but the humidity kicked my rear.

Saturday: 16.2 miles. Same workout as Wednesday.

Sunday: 5 miles easy in 31:21. Not too easy, though... ran the last mile in 5:10. Also played golf in the morning at Pilgrim's Oak in Peach Bottom, Pa. -- strong with the driver and short game. Putting needs work, though.

104.3 miles for the week. Fifth straight week at 100+ miles... 11 weeks to go.

12 weeks to go

Here is last week's training regime for the Harrisburg Marathon on Nov. 12. A few readers have asked for my training plans so I will be publishing them here every week. So, without much more fanfare, here's the week of Aug. 14 to 20:

Hills, hills, roads and more hills this week. Did all of my runs over the hilliest loops with plenty of fartlek. Here it is:

Monday: 20 miles in 2:22. A little slow but I ran those hills.

Tuesday: 14.4 miles easy in 1:40. Hills.

Wednesday: 14 miles in 1:37. Cruised. Did I mention hills?

Thursday: 15 miles over hills with 3x1-mile in 5:30. This was a good one.

Friday: 15.6 miles easy. Hamstrings were a little tight.

Saturday: 14.2 miles in cruise control. A few surges here and there and some hills.

Sunday: 7.6 miles in an easy 53:04. Even wore my racing shoes for the first time in forever. I'd love to find another pair of Nike Air Mariahs in size 11 1/2 or 12, but I imagine they are hard to find.

Weekly total: 100.8 miles. Fourth straight week at 100 miles. 12 weeks to go.