2010 Running Year in Review

2010 is almost over and running-wise, it has been quite a year for me. I ran 3 marathons, 3 half-marathons, several 5Ks, couple 10Ks and a 15K. Lowered my PR at every distance this year and even won a race for the first time.

One cool thing this year was joining the Dailymile website early in the year where I now have a bunch of new running friends, several of whom I have been able to meet at races.

Opened the year up with a 5K PR at the MADD Dash 5K. Followed that up the next month with a near BQ at the Gasparilla Marathon.

Sandwiched between Gasparilla was the Clearwater and Florida Beaches half-marathons, PRd both races dropping to 1:31. 

After Gasparilla, I had a short two months to get ready for the Kentucky Derby Marathon. On the way to North Carolina, I had a race I found and wanted to run. So, we ended up leaving home at 11PM and drove straight to Western North Carolina University and made it there with an hour to spare before the race started. On a tough little course that went through the campus, I won my first race!

Kinda cool being the first one in.

Got a hand-made cup and a nice little certificate for winning.

From the highs of North Carolina to the Kentucky Derby Marathon. The hills got the better of me and I ended up in survival mode to avoid becoming a cramping heap of flesh. Finished in 3:50. The course was beautiful and had a great time in Louisville.

Slogging along in the rain feeling fine at mile 9.

After Kentucky, it was a month of  repairing myself and getting ready for the summer 5K season as well as starting a new marathon training cycle. 

The summer was filled with highs. Had a huge 4th of July running multiple races in one day for the first time. Ran the Lutz 5K (almost PRd and got to meet Jenny P.) in the morning followed by the 1 mile, 5K, and 10K at the Kiwanis Midnight Run where I got to meet Jenny's husband Mark. Placed in all races except the 1 mile where I paced Chris and used as a warmup.

Taking home some loot from Kiwanis.

We also did the Lakeland Watermelon Series again. My 5K times really took off here. I finished the series blasting my PR by running 18:30. Took 1st in my age group for the 2nd year in a row. Got to meet Sandy, Ben and Jay at these races.

In July, we took a trip to St. Augustine and ran the Bridge of Lions 5K. They finished restoring the original bridge, so it was nice to get to run over it. Beat my time from the year before by a minute and snagged 2nd in my age group.

Sunrise over the Matanzas.

As Fall rolled around, it was time to say goodbye to 5Ks and hello to 10K, 15K and Half-marathon. Ran two 10Ks. The Komen Race for the Cure and Lake to Lake. Again, both were PRs dropping to 40:09.

Jenny and I after Komen.

For the first time since High School, I ran a 15K. Did the Miracle Miles in Orlando. Finished in 1:02 and placed 3rd in my age group. Scored two tickets to Sea World for the effort so that was cool. Met Brian and Melanie at this one.

Somewhere in here, I dropped my 5 mile PR at the Rattlesnake Run placing 2nd in AG there also.

For Halloween, it was time for the Daytona Half-Marathon where I went up against my arch nemesis, "The Bridge". That bridge had kicked my butt the previous two years and I was determined to beat it this year. The bridge slowed me a little on the return trip, but I ended up running my first sub-1:30 half-marathon which I was ecstatic about. Unfortunately, I didn't place in my age group (was 4th) which broke my Summer's long streak. Also got to meet Harold.

For some reason, my stomach didn't like the finishing stretch. First time I have almost hurled at a race.

Feeling much better now.

The running highlight of the year was the Space Coast Marathon where I finally achieved my goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. I finished with a time of 3:10:24 (5 minutes better than I needed to BQ), 14th overall and 3rd in my age group! The race was awesome from start to finish. Enjoyed running with a guy from North Carolina until I dropped him late in the race. Don't know why, but I had a feeling I would need to beat him to place in age group. Several Dailymilers at this one...Harold ran his first, Brian, Melanie, and Mark.

Getting ready before the race, love my stick!

Off to a good start right behind Brian.

Pretty sunrise.

Halfway, coming in for a banana.

Grinding out a strong finish and an awesome BQ!

Whew, finished!

Can't believe I got 3rd!!

Receiving my award with Dick Beardsley.

Coolest award I have!

Wow, what a 2010! Planning an even bigger 2011. I have two marathons planned, Steamboat and Pensacola. We are taking a 3 week camping trip to Colorado where I will do Steamboat followed by the Garden of the Gods 10 miler and the Moon Pie Festival 10 miler the following weekends. In February is the inaugural Dade City half-marathon (gonna be a tough course) and I will be doing the Michelob Challenge at Gasparilla where you run the 5K, 8K, 15K and half-marathon. Jenny and I have a cool 15th wedding anniversary trip to North Carolina where I will run the Tar Heel 10 miler and we will take in a Hurricanes hockey game along with camping. Will also run the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville and Miracle Miles again to complete the Florida 15K challenge. 

Should be a fun year ahead that I have just started training for. I also look forward to meeting as many new friends as possible.

Hope everyone has a great 2011!!!

New Marathon Training Cycle

After a month off, it is time to start up a new marathon training cycle to prep for the Steamboat Marathon June 5th in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Again, I will be using training designed by Arthur Lydiard using a schedule designed later in his life. The big difference will be the 10 week conditioning phase. Instead of doing all the runs at easy aerobic pace, there will be runs at marathon pace and also fartleks thrown in. Everything will still be aerobic. I look forward to the variety this will provide compared to doing almost the same pace each day. To prepare specifically for running in the mountains, will be doing a lot of runs on the biggest hills I can find. Also going to work on strength a bit with push-ups, crunches and pull-ups to build up the upper body a bit. I am hoping to get an indoor spinning bike to get in more aerobic work. I am going to try to start getting myself up a bit earlier in the morning to do a short 20-30 minute run, we'll see how that goes.

I am looking forward to getting back into training and seeing the results. I have the next 6 months of racing planned out and hopefully will set more PRs at all distances.

Merry Christmas...Again!

Hope everyone had a great day. We ended our day with a trip over to Lakeland to walk around downtown.

Jenny and Emily playing in all the leaves that were blowing around.

The Lakeland Electric building over Lake Mirror.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Newton MV2 Racing Flat Coming 2011

Update: 8-30-11: Yay, my MV2s have shipped and I should have them Friday. I didn't expect them to ship so soon. I also heard back from Newton about the sizing. Going up a half size keep the toe space the same. We'll see, can't wait to take them out for a spin.

Update: 8-26-11: Ordered my pair of MV2s today. As per recomendations, ordered a half size larger. I hope doesn't change the area from my big toe to the front of the shoe which fits perfectly in my size 9 Distance Racers. Can't wait to get them in. You can pre-order at www.newtonrunning.com/shoes as they are not listed on the main page yet.

Update: 8-10-11: Was told today by Newton that the MV2 will be released at the end of August and will ship early September. At least I will have them in time for Fall racing season!

Update: 5-24-11: I noticed on the Newton site that the Racers have now been listed as lightweight trainers. Curious, I emailed Newton to see if this meant the MV2 is close to being released. Tory informed me that they are looking at late Summer\early Fall for release and that the name change is in fact that the MV2 will be the only "racing" shoe.

Finally, Newton Running is coming out with a pure lightweight racing flat. I wonder if they used my suggestion from a survey card I sent back to them months ago or if it was already in the works.

I emailed Newton and it was confirmed that the MV2 is to be released in June 2011. I really hope I can snag a pair by then and can use at the Steamboat Marathon that month. Also confirmed was that the shoe will weigh in at a mere 5.5oz. and employ the same Newton technology as the rest of their line.

About the only thing I don't like about the shoe is the color...Cream sickle orange accents?? Reminds me of the old Buccaneers uniforms of the 70s. Good thing I run in Newtons for the comfort and not the colors although I don't mind my green racers.

Update 3-2-11: After seeing reports that the MV2 will now be released in the Fall, I emailed Newton and they confirmed this is the case. What a bummer. So much for having the shoes in time for the Steamboat Marathon in June. :(

Update 1-24-11: I found a little more info and a couple pictures on the New Zealand Newton site

Lunar Eclipse

Stayed up all night to catch the full lunar eclipse. Was interesting that the red color of the moon looks better off the camera than it did looking up at it.



Animation of all the photos done during the eclipse.



Lake Jovita Reindeer Run 5K Race Report

It was nice to sleep in a bit and run a local race. The race was held on the Lake Jovita golf course. This is one of the more challenging courses around will hills in the first mile and a big up at the finish. Finished this one in 18:59 placing 3rd overall and 1st in my age group. This time is over 1 minute faster than I ran the course last year. The race was better organized this year. The only complaint I have is that the winner's medal need to be better. Like last year, the medals were just generic off the shelf cheapies. They could at least pop a few bucks extra and at least have the race logo on them. I know they are trying to raise as money as possible, but reward the runners for showing.

Just a little more to go after the quad busting hill at the finish.

Happy "Married-to-a-Runner Appreciation Day"!!

Happy "Married-to-a-Runner Appreciation Day"!! http://rwdaily.runnersworld.com/2010/10/national-married-to-a-runner-appreciation-day.html

Maybe not official, but a good idea to show appreciation to those who support us runners and not roll their eyes too much at the dumb things we sometimes do.

To Jenny, my (Wife of almost 15 yrs.), thanks for hanging out at my many races and putting up with life dictated by my training. Chasing me at marathons on shuttle buses, driving through big city Louisville to meet me at different locations, considering waking up at 6AM on a race morning as sleeping in, considering waking up at 5AM race morning as normal, vacations that must include a marathon or other race (hope you enjoy the Tar Heel 10 for our anniversary!), fixing your awesome spaghetti the night before ALL races (even while camping or at a hotel), getting eaten by mosquitoes at the track, putting up with the kids whining at the track, your concern of telling me to be careful as I head out the door, asking when I will be back like you want me to return, not laughing when I go on a banana run, and the list goes on and on. So, thank-you for supporting me!

Deep down, I think you enjoy it. Especially when you are waiting at the finish line talking to another runner's spouse lamenting that they are waiting for their husband to finish and you get to look up and tell them "here comes mine now" with a big smirk! ;) I LOVE YOU!!!

Miracle Miles 15K Race Report

This past Saturday, traveled to Orlando for the Miracle Miles 15K race. This race was the first of my three biggies between now and the end of November. Here are the numbers before I get into my observations.

Time-1:02:56, pace-6:45/mile, 3rd place age group, 34th overall out of 1709 finishers. Scored two tickets to Sea World for the effort.

Miracle Miles was an enjoyable race. Started the morning out a little on the rocky side. Some ding dong rear ended our van as we were stopped after exiting I-4. Luckily, it was just a tap with no damage. At packet pickup, I my race number turns out to be 911. I figured that was a bad sign. The weather wasn't the greatest as it was 76 degrees and 100% humidity. I was hoping the rain would keep falling to keep a little cooler, but it was pretty much stopped by the start. Got to meet a couple people I know on the Dailymile website before the race. Nice putting faces to the people you talk to online.

My goal pace for the race was about 6:25/mile. The only mile I did that pace was the first. Started off easy enough, then went into a few miles in the 6:30s which wasn't bad. As the race went on, the weather took its toll on mile splits. Actually felt pretty good running a 6:45 6th mile and figured I was good the last 5K. Not knowing the course, I had no idea about the small rolling hills the last 5K. They were just enough to feel and ended up slowing me down some.

Overall, a good race. Considering the amount of people there, everything went smooth and easy. There was plenty to drink and eat after. Race fee was only $25, so a good for a longer race. Shirts are good looking tech shirts, decent finisher medals, and good on course support. Will definitely consider doing again next year!

Next up is the Komen Race for the Cure 10K in St. Pete this Saturday.

[caption id="attachment_916" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Good finishing kick to make a pass at the end."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_917" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="I pushed a little at the end, I did not want to see 1:03 on the clock."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_918" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Posing with the Chik-Fil-A Cows at the awards. Hope the red cow doesn't remember me pushing him when he got in my way at Beach to Bayou!"][/caption]

HCSO Ranch Run 5K - Race Report

Ran the Ranch Run 5K in Temple Terrace this morning. Posted a time of 18:31, 1st age group and 5th overall. This was a good course that has some hills on it to keep everyone honest. Two hills in the third mile that had enough incline to slow you down a bit. If I would have had another 50-100 yards, I would have taken the prize for 3rd overall male. The guy in front of me had a pretty good gap and I wasn't worried about catching him until I could see him starting to struggle in the last half mile. I tried to catch him, but came up 3 seconds short. Had this been a flat course, I would have easily run a new PR. So, I am pretty happy to have run this time on a slightly hilly course.

The race was well organized with chip timing. They didn't have the color shirt I was listed for. Trying to figure out why the asked if they weren't going to have enough. Winner's medals were pretty cheap. They had a good turnout of almost 500 runners and raised $16,000 for the Youth Ranch. Plenty of food and drink after.

Two weeks until the Miracle Miles 15K race in Orlando. This one will be interesting as it will be a really good indicator of my fitness and being able to hold a fast pace over a longer time. The goal for this race will be to finish in under an hour and see if I can get lucky to place in my age group.

[caption id="attachment_912" align="aligncenter" width="266" caption="Pushing to another solid finish!"][/caption]

Watermelon Series Race #4

Had another good Watermelon Series. The final race was by far my best time with a new PR of 18:30. Improved every race and placed 1st overall in my age group.

[caption id="attachment_905" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="A great finish and new PR! Looks like kid in front is gonna hurl!!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_906" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Got my picture taken with the Watermelon Queen with my 1st place trophy!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_908" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="2010 Watermelon Series Trophy Winners."][/caption]

Congratulations Carrie & Terry - It's gonna be a boy!!

Just heard from our friends in Wisconsin that they will be having a baby boy to add to their family. The baby is due in December. Congratulations Carrie and Terry!!!!!

Bridge of Lions 5K Race Report - St. Augustine Trip

This is one of the weekends we really look forward to each year where we travel to St. Augustine to tour the city and run the Bridge of Lions 5K. We decided to do a scaled down trip this year only staying one night. We made it into town Friday. After stopping off at the St. Augustine Register building for packet pickup, we checked into the Howard Johnson hotel and I headed out for my short night before race run. When I got back we had Jenny's spaghetti for dinner. I prefer Jenny's spaghetti over any restaurant. Instead of heading into town to walk around, we went to the movies and saw "Despicable Me" in 3D. Very funny movie, I recommend seeing. I am still unsure about the whole 3D thing. There aren't many scenes in the movie made specifically for 3D, so I don't really see the point as it adds nothing to the movie.

The best part about running a race in St. Augustine is staying downtown, waking up not so early, and walking to the race. The hotel is about a mile from the Castillo de San Marcos where the race started. So, we can just walk, pickup the timing chip, warmup and go. Don't even have to worry about the porta potties!

[caption id="attachment_882" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Sailboat on the Matanzas."][/caption]

Conditions for the race were hot and humid as usual. The real issue was the gnats that were all over the place st the start. Not easy swatting gnats and trying to put on the race shoes.

The first mile of this race course is awesome. The race starts at the fort, runs down the bayfront and across the Bridge of Lions. After that, you turn into the housing area on the other side for the rest of the race which can be a bit of a grind. It was a joy this year to run over the original bridge that was finished with renovations a couple months ago.

The race went really well. I finished in 18:48, 12th overall, and 2nd in my age group. I was trying to break my PR of 18:41, but didn't quite get there. Still, my time was one minute faster than last year. I ran pretty comfortable most of the race. Outside of my first mile at 5:55, I ran even the rest of the way with a 6:04 and 6:05 with a fast finishing kick.

The shirts were great this year with a nice design showing the Bridge of Lions. The only thing they need to do to make this race better is provide better age group awards. It pays to be first overall as they get a cool $100. But for the age group awards, they used the same exact little medal that I won two years ago. They had over 500 finishers this year, if they would take just 50 cents more from each entry, they could provide some first class medals that people would really want to show off. You could tell people weren't real happy with the medals.

[caption id="attachment_883" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Racing to the finish."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_884" align="aligncenter" width="333" caption="Almost there...faster, faster!!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_885" align="aligncenter" width="333" caption="Another good race finished!"][/caption]

After a two mile walk back to the hotel, we had breakfast, got cleaned up, relaxed for a bit, and checked out. We didn't really want to go walking all over town at noon, so we went to Anastasia State Park and went to the beach.

We had lunch, drove back and parked downtown. We always enjoy going into the different art galleries and looking at what's new. When everyone was getting pretty tired of walking, we went to Pizzalley's to have our pizza. Pizzalley's has the best pizza! We gorged ourselves full and ventured out for some more walking before we ended the night at Kilwin's for ice cream.

We got a huge surprise as we were walking back to the parking garage. We saw a guy selling his paintings and it turned out to be Dean Quigley that we bought Jenny's painting of the City Gates from four years ago. Guess he lives full time in St. Augustine now and is active in getting better laws enacted for artists to sell their work. Dean is an awesome guy and painter. Outside of painting, he is a history buff who can tell you all about just about anything. It was fun listening to the history behind the paintings he had on display. I was great seeing Dean again and we look forward to the next time we go back to St. Augustine!!

Kiwanis Midnight Run 1 mile, 5K & 10K Race Report

Saturday night/Sunday morning was the Kiwanis Midnight Run where I ran the 1 mile, 5K, and 10K. These races capped off the day totaling about 14 miles of racing.

If you have never run the Midnight Run before, I highly recommend doing so. This is the second year in a row we have done it. All runs start at the corner of Bayshore and Curlew Rd. in Dunedin. The race is well organized, has great awards, t-shirts and is fun!

Only one suggestion to the race organizers. The tech shirts they handed out are great but they aren't so good running in. The shirt really holds sweat and gets heavy. Plus, it doesn't let much air through. Maybe next race, they will order Leslie Jordan shirts. I have two and I love and run in them all the time.

For the one mile race, I paced Chris to an 8:22. He asked me to help him run 7:30, but we didn't get there. I started him off easy and got close to 7:30, but progressively got slower. I basically used this race as a warmup for the 5K and 10K.

Ran well in the 5K. Finished with a time of 19:24. Got 1st place in my age group and finished 24th overall out of 891 finishers. My hamstrings got a little tight during the race and the bridge cost a few seconds.

After a 30 minute rest, the 10K started. I finished with a time of 42:26 and finished 3rd in my age group and 27th out of 361. This race was sort of weird. Somewhere around the 2nd mile, my body went into some sort of auto-pilot mode. My pace was even, my stride felt efficient like when I run barefoot, and my breathing was easy. I was enjoying myself as I picked off more and more runners. Unfortunately, I didn't pick off the guy that finished 7 seconds ahead of me so I would have gotten 2nd instead of third. Oh well. It was nice running in the dark with no other light except for the candles lining the road into Honeymoon Island SP.

[caption id="attachment_874" align="aligncenter" width="333" caption="End of a long day, 10K finish."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_875" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="1st and 3rd place plaques won at the Kiwanis Midnight Run."][/caption]

Lutz Independence Day 5K Race Report

Had a great time this morning running the Lutz Independence Day 5K, one mile and taking in the 4th of July parade after.

For summer time in Florida, the weather was fantastic. With the skies being cloudy and rainy the last couple days the temperature stayed relatively comfortable and the humidity wasn't too bad. Thank goodness since the race started at 8:00.

I ended up having a great race finishing just off my PR and second fastest 5K. Finish time was 18:45, 2nd age group, and 13th overall. I went out a hair faster than I wanted but didn't drop off too much. Splits were 5:52, 6:03, and 6:10. Seemed like there were a lot more of the faster runners there and they had a great turnout.

The kids and Jenny did the one mile. I paced Emily to an 11:44 and first place in the 9 year old female age group. Christopher got a nice trophy for first overall male.

After a Subway footlong at lunch and an afternoon nap, the legs feel really good and ready to run the one mile, 5K, and 10K at the Kiwanis Midnight Run tonight. I will be pacing Chris for the mile. He says he wants to do a 7:30, we'll see about that. I told him I am going to start him at 6:30 and see how long it takes for him to blow up! A lot of rain around right now so it should be a lot cooler than last year. Hopefully, the rain will slow down or quit by 11:00.

Happy 4th of July Weekend...Racing, Food, & Fireworks!

Looking forward to a great 4th of July weekend which starts early tomorrow morning for us.

I will be running 4 races tomorrow. Last year I did the Lutz and Kiwanis 5Ks. This year, we will start the morning in Luts for the 5K, 1 mile and stick around for the parade. The kids are running the 1 mile, so I get to unofficially run that also. Will probably pace Emily and Tommy.

In the evening, it is off to Dunedin for the Kiwanis Midnight run where I am entered to run the 1 mile, 5K, and 10K. I am just going to pace Chris for the 1 mile and use as a warmup.

Here are the time goals for the races. For both 5Ks, I would like to run sub-19 minutes or at least low 19 for Kiwanis. For the 10K, will run that a little more based on how I feel, sub-42 minutes should be doable. Probably start the race at 6:30 pace and see what happens.

Sunday night is fireworks in Dade City, hope the weather cooperates and they got enough money this year for a good show. No work Monday, so a day to recoop.

Watermelon Series Race #2 - Race Report

Yesterday morning was the 2nd race of the Watermelon Series in Lakeland.

The weather didn't seem quite as warm as the last race three weeks ago. Still just as wet after it was over though. seems like the keep getting more and more people participate. When Emily crossed the line, her finish card was 650 something and there were quite a few more behind her.

I had a really good race that went exactly as planned. I finished with a time of 18:57 and placed 15th overall. This is the first time I have been under 19 minutes when the temp is over 55 degrees. The time is about 30 seconds faster than 3 weeks ago and a couple places better. Results haven't been posted yet so I don't know age group placings. My friend Robbie showed up for this one so he kicked my butt running 17:32. So I should place 2nd for age group which doesn't matter for the series standings as you have to run all races for final awards.

The 3rd race of the series is July 24th.

[caption id="attachment_862" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Emily finishing the first 5K we let her run by herself."][/caption]

John Isner wins longest tennis match EVER. Over 11 hours on court, 70-68 in 5th set, incredible!!

After 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days on court, John Isner of the U.S. finally beat Nicolas Mahut of France 70-68 in the 5th set.

This match broke every record in the books including crushing most aces by a played in a match. Each man is the only players ever to record over 100 aces.

The length of the fifth set alone was longer than the previous record for the longest match.

Just an awesome match and something we likely won't see again. A great reason not to have tiebreakers in the fifth set!

Longest tennis match in history is still going...suspended by darkness 59 games all!!

Unreal! John Isner and Nicolas Mahut have been playing for over 10 hours over 2 days. The fifth set alone has lasted almost 7 hours.

Just amazing. Play will be resumed tomorrow for day three!!

Watching the most incredible Wimbledon match, 45-44 in the 5th set...and still going!!

What a sports day so far. After watching the amazing USA soccer match this morning that saw them and England throught to the 2nd round of the World Cup, turned over to watch some tennis.

They were showing Isner vs. Mahut which started yesterday but was suspended due to darkness after the 4th set. They started playing the fifth set this morning something like 5 hours ago! The score is 45-45 in the fifth. This match has set every tennis record possible; length, points, aces, games, everything!

For those who don't know, the fifth set at Wimbledon does not go to a tie breaker it won't end until somebody wins two games in a row.

46-45 now...Somebody needs to win so I can watch the Germany/Ghana soccer match.

So many marathon training plans...How to choose.

Run more, run less, crosstrain, tempo runs, intervals, 20 milers...AAAHHHHHHHH!!

There are so many marathon training plans on the internet that it is nearly impossible to figure out what to do. As I have stated earlier, I don't believe there are any shortcuts to marathon training. If you are a first time marathoner or just enjoy finishing marathons, picking a training plan is pretty easy. Just choose a plan that progressively builds the miles and throws in some speedwork. Smart Coach on the Runner's World website does a pretty good job.I have used a plan like this for my first marathon and it got me to the finish.

I have to wonder about the Run Less, Run Faster plan and book through Furman University that use three "quality" workouts each week with intervals, tempo run and long run with cross training sandwiched in between. The book even tells you exactly what paces to use to help you achieve a Boston Qualifying time. I have tried this one and it is sometimes hard to hit some of the paces and the weekly mileage only works out to about 30-40 miles max. They also throw in five 20 milers spaced over the course of the plan. When I did this plan, I ended up combining it with the great plan by the Hanson's running group which takes out the 20 milers in favor of nothing over 16 miles.

I can see where a Run Less program would work for someone in their forties who has a huge aerobic base from year's of running but are a little torn up and could use less miles. I ran in high school and didn't run for years after. I came back to running less than three years ago so I didn't have that huge aerobic base.

The Hanson's plan is really good. The plan is a progressive mileage plan that includes all the usual type runs. They tell you what paces to run based on your current race pace which is helpful and pretty spot on. Their reasoning for not running 20 milers makes sense to me. Even though I can run them (and have), I don't include them in my training. The thought is that the too much recovery time is needed considering most people can't run 20 miles in 2.5 hours or less which is about the recommended longest time for a run. Even the Hanson's elite runners like Brian Sell do not run more than 16 miles in one session. They will do multiple sessions in a day though to get their mileage up to well over 100 miles per week. Yes, a lot of elites run more that 20 miles for a long run, but their 20 miles doesn't even take 2 hours. 20 miles just seems to be the magic number for the pinnacle long run in most plans. In a lot of European plans, the longest run is 30KM or about 18 miles.

One tried and tested method is Arthur Lydiard training. After reading more about his training last fall, I put it to use and I credit the training for my 3:16 at Gasparilla Marathon (even though I did not get a full training cycle in)  as well as my 5K and half-marathon improvements. The training just makes sense to me.You can explore Lydiard and read good overviews of his training HERE. Be sure to click the Training tab and read the full text of the Osaka lecture. Also read this literature that has a sample of a training schedule HERE.

Lydiard is credited as the father of jogging and the misunderstood long slow distance. I say misunderstood because some believe LSD is just that, slow. Not necessarily. LSD is nothing more than aerobic running which allows you to build your aerobic base without killing yourself. Hence the motto "Train, don't strain".

The training is built like a pyramid where each part prepares you for the next. First, you establish a base of aerobic running. No huffing and puffing here, just a lot of comfortable running. Even Lydiard's Olympic Sprinters started their training cycle building an aerobic base. Makes sense, even sprinters have to provide oxygen efficiently to their muscles. Another good thing about the length of the runs is you get used to being on your feet for longer periods. After a while, an hour run feels like a half hour and hour and a half runs feel normal while 2 hour runs push but don't feel overwhelming. Next on the pyramid is hill training to build strength to prepare for the next phase of speed work. Once speed work is complete comes a period of conditioning which contains more race specific work. The training concludes with a freshening up period to allow the body to recover from all the training and get ready to race (but it is not time off).

As with everything, a training plan should be as individual as you are. Don't go blindly following any plan, tweak it to your needs and ability.

Personally, if you are an experienced runner with time goals or a really motivated and disciplined beginner, go with the Lydiard plan as I believe it makes sense and is working for me. You don't have to do it exactly as laid out. Tweak the length of training sessions to your ability and build up your miles.

If you are an absolute beginning runner. Start out with a "couch to 5K" program that blends walking with increasing amounts of running that will get you to the finish line of a 5K in about 8 weeks.

For beginning marathoners (you should at least be able to run a whole 10K without stopping) who just want to finish, use a progressive program that will build your miles steadily. All a beginner needs to do is build their ability to run far. I am not sure why they include any speed work for anybody who will be doing a marathon at a 10 minute per mile pace or greater. Speed work isn't going to make you faster, aerobic runs will.

I wish everybody luck with your training and racing. Hope to see you at a race soon!!

Watermelon Race #1 Results Up!

The results for race #1 of the Watermelon series is finally up on the Lakeland Runner's Club site. Not sure what they did, but the page is so slow loading now.

Anyway, the 19:25 I put up was good enough for 1st place in the 35-39 age group. Looking forward to getting in a lot of good miles in before the next race June 26th. Maybe I will go a little faster if I feel like it.

Happy Birthday Jenny!!

Today is Jenny's 37th birthday which makes her older than me again. For the next two months I get to call her the older woman.

Happy Birthday ya old grump!! Don't forget how much I love you!!!

Marathon Training Week #1 Recap

Had a good first week coming off the Lake Louisa 5K last Saturday. Ran everyday for a total of 55 miles. All miles were run aerobically around 145 beats per minute. Had a good time at the Watermelon 5K placing 17th overall (still don't know age group standings). Miles would have been higher, but I stink at getting myself out of bed in the morning, so I didn't get out for a 2 hour run Sunday morning. Instead, I punished myself by running 6 miles at 1PM when the feels like temperature was over 100 degrees. I usually do my runs in the evening and could get away with it during the winter. Going to have to really motivate myself to get up and run in the morning now.

I have been working a lot on run mechanics. One thing I discovered was how much arm carriage plays into everything. I knew the arms control your cadence and to some extent where your foot strike will be (the closer your opposite hand is to your hip, the more underneath foot strike will be). By doing a little reverse engineering, I built a harness that will train you to achieve proper arm carriage that is more like you will see with Kenyan runners. I first saw the harness at www.stridemechanics.com where I already have the book. The harness was easy to make and saved from spending $18. Basically, the hands are a bit higher close to your chest. The main movement is backwards with the elbows which aids the toe off portion of your stride. By keeping the hands close to the chest, it is almost impossible to overstride and helps keep you to a midfoot landing.

This week will be about the same schedule except a 5K time trial and a day of strides is thrown in. Hopefully, I can get myself up in the mornings so I can get a 15-30 minute run in to get the blood flowing before work. No races until the the 26th for the next Watermelon. The big week is after that July 4th weekend where I will run a total of four races in 18 hours. Will start off with the Lutz Independence Day 5K Saturday morning, then the Kiwanis 1 mile, 5K, and 10K midnight run in Dunedin to cap off the day. Pretty much a broken up half-marathon in the heat and mugginess.

Watermelon Series 5K Race #1 - Race Report

Ahh, Summertime. Waking up before 5AM, heat, humidity, must be Watermelon Series time!! This morning was the 1st 5K of the 15th annual Lakeland Watermelon Series put on by the Lakeland Runners Club. The race is run around Lake Hollingsworth next to Florida Southern College. Temperature at start was 77 degrees with 96% humidity. I had more sweat going during my warmup than any run in the winter. They had a great turnout with over 500 people showing up. This year, they are actually giving out finisher medals to those who register for all four races by next race and complete all four.

I had a good run this morning that went as I had planned and finished knowing I could have gone faster if I wanted to. My finish time was 19:25 which is 30 seconds faster than any of my times from last year's series. I finished 17th overall, but won't know my age group placing until later in the week as it takes them a while to tabulate everything. I did a great job of starting out slower running the first mile in 6:19. The 2nd mile was 6:15 and last mile 6:14. I didn't have much incentive to push the last mile, so I just kept running comfortably trying to concentrate on keeping good form and run smooth.

The watermelon after the race was cold and tasty!! One cool thing about the races in Lakeland is that they have someone who takes pictures of all the runners and posts them on the running club site. This is good for me since Jenny walks the course so I don't have my photographer at the finish. The only thing this race needs to do which would save them a ton of time is to have age group boxes to place finisher cards into. For some reason, they have a single male and female box to collect cards. I pity the person who has to sort all those cards. Last year it took 2-3 days for results to be posted to their site and everyone had to wait for well over an hour after the final race finished for them to get final results to hand out awards.

Lakeland Watermelon Series 5K Race 1 in the Morning

We will be getting up bright and early tomorrow morning to go over to Lakeland for the first race in the annual Watermelon Series put on by the Lakeland Runners Club. The Watermelon is a series of four 5K races spread over two months. The cost is only $5 per race or $15 if you pay for the series up front making for great training races or for somebody wanting to do a race for the first time. Awards are handed out at the end of the series for overall and age group winners based on cumulative time from all four races. I was first in my age group last year.

My goal for the series is to not go all out and practice starting slow (about 6:10 pace for first mile) and run faster each mile after.We'll see how that works out!

It's National Running Day, Go Run!!

Happy National Running Day, now get off your bum and get moving! Sign up to walk/run a 5K and start training. It's good for you and usually helps support local charities. Almost anybody can walk a 5K!

Go, get out, walk, run, crawl, do anything, just move. You will feel better, look better and spend less time and money at the doctor's office. Get stronger, drop those pounds you don't want, save the planet by biking or running where you need to go.

I hear all the Mr./Mrs. negativities out there..."Running is bad for your knees". Blah, blah, blah...

Running isn't bad for your knees or anything else. Most all running injuries are from overuse. Running form can also cause injury. Bashing your heels into the ground with those huge heeled clunkers that Nike wants you to buy can cause thing like shin splints, plantar fasciitis and a host of other malodies (yes, knee injuries too).

Want to learn how to run?? Take your shoes and socks off and go run at the high school track or golf course. Cavemen didn't have running injuries unless they were caught by what was chasing them.

So, happy National Running Day to all and to all a good run.

Need information to start running or training, just ask!!

Marathon Training Starts Today!!

Marathon training in June?? Yep, today is the first day of training for the Spacecoast Marathon November 28th in Cocoa. But the race is six months away, why are you starting training so far out. Well, to be the most effective, this gives me the most amount of time to build up a larger aerobic base that will help me go faster for longer. I use the timeless training of Arthur Lydiard who coached several New Zealand athletes to Olympic medals and several world records. You can download an overview of Lydiard training by clicking HERE. This training will have you running a lot of miles but under the motto of "Train, don't strain". After using and reading several "run less, run faster" programs, I have found there is no shortcut in Marathon training. You have to build your aerobic base to run faster and longer.

Here is what I will be doing for the next three months:

Conditioning (As long as possible) 2 week cycles. Builds an aerobic base.

Monday: Aerobic running 1 hour.
Tuesday: Aerobic running 1.5 hours.
Wednesday: Run hilly course 1 hour.
Thursday: Aerobic running 1.5 hours.
Friday: Jog 1 hour.
Saturday: Run hilly course 1 hour.
Sunday: Aerobic running 2 hours.

Monday: Run hilly course 1 hour.
Tuesday: Aerobic running 1.5 hours.
Wednesday: Time trial 3000 or 5000 meters.
Thursday: Aerobic running 1.5 hours.
Friday: Jog 1 hour.
Saturday: Relaxed striding of 4 to 8 times 200 meters.
Sunday: Aerobic running 2 hours or more.

You can be flexible with this schedule based on how you feel. Weeks when I have a race will be a little different cutting the Friday run to 2-3 miles or no running. Will take a day off when needed.

This schedule basically will have me running 50-70 miles per week. I am hoping I can start waking up a little earlier in the morning to run some extra miles and get extra stretching and massage with my Stick (you can purchase one by clicking on the link on the right side of this page).

So, what is an aerobic base and how do you build it? Basically, the larger your base of miles run at an aerobic pace, the more efficient your body will be at burning fat for fuel instead of precious glycogen.

So how do I know I am running aerobically? an unscientific way of knowing you are running aerobically is by using the talk test. If you can easily carry on a conversation with somebody, you are running aerobically. You should not be huffing and puffing during these runs. At the end of the run, you should feel "pleasantly tired".

Another and more scientific way is by using a heart rate monitor (how I do it). First, you have to calculate your resting and maximum heart rate then your target heart rate. You figure out your resting heart rate by taking your pulse first thing in the morning when you wake up immediately after you open your eyes and before you even get out of bed. Your maximum heart rate is best done by taking taking a stress test at the cardiologist's office. Make sure you find one who does tests for runners or knows your purpose. Another easy, but slightly less accurate way is by using the target heart rate calculator found HERE. I use this calculator and it has worked OK for me. The calculator will show you your heart rate percentages. For aerobic running, you should be around 70% of your heart rate reserve. Even if you have to walk up a hill, don't let your heart rate get much above 70%.

This period of aerobic base building lasts as long as possible. After base building, you do four weeks of hill work followed by four weeks of speed work before tapering for the marathon.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

Lake Louisa 5K Race Report

Yesterday was the May edition of the Lake Louisa 5K which is put on by the Friends of Lake Louisa to raise funds to pay for park projects.

The course is an out and back that is flat except for a small part of a hill at the turn around point. There is also several turns that you need to run correctly so you don't end up running farther than you need to. As it was, I measured the course at 3.15 miles. This is not a big race maybe getting a little over 100 runners.  The race is enjoyable and gives a good reason to spend the weekend at Lake Louisa State Park. Race awards are nice, refreshments are adequate, but the t-shirt was the same exact shirt that was used in September (even the sponsors on the back were the same).

This was my first race after running the Kentucky Derby Marathon a month ago and my first race in the heat so I wasn't sure what I would do. Races like this are hard because I know what the usual winning times are and this one was winnable from past times. So, I end up going out with whoever goes and have to try to stay at a pace I can do. Didn't work out this time as the guy who won ran 17:30 or something like that. Until the turnaround point, I just wanted to keep him in sight and see if he faded. That didn't happen. I could feel that my run mechanics weren't that good as my calves were feeling it because I was pushing off too much. I slowed down more than I would have liked the last mile.

I ended up finishing in 19:25 finishing first in my age group and fourth overall (3rd male). The female winner passed me just near the end of the third mile. She paced while I raced. I probably could have stayed with her and the kid that I was running with the whole race, but I really didn't feel like putting in the effort knowing marathon training starts this week and I am running the first race of the Watermelon Series in Lakeland next week.

[caption id="attachment_812" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Cool looking sunset through the rain."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_813" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Good "motion" shot by Jenny."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_814" align="aligncenter" width="333" caption="Chris working hard at the finish. He got schooled pretty good. Fogured out you have to train for these things to do well..But what do I know?"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_815" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Lake Dixie inside Lake Louisa State Park."][/caption]

RBSMS/ZHS Band Concert--WOW!!!!

What a show tonight (all 2 1/2 hours of it)! The RBSMS Jazz/Advanced Band teamed up with the Zephyrhills High Symphonic/Jazz/Percussion bands at the Wesley Chapel HS Performing Arts Center. It is amazing the level of talent that these kids possess. I have paid a lot of money for concerts of lesser length and quality.

As soon as I get time next week, I will post some video so you can hear how good these kids are...

Lake Louisa 5K this Saturday

Looking forward to this weekend. We will be spending the Friday and Saturday night camping at Lake Louisa State Park. Saturday morning is the Lake Louisa 5K. The Friends of Lake Louisa hold a 5K at the park in May and September each year. We ran the last one in September where I placed 2nd overall and first in my age group. Assuming past times hold up, this is a winnable race for me. If I can be smart by going out easy at a 6 minute pace, I will see how I feel at the turnaround and kick it up on the way back. Traing has gone great and race pace has felt easy over short distance intervals.

No internet at the park, so won't have anything up until Monday. Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!!

Coffee: no creamer, no problem!

Jenny and I usually have a couple cups of coffee when I come home for lunch. Somehow, we got this started a couple years ago. Anyway, we ran out of creamer which is not a good situation. That's right, we are wimps and put junk in our coffee. In a pinch with no emergency supplies, I came up with the idea to make a mocha coffee using hot chocolate mix. It tasted really good! Here is what you do. Brew your coffee like normal, pour a packet of hot chocolate mix in a mug, pour in coffee and stir. The stuff we had also has a packet those dried up marshmallows which we tossed in for a little frothiness. I would imagine that this would also be good as an iced coffee if you add the coffee to crushed ice.

Added Chi Running as one of my affiliates

I am now affiliated with Chi Running. Click on the link over on the right to check out their site. As with my other affiliates, if you access their site by clicking on my links, I get commission on anything you buy. So please buy lots to help me pay for this site and my running adventures!

So what the heck is Chi Running? In a nutshell, Chi Running is a running technique that will change your stride and reduce your chances of getting injured and possibly make you faster. The technique teaches a full-foot landing that keeps you off your heals reducing impact stress to your joints, bones, and muscles. By using gravity to assist you via a forward lean, you will be more efficient allowing you to run further and faster.

In the future, I hope to get to a class and become an instructor so I can teach others Chi Running.

New course record set at Green Bay Marathon!

I must admit I am a little bummed sitting at my desk reading the articles on the Green Bay Gazette site and looking at photos from yesterday's Green Bay Marathon knowing a year ago that I was in the pack that started in front of Lambeau Field.

6566 runners lined up and were treated to beautiful running weather starting out in the 50's with clear skies and little wind. James Boit of Minnessota won the men's marathon in a course record time of 2:15:15.

Hopefully, we can get back up there so I can have another crack at that course. Hey Carrie, let's get the Fredonia Relay for Life on the same page and make the date the same weekend as the Marathon!!! Next year's date should be May 15th.

Zephyrhills First Christian Church new website design.

As part of my duties to to help get the word out about our church, I am in the process of redesigning the church website. I have an initial design that I really like. It is just a shell to give you an idea of how the site will look and does not have any of the pages and I will add much more functionality.

You can view the site here: www.neilclements.com/fcczhills

Wish I were running in Green Bay this weekend.

This time last year, Jenny and I were packing our bags, getting ready to fly up to Green Bay to visit Carrie & Terry and run the Green Bay Marathon which is this Sunday. I wish to run in that 45 degree weather again. I just got in from running six miles in 88 degree heat. I just took a shower and am still sweating sitting here.

Hopefully, Colorado will be nice and cool next summer.

[caption id="attachment_790" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Jenny's view inside Lambeau Field during the 5K."][/caption]

Chris plays recorder at chorus concert

Along with other 4th and 5th grade students who were chosen to play their recorders, Chris did a great job at the Woodland Elementary chorus concert. The school uses the Recorder Karate program to teach kids to learn to play the recorder while also learning to read music. For each song they complete by playing solo in front of the music teacher, they receive a colored "belt" that they wrap on their recorders. The 5th graders played 5 songs of increasing difficulty with less and less students playing as the songs got harder. Chris played all but one song which is the last song in the program that he hasn't had a chance to perform in front of the teacher.

Chris playing recorder at Woodland Elementary Chorus Concert from Neil Clements on Vimeo.

Found the marathon to run when we visit my brother in Colorado next year.

We are planning on a long camping trip out to Colorado Springs to visit my brother next year. I was looking at running the Colorado Marathon, but it is run in May during school. So a longer trip really is not a good idea. So, I started looking to see if there are any marathons in June or July. Jenny doesn't know anything about this planning yet but is looking forward to going to Colorado.

I found some in Utah where Kim is from. I have settled on the Utah Valley Marathon in Provo which is run June 12th this year.  www.utahvalleymarathon.com

The marathon looks awesome with a beautiful, fast, and downhill course that starts near Wallsburg and comes out of the mountains ending in Provo. Nothing but good reviews for this race. Awards 5 deep in each age group, they even give you $5 off entry if you have qualified previously for Boston and if you run a BQ at this race, you get a special shirt at the finish line. How cool is that??!!

With the timing of the race, I am thinking a three week trip would be awesome with finding a 5K race to run in Colorado to see what I can run at altitude. Also will be able to visit Newton Running in Boulder. Plus, this opens up the spring where we might be able to make a quick run up to Georgia and run a marathon there either at Warner Robbins in January or Albany in March.

The kids get out of school June 1st next year. So if we leave out when they get out of school, we would be in Colorado that weekend. If we can pull this off, what an awesome trip it will be!!

How heat affects the runner's body.

As you go out for your hot summer run, life quickly turns for the worse as your body starts to bake and sweat.

So what is happening to our bodies that brings on fatigue, utter miserableness and is there anything we can do?

Even though I have lived in Florida my whole life, I don't operate real well in the heat. My training and racing times go up and down with the temperature. As I was talking to a guy from Michigan as I running towards the end of the Kentucky Marathon, I got the usual "Well, you're from Florida, you must be used to this weather". I wish, think I was made for a nice cool climate. I love running in 45-55 degree weather and don't have a major problem when it dips into the 30's. I went out about 2PM to run a couple miles at 88 degrees. Hopefully, I can get a little used to the heat this month before going into my next six month training cycle in June.

Let's talk about what happens to the body. If you want some in depth reading, go to www.sportsscientists.com and read their articles on fatigue. In a nut-shell, here is what happens.

As you run, your body temperature rises. To combat this, the body shunts blood from the muscles and moves the blood to the skin to cool off. So, your muscles tire quicker and you aren't able to go as fast as you would like. As you begin to sweat heavier and heavier, the heart pumps harder and harder to get the muscles the blood they need. Plus, if it is really humid, moisture pools on your skin and doesn't allow the bodies natural cooling mechanism operate properly because the sweat does not evaporate trapping heat. Pretty soon, you are ready to pack it in as your breathing skyrockets and you're legs feel dead.

What can we do to combat all this?

Run at cooler times of the day. Slow your pace. Wear moisture wicking clothing. Carry water to drink as you get thirsty. Try putting ice cubes in a bandanna and wrap around your neck. Research has shown that drinking a slushy before running can delay heat exhaustion. Other than that, suck it up and get used to it.

Stewart Middle School Band Grand National Champions...Again!!

Just heard from Tommy who is on his way back from Universal Studios. The Stewart Middle School Band was crowned Grand National Champions today placing 1st in Intermediate, Jazz and Advanced competition at the Dynamic Music Festival.

Congratulations to all the hard work of the band kids and Mr. Leahy!!!

[caption id="attachment_773" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="One happy band kid holding the first place trophy."][/caption]

Great Newton Running Customer Support!

Besides the great running shoes, Newton Running also provides great customer support.

The Newton Performance Racers that I got before the Kentucky Marathon were the original model that is a very slight different than my last pair. The big thing is the insoles. The original model has insoles with sort of a waffle like bottom that is a little irritating when running. In the meantime, I swapped the insoles out with the ones from my old pair. But, since those insoles are pretty worn and have hundreds of miles on them, I thought I would email Newton Running to see if I could get a pair of the new insoles. The next day, I got an email from Tory asking me for my shoe size and address so they could send me a fresh pair which I received in the mail today.

Thanks Newton Running for the great service and the fresh comfy insoles!!

Want to know what goes into preparing for a marathon?

Now that Florida's cool months are behind us, a marathoner's attention turns to planning a fall marathon and dreading the upcoming summer training. This fall, I plan on running the Spacecoast Marathon in Titusville Nov. 28th. With seven months until the race, I have plenty of time to get a full training/racing cycle in.

The goal for May is to recover from all the miles and races of the last six months. After a full week of no running, I did a short run today. Everything felt OK except for the heat. It takes 3-4 weeks to fully recover from a marathon, so I plan on mostly short runs of no more than an hour with a little strengthening thrown in before starting my six month marathon training June 1st.

This is also a time to do a lot of work on run mechanics including drills and video analysis. Kind of like pre-season. I think the reason I had trouble with my right knee was due to my foot strike being a little out in front instead of landing mostly below my hips which takes a lot of pressure off the knees.

I plan to log all of my training plus provide thoughts and tips to help you as I go along.

Keep checking back. Please feel free to comment and I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Happy 11th Birthday Christopher!!

Amazingly, Chris made it to his 11th birthday. I told him years ago he would be lucky to make it to 10. So he had a pretty good day and was happy with his presents and cake.