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.