Spokane Half Marathon

"As I ran toward the finish line, I started thinking about how, just a few years ago, I thought my running days were over, and about how much I really love running. I got a big, goofy grin on my face and pumped my fist as I ran across the line and into the chute."

-Me, Oct. 2009

That was from my race report from the 2009 version of the Spokane Half Marathon, which was the first half I ever ran, but I could have just as easily written the same about my race last Sunday (although, I didn't have the grin & fist pump this time around).

I have to admit, I'm losing count of how many "I thought my running days were over" proclamations I've made in my life. I suppose I should leave them in the past, because I somehow keep returning to the scene of the crime, as it were.

So, yes, I just finished the Spokane Half Marathon, my first half marathon since 2010 (and, as I said, a repeat of my first half in 2009), and...they still hurt. But I still love the distance. And this course, while the toughest half marathon course I've ever run, is enjoyable both for its scenery, and the challenge. But, let's be honest — the hills SUUUUUCK! They were every bit as tough as I remembered them. 

The race started at 9:00am on a PERFECT day. Clear as a bell, and about 45°f at start time. My goal (as usual) was to go out slow and hopefully have enough juice for the last few miles of the race. I did go out slow the first mile, but when the downhill stretches showed up, I decided to not put on the brakes and just let gravity do its thing. I ended up passing a lot of people on the downhills. It took a few miles to feel like I was in the groove, but I never felt peppy. At the start of mile 7, my average pace was about 8:03 per mile. I knew I was over my head, but I didn't feel overextended. I adjusted my plan mid-race and decided that, if I could arrive at the base of Doomsday Hill with an 8:10 average pace, I might be able to hold on for my goal of a sub-1:50 finish. Sure enough, with Doomsday in sight, my Garmin said I was pacing at 8:09, so up I went. SLOWLY. I never stopped to walk (as much as I was tempted to), but I'm pretty sure I was over 9:00/mi pace going up much of that monstrosity. I knew that I had to still be sub-8:20 pace by the time I reached the top, or I wouldn't be able to hit my goal. Fortunately, I had only dropped to 8:14s. However, that hill destroyed me. I didn't have much left in the tank, and there were still 4 miles yet to race. I tried to find an 'auto-pilot' mode and hang on. But my calves had zero push-off power left, and my hip flexors were fried. I knew there was one short, but steep, uphill left, about a quarter mile from the finish. I trudged up it (even walked for about 10 seconds), went around a couple of corners, then "sprinted" (ha!) to the finish line. The medals seem to be getting nicer in races these days (maybe the participants are asking for nicer medals?), and there was a free race photo (below) afterwards, which was nice. Food was plentiful (pizza, fruit, nuts, donuts, chocolate milk, etc). Once finished, I could tell my calves were very close to cramping. Thankfully, I had parked close to the finish line (which was about 1/2 mi from the starting line). I walked to my truck to get my phone, and as soon as I tried to climb in, my left calf cramped horribly, and I let out a loud scream. I'm surprised the authorities didn't come running!

Fake smile, through the fatigue and sweat

Here were my results:

Chip Time: 1:47:36
Avg. Pace: 8:13
Avg. HR: 148
Elev. Gain: 620' (I've seen higher on Strava)
Overall finish: 91/498
Males: 56/198
Age Group (50-54): 4/18

Yes, I just missed an age group award. I was honestly surprised to get 4th. I was just hoping for top 10. The number of runners was down this year, for some reason.

Incidentally, of the 6 half marathons I've run, this was my slowest, by several minutes. Yet, it was probably my most satisfying, given all the garbage my body has been through the last couple of years.

That was my "A" race for the year, so aside from a low-key 5k or 10k between now and the end of winter, I'll just be doing a lot of base training. Mostly outdoors, I hope. Man, I hate winter more every year...

August Numbers

Time marches on! August 2017 has come and gone, which means I have the usual ever-so-fascinating monthly numbers to post:

Runs:     15
Miles:    84.5
Long Run:    13.1
Races: 0
Bike Rides: 3
Miles:     60.2
Long Ride: 20.2

A vacation to Florida detracted from my numbers in July. In the heat and humidity, I managed only one 6-mile run while there (and zero bike rides, as I didn't bring my bike, nor did I have time or the inclination to rent one). The more re-focused on running I've become, the more cycling has taken a backseat in my training program, for better or worse. I'm hoping to keep one recovery ride per week in my schedule, but I've even sacrificed that in my tentative training schedule leading up to my half marathon in early October. I believe I only have two rides penciled in for September.

As I've been building my running base, I feel like I've actually gotten a bit slower. On an 8-mile easy run yesterday morning, I ran one of the miles at hopeful half marathon pace, and it didn't feel sustainable at all for a half. I'm hoping to pace it at 8:00 miles (I ran this one a bit fast, at 7:52). Granted, this was my third day in a row of running, starting with a hard mile time trial on a track.

Oh, tangent—I did finally satisfy my curiosity last Thursday, by running a mile on our local high school track. It was in the afternoon, so the temps were in the mid-80's, it was windy and smoky, from regional fires. Not the best conditions, but my patience finally ran out, and I just HAD to see where I'm at, speed-wise. Well, I wasn't where I was hoping to be. I ran a 6:36. I went out WAY too fast (1:30), then tried to hold on. I had no juice the last lap. I'll probably run another mile TT in a month or two, just to see if I've progressed.

BODY CHECK

My left knee and surgically repaired right hip are still holding up, even though I feel them from time to time. What's concerning me lately is my left hip. It has been quite sore between runs. I need to step up my game with the rolling, stretching and ice.

RACES

I've got two tune-up races this month, before my half in October. Both are 10k's (Sandpoint and ValleyFest). Neither are "A" races for me, so I don't have any solid time goals. I would like to run better than I did at the Chelanman 10k, back in July, so I guess sub-48 would be my goal.

All for now. Onward, running peeps!

Belated July Results

The month of August is nearly half over, and due to a recent vacation, I haven't been able to post my July training numbers. So, without further adieu...

Runs:     16
Miles:    100.1
Long Run:    12
Races: 1 (Chelanman 10k, Chelan, WA - 48:29, 12/112 overall, 2/5 AG)
Bike Rides: 6
Miles:     196
Long Ride: 56.6

I managed to hit a couple of milestones in July. It was my first 100 mile running month in nearly 4 1/2 years. I did a long run of 12 miles, which was the first time over 10 since August of 2010! While there are still some issues with my body I'm a little concerned about, I'll admit that I'm now a runner once again. I'm going to keep knocking on wood with crossed fingers, though.

The race I ran in Chelan was a spur of the moment decision (well, it was made a few days prior to the race). My friend Dan was doing the half ironman and suggested I come over to run the 10k. Despite a period of bad running, I decided to give it a go. I ended up running the slowest 10k I've ever run, and felt pretty lousy doing it. Still, I don't regret it. It was a fun weekend.

As alluded to earlier, a vacation earlier this month disrupted my training quite a bit. We spent a week in Florida, and I managed just one run while there. I plan on ramping up my mileage the rest of this month, and will start including some hill repeats to build strength. I won't be racing this month, but I have two 10k's on back-to-back weekends lined up for mid-September (one of them tentative). Then, my "A" race for the year, the Spokane Half Marathon will be on Sunday, Oct. 8th.

Now, to go off topic a bit. Last month, I shared my Don Rickles portrait story. This month, I'll share my Glen Campbell portrait story! Oh boy, a new celebrity every month! Don't worry, it won't become a trend.

As you may have heard by now, Glen Campbell passed away from Alzheimer's recently. I drew his portrait before that happened. With permission from his family, I'll be selling prints of the drawing, with 50% of the net proceeds going to his foundation, to benefit Alzheimer's awareness and research. If you're interested, check out my portrait website soon (I haven't posted the prints quite yet, but keep checking, they'll be up shortly).

Thanks for stopping by!

May Totals

Call me crazy, but time is accelerating more and more all the time. Or, I'm just getting old. Both, I think.

May has come and gone and, I'm happy to report, it was a very good training month for me.

I'll get the negative comments out of the way first. My left knee is still an issue. It's not stopping me from running, but I feel pain from time to time, especially running uphill. I actually feel it more when walking or hiking than when running. Also, my right heel (the injury that hit me after my 2010 marathon) is making its presence known. Like the knee, not enough to affect my running —yet— but enough to be an annoyance.

The hip, on the other hand, seems to be very gradually improving. I was a little worried a few weeks ago that I may have re-torn the labrum, due to how sore it was. But, based on how it's felt the last few weeks, I'm pretty sure it's fine.

On to the numbers. I hit a milestone last month. I ran not one, but two ten-milers in May! It was the first time I've done a double-digit run in 18 months. While neither felt perfect (nor easy), they were confidence builders. I came out of both runs unscathed, although the above mentioned heel wasn't too happy after the second one. I also threw in one fast mile during a 4 mile run a few days ago. It felt hard, but I thought I was closer to 7:30-7:40 than the 7:17 I ran it in.

I also started mixing in some climbs in the little bit of cycling I'm doing. Since the running seems to be going pretty well, cycling is being relegated to mere cross-training at this point. My current plan is for one or two rides per week, along with 3-4 runs, and at least one weights session.

Swimming? What the heck is that? ;-)

MAY 2017

• Runs: 14
• Run Miles: 69.5 (highest in over 4 years!)
• Long Run: 10 mi. (twice)
• Rides: 6
• Ride Miles: 141.5
• Long Ride: 36.7 mi.

I've got my eye on a few races later this year. I'm kicking around the idea of running a little 5k on Father's Day, but I may skip it. Not only do I not feel race-ready, I'm afraid it'll kick my brain into full-on race mode, and I'll get the bug and rush my training. There are a few local 5k's in July that might work. Beyond that, the two I'm seriously considering are a 10k in Sandpoint, ID in mid-September, and the Spokane Half Marathon on October 8th. That was my very first half marathon, back in 2009. It's a tough course, but it would be fun to revisit it and compare notes.

Well, What the Heck Did You Go And Do That For?!

What's the definition of insanity? Yeah, that's what I thought. What's the definition of insanity? Yeah, that's what I thought.

I ran a low-key, donation-only half marathon this morning (First Call, put on by Adrian Call, who does a very nice job). There was also a full marathon and a 50k, along with three different start times. The race started at Bothell Landing and was an out-and-back course, mostly flat. After destroying my heel on a 2-hour hilly trail run on Monday, I decided to be smart and skip this event, opting to volunteer instead tough it out, heel be damned, and run the stupid race. Ah, I can hear a couple of you booking flights to Seattle right now so you can show up at my doorstep and knock some sense into me when I answer (which is why I don't answer the door, most of the time).

I went out at a 7:44 first mile, backed off the pace a bit, then picked it up a little on the return trip, for a finish of 1:41:44...which is only :22 off my (rather soft) half PR...on low training and a bum wheel. It was the longest run I've done since my marathon on May 15th, and even though the last couple of miles were tough, I managed to run negative splits, which is rare for me. The only downside to this race (aside from my injury) was that I ended up running all but the first 2 miles alone, so it felt very much like a training run...which is how I was going to treat it, anyway.

So why did I do this when my heel has been so agitated this week? Um...how 'bout them Cubbies!

Honestly, I wrestled with the decision. I knew the course was flat (the hills have really been killing my heel), and I figured I'd start with the idea of DNF'ing if the pain was too much. Well, there was pain, but I guess I didn't consider it "too much". Plus, I'm not always the brightest bulb in the pantry (we keep our spare bulbs in our pantry. So there.) Now, maybe due to overcompensation, my lower right calf has been hurting & getting tight during my runs, and I've felt hints of Plantar Fasciitis underneath the heel. My whole right foot is going on strike.  I figure that if I'm going down, I might as well go down with a big THUD, instead of during a routine neighborhood run. The deck chairs on the Titanic look better rearranged, anyway.

I've got an ice pack on the heel as I'm sitting here. I'll alternate ice with a tub of warm water for the next hour or so. Here's where I feel like Fonzy, from Happy Days: I plan on bbbbb....bbbbbb......bbacking off for awhile. How long? Oh, what time is it now? Kidding. I don't know yet whether I'll do an official "shut down" for the long term, or just play it by ear. I still hold out hopes of running the Baker Lake 50k on October 2nd. The reality is that I probably won't be able to put in 1) enough long runs, and 2) enough trail time to feel comfortable running it. But there's still a glimmer of hope. We'll see. Other than that, I have no other races on the schedule, and that's kind of a relief right now. I'm hoping to reconcile with my heel and tear up these divorce papers.

Man, this ice is cold.

Last Meaningful Run

Last meaningful run until the marathon, that is. I had my final scheduled double-digit run today. It was originally penciled in as a 12-miler, but I decided to make it a half marathon so I could do a test-run of my marathon, in miniature. It was VERY windy, but the rain held off.

My main concern is finding appropriate paces at different times during the race. My race plan can be summed up in two words: Patient and Conservative. That describes the first half of my race, anyway (I hope). I had a few friends run marathons this past weekend, and while I congratulate them for doing great, the comments I heard most were similar to, "man, I died at mile 18" or "those last 6 miles took forever!", etc. That may happen to me even if I do go out slowly, but I know they WILL happen if I'm NOT patient and conservative for the first half (or longer) of the race.

So, with all that said, here's how I approached today's run, as told by the numbers:


Overall time - 1:45:41 - 8:04 pace
First half - 55:23 - 8:27 pace
2nd half - 50:18 - 7:41 pace

I'm pretty happy with my pacing. My later miles were a little quicker than planned, but it's what my body naturally wanted to run. We'll see if that happens during the race. As I did in this mini-test, I'll take the first few miles very slowly, then gradually pick up the pace. Later in the race, if I've got sub-8's in me, then I'll go for it. I'm also pleased with how my heart rate settled into a nice zone later in the run. Low 140's seem to be pretty sustainable for me for a reasonable distance.

Hydration: I decided to take a drink every half mile. It ended up being a little annoying, but I wanted to make sure I was well hydrated. In the marathon, I'll probably drink once per mile. I took a shot of Hammer Gel at mile 5. In the race, I'm planning on taking a hit every 6 miles.

I weighed myself right before the run. After the run, I peed about 15 oz (don't ask me how I know. Just…trust me). During the run, I drank about 25 oz of weakly mixed Heed. When I got home, I weighed myself again and had lost 2.2 lbs. It was more than I had hoped to lose, but better than the 4.6 lbs I lost after last week's 16-mile run.

My messed-up toe was an issue again. It started feeling uncomfortable at about mile 8. I tried to focus on not pushing off with my toes (while not altering my normal stride), but I'm now convinced that my shoes are the main cause. Sadly, my Brooks Launches (my favorites) may not be my race day shoe. If I don't go with them, it'll have to be my Brooks Defyance 3's, which are a great training shoe, but a bit heavier. I'll bring both to the race and make the call there.

From here on out, every run until the race will be relatively short. I'll still throw in some marathon pace miles, but it's time to let the body fully recover. I'm still feeling a little tired, so I welcome some down time.

Mercer Island Half Marathon...After Solo Half Marathon

This was a challenging, but enjoyable, running weekend. On the advice of my ultra running friend Arthur, I ran a solo half marathon yesterday, then the Mercer Island Half Marathon today. When we first discussed the idea, I wasn't so sure I wanted to try it. He said it would be a good way to simulate leg fatigue late in a full marathon. Once I wrapped my mind around the idea, I went for it. I ran 10 miles on Monday, 6 Tuesday, 5 Wednesday, 4 Thursday, took Friday off, ran 13.1 on Saturday and 13.1 today, for a new weekly PR of 51.3 miles this week.

Back to the halves. Saturday morning, I ran the first 6 miles with Mike and Eric (two guys from the Mill Creek Running & Multisport Club, with whom I run on Saturday mornings. BTW, I carpooled to today's race with Lars, who is one of the group's founders. He ran the race this morning in a nice 1:48), then ran the last 7.1 alone. I ended up with a quicker-than-expected 1:43:42. Fast-forward to this morning at 9:00am when the Mercer Island Half started, under overcast conditions with a temp of 52. PERFECT. I wanted to go out slowly (8:00-8:10), but ended up with a 7:44. No worries - still well within my range. I'll list mile splits later, but I'll say that I felt TOO good for the first 6.5 miles. I naively started thinking that yesterday's half wasn't really going to affect me that much. Well, I forgot to mention that the Mercer Island course is HILLY! I felt some leg fatigue kick in at the 6.5 mile point, but it was slight enough that I thought I could push through it at my current pace (7:30 or so by then). At that point, I took a Hammer Gel and tried to drink enough water (which I never do) and continued to cruise along (mostly uphill...like an M.C. Escher drawing, where there seems to be more ups than downs). Alas, mile 12 showed it's ugly, asphalt face. There was a pretty serious hill (as opposed to the joking ones) that started at the 11.5 mile mark that slapped me in the face. My legs revealed a level of fatigue I have never felt before. I don't know if I achieved glycogen depletion (i.e. "hit the wall"), but at this point, yesterday's half came into play big time! I struggled my way up the hill, feeling like I was barely moving. My quads were zapped of energy. There was a downhill immediately after, but I didn't have enough in me to fly down it like I typically try to do on downhills (and did on previous ones in this race, few as they seemed to be). There was another slight uphill (which didn't feel too slight) with less than a mile to go...then down again briefly, then up to the finish. The last bit of uphill was torture, since there was no way I was backing off the pace, or walking, in the midst of so many cheering spectators! One interesting thing I noted was that my heart rate was actually dropping later in the race, yet my legs were dying. That told me that the pre-fatiguing of my legs was indeed working.

Here are the numbers:

Time: 1:42:11
Pace: 7:48
Overall place: 371/2137 (17%)
Age Group: 48/174 (28%)
Men: 301/1077 (28%)
Avg. HR: 150 bpm
Mile Splits:
7:44
7:56
7:33
7:27
7:31
7:35
7:44
7:49
7:45
7:55
7:27
8:08 (where I hit my "mini-wall")
7:59
7:59 (pace for last .1)

I'm sure I would have gone under 1:40 if I hadn't run a half yesterday and tapered a little, but my current focus is the marathon, so even though I didn't run a PR, it ended up being my second fastest half (out of four races), and with dead legs, on a hilly course. I'm pretty happy with the result, and also happy I got a taste of the leg fatigue I'll likely encounter in my first marathon, now only 8 weeks away.

Nookachamps Half Marathon

This morning I ran the Nookachamps Half Marathon in Mt. Vernon, WA. The skies were clear and temperatures were in the upper 30's by race time - perfect conditions! I've struggled with some kind of chest cold the last few days and took two days off before today's race. Before the race, I felt pretty decent, but still not as strong as I usually do. I think I get these little "mini colds" when I'm borderlining (is that a word?) on over-training. I've also run a few too many times in the pouring rain lately.

As for the race, it started at 10am. It was a crowded start, as the 5k, 10k and half marathoners all started together. The runners in the shorter races turned off the main road early in the race, opening up the course nicely. The roads weren't closed to traffic, so even though we occasionally had a motorized escort, we had to keep an eye on passing cars. Due to the crowded start, my first mile was very slow...but that played right into my plan of going out slowly. I then settled into a rhythm for several miles. The course was primarily flat, with the exception of a nice hill at around mile 6 and an even longer hill starting at about mile 10. I wore my hydration belt, drank Heed and ate one caffeinated gel (which gave me a nice kick later in the race).

I thoroughly enjoyed this race for a number of reasons. First, after several days of clouds and rain, the weather was perfect. Second, once I started running, I found that I had more strength and energy than I had the previous two days. Third, this is the first road race I can remember in which NO ONE passed me the entire race! I didn't count how many people I passed, but I would guess around 40 or so. That leads me to believe I ran within myself and didn't go out too fast. Fourth, I managed to get a PR by nearly a minute! This was my third half marathon (my first one was last October) and in just three months, I managed to improve my time by nearly 3 minutes. I know I won't get a PR every time out, but I'm thrilled with my progress and even more anxious to run my first full marathon in May.

It was also nice to see some familiar faces there - Terry, who is the RD of the Skagit Flats Marathon (which I may run this Fall), Scotty, who I first met while volunteering at the Ron Herzog 50k, and Bill, who I first raced against at the Fowl Fun Run 10k, back in November. In that race, Bill and I ran together for the last 2 miles. He then out-kicked me to beat me at the end. Today, I passed him soundly on the uphill during mile 10 and ended up beating him by three minutes and change. He just moved up to the 60-64 age group. Am I proud of beating a guy 17 years my senior? Heck, yes! No shame here. He managed to place third in his age group today, so he's a good runner and a very nice guy.

So, finally, my finishing time was: 1:41:22 (7:41 average pace, according to my Garmin)

Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 8:28
Mile 2: 7:36
Mile 3: 7:46
Mile 4: 7:47
Mile 5: 7:47
Mile 6: 7:50
Mile 7: 7:32
Mile 8: 7:31
Mile 9: 7:31
Mile 10: 7:27
Mile 11: 8:00 ("The Hill")
Mile 12: 7:28
Mile 13: 7:07
Last .1: [7:02 pace]

I was surprised to have a 7:07 mile in me for the last full mile. I'm becoming much more comfortable with this race distance and pacing myself accordingly. This was a well organized race on a very beautiful & scenic course, mostly on country roads. I look forward to running this one again next year.

I'll post placing results when they're available.

Next up - the Mercer Island Half Marathon on March 21st.

Last Chance Half Marathon

I was talked into running today's Last Chance Half Marathon at the last minute by my friend Arthur. I'm glad he talked me into it. The race was in Bellingham, WA, mostly on the Interurban Trail. The course is fairly hilly (with a couple of pretty steep ones). Nice, pretty course, though, with some good views. Ended up with a nearly 2-minute PR, unexpectedly - especially after Tuesday's hilly trail run. Arthur paced me, and he being faster helped me to keep my pace up. I likely would have run it slower on my own. I have no idea of placing yet (it's pretty low-key and low-turnout, so it doesn't really matter). I worked on a Gu from about mile 7 to mile 9, and drank about 15 ounces of Heed along the way.

Here are the numbers:

Finishing Time - 1:42:17
Avg. Mile Pace - 7:48
Avg. Heart Rate - 148

Happy New Year!

Signed Up!

Well, I did it. I am officially signed up for my first marathon (May 15, 2010). And while I was at it, I signed up for a January half marathon and a March half marathon. I can't say my wife was happy to see me writing three checks last night. Merry Christmas to me, I guess.

I'll probably treat one or both of the half marathons as long tempo runs leading up to the marathon. I wouldn't mind getting a PR in at least one of them, though, but I don't want to wipe myself out in either race. I'll also throw in a 10k or two (as speed work) before the marathon. As for the rest of 2010, the schedule is up in the air. I may try for a fall marathon, and possibly my first ultra somewhere in there. I have committed to running as part of a relay team in July in Spokane, but I don't have any details yet.

So as 2009 winds down, I'm eagerly looking forward to running and racing in 2010! I hope '09 has been good to you.

Thumbs Can Get Sore From Too Much Twiddling

I've taken this week off from any exercise...and it's killing me! I was over the soreness from the half marathon by Wednesday. The effects from my cold are nearly gone (still tired at times and have just a very slight cough). Monday I'll strap on the running shoes and start training for next spring's marathon. At this point, I'm leaning toward the Windermere, once again in Spokane. It falls on May 15th, which gives me a full 30 weeks of training. To keep me focused for that long haul, I've got 3-4 10k races and 1 or 2 half marathons lined up along the way. My recent half marathon went well, but this time I want to focus on slowly building a bigger base, and running SLOWER during my long runs and my easy runs. Like most recreational runners, I tend to run my easy runs at too fast a pace. I'm going to fight that tendency. But, by the same token, I will also put the appropriate effort into my intervals, tempo runs and "B" races, too...all while staying injury-free. Sounds great, doesn't it? Hehe. We'll see. As for mileage, I roughly mapped out a plan that'll take me up to a 50 mile week, along with a 24-mile long run before the marathon. If I can run more miles while staying healthy and NOT overtraining, I will. I would just rather err on the side of caution, so 50 is the tentative "high" week in my plan.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Photos from Spokane Half Marathon

Spokane Half Marathon - October 11, 2009

About 8:00am, before the race. It was in the low 20's, but felt like MINUS 20!


Right before the start. There were 804 finishers in the half marathon.


The finish. They had me at 1:44:09, but was actually 1:44:04...but what's five seconds among friends? I had a nice coughing fit after this.


My sister Andrea and I. Andrea (and her husband) ran in the five mile race.


Waiting in line, after the race, to pick up my t-shirt and other post-race goodies. Still VERY cold outside!


This is the elevation profile of the race...not my EKG readout.

Spokane Half Marathon, October 11, 2009

Well, I now know why the half marathon has become such a popular distance. I really enjoyed running it for the first time on Sunday, October 11th. The Spokane Half Marathon started at 8:45am...and it was FA-REEZING! The temperature at race time was about 24 degrees F (about 19 with wind chill), but the skies were crystal clear. By about mile 3, I was comfortable in my stocking cap, tights, long sleeve tech shirt over a t-shirt, and gloves. My new Brooks Defyance 2's with my old Superfeet Green inserts performed perfectly.

I've been suffering from a head and chest cold for nearly 2 weeks and, as I had feared, it did affect my running. Up until the day before, I wasn't even sure if I'd run it at all. But by 5:30am on race morning, I decided I felt good enough to take a shot at it. I'm glad I did.

The course was very scenic and featured a variety of terrain - road, sidewalk, paved trails, and, briefly, gravel trails. It was also quite hilly, including the infamous "Doomsday Hill", which came at about mile 9 of the race. There were a couple of shorter, steep hills before Doomsday, then a slight downhill (to offer a false sense relief), then over a bridge and up Doomsday for about 3/4 of a mile. As an aside, Runners World ranked Doomsday Hill as the #6 most daunting climb in a U.S. road race. Even upon cresting the hill, there's a gradual uphill for another mile or so. With this head and chest cold, i could feel that hill sap what energy I had left. I wanted to kick it into high gear for the last 5k, but that desire turned into "just hang on". With about 3/4 of a mile to go, there was another short but steep uphill that just about did me in. I fought my way up it, then turned right and ran through Riverfront Park toward the finish with what I had left. As I ran toward the finish line, I started thinking about how, just a few years ago, I thought my running days were over, and about how much I really love running. I got a big, goofy grin on my face and pumped my fist as I ran across the line and into the chute.

Here are my official race stats:
Time: 1:44:04
Pace: 7:56/mile
Overall place: 107/804
Age group: 13/34
Men: 81/258

Splits:
8:17
8:00
7:37
8:14
7:45
7:43
8:11
7:43
7:46
8:20
7:50
7:58
8:14
(7:04 pace for last .1)
Note: You'll notice that my splits are all over the place. I'm sure it's obvious which miles contained the uphill portions.

My dad, stepmom, sister and her husband (the latter two ran the 5-mile race) were waiting at the finish line to greet me. It was great to have them there, braving the freezing weather, and supporting me. Right after finishing, I had a coughing fit for a couple of minutes. While I didn't cough during the race, I did have some "nose issues". Let's just say I left a lot of myself out on the course!

In hindsight, would I have done anything differently? Probably not. I wanted to go out slow, and I did. I had some trouble drinking from the little paper cups, though. I've been using bottles in training, so even when pinching the tops of the cups, I still ended up with more liquid up my nose and down my shirt than in my mouth. How would I have done if I was 100% healthy? I don't know, but if I had to guess, I'd say I probably could have gone about 1:41-1:42 or so. Back when I decided to sign up for this race, my rough goal was to break 1:45, which I did. So I've chosen to be happy with my result, even given the illness. Hey, it was a PR, after all!

A day after the race, my hips are quite sore. There was an uphill section of at least a mile where we had to run on a very slanted paved shoulder. As I ran it, I remember thinking that my hips would probably hurt later because of it. The good news is that my IT bands, which had been historically troublesome, held up just fine.

That was my "A" race for 2009. My plans now are to take the rest of this week off to rest my sore hips and get 100% healthy, then slowly start building the biggest base I can before running my first full marathon sometime next spring. Leading up to the marathon, I'll probably run 1 or 2 more half marathons and a couple of 10k races.

I want to take a minute to say a big thank-you to everyone who has been supportive and encouraging as I've trained for this race...especially with the doubts and worries I've had due to this illness. I also really appreciate the advice I've gotten from so many of you so far this year in the online running community (and, locally, from my friend Arthur). I know for a fact that it has helped me to stay out there, running more or less injury free this year, as I continue becoming a runner once again.

(photos to come soon)

Duct Tape - So Far, So Good

Thanks to all those who sent recommendations on how to tape blisters. I went with duct tape for today's hilly 6-mile run and it held up perfectly. I rubbed some bodyglide on the actual loose skin where the blisters are before taping my feet so it wouldn't stick and pull off the skin (thanks L.J.). I taped from the top left side, under, then over the top right side of each foot (in other words, just short of a full wrap-around). When I got back from the run, my feet were just sweaty enough to make for easy removal of said tape.
As for the run, it was mostly to get in some hill work. The pace was between an easy run and a tempo run: 6 miles, 48:27 (8:04 pace). Even though the blisters may not be an issue now, I have a new concern. The past couple of weeks, I've noticed an increasingly sharp pain directly under my left knee cap. It's mostly noticeable going up and down stairs (or steep inclines), and when squatting or lunging. I don't feel it too much while running, but I'm a bit worried about it. Other than that, the half marathon training is going well. Less than two weeks away now!
Oh, as for last week: 4 runs, 27 miles.

Saturday Morning Long Run

This week's long run was shorter than last week's: 8 miles. Time was 1:06:47 (8:21/mile pace). I felt a little fatigued during this run. I didn't sleep well last night, and I think Thursday's speed session took more out of me than I expected. Still, I managed to log the miles today without any injuries or problems. Money in the bank, I guess.
Next week, I think I'll skip the speedwork and focus on an even longer run of either 11 or 12 miles. I feel the need to work more on my endurance at this point in my half marathon training. I'll likely do a hilly run early in the week, plus a couple of easy runs, then the long run on Friday.
Enjoy your weekend and run strong!

Weekly Long Run

Ran a nice 10-miler this morning. Time was 1:24:32 (8:27 per mile pace). It was an out-and-back course. I wanted to run negative splits and did: 43:13 out; 41:19 back. Took me a few miles to get into a groove. Got a little tired the last mile (which is a slight uphill), and I noticed that I need to work on stretching and strengthening my hip flexors, which got a bit sore and tired the last couple of miles. Afterward, I did some stretching and took an ice bath.

I was happy that the legs felt good enough to do a long run two days after my first interval workout in years. I guess I didn't overdo it on the track, fortunately.

I think 10 miles is about the max I want to run without carrying any fluid with me. Guess I better invest in some sort of hydration system pretty soon.

I'd like to build my long run up to an "overdistance" amount; i.e. over half-marathon distance. I want to have plenty of endurance built up for the race.

Morning Long Run

I hadn't run 8 miles or more since my 10-mile run on June 27th (aside from my run/hike in the mountains on 7/31), so I was very eager for this morning's run. It was 54 degrees F. and overcast - just right. I ran 8 miles in a very comfortable 1:07:21 (8:25/mi pace). My body felt good, but my hip flexors got a little tight toward the end.

This week was my highest run mileage week of the year so far (25.5), which also felt good. So week 1 of my official half marathon training is in the books. Now, I have a weekend full of work to contend with. Enjoy yours!

I think I found my half...plus a little rant

I may have found my fall half marathon. It would be the Spokane Half Marathon and, coincidentally, the date is October 11th...working perfectly as my Worldwide Festival of Races race. I have family in Spokane, WA, so all around, this looks like a perfect fit for me. I can't wait to seriously train for and run it.

Now...I have something I need to get off my chest. This has nothing to do with running or training. It's a situation I've been in twice in the last 4 days. I'll start with this comment: if you work behind a counter somewhere, a simple "how are you doing today?" and a nice smile will go a long way in making a customer feel like he/she made the right decision by soliciting your place of employment. On Saturday, I was at a hotel in Omak, WA and felt like I was an unwanted intruder as the guy behind the counter mumbled and scowled his way through our encounter, making me and my family feel uncomfortable and intrusive. Tonight, I had to make a purchase at a big-chain auto parts store and the guy who took my money acted like I was a total pest. No, you may not be having a good day, and you may not be working at your "dream job", and yes, times are tough, but you are gainfully employed. Many, many people today aren't. Even if you have to fake it, make your customers feel welcome and wanted. They'll come back. They might recommend you to others. Then, when your work day is done, go home and go take out your frustrations on a good run. See, I did tie this to running after all! Okay, rant over.