On the Trail of a Welshrunner

In Search of Sidesteps and Sideburns

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:29:00 +0000

The video clip above is from a Welsh band called the Blims. The song - Sidesteps and Sideburns - was a hit back in March when the Wales rugby team were chasing a Grand Slam (they subsequently beat France in a tight and tense game to complete the clean sweep and secure a third Grand Slam in eight years - both Gavin and myself got up at 4:30am to cheer them on from Austin). It is a catchy song which I have played a lot, and both Gavin and Dylan love it, sing along with it and regularly request it (Gavin has informed me that when he grows up he wants to play rugby for Wales, and if he can't get in the team he'll play for the USA). The visuals are a tribute to both the legendary Wales team of the 70s and the current squad, interspersed with the everyday people and places of Wales.

So the other day we decided to find some of the more scenic locations that featured in the video. The result was a wonderful drive up the Rhondda valley. We climbed up through old miners villages and little hamlets, winding through the mountain roads until we emerged at the heads of the valley. That really brought me back to my roots.

There is a word in Welsh - Hiraeth - for which there is no English translation. The closest I can get is a yearning for home, and it's something you don't appreciate until you move away. Maybe it's a memory of a Country that, even though it's changed much since I left, and even though I live quite happily 5000 miles away, somehow still feels like home.

Looking down on the Rhondda valley

It's cold on top of the mountain

We'll keep a welcome in the hillsides. "Cymru am Byth" - Wales forever

Nancy spotted this iconic landmark. Even though it was pouring with rain, we had to stop

A storm moving in across the mountain provides a backdrop to the Cynon Valley. In that valley is the historic Tower Colliery. Worked continuously from the late 1700s, it was deemed uneconomic by the UK Government and closed in 1994. In response, 239 local miners pooled together to buy it, reopened it in 1995 and ran it profitably until 2008

Nancy, Gavin and my dad. It started sleeting not long after this. "A kind of Rhondda grey" as Max Boyce would say

Valley of the Witch and Waterfalls

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:32:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of geograph.org.uk

A few miles up the Neath valley is the small village of Cwmgwrach, which in English translates to "Valley of the Witch". Nobody knows exactly how it got its name, but it goes back to at least the 9th century and locals are very proud of their witchy heritage. It is incorporated on the badges of the local school and rugby team, as well as this super cool road sign ("Croeso i Cwmgwrach" is Welsh for "Welcome to the Valley of the Witch"). I love the warmth, quirkiness and humor of my Welsh heritage - these unexpected gems can be found everywhere.

Interestingly, Australian prime minister Julia Gillard hails from Cwmgwrach.

We were passing through Cwmgwrach on our way to the village of Pontneddfechan to visit the Sgwd Gwladus waterfall - part of waterfall country. On our way, we stopped at the Cefn Coed colliery museum in the village of Crynant. This was a super cool museum in what was a working coal mine from the 1920s to 1968 - during its working life it was nicknamed "the slaughterhouse". The staff there were super friendly and teased Gavin and Dylan mercilessly (though the Gavster gave as good as he got, and Dylan just pretended to be Iron Man and blasted them). We got to go undergound, visited the boiler room and saw the original 1927 steam powered winding engine.

But what made my dad's day was the restored gas powered tram, which we did not expect to find, and is believed to be the only remaining example in the world. The Neath gas trams ran from the late 19th century until the 1920s, and the story behind this exhibit is almost as interesting as the tram itself. After it was decommissioned, an enterprising local from Briton Ferry bought one of the trams, brought it to his back yard and converted it to a garden shed. It was discovered by the Neath antiquarian society in the 1980s and lovingly restored before finding a permanent home at the museum. My dad was excited because his uncle was involved in bringing the gas trams to Neath. We enjoyed exploring the tram - sitting inside and on the top deck where the backs of the seats could be shifted from one side to another so you could sit facing either way.

Eventually we made it to Pontneddfechan ("Bridge over the River Neath" in English). Dylan had fallen asleep, so Nancy, Gavin and I made the 3 mile hike to the Sgwd Gwladus (Gwladus Falls) while my dad stayed with him. As with most things in Wales, there is a legend behind the name. I am a sucker for legends, and here is the story behind this one.

Gwladus was said to be the beautiful daughter of Brychan of Brycheiniog, a 5th century Welsh prince. She fell in love with a young man called Einion, but their love was doomed. Both lovers are immortalized as waterfalls, and the legend goes that although Gwladus and Einion could never be together in life, their spirits flow together for all eternity, pouring over the rocks and merging in the pool below.

The hike to the falls is beautiful and secluded, and well worth the time. I have vivid recollections of getting in trouble with my dad as a kid for jumping off the top into the pool below. Looking at the falls and pool now, I can well understand why.

Nancy and Gavin on the hike to the falls

Me and Gavin

Nancy and Gavin by the falls

Did I really once jump off the top of that?

By the pool at the bottom of the falls

At the top of the falls

Dylan woke up, and he and my dad met up with us during the return hike

The family

Sunshine and Rain

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:20:00 +0000

Contemplating life, the passage of time, and the possibility of an ice cream

My parents looked after the boys a few days ago so Nancy and myself could catch a train and spend the day in Cardiff (capitol city of Wales). There were a group of girls sitting opposite us on the train, headed up to visit the campus of the University of Wales, and it occurred to me that this coming year most of the people who start university would not have even been born when I graduated.

That's a scary thought.

Other than that, we had a great day in Cardiff. It was a lovely cool sunny morning and we walked our feet off exploring the city. Of course, the rain started in the afternoon, and by the time we caught the train home it was coming down in sheets.

We didn't have a camera with us, so no pictures of Cardiff Castle, the bunch of lads wearing sombreros and drinking Fosters at Neath railway station at 9am, or the ridiculous pair of shoes that Nancy spotted. But we've been lucky to enjoy some sunshine this past week, and here are some other photos from the past few days.

Nancy, Dylan and my mum at Cafe Remos

Is it a trick of the light, or is that sunshine?

Despite the sun, the pool was really cold. During the course of the day, I pulled both boys into the pool. Yes, I really am that evil. In my defense, they were both in the process of trying to push me in - I just brought them with me. Gavin was really mad at me until I grabbed Dylan and pulled him in as well. Then he was happy.

Having a few beers with my uncle and aunt

Gothic Graveyards

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 21:31:00 +0000

Tonna cemetery and the grave of my great great grandparents, William and Sarah Richards (on the right), and one of their sons (on the left). The ghostly figure in blue in the background is Dylan!!!

When I was in Boston, I enjoyed exploring some of the old cemeteries in the heart of the city. What better way to discover the past that to visit the dead and give your regards to long ago. I loved the gothic architecture, but to be honest it was a little too touristy. So one of the things I was looking forward to on our Wales trip was exploring the local graveyards in their natural setting, especially since my dad has been doing a lot of research on our family history. I wasn't disappointed.

Cadoxton cemetery's Murder Stone

One of the most popular pages on my blog is a Halloween post I did a few years ago on a local curiosity - the murder stone. We took the opportunity to revisit it. The inscription reads as follows:

"1823 To Record MURDER this stone was erected over the body of Margaret Williams, aged 26, a native of Carmarthenshire, living in service in this parish, who was found dead with marks of violence on her person in a ditch on the marsh below this churchyard on the morning of Sunday the fourteenth of July 1822. Although the savage murderer escaped for a season the detection of man yet God hath set his mark upon him either for time or eternity and the cry of blood will assuredly pursue him to certain and terrible but righteous judgement."

Somewhat creepily, there were fresh flowers on the grave.

The cemetery is much larger than I remember, and very gothic. Also very tranquil

Many of the graves date back to the early 1800s

I love this picture. It looks like the limbs are trying to force their way out of the grave

"And so, as kinsmen met a night,
We talked between the rooms,
Until the moss had reached our lips,
And covered up our names".
- Emily Dickinson

More Aquatic Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:22:00 +0000

I like the effect here - the cockle boat stranded at low tide

Happy 4th of July. Of course, here in the UK nobody is really aware it's a National holiday in the US. But as it also happens to be my birthday, we will go out tonight to celebrate the fact that I have 365 more days where my age starts with the number 3.

It's been raining here non-stop all week. Cold, pouring, drenching rain. Apparently it's been the wettest June on record, and it's extending into July. But that hasn't stopped the Gavster and I from going swimming in the sea, and it hasn't stopped me running every day.

I haven't been going far, only about 4 to 5 miles, but it's been all hills. For the first 2 miles, I'll run with Nancy and run backwards up a hill I have taken to calling the "Quad Masher" (back when I was good at running hills I would regularly train by running uphill repeats backwards, and it made a big difference). Then we'll run the forest trail around the lake at the top and head back down. We'll complete a loop back to my parents house, and then I'll go back out and run it all again as a pace effort (running the hill facing forwards this time). My best for the 2 mile pace loop so far is 15:22 - not particularly fast, but I've been consistent on aching quads, and I'm starting to build base for the Fall and Winter marathons. Consistency has been something I've been missing for a long time, so this is good.

And I'm loving the cool temperatures.

What I'm reading: just finished "Forks over Knives" and am midway through "Finding Ultra" by Rich Roll. If you can get past the constant references to the "pay for" material and programs on his website, it's a remarkably frank and honest account of his battle with alcoholism and the transformation of his life through fitness and nutrition. Both books have made me think seriously about the health and performance benefits of a plant-based, non-dairy diet, and this is something I plan to experiment with when we get back to Austin. For my birthday, I have promised myself a top of the line Vitamix blender, and green smoothies may well become a regular menu item at Casa del Welshrunner.

Scott Jurek's "Eat and Run", and Brendan Brazier's "Thrive Foods" are next up on my reading list. I doubt either will do anything to talk me out of trying a plant-based diet.

Here are some photos of our recent watery adventures.

On the Swansea seafront. This coastal path runs for several miles from the city of Swansea to the seaside town of Mumbles. We are headed toward the pier in the far distance

The beach between the pier and the Mumbles lighthouse (out of shot)

Nancy and Dylan taking a break while we skim pebbles at the Mumbles raised beach

Just descended the rock face to a secluded tidal beach at Porthcawl. I have gotten a lot of use out of my Boston jacket this trip (as have Nancy and Gavin).

Pouring with rain, temperatures in the upper 40s, Gavin and I get ready to enjoy some rocking waves at Rest Bay, Porthcawl. Once you got past the initial cold, it really wasn't too bad. Lots of surfers in the background. Do you like my Welsh dragon swim trunks?

The Great British Summertime

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:00:00 +0000

There is a story behind this picture.We visited my uncle's house a few days ago. He has an unheated outdoor pool, and we all decided to brave it. The temperature was in the mid-50s, the pool a little less. I jumped in, and it was icy cold. But as I keep saying, I burn hot and I love the cold. I was interested in seeing who else in the family shared my werewolf tendencies.

Gavin jumped in and didn't stay long. Dylan escaped from Nancy and launched himself in before even taking his shirt off. I caught him and managed to hold him out of the water until we could at least get his shirt off. Then he launched himself again.

I caught him and decided to let him plunge right into the water to see what he did. He caught his breath for a second when the icy water hit him, then he laughed. We played around in the pool, and every time I asked if he was ready to get out, I got "a few more minutes daddy" from chattering lips.

We outlasted everyone, and I was so proud to have identified the next generation of werewolf. We did succeed in getting him out a few times, only to have him escape and jump back in again!!!

Here's Dylan in "corpse pose" after finally being dragged out and wrapped.

And here are some other photos from our trip to rural West Wales.

Best of British - Gavin with his wristbands and wellies outside my uncle's greenhouse

Me and Gavin at the end of the dock on the estuary

Nancy, Dylan and my dad by the yacht club

Dylan enjoying a photo shoot after falling over

Very Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:00:00 +0000

My brother with the Olympic torch

Daddy Duty Number 36(b)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 09:21:00 +0000

A pair of funky chickens?

It is something that you don't realize until you have kids, but there is a universal set of Dad rules formulated at the dawn of time and set in stone that describe what is expected of you. And your kids are born with this knowledge fully ingrained.

One of them is thus:

If you happen to be at a beach and your boys want to go in the water, daddy is automatically the designated bather. It does not matter if the temperature is in the 50s and the water even colder (though not as cold as a certain winter day in Galveston), it does not matter if none of you have bathers and you are wearing 1 of the only 2 pairs of trousers you brought over with you. It does not matter that you are hacking up a lung after picking up a nasty cough from the plane. You are going in. There is no question, negotiation or way around it.

Yesterday we visited Aberavon beach, a quick 5 miles from my parents house and a regular haunt for me growing up. It was cold but fun, and me and the boys ended up in the water. This is not Texas ocean - it's icy. But next time we go, I'll make sure to wear my running shorts. Much easier than rolling up the legs of my trousers and still getting them soaked.

Gavin ploughing ahead - Dylan a bit more cautious

Hey, that jacket looks familiar!!!

At one point I started humming the Jaws theme and Gavin sprinted out of the water

We got some pretty good waves

Across the Pond

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:22:00 +0000

Greetings from the UK. It's been a whirlwind few days, but we're down in my hometown of Neath in South Wales, enjoying very pleasant running weather. It's so strange to be home - I've been away a long time.

It was a long flight from Austin, with a 6 hour layover in Chicago, but just let me say that the Chicago Children's Museum rocks!!! They have a superb play area at the airport which burned through quite a few of those hours.

We spent the first few days up in Manchester with my brother, enjoying a typical Northern English summer (cold, gray, rain). One of the first things I noticed was there were flags everywhere - a combination of the Jubilee celibrations, the Euro 2012 soccer tournament (which England got knocked out of last night on penalties - some things never change) and the upcoming Olympics. Everyone is excited about the Olypmics, and you can feel the anticipation on the streets.

On the day we landed, we hiked at a beautiful National Trust park near Manchester called Lyme Park. We went about 5 miles - starting at the deer park and heading straight up until we could go no further. It was a magnificent view from the top. Both Gavin and Dylan made the climb, and then we made a big circuit and ran the trail all the way back to the bottom where we found a fantastic adventure playground made entirely out of trees that had fallen during storms.

It started pouring with rain while we were there, but we played on regardless and had a blast.

We headed back to my brother's house soaked. Both boys fell asleep in the car for the 15 minute trip back, though both later denied they had done so.

I should have been dead tired that night, and Nancy and the boys retired to bed early and collapsed, but I stayed up late with my brother. It's been almost 5 years since we've seen each other, and it was wonderful to catch up.

We drove the 4 hours down to South Wales the next day. The trip included a "clean up stop" after Dylan blew chunks everywhere. But by the time we crossed the border into Wales, the rain had stopped, there was a hint of blue sky peeking through, and there were no more bits of carrots for us to pick out of the seat belts!!!

Saturday morning I got up early to go for a run, and woke my brother up to go with me. He was not happy, but for me it was a late start (6am). It was fully light, in the mid-50s, and we headed up the Gnoll woods - a beautiful country park literally around the corner from my parents house.

Beautiful until you realize the first mile is straight up (then again, this is Wales - the only way you would avoid hills here is running circles around your block). But when we reached the lake at the top and the forest trail with the cascading waterfalls it was well worth it. It was quiet, damp and tranquil. We headed back down (much easier than going up), crisscrossed the town center and crossed the bridge over the canal out to the old college before looping back around and home.

The run was not as easy as it should have been. I have barely run in the last month, and my weight has increased accordingly.

But more on that in another post. I enjoyed the run because I've never run with my brother before, and this may be the only chance I get this trip. He had to drive home that night because he and the Stockport Harriers got to run with the Olympic torch the day after (and even got into the official Olympic relay function afterwards - how cool is that).

That afternoon we headed to my uncle's house. We are home to celebrate my parents Golden Wedding anniversary, and he was putting on a party for them. He has some large grounds, the boys got to run to their hearts content, and I got to spend some quality time with family and friends I haven't seen in years. It was a great afternoon, and we ended with myself, Gavin, Dylan, my brother and my cousins rugby tackling each other on the grass.

Here are some photos from the afternoon. More to come later.

Me with my dad and my cousin Nick

The boys with my dad

Nancy with my parents

The Big Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 04:10:00 +0000

Have you ever seen the Luc Besson movie "The Big Blue"? It's an eclectic film set in the world of competitive free diving. In one scene, Enzo (Jean Reno) has had a bad day, and Jacque (Jean-Mac Barr) sympathizes and tells him that sometimes "the sea doesn't want you". I recalled that particular scene this past Saturday while slogging out my run on a muggy old morning because sometimes running feels exactly like that - there are days when the road just doesn't want you.

Here in Texas we call it summertime.

This blog has been quiet for a while, not because I have nothing to blog about, but because I've been so busy with other things. But somewhere in the whirlwind of the last few weeks I signed up for another marathon - the BCS marathon in College Station. I ran this last December in its first year and loved it - well organized, friendly, and a wonderful online community. I'm glad to be going back to run it again.

That's two marathons I've signed up for since I quit running them in April!!!

We've also signed up with the YMCA and have been having a blast taking the boys swimming. I've also been enjoying popping in for an early morning swim or workout after my midweek runs - it's a great way to start the day.

Travel for work also continues apace, especially since I got a promotion. I now sport the title "Director of Data Integration", which is obviously something they confer on somebody who can't keep quiet and tends to be a wee bit bossy!!!

I just got back from a conference in Vegas ("back" is a relative term, as I'm writing this from a hotel room in North Dallas), where I managed to get front row seats to the Cirque du Soleil show. That was just amazing, but you can keep Vegas - give me the mountains or remote woods any day.

Ho hum, I'm off to get some shut eye. I discovered I can use my YMCA membership at the local Y, so I have an ambitious plan to get up early. We'll see how that goes.

What I'm reading: The Devil in the White City. An interesting snapshot in time of Chicago in the 1890s when it hosted the Worlds Fair.

So Much for That

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

When I crossed the finish line at a very hot Boston a few weeks ago, I was more than ready to draw the line under my marathon running for a while. The lure of the 26.2 beast had receded, thanks in no small part to running my perfect race in Dallas a few years ago (when you know you finally succeeded in pulling your only rabbit out of the hat, why keep going back to the hat?).

And nothing that's happened since I got back to Austin had changed that - I've been traveling for work, and when I have run it's been of the "suck it up" hot and humid variety that reminds me Texas summertime is coming.

But I did not count on the dangers of an unseasonably cool running week. It started with one of my all time favorite runs at Brushy Creek on a rainy Sunday morning which included a spectacular blood red sunrise, continued into a surprisingly quick (though still somewhat humid) Tuesday run with James, and ended with a fun 7 mile run in Clea's new neighborhood this morning. I stopped off at the YMCA on my way home to get in a killer leg workout, and took advantage of not traveling this week to squeeze in a core workout at lunch.

And I feel great. So great that I started re-evaluating my race plans, and realized I'm not quite ready to shed the skin of the long distance runner and morph back into a weekend warrior just yet.

So I signed up for something. After all, what good is a running blog without any races?!!!

The photo below may give you a hint of what I signed up for.

I have my eye on another race too, but maybe the hot and humid weather will return and bring me back to my senses before registration opens for that one.

Salty Lakes and Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:19:00 +0000

The Wasatch mountains

There's something about the mountains that pulls at your soul. Greetings from Salt Lake City, an exceptionally pretty city where I happen to be working this week. I am sitting here listening to the Gaslight Anthem and gazing out my hotel window. Look at the view that greeted me when I stepped outside this morning. How can you fail to be inspired by this?

Let me tell you how. You put in a 10 hour day on a client site, having gotten to the hotel at 1am the night before (or should that be morning of) to start working on recovering the laptop that crashed in the airport with all your presentations on it (fixed it - yay), then fallen into bed at 3am and found yourself unable to sleep until about 5 minutes before your alarm goes off. I don't know why that should be any different though - I haven't been able to sleep since the night before Boston.

The Utah State capital. Another dome to add to my collection of State capitals.

But on the other hand, today I got to meet a morman called Norman. Do you know how many years I've wondered if one really existed? Now if only I could meet Herman the German I could die a happy man!!!

Not much happening on the running front - I've only run once since Boston, and that a leisurely solo 8 mile Jefferson on Saturday morning. I don't know if I'm going to be signing up for any races anytime soon, though I did catch myself poking through marathonguide.com the other night!!!

What I have been doing is getting some great reading done. I ploughed through "A Night to Remember" and Bill Bryson's "Walk in the Woods" while in Boston (the former was the story of the last hours of the Titanic - I read it on the 100th anniversary of the sinking), then I ran through "Catching Fire" again, and now I'm embroiled in the story of the assassination of President Lincoln.

Finally, here's a picture I snapped at the airport in Vegas last night. I stood in front of it for a good 5 minutes with a kind of bemused smirk on my face.

Finish this sentence for me - "you may be a redneck if ........".

Flame on at Boston

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:19:00 +0000

Pre-race at the Athlete's Village

Wow, where to start. What a weekend!!! I'm back from Boston, and what a ride it was. Temperatures of 89F on race day led to all plans of times and goals going out the window, and the new goal was simply to cross the finish line on my own two feet. Which I did, and with a smile on my face. It may well be my slowest marathon in over 7 years, it may well be a good hour slower than my usual finish time, but by putting my ego to one side and being smart, I am now a finisher of one of the hottest and toughest Boston marathons in history.

And there's a lot to be proud of in that.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's back up a little.

Clea and I flew into Boston on Saturday night, giving us all day Sunday to visit the expo, explore Boston and get ready for the race on Monday. We had a hotel in Cambridge, just outside Boston, a short distance from a T-station, which is the public transportation subway system, and by far the best way to get around the city.

We spent quite a bit of time at the expo Sunday morning, both of us dropping a heck of a lot of money, and it was crazy busy. We took some time out to drop our purchases off back at the hotel before we were off again, exploring the Freedom Trail of historic sites around the city. We walked ourselves all over town, and at one point stopped off at the Bill Rodgers' Running store. Rodgers, or Boston Billy, is a running legend who won the Boston marathon 4 times in the late 70s and early 80s. Well the guys at the store were the nicest folks you could wish to meet. We were both looking for shirts for the kiddos, and had been unable to find any at the expo. They told us there weren't any to be had this year due to corporate restrictions imposed by the marathon's "official clothing provider". But they went out of their way to find a few shirts from last year's race. And even better, virtually gave them away to us for $5. They also entertained us with several stories, and I highly recommend Bill Rodger's Running Store and their staff to anyone who happens to be in Boston.

We had a nice dinner at a local seafood restaurant, wandered around Harvard (where I pretended to be Robert Langdon), and retired to our rooms for an early night. I must admit, I was nervous about the predicted high temperatures - we'd been getting emails all day from the BAA offering deferments to next year, warning of the dangers of heat stroke, emphasizing this was now considered a high risk "red zone" race, and urging people not to run unless they were in tip-top condition. Well I'm not in tip-top condition, but Boston is an expensive trip so I sure as hell was going to run. But I was also a little nervous about my foot, which I had begun to fear was the beginning of a stress fracture. So I pulled out the old ultra supplies and taped both feet extensively before retiring for the night.

I did not sleep well. Too nervous imagining my foot breaking down in the first few miles.

Race morning came along, and with it came clear blue skies and a hint of the heat that would engulf us by race time. We had splurged on a charter bus so we didn't have to spend hours sitting around on the floor at the athlete's village, and it was money well spent when you saw the lines at the porta-potties.


Clea and myself at the start line

By the time we lined up in our corral it was past 10am and the sun was out in force. I was glad I had bought a hat the day before. We all stood there, nervously waiting for the start and trying very hard to ignore the fact that we were already sweating.

We ran together for part of the first mile before losing each other in the crowd. It's probably just as well, as our races styles are completely different. Clea is so consistent - she locks into a pace and keeps it the whole way, whereas I like to gamble and push it a little early on to see what happens. Sometimes it's your day and sometimes it isn't. I had a fair idea this wasn't going to be, but I still had to try.

Besides, I know what a good runner Clea is in the heat, so I needed a little head start to ensure she didn't kick my butt too early!!!

And I was very nervous. I felt a few tweaks from the foot in the first downhill miles and never really felt comfortable, but they soon eased away and I could ignore them. Thankfully the foot was never an issue.

By mile 6 I had settled into an uneasy rhythm, but what surprised me was the number of people already walking. By mile 10 that changed, and what surprised me was the number of runners collapsed by the side of the road or being stretchered away.

The section around mile 13 is of course famous for the screaming girls of Wellesley college. They are also famous for offering kisses to the runners, a tradition I was looking forward to fully participating in. If I saw a sign saying "kiss me, I'm from Texas" I would jog over yelling "hey, I'm from Texas too". Kiss me, I'm British? "Hey, I'm British too". Kiss me I'm a redhead? "Hey, I love redheads". And so on and so forth - I spent quite a bit of time going down the line, but it was definitely time well spent!!!

Nancy told me later that she was tracking me from home and wondered why my pace dropped off so suddenly at this point. Then she looked up the course map and just rolled her eyes. When her co-workers asked how I was doing, she replied "he's probably still lip locked".

Love ya babe :-)

Unfortunately, this was the high point of the race for me, and the second half was an exercise in survival. There was no shade along the course, the sun was beating down, we were pushing up against 90F, and the water and gatorade at the aid stations was warm, making it very hard to keep from overheating. Fortunately, the crowds were magnificent, with many people handing out ice, iced sponges and towels, and spraying cold water over us. At this point I decided to "adopt a run/walk strategy" and make sure I got myself safely to the finish line, as there were a disconcerting number of runners collapsing left and right. So I became very chatty. I talked to anybody and everybody around me - runners with British accents, runners from the MS society (an illness very close to home), barefoot runners. You name it, I talked to them.

And as it became clear I was going to run a really really bad time, it became quite funny. My legs were cramping on the downhills, and every time they spasmed I just started chuckling. I must have been the happiest sufferer out on the course, and started taunting the mile markers as they languished ever further behind my Garmin - "that's 23 you bas***d", "24 down you son of a bitch", "where are you 25, you little.........".

I got quite creative.

The crowds in the last few miles were amazing, with people yelling at you, and some even jumping in to run with you. At long last I turned the final corner to see the finish line in the distance. Way in the distance. I decided I was going to run that last bit, even if I had to cross the finish line like Frankenstein, and I did (both). My time was 4:44, over an hour slower than my usual marathon time.

But this was not a usual race.

One of the things that will stay with me was the sight of a runner completely collapsed and unresponsive in the gutter, 100 yards before the finish line. I had seen at least another 2 in a similar state between miles 24 and 26, but this was so close. Imagine, to run all that way, through that heat, and to drop that close to the finish line. My heart went out to him.

And the finish area was like a MASH unit. I felt quite out of place (and, it must be said, a little smug) walking through there when the majority of runners were either flat on the floor or slumped in wheelchairs.

I managed to call Clea, who had finished a good 40 minutes earlier and was wondering where I had gone (I told you - she's tough). We eventually found each other and made our way back to the hotel. We celebrated with dinner at Whole Foods and a trip to the movie theater around the corner, where we spent a few hours trying in vain to find comfortable positions to put our legs.

Yes, we really are that exciting.

And to top it all, we took an early morning flight back into Austin the next day where it was cooler than Boston. How often can you say that?

Despite the heat, I'm glad I went. The race was tough, but it was a great weekend that I will remember for a long time. And after all, how many people can claim to be a Boston finisher?

But at the same time it's nice to be in recovery mode and not have something to train for. I had been planning on taking a break from the long distance stuff (and had definitely decided on that somewhere around mile 17), but we'll see. I do need a break to let my foot heal and then we'll decide, but don't be surprised to see me signing up for something this winter.

Preferably a nice cold race where it doesn't get out of the 30s.

Boston Week

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:04:00 +0000

Well I'm sitting here on Saturday afternoon, waiting to head out to the airport to catch my flight to Boston for Monday's race. It's been a mad old week alright - here's a brief summary:

Saturday 7th
Ran 12 miles in the morning. Midway through, started getting shooting pain from my foot. Not entirely happy with that.

Sunday 8th
Broke down about 2 miles into this morning's run with foot problems. Limped back to the car cursing my bad luck. Subjected the foot to several rounds of the ice water torture and warned it to behave. Decided not to run all week.

Monday 9th
Left Austin for Little Rock to teach a class. Picked up 17 training books from the printers in the morning, so had not much space left in my suitcase. Decided as I wasn't running I would just throw my vibrams in there instead of my running shoes.

Delayed for hours at Love Field. Of course. Got into Little Rock around midnight.

Tuesday 10th
First day of class went well. Had dinner with a buddy at the Big Whiskey bar and grill in downtown Little Rock. Enjoyed some local beers. News came up on the TV that the Arkansas Razorbacks football coach had been fired for some scandal or other. The entire place went quiet. Felt very tempted to shout "Gig 'em Aggies", but thought better of it. Left when the TV crew arrived to interview people at the bar, else would have had to admit I had no idea what it was all about and cared even less.

Wednesday 11th
Went to the gym and stupidly decided to run a few miles on the treadmill in my Vibrams. Not my best idea. I lasted about a mile before the foot started complaining. Stopped and decided I would tape it really well for the race, and hope for the best

Went to the Flying Saucer and enjoyed a few pints of Lucifer. Felt much better.

Thursday 12th
Last day in Little Rock. Got to the airport in plenty of time. The flight was delayed. Both in Little Rock and Love Field. Of course. Finally got home around midnight.

Friday 13th
Discovered they are predicting record temperatures for Boston - mid 80s on race day. Not surprised - can only laugh and shake my head.

Saturday 14th
Got a heat advisory email from the Boston marathon advising people not to run unless they are in absolutely tip-top shape. And even then, to take walk breaks. They will also be "monitoring the weather for race day decisions", leaving the course open for longer, and are offering the option to defer to next year. As tempting as that all is, we've booked flights and hotels, so I'm going to just suck it up and try to stick with Clea for as long as possible.

While packing, I noticed when switching from my recently retired running shoes to my current ones, there was a significant difference in support - the old ones felt so much better. Wondering if my foot problems may be down to the shoes. Pondering whether or not to run the marathon in my old shoes.

Ha. Whatever happens I'm going to just enjoy the experience. I ran hard to qualify for this thing, and I intend to have fun, and enjoy exploring Boston. This is such a historic race which many people try for years to get into. It is a privilege to run it, and I am grateful for the opportunity to experience it.

Resistance Training?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:29:00 +0000

This may well be my favorite picture of Dylan. It just captures him so well - seemingly innocent, but with a hint of mischief lurking just beneath the surface.

This morning was what I like to refer to as a "resistance training" run. It was so muggy and oppressive, I was resistant to running at all. 76F and 90% humidity at 5am - it felt like I was breathing through a wet towel. Did 7 miles with James, and kept it right around an 8 minute mile, despite rolling my ankle and going down hard on a road that was torn up and undergoing construction. Clumsy me - some things never change.

Many thanks to James for slowing down for me, and best of luck at London.

Stayed up last night to watch the NCAA basketball National championship game. Now I know next to nothing about basketball, but I had entered my company's March Madness bracket competition, making my predictions mostly at random. And somehow, by last night's game I was the runaway leader and had a 100% prediction record from the quarter finals on. There was only one person who could overhaul me, and only if Kansas won. Luckily, Kentucky took them down, making me a little richer. And more importantly, conveying considerable bragging rights. Hooray.

Still not a basketball fan though - it's a pretty boring game to watch.

But speaking of basketball, here's a picture we took of Gavin after his basketball match last Sunday. It's much more fun to watch the little kids play - they're hilarious. Gavin won his medal for best sportsmanship - he's very vocal in encouraging his teammates, and is very good at cheering them up when they've made a mistake or missed a shot.

New Running Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 01:49:00 +0000

Gavin at Bull Creek

Who doesn't like getting running stuff in the mail. I just got a nice big order from Running Warehouse - shirts, shorts, socks and a foam roller. Since almost every running sock I own seems to have a hole in the toe, that was a long overdue addition. I treated myself to a couple of pairs of Adidas shorts because they are much lighter than the Nikes I've been wearing for the past few years, and have the added bonus of a back pocket. Likewise, a couple of Adidas shirts - the same cut as the "Marathon Talk" shirt I got a few weeks ago, which I love.

I tried the shorts and shirt out on this morning's 15 miler, and was very pleased with both. It was a muggy old day, but the lightweight shirt kept me comfortable, and the shorts were very comfortable. I think I have some new favorite running attire.

So I'm sitting here with my right foot in a bowl of ice water, watching the Lord of the Rings with Gavin. We had a great afternoon together - we hiked and ran 5 miles of the hilly trails of Bull Creek, gathered a fine collection of sticks and discussed elves, goblins and dwarves in great detail.

It was awesome.

But it didn't do much for my painful foot, which bothered me a little more than I wanted on this morning's run. It's like a bruise on the ball of my foot that refuses to go away.

But it needs to be gone. Because there are 2 weeks to Boston, and come hell or high water I want to run a good 26.2.

The Road is Too Long (so now it's gone)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:35:00 +0000

Hello from Richmond, VA. I arrived late last night, my luggage arrived this evening (I'm pretty sure I saw it last night from my window seat, sitting sadly on the tarmac with a few other bags as our plane taxied out of Dallas). Ever made a presentation to clients while wearing running shoes, cargo pants and Adidas workout shirt? It's very liberating - I highly recommend self deprecating British humor to see you through!!!

And my deepest apologies to you, dear blog, for neglecting you. I didn't mean to, but it's just that I've been so very busy.

Well, that and I also got tired of doing my "Road to Boston" series of postings. I mean come on, a 16 week training diary? What was I thinking? There are only so many ways of finding new and interesting ways to say "I ran xx miles this morning" before you start making shit up. So I'm abandoning it and going back to my normal chatty postings.

But for that 0.001% of you who were enjoying those posts, here's the quick roundup. I ran 20 miles last Saturday and felt really good. We saw Lance on the trail. The bottom of my foot hurts like a son of a bitch. Hope I can keep it from breaking down until after Boston.

And if my parents are reading this, let me head off your pending questions. No, I'm not going to stop all that silly running. And yes, I'm pretty sure my legs aren't going to fall off.

I've also been catching up on my reading (I love my Kindle, have I ever said that - yeah, maybe only a few hundred times). I read Meb Keflezighi's "Run to Overcome" a few weeks ago, and I just finished C.L. Bevill's "Veiled Eyes", a great paranormal mystery set in the Louisiana bayous. Tonight I went old school and started reading a genuine paper and ink book - Jennifer Pharr Davis "Becoming Odyssa" which Clea kindly lent me. It's about the author's through hike of the Appalachian trail. I haven't gotten very far yet, but I think I'm going to really enjoy it. She's engaging, funny, and her early efforts sound as wonderfully disorganized as me. Here's my favorite excerpt so far:

"I was never fitted for a pack before I left to hike. Instead, I had gone to a downstairs closet in my parents' house and rummaged through thirty-year-old sleeping bags and campfire cookware to find an old external-frame backpack that my brother had once used at summer camp. Its faded grey color and worn hip belt weren't glamorous, but it was free".

Yeah, that reminds me of my inner frugalness. It also reminds me of the time I showed up for an all-night trail race having forgotten my headlamp. But that's another story.

I'm pretty sure I will have finished it by the time my plane touches down back in Austin.

The Road to Boston (week 11 of 16)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:10:00 +0000

This is the month that will either make or break my Boston race, so it's time to pull out the stops, knuckle down and do some hard work. I'm finally back home for a decent stretch, and newly armed with a couple of new workout dvds. Bring it on.

Saturday March 10th
5:10am, 45F and rainy. Did 18 miles in 2:34:37 (8:35 average).

Sunday March 11th
5:30am, 55F, pouring rain and stormy. Since this clocks went forward last night, this was a particularly early start. Had a point in this run where I could have cut it short to 7 miles, but happy to report I kept with my original plan and continued for the extra mile. Yay me!!! 8 miles in 1:06:54 (8:21 average) - not bad for a recovery run.

9pm. 50 minutes of core work. Gavin joined in with me, and we had a good time working out together.

Monday March 12th
9pm. 60 minutes of circuit training. Earned a good bit of sweat equity for Boston tonight with a good hard workout. Sweated through my shoes for the first time since running through last summer's heat. Concentrated on lots of variations of squats, lunges and jumps. Really pushed it, and it felt great. Tired but happy.

Wednesday March 14th
5am, 68F and muggy. Was supposed to run 10 yesterday, but was awake with a "not quite feeling himself and wants his dad" Dylan instead. Wanted to make up for it by meeting James for a pace run this morning. Did 7 miles in 54:50 (7:50 average). Not as fast I would have liked, but I'll still take a sub-7.

5pm. Did an hour of kettlebell swings, squats and holds. Legs like rubber, back really tight, sweat pouring off, sweated through my shoes again. Paying my entry fee for Boston right here.

Thursday March 15th
5am, 68F and muggy. 7 miles with Clea this morning. Legs still sore from last night, but got better the further we went (possibly fueled by the conversation about closets and cockney rhyming slang). Ran 58:44 (8:23 average).

The Road to Boston (week 10 of 16)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:37:00 +0000

6 weeks to go, and I really don't feel prepared at all (so what else is new, right?). My running does not seem anywhere near as easy as it was a few short months ago, and my focus has wavered (plus I've been eating way too much junk stuff on all my travels). On the other hand, I probably don't want to be smooth sailing this far out. If I play it right, I can run myself into form and straight into the start line at Hopkinton.

And I'm still contemplating what to do after Boston. Part of me wants to sign up for another race (like the super fun BCS marathon I ran last December), while another part of me wants to give it a break for a while. Good angel, bad angel. Jekyll and Hyde. Right now the powers of light and darkness are in perfect balance.

Though as my plans to run a marathon with my brother in the UK this summer fell through, I guess I don't need to make a decision for a while anyway!!!

Saturday March 3rd
5:10am, 55F and windy. Met Clea for 18 miles, with a guest appearance by Megan in the middle of the run. Sore hamstring because I was stupid and did a boat load of leg curls last week on an already dodgy hamstring. No monster Stratford hills today (thank goodness), but still enough inclines on Scenic and Jefferson to keep me interested. Finished in 2:36:11 (8:41 average), with the highlight being a quick stop to check on a "drunk as a skunk" yuppie sprawled across the trail. At the risk of sounding old, man I do not miss the party scene at all!!!

Sunday March 4th
5:30am, 48F. 7 mile Shoal Creek recovery run with Clea. We kept a good pace and equally good conversation to finish up in 57:37 (8:14 average). Big day as I rushed home to celebrate Gavin's birthday. Good thing I clocked up the miles this weekend, as we all enjoyed Cheesecake Factory cheesecake. I only wish I hadn't looked at the nutrition label!!!

Tuesday March 6th
5am, 58F and humid. Met James for our 7 mile pace run. He's training for London and me for Boston, so we're right at the same point in our training. Which means we were both tired from 18-20 mile runs this weekend. Still, we managed 7 miles in 53:55 (7:42 average), which is not bad at all.

9:30pm. Traveling again at another client site. After a 4 hour drive to North Texas after work, needed something to loosen me up. In the absence of a good single malt, that something turned out to be Bob Harper's 15 minute "yoga" abs workout. Now I'm ready for bed, with the best intentions of getting up for an early morning run in a bid to avoid the runner-unfriendly local motorists, thus saving wear and tear on my middle finger.

The Road to Boston (week 9 of 16)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:39:00 +0000

Ok, completely disorganized this week, but greetings from Little Rock, AR. Man am I ever racking up the air miles and hotel points these days!!! Been slacking on the blog front after some late night work sessions, but sneaking in a few minutes to get it done.

Bad news this week when I heard my little brother had to pull out of what would have been his debut marathon at London due to injury. Tried to convince him to run his first marathon with me when I'm over in the UK this coming summer, but it's not to be.

Oh well, take care of yourself and heal up quickly bro. I am not accepting that as an excuse when I nail your ass at a park run this summer.

I am reading "Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham and the Science of Success" by Matthew Syed. It is a fascinating book that delves into the psychology and similarities of the most successful people in sports, music etc. There are some real insights into human behavior, though I think it's telling me I'm not much good at anything because I'm lazy. To be fair, it's probably right :-)

Saturday February 25th
5:15am, can't remember what the weather was doing. 13 miles, annoying hamstring injury, the hills of Stratford, 1:56:07 (8:54 average). On the plus side, I got home in time to watch the Wales rugby team win the Triple Crown by beating England, and the Marathon Talk technical shirts arrived from the UK (Boston race shirts for Clea and myself).

Sunday February 26th
5:30am, no idea about the weather. Weird run - seemed to get more into it as it went along. 7 miles in 57:45 (8:17 average)
pm. 1 hour of strength circuits. A rare chance to work out with Nancy. Oh man, she ground me into the dirt!!!

Monday February 27th
In Little Rock. The hotel I am staying at has free access to a gym across the road, and very nice it is too. Found myself working out on the 29th floor in front of floor to ceiling windows with magnificent panoramic views of downtown Little Rock. Did the elliptical, the stair climber, the bike and then beasted my legs with 5 sets of 15 reps of leg extensions, leg curls and weighted squats. Oh boy, those leg curls did nothing for my sore hamstrings.

Tuesday February 28th
Drama at the gym tonight as some guy collapsed and had to be carted out by the EMTs. Spent a bit extra time on the eliptical as I watched events unfold. Did more leg extensions, but my hamstring was in full rebellion mode as soon as I tried the leg curl machine. Gave up and went to eat Chinese instead.

Wednesday February 29th
Happy leap day. Back in the gym tonight - more bike, elliptical, stair climber and weighted squats. Also did weighted core rotations and lat pulldowns. Then I had a go on the heavy bag (pretended it was some of my clients - haha), and had a great time with the battling ropes, making them dance for me. Never used them before - they were fun. And tiring. Will have to get me some!!!

Thursday March 1st
Last night at the panoramic gym as I fly back to Austin tomorrow. Did the elliptical, the bike, the old "rubber legged" workout, and threw around the battling ropes with somewhat of a spring on my step. Spent quite a bit of time chatting with the receptionist in the hotel. She was flirting big time, which explains the spring in the step!! Useful things these British accents :-)

The Road to Boston (week 8 of 16)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:04:00 +0000

I'm counting this as the mid-term break. I did not run a step last weekend - a combination of thunder and lightning, Brownwood duty and plain old lack of motivation did me in, and I did nothing at all.

And what's up with the motivation? I have no idea, but it's suddenly gone South. Nancy is putting me to shame - she gets up at 4:30 most mornings to work out (and you can tell because she's looking really good), whereas I have to drag my lazy butt out of bed to grind out runs that are nowhere near as easy as they seemed a month ago. I have a nagging fear that I have peaked, and I'm now on the slippery downslope. The good part of that is that I have more than enough time to regroup, come again and peak once more for Boston.

And another spanner in the Boston wheel is a lot more business travel coming up. In the next month I will be heading out to Virginia, Arkansas and North Texas. I will have to keep my discipline, zip up the old man suit and just get out there and do it.

In other news, I am reading "Into the Silence" by Wade Davis (author the "The Serpent and the Rainbow"). It is the story of George Mallory - taking apart the legend that surrounds him, and going into painstaking detail, not only about his legendary Everest expeditions, but also the motivations and political posturing of the age. It delves into the Great War, along with the implications and attitudes of the Raj and the British Empire.

The human cost of trench warfare is unimaginable, and described in vivid detail. I remember my grandfather telling me stories of being in the trenches when I was a boy, but I didn't truly appreciate it then. Now that I would, he's no longer here to tell them - funny how that works.

While fascinating, it is a huge book. I am a fast reader, but I have been working on it for weeks and am still nowhere near half way through. It is one of those that I may need to break up and come back to in bits.

Anyway, on to the training log.

Saturday 18th February
Woke up to thunder and lightning and the prospect of a trip to Brownwood. Not motivated. The zipper on the man suit broke right off, and I lose my 100% Febulous record.

Tuesday 21th February
5am, 48F, foggy and humid. Finally got my butt back into gear, and met up with James for a pace run. Dang, I seem to be trying twice as hard only to go a lot slower than I did a month ago. What's up with that? Still, we managed 7 miles in 54:47 (7:49 average), while we both enjoyed a good old moan. Fantastic!!!

Thursday 23rd February
5am, 60F and humid. Relaxed run around Mueller with Clea - she is recovering from pacing the marathon last weekend, I am carrying a slight hamstring strain. Knocked out 7 miles in 59:43 (8:32 average).

The Road to Boston (week 7 of 16)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:31:00 +0000

T-minus 10 and counting. We're down to the last 10 weeks before Boston - technically still base building, but in my periodization plan we're getting close to the time where I will start fine tuning by throwing in some extra midweek pace runs.

Training has been derailed somewhat by all my travel of late, but I am now home for a few weeks in a row. I will be in Little Rock, AR at the end of the month, but the hotel I am booked at has free access to the 24 hour fitness next door, so that is a great chance to start throwing in some cross training in the final month before Boston.

From here on in, I have a lot of 20 milers planned. These are mostly psychological - I seem to run better on race day the more 20 milers I have under my belt.

Saturday February 11th
5am, 38F and windy. Kind of a low energy day - a weird kind of "nothing" run. I did 20 miles in 2:55:23 (8:46 average) which was fine. I never bonked, but never dropped into the groove either. Got lucky and Clea jumped in for the first 11 miles - long runs are so much easier with company. Then had an uphill slog against the wind for most of the rest of the run. Ah well, no big deal - it's another 20 miles in the books.

Sunday February 12th
5:30am, 29F and breezy. Lovely cold morning for a nice relaxed recovery run. Ran the Danish route backwards - 7 miles in 59:58 (8:34 average).

11:30am, 30F and sleeting. A trail run at Walnut Creek with Gavin, my 6 year old - such fun. 3 miles of tearing around the trails pretending to be Robin Hood and the Sheriff, followed by playing tag at the playground, then a retreat to a toasty warm car and home for hot chocolate.

Tuesday February 14th
5am, 41F and foggy. Pea soup this morning - unable to even see street names. Pretty cool actually. Did 7 mile reverse Danish loop in 56:10 (8:01 average).

Wednesday February 15th
5am, 63F and humid as all get out. Urggghh, 22F warmer than yesterday morning, and an early reminder of summer running. Ground out 7 miles in 54:58 (7:51 average) and just glad to be done.

Thursday February 16th
4:30am, 45F and humid. Early morning run around Mueller with Clea. Kept it easy as she's pacing the Austin marathon on Sunday (just as well as I was feeling pretty tired anyway). We managed 7 miles in 57:55 (8:16 average). Faster than I thought - no wonder I felt tired!!!

Richmond

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:03:00 +0000

So I just got back from a business trip to Richmond, VA. Never been there before, and my perception was a little colored by Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels - I expected to see serial killers lurking behind every pillar at the airport!!!

Thankfully that was not the case (or if it was, I didn't spot them). Everyone I met was super nice, and it was a really quaint, historic little town. I was lucky to be teaching a class with a good friend I don't see too often, so it was much more fun to walk around downtown and explore the city together while catching up. Also got to sample a few of the local brews, which was great.

On the other side, this was the third week in a row I'd been on the road, and I was missing Nancy and the boys. Plus it's tough to be "on" for 8+ hours a day 3 weeks straight, so I was mentally tired when I got back into Austin around midnight last night.

The good news is that I'm not traveling again for another few weeks. My next trip is to Little Rock, AR at the end of the month. I ran the Little Rock marathon a few years ago, and it remains one of my favorite races. And my trip just happens to coincide with the date of this year's marathon.

So I checked out the website.

Unfortunately, the race is sold out. Oh well, would have been fun, but probably just as well. Don't really need to be running a marathon a month out from Boston.

Here's some photos I took wandering around downtown Richmond yesterday lunchtime.

The Virginia State capitol. What, no dome?

I'm not sure what this building is, but I loved the architecture.

This was the home of General Robert E. Lee. If only walls could talk!!!

The Road to Boston (week 6 of 16)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Well I liked the chatty format of last week's post, so I think I'm going to keep it like that. What I do not like is the limited amount of distance running I've done in the last two weeks. That and the fact that I appear to have gained 5lbs (damn you delicious hotel cooked breakfasts)!!! Still, I am a glass half full kind of guy, so looking at the upside I am simply pulling back to ensure I do not peak too early. Plus this coming week will be my last travel for a little while, so I can get my runs back to normal.

Having said that....

Saturday February 4th
5am, 55F and stormy. The value of a good training partner is that they can pull you through tough runs, and that is what happened this morning. If it wasn't for Clea, I don't know that I would have completed this run. My calves were so tight after last week's treadmill madness. And that caused my feet to go numb for the first half of this 20 miler. Fortunately, some good conversation passed away many of the middle miles, and the legs loosened up for the second half. Cut off by myself to finish out the last 2 miles (which were tough) and finished 20 hilly miles in 2:57:16 (8:51 average) and completely spent. My legs felt very sore and painful driving home, and they appear to have staged an uprising because I am hobbling around like an old man. I'm normally nowhere near this stiff after racing a marathon - I guess fueling on Big Mac and fries is not a good idea!!!

Sunday February 5th
5:30am, 45F. Recovery run after yesterday's 20 miler. Good to work out some of the soreness, but was getting some serious knee pain out of nowhere. I swear I'm getting old. Surprised we managed a fairly brisk 7 miles in 1:00:46 (8:41 pace).

Monday February 6th
7am 40F. Stretching the legs this morning prior to my flight to Richmond VA this afternoon. No knee pain today, though the calves are still super tight. 2 miles in 15:23 (7:41 average).

Friday February 10th
7am, 45F. Pullback week. Been in Richmond, VA all week, and got back into Austin at midnight last night. Decided to take a few days off to give my strained calves some time to recover, and it seems to have worked (though I do now have to figure out how to cram in another 3 runs to keep my Febulous 100% going). Did 2 miles this morning in a pain-free 14:33 (7:16 average). Looking forward to a solo 20 miles tomorrow.

The Road to Boston (week 5 of 16)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:56:00 +0000

Ok folks, I am declaring this a freeform week. I am working in North Texas all this week and do not have the luxury of staying in a hotel on a college campus with lots of lovely paths for me to explore, nor the lovely icy weather in which to explore them. No, I am staying in a hotel (nice though it is) that borders the Interstate, in a town that is not very runner friendly. The last time I tried running up here, I was urged by several motorists to "get a car you bum".

If I ran here every day, my middle finger would be exhausted. So I may have to resort to the dreadmill for at least some of my runs.

Anyway, the good news is that I finished out Jantastic with 100% and am now into Febulous. This works along the same principles - you commit to doing a certain number of runs a week - but now you also have to specify how long each of your long runs will be during the month.

So I've set my goals at 5 runs a week, with long runs of 20 miles, 20 miles, 12 miles and 20 miles. We'll see how that goes.

Saturday January 28th
Spent the day traveling back from Oregon via Las Vegas (and what a zoo that place is). Needless to say, no running. Did manage to finish "Miss Peregrine's Home for Unusual Children" (wonderful read) and got into Blake Crouch's "Run" (very creepy and disturbing, but a great page turner - perfect airplane fodder). I love my Kindle.

Sunday January 29th
Nancy suggested I have a lie in with the boys as I'd been away all week and didn't get back until late. Agreed and enjoyed a very pleasant morning before setting out on the road again.

Monday January 30th
On my travels again. No run today. Worked late, and then watched the documentary "Ride the Divide" back at the hotel, which left me whelmed. Not over or under, just whelmed. Nice music though.

Tuesday January 31st
Hit the dreadmill in the hotel tonight. Listened to the "Mockingjay" audiobook on my ipod to distract me and could still only manage 2 miles before boredom set in. Did the 2 miles in 12:26 (6:13 average), and then had a go on the stair climber which was marginally more interesting. May have to venture back onto the mean streets tomorrow. Oh, and I finished reading "Run", which really does make you want to hide in your hotel room and never come out!!!

Wednesday February 1st
Ok, I guess this week is designated speed week. Hopped on the treadmill tonight with the goal of running 2 miles at a sub-6 pace. That was before I realized the thing topped out at 10mph, thus rendering that goal impossible. Still, finished the 2 miles in 12:06 (6:03 average), which was just about enough to finish me off too. Cooled down with a few minutes in the company of my old friend the stair climber while listening to the adventures of Katniss Everdeen on the old ipod. In non-running news, I watched "V for Vendetta" last night which has left me feeling ever so slightly rebellious, started a new book on the Kindle - "I Sing the Body Departed", and I think I'm going to go out for Indian tonight. Mr random strikes again!!!

Thursday February 2nd
Tried to kill myself on the treadmill again tonight - 2 miles in 12:02 (6:01 average). Ouch. My legs are tighter than Scrooge at Christmas - am looking forward to reverting to longer slower runs again. On the plus side, I'm headed back to Austin tomorrow. On the downside, I'm off to Virginia on Monday. But at least I get to enjoy the weekend at home. In other news, the Indian I went out for last night was far and away the worst I've ever had, and just a bizarre experience all round. Played it safe tonight and went to TGI Fridays, where I put away a cobb salad, chicken pasta and a huge slice of vanilla bean cheesecake. Suitably sated, I am looking forward to a nice night in the company of Messers Miles Davis and Mr Kindle.

Oh, it's also worth mentioning that I have taken the opportunity of being away as a chance to catch up on some of the "Marathon Talk" podcast. I am now only about a year behind!!!

Good luck to all running the Rocky Raccoon 100 this weekend. Rather you than me.