Awesome Running/Food Weekend

Its now just 2 weeks since Cleveland.  I've been spending my time recovering.  I took a full 6 days off immediately after Cleveland.  I believe that is the longest I've gone without running while not injured.  It felt good but I was itching to get back out the door.  I even made a deal with Tish that if my heart rate was below 60 bpm on the Sunday after Cleveland, I could go out for a run.  Well, I woke up at 0630 and immediately checked my HR. It came in at 42!  GOOD TO GO!

This past weekend I raced in the Westside Catholic Center 5k.  It's a great local race, benefiting the Westside Catholic Center and is followed by a pancake breakfast open to the community.  Unfortunately, there are no vegan pancakes, but we did get in on a fruit bowl.  This was my third year running this race and I've always enjoyed it.  I've had some success in piggybacking off of marathon training and running a successful 5k, and this day was no different.  I ran my third fastest 5k time which was good enough for an overall win.  Getting a W is always an amazing feeling (and I wish everyone could experience it at least once) but I really felt like it made this spring training cycle worth it.

Early in the race, lots of company

Photo courtesy of Laura McCarty

Later in the race, not so much company.  Rocking the Team RWB Eagle. 

Photo courtesy of Laura McCarty 

After the race, we hit up the Cleveland Vegfest, put on the by the Cleveland Vegan Society.  Tons of good food by local restaurants,  lots of different vendors and some amazing speakers crashed CSU's student center for the entire day.  It was great to see so many people come and support this event.  It was an awesome inaugural and I can't wait for next year's event!  

On Sunday, Tish and I met up with a Twitter friend, Kristy.  She took us down to Sand Run near Akron.  It's a 3 mile stretch of crushed limestone with lots of ups and downs.  We did 2 repeats and tacked on 2 more miles for a total of 14 miles on the day with 800ft of elevation gain and loss.  I'm stoked on this area to run and already know I'll be going back for some 3 mile repeats and maybe a few long runs.

Tish sporting the Syracuse tee.  Go Orange!

Photo courtesy of Laura McCarty

My 18 week training cycle kicks off this week for the Wineglass Marathon.  Coming up this week is some 400's on Tuesday and a 6-7 mile marathon pace run on Thursday (or Friday).  Work is conflicting with my run schedule this week so I may need to rearrange runs.  Good luck to anyone racing this week and happy running.  

Cleveland Marathon-Going zen (watchless)

Its been a week since the Cleveland Marathon.  I guess I should probably write something about it.

Tish and I hit up the expo on Friday shortly after it opened.  We browsed a bit, found a decent deal on some shoes (Saucony Kinvaras) and then went to a talk with Coach Jenny Hadfield.  She was great.  She talked a lot about running based on effort and using "zones" to pace a marathon (here).  The general concept is run based on feeling and effort and not focused on hitting specific splits.  Tish also mentioned a story about how she broke her Garmin on the way out the door to a race and had to run based on effort and nailed a huge PR.  Coach Jenny seemed to love the story and said she was going to use it for a future article, so keep a look out!

Tish with Coach Jenny

I really liked the idea of running solely on effort.  I also liked the idea of not necessarily knowing my splits if "s*** hit the fan" in the later stages of the race.  In previous races, I've struggled mentally to fight back when I see one bad split and its thrown a wrench in my mental game.  I begin to think negative thoughts and then its all over.  Basically, I talk myself out of the race.

So I figured "What the hell, why not go without the watch?"  This wasn't my "A" race of the season and I really didn't have a lot to lose.  I'd just run each mile based solely on how I'm feeling at the time.

When it was all said and done, I finished in 3:01:xx.  I ran an awesome first half (1:23:xx) and then got nailed in the second.  The wind kicked up, the sun came out and it got ugly.  I did still place in the top 50 which is always nice.  And I'm glad to not know how my splits came out in the back half of the race.  I think it would have been much more depressing at the time.

The thumbs up at mile 11 turned into a thumbs down at 25.  Photo from marathonfoto.com

Racing Garmin-less may not be for everyone and you may not want to try it for the first time in a marathon but it was enjoyable.  I felt a lot less pressure and a bit more free and dare I say "zen-like".  Maybe I'll even do it again for the 5k I'm racing next weekend!

Some friends from Ann Arbor raced as well

Note:  Tish ran to another PR, breaking 4 hours for the first time.  A huge accomplishment especially since she was training through Cleveland for a fast fall marathon

Cleveland Marathon Race Plans

4 days to the Cleveland Marathon! This guy is getting excited!  I thought I'd give a quick update as to what my plan is for Sunday.  After Boston, I found myself really struggling to run.  My legs were toast and I spent a lot of time finishing up school work.  So I took some time off.  I did try a few workouts here and there but really didn't have anything left in my legs.  I decided to back off my goals and run with Tish.  And then last week I went out for an "easy" 8 miles.  I wasn't paying attention to my pace and got done and realized I had averaged 7:04 min/miles.  Since then, my legs have been coming back and I was really feeling antsy to race again.  I think Tish noticed and she told me that if I really wanted to race on Sunday to go for it.  So now I'm back in the game!  I'm excited for this opportunity.  I think Cleveland is going to be a fast course this year.  Unfortunately it doesn't look like the weather is going to cooperate too much.  It could get hot again.  Luckily I have some experience in hot weather races.

So good luck to everyone running on Sunday.  Its going to be a good time!

The End (of the cycle) Is Near

Here we are, 24 days from race day for Cleveland Marathon runners.  You've been working hard for the last 4 months through a rough winter and a trying spring.  Plain and simple-This training cycle hasn't been a lot of fun.  As I'm writing this, it is currently 38 degrees and pouring rain outside. It's going to be a fun afternoon run (not)!  But we've all suffered through it and in the end, I think it made all of us better runners.  Be confident in your training and nail this last long run coming up!   And then enjoy the taper.

For those of you who aren't familiar with me, Cleveland will be my second marathon this spring.  I ran in Boston on April 15th and although I didn't achieve the results I hoped for, I am still happy about my results.  

Athletes village

Part of my cheering section in Boston. Tish and her sis

Post-marathon recovery has been going well.  I took some time off and needed it both mentally and physically.  It's been 10 days since the race and I've run a total of 3 times.  Right now I feel like I'm lacking that extra gear in my legs to really push the pace, which is most likely just some fatigue left in my legs.  My stride is also pretty jankety.  I really have to concentrate and focus on proper form.  Anyone else have this problem?

This recovery stuff is hard work!

In the coming weeks, I'll be busy foam rolling, and icing followed by a little bit of training - maybe a few interval workouts and marathon pace runs up to about 10 miles- and then a short taper.  Not really sure how to train between these two races but I will take it day to day and see how it goes.  I'm excited to have another crack at the marathon this spring.  I don't feel that my time in Boston properly reflects the training I've put in through the winter. 

Good luck to everyone in the coming weeks and finishing up the training cycle.  And best of luck to everyone racing in Cleveland or elsewhere.   

Boston Marathon (The race)

I debated for a long time about posting about my actual race from Boston.  I still have a feeling of guilt about the race.  The second most popular question I've received is "Did you finish?" (after "Were you there?").  I sheepishly reply that yes I did finish nearly 2 hours before the bombs.  Finishing the race hardly seems relevant anymore.  I'm just thankful that nobody I know was hurt or worse on that awful day.  But a few days after, I read an article (here) and found some comfort in it.  So I decided its finally time to write about the race.

It's official when you receive your bib!

I've lived the Boston Marathon vicariously through friends for the last 5 years.  I think I knew everything there is to know about running this course without having actually run it.  I knew it was a downhill out of Hopkinton and then the hills of Newton followed by the downhill after Heartbreak.  I knew how important it was to go out conservatively.  So I went out a little slower than race pace but by mile 2 I locked in to race pace.  I really was enjoying myself and felt starstruck as I ran alongside Joan Benoit for a while and then gave a thumbs up and "Good job" to Team Hoyt.  I gave high-fives to the girls of Wellesley but passed on the free kisses.  I went through the half in 1:21:xx.

And then came the Newton Hills.  I felt like I was running up a sand dune.  The hills absolutely deflated me.  Even on the backside, going through Boston College, I had nothing to give.  My legs were done.  A shot at a PR quickly went out the window but I mustered up the strength to still run a sub 3, coming in at 2:57:16.  It's not the time I wanted but how can you be disappointed running a sub 3 hour marathon in Boston?

Looking back, I think I completely underestimated the downhills.  I still think I was in PR shape but I'm not used to running at race pace downhill.  The pain my quads were feeling was not like anything I've felt before.  When I go back, you can be sure I'll be spending a lot of time doing downhill mile repeats to strengthen the quads and get them used to the added stress.

The fam

Now I move on the Cleveland in a few short weeks.  I've only run twice since Boston.  I've needed the break both mentally and physically.  But I am eager to get back out there and give it another shot on May 19th.

Boston Marathon 2013

I've debated writing something about the events that transpired on Monday, April 15 in Boston.  The bombings at the finish are just so devastating.  I felt like I went into shock on Monday afterwards.  I was close, about one block away from the bombs.  I feel very luck and wonder why I am safe.  Its not fair that so many others were injured.  What can be said that hasn't already?  Do I have anything to add?  I was there but I wasn't on Boylston Street.  I was one block away.  In the end, I figured I'd write something and maybe it'll help.

I left the finishing area around 2:30 with family to find some lunch.  We tried to go to a restaurant up Boylston Street but couldn't get around the barricades.  Looking back, it was a miracle that we didn't go that way.  We made our way past the Prudential building when we heard the explosions and felt the earth shake.  The streets fell silent as we all wondered that that noise was.  And then a crowd of people ran out of the Prudential building as sirens filled the air.  Someone shouted that there was a shooter.  Others just ran.  Nobody truly knew.

By the grace of God, we didn't get separated from each other.  As news came in, we found out what was going on and decided it was best to get out of downtown.  It took a while but we eventually made it to my sister-in-laws apartment a few miles from downtown.

Reflecting back on the day, I am still at a loss.  I'm not really sure how to feel.  On one hand, I battled through a tough race and achieved a great time.  On the other hand, I don't think the time matters. How can I think about the time when so many other people are suffering?

The tragic events that happened on Monday hit so close to home.  The running community is a family.  We all support each other.  The people lining the course were cheering for EVERYBODY on Monday.  Some of those same people who were injured by this senseless act were cheering for me a few hours earlier.

The encouraging part was seeing the tremendous amount of support on Monday.  The first responders who can be seen running towards the scene.  My fellow runners who just completed a grueling race were offering their support to the injured.  Those are the thoughts and memories that we need to take away from all of this.

Since the cowardly acts that transpired on Monday, the running community as responded the best they know how...by running.  Groups all over the country have organized remembrance runs to show unity and support for those injured and impacted by the attack.  I am joining a group here in Cleveland to show my support.  If you are in town, please join us at Voinovich Park on Saturday at 8 AM.  There is a 3 mile and 6 mile loop planned.  More information can be found here:  silentsaturday.com

CLE marathon GIVEAWAY!

Are you interested in running the Cleveland marathon?  Or sitting on the edge, debating to or not?  Well I have a contest for you!  I have a FREE race entry into any of the Cleveland races on Sunday May 19th.  All you have to do is correctly predict my finishing time for the Boston Marathon, that I am running this coming Monday, April 15.

Photo courtesy:  https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandMarathon/photos_stream

Since some of you may be new to this blog and me, I'll give you a little insight into my recent races.

• I've PR'd in the last 3 marathons that I've run (including a scorching Cleveland last year)
• In the last 7 months, I've set PR's in the marathon, half marathon and 5k (2:45:48, 1:17:49, 16:52 respectively).
• I'll be gunning for a PR in Beantown on April 15th

Did someone say FREE?

Each person can only submit one prediction and predictions must be submitted by April 15th at 8:00 AM EST.  Please submit the exact time including hours:minutes:seconds (x:xx:xx).  Submissions can be made in the comments section of this post or tweet me your time (@evclose).  I'll notify the winner no later than Tuesday, April 16th.  

Good luck everyone and happy running!