Rocket City Marathon Training - Final Week

My last long run before the RCM.  
8:05 AM, 16.08 miles, 2 hr 02 min 47 secs, pace: 7:38 min/miles
By the numbers, 7:34, 7:42, 7:41, 7:32, 7:31, 7:37, 8:00, 7:34, 7:34, 7:37, 7:36, 7:43, 7:55, 7:43, 7:31, 7:24, .08=7:05 pace

Nice run with the exception of being tackled by a large boxer within the 2nd mile. I scrambled back up, accepted the owner's apology and resumed my run. I used this run to test the nutrition I would utilize during the race. I have been running without any race nutrition, so I needed to practice feeding during a race. I also need to know if the gel will agree with my stomach. I used GU-Gel Lime Sublime last year. It worked ok, but a little thick to get down. My friend Matt " Iron Man" Hames suggested I try Power Bar Energy Gels. I try the vanilla favor and found it very palatable and not as thick as the Gu-Gels. I consumed one at mile 6 and mile 12.

So my race nutrition  this year will be Power Bar Gels.

Rocket City Marathon Training

My plan for tapering for the Rocket City Marathon is to run 20 milers alternated with 16 milers. I ran a 20 miler Saturday and a 16 miler today. I hope to run a 20 miler next week with one more 16 miler about 8 to 10 days before the marathon.

I managed a pretty good run today, but I slipped into some 8 minute miles. I had side stitches and lost my pacing and did not seem to be able to pick it up again. I did finally manage to pick up the pace and finish pretty strong.

Date: 11/17/2011 8:50 AM, Distance: 16.09 miles, Time: 2 hr 05 min 28 secs, pace: 7:48 min/miles. Miles by the numbers 7:34, 7:38, 7:43, 7:29, 7:42, 7:46, 7:54, 7:51, 7:53, 8:02, 8:09, 8:01, 8:04, 7:51, 7:45, 7:26, .09=7:15 pace

Why we taper

Taper is important and it will improve race performance. For short races I usually never run after Wednesday or Thursday. For longer races I reduce the mileage the week before and skip the Saturday long runs. This year I have kind of gotten sidetracked and neglected the taper.

I have been pushing myself this fall. My pace is better then last year at this time. Each week I try to run the same distance or longer and at a faster pace. What I have been doing is running 18 or 20 miles this week and feeling like I should be able to run 18 or 20 miles faster the next week. This is certainly my OCD and it is not exactly smart training. This year I forgot about tapering between longer runs. When you break new ground you should give your body a chance to adjust to the new mileage.

Last year when I was training for a 50K I did 20 milers alternated with 16 milers. My pace is better than last year, but I am not improving from week to week.

The body needs time to get used to the mileage and also needs to rest and recharge before a big race. I have a half marathon in less than 2 weeks so I need to taper for that. My OCD will probably make me do an 18 or 20 miler this week. My compromise for tapering will be a midweek long run so I will be able to recover some by November 12th. OCD is a gift and a curse. It drives me to train, but it also can defy reasonable restraint.
I feel good about the Rocket City Marathon in December, but I have neglected the speed work that would help me run a PR on the half marathon. I have done my usual speed work but I should have done more to be ready for the half marathon.

Yuck Juice

I have always hated vegetables. I have always been pretty much a meat eater. Running was an incentive to modify my diet to the good.

I have always liked fruit, so this is were I started. I added more fruit to my diet and started avoiding regular sugar. I discovered that lots of things can be put in a blender and frozen fruits and vegetables are cheap and convenient.

Currently I have a morning smoothie that consists of most of the following:
1. 2 bananas (frozen when ripe)
2. Frozen strawberries and blueberries
3. Ground flax seed and cocoa
4. Plain yogurt
5. Pasteurized egg whites
6. Grape juice to sweeten
7. Frozen orange juice
8. Milk and frozen carrots or broccoli (yes you can blend up just about anything)
Sometimes I add Cinnamon for the taste and antioxidants. You will find that lots of things can be ground up in a blender as a smoothie.

My children have always referred to this concoction as yuck juice, but I have one of these smoothies just about everyday. A great breakfast was a big part of my weight control and this was easy and a good way to get nutrients I needed. I can drink on the way to work or taking the kids to skills.

Give me a blender and a freezer and I can survive. So with breakfast fixed I have moved on the modifying other areas of my diet.

The Bad Seed

Huntsville Sprint Triathlon

With my estimated pace I am usually in the first heat and should have been in that heat this year. I found out race morning that I was in the 3rd heat which meant I was buried behind about 300 slower and faster runners. I was in better shape training wise this year, but the poor seeding kind of took some of the wind out of my sails. If I had known about the poor seeding, I would probably have skipped this race. I decided I would just try to finish the race without getting hurt are running over anybody.

Starting in the 3rd heat was a little disappointing. I like to get out in front and get to the pool before it gets crowded. We start the run over an open field and then the trail narrows as it goes into the woods. The trail marking was a little confusing, so the guys I was following took a wrong turn and I followed them. The guys I was going to pace off of were running in an earlier heat, so I had to wing it. Narrow trails and walkers don't mix. I did managed to finish the run with a time of 22:34.

It took me 1:17 to transition to the bike and then I was off on a 6 mile bike ride. And there was slow traffic here also. I got boxed in a couple times by people riding and not clearing the people they were passing. One guy I followed for several hundred yards just kept riding beside another racer. When I got a wide lane to pass and said "on your left" he veered left until he figured out what I meant. Again proper seeding would have alleviated some of these problems. I finished with a time of 19:23 at an average speed of 18.6 mph. I managed a transition of 1:30. I did a pretty good job with the transition. As I got close to the pool I realized I still had my socks on.

After ditching my socks I entered the pool. The water felt great and I swam with ease at first. During the first lap I realized I had left my shirt on. It was no tri shirt and kind of floppy, not something you would want to swim fast in. The shirt and starting out too fast made me tire quickly. I had to stop and re-group so I could finish the race. I finished the swim with a time of 11:06.

I had really wanted to get a PR and I was certainly fit enough to improve this year. I think a combination of mental disappointment in the seeding and navigating through the slower traffic led to under-performing this year.

This was the 3rd time I ran this race. I really liked this race because it was my first triathlon. This year the race had a new race director and sponsor and I could tell it was going to be different. I am really proud that a sponsor stepped up and sponsored the race this year, but the organization of the race was a little shaky. They did add chip timing this year which is usually a plus, but there was some confusion with the seeding of this race. They finally just punted and the seeding seemed to be randomly assigned. So you had fast racers running with very slow racers. This is stressful for both the fast and the slow. With a race that begins on a single track cross country trail it is very important to have some kind of meaningful seeding.

Hopefully the growing pains will be over and next year's race will be better managed. I may have to look for a new favorite race next year.

By the numbers.
5th in age group, 47nd in males and 52nd overall
5th on run 22:34,7:32 pace, 1:17 transition
8th on bike, 19:23, 18.6mph, 1:30 transition
9th on the swim, 11:06
Finish time 55:47

August 13th, Brooke Hill 5K

Nice race and for a good cause. I passed on this race last year because of hot weather. It was cooler this year but still hot. I decided to add this race after the Soggy Seal Triathlon. I did better than I expected at the Soggy Seal. I did a sub 21 minute 5K and still had plenty stamina to finish the bike and swim portion of the tri.

It was an 8:00 AM start. My only suggestion for this race would be to consider a 7:00 or 7:30 AM start. The temperature was getting pretty warm and muggy by race time. I started out as usual and was within the first 10 runners. I usually run my fastest within the 1st quarter mile of a race. It seems so easy to run at the start of a race. Adrenaline, excitement, or just being well rested really has an effect on me. As I have gotten more experienced I have tried to temper my initial exhilaration. I still run my fastest but I try to hold back a little for later in the race.

We started on a wide streets that allowed us to jockey for position easily. I had no idea how I would hold up in the heat but the first mile felt pretty good. There were a few youngsters in the lead pack but they faded as thee distance wore on. Sprinting is for the young. The race leaders were well ahead of me by the end of the first mile. I finished mile 1 with a pace of 6:19. I was feeling pretty good at this point.

Mile 2 was a little more hilly. The aid station is around the halfway point of the race. I usually don't drink I just pour the water over my head. This seems to help me more then trying to drink on a short race. I was just trying to hang on and not lose time off my pace. I did loose some and finished mile 3 with a 6:43 mile pace. I was happy with this, but I had Wayne Heckler behind me and he always runs stronger as a race goes on. Wayne is one of my running heroes and I want to be Wayne when I grow up. He has 10 years on me and started running in his late 40s. You will find his name on a short list of better runners in this area. He had just come off some high mileage runs days before the race, so I might have had a little advantage on this day.

I managed to up my pace on mile 3. At this point I was confident I would at least finish the race with a fair time. The run finishes uphill. As I turned onto the last street I could see Wayne behind me. I found this motivational. I tried to pick up my pace and finished the 3rd mile at a pace of 6:38. Now for the last drag race to the finish.

My friend Brad White took my picture at the end of mile 3 and I looked done. I did not feel done. Wayne's picture looked pretty good. I managed to keep pace with the guy ahead of me and started a pretty good kick to the finish. Wayne told me this was what kept him from passing me. I realize that another day a fresher Wayne Heckler would beat me. The last .1 was at around 35 seconds.

I finished with a time of 20:15. (Thank you Wayne Heckler). I finished 6th overall and first in my age group. The good time on I hilly and hot August day has given me confidence that I have a shot at a sub 20 minute 5K this fall.

Soggy Seal led me to attempt this race and this race should lead me to a good 5K time this fall. Everything works together some times.

Soggy Seal Triathlon

I almost passed on this race. I am not for racing my bike on wet streets. I woke up with bike loaded and looked at the radar. It looked wet in Huntsville, but my dear wife had said even if it is wet give it a try. She is the one I had promised not to take chance on wet streets. 2 years ago she had spent 5 hours in an ER waiting for a plastic surgeon to stitch up my face (26 stitches). It was a bad wreck and she was great. I usually ride before church, but that Sunday we did not make it. I also had to have my dentist crown one of my front teeth. So if she said give it a try, I might as well. I drove my little truck to the Southeastern YMCA. The roads were dry and the rain never materialized.

This was a first year for this race and I was not sure how well it would come off. The staff at the YMCA did a great job. I must commend them on putting together a nice sprint triathlon. 5K run, 8 mile bike, and 300 yard swim.

The run and the bike ride were surprisingly hilly and pretty challenging. I managed 10th overall and second in my age group.

The run came first and I decided to run behind my friend Matt Hames. I might of passed him on the run, but he would of trashed me on the bike and the swim. He is the total package. My strategy was to just stay behind Matt on the run so I would not have to wait for him to pass me. He set a nice pace and finished 4th and I finished the run 5th.

Then came the bike. It definitely had some pretty steep hills. There was a long grade about a mile into it and I came to a stop. I was in too high of gears and had not managed my momentum well. Too steep to restart I lost at least a minute creeping it forward over the crest. It was an out and back so I vowed not to let it happen on my return trip. We made our way to the greenway for 2 miles in and 2 mile back. Then back on the return to the killer hill. I hammered it and had no problem on the return trip. I finished the bike ride in 10th place overall.

I racked the bike and put on my goggles which I had around my neck during the ride and headed for the pool. To achieve 300 yards each of the 6 lanes had to be swam down and back. It was a little confusing at one point, but I settled my pace and finished not passing or being passed by any racers in the pool. My strategy was to get to the pool before it got crowded with racers. I finished the race 10th overall and placed 2nd in my age group. 59 people finished the race including 4 others from my church. It was nice have members of my church family share in the race. 3 of them placed in their age groups. There were also 3 members of the Decatur Tri Club who placed (Myself, Matt, and Charlotte) Matt took second overall. It was a great day for my church and the Decatur Tri Club

By the numbers:
Run 5th 20:46, Bike 17th 32:55 (Plus transition),
Swim 23rd 7:01, Overall 10th 1:00:42.

I planned to use this as a tune up for the Huntsville Sprint, but it was a really great race in itself. I will put this on my schedule for next year. This race gave me confidence in my ability to run in the heat and that my summer training was paying off. I was so happy with my run time that I entered the Brooke Hill 5K the next Saturday.

Heel and Crank

From the website: "The Heel & Crank Duathlon raises money and awareness for ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease). This charity was chosen because of the late Darin Kruse, one of our local triathletes and friend, who recently lost a 3-year battle with ALS."

The race benefits ALS and Team Rocket Tri-club did a great job with it. It will be on my list for next summer.

It was a good race and I am pleased with my finish. It was a great day for a race and not real hot at race time. It did bring out a glaring weakness in my triathlon racing. I lost ground on the bike. Because of the bike weakness I missed 1st place in my age group by 1:33 seconds and the podium by 32 seconds.
Finished 5th in my age group and 27th overall. Finished 1st in age group on both running legs, but finished 8th in my age group on the bike.

By the numbers:
1st 2.5 miles 16:34 (average pace 6:38), 2nd 2.5 miles 17:22 (average pace 6:57)
10 mile bike ride at 30:23 averaging 19.7 mph
1st transition 1:10 and :41 for the 2nd transition
Overall finishing time was 1:06:09

I felt good during the first running segment. I kind of got boxed in at the start and this probably kept me from going out to fast. Finishing the run I got the bike and strolled through the transition. My friend Joann yelled at me to run with the bike. (1:10 transition)

The bike course was pretty flat some rolling and some steady grades. Mile 8 has a steep downhill followed by going right back up the hill. After the hill it is just a pretty flat run toward the finish. I lost my pace around mile 8 and 9, but managed to pick up the pace for mile 9.5 to the finish averaging 21.1 mph. This was the fastest average mile. Not a bad ride for a 500.00 dollar bike with flat handlebars, .28 tires, and no clips on the pedals. (30:23 averaging 19.7 mph) Yep I guess I prefer a more upright old school ride. It is kinder to my back. The final transition went pretty quick. (:41 second)

The last 2.5 mile run went pretty good. I managed to pass some people and feel pretty strong at the end. I drank nothing during the race just used the water to pour over my head and cool off some.

I am really happy with where I am now. Back in April I decided to lose weight 7 to 8 pounds. My weight now is under 150 lb. I have a maintained a sub 150 weekly weight for the last 3 and half weeks. I also wanted to push my pace. I have managed sub 7 minute pace tempos and sub 8 minute paces for my long runs. I have also become more diligent on my core exercises and it seems to be helping also. I maintained these paces for 8 weeks so hopefully it has stuck.

My goal is to maintain my speed through the heat and humidity of summer and set a PR on some 5Ks and a sub 90 minute half marathon this fall.