Happy National Running Day!

Happy National Running Day!

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What, you thought I'd let the holiday go unacknowledged?

For those of you who don't know, the first Wednesday in June is known as National Running Day, and is designed to be a day to promote and celebrate running (Go here for more details). Some of the tweets I've read have alluded to the fact that every day is like National Running Day for avid runners. And while this may be true, it reminds me of Valentine's Day -- we need one day to remind us of the good things we should be doing throughout the year.

As you'd expect, I have a plethora of reasons why I run. I run:

• Because I can
• To destress
• To get some me time
• To get my blood flowing
• To release any pent-up energy (good or bad)

(Note: These are not all of my reasons, but these are the key ones.)

Believe it or not, I didn't like distance running in high school. I steered clear of the cross-country team because 5K seemed too far, and while on the track team, I stuck to sprinting and the field events. But here are some key events in my progression as a runner.

• The time I moved to DC -  This was when I started college and started running for fun. 
• The time my friend told me I should sign up for this half-marathon she was running - She read about the Philadelphia Distance Run in Runner's World, and said, "You'll be living there. You should join us." So I did. And I felt proud because this was the first time I knew of that I was able to run a sub-10:00 mile. (Before that, I think the last time I ran a timed mile was high school.)
• The time I signed up for a marathon because the registration fee was going to increase the next day - For some reason (to this day, I don't know why), I was on the Philadelphia Marathon's website, and I saw that registration was still open and that the fee was going to increase the next day. This seemed like as good a reason as any to sign up. But I finished.
• The time I moved to NYC - I knew hardly anyone in the city, and so I used running as a way to meet people. The people I met motivated me to sign up for some of the NYRR races and made me a more serious runner. And I developed some great friendships along the way.

So in honor of National Running Day, I was going to run 6 miles. But after mile 4.5, I still felt really good, so I decided to run 9 miles instead. I ran 9.02 mi. in 1:07:36 (7:29/mi pace). Great way to celebrate the day, and how far I've come!

And hopefully, you can get out and run! Even if it's only a mile, you'll still be a mile further than everyone who's still sitting on the couch. 

Why do you run? What made you decide to try running in the first place?

Morning Runs

As I awoke this morning, I had quite the predicament. I wondered if I should go for my run in the morning, wait until the evening and use the morning to work on homework, or push it back to tomorrow because my schedule has more space then. As tempting as it was to put off the run, I opted to put on my running gear and go then. I couldn't resist the power of the sun pouring into my window!

So at 6am, I was running up one of the busiest streets in my neighborhood, and I couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. It made for a very peaceful run, and I felt like I got a head start on my day. It was quite empowering.

I realized that morning running has some other benefits in addition to these.

None of the crazies were out. Unless you consider other morning runners crazy

You can start your day with a healthy choice. And because healthy begets healthy, it could inspire some other great decisions!

Even if the rest of your day falls apart, you can still hold onto the satisfaction of knowing that you finished your workout before some people even wake up. (And no, I am not elaborating upon whether my day fell apart. Let's just leave it at "I'm lucky I don't pass a liquor store on my way home.")

After a long day of work (or just a long day in general), you can collapse on the couch and not feel guilty for missing your workout, because it's already done!

And now because I woke up at 5:30am, I was ready to fall asleep at about 10pm. Thus, I may or may not be face-planting in my bed. Good night!

What time of day do you prefer running?


PS I finally caved and joined Twitter. Follow me! My handle is @milesonfire.

Getting Back into It

Yesterday turned out to be a GREAT day for a run, simply because of the weather! At 6pm, it was still about 78º. For some distances, those are less than ideal temperatures. But for the 3 miler that I had planned, it was great. It was also my first run in the Sauconys. This run was probably my most anticipated event of the day.

Because I have to run out the door in about 10 minutes (to not go running), I'm going to make this brief. It was a diagnostic run, so it was supposed to be on the easier side. When I started, I was a bit worried because my right hamstring was a little tight (despite the dynamic warmup). However, once I got going, I didn't notice it. Actually, it felt really good toward the end.

And the shoes (because I know you're dying to hear about them)! Can I just say that they're awesome? I could notice the weight difference (vs. my Adrenalines). My feet felt great the entire run! Well, everything felt great.

Anyway, so my diagnostic 3M (which was 3.04M, to be exact) took 24:50, which was an 8:10/mi pace. About 30 seconds faster than I was expecting (given that my easy runs are typically around 8:40/mi). For just getting started again, I was quite happy.

Next run's on Thursday. Stay tuned!

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Recovery Week

The Eugene Marathon has come and gone. After all the time I spent griping about being injured, feeling burnt-out and half-caring about the race, and just wanting Eugene to be a mere memory, it's done. Those four months sure flew by! (But at least I have some fond memories of the race.)

Anyway, now that the race is done, I figured I'd write about my week of recovering/not running. And to clarify that "not running" does not equal "sit on my ass while I eat and booze-face" (as delightful as that sounds once in a while).

What Recovery Week has Entailed
Three easy sessions on the stationary bike - This has been to keep my legs moving and flush out the lactic acid. Since cycling's a different workout, different leg muscles are used during it. (Remember my general philosophy: "There's more to marathon training than running.") Easy cycling's nice because it allows me to read while I exercise. (Yay for multi-tasking!) While on the bike, I finished Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (which I highly recommend), the June 2012 issue of "Runner's World," and read some of the June 2012 issue of "Running Times."

Two core workouts - Core strength helps runners. Just an example: If you hunch over, you're constricting your airways. Better core strength can translate to better posture, which can result in better breathing. (More on the benefits of core training later).

Two sessions with the foam roller - This is to relieve any residual tension. And while we're talking about foam rollers, I finally bought one of my own! My gym has foam rollers, and so I've just gone there every time I needed to foam roll. It's convenient when I have to go to class or meet with my thesis advisor, but if I have to go just to foam roll, it's not worth my while (despite how much it helps). So I caved and finally bought one. And then I caught up with Hulu while I foam rolled (again, yay for multi-tasking).

One session of yoga (plus another session of dynamic stretching) - Three days after the race, my right hamstring (or maybe it was my piriformis -- it's so hard to keep track when everything's tense) was still really tight, so I decided to go to yoga. And I felt better afterward!

One ice bath (two if you count the post-race one I took on Sunday) - Fill the tub about halfway with cold water. Add a bag of ice (I used a 7-lb bag of ice cubes the first time, and a 10-lb block the second time -- the cubes work much better). Get in and sit for 10-20 minutes. (I wore running tights and long sleeves, since we know how well I deal with cold environments.)

And last, but not least...

One shoe-shopping adventure - I went to my local running shop, and must've spent 1-1.5 hours shoe shopping. In all fairness, this included a gait analysis and shoe sizing, but still, I lost count of how many pairs I tried on. I'd put a pair on, run around the store for a bit, run on the treadmill for a bit, take the pair off, and then repeat that. Eventually, I narrowed it down to one -- the Saucony Mirage 2. Yes, you read right -- after 3+ years of running almost solely in Brooks, I bought shoes made by another manufacturer. (What can I say, they felt the best of all of the ones I tried on. Plus, my Brooks are still in decent shape, so I'll probably still use them from time to time.)

I haven't taken my new shoes on their inaugural run yet, but a diagnostic 3M run is on the agenda for tomorrow, so I'll have to try them out then. I'll let you know how they are once I try them out!

Marathon Mania!

So the big day (well, two big days, if we're counting my birthday into this) has come and gone. And it was epic!

Saturday (Marathon Eve)


Around 1pm, my friends Peter and Michael picked me up, and we headed off to Eugene. On the way there, we passed one of these signs.

Source

This was when I realized that Portland is closer to the North Pole than it is to the Equator. Remind me again why I live so far north in the Northern Hemisphere. I digress.

By the time we arrived and checked into the hotel, it was nearly 4, so we had to head to the Expo before they closed at 6. While there, we ended up getting a boatload of Clif Gu. And Lauren Fleshman was there selling her Picky Bars. Being the running nerd that I am, and having read the profile of her that Running Times recently published (the profile that contained some of the advice I heeded when easing back into running after my bout of Achilles tendonitis), I was starstruck upon meeting her. (How does one mentally prepare for such events??)

Anyway, after my mini celebrity sighting, we headed back to the hotel and walked over to the starting area (so we knew how to get there in the morning). We also walked around the University of Oregon's campus.

I'm sure you all want to hear about the pre-race dinner (well, assuming that you love food as much as I do, and that you want to hear about carbo-loading). However, finding a good place that didn't have a 1+ hour wait was a long adventure. Let's just say that "Third time's the charm" and "All's well that ends well." Still managed to be back in the hotel and in bed by 10:00 (which is more than I can say about NYC Marathon Eve).

Sunday (Marathon Day)


The race started at 7am, which meant that we had to be up early. I set an alarm for 5:15 and Peter set one for 5:40. Of course, I think we were all brewing with excitement/pre-race anxiety, so we all woke up at 5. I definitely had a dream about running a race (not this one though). Pre-race breakfast consisted of oatmeal, half a banana, and water. I did my standard warmup routine after breakfast. We snapped a few pre-race photos before we left. The hotel was only about 5 min away from the start, which served as a great warmup run.

Soon after I entered my corral, I found a runner with a NYRR t-shirt on. Naturally, I had to start a conversation about NYC. After chatting for a bit, we each went off to do our warmup stretches. Soon, it was time to line up for the opening ceremonies. And by ceremonies, I mean the National Anthem and a welcome speech by Meb. (Yes, the one and only Meb came to Eugene!) I have no idea what he said, but he was there. After this speech, the gun was fired, and we all trotted across the starting line.

Part of me was trying to take in the Eugene scenery, but the other part of me was working toward my lofty goal. I finished the first mile in about 7:20, which was way faster than my target pace of 7:37. My mind tried telling my body to slow down, but my body didn't listen. I was about 50 feet behind the 3:15 pace group, and I figured that if I were a good distance behind them, then I was in good shape. I kept this pace up for at least the first 10K. Around the 10K mark, I met this woman who was running the half (there was also a half-marathon that started at the same time). In our brief conversation, I gathered that both of us ran the Portland Marathon in 2010, and that she thought she was going too fast for the 1:36-1:38 finish she wanted to pull off. (She was actually on target for that.) I also met someone else who was running the full and wanted to run sub-3:15, but he was not much of a conversationalist. He did mention how he had run 3 marathons in a 15-month period (this period ended in April 2011). I then thought about it and realized that between NYC, Eugene, and Chicago, I'll have run 3 in a 12-month period. Clearly, I'm crazy.

Around mile 10, the course goes onto paved running trails, which was awesome. I think I was at about a 7:24 pace, but the 3:15 group was still nearby. The scenery over the next two miles of trails was amazing. We crossed the halfway mark, and I was relieved when I saw that the clock said "1:37," because it meant that I hadn't gone out super-fast and PRed for a half-marathon with another half left to go. I then had to sing Bon Jovi's "Woah, we're half way there, Woah, livin' on a prayer" to myself. 


I think the 3:15 group started to break away around mile 15, but I don't fully recall. What I do recall is going back on some more awesome trails around mile 16. We also got to run along the Willamette River! It was so peaceful. Actually, it was too peaceful. There were times when I was the only runner around, and the few spectators who were present were too quiet. (C'mon people, it's the second half of the marathon! We need some energy!) Around the 30K mark, I got tired enough so that doubt caught up with me. I had to squash it in order to finish, and so I used the first means I could think of -- essentially dedicate  each of the remaining miles to a different supporter. And in doing so, I broke up a 7.5 mile stretch into 7.5 segments. Around mile 24, I caught up to this runner, and he decided that he wanted to have a conversation. I was not in the mood. There were 2.2 miles left, and I needed to finish them. With half a mile left, we got back onto the streets (yes, that's right -- we were on trails for almost 10 miles) and were on the home stretch. 


Once I got into Hayward Field, I could see the finish line and the clock. From then on, the only thought in my head was that I had to break 3:25. With about 50 yards left to go, some announcer called out my name, and I immediately threw my hands in the air. I may have also had a dopey grin on my face, and I may have done a little dance as I ran to the finish. And all of this may have been captured on video. But I didn't care. I PRed by over 8 minutes, and broke 3:25 (official time: 3:24:28, 7:48/mi pace).


Krusteaz had set up a pancake station in the finisher area, and volunteers were handing out pancakes. Mmm pancakes. That hit the spot as I waited for Peter and Michael. While I waited, I saw the New Yorker from the starting area again. As it turned out, he only finished about 2 minutes behind me. Anyway, the rest of my time in the finisher area goes something like this: get some free food, find my friends, get more free food, join in on these Texans' cool down/core stretching routine.


Reflection


Was I disappointed that I didn't break 3:20? A bit. But I broke 3:25, which was my goal for the 2009 Portland Marathon and the 2011 NYC Marathon. And given that I fulfilled a three-year-old goal, I couldn't be happier. Furthermore, to accomplish that after all of the injuries (IT band, piriformis, Achilles tendonitis) I incurred during my training made it monumental.


I don't typically like running the same race more than once, but I'd run this one again. 

The duck was happy. I was happy. And we all finished. Victory all around!

Skinny Jeans are Actually Functional!

I don't have classes on Thursdays or Fridays this quarter, so because of that, Friday no longer feels the same. But regardless, I'll keep this up (because "Thursday Five" just doesn't have a nice ring to it).

Things I Realized on My Runs This Week


1. Skinny jeans actually have a purpose!

When you bike, you risk getting your pant leg caught in the gears. To avoid this, you could roll up your pant leg, buy fancy and inexpensive reflective Velcro straps (which wrap around the bottom of your pant leg), or wear biking/running tights. Or option #4: wear skinny jeans. We all know that they cling to your legs (they, like tights, contain spandex), so there's little (if any) excess fabric to get caught. So why not use this to your advantage? (Though please don't use your mode of transportation as an excuse to wear these all of the time.)

2. Despite any flavor labeling, Honey Stinger Energy Gel tastes like honey.


I normally use the Clif Shot Gel on my long runs. I have no problem with the taste, they're easy to open (even in the cold -- just use your teeth), and can be consumed while running. Whole Foods seems to be the only store around here that stocks them, so you can imagine my disappointment when I went there and saw that they were out of stock. However, they happened to have Honey Stinger on sale, and after looking at the ingredient list, I decided to give it a try (they're all natural ingredients). I figured that since I like bananas, the banana flavor would be a good one to try. After trying it, I thought that there was too much honey flavor and not enough banana flavor. Don't get me wrong, I love honey. But that much honey is too sweet for my liking.

(Note: I recently found the Clif Gels at Fred Meyer. Back in business!)

3. The hardest step is the one out the front door.


Yesterday, I was lacking motivation to do my training run. I just wasn't feeling it. Not to mention that I just want this marathon to be a distant memory (between the IT Band, piriformis, and Achilles tendonitis). Once I got moving, it was better (well, after I warmed up), but getting myself outside was tough (even though the weather was fine).

4. Perhaps training in tights and extra layers helps one race faster.


Extra layers means extra weight. And extra weight has been shown to make runners slower. By my logic, extra layers would cause one to run slower. But correct me if I'm wrong.

5. If I run the first loop counterclockwise and run the second loop clockwise, it'll all balance out.


I finished a loop around the waterfront and thought to myself, "Why don't I switch it up and run the second loop in the opposite direction? That way, each leg will have some time being on the outside, and that'll prevent the muscles in one leg for being stretched/extended more than the other one." While I'm not sure if that actually helped (in terms of muscle extension), it helped to add some variety to the run.

Here's a bonus one (that didn't make the cut for the Friday Five because I didn't realize it while running). I think that because of the magnitude, Chicago is overshadowing Eugene, which is helping make me feel more blasé about Eugene. But it's only 16 days away! Gah! So close!

It's Baaaaack!

For the next couple of days, I'm playing host to Alanna (my friend from high school) and Josh (her boyfriend). We were in the car, and Josh asked me if I run with water on my long runs, and before I could answer, Alanna chimed in with, "He does now! He talked about it on the blog." (I'm so touched to have readers who remember these details.) And this reminded me that I've been slacking on this. With that being said, I'm bringing back the Friday Five. In honor of them, the week's topic...

Five Questions that Josh Had about Running (and the bibs)

As I may have mentioned before, I save the bibs from all of the races that I've run, and then hang them on my wall. (But in case I didn't, here's a picture of the wall.) It makes for a great conversation topic among visitors, and Alanna and Josh were no exception.

1. Why are some of those bibs missing tabs?

Some bibs have tabs printed on the bottom, which serve purposes like baggage identification (so that when you check a bag, you pin the tab to the bag, and they can match your bib number with the number that's printed on the tab) and t-shirt distribution (so that when you receive the free t-shirt that we all love getting, the officials have a way of recording that you already got one). For some races, I didn't use bag check, so I still have the baggage tab.

2. Which bib is your favorite?

If I had to choose, I'd say the NYC Marathon bib. I love orange, and the orange on white just looks great. Plus, I currently don't have any bibs with orange (though I do have quite a few with red).

3. What was your best race overall?

I needed clarification on this one, because you can't compare a 5K result to a marathon result. The pace is going to be different. But Josh wanted to know about best race in terms of place finished. (Though now that I think about it, this isn't a fair comparison either because some races are larger than others. I could look at them as proportions by dividing my place by the total number of finishers. But let's face it, that's too much quick math work.)

This one time, my cousin convinced me to run a 5K race in CT with her. It was small enough so that they didn't use chips. But anyway, I finished in the top 25, placed 3rd in my age group, and got a trophy for placing that well.

4. How do they assign the bib numbers?

This one depends on the race. Sometimes, it's as simple as when you signed up (i.e., the first person who registers gets 1, the second person gets 2, and so on). Other times, they'll group you by projected finish time before assigning numbers. NYRR asks for your fastest per-mile pace from any race that's a 5K or longer, and then uses that to group runners into corrals. I don't know anyone within NYRR who can verify this, but the legend is that once they group you, they assign numbers by alphabetical order.

5. How come the Portland Marathon bibs are the only ones with your name printed on them?

Some races give you the option to personalize your bib, so that spectators can call out your name as you run past them. The Portland Marathon is the only one I've run that offered that. Philadelphia has started allowing runners to personalize their marathon bibs, but this started after I ran that one.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend!