12/16-17/14. tues, wed. 50 min easy pace, 3x600m hill repeats

tuesday.  up at 0440, out the door by 0453.  plan called for a 45-60 min easy pace run.  i ran for approx 25 minutes, turned around and looped back.  50:50 elapsed, roughly 8:41 min/mile moving pace, very comparable to last week's easy pace.  5.85 miles total.  it was pretty warm, and i felt pretty good.  I actually saw a lot of people out (relatively).  2 runners, 1 walker, 1 run/walker.  i usuallly have the sidewalks completely to myself.   when i was going to come up on someone and pass them, i tried to announce myself and give them some warning, rather than just  sneak up on them and startle them.  Just a day to put in some miles.

wed.  had a little trouble getting out of bed.  alarm at 0440, in bed until 0450, still out the door just after 0500.  plan was for hill repeats.  3x600m.  i didn't have a specific hill/distance mapped out, but i knew 600m is approx .40 miles.  So i picked the steepest downhill i could find from my house, with some length.  the hill i used to use for my 400m repeats is awesome, but levels off after that 400m.  so i ran to oldtown at the bottom of the hill (approx a mile from my door).  turned around, ran up it until the GPS watch said i covered .40 miles,  ran back down, and repeated.  but on the third climb, i just kept on going back up the hill towards home.  this run truly sucked.  worst. 5k. ever.  approx 500ft of elevation gain over the 3.15 miles. that hill from oldtown mukilteo up towards my neighborhood (lincoln ave) just sucks for an uphill run.  I guess I will keep this route for my hill climbs. I also contemplated just running up/down the hill from the ferry dock (muk speedway) but it just doesn't seem steep enough.  i wore my heart rate monitor.  I like to check out the heart rate data during intervals and hill repeats. my recovery seems to be impacted by the number of repeats.  the more repeats, my HR cannot return to the baseline.  this trend gets worse as intervals/repeats add up.  I think the ability to fully recover is a good measure of cardiovascular health.  it looks like i need some work..

12/13-14/14. Saturday-Sunday. Long road run, 1 hr trail run.

The plan has me running both weekend days.  typically a long run saturday, followed by a medium effort 1 hour run on sunday.  i have decided that as much as possible, i will do the long run on the road and the 1 hr run on the trail.  trail is quite a bit slower (due to elevation, trail conditions, etc).  I don't have the time to spare to do my long runs on trail, but this seems like a good compromise.  i feel that when training for a specific run (like trail), some of your time should be spent running on those conditions.  if i trained flat and level running for 16 weeks (like on a track) and then went to do my ultra, it would seriously kick my ass.  not that it won't kick my ass anyways, but hopefully less so if i run some trails as much as possible. 

saturday was 10 miles.  doesn't sound like much in the grand scheme of things, but 10 miles is still 10 miles.  nothing to brush off.  this is the first week of the plan, and starting with 10 on a saturday feels reasonable.  felt pretty good doing it.  ran the same looping route i ran last saturday.  i really ought to try and branch out and find some more variety to my local runs.  try something new. 

sunday was 1 hour on trail, ended up with just over 5 miles.  this was a good run.  the sun came out, and it was cold and clear (maybe 37 degrees).  just beautiful on the trail.  this might be the last week I can get away with running without pants (well, the second week in december is a pretty good hold out for shorts).  thanks to last weeks wind and rain storms, the trails were a mess.  really really muddy, and lots of trees/branches down across the trail.  i did my share of clearing the trail, and climbed over anything that was too big to move.  I felt good on the trail, and actually saw a lot of people (maybe 4-6 over the course of the hour).  I'm glad i could take the time to run on the trail.  I wish every run felt this good, and gave me such a sense of accomplishment.  although i have friends that say they want to try running some trails, when it comes time to give it a go it just doesn't seem to work out.  oh well, their loss - i'm going out no matter what.

so in retrospect, this was a 34 mile week.  in comparison, it took me until week 19 of my berlin plan before I hit 34 miles in week.  so if i call week 1 of this plan roughly comparable to week 19 of the berlin plan, i may have my hands full this time.

12/11/14. Thurs. 1:15 of running...

wow. that was a lot for a thursday morning.  the plan called for 1:15-1:30, at easy pace.  i ran 1:15:02.  2 seconds longer than i intended.  approx 8 miles.  i would venture to say that was my highest mileage thursday ever, and definitely my highest mileage 5am run.  in my peak Berlin training weeks i was only hitting 5 on thurs mornings.

so i will get into an issue that affects many distance runners, GI tract issues.  seriously, if you are afraid of TMI regarding bathroom issues, stop now and come back tomorrow.

scientifically, i have read that distance running causing additional blood flow to your extremities.  all the extra work requires blood flow to your legs, feet, swinging arms, etc.  a side effect is that blood flow is diverted from your digestive system.  without the ability to digest and absorb nutrients efficiently, your body wants to just get rid of the dead weight.  in layman's terms, i guess your whole digestive systems screams "i'm getting shaken up like hell, i can't do my job, get this shit out of here."  literally.

Not a problem on my typical early am mid-week short runs.  by the time my gut figures out what is going on (3-4 miles in) I am typically back home and getting on with my day.  not a problem on my weekend long runs, either.  I get up, drink some coffee, eat some breakfast, give my system a chance to move the mail.  no problems that 2-3 cups of coffee won't get going.

but my new training plan puts long runs in the early am on weekdays.  a recipe for disaster.  everything i ate the day before has had a chance to work its way through overnight in my sleep.  and then it hides in waiting, just waiting for the worst opportunity available.  twice this week i practically limped home in a cold sweat with the poopy cramps.  serious GI anguish.  waves of constriction and pressure, cold sweat while running.  audible intestinal distress.  this morning was the worst so far.    about 2.5 miles in, i starting thinking, "hmm, that's an uncomfortable feeling".  by 4 miles in, i was seriously feeling like i was having labor pains.  cold sweat. waves of pressure/pain. groaning out loud.  not sure i was going to make it to somewhere safe, warm, well-lit, and intended for the purpose. luckily I was able to run/hobble into the Y and desecrate the men's room.  nothing particularly out of the ordinary.  firm solid BM, practically no need to wipe, probably 5 pounds.  but a terribly close call.

i have a good mental inventory of available restrooms/water fountains on my loop runs, but there's not a lot of choices on my route at 5am. and honestly, when i get out of bed i am just not ready.  and i don't intend to get up at 4am three days a week, just so i can drink some coffee and purge before running.  I guess I'm either going to be visiting the Y most mornings, or start carrying some wet wipes in a ziplock in my jacket pocket (its best i not get into any more details of plan B).

12/10/14. wed. the "hilly" run

the plan called for a 45 min "hilly" run.  my neighborhood and town have plenty of local hills, that often i try to go out of my way to avoid.  lets just say that I have decided a "hilly" run was a horrible way to start the morning.  really.  this run wrecked me.  I can drop my shit and go run a half marathon, any time.  I might get sore in my legs and stiff and tight.  but it doesn't wreck me like this.  a few hours later I got all hungry and shaky and sore and tired.  this was a workout.  i guarantee my heart rate was way high for some time.  this was far more exertion than a normal run.

now, looking at the data, it doesn't look so tough.  it ended up being only about 600 feet of elevation gain (and 600 feet of elevation loss) over almost 5 miles, in 45 minutes.  trying to break this down, imagine running around a standard high school track (1/4 mile loop).  imagine every lap, the track has an elevation rise like going up a 3 story building and then back down 3 stories, in that quarter mile.  roughly 30 feet elevation gain and 30 feet elevation loss for every 1/4 mile, 20 times in a row.  it was horrible.  at one point, in the dark, the hill I was running up was so steep I actually stumbled because i didn't lift my foot high enough to step forward (like tripping going up stairs).  then on another downhill i rolled my ankle, which is still bothering me.  it was a sharp pain, and ached for a while.  I ran it off, and eventually it seemed better.  but it doesn't feel "right" and I'm a little worried about it.

but that was the "workout" run of the week.  this plan alternates wednesdays as "hilly" runs or hill intervals.  and the "hilly" run get successively longer by 5 minutes each week they come up.  all bad.  but good for their purpose, i guess.

12/9/14. Tuesday. AMMAP run. (as many miles as possible)

so today's run was a little new for me.  in an average week of this new plan, 3-4 of the 5 running days are for a set time, rather than a set mileage.  It is an interesting way to run.  my day called for 45-60 minutes at an easy pace.  So i figured I would set out in my general run direction, run for approx 25 minutes, then turn back and head home.  I guestimated that my typical avg pace of 8:30 min/mile ought to get me to about 5.9 miles.  So I decided to use my 6 mile loop, but to turn back if i hit 25 min before the typical loop turn-back.  there were some opportunities for error because my routes are loops, not really out and back.  so the second "half" is sometimes a little more than half, etc.  But i tried to be casual about it, just get out there and run, and not worry too much.  with a total time in mind, and an instruction to run "easy" i felt like i was running really slow, jogging even.  turns out this was in my head, because my avg pace was once again 8:30 min/mile.  I ran out until approx 25 minutes, then turned around and followed a different loop on the way back. when i hit the usual stopping point, about 2 tenths of a mile from home, i stopped.  i typically walk that last .20 miles as my "cool down".  plus it has a really awful hill that i hate to hit when i'm on my last legs.  When I stopped, I was at 49 minutes and at 5.77 miles.  pretty good adherence to the plan. 

it was really difficult to try and think about times while running.  I have run the same loops so many times, i have distances in my head.  how many miles to each landmark.  how many tenths of a mile between other landmarks.  but when i tried to estimate how long it would take me to get to each location i was all over the place.  time passed really slowly.  if i thought it would take me 5 minutes to get somewhere, it was more like 2 minutes.  it was weird.

i guess this style will allow me to tailor my plan week by week.  maybe staying on my feet for the set amount of time will help build the toughness and the endurance.  if i hit a super long sat training run for more than 20 miles and my body is trashed, my runs for a set time the next week may be lower mileage than the previous week.  as an example, I could see tuesdays being a faster 60 min run for 7 miles, or a slower 45 min run for 4.5 miles.  either of which would be "on plan".  it will be interesting to watch my mileage accumulation day by day, week by week, and see the totals.  with 16 weeks ahead of me, i just gotta trust that this will get me to the end.

12/8/14. Monday. here we go again.

today marks day 1 of week 1 of my ultra-marathon training plan.  This is a big deal to me personally.  This will be uncharted territory.  ultra-marathon trail run.  31.1 miles of trail (often technical), 6000 feet of elevation gain. this is a really big goal.  but I am going to try to approach this one a little differently than I did the Berlin Marathon.  this is no spectacle, no party trick.  No hoopla, no count down.  just running miles and working out per a plan, to get me to the finish line on March 29, 2015.  I just want to be able to do it.

Post Berlin.  I basically WOD'd for the month of October.  Then in November, I wanted to re-establish that base of mileage that would let me jump right into the running plan in december.  so for a few weeks i ran 4 days a week and worked out 3 days a week.  then i bumped it up to 5 days running and 3 days in the gym.  the last few weeks i have slowly increased the long run, to get it up into the half-marathon range.  I have been running long on road on saturdays, then for about an hour on trail on sundays.

Its kind of against my nature, but i am going to try to be more casual and organic with this training plan.  if it ever comes down to it and i can't make a training run, i'm going to try not to obsess about it.  I'm going to do my best, but I don't need to sweat it too bad when i need to tweak the plan.  if the coach can't make it too the gym in time to open it up, i'm not going to send nasty emails and complain about the inconvenience and the impact to my training plan. i'm going to try and roll with it and just keep going.  relentless forward progress.  it will all be OK in the end.

Ultramarathon training plans are not nearly as common and as easily found as marathon training plans.  and there's not a lot of feedback/reviews of the plans out there.  I chose the plan found at http://cdn.running.competitor.com/files/2012/11/46_nat_r1.pdf    I'm going to do the weekday runs and saturday long run on road, and the sunday hour run on trail.  I will move the Tues "core" to Monday morning (5:30am), because Tuesdays evening are hectic right now.  as far as what the plan calls "core" workouts, I am going to use the (2) strength workouts i put together for Berlin (leg muscles complementary to running, core/abs, upper body).  when the miles stack up, and my energy wanes, I may drop back down to calisthetics twice a week, then once a week.  but its a rough plan that i intend to base my running on.

I hit the gym this morning at 5:30am.  strict presses. pull ups. bench presses.  GHD sit ups. GHD back extensions.  nothing special, felt good.  in and out in about an hour.  we'll see how long i can keep with the weights.  I missed the barbell during Berlin training.

so here we go...

11/13/14. so i won the lottery again, or how i begin to plan for my first 50K.

so i won another lottery, but its an different situation this time.  it's long been a personal stretch goal of mine to run my first ultramarathon trail run.  I have thought about this one over and over the last few years, and just thought it was too far and not something i could ever do.  i remember when i ran my first mile on Tuesday, 5/17/2011 (walked most of it, actually).  Shortly thereafter, I read a book by Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner.  i was awestruck.  the ultra sounded like the coolest thing in the world, and it sounded like something i would never ever be able to do.  seriously.  i was not a athlete, I had never played a sport, I had never had fitness as a priority, and i hadn't run a mile since my senior year in high school (when 1 mile was required to pass gym class and graduate).  an ultramarathon?  might as well say that at age 41 i decided to become an astronaut and fly to the moon.  unrealistic at best. 

But after what i've done the last several years, I'm kind of feeling like anybody, with proper training, can run a marathon.  I'm living, breathing, running, proof of that.  but now i want to see if i can go farther.  so anything over 26.2 miles is technically an ultra, but 50km is the first real increment that is recognized as an ultra.  i won the registration lottery and i'm registered for the Gorge Waterfalls 50K trail run in Oregon, March 29, 2015 (next spring). it runs 50km point to point along the columbia river gorge, lots of technical single track trails, approx 6000 feet of positive elevation gain, by and through a bunch of waterfalls.  it looks like an incredible experience.  this ultra trail run is no World Marathon Majors.  its limited to about 250 runners.  its 50km (31.1 miles), through the woods, trails, and waterfalls, lots of elevation gain.  i am not going to worry about time, or pace, or place.  this is totally for the hell of it, and totally for me.  I'm not going to create a bunch of pressure for this event, no countdown, no frenzy.  its this simple - I want to test my strength and my endurance and my will, and i want to do it on the most memorable ultramarathon trail run i can find.  I'm doing this for me and i want to have a great run.  i want to enjoy this, as much as you can enjoy running in the woods for somewhere between 6-9 hours.

its not to say i won't have a training plan.  and i will likely end up running more miles per week than i did preparing for Berlin.  but there won't be any self-inflicted pressure/concerns regarding a PR when its my first ultra.  plus, every ultra event is different.  you can't compare Lord Hill to Grand Ridge to Cougar Mountain to Orcas Island to the Gorge Waterfall.  they all ultras, but they are all different.  different trails, different elevation gains, different circumstances.  the only common factor is the net distance.  I am going to run 50K, i don't care how long it takes to finish, and i am going to do this for me.

but even so, i still have that feeling, the one where you feel like you are on a roller coaster, just about to top the crest of the hill, and you can see the free fall coming fast.  so exciting.

the run: http://www.rainshadowrunning.com/gorge-waterfalls-50k.html

a course preview video (this is awesome) : http://vimeo.com/109987928

9/28/14. The Berlin Marathon.

that's it, my training plan is complete and my race is run.  i started this journal to track my progress, and now i'm done.  so it seems right to finish one more entry.

my trip was absolutely awesome.  exploring berlin on foot for a week was one of the most incredible adventures I have ever had.  the city is so full of history and character that i could have buried myself in it for a month and not seen it all.  but in the time i gave myself, i covered a lot of ground and i really got to see some incredible places.  I feel so incredibly fortunate to have done this.  truly this was an experience i will remember and treasure forever.

my race.  well, i didn't make a new PR.  i trained for so long and so hard, to the exclusion of so much else in my life, and i just couldn't do it.  when my GPS said i hit 26.2 miles, I was already at 3:55:04 (3 and a half minutes longer than my PR), and then it took me until 3:59:38 to actually cross the finish line.  I was very disappointed in myself.  with all my incremental test races along my training plan, i constantly set new PRs.  I have been running faster and stronger than i have ever run before, and i truly felt i was physically and mentally capable of setting a new PR in Berlin.  i felt strong, and i felt good, but i guess my training couldn't overcome the situation.  with over 40,000 registered runners, it was the most crowded clusterf*ck i have every taken part in.  there were 8 start corrals, but they actually started the run in only 3 waves.  3 waves for over 40,000 runners.  and as the race stretched out, when you would expect the field to open up and give you the opportunity to really start running, the course also narrowed down.  oftentimes the course seemed to be narrowed down to a single lane of road.  so i was stuck in a wave based on my previous PR, and i ended up finishing in a consistent manner.  there was constant running video taken at multiple points during the whole marathon.  they created a custom video link for each runner, based on their splits with relation to the mileage location of the camera.  long story short, here is a screen capture of the 25k mark (15.5 miles), just to show you how crowded it was.  you can see me just trapped, boxed in.  seriously, thats more than halfway through the marathon, and it was still jam-packed around me. 

that picture is what my entire run felt like.  when you're tired and it hurts to keep going, it gets harder and harder to push your way through people and more difficult to try to go out of your way to circle around them.  in fact, the last 3-5 miles were the worst.  people were dropping out, just coming to a dead stop right in the middle of the lane.  i full on physically ran into people that just stopped in front of me.  at the last refreshment point, i was forced to slow down to a walk because of the choke point.  so i grabbed a water, walked/pushed my through the crowd, and started running again.  it was an awesome course, and it was a beautiful day for a run, but it was just hard. 

but the big picture is my life, not one race.  when i entered the lottery for Berlin, and won the right to register, i set 2 goals for myself.  my bare minimum was to finish another full marathon staying at least sub 4 hours, and i set myself a strech goal of setting a new PR.  i didn't reach my stretch goal, but i am calling myself a success.  the only person i can't beat is myself.  i have learned that running on 2 drastically different courses just can't be compared.  a slightly downhill trail run in virgin PNW woods with a field of 200 runners can't be compared to a fairly level World Majors urban road run with 40,000 runners.  i feel like a better athlete and a better person for having done this.  win or lose, setting a goal for myself, creating and following a plan to get there, and dealing with the roadblocks and failures along the way just makes me a better and stronger person.  it was hard for me not to hit a PR, especially with so many friends and fmaily watching and rooting for me.  and if you don't know me well, i am my own worst critic.  so when i felt like i failed, i decided to look back i what i have done in the last year.  setting a true stretch goal, one that felt physically impossible, working so hard, and sacrificing so much.  at least i f*cking tried, and I am proud of myself with this outcome.  I am am better person for having done this, than if i was too have done nothing over the last 11 months.  I'm 44 years old, and i'm healthier and fitter than i have ever been in my entire life.  i have no reason to stop now.

so what's next?  i don't feel like i need to run another World Marathon Majors event.  I did it, and it was incredible, but I don't need to do it again.  knowing that i just can't run faster, i guess whats left is to go farther?  so a little rest and recovery.  then back to the gym, maybe try to make up for some of my lost muscle mass.  spend some time working out with my friends again.  and next year?  maybe 2015 will be the year of the 50K ultramarathon trail run.  full on.  thanks for following me.

9/27/14. Saturday. The last 2 miles...

Well, that's it. I ran my last 2 miles. That's as far as Hal will get me. The rest of the way, I am on my own.

There was a breakfast run from the castle to the Olympic stadium this morning with a breakfast provided. But it was longer than my plan called for, and would have left me about 10km from the hotel. Nothing insurmountable, but I felt it wasn't worth it. I have done too much walking around and exploring the last few days and my legs are already knotted up and sore. Best to stick to the plan and run my short last run.

The roads near the marathon route are closed off this morning because they are having an in-line skating version of the marathon today. I guess it's a big deal, but not quite as big as the marathon itself. So I ran a very scenic river walk path along the river Spree. It was a beautiful morning, sunny and cool, maybe 55 degrees at most.  Just fantastic conditions. Not crowded at all.  I just wanted to keep on going and see what was around the next bend. Over and over. When I hit the 1 mile mark, it was difficult to turn back. I know I will likely never have the chance to see what was around the next curve in the river. Such is life.

I felt pretty good running.  Winded myself a little, but I think I was running too fast. The excitement and the taper made me just want to go go go. I should have no trouble with this tomorrow though.  With 40000 people running, probably 30000 of them in front of me, I will have no chance to burn up out of the gate.  I anticipate at least 15-20 km of elbow to elbow crowd.  I hope it moves along at a pace faster than a walk. I really do so much better on my own.

This is the last entry in my training journal, before then hammer comes down.  This has been an incredible experience, and the last 11 months have just rocketed by. I can't believe I'm here, and I can't believe it's come down to this.  Less than 24 hours until I give it my all.

Part animal, part machine, remain calm, prepare to destroy.

Just a wake-up. 0 miles to the start line.

9/24/14. 4 miles in germany.

Yeah, 4 miles. That only counts the run. Then I walked and walked and walked. I couldnt help myself. I would see something cool ahead I wanted to see and start walking. And then something else. And again. And again. Berlin is such a bizarre mix of building and architecture. Crazy 60s Bauhaus apartment complex next to a castle? Brand new high tech glass and steel sprouting out of the top of a huge old stone building. The Brandenburg gate. The victory statue, which brought tears to my eyes when I ran past it. I probably walked 15 miles, which was a mistake. I'm tired and my legs/back/knees are sore. No more siteseeing. It's only Wednesday. I can still recover.  Although its Wednesday night, and I haven't slept since Monday night back in mukilteo. I'm about to collapse. 

Tomorrow is the expo. I'll learn to take the subway. Then no extra walking and seeing things. Friday I have no plans. That could be a problem. Then Saturday, 2 mile run. 

3 and a wake up. 2 more miles to the start line. 

9/23/14. last 4 miles on US soil.

that's it.  i ran my last 4 miles on US soil.  this is about to get very real, very quickly.  like when i roll out in about 30 minutes, that kind of real.

got a lot on my mind.
1) goddam root canal.  i thought i was done, and last night's appnt was just a check up.  when i sat down, i said "so what are we in for today?".  to my dismay, the answer was "the 2nd half of the procedure, so prepare to get numbed up".  that was hell. 8 shots of novacain. more drilling, scraping, packing, filling.  another Rx for antibiotics and pain-killers.  head and tooth are throbbing again. how can i relax and taper and prep and recover when my body keep getting this dental trauma.  argh!
2) my best friend in the world is in the hospital with a pulmonary embolism, related to a sports injury a few weeks back.  that's serious, but i know he's in the right place.  hey, i know you probably won't be reading this, but if you do, you know that I did all of this, in fact i did any any of this, because you asked me to.  thanks for the USMC Mud Run. 

oh well.  the cards are dealt, now i play my hand.  off on an adventure, on foreign soil, running solo. 

4 and a wake-up. 6 miles to the start line.

9/20-21/14. my last weekend at home. my final race prep has begun.

9/20-22/14. my last weekend at home.  my final race prep has begun.

had a sports massage thurs night, really working the legs and feet.  I feel pretty loose and limber, thanks to Mel.  saturday morning, got the pre-race haircut and shave.  high speed, low drag.  then i ran an easy 3 miles.  this was my first run since my emergency root canal, and i took it easy.  T ran with me, so we ran at her pace.  just putting in a few miles on a beautiful sunny day.  it felt fine, and no pain or throbbing in my tooth. 

sunday was my last Long Run, but it was only 8 miles.  knocked those 8 miles out, didn't feel too terrible, kept a pretty smooth pace and a decent time.  the weather was beautiful, and it was kind of cool to take a last long run over the route i have run so many times in the last 11 months.  i feel like i know every stretch of road and sidewalk over that route.  took it fairly easy, pushed a little, but i was certainly not trying to break any speed records.

monday. hit the gym for my last marathon plan bodyweight workout.  6 rounds: 5 strict pull ups, 10 push ups, 10 GHD sit ups.  felt a little slow and tired.  but that was it.  no more work outs planned.

i got a nice write-up and some awesome encouragement from my friends at my gym, with an awesome slideshow of support signs.  i'm lucky to have the support and the friendship.  i'll try hard not to fuck this up.  http://www.crossfiteverett.com/get-it-joe/

5 and a wake-up.  10 miles to the start line.

Friday. 9/19/14. now i need to get back in control.

all right.  the emergency root canal is behind me.  i can truly say that was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life.  the pain in my tooth prior to the procedure was excrutiating.  i couldn't sleep, i couldn't eat, and i couldn't live my life.  there was no way to make the throbbing aching and pain stop.  it was truly enough to make somebody go crazy.  but i hope its sortet out now.  seriously, this was the best time this could have happened.  if it had happened a few weeks ago, and messed up my high mileage week, i would have been extremely concerned about how it affected the peak of my training. if it happened a week from now, i would have been searching for a endodontist in germany (and all the associated issues of pain and needing medical care in a foreign country) and it would have impacted the actual race.  having this happen in a taper week sucked, but it was the best possible way this could have gone down.  I'm still not out of the woods yet.  things are not 100%.  there is still some discomfort, and i still can't eat on that side of my mouth and it still feels like my bite is uneven (the affected tooth is hitting early when i close my teeth).  so i still have plenty to worry about, but at least i could sleep last night.  first solid night of sleep since sunday night.

now i need to get back on top.  get back in the game.  this was just a 2 day time out, it was not quitting.  with 11 months in, and over 1000 miles run, i am conditioned.  i just need my tooth to heal and my body to get race ready.  i have 8 more days to be the tip of the spear.  part animal, part machine.  i missed a 4 mile run, during my taper week.  its no big deal.  i still have 15 training miles left to run in the USA, 6 training miles to run on german soil, then the marathon.

8 and a wake-up. 21 more miles to the start line.

catastrophe. doom and gloom. 5 miles.

so things were going so well,  it was time for a catastrophe.

i had an incredibly bad toothache.  it started maybe monday, i ignored it and hoped it would go away.  got worse yesterday, i could only chew food on one side of my mouth.  when my lower teeth touched my upper left molar, its like a bolt of lightening and pain.  last night it ached so bad i couldn't sleep.  this is no way to start my taper and recovery.  it hurts so bad i couldn't concentrate.  sleep loss sucks.  i had intended to run in the afternoon today, but i was up anyways and couldn't sleep, so i ran my 5 miles anyways.  every step sent a jarring through my jaw and made my tooth ache/hurt.  this is so bad.

so i got an appnt with my dentist for 2pm. i explained about the pain.  and the trip.  i leave on tues.  marathon in 10 days.  i need to get this figured out ASAP.  and seriously, it took a lot for me to admit something hurt.  hell, i've been running on what is probably plantar fasciitis, but i won't go to the dr in case he tells me to stop.  endurance training increases your pain threshold because you just live with it.  but this is different.  it hurts a lot.  and doesn't fade or ebb with no load. its constant.

they took an xray,and immediately sent me to a specialist. another xray, and i am scheduled for an emergency root canal tomorrow.  complicated by the fact that it will be drilled through an existing crown. i asked if i could just live with it and address the pain with drugs until after berlin.  he said no, the pressure change of flight would make the fluid in the abcess unbearable.  i also asked if you could just pull the tooth out and be done with it, but he preferred not to. thought i was crazy for even suggesting it.  now i'm worried about recovery, possible complications, the impact this could have on my body and my taper and recovery.  i'm just feeling depressed about the whole situation.

but what can you do?  pick up the pieces and move on.  best case scenario is all i can hope for.  easy procedure tomorrow. quick recovery.  pain free tooth/jaw. finish taper. travel. kick ass.  its all i can do now.

funny aside.  the doctor, looking at my xray, said "wow, that looks pretty bad. i bet that hurts a whole lot, i'm surprised you're up and walking around".  i neglected to tell him about the fact i ran 5 miles at 5am this morning, through the pain and jarring and throbbing. 

10 and a wake-up. 25 miles to the start line.  but its feeling like so many more right now.

9/15-16/14. monday/tues. bodyweight workout. 4 miles at 0500.

9/15/14. Monday. all in all, it was a pretty easy workout.  as my mileage goes back down, i feel like i have a little more energy.  i hit the gym at 5:30am, and did 6 rounds of a modified Cindy: 5 strict pull ups, 10 push ups, 10 GHD sit-ups.  took it pretty slow, more into how much to get done, rather than how fast i can do it.  i did some light stretching, some sun salutations.  just sticking to my plan, and getting some work done.

9/16/14. Tuesday. up at 0445, out the door by 0500, ran my 4 miles.  it was nice to cut back to 4 miles.  i was still tempted by the 3 mile turn around point, but i was happy not to keep going towards the 5 mile turn around.  it was pitch black, not too cold (about 58 degrees), and a cool breeze was blowing.  body felt pretty good, and i ran like a ghost.  i passed 3 other runners on my way.  couldn't help myself.  as i slowly started to overtake them, one after another, i just thought I ought to take them.  i didn't have to push too hard, so it was ok.  no sprinting, just let my pace gradually overtake and then pass them. maintained an avg pace of 8:21 min/mile.  it was a stiff pace, but not too bad.

11 and a wake-up. 30 miles to the start line.

9/13-14/14. sat/sun. yoga, 4 miles, yoga. 12 miles.

process check.  after last week, i have more than 1000 miles in the bank.  since saturday, nov 2, 2013, when i stepped out the door and ran my first 5k in several years, i have put down 1000 miles.  not a step on a treadmill.  i ran in all kinds of weather, from below freezing and in the snow, to driving rain, to mid 80s with 80 percent humidity.  i have run on all sorts of surfaces.  the track. the trails in the woods. and the road.  so much time on the road. i have run on the beach of both coasts of the USA.  i have worn out 2 pairs of running shoes.  i have run through pain, through uncertainty, through adversity. through days when i wanted to quit.  through days when i felt weak.  1000 miles done.  and i have only 34 more miles to go, before i line up at the start line.

9/13/14. Saturday. 2 yogas and 4 fast miles.
T is trying teaching another class at another gym in everett, and i went to support her.  so i did 8am yoga.  then i went straight into my fast 4 mile run.  i ran through everett, but i ran N/S on the east side of colby, rather than my typical west side of colby.  fast and flat, i averaged 7:30 min/mile.  finished 4 miles in under 30 minutes, and felt good doing it.  had a big leisurely breakfast with T at the New Mexicans (the stacker = homefries, biscuit with sausage gravy, sausage patty, 3 fried eggs), then hit Crossfit Everett for a second hour of yoga.  came out of saturday feeling better than how i went into it.

9/14/14. sunday.  The Long Run.  12 miles.
i hate running more than 9 or 10 miles in mukilteo.  i end up running in loops through neighborhoods or i end up out on the speedway (lots of traffic, exhaust, exposed to the sun, etc).  so i started in old town mukilteo and ran out the mukilteo blvd towards Everett.  ended up all the way out in everett before i turned back.  although i drive this road 3-4 times a week, its been several years since i ran it.  i forgot how bad it sucked to run those hills.  up from harborview park to howarth, then up to forest park, then through forest park.  it was approx 1100 ft of elevation gain in my 12 miles.  compare that to my 12 mile loop in mukilteo 2 weeks ago, which had 350 feet of elevation gain.  but its done and i'm better for it.  my long runs will not see the double digit mileage again.   good ridance.  bring on the taper.

12 and a wake-up.  34 miles before i line up.

9/11/14. 5 miles in everett.

sometimes i get this cause/effect syndrome where i might associate two completely unrelated events, and stick with it.  sometimes i can seem unreasonable, but its just an idiosyncrasy.  the last 2 times i had a big flare-up of my heel/instep pain, i was wearing my blue adidas supernova glides (which i have already noted that the foam/cushioning is shot).  my foot was nagging me throughout the day, i even iced it and rolled it on and off all day at work.  i have convinced myself that my worn out shoes are contributing to the problem.  the one day i wore my new shoes from MB, my foot was bad and got much worse.  so when i started getting ready for my run, i put on the new shoes i bought in MB.  1 trial lap around the cul-de-sac, and they felt horrible too.  so i dug deep, deep into the shoe pile in teh closet.  out came my old adidas supernova sequences.  seriously, these are old.  i ran my marathon PR at the tunnel in these shoes.  i put them on, and it was like heaven.  so good.  my feet felt so wrapped and cushioned and protected.  they look terrible - like a homeless person.  and they smell bad, like a hobo peed in them (not far off the truth, if you know what it means to run a marathon for time).  but they felt great.  and my foot felt better after my run than it did before i started. 

so that's it.  i'm convinced my training shoes are hurting me.  the (2) pairs of glides are going to the knacker.  the shoes from MB are going back on the shelf.  i'm going to wear the ancient adidas sequences for now.  and i ordered a new pair of sequences last night.  the sequence 7's just came out, and running warehouse had a single pair of the sequence 6's in my size for like $70.  score.  and they have free 2 day shipping.  double score.  i'm so excited.  not the color i would have chosen, but i hope they feel/fit good...

but the run through everett, from the gym?  it was awesome.  weather was perfect.  mid 60s, cool breeze, sunny. great views along grand view, as always. the port of everett, the sound, the mountains.  it invigorates me to run this route.  and its so flat, my time always looks good.  i ran the 5 in under 40 min, avg pace of 7:57 min/mile.  and the really old shoes felt good.  just shoes, shorts, ipod, GPS watch, and me.  it was a good one.

16 and a wake-up.

9/10/14. wed. The mid-week Longish run, 6 miles.

did this run after work so i could enjoy some sunshine.  but maybe not worth it, considering i had to deal with the traffic and congestion and exhaust fumes.  i had to wait at every red light.  i think my 6 mile route was not thought out too well, its actually the route i used for my 10k runs, with extra distance for a cool down walk after.  so i ended up running the 6, then walking another mile or so to get home.  but it was nice reducing my mid-week longish run down to 6.  i felt like it was short enough i was ok not to have a snack first, but i started to feel a little weak halfway through.  turns out i was running a little fast also, not sure how that happened.  it just did.  the right heel/instep is really flared up right now.  the tightness makes it feel like i am running on the outside edge of my foot, and i think this out of the ordinary stride is maybe what's causing my right knee to feel a little funny.  i plan on doing some icing and rolling of the foot tomorrow while i sit at my desk.  it's worrisome.  the miles are starting to reduce. berlin is coming close.  i need to get to 100%, and i need this pain to go away.  i am afraid that my upcoming runs, although shorter, could cause more problems.  I am kind of convincing myself that the heel/instep issue is plantar fasciitis and is increasing due to the wear and tear on my shoes and the lack of foam support.  my remaining miles are just so low, relatively, its hard to think about trying to get/wear new shoes right now.

17 and a wake-up.

9/9/14. tues. 5 miles at 0500

nothing too incredible about getting up at 0445 and slogging through another 5 miles in the dark.  set the alarm for 0435, but couldn't drag myself out of bed for 10 more minutes.  slothful.  i was a little stiff and sore, and my right heel/arch was acting up.  even though i was feeling tired and a little sore, it was actually a fast pace for a tues AM 5 miles - it was 5 miles in 42:11, avg pace of 8:26 min/mile.  really felt like fall out there - its getting cooler, and staying dark longer.  i like the coolness, mid to upper 50s is the perfect temp for running.  somedays i wish i had somebody running with me, to help with motivation to just get going.  but running alone in the dark is cool, and the fact is nobody is going to hold my hand through this.  this week is my last 5 mile tues/thurs.  next week will be down to 4 each, then the week after is full on taper.  the end is in sight.  in fact, after my 12 on sunday, its all downhill to Berlin.

I should quit worrying so much about travel, so i can concentrate on the run.  i got an email reply from Henry Rollins yesterday.  he told me "most everyone in germany speaks english, just be polite, and germany will be easier to navigate than arkansas".  right on, Henry. thank you.

18 and a wake-up.

9/8/14. monday. body weight workout.

i was feeling a little stiff/sore from the Last Long Run, but really not too bad.  got up and hit the gym at 5:30am to get some work done.  6 rounds: 5 strict pull ups, 10 push ups, 10 GHD sit ups.  it might have been 7 rounds, i got my chips messed up.  i was very slow, but i got it done. 

i was looking at my training shoes.  I had bought 3 pairs of shoes last year, (2) identical pairs of adidas supernova glides (diff colors) and (1) pair of adidas energy boosts.  I have been training in the glides, only wearing the boosts on "race" days.  well, they say you need to replace shoes after about 300-500 miles.  as of Sunday, i was sitting at 973 total miles.  take off maybe 30 miles for "races" and divide by two.  i have run approx 475 miles in each pair of glides.  the foam is completely shot.  they are permanently crushed, and have no spring-back.  but I've only got 56 more training miles, call it 30 miles per pair.  the choice is to keep running the glides (risk injury and foot pain due to crushed foam) or try to break in a new pair (risk injury and foot pain due to brand new shoes).  i'm thinking that with such short mileage left, i will keep running the glides, with my fingers crossed.  But don't worry, I have the Energy Boosts for race day, practically fresh, with only 30 miles or so on the soles...

you can see in the pics that the permanent "creases" in the foam sole are from repetitive compression, and it will not longer spring back.  These trainers just have to last 2 more weeks, until i leave for berlin.

19 and a wake-up.

9/6-7/14. 5 fast Sat, 20 slow sunday.

9/6-7/14. 5 fast Sat, 20 slow sunday.

9/6/14. Saturday.  5 mile pace run.  i don't do these right.  you're supposed to run this mileage holding the pace you need/want to maintain for your marathon.  i guess you get you body used to that pace, you know what it feels like, you should have an easy time of running at that pace.  instead, i tend to just run fast.  go as fast as i can, and try to do better than the last time.  probably not helping me the way it should.  i ran my 5 miles at an average moving pace of 7:30 min/mile.  felt blazing, felt like a cheetah, felt like i was running to beat the devil.  it was awesome weather, high 50s, and the sun was shining.  everything came together and it was a good run.  after my run, i hit T's yoga class.  i noticed that my heel/arch that hurts me made some poses very difficult.  it was hard to put all my weight on that foot and balance, etc.  but in general, i felt much better after yoga than i did before.  Starting next saturday, she is going to pick an additional time slot at another crossfit gym earlier sat morning.  start for a month, see if there is enough interest to keep doing it there.  of course I'll support her as best as i can.  this coming saturday will be a 4 mile pace run.  so i can envision 8am yoga, 4 mile run in everett as fast as i can, maybe breakfast, then 12:30 yoga at CFE.  so next saturday should be a good morning.

9/7/14.  the big one.  My last really Long Run.  20 miles.  I did this on the centennial trail, and it was hot as hell (just over 80 degrees, but at least it was low humidity, maybe 45%).  parked at the Machias station and struck out headed north.  dress rehearsal of the clothes I plan for Berlin: nike raceday shorts, north face singlet.  i maintained approx the same pace as my 20 mile run 2 weeks ago (avg moving pace 8:42 min/mile as opposed to 8:49 last time).  but here is the thing.  when i hit that brutal point after mile 17, it seemed a little better than last time.  it still sucked, but maybe not as bad.  I ran out of water at mile 17, but had to keep going.

Carbohydrates that a person eats are converted by the liver and muscles into glycogen for storage. Glycogen burns rapidly to provide quick energy. Runners can store about 8 MJ or 2,000 kcal worth of glycogen in their bodies, enough for about 18–20 miles of running. Many runners report that running becomes noticeably more difficult at that point. When glycogen runs low, the body must then obtain energy by burning stored fat, which does not burn as readily. When this happens, the runner will experience dramatic fatigue and is said to "hit the wall".

for me this tend to be around mile 17-18.  then it gets bad.  bad enough i want to quit and walk.  bad enough that every step is a conscious decision to take the next one.  but here's the thing.  there is a simple fact.  i think i knew it once, and i forgot it.  time heals all wounds, and you forget the painful memories.  but i learned it again yesterday, and it was a relief.  in fact, i think it was the whole point of my long run.  here it is - it won't get any worse.  that's it.  its that simple.  after hitting the wall, when every step sucks, you want to quit. it hurts.  your body says stop.  it feels terrible.  but here it is again - it won't get any worse.  just keep going.  as bad as it is, it won't get any worse.  just do it.  it took me almost a 1000 miles to get to this realization.  to remember what i had already learned once and forgotten.  but it was worth it.  when it gets bad in Berlin, and i want quit, i need to just keep going.  it won't get any worse.  so the long run was almost 3 hours.  but it was 2.5 hours of warm-up, 2.5 hours of prep to get me to the point where i could run those last 3 miles and learn something.  and it was worth it.

20 and a wake-up.

9/5/14. thurs. 5 miles in the sun. short bodyweight workout.

last big mileage week.  i pushed this run to later in the day (after work, as opposed to before).  i really wanted to maximize my recovery time this week.  although it was only in the mid 60s, it was sunny with no clouds.  it felt hot, and it was a struggle.  again, i hit every red light and lost several minutes just waiting for traffic.  right foot bothered me, and my right knee still doesn't feel perfect.  just trying to keep the machine running.  also, since the kids are back in school and i was running in the early afternoon, i had to take a different route back (couldn't cut through school grounds).  so i normally have a real steep set of hills to get out of my neighborhood, then a long gradual slope towards the midpoint, then a mostly level trip home.  i had to skip the mostly level part, turn back, and run back up the long gradual slope.  it was a new experience for my to run back up the long hill, and it was a little extra effort. 

took E to the gym for crossfit teens, and so i finally had time to get my workout in.  it was close on the heels of the run, and i was tired.  6 rounds of: 5 strict pull ups, 10 push ups, 10 GHD sit ups.  I haven't worked out in a while, but it was still hard.  my arms/shoulders felt tired and weak during pull ups.  i guess even with running (mostly working the legs hard), the effort of holding things tight and neutral uses your upper body muscles.  it was cool seeing friends and talking to people in the gym though.  at approx 8:30 min/mile, with 43 miles this week, that's more than 6 hours alone in the pain cave, running with with nothing but my own thoughts.  it was just nice to be around other people.

weighed in before work, its been a while.  like since the end of July.  i was curious what the weight would be, seeing as i am eating for 3.  seriously, i have moved from seconds at dinner to having thirds.  sometimes i steal food off of my kid's plates (and then they have to go get more).  i am thankful that its all home cooked and healthy.  i really appreciate my wife's efforts for my whole family - its like I have a personal dietician and chef and yoga instructor and more.  but the results are that i am down approx 2 pounds from july.  with the number of miles i am running and the number of calories i am burning, that just shows how much i have been eating.  I realize this isn't a "true" weight, but i try to normalize it between all readings.  same time of day, hold as many variables steady as possible (before work, before eating or drinking, after shower, before getting dressed, etc).  so by holding as much constant as possible, and taking periodic readings, i can watch trends and act appropriately.  and my current weight trend is "holding steady with a slight downhill slope".  but there are sometimes outliers in the data.  a few more readings over the next week or so with give a better picture.

9/3/14. wed. 8 miles in the sun.

this is practically the last mid-week longish run.  8 this wed, 6 next wed, 5 the wed after, then 4 the final wed.  honestly, this didn't feel too terrible.  the sun was shining, it was mid 60's (maybe 65 degrees) and it was pleasant weather (maybe a little too hot).  but it was a bad time to run and it was crowded.  i hit every red light with people getting off from work, and there were tons of people on the sidewalks in harbor point (first day of school, with lots of after school activities).  it was congested and not as good as a solitary path.  after factoring out the forced stops (red lights/traffic) my pace was pretty fast for a mid-week run, about 8:14 min/mile avg moving pace.  I ran in my northface "better than naked" shorts.  they were pretty light and fairly breathable, but i really don't have enough data to determine if they are actually better than naked. 

for tomorrow, I normally like to run early thursday mornings, but with this being a big mileage week i will wait until thurs afternoon to give myself the most recovery allowed while still staying on plan.

i have about 4-5 Berlin tour books sitting on the shelf.  i checked them out from the library about 4 months ago, then i have tried to ignore them since.  i just keep renewing them and then trying not to look at them.  I cracked them open after dinner, and they just increased my stress/anxiety level.  getting around, getting Euros, buses/trains/taxis, restaurants, sights, finding the expo, getting the race start on time, all that is now creeping into my mind.  i need to just push that all out.  this is not a pleasure trip, i need to concentrate on the essentials and keep it about the run.  get there, adjust to time zone, get to expo, get to race, run my ass off.  that's all i should be worried about.  let the rest come as it may.

24 and a wake-up.

9/1-2/14. mon. no workout. tues. 5 miles. the end is nigh.

9/1/14. mon.  missed my workout.  monday is the day after a long run, start of the week, with a couple of shorter runs on subsequent days, so its the best work out day.  but at the last minute the gym closed, and since it was labor day even the y was closed.  i can't make it tues (taking A to his fist CAP mtg), can't make it wed (8 mile run after work), maybe thurs?

9/2/14. tues.  5 mile run.  a long way for a tuesday.  i knew i had to home from work early, so the alarm went off at 0435.  out the door by 0446, knocked out 5 miles.  it was really dark, and there was a chilly breeze.  it stayed chilly the entire run.  it really feels like fall.  same issues with the right foot, and the right knee felt a little twitchy.  nothing too bad, just something to keep an eye on.

got my official race registration and bib number via email.  bib number 8086. its gonna go off.  its getting real.  i feel like i need more time.  it feels impossible to explain to someone that hasn't trained for this amount of time, to the the exclusion of so much else, for an event this important.  I know i can run 26.2 miles, i've been there before.  my long runs aren't going to get any longer.  i could drop everything today and go out and do it.  but i don't feel ready to make a run at the prize.  i don't feel like i'm at a point in my conditioning that i can perform as well as i want to.  if i had more time, and i could run more miles, and if i could run faster, and and and... and so on.  nothing i can do now but finish the plan.  it would be disastrous to try and vary from the plan, to try and add more miles, to try and do speedwork now.  its too late.  with the end of this week's long run, i will consider my conditioning as good as its going to get.  no amount of doing things differently, at this point, will help.  its time to think about the end game.  its time to buckle down, finish up, and do my best.  finish the hard week (43 miles), enjoy an easier week (32 miles), then 2 weeks of ramp down (taper).  after sunday, the next 3 weeks are a mental game until race day.

24 and a wake-up.

8/30-31/14. 8 miles sat, 12 miles sun. easy weekend.

8/30/14. sat. 8 miles.  nothing too special, just another 8 mile saturday.  trying to take these 2 runs easy this weekend, and prepare for a major mileage week next week.  i ran at what felt like a good smooth pace, averaged 8:24 min/mile moving pace.  it was cool enough (just under 60 degrees) so that i made this run without carrying any water, and it felt pretty good.  went to T's yoga class afterwards, tried to relax and get some stretching in.  i notice that my painful heel/instep on my right foot makes some yoga poses really difficult.  the whole underside of my foot felt tight/sore . trying to stand on one foot was pretty hard, not due to balance, but because of how stiff/tight my foot was.  otherwise, i felt pretty good.

8/31/14. sun. 12 miles. the weather was fantastic, absolutely the best running weather.  mid 50's possibly up to 60 degrees, fluffy white clouds and patches of beautiful blue sky.  felt great.  this is pretty far to run through mukilteo, though.  i end up making extra loops and detours to add some miles to my regular routes.  that's frustrating, i'm much happier running straight out and back, or even better yet, 1 big loop.  kept a decent pace, 8:32 min/mile, didn't feel like i was straining too hard.  really ironing out my long run strategy - hydration, fueling, gear management.  i'm pretty used to running with the Nathan pack on, no surprises there.  just another training run, 12 more miles under my feet.  after the run, we hit the farmer's market and then spent a little time down at the beach.  although puget sound is icy cold, not my idea of water I want to go in, i did stand with my feet submerged until they went numb.  i figured maybe an icy soak would help my feet and toes feel better.

27 and a wake-up.

5/28/14. thurs. 5 miles through Everett.

the day was busy and i needed to get out of work early for a dentist appnt, so i couldn't run before work (5 miles takes longer and I get to work a little later).  so i planned to get home after the dentist, change, and go to the gym with my family.  that way i could run everett while they worked out. 

i really like my run through everett. i head out from CFE up grandview, to the end where it hits Legion Park, then circle back up on either rucker or hoyt.  this is neighborhood running, with smooth sidewalks, nice ramps up/down at intersections (minimal curbs to step over), fairly flat, and real fast.  its not crowded, and the views are awesome.  looking out over the marina, the water, whidbey island, the little neighborhood parks.  its just really nice and i'm glad to squeeze this one in every once in a while.  its nice to spend a little extra time with my family, and when i get back from my run i can watch them finish up their workout.

it was sunny with a good temp, low 70s, with a nice breeze.  i ran pretty fast, but didn't feel like i was pushing it too hard.  the flatness helped make my pace look good - avg pace of 8:05 min/mile which is pretty fast for me.  it was a good run, everything felt pretty good, and i was happy with it.

a day of rest, a casual weekend (slow miles all weekend, 8 on sat, 12 on sunday) prepare for the peak of my training NEXT WEEK.  next week will be my last high mileage week, and my last REALLY LONG RUN.

30 and a wake-up.

8/27/14. wed. 5 miles at 0500.

this is a little bit of a recovery week, lower miles between 2 high mileage weeks.  only 35 miles.  last week was 43 miles, next week will be another 43 miles.  its still hard to imagine a week with 35 miles of running is a "lower mileage" week.  although the mid-week run is typically a longish run, today i had only had 5 miles on plan.  i could get it knocked out before work, so i was up at 0445 and out by 0500.  with the days getting shorter, it was very dark, but still warm (70 degrees) and the skies were clear - the stars were so bright again.  i really like this time of year.  i was not quite as stiff and sore as i was yesterday, but that first half mile or so was still tough.  right foot was stiff/sore, gait felt off, it just take s a little while to get smooth.  I saw barely anybody.  a dog walker, 2 walkers, and just a few cars on the speedway.  but other than that, i had the roads and sidewalks to myself.  running alone and in the dark with the perfect temp/humidity is the best.  5 miles took me 42:04, avg pace of 8:25 min/mile.  it was an entirely normal run, nothing special, just putting miles in the bank.

thinking a bit about Berlin.  and i have a lot to think about.  travel. finding my way, getting where i need to be.  just taking care of daily business.  and then the actual marathon.  40,000 people is just crazy.  its going to be such a cluster-f...

31 and a wake-up.

8/26/14. Tues. 5am, 5 miles.

well, i am over 900 miles into the plan, with about 140 more before i toe up to the start line in Berlin.  just a month away.  now is the time to buckle down and get some work done.  there's no free ride, every mile i run before i leave makes a difference, every training day is equally important. there is no room for walking, there is no day that can be skipped.

i was up and on the street before 5am, and it was really dark.  it was so clear I could really see the stars.  leaving the house on a cool, clear, dark morning with the stars so bright in the sky, that makes it feel like fall.  i have an awesome memory of getting up *early* due to some forced OT at work, and seeing the incredible display of constellations over my house.  i remember waking A up (he was just a toddler) and bringing him out, wrapped in his blanket, just to see the stars.  having this memory this morning made my run easier.  but it was my first run after my 20 mile odyssey on sunday, and i felt it every step of the way. my right foot (heel/arch) was just tight, and threw my gait off for awhile.  after about a quarter mile or so, this seems to loosen up (or just go numb) and i can knock out my miles OK.  i like running in the dark, and i like running when there are no people or cars or traffic.  the air is clear, the path is open, and i can just do my thing.  i would say my transition to longer runs in the morning is going well.  tues/thurs used to be 3 mile days, then 4 miles days, now 5 mile days.  things seem to be on track, and i am doing the best i can.

32 and a wake-up.

8/23-25/14. Sat - fast 5 miles. Sun - long slow 20 miles. Mon - bodyweight workout

still on Plan, and getting the journal caught up.  the god new is that my friend Randy is home.  no official word on what happened, but honestly, it doesn't really matter.  he's with his family and his friends and that is what does matter.

8/23/14. Sat. The Plan called for a fast 5 miles.  based on how my tues/thurs 5 mile runs went, i thought i ought to be able to keep this one under 40 minutes.  i went ahead and had a 2 scoop NOXplode before i ran.  i have weaned myself off the pre-workout boost, but every once in a while I break it out.  you forget how it makes you just buzz, makes you want to vibrate in place, the roar in your ears and the tingling in your face.  like lighting the match on a stick of dynamite.  needless to say, i took off running.  my moving time of 38:52 gave me an average moving pace of 7:46 min/mile.  tell you what, this felt fast, and I was proud to get this one logged.  i am glad to hold this pace in the middle of a high mileage week.  T taught yoga after my run, and i was glad to get in there and get stretched out.  I noticed my right foot (the one with the painful heel/arch) was really stiff and gave me some trouble with some poses.  I need to continue to roll/ice that one.

8/24/14. Sun. 20 miles.  this is right in the thick of it.  this is the 2nd high mileage week that is a part of the peak of the plan (3 high mileage weeks in a 5 week period), and this is the longest distance i will run before Berlin.  i headed out to the Centennial Trail so i could run straight out and back with as few interruptions and difficulties as possible.  i started at the Machias Trailhead, and ran further north than i have ever gone.  although it was only 10 miles out, it felt like i was halfway to canada.  the weather was fantastic, maybe a little too sunny/warm for a great run, but it was good.  this just shows the effect of heat/humidity - last weekend was supposed to be a 13.1 mile "race" when i was at SC.  this weekend, i covered 13.1 at a faster pace than i did in my "race" last week, and then continued on to finish the 20 miles.  i should quit beating myself up over that 13.1 I ran in the heat and humidity, and just move on.  after reading up on the subject, i realize i was had been bordering on heatstroke in SC. I remember at one point last week i kind of lost track of where i was (which i just attributed to running an unfamiliar road), and even though it was over 80 degrees i remember getting goosebumps and feeling chilled at one point.  but that's long in the past.  moving on, all i can do it think about the next run and be as ready as possible.  to be honest, 3 hours on the run is a long time to run and think, and i spent a lot of that time on sunday worried about Randy and Angela.  although i'm not particularly close to Randy, it had me very upset.  but here is the deal - i need to be able to partition my life from my training, partition my emotions from my intellect.  i need to get on the road and be The Tip of the Spear.  and these painful runs are getting me hard, getting me sharp.

8/25/14. monday.  bodyweight workout day.  after the high mileage week, i felt so weak in the gym.  i did 7 rounds of cindy (5 strict pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats), and it took me a long long time.  it was slow and difficult.  about on track though.  i remember speculating how my workouts would naturally ramp down as my miles ramped up.  and it has happened as expected.  from 5 WODs a week, to 3 lifting days a week, to 2 lifting days a week, to 1 bodyweight day a week.  i am following the plan religiously, as far as miles and pace, but i am letting my body guide my workouts.  i hate to get weak again, but I just need to see this through.

33 and a wake-up.

8/25/14. Monday. I'm worried about Randy

so it was a big mileage weekend.  i ran long, and i ran hard, and i would really like to journal it.  This was a huge week in my training plan, and this was a big deal.

but right now I want to use my journal entry to say I'm so worried about Randy Malikowski.  Randy and his wife Angela live in Pensacola Florida, and they own Perdido Bay Crossfit.  Randy went for a walk Saturday morning and hasn't been seen since. its been about 48 hours.

http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/08/25/search-underway-missing-perdido-man/14557461/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Find-Randy-Malikowski/1614764482083521?fref=nf

Randy was our coach on our first day of crossfit here in Everett WA, and gave the assessment to T and I.  He has always been extremely helpful to both of us, and i know if i asked him for any help or advice he would always do it.  likewise, if he or his wife were to ask me for anything I would do it.

3000 miles away, there's nothing i can do except offer support and thoughts.  i am not lying to say I thought of Randy and Angela every step of my 20 mile run yesterday.  40,000 steps in 3 hours, that's how many times I thought about them.  I hope for the best possible outcome.

*****MISSING*****
Name: Randal "Randy" Malikowski
Age: 51
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Hair: Light Brown
Height: 5'11
Weight: 175lbs with Athletic Build
Last Seen Activity: Did not return after going for a walk on Dog Track Road in Pensacola, FL without identification, wallet, keys, or cell phone
Missing Since: Saturday, 23 August 2014 at approximately 9:20am
Identifying Characteristics:
Facial Hair 'soul patch'
Tattoos left arm, below shoulder, of tribal arm band with skeleton heads and a cross above

Please call 850-261-2024 or 850-266-4267 if you've seen or heard from him. Escambia County Sherriff's Office also has a BOLO out and they can be reached at 850-436-963

8/21/14 thurs. 5 mile run at 0500.

slept in a little, as the week was catching up with me.  plus its always hard to do a longish run wed evening, then get up and run again thurs morning.  plus the fact that 5 miles before dawn still feels wrong.  conditions were good, it was about 57 degrees and dark, with a breeze.  they say that if you feel warm enough before you start, you're over-dressed or its too hot.  well, i definitely felt a little chilly as i set out, in fact it almost felt like the start of fall. 

i wore my adidas energy boost shoes, and i honestly feel they ran a little faster than my glides.  i really want these to be my race shoes, but they concern me for a few reasons.

1. my right heel/arch is still bothering me, and the boosts don't have a lot of the thick foam padding that i suspect would be helpful for the long run.  
2. my toes are really falling apart, and the boosts are kind of a stretchy material that fits pretty snug (even though i bought a full size over as recommended).  they have room in length, but they are snug on top of the toes.

So my plan is to wear these shoes once a week over the next few weeks, with successively longer runs, to make sure that my feet still feel OK while running in them.  a 5 miler this week, a 12 next week, and a 20 the week after.  if i can complete the 20 with no significant foot issues, then these will be my Berlin shoes.  after the 5 miler, my heel/arch didn't feel any worse than when i started.  good news so far.

I also have spent a lot of time rolling my heel/arch under my desk while i am working, using the triggerpoint TPFootballer roller.  i hope that this will help. 

5 weeks and 2 days.

8/20/14. wed. 8 mile "longish" run.

8 miles is a long way for a mid-week run.  but this week (and the week 2 weeks ago, and the week after next) are the man-makers.  its the punishment of the miles.  these weeks are the peak of The Plan.  i need to buckle down and run hard and do my best.  i won't get another chance. as hard as this seems to do, this is the peak, i need to keep this in mind.  get through this 5 week period of high mileage, and start thinking about the end game.

temp was in the mid 60s, with a good breeze.  this was a really good combination for running. when the breeze died down and i was stuck out in the open (no shade) it did feel like it was getting pretty hot, but it was a manageable set of conditions and i ran with a pretty good pace.  i made the decision, based on temp, to run the 8 miles without carrying water.  I did run through the public library lobby to use the bathroom, and did have a drink from the fountain while i was there.  but i could have finished this without water, so it was a good enough choice.

2 bruised purple toenails, 1 black toe tip, 1 zombie toenail almost completely off.  right heel/arch pain maybe a 3 or 4 out of 10 during the day, and probably 2-3 out of 10 while running.  just keeping the machine serviceable.  then taper comes, and i will sharpen myself to be the tip of the spear.

5 weeks and 3 days to go.

8/19/14. tuesday. 5 mile run, sports massage.

still having trouble adjusting to the time change.  i intended to get up at around 0500 or so, but i woke up early and headed out early.  i was on the streets by 0435.  i tell you what, tues/thurs are my "short" run days, and they are now locked in at 5 miles for the next 4 weeks (until the taper begins).  how crazy is that, that my short runs will not go less than 5 miles?  the days are definitely shorter; it was pitch black when i left, and the sky was barely getting lighter, kind of purple, when i got back.  it was a fantastic run - 62 degrees, dark, no humidity, light breeze. just running along the trees, it smelled fantastic.  if you have never been hiking/running in the pacific northwest forest, then i cannot describe this fresh alive evergreen forest smell.  the air is so so clear and crisp.  it just makes me feel good to breathe, it gives me energy, and it improves my outlook.  it was great to be back on my own ground.  and as i finished up, there was a really light sprinkle of rain, just to cool me off and welcome me back.  after a mile or so my heel/arch numbed up, and things went fine.  it was so good to be back, and it made me wish i was running trail.  as far as running goes, i will take the pacific northwest forest over the south atlantic coast any day of the week.  of course, winter in SC is pretty darn mild compared to the rain and cold i endured.  but i'm happy with what i have.

after work i had a sports massage.  i had pre-scheduled this one (to be right in the middle of my high mileage weeks) and one more coming up the week before I leave for Berlin.  I asked M to concentrate on my lower body - glutes, quads, calfs, etc.  she really worked that heel/arch that's been painful the last 2 days.  this was tough to take, but all in all it was a good massage.  i felt relaxed and limber afterwards.  and oiled up like a gladiator.  if anyone want a recommendation for a licensed massage therapist with lots of crossfit/lifting/strongwoman experience, just ask me.  She has worked a lot of big races around here (providing massage therapy after the race) and is really familiar with runners and their issues.  she works out of a local crossfit gym, and I can't say enough good things about her.

looking at The Plan, I realized something.  my high mileage week 2 weeks ago (44 miles), this week (43 miles), and 2 weeks from now (43 miles) are the peak of my training.  this is it.  this is what i have been building up to.  this is the highest mileage i will run.  a hard weekend coming, and then two weeks from now another hard one.  and then that's it, the taper begins.  i can't believe its getting close enough to think about the end game.  i just have to get through these coming 3 weeks.

5 weeks and 4 days.

8/18/14. monday. rest from running, easy workout day.

I had a real bad flare up of my right heel/arch pain.  when i woke up, i couldn't even put any weight on my foot. limping around was really scary.  i'm not sure what set it off.  I ran that half marathon sunday which should have been no big deal.  then i wore some new shoes, and spent over 6 hours trapped in a seated position on the airplane.  it all added up to pain and stiffness.  i was really limping when we got home sunday night, and it got no better overnight.  it was a rest day from running, and I had intended to just take the day off completely.  at work i iced my foot and rolled it with my triggerpoint "tpfballer" roller for a while.  it was depressing being back at work.  for over 2 weeks i ran hard, and i felt great.  I ran my highest mileage week in my entire life, with no adverse effect (other than a few toenails).  lots of running, but it was vacation running - no stress, no schedule, no office desk/chair, and lots of other activity (walking around, going to the beach, playing in the ocean, etc).  lots of miles, no issues.  one day back in the office, and my lower back, my hips, my quads, my calfs, my feet, everything is stiff and sore.  plus the heel/arch pain.  argh.  i wish i could take the next 5 weeks and 4 days off from work and concentrate on training.  stress, recover, repeat.

but when i got home from work, T was about to head out to the gym.  so i went with her.  knocked out 7 rounds of cindy, felt pretty good.  the more i walked around the gym, the less my foot hurt.  i think the activity was good.  i was glad to see a lot of friends again, and its definitely nice to be back.  after my slow easy bodyweight workout, i spent some quality time with the foam roller.  maybe hitting the roller 5 days a week on vacation was another contributor to feeling pretty good.  I think i will try to keep this up.  just not enough hours in the day.

5 weeks and 5 days.

8/17/14. Sunday. Half Marathon "race"

per plan, this run was supposed to be a race.  i didn't have a local race on this date, so as usual i planned to just run my own "race".  I have been running for 42 weeks.  I have over 830 miles under my feet in those weeks.  i have been training hard, and i am feeling good and i have been making all sorts of speed gains.  I was so ready to set myself a new half marathon PR and show that my training is really working.  and then I failed.  I was slower than my half PR by 6 minutes (moving time) and 13 minutes (elapsed time).  this is really disappointing.

now, keep in mind my PR was set on a cool, lightly raining early spring day in the pacific northwest. ideal conditions.  this time, it was over 80 degrees when I left the house, and it was pretty humid.  I know that i cannot expect peak performance when the conditions are oppressive.  but that feels like an excuse. my whole run, i kept saying to myself this wasn't so bad, just think of those guys running the Badwater (135 mile ultramarathon through death valley in mid-summer).  this is easy, just 13.1 miles in SC, and at least my shoes aren't melting to the pavement.  I should be able to just knock this out.  But it was bad, and I have no metric or conversion factor to account for the environmental conditions.  I can only directly compare pace and time.  and by that comparison, i failed.  not only is it frustrating, but it also casts doubt on my whole plan and performance.  screw south carolina. i wish i wasn't feeling bad about this, but i am.  I am reminded of the comic The Oatmeal when he described a run in Japan that was terrible.  although I didn't have any wasps (just heat and humidity), i imagined myself as godzilla, leaving, flipping the double bird to South Carolina.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/running5

in addition, my heel/arch has flared up again.  felt great for some time now, and after this run i was limping.  argh.  travel, then a day of rest, and then another big miles week coming.  43 mile week coming up, and I'm feeling grim about it.

8/13-14/14. Wed. Thurs. 5 mile runs.

8/13/14. Wed. Up and out by 0600 for 5 miles at dawn.  My 14 year old got up with me and rode the beach cruiser along side for the whole run.  We stopped and watched the sun rise over the Atlantic ocean. It's different every morning, but just as incredible.  I'm glad we could share this together. Pretty much an uneventful south Carolina run.  Got back, drank my coffee, and took T to the gym. Again, I foam rolled, and then messed around on the bars for a while while she worked out. I think my grip strength is a little better. I did some one-handed chin ups on each arm (gripping the wrist of the arm hanging from the bar). Pretty much a party trick, not much harder than a regular chin up, but i never tried one before.  Then another day at the beach playing in the ocean.

8/14/14. Thurs.  the last 5 mile run in SC (one more long run over the weekend, then my east coast running is complete). Nobody would wake up with me, so I ran it alone.  Like usual. I think I am used to the solitude and I probably do better with it than when I try to run with someone else.  I set my own pace, I tune out the world and knock out my miles.  I do try hard to look around and see my surroundings, to really appreciate where i am and what I'm doing.  But after a run, I tend to block it all out and try to forget the time spent on the road. I think its a mental defense mechanism, keeps me from going crazy.  Physically, For the most part i am feeling pretty good.  Hips, knees, quads, calls, all pretty good.  My toes are not faring so well.  The purple/black middle toenail has gone gray.  I suspect it is coming off sooner rather than later. the black spot on the end of that toe has not gone away, but it no longer hurts.  The next toenail over has started to bruise up and go purple.  And worse, the toenail of the big toe on my right foot has started to bruise.  Just 5 weeks and 6 days to go, and my toenails are really starting to show the abuse.  Makes me think about Marshall Ulrich, the ultra-marathon runner who had his toenails surgically removed.  The doctors had to cut them out and then burn the nailbed with acid to keep them from growing back.  He said if he had known had bad it would hurt, he never would have done it.  But now that they're gone, he's happier without them.  Now that's just crazy.  Although mine are bruised and painful and a few might fall off, I really think its a small issue in the grand scheme of things.  Maybe I'd think differently of I was a professional, though.

8/11-12/14. Mon. Tues. a workout and a short run.

8/11/14. Monday. I was feeling pretty shagged from my 44 mile week, and especially from my 18 mile long run the day before, so I went pretty easy in the gym. 6 slow rounds of Cindy (5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats). I mostly just had a good time with T, spotted her during her lifts, helped her set up equip for her WOD, etc.  and I foam rolled a lot.  All lower body.  Nothing eventful, but I am going into a recovery week (if you can all a 28 mile week a "recovery").

8/12/14. Tuesday. Just a 5 mile run along the coastline.  Even at 6am, its fairly hot (over 80 degrees), and really humid. At home, it seems to take about a mile before I even break a sweat.  But here, I walk out the door and before I reach the end of the street I'm just dripping with sweat.  The route I ru is flat, though.  Seriously, it's only about a 5 foot elevation change (over the half mile from the house down to Ocean Ave along the coast), then there is zero elevation change for any number of miles I run.  I would worry that this flat running would be too easy, and that I would be getting soft out here, but the heat and the humidity are keeping it tough. I hope it's balancing out and that this trip hasn't set me back in my training. After my run I went to the gym with T, but just to keep her company. Play around on the rig a bit - a few sets of pullups, toes 2 bar, chin ups, just to kill some time while she works out.  Some foam rolling, and I was good to go.

8/10/14. Sunday. The Long Run.

The plan called for 18 miles, my longest run since since my last full, over 2 years ago. I knew it was going to be hot and humid, so I got up at 0530 figuring I'd get an early start. Tell you what, that wasn't early enough.  It had rained over night, and it was so steamy and humid. As the sun came up, there was just a haze of humidity. It was actually hard to breathe. I started out fairly well, but as it got hotter I ran slower.  The second 15k felt much slower.  My average moving pace ended up around 9:05 min/mile, which just shows how the weather affected me.

So the longest run in this plan (so far) is complete. My highest mileage week (ever!) is complete, at 44 miles. I am over 825 miles into the plan.

6 weeks and 5 days.

Let's just get on with it.

8/9/14. sat. a fast 8 miles, and a few hours surfing

the plan called for an 8 mile run at race pace.  i tend not to actually look at my pace much, i just try to run fast.  knocked out my 8 in 1:02:38, avg moving pace of 7:50 min/mile.  i was pretty happy to hold this fast of a pace over this distance.  the humidity was tough.  the air felt thick.  it was overcast, and it rained a bit.  but it seemed to evaporate into the air before it hit the ground.  just made it harder to breathe.

as soon as i got back, E and I headed out for a surfing clinic at myrtle beach state park.  we had a blast.  E was a rock star, and was surfing like a champ in no time at all.  me, not so much.  my legs were a little tight after my pace run, and a few times my hamstring cramped up when I tried to stand up on the board.  but i never gave up.  had a good time, and i know E will never forget we did this together.