It wasn’t pretty, but I did it! After missing most of my runs in October to the weather, being sick, traveling, or just plain being lazy, I decided to go ahead and run in the DRC Half this weekend. My previous long run (see below) was only 8 miles, and I’ve only run a handful of times since then.

The race day was great. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions. It was a beautiful morning, crisp and cool early, and sunny. I got to the field in plenty of time for bag check and a short walk around vendor tents. I wandered to the starting line around 7:45 and saw that the last pace balloon was 2:30. Considering I was trying for just under 3:00, I moved towards the very back of the pack. I was planning on taking this run like all my other long runs, starting with a 5 minute walk, so I figured it would be OK to start with the walkers in the back. I was right, and the timing worked out just right as I was able to walk all they way through the large ramp on to Mockingbird. I started my first 3 minute run after the first few steps over the Mockingbird bridge.

Miles 1-10 went fairly easy and well. It was fun to see friends who live on the course out cheering us along. I know I surprised at least one of them who didn’t expect to see me there. I continued on a 3 run / 2 walk interval, changing occasionally to accommodate a hill or bunched-up turn in the road.

My first real sign of fatigue came heading up the dam to mile 8. I was supposed to be running at the time, but the narrow path and steep hill were too much to take on in what was left of our crowd, so I ended up walking. Getting to the top, I started to run again, but it was much more difficult to get going than it had been earlier.

Once I did start running again, I felt much slower, but at least I was able to stay in the 3/2 interval. I didn’t hurt (other than a small blister starting to wear on my right foot), I just felt the full effect of weighing too much. It started to feel much warmer than it had when we started. Things went well until mile 10 when it was increasingly difficult to get running after the walk breaks. I switched to a 2/3 for a while, but found myself walking much more than walking. There were only short (less than a minute) runs from there until I got under the Buckner bridge when I “sprinted” hard to the finish. It did feel good to finish strong, even if it were about a third of mile.

It felt great to finish. My steps immediately shortened and felt very stiff. A volunteer placed the medal around my neck and I staggered over to get an official picture. I couldn’t stop smiling.

After finishing I ran into John and Bill, who both finished well ahead of me and were enjoying the after-race treats. We all took time to enjoy a beer in the sun and I got lots of good advice for my next event from these seasoned runners.

I’m happy to started and finished. It’s a big step towards my final goal. And per a friend’s advice, it was great to go just to see what a large event is like. Props to the DRC for putting on a well run race. It was easy getting to the start/finish, the bag check went smoothly, and I enjoyed the pizza and beer after.

I’ll likely write more about lessons learned and plans for the next race later. But its worth mentioning now how around mile 12 I thought “this distance running is hard stuff.” I have even more respect now for all my friends and acquaintances who have finished a marathon before. There’s a steep road up ahead, but after feeling the sense of accomplishment I had this morning I realize that its a challenge worth taking.

Went out late tonight for this week’s long run. Felt a little tight to start, but loosened up between mile 2 & 3. So, that’s my longest run so far. Next longest run before the DRC Half will be 10 miles two weeks from now.

Getting closer!

I stopped in Run On!, my favorite running store, to replace my Brooks Adrenaline 8s. Unfortunately, they were out of stock in my size, but they suggested the Mizuno Wave 5 would provide similar support but with extra cushioning. Considering my runs are getting longer, I thought extra cushioning might be nice and I decided to give them a try.

Standing still, they felt great. And running back and forth in the store, they felt fine as well. I was looking forward to breaking in these new shoes.

So, I took them out one night for a 3/1×11 run (3 minutes run / 1 minute walk for 11 intervals, which ends up being just over 4 miles with a 5 minute warmup and cool down). When I actually started running, the cushion was too much, and my stride felt very wobbly as I tried to find solid footing. I finished the set with a lot of pain in my shins and ankles.

I was still sore for the next two days.

On my flight the next week, I was reading Bingham & Hadfield’s “Marathoning for Mortals” and wished that I had read this section before I went shopping:

The least stable shoes are called cushioned shoes. These shoes feel great in the store and when you take a few steps down the sidewalk. You’ll feel like you’ve put pillows on your feet. It’s tempting to believe that the cushioning is what you want and need. For nearly all of us, the highly cushioned shoe is an invitation to injury.

We’ll explain. Whether your foot is normal, rigid, or flat, you still need some kind of relatively stable surface on which to run or walk. If you put a highly cushioned shoe below your foot, especially one that raises your foot inches off the ground, you have no stability at all.

Imagine strapping water balloons to the bottom of your shoes. With each step the muscles around your joins react to the instability and try to keep your joints from going in every direction. The bottoms of your feet might feel good, but unless your biomechanics are prefect, take a pass on the cushioned shoes.

Well, my biomechanics are obviously not perfect.

Just to make sure, I tried them one more time when I was on a treadmill at a hotel during that trip. Unfortunately I felt the same results. Rather than finishing the set, I stopped just after a mile.

When I returned to Dallas, I took them back to Run On, who graciously exchanged them for the latest version of the Brooks Adrenalines (which were now in stock).

I’ve been out twice now in the Adrenalines, and feel like I haven’t missed a step. I missed several workouts while my shins and ankles were recovering, but my last two runs have felt just fine. Tonight I head out for the regularly scheduled 8 mile run, which will be my longest to date. Assuming I complete that tonight, I’ll be right on track with the training plan.

So, my lesson learned: if I absolutely need to get new kicks while I’m in the middle of training for an event, go with the the old stand-by shoe - don’t get cute and try something new.

Let’s keep running!

I wasn’t motivated to eat any differently, because I felt like I deserved to indulge considering how much exercise I was getting that I hadn’t before. Now, an article on active.com confirmed my growing suspicion that I can’t rest on exercise as the only means for weight loss:

Running 15 miles a week burns roughly 1,500 calories—but to lose a pound, you need to cut 3,500 calories a week. Bottom line? Running alone won’t cut it; if you want to lose weight more quickly, you need to adjust your calorie intake. In a study in the 2007 American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism,, researchers followed participants for a year and found that lean and overweight adults who restrict their calorie intake by an average of 300 calories a day lose nearly 25 percent of their body fat. People who just exercise but don’t eat fewer calories lose just over 22 percent. Both regimens worked, but your best bet is to combine the effort.

So, its back to calorie counting this weekend, and yet another attempt to kick my cigarette Dr. Pepper and Pepsi habit. Other common sense weight-loss advise is available in this article on Runners World.

It would be great to be 5 pounds less than I am now by the race. Maybe following some of these tips I can get there.

So, I’ve neglected the blog for quite sometime now. My bad. But, I have been running. I’m on a walk/run plan to take on the Dallas Running Club’s DRC Half on November 1.

The plan is going well. I’m only running 3 days a week with the long run on Saturday. It will be tricky to keep it up as the school year kicks into full gear.

Nike+ automagically posts my runs on Facebook (that’s probably partly why I’ve been neglecting the blog). Please do “kick me” if things go quiet again. I am determined to meet this minor milestone on the quest to run a full marathon by the time I’m 40 next year.

Keep running!

Onwards from AKQA on Vimeo. Many thanks to Starling Fitness for the find.

It’s been quiet around here for several months, but I’m gearing up again to get back into a routine.

This video explains why that happens and how to overcome it. Bear with the quality at the start, its easier to hear and makes sense as you near the end of this short video.

I saw this on “Run to Win: Marathoning Made Simple,” one of my regular running reads. And, I’ll certainly focus on deep, full exhaling next time I feel short of breath!

When I returned home 1:38′ later (including a 5min warm up and 8 minute walk-back/cool down) I checked my Nike+ report and was happy to see a PB for both my 5 and 6 mile splits. It felt great to run farther than I ever had before and still get PB splits.

However, the rest of the night was brutal. My ankles and the outside of my shins felt as if someone had been beating them with a bat all afternoon. I didn’t feel this pain while I was running, it came on quickly after I showered. All evening I was hobbling around and I went to bed in real discomfort. I was afraid I would be hobbling all day today.

Well, I have been quite pleasantly surprised to experience absolutely no pain today. I’m hoping that I’ll experience similar recovery times this week as I get back on track with interval training before taking on my next long-run, an 8-miler at the end of the month.

When circumstances demand divergence from the Rule, quickly return to regularity.

Certainly it applies to my half-marathon training plan as well as my devotional life. I was so thrilled with the 10k “Rocky Run” I ended up blowing off the rest of the week’s runs. Sure, I was doing things worthwhile like helping my daughter collect materials for her science fair project, and socializing with my project team. But tonight when faced with the fun of watching 24 with friends, or getting back on the treadmill to start the week, I chose to return to regularity. Otherwise, the more I slip, the harder it is to get back on track.

A while ago I wrote about what fun it would be to run the same courses as several famous real and fictional runs.

On a whim tonight a buddy and I (in Philly for the week on business) decided to run up the steps. I use the term “run” loosely, as there were many lights we had to stop for and lots of pedestrian traffic to work around. But, it was a good jog. It wasn’t a wet snow like I mentioned in the original post, but 40F was plenty cold enough, thank you very much.

Our hotel is just over a mile away from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We ended up running to the museum, going up the steps, posing for pictures, then running along the river, up Race to City Hall, on to the Liberty Bell, and then to the Comcast Building lobby (to see the amazing video wall - it must be seen to be comprehended) before heading back to the hotel.

It sounds goofy, but after going up the steps, we felt invincible (yes, another Philly-movie pun) and just kept going on to the other sites.

If you’re at all nostalgic or sentimental for the movie, don’t pass up the opportunity if you get it.

That’s one historical (albeit fictional) run down. Wonder when I’ll get a chance for another.