Amazing Marathon

Because it felt so good. What a turnaround. Two weeks ago I ran the most painful marathon of my life, and today I was pain-free the whole way. No complaints from knees, hips, or hip flexor muscles, just a minor thing in the left hamstring, nothing new. Probably, the difference is due to a new running regimen of 60 seconds walking (fast), and 30 seconds running, much easier on the joints. I was actually able to speed up a little in the last six miles, going to 30 seconds walking and 30 running, though the splits don't reflect it because much of it was uphill against the wind.

Muscles are sore and stiff, of course, it was still a 26.2-mile jaunt, but no cramps and I think they'll be better tomorrow and every day thereafter. Yay!

This was the Cox Sports Marathon in Providence, Rhode Island (where they run rhode races). I like this marathon:

• Well organized, including the expo. People could even pick up bibs on the day of the race, though it was discouraged.
  
• Lots and LOTS of cheerful volunteers, even for a back-of-the-pack runner like I was today.
  
• Enough spectators that I heard "Go Don" a lot of times. I wore my name on my shirt as always.
  
• Much of the marathon was on a beautiful trail with a brand-new surface, going through parts of Providence that are not accessible any other way.
  
• The trail was not closed to normal use, so we mingled with walkers, other runners, and cyclists, no problem.
  
• In the last mile or two we found dozens, maybe hundreds of cheerful signs encouraging the Team In Training (TNT) runners, who raised a lot of money today for research into leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. I like them a lot.
  
• The trail was nearly flat. The roads were not flat, but all on all it was not a "challenging" race. Flat enough.
  
• Pizza for runners along the way and at the finish line! I don't eat pizza, but others were enjoying it.

One negative: Quite a few of the miles were on roads which were not closed to traffic. The running area was usually coned off, but almost always on the right shoulder, so we were dealing with cars whizzing by a few feet away, and with the running surface always tilted the same way. I found myself looking back over my shoulder a lot to be sure the next driver was paying attention. Other runners expressed relief when we did get to the bike trail, which is not crowned like the roads. Nevertheless, I like this marathon and would run it again.

Marathon number 51 and state number 34 completed. Feels good. I've reached a point where I can list the 16 states that I have yet to run. Six Clif Shot gels, chocolate with caffeine, and probably about eight Thermotab salt tablets. Lots of water, the temperature was in the 60's much of the run. I wore a cap for vanity reasons (badly in need of a haircut), but learned to prefer a visor in warm weather because it's easier to dump water on my head. :-)

Two very nice photographers took videos of me running. They think it's surprising that a person can run 51 marathons with myeloma. It seems normal to me. I love running marathons! It's a masterpiece.

Splits: 12:10, 12:10, 38:10 (3 mi), 12:08, 11:42, 11:40, 11:58, 12:03, 13:02, 12:53, 12:27, 1:13 (0.11 mi, 2:41:35 total to here), 11:21, 12:28, 24:57 (2 mi), 12:43, 12:58, 25:09 (2 mi), 11:32, 12:35, 12:38, 12:10 (4:57:55 to here), 27:37 (2.22 mi), total 5:25:32, fourth of eight in the age group. Pretty consistent pace.

Sunshine and me after the race:

Still Painful

Woodbury Runners, regular Wednesday run. Rich and I ran together, about five miles in 58 minutes, not a good pace at all. This was my first run since Saturday’s marathon, and I had problems: (1) The left hamstrings were tight in the beginning, but got better; and (2) Both knees started to hurt after a couple of miles, especially the right. Eventually the right knee hurt too much to run - I had to take a walk break, and then I could run again for a while.

I don’t think it was the knee joint - not even sure that it was the knee itself. It could have been a ligament inside or behind the knee, but it didn’t feel like it was in the joint itself. It could be a bursa on the outside of the knee, too - there is a little tenderness there. I don’t think it’s the ITB because it’s not quite in the right place. In any case, though, the stretches for ITB may help this problem too.

Usually I can keep up with Rich, but not today. He’s getting faster and I’m slowinng down. Ah, well.

Bison chili with onions and mustard, organic sweet potatoes with organic salsa, and chard with onions, cranberries, cashews & more:

Last Finisher

We ran the Run-A-Palooza Jersey Shore Relay Marathon, a fundraiser for Special Olympics. Not my best day, but I finished. Actually, I think I may have been the last runner to finish!

Lots of problems:

• Temperature of 45 throughout (!), which is lovely, but the wind was continuous at 20 mph, gusting to 30 or so, and rain off and on for the last hour and a half. We ran mostly straight north along the Jersey shore, and the wind was from the ENE, so it was partly in the face and always a factor. That's my only real excuse.
  
• Nursing a sore right knee, I had not run for two weeks, only walked. Maybe that's not a good way to train.
  
• That right knee hurt a little in the beginning, then calmed down. Likewise the left hip, which has recently caused problems, was mostly silent.
  
• But hip flexors on both sides (muscles connecting the thigh to the hip bones) started to yell during the second hour and didn't stop. They were a limiting factor. Gosh I thought I'd gotten past the hip-flexor problems.
  
• And the LEFT knee started to complain about halfway through and just got worse throughout. Pain on the outside, might be IT band. We did run on the right edge of a lot of crowned roads, which could cause exactly that symptom. This became a limiting pain too, even on the flat.
  

Anyway I was on schedule for a five-hour marathon until the half, then gradually slowed until I was walking (as fast as I could) but not running for the last six miles or so - just hurt too much to run. Time 5:40:05, average pace 12:58. Best I could do that day. Marathon number 50, state number 33. Seventeen more to go.

About the race:

This race is designed to raise money for Special Olympics. The emphasis is on marathon relay teams and on the accompanying half marathon. A team of one runner (like me) is allowed, but not really encouraged, and I suppose the reason is that more runners raise more money. Also, the marathoners don't all start at the same time. We were asked to estimate our pace, and then were allocated a start time, slowest runners first, I suppose so that support teams (water stations, route marshalls, and medical) could be out there for the shortest possible time.

I screwed up here, and seriously overestimated my speed (underestimated my finish time) when I registered back in February. I thought I could run 11-minute miles, maybe better, and ended up with 13-minute miles. That amounts to almost an hour in a marathon. I should have started at 8:00 am with the first group out, but was assigned to the 8:40 group instead. Because of that mistake, and because it was so miserable out that the volunteers quit, I ran behind the support. After the aid station at Mile 19 (or so) I never saw anyone associated with the race except four runners who passed me. No water, no directions (marshalls), and no medical, not even a volunteer on a bike. Zip. In fact some of the directional signs were gone, blown down I suppose, no other runners in sight, and I wasn't entirely sure of the course once or twice. There may have been water along the boardwalk if I had known how to get it, but I didn't and came in mighty thirsty.

What the race committee could do:

• Be more willing to allow people to start earlier than their assigned time. I wanted to do this, even asked, but was unable to make it happen. I know this is a problem - everyone wants to start early - but obviously, there are problems both ways.
  
• This can be made easier in a relay with the use of Velcro-attached leg-wrap chips. Then a team's actual time is known regardless when they start. They use chips for the half - why not the relay?
  
• Keep track of the last runner. Perhaps I wasn't the last to finish, I don't know, but I doubt that the race committee knew I was still out there when I arrived. The finish line was down, and inside the post-race-party building there was no indication where a runner should report, people seemed surprised, and they were quite unprepared for one more runner. A race should always keep track of the last runner. Always, for safety reasons if no other. Happily, I did find a lovely woman who did it all for me - gave me a finisher's medal and took down my time.
  

Flip Side, the Good Stuff:

• We loved running on the boardwalk, even in this exceptionally-blustery weather. My two girls ran the half, which was an out-and-back entirely along the ocean, virtually all of it on the boardwalk. They loved it. The boardwalk is a wonderful venue, goes for miles on end, and the race makes good use of it.
  
• To my surprise and delight, the boardwalk itself was in good condition for running everywhere, bar none. No tipped-up board ends, no cracked or broken boards, nothing but a smooth running surface. There was a little sand, blown in from the beach 50 feet away, but they were cleaning that up even as the wind continued to blow more in.
  
• The marathon ran on boardwalk for perhaps half its distance, and on roads near the ocean for the rest.
  
• Everything started on time, as far as I can tell, within a minute or two of advertised, even in this problematic weather.
  
• Pre-race, lots of good emails with important details.
  
• We liked getting the race shirts before the race instead of afterward. I actually wore one in the race.
  

I highly recommend this race. Do try for better weather.

The cheesy happy face is on the back of each of the medals, apparently a trademark of the Run-A-Palooza races:

Not Much Running

Friday, Apr 8, 2011:

We three walked 3.6 miles on the paved trails in the park. I felt a little problem in the right knee still, and decided not to try to run very far. Beautiful day, 60 degrees, spring is really here now. I can’t wait.


Wednesday, Apr 6:

We three had a few minutes between medical appointments in Stillwater, so we went to the outdoor 400 m track at the junior high school to run a bit. My right knee hurt a little right from the start, so I stopped after one lap. Time will tell whether this knee is really a problem, and meanwhile I will go very easy on the knee.


Sunday, Apr 5:

River Falls sports facility. We three went to UWRF to run on their 200 m indoor rubber track, open to the public from 5:00 to 10:00 pm on this particular day. Unfortunately, my right knee started to yell at about a mile, so I stopped at a mile and a quarter. No need to antagonize that knee. I’d rather run the next marathon with no additional training than with a sore knee.

Catching Up on Log Posting

Saturday, April 2, 2011

I ran in the park by myself today, the girls are still under the weather (my cold is gone) and the temperature was over 50 degrees, little wind, a beautiful afternoon to run. Got the taxes done, went out running. The grass trails are still snow trails (FIVE months straight now), so the paved trails were more appealing. I ran out of the park toward the city, turned around at a major intersection, then went past the car for another few minutes and doubled back once again. Five miles total, 50 minutes.

The right knee yelled at me as I turned slightly at an intersection to look for oncoming cars, and it kept complaining for the rest of the run. We’ll see how it is tomorrow. Except for that, it’s a masterpiece!

Friday, April 1:

Stillwater Bubble again, man is it cold in here! 33 degrees outside, not more inside if any. This thing is kept inflated by outside air, of course, so if they don’t use any heat then it’s pretty much the same as outdoors.

Five miles, fifty minutes at the usual 10-minute pace. I didn’t feel like running any sprint repeats today. I went to the dome early, ran 50 minutes, and went home. Just a little pain in the left hip (as usual I guess), otherwise fine. Nice run, I feel good, that’s 20 miles for the week. Tapering.

Wednesday, March 30:

The Woodbury Runners meet every Wednesday night at 6:00 pm (actually 6:10), have for years. I didn’t run with them in the winter, because they run on icy trails, but today a large group of old friends met for a photo shoot and ran their traditional route. I can’t keep up with most of them any more, so I ran a shorter route with Rich and Corey. Five miles in about 57 minutes - not very fast, but Rich is just starting to get ready for his next marathon. We’ll do better. Nothing hurts!

Monday, March 28:

Sixty minutes plus in the Stillwater Bubble. We picked up Jim for his last run before his long-planned trip. COLD in the dome - I don’t think they used any heat at all, so it may have been as low as 35 or so. Jim and I chatted for much of the time, ran some sprint repeats, and then he took off and ran a few miles at his speed - quite a lot faster. Good run - no pain.

Sunday, March 27:

Nice run on the indoor track at UWRF. Ten-minute miles, forty minutes, must be four miles. Slight pain in the left hip, none anywhere else.

Friday, March 25:

Another six miles in the Stillwater Bubble, this time running with Jim the whole time. We talked a lot, the “running philosophers.” Again the left hip bothered just a little most of the time, and later at home as well. I suppose I’ll bring that hip to a sports doctor sometime soon if it doesn’t go away. Otherwise it was an enjoyable run, finishing 24 miles for the week.

Thursday, March 24:

Six more miles in the Stillwater Bubble, running with Jim and then Candy. No problems except the left hip. That has turned into a chronic issue now, hurting a little most of the time while running, and even a little at home.

Tuesday, March 22:

Six gentle miles in the Stillwater Bubble today, a proper recovery run. The left hip hurt a little throughout - I haven’t yet figured out what causes that pain - something is injured, but I can’t pin it down. It’ll get better or it’ll get worse, and if worse it will be easier to locate. If better, then who cares?

A good, enjoyable run nonetheless. Snow tonight, maybe sleet. Winter apparently gets one last shot, but we’ll try to run tomorrow anyway.

Gluten-free pancake with organic yogurt, frozen organic strawberries, blueberries, mango, and pineapple, topped with a little dark chocolate:

Human Race 8k

Sunday, March 20, 2011:

The Human Race 8K Race has a long Minnesota tradition, and is one of the 13 races in the Minnesota Grand Prix circuit of races. The weather can be an issue in March, and for this year’s race we were treated to a drizzly 41 degrees. A genuinely bleak day, except for the indomitable spirits of the runners. Over 500 hardy souls showed up for the 8k this year.

My race wasn’t great, coming off a tough marathon 8 days prior, and also fighting a cold (those are my excuses and I’m sticking with ‘em). I might not have hammered as hard as I could, although I thought I was doing my best. I know that I walked less in this race than in some previous Human Races. Time 44:07, pace 8:53, 7th of 9 in my 70-74 age group.

It's so wonderful that there are eight other old farts in that age group, just wish they weren’t faster than me! One runner, Thom Weddle, finished in 34:37, pace 6:58, which is a good pace in any age group and world class at age 70+. Go Colonel Weddle!

No pains during the race, but the left hip hurt a little afterward and the quads still smarted a bit from the hilly marathon.

Splits: 9:09, 17:23 (2 mi), 9:35, 8:00, 44:07 total. I LOVE that last, downhill mile, always do best there.

Thursday, March 17:

We ran for thirty minutes on paved trails in the park, a recovery run, first since the marathon. Only a little pain in the left hip, nothing else. It’s good.


Oatmeal (upper right), miscellaneous frozen and fresh organic berries and fruits, with kefir.

Land Between the Lakes Marathon

We didn’t find the Land Between the Lakes Marathon on MarathonGuide.com, for some reason, but we found it on MarathonManiacs.com. It’s a wonderful marathon (and 23k, 60k, and 50 miles) on a beautiful trail in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in the southwestern tip of Kentucky. We found no faults, have no suggestions for the race director. The race was perfect, the course was perfect, even the weather was perfect if you like it a bit warm. I’ve never heard of another race that would allow a runner to change distances during the race, not just down to a shorter race, but up to a longer one. It’s a hang-loose group, but they get away with it because they know what they’re doing. A trail race by trail runners.

If the race was perfect, I wasn’t. Oh, man. I trained for this race as best I could, almost entirely in the Stillwater Dome. The many corners are good for ankles, knees, and hips, perhaps, but the soccer surface didn’t prepare me for the hills, and today’s course was very hilly. According to the race web site, a marathoner will gain and lose a total of 2068 feet in the 26.2 miles. If that were straight up it would be four tenths of a mile, and I have a new appreciation for that elevation change when it comes as a long series of hills and valleys, the trail strewn with leaves, roots, rocks, and the occasional stream or muddy patch. No complaint about the trail, mind you, it’s exactly what a trail should be - I love this kind of running.

It’s a lot of work, though, and every muscle hurt, especially in the last six miles, especially the quads. Those hurt enough, toward the end, to actually keep me from running downhill. Since my muscles didn’t have enough steam left to run very far uphill, I was limited to running on the level in those last miles, and there really wasn’t much level to run.

Specific bodily failures:

• Left hamstrings ached a little, off and on. Not a limiting factor.
• Right quads hurt quite a bit, especially downhill. Limiting. Sometimes it feels good to exercise a muscle to exhaustion, but these were on fire and I was a little concerned about injuring them. Left too.
• Lisfranc ligaments in the left foot started to hurt late in the race. Ho hum - it’s arthritis from an old injury.
• The left calf cramped up. I was tiptoeing past a muddy patch and lifted my left foot over a log, which triggered the cramp. Imagine standing on one foot in a slimy bog, the other foot in the air, calf cramping painfully, and cussing a blue streak at maximum volume (that actually dulls the pain a little I think - I hope). The cramp eventually subsided, of course, and that left calf actually finished the race honorably. Maybe it’s good to have it cramp up once, and get it out of it’s gristly little system.
• All muscles ran out of gas. I hadn’t trained properly for this race.

What else?:

• Time 6:08:54, marathon number 49, state number 32, second of four in age group 70+, 76th of 105 overall.
• I’m 70, and got beat by a 76-year-old from San Antonio. I hate that - not just getting beat by an older guy, but a guy from Texas to boot. Nice guy though, we chatted briefly after the race. He did have souvenirs of the race, bloody cuts on his right arm, said he fell several times.
• I didn’t fall, but came extremely close three times, each time my right foot catching on some root or other trail hazard. Why always the right? Dunno. A little foot-drop going on? I think it might help to have glasses made for running - my bifocals can’t zero in on the traps that are just a step ahead.
• I took six Clif Shot gels with caffeine somewhere along the way, and I think seven salt packets. I have no idea how much water - I had it refilled at many of the aid stations. I was SO GLAD that I decided to carry water rather than depend on aid stations alone.
• Early in the race I watched a dog-like creature race at full velocity across the trail, perhaps 75 feet in front of me. It made quite a bit of noise and was gone in seconds. Colored like a gray wolf, it was the size of a coyote, maybe a bit larger. Another runner told me that coyotes are common in the Land Between the Lakes, and wolves are seen occasionally. I think this might have been a wolf/coyote hybrid, which I know does happen. In any case, it was clearly more afraid than I was, except if it had turned around, I’d have been looking for a tree. I had actually brought a knife on the trip, perfect as a defensive weapon against wild dogs or whatever, but had finally decided not to carry it on the race. Sometimes you should trust your first instincts. I wish I knew when to do that.
• I passed a lot of runners in this race, and some passed me too, but for much of the race no one else was in view.
• All of the trail was in a deciduous forest, quite primal. I’m not good at identifying trees without their leaves, but last fall’s leaves were still on the trail and appeared to be mostly red oak, or the Kentucky equivalent, and perhaps chestnut. I’d love to see it in summer.
• The most spring-like plants were short daffodils, just coming into bloom, growing in clumps. We never decided whether they were planted by people or if they just decided to set up camp there.
• Aid stations had grapes, bananas, oranges, M&M’s, potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, bites of race bars, Hammer Gels, PB sandwiches, rollups of some kind, and more, not to mention the cheerful volunteers. As I said, this was a good marathon!
• Sunshine and Sweet Pea finished the 23k too, well ahead of me. Good for them!

The end.

Springtime in Kentucky: