Saturday, October 21st, 2006 Run: 20 Miles

It's amazing how something that flows so freely at one point can become so daunting just a few days later. It's not so much that I couldn't think of things to write, it's more that I've been having trouble finding the time to write. The morning is when I'm most productive. It's always been that way. When I was in college, it was rare that I would stay up all night to study or get something done. My mind typically becomes much less productive after 9pm. Instead, I would wake up early and get a fair amount of quality cramming done before lunch time.

It's carried over in life, too. Unlike most of my peers and compadres in the music industry, I prefer to wake up as the sun rises and knock out what I deem to be important. That said, it's not always so easy to ensure that I get up and do things. Running, too, is something I prefer to do in the morning. I believe it follows from the philosophy of "get it done early and relax later." So, with running and writing both vying for the short morning hours between when I arise and when I head into work, it's been tough to continue writing.

That said, it's early on a Sunday morning, and I'm the only person in the coffee shop near my house. I'm not running today, and therefore am able to dedicate myself to writing about my running.

Technically I've done 6 runs since I left San Francisco. All in all it was a good week for my running, though I do have some aches and pains that are indicating otherwise. The first run I completed upon return was the monstrous 20 miler. That was last Saturday, the 21st of October. I was exhausted from my trip to California, and despite the three hour time difference, I was able to get to sleep a little after 1 am (10pm California time). I surprised myself by sleeping until almost 9. However, I was still tired once I awoke, so I ventured out to find some coffee. I figured 20 miles was going to require a bit more fuel than I'm used to giving myself, so I had a small bowl of oatmeal, too.

The route I ran was a variation of the many routes that I've run during this training period. I went from my house through Rock Creek Park all the way to the 14th Street Bridge. I crossed the bridge and jumped on the Mt. Vernon trail. I only had to head out 2+ miles on the Mt. Vernon, but somehow went a bit further (which would mean that my 20 miles expired before I returned all the way to my house). Eventually I did a U-turn on the Mt. Vernon and headed back across the 14th Street Bridge. I then did the Hains Point loop. When I came out of Hains I'd begun to realize that overshooting my turn-around on the Mt. Vernon trail meant that I could alter the end of my route to accommodate the extra mileage. However, my mind was not particularly fond of changing the end of the route.

From Hains Point I typically cut through Southwest, DC, by the Fish Market and then onto the Mall (4th and Independence). From there I run just in front of the Capital before heading North and West on Pennsylvania. I could have easily cut out the jaunt through Southwest or even the portion in front of the Capital, but my mind wasn't ready for that. At this point my legs were quite tired (as was my mind), and I thought the familiarity of the route, combined with the presence of people to watch down on the National Mall, would make the finish of the run easier. It did, but after I cut North from Pennsylvania onto 7th Street and eased through Chinatown, I was disappointed to hit the 20 mile mark by the Convention Center (on 9th Street at this point) - roughly 2 miles from my house.

I'd considered continuing up 9th at the same pace I was heading, but my body really was looking forward to stopping. I stopped my run there but combined running and walking to complete the last 2 miles to the house.

I ran 20.03 miles in 2h 36m 41s at an average pace of 7:49/mile. I ran a negative split, which is how I'd like to run the marathon.

Here is the breakdown of the miles for the 20 mile run.:
Mile 1 - 8:03
Mile 2 - 8:07
Mile 3 - 8:07
Mile 4 - 8:04
Mile 5 - 7:59
Mile 6 - 7:56
Mile 7 - 7:54
Mile 8 - 7:53
Mile 9 - 7:51
Mile 10 - 7:49
Mile 11 - 7:44
Mile 12 - 7:41
Mile 13 - 7:43
Mile 14 - 7:40
Mile 15 - 7:39
Mile 16 - 7:36
Mile 17 - 7:37
Mile 18 - 7:41
Mile 19 - 7:41
Mile 20 - 7:43

The 20 miles was challenging and I really think that the 26.2 of the marathon is going to be tough. I ran a negative split on the 20 mile training run, and if I want to do the same in the marathon I will have to hold the 8+ minute/mile pace for at least the first half of the race. Form there I can gauge how I'd like to increase my pace. As a 3h 30m finish would be great, I don't want to push myself too hard, but would like to run my best race possible.

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The rest of this past week I fit in the runs necessary to stay on my training schedule. The highlight of the week was the track session that I did on Wednesday night. I got out there and did 4 x 1600 (mile repeats) at an average of 5:45 pace! I'd been immunized against Yellow Fever, Hep A (booster) and Polio that morning in preparation for my upcoming trip to Africa. The Yellow Fever shot left me feeling pretty ill for most of the day and since I had a soccer game later that night I almost decided not to head over to the track. The previous time I went from a track workout to a soccer game I felt it served as an incredible warm up period for the soccer field. Unfortunately on this Wednesday I misread what time my soccer game was and showed up to the field just as the game was ending: though my legs felt incredible!

Since I didn't play in the game on Wednesday, I got up and did a short 4 miler on Thursday. My hip and the top of my right foot seemed a bit aggravated, and I had a lot of trouble remembering that on these short, recover runs, I should really try to run more slowly. I ran this one at a 7:52 pace.

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Saturday, October 28, 2006 - 12 mile run

Yesterday I had a 12 mile run scheduled. I returned to the gym for the first time in a month (rib injury) on Friday night and then went home for a relaxing evening. I ended up in bed later than I would have liked. Like last week, I surprised myself by sleeping in until 8:30. I got up pretty quickly and was out the door by 9am.

Tired of running the exact same routes, I decided to try something a bit different. The first mile between myself and Adam's Morgan was the same, but instead of dipping down into Rock Creek Park and heading towards the Mall I went across the Calvert Street Bridge and ran north on Connecticut Avenue. I had a general idea of what my route would be like, hoping to be able to take Connecticut to Military Road, head East on Military and come back to the house via Rock Creek Park.

By the time I reached Military Road, however, I'd barely eclipsed 4 miles, far short of the 6 mile halfway point. To Turn down Military and reach Rock Creek Parkway would mean that once I got back to my exit point from the Park I would need to continue on to make up the missing mileage. So, instead of cutting over on Military, I took Connecticut all the way to the Maryland border (Chevy Chase circle). At that point I still hadn't eclipsed 6 miles. I wasn't sure how pedestrian friendly Connecticut was past the circle (I know driving it turns into a 3 lane road), so I turned around.

It was a relatively short distance back to Military Road, and instead of heading East I decided to head West towards Wisconsin Avenue. Once I got to Friendship Heights (Military and Wisconsin), I head South on Wisconsin, thinking I could take that to Massachussets and then back towards the house.

By the time I reached Massachussets Avenue, though, I didn't think I would be able to return without having to make up a bit of mileage within the neighborhood by the house. Therefore I continued down Wisconsin towards Georgetown before cutting over on P Street and finishing the run via the well traveled route of Florida to 16th Street.

I'm not entirely sure what went on with this run, but it wasn't spectacular. In fact, if I wasn't able to just chalk it up to a "bad run" I might begin to worry about my preparation for the marathon. There are a lot of things that are weird about doing 12 miles at this point in my training. For one, on the weekends I'm so used to the runs being really long (20 miles was just last week) that 12 miles SEEMS short on paper. However, 12 miles is still a good hour and half out there pounding the pavement. So, while my mind perceives it as short - it's NOT short. It is shorter, but not short.

The new route also may have contributed to an off run. Instead of tracing familiar steps and allowing my mind to flow freely, this felt more like an out of town run. I was constantly guessing and anticipating the next mile to elapse so I could figure out where to turn around. Also, the run was hilly. Heading up Connecticut from Woodley Park is almost exclusively up hill. The portion of Military between Connecticut and Wisconsin was uphill as well, and portions of Wisconsin fit that description, too. And, finally, the top of my right foot and my right hip are having some issues. Even now, almost 24 hours after the run yesterday, the top of my right foot feels bruised in some sense. The issue with my hip has been there ever since the Montreal soccer tournament (where I believe I was kicked in the hip). The problem with these small injuries is they don't necessarily prevent me from running, but they don't leave me feeling fantastic afterwards.

Nevertheless, I finished the 12 miles at roughly a 7:49 pace (I forgot to mention that I calibrated my iPod + Nike system at the track on Wednesday and I'm not sure if that changed anything). It wasn't a fantastic showing, but I am looking forward to continuing to taper my runs in preparation for the marathon. This week I have to run 4 miles tomorrow, 6 on Tuesday and 3 on Thursday. I will do 8 on Saturday (in San Diego!) and then continue to just wind down. I hope that my mind can accept that I will not be running as much.

Written Friday, October 20th while flying between San Francisco and Washington, DC.

I’ve run twice since my 10 mile run in Diamond Bar. Shortly after my run on Tuesday, myself, my friend Mark Beemer and a friend and employee of his, Patrick Martin, drove up to San Francisco. We were there to see bands, friends, friends in bands, and even have a few meetings.

We got a very reasonably priced motel room (The Ramada Limited Hotel, which is really nothing more than a 2-star motel) in the Marina district on Lombard Street. I’d initially planned to stay on my friend Vanessa’s couch, and Mark and Patrick wanted to get a room at the Phoenix, but circumstances led us to what ultimately became a great place to run.

Having skipped my file mile run on Monday, I’d planned to get in 5 miles on both Wednesday and Thursday. This would give me enough time to rest my legs Friday before my longest training run yet – 20 miles this weekend!

Tired from jet-lag, the 10 miler that morning, and the 6 hour drive up to San Francisco, I was happy that after seeing two bands at Slim’s nightclub we all wanted to get to the hotel for an early night. I called upon my touring band honed skill of quickly falling asleep in a well lit, noisy hotel room to fall asleep sometime before midnight.

Wednesday I woke up around 7am, searched my bag in the dark for my running clothes, shoes and iPod, and made my way out onto Lombard Street. I have a general familiarity with San Francisco, and had even caught a quick glimpse of a road map to indicate that there was surely park grounds to be found if I ran down Lombard street. I left the hotel at a brisk pace and within a few blocks encountered a red light. Instead of waiting patiently for the morning commuters to pass, I made a right turn and realized that water (the San Francisco Bay) lie about 10 blocks ahead. However, after only a few blocks I saw a diagonal street that would take me towards the water and in the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge.

By the time I hit the intersection of Bay Street (the diagonal I had taken) and Marina (the last major street before the water) I’d eclipsed one mile. My legs were anything but fresh, but the surroundings were invigorating. I ran down the “land” side of Marina street. I wasn’t sure I wanted to cross busy Marina Street (which fed certain Golden Gate Bridge traffic into the city), though there was a nice running path on the other side. Quickly I found myself at an on ramp to the Golden Gate Bridge. Remembering Beemer saying the day before that he possibly wanted to walk across the Bridge during our stay in SF I followed the sidewalk a few steps up the on ramp. The thought of running across the Golden Gate Bridge that morning was fascinating. However, within a few steps the sidewalk came to an end. I turned around and made a right (heading North) by the Exploratorium, hoping it would lead me into, what I remembered from the map, would be Golden Gate Park.

The small road by the Exploratorium paralleled another artery from the Golden Gate Bridge into the city and eventually I found myself back at Lombard Street. I made a right (heading West) which put me much further along my initial path towards the Park. I crossed the busy thoroughfare and quickly found myself at the entrance to the Presidio. I realized that I’d misread the map, but was happy to be in some sort of parkland.

I ran within the confines of the old military base - conjuring up memories: of growing up on bases only a fraction as beautiful, of the Harrison Ford movie “The Presidio” and of the part of Dean Kazantes book “Ultramarathon Man” where he encounters a few military men training for the Western States Endurance 100 miler run.

The weather was magical and the run was great. Eventually I hit the midway point to my 5 mile run, but I instead of opting to turn around and assuredly cover 2.5 more miles, I made my up a very steep hill within the old base. There were a few other runners and a couple of cyclists making their way up the steep incline, too. My legs were surely “feeling it” by the time I made it three-quarters of the way up. At the crest of the road, I stopped at a strategically placed overlook to consult a map of the park to map my route back to the hotel.

I made my turn one road shy of where I was supposed to, but this led me onto a mulch covered path. As I made my way down the trail I imagined myself mountain biking the same trail. It was as wide as a normal sidewalk, not the single track I love while biking, but there were enough exposed roots along the path to picture launching into the air while speeding down the trail. There was a large expanse of grass next to the trail at the bottom where I woman sat watching her dog. Then I made my way up the other side, past a nice community garden and eventually reached Presidio Lane. I headed down that path along a skinnier mulch covered path. The entire path and road were under the cover of giant trees, which made for a very secluded feeling. Though there was traffic along the roads within the Presidio, it still had a very sweet park feel to it.

As I exited the park via the same route I’d entered I heard the voice indicating I’d covered my 5 miles and my workout had ended. I made my way onto Lombard Street and completed one more mile of running by the time I reached Buchanan Street, the cross street closest to the hotel.

All in all the run was good. It was very nice to run in such a beautiful environment. Though my legs were tired, it was nice to be challenged by the hills mid way through the workout.

Wednesday night Mark, Patrick and myself made our way to the show of one of the bands I work with, Strike Anywhere. After the show the club left the bar open and we stayed pretty late to party prior to the Strike boys needing to take off for an overnight drive to Portland. We made our way to the wonderful Mission district of San Francisco for a very late night burrito. By the time we made it to the hotel and went to bed it was after 3am.

The combination of the alcohol and a full stomach made for a pretty lackluster night of sleep. By 9am I was wide awake and had no desire to run. I realized that often times running allows me to aid the cure of a hangover, but having covered 16 miles of running the past two days combined with a lengthy hike Mark and I had completed in Marin the day before told me to take a day off. As I’ve mentioned before, I like to adhere to schedules, so I was a tad disappointed that I wasn’t going to knock out another 5 miles.

We had to go out for another round of show going and partying last night. Though this show was at the same club and we ended it with late night burritos, the events between did anything but conjure up notions of déjà vu. I dind’t drink as much, but the burrito seemed to sit much heavier than the night before, so I awoke at 8am with a horrible stomach ache. I cleared that problem and then donned my shoes and headed out into another amazing San Francisco morning.

Our luck with weather during our three day stay was quite rare for October. Each day the sky was cloudless and of a perfect blue hue. The temperature in the morning was in the mid to high sixties and the air was clear. I intended to only go four miles, as I wanted to retain as much life in my legs for tomorrow’s 20 miler. However, by the time I’d made it back to the intersection of Marina and Bay, I changed my goal to run as close to the Golden Gate bridge as possible.

This time I crossed Marina Street and followed the trail to the right of the Golden Gate Bridge on-ramp. Rightfully so there were a lot of other runners out and shortly after the bridge on-ramp the path turned from pavement to a hard sand sprinkled trail. In addition to runners there were multiple groups of women out doing morning training routines. Like the stay-at-home mothers that seemed to be everywhere along Chestnut Street’s promenade in the Marina neighborhood, these women seemed to have little worries or urgency to be anywhere. They were simply up early enjoying the weather with friends and staying in shape. Oh the life!

As I ran towards the Golden Gate bridge I wished I had a longer run to complete. From reviewing the map during the course of our stay in San Francisco I knew the trail would eventually lead under the bridge and lead from the waters of the San Francisco Bay to those of the Pacific Ocean. One of the reasons I’d wanted to fly home today was to ensure I’d feel comfortable with the terrain of my 20 mile run on Saturday. I couldn’t think of a better environment than the trail I was on this morning. 2.5 miles had been covered and I was still shy of the bridge itself. Though I wanted to eclipse the threshold of the structure, I didn’t want to push my legs any further than 5 miles. I turned around and realized that entire San Francisco skyline lay within my sight.

I took in the beauty of the buildings, Alcatraz Island and the Bay Bridge. The morning was again magnificent. The entire time Mark and I had traversed the city and it’s surroundings, we joked that any place “on vacation” can seem amazing. He said his philosophy was “once you receive a utility bill in a city the magic is over.” As I transitioned from the sand packed path back to concrete and the sidewalk of Marina Street I wished I was returning to a Marina neighborhood apartment to pay a utility bill.

Instead of returning the length of Marina to Bay, I cut over to Chestnut and ran there until I reached the shopping Promenade. I stopped at 4.6 miles to get a 1.5L bottle of water from Walgreens, a medium sized Peet’s Coffee and a peanut butter and jelly bagel from Noah’s. I felt good during the entire run, probably benefiting from the rest on Thursday. I hope that when I awake tomorrow I also feel good, and that I didn’t expunge my first 4.5 miles of fresh legs by running the day before my long run. Only tomorrow will tell.

Running in San Francisco reinvigorated me. Aside from my rain drenched 18 miler a few weeks ago I have yet to need my gardening gloves or rarely even a long sleeved shirt. I’m hoping the good weather holds for the next few weeks and that marathon morning in the Outerbanks is as gorgeous as many of my runs have been thus far.

Written Tuesday, October 17th, while sitting in a van driving up I-5 from LA to San Francisco.

Traveling always presents unique challenges to those of us who workout and train. Countless magazines always seem to have recommendations for quick workouts that can be done in hotel rooms. The majority of the travel I have done so many times in my life involved driving for hours on end. If we were lucky enough to get a hotel room, it was usually checking in after midnight and getting up and out quite early. I surely attempted to make time for running, even when time was short. The mental and physical boost running gives me has always been worth making sacrifices (usually sleep) for, but it can still be very tough to motivate myself at times.

I flew into Los Angeles yesterday and was picked up by my friend Mark Beemer and a guy he works with, Patrick. Beemer needed to run an errand down in Orange, CA, and then needed to make it to a meeting down in Carlsbad. I was more or less out of it from the exhausting weekend, and without any real plans in Los Angeles, I agreed that it was no problem to go. However, it meant that in addition to spending 7 hours flying and laying over yesterday, I would spend an additional 3+ hours sitting in the front seat of Mark’s Sprinter van.

We made it to our hotel around 6pm, California time. I contemplated jumping on the treadmill for a short run, but reconsidered. I figured the day off would help me recover from the 14 mile run Saturday and the soccer game Sunday. When I awoke this morning to go for my 10 miler, I was glad I’d opted against a quick jaunt at the hotel.

Running in unfamiliar places can either be very invigorating or quite frustrating. I’ve been fortunate to run amidst some really great cities. I’ve traveled Europe extensively with bands and waking up in Paris, Stockholm or Berlin can be a treat. I can easily combine a good workout with a sightseeing tour. Waking up in Diamond Bar, California, a tad jet-lagged, did not make for an inspiration to move me out the door very quickly.

I knew the endorphin release and the accomplishment of adhering to my running routine would make me feel better, so I strapped on my shoes and my iPod and headed out the door. I mentally prepared for an out and back run, but after the 2nd mile out on the lonesome city street I was on I began to re-evaluate. Instead, I decided I’d turn around at the 3 mile mark, returning half of the distance I’d just covered, and head up a different street that looked like there was more to “look at.”

All there really was were strip mall stores, but that kept me a tad more entertained than the middle class neighborhoods I was running by on the road I’d started out on. It can be very daunting, mentally, to not have a planned route for the distance you’re supposed to cover. The iPod came in handy because it alerted me as each mile passed. However, always hoping and expecting another mile to pass can prove more exhausting than just knowing that you have 4 or 5 miles to go while running a well known route.

Nevertheless, I was able to calculate what it would take to complete the entire run and stop a half mile short of the hotel start point. My finish line would be a Target store, where I could stock up on less than 3 oz travel toiletries. The not-exactly-an-out-and-back philosophy burned me just a bit, as I had to pass the Target by .25 miles and turn around to end in it’s parking lot.

Overall I ran 10.03 miles in 1 hour 17 minutes and 09 seconds for an average pace of 7:41 minute/mile.

Written on Tuesday, October 17:

Traveling always presents unique challenges to those of us who workout and train. Countless magazines always seem to have recommendations for quick workouts that can be done in hotel rooms. The majority of the travel I have done so many times in my life involved driving for hours on end. If we were lucky enough to get a hotel room, it was usually checking in after midnight and getting up and out quite early. I surely attempted to make time for running, even when time was short. The mental and physical boost running gives me has always been worth making sacrifices (usually sleep) for, but it can still be very tough to motivate myself at times.

I flew into Los Angeles yesterday and was picked up by my friend Mark Beemer and a guy he works with, Patrick. Beemer needed to run an errand down in Orange, CA, and then needed to make it to a meeting down in Carlsbad. I was more or less out of it from the exhausting weekend, and without any real plans in Los Angeles, I agreed that it was no problem to go. However, it meant that in addition to spending 7 hours flying and laying over yesterday, I would spend an additional 3+ hours sitting in the front seat of Mark’s Sprinter van.

We made it to our hotel around 6pm, California time. I contemplated jumping on the treadmill for a short run, but reconsidered. I figured the day off would help me recover from the 14 mile run Saturday and the soccer game Sunday. When I awoke this morning to go for my 10 miler, I was glad I’d opted against a quick jaunt at the hotel.

Running in unfamiliar places can either be very invigorating or quite frustrating. I’ve been fortunate to run amidst some really great cities. I’ve traveled Europe extensively with bands and waking up in Paris, Stockholm or Berlin can be a treat. I can easily combine a good workout with a sightseeing tour. Waking up in Diamond Bar, California, a tad jet-lagged, did not make for an inspiration to move me out the door very quickly.

I knew the endorphin release and the accomplishment of adhering to my running routine would make me feel better, so I strapped on my shoes and my iPod and headed out the door. I mentally prepared for an out and back run, but after the 2nd mile out on the lonesome city street I was on I began to re-evaluate. Instead, I decided I’d turn around at the 3 mile mark, returning half of the distance I’d just covered, and head up a different street that looked like there was more to “look at.”

All there really was were strip mall stores, but that kept me a tad more entertained than the middle class neighborhoods I was running by on the road I’d started out on. It can be very daunting, mentally, to not have a planned route for the distance you’re supposed to cover. The iPod came in handy because it alerted me as each mile passed. However, always hoping and expecting another mile to pass can prove more exhausting than just knowing that you have 4 or 5 miles to go while running a well known route.

Nevertheless, I was able to calculate what it would take to complete the entire run and stop a half mile short of the hotel start point. My finish line would be a Target store, where I could stock up on less than 3 oz travel toiletries. The not-exactly-an-out-and-back philosophy burned me just a bit, as I had to pass the Target by .25 miles and turn around to end in it’s parking lot.

Overall I ran 10.03 miles in 1 hour 17 minutes and 09 seconds for an average pace of 7:41 minute/mile.

From Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Traveling always presents unique challenges to those of us who workout and train. Countless magazines always seem to have recommendations for quick workouts that can be done in hotel rooms. The majority of the travel I have done so many times in my life involved driving for hours on end. If we were lucky enough to get a hotel room, it was usually checking in after midnight and getting up and out quite early. I surely attempted to make time for running, even when time was short. The mental and physical boost running gives me has always been worth making sacrifices (usually sleep) for, but it can still be very tough to motivate myself at times.

I flew into Los Angeles yesterday and was picked up by my friend Mark Beemer and a guy he works with, Patrick. Beemer needed to run an errand down in Orange, CA, and then needed to make it to a meeting down in Carlsbad. I was more or less out of it from the exhausting weekend, and without any real plans in Los Angeles, I agreed that it was no problem to go. However, it meant that in addition to spending 7 hours flying and laying over yesterday, I would spend an additional 3+ hours sitting in the front seat of Mark’s Sprinter van.

We made it to our hotel around 6pm, California time. I contemplated jumping on the treadmill for a short run, but reconsidered. I figured the day off would help me recover from the 14 mile run Saturday and the soccer game Sunday. When I awoke this morning to go for my 10 miler, I was glad I’d opted against a quick jaunt at the hotel.

Running in unfamiliar places can either be very invigorating or quite frustrating. I’ve been fortunate to run amidst some really great cities. I’ve traveled Europe extensively with bands and waking up in Paris, Stockholm or Berlin can be a treat. I can easily combine a good workout with a sightseeing tour. Waking up in Diamond Bar, California, a tad jet-lagged, did not make for an inspiration to move me out the door very quickly.

I knew the endorphin release and the accomplishment of adhering to my running routine would make me feel better, so I strapped on my shoes and my iPod and headed out the door. I mentally prepared for an out and back run, but after the 2nd mile out on the lonesome city street I was on I began to re-evaluate. Instead, I decided I’d turn around at the 3 mile mark, returning half of the distance I’d just covered, and head up a different street that looked like there was more to “look at.”

All there really was were strip mall stores, but that kept me a tad more entertained than the middle class neighborhoods I was running by on the road I’d started out on. It can be very daunting, mentally, to not have a planned route for the distance you’re supposed to cover. The iPod came in handy because it alerted me as each mile passed. However, always hoping and expecting another mile to pass can prove more exhausting than just knowing that you have 4 or 5 miles to go while running a well known route.

Nevertheless, I was able to calculate what it would take to complete the entire run and stop a half mile short of the hotel start point. My finish line would be a Target store, where I could stock up on less than 3 oz travel toiletries. The not-exactly-an-out-and-back philosophy burned me just a bit, as I had to pass the Target by .25 miles and turn around to end in it’s parking lot.

Overall I ran 10.03 miles in 1 hour 17 minutes and 09 seconds for an average pace of 7:41 minute/mile.

Traveling always presents unique challenges to those of us who workout and train. Countless magazines always seem to have recommendations for quick workouts that can be done in hotel rooms. The majority of the travel I have done so many times in my life involved driving for hours on end. If we were lucky enough to get a hotel room, it was usually checking in after midnight and getting up and out quite early. I surely attempted to make time for running, even when time was short. The mental and physical boost running gives me has always been worth making sacrifices (usually sleep) for, but it can still be very tough to motivate myself at times.

I flew into Los Angeles yesterday and was picked up by my friend Mark Beemer and a guy he works with, Patrick. Beemer needed to run an errand down in Orange, CA, and then needed to make it to a meeting down in Carlsbad. I was more or less out of it from the exhausting weekend, and without any real plans in Los Angeles, I agreed that it was no problem to go. However, it meant that in addition to spending 7 hours flying and laying over yesterday, I would spend an additional 3+ hours sitting in the front seat of Mark’s Sprinter van.

We made it to our hotel around 6pm, California time. I contemplated jumping on the treadmill for a short run, but reconsidered. I figured the day off would help me recover from the 14 mile run Saturday and the soccer game Sunday. When I awoke this morning to go for my 10 miler, I was glad I’d opted against a quick jaunt at the hotel.

Running in unfamiliar places can either be very invigorating or quite frustrating. I’ve been fortunate to run amidst some really great cities. I’ve traveled Europe extensively with bands and waking up in Paris, Stockholm or Berlin can be a treat. I can easily combine a good workout with a sightseeing tour. Waking up in Diamond Bar, California, a tad jet-lagged, did not make for an inspiration to move me out the door very quickly.

I knew the endorphin release and the accomplishment of adhering to my running routine would make me feel better, so I strapped on my shoes and my iPod and headed out the door. I mentally prepared for an out and back run, but after the 2nd mile out on the lonesome city street I was on I began to re-evaluate. Instead, I decided I’d turn around at the 3 mile mark, returning half of the distance I’d just covered, and head up a different street that looked like there was more to “look at.”

All there really was were strip mall stores, but that kept me a tad more entertained than the middle class neighborhoods I was running by on the road I’d started out on. It can be very daunting, mentally, to not have a planned route for the distance you’re supposed to cover. The iPod came in handy because it alerted me as each mile passed. However, always hoping and expecting another mile to pass can prove more exhausting than just knowing that you have 4 or 5 miles to go while running a well known route.

Nevertheless, I was able to calculate what it would take to complete the entire run and stop a half mile short of the hotel start point. My finish line would be a Target store, where I could stock up on less than 3 oz travel toiletries. The not-exactly-an-out-and-back philosophy burned me just a bit, as I had to pass the Target by .25 miles and turn around to end in it’s parking lot.

Overall I ran 10.03 miles in 1 hour 17 minutes and 09 seconds for an average pace of 7:41 minute/mile.

I subscribe to Runner’s World. I’m not exactly sure if I got the subscription myself or if someone sent it to me, but I get pretty excited when it shows up each month. Contained within are snippets of motivation that keep me both excited and informed about not only my running and training but that of others, too.

The cover man of the latest issue is Lance Armstrong. Retired from the world of professional cycling, Lance is ready to tackle the marathon. He’s unsure how he’ll fare, but the story within contained a number of expert’s opinions on what time the 7 time Tour de France champion will need to complete 26.2 miles.

I haven’t really followed Lance and his obvious domination of the cycling world. I haven’t formed my own opinion on whether or not he was a doper. But I do remember reading an interview with him where he said that he liked both beer and wine. In that same interview he talked about how he had to abstain from both during his lengthy 9 month training periods.

I’m well into my the training for my third marathon. Before I started this one I’d considered giving up drinking once again. I drank only a bit before my first marathon and don’t really remember how much or often I imbibed during last year’s training. This year, however, I surely didn’t go the route of teetotaler. I’ve kept a pretty active social lifestyle, which quite often has involved a couple of drinks.

Friday night it involved a LOT of drinks. I flew up to Boston to visit a couple of the bands that I manage who were out on tour together. I had no intentions of wreaking the kind of havoc that ensued by night’s end. However, I did. I had a great time, though bits and pieces from the last few hours of the evening I can hardly recall.

I fell asleep around 4am Friday night and had to wake up at 7am to go to the airport. I squeamishly survived the flight and wondered if my blood alcohol content could have been over limit (something I would have never considered before – usually thinking that a night’s sleep, no matter how short, is enough time for one to go from drunk to sober – until I spent a few weeks this summer in Sweden, where the limits are much, much lower than the US) for driving.

When I got home around noon my roommate and a friend who was crashing on the couch both commented that I reeked of alcohol. I was a bit disturbed by that fact, because even though I did not feel 100%, I surely didn’t think that I was still a walking barrel of whiskey. Robert, the house guest, who is training for the Seattle Marathon at the end of November, and I were scheduled to do a 12-14 mile run that day.

I was feeling bad enough (sleep deprivation alone would’ve been a cause for concern) that I went to bed for another hour. When I awoke around 1pm I still felt bad. I’ve never been one to get really bad hangovers, nor have I been one to let a drinking lifestyle affect all of the other things that I have going on. It’s probably this thought process that’s allowed me to continue to drink while training.

Luckily the weather in DC was what I’ve come to expect from fantastic fall days: an immaculate blue, cloudless sunny sky with a cool breeze and temperatures in the mid sixties. Robert and I each decided to leave the house with long sleeve poly pro shirts. Just a few steps from the house I almost felt that this was a mistake, the warm sun shone down and warmed me quite quickly. I’m usually quite stubborn when it comes to my choice of outfits, meaning once I’ve taken off from the house I stick with what I have on. The consequences are rarely dire, though the potential for being uncomfortable is far greater as the length of the run increases.

I chose one of my favorite routes for the 14 miles – from my house down to the Capital, around Hains Point and then return along Rockcreek Parkway. While we were almost at the awakening statue on Hains Point (which has been featured in a series of national running advertisements recently) I asked Robert if he’d ever been there. He reminded that the one time he had been there was last year when he and our buddy Chris came out to run alongside me for the second half of the Marine Corps Marathon. The weather during this run was just as beautiful and perfect as it had been that day.

The effects of the previous night’s activities were really beginning to affect me about halfway through the run. Robert wasn’t feeling particularly well either, so I was once again forced during a long run to make my mind convince my body that finishing was possible. Once we came out of Hains Point and had almost 5 miles remaining, my mind was set on having the run completed. I was dehydrated with a couple of cramps and even my upper thighs (just below where they join the hips) were feeling quite sore (a soreness I’ve had on quite a few runs this season). Though the final 4.5 miles was very long, it was all very familiar. In fact, it was the exact same 4.5 miles that I ran during the previous week’s 18 mile rain laden, sleep deprived long run. The familiarity allowed me to easily pick mental goals along the way. “Okay, here comes the stretch along the Potomac.” “The next part is not covered by shade and is right by the road, but once you round the curve it’s quite a nice stretch.” “It’s probably only 2 miles left until the huge hill coming out of the zoo.” Each and every one of these reminders were small motivators towards finishing the entire run. That, in and of itself, was a pretty big accomplishment.

Following the run I briefly stretched and took a shower. After that, my body really began to show that it was not a fan of my actions. The drinking or the running alone are pretty abusive. To combine the two completely polar extremes was a shock the body wasn’t ready for. I plan to do my very, very best to avoid putting myself through such a process ever again.

I talked to my buddy Chris yesterday, a day after the run. He told me that he “crushed” his 14 mile run (a saying he said he took from me, much earlier in the training schedule, before my long runs became challenges for reasons other than just the distance covered) and was excited about the race. He did inform me that he was planning on slowing his goal to a 3:45 instead of the 3:30 we had initially set for ourselves. I am unclear what my strategy is going to be. As Chris reminded me, “we have a big week coming up this week,” (10 miles on Tuesday, a few other 5 mile runs and then 20 on the weekend). I plan to re-assess my goal for the race after the 20 miler, but intuition tells me I will start out running 8 minute miles (3:30 pace) for the first 13 and then see if I think I can put it into overdrive and finish with anything below that. And, as for the big week, I am traveling in California all this week and am not entirely sure when, where and how I will be able to get all of my runs in. Stay tuned.

I just got back from the run I needed to do. It was a bit over 4 miles. I ran, stretched momentarily, took out the trash and the recycling, grabbled a bowl of cereal and some orange juice and then sat down at the computer. On my long runs a lot of times I've begun to think what I will write about when I get back to the computer. Of course, what I was thinking about at mile 6 has usually long since disappeared by the time I've run 10 more miles, stretched, showered, eaten and gotten along with my daily business.

Today I wanted to sit down almost immediately in order to relay the discomfort that existed while on this run. In addition to my rib flaring with pain, my right hip and my left knee were bothering me as well. The 4 miles did not feel great, but they didn't kill me either. In fact, I don't believe that I feel any worse now than I would have had I not run. So I'm faced with a bit of a dilemma. My daily runs are supposed to be a reprieve from the grind of daily life. They are supposed to be enjoyable and invigorating. If my body is aching while I run, is it going to help or hinder?

I'm still convinced that the release of the endorphins that occurs while running, even if masked by a tad bit of pain, is more beneficial to me than not running would be.

That said, I did 4.21 miles at a 7:39 minute/mile pace for a total of 32:18 time logged and 523 Calories burned.

I'm starting to battle a small amount of depression. I'm acutely aware of its cause, but it's very hard to combat. I lead an above normal active lifestyle. Some people run, others go to the gym, others cycle to work and still others play recreational soccer a few times per week; I do them all. However, because of the injury I sustained to my rib a bit over a week ago, I've had to dramatically curb my physical activity. This has left me feeling underworked, physically, which leaves me unstable, mentally.

Yesterday was the worst of it, and today I will attempt to climb back out of it. I'd wanted to write an update to my blog both Monday and Tuesday, but I was not able to muster the words. Monday was Columbus day. I had intended to go on a bike ride with a friend that always pushes my physical limits on two wheels. I was looking forward to the exerted feelings my body is left with after a strong ride. The weather was perfect and I was excited about not pounding the pavement. Biking, I assumed, would give my rib a bit of reprieve.

In the string of bad luck I'd encountered a few weeks ago, the front wheel to my road bike had been taken. I ordered a few replacement parts and my riding buddy held the missing pieces necessary to reassemble my machine. The problem is, come Monday morning, my riding buddy had become radio silent. I reached out a few times during the morning, but by 10am I'd lost hope that we would be able to convene and go.

The morning was a beautiful one and I knew that the weather could not be wasted. Over the weekened, while in St. Louis, I'd received a text message inquiring about my desire to head out for a hike on Monday. I'd politely declined in favor of the biking. With that out of the question, I quickly attempted to re-instate the plans to hike.

Washington, DC, is about an hour and half to two hours from Shenandoah National Park. The discrepancy in time lies in whether or not you encounter traffic, which trailhead you're driving too and how fast you actually drive to get there. There are two staple hikes that I usually call upon - Old Rag and Whiteoak Canyon. They are two very different hikes, but neither of them seem to grow old. Of course, if I were to find the time to make the trip west to the mountains a bit more often, I'd have to add a few more circuits to my repertoire.

We decided on Old Rag and left DC around 11:30am. We did encounter a bit of traffice on I-66. Construction on a holiday can be very bad. It added at least 30 minutes to our trip, but I kept reminding myself that the entire point of the hike was to head out and have a relaxed day. The weather was fantastic: sunny and 75 degrees with a bright blue, cloudless sky. Once we surpassed the construction we exited the interstate and hit the smaller highways. The wind from the open windows whisked our hair and cooled our faces. It's amazing how a relatively short car ride from the city can transfer you to such an open and enjoyable place.

Old Rag is one of the most famous hikes in the Shenandoah. It affords the best views and after hiking on a tree covered switchback trail for a mile and half you get to the boulder scramble. The first time I ever hiked Old Rag I encountered a hiker shortly before that portion of the hike. He informed myself and my hiking companion that just up ahead was the boulder scramble - "people love that part." Ever since then, it's been an inside joke of sorts.

Seeing as it was a holiday and we were one of the last cars to reach the almost completely full parking area, it should have come to no surprise that there was a "traffic jam" at the start of the boulder scramble. To the uninitiated, the boulder scramble portion of the hike involves approximately a mile of walking, climbing and slithering over, under and around gigantic rocks. The maze of rocks is not constant. It is common to propel yourself up and over a set of balanced boulders and then find yourself, once again, hiking on a singletrack trail. The traffic jam occurs because some people have a harder time maneuvering portions of the fallen boulders. While they are struggling to negotiate their way, others are left to watch and wait.

It wasn't horrible by any means, and some of the back ups occurred at places that imparted magnificent views. Having hiked throughout the western United States and in Alaska, I have an adjusted judgement of what qualifies as magnificent on the east coast. In the grand scheme of things I would much rather be on top of a mountain in Colorado or Wyoming, staring out at other peaks and the expanse of valleys and flat lands below. The views in the Shenandoah are different, yet still inspiring. In the more than 10 times I've hiked Old Rag, today provided the clearest skies and the ability to see the furthest. In addition, the leaves had begun to expunge their cholorphyll and change colors. The height of leave changing season probably isn't for another couple of weeks, but the hint of what is to come was there - and it was on rolling hills as far as the eye could see.

The boulder scramble was fun, but the pulling motions with my arms combined with the impact of having to jump or lower myself down from certain perches on the trail began to agitate my injured rib. I'd hoped that the activities of the day would allow my rib to rest while simultaneously engaging my body physically. I'm quickly reminding myself that what I discovered about rib injuries a couple of years ago still stands: everything active affects it in some way.

At the top of the climb we rested and relaxed. It took us a bit under 2 hours to climb the 3+ miles to the top. We sat on one of the highest boulders on the mountain and let the wind cool our sweaty backs and brows. The sun shined bright onto our faces. The weather could not have been better. Any hotter or more humid would have had us sweating much more profusely. Any cooler would have had our bodies inginiting goose bumps. What makes hikes all the more rewarding is that there is no paltry way to the top - you've got to be willing to exert yourself physically to reap these rewards!

The back half of the hike is a lot easier than the way up. After the scramble, the 4+ miles back to the parking lot can seem a bit dull. However, I like to use that time to appreciate the beauty of the scenery. 2 miles down is on a trail and then you hit an almost flat ground fire road for the remainder. The fire road parallels a canyon stream and the noise it emits relaxs and soothes.

As we descended I was talking with my buddy, explaining to him how the injured rib affects my normal routine of physical activity. We also talked about ultra marathoners, triatheletes and other "extreme" athletes. I joked that sometimes I feel that I do almost everything I can physically and it amazes me that there are people that do things on a more extensive and intense level. My mind always begins to wander if I have it in me to make that step at any point in my life.

The ride home was relaxing, too, but my agitated rib was causing me discomfort. I wondered how it would feel the following day.

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Tuesday, October 10, 2006

I awoke on Tuesday very sore in the ribs. The injury tends to intensify in the mornings and evenings. It hurts to sit up in bed, cough, laugh, move quickly and sometimes it hurts to just go about your daily activities. Tuesday it seemed to hurt more than Monday, so I'd really flirted with the idea of scrapping the 9 mile run for the day. After the hike on Monday I went to the 9:30 club to see Built to Spill when I should have been catching up on sleep from the weekend in St. Louis. I knew I wasn't going to get up at 6:30 to complete the run before my weekly breakfast with Jason at 9. So, for all intents and purposes I'd acquised to the idea of not running.

I am a man that likes scheduling and structure. There are times when I prefer to throw all of that out of the window, but when it comes to learning, studying or training I like to have an order to my operation. Whether the structure or plan is correct or not is besides the point; I want to follow something. So, to miss a day of training was already beginning to bug me by the time I'd finished breakfast.

We were again adorned with a beautiful day. After weighing over the options in my head, I determined that strapping on the shoes and heading out, no matter how painful, would be better for me than to skip the run. Thankfully the first few steps were less painful than the ones on Sunday's run. In fact, after the first mile, I was feeling pretty good. As I kept pushing myself I wasn't noticing any pain. My legs were a bit tired overall. I kept thinking that I was probably running a faster pace than the iPod + Nike system was telling me, but a lot of that could have very well been from the long run on Friday, the run Sunday and then the lengthy hike Monday.

I did the 9 mile run at a 7:40/mile average pace and felt great afterwards. A lot of thoughts in regards to my injury, my running and life in general passed through my mind. I was tired and a bit tight following the jaunt. I was glad that I had gone for it, though. My rib hurt afterwards, but I'm not sure that it would have hurt any less had I not gone for the run. It's just something that I am going to have to deal with, unfortunately.

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Wednesday is typically the day for track workouts, but I decided to skip last night's. I had a soccer game following it, and had hoped that would be enough to ignite my body, physically. A few weeks ago I did a track workout and by the time I reached the soccer field I felt more incredible than ever before. The near sprinting prior to going out on the field really had my heart pumping and my legs loose. Last night was a different story.

I arrived almost at game time and didn't properly warm up. None of us ever do. It's recreational soccer and we all lace up our boots, kick the ball around for a bit, and then start the game. If I were to discipline myself to jog, stretch and even sprint before the game, I'm sure that I would benefit from performance during the game. Here, however, is where the double edge sword rears its head. I showed up to the game feeling a bit "off." My rib was already sore and the thought of moving and getting warmed up wasn't appealing. I'd rather just get out there in the heat of the moment and go for it.

That's essentially what I ended up doing, and it left me with mixed results. My rib hurt almost the entire time I was on the field. The pounding of the cleats on the turf sent jolts to my torso. I was able to get warmed up, but the substitution sequence left me on the sideline for lengthy portions of both the first and second halfs. I'd sacrificed a track workout in favor of running around for 75-90 minutes on the field. In the end, I probably played 45 minutes total. Though we won a relatively easy game 4-1, I left the field feeling defeated both physically and mentally.

I want to be able to maintain my normal exercise routine. I like running 5 mornings a week, doing a track workout, hitting the gym at lunch, biking to work and playing soccer a couple of times a week. All of that takes a bit of motivation at times, but I know that I am going to leave feeling better physically and more accomplished mentally. Now, I'm trying to find some sort of balance, a medium. I want to be able to continue to run, but want to provide rest to my rib, so I skip the gym (all of the sit ups and other movements I assume will cause more pain). My preferred bike has been out of commission and my schedule for work has allowed me drive in or work from home. All in all, I'm facing a mental challenge that I wasn't prepared to deal with at this stage in my marathon training. I am attempting to see it as another fued I must tackle in the long road to accomplishment. At times, though, it feels like nothing more than an unwanted burden.

That said, it's Thursday morning and I need to log 5 miles. It hurts to move and sit up, but if Tuesday taught me anything, I've got to play through the pain!

After the struggling run on Friday and travel out to St. Louis, I gladly took a day off Saturday. I have a bit of a sickness, however, and almost wished that at some point I could fit in a run. Luckily for my legs, I never found the time.

Sunday was a different story. I awoke relatively early. I was still tired but was unable to talk my mind into going back to sleep. Megan and I had slept on a blow up mattress on her friend's living room floor. It held the majority of the air through the night, but I was unable to remain asleep past 7am. I opened a book that I've been reading and waited for the temperature outside to warm up.

The sun was shining through the living room shades, and by about 9am I was anxious to get outside. Megan's friends live across from Forest Park in St. Louis. The day before we'd done a brief driving tour of the very large park. From that I could see that it was a great local spot for running and biking. There was a trail that went around the perimeter of the park, and that's where I was going to jog.

I wanted to go about 5 miles, and had no clue how far one loop would be. It almost didn't matter, because the first step I took shot a significant pain straight to my rib. I winced but was sure the pain would dissipate once I warmed up. I was right, though it never went away. Each time my left foot connected with the ground the soreness was agitated.

I'm not entirely sure what caused this run to hurt my rib more than the 18 miles on Friday. Maybe the recovery from that run made it more sore. It also could have been two nights on the air mattress? None of it truly matters. I am capable of running, which is good, but I am going to sustain a bit of pain, which is bad.

The run itself was nice. My legs were a tad tired as well. I ran those 18 miles at a pretty quick pace, and I know my legs were feeling the effects. Nevertheless, the beauty of the crisp fall air and the scenery of the park were enough to keep me huffing and puffing along. The circumference turned out to be 5.36 miles, and I averaged about a 7:47 pace.

I don't remember if it's from the 80's movie Boyz in the Hood, the rap group NWA or some other old school source, but I could swear I remember seeing or hearing a mock commercial that was hyping the Army which said "we do more before 6am than most nigg*s do in their entire lifetime." I also remember hearing that people from the music community that I grew up in would replace the urban slang word nigg*a with vegan. Though it's a round about method of getting there, I felt like that today I was going to do more before 6 in the morning than most vegans do in their entire lifetime.

Today I'm taking a trip. I have to leave my house by about 9:30 am. I also had to run 18 miles in order to free myself from a long running commitment this weekend. Though I've run in many of the greatest cities in the world, I didn't want to burden myself or the people I'm staying with to ensure I'd have a good run. In fact, I figured I could have much better control of all the things necessary to have a good, long run.

Boy was I mistaken. I'm having a few issues in life, some really major ones, that are causing me anxiousness. After going to sleep around 11:15 last night I awoke at 2am. I've never been a person who has trouble falling asleep. Instead, my insomnia comes on the backside. When something's on my mind, there's little to no chance of me sleeping in. However, today was an extreme example. Not sleeping in can at times mean waking up between 5 and 6am. Unless I'm suffering from severe jet lag, 2am is unheard of.

My alarm was set for 5:30am. I wanted to get out of the house by 5:45am and hopefully be back by 8:15am. That would give me plenty of time to go about my morning routine, get a bit of work done and pack for St. Louis. As I lay in bed, completely wired, I began to worry that I wouldn't fall asleep again. So, at 3:15, after an hour of my brain causing me grief, I decided that I should just do the run then.

I sprung from bed, checked the weather.com report (56 with a light rain), put on a running shirt and a longsleeve shirt, grabbed my cotton gardening gloves (which I typically use between 45 and 55 degrees) donned my shoes and iPod Nano and took off out the door.

Georgetown is an empty place at 4am. There's a clock on a building on the eastern end of Georgetown. As I passed it, already a bit wet from the much heavier than light rain weather.com had given me, I was in awe at the reading the black hands expressed in front of the big orange glow. It was 4am, and I was the only person in Georgetown. It's about 3 miles from my house to Georgetown. I ran the length of it on M Street, trying to imagine how busy it would be later in the day, and especially on the weekend. From there I crossed the Key Bridge (eclipsing Mile 4 and feeling the water soak through my gloves) and got on the Mt. Vernon trail.

I'm familiar with the Mt. Vernon trail from the Memorial Bridge and to the south. I was about a mile and half north of where I usually get on. I made one wrong turn (almost crossed the Theodore Roosevelt Bridget back into DC) in the pitch black, but quickly corrected myself. By Mile 5 my shirts were soaked and heavy and I was beginning to wonder if the early departure was such a good idea.

I brought two gels with me, each with caffeine in them. Though I've never been a huge fan of eating anything while running, I do believe that the gels help provide energy. On these long runs I usually take one at the half way point. Today I decided I would take one at the 6 mile mark and again at the 12 mile mark. As I sucked down the espresso flavor CLIF GU at mile 6 I wondered why I wasn't just using that as my halfway point and going home.

I always read about if you're having a bad run that you should call it off and try again the next day (or week). I've never been a fan of that philosophy. These long runs to me are truly mind over matter. They are training runs and you train for a reason. Barring some horrible injury, I don't ever plan to call off the race I'm doing and try it again at some other time. Maybe those who espouse such philosophies run more races and more often than I do. I do one marathon per year at best - I need to make it count!

The Mount Vernon trail was dark and the pounding rain was creating a lot of puddles. Though there aren't many cars out at 4:30 am, it only takes one or two coming towards you to cause interim blindness. That, of course, allows you to firmly plant one foot into an ankle high puddle - cold feet!

I made it to 9 miles without too much trouble. Getting back was a different story. The rain was being driven by a powerful wind which was now going to be my headwind. I seemed to have picked up the intensity of my run on the back half, but that headwind was causing me a lot of troubles.

I'd hoped to be able to share the shuffled songs that came on my iPod while I ran, and what each one of them made me think about. However, when I stopped my workout on the device it cleared the tunes. I definitely have ton on my mind, and it made it hard to concentrate on running at times. That made me hit quite a few major puddles on the run home.

I basically retraced my steps back, but crossed the Memorial Bridge and ran along the DC side of the river instead of staying in Virginia and heading back across Key Bridge. WIth 4 miles left I began to get pretty tired. My legs have had a rough week. However, I was mentally able to continue to push myself. As eluded to before, this is why I train. Those that haven't set their mind on a goal and have something to work towards have trouble relating to things like this. But there was no way my mind was going to let my body stop (and any second spent walking would actually just be another one OUT IN THE COLD RAIN).

With 2 miles left I had to run up the hill heading out of Rock Creek Park to Calvert Street. My legs really weren't happy with that decision. My thighs were starting to really feel it and the range of motion in the hip socket and hip flexors had drastically decreased. Nevertheless, I pushed on, worn, tired and very cold. Crossing the bridge on Calvert Street leading to Adams Morgan I got a huge gust of wind and rain thrown at me. I felt like i could have easily used plenty of reasons to not do this run, and at that point I felt as if someone was really trying to stop me.

All in all it was an 18.11 mile run in 2 hours 22 minutes and 11 seconds. My overall pace was 7:52 and I burned 2247 calories. That means at least ONE good thing - I get to eat a LOT today! I'm hoping to get some good rest and recover this weekend, though I may try to throw a run in on Sunday some time. That said, I only have one more really long run before the race - 20 miles two weeks from now!

Within a year after moving to DC in 1998, I found a running club that worked out at the Georgetown University track. There was a monthly fee which provided me with access to a coach (which is different than actually providing me with a coach) and a group of people who were running pretty seriously. I wasn't training for anything in particular, but I liked going to the track once per week and running with other people who were. I also met another runner that liked to go for 7 to 10 mile runs on the weekends.

At the beginning of 2000, my band took off for a 2-month European tour. From there we kept going, organizing and playing shows in the US, Canada, South America, Australia and eventually back to Europe. I was able to run occasionaly while on the road, but it never was able to amount to anything seriously. Our times between tours were rarely more than a week, and usually jam packed with errands and logistics.

I continued to tour with my own band into 2001, and then I filled the time in between our tours by working for another band. Soon enough I was on the road all of the time. In 2003 I had a break and decided that I would train for a marathon. I took a job as an outdoor educator and the schedule didn't ever provide me with the ability to dedicate myself to the track on a particular day of the week. To prepare for that marathon I would alternate weekend long runs with speed work (mile distance).

Last fall I decided that I was going to run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC. I trained by doing weekday runs and long runs on the weekend. I followed a different training plan, and went in with the mentality that a slower time would probably leave me feeling better following the race (I ran a 3 hour 16 minute marathon in Stockholm and felt pretty bad afterwards). Sure enough, I ran a 3:40 at the Marine Corps and was actually able to walk the day following the race. During my training for this race, however, I did absolutely no speed work.

This fall I've decided to run the inaugural Outerbanks Marathon in North Carolina. With a schedule that permits me to be in town quite frequently, I decided to include track running and speed workouts once again. I found a group that trains at a track near my office on Wednesday nights. I've been going a little over one month, and I've enjoyed it quite a bit.

Getting together to run with a group can be an invigorating experience. It allows you to chuck all the excuses to the side and saddle up for the weekly workout/challenge. Since I've been going to the track, we've done a variety of workouts. We've done ladders (400m-600m-800m-1200m-800m-600m-400m), fartlek workouts (when the track is closed because the high school needs it for a function), 800m repeats and even a hill workout. Unlike the Georgetown running club I joined in 1999, this one is more loosely organized. The workout is set each week and people of varying abilities band together to run the set workout at whichever pace is comfortable for them. At the Georgetown workouts we were able to ask the coach what we should be doing, based on our goals and upcoming races (back then I wasn't training for anything, so I just kind of mixed things up depending on which other runners were there).

Last night the track was closed for a high school girls' field hockey game. Like the last time we did a fartlek run, we headed to the Custis Trail (which parallels I-66) for a tempo run. After a 10 minute warm up the plan was to do 5 minutes "on" followed by two minutes recovery. Tuesday morning I ran my 10.5 miles (9 miles was all I was scheduled for) and then I played a co-ed soccer game Tuesday night. My legs were tight when I arrived for Wednesday night's workout, but the 10 minute jog got me feeling loose enough to try to stay with the same group I usually pace with.

Our first 5 minute run was done at a pretty quick pace. I have trouble telling exactly how fast it was, but I would guess it was at least a 6:15 minute/mile pace. It was tough and the 2 minute jog of recovery was much needed. During that jog the six of us that were running together were debating how many "on" periods we were going to shoot for. Some were saying four while I was actually thinking that five might be realistic. With the Army 10-miler race coming up this weekend a few people wanted to save their legs. I joked that since we'd only completed one I could talk about doing as many as I pleased, but after the second or third "on" period I would probably be whistling a different tune.

And no truer words have been spoken! The second five minute speed period was tough. If we were going at a 6:15 minute/mile pace that meant that we were covering approximately 8/10ths of a mile at that quick speed. My typical pace on a training run is around 7:30, so this was really pushing it. On top of that, the activities of the day before had done their wear and tear on my legs, too. We completed our second 2 minute recovery jog still heading "out" (away from our starting point), and turned around at the start of the third 5 minute "on" session.

This segment of the workout really separated the true runners from those of us who were flailing to follow in their footsteps. It was very, very tough. I was breathing heavily, something that made the rib injury that was reignited during my soccer game Tuesday night incredibly painful. During that 2 minute recovery jog I was wondering if I was going to be able to pull off a 4th "on" segement.

I did, but it was at a considerably slower pace than the first three had been. My guess is that if the first couple were done at that 6:15 pace then this was more around a 6:45. It was still challenging and left my body feeling exerted. When it was over we all jogged back to our start point. I felt exhausted but good. That's the beauty of these workouts (and most runs in general); it leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment and an endorphin rush.

From there I saddled up on my bike and cruised back to DC for a good, rewarding dinner!

This morning I was scheduled to run 9 miles. I had an issue that kept me up much later than I'd hoped. For a lot of people, staying up after midnight is not a big deal at all. However, as the clock made it's way into the new day, I thought over and over about how I'd be waking up and trying to get out the door by 6:30am. I bought myself a slight bit of time by setting the alarm for 6:30. With my new technology that must accompany me (the Nano iPod + Nike gear) it took me a few extra minutes to get going, but I was out by 6:45.

Again, using my old school 8 minute mile approach I figured nine miles should take roughly 72 minutes. That would put me back at the house by 8am, giving me enough time to go through my morning routine before going to meet Jason for our Tuesday morning breakfast.

I was glad that the air was humid, making the low 60's temperature feel warmer than it actually was. My hands tend to be the most susceptible to cold, and this time of year is when the gardening gloves start to make their appearances on these early morning runs. Today was warm enough that I was able to go out in just shorts and a t-shirt.

I ran a familiar route that I can typically expand upon to make it a bit longer. I run down Sherman Avenue, which turns into 9th street (just past U Street). Around the convention center I make a left and cut over to 7th Street. This allows me to run through Chinatown and past the big screen TV outside of the Verizon Wireless Center (formerly MCI Center) before hitting Pennsylvania Avenue. I go left on Pennsylvania and cover the 7 blocks to the Capital. That's more or less the half way point of the short version of this run. I typically head back along one of the gravely paths on the mall, head north on 14th Street and once I reach Columbia Heights I make my way back to the house. To extend it, I typically add something when I'm down by the Capital and then either make my way back to the 14th Street approach, or end it in a different way altogether.

Today I added a jaunt behind the Jefferson Memorial and then continued on along the Potomac River towards Georgetown. I felt as if I was moving at a relatively decent pace. The iPod/Nike software allows for you to hit a button on the device at any given time and a woman's voice will tell you exactly how far you've gone (to the 100th of a mile - i.e. 2.65 miles), the time that's eclipsed since you began your workout and your current pace. My body felt as if I was running much faster than the 7:30+ paces it kept quoting me.

I figured the route I was taking to return home would actually be a bit longer than 9 miles, but by the time the count started going down (the voice would state "3 miles to go" instead of "you've just completed your 6th mile") I was really feeling a bit exhuasted. However, I've consisently been able to push myself to complete the runs at a good pace, regardless of whether or not my body agrees with that.

I continued along Rock Cree Parkway (the road that takes you from behind the Jefferson Memorial, along the Potomac) until I came to the P Street bridge. I exited the park then and covered the last couple of miles on surface streets. When I'd completed 9 miles I knew I still had a ways to go, and attempted to slow my pace to something more suitable for my worn legs. It was pretty much all uphill from the park to my house, so the slowed pace was nice. I ended up logging 10.51 miles in 1 hour 21 minutes and 53 seconds. My average pace was 7:47/mile. My legs are a tad fried, and I have a soccer game that I have to play on them tonight.

This morning was intended to be an easy 4 miles. I always have trouble trying to figure out recovery for myself. Typically, my long runs are on Saturdays. Each Sunday in the fall I have a soccer game. Monday morning usually means that my legs are sore and when I wake up it's usually a struggle to figure out if I should run or not.

I lay in bed around 6:45 pondering that this morning. Aside from what I would consider to be regular recovery, I had to deal with the fact that I injured something (muscle, tendon, etc.?) during yesterday's soccer game. I iced it last night, but the soreness still prevailed.

After an hour or so of work, I decided that I would go out very easy. In addition to just getting in the miles, I wanted to try out the new Nike + iPod system that I splurged on Saturday. I was impressed during our 16 mile run on Saturday by Robert's ability to know how far we'd traveled as well as what pace we were running. I'm typically not one to spoil myself, and have never been a fan of buying things (especially those you've lived thus far without) to make myself feel better.

The system is pretty simple and was designed by Nike and Apple. It uses an iPod Nano (the smallest iPod they currently make, I believe) with a small transmitter that plugs into it. It also comes with a small, modular receiver that is supposed to go into the special made Nike shoes. Robert indicated that instead of purchasing the shoes (I've never been a fan of Nike's fit, not to mention all of the political/sweat shop issues that were raised a few years ago), I could merely go to a hardware store, purchase some velcro, and implement my own DIY solution to securing the receiver to my shoe.

The good news is the system seems to work. Though I haven't actually calibrated it yet, it's use of GPS satellite technology presumable gives it an "accurate enough" functioning for my tastes. The bad news is the system works. That means what I once thought was about a 2 mile turnaround from my house (for a 4 mile run), was actually 1.8 miles. So, I had to go an extra .2 miles.

The system allows you to tap the center button on the iPod to have a woman's voice indicate to you the distance you've traveled and what your current pace is. It automatically tells you (again, via a nice voice into your headphones) when you've reached each mile for that run. Before you go out you set the distance you desire to run. So, after the first mile the voice indicated "you've run one mile." When I hit my newly established 2 mile turnaround it indicated that as well. On the way back (once you've passed the half way point) it counts down the number of miles you have left. Eventually, once you've reached the point where you only have 500 meters (why it goes in meters when you've indicated that you'll be running miles and your base unit is the mile, I'm not sure yet) remaining, it counts down each successive 100 meter point. I don't know exactly what it says when you've reached your mileage "goal" for that particular day, as I typically start my runs from my doorstep and end them at the end of the street. That's a shortfall of about 100 meters I found out this morning.

All in all I'm pretty excited about the new technology. When you plug the iPod into the computer it automatically updates the information to your online Nike Running account. This allows you to trace and track all of the runs you've performed while wearing the iPod and transmitter. I've never been one that NEEDS music to run, and I typically do not do my long runs playing any music. However, I have been complaining a bit that the 2+ hours on the roads and trails each Saturday morning have been a bit dull. Now I'll have a convenient way to listen to new music and other things (audio books, etc).

The run itself was okay at best. The normal soreness of my legs and back was present. That combined with the soreness made for a slow run. However, that's sort of the point of the weekly starting 4 miler for me. Tomorrow I'll bust through a quality 9 miles (followed by another soccer game Tuesday night), hit a track workout Wednesday (which has been great for my running as well as my soccer), take Thursday off and then log 18 before heading away for the weekend.

Once I figure out a way to share my Nike account information, I'll make that link available.

Yesterday I was supposed to run 12 miles. I'm following a training schedule that Hal Higdon designed. My friend Chris sought out the book and I used this same schedule for the completion of last year's Marine Corps Marathon. Chris helped pace me through the last half of that race, just a couple weeks prior to his run in the Richmond Marathon.

This year we deicded to seek out a marathon that we could run together. He helped me tremendously last year, but doing 13 at a pace a bit quicker than he was used to may have caused him a bit of comfort and success for his own run.

A second buddy, Robert, ran the Richmond Marathon with Chris last year as well. Those two ran the Marathon in the Parks in DC/Maryland in 2004 together. This year Robert has yet to commit to which marathon he is going to run. He's unsure where he'll be in November, but has his eyes on the Seattle Marathon. He claims there is a chance he might be able to run with Chris and I when we hit the Outerbanks Marathon on November 12th.

Robert had the weekend off from a pretty grueling work schedule and he and I wanted to run together yesterday. I'd done 16 last weekend and Robert, who is a week behind me on the Hal Higdon training schedule was due to run 16 yesterday. I decided that I would leave the house with him and then see how I felt after 6, the point at which I could turn around to easily complete a 12 mile out-and-back.

I decided that we should just run the same route that I had run last weekend. Part of the trouble with doing really long runs is knowing what route to run. I often find myself as early as Wednesday or Thursday during a week beginning to contemplate and almost worry about where I'll go. This weekend I wanted the run to be a chance for Robert and I to catch up by talking, so the decision to run an already calculated route made the most sense.

Rarely do I do a run that doesn't start and end at my house. The thought of driving to run doesn't particularly interest me. I already think that long runs eat up way too much time, so to add a 15 minute drive on either side rarely makes sense to me. If we had amazing trails within that short of a radius of the house, like I did when I visit my buddy Bricks in Boulder, Colorado, I'm sure this would be an entirely different story. Therefore, we left my house shortly after 10:30am.

The first mile is on surface streets, but then we are able to head down a big hill on Harvard Avenue before cutting through the backside of the National Zoo and getting on Rock Creek Parkway. The weather was a nice, chilly temperature and there was very light rain coming down. It's approximately another 3 miles to the entrance for the C&O canal down in Georgetown. The first mile of that is on a bit of hilly brick-sidewalk that goes by a few quaint shops and restaurants as well as the C&O Canal visitor's center.

By the time we were on the "real" C&O canal (just at the western end of Georgetown) I figured it'd been approximately 5 miles (my watch read 38 minutes had elapsed). Robert was running with a nano iPod as well as the new Nike software which uses satellite and a radio transmitter between a receiver on the shoe and the iPod nano itself to measure the distance you've covered. It also plays music, but we were talking the entire time so he had to put an earphone in to see what the computer said. We were at 4.98 miles. My internal pacing sensor was equal to that of the computer!

At that point I felt good. On my longer runs I've probably been averaging around a 7:30 minute/mile pace. To slow it down to 8 significantly improved my stamina. For the first time in all of my long training runs I could sense that a negative split would be possible and I might not have to mentally challenge myself to finish the run. Of course, we were only 1/3rd of the way through, so there was a chance that these thoughts could be erased.

They weren't, however. When we hit the 1 hour mark I still felt great and realized that we must be approaching our turn around spot. I was surprised because I realized that the week before I had surely gone out longer than 8 miles. Thinking back I wasn't sure if my intended return route was going to be exactly the same distance the route to the C&O had been. To break up the monotony I'd planned to hop on the Capitol Crescent Trail, which paralells the C&O for the first 3 miles out of Georgetown, and run on surface streets back to my house.

Yesterday we did the same thing, and upon the finish of the run Robert indicated my suspicions were correct - it was 7.5 miles on the return. That said, the week before, when I was supposed to go 16, I probably ended up doing somewhere along the lines of 17.5-18.

The nice thing about running on the C&O or the Capitol Crescent Trail is that they have mile markers. It allows you to confirm the pace you think you're running at. On all of my long runs I typically calculate the distance I am going to travel based on 8 minute miles. That's exactlly how I ended up going out 9 miles the week before. If I were to assume that I would need to turn around at the 8 mile marker, that would be at 64 minutes. But, if I was running an expedited pace, which seems to happen frequently, I would surpass 8 miles. In fact if I was actually running 7:30/miles when I reached 64 minutes I would have run 9 miles. Eerie.

Our return yesterday was nice. Robert did begin to slow down a bit on the back half of the run. While the 8 minutes was a tad slower than I was training, it was right at what he was used to running at. Therefore, once we'd left Georgetown and hit L Street NW, I could tell that my energy level was much higher than his. In fact, I felt that I could easily pick up the pace and finish the last 2-3 miles much quicker. Once we turned left onto 15th Street Robert gave me the signal that he was going to keep the moderate pace he was at and that I should feel free to take off.

From 15th street it's almost all uphill back to my house. It's a slight incline up 15th to just past U street, then I make a slight right onto Florida Avenue, where the incline becomes a tad bit steeper. Once I make a left on 14th Street, the real challenge presents itself. However, it's a short hill, less than half a mile, and once you crest the top you've surely almost reached the end.

I pushed myself and ended up finishing feeling great! The fact that I was forced to slow down to keep the pace comfortable for myself and Robert made it so I could finish the run feeling wonderful.

Next week I'm due to run 18. If things work out, I might be able to run with Chris who is supposed to be in town for a wedding. I am, however, supposed to be out of town, but I'm hoping there's a way that we can run together. Last year we did all of our long runs together, and the fact that we can talk and laugh while we're running surely makes the 2+ hours we are out pounding the pavement much more enjoyable.