I could feel it already during the warm-up. I was rather slow, weak and kind of unfocused. My throat was not yet completely OK, and I had a feeling that I had a slight fever during the day. And it was extremely hot for me, although the start was at 7:30pm. Anyway, I was sure it won’t be that great this night, but still was looking forward to the race. I started quite in the front, not so much hidden in the pack of slower runners as is my usual strategy. I guess I felt like I dont want to waste any energy dealing with traffic. I thought I went out not that fast but still came to the first mile mark at 6:32. I felt like my legs are from jelly, my arms have some invisible weights attached to them and my throat was dry as sand. I slowed down to try to find a more sustainable pace, but it seems there is not any. Menthaly i kept pushing harder and harder, but objectively I was slowing down. I could see my wife and friends cheering me up in the first of the two laps, but it was like running in a tunnel during the second lap, and had no idea where they were standing, although they all claim they were screaming loud like never before. The second mile was exactly 7min, and the third must have been even about the same. I came to the finish on the 49th spot (out of 482 finishers) quite wasted. I was completely exhausted, but not in a sense that you collapse, rest a bit and then can move on, but more like completely drained out of all my strength, so just lifting my hand with a bottle of water was already quite a feat even hours after the race. I felt like this next two days, which is very unusual for me. Next morning I got out for a recovery run and I could barely keep 10min/mile pace, coming home more tired than relaxed. but I am sure i’ll be better again.
I do not feel tired after the marathon anymore, but I have been sick for a couple of days. I ran only once this week, so it is hard to predict the result. Maybe it will help that I will not start that fast as usual and I may profit from it in the end. I am decided to push it the best I can, but if i do not improve this time I want be dissapointed. I am just looking forward to a great run, to meet all those people again and get cheered when passing thru the finish. And yes, I am looking forward to get the T-shirt too ;-))
... for 50K ultra solo … so it’s oficial now. I think I will die there, but it will be a beautiful death.
Last few days before the marathon I was very depressed. I was soo worried about my knee, that I believed and was really convinced that it will “brake” at mile 10 and I will be DNF. I was almost sure about it. But there was no way back anymore. So in the morning I just went to the start not really excited, but more like a criminal awaiting his own execution. My stomach was feeling full, which was not really comfortable. I was not sure if I ate too late day before or too much too late for breakfast (2 pints of orange juice and 2 granola bars), and traditionaly my intestines gave up on any reasonable action. So no wonder I was a frequent visitor of the famous blue booths. Anyway … morning was very chilly (48F) but seemed like it will be a sunny day, though not extremely hot.
We lined up at the start around 6:50am waiting impationately for the start. I was well warmed up so did not feel the cold even that I wore only T-shirt and shorts. Other marathoners had long-sleeves, some gloves, warm caps or plastig bags wrapped around them. I was OK. It seemed that my intestines were empty enough, just my stomach felt still full and I had to force myself to swallow the first pre-start GU.
So at 7am sharp the crowd starts moving, here we go, me stucked in the middle of the pack. The plan was to start slowly about 7:50/mile and later maybe speed-up a bit to 7:40-7:45 and see how it goes. During first mile I was caught in a heavy traffic and had to make my way through the slower runners, but I had no particular problems with it, actualy its my usual tactic preventing me from starting too fast and chasing the fast guys. Eventhough I came to the first mile in 7:42. That was not bad, probably a little bit too fast. I decided to take it more easy, relax more, enjoy the scenic course and some spectators here and there. I felt like running slower, but I still was passing a lot of other runners. The second mile was around 7:35. We came to the first aid station and I still could feel uncomfortable sweetness in my mouth after the last GU. I wanted to wash it off with water, but I made a tactical mistake and decided to get the water from the last volunteer along the road. Somehow I was too fast and not concentrated enough, so instead of grabing the cup I just knocked it off his hand. OK … maybe next time. I do not remember the splits on the other miles, but overall I felt just great. I soon settled to a comfortable cruising speed around 7:32-7:38 which I wrongly assumed leads to 3:25 time which should be within my powers. I felt like driving on a highway with a cruise control set to the actual speed limit.
Well, running thru the second aid station I decided to get some gatorade and a bit of water too. This time I managed to get the cup without troubles or slowing down, but it was more than half-full. When I wanted to get a sip I almost drowned myself, coughing haevily spilling the gatorade all over my hands. I though that I will clean and dry my sticky finger with my T-shirt, but I just managed to tear-off the two upper pins of my bib. Miraculously the bib still held in place, only once in a while turned upside down held by the lower two pins. Not a nice and smooth start really, but I kept going.
Next miles were quite uneventful and actualy I felt like the time is passing by really quickly. There was a lot of action going on the other side of the road where the halfmarathon people were running, so I could watch the fast guys struggling in the front as well as the last half-marathon walkers from the “Team in Training”. Sudenly I found myself at mile 10 still going very comfortably at the 7:30+ pace. A little bit later and farther down the road the first marathoners started passing by, so I realized that the turn-around is not really that far. At that moment I started to be a bit impatient. Although I kept the same pace, each mile felt awfully long and I was getting bored to wait for the 13mile mark. Suddenly there it was, a little bit of sharp uphill which took a lot of energy, then 180degree turn, right down really fast and over the electronic carpets of the 1/2marathon mark. I looked at my watch and there was 1:39:41. Wow. Too fast. Way too fast. And it was now that I suddenly realized that my pace was in fact quite sub 3:20. When you run a marathon, making even the most simple arithmetics is quite difficult, and multiplication of miles times pace with precision of seconds is almost impossible … at least for me. I knew right a way I cannot hold this pace till the end and I backed off a bit. I also realized that my knee is still OK, and decided that now, being on the way back, I will finish no matter what. My pace dropped to 7:45, then to 7:50 and stayed there for a while. At each mile mark I was counting my time advantage with respect to the 8:00/mile pace which would be enough for 3:30 time. The greatest advantage was around mile 16, where I had a good buffer of 5:32 with respect to the 8:00 mile pace. Then everything started to hurt and I was getting tired. People were mostly passing me, though it was no thick crowd. Most of them were still going to shoot for 3:25. Mile 18 i ran in 8:04, and realized there is no chance to get faster. But still had some 5 minutes advantage over my goal time 3:30. I was still rehydrating myself regularly, alternating gatorade and water and eating GU every 45 minutes, but my pace just kept dropping down. I was decided to push it and fight for the time, but I felt weaker and weaker with each mile. yes the wall was coming … getting closer and closer. I passed the 20 mile mark, then 21 .. getting to 22nd mile felt like eternity. My time advantage was shrinking but still at a slower pace than the distance to the finish. But I was getting also all sorts of wierd troubles, aches and pains … in my hips, back, I could not breath, shoulders seemed to be blocked for a while … all just freaking the shi* out of me, but never lasting really long. But I got scared that if I really push it too much, something may go wrong so much that I will have to stop and walk or quit completely. I still could remember all the ordeal from my first marathon (finished in 4:43) and did not want that to happen again. So I could choose to push it hard to make sure I finish sub 3:30, but risking a total collapse or maybe giving my best but still safe try and risking coming to finish a bit later. I chose the second option, even 3:30+ would be an enormous feat for me, something completely unimaginable just one month ago. So I kept going, puffing and steaming, like an old engine, passing people who started walking, and being passed by many others who devided their energy more wisely in more equal shares. I did not mind, it was now just my own race. At mile 25 my time advantage shrinked to a couple of seconds. There was no way to get the last mile in eight minutes. I just concentrated on heading forward, with my legs heavy like concrete blocks. Last tiny climb, last curve and then 26mile mark at the entrance to the little stadium. Huge crowds cheering, I almost started to cry. Just half a lap on the track to the finish. I tried to go fast, but it probably was more like a slow-motion parody of the sprint finish. In the final stretch I was passed by two more runners, but I did not care. I was finaly there. I did not feel any runners high, no extasy this time, I was just happy its over. Not that I regret that I took part in it, but I just had no energy to feel any other emotions. It all came slowly later, realizing that I did it again, this time much better, faster, without walking and that I enjoyed it a lot and will want more … but thats a different story.
Later I learned that I finished in 3:31:03 on the 221st place out of 1291 finishers.
yesterday I ran my last training run. it was a slow 5 miler in a 9:00 min/mile pace. I feel horrible, its like before a hard exam at the university. My body is reacting in a same chaotic way as my mind. I feel various pains and aches virtualy everywhere … in legs, knees, ankles, stomach, head, hands, wrists … of course those ones related to the “running body parts” are freaking me out. As suddenly as thease aches appear, they usualy dissapear as well. If it would help, I would get drunk immediately … but that would not be that wise. We are leaving in the afternoon to Traverse City. Its a 3+ hour drive. The start is at 7AM on Saturday. I just hate this waiting before hitting the road. Then I will find my peace … at least until mile mark number 20.
Less than four days till the start of my marathon. I am getting nervous, excited, iritated, moody and just cannot get this race out of my head. I am unable to concentrate, work, nor talk to other people about anything else but running. I am scared that I will get sick, injure my feet or legs, or get some stomachache … it is just horrible. I have to say that my training went overall much much better than what I could imagine in the middle of January when I started running again. I continuously improved and can say that right now, I am probably in a better shape than ever before in my whole life. When I made the last mileage count in my training log I just realized that several days ago I passed 1000 kilometer mark. That should give me some confidence in my own powers, but it seems it makes me feel just greater responsibility. But to whom should I be responsible ? ... maybe just to myself, and the time I dedicated to my running, and/or to other people it sometimes affected ? ... well what difference does it make if I finish in 4:00 or 3:30 ? ... does it make any difference ? ... yes and no … the actual time probably does not really matter, but somehow I feel a long time neglected spirit within myself which just longs for racing, going to the limits and beyond so it can feel free and it can feel that it is alive. Just doing it is not enough, but crossing the border of your imagination, running harder and faster than one would believe you are ever capable of, surprising yourself, overcoming pain which normaly would ground you … thats something I am looking for. If I can do that I will be happy and satisfied with my run. If I can do that I am sure that the time will be also quite good … of course nothing what elite athletes would even consider as a competative feat, but thats not the point … but the time may be better than what I could ever imagine running myself.
I realized that my road shoes are not good enough for the great challenge of the dances with dirt. So I decided to go to my local runners store and get new shoes for the trail. I was helped by a very friendly guy, obviously a top runner of some sort. We chated about the shoes, trails and road running, mostly me talking – he mostly listening. But very friendly, helpful and patient. I also registered on the spot for the Sunday 5K race. Well then I told him thank you and good buy.
Next day I met him again at the race hanging out with couple of other guys and gals from the Playmakers team. So I asked him if he came to run or just to watch. He said that he decided to run after all. I asked for his age group worried that he may be just the one who will make the difference between placing 5th or worse for me … and yes, he is of same age, as I later learned he is actualy 1 day younger than me. So then there was a bit of jokes, that I will watch his back at the start, since it will be the last time I will see him … most probably.
Then I ran my own race … as he did his … I tried to find him in the results, but it was quite a riddle for me, who this guy was. Just today, studying the pictures from the race and googling all around the world I found out that the guy’s name is Grant Robison and he actualy did win the Sunday race in time 14:59. Moreover, he is former NCAA 1500m US champion and 2004 Olympian …
... but not there yet. I ran another 5K yesterday. It was supposed to be my last speed test before the marathon. I was hoping to run a good time and boost my confidence which has been shaken in last weeks by the knee injury. The course was flat and consisted of two loops around the Capitol in downtown Lansing. The weather was just perfect, cloudy and some 60F. I started quite fast coming to 1st mile mark at 6:28. I probably got scared of the pace and slowed down on mile two. There was a couple of people slowly passing me, but I tried not to care and just concentrate on the pace. I came to mile 2 mark at 13:18. Somehow I felt dissapointed that I slowed down that much, but I felt like I have nothing left. So I just kept running the best I could. Last half a mile was a little bit downhill and people started to push it harder toward the finish. Few youngsters and older guys came from behind. i tried to stay with them as long as possible. One of them was too fast and nobody could catch him, two others were slowly dying … I decided to kick it in the final turn and the last 100 meters which were again a little uphill. I still managed to pass 3 or 4 runners just before the finish line. I finished on the 37th place out of 418. To my great surprise I later learnt that I also placed 5th in my age group and thus won my second point into the playmakers ranking. yay to me !!! ;-)))
It was a wonderful weekend. My knee still hurts when I drive or just sit at the table, it also hurts a bit from time to time when I walk, but it feels quite OK when I run. Therefore I was still taking it quite easy during the last few days. For the weekend we went to the Niagara Falls and there was nothing what could stop me to get up in the morning and run to the falls. It is just so magnificent early in the morning when all the turists are still sleeping, the sun itself is just half above the horizont, the air is chilly cold, but you have all that beauty just for yourself. And you run through the mist and listen to that roaring thunder, and you feel like being the only living person on the Earth. We stayed ina hotel just above the Whirlpool Rapids so it was osme 4 kilometers to the HorseShoe Falls. I kept then running upstream exploring the upper rapids. I turned back after a couple of kilometers coming back “home” after a 70 minute run. Next day i ran in the afternoon to the Whirlpool. I found a trail going down to the river, but it was very steep for running, more like climbing. Anyway, another great 7K or so. Then on Sunday I ran along the Niagara toward the Lake Ontario. Again a beautiful chilly morning with shining sun and blue sky. Perfect scenic view of all the wild rapids and the dam wall. I turned around after 10.3K coming home after 115 minutes long run without any pain. Just felt great.
... though very very slowly. It seems I steped over the limit with my Sunday long run and the afternoon afterrun. Something on the right side of my right knee went bad and I could not even finish my recovery run on Monday. I had to quit after 5K with really sharp pain. You can imagine the dissapointment, panic, fear, and what not … but I can only blame myself. So I decided not to run for two days to give it a time to heal, at least the acute wound. I went out today in the morning just as easy as I could. It is still strained and I could feel a bit of dull pain, but no suddent bursts of sharp pain. I finished my 12K loop in the slowest pace ever, but happy that I could make it. Now, as I sit in my office the pain is dull and moderate, but I believe that few more very easy runs should speed up the recovery. I still have little more than 2 weeks to the M-day, I hope it will be enough.
I was thinking about this race whole week and just could not get it out of my mind. It is really like an obsession, I almost feel ashamed that as a grown-up man I get sooo enthusiastic about something like a little kid. I just can’t wait till September and I decided to sign-up for 50K. In these days I began to harras all my friends with running, and I am afraid that there will be a time they will not be able to stand me anymore.
But in the meantime I might have infected a couple of those, and we even went to inspect the course of the first leg in the Pinckney State Recreation area on Sunday. We ran together for an hour on a pretty extreme trail and I was totaly amazed that all my three friends decided for this practice run and were even able to get out there with me, although none of them ever ran for more than 30 minutes in one time.
The team competition is a 100K relay with 15 legs. The team consists of 5 runners, each of them running 3 different legs. Now they my friends are three and not yet completely decided to commit themselves to this crazyness … but who knows … how will this evolve.
The last and the next week will be my peak weeks, at least considering the mileage. Today I ran 31.2K, i.e. 4 laps by 7.8K and the results are very promising. I felt great for the first three rounds and hit the wall during the fourth one. In fact during this run I set my PB on 4 different courses at the same time ranging from 7.8K to the full distance of 31.2K. The lap times were 39:35, 37:03, 38:37 and 44:10. I am not that worried about the last round since I train with empty stomach early in the morning and do not use any refreshments during the run except water. It is just to be expected that sooner or later i will run out of fuel, while in the race with all the refreshments, energy gels, eloctrolyte drinks and good two weeks of taper the situation should be quiet different. The total for the past week is 95K. I really feel that I am ready for the run more than ever before. This of course raises quite high expectations for the race itself, on the other hand I have a great fear of failure. The more you can win, the more you are afraid of not winning. .... feeling strong and feeling strange … :-(
This race was a bit tricky since the start and finish were up on the 50-60feet hill. I was not sure how fast should I start, so I hid myself in the crowd staying somewhere around the first third of the whole field (600+ runners). After the start I could recognize one of my rivals, 66 years old Bill Keller who is an excelent runner with 22:40ish times, some 100 meters in front of me. So I decided to push it a little bit down that hill, but not really too much. It seemed that everybody started quite fast. However when we hit the flat ground I started moving forward, passing people by 3 or 4 at a time. I came to the 1st mile mark at 6:38 which did not seem that bad considering the hill. I was continuesly improving my position, but the gaps seemed to be larger and larger and closing on somebody became more difficult. Around the mid-way point I decided not to push it anymore and save some energy for the last climb. I wanted to stay within the striking distance of 2 or 3 guys who were some 10-20 yards in front of me. Together we came to the 2nd mile mark around 13:26 which seemed to be a promising time, but I really was not sure how much longer can I keep the pace. It seemed that one of the guys was loosing ground and the other was getting farther away. I decided to keep behind him no matter what … but my knees started to shake and my coordination was deteriorating. When we came to the last climb I was just about to give up. i tried to work with my hands and give it the final kick but there seemed to be just no fuel left. There was nobody in sight except those two guys both of them much older so they were no real competition for my age group ranking. But I just felt horrible seeing them advancing forward with me staying behind. There was last sharp curve and final 100 yards to the finish on the flat road. And I do not know really how, but just when I got to the top of the hill I felt like I am flying, doubling the lengt of my steps. Maybe I got facinated by the digital clock where I saw some unexpectedly good time … i just sprinted across the finish line, passing both of my companions with whom I was figthing the last mile. And there it was 21:06, 54th overall and 7th in my age group … no points today, and not even anywhere close, since the 5th guy ran in 19:40something. So I still have some time to make up, but I believe I will get there … in the end it is just a matter of time ;-))
go to the brave women from Kenya and Mexico. The first one is Irma Alicia Villalobos Cabrera and wants to expand her tiny bakery, the second one is Consolata Akirapa who suprisingly has a diploma in metal works and wants to expand the stock in her shop. I wish them good luck and hope that their businesses will grow.
... in Mason, MI. It is the third race of the 12 race series. It starts downhill and ends uphill. The rest is flat. I have not seen th ehill yet so I am not sure about my pacing and goals yet, moreover I am not sure how will I feel with my half-marathon in my legs from this last Saturday. But my morale is high and I am determined to kick it once more. I just hope we do not have any stupid group meeting in my work late in the afternoon.
... and it does not really matter that he lives on the other side of the globe, and that his average cruising pace is different than mine. What counts is sharing the passion and enthusiasm for running, struggling with our own obstacles and problems, encouraging and helping each other, and not giving up.
I ran my second half-marathon this last Saturday in Kalamazoo, MI as the last test before my marathon atempt. It was probably my best race ever and I improved my time (1:38:24) from the first half-marathon I ran in august 2005 back in Germany (1:48:59) where I hit the wall on the 16th kilometer. I hope to run this distance again at the end of September in Lansing on my “homeground”.
Of course I do not know whether this will last till the rest of my days, but right now running became my passion. I mean, I do not care about the world-class athletes or watching Olympic races on TV, but I became addicted to the local-level running scene and the people who are creating it and are part of it. And I want to be one of them.
... and I am soooo tempted. Good part of the race are very hilly trails in Michigan wilderness near around the town of Hell. The rest is off trail, through swamps, rivers, even through lakes. Just to give you the idea some parts of the course have even official names like: “The Stampede”, “Rave Run”, “Butt Kicker”, “Go Straight to Hell”, “Bloody Hell”, “This Sucks”, “Muddy Hell”, “Where’s the F’N Bridge” and etc … you can participate in a 100K relay or run alone 50K or 50miles. I checked my calendar and it seems I may be able to go for 50K alone. Anybody want to join me ?
Better check this: http://www.danceswithdirt.com … before saying yes ;-)
I volunteered for the Trail marathon and half-marathon in the Pinckney State recreation Area last Sunday. I worked at the aid station at 13.1 mile and later in the finish area. It was a wonderful experience and I met a lot of great people, most of them runners like me. I am sure I will do this again. ( ... and yes, most of the runs are basicaly fundraisers for various charities).