The Long Run

High School Confidential

Whenever I'm planning a big trip - a weekend away with the boys golfing, a family vacation, whatever - I always spend some significant time preparing a list of what I'll need to bring in my mind. Part of it is that I like to make sure I don't forget anything. But the anticipation and planning is part of the enjoyment: I like to look forward to things.

With that in mind, I've been going over the various things I think I'll need for a successful race. Because I've done other races, I have a routine for meals and hydration in the morning: fruit and cottage cheese with a little bit of granola (just like every day), toast with peanut butter and jam, 600 ml of water two hours before race time, two boxes of raisins 15 minutes before race time and Gatorade if I'm thirsty.

The two elements of any race that change, however, are clothes and music. Not since high school have these things taken on such importance. Thankfully, I don't have to think about whether she likes me or not anymore.

For the duathlons, music isn't allowed. It sucks but makes sense, given the biking component. Out on the bike course, you need to be able to hear people coming up behind so you know to get over or hold your line. And while I run with an MP3 player almost exclusively - the only exception is if I'm running with others - I never bike with it. I just don't think it's safe.

But in the running races, it's a different story. For the longest time I trained with a podcast called podrunner, a weekly instrumental house remix put out for free by a guy named dj steve boy. They were great but after a year or so I got bored with them. I also found they weren't as inspiring or uptempo as I like my tunes. I've started assembling various mixes to train with featuring quite the eclectic blend of music.

Lately, much of it has come from a list of the top 100 dance and techno tunes of all time. It's mindless and very up tempo. I've now pared that list of 100 to probably 40 of my favourites. Now I'm busy augmenting that with other favourites. The list includes:

- 4 Weezer Tunes
- 2 Nelly Songs (Hot in Here, Ride Wit Me)
- The Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers
- Night of the Living Baseheads by Public Enemy
- Slow Ride by Foghat
- Cowboy by Kid Rock
- 2 Green Day songs, including a cover of Brown Eyed Girl because it makes me think of my wife who loves Van Morrison
- Apple Bottom Jeans by T-Pain because my eight-year-old is playing it over and over and over and over...

I'm going to reach out to my brothers and a few friends for their suggestions on kick ass running songs as well just so I can go 'Hey, that's so-and-so's tune' during the marathon. I think it's a cool way to carry the people I care about with me on what is otherwise a solo journey.

As for clothes, so much of that will depend on the weather on race day. I have MEC shorts and long tights that fit exactly the same where it counts and an array of long sleeve and t-shirt combinations I wear depending on the temperature. My plan is to buy a cheap headband to cover my ears and thin gloves if it looks cold and to just discard them along the way.

The weather forecast looks dead on the average high of about 9 degrees and sunny with cloudy periods. That could still change of course.

The other interesting element I just realized is that Nov. 2 is the first day without Daylight Savings Time: the clocks go back an hour early that morning. It means two things: the first is an extra hour of precious sleep. The second is the an extra hour of sun: the race starts at 8:30 a.m. but it will be 9:30 DST - it should be a bit warmer and brighter. It also means that a bunch of people will be there an hour early...

Back at it

Despite feeling a bit rundown the last few days, I did manage to get an easy run in on Wednesday - 6.5 km with co-worker and marathon veteran Carmelina Prete - and felt well enough to do some of my intervals today. I was supposed to do 3 x 1,600m intervals with 800m recoveries and 11 km in total but I only did two of the intervals and about 7km. I'm still not at 100 per cent and my back was tight to start the run. The intervals went well, around a 4:25 per km pace.

Despite the fact that I've read that missing a couple of days of training isn't a big deal, it still takes psychological toll. It's easy to think: I've only been following a marathon training plan for the past five weeks - maybe I'm really screwing up by missing the final few workouts. But the reality is I've been exercising regularly for almost two years and training with focus the last year or so. I've run a half marathon and Around the Bay. In other words, a day or two isn't going to make a huge different at this stage. And because I backed off this week, I think I'm going to dodge getting a full-blown cold (knock on wood.)

I also got some good email this week.  The first was from Gord Pauls, the race director saying thanks for the columns and offering advice and guidance if I needed it. It sounds very busy, which with the marathon less than two weeks away, I would imagine he is.

Also got a great email from Mark Collis - I think he posted his comments to the blog as well - saying my cold was actually good news. He made me feel a whole let better about my taper. I also checked out his 26 marathon tips and they were great too, informative, well written and funny.

No run, no fun

I want to run today but I've decided it's stupid idea. I'm sitting right on the edge of a cold - sneezing,  a little cough, general body soreness - but it hasn't taken me right out. I could run - I even brought my stuff to work - but I fear it would exacerbate things and make me truly sick. That's the worst case scenario with just 12 days to go before the marathon.

I did a little google research and found a number of articles. One was advice from former Spec editor Kirk Lapointe, now at the Vancouver Sun, who rightly points out that runners take pride in running through sickness, often to their detriment. Another quotes a study that says running while sick doesn't hurt, but doesn't help either.

On the upside, the revised long-term forecast for Nov. 2 sees the temperature up to around 13 degrees. They are still calling for rain, however.

And I spoke to the manager at my local Running Room and I do have to return my Garmin to manufacturer in order to get it serviced. I'll likely do that Nov. 3.

A cold future

As per usual, I feel worse two days after my long run than I did the day after. It could be fact that I played goal for an hour and a half on dead legs yesterday afternoon, but I think it's just the cumulative effect of a month of pretty serious training. Plus, there's a little cold going through my house... with two kids under eight, including one the Germville that is day care, we'll have runny noses and coughs from now until the Easter Bunny shows up. I just need to make sure I don't go down hard.

The weather forecast looks cool and rainy this week but even more alarming is the long term forecast for Nov. 2 - high of around four degrees and rain. That's no good. I'm hoping for something in the 10 to 12 range with clear sunny skies.

I stopped by the Running Room to ask them about my busted Garmin - the heart rate monitor has gone kaput. I changed the battery and everything. The kid working behind the counter said he wasn't sure but thought that the Running Room warranty was only 90 days and that the one-year warranty was through Garmin only, meaning I'll have to send it away to the U.S. for service. When I bought it, I asked about the warranty - it was a refurbished unit, so I was concerned - and nobody at the Running Room said anything about 90 days, just the one-year. I took the manager's card and will have to deal with him, but I'm not optimistic...

I thought I was supposed to be off today, but I just realized that I was supposed to run 5km easy. I could do it when I get home, but I think I might take an extra day's rest, run 5km tomorrow, the 11km speedwork session Wednesday then the scheduled 3.2 km on Thursday. I seem to be deviating from my plan somewhat, but Ithink the die is pretty much cast at this stage.

The Last Long Run Until...

I'm trying to decide if I feel like complete crap or pretty good. It's relative thing, considering that I just 32 km in 3 hrs 9 min and 11 secs. I feel tired and my muscles have that overall achey feel to them but I don't feel utterly spent and nothing hurts to the point of sheer agony. I think we'll say pretty good.

I ran four laps of an 8km loop around my neighbourhood. The first two went fine, right on the 6 min per km  pace I've been training at. Things started to get a little uncomfortable around the middle of lap three but I still made my 48 min lap time. I wasn't sure I wanted to do the fourth lap. My ankle hurt, my legs were tired and I was fading.

So I tried to go faster. After keeping my heart rate around 150 to 155 bpm - I was wearing my cheapie stopwatch / heart rate monitor not the Garmin - I pushed it up to 170 bpm for most of the last lap, raising my per km pace to 5:40: race pace. I actually felt better at the faster pace, my ankle hurt less, my legs seemed better. I dropped down a little in the middle of the lap but then picked it up again for the last 2km.

The weather was nice, 3 degrees when I started and probably 9 when I finished. I had a long sleeve shirt with a t-shirt over top, tights with shorts over top. I ran the first lap with an ear cover and gloves but I dropped them at home after the first lap. I also dropped the fuel belt after lap two, using my hand held bottle instead. The bottle holds half what a six-bottle fuel belt does - I think the great Fuel Belt experiment is likely over.

Could I have gone another 10km? Probably. I hope so. I don't think I'm doing another long run next weekend. I'll stick with the plan this week and next - there's a killer 11km interval workout set for Wednesday - but I think I'll do 16km next Saturday and just focus on getting my body rested for the big day.

Today was the farthest I've ever run in my life, surpassing the 30km I did at the Around the Bay last March. These long runs are meant to prepare your body for the rigours of 42.2 km but I also think they are meant to instill confidence - each time I complete a long effort I feel better about my chances on marathon day. I now feel like I'll be able to finish - whether I'll meet my goal is another question entirely.

More on that in the coming days. Now it's an afternoon with my kids - a marathon of a different kind. Given that I abandoned them - and more importantly my wife - for over the 3 hrs this morning, I have some Daddy time to make up. My wife's thinking about a nap, my kids are thinking about Chuck E. Cheese. Then an evening with my couch, my wife and Ironman. I hope it's good, otherwise I'll be staring at the inside of my eyelids by the end...

The man with (no) plan

Though I just wrote a Spectator column singing the praises of my training plan and patting myself on the back for following it to the letter, I'm now considering changing it. At issue are the two remaining long runs on the next two Saturday's.

The plan calls for 28 km this Saturday and then 32 km next Saturday - just eight days before the 42.2 of the marathon. My concern is that I won't adequately recover from 32 in time for the marathon. So I'm thinking about doing 32 this Saturday - a big jump in mileage from the 24 last weekend - and then something shorter next Sunday, like 16km or so.

At this point, I think I have the cardio to make it - the issue is the pounding. And while the long runs are supposed to prep me for that, I think recovery is important as well - I want to be injury free and fully rested on race day.

Two more links: a story from the National Post on injuries of the marathon season and a Rob link on race-specific training.

As for me, I'm going out for dinner with my wife here tonight. I'm planning to burn 2000 calories tomorrow anyway...

The Heart (Rate) of the matter

Did my easy run yesterday - though I went too far (6.4 km instead of 5 km) and to fast (5:40 per km pace instead of 6:00). That's race pace for me.

My Garmin heart rate monitor appears to be toast. The distance, pace and timer functions still work but I can't get the heart monitor to register. I bought it less than a year ago from the Running Room - it was $150 and a refurbished unit - so it should still be under warranty. I might go and talk to them about it this weekend to see what the deal is. if i have to send it away to be looked it, I'll likely wait until after the marathon. If I can get my money back I might spend a little more and get the next model up, the 405. It has a few more bells and whistles and can be used for indoor training as well...

In the meantime, Rob has returned my cheapie heart rate monitor that records time and heart rate. No zones, no averages, no pace: just here's how long you've been running and here's what your heart rate is right now. I'm actually thinking of using it for my long run this weekend instead of the Garmin and maybe racing with it too. I'm starting to think the Garmin may be giving me too much data in real time: I find myself constantly checking my pace and time and heart rate. I can set the training assistant to give me how far ahead or behind I am of my goal pace and I find myself fixating on the numbers.

The other issue is that my pace number jumps up and down for no reason and it freaks me out. The distance function occasionally goes haywire too: during Around the Bay, it measured my distance at over 32 km. It doesn't really matter what the watch says, it's the course markers that really matter.

Isn't it better to just run? I can check my splits every 5 km and I can use the heart rate to moderate my pace.

This handy online calculator offers proposed heart rates for various distances. I think my heart rate will be right around that 157 bpm or 85 per cent of max for the pace I'm hoping for, maybe slightly higher.

No New Shoe Blues

Did my tempo run yesterday, 9.6 km in total with a 6 km tempo run in the middle at a 5 min per km pace. It felt great. The weather was perfect, a little overcast but still warm enough for shorts and and short sleeves. The new shoes felt great, no blisters or hot spots at all. They actually feel a touch lighter thanthe old ones - it would be interesting to see if Brooks shaved an ounce or two off this generation on the Beast or if if it's just in my head.

As promised, here's the link to my column that appeared in Wednesday's Spec.

I've been getting email advice from readers, which is nice. Dan writes:

I have run 5 marathons (not much now) including Boston….and would like to offer one wee little tip to you that may help with leg fatigue in the late stages. Try to work in a session of leg squats once week. I attribute that to strengthening ligaments and tendons around the knee to prevent injuries, and build up
Good strong Quads and hamstrings that can take on the grueling repetitive miles and keep you upright…

I tried to work a little weight training into my plan but it was hard to fit in. Rob at work says there is a gym near the office he wants to check out and if I can get out at lunch during the off-season, I'm going to try and do that. I would like to build up more leg and core strength, but I don't really think it will help to start 2 1/2 weeks before race day.

Karin's advice was short and sweet and regarding feet:

Buy really good socks!

It's funny, because I have tried a couple of pairs of expensive socks - $10 or $12 a pair - and have always returned to my old faithful Adidas socks that are $8 for three pairs. They are thick, which helps ward off blisters and they seem to absorb enough sweat to do the job. They aren't fancy, double-layer or moisture wicking, but they seem to do the job. I wear black, and only black, because I think they look cooler than the goofy white ones...

I've gotten to the point with shoes and socks that I'm comfortable with my set up. I used to enjoy trying new things but at this point I seem always to return to my old standards. And I won't be messing with anything this close to race day.

Keep the advice coming. It's fun to hear from other runners.

Happy Feet

I called the folks at BioPed in Guelph where I had my orthotics made this morning to ask two questions: could they give orthotics a tune up and did they, by chance, have a pair of Brooks Beast Size 9 in 4E width?

The answer was yes on both counts. So this afternoon I went to see my foot man Paul Lucas who runs the BioPed franchise in Guelph and built my orthotics 18 months ago.

I was initially skeptical about the value of orthotics. They seem, at first blush, to be $300 Dr. Scholl inserts. But my chiropractor recommended them and my doctor gave me a referral and my insurance covered the cost, so I figured why not?

Paul went through an elaborate process in fitting me, watching my gait, looking at the tread wear on my shoes and talking to me about my disability and my activities. The fitting system using computer modeling and was super cool to watch.

Initially, I hated them. They gave me blisters and made my feet hurt when I ran. It felt weird when I walked. Because one of my legs is substantially shorter than the other, I had this huge lift in my right shoe making it feel weird. I almost gave up.

But after awhile I adjusted and soon my back stopped hurting when I ran. And my hip. And my ankle. Now I wear them in every pair of shoes and when i stopped wearing this summer for a couple of weeks - I got lazy transferring them from shoe to shoe - everything acted up again. I have come to really appreciate them and what they do for me: I really believe I'd never be able to take on a marathon without them.

And the Beasts help too. I've tried several different pairs of motion control and stability shoes and always come back to the Beast. The 9 4Es are a perfect fit and wide widths are hard to find. The only drawback to the Beasts is the cost: I paid $185 with tax for these shoes. I can find them for less, but never 4E. But I firmly believe this is the best shoe for me and cutting corners in the face of 42.2km seems stupid.

I'm wearing them now, will wear them around the office tomorrow and start running in them tomorrow at lunch. I'm hoping because it's the same shoe, I won't feel much difference - and I have three weeks before race day.

I'm also going to try and see my chiropractor this week and I'm going to make an appointment with my family doc just to get once over - I'm hoping he'll give me a referral for massage. I figure I might as well look after my body in preparation for what I'm about to put it through.

Another column in the Spec tomorrow: it's on my training philosophy and plan. I'll post a link tomorrow.

Heating up

Away in Goderich this weekend for Thanksgiving at the family cottage - we ended replacing a car battery in the town square after the car went kaput again. It also delayed my long run until later in the afternoon when it was over 20 degrees.

I started out fine  - maybe even a little too fast - but then the wind picked up and there were some hills around 10 to 12 km mark, right before the turn around. I had Barry's Fuel Belt with 24 ounces of Gatorade and one box of raisins - I'm trying new ways to get more carbs on my long runs - but my legs started to feel heavy around 18km and I had to tough it out for the last few kilometres. I was so hot I took off my shirt and hung it from the Fuel Belt, instantly becoming The Glistening Runner I Swore I'd Never Become.  I don't really have the physique for shirtless running, to say the least. My only redeeming quality: no Sasquatchesque body hair.

I made it: 24km at a 6min per km pace but just barely. I faded badly over the last few kilometres and barely hung on to make my time. There is tons of stuff out there on the effect of weather on running but this appears to be the most authortative study on the matter. It is only a synopsis, however, and this is New York Times article on the same research and it's much easier to understand. The Chicago marathon was run yesterday in sweltering heat for the second straight year.

I'm also starting to feel some nagging injuries coming on. My right ankle, which has always been balky, has been acting up again. I have partial paraylisis in my right side, a condition I've had since birth, and my right ankle takes a pretty good wallop when I run. Orthotics help and motion control shoes help but I'm running more than I ever have in getting ready for this race and thatis bound to have an impact. I'm going to look into getting a new pair of shoes this week and at having my orthotics tuned up.

I don't talk a lot about my disabilty because I don't think about it much. It hasn't really stopped me from doing anything I really wanted to do. I've written about just once, which isn't much when you consider the navel-gazing nature of most of my writing.  Still, there is little doubt that this injury is related to my gait but there isn't much I can do about it. Ice and ibuprofen for now, a backing of of the mileage if I have to.

I still did my scheduled 6.4 km run today after getting back from the cottage. My seven-year-old daughter came with me, riding her bike as we made our way along the trails that weave through the conservation area beside my subdivision. It was still too hot - we drank a bottle of water between us on the 40 minute effort - but it was great to have her along. She didn't complain and kept up and we chatted mindlessly about stuff. It was great father-daughter time. She did a 1km race with me last Thanksgiving at the Guelph Mercury race - an event we skipped this year. She's active: she plays soccer, takes swimming lessons and has done gymnastics and dance in the past. She started skating lessons last Thursday.

The Calgary marathon has a cool event where kids can do a marathon a little bit at a time - a kilometre or two every few days - the last bit of their 42.2km on race day. I think that's very cool. My brother-in-law lives in Calgary... I hear the second one is much easier.