Double Race High

I had a great weekend in which I ran two road races: the Tarheel 10 miler yesterday [Saturday] and the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon this morning [Sunday]. Hopefully their locations are implicit. It's not typical, or often recommended to run two races back-to-back like this. But for one, I just really was interested in doing both these races. Secondly, running the half marathon on somewhat tired legs helps prepare my system for when I get to the run leg of the half Ironman (HIM).

Both races were run by different groups/companies and had their own quirks. For the Tarheel10, I thought the races was a little under-managed given the advertised scale of the event. Routine updates were few and post-race results were slow (given current trends/standards. A few years ago, an afternoon results posting would be fine, whereas today, you've got to have them up within a few hours). There was also very little direction from parking to the race start, where they were not in close/visible proximity to each other. At Raleigh Rocks, the parking was 100 yards from the start, so this was a non-issue. I also thought it course was better marked (or maybe I was just more attentive). However, I was little disappointed to in a cotton T-shirt, and the embroidered cap that I expected to be "performance" as simple cloth. While I know I am sounding picky, I am more just stating how the race management differed from some "standard" procedures. Raleigh Rocks definitely gets kudos for speedy race results, which were posted within minutes of finishes.

Of course my own performance should be the most important thing and in both cases I met my goals, and met or exceeded my expectations. For both, my goal was a sub-7:00 min/mile pace. For Tarheel this was also my expectation, given a solid training week and bare-requisite taper. For Raleigh Rocks, the sub-7 was a goal, but my expectation was more along a 7:15 min/mile pace, given some tired legs and more rolling hills (Tarheel can be called hilly as well; there were fewer, but more substantial). I can happily report (Tarheel results; Raleigh Rocks results sub-7:00 paces for both races. Tarheel 10 miler I was 1:09:25 (I think gun-time, still waiting for chip-time), for 95/2201 overall (84/942 men, age group unknown) Raleigh Rocks I was 1:30:26 for 18/1169 (17/450 men, 2/33 20-24 age group). I don't put a whole lot of weight into rankins; the size and make-up of the field can have big effects. I am happy with both times, which gave me my sub-7:00 paces, which are huge confidence boosters.

My one fear coming out of the half is my fueling/hydration. Fueling has always been difficult, and during a race paper cups make it significantly harder, lessening my chances of trying to take anything in. If I'm smart I'll try to remedy this in training, but... I'm not always that smart...

Saw a couple of people running with Vibrams Five Fingers, the shoes behind/associated with the barefoot/minimalist running trend. I bought a pair at REI and will ideally humbly begin to incorporate some running with them.

And yah, Diet Supernova (Diet Dew Challenge won. Again: tastes like liquid Skittles.

Umstead

This weekend was the Umstead 100 mile Endurance Run. I did not run. I had told myself that when[ever] I do my first or any one-hundred, it wouldn't be this one. It's 8 laps of a 12.5 mile loop, with a couple of out-and-back type sections. However, I may be eating my words. Last Wednesday I had to opportunity to volunteer with some of the race setup. I'll admit, I was drawn to the energy and excitement of the other volunteers (many who were also running the race) and the race director. You could tell they had a well-oiled machine. Also, the volunteer "swag" doesn't distinguish me as a volunteer (vs. a competitor), which of course makes me feel obligated to "earn" the right to don the gear.

The past couple weeks I've much more running at Umstead than I have in the past. Last weekend was a pre-dawn long run in the dark and rain. Needless to say I got lost. Yesterday I was out there again, during the mid-afternoon, so getting lost was much harder... but not impossible. Though I worried about not getting enough in, of course I ended up doing a little too much. It was ok, I was able to see a little bit of the race. And I just got smittened by the sheer scope of Umstead. You can really feel like you're out in the middle of nowhere. I was excited to experience so much single-track trails. I look forward to doing a lot more trail- and ultra running.

I'm also enjoying the taste of the Diet Mtn. Dew Supernova. It's part of the marketing scheme to choose the next diet soda, between the strawberry-melon Supernova and berry Voltage. Personally: I like the Supernova. It tastes like Skittles.

Sick, Sick, Sick

Ugh. What a week/weekend. I started with just a sore throat on Wednesday, but of course I have a cold that's been running it's course. Sore throat is gone, followed by terrible congestion on it's way out (but still lingering), with a stuffed/runny nose on-coming. My run on Friday felt heavy. A typical brick workout on Saturday was just a bike. I completed my run workout on Sunday. It was a struggle, and is anyone could hear me it probably sounded like I was dying at times. I was a coughing, wheezing, congested mess. Given that I'm already getting over the congestion, I'm hoping it'll resolve quickly.

My resolve for biking is waning off. I'm just not sure if the time and money needed to properly invest in it is worth it. I mean, I really enjoying the cross-training I do during the week; it's a nice and necessary break from biking. But not so for the weekend long rides. Even though needed for triathlon training, I can't help but feel it's gets in the way of running, my REAL passion.

Despite being under weather, and because I was unable to run Saturday, I got up extra early on Sunday for a long run at Umstead Park, to precede my [somewhat] regular group run. It was drizzling and cold. But I dressed warm and used my new friend - the headlamp. Running in the dark is a pretty novel experience and one I have enjoyed. The run was definitely tough at times, given my clogged lungs. However, there were several highlights. One was getting lost and getting a unexpected stretch of single-track trail, but most came from those inexplicable runner highs and lows from being out there.

I do think I've found my fuel of choice. I've done Clif Shot Blocks, and various sports drinks and gels. All worked, but I was never like "THIS is the one." Well, I really found that Jelly Belly's Sports Beans were great. It was sweet enough, and I loved the delivery. I just tossed the whole bag (about 100 cals, same as a serving of Shot Blocks or a gel) and it breaks down just like gum. I shoved the wad into the corner of my mouth and let it dissolved slowing. I dunno, maybe it was just that I happened to REALLY need to fuel, but I just thought it was perfect.

Busy week and uncertain weekend. David deploys this weekend for several months.

I got my first flat on my front tire. Sad, but it happens.

A little rat dog ran out in the middle of morning traffic to bark at me.

Recovery week

This was a recovery week so my mileage was taken back a little bit. I also had to drill this weekend with the Coast Guard and did not do my usual weekend bike ride; it's not too hard to twist around my running schedule, and I'm much more willing to do so, but dealing with traveling with a bike for a long distance just isn't my cup of tea. And I told myself from the get go: to make sure I can enjoy the bike, if I don't feel like doing it, I just won't do it. Forcing myself would only make it worse.

It was a rough week. One where I felt like I had a some pretty high points, but then some pretty low ones. I'm not sure if I want to go into the all the details, which may be part of the problem. It's hard to know when and/or who to share some personal problems with, especially for an introvert like myself.

I hope I don't accidentally bite the ultramarathon bug sooner than I should. I had already planned on doing a trail marathon about a month after I do a second half Ironman (HIM in September, marathon in October), which would be right before the fair, so a fun way to end the season and get some R&R. Well, having discovered the NC Half Marathon Series I looked around and saw one that is being held the same weekend as the trail marathon I wanted to do. Turned out for the half there is also a full marathon AND a 40 miler. I'm pretty tempted to see what I can do about it.

I felt like I had more to say... not much going on. I'm going to start volunteering at Rex Hospital. I'm also trying to see about what my schooling options are, but I'm still so mixed up, I don't want to get my hopes/expectations up. Nursing is still a possibility. However, fitness/wellness is never out-of-mind. And I think a budding interest in nutrition has led me to look at food science. A conversation with a professor with NC State's food science department was very informative and their graduate (masters) program is enticing. Who knows...

Mumble Jumble.

Not a whole lot to report. Just trying to keep in the swing of things. I am becoming more and more confident in my bike-run brick workouts. If these training runs are any indication, then I am planning for a great run at the White Lake Half-Ironman.

You know you're a runner when you get called out for the gear you wear. I am classical in my manner of wearing technical, dry-wicking shirts, and barely-there running shorts. Twice this week I was more-or-less cat-called... or so I thought? First was when I was passing by a park and some guy said "Well isn't that cute outfit" with what I took for sarcasm. But after passing, I think he had a daughter and was encouraging her interest. The second time I thought some jerk was whistling at me from his truck. Just turned out to be two dogs slobbering/whimpering.

I've been going through several books; and my list seems to grow faster than I can read them. My recent reads:
1) Rowing the Atlantic by Roz Savage : Woman going through a life change is the first row solo across the Atlantic (Canary Islands to Antigua)
2) Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox : Broke the men and women's records for the English Channel swim before she was 18, first to swim the Bering Strait (between Soviet Russia and the US), first to swim to Antarctica (no wetsuit for any of these)
3) I Shall Not Hate by Izzeldin Abuelaish - a Palestinian doctor's biography as he works in both Gaza and Israel
Now I am reading Proofiness by Charles Seife where he discusses the misrepresentation of statistics and mathematics in society.

Yesterday I had a great after-dark run at Bond Park. It was the second time I got to use/test my headlamp; the first time on a off-pavement route. It was tons of fun, and surprisingly brisk given the workout I had had earlier that morning.

Only problem was that it probably disrupted my sleep last night. I think I only got about 2 hours of sleep. Not simply toss-and-turning, I've probably been awake since about 1:00am. I feel OK, but I'm bracing for a crash.

I am thoroughly enjoying my training season. For the most part, I'm following a similar schedule that I did last year during the summer and leading up to the City of Oaks Marathon. However, my bike and run workouts are becoming more entwined since I want to be well-prepared for the bike-to-run transition. Though maybe not harmful, it was certainly a shock after my first triathlon a few years ago, and it's worth getting use to the change in movements. Overall, it has made my weekend runs shorter than what I would ideally want (that is, a single long run). However, as it's going, after a bike ride is a run (this one-to-the-other is known as a brick), with another run in the evening. Overall my weekly mileage builds similar to the marathon, but with the shorter individual workouts more in line with the half Ironman (HIM). I'm not sure if it'll turn out how I want, but ideally I can still build longer still and will have a strong base for ultra-races and a full Ironman next year.

I did get some new running shoes. I seem to get just over 500 miles out of a pair. I'm working a little bit on adjusting to a midfoot to forefoot strike, which is considered ideal for injury prevention. And I have a slight eye for a pair of Vibrams but I still think it'll be a little while. I'm already enjoying my entrance in to trail running, which is pretty entrenched with my desire to do ultras. It's also given me an eye to Cary's network of greenways, which aren't trails, but may be a nice divergence from the sidewalk.

Last thoughts:
1) I should really try to focus on slow runs. I usually run base on feel, and lately that's be a lot faster than my norm. I feel ok at the moment, but if I'm not careful, this can lead to serious overtraining.
2) I'm enjoying my aerobars (Thanks Lida and Mark!). Sometimes I feel like a missile.
3) Today's trip to REI was bittersweet. I went for just some more HEED, a sports drink mix from Hammer Nutrition, and just a energy bar or two. Well, they were out of HEED, but had a special on all foods, and I ended up stocking up on a variety of foods, some are staples of my diet; others are ones I'd like to test out in training.
4) Still not sure I'll drop my facebook.

Let the Season Begin

I originally did not have much of a season (particularly the spring) planned. Plagued with my knee injury (IT band tendonitis) from late November to mid January, I was hesitant to plan anything significant, worried about having lost a good running base. However, the past two/three weeks have been very promising, with my weekly mileage in good order. My knee is not absolutely pain free, but a consistent, lasting pain is now an occasional tweak, with little post-run ache. I've adopted a regular stretching routine, and I continue with a brief strength training routine.

So, look to the right to see my current race schedule. The biggest will be my first half Ironman at White Lake in May. A fairly popular race, it now spans two weekends. I'm register for the first, but prompting from my friends is tempting me to move to the second. It primarily depends on the organizers' policy regarding such. I'm also excited to try a weekend double whammy with a 10 miler followed by a half marathon.

My biggest challenge/desire is how to focus my running. I am always after higher mileage, but without any long distance races planned (the Medoc Trail Marathon is really just going to be for fun), I worry about being lackluster. I ultimately want to hit ultra-distance training, but don't want to jump on the train to quickly.

This weekend highlighted the beginning of the season. Saturday was the Krispy Kreme Challenge (2 mi, 12 donuts, 2 more mi under an hour) (4 mile warm up and 4 mile cool down). And Sunday I washed it down with some a Cook-Out milkshake.