Boston 2013 Day 5 and 6: Katy Trail

Yesterday I ran my first double digit distance since the Bass Pro Marathon on November 4th. It was also my first visit to the Katy Trail in Jefferson City in a long time. I ran 10 miles in 1:15:14 on a nice flat, but cold , windy and snowy trail. The Katy Trail is an old RR track converted to a trail system that spans the width of the state from east (St Louis) to west (Kansas City). The trail is primarily used by cyclist but is very runner friendly too. If you're ever near the I-70 corridor across the state you should stop and check out the trail.

Today Aimee and I ran a short 4 miler in downtown Jefferson City that included two laps around the state capital. Total mileage for the week was 29 with 1 1/2 miles in the pool.

Boston 2013 Day 4

In an earlier post I described Farmington as uphill no matter which way you run. Well, I have never ran in Jefferson City before today and I would like to revise that statement. Our state Capitol is Farmington on steroids, even my wife commented during the run "and I use to think Farmington was hilly". We eventually cranked out 5 miles while pushing our snugly wrapped snow bunny in her jogging stroller and Marlie tagged along too.

Tomorrow I will head out to the Katy Trail for 10 on some nice flat ground. The picture below is a sign in town. You can kinda get a glimpse of the hills, but more importantly I was unaware we needed to watch out for teeter totters.

Boston 2013 Day 3

It was back to the road today as most of yesterday's snow was cleared enough for good foot traction. Training called for 6 miles of hills, which, luckily, in Farmington is not hard to find. There are two things you can always count on in Farmington: running uphill and into the wind. Oh, might make that three things: people not moving over when they pass you. Hello, I'm wearing a very bright reflective vest! I know you can easily see it because I have tested it! The last thing I want to see is a snow plow headed right at my knee.

Anyway, 6 miles down with 1/2 mile in the pool for good measure. Off to Jefferson City, state Capitol, for my brother-in-law's wedding. This weekend I'll be logging some miles on the Katy Trail.

Boston 2013 Day 2: Snow

It snowed last night for the first time this winter, bad news for me was no running this morning as the streets were just not cleared enough. So I'll switch out tomorrow's rest day with today's 6 miler. Instead of taking the whole day off I did get in one mile of laps in the pool and another weight session. I started a new lifting routine today and bought some new whey protein. I'll let ya know how those go.

Boston 2013 Day 1: Christmas Run

Merry Christmas and happy Boston Marathon training day #1! Boston is 16 weeks away in April 2013 and today was an easy 4 miler. In the spirit of Christmas I made sure to wear red and green for the run and took Marlie along as my personal reindeer. After the run I got in a nice weights session as Aimee took on the elliptical and Basil slept in her car seat. Nice thing about Christmas morning; not too many people in the fitness center to wake your sleeping daughter.

Three days ago Aimee and I ran in a jingle bell 5k with Aimee taking first overall female and Basil and I taking third. It was a fun race as everyone was given bells to wear and everyone was in the Christmas spirit. I'm looking forward to closing the last week of the year strong and keeping a much better blog on the details of training for the oldest and most respected marathon in the world. Thanks for following along!

Chicago Marathon

Today is Christmas Day and I am finally posting a draft I started on October 10th, three days after the Chicago Marathon. I have not changed anything just getting back to blogging.

This past Sunday was my third, and fastest, Chicago Marathon (3:08:03 see splits here). A not too well kept secret to those close to me, I was hoping to break 3 hours, but obviously came up a little short (or long?). Either way that elusive time remains a goal for another race down the road.

I finished just ahead of a group of guys who were also discussing 3 hours and we briefly agreed on the difficulty of reaching it. A 6:51 pace is tough for a 1/2. Making it all 26 at that pace is just daunting. The focus and mental drain really takes its toll those last 4-6 miles. I guess what feeds the drive and desire for the next marathon is that I always have a "time" to beat. Who knows how many more opportunities I will get, but as long as I can, I look forward to the challenge.

Alright, enough about not reaching 3 hours, how about the fact that this was my second fastest time, and that I was still on pace after 20 miles. Those are some encouraging takeaways. I know that with just a little more speedwork, tempo runs, and higher mileage weeks I will probably reach that goal. As for now, I am thrilled that I finished my 5th marathon this year, and 8th total if you count the 3 ultras. I continue to remain healthy and injury free and for that I am very thankful. I was also very happy to have several of my friends attend and support me throughout the race, and of course, Aimee was in attendance with Basil, cheering me on like so many times in the past.

At one point this year the thought crossed my mind to finish 12 in 2012, but then what 13 in 2013? Now I look forward to returning to Boston in April of 2013 and possibly competing in my first 1/2 Ironman later in the year.

Update: after Chicago I ran two more marathons within 4 weeks. Giving me 3 in a 4 week calendar span. I have logged a total of 93 miles. For comparison I logged 200 miles in August and 191 in September. Boston is 16 weeks away time to get back at it. I have also included an updated photo for my decrease in running recently.

Cover Models

A couple weeks ago my wife and I saw a Facebook post from our area-code magazine (573) looking for people who were runners. We responded to the post and were invited to attend a photo shoot along with 4 other locals. There were both group and individual shots taken and all of us were interviewed about our running history and habits. Unknown to my wife and I, until we found a copy in the driveway, was that one of our shots was selected for the cover!

I have now seen our faces online as the magazines Facebook Profile Picture, in random driveways when I run in the morning and even in the checkout line at Wal-Mart. I have even been recognized as "that guy on the cover of that one magazine running". My students tell me they see me at Wal-Mart and that they have read about me in the magazine. Aimee and I are grateful to be invited to share our story and we hope that it might inspire others (especially couples) to do the same.

You can read a digital copy of the article by visiting the 573 Magazine website at www.573mag.com. 

Twinkies

Dustin and I have ran many races together so consequently we have thousands (approximate lol) of the same shirts. MANY times we will get ready for a run and see that we have either set out, or put on, the same shirt, many times the same outfit (ie with black shorts). We always feel like idiots running around like twinkies. This morning the same thing happened. Dustin got dressed while I was with Basil. Then I got dressed while he was putting in his contacts. We both came out with the same St. Patrick ’s Day tech tee. We were running in separate places, so it really didn’t matter but it was really funny. It’s like, “Really? Out of ALL our running clothes and race shirts we choose the same one?”

This even translates to when we go out. Sometimes we have to “call” a color combination so the other won’t put on the same color. Whoever put out or had the outfit on first gets to wear it. The worst was one Saturday in Springfield when we wanted to work out and shower at the gym so we could stay in town to run some errands, go to the mall, get dinner, etc. We walked out of the locker room and realized that we had both packed the EXACT same shirt. To make it even better we both choose jeans to wear with it. All day we walked around looking like those families that are so cute that they wear the same Christmas sweater for photos. Geez. 

If next time you see us out and we are wearing the same thing, please know that we didn’t plan it. We, too, find it very strange and will understand if you feel the need to yell out, “twinkies!!”

~AW

The "rest" difference

Friday I took the day off running, opting to swim instead. On Saturday I started out to run the 2-2.5 miles I’ve been doing this week in an attempt to build a base. I was feeling pretty good, so I decided to run a little further. Surprisingly, my lungs were the only thing that bothered me. My shoulder felt fine and my legs felt much stronger than they had the previous few days. I zoned out, and before I knew it I was finished. I ended up running 4.5 miles! It’s not much, but it was a lot for me right now. It just goes to show how important rest days are. Sometimes it feels as if you take the day off then you will lose all your strength and endurance when you really need to give your muscles a break to help them heal as they get stronger. It’s easier said than done!

Running Post-Partum: What happened to all the Power?

Today was my first run after Basil was born. It’s been 12 ½ weeks since my last run at 35 weeks pregnant.  I last raced without having to go easy about 11 months ago. Today I had a nice run, but it wasn’t easy. I ended up jogging about 2 miles.  The overall feeling was that I have lost power, especially in my legs. They felt like wet noodles and I’m sure they will be sore tomorrow :P. It is daunting to think of all the hard work lost that I will have to work hard to get back. This means time both on the road and in the weight room. Here’s the catch- I no longer have the time with a baby! I now understand why moms don’t work out. It’s not because they don’t want to, it’s just that they don’t have the time and with a baby, it’s too difficult! I really hope we are able to work out a system so I can continue to at least keep my body healthy.  Luckily, we have already had some volunteers to help watch Basil so Dustin and I can run together at least a few days a week. It's really important to us and I’m really looking forward to those runs!

All things happen for a reason, right? Starting over is probably a good thing. I always try to encourage others to run and I understand how difficult it is to get started.  This gives me a fresh reminder for empathy.

Also…

So, I guess I lied earlier when I said this was my first run. 573 Magazine will prove me wrong next month if they choose to print the article on running because Dustin and I were in the group shots.  I guess in my post-baby exhaustion phase, I showed up for the photo shoot without thinking that he would be taking pictures of us actually running. DUH! It was nothing big, just a small stretch of path to jog on so he could get the shots (I skipped most of the pre-run, so I may look a bit fresher than the others, although it was really hot and humid outside).  Therefore, technically I ran last week. But I don’t think it counts because it was too fun to be a first run!! Dustin and I had a blast! I’m anxious to see how the article gets put together.

AW

New Runner in the Family

We have taken a little bit of a break from running and for good reason. Aimee and I welcomed Basil to the world on June 20th and our lives have been forever changed (for the better). Finding time to run over the past month has been challenging, but there is obviously good reason to be spending more time indoors. During the last several months I have been packing in as many runs, bikes, and swims as possible, usually bricking some combo of them together almost everyday; and at minimum, I had completed a marathon each month. Those days will take a break for a while, but I am learning new ways to train while doing my part to help raise our newborn. 

This past weekend I decided to keep my marathon a month streak going by running in the Psycho Psummer 50k Trail Race in Kansas City, Kansas. I chose this race because we were headed to Omaha for two weeks and it was on the way. I like trail races, but since my June 3rd Minneapolis Marathon I had not run over 9 miles or over 30 in a week and here I was going to do 31 in one day! So, on the Monday before the race I went out and ran 16 just to reassure myself that I could finish. Trail races are more physically demanding than road races, but I also think they are less demanding mentally. Having the opportunity to eat, fill water bottles, and just stop and walk when you want makes them totally different from a road race. Even though I am out there much longer, the mileage does not seem to matter as much.   

Everyone thinks Kansas = Flat, but I can honestly say this was the most difficult race I have completed. It is nowhere near flat and at almost any point on the course you are going up/downhill or you are on a slant which is very tough on the ankles. This trail is very narrow, rocky, root filled, and at times nothing but switchbacks. I would estimate 90% of the trail was shaded, which was nice since it was 97 degrees, and when you were not in the shade it felt like you were in an oven. With Chicago 12 weeks away, I would say this was a good start to my training. 

 

Oh, the new addition to our family? She helped me cross the finish line in 23rd place. 

Marathon Maniacs Membership

Here is the email I sent to Marathon Maniacs this morning detailing my criteria to meet membership. Now I just wait to see if I am approved. I would again like to take this opportunity to thank my loving (currently prego) wife for allowing me to do these crazy things. *You may need to click on the picture to make it large enough to read. 

The Goofy: My Version

500 Club Medal, Mini 500 Finishers Medal, Pump and Run Bronze, Flying Pig Finishers Medal 

Have you ever heard of the Goofy Challenge? It's part of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend where you run a half on Saturday then the full on Sunday; finishing both races earns you a special "Goofy Medal". I know there are several other races that offer participants challenges like this, usually called "doublers". For example, Pikes Peak offers the ascent only on Saturday and the full on Sunday; the Post Oak does the same but with a 50k, then a marathon.

Well, earlier this month, I created my own Goofy or Doubler by running the Indianapolis Mini 500 on Saturday May 5th, and the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon on Sunday May 6th. The Mini 500 is the nations largest half marathon with 35,000 runners and a trip around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Other than the run through downtown and the 2 mile lap around the speedway, there is not much scenery at this race, but the speedway makes the race worth it.




35,000 at the Mini Start and The Indy Motor Speedway

Crossing the Bricks, then giving them a kiss. 




Cincinnati is a short 2 hour drive from Indianapolis and host one of the best marathons I have participated in. The Flying Pig has a great route that runs through two states (Ohio and Kentucky), downtown Cincinnati, spirited neighborhoods, offers awesome views of the river, and after a steady incline from miles 5-9 it is flat to downhill the rest of the way. In addition to the course, the expo gives away some of the best SWAG of any race: shirt, logo duffle bag, and event poster are included with registration.

Running out of Downtown Cincinnati and uphill the next 4 miles, Pump and Run at the Expo 

At the Flying Pig there is also a separate event called the pump and run. This event allow race participants to bench press a % of their body weight and deduct a the time form their overall finish time. There is a separate registration fee, and money raised goes to local charities. I was able to complete 16 reps, good for a 32 minutes deduction from my overall time. Without the deduction, I was third place for all those who signed up in the pump and run, but after everyone's deduction, I finished in 13 place.

The Goofy/Doubler weekend was a lot of fun and I look forward to doing another one sometime soon, but next time with my currently prego running partner.

One of several "Flying Pigs" placed around the course and possible my favorite shirt ever

Running While Preggo: 3rd Trimester

Finishing up the 2^nd trimester was great.  I was feeling really good and still enjoying running up to 5 miles, about 5 times a week. Once I hit about 7 months I got shin splints. It was strange because I have never had shin splints. After doing a little research I realized that it isn’t uncommon for pregnant runners to get them because of the quick increase in weight. That would make sense as I began to get bigger! So, I took some advice from livestrong.com (which is a great resource for athletes btw) and took a week off. After that I gradually got back to 3-5mi runs, but I had to start out really slow to warm up my legs. In April I did the Walker Johns 5K. My goal was to keep my mile times around or slower than 10min.  For the most part, I succeeded. It was nice to feel “back in the game”. Dustin kicked booty at that race. It was a 2 loop course and he took 1^st place overall in the 10K by a long shot!!! On his first loop, he ran by as the 2^nd runner overall in the 5K. People were trying to get him to go through the finishing shoot, but he had to tell them that he still had another lap!!!  Such a stud :)

The past few weeks (starting around pregnancy week 32) it has been tougher to get my calves and shins warmed up enough to where I can continually run. I still felt great overall, but my legs below the knee weren’t very interested.  It would take about 2 miles before I could run continually and hills seemed to aggravate it more so I substituted the HS track for my running group. I miss running with the girls, but I didn’t want to make them stop to walk. Dustin was sweet enough to still want to run with me, especially since he seems to frequently be either recovering or tapering from his Marathon Maniac quest.

This week I hit 35 weeks. As I went out to the track on Monday I realized my body felt tired. I just wasn’t in to it anymore.  I had to go up a notch on my baby belt so it felt a little loose. Finals were over and I was no longer in need of my trusty de-stressor. I thought, “Why am I doing this?” So, I decided to stop.

Since January I have been going with Dustin to the pool to swim laps with him on off days.  I enjoy swimming because it doesn’t seem like pregnancy has too much affect on it.  I just make sure to stop to rest and get a drink after every 12 lengths or so, since I have a difficult time being able to tell if I am tired or not. Now that I am not running I will alternate between swimming, walking, and resting. :)

I feel so blessed that I have been able to run for this long. I hope that other pregnant women realize this isn’t the norm and that other dads-to-be don’t expect their wives to continue running, even in the first trimester. Pregnancy is different for each woman and so is how much they can exercise. But if you CAN do it, I would highly suggest it! For me it helped ward off the typical pregnancy “symptoms” and I’ve been told it leads to an easier delivery (and a smarter, healthier baby)- which I would love to happen!

I’m sad to see my running end for now, but it will be nice to take some time off. If I would have had to quit during the school year, I think it would have been really tough. But, now it’s time to sit back, relax, and get ready for Basil’s arrival.  Less than 5 weeks til due date! Things are about to really change in our running world :) And, I think it involves a jogging stoller!

Pleasant Surprise

The past few weeks have been full of little pleasant surprises and this week was no exception. Last Sunday, April 15, I ran the STL GO! Marathon for the first time. Aimee and I met, and stayed with, some friends from Springfield who were running in the 1/2. (Below are Justin and I stretching in unison, and Teresa and Alyea proudly displaying their running skirts) 

The GO! course was challenging, but very enjoyable. The race started/finished downtown with a great view of the Arch (right). The first few miles are south of downtown past Union Station, The Scottrade Center (Home of the Blues), through Soulard and the Anheuser Busch Brewery. After passing through the brewery and one of their world famous Clydesdales, you return to downtown and past Busch Stadium.   

After seeing us off at the start, Aimee was able to hop over a few blocks and catch all of us as we returned downtown around mile 7 (left). Leaving downtown was the first of some very long inclines. The next few miles of the race continued West through St. Louis University and towards the Central West End. At mile 10, the half marathon participants return downtown to finish, while the full participants continue West into Forest Park; home of both the 1904 World's Fair and Summer Olympics. 

After running through Forest Park, the Marathon continues past Washington University and the city of Clayton where runners begin to circle back to downtown. Miles 19 and 20 run along Delmar through The Loop and Blueberry Hill where Chuck Berry still plays shows. The final 10k of this marathon is probably one of the toughest sections of any race I have ran. For a normal run, it's probably not that bad, but after 20 miles it is very challenging and seems like one constant, steady, uphill climb.

Justin, Teresa, and Alyea all ran great half's and after pacing Justin through the first 10 miles, I was able to finish the full in 3:18:25; my third best time ever! Six days later, Aimee and I ran locally in the Walker Johns' 5k/10k. Aimee continued to run very well while 31 weeks prego and I took first overall in my first ever race, winning the 10k in 39:23. 

Weekly totals 4-15: Run 39.2 mi, Bike 13.8 mi, Swim 1150 yd
Weekly totals 4-22: Run 29 mi, Bike 20 mi, Swim 1400 yd

Easter Sunday

Today is Easter Sunday and Aimee's side of the family has been in town all weekend. In fact, this makes three weekends in a row of family! The last two weekends have been spent baby-showering and we have got to see my mom and sister both in Springfield then here in Farmington.

My last post was about our St. Patrick's Day Run in St. Louis and Aimee wrote an update on running while pregnant. Needles to say, we have stayed busy, and have not done much blogging during that time. Here are some highlights as we play blog catch-up.

End of March/Beginning of April: I traveled to Indianapolis for the National Science Teachers Conference and in addition to the many good seminars I attended, that I won't bore you with, I found some time to run (of course). Indy is what I call a "small big city" with everything close together and it was very nice and clean. There was plenty of greenway trails including several that connected to downtown. I am looking forward to going back there for the Mini 500 in three weeks.

March 19-25 totals: 37 miles run; .75 miles swim; March 26-April 1 totals: 40 miles run, 29.8 bike, .35 swim.

April Fools Day: I decided to run and bike St. Joe Park. I ran the 11 mile loop once and biked it twice. While on the loop, I saw the same woman three different times. The third time I stopped to talk with her. She told me she had just seen a Mt. Lion. I ask her what it was doing? She told me it was right back on the path between mile 7 and April Fools. Nice One!

This Week: Aimee and I have started swimming more as it is something "easier" for her to do while prego (not that anything is "easy" to do while prego). Yesterday we did a half mile! This is easy for Aimee, but for me it was a huge accomplishment. I cleaned my bike for the first time, it's been incredibly foggy this week, and our running group, Mineral Area Ridge Runners (MARR) is starting to gain more members at the track on Wednesday mornings! Looking forward to St. Louis Go! Marathon this weekend.

April 2-8 totals: 39 miles run, 11 miles bike, 1.2 miles swim.

Blessed Runner

I feel so blessed in so many ways. The biggest way is that Dustin and I will be able to meet our little girl in a few months. Being able to feel her kicks and movements as she gets stronger has created a bond that makes me more and more excited. Another way is that I have been feeling so good. I have heard so many horror stories about bad pregnancies (and births, women feel compelled to let you in on the worst!) and it makes me even more thankful that I feel so good, even better than pre-pregnancy. Thursday I entered the 3rd trimester, so I know I won't be feeling all that great for long. I cherish this time!!
I also feel so blessed to be able to be so active. Dustin and I go on bike rides, albeit short and slow. We go swim laps together; swimming is the one physical activity where I don't feel much different. And I am still able to run!!!  Keep in mind that it isn't all roses. It definitely isn't as comfortable to run as it was before. I get winded much easier and I have to go slow or else I get muscle fatigue in my legs. If there is any sign of possible cramping in my mid section I stop immediately.  The hardest part is not being able to stretch my legs out and finish strong at the end of the run or skipping speed work on the track. Wednesday's track day is normally my favorite, but is now a very boring run since I can't go any faster and only run in circles. I still go anyway because I get to see Dustin as he laps me :). Slow and steady is my current motto.
Currently I am still running 3-5miles a day, 5-6 days a week. I run some on my own, some with Dustin, and some with a group of girls. At Dustin's last race (60K trail run in Kentucky) I started talking with a girl/woman who was also spectating. We got to talking and both mentioned how we wish we could be running it too. I told her that I was pregnant and she said, "but you are still running, right? I ran 10-mile runs when I was 7 month pregnant". That put me in my pregnant-while-running place! Come to find out she wasn't running because she has a hairline fracture in her foot, that may put her out indefinitely, from a 100 mile ultra trail run. At that moment I visualized the word "freak" (a term I endearingly call runners that can perform at extremely high levels) flying in the air pointing down at her and it made me feel better. She normally runs 60-120 miles a week!!!  At 7 months pregnant I feel so fortunate to be able to run at all. I don't know what I would do without running (especially with the stress of pharmacy school). I know I couldn't have gone 9 months without it!

St. Pat's Day 5 Miler

26 Weeks 

Hard to believe, but this year was our first time running a St. Patrick's Day Run. St. Louis host a 5 miler that draws over 13,000 runners, most of them there to party. It was a lot of fun and we learned a few things for next year like arrive early to claim tailgate spot for parade and pack your own cooler. 

Aimee raced 26 weeks prego (53:08) and I tried to break 30:00 (31:31), but my legs just didn't have it in them. Oh well, the weather couldn't have been any better and we enjoyed the company of a few new Farmington running friends!
(Paul w/Ava and Ashley)

I think the part I enjoyed most about the race was watching all the fun/crazy people go by while waiting for Aimee and Ashley at the finish line. Funny thing, we never saw them finish because we were distracted by the group pushing a keg and doing keg stands, while the girls were on the other side....

  13,000 runners coming to the finish and one Jamaican Bobsled team, complete with human sled. 

Who needs aide stations when you carry your own cooler?