CRANKY

I had forgotten about this part of the marathon thing, but quickly remembered it when it hit me couple of days ago.

I always get a bit depressed, nervous, anxious, quiet, snippy, introspective, tunnel-visioned, worried, doubtful, short-tempered, CRANKY...the week before a marathon. I KNOW that once I get to New Orleans, pick up my expo goodies, meet up with my friends, and wake up on time for Sunday's rocking and rolling...all will be just fine. But...right now I just want the waiting to end.

I am not sure I am physically ready to run 26.2 again after two years off. My 20 went very well about ten days ago. I am looking forward to seeing how my Altras perform over the long haul. I AM mentally fit. I've done it so many times before, my head is well-versed. We'll see if my legs have total recall...or selective amnesia. I think I'll know at about mile 17...when it's time for my customary English Mars bar.

I was waffling on whether I NEEDED to replace my trusty Timex Ironman Triathalon watch for this race. The old one drowned in the hot tub last week...and I had been looking for another way of keeping track of my run/walk intervals. I almost sprang for the Gymboss interval timer for only $20...as opposed to the $50 for the Ironman...but the expedited shipping to get it here in time was another $20...which meant that for just $10 more I could replace the watch here and now. Did that today...it's all set up...and a bit of my anxiety subsided immediately. (Thanks, Tokyorunner, for the push!)

Had been hoping to bust out my Goon Squad Runners "Big G" singlet for this race. I am still proud to be a member of the team, even though most of them have probably written me off, after my two year hiatus. Pulled it out of the drawer today and tried it on...and...in my current condition, it's just not comfortable or a good look. Instead I have packed it...for inspiration. My hope now is that I will wear it for my fall/winter race. Hope to win my way back into the hearts and minds of the GSR on Sunday.

So - I am all packed, and ready to go. Looking forward to my first-ever AirBNB experience, beignets on Friday morning, New Orleans Cooking School on Saturday morning with my friend Patti, getting soundly beaten to the finish line by her brother, John, meeting his girlfriend and marathon-virgin, Carrie...and eating and drinking with them all and Patti's other half, Rusty. This is shaping up to be a stellar group of days.



Meanwhile, as I reenter the marathon world, I just wanted to wish everyone else who's running this weekend...Napa Valley; Little Rock; Antalya, Turkey; Osaka, Japan; New Plymouth, New Zealand and Treviso, Italy all the best. Hoping it's everything you want it to be. Perhaps the above video will be helpful.

Next stop, the Big Easy.

Gotta run!

IRONMAN DIES IN HOT TUB

I tried to save a little money this week...by changing the battery in my trusty Timex Ironman watch. I have had this since that summer day back in 2006 when my stepdaughter and I went to Sports Basement in San Francisco in preparation for our joint marathon effort in Portland, Oregon that October. It was not easy for me to let go of the $50...but I convinced myself I "needed" this watch, because it allowed me to set intervals.

For every marathon I've run I've used some variation of Jeff Galloway's run-walk interval system. I am thinking the older I get the more useful this will be. Most of the time I've done 3 minutes running to every one minute of walking. If you think that's nuts, JG himself does 1:1 ratios..and still finishes marathons, along with his wife, in under 5 hours. Anyway...before I bought this watch I had been using just a regular watch, trying to keep track of the intervals in my head. This simplified matters. Elise (my stepdaughter) refused to express an opinion on whether it was a good idea...just in case her mom got mad that I'd spent the 50. She didn't..and the watch has been with me for 18 marathons and oh so many training runs, from Portland to Barcelona to Dublin to Seattle, Austin, Sacramento, Big Sur, Napa, Rochester and Santa Barbara, and others, consistently keeping track of my time, so I didn't have to.

I had noticed for weeks recently that the display was fading, and taking about 10 seconds to fully illuminate in between Rock and Roll New Orleans training runs. But, it still worked, so I paid little attention until, a few days ago, it went dark.

Knowing that watch repair shops charge up to $20 to replace the pooped power source with one that was fully juiced, I decided to pay the $3 for the battery and do it myself. Everything went swimmingly...until I got into the gym hot tub after a 5 miler at Pt. Pinole State Park. It took seconds for me to figure out I had not sufficiently resealed the case. The picture above it what I am stuck with now.

I have a Garmin 305, that does intervals, sort of. Now I am faced, with just over a week to go to running the Big Easy, with a dilemna. Do I try to run RNRNO without an efficient interval timer...or go spend another $50 for the peace of mind of having a new Ironman on my team?

I would ask Elise...but she'd be no help...if past experience is any guide.

Gotta run!

OOPS! SORRY.

A quick note on the post below. I apparently mis-read the Portland Marathon web site. It's the HALF that's sold out...not the FULL...yet! Now what am I going to do. I love Portland. Pondering.

REGGAE OR NOT...GOING BIG EASY

Well, it is down to this. In two weeks I will be jetting off to New Orleans for the inaugural Rock and Roll NO Marathon. It will be the 32nd time I have ever lined up on a marathon start line. Here's hoping it will be my 31st finish.

Pretty much wrapped up the training with my 20 miler two days ago...from the San Francisco Ferry Building to the Larkspur Ferry Building in Marin.

My hope was to pull it off in 4 hours. I've run this route on many a final LTR for previous marathons, and have always done it in 4, give or take two or three minutes. You would think I'd think I had it in the bag, but, due to what I had felt was lack of adequate training since I signed up for this event, I set off with one of those "who knows how this will go?" thoughts bouncing around.

The weather was a little brisk, as I parked just two blocks from the SF Ferry Building just before 6:30AM. Just enough of a breeze that I talked myself out of leaving my windbreaker in the car...and headed off down the Embarcadero with visions of a cold one or two on the ferry right back to this very spot in just a few hours.

The run was hard, but not harder than I had expected. I took that as a good sign, that all is well, training wise. I had not run this far in well over two years and it was the first time I'd gone this distance in my Altus shoes. Every time I go a bit farther I am concerned that this will be the time when I injure myself like I did a few years back in my VFFs. Didn't happen...and I am liking these shoes more and more the longer I go.

I did have a couple moments when I experienced a sharp pain in my right knee. The first one was right at the very beginning. Chalked that one up to having not been fully warmed up. The second time was, run completed, on the ferry. Chalked that one up to having just run 20 miles. In between the two twinges, nothing to speak of.

I spent the entire time catching up on a few of my favourite podcasts. I don't do the music thing when I run. I figure I'm going to be out there so long, I may as well be thoroughly entertained. Just in case you might in the market for a new program to listen to, here are my suggestions.

If you must listen to something about running I would suggest RunWorldRadio. It's pretty new, and certainly does the trick of distracting me from the dreariness (at times) of the long slow run. In only three episodes so far they have talked about "running naked", the "drinking club with a running problem", whether male athletes should shave (and I mean "everything"), the female host's tale of her first "Brazilian", and I don't mean a guy she met in Rio, and what each of the three hosts are training for and how it's going. I also listened to Mike and Tom Eat Snacks, where they talked about Cheetos...for nearly an hour. Seriously. Now with real cheese. And...for you serious foodies, my favourite podcasts of the moment, The Splendid Table. Nothing like listening to people who love food and cooking talk about food and cooking while you can eat only sports gels! One man's torture is another's inspiration.

The crowning, and completely unexpected moment of the run was when I got my first glimpse of the Larspur Landing shopping center, which is across the street from the terminal for the ferry back to SF, and seeing, in letters not unlike the famous "Hollywood" sign, FOOD TRUCKS SUNDAY. Life gets no better than this, my friend. I did a loop around the shopping center so that my Garmin hit the 20 mile mark right in front of the first of the line of gourmet trucks, offering everything from cupcakes to Indian, to fried chicken, sandwiches...and on and on. I was delirious with having the good fortune of being where I found myself...with 20 minutes to go til my boat left for home. I settled on the Indian samosas and a Stella on the ferry.

Back in the city I went to my gym...with fingers crossed. On a number of other days when I've done this run, I've returned to my 24 Hour club to take a jacuzzi (don't even try to sell me on an ice bath! I've tried. I hate them) only to find it shut down for maintenance. This time...it was hot, bubbly and OPEN! Score!

I did the run in 4:13, which I initially was not happy about, but, then remembered I had walked every uphill...and there were a number of them. I hear that's a technique employed by those goofs who do 100-mile races! I have adopted it, realizing that no matter how hard I try to beat the incline, it always wins, and I'm left drained. This time, saved that fuel for the distance. So...seeing that New Orleans has NO HILLS whatsoever, I should be just peachy! Right?

To show you how good I was feeling about things when I got home I immediately began looking for a fall/winter marathon. Portland, Oregon, in October is already sold out. That's a drag. But..Reggae Marathon in Negril, Jamaica, in December, is NOT.



Gotta run. Yeah, mon. Red Stripes and coconuts at the end.

REACQUAINTED

IT'S FUNNY HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET...




Prior to recently getting back into the whole running thing I had not done any serious training since the run-up to the Santa Barbara International Marathon in December 2009. Then I committed to this year's inaugural Rock and Roll New Orleans, got new shoes, recharged the Garmin 305, re-subscribed to a couple of running podcasts, put them on the iPod, and plunged back in.

One thing I'd forgotten was how amazing it is to run before the sun comes up. Totally different, for me, than running after it goes down. For the past two non-running years I, on numerous occasions, looked out my kitchen window, watching others run by at 4:30am...and just didn't get it. I get it again. I know you night owls will not. That's too bad.

I had also forgotten the joy of running into the rain until I did that again. Until yesterday the last time I'd done that was Napa Valley Marathon...oh so many years ago. During that race I experienced cold like never before, drenched and shivering with serious nipple bleeding...and miles upon miles to go. Vaseline is a beautiful thing...when it's just what you need. Yesterday, I did a 15...my longest run since before Santa Barbara. At 7.5 I went into a Starbucks for a quick shot of espresso...and within that five minutes, the rain began.

It only let up as I approached my front door. When you've been drenched, and pressed on, there's nothing like the dry delivered by a big, fluffy, warm towel...and a cup of tea.

Job loss can wreak havoc with even the most well-constructed travel plans. I lost a 12-year gig in 2009 and had to cancel marathon adventures in Trieste, Prague and Athens that year. Since then I had not had the high of scoring really cheap airfare til last week. It's perhaps silly to think that in those moments I've pulled one over on the airlines...but it almost feels that good. I got crazy-cheap tickets to New Orleans, by waiting til just the right moment. Little victories?

Since Santa Barbara I have gripped the world of marathon goings-on by the thread of those of you who kept going. I'm glad to have shared in your ups and downs in some small way through your blogs, postings on Daily Mile and Just Finish, and in conversation. I'm glad for not losing interest in all you were doing. Your stories made me jealous. I'm hoping to have some new tales of my own to tell.

In just about five weeks I'll be lining up on the NORNR start line...having guzzled a quick cup of coffee, bagel and a banana. Butterflies have caused me to lose those breakfasts on a number of occasions. If that happens in the Big Easy...I'll know I'm back to stay.

Gotta run!

A RUNNER AGAIN

I'll admit it. I have had some second thoughts over the past few weeks since I crazily signed up for the inaugural Rock and Roll New Orleans marathon in March...until today.

I had been running in a mix of my VFFs and my Brooks Beasts...two extremes, to be sure. I love running in the barefoot shoes, and have wanted to be able to go the marathon distance in them one day. However, the only running injury I've ever had was sustained while trying to go 8 miles in the barefoot shoes, too quickly, too soon. Fractured my third metatarsyl in my right foot, and was out of commission for nearly three months...until saved by Chinese herbs. Really.

The Beasts are just that...and although they have served me well over the course of 30 marathons and all the training that went into them, I have hated running in them lately. I have been dreading the prospect of doing RNRNO in them. I have considered dropping out, but I have a group of amazing friends who are going, too...so pulling out would not be cool.

Fast forward to yesterday. I realized what I needed was a mix of the two shoes...although leaning more in the direction of the minimalist option. I put the question out on Daily Mile, Facebook and Twitter...and within 20 minutes I got some really thoughtful suggestions. Long story short, two people recommended a shoe company I'd never heard of...Altra. I checked out their web site, found two styles I really wanted to try and discovered that one of a handful of running stores in the entire Bay Area to carry them is Transport, which is about 5 blocks from my house. Go figure! Half an hour later I arrived home with my new, zero-drop Altra Instincts, thrilled at the idea of hitting the pavement in them this morning. The new shoes are pretty much VFFs without the toe slots, replaced by a big toe box that allows the toes to spread naturally, with a tad more protection underfoot. I was hoping this was the perfect combo.

I rolled out the front door in the dark, with fully-charged Garmin 305, similarly-energized and podcast-loaded iPod, snuggly-warm beanie and gloves and Santa Barbara International Marathon hoodie, and hit the road for my scheduled 12 miler.

I thoroughly expected to experience new-shoe break-in wobblies...and figured I might make it 5-6 miles before worrying about hurting myself, and heading for home. Didn't happen.

The first three miles were pretty much all uphill...and the zero-drop design takes a little getting used to because it changes one's posture to a midfoot strike, and uses different muscles in the legs and back than regular running shoes. Downhills and flats were a blast. There were many moments that I ran through my scheduled walk breaks, because I was engrossed in my movie review podcasts...and didn't even notice that I'd forgotten about my strides, heartrate, and pace.

Again...long story, short. These shoes were a revelation. I did my scheduled 12...and may even have had another 2-3 in me, gladly. But I was home, and packed it in for the day. Upon entering my apartment I told my wife "I'm a runner again!" This is what it felt like during the best moments of the 12 in 12.

I am retiring my Beasts. They will now be gardening or casual shoes. They have served me well over the past ten years. But I am moving on. It's all minimal from now on.

Bring it on New Orleans. I'm now looking for a fall marathon, too.

Gotta run!

REACQUAINTED

I needed some inspiration this morning. I had a 10 miler on the schedule...written in ink on my desk blotter. In ink! That means I had no choice. But, I was not feeling it. Thanks to my Facebook friends who pushed me out the door.

I have 2.5 months to go til my next marathon. Rock and Roll New Orleans at the beginning of March. I have worked my way back up to double digit mileage, as of this morning, and I am happy with that. But, I'll be honest...it's bloody boring...other than the scenery.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/135436139

I knew that already...having run a few of these things before. But, seeing that I've taken a couple years off, I seem to have forgotten a lot. I am getting reacquainted...with the drudgery. But, it's a good drudgery.

I was ridiculously slow. 13:00 per mile pace. That sucks...but it's all I had in me. I thought about bailing early on, but decided I it was more important to remind my limbs and joints of what distance is all about. They're remembering.

Undaunted...I am pressing on. 12 is next.

Happy Holidays!

Gotta run.