My Weblog

2 1/3 miles at 8:46 pace

Almost 2 months to the day after the Philadelphia marathon - and on the doctor appoInted day - I went for a run. I met up with dave and we headed to pier village (w Shea of course). We ran south for just over a mile then headed back. I felt ok but cardio was a bit strained. Dave and I were talking at one point and he sounded fine but I was huffing and puffing.

But the main thing and probably the only thing that matters today is the bone was pain free. I felt nothing there and believe me I was focused on it the whole way

Running Highlights From 2011

New Years Day – After a month off from hernia surgery I weighed in at 200 pounds and went for a 3.5 mile run. It felt great to be back

January 24th – 4.35 miles with Shea. This is the run where Shea had a goatee of ice on his chin. Its was COLD – but we were out there running, neither of us complaining

February 2nd - Jay Sims and I ran in Las Vegas. It was a freezing cold morning and we were flying towards the end (mostly so we could get back inside)

February 4th 12 mile run in Las Vegas. Ran up to the old section of LV and on some scary side streets. A memorable run.

February 9th – 8 ½ Mile run with Dave. He set the pace at 8:30 and it kicked my ass. I realized then and there I had to start doing more serious speed work.

February 17th – Dave and I ran most of the Navesink course. It was a warmer day so much of the snow and ice had melted so it was a very muddy run. By the end we were a mess.

March 6th – E Todd Murray Half Marathon. 1:45:22. Ran with Dave who PRed on his birthday. As if that wasn’t enough we ran with Shea the second half of the race (with Kelly handing him off) and had breakfast with Eric and Nutan after. A great day!

March 20th – New York City Half Marathon. Set a new PR with a 1:40:34. Great weather. Perfect playlist of New York City songs. A strong finish including a 7:19 mile 13. Then brunch after with the family. Just a great day. My only slight disappointment was not breaking 1:40 but I remember succinctly thinking – “I’ll leave that for another day.” That’s how confident I was that I’d break that number this year.

April 16th NJ Relay. Ran with Dave, Kris and Jeff. I did my leg with Shea. Kelly was our driver. A great time

April 23rd Celtic Tribute 5k – Disgusting day with wind and rain. Finished 3rd in my age group (as did Dave)

End of April – Coupla runs in Jamaica right along the beach. Ya mon

May - Set a personal record with 140 miles this month.

June 2nd – Weighed in at 185.

June 4th Avon 5k. 20:47. Missed my PR by 2 seconds! Ugh! Still, shaved a minute off the same course from 2010.

June 5th – Ankle turn. Had taken Shea out and was cutting through the 7-11 parking lot up by the old office. So bad I had to call Kelly to pick me up. As great a running year as this was, it was marred by many an injury (since I write this with a cast on my leg, that’s kinda obvious)

June 12th – Almost broke my half marathon PR on a work out run! 1:41:19 with a 7:05 last mile. Ran from home to Asbury and then met Jay and Stephanie after and had drinks at Langosta Lounge.

June 21st – The weirdest run of the year. Marcello and I at a convention in Tennessee go out for a morning run and wind up finding a dog. Alls well that ends well.

http://mikesrunjournal.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/06/monday-53-of-the-most-interesting-miles-in-tennessee.html

July 1st. Ran the Navesink Challenge course in 1:12:21. Even though it wasn’t an actual race, that’s now my 15k PR. I’m counting it!

July 7th – Joined Marcello for his annual Life is Good bike ride from the GW into Brooklyn and back. Rode over the George Washington Bridge. Wow!

July 25th – Kicked off training for Philly with a run on the Long Branch boardwalk with Dave and Marcello (and Shea)

July 30th – Ran up Mohonk Mountain.

August 7th – Sea Girt 5k – 21:35. A full minute slower than my PR but with the heat and humidity I still felt pretty good about this race.

August 19th – 18 miler at 8:43 pace. An early sign that training is going very well.

August 26th – Turned an ankle on a long run. Not bad enough to have to shut the run down but just another annoying little injury.

August 28th – 4 mile run the day after Irene. Interesting run seeing all the downed trees and wires.

September 2nd – 20 miler at 8:43. Another sign of solid training for Philly. Woke up at 5am and drove water bottles out on the course then did a great loop – up into Red Bank, over to Sea Bright, down the shore for a little bit then inland to home. Finished with a 7:53 last mile and knew in my heart that if this had been a full marathon I would have PRed

September 5th – Pier Village 5k. Ran with Derek in honor of Bridgette. Saddest part of 2011 was her passing.

September 18th – Philly half. Another PR – 1:38:05. A great day. Finished with a 7:26 mile 12 and then a 7:10 mile 13. Flying (for me anyway) Then hung with Dave after and watched the Brett Michaels concert.

September 26th – 6 rainy miles in Nashville. No one at the convention could believe I ran that morning.

September 30th – 20 miler with Eric joining me for the last 15. 4 loops around the Manasquan Reservoir. Great conversation with a great friend just makes the miles melt away.

September - Finished the month with 155 miles running (a personal best) plus 65 biking.

October 2nd – MS Bike ride with Kelly Robin and PG. 37 miles total just 2 days after a 20 mile run.

Oct 14th – Struggled to finish my 3rd 20 miler. Needed this kick in the butt, I was getting too cocky.

October 30th – On my running blog, the first mention of a “pain in my right leg.” I mention this during my runs in Italy: “Problem is Ive developed this little aggravation in my right shin. It's actually on the side of my lower leg. It feels like a muscle thing although maybe its a bone spur. Its one of those things that won't slow me down (I dont think) but it'll be a pain throughout any run.”

November 4th – Last 20 miler of training. Finished with a 8:38 pace. Did 4 loops at the Manasquan Rez with Eric joining me for the last 3 again.

November 6th - NYC Marathon. So many people have helped me at so many marathons (nobody of course more than Kelly) so it was great to have the chance to give back a little. I drove Kris and Jeff to the start line of their first marathons.

November 7th – From my blog: “BTW this pain in my right ankle SUCKS! Im gonna have to tough it out till after the race then rest it”

November 15th – 6 miler with Ron Michaels in Minnesota. Always love running (and chatting) with Ron

November 20th – Philadelphia Marathon. 3:48:05. a new PR.

November 21st

Ran in 8 different states (Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Maryland, Minneapolis, Tennessee and Indiana) and 2 other countries (Jamaica and Italy)

Ran a total of 1265 miles this year

9 days on crutches . . .

. . .and getting antsy! Shea is looking at me every morning like Whats Up Daddy? and the poor guy has so much energy he's literally jumping up and down. And me I feel like Im getting fat and all that great fitness I'd achieved for Philly is leaking away. Plus I hate relying on people to pick me up and drive me places. I may as well have gotten a DWI. This blows

"You PRed on a broken leg. That's impressive"

Those were the words of Dr Aron Green yesterday as he looked over my X-rays. He showed me the fracture in my tibia and explained that the pain I'd been having the last few weeks was probably a stress fracture. But by running on it, and especially running 26.2 on it, I'd turned it into a full blown fracture. It's a sign of stubbornness and stupidity that I kept going once the pain was so severe. And now that PR seems even more impressive (to me anyway)

So here's the positive message Im going to take from Sunday. I was in the best running condition of my life and I would have crushed my PR if I hadn't slowed down so much at the end. I can still run a 3:45 in my life if I can get through a training regimen like this without being injured.

So as I cruise now into a month or more off, doing nothing but maybe a little upper body work, I'll take that fact with me. I can still do this even at 45.

Oh and one other fact too I learned. I can tolerate pain. Which is probably the most important trait for long distance running. Dealing with discomfort and pain. I PRed on a broken leg.

Philadelphia Marathon Nov 20th, 2011 3:48:05

Yesterday I swore that whether I PRed today or not it wouldn’t be from lack of effort. Based on the way I’ve trained, and the way this right ankle has flared up in the last month, I should have realized that effort wouldn’t be as important as tolerating pain.

For most of the run today, I was well ahead of pace. At one point I was two and a half minutes ahead of an 8:30 pace and that’s even fast for a 3:45. My legs felt great, my cardio was never a factor (even at that pace) and if not for this ankle thing I think I could have finished under 3:45. But at about mile 22, what had been a dull ache with every footfall, started becoming a stabbing pain. And the pain spread. It had been centered on the outside of the lower shin but soon it became the whole lower leg. Every time my right foot struck the pavement it was intense. At times it was excruciating, other times just severe. But the last half hour of this race was not pleasant.

The only hitch in the first 3 hours of the race was that Eric and I didn’t meet up in the starting corral. I was hoping to have him pace me but as it turned out, it might have been better he wasn’t there because I went out faster than planned and as a seasoned runner knowing my goal, he might have reined my in early. As it turned out, I needed every minute I put in the bank early as the wheels came off late.

I finally saw Eric for the first time around mile 18. There was a short out and back and as I was coming back he was coming out and he saw me and yelled “Walter, I’ll catch you.” And he did, about 2 miles later. At that point I was slowing a bit but the foot was still feeling ok. Like I said it was never pain free today but at mile 20 it wasn’t an issue. I was slowing from the 8:30 pace I’d fallen into in the teens to about 8:45. But the math I was doing in my head told me if I finished with that 8:45 pace I’d come in right around 3:45. So when I met Eric I still had that possibility top of mind.

But it wasn’t more than a mile or two later that that all went out the window. The ankle flared, I slowed considerably as I began to favor it and time started to slip slip slip away. 8:45 became 9:00 and then quickly 10:00. By mile 23 I knew 3:45 was off the table but I also knew my PR was still in sight. As long as I didn’t stop to walk I’d make it.

And I did. I tolerated the pain, never stopped to walk and finished with a coupla 10 minute miles.

And that all added up to a PR.

Some random thoughts and observations:

I love the 7am start but Philly as a city did not come out early to support the race. The first 10 miles or so the crowds were sporadic at best. I found myself regretting not bringing headphones.

Later in the day the streets got busier but that long out and back in the second half was, at times, desolate. I’d recommend anyone running the race to bring music.

I ran Philly in a Michael Irvin jersey. Irvin’s career ended on that shitty old carpet at the Vet. As he lay still after a head to head tackle the Eagles crowd cheered. People say they booed Santa and that was the lowest of the low. I’ve always felt cheering as an opponent lay paralyzed on your field is the lowest of the low.

I got plenty of boos today and “Cowboys suck.” I even got a few “Cowboys suck, but I hope you do well today.” One guy running next to me patted me on the shoulder and said “you’re a brave man.” And Yes, deep in the heart of Eagles Country, I even got a few “Go Cowboys” cheers. It made a fun day more fun.

Best sign: “Things that last longer than Kim Kardashian’s wedding: The Philadelphia Marathon.”

It’s a very fair course. Not completely flat but the only real “hill” comes early (mile 6) and as soon as you climb it you go right back down the other side.

My friend Jay ran a 3:01 today. He and his wife Tamara found me after the race and we got a cool picture together.

My racing chip didn’t work today so “officially” I didn’t run the race. As I lay here on the couch watching the Giants Eagles game with my right leg wrapped in ice and throbbing, I find that to be humorous.

Kelly’s Mom drove down to see me finish. We found each other in the finishers shoot and walked back to our cars together

Dave, Kris and Jeff also drove down. Saw them about mile 25 ½ which was great cause I was really struggling and their cheering picked me up. Jeff got some cool shots.

We went to Pats and got cheesesteaks after. Hard to beat a Philly cheesesteak as a postrace meal.

Splits
Mile Pace Elevation
1 8:11 40
2 8:00 -27
3 7:50 -40
4 8:14 10
5 8:16 65
6 8:10 83
7 8:08 -123
8 8:29 68
9 8:20 -49
10 8:33 62
11 8:14 -77
12 8:19 -20
13 8:28 32
14 8:17 -6
15 8:31 -15
16 8:24 43
17 8:15 -78
18 9:09 47
19 8:31 -8
20 8:38 4
21 8:52 8
22 8:49 -4
23 8:50 -18
24 9:10 15
25 9:40 -5
26 10:20 16
.2 10:10 -17

Saturday

I've rarely in my short marathon career put such an emphasis on a specific time goal. I'm usually happy w a finish, happier if I break 4 hours. In NY 4 years ago I ran with 3:50 or bust on the back of my shirt. I ran a 3:49:40. 7 marathons later that's still my PR. I've thought I was going to break it a few times. Before the wall hit in Mobile I really thought I had that number beat. And up until mile 23 in Chicago I had it in my sights. Both times I stopped and walked and saw that goal slip away.

I wasn't devastate either time. Tomorrow I will be.

I've followed this FURST program diligently. I've run 4 20 milers when I usually do 2 (and sometimes only finish 1). I didn't cheat during the hot days of August and then play catch up in September (as I did before chicago). I stayed consistent and worked hard even though I never could hit my time goals for speed work. And I've kept my weight at around 185. To steal a line from some political ad I heard once: "If not now, when?".

So I head to Philly in a little bit. Meeting up with Eric and his brother in freehold and driving down together. We'll pick up our race gear and then meet Jay and Tamara for pasta. Amazing how running brings people together. Friends from Chicago. Eric whose become my marathon mentor. The runs Dave and I have done this year. And Marcello and I. And Ron Michaels and I. The labor day race with Derek to honor Bridgette. The list, thankfully, goes on and on. All for good causes: health and cammraderie and usually a charity as well.

And tomorrow I'll wake up early and go through my routine. I'll eat and shit and shower and then drag my 45 year old body to the start line and see if I can't find an 8:40 pace and run it for just under 4 hours. If I can, it'll be a great day and maybe I'll continue to connect hard work with results. If I can't, then maybe it's time to admit that I have to temper my expectations "at this age." Maybe it's time to start marking on a curve. Maybe I cant beat a 41 year old Me anymore.

Either way, and I swear this will be true, it won't be from lack of effort.

Thursday 4.21 miles - 8:26 pace

Took Shea out. It's a chilly morning and it started to rain (or was it hail) on us towards the end. I didn't get teary as I have at the end of some trainings. Probably because my mind is on this ankle and how much it'll effect me Sunday. Once I'm moving it warms up and it aches but it doesn't HURT so I guess I'll be alright but after 3 hours of pounding I just hope it doesn't get worse. All this work and sticking to the plan do much even through the dead of summer, I just want it to pay off. Although I guess in the end that is the payoff. The fact that I put my mind and body to something for 16 straight weeks and really be disciplined. Still, I know me well enough, if I don't PR on Sunday I'll consider this whole thing a failure.

Tuesday 5.63 Miles - 8:35 pace Minnesota

Been off since Friday. Lot of pain in the right leg over the weekend but its subsided a bit. I still feel it but its down to a steady ache.

Here in Minneapolis for a DJ Convention and went out with Ron Michaels and Chasen Shaw. Chasen headed back after a mile. Ron and I found the Mall of America and looped it 3 times then headed back. We started casually then picked up the pace a little Leg felt ok so Im happy about that.

mi Pace (min/mi) Elevation (ft)
1 9:02 16
2 9:02 20
3 8:23 -29
4 8:20 -4
5 8:32 1
.63 7:54 8

One more run on Thursday then the race. Getting nervous now. Thinking maybe I've built this up too much.

Friday 11.2 Miles - 8:41 pace

Right ankle still hurts and then to top it off I turned it while I was out there - not horrible but just enough to make me walk a bit - UGH!

Chilly morning and I went out a little under-dressed too.

1 8:53 50
2 8:44 7
3 8:18 -1
4 8:32 -21
5 8:08 -34
6 9:11 -16 (where I turned my ankle)
7 8:37 -7
8 8:58 45
9 8:39 7
10 8:47 -24
11 8:46 -21
12 8:39 -1

Wednesday Tempo Run 5.9 Miles

Met up with Dave in Long Branch. Goal was 2 easy then 3 at a 7:05 pace.

Dave and I ran the first two together then I picked up the pace. I fell a little short:

1 8:42 7
2 8:40 -3
3 7:00 17
4 7:08 -21
5 7:19 12
6 9:53 -5

I lost my keys so it was great that Dave was there. He drove me home to get my extra set then back to Long Branch to get my car