Why I Run Over South Mountain Every New Year's Eve

A long standing tradition of mine has been a fun out-and-back 10 mile run on the last day of the year that just happens to go over South Mountain in my adopted hometown of Bethlehem, PA. In the beginning it would be just me and Jack who would make the treck. Over the years I have been joined by as many as 10 and as few as one other person in my personal end of year ritual. And while the weather was favorable for the 2015 edition, weather conditions can add an additional challenge beyond the 1200+ ft of climb.

Last Thursday me and three of my regular training partners got together for my annual trek. With a 2:30 start time we had good daylight, the warmth of the day (for December) with a 10 mph wind from the North. The best New Year's Eve running weather we have had in a few years.

As for the run it went well. The warm up - from Sand Island Park to the corner of 4th and Hayes St. - was a bit faster than I would have liked. The climb from there to the mountain's peak at Lehigh University's Mountain Top Campus felt hard but good, while the backside decline was a nice relief on the legs.

Apparently we color coordinated beforehand.

After regrouping at the turnaround point, which is just past Stabler Arena, we started the trek back to Mountain Drive South for the final 2 mile climb at a moderate pace. My goal this year was to make it to the top without stopping to walk after blowing up spectacularly the year before. As we started the climb I settled into what I felt would be a sustainable effort level, not concerning myself with who was in front of me and who was behind.

While the front side (north) of the mountain is steeper to start and flattens out in the final quarter mile, the backside (south) is a sustained climb that gradually gets steeper as you go up. My preference has always been the front side and I almost always struggle on the backside.

Almost.

This year I successfully ran the final assent without a walk break or major blow up.

After regrouping at the top we eventually made our way back to the cars

Not a bad view while kicking your own arse!

But why? Why do I run this same route every year instead of running the NYE Peeps Run, or the trails, or just take the day off?

After taking some downtime at the end of racing triathlons and running races this is a hard run that I am never ready to do. Which is exactly the point. Jack and I didn't start running this because we could run it fast or to prove we could do it or boost our egos going into the new year. What got this run started as a tradition was that it would kick our asses every single year.

Every. Single. Year.

Some years that comes in the form of walking a portion of climb number two. Many years it comes with sore legs during the first few days of the new year. Every year it is a good reality check on where the fitness level is and what needs to be done in the coming months. A reminder that fitness can come and go.

Over the years there are people who have come and gone from this run for a variety of reasons. Some have moved, others have moved on from running, as others haven't really connected with the value I find in doing this run. Others have been invited but never showed up. The one steady presence over the past 16 years has been me.

And come December 31, 2016 it is a good bet that at some point during the day you can find me running over the mountain, getting a lesson in just how fit or unfit I will enter 2017.

If interested you can find the exact route we run here .

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Why We Race

In late 1994 I woke up early on a Sunday morning, drove over to the Lehigh Valley Mall area with my buddy Matt, and ran the Chili Pepper 5k. I have no idea haw fast (or slow) I ran that morning, but I clearly remember eating Chili and drinking free beer at 9 am. For my efforts I received a thick cotton t-shirt that could keep you warmer than any Goretex jacket that hangs in your closet. I still own that shirt.

I had been doing some running along with the heavy squats and deadlifts that were a more typical part of my normal fitness routine in those days. I'm sure I had something to prove to myself, but 20 years later the free beer is what I remember as the compelling factor. You can bet it wasn't the free t-shirt.

Over the last 20 years my reasons for racing have changed. Free beer is nice, don't get me wrong, but that is no longer my driving force. No, today things are much different.

There was a time where my sole focus was simple - go longer, get faster. It started with short running races - 5k, 10k  - which soon led to half marathons and marathons. During the late 1990s if I toed the line and didn't return home with a PR I wondered what I had done wrong ... and I did a lot wrong. Truth be told, I really didn't know what I was doing. I have a lot of stories from those days, most ending with me blowing up or doing something stupid. The longer the race the funnier the story.

IMCDA: June, 2008

Over time I talked to people who knew more that I, read some books on running, and learned a thing or two. I got fitter and I raced faster. As I applied what I was learning to my training the race became something different. Yes, I wanted to be faster. Yes, I wanted to "kick ass," whatever that meant to me at the time. Yes, I wanted to place as high as possible. Yet with more knowledge racing became more about the process leading up to the race. If the process built more fitness and the results were not what I expected, I could deal with it. Figure out what happened, modify the system and move on.

I went through the same process in the early 2000s with triathlon - race for performance only while training without a clue, do my homework, then focus on process. With the help of a coach (thanks Bill), on July 23, 2006 I did my first Ironman in Lake Placid with one goal - finish. The process worked great and I met my main goal of hearing Mike Riley call me an Ironman.

No matter what my focus there were two things that always remained at the core. Racing has always been about stretching my boundaries, seeing what I am capable of at any given time. Most of those blowups come from pushing my personal limits, not stupid in-race decisions (although I have my fair share of those as well). I would much rather have 10 races in a row not go as planned in order to get that one great performance in race number eleven.

Racing safe is hard for me to do and I can count the number of races where I played it safe. I don't honestly understand it. Racing safe gives you the best chance of being successful, assuming your definition of success is completing the race in a reasonable (for you) time. Sure you keep from that big blowup, that big failure, but you never get the chance to truly test the limits of your ability.

Since that first Ironman there have been many different goals and many more stories of blowing up. Some of them for really stupid reasons. One year at the Philadelphia Triathlon I killed it on the bike before the crash around mile 3 on the run. Why did I ride so stupidly fast? There was this guy in my age group who passed me and I didn't like his attitude.

Seriously. That actually happened.

Totally blown up at IMCDA, June, 2008

The other thing that remains is I always have, and always will, race for myself. I ran on that cold day in 1994 without a care of what anyone else thought. I did the event and earned my chili and beer. In 2006 my family and friends were in Lake Placid cheering me on, but it was all about me. The drive came from within. If you had a problem with it, so be it. I race the races that make me happy, and I race when I want to race. You don't like it, too bad.

Point is, goals of training and racing change over time, but the fundamental reasons we race should remain. As an almost 45 year old triathlete I am much different than the 30 year old marathon runner I used to be. Beyond defining the type of athlete I am (triathlete vs. runner), I have a different perspective on racing. I suspect in 10 years time my perspective will be different than it is today.

In the end it comes down to doing what is best for you and what you enjoy doing. If that's jogging a local 5k great. If it's qualifying for the Ironman World Championships ... well that's great too. No matter what you race just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.


Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Starting to Run After a Layoff is both Awesome and Horrible

I started running in 1994 as a supplement to the strength training I was doing at the time. Powerlifting was my thing back then, but I did enjoy the few miles I ran each week. Even ran the Chilipepper 5k with Matt that year, mainly for the free chili and beer at the finish line. I forget what I ran it in, but I still have the unwearable, heavy cotton t-shit.

Between then and a few months ago there wasn't a period of more than a week in which I didn't get out and run.  I remember reading an article in Triathlete Magazine by Dave Scott on off-season training where he specifically said to keep running. His basic argument was that if you stop running completely your body would have to rebuild its ability to withstand the impact that running places on the body. I'm sure it wasn't scientifically researched, but the theory made sense to me. Maybe it's because I enjoy to run. Who knows. Either way, even in the off-season I might ship out on swimming or biking, but would make sure I ran 20-30 miles every week.

A few weeks ago I started to run again after a three month layoff. The first run was 10 minutes - doctor's orders. I made it without stopping and without pain. Success!!! Not very fast, but speed wasn't really the point on that Monday morning.

A few days later I tried again with success - fifteen minutes of running (the upper limits of my allowable daily run). Since then I have been able to slowly increase the time/distance of my runs as well as the frequency. Last week I ran three times for a total of 8 miles.

And it was Awesome ...

After the horrendous winter weather we had in Bethlehem, keeping me inside most every day, it has been nice to be back out on the roads running and/or biking on a daily basis. Even on a muggy, humid day like today, just being outside doing what I have done for two decades is a pleasure. Now, more than ever, I find it hard to believe there are so few people out on the roads with me during the early morning hours.

As great as it has been to be back out running it hasn't been all good. Starting up again is essentially starting over from day one ... with a few big differences. The biggest difference is that I am fairly fit from swimming and biking. This is a good thing, but humbling when I run. The body can do what it can right now which is nowhere near what my cardio system could handle. As a result, running is both hard and easy. Hard because the body has to rebuild its ability to run fast(er) and long. Easy because, even when "pushing it," my heart rate can't get up where I would like it to be. Just not able to work hard. All part of the process I guess.

The other issue I have faced is the soreness. That first day back I ran a little over 1 mile. The next day my calves, quads and hamstrings were sore. Back in the day (literally 9 months ago) I could run 20 miles, grab some breakfast and be on my way like nothing happened. Now, one mile and I'm sore for 48 hours. Again, all part of the process.

Back to the awesome: I'm able to run and I will be able to do triathlon again. I've been saying it all along, but now I know it's going to happen ... because it is happening.



Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #9: When You Train or Race, Dress Event Appropriate

I swear this has happened at every marathon I have ever done.  I show up, usually in shorts and a technical t-shirt, focused and ready to run my best. At the smaller marathons you can go about your business quickly, while at the larger races you need more time to check your bag, clean the pipes, and line up. Eventually you make it over the the staging area. You look around at other runners, taking notice of the good or the bad.

If you're The Queen, you look absolutely impeccable in your well thought out outfit. If you're me, you might kinda, sorta match. Either is cool by me unless ... you're dressed like a tri geek.

Seriously, you know who I'm talking about. There's always "That Guy" (could be a girl or, many times, they travel in packs), who decides the best option is to tri geek up with a $300 tri suit, $60 compression socks, a pair of Hoka One-Ones on his feet, and a fuel belt on to hold his race day nutrition.

I hate "That Guy."

Here's the thing. It's great that you're proud to be a triathlete. I know I am. It takes a lot of dedication and athletic skill to be able to swim AND bike AND run. Even for the slowest racer at the shortest distance!!!

But you showed up for a RUNNING RACE, not a triathlon. You are there with runners AS a runner. On this day you are not required to warm up with a swim and a bike. All you are doing is running. This being the case, dress like a runner.

And this ... this is just never acceptable.

Same thing goes for any activity you are doing with single sport athletes. Or just at the pool for a swim
workout.

A few years ago I show up at LA Fitness in Allentown to get a swim workout in. I get changed and enter the pool area ready to get some work done. I don't remember how many people were in the pool at the time. What I do remember is the guy in a $200+ trisuit telling everyone he could about the open water swim he did, what a great swimmer he was, blah, blah, blah.

The whole scene this dude made was embarrassing on so many levels. I was embarrassed for him; I was embarrassed that he was representing triathletes in this matter; I was embarrassed because none of this was necessary if he followed the simple rule of looking the part of what you are actually doing.

And just for the record, the dude could barely swim a straight line for 25 yards.

Slowly.

Very, very slowly.

Anyway, here is a fairly comprehensive breakdown on appropriate training/racing attire:

• Running a 5k, 10k, marathon, or any other running that isn't preceded by a swim and/or bike? Dress like a runner
• Doing a Giro, riding The Derby, or out for a group training ride? Dress like a roadie and ride a road bike
• Out for a training ride on your tri bike? Still dress like a roadie.
• Hitting the pool for a swim? Jammers. Speedo. If you would consider riding your bike in it, don't wear it.
• Doing a swim meet? Break out the Speedo if you're good, wear the jammers if you are me.
• Your Tri Suit is very appropriate for a triathlon ... but only a triathlon.
• Hitting the gym for some strength training or some Crossfit? Shorts and a t-shit

This, on the other hand ... 

There are some very limited exceptions to this rule. If, for example, you are transition workout (swim/bike or bike/run), it can be totally appropriate you wear your tri suit or tri shorts and a tight fitting bike jersey (depending on how long of a run you have off the bike). Another situation tri geeking out is appropriate is while training with a group of triathletes, be it at home or at a training camp.

Moral of the story: dress for the activity you are doing.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

I'm a morning person. Always have been, always will be. I generally wake up between 4:30 and 5:00 am and get a workout in before heading into the office. Really, really a great way to start the day, once you get into the habit. Except, every now and then ...

You ever have one of those days where you wake up with your head in the wrong place.Not such a big deal if your morning routine only consists of $h!t, shower and shave. Safe to say we all can suck it up and get through that routine, and out the door for work, even when we don't really feel like driving down Rt. 22 and putting in our 8-10 hours at the office. It is, however, a big deal if you have to hit the track, ride some Vo2Max intervals, or swim 4200M. Such a mindset can - likely will - destroy your workout.

Or how about that race ... you know the one ... the one you obsessed over the weather or the hills, or the swim or how much you "suck" at running off the bike. For weeks the inner-speak was completely negative. "I can't swim!" you told yourself. And guess what? Your swim was for $h!t.

Don't forget that race technology we all use these days. I certainly love me some data but, man, it can become a distraction at times. I'm thinking of those days where you hit the road, start running and your legs feel absolutely dead. May be that you just need to get warmed up a bit, or maybe invoke the 20-minute rule. But you look at your Garmin and notice your heart rate is way low ... or way high ... or just right.  Doesn't matter because whatever it says you start to tell yourself that something just isn't right. Why? Because you started to think too much.

Technology can be a great tool. Too much technology
and you become a tool.

I have a good friend who, before he moved from the Lehigh Valley, was a part of our Saturday morning run crew. Let's call him Two Banana Tim, mainly because his name is Tim and ... well, that's a story for another time. So Two Banana Tim (TBT) is a bean counter during the day, which naturally leads him to doing the same thing with his running. One of the worst things that could have happened to TBT was the day his sports technology went beyond a simple Timex watch. Totally got it in his head that all those numbers he was seeing in real time were the be all and end all of how he was feeling and how his run was going. See the picture on the side there, that could be TBT.

The other bad habit TBT had (and I have been plenty guilty of this as well) is doing  in-race math. Now, I'm not talking about thinking I'm on pace for "X." No, what I'm talking about is the in race inner talk that goes something like this:

"OK Jon, you're at mile 21 and the clock reads 2:38:17. You have just under 42 minutes to break 3:20. That's good. That's good. Can still reach that, even if you slow down to an 8:00/mile pace."

You know what happens at that point, every single time? I slow down. Mind you, I wasn't already blown up physically, running a pace that would make the goal impossible. But that tiny little conversation subconsciously justified taking the foot off the throttle and led me to a slower finish time than could have been possible. You should also keep in mind that these conversations are usually not a once and done type thing. Because, at least in my case, once the brain starts talking it doesn't shut up.

Tame the brain on race day and this will be you.

What has worked for me is essentially shutting down the brain and staying completely in the moment. For a short race or series of intervals what has worked is just putting my head down and embrace the suffering. Running a 5k hurts when you are pushing your personal limits, but it is over fairly quick. Same thing with a 10 minute bike interval or a set of hard 100s in the pool. Just Rule #5 it.

For longer races and training days the advice I found has helped me the most with this comes from the coaches over at Endurance Nation , who tell you to focus on the now and very immediate future. They refer to it as staying inside the box. On the bike, ask yourself, "what do I have to do between now and the next aide station to keep my race on track?" For the run it's the essentially the same thing. I have found this simple question  is very powerful, forcing me to revisit my original race plan/nutrition plan as well as staying aware of my form and technique.

In between thoughts of what I need to do I simply turn the brain off. Most every race you do has something to see, so might as well take the time to see it while you are out there. Same can probably be said for most training runs/rides ... unless you're on the treadmill or trainer.

As you can see, there are a number of ways the brain can keep you from being successful - obsession over factors out of your control, talking yourself out of pushing through, or over thinking the data you have in front of you are just three. No matter what your brand of mental self-destruction may be, you can make it stop. How?

It's simple - get out there and get 'er done. Don't think, just do it.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Five Reasons Your Training Run Should NOT Turn Into a Race

Around 10 am on most Sunday mornings if you head on over to the Velodrome in Trexlertown, PA you will see cyclists slowly spinning around the parking lot in anticipation of the start of a training ride that is known by two simple words - The Derby. For anyone who has rode The Derby knows, this famous Sunday morning ride is really an unsanctioned race. After rolling out at a very modest pace for the first 17 miles or so, once you hit the turn it is game on. If you are an amateur rider like myself the thrill is in just trying to hang with some of the best in the world (current and past). It's a bad ass ride, for sure. But nobody shows up on any given Sunday expecting to cruise through an easy workout. You show up to race from the turn on in.

This is not only really, really cool, but totally acceptable. It is what it is and you know it when you clip in to start circling the parking lot. If you are world class you are there to try and get the win. If you're an amateur, you are there to test your personal limits. For most everyone out there, The Derby  works out to be a pretty good workout. But, what happens when this is what happens whenever you get together with friends? More to the point, what happens when your training becomes a constant race against the clock?

Before we go there I want to take a step back for a minute. Since 1998, just about every weekend which I am not racing, Saturday morning is spent running with friends. It started with a group of about five at the old Body Dynamics. After about a year it was me and Lo-Jack, with the occasional guest appearance by a variety of characters. There were times where others were regulars - Two Banana Time and The Mayor being the most notable - but for years it was Jack and Jon most every Saturday morning. Stick around the group long enough and you earn yourself a well deserved nickname.

After years of small numbers and guest appearances something changed. For the first time ever there is a group of regulars. Some I have been trying to get to show up for longer than I can remember, while others jumped at the chance to have familiar faces to train with on a regular basis. There really is something to be said for comradely. We have what I can say is, not only a good group of regulars, but a truly great group of people.

The run is referred to as Jack & Jon's Saturday Morning Run.

What I have come to really like about this run and this group is everybody can show up and do their own thing. Most all of us are going long, but sometimes with different agendas and almost always at a number of different paces. For example,one Saturday Craiger went off on his own to get 12 miles in while Lo-Jack and Mean Gene ran an easy eight. I got my miles in with the ladies, somewhere around 14. When it was all over we ended up together in the parking lot where we figured out where to go grab some breakfast. It was a good morning.

Among the group there was a lot of camaraderie that morning, along with wondering conversations filled with laughter. What there wasn't on that day was any competition among friends. Like most other Saturday mornings we were just a group of friends out on a friendly training run.

Much to my dismay there has been a subtle shift at times on our Saturday morning runs. See, one of us has had a little different thought process recently. For the first time ever we have a rogue runner. As most of us our on a training run, our rogue runner has a racing mindset. Every Saturday becomes a test of "how fast are we going." Every Saturday becomes a mental struggle. Every Saturday is run like it's the Boston Marathon.

It's killing my mojo.

Putting my mojo aside for a moment, consistently having a racing mindset is bad. Here are my five reasons for keeping your training run, a training run:

1. Weekly (internal) Pressure to Succeed - If you are racing on a training run you are really racing. And a big part of racing is mental. you have to prepare to push yourself, and then suck it up when you do. If you have ever raced, you know they don't always turn out exactly how we want.  If you have a bad day, poor time, whatever, you are going to take a mental hit. Have this happen multiple times and you become a bit of a mental train wreck. Nothing good comes from digging such a mental hole.

2. Burnout - Speaking of becoming a mental train wreck, constant racing will take all the fun out of your chosen sport. The constant push will take its toll, eventually leading you burnout. Get to this point and you may come back to race another day, or you become a couch potato who has some great stories from "back in the day."

3. Not Actually Training - Racing is a way of measuring your progress. But you can't become better if you are always racing, be it in actual races or in your training. See progress is a result of training, which is about the body gradually adapting to increases in stress by getting fitter and, thus faster. Hard as it may be for some people to believe, that easy ride or easy run have benefits. Pushing the limit every week - or every session - however, may get you faster for a short while ... and then you hit that plateau ... and then ...

4. Injury - If you are constantly pushing your limit eventually something bad is eventually going to happen. Nuff said.

5. Your Training Partners - If you have good people you train with you want to keep it that way. If your training strays from productive training and becomes a constant hammer-fest you might find yourself in need of a new crew.

So what's the moral of the story? Training is training and racing is racing. If you are serious about your sport, both should be done with a purpose. That purpose is to race better IN YOUR RACE. Break this simple rule and bad things are likely.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Last night it was 60 degrees when I got out on my bike for a typical early season ride. With the change of the clocks over the weekend I am now able to squeeze in 75 minutes before it is dark ... which is a whole lot better than sitting in the basement pedaling away on the trainer. As I rode by the park there were a lot more people than I have seen there in some time, surely a result of the unseasonably awesome March weather. A few miles down the road another cyclist caught me and sat on my wheel before turning toward his home. And over the next 60 minutes or so there I passed more runners and cyclists out doing their thing.

photo: www.icedotathletes.com

I don't blame anyone for being out there last night. In fact, if you ride or run (and even of you don't), you needed a real good reason for NOT being out there last night. It was the kind of day where getting out and getting it done is easy - warm weather and little wind after almost three months of mostly horrid conditions. To totally understate the situation, Winter 2014 has been a tough one for endurance athletes who live in the Northeastern United States. Some years we get really frigid temperatures and others we get big snow totals. This year we had both!!! Making it worse is the fact that the big snow total was a result of a large number of small storms and not just one huge Nor'easter.

It was bad ... real bad ... and if you were out there this winter, you are a badass. Period.

So here's the deal: Getting outside and riding or running or walking or whatever it is that you do when the conditions are picture perfect is no big deal. Going for a run when it is 4 degrees takes an effort, a touch of insanity, and a real dedication to your chosen sport. As bad as this winter has been, I have many a friend who have either been out there training with me, or out there doing it on their own. They are true badasses.

But there is more to this story than just training in lousy weather. As a badass, you are out there training in that garbage with a purpose. You are out there working towards something. You have goals. You. Are. Driven. Because really, NOBODY decides it's a good day to go out for a run when the wind chill is 2 degrees!!! NOBODY!!!

I know many a badass who are putting in the miles in prep for an Ironman later this year and I know some badasses who are getting ready to run Boston in April. I even know a badass who hadn't raced in years but trained in all kinds of horrible weather just because. That, my friend, is a special kind of badass.

Of course, there is that fine line between sanity and stupidity one really shouldn't cross. Lo-Jack tells a story about a guy we refer to as "Township" running down William Penn Highway in the middle of a snow storm around 7 pm years ago. Really surprised he's still alive. Then there's another friend of mine who showed up for a group ride with his road bike and a layer of ice on the roads. Didn't really work out for him. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the 21,000+ badasses who ran the Boston Marathon with me in 2009 in a Nor'easter.

And then there is me ... Many, many years ago at a young and naive age, me and Lo-Jack (Lo-Jack and I?) thought it was wise to do a 20 mile run one Saturday at 11 am. It was July and about 90 degrees when we started. Who knows what the humidity was. We were good - or so we thought - because we were "protected from the sun" on the towpath. Long story short, we ran just fine until we didn't. On the 5 miles back to our car we stopped to walk for good between the point where we pretty much mugged Lo-Jack's son of his water jug (he was down there fishing) and when the world started to spin because we were so dehydrated. We made it back AND we somehow avoided the hospital. We were baddasses, but on the wrong side of the line that hot Summer day.

So when the weather gets bad, embrace your inner badass and get out that door for some good ole' fashion training. But please, be smart about it. In the rare occasion that getting out the door to train is on the other side of the sanity/stupid line, hit the trainer, run on the treadmill, or hit the pool for a swim.

The moral of the story: If you are out there training in horrible weather you are a Badass. Period.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Here are some horrible weather resources:

Cold weather running safety tips 

Layering for cold weather cycling

Hot weather running

Stay cool while riding

Rule #6: Don't Be "That Guy," NOBODY Likes Him ...

"Think you can or think you can't - either way you'll be right." - Henry Ford


If you are a triathlete - or "just" a runner, or swimmer, or cyclist - you tend to be a bit more focused than the average Joe by necessity. With all the other things we have going on in life - work, family, home maintenance, proper hygiene practices, keeping up on the insanity known as Justin Bieber - it takes some dedication to get your daily workout (or two) in on a consistent basis, let alone getting up at 3 am on a Sunday morning to go do a race. Yes, we amateur athletes are a hardy bunch. Some might say crazy, but I digress.

We also tend to be a very positive group. Within my group of friends/training partners, we have a nice little banter between us. Sure, we stay on top of each other to make sure we are doing what has to be done. Sometimes it's some good ole' fashion ribbing. Sometimes it's calling someone out with " Rule Number Five" - something of a mantra among us. Other times it is listening to a pity-party after a bad race. Whatever it is, we do it with the best intentions, and we do it because we generally like and support each other.

Here's an example: A few weeks ago I bagged a 1/2 marathon in NYC for a number of reasons. It had snowed the day before ... I was having some knee issues and I was unsure of the footing ... and it was going to be ass cold. Like, 12 degrees cold. With wind. The race was to be a training run and it wasn't worth it to me so I bailed.

As expected, I heard about it. I didn't complain about the race or the abuse because I understood. I explained my rationale ... and I'm fairly certain they understand why I bailed. What I didn't do was complain or make excuses about my physical condition, the weather, the 3 am wake up call, the snow, or anything else. In fact, I didn't even tell them I was nervous about an injury that I knew was more serious that I cared to admit out loud. I could have made all kind of crazy excuses, but I didn't. I gave an explanation, they gave a bit back at me, then we moved on.

I made sure I wasn't that guy ... you know the one I am talking about. You know, "That Guy."

"That Guy" always has an excuse as to why he blew up, or ran slow, or was 324th in his age group.

"That Guy" complains about the weather ... no matter how awesome it is outside.

"That Guy" will play the victim.

"That Guy" will bring you down by just showing up.

"That Guy" always thinks small, never big. He will tell you why you can't do X, Y, and Z.

"That Guy" not only has an excuse for whatever it is on that particular day, but he also has to incessantly whine about it. Which would be fine. No. No. No Really, it would. If ... and this is a big if ... IF you were whining to somebody else.

I'm sorry, I take that back - IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!!!

Back to my story ... see, I bailed out on a meaningless race (to me) because it made more sense to not do the run than it did to do it. Yes, it was cold, but I didn't use weather as the excuse. In fact, there were no excuses, no whining, just a rationale list of reasons for not racing that day. Believe me, if I was training for the Boston Marathon in April I would have sucked it up in NYC that Sunday morning.

Sometimes things don't go your way and you just need to deal with it. And by deal with it, I mean deal with it. If you don't do a scheduled race for whatever reason, or have a crappy race, or whatever, just deal with it. Shit happens. And sometimes shit that is out of your control happens. Talk to your crew about it, for sure, but don't whine and complain. While they support you, don't abuse them with crap.

Moral of the story: Don't be "That Guy."


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

... that darn treadmill

I don't understand how some people spend most of the winter months indoors. Living in Eastern PA I know it can get cold, wet, slippery, windy, and every other nasty weather you can imagine. Sometimes we get these all at the same time, others at different times during the day. We don't have it as bad as Minneapolis, Minnesota, for example, but it can really be not so good at times.

One of my rules for training is that in the off season - usually from Thanksgiving to January 1 every year - it is ok to avoid lousy training weather if I just don't feel like heading outside. This allows me get a bit of a break and avoid running in a 40 degree rainstorm by either skipping a workout or changing a workout. Once January comes, however, there are no excuses. I will shift workouts to take advantage of what's happening weather-wise ... sane schedule flexibility ... but there is no bagging a workout because conditions aren't ideal. That said, one must have at least a little sanity and, dare I say it, play it smart.

Casa de Soden's Landice 2000

Over the years I have done a limited number of runs on the treadmill, all by necessity. Last year, for example, I ran a grand total of one time (other than a quick transition workout or two) - some intervals - because there was too much snow on the ground to get out the door. And by too much, I mean 5 inches and it was still coming down.

The past few mild winters with not a lot of snow were great. 2014, however, has been a completely different beast with brutal cold, wind, and a whole lot of snow (by Eastern PA standards). Damn you polar vortex!!!

This ... situation ... has forced me inside more than I like. Last week, for example, I had a run on the schedule for Thursday. The day before was snowy and the roads were still a mess. It was 7 degrees, but the ice on the roads is what forced me inside. Pre-dawn running has many advantages, but ice is not one of them. Funny story: the week before we had this 28 degree fog I tried to run in which ended up with me flat on my 44 year old ass, almost crawling to the grass so I could stand back up. Ugh.

I know some people run exclusively on this torture machine and claim to enjoy it but I don't get it. Yes, there's the tv. Yes, it is a controlled environment. I still can't stand it.

Running is an activity that should be done outside. The joy of running is that connection to the world, step-by-step, heart beat by heart beat. You, the road, and your surroundings. Time to think ... time to enjoy those familiar roads. Running on a treadmill is the exact opposite experience - a sterile environment surrounded by other electronic devices with no connection to nature.

Since it's January and there's work to do I've been doing what I have to do. In my world, this means getting on the dreadmill when necessary. It sucks, but what are you going to do. Last time I looked, they don't push the race back a few weeks because of crappy weather Eastern PA had in January and Jon couldn't run outside.

For the first time on a long time I can't wait for warmer weather. No more treadmill; No more bike trainer. In the meantime, just suck it up and get 'er done.

Thanks for  reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

"Embrace the suck." - Chris "Macca" McCormack

The Queen comes into the kitchen this morning and asks me if I rode my bike this morning. I tell her I did ... in the basement,on the trainer. Hard intervals. She responds with three words: Rule Number Five.

I'm pretty sure my wife just called me a wuss for staying inside.

All endurance sports are hard, both physically and mentally. If you race a 5k it hurts a lot, but only for a relatively short period of time. Race an Ironman or a 100 mile run and it still hurts, just in a really different and sadistic way. Add to that conditions - heat, rain, snow, wind - or hilly terrain ... it doesn't get any better. No matter the distance, if you are looking to find your limit you are going to suffer.

So harden the f#$k up.

The point of racing and training is to push/test your limits and see what you have inside you. You CANNOT do that if you keep backing off when things start to get a bit uncomfortable, in both training and racing ... which is the exact opposite of what you want to do. When you hit that point you want to just push right through to the other side. Put your head down and get 'er done.

Chris McCormack has referred to this as embracing the suck. I say harden the f#$k up.

Hardening up is simple. Maybe not easy, but really simple.

1. Train outside whenever the weather conditions allow, using personal safety as the limiting factor to move a workout indoors - Limiting conditions include 10 inches of snow; sub-zero and windy conditions; a hurricane; icy roads; flooding. There might be something else I can't remember right now. The point is, you race in whatever the conditions are on race day unless there is a very compelling reason for the race to cancel (like a hurricane). In 2009 me and 20k other people ran the Boston Marathon in a Nor'easter because that's the day we got.

2. Stop complaining and/or finding excuses - We all get tired from time to time, just as we all have days where we just aren't our best. That's life. Deal with it and keep going. If you wait for the "perfect" day to do your track workout you might not get there. Cut the complaints and you will be more consistent with your training, which will make you a fitter athlete.

3. When it is time to up the intensity in training, hit it hard -  Interval training can and should be hard. Just like racing, the short stuff will hurt bad but for a short period, while longer intervals are that grinding kind of suffering. Whatever it is, hit your numbers and hold on for your dear life. And remember, fitness gains come on the last interval (or set) and not the first.

4. When things get hard, turn the mind off - If there is one thing that will kill me it is when I start to think late in a race. The mind is a powerful thing. That's good and bad. I have found as soon as I start thinking about the finish line ... or breakfast ... or how much whatever it is I'm in the middle of sucks, I'm toast. I'm not talking about when you get grumpy at mile 80 on the bike (you need to eat). I'm talking about when you start telling yourself that your done. For me I start doing the math: "If I run at x pace I'll be home in x:xx:xx stuffing my face with chips." Turn the mind off immediately and get back into the moment.If that doesn't work, try getting this song stuck in your head:

With all that said, you need to stay on the correct side of the smart/stupid line. The best way to do this is to know your body.  Recognize when the pain is bad pain, such as a strained muscle, twisted ankle, or severe dehydration. Understand when the weather just isn't conducive to training. There is a fine line between being tough and being stupid. Better to live to fight another day than put yourself on the sidelines with an injury. I've been on the wrong side of the smart/stupid line and it never works out well.

Here's an example of how to do it wrong:

Years ago I was out on a 20-mile run during a July heatwave with Lo-Jack down at the towpath. We got started late (around 11 am) and never even gave it a second thought that there we saw literally no one else on the path.We thought it was hot (90+ degrees) but we had tree cover. On the last 5-mile stretch things were getting ugly. Really, really ugly. The pace slowed and we were both clearly dehydrated. We finally stopped running when we saw his son who was going fishing. We got some water from him but it didn't matter. A few minutes we started to walk because our bodies forced us to stop. Barely made it back to the cars; wasn't back to being right for about a week.

A few years later, I did it right (kinda):

Again, I'm out on a hot Summer day doing a long run. I was working hard and felt good, all things considered. Around mile 12 I started to feel less good. By mile 14 I started to feel bad. Then I realize that I wasn't sweating, which is not ideal. In fact, it's really not good at all. Fortunately I realized this and stopped. I had water stashed about a mile away and walked to it. Drank the whole bottle, walked the mile and a half back to my car, lived to fight another day.

And that's that.

Getting back to me being a wuss this morning ... I did stay in, that is true. But I live in Eastern PA, not SoCal, and we have 8 inches of show and the thermometer reads 11 degrees as I write this. But after hitting the intervals hard, I think I held to the intent of Rule #5.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Rule #4: The 20-Minute Rule

Ever have one of those days. Maybe you didn't sleep real well, or just had a stressful day at work. Whatever it is, you just don't feel like working out. Sure, you have a 3,000M swim workout on the schedule but man, hitting the couch and watching some tv sounds like a great option.

Then you remember reading somewhere about overtraining. Not so sure exactly what the advice was, but "everyone" knows overtraining is bad. So you head straight home, convinced that you are in a state of overtraining and need "rest" to avoid digging a deeper hole.

But is this the right thing to do? Maybe. Maybe not. If you are deep into a training cycle, pushing your personal limits, it is a real possibility you may have pushed beyond your recovery capabilities. A few days of active recovery or even straight up rest could be the right course of action. A seasoned endurance athlete will know exactly what this feels like. It is different than your normal heavy legs or dragging at the end of the day. And true overtraining and adrenal fatigue are a completely different beast that can happen. You can read more about that here.

Source: 

So, assuming you haven't been beating down your body for weeks/months without adequate rest and recovery, my experience tells me that lack of desire to train is more of a mental thing than a physical one. Thus, the 20-Minute Rule.

When you are having THAT day, go and start the workout. Using the 3k swim workout as an example, get to the pool, stretch out, and get in the water. If you're anything like me, not so hard getting in the water, a challenge to actually get your head under water and push off for the first length.

Suck. It. Up.

After warming up, give yourself a minute and start your main set, whatever it may be. One of two things will happen - you will either start the main set, hit your expected times and start to feel better, or you won't. After a few reps in the main set - about 20 minutes into the workout - you will know where you're at, and you will know what to do.

Still feel like crap, not performing well? Get out of the pool, shower up, call it a day.

Hit your times? Continue on. Finish the workout as planned.

I've been here more than I care to admit with all three sports. Of those, I can count on one hand the number of times I called it a day. Every other workout, once I got moving I started to feel better, sometimes even great, and was able to get the scheduled work done.

Properly training for your "A" race is a process that takes months of hard work. Over that time you won't always feel great, and you won't always have that gung-ho attitude every time you swim, bike or run. Give it a go for 20 minutes and see what happens.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

You can find the first three rules here, here, and here.

The Joy of Running

Before I called myself a triathlete - and after my weight lifting days - I viewed myself as a runner. Training for a marathon I would follow Pfitzinger or Jack Daniels (the coach, not the whiskey) in my pursuit of whatever the time goal was this time around. Chasing a goal is motivating. Running in heat, cold, rain, snow was fine with me, just get me to the race fit and with happy legs. Training for a race gives purpose. Training for a race gives focus. There are goals, both big and small.

And then it happens ... the race arrives and the season ends. All of a sudden there's not a race on the schedule. Well, not a "real" race anyway. After the big goal race, racing becomes more a social thing. More like a hard workout than something I was training to do. With no structure, nothing to point at for motivation, motivation can be hard to find. At this point in the season, many people have trouble getting out the door. I am not one of those people.

As I have discussed recently this is my off season, which I describe as a time for easy workouts, when and if I'm motivated to do them. Every year, so far anyway, a strange thing happens. Every year I'm motivated to run.

This morning I left my house at 5:45 am in the dark of the morning for a run. It was early, but it didn't bother me one bit. The pace was casual. I wore my Garmin, but didn't look at before hitting the stop button. I ran my favorite route; the one I am most comfortable with;  the one I refer to as my "home course."

If you don't have one of these you should. My home course is 8 miles, but I can shorten it to as little as 5 miles or extend it to 10 miles.I know these roads better than the township road crews that care for them. I know the tangents and I know ever mile marker. I run these roads enough to have a waving relationship with the school bus drivers as well as the regulars on their way to work. There's even a long distance runner who drives to work about when I'm out there, Dunkin Donuts coffee in hand, who raises his cup to me when we pass.

I'm not the only regular out there either. "Old Man Ed" was out walking today, as was "Bike Guy" on his way to work. "Bike Guy" made me think for a second that I should be on my Madone. That feeling quickly passed.

Funny thing about these roads - I think of them as mine. I got really upset when the chipped and tared a section a few years back; I cheered out loud when they properly paved that same section six months later. Come springtime, when the fair-weather athletes start to hit the streets again, I admittedly get a little offended that they are on MY ROADS. Where were they on that cold, windy days in February?

Running is my gateway drug and the reason I ended up an Ironman.

Don't get me wrong, I love riding my bike and I (for the most part) enjoy hitting the pool. But at the end of the day, it all comes back to the joy of  running ...

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Race Report: Philadelphia Marathon

The Philadelphia Marathon is a race that has been on my schedule many year. It is close to home, a nice course to run, and the timing is perfect for both my schedule and my desire to race in cooler conditions. Of all the race distances I have raced, the distance I have been the most inconsistent at is the marathon. It should come as no surprise that  I've had some very good races and some very bad races in Philly.

Late last week I posted up my thoughts Sunday's run and what I wanted to accomplish, what I would consider a success. I defined success based on two things - discipline and process. You can find that post here.

On Saturday morning I woke up early and ran an easy three and a half miles with some strides at the end of the run. After a stretch, a shower and a hardy breakfast, I headed down to Philly with The Mayor and The Queen. What would normally be a 75 minute drive turned into a 2 1/2 hour slog due to a major accident that shut down rt. 309 for 6 hours. Sitting in stopped traffic is never the ideal situation, it isn't any easier when you are full of pee because you are very well hydrated energy at the end of a taper week. Fortunately, the company made it a little more bearable. We did finally make it to the expo, picked up our race packets, walked the expo floor, then headed to our hotel for a little r&r.

Sunday was an early start due to the 7 am start time and the "heightened security" around the staging area. In the pre-race materials it was highly suggested that participants get to the race site by 5 am as the security would be tight. We decided a 5:30 arrival would make more sense. We walked through security, waited in the port-o-john line (why are there never enough of these at any race), dropped our bags at the UPS trucks, and hit the starting corrals.

Rant: I get that in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing in April there is a need to increase the security around big city marathons. I get that. What I have a problem with is a security plan that makes no sense. All they did was have a perimeter with a limited number of entrance points from  the art museum on the west and the start/finish area to the east. While would be fine, except there was no bag checking, or pat downs, let alone metal detectors. We literally just walked right in with only a "good morning" from "security."

Back to the race ... The conditions were as ideal as one could ever expect with a light breeze and temperatures around 50 degrees. A no excuses day made my time goal of a 3:15 finish time (with a BQ time of 3:25 as my fallback) reasonable. Still, success would be truly defined as sticking with my five predefined goals. This race was about discipline and process.

So how did I stack up against my five pillars of success?

1. Start the race at a controlled pace without burning off too much energy trying to get space. Here I was successful. The Mayor and I started at the back of our start corral, crossing the start line approx. 2 minutes after the start of the race. The first three miles were really tight with less space than I like to have. It was uncomfortable and I had the urge to weave around some of the slower runners, which would have happened in years past. This year, I kept my discipline and eased into the race with my first three mile splits coming in at 7:45, 7:36, 7:20.

2. Pace the run for a negative split. The time goal was a 3:15 and I hit the 10k mark in 46:34, the halfway mark in 1:37:19, and the 30k in 2:18:12. Good pacing for the most part, but a little fast from 10k to the half, which had more to do with the terrain than me actually pushing the pace. Success.

3. Proper fueling. I have a real bad habit of just forgetting to take on nutrition. Here, I drank water at all but two of the 17 water stops and took a Power Gel at miles 8 and 17 as planned. My stomach wasn't an issue and energy levels were fine to the very end. Success

4. Push myself in the last 10k.So I did and I didn't. I was on pace for 21 miles to get the 3:15. And then my hip flexors tightened up like you wouldn't believe. Forced to walk a bit my attitude remained positive and I decided to gut it out the best I could. I stayed positive for the next few miles, even as the periods of running got shorter and shorter. Then it happened. Mile 25 was a dark place for me as I mentally started to check out. It was also by far my slowest mile at 9:58. I did the math and knew I could still get the BQ, but I was in that mentally dark place. Half Success

5. Leave it all out there on the course.Yes, I broke a bit mentally. Still, I think I gave it everything I had. More important than the breakdown is the fact that I came out of it to finish up as strong as possible. I'm sure it looked ugly over the last few miles, but I got it done. Success

Overall that's a 4 1/2 out of a possible 5 which we can call a win. Unfortunately, discipline and process did not result in a sub-3:15. Instead, I finished in an official time of 3:24:04 and a 7:46/mile average pace, which did not come as a surprise to me.

Going back over my training I had some really good long runs. Four weeks out I had a great 20 miler on the tow path with Phil, followed up one week later with a 17 miler on the roads. At that point all things were looking and feeling great. But ... isn't there always a but ... the day after the 17 miler I woke up with a strange pain in my right quad. It was a muscle strain which led me to take five easy days with no running. When I got back to running I did a 10 mile long run, not the 20 I had intended to do. Also, once back running I stuck to flat terrain so as to decrease the muscular stress.

It worked, in that I got to the start line ready to run. In getting to the start line, however, I gave up some strength as well as my last long run. No training block goes exactly as planned, but I have to believe that losing the consistency and mileage when I did factored into how the final 10k played out. Not making excuses, it just is what it is.

Finally, I want to give a big shout out to everyone who raced last weekend, and specifically Cassie (3:04:02, 5th in F20-24), Danielle (3:25:18 6th in her AG), Barb (2:08:20 in the half), and The Mayor (1:41:16 in the half).

I want to give an extra special shout out to The Queen, who completed her first half marathon in an official time of 2:35:21. What she did on Sunday was a huge accomplishment and is much more impressive than anything I did last weekend. Cannot express in words how proud I am of her.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Thoughts on this Weekend's Philly Marathon

There was a time when the marathon was the focus of my training. I was a runner - not a great runner, but a runner - and the marathon was the defining distance in my mind. I raced other distances, sure. But my training was built around a spring and fall marathon.This went on for a number of years, eventually leading to cross-training, which led to a duathlon, which led to a triathlon, which led to a full Ironman ... but even as the level of craziness in racing increased, I always managed to ran a standalone marathon every year. It was just something I did ... until 2012.

I did start the D&L Marathon last November, but pulled out with a hamstring injury around mile 19, making 2012 the first year since 1999 I failed to complete 26.2 miles. It's now been more than two years since I finished my last marathon.

With my focus on triathlon the past 7 years the marathon has taken a back seat, almost an afterthought. In fact, my training for a marathon always came AFTER my last race of the year. Talk about an afterthought!!!

This time around I am not taking the distance for granted, and have made a few changes to my prep. For example, I actually have been preping specifically for a marathon. Getting ready for the Rev3 Half/Full Triathlon I made sure that my run mileage was up and my long runs were sufficiently long for marathon training, as opposed to get through 13.1 miles off the bike.

The taper has also been a real marathon taper with just enough running, no bike mileage, and a few short swims to work off enough idle energy to keep me from going insane. Rest time is actually rest time as well, including more sleep (not 8 hours, but more than the 5 I usually get). For me this is big. I don't like to slow down and I don't like the taper.With that said, my last "real run" on Thursday morning went well. Not exactly where I want to be on race day, but the legs had life in them. This gives me hope for a good race.

As for what I'm expecting to do on Sunday morning ... first, I don't plan on making any of the mistakes I have made in the past. I've gone the distance enough to (hopefully) not sabotage myself with stupid. To do this I am focusing in to process and not a goal time, although I do have that in mind as well. If I don't get that goal I will run to the top of the stairs in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum and throw myself down them in disgust be fine. IF I stick to a sound game plan. So what will define success?

1. With more than 25,000 participants the Philadelphia Marathon is a big race. There is also a 1/2 marathon running at the same time. These two facts make it challenging to find pace and stay in control in the first few miles. Thus, goal number one: Start the race at a controlled pace without burning off too much energy trying to get space.

2. Pace the run for a negative split. The best run marathons are run either evenly paced or at a slight negative split so it doesn't make any sense to put "time in the bank" when that really doesn't work.

3. Proper fueling. I have had a habit of getting behind on liquids and calories. I need discipline.

4. Push myself in the last 10k. While I really, really like the pain of pushing the limit while on a bike, I find it less enjoyable on the run. As Macca would say, "embrace the suck." As we discuss within my circle of friends - Rule #5!!!

5. Leave it all out there on the course. Doesn't matter what I feel like on Monday because this is my last race of the year. You might see me at some small, local races, but I will be participating, not racing.

So there you have it, my definition of success for Sunday's race comes down to one word: discipline. I have to fight my inner urge to do stupid and stay focused.

And ... with all that said ... it really comes down to two numbers: Three Fifteen. That would give me a qualifying time for Boston, 2015. I'm 44 now and will be 45 then so a sub-3:15 gives me enough space from the BQ standards to qualify and get a spot come race day.

Good luck to everyone else who will be racing, including Cassie, Danielle, Barb, The Mayor and The Queen.

If you have an interest you can get race results here.

Stay focused. Train hard.
Jon

The Joy and Stress of Tapering

On November 17 I'll be racing the Philadelphia Marathon. After a completing my triathlon season I have returned to my running roots and put in a short, but solid, block of running. While the mileage wasn't as large as past cycles, the mileage was focused. With a solid triathlon base, "junk" miles were not necessary. The only issue was a slight muscle strain that put a twist in the plan. Now, in the final two weeks, it is time to heal and get ready to physically race. It is time to taper.

There are some who enjoy the taper. I don't. I like to train. Let me rephrase that ... I really like to train. A lot. I think back to big Ironman focused weeks and I smile. Big weeks when you are fit make you feel strong; big weeks make you feel like you never need to stop.

Tapering is the exact opposite.After weeks of building fitness these final two weeks are about rest and recovery - getting the legs to feel awesome on race day. I totally get the theory. The problem I have with this process can be summed up in four words: It feels like shit. 

Here is the not exact analogy I always go back to: When I was in college, the end of the semester was always a time of high stress and focus, making sure that papers were done and the studying for finals was complete. A lot of time and energy expended with little sleep to ensure my final grades were up to the standards I expected of myself. During those weeks it was easy to be focused. During those weeks it was easy to be efficient. During those weeks it always felt good. This is the equivalent of the big work you do during the build phase of a training cycle. And then it happened ...

After weeks of focused work I would crash. Hard. All of a sudden I didn't feel good, slept a crazy amount, got lazy and unfocused. Some semesters I would get a bit sick (although, as usual, I would go into total denial). This is the taper of the analogy.

About two weeks later I would come out of the funk and could once again contribute to society. In my mind this is like race day.

Back to today. My legs ache. I'm tired. A little moody. And I really want to crank up the training. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure the "marathon flu"* will start sometime soon. Other than some riding while down in Florida last week (post to follow), I haven't done any serious riding for some time, while swims have been limited in duration and intensity. Now the run miles are dwindling. Ugh.

I know it has to be done in order to have a chance to reach my goal of running a Boston Qualifying time. It sucks. It feels like shit. It's annoying. It's necessary.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon


* The Marathon Flu is that feeling you get during the taper period where you constantly feel like you are getting sick. The fake sore throat or the sniffles are the main symptoms

8 Easy Ways to Blow Yourself Up During a Marathon

In three weeks I'll be lining up on the streets around Eakins Circle for the start of the Philadelphia Marathon. This won't be my first rodeo. I'm not exactly sure, but I have started somewhere around 30 stand alone marathons - the first one back in 1999 - dropping out of two due to injury. I may not be the fastest at the distance, but I certainly have some experience.

Some races have been quite successful, while others complete disasters. Getting it right is fun, but getting it wrong tends to bring more knowledge and understanding of what works and what doesn't. The combination of doing a good number of marathons and my propensity to race kinda stupid from time to time, I have managed to blow myself up in an embarrassing number of ways.

Here are the top eight ways I have destroyed a training cycle:

1. Start the race not in marathon shape - There is a difference between being fit and being marathon fit. Before I started competing in triathlons, this wasn't much of a problem as the marathon was the point of my training plans. In the last few years, however, I have been really fit but not necessarily marathon fit. The marathon is a totally different beast from any other race. Trust me, if you aren't trained for the specific stresses of a marathon you won't run your best race.

2. Race at "wish I could" pace, not "what I should" pace - Listen to your training. If your training indicates a 7:30/mile marathon, going out at a 7:15/mile pace will be a disaster. Here is how it plays out: the race starts and you feel great, as you are running on fresh, tapered legs. After passing through the half feeling good, you start to tire a bit around mile 15 or 16. From there it gets worse and worse until you are shuffling along or walking most of the final 10k. It took me some time to figure this one out (I can be a bit thick headed).

3. Start the race with a known injury - My second try at the marathon distance was at the Jersey Shore Marathon in April, 2000. Going into the race I was coming off a strained calf ... or at least that's what I told myself. I really wanted to do the race and convinced myself I was good to go the distance. Around mile 15 it started to ache. Buy mile 18 I was walking. At mile 21 I caught a ride to the finish line to meet my family.

4. Run too fast a pace in the early miles - I forget the year, but back in the mid-2000s I felt great going into the Philly Marathon and we (Jack and I) decided to go for it. We went out fast. Really fast. Stupid fast. We reasoned that even if we slowed down a bit we would still run a good time (by our standards). Yeah ... By the time we hit the turnaround in Manayunk (mile 20) we were hurting. Bad. By mile 22 we were staggering across Kelly Drive. We did eventually finish ... eventually.

5. Improper fueling - I have never over-fueled, but I have under-fueled on a number of occasions. If you don't get enough calories in early on you will run out of fuel and hit the wall. On a hot day, not enough liquids can cause cramping and over heating. Best thing to do is work on this during your long runs and have a plan.

6. Overeat the night before the race - Eating a huge plate of pasta and all the bread they will give you at the Italian restaurant isn't the best option. It takes time for your food to completely digest. Eating a big meal too close to the start of the race can, and likely will, leave you bloated and/or with intestinal distress. I have found that a better alternative is to make breakfast the largest meal the day before a marathon (or triathlon for that matter). As a side note, don't go crazy at the race expo with the free samples. 

7. Show no respect for hot, humid conditions - I am just terrible in the heat. Sorry, that's an understatement. I'm like a 300 pound guy wearing cotton sweatpants and sweatshirt. If I were in a blizzard in my underwear I would break into a sweat. Now that you have that picture in your head, understand every race isn't run in ideal conditions. If you have a goal but it turns out that your race will be run in 85 degrees, not "average" mid-50s you expected, bag the original game plan. This is more important for early season races when the body isn't heat acclimated. Don't believe me? Ask anyone who ran Boston in 2004 or 2012.

8. Overdress in the cold - This is the opposite problem from #7, and one I have only done once - at the Boston Marathon in 2009 (?) when a major storm rolled through causing havoc. The rule of thumb is to dress for 10 degrees warmer than the actual temperature. If you are one of those people who are always cold or always hot, modify this rule to fit your needs. The problem is, over the course of 3 to 6 hours the temperature can change drastically. I've done races where it's in the high 30s at the start and mid-50s by the time I cross the finish line. Best thing to do in that situation is to dress in layers. Use arm warmers, vests, two sets of gloves, ear warmers, and "throw aways." In Boston I wore a jacket which was fine for a while. When the weather changed I was stuck and soaked, which really sucked.


And there you have it, some of my dumbest racing mistakes there for the taking. Fortunately for you, all of these mistakes are easily avoidable with just a bit of forethought in your training and race prep. I put this out there to help others speed  up their personal learning curve while reminding myself of the dumb mistakes I have made in the past, hoping to not make them (again) in the future.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon