Fat to Boston in 14 Weeks

[Subby]

I just did something completely ridiculous. I signed up for the SunTrust National Marathon on March 20th, 2010.

Big deal, you say. Any idiot can do a marathon.

This is true. That is not the challenge nor the point of the dynasty.

My goal is not to finish the marathon, but to finish it in 3:15 or faster. Inspired by my friend digamma (who just crushed the California International Marathon in 3:08), I am going to join him in running the 2011 Boston Marathon. In order to that, however, I have to run a 3:15 on March 20th, 2010.

However, I have several factors working against me.

- I am currently 200 pounds give or take a few (arguably 35 pounds overweight).

- I have less than 15 weeks to properly train to run the race.

- It is winter time.

- I have a history of running injuries, including double tibial stress fractures that have sidelined me several times in the past.

- It's the holidays.

Throw in the full time association executive, husband, dad, youth sports coach, basketball refereee and there is no effing way I am going to pull this off.

Which is why I am doing it.

Follow this dynasty as I detail my training, weight loss, and house rules. At each milestone I will "unlock" a bonus item as a reward for making it to a certain training level (to be detailed later.)

When I am finished, I will finish the National Marathon, qualify for the Boston Marathon, and weigh less than 170 pounds.

In 14 weeks.

Here we go.

[Subby]

The National Marathon actually requires a qualifying race, but it isn't all that stringent. You need a 5 hour marathon or a 2:30 half-marathon in the last 5 years to get in. Fortunately, I ran a qualifier at the Frederick Running Festival in 2007, pulling a 1:41 in the half.

The problem for me has always been poor training. I have never followed a program and I always either get injured or stop training. If injured, I just don't run the race. However, there have been countless times where I haven't trained but run the race anyway. Which is so weak. This time I am going to faithfully follow a training program and see where that takes me.

There is no way I am going to complete this unless I practice some absolutely Spartan discipline. Particularly in the area of diet and sleep. Right now I am probably taking in three to four thousand calories a day and getting 5-6 hours of sleep per night. Here are two house rules right off of the bat:

1. Sleep 8 hours or more each night.
2. Consume less than 2,000 (eventually 1500) calories per day.

There is no way I can run this thing in 3:15 if I weigh what I do now and there is no way I am going to lose weight unless I change what and how much I eat and get more sleep. Sleeping gets everything straightened out and when you are tired, you naturally crave carbohydrates.

Anyway, those two house rules seem pretty easy. What I am probably going to do is cut the calories down to 1500 and then put a major lockdown on what I eat and drink. I have to make every single calorie count, every single calorie has to work for me. We are talking zero refined sugar, white flour, and other nutrient-free foods. That leads me to house rule number three:

3. When eating out, you must order a simple salad.

Carry out and dining out are killing me right now. My wife is working part time and with the kids' school and activities we have a hard time prioritizing home-cooked meals. That said, we still make it a point to eat together, which means carry-out or eating out more often than not. If I make a rule that I have to eat a salad, I will be able to forego the usual pizza, kabobs, chips, burgers, etc..

Okay, so three major house rules. I'll weigh in tomorrow and we'll see just how long the climb ahead is going to be.

[Subby]

Most standard marathon training programs are 18 weeks in length. I don't have that luxury, unfortunately. I need something that mixes endurance with speedwork and strength and can be shortened a bit.

Enter Hal Higdon. digamma used his training programs and I am going to take his Advanced-I program and truncate it into something that can work over 14 weeks. I like this one because it has a nice mix of hills, tempo, speedwork and standard long runs. I just need to decide what I am going to cut and what I am going to keep.

Marathon Training Schedule: Advanced-I

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	3 x hill	rest	5 m pace	10
2	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	30 Tem	rest	5 m run	11
3	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	4 x 800	rest	6 m pace	8
4	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	4 x hill	rest	6 m pace	13
5	3 m run	7 m run	3 m run	35 Tem	rest	7 m run	14
6	3 m run	7 m run	3 m run	5 x 800	rest	7 m pace	10
7	3 m run	8 m run	4 m run	5 x hill	rest	8 m pace	16
8	3 m run	8 m run	4 m run	40 Tem	rest	8 m run	17
9	3 m run	9 m run	4 m run	6 x 800	rest	9 m pace	12
10	3 m run	9 m run	4 m run	6 x hill	rest	9 m pace	19
11	4 m run	10 m run	5 m run	45 Tem	rest	10 m run	20
12	4 m run	6 m run	5 m run	7 x 800	rest	6 m pace	12
13	4 m run	10 m run	5 m run	7 x hill	rest	10 m pace	20
14	5 m run	6 m run	5 m run	45 tem	rest	6 m run	12
15	5 m run	10 m run	5 m run	8 x 800	rest	10 m pace	20
16	5 m run	8 m run	5 m run	6 x hill	rest	4 m pace	12
17	4 m run	6 m run	4 m run	30 Tem	rest	4 m run	8
18	3 m run	4 x 400	2 m run	rest	rest	2 m run	race

[Dodgerchick]

Wow Subby, that's awesome! I'm sure I'll learn a lot from your journey and will follow along taking notes.

Best of luck!!

[Subby]

Day One, 101 days until the marathon

Got on the scale this morning and was THRILLED to see 204.1 lbs staring back at me. Awesome. In order to be in anything close to optimal racing shape, I am going to have to lose about 40 pounds over the next 101 days.

According to Amby Burfoot, the general rule of thumb is that for every pound you lose, you increase your mile pace by 2 seconds. Doing the math, you can see that just losing weight is going to be a huge factor in getting to the magical 3:15 marathon time. In fact, if I lose 40 pounds, that could mean cutting close to 35 minutes off of my predicted marathon time.

As crazy as it sounds, marathon training is probably not going to be enough. I need to have a calorie deficit of about 1,386 per day to get there. That seems extreme - probably because it is.

The good news is that my current Basil Metabolic Rate (the rate at which my body burns calories at rest) is 1,964 calories. I used the calculator here to determine that number.

So if I don't eat anything at all I will make my goal. If I eat 1500 calories per day, that leaves me with a deficit of 464 calories. If I want to get to my magic deficit of 1,386 I will have to burn an additional 922 calories from marathon training and additional exercise.

I could decrease my calories but that would be suicidal. The plan is to make every single meal count. Every meal has to have nutritional value. My first six meals of the day will have no more than 200 calories and my final meal of the day can have whatever is left.

Meal 1 today: 1 egg, 8 ounces of 1% milk - the protein and calcium and vitamin D are key here. Marathon training tears your body down and you need to rebuild muscle and regenerate the bone that is lost from exercising. So that meal was 180 calories and 14g of protein. Perfect.

So enough about the food, let's get to the good stuff - the actual marathon training. The schedule called for a 3m run this morning, but I figured I would flip-flop today with yesterday and run a 5m instead. It was nasty outside so I did the run on the treadmill. Not ideal and I hope to do most of this stuff outside, but I am going to have to get used to doing it when the weather heads south.

I did some warmup and cool down and I am not sure about the accuracy of my treadmill, so I made it 5.5 miles. I think I ran for 50 minutes total - most of it at 8:36 pace. I burned around 800 calories, so I will still have to do an additional exercise to get to -1,386 for the day. My plan is to require 5 additional 30 minute cardio workouts per week and see how my energy level is after a few weeks. If I don't have anything left for marathon training then I might ratchet that back.

Anyway - that's probably enough rambling for now.

The Daily Ticker:

Weight Lost: 0
Miles Run: 5
Number of Cardio Sessions: 0

[flere-imsaho]

Do you use any particular website and/or reference to a) calculate the calories/nutrients in your foods and b) track that daily?

I've tried doing this (tracking foods & calories) a number of times, but each time I end up stymied because the website I'm using has too few of the types of foods I'm eating.

[Subby]

I use Dailyplate.com. It was bought by Livestrong in the past year or so, but it hasn't suffered. They have 99% of what I eat and you can also put together combinations to make meals you regularly eat - which makes data entry a lot faster.

[DaddyTorgo]

you dudes running the Boston marathon better let the Boston-chapter of FOFC know if you're actually going to fucking do it!!

[Subby]

If you promise to stand at the top of Heartbreak Hill in a speedo with a sign that says "Subby and digamma are my heroes!" then I will absolutely let you know.

[Subby]

Also just did the obligatory BMI calculation. While I agree it doesn't mean much for some sports, it absolutely matters for running. Just clocked in at 29.3 (overweight but no obese...hooray!).

Basically, I'll need to get that number down to 23.5 before race day.

[Kodos]

This is great, Subby. I need to start my 40 pounds by 40 dynasty.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by Kodos

This is great, Subby. I need to start my 40 pounds by 40 dynasty.

Do it! That would be awesome. I am going to be 39 in February, so I am right on the precipice with you.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

you dudes running the Boston marathon better let the Boston-chapter of FOFC know if you're actually going to fucking do it!!

I am absolutely actually going to fucking do it.

And follow this dynasty as well.

Go go go go Subby.

[GoldenEagle]

I am a bit concerned that you are going to be taking in enough calories. You are going to be burning. You are going to be burning off quite a few calories, particularity on the long run days. 1500 might not be enough.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

I am a bit concerned that you are going to be taking in enough calories. You are going to be burning. You are going to be burning off quite a few calories, particularity on the long run days. 1500 might not be enough.

Yeah this is a valid concern, but this is also a high risk challenge. I think I have to take some risks to get to the goal. If I am really having trouble then I will adjust - and on long run days, days when I am burning 5k calories total for the day - then I will adjust my caloric intake accordingly.

My problem is my blood sugar - seems to bottom out pretty quickly. I think that might be a function of my diet over the last year and how badly it has fucked up my blood chemistry. Once I get on a reasonable eating track that will hopefully get back in line.

Carbs make you hungry (at least in my experience) and I have been eating a high carb diet as of late.

[digamma]

As you are well aware, nutrition during runs is super important. Whether it be goo, gel or whatever, learning to use during run fuel is a race day key.

There is some writing about glycogen depletion long runs, where you avoid nutrition (but have something available in case of an emergency) in order to build sustainability.

Also, you know this as well, but there are low to no cal sports drink options that provide you with the electrolyte benefit of a sports drink without the added calories.

I really enjoy Nu'un, but there are others.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Subby

If you promise to stand at the top of Heartbreak Hill in a speedo with a sign that says "Subby and digamma are my heroes!" then I will absolutely let you know.

you don't want to see me in a speedo, i promise you that. maybe if i lost the 50 pounds i could stand to lose...LOL

the other part of it...sure though.

[Subby]

Day Two, 100 Days to go

The good news is I got 8 hours of sleep, almost completely consecutively. The bad news is I am already overtired and grouchy. Hopefully a regular sleep cycle will help there.

I had a great eating day yesterday, taking in right at 1500 calories. I weighed in at 201.1 this morning.

I did my first brutal workout today - a hill workout. I jogged a two mile warmup then sprinted 250m up a hill, then jogged back down. Did this just three times and jogged back home. Sprinting up hill is so difficult. Glad this workout is over. The warmup and cool down portions were nice though - a little chilly outside, but refreshing.

Eating has been hit or miss today. Wife went out of town, so I have been playing Mr. Mom. Had a loaded oatmeal and vente coffee at Starbucks and a White Chocolate Macadamia Clif bar at around 11am. I was well-fueled on my run, but I need to eat something else and start sucking down some fluids.

My right hammy is a bit sore and I was getting the shoulder cramps on my warm down. A hot shower and a banana should do the trick (NOT A EUPHEMISM).

Tomorrow I have a 5 mile run at pace scheduled (calendar has it as rest, but I am booked saturday, so am moving this up a day). Basically I am supposed to run at marathon pace (7:20) for 5 miles. Not sure I am up to that speed yet, so it will probably be a struggle. Saturday is now the rest day, although I have to ref 3 basketball games and ooach another. On Sunday, I actually have a race (more on that later.)

Will probably get on the rower for 20 minutes later on.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 2
Weight Lost: 3.0
Miles Run: 10
Number of Cardio Sessions: 0

[Autumn]

I'll be following along. I'm not up to such a challenge, but I am attempting to lose 20-30 pounds myself, so this is both helpful and inspirational.

[Subby]

Day Three, 99 Days to Go

This morning I weighed in at 197.2. Almost 7 pounds lost in three days is pretty funny. I feel like one of the contestants on the Biggest Loser. Of course it will level off here pretty soon, but it is always encouraging to get off to a turbo start like that.

Yesterday I ended up eating about 1600 calories. I am not going to get too hung up on a +/- of 100, as that seems like a reasonable deviance. As long as I am burning 900 calories a day through marathon training and exercise, I should be in good shape.

Today's workout called for 5 miles at marathon pace. Interesting, because I didn't know exactly what pace I would actually need to run in order to hit 3:15.

I found a solid marathon pace calculator that let you add "fade" - basically, what type of splits you would need to run before and after you start fading. With no fade, my pace needs to be 7:27. With a 10 second fade starting at mile 20, I need 7:24 for the first 20 miles and 7:34 thereafter.

That seems fast to me, but I decided that I would do my best today and hopefully improve each week for the next 13 weeks. I ran a warmup mile then took off, stopping only after about 1.5 miles to tie my shoe. Two thirds of the way from the finish I realized that my Garmin 305 GPS running watch had not re-started. I must have not pressed the button hard enough or something after tying my shoe. Fortunately I was running a route I am really familiar with, so I new when I would hit five miles. I started my watch again so I could at least get a sampling of the pace, and when I hit the end, I had 3 miles worth of data at a 7:06 pace.

I felt like I ran the whole thing pretty consistently, and I guess I will know more next week when I do it again. One thing is for sure, it was hard as hell and there is no way I could sustain that pace for 26.2 miles. Which is why I am training, right? Right.

So, good news is I could maintain a pace beyond what I need for 3:15. Bad news was that there is no way I would have lasted much longer.

Anyway, tomorrow is an off day. I am going to ref three basketball games, but that is about it for physical activity. I am going to throw in a session of weight lifting and see about integrating it into my easy days.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 3
Weight Lost: 6.9
Miles Run: 16
Number of Cardio Sessions: 0

[Subby]

I'm not a big supplement guy, but I read a pretty interesting article recently in Runner's World that got me thinking more about calcium and vitamin d.

I was diagnosed a while back (2007) with medial tibial stress fractures in both legs. I was prescribed custom orthotics and lots of rest. I did everything the doctor asked but in the spring of 2008 they came back. I think part of the issue was the ridiculously cushioned shoes they sell nowadays (way more on that later) but I also wondered if I was getting enough calcium and vitamin d in my diet.

Long ago I had stopped drinking milk and I also didn't take a multivitamin. When you run, you actually wear down the bone, which then recovers and builds stronger with rest (known as adaptation). So I have always wondered if my injury issues weren't related, at least in part, to a vitamin d and calcium deficiency. Anyway, I decided to buy a supplement (gummi bears! you cannot beat that) the other day - the idea is to drink more milk and eat more eggs and take this supplement and hopefully stave off the injury bug, once and for all.

[flere-imsaho]

This may also be useful for you, Subby: Patient Money - When Buying Vitamins, Know What’s Worth Paying For - NYTimes.com

[Subby]

Day Four, 98 Days to Go

Still not getting enough sleep. Wife is out of town, so I watched Gran Torino on our new Blu Ray player and then played poker until way too late. Went to bed at 2, woke up at 8. Not good.

Dropped another pound and now I am 196.1. 32 pounds to go means I am now on a more reasonable pace of 1 pound lost every three days.

Today is a much welcome off day. My body is tired and sore and I don't feel like doing a lot of high intensity running. That said, I have three basketball games that I have to ref this afternoon, so I will still get some exercise today.

Tomorrow I am running the 4th race of the 2009 Fall Backyard Burn series. It's a 10 mile trail race at a nearby regional park and it promises to be an ass-kicker. I ran the first three in reasonable times, but I once again did not have a training plan and ran sporadically for each race. Maybe when the spring series runs around I can attack them with a little more intensity and shoot for a top 20 finish (right now I have been finishing between 50th and 70th out between 150 to 200.) Last race I finished high enough in my age group (18th) to earn series points. It would be nice to finish off the series with a few more.

My marathon training program's creator, Hal Higdon, says that it's okay to do a little weight training, so I am going to take his advice and life on off days (normally Friday) and recovery days (normally monday). Here is a link to the program.

Eating was pretty good yesterday, although I was probably a little light on the calories (around 1300). I don't want my metabolism to freeze, so I will continue to try and eat every two hours.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 4
Weight Lost: 8.0
Miles Run: 16
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 1

[Subby]

Day Five, 97 Days to Go

Up at 6am to get ready for my last 10 mile trail race of the season. Stepped on the scale and couldn't believe it so I got off and then back on. 193.3. WTF? 10.8 lbs lost in five days. My metabolism must be in overdrive right now.

The race was about as miserable as you can get. 36 degrees and raining at the start, this was the hilliest course yet, with lots of rocks down by the water and a metric f-load of mud - all kinds of mud...diarrhea mud, oatmeal mud, gravy mud, wet cement mud...the trail was incredibly technical and in all was a bit more than 10 miles - 10.3 to be exact. The first huge hill, about 4 miles in, was where I had my best performance. I powered through it like none this series and passed five guys on the way up. I was able to hold off all but one of them until the finish and clocked a 1:36 and change. Considering the course was more than 10 miles and we were forced to walk because of the conditions and singletrack, I was ecstatic with the time. After I finished I came close to passing out, but hot chocolate and M&Ms took care of me.

Now back home warm and dry I am contemplating what else to eat today. The race burned about 2,000 calories so I have a lot of room today. Already had a bagel for breakfast and one post race, so that helps. Will be drinking lots of water the rest of the day.

All in all, very happy that despite not being in good shape, I was able to tough this thing out. It bodes well for March, I hope.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 5
Weight Lost: 10.8
Miles Run: 26
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 1

[Subby]

Day Six, Week 2, 96 Days to Go

My weight normalized a little - back up to 194.6 despite running a race yesterday and registering a calorie deficit of approximately 1500 calories. Not a big deal - I am making big changes in my diet and activity and my body is just trying to find it's way.

This morning kicked off week 2 of my training program. I could have done it on the treadmill, but I want to toughen myself up and going out in freezing temperatures at 5:45am will help. There was a lot of black ice, but I only came close to falling once. My program called for a recovery run of 3 miles and with warmup I estimated about 3.5. According to the fantastic mapping site g-maps pedometer it looks like my estimate was close - the route was 3.7 miles.

When I got home I did my first weight lifting session. Nothing crazy - just bench press, overhead press and curls. I am VERY weak from my waist up and I think getting a stronger upper body will help my late race endurance.

My eating is still on track. I had an egg and a glass of 1% milk this morning. The protein helps repair worn muscles, particularly after running a race yesterday. And I actually feel pretty decent today - was a little sore when I woke up, but my recovery run took care of it.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 6
Weight Lost: 9.5
Miles Run: 29.5
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 2

[Subby]

Backyard Burn Final Results

This is a trail running series that I signed up for at the beginning of fall. I swore I would train and lose weight for these, but I never took them seriously. They were much harder than I could have imagined - three of the four races had absolutely insane hills and another had more mud and rain than I have ever seen in my life. As poorly as I prepared for these, I am encouraged by the fact that, even 30-40 lbs above an ideal racing weight, I managed some decent finishes.


BYB Fall Series Race #1 @ Prince William Forest Park
October 11, 2009
Distance: 9.9 miles
Time: 1:26.11
Place: 67/179 (top 38%)
Age Group (M30-39): 21/45 (47%)

BYB Fall Series Race #2 @ Wakefield
November 1, 2009
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:22.45
Place: 69/149 (46%)
Age Group: 27/49 (55%)

BYB Fall Series Race #3 @ Fountainhead
November 15, 2009
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:35.35
Place: 51/139 (37%)
Age Group: 18/35 (51%)

BYB Fall Series Race #4 @ Hemlock
December 13, 2009
Distance: 10.3 miles
Time: 1:36.54
Place 29/72 (41%)
Age Group: 13/22 (60%)

My best time was also my worst race - at Wakefield it was extremely wet and muddy with multiple stream crossings. That was also the last time I wore regular running shoes for a trail run (I bought trail running shoes the next day). The last two races were much more technical and hilly than the first two. The first race was the only one where we had really good weather.

So, I am happy that I completed the races and finished in the top half, but I am also irritated with myself because I know the times could be so much better. Hell, I could shave a minute per mile off my times just by losing the 40 lbs I need to lose. That would give me top 20 finishes in almost all of those races.

So, a stepping stone, of sorts. When the spring version of this series rolls around, I'll be ready.

[digamma]

Fade?

Run negative splits, yo!

[Swaggs]

I have no advice, but I am following along and wishing you well.

What type/brand of shoes do you use?

[Subby]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

I have no advice, but I am following along and wishing you well.

What type/brand of shoes do you use?

Thanks for the well wishes!

The short answer is Asics Gel 3000 and Asics Gel Kayano. The long answer begins with the fact that both shoes are now a year old (3000s) or older older (Kayanos). For a long time I bought into the running industry premise that you needed cushioning and stability and motion control and all of that other support in order to run pain free. As a long time sufferer of shin splints, and eventually stress fractures, I was sure the perfect shoe was the answer to my miseries. I even went to a podiatrist and was fitted for custom orthotics so that my foot strike would be "perfect".

I never got better. I also injured myself when was thin, so I realized it wasn't necessarily a weight issue. Then my brother sent me this article. The article postulates that as running shoes have gotten more expensive, running injuries have increased. Is it possible that the heel of shoes have become so built up, so cushioned, that the only foot strike that is possible is to jam your heel into the ground? If so, then no wonder running injuries are on the increase - that natural foot strike is midfoot to toe, not heel to midfoot.

Anyway, running shoe companies and their shills like Runner's World and Running Times are catching on. Some companies like Newton and Nike are offering pared down shoes with a lot less heel - shoes that promote a more natural running style. Of course, these shoes are priced at a premium.

After seeing a video of ultrarunner Anton Krupicka shaving down the heels of trainers that he runs in, I decided that maybe the best running shoe for me would maybe be the one that had the least support in the heel - my old worn out, beaten down running shoes. The ones the running shoe industry says that I need to replace every 300-500 miles or 6 months. Please.

So I ditched the orthotics and now I am running in these things until a hole wears through the bottom (which it almost has on the 3000s). Yes, I overpronate - but that's just how I run and maybe "correcting" that stride is why I am getting the injuries.

So long answer - I hope - is proper recovery paired with shoes that enable you to mimic natural, barefoot running as much as you can stand.

[Kodos]

I used to love hills in cross country. I would always pass a ton of guys on those.

[Subby]

WEEK ONE BONUS UNLOCK

Each week that I complete all of my workouts and also lose weight, I will "unlock" a bonus item as a reward for training. For completing week 1 of the training I unlocked:



The Pearl Izumi Infinity Jacket is a great cold weather running jacket that also protects against cold winds and water. I'm going to need it, so it seemed like a natural first bonus item to unlock.

[Kodos]

Nice!

[Subby]

Day Seven, Week 2, 95 Days to Go

I did everything last night in my power to derail my training. In the past I would have packed it in for the following day and the following day would have bled into a week and then into a month.

Not this time.

Despite eating about 5 helpings of my wife's killer Cincinnati-style turkey chilli, going to bed at 1:30am, and waking up 5 minutes before I had to leave for work, I still managed to eat the way I was supposed to today AND get my workout in after work.

My weight (197.2) is still going the wrong way for some reason, even though in all I probably only had 2300 calories yesterday. Not a huge deal, because I am doing the workouts.

Today the schedule called for a 5 mile run, with a pickup near the end. I did a one mile warmup, then about 3 miles at 7:40 and the final two at about 7:15. I was pretty wiped out when I was done, but I actually felt pretty strong during parts of the run. My form is already getting stronger and my breathing more controlled.

I was thinking of marathon great Deen Kastor a lot while I ran today. Last night, after the chili, I watched the documentary called Spirit of the Marathon. It follows five or six runners as they train for the Chicago Marathon, one of which is the elite Kastor. She fought through a stress fracture and intense rehab and training to win her first major marathon. Watching her run and train - her sheer speed and effortless form - were motivating to me. To see someone run so effortlessly (whole putting forth maximum effort) is a place where I would like to be one day.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 7
Weight Lost: 6.9
Miles Run: 35.5
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 2

[Subby]

Day Eight, Week 2, 94 Days to Go

Got the best night's sleep since starting this program - asleep by 9:30p, up at 6:45a with only one interruption (getting up at 4:45am to put 9 y.o. back to bed). Out the door at 7am for a three miler (3.7 total) and it was again cold, cold, cold. I don't like going out this late in the morning because there is exponentially more traffic, but the advantage is that it's light outside, raising the temperature and making for a safer run.

Breakfast was all about calcium and vitamin d - I had an egg, a glass of 1% milk and a supplement. Oh and a fucton of coffee. I am pretty much convinced now that milk is the greatest post-workout recovery drink out there.

Thankfully my weight went the right way today and I am down to 196.5.

Tomorrow is another hard workout - 5 mile tempo run. Temps should be the same. Wheeee!

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 8
Weight Lost: 7.6
Miles Run: 39
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 2

[digamma]

In my recent training plan, I had a love/hate relationship with the Thursday hard workouts, and I think that is how it is supposed to be. I dreaded them at times, but felt like I got a ton out of them when complete. The exception is the Yasso 800 days every 3 weeks. The 800 is a simple metric and it is easy to mark improvement, so you can tangibly see the fruits of your efforts.

Nice jacket too.

[Subby]

Here are two shots from my last race at Hemlock. I love trail running. Definitely concentrating more on not snapping my ankle in half than I am on going fast.

[Subby]

Day Nine, Week 2, 93 Days to Go

Sabotaged a solid day of nutrition by going out to my favorite wood-fired pizza place last night (Pie-Tanza!). On the good side, I only had two pieces of pizza (they are small, but I usually have about 5 or 6). I also ate a spinach Mediterranean salad which was huge and also had two slices of toasted rustic bread with sweet tomatoes and cheese on top. Oh well, not the end of the world and at least I ate well - not like I was blowing it on a bag of Cheetos.

This morning was one of the hard days. The schedule called for a 30 minute TEMPO RUN. Those are a bitch and here is the description from Higdon:

A tempo run is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace. Notice I said "near" 10-K race pace. Coach Jack Daniels defines the peak pace for tempo runs at the pace you might run if racing flat-out for about an hour. That's fairly fast, particularly if the tempo run is 45 minutes long, but you're only going to be near peak pace for 3-6 minutes in the middle of the run. In the Advanced programs, tempo runs are scheduled for Tuesdays or Thursdays. Here's how to do this workout. A tempo run of 30 to 40 minutes would begin with 10-15 minutes easy running, build to peak speed during the next 10-20 minutes, then finish with 5-10 minutes easy running. The pace buildup should be gradual, not sudden, with peak speed coming about two-thirds into the workout and only for those few minutes mentioned above. You can do tempo runs almost anywhere: on the road, on trails or even on a track. Tempo runs should not be punishing. You should finish refreshed, which will happen if you don't push the pace too hard or too long. It helps also to pick a scenic course for your tempo runs. You can do your tempo run with another runner, but usually it works better to run solo. There's less danger of going too slow or (more the problem) too fast if you choose his pace, not yours.

So I went out on my five mile route and did a mile + warmup and then dropped the hammer. I ran a 6:36 for the next 10 minutes, which was probably way too fast (it was hard) and I was pretty beat the final mile and a half to two miles home. That said, probably better than doing it too slow particularly since I am short-circuiting the training by about four weeks.

Tomorrow is a rest day (yay!) And Sunday I get to do my long run. A lot of people hate long runs, but they are the only reason I do this. I LOVE the long run. Absolutely love it. Get to go 11 miles this week (after a standard 5 mile run Saturday.) Hopefully the weather holds.

Weight was up a bit because of dinner, but I'm not going to stress out about it yet.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 9
Weight Lost: 7.0
Miles Run: 44
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 2

[Kodos]

Is the whole trail wet rocks? That looks like a twisted ankle or worse waiting the happen.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Is the whole trail wet rocks? That looks like a twisted ankle or worse waiting the happen.

No - mostly single track. Probably just two miles total right down by the water like that and even less of it was only rocks. I definitely underestimated how mentally taxing trail running would be. Especially on a highly technical trail with rocks, roots, downed trees and steep up and down hills, you really have to concentrate on every single foot strike. This was the first of the four races where I didn't wipe out at least once. Big accomplishment.

[Kodos]

Good job! In all my years of running, I managed to only really fall once or twice (the one that I remember I was running with one foot on the road and the other on the shoulder, which was pretty dumb), which is amazing, because I am fairly clumsy in general. If I came across those rocks in a run, it would become very slow jog time.

[Subby]

Day Eleven, Week 2, 91 Days to Go

Not much to report, other than the fact that we are currently in the middle of the storm of the century. For once, I am not cursing the treadmill and I was able to get my five mile run in. Tomorrow is going to suck though - I am supposed to do my long run and the thought of running 11 miles on a treadmill makes me want to punch myself in the honore de balzac.

I shoveled snow for 3 hours, so I am counting that as a separate cardio session.

I guess when you sign up for a spring marathon you are taking a risk with your training. Winter weather can suck, so you have to be mentally prepared to deal with it. I can do this.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 11
Weight Lost: 7.0
Miles Run: 49
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 3

[Subby]

Day Thirteen, Week 3, 89 Days to Go

Yesterday was long run day, but with 20 inches of snow and ice on the ground, I was once again forced indoors. On the treadmill. For 12 miles. To say it was a grind would be an understatement, but I am happy to report that I did it.

I set the speed to 8:13 for most of the run, which is about 50 seconds faster than what my race pace should be. The long run should be anywhere from 45-90 seconds slower per miles than race pace, so I was right about where I needed to be.

With all of the snow and the holiday parties, I am getting killed on the eating portion of this. I am doing my best, but I am just not losing weight right now. Was 197.2 this morning (again) so I figure if I just keep running and try like hell to keep my calories in some reasonable order I'll be ready to roll come the new year. The most important thing is to get the miles under my belt, and I am doing that right now...injury free so far, which is a minor miracle.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 13
Weight Lost: 6.9
Miles Run: 61
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 3

[digamma]

Punching that out on the treadmill is awesome. Nice work.

I ran ten yesterday with the temperature being about 60 degrees and sunny at run time.

*runs and hides*

[Subby]

WEEK TWO BONUS UNLOCK



FUEL BELT® SPRINT 10 OZ. PALM HOLDER :: Prefer to hold your water bottles in your hands while you run? Pick up the Fuel Belt® Sprint 10 oz. Palm Holder. Enjoy secure fit thanks to the adjustable strap. Stash gels, keys and other essentials in the small zipper pocket. 10 oz. bottle included.

I have a fuel belt which I am not all that crazy about - in fact, I hate really carrying anything at all when I run (I also have a Camelbak hydration pack). I can usually go about 90 minutes without really needing anything to drink, but at some point I am going to need an easy way to hydrate on the run. What really sold me on these is that they have a small zipper pocket so I can carry an emergency $20 or a CC and my ID. I ordered two - one for each hand!

My WEEK ONE BONUS UNLOCK came yesterday, so I will give it a go this afternoon.

[Subby]

Day Fourteen, Week 3, 88 Days to Go

I am running a day behind on my updates - this is an update of what I did yesterday. With the kids out of school and my office closed, I got to stay home and do lots of sledding. That meant hill climbing! Can't really count it as a workout though and the roads were still too jacked to be able to run on them. So I sucked it up and knocked out about 4 miles on the treadmill.

Looking at the schedule, I realized that I am still at 3 miles for the Monday recovery day, so there's a bonus mile!

I am also at an early crossroads, b/c at some point I have to start skipping weeks to get the full benefit of the program (i.e. the three 20 mile runs) that I wouldn't get if I just did the first 14 weeks. Week 3 is supposed to be a stepback week, so I am making an executive decision and skipping it in favor of week 4. There isn't a huge amount of difference, other than the Sunday run which is 5 miles longer.

Today calls for a 6 miler - hopefully there has been enough of a thaw that I can knock it out when I get home.

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 14
Weight Lost: 6.9
Miles Run: 65
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 3

[GoldenEagle]

Update?

[Subby]

Day Twenty, Week 4, 82 Days to Go

Okay, the holidays are over so I am back on the eating right track.

First off - had an injury scare last Wednesday - during my 6 mile run on the treadmill, I had a ton of leg pain and decided to stop running after 4 miles. Just a throbbing soreness and stiffness that usually precedes more problems. I was pretty devastated - not even three weeks in and already my legs were acting up. I decided that maybe I had started this thing running too hard - maybe I pounding the legs too much instead of easing into it.

So, with that in mind I put on the heart rate monitor on Christmas Eve and did a 6 mile run at an average of 125 bpm. That is "Zone 2". I decided to let me heart rate be my guide - if it was working too hard for every workout, then I was probably running too hard.

I took Friday and Saturday off just to be safe and then went out, fully rested, for my long run on Sunday. I stayed right at 130 bpm for the whole run and cardiovascularly, felt great at the end. My legs and everything else was pretty wiped out, however.

I love the long run. Being able to just blank out and cruise for 2 hours is such a great feeling. I had my new Pearl Izumi jacket on and a fuel bottle (my other bonus unlock item) in each hand. Both the jacket and bottle worked great for the long run.

Today I went out for a nice, easy 5 mile recovery run. My pace, like my the one for my long run, was super slow. I think my plan for right now is to make it through the miles injury free and reassess my speed in a few weeks.

No bonus unlocks for week three, since I doubt I lost weight and I skipped two workouts due to injury concerns. Christmas was good to me though, as I scored some compression socks and a bunch of gels and a package of clif shot bloks.

OH RIGHT AND THE iSQUEEZ.



That's right baby. Calf and foot massages all around!

Seven miler on tap for tomorrow. Should be cold as hell. Woohoo!

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 20
Weight Lost: 6.9
Miles Run: 93
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 3

[Subby]

Day 21, Week 4, 81 Days to Go

Weighed in at 195.2 this morning. While I am not going to get to 190 by the end of this month, I normally gain about 10 pounds in Novemeber - December, so at least I have kept that from happening this year.

This morning was pretty brutal. 25 degrees at 6:30a with wind coming in from the NW at 16 mph. I was wearing a knit cap, gloves, running shorts. knee high compression socks, trail shoes, long sleeve running top, and my new cold weather wind breaker. And a neck gator. The exposed part of my legs got pretty icy but aside from my garmin watch battery dying about a mile in, it was a solid 8 mile effort. I'll be glad when the last of the snow melts because it is making it tough to run along the side of the road.

Milestone today - I hit triple digit miles (101) in my training!

Anyway, tomorrow calls for an easy three miler - which I may try and do at the pool. We'll see. Less than three months to go!

The Daily Ticker:

Days: 21
Weight Lost: 8.9
Miles Run: 101
Cardio/Weight Sessions: 3

[Kodos]

Great to see you keeping up with this. Hopefully you can continue to avoid injuries. You're doing a great job keeping up with the training. I think the existence of this dynasty can help keep me plugging away at mine.

[Subby]

Motivating blog entries are often few and far between, so I really appreciate this one, which I came across this afternoon.

Why Stepping Out the Door on a Cold Rainy Day is Important

Don't think, do. Then think.

By Dave Griffin
As featured in the Web Only issue of Running Times Magazine
Cold rain is the worst weather to run in, and it was thirty-eight degrees and raining right outside my window.I watched it, wishing I didn’t have a run planned.

In Maryland, the spring and fall offer the best running weather. The moderate temperatures feel perfect when contrasted with the extremes of the preceding seasons. On those days I can’t wait to get outside

Of course, the transitional seasons have bad days as well. Temperatures go up and down and dreariness moves in and out. Sometimes, it almost feels like summertime, when the weight of the damp heat makes me feel sluggish no matter how fit I am.

The truth is, if you tracked the weather throughout the year, there are really only a handful of perfect running days. So, I’m used to running in less than ideal conditions. I learned a long time ago that if I let the weather become an excuse, then I could find at least a hundred other excuses not to run. Excuses don’t serve you well, if there’s something you hope to gain through persistence.

So, I stepped out into the rain. It wasn’t any more pleasant than I imagined it would be. A hard breeze struck me with the first stride and the rain stung my face. There wouldn’t be any easing into this run. I needed to move fast to warm up.

And, I did warm up, after ten minutes or so. By then, the rain was more of a nuisance than a hindrance, and I was moving along in relative comfort.

That’s the way it is when you’re facing something difficult. The hardest part is almost always the very first step. Once you’re moving in the right direction, momentum becomes a friend.

People passing in their cars didn’t understand. They looked at me with curiosity, wondering why anyone would willingly be outside. They had no idea I was feeling comfortable, the hardest part of the run well behind me.

I eased through the final mile, and turned onto my street, stopping at my driveway. I felt a sense of gratification, and even stood for a few moments feeling the rain fall before going back inside.

I’m sharing this particular run for a reason. I imagine as December moves us towards Christmas and then the New Year, you’ll be doing some reflecting. Another year is over, and with it leaves the promise its days offered. Sometimes, that kind of reflection can lead to regret. Don’t let it.

Instead, focus on the year ahead and the unwritten chapters of your life. What is it that you want to do? And, perhaps more importantly, who is it that you want to become? Now is a time to imagine, to dream, not to lament.

When you do dream, paint a picture of yourself in the fulfillment of your vision. Let that picture preside over the days ahead because, rest assured, you’ll need the motivation when the cold rain comes. And it will come, forming an obstacle between you and your dream. Move ahead in spite of it. Its sting is temporary, but the gratification that comes from running through it endures.

---

I love those last three paragraphs.