Monthly Archives: June 2010
2010: Super special and then some
Francesco Marino / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
It’s safe to say that the first six months of 2010 has been the best stretch of running for me since I started this journey back in 2004. The miles (510, which include 10 tonight), the races (two PRs, a mountain half marathon) and many of the individual runs (running in the rain and snow, Terrapin Mountain, doing 5.6 to get to 500 miles) have combined to make this year special. Super special with extra sauce on the side.
I’ve also managed to lose 11 pounds this year – going from 197.2 to 186.2. I’m not even sure how I managed to get back up to close to 200 (well, my awful diet in the last two months of 2009 didn’t help), but I’m back in a range I’m happy with. My clothes fit better; I’m eating tremendously better thanks to the summer fruit season; and I have a renewed sense of confidence getting my weight down a bit.
As I look ahead to the second half of 2010, I am ready to capitalize on what I’ve already done. I eased back just a bit on my mileage in June to do just that, although getting sick earlier this month kind of forced me to rest. I feel refreshed – and it’s so nice to be able to run 75 miles in a month and call that easing back. In previous years, that kind of mileage just wasn’t happening consistently.
My goals for the next six months come in stages. My No. 1 goal is running the Richmond Marathon in November. Coming up with a specific time goal for that will come after I start building my mileage up on my long runs this summer. I learned a lot of lessons from my first marathon in 2007, so I’m ready to have my sights on a time range this year. My second goal is to complete my 1,000-mile goal. If marathon training goes as planned, then I don’t even need to worry about that. In fact, I should actually get there sometime in November if my mileage goes like it should.
Lastly, I wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has offered their support this year. The comments on this new site, on Facebook, on Daily Mile and in person mean the world to me.
A Q&A with Steve Speirs
Some of you know him as British Bull Dog; some of you know him as the 100 push-ups guy; and some of you just know him as a runner. Meet Steve Speirs, all of the above, and then some. I started reading Steve’s blog some time ago and always enjoyed his race posts and his approach to blogging. Somewhere along the way we exchanged a few messages; he’s offered tremendous support on my 100 push-ups failure; and we’ve become what I think it a pretty good virtual friendship. One of these days we’ll actually meet in person. Oh, and you can find him on Daily Mile too. Now, onto my Q&A with Steve.
Q: Your first road race was a half marathon in 1982. In 28 years of racing, what is your favorite racing memory?
So many great memories, but the easy choice is my victory at the Cayman Islands Marathon towards the end last year (video below). Totally unexpected and something I will treasure for the rest of my life. Who would have thought a regular guy like me would ever win a marathon?
2009 Cayman Islands Marathon from steve speirs on Vimeo.
Q: What is one race you’d like to do, but haven’t had the chance to?
Probably the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. Bart Yasso recently described Comrades as “The ultimate race. The best race in the world.” I’m seriously toying with the idea of entering the 2011 event.
Q: What do you like most about running?
I love to challenge myself and constantly strive to reach my full potential, but also love to run for the relaxation and pure enjoyment it offers.
Q: What’s been the worst injury you’ve experienced, and how did you over come it?
In 2009 I pushed too hard in training and got a bit greedy with my races — ended up with a second metatarsal fracture after trying to run three 5Ks in one day (2 in a run~swim~run relay with my wife, and the other at a Twilight 5K in Crystal City). Rehab went surprisingly well — I biked daily and maintained upper body/core strength by doing one-legged push-ups. All I could think about was running again, and each day of “doing the right thing” would bring me closer to the goal. I can’t really explain the joy of my first post-stress fracture run, but my wife Ally captured it nicely on video for posterity:
First Post-Stress Fracture Run from steve speirs on Vimeo.
The video was taken in early September. By the end of 2009 I’d completed numerous 5Ks and 10Ks, a 10 Miler, half marathon, two marathons and my first competitive 50K. I guess I got lucky with my recovery?
Q: Lastly, what one piece of advice would you give to someone who just started running?
Just keep it fun, and if possible find someone you can share your love of running with. Aim to make it a lifestyle and not some chore you perform to bring other aspects of your life into balance.
If you’re interested in being a guest blogger or doing a Q&A, please contact me by filling out the form on the Contact page.
Previous Q&As and guest posts
* A Q&A with Half of Jess, June 2010
* A Q&A with 265andfalling’s Steve, April 2010
* Chrohn’s doesn’t mean can’t, December 2009
* But I did it anyway, September 2009
* Are we really born to run?, August 2009
Mile No. 500
If I had my way, this was going to happen around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. But how often does a runner get his or her way? Not often. I’m still struggling with getting up in the morning to run, and this morning was no exception, although I had a bizarre earache when I tried to get up. A 3-4 mile run this morning wasn’t meant to be. Plus when I checked the temperature at 7 a.m. it was already almost 80 degrees.
Thankfully this evening cooled off enough to get in a run. So I checked my mileage and decided tonight would be the night. Go 5.6 to hit 500 miles for the year. And, of course, I was doomed from having things go “my way” from the very beginning.
Turn on the Garmin: low batteries. So I gave it a quick charge as I put my socks and shoes on, took a bathroom break and searched for my small camera to take with me to document my 500th mile. Guess what? Completely dead battery.
So I turned my watch on to see the low battery warning again and headed out for 1.6 miles with my dog. I got home, took the watch off and ran 4 more miles on a familiar route to get to 5.6 for the night … and 500 for the year … halfway to my 1,000-mile goal.
Since nothing has been typical about my running this year, it was just meant to be for my 500th mile to fit right in with the bizarreness of 2010.
492.4 miles and counting
Staying focused on getting to 1,000 running miles this year is tough. I want to come up with so many reasons not to run, but having this goal and being registered for the Richmond Marathon keep me going.
With five days left in the first half of the year, I have less than 8 miles to go to get to 500 — I’m at 492.4 to be exact. Hitting the halfway point of this goal and then surpassing it with six months to go (I should be close to 510 by Wednesday), complete with marathon training still to come, I’m excited to wonder when — not if — I’ll hit this milestone for the first time ever in a calendar year. In looking at what I hope to do this summer and early fall, I could very likely hit 1,000 miles in November.
6.21.10
* Remember my Q&A with Half of Jess a couple of weeks ago? She returned the favor today and did a Q&A with me. You can visit her site here to check it out. I’m happy that I can be an inspiration to others, but so often I feel like I have so much work to do. I guess with people watching what moves I make, I am being held accountable. I’ll have another Q&A on this site soon.
* My attempt at eating better is working. Last week I was at 187, down 10.2 for the year. The scale was stuck for a while, but intentionally eating better and less really works people. You just have to do it. And now I just have to keep doing it.
* I had a successful morning run this morning of 3 miles. It wasn’t much and it took me until halfway through to feel warmed up, but at this point I’m just glad I did it. The heat in the evening is intense and I just have to get up if I want to beat it. Here’s to hoping I can do this a couple of more times this week to help make this a habit.
* There are now 144 days to go until the Richmond Marathon. For some reason that doesn’t sound like enough time. It’s kind of scary and exciting at the same time to know that in a little more than a month I’ll be running distances that I haven’t done in three years.
* The next #runchat on Twitter will be July 1. Scott with iRunnerBlog and I have decided to hold the chats twice a month — the first and third Thursday of each month. The next chat will focus on marathons since the prime marathon training season is under way.
Priority No. 1
After a week filled with morning-run failures, stomach issues and a second trip to the doctor for my coughing, I am very content right now to make sure I get back to full health before my “official” marathon training starts next month. The cut back on mileage this month has actually been nice. I did manage to have a couple of decent runs this week and both of them felt very refreshing. My legs are ready for increased mileage later this summer.
I have to keep in mind the big picture — I’ve built an awesome base in the first six months of the year to set myself up for an even better second half of the year. A bad week, or for me a bad two out of the last three weeks, isn’t going to set me back that much since I’ve already done so much hard work. It’s also kind of nice that 14.2 miles for a week is now labeled a “bad” week for me. I guess it’s more about just feeling back in general.
I’m turning the corner though and am ready for the last third of this month. I won’t go overboard with this goal, but I really want to get to 500 miles by June 30 to be at the half way point of my 1,000-mile goal for the year. I’m at 473.5 right now. As long as I’m feeling good over the next couple of runs, I’ll go for it. If not, it’s really not that big of a deal. Like I’ve said, my health is my No. 1 priority right now.
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