2015 Goals

As Christmas and the beginning of a new year approach, it's time to put into writing some goals to be accomplished during the 365 days of 2015.  2014 unfortunately, turned out to be one big learning experience for me, and one that I won't soon forget.  Let's hope that I've learned enough from the current year that allows me to succeed in the next one.  So, here we go........

Goal #1 - 2,500 Miles - This year is going to be different for me in that I've never ran a spring marathon.  This year, I am lucky enough to be going to Boston in April for that little race they hold there.  That said, I've never run a large number of miles during the spring (160 total for March 2014), and specifically during baseball season.  This year that changes and hopefully I can keep up with the demands of both marathon training and baseball season.  I'm going into the new year assuming that I'm also doing a Fall marathon.  With that commitment,  I think this goal is within reach considering I'm closing in on 1,900 miles this year and haven't exactly gotten after it the last month of so.

Goal #2 - A New PR in EVERY Distance - This was a goal that I laid out for 2013 as well and the reason for putting it out there again is so that I race and plan to race.  I ran a grand total of 4 races during 2014.  3 Half Marathons and 1 Marathon.  I don't believe that I toed the line often enough to be able to best embrace my competitiveness.  I love all of my running friends, and foes for that matter, but for the time that we are racing, my only mission in life is to beat you to the finish line.  In order to be better at racing, you gotta race.  I know already that I have a shot at two new PRs with a half in Naples, FL (1/18/15) and a marathon in Boston.  I'll start looking at the race calendar over the next few days to figure out where and when to attack the 5 and 10k distances.

Goal #3 - Help someone else achieve a new PR - I've been absolutely blessed to be surrounded by so many who are willing to help.  So many people willing to share little bits of information that they've acquired through study and experience to help me become better.  I think that now it is my turn to do this for someone else.  I don't know how this happens or what shape/form this comes in, but part of my becoming a better runner, athlete and person is to help others achieve their goals as well.

Goal #4 - Re-Qualify for Boston - Complacency has a way of letting the obvious hide in plain sight.  This goal seems to piggy-back on goal #2, but I feel that it needs to be put into writing.  If I PR at the marathon distance, I will re-qualify for Boston.  That isn't enough though.  This goal needs to be front, center and in my face as much as possible.  I've told people for the past year or so that an ongoing goal of mine is to be able to run Boston any year that I choose to do it.  Therefore, this goal needs to appear on my yearly list of goals.

Goal #5 - Cross-training - Reflecting back on the things that went right in 2013, and what went wrong in 2014, cross-training is one of the things that I must get back to doing.  Swimming, cycling, core strength training, increased flexibility.  I need to be much more consistent about all of these things.  The goal is to add two of these items each week to my schedule.  Even if it's only 30 minutes at a time.  I'll track this along with my running to ensure that I stay on track.  The challenge will be keeping up with this routine when the training mileage gets high and baseball season is in full swing.  

So, with 1 day left until 2015, it's time to get moving on some of these goals.  Over the next few days, as I learn where I'll be traveling for baseball, I'll start researching race calendars to see when I can fit in shorter distance races during the spring.  I'll also be researching yoga classes, boot camps, etc. in Nashville, Naples and whatever other cities I'm going to be in for the next 5 months so that I can work toward all of these goals.  

A big hope of mine for 2015 is that I've learned from the past couple of years.  I've experience enormous highs and some interesting lows.  Let's hope hope that I've aligned these goals with all of those experiences.  That said, what are some of your goals for the coming year?  Anyone setting a mileage goal or a PR goal?  Respond to this and let me know.  I'm very interested in what others set as goals.

Wow, it's already Christmas???

Are you kidding me?  It seems like yesterday that I was writing a recap of 2013 and basking in the pleasure of my successes throughout that year.  It seems like yesterday that I was giddy with excitement for my acceptance into the 2014 New York City Marathon and the upcoming college baseball season.  Now, it's late December and I'm wondering how exactly this year disappeared.  This has definitely been a roller-coaster of a year with all sorts of new experiences.

Before looking forward to 2015, I think it is important to look back at the current year.  What did I do right and wrong, and what can I do better in the coming year.  First failures and then successes.  Failures are always tougher to admit than the successes, so let's get those out of the way.

My first failure was putting all of my eggs in one basket.  During 2013, I set multiple goals and chasing each of those contributed to the success of all of them.  In 2014, I had a single goal, breaking the 3:00.00 marathon barrier and that was my sole focus.  My 'one basket' was the New York City Marathon in November and while I feel I was prepared to chase that 3:00.00 barrier, the conditions that day didn't allow for it.  The learning point here is that chasing multiple running related goals will make me better, or better prepared for all distances.

My second failure was that I stopped chasing knowledge.  There was a bit of complacency that set in after I qualified for Boston in 2013 and I stopped reading about how I could get better and stopped learning.  When I started running, I chased every bit of information that I could get my hands on.  Whether it be reading books, websites and magazines, or talking with fellow runners and co-workers.  I think I've already rectified this problem.  I have 3 books lined up and ready to read that I hope will give me the knowledge necessary to continue to grow as a runner, athlete and person.  While I no longer have a 12-time (or is it 13?) Ironman sitting beside me at work, I know that he's an email or phone call away and that I need to be a bit more resourceful for those personal interactions with more experienced athletes.

My third failure was that I just simply ran during 2014.  During 2013, I was committed to 'doing more' than just running.  I swam 3 or 4 days a week for 30-40 minutes at a time.  I rode my bike, even though in the trainer in my living room, more miles that I ever had.  I did yoga from time to time and I was committed to my Trademarked (not so much) 'Commercial Break Workout'.  I must get back to more 'cross-training'.  Having better full body strength and fitness is extremely important for me to push myself as far and as hard as my mind believes that I can go.

Now, let's talk about successes.  This is the short section of the post.  One real success times 3.  During 2013 I didn't even attempt a half marathon.  During 2014, I ran 3 of them.  Each one producing a new personal best.  I've always said I wanted to get myself into good enough shape that I could go out and race a half-marathon on a moment's notice.  Well, in April I put that to the test in Columbus, MS.  Fortunately I knew a couple of weeks prior that I was going to race, but I wasn't exactly in 'racing shape'.  I posted a new PR that day by 2 minutes to get my half PR to 1:34.44.  I went out way too fast and had to listen to Emily Rollins give me grief afterward.  I deserved every bit of it.

The 2nd PR was at the Middle Half in Murfreesboro.  This race came during the last high-mileage week of marathon training for New York.  I had already run 55 miles for the week going into the race and still came out with an almost 3 minute PR, 1:31.54.  Really made me wonder just how fast I could go if focused on training for a half.  

The last PR came earlier this month at the inaugural Mt. Juliet Half.  Well rested, but not well trained, I went 1:31.19, shaving off more than 30 seconds.  My goal for that day was to simply have a consistent race.  After two miles of ridiculous hills at miles 3 and 4, I settled in and had my most consistent race performance yet.  A very nice way to close the year.

So, what's in store for 2015?  Over the next few days, I'll be writing down my goals for the coming year.  Having that commitment in writing is very powerful for me.  Knowing that someone else has read (or thinking someone else has read) what I plan to do really commits me to doing it.  Once I put the goals to paper, or the internets, I'll come up with a racing plan that best prepares me for another year of successes.

In the meantime, I've got some shopping to do!  Geez, how did this come up on me so quickly???  Merry Christmas peoples!  I hope that you only get coal if you asked for it!

The People I Meet

It's been almost a month since I wrote this, but think now is as good a time to share as any.....

Those of you that know me, know that I'm as comfortable in a room full of people I've never met as I am in a room of the exact opposite.  I speak to most everyone and am blessed to have met some incredible people along the way.  Over the past few days I've thought about my 'racing' experience in New York this past weekend and have been dwelling on that disappointment.  This morning when I woke up, I had thoughts of those people I met during my trip and how getting to know them was, and continues to be, a great joy.  Here's a bit of a recap.

As I boarded my flight in Ft. Myers for New York, I made sure that I had my new Bose noise-canceling headphones ready to play the movie I had rented for the flight there.  I had rented 'Transcend', the story of Wesley Korir.  Yes, a running movie to set the tone for the weekend.  As people continue to file in, I'm happy that no one has yet seated themselves next to me.  No way I get a row, an Exit Row nonetheless, to myself, right?  Right.  And then in walks Ms. Miranda and almost immediately, we start talking.  Where you heading, where's home, you known, the basic questions you ask when traveling.  Turns out Ms. Miranda lives in New York with her family and had been on a girls trip/work conference thing in south Florida.  She returned the questions and I told her that I was heading to NYC for the marathon, when she told me about her recent first half-marathon.  The energy level of the conversation immediately increased.  I could feel the pride she had for completing her first and the passion to hopefully do it again.  She told me the story about running this race in the pouring rain and how miserable it was.  Was she telling me something about my upcoming race???  Hmmm.  She asked question after question about my training and my racing.  Questions that I don't feel qualified to answer, but I did.   We talked about her conference and her experience with Oprah.

I finally start my movie but quickly stop it to talk with Ms. Miranda a bit more.  We talk about the mile-repeats workout that Wesley is doing in the movie and I explained how I do a similar workout, only mine is about 2 minutes per mile repeat slower.  Wow, a bit of reality.  As we get closer to New York, Miranda tells me that her husband is in a band and he'll be out playing on marathon Sunday and she and her kids will be out cheering on runners.  I get excited about this.  I'm actually going to know one of the millions who are out cheering.  I tell her that I'll be looking for her on Sunday and hope that I see her and her family, knowing I'm not likely to see them. (Of course, I didn't see them.)

This was an incredible way to start off my weekend.  Miranda is a beautiful, smart, and passionate woman whose enthusiasm for her first half-marathon reminded me why I run.  The overwhelming sense of accomplishment shows more for your first than it does your tenth and I wish her nothing but the best of luck in her next race, which I think is next week......

On Friday at the Expo, I found myself in a line of thousands waiting to get in to pick up my bib and do some shopping.

Bored and frustrated with standing there, I said something sarcastically to the lady in front of me, which cracked her up.  We were immediately friends.  We talked about running and racing, our personal lives and what not, just to pass the time.  As we entered the Expo, we said our goodbyes and wished each other the best of luck.  We both grabbed our bibs and heading into the zoo that was the expo for the New York City Marathon.  As I was wrapping up my shopping and heading toward the cashier, I was greeted with another line hundreds of people deep.  As I'm walking to the back of the line, I see her again and she asks me to join her in line.  We continue to talk as if we've known each other for year.  I wish I could remember her name so that I could look to see how she did with her race.  She was hoping to get close to 4 hours and I'm sure that she did.

Who said that New Yorkers are jerks and assholes?  I'm 2 for 2 with great experiences.

I decide on a late lunch at the Carnegie Deli.  This place is famous for many reasons and as expected, there is a line out the door.  

While standing in line I meet Janet Pennar and Betty Dong.  As Janet says, 'Dong is the Chinese part of Betty's name'.  hahaha!!!  These two ladies 'adopted' me if you will.  They had come to New York on vacation from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.   As we are standing in line, the receptionist comes to ask how many are in our parties.  Stephen Hagan, party of 1! They ask if I want to join them, but I decline saying I shouldn't intrude.  As we get to the door, instead of a party of 2 for them, the receptionist called out a party of 3.  By this point I'm starving and tell them it looks as if they are stuck with me!  We all got a pretty good laugh about it.  Janet and Betty are both Pharmacist in Winnipeg and went to Pharmacy school together years ago.  They've remained friends all these years and still vacation together regularly.  We had a great conversation and I even decided to pick up lunch to thank them for taking me in.

On Saturday, I got in a short, shake-out run, then showered, grabbed a coffee and sat in the hotel bar/restaurant.  While sitting there playing on my iPad, in walks an obvious runner.  WOW!!!  Does this woman have some energy!  Deena and I start a conversation as if we've been friends for a hundred years.  She's waiting for her husband, daughter and mother to arrive from Florida AND waiting for her room in the hotel to be ready to check-in.  Deena is running her first-ever marathon and is uber excited about it.  She's also nervous and scared because she's got some knee issues and hasn't run in the past 3 weeks.  I try to convince her that this is normal even if she had been running.  The work had been done and she would be fine.  She tells me about the girlfriends she's running with and invites me to their post-race party.

As earlier documented, I was miserable after my race.  I made it back to the hotel, showered and laid down.  Then I decide, 'What the hell? Might as well get out and socialize a bit before the Knick's game.'  I put on my clothes and head toward the post-race party.  The guy at the door is in a foul mood.  The place is packed and I get interrogated about why I'm there.  Felt like I was walking into Guido's bar and needed the secret password.  I tell them who I'm looking for and they were like "Nope, no one here with that name".  I tell them that I know 9 ladies are hosting a party in the back room and that Deena is one of them.  A receptionist steps in and asks if I'd like to check the backroom.  I tell her thanks and if they aren't there, I'l gladly take my butt back to my hotel room bed! I see Deena in the distance before she spots me.  As soon as she recognizes me, she starts moving toward me.  A huge hug and congratulations to her.  She did it.  Bad knee and all.  Taking her time, enjoying the city and all the people in it.  She's still a ball of energy and I can't help but smile. She introduces me to her husband, Gilly, her mother, and all the girlfriends she ran with.  All are incredibly welcoming and so very excited for their achievements.  All of the girls aren't there yet though.  Some haven't finished, or have just finished and are on the long walk to get there.  Quickly I notice that I'm the only runner there that isn't still in my running gear.  These girls started in the last wave that went out more than an hour after me.  I'm lucky to have been able to shower because I stink after a race and these girls didn't need any part of that!  haha!

Deena can't sit still.  She bounces from one person to the next telling stories about the people that offered her beer while running, the wind on the Verrazano bridge and how one of her friends gave her a shot in the ass while on the bus to the start line.  She's busy managing her people all while scarfing down an adult beverage and a chicken tender or two.  Gilly is on standing orders to have the camera ready for photo ops at a moments notice.  Prior to the race, Gilly had a huge banner made for Deena wishing her luck.  Everyone in the room is to sign the banner.  What a great time!!!  I truly hope that I have a chance to see Gilly and Deena again someday soon.  Deena's energy is contagious.  Once she gets those knee issues taken care of, I'm sure she'll be back to the marathon in no time.  

2014 TCS New York City Marathon - Race Recap

I didn't realize until this morning just how long it had been since I sat down to regurgitate my thoughts on running and life.  Somewhere along the way it seems that I got caught up in work, life, and the busy schedule that comes along with marathon training.  For my own sanity, I need to get back to writing, if only for the purpose of documenting these thoughts for review at some point later.  There are lessons for me within these thoughts and to not document them is a disservice to my progression as a runner, but more importantly, as a person.

In mid-summer, I downloaded a couple of Frank Sinatra songs.  You know, like that little diddy "New York, New York"........  Yeah, I would listen to this every once in a while when I was struggling with motivation.  Knowing that this would be played as soon as the cannon went of to start the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon.  Turns out, this was one of many disappointments on the day......but more on that later.

Race day arrives and to this point, things had gone as planned and expected.  I knew there were going to be some challenges with this race, but until I got started with the day, I didn't realize how big these challenges would become.  I knew the day before that it was going to be colder than the conditions for which I had packed.  On Saturday I picked up a hat, gloves and sweats that I would throw away as the race started.  At midnight prior to race day I received an email from NYRR stating that they were unable to put up most of the tents at the start line because of the winds.  25-30 mph sustained winds with gusts of 40-45 mph.  Seriously???

With any point to point race, the logistics become complicated.  For a race that has more than 50,000 runners, the logistics are near impossible.  I absolutely applaud NYRR and the city of New York for their organization.  That said, when I went to pick my transportation option to the start line, I didn't know my start time.  Nor did anyone else that I'm aware of.  I would think that these options would correspond with start times.  I was scheduled to be on a 6 a.m. bus from the New York Public Library (14 blocks from my hotel) to the very exposed Staten Island start line for a race that I wouldn't start until 9:40 a.m.  This process completely messes with routine.  I'm accustomed to waking up, eating, and being an hour from racing.  Not on this day.  It would be more than 3.5 hours until the cannon fired and we were off.

Even though I got an email stating that most of the tenting would not be up because of the winds, I was not expecting what I walked into upon arriving at Staten Island.  My bus arrived at 7 a.m. and I make sure that I'm the last person off the bus, trying to stay inside for as long as I can.  What is this??? Wide open, completely exposed fields.  The promoters of Bonnaroo should look into hosting events here!  GEEZ!!!  Are you kidding me??  It's 39 degrees and winds between 25 and 45 mph.  I find a spot near the bottom of a hill along a street.  I sit down on the curb and turn my back to the wind as best I can and hunker down.  I do this for as long as I can before lining up for a porta-potty.  And then repeat this process for 2 hours.  Finally my coral opens and luckily there are porta-potties in the coral.  I see Kevin and Courtney and we immediately start discussing the approach to the day.  Kevin's first question is whether or not I've changed my approach to the day.  Nope.  I came to race and until he mentioned it, I hadn't even thought about it.  All this time we are standing still with no room to move about and get loose.  This is literally going to be a cold start to the race.

Closing in on start time, we being to move forward, we discard sweats and are down to the gear we'll start the race in.  I lose Kevin and Courtney but look for them as we stand at the start while ESPN takes over and the elites are introduced.  The elites are on the right side of the bridge, I'm on the left, and for a few moments, we are side by side.  The National Anthem is sang and the canon fires and what do I hear but Sinatra..........WHAT?  WAIT!!  Are you shittin' me??  That ain't Sinatra!!!  And the day only goes down hill from here.........

I knew mile one would be slow because it was the climb to the top of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.  I also knew the second mile would be fast because it was down the other side.  The wind crossing the bridge was only a sign of things to come.  No one could run a straight line with the winds crossing the bridge.  Oh, and the wheel-chair portion of the race was changed because of the winds.  They started at mile three of the course so as to not have to cross this bridge.  7:13 - 6:29. Ok, I'm sitting good.  I start to rid myself of clothing as I'm warming up nicely.  My Dunkin' Donut beanie, gone. (Dang it!  I wanted to keep that one!) One layer of gloves, gone.  Mile 3 I rid myself of the long sleeve tee.  I'm down to my racing gear now.  I check my watch as each mile passes.  I'm in good shape but I'm fighting.  6 miles feel like 10.  12 feel like a full marathon.  At the halfway point, I'm at almost 1:30 flat and I start to fall apart.  There is no reason for this other than the logistics and the ongoing battle with the wind.  I know that I've trained my butt off for this.  I walk for 20 seconds and try to mentally check back in.  Hell, I just broke my half-marathon PR by more than a full minute.  I'm in better shape than I think and just need to keep fighting.

At mile 15 we reach the Queensboro Bridge, this leads to 1st Avenue.  The bridge is like walking through a dessert alone in the middle of summer.  No one is talking.  Heads are down.  The wind is blowing so hard all you can hear is the ripple of everyone's bib almost being ripped off their shirts.  Finally to the top and you start to hear the roar of 1st Avenue.  Mile 16, I get there and I'm exhausted.  Why is it that every time we turn a different direction, the wind is always in my face???  How is that possible??  The crowd is good but based on expectations, this is small  because of the weather.  They help for sure but I've been fighting for 25 miles already...oh, wait, it's only mile 16.

I get farther down 1st Avenue and start thinking about quitting.  I've fallen off the pace to go sub-3 hours.  "Why am I even doing this?  If I quit now, I can run another race in December or January with very little time off.  Wait, I can't quit!"  First, I have no money on me for a cab and I'm 10 miles from my hotel and second, I've just bought several items with the race logo on it that I'll never be able to wear if I quit.

See, I believe that you don't wear the gear until you've 'earned' it.  And by earned it, I mean finishing the race or get injured trying.  I decide at this point to back off completely and just finish.  My 'race' is over at mile 17.  I slow down dramatically.  I walk through water stops and stop taking my gels.  As I get farther along, I get more disgusted and frustrated with the day.

Finally, we are into Central Park.  I know we're getting close.  The crowd really starts to pick up and it is incredibly encouraging.  I've got nothing left in the tank, but I can see how this is supportive for others.  And yes, the wind is still in my face!  Finally, the finish line.  3:21:06, 21:07 off my goal race.  I walk several hundred feet before being given a heat sheet.  By this time I'm already cold.  Sort of defeated the purpose of the heat sheet.  Now I've got a half mile walk just to get out of the park.  It's cold and the wind is still blowing in my face.  Finally I get to the ponchos that I would have expected a half mile ago.  And lastly, the long walk back to my hotel.

There are big lessons to be learned about this day.  First, I have to figure out how to manage my nutrition when I've got to be on a bus 3 hours prior to the start of the race.  Second, how do I alter my race strategy last minute, execute that strategy, and feel good about it?  Or do I?  Do I continue to stick with my 'Go For It' mentality regardless of the conditions?  It's worked for me to this point, but there is surely something that I can learn from this.  Lastly, how do I learn to run in a hard head-wind?  I pride myself on running outside every day regardless of the conditions.  I tell people that I do it so that I'm prepared for whatever race day throws at me.  Well........I wasn't prepared for this.  How does anyone prepare for this?  Anyone have a wind tunnel in their garage or in their backyard???    

And to close, I say good-bye to the New York City Marathon.  Someday, I'd like a shot at this race when the conditions are set for racing.  I like this course and I think it sets up well for me even though this isn't a 'world-record' setting course.  Not that I'm going to be setting any world records.  Someday New York, someday.....You may have won this battle, but look out, I may just come back for another shot at you!  

Week 3 - NYC

July is supposed to be filled with 100 degree runs, exhausted bodies, and dehydration.  The past couple of weeks, I was running in Naples and that's exactly what I was given.  Now a week at home and I'm met with the Polar Vortex.  What?  It's July....what on earth does that mean?  Well, to me, it means amazing conditions for running and a good opportunity to find out where exactly the bar is set, and hopefully raise it!

Monday - 5 x Hills

The vortex hasn't yet arrived and mid-day temps were in the low 90s.  At lunch I decided to get in a swim at the Y and try to work out some of the soreness in my lats and shoulders from the prior couple of days.  Just what the doctor orders and the abs are starting to feel more normal now.  Back home and working, I kept an eye on the radar and could see that the rain would be arriving around 4:30-5:00 p.m.  By 6:00 I was jonesing to get out of the house and started checking my lightning detector to see how just how close some of these strikes were.  After a few minutes and lightning more than 6 miles away, I decided to start a run.  With a light rain and a temp that had dropped into the 70's, these conditions were perfect for a great workout.  Hill repeats at paces of 6:31, :29, :28, :25, and :28.  Exactly where I wanted to be.  Warm up miles at 7:41 and 7:24.  Cool Down miles at 7:39 and 7:26.  Workouts like these make me feel like a 'real' runner.

Tuesday - 8 Miles

I had planned to take this one slow after another great swim workout at lunch.  I managed to stick to that plan for about a mile.  The temp was 80 degrees and humidity was extremely low.  This was a great afternoon for a run.  Just over 3 miles in I ran up on Mark Buckreis and we ran together for a mile or so.  Like me, he was out for a longer mid-week run simply because the weather was so good.  Finished with 8.6 miles at 7:36 pace.  This run felt very, very good.  

Wednesday - 7 Miles

East Nasty!  I haven't been able to run with this group for a couple of months and was very excited to do so.  It's always great to see so many like-minded, positive people.  To see all those familiar faces and even the new ones.  It is especially motivating to see those people involved in the 'Potato to Tomato' 5K training program.  I believe it takes a ton of courage to take that first step toward some level of fitness.  Christopher and I ran 3.5 miles prior to the East Nasty route for a good warm-up.  The plan was to go around 7:30-7:45 for the 4.22 miles with East Nasty.  With a temp of 77 degrees, this very quickly turned into a pseudo race.  Erin and I quickly pulled away from the 8:00 group and were joined just after the first mile by Beth Meadows.  Anyone that knows Beth knows that she's the one guilty of pushing the pace!  ;)  4.22 miles at 7:07 pace.  Stoopid!  Overall  7.76 miles for the day. 

Thursday - OFF DAY

This was a stressful day for me.  Working remotely during the week meant working from the house.  Having an off day meant no run, no swim, and really not much of anything in terms of physical activity.  Add to that another perfect day for running and I felt like a drug addict in search of his next fix.  

Friday - 7 Miles

Friday is my 'marathon pace' run day.  I'm getting closer and closer with each week that goes by.  Thankfully the polar vortex is sticking around to help me out.  I know that these temps won't last much longer, so I'm pushing it a bit on these runs.  7.2 miles at 7:16 pace.  The last 3.2 miles were sub 7:00 pace.  Runs like this give me confidence to believe that maybe I can break that 3 hour mark.....maybe.  Still a lot of hard work to be done.  

Saturday - 14 Miles

My alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings.  Usually this gives me time to eat, drink, use the facilities, brush my teeth and drive to wherever I'm meeting people to run.  Not on this morning.  As I got out of bed I could hear it raining and decided to check things out before starting my routine.  I opened the door to look outside and saw a 'frog strangler' going on.  I then went to my computer to look at the radar.  Green and yellow everywhere!!  3 minutes after getting up and I'm back in bed!  YES, I get to sleep in!!!  I woke up about 6 hours later (yes, 6) and knew that I needed to get my run in.  The rain had cleared and the temp was starting to climb.  I decided to do the route that was planned by PR Bandits for earlier in the a.m., just because I knew of a couple of water stops along the way.  Bongo to Bongo it was.  I took my time and enjoyed a trip through the heart of Nashville.  14.07 miles complete at just over 8:00 pace.  

Sunday - 7 Miles

An early flight to Naples to start the work week.  The plan was to spend the afternoon on the beach and I knew that I needed to run as soon as I got checked into the hotel.  I clicked my heels together to find out that I was not in Tennessee anymore and that the polar vortex had not reached south Florida.  90+ degrees and 70% humidity.  It only took me a few hundred yards to realize how fortunate I was for the past week to have such amazing running conditions.  I would not need to remind myself that this is a Sunday 'recovery' run and to take it easy.  7.34 miles at 7:56 pace.  Random Thought: One of the coolest things about running in Naples is that there are sidewalks and bike lanes everywhere.  I was able to change up my route and run as far as I wanted without being concerned with being forced into traffic because the sidewalk/bike lane ended abruptly.  

This was an overall great week of training.  I'm feeling good about where I am physically.  Mentally, I have a bit of work to do and still need to find more motivation on some of these more 'challenging' runs.  3 weeks complete, 15 weeks to go.  

Week 2 - NYC

Summertime is very much here and training is underway.  Physically, I feel good, not great.  I'm struggling a bit with motivation right now to keep pushing through the miles.  I almost feel like my mileage hasn't yet reached that threshold of 'serious' training.  I know that I have to work on this and get to a complete focus if I want to achieve my BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal). 

Monday - 30 Minute Tempo
I haven't done a real tempo run since last November and really didn't know what to expect as I started out.  I had planned to see if I could drop the pace down to about 7:20 and hold that for 30 minutes.  I had also planned to get this run done before heading to work on this morning.  It was pouring rain when the alarm started blaring at me and I got in an extra hour or so of sleep.  Luckily, the sun didn't come out until late in the day and I was able to do this run at lunch in somewhat comfortable conditions.  After a warm-up mile (7:54), I started dropping the pace to see what I could do.  7:29, :30, :22, :18, :12 and a 'cool-down' half mile at 7:23.  The 7:12 seemed to be the mile of least effort.  Maybe I need to re-evaluate my paces for these runs?  6.47 miles.

Tuesday - 6 Miles
The training calendar calls for 6 miles.  The weather calls for something more.  Again, great conditions for a run.  It was very hot when I started but a big storm cloud rolled in bringing a cool breeze that begged for me to run.  Doing 'out & back' routes for me is a good thing.  I'm always aggressive and confident in the first few miles (and not very good at math), but know that have to get back and running is the only option.  After coming off a faster run, I didn't expect to run this fast.  7.45 @ 7:30 pace.  Now I know that I need to re-evaluate my speed paces.

Wednesday - 6 Miles
The heat returns.  Heat Index of 107 as I leave the office to do this run.  I knew after two faster days of running that I must take this one slower and the heat reinforced this.  6.57 @ 7:54.  This one hurt.  Probably more than it should.  Not sure if it was the speed of the prior couple of days or if the heat really hurt me that much.  Either way, I was glad when this one was done.  

Thursday - OFF DAY
Very quickly, this is becoming my favorite day of the week!  ;)

Friday - 7 Miles
Back home and glad to be able to unpack the suitcase for a week.  Word is that the 'Polar Vortex' is returning.  Good timing to be home for a week.  Luckily, the humidity is low, whereas the temperature is not.  90'ish degrees for a late afternoon run on the greenway after my first swim of the training season.  My body is beginning to question what the heck we are doing!  I once was very bored with this route because I ran it way too often.  Now with the incredibly flat ground of South Florida as my weekday training ground, I'm excited to run this.  Friday's are marathon pace runs and this one got a bit closer.  7.18 miles @ 7:31 pace.  Felt a bit 'weak' in the core, but I attribute that to the swim.  

Saturday - 13 Miles
Decided to run with Christopher, Lindsey, Emily and others.  The route would be opposite of the PR Bandits, PWP to Radnor route.  We altered the route a couple of times, even from the start.  The first 5 miles were pretty good and then we stopped for what seemed like an eternity for a water break.  I feel as though I drank too much water while we were stopped and never really recovered from this.  I was also feeling this run in my core from the prior day's swim.  Very quickly this became miserable and I just wanted it over.  12 miles @ 7:52 pace.  I think I needed one of these difficult mental runs to bring me to a more complete focus.  Walking away from a run where I come up short on the mileage haunts me until the next day's run when I can get it out of my system.  This one would be no different.  It was there, at the forefront of my mind, the remainder of the day.

Sunday - 6 Miles
The intent for Sunday is simply time on the feet and to get the legs moving again.  I feel like I type that sentence every time I write one of these things, but it's very important for me to remember and focus on during these runs.  6.59 miles @ 8:00 pace.  This felt surprisingly good considering the temp, the swim two hours earlier, and the prior day's mental struggle.  

Overall a very good week.  I know that I need to re-evaluate my training paces for my faster runs.  I also know that I need to start focusing on some core strength.  Being home for a week gives me an opportunity to do both.  With a polar vortex moving in, I should be able to determine what a true pace feels like and adjust from there.  Just over 46 total miles for the week with a couple of good swims.   

2 weeks down, 16 to go.  

NYC - Week 1

Wow, it really is here.  The TCS New York City Marathon is 17 weeks away.  That seems like forever as I sit here writing, but I know that it's coming quick and it's time to get ultra-focused and start paying attention to the details of my running, diet, and rest schedules.  I've said for the past couple of years that I don't want to start out my training plan struggling to complete the workouts.  For me, I want the first 3-4 weeks of the training plan to be about the daily run and dialing in my paces for specific workouts.  That said, the week prior to the first week of training resulted in a 48 mile week with a 14 mile 'long' run right at 8 minute pace.  This was the highest mileage in a week for me since mid-November and thankfully my body felt really good after this.  I needed this week for the confidence that it gives going into the first couple of weeks of dedicated training.  

Monday - 4x1 Mile Repeats @ 6:30'ish
Really, is this how we're going to start this out??  Actually, the training plan called for hill repeats, but working in Naples doesn't exactly create easy opportunities for hill repeats, so, to the track I go.  I've also been trying to run in the heat of the day down here to acclimate my body to those conditions.  It's getting a bit easier, but I know that it'll never be truly easy.  It was 92 degrees with a heat index of 106 when I left the office.  I knew this was going to be tough but, after a 1.25 mile warm-up run from the hotel to the track, I nailed the first two miles and was just a bit off on the 3rd and 4th.  I'll take it for the first hard workout of the plan.  Then I had to drag my butt back to the hotel 1.25 miles away.  That might have been the hardest part of the workout.  Total elevation gain during the run..........5 feet! 

Tuesday - 6 Miles
Another lunch time run.  90 degrees with a heat index above 100.  I took this one nice and easy as the legs were feeling the prior day's workout.  Just under 6.5 miles at 8:00 pace.   Total elevation gain......10 feet!  WooHoo!!! 

Wednesday - 6 Miles
This was supposed to be a bit of a faster workout, almost like a tempo run.  The heat however had other ideas for my body and the run. Another 90 degree day with a heat index above 100.  After a mile to warm-up and ease into it, I tried to pick up the pace and there was absolutely nothing in the tank.  Two miles in I was soaked in sweat again and frustrated.  I decided to pull the plug on this workout and run again later in the evening when the temp wasn't so intense.  4.3 miles.  Total elevation gain......10 feet! Seriously....can a brotha get a hill to run???

After work I got back to the hotel and took my time getting back out on the street.  I could very much tell a difference in the conditions when I finally got back out.  The plan was to only do the two miles necessary to get my 6 for the day, but what's the point of getting all sweaty for just 2 miles, right?  3.6 miles and just under 8 total for the day.  Total elevation gain.....9 feet.  I am not amused!  

Thursday - OFF DAY - TRAVEL DAY

Friday - 6 Miles (Half the distance of the long run)
Welcome home.  I tried to gather a couple of people to run on this morning because I knew the temp would be nice, but most everyone was either racing or complained about my planned pace.  I wanted to do 6 to 8 miles at 7:30 pace.  I like to try to get my Friday runs down close to marathon pace.  While this isn't quite marathon pace yet, it would give me a good idea of how out of shape, or not, I am.  So, when no one wanted to join me, I decided to sleep until I woke up.  Hello 11:00 a.m.!  Guess I was wiped out.  I took my time, grabbed a coffee, had some breakfast, started some laundry and then decided it was time to knock out my run.  I ran from my house and through the neighborhood for 6.5 miles at 7:25 pace.  That felt incredibly good and was a huge boost of confidence.  I really didn't think I could pull off that pace.  Total elevation gain.....280 feet.  I really love running some Tennessee hills and think my body does too.  

Saturday - 12 Miles
During my first 3 years or so of marathoning, I always did my long runs alone.  Now, I don't know why I chose to do that.  A couple of summers ago a 'Facebook group' was started called PR Bandits.  A group of people that simply wanted to continue to run long following the Country Music Marathon and through the summer.  It's turned into a great group of people that are there for all sorts of reasons; training for the next marathon, triathlon, or just trying to stay in some sort of shape.  There are all different paces and everyone fits in somewhere.  This weekend's run was in my backyard and I had to make this one.  Friday night ended up being a bit later than planned because of firework related traffic, but I was up at 4:30 a.m. to be there and running by 6:00.  The group was small on this morning as most people raced or were out too late the day/night prior, but it was 57 degrees at start time and I wasn't about to miss this.  Christopher Murrey has become my Saturday morning pace partner.  Today, he's in much better shape than I and could probably drop me very easily if he wanted.  We ran together the previous Saturday and did so again on this day.  We decided we wanted to be at about 7:45 average pace for the day and proceeded to get after it.  12.34 miles at 7:44 pace.  I'd say we nailed it!  Great run.  Total elevation gain..........542 feet.  That's better!!! 

Sunday - 6 Miles (Half the distance of the long run)
The Sunday run is supposed to be a nice, easy recovery effort.  I'm not very good at this as I tend to get loose and just run with what's comfortable.  That tends to become a much faster run that a 'recovery effort' is intended.  One thing I want to focus on during this 18 weeks is the execution of each workout.  I was very intent today on keeping this slow and easy while mixing in a few more hills.  6.6 miles with 281 feet of elevation gain.  

Overall this was a very good start to the training.  I'm very much satisfied with my efforts and my willingness to adjust on the fly.  I like being very regimented and try to stick to the plan come hell or high water, but I've got to learn how to relax with that a bit and do exactly what I did in the middle of this week.  46.5 miles for the week.  One down, 17 to go!