Marathon Complete!

• Way overdue for the final entry but I did manage to complete the marathon.
• I finished in 3:56, A little slower than my goal of 3:45 but I basically hit the 'wall' at mile 20 and it was just a mental push to complete the last 6 miles, where I dropped a minute per mile on my avg pace.
• I did win my Clydesdale category for guys weighing over 225 lbs.
• In conclusion I probably won't run another marathon anytime soon, but I'm definitely glad I ran one. I feel as a Cross Country and track runner growing up and in college it's one of those check mark goals to accomplish.  

Weeks 3-2 to go

• Did my longest run so far last week at 18 miles. I ran over and back of the new Tillicum bridge. I is a great big arch so it was literally up hill both ways. Still making the mistake of going out to fast and then really struggling the last couple of miles. I have been running with my Camel Pak for the last couple of week and that has helped a lot having enough water with me as I run. 
• The last two weeks I plan on tapering down and focusing on pace and healing all the over use nagging pains that I've developed over this past summer of training. 
• My marathon pace goal is going to be somewhere between 8:30-45 hopefully. 

Weeks 6-4 to go

• I haven't posted in awhile due to heavy travel/work/family/lazy schedule. I've kept up my pretty regular training runs of 2-3 runs of around 5 miles during the week and one long run on the week end. 
• My long runs after my half marathon have been 14, 15, and 16 miles. I going to probably end up not 'correctly' tapering off into the marathon 3 weeks to go to reach my 20 mile goal mark of running before the marathon. Next week I will do 17.5 then 20 the following week. That's about 10% increase a week so it is attainable. 
• A couple of comments I discovered on these longer runs I have been doing after my half marathon. 

1. Racing the half marathon well gave me a nice mental boost as to just running the marathon itself and it was awesome they had water every few miles available in cups for me!
2. Hydration is something I need to improve on. I did a test of weighing yourself before and after a run, I did so on my 16 miler this week. I dropped 5 pounds on the run. I talked to my marathon running counterpart and he said I need to get a hydration belt or something. I had been stopping at 2-3 water fountains during my long runs, but I'm realizing that's not cutting it. I am going to experiment with a Camel Pak I have and a water bottle in my hand on shorter runs first to see what I like best.  
3. Chaffing has become a real pain after the runs. I have been using a silicone roll on mostly but recently tried the classic body glide stick. Either way I think I'm going to have to give in and use band-aids on my nipples. I looked like Andy from The Office when I was done running. 

7 Weeks to go.

• I did a Half-Marathon practice race this past Saturday night. It was basically and out and back on the Springwater trail, heading East first then into the Sunset back towards the river after the turn around. It was nice and unique to run a race Saturday evening instead of the usual early Sunday morning race slot. 
• My goal was to keep on my marathon pace as much as possible. It's hard to fight that urge at the start of the race and take off like when you're a kid at school racing your friends. The race actually had 'pacers' for mile times that had signs and would be running the race too. I positioned my self between the 8:00 and 9:00 min per mile pacers. I quickly caught up to the 8:00 pacers and realized I was going to fast and outside of my goal. So i forced my self to slow down and I wouldn't let myself pass the 8;00 pacers. I actually drifted back a bit after a few miles. Then a bit after mile 4, I got caught at a stop light and had to wait for the cross walk signal. 
• Everything went pretty good, the race started to thin out after the the turn around point. I got past by with about 2 miles to go. So I decided to follow him in and pick up my pace a little. Then when I were about 1/2 mile out the old feeling of being in a race kicked in, so I kicked it in and sprinted to the finish. 
• I managed to place 7th for my division and 3rd for my age group. That was a great confidence boost for my training. Considering I treated most of this race as a tempo run and probably could have gone faster if this was my goal of a half-marathon. But as I know I have to run twice this in 7 weeks.   

8 weeks to go.

• This is the most total miles I've ran in one week so far. 24 miles for the week. It was actually a pretty tough week running. Because of my long run last Sunday and my travel schedule I ended up running 4 out of 5 days and then took Friday and Saturday off. My 'rest day' ended up being 18 holes of golf that I walked and Saturday hiking up dunes and chasing my kids around the beach at Pacific City.
• I had a 12 mile run planned this morning where I would just add run one more bridge further, this case the Morrison, to my run from last week. So apparently the bridge pedal was this morning so I had to compete with the above picture on my run this week. Actually it wasn't that bad. The only couple of times it got inconvenient. Crossing the Sellwood bridge a lot of the bikers stopped to take pictures, so they stopped up on the sidewalk. I had to jump down off the sidewalk and run on the bridge with the bikers. I got a surprise look from the guy I was running next to on his bike. Then the other time was trying to get on the Morrison bridge, Natio was packed with every biker in Portland for 5 blocks. I ended up just cutting through the crowd of bikes. 
• In the end the run was tough and a bit slower than my 11 miles last week. I'm thinking about doing the Sunset Half next Saturday as a training run and 'race' practice for the marathon.  

9 Weeks To Go

• I had a nice long 11 mile run this week over a new course. I left my house in SE over the Sellwood bridge, ran along the west side of the river, crossed the Hawthorne, and back towards my house via Springwater trail. 
• This definitely broke up the loop I had been doing for the past 2 months on long runs. I was thinking that Sunday morning I would be one of the few people doing this run. Apparently it's one of the most popular runs in some form or another to run across the bridges in a loop. I past several of the same people going the opposite way as me. I came across one guy running across the Sellwood and then again on the Hawthorne. 
• I was pretty sore from the run the rest of the day and Monday. I did a cross training day Monday. Then I did 5 miles on the treadmill Tuesday. The hardest part was mentally doing 5 miles on the treadmill. 
• I'm going to try this weekend to run close to 12-13.1 miles and do the same bridge loop but by going one more bridge to the Morrison it will add a mile. 

10 weeks to go.

- This cooler weather was a great break from the unusual hot summer we've been having. Already some leaves have fell in my yard. It looks like a Septemember day. My 10 mile run actually felt easier than the 8 mile run last week in 80 degrees. 

- My friend in Denver reminded me we just have 10 weeks to go. I'm behind on my weekly mileage after my injured week I had. The new stretch I've added seems to be working. I'm looking at doing a local half marathon in a few weeks. Even thought I'm basically paying $50 for a training run. I've read that doing a half marathon race is good for working some kinks out of racing and mentally use to running with other people in a race too. 

- Unfortunately the hot weather is back by mid week.  

Injured! Ahh Sssss....

• I haven't posted anything in a while due to injury. After a routine 4 mile run about 2 weeks ago I strained my hip extender. Looks like its a pretty common over use injury. I found an exercise to stretch it which I've added to my daily calf stretch routine as well. My plan was take a full week off. It 'luckily' coincided with a planned vacation so I'll use that time to rehab it. 
• This week I've managed two 3 mile runs on the tread mill with no issues. I also did a 4 mile run today and the hip feels fine. I will stick to the new exercise to stretch it as part of my routine. You basically get into a lunge position and move your pelvis forward to feel the stretch. 
• Also doing some basic internet research of outside vs. treadmill, if you run at a 1% incline it's supposed to simulate running outside more. 
• This Sunday I plan a long run of 6-10 miles, I don't want to push things so may go just by feel when I head out. 

Week 4 summary

• Being in Boise this week it was over 100 degrees out and just couldn't make myself go for a run outside and decided it was time to suck it up and come to the realization of getting my miles in while traveling in the summer time........treadmill.
• I really don't like running on treadmills at all. Most hotel treadmills are beat up and wonky. I sound like a Sasquatch pounding down on them when I run. Sometimes the belt slips and I'm grabbing the sides trying not to fall off. Besides all that, the number one thing I don't like about treadmills is that they are boring. It is so mentally taxing looking at a wall or ESPN while running. I usually can only go for a mile before I just want to jump off those things. 
• Now I realize the only way to get a run in in heat and elevation for me is going to be my new friend the treadmill.
• The rest of my week runs were pretty good I ran 9 miles on Friday for my long run and then gym Saturday, and 4 miles on Sunday. 

Weak 3 post

• 'Weak 3' workouts were ok. I had a busy travel week and ended up taking Monday and Tuesday off. I ran 2 miles (speed) workout with the dog around the park, went to the gym Thursday, I ran 4 miles Friday at a good pace, and then the gym again Saturday.
• Speaking of the gym, I'm trying to make my two gym days a week more of a total body workout. I experimented today by doing a light weight high rep leg work out in the middle of my usual upper body workout I had been doing. I added kettle bell squats, kettle bell lunges with a twist, and dumbbell side lunges, My hamstrings are sore already.
• Tomorrow will be a long run of 6 miles for Father's day. 

Long run week 2

• First off just got my new shoes this week,  Hoka Bondi 4, and I am super happy with them. I did a short run Friday of 3 miles to break them in a bit first. On Sunday I had my long run to do and was wondering how it would go. I ran 8 miles and they felt great over my previous shoes I had been running in. They are 4 ounces lighter and feel a bit softer too. I actually ran my 8 mile run today 15 seconds faster per mile than my 6 mile run last week. Speaking of pace....
• Once again I tried mentally thinking about slowing down on these long runs, but I feel like my legs just have muscle memory and I pretty much slip into my normal pace for most of the run. I think that's going to be the challenging part of my long runs.  
• Already feeling sore from the long run a few hours later, tomorrow looks like a good rest day. 

High Altitude running #2

• I was in Lake Tahoe this week for work and needed to do one run during the 3 days I was there. I decided to do my cross training day at the hotel gym on Monday since I was pretty sore from my long Sunday run. The next day I had some open time in the afternoon so I ventured out to do a short run. The temp wasn't bad in the 70's, but it turns out I was going to be running at 6100 feet. I barely made it 2 miles. I did a lap from my hotel around a small college nearby that had a bark dust trail on the back side. It had a nice hill up to the college where I had to stop both times I went by. 
• After my run I proceeded to have a nice cough for the next hour or so and drank a lot of water. I travel to Rocky Mountain States quite a bit for work so I'm hoping my runs there eventually get easier or at least longer the more I go. 

Training Run #4 First long run

• Sunday was my first long run to do. It was 6.2 miles (10k). I finished it about 40 seconds per mile slower that I typically would run 4 miles. At first it was hard to mentally make myself slow down, but it paid off in the last 2 miles of the run where I don't think I could have made myself go faster anyways. Above is a picture of Oaks Bottom Wildlife refuge, there is trail that follows the top side of the wetlands. I always include the Bluff trail on my long runs. It gets me off running on concrete for 2 miles and I enjoy trail/ forest running rather than sidewalks and cars making right turns that never look who's coming from their right and blocking the street. I know every runner feel this pain. 
• The run ended up being pretty hard. I was sore and limping around afterwards but by morning I was ok. I think this might be how it will be for a while until I get use to increased distances. 

TRAINING RUN #3 and Cross Training Day

• Friday due to kid/work schedule just did another speed workout about 2 miles around the local park with the girl in the picture above. This is her reward towards the end of the run as we're leaving the park. 
• I also ordered new running shoes. I like my Hoka Stinson Tarmac which I hit 100 miles on this week but, are a bit heavy. I'll keep running with them in the rotation but drop them down to be used for tempo runs or recovery day runs. I just retired my Hoka Mafate for the summer. They have a pretty aggressive out sole and are a great trial/winter running shoe. I break them back out in November when the rain comes back regularly. Anyways I ordered Hoka Bondi 4s, They are several ounces lighter than both my current Hokas and am looking forward to running in them. I have bought my last 3 pair of running shoes from Running Warehouse. It's a great online running store. They usually always have a coupon online you can find to save 10-15% off and they have free 2 day shipping. The best part is your can return shoes you have run in!!!! I haven't had to do this yet but it available. I've never heard of this anywhere. You have up to like 90 days to run in them. I've have been burned before by getting 'fitted' at a running specific store in town. All shoes seem great jogging around in a store. I barely got 10 miles on them and hated the shoes I bought. Now they have been regulated to walking the dog to the park shoes.
• Saturday's work out was Elliptical runner for 10 minutes and upper body weight lifting: 10-12 reps set of 2 Dumbbell bench, 1 arm rows, military dumbbell press, dumbbell curls, one armed triceps dumbbell raises. Then repeat back on elliptical for 10 minutes and lifting again. 

Training run #2

Running in Denver

• I was 'suppose to run' Tuesday but it was 93 degrees out and I really didn't feel like dealing with the heat and elevation. When my friend called to see what the plan was after work he opened with 'you really don't want to run today do you?' , I was like 'Thank god, I didn't want to run in this heat'. So we went out to dinner and drank beer instead. Success! 
• I did have a good conversation with my friend before dinner about marathon training. He's run dozens of marathons competitively over the years, so knows a thing about training. He said marathon training is like training for a 10k but with 1 long run on the weekend. I was starting to over think the whole 'what training plan should I folow?!?!?!', and realize it's not that complicated and just have to build up my mileage on the long run week by week. 
• Basically I'm going to follow this plan: Runner's world Marathon less is more training plan.

• Wednesday when I got back to my hotel after my day I had no excuses and had to go for a run. It was slightly cooler (80) so it shouldn't have been as bad.This run kicked my butt. It was suppose to be a 3 mile run. I had to stop twice, I could not catch my breath. I did a 5 mile run earlier in the year here and it knocked me down 30 sec a mile and was hard but I didn't need to stop. 2.5 miles later when I got back to the hotel my neck and back of my head was actually throbbing. I drank a bunch of water and then developed stomach cramps for the next 24 hours. After doing research on Web MD apparently I had heat exhaustion, elevation sickness, or food poisoning. I now suspect the last one. DAMN YOU FREE BREAKFAST BUFFET!!!!!

First: blog, training run, marathon.

Goal: Portland Marathon October 3
Quick run down of me and where I'm coming from for first post:
1. Training for first marathon, previously furthest run was the Seattle Half Marathon 15 years ago (2000).
2. I'm now 40 years old with a job that travels 3-4 days a week and have 2 kids. So no excuses for no time to train right?
3. I'm 6' 4'' and weigh 240lbs. I've been running Cross Country and track since Freshman year in high school. I did run track at Jr. College and have stuck with 'distance' running as my main form of exercise since I was 15 yrs old. In the past year I've added weight lifting and elliptical runner at a gym for cross training and a way to reduce my mileage/impact on my feet because......
4. I am battling a Achilles/heel tendinitis issue in my left heel for several years. I'm sure I'll go down that hole through out the blog later on.

First training run: Today I did a speed work out of 2.2 miles 'fartlek' style. I ran 60 sec. faster than my current 'running pace' for 400m at a time with breaks for my short distance running partner, 7 yr old lab that's more interested in marking stuff, swimming, and chasing squirrels than running.

Next run: TBD? miles in Denver at elevation and 90 degrees with good friend and  past High School XC/track teammate. Wish me luck!