Insert Title Here

At the finish line of Zoom Through the Zoo

Once again, I happen to be visiting my parents in MS the week of Zoom Through the Zoo, so I ran this 4 mile race today. I ran it in 2007 and particularly enjoyed the post race party, with delicious BBQ from Hog Wild and live music as you wander through the zoo. Catherine marvels at my post-race eating ability, but somehow I am always able to down some BBQ after a hard effort.

Anyway, my goal for today was to run under 28:00 (7:00/mi). This seemed reasonable given my current fitness. However, when I decided on this goal I did not know it would be 84 degrees when the race started. I almost scratched that goal, but during my warmup I decided I could handle the pace as long as I stayed in the shade.

My race plan was to go out easy and run negative splits. I might leave some time on the table, but frankly I was tired of going out too fast and feeling like I am going to die for the entire second half of the race (see April’s Marathon Sports CityRun). I wanted to run the first mile around 7:10, the middle two around 7:00, and the last one with whatever I had left.

And that’s pretty much exactly what I did. I managed to hold back at the start as mobs of people passed me, but after about the first 1/2 mile I started reeling people in. I don’t think anyone passed me after that point. I finished the first mile in 7:10, exactly where I wanted to be. The second mile went by in 7:03, and I was still feeling good. The third mile started to feel painful, but I managed to pump out a 6:57 mile. The final mile had a lot of downhill, and it turned out I had more left than I thought. I finished in 6:45 for a final time of 27:40, a PR by nearly 2 minutes.

Notice that the mile times don’t add up correctly. My Garmin recorded the course as slightly short at 3.97 mi. I don’t know if this is GPS inaccuracy (the course was very twisty and it may have cut the corners) or if the course was actually short. Regardless, even if it really was 3.97 mi., I still ran under 7:00 pace.

I felt very strong in this race. I may have left a little time on the table with my slow-ish start, but I made my time goal and felt good doing it. I think with more racing this summer I’ll get a better sense of pacing and of how much pain I can tolerate for various race distances.

I typically take a Fuel Belt filled with 1 quart of Gatorade with me on my long runs. I’ve always assumed that’s plenty of liquid for up to a 2 hour or so run, and the salt in the Gatorade would replace what I was losing through sweat. But as I’ve been thinking about my leg cramping problems on faster-paced long runs, I started to wonder if I really am getting enough water on my runs. Add to this the fact that I am again getting headaches 2-3 hours after my runs, and it certainly sounds like I might be dehydrated.

So I performed an experiment. For three runs, I weighed myself both before and after the run. Any weight difference I attribute to water loss. Here are my results:
4/28 – 87 degrees, 50-minute run – lost 4 lbs.
5/9 – 72 degrees, 100-minute run – lost 3.2 lbs. even though I drank at several water fountains
5/13 – 60 degrees, 90-minute run – lost 4 lbs.

I have to say, I was very surprised to see how much water I was losing during these runs. 4 lbs. of water is half a gallon! I’m guessing that I’m not able to replace that much water through drinking only after I get back, and that’s what’s been causing my headaches. I’m going to make an effort to drink more during my runs, if not by taking water with me, then by stopping at water fountains along the way. We’ll see if that prevents the headaches and cramps.

One effect of my disappointing marathon performance is that I am really focused on my summer training. I want to redeem myself, plus I am in good shape from marathon training and don’t want to lose that fitness. So I’ve decided that this summer is when I will really go after that 20-minute 5k I’ve always talked about.

I’ve read a couple of books and innumerable websites while trying to come up with a 5k training plan. I ended up basing my training around Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas’s book Road Racing for Serious Runners. According to Pfitzinger and Douglas, I should focus first on VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen I can take in and process per unit time) and second on lactate threshold (the pace I run where I produce lactate as fast as I dispose of it). So my summer training focuses on intervals to improve VO2 max and includes tempo runs to improve lactate threshold. I plan to do an interval session every week and a tempo run most weeks. I’m shooting for 40 miles per week, which will also put me in good position to train for a marathon in the fall.

I’m running a 4-mile race next week, which should be a good measure of where I am now. I think my goal is going to be under 28:00 (7:00/mi). It’s in Memphis, so if it’s super hot I may adjust that. But we’ll see how it goes.

Crossing the finish line with a smile on my face

Yes, I know I haven’t posted about the marathon yet. Clearly I survived or I wouldn’t be writing this. I’m not going to go into much detail, but I didn’t come close to my time goal yet had a great time anyway. I started getting leg cramps around mile 15 or 16 and by mile 17 I was unable to run anymore. I walked the Newton Hills and pounded Gatorade at every opportunity, and finally I was able to run more than I was walking. I finished in 4:05, well off my 3:40 goal, but still respectable. I was just bummed because, aside from the leg cramps, I felt good. We were right on pace through the half (1:48:57), and I didn’t feel particularly tired or really winded at all. My muscles just gave out on me. Oh well, next time.

And there will be a next time. I’m considering running a fall marathon this year. Maybe Philly, or Cape Cod, or maybe Memphis. We’ll see how the summer goes.

My first step is to figure out this cramping problem. I had them in my half marathon last year, during one of my marathon-pace long runs, during one of my 20-mile long runs, and now during the marathon. So far they’ve occurred when I am running a long distance at a moderate intensity. I think they are probably due to either low salt levels or dehydration. I bought some salt tablets that I will try first, and if that doesn’t work I’ll rethink my hydration strategy.

For what it’s worth, running a marathon really is the awesome experience everyone says it is, especially when you’re doing it in Boston. I wrote my name on my singlet, and for 4 full hours strangers cheered for me by name. I felt like Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals. I’m not a sentimental guy, but when I turned onto Boylston Street for the home stretch, I teared up as I realized I was actually going to finish the thing. It really was great.