Persistence + Practice + Patience = Performance

First off, I'm happy to report a solid week of training...in fact, my highest weekly mileage for the year (47 miles).  Yesterday, exactly 2 months after the day I committed to run the Santa Barbara Marathon, I did my longest run of the year - 12.5 miles in 1 1/2 hours, half on pavement and half on trails.  I still have over 5 months until the marathon, so I don't plan to increase my mileage drastically...just slowly and gradually.

On the injury front, my sore big toe joint came back after yesterday's run, so I plan to ice it repeatedly and take an Advil if it gets worse.  Ice and Advil seem to alleviate most of my minor running ailments.  I'm not exactly sure what is causing the problem, though it seems to flare up on my longer runs.  Could be from running downhills. 

The formula of the day is Persistence + Practice + Patience = Performance.

As I ran alone for an hour and a half yesterday, I was pleased with how my body made such a comeback.  I was feeling miserable with a nasty cold 2 weeks ago and finally...running started feeling enjoyable again.  This is not the first time I've felt this way nor the last time. What enabled me come back and feel good about running, time and time again?

Persistence:  The easiest thing to do is GIVE UP when you're down.  Ya just can't do that!  Once you set a goal, be it to run a marathon, start a business, learn a new language, etc., you've gotta be persistent or you won't cross the finish line.

Practice: While practice may or may not make us perfect, it certainly prepares us for our best performance.  Practice is hard work...putting in the miles, eating well, hydrating, increasing your mileage, finding the right shoes, you name it.  Without it you doom yourself for failure.

Patience: Be prepared for setbacks, learn from them, adjust your training and stick with it. I know a lot of people who say they hate running because they have "bad knees."  This may be true for some but for others what I find is that they procrastinate, then try to shortcut the training process, leading to ailments and injuries.  Training for a marathon takes patience...especially on those looonnngggg runs.

Put persistent training, regular practice and patience together and you'll find yourself running a marathon!

Runner's World Marathon Challenge - Great Training Resource

First off, finally...10 days after the first signs of my sore throat and cold, I feel back to normal.  In fact, I ran for an hour this morning and felt o.k and right now, almost 11 p.m., I'm drinking Scotch, listening to oldies and typing on the keyboard.  Now if you are more serious than me about your marathon training, do what I say, not as I do!

I've subscribed to Runner's World magazine for 15 years and have always felt it to be useful, motivational and informative.   In my earlier years of training I used to read it in much more detail but today still scan it for useful tidbits.  There's a ton of information in there and the magazine provides well balanced advice for beginning, intermediate and advanced runners.

The July issue is no exception.  I even tore out a few pages with information about natural health drinks.  CLICK HERE for the article on RunnersWorld.com.

Runner's World has initiated a Marathon Challenge that involves customized training plans, tips, advice, weekly emails from experts, a book and a t-shirt for $130.  The plan last 4 months as you train for a Fall marathon.  Some of you may be thinking, hey wait a second, 3 weeks ago, you told me we don't need training schedules!  The point of that post was that you don't HAVE to have one.  But the reality of it is that many if not most of you may WANT one!

So take a look at page 57 of the July 2009 Runner's World for a decent 16 week intermediate marathon training program.  It involves ramping your weekly mileage from 25 to a peak of 48 as you increase the distance of your long run to 22 miles 3 weeks prior to your marathon. I like the fact that this plan has 2 complete rest days each week and the schedule is easy to read and use.  Keep in mind when using pre-set schedules like these that they are not set in stone.  As an example, if you prefer to take rest days on Sunday and Wednesday rather than Monday and Thursday, you can certainly do so.

Runner's World also has a beginners' marathon plan and a veterans' marathon plan available online.

Life Happens...Training Must Go On!

As George W. Bush would say (or maybe he said it), training for a marathon is HARD WORK!

In the mid to late 1990s I was regularly running marathons in the 2:35 to 2:40 range, with a personal best of 2 hours, 35 minutes in the Los Angeles Marathon.

Back then, things were a lot less complicated for me.  Single, young, healthy, good looking (OK, maybe that's a stretch) and plenty of time to train.  And probably most importantly, plenty of time to recuperate from hard training.

Today I'm 44, turning 45 in less than a month.  Married, with 3 boys, stay-at-home wife, trying to make ends meet.  Waking up early to train.  Staying up late (after kids' bedtime) to catch up with life and blog.

Why is it that any time I start feeling GOOD about my training, something happens that interferes with it!?  I know I'm not alone on this.  It takes a lot of work to train for the marathon and to maneuver around all the obstacles in its path.

Injuries and illness of course are the typical issues we face.  Yes, we rest, we ice, we medicate, we get over it and come back.  But the everyday aspects of LIFE are what present a constant challenge in our training.

Like this Father's Day weekend.  I had planned to sleep late, train long, nap and relax.  But (slap, slap), come on, let's get real.  I've got 2 young boys who want to spend time with me.  We went camping and had a blast, but I came outta that experience with a stiff neck, 4 hours sleep and boy am I tired.

But life and training must go on.  As we drive back home I'm placing toothpicks between my eyelids to keep them open, look in the rear view mirror and see my 3 and 6 year olds pleasantly snoozing away.  I smile at how cute they look and remember how I used to be able to do that.  Then I can't help but visualize a squirt gun being reloaded under water.  These guys will be raring to go, just as I'm ever so needing a good nap.

What a week...mom calls to tell me she drove herself to the emergency room with chest pains, a very close relative diagnosed with terminal cancer, a sore left big toe, flat tire, big work deadline, broken sprinklers, 3 birthday parties, getting over a cold, the list goes on.

Yes, LIFE happens.  This is why I've revised my race goals.  I am targeting a sub-3 hour marathon in December.  As much as I really want to regain my younger glory days of hard training and fast racing, I'm keeping my goals aligned with my life's circumstances.

I will do my best and I will keep plugging away with my training (it has been 2 months now since I started).  But I will keep things in perspective.

Keep it real, keep it fun.  You're not earning a living from marathoning, so don't make it a job.  Do make running a habit, but allow for some unplanned "down time" in your training to reflect the realities of your daily life!

P.S. Last week's training for me was 40 miles as I gradually recovered from last week's cold and came back on Saturday with a 10.5 miler.

It Wasn't Pretty, But I'm Back on Track

Last weekend I bailed out on a half marathon training run due to the onset of a sore throat.  Having 2 small kids, it seems I get sick more often then ever these days.  Starts out with a subtle irritation at the back of the throat that I hope is just an allergy (it never is). Then about 40% of the time I'm able to fight it off by getting to bed early and downing extra vitamin C tablets.

Last weekend was the 60% of the time.  Overall sluggishness and tiredness and for several days, throat got worse, then I move on to fever, sneezing, chest congestion and a cough.  Wake up on the morning wheezing. Gee I just love colds.

So the first half of the week was slow going, but I gradually got back up to 35, 45, 50 minute runs over the last three days.  Today I was determined to get back on track.  I still didn't feel really good but was able to slog through an 80 minute run, roughly 10.5 miles.

The weather was overcast and cool this morning.  In fact it stayed that way until 1 p.m. 

So I'm sure most of you go through the same thing....get sick, feel like you're falling behind in your training, get kind of bummed out about it and then...you make a choice.  The easy choice: give up your goals.  The hard choice: put your head down and dig in.

I've mentioned before that I build "slack" time into my training routine.  I know I'll get sick or injured every now and then so I mentally prepare myself for it.  I build "letdowns" in to my mental training so that they don't pull down my mental training foundation.

I do some stupid things in my training, like NOT taking any rest days for the entire month.  While this increases my chance for injury and burnout, it builds my mental mileage bank and removes any guilt from taking days off when I REALLY NEED THEM.  Perhaps this approach, not to the same degree, could work for you.

In Sickness and In Half Marathon

I, Conejo Joe, take you, Marathon, to be my dreaded life. Two hamstrings and too old, from this day forward, in sickness and in half marathon, to run and to cherish 'till death do us part.

All right, enough self pity.  This past Sunday I was signed up for the Valley Crest Half Marathon in the San Fernando Valley.  My goal was simply to run the course as a training run, nothing fancy.  My previous longest run to date in training for December's Inaugural Santa Barbara Marathon was 10.5 miles on May 30th, so this would have been a nice bump up to 13.1 miles.

I didn't run a step on Sunday.

Somehow I came down with a nasty sore throat starting late Saturday night.  The race started at 8 a.m. and I woke up at 5:45 a.m., but I couldn't drag myself out of bed.  So I did my body a favor and stayed home.

Life happens.  I don't get enough sleep.  I ramp up my training.  And I have kids that attend 3 different schools...and bring home all sorts of germs.  I eat out all the time.  I visit events all over Ventura County.  I work hard, play hard.  So I get sick.  No biggie.

Today I feel a lot better and ran 40 minutes this morning, though still slower than normal.  I get sick too often and must follow my own advice...wash my hands frequently, get more sleep, stop burning myself out.

The good thing is that I was forced into 2 rest days in a row, and I'm sure by the weekend I'll be feeling groovy!  So for Father's Day weekend I fully intend to make up for last week's mediocre training with a 13 miler.  Last week's mileage was 30, significantly less than prior weeks...1 step back, but 2 steps forward!

Ace Your Race With the Right Pace

On Sunday I mentioned I ran my first 10K race in a number of years.  While I was pleased with my 38:30 comeback performance, I have to say I worked pretty hard to get that time. 

I have to thank two fellow runners.  Samuel and I stayed together for most of the race, from around the 1 mile mark to about 5 miles, when I started gradually pulling away from him.  He was targeting sub-40 minutes and he finished under 39 minutes. Then 35 year old Eduardo, who was probably 15 seconds behind me at the halfway turnaround, managed to pass me around mile 5.  I stayed behind him, for a bit, caught my breath, and reeled him back in over the last half mile of the race.  We were just 2 seconds apart at the finish.

I was quite happy that I was able to stick with these younger runners (ok, I'm not THAT old).  Running a race well involves both physical and mental exertion.  The physical side as we all know is doing the homework...proper training, sleep, rest and nutrition.

The mental side involves a lot of things, but on race day, I think the key is to HOLD BACK at the start of the race.  Pretty much every single local 5K, 10K race I go to, I can count on 5 to 10 young whippersnappers starting the race as if it were a 100 yard dash.  That's where my elderly wisdom pays off.  It is fun watching them take off, knowing 90% of them will be hurting in about 5 to 10 minutes.  Often one of these young guns wins the race (as 29 year old Joey Snyder did handily on Sunday).  But the rest of them I get to reel in.

So start your daily runs and your races out a bit on the slow side.  Work your way into your runs, and your body will thank you.  But young guns, please ignore this advice and continue bolting out at the start of local races for my comic relief.

As far as the rest of your race, if you can latch on and run with people at or slightly faster than your desired pace, that's the way to go.  Running by yourself in a race is no fun.  Feed off others to help push yourself into a solid rhythm.  And save your best for the latter part of the race.  You'll have fun and gain momentum passing people at the end of the race.

Here's a short video of the start of the Love Run 5K on June 7th. Click "HQ" after the video begins for higher quality viewing.  The obnoxious high-pitched noise in the background is the sound of timer chips affixed to runners' shoes as they crossed the starting mat.

Running Tired...Join the Crowd!

Before I blab away, let me update my latest week of training.  Weekly mileage was slightly lower, 40 miles, since I ditched the long run for a 10K this weekend.  I fully intended to wake up early on Wednesday to run longer but, as usual, that didn't happen. 

So sleep, or lack thereof, is the topic of tonight's post.  It feels like I'm always tired.  Most of that is brought on by myself (heck, I should be sleeping as I type this).  But seems like there's always something that "gets in the way" of training.

Like last night.  My wife knew I had a 10K race in the morning and that I wanted a decent night's sleep.  So at 8 p.m. she informs me that her friends from out of town are staying the night at our house.  Oh, and let's let them sleep in OUR bed as they need a good night's sleep and they have to wake up at 4:30 AM to make their flight out of John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

What the??  I really like her dear friend so what am I gonna say.

So I get to bed around 11:30 p.m  on the COUCH in the family room, underneath MY master bedroom. My wife slept on the couch in the living room.  I tossed and turned a bit but finally fell asleep. Then around 4 a.m. my 3 year old decides to accompany me on the couch. My wife helped retrieve him and 20 minutes later I hear movement upstairs as our guests are preparing to leave. They leave and I doze off for another hour and its now time to wake up.  Got maybe 4 to 5 hours of sleep.

Such is life.  I'm so used to interruptions that I've baked in a semi-zombie state into my race expectations.  There's no way I can run 100% off of 5 hours sleep.  So I've learned to just go with it and feel good doing the best I can. 

There were roughly 500 people in the 10K today but my main competitor was me. I ran a 38:30 10K and while that time is several minutes slower than my times 5 years ago, I was pleased.  For motivational purposes you can compete with others in these local races, but the reality is that you are doing this for YOU, not anyone else.

Most of us will NEVER feel we have adequate sleep, sufficient training, proper diet, enough mileage, etc. and thus we will always have built-in excuses for not running our best.  Let's face it...nobody really cares what your excuses are.  We are out there to have fun, to do the best we can and enjoy the camaraderie.

So I stopped myself this morning.  Instead of boring my friends with "excuses" that they could care less about, I savored the moment.  Met some new people.  It was a great morning.

The fact that you are out of bed, out of the house and physically exerting yourself on a Sunday morning wins you some major brownie points in this game called LIFE!

On that note, I want to congratulate the organizers of the 2009 Senior Concerns 5K/10K Love Run in Westlake Village.  The event was well organized and there appeared to be a record number of entrants.

Schedules Schmedules - Set Running Goals and Targets and You'll Be Just Fine!

First off, my mileage last week was 43, including a 10.5 mile long run. I've got a 10K coming up at the Westlake Village Love Run this Saturday so I'll plan NOT to run a long run on Saturday. Perhaps I'll wake up earlier than normal on Wednesday morning and try for a longer run mid-week.

OK, on to business. I won't mince words. I HATE training schedules. Well, that's a bit harsh. Maybe more like, I'm not particularly fond of running schedules. Yeah, that's it...that sounds much more politically correct.

I have work schedules, kid drop off and pick up schedules, errand schedules, medical appointment schedules, household chore schedules, schedules to remember to call my parents, tax appointments, lunch schedules, staff meeting schedules, you name it. I've got enough schedules. I'm not alone.

Schedules are good as they help me stay organized. But you know what, I'm NOT gonna force myself into a strict running schedule as schedules tend to take the enjoyment out of things. So instead of precise schedules that you can find plenty of at Runners World, Active.com, Running Times and other websites, I prefer to have certain key goals and target in training for a marathon:

• Gradually ramp up weekly mileage...don't do something drastic (for most people this means increasing mileage more than 10% each week...but I don't measure it that precisely). Aim for peak mileage 4 to 6 weeks prior to the marathon.
• Gradually increase the length of the long run. Generally I target 2 to 3 20-milers, but I don't sweat it if I only reach 16 to 18 and if I feel I can I'll do more than 20.
• Build slack time into the schedule. Take rest days. Plan for bad days and bad weeks. Plan for soreness, illness, injuries and tiredness. But...go for it when you feel good...run more, train harder (psychologically it feels good to "bank" miles for the bad days).
• Place races of varying distances into your schedule...5K, 10K, 10 miler, half marathon, etc. Take races seriously only if that is in your DNA, Type A-ers. Shorter distance races are fun, social events and great practice for your marathon. Not to mention they can provide you a good feel for what your marathon target can be (more in a future post).
• Don't feel compelled to do track workouts when training for a marathon, unless you are aiming for a sub 3 hour performance and feel you really need it (and if so, limit your intervals to 800 meters to mile repeats). My experience is that while speedwork is awesome, it beats up marathoners pretty hard as they need to recover from weekend long runs, not run circles around a track.
• Taper off the mileage over the last 3 to 4 weeks prior to the marathon. Week 3 should be up to 75% of peak mileage. Week 2 50%. Week 1 25%. Last few days should be minimal mileage. Don't go walking around Disneyland the day before the race. Gotta rest.

The key point of this post is, keep running fun. If you feel that a training schedule will keep you motivated and on track, then great, use one. But if you are like me and feel constrained by one, do yourself a favor and remove it from your mental agenda.