Rules of the treadmill.

So, with the worst winter in Chicago in a few years, and my somewhat blah performance at the Houston Marathon, my only getaway has been the treadmill at my local fitness center.

As we talked about before Treadmills (see Turning the "Dreadmill into the Treadmill"), I decided to take the attributes, and use them to prepare for the my next race, The Country Music Marathon, in April.

Treadmills are not a true replacement for outside conditions, but they can aid in getting you ready for when you go back outside.

My Goal for the Country Music Marathon is a sub 3:40 marathon, but the course is quite hilly, so I have two simple rules for the treadmill.  That 1) The hill mode will always be on (unless I'm doing high speed intervals in which the treadmill will be at 1% grade) and 2) 1 will try to exceed my normal pace on a regular basis with either progression runs or intervals. Being on a faster pace helps expand my lactate threshold, and helps me sustain a faster pace for a longer period of time. Since Chicago is so notoriously flat, getting used to the resistance of climbing hills now will help until I can get outside and run on hillier terrain in the area. So, I'm trying to go uphill or go fast, or both.

So here are three workouts I've done in the last three days: No treadmill workout is longer than 45 minutes.

Friday: Hill reps at faster than standard pace. warm up for a mile, then 5 minutes at a 6% grade climb at 8:05 -7:54 a mile (my standard pace is around 8:30), then recover for three minutes at 0% grade. Repeat cycle 5 times. Cool down with one mile easy.

Saturday: Progression Run: Put treadmill in hill mode, put it on level 4 or 5. Highest hill should not exceed 3%. Start 1 mile at standard pace, then for the next 4 miles, increase pace 1/2 mile per hour.

Sunday: Intervals: Warm up 6x800 meter @ 6:40-7:00 per mile with a 2:00 recovery, then cooldown. Treadmill is set at a standard 1%.

As I do more treadmill workouts, I'll post them.

Happy running!

Observations on the Houston Marathon

So, long story short, The Houston Marathon was not one of my better efforts. I was undertrained and overmotivated. Coming in at 4:15:38. It was too warm, and training through Chicago Polar Vortex's did not help. The races 55 degree temps, deemed cool by Texan standards, left me feeling fried about mile 20.

The Houston course reminds me a lot of the Chicago marathon course, except for the constant right hand, slightly uphill bend between miles 17-20. Just kind of annoying, and not good for my right IT band. I would run it better by running down the middle of the road. But that might have of have been about my suffering pace at that time, than anything else. Few hills going back into the city 20-25, mile 26 is flat. Latter half is sunnier than the first half.

At the race expo, everyone gets a standard T-shirt, and being disappointed by this, I bought a techincal shirt, and then reading the race info later, everyone gets their techincal t-shirt (and a glass mug) after they finish. So, I have three shirts from the race. That's what I get from not reading the material before the race.

Also at the expo, Meb Keflezighi (Who won the Half Marathon National Championships the next day) was signing autographs and taking pictures, which I missed in the middle of expo glory. But I got this pic of him as he was finsihing up:

On race day, the pre race events included two religious services.

The cliched running sign of 2014 will be:  "_________, run like they do in the Hunger Games!"

Worst repeated sign: "If you fart, you'll run faster!" I hope that doesn't catch on.

Post race set-up was one of the best I've ever seen. You got your finisher's shirt, Your glass mug, get back your race bag, get an ice cream bar, have a hot breakfast (eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy) soft drinks, milk, snacks, change your clothes in a real changing area,  and sit in a chairs like a real human, and being all under the same gigantic roof only a few feet from the finish line. All of this, with your waiting friends and family in a seperate meeting area.  The Chicago Marathon could learn a lot from this race.

At every single mile marker, there was a person yelling out split times based on the race clock.

People calling out my name with a Texas drawl, sounds pretty cool.

People were so nice. Friendly, warm and welcoming. They really enjoyed that you came to Houston, and they hoped you come back. I think I will come back.


Happy Running!

Starting the year off early.

Many months ago when I was selected to run the Houston Marathon on January 19, I really didn't give it much of a thought, winters here for the last two years have been very mild. That wasn't the case after surviving the week with the coldest temps in over 30 years, and it's taken a toll on my marathon training schedule.

Signing up for the 14 mile Polar Dash was originally an after thought, but I realized that the Polar dash would actually be more helpful for training and race prep, for Houston which is a week away. I've never raced in January in Chicago before.

Racing in the wintertime in Chicago, is always taken with a grain of salt. You truly don't know what you're going to get until race time. Less than a week ago, the temps were -15 below zero, and we got 11 inches of snow.  On race day for the Polar Dash, The temps were in the 30's, after a day of torrential rain. There was a lot of snow, ice, and puddles.

Great Odin's Navel, there were a lot of puddles. Deep, long wide puddles of ice cold water.

At first, you tried to avoid them, and at the end, you just didn't care. I was jumping and bounding over mounds of snow and running through mud, it was like running a very long cross country race. Several times I ran straight through mud, but at the end of the race, I realized my shoes looked like this:

(My shoes after finishing. Clean. And soaking wet. Probably forever.)

I finished in 2:03:43. Really not bad with the conditions and my lack of high speed long distance running in the last few weeks, but I felt comfortable, and pushed as hard as I could. 

The Polar Dash was a bit of a mess, course was haphazard, not much organization, and a bit too long, but I really didn't mind it. It's not a big race, and it's relatively new. I got a nice fleece jacket out of it, and some well timed hot chocolate. And I was running with good friends. A really much more interesting running experience than I really expected. 

How often as an adult do you have to run in ankle deep freezing water to get what you what really want? Sure, runners complained for the first few miles (but runners complain about everything), but as soon as you realized that there absolutely nothing you can do about it, you just got on with the task. The discomfort was gone with a change of clothes, a hot shower and a cup of coffee, and you are left with a great story to tell. 

Though I have a fear of puddles now. 

Observations:

- Race Temp was 37 degrees. I wore shorts. I was fine with the temps. Very comfortable. However, many people approached me after the race to tell me that, in fact, I was wearing shorts. Thanks for the update. 

- Thumbs up to the Polar Dash organization for keeping runners up to date about how terrible the conditions were going to be, without making it sound like it was an update from Homeland Security (It's going to be RED conditions on the course). 

- Had to hold my tongue walking behind a loudmouth out of Soldier Field parking who was explaining how the term "Redskins" was not an offensive term. This was coming from a man who was a) Not a Native American, and b) a Redskins fan, which for many reasons, the worst football team in the NFL (in my humble opinion). Bears and Packers fans should thank the NFL Gods everyday, that they are not Redskins fans.

- Ran six miles with a man who like the rest of us running on asphalt, but was wearing Yaktrax on his shoes which made a loud thwacking noise with every stride. He was wearing headphones, so he couldn't hear it, and he couldn't hear what we were saying about him. 

Turning the 'Dreadmill' into the Treadmill.

So we have no choice, there is a major snowstorm coming and a deep freeze, and welp, we have to use a treadmill. And we hate the treadmill. This is why we call it the "dreadmill" right?

There are some things treadmills do better, but I think a few guidelines will make it a much more useful tool:

Split workouts in two. 
Need to do 12 miles on the treadmill? Do 6 miles in the morning and do 6 miles in the evening, or 8 in the am and 4 in the pm, Make one of the workouts a tempo or interval run, add hills. Use the other run for recovery. Mileage is mileage. Doing two-a-days will keep you sharp and break up the monotony. Treadmills are poor, poor analogs of long distance running. Don't waste your time trying to make it one.

Your Treadmill run should always be in a hill program.
Forget getting on the treadmill set it at 1.5% grade and set it at at 9:09 mile pace. Your are wasting the treadmills' potential, and destroying your own morale. Running a standard set grade, just adds to the monotony, and does nothing to add to the experience of running outside. It's like driving a Ferrari to a grocery store. Sure you can do it, but is that really the best use of a Ferrari? Put the treadmill on a hill or random hill mode, adjust the intensity, and use that as a base running mode.  Not to mention this is Chicago, and we have no hills, and since every freaking race on the planet earth has hills, then you might was well train and prepare for them. Make hills your friends. The resistance and variable pitch to running on a treadmill on hill mode, makes you a much better, faster and comfortable runner on the flats.

Adjust your pace.
It's same thing for speed, you have the opportunity to run at a faster pace, than you would on the road, this makes it a perfect opportunity to work on leg speed and running efficiently at a faster pace. Change the pace after you warm up after a mile or so, and do progression runs, increasing the pace every mile. Or run tempo at your goal pace or faster than your goal pace. Test yourself to the limit. This is the perfect opportunity to do so. Time flies when you're kicking your own ass.

Happy Running!! Stay warm!!!

Things a runner should be doing in the dead of winter (That's right now).

Two clicks, and you've signed up for your springtime race. But hey, that's like what? 5 months away. And it's snowing outside.

For us runners it's easy to lay off and wait for the spring thaw. Chicagoans have a seasonal amnesia, we forget the previous times we have been in this situation and we forget about the issues that keep coming up year after year, and then it's too late, and then our spring is not what we wanted at all.

So, as a reminder, here a list of things you should be doing right now to be race ready in the spring:

You should be strengthening your core (Once or twice a week now, once a week, in the spring, and then drop it in the late spring, because you need to run more, and strength train less, and yes you can take a Crossfit class).

You should be working on improving your running form.(The more efficient, the faster and more relaxed you are, the faster you can go).

You should be doing speed work and tempo work on the treadmill (These tough workouts makes the time on the 'mill go much faster, and you should be totally using the hill modes).

You should be running in the snow (Running in the snow improves core work, balance and strength).

You should be building a base of steady miles (Base miles get you into a easy consistent running schedule and prepares you for the spring). 

You should be taking a yoga class (flexibility and relaxation).

You should be foam rolling (flexibility and injury prevention).

You should be working on or get consulted on a training plan
(Better preparation on a week to week plan keeps you sharp, and properly trained for the results you want). 

You should be getting used to running in less than perfect conditions. (Because you spring race might have a "winter" surprise).

Well, that's plenty to do, so get to work.

Happy running!!!

Thing I learned about myself and running in 2013.

That its good to be relaxed when you run.

One of those things that happened to me this year is that my best running performances (St. Louis Marathon and Schaumberg Turkey Trot), were about being as loose and relaxed as possible, the more relaxed the faster I ran. And I was able to monitor my looseness, and able to maintain it during races.  This help prove my concept of flexibility over strength. And at least for me being more flexible and being in a relaxed mental zone, and not panicking, proved to be a huge breakthrough for my running goals for 2013. I wasn't worried about my result. I set realistic goals for myself for each race. And I promised myself, no matter what, not to beat myself up about the results. With a calm mind, you can run forever.

That marathons don't scare me anymore.

The marathon is so built up as insurmountable myth, most non runners think you're insane, and even many runners think it's truly a trip to Hell.  It reminded me of the old myths of sailors who believed if you traveled too far away from home, you'd fall off the edge of the earth.  So, I decided in 2013 not to be afraid of the marathon, to see how far I could take it. I wanted to pursue past those boundaries. I am here to tell you, there is nothing to fear. 

Nothing happened. 

Didn't die, didn't end in a mass of cramping and a trip to the hospital with kidney failure. What I learned is, the long run is the most important run of the week, it's the most important training of your life. Your running career is based off how well you do your long runs. You cannot cheat it, you can't bullshit it, and you can't make it bend to your will.  It's not to be compromised. You're not supposed to. If you try, bad, bad things will happen. So run it, and dare it to crack you. Test yourself at the long runs. 

Running the Fox Valley Marathon and the St. Louis Marathon within 6 weeks finally got me over my fear of performance and mental blocks that hit me in the last few miles of every marathon I've ran.  Running the Fox Valley Marathon made running St. Louis Marathon almost enjoyable. And that confidence lead to the best marathon results in 2 years. And I'll do it again in 2014. 

That the routine really, really matters

The routine of stretching, eating and getting out the door is as important as the run itself. Keep repeating until it becomes second hand. Set it up, then just do it, only takes a few minutes the night before. Don't think, just react and respond. You'd be amazed how quickly you get out of the door. Make getting out that door for the run the most important part of your day. Everything after becomes so easy.

That the most important accessory this year in the Balaclava

It's already been a harsh winter, and training for the Houston Marathon in January conditions have not been ideal here in Chicago. But there's nothing like Under Armour's Heat Gear Balaclava to protect your head and neck, and makes you think you have a chance of completing your 10 mile run in sub zero temps, as stupid as that may be. Plus you look like a Ninja, and that helps the motivation a bit. 

The Greek dessert is baklava, BTW. Don't slap dessert on your face before a long run. 

Happy Running in 2014!!!!!

23 Things you can do to be a better bike commuter. Ok, it's really 9 things.

Now that the weather is acutally feeling spring like here in Chicago, it's time to bike commute to work. This past week with my CTA line being cut due to a massive reconstruction program, it was time to bust out the old bike and get myself to work. I was reminded how quick and easy it is to ride to work, quicker door to door times than me taking the CTA. 

As I rode this past week I was asked about a dozen times how, in fact, I could get to work during rush hour traffic without dying. I told them that many Chicagoans bike every day, and in fact, do not die either. I've only bee involved in once accident in 8 years, involving a cab door and my bike. I lost that one, clearly. 

So, here are a few things that you can do to make your bike commute safe and quick.

1) Ride in a straight line. Riding in a straight line shows other cyclists and drivers that you know how to control you're bike and you ride confidently, even when avoiding potholes. You should ride slightly slower than what you think should do. Wobbling over the bike lanes scares us all to death, and you look like you don't know what you're doing. 

2) Learn your route. Find a commute route that you like and learn it like the back of you're hand. Learn the timing of the lights, how the traffic flows, and when. The better you learn it, the quicker you'll get to work. Make it routine. And please follow the lights and signals, you really are not saving any time by skipping them and it shows you respect the rules of the road.

3) You are NOT a car. You can't rush it to work. You can't ride the same speed as cars, and you shouldn't, and since bike lanes pass by car traffic anyway.  Then does it prove riding a casual pace, you can get to work just as fast as they can? Make sure you have the time to get where you need to be. Besides, drivers are idiots and you want to rise above that. Show them that you're better.

4) No distractions. Under no circumstances should you have headphones on when riding. It is actually illegal in the city of Chicago to wear them. You can be ticketed for it. You need all of your senses working at peak efficiency, to be aware of all the things the city throws at you, and nothing should be left to chance. Turn off your phone and and only check it when you're at your destination. 

5) Do your bike maintenance:  It takes more than sending you bike to the shop once every year.  Check your tires for glass or cuts, lube your chain, and check your brakes weekly. A few minutes of maintenance, saves you tons of money and stops you having to do a major repair on rainy day on the side of the road. Learn to do basic bike repair yourself, it's really not as hard as you think.

6) Wear a helmet. A gaping head wound does not go with what you're wearing.  Helmets are not about you not being safe, it's about the rest of the world not being safe. And spending your early thirties learning to spell you name again, is never a good thing.

7) Buy really, really, good tires. Drop the cash on the best puncture resistant tires you can get your hands on.   That, or enjoy changing tires, which even if you do well, is still the worst thing in the world.

8) Avoid cabs like the plague. At all times. 100% dangerous. Give them plenty of room. Like hyenas.

9) Forget the weaving bike messenger idiots. Have you seen that movie "Premium Rush" with Joesph Gordon Leavitt? Yeah, that's not you. They are giving us a bad name. They're adrenaline junkies, and they don't have any dependents. Or brains. Stay away.

OK, that's my wisdom. Be safe.