October 31 (78 miles/week)

PM: 14+ miles moderate

I ran solo on the ATT in the mid-afternoon after tackling some school work in the morning and sleeping in from a rare late night out.

Though I've never really pieced together why, I've historically cooked my long runs on the days following evenings of "social excesses." Today was no exception. Simply put, I ran effortlessly quick today, coming home under 6:00 pace for the last 8 miles and averaging 6:10 for the entire run. Where were these good vibrations three weeks ago in Chicago?! I obviously have no idea, but at least the run was a positive sign moving forward.

October 30

AM: Judica 5k, 16:33, 2nd place, 7 miles

Reed was putting on a race this morning, so I agreed that I'd run it as a comeback workout. I honestly felt better than expected, even if I had my doors blown off by David (a fellow MEM) as he outkicked me at the end. By a lot. I realize it's not the first time I've written a sentence similar to that one.

Given the course, I told myself that anything under 17:00 was a good effort. I felt controlled and strong--damn strong--which was a pleasant surprise, and generally had a positive sign as to where my fitness is and where it will be in December for Club Nationals XC. Obviously, my never-was-there-in-the-first-place finishing speed needs work after 6 months of marathon training and recovery. That, I hope, will come this winter and spring.

October 29

PM: 10 miles easy/moderate

Because of an early class, I waited until the late afternoon to get in a run. I ran from my place to Liam's, ran 5+ with him on East Campus, and then cruised home nicely. I have a low-key race tomorrow on the WaDuke trail. Consequently, any fast time will be out of the question, but it will be nice to test the legs to see where my post-recovery fitness is.

October 28

AM: 11 miles easy

Relaxed run with Liam on the ATT in the morning.

October 27

AM: 10 x short hills, 9 miles

I met the BCTC group early for short hill reps on a grass slope under a transmission line. We started out at :52 and worked down steadily to :45 on the last one. Not only was this the first anaerobic workout I've done in quite a while, but this was also the perfect first post-marathon workout for me.

October 26

AM: 11 miles easy/moderate 


PM: weights, core

Ran solo from the apartment, to East Campus, to the WaDuke trail and back. I stuck to the commitment of the gym later in the day. We'll see how long this lasts once school starts again (Thursday). Today was also the first day since the marathon that I've really felt hungry to race again. I need to formulate a spring/winter plan for after USATF Club XCs.

October 25

AM: 12 miles easy

Taking advantage of a class-free morning, Reed and I drove out to Umstead. Damn, is it pretty there this time of year.

We made the out-and-back from the parking lot to the lake and back, rolling along smoothly on the park's gravel roads before finishing up with drills. Compared to what I'm used to on the weekends there, we didn't really see anyone, save for one guy who looked like the Unabomber and hissed at us when we nodded hello.

October 24 (43 miles/week)

PM: 4+ miles easy

The food poisoning seems to have only been a 24-hour thing. I woke up with my fever gone and stomach back to 90% normal, or normal enough that I could eat solid foods and drink coffee.

My legs felt fine today during the run, though I was a little weak given that I basically fasted yesterday. I consequently kept it short and conservative. Assuming I feel better, I should slowly add workouts this week.

October 23

DNR - Food poisoning


Well...this sucks. Poignant, I know, but that's the short version.

Here's the colorful long version:

I woke up at 6:00 AM throwing up like an overeager fraternity pledge through my "entrance" with more suffering at my "exit." I definitely set a PR for most time retching and vomiting in a single day. Godawful only begins to explain this, but there are a few silver linings:

1. If it's food poisoning, it will pass within 24 hours. 
2. The other silver lining is that I'm not racing for a while and will have a chance to recovery legitimately with no temptation to rush back to running.
3. I'm also on winter break and don't have a ton of school work.
4. I get to watch college football instead of DVDs or terrible daytime TV.
5. Valerie's here to doctor me with her trusty friend Wilson for second opinions, just like on House.
6. Violently retching totally gives you cut abs. This is obviously a tasteless joke, but the blood vessels in my head and abs are going to be hurting tomorrow because they're already sore today.
7. I'm able to keep some liquids (diluted Gatorade) down as I write this. I couldn't at all this morning. "We can build on this!"
8. Liam and Alex V still ran great races this morning. No word yet from other BCTC results. Klim also ran today for the first time in 50 days. There's generally a lot of forward momentum among runners I know.

As for the bad news...

1. Valerie and I are missing our first real, non-running weekend away in more or less forever.
2. I had a fever high of 101.3, which I suppose isn't abnormally high, except that fevers have a habit of steamrolling me. I feel like this is payback for rarely getting physically injured from running (furiously knocking on wood as I write that).
3. Basset hounds really do not care whatsoever whether you have food poisoning. This was evident  when Wilson pounced on me as I lay trembling on the bathroom floor.
4. I have nothing better to do then sit on the couch a write in my training log when I otherwise can't get up or move without feeling horrible.

More updates pending recovery. Having the strength to type is a positive sign.

October 22

AM: 11 miles easy


PM: weights, core

I ran again with Liam on the ATT, keeping the pace easy per his race with the BCTC tomorrow. Later in the afternoon, following a meeting and a 90-minute nap (I'm on fall break), I made it to Duke's gym for the first time. Valerie and I were scheduled to go camping in the mountains this weekend until...

October 21

AM: 11 miles easy

Ran on the ATT and East Campus with Liam and Reed. Felt a little tight, possibly from the ride yesterday.

October 20

PM: 41 miles moderate bike

No run today, but I got in a great (for me, anyway) ride after taking my last final of the term. I'm guessing that I had some pent up stress and angst that was dying to be left on the road. The bike fit in nicely since hard running is off the table until next week. Despite wind and rolling hills, I averaged 19 mph, even with stops and slowing at the end because of traffic and unpaved/repaving asphalt up the Cameron hill.

October 19

AM: 7 miles easy

Relaxed run with Liam in the morning before final #2 of 3. Despite spotty sleep, this is probably the best I've felt since the marathon.

October 17 (12 miles/week)

AM: weights, core


PM: 1:35:00 bike

I have finals this week Monday through Wednesday, which left me time to take a study break by cycling or watching football, but not both. I strategized and set up the trainer in front of the TV during the game while getting in a respectable workout.

October 18

AM: 6 miles easy


PM: 20:00 swim

I ran easy in the morning with Liam through Forest Hills Park, and let out some steam after my first final with a quick swim in the pool. It closed early, so 20 minutes was about all I could get in.

October 16

AM: 7 miles easy

Liam and I hit Duke Forest, which is closed during the week until December because of deer eradication. The legs felt better than yesterday, albeit awkward at times.

I'm not running tomorrow. If I've learned one lesson from marathon recovery before, it's don't rush the comeback.

October 15

AM: 5 miles easy


PM: weights, core

For my first post-marathon run back, I took it very easy solo through Forest Hills Park. The good news is that I have no lingering soreness or hot spots, but naturally it felt a little weird to be on my feet again. In the evening, I held fast to my renewed commitment to the little things that I hope will help me see some speed this winter and spring.

I've decided that the big spring goal will be taking a crack at breaking 1:10 in the half marathon. Where and when that will happen, I haven't figured out just yet. The Broad Street run is also on my radar, as will be lowering my 5k best on the track. Those are my plans as of right now.

In the mean time, however, all focus will be on getting under 32 minutes at the USATF Club XC Championships in December. I want to get pulled along to a fast race there.

October 14

PM: 50:00 ergometer

I rowed in the gym for just under an hour, which is always a shorter but intense workout. I felt almost 100% today with no more acute soreness, so I'm going to give jogging a shot in the morning. It's still going to be a light week, however, with only one more run if everything goes well.

October 13

DNR

Nothing today other than walking 9 holes of golf. I'm genuinely enjoying the time off and recovery.

October 12

PM: 22+ miles bike

I got out for a ride in the afternoon after class. Fortunately, I felt little to nothing in terms of fatigue and soreness on the bike. I'm hoping that's a good sign.

October 11

DNR

No running today with a full day of class. I took Wilson on a long walk in the afternoon instead to shake out my legs. The soreness is bearable.

October 11

DNR

No running today with a full day of class. I took Wilson on a long walk in the afternoon instead to shake out my legs. The soreness is bearable.

October 10 - Chicago Marathon (72 miles/week)

AM: Chicago Marathon, 2:36:33, 131st overall, 27 miles

"There's blood in the streets, it's up to my ankles
Blood in the streets, it's up to my knee
Blood in the streets in the town of Chicago
Blood on the rise, it's following me
Just about the break of day"
~ The Doors (via Jake M.)


There's probably not a more apt description for this race other than the "Chicago Massacre." Almost everyone I knew, myself arguably included, crashed and burned out there on the course today. Given my school schedule over the last two months, my training had been good but far from great. I had some reservations coming in whether this was going to go well. The only way to know for sure, though, was just to race the damn thing and figure it out.


Exiting the elite development tent with allies Sam Robinson (Transports), Dickson (GRC), and Ben Ingram (ex-Falls Road), I felt good enough. David Yu (Strawberry Canyon TC) also lined up just behind us. After the national anthem and introducing the elites, we were off, zig-zagging through downtown Chicago through throngs of screaming spectators. I stuck with Dickson for about two miles before he took off to a 2:25-2:26 group, which was realistic but extremely risky for me today. However, after briefly running with fellow Maryland Terp Eric Marenburg, I had a new ally in my Berkeley training buddy David, who was debuting. We tucked in a pack together an would run shoulder-to-shoulder for the next 12 miles. The plan was to run between 5:35 and 5:43 pace steadily on Chicago's flat course.


Splits: 5:37, 5:39, 5:40, 5:32, 11:16 (2 miles)


I took Gatorade at every single stop, and at mile 8 I popped a gel shortly after we passed our friend Sam, who got sick early and had to drop out. Even though I was right on pace, I had creeping doubts as to whether today was the day for me. My heart rate was in control, but I had trouble getting into the consistent, locomotive rhythm that has served me well in past marathons. Around 11 heading back into downtown, the pack we were in started to splinter as guys began to make moves. "They're speeding up, aren't they?" David asked.


"I'm not biting," I quipped. It was too early to be accelerating, and I didn't feel very good at that point.


Several moments later following a prolonged silence...


David: (audible sigh)


Me: "This kind of sucks."


David: "Yeah, pretty much."


By the time I hit the half, I was right on goal pace for 2:28-2:29 in 1:14:10, but my stomach was sending me warning signs...loud, angry signs.


Splits: 5:40, 5:42, 5:42, 5:39, 5:36, 5:42, 5:45


Before we hit the mile 14 marker, I saw the next medical tent. I had a decision to make. Hold it, and risk it becoming a critical impairment in the late stages of the race? Or, take care of it now while my legs were still semi-fresh without losing too much time? Of those options, I chose door #2 (pun horribly intended). I gave David the cut-throat sign and darted into the portajohn on the side of the course, shaking my head in frustration.


After the quick business trip, I shot out of the bathroom to see a Howard County Strider come whizzing by. I tucked in with him and saw that I'd lost ~1:00 in the bathroom, hitting the next mile in 6:41. Maybe I was still in this race? If I ran well, I could still dip under 2:30 or at the very least duck under my PR (2:31:17). Maybe?


Mile 15: 5:42...maybe?


Mile 16: 5:54...eh...maybe?


Mile 17: 6:11...maybe not.


Seeing this split and guys pass me for the first time since the opening 3 miles, my new strategy was damage control. I was fading, and risked hitting the wall full-on. "F***," I thought. "I still have more than 9 miles to go." I still had energy and hadn't hit the wall (yet), but I was fighting for my life to keep pace. After the bathroom stop, I just couldn't find the 5:40 racing gear again.


It's not an exaggeration to say that the next hour was one of the toughest in my life as a runner. While I was definitely getting passed, at this point by some of the elite American women (Tara Moody, Colleen DeReuck, and a handful of Hansons-Brooks), I was also passing guys in my effort to stop the bleeding. This unfortunately included Dickson at mile 20, who despite being in what I believe to be the best shape of his life, fell victim to a bum hamstring.


I kept telling myself that I had to get to Michigan Ave, and I fought like hell to stop from slowing down, digging and clawing past the guys I could reel in. This could have been any easy day to see 8:00, 9:00, or 10+ minute miles, and it was quickly getting out of hand.


I slurped Gatorade and dumped water on my head to keep my body temperature down. While the first half of the course in Chicago's north side is pleasant and shaded, the second half is brutally exposed to the sun, and it was getting hot, especially as we passed US Cellular Field. I started passing guys doing the death shuffle or just walking outright, presumably with the heat as a catalyst. Looking at the results after the race, a grand total of one guy ahead of me negative split the first and second half. That's brutal.


I at last made it to Michigan Avenue with the final 2.5 miles directly in front of me: a virtual straight shot to the finish line. My pre-race strategy was to put my head down and pass as many guys as I could, and I stuck to that. I waged at least a half-dozen mini-battles on this last stretch, and though my memory is understandably hazy, I think I won them all, actually re-passing a couple of people--something which I'm damn proud of given how awful the race was going. It actually felt a lot like a cross country race in that every step and every inch gained was positively agonizing.


This was never truer than the last hill on the course. While Chicago is understandably pancake-flat, the last 500m is not, featuring a small 200m rise into Millennium Park. Here, I passed one last runner, cresting the hill and coming as close to vomiting during any race ever, much less in the purely-aerobic marathon. Fighting off this rather unpleasant sensation, I winced and counted down the last flattened 200m...then 100m...looking around to see if anyone was coming behind me. I was in the clear, taking the last few final steps before stumbling across the finish line in a blur and rush of instant relief.


Final splits: 6:08, 6:14, 6:20, 6:15, 6:18 ("Hold on..."), 6:32, 6:30, 6:27 ("HOLD. ON."), 7:52 (1.2 miles)

So what happened out there?

In retrospect, there wasn't anything I could have done about the heat as Chicago humbled me once again (I had a terrible blow-up in 2004 in college). I ran about as conservatively as I could have given my goal of 2:29, though I now realize my dinner on Saturday night was far too heavy. I ordered something that I thought was lighter and ended up being really sort of dense. That's my 100% fault, assuming it was to blame for the mid-race pit stop. My feet were also hamburger after the race, as the photo illustrates. That didn't help things.

As far as my training goes, I hit 1,800+ miles in 18 weeks. The last 10 weeks weren't ideal, but I'm in the middle of my first hectic semester of the MBA program at Duke, which demands some personal sacrifices. Those sacrifices have undoubtedly included sleep, stretching, auxiliary work (strides and drills), ice baths, core and upper body work, and unfortunately also mileage. I peaked really far out (12-13 weeks pre-race) at 121 miles/week, but there wasn't much I could do about that in grad school. Judging by my last 9 miles, I can say that I left as much as I could out on the course. I fought as hard as I could to keep today from becoming a total implosion, and it flirted seriously with becoming just that.

I ended up with a time that, less the bathroom break, would have been almost exactly the same time to the second as my Marine Corps race in 2008, which I came away feeling equally apathetic, but later went on to tear down my 5k and 10k PRs in the following winter and spring. Going forward, I'm not doing a spring marathon. I still have some speed in these legs, and I'm determined to see it in races from 3k through the half marathon this winter and spring. Hell, I may even jump in a mile. Until then, my only immediate plan is the USATF Club XC Championships in Charlotte in December. This is hands-down one of my favorite races of the year. I'll take the rest of the month to get back on board with school, get in some cross training, and, most importantly, recovery from yesterday. Aside from the race, I really enjoyed the weekend, getting to see and hang out with friends from the GRC, California, and other places across the country. Other than the race itself, I couldn't have been more relaxed, save for an absent Valerie who got really sick and had to stay home.

And if you've made it this far, you're also probably pretty supportive of my running. So thank you--seriously. I'm consider myself extremely lucky to have the support of friends and family, especially on days like today where I'm facing down my darkest hours as a runner. You're there come success, failure, and in-between (of which today probably qualifies), and that's awesome.

We'll get 'em next time...bummer.

October 9

AM: 4 miles easy

I got in relaxed run through Millennium Park in Chicago with the GRC guys this morning. It's been a long, productive summer on the running front with the biggest mileage of my life. The work's officially done now. Unlike City of Oaks last year, I will have a lot of company with me (including six sub-2:06 guys).

The legs feel good, and I am ready to race. My eyes are on the prize at this point: under 2:29:59. Last year's marathon was about the win. Tomorrow is all about running fast.

October 8

AM: 6 miles easy, strides

Very relaxed run through downtown, East Campus and Duke Gardens. Strides afterward felt smooth and crisp. On to Chicago...

October 7

AM: 7 miles easy

Relaxed run on campus with Liam at sunrise before classes. We met Joey with about 10 minutes left, who's been tearing it up as a walk-on in his first varsity season. All signs still point to feeling good. This is the part of the taper that I actually like, when that awkwardly stale feeling is replaced by fresh legs.

October 6

AM: 4 miles @ MP, 3 x 200m strides, 9 miles

Today called for one final tune-up on the track, and it felt smooth, relaxed, and about the same pace as the same workout before City of Oaks last year. That's a good thing because on a flat course with competition and better weather, I'm confident the same effort would have put me under 2:30 fairly comfortably.

The plan for Sunday is to shoot for 1:15:00 while holding back, hold 'er steady and slightly accelerate in miles 14-23, and then really try to pick off as many people as I can up Michigan Ave, where we are supposed to have a tailwind. It will be a battle of willpower at that point.

I realize this isn't the most original plan in the world for Chicago, but going through in 75 minutes even through the half will put me on pace to go under 2:30 because experience shows that the first 1-3 miles are going to be slower than goal pace.

Splits: 5:41, 5:42, 5:38, 5:34

October 5

AM: 7 miles easy


PM: 5 miles easy

I felt slam-dunk on both runs today, again in amazingly crisp fall weather. This will probably be my last pre-Chicago double.

October 4

AM: 7 miles easy

With as busy as I've been with school this semester, I'm fully appreciating the phrase, "Enjoy the taper." Normally tapering makes me feel neurotic and insecure. It's been a long enough summer, however, and I'm working on marathon #7 this Sunday. I get it. I'm ready.

It was also one year ago today that I had a fine race at the Army 10-Mile. I'm bummed not to be there again, so I'm hoping to repeat that success in Chicago.

October 3 (77 miles/week)

AM: 11 miles easy

I got out in the morning from home through campus and the WaDuke trail before apple picking with Valerie in the afternoon. With the Braves clinching the playoffs on the final day of the season, my spirits were high and legs were fresh from the taper. October has proved again to be a fine month to be in North Carolina, as these photos reveal.

My legs feel good. I'm feeling more rested and fit, and I'm down to race weight: 156 at last check, which is lean and mean for me (my driver's license has me at 165). One more week until I try to harvest the summer of the highest mileage of my life on the streets of Chicago.

October 2

PM: 14+ miles easy/moderate

Last long run before Chicago with Valerie biking with me on the ATT. As has become customary for me, I like to do this 8 days out from the goal marathon to give myself one extra day of recovery. I picked up the pace a little on the way home, but nothing insane. My only sub-6:00 mile was a controlled 5:30 at the end, right at sundown.

October 1

AM: 5 x 2:00 on/off, 8 miles

October is here, and not a moment too soon. I personally love cooler weather, especially for running. Virtually every breakthrough race of my life has occurred between the months of October and May. Let's hope that trend continues 10 days from now.

As for the "workout," I felt all right, but good enough to get the legs moving a little bit.