Tomorrow morning I’ll be running in The Woodlands Marathon down in the suburbs of Houston. This will be my 7th marathon since December 2009. I’ve talked about this marathon to friends & co-workers close to me, but haven’t really blogged or tweeted about it. I’ve been more excited about the Cleveland Marathon since that’s a true destination marathon for me. The Woodlands Marathon will be a mission for me.
The Mission is to hit Sub-4 Hours in the Marathon. I haven’t been talking up this marathon as much because I don’t want to jinx myself and I want to stay somewhat focused. I really really really want Sub-4 hours. It’s doable! The Half Marathon PR time of 1:46 a couple of weeks ago has given me the added confidence that I need to hit it. I just need to finish this race strong and push through!
The Dallas White Rock Marathon was really when I thought I was going to hit Sub-4, but the weather didn’t cooperate with me. I trained really well for that race and was pretty bummed that it wasn’t the time.
I wanted to keep my training level high and run another marathon to hit the Sub-4 Hour goal, but didn’t want to run the CowTown Marathon in Fort Worth. I picked The Woodlands since I heard that it was pretty darn flat. It’s also 2 loops which I think will play into my favor. I like to know what’s coming up on the race. It’s a mental & physical thing.
Thanks for everyone’s encouragement as I’ve been training. I’m ready to knock out this crazy milestone!
I probably wouldn’t have run this race if it wasn’t for a Schwaggle. What’s a Schwaggle? It’s the Groupon for the running world. I got the race for half off. So, instead of $60 per person, I got Cairo and I to enter for $30 each. Very cool!
Why wouldn’t I run it? When it comes to races, I’m not a big fan of hills. The Stonebridge Ranch races in McKinney pretty much fit that bill. Plenty of hills and a lot of them are man made. Man made? Yes, when running the shorter races, 5K or 10K, you’re usually running routes on the sidewalks that will take you in a tunnel underneath the major streets. I appreciate McKinney keeping us safe, but the steep inclines are killers. Luckily we did not have these man made hills for the Half Marathon. To the right is the elevation of the race for the Half Marathon.
All in all, I’m so happy that Cairo and I drug ourselves out of bed. The rain was coming down pretty good when we got up and the forecast didn’t look like it was going to let up. I was having flashbacks to White Rock Hypothermia. So, yes, I overdressed. I really didn’t need 2 layers and a rain jacket. The rain jacket was around my waist after the first mile. Thank God that the rain diminished to a drizzle and pretty much stopped toward the middle/end of the race. That was so awesome! I really didn’t want to be drenched in another race. Yes, I’m a wimp that way! I don’t mind too cold or too hot, but once you get me too cold and wet… me no likey!
As you can see by the elevation chart, there were a lot of ups and downs. I really think that Insanity, speed track workouts, and hill workouts powered me through this race. Nothing feels better than looking down at your Garmin at 1.5 miles to go knowing the pace that you’re and the time left, that you’re track to beat your PR.
I beat my previous Half Marathon PR of 1:48:04 with a new PR time of 1:46:39. What an awesome feeling to PR on that stinking course. I cannot believe that I averaged 8:07/mile for the whole thing. The first 6 miles I was at an 8:15/mile pace and then the last 7.1 miles I finished at an 8:03/mile pace.
Cairo and I ran the first few miles together. He tends to start faster than I do and then I catch up to him. I usually catch up to him and he stays with me, but his training hasn’t been where it should be. He finished quite well especially for not getting all of his long runs in. He finished with a time of 1:49:36. With better training, I know that he can kill his PR time of 1:47:42.
While a majority of teenagers slept in, Cairo took first place in his age group. I’m so happy that he was able to place. We both definitely had thoughts of not wanting to get out of bed or out of the car to run the race. We’re both so glad that we did.
Now for a little humor that I hope won’t offend the race director and race peeps. I appreciate everything that they do to put the race on. Before, I get into the humor, the positives…
I really liked starting the race on Virginia Parkway instead of from the Stonebridge Ranch Beach and Tennis Club. It was easier to navigate and a nice downhill to get us started.
I loved running on the roads and all of the police support.
There were plenty of volunteers and water stations.
Despite running into the wind, I liked where the finish line was. It was very cool running on top of the hill and the approach to the finish line.
OK… now to the video.
My Rookie Mistakes at the Water Stations
Some more humor for ya… My water belt is pretty much my safety blanket. I’ve used it for every race above a Half Marathon and for shopping trips to Walmart. :) On the morning of the race, I filled up my water bottles – 2 with water and 2 with Gatorade. While getting ready at the race, I reached in the back seat for my water belt… it was… back at home still on the counter. I kind of freaked for a second or two, but came to grips. I was going to have to use water stops during an entire race for the first time in a long time.
I skipped the first water stop as I was good, but decided to get some water at the second one. I really didn’t want to stop, so I tried to drink and run at the same time. I choked on that water. I looked around for all the peeps noticing or not. It totally jacked with my breathing. It was so not cool! I told Ursula, my non-running wife about this and it was probably the first time that she laughed at something about my running stories. Hmmm… what does that mean?
On my second water stop experience, I made Water Station Rookie Mistake #2… My new strategy was to get the water, walk and drink. However, when I got the water, I walked to the right and then to the left and then who knows where. The poor guy behind me was pretty frustrated with me as he nearly collided with me. I said a quick sorry and drank my water. I caught back up to him and apologized again. I know how it feels as I try to avoid the masses at water stations.
After those two incidents, I was pretty experienced and ready for the rest of the water stations. I really do prefer my water bottles compared to stopping at water stops. I can actually breath, run, and drink at the same time with my water bottles.
No backing out of the Cleveland Marathon now… I just purchased my airline tickets from Dallas to Cleveland. I cannot wait to see family and every one of those 26.2 miles of the Cleveland Marathon in May!
It’s great to have the flight booked 3 months in advance of the race weekend. That’s one less thing to worry about while travelling to an out of state race. Now I’ll have 3 months to think about what to wear. Yes, I’m strange and have pre-race rituals for races. One of them is a new shirt for each marathon. More on that when I go shirt shopping. It’s way too soon for that now. :)
I was so happy to get the tickets for a great price – $222 for round trip. Just a little tip that everyone might know… If you’re looking for a trip somewhere set up a fare alert to know when the fares drop. I have one set up on www.Travelocity.com and www.PriceLine.com. They both alerted me when the price dropped for flights to Cleveland.
For the last couple of years training for marathons I’ve always heard about other runners taking ice baths to recover. My mind would flash back to when I was a teenager falling in the not so frozen creek behind my home in Ohio. I pretty much said that I’d never take an ice bath. I’ve got to get rid of that word: never!
I’ve been taking ice baths since October. I’m sold on them! The recovery time after a long run or long race is minimized tremendously!
When taking an ice bath, I fill the tub up with cold water. When it gets about 3/4 full, I add the ice. I’ve settled on 2 bags of ice. I’ve tried it with 1 bag, but it seems like 2 is the magic number for me. I wear the same compression shorts that I ran in, but I usually go without a wearing a shirt. I cannot stand the feeling of pulling off a freezing wet shirt… it gets wet at the bottom of the shirt.
As mentioned in the video, I’ll listen to some music and set a timer on my phone for 10 minutes. After the ice bath, I do jump in the shower. It doesn’t seem like it negates any affect from the ice bath. It does help my toes as they get numb from the ice bath.
After the ice bath and shower, I get into some comfy clothes and put on my CEP Compression Sleeves. I love the feeling of these sleeves after a long run. It feels like a big old hug stimulating blood flow in my legs. If you’ve ignored everything that I wrote and say “no way” to the ice bath, then at least invest in the compression socks. That alone will definitely help with your recovery.
Some tips for recovering from long runs and/or a long race:
Stretch!
Replenish – I chug down a chocolate mile. Eat a banana and a protein bar. I’ll as well will drink a Gatorade. You’ve got to replace what you’ve burned up during your long run.
Yes, I was a naysayer and said that I would never take an ice bath. Then again, I said that I would never run a Marathon. Once you take the ice bath and see the incredibly quick recovery time, you’ll be sold on them as well! Do it! Take the plunge!
I’ve tried resolutions in the past years and I’ve blogged about them as well. This year I actually avoided resolutions. I feel like I’m continually trying to improve myself in some form or fashion. The improvement could be based on trying to draw closer to Christ, being a better husband or father, getting faster or stronger, and getting healthier. So, it’s really about continuous improvement.
I’ve been hearing about Insanity for quite awhile from people that have gone through it. Most of the reviews have been super positive. I purchased the Insanity program back in the beginning of December in hopes of starting it during my Christmas break. Unfortunately, the Stained Concrete project got in the way and I wasn’t able to do it. For one, the house was a mess and two, doing the floors was pretty insane.
One of the coolest things about doing Insanity is that Ursula and I are doing it together. We’re now toward the end of the 3rd week. We keep encouraging each other and we’ve been good about staying on track.
Insanity is crazy interval cardio training… also known as MAX Interval Training. It pushes you to get stronger at your pace, but pushes you! I really like Shaun T. and the videos so far. They are definitely challenging. I don’t think there’s been a video that I’ve been able to completely perform. I’ve been getting stronger, but the cardio is just insane.
Some things that I really like that Shaun T. says throughout the videos:
Push through! Push through! Push through!
Dig deep!
I’m not trying to hurt you, I’m trying to help you!
That #$^#& was bananas!
I’m talking SPIT!
Peace out!
Only in the 3rd week, I can definitely feel and see results. I‘d definitely recommend this program to anyone that is trying to get fit or fitter. :) The key to this program with any program is to know your body and do what you’re capable of.
I like how the people in the video are real… as in, that they have to take unscheduled breaks as well. I also like that you don’t have to use special equipment for the workouts. You’ve got what you need! Dig deep and do it!
Taking a cue from fellow Cleveland Marathon Blogger, Beal, I thought I’d introduce myself.
My name is Mark and yes, I’m addicted to running. All you’d have to do is my ask my wife, kids, or coworkers, and they’d tell ya! I wasn’t always like this… I actually hated running! Gasp! Yes, I was one of those disbelievers that running could actually be fun and enjoyable.
First of all, I was born in Cleveland. I lived there for 5 years until we moved out into the suburbs… North Ridgeville. I was never really active in high school sports with the exception of bowling. Then again, there’s not really any running in bowling. As well, the cardio isn’t popping off the charts with bowling. After high school, I served 8 years in the Air Force. Once a year we had to take a fitness test to show how healthy we were or weren’t. During that test, we had to run a mile and a half. I thought I was going to die every year! Did I ever train for it? Nope and of course, by not training for it, I dreaded running. I did enjoy racquetball because it just short spurts of running.
Post Air Force, I moved to Dallas, TX, in which I did normal things, but never really went out of my way to exercise. Fast forward to December of 2007 when my sister Denise came to visit me for the Dallas White Rock Marathon. The marathon was such an inspiration. It was awesome to see the excitement of the marathon environment.
It’s so cool to read old blog posts when I was a non-runner. It’s fascinating to see the evolution of I cannot to I can!
Denise was a huge inspiration to me to get me started on running. At the same time I knew that I’d need to lose weight, but more importantly change my lifestyle to be healthier. As well the company that I was working at (and still working at) had a Biggest Loser contest. I won that contest by dropping 25 pounds. That was a crazy time that I experienced a huge paradigm shift of living healthier.
Since the healthier lifestyle, I really took up running. I trained with groups, trained on my own, and then back to training with a group. I have ran 50+ races. I love the race environment! I train for the race environment! Over the last 3 years, I ran 13 Half Marathons and 6 full Marathons. The Marathon is by far the most challenging thing that I’ve ever done. Each time that I run it, it’s brand new!
Out of the 6 marathons, Cleveland has been my most well executed marathon. I’m so looking forward to a strong repeat experience.
My ultimate goal is to run a Sub 4 Hour Marathon. I trained really well for the Dallas White Rock Marathon, but the weather did me in. Yes, I’ll blame the weather. I honestly pushed my training, but listened to my coaches and didn’t overdo it.
I have a very supportive family. I’ve been married for 21 years and have 2 awesome teenagers in high school. I’m blessed to have them in my life!
I enjoy pushing myself to get stronger and faster, but I also enjoy encouraging others to take up running. One of my greatest joys of running has been to see my son getting the running bug. We have grown closer in sharing this bond. As well, he’s learned the value of commitment and determination. He has only been running about a year and has pretty much past me up. Here’s a knock out picture from his first Half Marathon where he beat me by 20 seconds. Being a teenager, he’s not always crazy about the training. But, again, he’s learning the value of commitment!
I hope this gives a little more insight to this Cleveland Marathon Blogger. Also, a little more of a difference is that I’m used to running in the opposite extreme weather conditions. Yes, I’ve run in 90-100+ days… I try not to, but it can be done. Hydate, hydrate, hydrate! I’ve run in a 25K race at midnight in the middle of the summer. You know the race is going to be crazy hot when it’s called El Scorcho!
It does snow a couple of days a year here and I always get out and run in it. It’s such a novelty for us here in Texas. Of course, I love getting strange looks when running when it’s snowing.
Today is a big day for Ursula. She hits the floor fulltime as a Stylist at Green Peridot in Frisco. She has been working there for 18 months as an assistant. Most hairstylists are very eager to jump on the floor to get things cutting. A majority of the time, that eagerness & impatience shortcuts the learning process. (pun intended) Ursula took advantage and seized the opportunity to work as an assistant to the owner, Daniel Lewis for a majority of the 18 months. While assisting for him, she was able to learn from the best. She’s ready to put this knowledge to work.
During her time at Green Peridot she has not only assisted, but has worked on several clients. During that time she has gained their trust and they couldn’t wait until she is fulltime.
I’m a bit biased, but Ursula really cares about her work and the people that take a seat in her chair. Heck, she’s been doing my hair for 20+ years.
If you’re looking for a new hairstylist or want to try out one of those Brazilian Blowouts, please feel confident in scheduling an appointment with her. You can schedule an appointment with her at 469-362-7980.
Tomorrow morning I’ll be running in The Woodlands Marathon down in the suburbs of Houston. This will be my 7th marathon since December 2009. I’ve talked about this marathon to friends & co-workers close to me, but haven’t really blogged or tweeted about it. I’ve been more excited about the Cleveland Marathon since that’s a true destination marathon for me. The Woodlands Marathon will be a mission for me.
