Ten days later: marathon aftermath

For the first week after the marathon I rested. On Monday I ran/walked close to 4 kilometres just to test my legs out.  But as I'm still not 100%, I'm going to rest another week.

I have a few thoughts as I look back on my performance at the Saskatchewan Marathon, as well as regards the event as a whole.

First, not keeping an eye on my running gait probably caused my race time to inflate by an hour.  A simple examination of the underside of my Mizunos Wave Inspire 10's (the shoes I wore for the marathon) reveals that the tread on the lower right quarter of the heel has been filed down to a smooth patch.  I suspect this occurred because of fatigue and stiffness, which in turn happened because I wasn't probably prepared to race (I missed too much running in the final month).

Second, although the overwhelming majority of what I have to say is positive, I think the organizers missed an opportunity with the race shirt this year.  Whereas last year that shirts were a rich blue with dark blue strips, and "Saskatchewan Marathon" across the chest, this year the shirts (the men's shirts, at least) were a strange violet/purple with white stripes and merely "Saskatoon" across the chest.  It feels like someone screwed up by not having the event name across the chest.  As for the colours... Hmmm... I would have preferred pitch black to this.  But that's me.  I suppose it's tough to try to distinguish a race shirt each year.

While my distress has eased considerably, my attention has turned to future races.  Here in Saskatoon we have several on the horizon, including the Mogathon and Mayor's Day Marathon on successive weekends.  Then there's the River Run Classic (HM, 10k and 5k) in July. Of course I have no intention of attempting either of the first two races, but the River Run Classic might be a good one to attempt to set a new 10k PR.  I've only run three 10k's, and none of them at full speed. 

Beyond these races are the Edmonton and Queen City Marathons in August and September.

2015 Saskatchewan Marathon Recap... extended version

I'm addicted.  As I write this I'm laying on my back in bed twenty-nine hours (give or take) after crossing the finish line at the Saskatchewan Marathon.  What follows is my account.

It was sunny (10 Celsius) at the gun. Warm enough to be comfortable, but not too warm.  The mayor gave a speech, but I couldn't tell you what he said.  A singer sang Oh Canada, and a few of us removed our hats.  At the countdown the butterflies in my stomach welled up into a storm, and then the gun shot into the air signifying the beginning of the trial.

Us runners not up front politely walked toward the gargantuan, yet familiar, inflated arch bearing the word "start" on both sides at the top. 

Once across I stuck with the 4:30 pacer (a terrific and friendly gentleman named John) who turned out to be a good natured and encouraging pacer for as long as I stuck with him.

I must admit that it felt strange to be running after having missed so many runs in the previous few weeks.  But this thought passed quickly as the funny signs spectators had made came into view (eg "just remember, you're doing this for a free banana").  The first 19k or so of the course was thronged with both half marathoners as well as us marathoners.  We all had different motivations, from midlife crises and bucket lists to the occasional attempt to recapture old glory.  Some of us ran because that's simply what we do.  

This race felt like a communal event.  All of us running the full marathon will never forget our struggles in the final third or so of the race as we greeted one another on an emptying course (only a few hundred of us did the full marathon, while over a thousand did the half marathon).

I couldn't bear to wear my headphone or cut myself off from the people around me--I probably listened to a total of three or four songs on my phone the entire time.

My lovely common law wife, Jasmine set up a make-shift aid station for me complete with Gu Brew, Voltaren, KT Tape and scissors.  Knowing that she was awaiting me along the course and at the finish line meant everything to me.  I am a lucky man.

I should point out that I even made a friend along the way.  Geoff from Martensville and I ran virtually the entire race together and finished at the same time.  Without his company I think the experience would not have been nearly as rich.

As I passed the 41 kilometre point, many of my leg muscles in failure, a glass-like pain in my right big toe, my sunburned neck and arms sore, I struggled just to move forward.  One of the volunteers a man of roughly fifty years in age, who I will never forget, looked at me and said "I can't do what you're doing."  I thought to myself, "is he kidding, I'm dying here."  But then I knew what he meant, and I respectfully nodded, and said thank you.

The last burst before the finish was not easy.  The virile prairie winds had picked up and swept onto our faces, as if a brief but final obstacle from mother nature.  Strong as it was, those of us who finished were able to endure.

Jasmine and the kids were waiting for me.  Within a moment of crossing I had a medal around my neck.  It was as close to a religious experience as I've ever had.  With my body in terrific pain, my energy zapped and my heart full I collected my free chocolate milk and considered myself lucky.

And so I wonder now, will all these aches and pains, as I lay supine next to the fan and type this post for you, what drives me to want to sign up for this epic struggle again?  It would be so much easier to just do half-marathons.  But there is a reason to sign up again, and it's because I have never felt more alive than running kilometre after kilometre only to suffer at the tail end of a marathon.  I want to chase that feeling (no pun intended).

Five Days to Go until the Saskatchewan Marathon

With five days until the Saskatchewan Marathon, I am ready to go... at least I think I'm ready to go. I've read that right now someone with my body weight should be consuming about 570 grams of carbs per day at this point before the race.  That amount goes up to nearly 800 grams of carbs tomorrow.
I've also eased up on the running (thanks to being sick) and am now fully recovered from the rigours of training.  When I ran 3.8k yesterday my legs felt fresh.
My plan for the next five days is pretty simple: do not get injured and do not get sick.

9 Days and Counting: Taper Time

Wow it's actually nice outside!!!! Cue the weekend blizzard... #Saskatoon #Saskatchewan

A photo posted by John (@misterspalding) on May 22, 2015 at 10:51am PDT

Now that a heatwave has blanketed Saskatchewan with early spring weather here on the cusp of June, we turn our attention to the foliage and random birdsong out the window.  Yes, marathon season is here!

So I missed a good week of running recently thanks to catching the flu.  I missed my 36k long run, but given that I've already done a 32k run and a handful of 24 and 26k runs, I should be fine even if I am convinced that my fitness level sucks right now.

Now I get to taper.  My next run is likely a 3.5k tomorrow, followed by 5-6k on Monday and a light run on Wednesday.

For today, though, I get to sip my 7-11 coffee and smell the lilacs.

Pools

After months and months of bone-chilling cold, Saskatoon is starting to thaw... and that means pools of water are forming on sidewalks, freezing to long dark blocks of ice, and thawing again.  On some stretches of the Meewasin trail off Spadina Crescent running is literally impossible without spikes, and even then it is hazardous.
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In other news, thanks to Voltaren (topical pain relieving gel), my calf cramping issues are subsiding.  But still, I think the key to preventing future soleus muscle injuries will be rely on how much I strengthen that muscle.
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The Saskatchewan Marathon is just 81 days away.

The calm before the training storm

Training begins the week after next.  Right now my runs are typical and non-taxing.  I’ve already begun doing some intensive core work, and I’m starting to see the results.  Believe it or not, I dropped 11 seconds from my typical kilometre pace.  I ran an easy 6 minute pace and mostly depleted my glycogen stores (which weren’t very full given that I depleted them in 10k).  The fact that I attained this pace (and so consistently) while wearing spikes, and running on a mixture of pavement and snow suggests that a) my fueling strategy (banana) is working and that b) the core work is keeping me in good running form throughout.  Bottom line: I’m running more efficiently… and training really hasn’t “begun” yet.  I will say that it’s definitely a nice thing not to have to bundle up as much as I had been when I was running in -30.  Was I faster in lighter clothing? We’ll see.

I ran through Forest Grove to the Meewasin Trail (roughly 4-4.5k to the trail) and ran north along the trail for another 500 metres before turning back and heading home.  The weather was just too good (0 celsius).

I targeted my transverse abdominis muscle when I did my post run workout.  I did this because of two things: 1) I need to increase the stability of my pelvis so that my leg-length difference (3-4mm) doesn’t lead to any pelvic twisting. [Not sure I explained that right]. 2) I’ve heard (can’t remember where) that a stronger transverse abdominis muscle leads to greater speed.

That’s the news.  I’m on pace for 25-ish kilometres this week--that’s not much at all, but it ought to keep me in reasonable shape up until actual training begins.

Marathon Training planning

I’ve never actually trained with a plan for a race before and then implemented it and I've run (no pun intended) into real trouble because of this.  When I ran my sub-2 hour half marathon it was on grit and determination alone.  These two qualities got me through my subsequent two half marathons when I faced an assortment of maladies (iliotibial band syndrome among others).  The bottom line is that I had a steep learning curve and have emerged from my 2013 and 2014 racing experiences with a pretty good sense of where all the running landmines are located.

Today I'm posting my 18 week marathon training plan.  It is a variation of Hal Higdon's freely available intermediate Marathon Training plan. My variations are owing to the fact that I prefer to fit my long runs in during the week, and tend to run a bit less on the weekends.  Totally counter intuitive, I know.  Another variation is that my plan uses the metric system (kilometres, as opposed to miles) because it's a bit more precise--and let's face it, 10 kilometres sounds better than 6 miles.

Another thing to keep in mind is that I'm starting my training in Canadian winter, which is pretty cold.   There are a few rules that I'm adopting to ensure safety while maximizing progress: 

1. Unless the temperature drops below -40c (or if the wind chill drops below -40c) I will not be using a treadmill.
2. Slip-on running spikes will be worn at all times when not running on the Meewasin Trail.  Spikes will be worn on days during and after snowfall on the Meewasin Trail.
3. No speedwork in weather colder than -10c.  No tempo or pace runs when the windchill is colder than -15c.
4. No long runs in weather colder than -15c.
5. Replace running shoes every 600 - 800 kilometres.
6. Carry at least one air activated heat warmer + one hot water bottle.

So here is the first draft of my training program.  Note that the schedule actually starts on January 26th.

Missed Training

Viruses and such are a fact of life when you live with kids.  Although I tend to avoid nasty training-killing bugs, I've succumbed a few times because I have continued to train even after acquiring whatever virus happened to be around.  Thus, I intend to opt out of running on days when I'm obviously fighting something.   I'm going to be more than a little bit surprised if this schedule goes off as planned.  Remember the idea is to train up to the point that 42.2k can be successfully run without injury.

Racing while training

As you can see from the schedule I added a half marathon race in week 13--that is when the Saskatoon Police Half Marathon is schedule.  Given what happened last year when I ran the race (hint: it wasn't good) I'm eager to improve my time.  I'm not training for that race, per se, but I've added a rest day to the schedule in order to conserve glycogen, and may cut down the run for the preceding Friday (currently 8k) to 3k.

Pace

I've set my goal pace for the marathon at 5:32/km.  If I were to run at that pace now, I'd probably be exhausted by 12k, drop to 6-6:30/km and end up well over 4 hours. 

Nutrition

One of the goals of my training (particularly in the second half--which is where I'll be doing the longest runs) will be to find the right mix of sports drinks, gels and various fuels to accommodate my energy needs.  I already know, for example, that Gu Brew works extremely well for me, as do Smarties (deliciously enough) and Glucose tablets.  But I also know that running faster than 5:40/km will probably require a Gu gel or two.

Diabetics, listen up. As for fueling up, I've found that a banana usually does the trick, but so does Gatorade.  But Gatorade packs in a lot of processed sugar and calories.  Bananas, though high on the glycemic index, pack roughly 30 grams of carbs, natural sugars and only 100-ish calories.

Marathon Training with Diabetes

Diabetics have one odd advantage over non-diabetics.  Because we do not break down sugar quite as efficiently, excess sugar will quite literally end up in our blood stream (sometimes exiting through the skin).  This sugar can, and is, used for... wait for it... running energy.  My experience has been that I'm often able to run 10-12k without fueling either before or during the run if I haven't taken my medicine.  Your results may vary.

Bear in mind that I am in terrific physical shape and my blood sugar is under complete control.  If you're a diabetic thinking about running a marathon, you need to honestly assess your health before you start training.  Above all, make sure your blood sugar is under control.

Lastly

I'll be posting more frequently throughout marathon training, and intend to do an extended post-race recap as well. I didn't expect this post to be an epic one when I began writing it.  But it happens.

News + 2015 Saskatchewan Marathon + 2015 Saskatoon Police Half Marathon

On Monday registration begins for the Saskatchewan Marathon.  At the most recent marathon, I ran the 5k event, but this time, I'm running the full 42.2k... and this will be my first attempt.  Although I'm not aiming for a specific time,  finishing in under 4:30:00 would be nice, and under 4:00:00 would be ideal.  So that's that.

As for recent news.  As hard as it is to believe, I've only run three times this month (and it's already December 13th).  And yet, despite this, I've logged just a tad under 60 kilometres (for an average of 20k per run).  I'd be at 80-100k right now if both kids hadn't gotten sick and, well, if I hadn't gotten sick either.  As nice as it would be to have logged more running this month, it's also good to step back sometimes and let you body rest.  Although I'm a bit tired from fighting off the bug, I could definitely do 5 or 10k today.  But why?  The marathon isn't until May 31st, and I'm not running any races in the immediate future.

And this brings me to my next bit, the 2015 Saskatoon Police Half Marathon.  Anyone who knows the inside scoop about the 2014 race knows that I ran it in a lot of physical discomfort and ended up finishing in just under 2:20:00--which is about the time I spend running a casual training run of the same distance.  So I have some unfinished business to attend to here.  My goal is to finish in less than 2:00:00 like I did in Ontario at the Chilly Half Marathon.

The key to everything, when it comes to races, is to be physically ready for the pounding your legs are going to take when you race.  Simply being able to go the distance in training isn't enough, you have to be able to perform at a higher level (otherwise you're not really racing).  At any rate, I still want to participate in the Hypothermic Half Marathon as well, but I feel more inclined to do the 10k event than the 21k given that the race happens in February (which is right about the corner).

So that's it for now!

Saskatchewan Marathon Day Photos

Check out the Recap page for the official race recap.

The Saskatchewan Marathon Expo

Today was packet pick-up day at Prairieland Park for tomorrow's big race. That's right, folks, the Saskatchewan Marathon is tomorrow.  I'm running the 5k event, which is probably a good thing as I'm still on the mend.  My next half marathon will be in June, with another to follow in July.  But for now I get to cut my teeth on another 5k.

The Team Diabetes folks even had fake tattoos (not pictured here), in addition to stickers. Brainsport was on hand... selling some interesting gear.  I got the marathon hat... 

Kind of interesting that they brought the start/finish line to the expo.  Does that normally happen?

This part was a little weird since no one seemed to care about the guest speaker.

Canadian humor.

... And somehow the day ended at McDonald's

And so, faced with a need to unburn the 400-500 calories I needlessly burned running today, I took advantage of a trip to McDonald's--which I'm sure Meb, Ryan Hall, Shalene Flanagan and all the other gods of running do on a daily basis.  I should point out here and now that, aside from my beautiful girlfriend, I live with two kids.  Want to guess how much they love the playground at McDonald's?  If you guessed "more than anything else in the known universe," you would be correct.  Normally, though, I don't order fries, McFlurry and a diet f-ing coke; in fact, I don't order anything, save for the occasional unsweetened iced coffee.  (note: despite the poor food choice this evening, my postprandial blood sugar was only 127).

Today's run was interesting as I didn't have any real running fuel, and didn't have the time to get any either.  So I fueled up on a potato scone. Shockingly, I didn't have a particularly good run. 33 minutes and 5.5k.  The pace was deliberately slow, of course; but the point was really just to get my body used to running everyday again (given the lack of continuity in April).

This was another run through Forest Grove. The temp was a fairly warm 20c.

This was an interesting little path from the park to a nearby street.

On another note, the Saskatchewan Marathon is 24 days away!  I'm running the 5K event, thankfully.  Not sure how competitive I'm going to be.  But we shall see.