Training is over: now it's on to Marathon Weekend!

With only a few days to go before we set out for Winnipeg, I'm seeing some interesting camping weather ahead.  Luckily it seems that it won't be bad on Marathon morning!  

Here are some interesting statistics and facts relating to my training this year:

741K run / 1,764K combined (cycling/running)

Cities: 6 (Saskatoon, Banff, Calgary, Vancouver, Port Coquitlam and Yellowknife.)

Races: 6 (Three Half Marathons and Three 5Ks)

For the next few days I am taking it easy and avoiding unnecessary activity (i.e. no push-ups, squats, cycling etc.)

Running 32k for the first time

So 1.5 months until the #marathon !!! #Saskatoon #Saskatchewan #running #races #Canada

A photo posted by John (@misterspalding) on Apr 15, 2015 at 3:26pm PDT

You only 32k/20m for the first time once.  With the 2015 Saskatchewan Marathon rapidly approaching, I'm deep into my training on the winding path of the Meewasin Trail here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  My runs have been between 3.5 and 26k thus far, but yesterday was a milestone: 32k.  I'm not sure what sounds more impressive, 32 kilometres or 20 miles.  They are roughly the same distance, and yet the numeric sting of 32 or the impressive heft of the word "mile" add a certain undefinable quality to each.

In preparation for my long run I "carbed up" for two days ensuring that more than my usual < 300 grams of carbohydrates.  I ate things like fettuccine alfredo and other carb-heavy foods, while also drinking gatorade and eating fruit.  My secret vice, Doritos, contributed sodium--but otherwise, their importance is debatable.

Before taking off to run, I drank about 500ml of gatorade, consumed one organic banana and one PowerBar gel pack.  During the run I had one bottle of Gu brew, two Gu gels, and about 750ml of water, along with a bag of skittles (mostly near the end).


Part One: The first 10k.

I set out running on the sidewalk in my neighbourhood until I reached the first asphalt trail (exactly 1km).  It was a slightly chilly 10c, but I felt quite comfortable in my long sleeve tech shirt (from a 5k race I did in 2013) and Under Armour running pants.  As I made it past the first kilometre it occurred to me that I had 31 left to go.  I wasn't intimidated by the challenge, but I wasn't totally comfortable with it either.  For most first time runners the 32K is the apex of their training, whereas for me it is the first of several 30K+ runs.
Then I yawned around the 2k point.  Realizing that my muscles needed more oxygen, I took deeper breaths.  I averaged a 6:14/k pace over the first 3k, but from 4 to 10 I ran about 6:00/k.
My first stop came at 3.5k when I crossed a heavily travelled street.  After that I ran through University of Saskatchewan and onto the Meewasin Trail.  As I reached the 10k point, I felt great.  I drank a bit of my Gu Brew and had a Gu gel.

Part Two: The next 16k.

I accidentally "ended my run" according to Runtastic, and was forced to begin a new run.  No big deal.  Strangely enough, though, I wasn't particularly aware of the fact that my pace really picked. But no big deal, right?
As I wound along the South Saskatchewan River, I saw other runners.  Some, I noted, ran on the grass alongside the trail, while others ran on the trail itself as I did.

You don't really notice the accumulation of tightness or pounding your body takes until it sends you a few warning signs.  But by the time you hamstrings, let's say, begin to start hurting, there isn't too much you can do about it.

Part Three: The finish

What I found most challenging was how sensitive my legs became after the 24k point.  It really got to the point where I had trouble tolerating running on the asphalt of the trail.  Otherwise, though, it wasn't until about 30k that my heart rate began to rise to a level higher than it ought to be given the effort.

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!

An example of being a diabetic runner

I don’t spent enough time talking about what it is to be a runner who is a diabetic.  Truth be told, this is because it doesn’t affect me nearly as much you’d think.  I wake up, take a pill, eat breakfast and go about my life the same way you go about yours. 

Well today I was acutely reminded of my status as a diabetic.  You see, I’ve decided to drop a few pounds; and of course, I’ve gone a little overboard in the past 2 days (having lost over 2 pounds).  So naturally, when I got halfway through my 10k run today, I had no energy left.  Joy.  Here’s what happened.

When I started my run at 12:30pm, it was 17c and cloudy.  Unbeknownst to me, the calorie deficit that I created had left my muscles with precious little glycogen in reserve.  The only significant amount of glycogen in my body had come from the 500ml of Gatorade that I drank before my run.  When I started my run (in Sutherland, a neighborhood in Saskatoon), I felt like it was probably going to be an off day, but that happens, doesn’t it?

I didn’t bring my headphones with me because I think that music is distracting me from paying attention to work I’m doing when I’m out running.  Yes, I said work.  I don’t like the distraction a phone and headphones makes.  Did you see Meb fiddling with Runtastic during the Boston Marathon?  Even better, does Meb ever drop his phone during a race?  No… because he probably doesn’t bring it with him. (*yes, believe it or not, I’ve dropped my phone twice during races).

Saskatchewan has such unbelievably flat terrain, you could probably see for hundreds of kilometers were it not for tractors, barns, and the occasional Tim Horton’s obscuring the horizon.  There’s a 500 meter bike path that runs along Circle Drive in Sutherland, with one end near 108^th Street East.  I do a few out and backs here and quickly realize that I have no speed today.  Yes, the 10lbs of ankle weight I ran with yesterday have made today’s run a bit harder since some of my muscles are still a tad bit sore.

The bridge over Circle Drive is half bridge and half overpass, but my first word to describe it is bridge.  Interesting.  Once over the bridge, I proceed to run along 108^th for a bit and then enter the University of Saskatchewan campus and run along Research Drive.  Right as I reach the 4k mark, I begin to feel my energy rapidly diminishing.  Suddenly my muscles have mutinied and are actively betraying me, and my body comes to a halt at the 4.4k mark.   I have two loonies and a quarter with me, which isn’t enough to buy much on a college campus, so I forgo the campus’s Tim Hortons in favor of running a direct route back to the apartment, which is (of course) 5k away.  Naturally no one, no matter how messed up they are, is going to end a run at 9.4k unless they absolutely have to. 

It is then that I realize that I’m carrying the glucose tablets.  I chew the first, and nothing happens.  I try to run, but don’t get far before my body grinds to inaction. I then take the remaining three tablets, and within a minute I am in possession of genuine energy.  I’m also in a precarious position.  My blood sugar is certainly very low, and if I don’t get my blood sugar up, I am in big trouble.  My options: walk home and hope I arrive quickly enough.  Run home and burn more energy, but arrive sooner.

Ultimately, I decide to run home at a 10:30/mile pace.  Fast enough that I’ll get home twice at quick as walking, slow enough that I’m not burning crazy amounts of energy. And so I set off, soaked in sweat, and ran along Research Drive towards 108^th Street East.  When I walk into the apartment I’m seeing stars, the middle of my vision is almost black.  I immediately start drinking Gatorade and make a bowl of oatmeal with whey protein.  Crisis averted.  But seriously.

As dismaying as it is to come back from a run with hypoglycemia, I got some insight into what it’s like to actually run out of energy on a run… you know, what it is to hit the wall.  And rest assured that it sucks.  It sucks badly, in fact.  But a few glucose tablets gave me the energy to run for another 30-something minutes.   In a strange way, I look forward to hitting the actual marathon wall at the Queen City Marathon in September.  It’ll be an experience.

Marathon training, week 1

5/6

For the first time in months I feel almost extraordinary after running. I did 6k on the treadmill at nine minutes per mile (sorry folks...but I track my distance using the metric system and my speed using the imperial system). I feel pretty good, my IT band didn't give me trouble; and at the end of it I had a nice good sweat going. But here's where it gets interesting. For the first time, I did a yoga session immediately after I finished running. It was a little weird honestly, but you know what? I got a pretty good stretch session in. Above all: I stretched.


5/8

Did 5k today and yesterday. Easy runs. Yesterday I did a 9:30, 8:30 and a 7:30 mile on the treadmill. Felt pretty good.

Today I ran outside--very easy run. 10:00 miles. Pretty stiff wind. Stiffness in my left piriformis muscle kept my pace slow.


5/9

Rest day. Iced coffee, cheezies and relaxation. Since Dharma doesn't have pre-k today, I made Magic Shells and magic hot dogs--truth be told, that's two days in a row of the same lunch. My next race, the Saskatoon Transplant Trot, is coming up on Sunday. It's a 5k race, though I won't really be racing per se. Afterwards I intend to do another 5k. As for Saturday, I'm going to cross train.