Veni, Vidi, Vici @ The Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon

Well, maybe the "vici" part is stretching it. But I did it. I completed the full 26.2 miles of the marathon. Got it done before everyone went home and I didn't get injured. This is not to say that it wasn't difficult. It was.

The first three or four miles, I didn't even feel like I was running. It was all adrenaline and excitement. I knew I didn't want to go out too fast to start, so I was as slow as I could to keep my pace down to compensate. I forced myself to drink at the water stations every two miles.

But it was much more hilly than I thought. (Even the elite racers complained a bit in the paper the next day that this track was much more difficult than they expected.) The hills were not to be underestimated. I prepared fairly well for them, but there were some stretches of the hills that my hamstrings got tight and I was forced to walk a half mile or two at a time. But during the whole event, I met and talked some great people.

People like:

My training partner, Brett. We got it through together to the end.

The cancer survivor, Miriam, that I met at mile 4. We exchanged stories of her lymphoma and my mom's. We talked about how this race was more than just a run. We talked about how the past and the future are great to think about, but it's 'at the moment', where life is lived. And we did so for a couple more miles together.

I also saw some cool stuff like...

Awesome Elvis (complete with the 1970's chops and glasses):

A bald eagle at mile 7:

Countless volunteers saving our lives with water and Cytomax:

"Hawaiian" dancers:

Oh, and I also ran. I did have some great points of running pride for miles where my pace was great for me (10:00) and the views were wonderful near the lake (I think I saw Bill Gates' house) and downtown Seattle.

Around mile 18 came the big hills. And it was a long stretch. But I plodded on. Some running, some speed walks, some flat out walks. Around mile 20 or so, the cramps came on a bit. The rock hard legs. But at that point, being about mile 22, I knew there was no chance that I wouldn't finish. It was too close.

When I saw there was only about a mile to go, I saw my wife, family and friends cheering their lungs out for me. I saw one of my coaches. I was overwhelmed with feelings that are unreal. I laughed and cried at the same time. Running through my mind were the feelings of accomplishment and struggle. I felt every emotion. Getting closer to that mile 26.2. When I could see the finish line, I couldn't stop smiling. I did it. Over that last mile, I just recalled a lot over the past 5 months. I thought about:

-How far I've come from just 5 months ago when my long run was 2 miles.

-Why I did this. For the cancer survivors and patients needing the help to find cures.

-All of the people, friends, colleagues and strangers that supported me and this cause with their money, advice, inspiration and good thoughts.

-My mom and my brother and their cancer fights. They lost in the end, but they were courageous and strong at age 43 and 8 respectively. They are my heroes.

-How two years ago and 90+ pounds heavier that this feat would have been impossible.

-All of the "go Chris!" and high fives and "you can do it" shouts you get for 5 hours across a running route that make you keep putting one foot in front of the other.

-The 4AM wake-up calls for runs over the past 5 months where my wife and kid sacrificed sleep so I could get my mileage in.

-The 400 miles plus of training runs I ran to make this happen.

-The kids and adults surviving their cancers coming out to support us. Bald and beautiful they were. Each and every one.

Running a marathon can be done by anyone. I'm certainly proof of that. It's also a great metaphor for life. It's challenging, it gives you times where you feel like giving up. It has its times when you're on top of the world and times when you're tired and exhausted. But you just keep going and finally, you can see the finish line and you make it through.

This was one of the happiest times of my life, that crossing of the line. One of the best I've ever had.

So my thanks to all of you that helped make this happen. I couldn't have done it without you. My wife, family, friends, co-workers, colleagues, coaches, trainers, doctors and Team In Training buddies and training group friends (Brett, Raja, Cynthia, Sara, Steve.) Thanks to you all.

Thanks also to all of you that donated and sponsored me for this run and this fight against blood related cancers. I was the top Arizona fundraiser for the Seattle marathon and I have you to thank for that. We raised over 4 million dollars from Arizona this year. So my heartfelt thanks go to:

Desert Vista Consulting

Phil Larkin

Jim Bader

Evan Brya

Pilar Brya

Jennifer Brya

Karen Linkins

Choice Foundation

Jill & Denise

Jason Rzutkiewicz

Linda Linkins

Kamal

Jeff Schueler

Carmen Hernandez

Michelle and Alex Hulse

Kim Arment

Robyn Karmiol

Jose and Mary Alvarez

Sharon Wells

Dan Shufelt

Craig Zahn

Miguel Almaraz

Renalyn Andor

Brad and Paula Loebbaka

Brian Lynch

Bee Yeap

Brad Kloch

Dan Harkins

Paula Valentine

Libby Burke

Gina Finkelstein

Diane Wynn

Georgette Shalhoup

Kasia Jezuit

Bill Dean

Rohan Pyne

Monica Lomeli

Doug Miller

Charisse Richards

Chad Mason

Gaurav Parekh

Deborah DeCorrevont

Kristina Harmon

Karlyn Evans

Carlos Aguayo

Vanessa Manzella

Becky Michael

Garet Burns

John Kinnane

Luis Vargas

Pawan Bhatia

Kunal Shah

Gloria Bustamante

Cathy Poinsett

Andrew Milazzo

Michelle Dash

Jason Dahlin

Christina Damon

Adie Alvarez

Lisa Saunders

Thanks once again. You made it possible and you were there with me each step of this race. I'm forever grateful.

I went long.

-Chris

PS: Other pictures of my run:

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=45933&BIB=25143

Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon In Five Days

So, the time has come. No more racing, hills, intervals or tapering down. My runs now are power walks this week. Resting and relaxing until Saturday June 27th. In five days, the marathon will be here.

I'm as ready as I'm ever going to get.

Sad that the training has come to an end. There are some things I won't miss. I'm not sad about getting up at 4AM every single Saturday morning. I'm not sad about the pounding of my lower body. I'm not sad about the stress and strain on my body. I'm not sad about the mood swings. I'm not sad about the reason for this run. Cancer. With the help of my friends and supporters I've raised more money than anyone in Arizona for the Team In Training group heading to Seattle this year. (So THANKS for all of you that donated to this cause!) Hopefully with the collective fundraising the LLS has done, we'll knock out (or severely wound) this disease.

But I am sad about missing the cameraderie. I will miss my training pals. I'll miss the great feeling of accomplishing something I NEVER thought I could do each and every week. Remember, this is the first endurance event I've ever trained for. Each week, I hit a PR (personal record) on my length of run each weekend. That's a great feeling. I can recall driving home each week saying, "wow, I just ran 6 miles", "wow, I just ran 12 miles" and "wow, that was really, really hard, but I did it."

So I will miss the good stuff. But the best stuff is to come. On Saturday, my first marathon. I still can't believe it.

Like a first kiss (and other firsts), I don't think I'll forget it. I know I won't forget the process. I'll take the good, the bad and the ugly. It's the experience I will treasure.

But it's not happened yet, so wish me luck. I'll take all the luck I can get. From the back of the pack we need all the help we can get. But I'm confident that I'll finish no matter what. My time, speed and pace will be what they are: PR's for me. And for the first time ever running a marathon, I will be setting a record. My own.

Going long!

PS: For those of you interested, you can track my actual run live as I'm doing it. On June 27th at 7AM, you can follow my run online by visiting:

Mobile device (with internet access):
http://mobile.instamapper.com/ext?key=5298752144926446285

Web/computer access:
http://www.instamapper.com/ext?key=5298752144926446285

Seattle Marathon course:
http://www.rnrseattle.com/elite/Assets/rnrsea/images/sea_09_coursemap_v3.jpg

Sofa King Slow

Base training? Check.

Running intervals? Check.

Hills? Check.

Injury? Check. (A definitive check.)

20 mile long run under your belt? Check.

Speed? Not on your life.

So I've been training for this marathon and as far as marathon training goes, I have no complaints. Actually, I have no reference for how it is "supposed" to go. I can only do what I can and on the advice of coaches and real endurance athletes that have gone before me.

What I can say given all that I've done or tried to do is that I'm slow.

Slow like molasses. Slow as in I'm hoping to be sub-6 hours at this point. Well, maybe not that slow, but still. My grandiose visions of coming in 4 hours or 4:30 are long gone. Now I'm just hoping to finish before everything closes.

Unfortunately, there really isn't time left for me to improve this. I have the endurance to finish the 26.2 miles. That I'm sure of. It's just the speed. This slow going is not what I envisioned. Not that I planned on having Kenyan like speed and agility. I mean, I weigh over 200 pounds for god's sake. But running slowly drains you mentally. You want to finish your goal (time, distance or what have you) sooner to get it over with and accomplish it. When you run slow to keep your heart rate and pace manageable so that you CAN finish, but it slows you down, you're only prolonging that finish line.

But I guess it's about finishing that matters. Nobody gives a rat's about my time. I will have completed this marathon on June 27th and will have the proof to say so and can tell my kids and anyone who asks, "yes, I've run a marathon before." And it's true what they say about running a marathon. You can amaze yourself on what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it and take it one step at a time. I mean, I got up at 3:45 AM last Saturday. Met my group at 4:45, I was on the road at 5 AM and ran 16 miles for shits and gigs. Not bad. Not something everyone does or can do. I'm proud of that accomplishment and my new endurance abilities.

Now if it didn't take so long.

Maybe next time.

Hey, the PF Chang's Rock n Roll Phoenix Marathon is only 7 months away.

Going long!

The 20 Mile Training Run (aka weather research)

Ok. So I just completed this weekend my long training run in Malibu of 20 miles for the marathon. I actually did 20.2 miles, but who's counting? (My actual path is shown above) Anyway, the run went really well. Better than expected actually. I think it's because my training partners and I have been running in Phoenix and the lowest it gets temperature wise is about 75 degrees in the morning. I started in Marina del Rey and it was 55 degrees. By the time I finished, it was a boiling 71 degrees.

So, to my running pals that think I've abandoned them on our long run, I was simply doing temperature based running research and yes, temperature makes a big difference. We're all going to knock it out in Seattle because their temps are similar to what I ran.

The run was actually one of my best. I started in Marina del Rey, went through Venice, Santa Monica and up to Malibu and back. 20 miles is still a long way, but easier with good weather and a view.



So now we being our tapering down period in getting prepped for the June 28th marathon. We will actually be running fewer miles on weekends. I am looking forward to this since my knees and legs hurt after these long runs. (Although running a quick mile the next day makes it easier. Thanks Jason)

I'll keep you updated as we taper down and get ready for the actual marathon. 20 miles ran in one shot. A great accomplishment. A very memorable run. The longest of my life.

But it's still not 26.2 miles as the marathon will be. That's coming in a very short month.

Going long!

Even Lance Thinks Marathons Are Tough

"For the level of condition that I have now, that was without a doubt the hardest physical thing I have ever done. I never felt a point where I hit the wall. It was really a gradual progression of fatigue and soreness."

"I can sit around for a year and do a 10k, no problem, even a half-marathon. But the marathon is scary and intimidating enough that you can't just phone that in. You have to train.


-Lance Armstrong, [commenting on running the New York City Marathon in his post-cycling career]

OMG 18 miles is a long way to run...

I know I shouldn't start off a post with that type of title, but c'mon.  Who runs 18 miles without stopping?  It's not normal.  I'm now convinced that a half marathon is a much smarter race distance.  Especially since at the 13.1 mile mark of last Saturday's run, I thought to myself, "If I were running a half marathon, I'd be done training by now" and also thinking, "why not run the half marathon in Seattle?"

But, I set out to do a traditional marathon and that distance is 26.2 miles.  So off I run.  

However, I also need to rationalize a bit.  The temperature in Seattle this past Saturday was 49 degrees for their low.  My Phoenix low was 72 degrees, their HIGH for the day.  So, I'm thinking that 18 miles in Phoenix heat has to have a conversion factor of some type so maybe it's like running 22 or 24 in 50 degree weather?  I sure hope so, because the heat is a killer.  Even when I start my long run Saturday training at 5:30 AM.

Side note:  The Chicago Marathon that killed one marathoner and halted the race was stopped because it got to be 88 degrees.  When I finished on Saturday, it was 94.  Just for the record.

Injury update:  So the ass injury is about 98% healed.  I ran the 18 last week and felt strong cardiovascularly, muscle wise and injury wise so (knock on wood) I think I'm good to go.  It's just a heat battle now.  And a mental one.

Side note 2:  I'm not only bitching about the heat.  The toll running this distance takes on your body is not to be underestimated.  I could barely walk up/down stairs on Sunday.  Thank god for ibuprofen.  I'm OK now but WOW, nobody tells you about this stuff before you embark on the "I'll run a marathon and get that off my bucket list" adventure.

Going long!

Injury update

So I'm in Dallas this week.  Did a workout at the gym and it went well.  I'd say the pain is 95% gone and I was able to run for 45 minutes on it with no problems.  Now I need to get back into hard core training!  Less than 2 months until the marathon.

I have an 18 mile run this Saturday, so I'm hoping the endurance will come back soon.  Otherwise, I'll be in for a v e r y slow run.  In the heat no less.

Going long...

Built For Comfort, Not For Speed

Sorry I haven't written in a bit. I've been hitting the training running up to 16 miles now. The 20 mile long run is coming soon. 5/30 to be exact. No real problems to report.

That is until...

I got my first running injury.

Yes it was bound to happen and is considered a right of passage for all runners. Too bad it had to happen when I'm in serious high mileage training weeks.

I think I got it from running in PV up 32nd street to Lincoln where it gets hilly. Perhaps it was the downhill from there? Who knows. The point is I have (literally) a pain in my ass. No, not there. But close. It's an Ischiogluteal Bursitis. Lots of fancy things. It's literally and figuratively a pain in the ass. Makes running and sitting difficult.

So I've been training less. Less mileage. No hills. No intervals to speak of. Keeping hydrated, stretching and seeing my new best friend, Dr. Kevin Sherman at Ironcare Sports Therapy to work out the area. And that's really been helpful.

So, I've got a 12 mile run this Saturday, 5/9. Then we are moving to 17 miles, 18, and 20 before we start to taper down.

Marathon in Seattle is on 6/28.

I'll keep this blog posted as I progress.

Going long!

Hill Training In The Rain

So we did another round of hill training this past Saturday.  It was actually a VERY wet and rainy day for Phoenix and so our training group got pounded by steady rain the entire run.  Eight miles of hills backed with cold weather and rain.

Nothing quite like being literally drenched from head to toe and running.  It was pretty serene at the same time so I'm not sure if I'm hoping for rain again, but since we are running in Seattle in June for this marathon, training in the cold/rain is really appropriate.

I'm not sure why, but when I run in the South Mountain hills, I usually run well.  And this rainy run was no exception.  It was actually my best time and I felt strong throughout.  (For the most part.)

Our coach Steve says that if it rains like that in Seattle, it will actually help us.  Not sure why, but I'll take all the help I can get.  26.2 miles is a long way.

This Saturday, we're off to canal running again.  This time hitting 12 miles.  

Seems like just yesterday when I was scared of the 6 miler.  

The Mother of All Training Watches

Ok. I got a new piece of training equipment. Yes, it's like wearing a small computer (literally) on your wrist, but this thing is the Ferrari of training watches. It's the Garmin Forerunner 305.

It's my training partner: holds me to the line, makes me get out and work out, and gives me the information I need to advance. Of particular interest to me are: miles run; average HR (heart rate) and maximum HR, calories expended and time run. Here's how it works: I strap the HRM around my chest and turn on the wrist unit. The GPS locks on to satellite positions.

I press "start" and go! While I am moving during the workout, I am being tracked. If I stop, the tracking program "pauses;" thus, my actual results are only for while I am moving. It's a pretty significant piece of hardware, but of the research I did, and GPS/HRM units I've owned (Nike, Polar), at this time the Garmin 305 is the most appropriate to my needs. Both the HRM strap as well as the "watch" are comfortable.

Best of all, the wireless communication is spot-on -- the watch picks up the transmitted heart rate much better than the Polar unit I previously used, for instance. And the ability to sync my GPS/HR data not only to my computer (Garmin has proprietary software) but also Garmin's MotionBased.com is crucial. After any workout, I upload the data to my MotionBased account, which charts all the data and allows me to review statistics. I simply plug a cord in to my computer's USB port, launch IE or Firefox and upload the data to my MB Inbox. Then, I can add any notes/details/names of the training session. The kind of information Garmin and MotionBased training provides is much more comprehensive than the more subjective tracking I've done by creating my own workout logs on Google spreadsheets.



Yes, it's all a bit nerdy, but the feedback you need, as I'm learning to keep me on pace and to track my runs, has been great. Now I can do it all with one piece of equipment. Nice.

Sucking Wind Now...

So last night we did interval training.  This training technique is quite often practiced by long distance runners (800 metres and above) although some Sprint/sprinters are known to train using this technique as well.

Distance runners often practice intervals on tracks, running hard at a certain pace for a specified distance (or, less often, time) and jogging, walking, or resting between (for a set distance/time.) Distances can also vary; one example would be a "ladder" workout consisting of a 1600-meter, two 1200-meter, three 800-meter, and four 400-meter repetitions, each at an appropriate speed and with an appropriate amount of recovery.

Interval training is a favorite of coaches because of its effectiveness in cardiovascular buildup and also its ability to make more well-rounded runners.

What it meant for me?  Sucking wind!  Big time.

But it's a necessary evil apparently.  You get out what you put in and 26.2 miles is looming closer and closer.  We will be doing interval training each Wednesday now.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Assuming I make it.

The Power of GU

So, we're now getting up there in miles.  At least for me.  8 miles and 10 miles on Saturdays.  Keeping milegage about 12-15 during the week.  But I've noticed something as of late.

I'm tired.

Like really tired when I run.  Not fatigue.  Not pain.  Not out of breath or muscular, bone or joint problems.  Just plain ass tired.

It can't be me.  What's going on? 

So I've been asking people that run.  What could be causing my extreme tiredness?  Was it the training itself?  Was it my diet?

"Well Chris, are you running over an hour?"

"Yes," I replied.

"How long are you running time wise?"

"About 75-90 minutes" was my reply.

"So how much water or calories are you taking in on your runs?"

"Huh?"  was my official response.

"You are eating something and staying hydrated on your runs, right?"

"No.  Not at all" I said as I can see where this heading.

"Chris!  What's your problem?  Are you kidding?  Of course you need to hydrate and eat!  You're running 8 maybe 10 miles and you've got to stay hydrated and you need to eat.  Try GU energy gels."

"GU?"  

I've come to love my GU.  GU is what keeps me going.  Now my tired runs are no more.  The energy and stamina are back and I can complete my runs with much more ease.  I can't believe what I was thinking.  

So now my runs include hydration and GU.  Hell, I'm even wearing a fuel belt to hold all of this.  

Who knew running had so much to it.  I thought you just ran.  Like Forrest Gump.

Apparently, like everything else in life, to really achieve your goals, you also need a strategy.

(Thanks to Jason, Kamal, Steve and Kirsten for the running advice.  Much appreciated!!!)

Weeks 3/4 Training Summary

So I'm done with weeks 3 and 4 training. We've built up a solid base of 6 mile runs. So far, so good. No injuries, blisters or issues to deal with. Really, for me, it's all mental. Now that I'm in territory where I've never run before in terms of distances, I seem to not be able to have the mindset where it seems possible. It just seems daunting.

So this past Saturday, we did trail runs to improve our hill training. The picture above is the view from our South Mountain Park hills course. Great views in between up/down elevations that can leave you winded in like 30 seconds.

By the way, the course for the Seattle Marathon is not exactly flat so it is a very good thing we're training for hills and changes in elevation. Check out the course elevation chart:




So, that said, we did hill training in South Mountain park here in Phoenix. Not bad. I did way better than I thought I would or could. So I suppose the training is going well. We will be expanding into long distances in March and April will be heading in for 10-12 mile runs on our long days (Saturday.)

I'll let you know how I'm doing. Or not doing.

PS: I really appreciate all of you that donated to this cause. It was really amazing to see the outpouring of support and well wishes. Not to mention the actual financial donations. I reached my goal of $3500. Thanks again to you all!!

The Deception of Equipment

So being a non-runner, I'm prone to listening to the advice every runner I know gives me. "You've got to do this Chris", "Make sure you do that, Chris", etc. I listen because I'm a novice runner. (Note to actual runners: I use the term "runner" for myself very loosely. I am not yet a runner of any type and those that might see me run would agree. But I need a term to utilize and "runner" is all I've got. So my apologies.)

But some of the advice was great. Most involved equipment. Like the new shoes deal. Much improved. I was running with the wrong equipment. I corrected it and I've moved on. Great advice.

Other advice was also good. Run to music. I do and it helps. Especially long songs that are like 10-12 mintues long. Those help and it helps me keep my pace.

Other advice included getting a good watch. One with a pace timer, heart rate monitor (with chest strap no less) so I know how fast my heart rate is going so as to not overtrain or run too fast. Yes, like that's a problem. But I got one.

I was also told about a new iPhone app called RunKeeper which tracks your run, pace, time and distance on a map using GPS. Very cool. I've used it the past three weeks and it works great.

But this morning, I set out for my run. I was in a hurry because I had a busy morning. So I set out at 5:15 AM running for training sake. But in my rush, I forgot my music. I forgot the iPhone. I didn't have my fancy running iPhone application. I didn't have my fancy heart-rate watch. I just got out and ran. Solo. Sans equipment.

And guess what? Turns out I ran 6 miles.

Officially matching the longest run I've ever taken in my life. All without the equipment. Just me and road. In my third week of training.

And it was good.

(But I did miss the music.)

Summary: Week 2 Training

This week the mileage stayed about the same. A couple 2-3 miles twice this week and a four mile run today with the training group. All in all, not bad. Although I felt a little tired today. I also noticed a small issue: some low back pain this week. (This picture was on the canals again today. I was actually running when I took this mid-stride with my iPhone as that's my shadow. I'm surprised it's not more blurry.)

Now, it could be due to some golf. But I've been playing golf for 32 years and never had a back issue. I started training for a marathon two weeks ago. Something tells me it's the running. So all of you runners out there, leave me a comment and let me know if this is normal. It's not that bad, just a small irritant now.

Runners tell me that good shoes will eliminate those small things. Well, low and behold, I went to Road Runner Sports in Scottsdale and got fitted for a pair of shoes. They videotaped my stride, had me walk on electronic pads. They did this over two rounds until they came to a recommendation that showed my feet running in the "proper" form and felt good on me.

The result? I'm now rolling in the Nike Zoom Structure Triax+ 12. How about them apples? So we'll see how this helps over the next week. They felt great today and earlier this week.

Yes, I know it's a sales ploy with the videos and technology mumbo-jumbo at the store to sell me a shoe. But it worked. And so have the shoes so far. I'll give updated details as we progress.

Week 1 Training Complete

So, week one of marathon training is over.

We met as a group today to do a group run of about 4 miles up/down the canals along the Biltmore Hotel. It was freezing cold. So note to self (or others) that if you're a native Arizonan and you decide to do an early morning run at 6:45AM or so and the temperature is about 40 degrees, you might want to think about some running gloves. Just a tip. Your hands will freeze to the point you think you have arthritis. Again, just a tip.

That said, I plowed through a massive 12 miles this whole week. Not bad. Got through it without any pains or problems. Next week we start moving some mileage up so we'll see how that goes.

Oh, so make no bones about it. As well as I think I've done in week 1, the funny thing was there were 2 women that weighed 175 pounds (between them) that started their runs today, did their four miles in the time I was barely done with two. So I have new running heroes to look up to. Two women that weigh less than my torso. And they'll kick my ass running any day of the week.

You always need to be wary of small statured, powerful women. They seem to rule the world.

Training: Day 3

So here we go. The training starts. It's actually not bad. One, because the mileage is really low. Something that I am definitely used to. Like 2 miles. My adage is, I am going to start off slow and taper off from there, so the mileage now is easy.

But you fast forward to the training schedule which show by end of March 2009, I will be doing long runs of about 8-10 miles. This seems daunting. The longest "race" I've ever run in was a Phoenix 10k about 1000 years ago and that is 6.2 miles. So 8 miles seems steep.

And add to that is that a marathon is 26.2 miles. Doing some quick math shows that 26/8 is 3.25. This means that my longest run ever will happen in a month and that's only 1/3 of what I'll need to complete this run.

I feel like I'm in school when given a large book to read and you see the page count. I feel like there's a lot of pages here. Not sure how it's going to get done.

But I venture on...