The race felt great. I feel great. It is a good day. Here are my numbers:

TB and Owen cheered me (and the other 27,000+ runners) along on a cool, overcast Seattle day. I credit Hal Higdon’s training regiment—which I mentioned briefly back in March—for helping me prepare for this race. I stuck to his Novice 1 marathon training guide for 16 weeks, running four days every week. I never missed a day, peaking at 18 miles (Week 13) before tapering for today’s race. I did not feel tired or winded at any point and I never stopped running. My left hamstring tightened up at mile 10 but the muscle fatigue did not destroy my race like in Skagit Valley. Training beyond the half-marathon distance really helped build my endurance and increase my speed.

Sidebar
Besides running faster, I made one other significant change for today’s race. For the first time, I ran without carrying any fluids. No CamelBak (reference). No FuelBelt (reference). Instead, I drank the water and CytoSport Cytomax sports drink at each hydration station spaced ~1.4 miles apart on the course. Doing so forced me to hydrate at regular intervals and allowed me to shed ~4 pounds of weight.

• Before the race, Owen enjoyed mimicking my Bershawn “Batman” Jackson getup.
• During the race, apparently, only a handful of us donned our stunna shades.
• After the race, Team Smith posed for a group photo.

Lastly, for comparison, here are the results of my first five half-marathons:

Next up: Bellingham Bay 2010 on Sep 26. I figured I would celebrate the two-year anniversary of my first race by running it again.Similar Posts

• Running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle 2010 Half-Marathon
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona half-marathon this weekend
• Second half-marathon harder than first
• Training for my fourth half-marathon
• Rockin’ in Seattle

On the running front, I have selected a previous favorite for my fifth half-marathon: the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle on June 26. Since it will have been nine months since my last race, I did not want to venture too far away from home. Also, I really enjoyed running the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle last year. This time I am focused on training consistently and avoiding injury.

I have set myself back by getting injured while preparing for previous races either by running too hard or ramping up the mileage too quickly. Other times I contracted colds so severe I had to miss precious training days leading up to race day. The plan this time is to go slow, build gradually and stay healthy. I am following Hal Higdon’s Novice Marathon Training Program to get my body comfortable running longer distances.

Wish me luck!

Similar Posts

• Personal record in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half-marathon
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona half-marathon this weekend
• Running the Bellingham Bay Half-Marathon
• Second half-marathon harder than first
• Training for my third half-marathon

I planned to run mile one at a 9’30” pace then gradually increase my pace the rest of the way to about 8’45” by mile 10. I hoped my training prepared me to finish between 1:55 and 2:00 based on how I ran the other races. Where I ultimately landed in that range would be determined by how I felt at the midpoint and again at mile 10.

Expecting a fairly cool temperature throughout the first half of the race, I ran with less fluid for the first 4 miles than previous races. While my FuelBelt holds 6 bottles, I wanted to minimize the additional weight I carried along each segment (1-4, 5-9, 10-13). I started with a single 8 oz bottle filled with Gatorade Endurance. I swapped the empty bottle with TB for two more 8 oz bottles at mile 4. At that point I was already hotter and thirstier than I expected. My plan called for me to run miles 5-9 with that 16 oz of Gatorade supplemented by water at the water station I would pass just after mile 6. Before reaching mile 6, I had consumed one of the bottles of Gatorade. At the water station at mile 6 I tossed back a 2 oz cup of water. At the 6 1/2-mile turnaround I ate a GU gel and drank half the second bottle of Gatorade. I felt strong and energetic but sensed I was overheating.

By mile 8, I drank the last of my fluid and still had 1 1/2 miles to go before TB and I made our last bottle swap. With each stride it became more evident the heat was having a huge effect on my ability to regulate my temperature. My blood was being redirected to my skin to cool me off so my digestive system was shutdown. At that point, little of the fluid or carbs I had in my stomach made its way to my muscles. Around the 8 1/2 mile mark I felt a slight twinge in my right calf. It was the tell-tale sign of cramping, also known as the late warning system of dehydration. Disappointed, I knew I would not be able to sustain my current pace. I would have to settle for a finish closer to 2:00.

By mile 9, the cramping in my right calf grew more severe. To make matters worse, having altered my strides to compensate for the pain in my right calf, my left calf also began cramping. My legs needed hydration, electrolytes and rest. I tried to power through to reach TB at the 9 1/2-mile mark but the pain became too intense. At that moment, I knew I was in bad shape. I had to walk. I walked about a minute until the pain subsided. Attempting to run again, a dozen or so strides later, the cramping became even more intense. I walked longer realizing it was quite possible I would have to walk the remainder of the race if things didn’t get better. So much for 2:00.

I was able to run-walk to the 9 1/2-mile exchange point TB and I established before the race. She consoled and counseled me as only a concerned spouse and experienced distance runner can. She knew exactly how horrible I felt but also how important it was for me to turn what would undoubtedly be my worst time into my best guts-and-glory performance as a runner. As any distance runner will tell you, the moment you toe the start line your body is physically capable of completing the race. Whether you complete the race, however, is more a function of mental fortitude down the stretch. Where my legs were failing my spirit would have to succeed. That was a challenging position to be in with 1/3 of the race remaining.

Before leaving TB and Owen to run, walk and hobble the remaining 3.6 miles, I drank several ounces of water then stretched and massaged my aching calves. Off again, I made it to mile 11 in about 17 minutes. That is when an already miserable situation got worse: My hamstrings and quads began to tighten. “You gotta be kidding!” I thought. I walked more to give the water, GU and Gatorade time to work its way through my digestive system to my rapidly deteriorating lower body. After 5 minutes of off-and-on light jogging something crazy happened: My legs started feeling better. I decided, to hell with it, I’m running it in. Tired of running and being browbeaten by the energy-sapping sunshine, I picked up my pace.

A short time later, I saw the mile 12 marker. At that point I knew I would finish the race no matter what. I made it back to the start which left 0.1 miles pass the high school and onto the track to the finish. By that point, the runners were so spaced out, I was 2nd of four visible runners as I entered the stadium. My legs were killing me and the cramping caused me to sort of skip-run the final 50 meters. The spectators and earlier finishers were so gracious as they cheered us on. I heard TB’s voice over them all and have never been so beaten up yet so proud.

Officially, I crossed the finish in 2:15:59 with a whole lot of grit and very little grace. I was so exhausted and out of sorts I forgot to stop recording until I had been sitting in the stands recovering for 4 minutes. Here are the results captured by Nike+.

Similar Posts

• It’s official: I’m a long distance runner
• Yikes, my first race is tomorrow!
• Personal record in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half-marathon
• Second half-marathon harder than first
• Long distance runner? Yes, I am.

My goal is to finish in under 2 hours since I fell just short in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half back in June.

Of course, I would not be mad if I finished in 1:56 or faster to commemorate my first half-marathon time a year ago. With TB and Owen there cheering me on, why not?

Similar Posts

• Training for my third half-marathon
• Personal record in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half-marathon
• Second half-marathon harder than first
• Running the Bellingham Bay Half-Marathon
• Running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle 2010 Half-Marathon

Today I ran my third half-marathon, completing the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle in 2:01:52. I secretly desired to finish in under 2 hours but after my horrid experience running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona back in January, avoiding injury, finishing and not walking the latter stages were my main objectives.

My unofficial results are shown in the image below. The final results won’t be posted until after the event.

Here are my Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona results for comparison.

Judging by the 5K and 10K splits, you can see I learned from my mistake by starting this race more slowly. Doing so left me with more in the tank later in the race and allowed me to run a faster pace overall—9:18 vs. 9:54 per mile. If you break the race into 3-mile quarters, you can see how similarly I ran the first and third vs. the second and fourth. Mentally, I break the race into halves and try to finish each half strong. It appears my little motivational trick worked this time around.

Here is the Nike+ data I collected during the race.

I stopped a few moments at mile 4 to talk to TB and play with Owen. I paused again just after mile 9 to say hey to TB and jettison my CamelBak hydration pack. Other than that, I attacked the hills, up and down, and kept a pretty even cadence.

Next up is an 8K in late July. I haven’t selected my next long-distance race yet but suspect it will be some time in the next 2-3 months.

Similar Posts

• Personal record in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half-marathon
• Rocking and rolling in Arizona for MLK Day
• Second half-marathon harder than first
• Running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle 2010 Half-Marathon
• It’s about finishing what you start

This race marks my third half-marathon in 9 months and my first since Owen arrived so it is a pretty big deal. I finally got serious about my training last month since TB and I were getting a handle on the whole new parent thing. She has been very supportive. My training requires lots of juggling and sacrifices on her part to allow me the time to go out for 1/2-2 hour runs several times a week when that time could be directed to giving her a break or us doing something together. As a runner herself—TB is the real runner in our family—she understands how being outdoors on the road helps keep my mind and body from turning to mush.

So, dear readers, do not fret. While I took an extended break from running after the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona in January, I am still on the wagon, in the saddle, racking up the miles with Nike+. I am looking forward to my wife and son cheering me on.

Speaking of cheering, here is a picture of our little guy in a custom Dallas Cowboys jersey from his Uncle Chuku. Team Smith will be cheering for the Cowboys this fall despite the many boneheaded front office decisions over the past year. Yeah, T.O. is no longer on the roster but you already know what I think about that.

Similar Posts

• Training for my fourth half-marathon
• Second half-marathon harder than first
• Running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle 2010 Half-Marathon
• Personal record in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half-marathon
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona half-marathon this weekend

You may remember I had a much faster time for my first race, the Bellingham Bay, which I ran in 1:56:56. I started this last race strong, on pace to finish in 1:52:00 through mile 8. So, how did I end up averaging a minute-per-mile slower finish than before? First take a look at the following video—courtesy the Nike+ data I collected during the race—to review my splits.

As you can see, things started well enough but quickly fell apart around mile 10. That is when I started experiencing massive cramping in my left hamstring and right calf precipitated by severe dehydration. It got so bad, I ended up walking on-and-off for roughly 10 minutes of the race between miles 10 and 12. I started taking in a lot more fluids at each station and, by mile 12, I was able to run the rest of the way.

How did I get dehydrated despite the equipment and attention I invest in proper hydration during training and on race day? Two reasons:

• First, it was expectedly warmer in Phoenix than any other place I have run since the summer but I didn’t realize how much the heat would affect me. By the end of the race, it was sunny, mid-70s. Compare that to the 9° temperature in Chicago or the 30-40° temperatures in Seattle these past few months. Also, it was much cooler the morning I ran the Bellingham Bay and the hydration plan I used then did not translate to this race. Oops.
• Second, I had not fully recovered from the virus I caught over the holidays. Mentally I felt ready to have a good race and physically my body felt strong, though a little hot, until mile 8. That was the point the first signs of dehydration and muscle fatigue set in. I previously explained how getting sick derailed my training. Suffice it to say, getting back to a 7 mile “long” run after two down weeks of being sick didn’t fully prepare me to run 13.1 miles a few days later as I had hoped.

I’m not down about my time. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. I am proud I finished strong. Even more, I’m proud I went from not running at all a little over a year ago to completing my second half-marathon. What’s more, I did it surrounded by Arizona Cardinals fans as the home team spoiled the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl quest. I’m still smarting from the 44-6 shellacking the Eagles gave my Cowboys to end our playoff hopes. Given my recent rants, how would it have looked for the Eagles to make it to the Super Bowl again without T.O.? Yes, even after a 44-6 beatdown, I will continue sprinkling hate flakes on Eagles nation. I digress…

I have already registered for my next race, the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Half-Marathon, taking place right in our backyard on Saturday, June 27th. Training should be interesting with a new baby and all but I’m sure TB will be supportive. Who knows, maybe she will run too.

Similar Posts

• Personal record in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half-marathon
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona half-marathon this weekend
• Running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle 2010 Half-Marathon
• Training for my third half-marathon
• Training for my fourth half-marathon

Before heading to Chicago on Christmas Eve, my training was going great. I ran three times during the five days we were there celebrating Christmas with my in-laws, despite severe, 9° temperatures and icy road conditions. I was ready for the race and ready to begin gradually decreasing my mileage each week leading up to the race. Decrease mileage I did, but it wasn’t gradual. I got so sick the Sunday after Christmas and ended up on prescription meds and confined to the couch/bed. I went from running 28 miles per week to running 0 miles for two weeks. Not good.

Earlier this week, I went for my first run since falling ill. It wasn’t pretty. While I managed 4 miles in just under 39 minutes, at the end my legs felt like linguine and I nearly coughed up a lung. I took a break to let the shock wear off and my next run was 5.1 miles in 45 minutes. I felt much better during and after that run but didn’t feel like I could run another 8 miles, which is what I will need to do this Sunday. My plan is to work up to at least a 60 minute run this week and hope everything comes together in the desert. Thankfully the course is flat and the weather should be mild at 60-70°.

Just how big is this race? Over 35,000 registrants, about 100 bands performing live along the course and national television coverage on FSN (schedule TBD). I pinched the video below from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona site. They make running 26.2 and 13.1 miles look so fun.

Similar Posts

• Personal record in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half-marathon
• Running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle 2010 Half-Marathon
• Second half-marathon harder than first
• Rocking and rolling in Arizona for MLK Day
• Training for my third half-marathon

I started running with Nike+ on December 15, 2007, exactly a year ago tomorrow. Today, after a 12-mile run, I passed the 500th mile mark. In my quest to keep fit I fully expected to stick with running for at least a year; however, I certainly didn’t expect to be running as far or as often as I am today, a year later. My previous Nike+ certificate came at 100 miles. I received the “big dog” certificate to the right after uploading my run from today. (The date is off…probably a time zone issue.)

It seems like just yesterday when I set a goal to run 9 miles/week for 3 months. I’m now averaging about 25 miles/week whether running in the hot sand of Cabo or along the icy sidewalks of Seattle—it snowed last night and the roads were a mess today.

There was one casualty of all the long-distance, outdoor running: My refurbished iPod nano 2G. Apparently, iPods don’t like liquid and you may have heard it rains quite a bit here in Seattle. Further, those fancy, expensive Nike+ armbands are merely water-resistant, not waterproof. So, after running 11 miles in a downpour, my nano bit the dust. Not only did I lose the results of that run—which would have catapulted me to the 500-mile mark sooner—I lost my $99 running partner. It was a sad day.

TB, noticing the extent of my devastation, green-lighted an emergency trip to the Apple Store for a replacement…upgrade! I love my wife.

I am now running with a blue 8GB iPod nano 4G. Apple offered a $15 credit for the broken unit but I’m still not happy about paying $135 (before tax). I figure it’s still a pretty cheap running partner/trainer. The new 4th-generation nanos are much nicer than the two-year-old, 2nd-generation unit I ran with previously. The 4G has a bigger screen, twice the storage, better sound and snazzier navigation & graphics.

Also, if you buy (or already own) a nano 4G and are thinking of getting started with the Nike+ running program, I recommend the Apple Nike+ Sport Armband (TU017ZM/A). It is available through Amazon for about $30. The strap is much simpler to adjust and the full-body, protective film makes viewing and controlling the nano easier than the official 2G armbands. Lastly, it fits the 4G nano like a glove so the player won’t slide or slip during a run.

Where do the new iPod and I go from here? Well, four people have logged 10,000 miles with Nike+ leaving many milestones to reach.

Similar Posts

• When Low Motivation Meets High Tech
• 200 Miles and Running
• New Nike+ goal: 108 miles in 12 weeks
• 100 Miles and Running
• 450 Miles and Running

Similar Posts

• 200 Miles and Running
• 100 Miles and Running
• One year, 500 miles and a new iPod
• New Nike+ goal: 108 miles in 12 weeks
• 108 miles in 12 weeks: Check