Running Update

Two days off after the lackluster 14 miler, and then between 7 and 8 miles today with Trev.

Too much beer over the weekend means fat and slow.

Why I have a man crush on Joe Biden ....

I have long professed to friends and fellow teachers my admiration for Joe Biden. Had he not dropped out before the Massachusetts primary, I would have considered voting for him.

As a supporter of Barack Obama, I've been dismayed by the way the campaign between him and McCain has devolved into a series of personal attacks that doesn't focus on issues. I've been frustrated by the way Obama has been forced to dive into exactly the type of politics that he aspires to change. Why are we focusing on how many houses John McCain's wife owns and the fact that Obama told us to keep our tires inflated? Why are we turning offshore drilling into an end all be all campaign issue when it will have a negligible effect on energy prices? To score cheap political points. I've come to accept the fact that in order to win in this game, you have to change who you are, and you have to learn how to score cheap, ultimately meaningless political points. That's the reality of politics, and so for Obama to win, he needs a running mate who can deliver powerful punches and balance the ticket in ways that matter most only on the surface level. I think that Joe Biden is the best choice for a number of reasons:

1) He gives Obama's claims and attacks more credibility. On his own, Barack Obama can say whatever he wants, and the McCain campaign can always can always say "shut up, you're young and inexperienced and don't know what you're talking about." Have Biden echo Obama's sentiments, or have Biden make some of the points on his own, and the McCain camp no longer has their best comeback. This will be particularly helpful in areas of foreign policy. As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden brings much needed credibility to Obama message on issues such as Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as relationships with China, North Korea, and Iran.

2) He brings a different kind of passion that can reach a broader swath of Americans. Check out this video of Biden talking about Darfur during one of the Presidential debates:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irdHYG_jpgw

Biden's passion, energy, and optimism speaks for itself.

This clip is a montage of debate clips that show his ability to answer directly, honestly, and effectively.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9lpiDzeQcI

I always thought Biden was the best debater of the Democratic bunch, and when I watched the debates, I really found myself looking forward to his answers. He's entertaining, smart, and funny. If only he had more than one opportunity to debate as VP.

3) He should appeal to voters Obama struggles to reach ... the white, blue collar Democrats that went for Clinton and continue to resist Obama. I hate to say it, but if Obama had chosen anyone but a seasoned, tall, white male with a working class background, he would not have effectively "balanced" the ticket.

I love Obama. Once it became clear that it was down to Obama and Clinton (and that didn't take long) I've been an Obama guy all the way. But let's be brutally honest here ... if the race was between Biden and McCain, then I think it would be a landslide Biden victory. He would have been the "safe bet" in a year that should have been a cakewalk for the Democrats. Democrats chose to go with Obama because he was everything Biden wasn't ... something young and new that represented change. I voted for Obama and I fully support that view. Let's hope Biden brings back that safe choice feeling. Of course, Biden brings his share of baggage. People have a knack for interpreting some of the things he says as insensitive (Remember, he did call Barack Obama an "articulate" African American during the primary season). But it's precisely because he's rough around the edges that makes him a good choice. He's a straight talker and he's got nothing to lose. In the end, it's not about the policies, it's about the personalities and the political gamesmanship. Biden brings the personality Obama needs, and the Biden choice was political gamesmanship at its finest. Get Biden on TV as much as possible, and people who didn't want to vote for Barack Obama WILL vote for Joe Biden.

Cheater

6.5 miles with Trev two days ago... a good run.

Yesterday I was supposed to go out for 18, and instead I struggled through 14. It was a demoralizing blow, as I wasn't able to complete the run, and am more and more concerned that the 26 is going to be a near impossibility. Of course I'm going to go out and do my best, but my goal now is simply to finish. Whatever my time is, it is. I cheated on a long run, and that's the worst thing I can do for my training.

Faster

Today I ran the seven mile bike path loop in 51:19. That's a 7:33 mile pace. I went out the door and right as I began decided I wanted to prove to myself that I've gotten faster ... I think I did ....

18 miler in two days.

Seven for Breakfast

I was out the door at 7:00 AM with Trev for a 7 miler. I don't usually run right when I get out of bed, but I hadn't run with Trev in a while and wanted to have some company. I'm usually dehydrated when I wake up in the morning, and I didn't have any gatorade or time to properly catch up with my fluids. I also hadn't eaten anything. I think those were the primary factors in my feeling very weak and tired on the run.

When the marathon comes, I'll have to be sure to do the carbo loading the night before as well as get up early enough to drink plenty of fluids and put something small in my stomach.

That's the game plan.

On a side note, a week from today I start as the Assistant Cross Country Coach at ARHS. I'm pretty pumped about that. Because I've been running all summer, I feel that I'll know what I'm talking about as well as be able to participate in some of the workouts with the kids.

And of course, I start year two of teaching next week.

The road goes ever on and on ...

8 miles today
5 miles yesterday
off the day before (day after my long run)

Feeling slightly more confident than I did.

The race is still a long way away, but it feels close.

Confidence?

After a combination of slacking and feeling like crap during my runs this week, I went out for my longest run yet. This morning's run was between 17 and 18 miles (not sure of the exact distance). It started off well, and I did the first 8 no sweat (not literally). After stopping at the house to hydrate, I took off for the second leg. I started struggling somewhere around mile 13, but I pushed through it.

Today's pain was, first of all, a general fatigue and sluggishness, most likely caused by dehydration (by the end of the run, I was caked in more salt than water ... probably not a good sign). My right knee was ... well okay. I have new insoles and was also wearing a cheap brace that I bought, which somehow seems to help a little bit, though it is a pain in the ass to wear for 18 miles. And finally, by the end of the run, my quads had had enough.

What scares me is that at the end of the run, I knew there was no way I could have done any additional mileage ... I felt that bad. As of today, the longest my body is physically capable of going is between 17 and 18 miles. Of course, we're still 7 weeks out, so there's time.

All of my ailments aside, I've found that as of late running has been more of a mental struggle than a physical one. Too often I've found myself saying "I just don't want to run today." That's not a good place to be, and so as I move forward with this little adventure I know that my biggest challenge will be to overcome my own thoughts and lack of motivation.

This quote courtesy of an ad in Trevor's Running Times magazine, and it seems appropriate:

"If you ran without sacrifice, congratulations. You just jogged. Running hurts. It always has. Wooly mammoths didn't just roll over onto a plate and serve themselves up to prehistoric man with fries and a shake. They had to be caught - and running down wooly mammoths was a bitch. Guess what? Running is still a bitch. But one with a purpose. It teaches us that good things do not come easy. It teaches us that we are capable of more than we think. It teaches us that hard work will be rewarded and laziness will be punished. Don't expect to learn those life lessons from running's shiftless stepchild, jogging. Next time you suffer on the roads or trails, suffer proudly. It means you run like an animal."

Need New Feet

Tried to go out for a run this morning and quickly decided to turn back. 15 hours after a 12 miler and my knee wanted nothing to do with it.

I suspect that I'm suffering from patella tendonitis. I wonder if it's at all being aggravated by the fact that I had reconstructive ACL surgury on this knee years ago. During that operation, they used part of my patella tendon to repair my knee.

I'm going to replace my old green superfeet insoles to see if that helps give me the additional support that I need.

Feeling Better

12 miles today did a lot to alleviate my frustrations. It was cool and damp, and my strategy was to go out nice and slow. I did that, and I maintained a steady pace throughout.

What am I doing?

The last three days have been unacceptable. First day, I didn't run. I rationalized this by saying my knee could use the rest. The next day, I didn't run again. I have no reason for rationalizing this other than it didn't "fit into my day" ... of course I had plenty of time to get up in the morning and do the run.

Today, I manned up and planned a 13.5 mile route because I was scheduled for a long run anyway. Problem: I developed a severe stomach ache after about 4 miles and ended up walking much of the next 4, totaling 8 miles for the day. Having to walk after only 4 miles is something that hasn't happened to me in a long time ... and I felt pretty pathetic.

I can't figure out where the stomach ache (still lingering) came from. I don't think it was diet or hydration related .... and I don't really think I'm sick (no other symptoms). I've had stomach problems like this before, and it's frustrating.

If I want to succeed 9 weeks from now, I need to get off my ass and get back in gear. This training is a long haul for sure. I'm not looking for sympathy. Only to vent.

Onward.

Lost in Translation

I went out with Trevor today after skipping my Q2 workout for the week. Yes, I feel bad about skipping it, but I don't feel like I had much of a choice. I needed to (and still need to) give my knees some rest. The pain is tough to pinpoint ... it seems like it's in the inside of the knees. I think it's a general tendonitis, but I don't know.

The run today was an interesting one, mainly because we got lost. We decided to head out with no concrete route and do a little exploring. After about 3 miles, Trevor wanted to go straight, and I wanted to go left. I gave in, and about 3 miles later, we were back at the same exact spot. More humorous than anything else, because we got in a solid 9 miles, which is about what we were shooting for, but it took us a while to gain our bearings back. As far as the knees go, the aches continue.

Kneed for Speed

7 miles today, and my right knee bothered me throughout. It didn't affect my pace, and it wasn't unbearable, but it was sore all day today and is a bit sore now. Do I need new insoles? Am I wearing the wrong shoes? Maybe I just overdid it last week, with 3 runs over 10 miles in the course of 8 days.

Once again, Trevor and I crushed our miles, and I'm noticing my pace quicken. If it wasn't for my knees, I'd be a happy camper. Instead, I'm a concerned one. Tomorrow is a scheduled speed workout, and I plan on skipping it. I might buy new insoles when I go to the mall to replace my broken phone. Laptop, iPod, cell phone ... all broken within a couple of months. Keep your electronics away from me.

"I can't go on. I'll go on."
--Samuel Beckett

Getting Faster?

Today I went out for an 8 mile run with Trev. Both of my knees (but particularly my right one) continue to be an area of concern for me. I think I'm starting to suffer from tendonitis. Nonetheless, I ran through it again today. Though we didn't wear watches today, I can say with confidence that it's the fastest I've ever run 8 miles. Trevor put his estimate of our pace at 7:30 miles or faster. My estimate is slightly more conservative, but I think we were doing sub 7:45 miles at the slowest. For the first mile and a half we went out fast and I felt good. For the next two miles I felt like crap, but then I hit a groove and we flew for the remainder of the run. At some points, it felt like we were racing. It was an exhilerating feeling. It also felt good to be running with a buddy again. After two weeks of running solo, it was a much needed change of pace.

Barry Manilow

I took today off after my 16 miler yesterday. Tomorrow I'll hit the road again, but in the meantime, enjoy this photo of me singing Barry Manilow at a bar in Pennsylvania. Thank you, Barry Manilow.

Saturday 8/2

Today was my longest run yet at 16 miles. I did the 8 mile sunglass loop twice. For the first half, I felt fine as expected. After stopping for five minutes to get a drink, I headed out for the second loop. The first four miles were okay, but I really struggled through the last four (miles 12-16). I felt severely dehydrated, and my knees were bothering me.

Knee pain has been pretty consistent with my longer runs, which is some cause for concern for me. However, they haven't hurt enough for me to cut a run short, so I'm hoping it's nothing serious.

Long Runs and Road Races - The Week in Review

This past week I was on vacation in New Hampshire, and overall I think my week of running was productive. I started the vacation with a 14 mile long run (my longest ever), which felt surprisingly good until the last half hour or so. The next day I stayed loose with a 2.5 mile jog, preparing for a 10 mile road race in Newburyport, MA which my uncle told me about. My Uncle Willis, sister Maureen, and myself drove down to Newburyport on Tuesday night for the Yankee Homecoming 10 mile road race. I was really happy with my time of 80 minutes, and had that post race exhilaration. I ran 5 miles on Wednesday, took Thursday off, and ran 5 today (Friday). I understand that my running hasn't exactly followed the schedule I had set up, but I got decent mileage in as well as a couple of hard workouts.