Running Man

Well, we’ll get to that in minute. First, though, at least once during my training for a race I have to be reminded I’m not as tough as I think. I always have a moment where I don’t eat properly before a run, and then kick myself during it.
Thankfully, this time it came during Saturday’s 5-mile run. I figured a bowl of Cheerios with a sliced banana was enough nourishment, but I was way wrong. I was starving by the end of the third mile. Thank goodness for Power Gel.
So it’s back to my usual peanut butter and honey sandwich before runs more than four miles, but there’s another part of training that is frustrating me.
I did my 9-mile Sunday run in 1 hour, 37 minutes, 6 seconds. It’s a training run, so the important thing is to finish it. It felt much hotter than the 70 degrees the thermometer said. This is where it’s important to have a helper. My wife, Rebecca, toted around our five-month-old son, Kyan, to meet me twice to replenish my water during the run. If you don’t have a helper, I suggest making sure you know where drinking fountains or convenience stores are located so you can refill during longer runs.
Although the best part of a long training run is finishing, there’s a part of me discouraged by my time. I use a 10-minute mile as a barometer for run longer than five miles. When I trained for my last marathon, I did my first 9-mile run nine minutes faster than Sunday’s run.
Why so much slower?
It goes back to July, three weeks after a personal best in Alaska, when I was couldn’t finish a 2-mile run. I had to walk the final half-mile because I wasn’t feeling right. When I got home, I couldn’t catch my breath. Nothing helped, and after 15 minutes of struggling to breathe, and becoming increasing nervous, Rebecca called 911. It was very scary having the paramedics check me out, and somewhat embarrassing being wheeled out on a stretcher because I couldn’t handle a short run when it was 82 degrees out.
The hospital stay lasted about five hours. From it, I was told I was in tremendous health. My resting pulse was 48 beats per minute, my blood pressure perfect, and my heart, I was told, was operating close to the level of an elite athlete. X-rays, blood tests and just about everything else came back perfect. So they sent me home with a clean bill of health.
Yet, that was only the beginning of my troubles.
Please check back for my next blog entry May 15. Meanwhile, my training this week will be 3 miles (Tuesday), 5 miles (Wednesday), 3 miles (Thursday), five miles (Saturday) and six miles (Sunday).