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July 31, 2006
Getting closer
The break in the weather has been a huge break for me, but the humidity is something my body is not used to.
But with Valley temperatures not even reaching 90 over the weekend, it allowed me to bypass a Sunday morning run and, much to my delight, make it a Sunday evening run.
It helped there was a cool breeze, which actually made it chilly at certain stretches. Or, at least in my mind, made it chilly to run.
However, my Sunday 18 miler ended a mile short when I experienced Taco Salad stomach. Luckily, Rebecca was there and I was able to bum a ride home for the final mile, but I got the work in I needed.
My pace was satisfying, but the humidity took more out of me than I thought. I drank a bunch, but a poor spacing of water stops – I went 3 ½ miles without refilling – was likely the reason for my trouble at the end. Also, with running at night, I didn’t eat as much during the day as I would have liked, and the pasta I had for dinner the night before didn’t have its full effect because I didn’t start my run until 5 p.m.
Anyway, as I look to this week, there is much excitement, and on two fronts.
First, next weekend is my last big run. An 18-miler before I start toning down for the race. Second, as I prepare for this week’s 5 miles (Tuesday), 8 miles (Wednesday), 5 miles (Thursday), I do so knowing the forecast is for clouds and cool temperatures.
Posted by Brian Dohn at 1:53 PM | Comments (0)
July 28, 2006
Elmo got new shoes
There is less than a month of training remaining, and the way I see it, that means there are only two long runs remaining.
I took care of an important aspect of readying for the race this week when I picked up a new pair of shoes. The timing for it is perfect.
As I mentioned early on in training, I changed shoes for this race. The idea was for me to get better mileage out of my shoes, and, boy, did it work. I got about 220 miles out of my old model of shoes, which meant I needed three to four pairs.
But using Pearl Izumi, I logged 400 miles of training in one pair of shoes. That means the pair I just picked up will carry me through training, and the marathon. It’s a savings of a couple of hundred dollars, and better yet, I haven’t had any knee problems or leg-muscle soreness (other than the norm of long-distance running) from the change in shoes.
I didn’t blaze any of the Valley sidewalks during the three days of running, but I am thrilled Mother Nature is being kind again.
Temperatures are no longer 98 degrees at 8 p.m., but rather in the mid 80s by 7:30 p.m. That means I can run at night again during the week, which is my preference.
Posted by Brian Dohn at 9:52 AM | Comments (2)
July 23, 2006
My (Pl)easing Run
I’m not going to lie, or pretend any different. The 16 miles I ran Sunday morning took a huge burden off me, for a variety of reasons.
You all know the story of me missing my last two runs because of fatigue, or because I wasn’t feeling just right, and then the altering of my schedule from five days a week to four days a week.
But with the Quebec City marathon now a month away, it’s important I get a few long runs in to maintain my base, and extend my body so it knows how to deal with fatigue. Temperatures above 110 degrees in the Valley the last two days didn’t help, so I awoke at 5 a.m. to prepare for Sunday’s run.
I was out of the house within an hour, and despite the sun not yet peeking above the horizon, the temperature was already 77 degrees. Making matters worse, it was humid.
In my mind, I needed to make sure I could handle a long run – especially with the weather – and did much better than I anticipated. One smart move I made was going to bed at 9 p.m. the night before so I would get a good night of rest.
I also tried something different with this long run. Instead of setting out on a 16-mile loop, I ran some laps, which normally I hate to do.
I began with an eight-mile loop, which went fine but was a little slow. But around mile nine my body loosened up, I stopped wondering if my base was still strong enough and I just ran.
Remarkably, my second eight miles (a loop of four miles and a pair of two-mile loops) was faster than my first eight miles. I checked in just under two hours, 46 minutes.
One nice surprise at the end of the run was being joined by my niece, Nicole. She just graduated high school and came from New Jersey to visit for a few weeks to see me and hang out. (I think she also wants to see Kyan and help with him). She joined me for the final two miles, and made it go by quickly.
I was done running by 9 a.m. so I was able to watch the end of the Tour De France and British Open.
Another thing I’m pleased about is how my body feels. My legs don’t ache, I don’t feel exhausted. In other words, I feel terrific. And the best part is I also feel great, mentally, about the run, and looking ahead to training.
Here’s to a cooler week of running; 5 miles (Tuesday), 8 miles (Wednesday), 5 miles (Thursday) and 18 miles (Saturday or Sunday).
Posted by Brian Dohn at 12:48 PM | Comments (2)
July 21, 2006
A Re-focused Runner
After a great weekend of rest and rescheduling my training, I wanted to see how good of shape I was in. So in Tuesday I ran a hard five miles, and was thrilled to finish in 45 minutes, 17 seconds. The flip side is running so hard takes a toll on the body for the next few days.
But I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
I was thrilled about my 8-mile run Wednesday and the 5-miler Thursday. Both went well, despite some fatigue in my legs, and I was pleased with my tempo, and consistency. I could have pushed harder, but did not. My confidence in running was also high.
I am also back to training at night, which I believe is best for me because, like I’ve stated a zillion times, I’m not a morning person.
The one thing about training at night is the cooperation I get from Rebecca. She works all day, and then comes home and usually makes dinner while I’m out running. Yes, watching (and now chasing Kyan, since he is crawling. FYI, I’ve gotten up six times to move him from getting into something he shouldn’t while writing this) all day is a ton of work as well, but I know the mindset is different in regards to being home with him or having to go to the workplace.
This is a big weekend for me. I have a 16 mile run, and I haven’t gone that far in a few weeks now. Once I get it done, my mind will be eased as to the type of shape I’m in, and my ability to run a great distance. The question now is whether I run Saturday or Sunday. I’m leaning toward Sunday, but we’ll see.
And I’d also like to say, Ted, thanks for the support and keep working hard. You’re doing great. I hope I will see you when training camp opens in a few weeks.
Posted by Brian Dohn at 8:28 AM | Comments (1)
July 17, 2006
Revisions, revisions
Did I set my bar too high?
Perhaps, because between the heat, being a first-time dad and using an advanced training schedule, I was exhausted. So after Saturday’s eight-miler, I made another change to the rest of my training schedule.
With the help of Rebecca, I revised the final six weeks of training, which she got from The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer, a book she used to run the Walt Disney World marathon in 2005.
I will now be running four days a week, instead of five days. It cuts down a run the day before a big run. Mostly, it cuts out the Saturday run.
Another thing I severely underestimated in training for THIS race was the parenting factor. Getting up with Kyan at 6:30 a.m. each day often left me tired. Some days I ran early, and other times at night. Because of the heat, running in the afternoon is out of the question.
I think part of the problem is my schedule used to be wide open. I could run whenever I wanted to. However, that has changed, and I won’t subject Kyan to sitting in a jogger when the temperature is in the 90s. Therefore, my training window consists of morning and night during the week.
I also was a tad nervous about cutting back my training and still posting a great time in the race, but through talking with others, I am realizing it isn’t about the time. It’s about the experience. The object is to finish, which I was reminded by Rebecca.
I think my leg base is strong enough from three months of training in the heat that this won’t affect me too much. But if it does, so be it. I’ll still be crossing the finish line in Quebec City, I’ll get a medal draped around my neck, and I know I’ll feel great for accomplishing it.
So this week’s revised running schedule is 5 miles (Tuesday), 8 miles (Wednesday), 5 miles (Thursday) and 18 miles (Saturday or Sunday).
Posted by Brian Dohn at 3:50 PM | Comments (3)
July 13, 2006
Feeling well
After a tough running (and resting) weekend and a not-so-great feeling running Tuesday and Wednesday, I experienced a sensational five-mile run Thursday. The fatigue I was feeling disappeared about two minutes into my run, and didn’t reappear.
Despite the temperature being 91 degrees at the start (about 7:50 p.m.) and 88 at the finish, I did the five miles in less than 49 minutes. And the best part was it was stress-free running. My legs felt great. My thoughts (most about Kyan sitting on the floor and smiling) were all positive.
But during this last week I learned just how tough it is to train for a marathon while being a new dad.
I have a newfound respect for all the stay-at-home moms. With Kyan now crawling and getting into everything (I’ve learned toys are not necessary, because he will bypass them nearly every time and go for something he shouldn’t) my energy seems to be zapped the instant I get out of bed.
Good thing for that afternoon nap. For both of us.
Anyway, with a hot and humid weekend approaching and runs of eight and 13 miles on the agenda, it was great to experience such a positive run before Friday’s day off.
Posted by Brian Dohn at 10:10 PM | Comments (1)
July 10, 2006
A time to rest
Sorry for the late entry, but it wasn’t a great weekend for me. After I ran my five miles Thursday, I wasn’t feeling great. I fell asleep without dinner by 9 p.m., after returning home 30 minutes before. I pretty much slept Friday away, thinking I was fatigued, and awoke Saturday ready to tackle a big weekend.
I knocked out the eight miles Saturday morning, before the heat got bad (ok, 94 at the finish is still bad, but not the 105 it reached in the afternoon) but I was exhausted to the point I didn’t even feel like having my traditional sourdough French toast with a yogurt and syrup topping.
I took a nap, and that didn’t help. Hey, I even missed most of the Germany-Portugal consolation game. But even after another two-hour nap, I didn’t feel that great.
It left me with a decision to make for Sunday.
I faced 18 miles with temperatures in the mid 90s by the time I finished, and still didn’t feel like myself. So I didn’t run.
As it turned out, making the adjustment of training for a marathon while raising an infant isn’t easy. Heck, it’s hard, and I found that out late last week as pressures and changes in my life caused me to miss the run. However, I will be back out running, with a clear mind and well-rested legs Tuesday when I resume training.
In the grand scheme of training, I don’t think missing an 18-mile run is a big deal because the week before I had a 17 miler and I still have a pair of 20 mile runs on the training schedule. It may even turn out to be a boon for my training because I am refreshed, mentally and physically.
One thing I can guarantee is Kyan will be a bigger part of my training runs from here on out. I had run with him a few times using the jogger, but moved away from that lately because I was worried about my time in finishing longer runs.
No longer will that be the case. He will be with me for most of my mid-week training runs, and I don’t care if my time suffers because of it.
So look for Kyan and I on the Valley streets Tuesday (5 miles), Wednesday (5 miles), and Thursday (5 miles). He will be a cheerleader with Rebecca on Saturday (8 miles) and Sunday (13 miles).
Posted by Brian Dohn at 7:11 PM | Comments (2)
July 7, 2006
A weighty feeling
Another lesson learned Thursday, and that is that a big bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats before a 5-mile run isn’t a good idea. It didn’t quite have the taco salad affect, but my belly certainly felt like it was carry around about 5 pounds of cement in it.
The good news (I think) is that Rebecca found my watch. It was in the bushes in front of our house.
Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but it wasn’t as if I was ticked off after a run and threw it in the bushes and forgot about it. There was actually a (good) reason for it.
When I finished my last Thursday, I turned on the sprinklers right before I entered the house. I don’t wear my watch, I hold it, and I guess when I turned the sprinklers on I dropped the watch. Then, power went out in our neighborhood, so I didn’t immediately notice it was missing, and I thought I brought it in the house.
I’m not sure how Rebecca found it, but she did.
With the heat and not running in the morning with Kyan, I find myself running at night during the week. It is cooler, but there are pitfalls.
The biggest thing is by the time I’m done running, especially during my 8 mile run Wednesday, it’s dark out. And the Valley streets (sidewalks) aren’t well lit in some places, so it’s like running on eggshells in places where the light isn’t great. Footing could be an issue with a fallen branch or crack in the cement.
Also, there was a question in my last blog about not getting bored for runs more than five miles, and here was my answer:
A couple of suggestions. Start out with a 10K, because all you need is a long of a 5 mile run for a 10K. Then try a half-marathon, because training for that is no more than a long run of 11 or 12 miles. For me, I use running to sort out my thoughts, like story ideas about UCLA, or a fun day trip for the family, what I would like for dinner, investment ideas, or anything that makes me forget I'm running. When things get really tough, I envision running a marathon, and the feeling of finishing, and each time it's even better than I am able to imagine.
Another thing to try is to break up the run. Think about eating power gel or something at mile 4, maybe drinking at mile 5. I also only look at my watch every mile, so I'm not just staring at it.
Posted by Brian Dohn at 11:08 AM | Comments (1)
July 2, 2006
Free from Time
I made an executive decision not to run Saturday morning so I could get some shut-eye after going to Disneyland on Friday. My first thought was to run after England played Portugal, but that went out the window when the temperature soared into the 90s by the 10 a.m.
By the time it cooled down – ok, 90 degrees isn’t exactly cooled down – it was 7:45 p.m., and I was looking at eight miles, followed by 17 miles Sunday morning.
And let me tell y’all how annoyed I was when I started my Saturday run. I couldn’t find my stopwatch, and I hate running without it. In fact, it’s probably been two or three years since I ran untimed.
I looked all over for it, but I couldn’t find it. As it was, I was going to be running in the dark, so I didn’t want to delay much longer.
When running at night, one thing I do suggest is wearing something so cars can see you. I wear a light-weight mesh vest with reflective strips on it http://amphipod.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?#Full-Visibility.
After being annoyed the first mile, I found to be more relaxed without the watch. I ran the eight miles in about 1 hour, 20 minutes, but since I couldn’t be worried about my time, I enjoyed my run in a different way.
Knowing it was going to be hot again Sunday, I awoke at 6:30 a.m. (a reasonable time with Kyan and all) and was out of the house by 7:45 a.m. Again, unable to locate my watch, I ran without knowing my time. Therefore, I didn’t look every mile to check my time, or my pace, and found the run to go by more quickly.
It was again relaxing, and gave me a chance to take in the Valley scene. And here’s what I saw:
--one dead sparrow
--one dead squirrel
--two abandoned mattresses laying across sidewalks
--three homeless people
I also learned why I run with my hat on backward. Obviously, I know the Valley streets well, but that didn’t stop me from nearly having my head lopped off.
There was a branch hanging over a sidewalk. I ducked, but not enough.
Whack!!!
My hat went flying off as the top of my head slammed into the branch. I figure I misjudged the branch height because I couldn’t see it since the brim of my hat was blocking my vision. (I just felt the top of my head and there is a little bump there.)
Needless to say, I quickly turned my hat backward, and didn’t have any further trouble.
Now that the mileage is getting up there, it is time for serious consideration about the race. To that, at mile 12 I needed some long-lasting fuel. When I use power gel (http://www.powerbar.com/Products/PowerGel/Flavors.aspx?id=FA8C390D-20A4-482F-BC72-AEF978F7F262), it usually only satisfies me for two or three miles. For something longer lasting, I use a Snickers Marathon Energy Bar http://www.snickersmarathon.com/home.asp
Yes, I eat it while I run, and it does the trick. It takes me about a mile to eat it, but in the past I’ve found it lasts about 10 miles.
I finished in about three hours, but I wasn’t concerned about the time because I knew it would be skewed by the temperature. It was 74 degrees when I left, and 94 when I finished. I lost five pounds (mostly water weight) during the run, but by the end of the day replenished most of it.
Another intense week of training awaits. My schedule is 5 miles (Tuesday), 8 miles (Wednesday), 5 miles (Thursday), 8 miles (Saturday) and 18 miles (Sunday, before the World Cup final).
Posted by Brian Dohn at 9:05 PM | Comments (5)