Team Cross Runs

Marathon Training: Week 18

Img from flickr.

TAPERING!!! In some ways life and work have been so busy that it is hard to really feel like the taper has kicked in.  But then again 2 days in a row without running is hard to handle! But the weather has been amazing!

Monday: 3 miles. I ran out and back along the Greenway for a nice 4 mile run.  This may have been the warmest run of the week in the upper-50’s in the morning!  I ran in 29:54.

Tuesday: 4-6 miles. Our last group training run.  It was a nice and relaxed run as we tried to dial back the pace a bit.  We even practiced for the marathon by starting behind the next slower pace group and waiting patiently for the first mile before slowly pulling away.  Ok, so that was by accident.  We ran in Edina and got in 5.28 miles in 41:30.  The run was followed by a talk about preparing for the marathon. It was in the mid- upper 50’s for this one.

Wednesday: 0-3 miles. I did my Metrodome loop on a chilly morning.  I was wearing long-sleeves and my knit gloves for this one.  I think it was 43! The marathon starts at the Dome so I was scoping out the starting areas.  I did 3 miles in 25:17 and things are feeling good!

Thursday: 0-3 miles. A nice rest day!!

Friday: 0-3 miles. Another good day of rest and hanging out with old college teammates!

Saturday: 0-2 miles. A relaxing and easy 2.5 miles around Powderhorn Park.  It was a beautiful sunny morning with temps in the low-40’s.  It was nice to get some of the cobwebs out but not be strenuous.

Sunday:RACE DAY!!! 26.2 miles. I did it!! 26.2 miles in 3:25:54!! My first marathon is complete.  It hurt and it rained, a lot.  Stay tuned for more details throughout the week!

Weekly Mileage

Running - 41.2 miles

Hal’s Tip of the Week: Smile as you cross the finish line. More important: Don’t punch your stopwatch until a few seconds later, while you’re in the chute. You want to look good for the finish-line photo.

Technorati Tags: Marathon Training, Hal Higdon, Marathon

Week 18

Quick Marathon Post

I just woke up from a short nap following the marathon debut.  It was a cool pretty much perfect start at 8am that turned miserable with a deluge of rain for 4-5 miles starting around 7.  I hit the wall shortly after 20 and finished in 3:25.

I finished and am now a marathoner!!

I’ll have a more in-depth review later this week but wanted to let you know.  Thanks for all the spectators who endured nasty weather this morning and for all those who cheered me on!

TCM Race Plan

Every race should have a plan. I think for my marathon debut at the Twin Cities Marathon I am going to go out at about 5 minute pace for the first half and drop to 4:30 pace for the last. That should help me set the marathon world record. I mean I only have to beat 2:03:59 right? Yea Haile Gebrselassie broke his own record and set the new one. I’m glad because I needed a little something to push myself through the middle miles!

Who am I kidding?!? My marathon goals are:

1) To qualify for Boston with a 3:10 (7:15 pace),

2) To break 3:30, or

3) To have fun and finish.

My training is on track for the 3:10 finish so unless something happens on race morning to suggest otherwise that will be the goal I have in mind.  The others are plans B and C in case I fall apart out there - but I don’t foresee that happening at all.  I’ve re-read Blaine Moore’s book, Marathon Preparation & Recovery and I’m ready to go.

Simply put, my race plan is to go out easy and finish hard. More technically I will follow the advice of friend, teammate, and accomplished marathoner Kirk Walztoni who recently published a great article in the Run MN Magazine. Here are my key takeaways:

• In the early miles “Take it easy—take it too easy.”
• Stay well-hydrated.
• Take a Shot Blok every 5k - this worked well in training and past races.
• “Cruise” around the lakes and enjoying the “Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America.”
• Relax through the middle hills, feel good, and smile for the camera at the half.
• Soak in the spectators and stay focused on the West River Parkway.
• Cross Franklin Ave bridge feeling good and don’t bust up the hills - stay even and consistent.
• Run the tangents, unless it is really sunny - then run the shade.
• Stay consistent but start reeling in the runners while cruising up Summit.
• When you see the Cathedral - bust a move and kick it on the downhill finish.

I found a TCM customized pace chart that can be used to pace yourself to your goal time, I might cut it out and use it. Or one from MarathonGuide.com

I’ll be wearing an orange jersey NOT MDRA red. My bib number is 430.

When I finish I want to say just like Gebrselassie said last Sunday:

“Today, I’m so, so, so happy. Everything was perfect today”

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• Twin Cities Marathon Course Preview

Foto Friday

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September Highlights

I probably say that every month seems to fly by, well September was no different.  The middle school I work at started right after Labor Day and it has meant some busy weeks. It is good to have the students back though, they help give purpose to my work - since my job is focused on finding opportunities for volunteers and community organizations to engage them, this makes sense! I also celebrated my second anniversary!!

It is a little odd to interrupt the flow of marathon related posts considering that the marathon is a few short days away, but it is good to look back on the month while I still have it fresh in my mind.  As you know marathon training has been going well and weeks 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 were successfully completed!

If I wasn’t out running a long run, it seemed like I was racing and happily setting PRs. This month I just raced the City of Lakes 25K - my furthest race distance and left feeling super excited. I really enjoy running in Minneapolis because there are so many different place to go running.  I just wish there was more dirt trails near my house! Some of my favorite places to run include the Minneapolis Riverfront and Pike Island.

I continued sharing about my experiences in Africa and different programs of World Vision.  I wrote about Hurricane Relief, making Caregiver Kits with Cindy McCain and Laura Bush, the World Vision Experience, and I shared from my journal some of my initial thoughts about Ghana.

Blogging is fun, so I’m glad to see that the new USATF CEO has started his own blog.

Last Year a friend wrote a guest review of the Lewis and Clark Marathon, it was much better than this year’s rain soaked affair.  My blog last year was called Run Central Indiana and it was the featured blog of the week over at the Phedippidations podcast.  Two important but often forgot about training tools are accellerations and strides.  I ran a DINO Series race (15K trail races) and wrote a nice review and had fun despite the muddy conditions. Finally, I shared what was currently on my mp3 player.  The list has changed some but some of the shows are still there!

Monthly Mileage

Running - 160 miles

Biking - 146 miles

Technorati Tags: Highlights

Reflections on South Africa

I couldn’t find my journal from South Africa, so I’ll show you some pictures and tell a brief story about each.  This might be more enjoyable for you anyway!

In South Africa we spent a lot time in the classrooms at various schools. We split up into small groups and “taught” various classes. We talked about goal setting, child abuse, HIV/AIDS, drugs and other topics before opening the floor for questions they had for us. Many of these related to the USA, 9/11 (we went January of 2002), what we liked about South Africa, and more. This is a picture from one of the classrooms. At a different school a group of kids really wanted me to go to the store with them. Ultimately, I relented and we walked a short distance to a “convenience” store. The big draw for the students was an arcade game. I can’t recall the name of the game, but I remember the shock I felt when I realized that these students were giving up their lunch money to play this stupid game. It was upsetting to me, but ultimately it was the student’s decision to make that choice. But why store owner would you do that to kids?

We did have time to stop and reflect on what we had experienced as well as the opportunity for some “touristy” type activities.  This included a little safari one day where we spent some time driving around in Safari style trucks, equipped with an elephant gun, just in case!  This was on of the giraffes we saw. We also saw some elephants, a lion, lots of warthogs, and some random other animals.

One week was spent in the northern part of South Africa, near the Botswana border. For the most part we ended up spending a large chunk of the week playing with kids. We spent time playing soccer with some older kids and visited a drop-in center for street children. These children had no place to go and couldn’t afford school. The drop-in center provided food and structure for them. Staff would teach and counsel them, while helping them overcome their addictions. Most of these kids were addicted to sniffing glue - it helps take the edge off the hunger pangs. We spent a few hours playing and interacting with them, before we were supposed to go to a village. As we were preparing to leave the center director decided that his kids should come with us and had them all get in the back of his pick-up truck. He then offered for a few of us to ride with them. We did and had the opportunity to interact with the kids a little more directly.

This is a group of villagers from the village we visited after the drop-in center. We spent a few hours playing soccer and interacting with some of the village youth. As we were leaving we saw this large group of villagers loading up a wagon with their personal belongings. Through our interpreters we discovered they were preparing to go out to the fields for a month. They were leaving their homes for a month to try to scrape out a living. They were very enamored by us and wanted us to hold the babies, thinking we would be able to magically heal and bless them just by our touch. We struggled to communicate with them but some of the group was able to interact.

This last picture is a random village that we drove by. I put it here to show you some of the conditions that people live in around the world.It was seeing places like this that rocked my world and opened my heart to those who have nothing. Before this trip I knew I wanted to be involved with changing communities, but thought that meant the inner-city or rural American communities. After seeing places like this I realized that there is something bigger that needs to be done around the world so that the poorest of the poor can have even the basic things that we take for granted.

Team World Vision

Team World Vision is a fund raising arm of the organization which uses ordinary people like me, to get ordinary people like you involved in ending poverty and injustice across the world. I have decided to commit the 26.2 miles of my first marathon to the memory of and in honor of the children I have met during my international travels. I can’t remember all of their names, but I have many pictures and stories.

On the right side of my blog there is a widget that will allow you to support me during this race or you can visit this secure page. I have set a goal of raising $2,000 which will help children have a chance at living to become adults across Africa.

Technorati Tags:   World Vision, Team World Vision, South Africa, Africa

Spirit of the Marathon at Twin Cities Marathon

If you are traveling to the Twin Cities for this fall’s Twin Cities Marathon you must go see Spirit of the Marathon while you are here.

“But I’ve already seen it?” you say.  Did you see it at a 1950’s style movie theater?

I didn’t think so.  Spirit of the Marathon is being played at the Riverview Theater in South Minneapolis.

Riverview Theater

We saw the movie when it first came out this winter and I enjoyed it.  My wife liked it too, but not as much as me!

To refresh your memory a bit, here is an excerpt from the website about the movie

[A] first ever non-fiction feature film to capture the drama and essence of the famed 26.2 mile running event. Filmed on four continents, the production brings together a diverse cast of amateur athletes and marathon luminaries. As six unique stories unfold, each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the Chicago Marathon. More than a sports program, Spirit of the Marathon is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumph; a spectacle that will be embraced by runners and non-runners alike.

Along with citizen athletes, the movie features Deanna Kastor and Daniel Njenga.

DVD Release

A DVD with the movie and other goodies will be available after October 7.  If you order now you can get an autographed copy of the DVD.  Visit the store to find out more information.  While there you can also purchase a variety of other paraphenila.

Technorati Tags: Spirit of the Marathon, Marathon, Twin Cities Marathon