Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

There are lots of shoes that are symbolic in our culture.  Cinderella.  Dorothy.  I’m sure I could think of others.  Today, I will talk about shoes. 

The first pair of shoes saw their retirement after my track workout this week.  I have gone back to track on Tuesday for at least one week.  I was assigned to run 9x600 at a 2:10 pace.  I thought it would be rather daunting given that this translates into a sub-3:00 half mile pace.  And I was supposed to repeat it nine times.  And I had only 200 meters (half lap) of rest between each.  Yet, the person who developed the plan for me told me that I could do it.

I was lucky to choose to not only go back to Tuesdays but also to go back to the Dunbar track this week.  The officer has been showing up regularly to open the track since the school year started up again.  And they have lights, which makes the running easier.  And my track buddies still run there—which makes it even easier. 

There was one guy running 6x1600 at a pace almost as fast as what I was running.  Then, one other friend came to the track to join me, although he did what he described as the “Kevin lite” workout.  He doesn’t give himself enough credit.  There were also several other runners and walkers out on the track.  Always good to see the community taking advantage of the wonderful facility. 

In any case, I did my three miles of warm up.  Travis arrived with a half to go.  The warm-up was run at an easy pace just a little slower than 8 min/mile.  Stopped to get rid of the shirt.  And then we began.

Ran the first five in 2:10.64, 2:12.52 (I have a four second window on either side so while these were not exact they were still pretty good), 2:09.40, 2:10.36, and 2:09.  Travis made the comment that the start line seemed to come up rather quickly.  When taking only a 200-meter rest, I can’t say that I’d argue that point.  I ran the next two alone while Travis took a brief rest and hit 2:10.56 and 2:12.52.  Travis rejoined me for #8 and we high 2:09.24 again and then closed with 1:27.84 over the last 400 in a 600 in which I missed starting with the first 200.  I’d guess we were running about the same pace the whole way through so that translated into 2:11.8.  The overall average was 2:10.67.  That was one of the most challenging track workouts I have ever run.  But it was well worth it.  After the poor showing on Saturday, a day of rest, and an easy 7, I had accomplished the goal.  I was happy.  With the 3 mile warm-up and 2.5 cool down I had my 10—or 40 laps around the track.  I thanked Travis for his company.  The run wouldn’t have been the same without him and we were running 8-minute miles by the end of the cool down, so we were in pretty good shape.

As mentioned, that was the run to retire that pair of running shoes.  Those shoes got me my race PR for a 20 mile run and one of my most challenging track workouts ever.  A good pair.  I went to Charm City Run to get the next pair of shoes.  Short trip as I ended up with the same model and same size.  Constancy is good. 

So, today, I broke in the new pair with a 7-mile maintenance run.  I ran it in 58:07 or an 8:18 pace.  To do that the day after a very challenging track workout was amazing.  I was back to where I felt at ease and just comfortable running that pace—no matter what I had done the day before and no matter what the hills looked like for the run. 

2 “winning” runs with 2 pairs of shoes.  Both felt good.  Both made me feel great.  Both helped restore my confidence that a PR may be possible in Philadelphia in late November. 

The reminded me of constancy.  Multiple pairs of the same model of shoe.  More pairs of the same brand of shoe—Brooks.  Run with the same people over and over again.  Same shoe store.  It is similar to other aspects of constancy in my life.  Same place to go for a haircut.  Same church.  Same job.  Married half my life.  Even the title of this blog entry reflects constancy—the same word three times.  Constancy is good.

But the fact that I had a shoe transition also makes me think of my Boston Marathon 2013 shoes. Last year in an article in the Baltimore Sun, I said, "I'm still not quite sure what I'm going to do with them," he said. "But I'm not going to just throw these out. That would not be the right thing to do." After much discussion with running friends I grew up with—many of whom are still in the same general area where we grew up—we decided to turn my 2013 Boston Marathon shoes—the only pair of running shoes I’ve ever saved after they had accumulated enough miles not to run any more—into a pair of sportsmanship awards—one for the boys and one for the girls—in a league wide award in the athletic league in which I competed in high school—the Central League outside Philadelphia. 

Today, I share the pictures of the awards that were created by Clear Preservations. I am hoping that the awards will be given at a time at which I can attend the first awarding ceremony. It may be at the Central League championship cross country meet. That would be fun as it would take me back to Rose Tree Park where the issue of how to balance running and the rest of life was first a reality for me. I remember in my sophomore year going to the county championship meet and having to leave early being picked up by my parents rather

than leaving with the team so that I could go to my aunt’s (and now uncle’s) wedding. The reality of the conflict between running and life is also a constant.

For the record, my total mileage is now 1662 on the year.  Still on US 54 in Texas headed toward New Mexico on my virtual pilgrimage.  New Mexico is the only other state I will run in before I am done. 

NCR 20 Mile Run--Race Report

Today, my bib number was 97 for the Charm City Run NCR 20 Mile Race.  I was on the last bus from the shopping center at Ashland and York in Cockeysville up to the starting line near the Maryland/Pennsylvania border.  I lined up a few rows back and settled in.  I ran a 2:29:57.  Life is good.  I met my goal and may never run this race again unless I have reason to pace someone else some day--for instance if one of my sons gets into running.  This is not a great weekend to have a 20 mile race.  But I've done it four times.

That is the short version.  Mission accomplished.  Near even splits (I ran the second half about 40 seconds slower than the first).  Continue to prepare for the marathon in Philly.

Now for the longer version.  

Today began with doing dishes from last night and walking the dog.  Then, I made a shift in what I was going to wear.  In any race before when I'd carried Gu or Stinger supplements, I'd worn shorts with big pockets.  The only shorts I have with big pockets are made of thick material and are heavy.  I got some advice to take some extra safety pins and pin the packets to my shorts.  Placing them on the inside to rest again my hips.  (Although the person giving the advice realized I have less "hips" than she does and that I don't have a sports bra to attach an extra one.)  That worked amazingly well, except for the one of the two packets I had during the race that ripped off the safety pin but didn't rip and I had a heck of a time with one wrist still not 100% mobile trying to get it open.  Nevertheless, it didn't cost me.

Then, I made the decision to race shirtless.  I've worked out shirtless before.  But I had never raced shirtless.  That meant attaching the number to my shorts.  Worked pretty well in the end.

With those adjustments taken care of, I consumed one Stinger and I drove to the shopping center at Ashland and York Roads.  There was no line at the porta-pottie, so I took a quick bathroom break.  I also took a quick selfie to show where I had my number pinned.  Then I waited.  I was there before 7 and didn't see a bus that I thought was supposed to come at 7.  There were a lot of people there for the bus that showed up at 7:15.  They got us all on but adults sat three to a seat.  The person sitting next to me in the very back row (which was made for even 2 kids at most) was in training for the JFK 50.  And many of the last people on the bus--mostly runners from Navy--ended up in the aisle.

The bus ride to the start took nearly 30 minutes.  The only good thing was that there was no line at the porta-potties there either.  Quick second use.  Another Stinger.  Jogged to the starting line.  I had forgotten how far up the trail it was.  At the starting line, I had to wait for the rest of the people from the bus to make it up.  By the time we started it was 8:09 according to my watch.  I saw some running friends I had not seen in a long time at the start.  That was great.

So, we began.  I jockeyed for position in mile 1.  One downside of having to walk up the trail to the start is that people who don't belong near the front based on their expected pace end up there.  Not too big a deal.  But not ideal.  We ran back past the parking lot where the buses had been and continued down the narrow section of the NCR trail.  First mile tends to be a little fast.  I ran it in 7:19.  Time to be a little more cautious heading into mile 2.

So, I really found my pace in mile 2.  I was not doing much passing at that point.  I was being passed by people.  I had to remind myself of one thing.  This was my race--not theirs.  Just stick to the plan. The goal was under 2:30.  While I believed I could run faster as that is only a 7:30 mile and I've held 7:20 for 20 miles in the past in marathons, I have not run marathons in which the starting temperature was 75 degrees with 89% humidity.  Second mile--7:29.

So, now I knew that the goal was just to hold that.  Still running along largely tree-lined paths, I continued to be passed by people here and there.  Some of whom would pull away.  That was okay.  Mile 3--7:31.

Mile 4 was, I believe the first water stop.  Took a Gatorade and a water. Drank the Gatorade.  Poured the water on myself.  Felt refreshing.  Life was good.  Mile 4 at 7:27.  Coming in just a bit under 30 minutes for 4 miles.  Exactly on schedule.

Mile 5--continued to be passed here and there.  Just kept running my race.  (You will see how much it became just "my' race later on.)  Ran it in 7:29.

Mile 6--first attempt at pulling a supplement off a safety pin.  Worked wonderfully.  Life was still very good.  Cruising along.  Ran it in 7:19.  Getting a little ahead of myself.  Don't know what made my break pace there.  But not too out of control.  Two years ago when I did this, I think each of the first six miles was faster than that and I went downhill starting at mile 12.  

Mile 7--7:24.  Not much to report.

Mile 8--this was the last time anyone passed me on the course.  I ran it in 7:26.  

Mile 9--I started to rein in people who were out ahead of me.  I don't know how many I picked off between the end of mile 8 and the end of the race, but it was nice that I was picking off and not getting passed.  I picked off some runners whom I know sometimes have better times than I do.  I picked off at least two Navy runners.  I picked off a couple people who had been just ahead since the start.  And I picked of one or two who had been way ahead at some point.  In any case, as I reached the trail mile 10 marker and the race mile 9 marker, I ran a 7:32.

Now it was time to really concentrate.  The easygoing nature of the pace for the first 8 turned into a battle of mind over temperature.  Mile 10 was another 7:32, but I reached the half way point with a little cushion between me and 1:15--half of the 2:30 I hoped to run.  During that mile I passed the point at which one training partner who was not running the race might have stopped out to say hi but there were other things to do on a Sunday morning.

Moving along, mile 11 was fine and I ran it in 7:27.  During mile 12, I consumed Stinger #4 for the day.  Maybe a little earlier than I should have.  And this one was messy as I had to try to open it without having the full use of my left wrist--still in a brace.  In any case, I came through in 7:26.  

 Up to this point everything felt fine.  Miles 13 and 14 were run in 7:26 and 7:25  Pulling a little faster.  Much like I had moved to a faster pace later in my training runs during the past several weeks.  Maybe a little too early.  Keys at this point: I passed the half marathon mark just around a 7:30 pace.  I made it through the first 14 in under 1:45.  Not just to hang on for the last six.  This was taking more concentration every mile.

So, mil 15 was okay at 7:32. I still felt like I was cruising mile 16 but apparently ran a 7:39.  Still, I came in under two hours but now the work got really hard.

Mile 17 was 7:43.  I slowed down particularly at the end as I passed the very familiar 2 mile marker on the trail.  I tried to get myself going again as I was slowing.  My stomach wasn't sloshing but maybe I had taken in too much liquid as I was getting a cramp in my side.  Mile 18 was 7:50.  I thought now that it would just be about finishing.  Maybe beating the 2:31 and change from three years ago.  Mile 19 has seemed short ever year I've run this race.  But my Garmin said 7:48.  And mile 20 (which is a full mile but my Garmin only recorded 0.93) was run at a 7:52 pace but in 7:17.

So, is the course off or is my watch off?  I don't know.  What I do know is that this was my PR.  I ran it in under 2:30.  Aside from any minor misplacement of the start or the turn around on the course, this is the same course I've run three times before.  So, I achieved my goal.

What else did I learn?  I compare this with the same race two years ago.  Temp was about the same to start although they day didn't get as warm two years ago.  I went out much faster and died by mile 12 and took over six minutes longer.  Today, I went out more slowly and held until mile 17.  And while I slowed down it was not by as much as two years ago.  Going out with a plan and sticking to the plan works much better than trying to excel too early.

Where does this put me? 1456 miles from the start of the year.  Still on US 54 heading west.  

What else did I think about?  I thought about not giving in.  I thought about all the advice from Shannon.  I thought about pushing with my multiple training partners.  I thought about my tattoo and how St. Sebastian didn't give in.  And I thought about Hebrews 12:1 that I saw posted this morning before the race and that is the motivation for a group called Team Persevere that I have mentioned before:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us (from USCCB website)

I also thought about the second reading this week (Romans 12:1-2).  That says:

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.
Do not conform yourselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and pleasing and perfect.   (USCCB website)

My personal spiritual search is for what is right.  Am I perfect?  No, of course not.  But my search is through my running.  The relationship between my running and my spirituality.  My transformation given a focus on serving God and not doing all the things that the current society suggests but to focus on excellence.  

Finally, my bib number (that I started with) was number 97.  If we look to Mark 9:7, we find:

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him. (USCCB website)

This serves as another note to myself to focus my spiritual search in the same way that I focus my running.  

And, last but not least, with the focus comes joy.  I want to share two pictures.  They show the joy with several fellow Back on My Feet runners who I actually know through several things each and then with a fellow blogger who writes So What?  I Run.  These pictures are after each of the four people in the pictures ran 20 miles.  Were we tired?  Yes.  Were we covered in sweat?  Yes.  Were we achy?  Yes.  But we were joyful at the completion of the race and what we had accomplished.  I should have gotten pictures with a few others--next time.

To conclude--today I focused and persevered.  As long as I continue to focus and persevere in both my physical and spiritual and friendship pursuits life will continue to be amazing.

Easy Miles and Fun Connections

So, today, I ran another 10 putting me up at 635 for the year. That puts me in Solsberry, IN, on county road 420 just a bit west of the intersection with Indiana 43.

Today the run was an easy 10. I love running to Hampden. I ran across Lake to Bellona, to Springlake, to Homeland, to Charles, to Cold Spring, to Keswick (including the funny part connecting the two directions on University), to 36th where I passed businesses I like including Metta Wellness, Charmery, and Have Fun Be Lucky Tattoo, (as well as Holy Frijoles although we haven't been there in a while), then up Roland, across Northern to Charles, up to Gittings, across to Weidner, and then winding around the neighborhood to pick up the last bit.

And for the first time in a long time I took my pulse less than 5 minutes after I was done. In fact, I finished about 3 houses away from my own, walked down the hill to the steps in front of the house, and took my pulse. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was already down to 91.

This morning, can focus on two numerical themes. First, 10. (No, I'm not thinking of the old movie.) 10 miles. 10 friends running Boston on Monday. 10 dreams. For some of them it is the first time they will run Boston. For some, they have done it many times before. Of the 10 I know, five are men and five are women. I know 3 of the guys through Back on My Feet. The other two I know from Charm City Run and Baltimore Road Runners. Of the women, one is a professional colleague and fellow Michigan grad (Go Blue!), one I met through a friend at Boston last year, and the other three I know through Back on My Feet. What a wild combination. My biggest wish for Monday is that they all finish. And after last year, I feel the need to add the word "safely." One mile dedicated to thoughts for each friend or colleague.

The other theme is the pulse rate: 91. Meaning? Well, I immediately turn to Psalm 91. Yesterday, late in the communion service at 3 PM, we sang "On Eagles Wings." Where does that come from: Psalm 91. It is a psalm of trust in God. It is a psalm in which the line "You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day" appears. Given my interest in and the story of St. Sebastian, I find the connection to the idea of safety from arrows a very strong connection.

Life is amazing that way. 

Running Camaraderie

Today, I had a wonderful run that was divided into three sections--eight miles alone at a 7:03 pace during which I saw many other runners on the trail including some I had known through previous participation in training groups with Charm City Run and two neighbors.  This gave me little time to think to clear my brain--as when I keep this pace, I am mostly thinking about one thing.  KEEP RUNNING HARD.  This turned out to be like my tempo workout for the week.  When I am "only" training for a half marathon, I do need to do tempo runs, but I don't need quite as far long runs since I only need to race 13.1 rather than 26.2.

After I finished the first eight, I came upon the rather large half and full marathon training groups for CCR this summer/fall.  I had a chance to catch up with some runners I had not seen in a very long time.  But other than saying "Wow, it has been a while, how are you doing?" it was just like I had been there since my last official training season with CCR that ended with the Baltimore Running Festival in 2011.

Then, I did 3.5 miles with a friend whom I did not run with often when I was part of a CCR training group.  A much slower pace, but there was nothing wrong with that.  It was the right pace for my friend as we could carry on a reasonable conversation and my first CCR coach always used to say that was a good way to determine if you were running the right pace for a Saturday long run.

After that, I left my friend to complete her 16 and I ran back to my car a bit harder so that I would be home to participate in other family activities for the day.

Other than simply reporting on the run, what is my bigger lesson for today?  First, sometimes even in one morning, I can experience three different levels of running--all of which mean different things.  First, just the freedom to go.  Second, sharing the joy of running with another--no matter how far apart we may be in any race.  I try to share the long run every week, but I haven't shared with this particular friend in a long, long time.  Third, showing myself that I could pick up the pace again after a slower section of the run.

And the other thing that I was reminded of today after months of running mostly either in very small groups or with one individual at a time, I found myself as part of a very large group.  Yes, because I have been away from CCR for a while, I didn't recognize all the faces.  But it was just amazing to feel the energy.  The camaraderie.  The shared sense of purpose.  A very spiritual experience.  I would be tempted to say a "religious" experience but that would imply rules and structure.  There was no need for rules and structure.  There was only a need for that feeling of shared purpose, shared interest, and a shared outlook on a key part of our lives.  Having been so long since I was part of a large group, I had forgotten just how amazing this could be.  I won't officially rejoin a training group any time soon as my schedule would not allow me to part of the group frequently enough.  But I may try to find ways to tap into that feeling at least once in a while moving ahead.