Not quite there

I thought a fast run tonight would help. But I couldn't go fast. 31:34 for 4 miles. Average heart rate 152. Still not recovered. Still a little tight.

Still recovering

I know two days to recover is generally considered nothing, but I haven't been this sore after a run since after my 100 miler last fall. It has really hit me hard. Total time today for 4 miles was 34:51, but my average heart rate for 8:45 miles was 149.

4 very tough miles

I am hurting today. Still have a sore throat. Very sore legs. Not too tired or hungry, but very, very sore.

Today's 4 miles would be a challenge. I would walk here and there. Over the last mile-and-a-half, I had to make myself run hard, just to loosen my legs.

Total time - 42:43.

18 down, 34 to go.

My favorite marathon is the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. I love the meaning behind the race. I love the 168 seconds of silence before the race begins. I love the beautiful course, winding through the neighborhoods of OKC. I love the size. I love the course support. I really love the fact that it is close to home and I get to run with people I know. It was and still is my favorite.

I woke up this morning and my throat is still killing me. Running yesterday doesn't seem to have made it worse, but it doesn't seem to make it any better either. Add to this not sleeping well last night, and I just am not feeling it. Oh, and its 50 degrees and raining at 5:30 a.m.

I put all that aside and head out of the hotel. We stopped by the gas station and bummed two large trash bags to cover with before we started. This was absolutely key, as we had to hang around at the start for 45 minutes before the race began.

We had planned to meet some friends at the start. Jennifer was going to meet Amanda, and I was going to meet Travis (Travis is a Team-in-Training participant; he is also a TNT cycling coach and a good friend of mine. Travis didn't get to train with us because of this TNT duties). Jennifer and Amanda were going to shoot for a 2:00 half (which would be a big PR for her) and Travis and I were shooting for a 4:00 marathon (Travis's first marathon). But, we couldn't find them. We would have to look for them on the course. And even though we couldn't find them, Jennifer and I could run the first 7 miles or so together, before the races split.

The gun sounded and the rain stopped. We couldn't ask for more. Within the first mile, we gave up the trashbags. We held our 9 min/mile pace. At mile 7 we split. I wished Jennifer well and headed on towards a marathon. At this point I knew she had a PR in the bag. It would just be a matter of "by how much." When I left her, if she merely held pace, she would be right at 1:58. More on that later.

So after I leave her, I stop off for a "natural break" of the side of a bridge (I was not the only one). And since I was running with the 4:00 hour pace group, I decided to try and catch them. On my way, who do I find but Travis. So this was a great break. We we quickly catch up to the 4:00 group.

Travis and I held pace well through 13 miles, despite a fairly heavy wind at our face. After 13.5 we head into a park near the lake, and back south towards town. This means one fantastic thing: wind at our back!

Through 15 Travis and I did great. 16 miles had been his longest run. But through 17, 18, 19 and even 20 he held on well. At 21 I could tell he was starting to feel the distance. Through water stops the walks would lengthen. This helped me too, as my IT band was really tightening up. Soon we would loose sight of the 4:00 pace group. But we were still moving forward, which is the most critical aspect of endurance running. This is also the most critical aspect of success in running if you ask me.

At mile 23 we see some Team-in-Training friends and coaches, who join us for a mile or so. We also see Travis's family. This was a tough mile. While it was nice seeing them, I could tell Travis wanted nothing more than to see a finish line, and I was completely in agreement. The pounding was really taking a toll on both of us.

Mile 24 was tough. Several walk breaks. Travis was really tightening up. We would have to make ourselves run. At mile 25, Travis had a new life. He now knew he could finish. We ran the entire last 1.2 miles. He did fantastic.

Great job to Travis. I am very, very impressed with the way he hung in there. He felt the pain but kept going. I know he will be back for another.

I felt this marathon. The impact was really getting to me. The trail running yesterday had a lot of side to side movement. This meant a struggle on my knees and hips. So today, my knees were really feeling it. I felt good for the first 13 miles, but the last 13 miles were a real test.

As for Jennifer, she did fantastic. 1:56:47! A PR by 7 minutes. I am very, very proud of her. She is awesome!

My time 4:12:47.

17 down, 35 to go!

The Kansas City Trail Nerds put on some great events. The Free State Trail Ultra in Lawrence, Kansas is one of the many. In its second year, the Nerds offer a 100k, a 40 miler and a trail marathon.

Last year I ran the marathon. This year I opted for the 40 miler. I had my heart set on the 100k, but knowing that I was running the Oklahoma City Marathon tomorrow, logistically I just couldn't pull both off (5 hour drive and a 6:30 a.m. Sunday start in OKC). So I wanted to make the best of the 40 miler.

I love this course. For a trail course, this is very flat (not too flat, just right). But what the course doesn't offer in elevation change, it does offer in mud. Yes, mud. For the past two years, we have been blessed with heavy rain in the few days before the event. Which means mud. Mud is fun. (Picture is of my legs after scraping as much mud as I could off).

The 40 miler was two 20+ mile laps. The first lap went very well. The first 3 miles or so have some gradual up-and-downs, and are a lot of fun. We then cross over to what seems to be another set of trails, which are fairly flat, but do have a good amount of mud. These couple get a little boring (especially some rocky miles on the shoreline). After the first aid station at mile 5, we had a few more miles of fairly flat and smooth trails, with good mud. A couple more miles with some very winding climbing. The the 10 mile aid station. At this point, you start heading back. Some heavier climbing for 5 miles, and it seems like you never reach the next manned aid station (which is at mile 16 or so). Once you hit that mark, the last 4 miles fly. They seem quite flat (except for a couple of winding hills closer to the end). Lap one in 3:21.

I took a longer break (6 minutes or so), then headed back out for lap 2.

The second lap went even better. While I did slow down a bit (a little due to fatigue, hunger and heat, but more out of caution), I felt very good. A few times I forgot exactly where I was on the course (which is the upside and the downside of a good trail race) and though an aid station was coming up long before it did. But the time still flew. Once I hit the 30 mile mark, I knew it was in the bag. 5 more miles of slightly cautious running, and 5 more at the end with aggression. The last 5 were an absolute blast. I really picked it up (ok, my pace was still slower, but I ran with real aggression), and had a really great time.

Total time was 6:59:59 (according to my watch) and 6:59:45 according to the official clock. I was very excited to be done. 9th place out of 48 starters. Not a bad day.

As expected, I hopped in the car, head to the showers, and then head straight down to Oklahoma City. Tomorrow, I get to try this again.

My 17th run of at least 26.2 miles this year, and my longest run of the year.

An easy 4 miler

Getting ready for the weekends races. Headed out for an easy 4 mile run. Still have a sore throat.

4 miles after work

So I have a sore throat. And I was hung-over this morning. So not a great day. And especially not a great day considering I have a big weekend coming up. I mentioned yesterday that Jenn is doing the OKC half marathon. I am planning on a 40 mile trail ultramarathon in Lawrence, Kansas on Saturday, and then hopping in the car and heading to Oklahoma City for the marathon on Sunday.

Tonight I made my 4 miles. But nothing more. I hope I start feeling a little better.