One Super Blog Post

After the Steelers beat the Jets and the Packers beat the Bears two weekends ago, Vegas set an early line that had Green Bay favored to win the Super Bowl by 2.5.  Last I checked, the line had jumped to three, meaning more people are taking the Pack to cover that spread than they are the Steel. 

This event matches what are almost certainly the two largest fan bases in all of football (the Cowboys are not candidates because it is unclear whether or not they have any real fans) in what has surely been a boon for the local economy.  I have no doubt the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex can hold its own with most Super Bowl sites, but the area has been dominated with a winter storm all week, something that has surely put a damper on the occasion.  It's not as if Packers and Steelers fans aren't used to the weather, but the scene has once again brought up the argument of whether (no pun intended) or not certain cities are Super Bowl-worthy.  The event has a way of really embarrassing any place that proves it can't handle the situation.  Again, in fairness to DFW, I'm confident that there are enough hotels, bars, taxis, strippers, and unique food joints to handle the world's largest sporting event, but the skies are literally dumping on the whole aura.  This has been a remarkably uneventful Super Bowl week.  The game should always take place in one of our nation's party capitals - Miami, New Orleans, or Las Vegas (Vegas, of course, would need to build a stadium) - areas that almost certainly never have to worry about winter storms (hurricanes and oil spills are another matter).  If there is a chance people can become critically injured by ice falling off the roof of your stadium, then you probably don't need to be hosting the Super Bowl.  With that said, let's get to the game.

The word on the street largely seems to be that the Steelers overachieved a bit to get here, winning two home games in very unconvincing fashion and basically getting lucky by not having to play the Patriots, a team that picked their defense apart earlier in the year.  That may be true, but there's a reason these guys are in the hunt pretty much year after year: they draft so well that it doesn't seem to matter when players get old or get hurt - someone is always willing to step in and perform well.  Their offensive line has been banged up all year but as I said in my last post that shouldn't matter because Ben Roethlisberger actually becomes more effective when he's forced to make plays on the fly.  The absence of center Maurkice Pouncey, however, should be cause for concern.

Jason really doesn't want to see Big Ben win another Super Bowl...

The main reason Pittsburgh is here, of course, is Roethlisberger.  One can never count the Steelers out when that guy is on the field.  He just makes plays.  If he has snap issues with Pouncey being out, I expect his rushing yardage total to go up.  If the Steelers can't run the ball, I expect him to get away from the rush and find his receivers open deep.  I just expect Roethlisberger to do great things. 

(Note: I am definitely among those who are going to be a bit sick if Big Ben leads the Steelers to a title again this year because of what kind of guy he is.  I don't really want to write that column, though, and I don't have to because Andrew Sharp already did.  I suggest you read it if you're having trouble deciding whom to cheer for on Sunday.  Or if you're a Steelers fan in denial.)

As far as the Packers are concerned, the secret is out.  The overwhelming consensus now is that this truly was a title contender from the get-go but the team suffered enough injuries and lost enough close games that they ended up going 10-6 instead of 13-3 or 14-2, as we touched on in the last blog entry....  That Aaron Rodgers is just a stud, possibly ready to deny the Steelers dynasty status and stake his claim as the league's best quarterback all at the same time....  That they are far more than just Rodgers - look how good that defense was against the Bears, and unsung players continue to step up.  Green Bay has veterans such as Charles Woodson, hungry for his first title; they have young stars like Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, and Tramon Williams; they have nose tackle B.J. Raji up against an unproven Steelers center (Legursky, Pouncey's replacement).  They have running back James Starks, who has suddenly given the Pack a ground game once again (star back Ryan Grant was among those hurt earlier in the year).

But let's be honest, this is about Rodgers.

Come back with me to 2008, will you?

Packers legend Brett Favre was retired.  Green Bay was ready to move on with Rodgers, who had been sitting for three years, and the team had already gone through minicamp workouts and begun training camp with him as their leader and quarterback when....Favre un-retired.  (I am better at un-retiring than he is, I'd like to add.)  He wanted to come back and play again, naturally for the Packers, whose reaction was basically, "Uhhhhhh.....welllll.....umm...really?? Isn't retirement cool and all?  You don't really want to come back, do you?"  The team eventually scheduled a really awkward meeting with Favre, and afterward declared him "mentally unfit to lead this team" or something to that effect.  Packers fans, of course, were outraged.  The team's public stance was basically that they weren't sure he was ready to come back - that maybe his head wasn't in the right place.  And this was a man who had just led them to within a game of the Super Bowl the previous season.  Do you really think that was the reason they didn't want him back?

...and because of this guy, he won't have to.

Of course not.  It's because they knew Rodgers was better.  Green Bay would have happily dumped him and handed the keys back to Favre if they felt otherwise.  Of course they would have.  Why?  Because winning means more than doing the right thing in pro sports, unfortunately.  There are examples of it everywhere.  The Packers said no to the most famous player in their history - again, infuriating their fans in the process - because they knew Rodgers would give them a better chance to win. 

Fast-forward to the present day, and you will see that Rodgers' numbers in his first three seasons as a starter compare quite favorably with those of Favre during the best three seasons of his career (1995-97, when he won three straight MVP awards).  If he can lead this team to victory tomorrow, he will have just as many rings (1) as Favre does, as well.  You might say that Rodgers will have single-handedly buried the Favre era in Wisconsin, and with great authority.  He handled the Favre situation with incredible class, never dissing his predecessor in public or getting upset with the fans who wanted the legend to take his job back.  Instead, Rodgers just went out on the field and became a star.

I watched the Packers-Falcons game three weeks ago with my jaw practically stuck to the floor.  This Green Bay team just reaches another level when they play in a dome - essentially the scenario on Sunday - because they are so much faster and have so many weapons.  Everyone talks about the Steelers defense, and while they do make plays against the pass, they are predominantly a run defense.  The Steelers can be exposed by teams who can spread the field; no one does that better than Green Bay.  This truly is the worst possible matchup this season for Pittsburgh.

Everyone is planting storylines for this one, about how it matches two legendary franchises, two great teams, and two rabid fan bases.  This is already being touted as one of the more exciting games, and they haven't even kicked off yet. 

I'm sorry, but no.  This is about Aaron Rodgers.  Super Bowl XLV will be his official coronation as the league's new star, and if the Steelers can't make a big play on defense, this might not be close.  I just hope someone keeps Aaron away from the Kardashians.  Packers 38, Steelers 28.

Conference Championship Weekend

Alright kids, I'm back.  I'm alive and well and ready to do this.  I have a certain issue that needs to be addressed, and I'm ready to jump back into this thing.  Those of you who follow this blog know that Chicago Bears long-snapper Patrick Mannelly is a friend of mine (more specifically, he is the brother-in-law of my closest friend, Taylor).  His team is playing the rival Green Bay Packers tomorrow for a right to go to the Super Bowl.

Let's back up a bit.  During an engaging back-and-forth on Twitter a couple weeks ago, a writer from Triad Sports Daily (@TSportsDaily) asked me for my Super Bowl prediction.  I tossed out "Packers over Patriots."  I have felt all year that Green Bay was the NFC's best team, and that they just didn't have the record to show for it because they lost too many close games, including a thriller at New England in which quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't even play, and suffered too many injuries at running back.  As for the Patriots, I felt they were hiding an awful pass defense (30th in the league) all season and that the Packers would expose it, badly (I didn't think the Jets would expose the Pats' passing offense, but more on that later).

So, there ya have it.  I have awkwardly predicted that someone other than Patrick's team will win the Super Bowl.  I suppose I can change it; after all I'm far from perfect overall (5-3, actually), so keep reading.  I feel like this an interesting dilemma, though.  How many wanna-be sports columnists have a chance to predict the outcome of a game featuring someone they know?  Clearly, I don't have to do this.  No one is paying me to write this blog.  But you have to admit, it's fascinating, right?  I can imagine Patrick storming into the Bears locker room and slapping my prediction on a bulletin board and getting his teammates riled up because the Un-Retired Runner thinks the Packers are better.  He probably told Julius Peppers all the bad things I said about him when I was in Chicago last spring and sent Julius down here to kick my ass.  I have stayed awake late every night this week, terrified that I will hear a loud knock on my door, open it, and find an angry Peppers standing there with his arms folded.  I'll say, "Uh, Julius, look, it's not like that, I'm just a fan with an opinion...."  Then he'll slam me into the kitchen counter, stand over me screaming, "Call me lazy and overpaid one more time, mother------!!!!!"  Then bend down and give me the "shush" sign like he did to the Panthers' fans after recovering a fumble in a game earlier this year.

Obviously, that last paragraph was a joke.  Patrick doesn't care what I think about the NFL, unless he's playing in Charlotte and needs to find the nearest Chick-fil-a.  If I want to be writer, I have a job to do: put my head before my heart and declare what I think is going to happen, not what I want to happen.

With that, let's get to the games.  I'm discussing the AFC game first.

New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers, AFC Championship
I tend to make my picks pretty casually, but I did toss out an inkling that the Steelers would win the title in an earlier post.  Now, let me be the 1, 322nd person to say that Rex Ryan is a genius.  I believe the Jets are not just a team of trash-talkers that want attention; on the other hand, I believe every single thing they do or say has a purpose behind it, and you cannot convince me otherwise.  They talked incessant trash to the Patriots all week, knowing someone would be dumb enough to take the bait.  Surely enough, Wes Welker did, and because Bill Belichick frowns on such things, he was suspended for the Pats' first drive.  What happened on that drive?  The Patriots turned the ball over, something they just haven't done this season.  So, what are the Jets doing this week?  Handing out copious amounts of praise and admiration for the Steelers to the point that it's starting to get awkward.  Various defensive players have compared Ben Roethlisberger to a snow plow, a polar bear, and lord knows what else - because he's big and hard to tackle.

Again, I'm not making these picks for sentimental reasons, and one of the reasons that would favor the Jets is "this just seems like their year," what with all the attention and the Hard Knocks special and what not.  So let's leave that out.  Another reason the Jets could win is the Steelers' offensive line is banged up, but Roethlisberger is at his best when he's forced to evade trouble and make plays on the fly.  That's why he's so good - he's not a Brady or Manning that can be flustered by mixed coverages and can't adjust when there are no receivers open.  Big Ben frequently gets left out of discussions about the league's best quarterbacks, and it's time we put that to an end.  You simply can't game plan for a guy who is actually better when plays break down.  Then there's the Steelers' defense, which has the perfect blend of aging veterans (James Farrior, Larry Foote), guys still in their prime (James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden), and young up-and-comers (Ziggy Hood, LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons).  This one is almost too close to call, though.  I don't agree with certain pundits who say the Steelers are too banged up simply because they still have Big Ben, and if this game is close, I trust him more than I trust Sanchez.  Regardless of the fact that the Sanchize has actually played great in the playoffs. Steelers 24, Jets 21.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, NFC Championship
I find it interesting to note that if the Bears do win this game, the special teams units will likely be the reason.  They are simply outstanding in that phase of the game.   We all know about Mannelly and Devin Hester, but the kicking game is solid, too.  As far as Hester goes, it isn't simply the fact that he's capable of breaking one every time, but the fact that he almost always gets a decent enough return to put Jay Cutler and the offense in good field position.  More importantly, the Packers aren't the greatest in this area.  The kicking game is solid, but their coverage units could get them in trouble, and I have a feeling coach Mike McCarthy will be willing to risk kicking to Hester.  Also, Aaron Rodgers isn't going to light up the Bears the way he did the Falcons - not by a long shot.  (1) The Packers offense is better in a dome, where they played last week; (2) the familiarity of having already played a team twice in a season always favor the defense, not the offense; and (3) the Bears defense is just plain better than Atlanta's.  I don't have the slightest idea how the Falcons won 13 games this season, but then again I'm probably a little biased against them, being a Panthers fan and all.

So what about the Packers?  They have a pass-rushing, ball-hawking defense coached by the experienced Dom Capers.  I hope Jay Cutler plays lights-out again, but the look on his face before the game last week scared the crap out of me.  Clearly, he calmed down and played very well against the Seahawks, so hopefully he can do it again.  As you are gathering, I think this game is going to be a defensive battle.  As far as Rodgers is concerned....

You know what?  That's going to have to wait.  I just wrote three glowing paragraphs about Rodgers, detailing his career path to this point, and what the stakes are for him, for the Packers franchise - and yes, for Brett Favre, too.  I looked over everything I had just written and then I cut and pasted those thoughts and stashed them away for future use.  Why?  Because those words aren't appropriate right now.  If Rodgers leads the Packers past the Bears and into the Super Bowl, they will be.  But right now, he has to face a Bears team that has been here before.  This is a group of hungry, experienced veterans that has tasted success without quite making it all the way.  They are playing at home, on that crappy field that clearly favors them more than anyone else who plays there, in front of their fans.  Again, familiarity breeds confidence, and always favors the defense.  If you showed me these two teams as they are and then told me they hadn't played each other yet, I'd go with the Packers.  That's not the case.  Chicago will be ready.  Bears 17, Packers 14.

"But Jason, you said you were going to bet with your head and not your heart!!"

Do you know me?

Update

A lot's going on in the world these days, and as usual I have an opinion.  I'm trying to organize my thoughts and come up with a plan for this blog to hopefully take it to the next level.  For now, however, I wanted to simply chime in and report that all 2011 marathon plans have been put on hold as I am still among the non-running.  My injury progressed from the lower left shin up to the top, near the knee, and any attempts at exertion result in a numbing soreness.  I'm hoping to revert all the way back to normal before I begin training again at all.

In the meantime, I have begun using the "bike to nowhere," which is every bit as awful as I thought it would be, and trying to work out my legs in other ways to build up more muscle.  This injury is essentially a result of the force being pushed to other areas on account of the muscles not being strong enough to absorb it all.  That said, it could have been avoided had I held back in training - or stopped running back in early November when I first noticed it.  There is no need to go into deep explanation as to how this happened; one look at my running log should reveal that I trained way too hard.  Basically, I was running significantly better than I ever thought I would last fall and I think that led to me being careless with my general recovery. 

There is also no need to delve deep into the emotional chasms of my mind (did I really just write that?) to dig up my feelings shortly after Thunder Road.  I was, in a word, heartbroken - as you can imagine.  I set a goal for myself and was determined nothing could keep me from it, only to be reminded that I am, in fact, not invincible.  However, there should be many more opportunities to accomplish said goal; I need only to exercise patience and restraint.  One often only gets a single chance to be a part of a high school state champion (close, but no cigar) or a conference champion in college (done - I have a ring the size of my head to prove it), but this is different. 

I may be going crazy right now, but I will get back out there soon.  And you had better believe I will be more motivated than ever.

2010 Thunder Road Marathon

As discussed, this race recap is from the viewpoint of an injured spectator, not a competitor.  That said, I'm quite pleased with how things turned out, as I was able to hit six different spots along the course without ever getting stuck in traffic.  Since my parents had already planned to watch the race, they agreed to come with me and help me support my friends.  So, who are those friends, exactly?  I'm glad you asked.

I've only met Jordan Kinley, and while I was curious to see if he could break the course record of 2:24:20, I had a feeling I'd never see him as he would be too far ahead of everyone else.  There's Billy Shue, who ran about a 2:43 in this race last year and has steadily improved since then.  Then there's Daniel Eggers and David Brinkley, familiar names to anyone who reads this blog, both with stated goals of breaking 3:10 in order to qualify for Boston.  Then there's Mike Oelz, who has dealt with nagging injuries but unlike me was smart enough not to run through them.  Oelz had told me several months ago that he just wanted to be around 3:30.  Finally, there was Philip Martin and Justin Riddle - two childhood friends of mine who decided to take on this task as a new challenge and said their goal was to simply finish after being a bit banged-up going into the final week.

With my parents in tow, I had a course map and a tentative plan to follow everyone.  I knew Rob Eggers, Daniel's dad, would be at mile #5 - the corner of Providence and Sharon Amity - and I hoped to run into him so that we could coordinate our viewing activities.  We made it there shortly after 8 and, by the looks of how fast the runners were that passed us, had just missed Kinley and the other leaders.  There were a LOT of runners moving well - mostly half-marathon competitors, for sure.  I met Danielle Crockford and her husband Chad at the CRC Halloween party, where we shared marathon goals and they basically gave me lots of good advice.  She came by with Brian McMahon, the 3-hour pacer, and some other runners.  I watched them pass and kept my eyes peeled.  I was looking up toward the turn when I heard Brinkley shout, "Hey Jason - Happy Birthday, buddy!"  I turned around and saw him wave at me, trotting along at a comfortable 7:00 pace-per-mile.  My mom got a kick out of that.  About a minute passed and I began to wonder if we had missed Eggers.  I thought it odd that he and Dave wouldn't have tried to meet and run together at the start and, knowing Eggers, realized he probably showed up too late to get a good spot in the corral (it turns out that's exactly what happened).  Not long after that, he passed by with the race shirt on his chest and a goofy smile on his face.  Oelz spotted me in the crowd and shouted my name not long after that, and when we saw Philip and Justin we cheered for them before leaving to go to the next spot.

I drove well out of the way to avoid course traffic and made it down Selwyn Avenue to where Queens crossed it on the Booty Loop.  I got there just in time to shout, "Let's go, Billy!!!" as Mr. Shue streaked by in an orange-and-black blur.  Here I found a large group of Queens girls cheering the runners and passing out noisemakers and balloons.  I retrieved a little plastic clapper and took the time to elicit sympathy by explaining to the girls that I had planned to run in this race before being injured.  Awww, you poor thing!  The course was still jam-packed with runners as the half wasn't quite finished.  I spotted Brinkley and cheered for him as he reached out and slapped my hand.  When Eggers came by I informed him that David was about thirty seconds ahead, and later found out that he had closed on him before having to stop to urinate.  We hopped back in the car and scooted over to the South End area to the intersection of Camden and Tremont - just before mile #15.

We got to the corner and there was a group playing Christmas carols right in front of Pike's Restaurant, a South End favorite.  My mom was greatly amused and started snapping pictures of them.  She enjoyed it so much, in fact, that we had a hard time pulling her away later.  We missed Billy Shue but caught some of the other front-runners, as well as Danielle and Brian again.  Running with them was a guy in a CRC singlet that I'm pretty sure was Kevin Ballantine.  I cheered for Danielle and noted that they were way, way ahead of Eggers and Dave, who were nowhere in sight.  If that group is pacing for 3 hours then my boys were going to be cutting it close to break 3:10, I thought.  I spotted them, running together with no one else close at the moment, and cheered wildly as they came by us and turned up Tremont.




Eggers, in front, with Brinkley on Camden Avenue on mile 15.

 David told me later that Eggers caught him somewhere in the Morehead Street-Berkeley Avenue section and that they ran together through miles 13-15.  Shortly after they passed us in the spot above, they agreed to part ways.  "I looked down at my watch and saw a 6:39 mile so I decided to hold back a bit," David told me later.  After starting slow, Eggers was beginning to gain ground.  My parents and I, along with Rob, drove over to the intersection of Parkwood and Davidson - just before mile 20, I believe - to cheer the boys on at what was no doubt one of the more desolate stretches of the course.  There was a man playing music on loudspeakers at the intersection, and once again I made it to the corner just in time to cheer on Billy Shue.  He looked like he was zoned in but was all alone by a wide margin - no one anywhere near him on either side.  I had no idea what place he was at the moment.  As the other runners came through, mostly alone, several looked confused as to which way to go so my mom took it upon herself to start pointing up the street and shouting encouragement.  The Brian-Danielle-Kevin group passed us again and we cheered them on.  I was pretty sure Danielle was the second female at that point but there were several women that looked to be within striking distance of each other for the title.  When Eggers came past us this time, he was a lot closer to them and was passing a lot of people.  We shouted and hollered as he came through, knowing he was doing well, and waited for David.  I finally spotted him about a minute later and began to worry about him.  I knew he would finish but he looked like he was beginning to question things.  The 20-miler was his longest run so he was about to enter uncharted territory.  I shouted at him to stay strong and remember all that training...

We made the short drive up Parkwood to catch everyone again at the corner of The Plaza, just before mile #22 - I think.  When Brian and Danielle approached, I told my mom not to cheer for Brian because he was the pacer.  We both shouted encouragement, then Brian turned around with a crap-eating grin on his face and said, "Yeah, thanks!"  - to which my mom replied, laughing, "Not you, her!"  I doubled over in laughter before quickly composing myself - because there's our boy Eggers!  Holy freakin' cow!  He was several minutes behind Brian and Danielle at mile 15 and was now right on their heels!  He was passing people like they were standing still and looked like he wasn't even breathing hard.  We got back in the car, afraid we might miss him at the finish from trying to find a parking spot uptown, and when we drove by the runners on Parkwood we were able to shout more encouragement at David.  I could tell he was slowing down but I now realized he had been running well under 7-minute pace for most of the early part of the race, so I was confident he could still break 3:10. 

Thanks to my dad's extensive knowledge of the area, we found some shortcuts and a VIP parking spot on Davidson Street for the finish.  As a few runners came through I looked up at the big clock and saw "2:52," meaning we weren't too late.  I found Eggers' wife, Katie - who is about eight months pregnant with their first child - plus her sister Kristen and Dan's mother.  Let the waiting begin.  I couldn't see very well so I moved up the chute a bit and found Emily Barrett and Kati Robertson, who told me that Jordan won the race easily but missed the course record by 26 seconds - a bit cruel - and that Billy ran a personal-best time of 2:41 or so and finished fifth.  Several of the other front-runners were out-of-towners and one of them was 50 years old, which is very encouraging to those of us who just turned 29. 

We saw Brian and Danielle turn on MLK Jr. Blvd. and head towards the finish, and it was announced that Danielle was the top female.  In a classy move, Brian held back to let her savor the moment and she raised her arms in the air before crossing the line just under 3 hours.  I knew Eggers wouldn't be much further back, and sure enough there he was, booking it up the street.  From my spot on the side of the chute, I looked up at the clock, saw it was just a few ticks past 3 hours, then looked back at him.  I threw my hands in the air and shouted, "Boston Q, baby!  Easily!!  You're my boy, Eggers!"  With a huge grin on his face, he ran over to me and slapped my hand before heading into the chute with a clock time of 3:01:50.  I later found out that his chip time, which is official, was actually 3:00:40.  What that means to those of you not versed in race timing is that he made it to the starting line of the race 70 seconds after the race started.  In other words, he had a bad starting spot and had to fight through a huge crowd the first few miles.

All of which makes the performance that much more impressive.  A 3-hour marathon is an excellent mark, by any standards, but to me it's not Dan's time but how he did it that stands out.  He ran about 1:34 for the first half and 1:27 for the second - a negative split of 7 minutes!  His fastest mile was #23 - how often do either of those things happen in a marathon?  I feel it's important for me to recognize this, not only because it's awesome, but also because the excitement of seeing Dan do so well had temporarily washed away my disappointment in being injured.  It also helped me realize some errors I had made in training and strategy, but that will be detailed in another post.

After waiting around for a bit, I saw David fight to the finish for a time of about 3:14.  I knew he would be disappointed that he didn't hit his goal, but a 3:14 marathon debut on a tough course is something to really be proud of, and I was happy for him.  It was tough for me to see this knowing I would have been up there with him, but those feelings will also be detailed in another post that will likely have to be edited for brevity in order to maintain a PG rating.  I saw Theoden Janes of "Run With Theoden" fame come through the finish chute under 3:30, and I went up to introduce myself and congratulate him.  He was surprisingly friendly and chatty for someone who had just run a marathon.  Not long after that, Mike Oelz showed up with a look on his face that said, "Thank God this is over, and someone remind me to get some new friends."  Good race, Oelz, and don't worry, we're definitely going to make you do another one soon.  Mike is getting married next summer, so congrats to him and Emily.  We saw Philip Martin come through about ten minutes later and Justin  Riddle another five minutes after that, and everyone was hugged and congratulated by yours truly after they came out of the finish chute. 

All in all, I had a blast out there today, and I'd like to add that watching a marathon is a lot more fun than it sounds.  If you have a friend running one in your city, I strongly suggest you get out there and support him or her.  I could tell by the faces we saw - even those of runners who didn't know us - that our support meant the world to them.  Plus, it's a pretty neat way to view the city and understand the experience.

Full results here.
Daniel Eggers' excellent race recap here.
Theoden Janes' recap, in which he gives me a funny shout-out, here.
Read what the reigning two-time champion had to say about his race, here.

I'll leave you with a few quotes from what the participants told me:

"Very, very happy about (the race), Jason!!  I came in with some big goals and that helped push me to a 3-minute PR from last year on this course.  I went out hard during the first half shooting for a goal that I wasn't ready for yet and tried my best to stay with the #3 and #4 guys during the first half, but was able to stay strong and dig deep during the 2nd half to run a big PR from last year.  It was great seeing you at Parkwood-Davidson!!!"  - Billy Shue

"Basically, I made some rookie mistakes.  But I learned a lot from the race.  It took me 53 minutes to run the last 10k...which hurt me.  I know what 'the wall' feels like, but I can also say that I gave it everything I had and left everything out there on Saturday.  I've analyzed every way I should have run that race, and basically just ran it like a rookie."  - David Brinkley

"Ummm..NoDa supports runners."  - Justin Riddle

"I can't wait for you to get a marathon under your belt - it's such an experience.... I averaged 6:49 pace for my second half - whew!"  - Daniel Eggers

"First half was fine.  Brevard (I think he means Caldwell Street) was tough.  Other than that the course was fine with the exception of my legs.  Glad I did the marathon.  I know what I need to work on for training so that I can run the next one quicker."  - Mike Oelz

"A marathon is a complete physical and mental drain, but the reward at the finish is worth every ounce of pain."  - Philip Martin

'Til next time, folks - thanks for reading!

Decision Time

I left my doctor's visit less terrified about my long-term status but no more encouraged about Saturday's race.  I trust my doctor because he happens to be a marathon runner; otherwise I wouldn't have bothered going to see him.  He poked and prodded my lower leg for awhile, did some x-rays, and informed that it didn't look at all like a stress fracture - but also said that he didn't see how I could run a decent marathon with shin splints.  Continuing the conversation, he stated the obvious - that I could sit out and rest and hop in another local marathon in February, such as Myrtle Beach, which had been my secret backup plan originally had I found myself in his office the day before the race.  We left the conversation as follows:

Him:  "My advice as a medical doctor is to sit out and not run for awhile.  My advice as a runner, knowing how much work must be put in for a marathon, is to give it a go if you feel you should but drop out if it doesn't feel better early in the race."
Me:  "That's exactly what I'm going to do - see if maybe it loosens up but I assure you I'll drop out if it doesn't."

Fast-forward to this afternoon, when I met Eggers at the convention center to go check out the expo.  I found myself wishing I had brought deeper pockets because they were carrying Nikes for 50% off.  We picked up our packets and did a test scan of our chips to make sure we were who they said we were - I didn't want to have that problem again - and looked around for a bit.  Everywhere, people were repping their running-related products.  We found a booth that said something like, "Hippie Running Inc." and a smiling girl that looked like...well, a hippie.  Eggers rummaged through a pile of head-warmers that had peace signs and various other symbols on them before deciding that they weren't warm enough.  We found the Charlotte Running Club booth and I met Aaron Linz in person for the first time.  Eggers asked him questions him about the club and the race and if he thought Jordan Kinley would have any competition in defending his title.  Aaron said he thought not but figured the half-marathon would be very fast, given the number of people also in town for the Cross Country Club Nationals to be held at McAlpine later in the day.  I told him that I was trying to run the race with severe shin splints, and he sheepishly wished me luck while adding that compression sleeves probably wouldn't do anything and certainly weren't worth forty bucks.  We joked about how everyone was telling me that Lance Armstrong ran his first marathon while suffering through shin splints.  Hey, if Lance can do it... I thanked Aaron for always responding to my e-mails and told him I thought the CRC was well worth the recently introduced membership fee.

After the expo, I headed to my parents' house to open my birthday gifts and eat a large pre-race dinner.  Those are all things that I enjoy - my parents, birthday gifts, and large pre-race dinners.  In lieu of pasta - thanks, Mom! - I had salmon, rice, a salad, and some bread.  We were scheduled to have a conversation about where I wanted them to show up to watch me at various parts of the course, and to have me detail a plan for them to travel around.  Instead, I decided I wanted them not far from the start of the race.  That way, if I had to drop out I wouldn't have to sit there and be carted around in a rescue vehicle; instead, I could ride around with my folks and cheer on my friends.  We set the Bojangle's at 3rd Street and Charlottetowne Avenue as our meeting point, at which I would either give them a thumbs-up or hop in the car.

Think about how absurd that sounds.  On my way home, I finally came to my senses, picked up the phone and informed my parents and my friends that I would not be racing.  I was obviously devastated at this awful turn of events but figured I'd rather run my first marathon at full strength.  Besides, I couldn't even run to the stop sign at the end of my street without tripping.

Time to get a Professional Opinion

I set out for an easy 4-mile run yesterday, hoping my leg would just hurt at first, as it had a few weeks ago, and then feel better after awhile.  That was not the case.  I was wearing the old shoes so I didn't bother re-lacing again and again, but I had to stop and stretch at least once a mile.  I would be running along, in pain but still keeping my stride, when the dull ache/numbness/giveout would occur.  Towards the end of the run I tried running faster, which actually felt better, so there's something positive to take from all this.  But I could barely walk when the run was over and continued to stretch - constantly.

With the help of Brandon Hillis, I did some research and self-diagnosis and this looks a lot like shin splints.  The dull ache and numbness are symptoms common to shin splints.  I put the word out on Run with Theoden's Facebook page that I thought I had shin splints and wanted to know if anyone had ever run a marathon in such a condition.  I also described how everything felt.  Everyone was very helpful and essentially came to two conclusions:  (1) yes, you can run a marathon with shin splints.  It's going to hurt like hell but should not cause any long-term damage at all.  Get some compression sleeves and take painkillers. 

I'm not even going to say what the second conclusion was.  Let's just say that I have decided to visit the doc to make sure this is something I can run through before I proceed on Saturday.  The pain would not bother me; fear that I may be doing some unknown damage would.  I have an appointment for this afternoon and honestly, I'm optimistic.  I just need peace of mind.

Apologies for slacking, again...

I have slacked off in a big way right as things are really starting to get interesting.  I have several posts saved that I just need to edit and update.  When I get time I will try to go back and posts some pictures of the family time over Thanksgiving, as well.

Damage Control

I went to the grocery store last night to get several bags of ice, dumped it all into a large cooler, and dipped my left leg in it for as long as I could stand it.  I immediately felt a lot better and continued to do some serious stretching, as well.  Any stretch that involves pulling the shins back seems to feel like heaven, and I can walk around for a bit afterward feeling perfectly normal.  The normalcy doesn't last long, however, and I have found a new pain up near the tibia, just below the knee.

I have already decided to switch back to the old shoes.  The new shoes certainly didn't cause this; it's been an issue for weeks and just got worse all of a sudden.  That said, the shoe switch was an incredibly stupid idea and may have expedited the process.  When I'm this close, every detail matters.  I'm going to take two days off and then see how I feel on Wednesday.

Uh-Oh...

I didn't make plans to run with David, but he and I both agreed that an easy 10-miler would be a good long run for what would essentially be the last run of the training cycle.  The race is less than a week away and I'll need to do some short runs this week to keep the legs awake, but the work is done at this point.  I set out in the early afternoon to do my lovely Freedom Park/Independence Park loop, which is actually about 10.4.

I made it a mile down the road and felt good.  I thought to myself that I may finally be able to report here that I felt fresh again.  I had thrown myself in the meat grinder and come out fine - for the most part - and I was ready to rest and get my mind ready for the big day.  I made the turn from Randolph onto Colville, then down Providence and towards Freedom Park.  Here I was less than four miles in and my left leg started to tingle and feel that numbing, dull ache again.  Come on!   This is getting old.  I stopped at a bench to re-lace the kicks and felt better at first.  I made it around the lake and to the 5-mile point and noted that I was running just over 7 minutes a mile and that it felt easy to most of the body.

Things began to unravel after that, however.  Shortly before I made it to the Metropolitan on the greenway, my left leg did that little dull ache/giveout thing that it had done the previous Wednesday, and I had to stop running.  I walked for a bit and tried not to freak out.  I re-laced the shoes - again - and spent a few minutes stretching my shin, calves, and groin.  I knew I needed to call it a day but I wanted to get closer to home before walking the rest of the way.

I started running again after I passed the Metropolitan and felt OK at first.  Come on...we have come so far...just give me one more week... I stopped to stretch at least once more, made it through Independence Park in a bit of pain but still running well, and then things got worse, once again.

I was a little over a mile from home when my left knee started to hurt, the dull ache came back, and my shin fell in again.  I did the stretching/re-lacing routine again, only this time when I set out to trot the leg said, "Uh-uh, big guy.  We're not doin' this any more."  I was done for the day and tried to compose myself as I walked the remaining mile-and-a-half home. 

It was time to come up with a plan to run through this thing - if possible.

Breaking 'em in

Things have taken a turn for the colder here in Charlotte.  It was sleeting after lunch when I went by the Bank of America Corporate Center to open up for a valet event.  There was no precipitation when I got home but obviously it was still cold.  I decided to run my 7-mile loop again, hoping my legs would feel better than they did Thursday (I took Friday off).

The shoes didn't feel as bad as they did the other day, but I was still pretty uncomfortable.  I couldn't tell if my left leg situation was getting worse or if I was just having that much trouble adjusting to the new kicks.  I stopped a few times to adjust the laces but again, I felt like I was working harder than I should have been.  I ran the 7 miles in 7:26 pace.

Short Tempo in the New Shoes

My new shoes arrived last night, finally.  Normally, I would never dare switch shoes this far into the training cycle but this is the same pair and I felt the newness would help ease some of my aches and pains.

Boy, was I wrong.  I set off down the McAlpine greenway to do six miles at race pace, right around 7:00, and felt extremely awkward and uncomfortable in the new shoes.  I managed to hit each mile right around 7, and ended up averaging a nice 6:56 for the whole distance, but it was work.  The rest of my body was working harder to avoid running funny in the new shoes.  As I got near the end, my legs began to feel numb, and at one point my left shin, the one that's been bothering me, somewhat gave out in a dull ache.  Not a good sign.

I began to see that the shoe switch was probably a bad idea, but I wasn't ready to trust the old pair for the race, so I decided to stick with these, with a plan to wear them all over the place for the next ten days to get them broken in faster.  Hopefully it will work.

First Common Market Run

I was going to do a short tempo run at race pace today, but Kati Robertson needed a running buddy so I put it off until tomorrow.  I met her at the Common Market in Plaza-Midwood and we were joined by Emily Barrett and a dude named Ben.  This place is a meet-up point for one of the more popular Charlotte Running Club group runs every Thursday.  The market is just over two miles from my apartment so I decided to run there, and then the four of us took off down the road to do a four-mile loop.  As Emily led the way, I followed her and we chatted about life.  The pace was much slower than I was used to, but that felt fine as I have no need to run hard at this point.  I did force things down closer to 8 minutes per mile by the end of the run, however, and when we split up back at the market I ran about 6:30 pace on the way home.  Thanks to that, I remarkably managed to keep the average pace for 8.4 miles at just under 8:00.

Officially Registered!

I am pleased to announce that I am officially running in the Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon next Saturday, December 11.  So, how exactly did we get here?

Back in the summer, I made a commitment to start running to stay in shape, eat cleaner, and get to the gym.  I kept putting off the gym part, however, and it quickly became apparent that I was going to be a full-time runner again.  My goal at the time was to train to get into decent shape, then train hard to get into racing shape so I could compete in a lot of the local road races, most of which are 5k or 10k. I knew Eggers had already planned to do the local marathon.

Dan had one marathon under his belt already - the Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon from this past February.  I killed some time at work by reading his race recap, and I found myself overcome with inspiration.  I thought about how the marathon training would include some heavy mileage but would actually be a lot less intense than training for 5k, and could be a great way to build up a base before switching to lower distances.  Then, I noticed the date of this year's race:  it was my birthday.  I was in.

Let's get into the details of this race and how I plan to perform:

History

Charlotte has been putting on a marathon since the late 1970s, when the running boom was in full swing here in the United States.  The winners were regularly running under 2:20, which is elite by any standard.  The Charlotte Observer Marathon suffered a scandal, however, when the race director was convicted of mail fraud about then years ago and the Observer pulled its sponsorship, effectively ending the race.  In 2005, another marathon was introduced, called "Thunder Road," with an attempt to build a NASCAR theme.  Boogity-boogity, let's go racin'!! (that's Darrell Waltrip, kids).  Last year's winner was Jordan Kinley, who recently announced that he's going to run it again.  You can read his excellent recap of last year's race here.

The Course


The Thunder Road Expo is held next Thursday and Friday at the Charlotte Convention Center.  That's where I'll go to pick up my packet.  I skipped out on the course preview runs that Run For Your Life sponsored, but I did take the opportunity to drive most of the course ten days ago.  Naturally, we will start and finish uptown, with the starting line being somewhere around Tryon and 1st Streets, which is exactly where we started for the Komen Race a couple months ago (Was that really a couple months ago? Wow!).  From there we will leave uptown on 3rd Street and make our way over to 4th, which becomes Randolph, then turn down a road called Colville that takes us to Providence.  We go away from town on Providence before touring the affluent Foxcroft neighborhood at the edge of Southpark and Myers Park.  This part of the course is essentially my back yard.  I have run down Colville and these sections of Providence and Randolph more times than I count in the last eight months.  Obviously, that's a good thing - but this gets better.  We leave the Southpark area by way of Sharon Road, turn down a street called Chilton and do the Queens Road loop before heading to Morehead.  This section is all a part of my 7-mile loop that I've done quite a few times recently.  I expect fantastic support from the neighborhoods throughout this part of the race.

I had some trouble staying on track with my car, because the map isn't labeled that well on the site, but the halfway point is somewhere on Morehead Street.  This is where things will get interesting; suddenly, there won't be nearly as many runners (there is also a half-marathon which uses the same course, I believe).  The course takes us around South Tryon and through the South End area after leaving Dilworth, and we run along Mint Street, headed back uptown.  This will be a neat stretch because we run right towards Bank of America Stadium.  From here we head north on 4th Street and come back up Trade, right past the arena.  At this point, I plan to take my 3rd and final gel packet, although I will probably have a 4th one on hand just in case.  The 18-mile mark is somewhere around the arena.

We leave uptown again, this time on Caldwell Street, and head towards NoDa.  I am really looking forward to this part of the course because I have always wondered what it would be like to get shot at in the middle of a 26.2-mile race.  In all seriousness, this stretch is considered to be the most mentally challenging part of the course because there is no spectator support, the pack continues to thin out, and the area is a bit drab, to put it nicely.  Things will get fun after that, however: I'm told the party crowd gathers in Plaza-Midwood as this course runs right by Thomas Street Tavern and the Penguin.  Spectators have been known to offer drinks to runners, and I'm sure some of the stragglers will take them up on the idea. 

At this point, I decided to head home but I can tell you that we make our way over to Hawthorne Avenue, which features a famously awful hill, and from there head back uptown to the finish line near the convention center.  Hopefully I will still be alive at this point.

Objective

When this training cycle began a few months ago I figured I could run Boston Marathon-qualifying time and I set that as a goal.  That time is 3 hours, 10 minutes - I'm told they accept 3:10:59 - or 7:15 pace per mile.  That seemed awfully daunting back in September and I thought about adjusting the goal to around 3:20 or so.  Then, something happened:  I started running really well, and Boston Q seemed possible again.  Then, I started running even better and began entertaining crazy ideas of breaking 3 hours.  Look, things would have to go really well for me to break 3 hours.  That's a 6:52 mile for 26.2 miles.  Not only would I have to run very, very well, but I also wouldn't be able to afford any extended bathroom breaks or stretching sessions during the race.  I have decided that 3:00 would be the ultimate goal but 3:05 more reasonable, and if things don't go as well as I hope I will be more than happy with the 3:10/Boston time.

So, that's that.  I do believe my training has prepared me for this thing.  I still feel a little banged up but I think I have time to switch to a new pair of shoes and I believe that will help, so stay tuned!

Easy run in the rain

I got back from Savannah Saturday afternoon, but I didn't do a long run Sunday.  My niece did her part to make sure we all got the minor cough and cold she was dealing with, so I slept in Sunday and rested all day.  Today, I ran a 7-mile route from home that I have come to really like: I start up the hill on Randolph and cut through a small neighborhood with some really steep hills, then cross Providence and Sharon Roads before winding through the Queens neighborhoods near the school.  I was wearing a sleeveless shirt that I've had for years and noticed it had become quite tattered.  It was also very uncomfortable because the rain was coming down fairly hard, so I took off the shirt and ditched in a wastebasket at the Queens welcome center parking lot.  I finished my run in 7:22 per mile and felt good.

Officially Tapering

Well, my last really hard workout is done so I am officially tapering.  I hope I didn't wait too long seeing as how the race is a mere two weeks away, but I think I will be fine.  I ran easy 6.5 miles through some trails I found not far from my sister's neighborhood this morning, and if I'm up for it I'm going to do about a 12-mile long run on Sunday when I get back.  Essentially, I will have an easier workout or no workout, and a shorter long run, but other than that my runs should be the same for the next week.

Thankful for Tempo Runs

Well, I usually do my workouts on Wednesdays but this week I would have to do it on a Thursday because of the travel schedule.  I wanted to do a ten-mile progression run, meaning I would start off at an easy trot (7:30 pace) and gradually get faster each mile, with the last one hopefully being in the low 6s.  However, since I don't own a GPS watch and I had no idea where I was, this was out the window.  I instead mapped five miles away from my sister's house on the main neighborhood road and planned to run there and back. 

I still wanted to start out slow and gradually increase the pace, but since I wouldn't know my splits each mile this would essentially just be another tempo run.  I was out the door at 6:30 a.m., well before the rest of the house had awakened, and it was a muggy 65 degrees here on the Georgia coast.  How appropriate that the road where I would turn around was called "Steeplechase Drive."  I figured I could remember that.  Now, had it been called "Marathon Avenue," or "Jason Turn Around Street," that would have been a little too weird. 

I've never been good at running fast or pacing myself when I don't have an idea of my surroundings.  Even when I run a new route in Charlotte, I always know how much further I have to go because I know the area.  Not the case today.  I started out a little too fast - I'd guess around 7:00 pace - and was feeling pretty good, aside from some slight tightness in the left leg.  I got past the point where I had turned around yesterday and began to pick up the pace, still feeling a little tight but otherwise moving well.  I'd guess I bumped it down to about 6:40 or better for the next few miles.  This road twists and turns, and since there was no traffic, I essentially made tracks by running on the tangents to ensure the shortest route possible (that's how it usually ends up getting measured online, anyway).  At one point the houses suddenly got a lot bigger and I noticed there was a nice golf course back here.  I wondered if there were any diehards about to tee off on Thanksgiving morning. 

I slowed down when I got to where I thought Steeplechase would be because I didn't want to miss it, and then picked up the pace again after I turned around.  Not long after that, I started to feel a little tight and just tried to maintain for the next few miles.  There is a large building with a red roof - some sort of lodge and spa - about two miles from my sister's street, and I began to look for that.  I figured there was no way I could have missed it, so I slowed down some, thinking I had further to go, and this cost me a better average pace.  I'd estimate I ran 7:30 or slower for about a mile and a half.  When I realized I had already passed the lodge and spa I picked it up and was running pretty hard when I made it home.

After measuring the route again I determined I ran 10.24 miles at just under 7-minute average pace - 6:56 to be exact.  Not blazing but probably right at race pace, so I'll take it.

Savannah cruiser

My sister's family moved to Savannah this fall, and while she's been back a couple times I had yet to go see her.  I was looking forward to celebrating Turkey Day in unfamiliar territory - and we also had my niece's second birthday to celebrate.

I must say, my skills as an uncle are pretty off-the-charts, and my niece is the cutest kid of all-time!  We ask her, "Lilyana, where's your little sister?"  and she pats her mother's belly (my sister is six months pregnant with another girl).  I got her to play "track and field" with me, which basically involved me setting up a large (to her) obstacle in the middle of the room and having her sprint towards it, wild eyed, as I picked her up and flipped her over it.

....And at the grandparents' house, we can hang on the rim!

I had an easy day today, so I mapped a seven-mile out-and-back from my sister's house.  She lives in suburban Savannah, about a ten-minute drive from uptown.  I felt pretty good on the run, despite the car ride.

Recovering

After my 22-mile run, I went home and fixed four scrambled eggs with cheese, four blueberry waffles, some ham, and three strips of bacon.  This was just before 10 a.m.  At 12:30 I met my parents for lunch at Brio because it's my dad's birthday, and I ate a caesar salad, pasta with salmon, several slices of bread, and a huge molten chocolate cake with ice cream.  About four hours later I had a steak burrito from Qdoba.  Later that night, I had some grilled chicken and vegetables.  I was still hungry when I went to bed.  This continued for the next two days; I even tried eating cleaner in an effort to get full but that only made things worse.  I drank some heavy beer in a further attempt to put back the calories and finally started to feel normal again this morning, as I prepare to leave for Savannah.  So yeah, my legs feel good - the left leg isn't really all that sore right now - but the appetite has gone through the roof!  Nothing like the upcoming Thanksgiving meal to cure all ills.

Longest Run of the Cycle

And so it has come to this...I ran 20 miles last weekend, did a brutal 3x5k workout on Wednesday, and now I had to do a 22-mile long run.  I wasn't kidding when I said things were starting to get tough.  At least I know my head is in the right place; I went out for dinner and then to the Bobcats game yet still got to bed early.  I had plans for lunch at Brio Sunday so I would have to be out the door early.

I communicate in movie quotes and the phrase "22 miles" brought to mind the scene from Tommy Boy where David Spade argues with the clerk over directions to a nearby town.

"How far is it to Davenport?"
"22 miles."
"That's funny because I don't see it on this map...."
"Well, get yourself a new map!"

At 42 degrees this wouldn't quite be my coldest run but in addition to the longest this was also the earliest,  as I was out the door before 6:30, armed with three gel packets.  I mapped a 16-mile loop from my apartment that would go right down Sardis, where I would add another 6 miles on the greenway.  Wearing a long-sleeved dry-fit shirt and some longer running shorts - but no hat or gloves - I wasn't warm but felt comfortable as I briefly headed towards town and ran through Eastover before hopping onto Providence Road.  I had a long, mostly uphill stretch of  pavement ahead of me.  I became annoyed at how many times I had to cross the street because I ran out of sidewalk, but I did enjoy being able to run down the middle of the road at some sections.  This peaceful run reminded me why I loved getting out there so early.

One gel packet and nearly 8 miles later, I finally turned off Providence Road.  I had run from Myers Park all the way to south Charlotte, all on the same road, and I wasn't even halfway through my run.  At this point I was repeating the early part of my run with David the week before and I began to take inventory of all the aches and pains.  My left shin and ankle were noticeable but weren't really in pain.  My back was stiff and every pounding of my right foot brought some sharp pain from what felt like the toe next to the big guy.  I knew I didn't have any blisters so I wasn't sure what this latest ailment was.  When I got to the Sardis lot I recognized Billy Shue waiting to run with a group of other CRC runners, and we exchanged greetings.  He called out, "Good luck, Jason! - 22 miler today, right?"  Yup, I guess he saw my Facebook post.

"...You say it's 22 miles to Davenport, and you seem like a pretty smart guy but..."
"I'm picking up the sarcasm."
"Good, because I'm laying it on pretty thick."

Now on the greenway, I dropped the pace down to better than 7:20 per mile and kept it there for the six miles I was out on the dirt.  I stopped for the first time after 18 miles to stretch my legs just for a bit, and since I didn't want to hurt myself, I slowed down some.  By this time I had taken all three gels and while the legs were very sore, my energy level was in a good place.  I stopped for the second and final time at Providence Day to drink some water and head home.

"This is a map of Illinois - which we're in.  Davenport...is in Iowa...22 miiiiiiiiiles away.  You're in the wrong state.  Get yourself a new map."
"Oh.  Well that wasn't so hard, was it?"

About three miles from home, I noticed my right foot felt a bit wet.  I looked down and, surely enough, the top of my shoe was stained red.  I didn't feel any pain but I suppose the sight of that much blood is always a slight cause for concern.  I pressed on but I couldn't have kicked to the finish if I tried.  After 2 hours, 49 minutes, and 17 seconds on the road and trails, I was done.  I averaged 7:42 per mile, which seemed slow to me, and there's a chance I measured the route a bit short.  My training log site has been acting wonky lately but it's hard to complain about such a good resource that costs nothing.

I have now made quite a few deposits into the Bank of Endurance and Stamina.  I have done a 12, three 14s, a 16, an 18, a 19, two 20s, and a 22-mile long run, with the 19 being the fast one.  I also completed today's run on the heels of my hardest workout and while being in more pain than I have at any point in the cycle - easily.  Again, I'm just trying to get through the meat grinder and then I can taper!  I'm off to Savannah for Thanksgiving so I'll be doing my last hard workout in unfamiliar territory!

Oh, and it turns out I had a thin laceration on my toe - no idea how that happened but oh well.

I'll spare you all a picture of the foot itself.

Injury Concern on an Easy Day

I consider myself a pretty experienced distance runner, but I haven't really had any experience with injuries in my career.  Obviously, that's a good thing, and I think I can credit my constant stretching as a big reason for that.  I was worried about my left leg before today's run and sought out a second opinion.  Brandon Hillis told me if the pain was concentrated in one area then it could be a stress fracture, which is the last thing I want.  If the pain felt as if it went all the way down my lower leg then it could just be shin splints but I honestly couldn't tell where exactly the pain was.  I knew that bending my foot back hard and holding it for at least forty seconds always made me feel a lot better, so it seems to just be some stiffness in the shin and ankle area.  The fact that it always hurts more after a couple days off adds weight to that theory.

I told Brandon I had an easy run on the schedule and I would either turn around or keep going based on how things felt early in the run.  I am pleased to report that my left leg bothered me for the first 100 meters or so but that's the only time it really hurt, and I didn't notice it all after about 25 minutes.  I also ran seven miles in 7:16 pace even though I felt like I was running really easy. 

So, there we have it.  We're chalking the left leg situation up to stiffness and a strained muscle until further notice, and it should be fine as long as I keep stretching it a bit.  Part of the reason I was so concerned is that things have been going well and I'm so close*.... As previously stated I am also in the meat grinder for that moment and am dealing with other aches and pains as well; if I can just run through them for another ten days I'll be able to rest and get fresh in time for the race.**

*So close to what?
**What race?

-Details coming soon!

Fear and Loathing at McAlpine Park

I was anxiously anticipating this one.  For the first time since I could remember I took the straight-edge approach the night before - went home early, drank lots of water (and no beer) and ate some healthy snacks.  I didn't even socialize; I just watched Duke put the hurtin' on Miami-Ohio and went to bed shortly after midnight (early for me). 

I ran 2x3-mile a few weeks ago and I wanted to best my efforts while also running an extra set.  I knew the 3x3-mile would be the hardest workout of the cycle, not necessarily because the pace would be faster but just due to the nature of the workout.  I wouldn't be able to start slow and build up because the length of each set is short; I would have to start out quick, maintain on the hill mile, and then finish hard...and improve that effort in the last two sets.  (In a long tempo run I can start out around 6:40 pace and build up to 6:10-6:15 after I've been warmed up.) Obviously, I headed to McAlpine for this one and just decided to run the whole course, so this was actually 3x5k not 3x3-mile.

I ran the 2 miles from the Sardis/Old Bell lot to the park in 16:45 and headed to the starting line.  I hadn't planned on starting out too fast but when I came through the first mile in 6:31 I was determined to hold it.  Again, this is what makes this workout so hard: I felt I had to start out fast because mile #2 has a big hill, but the workout is more intense when one cannot slowly build up a pace.  Needless to say, starting out quickly and then attacking the hill did me in a bit and I faded to a 6:44 second mile (13:15 through two miles).  Regrouping a bit, I kicked things into gear for the back mile, slowed slightly by a maintenance guy on a tractor that was blowing the leaves off the trail.  I ran 6:25 for the third mile and 0:48 for the final 0.1 for a total time of 20:28 for 5k.  I felt three minutes wasn't enough rest and four was too much, so I took 3:30 to walk around and stretch for a bit before heading back to the line.

I still felt OK as I picked things up a bit on the second set, running mile #1 in a quick 6:19 and hanging on for a 6:31 on the hill.  I didn't kill it too much on the last mile, coming through in 6:24 and 0:48 again for 20:04.  Looking back at that 2x3-mile workout, I ran 19:28 and 18:57 for each 3-mile set; today, I was 19:40 and a much quicker 19:16 through 3 miles in each of the first two sets - without kicking it into high gear in either one.  I still had one more set, however.

I was hurting a bit but felt buoyed by the fact that I only had one more go at this course before I could call it a day.  I peeled off my shirt and headed back to the line after once again taking 3:30 rest.  I was determined this would be my fastest set and I was well on the way after coming through the first mile in 6:12.  Shortly before the mile mark I came upon a man who looked a couple years older than me running at a decent clip but breaking greenway etiquette by hogging the middle of the trail (instead of keeping to the right or at least following the tangents).  Annoyed, I rifled past him on the left side, nearly brushing his shoulder as he gasped something that sounded like "shhhheeeyawwww."  I made it through the second mile in 6:30 after once again encountering the tractor man, this time at the top of the hill.  I couldn't really go any faster, finishing the third in 6:24 and the 0.1 in 0:49 again.  Thanks to a quicker opening mile this was still my fastest of the three 5ks at 19:55.  I was actually pleased that I couldn't kick it into a higher gear at the end because that meant I gave it everything I had.

I wasn't disappointed in myself but I certainly wasn't thrilled, either.  Wait....I just pieced together back-to-back-to-back 5ks in 20:28, 20:04, and 19:55, and I wasn't happy about it?  Nope.  I felt like I could have had a bit more speed but I suppose it's nice that I could go that hard without any help.  My mental toughness seems to be a strength now, whereas lack of it was certainly a weakness back in the younger days.

I'm pleased to report that my left leg didn't bother me at all during the workout.  I had a hard time coercing myself into the cooldown run so I walked around for awhile and drank some water up at the park.  For me, the post-workout cooldown is one of the hardest tasks in this sport - seriously.  I never want to do it, it's almost always a painful limp, but I know I'll pay for it later if I don't cool down.  I left the park and headed back to my car....and as soon as I put my left leg down I felt like someone had jammed a sword into my shin and slowly dragged it up to my knee.  I felt a little better after a half-mile or so but I was really beginning to wonder if I had become injured.

Stay tuned.

Easy Miles on Soft Trails

My left leg began to bother me more after my 20-mile run with David and Dan, and I don't think the day off (Monday) really helped, either.  I thought maybe some miles at McAlpine, on the dirt instead of the pavement, would help me feel a little bit better.  I headed to the Sardis lot and just ran through the course and back.  I noticed the tall grass along the trail had been cut down to the ground, which made me feel sorry for the deer.  There isn't much to report here.  I'm really not enjoying my easy runs lately; the only point is to keep the miles up and force myself to not run too fast.  I've found myself just wanting to get through them and go do something else.  I ran 7 miles in 53:44/7:41 pace.

I'm right in the midst of the hardest part of my training cycle now.  I just completed my second 20-mile run, a week after doing a fast 19-mile run, and I have the hardest workout of the cycle tomorrow and a 22-mile run (ye gods) scheduled for the weekend.  So yeah, I'm a little worn out, I'm worried about my left leg, and I can't seem to eat enough.

Twenty Miler with Some Company

I had made plans with Eggers earlier in the week to meet mid-morning for a 20-mile run and then spend the rest of the weekend with my family because my sister and my niece are in town.  As discussed, however, I actually had to do some work for a change so the schedule would have to be amended.  Shockingly, I couldn't get Eggers to agree to meet earlier but in his defense he was still on L.A. time.

I met David Brinkley at the Sardis lot at 8:30 a.m. and it was cold.  I wore two dry-fit long-sleeved shirts, some gloves, and a hat in addition to my longer running shorts.  The outfit was a bit overkill but I didn't feel too uncomfortable.  I had planned to run somewhat fast for a long run last week and nailed it; today, I would need to run slow, never picking up the pace.  We ran down Sardis, through Lansdowne, up the hilly section of Providence Road and down through Alexander and Brackenbury before making it back to Sardis.  I took a break to water the bushes after mile three, meaning I was more than hydrated - a good sign.  I took my first gel packet at mile six and since we weren't going to hit ten miles before we made it back to the lot, we wound through the Old Bell hills (apparently, I just can't get enough).  While we were back there David asked me why I hated him so much but also commented on how he could see why it was such a good workout, and even mentioned that he may try it himself before long.

After about 9.5 miles we made it back to the lot, where Eggers was waiting to join us.  David and I both drank some water and shed some layers because the temperature was rapidly increasing.  I enjoyed running with company on this one because I wanted it to be easy and we had some good conversation.  We did the typical Sardis-to-Harris-plus 5k course-and back run that any reader of this blog should know by now.   If I ever get some time, I plan to drive around to my different running spots and take some pictures to post here.


There is not a whole lot to report on this one because we intentionally ran slow and never picked up the pace.  Having two running buddies essentially eliminated the necessity to think or exercise any mental toughness, which was a nice change from what I've put myself through recently.  I didn't feel fantastic but hey, it's 20 miles.  Who does feel great when running that far?  The important thing is that I have now done two 20-mile runs and in some circles, that means you're ready for a marathon.  Always one to do things my own way, however, I'm not done: I plan to do a 22-miler in a couple weeks.  I'm happy to change things if I don't feel up for it but I'm not satisfied with two 20-mile runs right now.

As always...stay tuned.

Mile Splits and Map, courtesy of David and his GPS watch.

Carolina Smoothie Run

My business partner somehow managed to contract the flu, strep throat, SARS, mad cow disease, and lord knows what else all in the same week, so I've been picking up some slack at work in addition to the fun stuff and the running responsibilities.  I didn't think I was going to be able to run today but being the diligent worker that I am I completed my tasks in record time.  I still didn't have much time to go very far but I really wanted a smoothie for some reason, so I headed up through Dilworth and ran a little over three miles from the Carolina Smoothies parking lot.  Since it was a short run, I ran about 7:03 pace through Latta Park and the surrounding areas before devouring a 32-ounce 120 volts with protein boost.  Gahhhhhh, I love that place.

There is something funky going on with my left leg.  I have put close to 400 miles on my shoes but while I know I need a new pair soon, I don't think that's the problem.  It bothers me some when I first get out of bed or when I push off suddenly but doesn't seem to hurt too much when I run, so it can't be serious, right?  If I spend some time stretching after I wake then it goes away.  I'm not terrified but it's more than just something to keep an eye on right now.

I've been monitoring my left leg so closely these days that I decided to take a picture of it.

Searching for New Routes

I ran my 8.5-mile loop today and hated it even more than I did the other day.  I can't ever remember wanting to finish so badly on an easy run, and I felt that way twice this week.  I don't even want to talk about it so why don't you watch this video of my brother discussing his fighter squadron's practice sessions overseas.  He's the one in the beret talking all seriously shortly after the halfway point:

"493rd Fighter Squadron Polices the Air"

Pretty funny to watch because this is a side of my brother that I have always known to exist but rarely ever see.  When we are together we talk about cars and imitate Arnold Schwarzenegger's voice until his wife tells us to shut up.  His job may be cooler than mine but I'm a lot taller.

A special thanks to all of our veterans and to all those currently sacrificing their lives to their service of this fantastic country.