Getting Creative

I'm not at all sure the title describes accurately what I mean to say, but a description of tonight's run will perhaps give you a better idea of how I like to mix up my running routes. Maybe this in turn will prompt you to think of some options which might freshen your own workouts.

My running routes are really pretty predictable. It all depends whether I want hills or not, or what distance I'm intending to run. My long runs, 15 miles and further, carry me through several distinct neighborhoods and across several geographic zones as well. San Antonio sits at the convergence of 4 or 5 geographic zones, such that any especially long distance run will challenge you with some level stretches, some hills, and carry you through several different vegetative zones. It's interesting that way, even though most of my long runs, and shorter training runs for that matter, are done at night.

I know some runners who will analyze things to death. They'll spend weeks, or even months, agonizing over a race route. I would much rather know the route first hand and that is why I usually take some time to run certain stretches of a course as part of my final training for a race, especially a marathon. This isn't always possible, of course, if you are coming from out of town. In this case, it's wise to drive the course if possible. This is something I learned from a marathoning friend years ago, before I ever imagined I would run marathons. Now I realize how helpful it is to take a look ahead of time.

That's why I hooked up with my running buddy Zenna tonight to run the first 6 miles of the Rock'n'Roll San Antonio Marathon route. I did this last year too, and was glad for it because I was able to identify one stretch of hilly terrain which on race day took many of the runners by surprise. I don't know that it made me run that part of the route any better because I knew the challenge in advance. On the other hand, it made me feel I was a bit more in control. Ditto with a training run last year which covered some of the late miles of the route, around the 18-22 mile stretch. Every runner knows that part of the race is tough, and I knew from previous experience that this was an incessant uphill grind. I found it helpful to run it on relatively fresh legs a few days before the race and I think this contributed to my modest success on race day.

Tonight's run was great. My legs felt fresh and somehow today's diet seemed to hit the jackpot. Zenna and I ran a smart pace, nothing smoking, but faster than either of us should go on race day, and we were smiling broadly at the end. The change of scenery helped and the cool front which blew in this afternoon certainly lifted our spirits. I used it also as a chance to visualize race day. Of course, there's no way to anticipate the energy of 30 thousand runners, nor the decibels of a band every mile, but all-in-all I now feel prepared for that first 10 kilometers of the race. Next week we'll likely run another stretch of the route, though there's only about 4 more miles of common race course that we can train on. Zenna is doing her first half marathon and I'm doing my 5th or 6th marathon. I lose track.

Speaking as I was of 30 thousand runners, I read today that there are only about 500 more half marathon slots. There were plenty of disappointed runners last year who dilly-dallied about registering and ended up not able to enroll in the half. If you're inclined towards procrastination but have been training, it's best to register immediately if you want to insure a place at the starting line, or rather in one of the starting corrals.

Happy running. I hope to see you at the race.

Tracking Your Run or Walk

Maybe it's just me, but I imagine most runners and exercise walkers like to know what distance they have covered. For walkers, a pedometer will almost work, though if you are one who requires greater accuracy you will want to look at the devices used by runners. Despite the fact that several fairly accurate tracking systems rely primarily on counting steps, just like a pedometer, a pedometer is useless for a runner. Trust me on that.

The step counter systems I have used are by Polar (not bi-polar!), the world leader in heart rate monitors, and the Nike+ iPod. The Polar has a battery powered device which attaches to your shoe laces. This counts steps and transmits the information wirelessly to your wrist watch. Here, calculations are done, based on your height and weight, producing pretty accurate distance and pace results which can be viewed on-the-go or analyzed in greater depth later. With a proper interface, you can even upload the data to your computer and create a log. This system also offers a calibration feature which allows for fine tuning of the measuring. The system really works pretty well, though I have serious issues with the durability of the components. (See Running in the Rain.)

Durability is also an issue with the Nike+ iPod system. Like the Polar system, certain default calculations are made based on personal information which is entered by the user. I ran one marathon with this system in default mode and it came within a quarter mile of accurately measuring the distance. That's pretty good. However, I am still tinkering with the present Nike+ setup I have, not yet satisfied that it is as accurate as I would like. One problem which you should be aware of with this system is that many races won't permit the use of iPods on the course. The New York Marathon is one such race. Also, my team which runs the Texas Independence Relay was penalized the first year because one of our runners was caught using an iPod as she ran one of her race legs. The truth is, I ran my first leg while listening to my iPod, but didn't get caught. I'm not sure what the rules are with the Rock'n'Roll Marathon here in San Antonio, but a good 40 or 50% of the runners last year seemed to be grooving on their mp3 players, maybe turning the volume down when they ran past the live band stages every mile or so. Race organizers tell me the iPod ban is a safety issue and that the policy is necessary to keep the races within the parameters demanded by the race insurers. I'm not convinced.

GPS is everywhere and Garmin is not only a leader in automobile navagation, but also makes highly regarded systems for runners. If I had the money, that's probably the way I would go. Several years ago I used a GPS system by Timex. The receiver was rather on the bulky side, and the system often took several minutes to lock into the satellites. Also, running a street with a nice tree canopy would sometimes wreak havoc on the system. I am not sure about now, but there have been historical concerns about the accuracy of GPS when in the canyons between tall buildings in the midst of a downtown.

Of course, you can forgo any devices and simply measure your route ahead of time or after the fact. Many runners use MapMyRun for these measurements, but I prefer Gmaps Pedometer. These are very helpful with planning a run or getting an extremely accurate measurement after running a route. You can then take this information, along with your time (just about any digital watch has a stopwatch feature), to the Pace Calculator at CoolRunning.com to find your pace or to make all kinds of crazy "what if" calculations.

We run, walk, cycle, swim, all those things for our health. Believe it or not, we also come to enjoy these physical activities, even a long race like a marathon or a 20 mile training run. More power to you if this is all it takes to keep you motivated, but for many of us tracking distance and pace keeps us engaged where otherwise our interest might wane. I'm not currently keeping a detailed diary of my training, but am ever happy for those I kept in the past. Like a gardener who needs to know when he planted last year's Kentucky Wonder Beans, runners are aided by knowing where their training stood a year ago, and this is the information gathering which is made so much easier with these gimmicks and devices.

How Old is Too Old?

When you look in depth at the results reports of just about any race, "fun" runs, 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons, triathlons, etc., by far the largest age groups are the 20-24 and 25-29. Interesting as an aside is that the fastest runners are often to be found in the 30-34 or even older age group. One might glean from these numbers that running is a younger persons' activity; but don't tell that to the many accomplished runners I have been privileged to meet who are so-called masters (over 40), or older yet.

I came to running in a not very serious way while in my 30s, then fell off the fitness wagon in a big way until starting back up in my mid-50s. In terms of endurance, my now 61 year old self can beat the pants off what I was capable of at 35. As I have focused upon running the marathon distance, my times have improved as I have grown older. I'm sure there will eventually be a peak, after which my times will decline, but for now my goal for the upcoming Rock'n'Roll San Antonio Marathon is to beat my slightly sub-5 hour finish a year ago, a time which stands currently as my personal record (PR). I know these are not exactly times which allow me to brag, and I don't. However, I take great satisfaction from what I have accomplished. Anyone who sets out to and executes running a marathon rises above the many who don't. With this attitude, perhaps, I might be perceived as a braggart, though really I intend it more as a challenge to those who have never set their sights high in terms of fitness.

You don't have to be a runner. I consider myself lucky to be running at my age. My joints are holding up and my body has yet to protest loudly enough to make me quit. If that day comes I'll probably have to inflate the tires on my bicycle and have a go at that. But for now, I enjoy the simplicity of feet on pavement and I want to encourage you to give it a try. If that's not for you, find something that works, that you can grow to enjoy, and then get going on an aerobic fitness program.

How old is too old? You might get some idea by checking with your doctor before getting terribly ambitious at age 50 and beyond, though I didn't. Obviously, if you are overweight as so many Americans are, start not only with a run/walk program, but also examine your diet and adjust it in reasonable ways. Remember, you're starting a new life, not just a 2 week, 2 month or one race program. It saddens me when I watch someone turn the corner into a healthy regimen only to reverse it after that first 10K, half marathon or marathon. Come on, no sliding back!

A truth told me by an older, long time runner, was that I was going to do better since I had waited until my 50s to begin going at it in a serious way (if a 5 hour marathon is in fact serious). The reasoning is that you've sustained much less wear and tear on your skeleton, your feet, your joints, if you haven't been pounding your body through your 20s, 30s and 40s. I've been told I will probably be able to run well into my 70s, and that's my intention. I still remember the first half marathon I ever ran, seeing an 85 year old runner on the course. That's who I want to be a quarter century from now. Here's to the masters and the super masters (50 years plus) and all of us beyond. May we continue to run long and run strong. Come join us.

Distance Running Deaths Are Aberations

My first thoughts on hearing of the death of three runners at last weekend's Detroit Marathon was that they were runners who had not properly trained. It appears I was wrong to jump to that conclusion, just as there was error in the reporting of the incident. The three runners were running the half-marathon distance and apparently were well prepared and well conditioned for the race. Preliminary rulings are that the three men died of cardiac arrest, though investigators say it will be weeks before final autopsy reports are complete, perhaps then painting a more complete picture of what might have gone wrong. Doubtless, this is a tragedy and all runners mourn this loss of life.

However, I hope there is no rush to judge the somewhat extreme sport of distance running as hazardous to the health of those who practice it. In fact, the comments I have seen from medical and fitness professionals is that far more lives are extended than are lost due to marathoning. Nevertheless, there will be a chorus of told-you-so's from those who already think the extremity of distance running is begging injury and other hardships, including death. The important matter here is to look at the facts; the most convincing statistic I have seen is that the odds of dying in a marathon are somewhere around 1 in 75,000.

This said, allow me to step onto my soap box and address the initial reaction I had upon hearing of the three runners dying. Distance running is extreme if not prepared for properly. This means training long and wisely. It means learning good nutrition and proper hydration. It means making oneself aware of the basics of electrolytes, learning to use race course (and training course) energy gels and, most importantly, learning the language of your body. All of this should be part of a holistic training regimen. Then we can go out and challenge ourselves with the extremities of a half or full marathon, even the ultra distances of 50K and 50 miles, and we can do it safely.

Happy and safe training.

P.S. We recently lost a runner here in San Antonio who was hit and killed by an automobile. Safe training means making yourself visible and always being alert to your surroundings. Buy a good vest and other reflective items and use them like a religion.

In the Long Run

As the Rock'n'Roll San Antonio Marathon begins to rise on the not too distant horizon I suspect I'm not the only one wondering if I've really trained thoroughly enough for the 26.2 miles waiting in less than a month. I envy the runner who gets on a program and stays on it through the entire course. One of these days I will try to become one of those runners, maybe work my way through one of Carroll Voss' training programs which are so comprehensive when adhered to from start to finish. I do use Carroll's training parameters, with his permission, in order to gauge exactly where I am, and I believe I have just about caught up, at least in terms of distancing my weekly long run.

Marathon training is not something you can do at an accelerated pace. This only invites injury and makes it near impossible to achieve one's goals. You do have goals, don't you? The goal of my first marathon was to finish. If you're a first timer that might be your goal as well. But as marathoning gets into one's blood, you graduate to more ambitious hopes, at the same time learning that these more challenging ambitions require a more rigorous preparation. At the heart of the distance runner's training is the weekly long run. This must be approached in a graduated manner. To ignore this is to open the door wide to disappointment, if not debilitating injury.

At the start of a 25 week training program such as the one used by Carroll Voss' Fleet Feet group, a long run might be 3 or 4 miles. Of course, if you are a year round runner as many of us are, you might be good for 5 or 6 miles when you first begin a regimen with a race date as the goal. I once met a runner who told me his intention when between races was to always be ready to run a 10K. That's a good way to approach it. But back to a long and thorough marathon program, the long run each week gradually becomes longer. By the midpoint, about 12 weeks out from your marathon, you'll be at 14 or 15 miles. I guess you could conclude from this that from this point on you simply add a mile per week. But this is not the smartest approach. Looking at the Fleet Feet program (or most of the other legitimate regimens which are out there), you will find a sort of ebb and flow pattern. This allows the body to better adapt to the increasing demands you are putting on it, thus minimizing the risk of injury. Truthfully, this also gives a little wiggle room which allows for those weeks when life gets in the way of training and your running temporarily takes a back seat to other concerns. Nevertheless, it is imperative to adhere as much as possible to the ritual of the weekly long run.

I began my summer with surgery, thankfully not for an athletic injury, but nevertheless for a condition which impacted my passion for running. The doc had me on a short leash for a month and then allowed me to resume pre-surgery activities. This meant that I didn't get into a groove until late July. If you know South Central Texas, you know that the severity of the summer is challenge enough. On top of that, I was playing a game of catch-up. Thankfully, years of running put me on a bit of a fast track, though I definitely exercised caution as week by week I extended my weekly mileage while observing the necessity of a long run. By early September I was up to 14-15 miles; that's when vacation and a couple of other distractions forced me into a holding pattern. My intentions were to creep on up to 17 or 18 before undertaking a 20 mile race near the end of September. Unfortunately, I ended up going into the 20 miler without the incremental long runs in anticipation and as a result I found a solid wall at about the 16 1/2 mile mark. I ground out the final mileage but came away well aware of the training I still needed to accomplish before marathon race day on November 15.

Improving running conditions and my stubborn nature have come together now to stabilize my preparation. A couple of weeks ago I pounded out a 17 miler and this past weekend I got in a 20 miler. This has cleared some of my apprehension about the race ahead and has also given me the possibility of another substantial long run before easing off the throttle for the final two weeks before the marathon. This is known as tapering and is another essential element to making race day a fun experience rather than an ordeal.

As we catch our collective breaths and measure the weeks ahead, we focus upon a reasonable approach to our remaining long training runs. If you have fallen behind in your preparation, I hate to tell you that there is no catching up at this point. Find a reasonable distance for your long runs and make do with those. Also, revisit your goals and revise them where necessary. Your intended 3 hour 45 minute finish might need to be reexamined and rewritten as 4 hours, or more. Whatever you do, don't put yourself in a bind on race day by demanding more than your body has been conditioned to deliver. This is where trouble begins. For my part, race day weather conditions permitting, I think I'm on track for a PR of around 4 hours 45 minutes. This is reasonable, given the holes in my prep. It's also incentive for me to really test myself next time round by getting with Carroll's program and sticking to it for the entire 25 weeks. Will this make me a Boston Marathon qualifier? Likely not, but it will put me on track for achieving increasingly more ambitious personal goals and that, for me, is quite enough.

Happy running and best of luck with achieving your personal fitness goals.

Running in the Rain

After a wickedly hot and dry summer here in San Antonio, the rains have finally begun to come again with some regularity. Just as we grin and bear it when running in the heat, we now and then have to run in the rain. I don't know anyone who would be so desperate for that next run as to start a run in a downpour though I know those people are likely out there. For my part, I have a tolerence for mist or a light rain and, once I am underway, I will continue a run come rain or shine. However, there are a few things to be wary of when the rain really starts to come down. Those high dollar Nikes will get just as waterlogged as a cheaper shoe. Dry them out when you get home by stuffing wadded up newspaper inside.

More problematic are our running electronics. An iPod will eventually just stop unless you take measures to protect it from the rain. Worse yet are the Nike + iPod devices. If you don't know about these, let me relate my love-hate relationship with the system. I run with an iPod almost always, so an interface which allows me to track my run through my iPod is great. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than a Garmin system. On the other hand, the Nike+ can be temperamental rain or not, but especially in the rain. For one thing, the sensor fits into your Nike shoe. You would think those things would be absolutely water tight, but they're not. Plunge unwittingly into a puddle or two and soon your shoe will be soaked and your sensor will cease sensing. Also vulnerable is the receiver which inserts into the iPod. Eventually moisture will corrupt the connection and bye-bye tracking your run. In a worst case scenario, the whole system will stop, never to be revived again. So why do I keep buying Nike + iPod? The convenience, I guess, plus getting those words of encouragement at the end of a particularly good workout. Just the other night Tiger Woods congratulated me on my fastest pace yet. Of course, he had no way of knowing that I actually ran faster once with a now dead Nike +, but I guess, like golf, running is a thing of the present.

Another victim of running in a downpour is your cell phone. I killed one recently when I was caught in heavy rain while on a long run which I refused to abbreviate. The replacement phone is said to be more water resistant, but the resistant part is what makes me nervous. Rain also killed a Polar watch which interfaced with heart rate monitor and a tracking pod attached to my shoe. The watch is said to be water resistant to 30 meters, but not with this particular one. As a matter of fact, another Polar watch bit the dust a year or so ago when I was swimming laps. I tried to dry it out by putting it in the microwave. Bad idea. It stunk up my house for about half a day, though the sparks were kind of neat.

So, let's those of us in South Central Texas rejoice in the return of the rain and tolerate it when we run. We never know, it might be a rainy day come November 15 and the Rock'n'Roll San Antonio Marathon. Better that than 90 degrees.

New on iExercise - Texas Independence Relay

Just posting online and also at iTunes will be a double episode of iExercise recounting the 203 mile Texas Independence Relay (TIR). The episodes should be up by October 12th, or so. The two TIRs run so far by my running team, which represents the Mid-Texas Symphony, have been highlights of my running career. If you are a runner who knows other runners, perhaps you have run the Beach to Bay Relay Marathon in Corpus Christi, consider taking a quantum leap to an ultra-relay. Find more information at the TIR website or try to meet Jay and Joy Hilscher, the race directors, at the Rock'n'Roll San Antonio Marathon Expo. They had a table there last year and I assume will do the same this year.

Running the Dog

Years ago a friend who kept a couple of overly energetic rescue dogs asked me if I would take her dogs out when I run. I declined. For one thing, I was in between being a pet owner and not, but I knew too well the responsibilities of pet ownership and wasn't willing to invest in someone else's dogs. In fact, at that time in my life, I wasn't thinking of ever owning pets again. Too much work.

Fast forward three or four years and my heart now belongs to a yard full of four growing, energetic, adolescent puppies. We've been learning to walk on a leash, better done two at a time than all four at once, something I've only tried once. The seemingly infinite possibilities for entanglement became immediately apparent as four leashes become braided into one. Even one dog on a leash can present risks of becoming tangled, inviting a fall. Of course, this is all managed by proper training, which is a never ending path.

This has now led me to undertaking training my dogs to not only walk on a leash, but also to run on a leash. Yesterday was the first real test as I chose the puppy I regarded as the most athletic of the four for a trial run. I've been told that Bert and his siblings are likely Border Collie mixes. Reading about the breed, I was immediately warned that these dogs like to run, requiring the owner to invest in considerable exercise time. I observe some of this already when the dogs are loosed into my backyard. They do burn calories. But would they be willing to burn calories on my terms, on a leash?

Yesterday's run was a short distance for me. I normally require at least 4 miles, but since my last run had been almost 10 miles I was willing to compromise in order to test Bert's endurance. We started at a modest trot and never really pressed the pace. I wanted Bert to show me a tempo he was comfortable with. In the end, we managed just over 2.5 miles, slowing to a walk now and then to allow Bert's heart to catch up. He did great, enoyed it, and I am sure we will run again soon. As a matter of fact, I think I created a monster. I anticipated this would wear him down and that he would be less likely to jump up on me and misbehave in his young ways. But instead, he seemed to come away even more energetic once he took a couple of long rehydrating drinks of water. This shouldn't really surprise me since most all of us runners are aware of the dividend of energy we get in return for our workout investments.

I am "dogged" in showing each of my four dogs equal attention. I believe they do keep track of who gets what. Besides, they are all so darned loyal that I would never imagine playing favorites. What this means, of course, is that now I need to test the other three and see if they are runners too. Already I suspect that Petey, the one female of the bunch, will rather walk or go for a ride in the car than run. She seems to have a weakness in her hips. But the other two brothers, I expect, will each want to run, though it is debatable without a road test how well Larry, the short legged one, will fare.

If you have dogs and are a runner, do you take the dog out when you run? I know runners who do and from their experiences I know the potential for risk. Once, as I ran with a friend whose medium sized dog often had a mind of his own regarding pace, dog and owner ended up choosing two different ways around a telephone pole. I could see it coming; they didn't; thankfully it was just a funny incident rather than an injury incident. However, my sister reported that one of her work colleagues, a runner, showed up for work one day with an arm in a sling and with bandages on various of her knees and elbows. "What happened?" my sister asked. "My dog got spooked when we were running and then tripped me with the leash," came the reply. Obviously, running with a dog on a leash ought to come with disclaimers and a fair measure of common sense.

The rewards of running with your pet can be substantial. You get that one-on-one time which is so important, your dog gets some great exercise (you do too!) and you just might find yourself browsing for the increasingly popular 5Ks for runners and their dogs. I know I am. Maybe I'll see you there and our dogs can sniff each other before we head towards the finish line. Bow Wow!