Leap Day Post

Today is February 29, 2016. Leap Day. On this extra day, I have an extra blog post. About nothing in particular. Just a few insights from the last few weeks.

I prefer trails to roads and treadmills. But, I do see the value of training on different surfaces. Now that the weather seems to be warming, I'll hit mostly trails, but I'll make sure to log road and treadmill runs too. Variety is the spice of life.

I'm not a structured runner. I dream of following training plans, but consistently fail. That's OK. I need to embrace who I am as a runner...and basically do whatever I want. No plans.

What do I really want and enjoy from running? Long trail runs and ultras. Time for me to admit this and don't try to change. I have a feeling many more ultras, including 100-milers, are in my future.

I'm older. I need more rest and recovery from hard workouts. I still grow and positively respond to those tougher sessions, but I need to space them out. I'm not 20 years old. Or 30. Or 40.

With age comes wisdom and a sense of calm. Embrace who you are and do what makes you happy.

I don't enjoy being sick. Who does? Fortunately, I've been blessed with pretty good fitness and health throughout my life. I need to appreciate that fact.

Personal bests are coming to an end. I still feel ready to bust out a new personal record (PR) at one or two distances, but those opportunities are fleeting. Soon I'll need to accept that all of my PRs are set in stone...but not today!

Happy Leap Day. Get in that extra run for the month (and year). Or not. Do what makes you happy. Enjoy.

Coach Jeff Might be Right

My friend and informal running coach, Jeff, said my Hanson's program for the half-marathon was going to be too tough for me. Too many days/week and too hard of efforts. He may be right. I just came down with another cold. I rarely get colds/flu, but now I've had one in October, early January, and late February. Is it the stress of training? Maybe it's just being around 40,000 undergraduate students at the University of Illinois. Especially the almost 8,000 in engineering that I am passing by on a daily basis (probably twenty met 1-1 each day, others in classes, and many walking around the engineering quad). Those students always seem sick with something! Or maybe I'm just getting too old to regularly fend off these tough new viruses?

I have a feeling I'm always exposed to new strains of the common cold or flu around campus...but I've managed to have a strong immune system that fights them off well. With my new, more intense training, I think I'm creating greater stress and a lowered immune response. Thus, more low-level illnesses. In essence, Jeff is correct. My training is too intense for my current fitness. I've always been a low-mileage runner with lots of rest days (typically running 4 days/week). And my speed work has been about once a week. Usually a tempo effort on the trails. The Hansons program has me running 6 days/week with 2 hard speed sessions and one long run. If I moderated the speed duration and/or intensity, then I might be OK. But I "blindly" follow the plan based on my goal of a 1:32 half-marathon finish. That goal may be out of reach (for now). Push too hard and you crumble. The frequent illnesses seem to indicate too much stress.

The solution is less intense training. I need to cut back the dosage (duration + intensity) of my hard workouts. Keep the pace, but shorten the duration (each fast repeat or total number of repeats). Or run the speed session slower and keep the same number and duration of fast repeats. Similarly, I believe the rest intervals need to be longer. I'm not in my 20s or 30s anymore. In fact, I'm now 50 years old. I need more rest to recover within hard workouts and between hard days too!

So, what's my new plan? Not sure. This week will be an easy week as I try to shake this new cold. No speed sessions. Shorter and lighter efforts all week. If I recover quickly, then I'll re-examine the Hansons program. Maybe target a slower half-marathon time so the resultant training sessions are more feasible. Or ditch the program completely and run by feel. I can still incorporate the lessons and major themes from Hansons. But make them my own.

Or, maybe, I just need "Coach Jeff" to devise a personal training schedule based on my goals and his understanding of my reaction to training stresses. He knows me better than any generic running program. He may know me better than I know myself when it comes to running.

For now, I just want to sleep and watch TV. Between doses of DayQuil and NyQuil.

Already Miss the Trails

This Hanson half-marathon program is pretty good stuff, but I am already missing the trails and my long runs. If I can stay disciplined for a few more weeks (11 weeks to race day!), I'll be OK. Unfortunately, I'm already wavering. Friends are talking about checking out a new trail, 22 miles out and back, this weekend. And I'm eager to join them! My Hanson's program calls for a 10-mile road run. Hmmmm...maybe I'm simply not cut out for road racing. Or short distances. I have a couple of 5K races between now and the Illinois half-marathon, but they do not excite me. I'm looking forward to getting this half-marathon (and full marathon Boston attempt) behind me so I can train and race trail ultras again. This dedication and commitment thing is too hard.

Can't I just run? No need to answer that question. I do want some new PRs. I suppose everything in life worth accomplishing takes commitment and sacrifice. Running is no different. Set a tough goal, train hard, and meet that goal. Satisfaction follows. Plenty of time for "just running." For now, I need to keep my eye on the prize and follow the training plan I selected. But I think a long trail run this weekend might be good for my soul. You can't ignore your soul, right?

2 Weeks of Hansons Half-Marathon Training

I've just finished the first two weeks of the Hansons Method half-marathon training program. (Their book describes the full program in extreme detail.) Actually, the program has 4 weeks of build-up without long runs or speed work, but I basically skipped that part and jumped in when the program began speed sessions. I'm doing the "beginner" program which is pretty intense. It caps out at 48 miles/week! That's what I run for marathons and ultras (if I'm serious)...and this program is intended for a beginner doing a half-marathon race.

After just two weeks, I've learned a few things. First, I'm already settling into a rhythm of six runs per week with Wednesdays as an off day. Part of the cycle is the Tuesday/Thursday speed sessions. I like the structure. I know Tuesday's short and fast repeats will challenge me. And it's nice knowing the next day is not just an easy day, but a full day off from all training. When that rest day is over, I know the next step is a steady tempo run. That hard-off-hard sequence in the middle of the week is comforting.

Another comfort is knowing I have three hard runs (Tuesday speed, Thursday tempo, Sunday long) plus two recovery days, one easy run, and one day free from running. Those recovery runs come on Monday and Friday (after tempo and long runs). They are truly easy. They are meant to be active recovery. Saturday is a "regular easy" run. Slightly faster than full recovery. Kind of a "go as you please" type of effort. This is a nice mix of hard, easy, and recovery. Right now I like it. Later, I'll really need it.

One thing I really enjoy, even after just two weeks, is the variety of runs. Not just the purpose of each run, but the diversity within each type. The speed sessions change every week. First 400m repeats, then 600m, then 800m, finally reaching 3-mile repeats. They are intentional and build from speed to stamina. Never the same workout. Always a different challenge. Tempo runs stay at race pace, but lengthen each week. That builds endurance and stamina, plus confidence in maintaining race pace. And, of course, the long runs simply extend in time and distance.

One complaint about the program is that you really jump into speed abruptly. The first week had 12 x 400m repeats. Unless you were accustomed to some kind of speed work, that would be brutal. I transitioned these first two weeks by cutting back the number of repeats and the pace. If nothing else, with age comes wisdom. I'm not going to injure myself. Push, yes. But always within reason. This 50-year old body doesn't recover as quickly as when I was 30...or 40.

I'll keep reflecting on the Hansons Method as I progress through the program. If it gets me to a new personal best on April 30, uninjured, I'll sing its praises. For now, I just need to keep calm and follow this darn training plan.

Riddle Run Results for 2016

The five RR17 finishers.

This past weekend was the 17th Riddle Run trail event. A 28-mile trail run with lots of starters and only a few finishers. Many people come out for just a few miles, then hang out to socialize and cheer on the eventual finishers. It fits with the spirit of the original fat ass runs. This year I only managed 12 miles in just over 2 hours. Fortunately, that was my plan. I'm coming off a 4 week cold, plus I'm training for a half-marathon, not an ultra. Those 12 miles were perfect. And it brings my total Riddle Run miles to an amazing (and current record) of 415. Sweet.

Steve, the overall winner, with RD.

This year, we had perfect weather with a low of 33 and a high of 55, partly sunny with a slight breeze. The forest preserve trails were in reasonable shape. A little snow and ice in spots, the rest pretty good until the warmth created lots of sloppy mud. I was done by that time, but the five 28-mile finishers had to deal with slippery trails. Oh well. Trails can't be perfect--that's what makes them fun. At the end of the day, we had a great circle of fire and friends. Eating, drinking, and chatting. This event is an annual reunion of local trail and ultra runners. I only see some of them once a year. That makes Riddle Run special.

Here are the final results for the event (still in draft form as results continue to come in and get "verified"). Steve Butler repeated as champion by successfully defending his title and cutting a few minutes off last year's winning time. Jen Burton was first female and second overall. Five total finishers and a lot of DNFs. I plan on being a finisher next year. Maybe even a champion! Can we have a new category of "past/current race director" so I can easily win?

Jen, female champion, with RD.

Hope to see everyone back on the last Saturday in January 2017 for Riddle Run 18. Special thanks to Jeff for starting this whole thing and lending his name to the event. Like it or not, it's simply the "Riddle Run." We wouldn't have it any other way. I appreciate all of the runners that brought extra food and drink to share. And, of course, kudos to Tom the "creator and manager of fire."  Tom and I are the only 17-time participants of the Riddle event. I know we'll both be back in 2017. I imagine one day, way in the future, it'll simply be me and Tom crawling around this course. And I'll win.

For a historical perspective, here are all of the Riddle Run winners from 2000-2016. Based on feedback from faraway buffalo runners, there is a need for satellite versions of the Riddle Run. Race management is considering this option for 2017.