2:35:53

 A few weeks ago, I completed the Road to Tokyo Marathon 2021 Virtual Half-Marathon for 2020 Runners in 2:35:53.

The "race" itself was really nothing special.  It was a virtual event, free of charge, for runners who were supposed to run in 2020.  Not being a fan of virtual races, i would never have even considered doing it had it not been for the "prizes" - randomly-awarded entries to the 2023 marathon and some towels.  Unfortunately, i ended up not winning any of those prizes.  Oh well, it was free anyway so whatevs. 

Among other things, the past 12 months have been really bad for my running (if, when you read this, you immediately think about how other people have had it worse: stop reading right now and go someplace else).  After completing Napa, i was in limbo and had nothing to train for.  I ran random mileage here and there and somehow developed Achilles tendinitis (self-diagnosed, natch) in my left foot.  After going through a series of shoes and self-help methods, i think i finally figured out how to make it better and prevent it from flaring up, but it's been rough.  So rough in fact, that my goal for this run was to simply FINISH.  

What i've come up with: 

1.  Shoes matter a lot.  Despite what a shoe's marketing department tells you of its theoretical benefits, the only way to know if it works is to try it on for yourself and run a few miles in it.  Right now the only one that works for me it eh Nike Air Zoom Vomero 14.  It's a bummer because the model is a few years old and getting harder to find all the time.  One would think that i should just stockpile a whole bunch of these, which leads me to point number 

2.  Foot anatomy and running biomechanics probably evolve over time.  Whenever i've stockpiled certain models of shoes, i run into trouble (pun intended) somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd pair.  In fact, I have a few boxes of Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36s that may not even get used because of this very reason.  In this, the El Cheapo principle backfired.  I wanted to save money by buying several pairs of shoes in advance, only to end up not using them.  

3.  Shoes that do NOT agree with me: Hoka One One Clifton 6, New Balance 1080 v10.  The heel drop needs to be AT LEAST 10 mm, preferably with the heel flaring out so it doesn't rub against my Achilles.  

4.  As i've said before... the run-walk-run method is key.  

Onward to Huntington Beach.

4:34:38 (AKA It's Not Tokyo But It'll Do)

This past weekend, i was supposed to run the Tokyo Marathon.  Instead, i completed the Napa Valley Marathon in 4:34:38.

The cancellation of the Tokyo Marathon hurt... my soul, and especially my wallet.  But i understood why.  COVID-19, outbreak containment, etc, made sense to me.  So it rubbed salt in the wound when the virus made its way to California anyway, even before March 1st.  Meh.  In the end, i am nothing if not pragmatic, so i just rolled with it and found another marathon on the same date.

I have to say though - that aside from running it 5000 miles from where i originally intended - this marathon was everything i wanted it do be.  I had hit almost all my target mileage and paces in the 16 weeks leading up to the race, i had a good game plan, i was close to my goal BMI - overall, the best prepared i've been in ANY of my previous marathons (including my very first one a little over 9 years ago).  I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach (irrational) that i was going to disappoint myself the way i had in my last two races, but knew that there wasn't anything else to do but trust my training.

The much sought-after running photo where both feet are actually off the ground!

It seems that the trust was well-placed.  The run-walk-run method continues to reap benefits for me.  Previously, i would extend the running intervals on downhills or if i was feeling particularly good.  This time, i did not deviate from my 3:1 ratio at all.  On the running intervals i would do somewhere between a 9:00 and 9:30, then dial it down to a 17-ish for the walk.  I'm not sure i can run much faster and still be comfortable, so maybe i need to learn how to walk faster if i want to break 4:30.  Honestly though - around mile 16, i realized that i had an actual shot at breaking 4:30 if i hit an average pace of around 9:50-10:00.  That would have meant skipping some walk breaks, which could be disastrous.  Reminding myself that the goal was to stay injury-free, not hit some arbitrary time goal, i stuck with the game plan, did a negative split (!), and finished 20 minutes faster than Chicago - 16 minutes faster than CIM.

The tectonic shift that i did in preparation for this race was to almost completely eliminate the consumption of Gu during my training runs.  I used to go through one packet every 4 miles or 45 minutes (whichever was sooner).  Occasionally i'd get away with six miles, especially during "speedwork," but without fail i'd need a Gu at some point or else i would just bonk.  On a long run of 22 miles, i would go through five packets.  Well, i read on some rando site (Runners' World?  Reddit?  I forget) that one isn't supposed to eat during a long run.  Apparently, the WHOLE POINT of the long run is to train one's body to run on fat, not carbs.  So i cut out the Gu on the premise of teaching my body to run on different fuel, and worked my way up to 16 miles on just water before bonking.  Then, for the actual race, i consumed Gu the way i used to.  It was, in a word, amazing.  Each time i ingested the gel, i would feel stronger: a sensation of WOW, THIS IS GREAT! as opposed to THANK GOD I ATE SOMETHING OR ELSE I WOULD DIE.  In my last 5 marathons, non-running areas such as my shoulders and arms would cramp and go sore (mayhap glycogen was being cannibalized everywhere just to feed the legs), but for this run everything felt great all the way to the end.  So, for future reference: continue to subsist on minimal external fuel while training, but find the optimal ratio/timing for race day.  Perhaps every 3 miles (or 30 minutes) instead?   I'll try that out on a half.

Close to the finish - still going strong!

Hanging loose as i crossed the finish line.

Another thing i changed for this race - i changed my footwear from the Hoka Mach to the Nike Pegasus 36.  More on this in the future. 

In sum - i'm happy with the way this went. 

Race Notes:

1.  The expo was nothing to write home about.  We were in and out in about 15 minutes, including packet pick up and looking at exhibits/merchandise.  They gave out a decent backpack with the usual snacks, KT tape, etc.

2.  Temperatures, as usual for me, were perfect.  We started out in the mid 40s (warm enough to discard all my Goodwill clothes even before crossing the starting line) and ended up in the low 60s.  There was a moment at the start when it started to drizzle, but that quickly stopped and it was clear/sunny for the remainder.

3.  Bus rides from pickup points in Napa (where the finish line is) to Calistoga (where the race starts) are nice and convenient.  In addition, they let you stay in the warm bus until about a half hour before the gun goes off - ample time to hit a porta potty (i only spent about 15 minutes in line for one).   No food or water available for non-VIPs at the start... Good thing i had a full Camelbak and some bread to munch on.

The lines for the porta-potties.  Not bad.

4.  I am really beginning to prefer the smaller races.  There were only a little over 2000 marathon runners, which is a tiny fraction of the field for New York and Chicago.  I did not have to weave around other runners (despite there being only one self-seeded wave) and was somewhat able to run the tangents, which resulted in me running only a wee bit over 26.2.  On multiple occasions, i found myself running alone, which i honestly consider to be pleasant.  Unfortunately, since i DO want to finish the World Marathon Majors at some point, i guess i'll have to contend with a gigantic field at least 4 more times.

At the starting line.  I was about halfway into the crowd.

5.  The course, which runs south on the Silverado Trail, is GORGEOUS.  IMHO, almost as pretty as Big Sur, without the coastline.  Mountains on both sides, with one vineyard and winery after another.  Not many spectators, which is fine by me (one can only laugh at a sign that goes "You run better than the government" so many times).  While advertised as being net downhill, there were several rolling hills in the first two-thirds.  Nothing compared to Big Sur, but certainly not flat (at least not until the last 6 miles or so).  There was sufficient support on the course, with aid stations supplying water and electrolytes every two miles or so.  There were porta potties at every aid station, and the lines were never more than two deep.  People actually stopped using them around midway through the course, and i was lucky enough to waste very little time dashing into a line-less one at around mile 12. 

Nice, picturesque backdrop. 

6.  There wasn't really much of a post-race experience that i noticed.  There was the usual medal, water, and food.  The most important post-race experience to me is how to reconnect with family and get back to my hotel.  In this, the small field continued to be a Godsend.  Gianina and Adrian were waiting right at the finish line, and the car was parked just a couple of hundred feet away. 

7.  The race entry includes some free wine tastings with "partner" wineries.  Since i'm not a big drinker, i didn't avail of any.  Still, a nice perk for some. 

So that's it.  At this point, 7 marathons in, i think i've figured out a method that works.  Now, to grind.  I haven't quite decided on my next race yet, but i'm cautiously optimistic that things are looking up.

We just pretended to be in Tokyo by hitting a conveyor belt sushi buffet.

4:55:42

So two weekends ago, a day after the venerable Eliud Kipchoge broke the 2-hour barrier for the marathon, i finished the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 4:55:42.

My time was nothing to write home about.  After finishing last year's CIM in 4:52 and change, i really thought i could come in between 4:30 and 4:45.  In fact, early in the race, i was convinced that i could do it.  As usual, i run-walked with a 3:1 ratio.  The plan was to do the first few miles a little slow, then find a decent rhythm 4-6 miles in.  After the first half, i would start accelerating and lock in a "fast" pace until mile 20, then just completely run the remaining 6.2 miles at a "tempo" pace.  Done properly, this would get me in around 4:30, with 4:45 as a worst case scenario.

Half the race was actually run "according to plan."  Unfortunately, around 13-15 miles in (yes, that early), i felt the beginnings of a cramp in both my calves.  Not full blown contractions, but enough tension to let me know that they would start seizing up if i asked too much of them.  It was enough to make me consciously heel-strike; apparently when my cadence goes up to 160-180, i start midfoot-striking, which my calves object to.   At that point, i dared not increase the pace, for fear of demolishing my calves.

Slowly picked up the pace until the halfway point, then had to dial it back down.

Running with trepidation. 

A little over 21 miles in, i had a half-second cramp in my right calf during a running interval.  It dissipated quickly, but forced me to slow down even more.  Eventually, everything fell apart in the final 0.2.  There was the tiniest bit of an incline on that last right turn heading into Grant Park.  Not much, but enough to make me extend my walking interval by another 30 seconds or so.  Since i wanted to finish running, i picked my feet up and RAN once it started flattening out.  But then, literally ONE FOOT from the finish line, it happened: both my calves completely seized up, forcing me to ignobly hobble my way to 4:55:42.

Everyone else was happy to finish... I was disgusted with myself.

So - i was not happy.  But (as if i had a choice) i'll take it.  As far as the Abbott World Marathon Majors are concerned... still five minutes faster than my last one.

As an excuse for my performance, i am invoking undertraining.  I don't think i prepared enough for this race.  In my training leading up to NYC/CIM and Big Sur, i ran about 560 miles over 15 weeks.  In contrast, i only ran 460 miles (a 20% difference) for Chicago.  This was done on purpose: after developing plantar fasciitis (diagnosis made by legit podiatrist) around Big Sur, i made a conscious decision to run less this time around.  It worked - the heel pain let up after a few weeks, and i didn't feel as bad in the month leading up to the big race as i did previously.  In that context, i should be GRATEFUL that i even got to run another marathon this year (or ever!).  So: slower, but - literally - at least i made it.

Hopefully, i'll be able to do around 500 miles for the next buildup, run the actual race faster, and still remain healthy.  Only one way to find out.

Race notes:

1.  The expo was well-organized, but otherwise unremarkable.  Packet pickup was a breeze.  Note that even though they don't include safety pins with the bib, they're available "Participant Services" close to the entrance.  There was no wall of names.

Waiting in line to get into the expo.

2.  The weather on race day was a little chillier than i'd prefer, staying in the low 40s for the duration of the race.  Coupled with the wind chill factor in the "Windy City," it got pretty nippy.  The wind also threatened to blow off my cap a lot of times, which i remedied simply by riding the visor low.  I honestly don't mind the cold when running...  Undoubtedly better than that year when it almost went up to the 90s.  My regular outfit was still sufficient coverage.

The mass of humanity waiting at the start.  Temperature: 42 Fahrenheit.

I had to keep the brim pointed down to stop my cap from blowing off.

3.  The entrances/gates to the corrals are located on Michigan Street, starting at around the corner of Monroe and extending all the way down to Balbo.  The roads are closed on Lakeshore Drive.  We found this out the hard way, when our Uber driver opted to drop us off at Balbo and Lakeshore in order to avoid the crowds on Michigan.  We had to walk quite a ways just to get to the right spot.

Close to the starting line.  I had already walked about a mile, at this point. 

4.  The Balbo Hospitality Tent is a spacious, heated tent with buffet breakfast and lunch (for after the race), unlimited fluids, a charging station, and post-race massages.  They also had their own gear check, separate from the other 45,000 runners.  There were more than enough porta-potties.  Whether this is worth $125 or not is completely up to you.

Pre-race buffet breakfast.  They had sandwiches.

Enjoying a cup of coffee before the race.

The post-race spread.

5.  The course is not COMPLETELY flat (it's not on a track, after all), but there's no significant up- or downhills.  There was a gentle upslope at the end that i only really noticed because of my cramps.

6.  On-course, it seemed to be much less crowded compared to NYC.  My heels weren't kicked as much nor did i feel like i had to navigate through a crowd whenever i tried to move to the side of the road to walk.  Personally, i felt that NYC was overwhelming in terms of crowds (participants and spectators both).  Chicago was STILL thousands of people, but less crowded.

There was always a crowd, but not too bad IMHO.

7.  The post-race experience is a lot better than NYC.  The family reunion area is relatively close to the finish; no need to climb an overpass to get there.  Unfortunately, unlike NYC, there was no sweet poncho at the end.  They DID however have that special 312 beer with an additional Goose Island beer that you can redeem with the coupon that comes with the bib.  For some reason, they wouldn't let people take the cans of beer (even when demonstrably empty) out of the marathon finisher area, which defeats the purpose of having a "souvenir" beer can. 

Reunited with my support crew.

"Free" beer.

8.  I think the Abbott World Marathon Majors is nothing more than a genius marketing ploy.  I'm not really out to garner "six stars," but i may get them while working through my "marathon bucket list."  To be honest, i haven't been highly impressed by the courses for either Chicago or NYC.  While the cities they're held in are great and the organization is stellar, i wish the actual courses were more picturesque and actually worth running through.  Not every course can be as gorgeous as Highway 1, but if Chicago had run up Lakeshore Drive or at least up Magnificent Mile, it might have been more interesting.

Who cares about the medal?  The deep dish pizza is the real reward in Chicago! 

9.  Even though my calves ultimately betrayed me, i never came close to "hitting the wall."  So the problem was not necessarily one of nutrition or hydration.  Or perhaps it was?  At one point, when i reached back to put my water bottle in my belt, my left shoulder started cramping.  I may have been so depleted that ANY muscle ANYWHERE would cramp with exertion.  Nutrition-wise, i went through six Gu packets (one every 40 minutes or so).  Hydration-wise, i drank at every station (i believe there were twenty in all).  However, i barely drank from my own water bottle, and didn't pee for close to 4 hours after the race finished.  So maybe it WAS dehydration...?  On a slightly related note, my Vaporkrar flexible bottle keeps digging into my back; maybe i need a better way to carry my water when Camelbaks aren't allowed.  Regardless, one thing i probably need to focus on is strength training for my calves.

10.  While my Garmin tells me that did 26.2 at around 4:45, the official "tale of the tape" says otherwise.  With so many runners on the course, it's impossible to run the tangents properly (which is why the elites start way before us regular folk), which resulted in me running a 27.05 mile marathon.  Meh.

More lessons learned.  Onward to Tokyo!

2:10:38

Last Sunday, i ran the Modesto Half Marathon with a time of 2:10:38.

Although i didn't do it as an "incidental runner," like i did with the Great Aloha Race 2 years ago, it was close.  Not having run a real half marathon this training cycle like i did with last year's Giants Race, i was itching to do a "trial run" to rehearse my marathon strategy for Big Sur.  This was the only one that fit my schedule, so i signed up for it.  It just happened to fall on my birthday.

42!  My age, not the temperature (close, though). 

It looks like i'm getting faster.  If i'm being completely honest, this wasn't exactly "just another training run." Not that i really had anything to prove (after all, i didn't fully prepare: no taper or legitimate carbo-load), but i just wanted to see how far i've come since my last "real" half two years ago (more about that below).  So, after i crossed the starting line, i ran the first two miles exactly the way i plan to run my next marathon: 3:1 run-walk-run ratio with an average pace of 10:30.  So far, so good.

However, i felt so good around four miles in (when my pace dropped to 11:30 because of a bathroom break) that i decided to just run-jog the 3:1 ratio (9:00-9:30 pace run, 12:00 pace jog) the rest of the way.  Incredibly, i felt great!  My breathing and heart rate were well-regulated to the end, i never got close to bonking despite only having one gel the entire race, and had enough gas in the tank for an 8:57 mile heading to the finish line, eventually ending up with a negative split.  In spite of (or because of) all that, i estimate that i ran this with "only" 7/10 intensity.

Progress!  Not as fast as the glory days of 10 years ago, but slowly getting there.  Now, do i really want to run a race at higher than 7/10 intensity?  Probably not, unless i was seriously trying to BQ, or wasn't interested in running until i was 70 years old (which i am).  I know what it's like to go all-out but run out of gas at the end; it's not a good feeling.

By the way, I FORGOT MY CAMELBAK AT HOME.  This is both the most tragic AND the most hilarious thing i've ever done at a race.  Considering that i was planning on running it semi-seriously, this could have been a fatal error.  In the final analysis, i don't know if it hurt or actually helped me - i was more mindful of my effort level (since i couldn't hydrate or fuel up just whenever i wanted), ran 3 pounds lighter than i normally do, and didn't have to deal with the discomfort of the backpack (I don't care how light that sucker is, it's not natural).

Race day notes:

1.  The weather was perfect. starting out at 47 degrees and ending up in the mid 50s.

2.  Between all the races (5K, half and full marathons, and relay), there were about 2600 runners in total.  The starting line was not crowded at all...  In fact, Gianina and Adrian stayed with me almost until the moment i started running.   I would say that there were enough runners to make it interesting, but not enough to have to jockey for position.  Also, there was ample parking close to the start.

At the starting line, sporting my NYC Marathon poncho.

That poncho IS rather nice.

Not much of a crowd.  No one kicking the back of your feet!

3.  The course was essentially flat, except for a short segment about 3 miles in when you had to go over "Mt. Modesto" - an overpass over highway 99, with an alleged elevation gain of a little over 100 feet.  Flat is good, especially when i (eventually/maybe) try to break my PRs.

Around 6 miles in, feeling lighter after a bathroom break. 

4.  Considering how small the race is, the swag is pretty sweet.  The entry fee came with a decent duffel bag, and the medal was pretty hefty.

5.  I enjoyed the overall experience.  There wasn't much of a view (for the half, at least, you run through a neighborhood, then on the frontage road between highway 99 and some orchards, then through a road going across some farmland), but the race organization was superb.  The course was clearly labeled.  The roads were all closed.  There was enough hydration.  The volunteers were very enthusiastic.  I would definitely run it again.

6.  The post-run meal/snack included chicken burritos.

Close to the end.

Almost there.  Note the wet spot on my butt.  Peace!  

Done!  Where 'dem burritos at?!

 Another half in the books.  For comparison, my last "real" half was the San Francisco Half Marathon in 2017 (2:13:34).  I never got around to posting about that.  But for what it's worth, i actually tried to do well on it, had legs of rubber by the end, and was sore for a week afterward.  Meaning, despite being two years older, i can now run 13.1 faster without trying as hard.

I'll take it.

4:51:21 (AKA El Cheapo Runs Marathons, Too)

This past weekend, i ran the California International Marathon with a finishing time of 4:51:21.

Finisher certificate.

Granular results.

The time is almost 9 minutes faster than my most recent marathon at New York.  On one hand i'm pleased, because after three tries - i finally broke 5 hours.  On the other i'm not pleased at all, because i thought/expected that i could come in much faster in "the fastest course in the West," maybe even somewhere in the vicinity of my PR.  Oh well.  I just console myself with the thought that i successfully did "back-to-back" marathons.  After all, it's been less than a month since i ran New York.

As far as running another marathon this close to the previous one, it was probably (most definitely) a bad idea.  But i had already paid over a hundred bucks for the CIM entry in 2017, plus another fifty to defer to 2018, and El Cheapo refused to LOSE money by forfeiting outright, or (God forbid!) fork over even MORE money for another deferral.  So: i asked my friend Dr. Google how to run a marathon just three weeks after finishing one... and did it.  I guess if a non-athlete like me is going to push the envelope like that, i shouldn't complain about my finishing time.  (I realize that - in the grand scheme of things - this isn't even REALLY back-to-back, not in the way the triple 7 quest is.  But i am a mere mortal.)

At the finish, with a view of the California State Capitol Building right behind me.  Nostrils flared.

Some race notes:

1.  The weather was perfect.  I had some concerns about race conditions, given the recent Camp Fire followed by stormy weather, but it was pretty nice on the day of the race itself, starting out at crisp 37 degrees and ending at around 53.

Heading off to the race, with me decked out in my throwaway sweater and sweatpants.

2.  My legs feel a lot better this time around compared to previous races.  Not much trouble climbing up and down stairs on the day after.  Unfortunately, in the first 24 hours post-race, there was the issue of a nagging ache at the top of both feet that i literally had never felt before.  The only thing i did different at the CIM was that i consciously tried to keep my strike rate (cadence) high.  My Garmin says that i successful pulled this off, with a strike rate of around 174-185 spm (target of 180) during my running intervals.  Maybe my feet aren't used to that high of a turnover.  In hindsight, i should NOT have run the race that way, because it wasn't the way i trained.  Something to fix for the next training cycle.

3.  Billing CIM as "the fastest course in the West" with a net elevation loss sets up the expectation that it's all downhill.  IT IS NOT.  In fact, the first half seemed to be composed of a never-ending series of rolling hills.  There is one nice downhill stretch somewhere between miles 9-10, which unfortunately ends up in a fairly steep uphill climb.  It only seemed to (relatively) flatten out around mile 14 or so.

Enjoying one of the downhills.

4.  The expo wasn't really anything to write home about.  However, similar to New York (perhaps others, too), there was a big wall with the runners' names.  I had to squint to find myself with the tiny font that they used, but i was there.

That's me!

5.  A shade under 8000 is a great amount of runners.  Enough people to make it feel like a "real" event, but not enough that you constantly bump into people.

At the start.  That's about half the field ahead of me.  A lot, but not too much.

6.  The race felt highly organized from start to finish.  I was happy that one could just sit in the (relatively) warm bus up until the start of the race, negating the need to pay for a "VIP" (or similar) tent.  Porta-potties were aplenty at the starting line, and it only took me about  10 minutes to use one.  I felt very secure with the AMR bikers and cops on motorcycles constantly going back and forth, watching over the runners.  I actually liked this race so much that i think i'll do it again next year.  Perhaps i'll sign up soon... El Cheapo is definitely tempted by the early sign-up discount.  

7.  I don't know if i just bonked early, but i could not for the life of me muster enough strength to do a negative split.  This is an ongoing issue, and can probably only be fixed by adding some speed to the end of my long runs.  At least 700 people who started out in front of me seemed to slow down as well, based on this chart.  I finished the first 5K in 6826th place, and finished the whole shebang in 6112th. Still an achievement, hahaha. 

Splits data.

8.  I sometimes wonder if the run-walk-run method is holding me back from being a fast runner.  But every time i'm tempted to chuck it and just run continuously, i remind myself how many injuries i picked up in previous years.  Contrast that with my performance this year, when i ran 3 marathons with NO INJURIES and minimal aches and pains.  Pun intended: it's a marathon, not a sprint.  If i can keep running into the next several decades with no injuries, i'll be happy to be a slowpoke.  I'm already too old to go out in a blaze of glory, anyway.  Truthfully though, i feel that if i stay the course and train consistently, i'll continue to get better/faster anyway.  Or so i keep telling myself. 

So that's it, my third and final marathon for 2018 in the books.  Next stop, Big Sur.

Running to the finish.

Went for some Chinese food immediately following the race.  Tastier than the medal, to be sure.