2:11:20

This past weekend, i completed the Napa Valley Half Marathon in 2:11:20.

Not as fast as i'd like (sub-2) but not too shabby. Unlike my previous "fast" halfs (halves?), i did not "run-jog-run" this one; rather, i relentlessly followed a 3:1 run-walk-run strategy, but dialed up the run intervals to my tempo pace. The final result was just a smidge slower than my first run-jog-run half three years ago. This was more a proof-of-concept than anything, to show that i can do intermittent bursts of tempo pace up to a total duration of two hours. Moving forward, i'll need to experiment with three things: faster-paced run intervals, faster-paced walk intervals, and longer run ratios (3:30:1 or even 4:1).  If i can achieve all three, maybe i'll be able to run the elusive sub-4 marathon one day. 

As far as why i ran a half and not a full, i have been injured since Huntington Beach, and was simply not up to doing the full 26.2.  Around two weeks after that particular race, i started running 20 miles a week again, and both my Achilles tendons just got completely inflamed.  The pain in those areas became so bad that there were days i could barely walk, and they were extremely tender to even gentle touch.  I ended up taking an additional 6 weeks off running altogether.  After that self-imposed exile, i started testing the waters at 10 miles a week with a 10-15% weekly increase in mileage.  Ultimately i was able to do a 10 miler, but that was only around 5 weeks prior to this race.  

Much to my dismay, i basically get injured after every marathon.  I suspect that the mainly culprit is improper recovery, namely trying to just "pick up where i left off" after a short period of rest.  However, i am no elite athlete, and probably need to dial it back up slower.  I also think that after a race, i get so focused on improving my performance that i forget "the basics" - that is, emphasizing pace and mileage and neglecting proper running form.  

So, form: the reason my Achilles tendons suffered so hard is probably because i was trying to run with my ankles.  This is a shame, because Galloway's run-walk-run method in fact encourages that.  Once i stopped doing that and started running more mindfully - focusing more on using the thighs and hips - the pain let up and i was able to run properly again.  Overall, i've become more introspective than before (that's what the prospect of NEVER RUNNING AGAIN does to a man), and have codified the steps for getting back into running.  I'm not smart enough to have come up with this on my own; i based it on an article i read on Runner's World, plus some personal tweaks: 

JB'S RECOVERY PLAN

1. 1-3 weeks of no running (1 for a half, 2 for a full, and 3 weeks if it was a particularly hard marathon). 

2. Only 10 easy miles the first week back. 

3. Focus on form!  

    a. Push from the glutes

    b. Drive the legs using the hips

    c. Run lightly: "paw the ground" with the feet

4. Rotate shoes every few days (currently switching between Vomero and Pegasus). 

5. Consistently do eccentric Achilles strengthening exercises. 

6. Do lunges and glute exercises during the "no running" period.  

Race notes: 

1.  The expo was nothing special.  The swag included a decent backpack.  Otherwise, it was just the usual local running stores, sign-up booths for upcoming races, and overpriced race merchandise.  Nothing necessarily bad with that last one, especially if one wants to support the local economy.  There was also "free" wine tasting.  The lines were so long that you wonder how anyone could pony up $140 for a race but not just buy their own damn bottle of wine.  

2.  The weather was definitely a little nippier than i  prefer, starting out at 36 degrees and ending up in the mid 40s.  I took off my "overpants" right at the start (although next time i should probably do sweatpants and not just pajama bottoms), peeled off my throwaway sweater about 1/2 mile in, and discarded my long-sleeved shirt (yes, i wore three top layers) around 1.5 miles in.  I felt decently warm, especially when running in the sunlight.  

3.  There were buses to the start, but they left too early for my taste (5:10 for a 7 AM race), so Gianina just dropped me off at the starting line.  There was a decent crowd at the start, but i only had to wait 15 minutes for a porta-potty.  No food, but there were coolers where you could fill up your water bottle.  

4.  Small races FTW!  Only a little over 2000 runners, it was great.  Most of the time i felt like i was running alone... easier to run the tangents that way.

At the starting line.

5.  The course was the Silverado trail, with great views of rolling vineyards.  I even spotted some hot-air balloons in the distance.  Elevation wise, some hills until a little past the halfway mark, and mostly downhill after that.  There were aid stations every 2-3 miles or so, and what appeared to be ample porta-potties that i never needed to take advantage of.  

6.  Not much of a post-race experience.  Get your water and medal at the chute, walk a bit and get some food.  The parking lot is right there at the school, and since there's not that many people, it's relatively easy to get a spot.  It beats marathons where you have to walk another mile or so just to meet your family.  

I'm uncertain what the future holds.  Hopefully my recovery plan prevents more injuries.  I wonder if i should drop down to half marathons; the training is not as intense and the recovery is not as painful.  But something (hubris?) tells me that my marathon days aren't over yet.  

4:46:44 (AKA It's Not the Heat, it's the Humidity)

Last weekend, i completed the Surf City Marathon in 4:46:44.

I have mixed feelings about my performance.  On one hand i feel bad because i didn't break 4:30 (after coming really close the last time), but on the other, i'm happy to have even finished.   

Not the naked guy, the one in the gray shirt.

Photo credit: Finisherpix

Since my training runs are usually done at 50-60 degrees in the Central Valley's roughly 30% humidity, i suppose those are my "optimal running conditions."  The Surf City Marathon is USUALLY run in the Spring, which probably approximates at least that temperature.  The pandemic's bumping it off into the summer changed that considerably; in fact, an email was sent by the race organizers a few days prior, warning runners about the relative heat/humidity, and to not attempt to run a PR.  

Anyway, race day temperature started at around 68 and ultimately ended up at least 10 degrees warmer.  The humidity was close to 100%, and there was NO SHADE.  Seventy-eight degrees doesn't sound too warm, but take away shade and evaporative cooling, and it is by no means a walk in the park.  

I knew it was going to be a bad race when i started sweating somewhere close to mile 2, since that usually only starts around miles 4-5.  To preempt any possible bad outcome, i started hydrating more than usual: sucking a little bit more than my cursory gulp from my Camelbak every mile AND drinking at every aid station.  Despite all this hydration, i never once felt the need to use a porta-potty.  I think everyone else felt the same way - there were toilets aplenty along the course, but i never saw a line build up anywhere.  So no one was peeing, but we were all sweating buckets. If it had been a few degrees warmer, i wonder if we would have had some collapses.  In all honesty, i really shouldn't complain; i almost ran Tokyo last year, and i'm sure it was warmer and wetter.  

Mugging for the camera while suffering
Photo credit: Finisherpix

As far as race prep strategy, i changed things up this time around.  On the general principle that my overarching goal is to continue running marathons into my geriatric years, but not necessarily to run FAST or even to break my previous PR, i eschewed the traditional taper and ran a 20 miler within a week of the race.  The thought being that the taper is designed to maximize one's performance for ONE upcoming event, not to continue building strength for the long term.  Of course i could be completely off-base on this, but then again i'm just a lung doctor.  Empirically, while i finished slower than i was hoping (perhaps through no fault of mine), i didn't end up as sore as expected after the race.

Going back to my performance: considering that i didn't train the way i was supposed to, and that the conditions were suboptimal... 4:46 and change is acceptable.  

RACE NOTES: 

1.  There was an unremarkable expo at the packet pickup.  There was a shirt, but no swag.  I was in and out in about 15 minutes.

2.  It wasn't difficult to get to the starting line on the day of the race.  The race FAQs spelled out where exactly to go, and it only took me about 10 minutes to walk the half mile (or so) from where Gianina dropped me off.  I really considered staying at the race hotel, which is steps from the start.  However staying in Irvine was no big deal and presented only a 20-minute drive. 

Photo credit: Gianina Chong

Close to the start

3.  Even though there were only a little over 1000 runners, it felt like more.  I think the half marathoners started running about an hour after the marathoners, and since there was a lot of overlap between the routes, it could feel pretty crowded at times (albeit never New York or Chicago levels of crowded).  In addition, the last nine miles were basically an out and back on a sidewalk by the beach, with the narrowest segment being about ten feet across for a mile.  The only racers on that part were the marathoners, but there were a fair amount of walkers and bikers. 

4.  The course, billed as being gorgeous and adjacent to the beach, is really pretty meh.  The first third runs inland.  The remainder of the course is run partly on the Pacific Coast Highway and partly on that little sidewalk mentioned above.  There was some haze on the horizon, limiting the view of the ocean, and there were freighters all over the place.  Not nearly as nice (not even close) to Big Sur.  I also detected some unpleasant odors the closer we got to the beach.  One was of rotting garbage or organic matter, another smelled like aquarium water (probably ammonia or urea).  

5.  There was lots of food and liquids past the finish line.  There are also some tents set up for running clubs, one of which i approached and managed to snag a (members-only?) cup of Coke from.  There was ample parking close by,  and i only needed to walk another half mile to where Gianina parked the car. 

Photo credit: Gianina Chong

Photo credit: Gianina Chong

An aside: the underappreciated perk of running a race in Southern California... is the proximity of Jollibees.  Nothing like a bucket of Chickenjoy for the post-race refuel. 

That's it for the not-so-great marathon number 8.  Weather aside, i wasn't really pleased with the course.  Unless it was the only race that fit in with my schedule, i would NOT run it again.  

I wonder if my non-traditional taper will be an effective approach.  Let's see if it improves my performance on a course i've already run: Napa.  

2:07:44

It's difficult to maintain one's marathon training schedule when traveling. Figuring that the best way to force myself to do a long run in the middle of a two-week vacation would be to do an actual race, i signed up for the Deseret News Half Marathon in Salt Lake City.

 
I was able to finish that run in 2:07:44. While not technically my PR, it's the fastest half i've run during my "second wind" (the line in the sand being drawn at the Phoenix Marathon).

The course has an elevation loss of a little over 1800 feet, leading to my relatively fast time. Although it really doesn't, it feels like most of that elevation loss occurs in the first mile or so. I honestly felt like i wanted to fly through those initial miles, but not wanting to bonk before the end, i was cautious enough to keep my pace on the slower side (my slowest of the whole race, in fact), and ultimately ended up with a negative split.

Since i've done it before, and was essentially substituting the race for an 18-mile long run, i decided to up the intensity and "run-jog-run" instead of run-walk-run. I tried to keep my runs at a 9:15-9:30 pace and slowed down to around 12:00 for the jog segments. After the first few downhill miles, i definitely felt my quads burning... but i put my faith in my training and was able to finish with that strategy.

Hydration/nutrition wise, i carried nothing with me and merely used the aid stations. During training, i've drunk water but otherwise avoided fueling for around 16 miles (to train my body to burn fat instead of glucose/glycogen), so i was confident that i could do it.    

Otherwise, not much to write home about. I'm happy i was able to keep my running schedule all throughout the trip, and was able to run some pretty routes all throughout.  As an aside, despite the "high intensity" of my run, i wasn't terribly sore after, and was able to do an easy 6-miler after only 48 hours. Meaning: perhaps i can keep pushing. Perhaps.

RACE NOTES:

1. Packet pickup was straightforward: show up at the location, tell them your name, get the bib and shirt. No expo nor any real swag.

2. I was somewhat concerned about the temperature, which was projected to initially be 68 degrees, climbing up to a warm 80 degrees at the finish. In actuality, it was 65 at the start and 78 at the end. Notably, there were no heaters at the starting line, and the buses left immediately after dropoff. It felt a little chilly standing around, but tolerable. Still, note to self: don't forget the disposable sweater next time. The first 7-8 miles or so while heading down the canyon felt pretty cool. It only really warmed up once we got into the city. I don't know if it was the change in elevation, sunlight reflecting off glass (from the buildings), or just the lack of open airflow in the city proper, but the change in temperature felt really distinct. 

Ready to go!

3. Despite having a considerable net elevation loss, the are still a few uphills, most notably the gentle one leading up to the finish line. While it's not really much, it's worth it to prepare for. There's not really much more to say about the course, since it's not particularly picturesque. Interestingly, there was a lot of people camped along the sidewalks in the last mile or so... They were actually waiting for the Pioneer Day parade, but it kind of felt like they were out there for the runners.

Elevation chart

4. The aid stations were appropriately spaced out, at miles 1.5,. 4, 6, 9, and 12. I recall there being Gu at miles 6 and 12. I never regretted not carrying my own fluids or nutrition.

5. Not much fanfare at the finish. Past the finish line, someone handed me a medal. After getting through the chute, there was a little food. I got a chocolate chip cookie then headed out.

7. Probably because of the Pioneer Day festivities, there were a lot of road closures and no place nearby to park, so there was about a half mile walk to the car.

8. No official photos. The was a smattering of "official-looking" photographers along the course (they had those long lenses on their cameras, at least), but for some reason, they seemed to be more interested in taking pictures of people who went before and after me.

I'd do it again. In fact, i might do it when i attempt to do a sub-2.

Next, Huntington Beach. Unless we get shut down again.

2:21:54

This past weekend, I completed the Sutter Buttes Spirit Mountain Half Marathon in 2:21:54. 

It's the first organized race i've done since Napa.  Being saddled with injuries and an overall lack of motivation, i've been pretty listless with my running over the past year.  It felt good to finally look forward to a goal, and gratifying to actually accomplish it.  

Yes, i know i probably should have shaved.

To be perfectly honest, i was initially appalled at my finishing time, and even moreso at my age group place.  My main excuses for being so slow and low are that this was "just another long run" that i didn't really train for, and that the small field was probably comprised of seasoned runners itching to do an in-person race in the time of COVID (i.e. no weekend warriors).  Probably.  

One thing i had trouble comprehending is why i finished 12 minutes slower than the Modesto Half (2:10:38).  Then i realized that it's really not a fair comparison: i ran Modesto close to the end of a marathon training cycle (in preparation for Big Sur), and already had 3 months worth of hills, tempo runs, and Yasso 800s under the hood.  Additionally, i've been dealing with Achilles tendonitis in my left foot for close to a year now.  I haven't exactly figured out the cause and cure, but now that i'm paying closer attention to my running form and stopped wearing the NB 1080s altogether, it feels a lot better.  

Nutrition may also be an issue.  Within few months of the pandemic hitting, i reverted to my bottom-feeder ways of old: consuming all sorts of junk, drinking soda all the time, and just on the whole not paying attention to what i ate.  This had everything to do with COVID and was part of the fatalistic attitude i had adopted: since i assumed that i was going to die from COVID anyway, then i should just go ahead and eat the donuts.  My mind was in a really dark place most of the time and consuming the junk provided a measure of solace.  Well, after receiving the vaccine earlier this year, my outlook has brightened considerably, and i have slowly been putting my nutritional house back in order.  Maybe i'll start running better once i start fueling properly again.  

Speaking of fueling, i'm currently reading "Natural Born Heroes" by Christopher McDougall and am at the part where he talks about the principle of "fat-as-fuel."  This seems consistent with my previous decision to not take in any calories during long runs.  Since this race was basically just a long run, i carbo-loaded a bit before, but didn't consume any calories during.  It seems to work, as i don't really get hungry during my long runs, never "bonked" during this race, and only noticed a little bit of lactic acid burn when i pushed the pace at mile 12.  This went away during the walk break.  Perhaps i should cut out the pre-race carbo-loading as well.  

Despite my self-flagellation, i'm really happy that i was able to get out and run.  The main reason of course for the lack of organized races is the ongoing pandemic.  I was initially a little apprehensive about participating, but i figured that a) it was a small race anyway, and b) i'm already vaccinated, so the risk of contracting/transmitting the virus should be low.  In addition, i haven't been exposed to any COVID cases at work this past month (yay!), so in my own mental calculus i had zero chances of being an asymptomatic carrier.  

That being said, i don't know if the participants and volunteers at this event had the same thought process.  There was nary a mask in sight.  So out of an overabundance of caution, i wore a gaiter over my nose and mouth whenever i was in a crowd.  

RACE NOTES: 

1.  There was no expo.  Packet pickup was on the day before and the day of.  Since it was such a small event (reportedly less than 200 runners for all 3 races), i basically just walked up to the desk that same morning and got my packet 30 minutes before the start.  The goodie bag had the usual assortment of snacks, etc.  The small field also translated into lots of available parking and no crowds to speak of.  

2.  The weather was ok.  Mid 50s at the start, and about mid 60s at the finish.  There was very little shade along the course (zero shade when we went though the little mountain range).  I had a nice tailwind going out, which subsequently translated into a decent headwind coming back.  

At the turnaround.  Pretty sparse crowd, which is fine by me.

The requisite selfie at the highest point of the course.

3.  The course, which goes through the "smallest mountain range in the world," was a simple out and back.  There was some farmland at the beginning, but most of it goes in between the mountains and is pleasant to look at.  There was only one major climb (two, because you get to do it twice) of maybe 200 feet.  This was about mile 4 out and 9 back.  

A random... zebra?  I'll be honest, I did spend at least a minute trying to get a good picture of this thing.

4.  There were only four aid stations (seven since you turn around), at approximately miles 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6.2, 8.4, 9.9, and 10.9 (if i did the math right).  They had water and Gatorade.  Even though there were only a few to a station, the volunteers were very enthusiastic and encouraging.  

5.  Snacks and water were handed out that the finish.  Trail mix, a bagel, cream cheese, fruit, and a granola bar.  Decent, IMHO. 

I'd do it again.

Next stop (maybe): Salt Lake City.  

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.

Sourdough Chronicles: Loaf #6

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached bread flour
25 twists of kosher salt
1 cup-ish of purified water at room temperature
3/4  cup of "fed" sourdough starter "Thomas"

Technique:

1.  At 3:00 PM: flour, water, salt, and starter were mixed together in a glass bowl.  Enough water (roughly 1 cup) was added to make the dough barely shaggy.  Set aside at room temperature.

2.  6:00 PM: the dough was folded in the bowl, once on each side. 

3.  6:30 AM: The dough was taken out of the glass bowl, placed on some floured parchment paper, and folded again, once on each side.  Set on the parchment, seam side down.

4.  8 AM: The dough was scored with an "x" on the surface.  Dough and parchment paper were placed into the Dutch oven preheated to 450 degrees.  Baked/steamed for 30 minutes with the lid on. 

5.  8:30 AM: The Dutch oven was uncovered, the bread was allowed to cook for 13 minutes, and then removed. 

Notes:

1.  Scoring the surface made it deflate a bit... maybe use a sharper knife the next time. 

2.  Decent sour flavor, mayhap from being allowed to ferment for essentially 15 hours.  I'll try for less time next time and see if i can still get the same flavor profile.  

3.  Not sure what the effect of using bread flour vs. all-purpose flour is. 

4.  I'll try to not fold 2-3 hours in the next time... to make it truly "no knead." 

VERDICT:  Decent.  I think this is the one. 

Sourdough Chronicles: Loaf #5

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached flour
20 twists of kosher salt
1 cup-ish of purified water at room temperature
1/4  cup of "fed" sourdough starter "Thomas," + 1/2 cup of Thomas "discard"

Technique:

1.  At 7:30 PM: flour, water, and starter were mixed together in a glass bowl.  Enough water was added to make the dough barely shaggy.  Set aside at room temperature.

2.  9:30 PM: the dough wasn't as wet as i'm used to, but i kept the faith.  Folded a few times in the bowl, mainly to mix the wet parts with the dry.  Since i forgot to add salt in step 1, i added salt in between each fold.  

3.  6 AM: surprise!  The dough had risen, almost as if i had used actual yeast!  The dough was taken out of the glass bowl, placed on some floured parchment paper, and folded, once on each side. 

4.  8 AM: The dough and parchment paper were placed into the Dutch oven preheated to 450 degrees.  Baked/steamed for 30 minutes with the lid on. 

5.  8:30 AM: The Dutch oven was uncovered, the bread was allowed to cook for 13 minutes, and then removed. 

Significantly more volume than previous attempts.

Somewhat holey, but definitely less dense than before.

Notes:

1.  "Thomas" is a new starter to replace "Martha" (RIP).  He was generously shared with me by an old friend in southern California.  He seems more mature/robust than my previous starter, exhibiting significant rising after being fed.  It seems that my main problem was a "weak starter."  Consequently, this loaf was significantly "airier," almost like i used commercial yeast.  

"Thomas," doubling in size after being rehydrated and fed 3 times, 12 hours apart.

2.  Needs more salt.  I've already previously said that i need 25 twists... but i only did 20.  

3.  Barely sour.  Needs more time to ferment, perhaps?  

4.  Now that i've achieved (IMHO) optimal rise... time to make it pretty.  

VERDICT: Not bad.  Thanks, Marnie!