Long time no post. Quick catch-up & update: '04 started awful...3 weeks of
flu + crummy running weather in the NE, USA....+ myriad of professional [censored] to
deal with. I got lazy w/my lifting and running and the injuries compiled.
Last straw was a major calf pull (on top of very strained knee ligaments) 10
days before Boston. Doctors Orders? Run and have surgery....or rest for 6-8
weeks and get healthy. Missed Boston and did not lace up shoes till June.
It was completely back to the drawing board for me at age 41. in '03 I raced
in almost 40 races. I think I had 1 race up to June in '04....and I sucked in
the 6-7 races I entered in the Summer. Coming back from injury and time off is
a MF'er. In August I decided to quit lifting weights. I'm already built like
a sprinter, not a distance runner...and the lifting was bulking me down and
contributing to being prone to injury. I just started doing 9 miles/day 5-6
days a week...at a 7:20 pace in Gel Cum VI's.
A personal goal of mine was to top a previous years' time, in the same race a
year later, despite being a year older. You younger people might not think
like this but the older you get...there are few things more personally
fulfilling/rewarding than doing this; being better than you've ever
been...despite being a year older. When you reach / define a new plataeu at
an older age = sky high feeling. that might be half the reason why I now do
this stuff. This is something I had never achieved in '02, '03, and through
'04.
Yesterday I was in the Grete Waitz/Norwegian Festiva 1/2Marathon in NYC. I
was feeling great and wanted to feel light so pulled out some new NB 700 flats.
Days prior to this race I was thinking 1:33 = victory all things considered in
terms of the year I was having. All I was thinking about was my last years
time of 1:31:30.....beating it by 1 second...and how here and now in this
moment I have an opportunity to be better than I've ever been. This my sound
corny to some of you...however I am a big big believer in psychology and people
having the ability to "will themeselves" to paramount personal performance
levels that defy previous achievements. At the start of races, standing there
minutes before the gun(or horn)...no kidding....I sometimes think of Billy
Mills and Zatopek. I'll admit this....and then wonder what's preventing me
from running over my head......and in this case topping 1:31:30 here and now?
Race starts and I hit my first mile at 6:24 at a reasonably rested pace. I
felt good.....and confident....in the race I kept thinking eyes up on the
horizon, full strides, consistent oxygen intake, elbows in, hands rested and
comfortable. This hills as usually kicked my ass. People snatched me on the
hills (my mass kills me here, this is the weakest link in my running
game)...race proceeds...I'm 5 miles in an felt no desire for hydration. I then
thought to throw some water in my mouth and swallow at least a mouth
full....even if you don't feel the need...because "it's too late" once you feel
a loss of hydration. So at the 6 mile mark I swooshed water in my mouth and
just keep pushing it. I did another mouth swoosh of water at mile 10 and was
aware I was on a pace to break my previous years' time. I just kept thinking,
"keep it up"...."push it"....at mile 12 I saw my time was 1:22:00 dead
even...and thought, "OH [censored]".....laugh all you want...but this was my personal
"Billy Mills" moment. I knew I was breaking last years' time but then
realized I had within grasp or breaking that elusive 1:30 barrier for the 1/2M
in hand (and a tough 1/2M on hilly course). All I was thinking was I have 8
minutes to do this mile and then the ".1" of a mile...and not fully having a
sense of what the ".1" mile was going to take...said to myself, "don't stop or
rest now....all out to the end"....as I saw the 13 mile marker approaching I
was within earshot of the finish and I heard the race announcer say 1:28:45
through the megaphone / speaker system.....and was now secure in being in my
own element...the sprint. I went into an all out sprint, head down with power
and snatched 6 runners within the last 100 yards or so. Time? 1:29:16 Woo
Hoo! I finished 158th out of 3700 runners, 19th out of 311 in my age group
of men 40-44, averaged 6:48/mile in this 1/2M. For me, my body, age,
etc...and the suck-all year I've been having...I am very pleased. This was
probably my best performance ever all things considered.
People....I cannot describe to you how "on a cloud" I felt. Beating last years
time was great but cracking 1:30 for the halfM on a tough course? Sky-High!
I want to share something that worked well for me. First of all I know
"Donovan" on this ng....that guy is great. He knows his stuff....I watched
him be a runner that was at my level (were I was 1+ years ago at my peak)....to
far far surpassing me. That guy does everything right. He's coached by one of
the world's best running coaches in his running club and....and he just knows
every angle/aspect/nook-and-crany of running/training and performance. He's
turned himself into a great runner in a year. The only bit of wisdom I have to
stress/emphasize beyond actually running/training is nutrition & personal
mental discipline. Before this 1/2M and before a 18Miler race I had the week
before (2:12)....36 hours before the race I loaded up nutritionally. I am
never going to win the "ideal distance runner's body" competition. But I will
not lose in the areas of being nutritionally and mentally prepared and focused.
36 hours before my 1/2M I had about 3 Isopure 40 g Protein drinks, 2 40 g
protein Met-RX Shakes, 64g of PowerButter w/Celery...and addition to my regular
multi, some amino acid supplements. I am not crazy about heavy carbo loading
through foods/pasta, etc. I like to take my nutrients in via liquids like
Cytomax, etc...for carbos...etc. 36 hours before this 1/2M I had about 270 g
of protein and about 600 g of complex carbs. I did not carbo load....i protein
loaded...wild....as i did not use any gels (which I normally do)..and had
minimal desire for hydration. Taking in nutrients via liquid 36 hours prior
to race time caused me to not feel the need to hydrate during the race and have
plenty of energy power. This is what worked for my body, may or may not work
for yours. And then whatever/wherever/however you can derive some mental
focuse and ability to persevere...."bottle it". I sense lots of runners
underestimate the value of the mental side of this stuff we do....I ran over my
head yesterday...and I think we all have that potential. Some days we have
it...some days we don't. For one day Billy Mills had it......and so can all
of us. All that matters is having it in that moment it your race.
Anyway....the mistakes I made in this race like I did for the 18 miler the week
before was forget to bring/apply "body glide"....completely forgot about
before,...dealing with the aggrivated skin now. Next race is the NYC
Marathon. Did 3:18:43 last year....looking for 3:10 this year. I check
this ng when I get a chance...been pressed for time....miss reading and
learning...saw my neighbor to the north Upstate, Doug F. is still doing those
crazy Ultras...(that stuff is for loons hee hee). So I am just contemplating
what shoe to where for the NYC mararthon and going to do some daily training in
Central Park until then.....if you see me say hi!....I always shout out to
Donovan when I see him with his race team. Below is a pick from a July Nike
race....so if you're at the NYC marathon start....come say hi as well.
I hope all of you are healthy and running well and accomplishing your personal
goals.
Andrew/Globaldisc
http://brightroom.com/view_user_photo.asp?EVENTID=5523&PWD=&ID=8709467&FRO
M=photos&BIB=1606