Back at it!

It has been a HOT minute since I have blogged. Okay, more than a minute, more like almost two years. I seriously forgot where this blog was, I had search Facebook to find it. More to come....

Eight Years in the Running

Those of you who don’t know my story, here is a recap.  8 years ago, I was about 40 lbs overweight working as a call center supervisor. My employer had just moved us into a new shiny building which included an in-house gym.  I figured that since I was 42 years old and getting no younger, and seeing all of the crazy ailments that our claimants had when they phoned in their disability claims, I was determined to NOT be like them.  I then started lifting weights, and walking on the treadmill. I HATED running with a passion.  Around that time a group came to my job and volunteered to train those who were interested to run a 5K.  About 30 of us volunteered for the free training, and during that time of training I started running on my own at home, found somewhat of a liking for it. By the end of the 5K training most everyone except me dropped out. It was just me and the coaches left. The 2010 Dallas Turkey Trot was our target race and I completed it as my first race.  I then trained myself for my first half marathon the next spring and successfully completed it. After that, one of my neighborhood childhood friends introduced me to the Dallas Running Club, I started training with them and the rest is history. So what has running done for me? 

People who don't run may see it as 'only running' and miss the whole picture. The running is just a small part.  Outside of the obvious keeping me young and healthy.  It keeps me sane.  Saturday mornings are the only time of the week when I can be myself and not be judged, yelled at, nitpicked at, or not worry about missing a deadline.  I look forward to that 2 or 3 hours where I don’t have to worry about my agenda being replaced by me becoming someone else's agenda. My days usually consist of attempting to make it through the day without someone pointing out every time I make a mistake. When you are on a group run with your running buddies, no one cares.  Conversations are often about our faults, mistakes, and differences.

And oh boy I love it when I am in the zone.  What is the zone?  Any runner can tell you that when you are into your run, at some point it becomes relaxing, the brain 'shuts off' and at times you can even forget that you are even running. I remember the first time this happened when I was a newbie runner. It was like Neo in the Matrix, in the fight scene when he finally 'figured it out' and was fighting without even trying.  Or like when you finally figure out physics or calculus and everything 'clicks'. This is my therapy and where I find my peace.  It allows me to reflect on what happened that week and plan for the next. I'm already a mentally strong person, but it has made me even more stronger. 

When I first caught the running bug, I trained on my own.  Eventually, a good friend introduced me to the Dallas Running Club.  Through them I was introduced to the running community.  This is an incredibly supportive community which is difficult to compare anything else to.  I look forward to connecting with my “support group” every day on social media, and meeting them at races across the city, state, and country. This caring group of friends has been there to share in my triumphs and to hold my head up when I’ve hit some dark, challenging times.  Before then I had no other social life outside of my family.  It was the first time in my 40+ years that I had ever felt like I had belonged to something.  This has definitely been the best decade of my life, hands down. 

I am grateful that I have something in my life to keep me physically active. The human body was made to be active as we once had to hunt for food, harvest food and manually do chores to survive.  Now with everything automated to do everything for us, activity has to be manufactured, thus we go to the gym, ride bicycles, dance, golf, run and other things.  But it is a choice, not something that we 'have' to do to keep it moving.  It’s ingrained in me now.   For those who are inactive, I would love to for them to feel what my body feels right now. I feel the same now as I did when I was in my twenties.  I remember feeling the pre-aches and pains when I was in my late 30s and was headed toward obesity and knowing that there was a need to turn that around.  There is no substitute for being physically fit and healthy.    

I'm at a crossroads now, where I'm not certain what my athletic goals are.  I think I may be done with full Marathons and 50Ks for a while as life's balances has cut away the time I would need to train for one.  A lot of my original running friends have moved on to running ultras, cycling or doing triathlons.  I've recently started cycling, to elevate my running.  I can still train for half marathons, so maybe my goal will be to work on my speed and to get into the best shape that I can be.  And keep coaching others of course.

So please excuse me while I go do these hill sprints.  

- TNT -

17 things I learned in 2017.

It’s been a while since I have been here.  Someone the other day asked me what happened to my blog.  I told them I would get something out here, I didn’t realize people actually read these  haha.

1. I miss blogging, I need to blog more.  And I will.

2. I don’t have to look like I’m about to turn 50 next year.  My 50 will look better than my 30.

3. I have to work harder at it on the pavement now that I’m older.

4. Avocados are the greatest things ever to grow on trees.

5. I still really don’t like eggs all that much.

6. It is hard as hell to burn fat around the belly.

7. When you are a marathon coach, your goals become whatever your athletes' goals are. 

8. Marathons are still hard as hell to complete, and they still hurt like hell.

9. Running is just like the NFL.  Summer is training camp.  Fall long Saturday runs are regular season games. Tapering is the playoffs.  The fall marathon is the Super Bowl.

10. I don’t think my wife understands why I still do this. Sometimes I don’t understand either.

11. Running can become a chore one week and then become fun the next week. In Texas that is determined by the weather

12. Weight training really helps when you have to move heavy furniture.

13. I REALLY miss the trails.

14. Texas is probably the most difficult place to train for a marathon.

15. Gatorade sends me to the port-o-potty. 

16. Running at an extremely slow pace can be just as hard as running fast.

17. Runners are still the coolest people on the planet and make the best friends.

Summary for 2017.  I went in with the attitude for myself of not necessarily being a better runner, but being a better athlete by first getting myself into the best shape possible.  After being tagged in a Facebook photo early this year and seeing my belly looking like it was trying to do an impersonation of the moon, I figured I needed to do something.  When I was at my fittest around fall 2013, I was lean and mean. Injuries and laziness got the best of me and I got heavier and slower.  I knew that if I’m supposed to be coaching others to run, I need to be a better example.  So I hit the gym.  I included at least 2-3 gym strength training exercises per week.   

I never knew what fitness I was in as far as running.  Was I a 4:00 marathoner?  A 4:30 marathoner?  I have no idea.  Somewhere between I think.  My training was all over the place running with different groups every week who are categorized by their fitness level, so then my race was all over the place as well.  At my goal race I’m sure I started out way too fast and ended up crashing around the 17 mile mark and ended up with a 5+ hour marathon. So I probably shouldn't have a goal race until I'm able to really stick to a solid training plan.  Disappointing because for the first time ever in my running lifetime, the Dallas Marathon had near perfect weather running conditions.  But still, who can say they have run 9 full marathons and 4 ultra marathons?   

One plus of 2017 is that I finally figured out how to prevent “Claying”.  It’s complex and difficult to explain but it’s more to it than just hydration and nutrition.  I had a revelation during the Cowtown 50K in March.  It’s one of those deals where you just kind of know your body and what it needs.  That should not ever happen again, unless I’m just plain careless.

What’s up for the future?  Get fit, keep eating well, get leaner, and get more athletic.  I figure I have a couple more seasons of coaching left in me, then I will retire myself to the trails and really see what I can really do endurance wise. For now, my goal is to just keep getting stronger.  I know the rest will take care of itself.

- TNT - 

The blogging has returned! My Health is My Wealth. And other random shit I was thinking about today

February 2002 my first day on the job at Cigna, at that point just happy to have a job. I had spent weeks working as a temp for various places ever since I was laid off of my previous employer as a customer service manager at EZ2Get.com (yes you can laugh at the name) who closed their doors after being directly affected by 9/11.  It was an entry level job working in a call center.  Taking information over the phone from customers to set up claims Short Term, Long Term Disability benefits, Worker’s Compensation and FMLA.

     My trainer was Michael, I sat with him and watched him take calls and navigate through the claim software.  Call after call.  Basic questions were asked on this claim taking process like, “Who is your doctor?”, what date did you see him, what where you diagnosed with?  When will you be released to return to work? About day three of job shadowing with Michael, I noticed a few things.  The first was that a lot of these claimants were calling from the same corporations.  I’m thinking, Gosh, is anyone working at these places? How is the business still open?  I also noticed that many people suffer from back pain.  The last thing I noticed from one question “Do you have any other notable medical conditions?” at least three-fourths of the callers responded with diabetes, hypertension, or depression.

     Then 34 years old, I had lived a relatively healthy life to that point.  My biggest issue was that my eyesight was worsening.  I was in denial of this until three years upon attempting to renew my driver’s license and was forced to go get evaluated for corrective lenses.  I wasn’t thinking about exercising.  It wasn’t until I turned 40 or 41 that I figured I had better do something because I wasn’t getting any younger.  Around that time, Cigna had moved into a state of the art building and inside it was a gym.  I started using it, using the treadmill things caught on with running and you know the rest.

    After a couple years I was a very tenured employee, had worn many hats, trained and coached many others and started a new role.  Claim Manager.  So now, I would actually get to know these people who call in with all of these ailments and be all up in their business and follow them from the time they stopped working, until the time they were recovered and ready to return to work.  What it did, was open my eyes to why some people are always sick and why the healthcare industry is big business.  After my initial training, I was assigned two major accounts which I would manage.  I’m not sure if I can legally name the accounts on here but one was a Major financial institution and the other was a major company who makes aluminum foil, paper cups and containers so I won’t. The financial company had employees who were mostly sedentary office and the container company was mostly of factory workers who stood all day, ran machines, and did heavy physical work.  Both sets of employees were on totally opposite sides of the spectrum.

     The employees of the financial institution mainly missed work for pregnancy, back issues and mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.  One thing I learned is the higher the salary or higher up the corporate ladder one is, the more likely I would get a mental claim from these folks.  Not sure why that is, but this can be a separate blog or research project labeled Mo’ money, mo’ problems’ to quote the late great Notorious B.I.G.  For the production account, it was mostly musculoskeletal stuff.  Back, shoulders, knees.  The issues were almost always due to the person having poor nutrition routine, overweight and no kind of exercise routine.   

     What point am I getting at?  I have no idea, just putting out random thoughts.  But yeah I can tie what I do at my job together with what I do when I’m not doing my job.  I know when I talk to my claimants at work, I’m very thankful that I don’t have the medical issues that they have.  And I pray for each and every one of them to find the right path to a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally.  I’ll be 48 years old next month, but I feel the same as I did when I was 22.  The only difference is that I can no longer stay up all night, party and work the next day like I used to.  Sleep is too freaking good.  But I think I can hang everywhere else with you young’uns.  Ok maybe not everywhere.  But I can still whoop yo’ ass.

   I know some folks have ailments that can’t be cured, some can’t be treated.  But things can be beated.  Yeah I just made ‘beated’ a word.  I read a post earlier today from one of my runner friends who beat cancer and has went on to run two 100 mile races and working on another now. Damn that inspired me.  The human body is special.  It will adapt to almost everything you throw at it.  One of the things that stuck with me in my running certification coaching class was the instructor saying that if you continue to do the things that are uncomfortable, the will eventually become comfortable. I have been using that concept in running and everywhere else in life, and you know what, it’s true.  He probably has no idea what that little statement has done to me.

     OK enough rambling.  My point is try to get to the best physical health that you can get to.  I’m still trying to figure out the mental.  Find something active that you like rather its running, tennis, walking a mile a day, Frisbee… just do something and get active.  Find a friend that wants this lifestyle too and go into it together, it really helps.  They say it takes about 3 weeks to turn a routine into a habit and that is about right because I just witnessed my wife get into an intense workout routine of the past few months.  Honestly never thought it would happen with  her, so yeah I gotta step my game up. I’m also blessed to have hundreds of friends at the Dallas Running Club for my support.  There is nothing like being in good health, it’s the best feeling in the world.  If God willing, I can keep myself at optimum until he calls me home.

- TNT-

Statistically speaking...

It’s been a while since I have blogged, I can’t say I haven’t had much to blog about. Much has happened since the last time I have made an entry here. Busy busy busy. Work, coaching, family, life. I decided to get more serious with my training this year as I’m not getting any younger. I looked at my marathon P.R. still puzzled why it has not fallen yet. It’s not like I haven’t been training hard. I figured it’s not that but maybe I’m just not training smart enough. So today I decided to compile a spreadsheet of the long distance races I have completed and analyze the training three months prior to the race. Part of what I found surprised me, part didn’t. I have finally figured the whole cramping up thing, which is probably 75% of the problem. The new issue now is to find a way to not hit the infamous ‘wall’ after mile 20. I think I have that figured out. Looking at the data I compiled, it’s plain and simple. I need to run more miles. I knew that already, but didn’t really think about what ‘more miles’ meant. When I first started compiling the data, it was looking like I wasn’t getting enough run workouts in. That isn’t it at all.

RACE
RACE	YEAR	FINISH	AVG	TARGET PACE	PACE FALL OFF
COWTOWN 50K	2016	6:16:06	12:03:00	10:00:00	mile 20
TULSA ROUTE 66	2015	4:40:55	10:34	9:30	mile 18
EL SCORCHO 50K	2014	6:47:53	13:07	-	-
COWTOWN 50K	2014	5:21:44	10:21:00	-	-
TULSA ROUTE 66	2013	4:14	9:35	8:45	mile 17
DALLAS	2012	5:41:00	12:49	9:00	Mile 20*
BIG D	2012	4:13:06	9:39	9:00	Mile 22
*Clayed Out
	TRAINING (3 MO PRIOR)
RACE	total # RUNS	18+ runs	20+ runs	Avg miles/week
COWTOWN 50K	53	5	2	31
TULSA ROUTE 66	54	1	0	32
EL SCORCHO 50K	48	3	3	34
COWTOWN 50K	51	7	8	36
TULSA ROUTE 66	70	3	2	48
DALLAS	75	7	5	46
BIG D	74	7	5	43

My first ever 26.2 is still my P.R.  Part of that is that I was a newbie still and ignorant.  I didn’t fall off my pace until mile 22 which is the longest I have ever held a strong steady pace.  I had 7 runs of 18 miles or more during training.  That is a P.R. for my training.  I had the same for my first Cowtown Ultra in 2014, which I did not have a target pace, I just ran for fun but felt the best I had ever felt before during a race.  I remember running an 8-9 minute mile when I was at mile 26.  I didn’t hit any type of wall until around mile 28.  In contrast, my worst marathon statistically was in Tulsa this past year where I didn’t have any runs of 20 miles or more during training, which is to be expected.  I did do a lot of strength training that season and it did make a difference on hills.  Hills were no problem.  However I’m finding there is no substitute, at least for me in getting in enough long long runs. I just realized I did not include Big D Marathon 2013 which I paced even splits all the way through for a 4:15 marathon and didn't even bat an eye.  I'm thinking that is because I was already marathon trained fresh off of running the Cowtown Ultra a couple months before. I think there were 2-3 18-20 mile runs between those two races.  I'm actually pretty sure of it.

I was just chatting with a running buddy yesterday that I have great training runs, but my races suck. Today I found out that it is probably that I just don't have ENOUGH great traning runs.  I need more of them.  I’m thinking this, along with the other things I have learned along the way will eventually help me get a P.R.  At some point, it will happen.  So it looks like my Saturday mornings will be just a little bit more occupied now J

-TNT-

One step closer: Williams Route 66 Marathon race report

As most of you know, I have battled horrible leg cramps ever since I have been running and really ever since childhood.  I have tried just about everything, sought out all kinds of advice to keep them away but with little luck.  It is my running kryptonite.  I was recently shared this 1998 blog
http://www.hillrunner.com/jim2/id66.html from one of my good runner friends (thank you Stacey) of a then 16 time marathoner “Jim” who had previous problems with calf cramps on his first 3 marathons.  I decided to follow his advice for the Williams Route 66 Marathon which I ran yesterday.  Here are the factors he believed causes these terrible cramps and how following this advice influenced my performance.

1. Pace /weather
Jim stated that pace is the primary factor of leg cramps so I really focused on that yesterday.  Don’t go out too fast, avoid positive splits. We have all heard it before 1,000 times. The weather was absolutely perfect yesterday so I was able to strategize for my actual target of 4:10.  I ran with the 4:15 pace group for the first 8-9 miles around  a 9:40 min/mi then I slightly increased my pace to the 4:10 target pace after that for the 2^nd third of the race (between 9:15-9:30) and was able to hold it until mile 21.75.  That course was plenty hilly.  The hills were manageable but they were accumulative.  This marathon for my DRC training folks was the equivalent to running a marathon via running on Shoreview Drive in the Lake Highlands area from end to end continuously.  There were two really long hills at miles 14 and 21 which were at least a half mile long each. Those two hills were similar to the mile 8 Main St Bridge at the Cowtown Marathon for those who have run that race.  I was really surprised that I conquered both hills without having calf cramps as running up a hill is usually what initiates a calf cramp for me.  These cramps usually progress to the opposite calf and cramping gradually takes over both legs from the waist down.  I made it about ¾ of the way up the 21 mile hill before my right quad just tired out.  From there I walk-ran the rest of the race just because the quad had pretty much had it.  However on my 3:1 min run/walk ratio I was easily running an 8 min mile on the run parts with no hint of cramps.  My calves were very strong. In fact everything on the left and on the right from the knee down was fine.  The right quad was twitching a little bit but never seized up.

2. Preloading. 

The Gatorlode product Jim mentioned in the blog in which he carbo-loaded with no longer exists, so I just made sure I ate quality food just like I had been doing all training season leading up to the race; lots of fruit, leafy veggies and avoided junk.  Jim pre-loaded with electrolytes and a potassium supplement 5-6 days before his races.  A couple of years ago I discovered the greatness of Hammer Endurolytes which have helped me be cramp free during training runs and probably did not exist in 1998 when Jim wrote his blog. They have Potassium and other salts in them needed to prevent leg cramps.  I preloaded using these a week out from the marathon by basically taking one with every meal up to race day and hydrated accordingly.  Then I took 1 every 20-30 min during the race.  I used the sports drink provided at the water stations, but I didn’t have to drink that much.  I probably took in about 50-60 oz total of Gatorade during the race and fueled with GU every hour.

3. Training/tapering. 

From Jim's blog:

“Some people say that overtraining tires leg muscles and sets them up for cramps. I do not believe that. However, under-training and/or under-tapering can. I don't believe it is possible to overtrain for a marathon, as long as you avoid injury and burnout.....and taper properly. The taper is miraculous in marathon preparation. Done properly......neither too much nor too little work while tapering.....your body and mind will recover from any level of stress (barring injury) you placed on them during training and they will be at an optimum point of freshness and energy for the race. I do believe that being undertrained can be a factor in cramps, especially in endurance/stamina base. That's why total mileage and a sufficient number of long runs of 18-22 miles are so important in a training program. Going into a marathon, I would be much more worried about being undertrained or under-tapered than overtrained or over-tapered for cramp avoidance.”

This is the one thing that I strongly believe help me hit the “wall” at mile 21.  My training had been spot on up until the end of September.  Things on my personal agenda prevented me from getting in the number of required long runs between 18-22 miles.  I had only one this season and missed a few Thursday runs toward the end of the training season, thinking I could just make up for it by doing extra lower body strength work in the gym.  For me, I don’t think anything substitutes for lots of LSD miles.  My plan was to use the 50k at Ragnar for my peak run, but it did not go as planned and I only ended up with a cumulative 16 miles on 3 separate relay runs that day due to cramping up from not doing #2 above.  Still yesterday I didn’t cramp even being undertrained. 

I followed the tapering phase on the DRC training plan to a “T” per the training schedule and as suggested above. I can honestly say I really never took tapering seriously until I read his blog and I’m not sure or not if I have tapered as I should have in previous races.  I will make sure to do so from now on.

Other things I did that may or may not have been a factor

1.      Lots of foam rolling/stretching leading up to the day of the race.

2.      Laying off of the beer (that was very difficult).

3.      Getting adequate sleep and rest.

4.      Keeping positive thoughts and keeping stress far away from me.

So as I am finding, it’s not one thing that causes my cramps but several things.  Usually these races are very frustrating to me because they don’t end favorably for me, and I am seeing my other runner friends break P.R’s every other week, however my P.R. is still the same as my first marathon (4:13:12) and seems as if it will never fall (but I know it will eventually).  Yes I’m envious but at the same time proud of and in awe of my runner friends.  I know I can be one bad mofo of a runner.  Yesterday gave me hope that I’m one step closer to getting there.  Next up: The Cowtown Marathon 02/28/2016.  But preceding it will be more LSD miles, at least 3-4 runs of 20 miles, and a bit more speedwork.  Eventually all of the planets should line up.

Keepin it movin’

-TNT -

STOP CRAMPING MY STYLE! - My continuous battle with the Charlie Horse

I’m on a run, well into the run, I’m on a great pace, and everything is feeling absolutely terrific.  I’m fueling perfectly, hydrating the way I'm supposed to and then I get a twitch in my left calf.  Here we go again.  I know that in just a few miles, my calf or maybe my quad will completely seize up, causing excruciating pain.  If it’s a training run, I probably will cut the run short.  If it’s a race, especially a marathon, I can go ahead and hang up getting a P.R. if that is what I’m after, even after the first twitch I feel in my leg.  No amount of hydration, salt pills or consumption of anything- pickle juice, mustard, whatever will salvage this run. It’s going to be a done deal, when (not if) something cramps up unless I’m pretty close to the end of the run.  And after my muscle completely clutches up, it’s going to be sore for a few days and difficult to run on.  I have avoided registering for several different races which I really wanted to participate in and have cheated myself by cutting training runs short out of fear because the experience is so unpleasant when it happens. 

Cramp at around mile 12.5 during 2012
Dallas Rock N Roll Marathon (It's OK to laugh)

I am pretty sure now that I am part of a unique set of individuals.  Lots of times when on a group run, I hear someone complain that they have a cramp,I look over and they are still running.  This isn’t a real cramp, they don’t know cramps.  Or really, it’s not a Clay cramp.  When I cramp, it completely shuts me down, there is no running on whatever it is that is cramping.  It’s not at all possible. Maybe a fast limp, that is about it.  I know of only two other individuals who have it is bad as me-  my sister Lisa and my online running buddy friend in Florida, Michelle, who runs in just about as much humidity as we North Central Texas folks. Humidity and a few other things I have found, plays a part in initiating these cramps.  And all three of us sweat rivers when we are active.  So it has to be hereditary.  I’ve researched quite a bit and most articles and books, say that the reason for leg cramps is unclear.  It’s pretty clear to me now.  The cause is simply fatigue.

Charlie Horse knot caught in the act on my thigh

These leg cramps have happened for as long as I can remember.  My most memorable child experience with them was when I was maybe in 5^th grade and me and a couple friends decided to ride our bicycles from our neighborhood Hamilton Park, which is just southeast of the High Five interchange to Town East Mall which may be about a 20-25 mile round trip I’m guessing.  For what reason we rode our bikes that far I can’t even remember.  But before then, I had never ridden a bike further than 5 miles at the most in one day.  For an 11 year old, that was a lot of stress on the legs all at once.  On the way back maybe just a couple miles away from home, my calf seized up.  I had no idea what it was, but I know it hurt like hell.  I ended up walking, crying the rest of the way home.  And that cramp came back and woke me up in the middle of the night.  I told my sister about it and she informed me that I had a ‘Charlie horse’ and that she has them often as well.  I remember thinking “Well if horses get these, that’s obviously why they hurt.”

 

Other times in my childhood remember the onset of these being caused by excessive swimming.  I cramped up pretty easily in the pool.  Once I became an adult I slowly became inactive over time, so there weren’t really any physical activities I would involve myself in which would cause any cramping until I started running years later.  However, whenever I would write or type for a long period of time, my hand would cramp up, and I do remember once when I was moving and had to transport a refrigerator, washer, dryer, deep freezer, two couches and a bunch of items unassisted within a four hour period produced back spasms and hand cramps by the end of the day.

So here is my hypothesis.  Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, lack of stretching, etc does not cause cramping. But they can cause excessive fatigue, which does cause cramping.  One of my running sisters, Jacqui introduced me to Endurolytes which replenish your salts quite nicely, as I sweat excessively and they have helped me some.  But they will only work for so long for me.  After my muscles become so fatigued, they cramp.  High humidity causes you to work harder, which causes fatigue.  After my muscles become overly fatigued, they cramp.  Lack of hydration or lack of salts cause you to fatigue. Excessive hills cause fatigue.  When I fatigue, I cramp.  Most of you know about my “Claying out” incidents.  In those situations, my electrolytes were so imbalanced that every muscle in my body was beyond fatigued, so they cramped in dramatic fashion from my neck down to my toes and sent me to the E.R.

How do you fix it?  Just don’t get tired.  Sounds a lot easier said than done right?  Well this is the solution.  I have already proven it to myself, most recently when I raced El Scorcho 50K and Cowtown 50K in 2014.  Both races, I trained running a ridiculous amount of miles per week.  I built up my endurance and it worked. Simply get stronger. I had muscle twitching toward the end of both races, a lot of twitching.  Both races I was good for just about 31 miles, no more.  Any more and I would have folded into one big Charlie Horse and looked like a pretzel.  Also, do more runs which simulate what your race will be.  This year I’m running the Route 66 Tulsa Marathon again, which has quite a bit of rolling hills.  I caught a Charlie Horse 100 feet from the finish line when I ran it in 2013 and missed my marathon P.R. by exactly one minute.  That it was between 20-25 degrees out the whole race may have played a factor as well.  Speaking of this P.R. which is 4:13 something and is my first marathon and hasn’t fallen after running 10 of these, I remember doing a lot of fast tempo runs during training.  At the time my vehicle was not running and I commuted from work to home 5 days per week 7.5 miles via fast training run for probably 3 weeks or so.  I hit the infamous ‘wall’ around mile 23 during that marathon and ran/walked the rest of the way. I’m thinking I lacked some strength training.  I may have had at least a 4:05 with a little more push.  Last years Ragnar Relay 50K, I half trained for it not knowing how difficult the course would be.  There were a lot of rocky ups and downs and for the last leg I ran it was about 85 degrees and during mid afternoon and about 12 miles. About 8 miles in I started catching cramps everywhere from the waist down.  I was well hydrated and well 'electrolit'.  Didn't matter.  The fatigue from running all night long the night before got me.  I fought through the cramps for about 2 miles but they ended up winning.

But here's what running more miles and gaining extra endurance does for me.  When I first started running, in my first three half marathons I always caught a Charlie Horse in my calf at around mile 12 or 12.5.  When I started training for a full marathon and running more miles, and I participated in a half marathon, these leg cramps did not occur, however I would get them during full marathons between miles 17-22.  When I trained for my first 50k at Cowtown, I ran the first 28 miles without even a hint of a cramp.  I finished the last 3 with lots of twitching, but my muscles never fully Charlie Horsed up.  This shows that the more weekly miles I have during training, the more endurance and for me, the later the cramps will occur.

So this training season, there have been more tempo runs, more strides, more runs at marathon pace. More miles, more strength training, more hills, more time on feet. More, more, more.  Just get the body used to being battered, get stronger, and gain endurance.  I know now that my issue is unique and hereditary.  Where most folks can follow the training plan to a “T” and get results, my body requires just a bit extra.  But that’s O.K.  I’m no stranger to hard work.

-TNT-