Sunday, December 9, 2012

Dallas Half Marathon 12/9/2012


"Can I improve half marathon speed by 5% in 9 months?"  I stared at the Runner's World training program.  I would cross the 7-minute-mile mental barrier.  Why not?  Ironman age groupers routinely ran sub 7:00 for their marathon.  All I needed was good weather and a healthy spine.

_milestones
A: 21k PR: 95-minute.
B: 10k PR: 43:00.  I always had doubts about holding sub 7 for over 10k.
C: 90 GPS minutes.  If I hit this goal, I'd upgrade GPS.

_training
18-week SmartCoach peaking at 47 miles per week.  In contrast, ultra runners went over 150 miles.  Karnazes averaged 300+ miles running coast to coast.

I had difficulties with tempos the first weeks with Texas summer weather.  I usually went straight into pool after a run before reaching for nutrition.

I skipped sessions due to Taiwan trip and A2A.  Speed struggled the week following Asia trip.  I took a page out of Kenyans' playbook and reduced recovery and long runs pace.

The program called for 15-mile long run 7 and 14 days before race.  I shortened them.  It seemed crazy to train longer than race distance < 3 weeks to go.  Maybe the software mistaken me for a 18-year-old.

I didn't stick to the training schedule as closely as 2011's marathon preparation, yet I felt more confident.

_injury
Heel pain that started April 2011 stabilized by January.  I only felt the pain getting out of bed and during slow runs.

Lower back pain hadn't stopped me from running after Jack's Dr. introduced me to the bench stretches.

Inside left knee became unhappy after a 15-mile training run in LA using torn PI Streak.  All was good after using fat shoes for 3 weeks.  The running shoe collection had been a worthwhile medical investment.

_crash
I routinely trained on uneven grass fields and stumbled on regular basis.  Not a big deal.

Then it happened.  My left foot tripped over a few blades of grass 15 days before the race during easy run—much like my 3 crashes in November 2011.  As a spine patient, I had no solution for drop foot.  I accepted the limitation and tried to be thankful for working parts.

I was listening to Mr. Crash Tyler Hamilton's book when tripped.  I had laughable pain tolerances compare to Tyler.  The book connected many dots from Floyd Landis, Mark Zeigler, et al.  I enjoyed learning about bag & Edgar logistics.

_diet
I complicated nutrition by introducing blender into my training day meals.  The frozen drinks were motivational for summer workouts.  The shakes reduced processed food consumption.

Body weight was challenging this racing season.  4 weeks before race, I asked mom to reduce yummy food production.  This was hard for both of us.  I felt ashamed of my will power, considering my weekly 4000 exercise calories.




I ended up lighter than previous years.  This was indicative of my reduced quads and glutes from lack of skating.  I still felt fat by watching Athens Olympics marathon.

Tyler was right: endurance sports at top level are unhealthy.  I drew a line in the sand: I would go no further in reducing muscle or fat.

_final 10 days
Taper went as expected: battling urges to run more and eat less.

With cool temperature, racing flats, and reduced body weight, I cranked out previously unthinkable speed.  4x1600 intervals did wonders for confidence

Final long run was the worst 11-mile in memory.  It reset confidence.

Things didn’t go well 24 hours pre-race.  The plumber chose to show up to install the RO filter 3 weeks late.  He left the job half done after introducing a new leak.  I aggravated the nerve bending over under kitchen sink.  I was pissed.  “Simplify your housing.”  I made another mental note.

I felt full from meals before race—an unfamiliar sensation.

Traffic to the event was infuriating.  I arrived downtown 2 hours before the gun and had to sit in traffic on interstate for an hour.  The organizer’s solution was for each runner to arrive earlier than other runners.  “Really?!”  It’s a 25000-participant annual event on established roads.  Somehow we screwed it up for 3 straight years.


_race
Short version:
Didn't go as planned <= warm, humid + tougher course.
GI didn't like 1 gel @ mile 1, either.  Will stop experimenting with on-course food @ short races.
Dehydrated.
Beat my PR by 85 seconds instead of 5%.  Concurrently satisfied and disappointed.
Will give sub-7:00 pace another shot in March.
Will try an online coaching program.


Wordy version:

63F, 95% humidity--a typical winter race morning if this were Taiwan.  I debated whether to adjust race goal during the 15 minutes behind the start line.  I chose to err on aggressive side.  I crossed the start line without the usual throwaway cloth.  It would be a tough run.

The new course naturally incorporated the new MHH Bridge, which required going over an additional bridge to reach the other side of Trinity River.  My quads were unhappy at mile 4 after bridge crossings.  Majority of DFW runners and I sucked collectively with the minor elevation change.  Many started walking between 5k and 10k.




I felt the red line coming up before mile 6.  "Do I back off?"  Without a clear deadline like Boston qualifying standard, I took the easy way out.  If I held 7:08, I could average sub 7:00 pace.  The legs didn't like 7:08 either.  I was disappointed at this pace.  I was proud to acquire basic pacing skills 6 years after first marathon.

_nutrition experiment
1 pack of gel at mile 9 hurt my last half.  I tried mile 1 this time.  I could feel the side stitch ready to burst.  It proved carbo-load was the way to go at this heart rate.

Runner density reduced after the half/full-distance split.  I saw my competitions behind the barriers: some looked great; others were gorgeous.  Long distance running was alcohol at singes' bars.

Heart rate settled at 7:16 pace; legs became the bottleneck.  I fell apart at the uphill after mile 9.  The worst split was 7:58 at mile 9.5.  Runners passed me left and right.  I wasn't hurting exactly; legs just wouldn't crack out the speed.  I took it one stride at a time.

_neocortex activities
Back half of this 10000-runner half was unexpected lonely.  Garmin 305 reported my progress every quarter mile.  I tallied the seconds and lowered my expectation with each update—I was Mitt Romney at election night.

I thought about the Tyler Hamilton.  "How would this run differ if my hematocrit were 50%?"  Weeks after finishing the book, the only lingering emotion was the sadness from his divorce.

I thought about John Updike's Rabbit series and tried to recall my reaction from the first read 12 years ago.  I felt it’s time to re-watch Woody Allen’s old works.

_struggle
I futilely tried to reach a small group in front but couldn't bridge.  I played with different arm swings; I was grasping for straws.  “Maybe I need brighter cloth to do better?”  Everyone seemed labored.  "How do the Kenyans seem effortless?"

I recalled passing few and was passed by many runners.  The perception was proven skewed by the timing system: I passed 14 and was passed by 10 during last 3.8 miles.

I wanted to take on liquid—anything to break the pattern of discomfort, but hydration wouldn’t help at this stage.  I didn’t feel I was having a bad day.  I couldn’t hold 8:30 pace just 7 days ago.  “Maybe my race goal is unrealistic?”  The downhill slowed me down further.

With final turn in sight, some dude passed me.  I passed him back.  We raced, not acknowledging each other.  My heart rate skyrocketed disproportionally to actual acceleration.  Our final mile was 6:32.

#’s
Gun Time: 01:33:43
Chip Time: 01:33:31     Pace: 7:08/M
GPS (Garmin 305): 13.23 mi@7:04/M

Overall Place: 138/9872
Gen Place: 116/4344
     5K : 21:26
     10K : 42:53
     15K : 1:05:46


_afterward
The winning time was 1:09:45, slower than 2011 (1:06:53).

I visited Casa Bailey.  Biff roasted me a batch of coffee; Sam and Sidney gave me artwork.  I recalled their impact on my life since 2006: Ironman, 24-hour event, family, housing, and career decisions….

Priority that afternoon was to stop the kitchen faucet leak.  Delaying wasn't an option with house guest.  One minute my life focus was celebrating 18 weeks of preparation; next minute my worth was based on my ability to identify and install a $3 part under kitchen sink.

24 hours and a sushi buffet later, all body parts functioned well except sore quads.  Humidity was 35% with 40F air temperature.  Timing is everything.