Marathon as a work philosophy

A close friend who recently came back to town after a long time away commented on my running progress in the years that have gone by, about the time on the road I spend day in, day out, about committing to a training program. I don't schedule running into my life, I schedule life around running, it seems. Not a bad thing, because we all schedule work around life, sleep around life, and besides those two things, everything else (except eating and personal hygiene) is optional.

That conversation had me making a list of all the things that running has taught me to conduct in my work life. Patience, I thought. Determination, sure. Tenacity, of course. Pacing. Yes.

I found myself using running as example at work the last week. I remember talking to a co-worker about all the issues we deal with and in the end, I said, in some sports, we say keep your eye on the field. I told him that as a runner, my best advice was to pace yourself, or risk burnout -- or at least not focusing on the prize. It's a marathon, not a sprint, is something I hear people casually throw around. I know its literal implications.

Overwhelmed is the usual feeling of anyone who does the line of work I'm in. We can keep to-do lists in spreadsheet or stickies on our desktop screens, but in the end, I just sometimes keep it all in my head, and tackle that pile with a "Get Shit Done" attitude.

Late last week, I had one of those days. I sat down, and tore through a mental to-do list. An election was coming, and while panic is the usual feeling, all i had was this feeling was I'd been there before. When i get into the GSD mode, i liken it to a strong paced long run.

I picture myself on the trail, maybe in the middle of a 20 miler, and this runner blows by me at a fast pace. I could give chase but i have no idea whether a) he's running fast, but for only 1k b) he's doing speed work or c) he just wants to pass me.

Usually, this passing gets my hunter spirit roused. I run just a little more sharply. I keep the pace, but am aware that i can raise it or at least keep to it for another hour (or two). You feel a little more alive.

That feeling, the one you get at mile 10 of a marathon, when your tapered body is feeling just fine, hungry, that's my GSD mode. I'm not sprinting, not panicking, not running out of breath. Eyes ahead, with more than enough energy but just enough for another strong 16 miles.

And so it occurred to me that in the time since I've started running marathons, that this is now the third election campaign in my long-distance running life. I'm again heading into another campaign that comes with it long hours and random items that I just must address, now, not yesterday. And so while every national journalist sprints past the start line, I'm trying my running approach to my work.

Prepare, keep it consistent, and when it gets down to it, GSD.

Not only that attitude gets me through long work stretches, it usually is those training runs that I force on myself during these periods, when others head to the bars or to home to sleep, and I tune out the issues and get shit done on the trails.

Race days are approaching. Hungry for that finish line to pass.

Race report: Around the Bay 30K

At the starting line yesterday, with the brilliant sun betraying the fact that we were all warned that it would 'feel like' -17C, I knew I was in for trouble if I didn't act. Guys don't like asking for help, whether it be for directions or in my particular case, a wrong choice in wardrobe. But I knew that if I didn't seek any, then I'd be in big trouble.

The rule for winter running is that you should be chilly at the start. Cold = good. For winter races, you should be basically shivering. Problem was, I was not only not cold in the start corrals, I was warm. Minus 17C my ass. The sun was bright, wind light and I was trying to find a way to tear off the sleeves off my 'light' windbreaker that was covered by my T-shirt (and a base layer underneath).

So I asked the guy behind me if he could help: 'Can you help,' I asked, trying without luck to unzip the jacket. He did after a few fumbles and asked me if I was going to throw it away. 'No,' I said, 'I have pockets.'

I've written before about this course. It is one that is entirely possible to race with great times and the course I think has with each part a strategy.

The goal was to go out at a comfortable pace. I wanted to try a little faster than 5 minute kilometres, which is how I've been doing some of my recent long run paces (and recent half marathon pace bunny assignment)

1-10K

Tried to no go too fast, but maintain a fairly strong pace, comfortably hard I'd say. A lot of jockeying for position in the early kilometres but we settled in. The first 8K is a feeling out of the field, a lot of people start off too fast, but Around the Bay features a pretty fast field, so a lot of great runners to pace with. Makes holding such paces relatively easy.

We were running into the sun, and by know, my fourth ATB, I anticipated each corner, picturing the next turn ahead of me. Pretty hilarious to know a course that well.

Heading into the 10K mark, as we were turning into Burlington, I was feeling really good. I put on a pace band (5 min kilometres) but didn't even look at it once. Barely even looked at my watch. Just going by feel, going with the flow. The kilometres went by fast.

Felt good to be going. And without those damned sleeves.

1 04:36
2 04:42
3 04:45
4 04:48
5 04:47
6 04:42
7 04:43
8 04:42
9 04:39
10 04:38

10K: 47:28
(Last year, I hit the 10K mark in 45:04, on pace for a 2:15)

Most of the next 10 kilmetres were flat, with some slight rises. This portion of the ATB it's easy to go out too fast. The open spaces make you some how want to go faster. I just plugged away, using the stronger runners around me as targets so I wouldn't lag too much. The splits below reflect that, pretty good running. History shows that the paces below map a little slower to my (trained) marathon pace so my muscle memory and heart were responding okay.

Experience, of course, let me down when I found out that morning I only had one gel. As it turns out, I was waiting to use it for the 21K mark, I never used one at all. I relied mainly on Gatorade at every station and a few sips of my Gatorade supply I had with me. The cool weather was a major aid.


11 04:34
12 04:49
13 04:43
14 04:44
15 04:41
16 04:42
17 04:43
18 04:42
19 04:40
20 04:35

20K: 1:34:43 (47:15 10K split)
Last year, hit the 20K mark at 1:29:12

The next 10 is what makes the ATB a wicked course. Basically, from kilometres 21 to 26, you get five hills. All in all, they are not that bad, as each hill as a corresponding downhill for you to recover.

I just tackled each hill by going with the usual, 'same effort, different pace'. If you look at my splits below, the reality is even though you go up the hills a little slower, the downhills make up the time. The kilomtetre that included the last hill had a fast kilometre before it.

21 04:41
22 04:40
23 04:36
24 04:41
25 04:34
26 04:28

After the big hill, it was a slightly downhill course to Copps. I've done some great runs in this part of the course. There was this one year when I did basically 10K speed in the final kilometres. This one was good, as I raised the tempo in the last two kilometres. Real reassuring to run the fastest kilometre as your last.

27 04:45
28 04:36
29 04:22
30 04:15
31 00:38

Final chip time: 2:20:27.

A real solid result. My average 30K race time, averaged over six races, was 2:18:44, with a PB of 2:13:24, so I know I can do better. Truth is, my last great 30K race was in 2009. I think if I make ATB a goal race one year and train up to it, I can lower that time in a big way. Good to have goals, maybe for my fifth ATB next year.

Here are the 10K splits, and they got progressively faster:
10K: 47:28
20K: 47:15
30K: 45:44





Three weeks till Boston!

Can you tell me what the hell are the odds?

So, I ran Around the Bay 30K this year, no expectations, but the final chip time is puzzling to say the least:

2010: Gun for 2:15, pull a leg cramp and hobble in
Gun time: 2:20:43.2
Chip time: (2:20:27.3)


Today: Have no goal, just faster than 5 min Ks, run it consistent, strong and:
Gun time: 2:20:52.4
Chip time: (2:20:27.3)

Both years: 2:20:27:3

I don't know, that is kinda freaky. And while I was sprinting to the finish, something made me not put on that next gear.

Down here by the Bay

Pretty much one of my favourite races tomorrow. Kicks off the racing season for good. Around the Bay 30K in Hamilton is becoming an annual must-do event.

I've run it in perfect weather, and in crappy rain. Tomorrow will be sort of between perfect and crap. Sunny, but bitterly cold. Nothing a few layers can take care of, I hope.

The image here shows, in the distance, the bay we're running around. I'm staying near the start/finish line and Copps Coliseum.


Still think it's pretty cool to finish in a hockey rink.



Shirts are okay this year. They went with Black and White for the men.

This week's been a busy week with work, but got about 20 miles before tomorrow. I may put in a few miles before the race to give me 40 miles on the week. I really could do more mileage but hey, balancing work.

A Friday long run

Flew into DC this morning with barely 5 hours sleep, but the weather is unbelievable, a few days before spring. It's a high of 23C so I figured that since R. is off, I'd tackle my long run today.

Today was one of those long runs that you knew you wanted to hurt. Even within a kilometre, I was pushing faster than 'long slow distance'.

Sometimes, you just don't listen to the body, you force it to wake up, to work a little harder, to remember what distance running feels like when you push yourself.

I did a whole bunch of out-and-backs along DC's running paths: To the zoo and back, on the towpath for a few miles, then out to Hains Point. Wish I could download the map, but it's a scenic, mostly flat route that lets your run pretty much uninterrupted for miles on end.

It was hot. I had two fuel belt bottles that I had filled up with Gatorade, then retopped at a water fountain. All the fuel I had was that, along with one gel that I took after 13 miles.

So the last 7 miles were a wee bit challenging, but I pushed it, finishing the run steps away from R's apartment (how do I measure my runs so well, I wonder -- 20 miles of running only to end up a block away from where you started).

Now the eye-popping part. I averaged just over 5 minute kilometres. Wow, that was unintended, but I'll take it. Didn't expect to do near pace work.

Exhausted and famished, I stumbled into a Subway for lunch, and an office worker asked me how long I did. I told him and he told me his wife just did 20 today too. We talked about her doing Boston, me doing Boston and it was a little funny having running talk while I was ordering as many toppings on my footlong tuna sub.

Doesn't matter, you can pretty much eat whatever you want after burning 2300 calories.