Rehoboth Marathon Recap

That was the easiest marathon I've run so far!


But first, I have to say that when this year began, I wasn't sure I'd ever run another marathon. I won't bore you by repeating the recovery saga, but suffice to say I was unceratin when I'd run 26.2 again. By the fall, I was feeling pretty good and thought, hmmm, maybe.

As you may be aware, this year is the 2,500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon -- fabled beginning of the marathon. Do you really think I could let this anniversary year pass without running a marathon? Now, my doctor back in March told me I could not race a marathon this year. Okay. I won't race. But what about just "running" a marathon? What about one in December? Hello Rehoboth Seashore Marathon.

I decided to enter this one on a whim. After she BQ'ed at her sixth Marine Corps, I convinced Jordana to sign up on a whim as well. We could have her folks watch the kids and we could make a weekend out of it (her folks have a place in Bethany Beach). It could be a nice romantic marathon-running weekend!

My main race was Army 10 miler, and up to that race date, I followed a 10 miler training schedule. With Army 10 Miler done, I switched into marathon training mode. But this time, a very conservative mode -- ramped up the miles to 16 then 18 then one 20 miler then tapering back down.

I had been doing speedwork on the Mall at lunch with friends -- mainly Yasso 800s (the Yasso 800s are a great marathon predictor -- you run 8 to 10 800s with 400 recovery, average the times, and the average time in minutes and seconds is a strong predictor of your marathon time in hours and minutes). My Yasso 800s predict that I have the ability to run sub-3. But I knew I did not have the mileage in me to carry that speed to marathon distance. At least not yet. I mean, criminy -- I had run only one 20 miler, and had yet to crack a 40 mile week.

So I decided to treat Rehoboth as a long run -- go out at my LSD pace (8:00 per mile) and see how I feel. At the halfway point, if I felt good, I figured I might increase the pace to 7:30s. Run negative splits. The 2011 Boston Marathon already closed out, and I'll be 45 at the 2012 Boston Marathon. Qualifying time for a 45 year old is 3:30. If I followed my plan, I would a 3:25 marathon, fast enough to BQ.

All that remained was whether I had the discipline to restrain myself from going all out. Not to keep you waiting, the answer was, mmmm, sort of.

With the grandparents watching the kids, Jordana and I packed our gear and headed to packet pick up in Rehoboth (easy 3 hour drive). Went back to her parents' condo in SeaColony for a nice pasta dinner for two, easy on the red wine. Then to bed. Race start was 7 am, and we wanted to arrive by 6 to get good parking and wait in the usual port-a-john lines.

Race Morning
Woke up 5am to a cold but not rainy day (earlier forecasts had predicted rain on Saturday but that got pushed back to Sunday). Temps were forecasted to remain in the 30s. I triple-shirted and double-gloved it -- I do not want to repeat my hypothermia experience from the 2007 Boston marathon.

We arrived in Rehoboth around 6:10. We parked right next to the finish line (near Rehoboth Running Company). What a great parking spot! The running store had set up a huge tent (with walls and heated) where we hung out a bit. There were ample port-a-johns with LITTLE TO NO WAIT! Incredible!

We walked to the start line (near the Rehoboth Bandstand). Kissed each other good bye and made off for our starting corrals -- her the 9 min per mile sign, me the 8 min per mile sign. Turned on my Garmin, established the signal, and waited for the 7 am start.

The Start
The race started and off we went. As I said earlier, my goal was to start out with 8 minute miles. I started running at what I thought was a nice steady pace. I ran for a few minutes then decided to check my Garmin to see what my pace was. CRAP! My stupid watch lost signal -- or rather never had a signal. All I had was a large bulky chronograph on my wrist. At least, I had the watch in my standard race mode (which means I turn auto-lap off and manually record the mile marks). So I would have to wait until the first mile mark to know whether I was running too fast, too slow, or just right.

Miles 1 - 5 (7:34, 7:20, 7:14, 7:16, 7:15)
The course started from the Rehoboth Bandstand and headed inland, past the Starbucks and then back towards the beach. Hit the 1 mile mark at 7:34. A bit faster than I'd planned, but not bad. So I kept at that pace. We turned north along a road the paralleled the beach. The benefit of a 7 am start became apparent because the sky was breathtaking as the sun rose over the Atlantic Ocean. Reds and oranges and yellows. The sea was aflame with the rising sun. But no time for that, I have 25 miles to go!! Hit the 2 mile mark at 7:20. Damn, I have to work on my pacing. I wanted to go slower not faster.

Just after mile 2, I did something I've never done in a marathon -- I made a new friend. Another runner sees my Garmin and asks what pace I'm running. I tell him about 7:20s and I'm hoping to run around a 3:20 or so. Me too, he says. And we fall into chatting. We ended up talking for the next 18 miles! Something about being engaged in conversation really helps even out the pace -- miles 3, 4 and 5 were about as flat as can be at 7:14, 7:16, and 7:15. By now the course had taken away from the beachfront community and back into greater metropolitan Rehoboth.

Miles 6 - 10 (7:05, 7:18, 7:19, 7:33, 7:08)
Just past mile 5 we turned on to the Junction & Breakers Trail that connects Rehoboth and Lewes. The trail is a wonderful packed dirt/gravel trail. We skirted agricultural fields, we crossed marshlands, we ran through new housing developments. Overhead, numerous V's of Canada geese passed us by honking noisily. Were they cheering us on? Let's pretend they were.

As the miles wore on, Dan (at this point we did not know each other's names) and I talked about running and compared training programs. Another runner joined us for a mile or so in conversation as we discussed the 50 State club (running a marathon in all 50 states). Both of them are attempting that -- Dan wanting to complete all 50 states by his 50th birthday (in 7 years). We joked that other than to cross off Delaware from the list, why else would you wake up at 7 am on a 30 degree day in Delaware.

To the Half (miles 11, 12 and 13 - 7:14, 7:16, 7:18)
Just past mile 11 we hit our first "hill" - the drawbridge over the Intercoastal Waterway in Lewes. We were greated by the loud honking of a fishing boat. The crew meant well, but the boat released (in addition to sound) a not-so-welcome blast of diesel smoke. It was pretty nasty. Anyhow, we headed into Lewes and turned north toward Cape Henlopen.

Hit the half-way mark just before entering Cape Henlopen state park. My 13.1 split was 1:35:39, I was averaging 7:19 miles.

To the 20 Mile Mark (7:21, 7:31, 7:09, 7:27, 7:29, 7:34, 7:35)
The course entered Cape Henlopen just past the halfway point. This is a wonderful park -- nicely paved trails running through a coastal forest. Very similar to Seashore State Park (for my Virginia Beach fans). Last Presidents Day Weekend, when the east coast was digging out of yet another blizzard, Jordana and I spent a romantic weekend in Bethany Beach. We brought our cross-country skis and skiied along the very paths we were running now. And yes, I talked about what a nice weekend that was while we ran.

Now it was during this portion of the marathon that the scars of last winter resurfaced. The orthopedist warned me that I would probably feel the scars from the combination stress fractures/torn rectus abdominus muscle for a long time. About the half-way point I started feeling "something" down in the pubic region. Was it the muscle scar? or did I have to pee? Eventually around mile 16 the "something" was too much. I sped ahead, found a tree, and for the second time did something I'd never done in a marathon. After that, the pubic region felt much better! I had to hoof it to catch up with Dan. "Thought I'd let you beat me?" I joked as I caught back up.

We also encountered the two other "hills" on the course -- two great sand dunes. On one, the remnants of a World War 2 coastal battery silently guarding the mouth of the Delaware Bay and the ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington from the German invasion that never came. On the other, a Coast Guard station providing navigation assistance to the maritime traffic. We called up to the radar operators in the tower, who waved back to us.

At a water station somewhere past mile 17, I joked "if we were Kenyans, we'd be done by now!" No one laughed.

We left Cape Henlopen and started the return trip back (the course was a modified out and back). We passed a closed-for-the-season Dairy Queen. I wish that was open, Dan quipped. Anything is better than chocolate GU.

Mile 20 was just past the Intercoastal Waterway drawbridge. Luckily, no diesel smoke awaited us.

"That was a nice 20 mile warm up," I said, "who's ready for a 10K?" Again, no one laughed.

The Last 10K (7:26, 7:08, 7:39, 7:39, 7:39, 7:15)
"You go on. I'll see you at the finish. By the way, my name's Dan." "See you at the finish. My name's Greg." And with that, I pulled on ahead. It really is true that a marathon is a 10K race with a 20 mile warmup.

Funny anecdote: as we were driving to Rehoboth the day before, my Mom calls. "I didn't know you were running a marathon," she says, "I thought you and Jordana were just running a 10K." "We are" I replied, "there's just a 20 mile warm up." You see, previously I had made the same joke to my Dad. He didn't get it either, and told my Mom we were just running a 10K. Oh well.

Back to the race. Around mile 21, I was passed by the first place female runner. I talked with her at the finish. As it turns out, she and her husband run in the same running club as Jordana and I (Montgomery County Road Runners) (her husband knew my wife from XMP -- Jordana knows everybody!!) (Indeed, after the finish, Jordana commented on how many MCRRC people she saw on the course -- both as runners and as spectators. I wish I were that popular).

I settled into a pace and hit a string of 7:39s. I felt remarkably not tired. The course wound its way back along the Junction and Breakers Trail. I wasn't really paying attention to my overall time until I hit the 25 mile mark. I realized that I was close to running sub 3:15 which was much faster than I had planned. A younger runner tried to pass me but with a mile to go, I kicked into 4th gear. Ran the last mile at 7:15 and the last 1/4 at a 7:10 pace.

Finish time: 3:13:08. As usual, I ran postive splits: my second half time was 1:37:30 (7:27 pace). My overall pace was 7:23. A Boston Qualifier. I finished 41st overall out of 619, 40th out of 407 males, and 7th out of 79 in my age group.

Dan finished in 3:19, also a BQ.

Post Race
I went into the nicely heated tent -- scarfed down a veggie burger. Walked about 100 yards to my car and put on a sweatshirt (it was in the mid 30s remember) and waited at the finish for Jordana. Before the race, she said she was also going to just jog it -- maybe finish around 4:15. Somehow, I knew she would not settle for a time over 4 hours. Sure enough, she came in at 3:58 looking wonderful! I gave her a sweaty finish line hug and we went back to the tent for more food. Another veggie burger, pancakes with blueberry syrup, micro-brewed amber lager, topped off with Starbucks!

So, as I said at the beginning, this was the easiest marathon I've ever run. I hit a 3:13 without really breaking much of a sweat and without every really feeling that tired or exhausted. I am very psyched that a sub-3 hour may actually be do able.

But more important than all of that, I felt a tremendous sense of thankfulness, of gratitude, of relief, of overwhelming joy. I could run marathons again. And I felt so happy that I could share that marathon with Jordana.

Life is good, friends.

Pictures

My wife at Annapolis 10 miler -- Being strong is sexy

Me at Naylors Beach Olympic Tri - self confidence is sexy

Old Friends

Yesterday, I ran the  bridges course (my 7 1/2 mile course that goes from my office, down the Mall, past the Lincoln Memorial, across the Memorial Bridge into Virginia, south along the Mt. Vernon bike path along the Potomac, back to DC across the 14th Street bridge, and back to the office).  This was the last of my regular running routes that I finally ran since returning to running from my injury (the others being the Millenium Trail near home and the memorials 6 1/2 miler at work).  Not sure why it took me so long to run this one again.

As I ran the course for the first time in well over a year, everything about the route seemed familiar.  I thought to myself, and hopefully this isn't too goofy, it's like seeing an old friend again.  I've run these routes so many times, I could probably do them with my eyes closed. There is a comfortableness, a familiarity.  A sense that I can just relax on these runs and let my thoughts wander.  No need to concentrate on where I am, how to get back to the start, what the road conditions might be like, etc. that you might experience on a new running route. 

It's like being with old friends -- you can just be yourself.  You don't need to put on airs, or engage in the awkward just-met-someone small talk.  It's comfortable, familiar, and relaxing.

I think I may do that route again today.

Tribute to a Coach

Sometimes life is not fair. Early Friday morning (Nov 5), one of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club's beloved coaches, Mike Broderick, lost his battle against lung cancer. Diagnosed only a few weeks earlier, he passed away the day before his 54th birthday.
I knew Mike only casually. I did not participate in the two programs he coached -- the experienced marathon program (XMP) (MCRRC's fall marathon training program) or Boston Bound (winter/spring marathon training program). Jordana did XMP for the past four years and Boston Bound the past two. So in a way, Mike was my indirect coach as I often relied on the XMP or Boston Bound program for my own training plan, and Jordana often relayed questions to Mike about my training. I think he knew me more as Jordana's husband.

What I know about Mike is inspiring. He gave up his law practice years ago to do what he loved -- coaching others, as a personal trainer and as a running coach with MCRRC. He was also an accomplished runner himself - running numerous marathons and ultramarathons. Indeed, only just this summer, mere weeks before his diagnosis, he ran and completed the Western States 100 miler -- one of the more difficult ultras around.

Not content to focus solely on his own accomplishments as a runner, most of the club knew him as a coach -- Coach Mike. He was the face of XMP and Boston Bound, and my guess is that few marathoners in the club (whether they did XMP or not) did not benefit from his wisdom in some fashion. For me, it mostly from comments Jordana would make. Indeed, just this morning Jordana and I were doing an easy 3 miler together. I made some comment about the key to marathoning being lots of slow miles (which I learned from Mike). Jordana started to say "Well, as Mike would say..." and then cut herself off. "I won't be able to say that anymore" she said. "Yes you can" I said. "You're right" she said, and she proceeded to elaborate for the next 1/2 mile or so on Mike's philosophy of many miles at slow pace and other marathon training techniques. Good wisdom never dies and in that respect Mike will live on.

I first learned of XMP back in 2003 when I was doing FTM (first time marathoners program): Mike was promoting XMP to my pace group for 2004. When some of us questioned whether XMP was just for the fast runners, Mike assured us that XMP was for anyone. I think XMP and Mike embodied the MCRRC motto of a place for every pace. If you were serious about the marathon, Mike had a pace group for you in his training programs. As much as he got satisfaction when his fast runners became faster, I like to think he took even greater pride when the not-as-fast runners he coached became faster.

I think an email Jordana sent to Mike on October 27 (just before her 6th Marine Corps Marathon and little over a week before he died) best sums up, for me at least, the best part about Mike.  She wrote: 

As I prepare for MCM #6, I was remembering MCM last year. I did not feel well and you ran with me twice at mile 10 and around mile 15. This really picked me up and my speed and I qualified again for Boston.  I appreciate all that you have done for my running. I was always the slowest kid in PE and the last to be picked. XMP has given me a sense of accomplishment and enabled me to qualify for Boston, one of the biggest/most difficult accomplishments in my life.

Mike replied: "Thanks a lot Jordana-that really makes me feel good to hear stories like yours :)" 

I am and always have been my wife's Number One fan and supporter, but as important as my cheering and support may be, it won't transform a runner into a Boston qualifier.  For that, she had XMP, Boston Bound, and Coach Mike.

Thanks, Mike

Army Ten Miler Recap

Before I start in on a wonderful race, I am compelled to share this observation.  The Army 10 Miler (ATM for short) has a large percentage of military and former-military runners, or at least there were a lot running at my pace.  The entire race, I was overwhelmed with a sense of awe and pride and gratitude at these men and women who serve or have served our country in the armed forces.  And whenever I passed a wounded warrior -- in a handcrank or running with one or two prostheses -- it was truly a humbling experience.  If you run or spectate only one race, it should be ATM -- for this experience alone.

Now, sports fans, on with the show.  I was quite apprehensive in the days leading up to ATM.  What would my goal be?  Or should I say goals.  First, run a sub-70 minute race.  Second, run at a sub-3hour marathon pace (6:52 or faster).  Third (based on my speedwork during the past three weeks), run at a 6:30 pace for as long as I could.  All this seemed possible.  Then Thursday night at masters swim, during our last set of 3 x 50 meter sprints, my left calf cramped something fierce!  I breast-stroked to the wall and tried to massage the cramp out -- I could actually feel and see my calf muscle in a tight ball.  The muscle relaxed but was sore as hell.  WTF!  Would I even be able to run on Sunday?  Did all my goals just disappear?  crap crap crap

So I spent the next couple of days with my calf in a compression bandage, rolling it over an iced bottle, sleeping with the heating pad.  Anything to make it bearable Sunday morning.  Well, folks, I guess it worked. When I woke up Sunday at 5am, the calf, although tender to the touch, did not hurt when I walked or did some test strides.  I ate my standard pre-race PBJ, got my gear and headed off the metro.

Like the Marine Corps Marathon, ATM is VERY WELL RUN.  Got out of the metro at the Pentagon, dropped off my gear at bag check, and made my way to the port-a-johns.  Then off to the start.  "Right that way towards the green balloons, SIR" said an Army PFC volunteer.  You see, there were 30,000 registered runners at ATM -- two waves for the start, color-coded starting corrals.  I had a green bib -- second corral, just behind the elite and sub-elite runners.

At precisely 8:00 am, a howitzer fired and we were off.  Well, a minute later I finally crossed the start line.

Miles 1 -3 -- 6:51, 6:35, 6:35
I was feeling good, my calves were slathered in ben-gay, the temperature was great.  BUT,it was really crowded.  My one and only complaint was that the starting corrals were not well marshalled and there were too many, shall we say, non-green bibs getting in my way.  I was not able to get to my target pace that first mile.  But it was a beauty of a mile, running up Route 27 towards Memorial Bridge -- the Potomac to the right, Arlington Cemetary to the left.  Hit the first mile mark just before the bridge at 6:51.

Early morning, crossing Memorial Bridge, mist rising from the Potomac, the sound of thousands of shoes hitting the pavement.  God how I missed that sound.  April 2009 was my last road race.  I know, I know, I've done two 10Ks as the final segments of my triathlons, but it is not the same.  To run fast, to run fresh (not having swum and biked already), that is a unique experience.  And to be surrounded by other runners.  I was awash in a feeling for gratitude that I was not just running but racing again, and racing fast.  Although things were still crowded, I was able to start picking up my pace.  We crossed Memorial Bridge, rounded the Lincoln Memorials on the left and made our way (following a course similar to Marine Corps Marathon) to Constitution.  Hitting the 2 mile mark near the Federal Reserve Building at 6:35 pace.

Turned up 20th Street to Virginia Ave to the first "hill" or rather incline.  I was ready for that (well actually I had no clue about the elevation) but my years of running the hilly MT paid off.  I overheard one runner tell another that this is where the running crowd thins and he was right.  We rounded the Watergate turning south on along the Potomac, and hit the 3 mile mark.  Another 6:35.   Looking good Louis!  Feeling good Billy Ray!

Miles 4 -6 -- 6:37, 6:36, 6:26
After the 3 mile mark,the course went south along the Potomac, past the Kennedy Center, past the Lincoln, towards Independence.  Again, this was following familiar ground of the Marine Corps Marathon.  But at the 4 mile mark, we turned onto Independence rather than continuing on Ohio Drive to the windy and desolate Haines Point (yay 10 miler!!).  Hit the 4 mile mark at 6:37.

We continued along a pleasant Independence Avenue, hitting mile 5 and half way mark at 6:36.  I had been running somewhat conservative all this time.  Would my calf hurt?  Would my pelvic area hurt?  No and no.  Sure, I could feel "something" in the pelvic area, nothing sore though, nothing debilitating.  I was thinking, am I finally back in the racing saddle?  My body seemed to be saying yes.  So at mile 5 I decided I could crank it up a bit.

The sixth mile took us into the main body of the crowd -- along Independence Avenue by the museums (Ag Dept, Hirshorn, Air & Space).  The course would eventually return on the other side of Independence.  At around the 5 1/2 or 5 3/4 mark, I saw the front runner coming back towards the 14th Street bridge.  Holy flying squirrels Batman!  that guy was fast -- easily a mile and half ahead of me.  A few seconds later, more front runners.  Yikes.  But it was inspiring.  Mile 6 was just before we turned left onto 3rd Street.  I hit it in 6:26!


Miles 7 - 9 -- 6:32, 6:35, 6:30

We turned onto 3rd Street to make a loop around theh Capitol Reflecting pool before returning to Independence Blvd.  The water stop was mobbed on the right side of the road, and an Army seargent was yelling no one's on the left!  I took his advice, veered left and had my pick of soldiers from which to choose the perfect cup of gatorade.  Of course to just gulp it down (had to wash down the chocolate gu I had ingested at mile 5).  Just past the water station, there was a woman jogger waiting to cross 3rd street so she could jog along the Mall.  From the look on her face, I get the feeling she was unaware that there was a race today.  She just stood there on the sidewalk jogging in place.  I felt like telling her there are 30,000 runners, you're going to be there for a while unless you just make a mad dash, frogger style, and cross the street.  But then, I was cruising and had no time to talk.  On the back side the reflecting pool, between the pool and Capitol, I passed a double amputee in a hand crank (outstanding performance, brother!) and another amputee with a prosthetic leg (way to go runner!)  I felt a twinge of embarrassment that I had been so depressed over something as minor as a stress fracture.

Anyhow, continued down Independence.  Hit mile 7 around the FAA bldg.  6:32.  Only 3 miles to go.  The crowds were cheering on both sides.  To my right, the bulk of the racers were heading up Independence.  A stream of runners.  I realized that they were probably looking at me and thinking the same thing as I was when I saw the elites.  Or maybe not!  Passed the Agriculture Department again, turned left onto 14th Street, gatoraded up at the last aid station and passed mile 8 mark near the Mint.  6:35.


Two miles to go with just the dreaded 14th Street Bridge. Memories of four Marine Corps Marathons filled my head. I hate this bridge -- at least I do when I hit it at mile 20 or so.  On too many marathons, it would be on this bridge that my pace drifted above the sub-3 hour mark never to return.

But not in a ten miler!  And not today.  I attacked the 14th street bridge with renewed vigor.  After all, I only had 2 miles to go -- less than 14 minutes I told myself.  I picked up the pace, passing tiring runners.  I hit the 9 mile mark at the Virginia side of the bridge in 6:30.

Mile 10  -- 6:21
I hit the mile 9 mark and really started putting things into high gear.  I was almost done and was running a really great race, considering I had not raced all out in over a year and a half.  Again, the ATM course tracked the Marine Corps Marathon course.  In the marathon, as you leave the bridge you turn left at the bottom of the exit to begin the trek down to Crystal City before returning north, so at this point you would have about 4 or so miles still left to run.

Not with ATM.  We turned right and there was the finish.  I started to kick.  I passed one runner and was passed by another runner -- we sort of globbed off each other's energy, so I think all three of us finished faster and stronger than we would have had each of us finished alone.  Finally split 6:21.

The Finish -- 1:05:38
I crossed the line, stopped my watch, looked at it and saw 1:05:38!  Holy crap -- that was A LOT faster than I thought I was running.  I was so focused on speed that I never quite did the math during the run to realize what my overall time would be.  Although my muscles were sore, and my calves felt like they would cramp at any minute, they did not.  My sore left calf never bothered me during the race.  My pelvic region, while I could feel "something," never bothered me during the race.  It was a good race.

I also ran something I have rarely ever done -- negative splits.  Maybe because I started out somewhat conservatively, I ran faster the second half than first.  My average pace for miles 1-5 was 6:38.  My average pace for miles 6-10 was 6:28.  My overall average pace was 6:33.  I met all of my goals:  run sub 70 minutes, check; run sub 6:52 pace, check; run as close to 6:30 pace as possible, check!

So how did I fare compared to the others?  30,000 runners signed up for the race, 21,636 finished.  I placed 536 overall (top 2.5%), 490 out of 12,040 males (top 4%), and 54 out of 2016 in the male 40-44 age group (top 2.6%).

My team, the MCRRC Hurricanes, placed 3rd out of 13 teams in the Mixed Masters division.

So in conclusion, this was a great race for me, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I am back in the running groove and I actually feel stronger as a runner than before (even though I missed a 10 mile PR time by little over a minute and a half).  I feel very confident in my marathon ability, and hope that proves to be true when I race Shamrock Marathon in the spring (although stay tuned on that front, I might have a few surprises before the year closes).

10/10/10

10-10-10


As everyone knows, last Sunday was 10/10/10. Chicago and Steamtown Marathons are being run today (i'm sure there are others as well). I'm kinda bummed. I've run 9 marathons to date. Had I been better, I could have run my 10th marathon on 10/10/10. Pretty cool, huh?

Here's another interesting tidbit about today. 101010 in binary (i.e. base-2 numbers) equals 42. Guess how many kilometers there are in a marathon? Yep, 42.

I ran 15 miles instead, as I taper for Army 10 miler on 10/24.

Gratitude

October 1st marked the one year date from when I got my first of two pelvic stress fractures. For better or for worse, my running life will never be the same. For better, as I've discovered triathlons and multi-sporting, I've (hopefully) learned to train smarter, I appreciate running more and no longer take it for granted that I can run. For worse, every twitch in the lower abdomen makes me wonder am I getting re-injured. Will I ever be able to run as fast? Will a sub-3 hour marathon forever escape me?


Anyhow, I marked the day with a 6.11 mile run in the woods at a 7:57 pace. Not bad.

Am I 100% recovered from the stress fractures? Who knows. But I do want to express some gratitude. To an inanimate object. I am forever grateful to the JCC pool and steam room. I logged countless laps last winter in the pool when I could not run. Always followed by a nice steam in the steam room. I certainly credit staying in shape because of the pool. It also helped with my sanity!!

I am 1 week out from the Army 10 miler -- my return to road racing. Not sure what my goal is. Run sub-70 (sub 7 min mile)? Maybe just finish? We'll see...



.