MCM 2014 Prep and Taper Madness

After months of training,  I find it hard to believe that I am 3 days away from the 2014 Marine Corps Marathon.     I am happy to say that I head into race day healthy and confident in my training campaign.   I am well into the taper process and I find myself worried about the craziest things as I think about race day.

My main taper fixation is equipment failure.   Specifically, I worry that I switched to new shoes to close to race day.   I primarily trained in Adidas adiZero Tempo 5 and recently, like last week, switched to Adidas adiZero Tempo 6's.   These shoes are very similar, so my main worry is that I don't have them broken-in appropriately for the race.  Along with the shoes, I am stressing about what to wear.  I know that sounds like a 15 year old girl, but it is a major issue.  Historically I over dress for races, my goal for this race is be dressed on the cool side.  The weather forecast should be perfect for shorts and short sleeve shirts.   My last equipment worry is about hydration and a decision to carry a camelbak or not.  I am confident that all these worries will go away once the race starts. 

My race day pace plan is pretty simple:   Start out with a 9:45 pace and move towards a 9:00min pace.   Overall goal is to finish ~4:15hrs.   I am feeling strong and well trained, just not fast enough to break 4:00hrs on this race.

I have one more shake-out run planned and then the marathon weekend will be here.  My marathon weekend plan is coming together.    The coordination of Marathon weekends are exciting and fun,  but stressful because of all the details of the race and travel logistics.  We will travel to Washington, DC on Friday night.  We plan to spend time as a family and hit the Race Expo on Saturday.   Sunday race morning will be exciting and I plan to connect with other runners before the start.   I am always excited to see friends and family in the crowd supporting me during the race.  Post race will be busy getting food and traveling home.  

I am excited to Run With the Marines again, and complete my 5th Marathon.    I wish a good race to all the runners this weekend, I will see you out there. 

New Shoes

I was long over due for some new shoes so I headed to down to Ragged Mountain Running Shop this weekend.   I worked with the staff to evaluate a few different shoes.  We covered the standard check list about injuries and current shoes.   I explained that I am working to reduce my over-pronation and heel strike, that I have enjoyed the Brooks shoes recently but like ASICS, and that I want to get a more technical shoe with a balance of stability.    We tried on a ASICS 2170 and 1170, but settled on the Brooks Ravenna.   

I did my first run this morning in my these shoes and enjoyed the cushy yet structured feel.

Mid Feb Report

I am enjoying my training plan for the C'Ville 10 Miler because it has enabled me to run with purpose, provided a bit more variety in my workouts and given me the opportunity to get in some longer runs.   Although I am just a couple weeks into the training plan I am feeling good, starting to see the results of the workouts and running healthy.  I am excited for the race at the end of March.  Still need to register for the race to make it official.

I continue to travel for work which has made some of my training more difficult due travel fatigue.  However, I am taking advantage of running at the local high school track for speed work when traveling - something I don't have access to at home.    Eating healthy is always a challenge while on the road and it is something I need to focus on more to cut down on the calories from large meals and alcohol.   Overall I have been making good choices and trying to eat meals with high protein such as sushi or chicken.

My shoes are starting to show the wear of the increased mileage and frequency.  What I am finding with the Brooks Switch is that my foot strike is pushed the outside edges even when I am landing on my forefoot.  I am thinking that I these are too much of a stability shoe and may need to find a shoe that is a bit more neutral.  I also noticed that the Switch sole is a firmer than I would care for on some of the longer runs on hard surfaces.  I am ok with the feel and fit of Brooks Switch but I think I will either go back to the Brooks Adrenaline or some type ASICS shoe.

Still running....

I may not have been blogging about it, but I have been running consistently for the past month and half. I have been very busy at work with travel and projects. Despite all of that, I have maintained my running regiment by getting out four days a week. The weather is turning and I have enjoyed the crisp fall mornings. The temps are great but the running in the dark is overrated!

Although I have not registered for a race, I am in the thick of a half marathon training campaign. I expect to register for the Richmond Half Marathon in November. My long runs are in double digits again and my foot appears to be healed. I am enjoying the variety of the speed work and tempo runs. I am hopeful that this will help me recapture my faster pace prior to the injury.

I switched shoes again, this time from the Brooks Adrenaline to Brooks Switch. I like Brooks shoes, they are stable and cushioned. The Switch is a bit tight, but I like the feel overall. I continue to improved my form and become a consistent mid-foot striker.

I hope to get back to blogging about running in the near future.

Today's Run - 5/14

After a number of weeks on the road, I was happy to get back to my local routes. It was a cool, humid, hazy morning but not bad for a run. I went out in search of hills and strung together the Paddington loop and the Q2 section. They have paved the new construction road in Q2 which provided a picturesque views with no houses, people or cars to worry about. It was an awesome part of the run and look forward running this piece of the route again.

This run also marked the initial run on my new Brooks Adrenaline Shoes. These shoes feel a bit more neutral, or at least seem to keep my feet aligned parallel with my body better than the ASICS 2150's. From the initial run in these shoes I think these will help with my continued transition to a mid-foot strike. I am a bit sore in my quads from the different landing position, but it is a good sore.

For the last week or so my left foot has been a bit sore on the forefoot under the medial 2nd and 3rd proximal phalanges. I will continue to ice and practice the mid-foot strike to see if I can reduce the soreness. This started before the new shoes so I can't blame it on the new shoes.... but perhaps the old shoes are the culprit. This is the first possible running injury I have had, so I will continue to monitor.

New Shoes and New Style

I stopped by Ragged Mountain Running Shop this afternoon to pick up some new shoes. I tried on a few different styles while looking for something similar to the ASICS 2150. I was looking for something that was a bit lighter and fit my 2 different size feet well. Since my left foot is ~1/2 a size shorter than my right foot, it can be a bit tricky to find shoes. I considered a pair of Nike's and Saucony's, but neither fit right or kept me from overpronating. I finally settle on a pair of Brooks Adrenaline.

Today's Run - 4/23

I decided to go for another run this morning because I knew that I would not be able to get out tomorrow morning. I was able to get out and run just after sunrise. I headed back to over to the Darby Loop and Out to 250 because I had not run that track in a while. The horses were out feeding on the grass in the pasture as I headed out of the neighborhood. There were very few people out this morning, probably because it was cool and cloudy but when I got home the weather had started to break. I enjoyed starting my weekend off with a good run. I am very comfortable running at the 8:35 pace, so I think it is time to start up some speedwork again.

It is time for some new shoes, both my pairs have 300Miles or more on them. My feet are starting to feel the impact of the road a bit more. I am struggling with what type and size of shoes to get next. I struggle with shoes because my left foot is about 1/4 size smaller than my right. This means that really neither shoe fits perfectly. I have tried the smaller size, the 1/2 size larger and wides. Each work ok, but I can feel the difference between the fits. I need to get down to Ragged Mountain Running Shop and see what they recommend.

New Kicks!

I Headed down to Ragged Mountain Running Shop to pickup a new pair of Asics GT-2150s. I have been rotating between 2 pairs of 2150s in sizes 9 Wide and 9 Regular. My left foot and right foot are about a 1/2 size different. My right foot is a little tight in the size 9, but it fits my left foot perfect. In rotating between the 9 Wide and the 9 Regular, I have grown to like the snug feel of the regular. I decided to get a 9.5 Regular to see if I can get the tight feel of the regular shoe, but a bit more length for my right foot.

I also got the Run Shoe Tracker for my iPhone to help me keep track of the number of miles I put on shoes.

New shoes before the race?

I have been alternating between 2 pairs of Asics 2150s since June and racked up about 300Miles on each pair. I am coming to the end with these shoes and I can feel the classic traits of needing new shoes. The shoes have lost that perfect balance of new shoe but broken in feeling, they are starting to smell from the long hot runs of the summer, and the bottoms are starting wear out in the classic overpronater spots. I expect that I can go another 150Miles on these 2 pairs, but that will put me right in the middle of Nov and the Richmond Marathon. I think I should get a 3rd pair to bring into the rotation before the race. If I am going to do that I better act on it in the next week and get the new pair broken in while I taper.

Today's Run - 6/3

I was traveling on business and was able to get a quick run in with a colleague before a busy day. It was a good run and nice to have someone to run with.

I forgot my running shoes, so I had to pick up a new pair of Asics 1250s. The store did not have the 9 Width 2E, so I got the standard 9. It is a little tight in the toe box but overall not bad.

New Shoes

My running shoes had taken a beating with the high mileage from the end of my training and the marathon run.  I was suprised that I had racked up ~250Miles on this pair of shoes.   My knees and IT-Band have been sore after recent runs.  I figured it was time to get some new shoes and headed down to Ragged Mountain Running Store and picked up a pair of Asics GT-2150.   I did my first run with these shoes this morning and it was great.  I forgot how nice new shoes are to run in.

New Shoes every 275 miles or so...

The recent increase of mileage is taking its toll on my shoes. I went back an calculated miles run on this pair of ASIAC GT-2140, and was surprised to see I had already put ~275miles on this pair of shoes. I knew it was time to get a new pair but I did not think I had cranked up the many miles. I am still slightly below the 300-400miles expected on a pair of running shoes, but the these last longer than Saucony Pro-Guide 2

Since this pair of ASICS held up so well I decided to get the same shoe. I found a great close out deal for the GT-2140 style on Amazon. I will take a couple more runs on my current pair and then start to break in the kicks with my recovery runs next week.

ASICS... how they holding up?

My ASICS 2150's have ~110Miles on them and are about 2 months old. They seem to be holding up pretty well and hope to get at least 250-300Miles out of them. At my running rate, I will need to get a new pair of shoes in April and break them in before the the Boston Marathon. The soles of my running shoes are wearing out before the tops even get dirty. I may have to switch to trail running!

Today's Run - 12/5 - C'Ville Men's 4 Miler

I braved the weather and ran the C'Ville Men's 4 Miler this morning! The weather all week has been warm and nice, but not for the run this morning. I woke up to 40 degrees with a constant rain. By race time is was in the low 30's and rain, mid race it was mix of rain and snow and right after finishing it was snowing with accumulation on the ground.

The 4 Miler Course is a nice rolling track that starts out pretty much all down hill for the first 2 miles. You then turn around and run up the hill you just came down. I started the race a very good clip and ran the first 2miles in ~15mins. I was not able to keep that pace for the last 2 miles unfortunately, but did finish in ~32mins. I am pretty happy with my race, but would have liked to be more consistent in my pacing.

I over dressed despite the cold wet weather. I think that the last mile was hard because I was getting over heated in my rain jacket. I wore my new shoes for the race and was very happy with the familiar feel of the ASICS.

New Shoes.... so soon?

With all my training I have been pretty hard on the running shoes I got in mid-sept. I estimate that I have approximately 150Miles my latest pair of Saucony ProGrid Guide 2. I was expecting to get 300Miles out of these shoes but these seemed to wear much faster than the ASICS I typically wear.

Overall I have been happy with the Saucony shoes. They provided a good cushioned sole and the fit was snug but not to tight. My only complaint is that sole material did not last. During my last few runs I have felt more pressure on my big toe than usual. This is typical for over-prontators like me, and I figure that my shoes must be close to shot. I decided to head to Ragged Mountain to see what they had to say.

I tried on a few different shoes and decided to get back to the ASICS. It will be interesting to see how ASICS GT-2140 hold up.

New Shoes...

This past weekend, Ella and I went to the Ragged Mountain Running Shop to get me new running shoes. Ella had a great time in the store playing with the buckets of socks and placing her princess crocs on the display shelves. The staff was very patient with us.

I have worn ASICS for the past few years, but I was not really happy with the last pair primarily due to the fit on my foot width and my high arch. The fit was never right. I wanted to try something new, so I picked up a pair of Nike Shocks about a month back. I like the fit and feel of the Shocks, but they don't seem to provide enough support for my right foot. I wanted to see what Ragged Mountain had to say.

Working with the running shop, I tried on a few different pairs of shoes and settled on a pair Saucony. The jury is still out on these, but so far the support and feel is pretty good.