Learn | Make | Fix | Run

I learned many logistical lessons last weekend (some not race-related). It was not the race I wanted, but I would rather learn these lessons now instead of learning them on December 3 at CIM. Here are the lessons I learned. Give Yourself More Time before the Race While I gave myself enough time before the race, I did not anticipate the backup of cars on the off-ramp. I should have considered how long it would take to pay for parking. Since I was in race mode, I only had my driver’s license and one credit card when I attempted to pay for parking. My Discover card was accepted at the convention center parking lot the day before and was not accepted in the parking lot where I parked. (I thought the same organization operated both lots.) I needed to return to my car and get my other credit card. After waiting in line for the second time, I was late for the start of my corral. I had enough time to go to the bathroom before I got in the last corral, but I did not have time to warm up. Being ...

Last week, the wind wreaked havoc on my run, but not in the way you might expect. Yes, there was a headwind as I went out on my loop, but there was a tailwind on the way back. As always, the headwind felt like it hindered my forward progress more than the slight boost from the tailwind. In the end, it should roughly balance out, and the wind wasn’t causing me issues keeping my heart rate in zone 2. The allergens in the air that came with the wind had a detrimental effect. I ran three loops, and halfway through the second loop, I realized I was having difficulty getting a full breath of air. My airways were restricted from the allergens, and I could not provide enough oxygen to my muscles to work at my typical easy pace. Race Week This week is my tune-up half marathon. I’ll run the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon on Sunday in preparation for CIM. If you’re running either, please let me know in the comments below.

I’m finally coming to terms with my long run pace and HR training. I know you shouldn’t associate a particular pace with a heart rate zone. There are a variety of factors that can affect heart rate. However, the Run With Hal app gives you an “overall” quality letter grade, a “last 9 days” letter grade, and a compliance score with each workout. Sadly, I am motivated to keep my compliance score between 100% and 120% and my letter grade an A. If I want to earn an A and compliance greater than or equal to 100%, I must run at least 10:30/mile for my base runs and long runs. To reap the benefits of heart rate training, I need to keep it in heart rate zone 2 (Z2). I’m okay on the base runs in my flat neighborhood, but it falls apart on my long runs on the trail. Last weekend, I stayed in Z2 and averaged 10:28/mi. on the downhill (five miles) and the flat (six miles) and 11:49/mi. on the uphill (five miles). It’s not steep, but the 160-foot ascent over five miles makes me 80 seconds slower per...

I know I have already posted “ The Plan is Merely a Guide ,” but I am taking that to heart as I move into my next three weeks of marathon training. Recently, my friend @run_for_clarity asked me about my experience with the Run with Hal app. He started a week with a rest day (which was preceded by a long run). Then, the app scheduled two recovery days in a row, followed by a speed day, base day, pace day, and long run. He ultimately looked at the posted schedule on the Hal Higdon website, which looked much “ saner ,” and rearranged his runs to match the website. Last week, I finished a step-back week with a 7 mile marathon pace run on Friday, a 10 mile long run on Saturday, and a 3 mile recovery run on Sunday. Monday’s run was scheduled as an 8 mile marathon pace run, and a 5x hill interval session was scheduled for Tuesday. I was puzzled by two intense workouts back-to-back. Wednesday was a rest day, Thursday was an 8 mile base run, Friday was a 3 mile recovery run, Saturday was a 16 ...

This week, I had access to a scale. I weighed myself nude before and after a 7-mile run. I did not drink water during my run. I was three pounds lighter after the run. Then, I consumed 32 fluid ounces of Gatorade. I weighed myself again nude, and I was two pounds heavier. I realize that sweat rates change based on environmental conditions, but I was surprised that I had lost three pounds of water weight. I wanted to approximate the fluid ounces of water that I lost. I was reminded of high school chemistry class when the internet refreshed my memory that one milligram of water equals one milliliter (and one milliliter equals one cubic centimeter). While I enjoyed that walk down memory lane, I found a rule of thumb that 1 liter of water was approximately 2 pounds of water, and in this game of horseshoes and hand grenades, a liter of water was close enough to a quart of water. I lost about 1.5 liters (48 fluid ounces) of water in my run – three pounds – and refueled with 1 liter (32 fluid...

I have started my next training block. My goal is to run a sub 4:15 marathon at the California International Marathon (CIM) on December 3, 2023. I will run a tune-up half marathon in San Jose at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon nine weeks out on October 1, 2023. This time I will be using Hal Higdon’s Advanced Marathon 1 plan. I thought about using his Advanced 2 plan, but I rather have endurance over speed. This time I'm concentrating on running tall, hips up and forward. I felt it in my glutes during the last four miles of last week’s ten-mile long run. I added clamshells to my core routine. I might add in a dynamic warm-up and foam rolling this block. What are you training for? I would love to hear about it in the comments below.