Running Log (repost)

Someday, I will share with you all the legend of Running Log, the great Native American track and field star. But not now.

If you'll look to the left over there, you'll see a link for the Nikerunning website, which contains a free training log.

I really recommend that you keep track of your running. Most obviously, it helps you have a picture of how often you're running, and what kind of mileage you're putting in every week. Most people think it'll make them feel bad when they miss a workout - actually, that's not a bad thing. But it will also give you an appreciation for how much you're doing. When you miss a workout, but you still see that you ran six or nine or (eventually) 20 miles that week, it can prevent that Stuart Smalley shame spiral where you decide it's all hopeless, and you go grab the peanut butter, a jar of Bonne Maman strawberry preserves, and the largest spoon that will fit in the mouths of both jars, and go to town, washing it down with successive Lone Star tallboys, the tinge of aluminum made slightly salty by your own tears.

It happens. Or so I hear.

So, check out the training log. It's fun to do, and you can also track your other activities, like yoga, cycling, swimming, and your weekly pickup jai-alai games. It'll also track your vitals, like your weight.

A training log is also good because it helps you track the mileage on your running shoes, which we call "tennis" or "tenny" shoes in Texas, but which the British, apparently being masters of the obvious and explicit, call "runners."

You guys are doing great - tomorrow, you get to learn how to run hills properly, and how to deal with insane people that scream at you from inside a creepy house in an otherwise yuppie neighborhood. That's right - it's the Pressler Repeats.

You're Going Out In That? (repost)

So, here's a fundamental issue that a lot of us take for granted: what to wear when we run. Running is a wonderfully simple sport, requiring very little "stuff", but it's still critically important to your running, your fun, and your health to have the appropriate "stuff".

Better Running Naked Than Barefoot
Clearly, most of it comes down to shoes. Shorts might ride up, you might chafe, that sportsbra may... do the things that bad sportsbras do. But if you have the wrong shoes, things can hurt, and you can end up with any number of long-lasting problems.

There are quite a few variables involved in running shoes. There's your pronation - whether you pronate naturally, overpronate or supinate. These generally relate to the height of your arch - flatfooted people like me tend to overpronate, people with really high arches are more likely to supinate. Accordingly, there are three broad categories of running shoes: neutral-cushioned for the natural pronators; motion control for the overpronators, and stability shoes for the supinators.

Most of these specific structures are accomplished with the use of different density foams in the sole of the shoe, arch supports, and rigid structures in the sole. Then there are variables of cushioning in general. I have flat, wide feet, and finding shoes has been a pretty frustrating process, quite frankly, even with really good people helping. I need a wide shoe with enough support to keep my foot moving properly, and being a bit larger than those stick-people runners, I need a good deal of cushioning, or I will literally feel the impact in my teeth and skull, which can't be a good thing.

So, most people want to steer me towards motion control shoes, which use denser (and therefore heavier and stiffer) foams, and more rigid (and therefore heavier and stiffer) structures. And I hate every motion-control shoe I've ever tried. The cushioning in the heel and forefoot might be great, but those rigid structures tend to be right under where most of my foot strike occurs, so I get the teeth-and-skull jarring ride.

The point is, you need help to identify your needs, narrow the options, and minimize the potentially expensive and frustrating trial-error quest for footwear. For shoes, then, go to Bettysport or RunTex, where they will take a look at your gait and other factors, and give you guidance on the kind of shoe you need. Don't go to one of the places in the mall, or a department store, unless you already know for certain they have the exact model of shoes you need to be running in.

Socks, the Forgotten Clinton
Yeah, Hillary, what have you done with Socks? What do you have to hide?

While we're waiting for an answer, and last year's tax returns, you should be experimenting with socks. Some people can run in thick, cushioned cotton socks. I sweat too much on a long run. When socks get soaked, your skin gets soaked and softens, and the friction actually seems to increase, as well. All this results in blisters. So, I use thinner socks that won't hold as much sweat. Sock thickness also obviously affects how your shoes fit, so be careful with that.

I'll also add that you may want to be careful about how tight your socks are. Yeah, it sounds crazy, but when they're too tight on the toes, they can contribute to the dreaded Black Toenail of Death (BTOD), which, like the Windows Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) and the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death (RROD), is really annoying and potentially embarassing. Eventually, the toenail will fall off, leaving a weirdly mutated little... toenail deposit sort of thing.

But, really, please don't run naked. Running naked is not Good Naked.
The tech fabrics, like Nike's Dri-Fit, Adidas' Clima-Fit, and the generically licensed CoolMax, are not just hype - they work. They wick perspiration from your skin, and speed evaporation, keeping you cooler, and certainly keeping you lighter. If you're able to run in this heat in a cotton t-shirt, and it's not 10 pounds of sweaty fiber in 10 minutes, you're clearly dehydrated and about to die.

But not all are created equal. Some cheap "tech fabrics" are, like so much of the 1970's, just pointless polyester, and seem to get just as soaked as anything else. Even within a brand and fabric, there's variation - some DriFit stuff is outstanding for hot conditions, some of it is thicker and warmer. Keeping it thin seems to help, obviously - moisture will evaporate out rather than get locked in the fibers. Some of the fabrics have dimples (like Brooks stuff), some have a sort of waffle texture (like Nike Sphere), that increase the surface area for evaporation.

You want to be mindful of seams - start running four or more miles, and they can chafe.

For shorts, I do recommend using shorts made for running. The fabric is lighter and less restrictive, the seams should minimize chafing, and you can get them in varying lengths. The length is important, depending on your body. If your inner thighs tend to touch, I'd go with longer shorts - they're less likely to ride up on you. This is just personal preference, though.

Believe it or not, one of the best places to go for general running clothes is Academy. They've got a good selection of Nike, Adidas and New Balance clothes, even more so for women than for men, and the prices are decent.

For women, Bettysport is a great, locally-owned athletic clothing store, carrying everything from the basics to the more expensive but extra-hip Stella McCartney Adidas line. For women needing help with sportsbras... sorry, I'm not your guy, but I'm told that Bettysport is where you should go.

Of course, there's RunTex, outlet stores, and you're a bit safer buying clothes online than shoes. Try RoadRunner Sports or Eastbay.

Other considerations

Headgear - it's a toss-up. A white cap is probably better than a dark head of hair on a hot sunny day. With my partially shaved head, I worry about the sun, as we all should, but a hat is hotter than going without. A hat can be useful in the rain to keep the water out of your eyes.

Bodyglide - Is your friend, one that you are likely to take for granted, but whose absence will make you weep and walk like John Wayne, and not in a cool, macho way, but in a slightly whimpering way because your thighs are chafed raw.

Band Aids and nipple guards - Guys, and even some girls, will start chafing in three-four miles, depending on how you sweat, how your shirt or bra fits, and how abrasive the fabric of that shirt or bra is. For girls, it's probably an indication that your sportsbra isn't fitting right. For guys - you'll see people at races with blood running down their white shirts. Nipple guards seem like overkill, and most adhesive bandages fail when they get wet, but Band-Aid's Clear Water Block Plus bandages are perfect (well, for guys, anyway), and won't come off. After my first marathon, I came home and crawled in bed. I didn't take a shower until the next day, and I still had to rip the Band-Aids off, after the shower.

A watch - You need to have the discipline and perspective not to be a slave to timing, but it's good to be able to keep track of your pace. All you really need is something with a stopwatch function, preferably that will track lap (keeping time for each segment of a run) and/or splits (accumulated time at each waypoint of a run). Some watches have heart monitors, but as I've said, I'm not a believer in them. There are also the cool Garmin GPS things, but I think that's more just a matter of gadget appeal for most people.

Start experimenting, and finding what you like. If you have any questions, let me know. If it concerns bras and what-not... did I mention Bettysport?

How to Run

I love the Monty Python bit about a show called "How To Do It." The show's hosts show the audience how to do things, like rid the world of all known diseases ("Well, first of all become a doctor and discover a marvelous cure for something, and then, when the medical profession really starts to take notice of you, you can jolly well tell them what to do and make sure they get everything right so there'll never be any diseases ever again."), and how to play the flute ("You blow there and you move your fingers up and down here.")

So, in only a very vaguely similar vein, the first big training secret to running is... to freakin' run. Now, my job is to show you how to do it, and tell you how often to do it and all that, but beyond that, the biggest thing you have to do is get off your butt and do the running.

When I trained for my first half marathon, even my first marathon, I wasn't that committed. I showed up for most of the weekly "quality" workouts, and I showed for slightly less of the Saturday long runs. The longer I've run, I've found that while building strength and speed and extending distance are critical, no component of training is as fundamentally important as building a strong mileage base.

Now, you guys aren't training for anything longer than a 5K or 10K right now, and I can hear some of you saying that you don't want to be fast, you just want to be able to run. Actually I can hear some of you say "10K? What the hell are you talking about? That sounds like two times the 5K I want to do." We'll deal with that argument later. Anyway, the simple mathematical fact is that to an extent, faster=sucks for less time. On top of that, getting stronger and faster just makes covering the miles easier on your body. You may always challenge yourself to run faster or farther, but the idea is that you want to build the strong base that will allow you to run comfortably at certain speeds, for certain distances, and to push the envelope beyond that when you want to.

Believe me, I know how difficult it can be to get out there and run, in the morning, or at the end of a mind-numbing or overstimulating day at work. So, here's some things that might work for you:

• Anything is better than nothing at all. If you don't have time for a 40 minute run, run 30. Heck, run 20 - it's better than not running at all. It's too easy to rationalize that if you can't do your full run, you'll put it off until "That Time Later Today or Tomorrow Morning That We All Know Doesn't Actually Exist".


• Run an errand, literally. Gotta return a movie? Mail something? If it's nearby, run there. Or, just incorporate your run into the errand - some days, I'll go to Whole Foods after work, park there, run, then come back and pick up groceries, before I ever go home to the evil evil couch with its invincible gravitational pull.


• Keep running clothes and shoes with you, always. Just because running later doesn't seem like a good idea when you get up in the morning, doesn't mean you won't be able to get yourself to go right after work.


• Get into your running clothes as soon as possible. Change clothes before you leave work. If you get home, change into your running gear first thing. If you're going to go to the store before you run, change first. It puts you one step down the road to actually running. Avoid the television, avoid the couch. The damned, damned couch.


• Enlist help. We have enough people that there's someone else that you could be running with. Get to know each other. If it's OK with everyone, I'll distribute an email list. Set up a running time, and don't let the other runner down.


• Keep your inspiration in mind. You're doing this for a reason, I hope, but don't limit it to some cold and clinical goal. You want to drop some weight and look better? BFD - you could be doing Jazzercise. Why are you running? What does that mean to you, and what's it worth to you? You want to be ready to train for a half or full marathon? So you can put a sticker on your car? BFD - distance and time, in and of themselves, are pointless. What does achieving that really mean to you, and really say about who you are? The answers to those questions are the true inspiration for putting in the work. Looking at today's workout as 30 minutes of running that you're supposed to do is not motivating. Seeing it as an important step on whatever journey you're on is where you get inspiration and motivation. Every. Day. Counts.

Overall, keep in mind that you've made a commitment, and you're putting in a good deal of work coming out on Tuesdays. But if you don't do the work the rest of the week, you're wasting that effort and time, and selling yourself short.

I also always keep this in mind - if I give up, or I fail to follow through on this, then what else will I give up on? What else will I think is important but fail at anyway, just for want of a little effort?

A professional marathoner said that "The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare." Going out on a given day and running a 5K or a marathon can be a proof of your character and will, but it is nowhere near as important or impressive as having the discipline and passion to go out and put in the work on a daily basis, or at least three or four times a week. That is what will ultimately make this rewarding for you.

Now go! Run! Do it now!

Team Spiridon Rocks the Missions 5K!

One of my favorite lines from a movie I've never seen is from "Hardball", starring Keen-u Reeves. I like it because I can do a fair imitation of him, at times, and I think it's a silly line, especially when delivered with Keen-u's weird surfer-like gravitas. He's addressing the little league baseball players he's apparently been comically saddled with coaching, and he says, "One of the most important things in life is showing up. You guys blow me away with your ability to show up."

The line rang in my head Saturday morning, as Jean, Christina and I were able to show up at the St. James Missionary Baptist Church Missions 5K (whew - I know). And, we showed up well.

Many of us identified this as an important event. A couple of years ago, I ticked off a lot of people on another running group's forum by asking why there weren't more black folks in the group. Lots of people jumped all over me for asking such a clearly racist question, though notably, the two or three black folks that were in the group asked, "No, really, why is that, and what can we do about it?"

There are lots of reasons that the Austin running community is not more diverse, and the fact that IH-35 is once again the physical demarcation of this failure indicates that those reasons are not the fault of either community, but are issues of exposure, culture, and economics.

Just as problematic is the fact that, while we like to trumpet Austin as being such a fit city, we also rank fairly high in obesity, a problem that is universal, but also disparately correlates to minorities and lower-income groups.

In the past few years, we had the Go For The Gold 10K and (Almost) 5K, that not only ran in East Austin, but did a fair job of drawing registrants from both sides of the interstate. This year, with that race dead and, at least for now, gone, the St. James Missions 5K was the only shot to really fill that role.

The timing was difficult, with the exertion and expense of the marathon and half marathon just two weeks behind us. Most people reponded with heartfelt regrets at not being able to participate due to conflicts, but even then, it was clear that people "got" the importance of the event. That understanding and desire to "give back" says a lot about you.

The race was a huge success. The close to 300 registrants got a challenging course that was still very fair, if run properly, and they were treated to some of the best energy I've seen at any race.

The race started in the parking lot of the St. James church. Organizers did a very good job of lining its walkers up behind the runners, in large part because the walkers were extremely cooperative.

Jean, Christina and I started near the front, which ended up in something we've never really experienced before. We went out at a steady pace, and as the rolling hills of the four-sided trapezoid of the course opened up ahead of us, we could see the seven to eight people that were ahead of us. For once, we weren't just running against ourselves and the clock in a pack - we could see the possibilities ahead of us - we were really racing.

Christina and I ran it hard, but pretty strategically. I had done the course measurement and laid cones out along the route that morning, so we had the benefit of knowing the course, and knowing that at least some of those runners ahead of us would blow themselves out. Sure enough, a couple of fairly strong-looking runners did, and we passed them eventually.

For once, I was able to edge past Christina in the last half mile or so, as I took advantage of the fact that, unlike her, I had not been out drinking until 2:45am.

In the end, though, Christina was the second female finisher overall, and had a large PR, as well.

I PR'ed by 31 seconds, enough to come in sixth overall and first in my age group, which is something I never thought I would be in danger of experiencing.

And, Jean came in third in one of the larger female age groups, though she left before we knew that she would be claiming a medal.

The finish and post-race atmosphere was amazing. Everyone, runner and walker, young and old, black and white, got genuine, enthusiastic, and rowdy applause, while gospel music sent waves of highly energetic positivity across parking lot, where the finish line and health fair were set up.

With such a great turnout for its first year, this race will grow, and I'm proud that we were able to see and be a part of its birth.

I'm also proud of another round of success for some of our runners. Even though the field was small, and the finishing times relatively unimpressive for a 5K, we placed because we showed up, and because we ran hard in a race that gave us average folks, of all colors, a chance to compete together and celebrate together.

So, as proud as I am of Team Spee performances Saturday, I was even prouder that once again, our team recognized the importance of an event like this, not only to the race organizers, and not only to the Eastside community, but to helping grow the Austin running community into something we can all be proud of, in directions that better represent our entire city. An appeal to that sensibility was sent out a week ago to two other large running groups. Gilbert responded with interest, and I believe sent an email out to his Gazelles, who were represented by a woman and her son. Other, far larger running groups who got the same email didn't respond and were conspicuously absent.

You guys have raised money for good causes, helped fellow runners out on the road, and volunteered to help out with the marathon effort - not doing something intrinsically fun or flashy, not out of some bloated sense of self-importance, and not to advertise this group, but because you believed we could have fun and do some good. I don't want us to be arrogant or self-righteous about it, but I do have to say that for the newest and one of the smallest groups around, it's just another way you've been proof. Thanks for that, and keep it up.

We Ate Lightning, We Crapped Thunder. We Were Proof.

Hey, what the hell is this in my pudding? Oh, yeah... proof.

I'm extremely proud of proud of all of Team Spiridon that were out there giving the race a shot Sunday. Most of us had a great day of PR's and firsts. I know a few of us had mixed to not-at-all mixed feelings about our individual results. Let me tell you - as beautiful as the day was, it was tough. People don't take into consideration the effects of solar heating. Even with the ambient (air) temperature being relatively cool, when the sun is beating down like that, and there's a bit of a breeze, you dry out quickly.

I chatted with some older, experienced marathoners along the way - a couple who have run all 17 Austin Marathons, and a couple of age group leaders. Clearly, they were leading really, really old age groups. They both still passed me. Point is, they all were having a bit of a harder time than expected out there.

For some of us, including me, the race was an abject lesson in pace management. In some races, you can recover from going out a little too fast. Here, the first two and a half miles are uphill - if you're too fast on them, it is going to come back to haunt you.

But let's go through the list:

First among the half marathoners was our last-minute/honorary member for three weeks, Amy Smith. She came in at 2:02:08, a time weirdly consistent with her 3M time of 2:02:02. On a harder course, this is an improvement.

For the Team Spiridon regulars, the first half marathoner was Jacala, a.k.a. "Sandbagger", who came in at 2:28, I think about a 12 minute PR over her 3M time. She has, incidentally, registered for the Nashville Marathon in April, and I'm real confident of her ability to run it.

Carmen has been making a great comeback from the IT band troubles that knocked her out for a few weeks before 3M, where she ran a little over 2:58. She came in with an amazing improvement, at 2:41:52. She should tell all those people who told her she couldn't do something to stick that time somewhere. If she keeps running, she'll break 2:20 at some point, and she is certainly capable of running a marathon, too.

Paul was a little disappointed in how long it took to finish his first half marathon - 3:00:36. Are you f-ing kidding me? You finished, after injuries, DNF'ing 3M and quite a few long runs, and with those clunky-ass looking new shoes. Be proud of what you did. You'll get faster, and you'll end up running the full marathon like you wanted to.

Then there's Debbie - and I mean, holy crap. After a 3:08:24 PR at 3M, she PR'ed again, and beat three hours, with a 2:59:04.

Stacy, we missed ya. Sailing and beer the day before the big race? It's OK, it's another lesson learned, right? At least you got a great race at 3M in.

The marathoners had it a bit rough - no slight at all to the half marathoners, but at about 10 or 11, the sun was doing its thing, and we were feeling it.

Christina was first to come in, at 4:20:32. We stuck together until Lightsey, when I told her she needed to take off. Unfortunately, she really took off, apparently running the next mile at about a minute over her marathon goal pace, and running most of her next 8-10 miles too fast, as well. Obviously, I'm really proud of her, and there's nothing for her to regret. But, it is a lesson in the idea that every second you go out too fast at the beginning of a long race is going to cost you as many as four seconds per mile at the end. Thirty seconds per mile fast becomes as much as an extra two minutes. You all saw from some of our speed workouts the thin line between good fast pace, and leg-toasting pace.

Kellie came in at 4:44:59, a PR over her 4:46:49 from last year. She passed me at the turn from Arroyo Seco onto Romeria, looking as strong as she does on a 10-mile run.

Phillip was close behind, at 4:52:03. I saw him up on White Rock, as I was starting my long, slow death march to the finish. he was walking, but his attitude really assuaged my own disappointment some. He basically just said he was having a rough day of it, but he was going to have as good a time as possible. For the next two or three miles, we'd leapfrog each other as we each alternated walking and running, before he got away from me for good.

Mirsa, who joined our group late, missed the majority of the quality workouts, but otherwise stuck with the schedule and her training, enough to beat out five hours with a 4:56:55. Did I see you pass me, or did I miss you?

Daniel ran his first marathon in several years at 5:01:30. He had passed me with the 4:45 group somewhere around mile 20, I think. The question on everyone's mind of course, is - did he have to stop to poop as he always does?

Eve should not have dawdled in front of the stadium to talk to me - she ran a 5:03:02. Pretty good for the first marathon for someone who didn't think she was going to be able to run a week ago.

Jim finished his tour of Austin, his first marathon in over 10 (20?) years, in 5:33:47. Again, I feel like anyone that was out there for over 4:00 had a pretty difficult time of it. He is not at all the same runner that trained for the half marathon a year ago - he dropped weight, got stronger, managed his injuries well, and his always upbeat and positive attitude just kind of took over, I think.

Then, there's the Twins, Mandy and Jean. With their white caps tufted with pink feathers declaring, "If You're Not Last, You're First", and with training in recent weeks sidelined by illness, injury, work, broken transmissions, and an ill-timed but apparently fun Costa Rican vacation, the two were determined to try to go the distance, by any means necessary, and at any speed necessary.

Mandy's had an intermittent knee pain over the past few weeks, and she was coming off the flu last week. We talked a bit, and I very probably should have more strongly discouraged her from running. Her knee started hurting again in the first few miles. It buckled under her a couple of times, but she still fought all the way through to mile 15 or 16 before stopping and getting medical help. Maybe it wasn't entirely bright, it probably was a result of not the best coaching, but there's no doubt that it shows a lot of guts and sheer will, and she should be proud of what she did. She'll be back. She'll run marathons, and she'll do them well.

At the finish, we waited and waited, not knowing what had happened to Mandy or Jean, but fearing the worst. We finally got a call from Mandy's boyfriend, Paul, filling us in on Mandy's story, and letting us know that Jean had decided to press on.

We waited.

We waited some more.

And then, we continued waiting.

Finally, Christina saw a tall blonde in red shorts and a white cap running smoothly down Congress. Jean finished at 6:28:59, smiling and waving. I am as immensely proud of her as I am of our fastest runners - I had found 5:07 on the course to be incredibly grueling, and I can't imagine being out there for six and a half hours. I once read a quote from a champion female marathoner after running a marathon at a slow pace with an old-timer. She spoke of having a newfound and tremendous respect for the people on the end of the race course opposite from the one she was used to.

There are people who weren't able to be there with us for various reasons -Stacy, Matt, Cassie - but I hope they got something out of their time with us, and I know they're all people who will continue to find ways to challenge themselves, whether it's running or otherwise.

I'm incredibly proud of all of you, and of us as a team. I honestly think we did it better than most. We trained as hard as anyone. We were friendlier on the roads. We volunteered our time. We looked out for each other and respected each other. And in the end, in different ways and different times, we showed what we were made of.

Congratulations to all of you, and I can't wait to see you all at Tiniest Bar on Saturday night.

The Grand Finale

First off, I let you guys down a bit this week, and I'm sorry. I took a little too much on with the marathon. It's 9:15pm, and for the first time this week, I'm sitting with nothing pressing on me except, oh yeah, I'm running a marathon tomorrow morning. You should all be winding down and relaxing, and I had decided to tell you all this in person tomorrow morning, but in case anyone checks, here's the ending.

So, the finish. I left the half marathoners and the marathoners at 15th and San Jacinto, the courses rejoining each other for the first time since mile ten.

You have this one last hill, but it's nothing. When Phillip and I ran Austin in 2006, the first for both of us, this hill was at mile 20 or so. It sucked severely.

You've all trained harder than I did in 2006. You've hit more hills than we did back then. A couple of weeks ago, after we ran our repeats around the Capitol, we came back to Whole Foods this way, and everyone agreed this hill was nothing to worry about.

And now, at the end of your race, you can't let it slow you down. Form form form, strong strong strong. At the top, you turn right onto 11th, and you get a downhill. Let it take you. Be careful and in control, because you'll be tight at this point.

Left turn on Congress, and it's glory time. The crowds are there, and let me tell you, they love to see a good finish, whether it's for first or four thousandth. You sped up coming down the hill - hold that pace coming out of the turn.

At tenth street, kick it up a notch. Adrenaline can knock out cramps and a good deal of pain. Start picking runners in front of you and passing them, one by one. Run fast by being quick and relaxed - more like strides than sprinting - if you try to push yourself, you risk pulling a hamstring or something. Stay relaxed and in control, and finish strong. Run all the way through the finish.

Now, I do have some other things to say. Maybe I'll say them in the morning, but if we don't all get together, and if you're reading this as you eat your race morning breakfast...

I’m a sentimental guy. People give me a hard time about it. It’s a little uncool. I’ve always felt like in our everyday lives, we get cynical and hard, and we don’t allow things to touch us. But we all want things to mean something. We watched Rocky the other night, because I think, as cheesy as we may think it is, the story speaks to us. We all want to believe that there’s something more to us than the normal measures of life indicate. We all, at some level, want to be heroes. And ultimately, whether we’re embarassed to admit it or not, that is why we run.

I know I’m going to be happy with the times many of us run today, but really, I could care less. Times, Boston qualifiers, even winning, are all inadequate measures of who we are, and of our hearts. Heroes are not made by their accomplishments.

There will be things outside your control: the weather; the roads; the people around you; how your body feels; how hard you did or didn’t train in the past. Those conditions may set the stage, but heroes are not made by the conditions they find themselves in.

You can control the choices you make, and that’s the beauty of this sport. Heroes are made by their choices. You have already made tough choices, by committing to the training, and by being here today, putting yourself in a situation where you will be faced with tough, painful choices.

And everyone out here today, from the Olympic hopefuls and winners to the back of the packers, from people running their first half marathon, to the 87 year old I met last night running his 732 marathon, from the three hour marathoners to the three hour half marathoners - they all have the same opportunity to be great, to be, in some small but important way, heroes.

You have to be mature and intelligent today. If you’re feeling ill, dehydrated, or really injured, then slowing down or stopping is every bit the smart and equally tough choice.

But hopefully, that won’t be the case. Hopefully, every time we want to slow down, but don’t really have to, we’ll really get to choose the kind of person we are. Every time we want to walk, but don’t, we’ll win. Every time we want to quit, but don’t, we’ll get to be heroes.

So, today, choose how you run. Take what the course gives you, and be smart with how you use it. Take what your body can give you, and take a little more.

Today, choose to be who you want to be. No matter what you do for a living, how much money you have, what degree hangs on your wall, no matter what mistakes you’ve made, how you’ve succeeded, or what you’ve lost, today, you can be the kind of person you want to be. You all have it in you - the training, and the will. I’ve seen it in every one of you, and I am extremely proud of you all. This is your time. Don’t let it go.

Dragonslaying: The AT&T Race Plan, Part Duh (sp?) - Part Deux: The Other, 16.2 Mile-Long Tail

Composite titles strike me as funny.

When we last left our intrepid band of questionably intelligent runners, the marathoners, clearly not understanding there was another option, took a left turn onto Exposition, while the only slightly smarter half marathoners took the shorter way back to the finish...

Half marathoners, skim through this - there's stuff to help you, too.

Miles 11 and 12: The End of the Beginning
OK, so the marathoner's are not off the dragon's back yet. But only have a little over a mile left to ride through it. You've all run it enough times that you'll probably unconsciously avoid potholes. And, for those of you who ran the Double Dragon, just think to yourself, "Well, at least I only have to do it once today."

Here, form, form, form. The road should open up a bit with the half marathoners turning off. Get out of the camber on the sides, and run the crown. Also, as you know, there's been a lot of construction here, so the road might be a little ugly around the edges. Stay out of that.

You get the short climb, then the long climb up to Windsor, then you've got a little reprieve until the big hill going up to Westover. Don't worry about your time here. Get up the hill, balancing your pace and your energy output. Keep your head up, and your hips pressed into the hill. Roll all the way through your foot with every stride. There will be some crowd support here, but you should really be able to hear the crowd and the band at the top. Let that draw you up the hill.

When you get to the top, relax, shake it out. You've got another, oft-overlooked hill going up to 35th, and you get a little rise up to the top of the bridge over Mopac. Cherish this - it's the last of the true hills.

Now you get a downhill to Jackson, where you make a left turn.

Miles 13-18: Where the Hell Am I and What the Hell Am I Doing?
I always think this point is a little disorienting, which is bad, since I'm already only half Asian. HA! Sorry. Anyway, by this time, the initial excitement of the race has worn off, you enter neighborhoods where the crowds are spottier, and you've gotten through the section that people are stressed about, and that presented a set of challenges for you. From here on out, it's just a matter of running, and running, and running.

You can't lose purpose here, and your priority purpose now is to get back on pace. If you feel good, you might be tempted to speed up, thinking it's flat from here on out. I would advise against that - it's flat, you've beaten the hills, but you've got 14 miles left to run. Trust me, it's not as simple a calculation as it seems - "Gee, I've run 12 hard miles, and I feel good. I should speed up." Well, maybe, maybe not. You've run 18, 20, 22, and you should remember how the miles catch up to you quickly near the tail end of that distance. So, no matter how good you feel, just use these next four miles to see how you feel getting back on and staying on your marathon goal pace.

You'll take a right turn at 41st through a little neighborhood, then a left on Bull Creek. You're still climbing north, but this is mostly flat. You hit the halfway point on Bull Creek, near 45th. Yihah. You cruise up to Hancock, take a right, go down a little hill and up a little hill. Again, just maintain pace.

There's again not a lot to say about these miles. They're flat to "false flat". You're running. You're trying to stay on the flat parts of the street, off the camber. You're staying relaxed. If you feel things tightening up, change things up a little - butt kick for a few strides, pull the knees a bit higher for a few.

There's a small incline up White Rock to Great Northern, then you enter, as I always think of it, and as Douglas Adams might say, "the long, dark, teatime of the soul." Long and flat, the road itself is numbing, even discouraging for some people, and you're entering the true "middle miles" of the race. You've been on this road and on those miles, so you know them well. You know both better than the majority of the other runners out there. So, this is a good test of your where you're at with your pace. If you hold pace well here, and you get through mile 16 and up to Foster, and still feel just outstanding, then you can start thinking about turning up the pace.

If you do increase your pace, start planning in your head. Plan on just increasing your pace by just five seconds or so, and holding that pace up to mile 20, where you can reassess it then.

You might be at a point where you seriously doubt your ability to maintain your pace for the rest of the race. You're at an important decision point, and only you can truly make that choice. I will say that if you held on up to Great Northern, don't let your performance on Great Northern decide the rest of your race. It's a tough stretch of road. Just hold on, do your best, try to run comfortably for now, and make any real decisions after mile 18.

At Foster, behind Northcross, you should see some crowds again, which should really help. You also know that you've hit the uppermost point of the course, and soon you'll be heading home. Let it boost you, but if you're considering upping your pace a little, again, think back to your training runs, and ahead to the final miles, and carefully weigh your decision.

Finishing mile 18, you're halfway down Morrow. Start looking at the ridiculous blue line we painted down the street - it'll be there for quite a while. Think of it as a big blue thread pulling you down the course.

Mile 18.5-24: Homeward Bound
I refer to the song, not the ridiculous Disney movie, though, if the ridiculous Disney movie works better for you... whatever.

At 18.5, you turn the corner south onto Woodward, and you're on your way to the finish. You're close to the end of the dreaded "middle miles", and the elevation profile finally starts trending downhill. This is another good spot to relax, shake out the arms, and hit the mental and physical "reset" button. If you're looking at the finish at this point, it's going to seem improbably far. You still want to break it into manageable chunks, a few or a couple of miles at a time. It's like when we do repeats - you don't want to think about the total mileage you have left, it's easier to think about the repeat you're on right then, and worry about the next one later.

These are flat to slightly downhill streets. If you struggled through the middle miles, try to regain a relaxed rhythm. If you're feeling strong, and have easily maintained your pace, you again have to choose whether to hold where you are, or give the pace a little nudge.

Most of us are going to have felt discomfort and maybe a bit of pain by now. We've all had little to large dings in the past six months, and we all know what we really need to be concerned about, and what we can safely push ourselves through. If you're hurting here, don't dwell on it, but don't just try to ignore it, either - take a zen approach, or rather, a zazen approach. It's like meditaiton. People think they have to clear their mind, and they end up getting all mentally bunched up by trying not to think. Acceptance (but not resignation) is the better way - go through your body from head to toe. Think about how you feel. Look at it like you're picking up a shiny object, then put it back down. Go through it all, then be done with it.

I also know that all that zen stuff is a matter of practice, and sometimes just too hard to do. If it doesn't work for you, then just... don't give up, right?

Down Woodward and Arroyo Seco, left on Romeria, and back onto Woodrow, all the way to North Loop. Again, all you have to worry about is finding your rhythm and pace.

North Loop is a little challenge. If you've been struggling or just been holding on, let it take a little pace from you - conserve your effort to get you to the finish, or for where it's better used. If you're feeling good, try to minimize how much it takes from your time, but don't burn yourself up.

You turn right on Guadalupe, left on 46th. 46th kind of gently undulates ahead of you, up and down, and you can still see that blue thread pulling you down it.

Left turn on Avenue H, right on 49th, right on Red River. You should get some crowds at Hancock Center. Take it as a sign that you're close, you're out of the suburban and mental wilderness, and returning to center, where there's going to be lots of people supporting you.

Your right turn on 41st gives you a brief downhill, then the last hill worth worrying about. You're gonna be tired - don't let your head sag, because you know the shoulders, back, and hips follow. Don't think about the effort, think about the form. That will carry you through, and will make you feel stronger.

You can also think about the fact that when you turn the corner, you've got fast downhills, and only two miles to go...

Miles 25-25.9: Blow and Go
For those of you who ran Duval, you know this section is fast. Don't go crazy - it's not the finish - but challenge yourself to pick up the pace a little. Do it by pulling and holding your form together. Do it by switching your brain back on, keeping your head up, trying to be alert. Do it by thinking about quick, light turnover, not muscling yourself through.

When you get down into campus, it might get quiet again. Don't let it get you down. You're getting to mile 25 in front of Memorial Stadium. Stay strong.

When you emerge from campus, you might see some crowds again. More importantly, you're just about a mile from the finish. San Jacinto seems to have a little slight uwards grade on it - don't let that hurt or slow you down this far in. Form form form, strong strong strong.

OK, the ending for everyone coming up later this afternoon...