5 weeks to Chicago

Today was my longest run in the training cycle for Chicago. It was supposed to (by the letter of my plan) be my 4th of 5 twenty-milers, at an 8:42 pace, but instead I went a little slower (9:05 on average), and did 22.5 miles. 
It was a little crazy, but I feel pretty good. Sean came along with me, so he could ride the bike and keep me company. We ran a version of my favorite "five quadrant" run, going up a little bit further out of the way to round out the extra mileage. We were moving at a nice chill pace, until at mile 11.5, Sean got a blowout in the back tire of the bike. Wouldn't you know it - we were seriously as far away from the car as we could be. Not exactly the best possible place. I left Sean to continue my run, figuring he could have a beer or a coffee or something while I ran back to get the car. As it happened, he came upon a bike repair shop (maybe not that unusual in North Portland, but still a nice thing to stumble upon), and got the bike fixed while I was finishing my run.
The pressure to get back to the car quickly gave me a little extra kick, and I ended up running a negative split, and brought my average pace up from 9:30 to 9:05. I wish I could say I did it on purpose, but it happened to situationally give me a great workout.
The last few Very Long Runs, I have come home and gone swimming, which has helped so much with soreness. It's nice to unburden the joints and stretch out in the water. I recommend it!
Next week I travel to Seattle for work, so I have to squeeze in 15 miles on Saturday morning. The week after that I have my final twenty miler before tapering. It's time to hunker down and work on speed. Or just try to stay healthy. Race day is almost here!

Retro-Blogging: My Boston Marathon Experience repost

By request, I am re-posting my blog post I wrote for the website www.mygroupfit.com about the Boston Marathon. I posted this almost 6 months after the race, in September 2013. As I was writing to group fitness instructors, there is a definite nod to that audience, for what it's worth. Here it is:

I wanted to run the Boston Marathon way before I knew I wanted to run the Boston Marathon. When I ran my first 26.2 (Vancouver, BC, for my 40^th birthday), I had no idea how well I would do, and (officially) my goal was just to finish without stopping. Unofficially, I wanted to qualify for Boston. Just for the feather in my cap. I had no intention of actually running it. Or another marathon. Ever again. I did not qualify for Boston that day – I came up just a few minutes short, right behind a guy dressed like Picachu.

It took me 3 more marathons to finally qualify, thanks to the new, faster standards of qualification. By that time I had decided that I really did want to conquer not only the qualifying time, but the race itself. In April 2012, I ran the Eugene Marathon in 3:38:16, enough to qualify me by nearly 7 minutes.

My training started the week of Christmas, which happened to be 16 weeks before Patriot’s Day. I read everything I could about the Boston Marathon – the history, the course, the previous winners, the traditions, elevation charts. I fine-tuned my training, and I changed my usual courses to finish uphill to prepare for Heartbreak Hill. I came across a former winner of the Boston Marathon on the track one day, and asked him to fist-bump me for good luck. I read extensively and practiced what I read about marathon nutrition. I ate SO many carbs. I checked weather reports obsessively, and packed for every possibility. I went into this race more nervous and prepared than ever. I had every reason to expect a personal best.

We arrived in Boston a few days before the race. The world’s oldest marathon is, as you might expect, HUGE. People were everywhere, and from everywhere, and the excitement was palpable in the city. In addition to being the biggest race I’ve ever run, it is far and away the most organized, friendly race I have ever seen. The volunteers astounded me with their efficiency and enthusiasm, as if they were as excited as the runners about being a part of this event.

Race morning was perfect. The weather was cool and mild, the buses to Hopkinton ran efficiently, and the staging area was overwhelmingly large, but well-organized. The moment of reverent silence was incredible when the announcer asked that we honor the victims of the Sandy Hook shootings, to whom mile 26 was dedicated. After a couple of trips through the porta-potty lines, I arrived in my corral just before the starting gun fired. I was in wave 2, with the other runners who were expected to run between a 3:30 and 4:00 race. I turned to the runner next to me and gushed “I can’t believe we’re running the Boston Marathon,” and started to run.

The first few miles are downhill, and that, combined with early-race adrenaline, has been the downfall of many Boston runners. I held myself to a strict 8:00 mile pace through mile 5. Staying on the edge and high-fiving the kids along the side helped, too. I reached the halfway point about 30 seconds ahead of my projected time, and flew through the Wellesley “scream tunnel” laughing the whole way at the spectacle. By mile 15, I was feeling like a spoiled Oregon runner, as the direct sun and lack of wind started to magnify my fatigue. By mile 16, I was starting up the first of the three hill climbs, and began to lose a little steam. I managed, by mile 21, as we crested Heartbreak Hill, to be about 2 minutes behind my target time, but still on my way to a personal record. The wind felt so good that I accelerated, and felt sure I would get my 2 minutes back. At mile 22, I crossed the railroad tracks in Newton, and remembered reading how many runners fell here. In a glorious moment of positive self-talk, I spoke to myself – “don’t trip”. My brain must have only heard the second half of that, because BOOM! I went down. The crowd shouted “AAAAAWWWW!”, as I rolled, crawled, got up, and started running again, hearing “YEEEEEAAAAH!!!” as I stumbled away. I thought that would be my big “Marathon Story”.

I managed to finish a little less than a minute slower than my goal, a little disappointed, but ultimately happy that not only did I run the Boston Marathon, but I qualified again.

I am very lucky to have had a good 45 minutes of “glory” before the bombings. 45 minutes to get my foil cape, my medal, retrieve my belongings, and find my family. I was very lucky to have easily found my husband, daughters, and sister-in-law at the meeting place, and take pictures and get hugs, before beginning to wander back toward the hotel.

We were only a block away from the bombs when they went off, but we were on the other side of a building, shielded from any real danger. We didn’t know what the noise was; just that it was very loud and didn’t sound right, but there was no immediate panic in our area, so we wandered on. Over the course of the two-mile walk back to the hotel, the truth came upon us in waves. People talking on cell phones frantically, people crying, an abundance of police cars, then ambulances. By the time we saw S.W.A.T. teams pass by, my husband Sean overheard someone say there was a bombing. We passed a dry-cleaner that had a television facing out toward the street, and it was showing the first news on the bombings. Sean and I said later that it reminded us of the footage they show of the night JFK was shot. People gathered, crying, watching the news play out on the television in the window.

Our whole post-marathon Boston experience was overshadowed not by grief and sadness, but by the goodness of the people around us. Bostonians are amazing people, of strong stock, but so full of heart and sincerity. Marathoners are a resilient and friendly bunch, as well, and overall, our take-home from our week in Boston was much more about how most people are wonderful, rather than how a few people are not.

Upon my return, I told my story a lot, and thought about it a lot more. A client of mine urged me to write about it, but it took me a long time before I was ready to. I thought about how to bring meaning to my experience in words, and I wondered what I had to say about it that wasn’t already written by a better writer. I thought about how I could write for a group fitness blog about marathoning and how to make it significant. My experience wasn’t unique that day – more of us finished unscathed than not, and other people had more powerful stories to share. As I thought about my experience as an average Boston Marathoner, as a person who is remarkable enough to make it to the big day, but unremarkable in the crowd, I thought about the clients and participants who attend my classes every day. I wouldn’t consider any of them unremarkable, and in fact, each contributes to the whole of the experience. That is what makes group exercise so different than other forms of exercise. It’s the same thing that makes running a race more special than running around the neighborhood. One is not necessarily better than the other, but there is something special about being in a group. I think about it a lot when I run. I fiercely defend my long run day, my only real “me” time that I regularly take, but I would not give up my time with my groups. We can’t be held back by fear – fear that we’re not good enough, fear that we’ll fail, fear that something bad will happen. By creating a community, we create a place that is safe and strong. We can’t prevent things from going wrong, but by creating a community of strength, everyone is uplifted, and ready to meet the next challenge, together.

I thought about running the Boston again next year, to experience the event with its expected joyful conclusion, but I have decided not to. I will always have the memory of that wonderful and horrific day, and the emotional days that followed, and it will always be special. I will instead choose to see other cities though a marathoner’s eyes, and make new memories and become parts of new groups.

6 Weeks and 3 Days!

It's getting down to the wire! 
The training plan I use (www.runnersworld.com/first gives you the gist of it if you're interested) is based on three quality runs and cross training. There are no "junk" runs, although sometimes I do a 2-3 miler to get warmed up for my sculpt class on Saturday. Each run has its purpose: speed work, tempo, and long run. 
The first time I ran a marathon (the week before my 40th birthday - May, 2009), I used this plan, as I'd used its half-marathon version for a bunch of halves. I never really looked at the times/tempos. My goal, like so many people, was just to crank out 26.2 without stopping to walk. I paid attention to my speed, particularly on the long runs, but I didn't really invest much in the concept of tempo or speed work except to go faster than I felt like going. It worked, and I was able to finish my first full marathon (in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia) without walking. 3:52:something. Not without crying, mind you, but without walking. 
Tangent: I didn't have much guidance, and only went by what I had read in magazines for this first marathon, which I thought was going to be my only marathon. Nobody warned me about adrenaline, and how you feel like you have wings for the first hour or so. I'd been training my long runs at about a 9:33 pace (I remember that number coming up a lot), and ran the first 12 miles of the race at an 8:10. Really not smart. I kept saying to myself, "this seems fast, but really, I feel great, so why slow down?" Here's why: because there's 14 more miles to go after you stop feeling amazing. I was tired at the half, discouraged at 17, felt like hell at 20, and broke down into tears at 25. Heaving, sobbing tears, but still running. I had to make a conscientious choice. I could do 2 of the following 3 things: run, cry, or breathe. I decided to breathe and run, and staved off tears until I crossed the finish line (right behind a guy dressed as Picachu, for chrissakes.) (Tangent done)
Anyway, now that I'm about to run my 9th marathon, I've learned to pay more attention to pacing, and to heed the wisdom of my training plan. (And regarding my above tangent, to pace myself better on race day). In a 16-week training plan, it's hard to hit every single run, but this may be the best I've stuck to my plan yet, I think. At 6-weeks out, I'm feeling prepared. I have two more 20-milers to go, but my tempo work and speed work is all on target. 
My worries are starting to be the things I can't control. You really can't know what sort of weather will show up in Chicago on October 12. Luckily, I know I run well in cold, and it's been a hot summer in Oregon, so I've been somewhat unwittingly doing heat training. My other concern is the flat course. Everyone says, "You'll love Chicago, the course is so flat!" I hope I love it, but flat has never been my best. I actually do well with a certain amount of hill, but I'm prepared to love it for its flatness. 
Now, I'm off for an 11-mile tempo run in heat and hills!

Whine on the Vine, Heat, and 2 months to go!

August is here, which is making me a little crazy. Between mileage hitting a nice, frothy peak, and the kids needing to do some back to school prep (including milking the last bits of fun from their remaining time off), it has been busy busy busy in the Clifton home. 

I have kept up pretty well with my training runs, and getting my mileage in. My track work (speed work) has been pretty good, as has my long run, but I'm struggling with my tempo runs, which are running about a minute slow. I just can't seem to get it there. Not that I can't do the pace, because the paces my plan is asking for (7:23 for 3 miles, 7:38 for 4 miles, 8:12 for 10 miles) aren't unreasonable, I'm just having trouble hitting them midweek. I'm tending to blame the heat, as it's been in the 90s for much of the summer, which isn't always the case in Oregon. The thing is, we don't know what we'll get in Chicago in October, and there's definitely the chance to see a hot day. So I'm trying to get my body to cooperate with my will, but I'm not quite hitting that yet.

The race is 2 months from tomorrow, which is VERY exciting! It's definitely time to get real, though. Although I've been getting all my mileage, I've slacked on my rope-jumping, skipping drills, tube walking for the ITB, and that sort of thing, so I formally commit now to not miss this extra 30 minutes of work a week that really helps. 

I skipped the drills entirely last week, because my calves were tight as a drum. I had run a trail race last Sunday with some insane climbs and descents. X-Dog events always puts on a good race. The people are just really solid, good folks. The course is always full of navigational challenges, and there's always beer at the end. In this case, there was wine at the end, as the race was at a vineyard. Sean bought me the season pass for X-Dog last year, which gets you into all of the races and events for the year, and I was really happy that Sean signed up for this one, too. I wasn't exactly in a racing mood in the morning, but I figured I'd take it nice and easy and just enjoy the challenge of the terrain. The first mile was downhill, and people were passing me like crazy, but I just felt chill, so I bopped along at a comfy 8:30 pace. The second mile was spent weaving in and out of grapes, up and downhill, along the vineyard. I started passing people who were already regretting having sprinted downhill the first mile. The course opened into a large open field, and there were a few man-made obstacles. A mud pit with chicken wire under it that you were supposed to crawl through (I'm not against getting muddy, but I thought I could go faster by kind of squat-walking through, which I regretted when I banged my head into the beam holding up the chicken wire. Ouch!), a few boxy hurdles to climb over, and a ladder-wall thing to scale before it plunged us into a deep, dark forest. After my eyes adjusted to the dim light, this was my favorite part - cool shade, and softly winding paths. Then, after a "temptation station" (bourbon and doughnuts - not tempting in 90-degree heat!) the hill started. A downhill so steep I was going more slowly than the uphill - the footing was not secure, and the navigation uncertain. It was so dense with brush, I couldn't be sure which way it was going to go. Here I was passed by a woman named Queena, a hecka-fast X-dog regular. I always figure if I see her at all in the course of a race, I'm doing okay. The steep downhill was followed immediately by a long and arduous uphill. Probably a little more than a mile. I walked almost the whole thing, and passed Queena again near the top. From here it opened up to a wide, slightly downhill push, leading to an open field and a decent hill. I could have run this one ordinarily, but my calves were in protest from the previous decline/incline, so I walked it. At the top of the hill was a "redneck slip 'n slide" - a big tarp, manned by volunteers with hoses at the top. The water was refreshing, and the slide was fun. At the bottom, it was back uphill again, although muddier and less steep this time. Heading back uphill through the vineyard, I passed a woman I'd had my eye on throughout the race, which put me in second place as I crossed the finish. Not bad, since I hadn't really run for position until that last mile. My final pace was 10:21, which gives you an idea how hard the course was! 

There is another X-Dog race coming up in September, which we might decide to do if our schedules allow it. Otherwise, I am all business until October 12.

Here's my grimace right after I banged my head: 

12 Weeks To Go!

12 Weeks from yesterday I run Chicago. I'm pretty stoked about it, now that I'm within the 3-month mark, it seems like it's really getting up there.
It was a pretty slow-going week. I had a big (fun) event on campus at Nike that prevented me from really getting my proper mileage and tempo for my midweek runs, so I tried to make up the mileage on Saturday with a quick little warmup before my strength class, but to be honest, I just couldn't pull off the tempos this week that I was hoping for. I always remind my clients that progress is never linear, and we all get those days when it feels like we're putting in our all and just not getting the "oomph" we need, but ...it's just never fun or encouraging to suffer through those workouts. In times like that my mantra is "Money in the bank." The money being the miles, and the bank is the marathon. Even the shitty miles add to the strength I'll rely on come October 12.
Yesterday I ran my first 20 of the training cycle, and since I prefer hills to stoplights, I ran up Cornell (almost 1000 foot gain from my house to Skyline), headed downtown, then headed back up Vista to near Council Crest, adding another 800 feet of elevation. Uphill was slow-going, but I had a couple nice cruises downhill, which was quite nice. 
I re-read a quote this weekend that always resonates with me when I come across it, and I drew on that while slogging up Vista: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

Chicago Week 13

Training is going well, with 13 weeks and change until Chicago. First of all, I believe already that the addition of the barefoot training day is making a difference. Once a week I am doing 5 minutes of jump rope, deep squats, tube walking, skipping drills, and bounding. All barefoot.
Today I did one of my favorite speedwork workouts. I don't love the track work, although I appreciate its efficacy. My favorite speed drills tend to be ones that have some sort of visual component, or some sort of math that I can wrap my head around. I ran 1200 meters, 1000, 800, 600, and 400, all with a 200 meter rest interval (just walking today, although sometimes an easy jog). This plus a 1.5 mile warmup and a half-mile cool down. This workout is easy to get behind, because the intervals get shorter as you go along. I beat my projected time on the first and last, hit it spot on for the second, and was 6-10 seconds too slow on the 3rd and 4th. Consistency is something I'm working on. But, I did it. Sunday I have 17 miles, and I will have to go out early and slowly, since it's supposed to be something like 95 degrees.
Here's another good track workout, one I love because a) it's easy to remember where you are in the workout, b) the pick-ups are all 400-ish meters, and c) it's very challenging, then gets a little forgiving at the end. After a warmup, run the inside loop of the track at a challenging, but improvable pace. Time it. Rest about 90 seconds, then move to lane 2, and meet that same tempo. Repeat for lanes 3, 4, and 5, then work your way back down from 5-1 again. That's 2.5 miles of actual speed (same as the workout I did today), not counting the warmup and cooldown. I think it's a good intro to speed work, if you've never done track work before. Physically challenging without being too much to think about.

Foot Traffic Flat

So my PR for the half marathon was July 2013. I was pretty good at getting 1:40-somethings in pretty much every halfie I did, with a previous PR of 1:40:08. I really really really wanted to get a 1:30-ANYTHING, and hoped to win the big prize at last year's See Jane Run in Seattle. As race day approached, I decided I was a little slower and heavier than I needed to be to get it, so I made the decision to hang out and enjoy Seattle and not put pressure on myself to get my PR. The point is, I was just a little hung over when I arrived at the starting line. However, conditions were perfect, and I ended up squeaking out a 1:39:58. I was surprised, but delighted.
So today, when things started to go wrong, I started making excuses for myself early on, which I know is bad news. And stupid, because my best was under less-than-ideal circumstances. I set the alarm for 4:30, but apparently failed to switch to "alarm 2", so the alarm went off at 5:30, like it does on work days. The thing is, the race started at 6:30, so I scrambled to get to the starting line. I got there just fine, but did not have time to use the facilities before the race started. I got an extra .15 miles the first mile by weaving around the runners to get to where they were running my pace. Still, it was a really nice day, and the crowd was great, and I was enjoying it until about mile 8. I was shooting for a 1:41-anything, since I need 1:42:00 or less to qualify for the New York Marathon. Around mile 9, I started to lose ground, and started making excuses - I felt like the rush of adrenaline I got from waking up an hour late started to crash, and I slowed to an 8-minute pace. Around mile 11 I started to pick up again with a little positive self-talk, but ultimately I wasn't able to pull off the qualification time.
When all is said and done, however, it was still a good experience. I feel like in a way, it's good not to meet a goal every now and again so that you know your bar is set high enough. I ended up with a 1:42:54 - a 7:45 pace overall, which is good for me. I have a couple more chances this year. Also, it's a nice, strong tempo run for my 14-weeks-to-Chicago training. 

Chicago in 16 weeks!

I am particularly excited about this year's Chicago Marathon. First of all, I know so many people running it. A bunch of people from Nike, a friend from high school, a sorority sister from college, and my friend John, whom I helped to run his first marathon in Portland last year. I kicked off my training cycle with a nice 16-miler. It was slow because of heat, fatigue, and whatever other excuses I want to apply. I did it at a 9:21 pace, which is a little slower than I'd hoped, but sometimes you just have those runs where you fight for every step. Luckily, Pie rode the bike along with me, so there was good conversation. 
When I got back, I had a text from John, who was comparing his finish in last year's Portland marathon to the Boston qualifying times. He said, "If I was 80 years old, I would have missed the qualifying times by almost an hour." Then, "I wouldn't even have qualified if I was a 90 year old woman," and finally, "I'd still have to shave off half an hour." Funny. 
This time around, I'm adding to my 3 days of running a 4th day of barefoot squatting, toe-ga and jumping rope. I'm going to get my feet in the best shape of my life, and let that goodness flow on up the kinetic chain.

My article from the May 2014 issue of Oregon Distance Runner

7 Things You Can Do In The Gym To Improve Your Running

Strength Train 
 The time has come and gone when runners didn't strength train. A simple image search of 1970s runners shows a very different physique than today's distance runner. A couple of strength workouts each week can give you a stronger, more injury-resistant physique. Multiplanar, functional movements can improve your joint strength, endurance, and muscle balance. It will also improve body composition, and running economy (efficiency of oxygen use). Working anaerobically conditions the muscles to operate under stressful conditions, and improve acceleration and endurance. Free weights, body weight exercise, suspension training, and kettlebell exercises will also improve your core strength, which is essential to good running. 

Foam Roll 
 You've heard you should be doing it, but it looks painful and a little scary. People really love to hate the foam roller, but its sudden ubiquity in the gym cannot be denied. Runners can benefit from foam rolling the gluteal muscles, the iliotibial band (ITB – the band of connective tissue running down the side of the thigh from hip to knee), hip flexors, and calves in particular. Rolling the muscles in what is called myofascial release (Myo = muscle; fascial = connective tissue) will help increase blood flow, allow for greater mobility in the joints. Releasing the tension with the pressure of a slightly uncomfortable massage can improve the joint function in an area limited by tight muscles. 

Cross Train 
 While it's true that running may be the closest thing there is to perfect exercise, I am a strong believer in cross training. Whether you add another activity to prevent or recover from an injury, are a multisport athlete, or whether it's because you are trying to maximize the metabolic effects of exercise inefficiency, you can benefit from mixing things up. 

Yoga 
 I read somewhere recently that while yoga is good for runners, running isn't good for yogis. Luckily for us, we fall on the favored side of that coin. While many runners say something to the effect of “I can't do yoga, I'm not flexible,” that makes as much sense as saying “I can't eat, I'm hungry.” There are many kinds of yoga, and I believe strongly that almost everyone can find a style and an instructor that suits their personality and needs. Aside from the obvious benefits of strength and flexibility, yoga can improve balance (think about how much time you spend on only one leg, and imagine the benefits), breath control, mental fortitude, and focus. 

Hire A Personal Trainer 
 Find a trainer who is either a runner, or at least a trainer who has worked successfully with many runners. The thing about personal training is that it is, well, personal. People come to trainers for a lot of different reasons, and with many different expectations. If you want a trainer to work with you 2-3 times a week for a year, or if you want to know how to use the gym and have someone to check in with monthly, or just do two or three sessions before moving out on your own, a good trainer can be your biggest asset in the gym. He or she can help you set and achieve realistic and attainable goals. Plus, if you are daunted by the gym environment, it's nice to know that someone's got your back. 

Interval Train 
Short bursts of high-intensity training followed by short to medium recovery times can increase your endurance, acceleration, recovery time, and rev up your metabolism for up to 24 hours post-workout. It's like doing speed work on the track, but perhaps in a lower-impact environment, and can be a fun and safe supplement to your running program. 

Meet Other Runners 
Yes, there are other runners at the gym, and whether or not you are in the market for a new running partner, having a community of runners around you while you workout might just give you a little sense of accountability. Maybe also a sympathetic nod while you're foam rolling your piriformis.

Tami has been a fitness professional since 1987, and has extensive and diverse experience in corporate and commercial fitness venues.

I have a long and glorious career in health and fitness. I started teaching aerobics right out of high school, and graduated with a degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotion from the University of Texas at Austin. My career brought me to San Francisco, and eventually to Portland, Oregon, where I have lived since 2006. Although I have worked in management of fitness facilities both commercial and corporate, I love to work with clients directly, teaching classes and working with clients individually and in small groups. I am an ACE Fitness Master Trainer, and am also certified as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness instructor through ACE. I am certified in TRX Suspension Training, group cycling, Pilates mat, yoga, Group Step and Group Centergy, and am a Certified Barefoot Training Specialist. I am also a Vivobarefoot certified running coach. As a trainer, I love to work with a variety of people. I love to help people learn to love exercise and love to push to the next level people who are already strong, but want the next level. I have worked with clients for weight loss, and have successfully helped clients improve their performance with sport-specific training. Athletes I have trained for sport include skiers, runners, tennis players, equestrians, surfers, motorcyclists, and more. I am also a competitive age-group runner. I love to run and race trails and roads, and I have run 8 marathons as of this posting, including the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon. Even though I've been in this business for over 25 years, I never assume I know enough. Ours is a constantly evolving field, and I like to stay at the front of what is happening in my industry. There is always something new and exciting. I wish like heck that I had coined the term "muscle confusion", but even though I didn't, I have been using exercise specificity and variety in exercise to help clients meet their goals for a long time. I believe in training smart and hard, but having fun. I think everyone can find something they love to do, and that's the key to lifelong fitness.