BP news

I had my appointment with the doctor this morning regarding my high blood pressure. It has come down quite a bit over the last week or so. I guess the game plan is working. We borrowed a BP monitor from Lani's aunt, and I have been checking it multiple times a day all week long. I was pleased to see that my BP had come down quite a lot. In fact, a lot of my readings were in the normal range. That was a relief. I brought a copy of my spreadsheet with all my data (BP, pulse, date/time, activity prior to reading, and food I had eaten).

This morning, the doc said I was quite a conundrum. I am healthy, I eat well, I exercise, and he couldn't find anything wrong with me, but my BP was still a little high. My worst fear was that he'd go straight for the meds. I really do not want to take drugs, so I was relieved when he said he was reluctant to write a prescription. However, if he can't figure anything out, he didn't seem to have a problem with putting me on some. Based on my spreadsheet, he thinks I am very stress-sensitive. We decided to do some blood work and do a follow-up in three weeks. Between now and then, he recommended that I look into meditation, visual imagery, biofeedback, or anything else that might help deal with stress. Does anybody know any good books/videos/cds, or have any recommendations?

Beyond the Epic Run

What does it take to run around the world? In February 2000, that's what Swiss couple Serge and Nicole Roethleli set out to do. This epic run took them from Europe, across Africa, through the Middle East and Asia, and finally the United States. Can you imagine the dedication, the drive, and endurance necessary for such a feat? Over 25,000 miles in 5 years. What a way to see and experience the world! If you haven't seen it already (and even if you have, it's worth watching again), here's the trailer:
Now, if you'd like to know more about this intriguing film, I have some connections. Annie, my contact person with the film, mentioned to me that should I have any questions that I'd like to ask Serge, she could make a phone call and ask. So, I am opening this up to all of you. Here's your chance to get more information straight from the source, Serge himself. Leave a question in the comments, and I'll email them to Annie, and then post the responses in another post.

Here are a couple more videos to keep you entertained until then.

Dean Karnezes on the Epic Run

A montage of some of Serge's misfortunes

911. What's your emergency?

I'm sitting here with ice on my knee wondering what is going on. I originally hurt it back in October and took a couple months off, only running a few times. In the middle of December, I started running again without any problem, and was pleased to see that I hadn't lost much fitness. Things were going really well until a couple weekends ago when my knee started hurting again. I took the next week off and ran the following weekend. It felt ok on that run, but I wanted to keep playing it safe, so I didn't run again until last night. About 3 miles into the run, I started to feel it again. I made it home after walking and stretching a for a minute. I was able to pinpoint the pain just below the knee towards the outside. I'm starting to think it might be a stress fracture, but I'm not sure. Whatever it is, I think I need to do what I should probably have done a long time ago--find a doctor. Does anyone know how to find a good doctor knowledgeable in running injuries or is a runner him/herself? I really just want to get this taken care of. Thanks for your tips!

The Freakishly Flexible 5k

If you don't know Non-Runner Nancy, you are missing out on one incredibly awesome runner/blogger. She's the ever-supportive, funny, inspirational virtual race director who happens to have some crazy problem with her hip that is putting her future as a runner in jeopardy. In order to show our support for her as she prepares for surgery to repair the damage in her hip, USJogger is putting together a virtual race in her honor, The Freakishly Flexible 5k on (or around) February 14th. Please spread the word and join us in supporting Nancy!

Only in my dreams

Have you ever dreamed about other running bloggers? I hope this doesn't weird anybody out, but last night I did. It kinda weirds me out, because I have never met any of these bloggers (I have actually met one running blogger in person, but he wasn't in this dream).

So, this dream involved RazZDoodle, Vanilla, and some other nameless runners. The only reason I can think of why these guys is the half dozen post-marathon posts each of them has written over the last couple weeks and the multiple pictures of each other in them. Come to think of it, I think they were wearing the same clothes in my dream. The pieces are beginning to come together...

So I was meeting up with Razz and Vanilla (and the others) at some place for a run. It reminded me of a college campus... lots of people, courtyards, old buildings, etc. While we were waiting for everyone to get there, I had to use the restroom so I excused myself. When I came out of the restroom, I walked into a large theatre. I had to walk between rows of seats to get out. Just then, people started filing in for a symphony wearing tuxedos and fancy dresses. I had to squeeze past them as I was trying to get through and even had to climb on the seats to get out. Needless to say, with the small delay, my running buddies left without me with no indication of where they went. I decided to start running and see if I could track them down. I concluded that there were only two ways they could have gone. Either into the city, or down the country roads into the mountains. I chose the country roads because they would have been better to run on because there would be more traffic in the city. After running for a while, I realized that I must have gone the wrong way (surely I would have caught up to them by now), and decided to turn around. That's when the doorbell rang and woke me up (at 5:45 AM). How disappointing! I wanted to find out why the left me. Were they in danger? Were they kidnapped? Was a loved one kidnapped and/or in danger and they had to go in a hurry? Did they just not like me? Where did they go, and what adventures were they having? And what happened to me along the way?

Now, if I was really creative, I'd make up an ending to this dream, but since I'm trying to quickly eat my lunch at work, I'm going to make this a "choose your own adventure" and let you finish the story for me in the comments. I can't wait to read your ending!

Pregos represent!

By Lani

So my fetal son participated in a women's race last Saturday. Turns out he actually wasn't the only male. But that's not what this post is about. Ax Jr. may not have been the only male, but I am fairly certain I was the only pregnant runner. I looked around me all through the race and afterward and didn't see any other tell-tale baby bumps. (Granted there could have been several ladies with peanut-sized children in their wombs, but how could I know?) Where are all the pregnant runners?

I was flipping through some of our old Runner's World magazines today and saw a little blurb (November 2007) where a pregnant runner complained, "My doctor gave me the green light to run while pregnant, but other people--even runners--look at me like I'm doing something wrong." I've never been the recipient of any dirty looks, but plenty of incredulous comments. When I told my brother-in-law I ran a race, his response was, "In your condition?!" A hardcore female running friend ran through all her pregnancies but thought I was some combination of brave and crazy to do actually run a race. Is it really that strange?

Recent research has demonstrated the benefits of prenatal exercise and health experts now encourage pregnant women to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Personally, I'm nowhere near that, though I wish I had that kind of motivation. Which is why I signed up for a race... to motivate myself to get out the door.

I've been running off and on throughout this pregnancy, and I do plan to continue as long as I can. You know... I'd really like to see more pregnant race participants. If pregnant runners don't get out there and race with those baby bumps, the concept will continue to seem taboo. Let's show ourselves and the world that we can most definitely run "in [our] condition!"

An unexpected running partner

Happy Thanksgiving!!

It's definitely not easy to go without running when you have an injury. The knee has been feeling OK, so I was tempted to give it a try this week. Lani and the girls have been out of town :-(, so Boston (our little dog) has been home alone while I go to work. I was feeling sorry for him, so I decided to take him for a long walk just to get him outside. I really needed some fresh air too, and a little bit of exercise. So, out we went. We had only made it around the corner when Boston started trotting along, pulling on the leash. What's a guy to do, especially when he is looking for an excuse to run? Up the road, and down the bike path we went. He was really moving along. Then I got to thinking, "Dude, Boston, you're just a little Shih Tsu. You weren't made for running distances." So, I slowed him down to a walk. Not much longer after that, he wanted to go some more. Who am I to stop a puppy from having a little fun after being so alone all day long? We ended up jogging/walking about a mile and a half. It was great! It felt so good to be moving again. The knee held up just fine, but it still doesn't feel quite right.

The next day, we did it again, and we actually ran most of the way. This time, I noticed my knee a bit more. I've come to the conclusion that it is not my ITB. Feeling around, I was finally able to pinpoint the location of discomfort. Up until now, it has just been general discomfort on the outside of my right knee. It is most sensitive right on the top of the head of my fibula. What could have caused that? The only thing I can think of is over training. I'm kind of wondering if it is a stress fracture, but a stress fracture on the fibula is very rare as it is not really a weight bearing bone. It might also have something to do with my lateral collateral ligament, which connects to the fibula, but damage to this ligament is usually caused by something hitting the inside of the knee, pushing it outward. I'm pretty sure nothing like that happened. So, I'm don't really know what's going on. Any ideas? I should probably go have it checked out, huh?

With Lani out of town, I didn't have to worry about feeling guilty about leaving her home this morning getting Thanksgiving dinner ready (don't worry, I've got a couple brothers and a sister-in-law coming over for dinner, so it won't just be me and Boston). I decided to volunteer at another local race. This was the Thanksgiving Day Classic, a 5k and a 10 mile run. It was raining pretty hard last night, and it was still raining when I got up this morning, so I was a little worried for the runners. But just in time for the start, it had started clearing up and the sun began to peak through the clouds. They had me working the registration table again. I'm getting quite a lot of experience there. I think I'd really like to work a water station sometime. Maybe another time.

Anyways, I hope you all have a nice Thanksgiving!

Seen any good movies lately?

Hey everyone. I need your help. In order to keep my cross country kids motivated to keep working hard this season, I set up a points system and promised them a movie if they earned enough points. This has worked pretty well. At least once a week I have kids asking how many points they have or how many more they need. The season is winding down, and I still need to pick out a movie for them. I need some help selecting a movie. Here are my criteria:

• The kids are 6th and 7th graders, so to play it safe, I'd like a PG movie. 
  
• It would be cool to have a running-related movie, but not necessary.
  
• The movie can only be about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or have some parts we can easily skip.
  

I'm planning to ask the kids for ideas, but I'd love your help if you have any ideas. Thanks!

Updates

Anybody have any idea what to do about this? The band had been coming loose for a while now, but this week that side came off completely. It was really annoying today on my long run taking my splits. Now, for many runners, this would be the perfect excuse to upgrade to a Garmin. As much as I'd like to do that, I really can't afford it. Is there some kind of adhesive that would work to hold it together? Is it worth it? Any help is much appreciated.

Marathon training is going really well. I've been really surprised at how much endurance I've had. I was really worried after my mile training that it would take a long time to work up my miles, let alone running them at a good pace. I've been following the FIRST plan (except for the long run). My interval and tempo runs have been awesome. I haven't had a problem running the prescribed paces. I've actually been able to keep my times well under that pace on all my runs. The long run is a different story. The program started out with a 13 mile long run. The next week had a 15 mile run, and today was supposed to be a 17 miler. That's still a little to much for me, but I am getting there. Last Saturday, I planned to do an 8 mile run at about an 8 minute pace. I ended up doing 9 with a 7:26 average pace, and still feeling like I could do more. Today I planned for 10, with the option of doing 11 (or maybe even 12). This run was a lot harder than last week's. I could tell within the first half mile that it was going to be tough. I still managed to do 11 at a 7:57 pace, but it definitely took more out of me than I was expecting. Overall though, I'm very pleased with my training so far.

Other Updates:
The cross country season is about half over. The middle schoolers I am coaching have made tons of progress. It has been fun to see the improvements. I've got 18 kids this year. That is a huge team compared to the 3 I had last year. We did, however, just have progress reports which made about half the team ineligible with poor grades. Fortunately, they will only miss one meet before they are allowed to come back (if they've gotten their grades up). So, that's good news.

I now have a 5 year old! My oldest daughter had a birthday this week. She's very excited to be five. We had a birthday party for her today. You gotta love the excitement of little children.

Announcing the 1 Mile Virtual Race

That's right folks. Forget about those looong 8 mile, 9 mile and 10k virtual races that another blogger puts together. It's time for a short virtual race! I have been working on breaking the 5 minute barrier, and I'd love to do it with all of my running blogging buddies.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. So many of you have been such a wonderful source of encouragement in this quest of mine. It only seems fitting that we experience this milestone together. All you have to do is run 1 mile as fast or as slow as you want anytime between September 1st and 7th. You are welcome to write a race report about your own mile. Then just leave a comment once you've finished. You know the drill.

Feel free to snag the logo for your blog or the widget countdown in my sidebar. I'd really appreciate you spreading the word and getting this race out there.

So please let me know if you'd like to participate and kick out this monumental mile with me. This will be so amazing knowing I've got all of you out running with me. Let's break through that barrier together!

Mile Attempt #12 slash Race report slash Virtual Mile Challenge

If you haven't noticed already, the countdown to my 1 Mile Race is complete. Lani, the girls, and I drove down to Tucson, the land of Lani's nativity, yesterday afternoon. It was a nice trip. The weather was great (about 15 degrees cooler than Phoenix), and there were beautiful mountains which made us a little homesick for Utah Valley. We got to see the neighborhood and house where Lani spent the first couple years of her life, but the purpose of the trip was the race. I was feeling really good, despite the fact that I helped with a church service project that morning clearing out tons of weeds for a community garden, and then trimming the tree in our own front yard. I was also feeling very confident and rested after an easy week.

We got to the track around 5:30, got registered, changed into my running attire, and started watching the other age group races unfold as I waited for my heat. The youngest group was first, and then they continued from the oldest down to the high school age kids. There were some pretty impressive runners out there. It was fun to watch. As the time passed, and my race grew closer, I started running some laps to warm up and check out my competition. Although my real competition was the clock.

By the time my race was to begin, it had gotten pretty dark. The stadium lights were on, producing a sort of erie green glow from the football field, and leaving the world outside the track in darkness. We were called to the line, and the race began. I jumped right out to the front, and by about 200m I couldn't hear the footsteps behind me. I was hoping there would be someone sticking with me to help push the pace. As I completed the first lap, I saw Lani and the girls on the infield cheering me on, and heard the the time of 1:15 called out. Right on schedule, I thought. Things were looking good. It was during the second lap that I noticed my mouth was really dry. I thought I had been drinking plenty of water throughout the day, but maybe I needed more. I didn't feel like I was slowing down much though. But when I finished lap 2, I was at 2:37. If I was going to beat 5 minutes, I'd need to pick things up a bit. I still wasn't hearing any footsteps behind me, but I could hear people cheering for other people, so I knew they weren't far behind. Lap 3 was another relatively slow one. I crossed the line at about 4:02 realizing that the 5 minute mile was out of reach. I didn't slow down though. But as I turned onto the back straightaway, my lead was diminishing, and I was passed. He seemed to be flying. I turned on the juice, determined not to let him blow me away. With about 150m to go, I was sprinting all out. My fastest finish ever. But it wasn't enough. I crossed the finish line with a time of 5:16. I couldn't believe it. I thought for sure I had been faster than that. I felt like I was definitely going fast enough to at least PR. But, alas. It was not to be. Don't get me wrong, second place is still good, and I had a great time doing it. I was just expecting a little more from myself.

Maybe I had taken too much rest during the week. Maybe I wasn't properly fueled since I'm not accustomed to running in the evening. Maybe it was my altruistic service and yard work out in the sun and heat earlier in the day. Maybe it was that extra 9 meters they added to make it an accurate mile. Who knows? The fact is, I didn't make it, and there will have to be at least one more mile attempt before I start my winter marathon training.

This is where I need your help. I'm going to borrow Nancy's virtual race director's cap (hope you don't mind, Nancy!) and plan a 1 Mile Virtual Race for September 6th, the weekend before I start my marathon program. I suppose you could do "1 on the 1st." That would be Labor Day. Any time that week is cool with me. I know it's pretty short notice, but that 5:16 under my "personal record" heading is a little depressing. I'd love to challenge all of you to a virtual mile to help push me under that 5 minute barrier. So many of you have been a huge support for me and a wonderful source of encouragement. Wouldn't it be awesome to experience it together?! I know I can do it, and I'd love for you to be a part of it. Let me know what you think, and spread the word. I'll try to get a nifty logo made up in the next day or so for you to post on your blogs. Thanks again for your support. I look forward to breaking that barrier with you!

Stay tuned for attempt #13.

Mile Attempt #11

Not much to say about today's attempt besides what I need to do to get better. Last time, I was overflowing with confidence. I really believed I'd be able to do it (didn't happen, but I set a new PR), but this week, for some reason, I just wasn't feeling it. My speedwork sessions this week were less than extraordinary. Tuesday's workout was pretty good, but I had to cut it short because I had to get to a meeting before work. I did 6x400m, four of which were at or under 1:15, and I cut my recovery time by about a minute. Thursday, I did 4x800m, and I was really struggling. I wanted to keep them all under 2:30, but was only able to manage one at exactly that time. So, I arrived at the track this morning with much less confidence than I needed. Plus, there were tons of people on the track, including a couple friends from church. Luckily, I didn't have to dodge anybody, but it was worrying me the entire time.

Lap 1 was really good at 1:13, but I wasn't able to keep it up, and slowed to 1:23 for lap 2. I was able to do the third lap only slightly faster at 1:20 and the final lap in a disappointing 1:18. Even though that lap felt faster, it wasn't much of a finishing kick. My final time was 5:14, 5 seconds slower that my last attempt.

So, what do I need to do to get better? First and foremost, I need to believe I can do it. I think my lack of confidence today was my biggest obstacle. If I can see myself achieving my goal, I will be much more likely to do it. A little confidence can go a long way.

I also need to adjust my interval training. I've been doing a lot of 400s at pace, and have gotten pretty comfortable. I've managed to cut my recovery time, but I think I need to do them faster. Maybe around 1:11 or 1:12. The 800s I've done could really use some work. I need to be able to consistently do them in 2:30 or better. Maybe doing some 600s would be a good step up toward the 800s.

I really appreciate the interest many of you have shown in this little quest of mine and the encouragement you have given me along the way. Does anybody have any suggestions for me? I'd love some new ideas!

Say tuned for attempt #12.

What have I done?

And what am I doing?

This week's Take It & Run Thursday at the Runner's Lounge provoked some self-examination of what I have accomplished this year and my goals for the rest of the year.

This last year, I haven't been able to much racing because I had to save my money for our trip to Boston back in April, but that it perfectly fine. I would not have traded that experience for any amount of racing. The Boston Marathon was something I have wanted to do since I first started considering running marathons just over 4 years ago. Running that marathon was such an incredible experience. None of my other marathons can come close to comparing. This was definitely the highlight of my year so far. As of right now, there are no other marathon plans in the very near future, but I am looking for a good one to run this winter. If you know of any good ones run on a Saturday in the southwest, please let me know.

After Boston, I didn't really have any plans or other races in mind, but I wanted to work on my speed in the mile. This idea actually started last September when I watched the film Without Limits for the first time. Inspired by the dedication and drive of Steve Prefontaine, I decided I'd like to break 5 minutes in the mile. This summer I have been seriously working on it, and I am getting very close. You can follow my progress in the sidebar of my blog. Just a couple weeks ago, I came across an organized 1 Mile Race in Tucson, AZ at the end of August. I am really looking forward to testing myself against other runners.

With school starting next week, I am looking forward to coaching the cross-country and track teams at the middle school in the district where I work. Now that I have some coaching experience under my belt, I think this year will be a lot better than last year. Hopefully, I'll be able to pass on some of my knowledge and motivate the kids to have a great season (and hopefully, we'll have more kids come out!).

What to expect for the rest of the year:
- A lot of speed work. I will be breaking that 5 minute barrier in the near future. I hope to build up some more endurance with that speed to then improve my 5k and 10k times.
- Increase my mileage as fall approaches. I would really like to train for a marathon this winter and shoot for a PR. Who knows, maybe with the speed I have built up, a sub-3 hour marathon is possible.

I am really looking forward to my future in running. Working on my speed has been a fun change, and it has been very exciting to see the progress I have made. Achieving goals is extremely motivating. I can't wait to see what else I am capable of.

Mile attempt #5

Yesterday, while Lani and the girls were visiting Grandma, I headed out for a run. As I was getting ready, I remembered the high school track was not far from her house. So I thought make another attempt at my 5 minute mile. It's been a couple weeks since my last attempt, so I wanted to give it another try. My first lap was right on pace, but I was really feeling it. Things went downhill from there. By the end of the third lap, I just wanted to quit, but I couldn't let myself do that. I mean, come on, there's only one lap to go. I'm not a quitter. That final lap was killer though. As I rounded the final turn, I looked at my watch and realized I was in reach of a new PR, so I gave it all I had and just about died as I crossed the finish. I looked down at my watch and saw 5:26. I was pretty proud of my finish time considering how hard the run was.

Does anybody know how long it takes to get used to elevation changes as far as training goes? My brother-in-law's place is over 4000 feet higher than Phoenix. I know going up in elevation makes training more difficult than in lower elevations, so I am kinda thinking that I'll be able to get to that 5 minute mark when we head home. Until then, I'll get in as much training as I can.

Stay tuned for attempt #6.

Calling all creative minds! Contest!

I love running bloggers! They are so creative and witty and clever and fun. I need your help. Lani and I recently purchased a used car, and it really needs a name. It is a 2007 Chevy HHR. It's a pretty sweet ride, but saying "Hop into the HHR, girls" or "I'm gonna take the HHR" is kinda cumbersome and awkward to say. HHR? What is that? I know what Chevy says it means (Heritage High Roof - Lame!), but we want a real name.

So this car has the initials HHR, and we need some help coming up with a fun name for him or her. We want YOU to tell us what those letters stand for--first, middle, and last name. Lani is posting about this little contest on her blog, and after the deadline of 10:00 p.m. (AZ time) on Sunday, June 1, she and I will go through the entries, pick a winner, and they'll get some kind of prize (to be determined). Unfortunately, the prize won't be a sweet bike or anything fancy like that, but it'll be something you might like. So get creative and post a comment below. Thanks for your help!

Mile attempt #4 and other stuff

Today's attempt was sort of spontaneous because my running schedule was off with the holiday on Monday. I enjoyed a nice easy run on Monday without having to get up early before work. I've been doing my mile attempts on Tuesdays, so I thought I'd do it on Thursday this week. But last night, I felt like I really wanted to run. So I went out today after my wife got home from her run. I did my mile warm-up out to the start and took off. My first quarter mile was right on pace, but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it up all the way, so I slowed down a smidge and was at 2:39 at the half. Apparently I slowed down another smidge or two because I ended up with a 5:29. I was pretty surprised with that time because I felt like I was going faster and pushing harder than I did last time. I blame it on my workout from last Saturday. I did three 1-mile repeats at 6:00 pace because I have a 5k coming up on June 7th, and thought I ought to get some speedwork geared toward that. I guess I can't improve every time.

Stay tuned for attempt #5.

Wow, I just looked at that paragraph and realized how boring it is! But, I'm too lazy to go back and rewrite it. I will share some other random thoughts, though.

1. Lani and I will both be doing the above-mentioned 5k on the 7th. This is a run we have been doing every summer for the last 6 years or so. It's become sort of a tradition. I've done it every year, and Lani has done it 3 or 4 times. She hopes to really see what she can do. I think her best 5k is about 33 minutes, but that was when she wasn't the runner she is today. I think she'll be closer to 27 minutes. Expect to see a race report from her early June. They also have tons of big prizes randomly given away after the race. We've never won anything, so cross your fingers for us.

2. I've been seeing a lot about the USATF Stretch Study lately, and can't decide if I want to do it or not. I read about it last summer, and I still have the same hesitations now. I would really like to participate, but I am afraid that I'll be put into the stretching group, which would require me to stretch prior to a run. I never stretch before a run, and I am afraid of what might happen. The purpose of the study, after all, is to look at the rate of injury between the stretching and the non-stretching group. What do you think about it?

3. I've only received one response to my solicitation to start a running blogging group to Move a Million Miles for Ryan Hall. It's just a simple way to show support for Ryan as he prepares for the Olympic Marathon. All you have to do is log your total weekly miles on the website. If anyone is interested in doing it with me and Shilingi-Moja, just post a comment.

4. We are looking forward to our summer. School is almost out (Friday is my last day before summer vacation) and I am definitely looking forward to some time off from work and more time to be with my family (and more time to run, too). In addition to the 5k on the 7th, I'm also planning on a 10 mile race on the 14th. Lani and I will also be doing a 10k on the 4th of July. Should be a lot of fun.

Get movin'!

I was amazed watching the coverage of the men's Olympic Trials Marathon last October. Those guys can really move! Since then, I have tried to keep up with what is going on with the U.S. marathoners. About a week ago, I read a post from Shilingi-Moja about a movement to support Ryan Hall as he prepares for the Olympics. It is not a fundraiser or anything, just a way to show some support and encourage people to live a more active lifestyle. I thought it was pretty cool, and signed up. The goal is to Move a Million Miles by means of any human-powered activity (e.g., running, biking, swimming, walking, etc.) before the start of the Olympic Marathon on August 24th.

I got an email this week saying that there are currently over 1600 participants covering over 200,000 miles. As of today, every participant would need to move 5 miles per day to reach that goal. Not too bad, but I sure don't run 5 miles a day every single day. Needless to say, more participants are needed. So, click the link, sign up and start logging you miles and support Ryan Hall and the rest of the U.S. Olympic team.

If anyone is interested, there is an option to report miles as a group. Maybe we can start a group of running bloggers. Post a comment and we can come up with a group name. Pass the word along, and let's start adding up the miles.

Mile attempt #3

I've got good news and bad news for todays attempt at the 5-minute mile. Let's start with the bad news. There was no wind this morning. Nothing whatsoever to push me from behind and give me the boost I got last week. Here's the good news: There was no wind, and I still beat my time from last week. By one second. That's an all-time PR for me. That came somewhat as a surprise because I was really feeling like I was going much slower than last time, but it boosted my confidence that I'll reach this goal sooner than later.

Nitmos asked what I was doing to increase my speed, so here is a brief synopsis of my training. Until last Thursday, I hadn't done anything specific to train for my mile besides going out and running the mile as fast as I could. I decided to do a little interval session this week, and I feel it made a big difference. I ran four 400m repeats in 1:15. That's the pace I need to do per quarter mile for a 5-minute mile. Let me tell you, that was so hard. As I have been focusing on the marathon for the last 6+ months, I really had no idea how fast that was. So for the first interval, I just ran as hard as I could (knowing I had at least 3 more to do). I did that one in 1:07. Much faster than I wanted to go. I was able to reign it in for the next three, running 1:13, 1:12, and 1:14. After that, I couldn't do any more. I think I will do this workout again. I'm also thinking of doing some 800m and mile repeats in the coming weeks. Anybody have any suggestions for other workouts that will help improve my mile time? I'll definitely keep you updated on my progress.

Stay tuned for attempt #4.

Boston Q&A

I provide the questions, you provide the answers...please. Boston is less than a week away, and my wife and I are trying to figure out some of the logistics for our trip. So, I have some questions for all you Boston Marathon veterans.

1. Would it be worth it for my wife to drive me to the start? She would like to see me start, but I know there is limited parking. So I am wondering if it is very likely to find a place to park without getting there super early, and if my wife would be able to get out of there and still be able to see me at a couple other points along the course. Would it be better for me to just take the bus and meet my wife somewhere along the course?
2. Do you know of some good places for my wife to see me and be able to get in and out quickly?
3. While I was reading in the race booklet I got in the mail, it said that it could take considerable time getting through the finish area to meet family and friends. How long is a considerable amount of time? I don't want to spend considerable time getting through, I want to see my wife (and we have a flight leaving in the early evening that I would rather not miss).
4. Is the pre-race dinner worth the $20 we'd have to pay for my wife to get in?
5. Any other tips or advice for me or my spectators is much appreciated!

We've got a pretty packed schedule for the weekend. Since my wife spent part of her childhood near Boston, we have friends to see and visit, and then we need to fly out not long after the race (hopefully I can get a shower beforehand). I would love to meet up with some of you bloggers in the athlete's village before the start if anyone is up for that. Where would be a good place to meet?

Toenails Poll

Since the time I started training for my first marathon about 4 years ago, I have heard many accounts of the prevalence of blackened toenails and/or toenails falling off as a result of running. It kinda grossed me out at first, but I accepted that it will probably eventually happen to me. Maybe I've been blessed with perfect-for-my-feet running shoes, but over the course of the last 4 years, I have never had a single problem with any of my toenails. And to be honest, it wasn't until last week that I heard a first-hand account of it actually happening. I began to wonder, "How frequently does this happen? Does it really happen as often as they say? Am I an anomaly?" In an effort to uncover the truth, I am creating a poll: Have you personally ever had a toenail turn black and/or fall off as a result of running? To respond, see the poll in my sidebar (just below my Boston Marathon countdown). Thanks for your help!

UPDATE: See my recent post with survey results and a few suggestions.