Intangible Rewards

It's been exactly two weeks since the race.  Good sense tells me that posts about running are off limits.  But I never claimed to have good sense all the time. (Stay with me here, this isn't really a post about running.)

It took about a week to get over the soreness of the race.  I did my first run afterwards on the the following Monday - eight minutes of painful and tender hobbling along.  By Friday, everything was back in order.

Of more significance, however, has been my state of mind since the race.  I anticipated it happening...it's a very common occurrence.  I spent months having been consumed with the training and the anticipation of the race, and then, on December 9, it's done.  As I fully expected, the euphoria of completing the task was very short lived.

If you have followed my blogging about the race, you may have been tempted to admire the effort of the training.  But here's an ironic take on that.  The effort came easy, because there was a clear task at hand.  In training for such a huge task, there is no option to skip a run.  I considered every run as absolutely necessary, even the short ones.

Now that a clear goal is no longer there, it is much easier to skip runs.  It takes much more effort now to run than it did before the race.

And herein lies some sort of great life lesson, which I am still working to solidify in my mind.

The lesson has something to do with the value of plugging away at some effort that is completely worthy - like routine running, but without the marathon goal.  Routine running has a long list of positive effects.  The reward is not necessarily immediate or tangible.  But it is worthy, nevertheless.

There must be a whole bag full of such endeavors.  They are completely worthy (much more so than running), but their reward is not necessarily immediate or tangible.  It is these things that require an incredible amount of mental energy.  But you may never be able to connect a short term goal with them, such as a marathon.

March 2006

A few things come to mind, but I'm sure there are more.  The first and most obvious one is child rearing.  Day after day after day, parents (mostly mothers) plug away at one of the most worthy endeavors of all - the influencing of another little human being - expending incredible amounts of energy.  How that little person turns out has everything to do with the day to day grind of motherhood.  Of course, this is not to say that the mother is responsible for everything the child does later in life.  But she has a position of influence like no other person in the world.  For the most part, she has no big goal like a marathon that can be finished.  She just plugs away, never having the satisfaction of passing some point of completion.  She is always a mother.

Another thing that comes to mind is work.  Yes, it is rewarding for some.  But for others, it requires an incredible amount of energy to do it day after day, with no great reward.  Sure, there is immediate financial compensation, but perhaps it is just adequate, or worse - less than adequate.  But they plug away anyway, because it is worthy.  This is more admirable than running a marathon.

Perhaps something else comes to your mind.  Perhaps you have watched someone who presses on day by day in some endeavor which has no immediate or tangible reward.  And you admire them for that.  In the Spirit of Christmas, perhaps you should tell them.

The Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon

After anticipating this day since late June, we set out from our house at 5:15 a.m. after about 6 hours of sleep and arrived in the sleepy town of Rehoboth Beach, DE for the Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon.

(Note:  clicking on the pictures will enlarge them.  Clicking on the links will take you to other pages.)

For those of you who want the Cliff Notes version:

• Event:  Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon
• Date:  December 8, 2012
• Weather:  52 degrees, heavily overcast, no rain
• Time to complete:  4 hours, 10 minutes, and 14 seconds
• Average pace:  9:33/mile
• Overall Finishing position:  430 out of 823 runners
• What I predicted:  525th, 4:08:00
• Finishing position in age group:  37 out of 68 runners
• Finishing position among males:  310 out of 517 runners
• Time for first half:  2:01:48
• Time for second half:  2:08:26
• Pace in first 6.55 miles - 9:02/mile
• Pace in first half - 9:18/mile
• Pace in second half - 9:49/mile
• Official Results from Lin-mark Sports. 
• Official Photos at US Candids (select Rehoboth Marathon 12/8/12 -search for bib #901) .
• The winner was a fellow we have met, Enos "E" Benbow Jr..  He finished in 2:45:21 with a pace of 6:19/mile.  E helped coach Sarah some when she ran track two years ago.

For those of you who were interested in the Strategy I mentioned in a previous post, here are the answers:

The Starting Line

- I didn't want to start out too fast.  Not a problem.  There were 2000 people crammed into a street about 50 yards in length behind the starting line, all waiting very patiently to begin.  This mass trudged along for quite some time, putting a harness on everyone's adrenaline.

- I intended to pick out a runner to run behind, who would help me keep pace.  I didn't really find this person, and ran behind various runners who never really fit the bill.  I did find one good prospect around mile 15. I had glanced at my watch, gave up on trying to do the math in my head, and asked a lady who met most of my criteria for the pacing partner.  Based on my quick math, I thought we were running at a pace to finish around 4 hrs, 15 minutes.  I asked if she was tracking her pace.  "No," she said, "But it feels like we are running to finish in about 4 hrs 10 minutes, maybe 4 hrs 15 minutes."  Great, just about what I thought.  Then I noticed that she had no fancy gadget.  In fact, she wasn't even wearing a watch.  She WAS the runner for whom I had been searching.  She had obviously done this a lot. (Note:  I discovered that it was Kristen Hine of Baltimore.  She finished 425th with a time of 4:09:32, 5 places and 42 seconds ahead of me.)

Mile 11.7 near the DQ in Lewes

- It didn't take long to realize that she was a faster runner than I was.  I consciously had to say to myself "Let her go, she's too fast for you."  So I did.  I don't know where she finished.  At that point in the race, I determined that a 4 hour finish time was probably out of reach, and I was perfectly content with that.




 - Finishing strong was important to me.  The last mile is perhaps the highlight of the race.  You know you are about to finish, and the joy of accomplishing the task sets in.  Almost got a cramp in my right calf because I picked up the pace in that mile, but I immediately slowed until I knew it was in check.  Then I passed 5 or 6 runners in the last stretch, awing the roaring crowd (O.K. So perhaps they weren't actually in awe, but I can believe what I want, cause it's my story.)

Mile 19.3, also near the DQ in Lewes

- The course, as expected, was spectacular.  And I enjoyed it the best I could.  But you are so focused on running that you have to almost force yourself to take it in.  Keep in mind that when you have a goal in mind for a specific finishing time, you are constantly having to push to run a little faster than you really want to.  If you are out for a casual jog, it is different.  You are doing this for hours on end.  It takes a lot of mental energy, believe it or not, and this is part of what makes the marathon a challenge.

For those of you wondering about my health:

- I felt great at the end of the race.  My only effects were a blister on one toe, and a little chafing under one arm.  Some soreness in my thighs set in around mile 20.  The next morning,  my thighs were sore, but just muscle soreness I would expect - nothing to indicate any kind of injury.

For those of you wondering what part of the marathon I liked best:

Family and Friends

- Sharing it with my friends and family.  This whole thing has been a big event in the the lives of our whole family since June.  Sure, you do something big and you want others to witness it... I can't deny that there is some of that sentiment, which is self-centered and in my view somewhat unattractive.  But that's not what I'm getting at in "sharing" it.  We are all involved in different things that are important to each one of us.  And we "share" those experiences with each other by talking about them - letting each other know what we are doing.  In doing that, we all get to experience the joy of the event.  A classic example is inviting others to our weddings.  It isn't a matter of "Look at what we've done," but rather "Come and experience the joy of our marriage."  Now of course, this particular event isn't on the level of a wedding, but it's the same idea.  It is the sharing of lives that brings joy to our hearts as social creatures.  It is that sharing which, in fact, makes us less self-centered, because others get to share our joy.

The Finish behind Rehoboth Beach Running Company

- In that light, I have to mention a few people by name.  Mom and Dad, Steve & Marcia Miller and their boys, Aleisa Timmons (Bud had to work), Kirk and Barbara Westfall, and Al Abrams of Sea Finds in Rehoboth all came to the race to cheer me on.  Tina's Aunt Helen showed unparalleled interest in the race from the very beginning, texted during the race for updates, and sent us a donation, which we used to buy breakfast afterwards at Sammy's Kitchen on Wilmington Avenue.   Rick Baker, who would have been there except for another commitment, called right after the race.  Bill Sammons of 88.7 The Bridge mentioned the marathon on his morning show last week.  None of these people have any particular interest in running.  If you aren't a runner, talk about running is just plain boring.  Watching it is boring as well.  This is what makes people who show interest and support all the more special.

Kirk, Mom, Barbara, Dad, Marcia & baby

Al Abrams

- Many others gave me their ear to talk about the race beforehand (well, they appeared to give me an ear... perhaps I just took it.)  This was important to me.  You can tell when someone expresses genuine interest in what you are doing.  And that says "I care about you... I want to know."  That is all part of that sharing.  And that's what I desire to do for those around me with whatever it is they are doing. 

Tina

For those of you who wonder what my family thought of the marathon:

Tina and the kids were all completely supportive.  They never once complained that my training was a nuisance, even though at times I know it was.  What can I say to that except thank you.  And thanks to the rest of you as well.

Strategy

You may be wondering if I have some sort of strategy for running the marathon.  In fact, I do:

• Don't start out too fast.  I made this mistake in 2003.  It is easy to do with the adrenaline rush that comes at the start of the race.
• Once the mass of runners spreads out after a mile or so, I like to fall in behind someone who I judge to be a good runner.  These folks are easy to spot.  They dress in appropriate running wear, run with good form, appear comfortable with their pace, and often have interesting gadgets.  During the 1/2 marathon I ran in September, I found a lady who had a gps watch.  The watch tracked her pace, and she could tell at any point in time what pace she was running.
• The above person may be running at a slightly faster pace than I have typically trained at.  Trailing such a person serves to push you to run a little harder than you normally would.
• This strategy can backfire.  Part of the problem in 2003 was that I implemented this strategy and ended up choosing someone that was running too fast.
• I have in my head I want to finish in 4 hours, which is ambitious for my level of training.  I could avoid the whole issue by just lowering my goal time.  I'm hoping that I did learn one thing over the years.  That would be having the good sense to pick the right person to trail.  I was successful during the half marathon, so there is hope.  Often you end up changing the running partner if they become a poor match.
• I hope to finish strong.  If all goes as planned, I expect the most difficult portion of the race to be miles 20 to 23 (if the great difficulty comes before that, I'm in trouble).  After that, and new adrenaline rush begins to set in with the excitement of finishing the race.

 And that's about the sum of it.  Besides all that technical stuff, I plan to enjoy the run.  It's a beautiful course with scenery infinitely more interesting than the stretch on which I have been training.  The occasional chatting with fellow runners is always stimulating as well.  And the walking out (well, running out) of a dream I've been anticipating since June is just plain fun.

What's the weirdest thing...

Forgot to add this to the list of FAQs.

• So, the question would be "What's the weirdest thing that's happened since training for the race?"

• Without a doubt, that would be a thought I had during one of the long runs about a month ago.  It was a cold morning, and I was wearing a stocking cap that covers my face.  About half way through the run, I was tired but sort of cozy running along in my cap.  The tired feeling turned to a sleepy, relaxed feeling.  I begin to wonder if I could sleep while running, like a horse can sleep standing up.  I tried closing my eyes for a spell to test the theory, but once I pictured myself running out into traffic or into the ditch, I gave up on that idea.

• Another thing that comes to mind, although not really weird, was that on one long run I found an I-Phone in the dirt beside the road.  I picked it up, discovered it worked, and dropped it off at the house mid-run so Tina could try to track down the owner.  We discovered the owner was snoop dog somebody (no offense intended... his nick name included the word "dog"), who I met later at McDonald's to return it.  He was very appreciative, and told me I "Saved his life".  Finally, some redeeming value to this whole thing.

FAQs concerning the marathon

OK, so these aren't really frequently asked questions.  These are actually questions no one has bothered to ask as of now:

• What did it cost to enter the race?
• $120.00   

• Did you lose any weight during the training?
• I weighed about 168 at the start of the training at the end of June.  My lowest weight at the height of the training was about 159.  The schedule is tapering down, and I'm around 161 now.

•  Did you lose any of your mid-life gut?
• A disappointing 1 1/4 inches, which will likely return during the Christmas season.

•  How many miles will you have run training for the marathon?
• 484 miles.

• How many are racing?
• There are 994 entered for the marathon, and 1001 entered for the half marathon which runs simultaneously.

• Where do you expect to finish in that field?
• Among the marathon runners, I expect to finish 525th with a time of 4 hours 8 minutes, roughly.

•  What's your biggest concern at this point?
• Getting sick before the race.  Even a cold would wreak havoc.

• Do you think or talk about anything other than the marathon?
• It's pretty consuming, I confess.  Try it and see what you think and talk about. 

• Can't you think of anything better to do with your time?
• Well, yeah.  What's your point?

 Here are a couple of questions which a few people actually asked:

• Did you adjust your diet for the training?
• Nope.  Tina has always cooked healthy meals for us.  And I continued to occasionally eat the same junk food I always have.

• How long did you actually train?
• I'd say I officially started on June 20.

• Do you eat anything during the race?
• I've been drinking Ensure a little during the long runs, but I'm not sure that's the best thing.  They make some goo junk for nourishment, but the one I tried was awful.  I also eat a couple handfuls of candy corn (the Halloween type) starting at about the midpoint of the long runs.  You won't find this tip in any training guides.

This question wasn't actually asked, but I could see it on the person's face:

• What's next?
• I can hardly wait to get back into a regular running week, which I picture being 3 runs of 3-4 miles and a long run of 6-8 miles on the weekend.  And then I'll go back to running 5 k's (3.1 miles).  For those races, you run like the devil the whole three miles, get a t-shirt, then go out to breakfast.  

Two Weeks to Go

A friend of mine recently asked about my marathon training and then sarcastically added "I need you to post another running blog".  So here's an update, whether you want it or not.

You can look at where I'm at in my schedule by clicking this link to another post:  Training Schedule.

I'm currently tapering my running down, as the training calls for reduced miles in the weeks prior to the race.  My long run topped out at a 20 miler last week.  A surprising number of people curious about the training have asked "So you don't actually run the full 26 miles before the race?" Hmmm.

The hardest part of the training was increasing the long run from 6 miles up to about 12 miles.  Once I made it to that point, adding the additional miles wasn't as difficult.  I've had minor aches in my feet, but otherwise feel great.

One would think that after working up to these long runs, a short 3 or 4 mile run would be a piece of cake.  Physically it is indeed easier now.  But it still takes the same amount of energy to just get out there and do it.  I had a relatively short 12 mile run this Saturday morning.  You would think this would be a psychological cinch after running 20 miles last week.  It just 'aint so.  And this has everything to do with why marathon training, or any long term training, takes determination.  Determination doesn't come naturally for me.  It's why I put myself in the position to get a lot of practice.

Someone recently asked me why I run.  It would take a long time to answer that question.  For now, I'll give you a list.

• Running is good for your heart.
• Running is good for battling moodiness (although it is not a cure.)
• Running gives one time to ponder.
• Running is good for lowering cholesterol
• Running controls weight.
• I just heard that the risk factors for Alzheimers are the same as the risk factors for heart disease.  So apparently what's good for your heart is also good for your brain.
• Being fit makes me feel better physically, and knowing it makes me feel better mentally.
• I like setting lofty goals which can actually be attained.

Of course, most of this can be accomplished with a much more moderate schedule.  But once in a while I enjoy setting an outrageous goal.  I think the effort required does something for my psyche.

16 Miles

A few weeks ago, I bought a new pair of running shoes.  My old Mizunos were long past the point of needing replacing.  I used the same shoe shopping process I always use, asking for recommendations from the store, trying on 3 or 4 pair, then eliminating them one by one until I ended up with what seemed like the most comfortable ones, a pair of Brooks.

The first time I went out for a run in the new shoes, I noticed that my sock under the ball of my left foot seemed to be bunched up.  It wasn't.  It was the shoe putting more pressure on that area of my foot.  Hmmm.  I deducted that my old shoes were worn badly in that area, creating a low spot in the shoe.  The new shoes must be putting my foot back in the correct position, but my foot wasn't happy about that.

So I thought my feet just needed time to adjust.  It was my fault for waiting so long to replace my worn out shoes.  The discomfort did seem to get better, but would still come and go.

Saturday I set out on my long run, which has worked up to 16 miles.  I noticed the discomfort early in the run.  By mile 10, it was bad enough that I wondered if I could even finish the run.  So I asked The Lord in my typical way for help.  It went something like this:  "Lord, Here I am.  You know all about this situation.  My foot hurts.  I sure would appreciate it if you would heal it.  But if you don't, I'm o.k. with that.  I just want to finish this run, and I want to run the marathon.  But that's all me and all about what I want.  So I'll leave it at that."

Nothing really changed in the discomfort, but in a few minutes I had a thought.  Before I bought the Brooks I was wearing, I had shopped on-line for a pair of shoes just like my old ones.  They had been discontinued, a new model had taken their place, and I had found a store that had the old model I had been wearing.  But I wanted something new and different, and hadn't gone that route.  However, after buying the new shoes, I had gone on my computer and was cleaning up some old bookmarks, including the one for those shoes I had found.  When I had clicked on the bookmark, I saw that the shoes were on sale for $40, less than half the price I had paid for them a year or so ago.  So I had ordered them, and they were in the back of my closet.

The Mizuno Wave Inspire 6 from Rogans Shoes

This all came back to me at mile 10, so I determined that I would change shoes at the end of mile 11 (I had divided the 16 miles into three legs, each leg coming back to our house.)  I made my pit stop, changing shoes (I had to do it myself, as I had no pit crew that day), and set off on the last 5 miles of the run.

Immediately I noticed a drastic difference in the way the shoe cradled my foot.  Within the first mile, I could tell that the ball of my foot felt much better.  I finished the run, exuberant that I had been given an answer to my petition for pain relief.  My best analysis is that the Brooks don't have quite enough support in the arch, and that was creating extra pressure on the ball of my foot.  Not a fault of the shoe, just that it isn't suited for my foot.

After a mere 70 miles on the new Brooks, I have retired them to the back of my closet (at least temporarily), and will press on with the $40 pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 6's.  And I will order another pair of them, as they are still available on-line.

There you have it, way more information than anyone would possibly want to know.  And I'm not even sure there is a moral to the story, except for the following:

• As hard as we try to do the right thing (such as to buy the best shoes, or a gas range), sometimes it just doesn't pan out the way we expect.
• God does still answer prayer, although the answer may not come the way we expect.
• As to God answering prayer, in this case, He started the process of answering it immediately after I had bought the doomed Brooks shoes.  I had the answer in my closet before I even needed it.
• As a matter of fact, there is a moral to this story, as illustrated by the point above.  In fact, it is an excellent point, thank you very much.

Now, the Hard Part

Haven't posted a boring blog entry about running lately, so here goes.

Turns out my theory concerning the difficulty of increasing mileage needs some modification. (See "A Theory")  Once I pushed into the 10 mile range, the difficulty has leveled off some.
 
So here's what I have to do between now and December 8th.  The blue numbers are completed runs (updated periodically.)

                                Training Schedule

Week of:	Mon.	Tue.	Wed.	Thur.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
9/3		4		3	2	0	13.1	(1/2 Marathon)
9/10		3		4		10
9/17	3	4		4		12
9/24	4	4		4		10	3
10/1		4		4		14	3
10/8		5		5		10	3
10/15		4		5		16	3
10/22		4		5		12	3
10/29		4		5		18
11/5	3	5		6		12	3
11/12		4		6		20	3
11/19		4		4		12	3
11/26		3	2	3		8	3
12/3		2	2		2	26.2

If I can just make it through the 16, 18, and 20 mile runs, I will be golden.  It's weird... at the beginning of this whole thing, I knew in my head that a 26 mile run was a monumental task.  But I am reminded of just how monumental it is every time I do one of the long training runs.  Saturday, I ran 14 miles.  At the end of mile 13, I thought "I have to be able to run another 13 miles."  It's one of those thoughts you quickly put out of your head.  The trick is to take one day at a time.

Another monumental thing about training is the time you sacrifice, mostly for the long run. On Saturday I got up early, skipped breakfast with my family, ran for 2 hours and 24 minutes, and then it took the next couple of hours to ease back into our Saturday routine.  It's during those times when I often say to myself "Now why exactly am I doing this?"

I took my pulse one day sitting in church.  It was 44 bpm.  I suppose this could be due to one of several things:

• The training is working,
• The church service was boring, or
• Church has a calming effect.

Speaking of collections, I have considered using the marathon to raise money for some cause, partly to assuage my guilt for spending so much time in training, and partly to give some redeeming value to the whole thing.  But the fact is, I despise asking for money, period.  And most of the people I know, including myself, will give if asked, but are already tapped out in the giving department already.

So instead, it will remain a purely selfish endeavor, aimed at raising the level of my health and state of mind.  Plus, I get to write these boring blog entries.

My Kind of People

Wicomico County, MD Recreation, Parks & Tourism put on the Hidden Treasures Half Marathon on September 9.  Along the course, there were people like this:

They held signs saying "Go Daddy", "Keep Going", and the like.

During the training for the race, some of these people also waited patiently for dinner so that daddy could run beforehand.  On the day of the race, they got up early to make their way to the Civic Center, cheered at the start, drove across town to cheer at a midpoint of the race, and dashed back to cheer at the finish line.

Some of these people allowed us to crash at their house the night before the race, and made pasta for dinner for carbo-loading.

There were also people from the County who organized the race, with its infinite number of details to work out.  There were problems to solve, volunteers to get organized, bands to book, and headaches to endure.

Other people directed traffic, manned water stops, and gathered cheer groups.

All this for 180 runners who wanted to navigate a 13.1 mile course through the city of Salisbury.

These are family members, friends, and perfect strangers.  These are my kind of people.  Thanks guys.

Simple Pleasures

I stumbled upon a runner's blog today by chance, and thought to myself  "This is really boring to read."  And I'm a runner.  Note to self:  blogging about running is boring.


It has been exactly one week since the terrible calf strain (see previous post).  I have been diligent to ice the leg a few times a day, and to rest it from running.

Yesterday, I was traipsing around Lowes  (well, I wasn't exactly traipsing - I was on a mission - but traipse is a good word, and should be used more often, even if inappropriately).   I was eager to test the leg, so I ran for short distances... down an aisle or two, and from the exit door back to my truck.  I felt no pain whatsoever.  In fact my injured left leg felt better than my right.

This morning, I did notice some soreness in the leg.  But that disappeared later in the day.  So before dinner, I took a very cautious slow run of just over a half mile.  I have never run so anxiously.  Again, no pain.  I stretched afterwards, and iced the calf.  We shall see how it is tomorrow, but I fully expect to feel some soreness.

Once I get back on track, I think I will be more grateful than ever for the simple pleasure of running.


Note to the reader:  The above is not a blog entry about running.  It is a blog entry about not fully knowing what you have until you lose it.

What Pain Makes You Think About.

I knew from the beginning that there was going to be a risk of injury in training for a half-marathon and a marathon.  So I have been diligent to keep a watchful eye for shin splints, which come from increasing mileage too fast.

Last week involved an 8 mile run, which I bumped up a day to Friday , following a 4 mile Thursday run.  At about mile 6, I noticed some soreness in the back of my left calf.  But it was tolerable, and I attributed it to muscle soreness.  No big reason for concern.  We helped some friends move on Saturday, and I did a short 3 mile run on Sunday.  Monday was a scheduled day off.

I knew I couldn't run after work on Tuesday, so at 6:30 a.m., after a cup of coffee, I set out for an easy 3 mile run.  I was thinking of the song "10,000 Reasons" by Matt Redman.  I had just been discussing a 3 beat drum part with the worship leader of our church, and had the song in my mind.  At the end of the first mile, the pain in the back of my calf started to increase, and in about the next 3 steps, it increased to the intensity of a cramp, and brought me to a wincing stop.

I debated as to whether it was actually a cramp.  But cramps are usually accompanied by a sensation of the muscle tightening and pulling. There was none of that.  It let up some, and I continued walking, thinking I could walk it off.

When I was certain it wasn't a cramp but most likely a pull,  I did what all good Christians do, and began to talk to the Good Lord about my injured leg.  "Lord, this is a good thing I'm doing, isn't it?  I just did ponder on the idea that my body is made for marathon running.  And I'm doing it.  But apparently I screwed up, and I would appreciate it if you would take care of this leg, even though I brought on this injury myself."  Often prayer is an effort to convince God why He should do what you want Him to do, and to get rescued from your own stupidity.

Nothing much to speak of happened. I kept walking through about the 2nd mile, and was able to run gingerly most of the last mile.

A quick self-diagnosis via the all-knowing internet revealed that I most likely have a "grade 1 calf strain" meaning that "the muscle is stretched causing some small micro tears in the muscle fibers.  Full recovery takes approximately two weeks."  (About.com Sports Medicine)  Running that last mile... not smart.
  
Geez.  This is going to wreak havoc with my training schedule.  I'm supposed to get in a 9, a 10, and another 8 mile run in the next three weeks before the half-marathon.  Not sure that is even a possibility now.  Even if after a week of rest the leg is good, you're supposed to ease back into your routine. 

While I was trying to walk off the pain, the whole question of why God answers some prayers and not others came to mind.  Admittedly, this particular situation rates in the negative numbers on the scale of importance, but the principle is true nonetheless.  I knew the answer to why God did not heal my leg instantaneously, but sometimes the answer isn't so clear.

The crux of the issue is that God doesn't seem to often intervene into the natural course of events.  He lets lots of things just happen.  In this case, when I run too much too soon, I risk injury.  Anyone would say that the appropriate response from God in that situation would be to let me get what I deserve.

But sometimes God does intervene despite a lack of good sense.  Perhaps the best example of this is what Christians call "salvation".  We believe that despite the fact we have failed and will continue to fail as the human beings we were created to be, we are nevertheless forgiven and put to good use because we accept the work of Christ. There are endless stories of men and women who, had they continued on the path they were on, would have led lives of waste and destruction.  God stepped into their situations and changed the natural course of events.  These people will tell you that it was not a superhuman effort on their parts to alter the course of their lives, but rather they cried out to God, and were snatched off one path, and put on another.  But even in these situations, the believer often finds that his life is changed in some areas, yet in others, he continues to struggle, his pleas to God for deliverance ignored.

A very common situation that most have experienced is a plea for God to alter an everyday situation - difficult financial circumstances, trouble in a relationship, issues our children experience.  We ask God for help.  Sometimes He does, but sometimes He seems to ignore what we desire.

And then there are the stories of events which God apparently stepped into and altered the natural course.  They are often situations which can be attributed to good luck, but the believer attributes them to the hand of God.  Healings fall into this category.  Generally, God seems to ignore requests for outright miraculous healings, and the claims of such healings sometimes seem questionable. 

These are just a few of the types of things in which God operates in a way that is difficult to understand.  The problem arises due to the fact that we don't know when God will intervene, and when He won't.  This is perhaps the most difficult aspect about faith.  The real test comes when God is silent in situations we think He should intervene.  Bad things happening to good people through no fault of their own is the classic example.

What God does and does not do is His prerogative.  And the essence of faith is that the believer chooses to accept that premise.  Sure, he occasionally questions God's choices.  That's only human.

But in the end, faith says "I don't know what God knows.  And if He can live with His decision, then I'll trust Him to make me live with it as well."

Like I've said before, there is almost always a larger point. 

Weakness or Asset?

Today I learned that one of my suspicions is actually based in some science.  I was built for distance running.  According to an article I read by Adam Cole of NPR, I may have inadvertently stumbled into where I am meant to be.

Cole says that people with a high center of gravity make the best sprinters.  This is because running is basically a controlled fall forward.  The higher the center of gravity, the more quickly the body naturally tends to move in the desired direction.  And tall runners naturally have a higher center of gravity.  This is partly why Usain Bolt is having such success.  On top of a tall stature, I suppose his large muscular upper body also raises the center of gravity even higher.

While I have the height, I was short changed in the upper body department, and instead God chose the minimalist approach when sculpting mine.  What should have been a high center of gravity was negated by my upper body.  The lack of fast twitch muscle fibers is another whole issue, and we won't even go there.

But all is not lost.  Cole goes on to say that the most efficient marathon runner has a different body type altogether.  His greatest enemy is heat build up.  He says a "small, thin, light body" is ideal.  There is less volume to produce heat, and more relative surface area to dissipate it.  Height can vary, as long as the body is light.

I knew I had a knack for running in the heat, and figured it had to do with my body type.  What I didn't consider is that if my goal was to run marathons (which it isn't, on a regular basis, but lets just say it was for the sake of discussion), then my lanky physique is actually a gift.

There is a larger point here (there is almost always a larger point).  It is this - those things we often view as a weakness may in fact be an asset for some yet-to-be-determined task.  This I learned from Owen Meany.

A Theory, That is to Say, Which is Mine.

This is another entry about running.  You will be tempted to skip it, as most people probably find reading about running boring.  However, this is building up to some other more interesting commentary (in theory).  It takes time to develop these things.

 Running, like any sport or ambitious endeavor, involves a great deal of mental gymnastics to keep at it.  Perhaps you are wondering what those gymnastics feel like while training for a marathon.

Last week's long run was 7 miles, and went relatively smoothly.  This week called for another long run of 7 miles. I could tell before starting that it would be difficult.  Before any run, there is usually a feeling of either "this is going to feel o.k.", or "I don't feel like doing this at all".  It's the result of the current level of physical energy and your mental state.  Saturday, both areas were working against me. And it was hot.  But if the plan is to succeed, there is no choice to skip a run because you simply don't feel like it.

So:
Mile one... I felt like crap.
Mile two... Normally by this time, your body settles into a comfortable pace, any stiffness is gone, and it's starts to feel good.  Instead... I felt like crap.
Miles three through five... Crap.
Miles six and seven... As you add mileage to the long run, the last couple of miles are obviously more difficult.  Your legs begin to ache some - aches that normally don't come until the next day or two after a shorter run.  This started to occur, but also just plain exhaustion set in - not in the lungs (I rarely feel out of breath) - but an exhaustion in the legs.  Your stride shortens, and you begin to shuffle.  At the end of mile five, I had concerns that I'd end up walking at the end.  So I slowed down some to avoid that event.

I have a theory.  My theory that I have, that is to say, which is mine, ... is mine.*  Here it is:  The level of difficulty when you add miles to the long run increases exponentially in the last couple of added miles.  In other words, running 7 miles does not just require an extra mile of energy compared to running 6 miles.  Rather, the curve goes straight up.  So, in my estimation, it takes about twice the energy and effort to run 7 miles as it does to run 6.  Of course, as you continue to add miles to the long run, the effort to run 6 miles vs. 7 miles levels off.  It's very complicated, isn't it?

Here's a chart for my theory.  I'm a visual sort of person.

The whole premise in training is to push the blue line of the graph farther and farther to the right.  It retains its shape, but just shifts.  That is the theory that I have, and which is mine, and what it is, too.*

Back to Saturday.  I finished the run, not thoroughly bushed, but fatigued.  Not a pleasant run.  It reminds me of how far I have yet to go.

That's what it feels like.  Now, keep in mind that the idea is to progress to long runs of 8 miles, 9 miles, 10 miles, 12 miles, 14 miles, 16 miles, and 20 miles.

The whole point is this.  It's a little like the Christian Life.  But it isn't anything like the Christian Life.  More on that theory, which is mine, later.

*These are quotes from a Monty Python skit aired on Monty Python's Flying Circus.  The skit can be viewed here. This was a skit my friend Dave Brown used to love to repeat.  I met Dave after basic training in the Army, and we were assigned to Fort Hood, TX, where we grew to be better friends.  I don't know where Dave is now.

Decision Making by a Ponderer

Decision making is one of those things that defines what kind of a person we are.  There are people who are poor decision makers as a matter of routine.  There are people who routinely make good decisions.  I'm more of a person who, on occasion, makes a really bad one, but is convinced it's a good one.

Some decisions aren't that important in the big scheme of things.  But nevertheless, you have a choice to make, so you waste away lots of brain power and energy to choose a path that, in the long run, doesn't really matter much.  This is especially true of a ponderer (see below).

So I'm still working through whether to run the Rehoboth Beach Marathon on December 8.  Part of what I'm doing right now is increasing mileage, and watching to see how this 51 year old body is adjusting.

One thing working against me now is that when I ran the marathon in 2003, I was running an average of 19 miles/week for the 30 weeks prior to the start of the training (which is 20 weeks itself).  Yep, that's about a year of solid preparation. I haven't been doing anywhere near that 19 miles/week of preparation for the actual training. 

The problem is twofold.  There's the difficulty in increasing the mileage as the training goes on, which I think I could work through.  But the real issue is the risk of injury, which would most likely be shin splints for me.  It's the kind of injury that sometimes forces you to take time off from running for it to heal.

So here's what I'm thinking.  I'd like to give the training a shot, and see what happens.  If I develop shin splints that force me to stop, then I will.  I can always find another marathon in the spring.  Oh, and I've also decided to run a half marathon in Salisbury, MD on September 9.  That will involve a slight adjustment to the weekly long run, increasing my mileage even more radically than just the marathon training would.

This is the decision making process of a ponderer.  With all respect to a previous comment from a reader, a ponderer can't "Just do It".   It isn't his style.  He wants to feel like once he makes his decision, it will be one he can stick with.  There are plenty of "Just Do It" people in the world who don't waste a lot of time pondering on decisions, and I feel no need to be another one. 

Running in 93 Degree Heat

Running in the morning has never been my thing.  I roll out of bed stiff, often with a slight back ache, and have absolutely no desire to go out for a run.  (Note to self:  The morning is a terrible time to make any decisions about future running events.)  So I typically run in the afternoon.  The other day it was 93 degrees when I did a 5 mile run. It felt good.

Assateague Island National Seashore 7/7/12

How can that be, you ask. It's simple anatomy, or physiology, or something. I had listed 4 specific reasons why I can do it, all of which would have been boring (well, more boring) to read. So I'll spare you the details.

Why would anyone want to run when it's that hot? (I also did a short run last week in 98 degree temps.)  Isn't that just plain stupid? I run when I feel most like running, mentally and physically, and that typically happens to be in the afternoon.

There is something satisfying about being able to do it.  My ability to run like this will eventually come to an end.  I want to enjoy it while I can.  I have an acquaintance at a local lumber store who broke his hip (he is younger than I am.)  He would probably do anything to be able to just walk without pain.  I have another friend who would be thrilled just to do anything without pain as her body fights cancer and cancer treatment. I have people close to me who have had strokes, and have broken bones.  I could be walking in any of those shoes one day.  So for now, I run.

Incidentally, while I did feel great during that 5 mile run, about two hours later, I felt like crap.  Not sore, just spent.  And the next day during the short scheduled run after that, I also felt like crap.  (Note to self:  The day following a long run is a terrible time to make any decisions about future running events.)  It is a feeling that will gradually diminish as I begin to regularly do long runs.  But it is a welcome feeling.  I'll take it any day over the alternative.

Marathon Training

There must be at least one person wondering what marathon training looks like.  (I know you are out there, but are just afraid to speak up.)  The answer is:  it all depends on what your goal is.

A world class marathon runner will run at a crazy stupid pace of about 4 minutes, 50 seconds per mile.  My best 10K (6.2 miles) race ever, when I was 23 years of age, was at a pace of about 6:20/ mile.  A 4:50 pace for 26 miles is an unimaginable feat.

My primary goal in running marathons has always been to finish.  When I ran the marathon in 2003, I finished in 3 hrs 47 minutes, at a pace of 8:40/mile.  I would hope to run now at about a 9:15/mile, or maybe 9:30, more realistically.  10:00/mile would actually make me happy. 

So, this is what the training would look like, with that goal in mind:

		Mon	Tues	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun			Week  total
6/25			3		3		5	2			13
7/2			3		3		4	3			13
7/9			3		3		3	3			12
7/16			3		3		3	3			12
7/23			3		3		4	3			13
7/30			3		3		5	3			14
8/6			3		4		6	3			16
8/13			3		4		4	3			14
8/20			4		4		6	3			17
8/27			4		4		8	3			19
9/3			4		4		10		21
9/10			4		4		8	3			19
9/17			4		4		12				20
9/24		4	4		4		10	3			25
10/1			4		4		14	3			25
10/8			5		5		10	3			23
10/15			4		5		16	3			28
10/22			4		5		12	3			24
10/29			4		5		18				27
11/5		3	5		6		12	3			29
11/12			4		6		20	3			33
11/19			4		4		12	3			23
11/26			3	2	3		8	3			17
12/3			2	2	rest	2	26.2				28

As you can see, all it takes is time.  Each one of those miles is roughly 9 minutes.  The total amount of actual running time involved is a mere 65 hours.  Piece of cake, as long as there are no injuries.