Austin Livestrong Half-Marathon 2012 Recap

I ran the Austin Livestrong Half-Marathon Sunday morning. The weather was perfect - about 48 at the start and 58-60 by the time I finished.  It was clear and Sunny with very little wind.  Last year was very windy so this was better.  I ran a 2:00/1:00 ratio for the first five miles both to allow myself to stretch out and because those first miles are a constant uphill.  I was behind my goal pace in miles 1 (to be expected with the big crowds and 2 right turns), 2, and 4. Strangely I was so ahead of goal pace at mile 3 that I wondered if the mile 2 and 3 markers were in the right spots.  At 5 miles I was under an hour and at 10 miles I was just over 2 hours (including a porto-potty break).  After we turned onto South first (with some downhills) I changed my ratio to 3:00/1:00.  I maintained all my run/walks but ran some extra downhills and walked through water stops.  After mile 10 I returned my run/walk ratio to 2:00/1:00 (this was planned) because I knew we were coming up to more hills including the Enfield hill. 

Running Enfield Hill with the kids

My family was waiting for me at the bottom of Enfield hill and my 2 nephews, 1 niece, and ChocolateSon all hopped off the curb to run with me.  We ran most of the way up and then they went back to the curb and my sister walked the last bit with me.  From there, the remainder was pretty easy.  I already knew that I wasn't going to meet my A goal or my dream goal for time I and I was pretty sure I wasn't even going to break 2:40.  We met up with the marathoners with about 800 meters to go and that was very exciting.  I ran next to (I think) the winning wheelchair (or hand bike?) and the crowd was cheering pretty wildly for him.  I ran the last 4:00 minutes or so because I knew I could and I didn't want to take a walk break. 

2:41:37. (12:20/mile)

That's not my goal but it is a PR by 8:47 in a very hard, very hilly race. According to my Nike+ sensor I ran 14.45 miles (including the last few hundred yards to the start line).  Mile 9 must include my porto-let break and mile 1 includes walking up to the start line and being stuck in congestion.  My overall pace for that recording was 11:43/mile which still doesn't meet my goal pace but is better than 12:20. 

I felt good throughout the race.  I knew my plan and maintained my ratios.  One of the reasons that I'm so surprised that I didn't beat last year's time by more is that I feel like I walked so much less this year.  I lost about 2:30 waiting in line to use a porto-let and then using it but I did the same last year. 

Crowd support was simply amazing.  People had great signs and cowbells and shouted encouragement and called to me by name.  My immediate family and my brother's family and sister's family (coming up from Houston) came to the race course at 3 points to cheer me on.  I wore my Team Livestrong shirt with a tribute list on the back and which my family signed and a few people patted me on the back or chatted with me, particularly saying that there were too many names on my shirt.  Although I did not meet my time goal, I surpassed my fundraising goal and I'm happy with that.  It was a great race and I had a very good time. 

My race shirt with tribute list and family signatures

Waiting for the race to start

After the race - at the Livestrong tent with our team mentor

The finisher's medal

Training Plan Week 9

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
8	01/29/2012	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	17 miles

Actual Week:

Monday - Walking 3.59 miles 59 minutes (16:26 mm). Because I did my weekend run on Saturday, I felt like waiting three days was too long so I walked on Monday. It was a lovely day and I just walked when the walk light said to, then turned around and came back to the office.
Tuesday - 3.98 miles 48 minutes (12:03 mm). Plus the walking warm up/down of .52 in 10. Ran 2:30/1:00 on the hills near campus. The hills were a struggle but I felt like I was running faster than this.
Thursday/Friday - I did neither of these runs/walks. I had an ingrown toenail which both hurt badly and which I didn't want to aggravate and make worse.
Sunday - 14.3 miles 2:55 (12:14 mm). At first I thought I would be running between ChocolateWife getting home from a conference and the start of the Super Bowl but her conference time got pushed back so I ran early (out of the house about 6:35). It was 43 and windy and rainy. 1:1 ratio. The run felt great but my face and hands were cold. I forgot my gloves and actually considered calling ChocolateWife to either bring them or pick me up but gave it a little while and my hands got better. I'm really happy with this run. My target pace should have been 13:36 so this was both faster than that and faster than my run 2 weeks ago.

I am feeling very good about the Half-Marathon in 13 days. My last two LSRs have been really positive. I think that I am starting to really use Chi Running to my benefit. I base this belief on the fact that in both runs I had the sensation throughout that I was falling forward. I kept thinking that it's not possible for more than 50% of the run to be downhill (or I guess it could be but the other part would have to be really uphill). The other thing is that I didn't get any blisters on my feet or have to reapply body glide to my feet. On the downside, my running bra is rubbing me badly under one arm and across the front. I need to experiment with some body glide but I don't want to get a new bra 2 weeks before the race.

BTW, a half-marathon at yesterday's LSR pace would be 2:37:51 or breaking my PR by 13 minutes.

Half Marathon Training Plan Week 5

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
5	01/02/2012	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	13 miles

Actual Week:

Tuesday - 4.09 miles 47 minutes (11:29 mm) (plus .6 miles walking warm up/down). It was gorgeous and 52 degrees and sunny. I ran up and down hills on campus. I'm particularly happy about how much I'm running hills this year and how consistently I'm running at or faster than race pace for my runs.

Thursday - 4.1 miles 47 minutes (11:27 mm) (plus .55 miles walking warm up/down). Another gorgeous day of 62 and sunny. I ran over to the park nearest my work. It had a few hills but mostly was just quiet and nice. Some trails and some rock work to concentrate of careful stepping.

Friday - 3.64 miles 1:09 walking (18:57 mm). I walked up through the park and along the street and over a pretty wide area. Nice walk.

Sunday - Long Slow Run. 13.2 miles 2:52 (13:01 mm) plus 10 minutes .6 miles walking. RunKeeper recorded about 13.4 or 13.5 total. Nike+ recorded 14.9. I recalibrated the Nike+ to be closer to the RunKeeper. Target pace was 13:36 overall. This was a very hard run. I did the 1:1 ratio that I've done in the past but it was much harder. Almost as soon as I started I felt sore and tired. My back seemed to be out of place which made my hips and legs sore. I considered quitting at about 2 miles but stuck it out and got the miles in. I ran at Wells Branch Park and had to do the loop 3+ times. The upside was running on trail surface rather than concrete.

All Week I have been trying to keep up with the Plank-a-day trend. I missed Sunday and Tuesday but everyother day I did 1, 2, or 3 1 minute planks. I'd like to make sure that every day I do 3-5 1 minute planks. I've tried to figure out a way I could do them at work but haven't done so yet. Perhaps I can go down to the lockerroom and do one in there or on the staircase landing...

Team Livestrong - I've raised $779 toward my goal of $1000 for Team Livestrong. My most recent donation was from my uncle. The entire team has raised $110,000. Wow.

Week 2 Half-Marathon Training

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
2	12/12/2011	45 min run/MM	45 min run	easy walk	6 x 800

Actual Week:

Tuesday - 4.15 miles 54 minutes (13:00). Includes warm-up/down. I tried to run the magic mile but had no GPS coverage so don't know mileage. Might have been 9:40 or more. I will try again next week on a track.

Thursday - 4.35 miles 51 minutes (11:36). 2 minutes/40 seconds interval. Very good run. Also did another .5 miles walking in 9 minutes warm up/down.

Friday - 3.15 miles 48 minutes (15:14).

Sunday - 5 miles (?) 1:05. 6 x 800 repeats. Goal time was 5:33 (assuming 9:40 magic mile). Actual times were 5:07, 5:06, 5:07, 5:00, 4:55, 5:05. I could have done more but trying to actually follow the plan.

Another good week training and fund-raising.

Week 14 Half-Marathon Training Program

I had an ok but not great week training last week.  I missed one run due to just not getting up in the morning.  The nice thing is that the weather has finally broken so I was able to enjoy some cooler weather. 

Monday - 3.41 mile/57 minute walk (16:36/mile). 
Wednesday - 5.4 mile 70 minute run (12:57/mile).  The pace includes 5 minutes warm up and 5 warm down and a 3:1 throughout the run.  It felt nice and fast (for me). 
Saturday - 5.46 mile 69 minute run (12:38/mile).  The pace includes 5 minute warm up, 5 warm down and magic mile of 10:02.  The rest of the way was 3/1 or 2:30/1.
Sunday - 3.86 mile 65 minute walk (16:50/mile).  A lovely walk.  I wore a long-sleeve technical shirt and actually tucked my hands inside the ends for the first half. It was wonderful.

Now I'm on taper week and looking forward to it.  I've got 2 runs and an easy walk and then the race next Sunday.  I want to drive the race course on Saturday as I am not familiar with that part of town.  My goal for the race is 2:35-2:40. 

Third Magic Mile

I ran my third magic mile this morning. I wasn't at the track but I have my RunKeeper app set to announce my time, distance, pace etc. every 1/2 mile so I don't have to keep looking at it. I walked a warm-up, then ran most of the first mile and then walked a minute. Then I started running and when the app said I was at 1 mile, I hit the timer on the watch. The first 1/2 mile goes up a slight incline. Then I reached a red light and had to wait 25+ seconds. I subtracted those seconds although I guess I did get the benefit of lowering my HR during that rest. I walked across the street for safety (in the dark) and then starting running. The first 1/5 of a mile or so is a slight downhill and the rest is pretty level. The time on my watch was 10:37 so if I subtract 20 seconds to offset the standing at the light/lowering my HR I get 10:17.

So my times have been:

Magic Mile #	Date	Time	Predicted HM Finish
1	06/28/2011	11:22	2:58
2	07/07/2011	10:41	2:46
3	08/03/2011	10:17	2:40

Half-Marathon Training Week #3 (Really)

Monday - Scheduled 35 minute run. 47 minutes, 3.23 miles. Included 5 minute walking warm-up, 10 minute walking warm-down. 3:1 slowing to a 2:1.
Wednesday - Scheduled 35 minute run with speed drills. 51 minutes, 3.68 miles including warm-up, down. 3:1 (x9) then. Did cadence drills (5) and acceleration gliders (5).
Thursday - Scheduled Easy walk. 58 minutes. 3.49 miles.
Saturday - I should have run but I woke up and it was raining and thunder and lightening and we had friends coming over for breakfast and I decided to wait until Sunday.
Sunday - (not shown on the picture). Saturday's 7.5 mile LSR. 1:56, 8.26 miles (14:07). Did warm-up, down and then 1:1 ratio throughout. Unlike last week I was able to maintain the 1:1 and didn't have to drop from that. I ran from 7:00 - 9:00 so temperature ranged from high 70s to mid 80s. That is a challenge and I can imagine it will become a bigger challenge as my LSRs get longer.

As slow as the LSR is, it's actually not as slow as the Galloway formula indicates for me. Their formula shows.

Magic Mile Time 10:41 x 1.2 to get Predicted race pace = 12:49/mile.
Predicted race pace 12:49 + 2:00 to get LSR pace = 14:49
LSR Pace + :30 for every 5 degrees over 60 or 14:49 + 2:00 = 16:49/mile.

I'm pretty sure that I could do a LSW(alk) at 16:49 or close to 16:49. I'm pretty much using the ratio in the book (1:1) and not pushing myself on the run and letting the pace go where the pace goes.

Oh, I also am pretty happy because I have an online friend who started posting on FB about starting to run. I commented on some of her posts and encouraged her to sign up for the See Jane Run Austin Half-marathon rather than the 5K and to look at the Jeff Galloway stuff. She's now fully training and committed to the half and it's awesome to read her enthusiasm and training reports every week.

Revised Half-Marathon Training Plan

So last week I was looking at my plan to figure out my runs for the week and I realized that I had done the first 2.5 weeks of the plan a week off. The good news is that I'm a week ahead rather than a week behind. The bad news is that apparently I'm dumb. Or bad a planning. Or maybe bad at reading a simple table.

I also think that I'm going to shift the days of the plan so that the long run happens on Saturday rather than Sunday. I don't like one of the weekend days spent making sure to not do anything strenuous. I would rather spend Friday making sure not to do anything strenuous. Then Sunday I can hike with the family or take a walk or swim or whatever and not worry. So here's the revised plan:

Week	Monday Date	Monday	Wednesday	Thursday	Saturday
1	06/27/2011	30 min run	30 min run	easy walk	5 miles
2	07/04/2011	35 min run/MM	35 min run	easy walk	6 miles
3	07/11/2011	35 min run	35 min run	easy walk	7.5 miles
4	07/18/2011	45 min run/MM	40 min run	easy walk	4 x 800
5	07/25/2011	45 min run	40 min run	easy walk	9 miles
6	08/01/2011	45 min run/MM	45 min run	easy walk	6 x 800
7	08/08/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	11 miles
8	08/15/2011	45 min run/MM	45 min run	easy walk	8 x 800
9	08/22/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	13 miles
10	08/29/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	10 x 800
11	09/05/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	15 miles
12	09/12/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	12 x 800
13	09/19/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	17 miles
14	09/26/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	easy 5 miles/MM
15	10/03/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	Goal Half Marathon
16	10/10/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	4 miles
17	10/17/2011	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	6-12 miles

Week #3 (more on that later) Half-Marathon Training

I had a very good week of running and walking this week. Since I was on vacation, I got to workout in the daylight which meant it was warmer than I'm used to but also meant I could see and could listen to various podcasts. I totaled over 33 miles which may be my highest weekly mileage ever.

Sunday - Scheduled long run of 6.0 miles. 1:33, 6.87 miles (13:40/mile). That included a 5 minute warm-up, 10 minute warm-down, and 1:1 ratio.
Monday - Walked 1:04, 3.55 miles (18:08/mile).
Tuesday - Scheduled 35 minute run with a magic mile. I missed it entirely.
Wednesday - 1:28, 4.76 miles (18:35/mile).
Thursday - Scheduled 35 minute run. 51:31 4.18 miles (12:19/mile). That included 5 minute warm-up, 10 minute warm-down, and a 10:41 magic mile. Run/walk ratios varied.
The day also included an hour of kayaking, and taking the kids to Deep Eddy which was super awesome.
Friday - I walked home from the car place after dropping off the car for an inspection (they were out of stickers and said it would be a few hours). 51:02, 3.66 miles (13:55/mile). That speed seems quite strange but I actually used the GPS to get the mileage right. Then we walked to and from lunch which was about a mile each way and very hot. Coming home, I pretty much carried one of the kids or ChocolateDaughter's balance bike the entire way.
Saturday - Scheduled 7.5 mile (which I thought was a 7.0 mile run). 1:47 7.76 mile (13:49/mile) including 5 minute warm-up, 10 mile warm-down. I used a 1;1 ratio most of the time (31 times), then switched to 30:45 second. It was a very very hot run - about 80 when I walked out the door and up to about 86 by the time I got home.

Last Week's Runs

Sunday - Was supposed to be a LSR of 5.0 miles. I went 5.65 in 1:15 which included walk to warm-up and warm-down. I started with a 2:1 ratio and then dropped to 1:1.
Monday - Walked 3.12 in 54 minutes at lunch. It was darned hot.
Tuesday - Ran 46 minutes - 3.37 miles. Walk warm up and warm down and 4:1 otherwise. I did my first magic mile in 11:22.
Thursday - 54 minutes. 3.76. Walk warmup and down. 3:1 otherwise.
Thursday - 18 minutes. 1.05 miles. Walked to and from haircut from tire place. Brutally hot.
Friday - 48 minute walk. 2.58 miles.
Saturday - 1:09 walk. 3.64 miles. First with ChocolateDaughter. Then without.

Signed-up

Last night I registered to run for Team Livestrong in the Austin Livestrong Half-Marathon next February. I'll again be fund raising to fight cancer and hope to raise $1000 this year. Last year I think I raised $940 so I would like to better that slightly. Any random reader who would like to donate can do so at this link. I'll do some e-mail, twitter, and Facebook publicity later in the year.

Now I'll tell the story of how I came to be registered and why I will be telling everyone that my race is sponsored by Jenny B.

I have an online friend named Jenny B. She is possibly the most selfless and altruistic person I've ever met (I haven't met her in person but we've texted, e-mailed, YiM'ed, and spoken on the phone so close enough). In the short time we've known each other she's donated blood or platelets repeatedly, gathered and then given away (including postage) 100 copies of a book to anyone who asked, shaved her head to support a friend who was going through chemotherapy, and fasted for 30 days so she could give the money she would have spent on food to feed the hungry. She also wanted the experience of true hunger. During her fast she would take food and walk the streets to meet people and ask about their experience of hunger and homelessness.

A few weeks ago she YiM'ed me and said that she has decided that she keeps giving and giving but never to her friends ("her peeps") so she wanted to ask me what she could do for me. I tried to blow her off saying that all she could do for me was to please donate to her local food bank. She said no go. She wanted to do something, give something genuinely to me. I said let me think about it. When I asked R, her idea was to ask her for maps for ChocolateSon. ChocolateSon loves transit maps and has a collection of them. When my brother was in Europe last year he started the tradition and brought ChocolateSon maps from Rome, Amsterdam, Paris, and more. I asked for people to send maps on my Facebook and people did. Well, Jenny B. travels so I asked her to send ChocolateSon transit maps from her travels. She agreed but said that it still wasn't enough. She wanted to do something for me. She kept suggesting paying one of my bills. I finally said that I felt really uncomfortable and felt like there are so many people who have greater needs than I do. That of course, got a very loving lecture from her on the need to be able to receive as well as to give graciously.

So obviously she would not be giving up on this. Well, I had seen a tweet from TeamLivestrong the other day that registration to join TeamLivestrong for the half or full marathon was only $20 for a few days (last year I paid $50 which was half the normal registration cost). I hadn't really decided that I wanted to run the half-marathon next year but it seemed like a great opportunity to take Jenny B. up on her generosity (and determination) so I asked if she would pay my registration for the race. She knows that I love running and she said yes. So last night I sent her all my registration info and she registered me for the race. I knew she had done it when I got an e-mail congratulating me for registering.

I love her generosity. I love her passion. And I love that I'm now registered with a chance to raise funds to fight Cancer.

First Magic Mile

I did my first magic mile this morning while out on my 35 minute run. I actually tried to do one the week before last but I had marked the mile out a few days earlier in the neighborhood and when it came time to actually run the mile, I couldn't decide which concrete square and manhole cover marked the finish line. It might have been the one I hit at 9:59 or maybe at 10:40 or maybe the one past that.

To avoid any confusion today, I looked at my GPS when I started, then took it out of my waist pack when I neared the end. My time was 11:22. That doesn't sound so bad until I use the formula to figure out my predicted half-marathon pace. 2:58. 2.58?! I ran 2:50 in the spring! 2:58?! Honestly, I have in my head a thought of running a 2:40 or better half-marathon in the Fall. My predicted half-marathon time wouldn't become 2:40 unless I get my magic mile down to 10:11 which seems pretty unlikely. Arggghhh.

The training program calls for either 2 or 3 more magic miles so we'll see if I can get faster with training. I guess the good news is that with the walk breaks I am feeling very good about my runs in spite of the heat.

Half-Marathon Training Week 1

I officially started my half-marathon training program last week. Would it be silly to say I'm on track so far? Well, either way, I'm on track so far.

Sunday - Took a walk. It was really 5.82 miles but I was still trying to adjust the calibration to get credit for the 5 miles on Saturday that I missed.
Monday - Walked to and from lunch. About .8 miles each way.
Tuesday - Plan day schedule of 30 minute run. 40 minutes: 3.12 miles. I did a 5 minute walk warm-up, then 6 x 4Run/1Walk, then walked home.
Thursday - Plan day schedule of 30 minute run. 52 minutes. 3.55 miles. I did a 5 minute walk warm-up, then 7 4Run/1Walk, then walked home.
Friday - 38 minute walk. 2.2 miles.
Saturday - 47 minute walk. 2.51 miles.
Sunday - Plan day schedule 5 mile long (slow) run. 1:15 and 5.65 miles. I did 5 minute warm-up then 2:1 ratio for about 45 minutes, then dropped to 1:1 for the last bit. I ran to the red-box to return a movie which was nice. There aren't a lot of places I can walk or run to so I always like it when I can think of some errand to do. According to my Nike+ the redbox is 2.52 miles from home so that worked out well.

On Saturday morning I had to work for a while. I stopped at the pulse machine but it was out of cash so I stopped at a grocery store. On the window of the store was a poster announcing that Jeff Galloway would be there the next day from 3:30 - 5:00 speaking and answering questions. It was very random that I was at that store and learned about his visit. Unfortunately we had friends come in from out of town to visit and stay the night so I did not go. Hopefully I will have another chance to hear him speak.

Oh... also if I do well this week, this will be the first month that I have ever logged 100 miles. I am in a 100 mile challenge on Nike Running and hope to make it.

Last Week's Runs (sort of)

I had pretty good runs and walks last week. Today I officially started my 1/2 marathon training program with a 30 minute run (plus walks at the front and back). More on that later.

Sunday -1:04, 4.3 miles. It was very hot and humid and I felt sluggish. I walked 5, then ran 30 at 3/1 ratio, then walked the rest of the way home. Given that amount of walking the pace was quite good.
Sunday - 1:00. 3.64 miles. Evening walk in the very hot. I don't remember if this was a stroller walk to get the baby to sleep or just an extra walk. I think just a fun walk.
Monday - 1:10 4.01 miles. A rare morning walk in the daylight since I took the day off work because it was ChocolateSon's first day at summer camp.
Wednesday - 1.01 4.63 miles. I recorded no notes for this run but I remember being very happy with it at the time.
Thursday - 30 minutes, 1.58 miles. Stroller walk. Very very hot.
Saturday morning - I went to Walnut Creek to run. As soon as I got out of the car and turned on the IPod, it said that the battery was dead. Boo hiss. That means I couldn't record my run on my Nike+. I used Runkeeper. First I ran using a 2/1 ratio. I ran about 45 minutes logging 3 miles which is not bad for trail running. Then I walked another 2 miles. The pace isn't great but I enjoy running on the trail some days.
Saturday evening - 2.5 miles, 45 minutes. Stroller walk. Because I'm trying to get the Nike+ to give me credit for the 5 miles Saturday morning, I up-calibrated the walk so it actually recorded 3.72 miles.

I feel pretty good about my progress heading into the training program. This time I am doing the "time goal" program rather than the "to finish" program. What's my time goal? I don't know yet. Obviously I'd like to lower my 2:50 time but by how much? I am going to follow the Galloway program completely including doing the magic miles and using them for prediction/goal and doing the speed work it calls for.

Last week I tried to do a magic mile but the vagueness of my mental note of where the mile ended (by the manhole cover on the cement extension that's across from the other cement extension) didn't quite work. I might have done a MM in 9:59 or maybe 10:40 or maybe I stopped too early to have done one at all. Next time, I'm going to the track to record it or I'm going to mark the sidewalk with chalk.