The Road to the RVA Marathon

After the Outer Banks triathlon, it was time to focus on the upcoming Richmond Marathon. OBX was on September 14th which gave me about 2 months of focused run training before the November 16th race. I had a pretty busy season thus far including some fairly long runs with MTT. I was feeling pretty tired and wanted to cut back on my weekly training hours. With a 21 miler the Sunday after OBX, and then another 20 miler the following weekend, I had plenty of run miles under my belt and felt pretty good about my chances of getting a marathon PR in November. 

My current Marathon PR was from 2017 at the NYC Marathon.

As a side note, unbeknownst to me, a movie was being filmed during the 2017 NYC Marathon and I made it into the movie. If you blink, you will miss me but a friend send along this screen grab. Also, you can see my race report for NYC here. http://jimsoccernut.blogspot.com/2017/11/2017-tcs-nyc-marathon-race-report.html

That is me in the red Gobble Wobble shirt

Sports Backers Marathon Training Team (MTT) runs out of Sports Backers Stadium in Richmond. The stadium is 1 mile from my house. When MTT started, I decided I would run from my house to the stadium, run with my MTT team, and then run home. I have always enjoyed doing that kind of thing and have run from my house to the Monument Ave 10K, run it, and run then back home. And I used to ride my mountain bike from my house in Henrico County to the downtown trails, ride all the trails, and then ride back home. There is something appealing about not having to drive, park, etc. So, for MTT, I always got 2 more miles than what was prescribed in the MTT training plan. Overachiever? Maybe. Sorta like this guy. 

This routine seemed to work out well for me. I would run 1 mile to the stadium and then have a little break including using the indoor bathroom at the stadium which is always a runner's dream. Then I would run the prescribed route with Team Limes which always included SAG stops where we could all refuel with water, PowerAid, gels, etc. Then I would take a little break when we got back to the Stadium before slogging that last mile home. 

With the extra mileage and all the hill work that I normally did not do, I really felt primed to run a good race. I made a decision that I would stop training for triathlon and just focus on running. I wanted to sleep more and thought that skipping the 5:30 AM pool sessions, and long bike rides on the weekend would give my body more rest. I also made a hard decision to stop training with my coach who I had been training regularly with for more than 5 years. It was tough to break up with him because I had learned so much from him enjoyed a great deal of success under his guidance. It was nice to simply complete workouts as prescribed and not really have to think about it much. But I was a bit burnt out and wanted to try going at it by myself for awhile. Plus, I could really use some new tires on my car and the cost savings would help with the tires and various other expenses. It took a while for my decision to sit well with me. I missed Dave. I threw myself into MTT. 

On October 17th, I was running track after a weekend 22 miler, and I was feeling fast. The weather had gotten cooler. It was really the first cool track workout I had. After a short warm up of 2 miles and some strides, I was ticking off some decent paces that felt relatively easy. Below you can see my laps. I pressed the lap button after one time around the track. I did one mile followed by some active rest and then a 2 miler. Again, it all felt very easy. I had one more 2 mile interval to do. Somewhere around 600 meters into it, my hamstring started to complain a bit. I pulled the plug and called it a day. 

          Lap #           Time             Cumulative Time      Distance            Pace              HR

Well, that sucked. I took the next two days off and did all I could to heal including compression, heat, stretching, and rest. On the following Sunday, I took off from my house a little slower than usual to let myself warm up. Of course it was relatively cold and rainy. Our first real bad weather run of the season. I was planning to see how I felt when I got to the stadium. When I got there, I felt pretty good. My hammy was fine and I was ready to resume business as usual. 

The route that day went through the Fan of Richmond and with all the rain and poor drainage around that area, there were flooded areas and I ended up running through some pretty cold puddles. Is it a still called a puddle if it comes up past your ankles? Oh well, I was soaked already so I shrugged it off and kept on trucking. Then, about 3.5 miles into the run, my hammy started to act up. I told the person I was running with that I was going to slow down and that she could keep going. We were discussing how slow I was going to go when suddenly a sharp pain shot through my hamstring which caused me to shout an expletive and then stop all together. It was like a snake bite. This was not good at all. I turned around and started walking home. I decided it would be less mileage to walk home than to walk back to the stadium and then back home. So, that is what I did. 

Mine was my left leg

I hobbled home. It was pretty miserable as far as walks go. It was cold and rainy and I could not move fast enough to keep warm. I would occasionally shuffle a bit more than a walk but that would not last long. It took me about 40 minutes to walk home. I took a quick hot shower and then got bundled up and drove my car back to Sports Backers Stadium so I could sign back in so the Team Limes coaches did not wonder what happened to me. 

So, now what? I consulted my physical therapy friend who always gives me guidance and she thought I should go see someone. I decided to try to get into see a professional ASAP. I called the VCU Sports Medicine hotline which was a perk of training with MTT. They were supposed to give MTT participants priority appointments. I managed to get into pretty quickly to see an NP at the VCU Sports Medicine clinic. She gave me a thorough exam and wrote me a prescription for physical therapy. I spent the next day trying to get in somewhere and finally landed at Richmond Physical Therapy near Willow Lawn shopping center which was not too far from my house. 

Richmond Physical Therapy (RPT) was great. The entire staff was pleasant, supportive, and knowledgeable. Mary Beth took good care of me and put me on the road to recovery. At this point, my marathon plans were on hold as I worked through the exercises, trying to heal and get stronger. 

Short video of my doing an exercise at RPT
https://www.facebook.com/richmondpt/videos/569002377185411/

While I was going to PT, I started to ride my bike some. Mary Beth said it would be fine to ride my trainer. So I would do some short rides before doing my exercises. Riding was not a problem for my hamstring so at least I had that going for me. 

I don't want to get into too many details but I do want to share this one tool that really played a bit part of my recovery. I call it the "Magic Ball". I put this ball under my hamstring while sitting at my desk at work or while driving my car. I can do active release as well as massage while multitasking. After a short session, my hamstring always feels better. 

The Magic Ball

I ended up being mostly out of commission for two weeks. I ran two of the long taper runs with Team Limes. I took it easy, took a few walk breaks, and mostly held it together. After my two taper runs, I decided I would go ahead and try the marathon but with adjusted goals. I knew it would be a bit of a struggle but I thought if I took it easy, I might be able to run around 4 hours. So that was the plan. I would try to run 9 minute miles and just hope that I did not blow up. There was always the possibility I would have to pull myself out of the race at some point so I went in to the race with that notion in the back of my mind. 

Next up will be my actual race report. I know, the suspense is killing you. Did I survive? Did I finish? Did my hamstring act up? What was the race swag like? Did I swear off running forever? 

Do I like to race? Recap of the second half of 2019

I have been delinquent. I know. All my loyal readers have been waiting with baited breath for my latest race report. People want to know what other great feats of endurance I participated in during the second half of 2019. They want to know what place I came in in my age group. Did I suffer any hardships leading up to a race? Did I bonk hard in the last leg of a triathlon? Did I get injured and have to adjust my goals? Did I have to go to the doctor at all? Did I pee myself on the bike?  I have been down right mean by keeping everyone out of the loop. For that I apologize.

Today, I will get caught up through the summer of 2019. Once I get my loyal readers caught up, I will have a race report for the Richmond Marathon. And then, and only then, will I turn my attention to a new subject that should garner a bit more discussion I think. But first, here are some abbreviated race reports for the rest of 2019.

After Ironman 70.3 VA, we went to the beach for an early season vacation. I ate a ton of ice cream and generally took it easy. We did some hiking and lounging on the beach and one day we went for a run. It was a nice getaway. Here are a few photos from the trip. 

It was a fun trip that included ZERO races. 

We got back from the beach on a Friday. The next day, I rode my bike from my house down to the Cap 2 Cap start at Dorey Park. I had to push the pace a bit to get there before it started so when I arrived at the starting line for the 100 mile bike ride, I was gushing sweat after my 17 mile warm up. I did well for the first half of the ride but then all the ice cream caught up to me and I lost my mojo. It was a death march back to Dorey Park where I used the bathroom, grabbed a post race dinner roll, and then headed for home. Of course the skies opened up and I rode the 17 miles back to my house in pouring rain. I ended up with 135 miles that day and I must say it was rather miserable for the last 65. I had wanted to see how an extra long bike ride would feel. Now I know.

Two weeks later I did the Dominion Energy Riverrock Trail Trio which consisted of a Friday evening trail 5K, a Saturday morning trail 10k, and a Sunday morning trail Half Marathon. Let's just say I did well. I dropped in the standings as the weekend progressed but that was to be expected. I was kinda sore going into day 2 and quite fatigued going into day 3.  The weather was rather warm and I find it increasingly difficult to keep the gas pedal down in the heat the older I get. Here are my results from the three races.

Two weeks after Riverrock, we headed north to visit with Melissa's sister and family. They are always so accommodating and always make sure we are comfortable when we visit. It was good to catch up but in addition to some family time, we also did the Independence Olympic Triathlon. I was still a little run down from the beat down of Riverrock (run down from the beat down- could be a song), but I still did pretty well in the race, taking 5th in my AG. It was a fun race on a closed course which I would do again someday. Plus the pre-race grilled Salmon out on Diane and Scott's deck was quite satisfying and relaxing. 

Results below. 

After the June 2nd triathlon, I started up with the Sportsbackers Marathon Training Team here in Richmond, VA. MTT as it is know around here is a very large training team that prepares newbies and veterans for the Richmond Marathon in November. They have training plans, weekend supported runs, group hill workouts, group track workouts, advice, access to VCU Sports Medicine staff. Running with MTT is a good way to meet other like minded people. You know, people who want to run a marathon. They create the routes for the weekend long runs and have SAG stations every 3 or 4 miles on the routes so you can refuel with water, Power Aid, gels, and other snacks. MTT makes running in the heat and humidity of summer in Richmond slightly more bearable. 

While I was training with MTT, I was also keeping up with my triathlon training. I decided I would do one more triathlon, the Outer Banks Triathlon in September. I had done the race once before. It is a small race but a good race for all levels. Plus, my brother-in-law Dave decided to make this his first triathlon. He was doing the Olympic distance while I was doing the Half. I was looking forward to sharing all things triathlon with Dave and being there to congratulate him on his accomplishment. 

But before we get to that, I had one more small race to do in Virginia Beach on July 13th. The Allen Stone Braveheart Memorial Run/Swim/Run took place at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The race is a benefit for the Navy Seals Foundation. The Navy SEAL Foundation provides immediate and ongoing support and assistance to the Naval Special Warfare community and its families. I happen to know the race director for the event who went to school with my brother Erik and who is an accomplished endurance athlete himself. He participated in the John Rosen Memorial 5K that I produced a couple of years ago. I was so happy to be able to support his event. 

This event consisted of a 1K barefoot beach run, then into the ocean for a 1K swim, followed by a 5K boardwalk run. It was great fun and I highly recommend this race to anyone looking for something a little different that supports a great cause. Check them out at http://www.allenstonememorial.com/.

I know what you are thinking, how did you do? Not too shabby. Got 3rd in my AG. I am not sure why I did not get swim splits. 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner - 3rd

On to the OBX Triathlon.

A week before the race, Hurricane Dorian blew through the region and the race was in jeopardy of  being canceled. Thankfully, the water receded from the roads and we were able to race. Unfortunately, the storm runoff from the hurricane meant the bacteria levels in the sound were deemed unsafe and the swim was canceled.  I was disappointed that the swim was canceled but it was the right thing to cancel. After all, a google search about swimming in open water with high bacteria levels came up with this:

Q: What could happen to me if I swim in water with elevated levels of bacteria? A: Exposure to bacteria in the water can cause symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, chills and fever. Skin rashes and infections of the eyes, ears, nose and throat may also occur.

Gross!

Without getting into too many excruciating details, the run felt like a death march. It was so hot! I was burning up. I would run for a while and then had to walk to cool off. Over and over again, I found myself having to walk more than I wanted. It was my slowest half marathon ever in any race. However, I still placed well in a small age group. 

Well, that about wraps it up for Triathlon season. Up next would be the Richmond Marathon, my last "big" race of the year. Next time, I will enthrall you with my story of that race.