Got the email confirmation yesterday that I had been officially accepted into the 122nd running of the Boston Marathon, to take place in April 2018. Words will fail to convey all this means to me, since it would require an in depth articulation of where I have come from over the past eleven plus years.
For back then, in what seems like a previous lifetime, I was an active alcoholic and drug addict marked for an early death. I had been reduced to living life like an animal, bereft on any sort of human dignity, or any semblance of that precious commodity called hope.
Today-things are much different. Though those demons still lurk, they do so far beneath the surface most days. My thoughts are occupied with training schedules and mileage totals. Upcoming races, an how I can best serve all the kids I am fortunate to coach. In fact, that is what I spent most of yesterday doing-coaching and race directing a cross country meet. Maybe there are no accidents, and it was quite fitting that I got my Boston letter of acceptance on such a day.
It's what I will be doing again this evening-coaching. And this morning I spent an hour plus of my day running. A hard workout too: 4x 200m, 2x 400m, 800, 2x 400m, 4x 200m. As I chase after what may seem impossible- faster times at the age of 43.
But nothing is impossible. Not out here, on the roads and on the trails. With a full and grateful heart, I reach towards the promise of new days and new adventures.
Monday, September 18, 2017
Monday, September 4, 2017
Phase2 WO1
Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer-and I officially cannot wait for fall, and fall weather. After a five week modest build back up of mileage, I felt like I was ready to move into phase2 of the Jack Daniels 5k-15k Training Plan I am following. It's the same plan I used the first half of 2017 with much success.
To backtrack, I had allowed my mpw to fall into the 20s (and one week even below 20) in order to have some much needed extended rest from a hard Jan-May training, and then a heavier race schedule culminating with three in seven days the first week of July. But all in good fun, and part of a 50 races in 50 states challenge I have embarked on.
So then in August I have been winding the miles back up thru the thirties, and into the low 40s per week, and doing striders on average every second run. Plus some longer run in the 1:15-1:45 time range. 2 of them with Peyton. But no real hard running since the Battle of the Border XC race July 22nd
Today the first workout in Phase2 was 5 x (200,200,400) with equal distances rest. Ran through the farm and then on the roads to Kure Beach, and back to Carolina Beach along a route I use often for workouts. Planned on getting out a little earlier in the morning, as it was already a bit hot at 7:30. Though the humidity was tolerable.
Took the workout pretty well, hitting the 200s around :40 and the 400s anywhere from 1:17- 1:27. Worked hard, and dry heaved at the end of the last three 400s. Was reminded quickly of how demanding physically and mentally these sessions are. Putting on the big boy pants again!
One run, one workout-and I'll take it from here. But it felt good to be back out getting after it.
To backtrack, I had allowed my mpw to fall into the 20s (and one week even below 20) in order to have some much needed extended rest from a hard Jan-May training, and then a heavier race schedule culminating with three in seven days the first week of July. But all in good fun, and part of a 50 races in 50 states challenge I have embarked on.
So then in August I have been winding the miles back up thru the thirties, and into the low 40s per week, and doing striders on average every second run. Plus some longer run in the 1:15-1:45 time range. 2 of them with Peyton. But no real hard running since the Battle of the Border XC race July 22nd
Today the first workout in Phase2 was 5 x (200,200,400) with equal distances rest. Ran through the farm and then on the roads to Kure Beach, and back to Carolina Beach along a route I use often for workouts. Planned on getting out a little earlier in the morning, as it was already a bit hot at 7:30. Though the humidity was tolerable.
Took the workout pretty well, hitting the 200s around :40 and the 400s anywhere from 1:17- 1:27. Worked hard, and dry heaved at the end of the last three 400s. Was reminded quickly of how demanding physically and mentally these sessions are. Putting on the big boy pants again!
One run, one workout-and I'll take it from here. But it felt good to be back out getting after it.
Sunday, September 3, 2017
Running in a T Storm
What fun, early Saturday. I got back to the Carolina Beach State Park just after sunrise (not that the sun was visible). A cluster of thunderstorms had drifted up from the south-instead of hitting snooze and going back to sleep, I decided to run anyway
Which was fun, in a slightly diabolical way. Sloshy my way along the trails. Constantly wiping water from my brow. Counting the seconds between flashes of lightning and the sound of thunder. Feeling at one with all the other animals, at the mercy of mother nature just like me.
Ended up getting over 12 miles in, 5 w/ Isiah one of the older boys and best runner on our Flyers XC team. We managed to get lucky and run between storms. Fell once, while trying to leap over standing water on the main road thru the park (after a short while I realized how fruitless it was to try and keep my shoes dry, so I would just run straight through the water ponding on the ground).
It felt good to be alive, and good to be a bit crazy, and good to be a runner yesterday morning. And for that I am grateful.
Much love
GZ
Which was fun, in a slightly diabolical way. Sloshy my way along the trails. Constantly wiping water from my brow. Counting the seconds between flashes of lightning and the sound of thunder. Feeling at one with all the other animals, at the mercy of mother nature just like me.
Ended up getting over 12 miles in, 5 w/ Isiah one of the older boys and best runner on our Flyers XC team. We managed to get lucky and run between storms. Fell once, while trying to leap over standing water on the main road thru the park (after a short while I realized how fruitless it was to try and keep my shoes dry, so I would just run straight through the water ponding on the ground).
It felt good to be alive, and good to be a bit crazy, and good to be a runner yesterday morning. And for that I am grateful.
Much love
GZ
Thursday, August 17, 2017
The challenge
The run today was fairly brutal-made the mistake of not getting out early enough to at least offset some of the sun's heat. In the woods and on the trails of the Carolina Beach State Park it's somewhat tolerable when running an easy pace. But when I did 6 x :30 at around 5k pace I felt like I was about to faint near the end of each burst.
Nonetheless I survived. And it can't be too much longer as the calendar hits the back side of August until we will get somewhat of a reprieve from the nearly intolerable and incessant humidity and subsequent heat indexes we've been enduring the past several weeks. Fall can't get here a moment too soon.
But there is camaraderie in our collective suffering-we runners commiserate and also find ways to persevere. We adapt, and grow stronger-and perhaps can appreciate the changes in season a little more than lay people when they do finally arrive.
Truth be told, it also gives us a little something extra to rally against. For if all of this was easy, I suspect we might move onto something a little more challenging.
Run on my people, through whatever mother nature and life throws at ya...
Nonetheless I survived. And it can't be too much longer as the calendar hits the back side of August until we will get somewhat of a reprieve from the nearly intolerable and incessant humidity and subsequent heat indexes we've been enduring the past several weeks. Fall can't get here a moment too soon.
But there is camaraderie in our collective suffering-we runners commiserate and also find ways to persevere. We adapt, and grow stronger-and perhaps can appreciate the changes in season a little more than lay people when they do finally arrive.
Truth be told, it also gives us a little something extra to rally against. For if all of this was easy, I suspect we might move onto something a little more challenging.
Run on my people, through whatever mother nature and life throws at ya...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
The Dog Days
August in coastal North Carolina. Damn near intolerable humidity-an invisible wet blanket in the sky. Runs become slogs, exercises in survival. Pace is almost irrelevant. Shorts, socks, shoes are soaked half way into runs. Yes-the dog days of summer are here once again.
Sunday I ran 75 minutes, mostly on the trails of the Carolina Beach State Park. The last few miles I felt like I was barely moving. By the time I got done my pulse was racing-close to 180. I comforted myself somewhat by the fact that at least I wasn't training for a fall marathon or ultra this year. And reached out with some words of encouragement on social media to many of my friends in the local running community who are several weeks into their respective marathon training plans.
Got up early Tuesday and ran the 8.4+ mile Copas Road loop in Shallotte from my Dad's house. Enjoyable run, and did beat some of the worst heat by getting out there at 6:30am as the sun was just beginning to rise. And was blessed with beautiful views out over the marshes and Shallotte river near where she empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Threw in 6 x 150 in/ and out striders in the last two miles of the run. Which did get the heart rate real elevated again. Want to get in 40 miles this week, which will be my first 40 mile week since early June. Spent some time yesterday reviewing my training log from the first half of 2017. Think I may have tapped somewhat unwittingly into a formula for success-built off the Jack Daniels workouts in his 5-15k plan, combined with long runs I was doing at the time to prepare to pace the Wrightsville Beach marathon, and help Amie train for her own WB marathon race.
Instead of doing 90 minute long runs as called for in the plan, I was doing 17, 18, 20 milers, at a pace say a good minute and a half or more below my marathon pace. This I did during the first 2 months of the JD plan, after which my long runs returned to more "normal" lengths or time spent running.
Who knows right? But interesting food for thought. And we are always learning...
Sunday I ran 75 minutes, mostly on the trails of the Carolina Beach State Park. The last few miles I felt like I was barely moving. By the time I got done my pulse was racing-close to 180. I comforted myself somewhat by the fact that at least I wasn't training for a fall marathon or ultra this year. And reached out with some words of encouragement on social media to many of my friends in the local running community who are several weeks into their respective marathon training plans.
Got up early Tuesday and ran the 8.4+ mile Copas Road loop in Shallotte from my Dad's house. Enjoyable run, and did beat some of the worst heat by getting out there at 6:30am as the sun was just beginning to rise. And was blessed with beautiful views out over the marshes and Shallotte river near where she empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Threw in 6 x 150 in/ and out striders in the last two miles of the run. Which did get the heart rate real elevated again. Want to get in 40 miles this week, which will be my first 40 mile week since early June. Spent some time yesterday reviewing my training log from the first half of 2017. Think I may have tapped somewhat unwittingly into a formula for success-built off the Jack Daniels workouts in his 5-15k plan, combined with long runs I was doing at the time to prepare to pace the Wrightsville Beach marathon, and help Amie train for her own WB marathon race.
Instead of doing 90 minute long runs as called for in the plan, I was doing 17, 18, 20 milers, at a pace say a good minute and a half or more below my marathon pace. This I did during the first 2 months of the JD plan, after which my long runs returned to more "normal" lengths or time spent running.
Who knows right? But interesting food for thought. And we are always learning...
Friday, August 11, 2017
Ny running
Got some runs in this week in the Albany NY area-enjoyed the cooler temps and much lower humidity. Did a harder 4.5+ mile progression run late Monday afternoon. Was cloudy and sixty seven degrees, though was a bit windy. First time since July 22nd XC race that I have run harder for any sustained distance-felt good to knock off some rust.
Also got five striders in near the end of the run-5 seconds in, 10 seconds down, 5 seconds out. Starting to incorporate into runs, likely about every other day (or run). Got up real early Wednesday-started the run at 5:20am under the cover of darkness, and an air temperature of 54 degrees that almost made this southern runner salivate heading out the door. In the second half of the run incorporated 5 x 25 seconds at about mile pace.
Friday I was back in North Carolina, and back running in my beloved Carolina Beach State Park. A little under five easy miles, with 6 striders on the roads headed back home.
Priming my fast twitch muscles and leg turnover to get back into another Jack Daniels training plan this fall. Hit weekly mileage total of low thirties last week, and on par for about the same or slightly more this week. Feel good, and ready to let her rip a bit more soon. Increased mileage and intensity.
Plus its XC season soon. Been diligently planning and working-and hope to be ready to go for our first official practice Aug 30th. Going to run again this Saturday with the Cape Fear Distance Project. Hope a few more kids will come out.
Goal is Tallahassee in December, and the USATF National JO XC Championships. Think we have a good shot to qualify several individual runners, and hopefully a team or two.
In the words of my dear friend and fellow coach up in Jacksonville NC Joe Lancaster- "giddy up!"
Also got five striders in near the end of the run-5 seconds in, 10 seconds down, 5 seconds out. Starting to incorporate into runs, likely about every other day (or run). Got up real early Wednesday-started the run at 5:20am under the cover of darkness, and an air temperature of 54 degrees that almost made this southern runner salivate heading out the door. In the second half of the run incorporated 5 x 25 seconds at about mile pace.
Friday I was back in North Carolina, and back running in my beloved Carolina Beach State Park. A little under five easy miles, with 6 striders on the roads headed back home.
Priming my fast twitch muscles and leg turnover to get back into another Jack Daniels training plan this fall. Hit weekly mileage total of low thirties last week, and on par for about the same or slightly more this week. Feel good, and ready to let her rip a bit more soon. Increased mileage and intensity.
Plus its XC season soon. Been diligently planning and working-and hope to be ready to go for our first official practice Aug 30th. Going to run again this Saturday with the Cape Fear Distance Project. Hope a few more kids will come out.
Goal is Tallahassee in December, and the USATF National JO XC Championships. Think we have a good shot to qualify several individual runners, and hopefully a team or two.
In the words of my dear friend and fellow coach up in Jacksonville NC Joe Lancaster- "giddy up!"
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Running
The last few weeks I have been mainly just doing some easier paced runs varying in length from say five to about eight plus miles. Trying to get back onto the trails and softer surfaces as much as I can, especially when I'm at my home in Carolina Beach.
Did race hard two Saturdays ago at the Battle of the Border event-which is a cross country race between my Wilmington Road Runners Club, and our brethren to the south, The Grand Strand Running Club based out of Myrtle Beach. Ended up running six and a half miles at Indigo Farms, as a large pack of us at the front got lost.
Raced the first three miles hard-the first two miles around 6:50, and the third sub 6:30. Conditions weather wise were abhorrent, with a race time temperature (8:30am) approaching ninety, combined with humidity levels above ninety percent. In fact one runner had to be taken off the muddy dirt and high grass trails in an ambulance-fortunately he was ok.
The last three miles I and a pack of "lost" runners ran an average of a low seven minute per mile pace. My Club won-a squeaker-and reclaimed the title, which makes us three for five in the annual affair. My legs, especially my hamstrings were definitely feeling some after effects. But all for a good cause, and some smashing old school fun. Finishers are given popsicle sticks to make their places.
Hit the farm Sunday evening, and some of the adjacent neighborhoods, and the Carolina Beach State Park Monday morning. What beautiful conditions too- as mother nature granted us a most unusual reprieve-with temps in the sixties and seventies, and much lower humidity rates.
Only ran a hundred miles in July-so I'm starting to get the itch to get back into more of a training mode. Will do so probably in two weeks. I get a bit squirrelly mentally when on some down running, but I know its important for my long term running health.
So for now I bide my time, and look ahead with eager eyes to the latter part of summer, and another fall running season.
Did race hard two Saturdays ago at the Battle of the Border event-which is a cross country race between my Wilmington Road Runners Club, and our brethren to the south, The Grand Strand Running Club based out of Myrtle Beach. Ended up running six and a half miles at Indigo Farms, as a large pack of us at the front got lost.
Raced the first three miles hard-the first two miles around 6:50, and the third sub 6:30. Conditions weather wise were abhorrent, with a race time temperature (8:30am) approaching ninety, combined with humidity levels above ninety percent. In fact one runner had to be taken off the muddy dirt and high grass trails in an ambulance-fortunately he was ok.
The last three miles I and a pack of "lost" runners ran an average of a low seven minute per mile pace. My Club won-a squeaker-and reclaimed the title, which makes us three for five in the annual affair. My legs, especially my hamstrings were definitely feeling some after effects. But all for a good cause, and some smashing old school fun. Finishers are given popsicle sticks to make their places.
Hit the farm Sunday evening, and some of the adjacent neighborhoods, and the Carolina Beach State Park Monday morning. What beautiful conditions too- as mother nature granted us a most unusual reprieve-with temps in the sixties and seventies, and much lower humidity rates.
Only ran a hundred miles in July-so I'm starting to get the itch to get back into more of a training mode. Will do so probably in two weeks. I get a bit squirrelly mentally when on some down running, but I know its important for my long term running health.
So for now I bide my time, and look ahead with eager eyes to the latter part of summer, and another fall running season.
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