66 Days to Form a Habit

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Based on a quick Google search it takes on the average 66 days to form a habit. So I guess if I want to use my blog as an efficient training tool again, I had better get started.

My marathon this past weekend was my 29th marathon and my 48th marathon or longer (19 Ultras). I state this not to ring my bell, but rather present my only planned goal for the year, which is to finish my 50th marathon or more. Number 49 is coming up on Monday night, a 12-hour run in Bad Dürkheim, Germany. The course is not very exciting, a 776 meter loop around the town’s salt works and resort area, from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., fun right. I picked this race because I knew that my training would be sporadic during this timeframe due to our house renovation. The race will easily allow me to accumulate at least a marathon distance without any real strain, at least if I don’t die of boredom first, or trip and fall on my face. Actually the run could end up being interesting, there are currently around 80 people signed up, I guess we will have lots of time to get to know another. And who knows, I may have a good day, or night as the case may be, and rack up some quality mileage.

In any case I am taking it easy this week, do only a few short recovery runs and trying to limit my remodeling activities, especially the few days before the event.

I also am thinking about my 50th marathon or more, as first choice I thought about doing the annual 50 mile race that is in our area in June, but my marathon last weekend showed me this may be a bit ambitious, I may stick to a 50 km trail race that I found that takes place at the beginning of June.

Race Report: The German Wine Route Marathon 2012

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Bockenheim an der Weinstrasse is in the collective municipality of Bad Durkheim in the district of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Bockenheim lies at the north end of the 85 km long German Wine Route, and has even adopted an epithet referring to its location there: an der Weinstrasse means “on the Wine Route” in German.

The Weinstrasse Marathon takes place every second year; I first ran the event in 2010 with a friend from my running club (Birgit) as part of our training for the 100 mile race that we completed the same year. This year Birgit is limiting her racing, and no one else in our club was interested, so I ran the event solo.

The weather was not promising as I made the hour drive to Bockenheim, rain was predicted and the gray skies did not offer anything in contrary. I arrived about two hours early, mostly to get a good parking place. The sun came out as I waited, than disappeared, it rained, than the sun came out again…all within about 30-40 minutes…a trend that would continue throughout the day, making the decision on what to wear difficult. The temperature was around 10°C (50°F) and the sky turned a threatening black, so I finally grabbed my running jacket as I started the 5 minute walk to the Start, this would turn out to be a wise decision.

I lined up at the start with roughly 3000 marathon and half-marathon runners, and soon the starting pistol went off. I slowly surged forward with the mass as we headed down the main street in town and made the first climb at around kilometer 3. The race course was a continuous series of uphill and downhill ascents and descents, with 1-3 miles of flat stretches separating them. The hills were not terribly challenging, but this was definitely not a fast race course. This however, was one of the reasons that I picked this race, in another week I will be attempting a 12-hour race. My goal for the race was a finishing time of around 5 hours, which hopefully would leave me in decent shape.
For a more detailed description of the course and some pictures refer to my race report from 2010:

http://www.breakingthetape.com/runningwithjack/2010/04/race-report-the-german-wine-ro.html

The first half of the race was non eventful, I passed over the halfway point timing mat in 2:07:54, a little faster than I wanted, but okay. I was pleasantly surprised shortly before this by the appearance of Lena from my running club, with some friends of hers. She ran up and gave me a hug and wished me a good race as I ran by, thanks Lena!

Shortly after the halfway point the course turned and we headed into the wind and our way back towards the finish. As I mentioned earlier the weather was changing almost every half-hour, when the sun came out it was so warm on the asphalt roads that we ran that I had to remove my jacket. But each time the rain returned, mixed with a steady to gusting winds, to pelt us into submission as we headed up and down the vineyards towards the finish.

With 10K to go I was pretty beat and was taking regular walking breaks. The lack of training (only about 60% of what is normal for me), too aggressive pace during the first half, and the weather were beginning to take their toll. I remembered that my goal was 5 hours, so relaxed and took my walk breaks as I felt the desire, ran when it felt good, and even sat down for a couple minutes for some hot tea at one of the aid stations. Sometimes you have to concentrate on your main goal and not be distracted by the race frenzy.

Eventually I began climbing the last hill that would bring me through town to the finish line. I saw that I would easily finish under 5 hours so took my time. Runners sped by, trying to squeeze a few more seconds out of their race, I’m usually among them, but not today. Finally I saw the finish line and did speed up a bit, passing over the finishing mat with a net time of 4:55:19, mission accomplished.

A day later my legs are tired, mostly due to the lack of hill training (and training in general), but I am confident that my slower overall pace will leave me in no worse shape for my 12-hour run on April 30th.

I would recommend the Weinstrasse Marathon for anyone that is looking for a well-organized, scenic marathon and is not afraid of asphalt and hills. This is not a fast marathon route, but very scenic, and there are several other activities that coincide, such as a wine festival in a neighboring town.

Renovating and Training for a Marathon

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We are currently renovating our house so my blog writing will continue to be sporadic at best. The short run of the project is that we are turning part of the attached shed of our 200+ year old house into a new bathroom, office, guest bathroom and a small studio for my wife’s artistic tendencies. If the funds hold out we also want to redo the living and dining rooms. Some of the work is being done for us, some of it we are doing ourselves, it will probably take a year or two before we are completely finished.

Renovation 2012 - The Beginning

Despite our ambitious plans I have still been doing some training, and am running a marathon this weekend. As I am running only about 50% of the mileage (average 60 km/week) this year compared to what I usually do, I have set my goals really low for the marathon, e.g. my good day goal is around 4 ½ hours.

I am also signed up for a 12-hour race on April 30th-May 1 (May 1 is a holiday in Germany)…and yes I realize that is a week after the marathon and I am poorly trained. The 12-hour race takes place on a 776 meter looping course, and my only goal is to complete at least the marathon distance, and that I can do walking the whole thing with a 5 hour nap in between ;-)

Crazy Running Weather

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This past week was a crazy weather week, last Saturday morning when I started my long run it was a minus 13 °C (8 °F), this Saturday was a plus 10 °C (50 °F) outside. At first I welcomed the warm weather as I took off over my hilly route in Weingarten, but after a couple hours of hill climbing the radical temperature swing wore me out, I decided to end my run early, completing only 22 of my scheduled 32 kilometers.

This week I am slowly getting used to the mild weather, temperatures still drop below freezing at night, but by the time I get home from work most days it has been up to 10 °C (50 °F) and sunny. Today is overcast and cooler, we should be getting some rain later this evening, tomorrow is supposed to be the warmest day of the year to date.

With just over three weeks until my 6-hour race I want to try to get in a couple 20-mile runs before then. I may run my hilly course this weekend and a flat course the weekend following so I can estimate about what my race pace should be. I have not trained hard compared to other years, but at least a bit more than last year. In any case I know I have to run conservatively if I want to maintain a decent pace throughout the 6 hours.

Some freezing weather, but still going

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The cold weather continued this past week, but for the most part it remained dry outside and I was able to train without any setbacks. On Saturday morning I drove to nearby Weingarten and ran my hilly course. It was -13 °C (8 °F) as I plodded up the first hill, as I reached the plateau on top there was a biting wind that reminded me that sunshine alone does not make a spring day. After a couple hours of running up and down and all around my legs were really getting cold, but I stuck it out and ended my run with about 30 km (18.5 mi.), a mile or so shy of my goal, but I was freezing, it was still -9 °C as I ended my training for the day.

This week started out with some scattered snow flurries and this morning the sidewalks and side roads were wet and icy, but the temperature should reach above freezing today, I hope the trails will thaw out a bit before I run tonight.

My conditioning seems to be slowly improving, I have been adding a few faster kilometers to one of my runs each week to try to get the body used to running faster. With almost no speed training for the past two years the body is definitely not used to it, an 8 mile run with some intervals mixed in, takes more out of me than a 20 mile run. But I know I only need to be patient and diligent with my training, improvement will come, and I am really in no hurry, a gradual improvement is enough at my age.

My next race is about a month away, a 6-Hour benefit run for Down-Syndrome, hopefully I can improve on last year’s 51 kilometer finish.

Cold Weather Training

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After a very mild January, winter is finally upon us here in Baden, Germany. This past week found temperatures stretching down to -15 °C (5 °F) during the night and only reaching about -4 °C (25 °F) during the day, warm by some standards, cold for us. Having been raised in a cold hamlet in Upstate New York, where it could easily dip to -30 °C (-22 °F) or more, the cold slowed me down but did not prevent me from training.

For all practical purposes this past week was a recovery week from the 50K race that I ran the Saturday before. After resting the day after the race, I headed out for a short (6 km/4 mi) recovery run on Monday evening, where I was surprised to find my legs in pretty good shape. Encouraged by this, I ran a loop with my friend RB (Running Buddy) on Tuesday, braving some rather icy stretches of trail around our running club trails.

I had every intention of going to the pool on Wednesday night for some swimming, but this was the first day that the temperature really dipped down, so I wimped out. On Thursday my legs felt surprising good so close to finishing a long race, so I completed a 10 mile run, whereas the only problem I had was motivational, due to a combination of -5 °C and a bitter cold wind.

By Saturday the wind had died down a bit, so I headed out at 8:30 a.m. for a long run. The temperature was still -11 °C (12 °F), but I was dressed for success and made my way around the forested sections surrounding my area. I really didn’t notice the cold that much, until I tried to take a drink from my CamelBak, the hose was frozen solid…but after tucking it down my shirt for a while it thawed out enough to drink. I completed 28 km (17.5 mi) in around 3 hours, an average training pace for me lately. My legs were bright red and ice cold as I showered after the run, afterward I sat on the couch under a blanket for a while till they warmed up again.

On Sunday I ran by RB’s house and we completed a 10K loop through some of the same forest that I had run the day before. It was still -7 °C (19 °F) outside, but the sun was shining brightly, the kilometers seemed to quickly melt away, it’s always a pleasure to run with RB. It’s nice to see that her training is starting to pay off, she seems to be running easier than the past few months.

So I ended my “recovery week” with 72 km (45 mi.), the second highest mileage week this year and the first time I ran 5 days. My legs are in good shape for having run 50 km the week before. I did restrain myself from running my hilly route on Saturday, no sense pushing my luck. My next major event will be a 6-hour benefit run in the middle of March, followed by a marathon in April, and if my conditioning continues to improve a 12-hour race on April 30-May 1.

Race Report: The Rodgau 50K 2012

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On Saturday I finished my first race of the year, a 50K race in Rodgau, Germany, not far from Frankfurt. I believe this race is the first ultra of the year that takes place in Germany, so tends to be a meeting place for the Ultra scene as they begin a new year. As my wife and I arrived at the sport hall to collect my start number I passed several familiar faces. As I waited in line, Monica from the running club in Karlsruhe stopped for a quick chat, we run several of the same races each year, she ran her first 100-Miler last year, the same on that I ran the year before.

After I collected my start number, my wife left to meet an old school classmate that lives in the area, and I headed into the big gym to wait for an hour or so for the start of the race. I chatted with a couple people I knew, then found an empty chair on one wall and relaxed for a while. About 15 minutes before the race I walked the 850 meters to the start, arriving a couple minutes before the start, good timing, I didn’t have to wait too long in the near freezing temperature. I was surprised to see a light dusting of snow on the ground, and hoped the trail wasn’t icy.

My thoughts were interrupted by the last count down and the starting pistol. I was positioned near the back of the roughly 1000 runners, so patiently waited for the wave to move forward. After a minute or two I was able to walk, then run forward, we wore embedded chips in our start numbers, so our race started when we ran over the timing mat.

I flowed slowly forward with the crowd, it would take a few minutes before we had elbow room. The course consisted of a relatively flat 5K loop, starting in a forested section, with an aid station at 0.8K, roughly a 1 kilometer stretch of field, 1K of forest, another kilometer of field, then back in the forest to the start – 10 rounds for 50 kilometers. The weather was not bad, a slight wind, around 0°C at the start, warming up to around 3°C as the day progressed. The light dusting of snow was quickly beat away by the runners, and ground into mud in the forested sections, but still firm enough to run well.

I started out conservatively, running each of the first 6 rounds in a very consistent 31-32 minutes. I felt good, despite limited training, but on the 7th round I started to feel the mileage, I lost about 2 minutes. As I came to the aid station again I got a small snack to eat and sat down for about a minute to rest the legs, before running on. After a kilometer or so I felt better and was able to run through the round, but this would be my slowest round with 36:28 minutes. I repeated my little break as I swung by the aid station, again eating a little snack, but tried not to linger as long. I was again able to run the loop without pause, shaving off a minute from the round before.

As I passed the start again I drew strength from the fact it was my last round, stopped only briefly at the aid station and did my best to keep moving forward. The kilometers clicked slowly away, 46, 47, 48 – I wanted so much to stop and walk, 49, I could hear the crowd at the finish line. I dug in as I headed around the last curve and made my way over a straight-a-way that would carry me to the finish line. My steps grew lighter as I saw the red LED’s that displayed the time at the finish line and somehow found the strength to sprint ahead passing two runners in the last few meters, much to the approval of those supporting us at the finish line. Out of breath and happy I walked it out and did a damage assessment, I felt surprisingly good! I collected a coke to drink and sat for a couple minutes to regroup, then walked over to the sport hall to meet my wife. My 5:31:56 finish time was just about a minute slower than my personal best for this distance, not bad considering I wasn’t even sure if I would finish the race under the 6-hour time limit!

So time to rest up for a few days, then get back to training, in 6-7 weeks is my next race, a 6 hour Benefit Run for Down Syndrome, I look forward to breaking my 51.29 km record!

Off to the races

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With my last workday of the week behind me I find myself thinking about my first race of the year (50K) tomorrow. Like every first race of the year I can only guess how it will turn out, I always need a race or two to adjust to “my pace”, as every year is different. Based on my experience I do know that I am not well prepared and should not be too ambitious. Despite 6 years of running marathons or longer, I still tend to start out too fast in the first race or two of the year, maybe I will remember this tomorrow. As I noted in my last entry, my last couple marathons last year were well below average, so I need to be especially conservative this year and really pay attention to those early warning signs that my body usually gives off (and I usually seem to ignore). In any case I am going to try to enjoy myself and just get through it the best I can, a good attitude is half the battle. Catch you on the other side!

First race of 2012 on Saturday

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Hmmm, I’m still not doing well with the blogging, enough said. My running is slowly improving, I have crept up to about 70 km (44 mi.) a week, with 4 runs per week. On Sunday I quite literally headed for the hills, completing 28 km (17.5 mi.) on my hilly route near the neighboring town of Weingarten. Over the first half I added a couple extra hill climbs which successfully pulverized my legs and left me straining over the last 30 minutes of the run. Over the long term this type of training builds the endurance that I need for the longer ultras. I hope through my efforts this year I can rebuild a long distance running machine that will carry me over a 100K or perhaps even a 100-Mile race in 2013.

On Saturday I have a race planned, basically a dress rehearsal for the rest of this year’s activities. Planned is a 50K race in Rodgau, near Frankfurt (Germany). The course consists of ten 5K loops, about 3K of forest and 2K of open fields with every round, all flat and fast for those so inclined. My training has been far too little to be thinking of speed, my number one goal is to finish, and number two, to finish under the 6 hour time limit.

This race is actually a very poor choice for a first race of the year, the looping course makes it far too easy to quit and go home. My performance during the last two races I ran last year, both marathon, was very poor, I expect Saturday to be especially hard, a couple more months of training would have been better. So why I am running the race, you might ask? Simple, we are beginning a major house renovation in March and I don’t know if/how much time will remain for training or racing. When I can fight my way through to the finish on Saturday, then my next planned race (a 6-hour race) in March should be more at my peak performance, and my training up to then should be enough to run a marathon in April as well. Makes sense to me anyway :-)

Still Running A Way

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On Saturday I went on a nice easy 5 mile run with members of my running club, the weather was mild, the company good. On Sunday I ran almost 20 miles, the first 1-1/2 hours alone, then an hour with my running buddy (RB), then the rest on my own. I was pretty worn out by the end of the run, but its only January, so I have a lot of leeway before the longer races begin. So far so good!