FIRST RACE -- Relay for Life Spring 5K and Running Cartoon of the Week

RUNNING CARTOON OF THE WEEK

 



This past Saturday I competed in the Relay for Life Spring 5K in Tiltonsville, Ohio. Great race! I loved the course, which was out and back mostly along the Ohio River. Because I'm training for the Glass City Marathon at the end of April, I didn't rest for this race. Fortunately I felt pretty good and ran 19:27, which surprised me because I have done no 5K speed work. We do speed for our marathon training once a week, but it's no where near 5k pace.

The race had over three hundred entrants, lots of giveaways, a pancake breakfast after the race, and a nice awards ceremony in the local school's auditorium. Diane McCracken was the race director, and as usual, she did an excellent job. The overall male winner was one of my former cross country runners, Cedric Robinson. He ran 16:44. The overall female winner was my training buddy, Chrissy Lewis. She ran 19:30.

This Saturday we plan on doing 13 miles at marathon pace--7:27 per mile. This is the hard workout of the week, although we did do four one mile intervals on Monday at about 6:28 pace. With the cold and wind, those milers were challenging.

Next Friday will be our final 20 miler. I'll be glad when that one is over with. Then I'll race the WEBARK 5K in Glendale, WV on April 12 and run an easy 12 miler on April 19. Before you know it April 27 will arrive -- RACE DAY.

ARE MARATHONERS CONQUISTADORS OF THE USELESS?

Many people think that racing and training for a marathon are a huge waste of time and energy. Life is short. Why spend one to three hours a day for many months preparing for a race that often does more damage to your body than good? Why not invest your time and energy into more useful endeavors, hobbies, or even better--the important relationships of your life?

To obsessed runners those words can definitely sting with the discomfort of truth. With all the time, effort, and resources we pour into the marathon, we know that other important areas of our lives are often neglected. Yet we press on, making sure we follow the training schedule, log the demanding miles, see physical and massage therapists to ward off injury, and somehow fit in an extra half hour of sleep to speed recovery. All this for what? To say, "I came, I ran, I conquered?" To get a big medal that confirms we made it through 26.2 miles? To buy a bumper sticker that says: HALF MARATHONS ARE FOR WIMPS?

I must confess that I don't feel fully justified in the time, effort, and money I put into my running. I have so many other important things that need my attention -- my wife, kids, grand kids, teaching job, ministry, and the list goes on. But I continue to run and train for a marathon.

I guess if I didn't, I wouldn't be who I am. Maybe that's a good thing, or maybe that's a bad thing. I know that over the years I have developed a lot of self-discipline through running. Because of that self-discipline, I have learned to make good use of time and get a lot of things done. Through running, I have also learned that I can accomplish great challenges through setting goals and working hard. Distance running has definitely made me tougher--bad weather, early risings, tough circumstances, and a demanding schedule may be daunting but never defeating. My doctor tells me I am healthier than most men my age because of my running. No doubt, running has contributed to who I am.

The marathon experience definitely shapes our bodies and characters. It challenges us. It humbles us. It changes us. And If we can pull off the tricky balancing act of attending to the priorities in life and somehow manage to put in the miles and finish the race, then we will have accomplished something very, very ... useful.

THE BIGGER THE DREAM, THE BIGGER THE RISK

RUNNING CARTOON OF THE WEEK

 

 



K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, is the second highest mountain on earth. It is located in northern Pakistan. For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying. During an expedition in 2008, eleven out of fifteen people who tried to reach the summit died on the mountain. When asked why so many people want to climb such a dangerous peak, one of the climbers responded, "The bigger the dream, the bigger the risk."

Running a marathon is not nearly as dangerous as climbing K2, but the same frame of reference applies. The dream of running a marathon places a runner at higher risk. When the dream is acted upon, a person antes time, energy, resources and effort into the marathon pot. It would be interesting to discover how many people who commit to run the race actually finish it. Training takes it toll on those who dream big, and the race itself eliminates many more who never make it to the finish line.

In December I committed to running the Toledo Marathon. The day after an 18-miler last Saturday I could feel a slight strain in my left Achilles tendon. I backed off on workouts this week. Today I tried a 20-miler at an easy pace--8:20 per mile. I felt a slight pinch where the Achilles attaches to the heel during the second half of the run. It feels fine right now, but tomorrow will be the true test. If my Achilles won't cooperate, I'll take time off. With six weeks to go, this could be very frustrating. But I knew going in to marathon training, the bigger the dream the bigger the risk. No doubt about it . . . marathoners are risk takers.

RUNNING CARTOON OF THE WEEK--Plus a TRAINING UPDATE

Seven weeks until the Toledo Glass City Marathon. Whew! Training is getting tough. On Monday I did an 8 miler with six miles at 7:20 pace and two miles easy. Stationary bike on Tuesday. On Wednesday two training buddies and I ran 10 miles: 8 of them at 7:16 and two miles easy. Stationary bike workout on Thursday. Feeling very tired on Friday, we ran an easy six miler at about 8:10 pace.

Today we are doing an 18 miler at 8 minutes to 8:20 per mile. I don't know if I am recovered enough to complete this run successfully. At 57 years old, my body doesn't recover from these workouts as quickly as I used to. If I can't take the pace, I'll back off to a 9-minute mile to complete the run. We will run in about an hour. When I get back, I'll update how the run went before I post this.

As far as injuries go, I'm not doing too badly. My left ankle has had a little bit of soreness in it for the last year or so, probably arthritis. The bottom of my right foot has been hurting since Monday. I've been massaging it with the Marathon Stick to speed up healing. It's hardly noticeable when I run. It hurts the most in the morning. I know it's not plantar fasciitis. I've had that many times. It's more like a strain in one of the tendons on the bottom of the foot. I've discovered over the years that runners are always battling some kind of injury. If we would rest for every little ache or pain, we'd never get any training in.

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I just got back from the 18 miler. Surprisingly, we ran a 7:53 pace overall. I was shocked. It's possible that we are getting used to the once-a-week long runs. My training partner has a Nike GPS that we depend on to give us our mileage and averages, although I do complain that the odometer in my head is more accurate. These long runs are incredibly important to marathon preparation. We will do another 18 miler next week, run a 5K race the week after, then a 20 miler that week after that and one more twenty miler before the marathon. I hope and pray this old body holds together. Have a great running week --- Joe C. Ellis

RUNNING CARTOON OF THE WEEK AND TRAINING PROGRESS

The last two days have been good days. My marathon training for now is on schedule. We did a sixteen miler on Friday on a 24 degree day in the Ohio Valley, averaging about 7:53 a mile. With very little wind, the weather felt nippy but good. I wore Saucony tights, and an Under Armour top with a hooded sweatshirt--just right for the conditions. I've noticed my joints really start to hurt from mile 12 onward. I don't think there's much I can do about it. Working the leg muscles and joints over with the Marthon Stick helps. We've got about four more long runs to go before race--the Toledo Glass City Marathon on April 27--two 18 milers and two 20 milers. Hope I can make it through without any serious problems.

Today I ran eight easy miles on my own at about 9 minutes a mile. I've discovered that an easy run the day after a long run helps to get the blood flowing and lactic acid moving out of the muscles. My goal on these days is to just cover the distance and burn calories. In the coming weeks the training gets tougher with some tempo runs under marathon pace (7:20 or faster) and half mile intervals at 5K pace (3:15 or faster). It will definitely be challenging.

A snow storm is about to hit the Ohio Valley. We're supposed to get 8 to 12 inches of snow on Sunday and Monday. I'm tired of it! I hate the treadmill so much that I gave mine to my daughter. I'll cross train on my stationary bike on Sunday and then try to cover eight or nine miles on Monday by running along the tire tracks of cars out in the country. Another polar vortex is settling in Tuesday through Thursday. It's time for spring! Can I get an Amen?