Minneapolis Marathon 2009-Results

Here are the results for the Minneapolis Marathon.  It was a great race, very scenic, it started at the Depot in downtown and went through Northeast Minneapolis and down the river.  We swung through Fort Snelling and through some trails then head up the river again and ended behind the New Guthrie  theater.  

The weather was gorgeous it was a little warm towards the end but there was plenty of shade along the way.  As I stated in the previous post I was going to use this as a training run.  Well...I did no such thing.  I started out a bit slow with good intentions but that only lasted for about 9 miles, then it was race time.  

I placed higher than I ever have before and I'll have to admit that after looking at the results I'm a bit disappointed.  I finished 8th overall, which is amazing, but second place was only about a minute and a half ahead of me.  Oh well, next time...

Time: 2:59:57

Overall Place: 8th

Division Place: 3/28

15k Split:1:04:05

16mile Split: 1:45:39

Mile Pace:6:52

All-in-all another great race and I'll try and see if I can't make it back next year.

Link to results 

Minneapolis Marathon 2009

Tomorrow is the marathon number 4 for me this year and the first time I have ever done back-to-back marathons.  I just ran the Stillwater marathon last Sunday, so we'll see how fast I'll run.  I am planning on using this as somewhat a training run, but once I get out there it might be tough for me to not give it my all.  

It should be a great race though, I will have a home course advantage.  The race starts in Downtown Minneapolis and follows the river straight south for 13.1 miles and heads back north into Downtown.  I believe the field is around 1600 for the marathon, so it should be another thin field but still should be fun.

I'll post results as soon as I can tomorrow.

Race and Repeat

Here is a good article from Runner's World about using races as training runs and motivation.  That is kind of what I'm doing, the runner in this article uses 5k's.  I'm using marathons.   

Race and Repeat

What's On My ipod

Go to any gym, running path, or any sidewalk and you'll see people with the earbuds in.  I have only had an ipod for about a year and a half and really don't use it a ton.  Generally for easier runs or longer runs I'll use it.  

Though I only have about 3/4 of my 1G ipod shuffle full here are some of the highlights of what's on my playlist.

1. Winning by jack Welch (Latest audio book-I love listening to audio books during my longer runs.)

2. Bon Jovi-Have a Nice Day Album

3. Bob Marley-Ledgends Album

4. Fergie-Mix Tape

5.  I'm Yours-Jason Mraz

6. Stronger-Kenya West

7. Superstar-Lupe Fiasco 

8. 4 Minutes-Madonna & JT

9. Viva La Vida-Cold Play

10. Dragostea Din Tei-O-Zone

11. Crank That-Soulja Boy

12. Chicken Fried-Zac Brown Band

13. Live Your Life-T.I.

14. Say Hey-Michael Franti & Spearhead

 

Coffee Time!

There has always seem to be controversy whether coffee is good or bad for you, especially for runners and other athletes.  Though the debate still continues I being a coffee lover must share this interesting article from Runner's World done this May 2009 on the effects of caffeine.

Most people do not know that coffee is very high in antioxidants, and it is often the main source of antioxidants for most regular coffee drinkers.  However, most athletes have avoided coffee because of the possible diuretic effects that can lead to dehydration.  

As the Runner's World article shows the average person can have up 500mg or about 5-6 cups of coffee before they will feel any diuretic effects.  You can actually benefit from the caffeine. Check out the articles below.    

Good Buzz

Coffee's Surprising Health Benefits 

Workout: May 25th-26th

May 25th: Off, I actually felt pretty good, except I probably did a little too much celebrating after the race.  More than just leg soreness.

May 26th:  6 mile easy.  First run after the race, felt pretty good.  the legs were definitely tried and still a bit sore.

I also just got a physical today and its official I'm health.  Though I did have to get a tetanus shot which has now made my arm feel like someone punched it as hard as they could.  Other than that I feel pretty darn good, and I think the Minneapolis marathon is going to be alright, but it is suppose to be in the 80's this weekend, so the heat could be a factor again.

Stillwater Marathon 2009 Photos

Here are some photos of from the race, enjoy.

Stillwater Marathon 2009-Results

The Stillwater marathon is officially done.  It was probably the toughest course I have ever ran, there were constant rolling hills and several significant ones that really made the course difficult.  That combined with the heat that was in the mid 60's towards the end of the race made for a challenging course to say the least.  

Results:

Overall Place:11th

Division Place: 4th

Sex Place: 11th

10K Split: 40:11

13.1 Mile Mark: 1:26:18

20 Mile Split: 2:15:24

Last 10k: 48:05

Gun Time 3:03:29

Chip Time: 3:03:28

Pace:7:00

I went out a little too fast I was shooting for a sub 2:50:00 time, but after about 5 miles I realized that was not going to happen.  I felt pretty good for most of the race just didn't have the extra get up and go needed to propel me up with the top runners.  All in all it was a great event and for the 1st annual race the staff and volunteers did a pretty good job.  The course was beautiful when I was not wincing in pain from running up hills.  We'll see if I'm back next year, it is definitely a challenging race.  Now its time for the ice tub.

 

Stillwater Marathon 2009

Tomorrow is the big day, marathon number 3 this year.  I have to say that I am a bit nervous for some reason.  This is the smallest marathon that I have ever ran and probably to least competitive field and I signed up very last minute.  Though, I feel that because this is a bit weaker of a field that I should ultimately do better.  

This is added pressure that I really haven't had during my marathon career.  Other than the Fargo marathon I have never had a real hard goal or expectation that I put on myself.  To make matters worse a friend of a friend that, is running the 12k, is the son of pretty much the organizer of the race and he said that I have a chance to win the thing, which has crossed my mind but I really don't like to put that kind of pressure on myself.

I have decided not to hold back and to give it my all, if that is enough to win than great, but if not I'm not going to worry too much about it.  I have purchased the Bob Marley Legends CD and have been playing "Three Little Birdie" (Dont' Worry) a lot lately.  Wish me luck I'll try to post results as fast as I can, especially if I do well.

Why?

For those of you who know me or just know about this blog know that I enjoy running and that I run quite a bit.  I often get that question "Why?" when I talk about all the running and races that I do, note that I am fairly mild compared to some.  I never really had a good answer for them most of the time, other than, "I enjoy it" and I do, but what I really enjoy is the challenge.  

I was watching a video on Dean Karnazes and they were interviewing people that ran with him for his 50 marathons in 50 days and one gentleman had never ran a marathon before and was inspired by Dean to run one.  When he was asked about weather he was concerned about the race and he said that his biggest fear was whether he would finish, but when stopped to think about it the only way he would fail is if he didn't go out and try. 

I have experience some success in my brief running career, no I haven't got a shoe deal or won a marathon yet, but I have done very well in the races that I've ran so far.  But I think that what really motivates me is getting out there and try and pushing myself to see what I can do.  Not trying is the only way I'll fail.

And I look good in running short...admit it. 

 

Workout: May 21st

May 21st: 4 x 1000m @marathon pace 6 miles total

My last speed workout before the Stillwater marathon.  I know that it has been less than two week but to me it feels like about a month.  Part of the reason is that I have been focusing on recovering as much as I can for this marathon and have not done any hard training at all.  I think is the right thing to do, but my cardiovascular seems to not be what it used to be, which is a concern of mine.  I am getting excited for the race tomorrow is packet pick-up then Sunday, bright and early 7:00am I'll be off on marathon number three for this year. 

Workout: May 20th

May 20th: Easy 6 miles

Again it was in the low 90s for temps today, but because there was 25-30mph winds it was not too bad.  My legs are almost back to normal, but I am starting to feel that my cardiovascular strength is fading a bit.  I have not done much for cardio work since  two weeks before the Fargo marathon, so hopefully it will not be much of a factor for the Stillwater marathon this weekend.

I'm still hoping to break 2:50 which would be a new PR, most people that I have talked to said that I will not be able to improve from my Boston time running this many marathons back to back.  People telling me I can't do something is all the motivation I need.

Quick Tips

Running in the Heat:

I myself enjoy running in the heat, I don't quite know exactly why, but I enjoy it.  I'd rather it be 90 degrees out than 32 degrees.  I think it is mostly because I can handle the heat fairly well, or at least more than some.  I seem to be able to quite hydrated well in hot or cold conditions, but this often leads to slight over hydration under "ideal" conditions.  

Well, enough about me, here is the quick tip for running in the summer heat, obviously you need to stay hydrated but you also need to replenish your electrolytes.  More or less if you are out there working up a good sweat you need sodium along with water to stay hydrated.  

You can do this by drinking sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, but if you look at the ingredients on them they are mostly Water, Fructose and sodium.  i.e. Water, sugar and salt.

Water is even better is coconut water which actually is the best source for rehydrating your body, though it is a bit more that Gatorade.  

I actually like to drink either coconut water or make a really watered down fruit smoothie and add about a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.  You are getting the same water, sugar and sodium as you get in sports drinks but it is a little more of a healthier alternative.  

Here is another good article from Runner's World on running in the summer heat.  Heat-Tested

The Carb-Loading Myth

Carb-Loading has always been the thing to do for distance runners, but is it still the thing to do?

A guest ask Runner's World's Sports Dietitian about this and the short answer is "yes...but."

Runner's World Article:

Workout: May 18th-19th

May 18th: Softball game-Diving catch in the outfield and 3-4 at the plate.

May 19th:  3 x 1mile intervals at marathon pace (9.45 mph/6:20min)  

It was about 90 degrees when I was running but I enjoyed the heat and I need to start getting used to running in it.  Especially, because the Stillwater marathon is expected to be in the mid 70's.  

Only 5 more days until the Stillwater marathon and my legs still feel like they are recovering, so hopefully within the next few days they be back to normal.  

Fargo Marathon Pictures

Here are a few pictures from the Fargo Marathon 2009:

Workout: May 16th-17th

May 16th: Off, really trying to take it easy and fully recover for he Stillwater marathon next Sunds.

May 17th: Did a nice medium-easy pace 15 mile run.  Felt pretty good, but was a bit sore and my legs definitely felt it the last few miles, but that is to be expected only a week out from a marathon.

Eating Right on a Budget

This year I have focused a lot on nutrition, I have really been trying to eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies along with lean proteins.  Distance runners tend to eat a lot and I'm certainly no different, so when you are eating a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, you tend to have to eat a lot of them to get enough calories.  This is fine, but can be very expensive, my food budget is generally around $150-$200 a month and I usually don't buy strictly organic produce, that's a lot for a single person.  

That is why I love the Farmer's markets, not only are they generally less expensive, they are almost always organic and they help support local growers.  For those of us apartment dwellers who are unable to have a garden this is a great resource.  

I bought all of the produce pictured above for $6, not too bad.  Also another quick tip, organic produce is the best when/if you can afford it, but as a general rule if you are going to peal the fruit or veggie it doesn't necessarily have to be organic.  Here is a great article of picking out health groceries on a budget.

How Healthy People Eat Cheap

Count Down to the Stillwater Marathon

I decided relatively last minute, as far as marathons go, that I am going to run the Stillwater marathon on the 24th.  It is there inaugural race so I thought it would be fun, plus it is gorgeous country out in that area, potentially a lot of hills though.  I am not as concerned about the Stillwater race as I am of the following weekend when I will be running the Minneapolis marathon.  

Yes, a little crazy I know, but I feel great right now and I truth be told I'm really going to try and take it easy on these two.  They are more or less for "fun."  It will be interesting to see what type of field there is for the race, because Fargo, Minneapolis, Rochester and the Grandma's marathons are so close, I have a feeling  that they will be thinning the numbers out for each one.  We'll see though, marathons are growing in popularity every year.  

I checked the weather and it shows a high of 80 degrees, should be quite the change from Fargo.  

Workout: May 10th-12th

May 10th: Slightly hungover from post race celebration, but felt really good, so I took the day off.

May 11th: Softball game, it actually felt good to do some sprinting and I think it helped a bit the the soreness.

May 12th: Strength training upper body only and easy 3 mile.  

I asked personal trainer about advice on running marathon 3 weeks apart and she asked me why I'd want to do that.   Hmmm...touche train, touche.

Quick Tips

Fighting soreness is a big problem for runners and all athletes.  Here are some tips to fight soreness the next day.

1. Do a good cool down after your workout.

2. Make sure to stretch after your cool down.

3. Ice helps after intense workouts, 20min icing 20min off no more than an hour total.

4. Massage-if you can afford a sports massage great, otherwise do it yourself or use a foam roller.  It should be a fairly deep tissue massage, so it will hurt a little but it helps blood flow and recovery.

Fargo Marathon

Results from the 2009 Fargo Marathon:

Division: Men 25-29

Overall Place: 17

Sex Place:17 (i.e. no girls beat me)

10k: 39:41

13.1 mile: 1:25:09

20 mile: 2:10:49

Last 10k: 41:46

Time: 2:52:34

Pace: 6:35

It was a good race, though the weather was pretty cold.  I didn't do quite as good as I'd liked, I was trying to get under 2:50, but didn't quite make it.  The course was a lot different in that it winded through a lot of residential areas and often in the second half of the race there was no one around meet at all.  A bit different than Boston.

It was a great race and I finished 1st in my age division, so I was very excited about that and I won my first prize, a $50 gift card to Scheels Sporting Goods.  All in all a good race and a great weekend.

 

Fargo Marathon

Tomorrow is the big day marathon number 2 this year.  The Fargo marathon, which I a very excited for.  I have a lot of friends and family running and because it is a lot smaller field I think that I can place pretty high.  I am shooting for a top 10 finish, which is very possible if I can improve my existing personal best at all.  

The weather is supposed to be kind of nasty, mid 30's and potentially rain/snow, yes that's right snow in May.  We'll have to see how the race goes, we will have to make 2 loops because the course was changed due to all of the flooding that happened and this is my first marathon that I have run right after another one.  I feel like I'm completely recovered, so I don't think it should be a problem.  We'll see, it should be a fun race regardless of the outcome.

Workout: May 4th-6th

Taking it pretty easy getting ready for Fargo.

May 4th: First Softball game, so kind of a workout, but we got 10 run ruled so we only played 5 innings.  

May 5th: 5x 1000m at marathon pace.

May 6th: Easy 6 miles

Quick Tips

Quick Tip:

Two nights before the race is the most important night to get some rest.  Most people are nervous or anxious the night before a big race and can't sleep well, so make sure that two nights before you race you get a good nights sleep.

For me that's tomorrow, the Fargo marathon is Saturday.

Quick Tips

I know that I have not really shared a whole lot of advice on this blog and I have actually have learned a lot in the past year or so about running, nutrition, ect.  I am going to try and post a "Quick Tip" at least a few time a week with helpful information that I have learned.

Quick Tip:

Workout routine- Your workout routine should consist of 

1) Warm-up-Light jogging for example just enough to break a sweat.

2)Stretching- good full body stretch.

3)Workout- The hard stuff

4)Cool down- Again light jogging to lower your heart rate gradually.

5)Stretching- Again a good full-body stretch, this stretch is more important that the stretching before your workout and will help you recover from the workout and reduce soreness.

Well there you have it hopefully I'll be better and leaving more advice on this blog in the future.

Workout: May 1st-3rd

May 1: 9 miles total 2x20min @ marathon pace

May 2: Off softball practice

May 3: 13.5 miles easy (gorgeous day outside)

Last hard workout and last long run before the Fargo Marathon.  I am getting pretty excited, but I lost my watch/heart rate monitor, which is really no good.  Well, I have 5 days to find it.

Count Down to the Fargo Marathon

Just 8 days until the Fargo Marathon, I am really excited for this marathon for several reasons.  This is the first time I will be running a marathon with only 3 weeks in between, there are a lot of my friends and family are either running or coming to watch the race and because Fargo limits it marathon participation to only 1600 I think I have a good chance to place in the top 10.

I feel pretty good and will have 2 more solid workouts today and this weekend then it is another week of tapering to get ready for the race.  Also a friend of mine is trying o qualify for the Boston Marathon at Fargo so it will be fun running with him.