Last Long Run.

Saturday.  Just another weekend day.  The day after Friday and the day before Sunday.  Well, maybe not.  It was the day to take my last long run before the Boston Marathon.

 I knew that I had to get my last long run in this weekend as the marathon is only 3 weeks away now.  The weather forecast was calling for rain this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday.  However, it was going to be rain free Saturday morning.  Saturday morning it was going to be then.  I took the early train in and started my run. 

The weather was gorgeous.  47 degrees and partly sunny.  Perfect weather for shorts, a short sleeve shirt and shades.  I was so excited because I hadn't been able to wear shorts for quite a long time (it's the little things!), it was my last long run and I was trying out three new gels (I'll post about the new gels soon).

 

My intention for yesterday's run was to log 20 miles, focus on staying near race pace, and putting the final touches on my refueling/hydration plan.  I was able to meet my goals and beat my mileage by 2 miles.  I ended up running 22 miles during this session.  The 20 mile mark was approaching and I said to myself that I'm feeling good so let's make it another mile.  The 21 mile mark approached and I did a quick check again.  I was still feeling good and I still had time before I had to head back to catch the train home so I went for it.  I felt really good at the end of it especially saying that I had run 9.25 miles Friday morning (total of 31.25 miles in two days).

I met my goal of staying around my race pace too.  This is something that I work on from time to time but really hadn't focused on too much previously as I usually go for speed over staying at race pace during my training runs.  I had to challenge and prove to myself though that I could be disciplined so that I could finish strong at the end where it really counts.  This is something that is always in the back of my mind from running my first marathon last October.  I started out that race at what I thought was at the right pace but quickly learned, at about mile 17, that I had started way too fast.  I learned from that mistake and will not let it happen again. 

I used this long run to make final adjustments to my refueling/hydration plan as well.  I've decided that I'm going to alternate with Body Glove energy gel and Honey Stinger Ginsting energy gel for the marathon  I found that this combination gives me the energy and mental clarity that I need during my runs.  I also used it as an opportunity to focus on the signs that my body gives me when I need to rehydrate.  The human body is a pretty smart cookie and gives great clues as to when it needs something.  You only have to be smart enough to listen for those clues.

I made a special point during my long run to stop by the scene of the tragic fire that claimed the lives of two Boston firefighters this past Wednesday.  The scene was quiet and a bit eerie.  The only thing that you could hear was a slow "beep... beep... beep" coming from either the charred shell of what once was someone's home or the houses on either side that were impacted by this devastating event.  It made me pause and reflect on what is really important to me in my life.  My heart goes out to all the families that were touched so negatively by this horrible fire.

I also made a special trip over to Boylston street to see the newly painted finish line.  What a sight for sore eyes.  To most, it probably doesn't mean that much at all.  Just some yellow, blue and white paint splashed on the pavement.  To me as a runner, it means so much.  It is the ultimate prize for all of the training.  It is what I've worked so hard for all of these months.  That simple mark on the road is the culmination of such a profound journey.  "Journey".  "Keep on Runnin'".  Wow, I love when they come together like that!

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Let The Tapering Begin.

The Boston Marathon is 21 days away!

Three weeks to go.  This has been a long journey since starting training back in the beginning of December.  Long runs. Early morning runs. Evening runs. Lots of refueling gels and sports drinks.  Trying to balance training, work and family.

Taper.  I'm not talking about a lovely wax dinner candle used to set the mood for fine dining.  I'm referring to reducing the number of miles that I run in the remaining three weeks leading up to the marathon.  The purpose of tapering is to allow the restocking of depleted glycogen supplies and the repair of damaged tissue from the weeks of hard training.  In essence, it is giving my body the chance to recover and to be in peak condition for the big day. 

This process calls for a reduction of miles by 20 to 25 percent per run three weeks out.  A further reduction of 20 to 25 percent per run two weeks out.  The final week before the marathon calls for a few six milers early in the week. 

The process of reducing mileage can be seen as a good thing on one hand but also difficult on the other.  The thought of being able to cut down on mileage each week is so inviting and welcomed this far into training.  However, it can also have a negative mental impact by giving you extra time to start questioning your training.  Did I do enough to prepare myself for this race?  Did I run enough?  Should I have focused more on my speed?  Should I have put more hill work into my weekly training?  All good questions.  However, deep down, I know that I've done the best that I can.  I just have to keep reminding myself of this fact whenever I begin to question things with the extra free time that I'll have on my hands.  Questiong things is expected and has already begun to some degree.  It is just another aspect of marathon training to be prepared for.  This mental component can be just as hard to train for as the physical component.  You have to learn to take complete control of the head games and put everything in perspective.  Mental strength + physical strength = Athlete.  Hello world, my name is Keith and I'm an athlete.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Delivered.

Last Thursday was a momentous day as it is the day that I delivered the $5,856.40 that I raised to the Curley K-8 School.  I met principal Katie Grassa who informed me that the extra money that was raised ($856.40) will go towards benches and trees for their new playground (funded by another fundraising project).  It was great to finally see the learning community that was going to benefit from all of the generous donations that were made to my Boston Marathon fundraiser. 

Thank you again to each and every donor who helped me obtain my goal and then some. You are all very generous individuals and I appreciate your kindness. 

There are only 24 days until the marathon!

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Out Of The Blue. WHAMM!

Have you ever had one of those powerful moments that just jumps out of nowhere, surprises you, and then hits you like the dynamic duo fighting a dastardly villain?  POW!  ZLONK!  Something that you will always remember for the impact that it had on you.  I had one of those moments today. 

I knew that I had to go for my weekly long run today as I was not able to get to it yesterday.  I wasn't very motivated though as between Friday and yesterday I pulled 20 1/2 hours straight at work working on a huge IT infrastructure project.  A good amount of that time was spent on the hard floor of a computer room.  Not too good for the legs and joints but you do what you have to do.  I figured out that between Friday morning and this morning, I had only had 9 hours of sleep in total.  Again, not too motivated when the alarm went off at 5:50 AM this morning.  SPLATT!  THUNK!

As I was taking the train into Boston this morning, I was trying to figure out a route that I haven't taken in awhile and that would help to get me excited about today's run.  I kept coming up with the same tried and true routes that I have been going to faithfully.  I needed something different though.  Something to provide that BAM!  I ended up starting out going over into the Seaport District.  Not very BAM inducing but it was different than what I normally run.  I usually don't venture too far into the Seaport District because it really is not that inspiring to run.  Just some fish companies, Black Falcon pier and a lot of solitude.  I made my way down Summer Street, over into South Boston to the old electric plant and then back over to Black Falcon.  I then made my way over to Northern Ave. passing by Harpoon Brewery and the old Bank of America Pavilion.  Northern Ave. turned into Seaport Blvd.  Then it hit.  BIFF!  BONK!

I was focused on trying to watch the road as I crossed the street so that I could run along the water.  I then looked up and saw it.  The new 2014 Boston Marathon banners that were unveiled this past week.  As far as the eye could see.  Both sides of Seaport Blvd.  What a beautiful sight.  My inspiration and motivation was found.  As I passed by each banner, the emotion that I felt increased.  It then culminated into a feeling that I will never forget.  I finally stopped to think about this thing that has completely taken over my life for the past four months.  All of the training.  All of the time away from my family.  The fundraising.  Trying to balance work, family and everything that comes up in a given day.  I hadn't really put it altogether.  Until that moment.  The emotion became so much that I started to cry as I ran by each banner (I'm getting that feeling again as I am typing up this post.  It is such a powerful and emotional thing to think about).  One banner after another.  The tears of joy flowed. 

I continued on my run and used that moment of seeing the banners for the first time as the motivation that I needed to get through today's run.  Along the waterfront in the North End, over to the Bunker Hill monument, along the Charles River on both the Cambridge side and the Boston side.  I ended my training run on Summer Street by South Station.  What did I see when I looked up?  2014 Boston Marathon banners.  BOFF!  "Holy ironic Batman". 

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

This Little Piggy.

This little piggy went to market to buy new running socks,

This little piggy stayed home for a recovery day,

This little piggy had a bowl of pasta,

This little piggy had none.

This little piggy went ...

Wee, wee, wee, all the way to the finish line!

New Running Socks- They had a sale. What can I say?

I amuse myself sometimes. I'm not posting about nursery rhymes but rather piggy toe covers. OK, socks.  Some women hoard shoes. I hoard running socks (my wife would say that I hoard any kind of socks but that is for another day). 

My obsession, oink oink, I mean my interest ( that's what we'll call it) in running socks came about similarly to refueling gels. There is a cornucopia of brands and styles to choose from. I hadn't ventured too far down the pigpen, sorry, road, until recently.  I used to just buy the cheaper entry level socks that caught my eye.  It's not like I needed the state-of-the-art ones that track the amount of perspiration being expelled every 1/10th of a mile along with other key data that is then relayed back to my sock app on my smartphone for in-depth analysis. That would be pretty cool though. 
 

As with other running gear, you get what you pay for though. Snort, snort. I finally realized that running is my "thing" and that I should invest appropriately in gear that I buy based on functionality, convenience and comfort. 

That said, here are my top sock picks (I won't drag this out like I did with the gels!):

Number 3: Feetures High Performance Light Cushion
These socks are great and come with some beneficial features like power bands that hug your feet to provide a snug fit that eliminates movement and blisters.  They contain iWick fibers which wick mositure away from your feet to keep them dry.  They also have a Y-heel construction that keeps the socks from sliding into the shoe.  These socks have no irritating toe seam which is great on long runs.  I also tried the Feetures Elite which have Sock-Lock Support System.  However, I found that these were way to tight and restrictive so they did not make the top list.

Number 2: Smartwool Run Light Cushion
What a comfortable sock!  These are the first pair of running socks that I've ever purchased that contain wool.  I had heard a lot of positive things about socks that contain wool but never really considered them until now.  I'm glad that I finally did.  They have just the right amount of cushioning which makes my feet feel full in my sneakers (that probably sounds pretty weird).  These socks also have banding to hug your feet which provides for a snug fit.  They also have high heel tabs which protect your heel from rubbing on your shoe.  They keep your feet warm on cold days and cool on warm days.  Go figure.  How can you not love a pair of socks that have "Feels Good" stitched into the inside lip.  Truth in advertising I say!

Number 1: Balega Hidden Contour
These are my all time favorite running socks.  I cannot wait to put these puppies on my piggies whenever I go for a run!  They have the same great features as the previous two brands of socks but they've taken them to the next level.  These socks contain a mix of wool, polyester & nylon.  This allows for all of the benefits of wool but in a softer feel.  They are so comfortable to wear it feels like I'm running on a set of clouds (well maybe not that dramatic but they are incredibly comfortable).  I have worn these socks on several long runs and a 1/2 marathon race with no blisters.  The manufacturer of these socks got it all right.  These are fantastic running socks that have everything going for them.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Fundraising Goal: Met.

Never Surrender.

With a little perseverance
You can get things done
You can never surrender

- Corey Hart

I have fantastic news to report.  Due to the complete generosity of all the people listed under "Donors" on the right side of my blog, I have officially met my Boston Marathon fundraising goal of $5,000 for the Curley K-8 school.  I could not have done this without each and every one of them.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Honored.



CEO Joe Ryan & Myself

I am very honored to have recently received the M. Robert Dushman Community Service Award from the law firm of Brown Rudnick LLP and the Brown Rudnick Center for the Public Interest.  Being nominated for this award was a complete surprise and an honor in and of itself.  Finding out that I was actually receiving it left me speechless.  I am very appreciative to everyone involved with nominating me and voting for me to receive this award.  I am truly grateful.

As part of receiving this award, the firm will be donating $2,500 to the charities of my choice.  I have chosen $1,250 to be donated to the Curley K-8 school who I'm running for in the Boston Marathon.  I have chosen for the other $1,250 to be donated to the Plouffe Academy.  I want to send a very special "Thank You" to Brown Rudnick LLP for their very generous donations on my behalf. 

Thank you also to everyone else who has donated to my Boston Marathon fundraising.  Due to each of you, along with this donation from Brown Rudnick, I am now within $180 of my $5,000 goal.  This is truly amazing and I cannot thank you all enough.  This was such a daunting task when I took it on back in December and I appreciate each and every donation that has been made.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Race Day.

Today was the first race of my 2014 season and it started where my half marathon addiction started a year ago. The Ocean's Run race in South Kingstown, RI.

What a difference a year makes. I ran this race as my first half marathon one year ago. I learned so much about myself and about running that day. The good, the bad & the ugly. I just had to do it again. One more time. It wasn't for the course. It is nice as it runs partially along the Atlantic Ocean. However, the majority of it meanders through residential areas and quiet pastures. Not a lot of people along the way. It isn't for the start time. While it does start at 9:00 AM, it means getting up at 4:00 AM to get myself and the family ready and out the door for the 1 1/2 hour drive to get there.

The desire to run this race again was to allow me to compare how I'm doing, apples to apples (you can substitute any other fruit that you like if you want), on a course that I have run before. But more importantly, it would allow me to gauge how I'm doing with my Boston Marathon training.

I'm so glad that I ran the Ocean's Run race today as I learned a valuable lesson. I was focusing way too much on energy/refueling and not enough on hydration during my training. I didn't drink as much as I should have yesterday as I was focused on other things and I definitely did not today. I knew that I should have drank more this morning before the race. I even told myself, "Keith take some Powerade before you get on the shuttle bus to the starting line". Did I listen? Nope. I'm a big Dum Dums pop. Butterscotch to be exact. I should have stopped at more hydration stations during the actual race too. I didn't think that I needed to because I wasn't sweating that much and felt pretty good during the race. It caught up with me after the race however. I won't let that happen again. Lesson learned.

This race also gave me an opportunity to practice a couple of strategies that I am always working on. The key one is to not start out to fast. The tendency is to get caught up in the excitement of everything that is going on at the start of a race. You want to keep up with everyone around you. The problem is that you can burn out too quickly and not have enough to finish strong. You really have to know when to push yourself and when to pull back. It is finding the right pace for the moment and something that is fine tuned throughout the entire race. The bottom line, I have nothing to prove to any of the other racers, all of whom I do not know. I only have to prove things and be accountable to myself.

Overall, it was a great race and it really did help give me an idea of where I am in my overall marathon training and a couple of key things to work on. 


My race stats for today:

7:57 Pace (last year: 8:54)
96th out of 487 (last year: 191st out of 370)
24th out of 62 in my division (last year: 30th out of 47)
71st out of 198 men (last year: 111th out of 157)

One last thing that I figured out today. I'm going to run Boston to enjoy it. Not to try and beat any made up number in my head. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and something that I want to cherish. I can beat myself up on the half marathons throughout the year.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Refueling- 1st Place



Body Glove Surge All Natural Energy Gel- Chocolate.

I've got a golden ticket!  A Wonka Bar of chocolaty deliciousness.  "Augustus sweetheart, save some room for later" goodness. 

This gel has so many things going for it.  "I'll bet those Golden Tickets make the chocolate taste terrible."  Well, they actually don't grandpa Joe.  It has a great natural chocolate flavor which is vibrant and actually pretty delicious tasting.  There is a pleasant aftertaste which is very mild.  It's no Ghirardelli, but pretty darn good as it goes for energy gels. 

The Surge gel has a great consistency which makes it very easy to get down while running.  This is essential when you are trying to refuel without stopping and without having to wash it down with energy drinks.

The level of energy that it provides comes on pretty quick and lasts for a good amount of time.  The bullets on the packet say "More Energy Faster" and "More Energy Longer".  I would completely agree with those statements.  No misrepresentation at all.

"There's no earthly way of knowing, which direction they are going.  There's no knowing where they're rowing.  Or which way the river is flowing.  Is it raining, is it snowing? Is a hurricane a-blowing?"  Did I mention already that it has a great chocolate flavor?  Like the great Willy Wonka's chocolate river.  I digress.

The all natural ingredients are a huge plus.  You can actually pronounce all of them without having to flub your way through your own personal in·ter·pre·ta·tion (/inˌtərpriˈtāSHən/) of how to speak each one out loud.  I also like that this gel has 150 mg of caffeine.  I find that that really helps me to stay focused and keep my head in the game on my long runs.

A drawback?  If you read other reviews online about this gel they mention that this gel is gritty.  Gritty?  I wouldn't quite call it that.  I would call it more "textured" than anything else.  Did I find that to be a bad thing?  Absolutely not.  I actually didn't mind it at all. 

I was initially going to give PowerBar Performance Energy Blends the 1st place nod.  However, that was before I put them head to head last weekend on my long run.  I found that the Energy Blends are actually better for my shorter runs and that the Surge gel is much better for the longer runs.  For that, I'm giving 1st place to Body Glove Surge.  Thanks to Jim Darsigny who got me a couple of packets of this gel on his lunch a few weeks back.  I've since bought a box of them and will be putting another order in in the coming days.

"But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.  He lived happily ever after."  I couldn't have put it any better Mr. Wonka.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Refueling- 2nd Place.

2nd Place- PowerBar Performance Energy Blends

PowerBar Performance Energy Blends.

Goo goo ga ga.  Can you say "baby food"?  This stuff is great.  It is just like baby food.  Same taste.  Same consistency.  My goodness, I think that they just opened jars of Gerber baby food and repackaged it into foil packages with twist tops.  Where's my baby bottle full of apple juice to help wash it down? 

I've tried the banana blueberry several times now and it is fantastic.  It tastes just like banana baby food with just a hint of blueberry.  The energy blend has a natural flavor, a great after-taste and is just the right thickness.  It is a great choice for mid-run refueling as you do not need any other fluids to help get it down. 

The all natural ingredients are another positive of this product.  They help to give a gradual delivery of energy which is sustained for a reasonable amount of time.  I also like how it helps to quell any hunger feelings while running unlike other fuel gels.

There are a couple of drawbacks though.  The first is that there is no caffeine.  This is something that I have found really helps me on long runs.  The other is the size.  Each packet contains just over 3 oz while most energy gel packages are just over 1 oz.  The extra size makes it a bit difficult to carry several of them in an average sized fuel belt.  Otherwise, these are a great option for shorter training runs.

I have to go watch Barney now before nap time.  I love you, you love me.  Goo goo ga ga.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!