Rundle 4 (and 5) Hometown trail.

 I live in a small town… I think that’s a song lyric from somewhere. Not sure, it certainly sounds familiar. No matter.

This weeks run route is pretty flat

This weeks Rundle is in my hometown. Small towns may seem a little limiting, and consequently boring in running routes. With such a limited selection of roads you’d think a runner would get bored quite quickly. 

Well, yes and no. It becomes a challenge. You start to set yourself rules. The one I use the most is you can never run the same direction on the same length of road twice in a run. You can run the road in opposite direction, but not the same way more than once. Crossing over your route is OK. Another one I use is to never do a direct U turn on the trail. If I’m on the trail and I need to turn and head home. I have to leave the trail, run on a road and rejoin the trail somewhere else, or run around a city block or two before heading back the way I came. You are allowed to double back and run a road previously run if you need an emergency stop for fluids for example.

Running around parking lots as well. Sometimes I use them, sometimes not. Circumnavigating one might add .25 of a mile or more depending on the size of the lot. 

Sometimes I’m working my route out beforehand, sometimes on the fly. It’s fun. It keeps your mind active. It turns the run into something that’s alive and evolving. I once managed a run of 15 miles around town following my rules.

You don’t always need to be obsessed with the minutiae of your run. Perhaps on a track session or a hill workout you should. But a recovery run or even a long slow run? Just be out there and relax and enjoy being out there.

So I did today. It was a bit hot out. 70 degrees apparently. This route is a simple one, not using too much brain power to create. I was on the wonderful Dakota Rail Trail for a couple of miles, and I’ll write more about that in another post. It’s just a great amenity to have. As per usual, I should have run slower. But this pace was feeling quite comfortable in the conditions. In fact I was quite shocked when I got home to find out my HR had slipped into zone 5. But that was probably down to the heat and is too much information.

Tomorrow it’s Parkrun and I’m already excited. I haven’t been for two weeks. I can’t wait.

The best laid plans of mice...

Once upon a time (2004), I discovered marathon running. I trained hard, and even though I bonked from running too hard, too soon, I finished my first 26.2 mile race. I was in agony and could hardly walk for a couple of days. But I was really happy with 4:33:36. My first marathon. How could I not be happy? So few people take part in and complete one. I experienced my first runner's high.

That first time

If you've finished a marathon, then you've had that runners high. That feeling that you can achieve anything. In that rush of blood to the head, I resolved to beat that time the following year, and thus began my addiction.

The following year, 2005, I trained harder, determined to smash that time. I did. Boy oh boy, did I smash it. By almost 40 minutes! 

My best ever marathon time

The runners high was something else. I thought I was superhuman and indestructible. In 2006 I posted another sub four hour time.

Another sub-4 time

It wasn't a better time, but it was under four hours again. I figured that I was ready to try for a Boston marathon qualifier time. I dug out training plans, and researched hard. As the training progressed I was pretty much on the ball, following workouts to the letter. Mid-length midweek runs were tough but I got nearly all of them in. I did a lot of research into race nutrition. As a convinced Hammer nutrition user I found something called Perpetuem. This was a specially formulated long-distance fuel. Not terribly nice tasting by itself, but you could mix Hammer Gels in for taste. Long runs went well with it. I began to feel that a BQ time of three hours 20 minutes was within my grasp. Race weekend arrived and we headed up to our friends in Ashland. 

When we got there it was chilly. The weather forecast for race day was cold. It would be below freezing at race start time. People were buying cold weather running gear from the traders at the expo. I didn’t have anything myself so I was amongst those rushing to buy new clothing. 

The temperatures on race day

It was cold at start time. Below freezing. This was the first time I had experienced a truly cold race. I’ve had a few cold Whistlestop marathons since then. But this first one was a shock to the system. However, my Mizuno Breath Thermo clothing was keeping me warm. The starter gave the order and we were on our way. I set off at the required 7:38 mile pace. It felt really comfortable. About 40 minutes in, I had my first refuel. I reached for a flask, raised it to my mouth and squeezed.

Nothing.

I squeezed harder.

Still nothing. I checked that the top was open. It was. What was the matter?

The flask was almost solid. It wasn’t frozen, but it had thickened so much in the cold that it was almost impossible to squeeze the substance out of the flask. I took what I could, which wasn’t much.

Realization set in. What was I going to do? Five miles into the race and I had no fuel. I was exactly on pace. I could have pulled out but I decided to keep going for as long as I could. Ten miles in and I was still on pace. Then at about 12 miles, with no fueling. I hit the wall. I made it the rest of the way on Powerade and any snacks that I could get from spectators on the route. It was getting warmer as the race progressed. Perhaps the perpetuem was thinning. I never thought to check. I don’t recall much else, I made it home in 4:06:51

4:06:51 is not a bad time.

That’s not a bad time either. But when it should have been 46 minutes faster than that. It was terrible. I was very disappointed. Psychologically, I think that it had a big effect on me. I had planned and trained so very hard for that race, only to have everything upset by the cold weather. I haven’t run faster than 3:56:47 since. Only twice have I been below four hours. I went through a long, long phase of not being bothered with my finish times. I enjoyed running and enjoyed marathons. I loved being out there in the fresh air, being cheered on by spectators, and I knew that if I just did the training I could get home.  

It’s taken a long time to get that enthusiasm and desire for better times back. I’m over 15 years older and wiser. There’s still some good times left in these legs yet. Let’s see if I can find them.

To cut a long route short

I'll be honest with you. I think I'm a little neurodivergent. I certainly have dyscalculia and might have a tiny streak of OCD in me. The OCD manifests itself when out running. There was a time when I had to absolutely finish a run on a whole mile. I've since expanded it to accept .25, .5 and .75 of a mile, as well as whole kilometres - 5K being 3.1 miles etc:

I have to live with race distances as they are officially measured. But I get a little annoyed when my Garmin reads 26.43 miles on a measured 26.2 route. That's almost a quarter of a mile difference.

I know why it's out. The measured route is recorded with the shortest routes around the corners. The shortest is the fastest. The "racing line" as motor racing drivers call it.

When you're in a big pack of everyday runners, most of the time you're not taking the "racing line". You can't in a mass of people. You have to accept that. 

So I wondered. Just how much can running the racing line affect your distance?

I'm working on an experiment.

A typical American "city block".

This is section of the streets of my home town. I'm going to run the two routes marked. The red around the inside of the block. The blue around the outside, and a longer route. But how much longer is it?

The inside line .35 mile

The outside line .41 mile

The exact rules of such an experiment need ironing out The Garmin should be have some kind of official calibration and I should probably experiment with other GPS's too. It's just an idle idea off the top of my head. But already you can see that my Garmin records that the outside route is .06 of a mile further than the inside. Two laps would equate to a tenth of a mile difference. You can see how you can easily pick up some extra distance if you don't run the official measured route of a race exactly. 

Any thoughts on how to properly conduct such an experiment gratefully received. 
 

Blood, sweat, and carbon running shoes

First the good news, I am the proud owner of a pair of HOKA Carbon X3 running shoes. The bad news is I shed blood to get them.

Ooooh. New Shoes.

Buying running shoes is the best experience. One to savor, enjoy and to learn from. Once you’ve done it right and got the shoes that fit your feet. You’ve got a life partner. You may never have to choose another pair in your lifetime. A knowledgeable assistant will take a look at your gait and stride, and be able to recommend brands for you to try. Then they help you to identify what you are feeling as you put shoes on. It’s invaluable to pay attention as you try running shoes. These are not “tennies” or “trainers”. 

The first time I tried on a pair of Mizuno Wave Riders with the help of such an assistant 20 years ago I was sold. I am loyal to the brand and model. 

“AH! But why have you bought a pair of HOKA’s then”. I hear you shouting. “Where’s your brand loyalty now?”

We need to go back a month or so. At the recent Charity run, the “Get Hoppy 10K” in Waconia. I finished first in my age group, (M60-64) and won a gift card to TCRunning. Prizes for running, that was pretty cool. 

I was going to use it to get a pair of Wave Riders and be done with it. Then I ran into Dick Beardsley at the Grandma’s Marathon expo and he convinced me to try some carbon plate running shoes. 

For those that don’t know, performance running shoes these days have a plate, often carbon fibre, in the sole. They make the sole rigid and more like a lever to propel you down the road. Couple this with the cushioning from extra foam and you have a shoe that pushes you along.

With Grandma’s out of the way and the need for new shoes approaching on the horizon. I headed to TCRunning to see what I could find.

I explained to the nice young lady in the store what I was after. She told me what I just told you. With the caveat that carbon plate shoes are not training shoes. They are pretty much racing shoes only. Many of the hi-tec foams used in the soles of these modern shoes are not as durable as those in regular shoes. Still, I wanted to try them, and with the gift card burning a hole in my pocket, I proceeded to get a feel for this modern technology.

First up: Mizuno Wave Rebellion.

Mizuno Wave Rebellion. Just look at that heel!

I tried the Rebellion out of brand loyalty. But I had serious misgivings about the lack of a heel. I used to be a very predominant heel striker when running. I once wore the heels off a pair of shoes out in 150 miles. Over the years I’ve corrected that, but I still see a scuff mark on the outside of the heel of the left shoe after a few hundred miles. 

As I put these shoes on, there was an unusual sensation. Even sitting down. With no heel, there was no support back there. It was just plain odd. My opinion was that you can’t walk in them. These are shoes that you would put on at the very, very, VERY last minute at a race. Not until you’re in the start corral ideally. The fit of the uppers was to the Mizuno high standard of personal comfort that I judge all other shoes by. So I felt duty bound to try them on the dreadmill. 

It was a revelation! I was amazed. Once you broke into a run, the dynamics of the shoes took over, pushing you forwards and onwards. There’s no doubt. If this is what the supershoe is about then It’s an amazing feeling. A little unnerved, I needed to balance and leant back a bit. With no heel to support me, I slipped and fell, and was spat out by the dreadmill. Knee skinned and bloodied, I was quite embarrassed in front of a store full of athletes. This was not the shoe for me.

The Mizuno Wave Rebellion rebelled

Second Pair: Saucony Endorphin Pro 3

Saucony Endorphin. Yes, they’re very green.

As I held these in my hand, I was a little put off by the foam and the sole. It didn’t feel durable. The green colour was a bit much too. Putting them on, I was quite pleasantly surprised at the fit. Having said that, I wasn’t impressed with the material of the uppers either. Some kind of silicon, rubber, plastic material. The padding around the heel was negligible. I ran on the dreadmill a while. The propulsion effect was noticeable, and as I had a heel underneath me I felt more confident. I just didn’t like the materials.

Shoe Three: HOKA Carbon X3

The winner! But it was a close call

I have already said that I picked these. What was it that made these stand out? The fit was nice. The material of the uppers was more conventional, so they felt good on my feet. I liked the cushioning on the heel tongue and the foam of the sole felt more resilient than the Saucony. I wound the dreadmill up to a faster speed than when trying the other shoes. These shoes gave me confidence. That was important after the tumble I’d just taken. I know a few minutes on a dreadmill is nothing compared to 4 hours on the streets of Minneapolis and St Paul. But first impressions count for a lot. The sensation of being pushed forwards was a little less pronounced but still there. These felt a lot like regular running shoes. That was it I thought. HOKA’s for me. 

Final pair: New Balance Fuel Cell Elite

New Balance. So close. It was down to the cost and colour

Then the assistant brought out these New Balance. 

Woah. Look at the colours! Orange and Yellow and Mauve and Blue. That is a vivid palette. I’m not sure I’m bold enough to wear those colours. I’m used to greys in my Wave Riders. 

As soon as I put them on I could tell that these too, were some seriously good shoes. The comfort and construction matched the HOKA’s. Then when I ran with them on the dreadmill, I couldn’t tell the makes apart. Seriously. I honestly couldn’t. I was torn. I put the HOKA’s back on. I ran on them. I wore one of each and walked around on them looking for clues in the fit. I couldn’t split them. I put the New Balance on again and ran on the dreadmill. 

Oh, hang on a moment, what’s that? The arch support. There’s some cushioning there. Soft but noticeable. New Balance shoes are noted for arch support. My wife loves New Balance for this very fact. I don’t usually notice arch support in my shoes. I’m not sure if I like that or not. Would that break in after a few miles and be less noticeable, or would it cause blisters after 20 miles? I did not know and I thought long and hard about it.

In the end I went with the HOKA’s. I think I made the right decision. They feel great. Perhaps if I’d tried the New Balance on before the HOKA’s, I would have bought them instead. The only way to find out if I made the correct decision is to run in them. What works on the treadmill, might not work as well on a less forgiving asphalt or unforgiving concrete surface. I asked if there was any guarantee should they not work for me in the real world. I was told that HOKA shoes have a 30 day unconditional guarantee.

“So if I don’t run a PB at the Parkrun on Saturday I can return them?” I joked.

“Unconditional guarantee.” The assistant replied.

Okay then.

Post script:

I woke up this this morning, (How many Blues songs start like that?) With some rather sore glutes. I must have gave them something of a hammering as I fell on the treadmill yesterday.

Grandma's Marathon video

 My personal video shot during the run. I hope you enjoy it and that it gives you a feel for the event.

New day, new race, new plan.

Back home from a weeks relaxation after Grandmas marathon, and I’m easing back into working out ready for the Twin Cities Marathon. The old legs felt quite good last week, just a few days post marathon. So I completed a few short easy runs. To date they’ve not reacted badly to that. Which is a good sign. 

Counting back from race day (October 1st) in my Best Athletics training plan still puts me in the “prep phase”. So I really can be taking it easy and still be in a training plan. 

I got up, made some coffee in my new Grandma’s Marathon mug, and considered the day ahead.

I really like the Grandma’s coffee mug. A nice piece of merch.

Today on the training plan is down as a strength and conditioning day. Something which I’ve done precious little of in the past. I’ve always concentrated on racking up the miles to get me through a run. So I’m late to the party with strength training. But as I get older I should really work on it more to lessen the chance of silly injuries and niggles. I did pick up a couple training for the last Mara. Perhaps that was a warning.

As you can guess then, I know nothing about what exercises would be best for me. Google and YouTube was my friend here, and I quickly found videos from Ben is Running and Steven Scullion as well as Nick Bester, with some exercises that seemed quite easy for a beginner. I memorized them and headed to the gym.

Shhhh… Don’t tell the wife I “borrowed” her yoga mat. 

I’m not sure I knew what to expect from a strength and conditioning workout. But it was a lot tougher than I imagined. One set of reps of some of the exercises and I was working up quite a sweat! Then I added a weight and things got hard.

OK, I probably added too much weight. In the Ben is Running video, he worked with a kettlebell. It looked fairly big in the video, so I picked one in the gym that looked the same sort of size. It was 15lbs! Let’s face it. Black text on a black kettle bell is difficult to read. I decided that to start with I needed a lighter bell, I found a nine pounder. Things were easier. It still made me sweat. But I was more comfortable.

First S&C workout in the bag then. A new experience, and a not unpleasant one, certainly something I should have tried earlier in life. 

A few minutes with a legend

I’m in the presence of greatness

At the recent Grandma’s Marathon expo. I almost literally ran into running legend Dick Beardsley, and had the chance to spend a few minutes chatting with him. The meeting was quite by accident, as I almost bumped into him as he was walking away from a meet and greet session at a sponsors booth. 

If you haven’t met Dick before, you should know he likes to talk. He talks with such passion and joy in his voice that you can’t help but be carried away on his waves of enthusiasm.

Being English, my accent is often a gateway into conversation, and this time was no different. He latched on to this and was straight off into his memories of that first London Marathon in 1981 and the run with Inge Simonsen. 

He told me that He and Simonsen became best friends after that race, and they had been invited to drop the starters flag together at the 40th anniversary running of the event. But Covid had other plans. Perhaps they will be able to do that for the 50th.

He shared how they had duked it out from Tower Bridge onwards, each attacking the other, until they decided to cross the finish line together holding hands.

“It had never happened before, and it will never happen again”. He said. “It was exactly what that race needed”.

I remarked that in a post race interview he said that he had run three competitive marathons in three months.“Nobody would do that these days” he said, and he effortlessly segued into his training and race nutrition. His fuelling on the London Marathon had been flat Coke that had been sitting in his hotel room for a couple of days. It was the sugar in the Coke that kept him going. But the energy from the sugar burst only lasts for about three miles, then you crash and have to take more.

Every three miles he had to take a drink of flat Coke. How times have changed.

Times have changed with shoes too. “My shoes back in London weren’t much more than pieces of nylon with rubber soles”. He said before going on to explain about supershoes, how they work, and that I should be trying them. He related how he was utterly amazed the first time he tried a pair for himself. I envisioned him running out of control in these new shoes. 

If they are good enough for him, then I should give them a try.

He even charmed my wife, telling her she was the best sort of supporter for cheering me on at events. 

With that he was done, it may only have been five minutes but it had seemed like an hour or more. I had been so inspired by his passion. His recall of an event from almost 45 years ago was amazing, and he’s still clearly very excited by it. I asked him for a selfie and he willingly obliged.

I have a new sporting hero now.