The big apple

I arrived last night here in the big apple. After a very bad sleeping experience in a terrible 240 dollar a night room, I am ready for a nap. I ran about 6 easy in the park 4 blocks from our hotel. It is hilly. Similar to what I thought it would be. The park was busy with runners and bikers. It isn't as big as I thought it would be. So the laps should go by quickly. I am thinking of adjusting my pace and possilby going out easier in hopes of really coming on in the end. Now that I am here I am feeling more and more like this is my sort of course for this situation. I am not running for time so this will be a good all out fight for us b guys. Times will be slower than prs that is for sure. There is one noteable hill on what I think is the very north end of the park. But you get to also ride down it. May or may not go down to the stock exchange. I am looking for a good solid nap today which may be the only priority.

Legs are slowly coming around. Today I just wanted to check out the course so my effort wasn't really an issue. I will attempt to get some good fast strides at the park tomorrow to wake the legs. So off to a shower and nap. I have internet access in my room so I will post each of the next two days. Keep the emails coming...I am bored.

6 miles in the dark

Depletion is going well. I haven't been this strict ever. We will see. I snatched a quick bite of a poptart this morning. Carrie grabbed the plate out of my hand and threw it away.

I sit here at my computer with tears streaming down my checks. I often wonder why me? I have had an overwelming amount of support here at home. It reminds me of the time I qualified last oct 22. As I walked away from the finish area I felt this sort of hop in my stride. Yeah even after 26.2 at 5:20 something pace. This was for me I kept saying to myself. This is all mine. I didn't turn my cell phone on until I was well out of chicago. This was for me. WOW was I wrong. This was for everyone who knows me. For a guy in Canada who knows someone in mantorville. For someone in California who read the Runners world article. And countless others who I will never meet. So here I sit after reading so many emails this morning. Way overwelmed by emotion. Thanks to the fellas for being there. I will be cruising through central park wishing you could feel what I have felt and what I will feeling. Thank you.

Depletion again

30 this morning and perfect. I started off running low 6s today. The second part of the depletion. My body is very hungry for any sort of carbs. No sugar yet. I had a small bite of ice cream and a small drink of gatorade. I haven't been this strict as far as depletions go. I have one day left. Mood was down and a bit unsettled coming off the run today. I felt terrible and didn't really push anything. I finished with 9 miles and most of it being at a relaxed pace. 79 miles for the week. Feels like I didn't even run. This is the first week in a long time I have been that low. I am feeling good about the race. The weather looks to be pretty good. upper 40s. I would like it a bit cooler but that will do. I will post one more prior to leaving for New York. I fly out at 1:40 on Tuesday. I hope to post daily when I am out there.

Depletion run

Today I did the first part of my depletion. It went very well. I was hoping for 16-18 miles at a pace not much faster than 6 minutes. I was out the door in flats and through the first mile in under 5:40. I had the kids all day and needed a serious break. To say the least I was ready to roll. I wore a gps that my wife bought me a few years ago. Needless to say the next few miles were very relaxed. I thought a few times that I should take it easy and run relaxed and get things back closer to 6 min pace. However I was feeling good so I just went with it. My thought was hey if I can't recover from this by saturday then I don't belong in the race. I covered 10 miles on a very hilly up and down route in 56:30 on the button. I then slowed a bit and ran in at 6:15 pace. A very good effort considering the wind and the hills. My legs are really starting to come around. Now they will have no or little fuel for the next few runs.

What I ate post run

I had a roast with some carrots in the croc.
It was not taken out soon enough. Things really got dry. I finished most of the carrots and dumped the roast. I also had some pumpkin seeds and a bowl of clam chowder. My wife and kids proceeded to go to cold stone and get ice cream to make things even worse.

My mood will slowly decline over the next few days. The next time I can have any sort of carb is post run tuesday right before I leave. Tomorrow I may just run 30 minutes as I feel and see how things go. I was planning on running marathon pace for 6 miles but I think things went well enough today to use this as a true depletion and just see how I feel sunday am.

I am increasingly feeling better and more optimistic about the race. I feel a 2:20 effort is in store if I manage to keep a focus and ease into things later in the race.

I can't wait to get to New York and get this stuff going. 6 days out.

Mantorville saloon-Byron Cross Country-Running

Wednesday I stopped in to speak with my boss at the saloon before the final journey to work. She handed me a wad of cash and said she was proud. Turned out to be a very nice chunk of change that will really help out east. It is amazing the support I am getting around here. Funny thing is I really haven't heard anything from another manager. Pretty frustrating. I don't understand what this man is about. Anyway to move on from there.

I ran easy thursday afternoon at the golf course where they were hosting the section 1 class a meet. Byron finally qualified for state. They looked good early but around the two mile mark looked dead in the water. They really faded the last mile but had enough in there tanks to hold off Lake city and PEM. What a great accomplishment.

As I said Thursday was a very easy 7-8 miles with some hills mixed in. Today I ran 10 with some medium hard strides. Tomorrow starts the depletion. I am not really sure how this came about but the general idea came from my dad. I have tweaked it a few times but here it is.

7 days out which is tomorrow. I will do a 16-18 mile run at between race pace and 6:30. I am thinking 6 ish. Most of the run will be done at this pace. Post run I will consume nothing but protein. So I start to mentally prepare to do this mid week as I know what is coming. The first few times I did this I really struggled. All or almost all protein will last through tuesday ams run. Sunday will be 6 miles at 5:20. Again the idea here is to flush my body of carbs. Flushing carbs out will hopefully prepare my body to eventually stock pile carbs post run tuesday-sat.

In the past this has been very tough mentally because I feel crumby by the end of the day on the second day and I still have a day plus left. I try to keep the foods non fat or low fat. I usually go for jerky, peanuts, cottage cheese, fish, ect. The worst part is feeling slow and without energy for the week before my race.
It is all about trust here and knowing things will come around 7:35 Nov 3. If you do it correctly it can really work. If not your mind leaves by the second day and you forget the entire depletion/load phases all together. Questions???

Not much going on

Yesterday I ran very easy. 10 miles on grass with a few gradual hills. I contemplated my future in running. I have been thinking about this for a long time. The thoughts drift from the hunger to keep at it to the feeling of not. I am 100 undecided on my future in competitive running.

Today was cool and windy. I had a 3-2-1 mile workout planned and with some hills. I used a nice long warm up to feel pretty good and ready. The first 3 miles felt easy and I realy attempted to relax through them. 16:31. After a short jog I started back for the next 2 miles past the Section 1 A cc course which will be tomorrow. 10:58. Just attempting to stay very relaxed. Final mile was 5:20 up a long gradual incline. Total 17 miles. A longer day. Tomorrow will be shorter 6-8 miles followed by a depletion run which I will do my best to explain.

Monday = Massage = pain

I ran with the pod. Yeah that is short for Ipod. Pretty cool. I think I will be a great rec runner when the time comes. Lots of walking and a some short bursts in there. Anyway the past few weeks I have been getting a massage. The first one was pretty bad. I stumbled out of the office wondering how the following runs would go. Today was my third one, it lasted one hour. I again stumbled out of there like a complete zombie. Normally they are so painful that I hold my breath through all the knots in my legs and lower back. Today things were much better.

If interested check out runners world.com and watch Josh Cox suffer in the ice bath. By the way we have the exact same entry time for the marathon.

Tapering is always very difficult mentally for me. I got about 9 in today very easy running on the IBM grass. The same for tomorrow. I may or may not post but for sure Wednesday. Thanks to all for the encouragement. It really helps ease my mind to have someone see what I am doing and tell me I am fit and ready to roll.