2014 Debut: Will Speck Memorial 5k

The last race I finished before this past weekend was the Chicago Marathon.  That was back in October.  Since, I have gone through a series of injuries and had an episode in which I passed out due to running.  Dizziness and lightheadedness have plagued me since this happened in February.  I have been visiting doctor after doctor without receiving any answer as to why I still feel the way I do.  Out of spite, I decided to run the Boston Marathon.  My training had actually been going somewhat well but long runs were still giving me problems.  I would often feel as though I might pass out and could not push the pace during training runs.  At Boston, I went out in 6:20 pace or so through the first 10k.  This should have been very easy as the opening miles are downhill and I went out much quicker in Chicago clipping off 6:09 miles through the first half before slowing during the second.  I did not feel good from the start in Boston.  By 10 miles I started to feel dizzy and glossy eyed.  I tried to push for a couple miles and started to significantly slow.  Right around 20k I made the decision that my day was over.  It was not the right decision to start Boston, let alone try to finish it.  I was very angry.  Angry that I had not figured out what was wrong with me for months.  Angry that I spent much of the winter injured and had not improved.  Angry that 2:47 remains my marathon PR.  I felt like a failure for not being able to finish the race, for dropping out.  Running is something I take pride in, not something I need to feel embarrassed about.  It is difficult to explain to people that you did not complete a race if they are not a runner.  I do not want to just finish races but I want to compete and get better.  I cannot do this if my body will not allow it and the fact that this was out of my control was devastating.  After Boston, I took a little time off, running every other day for the next couple of weeks.  I started to feel better and decided that it would be best to focus on the shorter distances until I can find out what is actually wrong with me.

I have been training for the 5k/10k distances and workouts have been going very well.  My mileage has been between 60-75 miles with workouts twice a week and a long run.  I have not felt dizzy during this time but I know I am still not back to where I need to be.  I still feel lightheaded at times.  I feel good enough to race at shorter distances so I debuted in 2014 at the Will Speck Memorial 5k in Cranston.  My workouts have indicated I am in the best shape of my life for the 5k distance.  Most of my repeats have been at 5:15 pace or better from 600m to 1600m and sub-5:00 pace for anything shorter.  I found a small 5k just to help me get back into a competition mindset.  I did a workout a couple weeks ago where I ran a tempo 5k in 17:19 and then 2 x mile at half marathon pace (5:40) immediately after.  I felt confident that my strength was there and that I could break 17:00 fairly easily and actually be closer to 16:30 or better.  The weather did not cooperate yesterday, as it was 80 degrees at the start of the 5k with the sun beaming down on us.  When the gun went off three people went straight to the front running very hard.  I would guess they were running 5:00 pace or so.  15:30 was not going to be realistic for me to go with, especially considering the weather.  I settled into a chase pack with another runner and tucked in behind him.  I also thought that most of the three leaders looked young and might come back to me if I maintained a consistent pace.  Just before hitting the first mile we were passed by another runner wearing red.  It was a quick move and the runner looked very strong.  The front pack hit the first mile in about 5:15.  4th place was in 5:20 and we were in 5:25.  My original plan was to target an opening mile between 5:15 and 5:25 but with the weather I knew 5:15 would have meant my day would be over if I had tried to hit that for an opening split.  On a less warm day it would be great to try and hit two miles in 10:30 and see what I can end up running.  Yesterday was all about practicing my racing tactics.

After passing through the first mile, I knew I was on the slower side and made a small move to gap the runner I had been running with.  I quickly moved in front of someone who had fallen off of the initial lead pack.  I was now in 4th.  The runner that had passed me in the opening mile was maintaining 5:20 pace and moved right past the lead group who was still slowing.  I knew I would have a chance to move past them too.  In retrospect, 5:20 pace is not out of my wheelhouse and I wish I would have tried to go with 5:20 pace at the first mile and contend for the win.  My legs did not feel entirely fresh and the heat was making things very tough for me.  At around 2 miles, another runner pulled up on me and moved just in front of me.  I stayed right with this runner and was not going to let him go.  We hit mile 2 in 5:38.  Very slow.  I was not too happy with this pace but it was all I had on the day.  Even though we slowed so much, 2nd and 3rd place were getting closer.  Just after the 2 mile mark the runner that I had run the first mile with passed us and I went with him.  The other runner that had passed me fell off this pace a bit.  I was now in 5th place but we were closing on 2nd and 3rd.  By 2.5 miles I had been gapped but the runner had moved into second.  I made my move just after this point.  It was not so much of a move as it was maintaining pace on my end.  I moved in front of both runners into third and did not look back.  I was not moving great myself and was running a little scared at this point trying to hold onto third.  I kept working hard to try and keep contact with second place.  At this point we were running on a straightaway leading back to the high school where we had started.  I did not look back but could see first and second places on this stretch.  First had around 30-40 seconds on me and second had maybe 10.  I knew I would not catch first and I kept pushing but could not gain much ground on second.  It looked like I was going to hold on for third as long as I was not passed.  After a right hand turn the race concluded with an Olympic-styled finish of 300m around the track.  My turnover was not there for a big finish to make a charge on second.  I looked back quickly to check to see if anyone was coming up on me and nobody was there.  At this point a spectator yelled at me to not look back but to look forward.  I took the advice and pushed around the track.  The finish line could not come soon enough.  I finished in 17:15, good for third place and a little prize money.  I ran the race in my Skechers GoMeb Speed 2's which felt very smooth on the roads.  Most of my training right now has been in the GoBionic 2's.  Keep on the lookout for a shoe and clothing review coming out this week!

The time was not what I was hoping for but I think that I raced well given the day.  First place was 16:34 and second 17:09.  I could have probably given a little better effort to challenge second place as I was only six seconds back.  I feel pretty good about this opening race.  I received a little trophy and some prize money for my efforts.  While I did not run a fast pace, I did race well and moved past people in the late stages of this race and then held my position.  4th place was back in 17:28 so I did put 13 seconds between us in the last half mile which is pretty solid.  I can now say that I am back to racing and feel very fit right now.  On a cooler day I think that 16:30s would have been within reach.  My goal for the summer is to race often and within the next couple months take a shot at breaking 16:00 for 5k.  I also would like to run a fast mile (my best from last summer is 4:57) and aim for something under 4:50, hopefully closer to 4:40 on a good day.  I have one race under my belt and know things can only get better from here.  To be honest, I am not completely satisfied with my third place showing.  I want to win races.  The time was slow given how well my workouts have been going.  If anything, this has motivated me to find a new race and run a better time.  I am ready for this summer and ready to push myself to new limits and finally breakthrough at the shorter distances.

David

Editor's note: In 2011 (3 years ago!) I ran this race hoping to break 20:00 for the first time.  I achieved this goal and ran 19:56, good for 29th place.  It is helpful to see progress like this, as I ran almost three minutes faster to place in the top three and be in the prize money this time around.

Thank You Notes, Boston 2014 (round 3)

Hey ya'll. It's Saturday night and the Boston Marathon is in two days. This is right around the time I usually send out my marathon themed thank you notes. Here goes:

1. Thank you to my family and friends. This includes everyone who is part of my immediate support team- my girlfriend, parents, sister, close friends- living near and far. You girls and guys mean everything to me and I would not have the will to do what I do without you.

2. Thank you to my somewhat new product sponsor, Skechers Performance Division New England. I have been receiving shoes and clothes and support from Skechers since last fall. Due to injury, I have not actually gotten a chance to race since beginning this partnership. I am humble at the opportunity to represent such a fantastic brand. They took a chance on me with a 2:47 personal best in the marathon. While not a slow time, it is not elite. I stay true to the prove people wrong theme with my training. Skechers knows what's up and that good things are coming. If not now, in the near future because I am not planning on stopping any time soon.

3. Injury. Well this is more of a sarcastic thank you so I may as well let injury know how I really feel. Thank you for the developing hamstring pain that started last April. Thank you for having that pain affect me last fall in Chicago. Thank you for lingering through this marathon build-up and spreading to the other side as well. Thank you for IT Band pain, causing so much pain to bend my legs that I had to miss extended training time. Thank you to my recently developed left foot pain. If you're not gone by Monday I am willing to run 26.2 miles and suffer the stress fracture. Here's a little hint: just go away because again I'm not stopping.

4. Thank you for being self coached for this marathon build-up. I have learned invaluable lessons from making my own training plan and trying to follow it. I mostly learned how to adapt training when your body physically will not let you run. I listened to my body and took the most time off I've taken in years. Even with this being said, it is a miracle that I am even going to be on the start line feeling as good as I do.

5. Thank you to people who shout "Run Forrest run" at me. You are still unoriginal and you still suck.

6. Thank you to barking dogs, most of you are small and look like rats. I think I actually might pity some of you so keep barking if it makes you feel better.

7. Thank you Providence. You might be a small city but you have plenty to offer as far as running goes. You offer a city feel or places you can go and feel like you are on your own. You have plenty of hills and enough flat terrain to map out some solid tempo runs. You have treated me kindly throughout my four years here and I thank you for it.

These are just some of the many things I am thankful for from this past marathon build-up. While a couple are more serious than others, I have learned a lot about myself from the many setbacks I have been experiencing. I realized that I am one stubborn runner. It would have been too easy to give in and pick a different race at a different time. This would have actually been the smart thing to do. I may go out and run a 2:56 like I did last year or under my current 2:47 PR. I have no idea really but I am a little more relaxed this year. I do not feel like I have put much pressure on myself to achieve a certain goal. I am definitely thankful to not feel pressure like I did last year. This year, regardless of the time I run, I will enjoy myself more on the course on soak in running's victory lap.

David

Review on Review on Review

I have been a member of Skechers Performance Division, New England and training in a few different shoes since last fall and just wanted to take a little time to provide some insight on them.  Here goes:

MEN'S SKECHERS GORUN RIDE 2 - NITE OWL

This was my first pair of Skechers to try out.  I was very excited to get a chance to represent a running brand and ran faithfully in this pair of shoes for much of last fall.  The color scheme on these shoes caught my attention right away.  The shoe simply stood out.  If exposed to light, the shoe is able to glow in the dark.  This worked particularly well on night runs.  Not only do I wear reflective clothing, but now my shoes

helped with visability too.  This model weighs in at 7.9 oz which is pretty lightweight.  While running, the shoe felt flexible on my feet and absorbed contact well.  My only caution would be for runner's who typically run longer distances to be wary of the stability of this shoe.  It does feel cushioned but I would recommend this shoe for runner's looking to stay under 10 miles.  Overall, a good shoe that I would recommend mainly for beginning runners but it could also double as a shoe used for interval or tempo run workouts.

MEN'S SKECHERS GORUN RIDE 3

Now this is a shoe that I really like a lot.  I have been using it for easy runs and long runs in training.  You can really feel the cushioning of this shoe.  My feet have felt secure on every run in them and they only weigh in at 8.4 oz.  This is an ideal shoe to implement into marathon training.  It holds up for easy runs and long runs well.  I have gotten through most of my easy miles in them in my build-up for Boston.  If you want a durable and stable shoe that you can add up the miles in, look no further.  Have I mentioned they're extremely comfortable?

MEN'S SKECHERS GOMEB SPEED 2

This is the shoe I will be lacing up when I toe the start line of the Boston Marathon on April 21.  This shoe is a lightweight 6.8 oz.  While lighter than the GoRun Ride 2, my feet felt more comfortable and secure in this racing flat.  Runner's who are chasing PRs and fast times should give these a try.  After all, they're worn by the top marathoner in the US.  When I put them on for the first time in a workout, I felt fast.  That is the kind of feeling I look for in a shoe I would consider racing in.  The 4mm heel drop is the same as many of the top shoes other brands put out there.  My stride has not changed in these shoes.  If you want a shoe that you can put on and feel competitive, this is the one to try.  Skechers has found something good here.

Conclusion:

Those are my three quick shoe reviews for some of the different models I have had the opportunity to try out.  They each offer something a little different from one another.  To be honest, I was skeptical at first of trying some of these shoes.  Skechers is relatively new to the running game and has had a difficult time reaching out to runners who consider themselves "serious."  Some folks on message boards or blogs will rip a shoe they haven't even tried.  To be honest, shoes are shoes.  The runner makes the shoes.  There was a time when humans had to survive by engaging in hunts in which they ran barefoot to tire out animals.  Nowadays we have fancy, technical running shoes that all claim to be the best and cost upwards of one hundred dollars.  Now, I am representing Skechers and I have found them to be refreshing.  I like their light feel and how I feel fast when I put them on.  I would recommend them to beginners and advanced runners alike.  If they're good enough for Meb, they better be good enough for us.  If there are any questions people have about a particular shoe please feel free to post in the comments section below and I would be more than happy to elaborate on anything.

Cheers,

David 

Stop at Never

This has, by far, been my most frustrating marathon build-up since I have started running the distance.  I finished Chicago in 2:47 last October, albeit being injured, and have not gotten back into form since.  It is as though there is someone or something preventing me from running Boston this year.  After Chicago I took some down time and ran easy for a couple of weeks and my hamstring situation did not improve.  I was then "shut-down" for some of November and December.  I healed a bit but for some reason could not get completely healthy during this time.  And I was not making any improvements in training as my mileage was nonexistent.  I started to slowly build the mileage in January and started to get back into training.  My mileage was still very low for my standards and I was lacking in the workout and long run departments.  Right when I started to feel like I might be back, I developed an IT Band injury, in addition to the lingering hamstring problems.  I had to, yet again, take some time off.  I started to feel a little better towards the end of February and put in a couple a good workouts.  I ran a 10k tempo in 35:58 and it felt very controlled, something that could be sustained for the half marathon distance.  Then, I had an episode where I was doing some 200m repeats on an indoor track to work on my turnover and I passed out.  I felt myself getting dizzy and I started to wobble coming down the homestretch of the track.  I then collapsed and had to wait until my world stopped spinning.  I had blood tests done in the following days and found out my iron levels are extremely low.  I have now been taking iron pills two or three times a day.  I still feel lightheaded running at this present moment.  Someone does not want me to get to this year's start line.  It is difficult to not be training.  It is tough to weather everything that will be thrown at me in training.  But I do want to make one thing clear: I will do everything in my control to be on the start line on April 21.

I will not be in the shape I would like to be in but I am going to do everything in my power to be there.  I am tired.  Tired of what feels like constant disappointment in running over the past months.  And if whatever is trying to stop me from getting there is listening, I stop at nothing.  I am relentless.  I do not give up.  I do not get discouraged.  I am all in for Boston in 2014 and I intend on proving people wrong, believing in myself and following my dreams.  It might not be the most practical way to address any of the above problems but it is the only way I know how to deal with them.  Move past them.

Last fall, I signed on with Skechers Performance Division, New England.  I would like to thank the popular, old school, running website Level Renner for helping me connect with them.  I will be training and racing in Skechers.  This blog will begin to include product reviews for the different shoes I have been wearing.  It is an honor and privilege to be competing in the same gear and shoes as America's number one marathoner in Meb Keflezighi.  Meb has represented the U.S. at multiple Olympic Games, has won several national titles, and has won the NYC Marathon.  He is an inspiration in every sense and he also sees himself as an underdog.  I view myself as an underdog in running too.  I know our times are not comparable but I am working to get better every day and make big improvements.  Skechers took a chance on me.  I am a 2:47 marathoner but this is going to change.  I have confidence in this and now a product sponsor who welcomed me into their community.  I am excited to hit the roads and show my potential this spring and summer.  It is time to, "Go like never before."  This is the mantra for the Skechers Performance Division and can be found in every pair of shoes.  Now, it is time to GO RUN.

2014 Goal Setting

Now that it is a new year I can turn a new page and forget about what 2013 was or could have been.  It was not a bad season of running but there was potential for so much more.  I closed out 2012 with a 2:54 marathon in Philadelphia, a race where I faded in the second half and was hoping for something closer to 2:50.  This was still encouraging leading into 2013.  I trained hard all winter and into the spring for the Boston Marathon.  The year before, I had dropped out due to the heat and still had some hard feelings toward the race.  In 2013, I entered having run some of the fastest workouts of my life.  Despite how well training had been going, I struggled from the start at Boston.  I believed a low 2:40 time was within reach, but I began fading before the halfway point.  I finished in a painful 2:56 but time ended up being irrelevant on the day.  In the aftermath of running a poor race performance, I jumped back into training a little too quickly.  I ramped my mileage back up with the thought that I did not train hard enough to run well.  This was a big mistake that plagued the rest of 2013 for me.  I let one race get to me and set off to get faster.  This was a fine goal but I developed a hamstring injury in just a few days after Boston.  Instead of taking some time off to address this injury and the stresses placed on my body due to the entire build-up, I decided to train through it.  Some days I felt good.  Some days I felt terrible.  My workouts and races ranged based on the level of pain I was experiencing that particular day.  I ran a 1:19 half marathon but this could have been faster if I was not running through an injury.  I ran a 16:37 5k but again not on fresh legs.  I also ran 17:52 for 5k (before Boston I did a 3 x 5k workout in 18:00 each).  There were ups and downs but I maintained the thought that this injury would simply go away.  I started to feel better in August and September as my mileage increased in preparation for the Chicago Marathon.  I decided to tune-up at the end of September because I still do not think I can run a sub-2:40 marathon time without running a faster half.  I was running within a 90 mile week and did not taper for the race.  This is not how to run a PR.  I went out in what I thought was a fairly conservative pace, clicking of miles in the 5:50s.  I fell off pace a little before 10 miles and then got a stomach cramp that forced me to stop for 30-45 seconds.  I recovered and ran a couple of decent miles to finish the race but I ended up over 1:20 in 1:21.  This did not help my confidence grow for Chicago.  Distance runners need to have short term memory loss and I quickly forgot about this race and went back into training for the next few weeks before the race.  The only problem, however, was that my hamstring injury got much worse after the race.  I started going to PT the week before Chicago and was advised not to run.  I pushed this thought away, got treatment for a week, and felt good enough to run.  I went out in 1:20-high in Chicago and felt much more comfortable then my 1:21 half just a few weeks before.  I struggled after the 30k mark and did not have the endurance to keep up that pace.  The stretch from 35-40k hit me the hardest as I dropped some pretty slow miles (in the 6:50 range) from where I had been running.  I finished in 2:47 but knew it could have been closer to the low-2:40s but it was still a PR and I was content.  After the marathon, my plan was simple.  Rest.  Recover.  Start with some speed work before Boston training.

Things did not go according to plan.  PT was not helping my hamstring through the end of October and I got shutdown for the month of November.  I am used to logging 80-100 miles a week and totaling about 300-400 miles a month.  I had so much free time and knew I was losing fitness by the day.  I tried to keep my weight in check, knowing I could not eat the usual amount that marathon training allows.  It was a difficult time.  I started to feel better in December and began to run again.  I knew I would have to cut any type of indoor/speed season short because of the time off.  I started to feel good again and then as I was running one day I felt a sharp pain in my left knee.  It was too painful to run through.  This forced me to take another month completely off.  I have missed serious training from October to January.  It has been very difficult on me, as running helps me deal with stress and generally keeps me relaxed.  I am becoming increasingly nervous as Boston is quickly approaching and I have not done any real training.  At this point, things are looking better.  The knee has healed but I still feel minor hamstring pain.  I am healthy enough to be running but need to be careful as to how quickly I come back.  I ran 40 miles last week and am targeting 50 this week.  I have a long way to go but I am determined to get back into shape for Boston.  2014 has not started off ideally but my immediate goals for winter/spring are as follows:

2014 Goals:

1. Stay healthy and run.

2. Run 1:17 or better in the half marathon.

3. Run a sub-2:40 marathon at Boston.

My 2014 goals are really in reverse order by importance but it is important to write them this way.  I have a new perspective heading into 2014: Running injured sucks and I do not do well with time off.  I also know I need to run a fast half marathon.  I feel 1:17 was in my reach last spring and I intend to smash this time goal.  A 2:40 marathon has also been on my radar since last spring but my confidence has not been there.  I have not convinced myself a sub-2:40 time is achievable until now.  I will run sub-2:40 at Boston this spring.  It is time to be confident and go after big goals instead of training as hard as I can and then going to the startline nervous as can be.  Races should be the easy (and fun) part.  It does not matter that I missed time due to injury.  It does not matter that I did not work on my speed in the winter.  It does not matter that I am a 1:19 half marathoner and 2:47 marathoner.  This is all going to change in 2014.  I am done writing blog posts about how well training is going and how poorly I am racing.  My 2014 focus is going to be on the racing.  It is time to be confident and get after it in training (with being smart about it).