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I really enjoyed running on the treadmill more than I thought I would, I used to refer to treadmills in general as “dreadmills.”  The idea of hoping on a treadmill to get a run in was not something I looked forward too.  After working out on the 1750, I don’t mind treadmills and sometimes look forward to the convenience of the treadmill workout.

Reviewing the NordicTrack 1750 I spent 127 miles trying out all the features.  I fell in love with doing speed workouts on the treadmill.  The ability to set the speeds and get consistent miles in at a target pace took the guess work out of pacing.  The cushy deck on the treadmill was great for recovery runs too.  The 1750 has a ton of great bells and whistles, check out the details on the NordicTrack website.  If you in the market for a treadmill definitely  include the NordicTrack treadmills in your shopping choices.

On the course

I will cut to the chase… I had a great time.

January in Baltimore is bitter cold and dreary as hell.  The idea of getting out of town and heading to warm temps sure is appealing.  From the moment we touched down in Phoenix our spirits were lifted.  We peered out of the shuttle taking us to our rental car and saw blue skies and green grass.  When we picked up our car and started to head towards Scottsdale where we were staying, I couldn’t help but notice how clean everything looked compared to the east coast.  There were no pot holes!  We had booked a vacation around the marathon to get a little RNR (rest and relaxation not Rock n’ Roll) and were staying at the Boulders Resort.  It was a little out of the way but totally worth the extra driving.  It was beautiful there.  You are out in the middle of the desert with cactus, big rocks, mountains in the distance, we were totally transported to another world while on the resort property.

Our schedule was pretty packed but allowed for downtime too.  The second day there, I hit the running expo with Cindy.  I love the atmosphere at the expos and I am a kid in a candy store with all the running gear.  I still haven’t found an expo that has topped the Chicago Marathon Expo, not even the New York Marathon was as good.  The PF Chang’s RNR Marathon Expo was just okay.  Maybe it is because Brooks Running is the main sponsor or maybe it is something else but, other than Brooks the other shoe manufactures were not there in full force.  After the expo we headed back to the Boulders and went to the pool to chill.  I love sitting by a pool when I know it is FREEZING where I would normally be.  I also can’t tell you the last time I was able to sit by the pool and just relax.  Since my son Theo, I have been on baby duty when it’s pool time.  Later that evening we went to meet up with some dailymilers for dinner.  This was a lot of fun.  I spend so much time interacting with the group online that it is great to get a chance to sit with them and break bread.  I have met some amazing people through dailymile.

The Pool

Expo

Saturday, the day before the race, Cindy wanted to check out some of the shopping in Scottsdale so we did a little bit of walking around and then got back to the pool.  I loved the pool at the Boulders, did I mention that.  My nerves were calm the whole way leading up to this marathon.  Now for some reason, I started getting a little bit jittery.  I wanted to do well in this marathon, I had my sights set on a new PR and wanted to finish in 3:40.  I didn’t run New York smart two months prior to this marathon.  I went out too fast, hit the wall around mile 16 and battle to finish 3:57.  I spent 10 miles mentally beating myself up, it sucked.  My PR going into the PHX marathon was 3:45 with a caveat – I ran the Baltimore Marathon under an injured runners bib as a training run 3 weeks before New York City’s marathon.  I have no official record of the PR.  I wont get in the debate of ethics of running under someone’s bib.  The sport needs to figure out more ways to solve race bib transfer options.  Anyhow, The looming memories of the crushing NYC marathon performance filled my head with some self doubt.  Steve Speirs was running the PHX marathon too, I couldn’t decide what I wanted for a pre-race dinner so I talked to him.  Steve eats a Hamburger with a pint of Guinness, he is a sub 3 hr. marathoner, I figured if it works for him I will give it a shot.

Pre Race

Post Race

Sunday came after some rough sleep.  I had a head cold all week and it seemed to be getting worse.  Cindy dropped me off at the finish where we were shuttled to the start in buses.  I met up with Brooke, Jenny, Steve and Ally before the start.  Jenny, Brook and I were all hoping to finish around 3:40 so we stayed together and got into the corral where the 3:40 pacing group was gathering.  This was my plan, I would stay with the pace group until mile 16, if I had gas in the tank I would try to push a little harder.  The weather at the start was perfect for running 48º and overcast.  It was the first time I saw clouds since coming to Arizona.  The gun went off and we started running full of excitement and energy.  The course was as promised, it felt really flat.  My local running routes in Baltimore are filled with hills so I felt really prepared for this flatter course.  There were some stretches with some slight uphill grades but nothing too severe.  Jenny and I talked quite a bit the first few miles, it really helped those miles go by.  I was feeling boxed in by the jockeying other runners were doing to stay close to the 3:40 pacer.  The group had created quite a dense pack.  I found myself wanting to get away from them.  There were only two options, fall behind the group and make some comfortable space or get out in front of them.  Around mile 11, I decided to get out in front.  I didn’t look back.  It was great motivation to know the group was on my heels.  When I ran through support crowds, I would hear them say “I see the 3:40 sign here they come.”  Not wanting to get passed by the group I would dig a little deeper.  There were plenty of water stops, I was very happy with the way they spaced them out on the course.  There were not enough GU stations.  Just one for the whole marathon and it was deep in the race, around mile 23 I think.  As I finished the last 3 miles, I was beat but still in it and still pushing.  I gave this marathon my best effort.  I felt good about how I managed the race too.  The whole race different people that have sent me well wishes and support scrolled through my mind.  It is amazing what the people on dailymile do for each other in the way of motivation.  I ran with a lot of friends in my head.  When I crossed the line I saw that I had a new PR at 3:38:48!  I was super tired and super happy.  The sun was shining +70º and it was time to meet up with my wife and the other runners.  Everybody seemed to have had a great day.  Steve and Jenny both PR’d and Jenny qualified for Boston.  It was a great day.

Mexican Celebration Dinner

Later, Steve, Ally, Jenny and Brooke met Cindy and me out for some Mexican food.  Everyone seemed so relaxed.  I really will have great memories from this marathon and consider it a great one to do especially in the middle of the winter.  I am really excited that next month I am heading back to Arizona to run The Ragnar Del Sol Relay event with a great group of dailymilers.  Arizona is a great place to visit.

Very special thanks to my Coach, Coach Caleb for your help with training and helping me believe.

Believe in the run.

Then enjoy some turkey knowing that you helped St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and that you got some exercise to boot.  Gobble! Gobble!

View from Hotel

For those of you that like to flip to the end of a book, I will give the results first:

Place – 13384 out of 44,829
Gender Place – 10692
Age Place – 2070
Finish Time – 3:57:20
5k – 25:10
10k - 49:49
13.1 – 1:47:10

Splits:

1- 8:49
2- 7:27
3- 7:50
4- 7:47
5- 7:52
6- 7:53
7- 8:01
8- 8:04
9- 8:15
10- 8:07
11- 8:26
12- 8:20
13- 8:21
14- 8:40
15- 9:47
16- 11:03 BRIDGE!
17- 8:49
18- 9:01
19- 9:32
20- 9:38 WALL!
21- 9:48
22- 10:05
23- 10:38
24- 11:00
25- 11:37
26- 9:34

First, I want to thank all my friends online and off that supported me on this run.  I really do feel your encouragement when I am running and think about the well wishes that you thoughtfully took time to send.

The trip up to New York started out Saturday morning.  We left from Whitemarsh, Maryland on a Megabus.  About two hours into the ride the bus driver pulled the bus off to the side I-95, got out and started barfing.  He got back onto the bus and drove another twenty minutes before he pulled over again to resume the barfing. (barfing is a fun word that I haven’t used in awhile)  We then pulled off at a rest stop about 45 minutes from the city where we waited for a replacement driver for two hours.  During that time a woman with a strong Jamaican accent started yelling at the driver that he should keep driving.  She also kept repeating “This feels EVIL.”  We eventually made it to NYC, grabbed a slice of pizza and headed to the expo.  The expo was a little disappointing.  Chicago’s expo was pretty great and it set the bar pretty high.  I really thought that NYC was going to blow Chicago out of the water.  It didn’t.  To be fair it was the last few hours of the expo.  People were tired and the booths were run down after 40,000 plus visitors.

Chowing on pizza

2010 NYCM Expo

Cindy and I went to an early dinner with our good friends Juda and John McGannon at a little Italian restaurant, Pomadora Rosso.  The food was very good.  I had a salmon vegetable and pasta dish.  Next stop bed then getting up early for the bus.

The alarm was set for 4:30 a.m.  I was up and ready to go.  It was cold out, in the 30′s F.  I had my layers of clothes that would be shed and left for volunteers to donate.  I walked to the bus pick-up at 42nd and 6th Ave. and was loaded up almost instantly.  Getting to the village was a bit confusing.  It was still dark out so I just followed the other runners to a Dunkin Donuts tent and enjoyed the free coffee.  There were tents filled with people like some bizarre refugee camp.  I laid down and waited to hear from Juda and John.  They made it to the tent and we began the long wait until start time.  We made friends with an Englishman that lives in Brooklyn named Martin Rowe, he was a nice witty chap.  About an hour before my start time I headed to the starting corral.

It was a little chaotic, the instructions from the waiting area to the corrals were not good.  There was a lot of confusion.  When I got to my gate there was some shouting and pushing going on.  It turns out people had arrived late for their wave and were blocked out from getting in to that wave corral.  It boiled over and a couple French guys bum rushed the gate attendee and completely toppled him head over ass.  While that happened others pushed their way in and yet more people broke in by busting a gate open.  It was a little crazy but peace was restored.

I was now in the corral pressed tight with the 2nd wave of runners.  A very chilly wind was blowing when we started to move toward the starting line.  Once there a few minutes of waiting around, a speech to spur us on crackled over the P.A. system, and finally, a cannon went off and we were running.  It was hardly as crowded as I thought it would be.  It seemed like it was going to be a great day for running.  The sun was out and the air had a nice chill to it.  At first I was running just to get warm.  My pace seemed effortless and I was surprised how quickly I made it to the three mile mark.  I used Caleb Masland’s mantra “smooth equals fast” and I was pretty, pretty, pretty smooth.  It gave me confidence that I would later regret.

The NYCM had the best aid stations I have experienced in my 10 marathons.  There were so many water and Gatorade aid stations you could skip one with confidence that another one would be right around the corner.  The crowd support was awesome as promised.  I made it to the half way point in relative ease, I was full of hope that this was going to be a banner day.  Then all of a sudden around mile 16 going over the bridge I started to hit the wall, first physically, but, more importantly mental.  This began the toughest ten miles of mental torture I can remember.  I really did a number on myself.  I was mad that I ignored common sense that tells you to go out at a reasonable pace and build speed over the miles.  I felt fooled by what seemed like an easy performance on a difficult marathon course in Baltimore three weeks earlier. (3:45 PR)  I realized limitations in the middle of a race and that is a tough place to take a lesson.

The whole show started to crumble in the last 4 miles.  Physically I was giving it everything I had.  I was doing my best and leaving nothing on the course.  I was also having to take short walk breaks on wobbly, beaten legs.  I was so close and could not muster the energy to move my ever tightening legs.  I now was thinking about what Steve Speirs says “BYB” (be your best) and it helped a little.  Gassed and beaten I willed my feet to give one last mile of running to cross the finish.

OMFG! This was the longest post finish march! 100 yards to the space blankets, another 100 yards to get the medal, bag drop was a mile away!  I had to stop my legs totally cramped.  I was escorted to the medical tent.  They rubbed my legs out and I was discharged to continue the death march to bag pick up.

I ran the TransRockies! 118 miles 25,000 feet of elevation, and my legs never cramped up.  NYCM kicked my butt and I felt responsible for it too.  I did not play this one smart.  I thought maybe I was holding myself back and that there actually was a faster marathoner in me.  That maybe if I ran faster and tried harder that would be enough.  This was a great learning experience and I take away a real respect for proper expectations.  My next marathon I will go out with a better pacing plan.  Did I enjoy the New York Marathon? No and yes.  I hardly noticed my surroundings in the mental state I was in.  I do love the experience I gained from running the NYCM.  Purely on logistics, waiting around in the cold for 5 hours before you start running sucks.  The finish line march of death was less then fun, however, I would recommend every one run it.  After all it is the New York City Marathon.  You kinda have too.  I will leave you with a quote from NYRR president, Mary Wittenberg “the great thing about running is how much it means to every runner, how it transforms lives.” Believe in the Run.

Special thanks to Caleb Masland that helped me figure out my marathon training, (It’s not his fault I went out too fast)  Michelle Jacobs for hosting a dailymile meet up that I arrived to late to attend, Juda and John for being there and being friends, my in-laws Jace and Mead Slaughter for watching Theo while we were in NYC.  Lastly I want to thank my wife for being the biggest cheerleader and best support any runner could ask for.  She came up to NYC with me pregnant, sick, and tired just to be there for me.  I am a lucky man.  Thanks Cindy.

Cindy and Me

Believe in the Run.

Post run Dailymile meetup

Check out this article on our fundraising effort for the BCAC!  Donate now!  I also did a radio interview this past week too. Listen

It was another great week of training!  The mileage was down but the speed was up.  A special thanks to the dailymile friends that showed up Saturday and ran one of my last longer runs with me.  A very special group.  We are getting down to the wire here, I actually am leaving for Colorado tomorrow morning, I can’t wait!

Here is a re-cap of this weeks training:

Tuesday, August 10: 6.24 miles – I didn’t really have a goal for this run but as I watched the Garmin I thought it would be nice to be in the 8′s today.  It was a struggle my head is always telling me I am not a speedy guy, I am a slow and steady guy. Give in to the 9 minute mile, relax. This was a small victory. The splits are all over the place: Mile 1: 7:55 / Mile 2: 9:19  / Mile 3: 8:53  / Mile 4: 9:40 / Mile 5: 9:15 / Mile 6: 8:55 / Mile .24: 8:01

Wednesday, August 11: 8 miles on bike, 2 miles on treadmill 15% incline, 100 sit-ups, 50 push-ups, 50 squats

Thursday, August 12: 6.45 miles – Awesome hill run with Juda this morning! The skies got dark the winds picked up and the skies opened up and dumped on us. It was awesome! We ran over to Bellemore Rd. and used it as our hill. It was like a river. Great run.

Saturday, August 14: 9.05 miles – Great run for several reasons:  1. Weather was perfect  2. Got to run with some great people  3. I felt fantastic.  4. I love running in downtown B’more.  I am lucky to have such good people around me. Big thank to Jeanne for setting up this meetup.  Thanks to Brodie, Mike, Kathleen, Juda, John, and Darryn for all your support. I really had a great run today here are the splits: Mile 1: 10:27 / Mile 2: 9:27 / Mile 3: 9:10 / Mile 4: 9:20 / Mile 5: 9:59 / Mile 6: 8:18 / Mile 7: 8:33 / Mile 8: 8:30 / Mile 9: 8:41

Sunday, August 15: 12 miles – 1st run Hot to Trot 4 mile race: Alright, if you know me then you know I don’t run in the 7′s.   I was as surprised as you when I saw my splits at the Hot To Trot 4 mile GPS race. Check them out:
Warm up: 8:53 / Mile 1: 7:16 / Mile 2: 7:51 / Mile 3: 8:01 / Mile 4: 7:50
2nd run, cool down:  This mornings 4 mile race was a good confidence booster for my training.  I had twelve on the training schedule so after my 4 mile run with a half mile warm up, I continued on the trail to get my miles in. Good day, last double digit run before the main event.

Believe in the Run

From left to right Thomas N. (me) Adam Rosenberg Director of BCAC, Juda McGannon

This past week was the fundraiser for the Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC.)  We raised $800 that night, combined with $300 in checks and $1,935 of online donations we are now standing at $3,035.  That leaves us at $8,265 still to go to hit our goal of $11,300 ($100 per mile of the TransRockies Run.)  Thank you to those who came to the fundraiser and have donated online too.  Donate now if you would like to help us reach the goal.

Training
This was the peek mileage week and it looked daunting as hell when I saw it coming.  The great thing is, I hit two new PRs (Personal Records.)  One for Most mileage in a a week, 75 running miles.  The second PR was for running miles in one month.  In July I ran 244 miles, my closest month before that was 164!  This week was a tough one and very rewarding.  A special thanks to the Dailymile community for all their support.  Here is the breakdown for the week:

Monday July 26: 4 miles, with some cooler temps
Tuesday July 27: 9 miles, I was supposed to run 8, but I accidentally did 9 miles. That’s what happens when you improv your running route.
Wednesday July 28: 8 miles on the bicycle, 2 miles on the treadmill at a 15% incline, 100 sit ups and 50 push ups
Friday July 30: 18.27 miles in great temps, a gorgeous morning
Saturday July 31: 20 miles, started off a little tough but evened out as kept going.  I thought about my friend  Andy O. running his 100 miler and hoping it was going well for him. It made twenty miles seem tiny.
Sunday August 1: 22 miles, I thought this 22 mile run was going to be a big struggle. I was achy and tired. I downloaded Dean Karnaze’s 50/50 book on the iPhone last night and started listening as I began to run.

The running actually seemed to be going well and almost seemed effortless for the first 5 miles. I was feeling good. I thought about taking some walk breaks but I didn’t need them so I kept going. I really enjoyed Dean’s audio book. I have been running without music or anything for a couple months now and it has been great. This being my third solo long run I needed some company.

That wraps up week 7 of training.  Believe in the run,

Thomas