CIM in the book

Let me introduce our latest BQ runner. 3:24 and change gets Todd just under the wire. Still awaiting official times...

Talking Start Time

When should you leave for a marathon. We're thinking that if the weather is bad why would you want to be there early. On the other hand does it really matter if you are drenching wet for 4 hours or 4 1/2 hours?

Anybody Out There?

Abby & Janet Training Workout

Wow.  It's been over a  year since posting on the Mighty Marathon Blog and it's time to get it going again.  Tomorrow is the California International Marathon (CIM) and they are forecasting drenching rains with gale winds.  It should be a good time for all HaHa.  Right now we are all gathering together for pasta and to huddle from the weather.  Abby, Todd Z and Todd Y are running.  Alexa had signed up but got distracted from training with baby Andrew.  Todd Y is shooting for a BQ,  Abby hopes to do well and I just look forward to running a marathon.  It is my first since CIM last year.  Abby has had a number of good runs including a recent half.  Todd Y has been burning up the streets with long fast distance.  He ran a 1:35 half Thanksgiving morning.  I have had limited runs most only 8 miles.  I did get one 15 miler and one 20 miler in over the past four weeks.  Hardly adequate training for a marathon, but enough of that.

Big Sur Half - Abby

It looks like a great night before the run.  Right now we are having a calm before the morning storm.  Alexa and Chad and Andrew just arrived for the evening.  Janet is cooking pasta and meatballs.  And all is well.  Life seems pretty good at the moment.  Three girls and three sons-in-law all together and it's not even Christmas.

Todd Abby & Todd F - Thanksgiving

Michael, Eleanor, Elizabeth

I was thinking of signing up for SF Marathon, this coming June.  I am hopeful for Todd Y tomorrow making it to Boston.  With Nate already qualified for 2014, it may be a good year for a group showing for the Mighty Marathoners.  Well, I know if I don't send this, it may not go so I better add a pic or two and then send it.  Time to cook the spaghetti.  Maybe, we can post an update after the race.  Keep running, stay healthy, and I'll see you at the starting line.

SF Marathon in the books

> 3:59! We didn't burn up the course but we sure did have fun. Great support from Todd F & Janet, too. Cheesecake factory was a cool refueling move. Time to enjoy the city.
>

Six Weeks to SF Marathon

Only 6 weeks to the next marathon for Abby and Todd.  Here is a pic from a visit to SF.  We (Janet & Todd) went to a concert with Chad and Alexa - then met up with Todd & Abby for a quick meal. 

Season in Flull Swing!!!

The warm weather is finally upon us, with today's high in the Boston area close to 90, and the racing season is under way.

Yesterday, Katie and I ran in Boston's Run to Remember. I did the half marathon and she did the 5 miler. Between the two races, there were close to 7500 runners. We both set PR's, and I finished 19th overall with a time of 1:25. My goal for the race was 1:23, but the humidity and sun got to me.

Three weeks ago I raced in my first tri of the season, a sprint and was able to win my AG, placing 6th overall. Next up, in two weeks, is another sprint, and then a half ironman in the third week of June.

We are both scheduled to race in the inaugural BAA 10k on June 26th, which starts and ends on the Boston Common. This should be a fun and fast course. The top three male finishers from the 2011 Boston Marathon will be racing, and I'm planning on smoking them all!!!

My marathon training is going pretty well, and there have been no setbacks. My peak mileage, will be around 65 mpw, and I'm currently around 50 mpw. Combined with my swimming and biking, it feels like I have a second job with all of my training! This month I'll be around 200 miles for running, 570 miles for biking, and 40,000 yards of swimming. The marathon in which I'm hoping to qualify for Boston (Lehigh Valley in PA) is being run on September 11th. For some reason, I'm thinking that 2:57 is a nice time to run, so that will be my goal pace time, which should allow for any discrepancies in distance from my Garmin to the actual course, if I want to come in under 3:00 (giving me that 10 minute qualifying cushion).

We'll continue to post as the season progresses. Hope everyone else is having a great spring!

                              Here are Katie and I after the weekend race:

Cross Training

Back from a ride around Lake Natomas. It was the first time out in a while for me and Webb, my cycling buddy. We both felt the climb back home up to Beal's Point. It was a beautiful morning and great time just to be with a friend on the bike. I hope to bump up my running miles getting ready for SF Marathon the end of July. With the help of some new tech I am able (hopefully) to post this from my iPhone. See you at the starting line. Todd

Nice Weather

After a lot of cold, rainy, windy days the weather has turned nice. I had a great run getting back on course after travels and days off. A recent visit to Abby and Todd's wore me out on the Filmore Hills. It great to have good weather and gentle terrain. April showers bring May flowers.

Finally, an Update!

Golden Gate Bridge

OK so it's been a really long time since posting.  But I continue to be a running man.  I have had lots of great runs in the recent weeks including running down the Champs Elysee, along the Rhine River, and in a wonderful park in Amsterdam.  Right now I'm visiting Abby and Todd in SF.  After a little run to the marina this morning, we walked to a local shop for a great brunch.  It seems that eating has moved up in importance lately.

Todd & Dan at the Arch de Triumph

Janet and I just completed a wonderful tour d'Europe with a 7 day river cruise on the Rhine followed by 2 Days in Amsterdam and 5 days in Paris.  We traveled with Dan and Deborah Stephens, my college room-mate, and cruising buddy.  Although Dan focuses on tennis, we managed a run together one of our last days in Paris.  I had hoped to post often during the trip but it never happened.  We were too busy traveling and enjoying the sights.  We are just about re-acclimated to Pacific Time.

Eiffel Tower in Distance

Although I managed about 25 miles per week, it was a struggle to run and travel.  An email from Abby near the end of our trip encouraged me it sign up for the SF Marathon on July 31.  I hear Todd Y may also be considering it.  Finally, I reserved a room at the Copley Marriott for Boston Marathon Weekend through their website.  Hopefully Abby and I will make it in with the new registration system.  Hoping Nate will be there and maybe even Todd Y.

Mussels, Clams, & Pasta

I signed up for mobile posting and will hopefully be able to post more often.  The posts may be shorter and that may be a good thing too.  Time to get running and get ready for that BIG DAY, whatever that is. Hope all are well.  Stay fit and until that next race ... see you at the starting line.  Todd.

East Coast News

It looks like many of you 'west coasters' are either in Maui or have just returned. Thinking of that warm weather makes me jealous (but Katie and I are heading to Bermuda in three weeks!). Just about all of the snow has melted, and it was quite a winter for snow. Katie and I each had five snow days, so that extends school for another week. Lately, the weather has been getting warmer, and I've even been able to get outside for a few bike rides.

In regards to running, I've been slowly building up some volume after not running for January and February. I had Achilles Tendonosis, and am still receiving PT once a week (Graston Technique). I have zero pain in my achilles, which is great, and as a result of not running for two months I was able to get in a lot of swimming and biking on my trainer.

Speaking of swimming, I competed in a swim meet with my masters swim team last weekend at Harvard. It was the New England Masters Short Course Yards Championships (say that fast ten times!!).  I entered in one individual event (200 freestyle) and two relay events (200 medley and 400 free). I was the youngest person by 17 years in my 200 free heat and there were two people in their 70's! Talk about humbling - swimming is all about technique, and I'm not all that great yet. I swam the 200 free in 2:50, good enough for 11th in my age group (out of 12!!!), and over a minute behind the person that won the age group. Still, it was fun to compete, and my team won the overall title - without me they would have...........well, I guess we'll never know.

Back to running - Katie raced in Hyannis at the end of February, PRing in the 10k with 50:29. She's hoping to go under 50:00 in a 10k that we are both racing next weekend in Cohasset on the south shore, and I'm shooting for somewhere in the 39:00-39:30 range.

Regarding the 2012 Boston Marathon, my plan is to hopefully qualify at either Quebec City (8/28) or Lehigh Valleh (9/11). I'm currently leaning towards the Lehigh Valley Marathon because I'm doing AG Nationals (Olympic triathlon in Vermont) on August 20th, and that would give me three weeks between races, instead of eight days. The Lehigh Valley course is supposedly very shady and partially run on some trails - the Quebec City Marathon could be very windy and has very little shade. Both courses are relatively flat.

With the qualifying standards, I'm thinking my best shot of getting into Boston is running ten minutes under my qualifying time, which would be sub 3:00. I'm doing a half marathon at the end of May which will be a good measurement of how I'm coming along, and I'm hoping to run that in the 1:24 range.

I hope that there are more posts as the weather warms up and more races take place. I'll let everyone know how our 10K in Cohasset goes.

Where have all the runners gone?

It sure has been quiet in the world of blogging for the Mighty Marathoners.  I hope it's because there is lots of running with too little time to write.  I thought we better get the blog going again if we are ever going to get to Boston en mass - we're hopefully still aiming for 2012.  A lot has happened since the last CIM posting.  In different half marathons, both Abby and Alexa ran 148's.  I think Katie Hammond ran this weekend in Hyannis but I have not been able to track down the results yet.  Nate may have sat out with injuries.  This weekend, Todd Y and Todd Z have a go at the Napa Marathon.  I'm hoping to better my BQ time to be able to register with an earlier wave.  I have been running well with a number of medium length runs of 10-14 miles.  But the long runs are still limited.  Speaking of long runs Katy Gifford is prepping for the AR50 (American River 50 miler from Sacramento to Auburn) in April.  Alexa and Katy did a training run of 21 miles last week; Kate ran 26 this week.  Now that's some distance training.  Time for me to go to work.  I'd love to hear from others.  Let's get this blog going again.  See you at the starting line, Todd.

Work to do...

Congrats to the CIM runners! Way to set PR's as well. It looks like I've got some work to do if I want to join Todd and Abby at Boston in 2012!

I've been logging some good mileage over the past few weeks and actually set an unofficial PR yesterday in training for 13.1 (1:32:23). I have two half marathons planned in the first half of 2011, building mileage to hopefully running a Boston qualifying time in the fall of 2011. I'm targeting a half ironman at the end of June and then will transition to building up to a marathon in mid October.

With speculation about new qualification standards, I'm aiming for 3:00 instead of the current 3:10 standard. That probably means that I'll need to get my open half time to 1:24-1:25.

Happy holidays and enjoy the rest and recovery after all of your hard work!

CIM Results

Runners are Ready

Support Team is Ready

It was a great day for the runners and for the support team.  That means the weather was wonderful and the runners did well.  The rains held up until after the race and jackets came off early for the support team.  Abby, Alexa, and Todd Z all broke 4:00 with PR's for Abby and Alexa, and BQ's for Abby and Todd.  Little Big Todd held in there despite some recent set-backs in training.  John Bricher finished his third marathon well and Katy Gifford paced the 5:00 group, getting the job done on time.  Chad, Todd Farmer, and Janet raced from spot to spot to cheer on the runners.  As the runners became more spread out, it was more difficult to see all the activity.  Janet was sad to miss Abby's 3:38 finish ... I guess that's the price you pay by going so fast.  Todd Y left from the race to catch a 1:30 flight.  I'm anxious to hear about the "Van Bath" with camp stove heaters and all.

     Net Chip Times:

Abby with Medal

• Abby    3:38:17
• Alexa    3:57:30
• Todd Z    3:59:21
• Todd Y    4:07:28
• John Bricher    4:33:57
• Katy Gifford    4:57:14

Chad and Alexa

Abby, Alexa, and Todd Z

Janet and Todd Z

Todd F and Abby

Great Finish at the Capitol

Pacer Katy

Beach House Deli - Yum

After the race, lunch at Beach House Deli made the day all worth while.  Time to take a nap and dream about the next race.  Till the next Starting Line, Todd.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already here. Katie and I are on Nantucket to have a small Thanksgiving with Lynn, George, and Ember.

Katie and I realized last night that there was a 5K we could do this morning, so we showed up a little early to get in a little warm up. There was also the option of doing the 'plunge' afterwards at Children's Beach, which raises money for the local library. This event has raised over $50,000 each year, but we opted to watch instead.

As for the race, I was shooting for a time around 19:00, but I didn't want to lead and the pace group was going around a 6:20 pace into the wind. I ended up with 19:24 and Katie got a time of 25:27. After the 5K we went for a 6 mile run out at Sanford Farm, getting in around 11 miles today.

A few weeks ago I did a 10 mile run a bit north of Boston. Somehow I ended up winning my AG, and in the process got a $60 gift certificate to a local running store. My time was 1:05:34, which would have been 8th in the 40-49 AG, so I didn't really deserve the win, especially since the overall winner was from my AG - essentially I defaulted into first place because of that!

The following weekend I used my gift certificate towards two new pairs of shoes, going from a 'Brooks' to 'Saucony' runner. One of the pairs are Kinvara's, and I really like their minimalist feel. I did some mile repeats with them earlier this week and loved the light weight feel.

With my goal of qualifying for Boston in 2012, I'm starting to up my mileage. Over the summer I was running around 20 miles per week. This month will be around 125 miles, which is a good start. I'll try to hold that mileage over the winter and build up in the spring for a early fall marathon, doing some halfs and a half ironman before the marathon.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Beware of Clear Ice

Frost in Granite Bay

A Happy Chilly Thanksgiving to all.  Wow, 27 degrees this morning in Sacramento makes for a cold run.  First time this year for 3 layers for me.  Finally got warm by mile 2 into an 8 mile run.  I noted some ice along the way.  I cross some wooden bridges that frost over pretty quickly making the way slippery.  Careful out there.

We decided it was too cold for Eleanor to be out for the annual Run to Feed the Hungry Race in Sacramento.  It's always fun to have the runners on the 6.2 mile course competing with the walkers on the 3.1 one.  Maybe we can return to that tradition next year. 

Miss Eleanor and Grandma

The training seems to be going well.  The hamstring now seems to be a thing of the past.  I'm afraid new injuries lie ahead.  I have been working diligently trying to strengthen my back going to Physical Therapy once a week.  I'm into the third week and it seems to be making a difference.  First week was stretching, then core strengthening was added the second week.  I'm been doing some on my own but with little commitment.  I seem be getting on track with a little more commitment now.  It's probably going to be a life time commitment but, hopefully, will result in some improvement.  Stretching twice a day and working on strengthening once a day added to running has turned my conditioning into a full time job.  But I guess the alternatives are not so good.  I seem to be feeling better.  Time will tell.

Autumn in Granite Bay

About 10 days to CIM.  I hope all are well and warm.  Right now I just looking to finish.  I need to get Alexa to pick our target time.  I must say I have already started to look ahead to Napa for a BQ.  Well, time to get going on the turkey and stuffing.  Happy Thanksgiving to All.  See you at the starting line.  Todd.

3 Layers on a Cold Morning

2 Weeks to CIM

Craig, Janet and Todds at soccer

We're starting the two week countdown to CIM, the California International Marathon) and everyone is scampering to get those last  training miles in.  Usually I like to taper for three weeks, but still recovering from my hammie I hated to cut down too soon.  Little Big Todd  and I did a 15 miler yesterday (after he ran 10 from his house to mine for, yes, a total of 25 for him).  An added highlight of the day was going to Craig's soccer game after our run.  Todd has been fighting illness with lots of traveling added in so he has had little running the past few weeks.  Alexa also had a cold and she cut down her running early.  I'm not sure what her weekly mileage is these days.

Abby, Eleanor, Elizabeth and Alexa

Katy Gifford is pacing the 5:00 group and I'm pretty sure she's gotten in her training miles.  She has continued her training from her recent trail marathon with Alexa.  Abby did a 22 miler last week and I think she has been doing well with her training program.  I haven't heard her time goal yet.

I'm happy with my progress with my sore hamstring.  I've managed to continue my running 5-6 days per week with 40-50 miles per week.  I have not done any speed work and really lack any real endurance.  It has been more base running than anything else.  I would like to be doing some longer runs (20 milers) and some intervals but decided to wait until after after CIM hoping to avoid injuries.  Alexa and I have been talking about aiming for 4:00 but I'm thinking that may be a little too hopeful.  I guess we'll have to see how we feel that day.

Harriot & Eleanor

Time to go check on Eleanor who is visiting us this afternoon.  Right now she's taking a little nap probably dreaming of running in Boston with her Grand-dad.  We both can dream can't we.  Stay well and run long.  See you at the starting line.

Back on the wagon

Although I had a temporary scare, I will indeed be running CIM this December. My company, Hankook Tire, has its US headquarters in New Jersey. Hankook will be flying Rebbie and I out to NJ on December 5-8 for a company Christmas party. Management has excused me from the opening night social so that I can run CIM. I haven't quite worked through the details but mostly likely I will take some sort of "wash cloth" shower before boarding a 1 pm flight to Newark. This is not a gross as it seems. I did it at Hartford about 5 years ago.

I'm thankful that I will be running but my training took a big-time downward slide last month. After a tough sickness that beat me up for a full week, and then a week long trip to South Korea, and then a extended weekend at PSU with my son, I'm back and ready. To illustrate my decline let's look at September versus October. In September, my best month ever, I logged 232 miles in October I ran 109. I'm very happy to have October in the rear view mirror. I hope everyone is healthy and not pushing too hard like I mostly likely did.

It Pays to Go the Extra Mile

Having not run Saturday and Sunday, I planned to do a medium run today before going to work ... at least 8 and probably 11.  Woke up feeling well; got off to an early start.  At four miles made the turn to extend to 11 feeling good.  Approaching home, I decided to run past our neighborhood to the one behind us to make it 12.  As home was getting near, I thought, "Gee one loop around our subdivision and I will have done a half".  With less than an quarter to go that's when it happened.  Looking down, I saw the JACKPOT!  PAPER MONEY!  I had never seen it before on a run.  Sure, nichols and dimes; sometimes even a quarter ... but PAPER MONEY, now that's a find.  Soaked to the pavement, it took some prying to get it loose.  At first, I wondered if it was glued in place.  But no, it was mine.  Now don't get any crazy ideas about calling me for handouts.  I'm thinking I may need to set up a trust to regulate things.  So, now I understand why they say that it pays to go the extra mile.  By the way, I had a great run.  No rain.  Perfect weather - cool and calm.  Less than six weeks until CIM.  I'm still wondering if I have a sub 4 in me.  Alexa and I are planning a long one this next weekend.  Keep running and stay well.  See you at the starting line, Todd.

First Rain Run

I always look forward to autumn and running in the rain.  Well, we don't have much of an autumn in California and certainly get only a little rain, but I can imagine, can't I?  This morning with it in the low 50's and with a few drops of rain, it's about as close as we get to that ideal autumn day.  Running is going well.

Only 6 weeks, I think, until CIM (California International Marathon).  Katy, Alexa, Abby, and I are all signed up.  Little-big Todd (Y) is also registered but may be out of town on business.  Katy is pacing the 5:00 group so Alexa and I may run together - aiming for that 4:00 target.  Not sure if Abby will be ahead or not.  I think everyone is getting their miles in.  I know LBT was tracking a 3:20 BQ (Boston Qualifier) but may have to delay that until spring.  Did you figure out LBT was little-big Todd Y?  Abby recently ran a fast Half at San Jose and hopes to make her debut to blog posting soon.  She and Todd are busy moving this weekend.  I look forward to hearing about her new running routes in the city once she gets settled.

My "hammie" is hanging in there.  I'm still icing at times, right now sitting on ice after an easy 5 this morning.  I have been steady at 40 or so miles per week for the past 4-5 weeks.  No speed work which is a little disappointing to me.  I miss those "street-intervals" and tempo runs.  It seems that everything is about the same pace.  Long runs are not much slower than the easy recovery ones.  I think I will wait until after CIM to think about speed.  Maybe that will be future blog posting.  Right now I am just trying to stay running fit to be able to run the next day.

Well off to work.  Keep running and supporting those runners.  Feel free to add your comments.  Enjoy Autumn.  Oh, by the way, that's a picture of our dogwood with it's "autumn berries".  Too early for leaves here in the west.  It must be gorgeous about now back east.  See you at the starting line, Todd.

Last race of the multi-sport season

Glad to hear that Alexa's trail race went well. I'd like to try one of those one day once I build up my run mileage!

Sunday was my final race of the multi-sport season here in New England. We're starting to get some chilly mornings (30's) so triathlon season is over. The race on Sunday was a duathlon - run/bike/run - and a short one at that. I went into the race with high expectations, wanting to win my age group, and I was able to accomplish that goal.

The length of the legs were 2 miles, 10.3 miles, and 2.3 miles. It was a chilly morning with temperatures in the low to mid 40's. Katie and I arrived at the transition area about an hour before race time, and I helped Katie set up for her first duathlon. Eventually, we made it to the start, debating what to wear - I ended up just wearing my club's tri suit even though it was around 45 at race start.

My wave of runners went out at a fast pace, and I clocked a sub 6:00 pace for the 2 mile run. My bike time was 3rd overall, and only 20 seconds off the fastest pace. The last run was a bit more hilly and my pace was around 6:20. My overall time was good enough for 5th overall and 1st in my AG, which was my goal going into the race. Katie, placed 6th in her age group and right in the middle of the overall field, and she finished with a smile on her face in 183rd.

Next up is  a 10-miler in early November - my plan is to try to run a road race every month as I keep up with the triathlon training over the winter. Heading into next year my goal is to win an overall triathlon and to qualify for Boston 2112.

Results can be seen here:
http://www.coolrunning.com/results/10/ma/Oct17_Scitua_set1.shtml