Running

Running is the way I started triathlon, and it will likely be the way I end it down the line. Running is so care free; it doesn’t require special gear and it’s always a nice day for a run (it’s true). I started my Ironman quest with the Portland Marathon last year. The energy of the event was so great and I got a solid time for my first one. Running is one of those things where you can just flip the auto pilot switch once you’re used to higher mileage. If I forget about time for a second, there’s really no difference between a 10 mile run and a 20 mile run in my brain. Sure, one is a lot longer, but my legs just keep that same sweet spot cadence for longer. I need to eat a little more, but it’s such a rhythmic relaxing sport that I could just run for ever. Forest Gump wasn’t far from the target.

“True training” for running is a little tougher for me. I trained for the Portland Marathon by running at my preferred cadence for different length runs, and in turn didn’t do much speed work. These days, I mix in speed work. Speed work, for me, consists of running at between 4.5 mph and 5 mph at a cadence of 85 for three minute intervals, and then running at 8.5 mph to 9 mph at a cadence range of 90 to 112 for 105 seconds (this includes the time it takes to turn up the belt speed, shooting for 90 seconds at pace). Some days this is rough, but training through the hard stuff adds a little fun to the experience. I want to push myself and see if my brain can follow through. Two days ago I completed my last 2:30 hour long run before the Ironman in 13 days; I didn’t complete enough long runs during my training.

Running is the bee’s knees of the triathlon triad. The brutality on the legs and burden on the heart make it a solid activity to allow training with slower runners and still receive a benefit. Biking with a slower companion is agony and swimming with someone is kind of pointless. But running slow or fast can have differing benefits, but both are beneficial. Since running was my only real strong point upon signing up for the Ironman, there isn’t too much to write about.

The things I’ve taken from running are plentiful. I’m thankful I don’t have anything on my body that will chafe, especially my nipples, ugggh. I started running believing “Body Glide” didn’t do anything, but I have since become a believer. I smear some on the sides of my toes before a long run. Running long distance is great until heat becomes an issue. You never know what surfaces you’ll run on or how hot they’ll get; once your feet start heating up, they don’t cool down. I continue to believe in always buying quality running shoes. I’ve learned that Google Earth is great for mapping runs when you’re done, a GPS is nice but I don’t always want live details about my performance at my finger tips. I’ve learned that toe socks rock for running. I’ve learned that I have no one to impress, so short shorts are the way to go. I’ve learned to always run with a shirt and a $5 bill; you don’t have to wear the shirt, but you have something to put on and cash in hand to stop at a minimart if you really need calories. I’ve learned to forget the music from time to time. As great as music is at distracting you during a run, sometimes it’s better to actually take in the things around you while you run. This is where the, “always a nice day for a run” comes in. Sometimes in the winter it’s awesome to put on that heavy sweatshirt and run out into the pouring rain. You push hard and tell your brain to keep going, and then when you get home you get the mental reward of having completed a workout on a bleak depressing day, and the physical reward of a nice hot shower and putting on some nice cozy sweats.

Time to rant: the best thing about triathlon, running, or whatever is that most likely you… wont… win…(this is a positive thing). For a given marathon there will be one winner. Break that out to age groups and gender and there may be ten winners. This top one or top ten are not the reasons that most people run. You run to run. You run to be around runners. You mix with people who enjoy the same thing you do. When I race I am racing against myself. I want to perform better than I did a week ago, month ago, or year ago. I am running to improve myself from yesterday. This year at the Portland marathon the only person I will be racing against is that chump 2012 Justin who only trained for two months.

This blog is soon to die. I have the Ironman in 13 days. I will likely post before the Ironman when I arrive in Canada and post again when I’ve completed the race.  I will write a summery of the Portland Triathlon and the Portland Marathon after I complete each one.  This blog didn’t go the route I intended, which was to be more about hands on actual training. I started way too late into my training and can’t remember actual details or differ between what I think is important now and what I thought was important as I completed key check points over the training months. If any person wants to push themselves into any event be it running, swimming, biking, triathlon, mountain climbing, or anything, I would be glad to talk to you through email, Facebook, or in person. I don’t know what I’ll do after the Ironman, maybe coach triathletes in the future. At this stage in life I shot big, and even though there are some parts of my body that may get sore or make me slow down in the race, I hope to cash the check my brain wrote a year ago.

Retiring the old to make way for the new.