Streaking Away From 50!

No, not that kind of streaking.

Run streak! For the first time, I'm trying out the whole run streak thing. Taking my normal 4 day a week training runs, and adding 5k's on the off days. It's been much different then I expected. I went in thinking that it would be too much for my old legs, and that I'd wear out quickly. So far it's been quite the opposite. My legs feel stronger, and my training times have held up, if not even improved.

Who'd have thought.

December 4th: 5.2 Miles 48:00  9:14/Mile
December 5th: 3.1 Miles 26:53  8:40/Mile
December 6th: 4.0 Miles 36:30  9:08/Mile
December 7th: 15.01 Miles 2:45:24 11:01/Mile
December 8th:  3.1 Miles 26:50  8:39/Mile
December 9th: 5.0 Miles  45:11  9:02/Mile
December 10th: 3.1 Miles  26:46  8:38/Mile
December 11th: 6.3 Miles  58:00  9:12/Mile
December 12th: 3.1 Miles  27:48  8:58/Mile
December 13th: 4.0 Miles  35:20  8:50/Mile
December 14th: 16.07 Miles 2:50:21 10:36/Mile
December 15th: 3.1 Miles  27:34  8:54/Mile
December 16th: 5.0 Miles  46:15  9:15/Mile
December 17th: 3.1 Miles  27:26  8:51/Mile
December 18th: 6.2 Miles  55:10  8:54/Mile

15 Days so far, with a 15 mile and 16 mile long run included. I'm pretty happy with the 10:36 splits for 16, better then the11:01 splits a week earlier for 15. I'm really happy with the 10K yesterday. 6.2 miles with sub 9 splits. My best time at that distance since I tore up my ankle last year.

Overall it feels like the daily running regimen is helping me with stamina, it's helping with consistency, and so far there's been no negative side effects that I can see. No soreness, not too tired, and my knees and ankles are holding up.

But wait there's more! I've finally added a little strength training into the mix. 2 to 3 days, before the 5K's I'll do upper body and core. So I feel stinger, it's helping with my weight, and I get to feel like a total fool picking up 35lb dumbbells next to the guys at the gym pressing 90 each. Whatever.

Not sure yet how long I want this experiment to last, want to go for 20 in my next long run Sunday, and that may require a rest day or two.

TGIF!

Marc

15 After 50

Does turning 50 make any real difference? Is there a sudden physical change that leaves you unable to keep putting one foot in front of the other?

Probably not. But that's the thinking that I've got associated with the new decade in front of my age. "50" seems old, even in my own head.

I was born in the 60's,the sandwich generation. The product of an era that thought 21 was old. Anyone over 30 was from another age, a generation gap that was a point of pride. "We" did things that were cool. "They" did things that were establishment. We never wanted to grow up, never wanted to be mature. Live hard and leave a good looking....

Oddly enough, all that shit lives on, in how I see myself, how I see my generation, and how I view my place in the world.

I want to feel young, I want to continue to feel active, to feel vibrant, to feel relevant. And for some insane reason, I've chosen running as a way of doing that.

So i've been running over the last 4 years, I've gotten 3 marathons in and countless miles of training, so by all evidence, I've got this. I can get my ass in shape for the next race I want to run. 50 is no different then 49.

But I still had to prove it to myself, and today was the day to do it.

And I got in my longest run of my 50's. 15 miles After 50!

It was an amazing day in Santa Monica, it was cool and crisp, and getting out there at 6:30 meant that the sun was just peaking over the horizon. I got the see the whole stretch of Santa Monica to Venice almost by myself, most of it before 8AM.

I got to find a pace appropriate for my age :) pretty much 11 minute miles for training is where I live now. I got to prove to myself that I can still do this, and I got to get home and rested before football starts at 10AM.

All in all a pretty good effort for an old man on a Sunday. An affirmation that my perceptions of myself as "Old" aren't necessarily reality. I can still move, and can still contribute, I can still get out there and do a little damage.

To be continued...

Running Away From 50 and into 2015!

It's December 1st, and I've already got a plan for next year...

So here's the plan. Three marathons in one year. And yes, that's the year 2015.

Publix A1A Marathon in Fort Lauderdale February 15th
SLO Marathon in San Luis Obispo April 26th
The San Francisco Marathon July July 26th

Each of these races has a special significance to me, and I'm running them all for different personal reasons.

1st Up!

Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon
a1amarathon.com

Why I'm Running: Crazy as it sounds, my wife has put up with me for 25 years. So to celebrate, we're  joining the crazy folks who offer the Run For Fun Cruises (runforfuncruise.com) and going away for a 7 day cruise. To kick it off, I'm running the A1A Marathon, and then hopefully collapsing at the all-you-can-eat buffet on board the ship and eating myself into a coma.

More about the trip: So excited to be getting away. We'll be running the Full before we board, and we'll be running as a group shorter 5K and 10K's at the ships stops. We'll get to meet some great new people, get away from the world for a while, and we'll be celebrating 25 years of marriage together. Pretty sure the odds were against us getting to 25 days, so it's a pretty big deal.

Next!!!

San Luis Obispo Marathon
SLO Marathon!

Why I'm running: I was honored to be asked to be a race ambassador last year, a job at which I'm not very good at. But nonetheless, I wanted to do it. Unfortunately my body didn't cooperate last year, and although I wanted to be up there with the team, I couldn't run and even ran into work scheduling issues and missed the entire event.  This year will be different!

This year they've asked me back, and I'm going to make it! I'm going to tweet, post, blog, and share with anyone who'll listen, asking them to get up to the event and run with me. I'm going to train within my limits and avoid injury.

More about the trip: Short drive from LA to SLO, but it's a beautiful location. I'm going to be in the best shape of my life, I'm going to have 6 months of prep and a full under my belt. AND I'M GOING TO PR.

And Then!

The San Francisco Marathon
thesfmarathon.com

Why I'm Running: Mostly because I'm stupid. I ran it this year. And all I can say is I finished. Had to walk, was over 5 hours, my worst time ever, and it HURT.

More about the trip: I won't be defeated so easily. I'm going back, and I'm going to run smarter, run faster, and finish under 5 hours. Plus I get to see Stephanie Berger, and that's never a bad thing.

I'll add a few Half Marathons and shorter races in along the way, but for now, this is my year coming up!

BRING ON 2015

The Right Side of 50!

Well I made it. To 50 that is. Also made it to The San Francisco Marathon in July, and I'm finally running again.

Overall it's been a crazy couple of months. My boss quit at work, and I got moved up to run the division. So that happened, and my time demands changed pretty quickly. Murad, Inc is a fabulous place to work, not just because you get access to the best skin care products. Because Dr. Murad really believes that you can change how you look and feel, and he want to help you. That attitude filters through everything we do, and I get to love my job.

I've been in the background for a while now, both at my last posting, and in my first 6 months or so at Murad. So it's taking a little bit of adjustment to start driving again. What is the vision for the entire organization? How does my division fit into that? What do I have to do strategically to make that happen?And then how do I execute? A little more complicated then what edits to make on the next script.

Very proud to be the EVP at Murad, and hope I can deliver what they need to achieve their goals.

But like I said, now it's time to start running again.

Back to training, a few weeks no into the typical 4 month program. Distances are building, and at least on the shorter runs, times are getting better.

I'll find time to talk a bit about The SF Marathon. Then, more on when and where I'm running my next races later...

Love,

Marc

15 And Counting

It's part of the aging process that I've decided I'm the least fond of. Injuries seem to come more frequently then I can recover from them. Sprained ankles, pulled hamstring, T-Band, groin, back, neck, you think about it too long and it may give  up on me. BUT, I'm not giving up on me.

Working back up to marathon distance for the SF Marathon (www.thesfmarathon.com, +The San Francisco Marathon) is proving a little more of a challenge then I expected.

The starting out slow part wasn't so bad. 6, 7, 8 , 9, 10 miles came pretty east. even getting to 12 was ok. My first 13.1 training run wasn't easy, and I've had 4 or 5 failed attempts at 15 since then. Too hot, too tired, too stressed at work. I've gone out for 15 for the last month and not gotten there. I keep wanting to blame the aging thing, the injury thing, the rehab thing. But there's a bigger issue here, and maybe I need to acknowledge that I'm not running in a vacuum.

And that's the lesson here for me. Running and life are not two separate worlds. They feel like they are, running feels like that place I can go where nothing else counts and I'm out on my own. But it's not. And it in the real world, the last month has been a real challenge. Family health issues, transitions at work, no sleep, added stress. Leaving your troubles behind on a run is a lot easier then it sounds.

So it feels good to have gotten through 15 yesterday, and it's a mirror of what I have to do with the rest of the issues I'm dealing with. I went out slow, 12+ minute splits to start. Got my legs under me, got warmed up, and worked through a plan in my head to finish the run. I was able to break the problem down into digestible pieces, and then take it one split at a time. The longer into the run, the more confident I got, and the greater my ability to press the pace without risking failure. All the same shit I have to do with the rest of my life. Start out slow, evaluate the problem, work out a plan, and then take it one step at a time. The further in I get, the easier it is to see the end, and the more aggressive I can be.

By the time I got to the pier I was half way and I knew I could get to the finish. Even the hills at the end, the toughest part of the run, weren't an issue because I knew I was on track and close to conclusion.

So for me, it was more then a 15 mile run, it was a lesson in perseverance, it was a reminder that I can't ignore what's going on in one part of my life and expect no consequences in the others. It was an accomplishment after a few failures, and it was a great day at the beach.

15 in the books, 16 on deck.

Zero For My Last Four!

One of the greatest things about running is goals. I get to set goals, I get to work a plan, see progress, and literally reach the finish line. It helps me focus. It helps me forget. It helps me far beyond the actual race.

If I can get through a 20 mile training run, I can handle a long day. If I can drag my ass out of bed for a 5:00AM workout, it's no problem getting to a 6AM flight. When I see myself accomplishing a goal, finishing a race, setting a new PR, it encourages me at work, with my family, in the community, to achieve there as well.

That's a stark contrast to the last 6 months. I've missed the start of the last four events I signed up to run, and it's a streak I'm no really thrilled with.

New Years Run: Missed it with a tear in two ligaments in my ankle.

LA Marathon 2014: Missed it. Only back to training a few weeks, no way to tackle 26.2

Hollywood Half: Death in the family, last second trip to SoFL for the services.

SLO Marathon: Work schedule conflicts. Shooting schedule couldn't me changed to accommodate my race. Horrible, I know.

It's by no means a life threatening situation, but it is a little bit of a confidence shaking one. I'm asking myself questions I thought I'd answered. Can I do this? Am I strong enough? Do I have the commitment in me? Am I looking for excuses? And of course it's on me to answer them. I'm seeing the impact at home, at work, feeling less motivated, shorter tempered, and slower to react. I can do something about that too.

Here's my answer:

www.thesfmarathon.com

I'm back to training, signed up for the SF Marathon July 27th.

I can break the bad streak, I can get myself back in shape, and I can get ready for SF. I've started building up my miles, pushing to 12-14 on the Long Slow Distance Runs on Sundays, making time for shorter training runs during the week. I'm following a plan, getting stronger, and working to a goal.

For me, that's another one of the great things about running. You can almost always start over. You can pick yourself up, turn yourself around, and get moving in the right direction again. And if I can do it here, I can apply those seam lessons everywhere else.

So I'm back, and I'm doing this, and I'm loving it.

See you in San Francisco July 27th!

A Visit to SoFL

Got the call last week, my step mothers dad had passed away at the age of 93.

Booked travel, and headed down to South Florida, the Lake Worth/West Palm Beach area. Had been scheduled to run The Hollywood Half Marathon over the weekend, but that wasn't in the cards.

So, a trip back to where I lived for 10 years, but this time I'm the visitor/tourist. And it was a trip. I got to visit dad, get to the services, get a few runs in, and let US Airways and Budget turn the whole thing into a bit of an Odyssey.

Starting with the travel, because, really, I have to vent. Got to LAX early for a 6AM flight,  yeah, early for a 6AM flight. One carryon bag, one personal item, just like it says in the rules. Went to the counter to see if I could get out of the middle seat in the back. Was told "no", but would you volunteer to give your bag up to be checked, the flight is over-full. I asked directly, will it be ok, will it make the connection. She said "absolutely, plenty of time in Charlotte." Got on the plane, and just to make a point, there was a ton of open space in the overheads.

So all that was a lie. Or at least a misrepresentation. Changed planes in Charlotte, and landed, after delays, an hour late in West Palm. No bag. So, she was wrong, it could get lost. The tool at the lost baggage center essentially blamed me for checking it. Told me "At least 20 people touch it in Charlotte, so you never know what can happen". When I pointed out the contradiction with the desk's statement he backed off a little. When I asked for his manager, he actually started to help. He told me the bag was still in Charlotte, would be landing in West Palm by 6:30PM, and he would get it to the hotel immediately. (Went to get my car at Budget, that was an hour of pain I'll pass on sharing)

Well, that didn't happen. Got back to the hotel at 10, no bag. Called US Airways, was told that the bag was still at the airport, and was scheduled for delivery after 12AM, probably after 1AM. I told them to skip it, and I would drive back to the airport and get it myself. Turned out they were wrong/lying as well.

Half way back to the airport, I get a call on my cell from a delivery guy. He's at the hotel with my bag, can he leave it with the front desk. Whatever.

SO the desk agent at LAX could have said, it should get there but you never know, and I would have kept my bag. But she didn't. The baggage agent in WPB could have been less of an asshole and at least known what was happening, but he didn't. And US Airways could have known the bag as already on the way to me, but of course....

Just to make the trip right, they blew it on the way home too. My flight from WPB to LAX had a stop over in Charlotte. So, they said, if you get off the plane, don't go far. Well, that was another lie/misinformation. Turns out an earlier flight to Chicago had equipment problems. So BECAUSE THEY CAN, they took the our plane and moved it to that flight. Now we're delayed, gate changed, and waiting. No explanation, no apology, nothing. Only got the story by standing over the desk agent while she spent 10 full minutes running the true story down.

Thanks for listening.

Ok, no more venting, back to the running blog thing this is supposed to be.

Visiting older family in Florida, maybe the first time in ages I was the young kid in the room at 50. So take advantage of it.

I got to hit beach and run, I got the hide from the heat and hit the treadmill a few times, and I got to visit my dad, make the services and make it back to Cali in one piece.

Maybe next time, I'll focus more on the trip and less on the travel?

Rehabbing from Rehab! Getting ready for the SLO Marathon Con't.

What does it take to get that 50 year old body back on the road?

That's the big question I'm faced with 4 months post ligament tears. It started with rest, and progressed to PT. From there to a bicycle, and then an elliptical. Moved on to a treadmill, and then finally back on to the road about 2 weeks ago.

But bouncing back is not as easy as it once was. Besides the fact that my stamina is shot, and 3 miles feels a little like 13.1, I've had post injury "after shocks" as new and different challenges to conquer.

First up, hamstring tightness. That's a scary one, because I've gone down the "pulled hammy" road before. Hit me two weeks ago when I got back out on the road. So stop down a day or two, check in with the PT, and make sure it's nothing serious.

It wasn't. so I'm back on the road. I think. Nope, next is something called post tibial tendonitis? What's that? Had to google it. More PT, it's not too serious, something about rolling a tennis ball under my arch, and away I go!

Or not. So the combination of the ankle, post tibial whatever, and the hammy, seems I've over compensated and next up were calve cramps. Never had those before, yay.  Back to the PT, a few more days of rest, and should be back to normal.

The only way to know for sure? Jump back on the treadmill and see what happens...

Got my run in, made it through another session of PT, and I'll see what happens as I ramp up the distance and pace one more time.

My goal?

43 Days Until The SLO Marathon!

Now an SLO Marathon Ambassador!

Just want to say thanks to the folks running the SLO Marathon for letting me join their team and help promote their great event! It's great to have a goal now and hopefully take my recovery running back into some real miles training for the event.

Made it through the 2 Rehab miles at PT yesterday, still relegated to the treadmill. But it's starting to feel like me again, and I'm really hoping I can get back out on the road. Injuries are a little scarier then they used to be, and the after effects are a whole different deal. The process seems much longer, and there's no margin for error. In days past it was easy to blow through the doctors orders, maybe take a passing run at PT. Now I have to really focus, do the exercises, stay away from cheating, and I can't get ahead of myself. The other part that's different is the mental game. Instead of ignoring the aches and pains, instead of blowing through cramps, I have to listed to my body and back off, adjust, ask for help. Some of the adjustments for aging are less fun then others. Anyway, I hope I'm talking about miles and splits and hill repeats soon, not PT and Stim and TREADMILLS.

Me in better days...

I'll post a lot more about the race, but for now here's the main site:
SLO Marathon Main Site

1st Mile Back!

Happy MLK Day to all.

The last few months have brought all the joys of aging together for me to enjoy.  Torn ligaments, pulled muscles, and most recently, the flu. I never get the flu. At least I never used to get the flu. Now I do. Came up on me during work last week, but no way I could bale out during production, so forced through and made it to the long weekend. And yes, I finally work for a company that gives MLK day off.

Slept if off for the last three days, and only left the house once. To go to the gym, and put in my first full mile on the treadmill since I injured my ankle November 2nd.

Warmed up for 20 minute on the elliptical, and headed over to the 'mill. Pushed the speed all the way up to 5 (those blazing fast 12  minute miles) and let loose. No pain, no limp, all went well. It's crazy to think that three months ago I was knocking off 20 mile training runs as a 2nd thought, looking forward to them all week. Now I'm stressing over a mile, sweating and panting to get to the finish. Anyway, made it in one piece, and maybe I've turned the corner.

Iced afterwards with "Frozen Peaz"(@frozenpeaz1) I'd share a picture if I knew how to post them, but maybe next time. If you ice after runs, you should check them out, really cool. And sat my ass back down on the couch the rest of the day to recover from my grueling 11 minute journey.

But it's a first mile back, and I can't wait for more.

Much Love & Keep Running!

Marc

A slight setback...

Maybe it's the lack of running from my injured ankle. Maybe it's just getting older. But I'm sick again. It's a chest cold, or a head cold or a mild flu, who knows. Last year, running regularly, I never got sick. The last 3 months off from running, feels like I've been sick the entire stretch.

Can't give in to it, the real world is still out there. Work, family, bills, tuition, all want attention, and can't let a little bug get in the way. So, no workouts this week, no trips to the tables this week, work and sleep, and hope that the weekend comes quickly. Hoping to save a little bit for PT on Friday, at least keep that moving forward!

Back to work.

Anything But That!

Wanted to title this "Test 1, 2, 3..." but that's so cliche there's even a song about it. (that's a reference to "Rent" if you want to check it out) So I'm doing this for two reasons. The real prompt to start today was my mom. She wants to blog about her situation, her battles with Parkinson's Disease. And I wanted to test this template out to see if it was easy to use.

The 2nd reason is more long term. I've been running, I've been making friends on Twitter and Facebook, and even Daily Mile, but I haven't really taken the time to write about the experience, or share my own thoughts about why, how and what I get out of running. Maybe it's time to change that? We'll see if I really follow up on the promise!