Redemption: 2013 Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon

08.12.13 -

Cross training...Hit up the gym after work for some weight training.  Today is the start of week 8 and what was supposed to be a mini taper week with the Ragnar Great River Relay on Friday through Saturday.  Unfortunately this year we were unable to field a full team and had to skip this year's relay.  To compensate for the lost race time, I signed up for the Madison Mini Marathon on Saturday.  It is a half marathon here in Madison.  One of my running friends is looking to run a 1:30:00 half marathon and I decided to help pace him.  It should be a good test of my fitness level, plus can take the place of the relay race.  So, I will continue on this week with a mini taper.

We pretty much wave to every runner down here - basically because it is such a rare occurrence to actually pass someone!  Cyclists are the ones that always baffle me - it is a big joke to runners here (maybe everywhere?) that cyclists pretend we don't exist!  Good luck with the half!

John Kilpatrick wrote:We pretty much wave to every runner down here - basically because it is such a rare occurrence to actually pass someone!  Cyclists are the ones that always baffle me - it is a big joke to runners here (maybe everywhere?) that cyclists pretend we don't exist!  Good luck with the half!

Yes, cyclists are definitely a different breed.  Even in the Midwest, you are lucky if you get a head nod from them.  What, do they think that they are better than me?!?!

I've no idea - they are like that even when I (rarely) ride with the local cycling race team - I'm not REALLY one of them and they are going to make sure that I know it!

08.13.13 -

5 miles...Mini taper week continues with an easy 5 mile run.  My legs have rebounded nicely after Sunday's 20 miler.  I can tell that I turned a corner with my fitness about a week and a half ago.  Ever since that time, my easy paces have really picked up.  I completed the 5.27 miles tonight at a 7:35 pace.  I still have 6 miles tomorrow and 4 miles on Thursday before the off day and race on Saturday.  The rest of the runs this week I am going to try to really slow the pace down instead of just running at a comfortable pace.  I want to make sure that the legs are fresh for Saturday.

So, I am about 99% sure that my HR issue is an equipment issue and not a heart issue.  I monitored my heart rate again tonight during my 5 miler.  I got about a quarter mile into the run and my HR sky rocketed.  I mean high...I saw it hit 212!!!  I am not even sure that my heart can physically beat that fast.  So, I stopped immediately and took my pulse, and just as Mark predicted, it was pretty normal.  I counted it at 118-120 per minute. 

Problem solved...So, I can either try the KY Jelly, get a new strap, or just go with what I have and know that the HR will be a little off.

Nick Morris wrote:So, I am about 99% sure that my HR issue is an equipment issue and not a heart issue.  I monitored my heart rate again tonight during my 5 miler.  I got about a quarter mile into the run and my HR sky rocketed.  I mean high...I saw it hit 212!!!  I am not even sure that my heart can physically beat that fast.  So, I stopped immediately and took my pulse, and just as Mark predicted, it was pretty normal.  I counted it at 118-120 per minute. 

Problem solved...So, I can either try the KY Jelly, get a new strap, or just go with what I have and know that the HR will be a little off.

I'd change the battery before anything else.  Wonky readings are usually the first sign of the battery going bad.

mul21 wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:So, I am about 99% sure that my HR issue is an equipment issue and not a heart issue.  I monitored my heart rate again tonight during my 5 miler.  I got about a quarter mile into the run and my HR sky rocketed.  I mean high...I saw it hit 212!!!  I am not even sure that my heart can physically beat that fast.  So, I stopped immediately and took my pulse, and just as Mark predicted, it was pretty normal.  I counted it at 118-120 per minute. 

Problem solved...So, I can either try the KY Jelly, get a new strap, or just go with what I have and know that the HR will be a little off.

I'd change the battery before anything else.  Wonky readings are usually the first sign of the battery going bad.

It's been wonky for years, but I guess that is an option, too   Thanks Jim!!

Nick Morris wrote:

It's been wonky for years, but I guess that is an option, too   Thanks Jim!!

 Are you talking about your heart or your heart rate monitor?

Hey Nick, you and I have some commonality with the aberration in heart rate. I have had the exact situation you wrote about for years now. I am attaching a few charts. This is definitely not related to equipment as it happens with my 305 strap and 405 strap. It also happens on a Polar HRM on a TM. (I tighten them and wet them each time). While I don't get a chart for the Polar, I can tell the HRM is wacky as the first mile or so, the HR display will work then blank out or show a high number. Then it settles down and is normal. If on a TM and I see the high rate happen, I stop running and check my pulse but it is not as high as indicated. I have tried going super slow (even slower than I usually run) but this does not seem to be related to speed. In almost all cases, after 4-10 minutes, it goes to normal. The bottom two charts are really wacky, happening all through the run.

John...Those last two charts are just all out weird!!  The first two do look familiar.  I do know that it is not my heart.  So, that's good...

nkrichards wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:

It's been wonky for years, but I guess that is an option, too   Thanks Jim!!

 Are you talking about your heart or your heart rate monitor?

Ha!!  Very funny Nancy

08.14.13 -

6 miles...Changed it up a little tonight and went to the University of Wisconsin Arboretum for my 6 mile run.  The change up was a little more strategic in nature.  You see, Saturday's half marathon runs through part of the Arboretum.  I have ran "The Arb" multiple time this year alone, but I have never ran the loop the opposite way.  This is the way that the portion of the half marathon will be ran.  It is also the hard part of the race, as there are some pretty good elevation changes (more up than down).  There is a good 2.5 mile uphill, as well as, another good .75 uphill.  Plus, there are more ups than downs.

So, I started out in the opposite direction that I normally do the 10k loop.  Once again, my easy pace was faster than it has been.  I ended up getting to the halfway point at a 7:32 pace, and knowing that I wanted to take these last two runs during the week easy, I slowed it down for the second half.  I ran the second half at a 7:48 pace, which really felt like an easy jog.

Overall, I completed 6.30 miles at a 7:39 pace.  It was a great run, that really instilled confidence in my training (so far).  An even easier 4 tomorrow, then a day off before the race.  As of right now, I think I should be able to hold the 6:51 pace I need to pace my buddy to his first 1:30:00 half marathon.

I remember the Arboretum when I ran the Madison Marathon back in 2007.  It was beautiful and a welcome part of the course that year since it was 78F at the start of the race.  

And boy, do I remember the days when a 7:32 pace was easy - now I'm lucky if it is a 9:00 pace.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:I remember the Arboretum when I ran the Madison Marathon back in 2007.  It was beautiful and a welcome part of the course that year since it was 78F at the start of the race.  

And boy, do I remember the days when a 7:32 pace was easy - now I'm lucky if it is a 9:00 pace.

Yes, the Arb is definitely a nice place to run.  Starting this year, they have moved the Madison Marathon to November.  The last few years it had been so hot in May, that they have had to stop the race early.  Someone finally wised up and moved it to a cooler date.  They still decided to keep the half marathon in May for some reason, though 

Nick Morris wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:I remember the Arboretum when I ran the Madison Marathon back in 2007.  It was beautiful and a welcome part of the course that year since it was 78F at the start of the race.  

And boy, do I remember the days when a 7:32 pace was easy - now I'm lucky if it is a 9:00 pace.

Yes, the Arb is definitely a nice place to run.  Starting this year, they have moved the Madison Marathon to November.  The last few years it had been so hot in May, that they have had to stop the race early.  Someone finally wised up and moved it to a cooler date.  They still decided to keep the half marathon in May for some reason, though 

Hopefully, it won't snow!

Michael Enright wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:I remember the Arboretum when I ran the Madison Marathon back in 2007.  It was beautiful and a welcome part of the course that year since it was 78F at the start of the race.  

And boy, do I remember the days when a 7:32 pace was easy - now I'm lucky if it is a 9:00 pace.

Yes, the Arb is definitely a nice place to run.  Starting this year, they have moved the Madison Marathon to November.  The last few years it had been so hot in May, that they have had to stop the race early.  Someone finally wised up and moved it to a cooler date.  They still decided to keep the half marathon in May for some reason, though 

Hopefully, it won't snow!

Oh please don't utter that horrible word!!!!

08.15.13 -

3 miles...I was planning on doing an easy 4 miles, but time constraints and making sure that my legs get the rest they need, I cut the run down to 3 miles.  They were 3 very easy miles...and when I say easy, I mean recovery type miles.  I plodded along and completed 3.1 miles at an 8:05 pace.  One thing to note is that I wore my toe socks for the first time during a run tonight.  I must say that at first it does feel kinda weird.

08.16.13 - 

Off Day...Scheduled off day as I get rested up for a half marathon tomorrow morning.  It will be a good test of my fitness, as I will be pacing a buddy of mine...hopefully to his first 1:30:00 half marathon.  Weather is looking pretty decent, too.  58 degrees at the start with little to no wind (2-3 mph).

08.17.13 -

Madison Mini Marathon...So, I had a half marathon race scheduled for the day.  I wouldn't call it a race, as I wasn't racing, but pacing. A friend of mine has never ran a 1:30:00 marathon.  His PR is a 1:34:XX...so I told him that I would pace him.  It fell into my training cycle, as normally I run the Ragnar Great River Relay this weekend.  So, a pretty good day, with temps in the upper 50s at start and no wind.  I was in Corral A (my first "elite" start ), but moved back to Corral B to be with him.  We got a nice easy start and were on our way.  I wanted to keep the first mile a little slower, as people always tend to go out at the start like they have a rocket up their asses.  My goal for the first mile was nothing under 6:55.  First mile equaled 6:57...first mission accomplished.  From their the goal was to whittle down the pace and build a cushion in the flatter, more downhill sections of the course, before the hills in the later part of the race.  We got to mile 4 with a 6:47 average pace and were right on schedule.  That is when all hell broke loose.  My friend started having some stomach issues (cramps) and by my 6 he had to stop and walk to try to get rid of them.  We continued on, but by this time the 1:30:00 goal was slipping from our reach.  Next came the hilly portion and that definitely didn't help the situation.  I remember at about mile 11 he tried to talk to me and almost blew chunks!!  Our pace dropped significantly and I start to have fun with the run...You know...High fiving little kids, thanking workers, and just trying to get the people fired up.  We ended up finishing in 1:36:xx.  A far cry from the goal, but not a bad training run.  I felt pretty good and could have held my pace for quite a while.  I think that I would have faded at the end a little bit as the hills would have taken some out of me.  Plus, because there was not a cloud in the sky, the sun start getting very warm, very fast.

08.18.13 -

Scheduled off day...Scheduled off day to recover from the HM.  I got a step back week ahead.  This one is truly a step back week.  No doubles, just recovery

08.19.13 -

Cross training...Hit up the gym for some weight training tonight.  Gotta get up early tomorrow to get in my run as I am heading to Milwaukee tomorrow evening for another Brewers game.

08.20.13 -

6 mile...Up and out the door before dawn this morning to get in my run.  68 degrees with 85% humidity at 5 am this morning.  The air was so thick, that you could cut it with a knife.  I took it nice and easy, but the air was so wet that I was instantly beading with sweat.  Made it back just before the sun started to rise and completed 6.26 miles at a 7:38 pace.  Baseball game tonight (and tomorrow  )...

08.21.13 -

6 miles...I was schedule to run 10 miles, but only got 4 hours of sleep.  So, I changed my Thursday with my Wednesday.  I was literally "running on empty".  To top it off, summer finally returned to Wisconsin.  Hot and humid, even at 6am...but I got in the miles.  6.26 miles at a 7:41 pace.  Whew...

08.22.13 -

10 miles...Wednesday's run on Thursday tonight.  I was exhausted last night when I got back from the game.  I ended up falling asleep before 8pm and didn't wake up until 6am this morning.  I think the 10 hours did me good, as I felt refreshed as I ran through the humidity this evening.  I sweat a lot, but had a very good run.  Completed the 10.34 miles at a 7:33 pace.  What a difference sleep makes!!