Finding the Right Shoes

So here's a short story about finding the right shoes.

One item that gets a lot of attention from marathoners is shoes. This is a no-brainer since it's the #1 piece of equipment for all runners. So what happens when you find the right pair of shoes and the brand discontinues or 'updates' them?

This was an issue I faced up until last weekend. Since last spring I've been running in the Asics Gel-Nimbus 9 shoe. According the the website, the shoe is described as:

ASICS' top-of-the-line cushioning shoe, the GEL-Nimbus® 9 features a Space Trusstic System® for more efficient foot function, a Biomorphic Fit Upper, and the extreme lightweight comfort of a Solyte® midsole.

What this really means is it's a shoe with minimal support or motion control and lots of cushioning. Although a little heavy at 12.4 oz, it's a solid training shoe and also the same shoe that I wore for the Baltimore Marathon.

So I was a happy man until Asics 'updated' the shoe to the version 10.0. This presented a few problems and one big opportunity. The problem was now I needed to adapt to a new shoe that might include a few new 'features' and a new fit. It might turn our better, it might also make the shoe worse for my foot. The opportunity was that with some luck, I might find some Nimbus 9s on sale as stores make room for the new version.

When it came time to get some new shoes (I usually replaced my shoes after 350+ miles), I checked the usual online shops but could not find any size 10.5 Nimbus 9s! I was resigned to paying full retail for a new pair of 'updated' shoes that might or might not work...

Luck struck in the least likely place last Saturday when I happened to walk around my local Modell's Sporting Goods shop. Modells isn't a place known for high-end running shoes so I was shocked to see my Nimbus 9s on the wall at a huge mark down. I asked if they had any 10.5 and the manager pulled out two pairs. I grabbed both boxes, confirmed the shoes inside, and went for the register. I think the manager had never seen someone grab two boxes of the same pair of shoes and run for th register without trying them on. The ulitmate bonus of finding these discontinues shoes came when they were rung up. Not only were they on sale, the attendent took another $15 off as part of a Christmas sale. I got the shoes for $50 when the original retail was $120. Christmas came early!!!

Thanks for reading.

Weekly recap: 12/8 - 12/14

Total Runs: 5
Days Off: 2
Treadmill Miles: 4.0
Total Mileage: 43.9
Total Time: 6:08:00
Other: Two RMST swim practices

This was a another good week of training. My mid-week long run didn't go well due to a lack of calories and warmer temperatures. I noted that I will need to carry fluids and calories for any run over 10 miles. My 8 mile 'stride run' went really well and my 15.8 mile long run was also a success (thanks to Mikey running with me for 12 miles). I didn't feel overly broken down or exhausted which is a very important as I continue to increase my mileage.

Weekly recap: 12/1 - 12/7

Total Runs: 6
Days Off: 1
Treadmill Miles: 16.0
Total Mileage: 42.7
Other: Two RMST swim practices, one trainer ride, one 10k running race

This was a very good week of training. It was my first week over 40 miles and it included a 10k race. I was also able to get in over two hours of swimming and one indoor bike ride. My long run was broken up by the 10k race on Sunday. Rather than a straight 13 miler I ran a 1.5 mile warm up, 6.2 mile race, and then a 6.1 mile cool down run back home for a total of 13.8.

Race Report: Fall Into Winter 10k

Race: Fall into Winter 10K
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008
Location: Reston, VA
Race Type: Run - 10 km
Age Group: Male 30 - 34
Time: 0:41:48
Overall Place: 15 / 210
Age Group Place: 1 / 7
Comment: Wicked Cold

Race Report:
I signed up for this race to test my current run fitness. I wanted to hold below my goal Half Marathon pace (6:50) while feeling relaxed and strong. In summary, I met my goal but would have liked to run a little bit faster.

Pre-Race went well despite some linger 'effects' from the RMST Christmas party the night before. I met my youngest brother at the Reston Community Center and did a 1.5 mile warm up with some strides. It was very cold (low 20s) with a nasty wind adding to the discomfort. I wore my Nike compression top, race tights, and opted to wear my Asics Nimbus training shoes rather than racing flats. I felt OK during the warm up but not great.

The race started on time without issue. The first 200 meters were straight down, then back up before settling into a gradual downhill to the 5k mark. I made an effort to go out easier than normal and stay relaxed over the first 5k. My plan worked well and I felt great over the first 3 miles. Having a rolling downhill and tailwind helped a lot too. I kept my HR in the mid 160s and went through the 5k just below 20 minutes.

The second half consisted of a rolling uphill and a nasty headwind over the last two miles. I tried to ratchet things up a notch running up Glade Drive but found that the course slowed me down a little. Despite my harder effort, I ran almost 20 seconds per mile slower over the next two miles at 7 min/mile pace. (Note: I don't check my watch during the race so I had no idea how 'fast or slow' I was running until the finish.) I think my slowed pace was more the result of a lack of 'running strength' than anything else. I honestly felt good over mile 4 and 5 but I lacked the power during the rolling uphills. This highlights my need for increased leg strength. All of my treadmill and W&OD runs are mostly flat so that helps explain my lack of power when running uphill.

The final mile was back down South Lakes Drive to Colts Neck and the finish line. This final mile was partly uphill and had a nasty headwind. Looking at my splits, I maintained my pace (adding only 6 seconds) but I remember 'suffering' a lot more than on Glade. The headwind really got to me, chilling me to the bone. I remember this section as a test of mental toughness. I think I handled it well, but I also remember a few moments where I lost my focus and slowed down. It was a good test but I still have work to do in this arena.

The final stretch went well and I was able to pick up my pace (6:30) over the last .2 miles. Even with an uphill finish I felt solid through the line. I was a little disappointed with my final time of 41:48 (6:44) which was right on my PR. Using the Jack Daniel's VDOT from my 5k the week before, I should have run about one minute faster. There are a number of factors that might have contributed to my slower time (lack of sleep, cold, wind, rolling uphills) but I tend to look past those factors and focus on the results. If viewed from the lense of my goal marathon pace, I was right on.

I think my overall effort for this race solid. I took it out at a controlled level of effort and was able to run well despite some harsh conditions. I'm still hungry to run another race this season which will likely come around New Years. It was also another great occasion to hang with family and friends. Karolina's support was critical to my success on this day. Her cheers and support helped keep me warm and motivated. It was also great to see my brother and Mike Sevier race one last time (taking 4th and 3rd overall). Both Mike's ran fast races and were a big motivation. It was also great catching up with Kevin (great race in 40:18), Tony, and the other Reston Runners.

Splits and HR details below.

Mile 1 - 6:18 HR: 158 - Quick split but felt relaxed
Mile 2 - 6:22 HR: 166 - Nice downhills and tailwind
Mile 3 - 6:38 HR: 169 - Flattened out with a climb up and down Twin Branches
Mile 4 - 6:59 HR: 171 - Rolling uphills on Glade
Mile 5 - 6:59 HR: 171 - Rolling uphills on Glade and Soapstone
Mile 6 - 7:05 HR: 171 - Back down Southlakes, cold headwind
Mile .2 - 1:23 HR: 171 - Strong downhill/uphill finish

Total 41:48 HR: 168

Thanks for reading.

The Pfitzer 18/55 Plan

One question I had going into my training cycle was which training plan to follow. Should I make one up, purchase one, find one online, or some combination of all three. After some research and excellent feedback from my friends, I decided to follow a modified version of Pete Pfitzinger's 55/18 plan. The plan is based on an eighteen week schedule with a peak mileage of 55 miles. Pete Pfitzinger developed the plan with Scott Douglas in their book Advanced Marathoning.

What I like about the plan is the simplicity. There are no major formulas or heart rate zones. The focus is on consistent training, recovery, pacing, and build-up. Recovery includes two full days off a week which is something I've fought with internally. I've always felt that I need to run 6 days a week. While this might be true at lower volumes, it doesn't translate well to longer training sessions. With a mid-distance and long run each week, ample recovery is critical to staying injury free.

In this plan, speedwork is centered around current 5k pace, half marathon pace, and goal marathon pace. Certain workouts include sets of 100 meter strides to help leg turnover. Overall, it's a simple but challenging plan.

This blog, appropriately named The Road to Boston, includes a few of the Pfitzinger plans in a useful web interface. As always, there is no magic bullet for marathon training. No two people are exactly alike and training plans should be customized and tailored to an individuals needs. I think these plan provide a good blueprint for success and I look forward to sharing my personal details with you over the next few months.

Thanks for reading.

Weekly recap: 11/24 - 11/30

Total Runs: 5
Days Off: 2
Treadmill Miles: 16.2
Total Mileage: 33.6
Other: A long bike ride on Friday

This was a solid week of training overall. The long holiday weekend provided a 5k race and some extra time for running and biking. The Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 5k went well with a 19:23 PR. I I also got in a 2:45 bike on Friday with Karolina. Saturday's long run hurt a bit towards the end but overall training went well and was without issue.

Race Report: Turkey Trot

Karolina and I decided to continue our Thanksgiving tradition of running a 5k the morning before the feast. The past couple years we've raced the VA Run Turkey Trot in Centerville, VA and decided to do it again with some friends.

The first time we did the race was back in 2004 when we came home to visit my parents. Karolina and I were working in Thailand at the time and went into the event hoping for a fun race. The majority of my training in Thailand was on a treadmill at that point and I hadn't raced a 5k in years. I remember taking it out in 6:45 and slowing down dramatically as the pain seared through me. The highlight of the day was Karolina's race. It marked her first race ever and beginning of her running/triathlon career.

2004 Result -- 22:50

In 2007 this race marked my 'return' to training after taking a month off (following my Marine Corp marathon melt down). Once again I took it out hard and tried to hold on. My lack of training showed and the final mile was another burn session.

Mile 1 6:27 HR 158
Mile 2 6:39 HR 177
Mile 3 6:50 HR 180
Mile 3.1 0:52 HR 184

2007 Result -- 20:51 HR 172

This year I went in without any expectations. My stretch goal was to run sub 19 but my lack of speed workouts hurt my confidence. The main difference between this race and previous efforts was a more extensive warm up. I got in over 2.5 miles of warm up with strides before the race. I decided to take it out hard but hold back a little before opening it up after the one hill at 2.5KM. The race went well overall. I ran with Dan O'Connell for the first couple miles before he slowly pulled away. Dan would go on to run 18:52 which is an awesome time given his recent IT band issues. I ran well within myself and was pleased with my final time of 19:23. I was also excited to see my buddy Shawn Clark ran an awesome PR of 19:57. Mikey Orton killed it like usual in 17:17.

Mile 1 5:56 HR 170
Mile 2 6:19 HR 179
Mile 3 6:24 HR 180
Mile 3.1 0:45 HR 184

2008 Result -- 19:23 HR: 176

The results show some interesting data.
- In 2008 my starting HR was much higher than 2007. This is largely due to getting in a solid warm up where the previous year had little to no warm up.
- The delta between mile 1 and 3 was 23 seconds in 2007 and 28 seconds in 2008 -- very similar.
- The average and max HR data was very close. The averages were nearly identical both years over miles 2 and 3. I clearly max out in the low to mid 180s.

Overall it was a great day for racing. Karolina and I had a blast and really enjoyed the event. I saw some great friends there including Brad Pigage, Jason Goyanko, Jill Coleman, Shawn and Julie Clark, and el'presidente Keith Bohnenberger.

I couldn't have asked for a better start to Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Weekly recap: 11/17 - 11/23

Total Runs: 3
Days Off: 4
Treadmill Miles: 17.1
Total Mileage: 17.1
Other: none

This was a recovery week for me with some vacation built in. I did some light running on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before driving down to Chincoteague Island for the Captain Steves Rockfish Tournament. The fishing didn't produce much but I did make the webpage for this awesome photo.


Thanks for reading.