My Boston Marathon Weekend

 

My taper week in preparation for Boston was extremely busy at work due to my company (Camco Manufacturing) purchasing a new company and being part of the transition. The focus on business was a blessing, as I did not have time to think about the race. I did some short runs to stay fresh and for the first time I arrived at a marathon with a successful 2-week taper. In the past, I have worried about doing a little more during the 2 weeks before the race and have, in hindsight, took away from my race performance. I have always heard the saying but have not followed the advice:

“It is better to show up 90% trained than to be 1% over trained and tired”



I rode with my running buddy, Kathi Russo, from Salisbury to the airport and met my new running buddy, Diane Allen from Charlotte. This year’s race was be Kathi’s 7^th and Diane’s 4^th. Their job was to keep me focused and pointed in the right direction. I am so thankful they allowed me to hang out with them as the crowds were so large it was intimidating to navigate the weekend and race. In the baggage claim area at the Boston airport, I talked with one of my heroes- Caleb Masland. Caleb is a super nice guy, professional runner and coach from Boone, NC. He is one of the high profile runners with Skechers besides the winner of the Boston Marathon, Meb Keflezighi. The shoes I was wearing were Skechers Ultra to walk around in during the weekend; he helped designed, which is cool. You can follow Caleb and his training on DailyMile.Com or at his website: www.coachcaleb.com



Once we arrived and checked in, we went to the Runner’s Expo, which is humongous. Every company that has anything to do with exercise (clothing, shoes, nutrition, training, gifts, etc) is there to give out samples, advice and sell stuff. I went by the Skechers booth and said hello to the crew. I thanked them for the gear and shoes I would be wearing during the race. I received my race bib and got my race packet, which included a nifty long sleeve Boston Marathon Shirt. I purchased the orange official 2014 Jacket and noticed how many runners keep adding the other years they run the marathon to their jacket. One of the many things that got my attention was the atmosphere of being around 32,000 people who are excited about running, fitness, and life. I cannot imagine anyone coming away from this experience without being more excited about what is possible and hope I can continue to work smart with my fitness and have fun.  

 

We saw a bunch of people from the Charlotte area including Joe Schlereth and Kathy Lee. Joe is a hero of mine. This Boston marked his 300th marathon and 45 of his “marathons” are 100-mile ultras. Over the course of his running career, he's posted six top-10 finishes at the Western States 100-mile endurance run; 10 finishes at Western States in less than 24 hours. He won the Wasatch 100; and he completed Badwater, the approximately 135-mile run from Death Valley (the lowest point in the continental U.S.) to Mt. Whitney (the highest). In 2006, he ran over 9000 miles which is approx 170 miles a week. Kathy Lee just finished her second 100 mile race at the Umstead Race recently. An awesome achievement I hope one today to complete.







 

 

 

Sunday morning, I attended a race strategy with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella who consistently runs under 2:50 marathons and has won the Air Force Marathon. His comments were to be conservative in the first half and focus on maintaining energy during the work of the marathon (Miles 16 to 21) and give it all you’ve got from mile 22 to the finish. He reiterated how important is to run quietly on the down hills to save your quads for the end of the race. I know of Mark from listening to the Ultra Runner Podcast. His is a frequent contributor. Mark is also a big proponent of heart rate training to increase the speed of your aerobic base. Mark owns “2 River Treads” running store in Shepherdstown, WV. The store website is a great source of running information.

Two Rivers Treads

 

 

Sunday night, I was fortunate to be able to attend a dinner with Kathi that had Amby Burfoot (Editor of Runner’s World and Winner of the ’68 Boston Marathon) and Jeff Galloway (’72 Olympic Team with Prefontaine). It was a round table discussion with funny running stories.  

 

 



 

 

Once we left the Athlete Village, we lined up in our corrals based on our qualifying time. The race started once four helicopters flew over our heads heading to Boston. It only took them 4 minutes to get there where I would need 3 hours. The first 2 miles seemed like it was going straight downhill. It is hard to know how severe the decline is as all you can see are runners’ heads ahead. There were so many runners in the streets because the majority of the race is run on a 2 lane road through the small towns leading to Boston. I never had more than a foot of space on the sides or front of me for the first 9 miles. Passing others was just not possible. Every mile there is a Gatorade and water station, which takes more space from the runners on the road. Every step I had to watch and make sure I was not tripping anyone or being tripped. Usually I race with a small group because I am not with the elites and nor with the joggers so I am used to having plenty of room. I had a headache by mile 10 from concentrating every step. The race turned unseasonable warm and I noted by mile 12, I was no longer perspiring. I knew not perspiring is one of the early signs of dehydration and overheating. I removed my shirt and doused myself with water at most water stations. The crowds were so loud. It is hard to explain the intensity of volume. The fans are literally right beside the 2-lane road we were running on. They are screaming 3 feet from your head and trying to get “high fives” from all the runners. There were many great homemade signs along the course to keep my attention. I did not realize how small the little towns are we ran in and how important the race is to their community. Many of the volunteers mentioned the race was the biggest day of the year. Every business is closed for Patriots Day each year. At mile 12, I noticed the volume from the fans started getting even louder as we were coming to Wellesley College. Those girls holding signs asking for kisses can be heard from a mile away.



 

 

At the halfway point, I was at 1:29 which was a minute slower, as I had hoped for a sub 3 hour race. Between the crowded field and being concerned about going out too fast, I did not hit my goal time for the first half, which was 1:28.

When I reached mile 16, I knew the work was getting ready to start as I noticed the bobbing heads in front of me were rising up which meant the hills were coming. The first two of the four famed hills near Newton were not steep but once you passed over the crest, you went quickly downhill which caused my quads to scream for relief. The third hill and Heart Break are gradual inclines that last for almost a half mile and are then once again steep down hills. I passed many people on the hills and felt my quads starting to cramp on the down hills. At mile 21, I passed Boston College and they had a huge sign saying “the heart break is over.” I tried to get back to marathon pace of 6:47 for the rest of the way and was not able to get back to goal pace. It was not my cardio system that held me back; it was my muscles in my legs. I had worked so hard doing squats and lunges daily with hill repeats weekly and it still was not enough. I saw the famous CITGO sign at mile 24 and knew once I passed the sign I had a mile left so I really leaned forward and was able to get back to a 6:50 pace. At mile 24, the crowds grew even more in size and volume. It seemed like the fans were 10 deep along the race route. Once I made the left onto Boylston Street, I could see the end. My pace got much faster as I ran as hard as I could to the finish line and completed my first Boston Marathon in 3:00:44.

 

 

 



After the race, I hobbled to my hotel with my medal and fond memories. I was a little sad to have reached my goal which I had only dreamed of 3 years ago. I have run daily with the goal being able to run in the Boston Marathon. I am hopeful Keith, Stu, Caleb and Victor will qualify this year (Lehigh Valley Marathon in early September) so I can run with them in 2015.

Gear Used:

·         NUNN- electrolyte drink mix to hydrate before and after the race

·         UCAN (Super Starch) before the start

·         VESPA (Amino Acid to promote fat burning) before the start

·         3 Espresso Hammer Gels during the race

·         Skechers Go Run 3

·         Skechers Singlet- same one Meb wore

 

The cost for the trip came out to around $1,100 with entry fee, airfair, hotels, expo and transportation

 

Frosty Fifty (31 miles) Race and My Low Carbohydrate Diet

On Saturday January 4th, my local running friends (Victor, Caleb, Stu, Sonny & Sam) and I went to Winston Salem to run in the annual Frosty Fifty trail races.

The two races are 30K (15.5 miles) and the 50K (31 miles) in length. It was only 12 degrees when we started the race. My friends in Toronto would be thrilled to have 12 degrees / -11 C during this time of the year, so I have to keep what is cold in perspective. The blessings of running in 12 degrees were that when I ran later in the week and the temperature was 24 degrees, it felt warm. The other benefit of running in the cold is my left foot (has been giving me trouble) never bothered me because it never thawed out during the race.  

Salem Lake has wonderful, wide trails (hard packed dirt) which run around the lake. We ran a 7.5-mile loop with the lake on the left and woods on the right.

 The course has one small hill near the dam and a steep hill which we ran behind the parking lot to get back to the starting area. I have said, “I love Hills” for so long in training, I actually believe it. I was lucky enough to pass many runners on the hills. I would increase my intensity on the hills and tell myself “this is who I am and this is what I train for.”

The race did not offer any age group awards. The top 10 male and female finishers received a large pottery medallion.

 

I was lucky enough to finish 10^th place.This race was more of a training run as my upcoming “A” races are the Myrtle Beach Marathon in mid February and the Boston Marathon in April. My only goals were to stay within my upper Aerobic Heart Rate Zone of 150 and over the last 3 miles pick up the pace so I could finish strong in the Lactate Heart Rate Zone of 160. I also did not want to run so hard that I would reinjure my sore hip. Over the last 3 miles I picked up the pace especially on the final hill and noticed my hands going numb which happens year around and lets me know when I am pushing hard. I knew I had to leave enough energy in the tank to have something left for the end of the race. Patience with my running pace is something I am still learning with the longer Ultra distances races. I was happy to see so many of my running friends from nearby cities before the start of the race including Jenn, Masayo, Richard, Dave M, Caleb, Paul & Aaron.

The race volunteers were cheerfully out in force at aid stations every 3.5 miles. I took a small gulp of water at every opportunity and brought gels in case I needed them. I did not use any of my gels. My energy level during the race was constant and I never felt like I was going to bonk, crash or “hit the wall.” My morning breakfast 2 hours before the race was a plain Greek Yogurt. 45 minutes before the race I took Vespa (amino acid supplement) and a serving of UCAN (super starch with water). Vespa and UCAN help my body to start burning fat quicker than typical gels, which contain sugar and carbohydrates.
Vespa Amino Acid Supplement

UCAN- Super Starch

I come from a long line of diabetics (Type 1 and Type 2) in my family so I am concerned about my diet. Over the last year, I have slowly started following the Paleo Diet (low carb) after I read about how it helped diabetics & long distance runners.

The Paleo Diet

I became interested in some of the claims long distance runners were making about how a low carb diet helps them with their endurance training:

·         More energy during the day especially after meals

·         No hunger pains even after long runs because the body is fueling on fat instead of carbs

·         Less recovery time (soreness) after hard workouts

·         Leaner body to fat ratio

·         Less opportunity for stomach distress during training and racing from gels

Low Carbohydrate Performance 
At the start of 2013, I started removing certain foods slowly. One of the main reasons it took 2 weeks to transition to the Paleo Diet was because my body was addicted to carbohydrates. Now I find I eat even more often than I did before with foods that are high in protein, fat and low in carbs. The carbs that I used to eat regularly were breads, grains, pasta, fruit juices, cereals, and sugar. I also have given up all soft drinks including diet. I am still getting my necessary carbohydrates, which is now around only 20% of my diet from the foods (low glycemic vegetables, eggs, cheese, milk, meat based proteins, Greek yogurt, spinach, salads, hummus, seeds and nuts) I eat on a daily basis. At first, I worked on keep my carb grams under 100 per day. Now I think I am around 50 grams of carbs a day and my weight has stabilized. Most of all foods we consume have carbohydrates in them, which is the reason I do not need to seek them out. When I eat an apple each day, I choose a green variety, which has less sugar than red apples.

 

I am still getting the carbohydrates which I need, which is now around only 20% of my diet from the foods (low glycemic vegetables, eggs, cheese, milk, meat based proteins, Greek yogurt, spinach, salads, hummus, seeds and nuts) I eat on a daily basis. At first, I worked on keep my carb grams under 100 per day. Now I think I am around 50 grams of carbs a day and my weight has stabilized. Most of all foods we consume have carbohydrates in them, which is the reason I do not need to seek them out. Excess carbs (more than you need for basis functions and energy) is stored as fat.

I started training my body to burn more fat by running in the morning without eating anything (fasting) since dinner the night before. Often I will have not eaten anything for 10 to 12 hours before I run including my 20+ mile long runs. After the 2-week transition period, my body was used to using fat for fuel. I was surprised to learn that I have enough fat on my 158lb body to fuel 20 marathons back to back. There is no fear of running out of fat. Over the past year, my Body to Fat ratio has gone from 18.5% to 16.5% while my weight has dropped 5lbs, which tells me I have replaced some fat for muscle. I have heard in the past, every pound I drop between now and my “A” marathon reduces my time by 1 minute. Logically reducing weight and not carrying it over 26.2 miles would be easier on the body and result in a faster race.

Products like Vespa and UCAN help super-charge my body’s ability to burn fat during long runs and races (20+ miles). I appreciate Peter Defty's (President of Vespa) assistance with helping me to understand how to use fat as my primary running fuel. Runners like Zack Bitter and Jon Olsen are breaking 12 hours for 100 miles are using fat as their primary running fuel with great results.

Zack Bitter
New World Record for 100 Miles is 11 hours and 47 minutes

The purpose of this blog is to explain what is working for me as I train for the Boston Marathon in April. I am neither a dietician nor a healthcare professional so your training and diet results may vary.

I have attached some links to resources mentioned above if you are interested in learning more.

 

I hope you are keeping your new year’s resolutions and finding time to enjoy life. Time is passing quickly.

Table Rock Ultra 54 Mile Race Recap

 

 

 

 

Table Rock Mtn

 

 

 

 

Wiseman's View

December 14^th, 2013, 31 to 36F with freezing ice and driving rain for at least 8 hours

50K (31 miles) and 54 Mile Races: Total climb during the race was around 8000ft. Most of the elevation gained was in the steep hills. I do not remember more than one gradual climb during the day. Started at Lake James Park- Nebo NC and ran to the top of Wiseman's View, Table Rock Mtn, and through Linville Gorge Wilderness and back to Lake James. 48% gravel road, 48% payment and 4% technical trails with rocks (top of Table Rock Mtn).

We started at 7am at Lake James Park (Nebo NC- outside of Morganton NC). My plan was to run the 54-mile race. I started with my friends (Caleb Steedley from China Grove & Shane Vanhoose from Salisbury and Jake Edmiston from Boone).

My goals coming into the race were to finish it strong (no death marching at the end), focus on my heart rate (more about that later), and learn more about my race nutritional needs as I plan longer races in 2014.

Nutrition:

My nutrition before the race was: oatmeal, banana, and a greek yogurt when I woke up. 1 hour before the start, I drank a serving of Ucan Super Starch and a Vespa Power Amino Acid Supplement to stimulate fat burning. Over the last 3 weeks, I have been running all of my runs on an empty stomach and reducing my daily carbs to less than 50grams to stimulate fat burning instead of depending on carbs and bonking during long runs and races. I brought my Gel Bottle and only used 1 Expresso Hammer Gel at mile 20 and am not sure I really needed it. I felt full the whole race which is an indication of my body depending on my fat for fuel. I did take another Vespa Power Amino Acid Supplement at mile 30 to continue to encourage fat burning. I did snack on trail mix at every aid station. I am super happy with not bonking, feeling full, plenty of energy and no stomach upset. I drank Xtend Endurance recovery drink on the way home.

We were able to get 3 miles in before the rain started coming down. The rain would not start to taper off for the next 8 hours. We all knew going in the weather would be one of the challenges so we agreed not to discuss it as we were focused on having a good race. I think the longer the race is the more my mental attitude has to do with how I perform. I wore my Rain Jacket, , light gloves, gel holster to hold my gel bottle and a Nathan Vest to hold all my supplies (salt caps, pain, water bottle, poncho, Tums, etc). I also wore a Heart Rate Monitor Watch and my Garmin 405CX watch on the other arm. The Garmin watch only lasted 6 hours. The reason I wanted the Garmin was to monitor my pace for the first half of the race. I have demonstrated in past races what not to do by running too hard at the beginning of the race and not have any energy left at the end. We stayed around 9 minutes per mile pace for the first portion of the race, which was fine since it was going to be a long day.

Heart Rate Training Zones

I stayed in the 140 to 150 HR zone on all flat and downhill portions of the race. When the big climbs came and I would get to 165, I would slow down my pace until I got to the top of the hill. What was as challenging as the steep hills was keeping my heart rate at 140 or higher on the down hills. Some of the hills would drop quickly so I would push my pace to keep my engine running at a constant rate. A couple of downhill portions I saw Jake and I were at a running at 7 minute per mile pace. Ice and mud played a part in some of the slower portions at the highest points. The technical 2-mile trail at the top of Table Rock Mtn was not runable with the rocks, high rock steps, and ice, which accounted for the 20+ min per mile pace. There were 3 hills of 1 mile or more than were not runable as my heart rate would get up to 170 so I focused on power hiking to the top and getting back into my rhythm. Once Jake and I started coming down from Table Rock (mile 35), we never stopped running to power hike again which showed how well my nutrition and heart rate strategy was working. We passed probably 4 to 5 runners over the last 10 miles due to us keeping a steady 10 minutes per mile pace. There were many hills, we discovered and just started laughing from the steepness of the climb ahead. I would focus on the next 10 feet in front of me and not look up. I went to my happy place in mind and soon I would be on flat ground so I could recover and get my heart rate back into my aerobic training zone. The aid stations and volunteers were great and the cups of hot soup warmed me up.

Overall, I am very happy to have come in at 9:18:31, 7^th place overall and 1^st in the 40 to 54 age group. The poor conditions gave me confidence to know I can dig deep to keep going as I look for longer races in the future. The priority now until after the Boston Marathon in April is working on pace and strength training to get to a 6:35 pace to break 2:55 in a marathon. I have the Frosty Fifty (31 miles) in January and the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February to help me gauge where I am from a running pace standpoint.

Results

	Age	Time	Pace -Mile	Overall Place	Age Group Place
Jake	27	9:18	10:21	6th	2nd Place- 39 and Under
Martin	48	9:18	10:21	7th	1st Place- 40 to 54
Shane	40	10:51	12:03	13th	4th Place- 40 to 54
Caleb	36	11:07	12:21	14th	5th Place- 39 and Under

 

Martin & Jake- Wet and Tired

You can follow my training on Daily Mile- Martin Thorne

Special thanks to the Race Director- Mark Rostan and his Table Rock Ultra team for putting on a great race.