Getting a Tune Up

Today was the ING NYC Marathon Tune-Up, and 18 mile race designed to help runners gauge their readiness for the marathon.

In order to do this run, I had to skip the Flyers 20 mile Tri-Boro run, a great sounding event set up by my friend GW. The Flyers run would have been great socially, and it would have exposed me to some of the marathon course, but I imagined it would involve running on sidewalks, dealing with traffic, and generally be focused less on pace than just getting in a solid long run.

Because I was still not sure what pace I wanted to target for the marathon, I decided on the Tune Up, which would be a timed event in a controlled environment. I decided to try out my most ambitious marathon goal pace, and see how it felt after 18 miles.

As I approached the East Meadow at around 6:30 AM for the 7:00 AM start, I saw a number of runners jogging the other way. I soon found out that the NYRR was not having the usual number (and timing chip) pickup at the start, but rather at the NYRR headquarters. It looked like a lot of runners were going to get in an quick extra mile or more this morning, running there and back. Fortunately, I already had my number, thanks to my friend KH, who had picked it up for me when she was getting her kids' numbers for the 5th Avenue Mile. Hopefully everyone made it to the start on time.

Before the race started, it was clear that the vibe was going to be different from other races. My sense was that folks were there for the same reason that I was. Yes, they would try to go fast, but not push as in a normal race. Folks had their eyes on the prize -- the Marathon. This was a chance to get a sense for their readiness, and develop their race plan.

The race began over the Great Hill, and I fell right into pace. On the West Side, I saw a large group of Team For Kids runners gathering, and I remembered that they were joining the Flyers for the group run I mentioned earlier. Soon after that we started passing Flyers that were running the other way toward the meet point. Running in the opposite direction from a race is a common way for runners to be spectators, and these folks were looking out for team mates to cheer on. Over the next half mile, I greeted so many folks, that I imagined it might be starting to irritate the racers around me. Have I mentioned that the Flyers rule?

At around mile 5, Flyer ST caught up with me and said hello. We chatted a bit about her recent trip to Italy (she had just gotten back the day before!). After a mile or so she said "well, I'm probably holding you back..." (yeah, right). Of course, the truth was the opposite and with my encouragement, she moved on.

One thing I've been working on is taking in fluids on the run. I've finally got the hang of it, using the grab, dump, pinch and suck approach. That is - grab a cup, dump some of the contents if it has more than I want, pinch off the top of the cup so that only an inch or two on one end is open, and then suck out a swallow as you would from a sports bottle. Using this method, I can take in a lot without stopping, choking, or holding my breath. During this race, I had plenty of chance to practice, and it seemed to be working well.

Around mile 7, I decided to go for a GU. In this area I could still use some practice. A GU is a small packet of concentrated.... well, gew, that is supposed to give you energy to make the long distance. I timed it such that I would eat the gel just before I hit a water station, so that I could wash it down. I reached back into the zippered back pocket of my shorts, where I had stashed two gels and a 20 dollar bill (mad money). Well, you can probably finish this story without my help. I came out with one gel in my hand, but the other gel and the money went flying. If you have ever been in an NYRR race, you know that the last thing you want to do is double back into the flow of traffic. If it had just been the GU, I would have left it. The 20 bucks though, I needed that cab fare just in case. Fortunately, a lot of folks saw the money fly, and spoke up. People were generally alerted that something was up, and I was able to retrieve my valuables with out getting run over.

To keep pace on this run, I decided to try a new approach with my Garmin GPS. Instead of watching my mile times and total time, I set it up to highlight my average pace. This way I could really see how I was doing without any calculations mid run. I knew it would be all over the place at first, so I didn't look at it until I had gone several miles. At that point it would move by a second every now and then, mostly over the big hills. Later in the race, as my current pace affected the average less, it hardly moved at all. I am very pleased with this approach. One problem I've had with the GPS, is that it consistently tells me that I've gone farther than the NYRR measurements. This time, for example, by the end of the race, my GPS indicated that I had gone 18.26 miles, more than a quarter mile farther than the official race distance. This meant a mis measurement of 6 seconds per mile. I kept my average pace at 6 seconds faster than my goal, and I hit it spot on at the end of the race.

I will probably use this average pace approach at the marathon. I keeps things in perspective. How much of a hit do you take if you slow down for a water stop or a hill? The average pace will give me flexibility, but also let me know if I'm falling behind.

After the race, I tried to figure out what I had learned. Would this be a good marathon pace? It didn't kill me to do the 18 miles at that pace, but it would have been tough to maintain it for another 8.2. On the plus side, it was a much more hilly18 than the first 18 of the marathon. Also, I will have a few weeks of taper and the excitement of the marathon on my side. And lets not forget that I have two whole more weeks of training before the taper!

Yep, if the weather is good, and I'm feeling froggy, I may just give it a go.

5th Avenue, New York City

Until today, I never really understood why 5th Avenue is so famous, but now I know. It must be because of the 5th Avenue Mile. No, not Museum Mile, I mean the fabulous race that the NYRR puts on every year.

Today was my first time running this race, and I had a blast. The races are run in many heats based on age group, from youngest to oldest for the amateurs, and the pros at the end.

My day started with a jog across the park to the race starting area. On the way, I ran part of the reservoir loop, and witnessed the gorgeous sight pictured on the left. The fountain is alway lovely, but today the wind was picking up the spray, and making it look like it was walking across the water.

My friend TH has two sons that were running, and I got there in time to see 16 year old SH tear up the course with a sub 5:30 time - 13th in his age group.

On my way back up toward the start, I ran into Flyer PD. He is my age, but more experienced, and oh yeah, much faster. When he found out it was my first mile race, he asked if I would like some tips. (Uh, YES!). First we tried to guess what might be a good goal, based on my best 5 mile race time. He suggested 6:15, maybe 6:00? Yeah, let's go with 6:00 since it's easy to divide into quarters. His advice?

1. Don't go out too fast. Everyone else will. Let them go. You are shooting for 1:30 at the first quarter.
2. Hold steady in the middle quarters, and when you get to the last quarter, don't start your kick yet -- it's way too soon. Save it for just the last couple of hundred meters.
   
3. Run hard all the way to the second timing mat. Assume they will mark your time from there. In a race this short, it can actually make a difference.
   

OK. Got it.

Unlike longer races, there were no starting mats. This meant that we would be timed from the starting gun to the time we crossed the finish. If it took a few seconds to get to the starting line, that time was lost.

I lined up about 8 "r0ws" back from the starting line. I would lose a couple of seconds, but going any further toward the front didn't seem appropriate. When the starting gun sounded there was mayhem for a few seconds, but then there was plenty of room to run. Remembering tip #1, I tried to keep my pace under control. Before I knew it, the first quarter had passed, and the clock read 1:25 - just a bit fast, especially given the 2 - 3 seconds it took to get to the starting line.

I dialed the pace back slightly, and tried to settle into a steady pace. I hit the halfway point at 3:05. Lost some time there, but I felt good, and that quarter was uphill.

I loved getting clock feedback every quarter instead of every mile, as it is in the longer races. I also loved the fact that the race was half over and the leaders were still in sight. I could even see the lead car.

The third quarter clock read 4:33 -- picked up a few seconds. One fast quarter to finish, and I might make it under 6:00! But wait! Tip #2 - don't kick yet! OK, OK, just pick it up a bit and stay under control.

Then the finish line was in sight, and I saw the 1500 meters sign about 100 meters up ahead. It was time. I gave it everything I had, and it felt great. The crowd got into it near the finish, and I heard a "go Flyer!" and even a "go John!". Usually, at this point in a race I've run for miles and I'm trying to pull some energy from some hidden source. But at this moment, I had run less than a mile, and the energy was right there. I was running as fast as I could -- plain and simple. I saw the finish line clock - 5:40 - could I get there? 5:45 - yes I could! As I passed under the clock it looked like a 5:54 or so. It was hard to be sure.

Ah, but what about Tip #3? Did I run hard to the second mat! Damn straight I did. It felt great. I wasn't sure about my official time, but I was sure it was under 6:00, and the race had been really fun. I saw PD, GW and a bunch of other Flyers right at the finish. That was different too. In a longer race, PD would be home having breakfast by the time I finished. Spirits were high. Spirits are high after the longer race too, but it's definitely a different vibe after a 1 mile run when folks are pumped up instead of exhausted. That's GW and PD in the pic -- can you see the speed?

Everyone seemed to want to see the results. They were posting them as they came out, but I've never known my team mates to be interested in seeing them. We know our own times, and we can check on line later to see our official time and those of our friends. Several people commented that at this race, the official times were often a few seconds slower than what you thought. Really? Still, what was the big deal? I was enjoying the hang though, so I decided to check my results too.

When they posted the results, there I was, 44th in my age group (of 167) in the glorious time of... 6:01??? What? Doh!! I wasn't upset though, I didn't really have my heart set on breaking 6:00. It was my first time racing the mile. I had no idea what time I could run. Now I have a time to beat. I couldn't be happier.

I stayed with my Flyer friends and watched some more races. Because the age groups ran separately, we got to see the best older runners winning their races. It was inspiring.

I jogged back across the park to go home. Later on, I check the NYRR website to see the stats. Of course, I started by looking up my own time, and there I was, 44th in my age group (of 167) in the glorious time of... 5:57!!!! YES!!! I KNEW IT!!! I KNEW IT!!! But like I said before, I didn't have my heart set on breaking 6:00...

Next year I am so going to destroy that time. Why is this race only once a year? They should have it once a month! What, someone else uses 5th Avenue besides runners? Really? Who?

Feet Only a Mother Could Love

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a story about a childhood experience with a podiatrist, and the current state of my feet. Amy commented that she was addressing similar issues with her young son, so I thought it would be appropriate to share my mother's comments on the post. Although she corrected some of my memories, her version is at least as funny.

[I checked your blog and] I'd missed 3 entries!! One of which referred to your mom taking you to a NYC podiatrist! Now, young man, here's my memory: you fell down quite a bit when you were learning to walk and the pediatrician said it was due to pronation. Only the best for you said I, so I took you to the authoritative Dr. Stump (did that last name determine his choice of profession?) in NYC.

You happened to have been 2--not 5 - years old, and he said you not only pronated but also had flat feet. This could be cured if every day you would curl your toes around marbles and walk on the edges of your feet for 3 sessions of 45 minutes each--but he judged this would do more psychological damage to you (and me) than physical benefit, and he said that if he put wedges in your shoes, your hips would grow to accommodate that so that if you were an adult and in the army and not able to get the orthotics at any time of imprisonment, etc. (this man had been in several wars I gather), that it would ruin your hips and legs. His advice to me was to look the other way when you walked and ignore it all.

You would never be an Olympic runner, but there were other goals in life. Since he wanted wedges on the outside and the pediatrician wanted them on the inside of your feet (he did admit to a professional disagreement pods had with peds), I decided he was right: I should ignore the whole thing. BUT I AM AMAZED AT YOUR ADULT FOOTPRINT!!!!! AND DELIGHTED!! And here I'd been worrying about your possibly hurting your hips, knees, etc.! I've decided never to let anyone feel limited by typing! Not only can people, including the docs, be wrong, but the body and mind are remarkably self-healing!

Now that I'm fully enlightened as to your true condition, and appropriately relieved and delighted, I lament only that I didn't have you "running" more errands as a healthy teenager when I still could tell you what to do! What opportunities I missed!!!!!

Of course this all happened lo, so many years ago, and Amy's son will have the benefit of today's medical advancements. Still, I thought that it wouldn't hurt to hear the words of another mother that had been through this experience.

Queens Half

On Sunday, I ran the Queens Half Marathon.

The NYRR runs a series called the Half Marathon Grand Prix, which is made up of one 13.1 mile race in each of the five boroughs of New York City. Queens is fourth in this year's series, and my friend PL and I have run them all -- only Staten Island remains.

As NYRR President Mary Wittenberg pointed out in her pre-start pep talk, it was the earliest start for an NYRR race - 7 AM. That wouldn't have been such a big deal in Central Park, but for this race I had to get out to Queens. I took the NYRR bus out to the site, but that meant getting up at 4AM. It was dark when I got on the bus (one of many), which was a yellow school bus with just enough leg room for a 3rd grader. The driver got lost in Queens, but fortunately found one of the other buses and got directions.

Entering the start area in MacNeil Park, the scene was surreal. It was still dark, and very quiet. Runners were scattered across the park, some napping on the grass, some on benches or at picnic tables. The NYRR crew was still setting up.

I found a spot to sit and took care of pre-race business: pinning on my number, attaching the "ChampionChip" to my shoe, and organizing my bag. I spotted BS, a Flyer teammate, and we found a spot together. Before long a few more Flyers had joined us.

When my friends PL and TH arrived, we split of from the group. We were planning different paces, but we agreed on a place, near where a band was setting up, to meet up at the end.

Having run 1:40:44 in the New York City Half, my goal this time was to break 1:40. To do this, I planned to target a 7:30 pace. The first mile was a bit crowded, and I ran an 8:02. I always get nervous that a slow first mile will put my goal out of reach, so as usual, I over compensated with two miles at just over 7 minute pace. Finally I settled into steady 7:30s, and I calmed down.

About mid way through the race, a runner caught up with me and asked "What pace are you setting today?" It was slightly odd, but folks sometimes are looking for feedback to judge their own pace, and I was wearing a GPS. "I'm running 7:30s, you?" I responded. "I was in your pace group last weekend" he replied, which totally caught me off guard. Last weekend, I had been a pace-leader for the 8:30 group at the LTR#2, and I wasn't that happy with how I did. It was amazing that this guy was able to ID me amongst the 3500 runners in Queens. Fortunately, he didn't add any critique of my pace leading before he moved on.

The course was very interesting -- lots of steep but short hills. I've never run hills quite like these, so I didn't know how it would affect me. At around mile 9, I got my answer when my legs started to feel a bit sluggish. I was putting in what seemed like the appropriate effort, but my watch told me I was slowing down a few seconds more each mile. I started to look for the surge of energy that would come as the finish grew nearer, but it wasn't happening. With two miles to go, my mind was saying "come on, two miles is nothing, let's go!", but my body wasn't responding.

With one mile to go, I was determined to kick it up a notch. I knew that I needed a good final mile to reach my goal. It was then that I rounded a corner and saw the nastiest hill yet. Runner's all around me voiced their dismay. This year the NYRR had re-designed the course, and it was apparently a lot tougher. The guy next to me laughed "that's just rude!".

I did my best not to lose pace on the hill, and the one that followed (!), but at the top, my legs were feeling it. It didn't look like there was going to be a finish line kick for me. Finally, MacNeil Park came into view, and we passed a guy who was yelling "500 meters!!!". That did it for me. Somehow, all the fatigue vanished from my legs, and I was able to run really strong to the finish. Flyer JD, who had already finished, gave me a huge cheer as I passed and I felt great to the finish line.

Final time? 1:39:58. That's right, after 13.1 miles on a course it didn't know, I hit my goal with 2 seconds to spare. Unbelievable. I am fascinated by the runners mind - body connection. It seemed to me that I just ran as well as my body would allow, but clearly it's not that simple. Where did that energy at the finish come from? Why not sooner? If my goal had been different, how much could I have changed the result?

After the race, I spoke to bloggers UptownGirl (starting her taper), Crazy Bandana (mid taper), and NYFlyGirl (too many hills!). Check their blogs for race reports. I chatted with a host of Flyers, and although some folks mentioned preferring the old course, spirits were generally high.

As I approached the place that PL, TH and I had agreed to meet, I was surprised to hear the band playing my theme song - Johnny B. Goode. If you know the song (and I hope that you do), you already know where I got the name for this blog.
"Go Johnny Go!".

Getting Ahead of Myself...

Today I ran the second Long Training Run organized by the NYRR intended for folks preparing for fall marathons. In the first LTR, I ran the full 20 miles with the 8:30 pace group and felt great.

This time I had decided not to go the full distance because of the challenging 20 mile run I had done last weekend.

As I entered the park, I saw a Flyer that I didn't know, and we introduced ourselves. She turned out to be GDB, a well established member of the club whose name was well known to me. She asked if I was going to be a pace leader (the Flyers provide all the pace leaders for the LTRs), and I said that I wasn't. I told her that I was too new to the game, but she encouraged me to do it anyway. She pointed out that there were multiple pace leaders with each group, so there was no real pressure. She also mentioned that it was very helpful to the club if we could produce a full set of pacers.

In the end, she talked me into it, and I signed up to pace lead the 8:30 group for 16 miles. There were 3 groups that went out at the 8:30 pace, and I was assigned to the first. There were two other Flyers leading that group, one of which was ST, whom I knew to be a very experienced and fast runner. I asked her how confident she was of her 8:30 pace, and her answer was "once I find it, I can keep it". This was, unfortunately, how I was feeling. Although I often train at 8:30 per mile, I wasn't sure I could hit the mark in the first mile. I remembered that in the first LTR, the pace was spot on from beginning to end, and I wasn't sure about meeting that standard.

The first mile of this run is down and up the biggest hill in the park, making it that much tougher to set the pace, but once we started running, I started to feel more confident. The three pace leaders ran side by side at the front of the group, and we seemed to be in unspoken agreement about the pace. None of the other runners seemed to have any issue, so on we went. I was a very new feeling, sensing the energy of a pack of around 50 runners at the start of their run, right on our heels, but not passing.

After topping the hill we came to the first mile mark, and a quick glance at the watch showed that we were way fast - under 8 minutes (yikes). At the same moment, everyone else in the group came to the same realization, and folks generally let their objections be known. They didn't appreciate being led over the biggest hill of the course at a faster speed than they had signed up for. We pulled back the pace right away of course, but I had the feeling that we would be hearing about this all morning.

By the time we finished the first loop we were on pace, and we stayed steady for the rest of the 16 miles that I ran. There were some friendly folks to chat with along the way, including a very nice guy from the Brooklyn Road Runners who had some interesting things to say about the way the club points races were run. There were also mildly disgruntled types, such as one guy who commented "I'm really happy that we are running 8:30s now."

I ended the outing with mixed feelings. On one hand, I had no business being a pace leader given my lack of experience, and I was embarrassed at having missed the mark so badly in the first mile. If one of the other pace leaders had pulled us back, I could have gotten away with it, and if I was a veteran of many marathons, I could shrug it off as one small miscalculation, but as it was, I felt exposed as a fraud. On the positive side, I felt very under control at the pace and distance I ran, and while many of the other runners struggled, I was able to cruise along and focus on keeping the pace steady.

Although I should have waited a year (at least) before putting myself out there as a pace leader, the experience did reinforce my sense of myself as a runner, and I look forward to becoming more involved in the running community in the future. Running -- good.

Having a Field Day

Today was the first (annual?) Flyers Field Day.
Members of the running club met in Central Park for an afternoon of frivolity, and it was a blast. There was plenty of food, and lots of fun games.

I was placed on Team Red for a series of relay competitions. These included classics such as the sack race and the three legged race (we won both), but also some that were new to me.

On of the funniest was called... I have no idea, but folks were referring to it as "the baseball bat thing". In this game, each team member would hold a bat vertically on the ground, place their forehead on it, and spin 360 degrees 6 times. They would then have to run 50 feet to a cone and back before their next team mate could go.

Well, this turned out to be much harder than it sounded. Although no one had been drinking, our first runner swerved uncontrollably when trying to run. The next literally hit the ground, as did the next. Everyone was in hysterics.

It was then that my seven year old son came up to me and said "I could do that fast!". I was very surprised at this claim. Thus far, my son had spent the day blowing bubbles (that's him in the picture). He has always shied away from anything competitive with his peers, forget adults. I asked if he wanted to run in my place, and he said "OK", without a second thought.

He stepped up, and the team counted off his rotations -- "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6!!!" and he took off. He ran straight as an arrow, clearly smoking the field. Spinning around a few times may make an adult nauseous, but it doesn't even phase a 7 year old.

There were many more games after that, and I asked once or twice if my son would like to play, but he wasn't interested. It seems he knows about quiting while he's ahead, something his dad would do well to learn...

The Pacer

Today was the fabled annual Flyers Palisades Run. It's 20 mile run over the George Washington Bridge, north along the Hudson at the base of the Palisades, and back.Fabulous volunteers set up aid stations at mile 4.5 and 9. Since the run was out and back, this provided us 4 stops along the route.

I had heard that there was a big hill from mile 9 - 10 that a lot of folks would skip, resulting in an 18 mile run. What I hadn't heard, was that this was a hilly course from start to finish. It was also shaping up to be a steamy hot day....

I met my good friend PL there. He's not a Flyer, but I'm trying to recruit him. The plan was to go at an easy pace and play it by ear. If we didn't feel like going the distance, we would just turn around before the 10 mile point to shorten our run.

We started off by crossing the GW Bridge, and it was very inspiring. It was a gorgeous day, and the view was spectacular. We ran in single file as the pedestrian/bike path was narrow, and we had to make room for bikes to pass.

PL started to make a move toward passing the Flyer in front of him, but I called him off. I knew this runner. He is fast at the races, but is smart enough to control his speed on the long runs. In a recent long run, I left him behind early, and regretted it later when I had to I when I ran out of gas a couple of miles out from where the cars were parked (ouch). I suggested to PL that we follow him and learn. I'll call him.... The Pacer.

It was tough to follow The Pacer at first. At the start of the run, the temptation to go out fast is nearly irresistible. After a few miles, however, it was clear that it was a good idea. After the crowd spread out, I introduced PL to The Pacer, and the three of us ran together and chatted happily. The Pacer didn't seem to mind us tagging along, and he shared a few bits of wisdom to us rookies along the way.

The focus of the route turned out to be, not the bridge, but the beautiful Henry Hudson Drive. This is a small road with "rolling hills" that runs north along the Hudson. It is shady, scenic and peaceful. The road is open to cars, but we hardly saw any.

At mile nine, we were feeling strong, so we decided to attack the big hill and go for the full 20 miles. The hill lived up to its reputation, pretty steep for almost the whole mile, but because we hadn't gone out too fast, I felt strong climbing it.

Then it was time to head back. After a while, the hills started to get me -- they just kept coming. It was a big boost when the bridge came into view. Mile 19 was tough. We had to climb from the river up to the bridge entrance at the top of the Palisades . The sun was getting high the sky, and I was starting to overheat. The bridge took up the entire last mile. It was again awe inspiring, but I was ready to get in the shade and start chugging water and gatorade. I had enough left to push like a horse headed for the barn, and that's what I did.

It was PL's first 20 miler, and my second. It wasn't very fast, but it's safe to say that we wouldn't have made it without the generosity of the Flyer organizers, volunteers and, of course... The Pacer. Thank you all.

On a New Track

I'm raising money for the NYRR Foundation's Team For Kids when I run the NY Marathon in November. It's a great charity, and I'm happy to be helping out, but that's not what this post is about. If you want chip in though, I've put the URL at the end of this post. OK, enough of that.

In exchange for agreeing to raise money, TFK provides guaranteed entry to the marathon (the big draw), as well as coaching, group runs and other benefits.

Until now, I hadn't taken advantage of any of the team training, mostly because my running club, the New York Flyers, provides so much. I didn't get out for my usual Flyers speed training session Tuesday morning, and TFK had a great looking run planned for Tuesday evening, so I decided to give it a try.

I put on my nuclear florescent TFK singlet, which felt like cheating on the Flyers, and jogged over to the meet point at Engineer's Gate in Central Park. There was a good turnout, maybe 45 runners, and four coaches. Of course, I was the only one uncool enough to be wearing the team singlet. I didn't mind though, I wasn't wearing it to fit in. I was really wearing it because I can't imagine not wearing Flyer gear at the marathon, and I wanted to get used to it.

Although the crowd was a mostly younger than me, folks seemed very friendly, and it was a happy group that set off at an easy jog toward the Great Hill. The plan was to do intervals at the cinder track at the top of the hill, a place I have always wanted to run. I have know for some time that folks trained up there, but I assumed it was a remote and deserted place that I shouldn't explore on my own.

It turned out to be a gorgeous spot, with runners on the track, and lots of folks frolicking in the infield. We ran 10 X 400 -- a really nice workout. I was actually one of the faster runners -- the young folk were probably more focused on getting dates with one another than trying to outrun an old man.

By the time we finished, it was getting dark, but the place was lit, and still full of people. All in all, a very nice evening.
__________________
Here's the info you need if you would like to contribute to my TFK fund raising effort:

https://www.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/mar-programs/nyrrf/team/2007/donations.htm
entry number: 97346
last name: whitfield

For general info on Team for Kids, look here: http://www.teamforkids.org/

Living a Lie

It is one of those very early childhood memories that is singularly clear from a time otherwise forgotten.

I am in an exclusive doctor's office on the Upper East Side of New York City (I did not live in New York at the time). The room looks more like the office of a big executive than an MD. The fact that my mother has brought me to this expensive specialist must mean that my condition is serious.

After the exam, the doctor gives his report in a tone that is somehow both reassuring and condescending. He speaks in the deep voice of undeniable authority. "He has flat feet, and he toes out. It's not a serious condition. He'll never be an Olympic runner, but you have nothing to worry about."

And that was that. My career as an athlete was over before it had even occurred to me to dream of one. Since then, I have known myself to be a flat footed boy. There is nothing seriously wrong, I just shouldn't get too excited about athletics.

When I took up running, I read that folks with flat feet are "overpronators" and should wear "motion control" shoes to avoid the increased chance of injury. I was very happy with the shoes I was wearing, but based on what I had read I went out and bought the motion control shoes with the best reviews.

It was a disaster. Running with these shoes felt like running in cement blocks. After two miles in these shoes my feet were all blisters, and all the muscles in my legs were sore. I ditched the moton control shoes, but it's always bothered me. After all, I HAVE FLAT FEET. I must have the flatest feet on the planet. It's just who I am.

Today, I took the famous "wet feet on paper" test, so often recommended by running guides. The test involves wetting the feet, and then stepping onto paper to see the imprint. Below are typical examples of what to look for:
On the left, a "neutral" or normal arch. In the center, a flat footed overpronator. On the right, a high-arched underpronator.

I put some water in the tub, stepped on some paper, and I couldn't believe my eyes.

The imprint was a perfect match for the neutral or normal arch.

My whole world shook. Could this be? My handicap was a giant lie? My brilliant athletic career stolen at the age of 5 by some pompous incompetent podiatrist?

Sure, in one sense, it was great news. According to this test, I was wearing the right shoes. I may not have been slowly destroying my feet, knees and hips without realizing it.

But now I don't know who I am. I am lost. I am angry. I don't have flat feet? What else don't I know? Am I a communist? An assassin planted by the Russians hypnotized into thinking that I am an average, mild mannered, flat footed fella?

There is only one way I can resolve this for myself. On November 4th, me and my normal arches are going to run us a marathon, and we are going to have a good time. So take that, Mr. Podiatrist.

Over 40

Today, my weekly mileage was over 40 for the first time. What, did you think this post was about something else?

Conventional wisdom:
1] Novice marathoners should reach 30-40 miles per week to be ready.
2] Ideally, long runs should not exceed 1/2 of weekly mileage.
3] Novice marathoners should run some long runs of 20 miles.
4] Weekly mileage should not increase by more that 10% at a time.

Whew, that's a lot of rules. Here's my mileage for the summer.


You can see that there are lots of "short" weeks mixed in, but if you follow the longer weeks, you can see a gradual increase. I'm pretty pleased with the way this looks. I think it's healthy to have some recovery weeks as the mileage increases. I wish I could claim that this chart represents the strict following of a master plan, but it's really just the reality of my summer. There were weeks in there when most of my mileage came from sneaking out of the office during lunch.

For the next 6 weeks, before I start to taper for the marathon, I expect to keep the mileage in the high 30s to low 40s. Hopefully, my body will be OK with that. Right now, after my longest week, I'm feeling great.

In the immediate future, I have two 20 mile runs planned - the Flyers Palisades Long Run next weekend, and the ING Marathon Long Training Run #2. I want to support these runs with 40 mile weeks.

It's great that in New York City, there is never a need to do long runs or speed training on your own. It really adds a lot to the marathon training experience to be able to do these runs with a group. I have plenty of experienced runners to learn from, and plenty of novices to grow with. The running community here is nothing short of fantastic. Cheers to you all!