Duke City Marathon Training & Fatherhood

Marathon Training & Fatherhood

Preface: 

My life compared to the life that my wonderful and amazing wife Arlene has gone through are two, 1 million times different situations and zero comparison should be made. I need that to be infinitely clear, that zero comparison should be made between the differences of our roles as parents. I’m solely writing this as a father, and the experience I’ve encountered with running and having the light of my life - Santiago, around as a new experience. So, runners out there, please note that being a father is completely different from the path a mother has to follow. It’s like we are still training and racing on a track, and the mother is racing and training on a technical trail with weighted shoes that force you to run underwater every now and then…

The Joy of Training:

With Santiago being only 5 months old, it sure feels like a much longer time when thinking back. This year has seemed to have been on a slower setting than most - which I am grateful for. The moment he was born to my first run was a mere 2 days off. That first run as a dad felt like a survival run. A run where I had to make sure I got home safely and ran it almost in fear, clicking off some rather quicker splits than I would normally run. Sub 7 minutes for an “easy” run were logged on the good old garmin. Arlene told me, this was due to the fact that I wanted to get home quicker, which made perfect sense.

After about a month of infrequent running, I got the opportunity to run a trail race - Cedro Peak 25k in April. I could test my grit and attempt to grind out 15 miles in the forests. That race was a success, even with limited sleep and the guilt of leaving home early to attend a running event. I ran it hard, pushed myself on the trails and wound up 3rd overall with some friendly company.

Finishing Cedro Peak

With a steady climb of mileage after this race, I thought I was on a good track to hit some mileage numbers in the 60s to 70s. But, it took much longer to climb. My mileage chart started to look impressive with a steady stock market increase, but the true numbers were still in the 50s. I was ok with that. As long as I was making progress, then all would be fine.

Realizing that sleep wasn’t a huge priority, just as long as I got some, then I could zombie myself out of bed to run before the summer heat would get to me. Sprinkle in a few workouts or the occasional 5k race over the summer, and I was maintaining fitness. However, marathon fitness wasn’t there. I needed to get a long run in, and some tempo runs in, in order to feel somewhat ready for 26.2 miles.

The Gang: Adam, Ben, myself & Sean

By this time, it’s August, and I’ve had a few weeks off juggling life, back to school stuff, youth coaching, and a 10k trail race that I am an RD for. But, all in all, the training has been decent for a vintage man of my stature.

The plan has been to race the Duke City Marathon in October. This plan has been on my mind since the moment we found out that Santiago would be in our life. I’ve never raced this marathon, and thought it would be a logistical breeze compared to traveling and leaving home to run another race. Why not run a marathon in our own backyard? And the more I thought about it, the better I felt about the situation.

Training has been good and the following has occurred:

• Since June, I’ve had 9 weeks over 50 miles per week (this is weak, but I’ll take it for now).

• Only 5 tempo workouts, averaging 5:40-5:50 pace.

• Longest long run has been 18.5 miles.

• 10k race in 34:54

Based on this gibberish, I am still hoping to run a marathon faster than 2 hours plus my age - so a marathon faster than 2:42 in October. I’ll be celebrating my 42nd birthday and what better way than to do that by running 42 kilometers! More importantly is having my family there and for me to see Santi immediately afterwards. I am beyond thrilled to continue this journey with him and Arlene there. Otherwise, it's not even worth doing this selfish endeavor. Waking up early to leave my family would only be a way to stay healthy, but the competitiveness in me to do see what I can create with this life seems to be more fun and a test of what this body can really do. But, I yearn to be that proud dad who gets to hold his child after a long and tolling race.

Last Week of Training (week of 9/2/24):

Monday: 8 miles

Tuesday: easy 7 miles

Wednesday: 3x1 mile tempo (5:48, 5:38, 5:34) w/3 min recovery

Thursday: easy 8 miles

Friday: easy 7.4 miles

Saturday: easy 8 miles with the stroller 

Sunday: Chips and Salsa 10k race - 34:54. 12.5 miles total.

Weekly Total: 60.4

Top 3: In reverse order from left to right

Post Wedding Training - Week 1 of Marathon Training 1

Now that Arlene and I tied the knot, it's time to start focusing on the Chicago Marathon, which is in 13 weeks from today...

WEDDING DAY!!!

Bring on the Miles!

What we did all week...

I have a lot of catching up to do, since after the wedding, Arlene and I only ran a whopping 8 miles over the course of 8 days, and no we didn't run 1 mile a day, it was more like only two days of running.  So because of that, last week was a tough one.  I planned on doing a big workout on Wednesday, but that turned into an epic fail.  I rallied the rest of the week and had a decent long run workout on sunday with the guys; granted, I died the last 2 miles and crawled in, but it was worth it.

This weeks focus is to get the miles back under me and finally hit that "hundo" mark, and keep building from there.  I don't have a whole lot of time, so everyday is important.  I don't want to be in the same situation I was in all fall and spring.  Summer is where it's at, and as a summer theme song, I'll have to refer to Maroon 5's song of, "This Summer's gonna hurt like a mother******"

Week 1

Mon - 3.5 miles in La Jolla (Our last day of our honeymoon)
Tue - 9 miles
Wed - 6 miles w/u 3x1 mile (5:30, 5:27, 5:42) 2 mile c/d
Thur - am. 11 miles. pm. 6 miles total: 17 miles
Fri - am. 9 miles
Sat - am. 11 miles. pm. 5 miles
Sun - 4 miles easy, 4x1 mile w/1min jog (5:44, 5:32, 5:26, 5:10) 8 miles easy. total: 18 miles

Total: 83.5 miles

Not Completely Optimistic

With so many things to think about during this time of year, I still feel optimistic about what the rest of the year has to offer.  Just like in all the races I have EVER done; I have never quit, or dropped out of a race, which parallels the teaching predicament I am in, which is not to quit.  Being a first year teacher can have its toll on life, and the things you love the most.  So, just as all the books and people that attempt to prepare you for your first year say, "it's going to be hell, so just get through it!", you never quite believe them... until you're the one being burned alive by all the chaos that chars your soul.

Well, back to the optimistic view I was talking about.  Basically, I don't have much longer at this school and I have greatly narrowed down what avenue of teaching I want to pursue, or more importantly where I don't want to be.  And once my emotional stability comes back to me, and I can breath again, I will set my eyes on a fast fall marathon!  One that will capture the new Olympic Trials Standard (2:15-A, 2:18-B) and boost my love for life.  I know nothing is life is going to be perfect, and that (God forbid) our school doesn't end up as a target for a shooter, or sociopath bent of murder and self glory, but when I hear my students screaming that they hate their life, it just doesn't sit well with me.  It could be worse.  I feel jaded by the tendencies these troubled kids act towards one another, and can't help but accept that we as humans are doomed.  More likely, I am failing as a teacher, and can't direct them to NOT: lie, steal, or cheat.  Their evil nature is too much for me... but I must go on.  No matter how cruel and unsympathetic they are towards each other, I figure, if I can survive the negativity that boils within a young child and just attempt to show them that someone cares and will make an effort to make them better, then a 26.2 mile foot race will be nothing.  Heck, 2:12 for that distance will be nothing!  This is great mental training, and I need to get the best out of it, while hoping to change someone for the good (but that's not really going to happen, since they already have a mom/dad).

Okay, now that I've stated how much I hate some of my students, and can fully understand the criminal system, I can move on.

The Marathon!  One race I have grown to love ever since I ran my first one.  This is such an amazing event, and I can't express how much I wish I could do all the courses in the world!  Since, that will never happen, I will be picky on what courses I run, and how I train for each of those races.  Boston had been on my mind since 2008, and I've wanted to run this race more than any other race (except for the Olympic Trials, and Olympic Games Marathon).  And in only 8 weeks, that dream could come true.  The excitement is killing me!