Advice to my new-runner self

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

The prompt for this week's Tuesday's on the Run topic is: "If I only knew then... What advice would you give your new-runner self?"

Oh my goodness.

Let's knock out some of the glaring advice. 

• From a physical standpoint, I'd tell myself to get properly fitted for running shoes, stretch/foam roll regularly, and strength-train my hips/core like my running life depended on it (which it does). 
• From a mental standpoint, I'd tell myself to avoid the comparison game, go at my own pace, and be proud of what I CAN do as opposed to dwelling on what I CAN'T do. Admittedly, I still struggle with these suggestions to this day.

In retrospect, these all sound really obvious. So let's talk about some advice I'd give myself which feels less obvious to me.

Run slower to run faster. 

I wrote about this in more detail here. This practice has made me scratch my head several times. In training I still have to remind myself to slow down. It always feels counterintuitive to do my long/easy runs at what feels like a lollygagging pace. E.g.:

I do see the beauty in keeping the easy runs comfortable, though. It keeps my legs and mind fresher over the long term and for race day. It allows me to go longer distances and it makes the miles more enjoyable. When it's enjoyable, I'm more likely to get started and to keep going. And those are really the ultimate goals, yes?

Feeling awful during a run does not always mean that run is doomed to failure.
I'm not talking about that horrible first mile or two when I'm trying to warm up. In this instance, I'm talking about when you are mid- or late-run and things have gone sour in a big way. E.g.:

It's hard to believe that the run could do anything but just keep getting worse, right?

Amazingly, sometimes it does get better. I wish I knew why or how. It doesn't always happen. But once in a while my body surprises me and gives me a mysterious second wind.

It's really, really, REALLY hard to keep pushing when it doesn't feel good. There is definitely something to be said for knowing when you truly do need to stop, too. But running is not linear - and it's not always going to keep going downhill. The way you feel can change in both directions at any given time.

There are no "On" or "Off" switches in running. 
Both progression AND atrophy take time. Again, the time may not be linear.

I wrote here about my frustrations with training hard but seemingly not seeing much improvement. In this instance, however, let's focus on the opposite end of the spectrum.

I took several weeks off from running last winter. I was terrified of how much conditioning I'd lose.

In reality - I didn't lose nearly as much conditioning as I feared. Granted, I stayed active and was working out in other ways, which probably helped a lot. Either way, it made me feel better about the body's overall resilience and ability to adapt. Just because I didn't run for a few weeks didn't mean all was lost.

I no longer feel like I HAVE to keep running, "or else." Now I have more confidence to be flexible. A lot of self-imposed training pressure is gone and that change in mentality means everything to me.

How about you? What advice would you give to your new-runner or younger-runner self?

First DNS and Apr 4-10, 2015 weekly recap

It was a very busy week for me! This made the weekend fly by even more quickly than usual - and that is really saying something.

Before I talk more about the weekend, here's how the week's training went:

MONDAY - 10 minutes on stationary bike, lift 45 minutes
TUESDAY - Rest
WEDNESDAY - Zumba class, run 3 miles on treadmill
THURSDAY - Run 3 miles on treadmill with ladder incline intervals between levels 3-7
FRIDAY - Yoga class
SATURDAY - 10 minutes incline walking at level 3, lift 45 minutes
SUNDAY - Run 10 miles on treadmill with incline intervals between levels 3-5

I was supposed to run Chicago's Perfect 10 on Saturday morning. However, I wasn't feeling 100% on Friday. To add insult to injury, the forecasted real-feel temperature at race start time was a balmy 13 degrees Fahrenheit.

The race organizers had announced a late change in the start location from Navy Pier to the awkwardly-located DuSable Harbor. Navy Pier would have been much better since it would have allowed indoor facility usage pre- and post-race. Further, the course was entirely an out-and-back along the lakefront path - which I could also run anyday for free.

Given the lethal combination of all of the above, I elected to skip the race and post my first-ever DNS. Marcia and I were supposed to go to the race together, but she ended up making the same decision.

I think it was the right choice for both of us. On race morning, I slept in, felt increased gratitude for the joys of indoor warmth, and later heard about the Black Ice Horror Show that ensued on the path.

I contemplated never running any races in the future again. Ever.

On Saturday afternoon, Adam and I went to the burbs to do an early birthday celebration for my dad (his actual bday is on Tuesday). Afterwards, Adam went to hang out with his brother. I came back into the city to meet up with my friend, Ed, who is in town this weekend from California. We got a group of friends together to go bowling and had an awesome time catching up.

From L to R: Tony, me, Ed, Madee, Jack, and Shawn (many others not pictured)

Ed, when are you and Myhien going to move back to Chicago for good??? Come on, buddy! =)

On Sunday, I did 10 miles on the treadmill to make up for missing Saturday's race. The incline work was killer, as it has been for weeks on end. I am both grateful and terrified that there are only three more weeks before the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. (More on the state of my hill-training union later.)

Afterwards, Adam and I went to dinner at Porkchop, which is a Southern-themed restaurant/bar with a location just a few blocks from our home. I absolutely love exploring local neighborhood places - and Porkchop is super fun! Lots of diverse menu options, and the food and service were terrific. It's a really nice, laidback addition to Randolph Street.

Clockwise starting from top left:
Bacon maple doughnut; the bar; fish tacos and gumbo; and Porkchop's homemade BBQ sauces
(the telltale sign of a quality BBQ establishment, in my opinion).

Adam and I both indulged in the amazing BBQ and left completely stuffed. (Way for me to refuel after a long training run, eh?) I'm excited to go back and try more of their offerings - especially after they open their outdoor seating area. I heard they have a food truck, too. Food always tastes better when eaten outdoors, yes?

On that note, I know bacon doughnuts are all the rage these days, but Porkchop's was the first I'd ever tried. Wow!!! Now I completely understand the hype. That bacon maple doughnut alone was worth the price of admission. =D

Tell me about your week/weekend?

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Linking up with HoHo and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap.

Thinking Out Loud Thursday

The Chicago skyline is beautiful. 
I've lived in the city proper for over 15 years and the skyline is still awe-inspiring to me. Earlier this week, I went to an event at 360 Chicago, which is the observation deck on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building. The views were unreal!

I took about 50 photos that night. Here is a very small sampling of daytime/nighttime contrast shots:

South-facing skyline view

Northbound view of Lake Shore Drive

Scenes from the Tilt, which allows folks to "lean over" and view the skyline from an outwards/downward angle.
It was a very cool experience!

I love being a tourist in my own hometown!

Days go by and still I think of this...

At the 360 event, the DJ played the song from that old Mitsubishi commercial (do any of you guys remember it?):

It's been running through my head ever since. Many years ago, I had a copy of the song on a self-burned "dance-music" CD. Now I'm thinking about adding the song back onto my workout playlist.

It's hard to believe that Mitsubishi commercial came out 13 years ago! Back in those days, I wanted to drive an Eclipse. One of my friends used to have one. Whenever I sat in the passenger seat, I felt the urge to imitate the woman's dance. =D

There's a new snack in my desk drawer. 
I've got a new affinity with snacking on jerky. The combination of saltiness plus protein = Pure Addiction 101.

I just bought a big box of jerky in pretty much every flavor I could find.

I'll probably go through the entire box in a week or so.

Maybe because I'm paying attention now, I'm hearing about lots of recipes which use jerky. E.g., jerky tomato sauce, jerky-scallion flatbread, mixing chopped jerky into scrambled eggs to make a pumped-up breakfast burrito, etc., etc., etc. Yum, yum, and yum!

If anyone has other recipes with jerky as an ingredient, please share!

The 8K eludes me. 
I mentioned here that I was desperately seeking another 8K PR attempt, and couldn't wait to sign up for the PAWS Run For Their Lives 8K in June.

Unfortunately, the PAWS organizers just announced the race distance has been changed to a 5K this year.

NOOO!

The search is already underway for other 8K alternatives. Erin mentioned the Got2Run For Education 8K next month (thanks again, Erin!). It's a consideration, but the event has one big catch. Look at the course map:

That's one of the most flower/pinwheel-like courses I've ever seen. (I hope they have a lot of knowledgeable course marshalls!) Definitely not the most conducive set-up for a PR attempt. #FirstWorldRunnerProblems

And so the search continues...

It's almost playoff time!!!
I am both ready and not ready for the NHL playoffs to begin next Wednesday. For some teams, the fight for playoff position is going to go down to the wire. It will be riveting to see how the drama unfolds.

In accordance with annual tradition, my fourth edition of Spin the Hockey Brackets is coming soon to my blog near you!

Extremely serious contemplation has already taken place on which team will command my top pick this year.

Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane, aka Breadman and Showtime

I will share my predictions starting early next week. As usual, I am ready if and when you all want to let me how wrong you think I am. Game on!

In the meantime, I simply had to share this ridiculously adorable GIF of Kaner and Joey the Junior Reporter. It is too cute for words!

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Linking up with Amanda's Thinking Out Loud Thursdays.

Running lately and Mar 28 - Apr 3, 2016 training recap

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

This week's topic: "One word that describes your running lately."

Hello, can of worms. You look ever-so-tempting to open.

Before we let the worms go sprawling all over the crawl space, here's a quick summary of my training last week:

MONDAY - 10 minutes on stationary bike, lift 30 minutes. I took the lifting easy because I was still sore from Kim's boxing class two days before.
TUESDAY - Yoga class
WEDNESDAY - Zumba class
THURSDAY - 4 mile tempo run on treadmill: 1 mile warm-up, 1 mile at 8K target pace, 1 mile progressing to 5K target pace, 1 mile cooldown. This run was an attempt to prepare myself mentally for the Shamrock Shuffle on Sunday. Prior to this, I hadn't done a tempo run in months.
FRIDAY - Yoga class
SATURDAY - 10 minutes on stationary bike, lift 45 minutes
SUNDAY - Shamrock Shuffle 8K. Read my recap here.

Now that we've got that out of the way, are you ready for some worms?

This might across as being melodramatic, but the one word I'd use to describe my running right now is unfulfilling.

I've thought a lot recently about why I keep running. I want to say it's because I enjoy it. On some days, I do enjoy it. But I also have some days when I hate it.

Why push myself to do something that can elicit such a bipolar reaction? Ultimately, the reason is this: I like seeing improvement. It makes me feel like I accomplished something. The runs, whether they feel exhilarating or ghastly, both help me progress over time. That progress motivates me to keep going.

Lately, I feel the amount of effort I've put in has not been commensurate with the amount of progress I'm experiencing.

Let's look back at the last two races I've run:

Flatlining at the Rock N Roll DC Half Marathon
Over the last two months, I've put forth a solid effort to train for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon's hills. I've probably even overdone it once or twice. Yet, I still struggled with Rock N Roll DC's hills down the stretch, despite the course not being considered especially hilly. My incline work has been a tougher uphill battle than anticipated (pun intended).

Feeling unlucky at the Shamrock Shuffle
I was disappointed to finish the 2016 Shamrock Shuffle 12 seconds slower than my current PR. No, I haven't been doing speedwork. But considering all the training improvements I've made over the last few years - most notably a LOT more strength work over the last year - I thought I'd be in a much better position to achieve my goal. At the very least, I thought the effort would feel easier. In reality, it still required plenty of effort.

In summary...
Progress has felt unusually tough to come by lately. I know my training isn't perfect, and I'm sure there are plenty of things I could be doing that I'm not. At the same time, I truly believed the challenging hillwork and strength work would produce more visible benefits than they have.

It is unfulfilling to work so hard and seemingly reap only marginal improvement.

This cartoon doesn't communicate my points exactly, but I'm sharing because I thought it was funny:

On a positive note, my current motivation level is still decent compared to prior training cycles. The feeling of pending stagnation certainly isn't contributing towards sustainability, though.

I hope to somehow break out of the rut soon. Very soon.

*tries desperately to get the worms back into the can*

2016 Shamrock Shuffle race recap

I completed my second edition of the Shamrock Shuffle this morning (read last year's recap here).

I'll cut to the chase. Despite thinking out a strategy, I did not achieve a new PR today. I didn't miss by much. My 44:24 time was only 12 seconds slower than my current PR.

I am disappointed to have come so close but not get there. Of course I am thinking now about all the little things I did, like walking through one of the aid stations, that could have made the difference. But you live and you learn, right?

On the positive side...

• The weather conditions weren't perfect, but they were reasonable. Yesterday, the weather was horrific - at times it was snowing sideways with 50 MPH+ winds. I was nervous about what might be in store for us today. But this morning, we had clear blue skies and NO PRECIPITATION. Temps were in the upper 20s/lower 30s with some gusts. 
• Race organization was outstanding. Ample signage, no waits at gear check, and minimal waits at the portapotties. Fantastic volunteers and good corral enforcement. My corral was the first in Wave 2, and we started at 9:00 AM on the dot.
• It's such a privilege to run through downtown Chicago when all the streets are closed off to traffic! Us runners only get this opportunity a few times each year. Therefore, I always relish these events.

Source

• I ran a negative split and for once I did NOT start out too quickly in the first mile. (Quite the opposite, in fact. More detail below.)
• Adam came to cheer me out on the course. I saw him once around Mile 2.5 and again around Mile 3. I was only expecting to see him once, so seeing him twice was a wonderful surprise. He got this action snapshot of me:

On the negative side...

• I rode a Divvy bike to the starting area. Divvy had announced they'd be monitoring nearby docking stations to ensure docks and bikes would both always be available. Unfortunately, the Michigan/Jackson station was completely full when I arrived and Divvy was NOT there. Whomp, whomp. I ended up having to scurry to the Millennium Park station a few blocks north. No harm done, but it added an element of stress. 
• As expected, my Garmin lost signal when we went underneath the Columbus tunnel shortly after the start. When I regained signal, it showed I was running paces between 11-14 minutes for quite some time. I knew it wasn't right, but WOW did that mess with my head!

• Since my Garmin was clearly off, I was running semi-blind on my pace for awhile. I kept telling myself to take it easy and not push too much. Unfortunately, I ended up taking that strategy too far because... 
• I hit the Mile 1 marker in 9:18. I was targeting an 8:50 average pace, and had wanted something around 9 minutes flat in Mile 1. It was mentally defeating to face a 28-second deficit so early on. Could I really come back from such a large hole in just 4 miles? 
• Something was amiss with chip timing because the Shamrock Shuffle website said I hit Mile 1 in 9:08. What the heck? I only wish that was true because it could have been a whole different ballgame. Did anyone else experience variances on their Mile 1 split? 
• The straightaway on Franklin Street around Mile 3 included an enormous wall of wind. Add another checkmark to the list of mental hurdles. I remember this stretch feeling like a monsoon last year, too. 

Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 9:18

Mile 2: 8:51

Mile 3: 8:52

I forgot to lap my Garmin at Mile 4. I completed the final 1.97 miles in 17:26, which translates to an average pace of 8:41. However, I pushed the pace as best I could during the last mile. Here are my split guesstimates:

Mile 4: 8:50ish

Mile 4.97: 8:30ish

During the final stretch on Columbus, my lungs felt like they were going to explode.

In closing, my execution was solid with the exception of the problematic first mile. Big lesson learned: I need to work on properly pacing myself at the start without relying on my Garmin.

It's a bummer that the 8K race distance is uncommon. I am itching to get back out there ASAP to get my revenge, er, uh, try again.

I'm already looking ahead to the PAWS Run For Their Lives 8K in June. When does registration open???

After the Pittsburgh Half Marathon, my work is cut out for me. Bring on the speedwork and pace practice!

My next race: Chicago's Perfect 10 on April 9

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Linking up with HoHo and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap, and with Zenaida's Shamrock Shuffle race recaps.

History of my favorite Blackhawks and Penguins players

After writing about my current two favorite NHL hockey players, Artemi Panarin and Olli Maatta, it made me contemplate their similarities. In addition to those two, I looked for common threads across my favorite hockey players in prior years. It turns out there are characteristics I always like, but there are many differences, too.

I decided to share more details about all of my favorite Blackhawks and Penguins players, both past and present. The players are presented in chronological order.

MAX TALBOT

Team and Number: Pittsburgh Penguins #25

Position: Center

Hometown: LeMoyne, Quebec, Canada

Years as a favorite: 2008-2011

Funny videos: I'm going to share two local Pittsburgh car commercials from an ad series starring the "Superstar."

Part I:

Part II:

Reasons Max was a favorite: 

He is a grinder who raises his game to the highest levels when it matters most. He is extremely charismatic and humorous, while also being very humble and hard-working. His upbeat, fun personality lights up the room - I feel that you cannot help but smile when you are in his presence. He brings incredible energy and passion to the team, and his character and heart are both truly second to none.

My favorites of Max's accomplishments: 

Scoring the team's only two goals in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals vs. Detroit, which clinched the Penguins' 2009 Cup victory. Getting into a pivotal fight during a playoff game against Philadelphia where the team was trailing 0-3. After the fight he gave the crowd a "shhhh" sign, which helped the Penguins seize momentum and come back to win the game.

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ANTTI NIEMI

Team and Number: Chicago Blackhawks #31

Position: Goalie

Hometown: Vantaa, Finland

Years as a favorite: 2009-2010

Funny video: Getting the puck lost in his pads during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Reasons Antti was a favorite: 

He rose from obscurity to reach the NHL. The year before he came to the Blackhawks, he was in Finland driving the Zamboni after practices to help make ends meet. I've never seen anyone who was so unflappable in the face of adversity or when dealing with the many setbacks he experienced early in his career. He quietly fought his way to the top via hard work, patience, and tremendous perseverance. From what I understand, he's a very funny guy, too.

My favorites of Antti's accomplishments: 

Being amongst the league-lead in regular season shutout victories his first year, despite playing a considerably lower number of games than the NHL's other leading goaltenders. Playing a pivotal role in helping the Hawks win the Stanley Cup in his first NHL season.

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BRANDON SAAD

Team and Number: Chicago Blackhawks #20

Position: Left wing

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Years as a favorite: 2012-2015

Cool personal picture: Out of all my favorite hockey players, Brandon is the only one I've ever had the privilege of meeting in person. This happened back in 2013 and my recap of the experience is here.

L to R: Daniel Carcillo, me, and Brandon Saad

Reasons Brandon was a favorite:

At a very young age, he played with tremendous strength and confidence. He displayed a level of maturity much greater than his age both on and off the ice. During his time with the Hawks, he was what Adam would describe as a true Pittsburgh guy, meaning he never forgets his roots and where he came from.

My favorites of Brandon's accomplishments:

Coming in as a rookie and playing fearlessly and powerfully on the Blackhawks' first line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. Most rookies would be intimidated by playing alongside those two future Hall-of-Fame linemates, but not Brandon. Helping the Hawks win the Stanley Cup in his rookie year, then doing so again two years later with massive impact.

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ARTEMI PANARIN

Team and Number: Chicago Blackhawks #72

Position: Left wing

Hometown: Korkino, Russia

Years as a favorite: 2015 - present

Intriguing video: A Russian TV feature taking us into Artemi's apartment and chronicling his adjustment to Chicago. The video is in Russian with English subtitles.

Reasons Artemi is a favorite: 

I wrote a little bit about my reasons in this post, but I'll get into further detail here. I love the dazzling, jaw-dropping skills on the ice. The very frequent grin on his face. The humble, humorous, fun-loving, and endearing personality. Playing with unabashed excitement, including the giant hugs he gives his teammates in celebration. Coming to Chicago from Russia and not knowing the language, culture, team, or league, yet making the transition look completely effortless and enjoyable.

My favorites of Artemi's accomplishments:

Making Patrick Kane a better player, which is really saying something. Leading all NHL rookies in points by a landslide. I believe he will win the Calder Trophy for best rookie this year.

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OLLI MAATTA

Team and Number: Pittsburgh Penguins #3

Position: Defenseman

Hometown: Jyväskylä, Finland

Years as a favorite: 2016 - present

Cute video: I would embed this video directly here if I could, but it's from the Penguins website so I can only create a link. It's a fun synopsis of Olli and teammate Derrick Pouliot surprising fans at a local McDonald's. Here's a screenshot:

Reasons Olli is a favorite: 

Again, I wrote a little bit about my reasons in this post, but I'll get into further detail here. Olli is amongst the most sincere, down-to-earth, relatable, and thoughtful hockey players I've ever seen. I think he would be a very loyal and caring friend. He's only 21 but he's already been shining as a top defensive-line player for several years. He also displays an unbelievable level of maturity both on and off the ice. I was nearly brought to tears by witnessing his incredible poise during his battle with cancer.

My favorites of Olli's accomplishments:

Undergoing surgery to remove a potentially cancerous tumor from his neck, then returning to the Penguins line-up just two weeks afterwards. I saw some very touching photos of Olli wearing a purple jersey during Hockey Fights Cancer Month. Not committing to playing organized hockey until the age of 14 - and only two years later becoming the youngest-ever player to play for Finland's World Junior Team.

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Hockey fans and/or fans of any other sports - please tell me who your favorites are and why?

Linking up with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for the Friday Five.

Shamrock Shuffle race plans

Chicago's popular Shamrock Shuffle takes place this weekend!

Getting into the spirit of things at last year's Shuffle

The weather forecast has been shifting around over the past few days. Right now they are saying possible rain. Fingers crossed any precipitation holds off until the afternoon! If conditions are reasonable, I hope to make this a PR attempt.

My current 8K PR is 44:12, which is about an 8:53 pace. I set this PR at the 2012 PAWS Run For Their Lives - so it's been awhile. Granted, at the time I was at the tail end of my Chicago Marathon training cycle. I was also about 15 pounds heavier. Basically, a lot of things have changed since then.

I feel I've made a lot of training improvements in the last several years. Admittedly, I haven't done any 8K-focused speedwork since I'm more focused on incline work these days. Even so, I feel reasonably confident that I am capable of achieving a new PR.

My hope, as discussed with Pete (aka the master of race strategy), is to run a negative split - or at least an even split.

Even though I've had very good success on the rare occasions I managed to execute a negative split, I still get terrified during the first mile or two. I think I fear starting out too slowly and then not being able to pick it up later on. (This has happened in training, particularly during long runs.)

That aside, here's my "perfect-world" plan:

Mile 1: Start out easy, maybe around a 9:00-9:10 pace. Don't let the crowd pressure get to me.
Miles 2-4: Try to maintain around an 8:45-9:00 pace, gradually working down closer to 8:45 or better with each subsequent mile.
After the 4-mile marker: Try to pick it up as best as possible. In the final 0.5 mile, gun it and hold on for dear life!!!

Now, the biggest challenge, of course, is actually executing this plan.

Pace strategy aside, I am also thinking about running by feel instead of relying on the Garmin. I know my Garmin's readings will likely be thrown off by all the tall buildings downtown. Plus, having to run through that tunnel at Columbus and Wacker at the course start always messes things up. So it would probably behoove me to take my Garmin with a grain of salt, regardless.

I am nervous about this weekend. At the same time, I am trying not to put too much pressure on myself. After all, we do these races for fun, right?

Here are words that I am trying to live by:

Take a deep breath and shuffle on!!! =)