Marathon Training Week 18 of 23

Week eighteen -- the taper has started! Today I ran "only" 10 miles. It was a harder run than I expected. Not sure why that is, although in part it may be because last week I ran 20! Also, if you look at my splits I went out a little fast. I've decided that, although I don't have a specific time goal for the marathon, I would like to keep the first 13 miles at right around 10:00/mile. That will leave me some room in the last half of the race to do some negative splits if I feel like it. We'll see!

Here's the boring stuff:

Week 18 totals:
Running Distance: 19.52 mi
Running Time: 03:18:57 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Max Speed: 12.2 mph
Avg HR: 152 bpm
Max HR: 180 bpm
Calories burned: 2,479

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 18's long run of 10 miles.

Sum totals so far:
Running Distance: 435.47 mi
Running Time: 75:45:34 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.8 mph
Avg HR: 149 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm
Calories burned: 56,976

Cycling Approx Distance: 207 mi
Cycling Time: 10:52:50 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 19 mph
Avg HR: 127 bpm
Max HR: 153 bpm

Monthly Running Mileage Totals:
May: 23.68 mi (24th thru 31st)
June: 95.02 mi
July: 104.11 mi
August: 102.53 mi
September: 110.13 (1st thru 25th!) -- my 3rd consecutive 100-mile month

Previous week's totals:
Week 17 totals:
Running Distance: 39.28 mi
Running Time: 06:50:41 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.4 mph
Avg HR: 150 bpm
Max HR: 175 bpm
Calories burned: 5,088

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 17's long run of 20 miles.

~ Keith

Marathon Training Week 17 of 23

Week seventeen was momentous. My long-run was 20 miles -- the furthest I've ever run. (and my wife was away on business, and I had a tremendously busy week at work, which is why I'm almost a week late in posting this, as it is Saturday morning the following week, just before my 10-miler as I start my taper toward race day). My 20-miler was run at around the same time as my nephew Caleb was running the Equinox Ultra in Alaska where he makes his home. He's never run an ultra before -- this one is a 50k, and he's never even run a marathon before. He's one of those guys who came out of the birth canal with 2% body fat, and a natural inclination for anything athletic. I'd hate him for that, but it wasn't his fault to be born an athletic prodigy. Plus, he's one of the nicest guys in the world. And, I happen to know, he puked at the end of his run, which means he owes me $5! =O)

My 20-miler was tremendous practice for race day, for a couple different reasons.

On race day, I will also run further than I've ever run before.

The overall distance was a part of it, but not all.

I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting someone at around mile 5 who ran with me for awhile. We noted a number of similarities. Jack is also training for the Portland Marathon, which will be his second. We had roughly the same pace, so we chatted and got to know one another more. He's also been running only a couple years, which was nice, since we connected as newbies. There were differences though. Jack was also 60 -- a full 15 years older than me, and keeping up with me quite nicely, which was a little demoralizing, but I let it go. It was good practice -- one of the things we discussed while running along was how unique running is as a sport, in terms of the athletes who participate. Sure, the elites all have a certain look to them, but the rest of us in the pack? You can't really look at someone and say "Oh, man, I'm totally gonna beat that old overweight lady" -- you just might see her smiling away, zipping past you after the turn-around, looking fresh as a daisy. Also, you can't look at someone 15 years younger, carrying a lot less weight, and think "No way could I keep up with him!" -- 'cause here Jack and I were, trotting together, two middle-aged adult-onset athletes. So, as I prepare to run 26.2 in less than 3 weeks, it is good for me to remember that, like books & covers, runners can't be judged by outward appearances.

On race day, I will need to run *MY* race, not anyone else's.

Yes, I will pass some folks, but I will also be passed, and I need to not get so competitive that I allow myself to waste energy, either physical or mental. And speaking of energy...

Jack was a nice guy, and it was good to practice chatting while running sub-10:00 miles, with my usual 1-min walk break in between. But I'm used to running alone, and not using extra energy chatting. At around mile 10 our courses diverged and I was thankful to have the last half all to myself. I'd had a clif bar and a banana about 2 hours before starting, and a clif shot at mile 4 & 8. At mile 12 I had a caffeinated clif shot, and was feeling good; tired, but good. Around mile 15 I was getting very tired, and it didn't dawn on me until almost mile 16 that it was way past time to kick in the mental game. On my 16-miler and 18-miler, I was closer to the end by that point in the run, so it wasn't a big deal. This time it was different. I had further to go, but it was also simply another day, and I had to account for that as well. We al know the story about the frog in the pot. My tiredness had krept up on my so slowly that I forgot how much energy I *knew* I had left in me. Sort of like timing my fueling and hydration, I need to also time my mental game, and give myself little confidence-boosting reminders as I go.

On race day I will draw deep from inside myself to pull out all the stops and accomplish this goal

I can't let my body talk my mind into giving up. Quite the contrary, I need to use my mind to convince my body I have way more in me than I ever imagined, and this little 26.2 miler is only the beginning.

Now, I'm headed out the door to run a little 10-miler.

Here's the boring stuff:

Week 17 totals:
Running Distance: 39.28 mi -- almost double last week's!
Running Time: 06:50:41 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.4 mph
Avg HR: 150 bpm
Max HR: 175 bpm
Calories burned: 5,088 -- Whoa!

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 17's long run of 20 miles.

Sum totals so far:
Running Distance: 415.95 mi
Running Time: 72:26:37 h:m:s -- over 3 days of running!
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.8 mph
Avg HR: 149 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm
Calories burned: 54,497 -- Whoa!

Cycling Approx Distance: 207 mi
Cycling Time: 10:52:50 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 19 mph
Avg HR: 127 bpm
Max HR: 153 bpm

Monthly Running Mileage Totals:
May: 23.68 mi (24th thru 31st)
June: 95.02 mi
July: 104.11 mi
August: 102.53 mi
September: 90.62 (1st thru 18th!)

Previous week's totals:
Week 16 totals:
Running Distance: 20.9 mi
Running Time: 03:33:48 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Max Speed: 12.6 mph
Avg HR: 151 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm
Calories burned: 2,685

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 16's long run of 8 miles.

~ Keith

Marathon Training Week 16 of 23

Week sixteen was uneventful, which was fine by me. I got my 20-miler comin' up so it was nice not to have to focus too hard this week.

Here's the boring stuff:

Week 16 totals:
Running Distance: 20.9 mi
Running Time: 03:33:48 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Max Speed: 12.6 mph
Avg HR: 151 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm
Calories burned: 2,685

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 16's long run of 8 miles.

Sum totals so far:
Running Distance: 376.68 mi
Running Time: 65:35:55 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.8 mph
Avg HR: 149 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm
Calories burned: 49,409

Cycling Approx Distance: 207 mi
Cycling Time: 10:52:50 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 19 mph
Avg HR: 127 bpm
Max HR: 153 bpm

Monthly Running Mileage Totals:
May: 23.68 mi (24th thru 31st)
June: 95.02 mi
July: 104.11 mi
August: 102.53 mi
September: 51.34 (1st thru 11th!)

Previous week's totals:
Week 15 totals:
Running Distance: 37.47 mi
Running Time: 06:29:46 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.8 mph
Max Speed: 11.5 mph
Avg HR: 153 bpm
Max HR: 172 bpm
Calories burned: 4,833

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 15's long run of 18 miles.

~ Keith

Why I Remember 9/11

Do you remember where you were on 11/22/1963?

Perhaps many of you reading this do not know the significance of that day -- it was the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. For decades that one question unified a nation. I was born after that date, although not long after. I remember hearing stories of where people were, what they were doing, how that one moment in time would forever be galvanized, burned into their psyche; into the psyche of an entire nation and world. It was a day when hope was lost, when dreams were shattered. But America remembered. In his famous inaugural address he had stirred the hearts of the nation with his challenge:

My fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country

America responded. We went to the moon and did other great things. For years people remembered where they were on 11/22 because it brought them back to the hopes and ideals of a better day.

As time wore on fewer and fewer Americans remembered 11/22. We had no one moment to hold us together. Until 9 years ago today. Now we have a new question to ask ourselves:

Do you remember where you were on 9/11/2001?

But why do we remember that date? I can think of several noble reasons. We remember the lives that were lost and grieve. We remember the lives that were saved by everyday heroism, and our hearts are uplifted. And we remember the unity in New York and elsewhere, when people who were complete strangers suddenly trusted one another, helped one another, were simply there for one another.

In the past 9 years we have also chosen to remember 9/11 for ignoble reasons. We remember the Islamic Extremist Terrorists who perpetrated the atrocity, and hate them for the injustice they wrought in pursuit of religious fundamentalism. We remember out of fear of complacency -- I humbly submit it is one thing to say "Remember..." it is quite another to say "Never forget!". We remember because we've allowed bitterness and misunderstanding to twist and wrench our unity into division. The beautiful togetherness New York and all of America experienced in the aftermath of 9/11 has somehow become less about "All of us together" and more about "US against THEM".

I'd like to propose 2 excellent reasons to remember 9/11 -- they are why I make it a point to remember 9/11.

To do this, though, I need you to hear me out on a couple things, so I appreciate your patience -- this will be a somewhat lengthy post, as editing for brevity has never been my strong suit. Also, things I say here will likely ruffle some feathers and anger people. Please understand me: I'm not writing this post to be inflammatory or argumentative. I'm simply choosing not to shy away from it, because I believe it is true.

Let me start by telling you a brief story -- see if you can figure out where I'm going.

Once upon a time in a beautiful and powerful land, people were shocked and outraged when hijackers, religious extremists bent on Holy War (the worst of all possible oxymorons) invaded a great and mighty city, laying waste to buildings and innocent people, as a way of saying "We reject what you have done to our world, and we're paying you back".

Now let me tell you the same story and see if you can pick up my subtle inference:

Once upon a time in a beautiful and powerful land, people were shocked and outraged when hijackers, religious extremists bent on Holy War (the worst of all possible oxymorons) invaded a great and mighty city, laying waste to buildings and innocent people, as a way of saying "We reject what you have done to our world, and we're paying you back".

The only difference is that thousands of years ago it was the Christian Extremist Terrorists who perpetrated the atrocity, in Jerusalem, to rout the evil muslims who had taken over the city.


THE FIRST REASON I REMEMBER

I think the first reason I remember 9/11 is to stay in touch with the fact that the US against THEM mentality has been around for a lot longer than the good ole' U.S. of A. -- and to remember that what happened on that day did not make THEM worse than US -- that what we lived through on that day did not somehow make US better than THEM. America is a great country, and I'm glad I was born here. But if I make remembering 9/11 something merely patriotic, I am missing the depth and gravity of history. If 9/11 is just a reason to wave a flag, I'm somehow cheapening the human history we all share with the peoples of the world.

Not long after 11/22/1963 came 4/4/1968, when Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. I was in Memphis on that day. My parents were out bowling and my 4 sisters and I were at home. I don't have any of my own memories of that evening, but I remember it was a scary time for the city and for the country. Before his death, Dr. King had this to say about violence and hate.

The ultimate weakness of violence is that
it is a descending spiral,
begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy.
Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.
Through violence you may murder the liar,
but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.
Through violence you may murder the hater,
but you do not murder hate.
In fact, violence merely increases hate.
So it goes.
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness:
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

Yet somehow we stay fixed on US against THEM. US against THEM is ingrained in us. Ask any parent who is simply trying to drive across town, but has to deal with "He hit me!" which is, invariably countered with "HE hit ME FIRST!"

If we try to rationalize our hate and violence by claiming it is justifiable retaliation or, worse, somehow sanctioned by God, then we are being worse than childish -- we are being lunatics, cowards; idiots.

Which brings us to today. 9/11/2010. We remember -- but how and why do we remember? We have fanatics who want to burn the Qu'ran, and people putting patriotic images as their facebook profile pictures for a variety of reasons. And we have the raging controversy about "The Mosque at Ground Zero" which sounds more like "The Moth that Ate Chicago" or something equally blown out of proportion.

You wanna hear something controversial?

You wanna know what I think?

I think it is foolish that people are outraged by a building 2 blocks away from ground zero which will contain a section set aside for prayer and reflection, sponsored by an Islamic cultural center -- when if we are really concerned about injustice, what we really ought to have right at the center of ground zero is a memorial to the Native People who were swindled out of their land by the bullies who cloaked their greed in a false religious piety to "save" the "savages". In that memorial maybe we can include places of remembrance for all the hatred we've fomented and (woe is us -- actually encouraged our friends and taught our children) to spew against the Japs, the Krauts, the Chinks, the WOPs, the Niggers, the Kikes, the Spics, the Limeys, and the Pollacks. Don't forget the Queers, the Homos, the Fags, the Dykes, the Lesbos, the Hippies, the Gypsies, and the Frogs. And over in a corner, we could have a new section for the Ragheads and the Hajis.

I say we need a place to remember how awful we have been. How awful we have been. How awful WE have been. Oh my God,

How Awful We Have Been

to other human beings because THEY are not like US so we fear THEM and hate THEM and forget that we are them; they are us.

In that famous inaugural address President Kennedy invoked US against THEM imagery with almost every paragraph. At that time, it was the Commies, the Pinkos, the Marxists that were THEM (maybe we could have a section of my suggested ground zero memorial dedicated to THEM as well). Despite this, in the 60s & beyond, we as Americans did our best to remember the challenge, and we asked what we could do for our country. I suppose this may be why for so many, remembering 9/11 is about being patriotic, about being American.

But somehow we forgot President Kennedy's next line. Immediately after that challenge to his fellow Americans, he said

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Freedom. That has such a depth of meaning, but I believe the deepest, truest meaning has to do with freedom from evil itself, and a freedom to love others.

Like President Kennedy, Dr. King also called us to a new hope; challenged us to a new mindset

Man was born into barbarism
when killing his fellow man
was a normal condition of existence.
He became endowed with a conscience.
And he has now reached the day
when violence toward another human being
must become as abhorrent as eating another's flesh.

Ancient tribes used to not only kill their enemies, but eat them, believing this would give them the strength their enemies had. Dr. King said that committing any violence against another human should make us as nauseated as the idea of eating their flesh.

Hmmmmm. I seem to recall reading about a teacher from long ago, before 9/11, before MLK or JFK, before the crusades. His name was Jesus and he had a large following; gaining steam. He said some controversial things though. One time, as recorded by his best friend John, he said this: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life". You can read the whole story in context here, but suffice it to say that one comment really freaked people out, as well it should. The end of that story says "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him."

Jesus also said that even harboring hate against someone in my heart is the same as murdering them.

And Jesus, on the same night he was betrayed and sold into hands of his executioners by one of his followers, had one last meal with his closest friends. He used the bread and the wine that night as symbols and again invoked the imagery of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, as a way of somehow gaining his strength; his very life. And then (referring, I believe, to the common act of eating a meal together) he said this

As often as you do this, remember me

Many say Jesus called us to remember his sacrifice for us, and I suppose this is true. But when I "take communion" I am also remembering the fact that I am his betrayer; that violence lives inside me and I have a choice to follow love or hate. I remember that at my core I am deeply good and made in the image of my Maker -- but that image has been savagely torn and left to tarnish from disuse.

An ancient prophet named Isaiah had a mystically spiritual yet powerfully physical encounter with God. You can read about it here. When face to face with the Maker of All Things, his response was to say "Woe to me, for I am undone." Note -- the word "undone" literally means un-made, torn-apart, disintegrated. It means blown away: like either a child blowing away a wispy dandelion or a nuclear blast blowing away a city. So why was he so undone? He goes on and says "For I am a man of unclean lips, and I come from a people of unclean lips."

Did you catch that? He didn't point to anyone else and say "THEY did stuff to ME first!" He pointed to himself first, and identified with ALL people second.

America is a great country, and I'm glad I was born here. But if I make remembering 9/11 something merely patriotic, I am missing the depth and gravity of my own depravity. If 9/11 is just a reason to wave a flag, I'm somehow glossing over my own deep impurities with a little swatch of red-white-and-blue.

So if the first reason I remember 9/11 is to identify with others and the horrible US against THEM history we all share, then


THE SECOND REASON I REMEMBER

I think the best reason I remember 9/11 is to stay in touch with the fact that I am Osama Bin Laden. I am the betrayer, the terrorist, the hater; I am evil. I remember that at my core I am deeply good and made in the image of my Maker -- but that image has been savagely torn and left to tarnish from disuse.

I remember 9/11 so I can remember that violence lives inside me but in that same moment I remember I have a choice, and instead of hate I can follow love.

I implore you to do the same, on this and every day, and I wish you Peace.

~ Keith

This is my contribution to a campaign by Sarah Cunningham, who has called on faith bloggers to offer goodwill on the anniversary of 9/11. What did you think? Please share your thoughts and feelings in the comments.

For more on Remembering 9/11, you can read some great stuff by:

Chad Estes -- Remembering 9/11

Jon Reid -- Jesus Loves Muslims: A 9/11 Letter

...and at the bottom of their posts, are further links

Marathon Training Week 15 of 23

Week fifteen was a doozy. The long run was a new PR of 18 miles, and I intentionally planned my route so that Mile 17 and 18 were uphill. No, I'm not a masochist -- but at mile 17 on the Portland Marathon course is where a long slow uphill begins, to get on the St John's bridge. So, I wanted practice climbing hills at mile 17 and beyond. I had been maintaining 10:00 and sub-10:00 times for the first 16, but the last 2 miles were 11:00-ish and 12:00-ish. I don't know that I hit the wall, although 2 miles of uphill definitely kicked my butt! In 2 weeks, on my longest run of the training program (20 miles) I'll do the same thing. OOF! As I was finishing today I started thinking "OK, on race day I'll need to do 8 more miles? Whoa." But then I stopped myself and began repeating the longest of my running mantras

I can't run what was.
I can't run what will be.
I can only run what is.
Run now
carpe viam

Highlights of the week:

1. Running over 37 miles for the week!
2. Running a distance of 18 miles for the first time ever!
3. Running almost 6 1/2 hours total this week!
4. Burning over 4800 calories this week!
but the biggest highlight of all...
5. My Monday run of 60 minutes: I felt good, and strong. The 6+ miles I ran for the 60-min time-frame was at 9:24. My previous 10k PR was 9:38 -- so without even trying, I ran a new 10k+ PR! (see the run here).

Here's the boring stuff:

Week 15 totals:
Running Distance: 37.47 mi
Running Time: 06:29:46 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.8 mph
Max Speed: 11.5 mph
Avg HR: 153 bpm
Max HR: 172 bpm
Calories burned: 4,833

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 15's long run of 18 miles.

Sum totals so far:
Running Distance: 355.77 mi
Running Time: 52:02:07 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.8 mph
Avg HR: 149 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm
Calories burned: 46,724

Cycling Approx Distance: 207 mi
Cycling Time: 10:52:50 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 19 mph
Avg HR: 127 bpm
Max HR: 153 bpm

Monthly Running Mileage Totals:
May: 23.68 mi (24th thru 31st)
June: 95.02 mi
July: 104.11 mi
August: 102.53 mi
September: 30.44 (1st thru 4th!)

Previous week's totals:
Week 14 totals:
Running Distance: 20.35 mi
Running Time: 03:33:01 h:m:s
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.6 mph
Avg HR: 145 bpm
Max HR: 172 bpm
Calories burned: 2,598

Cycling Approx Distance: 00.0 mi
Cycling Time: 00:00:00 h:m:s
Approx Avg Speed 0 mph
Avg HR: n/a bpm
Max HR: n/a bpm

And here's the link to week 14's long run of 8 miles.

~ Keith