Unwritten Rules Vol. 1: No Drafting

The great thing about running is its simplicity. If you have a pair of shoes, and a strip of pavement, you can head out the door and consider yourself a runner. There is no handbook. No pamphlet. No instructions.

But, maybe there should be.

You see, once you are a runner, there are indeed rules. Many are of the unwritten variety and plenty are broken on a daily basis out on the roads and in the gyms across the country. Spitting while on the treadmill? Come on, people. Running two- or three-people wide across an entire path? That's just rude.

Today, though, let's tackle "Running Etiquette for Dummies" with a lesson in drafting.

Last week, I headed out for a relatively fast-paced six-miler along the Toronto lakefront. It's a gorgeous out-and-back run that takes me by a couple parks, along the water and up and down a couple of decent hills. I run alone and I am a waver, giving a slight nod or a brief salute to the runners I can tell are also serious about their craft.

As I bolted around a curve entering my second mile, I noticed someone closing in behind me. I respected the man's speed and glided to my left, hugging the blue line painted down the center of the path -- the boundry between runners heading east and those heading west. I was giving clearance for my fellow runner to pass.

Something strange happened, though. He did not pass me.

After I shifted to the left, so did the man behind me. I glanced back and I saw a thin runner, wearing a loose-fitting tank top and some small shorts. It was the attire of a serious runner -- maybe a fellow marathoner. You would think someone of that ilk would know better than to tuck behind a complete stranger on a run.

You see, on this particular day, it was windy along the lake, especially heading west as he and I were at the moment. I was running against the wind and he was running relatively wind free. He was drafting off me, allowing me to absorb the heavy wind while he ran in a calm pocket behind me.

This was entirely unacceptable.

I pushed my pace to try to separate myself from him, but he sped up as well. I moved to my right and he followed. A few runners sprinted by in the opposite direction, nodding and waving as they ran past. I gave a nod in return, but I wanted to say, "I don't know this guy! We're not running partners!"

Because that is what it likely looked like.

It probably looked like me and Mr. Short Shorts were running buddies, taking part in some tough training exercise along the lake. In a sense, for two miles, we were running partners, though. I ran harder. He stayed with me. I shifted to the other side of the path. So did he. I moved back. He followed.

In a word: annoying.

Finally, as I was nearing my third mile, I glanced back again. And, just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone, and I slowed my pace back to my normal range. I'll say this about Captain Shadow, he gave me a good workout, because I was not going to allow him the satisfaction of passing me after his little stunt.

Drafting off another runners is one of those unwritten rules. Unless you know the other runner, and such a strategy has been approved, you simply do not do it.

A new PR: Gasparilla 2010

I've got to say, I am completely bummed that Tampa's Gasparilla Distance Classic is no longer going to include the marathon.

At the end of February, I ran the "Final Voyage" of the Gasparilla Marathon and I had an absolute blast. A gorgeous day made the out-and-back course along the water so enjoyable. It was flat and fast and the size of the field was perfect.

I crossed the finish line in 3:43:43 -- a new PR by more than 20 minutes. I was thrilled. My training program was an aggressive six-week plan after roughly three months of simply sticking with a weekly mileage base with few long runs.

I ran Chicago in October after training poorly, mainly due to the birth of my son. When you've got a newborn in your arms, let me tell you, the last thing you want to do is head out for a long run. I PR'd in Chicago, but I didn't break four hours. I didn't really plan on doing another 26.2 so soon. I was feeling so strong with my running by the end of December, though, that I decided to take on another full.

The Gasparilla Marathon worked out perfectly because I was going to be in Florida for work from mid-February through the beginning of April. The bulk of my training was done in Chicago and Toronto -- often through the snow -- and only one final long run during my tapering period was needed while in Florida.

When race day arrived, I got up at 4 a.m. and was at the convention center in Tampa well before the 6 am start. While stretching inside -- I've got to say, having indoor bathrooms and places to get loose inside was an awesome change from other races -- I met a guy named Chris. We chatted for a bit and headed to the start line together.

I saw Chris later that morning, around Mile 20. I caught him and we wound up running the final six miles together. I think it was good for both of us. He pushed me when I was hurting and when we got to the home stretch, I pushed him to a strong finish. We finished only a couple seconds apart.

I ran the first half in 1:44, which was only two minutes slower than I ran the Las Vegas half marathon in December 2008. I took a similar approach to my last Chicago Marathon -- go out hard with the intent of slowing some later. The only difference this time was I put in the training and was able to hold that early pace for much longer.

In Chicago, I was really only ready to do maybe 16-18 miles total. I faded hard during that race, but went out fast enough at the start to PR at 4:04. This time, I was able to hold a hard pace (for me) for 18-20 miles. I knew I could slow to an 8:30-9:00 pace, if needed, and still be on pace for around a 3:45 finish.

I wound up doing the second half in 1:59, which was almost exactly what I was aiming for. When I saw I had 1:44 in the first half, all I said was get under 2 hours for the second half. That's a comfortable pace for me, even when my legs are aching. So, my game plan paid off. I hit my targets and crushed my previous marathon best.

As for the course, it was fantastic. You run through downtown Tampa, through some nice little residential areas, along the water, down beautiful Bayshore Boulevard, around a small lake and then back. The only complaint I had was that the half marathoners rejoin the marathon pack at one point. So you went from running in a very thin crowd to being in a mass of people at about the halfway point. Really, though, that's a small complaint.

Following the marathon, I felt great, too. The next morning, I was walking fine. This meant two things in my mind. 1) I trained really well this time around and have really learned how to approach things in the days leading up to the race. 2) I didn't run hard enough! I think it was more of the former than the latter. I can't stress enough how much core and strength training have helped me stay injury free for the past year.

I was so happy with how things went at the Tampa Marathon, that I decided to take a physical and mental break from running. Here we are, it's April 25, and I've only JUST started running regularly again. I did four six-milers this week for a solid 24-mile week. I'm over 2,300 miles since I started logging them in October 2007 and I'm planning on running my next marathon in November.

My favorite part of the last marathon wasn't the cool medal, the PR or anything that happened during the race, though. When I got home from the marathon, I opened up the door to the condo I was staying at and my lovely wife had my son in a little T-shirt that read "Future Marathoner." Let's learn how to crawl first, buddy.

~JB

Gaining Strength

"Free your mind, and your feet will follow."

--Kevin Nelson
The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration

Opened up an e-mail the other day from Runner's World and received that quote. Some of the items they send are quickly deleted, others hit home a little bit. This one stuck out for me in that it very succinctly summed up one of the main motivations I have for running.

A lot of people will say they enjoy running so much because it provides them with time to think about things, time to plan or to ponder. For me, it's the complete opposite. When I hit the road, I completely clear my mind. I might be out there running for two hours, but all I'm thinking about is how my feet are landing, how my breaths are timed and whether my pace is strong.

When I'm at home, I'm constantly thinking about deadlines, assignments, and how to organize all those work items in a way as to intefere as little as possible with being a father and a husband. My mind is running on overdrive when I'm at home. The last thing I want to do is take that with me onto the road.

My wife has always marveled at how I can shut my mind off when it is time to fall asleep. She'll lie in bed, going over the million things that wives go over in their minds. Me? I close my eyes, clear my mind of all that daytime clutter, and am able to fall asleep within a few minutes. It's the same when I head out for a long run.

Some time in the past year, someone said they didn't understand how someone could run a marathon -- that at some point you'd run out of things to think about over 26.2 miles. It was funny. That was something that never occurred to me. During marathons, all I think about is one foot in front of the other until that finish line is behind me.

Speaking of which, it's official:

I am signed up for the Tampa Marathon.

I just wrapped Day 2 in Week 3 of my accelerated 6-week training plan. So far, I have not missed one workout and have only used two of the 16 days as pure rest days. I did an "easy" 8-miler today, split between the treadmill and track. This past Sunday, I logged 16 miles on the Don Valley Path here in Toronto.

I stepped on the scale today and it read 163, so I'm down about 10-12 pounds since I ran the Chicago Marathon in October. Not only am I trimmer, but I'm stronger. I feel better than I have before any of my marathons. Unlike leading up to my first one, I have really mixed in strength training, and done a lot of core work, to help with injury prevention and form.

I'm not going to be qualifying for Boston, but a fourth consecutive PR is not unrealistic and that would likely mean I'd finally break four hours for a marathon. That's the goal. If I can get close to the 3:45 range where I'd like to be, that would be an added bonus. Barring some sort of setback, everything seems to be lining up well right now.

So, wish me luck. My weekly mileage is nearing 40 and I'm due for an 18-miler this Sunday and a 20-miler the following weekend. I've been doing the bulk of my training indoors, except for those long runs. On the past two Sundays, I've braved freezing rain and snow flurries, respectively. Let's hope for better conditions this week...

~JB

Somebody's watching

A cool thing happened the other day. I was running laps around our indoor track, working on finishing a six-miler, when I noticed a pair of little eyes were locked in on me. As I whipped around one of the tight turns, the eyes followed me and his head turned, his tiny mouth agape.

My four-month-old son was watching me run.

Kelly brought Hayden to the gym to walk laps with him strapped to her in his carrier -- he doesn't like being idle. She took a break to bounce on a large rubber ball with him, and he loved it, giggling like crazy. But when I ran by, he recognized me for that split second and watched me fly around the track.

That was a pretty neat experience. The moment lasted all of three seconds, but it served as a pretty big reality check. Whether I like it or not, he's watching everything I do and he's bound to try to copy me. In that case, I have even more motivation to keep running. I want my little guy growing up in a household where athletics are normal, where doing something like running a marathon is a way of life, not some unattainable dream.

I want Hayden to grow up knowing that he can accomplish anything he wants with the right attitude and the right work ethic. That's one of the main reasons I ran the Chicago marathon in October, even though his birth took a toll on my training. It was an exercise in determination, and something I could tell him about someday.

Along those same lines, I have decided to run the Tampa Marathon on Feb. 28. I have been running steadily and strong since Chicago and am actually in better shape now than I was then. I set a PR for that marathon and am confident I'll do so this time around as well.

I have mapped out an abbreviated marathon training plan. A crash course leading up to the big day. I have been doing weekly long runs up to this point, but I'll now up the anty, going for 14, 16, 18, 20-22, and 10 miles, respectively, on the five Sundays leading up to the marathon. There's speedwork, tempo runs, easy efforts, and plenty of cross-training, core workouts and lifting days.

I will be a four-time marathoner in less than six weeks.

Today was further proof that I'm feeling very strong on the run right now. I did a 5-miler, with 3 at a tempo pace of between 7:55-8:00 per mile. I finished with tempo splits of 7:57-7:54-7:58. As if that wasn't steady enough, I hit exactly 1,390 steps in each of the first two miles and 1,394 for the third.

Hayden wasn't there watching today. But I can't wait to show him my fourth medal down in Florida.

NYD 5K RESULTS: I finished the New Year's Day 5K in Chicago in 23:14 for an average of roughly 7:30 per mile. Among an estimated 600+ timed participants, I finished 43rd overall. I wanted to break 21, but the path was covered in snow and ice for a few long stretches and the wind chill was about 7 degrees F. My sister Melissa ran in the event as well -- one of her steps in becoming a future Ironman finisher.

After Melissa finished, we crossed the finish line together.

Running into the New Year

My sister Melissa -- on a journey to become an Iron[wo]man -- told me that she was signed up to run a 5K on New Years Day in Chicago, and asked if I was interested in taking part in the event. Today, I signed up, too, so I'll be among a couple thousand crazies running on New Years morning.

Here's why we're all crazy:

The race will be held in Lincoln Park, which you hit at around Mile 6 or 7 during the Chicago Marathon. Part of the reason I thought this race sounded fun was because I haven't run in an organized event off less than 13.1 miles since high school. I'm looking forward to going all out for 3.1 miles and seeing how I do -- cold weather and all.

I'll be aiming to break 21 minutes, but we'll see what happens. I can break that no problem on an indoor track inside the comforts of a gym, or on a treadmill. We'll see if I can do it out in the cold with a few layers on. If I finish fast, I'm hoping to go find my sister and push her along to the finish to hopefully help her reach her time goal.

I have taken Monday and Tuesday off this week, so I'll hit the snow-covered sidewalks here again tomorrow. Last week, I met my goal of 21 miles in 3 runs, logging a nice 6-miler at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. It's been hard to steer completely clear of all the Christmas cookies between runs, though!

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Bring it, winter

After one little purchase, I no longer view a winter storm the same. When I look out the window now, and I see snow falling and ice forming, obvious signs that the temperature is dropping fast, I no longer worry about how I'm going to get my run in.

Thanks to these...


... I now smile when the weather outside is frightful.

A little snow and ice -- or a lot of snow and ice, for that matter -- is no match for me and my new Yaktrax. Puddles... well, puddles are still a problem. This week, back here in Chicagoland for the holidays, I have logged a 7-miler in an ice storm and an 8-miler during a big snow storm. And I had a blast each time I've headed out.

That's me heading out on an 8-mile jaunt the day after Christmas.

With these babies strapped to my shoes, I can run without worrying about any nasty slips or falls. Last year in Toronto, I had a couple of those while running in snowy conditions with no "tire chains" on my feet, as the family has referred to them. It's made running in the winter fun. Yeah, I said it. Fun. No, I'm not crazy. I'm just a runner.

One thing that added to the whole experience was watching the reaction of people in cars as they drove by me running out in the nasty weather. I saw a few dropped jaws and a couple people did full head-turns like, "Is that person nuts?" One man in a snow plow gave me an extra boost of adrenaline, though. He honked his horn, rolled down his window and threw a fist up in the air as he drove by, like "Right on, man!"

Right on, indeed. I also reached a milestone today. I passed 2,000 miles since i began logging in October 2007. I've averaged more than 2 miles per day since I started running regularly, and have averaged 5.8 miles per run over that span.

Can't wait for tomorrow's 6-mile run. Here's hoping it doesn't warm up!

~JB

Eight Mile

That was what I logged today. No big deal, except that I've been sidelined for a little over a week with one of the worst back issues I've ever had. I even admitted defeat and went and saw a doctor on Monday. For anyone who knows me, that's a big deal.

The doc cracked me in a thousand places and gave me some meds and I've been feeling a lot better in the last two days. My job forced me to leave Chicago and come back to Toronto this week, so instead of sitting around the condo today, I made a point to head over to the gym.

Feeling good, I did six miles on the treadmill and then two around the track at about an 8-minute pace. I skipped the core workout or any lifting, because I was worried about tweaking my back. I've had sharp pain in my neck, upper right back, right shoulder and even some strain in my right chest muscles.

I'm just happy I was able to get back to running again. When you finally become a "runner", it's funny how even a few days off make you really antsy. Between my job and not running, my stress level was going through the roof. I've been feeling really irritable and quite tense. I'm sure my wife can attest to that!

But, after running today, I felt so much better. And relieved that the whole run went well, no rust really to shake off. Since the week after I completed Chicago Marathon, I've been trying to maintain an average of at least 21 miles per week. Minus last week, I've been able to manage that type of work load.

Don't tell my wife :) but I'm contemplating running the Tampa Marathon on Feb. 28. Someone reminded me that it was going on while I was in Florida and I'm considering giving it a go. I might not, but I'm at least letting the idea linger in my head. I have yet to sit down and map out a plan to see if it's realistic or not.

That's all for now. Just haven't updated in a while.

~JB