Another Group Challenge

Tonight was yet another great group run.  I ran with the Finish Line Running Store group again.  This time one of the girls from the store that hadn't run before joined us.  She's competing now as a USA Triathlete after running in college.  I was excited when I heard that.  I need someone to pull me along.

We ran a loop through two parks over there.  I did that one a few weeks back.  It started off at a fast pace of around an 8 minute mile and got even faster.  There was another guy who I'd run with a few weeks back.  Him, the girl and I pulled away early.

The pace was just a little to fast for me though.  After just under two miles I backed off.  I stayed strong enough to keep them in my sites.  I still didn't really know the course either, so I need to keep in touch to make sure I didn't get lost.  The pace seemed to get faster and faster.

As we when around a community pool, I really had to battle.  One thing that is sure working for me know is my health.  Every time I think of quitting, I tell myself this hurt is nothing.  It's nowhere near as bad as what I've been through in the last year.  This time a year ago, I was in nonstop pain and popping Percocet.  Thinking of that really makes running seem much easier.

As we got to around the three mile mark, I couldn't believe the pace.  I was going about 7:45.  That's nearly as fast as my 5K race three weeks ago.  We ran up a long and gradual hill.  I could see that I was slowly reeling the two of them in.  That was big motivation and I really pushed hard.  We took a wrong turn for a brief moment and I then caught up to them. 

I'm too competitive so I ran hard at the finish and actually beat them back.  The girl could've clearly destroyed me if she wanted to though.  She was fresh and I was burnt out.  It was an amazing workout.

I just finished reading Born to Run again for the 3rd time.  In that book, they jokingly called some female ultrarunner "the witch."  The Tarahumara Indians didn't really mind losing to a female, but it was played up like they did.  I couldn't help but think of the same thing as I was chasing this girl down tonight.  Clearly, she's not a witch, but I hate losing to any females nonetheless.  I guess it's just a male ego thing.  Even knowing I'm nowhere near peak form, it still bothers me.

After the run, I still did 4X8 second hill sprints on South Mountain near Lehigh.  My hamstring is fairly sore, so I massaged it and will do so again later.  I must be crazy because my legs were beat on the drive home, but I was still jealous of someone I saw running at Northampton Community College.

I should take it easy tomorrow, but who knows if I will.  I'd like to work in some hills, especially since the weather has been cool.  I'm almost tempted to run twice tomorrow, for no other reason than I'm motivated.  I also am considering scrapping my training plan and going even hard.  Neither is really smart though.  Hopefully, I'll be wise and hold back, but it just isn't easy.  I'm so hungry to go further and faster.

4.37 miles - 33:56 (7:45 pace)

I Got It Figured Out

Like every other kid, I always dreamed about being a pro athlete.  Even long after I realized it wasn't realistic, I still didn't totally give up on those dreams, or at least dream I'd do something great.  I just always had the feeling I would.  Who knows how everything will play out, but I came up with my big idea this morning.

Last year, I wondered why I had to have Crohn's Disease and why I had to suffer.  I knew there must be a reason why I was put in this position.  Even while I was sick, I felt like I wanted to do something to help Crohn's suffers.  Naturally, the best place to do that would be through my running.

I sort of got the idea a week or so ago, but it all came together this morning.  I attend the Indy 500 every year.  My plan is to run 500 miles to Indy right before the race to try to raise money for Crohn's research.  I actually live over 600 miles away, so I'm not sure where I'd start or things like that.  I'm also not anywhere near in the condition to pull it off at this point.

We camp there every year anyways, so we could just start out a couple weeks early and my dad could be my crew.  The big thing would be getting it out there.  Hopefully, I could get the speedway, Indy Cars and some of the Indianapolis media involved.  I live in the Andretti's hometown and if I could get them to put some money into it, that would be a big help.  I also thought that I'd plan it the year before I actually run it.  That way, I could go around the campground and track the Saturday before the race and start making people aware of my goal for the following year.  It could end up big if I can get those key parties involved.

I got the idea from a ultrarunner who suffers from Crohn's and ran across the country last year to raise money.  I don't have any desire to run that far, but 500 miles is the race distance so that would be a perfect amount for me to run.  I'm also not looking to set any records, so the amount of running per day isn't too important, although I probably wouldn't be able to get too much time off.

Anyway, I did actually run today.  I went to Hickory Run State Park in the Poconos.  I saw they had a trail race there this year and decided to follow the route.  Early on, the course was a bit tricky.  There were a lot of roots on the trail and many of them were covered by fallen leaves.  It wasn't too rocky though, so that was a big plus.

The early part was downhill and I was supposed to be doing a tempo run today, so I opened it up after the first mile.  The roots were gone, the trail was wide and fast.  I blazed an 8:39 pace for that second mile.  I then changed direction and onto the Pine Tree Hill Trail.  I guess I should've been prepared for the correctly named trail, but I wasn't.  It was uphill for almost the next two miles.  At first, it wasn't too bad.  It was a grassy path and gradually uphill.  After the third mile of the run, it seemed to keep going up and up.  The faster pace earlier had destroyed me and eventually I had to walk.  I walked for about a quarter mile until the course leveled off some.

I was going to stop at 4 miles, but since I walked some, I decided to keep going.  I was trying to get to the next trail turn.  Finally, I gave up after 4.6 miles.  I still had to walk about .2 miles to the next turn.  I'm glad I didn't run the final mile of the trail.  It was narrow with brush all along.  Even walking it, I was hitting the bushes.  That wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm really worried about ticks and Lyme Disease.  It ended up being about a two mile hike back to the car (because I wasn't too close to the trail either).

I would've liked to swim after the run, but it was just too cold.  It actually felt like fall, especially with the breeze in the woods.  Definitely not the type of weather you'd expect at the end of August.  I did get a hoagie at the beach snack stand.

I then drove to see the Boulder Field.  This is a big wide open space with lots of huge rocks in it.  It is quite an odd area.  I took some pictures and almost fell at one point.  Maybe I shouldn't complain about rocky trails anymore.  Running there would be a good way to train for those trails, although it would be nearly impossible.

Even though the hill beat me up, it was a great run.  I'll definitely be back and I'll explore some more of the trails as well as that one.  We'll likely camp there someday too.  It was a productive day with my idea as well.

4.6 miles - 47:16 (10:17 pace)

Dangling the Carrot

This morning was my first group run with the Breakfast Club Runners.  It was a very productive long run.  I ran a total of 6 miles on the Plainfield Rail Trail.

I started off with my fast teammate for the marathon relay, along with two other runners.  The pace was pretty brisk early on in the nice and cool weather.  It was comfortably hard.  I wanted to hang with them for awhile, even though I knew they'd be faster.  I did so for about 2 miles before backing off the pace.

Actually it turns out that I picked up the pace in the third mile, but they were up ahead of me.  The other two guys turned around early, to do 5 miles.  My teammate and I kept going to do 6 (although I was far behind him).  I was able to catch some of the slower runners in the group that turned around early.

I started to tire and my fourth mile was fairly slow.  The last two miles I managed to get the pace back up.  I finished with a fast 7:46 mile.  Overall, the workout pace was 8:02.  That's not much slower than my 5K race pace from a few weeks ago.

These group runs are what I really need to get back on track faster.  You can only improve so much on your own.  The only time I'd run with groups in the past was when I led group runs at City Sports.  I was always the fastest then.

Eventually, this will be an easy run.  For now, it was a great workout.  My teammate is very fast and at the level I one day hope to be.  It might takes years to get there, but I want to be that fast.


I'm happy where I'm at now and I'm really improving.  The first time I ran this trail a few months ago, I only went a total of 2 miles and I even had to walk.  I also picked up my Blue Eagle 5K medal today.  Next year, when I run up front in that race, it'll mean a little more.

Even with the fast pace, my groin didn't act up at all.  The only problem I did have was that I nearly cramped up.  It's been a good week for me and I'm feeling strong and confident again.  I can't wait to get back out there on Monday.

6 miles - 48:12 (8:02 pace)

Neighborhood Fartlek

Today I ran a 5 mile fartlek in the neighborhood near my house.  I had no plan and ran just as I felt.  I wasn't sure how my body would respond after some fairly hard workouts this week.  I felt pretty good though.  My groin was a bit sore early on, but that was about it.

I've slept in the camper the last few nights and I had trouble sleeping last night.  Right as I was about to fall asleep, it started to rain and I was up the rest of the night.  I was going to get my run in at 6 AM, but realized I forgot to charge my Garmin.  Therefore, I had to wait a few hours to run.  I did get some sleep.

It was very hot by the time I started my run at 11 AM.  I went with a singlet and short shorts.  That was a big help.  To work my groin into the run slowly, I ran the first mile and a half easy.  I then went moderately hard for 3 minutes.  Part of this was uphill.  I tried to make the hard sections uphill when I could.

After the first faster segment, I took about a 5 minute rest.  I then ran 4 minutes uphill at a harder pace.  I finished up my third and final segment with a mile left in the run.  I did run pretty hard in the tough segments, but I didn't feel like it taxed me too much.  My groin wasn't too sore afterward either.  It seems to be getting better.

I'm always amazed at how time flies by during speedwork sessions.  You are so focused on the current segment that the whole workout is over before you know it.  That was certainly the case today.

I'll be running my long run with the Breakfast Runners Club at the Plainfield Rail Trail on Saturday.  It'll be my first time running with the group and hopefully I'll meet my teammates for the marathon relay next month.  I look forward to it.

5 miles - 44:37 (8:56 pace)

Easy Trexler

Today was an easy run at Trexler Nature Preserve, although there is really no such thing. I took the easier route south from the main building. It is still very hilly and there is no shade. I am better off than I was a few months ago, but I was still surprised at how much the hills bothered me on this 3 mile run.

Early on, I was startled on the trail by a dog. I'm not used to see people there on the trail, so at first I didn't even realize it was a dog. It was big and ugly and I was initially confused at what type of animal it was. It went back to its owner though and it was well behaved.

The hill up near Kids Peace is tough, but after that the path flattened out. A tractor was actually smoothing out the gravel road after the rain we've had the last few days. I was happy to see that the trail wasn't too washed out or muddy where I ran. After 1.75 I hit the turnaround. I love running here and the miles just seemed to click by. I struggled up the last hill a bit, but my pace was still solid. I ended up finishing before the road crossing, so I walked up the road to the main parking lot.

I finished up with 3 X 8 second hill sprints. They actually seemed rather easy. I forgot to do them yesterday, so I opted to tack them onto today's run. I need to do these more consistently to get stronger.

My groin was a little sore from last night's run. All in all, it wasn't too bad though. It got better as the run went on and I'm having only minor soreness now. Overall, it was a nice and productive run.

3 miles - 28:05 (9:22 pace)

Group Run

Last night was a fun group run at the Finish Line Running Store. This is the first time where we've had more than a few people. There were a total of 8 of us and we ran a new route. I had no idea where we were running so I just followed the crowd. The five of us guys headed north while the three girls took a separate route.

It was frustrating because I went out of the store a minute early to get my GPS to find a satelitte. For some reason, it couldn't pick one up though. It took about half a mile before I finally got a signal.

The weather was nice and the pace ended up being perfect. It was challenging, but not so much so that I couldn't handle it. I ran with Steve, who I've run with before, and we took off away from the rest of the pack. Although the route was all on roads, they were actually rather quiet and made it easy to run on.

The course itself wasn't too hilly, but the under 8:30 minute pace did make it challenging for me to get up even the slightest inclines. In the final two miles, there was one steep uphill. I managed to dig in and follow Steve though. He made for a great pacer. He started to drop me a bit at the end. He definitely could've gone faster. I did have my usual kick at the finish though.

The route ended up being 5 miles and a little over half a minute off my 5K pace. These group runs are definitely a big help. Hopefully they'll allow me to progress a bit faster. Eventually, I'll be the pace setter, but for now it is good to have someone pull me along.

4.59 miles - 38:20 (8.21 pace)

Back in the Game

It has been a long time since I last wrote about my running, so this will be quite the update. The last year plus has been a rollercoaster for me. After the high of running my second marathon, I was hit with illness. First, I had a fistula which was very painful and eventually needed surgery. That occurred in July of 2010. I hadn't been running for the previous two months, but I thought after surgery, I'd get back on track.

It turns out that was merely the beginning of my health problems. It didn't recover after surgery like I expected. I was very weak and seemed to be getting worse as time went on. I spent almost all day in bed, sleeping most of the time. No matter what I ate, I seemed to have an upset stomach. I had lost a significant amount of weight from running for a year, but now I lost even more. At my lowest point, I weighed a mere 115 pounds. Finally, I went to see a doctor again in the fall. I was eventually diagnosed with moderate to severe Crohn's disease. I was put on numerous pills, went to through a battery of tests and minor procedures.

It's now been a year since I first encountered these health problems. I am still not over them, but am much better off than I was in the fall. I have to inject myself with a shot of Humira every two weeks. If that doesn't completely fix me, I might need to have surgery again.

No matter how bad I felt, I always tried to stay positive and remain mentally strong. That's just my way of dealing with things. I thought I would miss running, but I was so weak that I couldn't even think about running. Just walking a mile was a real struggle. I had to wear a back brace because I was so weak at times.

I can happily say I am now back to running and actually have been since late April. I lost all of my previous fitness, so at first it was a real struggle. I sputtered along and couldn't even run for 10 minutes straight. I did a lot of run/walk workouts in the beginning and have slowly but surely build my way back up.

The first big accomplishment of my comeback was running my first 5K in late July. It took me just over 25 minutes and was my slowest ever, but I ran it how I wanted. It is amazing how you really learn to pace yourself pretty well with experience.

I ran my second race a little over a week ago (the Blue Eagle 5K). I cut over a minute off my time in less than a month and considering that I struggled just to run a mile a few months ago, it is a big accomplishment. It was also important to run this race because it is in my backyard and supports my high school's track and cross country programs. I talked briefly with my old coach afterward too. I even won an age group award, although mainly because there weren't many people in my age group. Next year, I'm shooting for a top ten place in the race and hopefully even a top five.

I enjoyed my time living in Philly, but I love running back home in Nazareth. There are just so many more running options. I've rarely even run on roads thanks to all the trails and paths. I'm really starting to get into trailing running and love going to Jacobsburg and Trexler Nature Preserve. The Nature Preserve is quite the drive, but it is the most difficult place I've ever run and I absolutely love it. It has rolling hills and some are so steep that you almost have to walk up or down them. I wish I could actually run there more.

I'm trying to get involved in the local running scene. I'm becoming a regular at the Finish Line Running Store's weekly group runs. That has definitely helped me get faster, especially when a former local runner who is now a professional showed up to run one week. I joined the Lehigh Valley Roadrunners and am going to run a marathon relay with four others from the Breakfast Club Runnners group. Hopefully, I'll volunteer in the future and work at a running store and even more involved in running in the Lehigh Valley.

I don't have time to cover all the runs I've done, so I'll just start with my two latest runs. While training for the Blue Eagle 5K, I hurt my groin. I decided to rest it by taking most of last week off. That definitely, helped although it is still a little sore after runs. I'll have to stretch well and just keep tabs on it.

On Saturday morning, I headed out to the Allentown Parkway. It is about 6 miles or so of gravel path which is closed to traffic. I went in the Roadrunners clubhouse for the first time. It is great because there is a kitchen and bathroom with shower available for use. The weather was perfect and there were a lot of runners, walkers and bikers on the path. I ran out towards the fish hatchery. After about a mile or two, I saw two cute girls running on the other side of the river. I decided to follow them, catch them and pass them. That is always good motivation. The only problem was I didn't actually know where I was going. After passing them, the trail ended and I had to head back. Most of the route is actually flat, but there are a couple hilly sections. With about 2 miles left in my 5 mile run, I came across one of those hilly sections. It really beat me up. I couldn't believe how weak I felt. I didn't feel all that well on Friday night, so I guess it wasn't really a huge surprise. I struggled a bit through the last two miles. I shouldn't say I struggled, but it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, especially considering the nice weather. The longest I had run so far in this training cycle was 7 miles on a trail at Promised Land State Park in the Poconos.

After taking my usual Sunday off, I headed to nearby Louise Moore Park today. I ran a 3 mile progression run, with the last 10 minutes at moderate pace. This route is relatively easy as it is about a mile long and relatively flat. I got my run in just before the rains came. This gravel path was a great place for me to start when I couldn't run a mile, but I get bored when I have to run multiple loops around it. I forgot my shirt and socks, so I ran in a cotton tee with no socks. I'm not sure what it was, but I didn't feel all that great today either. I thought after nearly a week off, I'd feel strong these last few days, but I haven't. Hopefully, I'm just hitting a rough patch. Even without feeling great, I still had a decent run. The first mile was around 9:30, the second around 8:30 and the final mile at moderate pace was under 8 minutes. It was good to get the run over with. I never did care much for short runs and luckily this has now become one of my shorter runs.

I'm not going to be as aggressive in my comeback this time. The earliest I'll run a marathon is in the spring. More likely, I'll wait until next fall. I really want to be able to qualify for Boston next time I run one. I'd love to dip into ultras after that. For now, I'm training for the Run for the Diamonds 9 miler in Berwick. It is one Thanksgiving Day and is one of the oldest runs in the country. I ran this challenging race in 1999 and to this day, it is my favorite race I've run. Hopefully this year will provide the same.

I am being a bit aggressive with my training though. My peak week for the race will be 45 miles and I'll be doing quite a bit of speedweek. I'm definitely running the marathon relay before it and I'm looking into two other races in October. Both are trail races. One is a 6.5 miler in the dark in Reading and the other is a 15K at Bear Creek Ski Resort. I've run at Bear Creek a couple times and going up the mountain is certainly tough. I haven't even completed the full 5 mile loop yet.

Although it is frustrating to be so far behind where I was when I first got sick, I'm still enjoying running and making progress now. Eventually, I 'll get to the level I was at and beyond.

Hopefully, I can get 5 or more straight years of running in. That would be great. It is fun just to be out there on my feet again. Luckily, none of the health problems that I have throughout the rest of the day carry over to my running. That's one time where I usually feel normal again. I was even able to use my health as motivation at the last 5K. When I was struggling towards the end of the race, I said to myself that this is nothing compared to what I've been through in the last year. Hopefully I won't even have to go through it again and I'll be a strong runner for years to come.

3 miles - 25:46

8:36 pace