Anyway, lots of stuff this week. It's been kind of busy on my end with a lot of stuff, including trying to keep up with the Olympic track and field coverage. Unfortunately, for me anyway, NBC has done a poor job of it. I still have not seen the women's 10,000 meter race from Aug. 15 online, and I couldn't wait until past midnight to see it on TV. So essentially, I've given up on that (but I did tape the women's marathon, and plan to do the same with the men's marathon). To make up for it all, flotrack.org and runnersworld.com have kept me up-to-date, and Flotrack has been really great with a lot of in-depth coverage - see the Deena Kastor vids below as an example - that the network hasn't done. (Well, except for Michael Phelps … major props to him, but aren't there other athletes competing in these games?)
More importantly, though, Christine, my daughter, sent me some pix of my granddaughter, Maya, due to make an entrance into the world on Dec. 31. Yes, the baby is a girl, and as the photos show, she's got some long legs! Here's the deal … only Maya can call me "grandpa." Good thing I have about a year or so to get used to the idea before she starts talking …
Training … 8 weeks to go!
This week's training began with a 10-miler on Monday; a day off (and laundry day!) on Tuesday; 8x800s on the track at between 3 minutes, 19 seconds to 3:32 each, plus a total of 3 miles warm up and cool down on Wednesday; weights and core work on Thursday; 10 to 12 miles early Friday; church camp Friday-Sunday in Oceanside (yay!); and for sure, an easy 8-miler on Sunday when I get home from camp.
Next week
Monday: easy 10 miles
Tuesday and Thursday: weights and core work at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center at Cal State San Bernardino
Wednesday: 8-10 mile tempo run at about my 10K pace
Friday: really easy 8 miles
Saturday: 20-21 miler at Bolsa Chica State Beach with GK
Sunday: Rest day (for sure!)
The fun part about training for the Chicago Marathon is that I'm coming in to training cycle in shape rather than working to get in shape. Much of that comes from having been consistent with training for the past two years, beginning with the build up to Long Beach International Bank Half Marathon in 2006. In other words, I'm not starting from zero as I have with marathons prior to the summer of 2006.
For that reason, I've been able to run two 20-milers in training two weeks apart and really early in the training cycle, which will allow me two more workouts at that distance (along with a couple 18- and 16-milers in between). I used to dread those really long runs, but now, because I'm actually out there with a group that has water stations along the route, with people providing encouragement, it's been so much easier this time around. Even better is that we all share the same goal: to run a marathon or half marathon as a way to help the poor in the Philippines.
And it helped that Liane, who's been coordinating things for our GK run group with our coach, Gregg, had these really great pastries from Portos after last Saturday's 20-miler. (Yes, do click on the link!)
Long runs serve many purposes in marathon training. Among them is to get the body used to being out there and moving for a long time. Another is that it serves as sort of a dress rehearsal for race day by addressing a bunch of questions: how will I react to running a certain pace; can I go out at a certain pace and run the last half slightly faster; how does my body tolerate heat or cold or wind or rain; can I handle the race day sports drink; what will my refueling strategy be; will a certain pair of shorts or socks cause chafing or blisters? As one of my fellow coaches with Team in Training liked to say, the long run days help you prepare for things that can go wrong on race day. Kind of like a really long problem-solving session.
It's also a time for meditation for me. With my senior pastor on vacation this month, and me filling in for him, I've had the opportunity to teach from the Book of Jonah. Last Sunday, we were going over the third chapter of that book, and the long run the day before helped me frame the message. Mostly, during the run, Chris Tomlin's updated version of "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" kept going through my head because that was the main thrust of Jonah 3. It also helped me decide that we'd sing that song as a congregation, too.
Here's how it sounds when Chris Tomlin sings it:
Even though it's possible that I'll be running along the beach trail with a bunch of other people, there comes a point where you kind of go on auto pilot and just empty yourself before the Lord in prayer and worship. It's those times that He speaks to me in His still, small voice, to guide me through a particular problem, to help me make sense of a Scripture passage, to help me heal from whatever hurt I might be carrying, to reset my priorities, to just revel in the idea that I can run as far as I can, further than I would ever have dreamed of when I was a little kid wheezing from asthma.
It's no wonder that Ryan Hall, the Olympic marathoner, calls the roads his sanctuary.
And while running can seem like a pretty shallow, self-centered thing to do, I also think that God shows us (if we are paying attention) how we can turn it into something that brings Him glory as we help others.
Check out this video from Ryan and his friend, Josh Cox:
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