Getting Unstuck

Confession time! I've been stuck for the past several months.

I know this confession comes as no surprise to those of you who've followed my blog for a while. I haven't written a new post since November 13, 2012! Yikes!

I can easily look back over the last few months and recognize what happened. In fact, I knew it was happening all along. I knew I was getting stuck and I didn't do anything about it.

Here's how it happened.  

When I finished the marathon on November 10, 2012 and wrote my last blog post about it, I had planned to take a few weeks off from running and writing. During that time, I set for myself some pretty lofty and aggressive goals. I decided I would completely redesign my website and I would take my Road to Richmond blog posts and compile it into an E-Book.

Have you ever heard the phrase "life happens..."? I thought so. Well, life happened.

November is always a very busy month for my company and there were many pressing projects that just had to get done before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Needless to say, those projects took up all of my work and personal time so neither of my personal writing projects got done.  I was still thinking about them and had many great plans on paper and in my head. I just didn't have the time to take action on them. I told myself I could catch up next week...

November turned into December and the work-load and other demands on my personal time never let up...

By late December I started to feel guilty and embarrassed about not having my website redesigned nor my e-book done, but also about not having written any posts for my blog. I was starting to put huge pressure on myself to write something, anything... but what? And it had to be great!

You see, I never expected my blog or my Road to Richmond marathon posts to be so popular. I was humbled and amazed at how many people were reading and responding to it and telling me how helpful and/or inspirational it was to them. These are words and responses that every writer longs to hear! Thank you!!!

The problem is this: because my posts had been so popular, I felt like I had to put out something great the next time. Success can sometimes be paralyzing! And that's what was happening to me.

In fact, as more time lapsed, I convinced myself that you, my readers, were noticing how much time was passing and that you were sure I was hard at work on the next great post! Problem is, I wasn't.

The fear of not meeting my readers' expectations for another great post was keeping me from writing at all.

There's a big trap set out there for people who produce anything. The trap is the idea that the next thing we produce must be better than the last thing or there's no point in producing it at all.

I didn't just fall into that trap, I willingly dove into it and now I want out!

So today starts my climb out of trap I set for myself; the beginning of getting unstuck. I still have some big goals and some awesome topics I want to write about, but it's back to basics, back to baby-steps again.

My hope in writing about how I got stuck is twofold. First, I'm really hoping the process will springboard me into action that will keep me from falling back into that patterns that got me stuck to begin with. Second, I'm hoping that some of you will recognize some of these mistakes in your own lives and will use my words as encouragement to help you get yourself unstuck too!

If you think you're stuck and not sure how to get unstuck, here is a link to some resources you might find helpful on Amazon.com: Getting Unstuck Resources @ Amazon.com

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The Road to Richmond: The Finish Line!

We did it! We've crossed the finish line!

Thank you for following my 18-week count-down toward the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 10, 2012.

It's been a long, enjoyable journey and our marathon training paid off.

So let's talk about how the race went...

A Beautiful Morning for Starting Off Strong

My goal for the marathon was to finish in 3:30:00 (3 hours and 30 minutes). That's an average 8:00 minute per mile (mpm) pace throughout the race and would qualify me for the Boston Marathon.

I'll spare you the suspense and say that I did not hit that goal. I completed the marathon in 3:50:37, an average 8:48 mpm pace.  I'm still very pleased with that result!

We just couldn't have asked for better weather for the race in Richmond, Virgina, on the second weekend in November! At race start (8:00 am) it was a cool, crisp, 45 degrees with a light breeze. The sun came out and warmed us up to a mild 65 degrees by the time I crossed the finish line.  Perfect weather, in my opinion!

I started the race very intentionally watching my pace to make sure I didn't go out too fast!

While it still feels awkward every time I do it, I used Jeff Galloway's run/walk/run method throughout the race. This means I would run at a 7:45 mpm pace for 2 miles and then walk for 30 seconds, keeping my pace at a 8:00 average.

I say it feels awkward because I'm self-conscious of what other runners are thinking when they see me walking only 2 miles into the race!  I quickly get over it, though, and focus on running according to my plan, not theirs!

At 10K, I was feeling great! I crossed the 10K timing mat at 49:25, which was a 7:57 mpm pace and slightly ahead of my goal.

I was intentionality trying to put just a little bit of time "in the bank" by running a slightly faster pace knowing the hardest part of the course was coming up.

In my opinion, the toughest part of the Richmond Marathon is between miles 11 and 14. This stretch brings us up a very steep hill as we leave the flat river run and head up to several big, rolling hills on Forest Hill Avenue.

I got up the big hill at mile 11 without too much trouble and was able to hold on to most of my pace up through the half-marathon mark.

I crossed the 13.1 timing mat in 1:45:05, an average 8:01 pace. I was very pleased with that time and pace given the significant hills I'd just come through.

That's me on the right in the white/orange shirt.
Photo by Marilyn Van Horn

A Brief Stop for a Big Hug

While I was trying to "race" the marathon and keep my target pace, I had a very important stop to make at mile 14.

My mother and my youngest son, Carter, came down to cheer for me along the route and they were there to greet me at mile 14.

Even though my mother encouraged me to keep going and just wave to them, there was no way I was going to run past my boy without stopping to give him a big hug and kiss, and that's exactly what I did!

The stop cost me about 15 seconds, but gave me the emotional boost to make up the time and I still ran that mile in 7:46!

Captain, We Have a Problem!

At mile 16 I knew I had a problem.

I wrote in a previous post that my right foot/ankle had been giving me trouble and I was concerned how it would hold up.

While my right foot/ankle was bothering me just a little, I must have been compensating for it more than I was aware and, 16 miles into the race, my left knee started to get very sore!

I tried pushing through the pain that was becoming fairly intense at mile 17.

Just before mile 18, I misstepped and my left knee buckled underneath me and I knew the "race" was over.

I was pretty sure my knee would hold up for the rest of the course, but not at the pace I was going.

Mid-Race Goal/Attitude Adjustments

As I walked into the water station at mile 18, I knew I had to make a choice about the rest of the distance.

The way I saw it, I had three choices: I could quit and get a ride back to my car; I could continue to run and try to get as close to my goal as possible despite the pain or risk of injury; or I could just let the goal go, relax and finish the run at any easy pace and enjoy the fans, bands and beautiful weather.

I chose to let go, relax and just enjoy myself!

I must admit it took me another two miles before I was able to shake off the disappointment and rearrange my attitude.

The crowd made the difference! Even though my knee was throbbing and I was walking, there were scores of people on the side of the road cheering for me and encouraging me to keep going. There were smiling kids with there hands out asking for Hi-5s as I passed by. How can you not keeping going with that kind of encouragement?

So with a new goal of just having fun and enjoying the crowd, the sights, the sounds and the gorgeous mid-60 degree weather, I set back into a steady jog.

The rest of the marathon was spent with a smile on my face and a new sense of satisfaction that, even though I wouldn't reach my initial goal, I would be able to overcome the biggest potential obstacle we face: a bad attitude.

I crossed the finish line with a time of 3:50:37 and gave big thumbs up the cameras.

Another Hug at the Finish

You know I'm a big fan of Runner's World author and coach, Bart Yasso, and his speed/endurance workouts named Yasso 800s because I wrote about it and tweet about it all the time.

Well, who should be the very first person I recognized as soon as I crossed the finish line? That's right, the man himself, Bart Yasso. I reached out my sweaty hand to give him a handshake but he would have no part of that. Bart pulled me in for big bear hug and said "Great job. You rock!"

Any chance of disappointment creeping back into my brain was crushed by Bart's hug and encouraging words! Thanks, Bart! You rock too!

So there you have it. My Richmond Marathon experience!

I really am humbled by how many of you have followed me along the way and written comments, emails and tweets to me. Thank you!

If you ran Richmond, I'd love to hear about your experience too! Please leave details in the comments box below!

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The Road to Richmond: Week 1 ~ Ready or Not, It's GO Time!

This is Week 1 of my 18-week count-down toward the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 10, 2012.

Well, folks, it's finally here: Race Week!

First let me say how very much I've enjoyed sharing my thoughts and experiences with you over the past 17 weeks of my marathon training.

I appreciate not only the opportunity to share these words with you, but, more so, I appreciate you taking the time to read them week after week. I've been amazed, honored and humbled by how many of you have commented, tweeted or otherwise reached out to me during the process.

Thank you!

Ready or Not, It's GO Time!

This is the week we've all been training for, so it's time to relax, trust the training and mentally prepare for Saturday morning!

Last Saturday, I got in my last long run--an 8 miler at PMP (Planned Marathon Pace). It felt good but had a little soreness in my right ankle afterwards.

Yesterday, I went to the track and got in my last speed workout: 3 reps of 1 mile. Again, my ankle was giving me a little trouble and that's got me a bit concerned, but I'll nurse it for the rest of the week.

So this will be a week of just trying to relax and mentally prepare for Saturday morning.

Here's some things that you should NOT do this week:

• Do not try any new foods or drinks -- eat/drink what's been working for you!
• Do not go buy new shoes, shorts, shirts -- run in what you've trained in!
• Do not try to get in another hard workout -- you need the rest!
• Do not go rollerskating, play soccer or any other sport -- don't risk any injuries!
• Do not second guess your training! Stay positive!

Here are some things that you SHOULD do this week:

• Get extra sleep. Start going to bed early and sleeping later than usual -- you won't sleep well the night before the race, so get your sleep in the bank now!
• Stay off your feet as much as possible.
• Drink, drink, drink! Start hydrating now. Drink more water than you normally do. Carry a water bottle around with you so you don't forget!
• Eat well. Try to avoid fatty foods. Get in a good balance to carbs and proteins.
• Trim your toenails today if they need it! Don't wait until the night before and risk trimming them too short so they hurt during the run!
• Start watching the weather forecast and planning what to wear race morning (nothing new!)
• Gather up all of your running gear and put it all in one place so you aren't hunting for it the night before!
• If you run with a GPS watch, charge it up!

Race Start Tips:

The best tip I can give you is: do not go out too fast![Tweet this]

Going out too fast is something that can happen without you even knowing it because you are so excited and just moving along with the crowd! In one race, my planned race pace was a 8:00 min. mile. After 1.5 miles into the race, I glanced at my watch and realized I was running a 6:45 pace!  I slammed on the brakes and let lots of people pass me. I'm so glad I did, because I passed most of them later in the race.

Run your race according to your plan, not according to the pace of the crowd.

Another last-minute tip is to run with a pace group.  If you want to break 4 hours, find the 4-hour pace group and run with them. The pace leader will help you stay on target and you won't be worried about going too slow or too fast.

I'm sure their are many other things I should be reminding you to do or not do this week, but this is a good start.

If this is your first marathon and you have other friends who are running or who have run it before, talk to them and get their advice on things to do/not do.

Best of luck to all of you who are running!

I'll be back next week with my post-marathon post!

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The Road to Richmond: Week 2 ~ On your Mark. Get Set...

This is Week 2 of my 18-week count-down toward the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 10, 2012.

I can't believe there are only 2 more weeks!

Last week, I shared with you some of my thoughts on Tapering and how I struggle with it.

This week, the taper was forced on me by Sandy!

On your mark... Get set....

No, it's not "Go" time, but it's getting close!

Last Friday, I got in a really nice 13 mile tapered long run. It felt good to have a successful run after my not so great last 20 miler.  It went a long way to restoring my confidence that my marathon training will pay off next Saturday.

Hurricane Sandy Came to Town!

I have to admit I've had a lot of fun over the past few days teasing my wife about the wrath of hurricane Sandy. Her name is Sandy...

Here in Richmond, VA, we were spared almost all of her wrath. Expecting a much greater impact, all of the schools and many businesses closed in anticipation of downed trees and lost electricity. And, of course, everyone mobbed the grocery stores thinking it could be weeks before you could by another gallon of milk...

Thankfully, all we got was some manageable wind and rain.  At least in my neighborhood, we didn't lose any trees, nor did our power go out.

However, I was saddened to see how much destruction Sandy left in her path and my prayers are with all of the families who lost property or loved ones because of the storm.

On Sunday, just as Sandy was really starting to blow strong in the D.C. area, the 37th annual Marine Corps Marathon didn't miss a beat! It was fun to track some of my friends along the course. Congrats to all who ran it!

So the taper continues...

Sandy, the hurricane, not my wife, prevented me from getting in my track workout on Monday, so I got a bit more rest than planned, but that's OK. I did some indoor cross-training instead.

This morning, I got in another solid short tempo run and it felt great!

On Friday, I'll do an 8 mile run at PMP and that will pretty much cap off the training schedule as next week will just be easy jogs to stay lose.

Help me out. Spread the word

If you've been enjoying this series, would you do me a favor? Please spread the word. Share the links on Facebook, tweet about it on Twitter, or simply tell your friends.  The share buttons are at the top of the page!

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The Road to Richmond: Week 3 ~ Let the Taper Begin!

This is Week 3 of my 18-week count-down toward the Anthem Richmond Marathon on November 10, 2012.

Wow, the marathon is only 3 weeks away! I can't believe these weeks have flown by so quickly!

Last week, I shared with you some of my thoughts and tips for becoming a better runner by improving your Running Form.

This week its all about starting to rest!

Let the Taper Begin!

I have to confess that tapering is probably the hardest part of my marathon training program.[Tweet this]

I've been training hard for 15 weeks and now the race is only 3 weeks away. My mind wants to push just little harder and go just a little farther to insure I'm in peak condition, but my body desperately wants a break!

You see, there are two conflicting processes happening in me right now. Last Friday, I went out for my last 20 mile run. It didn't go as well as I had hoped and I wound up running it slower than I had planned and I was exhausted at the end. Not a good sign.

Because my last long run wasn't as strong as I wanted, there's a part of my brain that tells me I need to get out there and try it again and push a little harder.

However, because it didn't go as well as I had hoped, I know my body is telling me that it's time to start backing off and giving it time to recover so I can be fully rested come race day.

It's time to listen to my body!

Tapering is a critical part of marathon training!

Back in Week 12, I wrote about how important Long Run Recovery is.

Basically, we need to think of the last 15 weeks as one very long run. Now it's time to give our bodies some well needed recovery time.

Pre-race jitters are starting to set in and I'm starting to wonder if I've done all I could over the last 15 weeks. I'm starting to wonder if I'm ready to race at my target pace.

But I'm also really tired, my performance is starting to decline and I've got a few nagging aches that just won't go away. I also know if I keep pushing, my immune system will weaken and I'll be more likely to catch a cold--which would not be good at this point!

That's why we need to taper! We are worn out at this point in our training and we need to recover!

The goal of the taper is to spend the next 3 weeks allowing your body to rest, repair the little micro-tears that have developed in our muscles and rebuild the nutrients we are going to need come race day.  Without a 3-week taper, those things won't happen and your performance suffer.

The problem with the taper is all mental! Every time I get to this point, I doubt my training and I wonder if I will lose my conditioning if I back off.[Tweet this] What I really know from experience, though, is just the opposite.

I need to preach to myself the mantra "we build strength while resting, not while running!"

Do not misunderstand the taper! Tapering is not bringing your training to a complete stop! It's just backing it down gradually so you can get in the rest and recovery you need.

So what does my taper plan look like?

Last weekend was my last (of 5) 20 mile long runs. This weekend, I'll go 13 and then only 8 the weekend after that. Meanwhile, this week and next, I'll continue to do my mid-week speed and tempo workouts, but they will also be shorter and a bit slower.

During the final week leading up the race, I will only go out for easy, relaxing jogs of 3 to 5 miles.

Also, during these taper weeks, I'll be trying to go to bed a little earlier than usual hoping to bank some rest. I know that a few days before the race, I'll be getting nervous and not sleeping as well., so I'm trying to catch up on sleep now!

I'll also be eating well! During these next 3 weeks, it's OK to put a few pounds back on. Your body will need the fuel storage come race day, so those few pounds will do more good than harm.  I'll be eating good sources of protein (chicken and lean meats) and plenty of carbs from pasta and potatoes.

My goal for the next 3 weeks is to try to relax, trust my training and rest enough to allow my body time to get rid of the nagging aches that have been around for a few weeks. I want to go into the race without any sore muscles!

So there you have it! I hope your training has gone well and that you will trust it enough to back off and get some much need recovery time.  The race is only 3 weeks away! Are you excited yet?

Help me out. Spread the word

If you've been enjoying this series, would you do me a favor? Please spread the word. Share the links on Facebook, tweet about it on Twitter, or simply tell your friends.  The share buttons are at the top of the page!

Read the other "Road to Richmond" Posts

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