Arizona Marathon

I run a charity half marathon on the western edge of Phoenix. As you might expect if you know Phoenix, the course is flat and fast. So flat that the freeway overpass during the final mile seems like a mountain. As you might not expect, this race through the desert is surprisingly cold at 8am, and surprisingly lush with the first half winding through golf course resort neighborhoods.

I had low expectations for receiving serious race support. The early aid stations offered cinnamon rolls with gooey frosting. But then around halfway as I approach an aid station, a young boy sprints up to me, struggles to run along side me, holds out a handful of PowerBar Gels and asks me if I want one. I am so impressed: first by his effort, second to receive just what I wanted - Power Gels, and third to receive them right when I needed them at halfway right before water.

I finish 3rd overall out of 540 in 1:19:43 - precisely a minute slower than Kanagawa, but reasonably good given the lack of taper, and given that I could see no one near me for most of the last half of the race. All I could see was this huge futuristic stadium finish, and the freeway overpass looming across the desert in the distance.

1:18:43 Half-Marathon

I run 1:18:43 (chip time) at the Kanagawa Half-Marathon.  

This is my fastest time in 4 years.  My teammate Juergen points to a age-grading calculations that would suggest guys over 40 slow-down some 30-seconds per year in a half-marathon which would make this time even more strong for me.

I am not convinced we should make such a large adjustment for age (I would rather not concern myself with this at all), but in any case it is a very good run for me, perhaps the best in my second running life. 

My rough splits - 18:35, 36:55, 55:50, 1:14:48 reflect my generally consistent effort (I am puzzled why the 3rd 5k is not as fast). 

The additional mileage I have done recently seems to have helped my endurance at the end of the half-marathon.  And the barefoot running and strides seem to have improved my form, and perhaps helped improve my time versus last year, though it is difficult to gauge.

One-legged hill training

I attend a running seminar on forefoot running last weekend by my ekiden teammate - Mike Trees.

Mike comments that runners tend to be rather stuck in their ways and reluctant to try new things.  Well, there may be something to this --  I am quite jaded and skeptical about new training, nutrition and gear recommendations, and generally just want to enjoy the same old running.   But I am a triathlete, and Mike goes on to say that triathletes are more eager and willing to try new techniques...

(In fact one new technique I have tried -  the barefoot running mentioned in my post of December 3rd,  is progressing slowly but surely - I am up to 3k per week of barefoot running - with no serious ill effects.)

Mike tells me that if I wish to get faster I need to work on strength and form.  I have been hearing for some time now that plyometrics can be effective, so I am relatively open to doing Mike's strength drills which we practice a few times and you can see on his blog - 

 Mike's one legged hill running and cadence drills .

I will start a 6-week hill cycle after next month's races and post feedback to this blog.