Obligatory race gear shot. Hope everyone running #ocmarathon...

Obligatory race gear shot. Hope everyone running #ocmarathon tomorrow has a great run! #running #halfmarathon #asnailspace #asprc #pacer #nuunbassador #nuunlove #newbalance #minimus #seemyrun #generationucan #garmin #lowcarbrunner (at OC Marathon and Half Marathon)

A nice and easy paced 18 this morning along the Newport Back...

A nice and easy paced 18 this morning along the Newport Back Bay. Gloomy and cool but no rain during the run. Perfect running weather. #running #rnrsd #marathon #training #nuunbassador #generationucan #lowcarbrunner #asnailspace #newportbeach #backbay (at Newport Back Bay Loop)

Hills for breakfast. Rock N Roll San Francisco half marathon...

Hills for breakfast. Rock N Roll San Francisco half marathon done! 1:50 unofficial time. #running #runrocknroll #tourpass #nuunbassador #generationucan #hills #sanfrancisco (at Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Francisco)

Obligatory gear shot. LA Marathon in a few hours. #running...

Obligatory gear shot. LA Marathon in a few hours. #running #lamarathon #asnailspace #lam2015 #stadium2sea #nuunbassador #vibramfivefingers #kttape #garmin #generationucan #lululemon

We took a little detour from our regular route today. Perfect...

We took a little detour from our regular route today. Perfect weather and great company for the many of us running 20+ miles today. Taper time for LA Marathon! #running #runfam #lamarathon #training #tapertime #vibramfivefingers #nuunbassador #generationucan #balboa #newportbeach (at Balboa Island, Newport Beach)

Pre long run prep this morning. Happy my tub of @genucan finally...

Pre long run prep this morning. Happy my tub of @genucan finally came in. #latergram #running #lowcarbrunner #nutrition #generationucan #nuunbassador #nuunlove #bcaas

Pre long run prep this morning. Happy my tub of @genucan finally...

Pre long run prep this morning. Happy my tub of @genucan finally came in. #latergram #running #lowcarbrunner #nutrition #generationucan #nuunbassador #nuunlove #bcaas

Putting in 23 miles this beautiful morning for my longest run of...

Putting in 23 miles this beautiful morning for my longest run of LA marathon training. From Back Bay to Balboa to Irvine. #running #lowcarbrunner #lamarathon #training #vibramfivefingers #generationucan #nuun #nuunbassador #garmin #920xt #longrun #racingforacure #curearthritis #lululemon #orangecounty (at Newport Back Bay)

Rough run this morning. Pace was much slower than last week, had...

Rough run this morning. Pace was much slower than last week, had to take a few breaks, and had to cut down my 20 to 18.5. Weather was really dry, windy, and warm. I should have been able to run through that, but I also had some problems with my feet and the new shoes. I know better than to put so much miles on new shoes, but I don’t have much time to figure it out with only 2 more long runs left until LA. Looks like my Five Fingers will be getting another marathon on them. In a way, it’s refreshing to not have to wonder how my feet would feel in the later miles with “regular shoes”. #running #lamarathon #training #generationucan #nuunbassador #newport #backbay #balboa #newbalance #garmin #strava (at Newport Beach Back Bay)

After missing last week, it was great to get out there and kill...

After missing last week, it was great to get out there and kill my long run. Ran a bit faster then I should have but felt good and comfortable. #running #lamarathon #training #lowcarbrunner #generationucan #nuunbassador #vibramfivefingers #garmin #920xt #newport #backbay (at Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve)

Camarillo half marathon done! 1:55 official time. 2nd half of...

Camarillo half marathon done! 1:55 official time. 2nd half of the weekend. Hit my goal of sub 2 for both. Time to eat and rest! #running #camarillomarathon #halfmarathon #lowcarbrunner #vibramfivefingers #nuunbassador #nuunlove #generationucan #asnailspace #camarillo (at Camarillo Marathon)

Training for a marathon involves much more than just going for...

Training for a marathon involves much more than just going for long runs. Nutrition training with what you will be using during the race is vital. My pre run regiment. #nuun #generationucan #superstarch #mctoil #starbucks #espresso #lowcarbrunner #nutrition #running #marathon #training #lamarathon #nuunlove #nuunbassador

LA Marathon Training Week 5 Long Run - 14 Miles

Had a nicely paced 14 miles today. 

Our Saturday group usually takes off at 7:30, so I arrived around 6:45 to tackle 4 miles and make it back in time to run with the group and do the 10 mile loop. 

We had our run club holiday party last night so I was definitely not on my normal way of eating and somewhat paid for it. I had to make a pit stop after mile 4 before meeting up with everyone. I did wake up early in the morning to take my usuals: espresso, Generation UCAN, MCT oil, and Nuun. This time I tried out the lemon flavor UCAN and it was surprisingly good. Kind of reminded me of a lemon Italian ice flavor. I was a bit worried after having the orange flavor that I wouldn’t like another citrus flavor, but I’m glad that I was wrong. 

Still, my usual pre run items would not make up for all the crap I ate last night and I paid for it a bit.

The run itself was good other than the fact I forgot to enable my GPS on my watch. I’ve been having issues with the watch, so I used my phone’s GPS logger as a backup luckily, but I didn’t think about until 2 miles in. Since my watch was relying on my foot pod and it appears the foot pod underestimates my speed, I ended up running my 14 at a much faster pace than I originally planned. My goal was about a 9:30-9:45 pace. 30-45 seconds higher than my goal marathon pace as suggested by my plan. After loading my GPS file into Strava, it appears I was around 8:45 pace. I really couldn’t tell by effort level and my heart rate was at an average of 151 which is right around my Maffetone 180 rate.

In a way it’s nice to know I can keep that keep that pace consistently and even comfortably for 14. I did start to feel some hunger around mile 12, but my legs were fine and I was even able to push the last 4 miles steadily increasing pace. 

Side Note: I’ve been feeling a bit of pain on the top of my foot and it’s really got me thinking. I’ve done the usual metatarsal stress fracture test and it doesn’t seem to be that. There is no noticeable swelling or bruising. The pain is there when I’m not running. Walking, driving, etc so I’m inclined to think it has something to do with my arthritic joints and cold weather. They always act up in the winter. At least I’m hoping that’s just what it is. I will keep monitoring it and may have to take a some time off. (I hope not)

RACE RECAP: Lexus Lace Up Series - Irvine Half Marathon

As previously mentioned, this year started off with an ambitious goal. Run a half marathon a month until May where I would run my first full marathon. A week before that marathon, I signed up for my second and decided that I would just carry out this “at least half marathon a month” goal through out the year.

12 races (2 in Nov) of half marathon distance or longer later, and here I was, my last race of the year: The Lexus Lace Up Series half marathon right in my own back yard of Irvine. Half marathon #12 for me.

I was intimately familiar with this course since I used to run much of it when I started running. I knew it would be a flat and fast course, so the question of going out with a bang for the year and going for a PR naturally came to mind.

My previous half marathon PR (1:56) was at my August race, the America’s Finest City half marathon in San Diego. Even though I finally broke the 2 hour mark, this was not an ideal race as the day before I was at the Stone Brewing Company beer fest and was not following my regular way of eating.

Coming into the race, considering how not on my game I was in San Diego but was still able to hit 1:56 and how my 10K went the week before, I figured I could easily hit 1:55, but possibly 1:52. Around an 8:32 pace.

With the starting line so close to home, I procrastinated a bit and got to the race with only 15 mins to spare. I had a little run to the race area, so that served as a nice easy warm up and I was able to greet a few friends before the race started.

I positioned myself right after the 1:50 pacer, but I knew I wouldn’t attempt to keep up with her. The race started and we were off. I started with what I thought was too fast a pace for the first mile, 8:14. Right before mile 2, I came across a fellow member of my run clubs who was on his bike looking for our friends running. He cycled next to me for a bit and it helped me regulate my pace a bit. We were running along the “Mountains to Sea” river bike path/trail. The great thing about this area (Irvine/South OC) is how runner/biker friendly it is. This “trail” is a part of a web of trails that can get you from the mountiains of Peter’s Canyon to the coast of the Newport Back Bay barely having to cross streets or run with traffic.

Gradually I settled to about an 8:30 pace, which I wasn’t quite sure if I could maintain. I checked the course map prior to the race and knew there would be a very gradual climb from miles 3-6. I could feel it but it was very gradual and I was able to keep my pace. Part way to mile 3, my friend Brian caught up to me. He was a part of our Ragnar ultra team and is super fast. He started in the last corral and was holding back this race waiting for friends. That was until I told him about the relatively small field and that he possibly could have won it. He thought about it for a minute and took off like a bolt. He went on to finish 21st overall and 2nd in his age group despite holding back the first 3 miles. Ah, to have that speed.

I ran alone for a stretch. We kept running around the suburbs of Irvine, which while not the most scenic route I’ve ever run, made for a nice flat, fast, and clean course. I was left alone for a good portion as my friend went off to find our other friends. The support on the course was great with water stations at various intervals. I took in water ever other station or so, but no food through out the race.

Finally, I saw the mile 7 marker and I knew it would be flat or a gradual down hill from here and decided I would just go for it and made a push averaging about an 8:15 pace. Part of this was to finally pass up someone I was “reeling in” for a good 2-3 miles, the other part was to break away from someone who was particularly talkative and I didn’t feel like being social while pushing for a PR. Mile 10 had a particularly windy route with a hairpin turn so my pace dropped to 8:23, but my last 3 miles were at 8:13 with a strong sub 8 push at the end. Having my friend on bike next to me pushing to the end definitely helped.

The last mile or two I noticed that I was quickly closing in on the 1:50 pacer and thought to myself that it could not have been possible. Apparently it was, as I ended up passing her with less then a mile to go. I finished with an official time of 1:47:14, good for 9th in my age division, and absolutely destroying my previous PR of 1:56 and even shattering my original goal of 1:52. My GPS later told me it was .2 short, but I would not let that take away from how great I performed.

Nutrition



Night before (approx 10 hours before race start), 2 tabs of Nuun electrolytes
2.5 hours before race start, 2 shots of espresso
1 hour before race start, 1 tab of Nuun electrolytes
1 hour before race start, 3000 MG of MCT oil
1 hour before, 1 packet Generation UCAN Superstarch - Pomegranate Blueberry

During race, 2 sips of water every 2 or 3 water stations

My 2 shots of espresso are my staple and help me clean out my system pre race. It’s so much easier now that I have my Starbucks Verismo. I’ve also used the 3000 MG of MCT oils for most of my prior races. Helps jump start the fat burning system.

This was my first time racing with UCAN and really my second time using it at all, so it was a big experiment. The Pomegranite Blueberry was infinitely easier to take down than the Orange flavor I tried last time. The UCAN definitely helped with consistent energy throughout the race even though I was pushing fairly hard and probably maintaining a zone 4. I did not have my HR monitor on unfortunately as the battery was dead. And to top it off, no stomach discomfort at all. I look forward to using this for my training and the LA Marathon. If I could finish hilly San Francisco fasted using MCT and BCAAs only, I can only imagine how LA will go with this stuff.

Conclusion

This was a perfect way to end my 2014. A PR, a nice flat race close to home, a successful test of nutrition, and of course, a great time with running friends. I’m looking forward to running in 2015.