After having a tough time last week getting my training started due to a calf injury (strained left soleus), I seem to be back on track (at least for the time being). The past week started off rather poorly, but ended well. Without further ado, here's week two (Hey, it rhymes!).
Week 2 (6/30 - 7/6)
This is what SmartCoach had scheduled for me:
Monday - An 8 mile run. My first run of the week goes poorly; possibly because I ran too soon after a dinner that included two large bowls of salad (and I also ate two bowls at lunch). I felt like I was working fairly hard, but my splits slower than I expected (all around 6:30). My legs never seemed to loosen up and my calf was a bit tight. I had hoped to end the month of June on a higher note. The most redeeming aspect of the run was the presence of fireflies.
Tuesday - An 8 mile run. I was able to hold an extremely consistent pace, but it was even slower than the day before (every split I took was 6:31). My start of July is even worse than my end of June. I had planned on making this my tempo run for the week, but after a couple of miles it became apparent that my speed just wasn't there. Even after I decided not to push the pace it was still a struggle both physically and mentally. My calf was a bit stiff, but it did loosen up after a few miles. After two sub-par runs in a row, I'm feeling tired and flat.
Wednesday - An 8 mile run. I was at my school for the day to get set up for summer classes. I attempted to do my usual sets of pull-ups and chin-ups and I simply quit about half way through because I had no energy. I ran 8 miles again and it was slow for the third straight day. My body felt drained. On a positive note, the weather was wonderful and I ran with Chris Flynn (who won the last 5K I raced). It was nice to be able to talk to someone and get my mind off the pace so I could simply enjoy the running. I'm hoping that Chris (who is actually teaching in my regular classroom for the summer) and I will be able to train together regularly once we start teaching next week.
Thursday - An 8 mile run. I drop my girls off at swim team practice and head out for yet another 8-miler. I had decided to pretty much pack it in for the week, just do slow recovery runs, call it my cutback week, and try again the following Monday. My warm-up and first mile were pretty quick (6:15) and easy, however, so I decided to push the pace and see if I could make it a tempo run. The next four miles were 6:10, 6:07, 6:03, and 5:57. It's hardly a banner day in terms of times, but I gladly take it after the previous three and I believe it to be fast enough to count for my weekly speed session (even if SmartCoach recommended a very tough 5:47 pace for my Week 1 tempo run). I am not ready to declare my slump over after a single run, but it sure was a relief. Also, my left calf flared up briefly (for about 100 meters) near the halfway point of the run. When I arrive back at the pool to pick up my daughters I am treated to a few delicious slices of watermelon (from melons that had been used in silly practice relays).
Friday - Another 8 miler (that makes five in a row). This turned out to be a nice recovery run while my daughters were at swim practice. It was humid but I still managed to run relaxed at a pace that averaged a little under 6:20. I'm glad to have more bounce in my legs.
Saturday - A 16.5 mile run. This run went much better than expected. I wanted to go even farther, but I decided to stick with what SmartCoach recommended for my first long run in two months (since the Frederick Marathon on May 4). Since it's only Week 2, I have the time to build up at an appropriate and gradual rate. I spend about four hours of the morning on my feet as a timer at my daughters' swim meet. The morning's early rain clears by the end of the meet, but it leaves a high humidity in its wake. After the meet, I didn't have a full lunch, but instead I down a Clif Bar and some trail mix. I popped a nuun tablet in my water bottle and put another Clif Bar in my shorts because I like to get practice taking fuel and fluids on long runs. I didn't bother taking a shirt, however, since I knew that it would simply become soaked and heavy within the first few miles given the humid weather. I went out and settled into a comfortable pace I hoped I could maintain. I was surprised that my first mile was a fairly quick (for a long run) 6:25, but I ended up running relatively steady as my fastest mile (two) was a 6:20 and my slowest (thirteen) was a 6:30. After such a poor beginning of the week, I was thrilled to have such a strong performance. When I got home I ate some Kashi Go-Lean Crunch cereal and jumped in an ice bath. Later on my wife and I had a wonderful walk through downtown Frederick.
Sunday - A 2500-meter swim in the afternoon and an hour of easy swimming at night. It's my cross-training day, so I swim slow and untimed laps in the afternoon and then some very relaxed spinning on my bike trainer after the girls go to bed.
This week had me very worried early on. Three poor days in a row was a huge psychological blow. It felt like I was completely sapped. I know that there are many people who would be very happy if they could run my slow pace, but that wasn't providing much comfort; I want to continue to improve as a runner and find the edges of my potential. I'm extremely grateful that I was able to bounce back and end the week well. I'm hoping that I will be able to recover quickly from my first long run.
Jay Silvio's Blog
15 PostsI am now officially in training for the Baltimore Marathon on October 11. I hope that this blog will illustrate what training to race 26.2 miles can look like, at least for this 38-year-old husband/father/teacher. There is no way to know how (or even if) I will finish, but this will be the real journey. As the saying goes, "The will to succeed means nothing without the will to prepare." I use the SmartCoach program as a rough guideline for my workout schedule. In general, I have found it to be an excellent tool although many of the times for intervals and tempo runs are simply beyond my ability and I find the recovery pace to be too slow for my liking. My input data is here:
This is a look back on the first of the sixteen weeks on my training schedule as well as the week leading up to it (we can call it "Week 0""). Coming into this period my body was feeling a bit rundown with some lingering aches and pains from the Frederick Marathon in early May (I did not give myself a sufficient recovery period). On a side note, my wife was away for an autism education training/conference in Houston for most of these two weeks but I was able to find time to workout during my daughters' swim team practices or in the evenings.
Week 0 (6/16 - 6/22)
Monday - A 10 mile run. A solid maintenance run at a decent pace and a good way to start the week.
Tuesday - An 8 mile run. I was able to hold a decent pace, but I never really felt loose. My left calf, which had been giving me trouble for a few weeks, flared up briefly and seemed very tight. I added 4 strides at the end of the workout.
Wednesday - A track race/workout with my running club (the Frederick Steeplechasers). I arrive late and only manage to get in a mile of warm-up. The "main event" is the two-mile and I get badly out-kicked on the last lap so I finish a distant second. My time is 10:51, which is slower than some of my two-mile splits at spring races. Afterwards it's 3x 800 meters (with about 8 minutes of recovery jogging between each one) and my times are 3:35, 3:32, and 3:28. I didn't have a whole lot of speed, but I can consider it a decent track workout. I probably put in 6.5 miles total when warm-ups, cool-down, and recovery jogs are added.
Thursday - An 8 mile run. My legs felt tired and I ran slowly. My calves tightened up pretty badly on the last mile or two.
Friday - Another 8 miler. My calves were tight/sore but did not seem to interfere with my running too much once I got warmed up and I was able to maintain a reasonable pace. I noticed them (especially the left) on turns and when the surface wasn't flat. They felt better when I was "lifting" my legs rather than "driving" off the ground.
Saturday - A 10 mile run. This was a fairly typical maintenance run. My legs were a little tight at first, but they loosened up.
Sunday - A 90 minute spin on my bike trainer. I take it easy and pedal away while watching the Euro Cup. Sadly, my beloved Italy loses to eventual champ Spain in penalty kicks.
Week 1 (6/23 - 6/29)
Here's what SmartCoach had scheduled: 
Monday - A 4 mile run and an hour spin on bike trainer. My first run of my "official" training goes horribly wrong. I head out nice and early for a 10 miler. My left calf tightens up so badly after 4 miles that I can't run and have to walk/limp back home. My attempts to jog even 10 meters bring on so much pain that it causes me to jump up and down on my good leg. To make matters worse, it's my anniversary and my wife is still in Houston. I'm pretty depressed at this point. While I'm at my daughters' swim practice I talk to another parent who's a PT and she pokes and prods my calf and has me do some balance moves. She diagnoses my problem as a strained soleus (Who knew that trying to run through a tight and sore muscle for about five weeks would lead to an over-use injury?) and prescribes stretches, ibuprofen, and a few days of non-running. In the evening I try and salvage the day by spinning for an hour while watching "The Princess Bride" with my girls. They had never seen it before and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Tuesday - A 2500-yard (1.42 mile) swim in the afternoon and an hour of easy bike spinning in the evening. I am a terrible swimmer and I hope my first pool workout of the year didn't strike fear in the lifeguards. I do a lot of stretching. I'd rather be running but I don't dare try more than a couple of easy 50-meter strides. After I put my daughters to bed I do an easy bike spin to get my legs moving at a good clip.
Wednesday - Another 2500 yard swim and hour of spinning. See Tuesday.
Thursday - A 3500 yard (1.99 mile) swim. How do swimmers keep count of their laps? I'm constantly playing mind games to try and help me remember what lap I'm on and I still keep losing track. I guess this is my long workout for the week. I am able to run a couple 100-meter strides without any real pain.
Friday - A 7 mile run and a 2500-yard swim. I get out early for my run and it goes as well as can be reasonably expected. I do an easy warm-up, then a solid five miler (splits of 6:30, 6:20, 6:10, 6:10, and 5:55), and I finish with an easy mile of cool-down. It's not my best workout ever, but it feels wonderful to run again. I constantly monitored my calf and it was tight at times, but didn't become painful. My right knee was a little sore, probably because I'm over-compensating for my stiff calf. In the afternoon I swim my laps and then go to pick up my wife at the airport. She's back home after two weeks. What a great day!
Saturday - A 10 mile run. I run in the morning, but it's already warm and very humid. My calf starts out a little tight and then it loosens up nicely after a couple of miles. I have no pain in my calves or knees. I am scheduled for a long run of 14 miles this week, but I think that would be pushing my luck. Psychologically I needed this to complete Monday's run.
Sunday - A 1250-yard swim and 90-minute spin on my bike trainer. I don't think it would be wise at this point to try running three days in a row so I do some more cross-training. This gets me back on my SmartCoach schedule. In the afternoon I started a slow swim, but I had to stop halfway because of thunder. Therefore, I finish up my day with another spin.
At this point in time I am tentatively optimistic. I ended the week with some solid workouts and am no longer being hindered by my calf. While I doubt that I will be able to replicate my performance from Frederick (so many factors came together almost perfectly on that day), I hope to have a solid second leg as I attempt to complete the Maryland Double.
Here's a summary of my 2008 Spring Running Season. It was without a doubt my best ever single season of running and I accomplished my two main goals: running well at the Frederick Marathon and winning the Frederick Steeplechasers' Grand Prix Series title. I also received sponsorships from Brooks, nuun, and If The Shoe Fits (my local running store in Frederick, MD)!
I began March still recovering from knee tendonitis and a bit run down. I did a lot of cross-training on the elliptical and gradually worked in runs as I began to recover. The first race of the GP was a 5 miler in mid-March. I was able to win with a time of 28:59 on a rolling course with some strong winds. The month included long runs of 18, 20, and 22 miles.
April was a very solid month that had a strong start, a solid 5K in the middle, and ended with the beginning of my taper period. The 5K was my second GP race and I cruised to an easy win. I had won the race last year so this victory marked my first "repeat" title. The course is long (about 3.23 miles) and hilly so my time wasn't all that good, but I feel like I could have set a 5K PR on that day had I been on a fast course. Here's the report: http://community.active.com/blogs/jaysilvio/2008/04/19/my-first-ever-repeat
May began with the Frederick Marathon on the 4th. My second place overall finish was well beyond my expectations and you can read about it at: http://community.active.com/blogs/jaysilvio/2008/05/09/frederick-marathon-race-report
After the marathon I tried to return to my normal training too quickly. I did not allow my muscles to fully heal and am still dealing with nagging soreness in my calves, hamstrings, and knees. I spent a lot of time on the elliptical trying to reduce the pounding to my legs. I ended the month with my final GP race and even though I was flat I was able to grit out a second place finish. The race report is here: http://community.active.com/blogs/jaysilvio/2008/06/03/race-report-deer-dash-5k
Two firsts and a second earned me enough points to capture the GP title! I received my award (a cool beach towel with the Steeplechasers' logo and "Grand Prix Champion") at a club picnic yesterday. Certainly one of the more useful prizes I have won and it will be a source of continued motivation as I dry off from post workout showers.
My spring racing season ended last weekend, so this week was a time to recharge my batteries. I'll be doing mostly maintenance workouts for a couple weeks until I begin ramping back up to prepare for the Baltimore Marathon on October 11:
Monday - A day off. My first full rest day in a couple months. I went to the Maryland Science Center as a chaperone for my eldest daughter's field trip. The MSC is in Baltimore, so I took some photos of the harbor to help keep me motivated for the marathon.
Tuesday - An hour long elliptical session. I felt good early on, but was pretty tired during the last 20 minutes or so. I was able to hold on to a decent pace and finish with a respectable distance, but I ended up working harder than I had wanted to.
Wednesday - An 8 mile run. It was humid and in the 80s. I ran easy and didn't push the pace. My legs didn't feel good, but at least nothing outright hurt.
Thursday - An 8 mile run. Schools were closed because severe storms caused widespread power outages so I didn't have to go to work. I was able to run in the morning before it got really hot, but it was still warm and muggy. My legs were a little tight, but the run went smoothly. I ran a relaxed and consistent pace. I felt good about this workout.
Friday - A 40 minute reverse elliptical session (followed by 15 minutes of forward cool down). A fairly routine and uneventful workout.
Saturday - A 9+ mile run. I took my family down to Chincoteague Island to spend the weekend with my parents. I got up early and ran to Assateague Island in a thick morning fog. I ran around a wildlife loop where my father caught up with me on his bike and then we headed back to the house together for a pancake breakfast. I ran a moderate pace on the flat terrain (the only "hill" is the bridge between the islands) and felt good.
Sunday - A 9+ mile run. A repeat of Saturday, but at a slower pace. It was sunny and hotter this morning. I had also consumed a couple of stouts the night before and since I don't drink very often I was feeling a bit sluggish. My father joined me on his bike for the entire distance and it was nice to have company since I usually exercise on my own.
I felt good about this week and was please that I was able to get in so many runs without my legs becoming too sore. It is a bit strange to not have any races on my upcoming schedule. While I imagine that I'll find some small events to run this summer, the next race I have on my calendar is the Parks Half-Marathon which is not until the middle of September. I am trying to find the right balance of intensity vs. recovery that will allow me to re-energize while maintaining my fitness.
On May 31 I ran the inaugural Deer Dash 5K at Deer Crossing Elementary School in New Market, Maryland. This event was the last one in my running club's (The Frederick Steeplechasers) Spring Grand Prix series. Since I had missed a few of the other races due to my training and recovery for the Frederick Marathon, I needed to place well at the Deer Dash in order to win the GP title. I had not been feeling well due to recurring cramping and tightness in my right hamstring and left calf over the past couple of weeks as well as the fact that I was up all night on Wednesday because the rest of my family was getting violently sick and I was constantly cleaning up puke. I can not recall another event that I have been so unexcited about running. I simply wanted to get it over with without hurting myself; I didn't even bring my racing flats preferring to run in my comfortable (and more supportive) Adrenalines.
I got up around six on Saturday morning and made my wife a latte and myself a bagel with peanut butter and sliced banana. I left the house around seven to head over to the race site in order to register and warm up before the 8:30 start. As I get ready to start jogging I noticed that the field looked more competitive than usual for a local 5K; not exactly what I was hoping for. The course was mainly on winding, moderately hilly roads with some stretches along connecting bike paths that were rather patchy and a couple momentum crushing out-and-back sections into neighborhood courts. This is no course for a PR (not that I had any shot at one on a fast course) and a post race analysis of times indicated that average finishes were 56 seconds slower that a previous week's much less competitive 5K. After I did a couple miles for my warm-up with Craig Shearer, a 27 year old teacher who was hoping to run around 17 minutes, I did some strides in the parking lot and got ready for the start. The sky looked very grey, but luckily the rain held off. When the race started, a large pack took off at a quick pace. I quickly found myself in a rather unfamiliar tenth place behind a half dozen high school runners and a few serious looking adults (so much for cruising to an easy win). From that position, I watched the inexperienced high schoolers take wide turns as I cut all the corners as tight as possible. The group hit the first mile at the end of an out-and-back stretch in around 5:30 and I'm able to pick up a few spots by simply turning sharply at the cone rather than running around the court's perimeter. Amazingly, Chris Flynn, another teacher and an excellent coach/runner who led the entire race, modeled the proper technique but the high schoolers decided to go wide. Right after that the course went up a hill and I almost plowed into the back of another high schooler that was fading fast from his early pace. I see some of the other Steeplechasers and we exchange cheers. By the top of the hill I am in 4th place behind other adults. The course took off down a steep and bumpy bike path and then picked back up in another section of the neighborhood. The group stayed fairly tight and I was worried I would have to settle for 4th place and hoped that would earn enough points in the GP standings. Things stayed pretty static for a bit and I missed the two-mile split. I passed Craig and moved into third place around that time. On the next hill I moved up into second (which was a good sign since I'm not a strong uphill runner). We then hit a long stretch of rolling and winding bike path that included some patches overgrown with bushes and vines. I kept Chris in my sites, but I wasn't able to make any major dent into his lead. I tried to surge the last half mile or so, but my legs didn't have that kind of speed left in them and my stomach warned me that it was ready to vomit if I pushed much longer. When the end of the course went through all three rows of the parking lot rather than going around the edge, I ran out of gas. Chris finished in 17:57 and I came in seven seconds later at 18:04. The top four finishers were all clustered in about 20 seconds. On a side note, the top three were all wearing Brooks and four of the top five were teachers! After the finish I did a couple miles of cool down with Chris and we talked about his coaching and then another couple with Craig. I got back to the school and talked with other Steeplechasers for a bit. I received a small trophy for my second place overall finish and a bag filled with around a hundred dollars worth of gift certificates. I went home feeling relieved to have accomplished what I had set out to do and proud of the effort I put forth (even if the time was less than spectacular). I am looking forward to some relaxing recovery runs over the next week or so and trying to regain some energy and enthusiasm. Serious training for the Baltimore Marathon starts in a few weeks!
I have not had much time for writing recently, so this will cover the past two weeks. They have been full of ups and downs. I am still not fully recovered from the marathon, but I was able to take second place in a fairly competitive local 5K this past weekend in order to secure my local running club's Grand Prix Series title. The biggest news is that I have received membership into the Brooks I.D. (Inspire Daily) program http://www.brooksrunning.com/Athletes+%26+Events/Brooks+I.D.+Program/
Here we go:
Week 1 (5/19 - 5/25)
Monday - An hour long elliptical session. This was a fairly strong workout as I settled in for another week of rehab for my hurting left calf. I was pleased with my performance and how my calf held up.
Tuesday - A 40 minute reverse elliptical session (followed by 15 minutes of forward cool down). A decent workout with no major calf issues.
Wednesday - An hour long elliptical session. Nothing particularly exciting about it and my calf feels decent. I am getting bored of the elliptical machine.
Thursday - An elliptical two-a-day. In the morning I put in a hard 45 minute session and set a new best distance for that time period. In the afternoon I do 40 minutes in reverse (followed by 15 minutes of forward cool down). I am please by both my morning's speed and by how well I feel during and after a second workout.
Friday - An hour long elliptical session. Afterwards I head outside and test my legs with four strides on grass. My calf feels like it is on the mend.
Saturday - An 8 mile run. I run fairly relaxed most of the way and pick up the pace a bit on the last couple of miles. My calf feels a little stiff afterwards, but nothing serious.
Sunday - A 1 hour spin on my bike trainer. I get up early so that I can get it in before I very full day of family activities.
Week 2 (5/26 - 6/1)
Monday - A 10 mile run. Another major setback. This time my right hamstring locks up on me. By the end my calf is also aching. I thought I was getting better, but it seems not. I am incredibly frustrated.
Tuesday - A 40 minute reverse elliptical session (followed by 15 minutes of forward cool down). My hamstring and calf were tight throughout the day, but didn't cause any major issues during my workout.
Wednesday - An hour long elliptical session. I set a new best distance for the hour. While I am getting rather tired of being on the elliptical almost every day, I am please to see that I am not losing fitness.
Thursday - A 30 minute reverse elliptical session followed by an easy mile on a treadmill and 4 strides on grass. I am exhausted due to the fact that the rest of my family is sick and I was up all night taking my daughters to the bathroom and cleaning up puke. Not exactly how I wanted to feel a couple days before a race.
Friday - A 4 mile pre-race run. I try and stay relaxed and my calf feels a little tight, but there is no major pain (just some tingling). I put in 4 strides at the end.
Saturday - A 5K race. I have a hard time recalling a race I have been less excited to run. Between injuries and not getting enough sleep, I just want to get it over with and finish high enough to grab the GP title (I don't even bother bringing racing shoes). If I didn't need the points, I never would have run. I do a couple miles of warm up, run the race (I finished second in an unusually competitive field for a small local race), and then do about 4 miles of cool down. I am glad when it is all over.
Sunday - A 5.5 mile run. I feel tight and both physically and emotionally drained. I run slow and easy.
While I am still recovering from the Frederick Marathon and my legs continue to need to be rehabbed, I can not overlook the highlights of the past two weeks. Gaining sponsorship from Brooks is a major honor for me and I am excited to represent such a great company. I am also pleased that I was able to gut out enough of a race to win the Grand Prix series. I am planning on taking a bit more recovery time (hopefully with more running being integrated back into my training) and hopefully will soon have more energy and enthusiasm.
After more than a year of training focused on the Frederick Marathon the race is over and it is time for a little reflection. I am still somewhat in shock that I finished second overall with a time of 2:41:46 and was actually leading for much of the run. In fact, at the 13.1 mile mark I had a 1:27 lead on the rest of the field and was 1:41 ahead of the half-marathon winner's finish. That's right, I didn't just finish second in the marathon I also ran faster than the entire half-marathon field! There is no question that this was my greatest athletic accomplishment to date. While I didn't run a smart race it was certainly a learning experience and I exceeded all of my greatest expectations. I am already looking forward to seeing what I can do at the Baltimore Marathon on October 11.
Here is the tale of the clock:
Mile 1 - missed the marker
Mile 2 - 11:27
Mile 3 - 17:12 (5:45)
Mile 4 - 23:00 (5:48)
Mile 5 - 28:40 (5:40)
Mile 6 - 34:21 (5:41)
Mile 7 - 39:55 (5:35)
Mile 8 - 45:41 (5:45)
Mile 9 - 51:29 (5:49)
Mile 10 - 57:20 (5:50) *10 mile PR at 5:44 pace
Mile 11 - 1:03:08 (5:49)
Mile 12 - 1:09:02 (5:55)
Mile 13.1 - 1:15:39 *half-marathon PR at 5:46 pace
Mile 14 - 1:21:05
Mile 15 - 1:27:03 (5:57)
Mile 16 - 1:32:57 (5:55)
Mile 17 - 1:39:16 (6:18)
Mile 18 - 1:45:12 (5:56)
Mile 19 - 1:51:57 (6:46)
Mile 20 - 1:58:26 (6:29)
Mile 21 - 2:04:51 (6:24)
Mile 22 - 2:11:23 (6:32)
Mile 23 - 2:18:11 (6:48)
Mile 24 - 2:24:54 (6:44)
Mile 25 - 2:32:08 (7:14)
Mile 26 - 2:39:42 (7:34)
Mile 26.2 - 2:41:46 *marathon PR
Overall pace - 6:10 (first half pace of 5:46 and second half pace of 6:34)
Weather was sunny and 51 degrees at the start.
Course description: Essentially a figure-eight with the start and finish (for both the full and half marathon) at the Frederick Fairgrounds. The first loop goes through downtown Frederick and is flat and fast. The second loop heads out east of the city and there are significant hills from miles 16-20. To see a course map (with video) go to:
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/special_sections/marathon/images/FREDERICK_MARATHOMAP.pdf
The story of the day: After going to bed at 8:00 Saturday night, I wake up at 3:15 in order to make sure I give myself time to let my body stretch out and to get breakfast early enough to digest the meal. I have a bagel with peanut butter and sliced banana and pad around downstairs for about an hour going through my gear bags and drinking fluids before I head out. Once I arrive at the Fairgrounds, I do a bit of stretching and walking/jogging along with some very light strides. I head over to the starting line at 6:25 and place myself in the middle of the 6 minute pace area (my goal was to run 2:50-2:55 with hopes of cracking into the 2:40s; that would be a 6:30-6:40 pace) . The small group of us that are in the 6 minute area notice that there is no 5 minute group so we move up to the starting line for the national anthem. When the gun goes off a small group sprints out for the "photo op" but after the first 400 meters I am in second place behind Adam John Sierakowski, the eventual half marathon winner. I settle into what I believe to be a relaxed pace and head into downtown Frederick. The course winds around downtown and the park area of Frederick for the first 8 miles or so and it's great to hear the cheers from the local community. I miss the first mile mark and when I hit the second one I get the first check of how fast I'm actually going. I feel completely comfortable running sub-6s, so I just keep going. At the first water station I grab some Gatorade and I'm able to put it down fairly smoothly. After a few miles I notice that Adam is about 30 meters ahead of me and that this gap is staying stable. I decide that it would help both of us if we run together, so I start trying to catch up in order to not have to continue running in space. I eventually catch up to Adam around the 10K mark and ask him if he wants to run with me since it's clear he's going to win the half-marathon uncontested. He tells me that he doesn't want to hold back because he's going for time. I'm feeling good since I'm no longer pressing to catch up and we run together for a couple miles and actually speed up our pace.
Adam eventually falls back and I'm on my own after mile 8. The next few miles move north of town and I'm on my own with almost no crowds other than a very cheerful group in a Wal-Mart parking lot. I'm feeling great, but I try not to push too hard as I know I'm not even at the half-way point. I try and take Gatorade or water whenever it's offered (every couple of miles) although I turn down a Power Bar as I feel it's too early in the race. I hit the 10 mile mark and realize I've just knocked over a minute-and-a-half off my PR for that distance. It appears that I have tapered perfectly for this event. The course then winds back to the Fairgrounds for the finish of the half-marathon and I have a lead of over 1:25 on eventual winner Brian Baillie at the 13.1 mark (and I'm 1:40 in front of the winning time for the half). The course heads back into town and does a nice out-and-back on opposite sides of the creek where I get to see the lead I've built just before the 14 mile mark. I hit a water station and I take some water and a bag of pretzels. Then we head out to the east and the hills. The course moves out of town and onto a major road so there are no spectators, just me and the hills. I check my watch at mile 16 and do a quick calculation to find that I'm going to run a great time even if I fall apart for the last ten miles. I'm able to do a passable job on the first hill, but the second one kills me.
My quads start to burn and when I get caught around mile 18, it's a major psychological blow. I go from thinking about how amazing it would be to win to wondering how many more runners are going to pass me. While I can't keep up Brian's pace, I do my best just to keep him in sight. The next hill is fairly steep and it just wrecks me, but I do my best to recover on the downhill and flats. We move onto the side streets of a neighborhood and it's nice to have spectators again. I'm able to hold it together for a few more miles and am occasionally able to catch glimpses of the leader. I start taking only water at this point because I know I don't have enough time left in the race to digest the calories in food or Gatorade. We start to head back towards the city and I get to see crowds of other runners who are heading out. My quads are starting to hurt pretty badly and I'm just running on fumes at this point. It is a harsh welcome to the "wall". For some reason I decide to take Gatorade at the next water stop (probably because my body is craving sugars) and it destroys my stomach. At mile 24 there is another out-and-back section where I get to see the leader looking strong and am able to check that I have a 1:30 lead on the next runner behind me who's red bib indicates he's part of a relay team. I see no other runners for some time and no other blue full marathon bibs and I realize I'm going to take second place. With no pressure to run fast and my legs feeling like gelatin, I pretty much pack it in for the last few miles. The anchor of the first relay team (DC Road Runners) catches me by mile 25 and he asks me if I want to draft. I gratefully say, "Yes!" and he tells me it's no problem and he's been where I am now. It's a relief to have someone to run with even though we don't say much. At this point I just try and block out the pain, keep my legs moving, and savor the experience. Finally, I can see the Fairgrounds again and I make it to the track in front of the grandstands. I hear the loudspeaker announcing that the second place marathon finisher is coming in and calls out my name and that I'm from Frederick. The cheering from the crowd in the stands rises up at this news and I'm practically pulled towards the finish on emotion. I cross the finish line and look up to see members of my running club (Frederick Steeplechasers) who are working the finish coming over to congratulate me and hand me my finisher's medal. My wife and daughters come running over from the stands with huge smiles on their faces and I just stand there for a moment getting hugs and trying to absorb what I have just accomplished. Once I am able to move, I turn in my chip and grab some food. I try and keep moving and do my best to at least stay standing. I find out that I've won $400 for finishing second overall and I receive a plaque for that as well as a trophy for being the first finisher from Frederick County. Friends from my neighborhood, church, and running club all offer their congratulations. Reporters from the Washington Post, Frederick Gazette, and Frederick News-Post interview me. I buy myself a cool T-shirt and a fleece from the vendors before I head home. I take an ice bath, shower, and head out with my family to a Steeplechasers post-marathon fiesta. I keep expecting to wake up from a dream at any moment and in the morning I have to double check the race results just to be sure.
Support the Frederick community by donating to my charity, the Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs In Frederick County. This organization coordinates donations of time, talent, money, food and other resources to meet the urgent needs of people in Frederick County.
http://fundraising.marathonguide.com/jaysilvio
Newspaper articles:
The Frederick Gazette: http://gazette.net/stories/050808/fredspo180128_32355.shtml
The Washington Post: http://www.marathonguide.com/news/newsviewer.cfm?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewashingtonpost%2Ecom%2Fwp%2Ddyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2008%2F05%2F04%2FAR2008050401641%2Ehtml
The Frederick News-Post: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/reporters_notebooks_display.htm?StoryID=74887