Pete Tanguay

The training schedule said to run 20 miles today, so I did.  Thought I would get rained out but it cleared off to a nice day in the 50’s and I headed out.  I ran the pace that felt comfortable with my focus on being relaxed and committing to a 3:15-3:30 run.  I could feel myself pick it up sometimes and slow down sometimes.  Didn’t look at the watch much, just enjoyed the run.  Without making myself run too fast I did remind myself that “the faster you run, the sooner you will finish.”  Had a head wind along the ocean mile 14-18 and had rain the last 6 -7 miles.  Feels good to finish 20.  I know for sure now that these long runs, with the tempo runs and speed work during the week will make a difference.  I’ll run a shorter long run next weekend (12 or 13) and then pace Melissa the last 20 miles of the Chicago marathon the following week which I am really looking forward to.  What a great way to get in a long run – aid stations and all!!!

This was also the first time I had run with my iPhone and headphones, listening to pandora.com.  What a paradigm shift in running music.  You pick whatever type of music you need for that portion of the run and you get it – all those old songs you like to listen to but don’t have them and don’t remember who sang them. 

Working here in Newport, RI at the Healthcare Automation conference and went out for a run at the end of the day with a couple of customers.  What a beautiful run past the Newport Mansions and out along the water by Fort Adams.  Picture below was taken from Fort Adams at sunset.  Felt good and just enjoyed the legs running up and down the rolling hills, along the narrow streets of Newport with the restauarants and bars already hopping and then along the beautiful waterside.

Nice to go out for a run and not have to run 13+ miles.  Had a long day of work and decided to get a quick run in before dinner.  Nice run along the ocean and back to the house – I think my Garmin has me running in the ocean, but I didn’t.   Felt good and pushed a bit but didn’t try to run a tempo pace.  Legs felt good after my long runs this weekend.  Recovery days rock!  Heading to Rhode Island tomorrow for a conference and am determined to watch what I eat and get out and run a couple times! 

Ed ran the Berlin marathon today and although I was signed up to run it with him, we were not able to go for a number of reasons.  The marathon started at 9am which was 3am in New Hampshire where we were.  I decided to get up at 4am and start running with him.  I got up and out the door by a little past 4:30.  When I got up, there was a text on my phone and here is our conversation as we both ran the marathon together.  He definitely had the harder job since he went almost 10 miles more than I did!!

Ed:  Top of mo pete at start here we go!
Pete: Lauf, Ed, lauf
Ed: 9k
Ed: Still with the four hour balloon and still dreaming
Pete: Just up at 4am.  Heading out to run with you along the Atlantic ocean.  42 degrees
Pete: Run relaxed and smile
Ed: Enjoy my sun
Pete: I am off into the darkness.  We are running together now
Ed: Just like a year ago
Pete: Haven’t seen one person or car yet.  A deer just darted into the woods.  I am like the Berlin nightrunner
Pete: Just saw my first falling star out over the ocean.  I am running your pace.  Have fun.  You are running the Berlin Marathon.  How awesome is that!!
Ed: 19k  Haile just won it
Pete: Still no sign of the sun here.  Just the slight sound of the waves lapping on the beach.  3 cars so far. 4.39 miles.  You are almost half way.  Savor the moment – I am.
Pete: You have your form, feel it carrying you through the race.  Breathe deep and exhale long.  Purge those lungs and fill them up.
Ed: 28k Legs lost 100%
Pete: Forget about your legs.  You are running the Berlin marathon and that is awesome.  The sun is about to pop over my horizon.
Pete: Feel the strength in my legs in the brisk New England air where Dad was born and raised.  Lobster boats out in the early morning.  Lauf!!
Ed: 30k here we go
Pete: Just thinking you must be about 30k.  Second wind is coming.  Relax and smile.
Pete: Sun is climbing high into the sky now and I am turning inland toward Portsmouth, NH and my half marathon mark
Pete: Bushy tailed fox just ran across the trail 50 feet in front of me.  No cheering spectators here
Ed: 10k to go
Pete: Couple more deer, stopped to watch me try and sneak up on them and take their picture.
Pete: 10k is a morning run. You are there Ed.  Didn’t you used to run the Pepsi 10k races with me in LR in the 80’s?
Pete: Run strong Ed.  Forget about how you feel and how hard you are working.  Listen to your cadence.  Pick it up slightly with no increase in energy.  Then hear it and enjoy it.  Your cadence is your pace.  Breathe.  Smile.  Neck straight to clear an oxygen path to your lungs.  Home stretch.
Pete: Victory Pack ahead.
Pete: Finisher Medal ahead.  Keep earning it Ed.  You ROCK!!!
Ed: 38k
Pete: I am about to cross the bridge into Kittery Maine.
Pete: Less than 5k.  I feel your third wind coming on strong.
Pete: I am at 15 miles.
Ed: 39k
Pete: Hurry up, I am tired of running.
Pete: Listening to Bruce Coburn on Pandora.com on my iPhone as I run.
Ed: Me Mozart
Pete: Crossed over to Maine, the birthplace of the Tanguays and now back to New Hampshire to find me a victory pack.
Pete: I will put on a Mozart station on Pandora and finish with you. Run strong.
Ed: I need a vic pak
Ed: 40k
Pete: You are going to finish another marathon.  Whoo hoo.  Fix your hair and wipe off your sweat and look good for your finishing photo.
Ed: 41k final stretch
Pete: I am running around Portsmouth waiting for you to finish so I can have coffee and breakfast.  I am proud of your race today and enjoyed running it with you.  I got in 16.5 miles
Ed: I can see the Brandenburg Gate
Pete: So can I
[phone rings and we talk together as Ed runs through the Brandenburg Gate and the finish line]
Pete: Zeil
Ed: Done

View the marathon from Ed’s perspective – see his photos, watch the videos, hear the million people cheering and making music and read his side of the story.   **** Take 10 minutes and look at Ed’s pictures and experience his videos – you’ll be so glad you did.  ****

Ran the Soaring Wings half marathon route this morning with a group.  Felt great the entire run.  I let the faster runners go on and I ran with the second group.  Felt good the entire run and not really fatigued at all.  My focus was to find the “cruise control” mode in the run where I was relaxed and moving along at a comfortable pace.  I looked at my watch for distance a few times but never at pace.  I am going to do more of this; trying to find the pace that my body can run for a long time.  I’ll always measure with my watch but not look until the end.  Started out in the dark at 5am, had a little rain early on but other than that it was a beautiful day.  Off to New Hampshire today where I will run the Berlin marathon with Ed – only on a different continent and for an unofficial result.  If I’m able to get up at 3am, I plan to get out and be on my feet until I hear that he has finished or 4:30, whichever is first.  We’ll see how that goes. 

Had a good tempo run this morning, did the normal route and then extended to a little over 7 miles.  I didn’t have my watch on (batteries dead) and at first I had the feeling of why even run hard if there is no watch to measure and as I got into the run I ran hard through the tempo and then focused on being relaxed and getting a good pace through 7 miles.  Curt keeps telling me I need to quit running with my watch for awhile and he may be right.  After the tempo portion of the run (1 mile warm up and 3.5 mile tempo) I focused on running relaxed and trying to find a pace that I could run at for a long time.  Seemed to find it but am not sure what it was.  I think that is what I will work on for the next few runs.

Looking forward to the Flying Monkey Marathon in November.  Found this on the Marathon Guide about the marathon – http://www.marathonguide.com/races/racedetails.cfm?MIDD=2539091122.  I’m really glad I’ve signed up for this event and know I need to get serious about my training or I’m going to get eaten by a flying monkey.  The race website is www.harpethhillsmarathon.com.  Hope I’m ready!

Woke up to a light drizzle and decided to run anyway.  No lightning or hard downpour rain so it turned out to be a great day to run.  Just three of us, one for the first 4 and Curt and I finished out the rest.  Pace was nice and easy but towards the end I slowed and mentally wanted to walk.  Since I was running with Curt I kept going which is great.  We added a couple of hills on the last few miles which was good.  When it comes to training, “hills are our friends”.  That gives me 25.8 miles for the weekend which is good.  It’s great to be home with a nice cup of coffee, watching the rain and knowing that I’ve gotten my run in. 

Today was the day for 17 miles and I have 2 things to say about that – I made it and I hate long runs!  Ran the first 10 with a group that was doing 12.  We did the Richland Hills route which has some serious hills in it and is a good training route.  I cut off at 10 and they headed back to complete their 12.  Running on my own I got slower and started stopping some.  I didn’t walk until mile 15-16.  On the one hand I feel good that I got 17 miles in and on the other hand I feel like it shouldn’t be this hard.  After mile 12 all I can think about is how much I don’t like long runs, hate marathons and wonder why I signed up for one and that this will be my last one!  I felt a little light headed and dizzy from mile 15 on in.  I had plenty of fluids and gels but just fatigued I guess.  I’ll get out and do 8 tomorrow and see how I feel.  Next weekend the long run drops down to 12 and then back up to 19 and then 20.  So for today I set out to do a 17 mile run and I made it and that is good.