David Carruthers
Age: 51
Race: Marathon
Goal: sub 3!!
Blog 1: A Down Week, Ha Ha Ha Ha...
Blog 2: Remember to Fuel the Engine
Blog 3: Four Wheels (still) on My Wagon....Rolling Along
Blog 4: All Pumpkined Up & Ready to Go....St. Louis
Blog 5: Everything Crossed for a Good Outcome
Blog 6: Craziness, Passion, Leadership and Nice People
Blog 7: Race day is coming...at last!
David may be the elder statesmen of the San Antonio crew but he's really still a rookie when it comes to marathoning. David only began running again a couple of years ago after a THIRTY YEAR hiatus! In that short time he has turned himself into a masters stud, running under five minutes for the mile and 18:14 for 5k. Now he hopes to run under 3 hours for the marathon. Check out his log over these next seven weeks. He's a great inspiration for runners of any age!
11.09.09 (1 week out)
Completing the Big River San Antonio marathon training segment has been tough, exhilarating, rewarding and fun. The experience has lifted me to a new level in my running career. The focus generated by training with a group of committed runners gives you the impetus to drive yourself forward to new heights and it is an experience to savior and lock away in your personal vault of running experiences.
Over the past 18 weeks my running partners have been fun, fantastic and fabulously supportive. I would like to thank all of you for this experience and wish you all well in the race. Both collectively and individually each runner is well prepared and ready to ‘rock & roll’ for the 26.2 miles. I am confident that if the weather is fair and conducive to running fast times, we will see an avalanche of PR performances on the day.
Stay Strong and Run with your Heart.
David.
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Craziness, Passion, Leadership and Nice People:
11.2.09 (2 weeks out)
OK now we are rounding the final bend and into the home straight, 2 weeks to go out of a segment totaling 18 weeks for me. It has been an interesting journey, I have managed to come through the process relatively injury free, only suffering minor aches and pains and a little fatigue in the beginning weeks as I built up my mileage and turned up the intensity level.
How do you get through a long and very focused training segment like this? Apart from the necessary element of being running crazy, you need friends, you need co-competitors and you need a leader, a coach, a mentor.
We at Big River are lucky people because we have all of the above at our fingertips. It is a prerequisite that you are running crazy to be in this team! You have friends and co-competitors in the team who are very much likeminded and also are all very nice people. We also have Ben, who is more running nuts than all of us added together! He is a natural leader and an inspirational coach, he has time for everyone, not just the super elite runners on the team. I have observed Ben deliver for everyone over the past weeks. He delivered even when his personal race plan got derailed because of injury, he did not curl up and crawl under a rock, he got out there, measured workout courses, clicked watches, listened to running concerns, advised, supervised and led this team to a collective high that no one could have imagined possible 12 weeks ago.
Thank you Ben for all that you have done for this team, it is now our turn to give back and run like we know we can in two weeks time. Run with passion, and confidence, representing Big River, our friends, families and satisfying that running crazy thirst we all have.
Last week was enjoyable, 10 runs, 3 workouts, 3 x train sessions, 82 miles. I never dreamed I could sustain this level of intensity and enjoy it.
Craziness is Contagious
David.
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Everything Crossed for a Good Outcome
10.25.09 (3 weeks out)
I have just completed my biggest week ever, 94 miles, with 9 runs, 3 workouts and 3 x train sessions, this caps off a monster week. I can honestly say that this old man is feeling good, very good, and outside of running marathons today, Sunday, was my longest long run ever, 24 miles!
We are now 3 weeks away and my plan is to gradually pump up my inner confidence, while staying in control of my workouts. The mantra will be ‘listen to Ben and my team mates, stick to the workouts’ pace, eat well, sleep long and remain healthy for race day’.
I have everything crossed for a good outcome on race day and I mean everything.
Run with your heart.
David.
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All Pumpkined Up & Ready To Go….St Louis
The Big River train rolled into downtown St Louis on Sunday morning, both collectively and individually the team put on a show in the GO! St Louis Pumpkin 10k.
I am very happy and proud of my run on Sunday, it has been a year and one week since I ran a 10k race and this last one is a PR. In the race on Sunday I bettered my PR by 2:40 minutes, running 37:24, for me this progression is fantastic. The hard work and focused training has developed my running ability beyond my imagination.
Punching in my 10k time to the Mcmillan racing calculator says I could be capable of running a marathon in 2:55:00. Well, allowing for the potential error of a relatively short (10k) race analysis, I am still confident of reaching my marathon PR and even going below my goal time of 3:00:00 in San Antonio on November 15th.
The week's work was strong last week, 8 runs, 1 workout, 1 x train session and 1 race for a total of 73 miles, a slightly down week, but no slowdown in quality. The Wednesday's workout, of 12 x 800 in sets of 3 with a 200 jog recovery and a 400 jog between sets was run in 2:50s , this gave me the confidence to stride out in Sunday's race.
I think the important thing now is to stay focused and work hard for the next 2 weeks before starting my taper to race day. The mileage will clime back above 80 miles this coming week, all I need to do is remain healthy and I will be in a good place to crack that 3:00:00 goal time.
It is great to be part of a team and I think our team is rolling, we are soaking up energy from each other and it is showing in our running, long may it continue.
Pride & Passion Produces Performance.
David.
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Four Wheels (still) on My Wagon……Rolling Along.
10.11.09 (5 weeks out)
What a week, 10 runs, 3 workouts, 3 x training sessions, totaling 87 miles, yes 87 miles, by far my biggest week ever. I won't say much about the rain other than running 10 miles in Forest Park on Thursday night was fantastic. The thunder & lightning provided background atmosphere to flying round the park, it was truly exhilarating. My big news is really how the marathon workouts went for me last week. Wednesday's kicked off well with 4 miles up then 4 x 2 miles with 800m jog intervals and 2 miles down, splits 12:30, 12:40, 12:26, 12:25, feeling controlled and great. Friday's pickups over 2 miles went good, sandwiched by 4 miles either side. I saved the best for last, Sunday's fast finish long run was a 20 miler, run with Julie Lossos. We ran 3 miles
up, then the Clayton loop followed by a loop of forest park and 2 miles down. The 
fast finish 3 miles splits were 6:19 , 6:07 & 5:59 with an average of 7:30 per mile over the 20 on the day.
It's all coming together nicely. 5 weeks to go and all the wheels are still on the wagon, you can't a sk for more. The group dynamic is building, by race day it is going to be totally electric. Also a big shout out to Ben, his leadership skills are golden and the program he has designed looks to be delivering results for the whole team.
Just to finish this update, I wonder if anyone agrees with me that the new beard and Autumn look from Brian Lyons is a dead ringer, albeit a shorter version, of the great Lassie Viren (double/double gold medal winner 72 & 76 Olympics)?
Run longer run stronger.
David.
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Remember to Fuel the Engine:
10.4.09 (6 weeks out)
This last week has been an awesome week, 11 runs, 79 miles including 3 workouts and 4 x training sessions. I am feeling great and rolling along nicely. In the group workouts on Wednesday and Sunday I put the hammer down a little and came through ok.
With this level of activity, sustained for weeks on end, it's important I remember to fuel my engine in a sensible and balanced way. Marathon training will make you lose weight but marathon training and dieting do not mix. With this work load I am burning around 4000 to 5000 calories a day. I am still losing weight, which is a good thing, but it is more of a replacement of fat with muscle. I think I am currently about 145 lbs and would hope to be around 137 lbs by race day.
Putting the correct type of nutrients in my mouth is also important, especially at my age! I try to stick to whole grains and devour fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes are my favorite snack food, they are a good source of antioxidants and at this time of the year they still taste wonderful. I always try to include a good quantity of bananas, red berries, whole wheat, protein and unlimited vegetables in my diet and, of course, I drink lots of water.
Here is a typical feasting day for me:
Post morning workout breakfast brunch (orange juice, 2 eggs, toast, cereal with berries and a banana, coffee)
Mid PM snack (soup noodles, tomatoes, granola bar)
Post evening workout meal (vegetables, protein, and carbs, followed by fruit)
Pre bed time snack (jasmine tea, apple, tomatoes, granola bar or ice cream!!)
My portions are not small either but I do try to stay away from junk food like chips, fast food etc. I am not a saint but the more I try to be good the faster I can run. Planning my diet is as important as planning my runs.
Another important factor in getting through marathon training is having a laugh with your team mates. That will be my topic for next week, so guys be nice to me or …….you may hit the headlines here on the blog!
Don't be afraid to put it all on the line
David.
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A Down Week, Ha Ha Ha Ha...:
9.26.09 (7 weeks out)
I was coming off the hardest 8 week training segment I have ever completed and feeling good about the prospect of a down week. I had averaged over 70 miles a week for the period, which included speed work on the track, hard workouts with the team and long runs of 20 miles. My last workout of the segment was a 5K race “run for the hills” with a PR for me in 18:14.
Well, after a rest day on Sunday, Monday went as planned with x training + the group run in South City. Tuesday I x trained and ran in the evening. Wednesday I joined up with Matt Gibbs and his crew and ran the last hard workout of their marathon segment (they are Chicago bound) with them, 2 miles up then 2 x 5 miles at 10 seconds below marathon pace and 2 miles down. This was fine for me as the pace was in my easy category, however, I did run the last 3 miles in the second five in 7:18, 6:45, 6:03 ……oops! Thursday was 4 & 4 in the park, the 2nd 4 turned into 5 when I bumped into Carter! I felt disciplined though as I did not just join up and run a full loop + and blow the plan again. Friday was an easy 4 solo in the park.
Today is Saturday, I have run 5 this morning and plan another 5 tonight, add this to our planned 20 miles fast finish group run tomorrow at Castlewood and I shall have run 76 miles in this down week. (Sorry Ben).
However, I do feel rested, no hard workout and I am hungry and looking forward to the next seven weeks,
From the oldest guy on the team “never stop running”.
David.
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Remember to Fuel the Engine:
10.4.09 (6 weeks out)
This last week has been an awesome week, 11 runs, 79 miles including 3 workouts and 4 x training sessions. I am feeling great and rolling along nicely. In the group workouts on Wednesday and Sunday I put the hammer down a little and came through ok.
With this level of activity, sustained for weeks on end, it's important I remember to fuel my engine in a sensible and balanced way. Marathon training will make you lose weight but marathon training and dieting do not mix. With this work load I am burning around 4000 to 5000 calories a day. I am still losing weight, which is a good thing, but it is more of a replacement of fat with muscle. I think I am currently about 145 lbs and would hope to be around 137 lbs by race day.
Putting the correct type of nutrients in my mouth is also important, especially at my age! I try to stick to whole grains and devour fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes are my favorite snack food, they are a good source of antioxidants and at this time of the year they still taste wonderful. I always try to include a good quantity of bananas, red berries, whole wheat, protein and unlimited vegetables in my diet and, of course, I drink lots of water.
Here is a typical feasting day for me:
Post morning workout breakfast brunch (orange juice, 2 eggs, toast, cereal with berries and a banana, coffee)
Mid PM snack (soup noodles, tomatoes, granola bar)
Post evening workout meal (vegetables, protein, and carbs, followed by fruit)
Pre bed time snack (jasmine tea, apple, tomatoes, granola bar or ice cream!!)
My portions are not small either but I do try to stay away from junk food like chips, fast food etc. I am not a saint but the more I try to be good the faster I can run. Planning my diet is as important as planning my runs.
Another important factor in getting through marathon training is having a laugh with your team mates. That will be my topic for next week, so guys be nice to me or …….you may hit the headlines here on the blog!
Don't be afraid to put it all on the line
David.
