Fat Kid’s Ironman Fitness Blog

When Nature Calls, You Better Have An Answer!

I will admit it. I am not sure I belong in the endurance athlete fraternity. Sure, I’ve completed two Ironman distance triathlons. I’ve ridden three double-century bike rides, including one on a fixed gear bike. I’ve done a lot of things that many people say are amazing or impressive.

But I am jealous of a special breed of athletes. Those athletes that really push themselves to the limits of physical capabilities and social expectations. I don’t know how I would really respond if I was forced to lay it all on the line… If I was really at my limit in a win or lose situation and I got the call… the call of nature. Would I have an answer?

This morning, I had a tempo run scheduled. My running coach and I have been planning discussing my progress toward my Boston Qualifying Marathon goal. We’re pleased with my progress in speed sessions and long runs, but I’ve expressed some concern about my ability to maintain a 7:30 pace over the course of a full 26.2 miles. The prescription, or at least the idea behind a mini fitness test this week was a tempo run. The plan at least 9 miles at 7:15/mile pace or better.

Actually, the plan was to do this yesterday, but life and work got in the way, and alas there was no time. So the alarm clock rang early this morning and I threw on my running gear and headed out just as the sun was coming up.

I decided to not take water with me, knowing that the course I planned to run would have a water fountain at about 3 miles into the run. My plan was to run non-stop to the fountain, take a short off-clock break to get some water, then continue for at least another 1.5 miles out and then turn around and head back, taking another water break when I passed the fountain.

The traffic lights worked out well, green lights all the way, and so I actually got to my water break without a single stop. My first three splits were solid: 7:09, 7:05, 7:10. After the water break, I decided that I’d run out to at least mile 4, or maybe 30 minutes (since I was running faster than 8 mph), or some other appropriately round number.

But at about mile 3.5 I got a phone call… a call from nature… it was the sort of call that you want to avoid, but the phone just kept ringing. The thing is, I’m running great. I mean, I’m way ahead of pace, I’m feeling strong, and I want to keep up the good vibrations. But even though I try to let the call go to voice mail… nature keeps dialing the phone.

And I’m not talking about the kind of call I can take while standing up… I’m talking about the kind of call that bears in the woods may misinterpret as a mating call. I mean, I did just get back onto dairy after a month of being dairy free. I’m starting to feel like I got some real issues working up down there.
I start doing the math… can I make it to the turnaround and then home again? Not likely. Can I make it to the turn around then head toward home, and stop along the way if I really really really need it? Not likely. Could I just turn around right now and make it home? Nope. In fact, I start wondering if I can make it to the next block. I almost start to panic. I mean, I’m not in the middle of the woods. Even if I was bold enough to just squat and take care of business, I’d be in someones back yard… actually I’d probably be in their front yard. Oh my god, I need to find a private phone booth and I mean quick!

Thank goodness, there is a local grocery store at about 3.75 miles from my house. Now mind you, it’s 7am. And I am pretty sure this grocery store is not a 24 hour variety. But hopefully, they’re open. I see cars in the lot… it could be the employees… nope, I see a customer coming out of the store with a Coffee and a bagel… Thank God! Run fast… fast like the wind… the wind you’re afraid to break… Run before it starts to Run!

Oh, I guess I should stop my clock too… Huh! The first .75 miles of this split were at 7:30 pace… I guess it’s hard to run when you’re holding your knees together like a vise-grip.
Into my the store… up the stairs to the bathroom….

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, much better!

Back on the trail. Gee, running seems much easier now. In fact, in .25 miles I bring the average back down to a more respectable 7:19/mile. Let’s keep running, I’m making great time now. I run another 3/4 of mile to a turnaround. This will me 9.5 miles total. Cool! Finish the halfway point at 34:26.

Heading home… feeling strong. Splits of .75 miles @ 7:24, 7:10, 7:04, 7:07, 6:42! Nice! Negative split! Last mile fastest by 22 seconds! Solid run!

Ok, I will admit, there were 4 off-clock stops. 2 Water breaks, 1 stop light, and one very essential phone call from mother nature herself. But, all in all, a very solid run.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/07/2007
• Time: 06:50:00
• Total Time: 1:07:37.00
• Average Heart rate: 160
• Max Heart rate: 171
• Calories: 1080
• Distance: 9.5 miles
• Average Pace: 7:07.05/mile
• Max Pace: 6:41.79/mile

Do I feel like I’ve proven my ability to run faster than race pace for longish efforts? Well… sort of… I do think that even when a break is as short as a stop light, I do get a pretty nice mini-recovery from it.I mean my HR does drop to 60% Max within about 20 seconds of standing there… And 9.5 miles is a lot shorter than 26.2 miles. But according to most all training plans I’ve ever seen, I’m certainly doing the work at the levels that most recommend. So, I certainly feel like if I don’t achieve my BQ goal, then at the very least I am giving this a solid shot.

As for becoming a true endurance athlete… I guess I’ll have to wait till I get a call and I’m out on a trail.

Filed under: Boston Marathon, Run, bodily functions, call of nature, marathon, nature break, run, tempo run  |  Digg! this story.  |  Leave a Comment