Las Vegas Half Marathon

The alarm went off at 4:00 am. I jumped out of bed, threw on some sweats and went down to get Starbucks and scones before the race. A 6am start is early for most people, but as a coach, I’m used to getting up at 4:30 to train people.

I woke up Phil and we began getting ready to go to the start. We slathered anti-chaffing cream on our feet etc. I got my GPS heart rate monitor on and decided what to wear. The temperature was in the high 30’s, but it was supposed to creep up to the 50’s by noon. I wore dri-line tights and a long sleeve technical shirt with a light jacket that could be tied around my waist if necessary. I left my music at home. I like to run with an ipod on my long runs, but didn’t want to be weighed down for the race. I grabbed 2 gu, my room key and headed out to meet the group.

It was cold and dark and all the runners were itching to get started. Nobody wanted to get there early, but it’s always better to have plenty of time in case something goes wrong. We met at 5:15 am, which gave us plenty of time to use the port-a-potties and find a good spot in line. It’s always difficult finding people at the start, so we designated a spot, but still weren’t able to hook up with everyone in the group. We were staying a different hotels and that can be tricky.

We had 2 people running the marathon. Brad was hoping to qualify for Boston by running 3:15. Andrea was shooting for a qualifying race as well. Her goal was 3:50. Brad’s other goal was to beat Phil, who was walking the half-marathon. Phil would have to walk a 15 minute mile to make 3:15 for the half. Michelle. a seasoned runner, was hoping to beat her last years time of 1:45. Kim, Paul, Steve, and Kyle were running their first half marathon. Tina and Beth came down for a fun race in Vegas.  My goal was to return to racing after injury, have fun and support everyone in having an awesome race.

The gun went off and we began our shuffle towards the start. Las Vegas was the first race to use a throw away timing chip. The chip is bar coded like they use at the grocery store. You just feed it through your shoe laces and you are good to go.

Steve and I started together. We went out at about 9:15 pace. We both had our HR monitors on with GPS. Mine was set to give moment by moment pace. Steve’s gave us our cumulative pace. Steve was hoping to break 1:56 that he ran back in Seattle on a training run.  We weaved through the Elvis impersonators and gradually picked up our pace each mile. There were over 200 Elvis’s running, including 2 boys of about 10 or 11 years old. We passed them running with their dad, who was also dressed up as Elvis. At mile 5 there was an opportunity to get married. Therefore we saw a lot of brides and grooms running too. By mile 6, Steve and I had our average cumulative mile down to 8:55 pace. We continued to increase the pace each mile. We took gu every 45 minutes to keep our energy up. Kyle was right behind us up until about mile 7, but we never saw him.  We kept a strong pace up through the end.  We rounded the last corner coming into the Mandalay Bay parking lot.  We kicked in hard, Steve increased his stride and I had to pour it on to keep up with his 6 foot 3 frame.  We finished with a PR for Steve.  I beat the time I ran last year on the course and felt great.  This was my first race coming back from an 8 month struggle with plantar fasciitis.  It was a win/win for both of us.

Kim and Beth ran together. They had done most of their training together and so they supported each other through the race. Tina and Michelle were staying at a different hotel, so we didn’t see them before the start of the race. Michelle and Brad saw each other on the course, but Michelle was running the half marathon and Brad, the full marathon. They parted ways around mile 6.

I knew Michelle was ahead, so I didn’t look for her at the finish. After Steve and I finished, I went back to see everyone else finish. Tina, Kim, Beth, Paul and Kyle all finished within minutes of each other. Unfortunately, I didn’t see them finish. I changed my clothes and went back to see Phil, Brad and Andrea finish.

I am sure that you’ll read everyone’s race report.  It was a great day for everyone.  4 runners ran their first half marathon yesterday.  They all kicked butt.   The weather was perfect.  You couldn’t have asked for a better day.

Training on-line was a lot of fun. I knew some of the runners, but met many of them for the first time on Saturday night at our pasta dinner. We supported each other through the forums, tracking our workouts and commenting on each others blogs. It was great to connect faces with names at the party. Thank you all for being part of the team.  Congratulations to everyone on a great race!

If you are interested in seeing the real time resutls for this years Las Vegas Half or Full Marathon you can check them online from this location. You can search for athletes and watch their performance as they cross various mile marker positions throughout the course. The race starts at 6am Pacific time.

By the way, my bib# is 876.

Hey Runners,

I am looking forward to meeting you in Las Vegas. We have a few events scheduled. I realize that people will arrive at various times and may not attend all these events. I will plan on seeing everyone on Saturday night for our pasta dinner.

Friday night-Informal evening drinks etc. 8 pm, reservations under Sweat365 Magaritaville on the Las Vegas strip.

Saturday 8:30 am Warm-Up Jog, meet in hotel lobby of Mandalay Bay RSVP Lisa@sweat365.com

Saturday 6pm- Pre-Race Party hosted by Sweat365, Mandalay Bay Hotel.

1. Start slow for the first mile or so. As the course opens up, work towards establishing your race pace. Find your pace and stick with it.

2. Relax, run easy and keep focused.

3. After your pace has been established, look around for people who are running your pace and join them.

4. Start drinking early. Use sports gels every 30 - 45 minutes to keep carbohydrate stores topped off. This will improve your performance!

5. Do a body check. Relax tight shoulders, squinting etc.

6. The last few miles the race becomes mental as well as physical. Your energy will wax and wane. If you have a tough mile, be patient, your energy will return. Think positive. Acknowledge yourself for what you have accomplished so far.

7. Pick a person to pass, focus on them and see how long it takes you to catch them.

8. Count down the last 6 miles, 5, 4, 3, 2, last 1!

9. The last 3 miles use your arms. Pumping your arms will keep your legs going as you become fatigued.

10. Anything can happen in a marathon. Beating your time in the first 10 miles means nothing. The true test is the last few miles. If you start too fast, you will pay for it!

11. Choose without drama. How hard are you willing to push yourself? What are you capable of today?

12. Finish strong and be proud of your accomplishment!

1. Get a good nights sleep 2 days before the marathon

2. Set reasonable goals. Have a desirable back up goal if you don’t make your primary goal. Be flexible at the start of the race and be prepared to modify your goals if the weather is uncooperative.

3. Stop eating 3 hours before the race.

4. (Optional) If you like coffee, drink 1 cup about 90 minutes prior to the race. Don’t drink more than this.

5. Drink liberally up to 90 minutes before the race. For the next 30 minutes only sip water if needed. prior to the race. You don’t want to end up with a full bladder.

6. Apply body glide or vaseline to areas that might chaffe or blister. Toes, heals, any place that clothing might rub.

7. Apply suncreen if it’s sunny or hot.

8. Wear a hat to protect from the sun or rain.

9. Tie your shoes in a double knot.

10. Start in the appropriate group.  If you run 9 min pace, line up with the 9 minute group.  

Relax and have fun! 

 The biggest change the week before the marathon or half marathon is the change in your training schedule, not your diet, according to Nancy Clark, MS, RD. Tapering down your training allows your body to recover. It gives your muscles the opportunity to become fully fueled.

You don’t need to eat hundreds more calories this week. You just need to exercise less. The calories that are normally expended during exercise, say 600 - 1,000 during a workout, will now be used to fuel your muscles. Maintain your diet of 60 - 65% carbohydrate, 15 - 20 % protein, 20 - 25% fat, according to Emily Edison, MS, RD. Don’t load up on foods your body isn’t used to, like white flour low fiber bagels etc. Your best bet is to skip higher fat dressings and butter and add another plain roll to your diet.

Many marathoner’s avoid protein rich foods the days before the marathon. This isn’t necessary, in fact runners burn a little bit of protein along with carbodydrates and fat during an event. You can add a bit of protein to your meals, just don’t have it be the main focus.

You may gain 3-4 pounds as you taper down. This is water weight. For every ounce of carbohydrate stored in your body, you store about 3 ounces of water. You’ll know that your muscles are fueled if the scale goes up a couple of pounds.

The day before your race, it’s important to include carbohydrates in breakfast and lunch. Don’t just rely on a huge pasta dinner. Some good choices are: cereals, bananas, whole grain bagels, multi-grain bread, rice and pasta.

Drink plenty of water and juices. Abstrain from too much alcohol. A beer or glass of wine is okay, especially with a carbohydrate rich dinner. However, too much alcohol will leave you dehdrated. This will impact your performance the next day. Better to be saturated with water than hung over from alcohol.

Nancy Clark’s Good Guide For Marathoner’s, by Nancy Clark MS,RD
Nutrition For Endurance, Emily Edison, MS, RD

This weekend is our last long run! Can you believe it? After this weekend the hard part is over. Congratulations on your dedication and hard work!

We have one more group run of 12-13 miles. After this run you’ll feel confident going into the half marathon. Next week you’ll taper down.

Tapering down takes about 2 weeks. The purpose of tapering is to recuperate from all the hard training you’ve done and to build back up your energy reserves. Tapering requires balance. You are trying to keep the training effect, while allowing your body to recover.

It’s okay to do a little faster running to keep you race ready, but don’t deplete all your energy. Keep your training light. Remember to stretch afterwards.

Seattle Run Group:
Peet’s Coffee(Saturday 11/17 at 8am)
17887 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA
(Next to Whole Foods, by 520)
RSVP
206-920-2247 or Lisa@Sweat365.com

 22 years before graduating from Brenneke School of Massage In 1996. Rita had always been interested in health and fitness. As a dancer she pushed herself through hours of practice, sometimes dancing with injuries. She started out doing massage on a part time basis, as she was looking for a career change. She then became interested in pain management, injury treatment and injury prevention and realized she found her niche with massage. Rita went on to become an instructor for Brenneke Massage School from 1999 through 2005.

Rita was “Voted “Best Therapeutic Massage” by Seattle Magazine 2004, here is what they said: “Muscle aches are a fact of life for the active folks, and when rest and ice aren’t enough, it’s time to turn to the heavy artillery: a myofascial release massage from licensed therapist Rita N. Bojorquez. This deep-tissue workout for your muscles is no day at the spa, but it works magic on over used muscles. It’s an hour you won’t soon forget.”

I first met Rita in 2001 at Bellevue Place Club. I was heading up the running programs for Bellevue Place Club. Rita helped keep the runners injury free. When you are training for marathons and half marathons, you push your body to the limit. Massage helps keep the tissue healty so you can perform optimally. It can really make a difference in performance.

Lisa: “Can massage improve my performance?”

Rita: “Massage enhances circulation and balances muscle tissue, tendons and ligaments. Balanced muscles function optimally.”

Lisa: “ Can massage prevent injuries?”

Rita: “Absolutely, by ensuring nutrients are ready for any tissues repair that is needed, Massage aids the removal of waste products to ensure waste deposits don’t stay in the tissue. Massage also prevents adhesions (tissue that stick together because of injury or stress). Adhesions can reduce range of motion. Reduced range of motion negatively impacts performance.

Lisa: “When should I get a massage? Before a race? After a race?”

Rita: “Pre-race massages should be administered 3-4 days prior to the event. The purpose of a pre-race massage is to create a stimulus, to get the muscles ready for action. It is important to NOT get a massage the day before the race as massage can effect the performance of the muscles due to the change in proprieoceptors”

“Post race massages are for recovery, aid in muscle repair, maintenance, and to rebalance muscles that are sore and have micro tears.”

Lisa: “Should I get a massage if I have a cold?”

Rita: “Massage will spread the cold throughout the body. This will make you feel sicker, but you will recover faster. I wouldn’t recommend getting a massage when you have a cold if you can’t afford to be sick. i.e. not before a race or a vacation.”

Lisa: “What’s the difference between Swedish? Deep tissue? Sports massage? Trigger point massage?”

Rita: “Swedish uses an emollient to move fluid thru the body while affecting the proprioceptors to relax the muscle, break up tissue, etc..”

“Deep tissue a catch all phrase that can mean a lot of things, but consistently means deep pressure on the tissue. It includes myofascial release which uses no emollient for truly deep work”

“Sports massage is a system of compressions that can work thru clothing and does not use emollients. It can be relaxing but it is not intended to be relaxing.

“Trigger points are extremely sore points occurring in the ropy bands through out the body. They can also be found as painful lumps of hardened fascia (connective tissue) Trigger Point comes from the work of Travell and Simon. Travell was the MD for John F. Kennedy. In the past freone was used on the trigger point to release it. Currently a saline injection, administered by medical doctors and physical therapists, into the trigger point is used to release the trigger point. Licensed Massage Therapists use pressure to bring nutrients to the compressed site of the trigger point to release pain.”

I am a firm believer in massage therapy. Rita has helped keep me injury free. She has worked on many runners and athletes. She works youth to seniors.

911 Massage

Rita Bojorquez L.M.P.

ritabee31@hotmail.com

206-709-8705

We have now covered 10-11 miles in our training.  Most of you are noticing that you are adapting to the workouts and recovering faster.  Amazing huh?  This week our goal is to run 10-12 miles. 

Next week is our last long run.  We’ll definitely run 12 next week, so this week my advice is to listen to your body.  If you’re feeling really tired, just run 10.  If you are body feels strong and fresh, go ahead and run a little longer.

Remember to  stretch and ice any hot spots.  Fuel your body and rehydrate.  Get plenty of rest.

We’re almost there! Vive Las Vegas!

Can you believe we ran 10 miles last week?  We are in week #8 and our goal is in site. This week we are up to 11 miles.

Running on soft surfaces when possible will help prevent injuries. Concrete is an unforgiving surface. Trails and gravel or woodchip paths are easier on the joints and ligaments. Mixing up hills and flat running also breaks up the repetitve impact by changing the stress on the body.

Don’t forget to stretch after running. Rehydrate and fuel appropriately. Now might be a nice time to treat yourself to a massage to aid in recovery.

Seattle Run Group:
Peet’s Coffee(Saturday 11/3 at 8am)
17887 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA
(Next to Whole Foods, by 520)
RSVP
206-920-2247 or Lisa@Sweat365.com

A lot of people are asking if they can run with us. The answer is yes, but I am only coaching runners who are signed up for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, so our running is geared towards completing a half marathon in December. That means that we will increase our mileage by about 1 mile or so each week. You are welcome to join us, just know that you are responsible for your health and wellbeing.