Sometime in 2022, I forgot how to run.
I know this because I keep copious records of my training and races. In early 2021, running five or so miles at a sub-eight minute pace was pleasantly routine. By the end of 2022, however, an eight minute mile seemed out of reach.
Age could be a factor. In early 2021, I was still in my 50’s. Now, I am irrevocably in my 60’s.
Or perhaps Parkinson’s disease had doubled back to reclaim my vigor.
The passage of time and neurodegeneration are relentless adversaries. However, I’ve dealt with them before to modest success. I know they will ultimately take the top podium spots but before conceding this round I decided to consider the possibility that I had simply become sloppy.
Maintaining performance as a runner means doing more than just running. It’s important to frequently revisit that which makes a runner better. It’s a long list but for starters: form, mobility, strength, fueling, and challenging pre-conceived limits.
Complacency undermines progress. Just like in a marriage. Or writing. Or baking world-class cookies. Just about any human endeavor, really.
I set goals for myself in 2023 that begin with my performance in the Tokyo Marathon next week. What better time than now for a reset?
Since the start of this training cycle, which began one week after I completed the 2022 New York City Marathon in early November, I have worked on regaining my speed.
I have ample evidence that my form had gone to shit recently. It’s apparent in photos that were taken of me during my 2022 races. I lean forward at my waist too much, my hips are tight, my legs and arms show a lot of wasteful lateral motion, etc.
Some fixes come quickly. Standing up straighter and focusing on proper arm swing are no-brainers although they require constant reassessment and correction as the miles add up. Better posture also helps to tame squirrely leg motion.
My tight hips, though, required some research. Fortunately, there is no shortage of reference material on the web. I now do hip mobility exercises twice weekly along with hip-focused dynamic stretching before each run. My hips have opened up and become relaxed and my gait is smoother.
My friend, Ferguson, recently showed dramatic improvement in his pace and I asked him about it. He said that he has been focusing on strength training and quoted a coach as saying “There are no weak, fast runners.”
Back in 2020, I was doing regular strengthening exercises but I’ve lapsed since then. I’m back on the wagon now and do two strength workouts each week.
At first I was gung-ho to add a lot of weight training to my weekly schedule. Typical of me, I overdid it. I blew out my back during the first week. I decided to cut back to simple, sustainable yet highly recommended and effective body weight exercises: push ups, planks, lunges, step-ups, glute bridges, Bavarian split squats, and the like.
Interestingly, these are also good exercises for Parkinson’s. My leg and core strength as well as my balance have recovered significantly.
I found some improvement outside of gym work also. By accident, I got a renewed appreciation for proper fueling. In January, periodontal surgery on my lower lip left it very tender hence I ate much less than I normally do for a few days. The day after the surgery I had planned to run nine miles at a brisk pace but felt bonked right at the get go and called it quits after eight miles.
For the entire run it felt as if I had hit the proverbial wall; my legs just couldn’t respond. I attributed my poor run to under fueling. The lip quickly healed and ever since I’ve been mindful of my carb intake (I eat a lot of Ritz crackers now) and haven’t had the problem again.
I do more of my speed workouts on the local quarter-mile track now. That helps me monitor my week to week performance.
I considered how I might make use of the track for my longest runs. It occurred to me that because I typically limit my long runs to 21 miles, I may not be doing enough to get my body ready for the last few miles of a marathon.
Conventional wisdom states that running further than 20 or so miles on a training session is counter-productive due to the risk of injury. The soft, level track would be less dangerous than roads, however.
On a whim, then, I decided to take one of my long runs entirely on the quarter mile track and to make it a full marathon. That is, 26.2 miles translating to 105 laps.
I don’t think that this type of workout is often done. In fact most runners, myself included, would expect it to be mind-numbingly dull to run 105 laps on a track. However, that suggests an added benefit — a test of mental toughness. It really wasn’t so bad after all and, honestly, completing it was a great confidence boost.
All this work has paid off; I have exceeded my training plan’s mile, half-mile, and quarter mile pace targets. On January 26, I ran five one-mile intervals with three minute rests between each one at an average of 7:42 with the fastest one at 7:34. I’m no speed daemon but it’s a start.
On the whole, I feel more confident about my running than I have in a while. I am not quite peaked but I think I am on the right track (sorry).
My goals for 2023?
I mentioned in my last post that there are 8,143 athletes who have achieved Six Star status to date. Of these, only 84 have completed all six of the major marathons in a single calendar year. I hope to join this group. I’m guessing that there will be something like 20–30 of us aiming for this achievement in 2023.
After Tokyo on March 5, my schedule is Boston on April 17, London on April 23, Berlin on September 23, Chicago on October 8, and New York City on November 5.
Also, I want to run at least some of them in less than four hours. Although my PR is well under the four hour mark, I have yet to run that fast in any of the eight Majors I’ve entered so far. Maybe Tokyo will be the first.
Finally, I’d love to run each of the majors faster than I’ve done previously for reasons I may reveal later. Tokyo should be fine; I haven’t done that one yet. By definition it will be my fastest Tokyo Marathon. Others will be more challenging especially Chicago only two weeks after Berlin and London a mere six days after Boston.
First things first. I’m off to Tokyo.
In 2023, I will be running for Team Fox in some races again. You can donate to my London Marathon campaign (click this link). I could really use your support. If you share the passion that The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and I have for finding a Parkinson’s cure please consider contributing. All donations are meaningful and greatly appreciated.
Alternatively, if you would like something tangible in exchange for a contribution, you may purchase my book Run With It: A True Story of Parkinson’s, Marathons, the Pandemic, and Love. I’ve heard it’s a good read. Most of the reviews are coming in at four to five stars and it recently was named a Finalist in the 2022 Wishing Shelf Book Awards contest. (Winners will be announced the beginning of April.)
All profits from its sale are donated to MJFF. It can be found on my authors website and Amazon. It’s cheaper on my author site (for domestic shipping), a larger percentage goes to MJFF than for Amazon sales, and you get the option of having it signed by the author.
