Rabbi Running a Marathon

The Tiberias Marathon 2012: Running On A Pulled Hamstring Can be Enjoyable

2012-01-14T21:26:00.000+02:00

I did not set any personal records at this years Tiberias Marathon, but I think I enjoyed this one the most of any of the marathons I have run to date. Running on a pulled hamstring can do that to you.

While I can honestly say I never before pressured myself to run with any specific time goal in mind, I always did have certain expectations based on my training. There were runs where I did better than those expectations, and runs where I did not perform as well as I had expected. Either way, going into a run with either goals or expectations leaves one spending way too much time and energy in the marathon focused on the watch, paying attention to pace, trying to meet a goal.

Running with no expectations, on the other hand, lets one just enjoy the run.

I ran this Tiberias Marathon without any real expectations, let alone goals. I did not train efficiently or seriously. Most weeks in training I ran only two runs, and only a couple times did I run 3 times in a week. I only ran 3 times 30km+, and only 3 times in the mid-20s. I fell far short of the training schedule output expected by our running club.

As well,, the past 3 weeks or so I have been nursing a sore hamstring. I do not know when I hurt it, but it has been hurting me. I even considered dropping out of the marathon, considering it would be stupid to injure myself even worse. I decided not to considering that I had recently run the Eilat half-marathon on the pulled hamstring, and was mostly fine. I knew that if i could limit myself and only run as fast as the hamstring would allow me to, and not try to push it too much, I would be ok. Slow, but ok.

So, I went to Tiberias planning to run just fast enough that I would feel my hamstring would not allow me to run any harder than that. And when I would need to slow down more, I would do that. And hopefully I would not need to turn back after 4 or 5 km.

Running with no expectations meant I was not concentrating on my pace. I made a last minute decision to wear my GPS watch, but I don't think i looked at my pace even once during the entire race. I mostly used it to track my distance, and the time of day.

I was running a slow but steady run, with my hamstring letting me know how I was doing. At a certain point, somewhere at about 13km or so, a friend caught up with me and we ran together, as we were running a similar pace. We chatted, something I never really did in previous marathons, not wanting to waste energy, and I chatted with other runners as well.

The most interesting thing was proudly wearing my Bet Shemesh Running Club t-shirt prompted numerous quips and comments from other runners and bystanders, considering Bet Shemesh being prominent in the news the past few weeks for negative reasons.

So, I ran together with Meir. We came up to the halfway mark, and I saw that if i could keep it up I might even break the 4 hour mark for the finish. It was something I had not expected - I had been assuming I would finish closer to 4:30. I knew it still was not realistic, as the end is where I slow down a bit, and in Tiberias especially the last 7km is much more difficult than the previous 35 - and not just because it is the final 7km, but also because it goes through some ups and downs and there can be a strong wind off the lake. But seeing the time at 21km, made me wonder, curiously, if I could possibly still beat 4 - not make a PR mind you, but beat 4.

I also went into this marathon with a different gel strategy than used in previous marathons. Previously I was not a fan of the energy gels - they are difficult to consume, and I was skeptical how much they really help. In my first marathon I think I used two gels. The next marathon i used no gels and set a PR. After that I used 2 gels in Jerusalem marathon and no gels in the Tel Aviv marathon. I decided that i would max out on gels this time. I figured because of my hamstring and low-level training I would need the energy boost. Over the course of the marathon I took 5 gels. Did it help? I have no idea.

I continued running with Meir until 27km. At that point I badly needed a short bathroom break. Meir kept going, and I took a brief break in a porti-can. Continuing on my own, I kept wondering if I could catch up to Meir. he really wanted to break 4, and I did not think I would be able to. But I kept thinking he could not be too far ahead, as my break was very short.

Coming up to 29, 30 and 31 km markers I saw I was still on pace to break 4. The hard part of the marathon was still ahead. At 33km there is a short but steep uphill, and from there the course goes through ups and downs. That is also where it begins to dog you down, where the voices in your head need to be fought off.

At 33km I slowed down considerably. What had turned into an absolutely beautiful day for running, despite early storms, was starting to get cold and windy. I was starting to feel tired, and my hamstring area was cramping up at times forcing me to adjust. Somehow I found it in me to continue running. I did not stop for any breaks - not even those times where you do not really need to urinate but use it as an excuse to stop for a few moments - and pushed myself to trudge on. I kept going, reveling in the encouraging cheers of the onlookers. At about 39km I saw Meir a bit ahead of me struggling himself. I set him as my goal - I would catch up to Meir. I felt bad for him, as Meir really wanted to break 4. By this point it was clear 4 was not going to happen. After I passed Meir, and tried to encourage him a bit, I kept going. At some point I started to feel light-headed. i started telling myself that since I did not break 4 I might as well just walk the last 2 or 1 kilometers. That's when the crowds of onlookers starts to get larger, and I just kept pushing myself to continue. The old thoughts came back to me - only one run out to the satellites and back, 3 circuits around Dolev, 1 around Dolev, etc. I kept finding ways to tell myself that this was doable.

And then I passed the 42 km marker. At that point there is a slight rise in the course, and the finish line is on a slight decline, allowing for a nice string finish. I do not think I worked up the energy for a strong finish - I just trudged right through the finish line.

I must say that besides for a couple difficult points and the voices in my head late in the race, i really enjoyed this run. I chatted with people, I slapped and gave 5 to kids on the side cheering us on, and I really enjoyed the experience of running this race.

Running the marathon is always overcoming a challenge. Each person has their own challenges, and overcoming them in such a magnificent way is a life-changing experience, letting you know, reminding you, that you are inc trol, that you do not have to be limited.

Tiberias Marathon

2012-01-05T00:19:00.000+02:00

One more week to the Israel Marathon in Tiberias!

Ready or not, here I come!

Eilat Desert Half Marathon

2012-01-01T16:51:00.000+02:00

It has been a long time since I wrote anything here about my running experiences and thoughts. I assure you that in the interim I have been running a lot. At the same time I have not been running nearly enough. It seems I have been running close to the minimum necessary to make it through the marathon sort of respectably. My running has been at an average of about twice a week - including usually a medium run of about 12-14km and a long run. The past couple of weeks, as we finished the bulk of the training regimen and began to move into taper mode, I actually ramped it up a bit to 3 times a week.

In the interim I also ran the Bet Shean half marathon. I came in with better results than I expected at 1:52. I was 11 seconds off my half marathon record. I give credit to an army trainer who I discovered in the middle of a marathon leading a running group form the army. I tagged along with them at the same pace and pushed hard. At about 19km they lost me and pulled ahead. i think I finished about 1 minute behind them, but it was this trainers solid running and encouragement to those in hsi group that kept me running at a hard enough pace to finish that well.

Most of the running has been pretty boring. While I enjoy the running, I get the feeling of "been there done that" for a lot of the training. I was out looking for some new experiences. I found one in the First International Eilat Desert Half Marathon. I signed up for it with another friend and made plans to go down.

The trip would be daunting - a drive down to Eilat in the middle of the night, running a half marathon on nearly no sleep, running a half marathon on a trail with a difficult course, in my Vibrams (trails are always more difficult in Vibrams) and then getting back home in time for the Shabbat. Now this was definitely going to be a challenge!

So, here is what happened. We left at 1 AM, giving ourselves ample time in case we would meet unexpected problems on the road, if we would need to look for the meeting point, and this would allow us to possibly catch a few winks before the race.

Josh drove us down and did a great job of getting us there in one piece in exactly the amount of time the GPS had said it would take and that we had planned on in the best scenario. After settling down upon arrival, we stretched out for a short nap. After we got up at about 6 we got our race kits and davened. The forecast had been for warm and sunny weather, but at this point it was still pretty cold. We warmed up and stretched and got ready to run.

The race began at 7 am. We began at the edge of Eilat in the parking lot of the BIG shopping center. From there we ran out, crossing the street and entering the trails through the canyons. The trail led us mostly uphill, though not steep, through the first 9 kilometers of the race. For some reason I kept thinking to myself that these seemed like the longest kilometers I had ever run.

The race was fun, but difficult. the trails were an unusual surface - very soft rock mixed with some sort of sandy surface. A lot of the trails were very soft and good for my feet. The bigger problem was that often the soft sand was deep and gave little resistance. sinking in to that made the running slower. As well, there were some rockier sections, though none were so big or long that they were too difficult to deal with.

The canyons were amazingly beautiful to run through, and it was definitely a change of pace and scenery from the regular running and training.

I was running it pretty slow, probably for a variety of reasons. The trails are always slower for me because of the Vibrams, the lack of sleep, the amount of uphill in this course, and more. During the run I felt my hamstring start to hurt a bit and I took it easy because of that as well.

As we were coming close to the finish, I started to speed up. I ran the last kilometer pretty fast, spotting targets along the way - runners ahead of me - and deciding I was going to pass him or her. As I passed, i would eye the next runner as my target. I was really zipping along, and my hamstring was starting to hurt more. I had to keep remembering to shorten my strides, each time I would feel the sharp flare of my hamstring.

I kept passing runners on my way to the finish lines, and in the last 300 meters I really poured it on, going full speed ahead, and ignored the hamstring. i passed everyone along the way and powered through the finish line. the final time was my worst half marathon ever, finishing at 2:29, but I was there just looking for a different experience, not really trying to run a specific time, so it was a great experience.

And then Josh drove us back, after we rested up a bit, cooled down, and had a bite to eat, and we made great time getting home for Shabbos!

Jerusalem Marathon 2012 (video)

2011-12-08T01:20:00.000+02:00

Jerusalem Marathon 2012

I know I owe you a lot of writing. I have been negligent in this regard. For now, to hold you over, here is a new video showing the route for the Jerusalem Marathon 2012. If you are familiar with the route form the 2011 marathon, you might notice that it seems like they have made some changes..

As they say:

The second Jerusalem Marathon which will take place on March 16, 2012, holds a unique and picturesque roads, leading you through museums, national institutes, parks and gardens, for a great experience of sports and good time.

Sit back and watch our course map, take notes, enjoy the view and visit the official Marathon website for tips, running stories, training programs and much more.

Intriguing Personalities at Merutz Yekavim

2011-11-05T20:58:00.001+02:00

On Friday I ran in the 3rd annual 18km Merutz yekavim - the winepress race. The Merutz Yekavim is an 18km race (they also have shorter races such as 3km and 5km) that starts at Kibbutz Nachshon in the Ayalon Valley and run through the trails in the fields and vineyards of the area.

Many of the Bet Shemesh runners at Merutz Yekavim

With the rainy weather, the race was looking to be a challenge. Even if it would not rain during the run, the trails would be muddy and difficult to run.

I got to meet two intriguing personalities during the event, making the race all the more memorable. I met Benny Halevi and Professor Shaul Ladany.

A friend told me Benny Halevi was there, and when he saw I didn't even know who Halevi was he explained that Benny Halevi is the barefoot running "guru" in Israel. He runs barefoot running groups and events and is the main guy promoting it in the country. Sure enough, as I was walking around, I spotted him - he was the guy barefoot. Actually, he was wearing his haurache sandals that he runs in when he can't run barefoot because of the terrain. I introduced myself and we chatted for a bit.

Professor Shaul Ladany

The second personality, Professor Shaul Ladany, I also had not heard of before, but was immediately awed by his courage and his perseverance. I heard a few words about his accomplishments there, and have since done some Internet searching for more information. Professor Ladany is pushing 76 years old, and is a world-champion race-walker. He is an Olympian, he has race-walked 300 mile races, and holds a world championship in a 100km race-walk. At 70 years old he became the first person to walk 100 miles in less than 24 hours.

Ladany is a Holocaust survivor, having spent time in Bergen Belsen, but his troubles didn't end there. he has fought off repeated bouts of skin cancer and lymphoma, he has survived much legal trouble, and an emergency landing of a plane that lost one of its engines in flight. Ladany is an Israeli Olympic athlete who survived the Munich Massacre. His accomplishments include patents, scientific papers and books, along with his accomplishments in sports.

It was humbling to meet Ladany and see all that he has accomplished in his life, all that he has overcome in his life, and see him still going strong at the age of 76.

Back to the race, the run proved to be as challenging as expected. the trails were wonderful for barefoot running, being soft on the feet, but the muddiness of the trails made it difficult and slowed everyone down. Running for fun, that didn't really matter, and I just enjoyed the beautiful terrain, the vineyards we ran through along with the fields and orchards. The terrain was rolling hills, with a couple steep climbs. At the top of the most serious hill we had a view of the entire valley and it was breathtaking.

I finished the run at 1:49:10. I am still running slower than last year, being out of shape and not yet at optimum training fitness, and the mud made me even a bit slower. It was a fun run, and unfortunately I could not taste the wine they were giving samples of as the bottles had neither a hechsher nor any indication that the wine was mevushal.

What The Rehovot Run Showed Me

2011-11-01T10:41:00.000+02:00

I have not written here in a while, and the truth is that the holidays really messed up my running schedule and discipline. I ran on occasion, but I couldn't get myself onto a regular running schedule. I am trying to now, largely because of my run this past Friday.

Friday was a scheduled 34km run. To Rehovot. My absolute favorite run of the training season, and the most difficult. the most difficult because of the distance, the terrain and the water breaks. My favorite because of the terrain, the difficulty, the camaraderie and the sense of accomplishment.

The Rehovot run was scheduled to be 34km. I was not physically ready to run 34 km, as my long runs have mostly been in the 19-21km range, with only a couple reaching the 24-25km range until now. I debated with myself whether to join the group on the run or not, and decided to do it just because I didn't want to miss the first Rehovot run of the season. I knew it would be tough, but I figured I could make it. And I figured if I could eke out a 34km in my condition, I could start from my house and eke it out to 38km, and if not I could stop anywhere in Rehovot and walk or take a taxi the rest of the way, after having passed 34km..

Setting out at 5 AM, earlier than the group because of my slower running speed, I embraced the challenge. My run started in the dark, but fairly quickly the light increased. The challenging hills, the beautiful terrain, the cool air, all made the run worthwhile. Until Mazkeret Batya.

Mazkeret Batya is the last water stop before Rehovot, and that is where the running really gets tough. From there it is about 4km to Rehovot's entrance, and then about another 4km in Rehovot to the finish line near Weizzman Institute. That 4km after Mazkeret Batya is difficult - after stopping for a few minutes at that point the legs are starting to tighten up, the stretch of run there is exposed and sunny. The temperature is already getting to be fairly warm. And the next 4km in rehovot is spent dodging cars and people, some congestion, and bustle.

The 4km from Mazkeret Batya was very difficult for me, but I was very determined to at least make it to Rehovot. I trudged along at decreased pace, my legs were like heavy slabs of meat by that point, and I was cursing my decision to run, now knowing how unprepared I really was. Somehow I made it to Rehovot and even ran in a bit. Then I just came to a stop. After a few moments I said I cannot continue, but I had already run nearly 35km, more than the scheduled distance, and I had made it into Rehovot. I had nothing left to prove. I started walking, but everything was already starting to tighten and cramp up, and even walking was becoming difficult. I flagged a taxi and went to the meeting point, for an ice shoko and the sharing of war stories with the other runners.

That run showed me how unprepared I am, and let me know that if I really plan to run the marathon, I really have to start training better.

Remaining sore and tight through Monday morning, I did not run again until last night. I have not run the Monday night workout runs with the group in a long time, but I did last night. We went to Nofei Aviv and ran fartleks. I gave up after 2.5 cycles, and finished my distance at 10km. Still sore from Rehovot, this was a combined workout and recovery run, and I was happy to reign it in at 10km.

My Journey To The 2011 NYC Marathon (video)

2011-10-26T23:09:00.002+02:00

My Journey To The 2011 NYC Marathon

Marathon Runner Gives Birth Shortly After Completing Marathon

2011-10-11T01:18:00.000+02:00

After this, can anyone have an excuse for not running (or doing whatever your preferred form of exercise is)?

From the Chicago Suntimes:

Amber Miller slowed her usual pace for Sunday’s Chicago Marathon, taking 6 hours and 25 minutes to complete the grueling 26.2 mile race, but she had a great reason for finishing three hours off her personal best time.

Miller was almost 39 weeks pregnant when she hit the starting line and finished despite running through contractions — then delivered a daughter Sunday night about 7 1/2 hours after completing the race.

Still, she said, the marathon was the easiest part of her day.

“The race was definitely easier than labor,” Miller said Monday as she cradled her new daughter, June Audra.

Miller, 27, a veteran marathon runner, decided to take part after getting the OK from her doctor — and because she and her husband had already signed up for the race.

She’s also been running regularly through her pregnancy without any problems.

“I know what I can handle. This is something I’ve been doing for a long time,” said Miller, who has completed eight marathons.

In fact, Sunday’s race wasn’t even her daughter’s first marathon — Miller was 17 weeks pregnant when she ran in the Wisconsin Marathon earlier this year.

The Westchester resident competed in another marathon when she was about 17 weeks pregnant with her son, Caleb, now 19 months old.

She set an easy pace, running two miles, then walking the next two, Miller said. Her husband, Joe, ran with her to keep a close eye on her.

She said some other racers did double takes when they noticed the visibly pregnant runner in the white T-shirt jogging along.

And some medical workers and race volunteers seemed startled to see her on the course.

“They kept looking at me,” she said.

While she experienced some contractions during the race, she’s not sure she actually was in labor because she typically feels some contractions when she runs while pregnant.

“I don’t know if I actually was in labor during the race,” said Miller.

She figures her labor really started about 3 p.m. just after she finished the race, but she still felt well enough to grab a late lunch before heading to the hospital.

“I thought I should probably get some food first,” she said.

She and her husband drove to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, where their 7-pound, 13-ounce daughter was born later that night.

The little girl, who slept through a Monday press conference, is in “excellent” shape, said Dr. Jeffrey Loughead, a neo-natalogist at the hospital.

The biggest risk Miller faced in running was dehydration, which could have sent her into labor, said Loughead, a doctor for 21 years.

But he said it was clear she was in good physical shape when she ran — and her pregnancy was already full term, though Loughead said he can’t recall any other patient running a marathon before giving birth.

“This is a first for my career,” he said.

Miller, for her part, said she felt good and was looking forward to going home on Tuesday.

“I don’t feel tired,” she said, smiling as she held her daughter.

But the race and delivery really took a toll on her 32-year-old husband. He said he didn’t train as hard for the marathon because he really thought his wife wouldn’t run because he expected their daughter to be born first.

“I was completely exhausted. I was placing my bet on June being here already,” said Joe Miller.

Hats off to you, Amber Miller.

To paraphrase a talmudic expression, Hillel obligated the poor people, Joseph the handsome people, and Amber Miller all the pregnant women (l'havdil)

Run Through The Roglit Vineyards

2011-10-05T11:25:00.000+02:00

I have not written here in a while, but I have been running. Today was a great early morning run. I ran 21+km through the Roglit Vineyards.

The group was running 30km, and I would have liked to run about 24-26km. Due to my schedule I was overly tired and that was just too much, so I cut it short at 21. I planned to meet my running partner at the entrance to Aviezer - he was driving and I was running there, as he wasn't looking to run more than 18km.

So, I get up at 4 AM to get ready and headed out at about 4:30. We met at Aviezer at just after 5. We ran up to Roglit and then found the gate to the path through the vineyards locked. We climbed over the fence and ran. The air was cool and the early morning was beautiful.

The path through the fields and vineyards starts with a long climb up to the back of Aderet. It is a tough climb, but the view behind us was stunning, which we saw when we got to the top. This picture is not even close to giving due credit to the amazing view.

As we crossed over the peak and ran down through the vineyards, the air turned much cooler. The vineyards were a strong green and the terrain was beautiful We turned around at about 8km through, and ran back. The run back was tougher, as it was a longer, albeit not as steep, uphill run. At some point we crossed through a flock of goats. This was very timely and made us consider the "sa'ir la'azazel" we are going to read about in the coming days on Yom Kippur. We would have taken a couple, but the shepherds would not have liked that idea, so on we ran.

On the way back out, the gate was still locked. Those moshavniks must have been sleeping late, as it was already 6:45 am. We climbed back over and ran down to the car.

Great run through the Roglit Vineyards.

And Thus Concludes Week 2 Of Marathon Training...

2011-09-18T09:56:00.000+03:00

Week 2 of Marathon Training was not great, but it finished well. The week started off poorly, with me under the weather. Saturday night and Sunday I could not run because I was under the weather, while Monday morning I got a light run in. The rest of the week I did not run because of a busy schedule, late nights, and an under the weather running partner.

Friday, long run day, was looking particularly daunting. After a low-intensity week, we had 24km scheduled for Friday. The route, a nice, albeit difficult, route, would be along Highway 383. Going out is a nice run, with a largely downhill trend. the way back would prove more difficult - with a largely uphill run, and a fairly strong headwind, the final 12km would prove to be difficult.

I started out the run thinking I might cut it a bit short. I did not feel I needed to run 24km so soon into the season, and it would depend on how the run was going. I would have been happy with a 21-22km run as well, with an absolute minimum of 18-19km.

We started out as a group of 4, until the main running group would pass us. At about 7.5km 2 guys peeled off, as they were looking to run only 15km. We continued on, and shortly after the main group passed us by. The run out was great, as I felt strong and confident. The run was smooth, and I ran it at a fairly fast pace.

That fast pace was probably a mistake, as I was a bit winded and unprepared for the 2nd half of the run. Turning around meant long uphill climbs, though not steep climbs. I have always been poor with hill running, and I dropped back from my running partner, and slowly but surely lost a lot of ground. Eventually I thought maybe I should stop running and let him come pick me up with the car when he finishes, but I kept trudging on telling myself just a little bit more. i felt ok, just tired from the hills.

Eventually I made it back to the end, concluding a 24km run after being totally unprepared for it.

And thus concludes Week 2 of Marathon Training

The Benefit Of Running With A Partner

2011-09-12T12:42:00.000+03:00

After a late night and big meal last night, I was not sure I would get up in time for an early run this morning. Running this morning would also be a test of my calf and the muscle pain I experienced on Friday. The pain was almost completely gone, but there is still a lingering touch of pain, at a very dull level. I also expected my running partner to sleep in, or I was at least hoping he would, but when I sent him a text message in the morning he quickly replied, so running was remaining on the morning agenda.

That is actually a very good example of the primary benefit of running with a running partner over running alone. Had I planned to run alone, I would definitely have stayed in bed. Knowing I had someone else out there expecting me to show up, even though he would have understood, knowing that I would have looked a bit lazy to him, that encouraged me to dress up and go running. On a day like today, at 5:45 am after a long and tiring night, that is the only thing that got me out on the road.

We ran 6km down to the Junction of Roads 10 and 375 and then back. The air was slightly warmer and more humid than it has been normally at that time in the morning. I felt the pain slightly, but it did not really hurt and was not at all disabling. Even after the run and after having rested and cooled down, at the point when the pain normally gets worse, it remained only a slight dull discomfort. Hopefully that means I am really past it.

It was a good run. I would still have liked to run tonight with the group, but that is not going to happen due to a conflict. I am still under-mileage for the marathon training, though it is still very early in the season. Our coach gets into high gear very quickly, but as long as I stick with it even in lower gear I should be able to pick up the pace a bit later.

First Long Run Of The Marathon Season Ends Not Well

2011-09-11T12:50:00.000+03:00

This past Friday was the first long run of the marathon season. The run was scheduled to be 22km, but since I have not run more than 15km all off-season, and even that only a few times, I decided to alter the route slightly. My altered route would total 19km, and depending on how I was feeling at the end I would possibly extend it a bit. I call it a long run, because it is my longest since my last marathon. However, my coach does not call it a long run - he says long runs are only called long runs if they are of a distance of more than a half-marathon (21.1km). Anything less is only a medium-long run at best.

I met with a couple other guys who were going to run part of it and then turn around, as they were not going to be running more than 14km. We were running the Lamed Hey route from RBS, being starting in RBS across Road 10 to the 375. Up 375 to Elah Junction. Across 38 to Bet Shemesh, and up to RBS. The run includes two major hills, one being the hill of Zechariya and the second being the Tzeelim hill up to RBS.

After my running partners broke off a bit after Tzomet Aderet, I continued the rest of the way on my own. We were getting a good run. I have not run with a watch in a long time, but now that marathon season is back I decided it was time to start monitoring my speed and distance more accurately again. A few quick glances at my watch let me know that were were running at a pretty fast pace. It is not unusual as that stretch of road is at a slight downhill angle and it is easy to not pay attention and run much faster than normal without realizing.

After they broke off and I continued on towards Elah Junction, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my left calf. It felt almost like a small bruise, but I am pretty sure it was a slight muscle pull. Nothing specific caused it - I didn't misstep suddenly or trip or anything that i noticed. The pain just suddenly appeared. I stopped and stretched it out a bit, and then kept going. it still hurt, but I had to get home, so my only option was to keep going.

The only thing I could think of that caused it was perhaps running too fast, It is a classic mistake at the beginning of the season. Thankfully, it was not bad. I was able to continue on, slowing down a bit. i made it up the entire Zechariya hill respectably.

Only when climbing the Tzeelim hill did I have to stop and walk a bit as the pain increased with the hill. I got to the top and finished the run at 19km and did not extend it. Obviously the pain increased over the day, but then over Shabbos it began decreasing. i still feel it slightly, but it mostly gone. I expect by tomorrow I should be running again.

Besides for the pain, the timing worked out after I turned at the Elah Junction that I saw a beautiful view of the mountains just after sunrise with the sun over the Elah valley and the mountainous backdrop. It was stunning and the air was beautiful and cool. The run was beautiful, albeit slightly marred by the slight muscle pain. If everything goes well, it looks like it should be a great season.

The Double-Morning Run That Didn't Happen

2011-09-05T09:43:00.000+03:00

Today's run was going to be unusual. Due to a convergence of events, I was planning to run two separate runs this morning. I was going to run at 5 am with one running partner, and then at 6:15 am with a second. When the possibility of this happening came up I decided to go for it. i figured marathon training season just began - the whole idea of running, and training for, a marathon is going beyond your abilities. Running the marathon itself is crazy, so when you train you sometimes have to do crazy runs as well.

Anyways, it did not work out because my first running partner overslept, so waking up at 4:30 am turned out to be a waste of time.. I still ran a great run at 6:15 am, logging 7km in the nice cool morning air.

I am going to soon start ramping up my mileage...

Runner's Guide To Israel: Burma Road and Nachshon Nature Reserve

2011-09-02T11:49:00.000+03:00

This morning was the last run of the off-season. Friday off-season runs are almost always trails, often trails that the group has never before run. The group scheduled a casual 14km run on Burma Road.

When the group says "casual" or "easy" or anything of the sort, I know I am in trouble. i always expect it to really be a slower pace than they usually run, but it never is. With me being much slower than almost everyone else, I often get left in their dust.
I have run Burma Road before, and know it is a beautiful run, and doable in my Vibram barefoot shoes.

So, I decided to join the group for this last trail run of the off-season. And it was really nice.

The group really did run a semi-casual pace, and they stopped at frequent enough stops to let the laggers like me catch up.

And, it was only partially Burma Road. We started off on Burma Road, and then hooked into the Nachal Nachshon Nature Reserve. Burma Road was as beautiful and pleasant as always, but the Nachshon Nature Reserve was really stunning. We ran through vineyards, crossed a soft-dirt field that had just been freshly turned, along a field of grass, and sheer beauty of nature and the Land of Israel. We also ran by a couple people who were using the vast empty space to fly a remote controlled airplane. They had the plane about 150 or 200 meters up in the air.

The run started northward, turned east and then we ran parallel to Highway 1 for a bit. Then we looped around back to Burma Road and back to Al Derech Burma store to shower and daven.

Marathon Training Season Cometh

2011-09-01T11:00:00.002+03:00

This morning I ran my third run of the week, with another 6.5km run. The early morning runs are great in the still-cool air and mostly empty roads.

With marathon training season about to begin, the runs are going to have to start earlier in the morning and go longer distances. Runs of 6.5 to 8 km are not going to cut it starting next week. The training is great, but the change in schedule is going to be tough, getting up so much earlier, and then running distances that will take me until my day actually has to start with kids going to school and work.

Looking at it now, I could easily see how I could talk myself out of doing it, saying I don't have the time or whatnot. good thing I just registered in early registration for the 2012 Israel Marathon in Tiberias to be run in January 2012. Now that I paid the money I am committed and have to train.

Runner's Guide To Israel: Beit Natif

2011-08-28T11:43:00.000+03:00

I have fallen behind on my writing here. Today i did not run, but I have run four days straight until today.

On Friday we had a small group running out shooting for about 14km. The main group was going to be running a 22km run through the Dolev Nature Reserve to Bar Giyora. Just last week I had gone on a jeep tour of the nature reserve and I saw that it would be impossible for me to run these trails. The trails in Dolve Nature Reserve are very rocky and difficult, besides for the difficulty of the long mountain climb, the steepness and the general terrain.

So our small group ran out to Kibbutz Lamed Hey. From there we went in to the entrance of the kibbutz and followed the path around the back. That took us in to the Beit Natif Nature Reserve. Beit Natif is a mountain range outside of Bet Shemesh with beautiful trails and terrain. Parts were rocky, parts were soft, and overall it was beautiful.

We started off running through a vineyard. Much of the run through Beit Natif was uphill, as we were climbing from the very bottom, from the kibbutz, and crossing over the top to get back to Bet Shemesh. After the vineyard, we hooked onto a trail that was part of the Shvil Yisrael trail - the cross-country Israel trail. We ran along that for a bit, until it continued too far south, while we had to be turning eastward at that point. We followed some other trails up, eventually forcing us to stop running. We knew which way we had to go, but we did not necessarily know which trail would take us there. We basically hiked for a bit climbing from trail to trail until we found the main trail that took us back to the top of Beit Natif.

Along the way we found a well, an ancient olive press, an ancient cell phone tower, and more. The path then took us down past the area where the new nighborhood of Bet Shemesh is being built, just below tel Yarmout. and that brought us back to RBS.

the total run, not including the hiking, was probably about 16km, though that is an estimate. None of us were wearing a GPS watch.

Back to 7km

2011-08-22T11:58:00.000+03:00

It has been a while since I have written anythign here, but it has also been a while since I went running. Due to smoe personal scheduling issues right now, in addition to the heat and general laziness that is always difficult to overcome, I ended up not running for the past 9 days. Besides for that, I have been eating like a pig and could feel myself going to waste...

But I went for a great 7km run this morning with one of my running buddies, and that is a start to getting back on the road properly. It was tough. The run was hard, the hills I normally take just fine were difficult. But I was back out there and it felt great.

Running Early

2011-08-10T07:41:00.000+03:00

A run is a great way to start the day.

This morning we went for a basic 6.5km run. Saw a bunch of other runners out. It felt like it is going to get hot pretty early, so it was good we went for an early, instead of late, run today.

And Sometimes Barefoot Means Barefoot

2011-08-05T08:18:00.000+03:00

We put a small group together, four runners, and ran about 15km this morning.We ran out to the Junction of Aderet and then back. Running back we detoured by Eziyona Junction and ran on a path through the fields. The end of the path is pretty rocky, but not horrible. The run was mostly uneventful.

When we got back to the top of RBS and split ways, I stopped to remove some pebbles and thorns from my Vibram Bikilas. While I had my Vibrams off, I decided to run the last kilometer completely barefoot. So I did. and it was not bad. if I do it a few times, my feet might get used to the feeling of the surface. I must say that it felt great to put the Bikilas back on for the last 300 meters...

Running Through Elul Into The Tanakh

2011-08-04T10:00:00.000+03:00

This morning's early run was great. We ran 7km, and got out early, starting my run at 5:23am.

When starting out, while running up Kishon/Yarqon, it was still dark and the sky was just starting to show some light. The crickets were cricketing in full force, there were no cars on the roads, and it felt like running in Elul. What does "felt like running in Elul" mean? When marathon training season starts, at the beginning of September, usually in Elul, we revert to doing most morning runs very early. Early, as in, when the crickets are still chirping, the sky is still mostly dark, the cars are far and few apart... and during the run, if running in the neighborhood, you can even hear the distant shofar being blown. Today we had all of that except for the shofar, and it made me feel like Elul had arrived, and I was almost waiting to hear the shofar.

My running partner is participating now in a Tanakh conference. During the run he described to me some of the interesting lectures he had heard yesterday, and we discussed various issues from Tanakh and politics and social justice. It was a great run as it was stimulating for the body, stimulating of the mind and stimulating in a spiritual sense. Our runs are just about always stimulating for the body and for the mind, as we discuss all sorts of issues, the extra stimulation of the spiritual senses was an added benefit today.

6KM Not Enough

2011-08-03T11:46:00.000+03:00

My right ankle has been sore, feeling like I twisted it at some point, though I don't remember actually doing so. Because of that I was not able to run a for a few days. Now it is feeling much better, albeit not 100%, and I am running again.

I ran the other night with a friend and a fellow visiting who is an experienced Comrades runner. Comrades is an ultra-marathon run in South Africa that is a 90km run. This fellow ran for 11 hours! Talk about making you feel insignificant! I can't even imagine that, though it reminds me of the days when I could not imagine running 42km..

This morning I ran a nice 6km run. The early morning air was still cool, and the atmosphere was pleasant. We had a great run at a good pace.

By the end I felt like 6km was not enough. My body still wanted more.

NB Minimus: Hot Coals (video)

2011-07-31T10:53:00.000+03:00

NB Minimus: Hot Coals

This video promotes barefoot running, specifically using New Balance Minimus barefoot running shoes.

NB Minimus is like barefoot, only better. Watch as our barefoot buddy takes NB Minimus for a spin and discovers the advantages of running minimusly.

All You Wanted To Know About Top of Foot Pain

2011-07-27T13:43:00.000+03:00

I was recently asked about my experience with TOFP, or Top Of Foot Pain. It seems to be a common ailment barefoot runners suffer from.

Being that I personally do not, and have not, suffered from TOFP, I had to do some research to discover what it was, what caused TOPF and how to avoid it and get rid of it.

After researching Top Of Foot Pain, I wrote my article on it on my Run Barefoot Marathon website. All you wanted to know about Top Of Foot Pain; what is TOFP, how to get rid of TOFP and how to avoid getting ToFP.

Serious Trail Barefoot Running

2011-07-26T11:02:00.000+03:00

This past Friday we went out on the trails of Park Brittania. I have run through Park Brittania many times before, but always on the main paths, not the trails. This run was going to be a mostly trail run, anywhere from 13km to 16km.

The trails in Park Brittania, I quickly found out, are very hard trail, extremely rocky. Making the rugged terrain even more difficult is the constant fluctuating between ups and downs - we were going uphill, then downhill, then back up, then down, etc. you get the point. So it was not just the difficulty of the rocks and the feet, but the concentration of running on the rocks to avoid pain and injury along with the frequency of changing style from ups to downs and back.

Far more difficult than running barefoot on rocks is running barefoot on rocks when running uphill, constantly looking for good footing. And even more difficult than that is running on rocks downhill, as you try to avoid going too fast, as you are sure to misstep and hurt yourself on a stray rock.

I must say, this run was a lot of work. I was wiped out by about 12km, but had to keep going. It was a great run, until I tired from the over-concentration. After that it was mostly a struggle.

The other runners were amazed that I was able to do it at all, considering how rcky it was. My feet are mostly ok with it now, considering that I have run numerous trails and my feet are fairly well-conditioned for it by now. I still have to be careful, and my heel came out a little bit sore from some obvious missteps, but overall it was pretty good and mostly painless.

Running trails in Vibrams FiveFingers is very doable. It takes some effort, and a lot of practice building up the foot. Start out on soft trails, and move up carefully to more difficult trails. Your feet will adjust their abilities.

Running Early, Running Often

2011-07-21T02:24:00.000+03:00

The week has been pretty decent for running. It has been pretty hot, and I have so far been successful in scheduling my runs not in the heat, as I usually end up doing. Saturday night, and then early Monday and early Wednesday mornings when it was still cool.

Monday my running partner overslept, so I ended up running myself. i was a bit pressed for time, so I did a siple loop around RBS, about 5km. I ran it at a recovery pace, taking it easy - something I have not done in a while.

Wednesday I met up with my running partner and we ran an extended loop around RBS. What has become our extended loop is a circuit around RBS. When coming down Kishon, we turn on to Ein Gedi and run down to the end. We cross Tzeelim and enter the path through the fields. This path takes us up along HaYarqon to the top.

At the top we split ways and I run back down the hill towards my house. The total extended loop for me is about an estimated 8.5km.

I am feeling great and running great. The only problem is the distance. I am not running any significant distance runs. I guess that will have to wait until marathon training season begins in September.

Runner's Guide To Israel: Tel Yarmout

2011-07-15T10:49:00.000+03:00

Today's trail run was unplanned. Our small group met up at 6 am for a local run of 10-12km. When we met we decided to run a trail instead of our normal routes in the area.

We ran down and headed out of RBS towards the 38. At the bottom we turned on to a trail and ran across the trail, almost parallel to the highway. At some point we would have to follow the trails up to the left and climb the mountain to come around the other side.

Tel Yarmout is the site of an ancient village from biblical times, currently an area very rich with archaeological finds.

After running across the trail, we located the correct trail heading up the mountain to tel Yarmout. Coming across the top, we ran through the edge of the site of construction of the new neighborhood of RBS C, and then down the steep decline to the fields at the bottom and across back to RBS A.

The trails up to Tel Yarmout were probably the hardest trails I have run barefoot. They actually alternated between very soft trail sections and very hard, rocky sections. Thankfully my feet have adjusted nicely and, while I had to take certain sections slow being more careful, overall I did pretty good and came out of it mostly painless. Had I known in advance I would probably have worn my Vibram Five Finger Treksport shoes rather than my Bikilas, but I did just fine with the Bikila.

The total run for me was about 13.5km, and was a beautiful scenic route, with a nice early-morning cool breeze.

I closed this week with 4 runs, the longest being the hilly trail of 13.5km, with a total of an estimated 39km.

Damsel In Distress

2011-07-13T10:48:00.000+03:00

This morning's run was really a killer. With the hot weather in full force, we got started a bit after 8:30. Truth is when we started the weather was still reasonable. It was hot, but not bad, a slight breeze, the sun was not strong, and it was mostly pleasant.

We had a good run out to the end of Road 10, and then after a few moments of a break to cool down, we continued out on the 375 to Eziyona Junction. By then it was already getting hot enough to start becoming uncomfortable. We stopped at Eziyoina and sat in the shade for a bit to cool down.

After a short break we turned and headed back to RBS. A few minutes in we came across a damsel in distress - a woman was biking and her chain got all tangled and knotted up. She was on the side of the road stuck. We stopped to try to help, but after 15 minutes or so of wrestling with the chain unsuccessfully, we could only give up. She called her husband who was now on his way to pick her up, so we continued on our run.

By now it was getting REALLY hot, and the stretch back on the 10 and then up the hill to RBS was very difficult. I finished the run today feeling completely drained, and drenched all the way through with sweat.

I felt bad for her, as she headed out looking for a good morning workout - in the end her morning was now killed, she didnt get her workout, and the whole morning would probably end up wasted as she would have to take the bike in to get the chain fixed and whatnot. That can really kill a persons day.

A Hot 9KM Run

2011-07-11T10:17:00.000+03:00

Had a fabulous 9km run this morning. Despite the heat, we decided to go for a run. It is going to be hot the rest of the summer, so either we run at 11pm, 4am, or we buckle up and run in the heat.

We met and ran about 9km, around RBS, then down Nahal Ein Gedi and up the path through the fields across RBS to the top of Yarqon, then we split and I ran the last 1.4km home.

The only animals we saw today were when we passed the flock of about 150 or so sheep grazing in the field. There was also some scurrying in the brush at times, but we had no idea what animals were there.

It was hot, but not as bad as yesterday. It was bearably hot this morning.

Saw Deer On Today's 15km Run

2011-07-01T10:01:00.000+03:00

Just because I don't write (here), does not mean I am not running.

I ran four times this week, Saturday night, Tuesday Morning, Wednesday morning, and Friday morning, but am only posting here now.

The Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday runs were about 8-9km each, and today's run was about 15km, though I have not worn my Garmin GPS watch all week, so these are estimates. That makes this week's running total to be in the range of about 41km.

Today's run was the toughest. I have been feeling very strong recently, and despite running with no watch I have felt that my ace and running strength has been improving recently. Maybe it is my imagination, since I am not wearing a watch, but my most recent runs have been at hard paces and i felt strong on them.

Today though was a killer. the first half out was great. We ran hard, maybe too hard, and went out about 7.5 km to just a couple hundred meters past the Aderet Intersection on Highway 375.

Then we turned around, but when we got to Tzomet Etziyona we turned in and took a trail back to Road 10. the trail through the fields was nice, and it was my first time on this trail. We saw some deer running a bout 150 meters way from us in the field. There was no way we were going to catch up with them! The prancing deer were far nicer than the dead snake and dead hedgehog we saw the other day...

The road run from tzomet Etziyona back to Road 10 is a slight downhill making it a great stretch for a tempo pace, but this trail took us mostly, until near the end of it, on an uphill incline, making it unexpectedly difficult.

My Vibram FiveFinger Bikila are still holding up nicely, but with all this added trail running (not really a lot, but more than usual), they are probably starting to wear down faster than expected. it might be time to prepare new ones soon.

Today's run was a nice mix of road running, trail running, flat and hill running, and seeing the deer prancing ahead of us was an added bonus!

NIKE Has Brilliant Marketing Teams (video)

2011-06-19T14:55:00.000+03:00

NIKE Has Brilliant Marketing Teams

NIKE felt the need to make running more interesting and fun for the younger crowds, so they went on a major marketing campaign, and in just 6 weeks saw great success.

A good start to the week

2011-06-18T23:53:00.000+03:00

I don't know if I will run this week as much as I ran last week, but it is off to a good start. I ran tonight about 8km around RBS. The weather was beautiful and there were lots of people out taking advantage of it. Lots of walkers and runners enjoying the cool air.

After that i went for a walk with my wife for about 1.5km.

Will I run much this week? Will I match last week's mileage, or as we say in Israel "kilometrage"? Will I run every day? Will I run less? A more normal 3-4 times instead of 6-7? As of right now, I have no specific plans... we'll see where the week takes us.

Runner's Guide To Israel: President's Forest

2011-06-17T09:06:00.000+03:00

Run #7, and the final run, of Running week, was a 14km run in President's Forest. I did this run with the Bet Shemesh Running Club as part of a group run on the summer Friday morning Trail Run series.

President's Forest

beautiful view from President's Forest trail

President's Forest is a trail through a KKL (JNF) forest, just utside of Bet Shemesh, planted in memory of Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann. The forest is part of the Tzora Forest, and at it's highest point it reaches an altitude of 401 meters above sea level. There are spectacular views all over the forest, and at different points one can see views of the coastal plains, the Judean Plains and The Judean Hills.

Alongside part of the trail is Derech HaPsalim - Sculpture Road. There are statues created by artists, emphasizing the history and the landscape of the area, including pieces such as the one depicting Shimshon (Samson of "Samson and Delila").

There are also caves, tombs, cisterns, and winepresses throughout the forest.

same beautiful view from President's Forest trail
but with the runners of the BS Running Club

The trail is about 3km out and then about 8 km of a circuit trail, and then 3km back. The trail is a tough run with up and downs the whole way, and I must say it sure felt like they were mostly ups.

At about 7km we stopped to take in the view. At that point the view is absolutely stunning. I usually don't take my phone out on runs, but I did today, and took advantage and snapped a few photos of the amazing view.

another beautiful view from president's Forest

Run 6 Of The Running Week

2011-06-17T00:37:00.001+03:00

Run 6 of Running Week started off at just before 6 PM under th still-hot-but-starting-to-cool sun. We met up and ran out to Tzomet Etzion, the intersection on Highway 375 right before the satellites. We ran there and back, totaling for me 9.5km

Run #6 of Running Week brought me to about 52km on the week.

I have been asked why I am doing this, running so much. Am I training for something?

The answer is no. I am not training for anything specific. Since the Tel Aviv Marathon in April I have hardly run, and not on any regular schedule. In the two months since, I have only gone to run a handful of times. I was starting to feel like I gained a lot of weight, I was feeling heavy and lethargic. I was feeling like i was starting to go to mush. It was time to start getting back to training. I actually only planned to run "a lot". I was thinking along the lines of 4 or 5 runs for the week.

Then I started running. And I felt great. Yeah, my legs were feeling tired from being a little out of shape. At a certain point I was starting to feel worn out. Yet overall I was starting to feel great again. My energy levels were up and overall I was feeling great. After the first 3 runs, I decided I was going to try to run every day this week.
And so far so good.

Run 5 of Running Week

2011-06-15T09:38:00.000+03:00

I had thoughts to run a 12km run this morning, but things don't always go according to plan. Actually, they rarely go according to plan.

My running partner was tired this morning, so he was not in the mood to run with me. Add that to the knowledge that tonight I have a softball game so would not be able to run later, but also don't want to be too worn out to plan, I decided to run in the morning anyway, but cutting it to a short run. Another factor is that all week long the weather has been unusually pleasant and cool, especially until mid-morning, made me want to take advantage of another potentially cool morning.

So I went out myself, with plans for a 6km or so run. Heading out I decided to go out on Nahal Tzeelim, being a 6 km out and back course. I used to run Tzeelim fairly regularly, but have not done so in a long time.

The weather was warmer than I expected, and the way back up the hill was difficult, but I finished the run at 6.13km.

The running week is up to 5 runs totalling 42km, and it continues tomorrow...

Running Week Continues

2011-06-15T00:16:00.000+03:00

I thought I would take today off from running, considering that I have run every day this week and my legs are feeling very tired. I decided not to take the day off, and arranged a late-night short run.

We met at 10:45 PM for a short, 6-7 km run. We ran out to the end of Road 10 and back, at an easy pace.

Tuesday night, 4 runs for the week so far, 36km logged.

And the running week continues...

3rd day of Running in a row

2011-06-14T01:59:00.000+03:00

Tonight for a change of pace, we, me and my running buddy, decided we would run with the group at the group run through the Bet Shemesh Merkaz for an 11km run. Things did not work out as planned, and we had to come up with other plans for a slightly later start.

We decided to run in Bet Shemesh anyway, as it was an opportunity for different scenery, and we came up with an alternate route. We ran from RBS down to Bet Shemesh. We ran around behind the Kirya Haredit toward Migdal HaMayim. We crossed Migdal Hamayim along the upper road of houses, and then swung back around through the main Migdal HaMayim strip of shops and then back to RBS.

The weather was cool and pleasant, and the run was a very hilly 12km.

For me that is 3 days in a row of running, so far totaling for the week 29km. My legs are feeling tired, so I might take tomorrow off, or maybe I will just do a short run tomorrow evening.

The Start of A Great Running Week

2011-06-12T11:37:00.000+03:00

As far as running is concerned, this week is so far so good.

After running 8.5 km last night, I was thinking about running perhaps 11-12km tonight. When my buddy called this morning wanting to take advantage of the unusually cool morning, i could not resist.

We went out for a run around RBS, with me finishing at 8.7km. We ran around RBS, turning down at Ramat Shiloh, by Ein Gedi street. We ran down to the end, then crossed Tzeelim. We ran along the path in the fields that is adjacent, almost parallel, to Yarqon street.

After a short break at the top, to catch our breaths and have a short chat, we split up each running home in opposite directions. It was already warmer than expected, but there was still a decently nice breeze. It was nice to take advantage of cool weather, run with a partner, and get off to the start of what will likely be a great running week.

First Run In 2 Weeks Was Great!

2011-06-11T23:19:00.000+03:00

I have not gone out running in 2 weeks. I have not run consistently, on any sort of regular schedule, since the Tel Aviv Marathon at the beginning of April. And I am starting to feel the results. I am starting to feel heavy and sluggish, overweight and lethargic. It is tough running when you have no specific goals to train for.

I am trying to get back into it, and I want to start training hard again. the heat is going to make it very difficult, and most running will have to be either very early morning or late at night.

Tonight I went out for a 8.5km run around RBS. I did not want to take my GPS watch with me, as I wanted to enjoy the run and not worry about time, but having not run for 2 weeks I wanted to keep an eye on my pace. Right when I turned on th watch, I saw it was about to die, so there was no point in taking it along. So I ran with no watch, which is always the best.

I started out running across Kishon. When I run by myself I like to start off with running across Kishon and back, as it gives me a good 3km flat start. Then I ran around RBS, making it about 8.5km, at I have no idea what pace.

I was very satisfied with the run, and it was a beautiful night with a cool breeze. Lot of runners and walkers out. Hopefully I will find time tomorrow to go out again. I need to start building up my running again, getting my muscles fit, and dropping some weight.

Review Of Vibram FiveFinger Treksport for road running

2011-05-26T15:08:00.001+03:00

So I went out for a run this morning. Even though I was not running a trail, I still wanted to try out my new Vibram FiveFinger Treksport shoes. I also wanted to compare them not just on trails but also running on the road and see how they match up to the FiveFinger Bikila, or other shoes.

I got them in this nice orange color, and they are pretty cool.

The differences between Bikila and Treksport, that I personally noticed:

The material upper of the Treksport is a little bit more flexible and softer than the material of the Bikila.
The velcro strap is designed a little differently. As a matter of fact, I have wondered why on the Bikila shoes the velcro strap is designed the opposite direction of normal velcro straps on shoes. I still don't have the answer to that, but on the Treksport they are facing the normal direction like most velcro straps on shoes face.
The velcro strap on the Treksport is flexible and can be adjusted, to a point, whereas on the Bikila it is set and not adjustable.
The soles on the Treksport are a bit thicker, with heavier cleats along the edges and under the toes, for better protection. This means when running on the road that your foot feels the road less. According to Vibram it gives better traction, and maybe it does, but I like the feel of the road beneath that I get with the Bikila.

On one spot of my foot, on the inner sole, some skin wore off from the shoe. It happened the first time I ran with the Bikila as well. I might not have adjusted the shoe properly before I ran, causing friction from below. When it happened with the Bikila, I adjusted it a bit the next time I ran and was fine. I expect it to be the same with the Treksport.

Here are the images and descriptions of the soles of both the Treksport and the Bikila, from the Vibram website..

Treksport:

Treksport soles

Bikila:

Interestingly, the label that came attached to the Treksport shoes has an image of the sole with a description highlighting the features, and it is slightly different than the image above. I scanned it in to show you the difference:

As you can see, on the label it mentions the cleated rubber outside, which is not mentioned in the image on the site. They also point out the adjustable strap, and the Coconut Active Carbon upper material...

Basically, the Treksport are built very similar to the Bikila running shoes, and I look forward to using them to run trails. For running on the road I am going to stick with the Bikila as it gives me more of the feel of the road beneath me.

After I use the Treksport on the trails, I will write about how they held up and if they really provided better protection.

Initial Review Of The New Vibram FiveFinger Treksport

2011-05-25T02:57:00.000+03:00

I am very excited. I just received my new pair of Vibram FiveFinger Treksport Barefoot Outdoors Running Shoes.

Vibram FiveFinger Treksport

I tried them on and they feel great. The Treksport is very similar to the FiveFinger Bikila Running Shoes, but just a little bit different.

The main difference, which I plan to test out on my next trail run, is that the Treksport is built with a bit more protection on the parts of the foot that are more prone to injury and pain from the rocks of the trails.

Besides for that, the Treksport shoes are a bit more comfortable than the Bikila. The design of the shoe seems to be a better, more comfortable fit. Granted, so far I have only worn them for a few minutes, but this is my initial impression. The velcro strip is different, and better. The material seems a bit softer. The fit is a bit better.

Wait for my review after running in them on the trails. These are only my initial impressions. I am impressed.

A week with less promise

2011-05-22T09:11:00.000+03:00

What started off as a promising running week last week turned into a real dud. With nothing specific to train for, I seem to find every excuse in the book to not go out and run. One day it is too hot. The next day I am too tired. The next I am too busy. etc.

This week has started off with less promise, and we will see where it takes me.

I enjoy my Saturday night runs. It gets me out after cleaning up from Shabbos. It burns some calories after overeating on Shabbos. And it feels great. Last night, though, I did not run because of the Lag B'Omer bonfires. Both because of the need to take my kids out to the bonfires, and because of the lack of desire to inhale smoke while running.

This morning I went out for a nice 5km run. the air was pleasant and the roads were empty. I ran around RBS at a nice pace.

This week will be busy, between work, family, softball, a wedding and engagement party and 2 separate relatives from the US who are coming to visit, this week will be tough to schedule runs in..

Meeting Run

2011-05-15T12:54:00.000+03:00

I had a work related meeting in Bet Shemesh this morning. I decided to run there, instead of taking a bus or taxi.

The run was great. A nice 5km after last night's 7.5km. The meeting went pretty good, but after the meeting I decided not to run home. My muscles were tight and I needed to get back quicker for work.

It is great being able to run to a meeting. Oh, and no he did not mind - he rode his bike to the meeting, so we were both in t-shirt and shorts. But I was the only one in Vibram FiveFinger Bikilas.

Saturday Night Special

2011-05-14T23:51:00.000+03:00

Tonight I met up with a few guys and we ran the first run of the week. We ran about 7.5km out to the end of Road 10 and back.

Saturday night is usually a recovery run, running at an easy pace. We did not run an easy pace, but ran a fairly quick pace. The weather was great and it felt great to burn some calories.

Tomorrow morning I expect to run to Bet Shemesh for a work meeting.

Runner's Guide To Israel: Tel Zofit

2011-05-14T23:20:00.000+03:00

Now that marathon season is over, until September, in Israel, the Bet Shemesh Running Club spends the summer Fridays running various trails in the region of Bet Shemesh.

Running barefoot presents a great challenge when running trails. While my feet can handle it much more now than it used to be, I still have to be careful and run a bit slower, and check in advance what kind of trail it is, and how hard/soft the trail is.

Friday we met and ran out the trail to Tel Zofit. This is a trail that begins along the Highway 383, just across from Sedot Micha, just after the Sedot Haaretz wedding hall when coming from the Bet Shemesh direction. The trail begins on cracked asphalt, and eventually switches to full trail.

It is about 8.5km to the end, where you meet up at the bottom of the Tel Zofit mountain. Running through those fields is a beautiful terrain. There was a large but dead snake in the middle of the trail at one point. It was beautiful run out, and part of it was fairly rocky but it was pretty good. I decided not to go up the mountain, but a few of us ran back instead.

Running back was more difficult. It was starting to get hot and sunny, and there were more uphill sections on the way back. As well, this was the longest run i have gone on since the Tel Aviv Marathon a month ago. This was ended at 17km (8.5 each way), and my previous long run was less than 11km.

Are Marathons Worth It?

2011-05-11T09:21:00.000+03:00

There is an interesting article on 3 Quarks Daily that asks "are marathons worth it?". It is definitely worth a read.

To excerpt parts of the article, the author writes:

It's 10:00 on a beautiful Sunday morning in California. To my left is some of the most spectacular coastline America has to offer. I'm walking along a road on Point Lobos that is ordinarily packed with cars on days like this, but today, thanks in part to my $135 entry fee, the road has been closed to traffic.

There's only one problem: I should be running, not walking. Over the past year, I've spent hundreds of dollars on running gear and race entry fees. I've logged more than 1,600 miles training for this event, including nearly 1,000 miles in the past four months alone. I've lost over 35 pounds and steadily improved my speed and stamina. Why can't I make my body do what I've trained it to do?

Dozens of runners pass me on either side, each of them experiencing varying degrees of misery similar to my own. Most of them, like me, have traveled hundreds or thousands of miles to get here, spending $500, $1,000 or more to participate in this event, the Big Sur International Marathon. Like Boston, New York, Paris, and Berlin, Big Sur is a "destination marathon," a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is so beloved, many runners return year after year.
[...]
Last year, over 500,000 runners completed a marathon in the U.S. alone. Nearly all of these runners had absolutely no chance of victory: The 625 marathons held in 2010 yielded only 1,250 slots for victors (male and female). To encourage more runners to participate, many races offer a variety of other awards: Age-group winners, a master's division for runners over 40, awards for runners above a certain weight, for runners who live in snowy climates and so have limited opportunities to train, for relay teams, even for best costume. But even when you account for all these awards, only a tiny fraction of competitors actually wins anything.

No, the runners in all these races are rarely actually competing against the other runners. Most runners have only one opponent: Themselves. Once you've run one marathon, you need to run another one, to see if you can do better. The PR — personal record — has become everyman's definition of a "good race," whether he finishes in first or three thousand and first.

The quest for a new PR can lead runners to spend hundreds of hours training, and thousands of dollars on gear and services designed to help them trim a few minutes off their previous records. Running shoes now routinely cost over $100 a pair, and Mizuno this weekend cracked the $200 barrier with its latest offering. Supposing these new shoes actually make you faster — a dubious proposition — does it really make sense for an average runner to buy them? This runner isn't going to win any races regardless of what shoes they wear. Even if they set a new PR, what's the value in that if it doesn't actually reflect improved conditioning?
[...]
A few days after the race, the race organizers email me a link to a site where I can preview my official photos — and download them, for a fee, of course. There I am, crossing the finish line. There I am, looking strong in the early part of the race, with the waves of Big Sur crashing to the shore in the background. But I'm most intrigued by a photo taken around 10 a.m., on Point Lobos. I'm walking, not running, and the look on my face is somewhere between exhaustion and despair. That photo, more than any of the other professional photos or the ones I took myself, captures what it's like to run a marathon. I had never pushed myself as hard in my life, even during those hundreds of miles in training. It's a feeling I've never experienced before, and one I don't want to experience again in a race, but it left me with an almost overwhelming desire to be stronger than that, better than that, and damn the cost.

I wish I could say the feeling was unique; it's probably not. Indeed, it's probably a feeling most runners get in most marathons. There's almost certainly something better that marathoners could be doing with all that time and money. Running a lot of marathons, in fact, may not even be good for your health—while the research on the effects of long-distance running is mixed, it stands to reason that a more moderate workout regime puts much less stress on the heart. While many races benefit charities, they also feed for-profit companies like The Competitor Group, which manages the wildly popular Rock-N-Roll series of marathons. Surely there's a more efficient way of getting resources to people who need them.

In America, marathoning is a rich person's sport. There's certainly no way my stepbrother Mark, who I've discussed here before, could afford it, even if his health permitted it. My brother's situation, for me, is the strongest argument I've yet encountered for ending this whole business. So far I haven't succumbed, though. I'm registered for another one in Colorado next month. Maybe I'll get a PR.

I disagree with his assessment. Running need not be a rich man's sport. Runnign can really be the cheapest of sports. There is no need for a gym membership. No need for expensive gear.
There are really only two things about running that cost money:

You need is to buy a new pair of shoes once in a while. So you spend $100, or $130 in a good pair of running shoes twice a year.
Race entry fees. It sounds like in America marathons cost more for registration than they do in Israel, but even so, how many marathons a year is a person going to run? 1 or 2? Sure there are some crazy people who will run 10 or 20 marathons in a year, spending way too much money on this, but most people do not.

I don't see the money being a big factor in running, especially considering that other sports are so much more expensive. Take up swimming and you have to pay pool memberships. Biking, you have to buy a bike, and replace parts regularly. Pretty much every sport requires the participant to purchase equipment, and many force you to join a gym. Running is relatively cheap - put on a pair of shoes and get out onto the road.

Regarding his point that runners are narcissistic, I would say that among the runners I know, very few are like that. Yes, some are. Some love to look at their picture crossing the finish line and revel in how good they look doing so. Personally, I like to look at the picture because it reminds me that I can do whatever I put my mind to. I can overcome the greatest of challenges. The marathon is a challenge that is beyond the human's normal abilities. The fact that I was able to complete it, and even complete it respectably (without collapsing and needing to crawl across the finish line), gives me a tremendous boost in other areas of my life. So yes, I like to look at my picture from the marathon, but it is because of what it motivates me to do and not because I like looking at myself.

Yes, some worry about every second and look for ways to shave off time wherever they can. Most runners that I know are not like that. Most take the challenge of the marathon as a challenge of a lifetime, they train their hearts out, they run the marathon and that's it. While many continue to run, with some always looking for the PR, most just want to run. they participate in marathons because it presents them with a challenge. Some need to look for a PR to get the challenge that motivates them, while others just want to run, and the paid entry is enough of a motivation. I have run 3 marathons in 2011 - I set my PR in the first of them, and the others I just ran to enjoy and to challenge myself again. Am I a better person because I ran 5 or 25 minutes faster than the previous time. Probably not, which is why most runners just want to finish.

Are Marathons Worth It? That is a very personal question, and, I think, it depends on why you are running the marathon. For the most part, marathons are worth it. When you complete a marathon, the first one at least, it becomes a life altering event.

9km Steep Trail Run

2011-05-09T11:50:00.000+03:00

After 9 days of no running, and 3.5 weeks of minimal running, I went out for my second run of the week this morning.

The first run was a 7km run on Saturday night, We ran around the perimeter of RBS, which is 4.8km, and I ran halfway around a second time.

This morning's run was going to be a path we don't normally do. We were going to run out to Road 10, turning left instead of right, then running up through Zanoach and on the trail out into RBS. Along the way, one of the guys wasn't feeling well and dropped out. It was hotter than expected. We decided to turn up a different trail instead. This trail was very steep and rocky, but I have gotten used to running rocky trails. While needing to take it slow at rockier points, and the steepness of the downhill required a slower descent, overall it was pretty good.

Along the way we passed some Bedouin who had set up tent along the trail. They had a small pen of young lamb, along with doing laundry by hand and everything else that is part and parcel of a Bedouin tent.

After continuing along the path, we eventually got dumped out at the junction connecting RBS B and RBS A. I turned off and ran home on Kishon, concluding my run at 9km, while my running partner ran the other way up Yarqon towards his house.

It was hot, it was a difficult trail to run, especially because of how steep it was, and it felt great at the end.

Gaza Marathon Underway!

2011-05-05T09:40:00.000+03:00

The news is reporting that the first ever Gaza Marathon is underway! With out me, I might add.

The news is reporting that 1400 runners are participating, though only 9 are planning to run the full marathon. The majority of the rest plan to run varying distances from 1-13 kilometers. The UNRWA raised 1 million dollars through this marathon that will go to support the summer camps for children of Gaza.

Bum Knee and New Male Model Career

2011-05-02T22:37:00.000+03:00

I have not run this week yet. After Friday's 10.5km run I went and played basketball. It was the first time I played since 5 or 6 weeks before the Tiberias Marathon in January.

Even though I have played basketball nearly every Friday for many years with this group, as it gets closer to the marathon it is difficult to play, mainly for two reasons:

fear of getting injured, like twisting an ankle or jamming my knee, and being unable to run and train for the marathon, or possibly even needing to drop out of the marathon completely.
timing. Friday is our main day for long runs, as that is the day most people don't work. It is usually not possible to do a long run and get back in time for basketball, and usually after a long run I am too sore for basketball.

So this Friday was my first time playing in my old regular game in a long time. And of course I hurt my knee. It is mostly better now, but after the game it was swollen to about 3 times its size and I could not put any pressure on it. Now I can put most of my regular pressure on it and there is very little pain. Another day or two and it should be fine, unless I injure it at my softball game tomorrow night.

And in other news, Gillette, the main sponsor of the recent Tel Aviv Marathon, has asked me for my permission to allow them to use my image in the promotionals. I gave them permission and they sent me the picture they will be using. I think it is a pretty good shot of me crossing the finish line:

Look at that wing-span!
My new male model career is being launched

Tough 11km Hilly Run

2011-04-29T16:12:00.000+03:00

This morning we went out for a nice run in the pleasant morning weather.

We went out to Park Brittania. The trail there starts off flat, but quickly goes into a very steep, but not long, uphill. After that is a long downhill, which is great, except on the way back it meant it was a very long uphill.

Overall the run was great, albeit tough. I am still a bit out of shape from not having run much, except a couple of short runs, since the marathon in Tel Aviv 3 weeks ago and all the holiday food.

Wee finished the run at just under 11km.

and in other news, my new pair of Vibram TrekSport shoes have shipped. My nephew should be bringing them when he comes to visit in a couple of weeks. These should make running trails a little bit better.

Can't Run In The Gaza Marathon... This Year

2011-04-20T15:03:00.000+03:00

So I have been thinking about, but not seriously considering, running in the upcoming Gaza Marathon. It suddenyl struck me that I should not even bother to think about it until I find out if it is even possible, should I decide i want to.

I took a look at the UNRWA website, and it seemed form the information there that the marathon is only for Gazan runners, and UN staff. I sent off an email to the contact listed there for information, asking if it would even be possible for me to run, should I want to.

The following was his reply email to me:

Dear Rafi,
First of all, thank you so much for reaching out to me and for your interest in the Gaza marathon.
Unfortunately, as this is the first year that we have run the event, we're still working through a lot of the administrative details and it doesn't seem like it will be possible for us to accommodate people ordinarily living/working outside of Gaza this year. Also, as an Israeli citizen, you would likely not be permitted entry into Gaza (the Government of Israel has a strict ban on this) so you unfortunately probably would not be able to join us for the marathon in any event.
Thank you so much once again for your interest, and I very much hope that in the years to come we may find a way for you to come and run in Gaza! In the meantime, please do think about organising some kind of sister event (eg an event with your regular running group) on the day of the Marathon so that we link up.
All the best,
Gemma
Gemma Connell
Executive Assistant to the
Director of UNRWA Operations
Gaza Field Office
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
Office: +972 8 288 7265
Mobile: +972 599 891464
Email: g.connell@unrwa.org

So that solves that. Even if I wanted to, I would not be able to. i was even thinking about running it in a Free Gilad Shalit body suit..

Oh well. I guess we should just say "Next Year in Gaza"

Serene and Pristine

2011-04-20T08:48:00.000+03:00

What a beautiful morning for a run!

serene and pristine

Because of the holiday, the roads are pretty empty in the early morning hours. People take advantage of the holiday schedule to wake up late, go to later services, take vacation from work. So when i got up early for morning services and went out for a run afterwards, i was looking at mostly empty roads even though it was already after 7am.

The weather was beautiful, just cool enough with a pleasant breeze. You could hear the breeze rustling through the trees. I could hear the birds chirping. And I was mostly alone.

I ran with no watch, but my distance today was probably about 9-10km. Maybe tomorrow I'll go out for a medium length run of 15km or so.

Pretty Good T-Shirt

2011-04-13T20:12:00.001+03:00

One of the habits I have fallen into is that for the first run I go on after a marathon, or the first two or three even, I wear the "marathon shirt" on those runs. It almost feels like a victory lap, going out on a couple of 10km runs wearing the medal of honor of having finished the marathon.

This afternoon I went out for a 9.5km run. My first since the Tel Aviv Marathon on Friday. I have felt great all week, but it just has not worked out for me with the schedule to find running time. This afternoon I went out with my running partner for a short, easy-paced run. I wore my Tel Aviv Marathon t-shirt. It was actually a very good t-shirt. very high quality running shirt. I was very impressed. Sometimes they give out decent shirts, sometimes junky, but this was very good.

The run was great. Good to go out and stretch the legs, get the rhythm back, get the blood pumping. We went out on the 10 and then turned left at the end. We went up to the KKL sign and turned around. That way is uphill, so I said to my running partner that we are beginning our training for the 2012 Jerusalem Marathon...

Running The Next Marathon?

2011-04-13T07:46:00.000+03:00

And just like that I already feel ready to run my next marathon. Since I have no intention to travel and spend serious money just to run marathons (unless someone wants to sponsor me - if you do, drop me an email at israeli.jew @ gmail dot com), I am kind of limited to marathons in Israel. That now gives me about 3 per year, plus some shorter races such as half-marathons and 10km races.

At least it did until now. With the upcoming Gaza Marathon, there is a new marathon in the area that is just a 45 minute drive away from me...

From The Jerusalem Post:

Gaza means many things to many people, but rarely does it bring to mind a runner’s Mecca.

Nonetheless, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees is hoping that the coastal territory will bring hundreds – if not thousands – to take part in the first-ever Gaza Marathon on May 5. The marathon is being held largely as a fundraiser for UNRWA’s 5th annual summer games.

“The idea is that it’s a fundraising for the Gaza summer games. We supply these games each summer for up to 250,000 children – we have sporting activities, cultural activities and remedial activities for children there because the situation is so terrible for them in Gaza,“ UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said Tuesday.

UNRWA is looking to raise $100,000 for the games. As of Tuesday afternoon its website showed that donors have contributed $2,259.

“Gaza Marathon is very much about raising money and raising awareness. It just shows the world that kids in Gaza just want to be like kids anywhere else in the world. They don’t want to live in this terrible and locked-up environment,” Gunness said.

Fortunately for the marathon planners, the mostly flat Gaza Strip is almost exactly the length of a marathon, at around 42 kilometers from north to south.

According to Gunness, most of those planning to take part in the run will be local Gazans, volunteers and employees from UNRWA and other NGOs, as well as a few members of the Palestinian Olympic team.

He added that there are currently no plans to bring any big-name east African runners to participate.

Gunness said that the marathon will run from the very far northern tip of the Gaza Strip through Beit Lahiya, to the seashore, where it will continue down the coastal road.

However, he said the coastal jaunt could present some difficulties as it will pass areas such as “Wadi Gaza,” where large amounts of raw sewage sits in the open air – posing what he calls “a serious health risk“ that “really does stink.”

On the other hand, he assured that there are no other war-related risks to be posed, adding that “it will be a very pleasant and fun day.”

Assuming all goes as planned, the Gaza Marathon will take place on the heels of the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv marathons, a fact that is not lost on Gunness.

“We’ve had the Jerusalem Marathon, the Tel Aviv Marathon – and now UNRWA is staging the last in a trio of Middle-Eastern marathons: the Gaza Marathon.”

Anybody interested in joining me to run this?

The Jerusalem Marathon (video)

2011-04-12T07:28:00.001+03:00

My Tel Aviv Marathon

2011-04-10T10:22:00.001+03:00

This is going to be some random thoughts strung together about my experience at the Tel Aviv Marathon on Friday.

Passing the 40km mark.
See my Vibram FiveFinger Bikilas in action!

I went into the race with no expectations. This was going to be my third marathon in 3 months, my second in two weeks. Having just run the tortuously hilly Jerusalem Marathon, I figured this basically flat course would be a nice easy run at no specific pace. I started off that way, but by the middle I realized I was feeling great and strong and still could have a chance at a personal record. I had a great run, though I missed my personal record by a minute and a 20 seconds.
Lots of people still asking me if the Vibram FiveFinger Bikilas are comfortable and if I wore them for the whole thing. I tried a bit of humor at times and mentioned that I only wore them for half the run and changed shoes in the middle. They didn't realize I was joking. They also looked shocked when my response to "are they comfortable?" is no. Then I explain that they are not meant to be comfortable. they are not padded.
A lot of people were telling me they run in Vibrams but only short runs or occasionally.
The first 30-45 minutes after completing the marathon are excruciatingly painful. You have no control over your legs, they hurt like nothing else, you cannot talk to anybody, you cannot focus, your leg muscles are spasming. It is just horribly painful. That is when we say things like "I will never do this again". After the first 45 or so minutes, you are sore for a while, a couple of days even, but you are mostly ok. And then you feel great. I feel great. I am ready to run again. I am even thinking of starting to look for when the next race is, though I know there is no full marathon in Israel any longer until January.
A great distance for a long distance race is about 30km. Beyond that is ridiculous, with little purpose. the average long distance runner will still generally feel good up until about 30km or so (some 31, 32, 33, 29, etc, but 30 on average is my guess). Until that point you can run a great race. The real struggle, where the mind kicks in and it becomes more of a mind over matter issue, is after 30km. I guess that is what makes the marathon more than just a race.
The Tel Aviv Marathon course was not fun. There were very few people outside cheering. The course took us out on some main roads that were basically empty, rather than through the city. It was a good run, and the terrain itself was not bad for the most part, but it was not an interesting, fun or enjoyable course.
The Tel Aviv organizers were completely unorganized. They did not have enough food at the end. No fruit. No popsicles. Not enough yogurts. They had plenty of water though. The ushers in the pre-race could not direct me to the gear check-in, as they had no idea where it was.
The water stations were pretty good as far as frequency is concerned, though they distributed cups of water most of the time. It is hard to run with a cup. They should have used small bottles. Less waste, less cups blowing around and better for the runners.
The nice parts of the race were basically through park HaYarkon, though the terrain there was more difficult - bridges and bumpy narrow trails, and on the boardwalk along the beach next to Sde Dov airport. That stretch on the beach was beautiful, but it was very hot and windy.
There were many sections, including Park HaYarkon and along the beach, where there were many non-marathon-runners and walkers, and bikers, and dog walkers, that just got in the way.
There were many runners who did not bother registering. I don't know if it is theft for them to be taking water and gels at the stops when they did not pay the fee, or maybe the sponsors don't care as they still are doing their advertising.
The road was very crowded, and for large sections, mostly until about 17km, it was difficult to get good footing and into a good rhythm because of how crowded it was.
I ran with my running partner. We fell into rhythm with the 3:45 pacer. At about the 17km my partner disappeared. I figured he had stopped to take a gel with the water, but when I noticed he was gone I could not spot him. I kept running, and a bit later I started to feel very strong and I felt I had a chance at a really great run. I picked up my speed. For the next 10 or so km I ran very hard at a very fast pace. I knew I was being stupid, as I was hurting myself for the end of the race, but I could not stop myself. Sure enough at about 28 or 29km in the park I started to slow down, and some of those people who I had passed, including the 3:45 pacer group, passed me. I ran through the rest but it was not easy.
I finished at 3:56:07, just 13 seconds before my running partner who told me he could see me about 100 meters ahead of him for most of the race after we had split. It is amazing how you see nobody unless they are immediately in front of you or immediately behind you. Everybody else is invisible.
The weather was strange - at the beginning of the race it rained, a light steady rain for a few minutes. Then again later, maybe at 13km or so it rained hard for a few minutes. It was also sunny for much of the run. During the last 8km or so it was extremely hot. At points I thought I might not make it because of the heat, but thankfully the water stations were in abundance and every time I started to feel like that I would hit a water station or someone with a hose spritzing water.
It was funny to see but early on along the route there were a couple of spots where the Tel Aviv prostitutes were still out working the streets. You could right away tell that this was Tel Aviv and not Jerusalem.

Two Perspectives Of The Marathon T-Shirt

2011-04-07T12:44:00.000+03:00

This was actually supposed to be a part of yesterday's musings post, but I forgot to include it while I was writing that post.

There are two different approaches to the marathon t-shirt.

When a runner registers, and pays, for a race, and it does not matter if it is a half-marathon, a full marathon, a 10km race, or a 5km race, he gets a runners kit. The kit generally contains a bib for the shirt with the racers number on it, a chip that is either embedded in the bib or to be laced into the shoes for tracking the runner during the race, promotional materials from the various sponsors, and a t-shirt. Depending on the quality of the race, and how much you paid to join, the quality of the shirt varies from being a simple shirt to a high quality runner's shirt.

As I began, there are two different approaches to the marathon t-shirt.

Some look at the shirt as being meant for running the marathon in, or even simply as a gift, with advertising on it, for running the marathon. These people will wear the shirt at any time from the moment they pick up the kit, and often even during the marathon itself.

Others look at the t-shirt as a prize. If you joined the marathon, ran it and completed it, you can wear the t-shirt. Sort of like a badge of honor. The t-shirt shows that you ran this or that marathon.

I am in the group #2 type of person. I will not wear the marathon t-shirt until after I have completed the given race. I have had a shirt or two from races I had to cancel my participation in, that I will not wear, even to this day, because in my mind I did not run the race, and I do not deserve to wear the shirt that says I did. Even though I paid for it.

For example, I registered last year for the Jerusalem Half-Marathon. I don't remember why, but in the end I did not run it. Maybe I was not in the mood, or maybe I was not feeling well. Either way, I did not run it. I have not yet worn the shirt that I received form that race. Over a year later. Now I think I can because I just ran the full Jerusalem marathon, so in my mind I have qualified for the honor of wearing the Jerusalem t-shirt.

At the end of the day it is just a t-shirt, and you can do with it what you want. To me, though, it is a badge of honor and accomplishment.

Pre-Marathon Warmup Run

2011-04-06T17:55:00.000+03:00

I went out today for a 10km pre-marathon warmup run.

I have not run since Friday, for a variety of reasons. Mostly due to laziness, but add to that being tired, the bad weather, work and study schedules, preparing for Pesach, and again, mostly laziness. To avoid a bit of stiffness, we went out today to stretch our legs.

Running at mostly a recovery pace, we went out to Tzomet Aviezer and back. It was a nice run, and despite the attempt at a recovery pace we settled into a seemingly natural pace of about 5:10 for much of it. It felt good to stretch out the legs before the marathon...

Musings

2011-04-06T15:54:00.000+03:00

1. I noticed that when I try to run in my regular clothes, just up the block or so, I feel pain everywhere. My joints hurt, my knees, ankles, etc. My legs feel tired. Yet when I put on my running shoes (Vibrams in my case) and my t-shirt and shorts I feel great. Strange.

2. Ever since the Jerusalem Marathon I have had an insatiable appetite. I don't know why, just I am always hungry. I have probably gained a few good pounds in the past two weeks...

3. I feel tired. Much more now than I remember feeling in a long time. When I run my legs feel tired. I am sleeping a bit longer at night. Maybe this extended marathon season is taking its tool. Just a couple more days and then my body can rest.

Words of Encouragement and Planning For the Tel Aviv Marathon 2011

2011-04-05T10:39:00.000+03:00

When of encouragement and planning for the Tel Aviv Marathon 2011 from my running coach, Chaim Wizman, owner of Al Derech Burma:

The only thing sweeter than tapering before a marathon is recovering from a marathon. Those of us who ran Jerusalem and also plan to run Tel Aviv are both tapering and recovering so you should be in turbo rest mode. For the saner runners out there who are running their first half marathon or are shooting for a PR in the full marathon, you are all in for a treat. The Tel Aviv course is flat and packed with adoring fans who will make you feel like a superhero. The forecast is for great weather and it is a perfect way to usher in the season when most people put on weight. I have attached an article about how to run the marathon and the same general advice applies to the half marathon (only the numbers change).

I am also happy to announce that there is life after the training season ends. Beginningt next week on Friday morning, we commence our traditional adventure trail running series where we will run a different trail boasting spectacular views and bone crunching elevations in a profound quest to experience the ultimate beauty of the Holy Land. The runs are relaxed and fun and I encourage you to join us and expand your horizons. We will also contunue to meet Monday nights atthe corner of Hashoshan and Narkiss at 8:30 for an 11 km run through the Merkaz as well as Saturday nights 45 minutes after Shabbat. And now for the marathon article.

My Dear Friends:

All the diligent and consistent training that you have done over the past eighteen weeks has brought you to the starting line of the 3rd Tel Aviv Marathon in fantastic shape. However, without an intelligent, well-thought out strategy for the race itself, you will not perform optimally. Because of its formidable distance, the marathon is a race that has to be run with the head as well as the heart and legs. Therefore, I suggest you read this article carefully to help you formulate your plan.

Warming Up: Although warming up is generally very important for races, particularly those of shorter distances where you plan to run fast from the outset, it is far less important for the marathon. Warming up prepares your body to run at race pace by increasing your body temperature, metabolic rate and the circulation of blood to your muscles. The problem with warming up for the marathon is that it also uses up valuable glycogen stores and one of the most critical elements of your race is to preserve your glycogen stores as much as possible so that you are not forced to burn fat earlier than necessary. Therefore, you need to do the minimum warm-up necessary to prepare your body to handle race pace as soon as the starter's gun is fired so that you save as much of your precious carbohydrate reserves as possible for the 42.2 km ahead. A 4-5 minute warm-up should do the trick since your marathon pace should be a pace that feels relatively easy to you. Begin your warmup by jogging slowly and picking up the pace slightly every 30 seconds until you are at race pace for the final 30 seconds. Then stretch gently including loosening up your shoulders and neck. That's it. Find your way to a good spot on the starting line and make sure that you meet up with whomever you are planning to run with.

Pacing strategy: There are huge debates among running experts about virtually every aspect of the Marathon . But there is one thing that absolutely EVERYBODY agrees with. You cannot bank time in the first half for an inevitable slowdown in the second half. In other words, if you think that you should run faster than your goal pace during the first half while you are still feeling strong because it will give you some breathing room in the second half, think again. You will pay very dearly for making this mistake. If your goal is 3:30 , don't run a 1:38 first half on the theory that you can run 1:52 in the second half and still reach your goal. Chances are that if you do this, you will crash in the second half and be reduced to a shuffle or worse. The reason for this is that your optimal marathon race pace is just below your lactate threshold pace. If you run faster than that (as in the above example), lactate accumulates in your muscles and blood which deactivates the enzymes for energy production and forces you to slow down big time. You also use more glycogen which means you will have your joyful encounter with "The Wall" earlier than necessary. Therefore, the best strategy is to run relatively even pacing. The Tiberias course is conducive to this as the course is relatively flat throughout. Start out by running the first kilometer (or first 2 kilometers if you want to play it conservatively) at 10 seconds slower than goal pace. This is even more important this year when the weather isexpected to be unseasonably warm. Ignore the many fools who tear off like bats out of hell. Believe me, you will catch them later. Drop your pace by 5 seconds in kilometer 2 or 3 and by kilometer 4, you should be running at goal race pace. Maintain this until the halfway mark. At the halfway mark, do a body check. Ask yourself how you are feeling? If you are feeling good, you can quicken your pace by a few seconds per kilometer but nothing drastic. At kilometer 32, if you are still feeling strong, pick up the pace by a few more seconds per kilometer but still run in control until kilometer 39. At that point, there is no reason to hold back. Give it whatever you have left. That doesn't mean you should start sprinting. It means you can begin running at tempo pace. Your sprint should begin when you see the 42 kilometer sign just ahead. Use that last 300 meters to show yourself that you have mastered the marathon and finish strong with arms held upright in victory like the champion that you are. The huge advantage of running a negative or even split is that you will be passing many runners in the late stages of the race who did not run as intelligently as you did and that is a fantastic feeling.

General Race Observations: I cannot overstate the value of running the marathon with a group of runners of similar ability. The marathon is a long grind and it will be immeasurably more difficult if you have to go it alone. If your goal pace is close to that of one of the pacers, stick to that group for as long as you can. Aside from the significant motivational aspects of running with a group, you will be able to take turns drafting and thereby conserve energy. This is a major factor on a windy day as is usually the case in Tiberias. If you are running near someone who strikes you as unfriendly, don't take it personally. Don't try to race against him when he moves ahead of you. Run with your head, not your ego. Your only race today is against the clock.

The first half is the time to cruise mentally. Try to save your mental and emotional energy for the second half. Just get the first half out of the way at the correct pace without using any more mental energy than necessary.

From the halfway mark to 32 km is the no-man's land of the marathon. You are already a bit tired and there is a long way to go. If you feel strong, follow the pacing strategy outlined above and pick up the pace a bit. Otherwise, try and hang with a group as long as possible. You have to expect moments of crisis (a.k.a. "rough patches") during the marathon. When it happens (and it will), don't panic. Often, these patches last a few kilometers and then mysteriously disappear. The important thing is not to allow yourself to think negatively. Have the confidence to know that you can tough it out and overcome this challenge. It is precisely this kind of challenge which makes the marathon such a rewarding experience. Ask yourself how badly you want it.

From 32 km to the finish is the character part of the marathon. This is what we have prepared for in our long runs. Here's where all that hard work will really pay off. It's the stretch that poorly prepared marathoners fear and well-prepared marathoners such as yourselves relish.

Drinking and Eating: The secret to a successful marathon (aside from proper pacing) is staying properly hydrated and avoiding glycogen depletion. You should aim to consume at least 600 carbohydrate calories during the first 36 kilometers of the race. Gels have 90 calories each and three of them will therefore supply 270 calories. Sports Drink (it's actually kosher thios year for a change) has about 28 calories per 100 ml. Thus if you drink 1.5 liters (and this should be an absolute minimum), that will supply an additional 420 calories. The question is when and how to consume these all-important commodities? The answer is a lot earlier than you think. Personally, I plan to take the gels at 10 kilometer intervals (10, 20 and 30 km marks). Kilometer 36 or 37 is the latest time in the race that you can take in carbohydrate and still have it be absorbed in your system in time to be useful. Don't wait until 10k to drink though. At every water station, drink something (at least a few gulps) but make sure that you are getting a substantial amount of liquid (shoot for no less than 300 ml) on at least five separate occasions. I strongly recommend walking through these stations to make sure that you get the liquid down. The few seconds you will lose will pay huge dividends as you stay properly hydrated through the late stages of the race. An additional benefit is that the few seconds of walking will relieve some of the eccentric stress on your running muscles and this can also make a difference near the end when your quads are begging for mercy.

Expectations and Results: Don't ruin your marathon experience by making success dependent on a goal set in stone. It's a long race and anything can happen and it often does, even to the professional runners who do nothing but prepare for two marathons per year. It is important to have a goal but it is ludicrous to judge yourself a failure if, on a particular day, you were not at the top of your game and ran a few minutes slower. You are running a marathon, a supreme physical challenge at an age when the vast majority of your contemporaries are sedentary couch-potatoes. Furthermore, you are running a marathon in the Land of Israel . If every four cubits (Arbah Amot) traveled by foot in Eretz Yisroel is a Mitzva, by my calculation, you will earn roughly 20,000 of them on that fine Friday morning. Don't lose sight of the big picture. You have accomplished the incredible regardless of your finishing time.

And finally, as arbitrary as it sounds, your expectations will sometimes have to be modified by the weather. If it pours or is hot or very windy, you are unlikely to reach a goal which assumes optimal conditions. Be flexible enough to adjust if necessary. Above all, savor every moment of this amazing experience.

Important: Drink 4 or 5 extra cups of water over the next few days and take Vitamin C. You should be doing some serious carb loading starting today. The best breakfast is a whole grain cereal (cheerios, branflakes etc) with a banaana, cup of orange juice and two cups of water (pancakes, oatmeal and toast are also good). Bagels or whole grain bread sandwiches are a great choice for lunch with rice, potatoes or pasta. Stay away from oily foods and heavy desserts. Lean proteins such as chicken breast or salmon are good protein choices for dinner with a starch of complex carbohydrates (bulgar, ptitim, rice, pasta, barley, potatoes, sweet potatoes.) Snacks should be fruit, pretzels, dried fruits, raisins or rice cakes. Almonds are also OK but they have a very high fat content so don't overdo it. Most importantly, make sure you rest as much as possible. Stretch often and stay off your feet as much as you can. Make every effort to get a good night of sleep on Tuesday night . This is even more important than Wednesday night because it takes approximately 24 hours for your body to register the effects of a good night's sleep. Continue to visualize yourself gliding smoothly across the marathon course and think of the celebration afterwards. Note that Relaxing for the next 48 hours is definitely going to be a challenge. I have actually run two marathons without getting a single minute of sleep the night before because I have been so wound up in anticipation of the race. Don't worry if this happens to you. The atmosphere of the race and your adrenaline will carry you through.

It is often said that in those final grueling miles when both your mind and body are screaming in rebellion against the task at hand, that you discover who you really are. I beg to differ. "Who we are" is not something handed down to us arbitrarily, leaving us helpless to do anything about our shortcomings. On the contrary, those final grueling miles are an exquisite opportunity to define ourselves, even to reinvent ourselves. It's not that you will passively discover who you are. Rather, you will actively decide who you are by your conduct in those fateful moments. That's it, my friends. Now go and conquer.

Looking forward to celebrating with every one of you at the finish line.

Bet Shemesh 5km Community Run

2011-04-02T22:05:00.000+03:00

The Bet Shemesh 5km Community Run on behalf of, this year, the Benjamin Library, was a blast. I went into it thinking I would take it easy. The course is half uphill and half down. I figured the uphill would be tough and I would take it slow, and then down I would make up some time, but take it easy. It is always fun watching the crowds at these events. Lots of children, old people, families, etc.

I started off by running 7km from my house to the starting point of the race. I figured that would turn it into a reasonable distance for a Friday morning run.

that's me in orange

I started off on the uphill and felt great. I picked up speed to a regular pace and felt strong. I decided halfway up that I was feeling strong enough to run hard and try to finish well.

After the long climb, I made it to the top and then across to the 2.5km marker and turn. The rest of the way, except for one small stretch right before the end, was downhill. I was now turning on my motors and running hard. I was flying, passing everyone in sight. I skipped the water station, despite the heat, and kept motoring on. I was running at speeds I normally don't run at.

It is far easier to run a breakneck speed when your distance is limited to 5km, than it is when it is longer or more open-ended.

I pulled into the finish line at 24:57 or so, having run a pace of 4:55 minutes per kilometer. I finished 7th in my category and 43rd overall.

It was a lot of fun. If you are in Bet Shemesh you should be sure to participate next year.

It's going to be a hot summer!

2011-03-31T12:09:00.000+02:00

This morning I went out with a few guys for a nice easy 10km run. It was super hot, and we all got wasted pretty quickly, but ran through.

A couple of us ran out to the satellites and back, while a couple other guys split off just before the satellites and ran out on a path by Tzomet Aviezer through the fields.

It seems like it is going to be a hot summer!

Post Marathon Recovery Run

2011-03-29T15:35:00.000+02:00

This morning it was finally time to go out for a run, the first since the marathon. I really wanted to go out yesterday, but my schedule did not allow it. So a running buddy and I scheduled to run this morning, a short and easy paced run.

We went out, and it was getting very warm. We went out at an easy pace, on our regular route: out to Road 10, the 375 to Tzomet Aviezer and then back.

It felt great, and I had no pain. I ended the run at just over 10km.

Jerusalem Marathon 2011: Why Do We Do It? Why Run Marathons? Anybody Can

2011-03-27T12:17:00.002+02:00

While running up to Mount Scopus during the Jerusalem Marathon, I was thinking to myself, wondering why we do this. Why do we put ourselves through this much pain? I dont have an answer, but I decided then that this would be it for me. I dont see a purpose in it. It is not healthy, and I no longer see the challenge in it. This was my third marathon, and probably the most difficult one I would ever run, no matter how many more I would ever run in, and I know I can do it. Even more so, I never hit the wall, I did not even train so hard, and while it was difficult, and this is due to the great training program we have in Bet Shemesh where even without following it completely you are well prepared, I was mostly fine throughout. I did not have to walk long stretches like other people. I ran 99.999% of the route. But I dont know what the reason is to do this. My feeling of accomplishment has gone down since the first marathon. That one was amazingly fulfilling, but since then, while each one is a challenge to overcome, the sense of fulfillment has not been the same.

climbing the entrance into the Old City

Another point is something I saw posted on Facebook last week in response to the news item of the 400 pound Sumo wrestler who completed the Los Angeles Marathon in 9 hours, asking what the big deal is that people get so excited about running a marathon - clearly anyone can do it. Old people do it, fat people do it, sick people do it, injured people do it, so whats the big challenge and big deal?

The question kind of bothered me and nagged at me. Right, whats the big deal? To me it does not matter if I run 10 minutes faster or slower - I am not a professional runner, and I am not making mroe or less money based on my finish time, and the difference is really insignificant. So what's the big deal for me to run a marathon, if anybody could?

I further wondered as I heard the cheers from people as I ran by. They were calling out all sorts of things, but the cheer most heard was probably "Kol HaKavod!", meaning, good for you, or kudos. I was wondering, as I was hearing things, what did I do so special to deserve that? I didnt save a life or anything like that - all I did was run for a crazy amount of time.

Of course you can answer that nobody has the right to ask the question until they have run it. there are tremendous challenges to overcome in preparing for, and running, a marathon, and until you do it, you cannot understand it. So many more people drop out of it due to the difficulty, than those that complete the training. Everybody who sets his mind to it, and I believe the mental aspect of the marathon and the training is far more difficult than the physical aspect, can do it, but there are tremendous difficulties to overcome.

But I have done it already. Why am I still doing it? What is the big deal if anybody, or almost anybody, can do it? What's the big deal if many people walk through it and can say just as well that they finished the marathon? Maybe finishing a marathon is not really such a big deal!? Just to see if I can do it 10 or 15 minutes faster? Who cares? What difference does it make to me or to the universe?

While running I thought about this. Talk about mind games. The craziness your head feels at kilometers 33-37, just makes you crazy.

The view from the entrance of the Old City

The truth is it does not make any difference. And there really is no reason to run a marathon, at least not more than one. However, saying anyone can do it, just because we see old people, fat people, injured people, do it, is demeaning and disrespectful. Yes, if you put your mind to it, you can do it too. Now let's see you put your mind to it and do it! The fact that old people, fat people, injured people do it, shows how great of an accomplishment it is, not how easy it is! Everybody has his own challenges he must overcome. In all aspects of life. One person is overweight, one person has bad knees, one has bad feet, one smokes, one has asthma, one lost a leg in an army accident, one has mental problems, one has family problems weighing him down, and some of us have multiple variations of combinations of problems. The fact that people overcome these challenges and do something that is so difficult, so challenging, so outside of a normal person's reach, that is a testament to the fact that each of these people is a champion.

Neither I, who finished at 4:36, nor my sister who finished at 6 hours and a bit, nor the old lady who finished 20 minutes later, nor the guy who finished at 3 hours, nor the sick fellow, nor the guy who had to crawl across the line or anybody else (except for the professionals) did this to win money or to save the world. We each did this as a way of defeating demons. We each have our own demons, our own challenges, and each person who completed the marathon, no matter what his or her final time was, for some even if they just went out there and tried and maybe did not even finish, is a champion for figuring out how to overcome those challenges, for pulling out the strength and inner determination, and succeeding. Anybody who does this, can do anything. It is a life-changing experience.

Now I can say I have no need to do this any longer. I am going to retire from long distance running. I see no purpose in doing this any more, for me. Maybe I will participate in shorter races, maybe not.

Then again, I already registered for the Tel Aviv Marathon that takes place in two weeks. Maybe I will retire after that.

The Jerusalem Marathon 2011 Experience

2011-03-27T04:13:00.001+02:00

The Jerusalem Marathon 2011. The first full marathon hosted by Jerusalem.

I must say kudos to mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat, a runner himself who ran the half-marathon, who decided he was going to upgrade the annual Jerusalem Half-Marathon to a full marathon, and actually pushed it through and made it happen. Along with Barkat, kudos to the organizers, the sponsors, the volunteers and the security forces for making, what must have been a nightmare of an event to plan into, a tremendously successful event that was efficient, organized, fun, and challenging.

me and my sis in the freezing cold pre-marathon preps

With the forecast calling for a cold and wet morning in Jerusalem, we lined up at the starting line ready to go, expecting a tough terrain and possibly bad weather. My sister came in from Chicago to run the marathon with me, adding an exciting dimension to the run.

Running Jerusalem was going to be an historic experience, albeit tremendously difficult. The hills of Jerusalem are unrelenting, as it says in Psalms "Jerusalem, the Mountains surround her", and this was sure to be a marathon that would present a serious challenge to even the best of runners, let alone to someone like me. While looking forward to it, I knew this was not going to be a run where I would even get close to running my normal pace.

Me, Vic, and David running through the Old City

With a tough hill right at the beginning of the run, we knew what we were up against, but not the magnitude. As we headed up and through downtown Jerusalem, the difference between running a marathon like Tiberias which is mostly outside of the city on the highway and one in Jerusalem which cuts right through many residential neighborhoods was clear - there were people watching and cheering us on, almost throughout the whole event.

Running through ancient Jerusalem, crossing through one part of the Old City, was timeless, as we went from the ultra-modern Jerusalem to the ancient, and back to the modern in a heartbeat. While it would have been nice to run past the Kotel and stop for a momentary prayer, we entered via Jaffa Gate and exited through Zion Gate, only crossing the Armenian Quarter, so it was not meant to be.

Crossing through some more neighborhoods and residential areas eventually led us to Emek Refaim street, which is a bustling neighborhood that was a lot of fun to run through, as everybody knew somebody that was out there watching. Music was playing, people were cheering, we were talking about catching a shwarma at our favorite restaurants, and it was a blast.

Mind you, despite the murderous hills, it was still a breeze. Running felt great. Eventually we made it out through Talpiot, and after a long climb, we headed across Derech Hebron Street. This was a long stretch, and it was here that I lost my rhythm. I am not even sure why. This road was mostly flat, maybe a slight uphill on the way out, but it was long and fairly unexciting. About halfway through the way out, I started to lose my pace. This would have been at about kilometer 18 or so. I fell back from my running partners, and was on my own from there on out. I made the loop, and on the way back I struggled more as we went back through the neighborhoods we had just run down, now we were running them back up. It was getting a little better, even with the hills, but my pace was adjusted downward. I was still going steady though.

On Palmach street I saw former, and possibly future, politician Aryeh Deri, and said his as I passed him. he gave me a smile and a wave and another distraction was finished. Coming out from Tcharnichovsky street was tough, as the full marathon route and the half marathon routes crossed paths and you had to pay attention to your route. Half-Marathoners had to go left towards the finish line, while Marathoners had to veer right to the continuation of the course. Passing the half-marathon finish line was invigorating, as I saw a number of people I know who were cheering on their family members, and their words of encouragement as I passed them gave me a boost.

The truth is that my sister had been complaining a lot about the marathon before the race, and as I passed the area of the half marathon finish line I suspect that she might quit when passing it. This was already a tougher run, even at only 26km, than anything she had run before, because of the hills, and I suspected she would give up. I was happy to see later that she was not a quitter and continued to be a masochist like the rest of us.

Passing the area of the finish line, with still about 15km to go was tough. We still had another section of the city to traverse. We ran some of the original route again, and headed out to what was sure to be the most difficult part of the race. We ran back up Betzalel street, which is almost like climbing a wall, back down King George and down Jaffa Road. This time we hooked around the Old City and headed up to Har HaTzofim - Mount Scopus. This was a ridiculously long and difficult climb uphill, and doing it at the 30km marker was just nuts.

My only complaints were the finish line disaster, and the sign-age along the routes. While there were a lot fo signs, I did not notice most of the, The ones I did see, I noticed were hard to see, in placement, color and design, and there was a lot of text to see, as they gave different instructions and kilometer marks depending on which race you were running. There were plenty of stories of runners who made a wrong turn because of the bad sign-age.

Climbing another hill, after the Old City

I took advantage of the water, food and gel stations to walk a few dozen meters while eating and drinking giving my weary legs a slight break, and then continued on.Up, Up and further up. I saw friends running back down from Mount Scopus on the other side of the road, and they looked worn out. I knew this was going to be trouble. I made it up to the top fairly ok, albeit very slowly, and then the even more difficult part was upon me - running around Mount Scopus itself. I dont know why this was more difficult, but for me it was. There was still some more uphill, some sharp downhill, and then some slight climbs on the way around and out. I felt some knee pain, and ankle pain, and I think it was because of the ups and downs, though I was not sure. I decided to walk a bit to stretch it out, and it helped. After a few minutes of walking, I continued running and headed out of Mount Scopus. On my way out the 4:30 pacer passed me, and I thought he was either running faster than 4:30 because he had nobody in his group, or else I was on serious trouble. I had expected somewhere in the range of 4:15-4:20, and with the 4:30 pacer pulling away into the horizon, I had no idea how much off my pace I was. What really kept me going was the thought that how can I walk when they shut the roads for us - people on the side would say they had to shut the roads so this shmuck could walk around!

I felt some relief when I heard him call out from the distance that this hill we were about to run up was the last hill and then it would be downhill the rest of the way. I made th climb and then the downhill was some relief, but by then even the downhills were difficult. On the way back down I even saw somebody else in Vibram FiveFinger Bikila running shoes, but he was standing off to the side stretching. I saw my sister heading up on the other side of the road and I was so happy to see she had not quit and was still pushing on.

At this point I needed a bathroom, but was now about 4 kilometers from the end, and decided I could wait rather than cross the street and use the lavatories and take what might be a fatal break.When I got to another serious uphill, coming back up around the Old City, I was ready to kill that pacer who had said there were no more hills. It is definitely a good thing he was nowhere in sight at that point. Somehow, at the approach to every subsequent hill I heard someone say this is it, just one more hill and then it is all downhill. I knew they were lying.

After passing the Old City walls, we ran down, and hooked around onto Agron Street. This was nice and gave a boost of energy. The last 10 kilometers or so had been mostly empty road with few people watching and cheering. People there were lined up on the streets cheering us on, clapping, playing music again, and it got invigorating. I was nearing the end and I could feel it in my bones. I had my second wind. The climb up Agron to Rehavia was difficult, but I was pushing.

I look pretty good for kilometer 40.
Especially because this was at 5km.
Just joking. It really was 40km.

About halfway up Agron, I noticed somebody coming from behind. At that point he started singing a song from Tehillim, a very appropriate song as we climbed this long hill at about 39km, singing Esa Aynai El HeHarim - I lift my eyes up to the mountains. It was more like a chant than a song. I dont know where he got the energy, but this guy was singing, and he eventually passed me for a bit.At the intersection he joined up with a spectator and they ran the rest of the way holding hands - I dont know if she was his relative, girlfriend, or just an excited spectator, but it was fun and made the last 3 or 4 km more enjoyable.
Passing the Gilad Shalit protest/solidarity tent I took two ribbons and tied them around my arms. At the top of the hill now, it was time to finish strong. 2km to go, and it would be downhill most of the way. I started to fly, and quickly passed the joyous singing couple. I still listened to the singing, but from behind me now instead of ahead of me. I was going. It is amazing how slow I was running, and it still felt like I was flying.

41km. I could feel it. i was going to fly right through the finish line. I had it in me.

As I get down to the bottom of the hill, the course is suddenly diverted off the road. this was very disappointing, and I thought the last 700 meters were horrible/ After such an amazingly efficient event, they really messed up the finish stretch. It went from this big, smooth and clean road, to some little path, i think through the edge of the botanical gardens, towards Sacher Park. The path was cracked cement, and even worse was full of people walking around, cars driving, people walking dogs, riding bicycles, and it was just disappointing after having such nice wide routes until then. Then after popping through a tunnel, it dumped me out into the finish line. I saw a beautiful looking stretch sectioned off. I could see it was designed to provide every runner with the strong finish he wanted to experience and remember. Then I stepped onto the plush artificial turf, and nearly fell over.

The artificial turn on the finish line was covering a bog of mud. But they did not put a board down under the turf, so it was like running in mud without the getting dirty. You could not run. It was like going through the motions without going anywhere. And then I crossed the finish line. I had done it. 4:36 was my official time. I had conquered the Jerusalem Marathon!

While I sat there, in pain, with my wife waiting for my sister to finish her run and cross the finish line, I thought about walking out to find her and run the last bit with her and cross the line together. Then I stopped thinking about it, as I could hardly stand up, let alone walk. We got up to cheer her across the last 100 meters and over the finish line. She is a champion!

Pre-Jerusalem Marathon Musings

2011-03-24T22:08:00.000+02:00

The anticipation of tomorrows Jerusalem Marathon is killing me. Both the wait to actually run it, and the question of how cold and rainy the weather will be.

A couple things I noticed on the marathon map that was included in the runners packet:

They spelled Jaffa Gate wrong. They spelled it "Gaffa Gate". You'd think the City would spell such a significant landmark correctly.
They marked off how many of each type of stop and where they will be throughout the marathon. Water, sponge, bathrooms, gel, food, etc. The symbol for the food stop is the normal symbol you see on highways, being a plate with a fork and knife. Makes me wonder if they will be serving us full sit-down meals at the four food stops, rather than just orange wedges and bananas..
They are incredibly organized. In my short life as a runner participating in a number of running events of different magnitudes, I have not seen any other event as organized and thought out as this one. We'll see tomorrow if it works as efficiently as it looks like it should.

Mufti Claims Jerusalem Marathon Judaizes Jerusalem

2011-03-24T15:57:00.000+02:00

Complaints against the Jerusalem Marathon were registered long ago. The Arabs opposed the marathon, as it runs the route through parts of East Jerusalem. They claimed that the intention of the marathon was really a way of "Judaizing" the city. They tried to get Adidas, the main sponsor of the marathon, to pull their sponsorship. The mayor of Jerusalem had said he would not change the route, and Adidas never pulled out.

According to a report on INN, the General Mufti of Jerusalem Mohammed Hussein has again registered his complaint about the marathon, saying it is an attempt to Judaize the city. He said that the City of Jerusalem takes advantage of sport as a political tool in order to force its position into Palestinian areas. Israel, by way of the marathon, is trying to send a message to the world that the places holy to Islam and Christianity in East Jerusalem belong to her. As well, the name of the marathon is "The International Jerusalem Marathon", and its route runs through East Jerusalem. And the organizers are planning to shut the roads that lead to the Al Aqsa mosque on Friday, without taking into consideration the sensitivities of the Muslims who pray on Fridays in the mosque.

Hussein then called upon the whole world to respond to Israel's new policy in attempting to Judaize Jerusalem.

Sounds to me like a great reason to run tomorrow in the marathon!

Marathon Minyan

2011-03-23T18:21:00.000+02:00

Despite today's horrible bombing near the Jerusalem Central Bus Station, as of right now the marathon is going on as planned.

As a public service announcement, the organizers scheduled, amazingly, a minyan for shacharis at Gan Sacher, I think at 6 am. The full marathon begins at 7 am. Gan Sacher is about a 10 minute walk from the marathon starting line.

Someone in my group arranged a shacharis minyan at Chenyon HaLeom, which is right next to the starting point, though about 10 minutes away from the finish line (which is at Gan Sacher). So you have to decide if you want to park closer to the starting line or closer to the finishing line, and then daven in the closer minyan.

So, if you want to daven at Chenyon HaLeom, the minyan will meet at 5:55am at the entrance to the parkign lot and then find an appropriate spot for the services.

The Fresh Air Fund

2011-03-23T02:16:00.000+02:00

The Fresh Air Fund is in need of host families for the summer for the kids. If these kids can get placed by host families, this will give them the opportunity of the summer of a lifetime.

if you can host for The Fresh Air Fund, be in touch with them.

Holey Vibram FiveFinger Bikila

2011-03-17T20:05:00.000+02:00

These are the larger of the holes in my Vibram FiveFinger Bikila shoes.

The first is not a big deal. Even though the hole is fairly large, it is placed in a place that doesnt affect my running - the toe doesn't pop out of it and get scraped.

The second, on the other hand, hurt a lot. You can see remnants of blood around the edge of the hole.. 2 days later my toe still hurts from the scrape it had.

These logged a lot of kilometers before needing to be replaced - my estimate, based on 1.5 marathon seasons (I was running in Vibram KSOs until about halfway through the first marathon season), is that these shoes logged probably in the range of 2000 or so kilometers. At least my new pair is coming next week!

A killer 33km

2011-03-15T15:02:00.001+02:00

Today's run started off great and turned into a killer. Me and my running buddies wanted to get another long run in before the Jerusalem Marathon. After some scheduling issues, we decided today would be the day. We were shooting for a run in the range of 32km.

We look super fast, don't we? Photo courtesy of Jonny

Heading out at about 8:20 AM, we right away felt the unseasonable heat, and knew it would only get hotter. We ran out of RBS, across Road 10 and up 375. We made our first water stop, at 10km at the gas station at Tzomet Ha'Elah.

From there we continued on, planning to turn up at Zeqa Junction, and run up another 2-2.5km, and back down to the 38, adding 4-5km to the total. The reason is that the perimeter run we were doing, the perimeter of the whole Bet Shemesh, is only about 28 or so km, so we wanted to add to it.

We took a bottle of water with us from Tzomet Ha'Elah and dropped it at Tzomet Azeqa, for when we would return from our detour.

After that we ran up Zechariya and back down continuing on to the entrance to Bet Shemesh. At 25km, when we arrived at the Paz gas station at the entrance to the city we took another water break.

5 minutes for Gilad Shalit. Photo courtesy of Jonny

Continuing on, we hooked around the BIG mall, hooking up with the end of Road 10, and ran up Road 10. At the main entrance to the city, out side of the BIG mall, there was the 5 minute protest for Gilad Shalit holding up traffic.

Road 10 was difficult. It was a killer. It is all uphill, it was hot and dry, and there was strong headwind against us. At this point I was struggling.

At Zanoach we decided to take a detour instead of continuing on Road 10. We cut through Zanoach and ran along a beautiful soft trail that took us to the edge of RBS B, right before the junction where it meets up with RBS A. The only problem with this detour is that it was a serious uphill. It was a struggle, and I had to walk the rockier parts, but we conquered it.

From there we split up, and I ran home along Nahal Kishon, finishing at the shopping center at 33km. There I bought myself a Freezee and walked another block home, nursing my drink.

I think my Vibram FiveFinger Bikilas have seen their last days and last runs. I have been getting holes around the toe area. So far thye have been small and I have been able to ignore them. Today they got much bigger. Pebbles were getting in and disturbing me, but even worse, for about the last 4km I could feel a pinching on one of my toes every time I stepped down, and it hurt increasingly more as it went on. Turns out that the hole by that toe had gotten pretty large, and my toe was scraped up and bleeding from the striking against the pavement.

Good thing my sis is bringing my new pair next week!

Cold and Wet

2011-03-13T12:15:00.000+02:00

Last night I went out for a short and easy-paced run. The past couple of weeks have been horrible for my running schedule. Bad weather, very tight schedule and guests from abroad kept me from running regularly.

Last night I got out. I ran 9km around RBS and out to the end of Road 10 and back. It was pretty cold when I began my run, but the running warmed me up after a few minutes. That was in RBS. When I got down to Road 10 it was much colder. It is only 1.5km in each direction, so I figured it couldn't be so bad on such a short section. Little did I know that my hands would freeze very quickly. It was that cold. I felt they would just crack off like icicles.

The fact that I run in Vibram FiveFingers did not help. We were post-rain, so the ground was cold and wet. The FiveFingers were completely soaked, so my feet and body were that much colder.

Anyway, I made it through a pretty good run of 9km..

Me and the Car Windshield

2011-03-06T17:01:00.000+02:00

I have recently been totally off schedule with my running. Too many things getting in the way of the schedule, along with general laziness.. After a bunch of days of not running, I went out this afternoon for a run. I planned for an 11-12km run, but when I started running I decided I would just do the whole loop and make it 18km.

As soon as I started the run I said to myself - amazing, I was born to run. All of the sudden I just felt great. The lethargy was gone, the aches and pains suddenly disappeared, and I just felt great. Not to worry - that feeling went away pretty quickly.

After a couple kilometers I suddenly felt like there was something wrong with my gait. My left leg was feeling overused and heavy. I kept trying to adjust but after short buts, I would be right back there. I thought about changing back to my original plans and turning around at kilometer 5 or 6 and cut it back down to about 12km, but decided to keep going.

The weather was unusual. It is hot and dry, but the air is thick. I can normally run 18km without a water break, no problem, but today my throat was very dry and uncomfortable.

Overall the run was great, albeit it tough. I made it up all the hills, both Zechariya and Tzeelim, without stopping, and I finished the run completely drenched in sweat - both from the heat and from the difficulty of my run.

So what does the title refer to - me and the car windshield? Well, I now know what it must feel like to be a car windshield. I dont remember a run in my past where I had so many bugs flying into my face during the run. I had bugs in my mouth, bugs slapping into my nose, arms, cheeks and glasses. It was disgusting. i dont know why they were out in full force tonight and why I kept running into them, but I felt like a car windshiel

A Good Hard Recovery Run

2011-02-27T11:54:00.000+02:00

Still sore from Friday's exerting run, I went out today with a couple other guys for an easy paced 10km recovery run.

I must say, these guys dont know the definition of "recovery run" or "easy pace". I am a professional at running easy pace and recovery pace, and these guys dont know the first thing about it. We did not run hard, but about 2/3 of the run was at a normal pace (which for me is right now fairly fast and hard work), and only the hill sections were at a reasonably recovery pace.

It was tough, and my calves felt strained, but I managed 11km. The weather was nice, albeit a little bit warm, and the mountains and fields are green and in bloom. We ran a couple kilometers on the way back on a nice soft grassy trail.

Overall a good, hard recovery run.

New Route For 34km, Finishing At 31.5km

2011-02-26T22:43:00.000+02:00

Friday's long run was absolutely amazing. Originally scheduled to be a 34km run to Rehovot, it was changed to a semi-local 34km run. I had not run all week, so I was really itching to get out. I had never run this route before, so I was looking forward to it.

The route was from Bet Shemesh to Tzomet Nachshon, to Latrun, then somehow to Al Derech Burma to end the run. It was unclear whether we would be running from Latrun via Highway 1 or if we would be finding our way via the trails.

I started the run from RBS with my running partner, and we ran hard. he is faster than me, and I suspected I would not be able to keep up, though he was planning on running a little bit slower than usual. The run included a few major hills, including at least leaving Bet Shemesh, the President's Forest climb, the Har'el climb, and perhaps more depending on the route.

The first 20km I ran very hard, a lot faster than normal. I paid for it in the second part of the run. The first half was great. I felt great, the pace was fast, and the weather and run were beautiful.

After a short water break at the Tzomet Nachshon gas station, we headed out toward Latrun. The Highway 3 was at an uphill gradient, and I started to struggle after a bit. I could feel wiped out from the first half running too fast. My running partner preferred to run through the trails rather than Highway 1, so we did. he had planned a route through Neve Shalom and the Burma Trail.

We took the turn-off from the highway at Neve Shalom and before we knew it, we saw a major climb ahead of us. The mountain toward Neve Shalom was a long and steep climb. It was tough, but we did it. After that was probably even a tougher section - trail.

The Burma trail is not bad terrain, but running it barefoot is still not easy. I had to run it at a very slow pace, constantly searching for good footing. Parts of it were smoother, and parts rougher, but the last 5km were slow going. It was also a bit painful, but not bad. The terrain and views were beautiful, and it ws nice to be on a new route that I had not run before.

I finished the run at 31.5km, and did not feel like extending it, due to sore feet, to complete the 34km.

Running Strong.. (video)

2011-02-23T20:00:00.000+02:00

One of the greatest things about sports is that everywhere you look there is an inspiring person, with an inspiring story.

Here is the story of 95 year old Ida Keeling..

I hope when I am near that age I am as active as her..

Stretching Out a Twinge

2011-02-16T12:39:00.000+02:00

This morning I went for a nice 11km run. We ran from Tzomet Ha'Elah through Park Brittania. We climbed Park Brittania until we hit the peak of the mountain. Then we ran out the northern entrance of the park and ran back around to Tzomet Ha'Elah.

The run was tough because of the steep and long hill climbs, as well the weather was not optimal. We beat the expected rains, but it was very windy.

This was my first run since Friday's 30km run. Due to some scheduling issues I have not been able to get out for a run. As well, near the end of Friday's run somethign started to hurt inside my ankle. I thought I would let it rest and heal, and my schedule allowed me to use that as an excuse. I went out today despite it still hurting and it was perfectly fine. As a matter of fact, now that I am post-run, I no longer feel the twinge I felt before. Maybe the run stretched it out.

PSA: Marathon Items

2011-02-14T11:28:00.000+02:00

I have two public service announcements to share with you:

1. The Fresh Air Fund is still looking for runners to join our Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon this coming March 20th and I was hoping you might be able to post something about it on Rabbi Running a Marathon. This is a great way to participate in NYC's premier road race while helping Fresh Air Fund children. Please feel free to repost any videos, banners, or images from our news site here: http://freshairmarathon.com/

We are also in need of host families for this Summer. Host families are volunteers who open their hearts and homes to a child from the city to give them a fresh air experience they never forget. Please let me know if you are able to post or tweet and if you could send me the link that would be wonderful. Together we can help make sure these children have everything they need!

2. http://www.teamlifelineisrael.org/ - Chai Lifeline is putting together teams to run in the Jerusalem 10 km 23 km and 43 km race that will take place on 25 march.

Teamlifeline Israel aim is to raise money for Chaiyanu which is the Israel branch of chai lifeline- a charity that helps children with cancer.

If either of these events are relevant to you, please consider supporting these important organizations, either by joining the team or by supporting someone who has joined the team.

Runnign 30km in wet weather

2011-02-11T10:53:00.000+02:00

We planned to run 30km today, but it was going to be dependent on the weather. We have finally been having a rainy stretch, and the forecasts had more rain predicted for early morning today. So I met my running buddies at 5:35 AM to head out to run, and sure enough a nice and steady rain was coming down - not hard, not a downpour, but nice and steady. We decided running 30km in that would just get us sick, so we canceled.

The rain stopped shortly after, and the sky was clearing, so it looked promising. After the morning prayers we decided to try again. We ran out from RBS to Roglit-Neve Michael. The gate to the fields was locked so we had to climb over the fence. We ran through the vineyards, including the crazy 2km uphill, and all the way out through Givat Yeshayahu.

Overall we ran a nice pace, but we did not push ourselves too hard. Between the uphills, and the weather, we didn't overdo it. And we took generous water stops.

From there we dumped out on the 38 and it was starting to rain very lightly. We decided to head back rather than extend the run in the middle, and ran out to Elah Junction, where we stopped for a bathroom break at the gas station and to buy some drinks.

The next part is the hard part of the run, with the next 5km being a long uphill angle of highway.

By the time we were halfway across Road 10 towards RBS, the rain started coming down seriously. Running in the rain was not so bad, but the rain wasn't such a heavy rain either.

I got down to the bottom and hit 29km. I decided to extend it to hit 30. I ran past the shopping center, and then back to my house, pulling in right as my watch registered 30km.

All in all a great run, mostly "dryish".

Beautiful 10km Run, Seeing An Old Partner

2011-02-06T11:39:00.000+02:00

With the forecast predicting two days of rain starting tomorrow, I considered taking advantage of a beautiful, albeit windy, day and running today, even though I ran last night. When one of my running partners sent me a message saying he'd like to go out for a run, I jumped at the bit and joined him.

A 7 - 9 km run turned into a 10.5km run. We decided we have run the standard "to the satellites and back" run too many times and needed a change. So, we ran around RBS and then down and up Tzeelim. It was a great run, with a tough uphill by the end (Tzeelim).

During the run we saw my first running partner ever also out on a run. At the time I was just starting out and was just about at the 10km distance. I went on a couple of group runs and those first group runs I ran with this partner, just because of our similar paces. This runner taught me a lot about starting running and how to gauge my abilities, and mostly gave me my early lesson in respecting every runner and their abilities and challenges, and not thinking you should run better than anyone specifically.

A Great Saturday Night Run Despite The Warning Of Arabs

2011-02-05T21:46:00.002+02:00

Due to a combination of weather, work and laziness it has been a few days since I last ran. I was really itching to get out and run a bit. So i went out tonight and decided I would run longer than I normally run a=on a Saturday night, and run a bit harder (Saturday night is generally a recovery pace run).

I ran out on Kishon to the end, back and up Yarkon, out to Road 10 and out to the end of 10 by the junction with 375, back and finished the circuit of RBS, concluding at 12.3km.

It was such a pleasant evening that I saw lots of people taking advantage of it and getting some exercise outdoors. There were runners, walkers, people walking dogs, older people, middle aged, teenagers, husbands and wives, friends all out burning some Shabbos calories (if such a thing exists - dont we say that it doesnt count on Shabbos...).

An interesting incident, as I was running down towards Road 10, I was stopped by 2 young men running in the other direction. They wanted to warn me that they had just seen a group of about 20 Arabs down the road heading out into the field towards the area below RBS's Nehar HaYarden. They wanted to ensure I had a cellphone on me so I could call someone if I ran into trouble, and if not (I did not and told them so), to at least warn me to either turn around or be careful.

I chose to continue running - if we canceled our plans in fear every time we see an Arab, we would not get anything done. We are in a country that has Arabs, and we must figure out how to live our lives productively and not in fear. Yes, one should always be careful and wary of dangerous surroundings, but there was not anything specific in their warning that made me think I must turn around as danger is imminent.

And anyway, I figured that even if they jumped out at me and chased me to stab me, I could probably outrun them.

To Bet Shemesh And Back

2011-01-30T04:38:00.000+02:00

I had a meeting last night in bet Shemesh, and decided I would turn it into, weather permitting, my Saturday night run. I would run to the meeting, meet, then run back to RBS.

No problem. The distance expected was 5.5km or so in each direction. The way there would be a breeze, with the run being mostly downhill, as RBS sits higher than BS. The way back would be difficult, as the uphill climb would be pretty serious.

I started out at 9 PM and ran to Bet Shemesh. As expected the way there was a breeze. Unfortunately, it was shorter than expected, and only came to just under 4.5km. I got to the meeting point, had a drink and shortly after everyone else came and we met.

When done, it took longer than expected, I headed back. The way back was difficult, but not as bad as I had expected. Maybe my recent increase in hill work is paying off.

The run was going to conclude at about 8.6km. I considered adding to the run a bit, to bump it up to 10km, but it was already late and I wanted to get home, so I left it at that...

Great Friday Hill Run, Great Running Week

2011-01-22T19:26:00.000+02:00

This past week was a great running week, and Friday was a great run. The weather all week long was beautiful and perfect for running, and Friday was the same.

I met up with a running buddy I used to run with a lot, but have not run with him at all in the past few months. We went out to Tzomet Ha'Ela to begin our run and ran out to the entrance to Mitzpe Massua. From there, there is a small access road that goes in and through Park Brittania. This was a great section, as it incorporated some reasonably serious hill running along with some flat running.

The path took us to the main entrance of Park Brittania, dumping us out on the 383. We run out on the 383 until we came to the path through the fields across from the moshav Sedot Micha. We ran on the parth through the fields, and then hooked onto a trail that would take us through the moshavim in the area.

Yes, that's right. Despite running in Vibram FiveFingers, I ran a trail. The trail was pretty good - it was a packed dirt trail, that was strewn with rocks, but it was not a rocky trail. I was able to run on it finding enough space with no rocks. Yes, I took a risk going into it, but it all came out good.

That path then led us up through a moshav called Ajur. I had never been in this moshav before, and it was really nice and pastoral on the top of a hill. Everyone there seems to have dogs hat barked as we ran by their houses.

After running through Ajur, we connected onto highway 353 which would eventually take us down to the 38, and then back to Tzomet Ha'Ela. The 353 was a pretty good run, with uphills and downhill, and not much flat land. It took us past the southern entrance of Park Brittania, along with passing the moshav of Srigim-Li On.

We finished the run at about 18km, in 1:54 at a nice and easy pace.

A great Friday run brought me for the week to 44km, with runs of 14, 12 and 18 kilometers.

Barefoot And The Hills

2011-01-20T12:49:00.000+02:00

I went out for a run today in the most beautiful weather. I ended up running only a bit over 12km because I started later than expected and had to get moving.

Because I am training now for the Jerusalem Marathon in March, it is no longer a good idea to try avoiding hills. The Jerusalem Marathon is full of hills and it will make the course a very difficult one. I now have to train with hills in the runs to make sure I survive, and conquer, Jerusalem.

So in today's run, I even detoured around a bit to include more hills in my run. Running in bet Shemesh is a natural for preparing for the Jerusalem Marathon, as it is easier to find hills to run up than it is to find flat road. In total, I ran up four hills during my run. 3 of them were decently significant inclines, and one was small but significant.

Another interesting thing was I ran part of it barefoot. really barefoot, without even my Vibram's. I have been reading about people who run really barefoot and wanted to try it. In the middle of the run I took my Vibram FiveFingers off and ran 800 meters barefoot. The sensation was very interesting, noticing the different surfaces and how the foot reacts to them. However, it is not for me. I will stick to the Vibrams. I guess if I build it up my foot would get used to it, as they say happens, but I don't feel like doing it. Maybe running through the grass is ok barefoot, but on the road it doesnt seem right.

14 watchless kilometers

2011-01-16T12:47:00.000+02:00

Today I went out for my first run since the marathon. I had been itching to go out. I had a hard time scheduling a run last week because of a busy schedule combined with very cold nights. So this morning I went out with three other runners, for an easy paced 12km or so run.

It felt good getting out on the road again. I felt strong. It was nice because the weather was good, cool and overcast. There were other runners out as well.

I ended up running about 14km. When I stopped to wait to meet my running partners before heading out to the highway, I turned my watch off. When we met up and started running, I forgot to start the clock. So I ran without tracking it, but the distance was about 14km, and the pace was about, based on the other guys watches would be about 5:20 average or so. That was close to marathon pace, and not the slow and easy pace we had planned. Though in reality, when running 12 or 14km that is a pretty good pace for us. It is only tough when running that pace for 42km!

Makes me wonder though, if I run with no watch, does it count?

Jerusalem here I come!

The Marathon Is More Than A Race

2011-01-09T17:55:00.000+02:00

The previous post recapping my marathon experience was really written to be shared with the running club - everybody shares their marathon story. I then posted it here as well. I do feel the blog is deserving of another post as well, not running club specific. Here it is:

Running a marathon is an amazing experience. People regularly ask about the health aspects of running so far and for so long. Personally, I doubt there is much gained health-wise by running such distances - the health gain is probably capped off at 10 or 15km runs. Anything beyond that has nothing to do with health and exercise. The marathon is not a form of exercise, but is an experience. An amazing experience.

Training for, and running, a marathon is an experience of self-awareness and self-fulfillment. The marathon is well beyond the capabilities of any normal human being. Yet, people push themselves and train for months to be able to run one. And despite all the training, all the speedwork, all the long runs, despite it all, everybody struggles during the marathon, especially during the last 10 or so kilometers. No matter how much you train, the marathon resists, and makes you earn your medal.

I trained for this marathon for 18 weeks. I really started earlier, running intensely in July and August to get into decent shape for marathon training which would start in September. My goal this year was to run the marathon barefoot (in Vibram FiveFinger barefoot running shoes), and it was a challenge. Different body parts would be sore, different way to run, different aches and pains and challenges. After the holidays in October I slowed my training down from 4 times a week to 2 times a week, with the occasional good week running three times.

That is not a recipe for success, but a marathon can be run like that. It was a good thing I did not really have a goal other than to finish the marathon successfully, having run it barefoot. I did not think in accomplishing a certain time and pace goal.

Despite it all, and perhaps because of the different running style (due to being barefoot), I was still running just a bit faster than in previous years. My expectations were that I would break the 4 hour mark, but I wasn't shooting for it.

Then you actually get to the marathon. At the marathon anything can happen. As I said, the marathon is an experience, and it is far more than a running event. The marathon is a test of your mettle. When you are out running for 3 to 4 hours, your mind plays tricks on you, trying to get you to stop. The marathon is the ultimate test of you being able to conquer your limitations, both physical and mental, and especially mental and succeeding to surpass your normal abilities.

I went out with my running partner and we got off to a fast start. The excitement, the running, the camaraderie - it is just an amazing feeling. You are out there struggling to keep your pace and you suddenly see a friend, a fellow runner, who calls out to you, maybe he even just waves because he doesnt have the energy to call out, and he hoots at you, and that gives you a boost. It keeps you going for a little bit more. Then you see another. We support each other because we know what we are each going through, what we are each struggling to accomplish.

The run was great for the first 32 kilometers. the last 10 kilometers are the toughest. they are harder than the first 32 combined. The last 10 km is really where you get tested. And no matter how well you trained, how hard you trained and how carefully you planned for your marathon, that last 10km will be the greatest of challenges.

At 33km I started slowing down, with a slight uphill. It was not big enough that it would have affected me on a normal run, but after running 32km, this was like climbing a mountain. Up, up and up, finally at the top and then you see you are still nowhere near the end.

At that point I think I need to take a break, maybe walk a little bit. Then you have to catch yourself and realize that your mind is playing tricks on you and you cannot let your mind win, nor can you let your body give out. You are stronger and you will win this battle.

So you break the rest of the run down to more manageable sections. Another 500meters, 1 more kilometer, 2 more laps around this or an out and back to the landmark run. And you keep plugging on. It is a struggle, but you are winning. It does not matter that you have slowed your pace down, because you are still going. That's what matters.

You have already succeeded, just by having completed 18 months of grueling training and not giving up in the middle as many do, not giving in to the aches and pains, not succumbing to the desire to sleep just a little bit longer and miss a run. Now you are succeeding again by running through the toughest part of the marathon.

35km, 36km. you are still struggling, but now you are getting back to seeing some high points as well. You know the end is near. You even know that if you continue running you will be able to finish and get over the pain quicker than if you would stop right then and walk the rest of the way. So you keep on plugging. I even start to speed up a bit again. Not much, but I do pick up my pace a bit.

39km, 40km, almost there. Suddenly you see everyone else around is also seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. You are nearly there. Still picking up some steam. It is tough, and painful, but you are back in your zone. Only 2km to go. 1km.

Then you see yourself approaching the finish line. 200 meters to go. You find relief, and you also find your last bits of energy reserves, energy you thought you had used up a long time ago, you find some courage, and you pick up your pace. You will finish strong, You will finish a winner. You have conquered the marathon. You have overcome your own limitations. You have come out victorious in the games of the mind.

And then you cross the finish line, with your arms up in the air, knowing you worked hard, you succeeded, you accomplished. And if you end up meeting or beating your intended pace and time, how much more so!

That is why, I think, everybody who completes the marathon gets a medal, and not just the top 3 runners like in other sports - because your race was not against the other 1000, 2000, 10000 or 40000 runners. Each person was racing against himself, his or her own limitations, his or her own capabilities. Anybody who finishes the marathon successfully, and it does not matter how much time it took to run, is a winner.

And that then carries over into your daily life and routine. You know you can do anything. You approach things differently, You know you can succeed where others would give up.

Competition Is Success And Tragedy (video)

2011-01-08T23:43:00.000+02:00

I feel bad for this guy. In this 20km race in Tokyo last week, this runner comes from a few back to take the lead with just 150 or so meters to go. Then he follows the truck taking a turn instead of running straight, obviously thinking the lead truck was going the right way. With officials gesturing to him, it is obviously his own mistake. At that point he diverts back, but it is too late - he has lost the lad and finishes in fourth place. Competition is full of glorious moments, both personal and competitive, but it is also full of tragedy and failure.

Running Hard, Setting A Record

2011-01-07T13:56:00.000+02:00

Going into this marathon, my second, I had no goals other than to finish, but four sets of expectations.

I had the remote possibility of running hard the whole way through finishing at a pace of anywhere from 3:35-3:45.
the more realistic possibility of a good and even pace more in tune with my abilities and finishing in the 3:55 range, possibly pushing 4.
crashing and running in the range of a 4:15 or so.
bad weather and whatever happens happens.

I had no idea which of these possibilities would happen.

Victor and I have been running a lot together over the past couple of weeks. Even though he is normally faster than me, but I enjoyed the fact that he was coming off an injury and running slow (for him). Still, I have had to run very hard during the past few weeks to keep up with Victor even at his slow pace.

We had not spoken about running together at the marathon. I was not sure I could run with him, as running fast on a 12 or 16km run to keep up with him is different than doing it in a 42km run. I still decided to line up with Victor and go out together, using him as a pacer and he could use me as a pacer.

I have run a lot on my own. I have done almost all the long runs on my own (finishing in Rehovot with the group, but the whole run was alone), and even when I run with the group I am running alone because of my speed (funny to call it speed, when it is the slowest in the group). There is a tremendous difference between running alone and running with someone. Running with someone you are constantly motivated to keep running hard. When running alone, you start to get tired so you take it easy and slow down.

The weather was so beautiful it was amazing. The Kinneret on one side, the beautiful green mountains on the other. No wind. You could not ask for better marathon weather than this, and what more could a person want than to be able to fulfill Kum V'hithalech Ba'aretz in such a beautiful setting?

So I went out with Victor and we were running way too fast. A break-neck speed of about 5:15m/km. We knew we would eventually slow down, but we were both feeling good and just running. We were not even talking. Just running together. I dont know how much he was using me to push himself, but I was definitely using him. As we neared the halfway mark we realized were still keeping the same pace. I confirmed it when we hit the 21.1km mark at the exact same time I had finished the Beit She'an half marathon 3 weeks ago. At that point I thought to myself that if I can keep it up, I might even finish in the 3:40s. But I knew it was not likely.

At about the 28km mark, Jonny Klompas met us (he did not run the marathon but came out to run part of it) and ran the rest of the way back with us. We were still going strong, and Jonny joining us was a big boost. he was talking and we were not really listening or answering, but he gave us some fresh energy and some morale boost. he was really blabbering a lot. thanks Jonny.

We were still going strong, and then we hit some slight uphills. I kept it going for a bit, but then at the 33km mark there was another small uphill, and that was it for me. I could not keep the pace up any longer. I slowed down to go up the hill - it was looking like a mountain by then - and then could not get back to my pace. My legs just couldn't go any faster. Victor and Jonny were pulling further and further away and I knew I was on my own for the rest of the run.

My timing was still great, and I knew I would not be hitting the 3:35 mark by then, and just kept going. It was tough. The 33-37 were the toughest I think. I kept telling myself, this is just a run down to the satellites and back, this is just 10km - anyone can do that, this is just 3 more laps around Dolev, etc. I kept telling myself that I am going to walk soon, but not yet - one more kilometer and then I will walk a bit, 500 more meters and then I will walk. Two more laps around Dolev, no big deal. I dont know at what mark it was but I grabbed a piece of banana form someone and wolfed it down. Then I grabbed an orange but when I chewed it I could not swallow - I chewed out the juice and spit out the mush.

Suddenly I was at kilometer 39 and I knew I would make it the rest of the way. I got a sudden burst of energy and picked up my pace a tiny bit. I felt a little stronger as I started seeing more people cheering and as I got closer to the city. I passed 40, then 41. I had it in my grasp. 1 more kilometer to go. Chugging through the city. Finally the last 200km and I started to pick up my speed and build into a sprint. nothing like the sprinting of the Ethiopian runners mind you, but that final 150km is downhill, just over a ridge, and perfect from a strong finish. The finish line is in sight and I am blowing right by people. I even see that I was finishing in time this year to still see Chaim and Rich and some of the other guys waiting near the finish line before they go back to their rooms giving up on us slower guys. I hear my name called on the microphone as I approach the finish line and then it was all over, setting myself a personal record of 3:54:15.

I have to thank all the guys for their support, especially Chaim for all the work he puts into the group planning and encouraging and motivating, especially Victor running with me, pacing me, and making me run hard, and Jonny for joining us late in the game giving us a big boost. And to my wife who came along to cheer me on.

People thought I was crazy trying to run barefoot (in Vibram FiveFingers), but I am proud to say that I am the first Israeli marathoner to run it barefoot, setting a unique record, though I really have no idea if anyone else has done so previously. I just made it up on an assumption. Good enough for me.

When does training for Jerusalem begin?

That's it?

2011-01-06T12:55:00.007+02:00

We are the champions! We are the champions! What a run! Amazing finish! That's all you got??!! That's all you got?? Bring it on!!

200 meters

2011-01-06T12:53:00.000+02:00

42km done, 200 meters to go. Going to sprint to finish this thing like a champion!

Almost There!

2011-01-06T12:43:00.002+02:00

I am hitting 40km now. I can feel it! The end is within reach! Just over 2km left - no big deal. I think I can even pick up my pace a little bit!

Not Much More To Go

2011-01-06T12:21:00.000+02:00

Wow, 36km and starting to bog down. Really feeling it. Tough to stay mentally sharp at this point. Feeling depleted. Only 6km more to go. I can do this!

2011-01-06T12:00:00.000+02:00

As I enter the 30s, I see people starting to drop off their pace and struggle. I still feel good but weary.. Almost done. Keep going. I can run 10km more! That is a short run for me!

Coming Around The Bend!

2011-01-06T11:05:00.000+02:00

Just about now I am making the turn, hitting the halfway point. 21.1km down, 21.1km to go!

In A Groove

2011-01-06T09:58:00.001+02:00

I am now at about the 10km point in the Israel Marathon. More later.

And They're Off!

2011-01-06T09:00:00.001+02:00

The marathon is starting right about now...

Inspirational Words Leading Up To the Marathon

2011-01-04T17:11:00.002+02:00

Inspirational Words From Coach Chaim

My Dear Friends:

All the diligent and consistent training that you have done over the past eighteen weeks has brought you to the starting line of the 34th Tiberias Marathon on Thursday in fantastic shape. However, without an intelligent, well-thought out strategy for the race itself, you will not perform optimally. Because of its formidable distance, the marathon is a race that has to be run with the head as well as the heart and legs. Therefore, I suggest you read this article carefully to help you formulate your plan.

Carb-Loading: Your diet oer the next two days should consist of foods high in complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, cereals, oatmeal, sweet potatos, bananas, rice and of course, pasta. Eat well but do not overeat. You do not want to come in feeling bloated and lethargic. Drink at least 12 cups of fluid and it is highly advisable to drink at least 1 liter of isotonic drink on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lean protein such as fish and chicken breast are preferable to red meat and you should avoid hard cheese entirely over the next 48 hours. For the pasta dinner, 2 plates of pasta with a non-spicy red sauce is ideal. There is no need to eat mountains of pasta and especially not with thick cream sauce. For braekfast on marathon day, I recommend toast with jam, a bowl of cereal, some fresh fruit, and two cups of orange juice. If you normally have coffee in the morning, do not change your routine.

Warming Up: Although warming up is generally very important for races, particularly those of shorter distances where you plan to run fast from the outset, it is far less important for the marathon. Warming up prepares your body to run at race pace by increasing your body temperature, metabolic rate and the circulation of blood to your muscles. The problem with warming up for the marathon is that it also uses up valuable glycogen stores and one of the most critical elements of your race is to preserve your glycogen stores as much as possible so that you are not forced to burn fat earlier than necessary. Therefore, you need to do the minimum warm-up necessary to prepare your body to handle race pace as soon as the starter's gun is fired so that you save as much of your precious carbohydrate reserves as possible for the 42.2 km ahead. A 4-5 minute warm-up should do the trick since your marathon pace should be a pace that feels relatively easy to you. Begin your warmup by jogging slowly and picking up the pace slightly every 30 seconds until you are at race pace for the final 30 seconds. Then stretch gently including loosening up your shoulders and neck. That's it. Find your way to a good spot on the starting line and make sure that you meet up with whomever you are planning to run with.

Pacing strategy: There are huge debates among running experts about virtually every aspect of the Marathon . But there is one thing that absolutely EVERYBODY agrees with. You cannot bank time in the first half for an inevitable slowdown in the second half. In other words, if you think that you should run faster than your goal pace during the first half while you are still feeling strong because it will give you some breathing room in the second half, think again. You will pay very dearly for making this mistake. If your goal is 3:30 , don't run a 1:38 first half on the theory that you can run 1:52 in the second half and still reach your goal. Chances are that if you do this, you will crash in the second half and be reduced to a shuffle or worse. The reason for this is that your optimal marathon race pace is just below your lactate threshold pace. If you run faster than that (as in the above example), lactate accumulates in your muscles and blood which deactivates the enzymes for energy production and forces you to slow down big time. You also use more glycogen which means you will have your joyful encounter with "The Wall" earlier than necessary. Therefore, the best strategy is to run relatively even pacing. The Tiberias course is conducive to this as the course is relatively flat throughout. Start out by running the first kilometer (or first 2 kilometers if you want to play it conservatively) at 10 seconds slower than goal pace. This is even more important this year when the weather isexpected to be unseasonably warm. Ignore the many fools who tear off like bats out of hell. Believe me, you will catch them later. Drop your pace by 5 seconds in kilometer 2 or 3 and by kilometer 4, you should be running at goal race pace. Maintain this until the halfway mark. At the halfway mark, do a body check. Ask yourself how you are feeling? If you are feeling good, you can quicken your pace by a few seconds per kilometer but nothing drastic. At kilometer 32, if you are still feeling strong, pick up the pace by a few more seconds per kilometer but still run in control until kilometer 39. At that point, there is no reason to hold back. Give it whatever you have left. That doesn't mean you should start sprinting. It means you can begin running at tempo pace. Your sprint should begin when you see the 42 kilometer sign just ahead. Use that last 300 meters to show yourself that you have mastered the marathon and finish strong with arms held upright in victory like the champion that you are. The huge advantage of running a negative or even split is that you will be passing many runners in the late stages of the race who did not run as intelligently as you did and that is a fantastic feeling.

General Race Observations: I cannot overstate the value of running the marathon with a group of runners of similar ability. The marathon is a long grind and it will be immeasurably more difficult if you have to go it alone. If your goal pace is close to that of one of the pacers, stick to that group for as long as you can. Aside from the significant motivational aspects of running with a group, you will be able to take turns drafting and thereby conserve energy. This is a major factor on a windy day as is usually the case in Tiberias. If you are running near someone who strikes you as unfriendly, don't take it personally. Don't try to race against him when he moves ahead of you. Run with your head, not your ego. Your only race today is against the clock.

The first half is the time to cruise mentally. Try to save your mental and emotional energy for the second half. Just get the first half out of the way at the correct pace without using any more mental energy than necessary.

From the halfway mark to 32 km is the no-man's land of the marathon. You are already a bit tired and there is a long way to go. If you feel strong, follow the pacing strategy outlined above and pick up the pace a bit. Otherwise, try and hang with a group as long as possible. You have to expect moments of crisis (a.k.a. "rough patches") during the marathon. When it happens (and it will), don't panic. Often, these patches last a few kilometers and then mysteriously disappear. The important thing is not to allow yourself to think negatively. Have the confidence to know that you can tough it out and overcome this challenge. It is precisely this kind of challenge which makes the marathon such a rewarding experience. Ask yourself how badly you want it.

From 32 km to the finish is the character part of the marathon. This is what we have prepared for in our long runs. Here's where all that hard work will really pay off. It's the stretch that poorly prepared marathoners fear and well-prepared marathoners such as yourselves relish.

Drinking and Eating: The secret to a successful marathon (aside from proper pacing) is staying properly hydrated and avoiding glycogen depletion. You should aim to consume at least 700 carbohydrate calories during the first 36 kilometers of the race. GU Gels have 100 calories each and four of them will therefore supply 400 calories. Sports Drink has about 28 calories per 100 ml. Thus if you drink 1.5 liters (and this should be an absolute minimum), that will supply an additional 420 calories. The question is when and how to consume these all-important commodities? The answer is a lot earlier than you think. Personally, I like to take the gels at 8 kilometer intervals. Kilometer 36 or 37 is the latest time in the race that you can take in carbohydrate and still have it be absorbed in your system in time to be useful. Don't wait until 10k to drink though. At every water station, drink something (at least a few gulps) but make sure that you are getting a substantial amount of liquid (shoot for no less than 300 ml) on at least five separate occasions. I strongly recommend walking through these stations to make sure that you get the liquid down. The few seconds you will lose will pay huge dividends as you stay properly hydrated through the late stages of the race. An additional benefit is that the few seconds of walking will relieve some of the eccentric stress on your running muscles and this can also make a difference near the end when your quads are begging for mercy.

Expectations and Results: Don't ruin your marathon experience by making success dependent on a goal set in stone. It's a long race and anything can happen and it often does, even to the professional runners who do nothing but prepare for two marathons per year. It is important to have a goal but it is ludicrous to judge yourself a failure if, on a particular day, you were not at the top of your game and ran a few minutes slower. You are running a marathon, a supreme physical challenge at an age when the vast majority of your contemporaries are sedentary couch-potatoes. Furthermore, you are running a marathon in the Land of Israel . If every four cubits (Arbah Amot) traveled by foot in Eretz Yisroel is a Mitzva, by my calculation, you will earn roughly 20,000 of them on that fine Thursday morning. Don't lose sight of the big picture. You have accomplished the incredible regardless of your finishing time.

And finally, as arbitrary as it sounds, your expectations will sometimes have to be modified by the weather. If it pours or is hot or very windy, you are unlikely to reach a goal which assumes optimal conditions. Be flexible enough to adjust if necessary. Above all, savor every moment of this amazing experience.

Important: Drink 4 or 5 extra cups of water over the next few days and take Vitamin C. You should be doing some serious carb loading starting today. The best breakfast is a whole grain cereal (cheerios, branflakes etc) with a banaana, cup of orange juice and two cups of water (pancakes, oatmeal and toast are also good). Bagels or whole grain bread sandwiches are a great choice for lunch with rice, potatoes or pasta. Stay away from oily foods and heavy desserts. Lean proteins such as chicken breast or salmon are good protein choices for dinner with a starch of complex carbohydrates (bulgar, ptitim, rice, pasta, barley, potatoes, sweet potatoes.) Snacks should be fruit, pretzels, dried fruits, raisins or rice cakes. Almonds are also OK but they have a very high fat content so don't overdo it. Most importantly, make sure you rest as much as possible. Stretch often and stay off your feet as much as you can. Make every effort to get a good night of sleep on Tuesday night . This is even more important than Wednesday night because it takes approximately 24 hours for your body to register the effects of a good night's sleep. Continue to visualize yourself gliding smoothly across the marathon course and think of the celebration afterwards. Note that Relaxing for the next 48 hours is definitely going to be a challenge. I have actually run two marathons without getting a single minute of sleep the night before because I have been so wound up in anticipation of the race. Don't worry if this happens to you. The atmosphere of the race and your adrenaline will carry you through.

It is often said that in those final grueling miles when both your mind and body are screaming in rebellion against the task at hand, that you discover who you really are. I beg to differ. "Who we are" is not something handed down to us arbitrarily, leaving us helpless to do anything about our shortcomings. On the contrary, those final grueling miles are an exquisite opportunity to define ourselves, even to reinvent ourselves. It's not that you will passively discover who you are. Rather, you will actively decide who you are by your conduct in those fateful moments. That's it, my friends. Now go and conquer.

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NOTE: A comment was written in the comment section questioning the reliability of the hechsher on the GU Energy Gel products. After thinking about it for a bit I decided to do some research. I have not found anything specific in the little bit of research that I have done, so I am not going to say that the KORC hechsher based in San Francisco cannot be relied upon, but I do want to make it clear that this post does not endorse the GU gels or the hechsher, and if you want to use these gels you should do your own research, ask your rabbi as to the reliability of this hechsher on this product, whatever. Your decision. I am not endorsing it, nor am I saying it is no good. Do your own due diligence.

Marathon Week

2011-01-02T00:35:00.000+02:00

That's it. The final stretch. Less than a week to go until the Israel Marathon in Tiberias. I am expecting to do one more short run, probably tomorrow on Sunday. After that nothing until Thursday's marathon.

The journey is nearly complete.

24, 52, 9

2010-12-28T11:58:00.000+02:00

I don't remember ever feeling as comfortable running as I have felt the past couple of weeks. I go out and find my stride right away. It just feels good to be out running on the road.

Today I went out running with a friend. We planned a long run, expecting between 22 and 25 km. We went out on the 375 toward Elah Junction. The first 10km until Elah we ran at a great pace. It was getting hot, but we ran hard, though we were not trying to run at any specific pace. We stopped for water at Elah Junction and then continued to Tzomet Azeqa.

When we got to Tzomet Azeqa, the place where a young David, in his days before royalty, slay his warrior of an opponent, Goliath, we turned around and headed back to Tzomet HaElah. After another quick water break we geared up for what would be a tough 10km home.

We knew it would be tough because of a combination of factors. The sun was already strong and getting hotter. The wind would be against us. Most of the terrain would be uphill, though not at a steep incline.

The run was tough. The wind was very strong and dry and made it a serious struggle, but we worked hard and plowed through.

I was completely parched by the end of it, but satisfied at a great run.

As of Tuesday morning, I have now logged 52km this week. Only 9 days left to the Israel Marathon in Tiberias!

Taper Week Starts Out Great

2010-12-27T01:26:00.000+02:00

It looks like I am getting another taper week off to a great start. I have already run twice this week for a total of nearly 20 kilometers. And it is only Sunday!

I went out Saturday night for a short run. I ran at an easy pace, a recovery run pace, and cut it at about 8.5km.

Sunday afternoon I went out for a 10km run and ended up running about 11km. The weather weas beautiful. I went out in the late afternoon, just before sunset. The day was unusually warm, and I figured by the end of the afternoon it would start cooling down. I was right. It was already getting a tad cooler, and the breeze in the air was cool as well. The sun was starting to set in the horizon so it was not strong, and it seemed like such perfect weather for a run.

I ended up running with no watch, as the battery died shortly after I began my run. Running with no watch is pretty interesting. I end up running my best because I cannot pay attention to the watch, the time, the pace. I just run my best. My best runs have been with no watch.

I know the distances, as my run was terrain I run regularly on, so I know I ran about 11km. Pace is a bit more difficult and not accurate but based on how I ran and felt, I know I was running for about 8km about 20 seconds faster than marathon pace. It is just an estimate, but that is what it felt like.

Sunday night, nearly 20km in 2 runs. Let's see what the rest of the week has in store for me!

Israel Marathon, here I come!

Ramped Up Taper Mode

2010-12-25T18:33:00.000+02:00

This past week was a great week for me running-wise. With just barely 2 weeks to go until the marathon I have had my best running week in a long time. I guess "taper mode" really suits me!

I don't remember from my school days being much of a crammer. I studied a lot for tests at the last minute as well, but I was very good at doing my work and studying in a timely fashion. It seems that entering taper mode has made me realize that I only have a short amount of prep time left..

Friday was great. I did not run with the group, but chose to run a bit later in the morning. I like to run when it is a little bit warmer, so I went out at about 9 in the morning. The sun was strong, with a cool breeze.

I ran a bit more than 13 kilometers. The day was beautiful, with runners and bikers all over the place. I ran out of RBS onto Road 10, out on Highway 375 and then back. I went out as far as the entrance to Aderet and then turned around. I ran about 8 km of the run in marathon pace (really a bit faster) and felt very strong.

This was the first week in a very long time that I ran four times in the week. My total mileage for the week was 53 kilometers.