I'm very pleased with how the first week of recovery went. The legs and body are feeling good. I went for an easy 7+ miles this morning. The first 3 miles were ran at about 7:15 pace and then I progressed to about 6:45 pace as the run went on. It's only been a week since the marathon, so I'm still forcing myself to go easy even though the legs are feeling better. I got a massage today to assist in the recovery. My massage therapist actually said the legs were in good shape. A little tightness in the calves and hamstrings, but nothing serious. There were a couple knots found on the upper back and shoulders, which was probably from all the pushups I did during the week. This coming week will consist of all easy runs to finish off the recovery.
I'm reading "The Olympian" by Brian Glanville. I came across this sentence and thought how true it is. My body and mind will definitely corrupt if I can't run or exercise.
"A plant needs water, and a body needs exercise. If you deprive a plant of water, it dies. If you do not exercise the body, it corrupts, and the mind corrupts with it." -Brian Glanville
Today's run: 50:44 (7.3M - 6:57 pace)
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Taking it easy
Not a whole lot has been going on besides taking it easy and recovering from a disappointment. For some reason I keep looking back at the race trying to figure out what went wrong. I want to learn from it. Did I peak too soon? Did I get too excited early in the race? Did I misjudge my fitness? Was it the inconsistency of mileage? By no means am I whining. As athletes, we all become better by learning from our mistakes.
I am quite surprised how fast my legs are recovering. Following the marathon, I normally take 3 complete days off from running and then alternate day-on day-off. After taking Sunday off, I had no choice but to take my company on our weekly Monday company run. I had only planned to take them on a slow 4 mile run. However, when my Soldiers challenged me that I wouldn't go farther and faster because I was recovering from the marathon I decided to extend the run to about 5 1/4 miles. After the run it sure looked like they regret putting up the challenge. I think the run helped in loosening up all the tight muscles, even though the quads were still very sore. Tuesday and Thursday were complete days off from running. It was yesterday, during a very slow 4.5 mile run, that I noticed the soreness in the quads was gone. This morning I went for a nice easy 5 miler on trails. It felt great to stay off of pavement.
Today’s run: 5 miles in 36:23
I am quite surprised how fast my legs are recovering. Following the marathon, I normally take 3 complete days off from running and then alternate day-on day-off. After taking Sunday off, I had no choice but to take my company on our weekly Monday company run. I had only planned to take them on a slow 4 mile run. However, when my Soldiers challenged me that I wouldn't go farther and faster because I was recovering from the marathon I decided to extend the run to about 5 1/4 miles. After the run it sure looked like they regret putting up the challenge. I think the run helped in loosening up all the tight muscles, even though the quads were still very sore. Tuesday and Thursday were complete days off from running. It was yesterday, during a very slow 4.5 mile run, that I noticed the soreness in the quads was gone. This morning I went for a nice easy 5 miler on trails. It felt great to stay off of pavement.
Today’s run: 5 miles in 36:23
Monday, December 11, 2006
Rocket City Marathon - Race Report
Pre-Race:
I attended the pre-race carbo dinner the night before the big day. The guest speaker Bob Schwartz, author of "I Run, Therefore I Am -- Nuts!” made the dinner worthwhile as he entertained us with his hilarious running quotes. After dinner I headed back to my hotel. I laid out the race clothes, but before doing so I tuned in to the weather channel. I knew it was supposed to be cold. Cold? More like freezing! Forecast was 20 degrees at the start (8am). When I ran Austin earlier in the year I froze just wearing shorts and a singlet. Remembering how painful it was, I decided to wear a long sleeve coolmax underneath my singlet along with some throw away gloves (which was never thrown away) and a beanie.
Race:
I like to run the first few miles of the marathon a little slower than goal pace to warm up then settle into goal pace. When the gun went off a pack of about 10 runners took off at what was probably 5:30-5:40 pace. There was the lead pack, a couple runners about 15 seconds behind them, and then me and 3 other runners about another 15 seconds behind. I ran along with the 3 runners and we came across mile 1 in 6:13. It was only mile 1 and my toes and fingers were already starting to feel numb. I didn't want to fall behind very much so I began increasing the pace a little to get into some type of rhythm. It didn't seem like the 3 runners were willing to set the pace, so I decided to do it. We ran the next five miles in 5:59, 5:58, 5:57, 5:57, & 6:01 with the 10k at 37:15. If I didn't set the pace we probably would have continued to run around 6:10 pace. I started to hear an increase of breathing in a couple of the runners.
Mile 7 was a slight down slope which was the cause of a 5:51 split. Right after the mile 7 marker we ran through a tunnel for about 50 meters. This caught me by surprise. It almost seemed like someone had turned off the lights and then turned it back on. Once you're out of the tunnel it is a gradual incline for about 3/4 of a mile. I tried to run with the same effort and not the same pace. A 6:03 8th mile on a gradual incline was a little too much for the guys running with me. Using my peripheral vision on a turn, I could see that the guys were slowly fading. I had to make a decision at that point. I either slow the pace and let the runners catch up to me so that we can work together or leave them and begin working my way up to the next group, a couple guys about 50 meters ahead. I knew the guys slightly behind me were not going to sustain a sub-6:00, so I began working my way up to the next group. Let me tell you, 50 meters sounds easy to make up, but it damn sure isn't when the guys you're trying to catch are running the same pace as you.
Miles 9-13 are fairly flat and on a long stretch of highway. Just when I thought the 2 runners were coming back to me, they would put in a little surge to maintain a lead (at least that's what I thought). Just before mile 12 I encountered a side-stitch on my right ribcage. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I was fighting hard to get rid of it, breathing in and holding it and then contracting the abs. The thought of my race going down the drain crossed my mind. I regrouped, and tried to stay focus and positive while fighting the side-stitch, which finally went away midway through the 12th mile. I'm not sure what the cause of it was. I had been taking in fluids alternating water and gatorade every 2-3 miles. I also took in a gel at mile 10. My splits for miles 9-13 were 5:55, 5:58, 5:57, 5:59, and 5:59. During that stretch of 5 miles, I thought of just running a fast mile (probably 5:48 - 5:50) to catch up to the 2 runners. I decided not to because we still had lots of running left.
After reaching the half-way mark at 1:18:28, I put in a little surge to catch the guys. I asked them what kind of time they were shooting for. Both said that they wanted to break 2:40. I said "shit, you guys have been running 2:37 pace the last 13 miles and shouldn't have a problem meeting that goal". One of the guys decided to back off of the pace after we hit miles 14 and 15 in 5:54 and 5:55. George, who I ended up running most of the 2nd half with, and I worked together taking turns setting the pace. George is from the Huntsville area, so he knew the course by heart. He was very helpful in letting me know when a turn was coming up and also when there was a gradual incline.
Miles 16 & 17, which we hit in 6:04 & 6:05, was a gradual incline. I was still feeling good at this point and had no problems with the next 3 miles (5:57, 6:00, & 6:00). My 20-mile split was 1:59:44, still on 5:59 pace. About a half mile into mile 21, which was also a slight incline, the legs started to feel a little heavy. I knew at that point that I needed to begin digging deep. A 6:09 & 6:08 split for miles 21 & 22 put me at 2:12:01, exactly 6:00 pace. George was still feeling good and he ended up leaving me. I thought to myself, all I have to do is run 6:00 pace for the last 4.2 miles and I’ll end up with a low 2:37 and a PR. Of course, I knew that wasn’t going to happen after working very hard only to run 6:08 for the previous mile. As the last few miles slowly came along, the legs began to feel heavier and heavier. Checking my splits became as painful as how the legs were feeling.
Miles 23-25 were 6:23, 6:29, & 6:41. These 3 miles seemed to take forever. It felt like I had nothing left in me. I still had one gel (I took 1 at mile 10 & 17) left, so I decided to use it at mile 23. I tried to pull the gel out of my pocket around mile 22, but that became a difficult task and I said screw it. Well, when I got to mile 23 I realized that I really needed the gel. I think the gel may have kicked in around the last mile because I started to feel a little strength in the legs. After hitting 6:29 for the last mile, I knew I was going to come in under 2:40. A spectator at the 26th mile mark said I was 9th overall. This actually made me feel better because I was seeded number 11.
All in all, I was somewhat disappointed with my time, but satisfied with my performance. I know for a fact that I left everything on the course. Thoughts of whether I should have held back a little cross my mind, but I don’t regret a thing. This race will serve as a motivation to train harder and run faster.
I attended the pre-race carbo dinner the night before the big day. The guest speaker Bob Schwartz, author of "I Run, Therefore I Am -- Nuts!” made the dinner worthwhile as he entertained us with his hilarious running quotes. After dinner I headed back to my hotel. I laid out the race clothes, but before doing so I tuned in to the weather channel. I knew it was supposed to be cold. Cold? More like freezing! Forecast was 20 degrees at the start (8am). When I ran Austin earlier in the year I froze just wearing shorts and a singlet. Remembering how painful it was, I decided to wear a long sleeve coolmax underneath my singlet along with some throw away gloves (which was never thrown away) and a beanie.
Race:
I like to run the first few miles of the marathon a little slower than goal pace to warm up then settle into goal pace. When the gun went off a pack of about 10 runners took off at what was probably 5:30-5:40 pace. There was the lead pack, a couple runners about 15 seconds behind them, and then me and 3 other runners about another 15 seconds behind. I ran along with the 3 runners and we came across mile 1 in 6:13. It was only mile 1 and my toes and fingers were already starting to feel numb. I didn't want to fall behind very much so I began increasing the pace a little to get into some type of rhythm. It didn't seem like the 3 runners were willing to set the pace, so I decided to do it. We ran the next five miles in 5:59, 5:58, 5:57, 5:57, & 6:01 with the 10k at 37:15. If I didn't set the pace we probably would have continued to run around 6:10 pace. I started to hear an increase of breathing in a couple of the runners.
Mile 7 was a slight down slope which was the cause of a 5:51 split. Right after the mile 7 marker we ran through a tunnel for about 50 meters. This caught me by surprise. It almost seemed like someone had turned off the lights and then turned it back on. Once you're out of the tunnel it is a gradual incline for about 3/4 of a mile. I tried to run with the same effort and not the same pace. A 6:03 8th mile on a gradual incline was a little too much for the guys running with me. Using my peripheral vision on a turn, I could see that the guys were slowly fading. I had to make a decision at that point. I either slow the pace and let the runners catch up to me so that we can work together or leave them and begin working my way up to the next group, a couple guys about 50 meters ahead. I knew the guys slightly behind me were not going to sustain a sub-6:00, so I began working my way up to the next group. Let me tell you, 50 meters sounds easy to make up, but it damn sure isn't when the guys you're trying to catch are running the same pace as you.
Miles 9-13 are fairly flat and on a long stretch of highway. Just when I thought the 2 runners were coming back to me, they would put in a little surge to maintain a lead (at least that's what I thought). Just before mile 12 I encountered a side-stitch on my right ribcage. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I was fighting hard to get rid of it, breathing in and holding it and then contracting the abs. The thought of my race going down the drain crossed my mind. I regrouped, and tried to stay focus and positive while fighting the side-stitch, which finally went away midway through the 12th mile. I'm not sure what the cause of it was. I had been taking in fluids alternating water and gatorade every 2-3 miles. I also took in a gel at mile 10. My splits for miles 9-13 were 5:55, 5:58, 5:57, 5:59, and 5:59. During that stretch of 5 miles, I thought of just running a fast mile (probably 5:48 - 5:50) to catch up to the 2 runners. I decided not to because we still had lots of running left.
After reaching the half-way mark at 1:18:28, I put in a little surge to catch the guys. I asked them what kind of time they were shooting for. Both said that they wanted to break 2:40. I said "shit, you guys have been running 2:37 pace the last 13 miles and shouldn't have a problem meeting that goal". One of the guys decided to back off of the pace after we hit miles 14 and 15 in 5:54 and 5:55. George, who I ended up running most of the 2nd half with, and I worked together taking turns setting the pace. George is from the Huntsville area, so he knew the course by heart. He was very helpful in letting me know when a turn was coming up and also when there was a gradual incline.
Miles 16 & 17, which we hit in 6:04 & 6:05, was a gradual incline. I was still feeling good at this point and had no problems with the next 3 miles (5:57, 6:00, & 6:00). My 20-mile split was 1:59:44, still on 5:59 pace. About a half mile into mile 21, which was also a slight incline, the legs started to feel a little heavy. I knew at that point that I needed to begin digging deep. A 6:09 & 6:08 split for miles 21 & 22 put me at 2:12:01, exactly 6:00 pace. George was still feeling good and he ended up leaving me. I thought to myself, all I have to do is run 6:00 pace for the last 4.2 miles and I’ll end up with a low 2:37 and a PR. Of course, I knew that wasn’t going to happen after working very hard only to run 6:08 for the previous mile. As the last few miles slowly came along, the legs began to feel heavier and heavier. Checking my splits became as painful as how the legs were feeling.
Miles 23-25 were 6:23, 6:29, & 6:41. These 3 miles seemed to take forever. It felt like I had nothing left in me. I still had one gel (I took 1 at mile 10 & 17) left, so I decided to use it at mile 23. I tried to pull the gel out of my pocket around mile 22, but that became a difficult task and I said screw it. Well, when I got to mile 23 I realized that I really needed the gel. I think the gel may have kicked in around the last mile because I started to feel a little strength in the legs. After hitting 6:29 for the last mile, I knew I was going to come in under 2:40. A spectator at the 26th mile mark said I was 9th overall. This actually made me feel better because I was seeded number 11.
All in all, I was somewhat disappointed with my time, but satisfied with my performance. I know for a fact that I left everything on the course. Thoughts of whether I should have held back a little cross my mind, but I don’t regret a thing. This race will serve as a motivation to train harder and run faster.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
2:39:21 - 9th Overall, 1st Division
No PR today. I was on track for a 2:37 at mile 20, but it slipped away in the last 10k. I gave myself a chance by going through the half in 1:18:28 and mile 20 in 1:59:44. Overall, I'm satisfied with my performance. That's all for now as I'm on my way to the awards ceremony. Race report to follow soon.
Rocket City Marathon: 2:39:21
Rocket City Marathon: 2:39:21
Thursday, December 07, 2006
On my way to rocket city
I'm going to make this quick because I have to get some rest. I got the approval from my commander and now I'm on my way to Huntsville, AL for the Rocket City Marathon. I'm very excited, but also nervous. The race results will most likely be posted and updated on the marathon website before I post my finishing time on my blog.
I'd like to thank my family, running friends (both in Guam and at Fort Bragg), and fellow bloggers for their support. Good luck to Bobby and Shane, who will be running Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon on the same day.
Today's run: 36:05 (5M - 7:10 pace)
I'd like to thank my family, running friends (both in Guam and at Fort Bragg), and fellow bloggers for their support. Good luck to Bobby and Shane, who will be running Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon on the same day.
Today's run: 36:05 (5M - 7:10 pace)
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Army Physical Fitness Test
Normally during the week of the marathon self-doubt begins to creep in. So far that hasn't been the case, mainly because I've been very busy with work. I'm sure fear, self-doubt, and questions about my race will start to hit me over the next few days.
This morning I did my APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test), which consists of 2 minutes of pushups, 2 minutes of situps, and a 2-mile run. I did a total of 120 pushups, 99 situps, and ran a 10:41 2-mile. As much as I wanted to run a faster 2-mile, I decided to hold back a little because of the tapering. I must say that the pushup and situp events went well despite focusing on training for the marathon over the past few months. I think the reason why I did well in those events is because I've stuck to my routine of doing a specific pushup/situp workout following my easy runs.
It's looking like I will make it Huntsville on Friday (I'm crossing my fingers).
Today's run: 25:33 (4M - 6:23 pace) 2 miles in 10:41
Yesterday's run: 39:14 (5.5M - 7:08 pace)
This morning I did my APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test), which consists of 2 minutes of pushups, 2 minutes of situps, and a 2-mile run. I did a total of 120 pushups, 99 situps, and ran a 10:41 2-mile. As much as I wanted to run a faster 2-mile, I decided to hold back a little because of the tapering. I must say that the pushup and situp events went well despite focusing on training for the marathon over the past few months. I think the reason why I did well in those events is because I've stuck to my routine of doing a specific pushup/situp workout following my easy runs.
It's looking like I will make it Huntsville on Friday (I'm crossing my fingers).
Today's run: 25:33 (4M - 6:23 pace) 2 miles in 10:41
Yesterday's run: 39:14 (5.5M - 7:08 pace)
Monday, December 04, 2006
I'm begging you please.....
Everyone that has been reading my blog knows that I'll be running Rocket City Marathon this Saturday. Well, I'm hoping that will be the case. What I mean by this is that there is a possibility I may not make it to the race. The reason is because "duty" may call. I'm praying that the folks in Washington, who gets paid the big bucks to make wise decisions, can leave those deployment orders in the bottom of the inbox. I don't mind leaving for the 3rd time, just not this week.
Lately, I've been asking myself "what is marathon pace?" I personally think my marathon pace is between 5:56 & 5:59 pace, which would put me at a 2:35:30 to 2:36:50 marathon. If I average 6:00 pace for the marathon, I'd still be very happy because it is a PR. The one thing I'll ensure to do this weekend is to run a smart race. The goal is to run negative (or even) splits as I've done in my last 3 marathons.
This morning I took my Soldiers on our weekly company run. The legs appreciated the nice slow easy run.
Today's run: 45:22 (5.5M - 8:15 pace) slow and easy
Lately, I've been asking myself "what is marathon pace?" I personally think my marathon pace is between 5:56 & 5:59 pace, which would put me at a 2:35:30 to 2:36:50 marathon. If I average 6:00 pace for the marathon, I'd still be very happy because it is a PR. The one thing I'll ensure to do this weekend is to run a smart race. The goal is to run negative (or even) splits as I've done in my last 3 marathons.
This morning I took my Soldiers on our weekly company run. The legs appreciated the nice slow easy run.
Today's run: 45:22 (5.5M - 8:15 pace) slow and easy
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Counting down days
It's tough to explain how good the legs and body is feeling right now. This morning I did my last marathon pace workout, 12 miles total - first 6 miles easy and then the last 6 miles at goal marathon pace. After running a tempo interval workout yesterday, I expected the legs to feel just a little tired. Instead, the legs felt light and springy, probably from the fast leg-turnover. After a nice easy slow 1st mile in 6:58, the legs fell into cruise control. I ran the first 6 miles easy in 39:57, an average of 6:40/mile. I planned my workout where I'd end up on the track for the last 6 miles at marathon pace. Everything seemed to fall into place. My splits for the last 6 miles were 5:51, 5:52, 5:54, 5:51, 5:53, and 5:45. It almost felt like I was feeling better as the miles clicked off. I got carried away in the last mile and ended up running it a little faster.
I bought my marathon shoe, Saucony Fastwitch 2 Endurance, and used it during my dress rehearsal this morning. The shoe not only felt good and light, but it also has enough cushioning needed for the marathon.
The hardest part now is waiting to get to the start line. I will continue to remind myself to sleep well, eat healthy, and hydrate throughout the week. I'd like to say "Good Luck" to Mike, who is currently running his marathon as I close out this post.
Today's Run: 1:15:08 (12M - 6:16 pace) 6M @ MP
I bought my marathon shoe, Saucony Fastwitch 2 Endurance, and used it during my dress rehearsal this morning. The shoe not only felt good and light, but it also has enough cushioning needed for the marathon.
The hardest part now is waiting to get to the start line. I will continue to remind myself to sleep well, eat healthy, and hydrate throughout the week. I'd like to say "Good Luck" to Mike, who is currently running his marathon as I close out this post.
Today's Run: 1:15:08 (12M - 6:16 pace) 6M @ MP
Saturday, December 02, 2006
1 week till race day
Sometimes I forget that tapering for a marathon does not only mean cutting back in training and mileage. Tapering also means getting in some well-needed rest, proper nutrition, and hydration. The cutting back in training is not the issue, it's everything else. Work has been extremely busy during the middle of the week and it has caused me to fall back on some of the essential areas of tapering. It's the weekend now, so I should be back on track with resting, eating, and hydrating.
This morning I did a tempo interval, 3 x 2K w/ 400 recovery, to get a little turnover in the legs. The decrease in mileage over the past few days has made the legs feel fresh and eager to run fast. The goal pace for the workout was 5:20 - 5:32 /mile. I hit the 2K's in 6:53 (5:32 pace), 6:47 (5:28 pace), & 6:44 (5:25 pace). The legs felt great and it didn't seem like the workout left took a lot out of me.
Tomorrow will be my last key workout before the marathon. I will run 12 miles, the first 6 miles easy and then the last 6 miles at marathon goal pace. This workout has been the routine for my last 2 marathons. It reminds the legs and body of what marathon pace feels like.
Today's run: 53:25 (8.2M - 6:24 pace); 3 x 2K w/ 400 recovery
Friday: 52:23 (8M - 6:33 pace)
Thursday: 1:01:30 (9M - 6:50 pace)
Wednesday: 40:02 (5.5M - 7:15 pace)
Tuesday: 1:06:12 (9.6M - 6:54 pace) fartlek workout - 10 x 1' w/ 1' recovery
This morning I did a tempo interval, 3 x 2K w/ 400 recovery, to get a little turnover in the legs. The decrease in mileage over the past few days has made the legs feel fresh and eager to run fast. The goal pace for the workout was 5:20 - 5:32 /mile. I hit the 2K's in 6:53 (5:32 pace), 6:47 (5:28 pace), & 6:44 (5:25 pace). The legs felt great and it didn't seem like the workout left took a lot out of me.
Tomorrow will be my last key workout before the marathon. I will run 12 miles, the first 6 miles easy and then the last 6 miles at marathon goal pace. This workout has been the routine for my last 2 marathons. It reminds the legs and body of what marathon pace feels like.
Today's run: 53:25 (8.2M - 6:24 pace); 3 x 2K w/ 400 recovery
Friday: 52:23 (8M - 6:33 pace)
Thursday: 1:01:30 (9M - 6:50 pace)
Wednesday: 40:02 (5.5M - 7:15 pace)
Tuesday: 1:06:12 (9.6M - 6:54 pace) fartlek workout - 10 x 1' w/ 1' recovery
Monday, November 27, 2006
Tapering
The tapering has begun. I ran for 40+ minutes very easy this morning. The quads were tight and a bit sore from yesterday's long run. A little soreness in the legs was expected as I spent almost 2 1/2 hours pounding on pavement. The good thing about yesterday's workout was that I know the legs can still run fast when fatigue. This will be very crucial when it comes down to the last few miles in the race.
Today's run: 45:55 (6.4M - 7:10 pace)
Today's run: 45:55 (6.4M - 7:10 pace)
Sunday, November 26, 2006
The hard work is done
I really didn't think the long run was going to happen with the way my body was feeling yesterday. My cold got worse and the body felt like crap. I spent my Saturday watching college football while taking drugs every 4-6 hours. The doses of pseudoephedrine and Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) throughout the day didn't seem to make me feel any better. I hit the sack around midnight, after watching the Fighting Irish take a painful beating by the Trojans. When the alarm sounded at 7am I was amazed that my congestion wasn't as bad and that I could actually breathe through both nostrils. Still had a runny nose, but that would just mean a hundred snot blowing throughout the run.
This morning's long run was my last 20+ miler. The run served as a confidence booster heading into the actual tapering phase. The legs felt light as I took off in my 2+ hour journey of Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg. After hitting the first couple miles in 6:53 and 6:43, the legs and body seemed to fall into a steady rhythm and pace. I cruised along my long run route at a 6:28 - 6:36 pace. The legs began to feel fatigue and heavy between the 19th and 20th mile mark. I wanted to finish the long run strong, so I picked up the pace and ended up running mile 21 in 5:54.
The hard work is done and now it's a matter of getting to the race healthy and eager. I will do a tune-up and marathon pace workout this coming week to lock in goal pace. This should wrap things up before I head to Huntsville.
Today's run: 2:20:30 (21.4M - 6:34 pace)
Weekly Mileage: 69 miles (6 sessions)
This morning's long run was my last 20+ miler. The run served as a confidence booster heading into the actual tapering phase. The legs felt light as I took off in my 2+ hour journey of Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg. After hitting the first couple miles in 6:53 and 6:43, the legs and body seemed to fall into a steady rhythm and pace. I cruised along my long run route at a 6:28 - 6:36 pace. The legs began to feel fatigue and heavy between the 19th and 20th mile mark. I wanted to finish the long run strong, so I picked up the pace and ended up running mile 21 in 5:54.
The hard work is done and now it's a matter of getting to the race healthy and eager. I will do a tune-up and marathon pace workout this coming week to lock in goal pace. This should wrap things up before I head to Huntsville.
Today's run: 2:20:30 (21.4M - 6:34 pace)
Weekly Mileage: 69 miles (6 sessions)
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Running in the cold with a cold
I've spent the last couple days fighting a cold I caught on the night of turkey day. It's been awhile since I had a cold or some sort of sickness. The good thing is that I'd rather go through it now than the week of my marathon, which is only a couple weekends away.
I went for an easy run on trails yesterday. The legs felt fine. I didn't expect it to be sore after a mediocre performance. It was really nice to get out and just run easy to get things off the mind, especially the frustration of not running fast. The race is all behind me and now it's time to focus at the task ahead, running a good marathon - hopefully a fast time and a PR. This morning's workout was an easy run with a fast-finishing mile. After running the first couple miles fairly easy, I settled into a comfortable steady pace averaging 6:40 - 6:44 over the next 7 miles. I then ran the 10th mile in 5:40 before cooling down for a half mile. The body definitely felt like it wanted to run more. However, with only 2 weeks reaming, it's probably best to hold back a bit. There's not much improvement on fitness that can be done over the peaking/tapering phase.
Tomorrow will be my last 20(+) miler, #7 for this marathon training cycle.
Today's run: 1:09:50 (10.5M - 6:39 pace; easy run with a fast-finishing mile)
Yesterday's run: 1:03:13 (9M - 7:01 pace; easy run)
I went for an easy run on trails yesterday. The legs felt fine. I didn't expect it to be sore after a mediocre performance. It was really nice to get out and just run easy to get things off the mind, especially the frustration of not running fast. The race is all behind me and now it's time to focus at the task ahead, running a good marathon - hopefully a fast time and a PR. This morning's workout was an easy run with a fast-finishing mile. After running the first couple miles fairly easy, I settled into a comfortable steady pace averaging 6:40 - 6:44 over the next 7 miles. I then ran the 10th mile in 5:40 before cooling down for a half mile. The body definitely felt like it wanted to run more. However, with only 2 weeks reaming, it's probably best to hold back a bit. There's not much improvement on fitness that can be done over the peaking/tapering phase.
Tomorrow will be my last 20(+) miler, #7 for this marathon training cycle.
Today's run: 1:09:50 (10.5M - 6:39 pace; easy run with a fast-finishing mile)
Yesterday's run: 1:03:13 (9M - 7:01 pace; easy run)
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Turkey Trot
I spent a little time last night browsing running sites to find a Turkey Trot. Turkey Trots are just one of those annual races you must do, just like the Jingle Bell Jog. I managed to find a race (Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 8K) in the Raleigh area. After a 75 minute drive and registering late (as always), I was ready to get on with my warm-up. But not until my phone rings and reads "SFC xxxxxx. Work. $h!t, this cannot be good. Anytime I receive a phone call from work in the weekends or holidays, especially in the early mornings, it is almost always bad news.... either one of my Soldiers got into trouble or it is an emergency that I must come in to work. Yup, one of my Soldiers had an incident. I stayed on the phone, sitting in my jeep with the legs a little stiff from the drive, for almost an hour sorting out things. By the time I got off the phone I only had 5 minutes before the race would start. This was just enough time to put on my racing shoes and run to the start line.
Fast Forward. I had a bad race. Here are my excuses. No warm-up. The legs felt heavy. It was cold - 42 degrees. Never got into a rhythm. Side-stitch at mile 3 that got worse and never went away. One hill too many. Okay, I'm done whining. I came in 2nd overall with a snail time of 28:40 (5:46 pace). It was a bit frustrating because I could run this time as a training workout. The course had a few rolling hills, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I was happy when the awards ceremony finally happened. I received a gray Brooks Element Jacket priced at $100. After all, it will be a good Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Today's Run: 56:37 (8k in 28:40 w/ 4M cool-down)
Fast Forward. I had a bad race. Here are my excuses. No warm-up. The legs felt heavy. It was cold - 42 degrees. Never got into a rhythm. Side-stitch at mile 3 that got worse and never went away. One hill too many. Okay, I'm done whining. I came in 2nd overall with a snail time of 28:40 (5:46 pace). It was a bit frustrating because I could run this time as a training workout. The course had a few rolling hills, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I was happy when the awards ceremony finally happened. I received a gray Brooks Element Jacket priced at $100. After all, it will be a good Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Today's Run: 56:37 (8k in 28:40 w/ 4M cool-down)
Monday, November 20, 2006
Weekly Summary (14-19 NOV)
I haven't been able to post lately because of my busy work schedule and a trip to see the Irish give Army a butt kicking.
Tuesday: Easy run with 10 x 30 sec. very fast w/ 1 min. recoveries. (1:12:33)
Wednesday: Easy recovery run (45:11)
Thursday: 15' warm-up followed by 6 miles at goal marathon pace. 6M - 5:55, 5:56, 5:55, 5:55, 5:54, & 5:51. Was scheduled to do 8 miles at goal pace, but body and legs were tired from previous days at work. 15' cool-down. (1:04:50)
Friday: 20K Ruckmarch; 45lb ruck on my back. Definitely not one of the workouts I had planned on my running schedule. But it has to be done as part of our quarterly Army training events.
Saturday: Easy run with the last few miles close to marathon pace. Many parts of the body are sore and tight from yesterday's ruckmarch. (1:06:12)
Sunday: Long steady run with Bobby at Notre Dame and South Bend. Ran most of the long run close to marathon pace. (1:42:20 - 16M)
Tuesday: Easy run with 10 x 30 sec. very fast w/ 1 min. recoveries. (1:12:33)
Wednesday: Easy recovery run (45:11)
Thursday: 15' warm-up followed by 6 miles at goal marathon pace. 6M - 5:55, 5:56, 5:55, 5:55, 5:54, & 5:51. Was scheduled to do 8 miles at goal pace, but body and legs were tired from previous days at work. 15' cool-down. (1:04:50)
Friday: 20K Ruckmarch; 45lb ruck on my back. Definitely not one of the workouts I had planned on my running schedule. But it has to be done as part of our quarterly Army training events.
Saturday: Easy run with the last few miles close to marathon pace. Many parts of the body are sore and tight from yesterday's ruckmarch. (1:06:12)
Sunday: Long steady run with Bobby at Notre Dame and South Bend. Ran most of the long run close to marathon pace. (1:42:20 - 16M)
Monday, November 13, 2006
4 weeks out
Not a whole lot to write about. I went for an easy run, out in 28:47 and back in 27:12. I thought the legs would be a little fatigue or heavy with yesterday's long run, but everything was just fine. The big day is 4 weeks away and I think I'm peaking on the right time. Now it's a matter of keeping what I have and staying injury-free.
Today's Run: 55:59 (8.1 - 6:55 pace); easy run.
Today's Run: 55:59 (8.1 - 6:55 pace); easy run.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
I'll save the 2.2 miles for race day
Mother Nature just has to make things tougher for us. As I stepped out the door, all I hear is the sound of trees and leaves blowing. This can't be good. I went back in to check the forecast. 50 degrees with 30% chance of rain and wind from NNW at 15 mph gusting to 25 mph. As I drove to post (Ft Bragg) I could feel my jeep swerve a bit from the gust of wind. This long run is going to take a lot of effort. When I got to my usual starting location and shut off my jeep, it begins to pour. $h*t, just freakin perfect! Rain, wind, and the cold mixed together just don’t motivate me. After about 10 minutes of being a wuss, I toughed it out and headed for the long run. It stopped raining about a mile into my run. I wasn't all that soaked until some jackass drove right beside me into a huge puddle of water and gave me a cold shower. He probably meant it because he had a free lane he could have switched to. I was so close to giving him the finger.
Besides running into wind half the time, my run went very well. I was consistently running between 6:30 and 6:40 pace. I hit the first 10 miles in 1:06:48 (6:41 pace), then reached 20 miles in 2:12 flat (11-20 miles in 1:05:12 - 6:31 pace). I was feeling good and the legs seemed to find its rhythm. The 20 mile mark in the marathon is a crucial point in the race. I was visualizing finishing strong in Rocket City, so I decided to pick up the pace for the remaining 4 miles. I hit the last 4 miles in 24:38 (6:22, 6:11, 6:10, & 5:55). The legs felt good afterwards. Thinking about it, I could have easily run the last 2.2 miles at 6:30 pace and finish the marathon as a long run in a sub-2:51.
Here is a comparison of the same 24 mile run I did in January for the Austin Marathon.
1/22/06: 24 miles in 2:42:30 (6:46 pace)
11/12/06: 24 miles in 2:36:38 (6:32 pace)
Today's Run: 24 miles (2:36:38 - 6:32 pace)
Weekly Mileage: 90 miles (9 sessions)
Besides running into wind half the time, my run went very well. I was consistently running between 6:30 and 6:40 pace. I hit the first 10 miles in 1:06:48 (6:41 pace), then reached 20 miles in 2:12 flat (11-20 miles in 1:05:12 - 6:31 pace). I was feeling good and the legs seemed to find its rhythm. The 20 mile mark in the marathon is a crucial point in the race. I was visualizing finishing strong in Rocket City, so I decided to pick up the pace for the remaining 4 miles. I hit the last 4 miles in 24:38 (6:22, 6:11, 6:10, & 5:55). The legs felt good afterwards. Thinking about it, I could have easily run the last 2.2 miles at 6:30 pace and finish the marathon as a long run in a sub-2:51.
Here is a comparison of the same 24 mile run I did in January for the Austin Marathon.
1/22/06: 24 miles in 2:42:30 (6:46 pace)
11/12/06: 24 miles in 2:36:38 (6:32 pace)
Today's Run: 24 miles (2:36:38 - 6:32 pace)
Weekly Mileage: 90 miles (9 sessions)
Saturday, November 11, 2006
The decision has been made
It's official! I'll be running Rocket City Marathon on Dec 9. Registration, airline ticket, and hotel have been purchased and confirmed. All that remains is 4 weeks - a couple more 20+ milers, locking in race pace, and the final two weeks of peaking/tapering.
Easy run on trails this morning. Tomorrow will be a steady long run of 22-24 miles.
Today's Run: 59:35
Easy run on trails this morning. Tomorrow will be a steady long run of 22-24 miles.
Today's Run: 59:35
Friday, November 10, 2006
What's your take on Yasso?
Today's workout was an 800 meter interval workout, also known as Yasso 800s. The workout is named after Bart Yasso from Runner's World. Many marathon runners use this workout as a marathon predictor workout. The time you run the 800s is the approximate time in hours and minutes that you're capable of running the marathon. In other words, if you run 800 meters in 2 minutes and 50 seconds, then you can run the marathon in 2 hours and 50 minutes. Yasso and Greg McMillan states that you should work your way up to 10 repeats with 400 meters of recovery. In his website, Greg says that the workout predicts about five minutes too fast for most marathoners. I think it all depends on how you approach the workout. I've done this workout for my last couple marathons and I personally think it predicts about 1-3 seconds too fast. I guess I'll find out after I cross the finish line.
After 29 minutes of warming up, I end up at the track where my running friends (Mike, Kerryn, and Melinda) have already started their workout. They are doing the same workout, but just a few less repeats than I'll be doing. I started helping the three of them by creating a training schedule for them to follow. I'm no certified coach (hopefully one of these days I will be), but I think I have enough experience and knowledge of running that they will improve in their race times. It's great seeing friends run faster. Don't we all want to run faster?
The goal is to break my marathon PR of 2:38 and with the way my training has gone the past couple months, I think it's a great possibility it will happen. Knowing this, I went into today's workout with the goal of averaging 2:35-2:36 for the 800s. That will be a 2:35 or 2:36 marathon according to Yasso. To get to the point, my workout went very well. The pace felt comfortably hard and I ended the workout knowing that I could have ran one or two more repeats. My 400m recoveries stayed between 2:10 - 2:15.
Here are my splits:
2:36, 2:36, 2:36, 2:35, 2:35, 2:35, 2:33, 2:33, 2:33, 2:33
Today's Run: AM - 1:34:23 (14.5 miles - 10 x 800s w/ 400m recoveries); PM - 30:11 (4M shakeout run)
Tuesday: (11.5M / 1:18:50) easy run
Wednesday: (6.7M / 49:14) easy recovery run
Thursday: (11.5M / 1:18:20) easy run
After 29 minutes of warming up, I end up at the track where my running friends (Mike, Kerryn, and Melinda) have already started their workout. They are doing the same workout, but just a few less repeats than I'll be doing. I started helping the three of them by creating a training schedule for them to follow. I'm no certified coach (hopefully one of these days I will be), but I think I have enough experience and knowledge of running that they will improve in their race times. It's great seeing friends run faster. Don't we all want to run faster?
The goal is to break my marathon PR of 2:38 and with the way my training has gone the past couple months, I think it's a great possibility it will happen. Knowing this, I went into today's workout with the goal of averaging 2:35-2:36 for the 800s. That will be a 2:35 or 2:36 marathon according to Yasso. To get to the point, my workout went very well. The pace felt comfortably hard and I ended the workout knowing that I could have ran one or two more repeats. My 400m recoveries stayed between 2:10 - 2:15.
Here are my splits:
2:36, 2:36, 2:36, 2:35, 2:35, 2:35, 2:33, 2:33, 2:33, 2:33
Today's Run: AM - 1:34:23 (14.5 miles - 10 x 800s w/ 400m recoveries); PM - 30:11 (4M shakeout run)
Tuesday: (11.5M / 1:18:50) easy run
Wednesday: (6.7M / 49:14) easy recovery run
Thursday: (11.5M / 1:18:20) easy run
Monday, November 06, 2006
Help me decide
Why train so hard and have nothing to show for it? That’s what I asked myself about a hundred times yesterday. The marathon is only 5 weeks away and I have yet to register. I got online to register, but before doing so, my sixth sense told me to read about the course. I swear that I had looked at the course elevation when I decided to run Charlotte two months ago. Looking at the course elevation map, it seems like there are rolling hills the entire way. Course elevation maps can be deceiving, so I did my homework. I read the runner comments on marathonguide.com and looked up last year’s results. Almost every runner comment pointed out the rolling “hills”. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind hills. In fact, I’m a fairly strong hill runner and prefer running a marathon that has a couple small rolling hills rather than one that is completely flat the entire way. But I don’t think I want to run a marathon that would be rolling for 26.2 miles, especially after putting in months of pure hard work.My goal in my next marathon (whichever it ends up being) is to run another PR and average sub-6:00 pace. I really don’t want to chance it on a course like Charlotte. With that being said, my marathon options have opened up again and I’m now looking at Rocket City Marathon and Kiawah Island Marathon, with Charlotte still in the air. I’ve heard about Rocket City Marathon being one of the best small city marathons in the nation. The runner comments for Rocket City had nothing but good things to say. Well organized, excellent race, course relatively flat, and fast times. Deciding which marathon to run is becoming a task itself. Hopefully, I’ll decide over the next couple days.
Okay, now about training. My legs felt fine even with yesterday’s long run. I ran very easy in the morning and then again in the evening.
Today’s Run: AM – 41:33 (~5M) PM – 40:01 (5.5M)
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Was it the tequila and chocolate cake?
Last night, my friends celebrated my birthday which was on Friday. Two shots of tequila, some delicious chocolate cake, karaoke, and in bed at 1:30 am. I don't recommend this plan the night before a key long hard run of 20+ miles.
I woke up five hours later feeling okay. The first thing I did was drink about 12 oz. of water knowing that I needed to be hydrated for my workout. Next thing I did was check the temperature. Brrrrr.... 30 degrees. That calls for some gloves, beanie, and a jacket. The planned workout was 20 miles with the last 6 to 8 miles at goal marathon pace. After last night, I expected the worst. As I ran the first few minutes of my 2+ hour run, I realized that my body and legs was feeling pretty good. I cruised along for the first 12 miles in 1:20:12 (avg. 6:41) before ending up at the track for the next 6-8 miles at goal pace. I told myself that I'll see how I felt after the 6 miles at goal pace, and then finish the last 2 miles or call it for the day depending on the legs. When I got to the track I did a lap to transition into the pace. I felt good for the entire run and ended up completing the 8 miles at goal pace. I wasn't too surprised to see that I was hitting my splits with ease and feeling comfortable. I did the 8 miles in 47:12 (5:54 pace).
Here are my splits:
1-12M - 1:20:12
13M - 5:58
14M - 5:58
15M - 5:57
16M - 5:56
17M - 5:57
18M - 5:53
19M - 5:51
20M - 5:42
2.1 miles cooldown - 14:10
I looked back at my training log from my last marathon (2:38 in Austin) and compared the same workout with today's.
1/15/06: 1st 12M in 1:23 (6:55 pace); 8M @ goal pace in 47:39
11/05/06: 1st 12M in 1:20 (6:41 pace); 8M @ goal pace in 47:12
I'm very happy with the way my training is coming along. Today's 22 miler was my 5th 20+ miler in the last 7 weeks. The way things are looking so far, I should be able to run another PR and hopefully sub-6:00 miles for 26.2 miles.
Today's Run: 22.1 miles (2:21:34 - 6:24 pace)
Weekly Mileage: 90.4 miles
I woke up five hours later feeling okay. The first thing I did was drink about 12 oz. of water knowing that I needed to be hydrated for my workout. Next thing I did was check the temperature. Brrrrr.... 30 degrees. That calls for some gloves, beanie, and a jacket. The planned workout was 20 miles with the last 6 to 8 miles at goal marathon pace. After last night, I expected the worst. As I ran the first few minutes of my 2+ hour run, I realized that my body and legs was feeling pretty good. I cruised along for the first 12 miles in 1:20:12 (avg. 6:41) before ending up at the track for the next 6-8 miles at goal pace. I told myself that I'll see how I felt after the 6 miles at goal pace, and then finish the last 2 miles or call it for the day depending on the legs. When I got to the track I did a lap to transition into the pace. I felt good for the entire run and ended up completing the 8 miles at goal pace. I wasn't too surprised to see that I was hitting my splits with ease and feeling comfortable. I did the 8 miles in 47:12 (5:54 pace).
Here are my splits:
1-12M - 1:20:12
13M - 5:58
14M - 5:58
15M - 5:57
16M - 5:56
17M - 5:57
18M - 5:53
19M - 5:51
20M - 5:42
2.1 miles cooldown - 14:10
I looked back at my training log from my last marathon (2:38 in Austin) and compared the same workout with today's.
1/15/06: 1st 12M in 1:23 (6:55 pace); 8M @ goal pace in 47:39
11/05/06: 1st 12M in 1:20 (6:41 pace); 8M @ goal pace in 47:12
I'm very happy with the way my training is coming along. Today's 22 miler was my 5th 20+ miler in the last 7 weeks. The way things are looking so far, I should be able to run another PR and hopefully sub-6:00 miles for 26.2 miles.
Today's Run: 22.1 miles (2:21:34 - 6:24 pace)
Weekly Mileage: 90.4 miles
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