February 13 - April 9 Training

April 3 - 9

Mon: AM - 10.1 miles easy (7:34); It was raining very heavily, so I chickened out and ran on the treadmill.  PM - 4.5 miles easy (7:26)

Tue: AM - 8 miles easy with 8x20s pickups (7:06); PM - 4 miles easy (7:41)

Wed: AM - 10.4 miles including 5x5:00 fast, 2:00 easy on rolling hills.  Goal was to run around 10k effort and just get a feel for some higher intensity over and down the hills.  Covered 5.9 miles for the 35 minute fartlek and averaged 5:28 pace for the faster running.  PM - 5.1 miles easy (7:34)

Thu: AM - 8 miles easy (7:24); PM - 3.1 miles easy (7:55)

Fri: 7.8 miles with 8x20s pickups 

Sat: 17 miles including 3x3 miles at 5:40-5:45 with .65 jog at 6:15 pace.  Last long run and marathon workout before Boston.  The last two long runs contained at least 10 miles of continuous marathon pace, so this run was somewhat a reduced marathon workout.  The first 3-mile segment felt very smooth with even splits of 5:43s (17:09).  On the 2nd segment, I had to stay focus so that I wouldn't drift off pace.  I ran 5:42, 5:42 and 5:39 (17:03).  This segment didn't feel as easy, but it also wasn't too hard.  The last segment is where I felt most controlled. I ran 5:40, 5:40 and 5:38 (16:58).  In the last mile, I was averaging 5:35 pace for the first 1/2 mile before I slowed things down.  There was no sense of running faster than I needed to.  This run was a good confidence booster going into the last taper week.  I ran in my new Saucony Boston Freedom ISO, which I plan to race in on Patriot's Day.  

Sun: 5 miles easy (7:42)

Weekly Total: 83 miles on 11 runs/ 7 days
I enjoyed this week with the drop in mileage and am looking forward to even more of a drop next week. While 83 miles may still seem like a ton of mileage with just over a week till race day, it really isn't when you think percentage of peak.  I peaked at 110 miles during this marathon training cycle, so percentage wise, this training week was only at 75%.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 27 - April 2

Mon: AM - 9 miles easy with 8x20s pickups (7:13); PM - 5 miles easy (7:20)

Tue: AM - 10.3 miles with 12x2:00 on/1:00 off on rolling hills (6:27). Ran the 2:00 at about 5:00ish track effort.  The tough part of this workout, besides the uphills, is the 1:00 minute recovery.  They seem to dry up very quickly.  I ended up covering 6.1 miles for the 36 min fartlek.   PM - 6 miles easy (7:20)

Wed: AM - 8 miles easy (7:35); PM - 4 miles easy (7:52)

Thu: AM - 10.1 miles with 4 miles of 30s fast, 2:30 moderate.  Ran the fartlek on a slight rolling hill course with the 30s at 4:45-4:50ish pace and the 2:30 recovery around 6:15 pace.    Good workout that didn't take a whole lot out of me.  PM - 5 miles easy (7:23)

Fri: AM - 5.6 miles easy (7:22); PM - 7 miles easy (7:16)

Sat: 19 miles long run; 3 miles w/u, 10 miles at 5:45, 1 mile jog, 2x1/2 uphill, 2x1/2 downhill, 2 miles c/d.  Felt really good and smooth.  Ran a portion of the 10 miles on the 2.1 mile golf course loop and some on the track.  Ran 56:26 for the 10 miles, 5:39 pace.  Following the MP run, I jogged a mile to Bluntville Ave for the 1/2 mile repeats.  Felt pretty strong on the uphill repeats running 2:44 and 2:41 for the 1/2 miles.  Instead of the usual double between the uphill/downhill, I only ran a 1/2 mile recovery before the 1x1/2 mile downhill. Ran sub-5:00 pace with a split of 2:26.  Got in some pounding on the downhills.  Overall, this was an excellent workout, and I finished the run feeling like I could have ran longer and faster.  Good sign!  

Sun: AM - 7.1 miles easy (7:23); PM - 4 miles easy (7:37)

Weekly Total: 100.2 miles on 13 runs/ 7 days
This was my last really tough week and the last time I'll hit the triple digit mileage for a while.  Of the last 14 weeks of training, I had a total of 10 weeks at 100 or more miles.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 20 - 26

Mon: AM - 10 miles easy with 8x20s pickups (7:07); PM - 5 miles easy (7:28)

Tue: AM - 11.3 miles including 6x1 mile with 1/4 mile jog. Goal was to start at 5:10ish and work down to low-5s.  Ran 5:10, 5:09, 5:06, 5:05, 5:06, and 5:06.  The first three intervals felt good, but the last three were tough.  PM - 6 miles easy (7:27)

Wed: AM - 12 miles with 10 miles moderate over rolling hills working down to 6:00 (6:15).   Thought this run was going to feel tough on the legs after yesterday’s workout, but that wasn’t the case.   I actually felt great and averaged 6:05 pace for the last 10 miles.  PM - 5 miles easy (7:14)< Thu: AM - 8.1 miles easy (7:15); PM - 6 miles easy (7:20)

Fri: AM - 5.7 miles easy; PM - 6 miles easy with 8x20s pickups on slight hills. Ran four uphill and four downhill pickups.  Tough long run tomorrow. 
Sat: 24 miles long run; 2 miles w/u, 4 miles each at 6:10, 6:00, 5:50, 5:40, and 5:35, 2 miles c/d.   This was a tough and strong long run workout.  The first and second 4 mile sections felt very smooth and comfortable.  On the third 4-mile section at 5:50, I still felt okay, but it wasn’t a walk in the park.  The 4th 4-miles at 5:40 felt a little tough, but I had no problems hitting the paces.  On the last 4-miles, I split 5:34 for the first mile, but could not hang on for the last three.  I was only able to run 5:39, 5:41 and 5:41 pace.  My 4-mile splits were 24:30 (6:07), 23:52 (5:59), 23:10 (5:47), 22:40 (5:40), and 22:36 (5:39).  

Sun: AM - 8 miles easy (7:27); PM - 3.2 miles easy (7:32)

Weekly Total: 110.4 miles on 13 runs/ 7 days
Wow, what a great week of training!   It was my second time hitting 110 miles during this marathon training cycle.  I definitely got in a good variety of workouts and volume.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 13 - 19

Mon: AM - 9 miles easy with 6x20s pickups (7:09); PM - 5 miles easy (7:28)

Tue: AM - 12.6 miles including 3, 2.5, and 2 miles tempo with 800 rec jog.  The goal was 5:25 pace for the 3 miles, 5:15 pace for the 2.5 miles and 5:10 for the 2 miles.  It was freezing cold (24 deg with real-feel of 13) and the legs never felt it could run faster than 5:25ish pace.  I wasn’t breathing hard, I just couldn’t push the pace.  On the 2.5 mile tempo, not much changed and I still ran 5:25 pace instead of 5:15s.  When the legs started to feel very heavy on the last lap of the 2.5 miles, I decided to call it the day.  The legs obviously was not recovered from the rolling hills long run.  PM - 4.1 miles easy (7:34)

Wed: AM - 4 miles easy (7:56); PM - 12 miles progression working down to 6:00 pace (6:31)

Thu: AM - 8 miles easy (7:14); PM - 4.4 miles easy (7:20)

Fri: AM - 8 miles easy with a mile of in/outs (7:11); PM - 4 miles easy (7:20)

Sat: AM - 18.5 miles long run with 60 min fartlek of 3:00 fast, 3:00 steady over rolling hills.  Averaged 5:31 pace (5.4 miles) for the fast sections and 6:15 pace (4.8 miles) for the steady recovery.  This was a tough, but good workout for the Boston course.  PM - 4.4 miles easy (7:38)

Sun: AM - 6.2 miles easy (7:48); PM - 4.8 miles easy (7:31)

Weekly Total: 105 miles on 14 runs/ 7 days
Finally back in the triple digit mileage.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 6 - 12

Mon: AM - 6 miles easy (7:17); the plan was 9 miles with pickups, but I was short on time.  PM - DNR; move-in day to our new home.

Tue: AM/PM - DNR; big fat ZERO for the day.  The house is littered with boxes and unpacking them seemed more important than running.  Well, in all honesty, I was too exhausted to fit in a run.  Hopefully, this won't become a habit.

Wed: AM - 13.5 miles including 5x1 mile with 1/4 slow jog, 1 mile jog, 4x1/4 mile downhill at 5k effort. Goal was 5:10ish or just under for the mile repeats.  Ran the mile repeats on a 1/2 mile path (out and back), because the high school track right across the street from my house doesn't allow anyone besides students to use the track.  Man, I was pissed! Anyways, I ran 5:09, 5:08, 5:06, 5:06 and 5:06 for the mile repeats.  The last two reps were tough.  For the 1/4 mile downhill, the goal was to beat up the legs.  That I did.  Ran 67, 66, 68, and 68.  PM - 6.6 miles easy (7:28); 20 mile day. 

Thu: AM - 10.1 miles easy (7:03);  PM - 5.1 miles easy (7:22); ran into the high school track coach and got permission to use the track for future workouts. 

Fri: 11.1 miles including fartlek of 10x2:00 on/2:00 off on rolling terrain (6:38); Averaged 5:13 pace for the on's and 7:21 for the recovery.  Tough session after only one easy day between workouts.  PM - 4.7 miles easy (7:31)

Sat: AM - 8.1 miles easy (7:47); PM - 4.9 miles easy(7:55);

Sun: 22.2 miles long run on rolling hills (6:37); exploring new routes in the area. 

Weekly Total: 92.3 miles on 10 runs/ 6 days.
This was supposed to be a high mileage week (~110), but I missed three runs. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 27 - March 5

Mon: AM - 8.2 miles easy (7:18); PM - DNR; travel to Disney

Tue: AM - 10.5 miles easy with 8x20s pickups; went from running in winter conditions in KC to warm and humid conditions in Florida.  PM - 4.8 miles easy (7:37); late night run after spending the day at Disney.  Legs are beat from walking all day.  I really wanted to skip out on my 2nd run, but I've missed too many of them the past week. 

Wed: AM - 12.2 miles with failed fartlek of 10x3:00 on/ 1:30 jog.  Goal was to run the 3:00 starting at 5:25 pace and work down.  I knew this was going to be a tough workout to complete because I was already feeling exhausted before I started the run.  I ran the first three repeats at 5:23, 5:21, and 5:21 pace, but the effort felt a lot harder.  After running only a 5:39 pace for the 4th rep, I decided to call it the day.  Ended up running the remaining miles as a long cooldown.  PM - DNR; was planning on running 3-4 miles very easy, but again the legs were beat from Disney. 

Thu: AM - 11 miles easy (7:20); too tired to wake up early so I end up suffering in the Florida heat. PM - DNR; tough workout on Saturday, so I'm giving the legs some rest.

Fri: AM - DNR; travel back to KC.  PM - 5.4 miles easy (7:19); legs feel back to life.

Sat: 23.1 miles including 5x2.5 miles at 5:40-5:45 pace with .65 miles jog at sub 6:20 pace.  Successful workout.  Ran the 2.5 miles in 14:22 (5:45 pace), 14:19 (5:44), 14:11 (5:40), 14:12 (5:41), 14:04 (5:38) and the .65 miles recovery jogs in 4:03 (6:14 pace), 4:05 (6:17), 4:04 (6:15), 4:03 (6:14), and 3:55 (6:02).  Was really glad to nail this workout after feeling exhausted throughout the week. 

Sun: AM - 8.1 miles easy (7:29); PM - 4.6 miles easy (7:41)

Weekly Total: 88 miles on 9 runs/ 7 days
This week was the most tired I've felt in a long time.  At first I thought I'd have no problems getting in my runs because I'm on vacation.  Unfortunately, vacation doesn't actually mean rest, especially if it's a vacation to Disney World.  Ha!  I had a ton of fun with my family, so it's all worth it. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 20 - 26

Mon: AM - 10.2 miles with 8x30s fast, 2:30 at 6:15 pace (6:41).  I enjoy this fartlek run, because you get in some fast running while teaching the body to recover at a moderate pace.  Covered 4.05 miles (5:55 pace) for the fartlek section.  PM - 6.1 miles easy (7:49)

Tue: AM - 8.7 miles easy (7:24); PM - 6 miles easy (7:31)

Wed: AM - 13.1 miles including 6 miles alternating 5:45 and 5:10 pace.  Goal was to alternate a mile at around marathon and 10k effort.  This was an intense workout towards the end, but I managed to get through it.  The toughest part of the workout was trying to recover following the faster miles.  I'd feel like I was going into oxygen debt during the start of the 2nd and 3rd slower miles, but would finally recover after about 600m.  Ran splits of 5:44, 5:11, 5:45, 5:10, 5:46, and 5:06.  PM - DNR; moving day.

Thu: AM - 10 miles easy (7:15); last run in Maryland.  PM - DNR; road trip begins.

Fri: AM - 11.3 miles with 7.3 miles moderate (6:13); first stop on the long road trip from Maryland to Kansas.  Ran on the Caperton Trail in West Virginia.  PM - DNR

Sat: AM - 8.5 miles easy (7:27); it was 35 deg, rainy and 30mph winds in Terre Haute IN.  Treadmill was much better than suffering in the cold. 

Sun: 24 miles long run (6:19); with the past few days of travel and missed 2nd runs, my plan was to try and get in a long run of at least 20 miles when I arrived in Kansas City and before flying out for a short vacation tomorrow.  Felt amazingly good and smooth throughout the run. 

Weekly Total: 98 miles on 9 runs/ 7 days
Not too bad of a week considering I spent three days traveling from MD to KS.  I do wish I would have gotten out for a short run on Thu or Fri to put me over 100 miles. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 13 - 19

Mon: AM - 5.4 miles easy (7:36).  Very windy.  PM - 8 miles moderate (6:20); holy windy, 20 mph winds with gusts up to 30mph.  Felt sluggish in the first mile, but smooth the rest of the run, even with the windy conditions.

Tue: AM - 8 miles easy (7:28); PM - 6 miles easy (7:56)

Wed: AM - 11.7 miles with 20x1:00 on/off fartlek.  Started around 5:10 pace and worked down to 4:55ish pace for the 1:00s.  Averaged 5:00 pace for the on's and 7:32 for the recoveries.  PM - 6 miles easy (7:21)

Thu: AM - 10 miles easy (7:02);  PM - 5.8 miles easy (8:56); my last run with the lunch run group on Aberdeen Proving Ground. It's been fun running with these guys.

Fri: AM - 6 miles easy (7:44);  PM - 4.2 miles easy (7:31)

Sat: AM - 22 miles long run (6:29); started out easy and worked down to upper 5s by the end.  Ran in Arlington, VA on the Mt. Vernon Trail. 

Sun: AM - 7 miles easy (7:37);  PM - Did not run; getting the house ready for the packers tomorrow.

Weekly Total: 100.2 miles on 12 runs/ 7 days
This week's training was a little more conservative and I'm glad it was.  This was my last week stationed at APG, and between work out-processing and preparing for the movers, things were pretty busy and stressful. 

2016 Year in Review

Total Miles: 4585 miles; my highest yearly mileage ever and 522 miles more than last year. That’s an average of 88 miles/week or 12.5 miles/day.

Weeks Over 100 Miles: 17

Highest Weekly Mileage: 106.3

Biggest Month: August (456.7 miles)

PRs: Marathon, 2:31:44 at Indy Monumental Marathon; 10 seconds faster than my previous PR last year.

Number of Races: 7 (2 marathons, 2 half-marathons, 10 mile, 10K and 5K). Would have liked to race more, but I'm okay with only 7 races.  I enjoy the process and journey of marathon training leading up to the big events. 

States I Raced In: 5 - Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. I also raced in Washington DC, but it's not a "state". 

Days I Did Not Run: 8; not bad. Took 3 days off after Boston, 3 days when my son was born, 1 day after Indy, and 1 day because it was icy conditions and I didn’t feel like running on the treadmill.

Saucony Running Shoes: 11 (3 x Kinvara6, 6 x Kinvara7, Freedom ISO, Type A6)

4585 Total Miles

2016 was another excellent year of running. In fact, I would rate 2016 as my best running year since taking up the sport back in 1999. In 2016 and at the age of 39, I ran my highest mileage ever, PR'd and broke my own Guam National Record for the marathon, and more importantly, remained healthy and injury-free.  Even though I only PR'd in the marathon event, there's no doubt that I would have also ran personal bests in the half-marathon and 10-mile distances if race day conditions were better. Unfortunately, Mother Nature was not on our side.  The Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia in September ended up being very warm and humid, and the Army Ten-Miler in early October turned out to be a very windy day.  Despite the less-than-ideal conditions for the two races, I still ran strong and finished with respectable times, 1:12:48 at RnR Philly and 54:41 at the Army 10-Miler.  

Almost every year I run two marathons, one in the spring and one in the fall.  2016 was no different.  In April, I ran my sixth total and fifth consecutive Boston finishing in 2:37:23, good for 90th Overall.  It was my second time finishing in the Top 100 at the world's most prestigious marathon. For my fall marathon, I chose to run Indianapolis Monumental Marathon over California International Marathon, which I ran in 2014 and 2015.  I went into Indy in the best marathon fitness I've ever been in and with hopes of running a sub-2:30. As you've probably already seen from my previous blog post, I came up short.  I was still very happy to end up with a PR though.  

Boston Marathon
2:37:23 (90th Overall)

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
2:31:44 (PR)

2016 Boston Marathon Race Report

This race report is long overdue, but it's better late than never.  

Marathon Training
My Boston Marathon training went really well and I felt like I was in slightly better shape than I was going into CIM where I ran 2:31:54.  Although training went well, I was a little stressed in January/February.  I made the temporary move from Maryland to Tampa for work, and leaving the family behind was tough.  One might think that Tampa is a great place to train for a marathon in the late winter and early spring, but not quite.  While the temperatures (60-70 deg) were ideal, it was the high humidity that made training sometimes very tough.  Additionally, Tampa is pancake flat and probably not the best place to train if you're preparing for a marathon with lots of rolling hills like Boston.  Believe it or not, I had to drive 1.5 hours to Clermont, FL to put in a long run on rolling hills.  With the exception of one long run on rolling hills, all of my training runs from Jan 30 - Apr 14 were done on flat surface.  Pathetic!

Tampa is flat! I had many weeks with 0 ft elevation gain.

Race Strategy
My race strategy going into Boston was to run 5:45ish pace and feel comfortable up to Newton Hills.  I'd expect my pace to slow around 5:50-5:55ish on the hills and then hopefully run strong over the last five miles.  The plan was to come through the half between 1:15-1:16, which would put me in a good position to finish hopefully somewhere between 2:30 and sub-2:33.  

Boston Marathon
There are many things that make the Boston Marathon a unique race.  It's the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events.  Runners must meet the Boston qualifying standards (aka BQ), and even with a BQ you're not guaranteed an entry. For 2016, runners had to run 2 minutes and 28 seconds faster than their age and gender standard. Also, the rolling hills course is brutal and will thrash the legs before you get to the actual hills. Let's not forget the Boston Strong crowd.  Boston's crowd support along the 26.2 mile course is unlike any other marathon.  There are thousands of Boston spectators lining the course to cheer on and encourage the runners, regardless of the weather conditions.  Speaking of weather, I think this is what makes the Boston Marathon a unique and unpredictable race. The weather on Patriot's Day can be cold, hot, rainy, or very windy.  In my last five Boston Marathons, race day conditions varied: 2012 was scorching with temps in the high 80s, 2013 and 2014 were almost perfect marathon weather, and 2015 was cold and wet with strong headwinds.  This year the conditions looked perfect for marathon running about 7 days out from the race.  However, as it got closer to race day, it seemed as though it was going to be another warm Marathon Monday.  

Race
The temperature at the start of the race was in the low to mid 60s, but it felt a little warmer with the sun beating down and no cloud cover.  Since I've been training in warm and humid conditions over the last couple months, I decided to stick with my race strategy.  The gun went off and I tried to focus on running smooth and comfortable as much as possible.  The first few miles were slightly faster than 5:45 pace, but with the early downhill miles I expected that I'd be closer to 5:40s.  From mile 5 till the halfway mark I settled in running splits between 5:45 - 5:50.  I took in fluids at every aid station and an energy gel every 5-6 miles.  

I came through the half in 1:15:35, which was right where I wanted to be and on pace for a sub 2:32.  At this point in the race, not only was it very warm, but there was also a decent headwind.  The headwind wasn't as strong as last year, but it was noticeable and enough to slow a runner's pace a few seconds per mile.  After running 5:48 and 5:50 for miles 14 and 15, I opened up on the last half mile of mile 16, which had a 130 ft elevation loss, and ran a 5:32 mile split.  I did not expect to run the mile split that fast.  I'm not sure if it was the fast 16th mile split or the warm weather and grueling downhills, or a combination of all of it, that took something out of the legs because they started to feel heavy.  

In the Newton hills, my pace began to slow and I could only manage to run 6:02, 6:09 and 6:06 for miles 17-19.  I calculated that I'd finish with a sub 2:35 if I maintained my current pace.  My hamstrings then started to cramp a little around Heartbreak Hill and now my race went from feeling tough to survival mode.  Instead of running 6:05-6:10 pace I was now running 6:30 pace.  I tried to stay composed and took in as much fluids as I could at the aid station to prevent the hamstrings from cramping even more.

Deja-vu
At around the Boston College campus on Commonwealth Ave, I caught up to a runner that looked familiar.  It was the BAA runner (Brad Mish), who I came across around the same part of the course in last year's Boston Marathon.  It was like deja-vu all over again.  What's bizarre about it, and I didn't know it until I saw the photos, is that we were both assigned the same bib numbers for the 2015 and 2016 race.  

The BAA runner looked familiar!

After I caught up to Mr. 982, we ran together for a little bit before he slowly faded back.  At this point in the race, my legs couldn't go any faster, and I was just trying to hold things together and get to the finish line in one piece.  Luckily, my legs held up and I was able to run no slower than 6:30 pace over the last 10K.  I crossed the finish in 2:37:23, which was good enough for 90th Overall.  

After-thoughts
All in all, I was satisfied with my race performance and that I ran tough when the going got tough.  I was most happy with finishing in the Top 100 again (56th Overall in 2012).  I think finishing in the top 100 in any of the six World Marathon Majors ((Tokyo, London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York) is a significant accomplishment for an average runner.  Although I know I was fit and ready to beat last year's time, I think the warm conditions and lack of hill training were factors for the slower finishing time.  Unfortunately, there's nothing I could have done about the weather on Marathon Monday and the lack of hills in Tampa.   Life goes on....

What's next?
I normally take a full recovery following the Boston Marathon and then slowly build my base back up during the summer.  However, this time around I'm only taking a few weeks to recover from Boston before I'm back training hard again.  There's a "possibility" that I may represent my island of Guam in the 2016 Olympic Games marathon in August. I likely won't know if I'm selected or not until early July.  While July is late notice, the only thing I can do is train my butt off, get into the best possible shape and hope I'm selected.  Wish me luck!!!

Completing the Rio nomination packet

120th Boston Marathon - 2:37:23, 90th Overall

I ran my sixth Boston Marathon (5th consecutive) this past Monday finishing in 2:37:23, 90th Place Overall.  While my time was much slower than I had hoped, I was still very happy to have placed in the Top 100 for the second time (I was 56th Overall in 2012).  

The finishing times were slower across the board, even for the elites, because of the warm and windy conditions.  I'll get more into the details in my race report, which I hope to post soon.  

January 18 - 24 Training

Mon: AM - 8.5 miles with 8x30s uphill strides (7:04). Freezing cold (5 deg real-feel) and very windy. Luckily, I had the wind to my back on the uphill strides.  PM - 4.5 miles easy (7:19)


Tue: AM - Army Physical Fitness Test: 104 push-ups, 95 sit-ups, and 11:10 2-mile run.  It was the first time in almost three years that I didn't hit triple digits for the sit-ups.  I'm not surprised though, because I've neglected doing them since my last APFT about six months ago. Ha!  As for the 2-mile run, I was looking to run 10:30ish, which would be a pretty good effort/workout after trashed quads and hip flexors from the sit-ups.  Unfortunately, weather conditions (-1 degree real-feel with 12mph headwind) were not favorable for a fast time.  It also didn't help that the freezing cold air was getting to the lungs when I breathe in. 3.5 miles cooldown (7:17); PM - 7 miles easy (7:02)

APFT over the course of my Army career.

Wed: AM - 14 miles with 9 miles of 1/2 mile at 5:55 pace, 1/2 mile at 5:35 pace.  The original plan was to run 10 miles of alternating 1/2 miles, but since I did a physical fitness test yesterday with a couple miles at 5:30ish pace, I decided that nine was enough.  I averaged 5:54 pace for the "slow" 1/2 miles and 5:32 for the faster halves.  What makes this workout tough is that you can't slack on the slow sections because 5:55 pace is still moving.  PM - 4.7 miles (7:13)

Thu: AM - 8.1 miles easy (7:03); PM - 5 miles easy (7:15)

Fri: 8.2 miles with 6x20s pick-ups.  Freezing cold. Blizzard is forecasted to come through the east coast tonight and throughout the day tomorrow.  

Sat: 20 miles long run; first 12 miles easy then 2:00 at 5:30 pace at the start of each mile for the last 8 miles (6:31 overall avg). There was no way I was running 20 miles in a blizzard, so I had no choice but to get on the treadmill.  Averaged 6:41 pace for the first 12 miles easy.  For the last 8 miles, I ran the first 2:00 of each mile at 5:30 pace and then 6:40-6:44 pace as recovery. Really good long run, but I'm sure I'll be a bit sore tomorrow as the treadmill works some different muscles; .5 miles cool down

Snowed in!

Sun: 8 miles easy (7:31)

Weekly Total: 93.1 miles on 11 runs/7 days
It was a crazy week with temperatures consistently in the teens and a blizzard on Saturday that kept me off the roads.  Luckily, I have a treadmill in the basement and was able to log some dreaded miles.  

New Year = another Boston Marathon training

It's a new year, which means I'll be spending the first quarter of the year preparing for the Boston Marathon again.  This year's Boston Marathon will be my 6th total Boston and 5th consecutive since 2012.  Just as I did last year, I'll be posting my weekly marathon training and journey to Boston here on my blog.   

Here's the last two weeks of training.

January 4 - 10 Training

Mon: AM - 9.2 miles including 6x60s uphills, 2x60s downhills. Ran the uphills starting at slightly faster than 5K effort and working down to mile effort. PM - 5 miles easy (7:24)

Tue: 10.1 miles easy/medium (6:38); first five miles easy and then the last five at 6:00-6:15 pace.  Felt nice and comfortable.  

Wed: 8 miles with 8x20s pick-ups (7:15)

Thu: AM - 10.3 miles including 6x1K w/ 400 rec jog.  Goal was to start out at 3:15 feeling smooth and then work down to 3:10.  Ran 3:14, 3:14, 3:12 and 3:11 for the first four reps and then picked it up some on the last two running 3:08 and 3:05.  Finished the workout feeling like I could do one more rep.  PM - 5.3 miles easy (7:18)

Fri: AM - 4.3 miles easy (7:43); PM - 6 miles easy (7:12)

Sat: 18.1 miles long run (6:39); normal long run feeling nice and smooth.  I really enjoy the long run where I get out there and just cruise at a comfortable pace.  

Sun: 8.6 miles easy (6:59)

Weekly Total: 85 miles on 10 runs/7 days
A good week with a little more volume and intensity.  Happy with how my legs and body recovered following the hills and 1K interval session.  

-------------------------------------------------

December 28 - January 3 Training

Mon: 7.2 miles easy with 8x20s pick-ups (6:59)

Tue: 10.1 miles easy (6:51)

Wed: 11.3 miles including 8x400 with 400 rec jog. Plan was to run 75s for the 400s with a full lap for recovery.  Splits were 72, 74, 72, 72, 72, 73, 72, and 72.  Felt good and smooth.  Nice to get the legs to turnover.  

Thu: 10 miles easy (6:59)

Fri: AM - 6 miles easy (6:58); PM - 4 miles easy (7:30)

Sat: 16 miles long run working from easy pace down to low 6:00 (6:34 avg pace). Ran a rolling route for a change.  Felt really comfortable and like I was cruising the entire time.  It actually didn't feel like the pace was changing much over the course of the run, which is a good sign.  First three miles pretty easy, next three in the 6:40s, next four in 6:30s, next three in 6:20s, and the last three at 6:18, 6:09, and 5:57; .8 miles cooldown (7:32)

Sun: 8 miles easy (7:21)

Weekly Total: 76.5 miles on 8 runs/7 days
A really good week of base.  It's been four weeks since California International Marathon and I feel like I've recovered well from the marathon.  I also feel motivated and rejuvenated to start training again, especially after following many of the US athletes' training as they gear up for the upcoming Olympic Marathon Trials.  

Boston Marathon Race Report

I had high expectations going into my 5th Boston Marathon. My marathon training cycle went extremely well and my fitness and marathon-specific workouts indicated I was in shape to run faster than my PR (2:32:29), which was set just 4 months ago at the California International Marathon.  

When I saw the race day weather forecast to be cold, wet and very windy (headwinds), I started to get worried. I was concerned about my race being ruined by the weather. But then I thought, there's nothing anyone can do about the weather and we'll all be running in the same conditions, so I better stop whining.

I arrived at the Athlete's Village about 2.5 hours before the start of the race. Once I got there I headed to the "Hawaii House", which is an engineering firm's office/residence on Main Street where Hawaii runners and islanders gather to relax before the race. According to this article, the owner started inviting Hawaii runners in for breakfast in 1995 to honor his late wife who loved visiting the islands. I was first invited into the house in 2012 by a close friend who lives in Hawaii. Since then it's been a tradition to relax and hang out at the house before toeing the Start line.

Hopkington Start

When the gun went off, I stayed close to the right side of the road so I wouldn't get clipped or shoved by runners who shot out like they were running a 10K. I ran comfortably clicking off mile splits mostly between 5:45-5:50. GPS mile splits for the first six miles were 5:45, 5:47, 5:46, 5:47, 5:52, and 5:47 with a 10K split of 36:06 (5:48 pace). At this point, I was feeling good (as I should since it was still early in the race) running at the pace/effort that I had trained at. I didn't think the winds had much of an effect in the early miles. However, by around mile 10, I started noticing the headwinds. It was also at this point in the race when runners around me started stringing out.  There were still many runners near me, but they were either running slightly in front of or behind me. Instead of putting in small surges to catch up to some runners and draft off of them, I continued to run my own pace and race.

I hit the half-marathon mark in 1:16:13, which was right around where I thought I'd be considering the conditions. My coach and I initially thought that going out in 1:14-1:15 for the half would be perfectly reasonable, if the weather was good.  However, going out in 1:14-1:15 in windy conditions would have made for a long day.  From miles 12-16, I continued to put down splits between 5:45-5:50. My 5K split of 17:55 between 20K-25K was my fastest throughout the race.

After 16 miles came the infamous Newton Hills. This is the section of Boston's course that will make or break a runner. In last year's race, the Newton Hills broke me and I ended up jogging to the finish. I wasn't about to experience that again. I reflected back on all the tough training and long runs I did on rolling hills and ran strong (or at least tried to) up the hills. Splits for miles 18-21 were 5:54, 5:51, 5:55 and 6:15, respectively. When I saw a 6:15 split for mile 21, I couldn't help but think that my race was about to go downhill.

The infamous Newton Hills!

After I crested Heartbreak Hill, I tried to regroup and focus on using even the slightest downhill to propel me forward. There were signs of my legs coming back to life as I hit the next three miles (miles 22-24) in 5:46, 5:50, and 5:47 pace. However, things started to get really tough over the last couple miles. My legs felt very heavy and the arms/shoulders started tightening up. Mile 25 was a 5:52 split.  

1 Mile To Go

With "1 mile to go", I tried to kick it in another gear but couldn't go any faster.  I crossed the finish in a respectable 2:33:13, which is my 2nd fastest marathon time and only 44 seconds slower than my PR. Ironically, I placed 119th Overall in the 119th edition of the Boston Marathon.  I'm very happy with my Boston performance.  I ran strong and almost even splits on a tough and very windy day. 

2:33:13 for 119th Overall

Official Marathon Splits

April 6 - 12 Training

Mon: AM - 6 miles easy with 4x30s pickups (7:15); PM - 4 miles easy (7:44)

Tue: AM - 13.1 miles with 10 miles (5:43) at marathon effort; Goal was to run at marathon effort, which based on my fitness is around 5:45ish.  I wanted to keep this workout on a flat route as much as possible, so I ran three loops of my usual 3-mile downtown loop (even though it's not entirely flat) and then added on a mile.  The first loop was all about loosening up the muscles and finding my rhythm.  I hit the first three miles right at 5:45 pace.  The 2nd loop (5:41, 5:44, 5:39) felt more controlled and comfortable than the first loop.  In the last loop and last mile I tried to relaxed as much as possible while getting a good feel of the pace and effort.  

Wed: AM - 6 miles easy (7:29); PM - 4 miles easy (7:13)

Thu: AM - 9.3 miles with 6x1/4 mile downhill repeats; ran fast and controlled with splits of 67, 67, 64 and 65.  PM - skipped run. 

Fri: AM - 5 miles easy (7:26); PM - 4.5 miles easy (7:22)

Sat: 16 miles long run (6:41); Ran the first 10 miles easy then the next 5 miles alternating between 1/2 mile at 5:45ish pace and 1/2 mile at normal long run pace, 1 mile cooldown. The first 10 were nice and easy averaging 6:53 pace. For the 1/2 mile fartleks I ran a rolling course. I practiced running marathon effort without looking at the watch. Ended up averaging 5:39 pace for the fast portions and 6:52 pace for the recovery. Really happy with the workout.

Sun: 7.3 miles easy (7:12)

Weekly Total: 75.3 miles on 10 runs/7 days
I'm starting to feel the legs freshening up  with the decrease in volume.  Just one more week and it's game time. 

Wrapping up Boston Recovery

It's been a pretty good week of recovery.  Easy runs on Mon-Tue, a rest day on Wed, followed by easy runs yesterday and today.  I did 5 x 20 seconds strides toward the end of my run today to remind the legs how to run fast and keep them from being lazy.

On Sunday, I will run the Trolley Run, a "fast" point-to-point 4-miler in Kansas City.  Check out last year's results, the winner ran sub-18 minutes with 14 runners going sub-20 minutes.   The legs feel good and recovered (whether they really are may be a different story), so I'm looking forward to putting in a good effort and hopefully, a good time.

Last week the Fort Leavenworth Lamp newspaper interviewed me after my accomplishment at Boston.  Below is a picture of the article.  You can read the article here or click on the picture.

Here are some photos from the marathon.  

Go ARMY!!!

CITGO sign = almost to the finish!

Louder!!!

Boston crowd is AMAZING!!!

I beat the Boston heat!

Recovering from Boston

Week 1 recovery from Boston went very well. The case of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) settled in on Wednesday morning causing me to walk down my apartment stairs backwards.  I knew that Wednesday would be the day that I'd feel the most soreness in the legs, primarily in the quads.  For week 1 recovery I took the first 3 days after the marathon completely off from running.  I wore my 2XU compression leg sleeves at every opportunity while relaxing at home.  The leg compression sleeves along with nightly foam rolling on The Grid are aiding in the recovery.  Friday afternoon I went for my first run, a 30' slog (slow jog).  I was very anxious to run because my body needed exercise (check out the cool video below).  The run was uneventful and I only felt a little of the quads, nothing too painful.  Saturday was a very easy 5 miles.  I was quite surprise with how my legs felt.  No soreness and just a tad of heaviness in the legs.  It is evident that my legs are recovering well, because my run this morning almost felt like a normal easy run. I will continue to take it very easy over the next week to ensure my legs fully recover.

I do not have any major races planned right now; however, there is a possibility I might run a 4-miler next Sunday.  It will depend on how my legs feel by the end of the work week.

Mon: Boston Marathon - 2:36:35, 56th Overall
Tue: DNR
Wed: DNR
Thu: DNR
Fri: 4M very easy
Sat: 5M very easy
Sun: 6M easy

Weekly Total: 41.2 miles on 4 runs/4 days

116th Boston Marathon Race Report - 2:36:35, 56th Overall

It’s been over a year since I last wrote a post.... I know that’s totally unacceptable. For those who followed my blog (hopefully you still do) and are still waiting on the race report, I have good news. The race report is here, except that it’s not the one you’re probably expecting.  This is my race report from the scorching 116^th Boston Marathon (sorry, things got in the way of writing my Rotterdam report). 

Where have I been?

Here’s a brief update since my last post. I left beautiful Netherlands in June ’11 and now stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where I’m attending the US Army Command and General Staff College and pursuing my master’s degree. The last 10 months has been nothing but reading, thinking, writing papers, and of course running. Since Rotterdam Marathon last April I’ve ran only 7 races, not including Boston. Four races were 10K or shorter distance (PR’d in the 5K – 15:58), one 10-Mile (won), and two half-marathons (won a hilly half prior to Boston). Part of the reason I only ran 7 races is because of injury.   I had medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints) on my right leg causing me to pull out of the Army 10-Miler and Marine Corps Marathon.  To be honest, the injury was a blessing, because it forced me to give my legs the well-deserved rest and recovery from all the miles and marathons raced over the past few years.  

Aside from school and running, I got married.  Just a month ago I married the beautiful runner and ice skater I met at the 2009 Berlin Marathon. You can read the article my hometown newspaper wrote of how Lisa and I met and our connection with running (click here).

Weather Advisory

The last time I ran Boston was in 2004.  I remember everything about my race that year.  It was hot (85 deg), I didn't eat enough, cramped, hit the wall, literally walked, and barely broke 3 hrs.  It was time for redemption.  I began checking the raceday forecast about 5 days out. Initially, raceday was forecasted to be in the low-50s to mid-70s.  It seemed that each time I checked the Weather Channel on my iPad the temps kept increasing.  On Friday, BAA sent out a weather update email notifying runners that the forecast for April 16th called for higher than normal temperatures.  The following day BAA sent out a warm weather advisory email telling runners that .....running will put even the most fit athletes at risk for heat injury. By Sunday, raceday temperature was forecasted to be in the mid to high-80s, possibly even reaching low-90s.  BAA sent out their last weather update email. Only the fittest runners should consider participating. You should adopt the attitude that THIS IS NOT A RACE. It is an experience. They also stated that runners (charity runners I assume) who did not meet the qualifying standards for their age and gender should consider deferring until next year. I thought saying "THIS IS NOT A RACE" was quite funny. I'm sure the elites and competitive runners were laughing at the statement.  My argument to the last statement is that anyone who has not met the qualifying standards should not be running the race in the first place.

Race Plan

My initial race plan had the conditions been favorable was to run in the range of 5:48-5:54 pace, which would give me a finishing time between 2:32 and a sub-2:35.  Knowing how hot it was going to be and having already experienced running in those temps in '04, I decided to throw away a time goal and just run smart, but still race, and finish in one piece.  I figured that if I hydrate throughout the race, wear a hat and sunglasses to stay cool, and run at a sustainable effort, then I'd have a good race in tough conditions. 

Start

My bib number was #210 putting me in Wave 1/Corral 1 with the elite men.  I lined up somewhere in the middle of the corral so I wouldn't be fooled into taking off faster than I wanted to.  It took me about 10 seconds to get to the actual start line when the gun went off.  As I made my way out of Hopkington I made sure I monitored my breathing and body to determine the right effort and pace.  At the 1 Mile marker I split my watch and it read 3:40.  That can't be right! It only took a second to realize that it was the 1Km mark and not the mile mark.  A couple minutes later I reached the actual 1 Mile mark in 5:59.  The effort felt right, so I decided to continue at about a 6 minute pace.  I hit the 5K timing mat in 18:35 (5:59 pace) and felt very comfortable.  

Hydration and staying cool.

Hydration was extremely vital with the sweltering heat and temps in the low-80s.  I know it sounds like a no brainer, but I think most runners still don't drink enough in the heat.  At each fluid station I took in gatorade and water. About 10K, which I crossed in 37:05, I took in my first energy gel.  The heat was hammering down on us at that point.  I tried to run in the shade whenever possible. The problem was that there was not much shade on the course.  To stay cool I took water at the fluid stations and from the amazing spectators lining the course and poured it over my head.  I would take off my hat, pour water on my head and in the hat, and then put my hat back on. Wearing a hat was probably the smartest decision I made.  On Sunday I stopped by the Greater Boston Running Store and bought a running hat, because I knew it would help my body and core temp cool down.  Besides water I also took sponges and ice cubes offered by the spectators and put it under my hat.  I truly believe that the hat helped me defeat the heat.  Additionally, I took a water bottle that was on the elite water tables and literally showered myself.  The race volunteers manning the elite fluid stations were encouraging us to take the water bottles.  It seemed that they wanted us to take them so they can pack up the tables. 

Halfway there.
Approaching Wellesley College I could hear the screaming tunnel from about a mile away. I kept telling myself to stay relax knowing how easy it is to pick up the pace when running by the Wellesley girls. In '04 I ran a fast 13th mile and ended up paying for it later in the race.  I wasn't about to make the same mistake.  I certainly didn't as my Mile 13 split was 5:58.  I came across the half-marathon mark at 1:18:29.  I just had to maintain the pace and I'd finish in a respectable time in tough conditions.  At the 16th mile all I could think about was in  '04 when I had to stop and massage a cramp in my calf.  Getting through the hills at 16, 18 and then 21 was no problem. It actually gave me a lot of confidence because I was catching many runners and passing them quickly on the hills.  It must have been a very long 2nd half for some of the runners.  

Consistency & Negative Splits!

Bringing it home.
At about mile 20-21 I encountered a scare.  Just before Heartbreak Hill I felt a small twinge in my left hamstring.  I could feel that a muscle cramp in the left hamstring was about to happen.  I kept calm telling myself to just get to the next fluid station so I could take in more fluids.  Luckily, it wasn't too long after that I came across the fluid station.  I drank two cups of gatorade, one cup of water, and took in an energy gel.  I also took another cup of water and poured it over my head to cool off.  Surprisingly, the cramp never developed, and instead I started to feel a boost of energy. I got to Beacon Street and was in complete awe with the crowd support. Still feeling great and knowing that I only had a few miles to go I decided to get the crowd to cheer me on.  I'd raise both hands to get the crowd to respond with a louder cheer.  They did and I would give them a big thumbs up.  There's no doubt that crowd support in a marathon can immensely help you, especially late in the race.  The tremendous crowd support along Beacon and Boylston street motivated me to run my fastest mile splits of the race. I averaged 5:53 pace for last 7.2K or ~4.5 miles (35K - Finish).  Amazingly, my 26th mile split was a 5:42.  As you can see from my splits, I was very consistent throughout the race, even in the hills, and finished strong. After looking through the results, I realized that I was the only runner in the Top 60 that ran a negative split race (1:18:29, 1:18:06)!  Also, I was the 2nd fastest Boston Marathon finisher within the states of Missouri and Kansas.  My running friend Aaron Hohn from KC finished in an amazing 25th Place with a 2:31:09, and was the 1st finisher from Missouri/Kansas. My wife also ran a very good race finishing in 3:29:27, an excellent time in the sweltering heat.  

Team Blas beats the heat in Boston!