Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Saturday, May 4, 2013 - Wisconsin Marathon!
This was actually my second fastest marathon in over 20 years, and I backed way, way off in the second half.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Wednesday through Friday, May 1-3, 2013
Easy run Wednesday, travel Thursday.
I feel like crap. My head was pounding much of the day, I was nauseous (why the FUCK can I not spell this word?) this morning, and my clams are swollen. My back and neck are in chronic hard spasm, I'm emotionally distraught and socially challenged. I do not see how I can possibly up to this. I'm doomed. Hopelessly doomed, if those two words go together. It's cold and damp and rainy and windy and I feel sick!
Don't you get it?!? I just want to curl up in bed and sleep through the weekend, not wake up three hours before dawn to freeze in a tee shirt and shorts on some frozen midwestern shore. OK, not quite frozen, but it was just a few weeks ago. fuck you fuck you fuck you. I'm not doin' it.
This is going to be the best marathon ever! (It's already the cheesiest!)
I feel like crap. My head was pounding much of the day, I was nauseous (why the FUCK can I not spell this word?) this morning, and my clams are swollen. My back and neck are in chronic hard spasm, I'm emotionally distraught and socially challenged. I do not see how I can possibly up to this. I'm doomed. Hopelessly doomed, if those two words go together. It's cold and damp and rainy and windy and I feel sick!
Don't you get it?!? I just want to curl up in bed and sleep through the weekend, not wake up three hours before dawn to freeze in a tee shirt and shorts on some frozen midwestern shore. OK, not quite frozen, but it was just a few weeks ago. fuck you fuck you fuck you. I'm not doin' it.
This is going to be the best marathon ever! (It's already the cheesiest!)
Tuesday, April 30
Last T workout, and a pretty short one at that, as I'm well into my taper. All easy running after today.
5 miles with 2 x 1/2 mile @ T pace with 1 minute active recovery. I was feeling all sluggish and logy throughout the day, but felt strong, light and quick on the run.
1 828
2 748
2.5 3:31 (T)
- 100
3 338 (T)
4 819
5 734
I admit the last mile wasn't entirely easy, but it wasn't very hard. I feel good about my training. My base (1 1/2 miles) was a little thin, but I feel healthy and managed to avoid the agony of overtraining.
5 miles with 2 x 1/2 mile @ T pace with 1 minute active recovery. I was feeling all sluggish and logy throughout the day, but felt strong, light and quick on the run.
1 828
2 748
2.5 3:31 (T)
- 100
3 338 (T)
4 819
5 734
I admit the last mile wasn't entirely easy, but it wasn't very hard. I feel good about my training. My base (1 1/2 miles) was a little thin, but I feel healthy and managed to avoid the agony of overtraining.
Monday, April 29
Very easy recovery day. 3 miles, no HRM, no splits. except mile three, which was 7:30. Sue me, it wasn't totally easy, but it wasn't stressful, either. In fact, I don't feel any stress from yesterday's run or from the last week of jumped-up training (0 to 48 miles). Except for a little matter of the no. 2 toe on the number right foot, which will be a problem. I may have to take a belt sander to it.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Time for one last marathon pace long run. I'm going for 2 minutes easy walking every three miles, keeping the HR under 130. I'm hoping to manage 8:30 pace, but effort and HR come first.
...running...
HRM numbers:
Total time (including 10 min. post-run): 1:58
Avg. HR: 117 !!
Peak HR: 139
Min. HR: 34
12 miles, total time running: 1:48:29 (3:57 marathon pace, exactly what I'm looking for next weekend)
This was run a a pretty hilly route, especially miles 3-9. It was a very comfortable pace, too easy, even. With the walking, it comes out to 9:00 pace, give or take a second or two, and at an average HR, while running, of about 121 on a hilly route. If I can do 9 at 120 then 126 should get me 8:40 and 133 8:20.
...running...
HRM numbers:
Total time (including 10 min. post-run): 1:58
Avg. HR: 117 !!
Peak HR: 139
Min. HR: 34
12 miles, total time running: 1:48:29 (3:57 marathon pace, exactly what I'm looking for next weekend)
This was run a a pretty hilly route, especially miles 3-9. It was a very comfortable pace, too easy, even. With the walking, it comes out to 9:00 pace, give or take a second or two, and at an average HR, while running, of about 121 on a hilly route. If I can do 9 at 120 then 126 should get me 8:40 and 133 8:20.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
April 27, 2013
Only a week left until the marathons, and I've now got a full week of training behind me. All I have left is one more long run, one tempo workout, a little tapering and sharpening, and my training will be complete. As complete as could be in 12 days. Except for all the things I'm not doing. A couple good massage sessions would work wonders, and if I gave grades for strength and core training, I'd give myself a D-, and that would be an unearned gift. I should be sitting less and working my back more. It's really ready to herniate again at any time, and then all this marathon fun would come to a screaming halt. I haven't done any strides or form drills. No dead bugs awkward turtles.
Monday, April 29, 2013
April 24, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Recovery day. As usual, my goal is to run as quickly as possible for the desired effort. It's not about running slowly, it's about running easily. Quick and easy beats slow and easy and isn't any harder. Today I got in some quick and easy running. My legs are feeling much better than they did a week ago, the daily running actually seems to take the aches out of my legs. Of course, I'm only a few days into it, and I'm sure that by Sunday I'll develop an overuse injury, maybe that horrible-sounding one about planetary fascism. I'll rehab it on Monday morning and it'll be good as new by nightfall. At least, that's the plan. One of the plans; it's a big alphabet.
April 23, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Time for a little tempo (threshold) training. This is probably the one thing I've neglected most, so I should be able to reap some benefits with three T workouts before the marathons start. Today is 2 x 1 mile at T pace (~90%) with 1 minute active recovery. My T pace should be somewhere around 7:15/mile. I'm having some doubts about the veracity of the HRM data from Great Bay. Looking at today's workout, the first T mile was 7:05 (144 bpm at end) and the second was 7:42 (146 bpm). The effort was the same, but the first one was generally downhill, while the second was up, so the times and the perceived effort both squared with T pace. But if the Great Bay data are to be believed, my T HR should be 166, and I've only hit 166 at the end of a 5k several weeks ago. It was a nice little run, the weather is warm but not hot, and running is fun.
Time for a little tempo (threshold) training. This is probably the one thing I've neglected most, so I should be able to reap some benefits with three T workouts before the marathons start. Today is 2 x 1 mile at T pace (~90%) with 1 minute active recovery. My T pace should be somewhere around 7:15/mile. I'm having some doubts about the veracity of the HRM data from Great Bay. Looking at today's workout, the first T mile was 7:05 (144 bpm at end) and the second was 7:42 (146 bpm). The effort was the same, but the first one was generally downhill, while the second was up, so the times and the perceived effort both squared with T pace. But if the Great Bay data are to be believed, my T HR should be 166, and I've only hit 166 at the end of a 5k several weeks ago. It was a nice little run, the weather is warm but not hot, and running is fun.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
April 22, 2013
Journal Entries for April 21 and 22
I have a confession to make. Although I trained sparingly ("slugged out") from October through March , I did manage to fit in three marathons and a handful of halfs, including back to back marathons in January. I was severely undertrained, but ran 4:17 and 4:40 with no ill effects. I ran a bit too conservatively in the second one, and my fastest running was the last 10k of the second marathon. This is what it looked like:
I've also been training fairly consistently Since March, except for the last week. But the time for not running is over, it's time to do some really amazing shit.
My resting HR is about 35, max 185. I can maintain 180+ for just about 5k. I put in a 48 mile week several weeks ago, but nothing over 15 mpw until this week. In a half marathon a month or so ago I ran at sightseeing pace until the last 5k, which went down in just a whisker over 21 minutes (about 6:51 pace) and feeling strong and relaxed. The overall time was something like 1:48, but I think I could have easily gone 1:42. Not near mid-season racing form in the low 1:30's, but great for not having trained. So a couple weeks after I ran another local half (both within 20 minutes, one went from the maine to the mass border - exactly 13.1 miles, and the other finishes directly in front of my son's home). Anyway, the plan there was to run about 1:40. I even had a plan.
I'm offering a special prize to the first person to post results for every race I've run this year. It's an awesome tech shirt from a distant marathon or running school, your choice from several!
I've also been training fairly consistently Since March, except for the last week. But the time for not running is over, it's time to do some really amazing shit.
My resting HR is about 35, max 185. I can maintain 180+ for just about 5k. I put in a 48 mile week several weeks ago, but nothing over 15 mpw until this week. In a half marathon a month or so ago I ran at sightseeing pace until the last 5k, which went down in just a whisker over 21 minutes (about 6:51 pace) and feeling strong and relaxed. The overall time was something like 1:48, but I think I could have easily gone 1:42. Not near mid-season racing form in the low 1:30's, but great for not having trained. So a couple weeks after I ran another local half (both within 20 minutes, one went from the maine to the mass border - exactly 13.1 miles, and the other finishes directly in front of my son's home). Anyway, the plan there was to run about 1:40. I even had a plan.
I'm offering a special prize to the first person to post results for every race I've run this year. It's an awesome tech shirt from a distant marathon or running school, your choice from several!
Friday, April 26, 2013
April 21, 2013 - Another Beautiful Day to Run
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Hello again. A lot of water has gone over the bridge.
I'm going to start twice-daily posts, to create a record of my current adventure. It is sure to be a tale of terrifying danger, unfathomable decision-making and harrowing escapes from the depths of despair to the alpine vistas of euphoria. That's the best-case scenario. Anything else gets much, much more interesting.
I'll start with a little background, recounting my ruminations last Sunday afternoon, when this story begins.
Last fall I had a pretty good summer of training, and an excellent fall, leading to some decent racing, including a BQ 3:34 marathon in early October in Chicago. I've pretty much taken off since then, running maybe once or twice a week and gaining about 7 pounds (my normal weight, as opposed to racing weight which is about 10 pounds less, or 148). My health is excellent, can't even remember the last time I was sick, and I take no medications, vitamins or supplements. The only pharmaceutical I've taken in years is ibuprofen last fall, but again, nothing since about October. Diet includes no red meat and rarely chicken or pork. If it comes from the sea, though, I'll eat it every time. No HFCS, no processed grain, negligible bread. Minimal alcohol. Sleep - excellent, my forte. Stress - way too much at work. Oh well, work is better than no work, and home is less stressful than homeless.
So that's where I am last Sunday, thinking about getting in some marathons, considering starting training for the busy fall racing season, just kind of ruminating on running. Then I remembered that, sometime back in January or February I actually entered some marathons, nice and early to get the early registration discounts, because this 50 state marathon crap can get kinda spendy if you enter the races and make airline reservations at the last minute. Ask me about Louisiana sometime. Hooo-eeey. Good thing they had a casino where I could win back the cost of the hotel. Another story, another time.
Thinking quickly, I checked my email, and sure enough found registrations and reservations for four marathons! And they're all in the same month! Actually, they're all within a 16 day period, 2 one weekend and 2 more two weekends after! And the second two are trail marathons! Yay!
No problem, all I need to do is devise a training schedule for doing four marathons in two weeks. So, how much time do I have? Let's see, There's Kenosha, Wisconsin ("The Cheesiest Marathon") on the 5th and Pittsburgh on the 6th, then Chattanooga (trail) on the 18th and Alabama (trail) on the 19th. May. Oh Crap.
Alright, take some deep breaths and relax. I can do this. All I need is a plan. I've got 13 days to train, including today. I was planning on doing a small 5k for a small local library, but couldn't find the dang race and ran about 1.5 miles meandering aimlessly about Dunbarton. I'll call that my base and rest the remainder of the day.
OK, phase 1 of training complete! That leaves me with 12 training days. Well, 11. I like to rest completely the day before a marathon (except for 2-3 miles walking). And the last two of those 11 days are easy rest days, so that leaves 9 days for quality training. More than enough. I'll need 3 long runs, 3 tempo runs, 2 days speedwork (relatively speaking, that is) and 1 easy day. Man, this is a lot easier than I thought it would be!
There is a little catch. I have to finish each of the first two marathons in under four hours. My flight between marathons leaves Chicago's Midway airport at 1:30 (the marathon in Kenosha starts at 7 and it is about 1.5 hours between the marathon and the airport). That's tight. Once I get to Pittsburgh, though, I'm meeting up with a high school track teammate who I haven't seen in 37 years. He's running his first marathon, after having gone vegan and taken up running again (he was a gymnast/pole vaulter in HS, and a good one too). I told him I'd be honored to run with him in his first marathon, and his goal is to run under four hours. His training has been solid this winter, 22 mile runs and other such marathon training goodness. I'm confident he'll get that 4 hours, and I'd like to be able to be there with him.
So day 1 is complete. I have a nice solid training base in, I still feel healthy, no signs of overuse injuries, my visualization exercises have been going well - all trends are up! I also have a new heart monitor that will ensure my training and racing success.
I'll post again tonight (it's Friday now) with scans from my training log, an outline of my magic (almost) two-week multi-marathon training programme, and shocking revelations from my secret spring racing season.
I think today's training can readily extrapolate to marathon success. Nothing can possibly go wrong.
Hello again. A lot of water has gone over the bridge.
I'm going to start twice-daily posts, to create a record of my current adventure. It is sure to be a tale of terrifying danger, unfathomable decision-making and harrowing escapes from the depths of despair to the alpine vistas of euphoria. That's the best-case scenario. Anything else gets much, much more interesting.
I'll start with a little background, recounting my ruminations last Sunday afternoon, when this story begins.
Last fall I had a pretty good summer of training, and an excellent fall, leading to some decent racing, including a BQ 3:34 marathon in early October in Chicago. I've pretty much taken off since then, running maybe once or twice a week and gaining about 7 pounds (my normal weight, as opposed to racing weight which is about 10 pounds less, or 148). My health is excellent, can't even remember the last time I was sick, and I take no medications, vitamins or supplements. The only pharmaceutical I've taken in years is ibuprofen last fall, but again, nothing since about October. Diet includes no red meat and rarely chicken or pork. If it comes from the sea, though, I'll eat it every time. No HFCS, no processed grain, negligible bread. Minimal alcohol. Sleep - excellent, my forte. Stress - way too much at work. Oh well, work is better than no work, and home is less stressful than homeless.
So that's where I am last Sunday, thinking about getting in some marathons, considering starting training for the busy fall racing season, just kind of ruminating on running. Then I remembered that, sometime back in January or February I actually entered some marathons, nice and early to get the early registration discounts, because this 50 state marathon crap can get kinda spendy if you enter the races and make airline reservations at the last minute. Ask me about Louisiana sometime. Hooo-eeey. Good thing they had a casino where I could win back the cost of the hotel. Another story, another time.
Thinking quickly, I checked my email, and sure enough found registrations and reservations for four marathons! And they're all in the same month! Actually, they're all within a 16 day period, 2 one weekend and 2 more two weekends after! And the second two are trail marathons! Yay!
No problem, all I need to do is devise a training schedule for doing four marathons in two weeks. So, how much time do I have? Let's see, There's Kenosha, Wisconsin ("The Cheesiest Marathon") on the 5th and Pittsburgh on the 6th, then Chattanooga (trail) on the 18th and Alabama (trail) on the 19th. May. Oh Crap.
Alright, take some deep breaths and relax. I can do this. All I need is a plan. I've got 13 days to train, including today. I was planning on doing a small 5k for a small local library, but couldn't find the dang race and ran about 1.5 miles meandering aimlessly about Dunbarton. I'll call that my base and rest the remainder of the day.
OK, phase 1 of training complete! That leaves me with 12 training days. Well, 11. I like to rest completely the day before a marathon (except for 2-3 miles walking). And the last two of those 11 days are easy rest days, so that leaves 9 days for quality training. More than enough. I'll need 3 long runs, 3 tempo runs, 2 days speedwork (relatively speaking, that is) and 1 easy day. Man, this is a lot easier than I thought it would be!
There is a little catch. I have to finish each of the first two marathons in under four hours. My flight between marathons leaves Chicago's Midway airport at 1:30 (the marathon in Kenosha starts at 7 and it is about 1.5 hours between the marathon and the airport). That's tight. Once I get to Pittsburgh, though, I'm meeting up with a high school track teammate who I haven't seen in 37 years. He's running his first marathon, after having gone vegan and taken up running again (he was a gymnast/pole vaulter in HS, and a good one too). I told him I'd be honored to run with him in his first marathon, and his goal is to run under four hours. His training has been solid this winter, 22 mile runs and other such marathon training goodness. I'm confident he'll get that 4 hours, and I'd like to be able to be there with him.
So day 1 is complete. I have a nice solid training base in, I still feel healthy, no signs of overuse injuries, my visualization exercises have been going well - all trends are up! I also have a new heart monitor that will ensure my training and racing success.
I'll post again tonight (it's Friday now) with scans from my training log, an outline of my magic (almost) two-week multi-marathon training programme, and shocking revelations from my secret spring racing season.
I think today's training can readily extrapolate to marathon success. Nothing can possibly go wrong.
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