Showing posts with label let's get mental. Show all posts
Showing posts with label let's get mental. Show all posts
Something Good Can Work
Decisions decisions. I feel like I have come to a fork in the road and I have all this potential to make something good happen for myself soon but I am torn about what that something good should be.
My foot is on the mend, miles are slowly building up, I've gotten in some decent long runs at decent paces and I am wondering if I should go forward with plans to make Columbus whatever it will be, run sans watch and the best effort I can on the day. Or if perhaps I should back off to the half or run the full as a slower training run and try one last go at 2:46 at California International in December. If my body could handle training I believe there is a real possibility I could get in shape to go that route but I would need to ensure that Columbus didn't do too much damage as recovery would need to be short and real training with some actual tempos and runs at marathon pace would need to happen starting soon.
Then if I go that route I have to decide how to train. Do I try to do a 12 week block (which is already a little short as it would have started two weeks ago) like I did for Columbus last year just upping the paces a bit? Or do I go with my gut instincts which are saying I need to back off the speed/track for awhile to really stay healthy. In which case what do I change to get 2:46 fitness without intervals?
I feel like I would like to actually start building a good base for some big race next spring. Focus on getting my mileage up while staying healthy, build in some hill training, then some anaerobic stuff before a final build to something big whether it be Boston or a road ultra.
But there is this lingering OTQ attempt over my head and it is proving difficult to let go of even though that may be my best route right now.
The problem with this OTQ attempt is that deep down I believe that the training I need to do for that is not the training I want to do right now. I am really enjoying my current "freedom" from the demands of running XYZ pace or running XYZ miles on this given day. I can honestly say every run I have done the past few weeks has been fun. That has not been the case for me in the build up to Boston and Indy. Admittedly I have changed my attitude towards things, but I do believe that letting go of a schedule has made me so much healthier mentally and I do not want to lose that. Thinking about the demands of hitting track and tempo paces right now kind of makes me ill. I am sure it would come back faster than I think but looking at my training from last year and this spring makes me cringe. The trails are calling my name and if I gave up on the 2:46 attempt I could do some fun local trail races this fall and get my trail legs dirty again. If I go for the 2:46 those things have to be tabled for yet another year.
But then I have these flashes where I see myself running through that finish with 2:45:xx on the clock and I know my heart also desires that. I swear my heart broke a bit while talking to the RD for C'Bus and hearing about how everyone that hits the OTQ will be draped in an American flag coming down the chute. What runner hasn't dreamt of finishing with their countries flag draped around them elated with a phenomenal performance?
And so I am torn and I need to make a decision here shortly. Can I be happy with a subpar or perhaps even no effort at Columbus to try and salvage something better in December? And if that something better isn't a 2:46 will I be disappointed I didn't just have fun and go for it at C'Bus to start training for something else this spring?
Where's that crystal ball when I need it?
Fix You
I've been so very blessed so far in life. Though I am loud, selfish, defiant, obnoxious, competitive, vulgar, easily influenced, vain, combative, spoiled, and controlling (amongst my many flaws we could list), I am surrounded by this wonderful support network. I am truly loved by so many wonderful people. People who would go far lengths to ensure that I am happy despite my many flaws.
I was discussing my foot plight and the fact that in both elite women's races I did this year I failed to perform to my personal standards. During this discussion my friend and I came to the conclusion that those I surround myself with only want to see me happy. They believe, because I have told them thus, that in order to be happy I want to run an OTQ. They believe, because running an OTQ requires it, that I want to run in these exclusive fields. And when I came up with this goal I really thought this was true. I saw these women at the trials and found them to be so inspiring. I wanted to follow in their footsteps.
I haven't quite made it there, but I have made it to a level where I have been introduced to this world, and I think the truth, for me, might be that it isn't really what I expected, or what I now desire. But how do you look all these loved ones in the face and tell them that they've been supporting you for you only to "give up" when you are knocking on your goals door?
I've always put pressure on myself to excel. In high school I made it my goal to excel in cross country, in band, and in classes. I had this habit of feeling like those around me expected me to do these things, but the truth is I put those goals out there, and my loved ones rallied around me to cheer me on to reaching them.
I've been doing the same thing with my running career the past few years. I set this goal, and along the way somehow my perception became that those that love me expect me to perform, that they expect me to shine, that they expect certain times or results of me. But that isn't the truth (and if it is, those aren't the people that really love me). The truth is these people have rallied around me and want to see me achieve these things because I have given them the impression that this is my hearts true desire.
After Boston and Cleveland I was such an emotional mess, I called my mom in tears ready to hire a shrink. I was struggling with workouts and my body, and I was ready to throw in the towel. I found myself on the track pleading with my coach for a break in tears. Perhaps this should have been a sign, but I slowly started to feel better, and I convinced myself that I could push through and up until the past 4 weeks I was slowly making my way back to my previous fitness, though it was forced. When you are feeling good you put the negative and the doubts aside, I was able to tune out my foot as long as the workouts or the races were there, in focused pursuit of one thing.
Through this slew of illness, injuries, stress, and over-training my loved ones have done everything they can to help "fix" me. But the truth is I have to want to be fixed. And right now I am not sure that I do*. Maybe this injury was a blessing in disguise, one that will let me step back and look at what I really want. In the meantime I am so grateful for all my loved ones, whether they be family, friends, or my virtual network.
Yes I have shed some serious tears the past few days, and yes I am heart broken not to be running, and yes I am devastated that I just can't seem to get the timing right this year for a breakthrough run.
But I believe what I am finding is that I can and will be happy regardless of perhaps missing out on this one goal for now. That through no one's error but my own I put myself in a position where I was forced to sit down and look at what I have been doing to myself. And I don't like what I see. Look for more posts on how I am going to put the happy back into my running (once I am up and running!) and how I am going to balance all my loves and interests so that when my next obstacle comes up I won't be so devastated!
And to all those loved ones thank you so much for supporting me through my ups and downs. I promise I am going to come through this down and be happier in the long term because of it.
*I reserve the right to totally have an about face anytime on these goals. Maybe we should add bi-polar to the flaws above.
I was discussing my foot plight and the fact that in both elite women's races I did this year I failed to perform to my personal standards. During this discussion my friend and I came to the conclusion that those I surround myself with only want to see me happy. They believe, because I have told them thus, that in order to be happy I want to run an OTQ. They believe, because running an OTQ requires it, that I want to run in these exclusive fields. And when I came up with this goal I really thought this was true. I saw these women at the trials and found them to be so inspiring. I wanted to follow in their footsteps.
I haven't quite made it there, but I have made it to a level where I have been introduced to this world, and I think the truth, for me, might be that it isn't really what I expected, or what I now desire. But how do you look all these loved ones in the face and tell them that they've been supporting you for you only to "give up" when you are knocking on your goals door?
I've always put pressure on myself to excel. In high school I made it my goal to excel in cross country, in band, and in classes. I had this habit of feeling like those around me expected me to do these things, but the truth is I put those goals out there, and my loved ones rallied around me to cheer me on to reaching them.
I've been doing the same thing with my running career the past few years. I set this goal, and along the way somehow my perception became that those that love me expect me to perform, that they expect me to shine, that they expect certain times or results of me. But that isn't the truth (and if it is, those aren't the people that really love me). The truth is these people have rallied around me and want to see me achieve these things because I have given them the impression that this is my hearts true desire.
After Boston and Cleveland I was such an emotional mess, I called my mom in tears ready to hire a shrink. I was struggling with workouts and my body, and I was ready to throw in the towel. I found myself on the track pleading with my coach for a break in tears. Perhaps this should have been a sign, but I slowly started to feel better, and I convinced myself that I could push through and up until the past 4 weeks I was slowly making my way back to my previous fitness, though it was forced. When you are feeling good you put the negative and the doubts aside, I was able to tune out my foot as long as the workouts or the races were there, in focused pursuit of one thing.
Through this slew of illness, injuries, stress, and over-training my loved ones have done everything they can to help "fix" me. But the truth is I have to want to be fixed. And right now I am not sure that I do*. Maybe this injury was a blessing in disguise, one that will let me step back and look at what I really want. In the meantime I am so grateful for all my loved ones, whether they be family, friends, or my virtual network.
Yes I have shed some serious tears the past few days, and yes I am heart broken not to be running, and yes I am devastated that I just can't seem to get the timing right this year for a breakthrough run.
But I believe what I am finding is that I can and will be happy regardless of perhaps missing out on this one goal for now. That through no one's error but my own I put myself in a position where I was forced to sit down and look at what I have been doing to myself. And I don't like what I see. Look for more posts on how I am going to put the happy back into my running (once I am up and running!) and how I am going to balance all my loves and interests so that when my next obstacle comes up I won't be so devastated!
And to all those loved ones thank you so much for supporting me through my ups and downs. I promise I am going to come through this down and be happier in the long term because of it.
*I reserve the right to totally have an about face anytime on these goals. Maybe we should add bi-polar to the flaws above.
Look At Me Now
To some extent my recent Johnnycake race invigorated me a bit. I felt like I was getting my "mojo" or "swagger" back after the race. It felt good to run solidly and be a few steps closer to 2nd place this year than last.
I am certainly the last person to intentionally brag about myself or my running, but I think for some reason I have let this go too far in the direction of humility, not publicly, but internally. (I've touched on this a bit here) I have worked so hard to not take my results for granted, and to credit others for what they do better than me, that I have forgotten to give myself the proverbial pat on the back when it is deserved. It's something I struggle with and I need to find a way to work through it in a positive manner that also sits well with my personal feelings about it. Because the truth is how I portray myself to others regardless of what I really feel will become my personal reflection on myself. And if put out there often enough, it becomes my own reality.
I think to an extent this is a female thing, it goes along with self image issues and being our own worst critics. But it is also a personal issue of mine as I want to credit others for what they've done well, and I want to excel, and I struggle to marry the two. I often forget that no opinion other than mine really matters when it comes down to my work ethic and my resulting performances. And unfortunately sometimes that opinion is really far from reality. I need to give myself credit where it is due and I need to see myself in a more realistic light.
Coincidentally my ultra buddy Sir Walks-a-Lot's must be thinking along the same lines and posted briefly and succinctly a summary of what I am struggling with:
"...about the negative characteristics of arrogance, and pride, and obsession as they relate to the positive characteristics of commitment, and patience, and persistence. They all are, I think, a similar breed of cat and somehow symbiotic and yet in conflict with each other..."
I do not think of myself as arrogant, and people who come off as arrogant frequently annoy me. But somewhere there is a fine line between arrogance and confidence, and I want to get myself to the brink of confidence without going over the line into arrogance. I also struggle with the fine line between persistence and obsession. I am working very hard to keep things light while making sure to put in the work day after day to hopefully be ready come go time. (Patience (or my lack of) is a whole 'nother post!)
So for those whose musical tastes, like mine, vary widely, something a little different today. I don't want to go quite so far as to be crowing all my victories like a rapper, but it wouldn't hurt to feel a bit more confident about myself and have a little more swagger in my steps :) If I want to see my goals reached, I need to really believe in myself and my ability to step up when it is warranted.
Note that I do not approve of Chris Brown's personal behavior whatsoever, but I am a Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne fan. And I have to give Brown credit, his dance moves are sick.
I am certainly the last person to intentionally brag about myself or my running, but I think for some reason I have let this go too far in the direction of humility, not publicly, but internally. (I've touched on this a bit here) I have worked so hard to not take my results for granted, and to credit others for what they do better than me, that I have forgotten to give myself the proverbial pat on the back when it is deserved. It's something I struggle with and I need to find a way to work through it in a positive manner that also sits well with my personal feelings about it. Because the truth is how I portray myself to others regardless of what I really feel will become my personal reflection on myself. And if put out there often enough, it becomes my own reality.
I think to an extent this is a female thing, it goes along with self image issues and being our own worst critics. But it is also a personal issue of mine as I want to credit others for what they've done well, and I want to excel, and I struggle to marry the two. I often forget that no opinion other than mine really matters when it comes down to my work ethic and my resulting performances. And unfortunately sometimes that opinion is really far from reality. I need to give myself credit where it is due and I need to see myself in a more realistic light.
Coincidentally my ultra buddy Sir Walks-a-Lot's must be thinking along the same lines and posted briefly and succinctly a summary of what I am struggling with:
"...about the negative characteristics of arrogance, and pride, and obsession as they relate to the positive characteristics of commitment, and patience, and persistence. They all are, I think, a similar breed of cat and somehow symbiotic and yet in conflict with each other..."
I do not think of myself as arrogant, and people who come off as arrogant frequently annoy me. But somewhere there is a fine line between arrogance and confidence, and I want to get myself to the brink of confidence without going over the line into arrogance. I also struggle with the fine line between persistence and obsession. I am working very hard to keep things light while making sure to put in the work day after day to hopefully be ready come go time. (Patience (or my lack of) is a whole 'nother post!)
So for those whose musical tastes, like mine, vary widely, something a little different today. I don't want to go quite so far as to be crowing all my victories like a rapper, but it wouldn't hurt to feel a bit more confident about myself and have a little more swagger in my steps :) If I want to see my goals reached, I need to really believe in myself and my ability to step up when it is warranted.
Note that I do not approve of Chris Brown's personal behavior whatsoever, but I am a Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne fan. And I have to give Brown credit, his dance moves are sick.
Underdog
I've always been relatively competitive. I don't particularly like to lose, at anything. But with running for the most part I have always kept my expectations realistic. While I may have been driven to be the best on the team in high school, or driven to be the fastest of my friends when I started into endurance sports I always knew there was going to be someone faster and I had no delusions of grandeur. I was perfectly content to chase minor PRs and slowly get better year after year or pursue some other venue if I wasn't getting better.
Then in 2008 Boston held the women's marathon trials. I watched that race and thought to myself, what is the difference between these women and me? I wasn't looking at the Deena Kastors and Magdelena's and Blake's in the group, but rather the women who were running towards the back of the pack. Women who clearly weren't professional runners, but had found a way to get to a sub elite level while still holding down full time jobs, raising children, and pursuing lives outside running. Running 3:22:50 the next day at Boston clearly the answer was, they were doing a lot more. But was it something I could achieve?
I decided then I needed to run more mileage and get serious about my workouts. Getting myself down to 3:16:30 the next year at Boston before starting to work with my coach who has taken me to 2:49:53 at Columbus last fall, and in the process I have taken down my PRs in every distance from the mile to the marathon. Clearly I have come so close to reaching this goal that seemed like a real long shot at the time. Something you thought about doing, something maybe you told a few close friends you wanted to do, something you weren't even really sure was feasible. And now I am here staring the next seven months in the face and knowing that while I have come so far I still have a long way to go.
Clearly my body has responded well to training, and up until the last few months every race I have run was a new PR indicating better fitness. Achieving these results builds confidence and I think that is what allowed me to let go of my doubt and go for it at Columbus. But the truth of it is that about a month before Columbus I was seriously contemplating trying for the 2:46 then. My training partner was going for it and our other training buddy was on her way to getting it done at Wineglass. I was doing the same workouts as them, the same mileage, but I just wasn't confident I could get 2:46. So while publicly everyone thought I would be gunning for sub 3 I was actually toying with 2:46 and the moment I decided to take that off the table and go for 2:50 instead I felt this huge wave of relief. My instincts told me I was ready for 2:50 despite my best time being a 3:05:57 and having blown up at Boston trying for sub 3. Somewhere inside I just knew I was ready for better.
Being competitive I wanted to place well at Columbus leading up to the race. I felt with a 2:50 I should have a run at top 5. At the expo I asked for a list of the elites. I did my homework and noted that instead of a few gals who might compete that there were around 15 girls lining up the next morning with credentials equal to or better than mine. I decided then to ignore my competitors and just run my own race for time. This also left me relaxed and focused on just myself, allowing me to run without fear. (Imagine my surprise when I placed 2nd!) Not many people expected me to place well or even to run a great time (note what I consider a great time for myself holds no bearing on what I believe to be great for others). Running my race I was able to do something unexpected by others and to achieve a goal I was pretty sure I was capable of on a good day.
But even though I had this great race at Columbus, and I had great races in shorter distances leading up to Columbus I still don't think of myself as a real competitor. For some reason I have this underdog complex. I don't have the benefit of coming from a track background, I was never an all American, I don't have the confidence of someone who is used to going out and dominating a race field. I currently lack the tenacity of a champion. I watch my competition get better and I put them up on this personally unachievable pedestal while holding myself on the ground.
I am not sure when this started. I have always had perceptions of a "pecking order" in the local running scene. When I first got back into running I was aiming to be within a certain % of the top women, then I wanted to place in my age group, now I want to place overall locally, and stay top 1% in more competitive fields. I certainly know all of the girls in the local racing scene who are currently out of my league, and those that I am close to, and those who are coming after me. And I think it is holding me back. I have this perception that I will never be good enough no matter how fast I get, no matter how hard I work. I have this fear of getting left behind while watching all of my speedy pals continue to get better.
I perceive this to be one of my (many) mental issues that is holding me back and that I need to overcome in order to achieve my goals. It is one of my goals this summer to toe the line with no fear of any other woman on it. To focus purely on myself and run the best times I am capable of on the day no matter who is there. I need to make sure my perception of who I should and shouldn't be able to keep up with doesn't hold me back.
I need to shed my underdog complex.
5k
Tomorrow I am racing another indoor 5k. Like last year I am headed to the Kent State Tune Up. Hopefully unlike last year it will be a good experience. With my primary focus being the marathon it is really difficult to get amped up for these shorter indoor races. Firstly while I like track in theory, racing on the track is not usually pleasant for me. Sure if I get a good result I will be stoked, but the experience is stressful at best, humiliating at worst.
The rational part of my brain knows that at the end of the day no one really cares what I run at this race but me. No matter what I run my family will still love me, my friends will still say I did great, and the result really doesn't mean much in the scheme of things. The irrational part of my brain feels like this huge spotlight is on me and the pressure is on to do something spectacular. Digging through my very short list of recent 5k experiences I am confident that even on a bad day I will not run like I did last year here. But that list also leaves me with little confidence in a huge breakthrough tomorrow, which is obviously what the goal is toeing the line with a bunch of other speedy chicks. Why else would I be torturing myself? :)
The heat sheets came out last night and I did some research to try and get a feel for who else would be gunning for similar goals to me. It is really hard to say, but it looks like there will be 3 super speedy chicks under 17:15 and then about 9 of us with a potential to run between 17:20 and 17:50. I definitely think I can run better than I did at Akron with a more even effort. I'll just have to see how it plays out based on what the field does.
So the mental goals for tomorrow:
1) Stop being a headcase and just run. I feel like on the track there is so much micro management going on in my head. Hearing splits every minute and trying to up my effort every lap gets a bit overwhelming. I want to try and just let go tomorrow, find a pack that I can tag onto and just run.
2) Don't let preconceived notions of where I should be based on past experiences dictate who I run with. Trust my instincts and run with a group that feels "right."
3) If I want to PR I need to obviously pay a bit of attention to pace. I'd like to be through the 2 mile between 11 and 11:20 to give myself a shot at a PR. But I want the mental effort to get there to be minimized. I shouldn't start really suffering until that last mile. Just relax and let the pace happen.
4) Stop holding back. The marathoner in me has this reserve that I just can't seem to tap into until I mentally decide I can survive the rest of the race. If I don't feel like I am running at my limit that last mile, then I am not pushing hard enough. I need to try and break through this mental barrier if I want to see a big jump in my time.
5) Don't get stuck pulling a group. I am so used to my road race mentality of leading when I can and doing my own thing, I have a really hard time tucking in and following others. Track races just don't work like that and I need to learn to relax and settle in and wait until later in the race to pull myself.
Time Goals:
In an ideal world it would be a huge confidence booster if I was under 17:20 for this race. I have absolutely no idea if that is even feasible though and that is a pie in the sky "A" goal.
Realistic Goals:
B) 17:35
C) PR (17:47 or better)
Wish me luck :)
The rational part of my brain knows that at the end of the day no one really cares what I run at this race but me. No matter what I run my family will still love me, my friends will still say I did great, and the result really doesn't mean much in the scheme of things. The irrational part of my brain feels like this huge spotlight is on me and the pressure is on to do something spectacular. Digging through my very short list of recent 5k experiences I am confident that even on a bad day I will not run like I did last year here. But that list also leaves me with little confidence in a huge breakthrough tomorrow, which is obviously what the goal is toeing the line with a bunch of other speedy chicks. Why else would I be torturing myself? :)
The heat sheets came out last night and I did some research to try and get a feel for who else would be gunning for similar goals to me. It is really hard to say, but it looks like there will be 3 super speedy chicks under 17:15 and then about 9 of us with a potential to run between 17:20 and 17:50. I definitely think I can run better than I did at Akron with a more even effort. I'll just have to see how it plays out based on what the field does.
So the mental goals for tomorrow:
1) Stop being a headcase and just run. I feel like on the track there is so much micro management going on in my head. Hearing splits every minute and trying to up my effort every lap gets a bit overwhelming. I want to try and just let go tomorrow, find a pack that I can tag onto and just run.
2) Don't let preconceived notions of where I should be based on past experiences dictate who I run with. Trust my instincts and run with a group that feels "right."
3) If I want to PR I need to obviously pay a bit of attention to pace. I'd like to be through the 2 mile between 11 and 11:20 to give myself a shot at a PR. But I want the mental effort to get there to be minimized. I shouldn't start really suffering until that last mile. Just relax and let the pace happen.
4) Stop holding back. The marathoner in me has this reserve that I just can't seem to tap into until I mentally decide I can survive the rest of the race. If I don't feel like I am running at my limit that last mile, then I am not pushing hard enough. I need to try and break through this mental barrier if I want to see a big jump in my time.
5) Don't get stuck pulling a group. I am so used to my road race mentality of leading when I can and doing my own thing, I have a really hard time tucking in and following others. Track races just don't work like that and I need to learn to relax and settle in and wait until later in the race to pull myself.
Time Goals:
In an ideal world it would be a huge confidence booster if I was under 17:20 for this race. I have absolutely no idea if that is even feasible though and that is a pie in the sky "A" goal.
Realistic Goals:
B) 17:35
C) PR (17:47 or better)
Wish me luck :)
Columbus Goals
I've been doing a lot of thinking the past few weeks about what a realistic goal for Columbus is. There are all kinds of nifty predictor calculators I have been driving myself nuts with and of course all my wonderful friends who would love to see me do something spectacular. But after looking at what I have done in the past and based on how racing has gone this year I am comfortable with setting my goal around 3:05. I can't lie I wish I could make the goal start with a 2 or the pace start with a 6 but I just don't think I am there. It is probably no coincidence that this goal is also what my coach told me would be realistic (though he would likely prefer I keep the goal to myself, that just isn't my style, if I come up short, I come up short, it is certainly not the end of the world, much better to know I have family and friends rooting for me to make the goal, I'll take any and all fast vibes anyone wants to send my way!). So I feel comfortable that it is achievable and not out of my league.
That said everyone has bad days and I know Sunday will not be easy. 3:05 is the "A" goal, but if I show up feeling flat or a northeaster blows through I will be happy with any kind of PR (Under 3:16:30) and very happy with anything under 3:10.
I still don't think I have completely gotten over Richmond last year so I would like to put that behind me by finally running the sub 3:10 I was looking for there.
Experience and my stats are on my side. I dissected the predictions a few ways based on past "personal predictor rates" and it seems 3:05 is the most likely result. A good sign!
This will be my 18th marathon and I am looking forward to finding out what surprise this marathon will hold since they have all had different obstacles. I am feeling optimistic. My legs are feeling "perky" which usually doesn't happen for me until a few weeks post marathon where I go and run something short fast so it is exciting to possibly line up a proper taper and race completely tapered and full of energy.
Now can someone please press fast forward to Friday so I can go pick up my packet and start getting really nervous?
That said everyone has bad days and I know Sunday will not be easy. 3:05 is the "A" goal, but if I show up feeling flat or a northeaster blows through I will be happy with any kind of PR (Under 3:16:30) and very happy with anything under 3:10.
I still don't think I have completely gotten over Richmond last year so I would like to put that behind me by finally running the sub 3:10 I was looking for there.
Experience and my stats are on my side. I dissected the predictions a few ways based on past "personal predictor rates" and it seems 3:05 is the most likely result. A good sign!
This will be my 18th marathon and I am looking forward to finding out what surprise this marathon will hold since they have all had different obstacles. I am feeling optimistic. My legs are feeling "perky" which usually doesn't happen for me until a few weeks post marathon where I go and run something short fast so it is exciting to possibly line up a proper taper and race completely tapered and full of energy.
Now can someone please press fast forward to Friday so I can go pick up my packet and start getting really nervous?
Week 18
Only 5 weeks to Columbus and I am starting to get my "crazy" on mentally. I've done a lot of hard work the past 18 weeks and I am really hoping it pays off at Columbus. Self doubt is starting to creep in. My past two marathons (Boston and Richmond) haven't gone quite as planned so obviously it would be nice to have a great day at Columbus.
The good news is that I have significantly taken down my PRs in every distance I have raced this year so even if Columbus doesn't go as planned I won't be as let down as I was after Richmond last year when that was the only focus.
I feel like I am in a similar position as I was before Boston this year though. My long runs have been going well, my track workouts have been going well, my short races have been going well, but the tempos are this big question mark. We haven't been setting very aggressive paces on these and although all of them had gone well up until the past few weeks, those few poor workouts and the fact that the pace isn't really my half marathon pace have me doubting my ability to hold my desired marathon pace the whole race. But I still have 2-3 more weeks of quality training before taper so let's hope I get it together and get mentally (and physically) pumped up for the marathon!
This was a back off week to try and rejuvenate my wrecked legs and be at least semi fresh for Buckeye Half.
*At my massage appointment she mentioned my psoas muscle is weak. In an effort to try and strengthen that I have been taking the stairs at work two at a time. Not sure if it is doing anything but leaving me winded as I get to the office :)
I also have been trying to get in at least one ice bath a week now since obviously I am needing a bit more recovery. On top of that I am ordering some Endurox so that I can hopefully do a better job of replenishing nutrition more quickly after my track workouts. Hoping all of these little extra things will keep me healthy for the next 5 weeks and that I can keep up the mid week quality work.
September 7th-13th 56 Miles
Monday- Rest (26 push ups to determine push up program for the week)
Tuesday-Track 9 Miles, 80 push ups
Wednesday- 10 miles 8:44 pace
Thursday- 8 miles, 100 push ups
Friday-6 miles 9 minute pace
Saturday- 4 strides and 3 miles easy 8:40 pace
Sunday- 2.63 mile warm up, Buckeye Half Marathon, 4 mile cool down, 120 push ups
Key Workouts
Tuesday Track
2* (2*800, 2*400) followed by one mile at half marathon pace
2:56.50 (2:00.35)
2:54.82 (2:01.71)
1:25.49 (1:28.95)
1:24.36 (2:04.98)
2:53.96 (2:04.57)
2:54.03 (2:03.79)
1:23.20 (1:32.79)
1:21.80 (3:06.21)
6:26.72
Thursday "Tempo"
I was still feeling ragged at the start of this week so I asked coach to back it off, do a mini "taper" for the Buckeye Half on Sunday and I originally wanted to bag the tempo all together. Instead I got an email to do only 5 miles at 7:10-7:20 pace, and then a bit later coach decided to revise that to 7:20-7:30. Here is where I realize how crazy I am. Beginning of the week I don't want to do a tempo at all. By the time the tempo rolls around I am thinking what is the point of running 7:20-7:30 when that isn't even desired marathon pace. I end up screwing up my starting point and don't realize what I did until a little over a mile in. I was aiming for a mildly aggressive effort figuring that would be the right range. Turns out it was closer to 7:10 and so I just went with it. Blatantly ignoring the goal and knowingly running closer to 7 and 7:10.
6:35.60 (screwed up starting point tack on last 33 to this for mile)
7:10.74
7:04.45
7:06.91
6:57.09
33.00
Buckeye Half
This may be my last "long" fast effort since this weekend will be pacing Air Force Half 1:40 group (7:38) and the following weekend pacing Akron Full 3:40 (8:24 pace) so I really wanted to make this effort count.
I'll follow up with a race report shortly. Short story A goal was to hold the same pace as I did at perfect 10. Didn't reach the goal but still managed to better my Cleveland time by one minute and that is in line with the same fitness level as Perfect 10. If you can't have improvement it is at least good to stay at the same level rather than fall back! Given how ragged I have been feeling I am happy with it.
The good news is that I have significantly taken down my PRs in every distance I have raced this year so even if Columbus doesn't go as planned I won't be as let down as I was after Richmond last year when that was the only focus.
I feel like I am in a similar position as I was before Boston this year though. My long runs have been going well, my track workouts have been going well, my short races have been going well, but the tempos are this big question mark. We haven't been setting very aggressive paces on these and although all of them had gone well up until the past few weeks, those few poor workouts and the fact that the pace isn't really my half marathon pace have me doubting my ability to hold my desired marathon pace the whole race. But I still have 2-3 more weeks of quality training before taper so let's hope I get it together and get mentally (and physically) pumped up for the marathon!
This was a back off week to try and rejuvenate my wrecked legs and be at least semi fresh for Buckeye Half.
*At my massage appointment she mentioned my psoas muscle is weak. In an effort to try and strengthen that I have been taking the stairs at work two at a time. Not sure if it is doing anything but leaving me winded as I get to the office :)
I also have been trying to get in at least one ice bath a week now since obviously I am needing a bit more recovery. On top of that I am ordering some Endurox so that I can hopefully do a better job of replenishing nutrition more quickly after my track workouts. Hoping all of these little extra things will keep me healthy for the next 5 weeks and that I can keep up the mid week quality work.
September 7th-13th 56 Miles
Monday- Rest (26 push ups to determine push up program for the week)
Tuesday-Track 9 Miles, 80 push ups
Wednesday- 10 miles 8:44 pace
Thursday- 8 miles, 100 push ups
Friday-6 miles 9 minute pace
Saturday- 4 strides and 3 miles easy 8:40 pace
Sunday- 2.63 mile warm up, Buckeye Half Marathon, 4 mile cool down, 120 push ups
Key Workouts
Tuesday Track
2* (2*800, 2*400) followed by one mile at half marathon pace
2:56.50 (2:00.35)
2:54.82 (2:01.71)
1:25.49 (1:28.95)
1:24.36 (2:04.98)
2:53.96 (2:04.57)
2:54.03 (2:03.79)
1:23.20 (1:32.79)
1:21.80 (3:06.21)
6:26.72
Thursday "Tempo"
I was still feeling ragged at the start of this week so I asked coach to back it off, do a mini "taper" for the Buckeye Half on Sunday and I originally wanted to bag the tempo all together. Instead I got an email to do only 5 miles at 7:10-7:20 pace, and then a bit later coach decided to revise that to 7:20-7:30. Here is where I realize how crazy I am. Beginning of the week I don't want to do a tempo at all. By the time the tempo rolls around I am thinking what is the point of running 7:20-7:30 when that isn't even desired marathon pace. I end up screwing up my starting point and don't realize what I did until a little over a mile in. I was aiming for a mildly aggressive effort figuring that would be the right range. Turns out it was closer to 7:10 and so I just went with it. Blatantly ignoring the goal and knowingly running closer to 7 and 7:10.
6:35.60 (screwed up starting point tack on last 33 to this for mile)
7:10.74
7:04.45
7:06.91
6:57.09
33.00
Buckeye Half
This may be my last "long" fast effort since this weekend will be pacing Air Force Half 1:40 group (7:38) and the following weekend pacing Akron Full 3:40 (8:24 pace) so I really wanted to make this effort count.
I'll follow up with a race report shortly. Short story A goal was to hold the same pace as I did at perfect 10. Didn't reach the goal but still managed to better my Cleveland time by one minute and that is in line with the same fitness level as Perfect 10. If you can't have improvement it is at least good to stay at the same level rather than fall back! Given how ragged I have been feeling I am happy with it.
Driven
I want to follow up my Boston recap a bit to explain where I am at. I want to emphasize that I feel I ran a great race for my current fitness level and for how I felt on race day. I can't lie and say that I felt stellar on race day though, because I didn't, and my last post is my best attempt to convey how I felt. I am thrilled that I can run a 3:16:30 on a day when my legs weren't feeling it. This is a huge step in the right direction. It's these races that make you realize that when your fitness does come together and the taper works properly and you arrive on race morning with fresh legs and high energy a big break through is inevitable.
I have some aggressive goals for my marathon career. Since I started running marathons in 2004 I have dropped 23 minutes off my time, or almost a minute per mile. That is huge and if you had told me in 2004 I would eventually run a 3:16 at Boston I would have probably laughed at you. But as an athlete and a competitor with each new goal I attain I am driven to push further. My desire to attain faster times never fades. If I wasn't driven to get better I wouldn't have gotten to the point that I could run how I did last Monday on a day when I wasn't really feeling it. So while 3:16:30 is a fantastic time that I am proud of, I wouldn't be true to myself if I thought that was good enough for me. Now I know I can run 3:16. I want to see how much better I can do in the future.
So I guess my point is that a little disappointment isn't a bad thing. It's those little disappointments that can drive us to come back next time and work even harder. Each marathon is a lesson learned and fuel in the fire to train more consistently and to work harder to nail the next performance.
I have some aggressive goals for my marathon career. Since I started running marathons in 2004 I have dropped 23 minutes off my time, or almost a minute per mile. That is huge and if you had told me in 2004 I would eventually run a 3:16 at Boston I would have probably laughed at you. But as an athlete and a competitor with each new goal I attain I am driven to push further. My desire to attain faster times never fades. If I wasn't driven to get better I wouldn't have gotten to the point that I could run how I did last Monday on a day when I wasn't really feeling it. So while 3:16:30 is a fantastic time that I am proud of, I wouldn't be true to myself if I thought that was good enough for me. Now I know I can run 3:16. I want to see how much better I can do in the future.
So I guess my point is that a little disappointment isn't a bad thing. It's those little disappointments that can drive us to come back next time and work even harder. Each marathon is a lesson learned and fuel in the fire to train more consistently and to work harder to nail the next performance.
Running the Numbers
So the highlight of the bagel shop talk this morning was to predict my marathon time in two weeks. Sounds like I'm one of the only ones aiming high for myself so I thought I'd do some quick math to see if my goal was in line with the training I have done or if I am delusional. I looked at the numbers and I still believe my goal is achievable.
A quick comparison (this is why training logs are useful tools for OCD runners). This year at Boston I averaged 43 miles per week the 10 weeks leading up to Boston Taper (2 weeks). This year for Richmond I have averaged 59 miles per week leading up to taper. In the spring I ran a 41:16 10k 2 weeks before the marathon. And this fall I ran a 39:45 4 weeks before the marathon (No 10k races in town this morning). I used the equations listed by this site to predict my marathon time for Richmond: http://mysite.verizon.net/jim2wr/id70.html. Based on the formula for 60 mpw if you multiply my recent 10k time by 4.75-4.85 my time should be between 3:08:49 and 3:12:47. According to the site when I was averaging 43 miles per week my multiplier should have been 5.0 to 5.3 (3:26:24 to 3:38:47) but it actually was 4.91 (3:22:50). I am not sure if that is because of my base or because I just run better than the average on less training. Either way the numbers are looking pretty good to me. (I'll be checking out the numbers versus my other marathons to see if I can find a trend!)
What is hilarious to me is that for some people I will never run enough miles and for others they can't believe how many I am running. I honestly feel that I did not run to my potential in Boston this year, I didn't feel strong and my quads were shot very early in the race. I truly believe that I am capable of much better. I aimed high with the training mileage for this race and I fell a little short of my goal, but the past two weeks I have felt the speed and the strength that I have built up and I know I am ready for a huge PR. A 16 mpw swing in training is huge, even if it is less than I intended. And the quality of my key workouts this training period have been great. I have been so pleased at how well my body has adapted to the hard tempo days and the faster long runs.
My goal is to be strong and smiling as I finish Richmond with a huge marathon PR. I don't need the negativity from inside or out. I've put in the time and it will play out how it plays out. But if I were placing a bet on me for this marathon I'd recommend you bet high on me doing exceptionally well and save the doubting for another day.
A quick comparison (this is why training logs are useful tools for OCD runners). This year at Boston I averaged 43 miles per week the 10 weeks leading up to Boston Taper (2 weeks). This year for Richmond I have averaged 59 miles per week leading up to taper. In the spring I ran a 41:16 10k 2 weeks before the marathon. And this fall I ran a 39:45 4 weeks before the marathon (No 10k races in town this morning). I used the equations listed by this site to predict my marathon time for Richmond: http://mysite.verizon.net/jim2wr/id70.html. Based on the formula for 60 mpw if you multiply my recent 10k time by 4.75-4.85 my time should be between 3:08:49 and 3:12:47. According to the site when I was averaging 43 miles per week my multiplier should have been 5.0 to 5.3 (3:26:24 to 3:38:47) but it actually was 4.91 (3:22:50). I am not sure if that is because of my base or because I just run better than the average on less training. Either way the numbers are looking pretty good to me. (I'll be checking out the numbers versus my other marathons to see if I can find a trend!)
What is hilarious to me is that for some people I will never run enough miles and for others they can't believe how many I am running. I honestly feel that I did not run to my potential in Boston this year, I didn't feel strong and my quads were shot very early in the race. I truly believe that I am capable of much better. I aimed high with the training mileage for this race and I fell a little short of my goal, but the past two weeks I have felt the speed and the strength that I have built up and I know I am ready for a huge PR. A 16 mpw swing in training is huge, even if it is less than I intended. And the quality of my key workouts this training period have been great. I have been so pleased at how well my body has adapted to the hard tempo days and the faster long runs.
My goal is to be strong and smiling as I finish Richmond with a huge marathon PR. I don't need the negativity from inside or out. I've put in the time and it will play out how it plays out. But if I were placing a bet on me for this marathon I'd recommend you bet high on me doing exceptionally well and save the doubting for another day.
2006 Miles
My 12 mile lunch run today launched me over 2,000 miles for the year. It's funny how it almost happened unnoticed. I have been semi berating myself over not getting in everything on my Richmond training plan and haven't been taking the time to realize just how impressive what I have put in is in comparison to my past training, and that perhaps I wasn't quite ready for all that the program had to throw at me in the first place. And just because I didn't get in every last recovery run, doesn't discount all of the quality miles and key workouts that I did put in.
I have run over 130 more miles in this training period so far than I did for Boston this year, 250 more miles than I ran all of last year, and 915 more miles than I ran in 2006 (and there are still 2 months left!). No wonder I am a little burnt out and a little crazy about whether or not the goal I have set for myself is achievable most days.
But my 12 mile run today felt fantastic. I was clipping off sub 8s with ease. I'm sure some of that is due to the fact that I took yesterday off and that the weather was so much nicer today than it was yesterday, but really I know it is because all this hard work is paying off and in just over 2 weeks I am hoping it will all pay off big time with a monster marathon PR. I have to trust in my training and know that I have the miles logged to back up my ambitious goal.
Now if I can just hold onto this perspective for two more weeks until I toe the line (taper madness anyone?)! And you can be sure there will be some serious partying and relaxation going on after this marathon. 2000+ miles deserves a little celebration and rejuvenation!
I have run over 130 more miles in this training period so far than I did for Boston this year, 250 more miles than I ran all of last year, and 915 more miles than I ran in 2006 (and there are still 2 months left!). No wonder I am a little burnt out and a little crazy about whether or not the goal I have set for myself is achievable most days.
But my 12 mile run today felt fantastic. I was clipping off sub 8s with ease. I'm sure some of that is due to the fact that I took yesterday off and that the weather was so much nicer today than it was yesterday, but really I know it is because all this hard work is paying off and in just over 2 weeks I am hoping it will all pay off big time with a monster marathon PR. I have to trust in my training and know that I have the miles logged to back up my ambitious goal.
Now if I can just hold onto this perspective for two more weeks until I toe the line (taper madness anyone?)! And you can be sure there will be some serious partying and relaxation going on after this marathon. 2000+ miles deserves a little celebration and rejuvenation!
Biggest Month Ever!
So I reached 245 miles this month. I know that's nothing for all those Lydiard fans, but it's huge for me. Prior to this month my biggest month was 208 way back in October. I know I can't train like this year long but it has definitely opened my eyes a bit to my potential. Three years ago I upped my mileage to 50-55 miles per week and got ITB problems so fast I wrote off high mileage entirely, assuming my body just couldn't take it and that the Tri lifestyle was the best way for me to go. Well I am glad I decided to tackle a few ultras and that I finally realized my body can handle a bit more now than it could three years ago.
All this mileage definitely has me feeling strong. My paces are faster than ever, and many days I start to wonder just what my true potential is. Then I freak out and doubt enters in :) I'm entering into the taper phase and those surging feelings of self doubt and self confidence come and go quickly. I don't want to limit myself, but I also don't want to have unrealistic expectations and be disappointed. I usually seem to set realistic goals for the marathon and have only come up short twice. But I sometimes wonder if I had set those goals higher would I have done better...
I think this taper is going to be one of my roughest tapers yet :)
I just need to remind myself come mile 20 of the marathon that I have been there, done that, and this time I am ready to do it better than ever before. I've put in the training and I am more ready than I have ever been. Like Salty tells me I just need to trust in the training. (Why is that so hard for us to do when the race gets closer?)
All this mileage definitely has me feeling strong. My paces are faster than ever, and many days I start to wonder just what my true potential is. Then I freak out and doubt enters in :) I'm entering into the taper phase and those surging feelings of self doubt and self confidence come and go quickly. I don't want to limit myself, but I also don't want to have unrealistic expectations and be disappointed. I usually seem to set realistic goals for the marathon and have only come up short twice. But I sometimes wonder if I had set those goals higher would I have done better...
I think this taper is going to be one of my roughest tapers yet :)
I just need to remind myself come mile 20 of the marathon that I have been there, done that, and this time I am ready to do it better than ever before. I've put in the training and I am more ready than I have ever been. Like Salty tells me I just need to trust in the training. (Why is that so hard for us to do when the race gets closer?)
Bring on the tempo!
I was extremely nervous about my tempo run yesterday. 10 miles at planned marathon pace, gulp. Saying I am going to run a 3:25 and actually doing a semi long run at that pace are like two complete different mental blocks. You justify the 3:25 being doable because you will be tapered, and it always feels easier on race day. But when you start doing workouts with FIRST you get more than just faith in the taper. You get some real gut checks along the way.
Speaking of guts, I have been having problems with side stitches the past few weeks so before I went on the run I did some research. Turns out that most side stitches occur on your right side. This is most likely from breathing out when your right foot hits the ground and never properly letting your diaphragm muscles and the ligaments attached to your organs fully relax. So I made a pact to breathe out on my left foot the whole run and hope for no side stitches.
I didn't get any takers to join and pace me so I was extremely nervous about hitting my times. This fear that I wouldn't be able to feel 7:45 pace without the treadmill looming in my brain. The way my week worked out I planned the tempo for Friday evening. I wonder why I didn't have any takers? 10 miles at 7:45 pace at 6:30 on a Friday night? Sounds like the perfect way to kick off the weekend right?
Something about running 10 miles on a week day really had me nervous but I just told myself run 5 out and then run 5 back. Once you get out 5 there's nothing to do but get in the rest.
Well everything just clicked last night. I had to start a bit beyond the mile marker due to an intersection that I parked on the wrong side of. I decided to run to the sign and back at the end of the run rather than the beginning.
So my first "half mile" went by in 3 minutes. I thought back to the distance to the marker and figure it was possible it was a 50 second jaunt.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
I hit the next half in 4 minutes.
crap. Guess that distance was more like 60 seconds and 8 minute pace is not 7:45.
But I kept it even.
10 miles at 8 is better than 3 or 4 at 7:45 and the rest dying.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Next half goes by in 3:51.
Nice. Right on pace. I can hold this for 10, I just know it.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Second mile 7:31.33.
Whoa, reel it in.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Next half 3:51 again.
Yes!
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
3rd mile 7:39.55
Perfect.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
4th mile 7:28.97
Did I really just hit that?
Saw CK driving and chatted for a few seconds while he drove alongside, wondering what I was doing in his hood.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
5th mile in 7:32.66
Rocking.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Heading back I still felt pretty light on my feet. Breathing was slightly more labored and I had to focus a bit harder to keep the breaths on the left foot. Occasionally changing my count to 3 to get back on track.
breathe in 2,3 out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 6 came in 7:45.59
Focus in on turnover and breathing
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 7 7:42.69
Hmm wonder if these weren't really flat miles but slightly down on the way out
breathe in 2,3 out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 8 7:43.48
Nice. Only 2 more
At this point my right shoulder/neck got super tight and painful. Kind of a stabbing pain.
Breathe through it.
In (left strike) with the good, out (left strike) with the pain, in with the good, out with the pain
Next 800 in 3:49
Perfect.
In with the good, out with the pain, in with the good, out with the pain
Mile 9 7:48.05, pain starts to subside
Time to bring it home
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Next 800 4:12
Yikes, move your ass
breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 10 7:47.50
46 seconds to go
breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Done.
Total time 1:16:49- 7:41 pace
I had 4 stops for traffic lights which I thought might blow my concentration and pace but they worked out perfect as I could take in a bit of Gatorade without breaking stride, and luckily pace and concentration were not lost.
Can't explain how happy I am with the workout and my progress. Mentally this was a great workout for me. I was focused on pace and breathing for 10 straight miles with minimal mental distractions.
Added bonus I did the whole workout carrying and taking in just a small Gatorade, about 80 calories. My body is finally getting accustomed to putting out quality without having to consume so much. Come marathon day this will be good as my muscles should feel super energized with the extra fuel.
10 marathon paced miles in the piggy bank!
Got 15 at 8:05 pace planned for tomorrow, let's hope that goes well too!
Speaking of guts, I have been having problems with side stitches the past few weeks so before I went on the run I did some research. Turns out that most side stitches occur on your right side. This is most likely from breathing out when your right foot hits the ground and never properly letting your diaphragm muscles and the ligaments attached to your organs fully relax. So I made a pact to breathe out on my left foot the whole run and hope for no side stitches.
I didn't get any takers to join and pace me so I was extremely nervous about hitting my times. This fear that I wouldn't be able to feel 7:45 pace without the treadmill looming in my brain. The way my week worked out I planned the tempo for Friday evening. I wonder why I didn't have any takers? 10 miles at 7:45 pace at 6:30 on a Friday night? Sounds like the perfect way to kick off the weekend right?
Something about running 10 miles on a week day really had me nervous but I just told myself run 5 out and then run 5 back. Once you get out 5 there's nothing to do but get in the rest.
Well everything just clicked last night. I had to start a bit beyond the mile marker due to an intersection that I parked on the wrong side of. I decided to run to the sign and back at the end of the run rather than the beginning.
So my first "half mile" went by in 3 minutes. I thought back to the distance to the marker and figure it was possible it was a 50 second jaunt.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
I hit the next half in 4 minutes.
crap. Guess that distance was more like 60 seconds and 8 minute pace is not 7:45.
But I kept it even.
10 miles at 8 is better than 3 or 4 at 7:45 and the rest dying.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Next half goes by in 3:51.
Nice. Right on pace. I can hold this for 10, I just know it.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Second mile 7:31.33.
Whoa, reel it in.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Next half 3:51 again.
Yes!
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
3rd mile 7:39.55
Perfect.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
4th mile 7:28.97
Did I really just hit that?
Saw CK driving and chatted for a few seconds while he drove alongside, wondering what I was doing in his hood.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
5th mile in 7:32.66
Rocking.
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Heading back I still felt pretty light on my feet. Breathing was slightly more labored and I had to focus a bit harder to keep the breaths on the left foot. Occasionally changing my count to 3 to get back on track.
breathe in 2,3 out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 6 came in 7:45.59
Focus in on turnover and breathing
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 7 7:42.69
Hmm wonder if these weren't really flat miles but slightly down on the way out
breathe in 2,3 out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 8 7:43.48
Nice. Only 2 more
At this point my right shoulder/neck got super tight and painful. Kind of a stabbing pain.
Breathe through it.
In (left strike) with the good, out (left strike) with the pain, in with the good, out with the pain
Next 800 in 3:49
Perfect.
In with the good, out with the pain, in with the good, out with the pain
Mile 9 7:48.05, pain starts to subside
Time to bring it home
breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Next 800 4:12
Yikes, move your ass
breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Mile 10 7:47.50
46 seconds to go
breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2, out 2, breathe in 2,3,4, out 2,3,4
Done.
Total time 1:16:49- 7:41 pace
I had 4 stops for traffic lights which I thought might blow my concentration and pace but they worked out perfect as I could take in a bit of Gatorade without breaking stride, and luckily pace and concentration were not lost.
Can't explain how happy I am with the workout and my progress. Mentally this was a great workout for me. I was focused on pace and breathing for 10 straight miles with minimal mental distractions.
Added bonus I did the whole workout carrying and taking in just a small Gatorade, about 80 calories. My body is finally getting accustomed to putting out quality without having to consume so much. Come marathon day this will be good as my muscles should feel super energized with the extra fuel.
10 marathon paced miles in the piggy bank!
Got 15 at 8:05 pace planned for tomorrow, let's hope that goes well too!
Doing the Math- Marathon Style
Training is half way done for the flying pig so it is time to start thinking about my goals and race strategy. Time to start visualizing the plan and start working on those mantras that will keep me on pace!
It looks like Cincinatti's course is relatively flat most of the way. The major hills come at you early with miles 5 to 9 being up up up. After that though it is a net decline with a few short climbs mixed in.
Ideally I'd like to run an even split race. Going out too fast this time is not an option but going out too slow sends all kinds of doubts running through my mind about making up time. I can see why so many people take the "put some money in the bank" approach. But I am confident that an even or negative split race is the best plan.
The FIRST training plan I have been using was based on a 7:45 planned marathon pace. That's a 3:23 marathon. My goal is 3:25 which is a 7:49 pace. Hopefully the mental boost from hitting most of the 7:45 pace training will be enough to pull me in under 3:25.
Since there is no 3:25 pace group and I don't want to go out too fast my plan is to go out with the 3:30 group at 8 minute pace for the first 9 miles, let them pull me up the hills before I drop the hammer, so to speak. From there I will have to run 7:41 pace the rest of the way if I want to come in under 3:25.
When I think 7:41 and see it in front of me it terrifies me. It just sounds fast. But I have just had a huge confidence boosting 20 miler. My fastest long run in training ever. I have only run 20 miles faster than Sunday twice and that was in Columbus and Boston. And on race day what seems so fast in your head always feels so much easier.
To add to that mental boost I am hoping to get in a race day simulation during one of my following 20 milers. We are going to head down to Cinci to visit relatives and I am hopefully going to get out onto the course for miles 6-26. I may modify that to 5-25 in order to run all the hills. My plan is to run the same way I plan on running the marathon with miles 5-9 at 8:30 pace and 8:15 pace the last 16-17. I am toying with actually trying to do planned marathon paces instead of the paces FIRST has down for that 20, but I am worried running too fast now will burn me out.
It would be nice to get in a 10k race soon to see how I stack up against those trendy prediction calculators but I think I should just have faith in the training plan and stick with it.
These are the splits I am going to keep in mind marathon day so I am going to start memorizing them now
9 miles: 1:12
13.1 miles: 1:43:30
20 miles: 2:36:21
23 miles: 2:59:34
26.2: 3:24:09
I don't want to be a slave to the watch but if I am close to 7:41 every mile after 9 and I am close to these times I will know sub 3:25 is achieveable.
I have several longer tempo runs planned closer to race day at marathon pace so I am sure come May 6th this pacing plan will feel perfect.
It looks like Cincinatti's course is relatively flat most of the way. The major hills come at you early with miles 5 to 9 being up up up. After that though it is a net decline with a few short climbs mixed in.
Ideally I'd like to run an even split race. Going out too fast this time is not an option but going out too slow sends all kinds of doubts running through my mind about making up time. I can see why so many people take the "put some money in the bank" approach. But I am confident that an even or negative split race is the best plan.
The FIRST training plan I have been using was based on a 7:45 planned marathon pace. That's a 3:23 marathon. My goal is 3:25 which is a 7:49 pace. Hopefully the mental boost from hitting most of the 7:45 pace training will be enough to pull me in under 3:25.
Since there is no 3:25 pace group and I don't want to go out too fast my plan is to go out with the 3:30 group at 8 minute pace for the first 9 miles, let them pull me up the hills before I drop the hammer, so to speak. From there I will have to run 7:41 pace the rest of the way if I want to come in under 3:25.
When I think 7:41 and see it in front of me it terrifies me. It just sounds fast. But I have just had a huge confidence boosting 20 miler. My fastest long run in training ever. I have only run 20 miles faster than Sunday twice and that was in Columbus and Boston. And on race day what seems so fast in your head always feels so much easier.
To add to that mental boost I am hoping to get in a race day simulation during one of my following 20 milers. We are going to head down to Cinci to visit relatives and I am hopefully going to get out onto the course for miles 6-26. I may modify that to 5-25 in order to run all the hills. My plan is to run the same way I plan on running the marathon with miles 5-9 at 8:30 pace and 8:15 pace the last 16-17. I am toying with actually trying to do planned marathon paces instead of the paces FIRST has down for that 20, but I am worried running too fast now will burn me out.
It would be nice to get in a 10k race soon to see how I stack up against those trendy prediction calculators but I think I should just have faith in the training plan and stick with it.
These are the splits I am going to keep in mind marathon day so I am going to start memorizing them now
9 miles: 1:12
13.1 miles: 1:43:30
20 miles: 2:36:21
23 miles: 2:59:34
26.2: 3:24:09
I don't want to be a slave to the watch but if I am close to 7:41 every mile after 9 and I am close to these times I will know sub 3:25 is achieveable.
I have several longer tempo runs planned closer to race day at marathon pace so I am sure come May 6th this pacing plan will feel perfect.
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