The two weeks after the marathon were a learning experience as well. With the help of a sports massage to target the worst soreness, I felt perfectly fine again by Tuesday of the first week. This meant I wanted to start running again because over the last 4 months it had become such a habit and an enjoyable time to listen to new music. I forced myself not to go since I knew I probably wasn't fully healed. Good call on that and I probably could've rested longer. On the Tuesday of the second week I went for a 3 mile run and I was amazed at how tight and a bit sore my calves were. I did the same on Thursday since I seemed to have pulled something in the back of my left knee. Even though more rest could've been good I'm happy that I got back out there again since the thing that hurt me the most on this last set of Triathlons is that I pretty much took the winter off and lost my entire base. By getting moving again hopefully I'll be able to keep some of that.
Now Where?
Right after the marathon I left the open question of whether I would ever do one again. My answer still holds that it wasn't that bad I just don't know about the training time. The next one coming up is the Charlottesville Marathon and they just announced it's a new course along routes that I'm fairly familiar with. That being said, I'm not sure about running in the cold to train. The other option is to do the half marathon and really focus on improving my time.
I do already know I'm planning on doing the Martha Jefferson 8K again (already registered) and the Cville 10 miler (will register as soon as it opens). For both of those I'd like to get my time under 10 minute miles since they are shorter distances. The Charlottesville Sprint Triathlon is also in my future. I'd like to get my time for that under two hours. The key there will be keeping up my base on getting a new bike since I was maxing out my gears.
Showing posts with label Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marathon. Show all posts
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Race Report - Richmond Marathon
Thanks
First off, thanks to everyone who supported me and followed along on this blog. Your well wished and encouragement meant a lot. Special thanks to David & Ben who came to the race to cheer me on and make sure I was alright afterwards.
Pre race
It was an early start to the day since we chose to drive down there in the morning. David & Ben met at my place at 6 to start the journey. The drive was uneventful but felt rather long since I was starting to get anxious about just wanting to get there on time and get on with the run. We got there slightly before 7:30 so we were able to see the beginning of the half marathon. For about 20 minutes we just milled around the starting corrals. I was in the last corral since I knew I was going to be slow. Around 7:50 I said my goodbyes to them and they headed up to a little past the start line and I lined up with the other slow folks.
First half
The race officially started at 8 and at that time I heard a great round of cheers. Since there were about 3800 runners for the marathon, it took me 4 minutes to even get to the starting line. I managed to stay true to my pace for the first few miles which is especially important since it is so easy to start out too fast and pay for it later. Along the course of the first few miles there were clothes just strewn along the edge. It was a chilly morning and drizzling so many people kept jackets or sweaters on then discarded them along the way. I also started with my jacket but since I really like it I instead tied it around my waist after about two miles. One (pretty large & organized) training group had a clothing drop spot where they filled up a couple of laundry hampers full of jackets/sweaters/etc of their members.
At mile 4 I realized I had not yet had any fluid intake on the race because I skipped getting any at mile 2 water stop and hadn't had any from my fuel belt. Typically on long training runs I'd have some around mile 3, but I think that was largely because there was always a hill there. I partook of the powerade at that stop and all future ones until about mile 21 (but that story will come later). Until mile 20, the water stops were every two miles so it kept me pretty well hydrated. Outside of those, I used gels at 5, 10, 14, 17, and 21 to keep me going.
The first half of the course was a bit through downtown then through beautiful historic neighborhoods which I enjoyed looking at the architecture. Around mile 7 we were on a road right next to the James river. The foliage was gorgeous and the river was a nice difference from running around the city. The water level on the river was a bit unnerving at times since it was as close as about 5 feet from the road and not that much of an elevation distance.
Second Half
Around mile 15, the place where my hamstrings and butt meet started to hurt a fair bit. It actually hurt more to walk than to run, so that was great encouragement to keep running even when I mentally wanted to walk. Especially because the transition between walk & run hurt the most. Amazingly, my calves and quads never hurt during the race. Clearly I did a good job building them up during the training and resting them ahead of time. I think my hamstrings would've been fine except a week ago I went on the company hike and that is what was the most sore then too.
The second half was much more mentally challenging because I was starting to ache, get tired, and when the wind hit me just right - cold as well. Thankfully, many wonderful supporters know this is the case for most racers and there were amusing support signs along the way as well as some folks shouting encouragement. Some of my favorite signs (and the ones I can remember):
The best encouragement of all was knowing that Ben & David would be at the mile 19 "party zone" waiting for me. Sure enough, when I got there they were all smiles with signs to cheer me on. Clearly I was rather slow because they even had time to draw pretty pictures on them. Ben's had a picture of me crossing the finish line and David's had a cow on it (long story). I stopped for just a minute to chat with them (not going to really affect my time that much) and drop off my jacket. It was wonderful having them out there and knowing that they would once again be waiting for me at the finish line.
Beginning of the End
The end portion really began at mile 20 for me at which point is was only 10K left. At that point they started having water/powerade stations every mile. Ignoring my training, at mile 20 I took two cups of powerade instead of one. I knew better... I really did... but I was so thirsty that I told myself that it wouldn't slosh around in my stomach and make me feel sick. Nope. That's exactly what happened. I skipped powerade again until mile 23 when I was feeling better. I may have introduced liquids again earlier but the beer station at mile 22 only had beer and I much prefer hard cider.
During this portion, I started looking at the miles left to do rather than the ones I had already done. For instance, at mile 21 I reminded myself that it was only 5 miles left and recently my short runs had been 5 miles. During those short runs I had been tired from work and it was often dark out, so this was an improvement because I may be tired but at least it was light out. Same happened with 4 miles - it was just like the Cville womens 4 miler which was where this all began a few years ago. 3 miles was just a nice little 5K race.
The hardest mile of the entire race was mile 25 to 26. I was hurting and my energy level was low. I should've had another gel, but I don't think I wanted to admit it was my energy. We were back into downtown Richmond at this point so there was a stoplight every block. My strategy for this mile was to walk to one light, run to the next light, walk to the following one, then run, etc, etc. It worked great. Kept me going at a decent pace and made the distance I had to run into small achievable chunks.
Most folks say that the last 0.2 miles are the hardest. I actually found them the be among the easiest but mostly due to the course and the spirit of the race. Just before mile 26 the course peaks a hill and by the time you reach mile 26 one can see the finish line. It is literally all down hill to the finish. The closer one gets to the finish, the more folks are there cheering you on. I looked around for David & Ben and spotted them slightly before I crossed the finish line. They had their signs proudly displayed. Since there weren't that many folks crossing the line around the same time the announcer was able to read my name and city as I crossed. It felt great.
Post race
After the race I continued down the chute where I got my medallion, foil blanket, and food. I really wasn't that hungry but I nibbled on some pizza so that my stomach would not hurt as much when I took advil. I desperately wanted to sit and thus found some stairs to relax on. Thankfully the guys made me get up and moving again after 10 minutes (I think, I really don't know) since I had stiffened up incredibly by then. I could barely walk and needed to brace myself against one of them when stepping up or down off the curb. They were also wonderful to me by making sure I stayed warm by getting out my jacket and also loaning me one of theirs to wear so I could wear the foil blanket as a skirt. Yes, Ben has a picture of this so once I get it from him I will post it.
We walked very slowly back to the car and by the time I was there I was significantly less stiff. I changed into a dry top and sweater, then bundled up with another jacket and a real blanket for the ride home. David was kind enough to drive my Prius so that I could rest in the back.
When home I did some stretching, took a shower, and took a nap. Unfortunately, the shower was upstairs and food was downstairs. Despite the advil and a hard cider, getting down the stairs took a lot. I can't even describe the ache because unlike other times it wasn't just one muscle. It was everything. Today I am much less sore and was able to make it down the stairs like a normal person. I even took a walk to the grocery store to keep my muscles from stiffening today.
Stats
As a reminder, my only goal was to finish so I'm happy with my time and placement. For most runners this is rather slow, but slow or not, I finished.
Time: 5:39:23
Pace: 12:57/mile
Overall placement: 3543/3785
Gender placement: 1372/1506
Age group & gender (women 25-29): 267/294
Other - QA style
Q1) Will you run another marathon?
A1) Maybe. This was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life, so I'm not jumping at the chance to do it again right away. On the other hand, I completed it and it wasn't so bad that I will swear it off forever. As many folks say, I've got to forget about the pain of the first one before attempting another.
Q2) What was a humorous moment you didn't tell earlier in the post?
A2) The mile 16 water/powerade stop was also a junk food stop, but I had forgotten this. They had trained us from the earlier stops that water was the first table and powerade was the second table. Thus I started to pass a group of volunteers holding out cups because I thought they were water. Then one of them said it was coke. I immediately perked up and went for a cup. The great change in my expression was evidently amusing because we all had a good laugh about it.
Q3) Do you have any pictures?
A3) Yes and no. Ben took some and evidently some video, but I do not have these yet. Once I do I will post them.
Q4) Any advice for those of us considering running a marathon, half marathon, or triathlon?
A4) Train hard, race easy. More importantly - know what works for you. I learned which type of gels I liked and could stomach, when & how much I should drink, and what clothing would be comfortable for long distances.
First off, thanks to everyone who supported me and followed along on this blog. Your well wished and encouragement meant a lot. Special thanks to David & Ben who came to the race to cheer me on and make sure I was alright afterwards.
Pre race
It was an early start to the day since we chose to drive down there in the morning. David & Ben met at my place at 6 to start the journey. The drive was uneventful but felt rather long since I was starting to get anxious about just wanting to get there on time and get on with the run. We got there slightly before 7:30 so we were able to see the beginning of the half marathon. For about 20 minutes we just milled around the starting corrals. I was in the last corral since I knew I was going to be slow. Around 7:50 I said my goodbyes to them and they headed up to a little past the start line and I lined up with the other slow folks.
First half
The race officially started at 8 and at that time I heard a great round of cheers. Since there were about 3800 runners for the marathon, it took me 4 minutes to even get to the starting line. I managed to stay true to my pace for the first few miles which is especially important since it is so easy to start out too fast and pay for it later. Along the course of the first few miles there were clothes just strewn along the edge. It was a chilly morning and drizzling so many people kept jackets or sweaters on then discarded them along the way. I also started with my jacket but since I really like it I instead tied it around my waist after about two miles. One (pretty large & organized) training group had a clothing drop spot where they filled up a couple of laundry hampers full of jackets/sweaters/etc of their members.
At mile 4 I realized I had not yet had any fluid intake on the race because I skipped getting any at mile 2 water stop and hadn't had any from my fuel belt. Typically on long training runs I'd have some around mile 3, but I think that was largely because there was always a hill there. I partook of the powerade at that stop and all future ones until about mile 21 (but that story will come later). Until mile 20, the water stops were every two miles so it kept me pretty well hydrated. Outside of those, I used gels at 5, 10, 14, 17, and 21 to keep me going.
The first half of the course was a bit through downtown then through beautiful historic neighborhoods which I enjoyed looking at the architecture. Around mile 7 we were on a road right next to the James river. The foliage was gorgeous and the river was a nice difference from running around the city. The water level on the river was a bit unnerving at times since it was as close as about 5 feet from the road and not that much of an elevation distance.
Second Half
Around mile 15, the place where my hamstrings and butt meet started to hurt a fair bit. It actually hurt more to walk than to run, so that was great encouragement to keep running even when I mentally wanted to walk. Especially because the transition between walk & run hurt the most. Amazingly, my calves and quads never hurt during the race. Clearly I did a good job building them up during the training and resting them ahead of time. I think my hamstrings would've been fine except a week ago I went on the company hike and that is what was the most sore then too.
The second half was much more mentally challenging because I was starting to ache, get tired, and when the wind hit me just right - cold as well. Thankfully, many wonderful supporters know this is the case for most racers and there were amusing support signs along the way as well as some folks shouting encouragement. Some of my favorite signs (and the ones I can remember):
- Your legs will forgive you...eventually
- That's not sweat, it's your fat cells crying.
- Remember the reasons you are doing this.
- Don't stop -- people are watching.
- Your feet hurt because you are kicking so much butt!
The best encouragement of all was knowing that Ben & David would be at the mile 19 "party zone" waiting for me. Sure enough, when I got there they were all smiles with signs to cheer me on. Clearly I was rather slow because they even had time to draw pretty pictures on them. Ben's had a picture of me crossing the finish line and David's had a cow on it (long story). I stopped for just a minute to chat with them (not going to really affect my time that much) and drop off my jacket. It was wonderful having them out there and knowing that they would once again be waiting for me at the finish line.
Beginning of the End
The end portion really began at mile 20 for me at which point is was only 10K left. At that point they started having water/powerade stations every mile. Ignoring my training, at mile 20 I took two cups of powerade instead of one. I knew better... I really did... but I was so thirsty that I told myself that it wouldn't slosh around in my stomach and make me feel sick. Nope. That's exactly what happened. I skipped powerade again until mile 23 when I was feeling better. I may have introduced liquids again earlier but the beer station at mile 22 only had beer and I much prefer hard cider.
During this portion, I started looking at the miles left to do rather than the ones I had already done. For instance, at mile 21 I reminded myself that it was only 5 miles left and recently my short runs had been 5 miles. During those short runs I had been tired from work and it was often dark out, so this was an improvement because I may be tired but at least it was light out. Same happened with 4 miles - it was just like the Cville womens 4 miler which was where this all began a few years ago. 3 miles was just a nice little 5K race.
The hardest mile of the entire race was mile 25 to 26. I was hurting and my energy level was low. I should've had another gel, but I don't think I wanted to admit it was my energy. We were back into downtown Richmond at this point so there was a stoplight every block. My strategy for this mile was to walk to one light, run to the next light, walk to the following one, then run, etc, etc. It worked great. Kept me going at a decent pace and made the distance I had to run into small achievable chunks.
Most folks say that the last 0.2 miles are the hardest. I actually found them the be among the easiest but mostly due to the course and the spirit of the race. Just before mile 26 the course peaks a hill and by the time you reach mile 26 one can see the finish line. It is literally all down hill to the finish. The closer one gets to the finish, the more folks are there cheering you on. I looked around for David & Ben and spotted them slightly before I crossed the finish line. They had their signs proudly displayed. Since there weren't that many folks crossing the line around the same time the announcer was able to read my name and city as I crossed. It felt great.
Post race
After the race I continued down the chute where I got my medallion, foil blanket, and food. I really wasn't that hungry but I nibbled on some pizza so that my stomach would not hurt as much when I took advil. I desperately wanted to sit and thus found some stairs to relax on. Thankfully the guys made me get up and moving again after 10 minutes (I think, I really don't know) since I had stiffened up incredibly by then. I could barely walk and needed to brace myself against one of them when stepping up or down off the curb. They were also wonderful to me by making sure I stayed warm by getting out my jacket and also loaning me one of theirs to wear so I could wear the foil blanket as a skirt. Yes, Ben has a picture of this so once I get it from him I will post it.
We walked very slowly back to the car and by the time I was there I was significantly less stiff. I changed into a dry top and sweater, then bundled up with another jacket and a real blanket for the ride home. David was kind enough to drive my Prius so that I could rest in the back.
When home I did some stretching, took a shower, and took a nap. Unfortunately, the shower was upstairs and food was downstairs. Despite the advil and a hard cider, getting down the stairs took a lot. I can't even describe the ache because unlike other times it wasn't just one muscle. It was everything. Today I am much less sore and was able to make it down the stairs like a normal person. I even took a walk to the grocery store to keep my muscles from stiffening today.
Stats
As a reminder, my only goal was to finish so I'm happy with my time and placement. For most runners this is rather slow, but slow or not, I finished.
Time: 5:39:23
Pace: 12:57/mile
Overall placement: 3543/3785
Gender placement: 1372/1506
Age group & gender (women 25-29): 267/294
Other - QA style
Q1) Will you run another marathon?
A1) Maybe. This was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life, so I'm not jumping at the chance to do it again right away. On the other hand, I completed it and it wasn't so bad that I will swear it off forever. As many folks say, I've got to forget about the pain of the first one before attempting another.
Q2) What was a humorous moment you didn't tell earlier in the post?
A2) The mile 16 water/powerade stop was also a junk food stop, but I had forgotten this. They had trained us from the earlier stops that water was the first table and powerade was the second table. Thus I started to pass a group of volunteers holding out cups because I thought they were water. Then one of them said it was coke. I immediately perked up and went for a cup. The great change in my expression was evidently amusing because we all had a good laugh about it.
Q3) Do you have any pictures?
A3) Yes and no. Ben took some and evidently some video, but I do not have these yet. Once I do I will post them.
Q4) Any advice for those of us considering running a marathon, half marathon, or triathlon?
A4) Train hard, race easy. More importantly - know what works for you. I learned which type of gels I liked and could stomach, when & how much I should drink, and what clothing would be comfortable for long distances.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Success!
I finished the marathon in 5:39:24 and since my only goal was just to finish, I consider this a success!
Full race report will likely come tomorrow.
Full race report will likely come tomorrow.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Less than 24 hours!
It is now less than 24 hours until the start of the marathon. Last night Ben & I went to Richmond to pick up my race number, t-shirt, and goodie bag. It was a less than pleasant drive due to the weather (company was fine, it rain and gusts of wind that were not). Once we got there we guessed as to what was a parking spot since the dark and rain obscured the lines. Much like the midwest winters, you just find some other cars and park next to them.
Inside the arena was just a huge area for picking stuff up. That was the first time it really hit me as to how many people were doing this. I'm used to races of a few hundred to the max of 3000 where the packet pick up is in a store or church. This race has over 15,000 people registered (between the 3 distances) so it makes sense they need a much larger space.
In addition to picking up the race stuff, we spent some time wandering the displays and shops. There were promotions for other races, sponsors had booths, shops with running apparel, and a couple of food places.
So now I have everything I need for tomorrow. Just need to make sure I eat well, rest, and I should be good to go.
-------
As a follow up to the weather/state of emergency, it does look like it will clear up by tomorrow but still be humid.
Inside the arena was just a huge area for picking stuff up. That was the first time it really hit me as to how many people were doing this. I'm used to races of a few hundred to the max of 3000 where the packet pick up is in a store or church. This race has over 15,000 people registered (between the 3 distances) so it makes sense they need a much larger space.
In addition to picking up the race stuff, we spent some time wandering the displays and shops. There were promotions for other races, sponsors had booths, shops with running apparel, and a couple of food places.
So now I have everything I need for tomorrow. Just need to make sure I eat well, rest, and I should be good to go.
-------
As a follow up to the weather/state of emergency, it does look like it will clear up by tomorrow but still be humid.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
State of Emergency
As of last night, our governor declared Richmond in a state of emergency due to the rain of tropical storm Ida sitting and spinning over the city. This means they are continuing to watch the water levels because they have had serious flooding problems in the past. In addition, they are preparing some evacuation plans for low-lying areas.
Right now the state of emergency is scheduled to be in place until Sunday. What this means for the marathon is unknown. From the forecasts I've seen lately it is supposed to dry up by Saturday so I'm really hoping it can still happen. I'd be greatly disappointed if I trained this long to get shut out due to a tropical storm.
Right now the state of emergency is scheduled to be in place until Sunday. What this means for the marathon is unknown. From the forecasts I've seen lately it is supposed to dry up by Saturday so I'm really hoping it can still happen. I'd be greatly disappointed if I trained this long to get shut out due to a tropical storm.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Week 15
5, 3, 8.
Just like predicted, I did run both the 5 & 8 mile runs. Nothing terribly exciting with them except that it was in the high 60s and low 70s this week. Thus I needed to up my hydration again for these runs. The 3 mile run was skipped in favor of a 8 mile hike on Old Rag which left me quite sore the next day. Despite being in pretty good running shape, I guess I wasn't in great hiking shape.
Week 16 - The Final Week!
3, walk 3, 26.2
This week is all about nutrition and getting mentally prepared for the marathon on Saturday. I plan to eat lots of carbs, make sure I'm well hydrated, and get good rest. Also stay away from anyone who could spread illness.
Just like predicted, I did run both the 5 & 8 mile runs. Nothing terribly exciting with them except that it was in the high 60s and low 70s this week. Thus I needed to up my hydration again for these runs. The 3 mile run was skipped in favor of a 8 mile hike on Old Rag which left me quite sore the next day. Despite being in pretty good running shape, I guess I wasn't in great hiking shape.
Week 16 - The Final Week!
3, walk 3, 26.2
This week is all about nutrition and getting mentally prepared for the marathon on Saturday. I plan to eat lots of carbs, make sure I'm well hydrated, and get good rest. Also stay away from anyone who could spread illness.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Week 14
8, 5, 9
This week turned out to be extra short, just 6 miles. My 8 mile run essentially got rained out because about half a mile away from home I stepped in a giant puddle (that I couldn't see because it was dark out) that soaked my shoe and sock. I did do the 5 miles as planned with no great difficulty except being a little tight. The long run didn't happen because I wasn't feeling well and I was still quite tight in the calves. I figure missing a couple this late in the game isn't going to kill me. It may be better for my body to heal.
Next Week
5, 3, 8
I already know that I'm only going to do the 5 and the 8. The 3 mile run would have been the day before our company hike up a mountain, so I figure I'll just substitute than in instead. Especially since it'll end up delaying my long run to Sunday since I will be recovering from the hike on Saturday.
This week turned out to be extra short, just 6 miles. My 8 mile run essentially got rained out because about half a mile away from home I stepped in a giant puddle (that I couldn't see because it was dark out) that soaked my shoe and sock. I did do the 5 miles as planned with no great difficulty except being a little tight. The long run didn't happen because I wasn't feeling well and I was still quite tight in the calves. I figure missing a couple this late in the game isn't going to kill me. It may be better for my body to heal.
Next Week
5, 3, 8
I already know that I'm only going to do the 5 and the 8. The 3 mile run would have been the day before our company hike up a mountain, so I figure I'll just substitute than in instead. Especially since it'll end up delaying my long run to Sunday since I will be recovering from the hike on Saturday.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Week 13
8, 5, 18
What a difference a week makes. The previous week was cold and I was wearing a jacket and long pants. This week, it was in the 60s again. At least I've had practice now with the 18 miler in both cold weather clothing and warm weather clothing. Who knows what it'll be the day of the marathon.
This week to get through the 18 mile run, it was all mental. I split it up into 3 runs of 6 miles each. These small pieces are so much easier to accomplish. It worked so well that I think that I'll do it for the marathon as well. 4 runs of 6 miles and a 5K run. Granted that is 27 miles, but I'd rather mentally overshoot.
Next Week
8, 5, 9
The short & medium runs are the same distance, so I probably won't make any changes to those. The long run is cut in half to help the healing process begin.
What a difference a week makes. The previous week was cold and I was wearing a jacket and long pants. This week, it was in the 60s again. At least I've had practice now with the 18 miler in both cold weather clothing and warm weather clothing. Who knows what it'll be the day of the marathon.
This week to get through the 18 mile run, it was all mental. I split it up into 3 runs of 6 miles each. These small pieces are so much easier to accomplish. It worked so well that I think that I'll do it for the marathon as well. 4 runs of 6 miles and a 5K run. Granted that is 27 miles, but I'd rather mentally overshoot.
Next Week
8, 5, 9
The short & medium runs are the same distance, so I probably won't make any changes to those. The long run is cut in half to help the healing process begin.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Confirmation Booklet Excitement
I got the marathon registration confirmation booklet in the mail today. My race number is 4994! The numbers geek in me is thrilled to have a palindrome. Also, according the booklet they will be electronically updating marathon splits at miles 13.1 and 20. Which means the day of the race you can go onto the official site and follow me electronically. I'm not sure if they are doing it by number or name, but if they do it by name I'm registered under "Nicole" like all of my other races. Also, I'm currently predicting a 5:15-5:30 finish so feel free to use their pace chart to figure out when I might be passing certain areas.
DISCLAIMER: Just because I'm predicting a 5:15-5:30 finish, I'll be happy finishing it at any time. I haven't trained for speed, just endurance.
It's only 3 weeks away... so nervous yet so excited!
DISCLAIMER: Just because I'm predicting a 5:15-5:30 finish, I'll be happy finishing it at any time. I haven't trained for speed, just endurance.
It's only 3 weeks away... so nervous yet so excited!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Week 12
8, 5, 18
This week I fully transitioned into my new running shoes. Since it always takes a bit to get them right, the 8 mile run was cut short to about 5 miles since my feet were hurting. However, for the 5 and 18 mile runs they did much better.
The long run this week seemed rather daunting until I broke it down into essentially 3 runs. A 6 mile "warm up" run, a 5K, then a 9 mile run. I did them all directly in a row without going home/sitting down. This split really all worked around the fact that some of my friends were running a 5K and it was along the same route that I normally do for the long run. I just arranged the time I left in the morning so that I would make the race with them. It was a lot of fun. Having other folks around, chatting, and people cheering the runners on is definitely better than my solo-adventures. I hadn't realized how lonely the solo runs can get.
Next Week
8, 5, 18
This is the last week before tapering begins. I know I can do all the distances. I hope that during the long run that I can do it with less walking. Not because walking is bad, but because I'd like to decrease the total time I'm out there. This time I was on the road for more than 4 hours (granted some of that was waiting for the 5K and running/walking at my friend's pace), but it takes a toll on the body especially when it is only 45 degrees out.
This week I fully transitioned into my new running shoes. Since it always takes a bit to get them right, the 8 mile run was cut short to about 5 miles since my feet were hurting. However, for the 5 and 18 mile runs they did much better.
The long run this week seemed rather daunting until I broke it down into essentially 3 runs. A 6 mile "warm up" run, a 5K, then a 9 mile run. I did them all directly in a row without going home/sitting down. This split really all worked around the fact that some of my friends were running a 5K and it was along the same route that I normally do for the long run. I just arranged the time I left in the morning so that I would make the race with them. It was a lot of fun. Having other folks around, chatting, and people cheering the runners on is definitely better than my solo-adventures. I hadn't realized how lonely the solo runs can get.
Next Week
8, 5, 18
This is the last week before tapering begins. I know I can do all the distances. I hope that during the long run that I can do it with less walking. Not because walking is bad, but because I'd like to decrease the total time I'm out there. This time I was on the road for more than 4 hours (granted some of that was waiting for the 5K and running/walking at my friend's pace), but it takes a toll on the body especially when it is only 45 degrees out.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Week 11
8, 5, 16
Short and medium runs were nothing really of note but it was much warmer than last week so no jacket necessary. The long run was encouraging in that I was able to do the whole thing in a reasonable time. It was a challenge since starting around mile 14 my legs started to hurt and I was drastically running out of energy despite the one gel and 32oz of gatoraid. Lesson for next time - more gels since the liquid is heavier and needs to be taken sparingly for my stomach's sake. I'm thinking at miles 6 and 12. Then during the actual marathon I will eat them at 6, 12, 18, and 24. For me, it'll be better to err on the side of extra energy than passing out.
Next Week
8, 5, 18
Short and medium runs should be standard again. The long run increases by two miles but then the following week is also only 18 miles. From what I've noticed the first at the longer distance can be difficult and I may end up walking those two new miles, but then the following week I seem to be able to do it just fine.
Short and medium runs were nothing really of note but it was much warmer than last week so no jacket necessary. The long run was encouraging in that I was able to do the whole thing in a reasonable time. It was a challenge since starting around mile 14 my legs started to hurt and I was drastically running out of energy despite the one gel and 32oz of gatoraid. Lesson for next time - more gels since the liquid is heavier and needs to be taken sparingly for my stomach's sake. I'm thinking at miles 6 and 12. Then during the actual marathon I will eat them at 6, 12, 18, and 24. For me, it'll be better to err on the side of extra energy than passing out.
Next Week
8, 5, 18
Short and medium runs should be standard again. The long run increases by two miles but then the following week is also only 18 miles. From what I've noticed the first at the longer distance can be difficult and I may end up walking those two new miles, but then the following week I seem to be able to do it just fine.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Week 10
5, 8, 5, 16 (modified to realistic version 8, 5, 15)
Autumn has arrived and brought with it the cool crisp evenings. For both the medium and short runs I figured that I would warm up enough during the run itself that I could still go out in shorts and tanktop. At the end of both of the runs, I was still relatively cold. Parts of me warmed up, but other parts never did to the point I think I slightly injured both my quads and calves by pushing too hard when they weren't warmed up enough. I'm definitely going to start watching the weather closer in the upcoming weeks to determine if I need my jacket and gloves. I don't have any longer leggings for running (yet), but it seems that if I keep my upper body warm then the movement of the legs can go to keeping the legs warm.
The long run was a disaster. I only managed 6 miles in 80 minutes instead of 15 miles. Its normal for me to have a bit of a headache when I go out for the run because I don't drink coffee on the weekends, however, it normally clears up after a mile or two. This time the further I went the worse the headache got. Throw in some stomach issues and it just got unbearable for me. So instead of sticking it out I just went home and rested. I then told myself that I would go out Sunday and do the remaining 10 miles (I figured I could go back to 16 since it was split over two days). Sunday came and my knees just hurt too much.
With only 6 weeks remaining, I'm seriously starting to question my ability to go the distance. According to the training plan the long runs remaining are 16, 18, 18, 9, and 8 (the last two are for tapering). Given that I've now only done 13 miles I wonder if I will be able to do those few remaining long ones and if I do - will they be enough? The only light of hope remaining is that the time cutoff for the marathon is 7 hours which is a 16:02 pace - that is entirely walkable. So, worst case, I could just do a fast walk for the entire thing. I know the only goal should be to finish the race and not worry about time, but part of me still feels like if I don't finish under 6 hours (a common cutoff for other races) then I've failed since I've done little more than walking.
Next Week
5, 8, 5, 16
Once again I'm going to modify it down to not include the first short run - my knees just can't handle it. For the rest, I'm going to try my best to do them all including the 16 miles. I will try to do the entire distance even if I need to walk a majority of it just to practice that as well.
Race Prep
With the race coming up quicker than I would like, I still have a number of details to work out.
1) I haven't reserved a hotel room or figured out parking day of. There are only about 2700 spaces for the 15,000 racers (between the 3 distances) and an unknown number of supporters & volunteers. I suppose I could get up really early and get there, but still no guarantee.
2) I don't know what I'm going to wear. According to their website, the typical high for the day is 60. However, last year it got in the 80s and humid so I really won't be able to tell since it could probably be anywhere between 40 and 80. Thus I need to prepare for both ends of the spectrum.
2.5) I need a snazzy saying to write on whatever shirt I'm going to wear. I originally thought "I run for cookies" but it was pointed out that my saying has been "I bike for cookies" so I should do something different for running. Feel free to suggest things.
3) At some point in the next couple weeks I need to swap out shoes for my new ones since they are reaching end of life and I want to have the next pair broken in in time.
Autumn has arrived and brought with it the cool crisp evenings. For both the medium and short runs I figured that I would warm up enough during the run itself that I could still go out in shorts and tanktop. At the end of both of the runs, I was still relatively cold. Parts of me warmed up, but other parts never did to the point I think I slightly injured both my quads and calves by pushing too hard when they weren't warmed up enough. I'm definitely going to start watching the weather closer in the upcoming weeks to determine if I need my jacket and gloves. I don't have any longer leggings for running (yet), but it seems that if I keep my upper body warm then the movement of the legs can go to keeping the legs warm.
The long run was a disaster. I only managed 6 miles in 80 minutes instead of 15 miles. Its normal for me to have a bit of a headache when I go out for the run because I don't drink coffee on the weekends, however, it normally clears up after a mile or two. This time the further I went the worse the headache got. Throw in some stomach issues and it just got unbearable for me. So instead of sticking it out I just went home and rested. I then told myself that I would go out Sunday and do the remaining 10 miles (I figured I could go back to 16 since it was split over two days). Sunday came and my knees just hurt too much.
With only 6 weeks remaining, I'm seriously starting to question my ability to go the distance. According to the training plan the long runs remaining are 16, 18, 18, 9, and 8 (the last two are for tapering). Given that I've now only done 13 miles I wonder if I will be able to do those few remaining long ones and if I do - will they be enough? The only light of hope remaining is that the time cutoff for the marathon is 7 hours which is a 16:02 pace - that is entirely walkable. So, worst case, I could just do a fast walk for the entire thing. I know the only goal should be to finish the race and not worry about time, but part of me still feels like if I don't finish under 6 hours (a common cutoff for other races) then I've failed since I've done little more than walking.
Next Week
5, 8, 5, 16
Once again I'm going to modify it down to not include the first short run - my knees just can't handle it. For the rest, I'm going to try my best to do them all including the 16 miles. I will try to do the entire distance even if I need to walk a majority of it just to practice that as well.
Race Prep
With the race coming up quicker than I would like, I still have a number of details to work out.
1) I haven't reserved a hotel room or figured out parking day of. There are only about 2700 spaces for the 15,000 racers (between the 3 distances) and an unknown number of supporters & volunteers. I suppose I could get up really early and get there, but still no guarantee.
2) I don't know what I'm going to wear. According to their website, the typical high for the day is 60. However, last year it got in the 80s and humid so I really won't be able to tell since it could probably be anywhere between 40 and 80. Thus I need to prepare for both ends of the spectrum.
2.5) I need a snazzy saying to write on whatever shirt I'm going to wear. I originally thought "I run for cookies" but it was pointed out that my saying has been "I bike for cookies" so I should do something different for running. Feel free to suggest things.
3) At some point in the next couple weeks I need to swap out shoes for my new ones since they are reaching end of life and I want to have the next pair broken in in time.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Week 9
4, 7, 4, 16
Rain... though shalt not defeat me! Both the medium and long runs were done in light rain. Most likely not a coincidence, these were both also the fastest I've run those lengths. It is not because I want to get out of the rain quicker, because after running through the rain for an hour plus I'm not going to get any wetter if I'm out there 2 minutes longer. It is because I don't get as warm and dehydrated which just exhausts me. Supporting evidence is that I drank a lot less during both of these runs and I felt just fine. Yes, I still re-hydrated plenty but did not need to do as much during the actual run.
This week I only did the medium, second short run, and the long run. As I mentioned in the last post, I was aiming at 13 miles for this long run since I didn't want to jump from 10 to 16. However, I couldn't do just 13 miles since that pesky 0.1 miles to make it a half marathon was just too tempting. It was a great run. I started off stiff and a bit sore, but once I got in the flow then things just went well. With the aforementioned rain, I was able to do my 10 mile check point in 1:56:ish and the entire half marathon in 2:31:48. While I'm not overly concerned about pace, I was happy that it was 11:35 over the course of the entire thing.
Next Week
5, 8, 5, 16
My true goal of this training is to complete the marathon without seriously injuring myself. To that end, I will not be doing the first short run this week either. My body has expressed the need to take that extra time to recover. Along with the gradual ramp-up of the long runs, that one will only be 15 miles since I do want to limit how much I increase every week. Therefore since the medium run and the short runs both went up a mile, I'm not bumping the long run as much. A realistic plan for this week is 8, 5, 15. As a note, the 8, 5, 8 is the longest short/medium run set that the program sets out. It's definitely starting to level out.
Rain... though shalt not defeat me! Both the medium and long runs were done in light rain. Most likely not a coincidence, these were both also the fastest I've run those lengths. It is not because I want to get out of the rain quicker, because after running through the rain for an hour plus I'm not going to get any wetter if I'm out there 2 minutes longer. It is because I don't get as warm and dehydrated which just exhausts me. Supporting evidence is that I drank a lot less during both of these runs and I felt just fine. Yes, I still re-hydrated plenty but did not need to do as much during the actual run.
This week I only did the medium, second short run, and the long run. As I mentioned in the last post, I was aiming at 13 miles for this long run since I didn't want to jump from 10 to 16. However, I couldn't do just 13 miles since that pesky 0.1 miles to make it a half marathon was just too tempting. It was a great run. I started off stiff and a bit sore, but once I got in the flow then things just went well. With the aforementioned rain, I was able to do my 10 mile check point in 1:56:ish and the entire half marathon in 2:31:48. While I'm not overly concerned about pace, I was happy that it was 11:35 over the course of the entire thing.
Next Week
5, 8, 5, 16
My true goal of this training is to complete the marathon without seriously injuring myself. To that end, I will not be doing the first short run this week either. My body has expressed the need to take that extra time to recover. Along with the gradual ramp-up of the long runs, that one will only be 15 miles since I do want to limit how much I increase every week. Therefore since the medium run and the short runs both went up a mile, I'm not bumping the long run as much. A realistic plan for this week is 8, 5, 15. As a note, the 8, 5, 8 is the longest short/medium run set that the program sets out. It's definitely starting to level out.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Weeks 6-8
Week 6
4, 5, 4, 11
I completed all 4 runs as planned and started seeing my run times coming down. Most of that is related to the weather cooling down.
Week 7
4, 6, 4, 12
I only did the middle runs of 6 and 4 this week. The first run did not happen due to physical illness. The long run did not happen since I chose to spend the day volunteering at Jamestown. Every weekend there is something going on that I would like to be involved in. However, this was the last one that I will do until after the marathon. It is to the point where the prep, run, and recovery are taking more than 4 hours and that is only going to get longer. Plus I tend to be sore/tired for the rest of the day. Therefore I cannot schedule anything on the same day and it would be best not to wear myself out the day before and risk not completing the run.
Another challenge that I started to face this week is the darkness in the mornings. Getting out of my soft bed is hard enough on its own, but when it is still dark out I want to obey my instincts and sleep. For the 6 mile run I ended up doing it during my lunch break at work (yes we have a shower there) so that I didn't need to do half the run in the dark. I did do the 4 mile run while the sun was still coming up.
Week 8
4, 6, 4, 14
This week I only managed the medium and a long run. On both of the short runs I was ill - though with different things. In addition, my long run ended up only being 10 miles since I was still recovering and didn't want to push my body so hard that I relapsed.
To follow up on the darkness issue, I did both of my runs this week well after the sun was up. Though my medium run was after work and I ended up facing the opposite problem where the sun was actually already setting. I chose to do that run through campus since I know it is well lit and figured there would be a few students out. Wow... there were a LOT of students out to the point where running on the sidewalk was actually somewhat difficult to weave in and out of them.
Next Week
4, 7, 4, 16
Those are the mileages put forth by the book and the 16 miles is the first of 3 weeks at that distance. Given that I haven't done more than 11 miles (on purpose), I think for this week I will try to do 13 miles, the following week do 15, and the one after that get up to the 16. I will still do the appropriate short & medium runs.
4, 5, 4, 11
I completed all 4 runs as planned and started seeing my run times coming down. Most of that is related to the weather cooling down.
Week 7
4, 6, 4, 12
I only did the middle runs of 6 and 4 this week. The first run did not happen due to physical illness. The long run did not happen since I chose to spend the day volunteering at Jamestown. Every weekend there is something going on that I would like to be involved in. However, this was the last one that I will do until after the marathon. It is to the point where the prep, run, and recovery are taking more than 4 hours and that is only going to get longer. Plus I tend to be sore/tired for the rest of the day. Therefore I cannot schedule anything on the same day and it would be best not to wear myself out the day before and risk not completing the run.
Another challenge that I started to face this week is the darkness in the mornings. Getting out of my soft bed is hard enough on its own, but when it is still dark out I want to obey my instincts and sleep. For the 6 mile run I ended up doing it during my lunch break at work (yes we have a shower there) so that I didn't need to do half the run in the dark. I did do the 4 mile run while the sun was still coming up.
Week 8
4, 6, 4, 14
This week I only managed the medium and a long run. On both of the short runs I was ill - though with different things. In addition, my long run ended up only being 10 miles since I was still recovering and didn't want to push my body so hard that I relapsed.
To follow up on the darkness issue, I did both of my runs this week well after the sun was up. Though my medium run was after work and I ended up facing the opposite problem where the sun was actually already setting. I chose to do that run through campus since I know it is well lit and figured there would be a few students out. Wow... there were a LOT of students out to the point where running on the sidewalk was actually somewhat difficult to weave in and out of them.
Next Week
4, 7, 4, 16
Those are the mileages put forth by the book and the 16 miles is the first of 3 weeks at that distance. Given that I haven't done more than 11 miles (on purpose), I think for this week I will try to do 13 miles, the following week do 15, and the one after that get up to the 16. I will still do the appropriate short & medium runs.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Week 5
3, 5, 3, 10.
This week certainly didn't go as smooth as I would've liked. The first short run was fine, but I forgot to turn off my watch when I got home. Thus for the medium mile run I had to just estimate based on running time and I did around 4.75 miles. The second short run didn't happen because I was on business travel and planned on doing it when I returned in the evening. I really should've known better that I would be tired. For the long run I decided I would do the Cville 10 miler route since it's a published route and I would like to do it next year. However, I was not familiar with the area and ended up getting lost / turned around. By the time I got it straigthened up, I was about 2 miles off of where I wanted to be. Thus I completed the 10 miles then walked the remaining 2 miles home. Even with all the minor issues, I'm still pushing forward and feel confident that I can complete it if I stick with my training overall.
Next Week
4, 5, 4, 11
It went up by 3 miles this week but since its just the short runs getting longer, the increase on the long run shouldn't be too bad. Maybe I'll actually do the correct 10 miler route and tack on a bonus mile on the end.
This week certainly didn't go as smooth as I would've liked. The first short run was fine, but I forgot to turn off my watch when I got home. Thus for the medium mile run I had to just estimate based on running time and I did around 4.75 miles. The second short run didn't happen because I was on business travel and planned on doing it when I returned in the evening. I really should've known better that I would be tired. For the long run I decided I would do the Cville 10 miler route since it's a published route and I would like to do it next year. However, I was not familiar with the area and ended up getting lost / turned around. By the time I got it straigthened up, I was about 2 miles off of where I wanted to be. Thus I completed the 10 miles then walked the remaining 2 miles home. Even with all the minor issues, I'm still pushing forward and feel confident that I can complete it if I stick with my training overall.
Next Week
4, 5, 4, 11
It went up by 3 miles this week but since its just the short runs getting longer, the increase on the long run shouldn't be too bad. Maybe I'll actually do the correct 10 miler route and tack on a bonus mile on the end.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Week 4
3, 5, 3, 8.
I completed the planned distances although at a slower than normal pace because the average weather when I was running at 7am was 73 and humid. That makes it harder to stay cool and run longer. The long run once again just drained me. I only took 16oz of Gatoraid and 16oz of water with me. Despite that I ran out of energy around mile 5 and the fluid just wasn't perking me up enough. When I got home I realized I had used "Low Calorie" gatoraid which I'm sure was fine for the fluid replenishment portion but I also needed the extra energy from it. Thus I ended up walking the last 3 miles at a 16min/mile pace. That really isn't too bad and if needed I could do that for the entire marathon and still come in below the time cutoff.
As for the Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon I was going to do tomorrow. Due to a variety of reasons, I am choosing not to participate. I'll just be on the 10% of registrants that never show up. Most races actually count on there being about that many who do not attend.
Next Week
3, 5, 3, 10.
The second 3 mile run of the week I will be away on business travel, but hopefully they'll either have a treadmill I can use or some safe roads near by.
I completed the planned distances although at a slower than normal pace because the average weather when I was running at 7am was 73 and humid. That makes it harder to stay cool and run longer. The long run once again just drained me. I only took 16oz of Gatoraid and 16oz of water with me. Despite that I ran out of energy around mile 5 and the fluid just wasn't perking me up enough. When I got home I realized I had used "Low Calorie" gatoraid which I'm sure was fine for the fluid replenishment portion but I also needed the extra energy from it. Thus I ended up walking the last 3 miles at a 16min/mile pace. That really isn't too bad and if needed I could do that for the entire marathon and still come in below the time cutoff.
As for the Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon I was going to do tomorrow. Due to a variety of reasons, I am choosing not to participate. I'll just be on the 10% of registrants that never show up. Most races actually count on there being about that many who do not attend.
Next Week
3, 5, 3, 10.
The second 3 mile run of the week I will be away on business travel, but hopefully they'll either have a treadmill I can use or some safe roads near by.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
3 Weeks down, 13 more to go!
I had intended to do weekly updates, but since week 2 I was gone and had no internet access, you get them all at once.
Week 1
3, 4, 3, 5.
None of the runs seemed too bad. I did the 5 mile run on Friday night instead of Saturday morning and I'm glad I did so that my legs had the over night to rest instead of going straight from running to driving all day.
Week 2
3, 4, 3, 6.
I was camping and very active during this week which threw my running way off. I did 3, 2.5, 0, 6 (though the 6 was technically on the Monday of week 3). The 6 miles kicked my butt in the energy department. The times I've run 5 miles have either been in a supported race where they have water stops & lots of food/drink at the end, or its been cooler. So when I was doing the 6 miles I was starting to run out of energy and need something to drink. Thankfully I knew that the UVA track had a water fountain that I could adjust my route to take advantage of.
Week 3
3, 4, 3, 7.
This week also got adjusted a bit due to returning from vacation and doing the long run of the previous week at the beginning of this week. I did 3, 4, 0, 7. The short & medium runs are starting to get difficult in the mental/motivational department. I have done so many that are that distance over the last few years that I know all the routes and combos near my place really well. Which means I know that from a certain light it is 0.85 miles back to my apartment and for some reason that makes me just really want to be done running. I think its time to start running through more neighborhoods so that I vary the sights and distances.
The 7 mile run went much better than the 6 mile run. Knowing that I have energy issues, a few months ago I picked up a 4-container fuel belt. The front two 8-oz containers I filled with gatoraid and the back two I just filled with water to get used to the weight. The first half mile or so did feel very odd with the liquids splashing up and down, however, I eventually got used to it. I haven't trained a whole lot with drinking liquids while exercising so this time I did 4-oz drinks approximately every 1.5 miles starting at mile 2.5 (so that my last one was at mile 7). I didn't feel nearly as drained this run and mentally I was better able to handle it since my body wasn't fighting my brain for the previous little energy. I was also happy that drinking it in 4oz portions spread out over ~15 minute intervals didn't upset my stomach. Drinking too much all at once can make the liquid slosh in the stomach instead of in the bottles.
Next Week
3, 5, 3, 8.
Unfortunately I still won't be back to a normal week next week. On Sunday 8/23 I'm doing the Iron Girl Triathlon which means I really shouldn't do 8 miles the day before. I'm not going for a great speed in the triathlon, but I do want to be able to finish it without my muscles giving out. I will probably just skip the 8 mile run since in terms of cardio I'll actually be getting a longer work out during the triathlon.
Week 1
3, 4, 3, 5.
None of the runs seemed too bad. I did the 5 mile run on Friday night instead of Saturday morning and I'm glad I did so that my legs had the over night to rest instead of going straight from running to driving all day.
Week 2
3, 4, 3, 6.
I was camping and very active during this week which threw my running way off. I did 3, 2.5, 0, 6 (though the 6 was technically on the Monday of week 3). The 6 miles kicked my butt in the energy department. The times I've run 5 miles have either been in a supported race where they have water stops & lots of food/drink at the end, or its been cooler. So when I was doing the 6 miles I was starting to run out of energy and need something to drink. Thankfully I knew that the UVA track had a water fountain that I could adjust my route to take advantage of.
Week 3
3, 4, 3, 7.
This week also got adjusted a bit due to returning from vacation and doing the long run of the previous week at the beginning of this week. I did 3, 4, 0, 7. The short & medium runs are starting to get difficult in the mental/motivational department. I have done so many that are that distance over the last few years that I know all the routes and combos near my place really well. Which means I know that from a certain light it is 0.85 miles back to my apartment and for some reason that makes me just really want to be done running. I think its time to start running through more neighborhoods so that I vary the sights and distances.
The 7 mile run went much better than the 6 mile run. Knowing that I have energy issues, a few months ago I picked up a 4-container fuel belt. The front two 8-oz containers I filled with gatoraid and the back two I just filled with water to get used to the weight. The first half mile or so did feel very odd with the liquids splashing up and down, however, I eventually got used to it. I haven't trained a whole lot with drinking liquids while exercising so this time I did 4-oz drinks approximately every 1.5 miles starting at mile 2.5 (so that my last one was at mile 7). I didn't feel nearly as drained this run and mentally I was better able to handle it since my body wasn't fighting my brain for the previous little energy. I was also happy that drinking it in 4oz portions spread out over ~15 minute intervals didn't upset my stomach. Drinking too much all at once can make the liquid slosh in the stomach instead of in the bottles.
Next Week
3, 5, 3, 8.
Unfortunately I still won't be back to a normal week next week. On Sunday 8/23 I'm doing the Iron Girl Triathlon which means I really shouldn't do 8 miles the day before. I'm not going for a great speed in the triathlon, but I do want to be able to finish it without my muscles giving out. I will probably just skip the 8 mile run since in terms of cardio I'll actually be getting a longer work out during the triathlon.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Marathon Training Starts Today!
Today is the start of my 16-week training program for the Richmond Marathon. I will be following the program laid out in the book The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer. It was highly recommended by friends and having read it a number of times (5+), so I think it will be a good program. My goal is just to finish. I have no time goal since just completing it is a large enough challenge and per the advice of the book – I don't want to turn what could be a great victory into a failure just because I missed an arbitrary time by a few minutes.
A quick overview of my next 16 weeks is that I will run 4 times per week. Two short runs, a medium run, and a long run. This first week it is 3, 4, 3, 5 (all in miles). From there it increases each week following the 10% rule which is that the mileage should not increase more than 10% each week so that the body can adjust to the increased strain. The peak week where I do the most miles is 5, 8, 5, 18. That is the most we ever run in a week and is two weeks before the marathon. The last two weeks is about tapering to make sure the muscles are ready for the big day.
Where am I at right now?
Physically I can run 3 to 4 miles four times a week at a ~12min/mile pace and feel comfortable afterwards. I had been running a faster pace as you may have noted in some of my past race reports, but I typically felt terrible afterwards so it was not sustainable for the amount of miles I need to do. By the end I probably will be running faster, but this isn't about the time, it's about the miles.
Mentally I'm both nervous and excited. I'm nervous because that is a lot of miles ahead of me and I know I need to train even on days when it is hot, raining, or sore from a previous run. I know its going to take a lot of motivation to keep going so I'm glad that my friend David is doing the marathon as well and following the same training program. We can keep tabs on each other (aka harass the other one into making sure they are getting their miles in) and commiserate. I'm excited because this will be a challenge unlike any other that I've attempted.
Now off to go run!
A quick overview of my next 16 weeks is that I will run 4 times per week. Two short runs, a medium run, and a long run. This first week it is 3, 4, 3, 5 (all in miles). From there it increases each week following the 10% rule which is that the mileage should not increase more than 10% each week so that the body can adjust to the increased strain. The peak week where I do the most miles is 5, 8, 5, 18. That is the most we ever run in a week and is two weeks before the marathon. The last two weeks is about tapering to make sure the muscles are ready for the big day.
Where am I at right now?
Physically I can run 3 to 4 miles four times a week at a ~12min/mile pace and feel comfortable afterwards. I had been running a faster pace as you may have noted in some of my past race reports, but I typically felt terrible afterwards so it was not sustainable for the amount of miles I need to do. By the end I probably will be running faster, but this isn't about the time, it's about the miles.
Mentally I'm both nervous and excited. I'm nervous because that is a lot of miles ahead of me and I know I need to train even on days when it is hot, raining, or sore from a previous run. I know its going to take a lot of motivation to keep going so I'm glad that my friend David is doing the marathon as well and following the same training program. We can keep tabs on each other (aka harass the other one into making sure they are getting their miles in) and commiserate. I'm excited because this will be a challenge unlike any other that I've attempted.
Now off to go run!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Richmond Marathon - Registered
I am now officially registered for the Richmond Marathon. I should've done it yesterday when registering for the Cville Sprint Triathlon, since I missed one of the early registration time frames by a day. But now I've paid, so I'm going to do this thing!
(And no, it's not an Aprils Fools joke... I'm serious, I'm doing this)
(And no, it's not an Aprils Fools joke... I'm serious, I'm doing this)
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