Friday, March 27, 2009

update just prior to my 3-some

(I read this just before I posted it and it sounds really jumbled and scatterbrained. Sorry if the writing/english is awry. I don't have the energy to focus my thoughts and write them out succinctly right now)
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The past 2 weekends have been 20+ and 22+ milers. Both went okay. Boring, but okay. I think I'm running my LRs a little too quickly. I don't feel overly tired, beat up or dare I say it, injured - yet - so no worries. We'll see how it translates in a few weeks.

My 10 miler on Wed was successful but not comfortable. I had no goal going into it, whether to run some speed, relax or fartlek it, so I just went. After about a 1/4 mile, I opted for a near-MP run. But I feel weird calling it an MP run - I don't really subscribe to any 'named' runs that have to be a prescribed pace, that's just too structed for me. My goal was to test my (somewhat fatigued) legs and ability to pace myself. I based my MP on my 3 2008 marathons - not that those really have any bearing on my training/fitness now. I like the structure of a tempo run(but it's still a 'feel' run) or measured intervals but everything else is a crap shoot.
Literally, everything I run is done by feel - I haven't run any measured intervals since last August and don't have a GPS or HRM so I base my pace on breathing, how my legs feel, attitude, etc.
This is going to sound strange and probably a shade conceited, but Wednesday I was disappointed when I figured out I had run faster than my planned pace of somewhere between 8-810 mpm. I was a bit distressed, depressed and not too happy about it. I just don't have a bead on my pace right now and i'm usually right on with it.
But those were fleeting thoughts.
It's not going to bother me and I'll take the increase in speed, don't get me wrong...if it translates into a faster goal race. I have had this happen before - train well, feel faster, run for sh!t in the goal race.
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I was also thinking about race management by feel and how much effort it takes to gain time versus how easily it is to lose time in a race.
Running a race by feel is great and something I do all the time, but like I said, I usually have a really good bead on how fast I'm going (sans GPS). I just don't feel like I have that inner speedometer calibrated right now and I don't have time to fix it so who knows what'll happen on 4/20. The thing w/racing by feel is, assuming that the mile markers are posted (and they will be in Boston), you have the opportunity to check your pace every mile. Hopefully this translates into every 8 minutes for me in Boston.
Or less.
And if my inner speedometer is off a by a little bit, what's that gonna mean?
Time will tell.
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Gaining and losing time:
As an example - the first 1o miles of a marathon are run at a 7:50 pace. Assuming an 8 mpm is the benchmark/goal so that's only a gain of 100 seconds, or 1:40. What happens if a pit stop is necessary?
(TMI moment - I don't remember the last training run when I didn't have to stop to drop the kids off at the pool or water the flowers - and that's after having 'gone' pre-run)
There goes the time cushion...
Something I'm thinking about but again, I can't let it linger. Making up time in the 2nd half of the race or even keeping an aggressive pace like that will be challenging if not impossible. Especially in Boston.

This week:
26+ miles to date, LR (20 - 22m) is tomorrow
Last week:
46.6 miles w/a 22.1m LR

I wanted to run today and clip 50 miles for the week.
No dice.

Fleeting thought. If it pours on 4/20 and I run a crappy race I'm debating on a May marathon.
Yeah, that'll go over well.
And I was selected in the Mt Washington race lottery. I'm pumped.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Cram Training

I'm really missing my Friday runs. Last Friday I was planning on just a simple 3 or 4 miles - up and down my driveway if I had to but it just didn't happen. So I'm relegated to 4X / week which I don't feel like is enough. What do I do about it? Likely nothing - grin and bear it. I'm probably going to pile the lil'one in the jogger this Friday and grab a few miles. It's supposed to be in the mid-50's which is a rarity. This winter has been a tough one with the freezing temperatures and snow so the opportunities to take her out have been just about nil.
The challenges? What if I have to hit the woods while we're out? Showering afterwards. Guess that'll have to wait and she'll have to play with a stinky da-da.

We'll see if it happens.
I think there's also significantly more resentment in DW this year.

It's now 5 weeks till race day and I'm not feeling 'it' just yet. The hardening process hasn't really gone to plan and I was really questioning my mental stamina while on my 20-miler this past weekend. The run went fine even though I felt like total arsss. Nothing was really clicking until about mile 8 and auto-pilot started to flicker on & off. I think I should slow my overall pace down a little and go for more endurance. Running a 20-miler at an 8:35 mpm isn't really where I want/need to be to pile on endurance miles.

Last few week's mileage totals:
Last week (w/e 3/15): 41.6m
Week prior (w/e 3/8): 28m (intestinal flu)

Last week I had a nice long tempo run w/my tempo pace held for 6 miles of the 10 miles (I know that's not how Hal Higdon explains how to run a tempo). My pace varied between 6:56 and 7:12 with my last tempo mile at 7:28 (2 hills in there). I was happy and wasn't gassed after the run - tired but still had some energy left.
Today I had an 8 miler with 6 hill repeats of 1:22, 1:21, 1:24, 1:24, 1:24 and 1:25. It's a nasty little hill with 2 steep parts at the end. Again, a good workout and I felt a little stonger than weeks past. I guess I'm recovered from giving blood.

Maria - feel free to whip up a few batches of those tasty vittles you mentioned. Who's got time to make that stuff???

Sunday, March 8, 2009

monthly update

Seems like that's what it's coming down to these days. You'd think I'd have time to write since I seem to be sick all of the time.
Nope.

Anyway, I'm hoping I'm over whatever nasty little microscopic tasmanian devil decided to make his home in my intestines over the past 3 days. Someone on KR said something about lung butter? I have an analogy for the other end that I think I'll refrain from using but it has to do with a certain canned chocolate drink that comes in a yellow can.

Anyway, I hope I'm finally over it. Complete under-nutrition and near total dehydration caused my 20-miler to be postponed this weekend. I was really looking forward to it w/the warmer temperatures too. So, instead of a step back weekend in 2 weeks, I'll be running 20/22/20 over the next 3 weekends. The 3rd long run is a race but it'll be an endurance run for me - with support along the ME/NH/MA coast. I have to hit the gym for some XT'ing. Especially with 3 tough weeks coming up.
My total mileage is waaaaay down from last year. But my pace is faster (I think) even on my long runs which really may not be a better thing.
w/e - miles (LR)
3/08/09 - 28 (8.8 - midweek run)
3/01/09 - 36.4 (12)
2/22/09 - 42.6 (20.1)
2/15/09 - 41.1 (13.1)
2/08/09 - 32.5 (18.7)

I'm hoping that I'm getting enough volume. I think the 'quality' runs have been there but the volume to build endurance has suffered this year. I also need to hit a tempo run outside this week. The past 2 tempos have been on the TM although they have gone fairly well.
And my diet has absolutely bit. 'Tis time to clean it up and vary the input a little. I need suggestions - what do you eat? My pre-run snack and lunch is pretty much the same thing every day, when I have a chance to make it and eat it. Stoneyfield yogurt smoothie, PB & J on whole wheat, apple, banana, yogurt (sometimes), granola bar, sometimes a turkey/cheese sandwich if we have bread & the fixings. I did just buy a jar of almond butter and it's a very different taste.

One other thought: I'm at the point in my training where I'd really like to run w/someone for even a portion of my LRs. It provides a little motivation and entertainment, sometimes just enough to get over the hump and make me feel like I'm doing something I want to do and not something I have to do. It's just the timing thing and finding someone of similar pace, flexible time, etc. My 3 other (former) running partners just aren't there anymore - family, etc. I think I need to go on a running group date or something. Thing is the local groups go out on Sat AM around here and I'm stuck at home until around noon to allow the better half her weekend gym time.