If you are what you say you are, then have no fear the camera's here...I planned on just running a good pace for four miles with a negative split tonight. A slow first mile followed by progressively faster miles until I finish, but alas it was not to be. I galloped out of my cul-de-sac and found myself stretching out down the hill. At this point I just straightened up and worked on my form and just held the tempo. The hills caused me to vary my splits between 7:42 and 7:19 for the first three miles. I decided that my last mile will be my fastest and by gosh I did it. My final mile was 7:17. I am geniunely stronger and when I start training for speed after this marathon I will really see what my potential will be.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
If you are what you say you are, then have no fear the camera's here...
I spent a lot of time talking about how I won't run the 5K race next week at work if my legs are all beat up after my marathon on Sunday. I know I was bragging and probably was obnoxious, but I starting to feel my improvement and want to show it with good times. Does this get in the way of having fun?
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Pace groups - to fall back or sprint ahead
The Marathon Movie preview I just saw puts the DVD on my short list for Father's Day gifts.
I have been chatting with the members of the 3:50 Geico pace group on the Active.com Frederick Marathon forum. I think that I am going to start my race with them to ensure that I maintain the right pace up to mile 16 and test myself based on my strength at that point. The pacers have given me great food for thought that make me comfortable with the decision. Miles 16 - 22 of the Frederick marathon are really challenging according to the elevation chart, but I think that I've prepared myself well since I have often run elevation gains of 1000+ feet.
Tonight was beautiful weather in my town so I could not help but run outside and accidentally found myself trying to prove something about my 5K abilities. I ran 3.13 miles in 22:57 because my job is having a 5K the Wednesday after the marathon and I have not yet decided whether I want to run it. You see, alot of people at work know I am training for the marathon and I would not like it at all if I could not post a good 5K time. However, I am not sure my legs will permit me to impress if they've been zapped by the 26.2 I am going to race (not run) only 3 days earlier. Pride has got me twisted. If I don't run some people may not understand if I do run I may not look like a superstar (forget the fact that I may hurt myself - can you say stress fracture?). Seems like a simple problem, but I still don't know what to do.
I have been chatting with the members of the 3:50 Geico pace group on the Active.com Frederick Marathon forum. I think that I am going to start my race with them to ensure that I maintain the right pace up to mile 16 and test myself based on my strength at that point. The pacers have given me great food for thought that make me comfortable with the decision. Miles 16 - 22 of the Frederick marathon are really challenging according to the elevation chart, but I think that I've prepared myself well since I have often run elevation gains of 1000+ feet.
Tonight was beautiful weather in my town so I could not help but run outside and accidentally found myself trying to prove something about my 5K abilities. I ran 3.13 miles in 22:57 because my job is having a 5K the Wednesday after the marathon and I have not yet decided whether I want to run it. You see, alot of people at work know I am training for the marathon and I would not like it at all if I could not post a good 5K time. However, I am not sure my legs will permit me to impress if they've been zapped by the 26.2 I am going to race (not run) only 3 days earlier. Pride has got me twisted. If I don't run some people may not understand if I do run I may not look like a superstar (forget the fact that I may hurt myself - can you say stress fracture?). Seems like a simple problem, but I still don't know what to do.
Monday, April 27, 2009
What the treadmill has taught me
I started my running doing late nights on the treadmill after getting inspired by Runner's World Half-Marathon Challenge. I set myself goal paces for certain amounts of time and I went from DNF to slowly accomplishing each workout. The treadmill was integral to my training because I used it like free weights - the speed was my weight the time my set. I knew how much improvement I was making by setting the weight/speed higher and and doing more sets (read: running for a longer time).
Running outside (on my own) can do the same thing, it keeps you honest - but honesty is not always what you need. Sometimes you need that prop, that assist, that helps you trying harder than you normally would. Sometimes you need to run on the back of the treadmill or cheat on a rep.
However, you always need to translate this training to the field, out of the weight room. That will be shown a week from now on the hills of Frederick, MD.
Training note: Sunday, 8 miles, 66 minutes
Thursday, April 23, 2009
3 miles -- 25:43 -- 8:34 min/mi
Short post today. My legs feel fresh. 3 miles at an easy pace. I gotta go do some push-ups and an ab workout.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Twighlight loop around the hood
I never knew that socks could make such a difference. I bought a pair of Balega Enduro socks for my upcoming marathon and gave them a trial run this evening. OMG the words fail me they felt so good. They even have a cool website.
Short summary of the run. I ran well, I am finding that I can fairly easily run 8 minute miles, even when I am not trying to go fast. I got chased by the largest German Sheppard ever, interrupted dinner for a family of deer, and got cheered on my neighborhood kids. Not bad.
Stats:
- 6.01 miles
- 48:09
- 8:00 min/mi
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Taper, taper, taper... I am trying to be disciplined and make today an easy run. I used the McMillan Running Calculator to determine what an easy run pace is and the result came back with 8:49 min/mi or 6.8 mph. So, I got on the treadmill and that is what I did. I could not resist spiking the run with a mile at 3.5% incline.
I have a couple of other thoughts that have been on my mind...
Yesterday's Boston Marathon appeared to be really good. I had to watch the finishes online because I was at work, but once again the women's final had plenty of drama and once again the finish race featured Dire Tune of Ethiopia. Unlike last year Ms. Tune failed to overcome the kick of Salina Kosegi and this time she fell over from exhaustion at the finish line. I saw her carried out on a stretcher and that was it. She is an amazing athlete she is the former Boston champion and there have been no front page reports on her health. In fact, I am no web research rookie and I can find no reports of her well-being on the Web.
This disappoints me.
I have a couple of other thoughts that have been on my mind...
Yesterday's Boston Marathon appeared to be really good. I had to watch the finishes online because I was at work, but once again the women's final had plenty of drama and once again the finish race featured Dire Tune of Ethiopia. Unlike last year Ms. Tune failed to overcome the kick of Salina Kosegi and this time she fell over from exhaustion at the finish line. I saw her carried out on a stretcher and that was it. She is an amazing athlete she is the former Boston champion and there have been no front page reports on her health. In fact, I am no web research rookie and I can find no reports of her well-being on the Web.
This disappoints me.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Negative splits are for rock stars
Saturday mornings. My Saturday mornings are the days I relish most because it is the one time in a week where I have an hour or two to myself to see what I am all about. I am in my taper so today's long run is only 12 miles. I am trying to find my marathon pace so I set out to go out at a pace a bit above my goal time and come back at running my goal pace with increasingly stronger paces. Fat chance.
I still don't know my goal time. I felt good the whole time, but when I looked at my Garmin around mile 5 I realized that I was going too fast and had little hope of returning at a faster rate. I gave the negative split attempt a go, but I could not seem to match my effort at the start - I was tired. I did, however, push myself to my second fastest mile for my last and am grateful for that. Now I know what it takes to be an elite. I will have to train to my highest ability and have the confidence in myself to push beyond when the effort is required.
Split | Total Time | Total Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | 01:39:00 | 12.01 | 2,219 | 2,219 | 08:14 | 03:09 |
| 1 | 00:08:10 | 1.00 | 150 | 128 | 08:10 | 06:59 |
| 2 | 00:07:50 | 1.00 | 159 | 170 | 07:50 | 06:44 |
| 3 | 00:08:05 | 1.00 | 76 | 129 | 08:05 | 06:49 |
| 4 | 00:08:11 | 1.00 | 238 | 243 | 08:11 | 06:10 |
| 5 | 00:07:54 | 1.00 | 453 | 464 | 07:54 | 03:09 |
| 6 | 00:07:59 | 1.00 | 326 | 361 | 07:59 | 05:09 |
| 7 | 00:08:56 | 1.00 | 121 | 73 | 08:56 | 07:16 |
| 8 | 00:08:21 | 1.00 | 207 | 202 | 08:21 | 05:16 |
| 9 | 00:08:11 | 1.00 | 91 | 98 | 08:11 | 06:50 |
| 10 | 00:08:30 | 1.00 | 159 | 71 | 08:30 | 07:36 |
| 11 | 00:08:52 | 1.00 | 155 | 161 | 08:52 | 07:26 |
| 12 | 00:07:52 | 1.00 | 84 | 120 | 07:52 | 05:56 |
| 13 | 00:00:04 | 0.01 |
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