Of Mice and Marathons

Heritage Trail to West Lafayette and back w/ Brandon - 9.25 miles, averaged 7:42.

Legs felt heavy, but I was suprised by the pace. Warm but very windy. Enjoyed the run and company.

Late: 20 minutes of rolling and stretching + 25 minute core routine.

4th Street Hills (extended version) 12 miles, averaged 7:28

Afternoon: Saw a bit on Competitor.com about jogging strollers and I thought the guy was going to say he ran with an empty stroller because he saw how people gave people with jogging strollers space. Since I don't have children and Oliver wouldn't be thrilled to ride in one, I think I might pick one up and strap a Cabbage Patch Kid in there. Of course, in Lafayette people still jeer and yell at you, but I think it might work in Philly. 

North side - 9.5 miles, averaged 7:29.

Coldish, rainy, and windy. Legs seem like they are looking for some action. Not ready to run a marathon tomorrow, but I am more convinced that I need my race/workout on Saturday in addition to the 10-day out workout. I'll probably not cut back the first taper week as much as I normally would given that this week is already a decent cut back (so ~65-70). Cutting out a long run and a workout/double will get the mileage where it needs to be.

North side - 9 miles, averaged 7:52. Started some strides but the wind got the best of me. Feeling pretty good.

Goal for tomorrow is to try to run 101%-105% of goal marathon pace. So 6:10-5:57, which is basically fast end of aerobic into the top of half marathon pace. Probably wear my Garmin so I can dial back the pace as neccessary and monitor it a bit. Anyone who has done a race/workout knows how hard it is to slow down!

Late: 35 minutes of rolling and stretching + hips and glutes

AM: 500 FESTIVAL 15k - Did this race a few days after my grandfather died two years ago, so I wanted to run it even as as workout. The cost of the series (5k, 10k, 15k) is something like $38 and you get good support and it has been competitive enough as I have started getting faster over the last three years.

Goal was to run the Garmin at marathon goal pace to a touch faster (steady state pace), keeping splits and effort slower than half marathon pace, then pick it up when and if I felt like it to catch the bleeders in the final 5k. That's pretty much what I did. Fast to start because I was monkeying with my Garmin and it ended up "jumping" down in the last few hundred meters. If it wasn't so expensive I would throw it out. I thought 6:20-6:30 was feeling a little too fast (feel versus watch pace) even on tired legs and without a proper warmup. Started passing people around mile 3 and caught 4-5 dudes in the last 5k. Had some fun after mile 8 to the finish (elevation really doesn't change much).

I offered to block the wind for a few people, but their paces weren't quite in my groove so I helped them out for a few miles and then did my own thing.

The rich chocolately goodness (sweeter because I can put most of them down as "marathon pace"):

6:04, 6:17, 6:18, 6:18, 6:18, 6:11, 6:07, 6:15, 5:46, 1:44 (5:15 pace)

~2 up/4.7 down

PM: North side - 5.25 miles, averaged 7:56

North side - 8 miles, averaged 8:20

It's pretty much taper time. Don't eat too much, don't drink too much, don't run too much. Those are the Golden Rulers of Tapering, right?

Jefferson High School - 10 miles, averaged 7:44. Did a number of strides.

After deviating only .1 lbs @ 169ish last week over 5 days my weight has gone beserk the last 3 days. Always good timing with a taper. Hopefully it's just weekend weight (it's obviously not "pure" weight, but still). Guess it's Saltines for dinner and a Tic Tac or two for dessert!

Happy tapering!

Late: 20 minutes of rolling and stretching + 20 minutes of core. Might be the first buildup that I have been fairly consistent with my strength stuff.

North side - 8 miles, averaged 7:56

For those who hate tapering, here's some non-traditional tapering wisdom.

Late: 20 minutes of rolling and stretching + 20 minutes of hips and glutes w/ a few other basic strength exercises.

North side - 8 miles, averaged 7:52. Did some strides.

Hit the 1000-mile mark. Last year I hit it on April 3rd. But considering I didn't run until January 6 from the start of the year I am doing fine. Just under 71 miles per week. 70 miles a week average is about the low end of what I like to be at. 75 is about what I am shooting for this year (4000 total). Might talk myself into a late fall marathon. Let's get through the one ahead for now.

North side - 6.5 miles @ GJP.

Did some very gentlemenly miles with 9-minute guy now that I look back. Running early and in the dark? Who does that? Oh, yeah. Lots of people. Pleasant run.

Headed to Maine for my grandmother's 90 birthday. How could you miss something like that? 10-day out workout at some point in the morning. The weather looks great for Maine in April.

10-DAY OUT WORKOUT - 6 x 1 mile, 14 miles total

Pretty good workout. Didn't set myself up well for this being at my parents' last night. Chinese takeout, cocktails with soda (rarely have soda these days). I was up early but waited for the temperature to increase. About 55 to start and 65 at the finish. First shirtless day of the year.

Planned on doing these on dirt but the dirt was mud. Ran on the tar with some slightly varying terrain; enough change to make the effort harder (and easier) at times. Didn't feel outstanding to start, but then worked into it. Plan was ~HMP knowing it would likely feel like a typical LT session (it did);

Recovery jogs were 1:45-2:09 (some were uphill). Manually lapped my Garmin because it was displaying funky because I changed the setup. Worked out fine just taking .2 recovery, letting the 1 mile auto lap do the rest.

5:59, 5:56, 6:04, 5:56, 5:57, 5:49 (just under 5:57 average).

3.3 up/3.7 down

My meat eating blog friends would be happy to know part of my recovery food was 3 meatballs. Usual PBBJ after that.

I hope other Boston runners are feeling good.

Happiest of birthdays to my grandmother. Her 90th surprise party is today. I plan to keep my distance from the food.

6 miles primarily on the dirt shoulder of 105, averaged 7:46. Did a quarter at MP to stretch the legs at the end.

Did some form drills will my niece Delia on the deck in front of the reflection in the patio doors.

North side - 5.5 miles averaged 7:44.

Warm and a bit humid. Legs are getting snappy. Body is just tired from not sleeping well and dehydration. Going to be on top of both this week (generally I am).

Jefferson High School - 7 miles, averaged 7:44. Did a few strides.

Highest weigh-in in a couple months. I'll figure it out eventually. Feeling pretty taper-y.

Lunch: Looked over the week leading up to Sugarloaf in May. I recommend folks who are feeling the tapering blues to check out what you did before your last marathon and how you were feeling (if you tend to write a lot as I do). Made my day much better.

Late: 25 minutes of stretching and rolling + 10 minutes of hips and glutes. Legs feel fairly stretched out despite lazy mode this weekend and end of last week. Short runs are probably helping.

Tempo loop - 7.5 miles, averaged 7:11. Did a 2-mile tempo in 12:31 (6:14, 6:17). Felt okay. Did a couple strides. Strides felt good.

Not ideal weather for a dress rehearsal, not that I wear my singlet other than race day. Light snow over night. Temps around 30 degrees. It's been in the 70s from last Thursday until Sunday.

Night: 35 minutes of rolling, stretching, and core. Ryan Hall didn't respond to my Twitter question/reply. It's been 3 hours. He's dead to me.

North side - 5.5 miles, averaged 7:43

Afternoon: Got my hair cut. Watched some young gents attacking 18th street hill in strong fashion. Resisted giving running form advice. I am neither routine nor superstitious but I always get my hair cut a few days before a race. I also will not step over the timing matts before a race (on the weird chance that it triggers my chip prematurely and decides to include my warmup in my overall time). Similar to the way third baseman (I think) jumps over the baseline.

Late: 30 minutes of rolling, stretching, hips + glutes. Massage in the morning. A bit like cleaning your car before you have it detailed, but I am trying to continue to establish the habit even if it just my 20 minute stretching and rolling routine most nights.

Day off. Got a massage. At a few points my head almost lifted off the table. Just the right amount of pressure!

North side - 5.25 miles, averaged 7:48. Did a couple strides.

Going to switch my nightly steamed vegeteble from broccoli to sweet potato starting tonight #taperjustgotreal

I think I run my strides too fast and for not a long enough period of time. Today I ran just 4 but they started around mile pace (5:05), then cut down to a pace for a distance (maybe 400 pace) I will never run @ 4:25. Helpful perspective that Rob posted to Twitter found here. Thinking beyond Boston and developing my top-end speed, form, efficiency and so on.

North side - 4.5 miles, averaged 7:33.

Did ~2:00 around marathon pace. 3 Johnson strides (I've added another name to my battery of names for strides).

Carbs, carbs, carbs . . . ready for a second nap of the day.

Read through Jeff Shadley's 2012 Boston race report. Inspiring for sure, and in that heat! Looks like we will have pretty favorable weather conditions this year. Wishing everyone the best.

Pre-bed: 15+ minutes of light rolling, stretching, and hips

2 miles easy, averaged 8:44. Off to the Airport--shipping up to Boston!

BAA lost my bib. After that I requested an elite one so I could lead the first mile, then walk off the course. No such luck. New bib 2997. Guess I'm running 26.2. Getting my shirt the woman asked me what my time was. I thought she meant what I was shooting for she meant qualifying time. I thought she was questioning my goal time. After sitting in the bathroom for a while, I realized she wanted to make sure my number didn't put me too far back from where I should be. Moral of the story: I'm a bit anxious and touchy. (Sorry about panic texts, Jakers.)

Ran according to plan and just didn't have it and that was clear as early as 10k. Almost dropped out around 19-20 as my eyes started to roll back in my head and my head tilted and my vision got blurry. Felt ill at the finish. On closer inspection a bit of mild heat stroke (or sun expose or whatever the non-lifethreatening kind is) I am guessing. I was going to write a few words and cut it short, but I don't want to be a spoil puss (or whatever the phrase is that my father uses). I want my report to contribute to knowledge on the blog about running, particularly for those looking to qualify and for who will run it for the first time next year or in years to come. That report (tomorrow) is for you. Pleased to see Joe run well at a time when other things in life had required attention. Josh ran really well, and so did Jeff. 2:39 flat? How perfect! Meb, Shalane. It's all just fantastic. Also, so many Boston accents that sound funny, even to my Maine ears.

REPORT

Got to see Megan and my mom, aunt, sister and cousin, which was great. I just wish I had more time with Megan and wasn't so worried about this running business.

had a A-goal of 2:45, but figured upper 2:40s would make me happy. I recently ran another 1:17 half PR, so I thought I was fit enough. I had some good workouts, lots of builders, and long long runs. Maybe I was shooting too high. I still need to think about that. I still ran under 3 hours and requalified, but that's not enough. It never was. I got spoiled running a strong marathon last May.

Warmed up for 5 minutes. Plan was to start slow and not run like a rookie. I ran according to plan and even a bit slower. Through 7 miles I didn't feel great. You often down that early. But I just felt flat the whole time. Started dropping splits early even on the downhills. By halfway I knew I was done. Somewhere around miles 18-20 I started to feel dizzy and I started to stagger and I could feel my head drop back. I hydrated as much as I could stand and kept water dumped over my head. Had to walk a few steps here and there through the hills because I thought I was going to pass out. I was going to drop because I thought something might be wrong. Kept "going." Side stitches at mile 24 (later than normal). Finished. Stumbled around confused for a while. After I met up with my family I felt ill. Sick to my stomach, stumbling around, not really able to answer relatively simple questions (basic logistical travel ones).

Just a terrible race, but an amazing day for Boston and American distance running. I was floored to hear Meb won. He's a class act. The ladies did incredible as well. Glad to see others had fantastic days (Josh ran a near perfect race. Jeff got a little course revenge from 2012 even though he had an amazing day in that heat).

Fact: Boston is not an aided course. Sure, by the numbers it is but it seems a ~2-3 minute positive split is what Riley has referred to as something like a negative effort positive split (I'm messing up his term but you get the idea). The hills aren't bad. Don't get me wrong, from the splits you will see I got put through the grinder but I was already toast before that. You just have to grind it out and not force it.

Ran with my Timex, which seems to help me actually run better. Splits: 6:40, 6:22, 6:24, 6:21, 6:31, 6:25, 6:19, 6:32, 6:26, 6:35, 6:38, 6:30, 6:27, 6;37, 6:50 (mommy come get me), 6:36, 7:00, 7:06, 6:54, 7:11 (this is embarrassing but it goes in the report), 8:01 (I'm never going to run again), 7:12, 7:13, 6:52, 7:49, 7:21, 1:26

REST DAY. Mandatory 7 days off. During the race I vowed never to run again, but I'll feel like running tomorrow. A little sore today, but not as bad as my first, but worse than the last 2, after which I was a little stiff but stairs were fine and I wasn't sore.

Rest day. A bit of soreness set it, but my walking gait is normal and stairs aren't a problem. More sore than my last marathon, after which I was just tight in the hips. Quad soreness set in yesterday. I haven't had sore quads in a long time.

PM: 2 mile walk from campus.

Easily one of my best worst race faces

AM: 2 mile walk to campus

PM: 2+ mile walk from campus. I am going with the Allie Moore post-marathon recovery plan. I usually take at least a few days off but I don't do nearly enough walking and the temperatures are a happy medium between the freezing winter and not needing to take a shower when I get to campus.

Rest day.

Rest day.

Rest day.

I think when Dr. Poulsen said he advised distance runners to eat meat he didn't have this in mind. Yes, Virginia, that is a burger with a grilled cheese sandwich for both buns. Hard to see the bottom but there is one just like the top. It was on my bucket list for Lafayette before I leave. Menu for Dt Kirby's. Now back to my training diet . . .

Last rest day I think.

Spent some time putting off my writing last night and did some walking around on Google maps in Chestnut Hill, PA. Mapped out some routes, one of which is a 10 mile out and back to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Going toward the Art Museum mirrors the RnR course on Kelly Dr (it's on the river trail though). A solid flat section for long run + tempos. Most of my longer intervals and tempos will be on smooth, wide swept paths in the woods. Hoping to get invloved in some of the local running. It is time to take the running up a notch. Looking forward to a change of scenary and being with Megan.

North side - 6.25 miles, no watch

Vinton Woods - 8.5 miles, no watch