The Long Run

Blue Moon Half Marathon

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Location:

FL,

Member Since:

Mar 20, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

PR's:

  • 1 mile : 5:43 (3/2017)
  • 5K : 18:34 (12/2011)
  • 5 mile : 32:03 (5/2010)
  • 10K : 39:29 (11/2013)
  • 11K: 46:47 (July 2008)
  • Half Marathon : 1:26:47 (11/2012)
  • Marathon : 3:06:34 (02/2010)
  • 50K Trail: 4:34 (01/2012)
  • 50 Mile: 8:34:48 (4/2012)
  • 100K: 11:06 (2/2012)
  • 100 Mile: 24:19:44 (1/2022)

Marathons:

  • Treasure Coast Marathon (FL) - 3:39:51, Mar 2021
  • Towpath Marathon (OH) - 3:35:26, Oct 2019
  • Jacksonville Marathon - 3:31:10, Dec 2018
  • NYC Marathon - 3:49:12, Nov 2017
  • Marine Corps Marathon - 3:27:00, Oct 2016
  • Utah Valley - Jun 2016
  • Marine Corps Marathon - 3:28:12, Oct 2015
  • Pocatello Marathon (ID) - 3:32:25, Sept 2015
  • Chasing The Unicorn (PA) - 3:31:20, Aug 2015
  • Run for The Red (Poconos) - 3:30:40, May 2015
  • Boston - 3:24:42, Apr 2015
  • Clearwater - 3:27:04, Jan 2015
  • Clearwater - 3:16:17, Jan 2014
  • Boston  - 3:27:00, Apr 2011
  • DesNews - 3:10:57, Jul 2010
  • Gasparilla  - 3:06:34, Feb 2010
  • Space Coast - 3:11:29, Nov 2009
  • Estes Park  (7500' and up) - 3:52:19, Jun 2009
  • Boston - 3:17:22, Apr 2009
  • Niagara Falls - 3:19:21, Oct 2008
  • San Diego RnR  - 3:24:18, Jun 2008
  • Jacksonville Marathon -3:21:24, Dec 2007
  • Chicago Marathon - 3:35:08, Oct 2007
  • Disney Marathon - 3:52:34, Jan 2007

 

 

 

 

Short-Term Running Goals:

 

  • Sub 40:00 10K
  • 2:59 Marathon
  • 1:25 Half Marathon
  • 18:30 5K

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Maintain my health and continuously seek to improve my fitness. Maybe someday get under 3:00 for marathon. More importantly, I'd like to figure out what my maximum ability is and reach that.

I'd also like to find the right balance in life and use running to enhance and improve myself.

 

Personal:

Dad of  three (welcome Charlotte Dani on 8/10/20) awesome kids and stepdad to three almost as awesome as my own kids.

I have a brown dog named Stella, and three cats - Catty, Tortie, and Esperanza.

  (old lines that were a little out of date but couldn't quite bring myself to removing them completely:) Also, have one wonderful brown dog named Sammy and just added a grey tiger cat (Catty) whose life started out rough but now has a better home.

I've recently started another blog so I can easily add lots of pictures and so other non-FRB users can leave comments:

Forward Progress!

 Also, for 2012 I started a blog to write down each day one thing that I am grateful for

Grateful Blog

 

Love living in Florida but love to travel and see the country and rest of the world.

 

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 4.81 Month: 38.01 Year: 326.23
Brooks T7 Lifetime Miles: 202.78
Brooks ST5 Lifetime Miles: 403.91
GoMeb Speed3 Lifetime Miles: 483.77
Brooks Pure Flow Lifetime Miles: 160.60
Brooks Launch(lobster) Lifetime Miles: 782.98
GoMeb Razor Lifetime Miles: 468.00
Race: Blue Moon Half Marathon (13.11 Miles) 01:26:47, Place overall: 3, Place in age division: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
1.466.007.140.000.000.000.0014.60

13.11 mi, 01:26:47, 06:37 pace

Good effort at the race today resulting in new PR of 1:26:47 (chip) and 3rd place overall (which gave me $25 prize, my first ever cash award)

My plan was to try for the pace needed for 1:25 then see what happens. It's not the best strategy for smart racing but I think it is a good fitness test.

First three miles were good - 6:18, 6:36, 6:23

Actually during mile 2 I did have a deep sense of doubt that I would not be able to hold a decent pace, but then got back on track for the third mile.  Just before the race started I was standing next to a guy who I thought looked pretty fast.  I asked him what pace he was planning on running and he said 6:20 to 6:25.  I thought that sounded good and would try to follow him and hang on.  However, I should have thought better of it since he said he ran 1:21 here last year.  Also, next to me at the start was Bret, who I've almost run into at other races, so it was nice to finally meet him.  At the beginning of the first mile I tried to follow Alravo (the 1:21 guy) but backed it down after about a 1/4 mile of doing a 5:40 pace.  However, I was feeling pretty good at the end of the first mile and sometimes have difficulty getting to the pace I want.  For the second mile the two lead guys had pulled ahead significantly.

6:42, 6:35, 6:37, 6:29, 6:32

Slight hiccup on the 4th mile going up and over the bridge, 5-8 were also good although a little slower than the pace I needed.  At mile 7, almost being at the pace I needed I was hoping that the pull of the second half would let me keep a faster pace.

6:46, 6:55, 6:42, 6:45, 6:43 and 0.14@5:40 

9 and 10 were tough with 10 being my slowest at 6:55, then 11-13 were faster. Glad I was able to keep myself from falling apart. I was alone for most of the run, ran with Bret a little bit at the beginning, the 1st and 2nd place guys were way in front of me (1:19 and 1:22). The race was a lot of fun and really let me know where I need to be in order to reach 1:25.


I had to really push to get that 6:55 mile down below 7:00, I was afraid that if I didn't get that one under 7:00 I might fall apart.

I talked to a guy after the race named Ben who was 74 years old and had done over 100 marathons, 50 of which were sub-3:00.  He ran about a 1:58 today.  Was telling me how there is no substitute for high mileage.  I used to be one of those 100 mile per week runners in the 1970's.  My miles have been a little bit lower than they used to be although not too bad.  My last half marathon PR was 2 years ago, when I was consistently doing mileage in the 60's.  I've been doing more speed work, but I some higher mileage would have helped for the second half of  the race.

The other thing that was difficult was the pedestrian bridge.  I crossed over during miles 4, 5, 9, and 10.   Except for mile 5 (6:35), the other crossings were difficult.  It wasn't that high but it did get to me  a little.  Maybe some more hills are in order.

Alravo got a new PR today of 1:19 to win the race and the number 2 guy came in at 1:22 and is my same age.  I think Alravo looked a bit like Jesus (but no beard, just the long hair), nice guy and humble, too.

Comments
From Bret on Mon, Nov 05, 2012 at 06:55:41 from 64.128.133.66

Nice race Mark and good to finally meet you in person. Conditions were not ideal with high humidity - on a better weather day you'd easily have seen 1:25. Keep it up!

From Sasha Pachev on Wed, Nov 07, 2012 at 13:27:28 from 69.28.149.29

Mark - this is good news. PR and cash. Cash award, even small, is a psychological breakthrough. In a small way you start to think of yourself as a professional runner, you treat your legs with more respect now that they can earn cash (even though it is far from being able to pay the bills). And you are more than half way towards sub-3:00. When I have a moment I'll take a look at your training in more detail to see if I have any ideas.

From Sasha Pachev on Wed, Nov 07, 2012 at 17:55:30 from 69.28.149.29

OK, some thoughts. 200+ miles a month is a good start, but it needs to go up to reach 1:23 in the half, which I think is what you need to have a safe margin for the sub-3:00 attempt. It is possible I think to go sub-3:00 with only 1:26, but it would require more endurance, which still requires mileage.

The question is how to do it without getting PF or other nasty problems. The key is steady balance. Maximize your recovery. That involves getting more sleep and improving the diet. The building materials for a faster body are loaded when you eat, and used productively when you sleep. Training only acts as a catalyst. But the check is actually cached when you are in bed. Training must be earned by recovery. That is, if you know you can sleep only that much you should only train that much. If you want to train more you need to start sleeping more.

I think a safe path, if your schedule permits, is to run 7 miles in the morning, and then squeeze in 3 miles during lunch or after work in the evening. Another way you could up the miles is replace the Wednesday spin class with running, and to get some cycling, if you feel it is beneficial, just ride a bike.

Long run should be 16-18 miles with the focus on fast finish. Try to hit 6:30 pace. So if all you can do at the end of 18 at that pace is 1 mile, start with that, then increment it by as little as a quarter until it grows into something substantial. But I think it is important to teach your body that 6:30 is the pace that you can do on tired legs. If you can learn that, then 6:55 average through the marathon will be OK.

I'll take a look at your blog in a month or so, if I forget, please remind me.

From Rob Murphy on Wed, Nov 07, 2012 at 18:13:13 from 24.10.249.165

Pretty nice Mark. Congratulations.

From JimF on Wed, Nov 07, 2012 at 20:06:13 from 207.97.137.94

Congrats on the PR and a great race! Nice picking up some cash for your efforts! You are making great progress!

From Mark on Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 07:11:38 from 96.252.189.106

Thanks everyone.

Sasha, sleep has been sort of a problem for me recently which I must work on. I think it will make the biggest difference along with squeezing in some more miles here and there. Thanks for the detailed feedback, it is very helpful.

From jtshad on Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 07:58:18 from 141.221.191.225

Congrats on the PR and podium finish! Great race!

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