Pool Running is Fun

AM: 9 easy + standard core routine, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy + barefoot run, 4x80m fast barefoot strides and drills

AM: 9 easy + alternate core routine; foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

AM: 2 WU 6 mile tempo 2 CD. 5:35, 5:20, 5:18, 5:17, 5:19, 5:12. Meant to do 10K but stopped a lap early by accident. These are my 1600m splits but we spent a lot of time in lanes 2 or 3 passing people so it might as well be full mile splits.  Felt good but not too hard. I'm in amazing shape right now--the best I've ever been in my life. When 5-teens feel like nothing much but a good effort, it's a great feeling. Almost taper time. Warm this morning-62. shirtless and in shorts feels great. I'm pretty tired now though

PM: 5 easy + standard core routine and foam rolling

AM: 12 easy/ very windy. Will I run again today? only time will tell

PM:

Last long run before Glass City. It was alright. I was tired from the 101 mile week I just completed. Mentally preparing my mind for what's to come at Glass City. Although I'm in great shape, I'm nowhere near where Greg and this other guy who I know are running it are at. However, anything can happen in the marathon.  I'm looking forward to racing Cherry Blossom next weekend!

8:39, 7:50, 7:37, 7:26, 7:26, 7:13, 7:11

6:44, 6:49, 6:38, 6:39, 6:32, 6:15,6:16, 

5:52, 7:06*, 5:41, 5:38, 5:47, 5:41, 5:38, 

*tunnel mile. probably 5:4 something.

AM: 9 easy + alternate core routine

PM: 5 easy. warm out. dodging tourists and fair weather joggers/cyclists

AM: 9 easy + standard core routine, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy + 4x80m fast strides and light drills

AM: 20x400m @ 10K pace w/100m jogs in between. last few were 75-74. middle reps were 75-78, first few were 79-81 or so. Tired. 

PM: off. Doing a mini taper for Cherry Blossom, like I did for Shamrock. My legs are pretty rocked from the last few days. I have to get my legs back under me before Sunday.

AM: 5 easy

PM: 8 easy + standard core routine, foam rolling

5 easy + drills and strides

3 easy + light drills and strides

Updated to relfect actual course distance of 9.39 miles

There was a major accident in Potomac Park where a woman was hit by a guy on a motorcycle, causing race officials to shorten the course which has been re-measured at 9.54 miles. However, this would assume 5:06 pace and that I went 5:02 pace or slightly better for the 1.54 miles in the middle, which I'm not so sure about, though not impossible since I did make a move to get ahead of a pack of GRC guys and my fourth mile was 5:05.  Two different garmin readings read 9.44 and 9.45 for the course so I will go with 9.45. In fact, time bonuses for the professional elites may not happen, since people have called into question the legitimacy of the course re-measurement. Here's what I do know from the splits I was able to take:

5:10, 5:17, 5:08, 5:05, xx, 5:08, 5:14, 5:16, 5:09

5:10 avg. first 4, 5:11 avg. for last 4. Assuming the course was 9.45  9.39 I ran 5:09 5:11 pace for that distance. However, the easiest way to know what I may have been able to run for ten miles would be to assume that the two additional miles in there would be 5:11 and 5:12 since that's what I averaged overall for those 8 miles the distance. That would put me somewhere between 51:30-51:40 51:50-52:00 which is a great 10 mile for me right now--even better than my 1:09:45 half. The results estimate my 10 mile time at 51:57.

How the race played out

Perfect weather, low wind, felt great. First mile, 5:10-wow so fast, no effort! 10:27 through two miles. Tried to contain it a bit and run smart but I was just flowing-a really great feeling. 15:36, and 20:41 through 4 miles. Ran with a pack of GRC guys for a bit before I gunned it when the course diverted, missed 1.5 or so in there before an accurate course marker could be found.

Paul  pushed the pace a bit and was ahead of me for a little while before I decided to risk it and put in the long drive toward the finish. I was falling off pace a bit due to my mid race exuberance, running completely alone but obviously pushed very hard in that last mile and I was gaining on Jerry and Kieran (two other very fast local guys) but they were too far ahead to catch.

Race Video I'm actually listed in the open results since I'm top 25! Considering the international caliber of this race with professionals, I'll take 24th as a club runner. I wonder what the top "guys with full time jobs other than running" results were ;)

All in all I've once again exceeded my expectations. All those drab winter days running twice a day, the long marathon paced strength workouts, the Friday nights in avoiding all the drinking, all the foam rolling, gym work, pool work, and early bed times were totally worth it. Having my coach George keep me even and having my training partners Greg, Marty, Susanna, and Doug there to help me stay motivated and push past my limits have helped me tremendously. I wouldn't be having so much fun running fast without them!

There's nothing quite like a well executed race and the feeling of pushing past your limits. It not only opens up possibilities in athletics, but in all facets of life. Persevere through life and Believe in yourself!

Beautiful full blossom Cherry Trees

Photo By Cheryl Young

Results

On to the marathon!

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5 easy + foam rolling. Now I'm sore from yesterday.

looks like hopes for top three at Glass City may be premature....two older Kenyans with seed times of 2:21 and two 2:22 are on the entrants list as well as a dude gunning for sub 2:20. Not to mention another 2:24 guy and my own teammate who is  a 2:26 guy. It's gonna be a race people...95% chance of rain in the forcast that day as well.

AM: 9 easy + standard core routine

PM: 5 easy

raining

AM: 9 easy + alternate core routine

PM: 5 easy + drills/strides + barefoot run

AM: 9 easy + standard core routine, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

and so, my marathon taper begins tomorrow.

2.5 WU 2x3200m cruise intervals with 800m recovery between. 2 CD

10:38 (5:26/5:12), 10:24 (5:14, 5:11)

Tired today but it's officially taper time so this weekend will be light

10 easy and foam rolling. A perfect sunny spring day. I was runing and a guy on a bike passing me with a Kenyan accent turned and said "The Kenyans are coming." I said "yes, indeed." In fact, there are two C-list Kenyans running the race next week and the'll give me a run for my money.

12 easy

AM: 5 easy + 5x100m strides and light drills

PM: 5 easy + standard core routine, foam rolling

starting to feel the reduced training load. I feel fine so far.

1.5 WU 1600, 800, 800 2 CD

5:04, 2:26, 2:21

very short workout to get the cobwebs out of the legs before the final part of the taper.

AM: 5 easy + standard core routine, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

feeling rested. I wake right up after only 7.5 hrs of sleep and my energy levels feel different than the usual walking zombie state of heavy mileage. Getting closer to the big day.

5 easy + full drill set and strides.

legs feel full of energy like I was flying during my run. this is probably the first time in months that my legs have been fully repaired and stocked with glycogen. Looking forward to Sunday and mentally preparing for the sould crushing sting after 20 miles.

3 easy with a couple minutes of race pace to test my shoes.

2 easy with accelerations. 

"This is where you've always been, you had to lose so you could win."

I flew up to Toledo yesterday with faith and optimism since I knew I was in great shape. Having trained harder than I've ever done in my life, I was coming off two great tune-up races of 1:09:45 half and a 48:45 9.39 miler. I wanted to break 2:30 and I knew by doing so I could possibly place and win a little bit of money which feels really cool for a sub elite.

I started the race with a first mile of 5:42. By the way, the first few auto-trackers that the RaceJoy app posted on my Facebook this morning were incorrect. In fact, between miles 1 throughat least 16, my miles ranged from 5:35-5:45. during the first 8 I ran with Greg, making sure to tame my tendency to push the pace. Greg took off ever so slowly after mile 8 and the gap widened by mile 12 to the point where I could no longer see him and nobody was anywere behind me, so I found myself out there running all alone. I was ingesting my shot bloks and grabbed a bottle of water my sister handed to me. I was carbed up, well hydrated, and ready to roll once I got to mile 21.

The spectators thinned and the course began zig-zagging into neighborhoods. I ran down a wrong section for a short time when someone told me to turn around. At about mile 19, a Kenyan who went out too fast was basically jogging....and I easily flew by him. I knew that put me into 5th place (5th wins $100) and had plenty of energy...no wall hitting to be had. I knew I could dig down and run sub 5:40s for most of the rest of the race.

At mile 21 the course separates. Left is half marathoners, and right is marathoners. I followed the signs and a course marshal pointed me to the right. I turned and began to pick it up and put some hurt onto the Kenyan behind me while passing 6:00 run/walkers. After about 10 minutes I began wondering If I was in the wrong spot. The left turn that I thought was coming just never came and there were suddenly no course markers. I kept pushing it, running hard but once I saw the 11 mile marker sign that I had seen earlier right there in that instant I knew it was all over and realized what had happened. Hard to describe what I was feeling coming to a stop, and demanding a sag wagon to take me back to the start. I had run about 24 miles in total.

Article on the race. The lead woman was also mis-directed to the right. Except in her case, a course official in a golf cart tracked her down and turned her around after only a half a mile. I had gone over two miles in the wrong direction, and thus it was pointless at that point to run over 30 miles.

Course Problems

The problem is that the course splits there at mile 8, and we go to the right, but we also go to that same spot at mile 21...well the signs still say go right and there are still very slow people still running the full and the half on their first loop around at this point. the course marshal obviosuly could not tell the difference between me and them and directed me to the right. I realize now that I should have went to the left but when you are running 5:40 pace after 21 miles your mind tends to be a little pre-occupied with the freaking pain. There was no GO TO THE LEFT sign for lap 2 marathoners, no extra marshal to prevent this, no bike leader, and on top of that, there were further issues upcourse which I would have been involved in anyway had I turned left.

Greg got lost too. He explained that he turned left at the fork but then was lost after mile 24 and went the wrong way, then sprinted around asking people where the course went and not a single person knew, not even the course marshals or cops....he went the wrong way several times and the Kenyan he past got lost as well. He was able to finish at least and was third but was deeply disappointed in the clusterfuck that occurred after mile 21 since he did not know what distance he actually ran and that is the most important fact for a runner.

We work very hard to ensure we run good times on accurate courses that are well staffed but you can't have an event with 2:20-6:00 hour marathoners with a half marathon and a relay that loops back onto itself before the original first split and expect things to run smoothly. I did not get my sub 2:30, I did not get $400, nor the thrill of seeing how fast I could have gone. My PR is still a 2:50 and I will have to wait many months before attempting another marathon again. If you are a sub-elite, I would highly advise against ever racing on a small time marathon course that has a concurrent half marathon.

Season Wrap-Up

I ran alot and really improved so much in the past 4 months I've even surpised myself. I only have one PR, in the half marathon, to show for it. In the end, just like my first 100 mile week, none of it really matters. The friendships, the discipline, and the pursuit of bettering oneself are the main reward. I really enjoyed the process and all that it entails and I wouldn't trade my time with George, and my running buddies for any PR or pay day.

The sun will come up tomorrow, life will go on, and this foible will be forgotten. In the big scheme of things, it's truly unimportant. Think of all of those people who are injured or are sick.  I'm happy that I'm healthy, injury free, and even more motivated to run great times this summer. Patience is truly a virtue that requires several lessons in life. Missing state by a half a stride when I was 17 taught me this, plantar fasciits taught me this, having knee surgery taught me this, tearing my achilles taught me this. What's a wrong turn in a marathon compared that?

complete rest

complete rest

complete rest. Eating garbage and starting to feel like shit. I'm done with that tomorrow. My body is recovered, time to slowly get back into it and started eating better.

4 easy at lunch + ab bench, stretching.

predictably slow legs, bloated feeling.