sub-3 or blow-up trying

Upper body weights + 5 on TM, including middle 2 miles @ 6:18 pace. 

Basement TM:  2 mile warm-up and then 3 miles in 18min. 

Actually took Monday off, so yesterday's log is actually today. 

Weights (legs) + 5 miles on TM- miles 4 and 5 @ 6min pace. 

4 more miles on basement TM.

Ran 8 miles in the pouring rain while 3 of my girls accompanied me by bike. 

Kind of nasty out- 80 degrees + high humidity.  Decided to do basement TM- just as nasty!  Did 7-miles @ 6:48 pace before the TM got dangerously slippery.  Shut things down and may do the 2nd half tonight. 

Anual Fall Festival at church today, so really not much time to run.  Missed a window in the morning, but got an evening run in on the basement TM- did 8 miles @ 6:48 pace.  Hope continue putting in steady number of miles at 6:50 and lower in these last 2 weeks begfore the marathon.  I'll do my last long run (14-16 miles) on Monday and continue to ease my way through the taper. 

Slept in today and slept well.  First good night's sleep in over a week.  I've been fighting a cold and sore throat and believe the rest has helped me to turn a corner.  Hoped to get a longer run in today (w/good sleep and holiday), however, I felt terribly sluggish.  Ended up doing a bit of a warm-up (2miles) and then broke into a fast mp for 5 miles (6:39 pace), and then just jogged the remainder for 10miles total. 

Weights @ gym + TM run:  2 mile warm-up and then 3 @ 6min pace. 

Keep getting quality miles in during taper...TM:  3-mile warm-up and then 4 @ 6:27 pace. 

10 miles slowly...wore gloves and long sleeves for the first time since winter. 

Did 20 minutes weights a the gym + TM- 3 mile warm-up and then 3.5 miles @ 6:20 pace.  Breaking in new shoes for next week's marathon. 

First, my daughter (Freshman) had a great race today, running a cross-country 5k on challenging course in 23:39.  I now in the midst of a taper and have been trying to keep the leg-turnover going in the process.  Ran alongside my 9-year-old on a bike to the track, doing 2 miles @ a 6:43 pace.  Stretched warmed up and then did 2 x 800 (2:46,2:47).  Jogged a tad bit more on the track and then started back home with a 5:48 pace for the first mile and then a slow jog for the last mile- 6 miles total. 

Last "longer" run before the marathon next weekend.  After the first three miles decided to pick it up for a couple miles.  Did miles 4 & 5 in 6:25,6:17 and then joined up with my wife for the last 5 miles- 10 miles total. 

Quick run on the basement TM:  2 mile warm-up and then 3 miles @ 6:44 pace. 

3 slow miles on the TM + weights.

5 slow miles w/my 9-year-old who rode her bike. 

Got up early to do my "dress rehearsal" for this weekend's marathon.  I was sore, tired, and groggy.  Tapers are not my favorite thing- it messes with me in so many different ways- phantom pains, feeling bloated, mentally fragile, etc. 

Warmed up two miles on the track- cool (38 degrees), sunny, and no wind.  Stretched a little and then moved into a little quicker than mp in hopes of doing a steady 3-miles.  Mile 1- 6:46 (easy, yet too breathy), mile 2- 6:46 (a little easier than the first mile), and then mile 3- 6:23 (ran the last lap and a half fairly hard).  Not a pleasant experience, yet definitely have the zip in my legs for a solid marathon this weekend.  Also, my shoes now feel broken in. 

Goals for this weekend:  1) Qualify for Boston (3:15- too late to register for 2013).  2) Pr for this particular course (need to break 3:09).  3) Marathon pr (need to break 3:06:59).

Worst case scenerio I'm hoping for = barely bq...best case= sub-3:05...I don't think I quite there yet for a sub-3, but a perfect day could get me closer.

Perfect day for a marathon.  Temperatures in the mid-40's at the starting line with very little wind.  Here's6 my best shot at the splits and personal thoughts will follow...

Mile 1: 6:37 (too fast, so tried to slow down)

Mile 2:  6:43 (still too fast...tried to move closer to a 7min pace)

Mile 3: 6:53

Mile 4: 6:57

Mile 5: 7:06

Mile 6: 6:57

Mile 7: 7:03

Mile 8: 6:57

Mile 9: 7:00

Mile 10: 6:56

Mile 11: 7:03

Mile 12: 6:59

Mile 13: 6:53

Half Marathon: 1:31:15

Mile 14: 7:03

Mile 15: 6:57

Mile 16: 7:03 (thought at this point to begin counting how many runners I could pass from here to the finish- passed 3 in this mile)

Mile 17: 7:17 (uh-oh)

Mile 18: 7:24 (legs are getting tight)

Mile 19:  ??? Looked at my watch to figure out what was needed to BQ...Needed to do 7.2 miles in just over an hour.  Decided to make sure my pace was 8:30 or faster until the end.  Kind of bummed because it was such perfect marathon weather, yet needed to stay positive because my legs and feet were definitely beginning to feel thrashed.

Miles 20-23:  Kept 8-8:30 pace fairly easily, but was concerned that I could not keep this up.

Mile 24:  Very painful mile...almost decided to walk...just kept shuffling along...never went over 9min pace.

Miles 25: Boardering on 9min pace, but would not let myself do slower.

Mile 26: Knew I needed close to a 9min pace to BQ, so picked it up a tad and ran this mile in 8:22...really draining!!

Finish:  3:14:20- My family was there cheering and I was able to pump fist a few times.  At the finish I couldn't take a single step.  My wife joined me and helped me near the food tent.  I was very wobbly and almost fell a couple of times.  Once she got a little chicken soup in my system, I began to "come to." 

Overall, although I blew up in the second half, I am pleased to have re-qualified for Boston.  It's been almost 2 years since I've run a decent marathon (3:06 in Philly/2010).  My shorter distances have improved (Half Marathon/10k/5k), but I've struggled with distance due to some achilles issues. 

This past summer I could not run over 9 miles at a time until August.  And even then I would stop every 5 miles or so to rub out my achilles.  By September I was able to get a decent 20-miler in while my wife road on a bike, yet I still stopped every 3-5 miles to rub out the achilles.  My thought is to take a short break and then back off distance running for a while.  Once I'm recovered from this race, build up the mileage gradually (rather than going from 9-milers to 18-milers). 

Interestingly, my achilles never acted up at all.  My issue became my quads and legs tightening.  This probably comes from lack of distance training- building up gradually and doing uninterrupted 20-milers.  Thanks to all on the blog!  Access to other training programs and occasional feedback from great runners continues to motivate me as a runner and does wonders for my health and fitness. 

Took 4 days off to recover from the marathon.  Headed out today towards Goshen and did the first 5 miles @ 7:49 pace.  Stretched and headed back, doing the first 4 miles @ 7:21 pace and then jogged slowly mile 10.  My feet are a little sore, yet felt fairly good overall. 

Ran with my daughter down to the track.  Ran a 400 (85 sec), ran a mile with my daughter (6:52), and then did another 400 (83 sec).  Did a total of two miles on the track and then 2 miles home- 6 total. 

Bracing for "Sandy."  Gym was open, so did weights and TM run:  3 mile warm-up + 3 @ 6:27 pace. 

We were  to the west of the state and high enough to be unscathed by the "Sandy."  Prayers to those who were hit hard.  Went to the gym and did 20min weights + TM run:  3 mile warm-up and then 3 miles in 18min.